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