The morning after he met Cho, Vin woke up feeling incredibly energetic and refreshed - even more than would be explained by the fact that he just took a three hour nap that turned into a thirteen hour one. The world felt like it belonged to him, like he’d turned over a new leaf and things were really going to work out this time. Cho was still asleep on top of him, looking like a normal wolf once more.

Vin took a deep breath and let it out. By Irana - whom he’d decided it was wise to start using in such phrases - he felt good. He suddenly understood the appeal of sex in a way that he’d never considered before. He had thought he understood why people made such a big deal about it on general principles, but this experience was in another realm entirely.

He felt guilty about his good fortune coming at such immeasurable expense to Cho. But it wasn’t actually his fault. If anything, he’d...well, not saved her, that was far too strong a word, but he’d helped her out.

He gently brushed a hand through her fur. “Hey there, Cho, it’s VIn,” he said. He was hoping that waking up outside her home would be less jarring if he reminded her who she was with. “I think we slept longer than we were intending.”

She stirred, doing interesting things with her anatomy pressed up against his,, then opened those glorious violet eyes and treated him to a sleepy smile. “Sorry,” she says. “I didn’t mean to wear you out quite that hard.”

Vin grinned. “Believe me when I say I really don’t mind. But...I hate to say it but we should probably get dressed.”

Cho sighs and nods, then pushes herself up to a seated position and reaches into the back of the cart, rummaging around for her habit. He slid out from under her and began looking for his own clothes where they’d been tossed, as well. “I know this is usually an exaggeration, but I’ve never felt better,” he said casually. “Well, in terms of general healthiness. I definitely felt better with you riding me yesterday, but...well, you get what I’m saying.”

Cho giggled, digging up her habit and then looking for the lingerie that was so casually tossed aside the previous night. She eventually found them, and made a point of turning to face him before slowly, tantalizingly pulling them on, making sure he got a good show. “I’m glad I could help!” she said cheerfully.

“I’m glad you could help too,” Vin said with a grin. “Well, are you ready to get your first experience with merchanting?”

“Sounds fun,” the wolf said. “Well, not exactly fun, but it beats being back at the monastery.”

“I find it has a certain satisfaction to it,” Vin agreed. “Probably not surprising since I chose to become one.”

“I enjoy my work too,” Cho joked. “But I think you noticed that part. Well, let’s get on the road!”

The road was narrow but well-worn, and the cart rolled easily on. Cho watched the sights around with wide eyes, equally fascinated by everything from the most gorgeous view to the most banal anthill. It was obvious that she’d not traveled to any meaningful degree, and even the simplest sights of nature were exciting to her.

For his part, Vin mostly watched Cho.

Eventually, after a few hours, they rolled up towards the next village along the road, and Vin cleared his throat. “I’ll need to talk to the mayor,” he said. “About the monastery. You don’t have to come with if you don’t feel up to it.”

She shook her head emphatically. “No, it’s better that I do. If they don’t have all the information, how will they catch whoever did it?”

Vin nodded, though inwardly he was troubled. He’d seen the wolf turn into what he could only describe as a monster the day before. Long claws and sharp teeth. It wasn’t as though he was a fool. Not that he really thought she’d done it, but she might have been infected with something, or...something.

In any case, he wasn’t going to stop her from making her report, and so they drove the cart into the village. Quite a few people knew Vin - this was one of the towns he commonly swung through on his trading route - and it took a while to exchange greetings with them. Eventually, though, they reached the mayor’s house, a two-story affair with a very wholesome appearance. It even had a whitewashed picket fence.

The mayor, an elderly mouse woman named Aliya, was sitting out front knitting, but she looked up at Vin’s approach. “Vin!” she called, her voice pleased. “What a pleasant surprise to see you again. Would you like some tea?”

“I’m afraid not, ma’am,” the hyena said, fingers twitching with anxiety though he didn’t feel he should be that anxious. “I’m afraid I have to inform you, something awful happened. At the monastery. The priests are all dead, the novices, everyone. Cho here was a survivor I found at the scene - didn’t see anyone else.”

Aliya stared, then turned her hard gaze on Cho. The initiate quailed - an amusing sight, the wolf cringing before an elderly mouse - but spoke after a moment. “It’s t-true,” she said. “I woke up in the sanctuary and everyone was d-dead. The priests, novices, everyone. They were dead, mutilated. It was horrible.”

“When did this happen?” Aliya asked, her tone a little gentler than her eyes.

“A, a week ago I think?” Cho said uncertainly. “I’m not sure. Time gets fuzzy when you’re alone and everyone you know is d-dead….”

“She was in a daze when I found her,” Vin confirmed. “The priests are unburied and unburned - though it shouldn’t have been long enough for that to be a problem yet. It would be a good idea to lay them to rest before anything can move in, though. I’d do it myself, but missing that trading stop means I have to catch up or run out of food.” Realizing the implications, he quickly said, “I would be fine with you searching my cart, though, so you can see that I’m not making off with anything from the monastery.”

“I have to take a look,” Aliya said. “It’s not because I don’t trust you, I hope you know that. It’s just that some things need to be done.”

“I agree, and even appreciate it,” Vin said. “I trade on my reputation as much as my good, and it’d be a black mark indeed to be suspected of looting from the pious dead.” Not to mention that he would be an idiot to steal from a goddess’s faithful without a deity of his own to protect him, but he also wasn’t foolish enough to say that.

“All right. I’ll go through your cart. Cho, we need to have the local priest examine you, make sure there’s not a ruse or a skinwraith on you.” Aliya’s tone was firm, and Cho shuddered, but nodded.

“I’ll go with you so the wards on the cart deactivate,” Vin said, looking at Cho to make sure she was doing all right. She gave him a shaky nod, so he started going through the cart while one of Aliya’s grandchildren escorted Cho to the priest.

Aliya started going through the cart, examining each box and crate and sack. She was calm and dispassionate as she did, and thorough, though she said very little.

They were almost done when Vin heard a scream from the center of town. It sounded like Cho, and it sounded like she was in pain.

Almost before he’d processed what was happening, Vin was bolting for the town center. He rounded the inn, and saw Cho, lying on the ground, scrabbling backward. The priest, a human who worshipped some god he didn’t remember, was advancing on her with his holy symbol held high.

“Out, fiend!” the priest roared. “Begone!”

Cho flinched at the noise, and a surge of protectiveness welled up in Vin. He didn’t know what was going on. He didn’t need to know. Cho needed help, and that was what mattered.

He closed in on the priest, hand held high as though to strike him, but managed to restrain himself at the last moment. “What are you doing?” he shouted instead.

Both participants looked at him as he spoke, and he wasn’t sure what struck him more: the fury in the priest’s eyes, or the frightened violet pools of Cho’s.

“She is befouled!” the priest shouted back. “Accursed, condemned, contaminated. There is something in her that should not be.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Cho said weakly.

Vin thought quickly. He had to play this very, very well, or someone was about to die.

“Look,” he said. “You sensed something in her? You need to tell me what it was. She was just in a place of great wickedness for a week, surrounded by the unburned dead. If you sense something in her, you need to tell me, so I can get her to a high temple of her goddess as quickly as possible.”

“I don’t know what it is called,” the priest said. “But it is a foul being, a corruption, more alien even than a demon, and more potent.”

Vin put on a troubled expression. “Then I really do need to get her to a high temple quickly. I’ve seen what became of a priest who tried to throw out that which he did not fully understand.” Throw in a little personal danger, heighten the stakes.

Now it was the priest’s turn to hesitate. “I...you are...you may have a point,” the human said. “Swear on whatever you hold holy that you will take her to a high priest of her goddess as quickly as you are able, then.”

Now that was tricky. Vin knew better than to swear falsely. But he also knew how to be very barely swearing truly. So he said, “I so swear, by my god, my faith, and whatever reward I’ve accrued in this life for the next, so be it!” That was, in turn, none, little, and nothing he didn’t mind losing for Cho’s sake.

The priest nodded, clearly placated by this. “Very well, then, and be careful,” he said. “I recommend you keep her bound and gagged while you travel - beings such as this can be deadly with naught but a whisper in the ear.”

“Understood,” Vin said. “I’ll leave immediately. The bodies in the monastery must be burned, and consecrated, quickly.”

The priest still looked reluctant, but after a long moment he turned sharply and walked back towards the temple, shouting orders for volunteers to gather with wood for pyres.

Vin helped Cho to stand, and walked back to the cart. Aliya was still standing there, and took in Vin’s sour expression and Cho’s tear-dampened fur with a glance. “Is something wrong?” she said.

“From what your priest said, something found its way into Cho during that week,” Vin replied. “But he wasn’t able to identify what it was. So I need to get her to a high priestess of her faith to be examined, and quickly. You can finish your inspection, but I can’t stay to trade - we need to be on the road as soon as possible.”

Aliya examined him for a long, long moment, nose twitching. “I understand,” she said at last, slowly and deliberately. “I would prefer you not be in my town until after that examination. You take my meaning?”

Vin did. The priest might have been fooled, but Aliya was a canny old mouse, and she’d seen right through his act. She wasn’t exposing him as a perjurer, but she wasn’t going to extend Cho an inch of grace, either.

“I understand,” he replied. “We’ll be underway immediately.”

She nodded stiffly, and turned, and walked back to her house. Vin put the cart back in order, got up, helped Cho up, and cracked the reins to start the horse off for the edge of town.

Neither of them spoke until they were out of the village, when Vin finally broke the silence. “So...any idea what’s up?” he asked.

“Yes,” Cho said, her tone extremely reluctant, and said no more.

Vin nodded. “If it wasn’t clear, I’m not taking you in,” he said. “But an explanation would be nice.”

“All right, but please don’t be mad. My friend said the priest was talking about it,” the wolf said.

“I won’t be mad,” Vin reassured her. “Trust me, after last night, I’m on your side. I won’t sell you out.”

“Thanks,” Cho said. “My friend is ----------. It appeared a few days before the massacre. The others were afraid of it, but I talked to it. It’s actually really nice!”

Vin got the impression that she’d spoken a name. But it was like his mind did a reset after hearing it, like it was a rut in the road that made the cart wheel shift, and when it was done, there was just a void where he’d heard it.

Something with an unpronounceable name had appeared to her before the massacre, and the priests knew? The implications were obvious. He’d seen how the village priest reacted, after all. There was a very good chance he was riding with a...well, not a murderer, per se. It just wasn’t very often that one person could apply self-defense justifications to a mob.

So, where did that leave him? Was what he’d said to Cho as much a lie as what he’d told the village priest? After a moment, he chided himself. Where was the benefit? Rational agents acted to obtain benefits; that was the principle lesson of his profession. Even assuming the most positive outcomes to turning Cho in, he could confidently say that no one would ever look at him with that need again. Any appreciable reward for turning in a “demon” was preposterous; what church made unfaithful laity rich? Whether they were honorable or dishonorable, the money would go to other things first.

On the other hand, keeping his word with Cho? That provided clear benefits. It wouldn’t weigh unduly on his conscience if this ‘friend’ killed out of more than self-defense. He’d already navigated her out of one situation where that would have happened, so he was contributing to public safety in a way.

“I think we should avoid priestly examinations in the future,” he said aloud. “Can you tell me more about your friend or introduce us? I’ve already decided to stick with you, so it seems like we should be acquainted.”

“Sure!” she said, visibly relieved. She gestured and a ball of violet light appeared again, bright enough to cast a stark shadow, even more incomprehensibly too-real than before. It felt like it was somehow more than a light, incomprehensibly more. His head hurt in strange ways from looking at it, like his eyes were aware that they were seeing more than they could fully process.

It was exactly the shade of Cho’s eyes.

“This is the closest it can come to having a physical form in this reality,” Cho continued blithely, like the light didn’t bother her at all. “It says it comes from a higher dimension, where things are more real than they are here. It says it has a higher Hume index, whatever that means - much higher.”

He had no idea either. He would have protested the idea of something being more real than reality as ludicrous just a few minutes prior, but the effect that purple light had was enough evidence to convince him. He wasn’t even sure how you could imagine that sensation to work it into an illusion.

“A pleasure to meet you,” Vin said, addressing the light and trying not to look away too much. “Or, if it can’t hear, you can relay my regards.”

“It can hear you,” Cho replied. “It can hear everything around me, it says, and see it too. But you don’t want it to talk to you directly. It says it would damage you.”

Vin could believe that, and didn’t want to find out what form the damage would take. “Thank you, then,” he said to the light, and then to Cho, “and thank you for acting as the interpreter.”

The only loosely-categorized “demons” he’d heard of that manifested as glowing balls of light were will-o-wisps and maybe some of the fae, and this didn’t seem like either. It gave no impression of a flame, and felt too off to be one of the fair folk - those tended to feel too much like natural, rather than the opposite.

“Of course,” Cho said, sounding cautiously pleased. “You...aren’t upset, then? You don’t have to worry, really. -------- is a good friend.”

“I considered that, but I just don’t see any way it benefits me,” Vin said with a shrug. “Us together yesterday was the most wonderful thing I’ve ever experienced. I’m not going to give that up, as long as you still want it, of course.”

“Oh, I want it,” Cho said with a wicked grin. “I really, really want it. It felt amazing, and for once there was more to it than just sex. I really felt like you cared for me, like you still care for me, and that’s just so wonderful to have in my life. Thank you.”

Vin blushed, and fidgeted awkwardly. “That’s really sweet of you,” he said. He rested his arm around her, but tried to move the conversation to something hopefully less awkward. “So what does your friend think of me?” he asked. “I know that it’s a little unfair to ask when it’s still getting to know me.”

“It says you’re good for me,” Cho said after a moment. “I think it likes you. It really does want the best for me, it wants me to be safe and happy, and you seem like you’ll be really helpful for that.”

“I really do want to be that for you,” Vin assured her. “I think what’s best right now is that we get to the next village. Things being what they are, I want to get through as many places as we can without incident. Don’t mention what happened, and avoid any priestly examinations.”

She nodded. “Makes sense.” She hesitated, then added, “Do we have any more food? I’m really hungry.”

The words made Vin realize he was famished himself, and he nodded. “Oh my goodness, I was so concerned with getting through that town that I forgot lunch. Here, take the reins for a moment while I grab food - you don’t need to do anything, just hold them and grab me if something happens.”

She nodded and took the reins. She watched the feral horse intently, despite the fact that absolutely nothing needed done right now.

In about a minute, Vin had retrieved travel bread, dried meat, apples, and cheese, as well as a waterskin for each of them. Cho devoured her share and drained the water, and Vin found himself eating just as eagerly.

Finally, she sat back with a sigh. “Thanks,” she said. “I don’t know why I’m so hungry recently.”

“Probably stress,” Vin said, as much to reassure himself as her. “Even just that run in with the priest had me hungrier than usual, and you’ve been through a lot more.”

She nodded, and suddenly nestled against his side, resting her head on his shoulder. “Thanks,” she said again.

He put his arm around her, holding her close. “It’s increasingly important that I get some trading done,” he said. “And this trip will be longer than the last leg. I’ll have to wait for a repeat of last night’s delights until after we get to the next town, I’m afraid.”

“I understand,” she said, slightly muffled by the fur of his shoulder. “I...goddess, this is awkward...do you mind if I, ah, engage in some solo delights? I”m really not used to going more than a day without.”

“Oh, be my guest!” he said. “I’d love to join in, but I can’t really afford to pass out in a blissfully exhausted heap until I’ve laid in some more supplies.”

“Oh, that’s really not, um, normal,” Cho said.

Vin hesitated, then nodded. “It struck me as odd, yeah. You...do remember changing during the sex? That, I’m fully aware, is not normal.”

“No, it’s not.” Cho’s voice was reluctant. “Anyway, I’m feeling kind of...eager. Are we far enough outside of town that I could start?”

Vin quickly checked over his shoulder, then nodded. “Should be fine, yeah.”

She grinned at him, sharp teeth gleaming in the violet light, and peeled out of her habit with remarkable speed, folding it neatly and setting it in the back. Her lingerie went with similar speed, and she attacked her breast with one hand while the other circled around her pussy. She was clearly wasting no time about this.

Vin’s gaze was captivated by the smooth, lean lines of her. “It does occur to me that I only need one hand for the reins,” he said. “Perhaps you’d like to use the other?” He slid it over toward her, holding on with the other hand.

She grinned and took it, but put it on her breast. It was her own hands that slipped down below, one hand fingering her clit while the other slowly slid a finger inside her pussy.

He rubbed her breast, squeezed her nipple as he’d seen her do. “Mmm,” he said, adjusting his seat so that the stiffness of his cock wouldn’t get in the way as much. “It’s still hard for me to believe this is really happening, it’s so nice.”

“Sometimes good things really do happen,” she said. Her eyes half-closed as she started fingering herself more vigorously, rubbing her clit faster. Every motion was smooth and practiced, yet she somehow managed to make it look natural and spontaneous.

Vin found himself staring at her rather than the road. It was simply too tempting to watch her. To take in the sight of her pleasuring herself. To smell her arousal. To feel her smooth, perfect fur under his fingers.

He adjusted his pants again, absentmindedly dropping the reins this time, and scooted closer on the bench of the cart. “Cho…” he murmured softly. He dropped his free hand to her thigh, gently stroking her fur.

She kept going, working herself over quickly and efficiently. Her fingers pumped and twisted inside her, stroked her clit, every motion practiced and efficient. She knew exactly what she liked, and he found himself watching closely, taking mental notes of what brought her pleasure. It was only a few more moments before she stiffened and a spurt of fragrant cum slipped out onto the seat.

She pulled her dampened fingers out, and brought them to his face. It smelled like her, but far more intense, and he couldn’t resist turning his head and licking at her fur, sucking her fingers clean.

She smiled. He melted. The taste was so rich and complex and delicate all at once, and what he got off her fingers wasn’t nearly enough. He bent down to nestle his muzzle in between her legs. It wasn’t long before he’d slipped off the seat and was kneeling in front of her, face buried in her fur, lapping at her pussy.

He tugged at her legs, pulling them apart to give himself better access. She tasted so good, rich and overwhelming. She sighed, the sound fading to a gasp as he nuzzled into her. The scent, the taste, was overpowering so close to the source. He felt amazing as he licked and nuzzled at her flower.

He pressed in tight against her, his hands gripping her thighs tightly as he licked harder, drowning himself in the taste of her. She rested his hands on his head, gently rubbing at his ears, and he was suddenly so throbbing hard it was painful. So full of the need to mate her, claim her, make her his.

He licked harder, but started stripping his clothing off. He saved his shirt for last, and stood up as he took it off, looming over her. He pinned her forcefully against the seat, panting and presenting his exposed self before her. She yelped as he pinned her down by the shoulders. As before, he stared into her eyes, seeking the depths within. As before, he was captured by them, drawn in until he was drowning in violet.

She shrank away before him, but one hand snuck away to fondle his erect shaft, making it clear that there was no real reluctance in the wolf. Her mouth hung open, panting, hungry.

“You love this, don’t you? It turns me on how much you need it,” he said, as though he were not just as addicted now. He slowly thrust forward, letting her guide him so that he could keep staring into those violet pools.

She arched under him, guiding him in so that he speared easily into her pussy. He went halfway to the base on the first thrust, smooth and easy, entering her with a burst of ecstasy. One leg came up and wrapped around him just under his arms. She twisted and bucked beneath him, ostensibly resisting, but mostly serving to tease and entice him.

“Oh, there’s no use fighting it,” he said, getting into the role he was playing. “You’re mine. I’ve claimed you, and I’m going to keep doing it until your legs are dripping with me.”

On an intellectual, rational level, of course, he knew that as a priestess of Irana she didn’t belong to anyone. But the instinctive need to make her his was overpowering that rational thought. He wanted, needed, to bury himself in her depths.

She threw her head back and let out a scream at this, a sound that morphed into a howl halfway through as she changed again. Suddenly the wolf was a tall, gaunt canine monster, all shadow and violet fire beneath him. She didn’t overpower him this time, just stayed in that passive, pinned position below him as he thrust in again and again. He was going harder and deeper with every stroke - he might be nominally in control of her, but he was rapidly losing control of himself.

He snarled and thrust in harder and harder, driving himself further in. That howl was so profoundly arousing, having this beast under him, capable of throwing him aside at any moment but letting him pin her down and have his way with her. He could feel her rows of breasts pressed tight against his chest. More and more he gave himself over to his instincts and passions, violently slamming into her and snarling in wild ecstasy.

His thrusts were landing brutally hard now, but still not enough to slake the lust in him - and she didn’t seem to be upset in the least. Cho howled again, her hips rolling in hungry waves against him, her cunt rippling around his cock. He could tell that she was getting close, and he was too, but he needed her to come, her sweet release to quench the fire and let him empty himself into her depths. His breathing was coming out in ragged growling sounds.

She let out a final ragged howl, the sound breaking in the middle as she peaked, squirting out more fragrant juices onto his cock, his hips. The sweet scent finally let him find release, the dam breaking as he came with mind-shattering intensity. He gasped and moaned, thrusting in long, slow motions, spraying his cum into her again and again.

She wrung him steadily, hungrily swallowing up every shot that he released into her. Finally, after longer than should have been remotely possible, he was spent, collapsing against her in a panting heap. He felt drained, somehow, but also invigorated, like he could run a mile carrying the whole damn cart.

He did not pass out this time, and neither did she.

“Thanks,” she said, after a long pause to catch her breath, as he slid himself out of her. “That was a lot better than...solo exploration.”

“As much as I was enjoying watching, I have to agree,” he said warmly, collecting various articles of clothing. “That was wonderful.”

She smiled at him. “I think I’m sated, for now,” she said, and the words sent a thrill of excitement down his spine. Knowing that he was capable of satisfying her felt so good.

He didn’t realize for quite a while that the violet light had blinked out.