Things That Flower
"I think it would be beneficial," Annika suggested, "for the both of us."
"I'm not ready to suggest that to Wren. I'm not ... even sure I want to do that," Rella confessed. On the second level of the promenade. On the snow rabbit station, Orbital 9 ... talking with Annika (her snow rabbit counterpart ... for this station, anyway). "We're grateful that you're our allies, and that you let us stay here ... " The squirrel trailed. Eyes scanning the promenade. It was a place of icy and pearl-whites. Of light shades of blue. Of chilly air. Of slight chatter. Lots of snow rabbits eating soup ... down there, in the station's canteen. "I don't think we want to be under your command."
"You would have complete autonomy," Annika assured, "within the ranks."
"Well, then, what's the point of ... "
"The POINT," the snow rabbit stressed coolly, "is that, as long as you are here, and as long as you are keeping anchor ... in our orbit, above our home ... as long as you are nestled in the safe confines of OUR fleet ... you might as well as join it."
"Your fleet, you mean? Join your fleet?"
"Yes."
Rella frowned. Scanning the crowd. She leaned forward, her paws on the railing of the walkway in which they had paused. The railing was cold to the touch, and she drew her paw-pads off it. Instead, putting her paws behind her back. And then crossing them. Unable to find a comfortable position in which to stand.
"My suggestion bothers you."
"Is it YOUR suggestion, or ... "
"Oliver suggested it. His superiors approved. I was then authorized ... to bring it to you."
"Why me? Why not go directly to Wren?"
"I do not know," she said, "Wren. But I have had dealings with you, and in those dealings," Annika stated, "you have been ... level-headed."
"Thanks ... I think."
"You have good judgment. I knew you wouldn't dismiss the offer, but nor would you blindly accept it. I just wish you to think it over."
"Mm ... "
"If you joined our fleet, it would be ... ceremonious, at best. You wouldn't be required to wear our uniforms, or ... anything. It would simply be ... "
" ... for show?" A blink. "Why?"
Annika met her eyes.
"You want to intimidate the Arctic foxes?"
"That seems a childish way of putting it, but ... an effect of your addition," she said diplomatically, "to our fleet ... would, indeed, make them think twice about further hostile actions ... Luminous is advanced. We have very advanced sensors and weaponry, as you know," Annika continued.
Rella nodded.
"But, overall, in terms of design, speed, agility ... for a ship of Luminous' size and class, it's ... your vessel is admirable. It would make a good addition to any fleet. And being that you were ... exiled," she said, "from your own fleet, we are extending you an invitation: join ours."
"I don't know ... " The squirrel trailed. And took a step back, walking again. Walking off the walkway and to the perimeter of the second level. Walking.
And Annika followed (with no urgency in her steps).
Rella stopped. Turned. "I just feel, like, if it's just for ceremony, and just for show ... what's the point? I mean ... by joining you, aren't we just painting a target on our hull? Aren't we telling the Arctic foxes that ... "
"The Arctic foxes have already kidnapped your doctor. Have already been caught spying aboard your ship. You are targeted merely by being here, and by merely associating with us," Annika assured, "you have been branded. Permanently. They will never trust you. They never trust anyone ... who is prey. And you are prey. As are we. We are compatriots, and our enemy ... is them. It is better to stand unified against such an enemy," was her reasoning, "than divided."
"I guess so ... "
"Again, you would have autonomy ... just, under ceremony, under allegiance, you would be a part of our fleet. You would have to take part in perimeter rotations ... "
"Perimeter rotations?"
"Patrolling our borders. Ships alternate patrols ... most patrol for two-day stretches ... once a week."
"Two days a week ... on patrol? And the rest of the time ... "
" ... you may return here. To the station. In orbit ... wherever you wish. And if we are attacked by the Arctic foxes, you must respond as if ... the attack is against you."
"I just kind of feel that ... an attack is inevitable, though. Eventually. And that ... we're setting ourselves up to be involved in a war," the squirrel dictated, "that we didn't start, and that we have no part of."
"You are prey. Are you not?"
"Yes."
"Then you are like us."
A head-tilt, and a squint. "Not quite."
"But more like us," Annika reasoned, "than like them."
"Annika ... "
"Join our fleet."
"We don't know that we want to be here forever. We've been here a few months, yeah, but ... we're not furs of the ice," the squirrel explained. "Surely, that's obvious."
"Very," Annika agreed. "However, as long as you ARE here ... you might as well cement our alliance. We've given you shelter, supplies ... everything. Give us more, in return, than a verbal oath. Become an honorary member of our fleet. Aside from the two days a week of border patrol, nothing more will be asked of you ... unless war breaks out. And if it DOES break out, you'll be involved ... whether you like it or not. And no matter how deep our alliance goes. Simply by being here, and simply by associating with us, as I said ... the foxes have branded you for destruction."
Rella sighed. The rabbit made a lot of sense. But ... " ... I don't think that ... any of us plan on being here forever. What if Luminous wants to leave the system?"
"Where will you go? How will you replenish your resources on the way ... "
"I don't know. That's not the point. I just ... what if we decide to go, and you ... get mad at us, and try to stop us, because ... you say we have autonomy, but ... I don't know. I like our arrangement just the way it is. I think Wren does, too."
"We want more."
Rella met the rabbit's icy-blue eyes.
"You do not have to do this, however. I am not pressuring you," the rabbit assured, white, slender ears ... long and waggling. The insides of them so pink, so delicate. How did any fur survive in such cold ... as they survived in? What must it do to the mind? To the heart?
"Then why do I feel pressured?" Rella whispered.
"Because you are on our station. In orbit of our world. In our system. Using our resources to keep your ship running. You are at the mercy of our hospitality ... what you are feeling is not pressure. It is guilt."
A helpless chuckle. "Guilt?"
"Yes."
"Believe me, I do NOT feel guilty ... about anything. Certainly not about ... any of this."
"Nevertheless, you CAN do more for us."
"Look, you're not gonna send me on a guilt-trip ... if you wanted to use that tactic, you should've asked to talk to Field or Chester ... but it won't work on me."
A head-tilt. "Can you afford to lose our ... generosity?"
"Would you REALLY kick us out of the system? The foxes are going mad ... just cause we're here. Our simple presence is a benefit to you."
"I am just speculating ... "
"We're allies," Rella whispered. "We're prey, as you said, and ... we've gotten along very well. I don't see why you should ... force," she said, "some kind of tension onto this situation."
A cool nod. "I can understand your viewpoint."
"Can you?"
"Yes," was the neutral response. "However, I think what bothers you about our request ... is NOT that it's unfeasible. Rather, by doing so, you would be admitting that you truly have nowhere else to go. That you are truly ... alone," Annika whispered. "And that you need US ... more than we need you."
The words stung. Rella felt her cheeks flush beneath her fur. Knowing that the words stung ... because they were true.
"Bring what I have said to your captain?"
"Yeah," Rella whispered.
Annika gave a polite nod. "I must resume my patrols. I patrol the station twice a day. Do you wish to join me?"
"No, I ... think I'm fine. Too brisk a walk," she said, meeting the rabbit's eyes, "for my comfort."
"You'll find a good chill to be ... rejuvenating."
"Not today," Rella said. "Tomorrow, maybe."
"You know where to find me."
Rella nodded, watching Annika go. Thinking about how, when first seen, snow was so romantic ... waking up and seeing it outside the window. Until it was there day after day after day ...
Ketchy stepped through the swooshing doors ... which, because they were heavier doors, made a little clunking sound as they retracted into the bulkheads. Into the walls. And she took a step forward. Sniffing the air. Slightly, slightly, nose and whiskers twitching ... at the floral scent. Oh, so many flowers! And plants ... some fruits. Vegetables, even. She didn't spend much time (if any) in hydroponics, so ...
"Hey," was the gentle voice.
She spun. "Oh ... Denali."
"You seem surprised. I was the one that asked you here," he reminded.
"I know. I just ... smells nice," she said, of the air. The warm, moist ... floral air. "So green, too."
"You should come down here more often."
"Yeah ... " She trailed, fiddling with her own tail. "Um ... what do you need? I, uh, was on my lunch break. I just left the bridge, and was gonna go to the mess hall. I thought you might be there, too, but ... Azure was there, and he said you were looking for me ... " The way Ketchy spoke, the way she talked ... she seemed a bit frail. Very light. Very ... emotionally delicate. She often was. She often struggled with her confidence, and with ... well, with everything. She wasn't as strong as Adelaide or Dotna or ... Rella or ... she wanted to be like them. But she wasn't. She was ... herself. She swallowed. "He said I'd find you here ... "
"Yeah, I ... kind of ... convinced him to take his lunch break an hour early."
"Why?"
"So we could use the bay ... "
A hesitation. "Why?"
"Well, you're tense ... I thought ... it would be romantic," said the otter, sidling up to her. Putting his paws on her arms. Looking to her. And giving a warm, tender smile. "Thought we could ... " He raised his brows. Trying to non-verbally hint ...
"Oh ... "
"Yeah ... "
Her eyes darted around. "And Azure doesn't mind ... ?"
"No, we're friends ... I run the science lab, remember?"
"Yeah ... "
"Well, he often brings his flower and plant samples to the lab ... to catalogue and study. He said it would be okay if we spent some time in here."
"Yeah, but couldn't we just use the simulation room, or ... go back to our quarters ... "
"Not the same thing, is it?" the otter asked. Paws running up and down her arms.
"Guess not," she whispered. Swallowing. Blinking.
"Ketchy, I want you to ... stop hurting," he whispered.
"I'm not hurting."
"You are."
"I'm not," she whispered.
The otter sighed, paws going round to her back, and ... drawing her forward. Up against his chest. "You are," he whispered.
She swallowed. Eyes hurting, darting ... and then closing. And she took a shaky breath. And put her nose up against the otter's neck. Into his fur.
"That's it ... " His voice was warm, was soothing. Was strong.
She breathed in. Deeply. Of his rich-brown fur. And she allowed her arms to slide into a hug (as he was hugging her).
"Now," Denali whispered (into her angular, swiveling ear). "You wanna ... ?"
A shy smile. A nod. "Yeah," she went. And her cheeks flushed, and ... her smile spread. "Yeah ... " Stuff like this NEVER happened with Fredrick. Or in any of her past relationships. Nothing this tender, this spontaneous, this ... unabashedly warm and romantic ... to secure the hydroponics bay for just the two of them! In the middle of the day, when she was ... most needing it. Daydreaming about ... the night, and about him. And about everything. When she was on the bridge, feeling lonely (even when surrounded by her friends). She needed him. To build her confidence, to ... make her feel ... some kind of worth again. Sometimes, she did better than others. Sometimes, she was okay, but ...
"I saw, before you left our quarters," he said, "this morning ... you seemed kind of down."
"I don't know. I just ... "
"You're in heat," he whispered. More of a guessed statement ... than a question.
A quiet nod. "Yeah ... I ... I just want a child so badly, Denali," she whispered suddenly. Blurting it out. "I just ... I want a family."
He kissed her forehead. Once, twice ... sweetly ...
"We're not compatible for that ... genetically, we can't ... you can't get me pregnant." She drooped. Fredrick had been able to get her pregnant, but ... hadn't wanted to. And had purposely avoided her during her heats ... just to avoid any possible risk. But he'd taken to avoiding her at ALL times, so ...
"Well, we can ... there are other ways, you know ... " He didn't bother listing them. He didn't want her to feel like she was being patronized ...
"I know," was her whisper. She nodded.
"Hun, let's ... if you wanna talk about it, we can ... over supper tonight, let's talk about it, okay? About what you want? Okay?"
She looked up, into his eyes ... never, really, had any of her lovers, had anyone ... cared so much about her wants. About ... her. And he was so genuine. The otter was so genuine, and ... " ... okay," she whispered, smiling gratefully. "That would be nice." She nodded, biting her lip ... and then ... allowing herself to be led into the back corner of the bay. Past the daffodils and tulips and roses ... into a soft, grassy area. Where she was laid on her back. Where he got to all fours ... and propped himself over her, looking down at her.
She smiled up at him. Whiskers twitching. Nose sniffing. "Hello, stranger," she whispered.
"Why, hello," he whispered back, his own whiskers ... doing a twitch.
She giggled.
"You're in heat?" he asked again, sniffing at her. Putting his nose to her neck, and then ... down, down.
"Yeah ... came into it this morning. Like, just a few hours ago, it started ... right after I left our quarters, I began to feel ... the effects."
"Ah ... "
"I, uh ... I ... "
"It's okay," he whispered. Gently trying to remove her shirt, and her ... bra, and ...
... she fumbled at his pants, and ...
... what began as a gentle, romantic affair, became more hurried. Became more ... needy. Until the final tug and removal of clothing. Their attire in haphazard piles in the grass. And all the flowers and plants and tiny trees ... all around. This room was like a self-contained, miniature park ... right onboard the ship. Azure had done wonders with it! A year ago, it had been far more sterile in here. Now, it was utterly organic.
"Oh ... oh ... " Ketchy let out weak, little sighs, as the stronger otter pecked at her neck. With repeated, rising intensity.
The smell of her heat ... was more intense than that of her normal scent, and he could tell. Oh, he could ... tell ... he sniffed at her fur, nosing down, down ... to her bare, spreading legs, between her furry thighs. Her pussy, when he reached it ... was pink and swollen, seemingly. Was unbelievably wet inside ... and her pheromones were wafting to his nose.
"Oh ... mm ... "
Nose, nose ... sniff ... " ... mm ... you're beautiful," he cooed, massaging her thighs, her belly ...
Her eyes watered.
Lick ... slow, tantalizing lick ... right along the lines of her furry folds.
A shiver!
Lick ...
"D-denali ... mm ... "
"Yeah?" He sat up, on his knees, taking a few dizzy breaths.
Ketchy rolled a bit, pushing herself to a sit ... and got to her own knees. Meeting his eyes. "I love you," she whispered. Paws on his broad, furry chest.
"Oh, I love you, too, babe ... oh, I l-love ... " A moan ... for Ketchy had bent down. Had taken his sheathed cock into her muzzle. "Mm ... "
Her tongue wormed, wove ... worked between the opening of his sheath. To the inside, to the raw, pink head of the otter's cock. Push, push ... touch ...
"Huhn ... " Deanli arched.
She kept going, drawing him further, further ... out of his sheath. Prey furs often had their sheaths removed at birth ... but otters weren't prey, entirely (but nor were they predators). She hadn't as much experience with sheaths, but ... she had, since mating with Denali, learned a few tricks. With one paw, she pushed down the furry flesh of the sheath, letting his bulbous, pink head ... emerge. Just the head. Exposed. Delicate. Wet. Raw. And she slid her lips over the flesh of it. And bobbed on just the head.
The otter murred, squirming ... too sensitive, too ...
She pushed him to his back, kept him pinned ... kept herself between his legs. Kept going, kept ...
He tried to wrest away. He panted wildly ... whimpering ...
... and she pulled off, eyes glinting. "G-good?" she huffed.
The otter swallowed, throat dry ... " ... y-yeah ... "
She rubbed a finger-tip on his emerged head ... rubbing the clear pre around his slit, and then bringing the finger to her lips. Sucking the pre off ... while he watched. And she rolled her finger round in more of his pre ... this time, bringing her finger to his lips. Smearing his own pre on his own lips ... which he licked.
Her heart pounded. "Huhn ... " She looked down, sitting by his side now ... and saw two fingers in her pussy, which he then brought to his muzzle. Sucking those fingers. Closing his eyes.
"Mm ... " And, removing his wet fingers from his muzzle, he slid them back into her vagina. Brought them out. And extended them to her.
She sucked ... heaving quietly for breath ... as he withdrew his paw. As they stared at each other.
"You ... r-ready ... ?"
A huff! She had the heady perfume of flowers in her nose ... and the taste of male and female sex on her tongue ... and ... and ...
He was fingering her clitoris.
"Uh ... ohhh ... " She hunched over, weakly ... huffing ... " ... oh ... y-yes ... " Eyes closed ... soon, she was on her back. Soon, pulsing, pounding ... penis ... into pussy. Otter-hood marinating between her muscular walls ...
"Mm," Denali moaned, lying atop her now, in a missionary position. "Mm ... mm ... " He pulled his hips back, and ... buck!
"Huh!" She quivered in pleasure.
Pull-back ... buck! Soon, a steady, driven motion.
Soon, plowing into her.
Soon, her limbs wrapping, hugging desperately around his sturdy otter body ... foot-paws sliding up and down his rudder tail. Arms around his back. Paws on his moving shoulder blades. Oh, the feel of him!
The otter slid in and out, in ... deeper, deeper. Her wet, warm muscles, searing muscles. Oh, her heat!
Perfect friction, perfect motion ...
... and perfect need. From both of them. Closer, closer ...
... that growing, anticipatory feeling. That rising, that ... swelling. Knowing you were being worked toward something grand. Toward release. Oh, release ... the release of this ...
... but not quite there. Having to build it up. Having to create it.
Having to ...
" ... oh ... oh ... " Her nipples, hard as they were ... were rubbed-over by his chest-fur ... with each of his sturdy humps.
His balls tightened. His furry sac began to tense ...
Ketchy took deep, panting breaths ... taking in floral scents ... every time. Oh, the flowers. Oh, the plants ... oh, the scents, the colors ... aided in everything. Aided in this. Oh, the air! Oh, the natural peace of this. The natural ...
"Mm ... "
Ketchy's eyes watered. She clung to Denali ... nearing, nearing ...
Drill, drill ... ! Hump!
"Uhn ... " ... oh, just one more, just one more ... please, please, please ...
Hump!
"Uhnnn!" Yes! Pussy spasms ... wracked her. Warm, fierce waves ... of moan-inducing pleasure. Juices leaking from her, running in rivulets back along the otter's penis, wetting the thicker tufts of fur at his groin.
Her release, her sounds, her ... her ... heat ... oh ... " ... ohhh, ohhh ... uhhnnn," Denali groaned. Sighing! "Uhhh ... " Cock twitched, twitched ... fired! With each pulse of semen ... a punching pulse of pleasure. Gave him shivers as he sowed ...
And they laid together, a sweaty, sticky, furry ... mess. For several minutes.
Nosing her neck, panting lightly, Denali confessed, "I've never done a femme in heat ... you're my first heat ... "
"R-really ...?"
"Mm-hmm," was his gentle sound, sucking, mouthing on her cheek. "It was wonderful ... you were wonderful," he whispered, over and over. Instilling confidence in her. Nurturing her. Suckling sweetly on her lips, string saliva when he parted.
Her eyes welled. She huffed. Swallowed. "Mm ... I ... thank you. I ... I don't think I've ever had," she whispered, "a better yiff."
"I'm sure you have ... "
"No ... no ... no one's ever LOVED me ... like you do. I feel it ... how you love me. How you touch me. I ... " She faltered, flushing, feeling she sounded silly.
He kissed her lips. Gently. And gently pulled out of her ... otter-hood a bit flaccid now, shrinking. And he slipped to her side in the grass, and he hugged her.
She closed her eyes. And melted into the hug.
"I'm sorry," he whispered, stroking her fur, "that my seeds won't grow in you ... "
She, eyes still closed, gave a warm, kind smile. "It's okay ... it's ... I don't want that to stop you from sowing them." A bashful giggle.
"Heh ... mm ... don't worry, it won't," he said, kissing her forehead. Putting his nose to hers. "But I'm serious," he said, "about wanting to talk later ... about what you want. There are other ways we can have a child ... "
"Thank you," she mouthed, the words not making it out. She felt a lump in her throat. She didn't know what to say ... she was ... overwhelmed. This love was real. And it floored her.
"We better go back to our quarters and wash up, and get a quick bite," he said, "to eat ... "
She nodded. And opened her eyes. And smiled. "Okay."
"No. That's out of the question."
"That's what I was thinking," Rella said, sitting on the couch in his ready room. Looking up at her mate, who was pacing back and forth.
Wren took a breath, turning back ... stopping. Walking the other way. Stopping again. "Is it a veiled threat, you think? Like, 'officially join us, or ... you're not welcome' ... ?"
"I don't think so," Rella said. She sighed. She was hungry. She hadn't eaten lunch yet. "But Annika seemed to think it's a good idea ... us joining their fleet. Like, on a permanent basis."
"It makes me uncomfortable."
She nodded. "I know ... " A pause. "What should I tell her ... next time I see her? Should I tell her we'll think about it?"
"If we tell her that, she'll only press the issue. Only keep it alive."
"They're NOT bad furs, the snow rabbits. I mean, I rather like them ... I think we all do ... they just take some time to decipher."
"Yeah ... " Wren went to the couch, and sat down beside her. Leaning back. Closing his eyes. "But she's right, you know. Annika ... when she told you that ... all that stuff. About us being alone. About ... what about our futures?" he asked. "We can't stay here forever, can we?"
"They seem to think we can. As part of their fleet."
"Yeah, but ... none of us WANT that ... I don't think. I mean, I could ask around, but I'm pretty sure ... what we all want," Wren whispered, "is to find a planet of our own. To colonize. To ... make as our home." A pause. "In a few generations, we could ... make a true colony town, and ... in a few hundred years, that town could become a country, and then ... a whole world, you know, of prey furs."
"That's pretty ... grand thinking," Rella said. "But ... how feasible is that?"
"Well, we can't go home. Not to the home we came from. And the snow rabbit world, to me, is just a stopover. We're here cause we have to be, and since we HAVE to be ... we're making the best of it. Making friends. Trying to enjoy our stay. Helping out when we can ... and we HAVE helped them out. We gave them that Arctic fox prisoner a few days ago ... "
"But either ... we stay here, or we don't. The longer we stay," Rella reasoned, "the harder it's gonna be to leave. We're becoming dependent on the snow rabbits to sustain us."
"If we go into open space," Wren countered. "You've said it yourself. If we go into open space, and we run into just ONE predatory ship ... they'll destroy us. We've got a price on our heads," he repeated.
"I know that. Which is why we need to find our OWN planet ... one that's habitable but not inhabited. One we can ... make our own society on. Either that, or we become nomads. And we all die on this ship. We all die of old age, or of ... fox or wasp attack ... in the void of space."
Wren's whiskers twitched.
"We just have some choices to make, and I don't know how much longer we can put them off," she whispered.
"Yeah," he whispered back, and sighed. And looked to her. And reached for her paw.
She gave it.
And he squeezed it. Whispering, "I don't know what I would do without you." In all honestly, Rella was a better first officer than Field was ... and Field WAS the first officer. But maybe it was because he was Rella's mate, and all they'd been through, and ... how she'd helped to heal him, and ... it was just easier to talk to her about these things. About deep things. About ...
" ... anything you want me to do?" she asked.
"Heh ... such as?" A slight smile.
She gave a playful shrug.
"Mm ... well, I'm hungry. I think you are, too, if I hear your stomach correctly, so ... maybe we should save dessert for tonight," he said, "and have a simple lunch in the mess hall. Talk some more ... "
"Sounds good. But ... let's talk about something else, okay? We have, for the moment ... plenty of time to make a decision about ... our future. Right now, we're not going anywhere. So, let's ... talk of other things."
"Like what?" he asked gently, leaning his head on her shoulder.
"Anything. Things that flower ... "
"Sounds good," was his response, and he stood, and extended his paw.
She took it.
And they went to the mess hall. Sometimes, a good chat over a good meal with the one you loved ... could do wonders for the soul.