Eventually. Annita and Kat rose, their bodies still aching, and resumed their journey. It was slower going, a combination of exhaustion from the fight and some deeper swathes of snow that proved treacherous to navigate.

Soon, they made it to the edge of a small creek, its moving waters carving a dark crevice through the field of white. Clearing a space, they set up camp along the bank on the large, smooth rocks that made up the area. Kat wandered off to gather firewood, leaving Annita and Bren to themselves.

“So, I have a question about the Warped. When I stabbed that last one, I saw something under its skin move. Do you know what that was?” Annita started as she worked on setting out the bedrolls.

“Ah, yes, that would be its flesh. They are not restricted by the rigid internal structures the rest of us are. Are you well versed in the internal makeup of a body?” As he spoke, he set about unpacking their rations for the night.

“Yes, well, as best I can be without being a doctor,” Annita admitted, struggling to get her blankets out of her pack momentarily.

“Good, that will make this easier. When we take damage, we do have our health points to fall back on that normally rebuff some of the damage and protect our vitals. They have something similar, however, it affects their ability to rearrange their internals and regenerate from damage taken. When we are fighting them, we are wearing down their ability to heal until we can make a lethal blow they can’t recover from. This gets stranger when the creature is not entirely flesh. There have been plenty of instances of plant life also being affected by the corrupting aura of the Seeds. They usually operate on the principle of rapid growth to repair themselves.”

“I see,” Annita said, as she noticed Kat returning with some wood. “It’s really nasty to look at. Almost didn’t believe what I saw.”

“Yes, I understand the reaction.” Bren smiled as he took the wood from Kat and started the fire. “It is a disturbing portion of their nature. I personally have seen many of the creatures, and their forms are as variable as their ability to utilize this nature. Some, like the Twinwolves, have very little capability to modify their internals. When they take damage, they can resist to a point, but any major damage will persist. Larger creatures, or special cases, have some truly incredible levels of regeneration and modification.”

“Is it bad that I don’t want to run into anything like that?” Annita cringed at the description. It reminded her of horror movies back in her times, like The Thing. The reality of something like that was much more disgusting. She shook herself of the memory and focused on the future. “So, how far away from Graven Peak are we?”

The sun was setting, long shadows looming from the trees at the edges of the field they’d found themselves in. The fire sparked, warming them with its orange glow. Kat had settled close to Annita, with Bren sitting opposite them.

“’Bout a week? Give or take a few days. Mostly forest ‘twixt us an’ there.” Kat said, munching on a biscuit.

“Yes, though things may be more complicated than we expected. Did you hear about the Seed that was further to the south?” Bren asked, taking a sip from his cup. “Well, in any case, it has moved.”

“They can do that?” Annita asked, cocking her head so her ears flopped slightly.

“Yes, now and then. It generally coincides with some event impacting the presiding God’s domain. Of course, there are several forests and rivers in this area, each with a God to watch over them. Though they have taken a step back, there were many such deities scattered across the lands. I wonder if an avalanche occurred, or if a river burst a dam somewhere to the south.” Bren let out a heavy sigh before packing away his rations. “Regardless, it is in our path now. We will either need to make a detour around it or march through it.”

“Takin’ someone so new through somethin’ like tha’s not a great idea, Bren.” Kat sat forward at the mention of the new danger and was twiddling a long braid between her fingers. “Then again, shit’ll probably take us an extra week or so to get around. Ye said it was a Forest God’s Seed?”

“Yes, a minor one of the Choltar Forest. Of all the seeds to traverse, this would likely be one of the least dangerous. Not to say, Annita, that it will not be dangerous. Just comparably less so.”

“If it were just me ‘n Bren, we’d take it without questions. We’ve already got our protective blessin’s so we’re protected from the effects. Ye’ve got a Goddess’ backing, so ye’ll be fine. I’m a wee bit worried about ye, though, Ann. Guess we’ll leave it up to ye. Think on it a bit. We’ve got time.”

“Thanks.” Annita tilted her head back to stare up at the stars. It was still early in the night and the moon had yet to rise. The camp fell into a quiet peace, the only sound being the crackling of the flames.

It was a hard choice. Not one she was sure she should even be making. She’d been here all of four days. Now people were asking for her opinion. Daily battles against monsters she’d only seen in fiction, and some even outside what she expected. She hadn’t taken the time to think about how crazy her life had been. Now they wanted to go through an even more dangerous place.

Her thoughts drifted to Orenous and her conversation with the Goddess. She’d been chosen. For what reason, neither of them really knew, but there was something about her that had a chance of helping. That, and the Seeds were what she was supposed to be looking into, anyway. Eh, fuck it. In for a penny.

“Yeah, let’s do it,” she said, looking back down at her companions. “I’m gonna have to go into one of them eventually. A less dangerous one sounds like a good idea.”

Kat looked to her, a questioning raise of an eyebrow probing for any worries. Not finding anything she disliked, she let out a held breath. “Alrighty then. We’re gonna be headed in tomorrow, aye?”

“Yes,” Bren agreed. “It should be earlier in the morning when we cross the threshold. Annita, I know you have no experience with these domains in the waking world, so let us explain a couple of things. There may be more or less Warped residing in the Seed. The ones we do encounter will be of a greater threat than those out in the wilds.”

“Aye, and crazier. I’d say tae expect the unexpected in there. Shit’ll be all over the place as well. It’s a God’s domain. Their world, if ye will. They don’t have tae play by our rules. Forest God means we’ll probably have tae deal with plants an’ shit.”

This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.

“The warped can be plants as well?” Annita asked, bemused. “Thought it’d only be animals.”

“Nae, just about anythin’ that’s livin’ll be susceptible tae the influence. Usually animals outside the actual Seed though.”

“Correct. Terrain may change drastically as well. You may enter from a flat plain and encounter a mountainous landscape before you. As I said, anything is possible.”

The moon began to creep above the trees, signaling the night’s progress. Annita looked up and, for the first time, realized something was wrong with the glowing celestial body. How had she missed that before? It was in pieces, but not really? It looked like a clump of moons had been stuck together to imitate what had once been a larger whole. They were all round, tightly clustered, arranged in as close of a sphere as one could manage with what was there.

“The fuck is wrong with the moon?” Annita exclaimed.

“Huh, what’cha mean? What’s wrong with it? Always been like that.” Kat stared at her, clearly confused.

“No no no, it was not. I remember it being a single sphere up there. Thing’d just be looking down at us like a face. Not… broken?”

“That is odd. It has been as such in all the recorded histories I’ve read. If it was changed, it was likely during the Dark Ages. So strange. A single uniform sphere?” Bren had pulled out a piece of paper and was quickly scribbling down a note.

“Yeah, it controlled the tides, gave us light at night when it reflected the sun. It was a wonderful sight at night.” Annita sighed, taking in the new form of the familiar object.

“Fascinating. Fascinating. Thank you. I hope you do not mind me recording this information?” Ben asked, almost as an afterthought, still holding the paper.

“Nah, it’s fine.” Annita waved him off. “Not like it’ll change much here.”

“You never know,” Bren quipped with a smile as he tucked his note away into a thick book filled with other scraps of paper.

“Fair. All right, I gotta handle myself, and then we should probably get some sleep here.” Annita said, stretching before standing.

To her surprise, Kat stood with her, drawing Bren’s attention as well.

“Ye mind if I talk tae ya fer a moment in private?” she asked, eyes aloof, but driving home this was more than a request.

“Sure? Come on?” Annita accepted. She turned with a shrug at Bren, who seemed to be hiding a smirk.

“So, you gonna tell me what this is about?” Annita asked.

They had been walking for a few minutes in silence. Kat seemed nervous and Annita had a growing pit of anxiety that she knew what this was about. The Alfhindur had said she was into her. She said she’d want a tumble, but also that she wanted to wait for them to have a proper date. Did something change? Did her conviction break down? Was she trying to fuck now?

Annita shook her head, clearing her thoughts as they spiraled into lewdness and desperately tried to fight the stirring beneath her kilt.

“Aye. Just, aye. I have tae come clean with ye over somethin’ real quick.” Kat kicked at a small drift of snow as they walked. “Please don’ think worse o’ me. All right?” She paused, waiting for Annita, who nodded back. “I’ve been… watchin’ ye. The second night ye skipped off tae, uh, handle yerself, as ye put it. I know it wasn’t right, but I couldn’t help meself for some reason. I’m sorry.”

Annita stopped for a moment, staring at the woman next to her. She’d never heard anything during her escapades, never would have guessed that she’d had an audience. The thought brought a bright blush to her cheeks, and her heart picked up its pace.

“I… forgive you?” Annita said after a long moment. “I appreciate you telling me. I know we’ve had plans on escalating our relationship later, but wasn’t sure how you were feeling. I do like you, just, yeah. I’m not really a mind reader.”

“Nae, and I don’ expect ye tae be. I, ugh, I wanted tae do this right. Ye seemed special. I didn’t know how special at the time. Just that Orenous had chosen ye fer somethin’.” Kat found a fallen log and cleared a place to sit. Annita joined her after a moment. “Ye know I’m a Princess an’ all that now. I’ve had me own flings in the past, but with someone so important, shit, I felt like bein’ careful. Makin’ sure I was sure, ya know?”

“Kat, I think you’re overthinking this a bit,” Annita chuckled, her tail swishing behind her with amusement. “I got chosen by Orenous, yeah. Doesn’t mean I’m not just a person. I’m just some lost girl out of time that has no idea what the hell is going on, and trying to figure it out. Yeah, why I’m here is special. But I’m not. At least I don’t feel that way.”

“I get tha’. Honestly, feel the same way sometimes.” Kat let out a heavy sigh, turning her gaze to the shattered moon. “Bein’ a Princess is somethin’ I never agreed tae. Just a factor o’ me birth. Don’t like people treatin’ me all special over it, either.”

“So, want to just kind of start over?” Annita asked, leaning a bit closer to Kat, testing the waters. “Just two girls figuring each other out? Though I’m pretty sure we already know where this is going.”

Kat returned the gesture, leaning up against Annita’s shoulder, her head resting in the crook of her neck. “Aye, that’d be nice. I’m still gonna insist that the first time ye bed me, it’ll be in a proper bed. After a date and dinner. Don’t mean we can’t have other fun, though.”

Annita’s heart rate spiked again as she looked down into the mischievous stare Kat met her with.

“I gotta say, Ann, ye’ve got a hell of a tool down there. I’ve been waitin’ tae get me hands on it.” As she spoke, she leaned in, breath tickling the fur running down Annita’s neck. Her right hand traced around Annita’s back as her left leisurely reached down and began to stroke Annita’s thigh gently.

Annita froze, feeling the touch and whispered breath against her skin were electric. She couldn’t stop the arousal now and she didn’t want to. Kat was too much, and she’d wanted her since she’d seen the woman. She reached over, her right hand cupping Kat’s chin. She gently urged the woman’s face up until their eyes met. Annita’s heart skipped a beat as she leaned in and pressed her soft lips to Kat’s.

Kat returned the kiss passionately, quickly smothering Annita’s hesitant advances. She tasted lovely, Annita noticed, like warmth with a hint of a summer day. She loved the taste and eagerly deepened the kiss, her tongue pushing out against Kat’s lips. The other woman eagerly deepened the kiss, allowing the questing tongue in to play with her own. The heat rose between them, the cold seemingly no longer bothering Kat, as she withdrew her right arm from around Annita’s waist to undo her coat.

Gasping, Kat broke the kiss, leaning her forehead against Annita’s own. Her left hand had only sped up in the meantime and Annita was sure she could feel the tent she was pushing up under the heavy fabric.

[Edited for sex scene. Please head over to Scribblehub for the full thing. Thanks!]

Kat once again broke the kiss first, still desperately out of breath. “That was. Holy shit, that was amazin’ Ann.” She closed her eyes and leaned her head back.

“You were too. Do we really have to stop here?” Annita asked as she moved to sit next to Kat, hand idly stroking the flesh above Kat’s pussy.

“Fuuuuuck, I don’t wanna. I really don’t, but we should. I’m… I’m not thinkin’ straight anymore, ya damn sexy she-wolf.” Letting out a frustrated groan, she reached down and began to put her pants back on.

“So, not just this time, yeah?” Annita asked hopefully.

“It better fuckin’ not be. I’ll hunt ye down if it is.” Kat threatened as she fastened her belt. “Yer not escapin’ me after that. Graven Peak is gonna shake, mark me words.”

“Promises promises,” Annita teased with a smirk as she helped Kat stand on somewhat shaky legs. “Let's get some sleep.”

“Aye, feelin…” Kat let out a long yawn. “I’m feelin’ the call o’ me pillow. Move yer roll next tae mine, will ya?”

“Yeah, I can do that.” Annita smiled as she took Kat’s hand. She smiled again as she felt their fingers intertwine naturally. “Thank you.”

“Nothin’ tae thank me fer. Ye more than returned the favour.” Kat whispered, leaning on her shoulder as they walked.

Bren was seemingly asleep by the time they got back, so they silently re-arranged their sleeping positions, and shuffled into their bedrolls. Before they nodded off, Annita rolled over, kissing Kat gently one more time. “Good night, Kat,” she whispered.

“G’night Ann,” Kat whispered back sleepily as she drifted off.