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Noble Fire

by Bad Manners

===

"Here we are," Blume smiled back to his labrador companion. The lion's fangs nearly shone white in his smiling lips. "This is what I wanted to show you."

Lenz followed the gleeful lion up the foothill, stepping on the snow-covered grass that scrunched under his uncovered paws. The feline's smile encouraged him to endure the biting cold for just a bit longer.

"...Wow..." He muttered.

Between the falling snowflakes, he saw the base of the palace. Vanilla-colored spires rising from behind the window-covered façade, multiple blocks and towers extending over the rocky cliff in an irregular yet harmonic architecture. Every detail perfectly sculpted, with enclosed terraces extending out from the sturdy walls in defiance of gravity. It looked like every part of the opulent residence was placed in the wrong spot, all symmetry being broken just like the naturally mountainous terrain surrounding it. But it was still aesthetically pleasing even from a distance. He'd admired many castles before, but never this up close. Such a place wasn't befitting a lowly servant as him... Well, ex-servant.

"Is this yours...?" He asked Blume.

"Hah! Hell no, thank god!" The tan lion's voice boomed, seemingly undisturbed by the freezing storm. He approached an iron gate. "A bastard like me could never own a castle. And my old man definitely doesn't have this much money, either. This is the summer retreat of some obscenely rich nobleman. Anyway, nobody's here come winter, so I just help myself to the place every year. I come, and go, and they don't even notice. Let alone bother to change the keys." He chuckled as he unlocked the gate, and returned the key to his pocket. "Not like it'd stop me, anyway."

"...I've never been in a castle. Is it also pretty inside?"

Blume extended his arms and smiled to the labrador. "You'll see. Come, now... Let's get you out of the cold."

***

The large, luxurious halls were all empty, as Lenz had been told. The candles along the decorated walls were all unlit, and they only could only look around thanks to the dim daylight, which battled through the storm to reach the windows. Each room was filled with rugs and furniture from far-off lands, and wooden walls painted over in patterned tacky tones. The large glass panes were lined with snow at the bottom, making a silent but persistent creak from the ongoing storm.

But the labrador couldn't really pay that much attention to the environs. The teeth-clattering chill had followed them inside, the palace's walls not having been designed to keep the warmth within. The residence's usefulness during the harsh countryside winter had been disregarded by its architect. Plus, Lenz's tattered clothes were no more than rags, completely ineffectual against the cold. At this point, it only really served to cover his indecent bits in public.

Blume smiled as he walked ahead to the sleeping chambers, occasionally looking back to his companion, giving Lenz a better view of the shaved mane on the sides of his head. He wasn't sure how to read the constant optimism of the lion wearing a justacorps. Mere days ago, he had witnessed the brutal demeanor that the feline hid underneath his outwardly appearance...

***

For as long as he could remember, Lenz had served His Lordship. And he was a slave in all but title. He wasn't even allowed to be called by name; 'servant' was the go-to call. His Lordship wasn't wealthy enough to own a castle, just a tiny mansion. But what little power his lord possessed, he'd malevolently twist for his own gain. And the labrador had to endure an unfathomable amount of abuse from His Lordship, as recently as a few days ago. But his worst experience with His Lordship had happened last season, when his master was particularly moody.

On that autumn day, His Lordship threw Lenz into his lit fireplace in a fit of rage - something about 'being more useful as coal than servant'. He still had marks all over his arm and chest, his pale fur burnt with large black wounds. But that wasn't the worst scar. Ever since then, he'd never been able to get close to a fire without breaking down into a panic attack. And that wasn't the end of the abuse he had to endure.

It would still be a few more harsh months until Blume first met with His Lordship over a business lunch, and Lenz was in charge of preparing food for the traveling merchant and his host. Of course, His Lordship let out his frustration about his sole servant being useless in a kitchen, who was unable to be around an oven anymore. The lion asked more about the labrador, and His Lordship relayed all of his grievances with complete detachment. As if telling the injustices he'd enacted against the dog would garner some sympathy from his guest.

But in a moment's notice, the collected feline had dropped all composure. In a lapse of judgment, Blume lunged onto His Lordship, and Lenz ran back to the kitchen, frightened at the constant sounds of punching. And they continued on, and on, and on, a disgustingly wet percussion from the dining room which never seemed to end. Even after His Lordship's pleading voice couldn't be heard anymore, but the barrage continued... And Lenz wouldn't move a muscle.

He was curled up in a corner of the kitchen, feeling like a coward, when the world went completely quiet after what felt like ages, aside from chirping birds outside the window. The door opened, and the lion walked in, blood still dripping from his fists. But he bore a serene expression - similar to the smile he had now. Blume squatted in front of the labrador, and spoke calmly in his deep tone.

"We have to get out of here."

And Lenz had followed him ever since, away from that town and from that house. He didn't know if His Lordship yet lived or not. He could have asked Blume about it... But he never did, and a part of him didn't want to know. All that he cared about was that he'd never have to see that fireplace again. Lenz followed this lion out of necessity, imagining that Blume intended to find some use from a new servant. However, so far, Blume had provided him with free beds and food, without asking for anything else in return.

But that kindness didn't change Lenz's outlook. The lion must've had ulterior motives, and he didn't blame him; after all, it was the only logical reason as to why Blume would ever blunder his career as a traveling merchant, and keep Lenz around up to this day...

***

Snapping back from his thoughts, the labrador followed him through the halls without question, same as he had done during the perilous journey across the mountains to seek refuge in this lifeless castle. Blume showed him a set of large double doors, standing by its side.

"Go in there and find some better clothes." The brown-and-tan lion said, still upbeat. "Just so you don't freeze to death."

"...Aren't you going in with me?" His voice was quiet, expecting the feline to harbor some mistrust if he was left alone.

"Of course not, man! You're gonna undress in there, and I don't want you to feel uncomfortable with me spying on you or anything."

Lenz silently nodded, walking through the door before Blume closed it behind him. The room was quite nice - a chamber for guests, judging by the comparative lack of decoration. 'Only an idiot would think to leave expensive stuff lying around in the guest room', His Lordship would say. Always demanding that his servant kept track of how valuable things were, in case there were visitors to his estate. Lenz noticed how the bed in this room was bigger and more ornate than His Lordship's.

The labrador undressed himself from the wet rags and scurried towards the closet, taking several clothes from the hangers and tossing them over the ottoman. He was quite tall - and so was Blume -, and none of these clothes seemed to fit him. Being naked exposed him to the cold, and his body shook more. He wished that he could simply have a warm bath, an experience that he missed so dearly... But as he'd learned, merely touching hot water would bring back his trauma. His search for apt clothing was hurried by the uncomfortable temperature, although he managed to find something suitable.

When he opened the door, Blume froze to stare at him. Lenz had a thick and fuzzy cloak wrapped around him, white and red with golden embellishments. Though the lion did notice that he had no shirts or pants underneath, he didn't make any comment, and smiled warmly instead. Blume couldn't help but admire how nice the labrador looked with a royal mantle.

"...I'm still so c-cold." The ex-servant chittered with clattering teeth.

"-Oh! Right..." Blume apologized with a bow of his head. "There's one place we can go to, I'll take you there so you can heat up."

"Okay." And he followed the lion through the halls once more.

***

The tan-furred feline only realized his mistake after they arrived at the study. His plan was to simply light the fireplace, so they could both sit down and heat themselves by the flames. Staring into the elegant marble hearth by the wall, Blume felt stupid as soon as he remembered his companion's whole situation.

"...I'm sorry." The dog whimpered, realizing that he was the reason why the lion had a pensive expression while staring at the fireplace.

"N-No, don't apologize, man! I'm the idiot who forgot that you- Ahem. Do you at least feel warmer with that coat...?"

"A little bit..." Lenz clearly shivered.

"What about food? Maybe I could get you something from the pantry."

"I'm not hungry."

Blume got anxious, and grabbed him by the shoulders. "Look, I'm sorry. You don't have to keep lying for my sake. I want you to feel alright, not to end up frozen dead!"

The labrador coldly stared back at him. "...I'm not lying. Sorry... I'm really not hungry. And I'm a bit warmer with this coat, but I'm still very cold..."

The lion stayed quiet for a moment to recollect his thoughts. "...Okay. No food, then. But I still need to get you warmed up somehow. Maybe we can find you some blankets."

"...How are you so warm?" Lenz asked, referring to the paws still holding him.

"Me? Hm, I guess the cold never really bothered me like everyone else. Maybe I'm just always warm. That -would- explain why the ladies love to cuddle with me during winter, hah... As for you-"

"We could cuddle." His companion said, coolly as the air surrounding them. It was merely a suggestion, without any hidden intents. "If you don't mind."

"Oh, uhh, s-sure, not a problem!" The lion gave a weak chuckle without grinning, almost a scoff. "We can cuddle if you want, to keep you warm. And share that cape of yours. Just to keep you warm. Alright? Let me just..."

He sat in front of the unlit fireplace, before lying down on his shoulder.

"There. Now it's your turn to join me."

"Blume?" Lenz interrupted, not moving from where he was.

"Hm...?"

"Are you a violent man...?"

He turned his head to face the pale-furred dog. "L-Look, that whole deal with your lord... I'm sorry we haven't talked about it. I-I don't know what came over me. I've never done something like that before, but with him, I just- I saw his face, and-"

"Would you attack again?"

"...I would what...? You mean, him or you-"

"Would you do the same thing again? ...If we were in the same situation."

He took a moment to think. "...I don't know anymore, man. I-I have played it in my head over and over, and I think I would've done the exact same thing every time, but-"

"Okay." Seemingly satisfied with his answer, he simply walked over Blume, settling down in front of him.

The lion was beyond confused. This had been the first time that Lenz had brought up his previous lord, and he was admittedly ashamed of how Blume had behaved back then. He was too embarrassed to talk properly, and was relieved that Lenz decided to put it to rest. Maybe one day, he'd be brave enough and prepared to address it. For now, he was happy to see the labrador warm up to him. Lenz lied down as the little spoon, as they both faced the cold logs of wood set underneath a chimney.

"Hang on," Blume pulled on the cloak, "lemme move this a bit."

The canine shuffled a bit under his arm to let it get squeezed under his weight, and then the lion pulled it over so it could cover both of them together.

"There. Now our heat won't go anywhere."

Lenz nudged his body closer, brushing against the feline's dress shirt hiding his warm pecs. "...Okay."

Blume moved his hand to the dog's shoulder that was pointing up, gingerly grasping the cold fur. This part of Lenz's naked body had its original pale coloration. The other side, partially hidden against the rug-covered floor, bore a nasty dark scar, which he could see when he gazed down the mantle. To think that someone was capable of such an atrocity, just because they were of noble descent... His mind burned with rage in that single moment from days ago. It felt as if, even now, warm blood still dripped from his fists. But his heart, both now and back then, bled with concern for Lenz.

The dog simply stared at the corner of the room. The exposed wall behind the hearth revealed an intricate yet dull pattern adorning the room with details carved in wood, and thick dusty books spanned the wall perpendicular to it. The floor had a few gaps to reveal the varnished wood, though most of it was covered by the large rug they were both lying on. He continued to absorb these fine details, trying to discern the different types of wood as an exercise - anything to avert his anxious gaze from the fireplace.

Lenz gasped when his concentration was broken, shivering at suddenly feeling something squishy at the back of his head.

"Oh! Soh-rreh." The lion apologized with his barbed tongue still sticking out, before it retracted into his jaws. "I-I'm not sure what came over me, man. I was just staring at your fur and...and I felt that I had to groom it. It's like, a feline thing..."

"Oh... Okay. You can do it again."

"...You sure?"

The labrador simply nodded, bringing his neck further back without looking at Blume, letting him know he trusted him. It took the lion a few more moments, but Lenz soon felt that tongue on his fur again, its tiny hooks brushing the short hairs between his ears. He was a bit weirded out, getting a tongue bath like this and all. But it wasn't all bad, either. He could feel the lion blowing hot air from his nostrils, bringing his body closer, touching Lenz with this unexpected affection. Maybe Blume didn't think of such a thing as intimate...

In truth, even the lion wasn't sure why he'd decided to do this. He wanted to take care of Lenz, of course, but this was quite more forward than any contact that the two have had before. At most, the men had accidentally bumped each other while lying on the same inn bed before, and that was that. He hoped that he wasn't being too pushy. The dog shook again, but not like one does from cold, and Blume could tell that something was up when Lenz moved his arms.

He retracted his tongue. "Everything okay, man?"

"...Yeah. D-Don't mind me."

Blume lifted his head above the labrador's shoulder, and saw his hands covering his crotch. He smiled, though his companion couldn't see. "Got a bit excited?"

"I'm s-sorry, Sir Blume! It just did that on its own...! I-I'm not-"

"Hey, it's fine man." He stroked the dog's unscarred shoulder. "You're not into guys, I get it. And there's no need to be embarrassed, this thing happens...I think. And there's no reason to call me 'Sir', alright?"

The labrador nodded, still flustered. "O-Okay..."

He moved his hands away from his legs, afraid that he might touch himself on accident. Lenz didn't believe that he was attracted to the lion or anything. But it was the first time someone had ever touched and showed him affection like this, and his growing erection was simply an involuntary reaction. Blume soon started licking him again, and the dog was relieved that he they were on the same page.

But when the tan feline resumed, his licks were much more pronounced. Faster, almost possessive, but never too strong. Aiming the tongue at the shoulder he held fast, Blume continued giving the canine a dry bath, working on the large area around his shoulder blade. Lenz's short coat wasn't unkempt, but unable to soak himself into either cold or hot water during the winter, there was a limit to how clean he could keep himself. Still, his earthy taste wasn't so pronounced, sating the cat's curiosity.

"Yaer colfh..."

"...What?"

"I said, you're cold." Blume repeated after tucking his tongue. "I should really get you another blanket."

"No." He replied, softly but resolutely. "Keep going..."

The lion shrugged and continued, licking the fluffy back to elicit a shiver down that spine. Hopefully, not from the cold. Maybe Lenz enjoyed it far more than he'd have wanted to admit. Blume continued to explore his companion, now bringing himself to the edge of those burn marks. He kept a close eye on them, careful not to scrape and reopen his scars. Such a nasty injury... How cruel some people could be with a modicum of power.

"...T-Thank you..." The dog breathed meekly, realizing that the feline had intentionally avoided touching his scar. He still had an erection above his legs, and shame from his body's natural response, but he ignored it in favor of enjoying the continued licks.

Suddenly, Blume stopped and sat up, bringing his warm hands onto the labrador. Lenz didn't flinch when the large cat touched his wound gingerly. The two men were almost the same height, but the large leonine paws cupping his shoulders made him feel much smaller. "You're still cold."

"Yes..."

The lion pushed the cloak away to only cover Lenz, standing up and pacing in front of the fireplace. "This won't do. At this rate, you'll get sick, or worse. Only a fire could warm us up, but..." He stared at the pale dog. "I'm running out of options here."

"We could get more blankets, like you said, right? Or we could...c-cuddle again."

"Not good enough. We'll both run out of body heat and freeze." He glanced at the dry wood. "There's only one thing I can do-"

"Please, Blume! Anything but that!" The dog blurted out in an uncharacteristic panic. But his face told the lion everything. His utter fear, his despairing resolution. The expression was clear: Lenz would rather die than sit by the fire.

"...There's one thing I can do. But you have to trust me. And I promise that the fire won't hurt you."

"But Blume, as soon as I see it, I'll-"

"You won't see it. Because you'll be in my belly."

The canine blinked in confusion. "...Under your clothes, you mean?"

The lion knelt in front of him. He regretted having to bring this up in this situation out of any, but he explained it all without mincing words nonetheless. That he could take the dog, or anyone up to his size, into his maw and down into his stomach. And they'd always return safely afterwards. That he wasn't sure why, or how it was possible. But he knew that they could stay for hours, if he wanted. It was still a demanding process for his body, not only being stretched beyond comfort or having to forego food, but leaving his fleshy gut vulnerable to any harm that his prey could do, accidentally or on purpose. Still, Blume assured most of all that Lenz would be safe and warm with him, and that no fire could ever hurt him.

And the labrador patiently listened to his entire explanation. "...Okay."

"But do you get it...? If you throw a fit in there, then both of us might get hurt."

"Then why suggest it? If you don't trust me, why do you even consider doing such a thing?"

"Because I-" Blume struggled to find the words. "...I -actually- trust you, man. And I really gotta keep you safe, alright? Even in the case that I get hurt."

"But I don't want to hurt you, Blume-"

"I know, but you still can! Even on accident... B-But I don't care." He clutched his own arms. "I'm not gonna watch you freeze after bringing you all the way to this place. I'd rather go out there and die in the snow if it meant you're fine...!"

The labrador shook his head. He didn't expect such a stupid answer to come from someone clever like Blume. Putting himself in jeopardy... 'Who would even sacrifice themselves for such a lowly servant', His Lordship would most likely ask if he were here.

"Listen, man," the lion recollected himself, staring at the white storm raging past the window, "I dunno if getting inside of me is gonna be another trigger for you, like drinking tea was. Or maybe you'll panic because, well, who wouldn't if they got eaten? ...But I can't think of anything else."

There was another lasting silence. Then Lenz spoke. "...Okay. You can eat me. I won't panic."

"Are you sure...?"

He nodded, though he wasn't sure. He had too many thoughts, and none made much sense. But even if Blume was lying, his other choices weren't any better. Plus, the lion admitted that he'd leave himself vulnerable to Lenz. He couldn't ever escape the fire that haunted his dreams, but Blume was just a man, like him or His Lordship. And Blume knew pain too - enough for Lenz to know how much faith the feline placed in him. But Lenz didn't want any more violence, and he wouldn't hurt Blume because he had no reason to.

"Alright. I'd tell you to strip, but you're already...ahem." The lion untucked his neat shirt from his pants, undoing the buttons to reveal his abs, but keeping his justacorps on. The labrador silently watched. "You should stay still while I do this."

"...Should I close my eyes?"

Blume shrugged. "I'd say so. But they always open their eyes anyway, so do whatever."

"They...? How many times have you done this?"

The tan cat didn't answer. He got closer, carefully tossing Lenz's cloak away and lining up their snouts. If the ex-servant didn't know any better, it might've looked like he was about to experience a different Manner of intimacy with this man. But Blume didn't take advantage of him - he stared at the nude dog in the eyes the whole time, and parted his jaws over Lenz, showing his barbed tongue and large fangs in their pink environment. His meaty breath wasn't completely unpleasant, and its misty warmth wasn't comforting enough alone. The canine decided to close his eyes and be patient.

Blume's first touch didn't come from that maw. He slowly traced two fingers across the side of his snout, right behind the dog's whiskers and towards his ear. The lion's trimmed nails could be felt on his skin, gently raising his bright-yellow hairs on the way. Lenz didn't understand what was the purpose of this gesture, but he raised no comments.

The harsh wind clattered at the window, trying to sneak into the castle's study. Despite the grinding cold, the walls still shielded the pair from the brunt of it. The feline's large thumb held the opposite side of the snout's base, bringing the dog's nose into his mouth. Then the mandibles met his skin, keeping the labrador's jaws closed. Blume already had his tongue out, but it wasn't active underneath the canine chin that rested on it. There were a few testing presses from the hard palate; maybe to show that the sharp teeth presented no harm, or to see if Lenz would tap out. No reaction. So the lion resumed after taking a deep breath.

The large feline hand moved to reach the back of Lenz's head and pushed, funneling that snout deeper. He let out a grunt, though the labrador wasn't sure if it may have been a moan. The feline was being far more sluggish and deliberate with his 'meal' than Lenz expected. Was meal even the proper term? Blume had referred to it as 'eating', after all. He thought about how, as a servant, he always saw food as merely a necessity - and without proper meal breaks, there never was time to sit down and enjoy his 'fine' serf cuisine. He'd simply chow down little bits whenever he had the chance, often when on the verge of fainting from lack of energy. Although this situation felt urgent, Blume certainly was being measured with his 'eating'.

The lion slotted more of the dog's long face between his jaws, parting them more until the entire snout was inside of his. Blume could see his own two largest fangs locked around Lenz's forehead, touching the furred skin. He was doing all of this for the poor dog...is what he would've liked to think. But ever since the two had run away, he'd been curious to see if the labrador would indulge him willingly like this.

It wasn't something he could've simply brought up before. But he'd had a plan. Maybe if he showed him this place, he'd thought, he'd be enchanted and would warm up to him. And maybe even let him do this. He did feel a bit guilty, given Lenz giving this whole ordeal the cold shoulder, and how he wasn't given a choice. He'd be safe, and hopefully, comfortable inside of him, but Blume feared that it just wasn't the same when it was a matter of life-or-death. But his voracious instincts assuaged any guilt from his deception. His tongue finally lapped at the dog's chin up from his neck, noticing the skin shrink at the barbed muscle's touch. The prey's instinctual reluctance also stirred something deep within Blume, a craving for more. For all of Lenz. And he always loved that feeling.

The dog let out a surprised whine when the large paw drove the back of his head even further into the enveloping maw, and he couldn't help but open his eyes. Just as Blume had predicted he would. Pink flesh plastered his whole vision, with a slick clear liquid tethering his palate to the quivering tongue. The dim light of the castle's study reflected on the saliva. Lenz's black nose broke through the fragile strand, and he whimpered again as the drool splattered over his snout. A deep rumble pulled his attention away, and he stared down into the lion's esophagus.

His cold nose brushed Blume's uvula aside, unobstructing the pharynx, and stealing a peek at the pulsing tunnel that consumed any remaining light of the stormy afternoon. Where food was destined to go... Was this really as safe as Blume claimed? Could a lion's belly really keep him safe for hours? But that's exactly where he was headed. And out of his own volition, too! It felt wrong. Not that he was being eaten alive - but that he was doing it without putting up a fight.

"Blume...?" He asked out loud, snout pushing against the slimy back of the throat.

The answer reverberated all around him, in the lion's deep timbre. "Hmrf?"

"...Never mind."

The swallows resumed after his resignation. Lenz wasn't sure if he could fully trust the lion, but what other choice did he have...? On the other hand, Blume still trusted in the lowly ex-servant for some reason. And part of Lenz didn't feel worthy of receiving that faith. He could still hurt him on accident, after all. Wouldn't it make more sense to have bound him first? Then he wouldn't even have needed to go through the trouble of convincing him about this. Everything smelled fishy, figuratively...

But he admitted that Blume had been right about one thing. This whole experience wasn't as scary as fire.

Another gulp tugged him deeper, and made him whine again. All of his face was smooshed tighter by more flesh. His ears had entered Blume's maw, getting dampened by saliva. And the lion let out another pleasured rumble that came from every direction.

Blume himself tried to remain composed, but a part of himself was beyond ecstatic to finally do this, and he couldn't help it but let out the occasional utterance. He'd longed to feel his flesh being tickled by fur, feel another person's warmth against his insides...but the dog felt too chilly. The poor guy probably was colder than Blume had imagined... His tongue could already brush his collarbone, and once he fit the rest of the head and neck into his gullet, he would start working those shoulders in. Hopefully, the warmth already getting to the dog's face would alleviate some of the cold.

The ex-servant grunted and whimpered more frequently into the ravenous esophagus. His own head blocked any light, and it was pitch black inside the funnel, but the humid blasts of slightly meaty air blowing past his face bothered him more than anything else. Getting gusts of cat breath wasn't on his list for the day, but every day with Blume had been an adventure so far. Running away, misplacing his coin pouch, sleeping in a barn, arguing with foreigners at a tavern. All absurd tales on their own... But sneaking into a castle, only to get devoured alive by the lion, certainly was on a whole other level.

The next gulp lodged Lenz's head so far down the throat that Blume's airways were blocked. The lion had expected this, and could still hold his breath for the next few minutes necessary to finish this. Still, it prompted him to pick up his pace, now that the dog had enough time to acclimate to his maw and throat. Blume squished the pale canine arms against his sides and slipped his maw further along the head, locking the dog's neck in him. Lenz's snout felt wonderful being pressed down in his throat. Despite the limited time they'd have, Blume paused just for a moment to see if the labrador would ask to be let out again - it was his last chance before he'd fully commit to scarfing him down.

Surely enough, the dog started to writhe about. But to the lion's surprise, instead of freeing himself, he was bringing his paws towards the gaping maw...! Maybe Lenz needed to escape the cold so bad that he couldn't wait. Or maybe the labrador had his own separate reasons as well. The lion felt ambivalent, even as he dragged his tongue more down the neck to his chest, but continued to nibble his seemingly eager prey ever so gently. Was he really willing, or had Blume forced his hand? The lion felt guilty about secretly enjoying it, but he simply couldn't stop himself from being delighted about it. A part of him knew he yearned for this, and knew it was the right choice - and that part moved his jaws further along the labrador's body.

Lenz wasn't surprised that the lion happily hummed at the canine meal... But by all accounts, the dog shouldn't have been enjoying this! And yet, he helped himself more into the ravenous jaws. Guided by an unshakable, enticing feeling of being coveted. The lion's body wanted this. Blume -wanted- him. And Lenz never felt like he'd been seen or acknowledged before like this...even as he became a surrogate lunch. In his old life, the labrador may have passed off as a part of His Lordship's estate. But now, he was the cause for the accelerating heartbeat behind a fleshy wall. In this melancholic room of this empty castle, he knew that Blume craved nothing else but him.

The sitting lion moved his face down around the dog, delicately guiding more of the scarred skin in. Other than idle whines coming from deep down in his chest, the careful touch of his tongue and cheeks to scorched wounds didn't cause Lenz to wince in pain. His body easily expanded to accept more of his disrobed friend, unfaltering even while Lenz's snout pushed through the sphincter to his stomach. The bulge in Blume's neck transferred to the one on his unbuttoned belly, pushing outward from his toned abs as he contorted his torso to consume his companion.

The pale-furred labrador stopped his whines as he entered the organ. The less he cried, the less he had to deal with the unpleasant stuffy smell. But the walls weren't sweltering or tingly, like a stomach should be. It was clean, too, with only the ambiguous stench betraying the lion's last meal. As his furry head pushed against the bottom folds, he stayed still to let Blume pad out the sensitive stomach at his pace. Surprisingly, the smell of digested beef got more bearable, but the groans coming from the expanding walls did little to put Lenz at ease. Unlike the moans coming further up from where he came.

Blume swallowed his companion at a more hurried pace, feeling his lungs slightly ache for fresh air. He knew that his next breath would come soon enough, but not just yet... The labrador still had an accidental boner sitting right outside of those lips, but that was hardly a problem for Blume. With dexterity, he simply extended his tongue past those bits as he gulped, curving it past his balls to simply bring the whole crotch into his maw in one fell swoop. Touching and tasting Lenz was unavoidable, but Blume wanted to make sure that the uncomfortable dog wouldn't feel undignified or sexualized if he wasn't in the mood. Still, the hint of flavor that he inevitably got wasn't too different from what he'd expected.

He grabbed Lenz's crossed legs and brought them up to his face, now that the whole upper half had passed his lips. His feline teeth only did the minimum amount of nibbling to work the squishy labrador butt and thighs into his maw, but the cold shivers running across the skin only rushed his swallows. If his mouth wasn't full, Blume would have told Lenz that he was doing great, but the quietly settling canine was probably aware of it. Cupping a knee with his tongue, he continued to carefully chow down on the two calves lined side-by-side outside of his mandibles, letting his inadvertent moans do the talking for him.

Lenz hadn't doubted the lion's words, but it was still hard to believe that he was almost fully inside of Blume right now. The dog balled up in what little space he had, realizing that the constant pressure from the taut flesh actually helped his muscles relax rather than tense up. His head was facing up after twisting against the bottom of the organ. The U-turn made more room for the rest of his body to join through the sphincter, along the back wall.

He could've treated the place like a hammock, if it wasn't so noisy and too tight to move his arms around freely. The large bulge he must've made in Blume's midriff should've been quite a sight to behold. A part of him still regretted going along with this, but as he felt his toes brush against the feline's palate, Lenz had made his peace with whatever Blume really intended for him.

The lion finally locked his sore jaws as his mouth shut, and with the last couple of swallows to clear his gullet, he gasped for air. The dog's smell and taste still pervaded his maw, slowly dissipating with his following inhales and exhales. His body diligently adjusted to take in the last of his overfilling meal, packing Lenz into a fetal position, with his head almost by Blume's chest. Finally, his new friend had been tucked away inside of him. It took a lot not to think of Lenz as food too...though after being hungry for most of the day, feeling extremely satiated certainly didn't help.

"...Is this it?" The dog's muffled voice came from inside before Blume could speak out. Lenz was taken aback at how strange his own voice sounded back to him in such a cramped place.

"Yeah... Are you alright in there? Not too uncomfortable, I hope?"

"...It's okay."

Blume smiled, knowing that he wouldn't get a better compliment out of the short-spoken labrador. He affectionately stroked the large lumps on his distended tan fur, knowing that Lenz wouldn't have to worry or be scared of anything in there. Not the cold, not His Lordship, and definitely not any fire. At least, he hoped as much. He could sense that the dog's fur was starting to soak up a little bit of warmth, and Blume would run out of heat to share, so he carefully stood up with his added weight and made his way towards the study's hearth.

Inside of his stomach, Lenz had stayed still as he listened to Blume's soothing beats and breaths, and kept his eyes closed even as he felt the sway of the chamber when the lion stood up and took each of his steps. Lenz's hands were squeezed to the sides of his shoulders - making space for his knees against his chest -, and his short canine claws felt the thin layer of mucus lining the muscly walls. His body didn't feel warm, but it was much more soothing in here than lying down in the cold room under a stately mantle.

His sensitive ears heard a sharp noise outside, one that the suddenly aware labrador immediately recognized as flint against steel. The lion was igniting a fire. He opened his eyes, but only met the darkness of Blume's stomach; he tried to squirm, but he felt that the walls embraced him too tightly to barely even shift around. Lenz wouldn't run from the fire...but it wouldn't reach him in here, either.

Instead of panicking, he felt strangely comforted, in a place where he shouldn't feel comfort by any means. And he didn't flinch when he heard the first cackling of embers on dry wood. The sounds were clear, but uncanny, under the insulating layers of flesh. Distant. Nonthreatening. Tender. As if his fear itself had been left outside...

The lion didn't speak with Lenz as he lit the fireplace, as to not alarm him. He remained quiet as he grabbed the bellow by the marble fireplace and blew more air into the nascent flames. The window also crackled with the storm hitting the glass. Blume watched the fire spread, its heat beginning to reach his bulged-out stomach before the rest of his skin. Gorging himself on the labrador, almost as big as him, felt good - but not as pleasing as finally being able to shake off his cold. And soon, Lenz would also feel the soothing effects of the subdued heat. He assumed that the labrador hadn't noticed that the fire was going; otherwise, he would have no doubt caused a big ruckus inside. Blume felt a bit of squirming every now and then, but that was the norm for anyone who enjoyed a night in his belly's tight embrace.

Sitting next to the labrador's discarded cloak by the hearth, Blume lowered his sore jaws and gave his tan fur a few licks, placing them right at the back of the bulge of Lenz's head. His taste could still be felt on his barbed tongue. Despite his guilt, he was glad that the dog had ended up in his gut. He would never hurt him, but he didn't feel like saying it out loud again. The lion's large paw ran over his firm yet misshapen belly a few times.

Hopefully, Lenz enjoyed this as much as Blume expected he would. They could both hide away in this castle for at least a few more days. There was much that Blume wanted to show him. And he knew what he wanted to tell him, but this wasn't the best moment to speak frankly. Not yet. For now, he didn't want to let him out, or leave the toasty fireplace.

As he warmed up, the flame flickered in his eyes, realizing just how closer he was to his new companion, in spite of everything. Or because of everything that had happened. The threads of fate had brought them together, and his old life was forever gone. But his newfound resolve burned bright.