Writing/Characters - \r\n\t\t\t\t\t
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Part 1 - https://inkbunny.net/s/3635755
Part 2 - https://inkbunny.net/s/3745682
In my quest to clear out a bunch of unfinished work before the end of the year, we finally have the conclusion to Radiant Scouting, where they go to the source of the magical disturbance and discover first hand what it's doing to the local fauna!
IT's fun, but also kinda parasitic! Enjoy! (This is the sort of thing I'd write on my own if I was unleashed!)
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\tKentanni waddled her way down the docks to put the maps below deck where they would be safe. Every step she took, another dribble of Tsuru dripped down her inner thigh to excite the shellwings in the sand beneath her. They seemed to like sucking it off the grains.
\tHer attention was drawn to Wrasir, who was laying prone on his back on the hull railing, wings down on either side for balance and one foot gripping the wood. He was whistling a well known and popular shanty, motioning in the air with his finger like he was conducting an orchestra, his large feathered ears flicking in time with the beat. He didn't even look over to her when she stepped talon on deck; he could sense her presence. “Get what you need?”
\t“All I needed and a bit more!” She chirped at him, relaxing just enough for a gush of the cockatrice essence to splash out into a puddle between her feet. Shiazo's deck absorbed it instantly and a few little white flowers sprouted there immediately. “What about you?”
\t“I got all the nothing I needed. We can't leave until morning, though.” He kept whistling and conducting with his finger in between words. “Fidget apparently is going into heat and needs to offer herself to any sailors clean enough to not make her itch and I think Cynabelle casually informed me that she was gonna be spending the night in a dragon. I wasn't really paying attention.”
\tShe chuckled and clicked her beak. “Doesn't surprise me. Luckily the island isn't going anyway any time soon. In theory, anyway. We have no way of knowing.” She squatted down so her hips were at the right angle to force out the rest of Tsuru into the deck. She'd deliberately kept as much of it as she could because cum held a lot of life magic in it and it was one of the best ways to 'feed' Shiazo. They needed to absorb a regular supply of magic in addition to the sunlight he absorbed through the leaves and other vegetation that decorated the entirety of the Spirit Runner.
\tOnce she was emptied and her plump lips were done leaking creamy mess, she disappeared below deck into the quarters she shared with Wrasir. There, she unfurled the basic map onto their charting table and made sure it wasn't going to move, then she put the more detailed map in a nearby trunk for safe keeping. The ship itself would protect their stuff from any potential robbery so she didn't need to worry about locks.
\tBack up on deck, she stretched both arms and both wings, yawning. With her one hand still up, she reached out and patted the nearest bannister. “Did you eat well?”
\tShiazo's little kitty-sized avatar formed from the shifting wood. Once it was fully realized, they nodded. “For now! That'll do me for a day or two with good sun!”
\t“Glad to hear it! I'm heading back to shore so I can see what those horny scamps are up to. Now that I've got the maps, will either of you be coming with me?”
\tWrasir kept whistling his tune as he said, “No, I'm fine here. I might come get something to eat but that's about as far as I'll go.”
\t“I just ate and I don't want any drunk people spilling rum on me. That stuff stinks and makes me act weird when I absorb it. There's a reason I don't really allow it on board.” Shiazo explained. Which made sense. Their form absorbed alcohol in its purest form, and while Shiazo couldn't get drunk or even tipsy like most it made them feel terrible and affected their ability to govern the ship.
\tKentanni nodded and offered a salute to both of them before hopping down the dock once more, still fluttering and skipping to make sure her presence was larger than her stature would imply. She had quite a night ahead of her, especially now that she was drained of Tsuru's essence and ready for more!
\tPort Moonsliver was just as lively at night as it was during the day, only instead of birds chirping and shellwings clicking, it was the hooting and hollering of every dragon, horse, wolf, feline and avian in the taverns. Almost every building that lined the rocky cliffs between the treeline was lit by gems and torches, with silhouettes of patrons and servers against the warm orange glow. There were people out on the docks as well, most of which either throwing up or sleeping on stacks of mooring line and net to recover from drinking too much.
\tNothing out of the ordinary. After Kentanni found herself something to eat in one of the taverns, she went back out to the pier and perched on one of the pillars she expected to see a gull on during the day. Her night time eye sight wasn't great, but she was still able to keep her focus on the docks to make sure she would see Fidget and Cynabelle if they went by.
\tBase on what Wrasir had said, they'd both be busy with Cynabelle unlikely to be seen if she was going to be in a dragon. That could have meant many things, but none of them implied she'd be visible.
\tAs expected, Kentanni saw Fidget first. She was excitedly dragging this absolutely massive canine out by the paw, where she slipped in between the buildings and lifted her little nub tail to him. He had to be two meters tall or more and seemingly half as wide at the shoulders, so when he mounted her and his knot swelled inside her it made quite the distinct bulge. In fact, it swelled her belly so much she looked pregnant, a round feature added to her silhouette even Kentanni could see in the dim light.
\tHe went to dislodge after filling her, but they were stuck together so he cradled her belly with one hand and carried her back into the tavern with her pressed to his chest and everyone else cheered him on. That was fun for her.
\tKentanni sipped a fruit cocktail while she watched all this when Cynabelle crawled up from under the dock to perch on the next pillar, her leg tentacles wrapping around it for balance. They didn't share any words, but Kentanni did offer a sip of her fruit cocktail.
\tSide by side, they watched Fidget get taken by another canine, a dragon, a snake's tail, and finally a stallion with a flare that suctioned all the rest of the cum out of her upon climax. She was left huffing and puffing, eventually leaving the tavern while walking bow-legged, spent.
\tShe sat on the next pillar over, clearly worried that she was so ravaged that the thing would disappear into her after being taken by so many large males. She got a sip of the fruit cocktail as well, then all three of them huddled together and made their way back to the Spirit Runner to sleep it off.
\tThey each went back to their respective quarters while Kentanni crawled into her nest, snuggling Wrasir from behin, warbling into his neck feathers. They had a busy day in the morning.
\t=====--=--=====
\tOf the three of them, Kentanni was the most alert the following morning. She and Wrasir were the captains of the ship, and Shiazo was the ship itself and that was all they needed to set sail.
\tBefore Cynabelle or Fidget woke, Kentanni and Wrasir got Shiazo to peel back the mooring lines and retract the plank before others in the port could wake.
\tShe paused to take in the perfect scene of serenity at dawn, when there were no people working the docks, no businesses active, and the only sounds were the sloshing of surf on the beach and the occasional chirps of birds flying overhead, each one eager to steal random bits of food left near taverns.
\tThere was something special to her about the image of the empty docks on a port like that disappearing over the horizon as she set sail. Something she'd always cherish no matter how many times she experienced it.
\tWith Port Moonsliver in their wake, it was time to get to work and find that island.
\tThere was no need for a wheel on the Spirit Runner since Shiazo could control the sail and rudders on their own. This allowed Kentanni and Wrasir to set a general heading and disappear to their quarters to go over the map. Their goal was to first make it to the northernmost tip of the Saurian Scar and go from there.
\tThe Saurian Scar was one of the largest of all the islands in the archipelago with a massive ademane volcano near the northern end of it. That was actually what Ceylon had initially thought was the cause of the magical disturbance, the rumbling and volcanic activity of the largest source of magic in the area. But no, as they chased that farshore ship through the million islands, it was clear the disturbance was coming from a different direction. Not as strong, but incredibly powerful and broad.
\tLike the difference between a sharp knife and a blunt hammer. The power that emanated from the volcano was concentrated in the throat and the handful of dikes, but the other source of power was not concentrated at all. It felt like it was everywhere all at once, and that was worth investigating.
\tThe trip around the Saurian Scar took some time, most of the day, but was mostly uneventful aside from a brief encounter with another ship passing in the other direction between two islands. Kentanni wasn't sure if they were NLF or CDA or farshore, as they flew no colours, but there were no interactions beyond casually waving as they crossed paths.
\tAfter cresting the northern shore of the Saurian Scar, they had to veer south along the eastern shore. From there, they'd enter the labyrinth of islands and channels where the disturbance was held. First, they needed to use the large map to get a bearing of where they were among the larger islands, then they needed to consult the smaller map to focus their search.
\tGiven the shifting nature of the smaller islands in the area, due to a mix of tides and magical seismic activity, the smaller the island the less permanent it was. New islands could crop up from time to time, and other islands would disappear randomly. Some islands would actually rise and fall from the Ijimulian Ocean, like the heaving chest of the planet itself taking years to inhale and exhale a single breath. Those ones were the most interesting and volatile since it meant there was a lot of magic there.
\tThe larger map had all the biggest and most permanent islands drawn onto it, but lacked many of the smaller or inconsistent islands. That was why they needed to get their bearings with the large map and then find their destination with the small map.
\tOf course, those were only the first two steps of a three step process. Once they were in the same general area, seeing landmarks they recognized, Kentanni and Wrasir needed to stay close and focus on sensing the magical disturbance. Only they could do it. Fidget was naturally mundane and needed potions or relics to use magic, and Cynabelle was sensitive to magic but hadn't honed her skills enough to help with the quest at hand.
\tKentanni and Wrasir were both adept mages and had a magical resonance between them that amplified their abilities and sensitivities when close. While their skill did not surpass or even match Ceylon in that regard, they were some of the best magical conduits in the entire NLF fleet.
\tOnce they discarded the large map and replaced it with the small map on the second day at sea, both captains climbed the rigging to perch in the crow's next high atop the mast, with Shiazo's avatar standing on the railing th at kept them safe. The briny sea breeze whipped their fur and feathers as they focused their exceptional daytime vision on the horizon to see if they recognized any landmarks.
\tA full second day passed with them navigating the web of channels and open ocean between the million islands, forcing them to weigh anchor for a second night. Luckily the ocean between the islands was never too deep so this wasn't an issue, especially not when Shiazo could reach out a vine tentacle to the depths to grab onto debris or a shipwreck.
\tThe following morning, they got right back to their place atop the mast, navigating their way through the maze of waterways. Cynabelle used her kraken tentacles to hunt for fish while Fidget did her best to cook up something for the whole crew of four to enjoy. She wasn't the best cook but she cared and was getting better. Kentanni should have asked for Afearnia or someone who knew how to make a mean ocean soup. Still, the two of them working together while Shiazo piloted the ship and both Kentanni and Wrasir navigated did the job and kept everyone busy.
\tIt was nearly high noon when Wrasir started excitedly slapping Kentanni on her shoulder, pointing towards a distinctly shaped clifftop with one massive tree at the peninsula overlooking the ocean. “Tanny! Tanny! I remember that!”
\tShe pulled away from him, mildly annoyed but with no desire to chastise him. He wasn't overly enthusiastic often so she knew how significant it was. “Okay, how. Calm down. Yeah, I see it too.”
\t“Do you feel it?” He kept his hand on her wing shoulder.
\tShe closed her eyes and focused, trying to detect any magical energy signatures. “Hmm. No. I really don't.”
\t“Me neither. Do we have to be closer? Wait, did we feel it before at or near that island?”
\t“I think it was as we passed to the north of it.” Kentanni recalled. “You hear that Shiazo?”
\t“Roger that!” Shiazo's avatar said with a salute before merging back into the wood of the mast. Instantly, the floral sail and vine rigging shifted and moved on its own while the rudder angled itself to veer port so they could sail northbound.
\tThey passed beyond the cliff on the island, noting something interesting on the rocky peninsula overlooking the shore. It was what looked like a massive quadruped of brown, gray, and white. An owl face with wolf features. Most ominous was that even from this distance Kentanni could see its eyes were a piercing, intense orange.
\t“Not often you see lupogryphs in this region. They usually stick to the north.” Wrasir commented, having also noticed the creature watching them from the cliff top. “They're not exactly tropical beings. Not a lot of wolves in general around here.”
\t“You think that's an omen?” Kentanni asked, narrowing her focus at the lupogryph.
\tWrasir shrugged. “Everything's an omen on the open seas.” He laughed. “But no, I doubt it.”
\t“I just mean, if they're so out of place here, might that be a factor in the disturbance?” Kentanni was usually calm and reasonable, not the superstitious type, but this was more analytical.
\t“Hm, yeah. Good point-” Wrasir's ears perked right up and every muscle in his body stiffened. “Did you feel that?” His hand was still on her wing shoulder, which he was gripping firmly.
\tShe winced. “No, but give me a moment.” She closed her eyes and tried her best to once again sense what she could. It was faint and weak but she could feel something coming from the north east. The entire north east. It was not a strong signal but it was broad. “That way!” She pointed, then parted her hands to indicate an entire quadrant.
\tShiazo piloted the ship in that direction, cresting the northern shore of the island with the wolf on it only to realize that it was actually a large bay within the island, not a channel between it and another. The farther into the bay they went, the stronger the signal grew.
\t“This is it, I think.” Kentanni commented, still aiming both of her hands in a broad direction. “We weigh anchor here and go to shore. Get out some quills and paper to document what we find!” She leapt out of the crow's nest, danced her way down the rigging like a spider, and landed on the deck where she joined both Cynabelle and Fidget on the bow of the ship. Wrasir used his wings to flutter down next to them all.
\tIt was time to figure out what was going on here.
\t=====--=--=====
\tGetting to shore was easy for three out of the four. Kentanni and Wrasir were able to fly, while Cynabelle swam with grace and elegance. Only Fidget needed help, so Shiazo spared some of their mass to create a small vessel with a fin-like rudder that propelled her and the documentation equipment to the crescent-shaped beach. Once on the sand, the vessel shifted into a dog-sized version of Shiazo without wings.
\tAll four of them took a moment to survey their surroundings. The beach was unremarkable, a gently sloped incline of sand from the shoreline to the treeline. The jungle was pretty basic as well, with simple-trunked trees with broad, tropical leaves and a thick fern underbrush. It was as basic a tropical beach as they would have expected. The only thing of note was the incredibly faint teal mist that slithered and rolled out from the vegetation to dissipate in the open air. Even Kentanni and Wrasir's eyes could barely see it, it was so faint.
\tYet everything felt wrong. The magical resonance between Kentanni and Wrasir meant they were both sensitive to the magic thrumming in the world around them, which gave them a deep sense of unfocused anxiety. It was so strong here that even Cynabelle was affected.
\t“Huh, I feel strange.” She said, unsure how to elaborate.
\t“It's the disturbance we're here to find the source of.” Wrasir explained while widening his arm position, palms down. “It feels like it's coming from everywhere at once and nowhere in particular.”
\tFidget kicked at the sand with her hoof. “I don't feel anything.” She teased. “I feel great!”
\tShiazo lashed her on the rump cheek. “Yes we know you are dull.” They joked.
\t“Hey! I'm not dull, I'm immune to magic. Don't misrepresent my handicap! Find the good!”
\tBut Shiazo wasn't paying attention to her protests. They were extending two vines from their shoulders, the tips flattening into broad fern shapes with tiny filaments and fibers extending. “Shh. Quiet. There's incredible magic here. Far, far more than we can feel. I can taste it in the air itself.”
\tThat would explain the teal mist, Kentanni noted. “What's that mean?”
\tSuddenly serious, Shiazo retracted their vine sensors. “For now, stay here on the beach, don-”
\t“Aren't we here to investigate?” Cynabelle interrupted.
\t“Yes.” Shiazo clarified. “But I can taste the ademane. It might be dangerous for you all to disappear into this jungle without proper protections. I can confer with the flora here to find us a bearing of some sort, go from there. Stay here on the beach until I return. Don't do anything stupid.” With that, Shiazo darted away towards the treeline and dove in between two trees to seemingly melt and fuse with the nearest fern and flowers, like a shadow.
\t“Hey!” Fidget protested. “At least give us more context before you run off!”
\tKentanni patted the satchel at her side with some potions, a relic, and some gemstones. “Well, Shiazo has never led us wrong before. Let them do their independent investigations before we do anything rash.” She reached into the chest that had come on the small vessel with Fidget that was resting in the sand just beyond where the surf sloshed. She opened it up to reveal two large blankets and four bottles of cocktail. “Besides, this was always a bit of a a vacation! Enjoy it!” She tossed one of the bottles to Fidget then unfurled the smaller blanket nearby, inviting Wrasir to join her in the sun.
\tFidget and Cynabelle were not quick to accept the offer. They both fell uneasy.
\tCynabelle's leg tentacles swept at the sand at her feet while her arm tentacles drooped. “And they just left us here like that? No further explanation? Is this supposed to make us feel safe?”
\t“I don't know, but I do know I trust them.” Kentanni flopped down on the blanket she set up while Wrasir did the same, laying on his belly. “Shiazo's always been a little erratic. Their motivations are always shrouded in mystery, and their thought processes are, how shall I say, difficult to follow. But in the year we've been out, they've never led us wrong. If Shiazo says the need to confer with the plants or whatever, they need to confer with the plants. I don't understand what's going on but I can say with authority that we should probably stay on the beach for now.” She popped a cork from the cocktail she'd brought and sipped a bit before slamming the butt of it in the sand to serve as a drink holder.
\tWrasir rolled over so that he was laying on his back with his head resting on Kentanni's belly. The pair of them looked up at the taller crew members. “We can't get back to the ship without Shiazo, we shouldn't split up and head into the jungle. You might as well relax and enjoy a drink!” He reached over to the chest full of drinks and tools to get his own small bottle, popped the cork, then offered it to Kentanni, romantically teasing her open beak with a few drips. He slammed his bottle down next to hers so that both were held in place and locked beaks with her, tasting the cocktail down her throat.
\tFidget shrugged, ears perking back up between her antlers. “Well, Captain's orders I suppose.” She slapped Cynabelle's hip and went over to adjust the second, larger blanket so that it was spread out enough for both of them.
\t“This feels so very weird.” Cynabelle muttered to herself, tentacles twitching in agitation. She looked at Fidget. “I can understand you not responding to this because you can't really feel the aura of this island but you two?” She motioned to Kentanni and Wrasir, who were still in a beak-locked embrace. “You should definitely be worried.”
\tWrasir pulled his tongue out of Kentanni's throat and swallowed what he could. “We are.”
\tKentanni added, “We just know we don't know what's going on here. We can feel it, same as you, but if Shiazo says it's best to stay here and wait for some reconnaissance only they can offer, I see no harm in relaxing, enjoying a drink, and maybe enjoying each other for the afternoon.” She grabbed her cocktail bottle and poured some in her gullet, then relaxed her throat so her crop filled all the way up with the tangy juice.
\tIn response, Wrasir then leaned over her gaping beak and lapped at the reserves gurgling up from her throat, sharing in the drink while also burying his beak in hers. She just kept glancing over at Cynabelle with the corner of her maw curled in a knowing grin.
\tShe didn't want to be an alarmist. The four of them all had some sort of divine protection, it seemed. It wasn't infallible but All members of The Spirit Runner seemed to be supernaturally lucky when things went sour. They could still get hurt, but things always worked out in the end. Cynabelle and Fidget especially understood this as they survived peril they should not have, while Kentanni and Wrasir both had the sheer force of will by their magical resonance with each other.
\tAfter having the treat sucked out of her crop, Kentanni caressed Wrasir behind the ear and gulped down the rest. “We'll be fine. You know we'll be fine, just try to enjoy yourself. We're here with a task but that's no reason to not enjoy it. And who knows, once Shiazo comes back, maybe they'll reveal a massive haul of priceless relics we can sell or trade!”
\tCynabelle wasn't fully convinced but also knew that it made enough sense to not be mad. “Fine, but if we get attacked by some rampaging owl wolf beast with divine strength, I'm blaming you.”
\t“If we get attacked, you'll be fine and Wrasir and I will fight it off.” Kentanni assured. Then, without waiting for modesty she curled herself up so that her knees were on her chest and her skirt was draped over her belly, exposing her mini mare bits to the sky. She relaxed her muscles, spread her lips, and had Wrasir pour more of the cocktail directly into her which he then licked out.
\tThe look on Cynabelles face told Kentanni she was turned on, but her body language also made it clear there was the faintest hint of resentment there, so she didn't join in.
\tFidget was already laying on the blanket, hands behind her head with one knee up. She had stripped all her clothes off and neatly folded them atop her satchel to the side. Cynabelle joined her, though she rarely wore clothes.
\tThe sun was high in the air and the skies were clear blue, so all four of them got to absorb plenty of sun. The ship itself, still anchored in the cove, must have been basking in the glory of light.
\tBefore long, all four were fully nude, with their clothes and satchels all off to the side or in the chest next to the equipment. Nude beach sunbathing. Of the four, only Cynabelle actually got anything out of it beyond the comfort of the warmth, as she was the only cold blooded one who needed that outside heat to stay active.
\tAn hour passed, then another. They took turns walking up and down the beach making sure to never lose sight of each other, the blankets and chest, and their ship. Then another hour passed and they began to notice things that felt off.
\t“Where are the birds?” Fidget asked as they walked down the beach with the surf at their feet. “Where are the crabs?”
\tKentanni paused while using her talons to clutch some of the nearly-white sand. “You know, I was just noticing that myself. I know not every island is going to have a lot of wildlife on it and it's natural to be averse to random outsiders. I suppose I just thought we scared them off at first, but I've not seen a single living creature except that owl wolf on the cliff.” She focused her gaze on the treeline. “But now that you mention it, I've not seen a single thing. No lizards, no snakes, nothing.”
\tWrasir flicked his ears. “I can sense their presence, though. I can feel their vitality. Now that I focus, it feels like there's critters all around us. It's subtle but it's there.”
\t“I feel it too.” Kentanni agreed. She hadn't been focusing on it in much the same way one might not focus on the air they breathe because it's prevalent and ever-present. “I can feel the vital magic, but I can't see it. Maybe they're hiding in the jungle?”
\tCynabelle turned her focus to the treeline with the others. “We still would have seen them.”
\tThere was an omnipresent aura of dread between them as their memories flashed back to when Shiazo departed abruptly with that ominous message.
\t“See?” Cynabelle exclaimed, smug. “I told you we needed to be concerned.”
\t“And I said we can trust Shiazo.” Kentanni assured. “This is strange, now that we think about it, but I also trust our vessel.”
\tFidget butted in. “I do too.” She made sure her bunny ears were perked high, smile broad and little bun tail wiggling happily. “And I'm having fun, even if it is a little weird.” It was a good time aside from the lingering anxiety. If they focused on the sun and the relaxation it was easy to forget that something felt off. Even the odd could be normalized.
\tA deep rumble vibrated through the island, smoothing out the sand at their feet. It only lasted for a few seconds and wasn't strong but all four of them felt it and took note of the fact that they still didn't see any birds take flight or the darting motions of any other critters.
\t“A quake?” Wrasir noted. “We're pretty far from the Saurian Scar.”
\t“Is there a chance this island's also volcanic?” Kentanni asked, drawing lines in the sand with her toe talon. And that was when she remembered the faintest wisps of ademane mist billowing out from the roots of the treeline and seeming to disappear into the sand. With the brief quake, she started to piece things together. “This might be interesting.”
\t“What's that? What did you figure out?” Fidget asked, ears flopping. “Do we need to run?”
\tKentanni gulped and guided them all back to their blankets and drinks. “Well, I can't be sure but when we first arrived, I saw ademane mist. It was faint, but it was there, coming from the trees and ferns and stuff. That just happens sometimes and isn't too concerning on its own, but I wonder if something more is going on here. The sensing of the magic from Wrasir and I, the sense of dread we all feel, the lack of wildlife, and now that quake?”
\t“Volcano.” Wrasir proposed. “The island, it's volcanic but hasn't erupted yet?”
\tShe snapped her fingers and pointed to confirm. “Yeah. And maybe it got worse lately because a crack formed or something, releasing the supercharged ademane plasma from the volcano without a violent eruption. Fills the world with magic vapor that can wreak havoc on an ecosystem.”
\t“Are we in trouble? Is the air we breathe poison?” Cynabelle asked, suddenly in focus mode. “Do we need to leave? Should we get back to the ship without Shiazo?”
\tWith a shake of her head, Kentanni dismissed the concern. “No, of all of us Shiazo's the safest one. Even if the avatar is destroyed, their vessel in the main ship remains. And honestly, with how much ademane was seeping out of the jungle, I bet they're absorbing all that vital magic for later.”
\t“How are we fine, then?” Fidget pressed. “That's good for Shiazo but if we're inhaling the ademane too, doesn't that make us vulnerable?”
\t“Just keep your wits about you and you'll be fine. We're not living here full time, so a few hours or even days won't be enough to drive us mad with whatever I assume it was that eradicated all the fauna on the island, leaving only flora.”
\tAnother gentle rumble bubbled up from the ground around them, accenting the revelation.
\t“Should we abandon the island? I think that's our cue to leave.” Cynabelle suggested.
\tWrasir raised a hand to calm her. “No, we're fine. We wait until Shiazo returns. I can feel the unrest but it's stable enough, we have plenty of time to not leave our companion behind. We'll be fine, just be cautious and aware. At the very least, we should relax. Maybe pull our towels and stuff away from the trees. Just in case.”
\tEveryone agreed with that, so they took a moment to shift everything so that it was closer to the shore than the treeline. But as they were doing that, a distinctly bright blue spot seemed to emerge from one of the sand dunes near an exposed root. Kentanni stopped what she was doing and went over to investigate, squatting next to it.
\t“What's that?” Wrasir asked as he put the pile of clothes and tools he was carrying onto the blanket. “And remember, don't do anything stupid.”
\tShe was sure to do something stupid by gently poking the orange-sized blob. IT split where her talon met it, then sealed itself again into a nearly perfect sphere. “Just a blob. Gelatinous.” She looked closer and could see the familiar swirls and transparent marbling that looked somewhat familiar. “I think they're wisps?”
\tThat made Wrasir's ears perk up. He hopped over. “That can't be right.”
\t“Yeah, look, that's the vital magic we sense.” She pointed towards a milky cloud in the blob of blue that was subtly teal tinged. “That's a wisp. The apparition of a once living creature.”
\tFidget stepped up next to them. “Yeah, that can't be right, aren't our wisps supposed to dissipate and return to the soil or something?”
\t“Yeah, but this one's holding on, somehow.” Kentanni explained. A person's ademane system held their vital magic, and in rare occurrences after death if the person was skilled enough with magic, their ademane could leave the body and persist as a wisp through sheer force of will. Even in the rare cases this happened, it never lasted long because the cloud of pure magical energy needed something to anchor itself to and metabolize magic to remain stable. Which allowed the ademane and magic to dissipate back to the ademane cycle, where it would be repurposed in new life.
\tThere were religions founded on the idea that all people are resurrected from dead relatives, not just through biology but spirituality. Kentanni and Wrasir didn't subscribe to that belief but there was some truth to it in much the same way the dung from one creature could fertilize a plant that got eaten by another. It was just recycled magical material.
\tAnd yet there on the beach nestled between piles of sand and a tree root was what appeared to be a wisp, a simple blob of ademane clinging to its spirit somehow. “I think we found our clue.” Kentanni said, mostly to herself.
\tWrasir shook his head. “No you found the result, not the source. This is strange, but we don't know why it's happening.”
\t“It's got to be the volcanic activity, right? Molten ademane evaporating into the air, forming a mist that, I don't know, impacts the dissipation?” Fidget suggested. “I'm not exactly an expert or anything but that seems to line up, doesn't it?”
\t“I've never heard of that happening before but I suppose it's possible.” Wrasir said, rubbing his beak. “It would definitely be worth studying.”
\tFidget got excited. “I'll start taking notes!” She darted away and went to the chest to get a scroll and some ink for documenting what they saw.
\tKentanni poked it again, watching the round slime jiggle. “Is it dangerous?”
\tWrasir shook his head. “I can't imagine any reason it would be. If it is a wisp, then it will be a wisp of some creature that lived here. If its will persists after death, then it will retain instincts and any personality it may have had. So if it's not hostile, then it won't be. And even if it is, what's a blob of jelly going to do to you?”
\tCurious, Kentanni reached down to see if she could cup the blob in her palm but found that there was more of it buried under the sand and they only saw a small portion of it. When she dug and tried to coax it from its roots, the gelatinous mass coursed through itself to grow and expand, ending up the size of a large coconut or small pinkmelon. It juggled and rocked from side to side to ease itself into her touch, extending its body like a tendril to wrap around her wrist. “You sure they're safe?”
\t“No, but what are they going to do? Cuddle us too aggressively? If it's not running and not attacking you it probably harbours no ill will.” Wrasir posited. “But you're not taking it back to the ship. We have no idea how this kind of magic would interact with Shiazo or the vessel. Or if it would even survive off the island, assuming the volcanic activity is what's keeping it alive.”
\t“You're no fun.” Kentanni said with a chirp and a click of her beak as the slime slithered up her arm like a snake. “Okay, you're fun but not this particular instance.”
\tHe huffed. “I'm a delight.”
\tFidget returned with the scroll and ink, eyes wide. “Oh, it grew! A lot!”
\t“It didn't grow, it was just mostly underground. The rest of it came up from under the sand.” Kentanni explained. When she lifted her arm up with the wisp wrapped around her wrist, its tendrils wrapped around her forearm, she noticed it had almost no weight to it. She expected it to at least be as heavy as water but it was much lighter and the texture was somewhere between slime and air. She felt like if she moved her hand too quickly she'd pass right through it.
\tInside its depths, the pearly swirls of magic danced and shot from one end of it to the other, seemingly excited at being touched. She noticed that it was pressing against the inside of the blue mass, like it wanted to come in contact with her skin only her forearm was heavily feathered.
\tShe brushed the tendrils down from her forearm from the elbow to the wrist, then tried to cradle the whole mass in both of her palms, watching as it jiggled and adjusted. Then, as she was about to call it cute, it seemed to melt through her fingers, half of it below her palms before growing firm again so that it was perfectly wrapped around both her hands. She felt a tingle but it was pleasant, not a burn.
\tFidget had leaned in close and was watching it intently, taking notes of its behaviour. “Fascinating! Would it react like that to me?” She reached out with the pinky of the hand that held the quill to poke it. When she pulled away, part of it stuck to her then snapped back to the rest of it. “Huh.”
\tWrasir shrugged. “Well, it seems cute enough. And I suppose we solved at least part of this so you can go back to not being worried about the island, right?” He glanced around to look for Cynabelle, who they hadn't interacted with for a while.
\tShe was near the shore, squatting down and poking at another wisp, hers a green one. “Yeah, I guess so. They're kinda cute!” It flanked her, rolling over the sand without collecting any grains. It poked up at her when she reached out, caressing her palm and teasing her digits.
\tThis made Wrasir cock his head to the side and drop a single ear. He noticed another set of wisps, one purple and one pink. His eyes narrowed, and he scanned the beach, dozens more emerged of all colours he'd ever seen ademane in nature. The full rainbow of slimy wisps. He did silently consider changing his mind about them being harmless but then he felt a slime wrapping around his foot, tendrils of it weaving through the feathering of his ankle.
\tHe reached down to pluck it from hiss foot, and it seemed to reach out as it passed his midsection, curious. “Well aren't you an interesting specimen?”
\tFidget joined him next. “Oh, different colours, too?”
\t“Yeah, Ademane can come in all colours but is usually teal or near to it.” Wrasir rolled his wisp from one palm to the next, seeing how it responded. Its form shifted to more slug so that each end of it would remain on one of his hands, forming a bridge.
\tKentanni held the blue wisp to her belly, cradling it like a baby. It even shifted its form to take the general form of one. “I wonder how smart they are. Though I guess no smarter than the creatures that spawned them, right?” As she spoke, the wisp in her arms started extending towards her chest plumage, weaving tendrils into her while slowly wrapping around her torso. She pulled it away from her chest, which pulled all the tendrils out of her plumage so that the entire mass remained spherical and intact in her arms.
\t“Oh my!” Cynabelle called from the shoreline. She'd been playing with the green slime, and it had taken an interest in her, eager to press itself against her scales. She was the only one without fur or feathers coating their body, so the wisp's desire to keep in contact with flesh made sense. Wisps were not known for being able to sustain long without a body.
\tShe was still squatting down with her long tail extended behind her for balance, playing with the slime when it wrapped around both of her ankles to anchor itself underneath her loins. Then, as she was cradling and caressing the wisp, it extended part of itself up to her vaginal slit. She could have batted it away or stopped it but knowing they were harmless made her curious what it was going to do.
\tWell, she knew what it was clearly trying to do and she was okay with that. Not only did she not move when its extension probed her slit, she pried one of her lips to the side to expose her inner flesh.
\tThe instant the wisp came in contact with her cherry pink vaginal flesh, the rest of it shuddered in delight and detached from her ankles, forming a ball underneath her as it snaked its way into her.
\tCynabelle instinctively grabbed for it to stop it from penetrating her but she didn't care all too much. She just let her forked tongue hang out of her gaping maw as she felt it parting her flesh and rolling into her by extending some of its mass into her to anchor in her depths then sucking the rest up through the resulting tube.
\tIt didn't happen all at once but it was brisk, giving her a visible belly bulge within seconds, leaving half of it pressed tight to her slit between her thighs as she stood up. She curled her toes into the sand as she felt more and more of it shifting into her.
\t“You're not gonna do anything about that?” Wrasir asked, still holding his purple slime at arm's length away from his body. It was trying to extend towards his exposed sheath but he kept juggling its mass by cradling the tendrils and folding them back up with the rest of it.
\tCynabelle shuddered a bit, tongue flicking. “I am not getting a hostile vibe, and honestly it feels nice!” She squirmed a bit and cupped the green wisp that was forcing itself into her, holding it in place and urging it to go a bit deeper. “Real nice, actually, Kinda tingly!”
\tAs she spoke to Wrasir, a second wisp of a similar shade of green emerged from the sand where her tail was dragging in the surf. Her tail was where most of her reproductive organs were, and she had both a vaginal canal in her torso and a traditional cloaca most of the way down her tail. The second green wisp was aiming for her cloaca, wrapping around her tail to anchor her down as it, too, probed her depths then slurped up into her.
\tThe bulge in her tail was visible from where Wrasir and Fidget stood, and it shifted deeper, distending her scales in a wave towards the base of her tail where her passage met her vaginal canal. There, it seemed to interact with the first slime that went in through her slit and the pair of them calmed down, firming in place to make her look pregnant and like the base of her tail was a knot.
\tShe doubled over in what looked like pain at first, but was quickly shown to be pleasure. Her tongue flopped out and she grinned as she cradled her gravid-looking belly. “Oh, yeah, that's nice.” She said, slowly falling to her knees while deliberately spreading her legs to expose her slit to the sand. It was not hard to tell she wanted more when she curled her tail around her legs and pressed the part with her cloaca down into the surf. “It's fine, they seem just want a place to stay.”
\tKentanni watched all of that happening and found herself curious, herself. Cynabelle was adventurous and one might call her foolish but she also had a pretty good sense for danger and if she was now fully okay with this, it probably meant it was fine. At least that was Kentanni's thought process with her limited information.
\tShe once again pressed the blue slime to her chest to see how it would react. She was delighted when it started reaching out with tendrils to prod and poke her, nuzzling and exploring her from neck to belly and all up and down her arms. She chirped and leaned down to prod it with the crest of her beak and it tried to extend a tendril down her throat. While she found that idea hot – that it would force its way through her crop – she wasn't willing to take that risk. Not until she knew it was safe.
\tSo she snapped her beak shut and pried the tendril from her neck where her beak met. “No.” Was all she said, making it clear that she would not be allowing it in her throat. She needed that to breathe! To her shock, it seemed to actually understand her firmness, as it retracted the tendril and seemed to shiver. “Oh, it's fine, just not there!” She had no idea if it was worth the communication but was happy to try it anyway. It just felt right to speak to it with some respect.
\tWrasir wasn't so convinced. He kept his wisp at arm's length still, watching Cynabelle's tail bulge and her scales shift. He watched the behaviour of the wisp that Kentanni held, and he could see a pair of large pink ones wrapping around Fidget's hooves. Internally, he made it clear that the wisps were not able to overpower them, and any resistance was respected or at least understood. If he truly didn't want the little ball of slime to molest his sheath he could stop it from happening.
\tThe pink wisps around Fidget's ankles made her fall over – something very difficult given her exceptional balance – and land on her butt on the closest blanket. She dropped the scroll and quill, but didn't flail or scramble away when both of the Slimes rolled onto the blanket seeking her plump lips.
\t“You too?” Wrasir commented.
\tShe laughed. “Remember, most magic doesn't work on me. They're wisps. What are they gonna do? Come on, you should join in! See what that one wants out of you.” She used two fingers to part her lips, exposing the bright red of her insides, gasping when she felt the first of the two wisps slamming into her, the blobby mass covering her loins and hand before an extension penetrated her and pushed deep inside. It wormed around, nuzzling to fill her every wrinkle of flesh and crevice until it found the entrance to her womb, where it squeezed tight and invaded her deeper.
\tFidget grunted a bit as she felt it dilating her cervix; it should have been mildly painful but the slime seemed to be countering that and giving her nothing but pleasure so she revelled in the shift of mass as it slurped through her pussy and into her womb.
\tThe second one tried to nuzzle its way into her passage next to the first, but that first one was just firm enough and its extension just thick enough that there was no room between it and her distended vulva. It had to find somewhere else to go, so it probed until it found her tail hole, equally plump but not as stretchy as her pussy.
\tEven in the heat of the moment, being invaded by a slime wisp in either hole, Fidget was able to notice that the two entities didn't merge or combine. That was worth noting for later.
\tKentanni had walked away from Wrasir and Fidget with her cute ball of wisp in her arms, jauntily whistling to it while watching a third and fourth make their way into Cynabelle, which made it look segmented due to the multiple bulges. That image turned her on so much that her own pussy started to leak thick strands of fluid into the sand between her legs. She didn't notice at first, but when she turned to look, she noticed two more slimes had emerged under the droplets she'd leaked. Her eyes narrowed, further putting pieces together. It seemed they were attracted to vital energy, which included reproductive material.
\tShe also watched as Wrasir cautiously let the purple slime in his hand extend all the way to his sheath. Once it touched his flesh there, it caressed his mound and forced its way into each and every one of the wringles and crevasses that hid his member. Before long, the entire slime had invaded him, leaving a wiggling blob of purple where his cock tip would have poked out, sealing him inside.
\tHe seemed curious, like he was analyzing what was happening inside him. His eyes wandered, his fingers curled in the air as his brain raced. He lurched a bit, twitching and angling his head when he felt the slime squishing around in his sheath. Then he keeled over and fell to his knees as he felt the pressure deep inside; his cock began to unfurl from his sheath through the mass of the slimy wisp, the entirety of his girth nearly brushing the tips of the piles of sand beneath him.
\tThe full mass of the wisp was wrapped tightly around his cock as it grew firm, squeezing and shifting around it from the bulbous tip to the velvet base, squeezing the head to make it flare out against its mass. From that angle, Kentanni could actually see the gape of his urethral opening as the slime forced its way into him, the bulge expanding down his shaft to the base. A moment later, his balls began to swell and inflate as the mass of the purple wisp shrunk, the extent of it being slurped up.
\t“Well, I'm impressed you managed to hold off that long.” She said to the wisp she held in her arms. She looked down at the sand between herself and the others, and noticed that both the others that had emerged where she dribbled were not rolling in the sand towards her. “You're all so cute.”
\tAs she crouched down, she noticed more and more emerging around her, each one bubbling up from the sand in their own singular masses. About twelve of them or more, she wasn't sure. All she did know was that they were all rolling towards her, seemingly attracted by the scent of arousal billowing out form the plump flesh of her equine lips and tail hole. The one in her arms drooped down and started caressing her lips, parting her folds to splay out and make as much contact with the pink of her passage as was possible.
\tShe was still near enough to Wrasir for their resonance to course through her so her natural ability to decipher intent remained. There was no hint of malice in any of the wisps, they truly only wanted to be inside her, because they felt lost without a body.
\tKentanni couldn't give them her body but she could host them for a while while they got comfortable. She was able to identify the subtle mind link between herself and that first wisp, seemingly facilitated by the contact of their ademane mass with her exposed flesh. That was likely why they went for the genitals and didn't seem too interested in the parts of her that were covered in fur or feathers. Skin on skin contact appeared to be what it sought, and intimate contact through her vaginal canal and likely everything from gullet to tail hole was best.
\tIt also explained why they were drawn out by the presence of her leaking flesh. Fluid like that was rich with the sort of vital magic that was more potent than any other.
\t She loved the sensation of its slimy mass wobbling around and shifting inside her. There was no friction unfortunately, as the gooey surface of it was unfurling and lining her walls as it went instead of pushing through, yet she could still feel the pressure of motion as the mass inside slurped into her. The sensation of pressure migrating to her womb followed by the churning of slime through the tube felt strangely wonderful. It wasn't as intense as it felt it should have, it was just comfortable. Like the bulge that slowly built in her belly was natural and not something that inflated before her eyes.
\tKentanni remained in a squatting position, sure to keep her slit and rump exposed to the curious slimes. She rubbed her clit to conjure up more arousal that was secreted by the slime slowly forcing itself into her. She even flagged her tail a few times to churn the air around her, better to give the message that she was willing to host.
\tThings were going well and the first slime that had touched her and was in her pussy was completely hoisted off the ground, held up by the anchor in her womb. Then, for some reason she didn't understand, the wisp began to grow solid inside her vaginal canal instead of in her womb like she'd expected. The girth pressed out against her walls, firmly forcing itself into an egg-shape with the blunt end of it sticking out from her cunt, dilating her vulva so wide it felt like she was laying an egg the size of her torso!
\tShe fell down to her knees and then fell back, using her wings and hands to hoist her midsection up high, thrusting into the air to find the right angle to alleviate the pressure. Though she tried to call out, she found the pressure in her abdomen kept her from making noise, so instead she just growled and snapped her beak as she twisted her hips and curled her toes in the sand. To her surprise, she actually caught one of the slimes in her talon, slicing it down the middle and it just reformed while oozing up her ankle.
\tThe more she shifted, the bigger and thicker the slime egg grew inside her. Then, right as things felt like they were getting to intense for her, she felt a shift in pressure that was hopeful. The girth of the egg was too big, but it wasn't deep enough in her, so the entire mass was shifting to pop out of her! This was perfect, she could just squeeze it out and then she'd be rid of it!
\tBut then she reached around her body to cradle the wisp egg, keeping it form popping out. Not only did she use her hand to trap it inside, she actively pushed to force it deeper. To her shock, even that thick egg slipped deeper into her, dilating cervix and lurching deep into her womb with an audible pop followed by the guttural squelch of air escaping her closing passage.
\tThe exhalation of this air, thick with the scent of her arousal, excited each and every one of the other slimes in rapid succession. They shivered in anticipation and rolled up closer and over each other, desperate to make contact with the source of so much magic and arousal.
\tSome crawled up her legs and tail, one clung to another and extended to find her gaping entrance, another tried to wrap around her head and force it down her beak again but she brushed it aside. More rolled over the sand until at least a dozen were all aimed at her loins, half of them shape shifted to emulate cocks and other penetrating forms.
\tHer belly was bloated with that first wisp, making her round and gravid with an egg many sizes too big for her modest frame. Yet in spite of the pressure she was not in pain. She was still squirmng in orgasmic delight even though she should have been concerned. Something in the back of her mind was aware that she was being manipulated, but she was able to rationalize it with the certain knowledge that no matter what they actually did they felt no malice.
\tOne of the cock shaped ones thrust into her tail hole, anchoring itself in place and exploring her bowels before sucking more of itself in. The pressure in her rump end felt wonderful, but it was short lived before another one followed next to it, then a third. All three probed her depths to create a bulb inside her that served as an anchor before slurping up the rest of the gooey mass.
\tA fourth and even fifth continued to target her tail hole, but the fifth one just couldn't fit inside her. Half of it remained dangling out of her flesh, resting on the base of her tail while it rolled over in place in an attempt to force its way into a passage that offered no additional room.
\tMore coiled around her legs, with a pair of them crawling up her legs. From their spot perched and wrapped around her upper thigh, one shot into her, the slimy mess of it squelching through her gaped and sloppy opening to end up as deep as it could go. It tried to follow the first one through her cervix and into her womb but it was too firm and it was unable, so the second and eventually third anchored next to her womb and began sucking the rest of their mass into her.
\tA smaller, lighter coloured one even perched on her belly and then tried entering her only to find the only remaining opening was her urethra, so it wormed its way into there only to be resisted when she began to squirt from the pressure in her womb and pussy.
\tToo much pressure. Too much all at once. A handful of mid-sized wisps were all travelling through her guts, one massive one was stuck in her womb and firm like an egg, with two more large ones in her sloppy, gaping pussy. The ones nearest her entrances could barely stay inside her due to lack of room but they all wanted it and were doing their best to force it anyway.
\tAll at once she collapsed in the sand, bloated and fully swollen with was more than a half dozen wisps and a few more writhing in a pile between her legs, still eager to enter her.
\tAfter rolling over onto all fours with her tail up – she felt an instinctual need to maintain a position for laying the egg shaped wisp in her womb – she noticed all three of her other companions were experiencing similar problems.
\tWrasir looked to have at least two in his balls, one each, and a third struggling to force its way down his cock while he attempted to pleasure himself and force them out. Fidget's entire belly was round, her torso a sphere with what had to be twice as many as Kentanni had hosted. There were multiple slimes rolling over each other in an attempt to enter her pussy, a couple doing the same with her tail hole, and even one slithering down her throat. Only she seemed to be enjoying herself unabashedly, unconcerned for her safety.
\tOddly enough, Cynabelle was by far the most distended but also the most content. Given she was part snake and part octopus, her flesh was exceptionally stretchy and she'd taken on what had to be dozens upon dozens, leaving her tail bloated like a queen insect's abdomen and her torso almost entirely round. She practically rolled in the sand as many more crowded around her.
\tMore tried getting into Kentanni, but she decided this was enough. When she tried to chide them like she had before, she found the rising pressure in her womb and guts had completely sealed off her ability to speak. She could still breath, but not speak.
\tEach one of them had a pile of wisps of various colours all crowding around them, eager to force themselves into a host.
\t“I thought I told you not to do anything stupid!” A voice called out from the treeline. It was Shiazo, having finally returned from their adventure in the island jungle. They were much bigger than before, with more layers of sweeping ferns down their mane and flank.
\tAll four of the crew looked over at him, their respectively bloating bodies keeping them from being able to completely adjust.
\t“Right, Wisps. Okay.” Shiazo then made multiple distinct vine tendrils emerge from their shoulders right as they neared Fidget first. The tentacles all slithered into her holes, one in the pussy, one in the rump, and one down the throat. A moment later, the vines themselves began to pulsate in glowing waves as the wisps were sucked out of her, travelling through the vine like they did their fleshy canals only to be deposited halfway down the vine length, left rolling in the sand.
\tIt was a reverse ovipositor; instead of depositing the slimy mass of eggs through a tube, it was sucking them out!
\tFidget was slowly deflated from the slimy wisps as each and every one was sucked out of her and discarded by Shiazo, who immediately moved over to Wrasir and did the same by shoving a vine down his cock and up his tail hole. Next came Kentanni, who was still on all fours. Her extraction was notably more challenging because of the solid one in her womb. The others were all sucked out just as easily to be discarded in the pile of multicoloured slimes in the sand. The solid one, however, required a lot of extra work since it didn't compress or flow like a fluid.
\tShiazo had to plunge multiple vines into her cunt, each one penetrating cervix to wrap around the egg. Once all three of them were anchored in place, they tugged while pushing on Kentanni's haunches. Her cervix did not want to give way to the girth of that egg, yet Shiazo was firm and didn't give up.
\tBefore long, her flesh quivered and released the egg, which burst out of her with a pop only to be thrown to the side, coated in her fluids and yeah, even a bit of red. She has excellent healing and would be fine almost immediately but she had limits.
\tThe second the last of the egg lost touch with her flesh, she felt her mind grow clear again. “What happened?” She asked as she groaned and stumbled to her feet.
\tShiazo sauntered over to Cynabelle as the other three all followed. They explained in detail as they plunged a series of vines into the snekken in the same way they'd done to the other three, lecturing them all directly as Shiazo's vines extracted the slimy wisps.
\t“I was able to confer with the flora here, exploring their memories, as best as plants can have memories in the traditional sense. Between that and exploring myself, I was able to figure out what was going on here and why we felt such a disturbance. I also was sure to feed on the ademane mist, so I should be supercharged for a while.” He explained, but there was so much more.
\tAs it turned out, their theories were mostly correct. The island itself was on a seismic hot spot, not directly volcanic but there was a mass of molten ademane bubbling under the surface, which caused the quakes. The resulting cracks in the crust was releasing ademane into the atmosphere, which was having an impact on the local wildlife, making them get stronger and more territorial. However, the strange brew of magic and exposure to the molten ademane was killing them off. And the high concentration of magic meant that their resulting wisps weren't dissolving like they were supposed to.
\tMost of that they had correctly guessed or already knew.
\tWhat they didn't know was that in spite of the ademane harming the fauna, their wisps didn't return to the soil in the traditional sense. Instead, the high concentration gave them the energy needed to remain stable and would likely continue to do so indefinitely.
\tYet their desire still remained in a body, so each one of them was seeking out flesh to siphon magic and biological matter to re-form their bodies and live once again. That firm one that turned into an egg in Kentanni's womb was actually collecting samples of her to infuse with its own magical core to create a new body for itself. Had they stayed in too long, they all would have potentially been dried out husks of flesh and fur.
\tTheir magical properties influenced their minds, making them compliant.
\tIn truth, if only the first one entered each of them they would have been fine. The wisps didn't need a lot of material to start the creation of a new body, but once the signal was boosted the others all came as well and that's when it got dangerous.
\tAfter he was done explaining all this and Cynabelle had all the wisps extracted, they began to collect their supplies to head back to the ship using Shiazo as a boat.
\t“And you just left us there on the beach?” Cynabelle accused, not angry but definitely in need of some answers. “Knowing they'd come for us?”
\t“I didn't know all the details then, but I did know if you didn't let them invade you, they would never have been able to. You offered yourself as hosts, they didn't force it. They lack bodies, you could have literally covered your crotch and they wouldn't have been able to enter you.”
\tThat made a lot of sense.
\tKentanni helped hoist up some of the supplies to the ship. “Can we bring one with us? I wouldn't mind if I hosted just one. And it'd make for good research, wouldn't it?”
\tShiazo glared at her right before merging with the rest of the ship. Once they were all on deck with the chest of notes and data, Shiazo's voice came from all around them. “No. Well. It's hard to know.” They paused. “Maybe. Are you sure you're comfortable hosting a wisp egg?”
\tShe slowly grinned, imagining the girth of it pressing out against her womb. Wrasir sidled up next to her, rubbing his sheath and sac. They shared a sidelong glance before Shiazo activated the sails and hoisted the vine that served as an anchor.
\t“We're leaving.” Was all they said as the ship lurched out of the cove towards open water.