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Arcadia/Ark belongs to Goblinvoid. I enjoyed working with them on this little story and stretching into both a universe/fandom and a subject I wasn't super familiar with!

Jubei and other references to BlazBlue belong to Arc System Works.

--
For commission information, check out my journal here. I currently have an open YCH storye here!

Posted using PostyBirb", "writing": "At the Master's Feet\n\nBy: Red Rocktober\n\nMaster Jubei was looking out from under his orange hoodie, enjoying the whisper of the breeze, warm sun dappling the grassy carpet of the little clearing in the woods in front of his cabin. With his one good eye he watched a squirrel scampering back and forth, rustling under a leaf here, stopping to nibble on an acorn there. It was an excellent afternoon for training.\n\n``Um...Master Jubei?'' The small voice came from below and was somewhat muffled.\n\n``Eh? What's that?'' the beastkin replied, not bothering to turn towards the voice.\n\nThe young caracal grimaced, not wanting to speak out against their master but also becoming quite uncomfortable down in the grass. On their stomach. With Jubei standing on top of their back. They thought maybe Jubei was trying to give them some kind of lesson in patience, or humility, or...or the wonders of woodland grasses maybe. Arcadia was pretty sure they had learned plenty of humility if the regular sparring losses were anything to go by. Their grimalkin guide's paws kept flexing, little points of pressure shifting as Jubei's pawpads twitched in series. They tried not to think too much about it.\n\nJubei's twin tails waved gently behind him, idly twining and untwisting themselves. He was holding his bokken loosely, the tip resting on the ground. He stepped down off of his pupil, eliciting a grunt from the prone feline as his weight shifted entirely onto one paw that dug into Ark's lower back for a moment. The caracal's own twin tails stuck straight out as Ark tensed up, the little paw a bright point of fresh pain amongst the dull aches of overworked muscles and bruises, each one representing their inadequacy as a fighter.\n\nArk pushed themself up and got their feet under them, taking a moment before standing. Looking up, they could see kind patience in Master Jubei's one amber eye, a sleeve-covered hand extended to help them. up. They took the proffered paw in theirs, and with a grunt, stood up, towering almost a foot and a half over the One-Eyed Lotus. Despite their height advantage, and the extended reach that came with it, Ark still couldn't land a blow on the sensei during their sparring.\n\n``Allow your mind to follow your opponent's blade, but keep your eyes on theirs. The eyes will always tell you the next move.'' Jubei dispensed another of his frequent, cryptic adages.\n\nArk nodded and bowed, trying to grasp how to possibly keep track of where an enemy's sword is without looking at it. The caracal's large, light brown ears were flattened back, almost buried in the mop of brown hair flowing from the top of their head, as they pondered. With a deep sigh they gave up on understanding it for now and filed it away to try to work on another time.\n\nJubei mistook the sigh of resignation for a breath of focus and preparation. Smiling, he told his pupil to grab their own bokken from the ground and ready for another round. The ancient martial arts master stood in a deceptively relaxed stance, paws about shoulder-width apart. His bokken was strapped to his back where Musashi normally resided, and his sleeved hands were casually at his side. Ark knew from experience that in less time than it took to blink, that could change.\n\nArk took a fighting stance, paws wide, body low, bokken raised in front of them. The white-furred cat simply stood there, waiting for his student to make the first move. He allowed part of his mind to wander once more to his surroundings, the cool grass between his toes. He flexed his paws, claws extending and retracting several times as Jubei watched the young caracal's eyes. He idly twisted a leg, digging the paw into the dirt a bit.\n\nIt wouldn't be fair to say Ark hadn't learned anything in their two years living and training with Master Jubei. Having grown up watching too many action movies, they had taken a little while to break the habit of shouting a dramatic ``hi-ya'' when striking. Struggling to implement everything their mentor had taught them, the brown-furred feline lept forward and brought the wooden practice sword up high as though they were going to bring a hard downwards strike, but at the last moment swinging it around to the right and in, aiming for a slice into the much smaller cat's midsection.\n\nAs he had countless times before, Jubei pulled his own wooden katana out with his tails, effortlessly tossing it into his left hand to block the strike, sending it over into his right hand to land a blow on each of Ark's arms as they struggled to keep pace. They reacted much too slowly to block either of Jubei's incoming hits. Before they realized what was happening, a quad of little pink pawads was looming large, the Master's hindpaw planting firmly on Ark's chest and pushing off. The caracal fell backwards, tails flailing, to land with a ``whuff'' on their butt, in the grass once more.\n\n``Don't you think...you could go easy...just once?'' they managed to ask as they panted. Their plaintive query was met with a gruff ``pah!''\n\n``Will you stop to ask the Black Beast if he will go easy on you? Pain is a harsh mentor, but an effective one,'' Jubei told him, his amber eye seeming to glass over for a moment as he thought back to all that pain had taught him in his own century or so of life. Coming back to the present, he extended his hand down once more to help the tuft-eared cat up.\n\nVoice softening, ``You may not feel it, but you are improving. If...slowly...'' He wasn't lying, but Jubei was also feeling his age more and more as the days went on, in small ways. And what can this pain teach me? he thought to himself, a dull ache coming up from his tired paws, a sharp pain shooting through his back if he turned the wrong way. Probably that I'm too old for this shit, he realized with an internal chuckle.\n\n``Come on kid. That's enough for today. There's a pot of tea that you're going to make me calling my name.''\n\nThe two walked, paired tails swaying almost in sync despite the difference in gait, through the quiet woods to the generous cabin Jubei had built to escape the noise and press of people many years before, his solitude only broken by the occasional student seeking his extensive knowledge. So far, Arcadia had been the only one that stuck around as long as they did, though they were also by far the slowest learner the Master had ever trained. Other than making tea, though, Ark did have one talent Jubei savored from time to time. He decided this evening would be one of those times. His toes practically tingled with anticipation.\n\n-\n\nJubei sat down onto the small couch in the modest den of his cabin, pulling the hood back on his yellow cloak. He shook his head, ears flapping and his enormous gray mane shaking free. He dug his claws into the tufts of thick fur, scritching his scalp and sighing. The cat propped his paws up on the low table in front of him, wiggling his toes.\n\n``Here you are, Master,'' Ark said as they walked in with a teapot and two painted earthenware mugs on a simple wooden tray. They set the tray on the table, dutifully pouring a full mug for Jubei, careful to hold the lid on the pot. The aroma was lightly botanical, devoid of the tannins that would indicate they had brewed it for too long. Proud that they had at least learned how to properly steep tea, the caracal straightened up and smiled at Jubei, sure the hot beverage would please their sensei.\n\n``Is there anything else I can do for you, Master?'' they asked.\n\n``As a matter of fact, there is.'' The beastkin's amber eye twinkled with mischief as he leaned forward and cupped the ceramic mug in his hands, largely insulated from the heat by the sleeves of his hoodie.\n\nArk waited patiently, arms behind their back, trying not to think about the bruises Jubei had spent all morning inflicting on them. The old swordmaster took his sweet time, bringing the mug to his face, little pink nose twitching as he breathed in the soothing smell. The steam rose in little tendrils, drawn into his nostrils and then blown out over the rim of the mug.\n\n``My feet are sore.'' He didn't make a request, or issue an order. His tone, however, made it quite clear that his statement was to be interpreted as one.\n\nArk swallowed and looked at his mentor's little paws, with their little pink pads, on the table. The color was dulled somewhat with a thin coat of dirt from the vigorous training in the forest. They swallowed again and preemptively wrinkled their own little pink nose, correctly assuming that they would not smell particularly fresh.\n\nThe caracal reached forward to take hold of the smaller feline's paws, their own hands covered in the over-long sleeves of their tunic. Jubei pulled his hindpaws back off the table and out of their reach. Ark pulled back, surprised.\n\n``Wh-what's wrong? Isn't that what you wanted?'' they asked, confused.\n\n``How in the 23 Cities do you expect to give me a proper paw massage like that? No, no, no. Get those silly sleeves up and get over here. Gotta be able to really work my pads. I'm over a hundred years old you know, they get sore like they didn't used to,'' Jubei admonished his student.\n\nSwallowing once more, they hesitantly pulled the sleeves up and cuffed them to keep them in place. Ark's twin tan tails were limp as they walked around the table, stopping next to Jubei. With a sigh, little pointed fangs visible despite the frown on their muzzle, looked to their mentor. He only smiled and flapped the end of a yellow sleeve downwards. Ark nodded and lay down on their back on the floor, grimacing as Master Jubei unceremoniously shoved a paw directly in their face.\n\n``You're gonna massage these old steppers until they're all better. And no complaining. Gotta pay your rent here somehow, don't you think?'' he said with a quiet chuckle.\n\nArk didn't reply, simply getting to work, hoping to get it over with quickly. Gingerly at first they took hold of the little white foot, squeezing and rubbing each toe in turn, massaging the calloused pink pads. They tried not to think too hard about the dirt getting onto their fingers. This wasn't their first time, but he had never requested a paw rub so soon after a training session.\n\nBefore, Ark's sensitive nose was primarily filled with the fresh scent of the forest around them, the dull aroma of the wood of the cabin, and the mild but pleasant smell of the tea. Now, however, it was filled with the earthy aroma of musk, the slightly acrid scent of sweat. They crinkled their nose up, trying to take tiny breaths so as not to smell it too deeply, but it was really no use.\n\n``That's it, just like that. Now the other one.'' Jubei sighed and groaned as his pupil worked his tender toes. Those feet had tread a lot of ground over the years, and a good foot massage was hard to come by. However, when you had a labor source that couldn't say no, even when they clearly wanted to, well. Best to make use of it.\n\nThe caracal let go and reached for his Master's other paw. They didn't expect Jubei to rest his finished foot on their face. Their whiskers jittered as they recoiled, trying to pull away from the slightly stinky feline foot, but Jubei simply pushed it against his nose even harder.\n\n``Go on kid, take a whiff. Smells tell a story. Yeah, again. And another.'' In a display seemingly uncharacteristic of one of the Six Heroes of the Dark War, Jubei was practically purring as the younger feline reluctantly inhaled his natural aroma mixed with the smell of grass, of dirt. He hadn't been served like this in some time...\n\n``Hey now, don't forget what you're doing. You've gotta be able to do two things at once if you want to be a half decent fighter,'' he said, as though somehow being able to provide a good foot massage was relevant to close quarters combat.\n\nNonetheless, Ark obeyed, working the other paw with their hands as they had the first, still breathing in the odor of his paw pushing into their snout. The caracal tried to focus on the scents tracked in from the woods, tying them back to the smells that filled their nose earlier as they lay on the ground while sparring. They made sure to squeeze the toe pads, causing his claws to extend a little, retracting as they released the pressure and moved to the next.\n\nJubei sighed, his whole body relaxing as his student worked the stress out from his paws. He had to give it to the kid, even though they were obviously uncomfortable they weren't being timid. Their hands were firm, making sure to get every part of his paws. Ark even worked their hands up his calves a little bit before returning to his feet, rubbing the pawpads in circles first clockwise, then counterclockwise. As they swapped back to the other paw, Jubei once again stuck his freed foot into Ark's face.\n\nNot quite all of the swordmaster's body was relaxed. He was beginning to enjoy the ministrations of his disciple a little too much. His mind wandered to devious places.\n\n``Lick it,'' he said, his tone the same as when he was directing Ark to a particular stance or technique.\n\nThey stopped, completely taken aback and not totally sure that they had heard correctly.\n\nThe beastkin gruffly repeated himself. ``Lick my little paw, you've already smelled it and smellin' is most of tastin'.'' He grinned as Ark let out a whine, but after a moment they dutifully did as asked, their tongue slowly emerging from the end of their muzzle, making its halting way across the short distance to Jubei's toes.\n\nThey grimaced as it made contact, but kept going, giving each pink little bean a hesitant lick. The pads were rough, but they could feel the soft give underneath the calloused surface. The paws did indeed taste about like they smelled. The earthy taste of the remnants of the outdoors, the slightly salty, pungent musk of sweat.\n\nJubei glanced down at the brown-furred feline under his feet, then noticed something else vying for his attention. He had created a tent in his orange hoodie, his erection sticking straight up from his lap. Embarrassed, he covered himself with his arms, not that Ark could have seen it from their position on the floor.\n\nHe leaned back, relishing the dry licks from the caracal. Jubei continued to direct his pupil, encouraging a sniff here, a squeeze there, long into the evening. The sun had set before he decided it was time to let the dutiful kit up. He planted his hindpaws one last time directly on Ark's muzzle.\n\n``One last whiff, kid, make it count. Carry this smell around with you,'' he said, arms still across his lap to hide the boner he had kept through the entire session.\n\nArk merely nodded and obeyed, almost hypnotized at that point by their act of service. Closing their eyes, they exhaled, emptying their lungs completely, then drew a long breath in. Grabbing Jubei's ankles they pulled the paws even harder against their pink nose, snuffling between the toes and taking the scent in, the pungent smell of his sweat, making it a part of themself.\n\nAt last, satisfied, Jubei pulled his feet up and tucked them under himself, sitting cross-legged on the couch. With one hand he popped his hood back over his head, flicking his ears so they slipped into the sewn-on slots on top.\n\n``Thanks, I really needed that. That's all for today.''\n\n PAGE 5 \n\n", "writing_bbcode_parsed": "At the Master's Feet

By: Red Rocktober

Master Jubei was looking out from under his orange hoodie, enjoying the whisper of the breeze, warm sun dappling the grassy carpet of the little clearing in the woods in front of his cabin. With his one good eye he watched a squirrel scampering back and forth, rustling under a leaf here, stopping to nibble on an acorn there. It was an excellent afternoon for training.

``Um...Master Jubei?'' The small voice came from below and was somewhat muffled.

``Eh? What's that?'' the beastkin replied, not bothering to turn towards the voice.

The young caracal grimaced, not wanting to speak out against their master but also becoming quite uncomfortable down in the grass. On their stomach. With Jubei standing on top of their back. They thought maybe Jubei was trying to give them some kind of lesson in patience, or humility, or...or the wonders of woodland grasses maybe. Arcadia was pretty sure they had learned plenty of humility if the regular sparring losses were anything to go by. Their grimalkin guide's paws kept flexing, little points of pressure shifting as Jubei's pawpads twitched in series. They tried not to think too much about it.

Jubei's twin tails waved gently behind him, idly twining and untwisting themselves. He was holding his bokken loosely, the tip resting on the ground. He stepped down off of his pupil, eliciting a grunt from the prone feline as his weight shifted entirely onto one paw that dug into Ark's lower back for a moment. The caracal's own twin tails stuck straight out as Ark tensed up, the little paw a bright point of fresh pain amongst the dull aches of overworked muscles and bruises, each one representing their inadequacy as a fighter.

Ark pushed themself up and got their feet under them, taking a moment before standing. Looking up, they could see kind patience in Master Jubei's one amber eye, a sleeve-covered hand extended to help them. up. They took the proffered paw in theirs, and with a grunt, stood up, towering almost a foot and a half over the One-Eyed Lotus. Despite their height advantage, and the extended reach that came with it, Ark still couldn't land a blow on the sensei during their sparring.

``Allow your mind to follow your opponent's blade, but keep your eyes on theirs. The eyes will always tell you the next move.'' Jubei dispensed another of his frequent, cryptic adages.

Ark nodded and bowed, trying to grasp how to possibly keep track of where an enemy's sword is without looking at it. The caracal's large, light brown ears were flattened back, almost buried in the mop of brown hair flowing from the top of their head, as they pondered. With a deep sigh they gave up on understanding it for now and filed it away to try to work on another time.

Jubei mistook the sigh of resignation for a breath of focus and preparation. Smiling, he told his pupil to grab their own bokken from the ground and ready for another round. The ancient martial arts master stood in a deceptively relaxed stance, paws about shoulder-width apart. His bokken was strapped to his back where Musashi normally resided, and his sleeved hands were casually at his side. Ark knew from experience that in less time than it took to blink, that could change.

Ark took a fighting stance, paws wide, body low, bokken raised in front of them. The white-furred cat simply stood there, waiting for his student to make the first move. He allowed part of his mind to wander once more to his surroundings, the cool grass between his toes. He flexed his paws, claws extending and retracting several times as Jubei watched the young caracal's eyes. He idly twisted a leg, digging the paw into the dirt a bit.

It wouldn't be fair to say Ark hadn't learned anything in their two years living and training with Master Jubei. Having grown up watching too many action movies, they had taken a little while to break the habit of shouting a dramatic ``hi-ya'' when striking. Struggling to implement everything their mentor had taught them, the brown-furred feline lept forward and brought the wooden practice sword up high as though they were going to bring a hard downwards strike, but at the last moment swinging it around to the right and in, aiming for a slice into the much smaller cat's midsection.

As he had countless times before, Jubei pulled his own wooden katana out with his tails, effortlessly tossing it into his left hand to block the strike, sending it over into his right hand to land a blow on each of Ark's arms as they struggled to keep pace. They reacted much too slowly to block either of Jubei's incoming hits. Before they realized what was happening, a quad of little pink pawads was looming large, the Master's hindpaw planting firmly on Ark's chest and pushing off. The caracal fell backwards, tails flailing, to land with a ``whuff'' on their butt, in the grass once more.

``Don't you think...you could go easy...just once?'' they managed to ask as they panted. Their plaintive query was met with a gruff ``pah!''

``Will you stop to ask the Black Beast if he will go easy on you? Pain is a harsh mentor, but an effective one,'' Jubei told him, his amber eye seeming to glass over for a moment as he thought back to all that pain had taught him in his own century or so of life. Coming back to the present, he extended his hand down once more to help the tuft-eared cat up.

Voice softening, ``You may not feel it, but you are improving. If...slowly...'' He wasn't lying, but Jubei was also feeling his age more and more as the days went on, in small ways. And what can this pain teach me? he thought to himself, a dull ache coming up from his tired paws, a sharp pain shooting through his back if he turned the wrong way. Probably that I'm too old for this shit, he realized with an internal chuckle.

``Come on kid. That's enough for today. There's a pot of tea that you're going to make me calling my name.''

The two walked, paired tails swaying almost in sync despite the difference in gait, through the quiet woods to the generous cabin Jubei had built to escape the noise and press of people many years before, his solitude only broken by the occasional student seeking his extensive knowledge. So far, Arcadia had been the only one that stuck around as long as they did, though they were also by far the slowest learner the Master had ever trained. Other than making tea, though, Ark did have one talent Jubei savored from time to time. He decided this evening would be one of those times. His toes practically tingled with anticipation.

-

Jubei sat down onto the small couch in the modest den of his cabin, pulling the hood back on his yellow cloak. He shook his head, ears flapping and his enormous gray mane shaking free. He dug his claws into the tufts of thick fur, scritching his scalp and sighing. The cat propped his paws up on the low table in front of him, wiggling his toes.

``Here you are, Master,'' Ark said as they walked in with a teapot and two painted earthenware mugs on a simple wooden tray. They set the tray on the table, dutifully pouring a full mug for Jubei, careful to hold the lid on the pot. The aroma was lightly botanical, devoid of the tannins that would indicate they had brewed it for too long. Proud that they had at least learned how to properly steep tea, the caracal straightened up and smiled at Jubei, sure the hot beverage would please their sensei.

``Is there anything else I can do for you, Master?'' they asked.

``As a matter of fact, there is.'' The beastkin's amber eye twinkled with mischief as he leaned forward and cupped the ceramic mug in his hands, largely insulated from the heat by the sleeves of his hoodie.

Ark waited patiently, arms behind their back, trying not to think about the bruises Jubei had spent all morning inflicting on them. The old swordmaster took his sweet time, bringing the mug to his face, little pink nose twitching as he breathed in the soothing smell. The steam rose in little tendrils, drawn into his nostrils and then blown out over the rim of the mug.

``My feet are sore.'' He didn't make a request, or issue an order. His tone, however, made it quite clear that his statement was to be interpreted as one.

Ark swallowed and looked at his mentor's little paws, with their little pink pads, on the table. The color was dulled somewhat with a thin coat of dirt from the vigorous training in the forest. They swallowed again and preemptively wrinkled their own little pink nose, correctly assuming that they would not smell particularly fresh.

The caracal reached forward to take hold of the smaller feline's paws, their own hands covered in the over-long sleeves of their tunic. Jubei pulled his hindpaws back off the table and out of their reach. Ark pulled back, surprised.

``Wh-what's wrong? Isn't that what you wanted?'' they asked, confused.

``How in the 23 Cities do you expect to give me a proper paw massage like that? No, no, no. Get those silly sleeves up and get over here. Gotta be able to really work my pads. I'm over a hundred years old you know, they get sore like they didn't used to,'' Jubei admonished his student.

Swallowing once more, they hesitantly pulled the sleeves up and cuffed them to keep them in place. Ark's twin tan tails were limp as they walked around the table, stopping next to Jubei. With a sigh, little pointed fangs visible despite the frown on their muzzle, looked to their mentor. He only smiled and flapped the end of a yellow sleeve downwards. Ark nodded and lay down on their back on the floor, grimacing as Master Jubei unceremoniously shoved a paw directly in their face.

``You're gonna massage these old steppers until they're all better. And no complaining. Gotta pay your rent here somehow, don't you think?'' he said with a quiet chuckle.

Ark didn't reply, simply getting to work, hoping to get it over with quickly. Gingerly at first they took hold of the little white foot, squeezing and rubbing each toe in turn, massaging the calloused pink pads. They tried not to think too hard about the dirt getting onto their fingers. This wasn't their first time, but he had never requested a paw rub so soon after a training session.

Before, Ark's sensitive nose was primarily filled with the fresh scent of the forest around them, the dull aroma of the wood of the cabin, and the mild but pleasant smell of the tea. Now, however, it was filled with the earthy aroma of musk, the slightly acrid scent of sweat. They crinkled their nose up, trying to take tiny breaths so as not to smell it too deeply, but it was really no use.

``That's it, just like that. Now the other one.'' Jubei sighed and groaned as his pupil worked his tender toes. Those feet had tread a lot of ground over the years, and a good foot massage was hard to come by. However, when you had a labor source that couldn't say no, even when they clearly wanted to, well. Best to make use of it.

The caracal let go and reached for his Master's other paw. They didn't expect Jubei to rest his finished foot on their face. Their whiskers jittered as they recoiled, trying to pull away from the slightly stinky feline foot, but Jubei simply pushed it against his nose even harder.

``Go on kid, take a whiff. Smells tell a story. Yeah, again. And another.'' In a display seemingly uncharacteristic of one of the Six Heroes of the Dark War, Jubei was practically purring as the younger feline reluctantly inhaled his natural aroma mixed with the smell of grass, of dirt. He hadn't been served like this in some time...

``Hey now, don't forget what you're doing. You've gotta be able to do two things at once if you want to be a half decent fighter,'' he said, as though somehow being able to provide a good foot massage was relevant to close quarters combat.

Nonetheless, Ark obeyed, working the other paw with their hands as they had the first, still breathing in the odor of his paw pushing into their snout. The caracal tried to focus on the scents tracked in from the woods, tying them back to the smells that filled their nose earlier as they lay on the ground while sparring. They made sure to squeeze the toe pads, causing his claws to extend a little, retracting as they released the pressure and moved to the next.

Jubei sighed, his whole body relaxing as his student worked the stress out from his paws. He had to give it to the kid, even though they were obviously uncomfortable they weren't being timid. Their hands were firm, making sure to get every part of his paws. Ark even worked their hands up his calves a little bit before returning to his feet, rubbing the pawpads in circles first clockwise, then counterclockwise. As they swapped back to the other paw, Jubei once again stuck his freed foot into Ark's face.

Not quite all of the swordmaster's body was relaxed. He was beginning to enjoy the ministrations of his disciple a little too much. His mind wandered to devious places.

``Lick it,'' he said, his tone the same as when he was directing Ark to a particular stance or technique.

They stopped, completely taken aback and not totally sure that they had heard correctly.

The beastkin gruffly repeated himself. ``Lick my little paw, you've already smelled it and smellin' is most of tastin'.'' He grinned as Ark let out a whine, but after a moment they dutifully did as asked, their tongue slowly emerging from the end of their muzzle, making its halting way across the short distance to Jubei's toes.

They grimaced as it made contact, but kept going, giving each pink little bean a hesitant lick. The pads were rough, but they could feel the soft give underneath the calloused surface. The paws did indeed taste about like they smelled. The earthy taste of the remnants of the outdoors, the slightly salty, pungent musk of sweat.

Jubei glanced down at the brown-furred feline under his feet, then noticed something else vying for his attention. He had created a tent in his orange hoodie, his erection sticking straight up from his lap. Embarrassed, he covered himself with his arms, not that Ark could have seen it from their position on the floor.

He leaned back, relishing the dry licks from the caracal. Jubei continued to direct his pupil, encouraging a sniff here, a squeeze there, long into the evening. The sun had set before he decided it was time to let the dutiful kit up. He planted his hindpaws one last time directly on Ark's muzzle.

``One last whiff, kid, make it count. Carry this smell around with you,'' he said, arms still across his lap to hide the boner he had kept through the entire session.

Ark merely nodded and obeyed, almost hypnotized at that point by their act of service. Closing their eyes, they exhaled, emptying their lungs completely, then drew a long breath in. Grabbing Jubei's ankles they pulled the paws even harder against their pink nose, snuffling between the toes and taking the scent in, the pungent smell of his sweat, making it a part of themself.

At last, satisfied, Jubei pulled his feet up and tucked them under himself, sitting cross-legged on the couch. With one hand he popped his hood back over his head, flicking his ears so they slipped into the sewn-on slots on top.

``Thanks, I really needed that. That's all for today.''

  PAGE  5  

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