Perch noticed that their trek was quieter than usual. Previously Kit was often looking around to marvel at the sights, admiring what wasn’t usually found within their own territory. They were walking by a wild patch of flowers, which provided a tantalizing sight and aroma. Kit did look at them but didn’t dwell on the landmark. He seemed to be lost in thought, starting either at the ground or in the far off distance. Boreas wasn’t much better but the panda had made it clear from the beginning that he wasn’t enthusiastic about the whole ordeal. He didn’t want to pry while they were all together like this. That would have to wait until later when they were in the more private area. Luckily for him, they had a new addition to their group who was full of enthusiasm and then some. “Where are we headed next?” Bowie asked. “To the Nocturnal Outpost,” Perch said. “It’s a smaller part of the greater territory, much like the settlement in which we lay our heads.” ”I’ve heard about the Nocturnals but I’ve never met one of them myself,” Bowie said with some awe in his voice. ”Not surprising. They collectively keep to themselves, only occasionally gracing us with their presence when their trading or during the Convergence,” Perch explained. ”The Convergence,” Boreas repeated, sparing them any venom when he spoke. ”What’s the Convergence?” Kit asked. ”Ah, yes. You have yet to experience a great tradition shared among all of the tribes in the forest,” Perch said, turning around to face the bigger bear. ”The Convergence is a celebration. Midway through fall members of every tribe come together to just hang out,” Bowie chimed in. ”There’s more to the event than just ‘hanging out,’” Perch said with a chuckle. “It was started a long time ago, to celebrate the peace between the differing tribes and groups. Before the bitter cold of winter sets in everyone comes together. The celebration lasts seven nights. The tribes bring things such as food or any other supplies that they can spare. We all feast together and mingle with members of other tribes, in more ways than one. Supplies are also traded. Winter is a harsh season for everyone but some struggle more. We give supplies to those who need it to make the season easier to bear. As a whole, the celebration is about keeping the mutual bonds and respect for one another strong.” “Wow,” Kit said, needing a moment to take all of it in. He had just gotten to meet one tribe and the idea of having every group in one place. The idea was making his heart race. The lingering unease he felt had finally been chased away. ”If all goes to plan we’ll all be back home just in time for the Convergence,” Perch told them. Hearing that made Kit just as enthusiastic as Bowie. Even Boreas was in a better mood. Perch smiled as he continued leading the way alongside Largo. “And there…” Taking a step back and wiping the sweat from his brow, Moss admired his work. “Nice,” a panda said, halting his stroll to also observe the product of the black bear’s labor. Moss was already hard at work with the extension to the dwelling he called home along with Dusty with Kit. The kodiak bear’s absence allowed him and Dusty to sleep in their bed comfortably together. He enjoyed that at first but was already missing Kit. Instead of dwelling on it, Moss used those feelings as motivation to make the perfect place for all three of them, with enough space for them all to coexist comfortably, with a bigger bed to complete it all. “Thanks, Mikal,” Moss said, holding his head up high. In between his duties as a hunter, the black bear was adding more to the project day by day. Others stepped in to help but Moss remained in control but was somewhat tentative. He wanted things to be just as he envisioned; and that vision was solid. ”Hope you don’t take this the wrong way but you’re a much better builder than a hunter,” Mikal said. “No offense taken…this time,” Moss said, smirking as he set his hammer down on a nearby table that had other tools and objects on top. Stretching and groaning, Moss felt like it was time for a break. That’s when he was handed one by the panda. ”Thanks,” Moss said, downing the cool and sweet fruit juice that came from the nearby bar. Of all the bears that lended their assistance, Mikal came around the most. He and the panda were good friends, knowing each other since their youth. While he became a hunter and builder on the side, Mikal worked with the blacksmith and had experience with putting things together as well. Mikal was well known throughout the tribe, even if one didn’t know his name. He was the panda seen doing everything in the nude. The only time he was dressed was when he was working and that was to keep himself protected from sparks and hot metal. Fitting with his nudity was an open and inviting personality, often flipping to become something more flirtatious. Standing by Moss’ side, the panda was the most informed about what Moss aimed to do. ”First a grizzly and then a kodiak,” Mikal said after taking another swig of the sweet stuff. “You really love the big guys. Well, bigger than you at least.” “Yeah, yeah…” Moss said, scoffing and rolling his eyes with a playful flair. “That’s two more than you.” ”Fair enough,” the panda smirked. “And how about making the walls a bit thicker? We could hear you guys late at night all the way down there.” The “there” in question was a dwelling that Mikal was sharing with another, being on the other side of the settlement. ”Noted,” Moss said. “But I never thought you’d be complaining about that.” ”It was hot at first but..I started to get jealous. Two became three and…every other night. Every morning…” Mikal recounted. “Lucky dog…” ”Sounds more like jealousy. Almost as if…you wish it were you,” Moss said. “You know me, Moss. I’ll never settle for just one when I can have a little of everyone,” Mikal chuckled. “But yeah… I’ve always had an eye on Kit. Threw him every little clue I got. I thought he was cute as a human but now that he’s a bear…” “You’re telling me,” Moss agreed. “Tell you what, I can arrange something between you and him when he gets back. Kit is pretty dense. You gotta be upfront with him.” ”Dense, huh? He saw through you easily enough.” “Maybe you were just trying too hard,” Moss figured. ”I appreciate it but that’s going to be a while from now, what am I gonna do in the meantime?” ”Well, you can keep helping me with this for starters,” Moss said, knocking his free hand against the new foundation. “And I’ll give you some compensation.” ”Like the old days?” Mikal asked with an excited grin. “Just the way you like it,” Moss said with a nod. The two spent more time working on the dwelling’s renovation and expansion before Moss called it a day, feeling very proud of what he accomplished alongside his friend. ”At this rate it’ll be done faster than I predicted and that’s just with the two of us,” Moss said with elation. “We make a good team.” ”I still don’t know why you chose to be a hunter. You’re always tripping on something or missing the mark. You were always best when working with tools, putting stuff together…” ”Alright, alright, I get it,” Moss said. “Yeah, I really like putting stuff together but I also like hunting and patrolling, even if I’m not the best at it. Leaving my mark on trees and coming back with a prize that everyone’s laying eyes on.” ”You always were a sucker for attention,” Mikal said, punching his fellow ursine in the shoulder. ”Hehe…yeah,” Moss said, his smile fading a bit. He set the last tool down on the table and looked at what he had accomplished so far. The only thing more exciting than seeing it finished would be Kit’s reaction. It had to be perfect for him. The black bear’s thoughts were interrupted when he was grabbed from behind. Then his body was being rocked by the panda who was rocking his hips, humping against him while letting out playful grunts. ”Okay, it's time for that compensation,” Moss said, leading the panda inside of the dwelling and into the bedroom. “You say it like you don’t want it either,” Mikal said as he watched Moss climb onto the bed, lying on his big and round belly, having his rump presented, hardly obscured by his loincloth. “Just get over here,” Moss said, swaying his backside this way and then that way. “R-right.” Mikal closed the distance between them, getting onto the big and sturdy bed. The first thing he did was get the loincloth off so he could admire his friend’s ass in full. He got low enough to align himself with the hole that was exposed when the black furred mounds were spread. Mouth watering at the very sight, Mikal just dove right in. His tongue swept over the rim and another lick came right after, followed by another and another. This became smooth sweeps that were performed one after another, the tongue kept moving as it lubricated the black bear’s exterior. Once it was good and wet, Mikal saw fit to plunge his tongue through the ring of muscle in a way that made Moss jump. “E-easy!” Moss huffed, getting a slightly muffled chuckle from his friend as a reply. The panda’s thick tongue quickly slid into his depths and began moving around. Moss’ sounds of irritation then turned into soft moans as he was rimmed with a briskness. Mikal’s actions were swift, getting straight to the point without much build up. He could feel the wet and hot muscle lapping all over, doing so in an even manner. Going from one side to the other, Mikal was swift yet thorough. As he moaned again, Moss felt his cock sliding from its sheath. A few more licks were given before the panda pulled back, leaving his friend’s tailhole wet, slightly stretched, and winking. “Been a while since I’ve got to fuck this ass. Looks a bit bigger than I remember too. I did tell you to dial it back when we were younger. “It's all gonna to your hips,” I told you-” ”Will you hurry up?” Moss cut in. “Jeez, you’re no fun,” the panda said, still wearing a grin as he got himself on top of the other bear, getting himself comfortable on top of Moss. With his belly touching the black bear’s back and his cock slightly sunk in between the thick cheeks, Mikal shuddered and got himself properly aligned with the wet hole. “Here it comes.” Mikal pushed downwards, sinking his tip and then the inches further beyond in his friend’s ass. They both moaned out, one feeling himself being stretched and the other enjoying the heat and tightness that surrounded his cock. Mikal’s bearhood was particularly thick to make up for an amount of length that was just below average. The rimming, though done quickly, was enough for the dark colored flesh to slide right in, smoothly disappearing inside of the heavyset ursine that was below him. “Oof!” Moss grunted, feeling the entirety of his friend’s endowment. Heat was radiating from the erection and precum seemed to be leaking from the tip, making his anus all the slicker. ”You’re out of practice,” Mikal teased, shifting his hips to make his girth grind against the soft, sensitive borders. “Am not,” Moss groaned. “I took Dusty yesterday.” ”No offense to the grizzly but you haven’t taken something this thick in a while,” Mikal said as he pulled back. “Clearly.” Up and down, Mikal was slowly tugging his cock along, further stretching the other bear’s hole. He felt the rim giving way, allowing him greater ease of movement. Taking that and running with it, the black and white bear rocked his hips. The pace wasn’t slow but it wasn’t too fast either, a perfect middle-ground that kept the pleasure constant. Pushing down and pulling up again, the bear’s thickness was giving direct pleasure to Moss, making him all the more vocal. ”That’s a sound I haven’t heard in a while,” Mikal said. “You said…you hear us all the time.” “Yeah. But it's different this way,” Mikal shrugged and put more weight down, feeling Moss trembling beneath him. Even if the black bear was acting annoyed, his old friend saw right through him. Moss was enjoying this. It was just gonna take a bit more on his end to get the other bear to show it. While still thrusting, Mikal changed his aim, switching up the way he was pumping. It wasn’t a big change but enough to make Moss jump again. With a greater amount of his body weight put down, he could really feel the way that Moss was reacting. Mikal’s aim was to make this more than just sex to get their rocks off. He wanted to harken back to old times, when it was just the two of them fooling around in between figuring out what they wanted to do. Based on sound alone Moss was coming around, his moans and pants gaining a slight pitch that really sent a jolt down Mikal’s spine. ”That’s what I’m looking for,” Mikal growled. He actively resisted the urge to thrust in harder. He held himself back, just for the time being. Knowing Moss, the chubby ursine would let him know when to take things further. Moss was letting his enjoyment show, more and more. He managed to fully adjust to his friend’s girth and his body was responding to the pumps, squeezing in time with certain spots being touched. Not just the prostate but also areas deep inside of him that were stretched by the panda’s impressive amount of thickness. “A-alright, Mikal. You can speed up now,” Moss said. His voice came out strained, not because it was too much to handle but he fought to keep his true feelings contained. He wanted to yell it out, for his friend to really take him and fuck him hard but for now his pride wouldn’t allow that. The panda nodded and the next thrust that came with more power. Moss had prepared for this, taking a breath and bracing himself for what was to come, and yet a louder moan was forced out of him when the thick bearhood slid in, putting a greater amount of pressure on the black bear’s prostate. His body responded by tightening up around the panda’s rigid flesh. Moaning out together, the pair of ursines felt their arousal and the pleasure climbed all the higher. “Oh yeah…” Mikal grunted. Feeling the tightness increasing around his cock, the panda was all too happy to increase his output. He noticed that there was a slightly increased pitch in his friend’s voice. When he smirked Moss began to blush and broke their eye contact for a bit. ”Oh come on. Stop acting like you’re not loving this,” Mikal said. ”Y-yeah…whatever,” Moss responded. ”What kind of answer is that?” Mikal asked with a smirk and scoff. The other bear was just playing hard to get. None of this was bothering him. Moss’ body language was speaking volumes, revealing how he was truly feeling. For Moss it wasn’t just the direct pleasure that came from the length pumping back and forth, it was also the feeling of their bodies being so close. As Mikal thrust at this new pace, his body was constantly moving. Warmth was spreading throughout Moss, coming from their bellies rubbing together. Feeling the weight that was on top of him and seeing the varying expressions of pleasure on the black and white bear’s face was making Moss react in different ways. He would gasp, shake, his hole would again clench down on the hard flesh and in return Mikal would grunt, his cock pulsing and releasing more precum. Being stimulated by soft fur was Moss’ cock, leaking pre that was being smeared onto their pelts. The feel of it and the smells of them both was giving rise to greater amounts of excitement still being shared between them. Moss’ stand-offish outward appearance fell away more and more as time passed. He couldn’t’ deny how good it felt, being stretched like this and having that thickness reaching deep inside of him. It had been a long time since he felt something like this, really having his walls spread and his prostate pressed down further than it usually would. “There it is. That’s the look I’ve been waiting for,” Mikal said, easing his head down so that his nose was bumping against Moss’. “Looks cuter every time you do it.” “Just…fuck me already,” Moss huffed. He reached his hands up and pulled the panda in, pressing their muzzles together, leading the other bear into a kiss. This did catch Mikal off guard and knowing that gave Moss a feeling of satisfaction that went beyond the pleasure he was experiencing. Mikal melted from the touching of their tongues and began moving it as well. Their moans came out muffled as they continued, getting a taste for each other’s mouths, picking up hints of the sweet fruit juice they had consumed just a bit earlier. Without being told too, the panda put a greater amount of effort into his thrusting. The wet sound of his cock pulling free could be heard and even louder was the smack of their bodies connecting. Moss kept holding onto the other ursine, his hands roaming all Mikal’s back. He could feel the bed rocking in time with Mikal’s movements. His slightly blocked moans overpowered the panda’s in response to the repeated hard pounds that brought hard waves of pleasure. Still clenching down, Moss’ tailhole reacted to the pushes that were given to the prostate. Mikal would grunt in time with them, relishing the extra tightness he was able to hump against. Both could feel themselves getting close to their limits, their moaning turning into heated growls as the ending to their rendezvous was coming all the closer. The kiss between them was broken, a thick string of saliva keeping their mouths connected as Mikal changed his position somewhat, spreading his legs and planting his hands on the bed, getting himself in a more stable position so he could really rut the black bear. Listening to the more intense moans that came from Moss and the creaking of the sturdy bed, it was all making Mikal’s body tremble. Looking up at him, his muzzle hung open and his eyes full of want, Moss could feel his own cock throbbing all the harder, leaking more precum onto his lower belly. “You ready for it?” Mikal asked, keeping his eyes locked with Moss’. When he got a fervent nod as a response, the panda responded by putting all he had into a series of quick and hard pumps, being the first to snarl and shake as he came inside of the snug tailhole. Moss was right behind him, pulling him in closer as his cock unleashed ropes of seed that marked the both of their stomachs. “Wanna go again?” Mikal asked with a coy smile on his muzzle. Moss was going to respond but he instead perked up from all too familiar sounds of Dusty coming home. The grizzly had come back from his scouting task and immediately picked up on the smell of sex coming strongly from the bedroom part of their dwelling. When he pulled the cloth barrier to the side and stepped into the bedroom, he was pleasantly surprised to see Mikal still on top of Moss. “Mikal,” he welcomed. “It’s been too long since you’ve come by.” The panda slowly eased up from the black bear, rolling to the side, lying down next to Moss. “I decided to help Moss out with this little project, but for something in exchange of course.” “I figured,” the grizzly said, taking a moment to stretch and shake off the slight ache from his walking about, making sure that the borders were clear. “Funnily enough, I had a little surprise in store for Moss.” “Well, don’t let me stop you,” Mikal said. “I could use a breather.” “And you say I’m losing [i]my[/i] touch,” Moss said as he got up from the bed, walking up to Dusty who was approaching as well, letting his loincloth fall from his body, leaving him just as nude as the other bears. “Whatever...” Mikal said with an amused snort. While laying back, he watched as the couple came together, first giving each other a hug. While hugging his mate, Moss picked up on something. The bigger bear had been out working and it was easy to tell just by taking a whiff of him. Even while touching him, Moss could feel that the grizzly’s pelt was just a bit damp. “I could have stopped by the stream first but I knew you would like it. And getting cleaned up by a tongue is more fun,” Dusty said. He was speaking with a lower and more lustful tone of voice, letting his more dominant side show. Moss instantly grew excited all over again. He let the other ursine guide him and shuddered again when his muzzle was pressed to the grizzly’s wet and warm underarm. It was so potent, making the black bear’s mind fog up at first. The musk was so fresh that it was almost overwhelming but taking steady breaths allowed him to adjust and really enjoy the smell. With his inhales came small moans and hums. He got his muzzle in even further, panting hotly as he took deeper breaths, gently nuzzling the pit and smearing the dampness over his nose and lips. “Do you like it?” Dusty asked. Moss nodded in response, still nuzzling into the pit, his body language making it all too clear that he was loving this. A rush came with every sniff. The scent was pure and earthy, carrying the subtle tones of wind and spicy plants that grew along the edges of their territory. After another moan he gently touched his tongue to the pit, shivering from the first taste of the sweat. He heard Dusty sigh a bit and decided to keep going, easing out more of his tongue and licking directly at the underarm, giving himself an even stronger taste. The smell and flavor together was making him melt and it was evident by the way he was gently leaning against the grizzly. As more licks came his way, Dusty could feel the warmth slowly growing beneath his arm. Moss’ tongue was moving slowly, making repeated and controlled motions. It didn’t take long at all for him to get fully into it, licking with more speed and pressure, actively making sure that he was touching spots that he hadn’t before. Even as he licked away more of the perspiration, the scent remained, keeping him excited and aroused. He could feel his cock throbbing hard out of its sheath and continued to listen to Dusty’s sounds, the small gasps and groans that came in time with his licks. Watching the pair, Mikal was also feeling himself becoming more aroused. He could see Dusty keeping his arm up while Moss’ head was stuffed against his pit. Coming from the shorter and heftier ursine were slightly muffled moans and the sounds of licks and slurps. The wet lapping sound was sending shivers through him and his shaft began to throb again. “I could use some cleaning down here too,” Dusty said, directing the other bear to his crotch. Moss nodded and slowly got down until he was eye-level with his partner’s pulsing shaft. Dusty’s hand came down, placing itself on top of Moss’ head, guiding him again. The tip was pressed to Moss’ lips, a bead of warm pre was smeared over his smooth lips, making the black furred bear shiver and moan again. “Is this the same Dusty?” Mikal asked aloud. “He’s really good at hiding this side of himself but it's been coming out more and more since we’ve been together. And he’s gotten used to having two around to take care of him. Now I gotta pick up Kit’s slack,” Moss said with mock annoyance. Really he was happy to have all the attention again. Dusty had grown into quite the secret stud, willing to express himself more and try new things. Moss opened his mouth and welcomed his mate’s length in but he was caught off guard by Dusty pushing it past his lips with more force than expected. Dusty groaned above him as he fed his length to his mate, feeling his inches being surrounded by heat and wetness. Moss’ surprise didn’t last too long, he managed to collect himself and go along with it. He was used to this, noticing that Dusty was always coming back pent up after scouting. The length was already reaching into his throat and he just welcomed it in. “Whoa...” Mikal commented, watching as things were already heating up between the brown and black furred bears. Dusty gave Moss some time to adjust and Moss was moaning against the flesh that was sitting over his tongue and pulsing in his throat. Dusty started out by pulling back and grinding his hips, rubbing his length over the black bear’s tongue. Moss responded to this by licking all over it and wrapped his lips around the rest when it was pushed down into his throat again. Their near daily multiple rounds kept his orifices easier to penetrate than usual. Even though the treatment was a bit rough, Moss was handling it all without issue, gagging just a bit at most as Dusty thrust with a bit more force, grunting from the pleasure that came his way. Another pull back and thrust in caused the two to make noise again. Another moan from Dusty and the muffled sound of Moss. From there, the grizzly decided to properly hump into his mate’s mouth. Instead of the disjointed pulls and pushes, he was rocking his hips in a steady manner, making full use of Moss’ oral cavity. He was throbbing and releasing precum and it being gulped down would increase the tightness around his moving cock. Moss gulped down the pre, enjoying its taste and feeling it running smooth down into his stomach. He reached out and began to play with his partner’s balls, feeling them churning against his touch. Dusty grunted from the added contact, his shaft throbbing harder and releasing even more precum that had been stirred up by the stimulation. “O-okay... Just a bit more...” Dusty said. He moved his hand to the back of Moss’ head, holding it steady as he resumed thrusting but with greater force and speed this time. Moss didn’t need to do that much since most of the effort was coming from Dusty. But he still suckled and licked all over the pistioning bearhood, gulping down more of the precum, and breathing in the musk that was still radiating from the grizzly’s crotch. The smell was strongest when his nose was pressed against it. He would have a small window of time to breathe in the scent directly, shuddering from the rush that would come afterwards. Keeping his lips pressed to the wet surface of the shaft, Moss began to suck even harder and lick even more, listening to the thrusting bear’s growls becoming deeper. “H-here it comes..!” Dusty announced. He was at his peak but pulled his cock from Moss’ mouth, taking him by surprise. He gripped his length and gave it some rapid tugs, snarling and baring his fangs when he actually came. Firing from his tip were the first jets of his seed. Moss wasn’t prepared for it to come raining down on him, painting his face and chest. The gooey streaks stood out against his smooth black coat. Moss looked annoyed at first but being marked in his mate’s seed came with its own sense of satisfaction, especially with the scent of Dusty now being on another part of his body. “S-sorry... I just thought you would look hot like that. And I was right...” Dusty said, reaching a hand down to help the other bear onto his feet. “Just...a little warning next time,” Moss said as he wiped his mouth. “I agree with Dusty. That’s a good look for you,” Mikal said. “Ha ha,” Moss countered sarcastically. “Did you enjoy the show?” “Sure, I did but I’m still waiting for the next round,” Mikal said. “Well then, let’s not keep him waiting...” Dusty said. He already had a plan in mind and whispered it to Moss. He nodded and the two approached the panda. They had Mikal move down so that his legs were hanging off the end of the bed. Moss came in from the side and swallowed down Mikal’s cock. It was easy to do now that his windpipe was still feeling a bit stretched thanks to Dusty. With the panda’s length down in his throat, Dusty took a moment to adjust to the thickness before he started bobbing his head. “Oh damn...” Mikal moaned, feeling the smoothness of the other bear’s mouth sailing up and down his bearhood. He could feel Moss’ experience with every action, the soft sucks, swirls of his tongue, and the light squeezes of his windpipe. Just as the panda was getting used to the sudden oral stimulation, Dusty moved in with an open mouth. Mikal didn’t notice until he felt his balls being maneuvered by the grizzly’s tongue, slipped inside of the muzzle that gently closed around them. Just like his mate, Dusty wasted no time in sucking on the sack. This made Mikal moan out even louder, his tongue was swirling all over the furry orbs, making them wet with his saliva. A light taste and smell reached his senses and he hummed against the sphere’s, getting the most enjoyment purely from doing this with Moss, working in tandem with his partner. The pair of mouths working on his loins was making Mikal’s cock throb harder immediately and Moss was right there to swallow down his precum. It was clear that the two-toned bear hadn’t been expecting this, given more pleasure than he was prepared for. They were keeping pace with each other as well; Dusty’s licks and sucks were coming just as hard as Moss’. The only relief given to him was that Moss wasn’t licking any faster, keeping the pace as it was and Dusty was doing the same, simply following the black bear’s lead. “Oh... Oh f-fuck...” Mikal exclaimed. He attempted to last for longer but just couldn’t handle the pair of mouths working so well together. He let out a deep and long winded groan, and Moss responded quickly, swallowing down the thick spurts of seed. It was shooting out with force, coating his tongue heavily when he pulled back some. The taste was rich and Moss voiced his approval. The sounds of his swallowing could be heard and so could the sounds of Dusty’s mouth still working on the orbs that were tightening and pulsating. As Moss continued drinking down the seed, Dusty was gently swiping his tongue along the sack, doing what he could to give Mikal constant stimulation. Mikal was left panting hard, being overcome with the heavy relief of cumming with so much strength. Moss and Dusty finally eased their mouths off, both panting softly as they rose up, wearing smiles as they looked down at the panda. “Is that enough compensation?” Moss asked teasingly. “Plenty...” Mikal responded. “If I can get something like this everytime...” “Heh, no promises,” Moss said with a snicker. “I’ll help out as much as I can,” Dusty said, adding his own input. “But your help is very much appreciated.” Dusty offered to let Mikal stay for dinner but Moss was adamant on him not getting too comfortable. “I want to get this done before the first snow comes.” “Right,” Mikal said after swallowing a chunk of freshly cooked fish. “Do you think it’ll be this bad this time?” Dusty asked. “No, it’ll be worse. It always is,” Moss said bluntly. Summer was nearly on its way out and fall would soon be coming. But beyond that was the season of Winter, a time that none of the bears were looking forward to. It was always the roughest time for most of the tribes, with the cold not allowing plants to grow and making the prey scarce. But of all the tribes, it seemed that they had it the worst when winter would come around. Things had been like that for as long as they could remember but apparently there was a time when the winters weren’t as unforgiving. Soon it would be time to start storing what they could for the cold times. Dusty couldn’t help but feel a bit worried about Kit. He would be back by then but it would be his first winter. Moss was keen on getting the dwelling expanded by then and he knew it was because the black bear had thought of the same thing. They both wanted to make things just a bit better, so that things wouldn’t be as hard for the unprepared kodiak bear. It took the group a full day of walking through the forest, stopping to rest midway through. Perch and Largo continued to lead the way. The forest environment around them was becoming thicker and darker, putting the two bears and the fox in a slightly cautious mood. Perch assured them that they were going the right way and that there was nothing to worry about. After the night of rest they continued during the day but the forest was so dark that it was hard to tell the difference. Thick shadows were all around them and it was putting them on edge a bit. “Just a bit further,” Perch assured them. After a while of more walking, the brown bear called for them to stop. In front of them seemed to be a dead end but Perch was smiling as he turned around to face the others, asking them to wait there for a moment. He then proceeded to push through the growth. It was another hidden entrance but this one wasn’t guarded and that was because it blended perfectly with the surrounding wilderness. The large rocks nearby made it seem as if they had come to the edge of a cliff and would have to walk around so seeing Perch walk right through left everyone else wide-eyed, even Largo. They weren’t left standing there for long. Perch came back, peeking through the growth and encouraging them to come in now. They did so, pushing through the thick leaves one by one, finding that on the other side was a rock corridor, a natural carving that allowed them to walk through to the other side. And what they found on the other side was a small village. The settlement was shrouded in darkness just like the forest they had come from. “This is the Nocturnal’s Outpost. This and their main settlement are perfectly placed between the darkest part of the forest, tall hills that cast shadows from high above and a plethora of natural caverns. Those who preferred to live in the dark found this place the most suitable and formed a tribe all their own,” Perch told them as they began to walk through the village. Kit immediately noticed some things. Unlike the foxes, the members of this tribe weren’t immediately rushing up to them. They watched the bears and fox walk by from a distance. The next thing that Kit noticed was that the tribe wasn’t made up of one sole race. His tribe was made up of bears of different kinds and Bowie’s was composed of foxes of different kinds as well. But Kit was seeing a range of different creatures. Raccoons, bats, possum, skunks, and even hedgehogs. “What kind of tribe is this?” Bowie asked aloud. “There are tribes of many kinds. While most are made of the same species, there are some tribes that are made of those with great similarities, different kinds all coming together and joining under one name,” Perch told them. He led the way to a cavern and invited them all to step inside. Once they did the group was shrouded in darkness, feeling that they were descending. The darkness was dying down as glowing stones embedded in the surrounding rock were providing them light. More and more of them were shining as they continued further, reaching flat ground again and finding themselves in another village inside of the village, even more shops and other buildings were lining the rock walls and Nocturnals were walking about, shopping and talking until they noticed the outsiders. Finally, some of them curiously approached while others hung back, watching from a distance. Now that he could really look around and compare the various species he noticed that all of them were much shorter than himself, even shorter than Bowie was. Coming up to them directly was an older looking raccoon. “Ah, Perch. I’ve been awaiting the arrival of you and your students. My, you’ve really moved up in the world,” the raccoon complimented. “All because of my experiences. Many of which I have to thank you for, Terant,” Perch said, reaching his hand out and shaking the raccoon’s. “I made sure to keep the commotion to a minimum this time. I trust that he’s just about ready for us?” “Yes he is. Vozz, please come and introduce yourself,” Terant said. Coming out of a nearby building was another raccoon, looking similar to but much younger than Terant. “This here is my grandson, Vozz. He’s been having some...troubles lately. Not much of a talker but I assure you he’s nothing short of kind and intelligent. I’m trusting you to help him through this difficult time.” “And I will do my very best,” Perch assured. “It’s good to meet you, Vozz.” The raccoon didn’t say anything in response but he did wear a small smile as he reached his hand out and shook Perch’s. He was wearing a pair of shorts and a cloak that was open in the front, ended by a hood that was partially covering the raccoon’s head. He was also wearing a pack on his back that had some supplies in it. “Vozz is the last addition to our little troupe. And from here we’ll be making our way up to the valley,” Perch told the rest. “But for now we’ll rest and I’ll give you some time to soak up the Nocturnal’s culture. There’s already a lodging booked for us. It’s the building with the big yellow stones in front of it.” With that being said, Perch stepped away to talk with Terant, leaving Kit, Largo, Boreas, and Bowie to explore the new location. Collectively they decided that the best place to start was going to that lodging to put their things down. It wasn’t hard to find. Just as Perch said, the outside was surrounded by glowing yellow stones that were evenly carved and placed in a symmetrical fashion. They were directed to their rooms and Kit was again bunked with Boreas while Bowie was sharing a room with Vozz. Once their things were put away, they asked Vozz to lead the way to somewhere they could get some food. The raccoon did so and they wound up in an eatery and were being looked at by the other patrons, some were looking nervous while others were looking on with intrigue and curiosity. Kit had become used to it but Largo and Boreas were looking pretty uncomfortable from all of the looks. It seemed the meat came from either the forest or the caverns as there were meals consisting of rodents. Kit decided to pass and instead just ordered the mixed fruit and mushrooms instead. There was a bit of commotion before their meals came and Kit was pleasantly surprised by the mix of sweet fruits and the more earthy mushrooms. The others appeared to be pleasantly surprised by their own chosen foods, most of all being Bowie, who dared to order the skewed rodents and immediately began digging into the freshly roasted meat. After their meal, the group split up and continued to explore the Nocturnal’s settlement. It seemed that most of the activity took place underground. There were plenty of locations for him to visit. Through various shops he came to learn that the Nocturnals used traps to catch most of their prey instead of directly hunting them. Living life in the shadows seemed off putting at first but the kodiak bear grew to appreciate the unique atmosphere and pleasant twinkling of the various shining stones. The others were seeing more of the location for themselves as well. Bowie was very excited to see a new place and wanted to know all about it. Largo and Vozz were with him and stepped in to reel back the fox’s enthusiasm, seeing that it was making the tribe’s natives uncomfortable to be suddenly approached and bombarded with questions. Luckily they had a library where Bowie could learn all that he wanted and its rule about being quiet would likely halt any further outbursts. Perch was still talking to Terant, catching up with another one of his friends from outside of the bear tribe and assuring him that his grandson was in good hands and would return with his instincts in full control. The older raccoon was worried about Vozz but Perch was certain that everything was going to work out. Back at the lodging was Boreas. The panda was savoring his time alone, making good use of Kit’s absence. With the door locked and him already in the bed and nude as well, Boreas had with him a weighty sex toy meant for anal penetration and a vial of lubrication. He had been waiting for the next time that he would get privacy, doing his best to not let himself get too excited and making his loincloth rise. He preferred to keep things like this private. Knowing that he possibly didn’t have a lot of time, Boreas uncorked the vial and began to lubricate his fingers. He rolled onto his side a bit and lifted a leg, giving himself better access to his own tailhole. With the fingers that were made slippery from the fluid, Boreas gently prodded and then pushed in, letting out a small moan as he penetrated himself. Getting to work right away, he began sliding the wet digits back and forth, spreading the lube and making his walls wet and just as slippery. Tingles were racing through the panda’s body and he allowed himself to groan, feeling his own hole clenching down on the moving digits. He just pushed through and kept slathering the fluid all over, his task for the time being was to properly lubricate himself. That being said, Boreas just couldn’t help but shiver and twitch when his fingers sailed over certain spots. These touches were making his cock slide out from his sheath and in no time at all it was twitching and leaking heavy amounts of precum. Boreas knew that he was pent up but as the elements were all coming together, his sense of need turned out to be stronger than he anticipated. Boreas’ fingers were pulled free from his tailhole, leaving it a bit stretched and twitching. A feeling of need came over him, a need for more and there was no reason to deny himself. He reached out and took hold of his toy, using his other hand to carefully apply lube to the smooth surface. While making sure that the toy’s surface was properly coated, Boreas was also careful to not make a mess. Once it looked ready, Boreas set the lube down and brought the toy closer to his hole, making the first gentle push that was spreading his rim. Biting his lip and trembling again, he felt the toy slowly easing in. The toy’s layer of lube was cold at first but was quickly heated up by his own body temperature. A sigh of comfort came from the panda which then turned into the first grunt of pleasure. Having a firm hold on the end, Boreas could feel more of it sinking inside of him, entering smoothly thanks to his preparation and touching his more sensitive spots along the way. More than half of the length was inside when Boreas pulled back, gasping from the rush that came. This happened again when he pushed the toy forward again, managing to get it in even further than it had been before. Doing this a few more times eventually led to all insertable inches being sunk past his spread rim. His walls were clenching down on it while it was sitting in place, this kept him feeling full, giving his body the chance to adjust a bit more while he reached for something else. What he grabbed was a loincloth but it didn’t belong to him. He kept it gripped in one hand and held it up to his nuzzle, taking a deep breath from it that made him shudder. With his other hand he pulled the toy back. Inhaling from the loincloth and moving the toy at the same time was making him twitch and groan. Before it could slide out completely, he pushed it right back in, sinking the tip down as far as he could reach. The loincloth muffled his voice, allowing him to moan out as loud as he wanted. With a certain scent pouring into his nose and the toy moving at a steady pace, it wasn’t hard for Boreas to imagine himself being penetrated by an actual person. Doing his best to keep up this place, Boreas was feeling his walls being rubbed against and his prostate being touched repeatedly. This was causing his cock to throb and leak precum. It was coming out in heavy amounts, showing just how pent up he really was. In time he moved the phallic object faster, feeling a stronger rush and pulsing inside of him. He moaned out even more, feeling his hole squeezing down on the object with a sense of desperation. More force was put down on his prostate, making him shake even more. Mumbling against the cloth, the panda was giving himself all that he could withstand, speeding up the toy and making it press even harder to his tender spots. He could vividly see the other pumping into him, almost hearing the moans in his ears. Feeling himself getting close to his limit, Boreas set the loincloth aside and brought that same hand down to stroke himself in time with the toy’s movements. Moving both hands hard and fast, Boreas was gasping and doing his best to keep himself quiet so as to not alert anyone to what he was doing. Biting his lip and hissing through his teeth, Boreas reached his peak and came hard. The sensation of his climax was incredible and after so many days he was allowed to finally release his pent up essence. He chose to let it fly out and fall onto the fur of his belly. Tremblings and heaves of his chest overtook Boreas as he rode out of his orgasm. He sighed deeply when it was all over but couldn’t relax just yet, now there was a mess that needed to be cleaned up, just in case Kit or anyone else was on their way back to the lodging. Not only did he put the effort in to clean up any mess but he used fragrant oils to cover up any scents that the other bear would have detected otherwise… KIt didn’t suspect anything when he returned to the room. By then it had gotten late and knowing that there was another walk ahead of him, the kodiak decided it was best to get some sleep. Expecting the silent treatment, he didn’t bother saying anything to Boreas. The panda was grateful for that and settled down to sleep in his own bed. The night was completely uneventful but the pair of bears were unexpectedly awoken from their sleep by a bunch of shouting and commotion coming from the room next to theirs, the one that Vozz and Bowie were sharing. “What the hell is going on?” Boreas growled as he rose out of bed. Kit did the same and the two stepped out of the room. They weren’t the only ones. Largo and Perch had stepped out of their room as well. The brown bear looked very worried as he ran up to the door and opened it. They all looked inside to see Bowie standing up on the bed, pressing himself as close as he could to a wall, shouting out in fear as Vozz was seemingly trying to attack him. Coming from the raccoon were aggressive and animalistic noises. He was swiping his claws at the panicked fox and Bowie was doing his best to keep himself from being harmed. “Largo! Restrain him!” Perch said with urgency. The polar bear nodded and moved in with Perch right behind him. “Quick, where’s a flask? Any flask?” Perch was referring to the mix that calmed their senses. Kit still had his vest on and he reached into a pocket, pulling out his own supply and handing it over. “Thank you.” Perch ran in after the polar bear. Largo already had Vozz pinned down, using his strength to subdue but not harm the raccoon. He was fighting against the polar bear’s hold, scratching and biting but Largo held firm, ignoring the pain and keeping him still. Perch moved in with the flask and had to force it to the struggling raccoon’s mouth, tipping it and making the contents run into his mouth. Vozz continued to struggle and fight for a bit longer but suddenly fell still. He was breathing deeply and looking around as if he didn’t know where he was. “It’s alright, Vozz. You’re alright,” Perch soothed. “Your grandfather had told me they had run out of the needed materials to make more. Well we’ve got plenty to share. I’ve also made sure that a new supply will be brought soon.” “Are you alright, Bowie?” Kit asked as he stepped into the room. The fox was still on the bed with his tail bristling. “Y-yeah, I’m fine…” Bowie said as he began to ease down to the floor. “But what the heck was that? I just woke up with him right beside my bed…just staring at me and when I got up he just lunged at me.” “This is what happens when the…symptoms of untamed instincts are left unchecked. Vozz had likely been pushing himself to appear just fine while his senses were growing further out of control. But he’ll be just fine now. Let’s count ourselves lucky it wasn’t one of you two,” Perch said to Kit and Boreas. He attempted to add some levity but wound up being the only one chuckling. “Why does something like this happen exactly? Why can everyone else control their instincts just fine but I- We can’t?” Boreas asked with some bite in his tone. “It’s not exactly known. There are some theories. In Kit’s case it’s likely because of his recent change. But as for the rest of you…these things just happen. It’s believed that at one point we were no different than our feral cousins and this condition is a lingering remnant of that. You know, some like the Horned Tribe consider it a blessing, choosing to view it as one being closer to their roots than others.” The answer made the others stop and think. Kit was thinking as well. He had only become a bear recently and started out as a human. There was no way he had any connection to some ancient feral ancestor. But it made him wonder about the others. “So you could say there’s something special about us?” Kit asked. “Yes, you could,” Perch said with a smile. “Oh, it’s special alright. I’m getting something to eat,” Boreas said, turning around and heading to the dining area. “Yes, I suppose we should get ourselves ready. Sorry that our stay in the Nocturnal Tribe couldn’t be as long as the one in the Fox Tribe. But it is best to not waste time with this kind of thing,” Perch advised. Looking out the window, Perch could see the light of the sun coming in from the opening of the large cave. “How is your arm?” Perch asked. “Fine, I think…” Largo said. There were a few scratches here and there. Perch’s touch made the polar bear wince. “Let’s get it bandaged up just in case,” Perch said. He knew that the polar bear had a habit of downplaying things like this. Vozz gave Bowie a sorry look. “It’s okay…” the fox said. “I can’t imagine having to pretend that everything’s okay while everything’s all so overwhelming… Here, Perch left this for you.” He handed Vozz a flask of his own. The raccoon took it and nodded gently. Kit watched this interaction and smiled. He got his own flask back and tucked it back into his pocket. While he was glad that Vozz was okay, Kit couldn’t help but wonder what it would have been like if he had to endure something like that. How long would it be before he was driven into a state where he was just blindly attacking those around him? The very idea made him shudder. He would replenish his flask after getting a meal as well. As Perch said they were all out and ready to go. Some of the Nocturals came outside to see Vozz off. The raccoon seemed pretty embarrassed and Kit couldn’t tell if it was because of the incident that occurred earlier or because of the amount of attention and praise he was getting at once. While the underground caverns were very interesting, the lack of interaction with the tribe’s inhabitants left the kodiak bear feeling that there was still more for him to experience. Perhaps one day he could return and hopefully gain the Nocturnal’s trust so he could really get to know them. “Be well and learn as much as you can,” Terant said to his grandson and Vozz nodded in response. “And that applies to the rest of you young’uns too.” “We’ll all be as well as we can,” Perch said. “We have just another trek ahead of us before their training will truly begin. Speaking of which, it's time for us to take our leave.” A few of the Nocturnals were saying their goodbyes as Vozz and the rest were leaving the cavern and walking through the village, going to the other side, heading for the hills that lay beyond, being the source of some of the large towering shadows that kept the location shrouded. There were a pair of possums going with them, being there to show the way through. The back way out of the village was just as hidden as the way in, blending in with the surroundings, going completely unnoticed until the wall of overgrown tangling vines was pulled aside like a curtain. “We’ll be seeing you,” one of the possums said. Once they were out of the village, they were back in the forest. It was a bit brighter but still dark from the shadows hanging over the area. Perch was still leading the way, keeping them on the main path. This one was more overgrown than the others, clearly not as used and left without maintenance. Or perhaps the Nocturnals didn’t use it all, having another more hidden way of getting around? Either way they were pushing their way through the growth. Vozz and Bowie were having an easier time weaving around bushes and tangling plants while also ducking underneath thick branches that were allowed to grow out freely. Kit had done his best to not get tripped and tangled up but he wasn’t as nibble on his feet and neither was Boreas. The clearly annoyed panda didn’t even bother moving around to avoid the obstacles. He simply used his strength and claws to force and tear his way through, making the overgrown bushes and dangling branches out of his way. Seeing this reminded Kit of Moss, he would have done something similar. The kodiak bear was again reminded that he was far away from his mates. It had been a while since he last saw them. He was sure that they were doing well but he just couldn’t help but worry a bit. It would be some time until then but he just couldn’t wait until he could see them again. By then he would hopefully be a changed bear, one that was in better control of himself and could live alongside them, hunting, working, and cuddling with them. It wasn’t hard to imagine Dusty fawning all over him and Moss being jealous but no doubt just as happy to have him back. Thinking about those things made him smile and also gave him motivation to see this whole thing through. He would do it for them.