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What they find waiting for them at the end, though, is far more precious than any earthly treasure.\n\nA cute little story written by [iconname]Neill[/iconname] and embellished here and there by yours truly. It is posted with his permission.\n\nThe characters in this story are, and belong to:\n\n[url=https://www.furaffinity.net/view/17533193/]Neill[/url], the handsome and powerful brown wolf. Owned by [iconname]Neill[/iconname]\n\n[url=https://inkbunny.net/s/1515278]Grace[/url], the beautiful and regal blonde vixen. Owned by [iconname]GraceTheGoldenFurred[/iconname]\n\n[url=https://inkbunny.net/s/1270335]Jen[/url], the clever and agile young bunnyfox. Also owned by [iconname]GraceTheGoldenFurred[/iconname]\n\n[url=https://inkbunny.net/s/865074]Megan[/url], the wise and wordy chocolate rabbit. Owned by [iconname]MeganBryar[/iconname]", "description_bbcode_parsed": "Four close friends go on a wild adventure through a mysterious temple filled with curious puzzles, all in the search of an ancient prize. What they find waiting for them at the end, though, is far more precious than any earthly treasure.

A cute little story written by \r\n\t\t\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tNeill\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t		\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tNeill\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
and embellished here and there by yours truly. It is posted with his permission.

The characters in this story are, and belong to:

Neill, the handsome and powerful brown wolf. Owned by \r\n\t\t\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tNeill\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t		\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tNeill\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t


Grace, the beautiful and regal blonde vixen. Owned by \r\n\t\t\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tGraceTheGoldenFurred\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t		\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tGraceTheGoldenFurred\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t


Jen, the clever and agile young bunnyfox. Also owned by \r\n\t\t\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tGraceTheGoldenFurred\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t		\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tGraceTheGoldenFurred\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t


Megan, the wise and wordy chocolate rabbit. Owned by \r\n\t\t\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tMeganBryar\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t		\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tMeganBryar\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
", "writing": "A Treasure For Four\n\nJen pushed down some tall reeds as she looked across the clearing at the weathered stone entrance. It was exactly what she had in mind, almost identical to the sketches she saw earlier that day.\n\n``Found it!'' she said excitedly, skipping forward into grassy space, followed by her cousin Megan.\n\n``Good going, Jen!'' said Megan, admiring the ancient stone structure in the middle of the clearing, which was exactly where they were going.\n\nBehind them, Grace and Neill emerged from the tall grass, following the bunny and bunnyfox into the open space.\n\n``Well, X marks the spot!'' said Grace brightly. ``Looks like the scrolls were telling the truth.''\n\n``Yuppity,'' said Megan, taking an old, tattered roll of parchment from her satchel. ``According to the text, this is the temple of Maos Karas, in which the Tear of Serenity is held.''\n\n``Tear of Serenity,'' said Neill, looking at the entrance of the temple. ``Sounds like a gemstone.''\n\n``A pearl, maybe,'' said Jen, walking back and forth admiring the details above the stone entrance.\n\n``Or a large drop-shaped sapphire,'' said Grace.\n\n``Or a diamond,'' said Megan. ``Only one way to find out.''\n\nShe rolled up the parchment and stashed it back in her satchel. Grace, Jen and Neill nodded and followed the bunny into the entrance of the temple. They walked down a short corridor and into a spacious room with slots in the ceiling and walls. Sunlight seeped in, providing ample illumination to the ancient chamber.\n\n``This is the antechamber,'' said Megan.\n\n``I love that word,'' said Jen, grinning.\n\nMegan grinned back at her young apprentice and ruffled her hair. ``You should. You see enough of them with all the wandering around you do.''\n\nJen giggled and tucked a stray strand of hair back behind one long ear. ``I've got adventure in my blood. That's what Grace says.''\n\n``She would know,'' Megan said.\n\nGrace shot them both a mock glare, which quickly dissolved into a smile of her own. ``You two stop gossiping and keep an eye out for that treasure. And for traps.''\n\n``This temple is impressive,'' said Neill, looking at the huge stones around them. ``How did they transport all these stones across the forest? There's no trail and no sign of dragging, and the wheel was not a thing at the time this was built.''\n\n``It's one of those delectable mysteries of the ancient world,'' said Grace, looking all around her in admiration.\n\nAt the far end of the room, there was a door, but it was sealed shut. In front of it was a plinth with three large stones. They looked like obsidian figurines, one of the shaped like a sun, another like a moon, and the third like a star.\n\n``Hmm,'' said Grace, looking at the three suspicious stones. ``A puzzle.''\n\n``That kind of obsidian is not used for tools,'' said Neill, walking up beside her. ``It's decorative. Difficult to find, highly prized as a marriage gift. Usually shaped into jewelry for the future daughters of the couple that gets married.''\n\n``Then it must be part of the temple and meant to stay here,'' said Jen.\n\n``Let's find out,'' said Megan, walking up to the plinth and examining it closely. ``Yup, there's ancient writing here.''\n\n``Can you read it?'' asked Grace.\n\n``Pretty sure I can,'' said Megan, scanning the letters written in stone. ``It says: My shine dazzles bright, I open a path, but shine me alone, and suffer my wrath.''\n\n``Hmm,'' said Grace, rubbing her chin with her paw. ``Shine dazzles bright. Well, it is obsidian.''\n\n``And it is a sun,'' said Jen.\n\n``And a moon,'' said Megan.\n\n``And a star,'' said Neill.\n\n``Exactly! We have to shine light into it.''\n\n``Into what?'' asked Neill.\n\n``Well...eh...the sun?'' asked Grace.\n\n``It's more than likely,'' said Megan. ``The ancients were sun worshipers, so their god was the sun and therefore should always be shining.''\n\n``And this room has shafts of light coming in from the walls and ceiling,'' said Jen.\n\n``Let's give it a shot!'' said Megan, walking into one of the beams of sunlight.\n\nShe held one of her nipple rings and reflected light towards the obsidian sun. It shone dimly at first, but then...\n\n``WOW!''\n\nThe obsidian sun shone bright as a Christmas ornament...and at that precise moment, something flew past Grace's left ear and crashed with a metallic chink into the back wall.\n\nEveryone jumped! It was an arrow!\n\n``Jeepers!'' cried Jen.\n\n``Ooo-kaay,'' said Grace, standing perfectly still, lest she activate some other booby trap. ``That wasn't part of the plan.''\n\nNeill turned around and saw a hole in the wall next to the door. It had shot out the arrow, and was surrounded by six other holes, no doubt loaded and ready.\n\n``Grace, I think you'd better walk slowly to the side of the room,'' he suggested.\n\n``You don't need to tell me twice,'' said Grace and tip-toed to the left wall.\n\n``Wrong one,'' said Megan. ``I guess we'd better try the moon now. But from a safe position.''\n\n``Hold it!'' said Jen.\n\nShe was crouching closer to the plinth and looking at the letters written in the stone.\n\n``I got it!'' said the bunnyfox brightly. ``We gotta shine light on all three!''\n\n``How do you know?'' asked Megan.\n\n``Because the first sentence is me'akk! That means it's pluralized!''\n\nMegan walked up to Jen and looked carefully.\n\n``See?'' said Jen. ``Above the first letter, that curvy line. In ancient script, that indicates that more than one person is speaking! It's hard to tell because it's so worn. But if you look closely, you can see it's written in the plural form.''\n\n``Well done, Jen!'' said Megan. ``You're learning so fast you'll start teaching me pretty soon.''\n\n``Awww, shucks,'' said Jen humbly.\n\n``Okay,'' said Neill. ``I think I got an idea. Let's all use our jewelry to shine light on one of the objects each.''\n\n``Good move,'' said Grace, taking one of her nipple studs out. ``I'll stand over there, well away from the door, Neill can stand to the left, and you can stand near the front entrance, Megan.''\n\nJen watched from a safe position as her mother, cousin and friend each took their accessories in their paws and shone light at each of the obsidian astral bodies. Neill shone the sun with his fang chain, Grace used her nipple stud to shine the moon and Megan used her nipple ring to shine the star.\n\nThe three figures shone brightly. It was a beautiful sight to behold. Everyone braced themselves in case the heard another arrow shooting, ready to duck. But instead, something in the back of the room clicked, and the door in front of them slowly slid downwards, opening the path ahead.\n\n``Bingo!'' said Jen excitedly.\n\n``That did the trick!'' said Grace.\n\nThe four friends slowly walked together towards the newly-opened door, wondering excitedly what other puzzles awaited.\n\nThey walked down the corridor for over three minutes, feeling themselves going deeper into the earth. The light from the room they left behind became dim and distant. Then suddenly, the corridor opened into a large circular space.\n\n``By the goddess!'' said Neill.\n\nIt was a round room with gemstones embedded into the walls and ceiling. The room was dark, but each stone shone with a constant and warm light, making the outline of the entire chamber visible. There was something familiar about the way the stones were arranged.\n\nAt the far end of the room, another sealed door, and in front of it was a series of platforms. They were all square and different sizes, set beside each other. The platforms were bare, but they appeared to have once held statues.\n\n``I wonder what this is all about,'' said Jen, walking around the room and looking at the pretty stones shining silently.\n\n``It would make a good dancing room,'' said Grace, twirling about a little.\n\n``Pity I forgot my flute. We could have had a real party in here,'' Megan said. She grabbed Grace's hand and they spun around the room once, both giggling.\n\nJen grimaced in mock despair. ``Don't encourage her. We're still picking up after her last one.''\n\nGrace stuck her tongue out and winked at the others. ``Let your mother have some fun, pup. We got here before anyone else, so the treasure, whatever it is, will still be intact. Isn't that worth celebrating?''\n\nJen smiled and essayed a quick twirl of her own, her tail spinning around her like the hem of a gown. ``As long as we can have lots of cake!''\n\n``The biggest you ever saw,'' Grace said ``Just as soon as we're done in here.\n\n``These stones don't need shining, they're already glowing,'' said Megan.\n\n``But what are they trying to tell us?'' asked Neill.\n\n``Cryptic,'' said Grace. ``At least the first room was sun, moon and stars themed.''\n\n``There's gotta be some writing around that will explain it,'' said Jen, looking around the room.\n\n``There should be,'' said Megan, looking all around with her cousin.\n\n``HOLD IT!'' cried Grace suddenly. ``Sun, moon and stars! I got it! The way these stones are placed. Look closely!''\n\nThey all did.\n\n``Why...there's the hunter's spear!'' said Neill excitedly.\n\n``And the virgin's gown!'' said Jen.\n\n``And the Southern Cross,'' said Megan.\n\n``See? What did I tell you?'' said Grace with a grin.\n\n``So these stones are representing stars!'' said Jen.\n\n``Exactly. The riddle is in the stars...or stones,'' said Grace.\n\n``Hmm,'' said Megan, turning her attention to the platforms at the end of the room. ``There's gotta be some connection here.''\n\nThey looked carefully at the star-stones all around the room and tried to figure out what they meant. Several minutes went by, and nobody came up with anything.\n\n``Wait...'' said Neill. ``The vixen's breasts are missing.''\n\nGrace cupped her bosom in alarm.\n\n``No, they're right there,'' she said with a half grin. ``Don't scare me like that.''\n\nThe other two girls giggled as Neill chuckled. Megan gave the brown wolf a big smile and clapped a friendly hand on his shoulder. ``Don't worry, sweetie, that's one golden treasure I think we're all keeping a careful eye on.''\n\nNeill blushed lightly at the bunny's words.\n\n``Eh...no, no, what I meant was...''\n\n``I know, hun,'' said Grace. ``I was just teasing. You meant there are some stars missing. I noticed too.''\n\n``Ah, yes. Right,'' said Neill, composing himself. ``A constellation is missing some stars.''\n\n``Now that you mention it, the Queen of Gold is nowhere to be seen,'' said Megan.\n\n``And her daughter is not there either,'' said Jen. ``She's my favourite constellation, she reminds me of myself and mother.''\n\n``It seems we have different names for constellations,'' said Neill. ``Over there, where the first platform is, my tribesfolk usually call it the nursing vixen. It's a mother fox with her young, and six stars are her nipples.''\n\n``That's the Golden Queen for us,'' said Jen. ``She stands next to the Foreign Lover, the Caretaker and the Princess.''\n\n``The constellations tell a story,'' said Megan. ``It goes: The Queen of Gold held her lover's paw as she walked the path of the Heavens, the Foreign Lover took her paw and chanted joyful hymns, the loyal Nursemaid their child led by her parents' side, the youthful Princess danced to her father's music as she tossed flower petals upon the lake surface. It's represented by four consecutive constellations, all of which are missing here in this room.''\n\n``Hmm...'' Grace rubbed her chin and suddenly got an idea. ``I think they aren't missing after all. Let me try something. Neill, come here.''\n\nShe took the wolf's paw and tugged him towards one of the pedestals. Neill was puzzled, but understood once Grace stood on one pedestal and adopted the position that the Golden Queen would in the constellation.\n\nSuddenly, they heard something click behind them! The door shook and opened a few inches.\n\n``Knew it!'' said Grace. ``I am now the Golden Queen. Neill, get up beside me and stand in the same position I am.''\n\nNeill did. And as soon as he held Grace's paw, they heard another click and the door opened a little more.\n\n``Jen and Megan, you're the princess and the nursemaid,'' said Grace.\n\nThe bunny and bunnyfox both stood on their corresponding pedestals and adopted the positions the constellations would.\n\nKa-thunk! The door behind them dropped completely, revealing another corridor that led deeper into the temple.\n\n``Jackpot!'' said Jen.\n\n``I might start to take a liking to this,'' said Megan as she climbed down from the pedestal and walked towards the newly opened passage.\n\n``Me too,'' said Neill with a wide grin, still holding Grace's paw.\n\n``We'll follow up on that later, hun,'' whispered Grace with a wink as she let go of his paw and brushed his thigh lightly with her tail as she walked behind Megan.\n\nJen noticed and giggled, loving the expression on the wolf's face as her mother sparked his imagination. Megan leaned down to whisper in the girl's ear, loud enough for the others to hear. ``Shameless, aren't they?''\n\nThey continued down the corridor that slanted upwards, going closer to the surface once more. At the end of the corridor, they walked into a large room with a set of double doors that were sealed shut. And this room...\n\n``Looks like the gymnasium of a castle!'' said Grace.\n\nIt did. The room was ample and had several sections that looked as if they were used for training knights. In the middle of the room, there was a slab of stone with writing. Megan and Jen immediately went to it and read the inscriptions.\n\n``The four winds will show you the strengths of your heart that once you can master the great doors will part. Interesting,'' said Jen.\n\n``Four winds?'' said Megan. ``You mean the four cardinal points.''\n\n``It's the same,'' said Jen. ``The Ancients called the four directions on a compass the Winds.''\n\n``Ahh, and who taught you that?'' asked Megan with a grin.\n\n``Who else?'' said Jen, and nuzzled her cousin happily.\n\nMegan gave the girl a hug and smiled with pride. ``I haven't had such a sharp student since my elder daughter was a kitten. Keep it up, pup, and you'll earn your Master status before you know it!''\n\n``Four winds,'' said Neill. ``There are four sides to the room, and they are colour-coded. Look.''\n\nThey did. The room was painted into four sectors and each sector was painted with a different colour: Red, blue, green and yellow. On the yellow sector, there was a pedestal with a crystal orb. The red sector had a pair of chains attached to iron handles. The green had a series of narrow stone pipes that led up to a platform above the room which was surrounded by a high stone fence. And the blue sector had a platform attached to the wall that was far too high for them to see what was at the top.\n\n``Hmm,'' said Grace. ``This puzzle eludes me. But we can experiment a bit.''\n\nShe walked to the red sector where the chains were laying on the floor. She tried to lift and pull them, but nothing happened. She tugged harder, and they all heard something behind the double doors.\n\n``Pull a little harder, Grace,'' said Megan, walking towards her.\n\n``That's as hard as I can,'' said Grace, putting down the chains. ``It's really heavy or rusted or both.''\n\n``Let me try,'' said Neill, lifting the chains and pulling.\n\nThe same sound as before. But then...\n\n``Jeepers!'' said Jen. ``Look!''\n\nThe big double doors moved slightly. They opened a fraction of an inch.\n\n``That's it!'' said Jen.\n\n``What's it?'' asked Grace.\n\n``Neill, put those chains down. Megan, follow me,'' said Jen.\n\nNeill did, and the door closed again. Jen led her cousin over to the yellow sector where a crystal orb sat on a pedestal.\n\n``There's writing here,'' said Jen, pointing at the base of the pedestal.\n\n``Hmm...The silken touch of the Golden Queen, will light the Orb with a sacred sheen. I wonder what that means.''\n\n``The Golden Queen,'' said Jen. ``From the previous room.''\n\n``You mean...me?'' asked Grace.\n\n``Give it a shot,'' said Neill. ``I think I'm starting to understand this puzzle.''\n\nGrace walked up to the orb and placed her paws on it. Instantly, it felt warm and lit up like a lamp. And then, they heard a click, and the door opened an inch.\n\n``Wow!'' said Grace.\n\n``Now I gotta pull those chains,'' said Neill.\n\nHe walked back to the chains and pulled. And the door opened almost three inches.\n\n``It's a puzzle that's suited to each of our skills, see,'' said Jen. ``Neill is the strongest, mother has royal blood, and now it's our turn.''\n\nJen and Megan excitedly turned their attention to the other corners. The green sector of the room with the narrow stone pipes looked like a child's jungle gym. None of the adults were small enough to fit into the tubes. But Jen...\n\n``This is my puzzle,'' she said eagerly, climbing into the stone tube nearest to her.\n\nEveryone watched as she disappeared and could be heard climbing around inside the tubes.\n\n``Just look at her go,'' Megan said ``She's like a little monkey!''\n\n``She gets that from your side of the family, sis,'' Grace said.\n\nMegan gave the blonde fox an exaggerated bow. ``You bet your cute butt she does!''\n\n``It's like a maze,'' came Jen's voice. ``But I think I got it!''\n\nThey all watched as she emerged in the cage-like platform above them. She looked triumphant and excited.\n\n``There's a switch here!'' she said, pressing a switch that the others could not see.\n\nA grinding sound, and the door opened a full ten inches.\n\n``Great!'' said Megan.\n\n``That leaves you, bun-bun,'' said Grace.\n\nMegan turned her attention to the last part of the room. There was a platform high up on the wall, which had no ladder and no way to reach.\n\n``How're we gonna reach that?'' asked Jen from her position.\n\n``I think only Megan could reach that,'' said Neill.\n\n``How so?'' asked Megan.\n\n``Who else is a High-Jump Champion of three consecutive years?'' asked Grace, her paws still on the orb in front of her.\n\n``Sure, back when I was eighteen,'' Megan said.\n\n``So?'' Grace said ``That just means you should be even better now. I know you've been practicing when you think nobody's watching.''\n\nMegan looked at the platform above her. It suddenly seemed feasible. Yes, it was within her reach. But only if she did her very best.\n\n``Okay...here goes,'' said Megan as she backed up a bit.\n\nWith a few running steps, the bunny crouched for a second and then leaped into the air. Everyone watched amazed as her powerful legs shot her up into the air, comfortably landing on the platform that none of the others would have reached in their lives.\n\n``Outstanding!'' said Neill.\n\n``That's eleven out of ten,'' said Grace.\n\n``Well done, cuz!'' said Jen. ``You ought to teach me that sometime.''\n\n``Sure, it'll be easy. You've got bouncing in your blood,'' Megan said. She beamed when she noticed a small pressure pad on the platform she was standing on. She stepped on it, and they all heard the door swing open.\n\n``Success!'' said Neill.\n\nOne by one they regrouped in front of the door. Jen retraced her steps and came back out through the stone tube she had entered before, Grace walked lightly to her daughter's side, and Neill stood below the platform with his arms open as Megan jumped down, catching the bunny safely and putting her on the ground in front of the door.\n\nStill smiling proudly, she gave him a hug and a kiss on the cheek as a reward for his gallantry. ``Well, this is it.''\n\n``We did it!'' said Jen.\n\n``Now let's go and get our treasure!'' said Grace.\n\n``Lead the way,'' said Neill.\n\nThey all held paws and walked into the doorway. As soon as they did, they were met with a wonderful sight. A large room, well-lit, with a platform at the far end, and something was sitting on the platform.\n\nBut it wasn't a jewel.\n\nAs the friends moved closer, they saw what it was. But could not believe it.\n\n``What...is...that?'' asked Jen.\n\nIt looked like a slash...in midair. There was no better way to describe it. It was like a fissure in the middle of the air itself that glowed blue. It seemed like a portal to another world entirely. As the friends looked at it, they felt as if it was drawing them into another dimension.\n\n``Um...uh...Megan, hun,'' said Grace. ``Does the scroll mention anything about this?''\n\n``N-No,'' said Megan. ``It said the Tear of Serenity is the prize. But nothing like this.''\n\n``It's...beautiful. In an eerie sort of way,'' said Jen.\n\n``Should we...claim it?'' asked Neill cautiously.\n\nThe four friends looked at each other. They thought about the puzzles, and the rooms, and the treasure.\n\n``I thought something was odd,'' said Megan. ``The puzzles...it was like they were made specifically for us.''\n\n``Yeah. Especially the last one,'' said Jen.\n\n``But how is that possible,'' said Grace. ``Nobody could have predicted that a group exactly like us would enter this temple.''\n\n``Unless...'' said Neill. ``Unless...it's some kind of supernatural being.''\n\nThey all went silent. They looked at each other, then at the treasure...\n\n``Well, we've come this far,'' said Neill.\n\n``Yeah,'' said Grace.\n\n``Shall we?'' asked Megan.\n\n``Let's!'' said Jen.\n\nShe held Megan's paw. Megan held Neill's paw, and Neill held Grace's paw. Grace smiled encouragingly to them as they walked together up to the platform. Then Grace put her paw on the strange window to another world that sat on top of the platform. And suddenly...\n\nWHOOSH!\n\nThey were standing in the middle of an endless field. Green as far as the eye could see, sapphire-blue sky. And in front of them stood the most beautiful female deer they had ever seen.\n\nShe was the most gorgeous doe imaginable, deep honey-coloured eyes, naked except for a thin belt of white beads and a matching necklace, and with a smile so soothing they were instantly reassured. And a bit more.\n\n``Greetings, my dears,'' said the doe. ``I am happy to see that my humble figure brings pleasure to your senses.''\n\nThey all looked at each other and blushed. They were showing clear signs of arousal. Megan and Grace's nipples stood out, making their nipple decorations shine all the more, Jen's labia looked pink and excited, and Neill was sporting quite an erection.\n\n``Now, don't be bashful, I have that effect on people. I am flattered and joyful, my dears,'' said the beautiful doe. ``My name is Tu'ul, the Goddess of Pleasure. You have done well to solve my riddles, it has been too long since I've entertained anyone.''\n\n``Wait...so you made those puzzles for us?'' asked Jen, trying hard not to stare at the sweet doe's cute nether region.\n\n``Yes, I designed them. Your group was most entertaining and I feel I should give you as much joy and entertainment in return,'' said Tu'ul. ``Now, here's how it goes: You may return to my temple as many times as you like. The puzzles will change each time, so you'll have to earn your prize with every visit. The Tear of Serenity is my reward to you.''\n\n``Wait...did you say tear? As in fissure?'' asked Megan.\n\n``Yes indeed,'' said Tu'ul. ``You figured it out!''\n\n``We thought it was a tear, as in droplet. But it turned out to be a tear, as in a crack,'' said Megan.\n\n``Clever!'' said Grace. ``So it rhymed with pear, not seer.''\n\n``You are so very entertaining,'' said Tu'ul happily. ``Now, each time you win the Tear, you can choose your delight. Anything you wish, anything that pleases you, you can have for a full day. Once your time is up, you'll return to the entrance of the temple.''\n\n``So...we choose what we like best?'' asked Neill.\n\n``All you have to do is hold paws and imagine the most pleasurable thing you could possibly desire, and it will be yours for a full day, right here, in this world,'' said Tu'ul. ``So go on, delight yourselves. Hold paws and think of that which you'd love best in the world.''\n\n``Okay,'' said Jen, shaking with anticipation.\n\nThe four friends held paws and closed their eyes, imagining the most pleasant thing they could ever wish for...\n\nSuddenly they heard laughing. As they opened their eyes, they realized they were standing under a shady pergola with a marble floor. There was a table of delicious foods from all parts of the world laid elegantly at the far end. At the other end, a group of girls was playing music with several instruments: There was a cat girl playing the fiddle, a bunny girl playing a harp, a vixen playing a flute and an otter girl keeping the rhythm with a tambourine. They were all wearing jewelry that brought out their natural beauty.\n\nJen smiled broadly and felt her feel move as if on their own will. She danced to the music beautifully, swaying her young body in a delightful undulation of golden fur and smiles. The others soon joined in, Grace dancing right beside her daughter, Megan swirling around in a folkloric rabbit dance, and Neill doing a traditional wolf dance of his tribe.\n\nNot far from them, they saw a sapphire-blue lake with more girls playing in the water and laughing. And at the left end of the pergola, Tu'ul was sitting on a throne-like chair, looking delightedly and holding a roll of parchment lightly.\n\n``I'm glad you're enjoying yourself, for this is really a lovely setting!'' said Tu'ul. ``I ought to entertain you more often, for even the Goddess of Pleasure is pleased and amazed with your mind's creation.''\n\nShe unrolled the scroll and showed it to the friends.\n\n``This is a map,'' said Tu'ul. ``It leads to a secret place. And the path is not easy but should be no challenge for a group of adventurers like you.''\n\nGrace and Jen moved towards the Goddess and looked at the map. Instantly, the excitement of new adventure made their toes tingle. They took it and showed it to Megan, who smiled and nodded and showed it to Neill.\n\n``I know this landmark,'' said Neill with a knowing smile. ``It's close to my home, a day's walk from the Great Tree.''\n\n``Well, we have our next adventure!'' said Megan excitedly.\n\nThe friends moved towards the table where the delicious treats were laid. Tu'ul got up and took a plate of delicious-looking cake and offered it to Jen.\n\n``Try some almond and strawberry ripple cake, sweet child,'' said Tu'ul kindly. ``I baked it myself.''\n\nJen thanked her and tried the cake. Her face lit up like a star and her smile could have cut diamond.\n\n``Wow! This is soooo delicious!''\n\nTu'ul bent down and kissed Jen on her forehead. Jen blushed and felt in heaven with the sweet gesture.\n\nThen the Goddess turned to everyone and bowed.\n\n``Enjoy yourselves, my dears,'' she said. ``You've earned it. If you need me, I'll be over at the lake, dipping my hooves.''\n\nShe winked and turned around, walking slowly towards the lake and swaying her hips seductively.\n\nThe four friends looked at each other.\n\n``Well, you heard the lady,'' said Grace, twirling a bit to the new tune the girls were playing. ``Let's have a good time!''\n\nThey spent the loveliest day ever, dancing and savouring tasty morsels, swimming and enjoying each other's company and the beautiful girls who played and nuzzled and kissed. But more than anything, thinking of the thrill of their next adventure together, four friends going off to discover the unknown and wonderful.\n\n***\n\n", "writing_bbcode_parsed": "A Treasure For Four

Jen pushed down some tall reeds as she looked across the clearing at the weathered stone entrance. It was exactly what she had in mind, almost identical to the sketches she saw earlier that day.

``Found it!'' she said excitedly, skipping forward into grassy space, followed by her cousin Megan.

``Good going, Jen!'' said Megan, admiring the ancient stone structure in the middle of the clearing, which was exactly where they were going.

Behind them, Grace and Neill emerged from the tall grass, following the bunny and bunnyfox into the open space.

``Well, X marks the spot!'' said Grace brightly. ``Looks like the scrolls were telling the truth.''

``Yuppity,'' said Megan, taking an old, tattered roll of parchment from her satchel. ``According to the text, this is the temple of Maos Karas, in which the Tear of Serenity is held.''

``Tear of Serenity,'' said Neill, looking at the entrance of the temple. ``Sounds like a gemstone.''

``A pearl, maybe,'' said Jen, walking back and forth admiring the details above the stone entrance.

``Or a large drop-shaped sapphire,'' said Grace.

``Or a diamond,'' said Megan. ``Only one way to find out.''

She rolled up the parchment and stashed it back in her satchel. Grace, Jen and Neill nodded and followed the bunny into the entrance of the temple. They walked down a short corridor and into a spacious room with slots in the ceiling and walls. Sunlight seeped in, providing ample illumination to the ancient chamber.

``This is the antechamber,'' said Megan.

``I love that word,'' said Jen, grinning.

Megan grinned back at her young apprentice and ruffled her hair. ``You should. You see enough of them with all the wandering around you do.''

Jen giggled and tucked a stray strand of hair back behind one long ear. ``I've got adventure in my blood. That's what Grace says.''

``She would know,'' Megan said.

Grace shot them both a mock glare, which quickly dissolved into a smile of her own. ``You two stop gossiping and keep an eye out for that treasure.  And for traps.''

``This temple is impressive,'' said Neill, looking at the huge stones around them. ``How did they transport all these stones across the forest? There's no trail and no sign of dragging, and the wheel was not a thing at the time this was built.''

``It's one of those delectable mysteries of the ancient world,'' said Grace, looking all around her in admiration.

At the far end of the room, there was a door, but it was sealed shut. In front of it was a plinth with three large stones. They looked like obsidian figurines, one of the shaped like a sun, another like a moon, and the third like a star.

``Hmm,'' said Grace, looking at the three suspicious stones. ``A puzzle.''

``That kind of obsidian is not used for tools,'' said Neill, walking up beside her. ``It's decorative. Difficult to find, highly prized as a marriage gift. Usually shaped into jewelry for the future daughters of the couple that gets married.''

``Then it must be part of the temple and meant to stay here,'' said Jen.

``Let's find out,'' said Megan, walking up to the plinth and examining it closely. ``Yup, there's ancient writing here.''

``Can you read it?'' asked Grace.

``Pretty sure I can,'' said Megan, scanning the letters written in stone. ``It says: My shine dazzles bright, I open a path, but shine me alone, and suffer my wrath.''

``Hmm,'' said Grace, rubbing her chin with her paw. ``Shine dazzles bright. Well, it is obsidian.''

``And it is a sun,'' said Jen.

``And a moon,'' said Megan.

``And a star,'' said Neill.

``Exactly! We have to shine light into it.''

``Into what?'' asked Neill.

``Well...eh...the sun?'' asked Grace.

``It's more than likely,'' said Megan. ``The ancients were sun worshipers, so their god was the sun and therefore should always be shining.''

``And this room has shafts of light coming in from the walls and ceiling,'' said Jen.

``Let's give it a shot!'' said Megan, walking into one of the beams of sunlight.

She held one of her nipple rings and reflected light towards the obsidian sun. It shone dimly at first, but then...

``WOW!''

The obsidian sun shone bright as a Christmas ornament...and at that precise moment, something flew past Grace's left ear and crashed with a metallic chink into the back wall.

Everyone jumped! It was an arrow!

``Jeepers!'' cried Jen.

``Ooo-kaay,'' said Grace, standing perfectly still, lest she activate some other booby trap. ``That wasn't part of the plan.''

Neill turned around and saw a hole in the wall next to the door. It had shot out the arrow, and was surrounded by six other holes, no doubt loaded and ready.

``Grace, I think you'd better walk slowly to the side of the room,'' he suggested.

``You don't need to tell me twice,'' said Grace and tip-toed to the left wall.

``Wrong one,'' said Megan. ``I guess we'd better try the moon now. But from a safe position.''

``Hold it!'' said Jen.

She was crouching closer to the plinth and looking at the letters written in the stone.

``I got it!'' said the bunnyfox brightly. ``We gotta shine light on all three!''

``How do you know?'' asked Megan.

``Because the first sentence is me'akk! That means it's pluralized!''

Megan walked up to Jen and looked carefully.

``See?'' said Jen. ``Above the first letter, that curvy line. In ancient script, that indicates that more than one person is speaking! It's hard to tell because it's so worn. But if you look closely, you can see it's written in the plural form.''

``Well done, Jen!'' said Megan. ``You're learning so fast you'll start teaching me pretty soon.''

``Awww, shucks,'' said Jen humbly.

``Okay,'' said Neill. ``I think I got an idea. Let's all use our jewelry to shine light on one of the objects each.''

``Good move,'' said Grace, taking one of her nipple studs out. ``I'll stand over there, well away from the door, Neill can stand to the left, and you can stand near the front entrance, Megan.''

Jen watched from a safe position as her mother, cousin and friend each took their accessories in their paws and shone light at each of the obsidian astral bodies. Neill shone the sun with his fang chain, Grace used her nipple stud to shine the moon and Megan used her nipple ring to shine the star.

The three figures shone brightly. It was a beautiful sight to behold. Everyone braced themselves in case the heard another arrow shooting, ready to duck. But instead, something in the back of the room clicked, and the door in front of them slowly slid downwards, opening the path ahead.

``Bingo!'' said Jen excitedly.

``That did the trick!'' said Grace.

The four friends slowly walked together towards the newly-opened door, wondering excitedly what other puzzles awaited.

They walked down the corridor for over three minutes, feeling themselves going deeper into the earth. The light from the room they left behind became dim and distant. Then suddenly, the corridor opened into a large circular space.

``By the goddess!'' said Neill.

It was a round room with gemstones embedded into the walls and ceiling. The room was dark, but each stone shone with a constant and warm light, making the outline of the entire chamber visible. There was something familiar about the way the stones were arranged.

At the far end of the room, another sealed door, and in front of it was a series of platforms. They were all square and different sizes, set beside each other. The platforms were bare, but they appeared to have once held statues.

``I wonder what this is all about,'' said Jen, walking around the room and looking at the pretty stones shining silently.

``It would make a good dancing room,'' said Grace, twirling about a little.

``Pity I forgot my flute. We could have had a real party in here,'' Megan said. She grabbed Grace's hand and they spun around the room once, both giggling.

Jen grimaced in mock despair. ``Don't encourage her. We're still picking up after her last one.''

Grace stuck her tongue out and winked at the others. ``Let your mother have some fun, pup. We got here before anyone else, so the treasure, whatever it is, will still be intact. Isn't that worth celebrating?''

Jen smiled and essayed a quick twirl of her own, her tail spinning around her like the hem of a gown. ``As long as we can have lots of cake!''

``The biggest you ever saw,'' Grace said ``Just as soon as we're done in here.

``These stones don't need shining, they're already glowing,'' said Megan.

``But what are they trying to tell us?'' asked Neill.

``Cryptic,'' said Grace. ``At least the first room was sun, moon and stars themed.''

``There's gotta be some writing around that will explain it,'' said Jen, looking around the room.

``There should be,'' said Megan, looking all around with her cousin.

``HOLD IT!'' cried Grace suddenly. ``Sun, moon and stars! I got it! The way these stones are placed. Look closely!''

They all did.

``Why...there's the hunter's spear!'' said Neill excitedly.

``And the virgin's gown!'' said Jen.

``And the Southern Cross,'' said Megan.

``See? What did I tell you?'' said Grace with a grin.

``So these stones are representing stars!'' said Jen.

``Exactly. The riddle is in the stars...or stones,'' said Grace.

``Hmm,'' said Megan, turning her attention to the platforms at the end of the room. ``There's gotta be some connection here.''

They looked carefully at the star-stones all around the room and tried to figure out what they meant. Several minutes went by, and nobody came up with anything.

``Wait...'' said Neill. ``The vixen's breasts are missing.''

Grace cupped her bosom in alarm.

``No, they're right there,'' she said with a half grin. ``Don't scare me like that.''

The other two girls giggled as Neill chuckled.  Megan gave the brown wolf a big smile and clapped a friendly hand on his shoulder. ``Don't worry, sweetie, that's one golden treasure I think we're all keeping a careful eye on.''

Neill blushed lightly at the bunny's words.

``Eh...no, no, what I meant was...''

``I know, hun,'' said Grace. ``I was just teasing. You meant there are some stars missing. I noticed too.''

``Ah, yes. Right,'' said Neill, composing himself. ``A constellation is missing some stars.''

``Now that you mention it, the Queen of Gold is nowhere to be seen,'' said Megan.

``And her daughter is not there either,'' said Jen. ``She's my favourite constellation, she reminds me of myself and mother.''

``It seems we have different names for constellations,'' said Neill. ``Over there, where the first platform is, my tribesfolk usually call it the nursing vixen. It's a mother fox with her young, and six stars are her nipples.''

``That's the Golden Queen for us,'' said Jen. ``She stands next to the Foreign Lover, the Caretaker and the Princess.''

``The constellations tell a story,'' said Megan. ``It goes: The Queen of Gold held her lover's paw as she walked the path of the Heavens, the Foreign Lover took her paw and chanted joyful hymns, the loyal Nursemaid their child led by her parents' side, the youthful Princess danced to her father's music as she tossed flower petals upon the lake surface. It's represented by four consecutive constellations, all of which are missing here in this room.''

``Hmm...'' Grace rubbed her chin and suddenly got an idea. ``I think they aren't missing after all. Let me try something. Neill, come here.''

She took the wolf's paw and tugged him towards one of the pedestals. Neill was puzzled, but understood once Grace stood on one pedestal and adopted the position that the Golden Queen would in the constellation.

Suddenly, they heard something click behind them! The door shook and opened a few inches.

``Knew it!'' said Grace. ``I am now the Golden Queen. Neill, get up beside me and stand in the same position I am.''

Neill did. And as soon as he held Grace's paw, they heard another click and the door opened a little more.

``Jen and Megan, you're the princess and the nursemaid,'' said Grace.

The bunny and bunnyfox both stood on their corresponding pedestals and adopted the positions the constellations would.

Ka-thunk! The door behind them dropped completely, revealing another corridor that led deeper into the temple.

``Jackpot!'' said Jen.

``I might start to take a liking to this,'' said Megan as she climbed down from the pedestal and walked towards the newly opened passage.

``Me too,'' said Neill with a wide grin, still holding Grace's paw.

``We'll follow up on that later, hun,'' whispered Grace with a wink as she let go of his paw and brushed his thigh lightly with her tail as she walked behind Megan.

Jen noticed and giggled, loving the expression on the wolf's face as her mother sparked his imagination.  Megan leaned down to whisper in the girl's ear, loud enough for the others to hear.  ``Shameless, aren't they?''

They continued down the corridor that slanted upwards, going closer to the surface once more. At the end of the corridor, they walked into a large room with a set of double doors that were sealed shut. And this room...

``Looks like the gymnasium of a castle!'' said Grace.

It did. The room was ample and had several sections that looked as if they were used for training knights. In the middle of the room, there was a slab of stone with writing. Megan and Jen immediately went to it and read the inscriptions.

``The four winds will show you the strengths of your heart that once you can master the great doors will part. Interesting,'' said Jen.

``Four winds?'' said Megan. ``You mean the four cardinal points.''

``It's the same,'' said Jen. ``The Ancients called the four directions on a compass the Winds.''

``Ahh, and who taught you that?'' asked Megan with a grin.

``Who else?'' said Jen, and nuzzled her cousin happily.

Megan gave the girl a hug and smiled with pride.  ``I haven't had such a sharp student since my elder daughter was a kitten. Keep it up, pup, and you'll earn your Master status before you know it!''

``Four winds,'' said Neill. ``There are four sides to the room, and they are colour-coded. Look.''

They did. The room was painted into four sectors and each sector was painted with a different colour: Red, blue, green and yellow. On the yellow sector, there was a pedestal with a crystal orb. The red sector had a pair of chains attached to iron handles. The green had a series of narrow stone pipes that led up to a platform above the room which was surrounded by a high stone fence. And the blue sector had a platform attached to the wall that was far too high for them to see what was at the top.

``Hmm,'' said Grace. ``This puzzle eludes me. But we can experiment a bit.''

She walked to the red sector where the chains were laying on the floor. She tried to lift and pull them, but nothing happened. She tugged harder, and they all heard something behind the double doors.

``Pull a little harder, Grace,'' said Megan, walking towards her.

``That's as hard as I can,'' said Grace, putting down the chains. ``It's really heavy or rusted or both.''

``Let me try,'' said Neill, lifting the chains and pulling.

The same sound as before. But then...

``Jeepers!'' said Jen. ``Look!''

The big double doors moved slightly. They opened a fraction of an inch.

``That's it!'' said Jen.

``What's it?'' asked Grace.

``Neill, put those chains down. Megan, follow me,'' said Jen.

Neill did, and the door closed again. Jen led her cousin over to the yellow sector where a crystal orb sat on a pedestal.

``There's writing here,'' said Jen, pointing at the base of the pedestal.

``Hmm...The silken touch of the Golden Queen, will light the Orb with a sacred sheen. I wonder what that means.''

``The Golden Queen,'' said Jen. ``From the previous room.''

``You mean...me?'' asked Grace.

``Give it a shot,'' said Neill. ``I think I'm starting to understand this puzzle.''

Grace walked up to the orb and placed her paws on it. Instantly, it felt warm and lit up like a lamp. And then, they heard a click, and the door opened an inch.

``Wow!'' said Grace.

``Now I gotta pull those chains,'' said Neill.

He walked back to the chains and pulled. And the door opened almost three inches.

``It's a puzzle that's suited to each of our skills, see,'' said Jen. ``Neill is the strongest, mother has royal blood, and now it's our turn.''

Jen and Megan excitedly turned their attention to the other corners. The green sector of the room with the narrow stone pipes looked like a child's jungle gym. None of the adults were small enough to fit into the tubes. But Jen...

``This is my puzzle,'' she said eagerly, climbing into the stone tube nearest to her.

Everyone watched as she disappeared and could be heard climbing around inside the tubes.

``Just look at her go,'' Megan said ``She's like a little monkey!''

``She gets that from your side of the family, sis,'' Grace said.

Megan gave the blonde fox an exaggerated bow.  ``You bet your cute butt she does!''

``It's like a maze,'' came Jen's voice. ``But I think I got it!''

They all watched as she emerged in the cage-like platform above them. She looked triumphant and excited.

``There's a switch here!'' she said, pressing a switch that the others could not see.

A grinding sound, and the door opened a full ten inches.

``Great!'' said Megan.

``That leaves you, bun-bun,'' said Grace.

Megan turned her attention to the last part of the room. There was a platform high up on the wall, which had no ladder and no way to reach.

``How're we gonna reach that?'' asked Jen from her position.

``I think only Megan could reach that,'' said Neill.

``How so?'' asked Megan.

``Who else is a High-Jump Champion of three consecutive years?'' asked Grace, her paws still on the orb in front of her.

``Sure, back when I was eighteen,'' Megan said.

``So?'' Grace said ``That just means you should be even better now. I know you've been practicing when you think nobody's watching.''

Megan looked at the platform above her. It suddenly seemed feasible. Yes, it was within her reach. But only if she did her very best.

``Okay...here goes,'' said Megan as she backed up a bit.

With a few running steps, the bunny crouched for a second and then leaped into the air. Everyone watched amazed as her powerful legs shot her up into the air, comfortably landing on the platform that none of the others would have reached in their lives.

``Outstanding!'' said Neill.

``That's eleven out of ten,'' said Grace.

``Well done, cuz!'' said Jen. ``You ought to teach me that sometime.''

``Sure, it'll be easy.  You've got bouncing in your blood,'' Megan said.  She beamed when she noticed a small pressure pad on the platform she was standing on. She stepped on it, and they all heard the door swing open.

``Success!'' said Neill.

One by one they regrouped in front of the door. Jen retraced her steps and came back out through the stone tube she had entered before, Grace walked lightly to her daughter's side, and Neill stood below the platform with his arms open as Megan jumped down, catching the bunny safely and putting her on the ground in front of the door.

Still smiling proudly, she gave him a hug and a kiss on the cheek as a reward for his gallantry.  ``Well, this is it.''

``We did it!'' said Jen.

``Now let's go and get our treasure!'' said Grace.

``Lead the way,'' said Neill.

They all held paws and walked into the doorway. As soon as they did, they were met with a wonderful sight. A large room, well-lit, with a platform at the far end, and something was sitting on the platform.

But it wasn't a jewel.

As the friends moved closer, they saw what it was. But could not believe it.

``What...is...that?'' asked Jen.

It looked like a slash...in midair. There was no better way to describe it. It was like a fissure in the middle of the air itself that glowed blue. It seemed like a portal to another world entirely. As the friends looked at it, they felt as if it was drawing them into another dimension.

``Um...uh...Megan, hun,'' said Grace. ``Does the scroll mention anything about this?''

``N-No,'' said Megan. ``It said the Tear of Serenity is the prize. But nothing like this.''

``It's...beautiful. In an eerie sort of way,'' said Jen.

``Should we...claim it?'' asked Neill cautiously.

The four friends looked at each other. They thought about the puzzles, and the rooms, and the treasure.

``I thought something was odd,'' said Megan. ``The puzzles...it was like they were made specifically for us.''

``Yeah. Especially the last one,'' said Jen.

``But how is that possible,'' said Grace. ``Nobody could have predicted that a group exactly like us would enter this temple.''

``Unless...'' said Neill. ``Unless...it's some kind of supernatural being.''

They all went silent. They looked at each other, then at the treasure...

``Well, we've come this far,'' said Neill.

``Yeah,'' said Grace.

``Shall we?'' asked Megan.

``Let's!'' said Jen.

She held Megan's paw. Megan held Neill's paw, and Neill held Grace's paw. Grace smiled encouragingly to them as they walked together up to the platform. Then Grace put her paw on the strange window to another world that sat on top of the platform. And suddenly...

WHOOSH!

They were standing in the middle of an endless field. Green as far as the eye could see, sapphire-blue sky. And in front of them stood the most beautiful female deer they had ever seen.

She was the most gorgeous doe imaginable, deep honey-coloured eyes, naked except for a thin belt of white beads and a matching necklace, and with a smile so soothing they were instantly reassured. And a bit more.

``Greetings, my dears,'' said the doe. ``I am happy to see that my humble figure brings pleasure to your senses.''

They all looked at each other and blushed. They were showing clear signs of arousal. Megan and Grace's nipples stood out, making their nipple decorations shine all the more, Jen's labia looked pink and excited, and Neill was sporting quite an erection.

``Now, don't be bashful, I have that effect on people. I am flattered and joyful, my dears,'' said the beautiful doe. ``My name is Tu'ul, the Goddess of Pleasure. You have done well to solve my riddles, it has been too long since I've entertained anyone.''

``Wait...so you made those puzzles for us?'' asked Jen, trying hard not to stare at the sweet doe's cute nether region.

``Yes, I designed them. Your group was most entertaining and I feel I should give you as much joy and entertainment in return,'' said Tu'ul. ``Now, here's how it goes: You may return to my temple as many times as you like. The puzzles will change each time, so you'll have to earn your prize with every visit. The Tear of Serenity is my reward to you.''

``Wait...did you say tear? As in fissure?'' asked Megan.

``Yes indeed,'' said Tu'ul. ``You figured it out!''

``We thought it was a tear, as in droplet. But it turned out to be a tear, as in a crack,'' said Megan.

``Clever!'' said Grace. ``So it rhymed with pear, not seer.''

``You are so very entertaining,'' said Tu'ul happily. ``Now, each time you win the Tear, you can choose your delight. Anything you wish, anything that pleases you, you can have for a full day. Once your time is up, you'll return to the entrance of the temple.''

``So...we choose what we like best?'' asked Neill.

``All you have to do is hold paws and imagine the most pleasurable thing you could possibly desire, and it will be yours for a full day, right here, in this world,'' said Tu'ul. ``So go on, delight yourselves. Hold paws and think of that which you'd love best in the world.''

``Okay,'' said Jen, shaking with anticipation.

The four friends held paws and closed their eyes, imagining the most pleasant thing they could ever wish for...

Suddenly they heard laughing. As they opened their eyes, they realized they were standing under a shady pergola with a marble floor. There was a table of delicious foods from all parts of the world laid elegantly at the far end. At the other end, a group of girls was playing music with several instruments: There was a cat girl playing the fiddle, a bunny girl playing a harp, a vixen playing a flute and an otter girl keeping the rhythm with a tambourine. They were all wearing jewelry that brought out their natural beauty.

Jen smiled broadly and felt her feel move as if on their own will. She danced to the music beautifully, swaying her young body in a delightful undulation of golden fur and smiles. The others soon joined in, Grace dancing right beside her daughter, Megan swirling around in a folkloric rabbit dance, and Neill doing a traditional wolf dance of his tribe.

Not far from them, they saw a sapphire-blue lake with more girls playing in the water and laughing. And at the left end of the pergola, Tu'ul was sitting on a throne-like chair, looking delightedly and holding a roll of parchment lightly.

``I'm glad you're enjoying yourself, for this is really a lovely setting!'' said Tu'ul. ``I ought to entertain you more often, for even the Goddess of Pleasure is pleased and amazed with your mind's creation.''

She unrolled the scroll and showed it to the friends.

``This is a map,'' said Tu'ul. ``It leads to a secret place. And the path is not easy but should be no challenge for a group of adventurers like you.''

Grace and Jen moved towards the Goddess and looked at the map. Instantly, the excitement of new adventure made their toes tingle. They took it and showed it to Megan, who smiled and nodded and showed it to Neill.

``I know this landmark,'' said Neill with a knowing smile. ``It's close to my home, a day's walk from the Great Tree.''

``Well, we have our next adventure!'' said Megan excitedly.

The friends moved towards the table where the delicious treats were laid. Tu'ul got up and took a plate of delicious-looking cake and offered it to Jen.

``Try some almond and strawberry ripple cake, sweet child,'' said Tu'ul kindly. ``I baked it myself.''

Jen thanked her and tried the cake. Her face lit up like a star and her smile could have cut diamond.

``Wow! This is soooo delicious!''

Tu'ul bent down and kissed Jen on her forehead. Jen blushed and felt in heaven with the sweet gesture.

Then the Goddess turned to everyone and bowed.

``Enjoy yourselves, my dears,'' she said. ``You've earned it. If you need me, I'll be over at the lake, dipping my hooves.''

She winked and turned around, walking slowly towards the lake and swaying her hips seductively.

The four friends looked at each other.

``Well, you heard the lady,'' said Grace, twirling a bit to the new tune the girls were playing. ``Let's have a good time!''

They spent the loveliest day ever, dancing and savouring tasty morsels, swimming and enjoying each other's company and the beautiful girls who played and nuzzled and kissed. But more than anything, thinking of the thrill of their next adventure together, four friends going off to discover the unknown and wonderful.

***

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