Mama Fox

<Zuri>

Breastfeeding.

The act of providing sustenance to offspring from one’s own body. In Zuri’s last life, the creatures that were famous for this were mammals, a subset of the animal population. All mammals breast feed, from the largest elephant to the smallest mouse. Even those that appeared incapable, like the platypus, still found a way to complete this sacred act. In Zuri’s current life, this breastfeeding by mammals, or mammal-like animals, continued. The behemoth elephants capable of commanding entire forests to fall still partook in this act. They were all bound by it as if possessed by the same spirit. Naturally, upon witnessing this act carried out in almost a trance-like state, Zuri had thought it to be the work of instinct.

That insidious thing that drove desire.

Looking down at the tear-streaked Ruka, Zuri pursed his lips.

…It would appear that assumption was wrong.

Unlike during the pregnancy, he didn’t feel any changes that prompted him to behave a certain way.

‘Crap’

Would he have to figure this out by himself!?

Glancing to the side, Zuri made sure Cleodora was looking away before lowering the top of his robe.

Once again, he silently cursed at her.

‘…Will this be enough?’

An odd worry suddenly plagued Zuri as he studied his exposed chest. Looking at the other two cribs and then back at the small cargo in his hands, the anxiety only deepened. He wasn’t particularly… well endowed in that regard. Something he considered a positive until this very moment. Zuri was a man, at least at heart, so the lack of such never bothered him. Breasts weren’t a thing he thought he would ever make use of. So, obviously, he ignored them for the most part. During the pregnancy, though, he had been pretty much forced to come to terms with their existence, much to his chagrin. They had grown a fair bit amount. Enough so that it was noticeable whenever he wore clothes. But, after giving birth, they shrank considerable as well. Just like his stomach, his body seemed quick to revert back and heal to how it once was.

‘This isn’t helping…’

His thinking was going nowhere fast.

Exhaling slightly, Zuri started clumsily rocking the fidgeting, tiny baby in his arms.

It appeared she was growing impatient, and his poor attempt to imitate that idiot wouldn’t placate her for long.

‘Don’t think, just do!’

With his chest exposed and the baby already in his arms, Zuri was set to go.

All that needed to be done was raise the baby to one breast.

…Surely, something will awaken in one of them?

“Ack!?” (Z)

“What’s wrong!?” (C)

“Look away, you idiot!!” (Z)

After a few moments repeatedly reassuring Cleodora he was fine, Zuri focused back on the little sucker feasting away.

‘Slow down a little, damn it…’

Watching the little one go right at it, Zuri felt a slow relief gradually take him. It appeared things were much simpler than he had initially thought. Granted, her first latching had startled him greatly, but it wasn’t so bad. In fact, Ruka feeding felt a little good? The feeling was not too dissimilar to the emptying of a full bladder. As time passed on and she kept sucking, Zuri slowly got used to the sensation of milk flowing from his body. The tightness that he didn’t know was in his chest gradually gave way to a warm lightness, and a weird feeling of completeness came upon him. Eventually, Ruka stopped feeding and contently laid silently in Zuri’s arms.

‘Someone was mighty hungry, huh?’

Throughout the whole feeding, Ruka didn’t pause for anything but the occasional breath. She constantly fidgeted and squirmed while feeding. Somehow managing to free her arms to grab onto Zuri’s chest. And there she fed like there was no tomorrow. Her furry red ears twitched at every swallow, and her striking sky-blue eyes beheld Zuri’s breast as though it were a treasure. Honestly, the eagerness she showed was a little overwhelming, but Zuri pointedly looked past it. He doubted the milk was that good, but considering it was the first meal in her life, it was the best thing she ever had by virtue.

“Done.” (Z)

Announcing the fulfilment of his duty, Zuri turned to Cleodora and handed her the baby.

That was one down.

Two more to go.

“R-Right.” (C)

Cleodora got up from the bed, burped Ruka and then laid her back in her crib, wherein she fell asleep immediately, sporting a wide smile.

After briefly checking to make sure the blanket was on properly, Cleodora moved on to the next cribs, picking up Akili and handing him to Zuri.

“T-There you go!”

“…Why are you being weird?”

Seeing Cleodora start stuttering out of nowhere and acting more of a fool than normal, Zuri narrowed his eyes.

It was only after he asked that question and saw her gaze drift down to his chest that he finally grasped the situation.

“I said look away, damn it!!!” (Z)

Unable to cover himself with his hands full, Zuri quietly stewed in his embarrassment while Cleodora shuffled back to him on the bed, her eyes half-closed…. It appeared the results of his inability to ‘assist’ her were really starting to show. In these last few weeks, the pregnancy had completely stolen his physical mobility, stamina and his willingness to do much of anything. Cleodora had been pretty much left alone to her own devices due to this. She hadn’t complained one bit when Zuri suddenly stopped, but it became increasingly clear she wasn’t coping well. The gaze Zuri felt whenever he turned his back was lingering a lot longer than it normally did.

‘Stupid horny bastard…’

Imagining the mess to come, Zuri felt a light headache take him.

He needed to ‘assist’ her sooner rather than later lest that foolish idea of getting him pregnant comes across her mind once more.

Turning his attention back onto the tiny thing in his arms, Zuri filed those useless thoughts away.

He still had work to do.

Raising Akili to his chest, Zuri readied himself for the latch.

This particular baby appeared the most calm and composed of his siblings.

Hopefully that would translate into a comparatively relaxed feeding… Zuri would be lying if he said Ruka hadn’t left him feeling a little sore.

‘Your sister could learn from you’

Watching Akili go at it, Zuri nodded affirmatively. His hunch was correct. Akili was feeding in a calm, oddly sophisticated manner. He didn’t rush. He took his time to enjoy the meal while Zuri held him. And unlike Ruka’s ears, Akili’s furry red ears, topped off with a hint of white, remained mostly still, only moving somewhat when he paused to breathe. He didn’t try and free himself nor reach out to the breast before him to feed. The more Zuri observed this benign behaviour, the stranger it seemed. Was it really okay for a newborn to be this nonchalant? There wasn’t something secretly wrong with the baby, was there?

“Done.” (Z)

At that declaration, Zuri handed the baby back to Cleodora—making sure he was properly covered this time. She then proceeded to do the same thing she did for Ruka and burp him before laying the baby back to rest. After being handed the next and final child, Zuri took a moment to calm the endless thoughts piling in his head. There was nothing wrong with Akili. He just had a different temperament than his sister. It wasn’t that strange for different people, hell, even babies, to have different temperaments… right?

‘Yes, that’s right!’

Getting annoyed at his own constant, useless side-tracking, Zuri forced himself to focus back on task.

Immediately, though, he ran into a problem.

…He was sort of out of milk.

Nothing was dripping out from both ends.

Looking at the little snow-white ball in his arms, a sudden guilt crashed into Zuri.

With how much milk had been leaving his body, he definitely should pace the others.

“Cleo, I-I’m out. What… What do we do?” (Z)

Mei, the most timid of the three, already appeared to be on the brink of silently sobbing again.

“Don’t worry! I’ve got this!” (C)

The second Cleodora heard Zuri’s words, she sprang into action with great enthusiasm. Moving fast, a little too fast for Zuri's liking, and plucked Mei right out of his hands. After settling Mei in her crib, she got back on the bed and took Zuri’s hands. With a gentle smile and kind eyes, she addressed Zuri. Scooting close enough that her presence was the only thing he could focus on. Overwhelmed, Zuri failed to react properly as he abruptly felt his mind slow to a crashing halt.

‘W-What the hell has got into her!?’

Last time Zuri checked, she wasn’t the one who should be experiencing these abrupt mood shifts!

“…I need to make a request.” (C)

Cleodora suddenly cooled her burning energy.

She looked off to the side and then back to Zuri before voicing her request.

“May I touch your breasts?” (C)

It had taken everything and more to stop for Zuri to stop himself attacking Cleodora.

That piss-poor explanation she gave was almost his last straw.

Looking down at his chest that had started lactating again, Zuri fought the heat climbing to his face.

…Ultimately, he did give her permission to touch his chest, but it definitely wasn’t for the reason you think!! After spending a good sum of time talking calmly back and forth, Zuri finally understood why she made such an absurd request. In order to simulate his body’s production, a massage could be administered. Words taken from Luwn, the healer extraordinaire. As for that terrible phrasing, it was the work of the damned sister of his. Her stupid lessons had managed to convince that fool that if she asked earnestly, Zuri would have no choice but to say yes. Something along the line that if it’s you, she can’t possibly say no!

‘Why must she always butt in when she's not needed!?’

“Y-You should try talking to her. That might work?” (C)

An unhelpful suggestion was aired beside Zuri.

Briefly glaring at its giver, he sighed deeply before looking at the newborn quietly sobbing.

They could have that talk later.

“That won’t work.” (Z)

A bigger problem was a foot.

Despite now lactating and everything being seemingly fine on the surface, Mei completely refused to latch. She just quietly cried and cried. Her furry white ears laid flat on the sides of her face in a blatant sign of distress. Honestly, between the both of them, they struggled to figure out what was wrong. Everything they tried failed spectacularly. An hour had already passed and no real progress was being made. Zuri was growing increasingly exhausted and no end seemed in sight. Perhaps that's why he finally took one of Cleodora’s lesser ideas on how to handle this. Against his better judgement, Zuri started talking to the baby. Talking as if she could actually understand the words coming out of his mouth.

“…Could you please eat up? I’m real tired of this dancing around.” (Z)

The words Zuri spoke first flowed out unnaturally. He found himself repeatedly begging the baby to eat for his sake. But, the more he spoke, the more his word turned into a mini-rant of sorts. He found himself complaining about every little thing that bothered him. From the way his robe had an odd crease on its left sleeve to the residual aches left after the initial feedings. It was unlikely this was supposed to be how you talk to a child, let alone a baby, but Zuri found himself too tired to care. Surprisingly, Mei was rather responsive to rant talk. After a few minutes of this, she stopped quietly sobbing. Twenty minutes later she was actively feeding.

Turning to Cleodora, who wore a small smile, Zuri just couldn’t help but ask—

“Where did you learn to handle babies so well?” (Z)

There was no way her crash course prepared her this much.

“The war created a lot of orphans… I picked up a thing or two from there. Granted, I’m not really the best at these stuff, but I do try!” (C)

A sad smile accompanied that response.

Moving closer, Zuri rested his body against Cleodora.

Staring at the cribs, the baby in his arms and then finally at the woman sitting beside him, a revelation suddenly dawned on him.

This was real.