"How far is it to Lunohave, sir?"

"Ah...another half an hour, kid. You should be fine, right?"

"Of course. I was just curious."

In the back seat of a sleek and futuristic hover-carriage, Amino smiled at the driver, an ageing, shaggy-looking grey and brown-furred feline in his mid-40s, who had been peering at him through a camera feed that fed through the front and back seats, before he turned his attention to the scenery outside, staring out at the rolling fields, framed before a sea of trees in the distance that drew closer the further they drove. How long had it been since he'd been tasked to leave Stelomonto to go to another town? He couldn't even recall, though he'd certainly been out of the city a number of times. A lot of his tasks for the Brilantan Academy of Science, however, often had him dealing with things inside the main capital of their nation...to go to a border town like Lunohave was something different and interesting.

Barely a handful of minutes after he asked, the hover-carriage went over the bump of a hill to show an expanse of agriculture. Some of the plots were semi-industrial, small and built to create one specific plant, and as they sailed by, Amino caught sight of a tall tower that sprayed in a circle on occasion, forming a raincloud above the contraption to water the plants. A water mill sat on a river running through a couple of the plots, rotating on a singular hinge to keep the water flowing non-stagnant as a small console sat nearby, though the young 10-year-old Gryphon didn't get much of a chance to look at it before the vehicle sailed passed. A couple of the plots were clearly disorganised, but that was the point; it was a type of 'permaculture' that was designed to keep things wild yet in their rightful place. It wasn't as efficient as bulk agriculture, but it was better for the environment...which was the whole point, really.

He peered out the window as they sailed through at a remarkably fast speed, and the wind whipped around his feathers as he looked down to see delicate blue piping running along the side of the road, covered in a mixture of grass and weeds, occasionally interspersed with a little cylinder that regulated water pressure and output across the region. He raised his head to look in the distance, and saw slim, angled solar panels lifted from the ground and pointed directly at the sun, the metal used to hold them up as narrow and non-intrusive as possible, no doubt connected by underground wires. Above them, large blimps with fans in the middle, made from an inflatable and light material, were anchored by braided wires that kept them floating in the sky. Anyone looking upon the sight would have been mesmerised, but to Amino...it was home.

"Almost there, kid. We can get there a bit faster-- no traffic." He heard the driver speak to him, and the gryphon turned to see a small town in the distance, sat in front of a thick wall of trees that looked less like a forest and most like a dense, intimidating fortress. He pulled himself back into the car as the driver kicked up the speed a notch, and they dived down the hill, devoid of any other vehicles, making a rapid beeline towards the wide-open gates of the town. Wooden walls welcomed them, but the inside was a stark contrast.

"Thanks, sir." Amino beamed at him, and the feline merely nodded at him before Amino slipped out of the passenger seat, paws touching with the dirt as a breeze brushed over his young, naked form. Around his body was a heavy satchel and he adjusted as best he could on his shoulder to alleviate the weight, before he turned his attention to the town before him.

Lunohave was home to maybe 400 or 500 people, give or take, though he wasn't entirely certain of the number, and as Amino walked down the winding, wide path past houses and stores to the centre of town, he recalled not only what he'd researched of the town, but also the history of their nation. Mesopotamian structures greeted him wherever he looked, a lot of them old, but only in appearances; signs of advanced technology were left in even the smallest of areas, from the futuristic chimes that jingled all on their own without breeze, to the filament of incredibly durable material that hugged around the old-style oval-shaped bricks that made up most of the structure of the residential homes. He passed by a woman sitting on a chair in front of her home, and above her a drone circled and lowered, carrying a tray with perfect balance, a cup of tea balanced on top. The top steamed with heat, and as she grabbed the handle, her ArmGear brought up a holographic display to tell her the temperature. Amino waved over at her and she smiled over at him before casting the display in front of her, tapping away and going about her business. Those little pieces of technology intermingled with such a rustic lifestyle were everywhere.

"Ah, there you are."

A voice called out amongst the sound of talking, the scuffling of feet on dirt, the laughter of children, and Amino cast his gaze down the street to see someone waving over at him. At first, it was hard to tell if someone was talking to him specifically, but when the gryphon didn't wave back, the figure began to approach, quickly closing the distance between them. They were a canine, roughly around mid-30s from what he could guess, and they had a thick brown overcoat that gave Amino the impression of rich chocolate, that was lighter like caramel around his chin and stomach. Like every other person in society, he was completely naked, and his humanoid member bounced with his movements towards the cub, whilst a looped belt clung snugly to his athletic waist and an ankle bracelet jingled with every other step.

"Oh, were you talking to me?" Amino's eyes widened in surprise, and the canine grinned, holding out a hand. The gryphon's eyes passed over it, acknowledging the stark contrast of metal to his brown fur, and he reached out to shake the man's hand. The metal felt cold, but the smooth rubbery cover over the endoskeleton of the prosthetic made it feel nice to touch.

"I was. They sent over your credentials before your arrival. Amino, right?" The canine turned to his ArmGear, attached to his prosthetic, and he tapped away on a small screen before blowing it up with a flick of two fingers. From where Amino was standing, he could see his own face in a picture, and recalled it was the same as on his ID.

"That's right." Amino answered, and his gaze wandered, eventually falling on the motif of a tree on the man's prosthetic shoulder, painted on. It glinted in the light, dim but glowing a faint green.

"Weird, they didn't send mine over? Well, that's fine..." The canine turned his attention from the display and down to the point. "Pleasure to meet you: I'm Ravra."

"Hi," Amino grinned, absently glancing back to the mark. "You're Arbomaron?"

"That's right." Ravra didn't think anything of the question and simply gestured for the boy to follow, and the 10-year-old jogged a little forward to fall into line beside the canine, adjusting the satchel again. Back before Brilanta became what it was, the nation used to be 3 different factions, that inevitably came together when Saĝulo, the tribe known for their innovative technological advances, created a power source so strong that there was no reason for them not to come together. Conversely, the Arbomaro tribe was one with nature, quite the opposite of the Saĝulo...but the two tribes also respected each other. Amino had never learnt their customs, and they weren't practised in Stelomonto.

"You have the package?" Ravra glanced to the boy, and smiled as Amino lifted his arm, gesturing to his ArmGear. "Okay, good. I hope the trip here wasn't too bad."

"Oh, no. The scenery was great...and the scenery here is pretty good too." Amino's response was innocent enough, but his eyes weren't-- honestly, Ravra's prosthetic was kind of sexy, and he had a pretty lean and attractive body that spoke to years of experience, both in the bedroom and otherwise. He raised his arm to look down at his device and tapped through the file directory until he fell upon the purpose of his being out on the borders of Brilanta; within his ArmGear, he had a patch for the security software that they used for the dense forests around Lunohave, which operated on a closed circuit that wasn't connected to the larger network of Brilanta's internet. It was both to make sure it remained secure, and also to make sure someone was on-site for patches to apply effectively.

"Have you lived here long, Ravra?" Amino asked as they passed through the main centre of town, and the gryphon turned his head to look up and over towards a large hall that sat atop a platform of ascending stairs, like a Ziggurat. It looked grand and majestic, and people came and went up the stairs as they played, whilst others sat on the lower steps. In the centre of town was a grand fountain of freshly running water, made of what looked to be very old stone. The main statue of the fountain looked to be a deer woman of some kind, cradling a large sphere-- the water ran from between her fingers and tinkled into the fountain. The appearance of the deer was regal, but she was also distinctly naked; it was an interesting fixture.

"Born and raised," Ravra responded. "My kids are growing up here too, though the oldest says he wants to go to Stelomonto to study science. Can't say I blame him."

"Science is quite an advancement...though I am just biased." Amino admitted, and his little quip made Ravra chuckle. They strode past the centre of town and made their way down another wider path, getting closer towards the looming forest beyond, their inevitable destination. To their sides, kids played in the street and people collaborated, exchanging materials or carrying boxes alongside someone else to head to another destination. Amino could tell there wasn't just a town here, but a community; everything felt carefree but purposed, where people helped one-another and shared their resources. The gryphon couldn't help but smile when he saw two naked cubs sharing their toys with each other, before a person striding by crouched down to offer them some of the food they had on a hovering cart they led by some kind of sleek cord.

Ravra abruptly rounded a head at the very end, right in front of the dense thicket of trees beyond, and Amino followed him to see a large console situation around a small wall of shaped, ornate stone, sitting right up against the house. Amino understood the console was clearly part of the infrastructure, and he looked up to see a radar dish right on top of the roof-- this must be some kind of watch-house right on the edge of Lunohave. Ivy and plants snaked around not only the main console but the steps leading up and the walls of the house, as if it's being reclaimed by nature over time.

"Alright, here we are...two seconds," Ravra hummed to himself as he tapped away on the console, wider than his body and about half his height. "Okay, here. Go right ahead, Amino."

The gryphon boy glanced over the console before he raised his ArmGear, pinching the file in the holographic display and effectively tossing it over towards Ravra's computer. There's a brief, minute pause before the console makes a noise and a file appears on the screen, unzipping and spreading out across the landscape of the monitor. Ravra hums and turns to the monitor for a moment, tapping away.

"Are you the chief of staff around here?" Amino asked casually as he watched the man work, and the canine snorted.

"Oh, no," He chuckled. "I just maintain the defensive perimeter and AI tech for the cameras. Nothing fancy. And...alright, patch is applying now, should only take a couple minutes."

"Phew." Amino knew it was going to go through without a hitch, but he still made a show of acting like they had done an extensive, difficult job. Ravra smirked at his little performance and leaned against the console, folding his prosthetic arm over his furred one. 

"So, are you sticking around for a while? The trip back to Stelomonto must be long, even if you went by hoverbike." He commented, and Amino paused for a moment to look back over the town and the natural buzz of activity it held in the air.

"I don't know. Maybe," He shrugged. "I was only tasked to deliver the update, so I could just go home. I could be persuaded to stay, though."

"Oh yeah?" Ravra's muzzle stretched into a grin. "That kind of talk around here wouldn't get you many batting eyelashes. Arbomarons are kind of touchy on the sanctity of courtship."

"Well...from the way you talk about it, it seems like you don't subscribe to that." Amino countered, making Ravra shrug his shoulders, looking out over the town. His eyes seemed to be searching, and Amino guessed he might be looking for his kids in the crowd of people; whether he found them or not, he didn't say.

"Times change, I think," He remarked. "After the union of the tribes, I think people's perception changed. Respect is everywhere, but so is compromise. My generation, and yours I reckon, are a little lax on the old rules and cultures. Around here, especially, all the old folks are pretty heavy on the Arbomaron rituals of old...but they're less bothered about some of the lesser cultures, or at least don't care if people's beliefs change."

"So that sounds like you could persuade me...if you wanted to," Amino couldn't suppress the grin that spread across his face. "You know, you've sired kids of your own...you must have a lot of experience."

"So that's what interests you?" Ravra remarked, turning a little more towards him and taking a step forward. "Sounds like you're speaking from experience too, kid."

"I'm going to be a father soon too, I think," Amino shrugged; he honestly wasn't sure, but it wasn't like he hadn't had sex before...if he were to have any, they'd likely be born soon, if he had to guess. "Plus, well...I really like the look of you. I wonder what that prosthetic can do."

Ravra visibly bristled, but not in a bad way. His eyes lit up and sparkled with very clear intent, and he reached out a hand to brush against Amino's shoulder, and down towards what he could reach of the 10-year-old's supple frame. He parted his muzzle to reply, but didn't get a chance to flirt back, for a sudden blaring alarm caught the attention of both of them. All lewd pretence was dropped for that noise, and they quickly adjourned to the console.

A swipe on the screen revealed the cause for alarm-- in the heavy, dense forest on the edge of Lunohave, cameras laid in wait for potential scouts from neighbouring factions, ones that Brilanta as a whole had never been in contact with, but was keenly aware of their existence. To the outside world, Brilanta didn't exist, and neither did their technology that was decades ahead of everyone else, and they planned to keep it that way. Even Amino knew this basic history of their tribes, their privacy having existed long before he was born. On the console, Amino and Ravra were greeted by pictures and video feeds of people, with rudimentary weaponry, skulking through the forest...scouts.

"Okay, just a scout regiment from that faction, Rengheet, up north. You can tell by the uniform," Ravra points at the live feed from one of the cameras, before flicking to another one. "Their technology is so basic they don't even know we have eyes on them."

"What do you do in this situation?" Amino asked curiously, but he didn't need to wait for an answer to understand, at least to a point; to his right, a group of 5 or 6 adults, some men and some women, approached the forest's edge. They were clad in pads around their joints, with gadgets hooked around their otherwise naked bodies. They were talking amongst themselves, and there was a light-heartedness to their talk, but once they began getting ready, all chatter died down and their faces turned serious. They entered the line of trees before them as a group, but from where Amino was standing, he could see them immediately split off and separate as individuals.

"That," Ravra made a gesture in their direction. "A combination of our own anti-scouting squads and the defensive perimeter we've painstakingly maintained for years."

"I see..." Amino approached the terminal to watch Ravra work, and his eyes danced across the screen, taking in the sight of several windows overlaid onto a map of the surrounding forest. Small dots indicated wildlife, their own 'troops' or strangers in the forest, and though the map was detailed, the minimalistic design kind of blended everything together. In Amino's opinion, it made it difficult to see certain things, but that's what the additional windows were for; each depicted a camera up in the trees, looking down to the forest floor. Most were empty, and some lit up in the dark or were following the path of a scout of neighbouring faction's individual as they moved through the woods. It was surprisingly thorough.

"Should be fine," Ravra remarked. "Our scouts will intervene and make sure they end up back where they came from...or otherwise. See? They're moving in on them right...now...?"

Ravra frowned, tapping on the console, and Amino watched in real-time as the screen glitched, and the camera feeds became fuzzy as the feed seemed to split, the pixels overlaid and spread apart, giving the impression of double vision. It was something Amino had experienced from time to time, and he assumed Ravra had too, but the canine looked confused. He tapped his way into the settings and started to fiddle with it, and to his left, his ArmGear lit up.

"ACT3 to Strategist, please advise on enemy co-ordinates." A voice came through on his ArmGear and Ravra muttered something under his breath, frantically flicking through the settings to try and fix the issue. Amino could see he was a little stressed, so he wanted to help.

"Change the frequency," Amino suggested, and Ravra glanced at him out the corner of his eye. "Happens in Stelomonto all the time."

Ravra stared at him for a moment, before he looked back to the console. With a flick of fingers, he navigated to the right panel and tapped over to another frequency-- on the other side of the monitor, the camera adjusted back into focus, as if by magic. Ravra blew a sigh of relief and raised his prosthetic arm to his muzzle.

"Strategist to ACT3; bearing North, 20 degrees, go in that direction for 200 metres. Sending over co-ordinates." He pinched the console screen and dropped it over towards his ArmGear, passing on some data that got sent over to the scouts in turn. Amino marvelled at the technology, having similar things back in Stelomonto, but it was interesting seeing it in action.

"Thanks for the heads up, kid," Ravra grinned over at him. "We don't get those kind of issues all too often...must be something messing up our usual channels."

"Who knows?" Amino shrugged, peering over the monitor. "Oh, um, there's someone there on the left I think. You should have ACT5 intercept from the back, so they don't get spotted-- there's a ravine up there and a spacious clearing of rocky outcrops, see?"

"Yeah...you're right. I'll pass that one." Ravra understood what he was saying, and from the way he looked over at the gryphon, it was clear he was incredibly impressed by his strategic prowess as a 10-year-old. Amino resisted the urge to puff out his chest with pride as Ravra relayed new orders into his ArmGear, before he turned back towards the boy.

"They should be able to handle it from here...unfortunately, this little mishap has kind of put a dampener on things," He admitted. "Though it would have been nice to entertain that little idea of yours. My point still stands though; you should stick around for the night. I think there's a ritual going on, and we Arbomarons love including outsiders into our culture and educating them."

"Oh, what kind of ritual is it?" Amino leant up against the terminal's side. "Will you be there?"

"Of course," He scoffed. "Once I put the kids to bed; they're not old enough yet. It's just a little Blessing of the Moon-- the Ambassador to Tero will say a few words and we'll bask in the nature of the planet...and then some."

"Sounds fun...I guess I can stick around for a little while." The insinuation of 'and then some' intrigued Amino, but it was the idea of exploring other cultures that really made him want to stay. Ravra seemed pleased with his response and turned briefly to the console, moving the windows around to review the situation.

"I'll have to keep an eye on this; why don't you get a room set up at the rest-house in town? It's just at the centre. I'll come pick you up later when the ritual's about to start-- say, 4 hours from now?" He suggested, and Amino glanced down back the way they had come, before he nodded.

"Okay. I'll catch you later then, Ravra." Amino gave him a quick, final look up and down before he waved and headed off-- he didn't want to stick around and distract the canine, especially if he was subtly suggesting he go and do other things for now. It would have been nice to shadow him for a bit, but Amino saw all he needed to see in that short space of time.

The Gryphon boy headed down the path and past the kids and adults taking part in individual agriculture within their own yards, or working and playing and talking amongst themselves, and found himself back at the centre of town. As Ravra said, the rest-house, named 'Ciara's Bed and Breakfast', sat opposite the town hell and barely a couple of buildings down a path that snaked up the hill towards the larger fields and multiple other residential buildings. He headed inside and gave them his ID through his ArmGear, before being set up with a spare room, free of charge-- such places had no capitalistic tendencies and were usually funded by the government to help people travel without the burdens of knowing where to sleep. Whilst there, he did briefly ask them about the ritual, and they confirmed what Ravra had already told him; it was to happen 4 or so hours from then.

There wasn't much for Amino to do but explore. Once he'd confirmed his room, he headed up the stairs to a second floor and went to the door marked with the number 6, designated to him. It was unlocked when he tried the door and he stepped inside, greeted by a quaint single bed and all the necessities he'd need, including a private bathroom, a sleek table for placing his satchel on, which he did, and a panel in the wall to request food. He tapped across the screen and brushed his ArmGear over the console to clear some funds for a sandwich-- funds the government had given him for 'expenses'. He watched as the panel hissed and opened outwards, revealing a compartment in the wall that at first was empty. Amino waited for a couple of minutes, already aware of what was to come, and he watched as after a few moments the bottom of it slid open and a platform rose, presenting a neatly prepared sandwich, split into two triangles, on the plate.

He quickly ate, not wanting to linger for that much longer; he could surf on his ArmGear or get some research done, but part of him wanted to see the sights before it got too dark. He wandered around Lunohave, taking in the architecture and culture. He went to the local stores, but didn't find souvenirs to buy, and he wandered to the little eateries, where he enjoyed local cuisine-- he didn't even think it was possible to turn Lunohave grapes into jam, but it was delicious! 

However, he couldn't waste the entirety of the time before the ritual just walking around; he got around all the 'tourist' spots, and even some lesser-known places, such as a ritual site on the edge of town. It didn't seem to be the main spot for the ritual that night, but he could tell from the way the rocks were placed, perfectly aligned to point to the point, that it was still frequently used one way or another. He lingered around it for a while and spoke to some of the people nearby to get a better understanding; Arbomarons were happy to explain their customs and old traditions, especially the elder ones, who considered it respectful and an honour to talk about their beliefs with those with the eagerness to understand.

With the remaining time he had, he returned to the rest-house, sitting around in the room he was given for a little bit. It was hard not to think about the previous events of the day and grope himself lightly to what could have been with Ravra. The canine was certainly handsome...of course, it was just childish wants, and there'd always be plenty of other people. He scrolled around on his ArmGear for a while, and for about half an hour got into a video call with Lonato, who showed him a little bit of his own work-- it wasn't much other than some shots of the forest, but it was nice to be included. Amino talked to Abigail too, of course, and she was busy with her own thing too. Some tender words were shared-- it was hard not to miss her-- before the time eventually came for Amino to see for himself what a typical Arbomaro ritual looked like.

As the 10-year-old stepped out into the cool air of the night, Ravra was waiting for him by the entrance, right on time. They exchanged brief pleasantries, a little hello and a tap on the shoulder, before the canine led him onwards. They didn't walk far; they moved from the rest-house and down the path, heading towards the edge of town, a part that Amino had declined to explore in the few hours of spare he'd had before. To his surprise, there was another ritual site similar to the one he'd seen before. There was a wide stone platform, with what looked to be the remains of an altar on top, draped in silks and fabrics to make it comfortable to lay down upon. It felt like almost the whole town had gathered, standing around in a relatively long congregation with the ritual site in the very centre. Ravra directed Amino to stand near the front where he could get the best view, and Lunohave's inhabitants parted to allow him the opportunity to watch.

"Who's going up there, then?" Amino asked, noticing pretty much immediately that the site was empty, bar from the crowd.

"Just wait. Our Ambassador will be here soon." Ravra assured him. Sure enough, after a couple of minutes, the people on the other side of the site parted to allow someone to step forward, with others in tow. Amino had to squint to see them from where he was standing, but as they approached the main ritual's centre, they became easier to see.

In the very middle, standing gracefully upon the stone, was perhaps one of the most beautiful women Amino had ever seen. She was an elegantly dressed deer, draped in a fine silken robe that so neatly clung to her slim hourglass figure that it left nothing to the imagination. When she turned, the gryphon stared at her dark-furred features, her mesmerising green eyes, and the way she sultrily lidded her gaze to look at them all. The silken robe clung to her body was parted down in the middle, but a slight shift of her form, and a parting of her arms, along with the aid of those who had come with her, parted the garment, revealing her ample dark breasts, her slim stomach and the delicate, barely visible mound of her pussy, difficult to see in the dim light.

"Why is she wearing a robe?" Amino asked as he watched with growing curiosity and interest, staring as the deer turned towards the altar behind her, and the servants, comprised of prey and predator species of all types, moved away with the robe. She approached the altar and with grace snaked her hand over the blankets, before slowly turning to the crowd.

"Partly for show, and partly for the ritual," Ravra explained quietly. "On the day of the ritual, she hides herself from the earth. Apparently it's from a very old traditional of marital brides being chaste on their wedding night, so when the time comes to consummate, it's like savouring the feeling, or something."

"Ooh..." Amino can't really recall a time he's ever seen someone wear something to cover their body before, but he's glad it's not a common occurrence-- it sounds horrible!

"Oh this day," The deer suddenly spoke. "We welcome those from all walks of life. It is with great pleasure and honour that we bless Mother Earth and her child, the Moon, on its fullest cycle, whilst also welcoming those to partake as they wish. We have never been gatekeepers in our belief; to bask in the bounty of flesh, to embrace fertility and the gift of birth, is truly the only way to show our thanks to the world which birthed us in turn."

"It is through Mother Earth's guidance that we have come so far, to be where we are standing today. The wonders of her world is what fosters our curiosity, her design in our birth that enriches our inspiration to explore. It is through her that we discovered the ways in which we can truly thank her, and with science do we nurture her body to further prosper our own in mutual respect and harmony. You all know this...but on nights like these, when the blankets of stars above twinkles and reminds us of our existence on this planet, it's in these times we should truly remember who we are and where we come from. Arbomarons, Sagulians, Fermurites...we are all one and the same, blessed by her, and until the very end should we thank her."

It was a rousing speech that moved the hearts of those around Amino-- even he felt a stirring in his gut at those words. It felt like she had said them a thousand times, but it was his first time hearing them. It was...beautiful, honestly. The deer swept a smile across all of them before stepping back to touch the altar with a hand.

"When my flesh touches the altar, the Blessing of the Moon will begin. May his bountiful light cradle our bodies into rapturous ecstasy, and may the Mother's warm embrace foster new life within the stomachs of our most fertile."

A murmur passed through the crowd, and Amino was sure they were repeating that last line. It was strangely very religious but also lenient and lax; to humbly allow others to watch and even partake in what felt like an important ritual gave the indication, at least to the gryphon, that a lot of it was just play-acting-- like giving thanks before a meal, or showing gratitude for a gift. At the ritual site, the Ambassador turned and with an astonishing amount of grace, slipped up onto the altar, rolling onto her back and stretching her legs out in a way that showed off everything from the front, and barely anything from the sides, save her bountiful chest. Around the edge of the stone ziggurat, her caretakers placed lights up against the stone and within the grass, illuminating the space in a bright blue glow. It set the mood, more than anything else.

"What happens now?" Amino whispered towards Ravra, who just waggled his eyebrows and gestured to the ziggurat with a knowing nod. Amino carefully watched as others from the group stepped forward, with clear intent and confidence, and Amino guessed that it was perhaps not the first time they had taken part. 

They moved towards the centre with purpose. Some of them were canines, other slender felines, tigers, gryphons, and all kinds of mammalian species approached the altar, until a group of around 20 of them formed a tight circle, stepping up onto the Ziggurat one by one. It was easy to tell what they were going to do; Amino could see a feline from where he was standing leaning over the side of the altar to grope at the deer's breasts. His hands hungrily groped around the mounds of her flesh and Amino could see she raised her hand to stroke across his wrists and down to his arm. At the same time, a buck approached the deer's head, bowing down towards her face, muzzle brushing against hers. She was approached from all sides, from left and right, exploring her body and giving her the utmost attention. Just their moans were indicative enough of what was happening, but if what he'd seen already didn't give anything away, the people around the altar site more or less confirmed it was going to be a group orgy; they were already pairing off or joining in groups, touching each other up and getting in the mood.

Amino didn't want to join just yet, eager as he was-- he stared with growing eagerness as he watched those in front of him fuck. A group of around 5 of them were intertwined and piled together, with one penetrating another as the other stroked another's cock, whilst blowing another person, who in turn groped and fingered the 5th-- from a distance it looked messy, but he could tell they were enjoying it. Their moans and huffs of passion, their growing urgency as their pleasure rose, were enough to make Amino stir, his young dick starting to harden. Beside him, Ravra watched with amusement, though not at Amino but at those beyond.

A moan came from the altar, and Amino watched with eagerness as the beautiful feminine deer arched their back, pressing herself to the body of a lithe, athletic feline above her, his hands cradling her hips as his body bowed and plunged atop her. With the newly framed lights around the altar, Amino could make out his masculine features, his golden brown fur and white undercoat, and the very visible signs of their sex-- hell, he was lucky enough to even see a glimpse of pink in his thrusting frame, his cock buried into her. He felt longing; he wanted to do the same. His member was already achingly stiff, and he couldn't resist groping himself, just a little-- everyone else was doing the same, after all.

"Don't be shy," Ravra suggested. "If you want to go up there, go up."

Amino glanced up at him, sheepishly smirking beneath the canine's twinkling eyes, and with some renewed confidence he stepped forward, out in front of the crowd. It wasn't the first time he'd had an audience, and it wouldn't be the last in his young life, either; but a crowd like this was definitely a little new, even if they were entirely paying attention. A couple of men, one an avian and the other some sort of possum, briefly parted their kiss to smile at him, and as he approached they encouraged him up and onto the altar. He nodded and stepped past them, weaving through the others engaged in deep, sensual acts to approach the altar itself.

There, he saw that it wasn't just a couple, but multiple men and even women basking in the pleasure of their Ambassador. Hands smeared over her flesh, brushing over her stomach, up to her breasts, and down to the mound of her pussy whilst the feline fucked her, his hips pumping slowly and steadily into her as he rocked and deliberately sensually rolled, trying to ride out the pleasure and press as deep as he could. Her hands were working quickly, too, one hand cupped to grope and finger a nice, soft pussy whilst she wrapped a hand around another's cock, pumping it back and forth. Her head turned, parting from an intimate kiss from a buck, to see Amino approaching.

"Child," She smiled with such warmth that Amino could have melted. "I can see it in your eyes, in the way you walk; you are from the shining city."

"That's right," Amino wasn't too surprised at her guess, since she looked to be very wise. "I'm from Stelomonto...this is my first time seeing an Arbomaron ritual."

"Bask in her embrace, young one. She will bless you, like she blesses us all." Her gaze darted past him to someone behind him, and Amino turned his head just in time to feel a man snaking his hands around Amino's front, stroking around his shoulders and down to his arms. Another set of hands joined the first, these ones more dainty and exploring, touching around his chest and stomach. He saw the owner of those hands on the edge of his vision, albeit briefly, and recognised them to be a slender feminine raccoon woman. Her touch was gentle, and her lidded gaze told him all he needed to know. At the deer's suggestion, Amino nodded and turned towards those who were touching him, allowing him to guide him a little closer to the altar, where they encouraged him to lower himself down into the empty spot between those who were enjoying themselves.

As soon as his behind touched the floor, they were upon him, albeit carefully and with obvious interest and caution. Everyone wanted to have a good time, but they didn't know Amino, and didn't know what his limits are...all they could go on was his eagerly twitching cock and wide-eyed, grinning expression. The raccoon girl slipped into a seat beside him, moving up to his side, and the gryphon boy instinctively leant into her, sighing with pleasure as the man's fingers trailed and danced up the 10-year-old's left leg, groping around his inner thigh. His young cock eagerly bounced just at the sensation slipping around his leg, and he absently raised his own hand to reach over and stroke against the woman beside him, cupping around her chest.

A sigh escaped him as he felt fingers wrap around the flesh of his cock, and a quiver ripped through him as he felt the fingers rake down his cock, brushing against the pleasurable rounded nubs of his length. His young hand squeezed at the female's body and she sank into him, reaching up to place her hand over his as his tiny fingers groped around her chest. She directed him down, guiding his hand towards her stomach, drifting towards the stomach and inevitably to her crotch. He was eager to grope her, and Amino's digits pressed to her soft pussy, fingers spreading the adult lips, feeling just how moist and aroused they already were, before he inevitably slipped a finger inside, sinking it deep, enough to make her moan with delight.

Amino wasn't the focus of just two people, but many more; unbeknownst to him, his beak threatening to be buried within a mount of breasts and fur, others began to approach to explore his young body. Such sex was encouraged amongst not just the united tribes as a whole, but even the Arbormarons of old; they delighted in the idea of touching his young frame, in feeling up his chest, running through the fur of his stomach, groping his young cock and balls. Amino soon found hands upon him, more than just a couple of pairs-- they stroked his cheek, felt up his ears and touched all over his body. He soon found not just one stroking hand on his young cock, but multiple, enveloping his little length in a seat of fingers and spreading warmth across his loins that made him dizzy with pleasure. He rolled his head back from the female next to him and groaned, closing his eyes to relish the sensations as the hands worked up and down, whilst others sensually stroked his legs and felt up his sides. He could feel that they weren't just masculine and broad, but also dainty, lithe and even small, perhaps the same age as him or older.

His quiet and gentle groans of pleasure were more than enough to encourage to entourage of people who were pleasing him, and he could hear their grunts and huffs too, more than indicating they were getting off to his own pleasure, perhaps even to other things too. He sucked in quiet breaths, leaning into the hands cupping and rubbing his cheeks, whilst he resisted the urge to pump his hips against those squirming hands-- it was an overwhelming sensation, one that made it difficult to keep still. He whimpered ever so quietly, and they moaned in response, encouraged by his positive response. The tiny amounts of pre-cum that oozed from his member were quickly scooped up by those writhing hands, that then worked around his length, from base to tip, and made his length sticky and slick with pre-seed.

"Oooh..." Amino began to huff and gasp, scrunching his face up as his hips inadvertently pushed, and those group of hands working his member sped up, knowing what was coming. He turned his head and tensed as he felt a muzzle against his neck, kissing and spreading sensual heat across his shoulder as he kicked his legs, unable to stop them from moving, wanting to tuck them up and bring his ankles close to his behind. At the same time, his knees bowed to either side, spreading himself in the most lewd way imaginable, right as he passed over the point of no return. He didn't suppress his moans, letting them out as loudly as felt natural, and they danced around in the moonlight with the pleasured sounds of everyone else.

A sudden rush of delight washed over him, followed by an immeasurable sensitivity that had his whole body clenching up for barely a fraction of a second, digits curled as tightly as they could as the pressure built, before it unfolded all at once. A sigh ripped through him, lapsing into a long, warm groan of pure, unbridled bliss as his member twitched and throbbed, the pressure within him finally releasing. A boyish spurt shot from the end of his member, but it didn't get very far; it was so easily smeared and scooped by those groping hands, and it spread the slick seed across his own member, squelching it against the nubs of his cock, and getting it all over their palms and fingers. Thankfully, they knew not to overdo it; nice as it felt, he didn't want to be overstimulated, and they quickly drew their hands back from his spent cock, leaving it twitching in the air, slick with substance, but eager for more.

Amino laid there for a moment and sighed with pleasure as those around him continued to stroke and caress his body, rubbing across his chest and squeezing his shoulders encouragingly, whilst others nuzzled his neck and cheek. The affection was a welcome and addicting reprieve just after his nut, and a little kiss here, and a tender peck there was enough to make his ears fold back as delightful contentedness washed over him. He would have loved to sleep right then and there, but in the back of his mind, desire reared its head-- he wanted something rather specific, and he had a feeling that if he asked, he would get it. After all, how could the Arbomarons not continue to be hospitable?

He took a moment to recuperate, nestled in the warmth and embrace of those around him, and watched as the people nestled around his body started to move and pair off. A couple still took interest in him, and wanted to do more, but when he began to shift and make movements to stand, they parted to allow him to do so. Using the altar as a means to rise, he pulled himself to his feet and turned just in time to see the ambassador swept up in the throes of passion, her head rolled back as the feline before her pumped and thrust with reckless abandon.

Amino got to watch as he pushed down into her and sighed with pleasure, his eyes lidding over as his body became rigid against her slender frame. Like him before, she was still being groped all over, but when Amino appeared to watch as the feline pressed down against her and released himself into her, they parted, allowing him the opportunity to speak to her. She turned to head to smile at him, the twinkle in her eye suggesting she had listened to all that was heard from Amino's first foray into their 'ritual'.

"Are you enjoying yourself, child?" The deer asked him, looking him up and down, and Amino couldn't help but grin.

"I am," He assured her. "But...I was going to ask for something, if I may."

"Oh? And what would that be?" He had a feeling she knew, from the way she smiled with such grace, but he barrelled ahead anyway.

"You see, I am an official breeder of Brilanta," He flashed his ArmGear, where there was a small insignia on the outermost side, confirming his credentials to those in the know. "So if this ritual is all about fertility...then..."

"We are honoured to have an official breeder at our humble gathering," She beamed, a hand brushing down her body towards her crotch as she spread her legs a little wider. "I would be truly blessed to have someone such as yourself join in on our ritual and grant us your virility."

Amino had to resist the urge to shudder as it surged up his body; her words had turned him on greatly, enough for him to eagerly bounce back from his recent orgasm, already hungry for more. He nodded fervently at her words and then looked over to the feline ploughing into the deer's pussy, and he seemed to understand it was his time to move. With a sigh, the man slid back and his member, slick with cum, slowly withdrew from her entrance, a sticky string hanging between the tip of his cone-shaped dick and her spread lips, though it was almost impossible to see in the moody lighting. Amino scooted to the side and slipped past those standing nearby, taking up position by the foot of the altar as the feline withdrew.

It didn't take much to clamber up onto the altar, and less to get into position; he moved with all the eagerness of an excited and slightly child could muster. He lined himself up perfectly to her, glancing up to her face to see her smiling muzzle, and he cast his gaze down just in time to see a hand moving towards her pussy, digits spreading the lips as if to invite him in. He stared down at it for a moment before he was unable to resist the urge not to sink right in; with a lick of his lips, the gryphon boy scooted closer, his knees scuffling against the rugs, before the tip of his barbed humanoid-shaped dick slipped against her entrance, nudging and sinking inside.

It was a wet and slippery entry, and that was no surprise-- Amino had seen how much the feline before had cum-- but it was oh so warm and delightful. Just a slight push had him gliding in so easily, all the way to the base, and he quivered from the sensation of slick heat and pressure spreading around his crotch, causing him to briefly hold there and just enjoy the feeling. Beneath him, the woman hummed her approval, adjusting herself only slightly, and he took a moment to carefully withdraw, his rounded barbs scooping and pulling the cum already inside her whilst raking her inner walls with tactile, prickling pleasure, something she was no doubt already familiar with.

Others joined the fray, one at a time: the first, a slender-built vixen, bent over the altar and pressed their lips to the ambassador's own, groaning against her lips, and the deer eagerly reciprocated the kiss as another came to grope at her chest again. Amino's interests weren't necessarily in plump breasts, so it was easy to draw his focus down towards her crotch inside, and he quietly groaned with lust as he pressed his hips deep, rolling them against her flesh, and delighted in the way he could practically feel and hear the squelch of his cock amongst all those juices.

He slowly worked himself into a rhythm, but it wasn't like he needed much encouragement; he sped up into a moderate pace rather rapidly as his ears twisted and turned to the sounds of sex around him, whilst his body tingled with the intoxicating sensations of sex with the woman in front of him. His eyes remained glued to her pussy, her spread lips and legs, and occasionally raked up her body to take in the slight of her slender stomach and tensing body around his thrusting hips. His eyes were wide with boyish delight, the eagerness to breed rising up within him as his hands, once clenched around her legs, moved forward toward the furs and blankets. He planted his palms to the cushioned softness of them as he shifted into a more quicker rhythm, his breath coming out in hot and heavy pants. The wetness of it, and the ease at which he could slide in and out of her, all of it served to bring him to the edge alarmingly quickly. It was difficult just to hold on; he wanted nothing more than to bust.

The pleasure within him grew the more he thrust, his young body bucking and pumping as he huffed and groaned under his breath, but the sounds of his sex were drowned out by the cacophony of noises from around him, that bounced around the empty clearing on the edge of Lunohave. He didn't raise his head to look, but he guessed from all those sounds of pleasure that most of those who had been watching before must be joining in, one way or another. The thought of the entire town just having sex all around him seemed surprisingly normal, in some instances...but also incredibly arousing at the same time.

The bliss of his imminent orgasm overwhelmed him, and he knew he couldn't hold on for much longer-- he'd barely even been thrusting into her for more than a minute, but he already knew from the way his body tensed, from the way his loins grew heavy and uncomfortable that something was coming. He shuddered, bowing his head to allow himself to truly bask in the feeling of it as he pushed down, his little cock twitching and pulsing inside her, nudging against those seed-slick inner walls. With a final push he clenched up, arching his back and leaning his head back as he let out a boyish moan, tail swishing happily left and right. His length powerfully throbbed within her before, mere moments later, a handful of tiny spurts shot deep into her. They mixed and intermingled with another man's cum, seeping against her inner walls, and as Amino rocked and coaxed out the remaining droplets of his orgasm, he felt the deer's thighs squeeze around his lithe frame encouragingly, keeping him close; she wanted it all.

The Gryphon leant forward, nestling his body against hers and nuzzling around her stomach and chest area-- he was sure she wasn't looking, too enthralled in kissing the female above her, but her hand suddenly brushed against his back, and he was surprised, but pleased. He sighed against her and rocked his hips into her pelvis, kneading his spent length as he listened to the throes of passion around him, which only served to turn him on more. How many rounds could he go? Another two? Three? 

Amino was about to figure out just how far his stamina could take him.

The ritual ended a couple of hours later, shortly after the moon had passed its apex in the sky above them. Where the ritual and festival of sex had once been loud and busy with a multitude of people, it had slowly become more and more tiring over time, especially for Amino-- his 10-year-old body could only put out so much before he needed rest. He had pumped into the ambassador a few times, had tasted her body, kissed along her stomach, and enjoyed such wonderful pleasures with not just her but many others too. A man had come to tenderly stroke Amino from behind amidst his fucking, and had teased him with the thought of penetration, and played with his cock mid-sex, adding a certain layer of depth to the entire thing. The ordeal had made the gryphon dizzy with lust, but over time, as his body came to ache, clarity seeped in. Towards the later ends of Lunohave's ritual, he had sat off to the side, watching the scene before him unfold and occasionally making out with a stranger or two, men and women alike.

People had started to file out bit by bit as time passed until a tenth of the people were left. At that point, Amino decided it was best to get some rest, and perhaps some rehydration too. Ravra was nowhere to be seen, no doubt busy himself, but the 10-year-old didn't need escorting back to the rest-house; he knew the way. He departed from the ritual with a final longing glance-- the ambassador to Mother Earth was still 'blessing' people on the altar-- before he headed down the path.

When he got to the inn, a glass of water revitalised him, and his body begged him to lie down. He quickly cleaned himself up a little, wiping off some of the cum on his body and around his spent cock, before he clambered up onto the bed and flopped down on his back. With a long sigh, he closed his eyes and rested his head against the pillow, squirming to get comfortable. 

It should have been easy to sleep after all that...and yet he couldn't. His mind was still with the intoxicating desires of that sex-driven ritual, of how much he'd enjoyed...though his body ached, his mind was restless. He wouldn't be able to sleep for a while, he was sure of it...but that didn't mean he couldn't just lay in bed and enjoy himself.

In the quiet of the rest-house room, Amino's hand drifted down, and he spent the night reliving it all over again.