“Harri? Jalo? What are you two doing here?” Elias watched as two young men, followed by two young women, walked into their camp with packs on their backs. Harri was a little bit more blunt then Jalo, so he spoke first.

“We didn’t want to die, or starve to death. Is he around?” Elias pointed behind them. Harri turned slowly and saw Leon walk out of the forest with two large logs on his shoulder, with an axe in the other hand. “Bloody hell.” His face turned as white as the snow while his friend had a bit of trouble getting air back into his lungs.

“I’m surprised it's you two. Your women?” Harri nodded. “If you want to work, there is a place for you here.” Harri’s face brightened.

“Really? Sir, we came to work! We don’t want to die because of how stupid those people are back at the town!” Leon looked them in the eyes and nodded.

“Elias, show them a place they can set up, first discussed among the elders, and plan where they should live, and what work they should do. I believe you need help in the mine, and the masons or Tero might need help as well.” He turned his head. “Llani?” She came out of the mostly completed log house.

“Yes, Leon?”

“Is there any stew left? We have four people who have just joined us, and they look quite hungry.” Llani smiled.

“There is still some stew left in the pot.” She turned and looked at the two former scouts. “Harri, Jalo, bring your girls over to the fire. Eat and fill your bellies. Then things will be decided on where you’ll live.” She looked at Leon. “That means more stone and trees for houses, Leon. Are you alright with this?” He nodded.

“We need people right now. We have an abundance of food.” He looked at Elias. “See if you can make a few axes for them to cut firewood. Winter is in our future, and we should all have more then we need in stock.” Elias nodded, then watched as Leon dropped the logs onto the massive pile, and walked back into the forest.

Llani watched him leave once again, and grew a little bit sad. Deena came up beside her and put her hand on her shoulder.

“He’ll be back.” She nodded.

“He carries everything. All of us. Our lives, and our future.” Deena smiled softly.

“We’ll get a bit of his workload off those shoulders, Llani. He didn’t break under the yoke of that evil kingdom, so he won’t break from doing some work around here.”

“Elias.” He lifted his head from pile of stones. He had just finished setting the final stone in place, and was ready to stuff the cracks with mud. Most of the new forge was stone, and set in clay mixed with moss for a binder. When it would be fired up, the clay would bake, and be as hard as the stone. It would also make a nice sturdy place to begin forging and smelting the high quality iron ore that he now had access to.

“Leon.”

“I want the elder men, the masons, the farmer, yourself, and Deena, to begin the plan for the town’s center. Once you have that planned, including walkways, and gardens for each house, stake it out. Get the two new guys to dig the foundations, and I’ll set the stones. We need to start building your houses before winter, and get things set up properly.” Elias nodded.

“And walls for the town?”

“I once read, in some historical books from my own world, that old walled cities would often have the walls of the city be a part of the wall for the houses. For this town, when all the houses are planned, and staked, we’ll build an inner wall that will protect those houses. Then we’ll plan an expansion around it. Larger, with higher and sturdier walls to protect more people. Each is a step. Even our current house will end up as someone else’s house. We’ll build a proper keep in a few years. For now, it's about survival, not appearances, or politics.” Elias chuckled.

“I heard the snarl there, Leon. You don’t like politics, do you?” Leon rolled his eyes.

“My own world had something called democracy. It was a pile of shit. For the people, by the people, of the people. That was the essence of it. However, the practice was much different. Rich people, by rich people, for rich people. They put on airs, and public faces, but did a lot of dirty deeds in the shadows. Just like any kingdom on this world.” Elias sighed softly.

“It did sound nice, but that’s a pipe dream. This world is about strength. Those with strength rule those without.” He nodded, and stopped his thoughts. Indeed, democracy sounded good, but the truly intelligent of Leon’s world also recognized that it was no different from other form of government. It just looked like it was. “We’ll get right on that plan, Leon. It would be nice to have a good roof over my head, and walls at my back. I’ll go talk to the others.” He turned away, then turned his head only slightly back.

“You should go back to your house and talk to your little wife. I think she misses you.”  That was something Leon had avoided recently.  He felt stronger every day, and the changes in his body had not yet stopped.  He wasn't sure if Llani would be able to accept it.

“DAD!” Leon smiled as Coral ran out of the house and slammed into his legs. She held on tightly, though her small amount of strength was not enough to even cause him to stumble.

“Hi, Corrie.” He said gently. She giggled as he reached down and lifted her into his arms. Now that Leon was no longer diseased, and in a new world where his innate abilities slowly unlocked, he was much taller than any other man Llani had ever known. “Where’s your mom?” She smiled and leaned in close.

“Waiting for you to get home. She misses you, dad. Especially when you go on a hunt.” He nodded and held her gently.

“I understand, Corrie. Thanks for telling me. She doesn’t say anything.” She giggled.

“She’s shy, dad. Um....”  She stopped, and looked unsure of she should continue.

“What’s wrong, Corrie?”

“Can you and mom make me a little sister or brother?” Llani came out of the house at the same time she said it, and her cheeks went bright red. Leon saw her eyes, and inhaled her scent. He could sense something he once felt, but was not sure it was true. Now he was no longer as unsure.

“If that’s what she wants, Corrie. Its all for her. And you.”

“May I see, Leon?” He looked down at her as she sat on his lap. The pile of furs that was their bed was at one corner of the main bedroom, while Corrie laid on a smaller pile of furs not that far away. She insisted on her own pile so they could have a little alone time.

She reached up and lightly traced his lips.

“Alright.” She lifted his lips and saw the large fangs underneath. She sighed softly.

“Do they hurt?” He shook his head. She put her hands on both his cheeks and smiled softly. “Please, Leon. I am ready.” He smiled softly down at her. He pulled the furs up over her, stripped her gently, and laid their clothes beside the pile of furs.

Leon was primarily human, but now also something more. While he began to love her, she felt that part of him rise. A primal force, and a secure source of affection, but like a wild cat, she experienced a kind of love that she had never before understood, or felt. He washed her like a cat, held her gently, and entwined his long limbs about her body. Though he was protective, when in the throes of this unfamiliar heat within his body, Llani experienced something a human would never think about.

It was so intense, and hungry, when the sun rose in the morning sky, Coral grinned from her pile of furs. Her mom had just fallen asleep less than an hour before, and she looked like she had gotten into a fight with a domestic cat. She had scratches, light bite marks, slight rashes from being licked so much, her hair was tangled, and her lips swollen and bruised.

But the look of contentment on her sleeping face made Leon not feel as guilty.

“I wonder.” He lightly licked the tip of his fang and looked at her shoulder. Last night, he had bitten her like he was not an animal, but like he was a vampire.

To his surprise, she loved it.  She scratched and bit him just as much as he bit her.  If he didn't know any better, he would have sworn that he passed some of his own wild tendencies on to her.

"You may not have a baby, Llani.  Maybe you'll have a litter."