Followers of the Godbeast: Harnyorn the Ox

A welcome revisit to the tribal, prehistoric (or post-historic; still don’t know or think it matters) story of the godbeasts. It’s also my first venture into “mixed fighting” (male vs female) in a long time. I’m rarely interested in it unless it’s closely matched (which goes for a lot of matches I like, really), because otherwise just say what it is and make it femdom or maledom. When it’s just two mismatched cultures putting two of their strongest together in a world where just suggesting diplomacy is pretty insulting… well, then it’s just a caveperson fighting a caveperson.

Took me a while to piece all this one together. Who the other tribe was, what their deal was, who was their leader, what was their godbeast… finally settled on them sort of clinging to their giant yak/ox thing and just sort of living the same life; wandering herd animals that just tried to exist.

The alliance between the Stonehammer Tribe and the people of Sea Land was crude and blunt, but so were most things at the time. Trade was open but irregular, with small parties coming bearing goods for other goods but left with no guarantee of business. Visitors came armed and usually together, and the priestesses rarely ventured so far from their godbeasts. Violence between them was sporadic and usually done by individuals who were promptly and brutally dealt with by the other tribe. All things considered, it was the most stable relationship between two cultures to exist on the planet.

Arragunn, Leega and her people made quick work of the fish, storing what they could in the snow while knowing it could start to smell and rot before long. Feeding it to the giant ape left more of the crops and cattle for Leega's people, allowing them to flourish under their pleased godbeast's blessing. They traded weapons and learned of horses with the Sea Landers, who were experts in wielding and building spears. It made hunting the dinosaurs and hooved beasts of the valley even easier than before.

It was one evening that Leega was presented with Vit. Vit was an ancient woman, even greater than Leega's impressive forty years. Her body was gnarled with age, which some could not tell was a curse or part of some mystical power that kept her alive so long. It seemed settled that it was a curse, as her shriveling body was starting to fail her. She begged Leega to spare her in her mumbled tongue, one of Leega's speakers having to interpret for her. She said that while her hands and legs were failing, her mind and eyes were opened. She said she had muddled dreams that spoke to her and she felt a great and terrible force moving over the earth in her fitful sleep. She said that she’d sensed a great, earth-shaking danger nearing the village like walking thunder.

Leega was disgusted by the cursed woman's groveling and had her banished to a cage with food for one day. If what she said was true, she would be spared. Otherwise she would starve for being weak and wasting the village's precious resources. It was just over a day when some of the hunters returned with dire news. They talked of a great print shaped like a crescent moon in the valley where they stalked their prey. 

Leega frowned at the news and quickly dispatched her orders. She dispatched a guard to free the strange old witch, believing her curse may be more useful than shameful. She might be used like the powers of her “speakers” she kept at her command to dispatch more complex orders and communicate with the Sea Landers. She sent a team of her army’s scouts to the hunting valleys to investigate but not engage with whatever they found. She disliked the thought of a creature of that size traveling their hunting grounds with none of her people aware of it, godbeast or not.

A day later, her scouts returned with two of them missing. They were taken by strange, armed women of tanned skin and red hair, dressed in shaggy furs unlike ones they recognized. They struck quickly, riding on cattle before returning to their people. The soldiers had pursued until they saw that they indeed had a Godbeast of their own; a massive version of their riding animals like a bull covered in hair. Leega would not have them taking their game and their women! She quickly gathered an offering for Arragunn and went to his sacred cave. With careful cooing and grooming of her godbeast, the territorial giant saw it fit to follow her and resolve the struggle of her people. He let out a thunderous battle roar as Leega climbed masterfully up his furry arm. His frothing bellow was still echoing through the skies when Leega shrieked a war cry of her own, aligning her spirit with her god’s to ready them both for battle.

The valley was a source of much game because of its largely open spaces. Hunters would use traps or the sparse cover to stalk their prey, but a pair of godbeasts were impossible to ignore. With a handful of riders trailing far behind Leega and Arragunn, they found the intruders. They were many men and women with large tents set up. They appeared to be nomads given their large number of horses and cattle grazing around them, stirring at the approach of the massive ape. While the animals were picking at grass and bushes, their godbeast pulled an entire tree into its lazily crushing jaws before slowly crunching it to bits.

The foreign godbeast was indeed some strange breed of bull, closer to a yak or an ox. It was nearly as tall as Arragunn, its hunched shoulders boney but strong. Thick horns that were easily longer than Leega’s hut curled up from the sides of its head. Its entire body was covered in thick and shaggy brown hair, long enough that it veiled its eyes and most of its great black hooves. Even as they approached, a handful of the nomads were shearing or pulling excess hair from the bull’s body. It either tolerated the treatment or just didn’t notice its grooming. It let out a low snort and started to raise its head, still chewing as the Stonehammer’s guardians approached.

“Ey! Hold!” a deep voice called from the new visitors. Leega set her eyes on the strange man, tall and broad with a short but full red beard. He had his share of scars along his hairy arms and one across his cheek, but he was otherwise about as handsome and clean as one could be in such a world. He wore heavy skins and leather armor on his chest to go with his loincloth, leathers which Leega suspected were from the hide of his own godbeast. Even his ax, she noted, had a pearl-like shade to its head that she matched with a piece of one of the ox’s horns.

Leega sneered down at the common messenger’s nonsensical shouts. “No speaker!” she shouted back, pointing authoritatively. “Priestess! Stonehammer land!”

The man smiled and scratched his beard. “I hear your words! We have no priestess! No land!” he called back. “It is I, my beast and my people.”

“Waste speak!” Leega shouted at him. Arragunn shifted his weight, enough to shake the earth slightly and rile up a burst of dust. The man stood patiently as it blew past his waist and loincloth. The ape held steady long enough for her to slip back down his arm. She sneered at the man in distaste. “Kill of Stonehammer!” she accused, thrusting her ceremonial (but very practical) club at him.

“I killed no one,” he said with a shrug of his broad shoulders. The yak started to raise its head at all the shouting. It picked some bark from between its teeth with a fat tongue.

“Tribe kill Stonehammer! Leega!” She thumped her chest with her fist before pointing at her godbeast. “Arragunn! Keep land, fight!”

“I understand,” the man replied. “I am Feyjen. We are the Runin. We travel and gather words and supplies around the land. We have not the numbers… ah, tribe bodies to fight so we take what we need and travel… er, leave.” Leega’s face soured. She was already starting to hate this man. He spoke to her far too calmly when challenged, and he used far too many words as he tried to make himself understood to her simpler language. He seemed to be their leader, considering that no one else came forward, but he was also a speaker and a male. His foreign customs were infuriating her on several levels.

Leega carefully counted off on her fingers. “Two dead! Fighter women.”

“They are not dead.” When Leega scowled again, Fayjen raised a hand and shouted a word to his people. There was some bustling among his camp before a few of them came forward. One led a Stonehammer scout with rope bound around her wrists and neck, clearly captive as she glared between the foreign forces. The second was a younger scout, just into fighting and courting age. She wore no bonds, but the skins and clothing that the Runin wore. Some shiny ornaments adorned her fingers and hair while a primitive gemstone on a chord hung from her hip. She very clearly avoided meeting Leega’s gaze.

“We have few numbers for a tribe. Always on the move,” Fayjen explained. “We are always eager for more. We treat outsiders well and warm when we can and let them be of our own. Waste not a life, we say.”

“Waste your life!” Leega shrieked as she swung her club wildly at the bearded man’s head. He barely ducked around it as she bared her teeth savagely. “Corruptor! Blasphemer!” she seethed in a frenzy. She was fuming at his outrageous ideas of nomadic thieving of her land and speaking so casually with her, especially coming from a male priestess. “Bring only evil and meat for Arragunn!”

The ape responded quickly now that his priestess was entering a battle. He lumbered closer and with a swift stroke of his fist he crushed one of the mounted guards and his horse when he tried approaching Leega into a pulp. The bovine godbeast snorted and rose, grinding and sliding its hooves on the ground as it kicked up clumps of dirt and grass. Arragunn caught its eye and started to circle around the village, taking another swat that sent a woman with a bow flying away. The other villagers caught the point and stayed back to let their chiefs fight alone, just as no one could stop the godbeasts from fighting.

With a sharp shout the bearded man lunged towards her. He caught her wrist to keep her club away from him as he hip-checked her, toppling her into the grass with him. The sheer size and weight of the burly nomad made it clear that despite his urge to talk, he was far from weak himself. Leega, however, seemed far more experienced and vicious. They rolled through the grass until the priestess wound up on top, legs straddled around his chest and pounding his face with punches as fast as she could muster.

Not terribly far off, the ape and bull clashed with their incredible powers. Harnyorn lunged with his long horns, but Arragunn maneuvered between them, catching the sharp and thick pieces between his clever fingers. They wrestled for position until the ox snapped its head back and forth, shaking the titanic gorilla loose. Arragunn tumbled into the grass where Harnyorn gouged a horn into his chest, piercing the leathery skin. He drew blood and a loud bellow from the wounded godbeast but he gripped the penetrating weapon and sent a crushing uppercut into the ox’s jaw. Blood and spittle flew from its mouth as it recoiled and Arragunn leapt to his feet, smashing his fists over its skull as he held down the menacing horns.

“Killer monster!” Fayjen hissed at the thrashing Leega. His blood ran from his lip, staining his beard another shade of red as he slammed a heavy punch into Leega’s ribs. The blow rattled her enough to upset her balance and Fayjen rose to his feet, lifting her completely off the ground. Leega was too startled to do more than thrash around before Fayjen threw her bodily to the ground. Leega gasped as her back hit the rough soil, rolling onto her stomach with her mouth agape. She clutched her aching back, but Fayjen could see that negotiations were through. He threw a swift kick to her groin from behind that made Leega howl in pain, not sure whether her back or pussy hurt worse in that moment.

“Your ways will only go so far,” Fayjen warned as he grabbed her groping arm. He bent it behind her back, the bigger man seeming to have her under his control. “It is not often we get a priestess as a prisoner.”

“Never capture!” Leega shrieked, turning and biting into Fayjen’s forearm. He cursed and recoiled as she spat out some of his body hair, just to roll to one side and return the favor. Despite his light armor, there was nothing to protect him from a kick to the balls. Fayjen grunted and fell to his knees as Leega pounced on him. The two grappled on their knees as Leega’s gnashing teeth took a page from her godbeast, trying to bite at the intruding man’s throat. He freed a hand to punch her in the chest, flattening her plump breast and winding her again. Fayjen grabbed her by the neck but she quickly twisted and pulled on his arm, tossing him expertly to the ground where his leather breastplate slid awkwardly from his body. It barely blocked a kick to the stomach before Fayjen shrugged it off, exposing his scarred and muscular body on more even ground.

Arragunn grappled with the bull for a while, keeping the horns in check before Harnyorn dipped its head and snapped it back up. It flung the ape clumsily over its back, crashing to the ground and quickly rolling back to its feet. It was still in a prime position for the ox to launch a mule kick into Arragunn’s face, splashing blood and cracking bone with its brutal hooves. Arragunn staggered to ground in a daze as the ox charged around after it, stomping furiously on the downed ape. Arragunn raised is arms to soak as much of the crushing blows as it could before it swung a foot into Harnyorn’s musky and massive package. The ox gave a miserable bellow as Arragunn buried his fingers into the rival godbeast’s chest, snarling while leaking drool and blood as it lifted the ox over its head. With a bloodthirsty howl it threw the ox as far as it could, sending the shaggy mammal crashing along the ground.

Arragunn loped back after it, breathing heavily as his rage let him ignore his wounds. The ox thrashed to his feet with an irate bleat, dazed but clearly still fighting. Arragunn gave a frothing roar as it pounced, wrapping its mighty limbs around Harnyorn’s neck. It squeezed until its husky cries came out weaker and raspier, but the hairy beast wouldn’t stop fighting. It thrashed its head around until the tip of its horn stabbed into Arragunn’s thigh, twisting and dragging it around to irritate and spread the wound. Arragunn gave a howl of pain and fury as it tried to choke out the ox before the strength bled out of him.

Fayjen drew his ax from his hip as he moved in on Leega. He swung at her but between their mutual fatigue, the weapon was heavier than he’d expected. The blonde warrior dodged his blade and smashed her palm into his nose. More blood stained his handsome features but a flash of fury crossed into his eyes. He threw his bloody face forward so that it bashed into Leega’s, headbutting her and staining her face with his leaking blood, mixing with the red leaking from her busted nose. Leega staggered to one knee before she could right herself, catching Fayjen’s incoming wrist. His ax stopped just short of splitting her skull open, but her arms bulged as she started to force his hand back. Fayjen’s rage turned to surprise for a moment, one that Leega seized to throw herself bodily into him. She ended up on top of him, and while Fayjen grabbed and ripped out a handful of her hair she raked her nails across his face. He managed to keep his eye by luck alone as he shut it instinctively, wrapping a hand around Leega’s throat. She elbowed his other hand to knock his ax loose, swinging it for his throat. Fayjen gripped her wrist like she had to stop him, and while they both struggled to do so, they had each other by the throats. Leega panted and dripped sweat over him as she straddled his waist, staring at Fayjen in a grimly fearless waiting game to see whose body would give out first. Then he would crush her windpipe or she would slice his throat.

The moans and growls of their struggling godbeasts reached their ears in the intense silence of their panting breaths. They both dared to look and saw the bloody struggle. Harnyorn’s legs teetered from the lack of breath, eyes rolling and mouth pouring with drool. Arragunn’s leg was simply coated with blood as he squeezed his sweaty, furry arms with all their might just to keep his foe in check and tolerate the pain.

“Dying,” Fayjen pointed out. “Truce? Peace?”

“Stonehammer never peace,” Leega hissed, her throat only able to flex so much with his strong hand around her neck.

“Then what of surrender? I yield?” Fayjen offered. “Otherwise we fight. Harnyorn cripple Arragunn and my tribe die with no godbeast for protection. If you win, I yield. We talk peace. Do as you wish so long as we live.”

Leega’s face soured as she weighed the options. Arragunn always won. He would win this as well. But his injury was terrible and only getting worse. It was possible that her immortal deity would not be able to heal himself in time if another godbeast threatened their realm. She hated the idea of leaving an enemy alive, but he was willing to do as she said. Flee, give gifts, join them…

That thought suddenly got Leega’s racing heart to calm its pace. The strange man was handsome in an overly clean way and his cleverness insulted and disgusted her, but now… he was bloody and bruised and sweating over his scars. That was the kind of man Leega knew. Her body warmed and relaxed in a way that she hadn’t felt in years. It made a heat in her lower belly and she was suddenly very aware of what she was mounted on top of.

“Arragunn!” she called, glancing at the hairy man. She let her axe pull back a fraction of an inch, but it was sign enough for Fayjen. He relaxed his hand enough for her to shout the name louder. Her warning tone rather than a battle cry confused the ape as he looked up. “Untie! Go! Arragunn is winner!”

It took the ape a moment to realize what she meant, and a quick whoop from Fayjen had the ox stop its struggles. The monstrous beasts eased apart, Harnyorn removing his horn as Arragunn released the hold. They shared puzzled glances but the godbeasts ceased their two-creature war. With the deities apart, the chief and priestess eased themselves apart. Fayjen stayed kneeling, wiping some of the blood from his face as Leega staggered to her feet.

“So? Name your rules,” Fayjen requested. He was ready to fight back if this was her plan on a slaughter or execution, but she seemed willing to reason with him for now.

“Give all food. Return Stonehammer.”

“I cannot give all food. You will kill us,” Fayjen answered. “Give half food. Women are free to go.”

Leega frowned but nodded. Fayjen raised a hand and the bound Stonehammer hostage was released. She spit on one of her captors and tried to spit on the second, but it didn’t quite land. She took it as a victory anyway and hurried back to her priestess’ side. The one adorned in beads and gems shuffled her feet and spoke to an older Runin woman.

“She says she does not wish to leave,” the foreign woman reported. She enjoys our camp and food. She seeks husbandry here.”

Leega’s lip curled in disgust and the last woman avoided her gaze. “No more Stonehammer,” the priestess hissed. “Fayjen love traitors so? Keep traitor. Take and go.”

“Is there anywhere you’d like us to go?” Fayjen asked carefully.

“Away. Never here.” She took up her discarded club and made a line in the dirt. “Wall to Runin.”

“Never return? Shame. It is beautiful land and beautiful people by Stonehammer. We would be happy to defend it.” Fayjen gestured at Leega’s crude border of a line. “If we stay outside of here, may we stay close? For a time, anyway.”

Leega furrowed her brow. She glanced at her godbeast for answers. Arragunn was resting and breathing heavily as Harnyorn leaned closer and licked over his wound. The ape gave him a strange look before sliding slightly further away. The ox bleated and went back to grazing lazily. Their people seemed suited to the giant plane beast; slothful grazers who would rather eat and wander than fight. However, if they were willing to be between any intruders and the Stonehammer borders…

“Never past.” Leega ordered, jabbing her club at the line. “Stonehammer send scouts. Making sure obey.”

“We look forward to the company,” Fayjen chuckled as he spat some blood out beside him. “Is that all?”

“…all for now. Stonehammer victory. Leega make rules.”

“Agreed.” Fayjen held out his arms. Leega looked at him strangely before she shoved his axe back into his hand. The bearded man laughed and shook his head. “No, you may keep it. Gift of the Runin. A trade for your continued mercy.”

He turned the weapon around and stepped up to Leega, offering her the handle. She hesitated before she snatched it back. “Agree,” she said with a nod. Fayjen surprised her when he hugged her tightly, pressing her soft and bruised breasts to his scarred and bloody chest. He reeked of sweat and battle and it made Leega’s heart skip a beat before she tried to squirm her way free.

“It is how we bind a deal in the Runin,” Fayjen said jovially despite his battered state and near-death experience. Leega had no idea how the Runin seemed to stay so happy for a bunch of wandering heathens, but if they stayed safely away and helped maintain their lands, then she figured she would let them. Arragunn limped back to her and the leaders returned to their people to translate and heal their injured godbeasts. The negotiations must have been dire, because Leega’s mind kept returning to Fayjen. The handsome man caked in sweat and blood distracted her all night until she curled up in her hut that night and stroked her womanhood to the image. Leega had dedicated her life to Arragunn, not a mate or a family. As far as she was concerned, the idea of conquering such a lovely but powerful foe was such an overwhelming thrill that she couldn’t wait to gloat over it to him again.