{ "submission_id": "3635755", "keywords": [ { "keyword_id": "678", "keyword_name": "anthro", "contributed": "f", "submissions_count": "225144" }, { "keyword_id": "1114", "keyword_name": "avian", "contributed": "f", "submissions_count": "32282" }, { "keyword_id": "7435", "keyword_name": "bashful", "contributed": "f", "submissions_count": "547" }, { "keyword_id": "34289", "keyword_name": "biped", "contributed": "f", "submissions_count": "1967" }, { "keyword_id": "360", "keyword_name": "bird", "contributed": "f", "submissions_count": "38761" }, { "keyword_id": "10002", "keyword_name": "bloating", "contributed": "f", "submissions_count": "315" }, { "keyword_id": "5969", "keyword_name": "building", "contributed": "f", "submissions_count": "1487" }, { "keyword_id": "2357", "keyword_name": "creampie", "contributed": "f", "submissions_count": "29847" }, { "keyword_id": "79", "keyword_name": "cum", "contributed": "f", "submissions_count": "196552" }, { "keyword_id": "36", "keyword_name": "cute", "contributed": "f", "submissions_count": "163950" }, { "keyword_id": "4323", "keyword_name": "difference", "contributed": "f", "submissions_count": "5181" }, { "keyword_id": "1576", "keyword_name": "egg", "contributed": "f", "submissions_count": "5873" }, { "keyword_id": "8166", "keyword_name": "eggs", "contributed": "f", "submissions_count": "4466" }, { "keyword_id": "307", "keyword_name": "equine", "contributed": "f", "submissions_count": "36762" }, { "keyword_id": "2193", "keyword_name": "fantasy", "contributed": "f", "submissions_count": "27416" }, { "keyword_id": "123", "keyword_name": "female", "contributed": "f", "submissions_count": "1102582" }, { "keyword_id": "342", "keyword_name": "gryphon", "contributed": "f", "submissions_count": "10213" }, { "keyword_id": "2252", "keyword_name": "high", "contributed": "f", "submissions_count": "2209" }, { "keyword_id": "18704", "keyword_name": "hippogryph", "contributed": "f", "submissions_count": "632" }, { "keyword_id": "188", "keyword_name": "hybrid", "contributed": "f", "submissions_count": "70619" }, { "keyword_id": "4071", "keyword_name": "indoors", "contributed": "f", "submissions_count": "2825" }, { "keyword_id": "240", "keyword_name": "inflation", "contributed": "f", "submissions_count": "16300" }, { "keyword_id": "57450", "keyword_name": "insertions", "contributed": "f", "submissions_count": "87" }, { "keyword_id": "229", "keyword_name": "knot", "contributed": "f", "submissions_count": "53380" }, { "keyword_id": "13601", "keyword_name": "knotted", "contributed": "f", "submissions_count": "4696" }, { "keyword_id": "9260", "keyword_name": "living", "contributed": "f", "submissions_count": "597" }, { "keyword_id": "191", "keyword_name": "magic", "contributed": "f", "submissions_count": "25833" }, { "keyword_id": "165", "keyword_name": "male", "contributed": "f", "submissions_count": "1212472" }, { "keyword_id": "1151", "keyword_name": "messy", "contributed": "f", "submissions_count": "17704" }, { "keyword_id": "3826", "keyword_name": "outdoors", "contributed": "f", "submissions_count": "14495" }, { "keyword_id": "754", "keyword_name": "pirate", "contributed": "f", "submissions_count": "3255" }, { "keyword_id": "3820", "keyword_name": "quadruped", "contributed": "f", "submissions_count": "3715" }, { "keyword_id": "94293", "keyword_name": "seafaring", "contributed": "f", "submissions_count": "2" }, { "keyword_id": "2123", "keyword_name": "seas", "contributed": "f", "submissions_count": "32" }, { "keyword_id": "1043", "keyword_name": "shy", "contributed": "f", "submissions_count": "14933" }, { "keyword_id": "4322", "keyword_name": "size", "contributed": "f", "submissions_count": "6932" }, { "keyword_id": "3496", "keyword_name": "sizeplay", "contributed": "f", "submissions_count": "4624" }, { "keyword_id": "2", "keyword_name": "sketch", "contributed": "f", "submissions_count": "64395" }, { "keyword_id": "120", "keyword_name": "straight", "contributed": "f", "submissions_count": "42147" }, { "keyword_id": "4591", "keyword_name": "tiny", "contributed": "f", "submissions_count": "3446" }, { "keyword_id": "6632", "keyword_name": "unbirthing", "contributed": "f", "submissions_count": "1323" }, { "keyword_id": "77", "keyword_name": "vaginal", "contributed": "f", "submissions_count": "53115" }, { "keyword_id": "2150", "keyword_name": "womb", "contributed": "f", "submissions_count": "1273" }, { "keyword_id": "1398", "keyword_name": "world", "contributed": "f", "submissions_count": "1828" } ], "hidden": "f", "scraps": "f", "favorite": "f", "favorites_count": "61", "create_datetime": "2025-06-06 14:43:58.595468+00", "create_datetime_usertime": "06 Jun 2025 16:43 CEST", "last_file_update_datetime": "2025-06-06 14:43:07.330886+00", "last_file_update_datetime_usertime": "06 Jun 2025 16:43 CEST", "username": "runa216", "user_id": "68743", "user_icon_file_name": "66174_runa216_runagryphsquishy.gif", "user_icon_url_large": "https://nl1.ib.metapix.net/usericons/large/66/66174_runa216_runagryphsquishy.gif", "user_icon_url_medium": "https://nl1.ib.metapix.net/usericons/medium/66/66174_runa216_runagryphsquishy.gif", "user_icon_url_small": "https://nl1.ib.metapix.net/usericons/small/66/66174_runa216_runagryphsquishy.gif", "file_name": "5593434_runa216_radiant-scouting.png", "file_url_full": "https://nl1.ib.metapix.net/files/full/5593/5593434_runa216_radiant-scouting.png", "file_url_screen": "https://nl1.ib.metapix.net/files/screen/5593/5593434_runa216_radiant-scouting.png", "file_url_preview": "https://nl1.ib.metapix.net/files/preview/5593/5593434_runa216_radiant-scouting.jpg", "thumbnail_url_huge_noncustom": "https://nl1.ib.metapix.net/files/preview/5593/5593434_runa216_radiant-scouting.jpg", "thumbnail_url_large_noncustom": "https://nl1.ib.metapix.net/thumbnails/large/5593/5593434_runa216_radiant-scouting_noncustom.jpg", "thumbnail_url_medium_noncustom": "https://nl1.ib.metapix.net/thumbnails/medium/5593/5593434_runa216_radiant-scouting_noncustom.jpg", "thumb_medium_noncustom_x": "120", "thumb_medium_noncustom_y": "86", "thumb_large_noncustom_x": "200", "thumb_large_noncustom_y": "144", "thumb_huge_noncustom_x": "300", "thumb_huge_noncustom_y": "216", "files": [ { "file_id": "5593434", "file_name": "5593434_runa216_radiant-scouting.png", "file_url_full": "https://nl1.ib.metapix.net/files/full/5593/5593434_runa216_radiant-scouting.png", "file_url_screen": "https://nl1.ib.metapix.net/files/screen/5593/5593434_runa216_radiant-scouting.png", "file_url_preview": "https://nl1.ib.metapix.net/files/preview/5593/5593434_runa216_radiant-scouting.jpg", "mimetype": "image/png", "submission_id": "3635755", "user_id": "68743", "submission_file_order": "0", "full_size_x": "1250", "full_size_y": "900", "screen_size_x": "920", "screen_size_y": "662", "preview_size_x": "300", "preview_size_y": "216", "initial_file_md5": "e028050f6094a24d7ecee7d093b915cf", "full_file_md5": "064f6f1688c3b4cf079ca77a5f16724c", "large_file_md5": "539bb5f7efa4f81fefccef083d1cec4a", "small_file_md5": "2f7659787076cc0c76477ad00135575a", "thumbnail_md5": "e30c978481c675e064441f0348ebde81", "deleted": "f", "create_datetime": "2025-06-06 14:43:07.330886+00", "create_datetime_usertime": "06 Jun 2025 16:43 CEST", "thumbnail_url_huge_noncustom": "https://nl1.ib.metapix.net/files/preview/5593/5593434_runa216_radiant-scouting.jpg", "thumbnail_url_large_noncustom": "https://nl1.ib.metapix.net/thumbnails/large/5593/5593434_runa216_radiant-scouting_noncustom.jpg", "thumbnail_url_medium_noncustom": "https://nl1.ib.metapix.net/thumbnails/medium/5593/5593434_runa216_radiant-scouting_noncustom.jpg", "thumb_medium_noncustom_x": "120", "thumb_medium_noncustom_y": "86", "thumb_large_noncustom_x": "200", "thumb_large_noncustom_y": "144", "thumb_huge_noncustom_x": "300", "thumb_huge_noncustom_y": "216" } ], "pools": [], "description": "Art - :iconNibRoc:\nWriting/Kentanni - :IconRuna216:\nTsuru - :iconblutfeuerdrache:\n\nThis is another one of those stories that I started writing as a simple one-off but ended up having so much fun with the lore and world building that it blossomed out into what I figure will be likely 3 chapters/parts. \n\nI just love the pirate setting! \n\nAnyway, In this story, Kentanni is captaining her ship, the Spirit Runner - which is an offshoot of The Spirit of Dalonia - to a remote location in the Ijimulian that is displaying strange magical readings that need to be investigated. In this chapter, she has to get a map of the region to make navigating the mazelike archipelago a bit easier.\n\nAnd of course, since this is a furry story, it involves using her bodily assets to get what she needs. \n\n=====--=--=====\n\nRadiant Scouting\n\n\tKentanni stood tall at the helm of The Spirit Runner as moist wind blew past her and soaked her feathers, the chirps of gulls accenting the slosh of the sea water against the hull. Behind her on the stern banister sat Wrasir with his talons wrapped around the vine-like spindles for support while on the deck ahead of her were two of her best friends, Cynabelle and Fidget. The four of them were on a mission from Captains Ceylon and Leera to investigate a power surge deep within the million isles of the Ijimulian Archipelago.\n\n\tWeeks prior while on a chase, the Spirit of Dalonia passed near an island where an exceptionally large spike in magical energy could be felt by all on board. The spike was so intense and surprising it concerned the pair of captains and the ship itself despite them all being strongly attuned to the magical currents in the region. Though they were unable to focus on it at the time due to them being distracted by pursuit, Ceylon was sure to make a note of it and bring it up once the chase had concluded and all parties were safe and healed.\n\n\tNormally Ceylon would have simply made her way back to the source of the magical energy spike but an underwater quake to the north drew her attention to the Vast Expanse of the Depths, where the ocean had no floor. Both events were important so The Spirit of Dalonia needed to sprout a runner for a satellite crew to sail back to the Ijimuluan archipelago and get more information.\n\n\tThe Spirit of Dalonia was a living ship. Once known as Shiazo, they were a floral golem that retained sentience after a bloodvine infestation turned their body to plant matter and would have normally zombified them if not for a delicate balance of alchemical and phytomantic magic that extracted and re-infused their spirit-wisp into their body. Later, after a cannon blew them to pieces during a naval battle, they fused with the wood of the damaged vessel to become the ship itself, mending it fully in the process and granting it the ability to control and heal itself.\n\n\tBecause of all this, the Spirit of Dalonia was able to control itself on the open waters, manually operating its own rudders to swim without needing to be piloted, able to raise and lower the sails without the crew doing the heavy work, able to sprout vines and transform willingly. A completely autonomous ship that didn't even need to hoist a sail if it didn't want to. Every bit of wood of the ship was fused as one, like a tree grown into a single shape with leaves and mosses sprouting up off most surfaces. The deck was blanketed in flowers and grass, the rigging made of vines, and the sail a densely connected sheet of broad, green and purple leaves to catch the wind.\n\n\tLuckily, Shiazo's personality remained despite being fused with the newly renamed vessel. This meant that the ship itself was alive, able to converse and act of its own volition, its body malleable and able to transform or shift as needed. Most of the time, Shiazo communicated via an avatar that was a pet-sized; a creature made of wood and leaves and grass and moss that explored the ship like a cat, but that was just an extension of the ship. A runner in and of itself. Other times they'd melt together and a face would appear in the banister or wall to speak with the crew.\n\n\tThis was quite unnerving to those not familiar with the ship but convenient for the crew, who barely needed to work and had a reliable companion while sailing the million isles of the Ijimulian.\n\n\tKentanni and her satellite crew were on the Spirit Runner, a much smaller ship that had been formed of the Spirit of Dalonia's materials in much the same way a plant would extend a vine to create a duplicate of itself after anchoring new roots. This runner was granted a fragment of Shiazo's spirit-wisp to control it, effectively duplicating Shiazo in the process. Initially there were concerns over this fragmenting Shiazo's mind but after a handful of experiments it was clear that it wasn't an issue. \n\n\tThe lost material could be regrown or absorbed from other plant matter and any memories formed by the runner would be added to the main ship upon returned assimilation. This did cause some confusion for a day or two but once the memories were sorted all was well.\n\n\tWhile the main ship was the size of a frigate, the Runner was fraction the size of a schooner, fit for a crew of a half-dozen at most. It was so small because Kentanni and her crew were all tiny compared to most. She and her mate Wrasir, both meter tall pygmy hippogryphs, were a fraction the size of most bipeds. Fidget the bunny-doe hybrid was a head taller but still smaller than many, and Cynabelle the snekken was the same height as Kentanni but much thinner given her serpentine form.\n\n\tNone of the crew were large so the Spirit Runner itself seemed luxurious to them. Roomy with plenty of room for activities. Plus they didn't have to do any work while sailing because Shiazo's essence was managing the operation of the ship; there was no way the four of them would have been big enough to pilot it, which made their excursion feel more like a vacation than a scouting mission.\n\n\tThough they had a task at hand and an order of operations to follow, they were mostly relaxing and singing shanties together as the Spirit Runner crashed into waves and blew sea mist up around them, soaking the ship and the crew alike. Every drop of water was absorbed into the ship's leaves, grasses, vines, and mosses to fuel Shiazo alongside the bright midday sun that bathed them in light.\n\n\tThe first leg of their journey was to take them to a mapper on the eastern shores of Koluma, one of the ones recommended by Ceylon who was selling maps of the famously impossible to map Ijimulian archipelago. When the region gained a nickname of 'the million isles', it was impossible to know the exact number. All Kentanni – or any other treasure hunters that sailed here – knew was that the entire ocean was dotted by a seemingly limitless number of islands that some claimed appeared and disappeared randomly. That was probably just myth borne of superstition but it wasn't impossible.\n\n\tIt was nearly impossible to map the region due to how complex and consequently confusing it was, aside from a handful of larger islands that served as waypoints or landmarks. \n\n\tThe mapper that they were headed to see was named Tsuru, a gryphon-dragon hybrid cockatrice that had gained a reputation among the NLF for having some of the only reliable, up-to-date and accurate maps. How he did this was unclear but that sort of reputation travels and if the captain was saying he was reliable then he was reliable. Simple as that.\n\n\t“Ayho, Zedoh, The seas are my home!” Kentanni chanted loudly alongside the other three on deck. Wrasir had a slightly deeper tone singing the same words while Fidget's tone was softer in tone but louder. Cynabelle's voice was a little harsh on the ears but it blended with the other three easily. They were all having a wonderful time, drumming on the wood, tapping their toe talons, and full-throated chanting to the tumultuous seas.\n\n\tThe Koluman shoreline crested the horizon dead ahead, convincing them all to quiet down and get serious. Though their time as treasure hunters across the Ijimulian was supposed to be fun, it was important to know when to be serious. The seas were still potentially dangerous and there had been reports of pirates from the far shores invading the region, refusing to abide by a code of honour. Violent, murderous crews that were attacking merchant and treasure hunting ships alike to steal the resources and spoils of the million isles.\n\n\tWhen Kentanni and the others set sail to the Ijimulian, the goal was to search for treasure, to seek adventure, and to enjoy life in the process. A few years prior rumours started circulating about chests of coin and gemstones being found around the islands, usually buried in sand or carved into makeshift caves in rock. Inside most of these chests were maps to other chests, which created a cycle of treasure hunting among those who were able to find them.\n\n\tGreed be damned, most who sailed the Ijimulian were in it for the sense of adventure, not to get rich. They'd use the coin to manage their ships, use the gemstones to sell and trade for weapons and other luxuries, and not take more than was needed. A code of honour that worked. So, when people felt comfortable or confident enough in their take, they'd sell the maps to others to do the same.\n\n\tThis created a cycle of honour and respect among the group which came to call itself the NLF. Nautical Liberation Front. It was a fleet of dozens of ships daring enough to dive into the most remote islands of the Ijimulian in search of booty. Their goal was simple, to live their lives at sea, away from the restriction of those ashore. That's all they wanted. Freedom. As long as they respected one another and upheld a code of honour they could hunt for treasure in peace. \n\n\tTreasure was found, maps were unearthed and shared, and everyone involved won. It wasn't a competition, it was mutually beneficial.\n\n\tIt worked for years, but things changed. Once word leaked beyond the shores of the Ijimulian, others arrived. They were known among the NLF as Farshores. Pirates. Heinous beasts with greed in their hearts and violence in their souls. They burned ships for their loot, raped and murdered anyone that got in their way. They would raze villages nearby if rejected. All the cruelty, none of the honour.\n\n\tFortunately, encounters with these farshores were rare. Unfortunately their presence also attracted the attention of the royal navies of the surrounding nations. Saff'Rald, Viokenic, Waverthe, Kaidu, and even Koluma had formed an alliance to try to police the archipelago.\n\n\tThe Spirit Runner needed to be careful when pulling into port on the Koluman shores. If they were suspected of being farshore pirates, they'd be blown out of the water before they could get close.\n\n\tKnowing this, Shiazo grew a leaf atop the mast, one the size of a bed-sheet that flapped in the wind like a proper flag. It was mostly green with the NLF logo in a purple colour to let the people ashore know they were safe. This tactic worked for now; it was only a matter of time before the farshores figured it out and emulated it.\n\n\tNo shots were fired so the ship propelled its way to dock along the boardwalk village nestled between the beaches and treeline of the tropical jungle. Pretty typical settlement in the area.\n\n\tKentanni gave the wheel a bit of a pat of assurance as they got near one of the shorter docks where there was a spot for them. Shiazo summoned vines from the hull to lash out and wrap around the bollard, mooring them in place. A single log extended out the side, creating a ramp to the dock. “Good, good.” she said to the ship. \n\n\t“Yay! Shore time!” Fidget cheered as she hopped over the railing to land on the dock. “Let's do this!” She bounded from one hoof to the other, waiting for the rest of the crew to catch up to her. \n\n\tCynabelle was a bit more patient. She hopped up onto the ramp and skipped down it, meeting Fidget right as a single wave burst through the dock to spray them both. One of her tentacles emerged from the underside of her arm to try to protect her from the water assault. “You know it!” She hissed with delight, tail buzzing behind her. She then extended both of her arm tentacles out to reach up, anchoring herself to Fidget's antlers and pulling herself up so she was sitting on the hybrid's shoulders. “Onward to the nearest place of ill repute!”\n\n\tFidget was happy to oblige. She turned to Kentanni to get a nod of approval before darting off.\n\n\tWrasir remained on deck with Kentanni. He looked almost identical to her except slightly thicker of build and just a feathertip taller. They both had the same golden chest feathers, the same silvery-blue highlights along their ears and wings, the same ashen patterns on their upper thighs, and the same onyx black feathering around their ankles. They looked so similar that some thought them to be brother and sister; they even liked to pretend it was true since some of their friends liked to fantasize about it. But no they were just from the same community.\n\n\tThe jewelry in her broad ears made a tinking sound as she flicked in response to a single drop of water hitting her from the rigging above. “Have you got any plans while ashore?” She asked Wrasir, not sure if she'd prefer if he did or didn't.\n\n\t“Not really.” He said, stepping forward to escort her off the ship, hand up to take hers. “I was actually thinking someone should stay behind and it'd best be me. You really don't want to leave a ship like ours unguarded. You go on ahead, I can spend some time with Shiazo.”\n\n\tShe purred and leaned into him, nuzzling his chest and neck with her beak. “That's sweet and all, but I think Shiazo can take care of themselves.”\n\n\tRight as she said it, a small lump of wood and leaves grew from the railing next to Wrasir, the floral matter forming a quadruped the size of a small house cat and its body sprouting moss and grass to look like fur. Its long vine-like tail swished behind and both its gnarled-root antlers swept back and up in spikes. Within mere seconds Shiazo's avatar was formed and fully expressive. “I'll be fine.” It said, shifting its little head back and forth to look sassy. “If anyone boards without permission I'll string them up by their boots!” Nearby, one of the rigging vines hovered over like a snake ready to strike.\n\n\t“Yes of course.” Wrasir agreed with a gape-beaked grin, nodding in solidarity. “But I don't really need to do anything ashore. I like being alone on the ship. People at port are exhausting.”\n\n\t“You wouldn't be alone, you'd be with me.” Shiazo's avatar corrected him, the tiny drake's floral feathers and fur puffing up to make him more easily regarded.\n\n\t“Okay, fair, but you know what I mean.” Wrasir failed to clarify. “I just-”\n\n\tKentanni interrupted. “Yeah we know, drunk people. Sailors be drinking all the spirits.” She winked and grinned, gently clicking her beak. “I'll see you when we get back, dear. I gotta pay the dock-master and get us that map. Don't float away too much. I'd be ever so sad.”\n\n\tWrasir saluted. “Aye, Captain.”\n\n\t“I'm not your captain.” She corrected him.\n\n\t“No but I can still bow to you. Or bend over, if you'd prefer.” \n\n\tShe raised a single finger to counter but couldn't think of anything clever to say in response. “I'll see you when I get back.” She turned to Shiazo's avatar “Do lewd things to him. If he's not bloated when I get back you failed.”\n\n\tShiazo's avatar and Wrasir glanced at each other with a look of acceptance. They narrowed their gaze, then shrugged with a raised eyebrow, half cocking grins and nodding. “Okay!” They both said in unison with more enthusiasm than was necessary.\n\n\tThe images of the living ship invading Wrasir with vines and seeds danced in her mind for only a moment before she offered a salute and skipped down the docks to pay the fee. This left her husband and Shiazo's avatar to do as they would. Around her, gulls keowed atop pillars and posts, shellwings clicked and chattered beneath the docks, and dozens of other sailors and merchants were milling about, carrying cargo and regarding one another with waves and smiles.\n\n\tKentanni was tiny compared to nearly everyone. At under a meter tall she barely came up to the waist of most others. This meant that she needed to be careful with how she behaved. Being so small, she could easily have been missed and stepped on or pushed out of the way without much care, but it also meant that she was far lighter than others and could hop and flap her wings to make herself easier to see and harder to ignore. Skipping and fluttering her wings looked jaunty and perhaps a bit immature but she did it with purpose. The more active she looked, the more likely the larger agens around her were to give her space.\n\n\tIt brought more attention to her but unless people were actively malicous that was a good thing for one so small. The more aware they were of her the less likely they were to accidentally step on her.\n\n\tShe flutter-hopped down the dock past a thickly-built saurossin, seeking out the dock-master. At most port cities there would be a single administrator standing watch at the base of the dock, taking names and coin to register ships. It was one aspect of the kingdoms of the land that made sense to keep among merchants and treasure hunters. A proper record of activity limited the chance of theft.\n\n\tAs expected, she spied a rather tall crocodilian saurossin standing tall where dock met promenade. He wore a single robe that covered his entire body from neck to feet; only his thick tail poked out the back. Kentanni could see a subtle bulge on his hip under the fabric of the robe, which told her he either had a weapon or a satchel filled with coin.\n\n\tHe saw her skipping up the dock so he smiled gently at her and nodded. “Welcome!” He chirped. His voice was much higher in pitch than his girth may have suggested.\n\n\tKentanni waved at him, her wing shaking in a similar manner to mimic the action. “Hi!”\n\n\t“Interesting ship you've got.” He glanced past her to catch another look at The Spirit Runner. “You caught some algae or somethin'? Do you need help cleaning up?” He was referring to the fact that her living ship was far more green and floral than most ships. Sure, some might get some algae if docked too long or might even get mosses on deck if not properly cared for, but Shiazo's hull was coated in vegetation with grass and flowers sprouting off most surfaces.\n\n\t“Oh, no it's supposed to look like that.” She said, pausing to wonder how to explain how her ship was alive without sounding like a bit of ocean madness had overcome her. Her best bet was to be upfront. “The Spirit Runner there is what we call a living ship. Buddy of ours died at sea and haunted the thing. Can you believe it?”\n\n\tHe laughed. “Oh the tales I've heard. Anyway, it's a pretty small vessel so-” He was about to give her the rates when a few vines rose from the rigging to arrange themselves in a pattern that vaguely resembled the crocodilian's face with a tongue hanging out. “-Oh. You weren't kidding.”\n\n\tShe flapped her wings once to bound up so that she was perched on the pedestal, elbow resting next to the ledger and feet gripping either side to keep her up. “Do I look like I'm a kidder?” She feigned bravado, knowing full well that he wouldn't see her as intimidating. She was being facetious.\n\n\t“N-no, I just-”\n\n\t“Calm down, it's fine. Shiazo there's pretty unique, it's no wonder you don't know what's going on. Anyway, how much to dock for the day?”\n\n\tHe blinked and shook the confusion from his expression, taking in a bit of a breath to refocus himself. “Oh, just a single silver. I'd say two if you wanted some dock-hands to clean your ship but it seems it cleans itself?” He wasn't sure of himself so he phrased it like a question at the end.\n\n\t“Something like that. Tell you what, I'll give you two silver coins, but you don't gotta clean. Just go say hi! I promise Shiazo won't eat you.”\n\n\tThe crocodilian just blinked and gulped. He looked intimidating, like he could win a fight with most, but he was not giving off aggressive vibes. “Yes Miss...” He paused to get her name.\n\n\tShe fished into her pouch and grabbed a couple of coins to slap down on the ledger. “Kentanni! And my ship is known as the Spirit Runner.”\n\n\tHe nodded and pushed the coins off the paper to write the information and time of day. “All booked up, miss! This fee only goes 'til sundown, though. So if you wanna stay overnight you'd best-” He was about to explain more but then looked at the second silver coin and rolled it between his scaly fingers. “Nevermind, if it comes to that I'll make sure you're taken care of!” He reached under his robe to deposit the coins and offered a salute.\n\n\tShe saluted back – a sign of respect, not rank – and kicked away from the pedestal to head into the port village, still skipping and flapping her wings to maintain her presence. Ahead of her was a strip of about two dozen stores and merchants lining the beach between the treeline and the shore, all raised on wooden platforms.\n\n\tPretty basic. The only thing that felt different than most ports she'd visited was that the dense foliage behind the strip of shops seemed to be divided into two stories that were naturally occurring, both flawlessly integrated into the settlement. Ashore, the village was a basic strip of vendors propped up by stilts and boardwalks, broken up by pathways that led to the treeline behind them. Beyond that, the woods themselves seemed to form hallways and layered floors. On the ground level, more buildings were constructed around the trunks of trees, connected by more boardwalks and platforms. However, above them was a canopy that was so thick it seemed impenetrable, dividing the forest into two levels.\n\n\tThe village above the canopy had buildings erected around tree trunks in the same way as those on the ground level, only these ones were connected by bridges and platforms above the dense entanglement of branches that formed a floor between them. \n\n\tShe had heard of the Koluman weave before but had never seen it. It was called that because the trees found in the region had their branches woven around each other so tightly that not even light could get through. The only source of illumination beneath the canopy came from occasional breaks in the weave of branches or the ademane glowstone that grew out of the ferns that bloomed between the roots of the trees, each one a different colour.\n\n\tIt was beautiful but a little ominous. The rainbow of glowing ferns on the floor level was intimidating for someone like her, someone small who could be easily snatched if she wasn't careful. She rather not spend her time under the canopy of the Koluman Weave. Not without Wrasir or one of the others with her.\n\n\tFortunately she didn't need to. The mapper she sought was said to be 'high in the trees' in the foothills of a cliff, about three trees away. She didn't know what any of that meant prior to arriving, as the instructions were vague on purpose, but now that she was docked and getting a good look at the port village, she knew exactly what she was looking for and where she'd find him. He would be above the canopy and near the back of the village, which nestled up in a crescent-moon valley surrounded on three sides by a cliff that was slightly taller than the tallest of the trees.\n\n\tSomewhere, about three trees away from that cliff, she'd find Tsuru.\n\n\tShe hopped up the stairs to the second level of the village beyond the shore, deftly avoiding each and every proposition and pitch by the various merchants who were eager to sell her potions and fruits and fried meats. She wanted all of it – she was hungry, being ashore was as good a time as any to treat herself to some fresh cooked food – but she was planning on getting her map, first. \n\n\tKentanni was keen to keep her skipping and hopping pattern as she explored the upper level of the village. She was making sure she didn't get ignored or hit by any passerby. Plus, the bridges underfoot had gaps between the boards, showing the thick weave of branches and vines beneath her and she didn't want to fall into it. Though, as she paused to glance over the edge and get a better look, she saw that not only were the branches tightly woven together, they were so tight that she swore she saw dirt and grasses growing from them. The 'weave' was so complete it actually seemed to create a layer of soil that was its own little ecosystem!\n\n\tLife was beautiful. It made her wonder how rain or anything breached the layer of canopy but she was no biologist. She was a treasure hunter. The real question was about whether or not those glow-stones had any value or if they would produce light if plucked form the flowers. Probably not. If so, they'd have been scoured by now, harvested to extinction.\n\n\tAs she made her way through the village, she came to realize her plan wasn't all that firm yet. She knew she had to get a chart of the region she was searching for but didn't actually know how to get it, how to convince the mapper that she was part of the NLF. She could just pay it but would prefer to not drop a few tabs on the map, no matter how valuable it was. She had to feed her crew and maintain the ship where Shiazo was unable to do it himself. She had responsibilities; it was nice to tip the dock-master or food servers but she couldn't be dumping pouches of coin at every merchant.\n\n\tConcerned or not, she had faith in herself. She was reasonably good at negotiation and had a history of being persuasive. Tiny hippogryph gals had their ways.\n\n\tEventually, after nearly an hour of meandering through the village, desperately trying to decipher what was a business and what was someone's home, she came across an average-sized hut wrapped around a thick tree trunk that had a roof made of reeds that curled up at the edges like parchment weathered by time. There was no title overhead, no sign saying what it was or who was inside, but she glanced up at the cliff that overshadowed most of the village and counted the number of huts between her and it. Three. There was no guarantee this was her destination but it fit the description and she was eager to get that map.\n\n\t=====--=--=====\n\n\tShe slipped in through the door – a pair of draped sheets – and emerged into a simple but enchanting, cozy merchant's store lit by a series of orange gemlights. The room was circular, with the outer walls marked by a grid of small holes, each one nearly perfectly square and filled with a single rolled map or chart. Thousands of them, easily, wrapping around two thirds of the room. Another rack of them was wrapped around the trunk of the tree that served as the core of the building, with a crescent-shaped desk between the inner and outer walls.\n\n\tA moment later, a green and black quadruped emerged from the third of the hut that was hidden behind a wall. A cockatrice with the front of a black corvid and the back of a green saurossin. This must be Tsuru. If it wasn't, she'd be shocked.\n\n\t“Tsuru?” She asked, flutter hopping up so that she could stand on the counter in front of him. \n\n\tHe seemed to look uncomfortable at the sight of her on the desk but didn't say anything. “That is me, yes. And, uh, I don't recognize you. Have we met?”\n\n\t“No, I'm new.” She chirped and saluted, grinning broadly to show she was not a threat. That wasn't something she normally did with merchants and fellow treasure hunters but Tsuru's subtle body language told her he was very cautious. Nervous, even. The way he looked at her but avoided direct eye contact, or the way his breathing increased and his chest was heaving slightly faster from the moment he saw her and could tell she wasn't familiar. She needed to be kind and forthright with him.\n\n\tOf course, if he was as adept at trading maps and charts as Ceylon had claimed, he would have a lot to protect. It made sense he was nervous about some random hen like her showing up unannounced and was now standing on his desk. She'd have just hopped down to be polite but then she'd struggle to look at him, as the desk was taller than she was. It would have been cute go grab the edge of it and hoist herself up so only her beak was resting on the top; she'd have to give him a pouty look, to really drive home how sad it was that she couldn't meet him at his level.\n\n\t“I'm here to seek out a map in the Saurian Scar region.” She explained, standing tall but maintaining a professional smile. “We were sailing through there and nearly got lost, saw something that we'd like to check on once more but that area's a maze of channels and islands. Got anything?”\n\n\tHe raised his ears and eyebrow. “That's quite the area. Are you sure you want to return, what with all the volcanic activity there?” He gulped, his breaths getting ever so slightly more ragged.\n\n\tThis was when Kentanni realized she hadn't explained her credentials. “I'm Kentani!” She extended a hand for him to shake. While she waited for him to take it, she continued. “Radiant Scout for the Spirit of Dalonia, here on official business from captains Ceylon and Leera!”\n\n\tTsuru cocked his head and narrowed his gaze. “Are you, now?” He tentatively took her hand and went to give it a gentle, slow motion only to have her violently shake him far too enthusiastically. He winced a bit and pulled back, clearly uncomfortable but still cordial. “And how do you intend to prove that?” He sat down, doing his best to look professional and stern while also remaining kind.\n\n\tKentanni saw right through that facade. She could tell he was presenting as stern but was actually soft and kind inside. She could see it in his eyes. The problem was that she had no idea how to prove her association with Ceylon. They didn't have code words or phrases, there were no relics she could subtly display or ID she could flash. She was of the NLF, a group dedicated to the idea that people should be free from that sort of oppression. Free to sail the Ijimulian and hunt for long lost treasure of sailors of ancient kingdoms.\n\n\tStill, she didn't have any way to prove she was associated with Ceylon. One of the founders of the NLF. Now that she was presented with a need to identify herself she realized that her entire plan seemed to hinge on name recognition alone. As in, just saying Ceylon's name and ship title would be enough to open doors for her. It was not.\n\n\tSo all she could do was stare blankly as she tried to think of something witty. That seemed to be happening a lot, attempting to be witty only to come up blank. “Uh-”\n\n\t“I see. So you're saying you sailed all the way to Port Moonsliver just hoping that I'd believe you? No letter of recommendation, no messenger from a trusted source?”\n\n\tShe felt silly, of course, but wasn't discouraged. “Well, kinda! Maybe. I don't know. How would I even get a letter of recommendation? Do I have to be part of Ceylon's crew to get charts? Maps? Would it help if I said with all honesty and sincerity that I don't even want treasure maps or anything, I just want a map of the region so I can find the island I'm looking for?”\n\n\t“It might.” He said, tapping a front talon on the desk. He narrowed his gaze. “Who would come to me seeking charts that isn't looking for treasure?”\n\n\t“Me!” She chirped, hopping and spreading all seven limbs, including arms, legs, wings, and tail. “I would do that! I told you, I sail with Ceylon, we're not hurting for booty.”\n\n\tHe huffed. “I am confused. I sell charts and treasure maps.”\n\n\tKentanni huffed right back, then sat cross legged on the desk in front of him. She didn't do it on purpose but the position hoisted her short skirt up so that from his angle he could see her nethers. “I know you do. I guess having a map to some treasure would be nice, too, but that's not what we seek. Would context help? Explain a bit about why we're seeking this island?”\n\n\t“It might, but that still doesn't prove anything to me.” Tsuru gulped. He clearly wasn't used to negotiation, implying he was more used to his customers and clients being familiar with him and his ways. “Feel free to share. If your story is compelling I may help.”\n\n\tShe nodded and chirped as she got to her knees, sitting on her ankles. She didn't realize that he could see her loins before but definitely noticed his subtly disappointed look as she covered up by accident. “Well, we were chasing some of them farshores north past the Saurian Scar. You know, that big island with the volcano. We were about a few dozen islands to the east, I'd say. Far enough that we could still see the smoke over the horizon but still be lost to the maze of passages between the islands.”\n\n\tTsuru cocked his head to the side, his eyes still avoiding eye contact but distant, like he was thinking. “Go on.” He motioned, then leaned back away from the counter, sitting tall and proud.\n\n\t“Well it's kinda hard to explain, really.” She sighed deeply, chattering her beak as she glanced up and off to the side, thinking. It was a bit of a risk but she assumed that she could use her feminine wiles to loosen him up a bit – she picked up on his disappointment when she covered up – so she sat back with one knee up with her elbow resting on it, her other leg flat to the desk top and spread out to the side. Her skirt would still mostly cover her bits but tease him enough to entice. “It was Ceylon who said she sensed something to the southeast. I didn't feel it at first but when Wrasir – my husband – came near I could feel it too. We have this magical resonance thing going on where-”\n\n\tTsuru trilled to himself, interrupting her story, then gulped and shook himself free of the shame. It was clear he'd gotten a good look at her, the tease working.\n\n\tShe continued. “-where our magic is stronger when we're together but weaker when we're apart. It's pretty cool, and I felt something to. Problem was, we were kinda busy at the moment and couldn't stop. Them fuckin pirates stole one of Ceylon's gems and we needed to get it back. So that was the focus and she told me when the chase had concluded I needed to take a runner and find that island!” She shifted her weight again, shamelessly raising both knees while leaning on her raised thighs, very explicitly getting into a position that flipped her skirt up around her waist, ensuring nothing obstructed his gaze. She wanted him to see. What she had to offer, if that's what it took.\n\n\tHe paused for a moment after she stopped speaking, needing a moment to process the information before nodding excitedly. “Yes, yes. And?”\n\n\t“And what?” Kentanni countered. “I was told to find the island, figure out what we sensed and why it was so strong. We've got to get a map of the region so we can re-map where we were, check the landmark, and return to that island. If we just tried to search in the general vicinity we could get lost in the web of channels. If we had a map it'd be easy to at least mark off where we'd been and what's next.”\n\n\t“Oh.” Was all Tsuru could say. His breathing was heavy and deep, accented by the occasional beak chatter and gulp. “But I'm not sure if I can help you. All my maps and charts – the good ones, anyway – have guides to find buried or hidden treasure.”\n\n\t“So?” Kentanni shrugged. “We're not seeking treasure but we are treasure hunters. We'd happily cash in and bring back any maps we found. We know how it works, even if we don't usually do it.”\n\n\tTsuru's expression subtly shifted and he glanced away upon hearing this. Clearly that had triggered something but he said nothing.\n\n\tSensing his shift in tone away from being focused on the show she was giving, she realized this was the best time to capitalize. She leaned back a bit and elbowed the satchel at her side, purposely undoing the latch and having her coins spill out over the desk. Most of them ended up in a pile but a few rolled off the edge and onto the floor. She huffed to herself and rolled into a position on all fours, rump aimed directly at him with tail up, exposing her fully to him. “Ugh, depths take me, I need a new coin purse. I really need to get one that doesn't open so easily.” She started collecting the coins and stashing them back in her satchel, ensuring no single second went by where he couldn't see her pussy.\n\n\tShe even leaned over the side, chest down to the edge of the desk while her rump end remained raised high, tail curled over her lower back between her wings. “And I dropped some coins, too.” She then glanced over her shoulder to see that his beak had gaped open, pink tongue exposed. As soon as he saw that she saw him, he clamped back up and gulped. \n\n\tKentanni knew she had him. “Oh? You like what you see?” She teased, waving her rump end at him while clenching her pelvic muscles to roll her clit, winking it in a way that peeled her lips back and gave him a direct view of her own cherry-pink insides for a split second. She did this a few times while gathering more of her coins. “I'm sure we could work out some sort of deal. I have coin and other things to trade, if that's what it takes.”\n\n\tTsuru just gulped and looked away. “Th-that won't be necessary.” He said in between deep breaths, clearly uncomfortable. \n\n\t“Not necessary, no, but fun!” She scooped up the last of the coins that were on the desk top, glanced over the side and ignored the few that had rolled somewhere on the floor, then turned back to Tsuru, relaxed with her elbow on one knee and other leg splayed to the side. She wasn't even remotely shy about peeling up her skirt to continue to tease him. “I mean, I can't prove who I am but I can earn one of your maps, can't I?”\n\n\tHe was doing all he could to not stare directly at her exposed nethers but it was hard. She'd gone from subtly aroused to clearly needy, the slate-gray of her lips darkening with moisture as her natural fluids seeped out, forced by her pelvic contractions. “M-miss, I don't-”\n\n\tShe rolled over so that she was on all fours again, crawling across the desk towards him. “Don't what? Want to have some fun today?”\n\n\tTsuru shook his head. “Don't think it's a good idea. I would hate to hurt you.”\n\n\tKentanni glanced up and down at him, then regarded herself. She hadn't really thought much about it but now that he brought it up it was clear there may have been some mild logistical isues with her proposition. She was less than a meter tall. Tiny. He was the size of, well, a gryphon. Smaller than a horse, bigger than a wolf. “I have a potion for that.”\n\n\t“You do?” He was struggling to inquire, still barely able to look at her. “I'm not sure about it.”\n\n\tShe huffed and grinned, popping up to stand with her hands at her waist. “Don't you worry about me! I am, uh, durable! And like I said, I have a potion for it.” She rummaged in her other satchel, not the one with coins but the one with a handful of vials of multicolored potions. The one with the deep red was the one she wanted, so she plucked it out and popped the cork with her thumb talon, leaving the talon penetrating it as she gulped it back. Once she was done, the slimy concoction sliding down her throat, she wiped her beak with a forearm and forced the cork back inside the vial's opening.\n\n\t“What if-”\n\n\t“What if what? Hun, sweetheart, it's fine. Skies above, I can tell you need it. Come on, take me to your back room and we can work out a deal.” She vaulted herself over the edge of the desk on his side, patting him on the haunches before landing. She realized that even with the potion it may have been a bit of work for her; his scaled chest was raised taller than the tips of her ears, there was a huge discrepancy between them in terms of size.\n\n\tHe glanced cautiously to the door, then to the entryway that led to his private quarters, then back to the door. “I suppose we could if we're quick. I don't want to miss any trades.”\n\n\tShe grinned up at him and chirped audibly not only to loosen him up a bit but also to make sure he knew exactly where she was. She still didn't need to be stomped upon. “Okay, we can stay out here if you want, just remain seated and I'll see what I can do. If anyone comes in, just shuffle close so that they can't see me! The orange light here is pretty dim, I don't imagine it'll be a problem.”\n\n\tTsuru just gulped. “O-okay. If you insist. What do you need me to do? I worry if I take control I might be too rough.”\n\n\tKentanni thought it was cute how receptive he was being. It felt, to her, like he just needed a firm hand to guide him and he would melt for her. Part of her worried this could be used to take advantage, but to be fair that's what she was doing. The difference between her and most others was that she just wanted to earn his trust, to have an opportunity to show him she cold contribute to his wares by bringing back any maps and some of her loot when she returned.\n\n\t“You just relax, hun. You're probably right, let me do my thing to find my pace before you get too active. I'll find my comfort zone and invite you in, okay?” She didn't want for a response, she just slipped underneath him, nestled in between his folded back legs and straight front legs, staring directly at his swollen slit. It was very dark behind the desk so she could barely see anything but could make out a subtle glisten reflecting the orange glow of the gemights.\n\n\tSniffing the air, she took in a deep breath to sample his scents before leaning in and kneading up and down either side of his slit, both thumbs teasing his flesh and sliding up and down with the help of his natural lubricant. His musk was distinct, sweet like a gryphon but also intense like a dragon, which made sense. He was a cockatrice, he had elements of both.\n\n\tKnowing she wouldn't be going off sight but instead feel, she leaned in close and nuzzled his belly between his chest and slit, using her beak to prod and poke him, tickling him where he'd be pushed to tense and force himself out. She was interested in having some fun but still wanted to be quick so she wasted no time spreading his slit lips, exposing the drake's tapered cock tip.\n\n\tThough it was dark, she could tell that it was the same bright pink of his tongue. Slightly rounded but pointed at the very end. She gaped her beak to take in its aura and it blasted her with a wave of intense musk that she could taste on the air. It was clear he hadn't been with a female for a while and had done nothing to alleviate his needs on his own. Made it easier for her.\n\n\tShe turned and jumped up to the desk, hoisting herself up so her beak was resting on the ledge and she could look at the door. When she was sure nobody was anywhere nearby, she landed in a crouch and scoot-crawled over to him once more, kneading either side of his slit. She craned her neck to look up at him, catching his gaze from the corner of his eye. “Hey, just be chill, I'll take care of ya.”\n\n\tHe just nodded and reared up so his front talons were on the desk. This exposed his loins fully.\n\n\tKentanni wasted no time, she needed those charts. She turned around and hiked up her tail, flipping the fabric of her short skirt to bunch up on the small of her back. Once her flesh and fur was fully exposed, she leaned back into him and pressed her rump cheeks up to his slit, arching her back and grinding against him to find the right angle. His bulbous, tapered tip probed her slit and threatened to force itself into her when she stopped and pulled away, teasing a bit.\n\n\tThe warmth of his fluids smeared between her legs and soaking her lips while mixed with her own made her feel messy. Like she's already been blasted and filled. As sexy as that seemed, and as fun as that would be, the last thing she needed was for him to miss her and wreck one of the maps. She needed to catch it all and keep it if she was going to earn that map.\n\n\tStill, she wasn't actually sure how it would work given the difference in size. A cockatrice or gryphon of Tsuru's stature would have been filling for a normal-sized person, he'd be colossal for Kentanni. Fortunately she was a trained size queen and had some potion in her. It would still be a challenge but she was eager to try nonetheless. She'd be fine!\n\n\tAll she needed to do was get a bit of a gauge to see what she was working with. In order to do that, she pressed a hand against his slit on the posterior end, beneath his emerging shaft. She slipped her fingers in between the scales on his belly and the throbbing rod that was slowly pulsing out with each beat of his heart. That wasn't a metaphor, either; she could literally feel his pulse clenching around her digits as she eased her hand into his slit.\n\n\tDeeper and deeper she went, wiggling her fingers to burrow and slither her way as deep into his slit as he could go. She paused every few seconds to make sure she wasn't making him uncomfortable, glancing up quickly to see if she detected and wincing or reactions. To her delight he was not only comfortable but seemed to be in bliss, beak agape and tongue lolling out. Yeah, he was fine, so she continued by digging in deeper until she felt the subtle bulge of his knot making the slit even tighter.\n\n\tShe was in up to her elbow which said his cock was a long as her forearm not including the knot. That was going to be a bit of a task but not out of the question. She'd taken bigger, she just usually had more time to work up to it and prepare. All she'd done was down a vial of potion, one that might take longer than she had to take effect.\n\n\tOnce she knew what she was working with, she patted him on the hips with her dry hand and called up to him in a shouted whisper, “Hey, try to be discrete!” She said, tone soft but loud enough for him to hear.\n\n\tHe casually glanced down then stared back forward over the desk, not sure how to respond. It was cute how shy he seemed, how obedient he was being if it meant he was gonna get some release.\n\n\t“Good boy!” She praised him, not even sure if he would be comfortable with that; some people loved affirmation, others found it demeaning. Luckily for her, Tsuru seemed neutral on the praise so she turned back around, grabbed the base of her tail to ensure it was out of the way, and reached for his tip with her slimy hand. She was able to grip his shaft and pull it out fully with the audible squelches of a wet slop, his fluids oozing out of him and onto the wood of the floor. She tried to push back so that it soaked her thighs instead of being wasted but it mostly missed her and made a puddle that seeped through the floor boards and onto the weave of branches beneath the hut.\n\n\tA shame, but there was plenty more coming from him so she pressed her cheeks to his belly near his slit, wagging her hips until once again she felt his bulbous tip slip inside her. She gasped gently and silently, throwing her head back without expressing a chirp or trill. She gulped and curled her toes on the ground for grip before leaning back, hand still sliding down his shaft in order to help guide him.\n\n\tIt was simple but wonderful. His flesh was throbbing and swelling to full girth with an eagerness that told her he needed this more than she did. She was happy to indulge. Not only was she disappointed that Wrasir wasn't with her but it had been a while since she was with a quadruped. \n\n\tDeeper and deeper she took him, adjusting herself every time either of them shifted to ensure she had the best angle. His flesh pressed out against hers, the pressure of his member grinding against the underside of her clit as his length passed through her, impaling her. The more of him she enveloped, the more she wanted; she couldn't help but practically sit on his member, squatting down with all her weight until she felt his knot pressing against her rump cheeks.\n\n\tThat gave her pause. His shaft was thick and bulbous but definitely manageable. That knot was three times as thick already and still growing, and the bulge to shaft ratio was intense, which meant it wasn't tapered in a way that would make it easy to take. She didn't let this dissuade her, she reached back to try and grab onto something for extra leverage only to be reminded that his hind legs were fully scaled and there was no fur or plumage to grip. She considered grabbing the feathers on his upper forelegs but they were up on the desk and he was too big for her to reach either way. This lapse of judgment and poor calculation led her to slip and lose her balance, falling down onto her knees with his cock still inside her, tugging upwards against her posterior wall, nearly making her flop over.\n\n\tShe was about to get back up to her feet and try again, maybe slamming down until it popped in when she felt a large talon on the middle of her back, right between her wing shoulders. Tsuru pinned her down and held her in place with enough weight to ensure she wasn't going to slip out from under him. She could have – should have – been terrifying for her but it just turned her on more. Maybe it was the potion relaxing her or maybe it was her arousal that welcomed more of him but the moment that talon came down on her, she felt her depths open up and practically suck him up.\n\n\tWith only a few grinding thrusts, Tsuru was able to force his knot into her, its girth popping between her cheeks and lips to swell inside her. His tip breached her womb as her cervix dilated just enough to let him in; not uncommon for her but still a shock for him since it meant the tightness of her cervix came to clench around the base of his cock tip like a ring. \n\n\tKentanni trilled with what little breath she could muster, the pressure of his body squeezing her enough to make inhaling a challenge. Her wings fluttered, struggling under his weight as she did all she could to help him out by angling her hips. To her delight, his girth was filling and cumbersome but comfortable in equal measure, the swelling knot pressing against her walls to lock in place while his shaft twitched deep within her. A bulge could be felt desperately trying to form in her belly and would have if not for the talon on her back pressing her down. That just amplified the pressure of his flesh grinding against hers.\n\n\tShe couldn't help but wink her clit and rhythmically pulse her pelvic muscles in waves starting at her lips and going deeper, not only in borderline orgasmic delight but also to clench and ensure that once he finished not a single drop would escape her. She wanted a keepsake of the moment, in one way or another. The resulting egg would be quite the bit of memorabilia, other than the map of course.\n\n\tUnder the weight of his talon, she tugged and pulled on his knot, knowing that it would help to trigger his climax. A good, tight grip around the base accompanied by a tug was exactly what gryphon partners did to milk their drakes, which was exactly what Kentanni was doing. She tugged and clenched with all her might, talons digging into the wood of the floor to gain leverage despite his talon still pinning her down.\n\n\tHis member throbbed and pulsated inside her, his subtle heartbeat coursing through her alongside the more overt orgasmic expansions. Not only were his muscles clenching to pump fluid into her, the rapid pace of his pulse tickled her taut walls and teased her every sensitive spot.\n\n\tOnce his knot was fully engorged, ensuring they would remain locked together until it shrunk back down, there wasn't very much to do other than wait. She tugged, she twisted, and she gyrated his hips so that his shaft stirred her depths, anchored by the tied knot near her lips. She winked to tease him while he tugged and held her down, both eager to amplify the pleasure that coursed from the base of his length, milking him in the process. She tried to reach down between her legs, eager to rub her clit at the same time but quickly found it wasn't really a viable option with him pinning her to the wood.\n\n\tThe best she could do was playfully flop her tail from side to side, tickling his wrist. She did manage to keep trilling and cooing at him, her vocalizations a melodic 'killy killy' as he squeezed the air from her. Though the weight of him was intense, the relative lack of oxygen she got under him seemed to amplify her bliss, the pressure of his knot and the grinding of his flesh on hers putting her in a semi-delirious state of orgasmic trance. All that existed was the pleasure; she didn't even care or notice that he was still standing on her with a significant amount of his weight.\n\n\tThis proceeded for mere minutes but felt like a full night's black-out to her as her lucidity faded in and out of consciousness. Each new come-to she noticed her belly was notably more swollen and bloated, the pressure of his flesh grinding in specific ways replaced with the pressure of fluid giving a uniform pressure in every part of her.\n\n\tHer womb was being inflated with his seed, the fluid trapped not only by her cervix clamped tight around his cock head but a second lock sealed by the tie of his knot. As hoped, none of it was escaping her. In time the swelling stopped and he tentatively released the pressure of his talon on her back, letting her take in a sudden grasp of a breath that filled her lungs and made her feel mildly uncomfortable. There as little room in her chest for air when her loins were swollen with cockatrice seed. Not that she cared too much, that sort of bloat was pleasant. Better than the alternative.\n\n\t“Oh I am so sorry!” Tsuru apologized profusely, gingerly patting her down and trying to help re-fold her wings into proper position. It was clear the post-orgasm bliss had worn off and he'd regained control. “I got carried away, I-”\n\n\tShe forced herself up onto hands and knees with his knot still tugging on her pussy, her tail draped between them where his member met his slit. “It's okay!” She assured him, patting his nearby wrist. “I wouldn't have gotten into it if I couldn't handle it.”\n\n\tHe covered his beak with his other front talon, blushing profusely, unwilling to make eye contact. “I know, but we're stuck here for a bit! And what if I get some clients?” He was breathing heavily, panicked, a deep rumbling emerging from his chest as he kneaded her rump in an attempt to push her off his knot. Unfortunately, every tug just made his knot swell a bit more, extending the tie.\n\n\t“Calm down, Tsuru!” She hushed him from below. “Tell you what, you focus on getting that map, and one you find it your distraction will help to deflate your knot and untie us.”\n\n\tTsuru nodded and took in a few deep breaths. He got to all fours, which seemed reasonable on the surface but just ended up tugging Kentanni and dangling her pussy first from between his hind legs. She swayed underneath him as he hurriedly rushed through his archives to find a map that fit her description from before. Southeast of the Saurian Scar. Which would have been a perfect diversion tactic if not for the fact that her entire weight dangling by a tied knot just kept milking him, even after he was exhausted.\n\n\tShe swung underneath him and twisted around so that she was facing forward, swaying until she slammed against his chest, grabbing onto his feathers there while wrapping her legs around his thighs, doing all she could to get a proper grip without tugging on his member. She ended up belly-riding him, clutching his plumage with her head buried between his front legs while he desperately took out maps and viewed them before returning them to the shelf.\n\n\tHe was eager to find what she was looking for and it took a few minutes of scouring the region to find a map he felt was good enough. As she promised, the distraction helped his knot deflate and pop out of her with minimal fanfare or mess, the bulges lurching out followed by a gooey squelch as the rest of his shaft followed. She was clenching hard from the moment she felt the knot pop out to ensure not a single drop followed.\n\n\tDisappointingly, she failed this task. A few drips shot out of her but with a wink and a clench she was able to stem the tide of the rest of it from erupting form between her lips. This left her with an egg-sized bulge in her belly as she fell to the ground, twisting in the air like a feline to mostly land on all fours beneath him.\n\n\tWhen she turned around to look up she noticed that his slit had already tugged his knot back into himself and the shaft was being slurped up a bit at a time. \n\n\tShe stood tall and brushed herself off, the motions clinking coins in the satchel that remained around her waist. She had never disrobed, just hiked up her dress to give access. But the moment she was back on her feet, she casually hopped back up onto the desk like nothing happened, watching intently as Tsuru darted from one map to the next.\n\n\tHe was panicked again, like he had to apologize for something and was making up for it. \n\n\t“Hey, you can slow down a bit, mate, I'm not in a hurry.” Kentanni insisted, one hand out to get his attention while the other was on her swollen belly. “Let me at least look at what you have before you throw it back.”\n\n\t“S-sorry, I just...I don't know how to behave after...that.” He blushed again, lowering his gaze. \n\n\t“I take it you've never been bribed with sex before?” Kentanni suggested, trying her best to keep a tone of curiosity that lacked judgment. “It's okay, you don't need to panic. No need to overreact. Just take your time, and I'm still going to pay you.”\n\n\tWith a moment of hesitation and a deep breath, Tsuru calmed himself as best he could. “Okay. Okay. Sorry. Anyway, there are a few you can look at, but it's hard to know exactly what you're looking for. Different maps lead to different things and your request isn't one I normally get.” \n\n\t“I understand that. But I'm also not in a rush and you don't owe me a debt or anything. Slow down, let's figure this out together.” She patted her belly, delighting at the sloshing inside. “Show me one map of the region and we'll refine our search from there.”\n\n\tHe nodded. “Okay. One moment. Let's see here.” He went back to a map he'd already looked at and put back. He laid it on the desk and unrolled it, showing a more general map of the larger islands of the region. It showed the saurian scar in the middle with a bunch of smaller islands but nowhere near the number of what was actually there. The area that size would have had a thousand islands, most only a kilometer wide or less. \n\n\t“Sorry, I'm not sure that one is what we're looking for. It's the right general area but we're looking for something more detailed and specific.” She pointed to the bottom right corner of the map. “We were near that island – I can tell from the peninsula to the north there – but it was a bit to the west from there. It was a smaller island, not on this map from what I can tell.”\n\n\tTsuru nodded in understanding and rolled it back up. He perused a few different maps from the square slots on the outer wall before picking up another one that he unfurled on the desk next to her. This one was definitely more detailed in some ways but focused on some of the wrong elements. It displayed more of the islands but most of the work was smudged over and drawn on by sketches of potential treasure burial sites. Closer but not there. \n\n\tThey ended up going through a dozen maps, one after another, before they found one that caught Kentanni's eye. It was a very specific region of a dozen islands drawn in the greatest detail starting at that northern peninsula she pointed out in the first map. She was worried it didn't show enough of the area to give her a proper trail to where she wanted to be but when coupled with that first map it paired well. The first showed the large islands, and this second map showed all the smaller ones in between the two big ones she best remembered. Dozens of them, seemingly erratically spaced. \n\n\tThe large map would get them to the right area and the small map would allow them to cross off islands one by one as they explored until they found the source of the magical surge. As long as she and Wrasir were there together, their resonance would pick up on the magic and it'd help guide them.\n\n\t“Can I take both of these?” She asked, motioning towards the first and last maps.\n\n\tHe narrowed his eyes. “I thought you weren't seeking treasure.”\n\n\t“We're not, but the first one gives a general view of what we need and the smaller one will help us check off the details. How up to date are they? How accurate?”\n\n\tTsuru rolled up the final map and wrapped it with a ribbon. “That one is as detailed as they come, but the other one is very basic.”\n\n\t“Perfect, that's exactly what I need. So, how light are you gonna make my coin pouch?”\n\n\tThere was an uncomfortable that permeated the room between them as Tsuru thought. “One gold coin per.”\n\n\tShe winced. “Ouch.” She gulped. “But then again, if you usually sell these to treasure hunters, each one could theoretically lead to a thousand times that much. I bet a gold coin is a bargain.”\n\n\t“It is, but not by much. Usually it's one gold coin and five silver tabs.” He returned to behind the desk and lined up both rolled up maps next to each other. “Fair deal?”\n\n\tKentanni reached into her satchel and dug out three gold. Being associated with Ceylon ensured that she could tip whenever she felt it was worth it. “Here, take a bit extra for the trust and I'll be sure to bring back any maps we find while out there I don't need to seek booty, I usually give it.” She winked at him, swishing her tail while also doing her best to keep from having seed lurch out of her.\n\n\t“Deal.” He took the coins and slid them into a lock box under the counter. “I take it that concludes our business, miss...skies above I don't know if I caught your name.”\n\n\tShe reached out to shake his front talon. “Kentanni Miflyron! Pleasure to meet you Tsuru! Here's hoping we meet again!” \n\n\tHe took her hand and shook it once, cawing in delight. “Yes!”\n\n\tWith one final salute, she grabbed both of the maps – both comical in size compared to her, nearly as tall as she was while rolled up – and skipped her way out of the hut and back into the upper level of Port Moonsliver's village region, above the weave of branches that formed the impenetrable canopy. She headed back to the ship, eager to share her spoils, both cartographic and biological. \n\n\tLike before she skipped and flutter-hopped her way across the many bridges and boardwalks that connected the buildings constructed around the trunk of every tree, sure to make herself known in a forest of legs around her. She was jaunty but it was notably more challenging than before; being inflated with cockatrice seed would make anyone step a bit heavier than usual.\n\t", "description_bbcode_parsed": "Art - :iconNibRoc:
Writing/Kentanni - :IconRuna216:
Tsuru - :iconblutfeuerdrache:

This is another one of those stories that I started writing as a simple one-off but ended up having so much fun with the lore and world building that it blossomed out into what I figure will be likely 3 chapters/parts.

I just love the pirate setting!

Anyway, In this story, Kentanni is captaining her ship, the Spirit Runner - which is an offshoot of The Spirit of Dalonia - to a remote location in the Ijimulian that is displaying strange magical readings that need to be investigated. In this chapter, she has to get a map of the region to make navigating the mazelike archipelago a bit easier.

And of course, since this is a furry story, it involves using her bodily assets to get what she needs.

=====--=--=====

Radiant Scouting

\tKentanni stood tall at the helm of The Spirit Runner as moist wind blew past her and soaked her feathers, the chirps of gulls accenting the slosh of the sea water against the hull. Behind her on the stern banister sat Wrasir with his talons wrapped around the vine-like spindles for support while on the deck ahead of her were two of her best friends, Cynabelle and Fidget. The four of them were on a mission from Captains Ceylon and Leera to investigate a power surge deep within the million isles of the Ijimulian Archipelago.

\tWeeks prior while on a chase, the Spirit of Dalonia passed near an island where an exceptionally large spike in magical energy could be felt by all on board. The spike was so intense and surprising it concerned the pair of captains and the ship itself despite them all being strongly attuned to the magical currents in the region. Though they were unable to focus on it at the time due to them being distracted by pursuit, Ceylon was sure to make a note of it and bring it up once the chase had concluded and all parties were safe and healed.

\tNormally Ceylon would have simply made her way back to the source of the magical energy spike but an underwater quake to the north drew her attention to the Vast Expanse of the Depths, where the ocean had no floor. Both events were important so The Spirit of Dalonia needed to sprout a runner for a satellite crew to sail back to the Ijimuluan archipelago and get more information.

\tThe Spirit of Dalonia was a living ship. Once known as Shiazo, they were a floral golem that retained sentience after a bloodvine infestation turned their body to plant matter and would have normally zombified them if not for a delicate balance of alchemical and phytomantic magic that extracted and re-infused their spirit-wisp into their body. Later, after a cannon blew them to pieces during a naval battle, they fused with the wood of the damaged vessel to become the ship itself, mending it fully in the process and granting it the ability to control and heal itself.

\tBecause of all this, the Spirit of Dalonia was able to control itself on the open waters, manually operating its own rudders to swim without needing to be piloted, able to raise and lower the sails without the crew doing the heavy work, able to sprout vines and transform willingly. A completely autonomous ship that didn't even need to hoist a sail if it didn't want to. Every bit of wood of the ship was fused as one, like a tree grown into a single shape with leaves and mosses sprouting up off most surfaces. The deck was blanketed in flowers and grass, the rigging made of vines, and the sail a densely connected sheet of broad, green and purple leaves to catch the wind.

\tLuckily, Shiazo's personality remained despite being fused with the newly renamed vessel. This meant that the ship itself was alive, able to converse and act of its own volition, its body malleable and able to transform or shift as needed. Most of the time, Shiazo communicated via an avatar that was a pet-sized; a creature made of wood and leaves and grass and moss that explored the ship like a cat, but that was just an extension of the ship. A runner in and of itself. Other times they'd melt together and a face would appear in the banister or wall to speak with the crew.

\tThis was quite unnerving to those not familiar with the ship but convenient for the crew, who barely needed to work and had a reliable companion while sailing the million isles of the Ijimulian.

\tKentanni and her satellite crew were on the Spirit Runner, a much smaller ship that had been formed of the Spirit of Dalonia's materials in much the same way a plant would extend a vine to create a duplicate of itself after anchoring new roots. This runner was granted a fragment of Shiazo's spirit-wisp to control it, effectively duplicating Shiazo in the process. Initially there were concerns over this fragmenting Shiazo's mind but after a handful of experiments it was clear that it wasn't an issue.

\tThe lost material could be regrown or absorbed from other plant matter and any memories formed by the runner would be added to the main ship upon returned assimilation. This did cause some confusion for a day or two but once the memories were sorted all was well.

\tWhile the main ship was the size of a frigate, the Runner was fraction the size of a schooner, fit for a crew of a half-dozen at most. It was so small because Kentanni and her crew were all tiny compared to most. She and her mate Wrasir, both meter tall pygmy hippogryphs, were a fraction the size of most bipeds. Fidget the bunny-doe hybrid was a head taller but still smaller than many, and Cynabelle the snekken was the same height as Kentanni but much thinner given her serpentine form.

\tNone of the crew were large so the Spirit Runner itself seemed luxurious to them. Roomy with plenty of room for activities. Plus they didn't have to do any work while sailing because Shiazo's essence was managing the operation of the ship; there was no way the four of them would have been big enough to pilot it, which made their excursion feel more like a vacation than a scouting mission.

\tThough they had a task at hand and an order of operations to follow, they were mostly relaxing and singing shanties together as the Spirit Runner crashed into waves and blew sea mist up around them, soaking the ship and the crew alike. Every drop of water was absorbed into the ship's leaves, grasses, vines, and mosses to fuel Shiazo alongside the bright midday sun that bathed them in light.

\tThe first leg of their journey was to take them to a mapper on the eastern shores of Koluma, one of the ones recommended by Ceylon who was selling maps of the famously impossible to map Ijimulian archipelago. When the region gained a nickname of 'the million isles', it was impossible to know the exact number. All Kentanni – or any other treasure hunters that sailed here – knew was that the entire ocean was dotted by a seemingly limitless number of islands that some claimed appeared and disappeared randomly. That was probably just myth borne of superstition but it wasn't impossible.

\tIt was nearly impossible to map the region due to how complex and consequently confusing it was, aside from a handful of larger islands that served as waypoints or landmarks.

\tThe mapper that they were headed to see was named Tsuru, a gryphon-dragon hybrid cockatrice that had gained a reputation among the NLF for having some of the only reliable, up-to-date and accurate maps. How he did this was unclear but that sort of reputation travels and if the captain was saying he was reliable then he was reliable. Simple as that.

\t“Ayho, Zedoh, The seas are my home!” Kentanni chanted loudly alongside the other three on deck. Wrasir had a slightly deeper tone singing the same words while Fidget's tone was softer in tone but louder. Cynabelle's voice was a little harsh on the ears but it blended with the other three easily. They were all having a wonderful time, drumming on the wood, tapping their toe talons, and full-throated chanting to the tumultuous seas.

\tThe Koluman shoreline crested the horizon dead ahead, convincing them all to quiet down and get serious. Though their time as treasure hunters across the Ijimulian was supposed to be fun, it was important to know when to be serious. The seas were still potentially dangerous and there had been reports of pirates from the far shores invading the region, refusing to abide by a code of honour. Violent, murderous crews that were attacking merchant and treasure hunting ships alike to steal the resources and spoils of the million isles.

\tWhen Kentanni and the others set sail to the Ijimulian, the goal was to search for treasure, to seek adventure, and to enjoy life in the process. A few years prior rumours started circulating about chests of coin and gemstones being found around the islands, usually buried in sand or carved into makeshift caves in rock. Inside most of these chests were maps to other chests, which created a cycle of treasure hunting among those who were able to find them.

\tGreed be damned, most who sailed the Ijimulian were in it for the sense of adventure, not to get rich. They'd use the coin to manage their ships, use the gemstones to sell and trade for weapons and other luxuries, and not take more than was needed. A code of honour that worked. So, when people felt comfortable or confident enough in their take, they'd sell the maps to others to do the same.

\tThis created a cycle of honour and respect among the group which came to call itself the NLF. Nautical Liberation Front. It was a fleet of dozens of ships daring enough to dive into the most remote islands of the Ijimulian in search of booty. Their goal was simple, to live their lives at sea, away from the restriction of those ashore. That's all they wanted. Freedom. As long as they respected one another and upheld a code of honour they could hunt for treasure in peace.

\tTreasure was found, maps were unearthed and shared, and everyone involved won. It wasn't a competition, it was mutually beneficial.

\tIt worked for years, but things changed. Once word leaked beyond the shores of the Ijimulian, others arrived. They were known among the NLF as Farshores. Pirates. Heinous beasts with greed in their hearts and violence in their souls. They burned ships for their loot, raped and murdered anyone that got in their way. They would raze villages nearby if rejected. All the cruelty, none of the honour.

\tFortunately, encounters with these farshores were rare. Unfortunately their presence also attracted the attention of the royal navies of the surrounding nations. Saff'Rald, Viokenic, Waverthe, Kaidu, and even Koluma had formed an alliance to try to police the archipelago.

\tThe Spirit Runner needed to be careful when pulling into port on the Koluman shores. If they were suspected of being farshore pirates, they'd be blown out of the water before they could get close.

\tKnowing this, Shiazo grew a leaf atop the mast, one the size of a bed-sheet that flapped in the wind like a proper flag. It was mostly green with the NLF logo in a purple colour to let the people ashore know they were safe. This tactic worked for now; it was only a matter of time before the farshores figured it out and emulated it.

\tNo shots were fired so the ship propelled its way to dock along the boardwalk village nestled between the beaches and treeline of the tropical jungle. Pretty typical settlement in the area.

\tKentanni gave the wheel a bit of a pat of assurance as they got near one of the shorter docks where there was a spot for them. Shiazo summoned vines from the hull to lash out and wrap around the bollard, mooring them in place. A single log extended out the side, creating a ramp to the dock. “Good, good.” she said to the ship.

\t“Yay! Shore time!” Fidget cheered as she hopped over the railing to land on the dock. “Let's do this!” She bounded from one hoof to the other, waiting for the rest of the crew to catch up to her.

\tCynabelle was a bit more patient. She hopped up onto the ramp and skipped down it, meeting Fidget right as a single wave burst through the dock to spray them both. One of her tentacles emerged from the underside of her arm to try to protect her from the water assault. “You know it!” She hissed with delight, tail buzzing behind her. She then extended both of her arm tentacles out to reach up, anchoring herself to Fidget's antlers and pulling herself up so she was sitting on the hybrid's shoulders. “Onward to the nearest place of ill repute!”

\tFidget was happy to oblige. She turned to Kentanni to get a nod of approval before darting off.

\tWrasir remained on deck with Kentanni. He looked almost identical to her except slightly thicker of build and just a feathertip taller. They both had the same golden chest feathers, the same silvery-blue highlights along their ears and wings, the same ashen patterns on their upper thighs, and the same onyx black feathering around their ankles. They looked so similar that some thought them to be brother and sister; they even liked to pretend it was true since some of their friends liked to fantasize about it. But no they were just from the same community.

\tThe jewelry in her broad ears made a tinking sound as she flicked in response to a single drop of water hitting her from the rigging above. “Have you got any plans while ashore?” She asked Wrasir, not sure if she'd prefer if he did or didn't.

\t“Not really.” He said, stepping forward to escort her off the ship, hand up to take hers. “I was actually thinking someone should stay behind and it'd best be me. You really don't want to leave a ship like ours unguarded. You go on ahead, I can spend some time with Shiazo.”

\tShe purred and leaned into him, nuzzling his chest and neck with her beak. “That's sweet and all, but I think Shiazo can take care of themselves.”

\tRight as she said it, a small lump of wood and leaves grew from the railing next to Wrasir, the floral matter forming a quadruped the size of a small house cat and its body sprouting moss and grass to look like fur. Its long vine-like tail swished behind and both its gnarled-root antlers swept back and up in spikes. Within mere seconds Shiazo's avatar was formed and fully expressive. “I'll be fine.” It said, shifting its little head back and forth to look sassy. “If anyone boards without permission I'll string them up by their boots!” Nearby, one of the rigging vines hovered over like a snake ready to strike.

\t“Yes of course.” Wrasir agreed with a gape-beaked grin, nodding in solidarity. “But I don't really need to do anything ashore. I like being alone on the ship. People at port are exhausting.”

\t“You wouldn't be alone, you'd be with me.” Shiazo's avatar corrected him, the tiny drake's floral feathers and fur puffing up to make him more easily regarded.

\t“Okay, fair, but you know what I mean.” Wrasir failed to clarify. “I just-”

\tKentanni interrupted. “Yeah we know, drunk people. Sailors be drinking all the spirits.” She winked and grinned, gently clicking her beak. “I'll see you when we get back, dear. I gotta pay the dock-master and get us that map. Don't float away too much. I'd be ever so sad.”

\tWrasir saluted. “Aye, Captain.”

\t“I'm not your captain.” She corrected him.

\t“No but I can still bow to you. Or bend over, if you'd prefer.”

\tShe raised a single finger to counter but couldn't think of anything clever to say in response. “I'll see you when I get back.” She turned to Shiazo's avatar “Do lewd things to him. If he's not bloated when I get back you failed.”

\tShiazo's avatar and Wrasir glanced at each other with a look of acceptance. They narrowed their gaze, then shrugged with a raised eyebrow, half cocking grins and nodding. “Okay!” They both said in unison with more enthusiasm than was necessary.

\tThe images of the living ship invading Wrasir with vines and seeds danced in her mind for only a moment before she offered a salute and skipped down the docks to pay the fee. This left her husband and Shiazo's avatar to do as they would. Around her, gulls keowed atop pillars and posts, shellwings clicked and chattered beneath the docks, and dozens of other sailors and merchants were milling about, carrying cargo and regarding one another with waves and smiles.

\tKentanni was tiny compared to nearly everyone. At under a meter tall she barely came up to the waist of most others. This meant that she needed to be careful with how she behaved. Being so small, she could easily have been missed and stepped on or pushed out of the way without much care, but it also meant that she was far lighter than others and could hop and flap her wings to make herself easier to see and harder to ignore. Skipping and fluttering her wings looked jaunty and perhaps a bit immature but she did it with purpose. The more active she looked, the more likely the larger agens around her were to give her space.

\tIt brought more attention to her but unless people were actively malicous that was a good thing for one so small. The more aware they were of her the less likely they were to accidentally step on her.

\tShe flutter-hopped down the dock past a thickly-built saurossin, seeking out the dock-master. At most port cities there would be a single administrator standing watch at the base of the dock, taking names and coin to register ships. It was one aspect of the kingdoms of the land that made sense to keep among merchants and treasure hunters. A proper record of activity limited the chance of theft.

\tAs expected, she spied a rather tall crocodilian saurossin standing tall where dock met promenade. He wore a single robe that covered his entire body from neck to feet; only his thick tail poked out the back. Kentanni could see a subtle bulge on his hip under the fabric of the robe, which told her he either had a weapon or a satchel filled with coin.

\tHe saw her skipping up the dock so he smiled gently at her and nodded. “Welcome!” He chirped. His voice was much higher in pitch than his girth may have suggested.

\tKentanni waved at him, her wing shaking in a similar manner to mimic the action. “Hi!”

\t“Interesting ship you've got.” He glanced past her to catch another look at The Spirit Runner. “You caught some algae or somethin'? Do you need help cleaning up?” He was referring to the fact that her living ship was far more green and floral than most ships. Sure, some might get some algae if docked too long or might even get mosses on deck if not properly cared for, but Shiazo's hull was coated in vegetation with grass and flowers sprouting off most surfaces.

\t“Oh, no it's supposed to look like that.” She said, pausing to wonder how to explain how her ship was alive without sounding like a bit of ocean madness had overcome her. Her best bet was to be upfront. “The Spirit Runner there is what we call a living ship. Buddy of ours died at sea and haunted the thing. Can you believe it?”

\tHe laughed. “Oh the tales I've heard. Anyway, it's a pretty small vessel so-” He was about to give her the rates when a few vines rose from the rigging to arrange themselves in a pattern that vaguely resembled the crocodilian's face with a tongue hanging out. “-Oh. You weren't kidding.”

\tShe flapped her wings once to bound up so that she was perched on the pedestal, elbow resting next to the ledger and feet gripping either side to keep her up. “Do I look like I'm a kidder?” She feigned bravado, knowing full well that he wouldn't see her as intimidating. She was being facetious.

\t“N-no, I just-”

\t“Calm down, it's fine. Shiazo there's pretty unique, it's no wonder you don't know what's going on. Anyway, how much to dock for the day?”

\tHe blinked and shook the confusion from his expression, taking in a bit of a breath to refocus himself. “Oh, just a single silver. I'd say two if you wanted some dock-hands to clean your ship but it seems it cleans itself?” He wasn't sure of himself so he phrased it like a question at the end.

\t“Something like that. Tell you what, I'll give you two silver coins, but you don't gotta clean. Just go say hi! I promise Shiazo won't eat you.”

\tThe crocodilian just blinked and gulped. He looked intimidating, like he could win a fight with most, but he was not giving off aggressive vibes. “Yes Miss...” He paused to get her name.

\tShe fished into her pouch and grabbed a couple of coins to slap down on the ledger. “Kentanni! And my ship is known as the Spirit Runner.”

\tHe nodded and pushed the coins off the paper to write the information and time of day. “All booked up, miss! This fee only goes 'til sundown, though. So if you wanna stay overnight you'd best-” He was about to explain more but then looked at the second silver coin and rolled it between his scaly fingers. “Nevermind, if it comes to that I'll make sure you're taken care of!” He reached under his robe to deposit the coins and offered a salute.

\tShe saluted back – a sign of respect, not rank – and kicked away from the pedestal to head into the port village, still skipping and flapping her wings to maintain her presence. Ahead of her was a strip of about two dozen stores and merchants lining the beach between the treeline and the shore, all raised on wooden platforms.

\tPretty basic. The only thing that felt different than most ports she'd visited was that the dense foliage behind the strip of shops seemed to be divided into two stories that were naturally occurring, both flawlessly integrated into the settlement. Ashore, the village was a basic strip of vendors propped up by stilts and boardwalks, broken up by pathways that led to the treeline behind them. Beyond that, the woods themselves seemed to form hallways and layered floors. On the ground level, more buildings were constructed around the trunks of trees, connected by more boardwalks and platforms. However, above them was a canopy that was so thick it seemed impenetrable, dividing the forest into two levels.

\tThe village above the canopy had buildings erected around tree trunks in the same way as those on the ground level, only these ones were connected by bridges and platforms above the dense entanglement of branches that formed a floor between them.

\tShe had heard of the Koluman weave before but had never seen it. It was called that because the trees found in the region had their branches woven around each other so tightly that not even light could get through. The only source of illumination beneath the canopy came from occasional breaks in the weave of branches or the ademane glowstone that grew out of the ferns that bloomed between the roots of the trees, each one a different colour.

\tIt was beautiful but a little ominous. The rainbow of glowing ferns on the floor level was intimidating for someone like her, someone small who could be easily snatched if she wasn't careful. She rather not spend her time under the canopy of the Koluman Weave. Not without Wrasir or one of the others with her.

\tFortunately she didn't need to. The mapper she sought was said to be 'high in the trees' in the foothills of a cliff, about three trees away. She didn't know what any of that meant prior to arriving, as the instructions were vague on purpose, but now that she was docked and getting a good look at the port village, she knew exactly what she was looking for and where she'd find him. He would be above the canopy and near the back of the village, which nestled up in a crescent-moon valley surrounded on three sides by a cliff that was slightly taller than the tallest of the trees.

\tSomewhere, about three trees away from that cliff, she'd find Tsuru.

\tShe hopped up the stairs to the second level of the village beyond the shore, deftly avoiding each and every proposition and pitch by the various merchants who were eager to sell her potions and fruits and fried meats. She wanted all of it – she was hungry, being ashore was as good a time as any to treat herself to some fresh cooked food – but she was planning on getting her map, first.

\tKentanni was keen to keep her skipping and hopping pattern as she explored the upper level of the village. She was making sure she didn't get ignored or hit by any passerby. Plus, the bridges underfoot had gaps between the boards, showing the thick weave of branches and vines beneath her and she didn't want to fall into it. Though, as she paused to glance over the edge and get a better look, she saw that not only were the branches tightly woven together, they were so tight that she swore she saw dirt and grasses growing from them. The 'weave' was so complete it actually seemed to create a layer of soil that was its own little ecosystem!

\tLife was beautiful. It made her wonder how rain or anything breached the layer of canopy but she was no biologist. She was a treasure hunter. The real question was about whether or not those glow-stones had any value or if they would produce light if plucked form the flowers. Probably not. If so, they'd have been scoured by now, harvested to extinction.

\tAs she made her way through the village, she came to realize her plan wasn't all that firm yet. She knew she had to get a chart of the region she was searching for but didn't actually know how to get it, how to convince the mapper that she was part of the NLF. She could just pay it but would prefer to not drop a few tabs on the map, no matter how valuable it was. She had to feed her crew and maintain the ship where Shiazo was unable to do it himself. She had responsibilities; it was nice to tip the dock-master or food servers but she couldn't be dumping pouches of coin at every merchant.

\tConcerned or not, she had faith in herself. She was reasonably good at negotiation and had a history of being persuasive. Tiny hippogryph gals had their ways.

\tEventually, after nearly an hour of meandering through the village, desperately trying to decipher what was a business and what was someone's home, she came across an average-sized hut wrapped around a thick tree trunk that had a roof made of reeds that curled up at the edges like parchment weathered by time. There was no title overhead, no sign saying what it was or who was inside, but she glanced up at the cliff that overshadowed most of the village and counted the number of huts between her and it. Three. There was no guarantee this was her destination but it fit the description and she was eager to get that map.

\t=====--=--=====

\tShe slipped in through the door – a pair of draped sheets – and emerged into a simple but enchanting, cozy merchant's store lit by a series of orange gemlights. The room was circular, with the outer walls marked by a grid of small holes, each one nearly perfectly square and filled with a single rolled map or chart. Thousands of them, easily, wrapping around two thirds of the room. Another rack of them was wrapped around the trunk of the tree that served as the core of the building, with a crescent-shaped desk between the inner and outer walls.

\tA moment later, a green and black quadruped emerged from the third of the hut that was hidden behind a wall. A cockatrice with the front of a black corvid and the back of a green saurossin. This must be Tsuru. If it wasn't, she'd be shocked.

\t“Tsuru?” She asked, flutter hopping up so that she could stand on the counter in front of him.

\tHe seemed to look uncomfortable at the sight of her on the desk but didn't say anything. “That is me, yes. And, uh, I don't recognize you. Have we met?”

\t“No, I'm new.” She chirped and saluted, grinning broadly to show she was not a threat. That wasn't something she normally did with merchants and fellow treasure hunters but Tsuru's subtle body language told her he was very cautious. Nervous, even. The way he looked at her but avoided direct eye contact, or the way his breathing increased and his chest was heaving slightly faster from the moment he saw her and could tell she wasn't familiar. She needed to be kind and forthright with him.

\tOf course, if he was as adept at trading maps and charts as Ceylon had claimed, he would have a lot to protect. It made sense he was nervous about some random hen like her showing up unannounced and was now standing on his desk. She'd have just hopped down to be polite but then she'd struggle to look at him, as the desk was taller than she was. It would have been cute go grab the edge of it and hoist herself up so only her beak was resting on the top; she'd have to give him a pouty look, to really drive home how sad it was that she couldn't meet him at his level.

\t“I'm here to seek out a map in the Saurian Scar region.” She explained, standing tall but maintaining a professional smile. “We were sailing through there and nearly got lost, saw something that we'd like to check on once more but that area's a maze of channels and islands. Got anything?”

\tHe raised his ears and eyebrow. “That's quite the area. Are you sure you want to return, what with all the volcanic activity there?” He gulped, his breaths getting ever so slightly more ragged.

\tThis was when Kentanni realized she hadn't explained her credentials. “I'm Kentani!” She extended a hand for him to shake. While she waited for him to take it, she continued. “Radiant Scout for the Spirit of Dalonia, here on official business from captains Ceylon and Leera!”

\tTsuru cocked his head and narrowed his gaze. “Are you, now?” He tentatively took her hand and went to give it a gentle, slow motion only to have her violently shake him far too enthusiastically. He winced a bit and pulled back, clearly uncomfortable but still cordial. “And how do you intend to prove that?” He sat down, doing his best to look professional and stern while also remaining kind.

\tKentanni saw right through that facade. She could tell he was presenting as stern but was actually soft and kind inside. She could see it in his eyes. The problem was that she had no idea how to prove her association with Ceylon. They didn't have code words or phrases, there were no relics she could subtly display or ID she could flash. She was of the NLF, a group dedicated to the idea that people should be free from that sort of oppression. Free to sail the Ijimulian and hunt for long lost treasure of sailors of ancient kingdoms.

\tStill, she didn't have any way to prove she was associated with Ceylon. One of the founders of the NLF. Now that she was presented with a need to identify herself she realized that her entire plan seemed to hinge on name recognition alone. As in, just saying Ceylon's name and ship title would be enough to open doors for her. It was not.

\tSo all she could do was stare blankly as she tried to think of something witty. That seemed to be happening a lot, attempting to be witty only to come up blank. “Uh-”

\t“I see. So you're saying you sailed all the way to Port Moonsliver just hoping that I'd believe you? No letter of recommendation, no messenger from a trusted source?”

\tShe felt silly, of course, but wasn't discouraged. “Well, kinda! Maybe. I don't know. How would I even get a letter of recommendation? Do I have to be part of Ceylon's crew to get charts? Maps? Would it help if I said with all honesty and sincerity that I don't even want treasure maps or anything, I just want a map of the region so I can find the island I'm looking for?”

\t“It might.” He said, tapping a front talon on the desk. He narrowed his gaze. “Who would come to me seeking charts that isn't looking for treasure?”

\t“Me!” She chirped, hopping and spreading all seven limbs, including arms, legs, wings, and tail. “I would do that! I told you, I sail with Ceylon, we're not hurting for booty.”

\tHe huffed. “I am confused. I sell charts and treasure maps.”

\tKentanni huffed right back, then sat cross legged on the desk in front of him. She didn't do it on purpose but the position hoisted her short skirt up so that from his angle he could see her nethers. “I know you do. I guess having a map to some treasure would be nice, too, but that's not what we seek. Would context help? Explain a bit about why we're seeking this island?”

\t“It might, but that still doesn't prove anything to me.” Tsuru gulped. He clearly wasn't used to negotiation, implying he was more used to his customers and clients being familiar with him and his ways. “Feel free to share. If your story is compelling I may help.”

\tShe nodded and chirped as she got to her knees, sitting on her ankles. She didn't realize that he could see her loins before but definitely noticed his subtly disappointed look as she covered up by accident. “Well, we were chasing some of them farshores north past the Saurian Scar. You know, that big island with the volcano. We were about a few dozen islands to the east, I'd say. Far enough that we could still see the smoke over the horizon but still be lost to the maze of passages between the islands.”

\tTsuru cocked his head to the side, his eyes still avoiding eye contact but distant, like he was thinking. “Go on.” He motioned, then leaned back away from the counter, sitting tall and proud.

\t“Well it's kinda hard to explain, really.” She sighed deeply, chattering her beak as she glanced up and off to the side, thinking. It was a bit of a risk but she assumed that she could use her feminine wiles to loosen him up a bit – she picked up on his disappointment when she covered up – so she sat back with one knee up with her elbow resting on it, her other leg flat to the desk top and spread out to the side. Her skirt would still mostly cover her bits but tease him enough to entice. “It was Ceylon who said she sensed something to the southeast. I didn't feel it at first but when Wrasir – my husband – came near I could feel it too. We have this magical resonance thing going on where-”

\tTsuru trilled to himself, interrupting her story, then gulped and shook himself free of the shame. It was clear he'd gotten a good look at her, the tease working.

\tShe continued. “-where our magic is stronger when we're together but weaker when we're apart. It's pretty cool, and I felt something to. Problem was, we were kinda busy at the moment and couldn't stop. Them fuckin pirates stole one of Ceylon's gems and we needed to get it back. So that was the focus and she told me when the chase had concluded I needed to take a runner and find that island!” She shifted her weight again, shamelessly raising both knees while leaning on her raised thighs, very explicitly getting into a position that flipped her skirt up around her waist, ensuring nothing obstructed his gaze. She wanted him to see. What she had to offer, if that's what it took.

\tHe paused for a moment after she stopped speaking, needing a moment to process the information before nodding excitedly. “Yes, yes. And?”

\t“And what?” Kentanni countered. “I was told to find the island, figure out what we sensed and why it was so strong. We've got to get a map of the region so we can re-map where we were, check the landmark, and return to that island. If we just tried to search in the general vicinity we could get lost in the web of channels. If we had a map it'd be easy to at least mark off where we'd been and what's next.”

\t“Oh.” Was all Tsuru could say. His breathing was heavy and deep, accented by the occasional beak chatter and gulp. “But I'm not sure if I can help you. All my maps and charts – the good ones, anyway – have guides to find buried or hidden treasure.”

\t“So?” Kentanni shrugged. “We're not seeking treasure but we are treasure hunters. We'd happily cash in and bring back any maps we found. We know how it works, even if we don't usually do it.”

\tTsuru's expression subtly shifted and he glanced away upon hearing this. Clearly that had triggered something but he said nothing.

\tSensing his shift in tone away from being focused on the show she was giving, she realized this was the best time to capitalize. She leaned back a bit and elbowed the satchel at her side, purposely undoing the latch and having her coins spill out over the desk. Most of them ended up in a pile but a few rolled off the edge and onto the floor. She huffed to herself and rolled into a position on all fours, rump aimed directly at him with tail up, exposing her fully to him. “Ugh, depths take me, I need a new coin purse. I really need to get one that doesn't open so easily.” She started collecting the coins and stashing them back in her satchel, ensuring no single second went by where he couldn't see her pussy.

\tShe even leaned over the side, chest down to the edge of the desk while her rump end remained raised high, tail curled over her lower back between her wings. “And I dropped some coins, too.” She then glanced over her shoulder to see that his beak had gaped open, pink tongue exposed. As soon as he saw that she saw him, he clamped back up and gulped.

\tKentanni knew she had him. “Oh? You like what you see?” She teased, waving her rump end at him while clenching her pelvic muscles to roll her clit, winking it in a way that peeled her lips back and gave him a direct view of her own cherry-pink insides for a split second. She did this a few times while gathering more of her coins. “I'm sure we could work out some sort of deal. I have coin and other things to trade, if that's what it takes.”

\tTsuru just gulped and looked away. “Th-that won't be necessary.” He said in between deep breaths, clearly uncomfortable.

\t“Not necessary, no, but fun!” She scooped up the last of the coins that were on the desk top, glanced over the side and ignored the few that had rolled somewhere on the floor, then turned back to Tsuru, relaxed with her elbow on one knee and other leg splayed to the side. She wasn't even remotely shy about peeling up her skirt to continue to tease him. “I mean, I can't prove who I am but I can earn one of your maps, can't I?”

\tHe was doing all he could to not stare directly at her exposed nethers but it was hard. She'd gone from subtly aroused to clearly needy, the slate-gray of her lips darkening with moisture as her natural fluids seeped out, forced by her pelvic contractions. “M-miss, I don't-”

\tShe rolled over so that she was on all fours again, crawling across the desk towards him. “Don't what? Want to have some fun today?”

\tTsuru shook his head. “Don't think it's a good idea. I would hate to hurt you.”

\tKentanni glanced up and down at him, then regarded herself. She hadn't really thought much about it but now that he brought it up it was clear there may have been some mild logistical isues with her proposition. She was less than a meter tall. Tiny. He was the size of, well, a gryphon. Smaller than a horse, bigger than a wolf. “I have a potion for that.”

\t“You do?” He was struggling to inquire, still barely able to look at her. “I'm not sure about it.”

\tShe huffed and grinned, popping up to stand with her hands at her waist. “Don't you worry about me! I am, uh, durable! And like I said, I have a potion for it.” She rummaged in her other satchel, not the one with coins but the one with a handful of vials of multicolored potions. The one with the deep red was the one she wanted, so she plucked it out and popped the cork with her thumb talon, leaving the talon penetrating it as she gulped it back. Once she was done, the slimy concoction sliding down her throat, she wiped her beak with a forearm and forced the cork back inside the vial's opening.

\t“What if-”

\t“What if what? Hun, sweetheart, it's fine. Skies above, I can tell you need it. Come on, take me to your back room and we can work out a deal.” She vaulted herself over the edge of the desk on his side, patting him on the haunches before landing. She realized that even with the potion it may have been a bit of work for her; his scaled chest was raised taller than the tips of her ears, there was a huge discrepancy between them in terms of size.

\tHe glanced cautiously to the door, then to the entryway that led to his private quarters, then back to the door. “I suppose we could if we're quick. I don't want to miss any trades.”

\tShe grinned up at him and chirped audibly not only to loosen him up a bit but also to make sure he knew exactly where she was. She still didn't need to be stomped upon. “Okay, we can stay out here if you want, just remain seated and I'll see what I can do. If anyone comes in, just shuffle close so that they can't see me! The orange light here is pretty dim, I don't imagine it'll be a problem.”

\tTsuru just gulped. “O-okay. If you insist. What do you need me to do? I worry if I take control I might be too rough.”

\tKentanni thought it was cute how receptive he was being. It felt, to her, like he just needed a firm hand to guide him and he would melt for her. Part of her worried this could be used to take advantage, but to be fair that's what she was doing. The difference between her and most others was that she just wanted to earn his trust, to have an opportunity to show him she cold contribute to his wares by bringing back any maps and some of her loot when she returned.

\t“You just relax, hun. You're probably right, let me do my thing to find my pace before you get too active. I'll find my comfort zone and invite you in, okay?” She didn't want for a response, she just slipped underneath him, nestled in between his folded back legs and straight front legs, staring directly at his swollen slit. It was very dark behind the desk so she could barely see anything but could make out a subtle glisten reflecting the orange glow of the gemights.

\tSniffing the air, she took in a deep breath to sample his scents before leaning in and kneading up and down either side of his slit, both thumbs teasing his flesh and sliding up and down with the help of his natural lubricant. His musk was distinct, sweet like a gryphon but also intense like a dragon, which made sense. He was a cockatrice, he had elements of both.

\tKnowing she wouldn't be going off sight but instead feel, she leaned in close and nuzzled his belly between his chest and slit, using her beak to prod and poke him, tickling him where he'd be pushed to tense and force himself out. She was interested in having some fun but still wanted to be quick so she wasted no time spreading his slit lips, exposing the drake's tapered cock tip.

\tThough it was dark, she could tell that it was the same bright pink of his tongue. Slightly rounded but pointed at the very end. She gaped her beak to take in its aura and it blasted her with a wave of intense musk that she could taste on the air. It was clear he hadn't been with a female for a while and had done nothing to alleviate his needs on his own. Made it easier for her.

\tShe turned and jumped up to the desk, hoisting herself up so her beak was resting on the ledge and she could look at the door. When she was sure nobody was anywhere nearby, she landed in a crouch and scoot-crawled over to him once more, kneading either side of his slit. She craned her neck to look up at him, catching his gaze from the corner of his eye. “Hey, just be chill, I'll take care of ya.”

\tHe just nodded and reared up so his front talons were on the desk. This exposed his loins fully.

\tKentanni wasted no time, she needed those charts. She turned around and hiked up her tail, flipping the fabric of her short skirt to bunch up on the small of her back. Once her flesh and fur was fully exposed, she leaned back into him and pressed her rump cheeks up to his slit, arching her back and grinding against him to find the right angle. His bulbous, tapered tip probed her slit and threatened to force itself into her when she stopped and pulled away, teasing a bit.

\tThe warmth of his fluids smeared between her legs and soaking her lips while mixed with her own made her feel messy. Like she's already been blasted and filled. As sexy as that seemed, and as fun as that would be, the last thing she needed was for him to miss her and wreck one of the maps. She needed to catch it all and keep it if she was going to earn that map.

\tStill, she wasn't actually sure how it would work given the difference in size. A cockatrice or gryphon of Tsuru's stature would have been filling for a normal-sized person, he'd be colossal for Kentanni. Fortunately she was a trained size queen and had some potion in her. It would still be a challenge but she was eager to try nonetheless. She'd be fine!

\tAll she needed to do was get a bit of a gauge to see what she was working with. In order to do that, she pressed a hand against his slit on the posterior end, beneath his emerging shaft. She slipped her fingers in between the scales on his belly and the throbbing rod that was slowly pulsing out with each beat of his heart. That wasn't a metaphor, either; she could literally feel his pulse clenching around her digits as she eased her hand into his slit.

\tDeeper and deeper she went, wiggling her fingers to burrow and slither her way as deep into his slit as he could go. She paused every few seconds to make sure she wasn't making him uncomfortable, glancing up quickly to see if she detected and wincing or reactions. To her delight he was not only comfortable but seemed to be in bliss, beak agape and tongue lolling out. Yeah, he was fine, so she continued by digging in deeper until she felt the subtle bulge of his knot making the slit even tighter.

\tShe was in up to her elbow which said his cock was a long as her forearm not including the knot. That was going to be a bit of a task but not out of the question. She'd taken bigger, she just usually had more time to work up to it and prepare. All she'd done was down a vial of potion, one that might take longer than she had to take effect.

\tOnce she knew what she was working with, she patted him on the hips with her dry hand and called up to him in a shouted whisper, “Hey, try to be discrete!” She said, tone soft but loud enough for him to hear.

\tHe casually glanced down then stared back forward over the desk, not sure how to respond. It was cute how shy he seemed, how obedient he was being if it meant he was gonna get some release.

\t“Good boy!” She praised him, not even sure if he would be comfortable with that; some people loved affirmation, others found it demeaning. Luckily for her, Tsuru seemed neutral on the praise so she turned back around, grabbed the base of her tail to ensure it was out of the way, and reached for his tip with her slimy hand. She was able to grip his shaft and pull it out fully with the audible squelches of a wet slop, his fluids oozing out of him and onto the wood of the floor. She tried to push back so that it soaked her thighs instead of being wasted but it mostly missed her and made a puddle that seeped through the floor boards and onto the weave of branches beneath the hut.

\tA shame, but there was plenty more coming from him so she pressed her cheeks to his belly near his slit, wagging her hips until once again she felt his bulbous tip slip inside her. She gasped gently and silently, throwing her head back without expressing a chirp or trill. She gulped and curled her toes on the ground for grip before leaning back, hand still sliding down his shaft in order to help guide him.

\tIt was simple but wonderful. His flesh was throbbing and swelling to full girth with an eagerness that told her he needed this more than she did. She was happy to indulge. Not only was she disappointed that Wrasir wasn't with her but it had been a while since she was with a quadruped.

\tDeeper and deeper she took him, adjusting herself every time either of them shifted to ensure she had the best angle. His flesh pressed out against hers, the pressure of his member grinding against the underside of her clit as his length passed through her, impaling her. The more of him she enveloped, the more she wanted; she couldn't help but practically sit on his member, squatting down with all her weight until she felt his knot pressing against her rump cheeks.

\tThat gave her pause. His shaft was thick and bulbous but definitely manageable. That knot was three times as thick already and still growing, and the bulge to shaft ratio was intense, which meant it wasn't tapered in a way that would make it easy to take. She didn't let this dissuade her, she reached back to try and grab onto something for extra leverage only to be reminded that his hind legs were fully scaled and there was no fur or plumage to grip. She considered grabbing the feathers on his upper forelegs but they were up on the desk and he was too big for her to reach either way. This lapse of judgment and poor calculation led her to slip and lose her balance, falling down onto her knees with his cock still inside her, tugging upwards against her posterior wall, nearly making her flop over.

\tShe was about to get back up to her feet and try again, maybe slamming down until it popped in when she felt a large talon on the middle of her back, right between her wing shoulders. Tsuru pinned her down and held her in place with enough weight to ensure she wasn't going to slip out from under him. She could have – should have – been terrifying for her but it just turned her on more. Maybe it was the potion relaxing her or maybe it was her arousal that welcomed more of him but the moment that talon came down on her, she felt her depths open up and practically suck him up.

\tWith only a few grinding thrusts, Tsuru was able to force his knot into her, its girth popping between her cheeks and lips to swell inside her. His tip breached her womb as her cervix dilated just enough to let him in; not uncommon for her but still a shock for him since it meant the tightness of her cervix came to clench around the base of his cock tip like a ring.

\tKentanni trilled with what little breath she could muster, the pressure of his body squeezing her enough to make inhaling a challenge. Her wings fluttered, struggling under his weight as she did all she could to help him out by angling her hips. To her delight, his girth was filling and cumbersome but comfortable in equal measure, the swelling knot pressing against her walls to lock in place while his shaft twitched deep within her. A bulge could be felt desperately trying to form in her belly and would have if not for the talon on her back pressing her down. That just amplified the pressure of his flesh grinding against hers.

\tShe couldn't help but wink her clit and rhythmically pulse her pelvic muscles in waves starting at her lips and going deeper, not only in borderline orgasmic delight but also to clench and ensure that once he finished not a single drop would escape her. She wanted a keepsake of the moment, in one way or another. The resulting egg would be quite the bit of memorabilia, other than the map of course.

\tUnder the weight of his talon, she tugged and pulled on his knot, knowing that it would help to trigger his climax. A good, tight grip around the base accompanied by a tug was exactly what gryphon partners did to milk their drakes, which was exactly what Kentanni was doing. She tugged and clenched with all her might, talons digging into the wood of the floor to gain leverage despite his talon still pinning her down.

\tHis member throbbed and pulsated inside her, his subtle heartbeat coursing through her alongside the more overt orgasmic expansions. Not only were his muscles clenching to pump fluid into her, the rapid pace of his pulse tickled her taut walls and teased her every sensitive spot.

\tOnce his knot was fully engorged, ensuring they would remain locked together until it shrunk back down, there wasn't very much to do other than wait. She tugged, she twisted, and she gyrated his hips so that his shaft stirred her depths, anchored by the tied knot near her lips. She winked to tease him while he tugged and held her down, both eager to amplify the pleasure that coursed from the base of his length, milking him in the process. She tried to reach down between her legs, eager to rub her clit at the same time but quickly found it wasn't really a viable option with him pinning her to the wood.

\tThe best she could do was playfully flop her tail from side to side, tickling his wrist. She did manage to keep trilling and cooing at him, her vocalizations a melodic 'killy killy' as he squeezed the air from her. Though the weight of him was intense, the relative lack of oxygen she got under him seemed to amplify her bliss, the pressure of his knot and the grinding of his flesh on hers putting her in a semi-delirious state of orgasmic trance. All that existed was the pleasure; she didn't even care or notice that he was still standing on her with a significant amount of his weight.

\tThis proceeded for mere minutes but felt like a full night's black-out to her as her lucidity faded in and out of consciousness. Each new come-to she noticed her belly was notably more swollen and bloated, the pressure of his flesh grinding in specific ways replaced with the pressure of fluid giving a uniform pressure in every part of her.

\tHer womb was being inflated with his seed, the fluid trapped not only by her cervix clamped tight around his cock head but a second lock sealed by the tie of his knot. As hoped, none of it was escaping her. In time the swelling stopped and he tentatively released the pressure of his talon on her back, letting her take in a sudden grasp of a breath that filled her lungs and made her feel mildly uncomfortable. There as little room in her chest for air when her loins were swollen with cockatrice seed. Not that she cared too much, that sort of bloat was pleasant. Better than the alternative.

\t“Oh I am so sorry!” Tsuru apologized profusely, gingerly patting her down and trying to help re-fold her wings into proper position. It was clear the post-orgasm bliss had worn off and he'd regained control. “I got carried away, I-”

\tShe forced herself up onto hands and knees with his knot still tugging on her pussy, her tail draped between them where his member met his slit. “It's okay!” She assured him, patting his nearby wrist. “I wouldn't have gotten into it if I couldn't handle it.”

\tHe covered his beak with his other front talon, blushing profusely, unwilling to make eye contact. “I know, but we're stuck here for a bit! And what if I get some clients?” He was breathing heavily, panicked, a deep rumbling emerging from his chest as he kneaded her rump in an attempt to push her off his knot. Unfortunately, every tug just made his knot swell a bit more, extending the tie.

\t“Calm down, Tsuru!” She hushed him from below. “Tell you what, you focus on getting that map, and one you find it your distraction will help to deflate your knot and untie us.”

\tTsuru nodded and took in a few deep breaths. He got to all fours, which seemed reasonable on the surface but just ended up tugging Kentanni and dangling her pussy first from between his hind legs. She swayed underneath him as he hurriedly rushed through his archives to find a map that fit her description from before. Southeast of the Saurian Scar. Which would have been a perfect diversion tactic if not for the fact that her entire weight dangling by a tied knot just kept milking him, even after he was exhausted.

\tShe swung underneath him and twisted around so that she was facing forward, swaying until she slammed against his chest, grabbing onto his feathers there while wrapping her legs around his thighs, doing all she could to get a proper grip without tugging on his member. She ended up belly-riding him, clutching his plumage with her head buried between his front legs while he desperately took out maps and viewed them before returning them to the shelf.

\tHe was eager to find what she was looking for and it took a few minutes of scouring the region to find a map he felt was good enough. As she promised, the distraction helped his knot deflate and pop out of her with minimal fanfare or mess, the bulges lurching out followed by a gooey squelch as the rest of his shaft followed. She was clenching hard from the moment she felt the knot pop out to ensure not a single drop followed.

\tDisappointingly, she failed this task. A few drips shot out of her but with a wink and a clench she was able to stem the tide of the rest of it from erupting form between her lips. This left her with an egg-sized bulge in her belly as she fell to the ground, twisting in the air like a feline to mostly land on all fours beneath him.

\tWhen she turned around to look up she noticed that his slit had already tugged his knot back into himself and the shaft was being slurped up a bit at a time.

\tShe stood tall and brushed herself off, the motions clinking coins in the satchel that remained around her waist. She had never disrobed, just hiked up her dress to give access. But the moment she was back on her feet, she casually hopped back up onto the desk like nothing happened, watching intently as Tsuru darted from one map to the next.

\tHe was panicked again, like he had to apologize for something and was making up for it.

\t“Hey, you can slow down a bit, mate, I'm not in a hurry.” Kentanni insisted, one hand out to get his attention while the other was on her swollen belly. “Let me at least look at what you have before you throw it back.”

\t“S-sorry, I just...I don't know how to behave after...that.” He blushed again, lowering his gaze.

\t“I take it you've never been bribed with sex before?” Kentanni suggested, trying her best to keep a tone of curiosity that lacked judgment. “It's okay, you don't need to panic. No need to overreact. Just take your time, and I'm still going to pay you.”

\tWith a moment of hesitation and a deep breath, Tsuru calmed himself as best he could. “Okay. Okay. Sorry. Anyway, there are a few you can look at, but it's hard to know exactly what you're looking for. Different maps lead to different things and your request isn't one I normally get.”

\t“I understand that. But I'm also not in a rush and you don't owe me a debt or anything. Slow down, let's figure this out together.” She patted her belly, delighting at the sloshing inside. “Show me one map of the region and we'll refine our search from there.”

\tHe nodded. “Okay. One moment. Let's see here.” He went back to a map he'd already looked at and put back. He laid it on the desk and unrolled it, showing a more general map of the larger islands of the region. It showed the saurian scar in the middle with a bunch of smaller islands but nowhere near the number of what was actually there. The area that size would have had a thousand islands, most only a kilometer wide or less.

\t“Sorry, I'm not sure that one is what we're looking for. It's the right general area but we're looking for something more detailed and specific.” She pointed to the bottom right corner of the map. “We were near that island – I can tell from the peninsula to the north there – but it was a bit to the west from there. It was a smaller island, not on this map from what I can tell.”

\tTsuru nodded in understanding and rolled it back up. He perused a few different maps from the square slots on the outer wall before picking up another one that he unfurled on the desk next to her. This one was definitely more detailed in some ways but focused on some of the wrong elements. It displayed more of the islands but most of the work was smudged over and drawn on by sketches of potential treasure burial sites. Closer but not there.

\tThey ended up going through a dozen maps, one after another, before they found one that caught Kentanni's eye. It was a very specific region of a dozen islands drawn in the greatest detail starting at that northern peninsula she pointed out in the first map. She was worried it didn't show enough of the area to give her a proper trail to where she wanted to be but when coupled with that first map it paired well. The first showed the large islands, and this second map showed all the smaller ones in between the two big ones she best remembered. Dozens of them, seemingly erratically spaced.

\tThe large map would get them to the right area and the small map would allow them to cross off islands one by one as they explored until they found the source of the magical surge. As long as she and Wrasir were there together, their resonance would pick up on the magic and it'd help guide them.

\t“Can I take both of these?” She asked, motioning towards the first and last maps.

\tHe narrowed his eyes. “I thought you weren't seeking treasure.”

\t“We're not, but the first one gives a general view of what we need and the smaller one will help us check off the details. How up to date are they? How accurate?”

\tTsuru rolled up the final map and wrapped it with a ribbon. “That one is as detailed as they come, but the other one is very basic.”

\t“Perfect, that's exactly what I need. So, how light are you gonna make my coin pouch?”

\tThere was an uncomfortable that permeated the room between them as Tsuru thought. “One gold coin per.”

\tShe winced. “Ouch.” She gulped. “But then again, if you usually sell these to treasure hunters, each one could theoretically lead to a thousand times that much. I bet a gold coin is a bargain.”

\t“It is, but not by much. Usually it's one gold coin and five silver tabs.” He returned to behind the desk and lined up both rolled up maps next to each other. “Fair deal?”

\tKentanni reached into her satchel and dug out three gold. Being associated with Ceylon ensured that she could tip whenever she felt it was worth it. “Here, take a bit extra for the trust and I'll be sure to bring back any maps we find while out there I don't need to seek booty, I usually give it.” She winked at him, swishing her tail while also doing her best to keep from having seed lurch out of her.

\t“Deal.” He took the coins and slid them into a lock box under the counter. “I take it that concludes our business, miss...skies above I don't know if I caught your name.”

\tShe reached out to shake his front talon. “Kentanni Miflyron! Pleasure to meet you Tsuru! Here's hoping we meet again!”

\tHe took her hand and shook it once, cawing in delight. “Yes!”

\tWith one final salute, she grabbed both of the maps – both comical in size compared to her, nearly as tall as she was while rolled up – and skipped her way out of the hut and back into the upper  level of Port Moonsliver's village region, above the weave of branches that formed the impenetrable canopy. She headed back to the ship, eager to share her spoils, both cartographic and biological.

\tLike before she skipped and flutter-hopped her way across the many bridges and boardwalks that connected the buildings constructed around the trunk of every tree, sure to make herself known in a forest of legs around her. She was jaunty but it was notably more challenging than before; being inflated with cockatrice seed would make anyone step a bit heavier than usual.
\t", "writing": "", "writing_bbcode_parsed": "", "pools_count": 0, "title": "Radiant Scouting 00-01", "deleted": "f", "public": "t", "mimetype": "image/png", "pagecount": "1", "rating_id": "2", "rating_name": "Adult", "ratings": [ { "content_tag_id": "4", "name": "Sexual Themes", "description": "Erotic imagery, sexual activity or arousal", "rating_id": "2" } ], "submission_type_id": "1", "type_name": "Picture/Pinup", "guest_block": "t", "friends_only": "f", "comments_count": "2", "views": "593" }