{ "submission_id": "2843598", "keywords": [ { "keyword_id": "4712", "keyword_name": "alchemy", "contributed": "f", "submissions_count": "353" }, { "keyword_id": "1294", "keyword_name": "cuddling", "contributed": "f", "submissions_count": "7512" }, { "keyword_id": "2193", "keyword_name": "fantasy", "contributed": "f", "submissions_count": "27518" }, { "keyword_id": "123", "keyword_name": "female", "contributed": "f", "submissions_count": "1104643" }, { "keyword_id": "56787", "keyword_name": "first person view", "contributed": "f", "submissions_count": "1904" }, { "keyword_id": "15456", "keyword_name": "flirting", "contributed": "f", "submissions_count": "1974" }, { "keyword_id": "559736", "keyword_name": "illan", "contributed": "f", "submissions_count": "23" }, { "keyword_id": "545864", "keyword_name": "inaga", "contributed": "f", "submissions_count": "36" }, { "keyword_id": "78", "keyword_name": "kissing", "contributed": "f", "submissions_count": "23494" }, { "keyword_id": "191", "keyword_name": "magic", "contributed": "f", "submissions_count": "25906" }, { "keyword_id": "165", "keyword_name": "male", "contributed": "f", "submissions_count": "1214794" }, { "keyword_id": "11507", "keyword_name": "male/female", "contributed": "f", "submissions_count": "98625" }, { "keyword_id": "10308", "keyword_name": "male/male", "contributed": "f", "submissions_count": "128046" }, { "keyword_id": "3254", "keyword_name": "no sex", "contributed": "f", "submissions_count": "1301" }, { "keyword_id": "15537", "keyword_name": "original species", "contributed": "f", "submissions_count": "2368" }, { "keyword_id": "24565", "keyword_name": "palace", "contributed": "f", "submissions_count": "304" }, { "keyword_id": "10144", "keyword_name": "story progression", "contributed": "f", "submissions_count": "2054" } ], "hidden": "f", "scraps": "f", "favorite": "f", "favorites_count": "0", "create_datetime": "2022-10-27 19:39:00.972446+00", "create_datetime_usertime": "27 Oct 2022 21:39 CEST", "last_file_update_datetime": "2022-10-27 19:27:10.151388+00", "last_file_update_datetime_usertime": "27 Oct 2022 21:27 CEST", "username": "Kiroberos", "user_id": "32253", "user_icon_file_name": "192123_Kiroberos_exes_profile.png", "user_icon_url_large": "https://nl1.ib.metapix.net/usericons/large/192/192123_Kiroberos_exes_profile.png", "user_icon_url_medium": "https://nl1.ib.metapix.net/usericons/medium/192/192123_Kiroberos_exes_profile.png", "user_icon_url_small": "https://nl1.ib.metapix.net/usericons/small/192/192123_Kiroberos_exes_profile.png", "file_name": "4226010_Kiroberos_aion_s_rebirth_-_exes_chapter_16.doc", "file_url_full": "https://nl1.ib.metapix.net/files/full/4226/4226010_Kiroberos_aion_s_rebirth_-_exes_chapter_16.doc", "file_url_screen": "https://nl1.ib.metapix.net/files/screen/4226/4226010_Kiroberos_aion_s_rebirth_-_exes_chapter_16.doc", "file_url_preview": "https://nl1.ib.metapix.net/files/preview/4226/4226010_Kiroberos_aion_s_rebirth_-_exes_chapter_16.doc", "files": [ { "file_id": "4226010", "file_name": "4226010_Kiroberos_aion_s_rebirth_-_exes_chapter_16.doc", "file_url_full": "https://nl1.ib.metapix.net/files/full/4226/4226010_Kiroberos_aion_s_rebirth_-_exes_chapter_16.doc", "file_url_screen": "https://nl1.ib.metapix.net/files/screen/4226/4226010_Kiroberos_aion_s_rebirth_-_exes_chapter_16.doc", "file_url_preview": "https://nl1.ib.metapix.net/files/preview/4226/4226010_Kiroberos_aion_s_rebirth_-_exes_chapter_16.doc", "mimetype": "application/msword", "submission_id": "2843598", "user_id": "32253", "submission_file_order": "0", "full_size_x": null, "full_size_y": null, "screen_size_x": null, "screen_size_y": null, "preview_size_x": null, "preview_size_y": null, "initial_file_md5": "104367121cd20b39cdbd5a4cff7f0361", "full_file_md5": "104367121cd20b39cdbd5a4cff7f0361", "large_file_md5": "", "small_file_md5": "", "thumbnail_md5": "", "deleted": "f", "create_datetime": "2022-10-27 19:27:10.151388+00", "create_datetime_usertime": "27 Oct 2022 21:27 CEST" } ], "pools": [ { "pool_id": "73193", "name": "Aion's Rebirth - Exes Reboot", "description": "Every single chapter of Exes' rebooted storyline.", "count": "36", "submission_left_submission_id": "2820823", "submission_left_file_name": "4190433_Kiroberos_aion_s_rebirth_-_exes_chapter_15.doc", "submission_right_submission_id": "2874351", "submission_right_file_name": "4276229_Kiroberos_aion_s_rebirth_-_exes_chapter_17.doc" } ], "description": "Curious about my custom species? Here's a link!\nhttps://docs.google.com/document/d/1k0PobVi3hgyzg8zrro6rnqLLpm_cybJd-3LP-kvp1KI/edit?usp=sharing\n\nFeel like giving me a little financial assistance? I’ve set up a SubscribeStar account! Any tips or donations are greatly appreciated!\nhttps://subscribestar.adult/kiroberos-entertainment", "description_bbcode_parsed": "Curious about my custom species? Here's a link!
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1k0PobVi3hgyzg8zrro6...

Feel like giving me a little financial assistance?  I’ve set up a SubscribeStar account!  Any tips or donations are greatly appreciated!
https://subscribestar.adult/kiroberos-entertainment", "writing": "It felt like things were picking up speed now. Queen Morrigan, just Morrigan now, had sworn me in as a Realmsguard. A highly secretive society of a wide range of highly skilled individuals sworn to guard our realm, Aion, against corruption of all forms. Currently highest on our list was the Cult of the Shattering. Deranged cultists as secretive as ourselves who, she believes, has access to a large collection of pre-War Demon artifacts. Artifacts capable of True Alchemy. In theory, if it really was them, they unceremoniously gave me an ancient-looking tome with the Grandmaster Keyhole on the inside cover. The Demon artifact buried in my chest that was slowly killing me in exchange for unlimited access to all things True Alchemy. Once sworn in, she gave me the full contact list of their members, including four that were already right here in Laridia. One being her daughter. I think that was about everything...\n\nMy head spun as I lay there on my bed, stomach stuffed full of this wonderfully tasty new food, at least to me, called `pizza'. Gods above, I wish we'd had that in our tribe. Although it was a bit complicated for normal tribal food, which lacked things like industrial ovens.\n\nYimir rested lazily against my left side, smiling softly on her back. I'd just gotten some more medicine into her before dinner, and she was in the midst of being pain and nausea free again. Internally, her body had entered the `adaptation' phase of becoming a mage. Her soul, having healed the brutal damage it suffered getting mana pools inserted into it, was now resting and tentatively poking at the new, lumpy growths it had, trying to figure them out. Once the `skin' of the mana pool fully expanded into a spongey, pseudo-barrier, the rune on it would activate. Her body would suddenly gain access to the mana within for the first time and... not have a fucking clue what to do with it.\n\nBut letting it taste it for a bit was important. The second wave of sickness would hit then, but with more of a focus on the nausea and intense vertigo, rather than sheer agony. I had medicine for that. Once it learned how to manipulate the mana through the pseudo-barrier, the rune planted on the pool would become redundant and fade away, leaving her a full mage. Then her practical training would begin. I could easily get her through the basics of that, and then it was up to the Academy to fully cement it for her.\n\nExia rested against Yimir's other side, snoring. She'd eaten her fill, gave us the basic gist of how her training went for today, and then passed out. I didn't really blame her. Weight equalization training for wearing armor sounded really sucky, and even moreso while using Flickerpaw. We let her rest. Exir and Niva were somewhere below us on the bed, if I remembered right before flopping over backwards. An unexpected thing apparently occurred. Even though the twins went about their own way after Exir helped them through Estrus, apparently his libido stayed roughly the same as when he had three females to try to keep up with. Niva's been taking the brunt of it for the past two days and I think he wore her out. She was also out cold...\n\nKada gave a sleepy yawn himself, then curled more into my right side, giving little wiggles and `mers' as my right paw lazily scratched his ear. Ever since our first fateful sleepover, he'd acquired a strong taste for snuggles, it turns out. It took a lot of assuring to him that there was nothing wrong with physical contact and just enjoying touching others before he gave in and let himself go. He rested against my side the entire time we ate, and now pressed tight against me while recovering from our food comas.\n\n``Mmmph, anyone still awake?'' Exir finally managed to grunt. Ah, he [i]was[/i] under me somewhere. Below me? Directions were weird when the world was sideways.\n\n``Mmm, yeah, I am.'' There, my token effort. Kada snickered at that and nodded against my side.\n\n``Me too. [i]Full[/i]!''\n\nYimir gave a sleepy murmur. ``Exia's out... Mmm. Go on... without me. Medicine... sleepy...'' Heh. Guess it was just us boys then.\n\nExir gave a tired huff. ``Damn... All the females are out... There goes my idea for an orgy...''\n\nKada shuddered. ``Pass...'' I tried not to snort and laugh at how quickly he turned that one down.\n\n``Do you even have the energy for that...?'' I nudged my lower right paw downwards as I asked, and at least managed to brush against something furry and remarkably ear-like. Hope it was Exir's ear...\n\nExir grumbled at that. ``Turn down a free orgy... Sheesh.'' And ignored.\n\nKada grumbled too. ``I don't feel comfortable with the whole `girls' thing...'' Oh, brave Kada! Well, that and he knew Exir at this point.\n\nOf course, I knew Exir at this point too, and him not even missing a beat didn't surprise me in the slightest. ``What are Exes and I? Powdered Megama spam?'' Uh...\n\n``You're... you're supposed to hydrate that before eating it...'' I really hope he never ate any raw.\n\nKada however, promptly froze. ``Nn... you and Exes...? Uh... y-you mean...''\n\nExir huffed. ``I [i]know[/i] that. The raw stuff dehydrates, duh. I have basic self-preservation instincts, Exes...'' That was good, yes. ``And yeah, last I checked, Exes and I had dicks, not pussies. Wait, or do you mean you don't like either? That's cool too of course...''\n\nThe Illan squirmed against my side with that. ``N-No, I know that! I just... No, I... like boys. B-But nobody's ever... I mean, I'm not really t-that...''\n\nExir sat up, slowly rotating around and looking directly down at Kada, skeptical expression on his face. Oh boy. Here we go. Kada froze, eyes widening as he stared up at the large male, but Exir just lifted an eyebrow up slowly. ``You're not what? You're absolutely staggeringly adorable. Or do you prefer virile and powerful and handsome?'' Kada wiggled furiously there, sliding a little more under my arm as if to hide from sight.\n\nBut of course, Exir wasn't done being the king of bluntness. ``So that established... what, nobody's ever shown interest in you before? You kinda cut off the sentence, so I just have to guess there. Nobody's ever fucked you before? I mean, that's easy to fix. Wait, you on goal defense or shooting?'' Okay, that I did snort and laugh at. Kada froze though, switching from blushing to just confused looking.\n\n``Am I... w-what? I don't... play whatever sport that is...?''\n\nI rolled over, wrapping my left arm around Kada, who froze again and slowly turned pink once more. ``What he's asking is, do you like being the one to put their cock in someone, or do you prefer being the one that gets the cock put in them?'' Exir grinned and nodded, and the Illan went crimson, squishing his eyes shut. He really [i]was[/i] adorable, admittedly. But even [i]I [/i]knew that one. Did he never even hear about hoopball?\n\n``Uh... I... t-the... The g-goal thing...?'' It was barely a whisper, but we had very large ears for just such an occasion. Exir's grin widened at that.\n\n``Oooooh. Well, if you like being the one getting fucked, I imagine either Exes or myself can oblige. Niva keeps pestering me to consider more pack members, and I suspect Exes is hearing the same from Exia and Yimir, if they haven't tried recruiting you already...'' And now I got sucked into his bluntness too. I rolled my eyes and shot him a skeptical look.\n\nYeah... ``Really, Exir? Just like that? This wasn't exactly how I imagined this conversation with Kada...''\n\nOf course, he just puffed up more, whacking a paw against the front of his tunic. ``Sometimes ya gotta be bold, Exes! Who cares if it's not what males do? There's plenty of females who aren't very typical now too...'' I mean, I guess.\n\nKada was busy hyperventilating, looking over at me in shock now instead. ``Y-You were... planning... conversation...?!'' I sighed. Well, that little secret was spilled now.\n\nI looked back to him and nodded. ``Exia and Yimir were trying to recruit you the day we had our little argument. I mistook their attempts as flirting with you instead and got... irked at them. But they explained themselves and cleared the confusion up... which left us with the possible idea of testing the waters and see what your interests were. Of course, ideally that would have happened while they were [i]both conscious[/i]...'' A glare to Exir, and he coughed and averted his gaze. Yimir hadn't jumped all over us around the point the discussion had touched upon fucking each other, so I suspected she was out cold now.\n\n``Hey, I mean... you're the one he'll be primarily interacting with, right? No... harm done... uh... sorry.'' Exir coughed awkwardly again and averted his gaze. I smiled a little and chuckled, shaking my head to him.\n\n``Eh, I'm sure we'll live. But we really should talk. Especially if Exir's interested in trying to snatch you up too.'' I looked back to Kada, who was still staring at me in shock, blushing furiously over... almost his whole body, if the creep down his neck was hinting at anything.\n\nExir made a hacking noise, then covered his muzzle, looking at me startled after. ``That was mostly a joke, Exes! I'm not gonna step on your paws!'' I raised an eyebrow to him, then shrugged instead, feeling... a combination of lazy and very noncommittal. I cared, obviously, but...\n\n``I more meant that it's actually Kada's choice to make. Obviously, it's not going to affect his friendship with either of us, if we're basically living together from here on out.'' That got him grinning again, at least. An unhappy Exir... bothered me.\n\nI turned back to Kada, who was still staring at me with wide eyes and a full flush. For a moment, I wondered if I'd accidentally hit him with Stasis or something. ``Obviously you don't have to decide right now. And if you want to talk about it or ask us anything, feel free. Or if you'd just rather game for the rest of the night, that's also possible.''\n\nHis eyes twitched a little, then searched my expression carefully. ``Y-You... You like m-me?''\n\nI nodded. ``You're rapidly turning into an amazing friend, Kada. And in case you didn't notice with me and the girls, friendship can... turn into romance pretty easily if you let it. Obviously, I'm staying... reserved until you decide. False expectations are never fun...''\n\nSlowly, he relaxed a little and nodded at that. ``I... can understand that, yeah. That you're even... open to it though...'' Slowly, I returned his nod, and he swallowed uneasily. My paw gently massaged his back, and his expression softened a little, before suddenly shifting pensive instead. Hmm?\n\nTo my surprise, he sat up, sliding his paws into his lap and looking down at his lower ones for a moment. ``Um... I think I need to... be honest with everyone first.'' I sat up next to him, and Exir actually sat down instead, crossing his legs as his ears lifted instead. Kada sighed after, expression falling even as his ears lowered drastically. Eh?! ``It's important, especially seeing as you're... the Grandmaster Alchemist now. I mean, who you're seen with can really... affect your reputation and stuff.''\n\nExir lifted an eyebrow, and I frowned. Who I'm seen with? We both just stayed quiet and let him talk, though. ``I'm actually Kada of Clan Leizer. They have a local clan chapter here in Laridia.'' My ears perked at that.\n\n``Oh, you're a noble?''\n\nExir paused, then perked slightly. ``That explains your security clearance. Though, why the temporary job at the palace...?''\n\nKada sighed to that. ``It's my mother's suggestion, to both me and the [i]other[/i] youngest clan member. The idiot that sniffed up Yimir...'' Pfft. ``She thinks we need more experience with political aspects, and this was a quick and easy shortcut to learning how things worked, in her opinion. Serve those who are experts at it and keep my eyes open...'' I guess it made sense? Sort of?\n\n``I still don't get why you'd think I wouldn't want to be seen with you.'' He sagged a bit at that, and Exir frowned.\n\n``Wait, it's not to do with Clan Leizer's reputation, is it?'' Kada actively cringed at that, and I suspected it was exactly to do with Clan Leizer's reputation.\n\nThe Illan gave a low sigh and nodded at that. ``I mean, yeah. I figured Exes didn't know about it and I just... I took advantage of him not knowing. And now I feel... I'm a horrible person!'' He tucked up against his legs with that, but I grabbed his shoulders and pulled him back against me instead.\n\n``You're far from a horrible person, Kada. Just tell me what's so horrible about them? Are they all weird cultists that want to murder me?'' If not, that would put them assumably better than the Cult of the Shattering. And select parts of my old tribe...\n\nKada blinked at that, then scrunched his muzzle, looking momentarily confused. ``W-What? No!''\n\nExir rolled his eyes, however. ``There's absolutely nothing wrong with them, unless you happened to be a stuck-up prude with your muzzle so far up your ass, you can give yourself an enema and gargle at the same time.'' Both Kada and I stared at him with muzzle scrunches at that, and he huffed, shaking his head. Well, that was some horrific mental images.\n\n``Look, they're an alchemist clan. Everyone that's a prude just gets huffy because they specialize in sexual things. Gender changing, body shifts, sex toys, body augmentations... They also do a lot of non-sexual things too with alchemy but you largely don't hear about those...'' Kada went back to cringing, and I raised an eyebrow. Seriously?\n\nI blinked once, waiting for more, but after a long five or six seconds, I frowned. ``That's... it?''\n\nKada flailed at that. ``My clan makes sex toys! You have to be able to see how [i]hilarious[/i] that is for pups growing up! Plus, nobody considers us a [i]real[/i] noble clan... It...''\n\n``...doesn't matter in the slightest to me, Kada. Or to anyone who actually matters, I suspect.'' He froze, staring at me in shock, but I just shook my head. ``It's true. A lot of people are more... afraid of sex. It's taboo, and something amazing, but because everyone treats it as private and naughty, nobody likes to admit to enjoying it. I bet almost every noble clan that looks at your clan with disdain actually makes use of your products and augmentations. They're undoubtedly happy your clan exists. Just too afraid to admit that...''\n\nHe relaxed a little at that, flushing pink now. ``You really... don't care?''\n\nI blinked once, then averted my gaze, causing one of his ears to lower. ``Actually, no, I do care. More in that, however, I totally wouldn't mind if you got me a product guide or however it is you advertise. I find myself [i]really[/i] curious about things you sell.'' His eyes widened slowly at that, pink turning to red across his cheeks, but Exir perked instead.\n\n``Ooooo! Thinking about getting something? Toys? Augments?!'' He grinned, and I rolled my eyes to him before chuckling.\n\n``Actually, it might be a good idea to get the girls some toys if I'm going to be as busy as they tell me I am. Of course, I should probably just have [i]them[/i] pick those out.'' Exir nodded sagely, but Kada wiggled his nose furiously, whiskers twitching every which way. Hmm?\n\n``Um, w-we make... customizable d-dildos. You could um, o-order one shaped like you. They're a-attachable to strap-ons...''\n\nMy ears perked up at that, but then I frowned. ``I mean... that sounds amazing, but now it... kinda feels like ordering them one of those is egotistical...? I mean, what if they want a different shape and I'm just assuming they're going to want [i]me[/i] all the time?'' Kada paused, then snickered at that, and Exir shook his head.\n\n``You're way overthinking that, Exes. Though if you're that worried about it, get them multiple? Then they have the choice on whether or not they're fucking each other with your cock, or someone else's!'' I glared at him and he grinned. Ugh.\n\n``I mean, we have nondescript shapes too? Oh, you could also get hole toys in their shapes too! Uh, if none of them are around and you're horny?'' Kada suggested.\n\nI tilted my head to him. ``Hole toy? Is that... what I think it is?''\n\nExir nodded again, of course. ``A portable toy that's a hole, shaped like a pussy. Or mouth. Or tailhole. Or I guess... ear or nose if you're into that sort of thing...''\n\nKada gave a low groan, sagging a bit. ``Don't even joke. We actually have ears...'' I averted my eyes at that, trying not to sigh.\n\n``I guess it beats a cactus?''\n\nKada looked horrified, but Exir laughed suddenly. ``Oh Gods, I forgot about that! Ryken was such a dumbass...''\n\n``Yup. Guess who got to spend three hours removing needles from his entire groin area?''\n\nKada winced, then shook his head. ``I think you might just be desensitized, Exes. But... I'm glad...'' A light pink tint went onto his cheeks again and he smiled to me, searching my expression again.\n\nI nodded to him, relaxing and smiling again. ``Well, I don't mind at all. Opposite. I really do want to find out everything you sell...'' He grinned at that and nodded too.\n\n``Mmm, if you want, I'll let my mom know you're interested. She'll probably be just throwing catalogs your way.''\n\nExir snorted, then laughed. ``Imagine her reaction if you start dating Exes instead...'' I felt my cheeks heat a little, but Kada practically exploded in red flush, giving a squeak at that, then covering his muzzle with both paws. Everything he did made me want to hug him...\n\n``Again, you don't have to decide right now. It might be easier to just feel things out. And you can totally probably pick Exir too.'' I winked to him, and he squirmed more. Exir just huffed though.\n\n``Just... feel things out...?'' Kada questioned, turning fully back to me again and searching my expression intensely.\n\nI smiled and nodded to him with that, then slid over until our hips bumped. His eyes kept getting larger, and the red deeper in his cheeks as I leaned in, nose hovering just a few centimeters from his own. ``Mmmhmm. You know, just feel it out and see what it's like.''\n\nHe started to shiver, shaking there as his eyes drifted down to my muzzle, then back up to my eyes, his own muzzle hanging open just slightly. ``I... I've n-never... Uh...'' I just smiled and nodded to him, waiting there patiently, barely a centimeter away. That was something I definitely didn't want to [i]take[/i] from him.\n\nHe managed to shakily swallow, looking down at, well, my nose at this point. I don't think he could see my lips anymore past his own muzzle. His breath caught, as I could feel it against my whiskers, before his eyes lidded a little and hesitantly, he just brushed forward and pressed his lips against mine. My own eyes lidded and I brushed back, causing a little jolt to go through his body. He backed up again, eyes wide once more, and I just smiled softly at him. ``Mmm, your first kiss. I'm honored, Kada...''\n\nHis expression softened, and Exir smiled in my left periphery. I started to back up again when Kada moved forward once more, this time fully closing his eyes as he pushed his muzzle up against mine. I smiled against the kiss, paw sliding up and brushing over the Illan's cheeks, causing him to shiver and lean into my touch. He was more... eager this time, and shivered as he nuzzled into me.\n\nWe parted again but only slightly this time as he stayed right there, eyes partly lidded still and slight strand of saliva between our muzzles. My paw cupped his cheek, rubbing through his fur gently with my thumb, and he leaned into my touch, searching my eyes at a more relaxed pace now. ``Can... we give it a try...?'' He flushed again after asking, looking nervous suddenly for just a split second, at least until I nodded.\n\n``Yup. That's what this is about after all. And of course, moving at [i]your[/i] pace.'' He shivered again before smiling, then sliding up against me. My left arm slid around his back, giving him a soft hug, even as he let his head tuck up under my chin with a little nuzzle.\n\nExir slowly shook his head. ``Yup, still managing to be absolutely adorable. Should I give you two some alone time or...?''\n\nKada's eyes slowly widened again at that, but I gave him a squeeze to me again and chuckled. ``Moving at Kada's pace. There's no need to rush into anything. We could just game some more if you want...''\n\nI looked back down to the Illan next to me, who slowly nodded to that and gave me a shy smile upwards. ``I'd... like that, yeah. Can I... stay here though?''\n\nI nodded down to him, then slid my arms back, lifting him partly and just moving him into my lap instead. He gave a softer squeak of surprise, then shivered as I plopped him down again. He was just the right size where I could rest my chin between his ears, causing him to flick both and wiggle against me. ``O-Or this! I... l-like this better...''\n\nGrinning, Exir grabbed three of the PEC's headsets and gave two over to us. ``Sweet! Let's try a three-player game of Chronicles of Na'ard?'' We both nodded to that, and I slid Kada and I to the lower edge of the bed, relaxing again as I put on the headset.\n\n[center]~ ~ ~ ~ ~[/center]\n\nI suppose it had been too long now. Something had to give eventually, once more. I frowned, looking over the paper in front of me, skimming the article, even though its headline gave me more than enough information, really. ``Rumors of Jungle Inaga spread! All abnormals and living life completely different! Queen plans on making contact!'' The headline might have been innocent if not slightly misunderstanding, but the article itself was a tad more inflammatory. This was a major publisher of course, so they didn't [i]outright[/i] put forth that there was a cover up going on about the gender dynamics, but more innocently pondered over some inconsistencies they'd been noticing.\n\nNo, the propaganda had already dropped all pretenses. I looked over at the other flyer I'd picked up from my balcony. Someone had air-dropped them all over town via a drifting balloon carrier, which I'd heard was a somewhat common event for the `resistance'. ``Real Inaga hiding in Jungle away from Capitol's Tyranny! They live how Inaga are supposed to! With males in power!'' Also... inaccurate, but the headline was definitely attention drawing.\n\nMom slowly shook her head, sitting at the table with us on the terrace. It was the upper level to the palace's dining hall, and had a nice open-air view of most of the city and mountain Laridia was connected to. ``No, it wasn't me. I already gave a mind scan. It was probably palace staff, if the queen really was planning to contact the Jungle Tribes.''\n\nSighing, Exia nodded slowly, sitting to Mom's right. ``Yeah, I think they scanned all of us at this point...'' They hadn't scanned me, but I knew I wasn't the one leaking the information. They'd [i]tried[/i], but... Lilita was sitting there, chatting with me yesterday, and apparently decided I had other things in my head that she'd rather not be made public information. The mind mage starting the scan on me sort of blanked out for a moment, then just smiled and said I was all clear... This somehow only terrified me even more of the Keld princess. She was [i]not[/i] the innocent little flower she projected!\n\nMy comm flashed, and I idly tapped at it under the table. ``Not us. Mom's been cleared already. Staff?'' Annah had taught me how to `link' my normal comm to the one in the suitcase, all subtle-like.\n\nIt only took a couple seconds for a reply from this `Kyry', whom I was yet to meet, on the group comm. ``Kitchen staff. Little Illan girl accidentally gossiped to the wrong person. Set up a blame shift onto the person she gossiped to and left her a warning note to be more careful. She'll get the hint.'' Yikes. I knew some journalists went undercover, but this was getting ridiculous.\n\n``It doesn't really matter. They were bound to find out eventually...'' Mom shrugged with that, taking another sip of her tea while we waited for lunch. It was Exir and I's pack here with her now, plus Kada. Though he was now aiming to be a member of my pack too. Yimir was taking her first trip out and about, and was bundled up a bit more warmly, tucked into my right side. Kada snuggled my left.\n\nHis ears perked at that, flicking back and forth before frowning. ``So there really [i]are[/i] Jungle Inaga Tribes? And they're all... uh... well I guess, normal Inaga?'' I was glad I'd put up my silence ward already. And further glad nobody even batted an eye when the Grandmaster decided he wanted a bit of privacy to chat. I'd gotten some glances, but my sudden silence ward was treated as completely normal by the rest of the palace staff.\n\nExia smiled to him, then nodded. ``Yup. Two tribes. They don't use the Larid patches. Exir, Exes and I are also patched with the Elven essence patches.'' I had to wonder partly if that was why my leg was screwed up. I knew the Elven patches weren't as... thorough, supposedly. But if I had to pick between my instincts and `self', and my leg at this point... I think I was just fine with who I currently was.\n\nMom was watching him for a moment before shifting to a slow smirk instead. Uh oh. ``So, I also hear from my daughter that you're also attempting to join Exes' pack, Kada?''\n\nHe managed to go from looking contemplative to bright red in less than a second, eyes widening as they snapped to Mom instead. ``Ah! U-Uh... yes? I... um, yes! Well... uh, with Exes specifically...''\n\n``So... a submissive?'' Mom tilted her head curiously, but Yimir grinned.\n\n``Yeah, he only likes boys so far.''\n\nNiva smirked, then shot a wink to Yimir, who scrunched her muzzle and glared back at her. Kada was too busy blushing furiously and wiggling to notice any of it. ``I mean, yeah. I've never really... considered females I guess. I just knew definitely that I like males a lot. Um, and I really like Exes.'' He looked up to me at that, giving a little smile, and I nodded to him.\n\nHe didn't resist at all when I tilted his head up by touching under his muzzle. Our mouths touched, and he shivered as I held him there for a second before lifting my head again, leaving him with a blissed-out expression. Mom shifted to a warmer smile as she watched us and nodded. ``There's absolutely nothing wrong with that. Packs in the Jungle Tribes had [i]that[/i] figured out too. For the most part, we do share Vulkus instincts a lot. Though there's been some divergence here and there...''\n\nIt snapped in my mind instantly, in a bolt of realization, and I immediately kicked myself for not remembering sooner that Mom was [i]from[/i] the Jungle Tribes! She... grew up with all of those instincts and social norms. Why the fuck hadn't I just asked [i]her[/i] about all this stuff?! My ears shot up as fast as the realization hit, and Mom paused, mid-sip of her tea again and looked over at me instead.\n\n``I... feel kinda silly now, but I just realized, you grew up with all this stuff. I could have been... asking you for help figuring things out.'' She looked surprised at that for a moment before her expression relaxed again and she smiled, giving a little giggle before covering her muzzle with a paw.\n\n``Of course, Exes. You can ask me anything you want. I wish it ideally had happened a lot sooner in life, but now that you're coming into your own and feeling out your instincts, it's good to ask questions.'' I relaxed at that, searching her expression for a moment. There was an odd juxtaposition really, now. At moments like these, she felt exactly like the mother I knew my whole life. But now in my mind, she was... overlapped with the absolute badass warrior I suddenly realized she was.\n\nI exhaled a little at that, then nodded. ``What... exactly do those... pack titles mean, anyway? Alpha, beta, and submissive?''\n\nShe thought about it for a moment, stirring her tea before nodding slowly. ``They're a little different for us than they are for Vulkus. For us, the alpha position is the leader of the pack. Optionally, the pack may have betas too. People in charge of other members of the pack. A hierarchy, with the alpha delegating to them to some degree. Submissives are just all the other pack members.'' So... they were just the `tiers' of the hierarchy then?\n\nShe compared after, however. ``Vulkus, on the other paw, have `beta' reference purely a male position. Alphas of the pack are usually male as well. So, all the females of the pack who aren't the alpha, are considered submissives. And males can be either beta [i]or[/i] submissives, depending on if they have females under them. The most often times you see this is when packs... merge to some degree. An alpha taking another male and the females under him. Or taking an already mated pair. They can then choose to let the male keep some aspect of autonomy with their female from before. Another frequent thing I've seen is when the two males were super close before, and the alpha wants his friend to keep some level of dominance.''\n\nMy head tilted at that. ``So that means, in the Jungle Tribes, females can be betas too?''\n\n``Yes. We're just slightly more flexible on genders than Vulkus. Of course, it helps that a lot of Vulkus females have some pretty potent submissive instincts, especially when it comes to breeding. It might be just... something they more naturally fall into. And of course, when I say alpha, I mean the pack position. Not the Alpha mutation by the same name. Though uh, they're almost always the alpha of their packs in that case.''\n\nAh, yeah, the Alpha mutation. I chuckled at that and nodded. ``For Vulkus, anyway.''\n\nMom smirked, and I paused, frowning to her. ``Oh, no, Exes. Jungle Inaga have Alpha mutation variants too.'' What?! Everyone at the table jerked to that, attention entirely snapped onto Mom in an instant. Looks like... nobody knew that one. Pretty sure it even interrupted the intense game of pawsy Exir and Niva had going under the table.\n\n``Wait, seriously?! That's... holy shit!'' Niva hissed, eyes widening drastically.\n\nWe froze however, all pausing and looking to the right as the waiter came up again, sliding a large tray of lunch for us. Oh... right. That was... He could probably tell we were all significantly distracted, and probably due to the silence ward, assumed he was interrupting. He hastily managed to get all the plates of food distributed across the center of the table, before giving us a little bow, large ears bobbing up and down as he did.\n\nWe waited for him to pad off, before looking back to Mom again. She gestured to the food, however. Tch... Not fair! She snickered as we started grudgingly dishing into the food in the center, but then nodded. ``Yeah, we have Alpha mutations as well. Interestingly enough, I'm not entirely certain who originated that one. I believe it actually started in the Vulkus and got bred back into [i]us[/i] thousands of years ago. An Inaga Alpha will usually grow to around a non-Alpha Vulkus size.'' Well, that wasn't as big as an Alpha Vulkus obviously, but that was [i]huge[/i] for an Inaga...\n\nExir gave a low whistle at that. ``That's... big. Honestly, I'm surprised we haven't seen any yet then, in that case. The amount of `abnormal' Inaga seems to be increasing every year... What's the rate of Vulkus Alphas?'' I was paradoxically both pleased and sad that he immediately looked over at me after asking.\n\n``About one every two hundred and fifty or so births, on average...'' It didn't matter that I actually happened to have the answer! I was still a little sad...\n\nHe nodded at that. ``Yeah, if ours are similar, it feels like we should have seen some by now...''\n\nSighing, I slowly shook my head, however. ``Actually, the odds are probably significantly worse. The essence patches aren't just hit or miss. They're failing because of drift. That is, the locations of things in our essence patterns slightly changes over time as information is added and removed from them. That means more and more of the essence patch is failing in each individual Inaga. With the `abnormal' ones being the ones with specific, instinct-based areas having failed completely.''\n\nMom frowned, then slowly nodded to that. ``So, we might actually [i]have[/i] Alpha mutation Inaga out and about, but they're just... partly blocked by the essence patches?'' I nodded.\n\nGiving a low whistle at that, Niva grinned. ``Kinda sexy sounding, really. I mean, I've joked before that Exir's halfway to Vulkus, but now it could be even more accurate!'' My ears perked up at that, and I looked back over at Exir. He [i]was[/i] almost a head taller than the standard Inaga, I realized. I'd chalked it up to being a Jungle male, like I was. We'd both had a surprising height spurt in the last year or two. But Exir was built like a mountain slab...\n\nHe paused and frowned at that. ``Uh, aren't I a little too old for that sort of thing, though? I thought the Alpha mutation was brought about at sexual awakening in Vulkus?''\n\nI sighed at that, and shook my head. Bonus points I guess for reading that book on Vulkus after all. ``It usually is, yeah. But they have something called `delayed onset' Alpha. Where it's triggered by something external slightly later than usual. I think the record is age sixteen, suddenly shifting Alpha?'' That was, on average, an [i]eight-year[/i] delay, which was more than a little significant. Vulkus normally hit sexual awakening at around age eight to nine. ...why did I read that whole book? I was only looking for specific answers...\n\nTilting her head to me, Yimir asked, ``Isn't there a way to tell? It feels like there should be.''\n\n``Actually, there is. They have a series of hormones in their bloodstream, referred to as the A series. One through three, specifically. If we copied it from Vulkus, we should have something similar. If Exir has A One hormone present in his bloodstream, he's activated an Alpha mutation.'' He slowly nodded to me with that, tail starting to swish behind him.\n\n``Not gonna lie. That would be badass... So... you can do a blood test?'' Heh, knew he'd jump on that.\n\nI nodded to him with that, smiling a little. ``Sure. Just come back to our room after lunch and I'll get that started. Shouldn't take much more than twenty or thirty minutes to do.''\n\nNiva flushed lightly, then coughed. ``Uh, if he is, wouldn't that mean he's uh... addictive?'' Oh, right. Yeah, it would...\n\nA light flush came over Exir too, and he averted his gaze. ``That... would explain some things.'' Exia looked to her right and shot him a skeptical eyebrow raise.\n\n``Uh... lemme guess, the twins came back?'' She got an awkward cough from him with that. Yeah, that would be a yes. Well, now I had a new interesting thing to investigate!\n\nMom gave an amused giggle as we all started finally eating, though. ``Admittedly, I'd certainly be happy if you turned out to be an Alpha. It's quite an honor you realize, Exir?'' He paused, mid-stuffing of a breadstick into his muzzle before smiling around it and nodding to her. She snickered though, then looked to me instead. ``Plus, I swear, there's barely any essence drift at all between Exes and Exia's father, and his brother, Exir's father. I wonder if that means Exes or Exia might also be in the running, if you turn out as one?'' I paused, slowly swallowing a spoonful of cheesy noodles before lifting an eyebrow up to her.\n\n``Me, an Alpha? I mean... I guess I'm on the tall side but... I think Exia would be more likely.''\n\nMy little sister's muzzle scrunched with that as she looked to me instead. ``Eh?! I'm super short! And a girl, last I checked!''\n\nMom chuckled. ``There can be female Alpha mutations, Exia. Both for Vulkus and Inaga.''\n\n``...oh. Coooool!'' Damn, and now I suddenly thought of an Alpha with Flickerpaw training. Now that would be terrifying...\n\nKada took several seconds to slowly inhale a long string of spaghetti he was working on before looking between Mom and I. ``Do siblings do the Alpha thing together then...?''\n\nMom had that one covered. ``I'd say it's slightly more likely for siblings to both be Alphas, yeah. There's precedent for it.''\n\nNuzzling up against my right side, Yimir looked up at me instead, wiggling her nose and whiskers. ``Uh, I probably sound like some sort of barbaric tribal but um, I don't actually know that much about Vulkus. What exactly does it mean to be an Alpha mutation?'' And [i]everyone[/i] turned to me with that. Okay, definitely just felt sad this time.\n\nI exhaled slowly, then nodded, stuffing the second half of my breadstick into my muzzle and chomping it down before answering. ``A lot of things really. They're about forty to sixty percent larger than normal for their species. Larger muscle mass and just taller and wider overall. Voracious libido, comparatively, with heightened virility and fertility. Their own hormones build up over time if they don't regularly have sex, leading to irritation and even higher libido. Uniquely, they have special absorbable hormone chains in their body fluids that can boost virility and fertility of others.''\n\nMom nodded to that one. ``Vulkus have had uses for that culturally for thousands of years. They innately have lower fertility, so their Alphas have always held a sort of honored place in society, if only for their boosting capabilities. Of course, back then it actually took a direct contribution from the Alpha to boost someone, which had its own risks.''\n\nI sighed at that. ``Their sexual fluids are also addictive. So yeah, they could boost someone's virility and fertility, but it came with risks. Not too bad if only a one-off event but repeatedly... It led them to being both venerated and segregated at the same time, often forced to live outside of the villages, with only those who chose to be their mates.''\n\n``Well, that's depressing.'' Exir lowered his ears a bit at that, and I nodded.\n\n``Things are a lot better now, obviously. They can extract the hormones from the produced sexual fluids and not only make a non-addictive injection from it, but alter it to work on other species too. Plus, they better understand how Alphas work now, and have air filters for the scents, and ways to break the addiction in people.''\n\nExia perked at that. ``Scents?'' Right, she was big into those. Many a night so far, she spent blissfully snuggling her [i]face[/i] up against my groin... It was a bit distracting at times. Though come to think of it, she used to do that as a little kit too, hiding under my tail from the storms outside. I always woke up to her muzzle up my shorts.\n\nMom nodded. ``They have a libido boosting scent too. Turns people on like a natural aphrodisiac. I guess a natural adaptation to try to encourage sex around them?'' Of course Exia shivered to that.\n\nI nodded absently, downing another spoonful of pasta before adding the last bit. ``Not helping that segregation thing early on, they also have what they call `Rage'. Pretty self-explanatory there. They're slow to anger, but if you [i]do[/i] cause them to snap, they go into an almost berserk rage that heavily magnifies their abilities. A lot of Vulkus laws even to this day are set up to try to prevent that. It's almost a state of emergency when a more powerful Alpha rages. Like one with combat training... Especially if it's because someone set off their possessiveness to their mates. When coupled with that buildup over time on their libido if they don't have sex, and the irritation it causes...''\n\nKada winced at that. ``So, they're sorta a double-edged sword then. Big and strong, and the fertility boosting things, but it sounds like you have to be more careful managing them as a culture sort of thing, or the addiction and Rage thing could really bite you...'' Literally, in the Rage case.\n\n``Pretty much. Like Exes said, that's what led to their segregation early on,'' Mom reminded.\n\nWe settled into eating after that. Admittedly, it was nice to just hang out with Mom again. At least when there wasn't anyone around that she needed to violently rearrange the bone structure of. She was just... Mom. Hopefully there would be more time for this sort of thing once she was done grinding Exia into dust with training, and things slowed down for me a bit. ...at least, I hoped things would slow down for me a bit after the coronation ceremony. My ears lowered a little bit as my comm lit up under the table again, however. Of course, that might not be the case now that I'd accepted also becoming a Realmsguard. Well, here's to adventure!\n\n", "writing_bbcode_parsed": "It felt like things were picking up speed now.  Queen Morrigan, just Morrigan now, had sworn me in as a Realmsguard.  A highly secretive society of a wide range of highly skilled individuals sworn to guard our realm, Aion, against corruption of all forms.  Currently highest on our list was the Cult of the Shattering.  Deranged cultists as secretive as ourselves who, she believes, has access to a large collection of pre-War Demon artifacts.  Artifacts capable of True Alchemy.  In theory, if it really was them, they unceremoniously gave me an ancient-looking tome with the Grandmaster Keyhole on the inside cover.  The Demon artifact buried in my chest that was slowly killing me in exchange for unlimited access to all things True Alchemy.  Once sworn in, she gave me the full contact list of their members, including four that were already right here in Laridia.  One being her daughter.  I think that was about everything...

My head spun as I lay there on my bed, stomach stuffed full of this wonderfully tasty new food, at least to me, called `pizza'.  Gods above, I wish we'd had that in our tribe.  Although it was a bit complicated for normal tribal food, which lacked things like industrial ovens.

Yimir rested lazily against my left side, smiling softly on her back.  I'd just gotten some more medicine into her before dinner, and she was in the midst of being pain and nausea free again.  Internally, her body had entered the `adaptation' phase of becoming a mage.  Her soul, having healed the brutal damage it suffered getting mana pools inserted into it, was now resting and tentatively poking at the new, lumpy growths it had, trying to figure them out.  Once the `skin' of the mana pool fully expanded into a spongey, pseudo-barrier, the rune on it would activate.  Her body would suddenly gain access to the mana within for the first time and... not have a fucking clue what to do with it.

But letting it taste it for a bit was important.  The second wave of sickness would hit then, but with more of a focus on the nausea and intense vertigo, rather than sheer agony.  I had medicine for that.  Once it learned how to manipulate the mana through the pseudo-barrier, the rune planted on the pool would become redundant and fade away, leaving her a full mage.  Then her practical training would begin.  I could easily get her through the basics of that, and then it was up to the Academy to fully cement it for her.

Exia rested against Yimir's other side, snoring.  She'd eaten her fill, gave us the basic gist of how her training went for today, and then passed out.  I didn't really blame her.  Weight equalization training for wearing armor sounded really sucky, and even moreso while using Flickerpaw.  We let her rest.  Exir and Niva were somewhere below us on the bed, if I remembered right before flopping over backwards.  An unexpected thing apparently occurred.  Even though the twins went about their own way after Exir helped them through Estrus, apparently his libido stayed roughly the same as when he had three females to try to keep up with.  Niva's been taking the brunt of it for the past two days and I think he wore her out.  She was also out cold...

Kada gave a sleepy yawn himself, then curled more into my right side, giving little wiggles and `mers' as my right paw lazily scratched his ear.  Ever since our first fateful sleepover, he'd acquired a strong taste for snuggles, it turns out.  It took a lot of assuring to him that there was nothing wrong with physical contact and just enjoying touching others before he gave in and let himself go.  He rested against my side the entire time we ate, and now pressed tight against me while recovering from our food comas.

``Mmmph, anyone still awake?'' Exir finally managed to grunt.  Ah, he was under me somewhere.  Below me?  Directions were weird when the world was sideways.

``Mmm, yeah, I am.''  There, my token effort.  Kada snickered at that and nodded against my side.

``Me too.  Full!''

Yimir gave a sleepy murmur.  ``Exia's out...  Mmm.  Go on... without me.  Medicine... sleepy...''  Heh.  Guess it was just us boys then.

Exir gave a tired huff.  ``Damn...  All the females are out...  There goes my idea for an orgy...''

Kada shuddered.  ``Pass...''  I tried not to snort and laugh at how quickly he turned that one down.

``Do you even have the energy for that...?''  I nudged my lower right paw downwards as I asked, and at least managed to brush against something furry and remarkably ear-like.  Hope it was Exir's ear...

Exir grumbled at that.  ``Turn down a free orgy...  Sheesh.''  And ignored.

Kada grumbled too.  ``I don't feel comfortable with the whole `girls' thing...''  Oh, brave Kada!  Well, that and he knew Exir at this point.

Of course, I knew Exir at this point too, and him not even missing a beat didn't surprise me in the slightest.  ``What are Exes and I?  Powdered Megama spam?''  Uh...

``You're... you're supposed to hydrate that before eating it...''  I really hope he never ate any raw.

Kada however, promptly froze.  ``Nn... you and Exes...?  Uh... y-you mean...''

Exir huffed.  ``I know that.  The raw stuff dehydrates, duh.  I have basic self-preservation instincts, Exes...''  That was good, yes.  ``And yeah, last I checked, Exes and I had dicks, not pussies.  Wait, or do you mean you don't like either?  That's cool too of course...''

The Illan squirmed against my side with that.  ``N-No, I know that!  I just...  No, I... like boys.  B-But nobody's ever...  I mean, I'm not really t-that...''

Exir sat up, slowly rotating around and looking directly down at Kada, skeptical expression on his face.  Oh boy.  Here we go.  Kada froze, eyes widening as he stared up at the large male, but Exir just lifted an eyebrow up slowly.  ``You're not what?  You're absolutely staggeringly adorable.  Or do you prefer virile and powerful and handsome?''  Kada wiggled furiously there, sliding a little more under my arm as if to hide from sight.

But of course, Exir wasn't done being the king of bluntness.  ``So that established... what, nobody's ever shown interest in you before?  You kinda cut off the sentence, so I just have to guess there.  Nobody's ever fucked you before?  I mean, that's easy to fix.  Wait, you on goal defense or shooting?''  Okay, that I did snort and laugh at.  Kada froze though, switching from blushing to just confused looking.

``Am I... w-what?  I don't... play whatever sport that is...?''

I rolled over, wrapping my left arm around Kada, who froze again and slowly turned pink once more.  ``What he's asking is, do you like being the one to put their cock in someone, or do you prefer being the one that gets the cock put in them?''  Exir grinned and nodded, and the Illan went crimson, squishing his eyes shut.  He really was adorable, admittedly.  But even I knew that one.  Did he never even hear about hoopball?

``Uh... I... t-the...  The g-goal thing...?''  It was barely a whisper, but we had very large ears for just such an occasion.  Exir's grin widened at that.

``Oooooh.  Well, if you like being the one getting fucked, I imagine either Exes or myself can oblige.  Niva keeps pestering me to consider more pack members, and I suspect Exes is hearing the same from Exia and Yimir, if they haven't tried recruiting you already...''  And now I got sucked into his bluntness too.  I rolled my eyes and shot him a skeptical look.

Yeah...  ``Really, Exir?  Just like that?  This wasn't exactly how I imagined this conversation with Kada...''

Of course, he just puffed up more, whacking a paw against the front of his tunic.  ``Sometimes ya gotta be bold, Exes!  Who cares if it's not what males do?  There's plenty of females who aren't very typical now too...''  I mean, I guess.

Kada was busy hyperventilating, looking over at me in shock now instead.  ``Y-You were... planning... conversation...?!''  I sighed.  Well, that little secret was spilled now.

I looked back to him and nodded.  ``Exia and Yimir were trying to recruit you the day we had our little argument.  I mistook their attempts as flirting with you instead and got... irked at them.  But they explained themselves and cleared the confusion up... which left us with the possible idea of testing the waters and see what your interests were.  Of course, ideally that would have happened while they were both conscious...''  A glare to Exir, and he coughed and averted his gaze.  Yimir hadn't jumped all over us around the point the discussion had touched upon fucking each other, so I suspected she was out cold now.

``Hey, I mean... you're the one he'll be primarily interacting with, right?  No... harm done... uh... sorry.''  Exir coughed awkwardly again and averted his gaze.  I smiled a little and chuckled, shaking my head to him.

``Eh, I'm sure we'll live.  But we really should talk.  Especially if Exir's interested in trying to snatch you up too.''  I looked back to Kada, who was still staring at me in shock, blushing furiously over... almost his whole body, if the creep down his neck was hinting at anything.

Exir made a hacking noise, then covered his muzzle, looking at me startled after.  ``That was mostly a joke, Exes!  I'm not gonna step on your paws!''  I raised an eyebrow to him, then shrugged instead, feeling... a combination of lazy and very noncommittal.  I cared, obviously, but...

``I more meant that it's actually Kada's choice to make.  Obviously, it's not going to affect his friendship with either of us, if we're basically living together from here on out.''  That got him grinning again, at least.  An unhappy Exir... bothered me.

I turned back to Kada, who was still staring at me with wide eyes and a full flush.  For a moment, I wondered if I'd accidentally hit him with Stasis or something.  ``Obviously you don't have to decide right now.  And if you want to talk about it or ask us anything, feel free.  Or if you'd just rather game for the rest of the night, that's also possible.''

His eyes twitched a little, then searched my expression carefully.  ``Y-You...  You like m-me?''

I nodded.  ``You're rapidly turning into an amazing friend, Kada.  And in case you didn't notice with me and the girls, friendship can... turn into romance pretty easily if you let it.  Obviously, I'm staying... reserved until you decide.  False expectations are never fun...''

Slowly, he relaxed a little and nodded at that.  ``I... can understand that, yeah.  That you're even... open to it though...''  Slowly, I returned his nod, and he swallowed uneasily.  My paw gently massaged his back, and his expression softened a little, before suddenly shifting pensive instead.  Hmm?

To my surprise, he sat up, sliding his paws into his lap and looking down at his lower ones for a moment.  ``Um...  I think I need to... be honest with everyone first.''  I sat up next to him, and Exir actually sat down instead, crossing his legs as his ears lifted instead.  Kada sighed after, expression falling even as his ears lowered drastically.  Eh?!  ``It's important, especially seeing as you're... the Grandmaster Alchemist now.  I mean, who you're seen with can really... affect your reputation and stuff.''

Exir lifted an eyebrow, and I frowned.  Who I'm seen with?  We both just stayed quiet and let him talk, though.  ``I'm actually Kada of Clan Leizer.  They have a local clan chapter here in Laridia.''  My ears perked at that.

``Oh, you're a noble?''

Exir paused, then perked slightly.  ``That explains your security clearance.  Though, why the temporary job at the palace...?''

Kada sighed to that.  ``It's my mother's suggestion, to both me and the other youngest clan member.  The idiot that sniffed up Yimir...''  Pfft.  ``She thinks we need more experience with political aspects, and this was a quick and easy shortcut to learning how things worked, in her opinion.  Serve those who are experts at it and keep my eyes open...''  I guess it made sense?  Sort of?

``I still don't get why you'd think I wouldn't want to be seen with you.''  He sagged a bit at that, and Exir frowned.

``Wait, it's not to do with Clan Leizer's reputation, is it?''  Kada actively cringed at that, and I suspected it was exactly to do with Clan Leizer's reputation.

The Illan gave a low sigh and nodded at that.  ``I mean, yeah.  I figured Exes didn't know about it and I just...  I took advantage of him not knowing.  And now I feel...  I'm a horrible person!''  He tucked up against his legs with that, but I grabbed his shoulders and pulled him back against me instead.

``You're far from a horrible person, Kada.  Just tell me what's so horrible about them?  Are they all weird cultists that want to murder me?''  If not, that would put them assumably better than the Cult of the Shattering.  And select parts of my old tribe...

Kada blinked at that, then scrunched his muzzle, looking momentarily confused.  ``W-What?  No!''

Exir rolled his eyes, however.  ``There's absolutely nothing wrong with them, unless you happened to be a stuck-up prude with your muzzle so far up your ass, you can give yourself an enema and gargle at the same time.''  Both Kada and I stared at him with muzzle scrunches at that, and he huffed, shaking his head.  Well, that was some horrific mental images.

``Look, they're an alchemist clan.  Everyone that's a prude just gets huffy because they specialize in sexual things.  Gender changing, body shifts, sex toys, body augmentations...  They also do a lot of non-sexual things too with alchemy but you largely don't hear about those...''  Kada went back to cringing, and I raised an eyebrow.  Seriously?

I blinked once, waiting for more, but after a long five or six seconds, I frowned.  ``That's... it?''

Kada flailed at that.  ``My clan makes sex toys!  You have to be able to see how hilarious that is for pups growing up!  Plus, nobody considers us a real noble clan...  It...''

``...doesn't matter in the slightest to me, Kada.  Or to anyone who actually matters, I suspect.''  He froze, staring at me in shock, but I just shook my head.  ``It's true.  A lot of people are more... afraid of sex.  It's taboo, and something amazing, but because everyone treats it as private and naughty, nobody likes to admit to enjoying it.  I bet almost every noble clan that looks at your clan with disdain actually makes use of your products and augmentations.  They're undoubtedly happy your clan exists.  Just too afraid to admit that...''

He relaxed a little at that, flushing pink now.  ``You really... don't care?''

I blinked once, then averted my gaze, causing one of his ears to lower.  ``Actually, no, I do care.  More in that, however, I totally wouldn't mind if you got me a product guide or however it is you advertise.  I find myself really curious about things you sell.''  His eyes widened slowly at that, pink turning to red across his cheeks, but Exir perked instead.

``Ooooo!  Thinking about getting something?  Toys?  Augments?!''  He grinned, and I rolled my eyes to him before chuckling.

``Actually, it might be a good idea to get the girls some toys if I'm going to be as busy as they tell me I am.  Of course, I should probably just have them pick those out.''  Exir nodded sagely, but Kada wiggled his nose furiously, whiskers twitching every which way.  Hmm?

``Um, w-we make... customizable d-dildos.  You could um, o-order one shaped like you.  They're a-attachable to strap-ons...''

My ears perked up at that, but then I frowned.  ``I mean... that sounds amazing, but now it... kinda feels like ordering them one of those is egotistical...?  I mean, what if they want a different shape and I'm just assuming they're going to want me all the time?''  Kada paused, then snickered at that, and Exir shook his head.

``You're way overthinking that, Exes.  Though if you're that worried about it, get them multiple?  Then they have the choice on whether or not they're fucking each other with your cock, or someone else's!''  I glared at him and he grinned.  Ugh.

``I mean, we have nondescript shapes too?  Oh, you could also get hole toys in their shapes too!  Uh, if none of them are around and you're horny?'' Kada suggested.

I tilted my head to him.  ``Hole toy?  Is that... what I think it is?''

Exir nodded again, of course.  ``A portable toy that's a hole, shaped like a pussy.  Or mouth.  Or tailhole.  Or I guess... ear or nose if you're into that sort of thing...''

Kada gave a low groan, sagging a bit.  ``Don't even joke.  We actually have ears...''  I averted my eyes at that, trying not to sigh.

``I guess it beats a cactus?''

Kada looked horrified, but Exir laughed suddenly.  ``Oh Gods, I forgot about that!  Ryken was such a dumbass...''

``Yup.  Guess who got to spend three hours removing needles from his entire groin area?''

Kada winced, then shook his head.  ``I think you might just be desensitized, Exes.  But... I'm glad...''  A light pink tint went onto his cheeks again and he smiled to me, searching my expression again.

I nodded to him, relaxing and smiling again.  ``Well, I don't mind at all.  Opposite.  I really do want to find out everything you sell...''  He grinned at that and nodded too.

``Mmm, if you want, I'll let my mom know you're interested.  She'll probably be just throwing catalogs your way.''

Exir snorted, then laughed.  ``Imagine her reaction if you start dating Exes instead...''  I felt my cheeks heat a little, but Kada practically exploded in red flush, giving a squeak at that, then covering his muzzle with both paws.  Everything he did made me want to hug him...

``Again, you don't have to decide right now.  It might be easier to just feel things out.  And you can totally probably pick Exir too.''  I winked to him, and he squirmed more.  Exir just huffed though.

``Just... feel things out...?'' Kada questioned, turning fully back to me again and searching my expression intensely.

I smiled and nodded to him with that, then slid over until our hips bumped.  His eyes kept getting larger, and the red deeper in his cheeks as I leaned in, nose hovering just a few centimeters from his own.  ``Mmmhmm.  You know, just feel it out and see what it's like.''

He started to shiver, shaking there as his eyes drifted down to my muzzle, then back up to my eyes, his own muzzle hanging open just slightly.  ``I...  I've n-never...  Uh...''  I just smiled and nodded to him, waiting there patiently, barely a centimeter away.  That was something I definitely didn't want to take from him.

He managed to shakily swallow, looking down at, well, my nose at this point.  I don't think he could see my lips anymore past his own muzzle.  His breath caught, as I could feel it against my whiskers, before his eyes lidded a little and hesitantly, he just brushed forward and pressed his lips against mine.  My own eyes lidded and I brushed back, causing a little jolt to go through his body.  He backed up again, eyes wide once more, and I just smiled softly at him.  ``Mmm, your first kiss.  I'm honored, Kada...''

His expression softened, and Exir smiled in my left periphery.  I started to back up again when Kada moved forward once more, this time fully closing his eyes as he pushed his muzzle up against mine.  I smiled against the kiss, paw sliding up and brushing over the Illan's cheeks, causing him to shiver and lean into my touch.  He was more... eager this time, and shivered as he nuzzled into me.

We parted again but only slightly this time as he stayed right there, eyes partly lidded still and slight strand of saliva between our muzzles.  My paw cupped his cheek, rubbing through his fur gently with my thumb, and he leaned into my touch, searching my eyes at a more relaxed pace now.  ``Can... we give it a try...?''  He flushed again after asking, looking nervous suddenly for just a split second, at least until I nodded.

``Yup.  That's what this is about after all.  And of course, moving at your pace.''  He shivered again before smiling, then sliding up against me.  My left arm slid around his back, giving him a soft hug, even as he let his head tuck up under my chin with a little nuzzle.

Exir slowly shook his head.  ``Yup, still managing to be absolutely adorable.  Should I give you two some alone time or...?''

Kada's eyes slowly widened again at that, but I gave him a squeeze to me again and chuckled.  ``Moving at Kada's pace.  There's no need to rush into anything.  We could just game some more if you want...''

I looked back down to the Illan next to me, who slowly nodded to that and gave me a shy smile upwards.  ``I'd... like that, yeah.  Can I... stay here though?''

I nodded down to him, then slid my arms back, lifting him partly and just moving him into my lap instead.  He gave a softer squeak of surprise, then shivered as I plopped him down again.  He was just the right size where I could rest my chin between his ears, causing him to flick both and wiggle against me.  ``O-Or this!  I... l-like this better...''

Grinning, Exir grabbed three of the PEC's headsets and gave two over to us.  ``Sweet!  Let's try a three-player game of Chronicles of Na'ard?''  We both nodded to that, and I slid Kada and I to the lower edge of the bed, relaxing again as I put on the headset.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~


I suppose it had been too long now.  Something had to give eventually, once more.  I frowned, looking over the paper in front of me, skimming the article, even though its headline gave me more than enough information, really.  ``Rumors of Jungle Inaga spread!  All abnormals and living life completely different!  Queen plans on making contact!''  The headline might have been innocent if not slightly misunderstanding, but the article itself was a tad more inflammatory.  This was a major publisher of course, so they didn't outright put forth that there was a cover up going on about the gender dynamics, but more innocently pondered over some inconsistencies they'd been noticing.

No, the propaganda had already dropped all pretenses.  I looked over at the other flyer I'd picked up from my balcony.  Someone had air-dropped them all over town via a drifting balloon carrier, which I'd heard was a somewhat common event for the `resistance'.  ``Real Inaga hiding in Jungle away from Capitol's Tyranny!  They live how Inaga are supposed to!  With males in power!''  Also... inaccurate, but the headline was definitely attention drawing.

Mom slowly shook her head, sitting at the table with us on the terrace.  It was the upper level to the palace's dining hall, and had a nice open-air view of most of the city and mountain Laridia was connected to.  ``No, it wasn't me.  I already gave a mind scan.  It was probably palace staff, if the queen really was planning to contact the Jungle Tribes.''

Sighing, Exia nodded slowly, sitting to Mom's right.  ``Yeah, I think they scanned all of us at this point...''  They hadn't scanned me, but I knew I wasn't the one leaking the information.  They'd tried, but...  Lilita was sitting there, chatting with me yesterday, and apparently decided I had other things in my head that she'd rather not be made public information.  The mind mage starting the scan on me sort of blanked out for a moment, then just smiled and said I was all clear...  This somehow only terrified me even more of the Keld princess.  She was not the innocent little flower she projected!

My comm flashed, and I idly tapped at it under the table.  ``Not us.  Mom's been cleared already.  Staff?''  Annah had taught me how to `link' my normal comm to the one in the suitcase, all subtle-like.

It only took a couple seconds for a reply from this `Kyry', whom I was yet to meet, on the group comm.  ``Kitchen staff.  Little Illan girl accidentally gossiped to the wrong person.  Set up a blame shift onto the person she gossiped to and left her a warning note to be more careful.  She'll get the hint.''  Yikes.  I knew some journalists went undercover, but this was getting ridiculous.

``It doesn't really matter.  They were bound to find out eventually...''  Mom shrugged with that, taking another sip of her tea while we waited for lunch.  It was Exir and I's pack here with her now, plus Kada.  Though he was now aiming to be a member of my pack too.  Yimir was taking her first trip out and about, and was bundled up a bit more warmly, tucked into my right side.  Kada snuggled my left.

His ears perked at that, flicking back and forth before frowning.  ``So there really are Jungle Inaga Tribes?  And they're all... uh... well I guess, normal Inaga?''  I was glad I'd put up my silence ward already.  And further glad nobody even batted an eye when the Grandmaster decided he wanted a bit of privacy to chat.  I'd gotten some glances, but my sudden silence ward was treated as completely normal by the rest of the palace staff.

Exia smiled to him, then nodded.  ``Yup.  Two tribes.  They don't use the Larid patches.  Exir, Exes and I are also patched with the Elven essence patches.''  I had to wonder partly if that was why my leg was screwed up.  I knew the Elven patches weren't as... thorough, supposedly.  But if I had to pick between my instincts and `self', and my leg at this point... I think I was just fine with who I currently was.

Mom was watching him for a moment before shifting to a slow smirk instead.  Uh oh.  ``So, I also hear from my daughter that you're also attempting to join Exes' pack, Kada?''

He managed to go from looking contemplative to bright red in less than a second, eyes widening as they snapped to Mom instead.  ``Ah!  U-Uh... yes?  I... um, yes!  Well... uh, with Exes specifically...''

``So... a submissive?''  Mom tilted her head curiously, but Yimir grinned.

``Yeah, he only likes boys so far.''

Niva smirked, then shot a wink to Yimir, who scrunched her muzzle and glared back at her.  Kada was too busy blushing furiously and wiggling to notice any of it.  ``I mean, yeah.  I've never really... considered females I guess.  I just knew definitely that I like males a lot.  Um, and I really like Exes.''  He looked up to me at that, giving a little smile, and I nodded to him.

He didn't resist at all when I tilted his head up by touching under his muzzle.  Our mouths touched, and he shivered as I held him there for a second before lifting my head again, leaving him with a blissed-out expression.  Mom shifted to a warmer smile as she watched us and nodded.  ``There's absolutely nothing wrong with that.  Packs in the Jungle Tribes had that figured out too.  For the most part, we do share Vulkus instincts a lot.  Though there's been some divergence here and there...''

It snapped in my mind instantly, in a bolt of realization, and I immediately kicked myself for not remembering sooner that Mom was from the Jungle Tribes!  She... grew up with all of those instincts and social norms.  Why the fuck hadn't I just asked her about all this stuff?!  My ears shot up as fast as the realization hit, and Mom paused, mid-sip of her tea again and looked over at me instead.

``I... feel kinda silly now, but I just realized, you grew up with all this stuff.  I could have been... asking you for help figuring things out.''  She looked surprised at that for a moment before her expression relaxed again and she smiled, giving a little giggle before covering her muzzle with a paw.

``Of course, Exes.  You can ask me anything you want.  I wish it ideally had happened a lot sooner in life, but now that you're coming into your own and feeling out your instincts, it's good to ask questions.''  I relaxed at that, searching her expression for a moment.  There was an odd juxtaposition really, now.  At moments like these, she felt exactly like the mother I knew my whole life.  But now in my mind, she was... overlapped with the absolute badass warrior I suddenly realized she was.

I exhaled a little at that, then nodded.  ``What... exactly do those... pack titles mean, anyway?  Alpha, beta, and submissive?''

She thought about it for a moment, stirring her tea before nodding slowly.  ``They're a little different for us than they are for Vulkus.  For us, the alpha position is the leader of the pack.  Optionally, the pack may have betas too.  People in charge of other members of the pack.  A hierarchy, with the alpha delegating to them to some degree.  Submissives are just all the other pack members.''  So... they were just the `tiers' of the hierarchy then?

She compared after, however.  ``Vulkus, on the other paw, have `beta' reference purely a male position.  Alphas of the pack are usually male as well.  So, all the females of the pack who aren't the alpha, are considered submissives.  And males can be either beta or submissives, depending on if they have females under them.  The most often times you see this is when packs... merge to some degree.  An alpha taking another male and the females under him.  Or taking an already mated pair.  They can then choose to let the male keep some aspect of autonomy with their female from before.  Another frequent thing I've seen is when the two males were super close before, and the alpha wants his friend to keep some level of dominance.''

My head tilted at that.  ``So that means, in the Jungle Tribes, females can be betas too?''

``Yes.  We're just slightly more flexible on genders than Vulkus.  Of course, it helps that a lot of Vulkus females have some pretty potent submissive instincts, especially when it comes to breeding.  It might be just... something they more naturally fall into.  And of course, when I say alpha, I mean the pack position.  Not the Alpha mutation by the same name.  Though uh, they're almost always the alpha of their packs in that case.''

Ah, yeah, the Alpha mutation.  I chuckled at that and nodded.  ``For Vulkus, anyway.''

Mom smirked, and I paused, frowning to her.  ``Oh, no, Exes.  Jungle Inaga have Alpha mutation variants too.''  What?!  Everyone at the table jerked to that, attention entirely snapped onto Mom in an instant.  Looks like... nobody knew that one.  Pretty sure it even interrupted the intense game of pawsy Exir and Niva had going under the table.

``Wait, seriously?!  That's... holy shit!'' Niva hissed, eyes widening drastically.

We froze however, all pausing and looking to the right as the waiter came up again, sliding a large tray of lunch for us.  Oh... right.  That was...  He could probably tell we were all significantly distracted, and probably due to the silence ward, assumed he was interrupting.  He hastily managed to get all the plates of food distributed across the center of the table, before giving us a little bow, large ears bobbing up and down as he did.

We waited for him to pad off, before looking back to Mom again.  She gestured to the food, however.  Tch...  Not fair!  She snickered as we started grudgingly dishing into the food in the center, but then nodded.  ``Yeah, we have Alpha mutations as well.  Interestingly enough, I'm not entirely certain who originated that one.  I believe it actually started in the Vulkus and got bred back into us thousands of years ago.  An Inaga Alpha will usually grow to around a non-Alpha Vulkus size.''  Well, that wasn't as big as an Alpha Vulkus obviously, but that was huge for an Inaga...

Exir gave a low whistle at that.  ``That's... big.  Honestly, I'm surprised we haven't seen any yet then, in that case.  The amount of `abnormal' Inaga seems to be increasing every year...  What's the rate of Vulkus Alphas?''  I was paradoxically both pleased and sad that he immediately looked over at me after asking.

``About one every two hundred and fifty or so births, on average...''  It didn't matter that I actually happened to have the answer!  I was still a little sad...

He nodded at that.  ``Yeah, if ours are similar, it feels like we should have seen some by now...''

Sighing, I slowly shook my head, however.  ``Actually, the odds are probably significantly worse.  The essence patches aren't just hit or miss.  They're failing because of drift.  That is, the locations of things in our essence patterns slightly changes over time as information is added and removed from them.  That means more and more of the essence patch is failing in each individual Inaga.  With the `abnormal' ones being the ones with specific, instinct-based areas having failed completely.''

Mom frowned, then slowly nodded to that.  ``So, we might actually have Alpha mutation Inaga out and about, but they're just... partly blocked by the essence patches?''  I nodded.

Giving a low whistle at that, Niva grinned.  ``Kinda sexy sounding, really.  I mean, I've joked before that Exir's halfway to Vulkus, but now it could be even more accurate!''  My ears perked up at that, and I looked back over at Exir.  He was almost a head taller than the standard Inaga, I realized.  I'd chalked it up to being a Jungle male, like I was.  We'd both had a surprising height spurt in the last year or two.  But Exir was built like a mountain slab...

He paused and frowned at that.  ``Uh, aren't I a little too old for that sort of thing, though?  I thought the Alpha mutation was brought about at sexual awakening in Vulkus?''

I sighed at that, and shook my head.  Bonus points I guess for reading that book on Vulkus after all.  ``It usually is, yeah.  But they have something called `delayed onset' Alpha.  Where it's triggered by something external slightly later than usual.  I think the record is age sixteen, suddenly shifting Alpha?''  That was, on average, an eight-year delay, which was more than a little significant.  Vulkus normally hit sexual awakening at around age eight to nine.  ...why did I read that whole book?  I was only looking for specific answers...

Tilting her head to me, Yimir asked, ``Isn't there a way to tell?  It feels like there should be.''

``Actually, there is.  They have a series of hormones in their bloodstream, referred to as the A series.  One through three, specifically.  If we copied it from Vulkus, we should have something similar.  If Exir has A One hormone present in his bloodstream, he's activated an Alpha mutation.''  He slowly nodded to me with that, tail starting to swish behind him.

``Not gonna lie.  That would be badass...  So... you can do a blood test?''  Heh, knew he'd jump on that.

I nodded to him with that, smiling a little.  ``Sure.  Just come back to our room after lunch and I'll get that started.  Shouldn't take much more than twenty or thirty minutes to do.''

Niva flushed lightly, then coughed.  ``Uh, if he is, wouldn't that mean he's uh... addictive?''  Oh, right.  Yeah, it would...

A light flush came over Exir too, and he averted his gaze.  ``That... would explain some things.''  Exia looked to her right and shot him a skeptical eyebrow raise.

``Uh... lemme guess, the twins came back?''  She got an awkward cough from him with that.  Yeah, that would be a yes.  Well, now I had a new interesting thing to investigate!

Mom gave an amused giggle as we all started finally eating, though.  ``Admittedly, I'd certainly be happy if you turned out to be an Alpha.  It's quite an honor you realize, Exir?''  He paused, mid-stuffing of a breadstick into his muzzle before smiling around it and nodding to her.  She snickered though, then looked to me instead.  ``Plus, I swear, there's barely any essence drift at all between Exes and Exia's father, and his brother, Exir's father.  I wonder if that means Exes or Exia might also be in the running, if you turn out as one?''  I paused, slowly swallowing a spoonful of cheesy noodles before lifting an eyebrow up to her.

``Me, an Alpha?  I mean... I guess I'm on the tall side but...  I think Exia would be more likely.''

My little sister's muzzle scrunched with that as she looked to me instead.  ``Eh?!  I'm super short!  And a girl, last I checked!''

Mom chuckled.  ``There can be female Alpha mutations, Exia.  Both for Vulkus and Inaga.''

``...oh.  Coooool!''  Damn, and now I suddenly thought of an Alpha with Flickerpaw training.  Now that would be terrifying...

Kada took several seconds to slowly inhale a long string of spaghetti he was working on before looking between Mom and I.  ``Do siblings do the Alpha thing together then...?''

Mom had that one covered.  ``I'd say it's slightly more likely for siblings to both be Alphas, yeah.  There's precedent for it.''

Nuzzling up against my right side, Yimir looked up at me instead, wiggling her nose and whiskers.  ``Uh, I probably sound like some sort of barbaric tribal but um, I don't actually know that much about Vulkus.  What exactly does it mean to be an Alpha mutation?''  And everyone turned to me with that.  Okay, definitely just felt sad this time.

I exhaled slowly, then nodded, stuffing the second half of my breadstick into my muzzle and chomping it down before answering.  ``A lot of things really.  They're about forty to sixty percent larger than normal for their species.  Larger muscle mass and just taller and wider overall.  Voracious libido, comparatively, with heightened virility and fertility.  Their own hormones build up over time if they don't regularly have sex, leading to irritation and even higher libido.  Uniquely, they have special absorbable hormone chains in their body fluids that can boost virility and fertility of others.''

Mom nodded to that one.  ``Vulkus have had uses for that culturally for thousands of years.  They innately have lower fertility, so their Alphas have always held a sort of honored place in society, if only for their boosting capabilities.  Of course, back then it actually took a direct contribution from the Alpha to boost someone, which had its own risks.''

I sighed at that.  ``Their sexual fluids are also addictive.  So yeah, they could boost someone's virility and fertility, but it came with risks.  Not too bad if only a one-off event but repeatedly...  It led them to being both venerated and segregated at the same time, often forced to live outside of the villages, with only those who chose to be their mates.''

``Well, that's depressing.''  Exir lowered his ears a bit at that, and I nodded.

``Things are a lot better now, obviously.  They can extract the hormones from the produced sexual fluids and not only make a non-addictive injection from it, but alter it to work on other species too.  Plus, they better understand how Alphas work now, and have air filters for the scents, and ways to break the addiction in people.''

Exia perked at that.  ``Scents?''  Right, she was big into those.  Many a night so far, she spent blissfully snuggling her face up against my groin...  It was a bit distracting at times.  Though come to think of it, she used to do that as a little kit too, hiding under my tail from the storms outside.  I always woke up to her muzzle up my shorts.

Mom nodded.  ``They have a libido boosting scent too.  Turns people on like a natural aphrodisiac.  I guess a natural adaptation to try to encourage sex around them?''  Of course Exia shivered to that.

I nodded absently, downing another spoonful of pasta before adding the last bit.  ``Not helping that segregation thing early on, they also have what they call `Rage'.  Pretty self-explanatory there.  They're slow to anger, but if you do cause them to snap, they go into an almost berserk rage that heavily magnifies their abilities.  A lot of Vulkus laws even to this day are set up to try to prevent that.  It's almost a state of emergency when a more powerful Alpha rages.  Like one with combat training...  Especially if it's because someone set off their possessiveness to their mates.  When coupled with that buildup over time on their libido if they don't have sex, and the irritation it causes...''

Kada winced at that.  ``So, they're sorta a double-edged sword then.  Big and strong, and the fertility boosting things, but it sounds like you have to be more careful managing them as a culture sort of thing, or the addiction and Rage thing could really bite you...''  Literally, in the Rage case.

``Pretty much.  Like Exes said, that's what led to their segregation early on,'' Mom reminded.

We settled into eating after that.  Admittedly, it was nice to just hang out with Mom again.  At least when there wasn't anyone around that she needed to violently rearrange the bone structure of.  She was just... Mom.  Hopefully there would be more time for this sort of thing once she was done grinding Exia into dust with training, and things slowed down for me a bit.  ...at least, I hoped things would slow down for me a bit after the coronation ceremony.  My ears lowered a little bit as my comm lit up under the table again, however.  Of course, that might not be the case now that I'd accepted also becoming a Realmsguard.  Well, here's to adventure!

", "pools_count": 1, "title": "Exes - Chapter 16", "deleted": "f", "public": "t", "mimetype": "application/msword", "pagecount": "1", "rating_id": "1", "rating_name": "Mature", "ratings": [ { "content_tag_id": "2", "name": "Nudity", "description": "Nonsexual nudity exposing breasts or genitals (must not show arousal)", "rating_id": "1" } ], "submission_type_id": "12", "type_name": "Writing - Document", "guest_block": "t", "friends_only": "f", "comments_count": "0", "views": "39" }