Chapter 50: Guilty Home
When dinner was finished, Iris carried the dishware to the table while Ember and Basil carried out platters of food. They had worried about the weight and heat and did not wish to allow Iris to strain herself. Iris called out
"Caspian, dinners ready! Come eat!"
Caspian immediately walked out of the bedrooms while dusting off his hands. Luckily, he had just finished carving out the new room and there would only be a little bit of work left after dinner. The furniture needed moved over and the stone moved into storage.
Caspian and Ember sat on either side of Iris. Basil had also wanted to sit beside Iris, but was not stupid enough to challenge Ember. Still, he wouldn't be discouraged. Basil at on his knees on the floor beside Iris and rested his tail on her lap.
Ember snorted in disdain as he took in Basil's clearly desperate attempt to get attention from their mate. Caspian just smiled dotingly at Iris as he carved some roast for her and scooped out soup for her.
Usually, males would eat last so Iris sat alone as Basil tried to feed her. Iris felt this was highly uncomfortable and felt natural. She looked to Caspian for help as she protested
"I don't want to eat by myself. It makes me feel too guilty to eat. You know I won't be able to eat all of what you served me, much less seconds. There is no need for you all to wait and let the food go cold."
Caspian knew by now that Iris felt differently from most females and that she ate far less. Caspian needed no more convincing as he went to serve himself food. This, however, pissed off Ember who growled at Caspian while staring him down.
Iris rolled her eyes and turned to Basil. She picked up a piece of meat and shoved it in front of him, waiting for him to open his mouth. Basil was hesitant, but slowly gave in and let her feed him. When Ember saw this, he gave up on glaring at Caspian and folded his arms. He could see that his attitude wasn't getting him anywhere, but he still didn't like others eating his prey before his female had finished eating.
Caspian cleared his throat, trying to gather everyone's attention. It was finally time to discuss the serious matters.
"I'm sure you both have noticed that our home is a lot different from others. Whether it's the sheer amount and quality of furniture compared to even homes in the city or the way decisions are made in this family.
I know you both likely have many questions you'd like to ask as well as having concerns regarding what the future looks like. I'd just like to take tonight to talk such issues out."
Caspian paused to give others a chance to speak. Iris began to feel nervous as she looked at Ember and Basil. Ember was now looking up, but still appeared rather grumpy and bored. Basil, on the other hand, looked quite curious and alert as he sat up straight and listened intently. After a moment, Caspian continued
"Our home is not something you can see in our tribe. In fact, it wasn't until I randomly met Iris in the forest one day that I started to learn about such things.
Most of our furniture is made from common enough materials like wood, stone, and vines. However, most beasts don't cook and don't tend to bother with crafting furniture. Even Basil's home was rather simplistic compared to ours, right? This is the truth even despite witch doctor's working with fire and living in a beast city where chairs, tables, and stone beds are more common.
All of the information for crafting such items is from Iris. She directed me on how to carve wood, stone, and animal bones into different items in a very short time. The harvest season was already mostly over when I met her yet all you see here was created before the cold season began.
As you also know, Iris was the one who taught me to cook and was where Basil got the idea to experiment with it. She has also shown me many new sources of food and methods to preserve the food.
Over the cold season, she hosted weekly feasts with an open invitation to all tribe members. Many donated meat and plants for their share of the foods, but others were unable to. However, Iris rarely turned anyone away and this led to far fewer of my tribesmen starving to death."
Caspian let the information sink in as he took a pause to breathe. Ember looked thoughtful as he looked at Iris. As a strong single beastman, Ember had traveled across much of the beast continent. It was certainly true that other tribes did not have furniture like their home did. However, the generosity Iris had shown sounded even more unbelievable. Females usually left gathering food to males and did not like to share with others. Ember's interest in Iris could only grow as he heard more about her.
Basil looked thoughtfully at Iris as he contemplated all he had heard. He had to wonder who taught his mate such things and why. Basil knew there were many females with bad attitudes in this world, but Iris didn't seem like that. Still, he couldn't dismiss that she had been taught knowledge in an attempt to further someone else's nefarious plans. However, even that did not explain the strange bag Iris often carried around. Just how could she fit so much inside a single animal hide bag? Basil felt this question needed to be answered the most as he inquired
"Alright, you certainly bring up many valid points and I definitely have questions about that. However, I find Iris's bag even more strange. It looks like a normal bag yet she has put more than twenty times the amount of items that could usually be put inside a similar bag. No matter how hard I think, this is the least explainable thing I've noticed."
Iris's heart fell as she began to feel guilty. Iris couldn't entirely explain how the bag worked, but she also didn't really want to explain things either. Iris wanted as few people as possible to know her origin story and where she got items from.
Yet, Iris knew it was already despicable enough to let males tie their lives to hers without knowing anything. If Iris were to continue to withhold the truth, how could she live with herself?
Caspian saw the uncertainty and concern in Iris's eyes and his heart ached. He reached over to hold her hand in his as he explained
"Well, that's the hardest part to explain. Iris isn't actually a gorilla or ape and she has no beast form. Apparently the beast deity brought her from her here and he gives her tasks to complete. If she doesn't complete the tasks, there are penalties. However, there are also rewards like that bag that she gets for following the beast deity's orders."
Iris buried her face in her hands, afraid to look at Ember and Basil. Ember grew solemn as he took in the seriousness of the situation he was now in. He knew there were priests in cities and he knew the Beast Deity to be real. He had made oaths before the Beast Deity before and he was blessed to have awakened such a powerful celestial beast form. How could he not believe?
Ember also knew that he would have his hands full if anyone were to find out about Iris. Ember was only a level five beast and there were others who are stronger in this world. Ember sat quietly as he considered his current situation.
Basil no longer suspected Iris, but his heart ache for his poor mate. Basil knew there were many priests who were desperate for power and would happily take advantage of Iris to boost their own positions. Basil also knew there were priests who rarely received messages from the Beast Deity.
They never received penalties or rewards and they would also be extremely envious if they heard someone else was frequently hearing from the Beast Deity. Basil worried that he was neither strong enough nor capable enough a witch doctor to protect her.
Soon it was as if Basil and Ember were of one mind as they both kneeled beside Iris. Ember had a solemn and resolute expression as he promised
"I may not be as good as the day to day tasks of being your mate. I still am unsure how to behave properly, but I want to do right by you, love. I swear to the Beast Deity that so long as you don't abandon me, I will always do my best to protect you and provide for you."
Iris was already caught off guard by Ember when Basil joined in with a small smile and eyes full of worry.
"I still have much to learn before I'll be confident in serving you. However, I'm also prepared to put my medical knowledge and life on the line for you. Iris, I swear to the Beast Deity that I will always care for you and protect you with all that I have."
That night, Iris slept in Caspian's arms while the others slept alone. Iris still felt uncomfortable and guilty over having lied to them by omission up until last night. She knew it was the safest option, but this did not relieve her troubled heart.
This meant that Caspian was the safest choice. While Caspian moved the furniture for Iris's bedroom over, Basil and Ember prepared a sleeping area for themselves. Basil was used to sleeping on a stone bed and felt it only natural to continue to sleep that way.
As for Ember, after finding out Iris's bed was stuffed with grass, he set out to gather grass to pile up in a corner for himself. Iris felt this was quite fitting as it was like he had a nest, which is common for non-beastmen birds.
Caspian may be sleeping beside Iris tonight, but he would need his own bed soon enough. Thus, he made plans to build a second bed like Iris's for himself. After sleeping beside Iris for all these months, he couldn't imagine any other bed being as comfortable.
When Caspian lay beside Iris in bed, he was as intimate as ever. After making love to Iris, Caspian lay beside her gently caressing her skin.
He noticed Ember's mark along Iris's back left hip. This was an obvious outcome due to the abruptness of their mating. Even Caspian had more time to leave a mark on Iris's heart before mating.
When Caspian saw a fox resting along Iris's upper left breast, he felt saddened. The mating mark was much closer to Iris's heart than his. Caspian had known Iris was falling for the vixen, but it was still disheartening.
Seeing Caspian's gaze, Iris reassured
"I love you, Caspian. No matter who else comes along, there will always be room in my heart for you too."
Caspian knew this wasn't just Iris comforting him. The sincerity in her eyes was as clear as day. Besides, she had never acted in a way that would make him doubt what she said. Still, this physical reminder was still painful.
Caspian buried his head in Iris's neck as he cuddled her close. Soon they both drifted off to sleep.
CREATORS' THOUGHTS 
AutumnPlunkett
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