Chapter 35: Just to Be Next to You
#35 of The Mating Season 4
Chapter 35: Just to be Next to You
Laying there in the bed with Talib, her silvery mane draped across her shoulder and face, her tail flicking back up every time Talib dragged a playful paw over it, Yuri felt shamefully . . . content. But here in this private little place, she was being pampered, petted, and spoiled by Talib as lovingly as if she were his wife and dearest possession! He had already ordered a basin brought into the hut, and stroking up a fire, he had bathed her. He lathered up soap and gently scrubbed all the cum from her mouth, her breasts, her plump little buttocks. He had sprayed all over her in his excitement again and again, and he later confessed that he had done this to prove a point: until the queen said otherwise, Yuri belonged to him. And there was nothing at all that she could do about it.
Yuri yielded to Talib, but she found herself doing it happily, eagerly: Talib was the gentlest, the most loving -- and yet so forceful and wild when he took her! Just thinking about it made her heart hammer a little in her chest. She tried to quiet her passion as she lay there at Talib's side. He always seemed to guess what she was feeling and thinking, and she was starting to suspect that he was a sorcerer. She hadn't seen him come melting out of the darkness with his sister and, therefore, did not know that he was -- at least in part.
Yuri turned her head and looked dotingly up at Talib, hating the heavy gold collar when it dragged at her breasts. He was laying on his side, resting his weight on his elbow as he dragged his big paw over the curves of her body: from her shoulder, down her back, and over her buttocks and tail. Yuri gazed up at him, loving the strong line of his jaw, his long lashes, his pale eyes. He was so handsome. She wanted suddenly to kiss him, softly and gently on his lips, and as if he'd read her thoughts, he smiled.
"Oh, Yuri," he said, shaking his head. "Such girlish thoughts that run through that head of yours."
"So you are a sorcerer!"
"I know a few tricks, that's all. But I'm hardly a sorcerer: it's very common here to know a little magic. That's why mountain wolves live so long." He grinned, and Yuri smiled back but bit her lip. She sat up on her elbows, and Talib pushed her mane back over her shoulder so he could see her face.
"Talib . . . why is Enya doing this to me?"
Yuri let out a frightened cry when Talib suddenly grabbed her face hard. His eyes were flashing when he hissed, "Don't ever called her by name! She is 'her highness' and nothing less! Understand?"
Frightened and bewildered, Yuri's lashes fluttered and she managed to nod her head against the strong grip of his fingers. He had never spoken to her in such a way before! She was still a little afraid when he let her face go and she cringed into herself, her mane falling forward to hide her expression.
"You must understand," Talib added more gently, "that it's heresy, calling the queen by name. Mountain wolves are very strict: they might stone you for such blatant disrespect of the Chosen Queen."
Yuri's eyes grew round. "The Chosen Queen?"
Talib eyed her. "Didn't you see the paintings? In the tunnel?"
Yuri nodded, but it was clear she didn't understand.
Talib flopped on his back, put his arms behind his head, and explained in a soft voice, "A long time ago, there was a great prophet who came to the mountain wolves. He was called Prophet Kitari. He was a blind old wolf and harmless, so the mountain tribe took him in. One day, he had a great vision: a tan female and her dark mate would come to us, and with them bring the Golden Age."
Talib smiled at the ceiling, but Yuri could see his smile was a little mocking and sarcastic.
"Don't you believe in the prophesy?" she asked tentatively.
"I didn't at first. I thought it was worth about as much as diseased shit. I mean, come on! Kitari barely knew his own name. He was a bumbling old fool, and it was always my belief that he made up the prophesy because he was so grateful to us for taking him in. That's all.
"But then one day, a guard out at the tunnel entrance spots these two wolves coming in off the meadows. They're running like crazy and all these white lights are glowing behind them, rushing in bright streams, fluttering against the trees. It was like they had descended on the white wings of the ancestors!"
Yuri saw Talib's pale eyes grow round in amazement, but she knew that these "white lights" that had been pursuing Enya and Theo were nothing more than angry wood nymphs, who -- seeing the approaching mountain wolves -- had probably been frightened away. So Theo was here too! Yuri wanted to ask after him, to know if he was all right, but before she could find some roundabout way of asking, Talib was suddenly kissing her mouth.
Yuri yielded to the kiss, and he pushed her over onto her back and slipped his fingers between her thighs. She wiggled a little, moaning against his lips. He was kissing her with slow, loving smacks.
"What did you ask about the queen again?" Talib suddenly wondered, pulling back to frown down at Yuri.
"Why . . . why is she making me do this?" Yuri asked again. She was breathless, her breasts were heaving from the caressing of his fingertips, and she wished suddenly that he would stop . . . Oh, god . . . she wished he would never stop. She closed her eyes and arched her back against the sheets, in a state of strained ecstasy. He smiled at her arousal and suckled a little on her pink nipple.
"Do what?" Talib asked absently, his tongue working around her nipple, brushing the tip.
Yuri wiggled and blushed, biting her lip when he suddenly gave her nipple a little nibble. "Making me your pet!" she cried impatiently.
Talib pulled back again and gave her a mock expression of disappointment. "Oooooh. Is it so terrible?"
"No . . ." Yuri admitted, her eyes flitting to her own heaving breasts and to his face again.
"I didn't think so. You're slobbering wet," he breathed into her ear, and when he sank his fingers deeply and shuddered, she knew he was on the verge of a hard-on. She felt him get stiff against her, hard and strong.
Talib pulled back, and placing her slender leg on his shoulder, he entered her with a loving smile. Yuri's fingers curled in the sheets and she arched her back to receive him. Her pussy lips clenched tight around him, stretching to let him in, her little clit throbbing hard the deeper he sank himself. She was embarrassed by the squelching noises that came with his thrusts: it meant she was very moist and deeply aroused just by his kissing, just by his lips on her nipples. He leaned down and closed his mouth over hers, and she put her arms around his neck, kissing him back fervently and thinking with a sinking heart of Enya.
Enya had looked at her with such hate! Enya had mocked her, Enya had rapped her on the head with her wooden scepter and gave her a derisive smile as she was led away by Talib. And how angry Zaldon had been, how indignant and scolding of his granddaughter was Kel! Roan had protested and Zane had growled at his cousin, but Enya didn't listen to any of them, and when Yuri flashed Enya a last frightened look over her shoulder, she had seen the coldest satisfaction on Enya's face.
Just thinking of Enya, Yuri suddenly broke down sobbing. Talib pulled back with a worried frown.
"Yuri!" he cried, wiping away her tears. "What's the matter! Am I hurting you?"
Yuri closed her eyes and shook her head and whispered for Talib to keep going. She even pulled him down to her and kissed him with trembling lips on the mouth. Yes, let him fuck her, let him fuck her brains out! Anything so she wouldn't have to think of Enya and the coldness that had been in those pretty blue eyes, eyes that had once looked upon her with the deepest and most sincere warmth!
But Talib, looking anxious, refused to keep going. He pulled out of Yuri, and when he gathered her to his chest, she broke down sobbing against him.
"But what's the matter?" Talib begged, stroking Yuri's pale mane. "Is it so desperately awful, being with me? I'll send you back to the queen if you --"
"Oh, no, don't do that!" Yuri wailed, and burying her face in Talib's neck, she cried even harder.
Looking sad and deflated, Talib held Yuri close and even started to rock her.
"Little blue wolf, little blue wolf, tell Talib what's wrong," Talib sang after some time, and Yuri couldn't help but smile through her tears.
"En -- her h-highness and I . . ."
"Yes?"
"We were lovers . . ."
Talib held Yuri away from him and peered down into her face as if he couldn't believe it. His pale eyes were wide with disbelief. Yuri sniffed and nodded.
"It's t-true," she said, and suddenly feeling as if she could confide in Talib, she went on, "I've loved her since I was a child. She was my first kiss." She gazed off dreamily, her sable eyes alight with a glow that made Talib smile his amusement.
"Go on," he said, watching Yuri with a half-smile.
"The first time I saw her, I . . . I wanted her! I don't know how to explain it. But everything about her -- her tan fur, her deep blue eyes, even those curls in her mane. My whole body had to be next to her. But I was so shy. Enya made the first move." Yuri paused to dart a smiling glance at Talib, who nodded for her to continue.
Twisting her fingers bashfully, Yuri gazed off absently and said with her ears flat on her head, "She touched my mane. She pushed it back behind my ear. She told me I was pretty. She wasn't the first to say so, but the way she said it . . . It was as if she wanted me too!" Yuri shivered as she remembered. "And then she kissed me. So sweetly. So tenderly. And I . . . I had never felt so utterly possessed in my life."
"You've really got it bad, baby," Talib said sympathetically and shook his head. "But you mustn't tell anyone else about this! Females with females, it's not allowed here. I already told you once: mountain wolves are strict and will stone you in a heartbeat."
Yuri swallowed and nodded. She knew the drill.
"But if you and the queen . . .?" Talib paused uncertainly and tilted his head. "Why has she given you to me? You said the two of you were in love. Or has she thrown this love back in your pretty face?"
Yuri shook her head. "I hurt her. I pushed her away. She was in danger of being s-stoned back in the summer village --"
Talib nodded. "I see. Now it's all clear to me. Clear as day. You know, that male wolf who looks just like her is --"
"Keeno?" asked Yuri, suddenly tense and alert.
"That was his name. Well, she gave him to some big brutes to fuck. And that big bulky silver boy --"
"Zane?!"
"Yeah, that was it. He's probably somewhere being raped too."
Yuri stared at Talib, wide-eyed. "So this is how she's getting back at us . . ."
"What do you mean?"
Yuri shamefully admitted that she had used Zane to break Enya's heart, and that Keeno, Enya's father, had married her off against her will.
Talib gave a low whistle. "Hmm. So them's the breaks, eh? But she was easiest on you: I haven't mistreated you, have I? That Keeno and the big silver buck are probably bound, gagged, and being fucked in the ass even as we speak."
Yuri's ears went flat on her head to hear such a thing. "But -- but what about the others?"
"Oh, them? They're over in the queen's hut. Staying there as honored guests, as a matter of fact. Though Zaldon is wearing a golden collar a lot like yours now." He smiled and fingered Yuri's collar absently, letting the back of his fingers brush her cleavage.
"And Zaldon's okay? Kel is fine? How is Roan? And Th -- I mean, his majesty, the king."
"Everyone is just fine, so relax, doll baby," Talib gently assured her. He cupped her face with one paw and smiled at her. She felt his other paw smoothing over her thigh and hip, and she realized he was trying to calm her. She melted suddenly into his arms and he held her to his chest.
"I'm sure that if Keeno is the father of the queen, he can't be treated too badly. And if Zane is her cousin, then he's probably being pampered as much as you. And as for his majesty . . ."
Yuri looked up sharply when Talib's voice trailed away. What was the matter with Theo! Talib looked as if he didn't want to say.
"Yes?" Yuri urged.
When Talib bit his lip, Yuri broke free of his arms.
"TalIB: What's the matter with Theo!"
"They say he's fallen asleep."
"Asleep?" repeated Yuri, her nose scrunching up.
Talib laughed. "Yeah. A regular Sleeping Beauty, his majesty is. He seemed a little screwy when he was brought here. Kept calling her highness by some other name. Then one day he just fell asleep. Never woke up. Every shaman and quack in the village has looked at him. He seems in perfect health, but nothing can wake him."
Yuri glowered at the wall. Wood nymphs! Some nymph had obviously put a spell on Theo and his mind was still half in the Secret Valley!
"Hey, you're a sorceress!" Talib cried suddenly. "Couldn't you have a look at him? Zaldon already tried but there was nothing he could do. Said he used up most of his strength just before we brought you all here."
Yuri dismally shook her head. "I'm not a sorceress. Not really. I'm still in training . . ."
"Oh," said Talib, looking a little disappointed. He sighed. "If only someone could wake him up! Then just maybe . . ."
Talib's voice trailed off. Yuri looked up at him, bewildered.
"Maybe what?"
Talib smiled gently at her. "Maybe the Golden Age will come."
Enya pulled aside the curtain. "He's in there," she whispered. She was standing beside Roan, her wooden scepter in her paw, the same crown of flowered vines in her curly mane. Her pretty blue eyes flashed at Roan sympathetically: he was standing in the doorway, his paws at his sides, and gazing breathlessly into the gloomy room with fear shining bright in his green eyes. Enya knew what he was seeing: Theo's dark body stretched out on the bed, his face slack but peaceful in his deep slumber. He was so handsome, even in his sleep. His long lashes were glossy in the candlelight, and Roan could see that Theo's fur had been washed and brushed, that his face had been washed as well. He knew without having to ask that Enya had come here everyday, and with her own paws, she had cared for her husband.
"He thought I was you," Enya told Roan with a sad little laugh. "He kept calling me Roan and kissing me. It was all I could do to get away with him."
Roan's green eyes had not shifted from the limp body on the sleeping furs. He swallowed miserably.
"Go to him, Roan," Enya whispered, prodding Roan gently, almost playfully in the small of his back with her scepter. "Maybe a kiss from you might wake the sleeping prince."
Roan blushed to hear Enya's words, but he stepped into the room, and when he heard the curtain swish shut behind him, he knew he was alone with Theo for the first time in a long time. He moved slowly toward the bed, where Theo was sleeping with gentle, breezy breaths. He knelt at Theo's side and without thinking, took his paw.
"Oh, Theo," Roan whispered, pushing his lover's mane back from his eyes. "Theo, please wake up! I came all this way just to be next you!" He suddenly kissed Theo's paw, and his heart fluttered when Theo's lips twisted a little in a smile.
Roan looked over Theo's body, so tight with muscles, so strong, so young. God, Theo was beautiful. Nothing had changed about him: his rough, bristly fur, the pretty shape of his eyes, and his long dark mane, even the heavenly smell of him! It was all as Roan remembered, it was all as he had dreamed these past few weeks while they wandered the forest. He leaned down and hesitated but sniffed at Theo's neck, then kissed him on the cheek. Theo sighed happily in his sleep, and Roan sighed too. That same handsome smile!
He had been trying not to, but Roan shyly let his eyes drift to Theo's cock and balls. Theo's soft organ lay dark and beautiful against his hard thigh. It was so thick, though not long. It was thickness that mattered, thickness that had brought moans of ecstasy from Roan as Theo fucked him loving and slow down in the underbrush of the northern forest.
Roan hesitated again, as if he thought someone might burst in and catch him, but suddenly not caring, he leaned down and gave Theo's cock a hard, hungry lick. He was amazed when Theo's soft organ twitched and then suddenly pumped up, swelling until it was hard. Roan saw his lover's chest heave. Theo frowned in his sleep and a small moan escaped his lips. Could it be that . . .? Roan tried again, this time eagerly closing his mouth over Theo's stiffening cock. He devoured Theo, ravishing his organ with deep, hungry sucks until he saw Theo squirming and moaning on the sleeping furs, his chest heaving, choked cries escaping his lips. Roan kept sucking and even cupped Theo's balls, rotating them around in his fingers. He had always loved the cold softness of Theo's balls, had always loved Theo's balls slapping against him those times in the forest when they had fucked more vigorously. He also knew that Theo liked to have his balls touched. He suddenly pulled his mouth from Theo's cock and sucked his balls into his lips, rolling them against his tongue. Their salty taste, their cold smell aroused him and he knew with a blush that he was hard as well. He slobbered over Theo's balls, then pulled back and started kissing them. He wasn't surprised when Theo sputtered in his sleep and it happened: his cum spurted from his cock. His dick flinched and flopped soft against his stomach, and now he was moaning, his head rocking back and forth on the pillows as Roan eagerly lapped his cum from his belly.
Roan pulled back, and his heart leapt: Theo's eyes fluttered open! The black spheres gazed around in a daze, but when they landed on Roan, he smiled warmly.
Roan helped Theo to carefully sit up, but suddenly unable to control himself any longer, he threw himself into Theo's arms. Theo laughed and embraced Roan as he was crushed to the sleeping furs. He laughingly accepted Roan's kisses all over his face, amused that his lover was so frantic in his joy, and quickly catching Roan's lips to his own, he kissed him back. They melted into each other, and their lips did not part until Roan sighed with a great feeling of content, and pressing his forehead to Theo's, he closed his eyes. He was so happy to feel Theo's strong arms holding him, Theo's hard body against his own! It seemed as if ages had passed since his Theo had held him to his chest.
They lay together in happy silence for a long time, Theo occasionally kissing Roan's head, Roan's body on top of Theo's and a little smile on his lips.
"Did you really come all this way," Theo asked at last, "just to be next to me?"
Roan's eyes flew open. "You heard that?" he cried, blushing a little.
"I thought I was dreaming. I heard your voice, but it sounded so far away. And then you did -- you know -- to me . . ."
"And I was suddenly very near," Roan finished with a laugh.
"Oh, Roan," Theo whispered, squeezing Roan tightly in his arms. "I knew you'd find me. I was lost for so long, wandering in darkness . . . Sometimes I would hear voices, but they were never the right ones. I guess the whole time . . . I was listening for your voice."
Roan blushed.
"I love you, Roan," Theo whispered in his ear. "And I wanted to know . . . That is, would you . . .?"
Roan laughed: he had never in his life heard Theo stammer so nervously. He pulled back to grin down at him and exclaimed, "Always!"
They kissed again, and Roan thought to himself with a joyous skip of his heart that Theo had just asked him to be his partner. Theo had asked for a commitment! Suddenly very happy, he snuggled down in Theo's arms and felt another wave of content when Theo stroked his mane, when Theo's loving fingers traced gently down the muscles of his back.
"But . . . where are we?" Theo asked, and he sounded so confused that Roan laughed again.
"Let us fill you in," said a voice.
The two of them looked up and blushed: Kel and Zaldon had pulled aside the curtain and were smiling at them.
Kel and Zaldon sat with the younger wolves on sitting furs on the floor, and they talked over everything, including Kel and Zaldon's plan to take Theo to sanctuary in the sun village. Theo squeezed Roan's paw and agreed that it was best but also said that he'd like to give talking to his father a try.
"But . . . Theo," said Roan in confusion. "Sade has already declared . . ."
"I know what he's declared," Theo said in a low, miserable voice, "but I want to try anyway."
The others glanced with silent dread at each other, for they all knew that Sade had declared himself no longer the father of Theo, meaning that if Theo was stoned upon his return, Sade would not interfere.
"Then I could cloak you with Glamour, make you unrecognizable to other wolves just long enough for you to sneak into the village and talk to Sade," Zaldon offered. "But I beg you: do not enter the summer village without the use of my magic! They will stone you on sight, Theo! Do you understand?" Zaldon warned.
Roan felt a wave of relief when Theo nodded and answered obediently, "Yes, sir."
"Now," said Kel, "the other matter. Theo, Enya has scorned her elders. In her hurt and anger, she has taken revenge on her father, on Zane, and on Yuri as well."
"Revenge?" questioned Theo, looking still and alert.
Kel nodded. "As the king of this place and her royal consort, you are the only one who has a chance of stopping Enya! We need you to talk some sense into her. Her power as queen here has led her to ignore her grandfather." Kel folded his arms and his chest heaved with his indignation.
Theo held back a smile: he could just imagine how haughty and proud Enya must've been acting, sauntering around with her tail swinging, giving orders left and right and firmly ignoring the admonitions of her furious elders. He knew firsthand, after all, how hurt, how torn Enya had been by Yuri's rejection. She had confessed everything to him and more on their wedding night.
"Yuri still loves Enya," Roan added in earnest to Theo. "She only did those things to protect her. If Enya knew that, then maybe . . ."
"The madness would stop," finished Theo with a small smile. "You know, I don't think I'm the one who needs to talk to Enya. We all know the only wolf she ever listened to."