It's been a week since I left the village, and now I can practically smell the campfires. Jason thought to himself as he carried his heavy pack of supplies back towards the village. I just wish that I had brought the sled with me this time... He thought as he saw the treeline with his home in the center. Pausing to rest his aching feet, he carefully tugged on his pack, adjusting it carefully so that nothing would fall out as he sat down. The soft spring air ruffled his hair as he lay down on the grassy ground, his sweaty back instantly began cooling against the grass below him. I wonder what Sage has been up to since I left... A shiver quickly rolled down his spine as the thought of one of the villagers trying to get into his pants crawled through his head. Shaking his head in disgust, he tried not to think about it, but before he could, the memory of Sage laying beside him popped into his head. He smiled for a moment as he remembered his childhood friend resting his head on Jason's chest in the forest long ago.

His mind quickly began to twist the memory as he pictured Sage beginning to strip in front of him. As he tried to clear the dirty thought from his mind, he felt his heart start to pound painfully in his chest. I can't let my personal feelings for Sage get in the way of the survival of the village. He thought unhappily as he pushed his feelings away. Laying silently in the grass, he tried to clear his head as he pondered his emotions for Sage as the sounds of nature continued around him. Raising his hands to lay them behind his head, Jason brushed his pocket and remembered the necklace that Katia had given him. If Sage had given me the necklace, I wouldn't have taken it off. He thought as another gust of wind played with his hair. Reaching for the small engraved piece of wood, Jason held it above his eyes. I wonder who I'm going to be stuck with tomorrow? He thought bitterly as he looked at the carved out heart with a ring inside the center.

I wonder if Sage would ever make me a necklace like this... He thought as he sat up and looked at the treeline anxiously. Would I have the strength to abandon the village that protected me for him though? He thought as the idea of leaving the tribe without a male to produce children would mean the death of the tribe, and it would all be on his hands. A sigh broke his lips as he quickly pocketed the necklace and stood back up. I can't think about stuff like that. I can't damn the village because of my affections are for the only other male. I'll just have to ignore them, push them down... He thought sadly as he picked up his bag and carefully brought it over his shoulders and gently adjusted it into place.

Heading towards the treelines, he tried to force a smile as he made his way closer. It's for the village, I have to support the village. He told himself as he walked back towards his home. When he broke the treeline, he felt a sense of calm wash over him. The soft crunch of twigs beneath his feet and the call of the birds above quickly soothed his dread as he recalled his childhood days with Sage playing in the forest. Another longing sigh escaped as remembered their happy childhood days together. He made his way through the trees and began to think of the sleepover that had been planned. I just hope that I have the strength to hide my true feelings tonight.

Seeing the outskirts of the town come into view, Jason forced his smile wider as he completed his mission. The first person he spotted as he made his way towards the elders, however, was Katia. He scowled as he tried to avoid her gaze, but when she spotted him, he forced his smile to return and she ran towards him. "You're back!" She exclaimed happily as she kissed him on the cheek. Pulling away awkwardly, Jason tried to ignore the feeling of Katia's eyes rolling down him. Her smile faded slightly as her bottom lip stuck out. "Where's the necklace I gave you?"

Trying to keep his smile up, Jason reached into his pocket and revealed it. "I had to swim through a quickly moving river, so I kept it in my pocket. That way I wouldn't lose it if I went under." He lied, trying to sound convincing as she looked at him.

"Oh that's okay," Katia answered back, her pouting lip quickly fading. "Just go ahead and put it back on, and I'll forgive you!" She grinned as he hesitantly put it over his head and let it fall back into place. "How was your journey, did you run into any trouble along the way?" She asked as he resumed his walk towards the elder's house.

"Nope, it was a nice and quiet run this time. The only problem was that river, but I managed to get an extra helping of pors weed for you. I'll make sure it gets put in the medical tent so you and the other doctors can get it refined. Be careful about how much you use this time. I'm running out of safe options to get more this season, and I'd like to avoid the pond if I can help it." Jason answered, making Katia's eyes light up.

"You're the best Jason! We can start drying it out tonight, and then next week we can begin the process of turning them into antibiotics!" Katia paused for a moment, her smile growing wider and more sensual. "I'll make sure to repay you for your efforts tonight when I sneak into your room!" She remarked with a wink as she took a step closer to Jason.

Taking a quick step back, Jason tried to keep his friendly smile up as disgust started to overcome him. "I already have plans tonight Katia, maybe another time." He said hastily, stopping Katia in her tracks.

"Change them then, I'm sure my appreciation is well worth your petty plans with whomever else you promised your night to." Katia answered, taking another step towards him.

"I can't do that, I promised Sage we would have a boys night when I got back. I can't break that promise!" Jason answered as he tried to keep a safe distance between the two. Katia's smile turned into a scowl as she looked at him.

"You don't wanna do that Jason, Sage isn't okay upstairs," Katia explained as she glared over towards Sage's house. "He has a crush on you, and I think he wants to take you away from me."

Jason's shoulders tensed as the joy of hearing Sage's affections blended with the anxiety of Katia's words. "Away from you, what do you mean by that?" He asked cautiously, trying to keep his voice even as he ignored her blatant insult.

"Well, that necklace I made for you..." Katia answered, her lip beginning to tremble. "I thought by having you wear it, you would think of me more than just a random sex act, but maybe something more..."

Marian's door opened, and Jason smiled in relief as she called out to him. Turning his attention to Katia, he smiled sheepishly. "I gotta go, can we talk about this later?" He said quickly before walking over towards the elder's door and went inside. Marian looked him over quickly, then shut the door behind them.

"Welcome back Jason. I trust you got everything on the list without much difficulty?" Mariam stated as she began to pace around the small space around her.

"I did, yes all the herbs and medicinal items are rolled up in my sleeping mat. The metal and other repairable pieces of electronics are in my bag, and my report has already been written for review. You'll be happy to know that the Gagkuts were nowhere to be found this time around, and the mission went off without a hitch." He unslung his bag, and gently lowered it to the ground. "Also, Katia asked for more pors weed the day before my journey, so there is more than requested rolled into the mat as well."

Nodding her head approvingly, Marian looked at the bag and bedroll. "You did good Jason, I don't know how we would make it without you."

"Well, you could always train some of the younger females, and have them come with me and the other older men. We could get a lot more if it wasn't just one person off by themselves." Jason offered, "I could even teach them if it's a matter of training, I've been out there enough to know the tactics of the monsters out there, and I could teach them how to fight back."

"That won't work Jason, do you remember Frior?" Mariam asked, looking over at Jason curiously.

"Yeah, she wasn't ever able to get pregnant," Jason answered awkwardly, trying to forget the dozens of times they had been together. "Why wasn't she able to carry a child?"

Mariam looked down at the bag sadly, then back to him. "The reason she was infertile was because of the combination of chemicals out there in the badlands." She explained as she squatted down next to the bag and began to search through it. "There were so many tests, and every generation seems to think that the next time will be different, but each time they come back, they are no longer able to conceive."

A soft sigh broke through Jason's lips as he watched her scrounge through the bag, tenderly pulling things out and examining them. "That's really sad, but If you don't need anything else from me, I made a promise to spend some time with Sage. We were planning to have a sleepover like when we were little today."

"Jason," Mariam called out, turning her attention back over to him with a dark look in her eyes. "Don't you tell him about what happened. You know what happens to those who use magic. We can't lose our only other fertile male to magic's sterilizing process."

Looking back at her with annoyance, Jason nodded his head hesitantly. "I understand what you want, but I don't think it's fair to make such a demand of me. I have done everything you have asked, even to go as far as to support the entire tribe. I think this is something he needs to know about. If not for his own sanity, for the greater good of the world! If we can end this plague for everybody left on the planet, I think the death of our village is worth the chance!"

"Tell him, and I'll cut out your tongue and force you to a bed where you will be used until you are no longer able, then I will have you banished." Mariam threatened darkly as she stood up suddenly and walked towards him angrily. "Sage is the only other fertile male in our tribe, and I can't risk him trying to use his magic for a chance at saving us at such a cost. What happens if he can't do it Jason, what happens to the village then? We only have one other viable male and that's you. What's worse is that with every trip into the badlands, more and more chemicals are being forced into you as well, it's going to eventually sterilize you as well! Sage is our last chance to live as a tribe. We need more children in this village if we are going to survive, and if he uses magic, we're doomed!"

Jason looked at her angrily, his frustration becoming clear. "You can't do that to me. I don't care if you are the elder, forcing me to be a sex machine is inhumane!"

"I am forced to make the youth of my generation, and the next breed with only two usable men and schedule when they are to have sex. As the elder, I am burdened with making sure our tribe lives on. If that means I have to make you a slave, then I'll just have to add that to my list of atrocities I'll never be able to wash my hands of." Mariam said angrily, her eyes quivering as she tried to intimidate him. Taking a deep breath, she composed herself as the air slowly escape her lips. "I know I'm not a good person Jason, you can hate me all you want for that, but you must still obey my orders until a new head elder is chosen on my death."

Glaring at her angrily, Jason started towards the doorway, his heart pounding furiously as he ignored the danger of the situation he was putting himself into. "I'll keep quiet for now, but I don't think you can keep this a secret from him forever. Magic always has a way of coming out where you least expect it. 

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That's another chapter done. I hope you enjoyed it, don't forget to drink lots of water, and to vote on the story if you liked it! Letting me know you enjoyed the story really does make my day better! 

-Asted!