Meva is a region that almost seems like it came from the gods. Grand, pristine utopia's high in the mountains in the north-western part of the continent of Aglecia that could be seen from afar had become something of a speculated 'world wonder' amongst tourists and travellers alike. But Meva's capital, known as 'The Marble City' Miranti, was the most stunning the famous of all Meva's little towns and cities-- but it wasn't the only place where Meva's main inhabitants, the Avians, made their nest.

Tane didn't know what to initially think when he had hopped off the carriage, but his first thought was his utter surprise to find Avians living at the base of the Silva Lapi mountains. The canine, with his mixture of black and dull amber fur and pointed, young features, turned his head and watched as his transport from the neutral central continent of Portum all the way into Meva trundled off, with many more stops left to go in its journey. Adjusting the heavy pack slung over one shoulder, the canine merged onto the main dirt path that led through the small town that quite literally hugged the base of the mountain range and was effectively built around it. It was an imposing sight to look up and see the rocky mountain beyond, but it was also a wondrous sight-- for in the distance, right near the top, Tane could see The Marble City itself, glittering out of reach yet close enough for him to see the tiny specks of avians flying around.

Many would have questions why exactly a canine, whose home country Sinaca was directly opposite Meva on the other side of Portrum, would be in Avian territory, and the answer was simple: work and immigration. The young canine was just barely of age, having passed his rite of passage and become an adult at 18, and had always dreamed of exploring Aglecia for himself. Meva was an obvious first stop despite its distance-- most of the other countries bore their own bad rumours, but the Avians were universally praised to be 'good people', something that Tane could resonate with-- for he, himself, was 'good', or he at least hoped he was.

The town, which he'd heard was called Radi from the other carriage-goers, was strangely quiet yet quaint. He quickly came to realise through his walk that the main intention of the town was agriculture, and it quickly dawned on him as to why. Down on the ground was rich soil and abundant wildlife, but the mountains were cold and desolate. It would be extremely difficult to feed a growing population so high up, but having farms on the ground would solve that problem. Tane had to wonder if there were some Avians who enjoyed being on the ground-- he'd have to ask, when he found one.

Ultimately, Tane didn't have a plan. He wanted to explore and travel, but he didn't have much financial aid in that regard-- the carriage ride alone had taken a massive chunk out of his finances, leaving him with only a handful of gold coins that he guessed could survive him a few nights at a tavern or an inn. A couple of days should hopefully be enough for him to find some work, so that he could afford to go elsewhere; he'd love nothing more than to go up to Miranti, but he had a feeling it would be expensive to do so. He hadn't really trained in much as a child-- he knew how to fight and thought himself good with a sword, but he lacked any significant life skills. Would anyone take him in for a job if he asked for something cheap? He hoped so.

His first destination should have been a place to rest, but Tane found himself wandering, travelling through little urban areas of the town before he reached the outskirts, where fields of crops spread farther than he could see and over rolling hills. The sun shone high overhead and generally gave the area a full and summery vibe that made him feel at peace. The cool breeze that wafted through the air every so often helped to cool him from the otherwise warm heat from the sun above, but he still panted like a canine would regardless to try and vent any excess warmth.

They grew a great many different things in Radi, from what he could see. The crops were roughly halfway through their harvest cycle, due to be reaped and stored in the fall before the winter set in, and before him lay fields of wheat, orchards and cabbages, as well as smaller plots home to more exotic vegetables and rows of large trees bearing fruit. It was a polished and organised operation they had, and Tane found his mouth water at the thought of something juicy to eat-- he was a carnivore and his stomach didn't suit vegetables, but he couldn't resist the odd fruit sometimes, even if it was bad for him. The natural sugars were addicting.

Tane wandered down the path that separated the feels, his nostrils flaring as he took in the sights and smells of the land before him, the aroma on the wind of plant life and foliage intermingled with the quiet hustle and bustle of the town behind him. Suddenly to his right, the shaking and rustling of the nearby orchard caught his attention, his ears twisting towards the source of the noise. Instinctively he knew it was an unnatural sound, and he turned his head in the direction of the noise's origin, as curious as most canines could be. He stared into the sea of bushes with its contrasting red and blue fruits, but nothing seemed out of the ordinary-- that is, until the bushes parted and someone slipped through them.

The canine stopped in his tracks as his eyes fell upon what he considered to be the most beautiful creature he'd ever seen. From between the bushes came an Avian with a pristine white coat and a grey, slate-coloured beak, clad in only a long flowing cotton toga that was muddied at the hem and marked with leaves and the odd scratch or two. Their form was slender and curvy, the feathers on the end of each arm fashioned into workable hands and their feet scaled and thin, ending in three toes with a singular toe on their heel. But, the most beautiful thing about them was their wild plumage, which predominantly curled upwards and splayed outline a fan atop their head seemed to give Tane the vision of a halo behind the Avian's delicate, elegant features. Their eyes locked and the canine sunk into their mesmerising teal eyes, like glittering gemstones. Tane had never experienced such a feeling as this before-- it was like time had stopped. The Avian's quiet chuckle brought him out of his trance.

"It's rude to stare, traveller. Or should I be flattered?" Their voice was light and airy, and Tane could only assume their femininity. Colour rose to his cheeks and he quickly averted his gaze at their comment, but a trickle of confidence surged in him. He'd seen many 'beautiful' women in this time, but none of them compared to the woman before him.

"I was...captivated by your beauty, m'lday." Tane excused himself, and that elicited another chuckle.

"You must be new to Meva," They guessed, eyes sparkling with amusement. "Or you'd know that most of my kind are quite androgynous. Whilst I won't hold it against you for assuming...I think it's only prudent to inform you I'm the opposite."

"Oh...Oh!" Tane felt his cheeks redden even more as his insides twisted with a mixture of embarrassment and sexual confusion. "M-My apologies, m'lady--lord! M'lord...I, uh..."

A loud, yet somehow thin and tinkling laughter echoed through the air, as the canine watched the Avian throw his head back and laugh. Tane almost felt as if he was being teased-- but he was aware he was floundering, and was man enough to swallow down his pride. All of a sudden, he bowed, like one might do to a prince.

"Forgive me," Tane levelled his voice. "It was rude of me to assume, and you would be correct-- this is my first time in the area, and in Meva in general."

"Well, at least your family raised you to be polite," The Avian smiled, eyes looking Tane up and down. "But you needn't stand on ceremony, traveller. I am but a farmer...though I only work the orchard fields."

"Oh! I see." Tane raised himself up and cleared his throat, his tail instinctively tucking down near his legs and betraying his nerves. "My apologies, I just..."

"Assumed?" The bird's eyes twinkled with mischief and Tane felt himself grow more flushed them before, if that were even possible. An awkward chuckle barked from between his legs and an awkward silence fell between them. They stood barely a few metres apart, and the orchids were dug into something of a trench or pit-- the Avian was, for all intents and purposes, lower down than the canine, who stood on the raised path above.

"Um...Tane," The canine held out a hand, realised the distance between them and awkwardly retreated it. "Tane Kama."

"Kama," The Avian's eyes brightened before he bowed, clutching halfway down his toga and lifting it in a particularly feminine curtsey, confusing Tane even more. "To mean child. Well, it does suit you. A pleasure to make your acquaintance."

"A pleasure indeed," Tane grinned, but he felt uncomfortable. "Ah, but no need to be so formal. I am no noble, either. Just a traveller."

"Then I shall treat you equally, though kindly," The Avian raised himself up and lowered his toga back down, placing his hands behind his back. "I am called Isa."

"No family name?" Tane asked, doing his best to tease in the same way that Isa had in kind, but he wasn't an expert in the art of flirtation, so it came out a little flat.

"Well, your admittance to being new to Meva rings true," Isa smiled warmly, the warmth reaching his eyes. "Unless you are a noble, Avians have no familiarity in family name, only in individual honour."

"Oh...I see," Tane shifted on the spot. "That is rather peculiar. In Sinaca, family is...well, everything. To the point of nauseation, even."

"I think I understand. It is a trait of the canine species, correct?" Isa hummed his interest, stepping out from the bushes and up onto the path, getting closer. "I have never ventured far from Radi, but many travellers come through here. Sometimes they strike up conversation, sometimes they do not. After a while, one tends to pick up all manner of little morsels of information."

"It sounds like you have quite a lot of fun talking to travellers," Tane remarked, adjusting his satchel-- it was beginning to ache his shoulder. "I trust I would be one of them."

"For once, your assumption is accurate," Isa chuckled lightly, turning away from him and glancing at him over his shoulder. "From the look of your satchel, you've only just arrived in Radi. If it's convenient for you, I have space at my abode. I ask for no coin-- only a little company, and stories of your hometown."

It was a generous offer, but Tane was nervous-- he wanted to easily be swept up by the Avian in front of him, who was simply too beautiful for words, but he knew better than to ask for hospitality from strangers. Despite the Avians being a naturally 'good' species, Tane wasn't so naive as to think that they were all the same-- not only was it prejudice, but also foolish. He'd already been scorned at a child many times, as anyone would when they had a hard life. Isa paused and turned a little more towards him, and Tane knew he sensed his hesitation.

"A mere orchard worker like me can do you no harm, Mr. Kama," Isa insisted. "What am I do to, pick berries maliciously?"

Her airy, light sense of humour easily broke down his walls and Tane found himself grinning at Isa's little joke.

"Just Tane is fine...Isa. Lead the way." With the ice broken and his tension loosened, Tane naively followed Isa down the path. He wanted to initially ask if it was okay for the Avian to suddenly stop working, but he had a feeling that they intended to stop just as he happened to be passing by. After all, the sun was already slowly beginning to set overhead. Their journey took them along the length of the orchard, where Tane could see a small hut in the distance right on the edge of the fields: it looked small and dingy, but somehow quaint in a way.

"Is this your orchard?" Tane found himself asking without even really thinking too much about it, casting his gaze over the rows upon rows of little bushes filled with unripe berries that had to be roughly a quarter of the size of Radi itself-- most of the other plantations were the same in one way or another, though ones containing the likes the wheat were substantially larger, almost double in size.

"Yes and no," Isa hummed. "Are your familiar with business terms, Tane?"

"Uh, no. Not at all," Tane admitted. "I grew up sword-fighting and doing manual labour."

"Quite the adventurer, aren't you?" Isa teased. "To put it as easily as I can manage, I get paid to pick the berries and water the plants, but someone else owns it."

"Someone else? Who?" Tane frowned. Isa didn't answer him verbally, and instead pointed upwards with a single feathery finger towards The Marble City high up in the mountains above. Tane stared up at the tiny buildings in the distance and the flock of flying birds circling it-- he wasn't sure if he'd ever get over the sight.

"Do you like it?" The canine abruptly asked. "Your work?"

"It's less about enjoyment, and more about earning my keep," Isa explained. "Coins are in the root of all things, even our emotions. To live a happy life, one must have wealth, isn't that correct?"

"My sisters always said that freedom is more important than money," Tane rubbed the back of his neck, his ears and tail drooping. "So...it's not enjoyable?"

"It is simply a job, though on some days the view can be glorious, and there is something to be said about seeing the fruits of your labours...quite literally." Isa cast his teal eyes over the field as they took a right turn, walking down a significantly narrower path along the side of the orchard, wedged between a separate plantation. At the end of the path lay Isa's abode, and the closer they got the smaller it looked-- it was hard to imagine that such an elegant Avian lived in such a small place.

When they reached the door, Isa didn't hesitate to push it open, and Tane noticed that it didn't even have a lock on it-- crime rates must be low in Meva for a pretty Avian like Isa to be so secure in his own home, but Tane couldn't help but feel nervous on his behalf. He hesitated in the door as Isa stepped through, holding it open for the canine to come in. Tane quickly realised he was loitering and cleared his throat awkwardly, stepping over the lip of the doorframe and heading inside.

The canine took a moment to survey the small shack whilst Isa closed the door shut. Despite how shabby it looked on the outside, it was very well made and furnished on the inside-- a rug covered the entire carpet and all of the furniture seemed polished and neat, despite Isa's humble occupation. There was one thing that Tane noticed very quickly, however: just about everything one needed to survive was crammed into a single room. On the left was a small coal stove with a plate on top for cooking, sitting beside two tables: one sat out from the wall and bore chairs for sitting, whilst the other was pressed up against the wall under a window and bore a sleek slate countertop, cut to size-- which seemed arguably expensive, all things considered. On the opposite side of the room was a small bed made of hay and wood, with a handful of blankets laid on top, and a small shelf bore a collection of books in the universal language of Algrecia. It was a little barren, but the necessities were there, and the quality of the furnishings was obvious.

"You can place your satchel down, you know." Isa informed him in a teasing, and Tane snapped out of his trance and placed his bag down by the door, where it would be out of the way.

"Sorry," Tane began. "I just...was taking in the place."

"Is there something wrong with it?" Isa had to ask, making his way over towards the old stove and placing a kettle within a compartment that sat atop the flames, made for boiling water. He crouched down and began to rub some sticks together amongst the coals.

"N-No, just..." Tane hesitated to critique or remark about certain things, but swallowed his nerves. "I'm just surprised. In Sinaca, things such as slate and furnished wood are a rarity."

"We are a people who believe in the craft," Isa explained. "...And I happen to be friends with a very good craftsman, who offered to make me some furniture for a discounted price."

"Ah...I see." It made sense now, to a degree. Tane idly paced around the room for a moment as Isa worked the fire, eventually sparking a flame that he slowly nursed into something more substantial. The moment of brief silence felt like it lasted an eternity, at least to Tane-- it wasn't that he was uncomfortable with strangers...just uncomfortable with Isa. His beauty made him feel like he had to put on his best performance, and he was struggling with something akin to stage fright.

"Aren't you going to remove your coat?" Isa gestured to the thick cloth that Tane had slung around his body, travelling no further than his waist, and the canine hadn't realised how warm he'd felt until he became aware of how many layers he was wearing. He peeled himself out of his coat and draped it over the back of one of the wooden chairs, revealing a stiff cloth tunic with a leather cuirass over top-- it was lightweight enough to move around him, but gave him a sense of security to be protected. His legs were the same: though he bore normal linen pants that trailed all the way down to his ankles, his shins and knees were ladened with leather plates. He looked almost like an adventurer.

"You look like quite the soldier in that getup." Isa remarked as Tane sat down on the chair he'd just draped his coat over, and the canine sheepishly grinned.

"A habit from my training days," He admitted. "Plus, going to somewhere new makes me a little nervous. You never know what can happen on the road."

"That's very true." Isa held a feathered hand over the flame to gauge the heat, before he withdrew completely and stepped away, waiting for the water in the kettle to boil. He slipped into the seat opposite Tane and leant forwards, resting his body on an elbow and propping up his head with a hand.

"So tell me more about Sinaca, Tane," He began. "I've heard a few things here and there, but in my experience most Canines rarely have time for chitchat."

"Ah, well...I'm not sure what to say, really," Tane blushed, feeling put on the spot. "Sinacans tend to be very true to familial values, and stick with their relatives...packs, is what we call them."

"And how rigid does one stay to those values?" Isa queried, eyes alight with interest. "What if, for example, one's own father were to be branded a murderer?"

"That's...a little morbid," Tane commented, eliciting a chuckle. "But we still have laws. Our familial bonds are quite tight...but they will break under authority."

"I see..." Isa hummed for a moment, leaning back and easing himself up. "That's quite different from Meva, I must say. We have mothers, fathers, siblings...but we are each our own individual. Unless your are the monarch or nobility, your family does not matter, and we are raised to care little about it. Leaving the roost, so to speak, is a rite of passage."

"Well, I won't say that it's the same in Sinaca, for the most part..." Tane replied, hands fidgeting. "There is as much expectation on the single person to raise a child and an elder as there is for the opposite. But one is expected to break away from the pack once they find a mate-- adulthood is considered 16, but one could live with their family for up until they time they find a mate. It's our way of propagating our species. It seems fairly simple...but the rule is quite firm. Once your mate is with child, you no longer live with your family, at all or ever."

"Are you quite the outlier then?" Isa asked. "I presume you have no mate, and...well, you are not in Sinaca."

"...To a degree," He admitted. "Canines moving out of Sinaca are not uncommon, but typically they are older generation Sinacans looking for work. Merchants, mercenaries, labourers...individuals whose family lines have dried up due to a lack of a mate. I am definitely quite the outlier in my family, and they weren't very happy with me leaving. I'm not sure if they'll even want me back, if I come home."

Tane bowed his head, his brow furrowing as the thought of it alone sent his head in turmoil. He'd never really gotten on well with his family, and felt their traditions too claustrophobic. He felt suffocated by them and wanted to be away from their values that insisted he find a mate and make children as soon as possible.

"That sounds like a hard childhood, Tane." Isa's voice was quiet and soothing, and it pulled Tane back from his wild thoughts. The canine sucked in a breath, ears perking back up from their initial folded-down appearance.

"It's alright," The canine smiled, though he knew it didn't reach his eyes. "And my upbringing wasn't difficult, just...busy and expectant."

"Did you have many siblings?" Isa asked, covering his beak with a hand as he chuckled. "I've heard tales that Canines tend to bear large litters."

"Ah...4 brothers and 5 sisters." Tane admitted. "My parents were quite in love."

"You weren't...expected to be a mate with one of your siblings, were you?" Isa asked, and Tane sat upright, turning rigid. He must have looked quite strange, because he saw Isa's eyes widen and he leant back further in his seat, lowering his gaze and bowing his head in apology.

"I-I, um, no," Tane stammered. "Well...as a last resort. I hear it's common amongst nobility, but I was never interested."

"I can tell," Isa awkwardly replied. "I apologise if I made you uncomfortable."

"No, no," Tane began, rubbing the back of his head and quietly sighing. "In truth, I've never considered the notion...that's what brought me to travel."

"Never considered...mating?" Isa asked. Tane knew this line of conversation was a little strange, yet he felt strangely comfortable talking about it.

"Indeed. Is...is it peculiar that I have never found attraction in neither man nor woman?" Tane asked. "I've known men to fantasise about men-- one of my brothers is similar-- but I could never find someone who I truly felt was beautiful."

"Well...that surely must be untrue. After all, what you said earlier should assure you of quite the opposite." Isa pointed out, and Tane nodded along, as if it was at the forefront of his mind.

"And, forgive me if this sounds quite forward for that is not my intention, but..." Tane felt more and more nervous as he spoke. "You are the first."

"Oh my," Isa seemed to understand, covering part of his face with a hand as if to hide his expression. "I'm afraid I don't have an answer for your dilemma, though I am certainly flattered."

An awkward, tense silence fell between them again as Tane began to feel embarrassed for even bringing it up, flirting like some child. Thankfully, the whistling of the nearby kettle broke the silence and Isa rose from his seat to attend to it, taking the kettle from it's holster and bringing it over to the slate table, where he retrieved small cups from a shelf above along with a small wooden box-- Tane was familiar with the art of tea brewing, though it wasn't common in Sinaca.

"What about you?" Tane tried to move the conversation away from himself and onto the Avian, hoping it would make for better conversation. "Do you have any siblings?"

"Ah, just one. A brother, 2 years my senior," Isa began, pouring out two cups and dashing something into the contents out of view. "I have not seen him in a couple of years, but I've heard he works as an exotic dancer in Portum. He always did have the figure for it..."

"O-Oh," Tane gulped. "Is that quite common? I wouldn't have thought someone from Radi would become a dancer..."

"Well, we were originally from Miranti, but we both struggled to find work when we left the nest at adulthood," Isa explained. "Whilst I found a kind man who allowed me to work the fields, my brother Lia caught the eye of a wealthy Reptile who owns an underground club in Portum. Before I knew it, my brother was whisked away."

"Do you miss him?" Tane asked the question before he considered how insensitive it was, and he quickly felt guilty.

"A little," Isa turned, two cups in hand, and returned to the table. "But I understand that one must make their own way in the world...you and I are quite alike in some regards, Tane."

The canine looked down as Isa pushed the cup towards him, and he held it in both his hands, bringing it up to his muzzle. His nostrils flared as his sensitive nose picked up the peculiar aroma of the tea, and he gingerly took a sip. The mixture of bitter combined with sweet hit his tongue and briefly recoiled, before smacking his lips, tilting his head in surprise.

"Quite the combination, hm?" Isa giggled, taking a sip for himself-- unlike Tane, who lapped with his tongue, Isa brought the cup level to his beak and effectively poured it all the way down to the back of his throat. It was quite the sight.

"Bitter, yet sweet. I believe it tastes of berries, too," The Canine was surprised. "I wouldn't mind this on the odd occasion, but Canines have a delicate diet."

"I understand," Isa nodded sagely. "But a treat is good once in a while, is it not?"

"You'll hear no complaints from me on that front." Tane chuckled, and the two sat in a brief silence as they sipped and enjoyed the berry-infused tea. Isa eventually set his cup down, now half-empty, and once again looked over at the Canine, taking him in.

"So, where are you travelling to next, after this little place?" Isa asked, leaning forwards in his seat as Tane hesitantly set his cup down, his Canine instincts tempting him to swallow it all down in one go.

"Ah, well...The Marble City, I hope," Tane looked down at his tea. "But I'm aware the journey will be expensive, so it's likely I may stay in Radi for a couple of weeks, maybe even months, until I can afford to travel up there."

"Mm...indeed, if you are not a native to this land then transport up the Silva Lapi Mountains requires quite a bit of coin," Isa agreed, looking almost apologetic. "Well, as I have said-- you may stay here as long as you wish, doubly so if it saves you some coin for your trip."

"I...greatly appreciate that, Isa. Thank you." The Canine bowed his head respectfully and brought to cup to his lips again as Isa leant back, before rising from his seat. He stepped across towards the countertop on the other side of the room, lingering there as he looked out the window towards a field beyond-- not his own, but the one opposite.

"You said I was beautiful, didn't you, Tane?" Isa suddenly said, causing Tane to briefly gag on his tea. He set the cup down and swallowed, feeling his heartbeat quickening as he parted his lips to speak.

"Y-Yes, I did. If it makes you uncomfortable, I--" Tane began, but Isa cut him off with his next words.

"What would you do to me, if you had the opportunity?"

Such a question both stunned and confused Tane, who felt like time had slowed down. His mind raced through many possibilities, all of which brought colour to his cheeks. For the first time in his young life, at the age of 19, he felt as if he was leaning into the one thing he'd never grasped: the idea of a mate. Was there love and infatuation? Possibly not-- though Tane was simply too naive to tell-- but there was definitely a physical attraction. When he didn't conjure up a response in time, Isa turned his head to look at the Canine over his shoulder, giving Tane the stunning silhouette of the bird's form, outlined by the glow of the sunset outside.

Slowly turning on the spot, Isa stepped across the room, feet and claws clacking on the wooden floor until he stood in front of the Canine, barely inches away from him. Tane shifted in his seat, turning to the side so that he could face him properly and respectfully. When Isa reached down to grab his hand, Tane hesitated, before allowing him to do so.

"In my culture," Isa spoke, barely above a whisper. "Simple things such as attraction are something to be praised and indulged. Such things need bear no strings-- unlike your customs, which place everything upon the importance of bonds. To us, it is merely enjoying the freedom to pursue who we wish. Is it not prudent to adhere to the customs of the local people when you are in their territory?"

"I-I don't doubt it," Tane spluttered, vividly feeling how warm and silky the Avian's fingers were against his own as he curled his hand, clenching the other's hand gently. "But I...forgive me, I'm quite nervous, and this is the first time I've ever..."

"I understand," Isa soothed. "All the more better to experience it first-hand then, yes? I will not lie, Tane-- I find you quite charming, in your own way. Your naivety is endearing."

"T...Thank you." Tane's face felt hot, enough to make his lips part, quietly panting. "But I am afraid I will only underperform."

"It is not about the performance, but about who you are performing for." Isa pulled Tane's hand closer to him and pressed the man's hand to his chest. Tane could feel the warmth and the hammering heart of the Avian beneath, beating in an up-tempo rhythm much like his own. Gulping again, Tane slowly rose to his feet and became aware of the different in their height-- Isa was barely a couple of inches lower than him, who was probably slightly above average height.

Isa reached up with his free hand, tugging at the shoulder strap of his toga and slipped it past the dip of his lithe shoulder, letting it fall down his arm. Without its main support, the toga dropped easily around his body and fell in a heal around his feet, giving Tane a very clear and obvious view of the Avian's entire body. Isa bore nothing underneath his toga-- no underwear, no tunic, nothing. Tane looked at the place that any man would, and he halted at the sight of Isa's crotch, or rather the lack of it.

"I...I thought..." The Canine began, and Isa chuckled, placing a hand on Tane's hip and slowly guiding him across the room towards the bed.

"You have a lot to learn, Tane." Isa teased. When they reached the bed, Isa got Tane to sit with just one light push, and the Canine settled down on the edge of the bed, watching as Isa crawled up onto his lap and steadied himself by pressing his feathery knees against the hay. Instinctively, Tane's hands went to Isa's hips to stop him from falling, and his fingers sunk against the plush feathers and met with the warm flesh beneath. Isa's hands ran up his arms and towards his face, where he cupped the Canine's cheeks and tilted his head up. It was impossible for them to kiss given the difference in their mouths, but the intent was there. Isa tilted his head to the side, sliding his beak past Tane's cheek and nestling himself close to the man's body as Tane instinctively burrowed his muzzle against the Avian's slender neck, parting his lips to pant hot, heavy air against the pristine white feathers.

Tane's hands instinctively roamed, unsure if he was really touching in the right places or doing the right thing-- but it felt good to him, to feel the way Isa tensed and huffed against his neck as his claws danced up the bird's spine and down to his ass, where his hands grasped and squeezed the Avian's plump, malleable cheeks. The way that Isa quivered made him think he was on the right track, and as his hands sunk down and around to the Avian's thighs, Isa leant back and stroked through the Canine's fur, along to the back of his neck and up his head towards his ears. Tane melted slightly as Isa's thumbed the man's pointed ear between a feather finger and forethumb.

"You're a little overdressed." Isa pointed out, and Tane's hands halted as he became aware of the fact he was still fully clothed. Stammered his apologies, he reached up towards his hips and began to unfasten the leather cuirass around his waist, as Isa's hands travelled down to work on the shoulder straps. It didn't take long for the breastplate to fall away in two pieces, and Tane dropped to the wooden floor without a second thought, reaching for the hem of his tunic top and holding Isa's back with one hand as he attempted to wrestle himself out of it. 

He eventually managed to yank it over his head after lifting his arms up all the way, revealing a fairly athletic figure beneath that was neither too muscled nor too lacking, his chest and stomach predominantly a smoky brown whilst the rest of him was a dazzling charcoal black. Two columns of nipples ran down his body, minute and barely noticeable, but Isa found them with ease and trailed his finger down one side of them, causing Tane to naturally tense against his touch.

"You've quite the figure-- your boasting about swordsmanship training rings true." Isa remarked, and Tane reached up to clasp at the Avian's sides, eyes looking him up and down.

"And you are as beautiful as I envisioned." Isa was white all over, like an angel from heaven, without a speck or mark anywhere that he could see. Isa giggled and leant forwards, pressing their bodies together as Tane affirmed his grip on those plump white hips. With a light push, Isa eased the Canine down, coaxing him to lay with his back against the hay mattress, covered only by a well-placed blanket. There Isa straddled him, leaning back so that Tane could get a full view of the Avian's front. Tane took him in, unable to keep his eyes off the male's form-- why was he like this? He had never doted on any female of his species despite the fact he could find them objectively attractive and worthy as potential mates, but the minute he met Isa everything changed. Was it alright to lay with a man, when he hadn't furthered his bloodline? His hesitance was no doubt obvious, yet Isa said nothing, as if he foresaw that Tane might be struggling with his inner turmoil.

Slowly, Tane moved his hand, sliding it from Isa's hip and up towards his stomach, his fingers running through the feathers against the grain and causing them to stand upwards, before he smoothed them down. On his journey downwards, he trailed a little lower than he should and Isa visibly trembled, letting out a quiet grunt that Tane barely heard. The Canine's fingers halted mere inches above the Avian's crotch, still confused by the complete lack of anything therein.

"Go a little lower," Isa instructed. "And twist your hand. Just...pretend I'm a female, and you'll find your answer."

It was like the Avian had read his mind. Curling his hand so its palm faced upwards, Tane dipped his digits down as Isa quietly sighed, before the Canine's digits met with something warm and sensitive that spasmed against Tane's fingers and clenched, as if reacting to the invasion of his hand.

"I'm confused." Tane admitted, and Isa chuckled shakily, pushing his hips down against the Canine's fingers despite the tensing flesh.

"To put it simply, males and females of our species have the same external image...but the inner workings are different." He explained, and though Tane didn't understand fully, he thought he got it. However, one question came to his mind.

"Does that mean you intend for me to...mate with you?" Tane asked, his mind swimming with the possibilities of penetration and what it would look like, and furthermore the mere act of losing his virginity-- to an Avian male, no less.

"That is the idea." Isa accentuated the second word pointedly, before sliding his hips back, scooting until he was effectively sitting on Tane's knees, exposing the Canine's crotch. Though the man was still clothed, the heated mess from beneath his linen pants was particularly obvious visually, and Tane had no doubt that Isa had felt it.

"Ah, wait," Tane began, sitting up a little. "My knee and shin guards...they'll get in the way if I don't remove them."

Isa slipped from his lap and moved to sit next to him, and Tane hiked his plantigrade feet up, unbuckling the traps that kept the leather close to his body. They fell away with ease and left him lacking in armour, and Tane didn't hesitate to loosen the string that kept his pants up, slipping them past his hips and over his ass, finally becoming fully naked. He leant back and propped himself up with a hand, awkwardly showing himself off in all his glory-- a Canine member sat between his legs, red and veiny, with a fat bulbous knot and roughly 7 inches of sensitive flesh, both of which sat atop a pair of plump, fuzzy balls. Wedged between them was his sheath, tugged back and locked to keep his member out. The silence was uncomfortable for Tane, if only because Isa was saying nothing about his own manhood.

"Is it...have you seen one before?" Tane asked awkwardly and Isa's gaze snapped up to him. The Avian smiled and leant against his side, reaching out with his outermost hand and curling it around Tane's length. The Canine instinctively tensed and his body reacted, a thin string of pre-seed spurting from the end of his member like he was a wild animal.

"Oh, yes, I have," Isa assured him. "But it's been quite some time...you have quite the handsome body, Tane."

"T...Thank you. You as well-- well, beautiful, not handsome. Ah..." Tane's stammering was quickly cut off by the Avian's hand squeezing and stroking down his member towards the base, the side of his hand pressing against the man's knot. With a shudder, Tane reached out and squeezed Isa's inner thigh, huffing under his breath-- it felt so good for his first time, and he didn't want it to stop.

"You seem quite pent up, Tane." Isa remarked, applying a few more leisurely strokes and watching at more pre-cum spurted from the tip with as much force as the first time.

"Ah, well...in my c-culture, we're told never to mate ourselves so we can save as much as we need for potential mates. Not that everyone listens," Tane whimpered under his breath, pleasure dancing up his spine. "And it was, uh, a long carriage ride."

"I see," Isa smiled, the edge of his beak curling into a smile. "Well, let's not keep each other waiting."

Isa moved, sliding across the bed and tucking his legs in and around Tane's body, laying flat across the covers. Tane shifted and climbed up onto the bed, moving to line up with the Avian as he used his hands to prop himself up. Isa slowly spread his legs and Tane shifted in between them, their heads becoming level with one-another as Tane's thigh touched to the Avian's body. Tane was trembling, and he knew it was obvious, but Isa's touch against his arm soothed him somehow. He breathed a sigh, glancing down between their bodies to see his cock dragging along Isa's feathers, mere inches from his crotch.

"Are you ready?" Isa asked, and Tane parted his lips to speak, before closing them and reopening them again.

"Ah, what if I finish too early?" He muttered. "Or if I tie and hurt you, or..."

"It's okay. Take it slow." Isa assured him, and Tane stared down into his eyes. The look on Isa's face could only be described as 'smitten', and his eyes sparkled with an emotion that Tane couldn't decipher. With a nervous, shaky inhale, Tane teetered on one hand and used the other to grasp the base of his member. He slid his hips back and pushed his member down, smearing the tapering end of his canine cock down and against the Avain's hole. He struggled at first to find purchase, but soon felt the flesh parted to accommodate him. Isa's entrance stretched to fit the girth of his member and Tane hesitantly pushed forwards. Not a moment later he heard a grunt escape the bird's beak and he halted, feeling his body grow cold.

"I'm fine," Isa insisted with a smile. "It's just been a little while."

"But..." Tane hesitated, and Isa took the initiative. He hooked his legs around Tane's body, toes curling as he squeezed and pulling, forcing Tane to sink deeper. The Canine couldn't help but tremble from the feeling, the spasming, hot tightness that surrounded his member immediately coax globs and spurts of pre-cum from his member, and everything inside of him told him to thrust. It took a great deal of effort to restrain himself, and he tensed as he sunk deeper thanks to Isa's legs, burying further and further down until his bulbous, pulsing knot kissed with the Avian's cloaca, effectively hilting as far as he could go.

"Mmh...that's it," Isa hummed, reaching up with a hand and hooking it around the back of Tane's neck, pulling him down a little. "How does it feel?"

"T...Tight." He admitted, panting harshly through his parted muzzle. Isa's grip around his hips loosened and the Avian twisted his head, exposing his neck a little more as his other hand moved to Tane's side, stroking his fur.

"Take your time." Isa gently coaxed him, and Tane slowly pulled back, groaning under his breath as he slid all the way towards his tapered tip, before pushing down again. The combination of the Avian's own inner moisture with his member's pre-cum made the second thrust considerably easier than the first, and it felt just as good. His knot met with Isa's cloaca with a little more force than he initially anticipated and another grunt escaped the Avian's lips, causing Tane to briefly freeze. When he looked down, Isa could only smile, encouraging him to continue.

Slowly, Tane eased in on a series of thrusts, his eyes lidded over as he felt his carnal instincts taking the lead. Losing his virginity this way was both peculiar and yet everything he could have hoped for-- of course, he would have liked it to be with a beautiful woman, but in that moment it felt as if nothing could compare to the Avian man beneath him, who was so sensual and delightful yet strangely mysterious at the same time-- alluring was perhaps the best word to describe him. Tane's senses heightened with each thrust, his ears twisting to sounds of Isa's sighs of pleasure combined with the slowly moistening sounds of their sex, his nose picked up the fragrant aroma of their passion and the mixed bitter and sweet scent of the berry tea, and his touch felt the ragged hay beneath them, draped with rough cloth; a sharp contrast to Isa's intoxicating, soft body.

Tane's hands inevitably buckled at his felt a degree of physical exertion, and he settled on his elbows, pressing his head close to the Avian's body as Isa snaked his arms around to Tane's back, stroking along his athletic frame. Tane buried his head in against Isa's neck and breathed in his scent, parting his muzzle to tenderly lick and nip at his flesh and feathers as he slowly picked up speed. His loins already felt tight and aching, and he had masturbated before-- he could count on one hand the number of times in his youth he had tried it in private, afraid of his parent's scolding-- so he knew what that familiar tension meant. His panting huffs of fervent pleasure and need slowly but surely turned into laboured, whimpering groans as his thrusting movements became less fast and heavier, pushing down with a force unbecoming of a tender moment as his knot pressed dangerously to Isa's hole.

"It feels so good..." Tane muttered between his licking as Isa huffed and moaned against his ear, the Avian's inner thighs and knees squeezing tightly against his hips. Tane hadn't even been paying attention to Isa's moans, but they felt just as heavy and close as he was.

"Right there, right there..." Isa breathed into his ear, trembling and tensing beneath Tane's gyrating hips. After a few more thrusts, Isa's feathers fingers curled around the Canine's back and he clenched, shuddering and gasping audibly. Tane grew anxious and lifted himself up, but as he pulled himself back he realised what had happened-- against his cock oozed a fluid similar to his own, viscous and gooey, and as he plunged downwards Isa gasped and arched his back, clutching to Tane desperately.

"Keep going." Isa insisted, and Tane didn't need to be told twice. He began to pick up speed again, aware that he was nearing his own precipice, and Isa's panting in his ear made it all the more hotter. He leant back down again and pressed the Avian to the bed as his knot pressed firmly against the cloaca over and over, his cock steadily being coated in a sticky film of his own pre-cum and the Avian's orgasm, until each thrust was wet and audible, each meeting of their hips accentuated by a fervent slap.

Tane shuddered, feeling himself teeter over the point of no return. He buried himself down and grunted like an animal, pinning Isa to the bed as he pounded his last few thrusts. Every fibre of his being told him to tie, but he logically knew it was impossible-- Isa was simply too tight. Even as his climax finally reached him, his knot remained outside.

A tender groan escaped him as his body relaxed all at once, his knot swelling against Isa's cloaca and his member pulsing wildly within the confines of the man's mound. Thick spurts of virgin cum splattered and shot deep inside Isa, coating his innards in the gooey seed and spreading the warmth from his stomach up his body. Tane's form ached and begged for rest, but he kept his elbows firm, his breathing heavy and harsh. Slowly, he lifted his head up, and felt Isa's hands stroked his head, running through the tuft of fur between his ears and along his cheek.

"Good boy." Isa whispered, and Tane's tail instinctively wagged. A chuckle escaped the Canine's lips, and he buried his head back down, peppering kisses along Isa's neck.

"I love you..." The Canine weakly murmured, and Isa sighed, almost wistfully, stroking along his back.

"No you don't." He whispered in response, but Tane didn't even seem to hear. His elbows sagged and his weight pressed against the Avian's body, his eyelids drooping as his body demanded rest. In the bliss of his post-orgasm euphoria, Tane unwillingly let sleep take him, and he slumbered on Isa's body.

Tane's dreams were muddied and dark. He envisioned himself wandering through darkness until a light shone down and revealed his family, standing in a circle around him. They each spoke in turn-- first his mother, then his father, and eventually his siblings and grandparents. They shamed him for not finding a mate, shamed him for leaving, and then berated him for his choice of mate, for who he chose to lay with. They argued one on top of the other until they were all speaking at once, shouting and yelling until it became too much. Tane screamed for it to stop, and all of a sudden it did.

The Canine's eyes flew open and he bolted upright, his body hot and heavy and his breathing laboured. His mouth immediately parted as he began to pant in a desperate, animalistic attempt to shed any excess heat, and his eyes wildly darted around. For a brief moment, his mind didn't keep up with his surroundings and he couldn't remember where he was or what he was doing, but as the grogginess slowly left him, things became more clear. He remembered the fields, Isa, and the bed in which they had made love.

Tane looked down at himself to find a blanket draped loosely over his midriff, covering up his naked form. He was on the hay bed that Isa called his own in the Avian's little hut, but the man was nowhere to be seen. From the bed, Tane could see that it was dark outside through the window on the opposite wall. Slowly the Canine slipped out of bed, caring little for his nakedness as he made his way to the door. The brisk cold of the summer night hit his fur as he stepped outside and onto the dirt path leading away from the house, and he didn't have to look for long to find Isa, who was standing staring out across the fields, clad in the same toga as before. Slowly, Tane approached, not wanting to startle him but also not wanting to break the strangely serene trance he was in.

"Nice night, is it?" Tane eventually announced himself indirectly when he was only a few metres away, and Isa jumped, turned to face him, jumped again and then turned away.

"Goodness. Tane, you have no clothes on." Isa pointed out, and Tane shrugged, rubbing the back of his neck.

"Well, you said your culture was all about freedom," Tane pointed out. "And in my country, being naked isn't the worst thing in the world either."

"You're not wrong..." Isa replied, glancing back over to him and very deliberately looking him up and down. "Though you did surprise me. I would have thought you'd be more...shy."

"I would be...but we've..." Tane gestured awkwardly and Isa cleared his throat and smiled, looking away-- Tane was sure he'd blush, if his body allowed it.

"Why are you out here?" Tane had to ask. "I awoke just a moment ago and you weren't there."

"The cool breeze is calming." Isa replied rather simply.

"Do you...have a reason for needing to be calmed?" Tane stepped a little closer, and Isa glanced to him and gestured almost dismissively, chuckling slightly.

"I don't mean it like that," He assured him. "I mean that it's...serene and peaceful. Radi is not a busy town, so nights like these are...pretty."

"I see," Tane understood, approaching from behind and wrapping his arms around the Avian's stomach. "Not as pretty as you, I'd wager."

"You sure know how to flatter a man." Isa mused, smiling as widely as an Avian could manage. Tane rested his chin on the man's shoulder for a moment, soothed by his warmth. He pushed his horrible dream to the back of his mind and buried it down.

"Shall we go back inside?" Tane suggested, and Isa sighed, rolling his head and taking in the feel of the cold breeze.

"In a minute." Isa murmured, and Tane was fine with that. He cuddled him gently and closed his eyes, feeling the rhythmic beating of his heart.

He didn't know how long he'd be staying in Radi...but if things continued like this, he wasn't sure if he'd ever want to leave.