Thread: Shapeless Heart [Jeufufns and Sigr]

The forest was a beautiful place, animals of all kinds roaming the lands that have only recently been tamed by the humanoid species of the world. Protected by the fierce mountain ranges, the caverns that provided cover for the slime for so many years were being explored by a people eager to expand their newly formed society. Ever since their ancestors first settled here, society has formed a tribal stronghold with a reach far and wide over the Grasslands. Mankind has learned to use metals to their advantage and has even started processing plants like cotton or to craft clothing with the help of inventions such as the loom, some of which have traversed the newly founded trade routes to make it to tribes previously in need of such efficient technology. Merchants out for a coin, trading foreign inventions for luxury goods facilitated the first exchange of culture between these tribes over distances previously thought a myth. The mountain ranges themselves however provide much more than simply a natural border and a symbol of belief. The caverns provide valuable bartering tools to deal with neighboring tribes, so looters have begun to try and delve deeper into the forest and mountains to find valuable resources before the tribes do. And some unfortunate looters met their demise in one of the many caves throughout the land. However, the forest that separated the grassland from the mountains was much more than that. It was a place of beauty and a food source for the growing population of the tribe. Collecting berries was as vital a task as threshing the grain for the common folk. A people unfamiliar with the concept of civilization and society has formed a tribal structure around the central founding families who have centralized the agriculture and commerce around them. The high families were powerful and recognized by the people as such. They have always had great respect for them and what their families stand for. Their power goes unquestioned, seen as the natural state of the world. Far less philosophical was the arrival of a woman in the lush forest, a woman in her prime. She was almost mystical in her beauty , almost too fitting in this kind of beautiful environment. Like many had to in these times, she was here to pick berries, a basket on her arm. But for her, the forest was something else. She wore jewelry that looked like it would cost a fortune by the standards of the region, well-crafted from foreign material. Yet, forging jewelry had become a form of art almost, with higher families using it to display their status in the world. This gemstone in particular was of local origin, received through a trade with the mountain folk, the Zadea. The woman's name was Emaline, and while she bore a beautiful set of jewelry, her dress was simple. She wore a short-sleeved brown blouse, one of the most comfortable and cool choices in the dry periods. Her lowers were covered by a knee-length woolen skirt, complimented by typical leather shoes. She was only moderately curvy, her assets barely more than a single overflowing handful, even after pregnancy. As such, they fit her clothes rather modestly, though the genitalia still had to be stored differently. She still remembered her visit to Nora of the Talderi tribe. The women there often wore skirts that were tight below the nethers, so that their genitalia could rest inside a pouch specially woven into the fabric. Still, the way her tribe did it by using belts to secure the balls and manhood in separate bags was just as nice. As much as she liked the way the Talderi did it, she couldn't imagine reliving her young years without being able to easily slide off the coverings on her shaft in case of emergency, or to do things she wasn't supposed to.... That was one of the reasons she liked to come to the forest. Not because of any particularly naughty reason, but because it reminded her of the old time she had with her mate. Whether they talked, kissed, or more, the forest had always upheld their secret. But now that her mate has passed away, the forest reminded her of these secrets. Every berry picked was like an old memory and while she was always happy to visit the forest, she always left it with sorrow in her heart. There was a tree, an old one. Most trees were thick, resistant against the strong winds that sometimes swept over the grasslands. This one even more so, a tree that all others seemed to respect, keeping their distance. It had been a nice place for her and her love to pause and talk and it was the place that marked the end of her little journey. There were less berries on the way back. But something else caught her attention, something quite close. A person yelling. She'd been looking around this whole time, there shouldn't be a soul around here. Yet, a few meters away, there was a woman. Worse yet, a cougar. Did this woman have any idea what she was doing? Yelling at a cougar, raising your hand, doing things that would simply trigger its fighting instincts. As she predicted, the cougar didn't seem particularly impressed by the woman's motion. It was showing it's teeth menacingly, hissing at the woman. She had to intervene. Even if the woman was dressed for combat, she seemed terrified of the cougar. What are you doing, you're triggering its hunting instincts! she hissed at the woman when she finally arrived. Seeing another person join, the cougar staged its attack, pouncing forward as Emaline pulled the stiff looking woman out of the way. She felt cold for some reason. She had heard rumors of cold-bloods but didn't think them true. Run! she called out to the woman next to her, letting go of her arm as she started charging away. That was another reason why she liked these kinds of skirts. Mobility. Coincidentally, seeing the woman run would allow the slime to copy her movements.