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Monster March 2025- Day Six- Drider
“Ok, only two of you can come at a time Darlings, Ziri, and Liavad, it’s your turn to ride on Mommy today for breakfast.” You urged as you put Liavad to your chest and Ziri on your back in the special drider baby carrier that you and Xuni had made for you as all the others simply got their preferred spots on Xuni’s abdomen to enjoy his soft fur and get some more rest while you got the family breakfast as you were happy that those mittens shielded you from their venomed fangs but otherwise Liavad and Ziri held onto each other’s legs and feet within the baby carrier so that you could carry them, comfortably. Because you were human, it only meant you could carry two at a time, one on your chest and one on your back and once they all hatched and were named and were growing, they were getting bigger but were still very “clingy” which you didn’t mind one bit. Most driderlings were at this age. Because they were still your kids, even if you didn’t give birth to them, you had nursed them and cared for them anyway, even if the “adoption” was less than ideal for the circumstances. And you loved each one immeasurably. And instead of your love being split between them, it seemed your love was multiplied by each one.
But Liavad wasted no time in snuggling his face into the bare skin on your chest to promptly fall asleep again, once his skinship with you was reestablished as Ziri did the same to your back. You sat on a stool, and pet Liavad’s head and kissed the crown of his head and smiled serenely as he smiled in his sleep as you waited for the food to be prepared as your assistant was getting the “baby foods” ready.
The eggs you and Xuni had incubated had been the last of the batch to hatch but were not the last batch to hatch in the district. As the buffet just for the baby driderlings was three times what the adult one was.
Anrar was beside you in a similar state as she pet Ziri’s head affectionately.
“I see so much of Qala in each one of them.” Anrar admitted a bit tearfully, but happily all the same.
“Of course you do. You’re still their godmother. And you need to come by and let Riqir and Chazir come to play and socialize with them. Even with the week and a half age gap.” You encouraged.
“Well, that’s the thing, the ones that hatched first, it was like they were cooked too fast, and now that they’ve hatched, they’ve had a hard time developing out of the egg, at least, according to Suvire and the rest of the clutch. They’re quick to eat but slow to develop mentally much more than that, she says that some of them might be mentally harmed beyond teaching.” Anrar confessed in a low whisper, because that was the polite way of saying 'mentally handicapped' or 'retarded'.
“But obviously, that isn’t the case with you. Every time I’ve ever seen you out with them, yours, it’s like they were incubated at the perfect temperature, because while yes, yours did hatch later, and while their smaller in sheer size, their intellect is so far ahead of the curve, and to see how affectionate and intelligent they are, even at such a young age, is remarkable. And every single one of them knows as well feels that you are their mom all while it’s clear that Suvire isn’t their birth mother, she does her duty towards them but, I feel like…she doesn’t love them as much you and I love ours. And Xuni has been such a great father I can tell he really loves them too, even when he has all of his legs full with them, but fatherhood suits him so well, I can already tell it’s impressed every female in the district. I can tell he’s been working with them so much and so closely. They’re so socialized too. I can barely get Riqir to leave me so I can use the bathroom by myself. And Chazir threatens to bite anyone who comes too close to me.” Anrar confessed.
“They’re boys who love their mama.” You tried to console her.
“Yeah, they are, I wanted girls. But I got two boys instead.” She admitted.
“Tell you what, tonight, bring the boys over for a sleep over and let Xuni take care of them for a day, and Sazai and Sielshu are my sweetest girls, you keep them with you for a day and see how you fare. Granted, the girls do love to sit facing out because as much as they like the skinship, they’re also at a point where they like to see what is going on around them too, at all times. So be prepared for when they move their whole body in the carrier to see what’s going on. I nearly have to put weights on my legs and widen my stance because they have nearly toppled me over- when a tray was dropped and they both lurched to see it.” You “warned” her with a fond smile.
“If I could get my boys to be interested in anything that isn’t me, that would be great. Honestly, just getting to use the bathroom by myself and get a bath or a shower by myself, would be phenomenal.” She confessed.
“Motherhood is hard, and doubly so for drider foster moms. Drider moms never go anywhere or do anything without the whole brood with her at all times. So that instinct is still pretty strong in them. Co-parenting is unusual but hopefully we’re catching this early. It’ll be ok.” You encouraged as you reached out to pet Chazir who was glaring between you and his mom, like he was offended that she was letting you touch him at all.
“She’s your aunt, she’s family, she’s allowed to touch you too.” Anrar tried to tell him but he just curled up and away from you before you withdrew to keep from aggravating him too much either. Because driders were still driders and would only ‘tolerate’ so much.
“You better warn Xuni he has his work cut out for him.” Anrar offered.
“Oh it’s nothing my own boys haven’t done either. They’ve all been like that too. I think the only reason all of them aren’t that way still is because of my human family and Xuni, lots and lots and lots of socialization and exposure to as many people as I can manage. As much as they can tolerate.” You murmured before Xuni’s meal and your own was ready as a whole cart of baby foods was then ready to be loaded up into the carriage as Anrar decided to just stay with you for the day to see if her boys would improve with hanging out with their “half brothers” as she finally felt some relief when the boys’ legs finally seemed to loosen around her chest before they hesitantly began to eat the food your kids offered to share with them as you turned your baby carrier around to give Ziri more face time while you helped her eat her baby food as you were almost swarmed once you got home.
“Oh my babies! My babies missed their mommy huh? Well I missed you too! I did! I missed each and every single one of you, yes I did!” You cooed to them as they all tried to climb you and clamor for your attention as you did your best to make sure that Ziri wasn’t crushed or crowded on your chest as you were quick to give all of them another round of good morning hugs and kisses again.
“Breakfast, come on, let’s eat breakfast.” You urged them as you tried to get them to get around the table as passed each one their plate of food as Anrar was impressed that your babies were starting to use utensils to eat already while hers were just taking fists of food to eat as yours were even taking to bottles and straws already too as you happily fed each one their first bite of food to help get them started before they were happy to chow down on breakfast as Xuni tried his best to help corral the kids and get them to stay at the table and actually eat all of their breakfast before they would try to swarm you again to let you get a chance to eat yourself.
“Well hello there Chizir.” Xuni greeted as Chizir sniffed at Xuni and then glared in confusion back at his mom as to why Xuni smelled similar to himself.
“I see you got a few cranky possessives on your hands.” Xuni noted.
“I’m hoping that by being with you and the rest of your family I can get them to snap out of it.” She offered tiredly.
“I was hoping you could use some of your fatherly intervention with them so she could at least get a shower by herself. Maybe get a chance to get some mommy only time.” You murmured to him.
“May I?” Xuni offered as he gestured to the boys.
“Please!” Anrar asked hopefully before she barely got them off of her as the boys both simply glared up and pouted up at Xuni but begrudgingly continued to take food from him.
“You two, have become so spoiled huh? So, so spoiled.” Xuni teased as he tried to tickle their necks and got them to fight a grin as Anrar went ahead and managed to slip away and for the first time in two months, got to take a shower by herself, and to wash her whole body without her boys being in the way and she had no idea how heavy they had gotten until she wasn’t carrying them anymore.
“Hang on, Mommy has to use the bathroom, you stay and eat ok?” You encouraged the kids as you left them at the table with Xuni.
“I’m gonna go check on Anrar,” you whispered to him as you kissed his cheek as you passed him and put Ziri and Liavad still at the table, in their carrier that was taken off in such a way that they could be side by side and eat while still in it.
“You ok in here?” You knocked softly before you entered the bathroom to use it yourself to see Anrar sitting in the shower, just taking a moment to relax.
“Yeah, it’s been, two months. How do you do it? I feel like I can barely hold myself together.” She admitted.
“Honestly, if it wasn’t for Xuni, I would have lost my sanity on the second day. Because there’s just so many of them. How you do so much with only two, you’re a rockstar, you’re the equivalent of a working single mom. Because being a mom is a full time job, being a drider foster mom? Oh that’s three to four jobs in one. Your boys, clearly, love you and only you. And at this point, all they will ever want is you and only you as their mom. And that’s ok. Mine are just now noticing that I’m not a drider like them. And are already trying to find my other four limbs on my body at night. And I know they want to know why I’m so different than they are. But they need to learn the words to ask such things in the first place. And that takes patience. Honestly, I’m relieved we didn’t have to take on the whole batch. I feel like our hands are practically overflowing as it is. But, then again, I have a huge support system. I have all of my siblings coming over and taking their “drider nieces and nephews” to work with them during the day and they all take their turns to be with them. And some of them have actually recognized their coloring in their true sire’s body when they met them. But the true sire’s don’t give a shit about them. Most male driders don’t. Xuni is the one in a million, rare real drider dad that very, very few in our quarter have ever had the privilege of having. And honestly, once they saw, how little their true sire’s cared for them and compared and contrasted to how much Xuni and I love them, then it’s like they choose us all over again. Maybe that’s what your boys could use, get a chance to really meet who their true sires are, and judging by their coloring they have the same fathers that Chirus and Yahallah do. When they see how little those bachelors care about them, they’ll appreciate the love and care that they get with us even more. Take your time, the boys haven’t really noticed your absence yet, and that shower head will give you a mommy moment. If you want one. Cause as much as I love by babies, are they the biggest cock blockers.” You snickered a laugh before she got up and got it before you peeked your head in and helped her get the right setting and left her to get her private moment of release before she did and you bit your lips to keep your face from splitting in half in a smile when you heard her unmistakable moan from the bathroom.
“Yes, yes, I’m back. Yes I did wash my hands.” You told your kids once you returned and sat between Ziri and Xuni who was still keeping each of Anrar’s boys in each arm trying to keep them far enough away to keep from fighting but also within eyesight so they wouldn’t freak out if they couldn’t see each other as it was clear they were starting to look around for Anrar.
“Did you hear the moan from the bathroom?” You murmured to Xuni quietly.
“No?” He answered.
“Oh, well, their mommy is having a mommy moment in our shower, so she’s gonna need a little longer.” You informed him.
“I see, I miss Mommy and Daddy moments, they’re becoming few and far between lately, makes me want to steal you away to the upper nest just so that we can have those again.” He noted with a hungry look your way that had you blushing and mirroring that look.
“Maybe tonight after we’ve put everyone to bed, but my mom is always reminding me that it won’t stay this way for too much longer. They’re only this little once. Besides, these boys obviously need some one on one time with the only Daddy these boys are probably ever gonna know.” You encouraged.
“Yeah, I can tell by their coloring, and their attitudes.” He muttered as he was trying to be patient with them but with one last growl and then a bite, Chizir managed to get his baby mittens off and sink his fangs into Xuni’s arm as you and the other kids all gasped and froze before you didn’t even think, you just grabbed up Ziri and Liavad and got all the other kids to the other end of the table with you as they all tried to hide behind you as you did your best to assure and reassure them that their half brother was just misbehaving and was about to get disciplined for it. Xuni stared down dangerously at Chizir and growled with his whole body that you could feel in the house as Chizir, for the first time, looked up at Xuni in fear as Riqir made sure to pull his baby mittens up and just stared with big wide eyes as Chizir and Xuni stared each other down before Xuni simply growled again and Chizir immediately sucked up all the venom he could, to try to undo what he had done, but by that point, he just tasted blood, and anger and felt- for the first time, real fear.
“Don’t you ever bite me or your mothers again. You are lucky I’m drider and immune to your venom. If you had bitten your mommy, or your other mommy, your aunt, my mate, both of them would be dead already. Do you understand me? Do you understand how very, very bad that is?” Xuni growled lowly yet dangerously as Chizir nodded as his big eyes welled with tears.
“Do you know why your mommy and your other mommy, my mate are not like you and me?” He asked them as they both gulped but shook their heads.
“Because the mother who laid you as an egg, died protecting you. But she died before you could hatch. The mommies you have now, adopted you because they love you. That love? Demands that you respect them at all times, that you never give them any trouble and that you help them, when they need it. They only have two legs, we have eight, do you know how many 2’s you need to get to eight? Four. So they work four times as hard to care for you the way the mother who gave her life to give you the life you have now did. And they deserve better from you. So, put your mittens back on.” He growled to Chizir who did.
“And don’t you ever take them off, until you are old enough to understand that biting another can kill them. Especially a mommy who works four times harder to be the same kind of mommy she feels you deserve. Now, if you don’t like the way I Daddy, then let me introduce you to the daddy’s who couldn’t be bothered to love you or raise you themselves.” He said before he took those boys out of the house and directly to their sire’s estates.
“Is that true Mommy?” Your little ones asked you with big, wide eyes as scared tears were already making their big beautiful eyes shine as they huddled as closely to you as they could, afraid that their half brothers could have hurt you.
“Yup, that’s true, the Mommy who laid you as an egg, she died, while you were being incubated. And when she died, she was over her nest and you know how you guys have your toes with the hooky toes? Your talons? Well her toes were so big like talons, that they cut a lot of the eggs when she died and crumpled in on herself. That’s why you guys are my babies and Daddy’s babies, because we adopted you right from the egg, and while we did lose four of your brothers and sisters in the process, because there was just too much damage to them and the egg for them to hatch. I’m so happy each and every single one of you made it. And I’m so happy and so proud to be your mommy and give each of you the love and care and affection and attention that you deserve. Because you all deserve to have a daddy and mommy who love you, just the way you are. It doesn’t matter what color your fur is, or what color your silk will be, or who really sired you or birthed you. Your Daddy and I still incubated you when you needed us to and we have loved you from the moment you were laid as an egg. All of you are still my babies ok? You’re always going to be my babies, and nothing will ever change that and I will love all of you forever. Each of you is more precious to me than any other thing in the world and I wouldn’t trade any of you for anything.” You reassured them as you made sure to hug and kiss and love on all of them as you helped settle them back down around the table but they just took what was left of their food and corralled around the spot in which Xuni usually sat himself as you laid down and happily had your whole family snuggle in with you.
“Where’s the boys?” Anrar asked once she reappeared from the shower, wearing a spare outfit of yours.
“Chazir sunk his fangs into Xuni.” You answered as Anrar gasped in shock.
“So Xuni disciplined him and is taking your boys to meet their true sire. They all go through it, thankfully, it wasn’t you or I that had to get a heavy dose of antivenom this time. But your boys will be better behaved once he’s done.” You ventured.
“Sit down, eat, rest, I have a feeling we’re about to take a mid morning nap though.” You yawned.
“Ok, who wants to take a nap with me?” You asked before they all readily agreed.
“Ok, well we gotta clean up from breakfast first, dishes and chores first, then rest.” You encouraged as you helped them collect all the uneaten food, put a cover over the platter for Xuni when he would return and then once the dishes were put back on the cart and they all said thanks to the dining attendant, then you all got to go back into the nest and take a nap as Anrar joined you and practically collapsed into the nest like bed.
Not even an hour later, Xuni returned, now with the two young driders who had a new appreciation for what they did have before he let them cuddle up with Anrar in the nest before he did the same. Grateful that you were such a loving and wonderful mate, to adopt so many driders as your own along with him.