The Beast Lands

A Taboo

Madison found the paper and graphite and was heading to the village center where a nice table was. The leather pants were still moist, chafing her skin, but her focus was not on her comfort, but on her inspiration.

Madison sat at the table and began to draw the levers that would need to be used to move the rollers that would clean the clothes.

In New York City, she had visited several of the historical sites and was basing her drawings on a washing machine from the 1700's. All she would need to add was the hot water and soap if she could design it correctly.

Hours passed as she moved on from the levers and rollers to the basin itself. They did not have metallurgy here as far as she knew, so she was trying to make a waterproof basin using wood. The villagers were watching her intense form and concentration with interest. The single males were watching out of concern. They could smell the dried blood coming from her body and hands.

Madison ignored the discomfort, there would be time later to apply the aloe vera and soothe her skin.

Right now, she was more interested in staying away from her mates and finding a way to do good for the village. Her heart was still in a bad place, and her inner voice was self deprecating. She didn't deserve her mates. She was not trustworthy, therefore, she didn't deserve love. They were in the right, if you can't trust your spouse, then you couldn't truly love them either. She knew this, her parents said it often.

She was not worthy.

So, she would contribute to the village. She would help out those that she didn't need to love or for them to have trust in her.

Her hands ached from holding the graphite tool for so many hours, and her back was sensitive from sitting for so long. She looked around in hopes that someone could help her build her invention... A young beastman caught her eye, when she tried to stand, her body resisted with sharp shooting pains.

"Can you help me with something?" she called out to him. He's eyes lit up, and he ran over to the female. The smell of blood intensified as he neared, causing him to think she needed to see Andy. He changed into his human form so he could help her. Madison seeing his change was happy, this way she could communicate with him. "Here, sit down."

He sat next to her with a look of bewilderment, did she not need to see Andy? He was about to speak when she interrupted him, "Do you think you can help me build this?" The young wolf looked down at the paper and her drawings.

"What is this for?"

"I want to build a machine to wash clothes, I think this can do it...back in my world we had these in every house." she paused for a second, "But I need help to make this, I've never done anything like this before"

The beast wanted to say yes right away, but this female had strong mates who could help her, so why was she asking him? "I can help, but where are your mates?"

At her troubled look, the beast felt upset. What happened to cause this female to look so sad? Were her mates mistreating her?

"I will help-I can get the wood and the tools. Wait here" so saying he jumped up and left, deciding he didn't need to hear her answer.

Madison stayed sitting and began to draw the levers in more detail, they would need to be perfect in order to move the handle and wash the clothes.

Madison was not paying attention to the paper, only what she was drawing. She was not paying attention to the village or their looks. She did not think of her mates or her daughters. She focused on this task with clarity and determination. The house she called home belonged to Taylor. With her damaged thoughts, this translated into her not having a home.

Madison didn't know where she would sleep, but was determined to find a home soon so that she could take care of her daughters. In her mind, making the washing machine was equivalent to finding a place to live. 

The wolf beastman came back with a variety of tools and wood. He began to shape and carve the wood into the shape she drew.  Soon another wolf beastman came to the table and began to help. The two made easy work and Madison fit the levers together with the handle. She looked up into their faces, a smile that didn't reach her eyes on her face, "Look, I think it will work. Let's keep going."

While the beastmen followed her directions and drawings, Madison's mind wandered as well as her eyes.

On the edge of the village was a small home. It was empty, the last resident had moved out and nobody had taken it as their own. "I'll be right back" Madison moved her body even as it resisted. Her muscles screamed out in protest, and her chafed skin began to bleed anew. With a bit of struggle she finally got to her feet and walked over to the empty house.

Inside was bare, the dirt floor was packed and even. Madison was determined to move into this house, she would need to tell the village chief and get a bed at least, no, I don't need a bed, she thought, I just need something for warmth and a pallet to lay on. For the time being, it was best to let her daughter stay with the males, they had a garden and could provide food and a bed for them.

Making her decision, Madison limped over to the chief, who gave her consent, even though she was confused as to why Madison would need a second home when she had the biggest house in the village. The chief decided to wait until her mates mentioned it. This was not normal behavior.

Madison walked back to the table with the wolf beastmen to check their progress. Seeing that they were almost done with the basin she left impressed with how fast they could work. She thought it would take a couple of days, but they did it in one. Their strength was really amazing.

She walked into the jungle to find sticks and flowers to make her bed that night. Finding everything she could remember from her time in the cave, and the bed she slept on there, Madison took the bundle to her new home after several trips. The flowers she added for their scent, she loved the way they smelled and lifted her dire thoughts.

Her smell of blood increased with each trip, she couldn't wait until she could take off the horrible pants and put aloe on her skin. So thinking, she left again in search of fresh aloe plants. 

The villagers kept quiet, but monitored her limping form. They were confused by her actions. Did her mates injure her? Did she commit a taboo and they punished her? Is that why her daughters were not with her? The villagers thoughts circled over and over again, why else would the female be alone and acting like this?

Madison's bed was successfully made, and she opened the door to let fresh air in. It was still early in the day and she realized her stomach was aching in hunger, but she ignored it's demand and went back to the table and watched the wolf beastmen complete the washer. Her self-deprecating thoughts were still plaguing her even though she was keeping busy. Her mind would not shut off.

She just wanted to curl up and sleep.

"Nice! I'll go get some water and see if it will hold it," she started to turn away when the second wolf stopped her, "I'll get it"

His eyes looked pained watching her form, the smell of blood intensified, and he wanted to protect her in some way. He returned with a bucket of water and poured it into the basin. Madison grabbed the handle and began to rotate it. It worked. Her sense of pride was short lived, after all, she only drew the pieces, this was not her accomplishment.

Madison smiled at the beasts, "You can make more for each house right?" her voice was upbeat, but still, it did not reach her eyes.

The villagers seeing the completed contraption walked over to the table. One female looked inside. "What does it do?"

Madison answered with pride, "It will wash our clothes, "Here, I'll show you." So saying, Madison rotated the lever with the water and told her how the roller would dry the washed clothes. All we will need to do is hang them up to dry!" So saying she handed the washing machine to the female, "Here, you can have this one" she looked over at the beasts that helped her, "Can you make another one tomorrow?" she asked.

They looked at each other then nodded to her, still unsure about what was happening. "Great, then I will see you tomorrow" she said, as she walked off towards her new home. The villagers questioning eyes followed the strange female. Why would she choose to live in this small house instead of the one her mates built for her? Did she perhaps really commit a taboo? They looked over at the chief and noticed her uneasy eyes. If her mates did not come in the morning, she would banish her from the tribe. The only reason a female would lose status is for committing a taboo, a serious crime against the village.

Kevin loved playing with Madison's girls, but he was tired and they had too much energy. He changed back into his human form and took them to the kitchen to eat. Taylor was busy building something in the kitchen and looked up as the group walked in. Misty ran to him "num num" she said, asking for food. Misty followed her looking at the table then at him when she didn't see anything to eat.

"How long does it take to clean clothes?" Kevin asked, Madison had been gone the entire morning, and now it was getting late. She should have finished, surely, he thought.

"The clothes are hanging up, she is probably visiting Amber, it has been a long time" Taylor answered, with a worried look on his face.

"Mmmh" Kevin turned to the counter to cut up some fruits and vegetables for the girls, their eyes watching him intently as their little mouths moved for food. He set the food down for them. "Should I go hunt?" he looked over at Taylor sitting with the girls, his face making funny looks as they laughed and ate.

"No, Kaden or Amon will bring some after patrolling."

Kevin sat with the family, but felt off, he wanted his mate, but Taylor said she was with a friend..so he sat and watched them interact.

Amon kept feeling pain in his chest, it was not intense, but did cause him to keep thinking about his mate. He hoped that his patrol duty could end soon, he wanted to see her.

Kaden found an injured female and cubs, badly wounded outside of their territory. He had decided to find some oranges for his mate and twins while he was hunting when he discovered her. She had been attacked by a wild animal and two of her cubs were dead. The third was barely breathing.

Kaden grabbed her and the cub in his arms, wanting to take them back to his village, but another village was closer, so he headed in that direction. His thoughts were focused on her lack of scent. She didn't have her mate's smells, which meant her mates were dead. How did she make it so far with her cubs alone?

As he went further away from his family, his anxiety worsened, much like it was when Madison was missing. He wanted to hurry and get this female and cub help so he could get home.

Madison pulled off the leather pants. Her pain filled moan reverberated throughout the empty house as she pulled it from her skin. She pulled off bits of flesh and scabs with it, and fresh blood seeped down her legs. Madison grabbed the cut aloe and began to rub it against her legs and stomach, the cooling sensation helped ease the pain and relax her body.

Feeling an overwhelming hunger, she bit into the slimey aloe core and swallowed it. She decided to stick with normal food. She will eat tomorrow.

Amon arrived home with a bird to cook, at his arrival Taylor and Kevin took off for patrol duty, leaving the girls in Amon's capable hands. He finished cooking and getting them bathed. "Where is Madison?" he said out loud. The girls babbled back to him as they played in the warm water. Their eyes drooped as they splashed and made noises to each other.

After the bath and getting them dressed, he put the girls in bed, rocking them until they fell asleep. Taylor mentioned the clothes on the line, so Amon went to collect the clean clothes, seeing the basket filled with ripe vegetables by the back door. He put it in the house wondering why Madison left it outside, then collected the clothes and brought them inside too. As he waited for Madison he put the items away and laid down with the girls. Soon, sleep found him.

Nobody searched for Madison that day or night, and since the mates did not ask about her, the villagers did not have any reason to respond. "Perhaps she committed a taboo" was the thought on everybody's mind. If that were the case, she would need to leave the village.