[b]The Game Begins[/b] “Hey, while you’re all here, why don’t we play a game?” Gemini suggested, waving to a stack of boxes in the corner of the living-room, “Board or cards? Pick anything you like!” Agreeing that was a good idea, Sarahi padded over to see what the neighbors had on offer, lifting a couple of the boxes to see all the options underneath...and went wide-eyed at one of the titles. Picking it up and flipping it over, she read the description on the back. “Uh...is [i]this[/i] really supposed to be in the stack?” she asked, showing the [i]Just Dares[/i] box over her shoulder. Ares slapped his hand over his eyes. “Sorry. My sister gets a laugh out of making people uncomfortable.” “Eh, I just kind of laid it out out of habit,” Gemini grinned sheepishly with a shrug, “My bad.” “You guys [i]play[/i] that?” Oro arched a brow. Sarahi, however, seemed more intrigued than shocked. “I’m...kind of interested. Would you mind if we borrowed it?” Ares did not at all like the devious look that crept into his sister’s eye. “Well if you’re interested...let’s just play it now,” she suggested with a sly grin. Sarahi did a double-take of her, blushing fiercely and swallowing hard against the temptation to take her up on the offer. “I...can’t justify dragging everyone else into that.” Diya lifted her hand sheepishly. “You wouldn’t have to drag me. I’m curious, too,” she confessed, eying Ares specifically as she said it, and Kylan nodded along convincingly as her mirror. “Ooo, it does sound like fun,” Tuli agreed, ignoring the incredulous look she got from her daughter. “It’s been a long time since I got to indulge my playful side,” was the only justification she offered. Having half or more of their group on the hook, Gemini flashed a mock-innocent grin at her own family. “So, what do [i]you [/i]guys think?” “I think old habits die hard with you,” Johanna shrugged, scanning her phone as usual, “But I’m not against it, if the boys agree. I owe at least two of them my life. Showing a little fur wouldn’t be too much thanks.” Dane frowned slightly, eying Oro particularly hard...but nodded in the end. “I’m game. I still can’t believe you left that out there, though.” Gemini giggled. “Well, the thought [i]did[/i] go through my head that it’s kind of hard to hate someone you’ve had in bed,” she admitted, smiling at Sarahi, “I didn’t really expect any of you to go for it, though.” Oro’s ears twitched in aggravation. “You really think I’ll just roll right along with this, huh?” he grunted, his face saying he was already choosing his next words as spitefully as possible. His entire train of thought derailed when Nayeli gently asked, “...Would you, if I asked you to?” Seeing his stunned look, the Lioness explained, “I’d like to indulge Sarahi. And while I can think of some obvious exceptions...I do [i]mostly[/i] agree with Gemini. We came here to ‘get closer to the neighbors’. It’s hard to be closer than skin-to-skin.” The way the Rabbit’s lip curled said that he was anything but pleased...but would yield to her desires, and hers alone. “Well...I guess my wife has spoken,” he grunted. Johanna glanced at them over the top of her phone...then set it aside, leaning back on Ares’ shoulder. “Okay. If we’re going to do this, then I think there are a few ground-rules we need to set...” “Fucking right,” Oro interrupted her, “For starters: none of you four get anywhere near my mouth. Or tail-hole. I’m not a big fan of dicks, for that matter.” The female Dalmatian closed her eyes, either considering her words carefully or taking pains to restrain her instinctive response. “...Fair enough. We have a couple of long-standing rules as well, but before I get into those...whatever happens in this room from this point forward [i]has[/i] to [i]stay[/i] in this room. If anyone’s not comfortable with that, we should just stop right now.” She looked at each of their guests one-by-one, and when none showed any dissent, she continued, “Alright. I’m going to assume, then, that everyone here is at least passably tolerant of incest. So [i]our[/i] rules are: only I can put tongue to Dane’s tail, and only Dane can put his bone under mine.” Again she looked for any squeamishness...but, while many a cheek had already been set to blushing now, they all seemed more curious than embarrassed. Gemini’s tail was wagging like a tiny motor attached to her butt. She seemed about to say something when Nayeli interrupted, rubbing her cheeks as if she could simply wipe the blush away (her eyes were closed, which was why she didn’t notice Gemini about to talk). “Oh, I can’t believe I’m saying this...but since this is supposed to be ‘neighbor bonding’ or something like that...let’s try to cross groups as often as possible, too. And I know I said I’d go along with it but...I apologize right now if I seem shy or reluctant at any point. This is [i]not[/i] how I expected this evening to go, and I’m frankly a little shocked.” Gemini giggled, giving her a sympathetic smile. “We’ll be gentle with you, I promise,” the Doberman winked before taking a quick head-count. “Wuff, this group is [i]huge[/i], though. That’s the max player-count for this box...and we probably won’t actually get to ‘finish’ tonight, whether you’d call that a problem or not...” Johanna seemed to be reading her mind, already pulling up something else on her phone. “Digital alternative, then. Little less hard-core, too, which might make some of us more comfortable,” she snuck a quick glance at Nayeli, who did, in fact, seem relieved, “So the rules of play for [i]this[/i] game will be...everyone takes ‘Truth’ in the first round, picks for the player to their right in the second round, picks for the player to their left in the third round, and takes ‘Dare’ in the fourth round. We’ll see how we feel about continuing after that. Fair?” There was a consensus of nods, and they spent the next few minutes arranging themselves in a little circle around the room, alternating members of the two families as much as possible. It wasn’t quite perfect, as the Ironhearts had a third-again more players, but everyone was agreeable to the arrangement in the end. [i][u]Round 1[/u][/i] “Okay,” Johanna sighed as she seated herself on the other side of Oro from Nayeli and laid her phone face-up on the coffee table. Giving a little flick to the digital bottle displayed on the face sent it spinning. “Our first player is...Gemini,” she announced as the bottle settled in her bestie’s direction, “Fitting. We’ll just proceed clockwise from there.” The Doberman seemed way more excited than nervous as she waited for Johanna to read out the first question. “Describe your partner’s in-bed personality in three words.” “Aww,” Gemini cooed, as if she found the question both cute and disappointing at the same time, “Dane is conscientious, accommodating, and...durable.” Tuli giggled at the last choice. “Does that get [i]tested[/i] frequently?” “Like, nightly,” Dane chuckled quietly, earning a glare from his wife. “Not your turn!” she pointed out, then continued with a sheepish grin, “...But yeah, kind of. I have a lot of energy, so sometimes it takes four or five before I settle down for the night.” She let them fill in for themselves [i]what[/i] she needed “four or five” of...and none of them had difficulty with that. “I guess that makes it my turn, then,” Sarahi took a deep breath, also clearly excited but rather more nervous than the Doberman, “Shoot.” Johanna tapped the button for the next question. “What is the wildest thing you have ever done in your life so far?” The Sha'khari blinked, genuinely surprised. “Um...in bed, or...?” Gemini reached over to pat her shoulder reassuringly. “Anything you want to share. It’s not [i]entirely[/i] a sexual game, you know,” the Doberman winked. “Whew! That makes it easy, then,” she sighed, clearly relieved, “The wildest, craziest, stupidest thing I’ve ever done, hands-down, is run The Gauntlet with Oro. Twice.” The more-or-less blank stares coming at her from the other family said she ought to provide more details. Sarahi had gotten used to the rest of their group at least knowing the gist of what The Gauntlet [i]was[/i], if not every detail of what it was like inside. “Um...it’ll sound a little crazy, but it’s this...maze, I guess?...that Oro can summon. Part of his contract with the witch,” she winced, “Anyway, it’s full of monsters and skill tests and stuff, like a living RPG dungeon.” “And you’ve gone into that?” Johanna asked with a quirked brow, “Twice? Why?” “Whoo...several reasons, at different times,” Sarahi admitted, “Before we moved, we were actually pretty strapped for cash. The rewards for surviving that thing are...valuable, we’ll just say. And you get more than money out of it,” she added quickly, “I don’t know if you actually saw what I hit that monster with, but it’s essentially a magic spear made of light. That was the first reward I ever brought out of The Gauntlet.” [i]That[/i] got their attention. None of the Gritpaws or Fineclaws had seen the weapon in the chaos of that afternoon, but they had all marveled at the aftermath of the one and only blow dealt back to the beast. “...And this is why I like the ‘Truth’ part of this game,” Johanna declared with a tilt of her head, “But much as I’d like to hear [i]more[/i] about that...I’d say you’ve given a very generous answer already. Which makes it my turn,” she sighed, handing her phone to Oro...who just arched a dubious brow at her. “It’s unfair to read your own question,” she explained. With a roll of his eyes, Oro took the device and pushed the little button. “Which player here would you most like to see naked in a magazine?” he read aloud, “And which would be most likely to do it?” He passed her phone back to her. The female Dalmatian ran her eyes around the room, calculatingly. “In keeping with the spirit of this get-together, I’ll answer the first from [i]your[/i] family. I don’t know any of you well enough to answer the second at all, so I’ll fall back on my own for that. So: you,” she declared to Oro, “I don’t mind girls, but my default attraction is definitely boys. And no offense to our other male guest, but...” Kylan shook his head with a smile, fully understanding. A brief gesture over the whole of himself, small-bodied and suspiciously young, dressed in a warm but short-skirted outfit in holiday colors to match his sister’s, was explanation enough for why her tastes would tend toward Oro. “...Yeah. That. So you would definitely be the first pick.” Oro hardly looked flattered, but it was unlikely he’d look pleased at anything during this game, and no one in his own family expected otherwise. “As for who would actually [i]do[/i] it, that would be Gemini,” Johanna declared without a second thought, “She’s the most out-going among us, the most confident in her appearance, and the most eager and willing to share with the rest of the world. As evidence, I present the mere fact that we’re playing this game, and how we got onto it.” Gemi giggled, nodding affirmation to every point with only the least little hint of embarrassment...mostly for her friends’ sake. “Now,” Johanna sighed, having finished her questions and returned her eyes to her phone, “How many tattoos do you have, and where?” This question was directed at Oro, as it was now his turn. The Rabbit snorted. “None, and nowhere,” he declared honestly, and seemed satisfied to finish his turn that quickly. Nayeli, sitting at his other shoulder, nudged him with an elbow. When he gave her a stubbornly ignorant look, she reached up to very gently pinch the scarlet tip of his ear. “Maybe elaborate on [i]these[/i] markings, then? They’re not tattoos, but...” Oro sighed, then drew back a deep breath. “Okay. I’ll make more of an effort to participate,” he promised, ears twitching in annoyance even as he said it. His wife smiled, and rubbed her cheek against his. “Thank you. I’ll reward you for it later,” she promised. Something about the exchange garnered a sympathetic smirk from Dane, who exchanged a meaningful look with his sister. The female Dalmatian simply shrugged...then returned a narrow look to him. Dane nodded, and she answered in kind, all of which went largely unnoticed by the group, except a slyly observant Gemini. Clearing his throat, Oro pointed almost menacingly at Ares. “It started with you,” he declared, spreading his hand with the palm facing the (slightly confused) Doberman, “Remember how your hands got burned that first time we met? It took a while to figure out, but it wasn’t a burn. It was a [i]bite[/i]. My bat [i]eats[/i] what it hits...and apparently, when what it hits has a soul, that darkens the stain on the bat. I’m still not sure about the details of why, or what it means, but some of that also gets transferred to [i]me[/i]. We first noticed when I came home from that fight with this color on both of my palms, and no amount of soap would wash it away.” Looking rather less smug about admitting the next part, the Rabbit continued, “I thought for a little while I might be going through something like King Macbeth...or whoever,” he rolled his eyes, seeing Nayeli preparing to correct the reference, “Anyway...after our last trip through The Gauntlet, it’s grown,” he pointed to his ears, and his face, “It’s not just my palms now: it goes all the way to the elbow. And both feet, almost to the knee.” As if something else had suddenly occurred to him, he leaned toward Nayeli and looked down his back. “Tail’s still white, though.” Ares, almost directly opposite Oro in the circle, shrugged and held up one of his hands. “It healed alright. If you’re saying you actually took a bite [i]out[/i] of my soul...well I can’t say I’ve noticed any symptoms. No hard feelings here,” he declared, though Oro was the [i]last[/i] person in the room to be concerned about hard feelings. “I thought you’d just gotten into dying your fur,” Johanna remarked, and took it on herself to end the turn, as Oro seemed to have said all he cared to, “That was more involved than I expected, but interesting. Thanks for sharing. Next we have...,” she tapped the button for Nayeli’s question, “Have you ever masturbated with someone of the same sex? If not, would you like to, and if so, what did you masturbate to?” The Lioness had to take care not to let her chin fall into her lap, taking a deep breath and reminding herself that she explicitly signed on for this. “I...am...not the type of girl who does that...much. Not that I [i]never[/i] have, I just managed to avoid making it a habit. So no, I have definitely never done it with anyone else, same sex or otherwise.” She knit her fingers together between her knees as the blush spread across her face. “Honestly, the thought never crossed my mind. I always kind of thought ‘alone’ was part of the definition of ‘masturbation’. So, would I like to?” She tilted her head side to side for a moment, as if asking herself some questions internally, for clarification. “...Yes? It might be...fun,” she admitted very slowly, with a very singular look at Sarahi. The Sha'khari blinked when she realized Nayeli was deliberately seeking out her eyes...then grinned, and nodded subtly. Tapping her phone again, Johanna tilted her head at the next prompt, but shrugged after reviewing it. “We’d skip this one if it was just us, but it’ll be news to the guests, I’m sure. Brother, have you ever been in a three-way? And if not, would you like to?” Dane put his hand over his face. “I would have, and I did, and obviously yes,” he chuckled. “...Tell them who,” Gemini coaxed in a gentle tone when it was apparent he was struggling to decide how much detail to go into. The mock-innocent grin on her face betrayed her as one of the partners, which probably wouldn’t surprise anyone, even among their guests. The [i]other[/i] participant, on the other hand... Dane nodded to Gemini, and then to Johanna. “Yeah...we’re a pretty tight group in more ways than one. I don’t know if I’m [i]proud[/i] to say it, but I’ve been blessed to have way more than one with these two, and a couple with Gemi and Ares on other occasions.” “Your wife [i]and[/i] your sister?” Tuli cooed with a grin, “My, someone [i]is[/i] risque!” “Yeah,” Dane agreed with an arched brow, “That would be putting it mildly. Actually...I’m a little surprised that’s how mildly you put it. I know Johanna kind of prepped everyone to the idea when she mentioned our ground-rules, but...I guess, thanks for taking it so well.” The twins gave sheepish looks to each other, and Nayeli winced just a little as she confessed, “Well, truth be told...Mom and I have done it once, with Oro. And the Runepaws are kind of a steady item.” “Like, nightly,” Diya giggled, “Unless we’re tired.” It might be a stretch to say she was unashamed of that...but it was a rare opportunity to use [i]that[/i] little fact to put someone else at ease, or to have confidence it wouldn’t be held too harshly against them. Gemini tried not to laugh. She failed utterly, so gave up and leaned into it, momentarily abandoning her seat to fling herself on her brother. “Ooo, we got the [i]best[/i] neighbors!!” she cheered, “We don’t have to triple-check the curtains anymore!” That made nearly everyone blink...and then laugh as well. Ice: broken. Bonds: forged. Shame: absent. Even Johanna, who up to now had seemed to find this whole situation a hassle at best, and boring otherwise, showed a soft smile as she pulled up the next question. “Alright, with that out of the way...Diya, was it? What’s the kinkiest thing you have ever done with yourself?” “Myself?” the little feline asked, thinking hard as she pointed to Nayeli, “Kind of like her, but for [i]very[/i] different reasons, I don’t really mess around with myself much...” Something occurred to her then, making her eyes widen and her cheeks redden. “Oh! Um...oh, gosh...Oro, please try not to be mad?” The Rabbit rolled his eyes. “Have I ever given even half a fuck what anyone thinks or does in private?” “No,” she could say honestly, and with some relief. “Thank you. So...there was this [i]one[/i] time, brother was out showing houses late and I ended up with time to myself and...the mood. So, on a whim, I kind of reversed our usual habits,” she indicated her brother’s matching dress. “I put on some of Kylan’s more boyish things, tucked the double-ended dildo up in my pants, and modeled as a boy in the mirror for a bit.” The visual was entertaining, a [i]little[/i] embarrassing (at least to Nayeli), but Oro had to ask the real question that immediately came to everyone’s mind: “What the fuck does that have to do with me?” Diya was fidgeting with a handful of her skirt in her hands, trying not to look at him. “I, uh...started talking trash for some reason, and then imagined you catching me at that...which lead to a make-believe about actually [i]being[/i] some guy mouthing off at you, and imagined you got so pissed that...well, I used [i]that [/i]dildo, and ‘you’ had a really good time putting me in my place,” she patted her bottom, then made a little gesture indicating penetration. The Rabbit snorted. “I’d have fucked your face instead of your tail, and you know it,” was all he said, though that was enough to make Diya cringe just a little...and Sarahi and Nayeli, too, for that matter. “[i]Any[/i]way,” Diya concluded, “Since it was all a [i]totally fictional fantasy[/i] in my head, it was actually a lot of fun, and more of a turn-on than I expected.” Not wanting to poke a potential hornets’ nest on this one, Johanna refrained from any kind of remark before tapping the button on her phone again. “Alright, sugar-stick, we’ve got another abundantly obvious one for you: Do you like handcuffs?” “Yes!” Dane and Gemini both answered adamantly while Ares was still opening his mouth. The pair snickered between them at the perfect sync they’d achieved. “Is there a ‘no spoilers’ rule in this game?” the muscular Doberman in question asked with an eye-roll and a grin. “You?” Sarahi blinked, apparently surprised, “Is this that whole ‘powerful men like to feel helpless sometimes’ thing?” Ares just shrugged. “Not a clue. I know how I look, and I usually act the part, but...I’m actually pretty submissive by nature. Johanna calls the shots in the bedroom, because she’s a sweetheart. It’s kind of complicated between us.” The Sha'khari nodded sympathetically to that. “I know how [i]that[/i] is,” she chuckled, giving bemused looks to Oro and Nayeli. “Tuli,” Johanna named the next player, pulling up the prompt...but paused to give her a brief, appraising look. “Nayeli’s mother? You don’t look it. I’d have pegged you for sisters, out in the street.” Tuli giggled. “Thank you. I’ve been hearing that a lot recently,” she smiled, “I’ll explain why that is sometime, but right now I’m eager to play this game.” Johanna nodded, then read, “Would you rather cuddle with your partner or jump into a hot shower with them post-sex?” “Oh, I’m a cuddler, definitely,” the older Lioness nodded, “I love to bask in the afterglow, even better with warm arms around my shoulders,” she smiled, hugging herself lightly. “Although sometimes I will want a shower after a few minutes of [i]that[/i], depending on how messy things got. But I’ve never had anyone share the shower with me, in those cases. Teehee...I guess I should take it as a compliment to my work that most of my partners were sound asleep by the time we cooled off.” Johanna tilted her head back, looking thoughtfully at the ceiling. “You were a bartender at Owl-Eyes, right? You were one of the ones ‘on the menu’?” Tuli quirked a brow, but nodded. “Were you a patron, or have I gained a stalker?” “Stalker, definitely,” Oro smirked, “Though only tangential to me.” “That,” Johanna pointed at Oro in agreement, surprisingly easily, “It just made sense why you haven’t balked at anything that’s come up so far. You’ve got more stories to tell than there are questions in the app, probably.” “Probably,” Tuli grinned. “That just leaves Kylan for this round,” the Dalmatian announced, requesting the next prompt, “Sarahi, be ready to pick for Gemi. For this next round we choose [i]for[/i] the player to our right. Kylan: which is your favorite kind of sex: soft and sweet, or aggressive and feisty?” “Eh, I’m a soft and sweet kind of guy,” the little Feline shrugged, “I can enjoy the second kind. Heh...I’d [i]better[/i] enjoy it, if a night with Oro has any hope of going smoothly. But I like slow, and soft, with lots of sweet-nothings whispered and—” “Ugh, you’re making me sound like some kind of marshmallow,” Diya covered her face with her hands, “I mean...I know...but it’s not [i]always[/i] like that!” Kylan giggled, leaning over to give her an appreciative kiss, and Johanna turned her eyes to Sarahi.[h2]Round 2[/h2] “I...would like to hear more about you, still,” Sarahi decided, turning to Gemini, “Truth?” “Sure! It’s your pick, after all,” the Doberman nodded cheerfully, tail wagging as she waited for Johanna to read her prompt. “Okay...what would you do with only twenty-four hours left to live?” Johanna read with an arched brow, “That one’s new and kind of morbid.” “Oh wow,” Gemini nodded, tapping her chin thoughtfully, “...I guess that kind of depends on [i]when[/i]. I mean, when I’m ninety-something, I’d probably ask to be rolled somewhere with a view of the sunrise and enjoy the company of whoever’s left with me. But if it’s, like, twenty-four hours from when the question was read...no offense, but I want all of [i]you[/i] out of my house right now!” she giggled at their guests, gesturing as if to shoo them out the door, “Ugh...I don’t even want to think about the details after that, though. I’d like to think my life will be good when I die, but right now it’s [i]too[/i] good to leave behind.” Oro blinked as he felt two arms wrap around his, and Nayeli leaned against his shoulder. “Now [i]that[/i] feeling I [i]totally[/i] understand,” she sighed with a smile. Johanna seemed to agree, looking wistfully at the rest of her family. “I’m also curious to hear more about our company. So, Sarahi: doggie, or cowgirl?” The Sha'khari tilted her head with a blank stare. “Um...there’s not enough room on the bed for a cow, so I’ll have to go with dog.” She managed to hold it for a whole second before she cracked into giggles. “Sorry! It’s bad, I know, but I couldn’t resist!” she laughed, glad that her giggles weren’t the only ones in the room. “Ah, but seriously,” she turned just a little to pat her leonine back, “This thing was [i]built[/i] for one of those, and decidedly [i]not[/i] the other. I...[i]might[/i] be able to pull it off?” she seemed to ask more than state after considering it for a moment, “But safe to say it would be awkward, and I already know the other position is [i]very[/i] comfortable,” she blushed, trying not to squirm her hips. “Fair enough,” Johanna nodded...then passed her phone once again to Oro, who at least realized what he was supposed to do now. “It’s about time we break this rut, don’t you think?” the Rabbit grumbled, tapping the [i]other[/i] button for the first time in this game. Nayeli dug her elbow into his rib briefly, suggesting he was being rude, if not a shade petty, but he took the jab and read the prompt anyway: “Give your partner a bootie massage for three minutes. How do you decide a partner?” he asked dubiously, handing the phone back to its owner. Johanna flicked to a virtual die that she already had at the ready, gave her phone a quick shake to “roll” it, then laid it down in plain view on the table. When the number popped up, she started counting off their guests in order of play until she came to... “Tuli.” She then brought up a timer and set it accordingly. “Oo, so the action finally starts, huh?” the Lioness giggled, getting to her feet and waiting for Johanna to indicate where they should move. “Teehee...should I keep my pants on?” “I’m comfortable with a girl’s bare bottom if you’re comfortable with hands on it,” the female Dalmatian shrugged, passing her phone behind Oro to Nayeli this time. “Ares, be a dear and move this, please,” she tapped the coffee table with her foot. As soon as the strong Doberman hefted it out of the center of the room, Johanna tossed a couple of their decorative pillows into the floor and motioned for Tuli to make herself comfortable. The Lioness sauntered over to the pile and got down on her knees. With a sly smile at the Dalmatian waiting for her, she hooked her thumbs into the back of her pants and pulled them just about halfway down her thighs before laying out on her tummy on the pillows. “I know it’s just the first dare of the night,” she admitted, resting her head on her crossed arms as Johanna’s fingers slid across the smooth fur of her tush, “But this is the part that makes this game exciting.” The younger female nodded, moving to straddle the back of Tuli’s knees, where she could really put her weight behind what her hands were going to do. “That’s Gemi’s stance, too. I dare say it’s the more popular opinion.” Glancing over to Nayeli, she said, “This won’t be as exciting as some other dares, though. I’m not that good. Feel free to take your turn while the timer’s running.” Nayeli nodded and started the timer as Johanna started kneading her mother’s rump, and tried not to stare...even if that was part of the point of the game. Giving a sideways look to Oro, she swiped through the apps to bring the Truth-or-Dare back to the front. The Rabbit just rolled his eyes. “Go on,” he prompted, crossing his arms over his chest stubbornly, “What’s my punishment?” “Don’t be too mad at him,” Johanna remarked from the floor, “It needed to happen eventually, or that would be the sign that says we still don’t really trust each other.” His wife shook her head, tapping the button for another “Truth”. “I’m not the petty sort. And you’re right. I just...know my husband, and his motivations. Even so,” she cleared her throat, “Have you ever had a sex dream? Describe it in detail.” Oro pinched the bridge of his nose. A dare might have been easier. “I’m a male who lived past puberty. Of course I’ve had wet-dreams.” The problem, of course, wasn’t a question of whether he’d [i]had[/i] them, but which he could remember, if any. And in that department... “Only one comes to mind with enough clarity to be worth listing, though,” he admitted. Nayeli leaned against the arm of the couch, propping her cheek on her palm and waiting expectantly. Oro stared at her thoughtfully as he assembled his thoughts. “I don’t know where I am when it starts,” the Rabbit began, “There’s water, and there’s air, and the two keep flipping around like I’m at sea in a fucking hurricane. I can’t tell which way is up, and the foam of the waves if the only distinction between the sky and the sea.” Everyone, consciously or not, leaned in a little closer as he started. It sounded dramatic, though the family that knew Oro knew that wasn’t his strong-suit, so it was probably a reflection of the actual intensity of the dream. “I keep finding things that look like they’ll float, like logs or rafts and stuff, but I can’t get onto any of them. Might as well be made of fucking ice for all the grip I can manage.” The Rabbit pinched the bridge of his nose again. This was where things got embarrassing...and maybe a tad hurtful, depending on how his wife took it...[i]both[/i] his wives, actually. “One of them comes up under me. I don’t really climb on so much as grab the edges for all I’m worth after I’m already on it. But everything’s still flipping and spinning, and there’s nothing [i]to[/i] grab, really. The only reason I stay on it at all is because you’re there,” he shot a look at Sarahi, who blinked in surprise, “All four sets of claws dug in like fucking grappling hooks, holding you steady. I grab your legs, and you kind of pin me under you while you steer...whatever the fuck we’re floating on. I can’t see your hands. I can’t even see your face. I know it’s you because of that thing dreams do where you just [i]know[/i] things...that, and who else do I know that’s got four fucking legs?” Nayeli was growing a little concerned at the amount of swearing he was dropping. “Honey, if you’re not comfortable—” “No,” he pointed right at her nose, “I’m playing the game. You want to be here, so I’m here. I don’t actually mind sharing this, it’s just a bad question. I only remember [i]one[/i], and it’s a nightmare. I’m fine,” he insisted with a huff before continuing, “Anyway, I’ve never been more grateful to see you in my life, because there’s something in that water way worse than sharks, and I can’t stay out of it without you. You’re fighting it, and holding me steady, and taking us [i]somewhere[/i] all at once.” He turned back to Nayeli. “We fall on you,” he stated bluntly, almost accusingly, “You—” He was interrupted by a chime from the phone in Nayeli’s hand. “Aww,” Tuli mock-whined as Johanna gently patted her rump once more and then held her hand out to receive her phone, “I was really enjoying that! And you said you weren’t good.” Johanna just shrugged. “Glad to be wrong. Sorry to interrupt your answer. Please go on,” she encouraged Oro, tucking her phone into her pocket and discretely resuming playing with Tuli’s posterior while pretending not to realize it. “...You,” Oro picked back up right where he’d left off, as if nothing had happened in the meantime, “Come out of nowhere in all this chaos. The minute I see you, it’s like the raft hits the shoreline or something. It flips over, throws us every which way, and then I fetch up against you and Sarahi fetches up against me. You don’t even flinch...like you’re made of rock or something. But you’re [i]you[/i],” he gestured up and down her body, “Like I [i]know[/i] you. Soft, warm, every strand of fur and crease of the skin exactly where my fingertips know it should be. And I can see your face. Even your hair is telling the storm to fuck off, sitting perfectly calm with every strand in place above your smiling eyes.” He took a long, deep breath then, ignoring all the attentive ears focused on him at that moment. Oro was just talking to Nayeli now. “It’s weird. The waves are still roiling, I still can’t tell the sky from the sea, really, but there’s warm sand under our feet and nothing bothering us and you might as well be standing on another planet for all the effect the weather is having.” Nayeli nodded, kind of liking what struck her as a kind of psychic compliment. But that might just be her reading too much into the chaos of a dream. “So what do you do next?” she asked gently. “Fuck all,” he grunted, “I’m confused, and scared, to be honest. I don’t want to lose sight of you, and I don’t want Sarahi to get too far away, either. You’re like a safe-zone in this mess I can’t figure out, and you know it. You tell me Sarahi’s fine. She’s right behind me, after all, and I can still feel her against my back. You tell me [i]I’m[/i] fine, and I believe you except for the nagging idea that that will only be true as long as I don’t lose sight of you. So I grab you,” he demonstrated, taking one of her arms firmly, whether he quite meant to or not, “Just to make sure we don’t get separated. Fuck, I’m desperate and clumsy, though, so I over-commit and we fall down.” The Lioness chuckled softly, smiling at him. “Let me guess: you end up on top of me. Hand on breast and everything?” “Naturally,” Oro rolled his eyes, “Not the fondling part, but yes, I’m on top of you. And just like the real you, you are almost irritatingly okay with that. Doesn’t matter that I pushed you down. Doesn’t matter that the world around us is the definition of fucked. Doesn’t matter that I’m too scared to separate from you to pick my fucking tail up off you and look around again. You just smile, and put your arms around me, and tell me to relax and take my time,” he blew a long, slow exhale, calming down a bit as he apparently reached the end of the worst part. “Sarahi lays down beside us, and gives you a kiss. You two are so fucking hot when you kiss...I can’t help feeling entirely inappropriate, given the circumstances. You pretend not to notice, but I see the look you give me around Sarahi’s cheek. Then you pull me down, and kiss me, and ask if I’m feeling better now.” At some point, she had leaned forward, away from the armrest, and now practically rubbed noses with him as he described his dream. “...And are you?” she prompted, smiling as her eyes moved back and forth between his, like she was reading a book inside them as he narrated it. “I am by the time we break that kiss,” he sighed, relaxing finally and looking only at her, “I don’t know which of us starts moving first. It’s that ‘plain old vanilla’ you like so much, so there’s not much to describe, but it’s comforting, and soothing. The world is steady underneath you, and you smell sweet and feel warm, and you’re saying something I can never quite make out but I take to be encouraging. I don’t know where Sarahi goes during this. She keeps popping in and out to steal a kiss from one or the other of us, like she’s keeping watch and having a treat on her break.” “Honey-bunny,” the Sha'khari broke in at that moment, softly, as if trying [i]not[/i] to be heard. When he paused to see what she wanted, and all eyes turned on her, Sarahi looked...worried. “You’ve been telling this whole thing in the present tense. Is this a [i]recurring [/i]dream?” Frowning slightly...Oro nodded. “How often do you have it?” Sarahi prompted after that. “Less than I used to,” Oro confessed, “About five out of any given seven nights.” “Oro!” Nayeli breathed, “Why haven’t you said anything? That’s not just a dream, that’s—” “You think I don’t fucking know?” he growled, cutting off her concern, “There’s a reason you find me clinging to you like my life depends on it almost every morning. Like I’m afraid you might get away if I relax my grip. I’m skipping most of the stuff directly called for in the question, but when it’s all done, you get up and start walking away. Not running...you’re not trying to escape or abandon me or anything stupid like that...just strolling, enjoying the day. But the chaos sweeps in on your heels, and I can’t stay close enough. That’s [i]usually[/i] about the time I wake up. Some nights I’m lucky enough to wake up while my dick’s still buried in you, and sometimes I don’t even get to find you...but most of the time I get all the way to that part, and the effort of keeping up with you wakes me up.” There was a long, quiet moment after he was done. Sarahi and Nayeli looked both concerned and flattered, with the former taking obvious dominance. Johanna cut the quiet as gently as possible. “That was...rather deeper than expected, I think. Are you all okay? Do you want to keep playing?” Nayeli nodded, reaching over to grab Oro’s shirt and pull him against her briefly. “Yes. Yes I do,” she declared firmly as she hugged him to her, “But can you come back to me after the next person’s turn? I need a minute.” Dane, sitting in a chair on her other side, nodded sympathetically. “That’s fine with me. What’s my pick?” he asked, looking to Diya, who’s turn it was to pick for him. “Oh...um...would you be upset at taking a dare?” she asked a little sheepishly, “I’m kind of ready for a break from thinking, and I might have had all the truth I can stand for a while.” Dane chuckled, reaching over to ruffle her hair. “No problem. Shoot, sis.” Johanna pushed the button...and tilted her head at the result. “There has definitely been an update since we last played. This didn’t used to exist,” she cleared her throat, “Bonus Dare: pick another player to take off three items of your choice for the rest of the game, then take your dare.” An excited tension crept into the room as Dane looked around. So far as he could tell, no one was wearing any kind of accessories (at least not above their outerwear), or any kind of double-top. Assuming everyone was wearing [i]some [/i]form of underwear...only the girls would have three items to remove without becoming completely naked. And that would still leave them sans bra or panties, one of the two. Seeing his hesitance, Gemini pipped up, “Maybe for this one, he can pick from his own group...?” she suggested, also subtly volunteering to be the “victim”. “No,” Nayeli countered, still holding Oro leaning against her, but watching the rest of the room carefully, “We knew it would come to this when we started. It might as well start. Pick one of us. Honestly, Oro and I are the most likely to object, but I promise that we won’t.” The Dalmatian looked around the group once more, took a deep breath with his eyes closed, and named... “Sarahi.” The Sha'khari blinked, pointing to herself in surprise, and he nodded. “Ah...this might sound rude, but please don’t take it the wrong way: I’ve never seen anyone like you. Your body is...curious, and exotic. I’d like a better look at it.” Despite the blush growing in her cheeks, Sarahi calmly walked to the middle of the circle, facing Dane...and giggled a little in embarrassment. “Honestly...I wish the boys back in school had put it that nicely. It’s fine. I’m a lot more comfortable with it now, both my body and the remarks it garners, than I used to be.” Giving him a sly look, she gestured over her body. “I’ll warn you now: I’m not wearing panties. So the order doesn’t ultimately matter, but take your pick anyway.” Dane gave her an apologetic smile. “Sorry about that. Then...shirt, bra, and skirt. And, obviously, ignore this whole thing if you—” “I’m way passed that,” she grinned, taking the hem of her thick shirt in her hands, “I’ve been asked to name my preferred position, included in someone’s sex dream, and subtly invited to masturbate with my best friend,” she recalled before pulling the shirt over her head, displaying the lacy red bra underneath. Reaching behind her to unhook it, she held the cups to her breasts as she shrugged off the straps, letting them hang beneath her hands. “At this point, baring the goods is starting to sound tame,” she declared, dropping the bra at the same time and making no further attempt to hide herself from the group’s eyes. Unzipping her skirt, though, she did give a sly look to the Dalmatian who had chosen her for this dare. “But, to be fair...you might be in for more surprise than you bargained for,” she warned before dragging the long cloth off her back...revealing her posterior and what hung beneath. Gemini was practically drooling with curiosity. Dane blinked several times, then rubbed the back of his head and nodded with another apologetic grin. Ares just smirked with a soft chuckle, and Johanna seemed more interested in her phone. Gathering up her clothes in her arms, Sarahi made a show of turning so that everyone in their host’s group was afforded a view of her backside, and trotted back to her place in the circle, piling her clothes against the wall. “Ahem,” Gemini whispered at her shoulder, “I know it’s rude, but...will you be mad if I stare just a little? You. Are. Gorgeous,” the Doberman confided, tail wagging excitedly and tongue lolling lustfully. Sarahi blushed and giggled, then whispered back, “Go right ahead, but no touching until the game calls for it.” Gemini nodded vigorously, and ceased pretending to keep her eyes in polite places as Johanna read out the next prompt. “Okay, brother: [i]your[/i] dare, this time, is...Fake having sex with the player to your left for one minute,” she declared matter-of-factly, flipping over to her timer once again. Dane and Diya blinked at each other...then Diya burst into giggles. “Well, I guess that’s what I get for trying to push it on someone else,” she winked, “So...how do you think you’d take me?” The Dalmatian blushed deeply, actually trying [i]not[/i] to think about that too hard, and just patted his lap, indicating she should come sit in it. With a grin, Diya scooted out of her chair, shuffled over to his, and hopped right back up with her back to his tummy and the back of her skirt flipped up against his chest. “Oh! No, Dane!” she immediately moaned, “Not in my—whoa, easy there, handsome,” the little Feline changed tones mid-sentence, like he’d suddenly come up for real, and winked over her shoulder at him. Dane’s blush instantly deepened, and spread down his neck, as his hands remained clearly outside her skirt and his not (yet) hard dick secure inside his pants. Diya leaned back against him briefly, tilting her head back to whisper to him, “Brother and I role-play [i]a lot[/i]. Just roll with it. It’s okay.” Gritting his teeth, Dane nodded and swallowed his own embarrassment. “Um...oh wow, it’s so tight!” he moaned dramatically, as Diya leaned forward again and shifted her skirt in a theatrical imitation of rocking her hips. “Because you’re too big!” the little Feline moaned equally dramatically, “Oh! Oh, gently!” she begged aloud, mouth hanging open in desire, “Oh, I’m about to—” A soft chime interrupted them. “Time’s up,” Johanna announced, calmly but with an amused smile. Most of their friends were grinning with the obvious effort of [i]not[/i] bursting out laughing. Even the dour Oro was chuckling with a grin...an expression that marked a decisive victory in Diya’s book. With a smug smile, she hopped out of Dane’s lap and back up in her own chair. “Well, now that I’ve thoroughly humiliated myself,” Dane rolled his eyes, “How about you take a dare yourself?” he looked at Nayeli. Still suppressing a giggle at their performance, she just nodded quietly and looked to Johanna for her prompt. “Nibble your partner’s ear in the most seductive way possible,” Johanna read out, then switched to the virtual die. “Not his,” she reminded, as the Lioness had already begun softly mouthing Oro’s nearest ear. But Nayeli just nodded, and kept on doing what she was doing until her actual partner was revealed. The die indicated Ares. Reluctantly releasing the Rabbit in her arms, Nayeli sauntered over to the Doberman and sat side-saddle in his lap, putting her arms lightly around his shoulders to keep herself close. “Sorry,” she whispered, putting her lips close to his ear, “I’m used to having a little more to work with, but I’ll do my best.” Ares chuckled as she blew gently inside, making his ear twitch as her breath tickled the fur just outside the canal. Then she nuzzled it, pressing her nose against the soft inner skin, and faintly kissed the edges. Her lips closed around it, tugging gently, before she began softly combing her sharp teeth through the short fur and gently raking the skin underneath. “Will it bother you if I bite?” she whispered, and before he could answer she closed her teeth on the delicate tip. Not roughly, just enough to pinch a little, and prove the sharpness of her canines. “Wuff...you [i]are[/i] good,” the Doberman sighed sincerely with his ear still trapped in her teeth, “Bet he’s jealous now.” “Yeah,” Nayeli whispered, apologetically kissing the spot she’d bitten, “You shouldn’t look him in the eye for a few minutes.” Then she turned and stood, returning to her seat on the couch...and Ares, in fact, noticed Oro giving him a viciously appraising look, like he was estimating how many steaks he could make from the buff Dog. “Alright, sugar-stick,” Johanna called, “What’s Diya going to do?” The Doberman looked down at the little Feline to his right. “Wuff...I think I need to calm down a little after all this teasing. Truth.” Diya snapped her fingers, apparently a shade disappointed, and Johanna simply read the prompt: “Which is your most irritating feature?” Diya tilted her head. “Um...physical, or personality-wise?” The Dalmatian just shrugged her shoulders, indicating Diya should decide that detail for herself. The little female considered it seriously for a moment before placing her hands over her own petite breasts. “I’m sure there are lots of things about me that irritate others. Oro could make a list a mile long, probably. What irritates me most about [i]myself[/i], though...is being so small,” she admitted, patting the places her hands covered. “I don’t mind being short so much. But I [i]am[/i] a little tired of being taken for a child so often, and having to explain that I’m not. I understand why, and I don’t blame anyone, but I feel like it wouldn’t be such a problem, or at least that people would take a closer look before settling on an assumption, if [i]these[/i] had filled out more. Heh...maybe not to Tuli’s level,” she winked at the buxom Lioness, “But enough to make it clear I past puberty a [i]long[/i] time ago.” “Yeah, that’s gotta suck,” Dane nodded sympathetically, “To be honest, it was a little uncomfortable having you in my lap, and I [i]know[/i] the situation.” “Watch it,” she growled in a frightening imitation of Oro, “Or I [i]will[/i] fuck you, and take pictures to blackmail you with.” Oro’s fingers snapped, arresting her attention, and the Rabbit gave her a stern frown. “...Too far?” she asked, tilting her head. When he nodded, she added, “Promise?” The Rabbit nodded again, getting curious looks from the rest of the circle now, including Nayeli, but Diya looked blissfully satisfied, like she’d just enjoyed a soak in a hot-tub all to herself. “Sorry,” she said quickly to Dane, “I get touchy when people admit it makes them uncomfortable...because it makes [i]me[/i] uncomfortable.” Johanna cleared her throat pointedly, diverting away from that little conversation and looking to Tuli. “Oo, I want to see what other confessions he has in his closet,” the older Lioness grinned, “Truth, please.” The female Dalmatian nodded. “Have you ever masturbated with a person of the same sex, and if not, would you want to? Before you answer that,” she turned to the rest of the circle, “Different player, but this question has come up already. Party vote on whether to ask a different question. Everyone for?” Only Dane and Gemini raised their hands. “That’s solidly settled. Go on, sugar-stick.” Ares chuckled...and shook his head. “Never.” Pointing at Dane, he started listing, “I’ve sucked him off, been his wuff-toy, and jerked him. The girls have jerked us off more than once. But not once have we ever just sat back and handled ourselves while the other was available...and he’s the [i]only[/i] male I’ve ever had that kind of relationship with. So no.” The white of Dane’s fur had turned red (and his wasn’t the only face), and he covered his eyes with a hand. “Did you have to list them [i]all[/i]?” Johanna looked at Kylan while the group chuckled. “Dare,” he declared, before even looking at Tuli. “Um...that okay? You said it was exciting...” “Obviously, sweetie,” the older Lioness nodded with a grin, “Especially if that’s what you want to see.” “Right,” Johanna nodded, pulling up the prompt, “Slowly grind your tail against your partner’s privates for thirty seconds.” She shook the virtual die. “That partner being Dane.” With a sly grin, Tuli got up from her chair and strode over to Dane, hips swaying suggestively with every step. “Mmm...since you’ve already seen it,” the Lioness smiled as she turned around, “I’m going to go the extra mile.” Hooking her thumbs into the back of her pants again, she shamelessly pulled them down around her knees. “You can feel free to do the same, if you like,” she offered, though she didn’t afford him a lot of time to decide before seating her bare posterior over the sudden bulge in his jeans. Leaning back against his chest with a sly smile, the experienced Lioness began slowly and suggestively swinging and rubbing her hips against him, coaxing the bulge in his pants between the cleft of her cheeks, gently nudging and caressing it through the fabric. Dane looked to be getting genuinely aroused, to say nothing of Tuli, before the timer abruptly went off. Tuli pulled her pants back up with a teasing jiggle, and Gemini giggled, leaning (far) over to whisper in Kylan’s ear, “I’ll go easy on you one more round, since you seem nervous. Don’t do me the same favor, okay?” she winked conspiratorially before telling Johanna, “Truth.” “...Which two other players would you pick for a threesome?” Johanna asked when the prompt came up. Kylan blinked, and gave a sheepish smile, apparently coming to an easy decision on this one. “Out of you guys...Gemini and Ares.” Ares arched a brow, but not because he seemed offended. “You swing like that?” Kylan shrugged his shoulders. “I’m not quite sure which ‘that’ you mean, but I’m actually not over fond of guys, with one exception. But I discovered kind of recently that I [i]am[/i] into being in the middle of a sandwich, if you know what I mean. Heh...and finding another pair of siblings willing to get it on is just icing on the cake,” he grinned. “Not that Dane and Johanna aren’t attractive, too, but...,” and this he directed mainly at Gemini, beside him, “You seem pretty eager and a [i]lot[/i] of fun. I think it’d be pretty exciting to have you and your brother in bed.” “Ooo...is that an invitation?” she cooed with a big, toothy grin. Kylan’s blush paled as his jaw went slack...and Ares came to his rescue. “You can totally ignore anything my sister says that makes you uncomfortable. She likes pushing limits,” he rolled his eyes, gesturing to the group playing this game as proof. On Dane’s other side, Diya kicked her feet idly and tried to look as sweet and innocent as possible. “...I kinda do, too.”