Chapter 47: Unquestionably
They stayed in the forest when they caught sight of the settlement that their guides were escorting them to as they returned from their hunt, their exposure to the construction being from atop a small hill that allowed them sight of most of the area. The outskirts sported a short minimalist fence to deter the wildlife, but did nothing to stop them from egressing if it was required. Many wooden buildings lay somewhat tightly arranged within the boundaries, some natural pathways forming from months of coming and going over the soil.
A hunters lodge sat at the edge of the village closest to them, a roofed outdoors area was home to several large tables for processing the catch that was brought back from the various hunting parties. Two more groups of similar size to their escorts were in the process of cleaning wolves and quill-laden beasts.
Beyond that, outside of range to be a disturbance to the dens belonging to the residents that resided within, was a large smithy. The sound of red iron on cool metal resonated through the ambient chatter of people going about their tasks, several of them tending to small separated plots of tilled soil.
A small dense fence across the way contained several animals that were being raised, familiar and novel alike. One could trace the origin of the lesser dangerous on the cutting boards of the hunters to those zones.
She followed every pathway with her eyes, mapping out possible escape routes and counting likely hindrances they could engage on their way. There lived many more to this settlement than their own, numbering almost a hundred by her estimations. A fact that tightened the grip she felt on her paw as her male likely observed the same.
One of the butchers waved a paw at the approaching group, the leader of the hunting party stopping to face their pack. “We must inform our Paw of your presence. It would do no good for us to extend any but the warmest of welcomes for the new Grand Hunter.”
He smiled brightly, especially at herself. Normally, she would return the expression in an attempt to lower their guard, perhaps find the most influential in the command structure to lay with so that she might move unencumbered by the watchful eyes while she carried out her task. Yet she did not, instead opting to ignore him in favour of categorizing the threat level of all who she could see. She would act as a Blade for her Sheath, and it would require her to know which flesh to cut first when the order was given.
No snipers, densely packed construction, and several trees still within the boarders would ensure ease when it came time to break line of sight. There existed a guard patrol, though they seemed far more interested in discouraging an assault or the more aggressive wildlife than some mere guests brought through, so it was likely that they were accustomed to visitors. That would allow them to remain under less scrutiny, as the inhabitants would be more inclined to dismiss their presence.
The buildings were all a single level, ensuring quick ascension and traversal across the rooftops, though the lack of height would mean she would need to pick her path carefully to remain unobserved. Few were constructed with more than a singular entrance, meaning that she would be unwise to use them to complicate her path. The only real issue is that she would need to bring Joseph through a route that he could traverse. It made such thoughts difficult.
Close breath warmed her ear, the baritone voice of her Human released her from her ruminations.
“Think you could listen in on what the brass here has to say?”
She looked at him, seeing not a nervous male, but a calm and focused Grand Hunter. “We must determine an exit before we are to enter their boarders, Joseph.”
He smirked at her. “North-east, behind the new construction. No traffic at the moment. Looks like they sent everyone out for wood and to focus on repairing the fence to the west. Due north has an unintentional path right past their armoury, but there are no windows there for them to see. We could split past the central building and grab ourselves some loot if needed.”
She scanned the mentioned directions, finding the route he suggested after a few moments. “You have experience?”
He shrugged. “Just stood out to me. If we get screwed for a way out, the production buildings to the west will likely be vacant after sunset, and with most of the houses being east, we could slip out with less eyes on us.”
She nodded, confirming for herself before committing the suggestion to memory. There were small adjustments that needed to be made, but his overview had lessened the time.
“So, can you eavesdrop for me?” He reasserted the initial question, an eye following their escort as the male walked into the village. “Or is it too crowded?”
She smiled as his doubtful query lacked judgment and disappointment, it instead being filled with concern. He thought his request difficult. Cute. “I believe i said i would not leave your side.”
He gave her a flat expression. “Sahari is here with Mi’low and Kelth. None of them can do this.”
She spun on her pad and rested a paw on his neck. Her tail swaying in figure eights behind her as she spoke into his ear. “Oh, Joseph. You’ll never get what you want if you don’t know how to ask.”
He flushed slightly, staring into her eyes as his heart quickened under her touch. He exhaled with a smirk. “Go find out what they talk about. Do whatever you need to in order to get back here without being noticed. I expect a concise report. Stay out of sight, don’t be heard, and if you do get found, get back to me in one piece.”
A chuckle escaped her, warmth building within her as her claws dented his skin but didn’t quite puncture it. “Of course, Grand Hunter. As you command.” She couldn’t help but nip at his ear before separating, using a moment of negligence to slip away from the group and leaving her male behind, his hesitant and worried gaze following her as she hopped the fence and rushed into the gaps between buildings.
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She lounged on top of the den belonging to the Grand Hunter of the settlement, smiling to herself at the lack of appropriate security that had made the task so easy. She needn’t even await a patrol to pass nor avoid others going about their duties. It was a simple matter of slipping between the buildings and keeping an eye on her target until he entered his destination. From what plans she had skimmed of Nalah and Joseph’s design, such routes would not exist. Truly, small efforts bring great effects.
She pitched an ear downwards to listen through a crude wooden window shutter from above, choosing not to expose her ear as a challenge. She was confident that she wouldn’t be found, but Joseph had been specific, and she was more than happy to follow his order.
Soft steps entered the room below her, the booming voice of the male she had followed was clear due to the lack of sound treatment.
“Greetings, Huntress Serba.”
An annoyed female responded, the sound of a chair pushing away from a table suggested she had been working on something. “Speak, Alon. Why have you disturbed me?”
“Apologies for the interruption, but we have visitors.”
Soft clicks of claw on wood could be heard as the female walked across the room. “More spies? Has Grand Hunter Trill sent his observers? Traders?”
“No, Huntress Serba. We have High Huntress Mi’low at our boarders.”
“High Huntress? She had deigned to loosen her hold on her pack? You take me for a fool, Alon?”
“It is but the truth, Huntress Serba. Her Grand Hunter has accompanied her to amend the treaty of ten for his inclusion within its protection.”
“I see...” The female sighed. The window shutter pushed open further, causing Tel to adjust her position to remain out of sight should they wish to peer outside. “Loptr is not to return for some suns to receive them. I suppose such duties fall to myself. Very well, guide them to the guest residence and have them watched.”
The male cleared his throat. “Actually, Huntress Serba, if i may..”
“Speak clearly, Alon.” Her voice snapped at the wary male.
“We had been on our return from our hunt when we accidentally incensed them.” He spoke quickly, stumbling over the last two words.
“You. Did. What?” Tel could hear the venom in the female’s voice, causing her to cover her muzzle with a paw to stop the giggle that threatened to come out.
“We had inadvertently caught the new Grand Hunter in a vulnerable position while armed. I thought it best to approach and query his purpose when his escorts gained sight of me brandishing a weapon.”
A disbelieving scoff sounded out, the sound of a chair clattering to the floor following. “And yet you live! You think me gullible, Alon? What of their numbers and weapons? What force do they hold upon you to subdue eight?”
“They are of five, Huntress Serba, though they carry curious arms of great unknowns. I was held by rope of iron and ranged weapons following designs i have never seen. The Grand Hunter stayed their claws and requested us live. We promised accommodations so as not to sully our High Hunter’s name.”
“Five of force carrying weapons unknown... I would end you myself were it not for the truth your offer carries. His pack. How many?”
“Fifty, Huntress Serba.”
Tel could hear the controlled voice as the Paw simmered in her own outrage. “A paltry number, but one of great consideration if they have the armament you speak of.” A heavy sigh escaped the female. “So be it. See to it that they remain unobserved and announce a small feast to celebrate the rise of a new Grand Hunter.”
The male’s voice raised in relief. “Shall we impart upon them our new product?”
The female hummed in consideration for a long moment. “Do. Loptr would praise us should we arrange a new route. Discover which he prefers to lay with and provide. The two should prove to make him much more receptive to striking a profitable agreement.”
“It will be done, Huntress Serba. Will it be an issue if we escort them with our group on the next sun?”
More soft clicks as she walked away from the window. “They requested an escort to our Grand Hunter?”
“They did, Huntress Serba.”
A long pause followed. “See to it.”
“May we have permission to court outside our own?”
“Fancy an escort, Alon?”
“I do.”
“So be it. Though do avoid causing an incident. If they do not take your head as a trophy, i will.”
“I understand, Huntress Serba. I will take my leave.”
Tel stood up, stretching out with a slight frown and adjusting her pack to reduce the friction on the retraction mechanism. It seemed less likely that there would be any issues with their stay, but it seemed best that they remain aware. She caught herself whistling softly as she dropped from the roof and into the gaps between the walls. A song she had memorized that her male rather enjoyed.
It seemed like this stay would be more enjoyable than she had expected.
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“You seem more composed than i would have expected, Grand Hunter.”
Joseph glanced at Sahari, the Lilhun leaning on her spear, her eyes scanning those that had come to chat with the hunting party as they waited for their lead escort to return. He went back to scouring the village with his eyes for whatever might be useful. “We passed ‘up shit’s creek’ a while ago, Sahari. Now it’s just making sure we don’t drown.”
She stopped her roaming gaze to raise a brow at him, her eyes searching for an answer to some unasked question. “You are taking your role seriously.”
He huffed a laugh. “I’m doing whatever it takes to make sure i get back to Pan and Violet, you get back to... I’m making sure we all get home, Sahari. If i need to pull my head out of my ass and tell you guys what to do? I will.” He ran his fingers through his hair. “We’ll see how well that goes.”
She shrugged, looking to Mi’low, the female having taken to interrogating their escorts via flirting with the more shameless of them. “When will you command her?”
He cycled a breath as he observed the High Huntress. “When she stops doing shit that should be done anyway. Though i wish she would pick better methods.”
He ignored the curious looks from those close enough to the fence to spot him. He stood tall and kept his chest out to give off an aura of confidence. His expression was controlled and dismissive of all but those that seemed a little too interested in his pack. Essentially, he looked like someone who had a hell of a week and was absolutely done with everyone's shit. It came easy to him because he was.
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He was tired, his feet hurt from a week of walking all damn day, his shoes were starting to tear, and he had the shit scared out of him right before inadvertently giving everyone but Tel a good look at him. Toss on the fact that his little outpost was home to less people than they have working the farms here? Yeah. He passed ‘giving a fuck’ a while ago. He was done pissing his pants over everything.
Now he just wanted people to leave him the fuck alone so that he could go make good on his promise to Pan, a promise that was rather difficult to keep in mind when he was in constant contact with a quite obviously interested female that seemed hellbent on making him as pent up as possible without actually doing anything he could do more than complain about.
A soft feeling of static electricity buzzed over his skin, a tail curling around his neck in time with a whiff of peppermint and two paws resting on his hips. He felt the warmth of a body press into his back, the murmured voice of Tel flowed like poisonous elixir into his ear.
“I have returned, Grand Hunter.” Speak of the devil.
“What are we expecting?” He kept his voice low to dissuade the others from noticing her sudden reappearance. Mi’low was doing a fantastic job of keeping their escort occupied while Tel had been off snooping, but a sharp increase in their meagre collection would spark curiosity. He chose to ignore the excessive contact she was engaging in with him, if only to act as a visual barricade to detract from her presence. At least that was what he was telling himself.
“We are to receive a small feast in your honour to celebrate your rise in power, as well as a sampling of a product they intend to trade in future.”
No mention of assassination. Well, that was something at least. “Anything i should know?”
She hummed playfully, the vibrations travelling into his throat as she rested her face against his neck to test his newfound disinterest. “They wish to open trade with our pack. Oh, and they intend to send theirs to warm your bed.”
His heart quickened as her paws became more exploratory, tracing the edges of his armour. “I’m okay with trade, assuming we have anything they want. Looking at this place, there’s not much i can think of. I’ll be counting on you to keep prying paws off of me.” He glanced at her out of the corner of his eye, a hand catching a paw that seemed to be wandering a little too far.
She chuckled, separating from his back but staying close. “Do i get a reward?”
He stared at her for a long moment as she swayed side to side, a conscious effort was required to not follow the tail that brushed over her form. “I don’t get mad at you for that display.”
Tel took a breath, exhaling with closed eyes as she abandoned the flirtatious posing. “I suppose that will have to do.” She winked at him. “Though i will expect more in future, my male.”
Joseph frowned, shaking his head to dismiss the feeling that something was off. Nothing was screaming danger, so it was probably fine. “We’ll see.”
The lead hunter rejoined their group with a broad smile, him calling out and gesturing for everyone to follow. Sahari translated, her voice fairly flat. “It seems we are welcome. Come, Joseph. Let us see what accommodations they offer.”
He followed after her, Tel walking by his side and Mi’low took the rear with her guard. They passed the hunter’s lodge, a farm plot that was just sprouting its crops, and a number of houses. Several buildings seemed to be more closely related to a particular profession, but he couldn’t identify them off hand. One he passed smelled vaguely like the sewing room back at the base, his yearning for his mate and daughter growing.
Sahari slowed in her step, looking around for a moment before noticing the leathers that were being stretched over wooden frames next to the source of the smell. She smiled weakly at him and gestured for him to continue on their path. Tel shot him a curious look, but quickly returned to casually watching the people going about their day, her paw resting lightly on her daggers.
The looks he was getting from the groups they passed barely registered as he progressed down the pathways. He had gotten used to them by now. It was odd that they seemed more interesting in his legs than the general lack of fur though.
After a small while and several turns that he loosely memorized, they arrived at a larger building that had some space around it, freeing it from the slightly claustrophobic design philosophy that seemed to be popular amongst whoever planned the layout. They were led inside, the house proving to be built for the express purpose of hosting guests. There were several rooms, all separated with a thick fur pelt acting as a door to give the occupants some privacy. A central room bridged them all and was host to a wide table that he figured could comfortably seat fifteen or so people with enough room to lay down without touching the walls around it.
They were shown a small series of outhouses only a minute or so away, each having a large open basin above it that collected rain water for use in flushing the waste away through a rudimentary aqueduct. A curious question was answered, there was a smaller stream that the plumbing terminated at to dispose of it fully. He tried to remember off-hand if there was a stream near the base, but he figured Nalah would have accounted for that when he brought up the idea himself.
Their guide, Alon, informed them of a feast that would occur around the village centre later in the day. Given that it looked to be evening as it was, Joseph figured that they would gather around just before the sun set. It was fine by him, he wanted to relax a bit before he had to continue looking like a hard-ass. A concern about leaving early in the morning was countered by explaining that they would spend the first few hours loading a wagon with the goods that needed to be carted along, so he wasn’t too worried about having to walk the rest of the way on little sleep. It sounded like a good time to get caught up on his body’s needs, the staggered watch schedule having drained him.
Unfortunately, the rest was short-lived, their group ushered to the gathering after only maybe an hour of down-time. Quite a few people were around the spacious area, many spread out over quite a few tables, grouped by some arbitrary metric that left his pack at the centre of a long rectangular seating arrangement that looked to be about as large as the one they had in their allotted building.
Some important looking Lilhuns joined the table, names he couldn’t be bothered to remember were given, and conversations that only tangentially related to him were had. It was a blur of noise in a language he couldn’t understand and Sahari assisted Mi’low with fending off most of it.
Thankfully, their hosts seemed more curious about the crossbows that he and Sahari held, only a few asking about Tel’s daggers. Under Mi’low’s advice, he was very vague with the information he provided, only telling them that it was a product of many months of scientific experimentation and countless man hours. They seemed to accept the answer for what it was. ‘Offer us something worth our time and we might be willing to tell you.’
The message was delivered, it seemed, because as soon as the darkness started to fall on the settlement and fires lit, they brought out some sealed containers that held a clear liquid.
Several Lilhuns fetched interesting devices that looked like peculiar instruments, proving to be such when music played over the centre. It reminded him a lot of simplified dance music, many of the more electronic sounds replaced by oddly shaped implements which seemed to replicate the noises pretty closely.
A cup was handed to him, it filled with the liquid provided from the containers. Tel snatched it from him before he could even smell it. “Don’t take what they give you without testing it.”
He frowned. “I know. I just wanted to smell it. How the hell do i test it?”
She winked at him, taking a deep drink of the fluid before holding it in front of her with a satisfied expression. “Now we wait to see if i get sick.”
Joseph glared at her, a finger pointed as his voice filled with disapproval. “You do not put your self at risk like that.”
She giggled, handing him the cup while waving him off with her free paw. “It’s safe. I’ve drank my fair share of poisons. I am immune to most but aware of the taste.”
He accepted the item, a conflicted tightening of his face pulled at his eyebrows. She rested a paw on his thigh and gave it a gentle squeeze as he spoke. “I guess this kind of shit is normal for you, huh?”
She stayed quiet for a moment, soft eyes wandered his expression. “Yeah. I’ve done this before.”
He nodded, pulling the beverage to his nose. A familiar burn caused him to shy away, his eyes blinking heavily from the unexpected assault. “Is this fucking moonshine?”
Tel tilted her head. “It is alcohol. I recall you requesting we pursue it ourselves.”
He examined the cup with curiosity, eventually taking a tentative sip. The liquid burned like fire as it coated his tongue. He stopped after a small drop to await a negative reaction, just in case there was an ingredient that would disagree with him involved in the process. He doubted it, it tasted exactly like the stuff a work buddy of his used to give away whenever he got high and made too much, but it was better to be safe.
“Yep. That’s fucking moonshine. Well, spirits. Tastes pretty pure. How the hell did they make this?”
“What are we requesting the process of?” Sahari asked, noticing his reaction to the liquid. He handed it to her to try, the female seeming very much conflicted with the booze.
“Not for you?”
“It reminds me of darker times. Forgive me if i choose not to participate.” She handed it back with a pained expression. He patted her on the back while nodding in understanding. A lot of people turn to the bottle when everything goes to hell. “Do you wish for me to inquire for you?”
“If you could, yeah. I think the guys back home would like some.” He thought for a moment. “How does it affect you guys anyway?”
Tel answered while accepting a second cup she had asked for at some point. “It lowers our sensitivity to scent and acts as a stimulant. It’s often used during celebrations to encourage pairings.”
He blinked. “It’s a weird aphrodisiac?”
“No.” She corrected with a chuckle. “It eases us and makes it easier to interact with others. It is much less imposing to approach a potential mate while unconcerned with diluted marks. It imparts a mild euphoria in heavier doses.”
“Huh... Neat, i guess.” He looked at the liquid again before taking a drink, the burn travelling down his throat.
“How does it affect humans?” Tel’s tail swayed with the curiosity.
“It’s a depressant. It lowers inhibitions and thins blood. There’s a few other effects but i don’t remember them off hand. Really it just makes us less concerned with filtering our impulses and we end up peeing a lot. Nasty hangover too, assuming we don’t offset it with water.” He polished off his glass, it being swiftly refilled by a female who seemed to be in charge of ensuring their cups never stayed dry. She leaned uncomfortably close to him, her clothing leaving very little to the imagination when combined with her short coat. She offered him a wink before she left.
He took another deep swallow from the cup, noticing Tel watching him with her head rested on her paw.
“What?”
“It seems you wouldn’t mind her company. I believe she is one of the servants they are testing to see if they match your tastes. Based on your reaction, I’d say she does.” She poked him in the side with her tail.
He frowned at her. “I’ll pass. I have enough trouble as it is.”
“They would be willing to discuss a trade arrangement. Mi’low is negotiating an exchange of our ironwood processing for their alcohol.” Sahari distracted him by bringing the conversation back into a more productive line of thought.
“Oh, nice.” He glanced at the High Huntress, the female in the process of speaking to a taller woman who seemed to be in charge. “She is way more cut out for this bullshit than i am.”
“She has the advantage of speaking their language, in every sense.” Sahari amended, taking a cut of wolf that was provided to her.
“I guess. I would have offered to train some of their craftsmen in exchange for them staying with us during.” He responded absently, taking another drink. The warmth was starting to pool in his stomach, an ease taking the edge off his shoulders. He noticed Sahari and Tel looking at him with raised brows. “What?”
Tel spoke for both of them. “You would offer to house them?”
He shrugged, inspecting his cup again to confirm that it was about empty. It was pretty small, so he figured that he was maybe only about one drink in of a traditional mix back on earth. “It would make them dependant on us for a while and give us an excuse to press the matter of taking in their unwanted. Might be able to get us some animals to manage too. Just need to make sure they know how quickly this place would go up in flames and they would do whatever they could to fix it. If it means giving us shit that they can’t feed anyway, all while supplying us with more man power, they’d jump on it.”
Tel poked him in the cheek with a furrowed brow. “What makes you say they can not feed their own.”
He brushed off the paw. “They don’t have a storage like we do. Look at the food.” He pointed to a table further away from where the activity was. Several Lilhuns that seems much less well fed were picking scraps off of a smaller portion allotted to their table. “I’m guessing that’s for the servants that don’t do well hunting. That or their professions before and on the ship just aren’t compatible with living here. I’m sure there are more things they could be better off without, but that’s what i noticed. Either way, we have a stable supply of food thanks to the snares and it will only get better with hunting. We could take on maybe double our population without having to worry about it.”
“I shall speak to Mi’low and request she mention it.” Sahari got up from her chair and walked off to join the High Huntress in the discussion as he got his drink refilled. He drank it all in one shot, standing up with a stretch.
“Resting?” Tel took another sip from her beverage, idly playing with a dagger she had laid on the table.
“Taking a piss. Booze is doing its thing. You chill here, the bathroom is only over there.” He thumbed to a building near by. She eyed the area for a moment before holstering the knife and standing herself.
“I’ll stand guard nearby.”
He was about to argue, but the firm gaze told him that he would be better off just taking a leak with someone watching out for him. He shrugged, laying the empty cup down and heading to the outhouse while Tel stood at the corner of the building to ensure no one got any ideas. Surprisingly, it smelled fine. No rotten or sour scents at all. It was a pretty pleasant departure from what he was expecting. There was even a small rope to pull that flushed the waste away. Neat.
Joseph stumbled slightly as he exited the facilities, the drink hitting him harder than he was expecting. He supposed that his prolonged absence from the stuff had left him as a bit of a light-weight. Not that he really drank much before. Actually, what was the alcohol content? He may have underestimated how strong the booze was. Either way, minus a slight tipsy gait, he felt great! The tension in his muscles had relaxed a fair bit, his mind was still mostly clear, and he felt comfortably warm. All in all, it seemed like he would be relying on Mi’low to either figure out how they made it, or he would be trying to figure out what he had of value to trade for it. Snares? Maybe.
Tel’s voice called out from around the corner. It didn’t sound panicked, so he sauntered around to see what got her worked up. Maybe she was telling Sahari where he went.
As soon as he was about to look for her, he caught sight of Alon getting handsy, and Tel looked like she was dangerously close to stabbing him. She brushed off a paw that tried to wrap around her shoulders, the male not taking the hint and posturing his larger frame, the act causing her to press herself into the building just to avoid touching him.
Tel would be fine, she could kill the guy six ways without even taking her knifes out. Joseph had made sure of that when he taught her some more exotic moves just to see if she could do them. That said nothing about her obviously more grim work before they had met.
So why wasn’t she kicking the guys ass? He didn’t wait for her to.
Alon forcibly cupped her jaw and drew her gaze upwards, the male not taking ‘no’ for an answer. A small thought in Joseph’s head suggested that being buzzed and armed might not be the best idea, but a much louder voice demanded he pull the fucking trigger on the crossbow he had loaded and pinned under the male’s chin after shoulder-checking him into the building.
“IF YOU TOUCH HER AGAIN, I WILL FUCKING SMEAR YOU OVER EVERY GOD DAMN BUILDING IN THIS PLACE.” His hands shook with rage, the approach lost to adrenaline and his throat hoarse from the volume. The male stared wide-eyed, barking something in his language that Joseph was far too pissed-off to give the slightest fuck about. He kicked the ankle of the leg bearing most of the Lilhun’s weight, pulling on his shoulder to force him to his knees.
Several surrounding spectators started scurrying around, the commotion drawing a lot of attention from the surrounding pack. Joseph closed his eyes and took a breath, his hand steadying but his anger ever present.
He changed the angle of the weapon to match the subdued Lilhun’s temple, leaning in close so that the heat of his voice would be crystal fucking clear. “Don’t you ever touch what belongs to me. One chance, Alon. You get one more chance to live. I don’t think you need a translator for that.”
He grunted as he forced himself off the male, hastily holstering the crossbow after unloading it to ensure a snap decision wouldn’t lead with him committing murder in the heat of the moment. He turned and grabbed Tel’s paw, storming away from the gathering and back to their housing for the night. He didn’t trust himself to keep calm if they start getting pissy about him teaching that prick a lesson.
They didn’t stop until they got into the house, Joseph letting go of Tel’s paw as they entered after he remembered he had grabbed her in his huff. He dropped himself onto a chair, running his hands through his hair as he tried to work off the last of the initial rush. He glanced at Tel, the female highlighted in a white back-light as the outside moon peeked through the open window shutter.
He exhaled, dropping his hands as he considered something. “Sorry. I didn’t even think about if that was some sort of spy bullshit to get us a decent deal or if you... If you were actually interested.” He rested his head in his hands, his elbows propped on the table. “I just completely lost my shit and i didn’t even wait long enough to check if it was just weird flirting. What the absolute fuck is wrong with me? What did i just do?”
A paw pulled his chin up, his body leaning back into the chair at the direction. Tel looked at him with half-lidded eyes, an expression he couldn’t place laid behind them. “You laid your claim.”
His face hardened. “I almost killed someone without a good reason.”
She mirrored the paw with a second, both holding his gaze at her. “I would have, had you not stepped in. In my eyes, you saved a life.”
“I can’t just pull a weapon on someone without a solid reason, Tel.” He insisted, trying to look away from the female that enraptured his attention.
“You defended what is yours. It is your totality and your drive.” She countered, pulling herself closer. Her tail wrapped around his leg as she climbed onto his lap.
“You’re not mine, Tel.”
The heat on his legs and the warmth of the alcohol blurred his mind, frail strings of reason holding himself at bay.
The grey-furred Lilhun smiled, the expression glowing brighter than the moon. “I can change that, my male.”
She kissed him, their lips hesitantly parting after a long moment. The soft texture absorbed his thoughts until she pulled away, a moist gaze and silent promise to continue given. He raised his hand to rest on her back, his body chasing the feeling yet again. She fell into him greedily, paws wrapping around him as he returned the embrace, their search for each other growing greater as the months of back and forth games caved to pure desire.
It clicked for him between pauses for breath as they explored each other, layers of armour tossed as they entered the bedroom in a slow game of exploration. She had been calling him ‘my male’ or ‘my human’ for a while now, as if some part of her had made a decision. She just needed a reason to follow through with it. At some point, he had started thinking the same.
She pulled his shirt off, pushing him onto the thick furs that qualified for a bed here. It was lower to the ground than he was expecting, but it was soft enough to absorb his poor attempt at catching himself. She followed a moment later, her own layers stripped and thrown across the room as she ran her tongue across him, the thin train of her saliva tracing up from his stomach.
His breathing grew heavy as her claws rested on his belt, them slowly outlining their goal over his pants. She pulled up to his neck, a sensual murmuring voice barely reaching his ears through the muddied expectation of what was to come. “You are mine now, Joseph. Wouldn’t you agree?”
A tightened grip drew a sharp exhale from him along with his own wandering touch across her back, ending with him pulling her into him in an effort to be closer. “You talk too much.”
A giggle sounded like an angelic harmony threatening to bury him in bliss. A kiss on his shoulder was followed by a sharp pain in time with her releasing him from her paw. She bit him. It wasn’t deep or particularly painful after the initial shock, but it was enough to draw blood. He mentally shrugged it off as she traced the small punctures with her tongue. He had gotten worse ‘war wounds’ from less. Most of them definitely ‘not sexy’.
The part he couldn’t shrug off was the shot of clarity. His commitment to Pan. Tel mounted him proper, undoing his belt and pulling in for a deeper kiss while moving to disrobe him the rest of the way. He held a hand to her chest to stop her.
“I can’t. I promised her.” He managed through ragged breaths, bracing himself to be more firm in his denial.
“I know.” She said softly, disappointment evident but the underlying warmth never cooled. “I was informed of your arrangement.”
He scanned her eyes for deeper meaning. “Then why...”
“I wished to claim what is mine.” She answered with a smirk, leaning in to kiss him as she abandoned everything else. She stood, their connection lingering as a subdued flame burned in her gaze. “And you, my male, are unquestionably mine.”
She quickly donned her temporarily discarded clothing and left the room with a casual sway, leaving him to stew as the rest of the alcohol set in. “I hate everything.”