0 comments/ 95978 views/ 44 favorites A Rare Breed By: Velius Ironhorn Author's Note: This takes place in the same 'anthro world' as Of Foxes & Dragons, but the characters and events are unrelated. This story contains scenes of mild violence, non-mammalian intercourse, and male sodomy. ===== Tynian loved living in Vafoso. It was literally the crossroads of the world; once a traveler's way station in the middle of nowhere, building up through the centuries into a vast trading junction. The Vafoso Market comprised a massive seventy percent of the city. It was almost a living entity upon itself, pulsing with activity. The sandy ground–arid in summer, though not enough so to be considered a desert--trembled under the foot falls of thousands. It was not a city in the usual manner, but remained one of the largest social centers on the entire continent. Virtually all peoples and cultures of furkind were represented here in the goods and services available for trade. The species of inhabitants themselves were a diverse lot. Despite the many languages being used, all spoke the common tongue of commerce. It was this aspect of Vafoso that Tynian enjoyed the most: the variety. Everything and everyone carried its own unique aroma. The wildly mingling smells of food, sweat, perfume, and smoke was a feast for the sinuses. He could spend an entire day with his muzzle in the air, breathing in the scent of life. Himself born in the slums which ringed the bustling market proper, he was a mutt in the truest sense of the term. His lineage was muddled and impossible to discern from appearance. Tynian had a snub muzzle, but ears that were sharp and wolf-like, and an atypically long, thin tail. His short coat of molted brown/blond fur bore no distinctive markings and blended well with the sandy soil. Though not unattractive, he was certainly an oddity. Perhaps that's why he felt so at home among the bustling crowds of foreigners. Most importantly, Tynian was born with a zest for life that was uncommon for a orphaned street urchin. Unwilling to let poverty define and rule his existence, he set out into the market every day, soaking in everything he could. Listening in on heated bartering or the telling of tall tales over a pint of grog, Tynian studied the ways of people, the flow of society. A great opportunity came upon him one day while eavesdropping on some random business deal in the backroom of a dimly lit pub. Bellar Saam was a jolly old merchant of silks, spices, and other fineries, contrary to his coarse hog nature. Though not particularly adept at the bartering process, he was successful and well-respected. In this particular deal, Tynian was familiar with the scarcely produced lysirel weed bath oils for which Saam was trading, but the pig-faced merchant was ignorant of the latest crop having been tainted with disease. The oil makers were trying to foist a worthless product on the Saam. To be caught eavesdropping was risking serious punishment, but Tynian couldn't hold down the yelp of warning before it came, alerting the kindly fellow of his impending loss. Impressed by the dogboy's keen mind, Saam took him on as an apprentice, teaching him craft of honest business. The only thing better than watching the activities of the marketplace was taking part himself, and every day was a joy. Manning the counter of a spice shop created many opportunities for polite conversation. But the real fun came from listening to the stories of traveling peddlers and adventurous collectors, who brought with them tales of the extraordinary that were often more interesting than the goods they carted. In his fourth year of apprenticeship, Tynian reached that time in every young man's life when he found a new interest in the opposite sex. His peculiar looks didn't hamper the easy nature and healthy work ethic that made him a worthy catch for any lucky lady. A surprising number of customers made a pass at him and he had no qualms with inviting a few into the back for a clandestine tryst. As much as he enjoyed the game, though, the affable canine just couldn't get interested in their romantic advances. No single woman was as exciting to him compared to the market as a whole. But just as his life had changed in a single day before, it was about to again. The fact that it was unusually slow may have been why it happened at all. It was a gloomy afternoon, overcast and humid. The spices which would sell like mad on a normal day now created an oppressive musk around the tent, so most shoppers avoided it. Indeed, the entire aisle was all but deserted. It was during this slow period that Tynian's sensitive nose picked up an unusual scent, exotic even by the Vafoso Market's standards. Imagine if you could a rose blooming in a dank cave, but with a sour note like no flower in the world. He inhaled deeply, drinking the intoxicating scent through his eager nasal passages. And like the fleeting memory of dream, it was gone. Disappoint gripped his chest. When his eyes opened, he caught a faint glimmer of darkness at the edges of sight. He scanned the aisle and found nothing at first, then noticed a swirl of dust, a flap of black garment. Then into his field of vision stepped the image of a nightmare. The figure was tall and lean, appearing skeletal beneath the heavy iridescent fabric of its hooded cloak. That in itself was odd, as few furkin wore clothes at all during the hot summer months. But the cloak itself glittered like obsidian, a rough scale-like texture reflecting bands of indigo, violet, emerald, and vermillion. Though eye-catching, such fabric might also make excellent camouflage if used properly. Its face bore a slight sheen in the shadows of its hood that seemed to hint at doom as it approached, slowly and silently. Tynian tried to put on a brave face; he had an athletic build and could certainly handle himself, but the most virile of men would have been cowed in this creature's presence. "Well met, neighbor," he greeted in the manner of passing travelers who might otherwise prefer to remain anonymous. "What are you in the business for today?" The frightening figure stood still for a moment, as if refusing to answer. It twisted slightly, surveying the aisle, then straightened again. "Shelter," the nightmare spoke. Its voice was low and dry, seasoned with a fricative buzz and a feminine lilt. The dogboy's face fell; there would be no profit made today. "I am spice merchant, er, miss. If it's a place to rest you seek, then a discreet hostel can be found four aisles south and another to the west," he explained, pointing the way. A hollow chitter echoed from within the hood and Tynian imagined a fleshless skull with gnashing teeth. "Those places will be watched," protested the figure. "This place suits my needs." "I'm afraid I must refuse again. We don't...um..." The canine's insistence faded as the figure extended a hand. While the nuggets of pure gold it offered weren't unwelcome, what really caught his attention was the alien hand. The nuggets were held in fingers shaped like a tripod and sheathed in glistening purple carapace. This creature was an insectoid, a rarity among rarities. That it offered to pay so outrageously was an indication of its desperation. Tynian caught another whiff of that heavenly fragrance and he found himself reconsidering. Could this creature and the scent be connected? He scanned the inside of the tent--unnecessarily, since he already knew Bellar Saam was out, busy with managing his other holdings. "Well, the sky is grim and I do smell rain on the breeze. I suppose it couldn't hurt." The canine youth raised the hinged wooden counter, little more than a tall bench set up at the front of the tent, and ushered the shadowy figure inside. Most of the interior was occupied by barrels of spice and shelves of measuring instruments. He anxiously guided his guest to the 'backroom' where he had bedded many female suitors, pulling aside a heavy curtain, revealing a modest store of pillows and provisions to enjoy on break. "Please, make yourself at home." He smiled at her expectantly. The secretive insectoid did not remove its cloak. He heard that odd chittering again. "Shall privacy cost me additionally?" Realizing his rudeness, Tynian bowed and withdrew to the front counter. Whatever it was doing in the back, it was very good at staying silent, as nothing could be heard despite the complete lack of ambient noise in his corner of the market. He tried to mind his own business, but without customers, Tynian found himself pondering his guest again. Another brief trace of the sour cave rose convinced him to submit to his curiosity. Taking care to be as quiet as possible, Tynian crept around the barrels, his sandaled paws padding softly in the sand. As he approached the heavy curtain, he fell to all fours like his ancestors. The scent grew stronger as he stuck his nose to the bottom of the curtain. He smelled other things as well; the tang of blood and acidic solvents. He cocked his head in the effort of peeking under the curtain. What he saw would stay with him for the rest of his life. Indeed, it was an insectoid, a people who preferred to remain hidden and were thought to be little more than legend, or nightmare itself, by most furkin. More exciting was that Tynian's first guess at the creature being female seemed to be correct. It--or rather she--had distinctly feminine curves, though no overtly female physical traits. Long limbs, thin and spindly, appeared to hold none of the strength or grace that were evident in her movements. Her body had a waspish shape (no pun intended) and her segmented thorax was curled beneath her legs. Her carapace was lavender in color--with a milky undertone--and shiny, almost as iridescent as the cloak she now sat on. A long neck extended from slightly hunched shoulders, holding up a triangular head with interlocking mandibles and two surprisingly mammalian eyes. They were bright and expressive, nearly glowing like red hot pokes. Long antennae twitched atop her forehead, recording all the details of her work. The three fingers of each hand operated with precise efficiency, cleaning and tuning a compact bowgun that was splattered with blood. It was arranged vertically with a pulley and gear system the likes of which Tynian had never before seen. The young canine suddenly feared he was harboring a murderer, but could not beat back the attraction he felt for her. He experienced a tightening in his chest and a tickle in his loins. Insect nature that would repulse most excited him, for it was truly the most exotic kind of beauty to be found in the world. So entranced was he that Tynian didn't think to not push his luck. One of the insectoid's antennae swept in a broad arc, in his direction. Her hesitation lasted less than a second. She loaded a bolt in the bowgun and aimed it between his eyes. "Provide a reason for which I should not slay you now," she rasped, the chittering echo returning to her voice. Thinking fast, he raised his hands in a nonthreatening manner and stood, drawing the curtain aside. "Because it seems you've already killed someone today, or tried to, and you're on the run. Killing me will leave a trail that you don't want." The chittering stopped. "Your mind is quick. I suspect you make for a fine merchant," she said. Her host blushed at the compliment. She set the bowgun down, but her sandy voice took on a warning tone. "However, curiosity is an element of your nature that may best be shed. It will get you in worse trouble than it has this day." "My thanks for the advice, miss. But nothing is free in the market of Vafoso," he said with an earnest grin. "What do I owe you in return?" A number of scandalous offers sprang to mind, but he squelched them. "Your vow of silence is all I require. Count yourself fortunate if I chose not to ensure it by removing your tongue." "Gladly. But there are other things I might be willing to lose to you," Tynian said, once again overcoming his better judgement. His fingers automatically went to the knot that held together his loin cloth–a modest custom--and it fell away. The young canine's arousal sprang into full view, moist with sweat in the summer heat. The creature drew closer to him, crimson eyes that were so out of place in her insect face narrowed. A buzzing hum filled the dogboy's ears. He could see at this range that her voice came not from between her mandibles, which now lifted into a semblance of a smile, but from membraned ventricles along the sides of her neck. "You have courage beyond your years, pup." A tripod-shaped hand came up and gripped his manhood, squeezing with vise-like strength. He winced, but was unharmed. If she was displeased, it did not show in the strength of the pheromones she gave off; at least Tynian could finally identify the scent. "And foolishness as well," she added. "If I were not in such a hurry, I may have to take you up on that offer." She released him and stood quickly, packing her bowgun and a few vials of cleaning solution into her rucksack. The canine reached out to halt her departure, but she shrugged him off and donned her iridescent cloak with a flourish. She never paid a second glance to the throbbing erection which he had proffered to her. The rush of boldness passed; Tynian now felt exceedingly foolish. Rather than returning to the front, the insectoid crouched and pulled at the bottom flap of the tent, but paused. "Tell me your name, pup, and I will remember it." "T-Tynian," he stuttered. Joy swelled in his heart like a wave; she wanted to know him. "And yours, my lady?" "Kree'tzee," came her rasped answer. As she scuttled under the tent flap, hair-like feelers at the end of her thorax poked beneath the hem of her clock and brushed the canine's still stiff member. Tynian sank to his knees, trying to spy her one last time before she disappeared from his life. A familiar glimmer caught his gaze and he found a scrap of her iridescent cloak, which had caught and torn on one of the tent stakes. His hand shot out and snatched it up greedily. He pressed it to his nose, inhaling the scent of her pheromones. Breathing through the fabric so as to more accurately ingrain the aroma into his memory, a thrill ran through him and the canine clutched his manhood. He visualized the elegant insectoid while he stroked feverishly. He remembered the way she held him, imagining her tripod fingers tracing the ridges and veins of his erection the way his own did now. Tynian's head dropped into his lap, though not quite flexible enough to achieve autofellatio. The musk of his own sex mingled delightfully with Kree'tzee's pheromones. The tempo of his stroking grew more intense and he idly wondered if her pale purple carapace tasted like the grape candies his employer enjoyed so much. He stretched, lapping at the swollen head of his manhood and tasting precum. His short jaws opened wide, eager to drink himself in his beloved's place. The dogboy's body tensed and heat surged through his loins, releasing itself in the form of pearlescent cream that shot into his waiting mouth. Gooey drops fell from between his lips and sizzled in the sand, but Tynian kept his head down until the last of his seed was spent. Satisfied only partially, he rolled onto his back and let the scrap of cloak cover his muzzle while he gently massaged his softening manhood. A great sigh escaped him. There was no sense wondering what opportunity he missed; he was sure Kree'tzee could have ably dispatched him had he been foolish enough to try and force himself on her. No, it would seem his love would remain unrequited. ===== Over the following days, Tynian's duties as a spice merchant were carried out mechanically, lacking his usual vim and vigor. Kellar Saam noticed this with a measure of consternation. "Whassa mattah wit' ya?" Saam demanded at the end of the day, while the shop was closing up. He placed a bejeweled hand on Tynian's shoulder in a fatherly manner. "Sumthin' got ya down, m'boy? T'ain't a girl, is it?" The depressed canine nodded his assent. "For once, it IS a girl, Kellar. I can't get her out of my mind." The portly pig merchant roared with laughter. "Thas ma boy! Sorry for sayin' so, but it's good to hear, ya know? Oi wuz afraid ya'd grow up alone, makin' up fer a loveless youth wit' patronizin' da market's whoring booths, like me." He chortled merrily. "No fear of that," the apprentice assured. A knowing smirk graced his snub muzzle at the memory of the wear those backroom pillows had seen. "But this one girl is special, more special than all the spices and jewels in the world. And I don't think I'll ever see her again." The heavyset fellow waggled a thick finger in his young charge's face. "Where's dat conf'dence, m'boy? Ya got a sharp mind an' keen nose. Ya might even 'ave some bloodhound in ya, Oi think." He patted th dogboy's shoulder encouragingly. "Go! Track 'er down! Tha' market's not goin' nowhere, eh? Oi'll be here when ya get back." Bolstered by his beneficiary's endorsement, Tynian gathered what few belongings he had–including his much treasured scrap of iridescent fabric–and set out. The trail was long since cold by now. Kree'tzee had been most cautious in her search for shelter, because few market-goers recalled seeing a nightmare figure on a day when most preferred to stay inside their cool, shady tents. It was difficult asking questions while respectfully maintaining the insectoid's secrets, but it eventually paid off. In the very pub where he first met Saam, Tynian happened across a trio of hyena-men. They were a surly bunch, but spoke more freely with a couple pints poured into them. After some quibbling over the details, they came to the consensus of seeing a thin, cloaked figure heading purposefully in the direction of Hasre, the flooded ruins of a once great castle town. It was set at the Gulf of Orath to the north and was said to be a haven for drifters and pirates. Upon reviewing the memory of Kree'tzee's professional nature and the tools of her apparent trade, Tynian concluded that it was as solid a lead as he was likely to find this late in the game. The three hyenas broke into drunken song as he bought them another round and excused himself from the pub, finally with a direction for his search. All roads to and from Vafoso were heavy with traffic year-round. He made his way by bumming a ride on wagons, renting the bird-like riding beasts from occasional way stations, or just plain old walking. The farther away he got from 'civilization', the less often he encountered other travelers until the time came when days passed before he met another person. Then finally, there were no one. It was strangling to be so far away from the hustle and bustle of society. Never before had he felt as alone as he did now, under the blanket of stars with no company by the pale moon. His despair aside, another feeling was rising in him: anticipation. The lead had been true; Tynian had caught the scent of Kree'tzee's pheromones the day before. Had he not memorized it so completely and his olfactory sense not been so accute, the transient aroma may have slipped past his notice. But now he was sure he was on the right track. His ritual for settling down for the night often began with a session of delirious masturbation. Pools of seed behind trees and bushes would have made it easy for anyone who might have been tracking him. It was ridiculous, he knew, but Tynian couldn't contain his burgeoning desire. A full fortnight since his journey began, the canine arrived at the outskirts of Hasre. He gazed up at the monoliths around him, silent reminders of a people who were driven from their homes when the tide rose catastrophically and made the foundations swampy, unstable. There was no dry land left, thought one could see the barnacled strata where the tide rose and fell over the course of the year. Cobblestone streets were now deep canals of crystal clear water glittering in the sunlight like a road of diamonds. It was a beautiful–if melancholy–sight and the dogboy fantasized about reuniting with his beloved in this romantic setting. A Rare Breed Climbing along the roofs, balconies, and elevated avenues of once architectural marvels, he followed the faint trail of insectoid pheromones, masked though they were by the salty air. Tynian passed under a foot path archway that was decorated with a fading, mildew-covered fresco of some forgotten sea deity. A click sounded from behind him in the cool shadows. Rather than being aimed between his eyes, a compact bowgun was now sighted for the instant-kill spot at the base of his skull. Paying no heed to the danger, Tynian turned and smiled. The bowgun was held by a three-fingered hand, covered in segmented lavender carapace, that was attached to an arm extending from inside a cloak of iridescent fabric. Nothing was visible within the hood. He glanced down and saw that a corner of the cloak had been torn away. "Kree'tzee--" he began, but no other words were allowed out of his mouth. The insectoid's other tripod hand shot out of her cloak and clamped down on his muzzle. Gone was the playful strength with which she once cupped his manhood, replaced by an angry grip that caused the muscles of his jaw to creak. "You foolish pup!" she hissed. A rapid chitter laced her sandy voice and he now recognized it as a vocalization of her annoyance. "I once complimented you for your intelligence, but it appears you have been thinking with the wrong head!" The canine tried to placate her, but her ferocity cowed him beyond reply. Kree'tzee roughly pushed him into an unseen alcove, out of sight. She kept her bowgun at the ready and released him, making it clear he would dead if he spoke out of turn. "I shall explain myself but once, so that you may better appreciate my frustration and learn to avoid exacerbating my dilemma. You deduced correctly that I had killed someone that day. I am a bounty hunter and I took out a contract on a certain criminal chieftain. The three hyena's from whom you learned my whereabouts are the chieftain's personal bodyguards seeking revenge against me. They are wary trackers and knew that following me blindly would be to step into my trap, so they waited for the right opportunity; namely, you! They have most assuredly shadowed you to this place and used you to betray my exact location. We are now in their trap!" Tynian idly rubbed his jaw, trying to massage feeling back into it. "I...I had no idea." He leaned against the ivy-covered stones of the alcove wall and hung his head. "I just wanted to see you again. How can I make it up to you?" "Stay here. Do not interfere again." When he looked up, she was gone. ===== The three hyena brothers, though triplets by birth, were only fraternal and aside from those physical traits that were typical of their species, they couldn't be more different. The firstborn was short and rotund, not so much obese as built with layers of muscle that lacked definition. The second born was equally massive, but his musculature was toned and dispersed evenly over a tall frame. The third born was a wiry scamp with neither height nor heft, but an uncanny speed of limb. What they all shared, bequeathed to them from a vicious beast of a father, was a delight in bloodletting. Each of the three wore a bandolier of deadly weapons, the tools of their craft. Knives for slicing, thrusting, gutting, and throwing. Crossbows, bulkier than the one Kree'tzee favored, fired serrated bolts for a particularly nasty wound. Violating and consuming their victims were fringe benefits in their line of work. They made for mediocre bodyguards–confirmed by the fact that their last employer was dead–but were excellent merchants in the trade of death. The hyena brothers were tricksters and always found a way to unfairly tip the odds in their favor. It had been the youngest's idea to use Tynian as bait. Kree'tzee was a notorious huntress of unparalleled skill, but even her survival was unlikely with the odds so stacked against her, or so they believed. Coordinating carefully, the brothers snuck into the dead city of Hasre as unobtrusively as possible in broad daylight. They moved swiftly from ruin to ruin, expertly sweeping clear each crumbling shelter, every place their prey could be hiding. All except those from above. Kree'tzee observed her competition from her perch around a copper spire that had long since oxidized in the sea breeze. The insectoid's custom bowgun had greater power and range than those of the hyena brothers, which was paid in the price of massive recoil. Firing with any degree of precision required careful aim. With the wind whistling around her, this position was useless for anything other than reconnaissance. Sensitive antennae waved in the breeze, carefully annotating her prey and the terrain itself. When she learned all that she needed, her tripod hands and matching feet gripped the weathered masonry, lowering herself down to street level. Not far away, Tynian found himself looking down the business end of a projectile device for the third time in his life. "Well, well, well! Lookee what we got here, fellas!" crowed the youngest of the hyenas. "We got ourselves a regular puppy stud!" The middle brother bowed to fit under the archway and reached into the alcove, hauling Tynian out into the harsh daylight. "What 'choo doin' round deez parts, puppy?" he demanded in a slurring baritone. "Don' 'choo know this place is dangerush for da young'uns?" The youngest spoke up again when his eldest brother approached, he alone remaining vigilant. "This puppy's job is done, big bro." His black lips pealed back, revealing yellow crooked fangs, which he licked hungrily. "Can we take 'em?" "Not until the bitch is dead," the squat hyena ordered. "Your fun can wait." Tynian watched the exchange as calmly as if he was measuring some spice for a demanding consumer. The hints as to what they planned to do with him caused no outward signs of anxiety. His experience with bartering taught him there was a way out of any sticky situation, verbal or otherwise. The tallest brother appeared to be ignoring their exchange. He towered over the calm canine, manhandling the bulge in his leather breeches with a devilish leer. The expression froze on his face as a black fletched crossbow bolt pierced his temple. It drove in so deeply that the square-shaped head appeared out the other side of his skull. He collapsed to a two man chorus of disbelief. The eldest reacted first, mentally calculating the most likely trajectory of the enemy's attack, and fired. He was wrong. It clattered uselessly against the crumbling stones. Kree'tzee emerged from the shadows of a sun bleached rotunda, previously invisible to the naked eye thanks to the cloak which seemed to bend light around it. She aimed her own bowgun at the stout hyena and fired, but he bravely protected himself from a head shot by sacrificing an arm. The youngest hyena drew a bead on the insectoid, but before he could fire, Tynian sprang into action. He kicked the wiry beast's legs out from under him, then rolled to his own sandaled paws. In one smooth motion learned in the sometimes dangerous slums of Vafoso, he drew a curved blade from the hyena's bandolier and etched a bloody tattoo across his neck. Looking back, Tynian saw his beloved standing over the leader like the Angel of Death. The eldest brother had three more bolts in him, one in the hand and one in the shoulder. The fourth that felled him was only indicated by the blood still pouring from a hole in his armpit, where it dug between ribs and pierced his heart. "I recall instructing you to stay out of my business," Kree'tzee said quietly, her voice barely audible over the cry of sea gulls. The canine shrugged nonchalantly. "I don't expect thanks, but you're welcome all the same." The insectoid went about the grim and messy business of reclaiming her bowgun's bolts, thereby concealing the manufacture of her specialized ammunition. "Why did you follow me?" "Because I love you," Tynian replied simply. Kree'tzee made an ugly noise and ignored him for the rest of the day. She said nothing when he suggested they hide the bodies, so he bade his temporary captors farewell and left them to whatever carrion birds might inhabit the area. She said nothing when he began to follow her away from the ruins, struggling to catch up as she deftly navigated the western woodlands. She said nothing as they settled down to camp. She said nothing before disappearing from sight. Tynian built a fire, trusting her to return. She did shortly, carrying two wild coneys, one held tightly in each tripod hand. He turned away to gather some of his own provisions to add to the meal, pulling a pair of yams and smoked apples from his pack. When he turned back to the fire, one of the coneys had been efficiently skinned and set up on a spit by the fire. Only one. "Are you not eating?" he asked, not expecting to receive an answer. Kree'tzee took down the hood of her cloak and he saw the sad look in her crimson eyes. "I shall, while you slumber," she confessed at last. "You professed your love for me, but I fear t'would be a most disturbing sight to behold. My people consume our prey alive, injecting it with neurotoxin and drawing from it the blood and still-quivering organs." The dogboy watched her carefully, though she would not meet his gaze. There was a newfound vulnerability in her which was not otherwise noticeable in the rasp of her sandy voice. "Please, take your repast," he responded. "I have seen and heard much in the Vafoso Market that would turn the stomachs of lesser folk. You couldn't disgust me if you tried." The insectoid's mandibles turned up in that approximation of a smile. With a slight nod of her triangular head, she pulled the second coney from the depths of her cloak. It kicked, still alive. True to her word, Kree'tzee's mandibles closed around the small animal, holding it steady. It squealed loudly before going rigid as she delivered the neurotoxin by unseen means. The crunching and slurping which ensued would have made the most iron-willed man go pale. Tynian was merely intrigued and went about preparing and eating his own meal normally. As the fire began to die down, Tynian moved closer to where Kree'tzee sat and prodded the embers with a stick. As he drew near her, the canine caught a trace of her pheromones again, inhaling the pleasant aroma that resembled a sour rose. "If you don't mind me asking," he began, "how is it those hyenas gave you so much trouble? I only saw you at work briefly, but it seemed to me they were vastly outclassed." A deep, sandy huff sounded beside him. "This is the egg-laying season for my people. We have evolved beyond the need for mating, but still produce the courtship pheromones. I undertook this latest assignment, perhaps foolishly, while attempting to suppress my biological needs. Alas, they were able to trace my scent. I had hoped to take refuge in your spice shop in order to mask it while I devised a new strategy." "So, my animal magnetism had nothing to do with it?" Tynian joked. Kree'tzee's throat ventricles issued pleased humming. "I apologize for shattering your personal illusion." A quiet moment passed between them. Just being this close to her again brought to mind the most lavascious of fantasies. His manhood awoke, sliding from its canine sheath under the cover of tanned hide. Much to his enjoyment, the insectoid undulated within her cloak and shed it, letting the iridescent fabric fall from her shoulders to the ground, revealing her magnificent body. Unexpectedly, she reached down into the lap of the canine sitting beside her and let her tripod hand come to rest on his swelling groin. Her triangular head turned to regard him seriously. This close, in the flickering illumination of the fire, Tynian noticed her eyes were actually multi-faceted, but the shifting outlines of pupils indicated her line of sight. Kree'tzee's antennae hovered around him, analyzing his reaction to her touch. He held his breath, willing with all his being that this wasn't a dream. "Tynian, do not think me insensitive to your desire. I am truly flattered by your attentions, but you must understand that my people are not like yours. Other than the need to lay our eggs in an available–if not entirely willing–host, we have no contact with furkin in a sexual manner, or even a capacity for it." The dogboy's hands rose to caress his beloved's thin arms, coming to rest on her shoulders. "Then let my love be the means by which you enter our world," he replied sincerely. Her grave crimson eyes stared back at him. "You do not understand. This natural armor that protects me is also a natural prison. What little I feel of the outside world is through my antennae and some few other organs." Her sandy voice choked up, growing tight with anguish. "I cannot feel your touch." The canine moved to kneel between her and laid his head on her shoulder. The whisper of air from the ventricles through which she breathed and spoke tickled his cheek. Tynian's furry fingers lightly caressed them on one side while he began to lay tender kisses against on the other. Kree'tzee gasped sharply, overtaken be these new and exciting sensations. "Do you feel this?" Tynian asked softly. His fingers moved to her mandibles and they responded obediently to his touch, opening to him. The interior of her maw resembled a vagina; thick vertical lips puckered with glistening saliva and the stinger with which she injected the neruotoxin extended from the place a clitoris would have been. The juxtaposition was ironic and alluring. He pressed a digit into her alien mouth, eliciting a strengthening in the volume of her hum and aroma of her pheromones. "And this?" "Such wonders," the insectoid responded huskily. "I had not thought to attempt contact in such a way..." If Tynian had forgotten her hand was on his manhood, he remember once her grip tightened to the point of making him yelp with pain. She recoiled, horrified by the thought of what injury she might have inflicted on the first person who had ever loved her. He leaned back and untied the knot in his loincloth, releasing his bruised member in the cool night air. It had grown to its full length some time ago and now stood, addressing Kree'tzee proudly. "Here's you first lesson in furkin ways, my love," said the canine with a benign smile. "The male organ is resilient, but almost as sensitive as your lovely antennae." He guided her tripod hands, showing her the gentle ways to handle his sex. "It should be treated with care." "Mmmmmmm! I see now," Kree'tzee said distantly, intent in her study. "It resembles my own egg depositor." The canine would have urbanely asked to see it had he been in the presence of mind to. The insectoid was a quick learner and as such, he was concentrating so as not to loose his seed prematurely on her exquisite lavender carapace. It was a hopeless battle. "Y-your mouth..." he murmured. "Take it...take it into your mouth." She looked up at him sharply, the confusion evident in her multi-faceted eyes, though her efforts did not cease. "You wish me to consume you?!" Tynian chuckled haltingly. "No, but...you will understand...when you do. Oh! Quickly, please!" he gasped. With nothing to do but trust her new lover, Kree'tzee lowered her head and allowed the erect member to penetrate her maw. It vanished readily into the moist depths, gripped lovingly by her strong muscles. Tynian shuddered. Though he knew she would not bite or sting, the instinctual fear of sacrificing his manhood multiplied the ecstasy he felt. The insectoid sucked at him with the same tenacity she'd eaten the coney and it broke the seal of her lover's resolve. With a long moan, Tynian came, letting the flow of his seed be suctioned down her throat. Sitting on his heals, back to the fire, he savored the feeling of Kree'tzee continued ministrations until she realized her second lesson was complete. The salty taste of his cream reminded her favorably of her primary sustenance. She raised her head, seeing the dogboy in a new light. Why she'd ever considered denying him was a mystery. He leaned forward and she away, inviting him to examine her insectoid body with the detail he long desired. The canine laid his hands upon her, feeling the carapace that was at once both rough and smooth, scored with rippling texture that was polished to an almost mirror sheen. They traced the ridge where a mammals breasts would have been. Laying his head against her chest, he found that even the beating of her three chambered heart was inaudible. His hands ran down to her torso to encircle a waist so narrow that it seemed unable to support her. Her hips flared sharply, allowing room between them for her thorax. Tynian playfully traced the segments that banded her underside, following them down to the rounded terminus. The short twin feelers that teased him some weeks ago now twitched, relishing his touch. His furry fingers curled up to the reproductive cavity here and pushed inside with a wet squish. He pumped them slowly, causing the insectoid to undulate in rapture. His lover's humming rose to a volume that made his ears itch. The muscles around Tynian's fingers pushed back and her egg depositor extended from its carapace sheath. Her previous words rang true; it was ridged and veined in the manner of a penis, but lacked the definitive cap and was much thicker for its length than was typical. The orifice at its tip expanded eagerly. "I wonder if you might repay me in kind?" Kree'tzee inquired timidly. Her new mate salivated in anticipation. "It would be an honor and a pleasure, my love." Wrapping the organ with both hands, Tynian paused a moment to appreciate it. The depositor was feminine in function, but masculine by nature. He had bedded hermaphroditic furkin before, but this was a something totally different. He inhaled deeply, filling his lungs with her pheromones and in one breath, engulfed the organ voraciously. The sticky mucous she secreted had a sour and tangy flavor, not at all like the sweet woman's juices he was accustomed to. He swallowed, though it threatened to choke him. His lips were stretched taught and his jaws ached in the effort of holding Kree'tzee's organ in his mouth. There wasn't even enough room for his tongue to lap at her in the method he used on herm-furs. At last, he could bear it no longer. He released her with an explosive cough, then immediately went back to smothering her depositor with kisses. Tynian's broad tongue stroked her length and slipped inside her muscular orifice. His fingers squeezed and pinched, tickling the pulsing veins. Her organ grew hot and swelled suddenly. The dogboy sought to quicken her climax and employed every debauched trick he could think of. Kree'tzee reacted violently, pushing her lover away and covering herself. "No! It comes!" Panic seized Tynian's heart. "What is it? What's wrong?" "My egg!" the insectoid wailed. Pain, both physical and emotional, laced her raspy voice. "I have delayed the laying too long. My people dwindle in numbers. I produce but one a season and every child is precious." The canine took her hands, sharing his determination with her. "Lay it in me," he instructed. "You are male!" Kree'tzee stated incredulously. "You have no womb in which to carry my egg." "But I have another warm cavity that may suffice," he said with a confident grin. "You said yourself that hosts were not always willing. Have you never had need to impregnate one who is not female?" The insectoid was hesitant to answer, but knew that to lie would be counterproductive in this emergency. "Yes. T'was a beast of burden that bore my child so many season ago." She broke off as the pain of delay increased. "It's not as though you have another choice! I will take your egg and care for the child with all my heart." A Rare Breed Kree'tzee's antennae twitched spastically; whether it was from the pain or because she was internally deliberating, the young canine did not know. "The egg will not grow too large and shall share the food you consume, then hatch in three months hence. When it does, the larva must crawl out through you." Her voice faltered. "The pain will be terrible. You would risk this for me?" "Anything for you, my love." Without further discussion, Tynian turned, raised his long tail, and spread his buttocks for her access. When he saw she did not move, he barked, "Hurry!" The love Kree'tzee felt for her canine mate deepened. In a normal impregnation, she would have needed to restrain the host. But in this case, it was enough to straddle Tynian, her long limbs holding her above and astride him. Her segmented thorax curled around to aim the depositor at the appropriate angle, its muscular orifice kissing the puckered ring of his anus. The egg was already in motion; there was no time to be delicate. Kree'tzee thrust hard and Tynian willed himself to accept her more readily. She drilled into him again and again, driving deeper with each push. The canine wished he had thought to place a branch between his gritted teeth. The pain was severe, though not unbearable for the sake of his lover. A final thrust drove her organ to the hilt and the dogboy's colon was flooded with the mucous that made it easier, however little, for the egg to be laid. The insectoid's body arched above him and she let out an orgasmic keen. The egg passed into him, feeling far larger than it really was. He had the sudden urge to vomit, but held it down. The continuous flow of mucous carried the egg along until it came to rest in his lower tract. Tynian suddenly felt a sense of well-being, of completion, like this was the greater purpose he had long aspired to achieve. Kree'tzee collapsed upon his back, her energy spent. Shaken as he was, he barely had the strength to support her. Sticky ichor drooled from both their rear ends, pooling beneath them. When she was finally able to roll off him and onto her back, the canine joined her. The camp fire embers no longer crackled, long since cooling to ash. Tynian stroked his belly and noted a new girth to it. His employer might mistake it for an ordinary sign of fatness, though he would require a serious explanation when the time came. Kree'tzee reached and drew her iridescent cloak over them like a blanket. No other words were exchanged that night. No words were necessary. ===== "This is where we part ways?" Tynian asked with a tone of grudging acceptance. The morning after was a beautiful one, though was hard to enjoy with the knowledge of what was to come next. "So it must be," answered the insectoid. She checked her gear and donned her cloak, looking once more the part of a distant and mysterious huntress. But even that couldn't mask the sadness visible in her crimson eyes. "Our lives are too different. It would not do to endanger you and our child in the dangerous affairs of my profession." "Will I see you again?" Kree'tzee laid her tripod hand on his forehead. To touch another insectoid's antennae was a gesture of faith and friendship. To do so without mutual trust was a grave insult. Though Tynian lacked them, he recognized this was nearly as significant to her as the acceptance of her egg. "Most certainly. The child will mature far quicker than you furkin do, so I must return before you spoil her rotten." Her multi-faceted eyes glinted mischievously. "It also would not do for her to fall in love with you as I have." And then like the wind in the trees, she was gone. As ethereal as the breeze, all she left behind was the scent of her pheromones and the memory of the love they shared. Tynian sighed and broke camp, then turned in the general direction of Vafoso. He laid a hand on slight swell of his belly. The coming months would be quite interesting, indeed. Just the thing to lighten the daily grind of the market.