WOLFTAUR WINTER OF THE WOLFTAUR The scene is a typical old world tavern. That is old world inhabited by humans, elves, dwarves, centaurs of various breeds, trolls, goblins and many others that have no names you will recognize. It's well into the night. Most of the humans have gathered at one end, listening to a traveler in road worn clothes. "In the lands of Regis." I pause to take a sip of the local brew. "The attacks from the goblins have virtually ended. There is believed to be only two roving tribes that occasionally raid outlying homesteads for food. Several villages are offering gold to any who will help rid them of these few." As the humans begin arguing about easy money, I raise my hands. "But the tribes that have turned to peaceful ways must not be touched. They will not say where the attacking tribes are, but they will no give them sanctuary in their camps." For more than an hour, I tell them all I know of the lands and draw a map showing the farms that have been attacked. Finally the ones intent on easy money, or the chance to fight, decide to call it a night and plan to leave at noon the next day. I lean back and tries to relax my tired muscles. A female wolf/centaur slightly staggers over and sits across the table from him. "I was wondering," her voice is only slightly slurred and his eyes open enough to look at her. "You travel a lot of leagues. Are you going from something, or to something." I tilt my mug as I study her. All of the wolftaurs I've met were in the wilderness. Some of them accepted me because of my wood lore and my healing ability. As I looked deep into her eyes, I can see the inner pain. Her body appears better fed than most and, even though dulled by smoke, her fur looks smooth and well cared for. Even in the smoky haze of the tavern, I can tell it's a snowy white white dark grey splotches, excellent for camouflage in the snow. Her blouse is more to keep her full breasts under control,since her fur covers her breasts as well as any clothes ever could. "I guess I'm traveling until I find something." I motion for the barkeep and he refills both our mugs. As I sip mine, my body alters the alcohol so it doesn't affect me. "You sound like you'd like to be traveling away from something." She knocks back half the contents of her mug and smiles through the smoky haze. "I've always felt like I don't belong in my pack." She drains her mug and the barkeep quietly refills it. "The alpha of our pack always has us moving from place to place. I can't remember the last time we spent two nights in the same camp." A slight smile crosses my lips. "I travel because of choice, and if you had a choice you would stay in one place. My name is Drojha." She takes a smaller swig than before. "My name is Walenka." She carefully moves around the table and sits closer so she can talk quietly. "When I return to my pack, my freedom will be curtailed." She looks around the tavern and the few remaining beings. She brushes her long hair back behind her ears. "This may be the last time I will see any beside my pack for many seasons." Her eyes tear up and she drains her mug in one mighty gulp. As I study her, something inside tells me that she and I are more aligned than I could have thought possible. "What would you do if you could leave your pack?" Even with the unknown number of mugs dulling her consciousness, I can see an inner light spark behind her bleary eyes. "I'd like to have a home. A place to stay and not wonder how far I have to travel the next day. Not have to worry about carrying a backpack full of food and only being allowed to eat what I'm given." She runs a paw down the side of her blouse and along her lower side. "And maybe even get a little bit plump." I catch an extra gleam in her eyes as she whispers this. Wondering how much of what she's saying is her dream, or from the mead, I decide she's more unhappy with her pack than with what I'm about to offer her. "In the past few years I've often thought of finding a place to stay." I cautiously stroke her arm. She doesn't draw back or flinch. In fact, her breathing becomes more relaxed and her sobs stop. "So why haven't you?" I ease my sensing ability into her and probe her body as I keep her eyes locked into my gaze. "I have some magical abilities that would make almost any village more than willing to give me a place. But all magic needs energy, and that's one of the things I've been searching for." "Your magic is in healing." She looks at her empty mug. "From the little I've heard about magic, don't you need some one to draw energy from as you heal?" For a moment, I think I've let myself get completely drunk. "How much else do you know?" Fortunately I'm whispering or every one in the tavern would know how surprised I am. She grins and her eyes show a combination of intelligence and inebriation. "You visited my pack several years ago. I was told to stay away, but one of my friends asked a lot of questions." I think for a few minutes, trying to remember. "It was near the Wild Mountains. One of them had broken a leg and they were thinking of leaving him to survive on his own." Shaking my head, I wonder how much I told her friend. Walenka nods and her tangled hair falls over her face again. "You drew energy from several females. My friend Lensha was one of them and knew she lost some weight while you healed him." She leans closer so she can be sure only I can hear. "You need some one and I need a place to stay." I'm still in a mild state of shock, but manage to think and my inner self tells me I may have found the one I need. "Lensha told you that she lost some weight?" When she nods, I continue. "And you know that I drew energy from two others." She smiles as she takes my hand and gently squeezes it into the thick fur of her lower body. "When we traveled, I dreamed of the food I was carrying, some how ending up inside me." She looks at her empty mug and smiles. "If you want me to prove it." She almost laughs as she looks around and realize no one is there except the barkeep. "I've always wondered how much I can drink in a night." I look at her as the last traces of slurring leaves her voice. "I don't know what I'll do with a drunk wolftaur in the morning." The barkeep has been cleaning up and joins us. "I guess you don't know that much about the wolftaurs." He sits down and tosses his towel on a nearby table. "Even the strongest mead doesn't affect them. I've seen one of them get challenged into a drinking contest and gulp it down like water when the humans can barely lift their mugs." He smiles at both of us. "Name's Zoran. It's the nature of my business to over hear things one minute and forget it the next." I nod in understanding. "Are you sure you want to do this? If you don't get back to your pack.." She hands her mug to the barkeep. "If I went back now, I'd always wish I had stayed." She smiles dreamily at me. "But you have to promise we'll find a place to call home." I watch as Zoran fills four mugs and easily carries them over to us. "I don't have a place right now. But it shouldn't take too long." I assure her. Walenka pours two mugs down her throat in quick succession. "Just remember that I don't plan on traveling too much longer." She smiles at Zoran as she drains the other two. Laughing he picks up the mugs and looks at the keg. "If you really want to impress him, why don't you just drink the keg dry." She giggles and proudly follows him. "I think I'll take you up on your offer." Zoran turns in shock and then shakes his head with a laugh. "I should ask who's paying for all this." I join them and pull a chair up beside her. "I think I've got enough." I pull one of my hidden pouches out and he inspects the contents. He smiles and takes several towels from a shelf. Carefully he places them on the floor in front of the keg. "If you kneel on them," he laughs at Walenka and slaps the keg. "I think it'll be at the right height." She kneels and adjust the towels. "Anything you want to say before I turn my belly into a keg?" We all get a laugh out of this. I take a deep breath. Knowing that what she's about to do will make it impossible for her to return to her pack. From my probe into her body, I know that I will be able to draw energy from her. "How well will you be able to travel as a keg?" I try and laugh. "There is another way," Zoran interrupts. "We haven't had a healer in these parts for many years. I have a small barn in back that was built for a livery. When the travel line decided to use a different route, I had no use for it except storage." "So you're offering it to us if we'll stay. And any one that needs my healing, would stay here." I look at Walenka and she agrees. "I think you can walk that far after you drain the keg." Zoran remembers something and smiles. "There's a group of trappers that should show up in the next couple of days. All of them pride themselves with how much mead they can hold. They've heard about wolftaurs being unbeatable. If you would wait until they're here, I'm certain they'll challenge you to a drinking contest." She laughs and looks at me. "Maybe I'll challenge all of them." She stands and pats the keg. "Like they have a full keg and I have a full keg." Zoran grins as I gauge how much she's saying she can hold. "I'll have to have some one make a bet for me. I'll be asked to hold the money so I won't be able to." He turns to the back, "Ready to see your place?" Walenka walks after him. It takes me a few seconds to accept that this is the path fate has chosen for me and I jog after them. At the rear door, Zoran hands lamps to us and takes one for himself. "You can sleep in the tavern until you get it fixed up," he comments as he steps out into the darkness. Outside the stars are bright in the summer sky. The crescent moon has passed it's zenith and is just touching the trees of the nearby woods. All I can see of the barn is it's outline against the stars and the doorway as Zoran opens it. Once inside, I can see that it is well built and has no signs of being used for anything except storage of a few kegs. "Now don't you go getting any ideas of practicing," Zoran jokingly warns Walenka. Walenka frowns and then laughs. "This is a lot better than places I've slept." She looks around and sees a stack of saddle blankets. "Do we get these?" Zoran laughs heartily. "Why not." He yawns and stretches. "If you're going to stay here. I'd like to finish cleaning up and get some sleep." "Go ahead and we'll see you in the morning." I duck as Walenka throws a blanket at me. As he leaves, we look around for the best place. Below the shelves the blankets are stored on, I find a small stack of boards. It takes me only a few minutes to lay them out, making a some what clean place to lay out the blankets. Walenka smiles as she spreads a couple out and lays down. "This is going to be the first time I'll be able to sleep past dawn without being jerked to my feet." She wraps a blanket around herself and relaxes. The lateness of the hour begins to affect me. I wrap a blanket around me and curl up. Sleep overtakes me before I know it. During the night, I dream of a warmth engulfing me. I feel at peace and excited at the same time. By the time I wake, the room is gently lit by the sunlight coming through an open window. I toss the blanket off and stretch. I'm surprised that I don't feel the normal stiffness of sleeping on a hard surface. Silently I get up and look around. Except for the dirt floor, the building will make a comfortable home. The walls will need to be insulated by winter but that will be something I can easily do myself. Walenka yawns and almost jumps to her feet. She spins around and then remembers. "It'll take me a few days to get used to this." She begins folding the blankets and finishes before I realize what she's doing. "So what do we do first?" "I think putting in a floor is the first thing to do." I mentally measure the room and estimate what we'll need. "Let's go see what Zoran has for breakfast and find out what's available." She turns and runs out the door. By the time I've caught up with her, she's in the tavern's main room. Zoran is serving a late breakfast. "I'm surprised the two of you woke before noon," he comments with his relaxed style. I sit down and accept the food. "I guess the two of us are so used to getting up with the dawn." The rolls are somewhat dry but tasty none the less. While the two of us eat, we talk about putting in a floor. He suggest a stone flooring. "We've got a good quarry nearby." He stamps his foot proving the strength of what he's saying. "I can send word and the foreman could be here this afternoon." I nod, "Sounds good to me. What about some furniture? I don't think we'll need much." Zoran keeps his ever present smile. "There's several people around here that are carpenters. I'm certain we can work out some sort of arrangements with them." While we finish eating, he goes outside. I finish eating before Walenka and look around the tavern. There's little difference in taverns, besides local designs and decorations. But some thing tells me that this one is different. It takes me several minutes to realize that the windows and doors are designed to withstand a short term siege. Keeping this to myself, and realizing that the barn is of similar construction, I return to Walenka. She stands slowly and strokes her sides. "I hope you aren't needed before I have enough to spare." Looking at the empty plates and estimating how much she's just eaten, I doubt it will take long before she has enough for an average healing. Zoran returns with a tall, light built man of medium age. "This is Halrod." He introduces him before setting up for the lunch crowd. Halrod studies me for a moment and then looks at Walenka. "No problem with furniture for you. But I've never designed anything for a wolftaur." She laughs and sits down on her haunches beside a table. "I've gotten along without anything all my life." The two of us sit down and discuss what furniture we'll need. When it comes to the bed, I pause and think. "I've slept on the ground for many years. A layer of straw on the floor will probably be as comfortable as anything." Halrod nods and looks at the list. "Four chairs, good sized table, cabinet." He pauses. "You may be comfortable on the floor, but what about some one you're healing?" I grin as he brings up something I hadn't thought of. "Good idea." I look at Walenka, but all she does is shrug in agreement that everything sounds good to her. "I don't think we'll be ready for the bed soon. A couple of chairs and the table will be the first things I'd like." He agrees, "Should have the wood for the table and chairs in the shop. I'll get started on 'em tomorrow and should have them to you some time next week." He smiles and shakes my hand firmly before leaving. After he goes, I realize that the lunch crowd has begun to arrive. Without him asking, I jump behind the counter and help Zoran serve them. Walenka carries trays and easily maneuvers herself around the tables, her thick bushy tail seeming to drift behind her. Her friendly smile and light attitude gains her several tips. By the time every one has left, the sun is well past noon. Walenka comes back into the kitchen and collapses beside the stove. "Now do we get to eat?" She giggles. Zoran looks into the large kettle hanging over the low fire. "I try and make enough for every one. Sometimes I guess too close and then I get a cold meal." He laughs as he fills a serving bowl to the rim with thick soup. "But I knew you'd be hungry." He fills two standard bowls and the three of us sit down to their mid day meal. While we eat, Zoran agrees that our help around the tavern will pay for our meals until I can begin healing. "I better make sure to keep you extra well fed," he jokes to Walenka. She takes her bowl and virtually pours the remaining half down her throat. "Any more?" She laughs. Zoran smiles broadly. "There's more in the pot and I'd rather you clean it out. Then I can start on a new batch for supper." Walenka smiles as she fills her bowl again. The third time, she empties the kettle, but only half way fills her large bowl. Shortly after we eat, two men from the quarry arrive. They measure the barn floor, make a few notes and then leave without saying a dozen words between them. Zoran laughs after they leave. "They work with stone so much that they forget the rest of us like to talk. All they're interested in, is learning what stone is needed and getting back to their quarry. During the evening, Walenka decides to stay out of sight, in case the trappers show up. I spend a few hours talking about the lands of Regis. The mercenaries have already left and those interested, seem to be more concerned with how to protect themselves if similar problems come here. After several hours, I go out to the barn. Walenka and I talk about the lands her pack has been traveling. Since they stayed away from any conflicts, most of what she knows is wilderness survival. "It'll be interesting the next time my pack comes through here," she giggles. "Because I know some of them will come here to see if any one knows what happened to me." "It'll be interesting to see their reaction to how you'll look by then." I laugh as she fakes a heavy, unstable waddle. When the last customer leaves, Zoran comes out to talk. "The trappers will be here in a day or two." He grins widely. "One of their competitors has a grudge against them and I told him I knew a wolftaur that claimed to be able to out drink any two humans." He smiles at Walenka. "This will give you some bargaining room against the three of them." She controls her laughing. "The loser pays for both kegs and I get what ever they can't drink." Both Zoran and I laugh about this. After a few minutes, he leaves and we turn in for the night. Again I dream of a warm energy engulfing and flowing through me. Both of us wake shortly after dawn and go into the tavern. The day passes much like yesterday. In the evening, we learn that the trappers have had a good season and have heard about the wolftaur. When Zoran comes out to say goodnight, Walenka thinks out loud. "I wonder what they'll do when they find out I'm a female?" Zoran laughs. "You might really get good odds from them. Let them make the first offer and then see where you can take it." She laughs and grabs a blanket. "I better get a good sleep so I'll be ready for them." Zoran closes the door as he leaves. As I turn off the lamp, I wonder how much she's joking about being able to hold. As morning dawns, I silently slip out and join Zoran in the tavern. As we prepare for lunch, Walenka finally joins us. "I just couldn't stay down any longer." She virtually jumps with energy. As she runs in and out while serving the patrons, I try and see if she has put on any noticeable flesh. Zoran notices what I'm doing. "If it wasn't for her fur," he whispers. "You'd be able to see the result of all my soup and mead she's had." He laughs as she runs in, grabs some more soup and meat, and runs out. "It'll be interesting to see how well she'll be able to move tomorrow, if she can." As the lunch crowd leaves and we stop for our meal, I wonder how close to the truth Zoran may be. A few hours before customers usually arrive, three sturdy men in trapper clothes arrive outside. They relax on the benches and talk quietly. Zoran motions and we follow him to the door. He moves a decorative shield and reveals a small hole. Keeping quiet, we can hear them talking. The leader seems to be talking. "I say the three of us challenge him. They say he can out drink two humans. Just remember not to drink a thing before the challenge." "Good idea," one of the replies. "Do we challenge to speed or volume? "We let him choose," the first one whispers. "Since it'll be three against one, we better plan on volume." They all laugh. "It's been several moons since we've had any good mead." He taps the wall. "And we all like the mead they have here." They talk about trapping and how much they've made during the last season. Zoran eases the panel back in place and we walk quietly to the bar. "Their egos are going to be so pumped up in an hour that they'll challenge you as soon as they walk in. You just stay in your home for an hour. I'll send Drojha for you when they're ripe for the plucking." Walenka grins and walks out the back, her long thick tail swishing sweetly as she does. An hour later, Zoran and I open the tavern. A few others are waiting with the trappers and they demand to challenge the wolftaur. Zoran tries to calm them and assures them the wolftaur will be here shortly. Less than half an hour later, he suggests that I get Walenka. "I've rarely seen any one this insistent to compete." With a grin, I slip out the back and return with Walenka. As she enters, the trappers turn and stare in amazement." "Your champion is a girl!" The leader exclaims. "This isn't going to be a challenge. It's going to be free drinks for us." "If you're that sure of your selves." Walenka tries to make herself appear lighter by keeping her abdomen pulled in. "Let's make it interesting." "As long as you can afford it," the leader sneers. "What are you thinking of?" She looks at the kegs behind the bar, as if she hadn't already decided. "The three of you against me. Cost of the drinks and fifteen gold pieces." The three of them pause before the leader speaks up. "We'll be glad to take your gold. Now what's the contest?" She smiles seductively. "I know you've done it by number of mugs. I don't think that's a real challenge. One keg for the three of you and one for me. First keg emptied or the one most empty by dawn wins. Winner also get's what remains." For a moment the three trappers sit in shock. But the others in the tavern begin chanting for them to accept and begin making bets one the winner. The leader finally stands. "Agreed! Barkeep!" Zoran has already untied two kegs and a couple of the regulars help him move them onto the bar. "Every one stay away from them," he insists. "We don't want any one claiming unfair contest." He pops the cork in the top and the trappers and Walenka looks to agree both kegs are full. "Here's your mugs and good luck to all of you." The trappers fill their mugs and toast the tavern before starting. Walenka does the same and uses a mug as she starts. For an hour or so, she drinks about two mugs to their combined three. As the third hour begins, one of them turns to her. "You know we're going to win easy." His voice and words are heavily slurred. Walenka pats her keg. "I just realized," her voice is hardly slurred. "The sooner I finish my keg, the more of your's I'll have for later." The leader smiles, but his eyes don't seem to focus. "You've got a lot of mugs to down before you even catch up with us." Walenka empties her's in a gulp and looks at it. "I think that's been my problem." She tosses the mug to Zoran. "Since we're seeing who can drain a keg and not how many mugs." She takes her hands, pushes her long hair back and ties it out of the way. "I should be drinking from the keg." She smiles before closing her lips around the spigot. She turns the valve slightly and begins taking long, relaxed gulps of rich mead. The trappers stare at her in shock. "She won't be able to keep that up for long." One of them mumbles after he finishes his mug and allows me to refill it. The others try and drink faster, but it's obvious they'll pass out soon. Zoran watches Walenka as the mead almost flows into her. "I thought she was joking about drinking the keg and knew they'd pass out and she'd have until dawn to catch up and get ahead." He measures both kegs and smiles. "She'll be ahead of them in an hour or so," he whispers to me. After I refill their mugs, I motion Zoran aside. "Since it looks like she's going to drink the whole keg, I'm almost afraid to ask." Zoran struggles not to laugh. "Thirty six gallons. If she manages to hold all that, you're going to have to help her home." For several minutes we watch her take long easy gulps. The trappers are barely conscious and only sipping from their mugs. "If she can do it.." I whisper to myself. "The problem with finding some one to supply me with energy for healing, has been that there will be times several beings will need our services in a matter of days. Even if she doesn't become as large as she's promised, she'll be able to regain weight in a short amount of time." The sound of one of the trappers sliding to the floor brings me back to what's happening. The others seem to ignore him, or is it they're unable to notice anything. Walenka shuts off her valve and steps back with a long burp. "I'm starting to feel real good." She reaches back and strokes her now swollen belly. My eyes must be bulging out of their sockets, because she laughs. "If you thing I'm anywhere near full..." She voraciously grabs the tube with her lips and turns the valve on. Every one in the room is silent, except for the two semi- conscious contenders mumbling as they struggle to finish their mugs. My ears pick up a muffled gurgling and it takes me a moment to realize it's the mead flooding her rapidly expanding digestive system. After another hour, Zoran measures the kegs and smiles. "She's caught up with you two," He tells the remaining trappers. One of them tosses what remains in his mug down his throat and waits for it to be refilled. The leader copies his action, smiles weakly and then slides to the floor beside the first one who gave up. I watch Walenka calmly taking the mead into her amazing stomach with long slow gulps. "With thirty six gallons in a keg," I tell Zoran. "I thought her plan was to out last them until dawn." Zoran smiles and fills a few mugs for the tavern goers still watching and waiting until there is no argument who is the winner. He returns to me and whispers a reply. "I've seen one of her kind drink half a keg with no problem." He watches her bloated belly as it gently quivers with gallons of mead and more swelling it with each swallow. "But he was a heavier build than her." He pauses, almost afraid to continue. "I hope she isn't going to drink it all just to prove she can." He shakes his head as he remembers. "I've heard that when females of their kind want to, they can absorb more weight from food than any other species." She adjusts her stance several times over the next couple of hours. Her swollen belly rolls and the mead inside can easily be heard sloshing. The first place I notice that she's adding flesh is her upper arms are slightly fuller. Watching closer, I realize that her blouse is being pushed out by her growing bosom. Wondering if she might be pushing herself without knowing, or if her body is as elastic as she claims, I ease up beside her. I gently stroke her slowly expanding belly. To any one watching, my action appears completely innocent. I allow my inner senses to enter her body. To my amazement, she is easily handling all she has consumed and should be able to hold the rest, if not more. I pat her growing, quivering belly to assure her I know she can handle it. I ease back to the trapper's keg and watch the remaining, if almost unconscious, contender sitting. His hand is firmly gripping his mug, ready to take another drink. The problem is his eyes, although open, are seeing nothing. "She's going to win," I whisper to him. His head bobs a bit before he raises his mug and the contents pour down his throat. For a few minutes, the empty mug remains at his mouth. When he puts it down, I refill it. His eyes roam without recognizing anything. Many minutes later, he looks into his full mug. He lowers his mouth to it, then raises his head and mug. He drinks as he tips his head back. As the last drops slide down his throat, he keeps leaning back. Two nearby customers rush and catch him before he falls over. They ease him forward until his arms are on the table. He smiles at them and then slides under the table, landing on top of his fellow losers. I nudge Walenka so she'll look. Her overgorged abdomen rolls heavily and she shifts her paws to keep from being pulled over by it. "Have I won?" She asks those looking at the passed out trappers. For a moment no one speaks. Then one of those who bet against her whispers with his friends. "You said the contest was who could empty a keg!" He insists. Before I can argue that they are in no condition to continue, she takes her position in front of the keg. She fluffs her long thick hair back, wraps her lips around the spigot, and turns the valve. Every one stares in amazement as she gulps the rich fluid. Zoran measures her keg. "She's got about a third to go." The ones who bet on her winning, buy themselves a round as her amazing intake, heightens their thirst as much as the dry bread sticks. I take a careful look at her incredibly swollen abdomen. Her paws are spread wide and firmly balance her as the mead flows into her. From the side, her belly is past the halfway point between where it had been and the floor. Looking at her from behind, her stomach is round with the gallons of mead. She is more than twice as wide as before she started and rapidly approaching three times her previous width. When she moves a hindpaw, her fur jiggles on her now-plump rump. Many of the betters and observers are asleep. A few of them are managing to stay awake so that no one can claim any cheating happens. Two hours later, Zoran measures her keg. "Bout five or six gallons to go." He looks out one of the narrow windows. "Dawn should be here in an hour." Walenka shuts the valve and raises her head. Her belly is so swollen that she looks more likely to collapse from the weight, than from the alcohol. "I said," she burps loud enough to wake most of the sleeping betters and even gets a quiet moan from one of the losers. "I'll finish the keg by dawn." She pats the tight sides of her impossibly stretched belly and her fur moves as her skin quivers heavily. She grabs the nozzle with her mouth and turns the valve all the way. After a few minutes, she motions to me. With hand signals she tells me to tip the keg so the mead will flow faster. Several of those who bet on her rush forward and lift the keg off the bar. She gulps faster and signals them when it's at the right angle. As the keg empties, her abdomen swells even more. Finally the last drops flow out of it. Those holding the keg, lift it above her open mouth. A couple of drops fall out and she catches them with her tongue. "Is there any who doubt I drank it all!" She carefully takes one step at a time. Her ponderously bloated belly rolls and billows with each step, but she some how manages to keep her balance as she moves. Zoran pulls the wagered money out and divides it among the winners. He hands Walenka her winnings. "I'll keep what they left you safe," he pats the trappers' more than half full keg as he speaks. Walenka smiles, but I can sense her struggling to keep the weight of the thirty six gallons of mead from pulling her to the ground. "I think," I tell her as I move beside her. "That you've been awake for about twenty hours." She nods, tries to yawn, but burps again. She smiles at those still there, and then walks carefully to the back. Her almost spherical belly bumps against the doorways and the hall walls several times as she struggles not to waddle as much as her weight insists. As she steps off the porch, onto the softer ground, she almost loses her balance. I rush around her and struggle against the weight of her tightly swollen abdomen. Her face finally shows how much trouble she's having moving as I help keep her from being pulled over by the contents of the keg. Once inside, she barely makes it to the area we've been using for sleeping. As she lays there, almost unable to move, I put the few pillows and blankets around her to make her as comfortable as possible. By the time I close the window so the room is only dimly lit, she is asleep. Realizing I've used all the blankets to make her comfortable, I curl up against her humongously bloated belly and quickly join her in sleep. During the night, I dream of limitless energy, so near I can almost touch it, but something prevents me. As the dreams continue, I hear muffled rumbling, like thunder just over the hill. Finally the energy begins to touch, and then engulf me. I drift on waves of energy, so thick that I only sink in slightly. It's late afternoon before I begin to allow myself to drift out of this sea of energy. As I become aware of my physical self, I feel a warm softness against and partly covering me. She is lying stretched out on her side, her lower legs folded against herself and her upper fore leg resting on my side. I cautiously open my eyes, not sure how much is her and how much is the blanket. All I see is at first is her thick fur. Her flesh billows as she slowly breathes. I carefully move my arm until I feel the thick roll of fat that's flowing almost over my side. Trying not to awaken her, I start to ease away. My head bumps into a large, soft, furry mass. Bending my head back as far as I can, I stare at the underside of two breasts, larger than any I have ever seen. After several minutes of careful moving, I ease away and slowly stand up. Using my abilities, I extend my senses into her. Most of the mead has been completely digested, with almost no wastes. Her heart, skeleton and other organs are easily adapting to her growing size. I sit down against one of the rough hewed support posts and watch her sleep while thinking it out to myself. 'I've spent years searching for a woman that can supply me with energy. I guess the fates wanted me to explore and learn of other societies before they allowed me to find her.' After awhile, I get up and look around our home. I study the walls and realize that they are built in the same easily defensible as the tavern. 'I wonder how often they've been invaded,' I think. A slight sound from Walenka causes me to turn rapidly. She opens her deep green eyes, closes them and smiles. "I don't think I'm ready to look at what thirty six gallons of mead are doing to me." Her hands cautiously feel her fleshy upper abdomen, as her plump arms brush into her heavy breasts. She barely manages to keep her eyes shut, but her face shows her surprise. "I guess that much mead must have encouraged them." Her hands cautiously explore how round and huge they've become. She smiles dreamily. "I wonder if...." She lowers her hands and grins. Not sure what she's thinking of, I kneel down and help her roll upright. Her heavy bosom threatens to pull her over as they surge for a few seconds. She plants her forefeet and struggles to stand. Getting the rest of her off the floor is easier because of her hind legs being stronger. She opens her eyes and slowly turns her head. "I knew the only way to hold that much," she giggles, "was to use a meditation one of my aunts taught me. Long ago, when my species hadn't mentally developed, some females of each pack had the responsibility of storing food for emergencies." She carefully walks around, getting used to her amazing gain in weight. "When there was a lot of food available, they had the ability to eat tremendous amounts." She giggles and strokes her rolling flesh. "With meditation, they would absorb almost all of the food they ate. The meditation doesn't work unless they ate at least half their weight." She takes a few steps and seems more stable than I'd expect possible. "Also we can make our skeletons and organs adapt so that what ever weight we reach is healthy for us. I realize what she was hinting at before. "So you're not going to keep getting bigger with every meal." I pause and smile, "I think," I stroke her huge belly, feeling more available energy than I ever have from any being. "That we can start healing tomorrow." Walenka smiles and returns to the sleeping area. She tries to lie down slowly. Not being used to weighing about twice what she had, she collapses. She laughs as her fat rolls and billows. "If Halrod doesn't get the bed made soon," she strokes her fur covered flesh. "Maybe they can sleep on me." She giggles as she sees my expression. "Or they can use the bed...." She bats her long eyelashes coyly as she pats her jiggling side. Barely able to control myself, I decide to check in with Zoran. "I'm going to get something for lunch and tell Zoran we'll be ready to help some one." I pause and smile. "As soon as Halrod has the bed ready." She laughs quietly for a moment. "Remember I'm going to need more to keep my energy up." She pokes her soft belly. I turn quickly and struggle to keep part of me for showing what her actions are doing. By the time I reach the Tavern, I've regained my composure. "I had heard that very few of them had this ability," Zoran comments as I help him prepare lunch for Walenka and myself. "I'll tell Halrod to get the furniture done as soon as he can." He looks at the amount of food I've prepared for Walenka. "Do you want me to bring the mead those trappers couldn't handle?" He starts to laugh. "I think she's had enough of that for a couple of days. Where are they?" I ask as I look around the empty tavern. He nods toward the stairway. "The ones who bet on Walenka carried them up. I doubt they'll wake until tonight." As I carry our food out, he promises to get word to Halrod and also to put out the word we'll be ready in a few days. When I enter our home, Walenka is laying on her flesh swollen abdomen, her upright upper torso allows her to looks around. "I think I'd like it if we could have some bigger windows." I pull up a crate and use it as a make-shift table. "I know you've always been on the go and never had a true home." I point at a window. "These were built to make it easier to defend." She takes a sandwich and eats slowly as she studies our home for the first time. "Has Zoran said anything about it?" I take a sandwich and look around. "Let's talk about what we can do to make this place more comfortable." I take a bite and smile as she gulps down the rest of hers and grabs another one. While she eats, we talk about where the furniture should go. A knock at the door interrupts us. "Halrod," I exclaim as I open the door. "We were just talking about you and your work." "Good things I hope." He steps back to his wagon and begins carrying parts of a wood framework in. "We didn't expect you to be ready this soon..." He stops and almost drops what he's carrying as he sees Walenka. She smiles, "That contest last night did more to me than any one thought possible." He grins as he puts the wood down and goes for more. "No one thought it possible for you to drink that much in the first place." I help him bring the rest in and we talk while he assembles the bed. "The village was attacked by a roving band of fighters years ago. They robbed us of food, and anything they could carry. We immediately began remodeling the windows and doors so we could withstand an attack of their kind." He smiles proudly as the bed takes shape. "A few years later, we were attacked by the same group. They tried to break in a few of the buildings. All the doors can be seen from windows of other buildings and a few arrows convinced them to give up. Since then, we're had attacks almost every year, with the same results." "Doesn't the local lords have a militia to handle these bandits?" I ask as I support part of the framework. He tries not to laugh. "We pay part of our income to him. I think the only thing we get is not having to deal with his fighters." In a few minutes, he finishes the bed. "I've got one of the chairs almost ready." He steps out the door, "Don't worry about paying me until you get some customers." He closes the door behind him. Walenka struggles to her feet and walks carefully to the bed. "How soon do you think it'll be before the first arrives?" I had heard a wagon rolling closer as she talked. I open the door before whoever has arrived finishes knocking. The quarry men nod and I step aside. Several young men, which I later learn are apprentices, come in and begin leveling the floor in the back of our home. As they complete an area, some of them begin helping the stone masters moving the cut stone and carefully laying them down. For several hours they work with only a few instructions being spoken. Zoran comes out with a large platter of meats and breads. They all stop and eat. They finish quickly and return to their work. By dusk, almost half the floor is finished. As the apprentices clean up, one of the stone masters finally speak to me. "I am Granite Facha, fourth level master. Can you tell me what limits your healing skill have?" I reply with a straight face to his emotionless one. "I have repaired broken limbs, cured diseases, and healed wounds. If you have a question on a certain problem, I will answer as well as I can." He pauses for a moment. "We have kept to ourselves for many years, but now." He slowly shakes his head. "Two moons ago, a section of the quarry broke loose. No one was killed, but one master and one apprentice were injured. The master suffered a broken leg. Although it is healing, the bone did not set square. The apprentice had his arm crushed. I'm afraid that we've been preparing to remove it." Walenka puts her hand on my shoulder. "Have them both brought here tonight." I keep my voice calm, although the fear that too much time has elapsed worries me. Facha bows and motions to the others. In less than a minute, two of the apprentices are left to complete the clean up and preparing the uncovered floor, while the others return to the quarry. I turn to Walenka as I hear a slight rumbling from her direction. "I think," She giggles as she rubs her lower abdomen. "That a good meal would get me ready." I run to the tavern and almost collide with Zoran in the kitchen. "What did you tell them?" He asks with a grin. "I've never seen a quarry man move so fast." "They have two that need my help," I gasp as I quickly catch my breath. "Do you have supper ready for Walenka?" He loses his perpetual grin for a second. "I've got two pots of thick soup prepared for the evening, but I can make another one." He tosses me a thick towel. Carefully we carry the heavy pot back to my home. After we set it down, he runs back and returns with two bowls and spoons. Walenka lays down beside our temporary table and eats the hot food slowly. "What do I need to do?" She asks as she refills her bowl. "All you have to do is be close to me," I answer calmly. "You might feel a little dizzy or weak, but it doesn't get too bad." She smiles and pats her fleshy sides, "At least there's enough of me so you won't have to draw from any one else." She finishes her bowl and one other before she stops. "Since you've never had a steady partner, do you have any idea what might happen to me after several healings?" "I have to admit," I pause a moments as I collect my thoughts. "My mentor never said anything about only using one being as an energy supply. As long as we don't heal every day," I reach out and stroke her plump arm. "I don't think we have a thing to worry about." A knock grabs our attention. Before I can get up, one of the apprentices opens the door. An older man is helped onto the bed, his left leg bandaged securely. Two apprentices carry a young man in on a litter and place him on our sleeping area. Facha stands beside the bed. "Do you wish us to leave?" I touch the man on the bed, sensing his minor damage, while my soul screams to help the apprentice. "Yes," I whisper. "It is easiest if only myself and Walenka are here." I continue gently probing the leg while they go outside and close the door. The second the latch clicks, I jump to the youth and my senses probe rapidly. "Walenka." My voice is barely a whisper as I mentally begin repairing the unseen damages. For a second, I feel a cold wind surround me. Then I feel a soft warmth, beginning at my left side and quickly engulfing me. In this state, all sense of time is gone. His arm is barely alive and I quickly stabilize it. The internal injuries are what really worry me. In a week at the most, he would have been dead. Once he's out of danger and sleeping gently, I ease my senses out of him. "I've got him out of danger," I whisper. "But it will take many more sessions to fully heal him." She nuzzles my ear. "They wanted you to take care of the stone master first," she whispers. Nodding, I half crawl to the bed and resume probing his leg. "If they had used a good splint and kept him off his feet, he'd be fine." I mentally enter the leg bone and slowly twist it. Something nags at the back of my mind as the leg is corrected and the warmth flows as strongly as ever. I finish correcting him and stand, almost falling over. The warmth flows around me and cushions my fall. Exhaustion cancels out all else as I lose consciousness. A quiet rumbling nudges me awake. For a moment, I wonder where I am. I'm lying on something warm and soft, yet of a strange shape. Moving carefully, I realize I've fallen asleep on Walenka. I carefully get up, light a candle and check on the apprentice. He's sleeping deeply, more relaxed than he probably has since the accident. Checking the stone master, I find he is also asleep and completely healed. A quiet sigh from Walenka reminds me of what part she played in their healing. Turning slowly, I stare in shock. Her body had been bulging with fat. Even though she is still fat by any standard, it is obvious she has used a considerable amount of weight. She opens her eyes slowly. "How are our patients?" She asks with a grin. "They're both doing well," I answer as I help her roll until her upper torso is upright. "How are you feeling?" I try and conceal my concern, but her smile tells me she knows. "Except for an incredible appetite." Her stomach growls as she strokes her sides. I quickly fill her bowl from the large pot and hand it to her. As she gulps down it's contents, I fill my bowl and hand it to her as she finishes. "You should tell their friends how they are," she giggles before attacking it. I refill hers before going outside. Facha is sitting in meditation. Two apprentices are sleeping nearby. He stands before the door completely opens. "How is Granite Ratha?" "He should be ready to leave by morning, although he will need to stay off the leg for a week." I pause, hoping he will ask about the apprentice. "I will need to keep the apprentice here for awhile. His injuries had him nearer death than you knew." Facha nods slightly and then returns to his meditation. The two apprentices are now awake and looking at me. "He'll be ok, but it will take a few days." I speak to Facha, but make sure the others hear me. Somewhat upset at his lack of concern, I enter our home and close the door. Walenka has finished my bowl and moved to the cauldron. "As hungry as I feel," she mumbles after a mighty gulp. "I thought this way would be easier." She resumes eating, using the serving spoon. While she eats, I use my ability on her. In relief I find that she is suffering no ill effects of supplying my energy for two healings. She did use a surprising amount of flesh and her body is behaving as if she has been starved. She easily consumes the entire contents of the caldron and then lies down. "I could easily hold more," she admits with a giggle. "But this should be enough until breakfast." She motions for me to join her as she closes her eyes. Realizing I'm still tired, I curl up against her abdomen. The muffled gurgling of her digestive system lulls both of us into a deep sleep. As dawn filters into the room, a noise jerks me awake. Looking in that directing, I see the stone master moving his legs off the bed. "Not yet," I warn him as I get out of Walenka's gentle embrace and stand. "You're going to have to stay in bed for a week or it'll never heal right." He remains silent and passive as I ease his legs back onto the bed. Before I finish, there is a knock at the door. Walenka rolls over and gets to her feet. She waddles slightly as she crosses to the door and opens it. "Is Granite Ratha ready to return home?" Facha asks with an emotionless voice. "He may be taken home now." I manage to keep my anger under control that he doesn't ask about the more injured apprentice. "I can't say how long it will be before the apprentice will be able to leave." He looks at the two with him. "One of them will check in every day. When he is ready, they will bring him." The apprentices follow us inside, glancing at their friend, but not allowing their concerns to show. They carefully carry Ratha from the bed and place him on the padded stone wagon. As the apprentices easily pull it away, I return to the apprentice. Walenka moves beside me and watches for a moment. Without a word from me, she takes hold of the litter handles. I motion to the others and we carefully move him to the bed. "I still can't believe that they treat their apprentices like a used tool." My senses enter his body and I'm satisfied in his improvement. Walenka nudges against me, my shoulder sinking into her warm fur and soft flesh. "How soon do you want to work on him." Her voice is sweet and caring. For a moment, I want to continue his healing right now. "He's in no danger now," I breath out slowly. "It's going to take many sessions before he's well and whole. If only they cared for him, instead of shoving him aside and ignoring him." She puts her hands on my shoulders and gently turns me around to face her. "We both know there are packs that let the injured die rather than be slowed down by them." Her voice is soft and calms me down, although this close to her 'front' also excites me. "Why don't you see if Zoran has our breakfast ready." Her laughing eyes release me from my feelings of helplessness. Zoran smiles as I enter. "I thought you'd be over as soon as that stone-faced Facha left." He laughs at his own joke and continues working on our breakfast. "So how's the apprentice?" "I don't think he had more than a few days to live." I reply. "But I should have him back on his feet in a couple of weeks." He realizes he's struck a nerve. "Those trappers left yesterday. I don't know if it was the mead or Walenka trashing them so bad. But they paid and left quietly." He laughs as he fills his largest platter to near overflowing with breakfast cakes. "I bet she's really hungry after all you did last night." He grabs a pitcher full of honey and easily carries both. I grab a jug of fruit juice and a couple of mugs. I manage to reach the door seconds before he does and we both go inside. Walenka grabs a cake before he gets to our make-shift table. "I can't believe how hungry I am," she mumbles as she devours it. Zoran leaves as I pour honey over the stack and hand her a fork. "I should have suspected that drawing that much energy in such a short time would have major effects on you." I smile as she looks at me with curiosity in her eyes. "We'll get that tummy of yours filled up and then you'll feel fine." I gently stroke her round abdomen, slightly surprised how loose it feels. When she's halfway through her feast, I put a couple of the cakes on a plate. I eat the first one and then wake the apprentice and feed him the other. He is almost too weak to eat, but manages. After assuring him he's better and it's just a matter of time before he's completely healed, I put him back into a deep sleep. Walenka takes the last cake in her mouth and uses it as a funnel while she pours the last of the honey into her ravenous mouth. She puts the jug beside the one that had held juice. "So," she punctuates this with a contented burp. "When do we work on him again?" I kneel down beside her and feel her round belly. "I don't know how much of you I used last night. But I've never worked on two patients in the same day before." Sensing her digestive system is mostly full and that her body is no longer behaving as if it's starved, I stand and smile. "I think waiting until tonight will be best. Then we can sleep without any one disturbing us." She turns carefully until she's facing me. "I just realize I drank all the juice." Her long eyelashes flicker. "I bet you're thirsty." Before I can do anything, she wraps her plump arms around me and pulls me deep between her bounteous breasts. She whispers, "I never told you how those with my ability feed the rest of the pack." One of her hands moves up my back and then to the clasp holding her halter top to her neck collar. I ease back as she releases the tortured material. "I think I figured it out when I saw these after the contest." Slowly I move my mouth down and around her gorgeous mounds of breast flesh. By the time I reach the center, her areolae is swollen with excitement. Warm sweet milk drips from her large nipple as I tongue it. Not wanting to lose any more, I clamp my lips around it. She sighs in contentment and her nutritious nectar flows. After several minutes, I switch sides to even her load. "I wonder if this could help our patient?" I whisper jokingly as I finish. She laughs and tries to heft her massive mammeries. "I've got plenty if you want to try." A knock at the door catches both of us off guard. I quickly help her fasten her halter. "I better do something about this," she giggles. "It's comfortably snug for the moment. But now that you've had some, my milk production is going to increase." She stops as I reach the door. "Heard you had a visit from the quarry," Halrod comments as he carries a sturdy built chair in. He looks at the sleeping apprentice. "Looks like I got the bed here in the nick of time." "He's doing a lot better since last night," Walenka's hand quickly calms me. "Anything of interest going on?" "Not a thing," He looks around. "I built this place as a stable. It'll keep the winds out, but we better get it insulated before the colds come down from the mountains." He smiles and then leaves. Over the next two weeks, I conduct nightly sessions of healing the apprentice, who tells me his name is Gatrin. Walenka's appetite keeps up with my needs. her weight drops at night. but she forces enough food down to regain what she's lost each day. Halrod finishes our furniture and I help him start insulation the walls. The quarry people finish the floor and agree that my healing balances the cost of the floor. I keep Gatrin until he is well enough to return to his work in the quarry. During the next month, we heal many people of common aches, pains, injuries and so on. Walenka gains some during this time. The increase in her weight might not have been noticed, except a lot of it swells her heavy bosom even larger. "If I didn't know better," I joke after nursing on her sweet milk one evening. "I might think you were feeding a pack." I try to heft one of her mammoth melons but it overflows my hands. She laughs and her billowing flesh sloshes everywhere. "It only takes one to make my body start pushing extra nutrients into them." She steps closer until her enormous jugs surge around me. "But I don't think it bothers you too much." I snuggle as deeply into her furry, fleshy embrace as I can. "If you keep filling out like this. I don't think we'll have to worry about how cold the winter gets." She laughs and I'm shoved from side to side by her heaving bosom. "When ever the pack saw snow, it was time to run for warmer lands." She slaps her flab swollen belly and watches it jiggle. "Since I'm too big to run, I better hope I'm big enough to keep us warm." I spread out the large mattress several of the village women had made us for curing their children of a sickness. Walenka grins as she flops onto it and her thick fur quivers on her fat body. "The nights are getting colder," I halfway joke, covering us with our thick blanket and curling up against her warm belly. For the last month, the night's temperature has been dropping. Waking up one morning, our breathing makes small clouds. "I think I better get the insulation done," I joke as I ease out of her warm fleshy embrace and shiver as I put on warmer clothes. "If you hadn't been doing all the healings," she smiles. "You would have gotten it finished last week." She pulls the blankets closer. The cold morning air rips through my jacket as I go outside. Zoran is busy cooking a hot breakfast for us and his few guests. "Halord sent one of his helpers over," he grins as I help him remove breakfast cakes and thick slabs of bacon from the stove. "They'll all be over as soon as they finish eating." Grabbing all I can, I head back to Walenka. She starts eating while I return for the rest of our food. "Halrod and his helpers are coming over this morning," I comment with a shiver. She gulps down a large slice of ham and giggles. "No matter what they do, I'll still be better insulated." She pours half a mug of hot mead down and the attacks some of the breakfast cakes. I have a smart reply to her joke. But I decide the cold is influencing my thoughts and have some of the food myself. Before I'm finished, Halrod and two others arrive with a wagon load of insulation. "I didn't think it would get cold this soon." His voice is cheerful, but there's something in his expression and the way every one begins working with few words said. I hold a panel as he secures it and whisper to him. "I take it there's something wrong." He replies quietly and barely moving his lips. "It shouldn't be this cold for another month. When I was a child, we had a winter that started like this. All the wood bins are full, but several families are talking of moving into one house to make sure." I look around at what is now a comfortable looking home. "If it would help, I'm certain we could keep a family here." He pauses and watches the others to work. It has warmed up enough inside so that their breath doesn't show, but frost is still on the branches outside. "If it really gets bad we might ask you to keep some villagers here." He pauses, "There's two other places we need to do but they agreed we should finish your's first." He smiles, "You cured their children last month. Walenka has finished eating and wraps our large blanket around her fleshy upper torso. "How long will it take for you to finish here?" He steps back and thinks. "With all of us, we should be finished early in the afternoon." She glances at me and I nod for her to continue. "If Drojha and one of your helpers stayed here and you and the other worked on one of the houses, how long?" He keeps a stern expression as he answers. "Long ago our village elders decided no building would be heated until insulated." He looks outside and shakes his head. "We might be able to finish here by nightfall. The two houses will take several days each." "Then let's have them move in here. We've got enough room for that long." She stand firm and her new mass makes her seem more powerful. Halrod almost smiles, "Rass, go tell them they're welcome to stay here." He grins as one of his helpers tosses on his coat and leaves. "With your healing many of the children and all you may do in the future, the elders didn't want to ask." Both Walenka and I laugh. "Since we're part of your village, we're glad to do all we can." Within minutes, Rass returns. "They're getting enough together and will be over soon. Their children are staying at friends who's homes are heated." He tosses his coat aside and resumes working. Within an hour, two couples have arrived. The men help by bringing insulating panels and fire wood in. One of them starts a small fire to warm the fireplace and chimney. Every one stops at noon when Zoran brings lunch. As we eat, I notice how exhausted Halrod and his men are. "I think all of you could use some rest. Once we finish here, they can stay and you and your crew should rest for a day or so." He takes a deep breath. "I want to get their places done. Then we can rest." As soon as they eat, we return to finishing the insulation. A few hours later, everything is done. Slowly the fire is built up. Once the room starts to warm up, Halrod goes outside to see if he can find any heat leaks. He comes in shivering and rubbing his hands. "Looks like a great job boys." He tells everyone as he takes his coat off. Walenka waddles up beside him. She wraps her blanket around both of them. "Let's see how fast I can warm you up." She says with a giggle. As she sees the exhaustion in his eyes, she moves him to our sleeping area and they lay down. I look at the other two. Both of them are only half awake. With out a word, I guide them to our sleeping area. Walenka smiles as she helps them under the blanket and they instinctively curl up against her as well as they can. "I'm just not big enough for this many," she jokes. For many hours they sleep deeply. At diner time, the wives go and help Zoran. They return with platters of food. Halrod and his helpers get up and thank Walenka for warming them up. "No problem," she laughs as she grabs a large chunk of meat. After we eat, I suggest that I use my ability to renew their energies. "It won't be as good as a day's rest, but you won't be collapsing from exhaustion." With no argument, Halrod insists his helpers go first. The two women know that Walenka will need food afterward and go to the tavern. As they leave, I think I see snow reflecting off the outside lamp. Rass lies down on the bed and relaxes as Walenka and I ready ourselves. Since he's in good health, it doesn't take me long. Before the women have returned with the food, all three of the carpenters are feeling like they could work through the night. "If you'd like" Halrod asks one of the men. "We could get started on your place tonight. "If you could get a small fire going we can work by lamplight." Excitedly, Jaroo carefully wraps himself as warmly as possible, takes a lamp and leaves. Halrod takes me aside as the others wrap themselves up. "I'm afraid that we better get it finished before it gets any colder." Concerned, I agree. "I'll keep you charged up. But you have to agree that all of you will take several days off when you're finished." He agrees and the three of them leave. The wives return with food for Walenka. While she eats, and for a few hours, Walenka and I talk with those staying about the weather. Only Jendli, one of the wives, lived here when the last cold winter hit. "I'm afraid it does feel like this winter may be as bad." She looks out one of the narrow windows, but it's to dark to see anything. "If we get a snow before next week," she shivers from her thoughts. Looking out into the black night, I wonder if I was right in helping the carpenters be able to keep working. "I think," I comment as I turn with a forced smile. "That we should get some sleep." I try to convince every one as much as myself. Larcha, the other husband, glances to the door. "why don't I see how they're doing?" "They haven't been gone that long," I argue. "If you want to check on them in a few hours..." He nods and helps the others spread out their blankets. Every one tries to sleep, but worries keep us from drifting off immediately. Several hours later, my instincts wake me just in time to see Larcha preparing to leave. "I'll stay awake until some one comes back." I whisper. With a slight nod, he tightens his scarf and leaves. The blast of cold air makes every one shiver and cuddle closer to who ever is closest. Walenka wiggles close and her furry body seems to slosh around me. It's a struggle to stay awake, but some how I manage. A sound at the door jerks me awake. I ease out from under the blanket and wrap my jacket around me as I almost run to the door. A blast of snow filled, icy air almost knocks me back. Jaroo stumbles in and I close the door as quickly as I can. Every one is awake and getting up. Jendli rushes to him and helps him to the fire. Walenka waddles over and stands behind him so none of the heat escapes. "Larcha's ok," he whispers through his chattering teeth. He takes a mug of mead and struggles to drink with out spilling any because of his shivering. After I seal the door, I probe him with my senses. "His inner self is fine," I announce after a few seconds. "He just need to warm up." I turn to him. "Now, what's going on out there?" He takes a long drink before answering. "I've never seen the temperature drop so fast." He looks toward the door. "It was just starting to snow when we left. I got the fire going and warmed it up enough to melt the frost inside. When Larcha opened the door, it was like a blizzard came in with him. I put my coat on and came here to tell you, since he didn't think you would know. The reason Larcha is ok and I'm almost froze clear through," he smiles as Jendli hands him a full mug. "My home is down wind. He had the snow blowing him along and I had to fight each step and work my way around the side of the tavern after I bumped into it." Jendli sees my concern and nods, "It's like the last time." She says quietly. "We need to have a town meeting tomorrow and decide which houses should be closed down for the winter." Every one else nods in agreement. I add wood to the fire and Jaroo finally warms up. For an hour or so, they talk about which families will be best together in close quarters. Walenka and I curl up and drift to sleep as their discussion winds down. The faint glow of the snow shrouded dawn filters in through the narrow windows. I ease away from Walenka and carefully add wood to the fire. As it crackles and sparks, the others begin waking. Jendli looks around, "I hope Larcha and the others haven't been working all night." Jaroo grabs his coat and then hesitates. "Do you want them to return with me?" "I think Halrod should be at the meeting," Jendli insists. "We may decide to let our homes wait until spring." He nods. His disappointment can be seen, but his concern for the others overshadows it. "I'll stop by a few places and tell them the meeting will be in a few hours." Throwing his scarf on, he opens the door and plunges through a small snowdrift. Keesha shivers as the gust hits her. "Let's get over and help Zoran with breakfast." She smiles at Walenka and then turns to me. "I hope they don't need any of your healing, but..." she shields her eyes, but I already saw tears in them. As soon as they leave, I wrap myself for the cold. "If they're ok," I tell Walenka. "But if not..." She rubs her round furry belly and soft heavy breasts against me. "I'll be here to warm you up." She walks me to the door. "Just don't get lost." She gives me a quick kiss that I'm tempted to take further, but my concern for the others makes me turn quickly and head into the frozen air. The icy air seems to freeze my throat as I plow through the snowdrift. The wind is less than last night, but the snow is still falling heavily. The distance around the tavern and to the main road seems impossibly long. Looking around, the only sign of there being a road, is the positioning of the houses. Light can be seen flickering in all of the windows except the last two. As I struggle toward them, Larcha comes out and waves excitedly. He then flounders across the road to another house. By the time I reach the house he came from, he's coming back. We both enter and struggle to close the door against the wind. Looking around I see Jaroo and the carpenters shivering in front of a small fire. "A few hours ago," Jaroo stutters through chattering teeth. "They just started collapsing. I've been afraid to leave them and don't know where the snow buried the wood." Larcha starts to wrap himself back up, but I stop him. "We need to get them back to my place." I start wrapping Halrod in his coat. "I've got help coming," Larcha comments as he works on one of the other carpenters. "Jaroo is able to handle himself, but it's obvious he won't be able to make it back on his own. You take him," Larcha suggests. "We'll bring the others." Nodding, I help Jaroo up and then we go out into the dying blizzard. Because of the depth of the snow, my tracks can still be seen. By the time we reach the tavern, I'm supporting Jaroo as his feet move without conscious thought. I open the door and almost drag him through. Walenka jumps in surprise and her fur billows on her fleshy body as she rushes over. As she helps him to the bed, I secure the door. "The others are in worse shape, but Larcha has help coming." I toss my scarf and coats to the side as I join her. Jaroo is almost unconscious and his shivering is becoming less violent. "Not good," I whisper as I send my senses into him. Walenka moves beside me until her plushy belly surges gently against me. I push warming energy into his cool inner body. As my ability and the warmth of the fire does it's work, he relaxes and his shivering lessens as he does. After many minutes, I ease back. "I know the others are going to be in much worse shape." Walenka stays beside me as I stoke up the fire and toss on more wood. "We better get ready for them." I pull our mattress closer to the fire. Jendli comes in with a large steaming basket. She shows her self control by closing the door, before rushing to her husband. "How is he and the others?" "He'll be fine," I assure her. "I don't know about the rest." She nods, understanding my fear. Walenka brings a plate of breakfast foods to them, then returns to the table. She attacks the food as I join her. "Healing him didn't take that much out of me," she mumbles with her mouth full. She washes it down with a large gulp of mead. "But I know we're both concerned about the others." I manage to force a smile as I nibble some. Before I finish a biscuit, Larcha and one of the villagers carries Halrod in. Jendli helps Jaroo off the bed as they place Halrod on it. My hands shiver as I touch his cold flesh. Walenka fills her large mug, drains it and fills it again before joining me. His cold is pouring into me as I try to warm his vital organs. Walenka nudging against me feels so wonderfully warm that I almost back my senses out of him. With her energy, I continue warming him. A blast of snowy air hits me. For a moment, I wonder if I've hit a hidden cold area in him. "We've got Rass," a voice informs me. "They'll have Graach here soon." I concentrate on Halrod, putting aside my fears of the others' condition. I have no feeling of time as his inner and then outer body warms. As his shivering lessens, I finally ease my contact with him. Instinctively, I wrap my arms around Walenka as well as I can. My shivering makes her flesh swollen body quiver gently. I listen to her eating and her amazing digestive system easily handling all she's consumed. While I brought Harod's body temperature up to something safer, Jendli talked with Larcha and Keesha. She wraps herself warmly and leaves as Graach is carried in. As Halrod is carried over to the fire, Graach is moved onto the bed. He is so cold that his shallow breathing feels cool. I close my eyes tightly, concentrating on what I must do. I ease my hands against his skin. For a moment, I don't even detect blood flowing through his flesh. His heart is beating as if it may stop with the next beat. I try and warm the most vital organs first. With out sensing the passage of time, I don't realize how long it takes before he begins to recover. Keesha started feeding Walenka as soon as I began healing Graach. Before she empties the platter, Jendli returns with a small cask of mead and begins warming it in a kettle. As Walenka finishes the food, Jendli begins filling mug after mug and pouring the warm, rich fluid down her throat. Larcha has been doing what he can for Rass and realizes he's slipping. He shakes my shoulder gently, but I fail to notice. "I don't know what we should do?" He speaks quietly to every one. Jaroo eases his blanket off. "If we put several chairs together, we could put him on them so Drojha can help both of them." Larcha doesn't argue, but wonders if they're doing the right thing as he helps. Jendli motions to Keesha. "I don't like what they're doing, but I can't think of anything else." She pours another warm mug of mead between Walenka's open lips. "What do you think?" Walenka licks her lips and burps quietly. "He's likely to push himself as far as he can, maybe too far." She looks at what remains in the kettle. "It's going to take a lot more if he does that." Keesha nods and wraps herself warmly. "I'll tell Zoran." She pauses before charging outside. The wind and snow has died down, but the air is still icy cold. Graach begins to warm, but he is still in danger. Even as his inner temperature rises and his blood flows easier, I sense more cold nearby. One of my hands moves away from him and reaches over to my side. As it touches Rass, I don't think that it's some one else, only that my ability is needed. Barely on the edge of consciousness, I pour more energy into both of them. Walenka's energy flow seems to drop, but she's pouring as much into me as she can. Walenka gulps down another mug and looks at Jendli in fear. "He's using energy faster than I can give it to him." She glances at the almost empty kettle and then the door. "I hope she gets back soon." As Jendli fills the mug again, Larcha wraps himself and heads for the door. Before he reaches it, Keesha comes in with a large platter full of honey soaked ham, cut into bite sized pieces. "Zoran's getting something else for her." She hands it to Jaroo as she and Larcha take their coats off. "Several of the village elders are with him now. They've decided to have the meeting here. They want to talk with Halrod and Drojha." Walenka swallows a large mouthful of ham. "I don't know if he'll be able to talk after he saves them." She alters several mouthfuls of ham with a mug of warmed mead. I feel as if I'm outside in the middle of last night's blizzard. My hand on Graach pours warm energy into him, helping him revive. For a while, his shivering increases to where anyone not knowing the effects of cold would worry. Then his shivering lessens as his skin regains it's normal level of warmth. My other hand feels as if it's deep in ice that reaches past my elbow, almost to my shoulder. The cold is so intense, that I no longer feel Walenka's energy flowing into me. As Graach regains consciousness, I instinctively move that hand to Rass. By the time Graach is warm enough to get up, most of the village elders have arrived. Every one knows about my healing methods. One of the women, helps feed Walenka the last of the ham. Another cask of mead had been brought with them. Even though it's cold, Walenka grabs each mug as it's handed to her and drains each in a single gulp. Zoran comes in, struggling with the heavy kettle. The snowflakes hiss and melt as then fall on it's cover. As he drags it to the door, several of the men rush to help him carry it to Walenka. He takes a large deep bowl and ladle from under his coat. Keesha grabs the bowl and Jendli fills it with the thick stew. Walenka is hugging me, trying to push her energy into me faster than ever. As Keesha moves the bowl in front of her muzzle, she tips her head back and opens her mouth wide. Keesha pauses for only a second and then carefully pours the stew into her. Walenka keeps her throat open until the last of it is in her amazing stomach. She breathes until the next bowl is ready. With a slight nod from her, Keesha pours bowl after bowl into her. Rass finally begins to warm inside. I'm shivering with their cold, but my inner self knows he's in more trouble than I am. His heart and lungs stop shaking and he begins breathing more relaxed. As his shivering rises and then lessens to an occasional shake, I finally release my link to him. As I pull my senses back inside, all I can feel is an unbelievable cold. Darkness takes me and all I am aware of is the cold. The discussion of the winter had already passed the point of if any houses should be closed up for the winter. Now the discussion centers on what houses. As I collapsed, every one jerks their heads and watches as Walenka eases herself down beside me and pulling me close with her hands and paws. Larcha moves the chairs Rass was on so that she can lean against them. Kreesha and Jendli have found a rhythm of filling the bowl and then pouring it into Walenka's waiting maw. Zoran stands, "My friends," he begins quietly. "Few of us have any problem with keeping Drojha and Walenka here and feeding them. Only a few have asked if it's fair they have this place alone while we talk of putting at least two families to each house. Yesterday, while their home was being finished, they offered that the two families who's houses weren't finished, could come and stay as long as they wanted to. Seeing how far Drojha has pushed himself and that Walenka needs help to eat enough while she's renewing his energy, I think it my be good for a family to stay here. But we must choose a couple that understands them. We must also remember how many of our friends and family members died in the last long winter." He looks at Walenka desperately pushing her warmth into my depleted being while Kreesha feeds her. "If keeping her extra well fed will keep even one of us from dying of exposure...." Every one nods in agreement. Larcha looks at Keesha and she nods. "If you'll accept us, we'd like to stay here." Jaroo is still warming himself by the fire, and speaks out. "If the two of us work together, we can move everything we need and our firewood here." Zoran smiles, "Now that we've solved that, we need to decide on the rest of us. For almost an hour, they talk and plan. It's finally decided to begin moving families from the houses furtherest out and have them start doubling up in the houses nearest the tavern. Zoran agrees that four families can stay in his rooms. "I would like to keep one room available for travelers. Also this gives us an extra place in case we need it." Every one agrees with this. Families begin deciding who will stay where. The moving of fire wood and personal items are left to the families and their friends. Kreesha and Jendli have almost emptied the caldron. Walenka groans with a grin as she strokes the stretched pelt of her swollen belly. "When I drank that 36 gallon keg of mead, I had all night. I may not have that much in me now, but it's only taken a few hours." She gulps down another bowlful. Jendli finally fills the last bowl and feeds it herself. "If you're still hungry...." Walenka smiles and pulls Drojha close as Kreesha carefully puts their blanket over them. "I think we'll be ok." She lays down and listens to the housing discussions. By noon, the housing arrangements have been made and plans to move items and fire wood from vacated homes are almost completed. Several of the wives have been preparing lunch and begins carrying trays of food in from the tavern. Walenka accepts a couple of slabs of beef and several large mugs of hot cider. "Drojha's going to be sleeping until evening," she whispers. Every one agrees that they've done all they can and need to get home and prepare for moving more than half the villagers. Halrod, Rass and Graach accept the offer for them to stay until tomorrow morning. Larcha and Jaroo insist that they make a trip to each of their homes. They wrap up and go outside into the clear crisp afternoon. Kreesha and Jendli straighten things up from the meeting. Then they talk about ways to curtain off private areas for each couple and their children. When the men return, they agree to the idea of using blankets for walls and promise to bring all they can on the next trip. By supper time, they've made a second trip. Keesha makes a quick trip to the family where their children are staying. "My friends promised that it's no trouble keeping them for a few more days." She smiles as she carries a tray load of food in and puts it on the table. Walenka brushes Drojha's hair, "He's much better, but I think it best if we just let him sleep." Jendli brings a second platter from the tavern and places it on a chair beside Walenka. "Is there anything I can do to help?" Walenka struggles to move and not wake Drojha. "I think I can feed myself now." She grins and begins eating, savoring each morsel. While they eat, they talk about what can be done to give every one some sense of privacy. "Near the end of that winter," Jendli comments thoughtfully. "There were a few villagers that started to get violent. A couple of the hunters went out one day and we never found a trace of them." The husbands and carpenters turn a few of the blankets into make-shift walls. By nightfall, the open barn looks more like a display room for blankets. There's no argument when Jendli suggests that they call it a night. The wind picks up slightly, but nothing like the gale force of the previous night. Some time in the darkest hours, I drift back to consciousness. I feel warmth penetrating every cell of my being. One of my arms in gently captured between myself and Walenka's gently billowing flesh. I slowly move my other arm along the round contour of her flesh swollen body. Moving my head slightly, I think I can tell that her heavy bosom is also storing some of the flesh her feast is creating. Relaxing into her comforting embrace of arms, legs and fur, I meditate for a few minutes and then return to sleep. The next morning dawns with dark clouds moving in from the horizon. Halrod looks out and shakes his head slowly. "Looks like another blast from the north." I try and slip out of Walenka's fleshy embrace, but she playfully grabs me for a moment before letting me up. I join him at the window as most of the others wake. "How long until it hits?" He studies the clouds, "We have several hours, probably it won't really hit until early afternoon." He looks at the other men. "Spread the word. I think every one should get moved in the next few hours if possible. Otherwise, they should plan on staying where they are for several days." Every one jumps into their coats and quickly leave to spread the word. Jendli looks at the clouds and shivers. "It's just like the last time," she whispers to me. "You know there'll be people who try and move their things after the blizzard hits." I turn toward her, but only so I can look at Walenka. "I'll have to trust you to spread the word to the women folk." I whisper in reply. "I hope none suffer as much as the carpenters, but we both know they'll be those who fail to realize how severe the wind can make it." She nods and then leaves for the tavern. Walenka has gotten to her feet and slightly waddles over to me. "Did I warm you up as well as you helped them?" She asks with a giggle that sends slight ripples through her abundant flesh. "You must have," I joke. I start to give her a quick hug, but she grabs me and pulls me close until I'm trapped between her heaving masses of breast flesh. For several minutes I snuggle in her warmth, not worrying about the coming storm. "They'll be bringing breakfast soon," she smiles as she lets me go and steps back. "But I've got your breakfast drink all ready." She releases part of her blouse and one of her heavy jugs surges out. Realizing that I haven't eaten anything for almost a full day, I lovingly heft her furry, weighty orb and suck hungrily on the plump nipple. While I nurse, I stroke her billowing flesh. She smiles and her eyes close in bliss. Her breath is slow and her sounds are quiet ones of sensual pleasure. When the one is dry, she quickly exposes her other heaving mound of dairy flesh. Many minutes later, a sound at the door makes us both jump and quickly get her clothes back in shape. I'm facing the window by the time the door opens so no one can tell how excited she got me. Keesha enters with a large basket of warm breads and a cheese that must weigh ten pounds. "Zoran is helping the people staying with him get moved." She puts the food down and begins slicing the cheese. "Jendli said she had some things she had to do, so I'm in charge of breakfast." "Don't we get anything to drink?" Walenka asks with a giggle. Keesha looks at me as I turn back to the window and try to concentrate on the approaching clouds. "I'll be right back," she says with a smile. After she leaves, both of us collapse with laughter. "I know how to get even with you," I finally gasp. Walenka struggle to stop and laughs until she's gasping for breath. "And you aren't going to tell me, are you?" She struggles to her feet and then has to get her blouse so it covers her growing bosom. "I think I better see if Jendli has time to add more to these." She grins and runs her hands over the contours of her upright body. "Because if we have to repeat last night again, they'll be more of me than this little thing can cover." Already out of breath from my joke, we manage not to laugh too much. Keesha returns with a small keg of cider and warms it in a kettle over the fire. While we eat, they both tell me of the meeting and how everybody is doubling or tripling up in the nearer houses. Within a few hours, Jendli, Jaroo and Larcha have returned with loads from their houses. Keesha goes to get some things from her home while the husbands make a second trip. By noon, the first snowflakes have begun to fall. Halrod returns with a sled loaded with building materials. "The misses and I are going to stay at Zoran's. I suggested that I can build a covered walkway between the tavern and here." He looks at Walenka. "I think we all know there's going to be a lot of freeze related injuries before spring finally gets here." I help him unload the sled and loosely pile the wood just inside the door. "I can stack it up later." He nods in agreement. "The less time we keep the door open, the better." As soon as the sled is empty he departs into the swirling snow. Several minutes later, Zoran enters with a wheel of cheese that must weigh over a hundred pounds. "Keesha's getting your lunch ready. This is for emergencies. I'll going to put it in the side room. I doubt it'll be too cold to get here from my tavern," He smiles at Walenka. "But if you need food in a hurry." His eyes center on her bounteous bosom and she smiles back "I think it'll be the best I could have for emergencies." She replies with a slight turn that makes her breasts almost burst out of the snug blouse. Jendli catches her movement and walks over. "I think it's time I made you some bigger clothes." She pulls a cloth measure from her pocket and gets to work. Larcha returns a few minutes later and warms himself by the fire. "I got everything I think we'll need. There's a sled loaded with food just outside the door. It'll keep better if it's inside." I put my coat on and walk to the door. "If the winter is as bad as everyone thinks it will be, we'll have wolves roaming through occasionally." By the time I'm ready, Walenka is standing beside the door. I grab packages from the sled and toss them to her. She drops the first few as she gets used to her overly large breasts blocking her view and interferance from her plump arms. Before we finish, Keesha comes in with lunch. Not wanting to stop, we keep going with her help. Finally the last package is in. I put the sled up against the outside wall before coming in and closing the door tightly. "I hope every one is safe inside by now," I stutter through my chattering teeth." Jendli hands me a hot mug of cider and it quickly warms me. After lunch, Walenka helps Jendli make some larger clothes for her. "I think," Jendli thinks aloud. "I better make them with plenty of room for you to grow." Walenka grins and whispers about her getting extra buxom. Jendli smiles and alters her designs. While they work, the rest of us talk about what we can do to make the winter more enjoyable. Jaroo is interested in my carving and I get him started on some practice pieces. Looking out the window, it's completely dark with a few hours left until sunset. Walenka and Jendli come out from her room and shows off the partly sewed blouse. "It'll take me a few days to finish it," Jendli remarks as everyone admires her work. Keesha opens her mouth to reply, but is interrupted by a rapid knock at the door. I reach it first and open it. Four men rush in and I close the door behind them. "They were trying to keep moving after the blizzard hit," one of the men explains. I examine the two who are in obvious pain. Their hands have the first signs of frostbite and I can guess their feet must be in similar conditions. "Get them on the bed," I instruct the other two. Once they're on the bed, Jaroo asks their friends to wait by the fire. My senses probe each of them before I decide which is worse. I numb their nerves so they won't be wiggling in pain. The smaller one's feet are so cold that blood no longer flows and he's in danger of losing several toes. Walenka comes up behind me and tries to ease her mammoth mammeries around me. I try not to jump as a pin stabs me in the back. "I think," I whisper as she steps back and removes the pin. "You better put your other blouse back on until this one's finished." As she leaves, I begin working on the frozen feet and then hands. It doesn't take long because his body temperature hasn't been affected much. Walenka returns before I start on the other one. I put them both into a relaxed sleep and then tell their friends they'll be ok after a good night's sleep. They thank us and insist they return home so their families won't worry. They wrap themselves up tightly and charge into the howling storm before any of us can argue. Walenka wraps her arms around me and maneuvers me into her plushy cleavage. It doesn't take long before I'm completely recharged. "That's not fair," she jokes. "You didn't use enough to make me need more than a good supper." Keesha had been preparing some of the food we had available and begins serving it. While we're eating, Zoran comes in with a flurry of snow. "I hope their friends got home ok," he tells us as he unloads a large basket of foods. "Halrod and his apprentices promise to start on the covered walkway as soon as the storm breaks." While we eat, he tells us that almost every one had gotten moved. "They may not have gotten everything or the fire wood moved, but the people are safe." As we finish eating, a loud crash makes every one look toward the window. Jaroo reaches it first, but can't see anything except the swirling snow illuminated by our lights inside. Zoran bundles himself back up and I get my coats on. He takes his storm lamp and we go out into the raging storm. Forcing our way through a drift that comes up to my chest, we find the base of a large tree. A few feet above the snow, the massive trunk has shattered. We work our way along the fallen tree and find one of the largest branches has smashed through the side of a grain storage building. "I'll let the owner know," Zoran yells over the howl of the storm as we struggle our way back. At the rear of the tavern, he goes inside as I find my way back home. As I get my coats off and begin warming up, I tell every one what we found. Thankful that it didn't hit a house with people and that no one was hurt. Jendli warms some cider and tells us tales of the last great blizzard. A few hours later, we decide to call it a night. Walenka loosens her snug blouse, lies down on our sleeping pads and smiles. "I hope it doesn't take her too long to get my clothes made." As I pull our blanket over her and snuggle in, she opens her blouse all the way. "I hope you didn't drink too much cider." She sighs happily as I ravenously nurse from her fat breasts. After breakfast, the two patients are allowed to go home with no after effects. The storm lasts for several more days. When it finally stops, there is no sign of the village except roofs and the second floor of the tavern. There are several paths that have been kept some what clear. By yelling from house to house, it's determined that every one is ok. Several suffered some exposure, but nothing that warmth couldn't handle. The village elders organize the best paths to be dug. It takes many days because of the blowing snow. During the next month, two blizzards and several storms would have buried the one storied building if not for the people working at keeping the roofs cleared. Halrod has started the walkway, but having to help with snow removal from roofs prevented him from completing it. The last blizzard is the worst and dumps so much snow that people are working outside several hours at a time. By the second day, sufferers from the wind and cold begin showing up. Jendli takes me aside after I heal the first two. "If they stop working, the snow will collapse the roofs or bury the paths." She gives them mugs of warmed mead. She pulls me aside to Walenka. "We have to talk." she whispers. "We barely have enough people to keep the houses from being crushed by snow as it is. We can't afford to keep people down a day or so." I take a deep breath, knowing that more and more people are going to be affected by the cold as winter progress. "I've been just repairing the damage. If they're going to go back to work immediately, I'll have put more healing energy into each of them." I look questioningly at Walenka. Walenka grins broadly. She puts her plump hands under her massive bosom and tries to heft them. "As long as I get enough food, I can keep Drojha supplied with more than enough." Jendli forces a smile at me. "I know it would be best if they could rest up, but they'll go back to work any ways." The others and Zoran are told. He makes arrangements for every one to help supply her with food. For the next several days, it seems that some one comes in almost every hour, day and night. I do as much as I can. Pouring as much energy into each of them as they can hold. The only reason is, by doing this, I can hope they'll last longer. Walenka doesn't gorge, but snacks constantly. She nibbles when she is keeping me charged, and then eats a full meal while I'm resting. Because of all the energy I'm pouring into my patients, some of it flows back into her. She only naps half the time I do. By the end of the blizzard, four days later, We've taken care of eighty three people, some of them more than once. The last one leaves in the afternoon as the sun finally breaks through the clouds. I close my eyes in exhaustion. "I don't know about you Walenka." I yawn and almost collapse on our sleeping pads. "But I'm going to sleep for a while." I pass out without realizing she hasn't joined me. Walenka looks at Drojha sleep and burps quietly. "I can't believe how many people he helped in the last few days." Keesha smiles as she brings over a platter full of assorted foods. "Have you looked at yourself?" Walenka grabs a large slice of ham and attacks it. "I don't want to look until I get some sleep." She giggles and her weighty flesh billows all over. She washes her meal down with mugs of mead. Finally she finishes and lies down with Drojha. Jendli covers them with their large blanket. "I don't think she actually knows how much she's eaten." She looks at the hill Walenka's belly makes under the blanket. Then she smiles as Drojha snuggles into her food and flesh swollen body. It's shortly after noon the next day before I start to wake. At first, I feel as if my one arm is too heavy to move. It feels warmer than the other and it takes me a moment to realize it's trapped under Walenka's large spongy belly. Her plump, upper foreleg is resting gently on my chest. Reaching up with my free arm, I'm surprised how round her foreleg is. Probing with my senses, I find that her bones and muscles have grown so she can handle her increase in weight. Her shoulders and hips have widened to give room for her growing organs. I try to move my head slightly, and find it's imprisoned by her ponderous breasts surging around and over me. Slowly I move my free arm upward. I stop in shock as my fingers touch the underside of one of her monstrous mammeries. "Maybe I should stop nursing," I think with a devious grin as I explore her expansion. Smiling, I try to remember how much she ate during the blizzard and imagine what she's done with it. For more than an hour, I relax as I feel her bloated, fur- covered flesh billow gently with her breathing. Walenka sighs gently as she wakes. "How are you feeling, Drojha?" "I'm fine," I answer as I stroke her flesh bloated belly. "Do you know how much you've eaten over the last few days?" She slowly opens her eyes and looks at her newly fattened body. "I guess I have put on a bit." I wiggle out from her fleshy embrace and stand slowly. "I hope the rest of the winter doesn't go like this month." Turning, I look in surprise at how her extrafull body swells the blanket into several hills. She starts to roll into an upright position, and her massive bosom almost pulls her all the way over. She pushes the blanket off and stares in shock and admiration at her enormous mammeries. "I hope you're thirsty," she giggles as her nipples swell. Realizing that I've hardly eaten a thing while I was healing the villagers, I suck a fat nipple into my mouth and massage her heavy breast. Within seconds, warm delicious milk floods down my throat. Walenka sighs in contentment as I nurse. Before I switch breasts, Jendli has brought in a platter full of food and warmed a small kettle of mead. Walenka eats it with the appetite my nursing is exciting. By the time I stop, she has consumed half her meal. I take over feeding her and stroke her rich fur, causing it to billow on her fat body. "Did you think you might get this big?" I whisper as she enjoys the food. "Mmmmmm, I actually dreamed of being much bigger." She takes a long draught of mead. "But we both know I'm still a growing girl." When she finishes, the others tell us how bad the storm was. "With out your help," Jaroo thanks us. "Some of the people would have lost fingers and toes, if not worse." Halrod walks over and strokes her jiggling belly. "I think we might need to put in a wider door by spring." Walenka leans slightly into his caresses. "I don't think I'll worry about that until the snow melts. During the next two months, several more snowstorms hit, but none lasting as long or as fierce as we've experienced. On the calm nights, villagers bring music, story telling and relaxing games into the tavern and our home. Walenka continues to fill out everywhere, but her enormous bosom takes more than it's share. Even with her thick fur, her nipples and areolae more than obviously bulge through. Jendli uses her skills to fashion blouses that can help support her heavy jugs and not squash her fat swollen nipples. When I nurse, her nipples swell, but they are so plump that they never appear not to be excited. By the first above freezing day, her belly is only inches from the floor. Her hips and shoulders are more than twice their original width, but her round sides bulge out so much, she has trouble not bumping into things. A month later, only the remnants of a few drifts are left. Halrod has built a double door he estimates is wide enough for Walenka, even if she doubles her weight. During the celebration of spring, the town council announces that our home, furnishing, food and anything within reason will be paid for from the village funds. Walenka waddles up to her place at the feast. Her skeleton and muscles have easily adapted to her incredible increase in mass. Her ability to adapt to her increase in size extends to her fur. Even with all her increase in surface area, her fur is as thick and luxurious as ever. The fur of her fat swollen belly brushes the spring grass as she moves. She flexes her strong legs until her round abdomen supports her. All of the families bring her a special dish and she thanks each of them as she gorges on their offerings. When every one else is full and the story teller is entertaining everyone, she is still shoveling the delicacies into her bottomless stomach. His tale is one of hard times when warring tribes ravaged the land. The landbarons hired mercenaries to defeat them and protect the villages and farms. As with many stories, this one ends with a warning. "Now that the ravengers are gone, what is to become of our protecting mercenaries? The baron no longer needs them and their term of protection is over. Will they now prey on us or move on to other lands that now need them?" I try to give a hopefully opinion that I have seen this situation happen in other lands and most of the soldiers will travel. But some may linger to see what is still here for them. Finally Walenka gulps down the last platter of sweet cakes. She appears to be a couple of inches taller as she burps contentedly. "When I ran with my old pack, I always dreamed of having a place to stay and perhaps get plump." She laughs and her fur covered flesh jiggles heavily. "I think I've found out and I love it." Everyone cheers her and thanks us both for our healing during the winter. "Since we are now part of the village," I reply. "I feel it is my duty and pleasure to keep every one healthy." I stroke Walenka's massive body. "And I have plenty of energy to draw power from." Walenka struggles to her paws, but the lower curve of her food swollen belly fails to clear the grass. She waddles slowly, leaving a trail in the grass. Once we reach the road, her fur brushes over it. As we enter our home, she temporarily pauses as her abdomen drags over the low threshold. "I think we need to work on a way to help me carry myself, or I'm going to be stuck here." Smiling, I close the door and help her prepare for bed. "I have sent out word to other magic users. There are some who can cast a spell so you will be able to move." Stroking her bloated belly, I listen to her well exercised digestive system work. She relaxes against the pillowed bench Halrod made as she became too fat to roll over on her side. "A few feasts like that and I won't be able to drag myself anywhere." I climb onto her broad, soft back and curl up. Our energies flow, giving both of us the most relaxing, yet invigorating sleep any two beings have ever known. About a week later, a patrol of eight mercenaries stops in at the tavern a few hours after dawn. The leader identifies himself, "I'm Drakar. We've heard that there is a healer in these parts." I'm working behind the bar and had been studying them since they entered. One of them has an arm that has been broken and set poorly, another appears to have a sword wound that has damaged the muscles in his leg so that he limps. Inside I feel confident the leader is trustworthy and most of the others also are. "I can take the wounded ones there." I motion for the two to follow and am slightly relieved when the others sit down and order food and drink. Once inside our home, I examine them carefully. My original observations prove true and I select Traga, the one with the sword wound, first. As my senses enter his leg, I feel the pain of his damaged muscles. One by one I correct the muscles bundles and ligaments. As I finish, I lay back against Walenka's wondrous belly and feel her energy flow through me. Traga tests his leg and smiles as he comfortably walks with no sign of a limp. "I have heard of your ways of healing," he quietly comments as he stares in admiration at Walenka. "I've never heard of a wolftaur being used or one as extremely well fleshed as you." Walenka smiles and almost blushes. "Well I've never known any of my kind who've teamed with a healer." She skritches my head and I get up to examine the other one. It only takes me a moment to confirm my fears. "The arm has healed wrong Whijren. To set it right I'll have to break it again." He nods and accepts a large mug of mead. He gulps it down as Traga holds his damaged arm. The moment he finishes, I strike his arm, breaking it cleanly where it had previously been broken. He only manages one shout of pain, before I'm able to enter his arm and numb the nerves. It takes me several minutes before the bone begins to reseal and strengthen. I draw on calcium reserves within myself before I'm satisfied with the healing. Collapsing against Walenka's ponderous belly, I slip into a trance, drawing on her stores of energy. Wijren slips into much needed painless sleep. "I thank you for healing me and my friend.," Traga whispers to her. "We'll be here a few days and can settle payment in the morning." She smiles and relaxes as she begins recharging me. "I have wondered what warriors like you are doing now that there is less action in these lands." Traga sits down and speaks quietly. "We have just left what is hoped to be a decisive battle. We lost several good friends." He bows his head and pauses. "The three of us decided we've had it with fighting for coins and now seeking a baron who needs guardian for his lands." Walenka is very relaxed as her energy flows into Drojha. "What do you think will happen here in the next few years?" Traga looks her straight in the eyes. "Once the battles are over, some mercenaries will roam the lands looking for easy takings." He looks at the construction of her home. "It would appear this village has been attacked before." She nods in agreement and looks at Drajha resting against her bloated belly. "We've been told stories of those times." She looks back to Traga. "What do you think the villagers chances are of an attack?" Traja nods in understanding, "Before the winter snow comes, there may be several attacks. The buildings are easily defended, but....." She tries to smile. "Maybe some experienced fighters living here could change that." Traja smiles slightly. "Maybe you could talk with the village elders?" Walenka smiles. "I think they will be interested. What housing and accommodations will you need?" "I should talk with Drakar." He stands and bows slightly at the waist before he leaves. Walenka relaxes and begins to drift deeper into the energy exchange with Drajha. Once back in the tavern, Traga sits at a side table with Drakar and the others, He tells him of the conversation with Walenka. "I believe this could be the home we're looking for." He takes a gulp of mead while Drakar ponders for a moment. "I have been talking with several of the villagers and believe they would welcome us. The question is what can we do to convince them we won't take their money and turn against them." He slowly glances around the main room of the tavern. "I was told of the drinking contest three trappers had with Walenka. It was shortly after she and Drajha first decided to stay. They felt with all the weight she gained, it assured she would stay." He takes a long drink and smiles. "Now maybe if we challenged her to a contest... The ones I have talked to believe we honor agreements with those we respect. If she wins, we will respect her." Traga smiles, "You know that I can out drink many, but with her size...." Drakar nods and they begin discussing what they believe will be a close contest. They finally agree that a 2 to 1 ratio will be fair and that they will make a good attempt, but allow her to win if need be. With eight of them, they will take two kegs against four for Walenka. "We must all agree that she will win cleanly. If she manages to hold all four kegs or not. Jakena looks at a keg. "Let us set the time to an entire day. That will allow some of us to pass out and then return to the contest." Drakar smiles, "From what I've picked up in conversations, some of the villagers look forward to her growing too heavy to move." Every one smiles and raises a quiet toast to their plan. In the afternoon, the village elders meet with Drojha and Walenka and talk over the idea of the mercenaries staying to defend the village. "The fact that they left before the battles were finished gives more weight to their word." Drojha comments at the end of the discussion. Zoran nods, "I suggest we vote now, but wait to see what happens tonight." All agree and the vote has one against the mercenaries staying. That evening, they tell tales of battle to the tavern goers. Drojha brings Whijren in and he shows that his arm is completely healed. After the members of his team finish congratulating Whijren, Drakar motions for silence. "You all know that we have been warriors and that the battles to the east are waning. There will be roaming bands of mercenaries that are looking for a good fight, or what ever treasures they can take. You villager have built well, but without knowing how to fight you would have to endure siege after siege." Most of the villagers nod in agreement. "But what assurances do we have that you won't turn on us?" One of them asks. Drakar doesn't smile as he replies. "All we can give you is our word. Your healer has repaired the wounds of two of my men." He pauses while he appears to ponder a better reply. "You know how we respect those who have bested us in any contest." He glances at his comrades. "We've heard of the contest the trappers had with Walenka. We'd like to challenge here to a similar one." He turns to Drajha, "May I go and discuss it with her?" Drojha nods and motions for Drakar to follow. Once in his home with Walenka, they sit down. Drojha looks at Walenka and hugs her close. "I know that she is going to continue gaining for some time to come." Walenka smiles and hugs him in a fleshy embrace. "I really would like another contest." She pats her massive, fat-bloated belly and laughs. "I'm going to be too belly heavy enough to walk soon enough, so why not in a contest." Drakar stand and slowly walks around her, gauging how much she might be able to hold. "There are eight in my party. Considering your impressive size, I think a two to one ratio." As she smiles, he continues. "Instead of one night, like your last contest, I propose one day. And two kegs for us to consume. Payment will be the same." Walenka smiles proudly, "I accept your challenge. When do you wish to have this contest?" Drojha is staring at her in shock while they talk. Drakar nods as she accepts. "Will the day after tomorrow be acceptable?" She grins, "From dawn to dawn then. Two full kegs for your group and four for me. What ever food you want has no bearing on the outcome." Drakar smiles, "Eat all you want my large one, eat all you want." He stands and bows slightly before leaving. I stare at her in wide eyed shock as she laughs at my expression. Walenka laughs, "I've got a lot more capacity then I had." She pats her huge abdomen, showing how silky soft she is. "And to win a contest like that will do much to guarantee their word." Smiling, I hug her close and she waddles heavily to our sleeping area. "I hope a wizard comes soon with negate gravity spells." She lays down and her flesh billows everywhere. Grinning broadly, I prepare for bed and cover her with a blanket that will soon be too small. I climb under it and onto her fat filled body. Snuggling into her fur covered flesh, I relax to her breathing and strong heartbeat. "During the next day, word about the contest is passed through out the village and nearby homes. Walenka lays down and tries to sleep shortly after supper. "Have you requested a larger blanket for me?" She asks giggling. I nuzzle into her bounteous fat. "It should be ready by tomorrow night." I fondle and massage her, helping her relax and soon fall asleep. With a few thoughts of concern, I join her in a restful sleep. Several hours before dawn, I wake. I try and get up without waking her, but her soft flesh quivers enough and I look into her smiling face. "For some reason," she giggles. "I'm really thirsty." She laughs and struggles to her feet. Her ponderous abdomen rolls, almost pulling her over. "I hope you are." Smiling I nurse ravenously from her soft weighty milf factories. She struggles slightly as she gets her huge blouse on. "We should get things set up for our guests." The crisp, spring air brings me the rest of the way awake as I head for the tavern. Inside Zoran has stacked the benches and moved the tables near the back door. I get several benches moved by the time he is up. "I take it she's ready?" He grins as we carry the table he plans to use for the bar. I laugh. "Well she did say she was very thirsty when she woke." By the time we return for another table, the mercenaries and several villagers have arrived. Every one grabs and carries as Zoran instructs them. In our home, Walenka takes over and soon most of the tavern is moved. Zoran shouts for every one's attention. "Dawn is moments away." He points at six kegs set aside from the others. "These are for the contestants." With help he sets the first two kegs and taps them. "The contest begins." He fills four average sized mugs and a special half-gallon sized one for walenka. During the first hour, the rest of the tavern is set up for business. While the contestants drink, with nibbles of breadstuffs, breakfast is served. The mercenaries concentrate on a steady rate of drinking and I calculate that they will finish both their kegs if they can hold that rate. Walenka mmms in contentment as I firmly massage her swelling abdomen. "I hope you aren't worried about me being able to hold four kegs of mead." I nuzzle her jiggling belly. "I just don't want you to hurt yourself." I move up and hug her upper torso, feeling her large weighty bosom. "But I'm somewhat excited about you filling out even more." She pours the rest of the mug down her throat and whispers to me. "Feeling that hard part of you denting my soft fat makes me more sure I'm going to win." Zoran refills her mug and she drains it in a couple of gulps. "For you to win," I whisper, "you're going to have to drink a keg in six hours. That's six gallons an hour." Walenka grins and smoothly pours the full mug down her throat. "Just make sure I don't fall behind." She takes a thick slice of bread and butters it. She eats it and several more while finishing off more mugs. By the end of the first hour, Walenka has finished almost seven gallons, along with more than a loaf of buttered bread and over a dozen sugared rolls. The mercenaries are very close behind with over three and a half gallons of mead, but have eaten only a few slices of plain bread. In the next hour, Walenka matches her eating and finishes her 13th gallon. The mercenaries are close to seven gallons but eat only enough bread to help their thirst. At the end of the third hour, Zoran takes more bets. Even though most of the villages believe Walenka will surely win, they bet how much the warriors will drink, or when the first of them will pass out. Walenka is halfway through her nineteenth gallon, and several pounds of assorted breadstuffs. The mercenaries are just starting on their tenth gallon. Several of them appear to be slowing but not by much. I stroke Walenka's growing belly and sense how much mead she's carrying. Actually she's digesting it fast enough that she could be drinking faster with no problem. "Are you just taking your time with them?" I whisper to her. She smiles and readjusts her stance. Her enormous abdomen sloshes for many seconds. "Well I am eating a bit more than in the last contest." She giggles quietly. "I bet my tummy will be resting on the floor before noon." I stroke her huge furry, white and grey splotched sphere and look under her. "You're touching it already," I whisper in reply. Smiling she gulps three mugs in rapid succession before eating several sugared rolls. "There's more of me every hour." I try not to laugh too much as I massage her swelling tummy. As the fourth hour is passed, the first mercenary goes over to an area reserved for sleeping and passes out. I haven't wanted to keep track of how much she's eaten, but she's drank 25 gallons of mead while the mercenaries have almost finished 13. Both are about a gallon over what they need to drink if they can maintain the same rate. During the next hour, another mercenary grabs some sleep. It's obvious they have a plan of taking sleep periods. They're halfway through their 16th gallon. Walenka is drinking more and is close to finishing her 32 gallon. She smiles as Zoran begins tilting her keg. "I better get that finished so you don't have to work so hard." She gulps down a couple of rolls and drains her mug. She repeats this until the keg is empty. "One down and three to go." Her voice is somewhat slurred but I can tell only the sugar and nutrients flooding her bloodstream is affecting her. After a short discussion, the fighters raise their mugs in a salute to her. They don't appear affected but their eyes don't seem to focus too well. By the end of the sixth hour, they have just started their 19th gallon. Walenka smiles as she barely manages to finish her 39th. She pauses her drinking to order a medium(for her but it sounds like a lot for humans) lunch. She eats and drinks while the village story teller entertains everyone with a story about a mythical land where wizards fought for rulership. She appears to be drinking much slower. Actually she is taking half a mug(one quart) in a single gulp and Zoran quietly keeps it refilled when empty. By the seventh hour, she has finished her feast and orders a sweet and weighty desert of cake and candies. She has started her 46th gallon. Surprisingly, her challengers are partway into their 21st. They seem to be allowing two to sleep at a time. Once an hour, one of them wakes a sleeper and they exchange places. During the eighth hour, Walenka has her calorie ladened desert. She grins and slightly increases her rate of downing half gallon mugs of mead. By the end of the hour, she has consumed 53 gallons, and an unguessed amount of food. The others have managed over 24 gallon. Walenka yawns and stretches her flesh swollen arms. Her belly billows heavily. "Mmmmm I'm going to have some trouble moving tomorrow." Every one glances down and sees her fat belly resting heavily on the floor. She resumes drinking and talks with the story teller about a legend told in her old pack. He has to remind her a few times to keep drinking. She smiles and nods slightly to me, telling me she knows what she's doing. She manages to be halfway into her 59th gallon, but that is less than she has been drinking. The competitors somehow manage to pass 27, maintaining a steady rate to complete in 24 hours. Walenka finishes her 59 and decides a short nap would be good. I help put pillows on her table because it's easier than moving here sleeping bench. She sleeps over an hour while the mercenaries continue their steady drinking and taking turns sleeping. They drink a bit more while she sleeps. At the tenth hour, they are well into their 31st gallon, while she has only finished her 59th, putting them ahead on the 2 to 1 ratio. Half an hour later, Walenka wakes and looks at the scoreboard in faked shocked. "Oh my, I better get to work." She playful drinks somewhat faster then she had and, by the end of their 11th hour, manages to finish her 62nd gallon compared to their 33rd. She smiles and drinks in a steady manner, mug after mug with occasional rests for telling the storyteller more of the legend as he writes it down in the script only his guild can read. As the Halfway point approaches, Her challengers finish their first keg. She smiles and imitates their salute by pouring a full mug down in a single gulp. They smile back and attack their second keg. The hour ends with her barely making the 70th gallon and them more than halfway into their 37th. Walenka steadily catches up to where she should be. She finishes her second keg and burps loudly, her silky fur rippling over her overly obese body. "Ahhhhh." She pats her bloated body and smiles. "I think a good meal would taste delicious." She orders what would be a normal meal for her as if she hasn't consumed two kegs and all the other food she's had during the day. The competitors stare in shock as at least ten pounds of meat, potatoes, and breads are put prepared and put before her. She smiles and attacks her feast with a hearty appetite. She washes every couple of mouthfuls down with a gulp that halfway empties, or drains her half gallon sized mug. By the end of the 13th hour she is halfway through her meal and starting on her 76th gallon. The mercenaries are well into their 40th gallon. She smiles at them. "Aren't you hungry?" She shoves a large sugar roll in her mouth and washes it down. Jakena looks at her through half open eyelids and mumbles something. She talks with me and anyone around while she finishes her meal and several gallons of rich mead. She sighs happily as she gulps down the last sugar roll and washes it down with a full mug. I massage and fondle her ponderous, growing belly that is forcing her paws apart. Looking closer, it's obvious her paws aren't carrying any weight at all. I fondle the fat of her upper foreleg. "You planing to beat them during the last hour. aren't you." Walenka pulls me into her ponderously fat body and enormous bosom and whispers. "I'm just making the most comfortable bed you've ever known." I smile and innocently hug her. The seams of her straining blouse creak and I hear a couple of stitches pop. I whisper back, "You might need the new blanket before you're done." She smiles and pours a full mug down. As she puts it down, one of the side seams rips open several inches, exposing a good portion of her ponderous left breast. Whijren watches as her fat bosom bulges through the tear. He completely forgets about the contest as he sees more wolftaur breast flesh than the total that most have. She smiles at him and moves her arm so that her flesh billows. As she gulps down an entire mug, his eyes follow every motion of her blubber swollen jug. Several of the others notice him and then look at her. She manages to gulp down several half gallon mugs before one of them realizes what she's doing. With a laugh, they refill their mugs and toast her mammoth mammeries. By the end of the 14th hour, she is swollen with the results of drinking 82 gallons and pound upon pound of food. The mercenaries have consumed over 42 gallons, but their human metabolism causes them to make many trips out back instead of converting it into flesh. During the next hour, she only drinks and talks with the storyteller. Smiling to myself, I can tell she is drinking more than the mercenaries realize. She drains her mug every other time she raises it to her large plushy lips, sometime she drains a full one in a few mighty gulps. At the end of the hour, she has drank 8 gallons for a total of 90, right where she should be to win at a steady rate. The mercenaries are over 45 gallons, also where they should be. In the next hour, Walenka tells another wolftaur legend and easily pours down another eight gallons. Her competitors are struggling to keep their steady rate of 3 gallons an hour, but somehow manage. The storyteller takes a turn and regales those watching the contest with a tale of a man searching the wilds for his true love. For two hours, many sit spell bound, listening to him and watching the warriors struggle to keep drinking, while Walenka happily drinks and snacks on rolls and a large cake that Zoran had prepared for her. After 17 hours the mercenaries have drank just over 51 gallons and 54 gallon by midnight, the 18th hour. Walenka keeps her new rate of 8 gallons an hour, for a total of 106 and 114 gallons. Now 6 gallons over what she needs, she looks at the menu and smiles. "Midnight, I think a good meal will help keep me awake." Every one smiles, and then stares in shock as she orders meats, vegetables, breads and cheeses until the meal must weigh 20 pounds or more. She gulps down several full mugs by the time the first entre is put before her. Her fleshy arms push against her humongous bosom and the tear widens while one on her other side and the seam starting at the lower edge of her blouse begin surrendering to her incredible increase in fat. As the first hour of the new day passes, she's forced down a third of her feast while managing to drink six gallons(120 total) during the hour. The competitors are encouraging each other but fall behind what they had been drinking, barely reaching 57 gallons total. As her body continues to pack fat throughout her body, she struggles to push her obese breasts with her flesh swollen arm so she can pour mead and food down her maw. The seams continue to open with every movement and every mug she pours into her swollen stomach. By two am, she shoves down the last of the roast and washes it down with the rest of her 126th gallon of mead. The mercenaries are struggling but manage to force down their 60th gallon. Walenka burps and the rips expand exposing larger and larger expanses of her bosom and upper belly flesh, until only the laces at the top of the remnants of her blouse, keep it from falling away. Every one stares as she forces her overly fleshy arm against her obese breast and pours down two more mugs before anyone can tear their eyes away. Drakar raises his hand. "I know there was no discussion of this." He burps and half way sits down. "But her clothes failing is affecting our competition." I walk over to the shelves and bring the new blanket. Tossing it over her back, I bring the ends around and use several blanket clips so that it drapes over her bounteous bosom. Stepping back, I smile and my mouth goes somewhat dry. Her flesh may be covered, but the blanket does nothing to conceal their ponderous roundness. Drakar tries to rally his men and they work steadily, mug by mug. Walenka continues to drink and talk. As three am approaches, Zoran puts a platter stacked high with breadsticks and cheese beside her. "I thought you would appreciate a snack." She smiles and drains her mug. "134 gallons." She tries to move, but her huge belly is now so enormous that her paws no longer touch the floor. She takes a couple of the bread sticks and cheese wedges and forces her fat arm past her mammoth bosom enough so she can toss them into her open maw. Drakar tries to smile as their consumption score is up to 64 gallons. "Com mon men," he slurs. Let's show 'er 'ow real mens drink." They all drink with a renewed gusto, but it doesn't last for one mug each. Walenka continues to pour an entire mug down each time she forces her flesh bloated arm past her ponderous jugs. "Too bad they won't let me just drink from the keg." She giggles as she dumps a large handful of cheese slices and chews them with a look of ecstacy. Whijren smiles, well sort of smiles with his eyes rolling all over. "I heard about that last time and thought it wouldn't be fair with her size." He puts a mug to his mouth and tips his head back. Somehow he doesn't lose any, but his head follows his empty mug back to the table. Walenka smiles and swallows the contents of a full mug in a couple of mighty gulps. "BBUURRRPPPPP, ahhh 140 gallons of mead." She pats the side of her upper torso. Her flesh bloated upper arm quivers as much as her rapidly growing body. Zoran marks the chart. "Walenka 140, Drakar's men 67 and 1/2. Walenka only needs 4 more gallons." She smiles and moves her fat engulfed legs, causing her humongous belly to billow like the sea in a raging storm. She picks up the platter and carefully moves it around her mammoth bosom. She tips it slowly and gulps the several remaining pounds down. "Ahh," she exclaims as she tosses the empty plate to Zoran. "I needed something to keep my thirst going." She tries to stifle a yawn as he fills her mug. Jakena stares at her with his mouth hanging open more than would seem possible. He shakes his head slightly and works on downing the contents of his mug. Walenka seems to struggle more to get her obese arm around her ponderous jug and pour each mug down in several mighty gulps. Zoran carefully tips her second keg and carefully pours the last of it into her mug. Walenka smiles and pours it down in two mighty gulps. She sighs happily and her burp wakes every one who's dozed off. "Well," she exclaims as she moves her flab swollen arms against her mammoth breasts and the blanket almost falls off as her flab billows heavily. The defeated contestants lift their mugs and cheer her. Traga and Whijren, stumble to their feet, grab their keg and hold it high. As they jokingly move it toward her fat giggling face, she opens her mouth wide. Without realizing what they're doing, they tip it and she easily gulps down the several gallons remaining within. They put the keg back and unsteadily stand as every one from the village cheers. Zoran slams his hand on the table serving as a bar for attention. "Ok every one, Walenka has won and she needs her sleep. Everyone grab something and I'll pay for breakfast." Every one grabs tables, benches and whatever and quickly clear up our home. The losers are helped out and supposedly taken to the rooms above the tavern. By the time we're alone, Walenka is almost asleep. I unclip the blanket, climb on top of her and cover us with it as well as I can. As exhausted as I am, I struggle to stay awake, luxuriating in her wondrous soft, yet supportive flesh and thick silky fur. The steady thrumping of her powerful heart and gurgling as her overworked digestive system taking care of the gallons remaining in her incredibly expanded stomach lull me into a deep, restful sleep. I drift awake, wondering if I can just stay floating on her blubber swollen body without waking her. Opening my eyes, I see a beam of late day sunshine coming through one of the curtained windows. As carefully as possible, I ease over to one side and roll off her fat gorged body. She opens her eyes slightly and smiles. "Mmmmmm I feel so wondrously full and heavy." In the dim light, I stare in shock and admiration at how beautifully enormous she's become in the last since the contest started. Her abdomen had just started to touch the floor. Now it's so swollen with warm flesh that her plump paws would be several inches from the floor if she could get them beneath her shoulders and hips. But her belly is so enormous that they're pushed more than a foot outward. Her gigantic bosom is more humongous than I even dreamed possible. The lower curve rests heavily on humanoid abdomen which bulges forward amazingly. "I guess I do have one problem," She giggles as she struggle to get her huge, ham-like upper arm past the outward swelling of one behemoth breast. "You might have to help feed me." I smile and nuzzle into her flab bloated body, happily burrowing between her huge humanoid tummy and mammoth mammeries. "I don't think that's too much to ask." For a couple of hours, I marvel at how much she's gain while she gets used to being too big for her paws to touch the ground. Zoran cautiously knocks at the door. He and Drakar carry in a feast for Walenka and a meal for me. "I figured she'd have a bigger appetite after last night," Zoran comments as he puts the platter down. The two of them sit while I feed her and take a few bites of my meal. "We had a village meeting a few hours ago," Zoran informs us. "With rumors of mercenary bands attacking villages nearer the battles, we've accepted Drakar's offer for his men to stay her. There's plenty for them to do to get the village back in shape because of last winter." Drakar nods. "All of us had talked of finding homes, we're tired of traveling from battle to battle and watching friends die." He affectionately pats Walenka's ponderous belly. "There are kings that would destroy this entire village to have the two of you under their control. She healed two of us and we feel we should protect her. And as we plan to make our homes here..." Walenka reaches as far as she can and tries to pull him closer. He moves until he is virtually surrounded by her ponderousity. "I'm grateful to have protection such as your." She gulps down the buttered bread that I'm holding near her mouth. About a month later, one of my wizard friends stops by. "Drojha, I always suspected you'd find a place to stay." he stares in awe at Walenka massiveness. Gently touching her, she shares her energy with him. Almost in shock, he absorbs as much as possible in a matter of seconds. "I believe I have a spell that might help you." She looks at me in curiosity as he rummages through his pack. I simply smile back at her. I'm actually surprised that she has gain a bit more since the contest. Not enough to notice for most, but since I've been closer to her more than any one else, I know she's still filling out. "So what news have you heard Mikasha?" I ask as he finally brings a scroll out of the depths of his pack. He pauses as he studies her wondrous, flesh-filled appearance. "Only that the war is over, and a few bands of fighters are traveling the lands raising havoc." As he studies the scroll and Walenka, I can feel the energy flowing between them. For several minutes, it flows until it could be sensed by even a nonbeliever. As it ebbs away, Mikasha starts to collapse, I grab him and help him onto Walenka's broad back. While he sleeps and recovers, I feed her from the food I keep ready for needs such as this. It doesn't take long for her to finish and she relaxes with a long, contented burp. "For some reason, I actually feel lighter." She yawns and I realize how late it is. Without a word, I take our blanket from the shelf, climb onto her and cover the three of us. It doesn't take long before all of us are sleeping deeply. In the morning, I wake first, roll off her, put the blanket away and go for our breakfast. By the time I return, Mikasha is awake and appears to have been explaining something to her. Before I can climb onto the table I stand on to feed her, she levitates a large chunk of cheese and attacks it ravenously. Mikasha joins me as I watch her eat. "In a few days," he explains. "She'll be able to levitate herself." He looks around the room. "I hope to find a place like this myself, but I couldn't take another winter like this last one." I nod and grip his shoulder reassuringly. "I know you'll find a place. But if you ever get this way.." He laughs and takes a gulp of cider. "You can be assured I will." For several days, he stays in our village, helping with repairs to the buildings and homes. Then he wishes Walenka and me well and leaves for the south. The farmers plant crops and the villagers do the same things they have for years. Drakar and his men quickly find their place in working and helping others. In late summer, there's one minor attack from a half dozen fighters. Everyone had been warned ahead of time. They enter the village, see the defenses and crossbows aimed through firing slits, and leave. As the next winter approaches, our supplies are more than enough for another hostile winter. Walenka has continued to gain but not enough to make much of a difference. Her upper legs are completely engulfed in her humongous belly and her upper arms are each bigger than a draft horse's rump. Each one of her breasts are larger than the belly of a fat beef cow with a long pregnancy. I can almost taste her delicious milk as I know some of their size is because of her nursing me often. As the first snow falls, I snuggle into her fleshy back and am almost covered by her fat. In a peace I never expected to know a few years back, I drift into a wondrous sleep, lulled by the winter's wind, her digestive system gurgling and her heart thrumping steadily. Scott Guthrie Darnarius Space Port