The Tent & The Change Series "Earth" - Part 4
#3 of The Tent & The Change "Earth"
The Tent & The Change Series "Earth" Part 4 By thwale
---4 Months 18 days 15 Hours 50 Minutes 28 seconds( 00:04:18:03:50:28 PM )
Over the next few days I learned a lot about taking care of a child, most of it from Flo, I do not think I would have done so well without her help. I needed to be shown how to fasten a diaper on her, Flo was right there even giving us diapers that used to be her child's, (Very absorbent cloth like material with a coating of rubber on the outside, the rubber was a bit cracked and needed to be mended, this was done by Flo, I never did see how she did it.
---4 Months 25 Days 10 Hours 15 Minutes 39 Seconds ( 04:25:10:15:39 AM )
About a week after Renai was born, we felt it was safe enough to take her outside, and let her see the rest of the village. Flo made a type of hammock to carry Renai in, it went across my chest and over my shoulders, it could be lowered to let her feed if necessary by loosening part of both shoulder cords. Elden joined me, and with Flo's guidance we took our child outside, the first thing we saw was a couple of geese run by, Renai smiled and laughed.
It would take to long to tell about all the adventures we had that day, as dusk was approaching Elden wanted to use the Mayors computer again to get the current location of the Fair, I told him g'night and headed home. When I arrived at the house I said goodnight to Flo and headed off to my room with Renai, I could hear her getting ready for bed then the hissing sound as her gas lamp was extinguished. I let Renai feed then placed her basket, making sure to wrap her lightly but firmly in the sleeping cloths, I rocked her to sleep humming a tune I had heard as a child.
Once she was asleep I laid slowly on my side and just watched her, wondering what she would see and experience growing up as one of only three of her kind on the planet she would have plenty of company her age, but only human children and will perhaps never see her own kind or get to know them, far as that goes we might not either.
---4 Months 25 Days 21 Hours 52 Minutes 39 Seconds ( 00:04:25:09:52:39 PM )
Later that night he came in, Flo had already gone to bed, Elden looked haggard "what happened to you?" I said, he looked at me and just sighed "the Fair wont be back to this area for another 6 months."
"That's only 6 months what's wrong with that?"
"In a couple months winter starts, it lasts 4 months in this area, the Fair arrives right after the end of winter, its going to be to cold and to dangerous to take Renai with us, we don't want her getting sick." I agreed while he continued "she is still to young to leave alone, nor is she old enough for travel."
"Well what do you suggest?" I knew what he was going to say and felt very uncomfortable with what that would be... here it comes...
"I will have to go alone" he says "You stay here and take care of our child I can get there faster alone... I shall find the tent and bring the owner or owners here to explain what happened."
I looked over at Renai, she was asleep and breathing lightly, what about her I thought then I looked back his way "Are you certain you can do it safely?" I did not want to lose him.
"Yes I remember the way exactly it seems another gift of these new bodies is photographic memories and I can even remember smells" it sounded OK but I was still unsure as I spoke "well we can talk more tomorrow, come over here and go to sleep you look exhausted."
He yawned long and loudly as he moved forward then crouched down next to me and within a few minutes was snoring quietly... I reached over and put out the candle then myself fell asleep head on chest.
---4 Months 26 Days 5 Hours 30 Minutes 42 Seconds ( 00:04:26:05:30:42 AM )
I awoke to the sound of a Rooster crowing, and looked over at Renai she was still asleep... I could tell by the light outside the window that she would be awake soon and wanting her breakfast Elden was also still asleep, he must have really been tired....
---4 Months 26 Days 6 Hours 32 Minutes 38 Seconds( 00:04:11:06:32:38 AM )
As expected Renai woke up looked around then began to cry, Elden woke up as I quickly lifted her over to me and lowered her to feed, I noticed her fur was thickening day by day, it looked like a week or two from now her fur would be fully grown. A bit over two weeks later as I went to feed her I noticed for the first time that she had all her fur, and now looked like a stuffed toy, I could tell she would be a real looker as far as I knew, I had only me and Elden to go by, what parent does not think their child is cute?
"Time to shampoo and brush you now Renai, you have to much fur to wipe down." Bath time was always an adventure before and now even more so. She would splash and laugh, or just be mad and sit there looking at me like I was crazy for bathing her... needles to say at those times she was not easy to bathe... Once bathed however I used a small towel to dry her off and a small brush on her fur, she would almost purr as I brushed her and then placing her on my teat I would talk and sing and play with her, when Elden wasn't working he would join us.
It became as much like a regular family as possible, Renai was learning at an extremely fast rate, she seemed to move beyond the human children in comprehension. She was amazing, the doctor said she was growing about 3 times as fast as a human child, and learning even faster in a year or less she would be talking at an adult level if this continued.
---6 Months 8 Days 14 Hours 25 Minutes 15 Seconds(00:06:08:02:25:15 PM)
Renai crawled by herself for the first time today, it was also the start of winter, I hadn't noticed the days getting colder, to many things had me occupied to pay attention to weather. I had a couple pairs of cold weather wear made for Renai and a couple for me and Elden, we had no idea if our bodies could handle the cold and didn't want to leave anything to chance. Shoes were out of the question for any of us, and anyway Elden had found that our feet were sturdy and designed to take the cold, this we found out a few days ago when Elden slipped and fell into the small river during some fence repair.
He said he stopped from going head first by bracing with his feet on the bottom of the river, the water was ice cold but his feet were fine, his leg fur was a little cool but not uncomfortable at all, when he stepped out he just shook off the water. So for the next few months Fainbourn went into its winter mode, the lake iced over but was not safe enough to skate on, usually Elden and rarely me were called upon to rescue an animal or person who had fallen through the ice, it seemed our bodies were suited to extremes of temperature, we became lifeguards in a way. We had helped Flo and others stock up and store goods before winter was in full swing and so had plenty to eat and plenty of wood for heating and cooking.
A good thing to, for this winter dropped a lot of snow and Elden was put on a team with other men and boys to clearing the snow from walks and doorways or spreading salt to keep everyone safe, no time to gather supplies. Renai who of course had never seen snow before was fascinated with how it made things look and it was all we could do to keep her from going outside and exploring on her own, we were a tough lifeform I was however not going to risk her getting hurt.
Things went pretty smoothly and there was so much to do that I forgot about Elden's trip at the end of winter, today however I was reminded when Elden entered the house announcing "it's time for me to leave for the Fair..."
---10 Months 5 days 6 Hours 21 Minutes 55 Seconds( 00:10:05:06:21:55 AM )
I had forgotten about it and thusly was shocked When I heard him say it, I told him and he just laughed "don't worry I have been planning this all Winter, I will go to the Fair find the person responsible and bring them back here."
"What if they refuse?" I said knowing the answer as I asked the question.
"Then I will carry them back, you don't need to worry I made a map and a time table that you can keep with you whenever you need to know where I am or what i'm doing just use it. It will take quite a bit to make me alter from it, anyway I have this feeling it will work out, don't ask me to explain, just accept it." Accept it was all I could do, trying to get him to change his mind I found was next to impossible, it was necessary that he go so emotions aside I accepted it and the voice told me it would be fine. He handed me the map and I glanced at it "do you need to leave just yet?" this as he was packing some food into a knapsack "not yet no I just want to be ready to leave as soon as possible."
"Then get over here and say goodby to your mate and child."
We mated then but this was slower and more emotional... I was not in heat so we had time to enjoy it... we had of course mated on and off since the change... this time however more was at stake so the coupling was more intense...
After he said his (goodbyes) he went to the bathroom and began to shower, I just stayed where I was and thinking of him with a bit of worry that quickly dissipated... he would be fine... Renai began to fuss so I picked her up and tickled her then as she giggled I was certain of it.
---10 Months 5 Days 12 Hours 41 Minutes 31 Seconds( 00:10:05:12:41:31 PM )
Elden straps on his knapsack, checks the straps, shakes to settle it on his shoulders then turns to me, leans down and kisses Renai on the forehead, as he lifts his head I give him a goodby kiss, he goes out the back door and I watch him walk towards the cliff climb it quickly and disappear over the rise.
I just stand there for a long time, holding Renai and watching the cliff then I turn around and go back inside, closing the door after me. I can only imagine what he will find, suddenly Renai starts to cry for food, I comply and she's happy. Flo enters the room and see's me watching the closed door "don't worry dear he will be fine" then she changes the subject "Mrs Grady down the street just got a new peddle sewing machine she wants to show off let's go see it dear... it's better then setting here and worrying."
Reluctantly I agreed and followed Flo...
-To be continued in Part 5-
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