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"Well... guess my luck had to run out at some point," Fox McCloud sighed.

He reached up, putting a paw on the still-warm hull of his Arwing and scanning over its frame. Sleek and silver with blue stabilizing fins, Fox had made sure to treat the ship with nothing less than complete respect, ensuring it would never take unnecessary damage. Yet his work as a mercenary demanded that some risks be taken, and that he occasionally put his life on the line, and in those cases the fine-tuned fighter would come away with a few scuffs.

This last mission was a prime example of putting his tail in the fire: a rash of pirate attacks along the outer rim of the system had prompted the CDF to send mercenary units to the region for cleanup. The Star Fox team had been tasked with one of the larger groups and directly attacked a mobile asteroid base orbiting Sauria, the infamous "Dinosaur Planet" of the fringe sectors. Bold or stupid, the pirates had gone on the attack before Fox could even hail them for a chance to surrender, prompting a heavy fire-fight that resulted in the base blowing to pieces. But, adamant on fighting to the bitter end, the pirates had thrown everything they had at the team, even while chunks of burning rock floated around them. Despite his precognitive abilities and a sharp instinct, Fox was still capable of making miscalculations - and this one had ended with a boulder smashing his wing, followed by a dangerous landing.

He looked back through the jungle, his eyed scanning the deep gouge in the earth his ship at left before stopping a few feet short of a giant tree. He winced, peering over the hull to the other side and surveying the damage for a few moments before turning away.

A completely shorn wing was quite a bit more than a few scuffs.

"Slippy's never going to let me hear the end of this," he groaned, pinching the bridge of his muzzle. He shook his head, then looked around the immediate area, seeing little more than dense vegetation in every direction. With the desperate hope that he would be left alone long enough to make contact, he reached up to his headset, suffering a moment of painful hesitation before he triggered the comms. "Peppy, are you there?"

A few moments of crackling in his ear passed. "... you loud and clear, kid," a tired voice replied. "What's your stat--" The line burst into static.

"Get a cleaner lock on my comms," Fox told him. "You're breaking up."

Another pause. "... Got it. Do you read?"

"Much better," he replied. "I made it down safely. How're the rest of the team?"

"Falco is mopping up what's left of the resistance on his own. I think he's a bit angry at you for making him worry," Peppy chuckled. "Slippy is working to repair the damage to the hangar. Need me to patch him in?"

"No! No... er... not right now," Fox said, clearing his throat. "Don't really want him to hear this. I, uh... didn't make it down smoothly, I'm afraid. Port wing is clipped pretty bad."

"Grounded?"

"'Fraid so," Fox said. "I tried to mitigate the damage, but..."

"Nevermind that, as long as you're safe," Peppy sighed. "Right now you need to do what you can to stay that way. You might be down there a while."

His brow furrowed. "I'm gonna need immediate extraction, Pep."

"'Exfiltration,' pup," Peppy corrected him. "You're in enemy territory. Falco's been scanning the wreckage as he's gone along; some of these pirates are natives from Sauria's surface. It explains why they were gung-ho about pressing the attack, but it means they might be expecting you on the surface."

"All the more reason for you guys to get me out of here, right?"

"If we could - but the hangar magcon field is down, so it's pure vacuum until Slippy can fix it. He's lucky enough he was able to get aboard before it failed completely."

"What about Falco?"

"He's-- hold on, patching him through."

The comms crackled for a few moments. "... Y'there, Foxy?"

"Safe and sound, for the moment," Fox said, looking around again. Nothing seemed to stir in the nearby foliage, but a tingle had appeared in the back of his head, the fur on his neck standing up. "What'd you find?"

"I scanned a hull fragment from that cruiser that tried to play chicken with the Great Fox. The archives identified is as the emblem of the Sharpclaw tribe. Looks like they're expanding territory into the vacuum."

"We'll need to link up with General Pepper and inform him when we can. They would have warned us about Saurian pirates if they knew, so they probably don't. Think you can grab me in the meantime, Falco?"

"Not without leaving the Great Fox vulnerable, buddy," Falco replied. "I'm going to need to stick it out here to make sure we don't get hit with a counterattack. Even if I could, it'll be a tight squeeze in the ship with the two of us, and we wouldn't be able to board the Great Fox until she's fixed."

"Understood," Fox said, holding back a groan. He hated that it was coming to this, but he knew what he had to do. He pulled himself up onto his Arwing, pushing the canopy up and reaching into the cockpit. With a firm tug, he wrenched the backrest of his seat forward, revealing a small cargo bay with a rucksack and a blaster rifle. "If that's the case, then I'll try to get to higher ground, or at least somewhere open to put down a beacon," he told them, taking off his jacket and stuffing it in the sack. "Try to get in touch with Bill Grey on Katina. He owes me one for last year, I'm sure he'll help us out."

"Be prepared for a long stay," Peppy warned him. "The sector is still crawling with pirates, and I'm reading orbital fluctuations on the surface. Some kind of energy interference is causing the instruments here to pick up multiple readings. I'll try to get a better lock on you once you set your beacon."

"Copy that," Fox said, reaching in deeper and pulling out a long, cylindrical object. "I'll be going dark on comms for a few days, just in case someone on this primitive world can scan our frequencies. I'll contact you another way," he added with a smile. He waited for the pulse, the slight tug in his senses when something beyond the physical reached out to him.

"Are you prepared?" It was silent, more a fleeting thought than an audible voice in his head, yet he could feel Peppy's presence in it.

Fox held the cylinder up, his thumb triggering a switch on the side. A snap-hiss pierced through the jungle air, and blade of emerald-green light shot from the top of the hilt, settling into a dull hum.

He nodded. "Just like you and dad taught me," he replied, focusing his telepathy.

"Good. Then may the Force be with you, Fox."

"And you too."

Twenty minutes later Fox was jogging through the jungle, his rucksack tight against his back and his blaster rifle held firmly in his paws. It had been some time since he had needed to rough it out in the wilderness, but his training had required him to carry and use as little as possible, surviving with a basic kit, a combat knife, and a blaster rifle. This was little more than a light workout to the vulpine commander, a light sweat building on his forehead as he pushed through the foliage. The true concern was the looming sense of dread, a tingle that had grown since he had started jogging from the crash site.

The damage hadn't caused any fires, thus there was no smoke to signal his position; and the canopy of trees had caught any debris from flying high. But it was too much to hope for that his landing had gone unnoticed. Falco's discovery that the pirates were tied to the tribes on this planet was alarming � the likelihood of them having a hostile presence on Sauria was high, as was the chance that they had reported Fox making landfall. Getting as far away from the crash site was his safest option.

He stopped suddenly, senses on high alert. His father had taught him the basics of the Force, to draw upon in instinctively and to listen to those subtle tugs to avoid danger. Even now, he heeded that instruction, forcing his heart to slow down and giving him the opportunity to focus. It was Peppy who had refined his technique, to draw upon the Force practically and utilize it as a tool, sharpening his senses. A slight tingle of dread, born from precognition, caused him to whip around with his rifle raised, dropping to one knee and aiming back down the path he came.

Nothing. Not a stir in the bushes save for what little air movement could cause.

His brow furrowed. Can't be them. Saurian Sharptooth clan is too aggressive. I would have sensed it, and they wouldn't have waited - not when they have the numbers advantage. His trigger-finger tightened, the buzzing feeling in the back of his head building. This is something else.

Almost as if guided, the barrel of his rifle snapped to the left and he fired, a bright-green bolt spitting from the tip and exploding against the base of a tree. It hadn't been out of fear, but reflex - he'd caught a nearly imperceptible flicker in the shadows, moving faster than he could aim. A surge of alarm spiked in his chest and he jumped back to his feet, tossing his rifle before him, just as a dark-blue blur leapt out of the brush.

A snap-hiss pierced the air, a vibrant purple light-blade cleaving through the rifle like a sharp knife through paper. The destroyed weapon clattered along the dirt, slowing the assailant's footwork long enough for Fox to draw his lightsaber. His slash caught the attacker's blade in a lock and he pushed hard against it, growling as the smaller being pushed back without giving an inch. In the light of their weapons, he could clearly see the face of a beautiful, blue-furred vixen, her violet eyes exuding hatred. It was a face he'd seen before from afar, cradled in the arms of a rose-carrying black panther, in one of the many 'Wanted' posters throughout the Lylat system. Her build was athletic and thick, her flight suit frayed and torn in some places, but there was no mistaking who she was.

"Kursed Sharrde. Fancy meeting one of Star Wolf's team members here."

"Fox McCloud," she hissed, her tongue refined, almost foreign. "Figured they'd send a mercenary after me. Didn't think they'd send their best."

Fox smirked. "They wouldn't. Not for Star Wolf's newest pilot." Her glare deepened and she shoved into him, knocking him back a few paces and flowing into an attack stance. He set his teeth and planted his feet, settling into a defensive pose. "How long have you been tracking me?"

"That's a stupid question," she shot back. "You're in my territory, there's no reason you'd be here unless it was to look for me!" He frowned, but before he could reply to it she lunged at him, swiping at his head. "I'm not going without a fight, even if you can handle a lightsaber!"

He leaned back, narrowly avoiding her slash and countering with a jab; she flicked her blade around and smacked the tip away, charging in. Her blade sought his hip, yet he parried it away and aimed a cut to her shoulder. She sidestepped and dodged, spinning around with a blow to his back, but with a twist he brought his lightsaber around and guarded the blow. Before she could follow up, he thrust his paw towards her, his arm surging with Force energy. A heavy boom erupted between them, shaking the nearby trees and kicking up soil from the forest floor, while the vixen was thrown back several meters. She chirped in surprise, twisting midair and digging her feet into the earth as she slid a few more feet to a stop. The anger on her face was unmistakable, but there was now an element of fear and awe behind it. She hesitated a few seconds, before letting out an annoyed growl and re-engaing.

Fox remained on guard. Of all of Star Wolf's members, Kursed had always been described as akin to the oceans of Aquas; beautiful to behold, yet deadly to the unwary. The accounts seemed true already. Even a few seconds of crossing sabers was enough for Fox to tell that she was as much an expert in dueling as he was. She was fast, her movements beyond the ability of a common soldier or pilot, almost a blur at times, and striking with a level of strength one would expect from a Lylatian primate. His arms felt the shock of each attack every time he blocked, yet she never slowed down for even a moment. Still, he held his ground against the assault, his hands and footing guided by instinct and the Force as he wove a defense with his blade, catching the vixen's flurry of attacks, though he found he could not land a cadence to change the flow of battle. But as the battle wore on, he could feel the sensation of anger and annoyance radiating from her. As he blocked her strikes, foiled her cadences with careful footwork, evading her through subtle dodges, her face contorted from anger to frustration. She struck hard and he parried, attempting to riposte, but she slid beneath the blade and swept at his feet, nearly catching his leg. He grunted and leapt, saved by a well-timed backflip and landing cleanly, raising his guard and blocking her overhanded blow.

He dug his feet in and pushed back, now caught in a saberlock. The vixen growled at him, glaring at him with her teal eyes. The corners of Fox's muzzle lifted in response, his face breaking into a smile.

"What's so funny?!" she snarled.

He grinned. "Nothing. It's just... you're really cute when you're angry."

The light of his green blade, mixed with the hue of her violet blade, was not enough to hide the deep red of her face blushing. For a moment her eyes softened and she looked vulnerable, uncertain, the pressure of her saberlock ebbing away. But the moment passed and her glare returned. She twisted her hilt around and grazed his chin in the space between her paws. He almost missed the subtle movement of her fingers triggering a switch. A surge of alarm jolted through his nerves and he ducked, just as a second blade ignited at the base of her weapon, humming dangerously over his ears. He sprang back up, twisting and blocking the new blade's backswing.

"Say that again, jerk!" she snapped, lunging in and renewing her assault, striking from every angle with her dual-bladed saberstaff. "I dare you!"

"But you are," he teased, still grinning even as he warded off the barrage of blows. If she had hoped to catch him off guard, she would be disappointed; staff combat was an academy-required class that he excelled in, and her cadences were not that different. "I can see why Panther and Wolf like you so much."

"You-- they-- shut up!" she snarled, thrusting her palm out. Fox raised his arm and braced his feet into the dirt, sliding back a few feet as a burst of energy buffeted against him. "You're either here to capture or kill me, so drop the rizz!"

"I'm not here to capture you," he said even, dropping his grin to a smile.

The vixen stopped in mid-step, her glare softening into a confused frown. "Don't lie to me. You landed near my crash site."

"Less of a landing and more of a crash, actually. And completely by chance, I assure you," he replied, cautiously lowering his weapon. "Think about it - if I were tracking you, wouldn't I have been quieter about my approach instead of jogging toward higher ground?"

Her stance relaxed and her frown lessened. After a few moments she triggered her weapon; both blade vanished into her hilt. "Is that right," she sighed. "Let me guess... Saurian pirates shot you down, too?"

"Not quite," he admitted, deactivating his weapon. "Base debris struck my wing." He raised an eyebrow. "CDF didn't mention you in the area."

"They don't know," she scoffed. "But that's none of your business."

"Fair enough," he said, holding up his paws.

"So what happens now?" she asked, folding her arms and regarding him critically.

"I see no reason why we should be enemies. I've no quarrel with you."

"I'm with Star Wolf. We have a bounty on us."

"Well... no," he correct her with a chuckle. "You and Panther are on the 'wanted' posters as 'persons of interest,' but only Wolf, Leon, and Pigma have bounties on their heads. You're one of their freshest faces." He shrugged. "Sorry, darling. You don't have a number attached."

Her frown returned. "Bullshit. I've shot down and killed plenty of pirates."

"But not CDF fliers or merchants, so that barely qualifies as vigilantism in the outer rim of the system," he said, smiling. "The point is that I have no reason to capture you. And judging by the state of your suit, you've been here a while. Probably running low on rations, right?"

She held her gaze at him for a few seconds, but then looked away, her voice quiet. There was a slight look of shame in her face. "I've been here two weeks. I'm out of rations. So what. I can survive out here."

"I'm sure you can," he said soothingly, taking a cautious step forward. "Though why do it alone? Tell you what, if you promise not to kill me and help me get to higher ground, I'll share my rations with you, we can trade watches while we sleep, until my team hones in on my beacon and picks me up."

"You have a way off-planet?" she said, looking surprised. "I figured this was still a hot zone."

"It is, but my team can handle it - once they're finished with repairs," he added. "I'll sweeten the deal and give you my beacon so you can contact your team, once I've left."

There was a split second where Fox noticed a mix of reactions in the vixen. The subtle widening of her eyes, the briefest look of hope; but in the next moment it fell to one of doubt and pain, her jawline tightening and her eyes flicking away as she sighed. "Highest point on this continent is in the peaks to the north, in the Cloudrunner tribe's eyries," she told him. "It's three days from here through Sharpclaw territory. I was probing the outskirts, looking for a way past them, but... I'll admit I could use assistance."

"Sounds like you have field knowledge of this world," Fox noted.

"That's none of your business," she said coldly. "Can you help me out, or not?"

"I will," he said calmly.

"And I have your word on that beacon?" she pressed.

"I swear on my life I will honor that agreement." He smiled at her, holding his paw out. "Shake on it?"

She looked at his paw with a smirk, then walked past him. "Don't push it, McCloud. This makes you an asset, not a friend."

He shrugged, sneaking a look at her backside with a sly grin. "Very well, if you insist."

"And keep your eyes off my ass!" she said, jabbing a finger in the air. "Don't think I didn't feel that."

"As you wish," he chuckled.

True to her word, Kursed led the way through the dense jungle, following hidden paths that he was sure he would have overlooked. Within hours it became clear that the vixen had considerable knowledge of the world and its inhabitants, though she said very little to him as they walked. She kept her pace brisk, her ears flicking and turning to scan their surroundings. Through the Force, he could sense a forced coldness in her, trying to keep isolated and shielding her mind away from him. It was difficult to get any read from her, but Fox had no reason to believe he was being deceived.

By the second day, they still hadn't talked much, and as they ventured deeper into Sharpclaw territory, Fox kept his senses on high alert. His right hand was never more than a foot away from his lightsaber. Losing his rifle limited his options in a fight, and he was not keen on being taken by surprise again. He only hoped that Kursed had enough skill in the Force to sense danger before it was too close to act against it.

"Give me a break," she said suddenly, "I'm not a novice. I can feel things through the Force, same as you can."

His ears perked up from the sudden dialogue, surprised she had detected what he was thinking. "I didn't figure you were feeling me out."

"I'm also not stupid," she replied. "I've learned not to trust easily, so I'm making sure you aren't going to screw me over. You come off as being too honest, it makes me think you're putting up a false front so you can to stab me in the back later."

Fox half-smiled. "Misanthropic type, I see."

She slowed her pace slightly, but didn't turn to face him. "I've seen enough of the Lylat system know how cruel it is. I'm not sure I believe someone like you can be so kind and naive unless they were lying. Or just stupid," she scoffed.

"Oh no, I can also be a jerk at times," he admitted with a chuckle. "Just ask Falco. But I was always taught not to make enemies if I can help it. Being a mercenary gives you more than enough people to make you a target."

"If it weren't for the fact that you're a merc, your nice-guy schtick would make me think you had Jedi training," she noted.

"They don't typically come to this part of the universe," he replied. "But my father knew and respected them, and a few Knights teach at the Cornerian Academy. He enrolled me in early to learn their wisdom, to keep me from abusing my abilities."

Her pace slowed to a stop. Fox felt a twinge of guilt radiating from her. "James McCloud, right?" she asked in a quiet voice. He nodded. "I've heard Wolf talk about him sometimes. He... respected him. Part of the reason why he kicked Pigma off the team." She said hesitated for a few moments, looking awkward. "So... how'd you learn to control the Force?"

He didn't answer immediately, taking a moment to reflect on pleasant memories, long since passed. "My old man and his buddy Peppy Hare were Force-sensitive, too. They never went through formal training with the academy, but my dad taught me to draw on it through instinct, before he enrolled me with the Jedi trainer." He paused, pushing back the ghosts of grief and guilt before continuing. "After he went missing, Peppy taught me how to read emotions and intent, combat focus."

"Is that where you learned how to handle a lightsaber?" she asked, finally turning and raising an eyebrow. "The Jedi trainer, I mean."

"Had to. Peppy knows how, but he's a little too old and out of practice to teach me lightsaber combat; and my father was known to be a talented duelist, but never had the chance to teach me. The bulk of my training comes from my private sword lessons in the academy and Jedi instruction; I studied forms III, IV, and V on their insistence. A blend of defense, agility, and power."

"Hmph... guess that explains why you held up so well," she muttered. "Was sure I had your head with my second blade, but you're quick."

"Thanks, though you didn't make it easy," Fox said encouragingly. "You're the first person I've ever had to cross lightsabers with, in fact. Where did you learn?"

She blinked, then turned away from him, clearing her throat. "Look, if you want to spill your history to me, that's on you," she said, adopting her cold voice again and pressing forward, resuming their pace. "I'm not gonna spill things that aren't your business to begin with."

He shrugged, following. "You asked. But fair enough."

For the next few minutes they said nothing, pushing deeper through the jungle. By now, Fox could feel an aura of regret from his vixen ally, perhaps cursing herself for pushing the discussion when she didn't need to. Before too long he could hear the sound of water some distance away. Kursed sighed and stopped, gesturing ahead. "Alright, I'm calling for a break here. I need to clean up, and we should fill up on water before we go any farther."

Fox nodded, rummaging through his gear bag as he followed the vixen. Fifty paces ahead they came to a shallow river. Its water was surprisingly clean, with smooth stones clearly visible a few feet below the surface. Fox looked upstream, surprised to find a pool only a hundred feet away, where a half-dozen rabbit-like creatures were splashing around happily, seemingly unperturbed by the arrival of two Lylatian fox-morphs. The pool seemed to pulse with light, a surge of water swelling in the middle, and through the Force Fox sensed purity emanating from the creatures; a foreign yet wholesome vibe that he was sure signified safety.

"What are those?" he asked, pulling out a pair of canteens and handing one to her. "They're giving off a lot of positive Force energy."

"Raifii, or bafomdads, depending on which tribe you ask," she replied, crouching next to the river and filling the container. "They're a large part of Saurian culture, and have an unconscious connection to the Force, healing anyone and anything that requires it. Even the Sharpclaws show them respect and reverence. It's what keeps their water clean from bacteria and pollution. It's safe enough for bathing. No need for detergents to wash away muck or dirt." She set her canteen aside, unzipping the top portion of her flightsuit. "I'm going to move downstream a bit. Don't follow."

"We should probably stick close," Fox warned her. "You did say we're deep in hostile territory."

"Sure, but that doesn't mean I want you staring at my tits while I'm washing my suit and myself," she said with a frown. "I get enough of that from Panth--" She stopped short, a bright-red blush burning in her face before she turned away with a sour look. "Just keep your distance," she finished, walking down the riverbank until she was hidden behind some overhanging foliage.

With a shrug and a sigh, he began shedding away his longcoat and flightsuit. Something akin to a slight hum seemed to hang on the tip of every strand of fur as he stripped down, and by the time he was completely nude it felt like air rustling through his pelt. He never felt more free from clothing than now; the custom-tailored flightsuit had been designed for comfort and ease of motion, while keeping his considerable assets contained. He stepped into the running stream and inhaled sharply; not only was the water pleasantly cool, but it felt as if a current of energy was flowing through it, easing away the pain of two days of marching.

He glanced back in Kursed's direction; though the vixen was nowhere to be seen, he could sense her on the other side of a boulder, just behind the foliage. He paid her little mind as began splashing his face and limbs; if she was going to look, that was fine. He had never been body-shy, even in his post-academy years, and by now he was proud of the build he'd earned. Half a lifetime of training had gifted him with an athletic, muscular form, such that he'd been mistaken for a half-wolf at times; and the robust shape of his huge cock and balls didn't do much to convince people otherwise. Even without dwelling on lustful thoughts, his libido had managed to coax roughly half of his length out of its sheath, throbbing visibly with every heartbeat. The mixed-gender lockerrooms of Corneria meant he'd gotten more than a few compliments and propositions. Still, as he reached down and gave his prick a few strokes, he considered it a nice change to have some privacy, other than the nearby bafomdads. He let out a quiet groan, watching as a thick dollop of pre-cum formed at the tip of his cock, oozing into a droplet that broke from the surface and splashed into the water.

"Hmm... could be a while before I get another chance," he mused to himself. "And I'll be watching that ass for at least another day's march."

Before he could make a decision, he caught a flicker of surprise on the edge of his senses. He turned to where Kursed had disappeared, just in time to see the end of a blue tail vanish around boulder behind veil of vines. He was about to dismiss it as nothing until he heard the vixen's voice, sounding a little strained. "Hey... you wouldn't happen to have a towel in that gear bag, would you?"

Fox smiled. "Two, in fact. First rule of the galaxy, always have a towel on hand."

"Yeah, yeah, just fork it over!" she groaned. "And no peeking!"

"I would never," he chuckled, reaching for the gear bag and pulling out a towel. He waded through the river, which was deep enough that it reached his thighs but stopped just an inch below his balls.

"Right, you're Jedi-trained. I forgot you space-monks are basically virgins," she scoffed. "Self-care's about the best you can get, I'll bet."

"Uh... negative on that," he replied. "Jedi aren't celibate."

There was a long pause, then a surprised reply. "... What?"

"Celibacy isn't part of Jedi teachings," he repeated, stopping near the boulder. He stuck the towel through the veil, looking away. "Besides, they abandoned their restriction on having emotional attachments decades ago. So I'm not a stranger to sex."

"Huh... is that a fact," she said with a clear note of interest. He felt the towel being tugged off his hand, and once he was sure she had it he began to move away. He stopped short when she spoke again. "I was always told Jedi were firmly against having romantic attachments, or even families. Some bullshit about falling to the dark side, or not being focused enough to do your job."

"Didn't stop my dad," he answered, staying put. "My trainer certainly didn't forbid it. And I run my own mercenary unit anyway, so it's not like the CDF can restrict me."

"True," she said, sounding curious. "So... why is it that don't you have any women on your team, then?"

He hesitated, wondering if he should put some distance between them, before deciding to continue bathing where he was. He got into a sitting position, leaning against the boulder as he began to rub his fingers through his fur. "We used to, actually," he said, cupping his hands and splashing water over his hair and face. "Miyu and Fay used to be a part of the team, before they went their own ways. Lucy Hare was a consultant and navigator for the team, before she retired to become a teacher. Fara Phoenix, too. She used to be a test pilot and honorary member, but her rich dad wouldn't let her join us officially." He smirked. "We tried a couple of times to get Falco's girl, Katt, to join up with us, but she prefers playing it solo."

"I never knew," she said softly.

"You only joined Star Wolf, what... a year ago?" Fox queried.

"Year and a half, actually," she replied. "They needed a psychic and I--" She stopped short, and from behind the boulder Fox could feel a sharp spike of pain and sadness, quickly hidden. She cleared her throat before continuing. "Well, I was on-hand and needed to make money fast. Wolf wanted someone who could aid with aggressive negotiations. Pigma had been too quick to kill their hostages in the past, which raised their bounty."

"Well, then I'm not surprised you didn't know about the women we used to have on the team," Fox noted. "That was four or five years ago, when Corneria was still at war with Andross.

"I see." A pause. "... Ever banged any of them?" she asked, in a voice that suggested a smirk.

He chuckled. "When you're in space for weeks at a time with only a handful of things to keep you centered, you take any form of relief you can find. I can meditate and keep my urges under control."

"I'm not hearing a 'no,' McCloud."

He let out a silent, half-amused curse; the bold dialogue was making his loins stir. "But that wouldn't help my teammates when they needed help blowing off some steam," he continued. "Slippy's the faithful type with his own girl. Peppy's high-libido days are over. And while Falco is apparently damn decent in bed, he's... not really a people person. Katt's really the only woman who can tolerate him. So when it came to the other females we had in the group... yes. There were a few times."

"Just a few?"

"I'm not exactly... 'compatible' with every woman I meet," he explained, frowning as he watched the tip of his cock break the surface of the water. "There's a limit to what most women can handle."

"Might be you haven't found a woman who's more than enough to handle you," she said slyly.

"Oh, I dunno," Fox said, grinning. "Maybe it's just the Force talking, but... I think I might be on the right track."

He heard a slight splashing of water, and when she spoke again she seemed a bit closer. "So why hasn't the talented Fox McCloud settled down with any of these lucky girls, I wonder? Was it just a matter of incompatible parts?"

"Partly, I guess. But mostly, I wasn't what they wanted," he said honestly, looking up at the canopy with a sigh. "Miyu was young and wanted to focus on building a career as a G-Zero racer. She made it in the qualifiers this season, in fact. Faye went with her, she leads her pit crew. Fara's dad didn't want his little girl getting knocked up by a mercenary, so even though we were close she chose to break it off. And Lucy... well... Peppy can't really keep us from seeing each other when the mood strikes, but he has hinted that he'll neuter me if knock her up," he ended with a chuckle. "I take that threat seriously."

"Poor guy," she giggled.

"So... why the curiosity?" he asked. "I'd say you've asked about twenty questions to my three or four. Not that you owe me an answer, but I figure it'd be fair."

"It's just curiosity," she replied. "Nothing more."

"I'll accept that answer... though if it were, it wouldn't have been that hard to find out any other way," he suggested. A pause followed, silence lingering between them for several awkward seconds before he spoke again. "It's alright. Anything you could tell me might compromise your team, I understand that. If nothing else, I'm glad you felt comfortable enough to ask me, even if I don't know why."

"I... thank you," she mumbled quietly.

He hesitated for a moment, his curiosity not yet sated. "Can I ask, though... why?"

A pause. "... Why Star Wolf?"

"Yeah. They're infamous criminals throughout the Lylat system. I doubt there's a man or women on the Rim who doesn't know who they are. You must have known what they've done, right?"

"I don't need to justify myself to you, McCloud," she said, an edge in her tone.

"I'm not asking you to," he said calmly. "I'm just asking what drew you to them."

Another pause, then a sigh. "They may be criminals among the Core, and even along the Rim. But they're heroes to some people, too. It's why he ditched Andrew and Pigma, he had a good thing going and they were ruining his reputation. They know the Rim better than any other merc group that operates there. I needed that."

He nodded. Wolf was a pirate and a rival, but he had standards. "I can understand that, then. I guess I just figured you'd have gone with a team that had a... less-checkered past."

Another pause, this one longer. Now he could feel the ghost of anguish building up in her, and he found himself regretting pushing the topic. "When you've lost as much as I have, you don't let those things get in your way," she said in a quiet voice. "Wolf is... an ally. An asset. He can use my talents and I can use his resources. That's all I need from him."

"Then I'll press no more," Fox told her. "Thank you for helping me understand."

The silence hung in the air a little longer, until he heard her rise to her feet. "Anyway, we should probably finish up here. Thanks for waiting, I really needed thi--"

She went completely silent. At the same moment, Fox felt a sharp pang of alarm in his chest - the Force was telling him danger was close. A moment later he heard the sound of an object whipping through the air at high speed, landing into someone's hand; then the sharp snap-hiss of a pair of lightsaber blade activating behind the boulder. He jumped to his feet, nearly calling out the vixen's name before several deep, guttural voices rang out through the air. Fox's ears flared up anxiously, trying to identify the words, but after a few seconds he realized he was listening to several people laughing maliciously.

"Nocc, nxuk te no xulo xoho?" one of the louder voices growled. "A xulod'k jood kxaj rcio nxeho ad mudo joujedj. A nedtoh nxuk rheiwxk xoh rusb ke ij!"

Fox remained silent, trying to peek around the rock while reaching out to the vixen through the Force. It was a struggle to connect, her isolation from him and her current fear making it hard to get through. He concentrated, pushing deeper until he could brush against her mind with a tendril of thought, hooking to her telepathically. "Who is that? What's going on?"

He sensed hesitation, but after a few moments she answered. "Sharpclaw hunters," she replied grimly. "Three armed with spears. Nothing I haven't handled before." He felt her move behind the boulder, trying to inject confidence in her stature and words. "Nxuk te oei nudk, fawj? A'm khoadw ke rukxo, ad sujo oei tatd'k dekaso!"

"Oh, I'm aware, little vixen," the voice said in fluent Basic speech. "Just as I'm aware that you're doing it here, in our river!"

"The water here is free, by agreement of all tribes," she growled. "I don't need your leave to use it!"

"But you do need our leave to cross into our territory first!" he snapped. Something heavy splashed into the water on the other side of the rock. "Rik... A'm naccadw ke evvoh u khuto, cakkco lapod..."

"S... stay away," Fox heard her say, failing to hide the fear in her voice. "Don't come any closer."

"You've no idea how much I've desired you, little vixen," the Sharpclaw growled. "Get her legs!"

A sick feeling set into Fox's stomach and he pulled himself away from the boulder, looking back to the bag he'd set aside. He could barely make out the glint of his lightsaber some thirty feet away, well out of reach. It was foolish to assume that he could sprint through the stream and reach it without being noticed. Doing his best to calm his mind, he held his paw out and let the Force flow through him, his mind focused singularly on his weapon. Through half-closed eyes he watched the lightsaber twitch a few times, before flying through the air in a graceful arc, as if pitched by an invisible hand. He reached out and caught the weapon cleanly, just as Kursed let out a cry of pain. With a snarl Fox jumped over the boulder and ignited his lightsaber, landing in the middle of the group with his blade held high.

He quickly assessed the scene. On one side were two green-scaled Sharpclaw hunters, each holding a thick spear in their claws, bows strung on their back; to his other side were three more hunters, two of which had grabbed Kursed's ankles. The third was massive, his thick scales a darker green and his eyes blood red; he was heavily muscled and stood a full foot taller than Kursed, whose wrists were currently pinned about her head, held in place by the hilt of her weapon and his powerful grip. His other claw was fondling one of her breasts, while his thick, drooling cock throbbed just inches away from her vulnerable cleft, ready penetrate her at any moment. Her muzzle was contorted with disgust and fear, trying to wriggle away from the Sharpclaw. Her eyes met Fox's, and he could see them filled with panic, just as she reached out to him.

"Fox... help me!"

"Let her go, hunter!" Fox barked angrily. The two Saurians holding her ankles down whipped their spears in his direction, but he didn't back away. "I don't want to hurt anyone here; but I will if you don't leave now!"

The leader glanced at him, sneering down at him. "Brought a friend with you this time, did you?" He snorted. "Kill the male. I'm going to see if this vixen's fertile enough for me to sire my child in her..."

"Hard way it is, then," he growled, holding out his paw.

The two Sharpclaws holding her legs let go of her, only to be flung back telekinetically, slamming against the rock and crumpling into the stream. With her legs free Kursed swung her leg up and around, sinking her knee just beneath his ribs hard enough for an audible crack to be heard. The leader's face contorted and he staggered back with a cough, releasing her. She dropped to the stream with a splash, still clinging to her active weapon and slashed at him, narrowly missing his snout as he pushed her away. She staggered and fell, both ends of her weapon submerged in the water; the blades flickered for a half-second before fizzling out. The vixen cursed, jumping back to her feet and shaking the water out of her weapon, trying to reactivate it. Only one blade managed to ignite, just as the hunting leader brought his spear up and attacked, his spearhead glancing against his violet blade.

Fox rushed in to support her, but the smaller hunters were already on their feet, and moving on him, jabbing at his face. He flicked his blade around, cutting across the shaft below their spearheads, but the weapons remained intact instead of being destroyed. His eyes widened and he backed away as they attacked in tandem, aiming for his legs and chest. As fast as he was, the water around his legs was hampering his movements, and their simple wooden weapons did not yield or shatter to his lightsaber. One of the hunters lunged and thrust his spear near his eye; Fox caught it cleanly, kicking him in the gut and knocking him into the stream. With two weapons in hand he caught the other hunter's spear in a cross-lock, using momentum to wrench his weapon out of his claws. His lightsaber seared through his scales, cutting a shallow, burning gouge across his chest; with a strangled gasp the hunter dropped to his knees.

Before Fox could turn the second hunter tackled him from behind and into the stream. Fox writhed and swung his arm around, his elbow cracking against the hunter's snout. He got to his feet just as the hunter came at him with a long knife, cutting wildly into the air. Fox backed away, bringing his weapon around, failing at the last moment to realize the water had shorted out his blade. He had just enough time to dive back as the knife slit across his shoulder, drawing both blood and a snarl. The Saurian hunter lunged at him again, bringing his dagger down just as Fox thrust his paw up. Water shot into the air like a geyser and an invisible bolt of power caught the hunter in the chest, propelling him several meters into the air. He smashed headfirst into a large tree, going limp as he tumbled past every branch and landed into a bush.

Fox turned his attention back to Kursed. The blue vixen had managed to ignite her second blade and was holding her own against the leader, but the stream was hampering her movement. Even with her graceful cadences, the leader's weapon was coming within a hair's breadth of cutting her. Fox trudged towards them, noticing the leader's spear was also resistant to her lightsaber. He thrust at her chest and missed, but backhanded her across the face before she could counter. The vixen yelped in pain, losing her balance and lowering her guard.

Fox got to him first, batting away his spear before its tip could be buried in the vixen's back and connecting his free fist into the Saurian's face. He roared and swung his spear around at Fox's head; even with his steadfast defense, the blow was enough to send a jolt of pain through his arms and cause his knees to buckle. The leader's face contorted in rage, rearing back for a final, overhead stab. But now Kursed had recovered, standing in front of Fox, planting her feet and answering with a stab of her own.

The leader's aim was good, slicing a thin line across the vixen's cheek as she tilted her head; but her aim was perfect, her violet blade sinking smoothly into the leader's chest with sharp kiss. The hunter's eyes widened and he snarled in agony, staggering away and clawing his wound with heaving, pained gasps. With his guard down, Kursed leapt at him, her kick smashing him across the temple and sending him flying back-first against the boulder. He slid to the base, slumping over without a sound.

Fox panted, staring at the leader for several seconds until he was sure he wouldn't get back up, before he exhaled in relief and extinguishing his blade. "I hate the hard way," he sighed, looking at the vixen. Though her face was hidden, she was trembling slightly, still staring at the fallen hunter. "Are you alright?"

She shook for a few more seconds, letting out a shuddering breath, disengaging her weapon. "Y-yeah," she sniffed, wiping her face. "Yeah, I'll be alright. Thank you, Fox."

He nodded, his brow furrowed. It was the first time seeing her naked, and he found the sight stunning. The bodysuit she'd worn had held down her curves and breasts, much like his tailored suit and coat had suppressed his cock and balls. There was an almost amazonian quality to her athletic build, strong and beautiful; trained limbs, thick thighs and large breasts, like a hybrid between ancient fertility and athletic goddesses. Her once-violet hair was now a rich, deep blue, the dye having washed out completely. On each of her thighs were a white spiral tattoo; her upper arms sported staggered line tattoos as well. It was these last features that caused his breath to catch. The sound drew her attention, a blush building on her face.

"What?" she asked, covering herself.

"You're beautiful," he said automatically. His cheeks burned and his cock twitched, yet he made no attempt to hide nor correct himself.

She stared at him, her eyes softer than they'd been before. A smile curled along her muzzle. "Thank you..."

He hesitated, eyes flicking back to her markings. "And you're Cerinian."

She flinched, but nodded and looked away. "Yes... I am," she sighed. "But that's not a discussion for here or now." She looked around. "We should leave quickly. Their tribe will get suspicious for reporting in late."

"They don't look like they'll be reporting in at all," Fox replied grimly, looking back at their immobile leader.

"They caught us in a bafomdad spring," she correct him, pointing back upstream. Though the critters were huddled together in fear, they hadn't left. "Unless we accidentally killed one of them, the stream will heal them over time. We should put distance between them and us before that happens or more of them come."

"I hear you, but we need to talk after this," he said said, crossing his arms and frowning at her.

"Yes... I think we should too," she sighed.

Once they were redressed the pair jogged non-stop until the sun had disappeared behind the topmost trees, leaving them with only a little light to steer by before they could find a cave to huddle in for the night. The entrance was concealed by foliage and smelled free of waste or food, yet neither of them wanted to risk a fire or torchlight for warmth or comfort. It wasn't needed. The moment they set their gear aside and leaned against the back of the cave, Kursed had scooted next to him, knees against her chest. Intrigued though he was, he said nothing about her proximity. For the last few hours, she had not said a word.

"You okay?" Fox asked, sensing her inner turmoil. "How's you're cheek?"

"Healed," she said dully. "Bafomdad spring, remember?"

"Just making sure," he sighed. "I'm still not sure how their weapons were able to resist our lightsabers, so I wanted to be sure they didn't poison their spearheads."

"Sharpclaws don't use poison," she replied quietly. "They see it as an insult to their strength. But that doesn't stop them from relying on Krazoa spirit magic for combat and hunting. Their weapons are literally empowered by the Force, so it can block lightsabers."

"I could learn a lot from you, it seems," he said, hoping to encourage her. "You did well, Kursed. Without your knowledge, I'd be lost here."

She shivered. "I've had time to learn. I love this place... and I hate it. It's... complicated."

Fox nodded. "I'm guessing you came here as a refugee, after..." He trailed off.

She didn't speak immediately, but when she did there was pain and sadness in her voice. "What do you know of Cerinia?"

Fox hesitated, hoping he would choose words that wouldn't cause her more heartache. "I know it was the largest planet of Force-sensitive Lylatians in the system. Virtually everyone there could feel the Force, especially the noble families. It also valued it's isolation from Corneria, because it didn't trust the CDF to not have military intentions." He paused. "The only other thing I know is that one day, the planet was just... destroyed. For no apparent reason. I felt the screams in the Force on that day. Never knew what happened."

"Nobody does," she said, nodding. Tears were rolling down her cheeks. "Not even me, one of the only survivors. I lost everything that day, and I don't even know why." She wiped at them angrily. "All I remember was that I was teleported here via a system that connected Cerinia and Sauria for eons. I spent a few years in the care of the Cloudrunner tribe, learning the language and the land, how to fight with a staff, how to use the Force, and eventually building my lightsaber. Eventually, a Cornerian survey team visited the tribe and took me with them. That's when I learned Cerenia... my home... was gone."

"That's why you joined Wolf," he guessed. "That's why you're here, for answers."

She stared out at the cave entrance. "The Force keeps telling me the pain I feel will fade, that the answer I seek can be found on this planet. So I return once every year for a few weeks, to try to find some evidence of what happened." She shook her head. "I joined Star Wolf because I suspected Andross or his remnants might have been behind my homeworld's destruction. They helped me investigate after I did some jobs for them, but they found nothing. I was hoping the team would help me if I did more work for them, maybe convince them to help me search Sauria. I was wrong. Ended up losing my ship sticking around."

"I'm sorry," Fox murmured, his heart going out to her. "I can relate to that, if only on a smaller scale. I.. sometimes feel my dad in the Force, but I swear I've seen him as more than a vision. Every so often I make inquiries about his death, but there's never any new information."

She looked up at him, head cocked. "What happened?"

He hesitated, old memories flooding him. It was an old pain, but still keen enough to bring him pause. "His team got a tip that Andross was dabbling in Sith alchemy, and that he was using it to empower his bioweapons. The CDF paid his team to investigate, but Pigma Dengar betrayed him. He and Peppy were captured, but they broke out. My dad stayed behind to cover Peppy's escape." He swallowed. "That's all I know."

She put her paw on his, giving it a squeeze. "I'm sorry," she said. "What about your mother?"

His throat tightened. "Dead. She was Andross' first victim when he went insane. She was a Force-sensitive and a scientist, and Andross couldn't handle losing her to my father. He tried to kill him with a car bomb. My mother fell into the trap instead."

A flare of sadness welled up in the vixen, and with her sitting next to him he had to brace against it, nearly losing himself to the overwhelming feeling. "I... I'm sorry, I shouldn't have..."

"It's okay, Kursed," he said, managing a smile. "You were curious, and I just wanted you to know that I know what it's like to lose the people you love."

She stared at him for a few moments, then leaned into him again.

"... It's Krystal."

"Huh?"

"My name... it's Krystal," she murmured. "I use the name 'Kursed' mostly to keep people away. It's harder to lose people you care about if you're good at making them not care about you." She scoffed. "Unless it's you. Not sure why you care. You're either dumb, or a good man. Probably the former, but it's... nice."

He reached out, wrapping his arm around her shoulder. "I try my best, Krystal. Just know that you aren't alone, and that it's okay to look for answers."

She nodded. "Thank you, Fox. Maybe next time, I'll find something."

"I hope you do," he replied, nodding. "Listen, I don't feel right leaving you here, so... when I call my team on the beacon, I'll have them bring us both up. We have space on the Great Fox for a guest. And we'll take you anywhere you'd like so you can get back in touch with your team, or whoever else."

"You'd do that?" she said, looking up at him.

"I'm Jedi-trained," he chuckled. "Of course."

Despite sadness lingering in her eyes, her smile was warm and genuine. She leaned in, touching her lips against the side of his muzzle gently. His eyes widened and his whiskers twitched, but his smiled broadened as she snuggled up beside him.

"I take it back. You're not an idiot - just a good man."

The next morning they moved swiftly, hoping to get out of Sharpclaw territory and up to the Cloudrunner eyries before noon. The jog was different than the previous days, as now Krystal kept constantly looking back to make sure Fox was following her. There was another change, a flush in her face that wasn't just from the exertion of running; a softness in her eyes and expression that hadn't been there before. Every time their eyes met, Fox's whiskers twitched and the spot she had kissed started to tingle pleasantly. The desire to say something about it built every minute, but he kept himself in check, focusing on their objective. Still, he could sense her desire to speak as well, though they were moving quickly enough that the exertion would have made it difficult.

They reached the base of the peaks by mid-morning, spotting the temple on the largest of the peaks. Krystal's brow furrowed as she scanned the cliffs leading up. Fox followed her gaze, though nothing seemed out of place; until a glint of light sparkled in the midst of the mountain, nearly a mile away. His eyes refocused and his vision sharpened, enhanced by the Force, until he could make out small shapes slowly making their way up the mountain.

"That doesn't look good," Fox said, his ears pinned back.

"Another tribal war party," Krystal growled. "Sharpclaws, about fifty of them that I can see. They've been gunning for the eyries for years."

Fox nodded. "Then we need to stop them. If the Sharpclaws have access to starfighters, then it's too much to hope they don't also have blasters."

"Gods, you're right," she sighed, starting their ascent up a steep pathway. "And the Cloudrunners are proud and brave. They prefer peace, but won't run from a fight. They'll take heavy casualties, if it's not a slaughter!"

"Can we catch up to them?" Fox asked, keeping close.

"I'm sure as hell going to try!" the vixen replied, her expression resolute.

"Double-time it is then. Lead the way."

The climb was long and arduous, and within an hour Fox would have gladly admitted that he never would have found a way up the mountain path if Krystal hadn't been there to guide him. There was a trail of sorts, broken up with steep paths and smooth flights of carved stone stairs, long eroded by the mountain wind; but several rockfalls had destroyed some paths, and the vixen had to guide him through hidden detours that required scaling down the cliffs to enter. Fortunately, it seemed that the Sharpclaw weren't used to these detours, or else had ignored them and taken the harder path. By the time they had almost closed the gap, the Sharpclaw war-party was at the side-wall of the temple, while the fox pair were some hundred feet below.

They had just reached a turn in the path when a deafening explosion erupted overhead, the mountain shaking as dirt and shards of stone rained on the foxes. Krystal's footing slipped and she cried out, nearly rolling off the path before Fox lunged out and grabbed her by the arm.

"Shit! Krystal!"

She clung to his wrist, her eyes looking up the path. "Fox! Ahead!"

He looked up, eyes widening as they fell upon a pair of Sharpclaw at the end of the path, each holding a rugged-looking blast carbine. With a strained curse he reached for his lightsaber and yanked the vixen up, pouring as much strength into every muscle to bring her back up. By the time she was by his feet the Saurians were aiming right at them. He activated his weapon just as the first shots reached him, bouncing off his emerald blade as he stood between them and the vixen, keeping them both shielded. The trail was unsteady and treacherous, yet his focus remained steadfast as he moved slowly, step-by-step, batting away each bolt until he was almost halfway to the gunners. He heard Krystal grunt behind him, and a barrage of stones sailed over his head. The rear-guard raised their arms to shield themselves and Fox seized his opening, the Force quickening his steps up the path until he was on top of them.

The Sharpclaws raised their blasters, but his blade reached them before either could pull a trigger. A single swipe destroyed the weapons easily, cleaving through one of their arms. The unhurt Sharpclaw drew a dagger, but a second swipe cut through his chest, ending his life. When the disarmed hunter drew his, the rocks beneath his feet suddenly shifted and he tumbled off the path with a scream.

Fox turned to Krystal, who had her paw outstretched. "Thanks for the backup!"

"Thanks for the save," she replied, dusting herself off. Her ears perked up at the sound of blasterfire above. A shriek rang out overhead and a female pterosaur tumbled through the air, with a pair of smoking holes her left wing and chest. Krystal's wide eyes followed the body disappear into the clouds below, kneeling over the cliff as her scream echoed off the cliffs. "NO!"

Fox's ears flattened. "Krystal, she's... she's gone."

"No... no no no, this can't be happening!" the vixen whimpered, looking close to tears. "These are good people, they can't just--"

"Then we won't let them!" Fox told her, grabbing her arms. "You and I are here, we can stop this! I swear on my life I will help you get rid of them!" She didn't respond, until he reached out and touched her cheek, turning her head to face him. "Krystal... I'm not leaving you the way Star Wolf did. I'm here for them. For you. But I need you to focus. There will be time to grieve later. Don't turn it to fear, or anger. Turn it to commitment and courage."

She stared into his eyes, her breathing slowing as she nodded. She wiped her face, letting him help her up. "I... we... can do this." She took his paw, squeezing it firmly and managing a nod. She moved as if to speak, but shook her head and started guiding him quickly up the path, her lightsaber in hand.

Within minutes they reached the temple wall, a portion of it now reduced to burning rubble. A few Sharpclaw bodies lay on either side, those who had been in range when their breaching charge had gone off, Fox guessed. The pair hurried inside, sprinting through the temple halls until they reached a massive courtyard, stopping short of where a scene of chaos was unfolding. In the short time since the breach, several explosives had gone off and shattered several pillars and walls; a handful of Sharpclaw and Cloudrunner fighters lay wounded or dead, while more of them continued to fight. Only a few of them carried blasters, while the rest used swords and bows, but the Cloudrunners were ill-equipped to fight them.

Krystal was the first to move. "LEAVE THEM ALONE!" she snarled, thrusting both her palms out. A wave of tremendous Force energy erupted in front of her and swept across the courtyard, throwing several of the nearest Sharpclaws into the air while many others fell to their knees; the Cloudrunners were mostly spared, with a couple of them blown higher into the sky before reorienting themselves. Before they could have a chance to recover the vixen lunged in, the blades of her lightsaber hissing to life as she joined the battle, with Fox close behind.

She struck with a swiftness and fury Fox hadn't anticipated, felling three of the closest invaders in a handful of seconds. He reached out to her, his thoughts touching her mind even as he engaged and cut down an invader. "Balance, Krystal!"

"I... I know!" she replied, slowing her step. "But they have to pa--"

"They will, if you make them live to regret it! Go for their arms, kill only if they give you no choice! Be better than them! I know you've lost everything but don't lose yourself!"

She turned briefly to face him, her fur standing on end and pain in her eyes. "Fox... guide me, please. Help me be better."

He nodded. "I'm with you. Feel me out. We can do this together."

He felt her presence in the Force more keenly, gripping to his mind. The moment he moved in, she followed closely, matching his movements carefully. The closest trio of Sharpclaws charged in and he engaged, deflecting blasterfire and blocking their blades to throw them off balance. He stepped back and Krystal darted in, twirling her weapon and cleaving through their wrists and forearms, while Fox jabbed at their legs to immobilize them. Another group broke off from the fight and tried to cut them off; the duo separated and fought from both sides, overwhelming the invaders with superior speed, skill, and unity. Three of them tried to strike Krystal with combined overhead slashes; the vixen blocked and Fox darted in, cutting through their wrists with a pair of swipes before pushing them away with telekinesis.

The sight of the foxes cleaving into the invaders seemed to spur the Cloudrunner tribe into new action, diving back into battle and throwing the Sharpclaw warriors around while dodging through blasterfire. Snarls and shrieks split the air as blood spilled and lives were lost, yet even though Fox could feel Krystal's grief bubbling deep within, she remained focused and steadfast as they fought. Every time another hunter tried to attack her, he was there to block the blow; any time one fired a shot at Fox, the vixen stood in its path and deflected it back to its shooter. To Fox, who always had at least one trusty wingmen at his back when they were on a mission, he had never felt safer nor more certain of their victory than fighting side-by-side with Krystal.

Suddenly, an ear-splitting blast erupted from the courtyard. A tall, muscular Sharpclaw warrior had blown a call from his horn, his men to his breaking combat and following him back into the temple halls. The Cloudrunners shrieked and flew towards the wall breach, while Krystal started pursuing them. "They're retreating!" she cried out.

"Krystal, wait up!" Fox felt her grief give way to elation, but now they were the only two on foot. Two more invaders jumped out at her with their swords drawn, but she easily cut then down, turning to continue her chase - and missing a third invader appearing from around a pillar, aiming a crossbow at her.

"Krystal!"

She stopped short, turning and spotting the shooter, just as a sharp twang cut through the air.

Fox moved without thinking, sprinting to the vixen and sliding to a stop right in the bolt's path. He raised his lightsaber to defend, but even as he did he knew it was pointless. The projectile glanced off his blade, unaffected by his weapon's destructive power, and continued until it was buried deep in his chest. Fox felt a chill unlike anything he'd ever known, his legs buckling until they collapsed from underneath him. The world around him seemed to lose color and volume, such that even Krystal's anguished scream was barely audible to his ears. What little warmth he still felt seemed to be seeping down his chest and stomach.

Then he saw Krystal's face. And despite the tears in her eyes and the impending doom of his choice to save her, he felt his muzzle curl in a smile. He tried to speak, managing only to cough and issue a crimson gurgle as he felt his strength leave him.

"... Not so bad," he thought to himself. "Got to save the girl one last time... not a bad way to finish..." It wasn't even hurting anymore, not with Krystal holding him close, peering into his eyes. If had been in a cockpit, the explosion would have ended him in an instant. Here, at least, he could stare at the most beautiful pair of eyes in the galaxy before his passing.

"Yeah... not bad at all, Fox McCloud. Bet dad... would be proud..."

He expected it to end in darkness. But when his vision finally faded away, it was with a calming light.

Dreams of stars were not new to Fox. Even as a kit, he would frequently dream of a vast sky filled with countless pinpricks of light. It was something that brought him comfort, knowledge that as small as he was in comparison, he was no less a part of something bigger. Those dreams did not stop as an adult, spurred by a motivation to keep those stars safe from any who would harm them.

The dead could not dream. The moment that lucid thought took hold, it ended.

For a few moments he wondered if he'd actually awoken. The stars were still there, hanging overhead. But then a gentle, chilling breeze ruffled through his fur, bringing in the scent of clean air. He breathed in deep, groaning as he felt a slight tingle in his chest - but no pain. He brought a paw to it, feeling through his fur and gently tracing the most subtle of scars just above his sternum.

"I almost lost you," a voice whimpered next to him. His ears perked and he sat up. Krystal was kneeling next to him, dressed in strange yet attractive tribal attire. Beneath him was a thick sleeping pad, in the middle of a stone rooftop above the temple. She swept a paw across her eyes, sniffling and smiling down at him. "Don't do that."

He managed to smile back. "Sorry. But it was you or me. And I'd make that choice again if I had to."

"Then I'll have to make sure to never be in that position again," she said, leaning in and nuzzling his cheek with a purr.

Fox chuckled and nuzzled back. He felt fine, though his chest was slightly sore. "What... happened?"

"You took a bolt from a crossbow. It damaged your heart, but not enough to kill you outright," she said, shivering. "After that I just... my head went kind of fuzzy and I felt the Force moving through my paws. I pulled the bolt out and I just started... healing you, I think."

"You healed me?" he repeated. "I mean... I've patched minor injuries with it before, but not brought someone back from the brink of death."

She shrugged, blushing. "I've never done it before, but it felt right. I didn't do a great job, but I stabilized you long enough for the Cloudrunner tribe to bring a bafomdad to finish the job." She looked up. "I had them fly us up here for some privacy, and so I could set up your beacon."

"What about the Sharpclaws?" he asked, putting a paw on hers.

"Gone." She shook her head. "The last Cloudrunner patrol said there were only five left before they reached the jungle. The rest either fell to their deaths or were taken prisoner for questioning. Queen Kyte is dealing with them right now. She's a friend, she wanted me to tell you that you are always welcome here." She smiled. "Especially after what you did - what we did."

"You did well," Fox said gently, reaching out and holding her shoulders. "I know it was hurting you, but you stayed strong through it all."

"This temple... it's the only home I know," she said, her voice quiet. "If I'd lost everyone here, it would have been like Cerinia all over again." She looked up into his eyes, tears forming at the corners of her own. "Thank you, Fox. You didn't have to do this, but I'm glad you did anyway."

"I know nothing about this planet, but I think I know a thing or two about saving innocent people," he said, smiling. "I'm glad to have helped."

She blushed. "You know, this was... not a part of the bargain."

"Screw the bargain, this was the right thing to do."

"Maybe... but you're still a mercenary," she said, moving in closer. "So it's only fitting that you get a reward."

He didn't bother asking what, feeling her intentions through the Force the moment she acted on them. Her muzzle met his dead on, their lips locked together as she pushed her body against him. He sighed into her lips, reaching out and pulling her into his lap, letting her lean against his chest. With the vixen so close he could detect her scent, the aroma stirring his loins. It was only then that he realized he was completely naked, yet he couldn't bring himself to care, not even as his cock began to peek out of his thick, swollen sheath. All that mattered right now was how close Krystal was, and the fact that her strong aroma struck an instinctive urge in his cock. It was a scent he was familiar with, but he said nothing of it.

The kiss broke and by now he was also purring deeply, touching his nose with the vixen's. "Seeing you in that attire would have been reward enough... but I won't object to this either," he teased.

"It's what I wore when I came here," she said. "After everything that's happened, I just felt like it was the right time to wear it; to show you a part of who I am. If this is too fast I understand, but... I've been searching this planet and letting logic and duty guide my actions. I just want to follow my heart for once."

"You don't need to apologize for pursuing something you really want," he said, holding her close. "But is this really what you want? My father always taught me to trust my feelings. I'd be fine with a fling, but... I know that I want you, Krystal. I know I'm falling in love with you. I want to know how you feel."

"I need you to understand, Fox," she interjected. "I lost everything, but ever since then, I haven't really... gained anything back. And now that there's something I want - some_one_ I want - I don't want to let go." She touched her forehead to his. "When you bonded with me, while we fought... I touched the deepest part of you. I know you didn't look deeply into me, but I needed to channel my grief so I wouldn't lose myself. I never thought I would never know another person's heart like that." She smiled, a tear rolling down her cheek. "You brought the best out of me, something no one else has done. And I love you for that."

They kissed again, and in that one act Fox could feel her channel all her feelings to him. There was some confusion, slowly scattering to clarity; hope and joy in finding some modicum of happiness; but most of all, he felt genuine honesty and love for him in her heart. Beneath it all was the warmth of lust and arrival, borne from a body deep in its fertile period, yet it was not what was guiding her. She had made her choice, he knew, and she would face what came with it. He was more than willing to choose her in return. The ache and pain of love gained and lost from his past, of never finding the one woman to spend his life with, seemed to ebb away in the face of this new chance. He searched her mind and heart through the Force.

He found only certainty.

The kiss broke and his lips busied themselves with the rest of her, trailing down her jawline and neck. Every little peck and nip drew a chirp or sigh from the vixen, now leaning back and giving him as much access to her body as he wished to explore. He was slow and methodical, even as his mind grew more intoxicated to the scent of her heat. He would not rush such a special occasion, not when he was willing to put all his effort into her. Still, it wasn't long before his lips reached the top of her attire, his teeth snagging the center jewel. It took a single, sharp tug for him to get it loose, the jewel slipping out of its loop and undoing her top. Her gorgeous tits dropped out of their confines and she squeaked quietly, blushing as his paws slid up her body to cup them. The pliable flesh beneath his paws gave way, squeezing into the plush fur. She gasped, a thin spray of milk tricking from the tips, staining his knuckles and causing his breath to catch. He repeated the motion, leaning in and catching the sweet cream on his tongue while Krystal squirmed and mewled, stirred on by his teasing. Her chest heaved as he kissed and suckled her nipples, savoring the taste of a vixen ready for motherhood. The thought alone hardened his cock, flush against the vixen's belly, his heavy balls now a seat to her burning hot pussy. There was no better way to show both of him just how deep his cock would plunge.

"O-oh Fox," she breathed. "It's... huge. Not even Wolf..."

"Or Panther?" he groaned, shifting his hips and letting her fur caress against his throbbing shaft.

"He doesn't even come close," she purred. "I've never let them touch me, and I'm glad. I wouldn't want to ruin myself just to miss out on this bad boy of yours."

"Don't get too excited," he warned, shuddering. "Like I said, I'm too big for most women."

"Yeah... but I'm not most women," she teased. "I bet I can take it."

The silence that followed was so long that Fox thought it would make the moment awkward, but despite being beet-red in the face she did not look away, nor make any attempt to take it back. He grinned, turned on by her eagerness. "If it's going to be like that, then I'd better prepare you, shouldn't I?" He didn't wait for an answer, kissing her chest a final time before trailing those kisses lower. The vixen whimpered, allowing him to push her down to her back, but the closer he got to her loins the more she squirmed, squeezing her thighs together. He planted a kiss just below her navel, the aroma of her heat clouding his mind. There was no doubt that it was getting much warmer the lower he went.

When he finally reached her loincloth he paused, breathing in deep and savoring her scent. His paws caressed down her body, kneading her muscles little by little until they reached the clasps holding them in place. He detached them both, his brow raising as he laid eyes upon her sopping-wet sex. There were no panties to speak up, her cleft completely bare even beneath the thin cloth. It was, to him, the perfect representation of a pussy: thick netherlips, a perfectly-sized clit, beads of sweat and female nectar rolling down the surface. Beneath the fur was a flushed red, her privates burning with arousal. She tried to close her legs again but he caught then and spread them apart, his paws tracing down her inner thighs, an act that made her shiver and moan. When they reached her cleft she whimpered, then mewled when his thumbs pressed against her lips and spread them apart. He glanced up at her, a half-moment away from asking her. She intercepted his thought with a nervous smile and a nod, her chest rising and falling with labored breaths.

Abandoning all hesitation, he dove straight in, catching her netherlips in a deep, lewd kiss, his nose pressed firmly against her clit. Her back arched and she squeaked, writhing around while her legs were kept in place by his strong arms. His tongue pushed past her petals and through her inner walls, lashing the sides and ceiling of her pussy with his broad tongue. Her velvet interior fluttered around it, but he kept it moving, intent on tasting the vixen and slathering her hole up, reckoning that if it was tight enough for his tongue, it would be a difficult task for his cock to fit. He moved a paw up to her belly, concentrating on her lower abdominal muscles, relaxing them; her walls continued to flutter but loosened up, though now Krystal's moans came with every breath, her paws grabbing at his head. He stifled a chuckle as she tugged at his ears and hair in vain, though she did succeed in squeezing her thighs around his neck and face. He responded by lifting her lower body up and burying his muzzle deeper into her pussy, his tongue still not managing to bottom out within her; though her desperate yips and mewls assured him that he was doing well.

"T-time out!" she squeaked, trying to push his head back. He laughed and let her down gently, wiping his muzzle. "Oh... oh fuck you're good at that..."

"I've had practice," he said touching her leg and generating a flinch. "Never had a lover go down on you like that?"

"N-never," she shivered. "I've had a couple but... just pump 'n' dump chumps. They've never been able to come close to satisfying me."

"Then I'll take your breathlessness as a compliment," he said, getting up to his feet and adopting a half-smile. "But things like this are a dual effort. You gotta give as good as you're given. Think you can handle it?"

She stared up at him, her expression changing from one of admiration to one of defiance mixed with eagerness. After a few seconds she got to her knees, facing his crotch and staring at his piece. "I... I know what I said earlier, but this is... huge. Gods..." she purred.

"Take your time," he said, reaching down and petting her ears. "This bad boy isn't going anywhere, except inside you. And only when you're ready."

She giggled, nuzzling against his massive cock and inhaling deeply. Her nose scrunched slightly, as if she were committing the scent of his cock to memory, shivering and letting out a deep breath as she leaned into him. Her lips kissed the tip of his length and he had to suppress a shudder, reaching down to rub behind her ears. Horny as he was, he would not risk rushing the moment, content to let her explore his cock to her heart's content. Her nose and lips touched against every inch, kissing and licking around the shaft, coaxing thick dollops of precum from the tip with every affection peck. When she reached the base of his cock she licked along his sheath, her paws reaching up to heft his heavy, hand-filling balls. He stifled a growl, feeling them churn and ache for release, and for a moment he considered falling into a Jedi trance to ease the sensation. But the feeling was too good to ignore, causing his prick to throb and push out an extra inch of length, putting him at full mast. Where normal arousal would only be enough for his cock to point forward, the weight causing it to sag, the intense need to bury it in the vixen's pussy - to commit to the act of breeding - was so high that it was now standing straight up. When she finally pulled back, her face stained with his precum, it was with a look of wide-eyed wonder.

She didn't answer to that, continuing her kissing and nuzzling, letting the shaft rub against her forehead. She was not the first to perform proper cock-worship on his bitch-breeder; his few previous lovers had fallen under the same spell. But she was far beyond those long-lost loves in every respect, fondling his balls with gentle respect, inhaling his scent like a drug, letting his precum anoint her forehead like a perverse act of baptism, laying his claim on her thoughts. Fox dimly recalled that the Cerinian people were very spiritual, open about their sexuality, and everything Krystal was doing seemed to reflect that. There was something ritualistic about the way she kissed and licked his shaft, a method to her affections that wasn't the byproduct of young lust. Even at the moment she placed the head of his cock on her, it was like she was performing some rite of fertility. Whatever it was, it was enough to finally draw out the fully shudder down his spine, his hips rolling into her face as she slowly deep-throated his cock.

He stared down at her in amazement, and she stared back defiantly, holding her muzzle in place around his cock without moving an inch. There was no fluttering around his piece nor tears streaking down her eyes; just a warm snugness wrapped around his girth, putting pressure on his sensitive flesh. Ten seconds passed and she drew herself back slowly, suckling every inch until her lips left the tip, leaving only a strand of mixed saliva and precum to connect them for a few moments longer before it broke. She dove in again before he could stop her and he let out a deep-throated groan, his legs losing some of their strength to the sensation of her throat fluttering around his girth. He reached low with both paws, one resting behind her ears to rub them affectionately, while the other traced around her neck. Just by touching her throat he could tell it was bulged around his girth, putting strain under her tribal cloth collar. Again she pulled away, waited, and then plunged back in. Her lips kissed his sheath, her nose buried in his fluffy pubic fur, her hands cradling his heavy balls. A fluttering feeling surged deep behind Fox's cock, a shudder and a heavy groan erupting from him as he felt a generous spurt of potent cum rush through his length. The vixen reared back and kept her muzzle open, catching the thick shot with a moan and making a deliberate show of swallowing it.

"Fucking hell," he panted.

"Oh I'm not done yet," she grinned, crouching in front of him and hefting her breasts up to his cock. Fox hissed in pleasure as his cock was enveloped between the vixen's plush tits, which were just the perfect size; the thick head of his cock speared out of her cleavage, just high enough for her to leaned her head forward and lick it sweetly. With a rhythm and skill Fox would have expected from a porn-star, Krystal started to slide her tits up and down his throbbing shaft. Every time they descended her nipples would poke into his pelvis; every time they rose, the pressure of her tits around his cock would squeeze more precum out of his cock. In very little time her breasts were slick with the musky scent of cock-grease, the flow of his precum now continuous. He wasn't the only one, either, as the vixen's constant self-groping and squeezing was causing her teats to flow with milk. She paused for just a moment, starting up at him as she brought her lips to each nipple and kissed them, licking off the excess cream. A painful yet blissful ache of arousal burned in Fox's balls as he watched.

"Like that, yeah?" she purred, kissing his tip again. "These girls could feed an entire litter and still have enough for you, since you like the taste.

"In the middle of her seasonal estrus, are you?" he said, shivering.

"Cerinians always have it bad," she moaned, backing off to slip a paw between her legs. "I've only had a handful of males inside me, and none of them could satisfy."

"Poor thing," he said softly, petting behind her ears. It was was much teasing as it was empathy, as he rarely got satisfaction even from previous lovers. "We wouldn't want that. I can only hope I'm living up to your expectations."

"And more, to be quite honest" she said, nuzzling his cock playfully. "You're wonderful, Fox McCloud. I'm confident enough to bet money that we're a match."

His eyes glinted. "Oh? A wager? I've got one for you."

She blinked. "Wager? B-but I--"

"Nono, you said you'd bet!" he interjected with a smug grin. "And I'm thinking of more than just money." The vixen's ears pinned back anxiously, but she didn't lean away, looking both hesitant and curious. "If you fail to take my cock, then you have to become my student, and learn how to handle the Force - and all of my girth," he added.

Her tail swished with clear eagerness, a look of hope in her eyes. "Okay... and if I succeed, you have to add me to Star Fox," she cooed. "Because it'll mean we're compatible, and I'm not about to let a stud like you go. Either way, we both win, right?"

"Exactly. Hell, take my knot, and I might just have to ask you to marry me," he teased.

Her grin vanished in an instant, replaced by a momentary expression of shock � then slowly and a subtle smile creased along her muzzle. She offered her paw to him.

"... Deal."

She had said it with such conviction and finality that Fox's heart skipped a beat. He took her paw and helped her back up to her feet, pulling her into his arms and kissing her deeply. Krystal moaned into his muzzle, her tongue trying and failing to fight against his, but his superior size and height were too much, and in mere seconds she was clinging to his arms, being leaned back as his tongue slipped into her muzzle. They broke apart and she panted, giving him a wild smile.

"... And when that happens, you better the fuck kiss me like that on our wedding day," she purred.

"You're really serious, aren't you?" he chuckled, savoring the feel of her strong, sexy body against his. He could feel every flex of her frame as she moved, yet she was soft in all the right places. "Because I might just follow through."

"I'm counting on it," she said, licking his cheek and squeezing his cock with a paw. "Gods... this beast could impregnate an Earthwalker."

"Mind your flattery, my apprentice," Fox teased. "Or it might just impregnate you."

They kissed and licked, feeling each other up. Though not a word was said between them as they indulged in exploration, Fox could feel the vixen's mind in his own, a connection deeply forged by their mutual attraction and erotic play. There wasn't a doubt in his mind that she was in love with him, nor a doubt in his heart that he felt the same way. He wanted to say it - soon. It wasn't the right time. But as they both knelt to the cobblestone roof, muzzles still connected, he knew the time would come.

She broke the kiss and laid on her back, lifting her legs and spreading them apart. Hot as her blush seemed, she didn't break eye-contact with him, waiting as he got into position. His cock touched her folds and a jolt of bliss seemed to channel between them, causing both foxes to gasp simultaneously. He eased his way in, groaning as the fat tip of his cock nestled into her pussy, and with a roll of his hips he slid right in. Krystal shuddered violently and mewled, her hands reaching up and clinging to his shoulders. Her back arched and she squirmed, but did not try to push back, keeping her legs spread wide for him as he managed to fit at least half his cock inside her body. She gasped and he stopped short out of fear of hurting her.

"Fuck... think that's it," he groaned, feeling disappointed.

"N-no, it's not," she whimpered. "You haven't bottomed out yet."

"It's too tight, Krystal... I could end up hurting y--"

Her paws cupped his face and she stared into his eyes, her breathing ragged by her gaze steady. "I trust you, Fox McCloud. I know in my heart and body you will never hurt me. Please... just a little more."

He nodded, spurred on by her eager moans. He took her paws in his, fingers locked together and holding her down as he drew his hips back a few inches. With a grunt, he bucked hard into her loins, drilling his cock past her tight inner walls and spreading them out around his girth. His eyes widened as every remaining inch glided right into her snatch, filling her to the brim and reaching her very core. A visible bulge lay beneath the vixen's belly, stretched out by his breeder cock; deep inside, he could feel his tip brush neatly against her cervix, threatening to breach her fertile womb. Yet he could not deny how amazing - how perfect - she fit around his shaft.

"You did it!" she cried out, tears rolling down her cheek. "Fox... you're so fucking perfect for me, it fits so good!"

"Calm down, kit," he murmured, smiling down at her. "You're on the team, yeah... but you still haven't taken the knot." He drew his hips away, groaning with pleasure. "Let me get you there."

He sensed she was about to tell him to wait, but his instincts were too powerful to ignore. A heavy thrust was all it took to kill the words before they left her, giving him the time to begin a slow, powerful beat. His back arched and his hips flexed, years of practice in the art of lovemaking put to use with every roll of his hips and clap against her inner thighs. Her legs wrapped around his back, heels pressed just above his ass as she endured his steady, thorough fucking. In less than a minute he had reduced her to a series of chirps and mewls, meeting his thrusts with meager hip movements. Their rhythm remained in perfect tandem, even as Fox increased the pace, shaving milliseconds between each precise beat. He released her paws, allowing her to grab his shoulders again. Her claws dug into his fur and skin, but he paid no attention to the pain, focusing on the tightness he felt around his cock. Her inner walls were silky-smooth, and the mix of her juices combined with his precum was the perfect lubricant to keep his breeder-cock from feeling unnecessary friction; yet those same walls were supported by tight, powerful muscles, bearing down around his cock as if trying to keep it in place.

"By the Force, you feel so fucking tight, Krystal," he groaned.

"Is it bad?" she whined, rubbing his chest. "I'm so--"

"No apologies, kit," he said, silencing her with a brief kiss. "You're doing so good, such a good girl..."

"Nng... again..."

"Hmm?"

"Say that... again," she repeated, her cheeks burning.

He grinned. "You such a good girl, Krystal. Good girls get great cock. You deserve the best cock in the galaxy, and you're getting it right now..."

"Yeh," she giggled, licking his face. "I promise I'll keep being good, just--"

"Don't worry... I don't plan on stopping until you're knotted," he growled.

"You promise?" she mewled.

"Good girls get great cock," he purred into her ear. "And bitches in heat always get the knot."

"I'mma good bitch," she panted, writhing beneath him. "Please knot me!"

"We'll get there," he growled at her, nipping at her neck playfully and making her squeal. "But I'm going to have my fun before I do..."

Without a warning he sat up, pulling her up with him. Despite her build and strength it almost felt like she weighed nothing to him; certainly not enough to stop him from continuing his rough fucking. The vixen clung to him desperately, her breasts squeezing against his chest and her legs like a vice round his hips as she bounced in his arms. Her grip allowed her to force herself down on his length, matching his ever-increasing pace. His hips jerked up, spearing his cock through her folds faster and harder, his heavy nuts clapping against her ass and splattering their combined, erotic cocktail in all directions. The exertion was more than he'd ever had to spare for any lover in the past, yet he was prepared to push past his limits just for her, pouring his focus into the Force to keep his stamina up. A surge in the Force was all the warning Fox had before Krystal let out a shuddering cry, dousing his cock and balls with a splash of hot, female nectar. He slowed his pace for her, letting her ride out her climax, her face matted wet with tears.

"N-nooo... I can still go on, Fox!" she whimpered, nuzzling into his neck. "I-it wasn't that bad! I-I just need... a little time to--"

"Mmm... no." He purred into her ear, slamming his hips against her ass with an especially vicious thrust. "I thought you were my good girl, Krystal... I thought you were my match..."

"I wanna be," she sniffed, smiling at him. "Just let me--"

"It's okay, kit," he whispered to her, touching noses. "I'll bring you there again. You'll need it if you want my knot. You said you wanted that, right? To marry me?"

"Y-yes!" she squeaked, hiding her face in his neck.

He slowed to a stop, bringing her back down and laying her on her back. This time, though, he pushed her legs up and back until her ankles were near her head. She writhed beneath him, but could do nothing as he hammered his cock back into her wet, quivering quim.

She moaned, reaching up to touch his face as he railed her with all his remaining vigor. His knot began to swell, kissing firmly against her netherlips and making every subsequent thrust harder. In less than a minute it was too big for him to keep plugging into her depths, forcing him to rut her with only half his cock. But even this much was enough to make her mewl and gasp in bliss. By now both their bodies were matted with sweat, the sweet musk of intense sex permeating the night air, mixing with their erotic voices. The two shared another kiss, tongues wrestling lewdly for control, and once again the vixen lost the fight, completely under Fox's control.

"Fox... I'm ready!" she panted. "Put a baby in me!"

"You really want that, Krystal?" he groaned, feeling his balls aching badly for release. "You want me to put a kit inside you? I'll give you anything you want, Krystal Sharrde, if you truly want it."

"Please!" she moaned. "I'll do anything!"

"Anything?" he repeated.

"Anything!"

A fresh boost of energy kicked in and he redoubled his breeding efforts, now focused on the task of siring his kit in the vixen. The love he felt for her, the bond they now shared, was enough for him to cement his decision and accept all the risks. He had fought at her side in perfect tandem, as mates willing to protect one another; he had revealed his heart to her after years of hiding it away even from his previous lovers, and in that found a genuine way to bond with her. His hips ached from the strain but were relentless, spearing into her repeatedly and spreading open her petals wider each time. Anxiety set in, the urge to spill his essence into her building bit by bit, threatening to overflow at any second. Finally, when it seemed he could go no further, he plowed his knot past her netherlips, locking himself in place exactly where it needed to be - with the tip pressed hard against her cervix. A blissful snarl poured out of his throat, his balls twitching and clenching as they issued a massive swell of spunk through his throbbing cock. The thick cumvein running along the belly of his cock fluttered and expanded with cum, until it blasted from the tip at high pressure, flooding the vixen's womb with potent seed. The pair sang the ecstasy as one, the vixen mewling and writhing beneath him as her stud doomed her belly to swell. They stared down at their work and found it realized far too soon, the excessive flow and perfect seal of his knot ensuring that not a single drop of his spunk would go to waste. His paw went to her belly, and even with her firm abs he could feel the subtle rush of his cum filling her up, causing it to rise with every blast. What might have flowed out from around his knot instead flooded her womb, distending the fertile space with every jet of cum he injected her with. By the time the flow ebbed away into a steady trickle, she looked several months pregnant.

Fox relaxed his body with a groan, laying beside the vixen while still attached at the loins; she draped her leg over his, snuggling him deeply as she panted into his chest. "Gods, Fox... I love you."

He smiled, his tail wagging uncontrollably. "I love you too, Krystal Sharrde."

"Mm-mm... Krystal McCloud," she corrected him with a giggle, pulling his paw down and pressing it against her swollen belly. The two purred in blissful unison as he stroked, admiring his handiwork with firm, massaging fingers. "You promised you'd marry me if I took the knot."

"I did, didn't I?" he chuckled, feeling more than prepared to follow through. "Then I guess I'll have to. You wouldn't happen to know anyone on this planet who can officiate, would you?"

"Queen Kyte would, if I asked her," she said, looking up at him with a genuine smile. "If you would have me."

He smiled back. "Krystal... I want you on my team, at my back in a fight, in my bed every night... and at my side, until the end of my life." He took her paw in his, holding it to his chest. "I have no gem to offer you... but will you marry me?"

She beamed up at him, sniffling and wiping her eyes.

"I will, Fox McCloud - on one condition..."

"Really, Fox?!" Falco groaned. "We gotta work with those bozos?!"

Fox sighed, shaking his head and keeping his grip firm on the tree branches. He would have been the first to admit that spending an extra week on Sauria was less than ideal, if it hadn't been for the fact that the Cornerian Defense Force wanted an investigation into why the Sharpclaws suddenly had access to starfighters and blaster weapons. A full sweep of the system would be needed to figure out who had put the tech in their claws, something Star Fox didn't have the manpower for; at least, not without calling in some major favors. Slippy had managed to repair the hanger, but only he and Falco could field their arwings for the task, since Peppy was retired as a pilot. It meant that pickup would have to wait for Fox and Krystal, but they were willing to wait - and use that time to bond even closer and investigate the planet.

Fortunately, Peppy had managed reach Bill Gray on Katina. Fox's long time academy friend was more than happy to bring Husky and Bulldog units for a one-month patrol. It had taken some sweet-talking from Falco, but they had also managed to bring Katt Monroe on commission. These additions were fine, as Fox certainly trusted them to do the work. It was the last team he had brought in that was a current point of controversy.

"I've already talked it over with Wolf, so it's a done deal," he said, bringing his binoculars up and continuing to scan the area. In the distance were a few smoke trails, as well as an ancient stone tower near the edge of the forest. "He's agreed to half the extra share of the bounty for keeping the skies clear while Krystal and I finish up on the surface. I had to make a few deals with General Pepper, but he trusts me. The CDF approved it and I talked them into reducing their bounty until they could pay it off." He looked below, spotting Krystal tugging a repulsor-cart behind her until she was at the base. He smiled. "Besides, he agreed that he owes Krystal for her work. He might be a wanted man, but he has a reputation for loyalty to the right people."

"C'mon, do we gotta?" Falco groaned.

"Shut up and get back to work!" Peppy snapped. "Nobody's asking you to kiss and hug! Keep your beak in your work and you won't even notice them!"

"Alright, simmer down, old man, I'm goin'! Falco out!" The comms crackled.

"Sorry about this, Peppy," Fox chuckled sheepishly, as he started descending.

"Ah, don't worry about it, kiddo," the old man sighed. "Can't say any of us expected this, but I'll make sure the other pups play nice. Did you get ROB's package?"

He fell the rest of the way, landing cleanly next to the vixen just as she lifted the lid of the container, revealing a series of surveillance equipment. "Affirmative. Six long-range cameras, three attached drones. And I spotted the Sharpclaw encampment about three miles away to the north."

"Those are near ancient Krazoa ruins," Krystal said, looking troubled. "The Sharpclaws have been fascinated with them for years, enough to harness their power, so it's always been the one place I've never investigated."

"That'll change this time," Fox said, squeezing her shoulder. "Once we set this up, we'll work out a plan to clear those ruins. Maybe work out some kind of diversion with the rest of the team, or aid from the other tribes."

"I'll want a Jedi on my side for this," she said, smiling at him.

"You have the best at your side. And whatever else you might need, Star Fox is at your disposal, miss," Peppy said kindly. "Especially since you're on the team, now."

"Thank you," she purred. "Can't wait to meet you in person, finally."

"Likewise! Ah, I'll have to cut comms here, Star Wolf just showed up. I better change frequencies before someone gets into a fight. I'll ping back soon."

"Take your time, Peppy. Fox out." His headset crackled and he peeled it off. "Looks like thing are finally going our way."

She nodded, blushing. She reached out to him, taking his paw and placing it on her belly. "I wanted you to know... I felt it."

Fox stiffened, his heart flaring with hope. "Yeah?"

She giggled nodding. "I felt it through the Force. It's a boy."

Fox howled with joy, pumping a fist in the air. "YES! Fucking AWESOME! Oh gods, Krystal, you have no idea how much... how much my folks would have been happy," he said, feeling equal parts sad and joyful. It was a beautiful pain, but one he wouldn't have traded for anything in the galaxy.

She hugged him tight, nuzzling his cheek. "I know. I wish my parents could..." She trailed off, then shook her head, smiling widely. "No. If they're one with Force, then they already know, and that will be enough for me."

"I swear on my life to protect you and our baby," he said, squeezing her paws. "I'll make this mission as safe as possible, for both of us."

"I know you will," she said, kissing his muzzle. "But honestly... I know we can get through anything they throw at us."

They spent the next few minutes preparing the gear, though Fox found it impossible to shake the distraction of eventual fatherhood out of his head. His tail was still wagging when they resealed the container and he began to push it along, following Krystal to the forest.

"You're distracted," Krystal laughed. "C'mon, focus!"

"I will," he chuckled. "Just one question."

"Yes?"

"... How do you feel about the name... Marcus?"