FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

Legal Tension – Chapter 1

Trials

“... and I hereby sentence the accused to three years imprisonment and a fine that will be determined later this week once both sides have presented the paperwork." The judge's gavel tapped lightly on desk in front of him. “This court is adjourned." As the venerable badger rose from his seat the rest of the assembly rose in tradition and respect.

From behind the prosecutor's desk a German Shepherd got to her feet. Picking up her briefcase, she glanced towards the defence attorney and nodded curtly before leaving the courtroom. Outside the room a small gathering of local press rushed the shepherd, closing ranks around her the moment they saw her. “Miss Eckholdt, any comments on the sentence? Was it too low? Will the defence try and get the verdict appealed?!"

Maria smoothed down her knee length skirt before using a paw to push the journalists aside as she tried to pass them. “What happens next is up to the defence, the prosecution will abide by the judge's ruling. Now excuse me." Giving one journalist a cold stare as she passed, the shepherd made her way to the exit. Behind her the defence attorney left the courtroom and immediately the goat in his overpriced suit received all the attention he wanted to avoid.

At the bottom of the stairs a large, dark blue sedan was parked with the engine running. With a sigh, Maria opened the backseat door and slid in. Even before she closed the door she called out to the young canine of questionable heritage that sat in the front seat. “Drive, Rick. Back to the office." There was no reply as the car set in motion as she leaned back in the comfortable seat. She set her briefcase on the floor freeing both of her paws, which she promptly ran through her shoulder length black hair. With eyes closed and her head against the headrest, the tired lawyer's paws began to slip down her neck. She muffled a moan as her fingers parted her suit jacket and caressed her chest through the thin Egyptian cotton blouse.

A sudden swerve of the car made her expression of tired bliss turn back to cold and stern. “Rick! It's not polite to stare."

“Sorry, Miss Eckholdt." The voice from the front sounded dejected. There was a minute of silence before he spoke again, hesitant and slightly trembling. “Did... Did everything go as you expected? You... You were in there for quite a while. I… I had to drive around the block a few times to avoid getting a ticket." He said with a half-hearted chuckle.

Maria raised an eyebrow at the weak attempt to be humorous. “Judge Trent has never been the quickest, but he is diligent. Three years imprisonment and a fine that will be determined later this week, I'm happy enough with the result, but I think I'll let one of the juniors attend that meeting seeing as it's only a formality and we already submitted all the paperwork weeks ago." She opened her eyes and fixed them on Rick for a moment, seeing him glance in the rear-view mirror more often than necessary to watch the traffic behind them.

The urge to tease her intern was too great to ignore. As the car came to a stop at the next set of traffic lights she began in earnest. The shepherd let out a long drawn out sigh and moan before slipping one shoulder out of her jacket, followed quickly by the other. Leaning forward a little, her blouse pulled tight around her double D breasts. Shaking her shoulders from side to side the bothersome garment gradually made its way down her arms. Once it was off she reclined back into her seat and placed the jacket on the seat next to her.

Rick's eyes peered back at her in the rear-view mirror, but never met her gaze. Nimble fingers met around the top button of her blouse and as it popped through the hole there was a loud honking that was quickly picked up by several cars, behind them. The young canine didn't need any prodding from his tormentor as he sat back straight in the seat and smashed the gas pedal into the floor. The car rushed through the orange light, as Rick realized he didn't look to see what colour it had been.

For the rest of the journey the blushing intern kept his eyes on the road until he finally parked the car in its familiar spot in the district attorney's office underground parking garage. He struggled to get out of the car as his fingers shook so much from nervousness that he couldn't find the release for his seatbelt. Finally free, he got out of the vehicle in a hurry, but his heart nearly jumped out of his chest when he found himself up close to the chest he had been staring at so wantonly earlier.

Having thrown her jacket over her shoulder and undone another button, Maria nearly pinned the young canine against the car and for a split second there was hope in his eyes but under the shepherd's cold stare it quickly vanished. “I don't mind staring, Rick." She snapped her fingers by her face to grab his attention away from her ample bosom. “Eyes up here." Her cold steel -grey eyes bore into his ocean-blue ones. “I make a lot of effort to look this good, but I'm going to give you a reality check right now. I never, NEVER! Sleep with people I work with." She took a step back and gave him a wink that sent off mixed signals in the young canine. “Look all you want but if you slack off while you work for me, I will grind you into the dirt and leave you there!" The genuine fear was clear to see in Rick's eyes and body language as his tail hung lifelessly behind him and his ears tried to hide in his closely cropped hair. “Here, carry my case." With a flourish, Maria spun the briefcase around in her paws before pushing it in her admirer's arms. Turning around, she set off in the direction of the office lobby and elevators. As she walked she could hear her intern follow her and slowly began to sway her hips with each step. Maria grinned as she heard the footsteps behind her slow down and then she brought him to a full stop as she curled her luxurious tail out of the way, accentuating another of her many desirable, physical assets; an ass that could make almost every male drool even when she was wearing clothes; her current tailored black skirt leaving very little to the imagination.

The elevator ride up was quiet with Maria leaning against the back wall of the car with Rick standing in front of her. As she eyed his limp tail the shepherd hid a complimentary smile; Maria knew she pushed the limit with her flirting and showing off, but Rick was a good sport and she had already written several recommendations to the universities he had applied to. He would make a great lawyer in a few years, of that she was sure.

The elevator doors opened and the pair found a group of people waiting for them and as they were spotted the group began to applaud. Maria exited the car first and curtsied. “Thank you all. I couldn't have done it without my staff." She smiled and glanced over her shoulder towards Rick and winked.

From behind the group a large mastiff grumbled and shooed everybody off. “Back to your desks everyone! Plenty of cases to work on." He came to a stop before Maria and Rick and switched his gaze from one to the other. “Good work. They just send over the transcripts. I take it you're not bothered by how high the fine is going to be?"

Without a hint of emotion Maria shook her head. “No, let a junior attend that meeting. Judge Trent doesn't mind, we've been cooperating for the entire case, so we've earned some leeway." Fighting the urge to yawn she brought a paw up to her muzzle. “Excuse me. I'm taking the rest of the day off; the next hearing I'm due to attend isn't until eleven AM tomorrow."

Crossing his arms the mastiff looked like a pin-striped obelisk. “You've got a few small cases on your desk. They just need some preparation and ordering before you go, and I want you to go over Rick's research case before the weekend."

Maria mimicked her boss' pose, peering up into his eyes and quickly weighing the pros and cons of defiance at the moment. “Rick and the juniors can do the sorting; I'll double check them tomorrow. I need a night off, Brutus. I promise I won't leave until after nine o'clock tomorrow."

Brutus took a deep breath puffing up his broad chest even more before dropping his arms to his side. “Have it your way, but if any cases get dismissed on a technicality..." His voice turned even more gruff and baritone than before.

“I know. I'll go over the cases." Maria interjected before he could add any promise to his statement. “...Tomorrow."

After a deep grumble of approval from the mastiff they parted and returned to their offices. Maria and Rick walked through the bull-pen, a room so tightly packed with desks, that the only way to add more was to stack them. The hustle and bustle was pretty normal as they handled and prepared DUI's and other misdemeanour's. At the back they found a frosted glass door that sported Maria's name. Inside her office everything was neatly ordered and clean with one exception; the case files scattered over her desk.

After hanging her suit jacket over the back of her chair, Maria sat down with a long sigh. “Let's see what we got." Slowly she began to leaf through the folders. “Perjury... Perjury... Perjury..." Putting an elbow on the desk, she cupped her cheek before letting her head rest on the open palm. “A lot of people lying under oath..." Putting the three folders to the side she flipped the cover of the last one. “Duelling... Wait, what?" As she read the folder she chuckled several times. “Strange, but nothing special, plenty of evidence. You've got to love idiots and smart phones." Collecting the folders she arranged them and held them out for Rick. “Get Laura, Mitchell and Bobby to help you. Split them up; do them one at the time. I don't care how you go about it as long as they are organized in the morning."

Holding the files, Rick lifted the corners to check which was which. “Alright, I'll get on it." He remained standing when Maria got out of her chair and stretched luxuriously. “Plans for the evening, Miss Eckholdt?"

Putting her jacket back on Maria fished her purse out of the bottom drawer of the desk. “I'm going to get laid." Winking at the dumbstruck youth as she passed him she called back. “Better get working on those cases." The noises of scrambling feet behind her filled her ears and made her grin as she strode towards the elevator.

* * *

The drive home had been uneventful. As Maria drove her Mercedes SLK Black to the security gate of her apartment complex, the automated system opened and the shepherdess rolled in to park. After such an exhausting day she was happy to be home. Riding up in the elevator, all the worries of the past few days dropped from her shoulders. There was a rush through her body as her muscles relaxed; a fiery urge that flowed from her spine and nestled between her legs. Rubbing her thighs together as the sensation grew; her breath began to shorten but it only made her snarl as she remembered the last time her lust was sated. That was when 'he' was still in town, but that had been four months ago; four months without a word and no idea where 'he' had gone.

Casting the memories aside, Maria opened the door to her apartment. As soon as she entered she jabbed the keypad to disable the alarm then locked the door. Walking through her apartment, she passed the dining room on her right; the large glass doors at the far end opening up to an exquisite balcony. On her left were her guest rooms and at the far end of the hall it opened out into a large kitchen on the right and a little further past that was her large well furnished living room that had the same glass doors as the dining room, that opened on to the large balcony. Continuing on and turning left down the hall she headed to the master bedroom to undress.

Her dark grey suit jacket and Egyptian cotton blouse went on separate coat hangers before getting hung on a door hook for the housekeeper to take care of. The skirt followed soon after, leaving Maria to walk around in her underwear. The plain grey ensemble's best feature was simply being practical, though she knew she looked good in them; 'he' had told her so. She nearly ground her teeth as her mind wandered in that direction again. “Jackass!" She muttered under her breath while reaching behind her back and unfastening the clasp of her bra then tossing the garment in a high arc that ended in the laundry hamper. With a sigh she rubbed her sides, fluffing up the fur that her bra had flattened and then let her paws begin to wander. Gently running her fingers along the underside of her breasts she cupped them and massaged the soft flesh firmly. Turning around she looked at herself in the full length mirror in the corner of the room before turning from side to side to admire her ample assets; she stopped to stare at her butt and frowned. The pair of unflattering panties obstructing a view she knew was so much greater. Hooking the waistband with her thumbs, she peeled them off, but found part of the cloth stuck to her. Glancing down she saw strings of her juices stretch out between her panties and the small silver barbell that peeked out from between her swollen lips. From her scent it was clear her body needed some attention; a smell that wafted about the room when the panties took a similar arcing flight towards the hamper.

Turning on her shower and stepping into the pre-heated jets of water, Maria felt the water saturate her fur in seconds. For several minutes she did nothing, Enjoying the warmth but unsure of what to do. Idle paws knew what she wanted; her fingers walking through the fur on her hip before slipping between her strong thighs. Placing two fingers on her perineum before drawing them forward, parting her labia and touching the warm pink flesh that they revealed. She brushed past the small barbell piercing that sent a tremor through her entire body and ended in a gasp that was drowned out by the rush of water on the tiles. With water dripping from her face, Maria pressed her forehead against the wall while steadying herself by grabbing the shower rail. As the shepherd pressed her feet against the sides of the shower and parted her legs, she leaned forward slipping both fingers deep inside her throbbing pussy.

Soon enough the sounds of the shower running were joined by loud enthusiastic moans and barks. Tickling her insides with rapid motions, Maria felt her orgasm just beyond the horizon when her mind began to wander again. The last time she had been this aroused it had been a long and agile tongue and not a pair of fingers penetrating her depths. Suddenly remembering two large paws on her ass, a cold wet nose brushing her tail-hole and as her tail wagged from side to side it had struck a pair of large pointed ears to the amusement of their owner. The memory made her whine in anger; her body tensing and shutting down every feeling of pleasure before she kicked out at the shower glass with a loud growl that drowned out the sound of cascading water. The door rattled on its hinges from the kick but was sturdy enough not to crack. Feeling her foot tingle, Maria turned off the shower and stepped out of the stall, fighting the urge to slam the door and curse 'his' name. Taking a large towel from the stack she began to dry herself, the pleasure had vanished but her burning need rose again more ferocious than ever.

After spending ten minutes drying herself, Maria padded back into her bedroom; her fur only slightly damp. Closing the bathroom door behind her she dropped the towel in the laundry hamper before entering her large walk-in closet. Standing before the rack that held her dresses, she skipped the formal section and went straight to provocative. Eyeing a dress that was almost completely made of a sheer fabric which only hid the important parts, Maria reached for it and remembered buying it for a long weekend she had planned with... “No!" Her paw changed directions as she growled; memories of 'him' had been bubbling up all day and she would not have it. Instead she chose one of the classic little black dresses that she had and lay it out on the bed before grabbing a matching purse and high heeled pumps.

The dress slipped over her body effortlessly; the dresses neckline was rather conservative for her, but it was simply a mask for her front, but in the rear, only four thin spaghetti straps ran down her back, leaving her exposed from her neck down to the small of her back. In the middle-rear of the dress there was a stretch band, negating the need for a zipper and it made her tail stick out of the top before it drooped down; it helped draw more attention to her shapely behind, something that she didn't mind at all. Maria adjusted the front of the dress making her breasts slip into the built-in cups and then slipped on her pumps. Standing in front of the mirror admiring herself, she turned left and right while smoothing down her dress until it looked perfect. The dresses skirt barely extended past her crotch, showing off a lot of leg.

Resting her paws on her hips, Maria looked at herself critically for a moment as an internal debate raged inside. With a sigh of resignation she walked back into the closet and rummaged around an underwear drawer before coming back out. She lifted her dress over her hips as she made sure the high cut lace thong that she was stepping into sat comfortably on her before smoothing the dress back down. She gave herself another look in the mirror and caught a quick glimmer coming from the piercing behind the see through material. The image she wanted to portray was complete.

All dressed up she sat on the bed and began to organize her purse, transferring a wad of cash to the small black leather accessory along with her phone and ID. After a moment of consideration she pulled the phone back out and speed dialled a number and held it to her ear. “Hello, this is Maria Eckholdt, account number fourteen, one, twenty, five. Yes I need a taxi. No, not right away. Pick up time is ten, Thank you." The phone disappeared back into the purse before the shepherd got off the bed to get a bite to eat and kill some time.

* * *

“You sure you want to go there?" The feminine voice commented from the driver's seat. “It's not one your usual haunts; looks a bit sleazy too."

Maria could already hear the beat from the club inside the taxi as she looked at the outside façade of the club with its bright lights and long waiting line. “I'm in the mood for a bit of sleaze."

The lynx behind the wheel stopped the taxi and turned around, peering through the Plexiglas divider. “I've got the graveyard shift, so call if you want to a ride back home."

Patting her purse, Maria slipped over to the other side of the car where the sidewalk was. “Is my credit still good, Mattie?"

Nodding with a knowing smile the Lynx reset the meter. “Always, Benny will send you a token bill at the end of the month." Reaching into her purse, the Shepherd pulled out several bills but Mattie stopped it with a wave. “Don't even think about it."

Maria just grinned. “Don't you mind not getting a tip?"

“What do you think the token bill is for?"

Putting the bills back, Maria reached for the door. “See you in a few hours, Mattie."

“I figured as much." The lynx commented as the door slammed shut. Grabbing the microphone, she reported to her dispatch operator and set the car back in motion.

Standing on the sidewalk, Maria looked towards the club and straightened her dress before setting off towards the queue, the soft clicking of her heels were an offset sound against the deep thumps of the bass coming from the club and reverberating through the tarmac. Approaching the building from the opposite side of the line, she encountered the bouncer; a large bear who held command of the entrance barrier. Putting on an innocent and slightly air headed expression; the shepherdess peered past the huge bouncer through the open doors. “This place looks fun!" She barked cheerfully.

The bear had seen her coming and casually eyed her up and down approvingly. “The party never stops here, missy."

Peering up at the male with big grey eyes, Maria pursed her lips. “But the line seems so... I'll never get in." She turned and gestured towards the line, swaying her hips from side to side before moving her tail out of the way to give him a perfect outline of her body.

There was a sharp intake of air from the big male, but he wasn't born yesterday; she could tell it was a trick he was used to but her more mature figure seemed to sway him. Looking from side to side he checked the sidewalk on either side. “You alone?" To his delight the curvy shepherd nodded. Grabbing the VIP rope, he opened it under protest from the crowd that were still waiting before stepping aside and letting Maria pass. Unable to resist he patted her highly desirable backside as she passed getting a cute squeak and a playful glance over her shoulder as a reward before he had to attend to the rowdy crowd behind the other rope.

She didn't mind the patting on the rear, preferring it to having to stand in line where there were more roaming paws. Once inside, Maria's expression changed; no longer the bubbly air-headed act, a more neutral hunters expression took over as she straightening her dress again and began casually scanning the club for a potential 'date'.

The bass was near deafening and the club was packed. Several groups of party-goers were spread around along with the usual mix of singles and couples. Pushing through the throng towards the bar, Maria didn't have to wait long for the barkeeper to look her way and take her order. A glass appeared quickly and she brought it up to her lips immediately, taking a long sip. Frowning, she eyed the golden liquid and sighed. “Cheap bourbon sold as whiskey." She complained before downing the rest of the glass in one go. Though it might have been cheap it did give her a nice warm buzz when it hit her stomach and began to seep into her veins.

The dance floor beckoned as a fast paced beat began to thrum from the speakers.

Slowly the shapely shepherd began to make her way towards the floor, shaking her hips in time with the beat. She felt as if the crowd parted before her and the rush of hungry eyes roaming up and down her back made her heart thunder in her chest. “Come get it boys." She growled under her breath as she began to dance.

It didn't take long before the first volunteers presented themselves. A cheetah got a dismissive shove from the shepherdess and his spot was swiftly taken by a ferret though he didn't last long either. Maria went through over a dozen of potential males until a grey wolf stepped up to her. He was the same height as her in heels and she could smell the alcohol on his breath. A red t-shirt above tight denim pants met her approval. She didn't resist when his paws slipped down her sides and began to fondle her ass roughly; she just wrapped her arms around his neck and began to move her body against his aggressively.

The music changed to something mellower with a hard techno-beat and the lights, switched to dark blue and black-lights with the occasional green lasers shooting overhead. Maria turned around and rubbed herself hard against his groin. He would do she determined seeing as she didn't have to twist his arm too much to get what she wanted. The male was eager as his large paws moved up the front of her dress and found to his pleasure that the tight black dress camouflaged another pair of assets that made this female a winner in his book.

They danced for a while longer before Maria leaned in and nibbled his ear seductively, the message was clear and she had no problem guiding the male off the dance-floor. Once they were somewhere where they didn't have to shout she whispered in his ear. “I know a nice motel nearby."

The male nodded vigorously and said yes before being dragged towards the exit. As he passed a group of males he cheered at them and pointed at the shepherdess leading him out earning him several hoots and howls of encouragement and praise.

It didn't take them long to walk to the motel and at Maria's suggestion, the wolf paid for the room. This was her need, and she didn't want to know his name or give hers. Entering the room and closing the door quickly, the pair joined together in a lustful embrace. Maria felt her dress being pulled up over her backside as an eager paw kneaded one of her butt cheeks. His fingers were nimble for their size, slipping between her legs and touching where her pussy had eaten her thong. With a smirk she pushed hard against his chest, making him stumble back before falling down onto the bed. Within seconds the wolf had the wild female shepherd nearly ripping his pants off; the slim fit jeans only resisting her tugging for a few seconds.

Taking a moment, she admired the tent he pitched in his briefs before they too joined the growing pile of clothes on the floor. He was already hard as a rock when she wrapped her paw around his member and inhaled his scent deeply. It smelled clean, like the fur around his sheath and scrotum, though potent musk emanated from the tapered tip as a drop of pre-cum appeared. Opening her mouth Maria started by slowly dragging her tongue along the underside, much to the great pleasure of the male as he shouted his approval towards the heavens. Grinning at the wolf's reaction, she lapped away all the drops that appeared from his tip without fuss before kissing the eagerly twitching tip and slowly taking him into her mouth. Taking her time, she sunk all the way down to his sheath before rubbing her nose against the small pouch of fur and snaking her tongue inside it where she felt his knot throbbing as it began to expand.

For several minutes Maria kept up her ministrations. When she finally drew her head back, several strands of saliva kept her lips and the male's cock connected. Standing up, she saw the questioning look he shot her, but just cast a sultry smile at him as she pulled her dress up and over her head. Folding the garment and carefully placing it over the back of a chair, she grabbed her purse and pulled something out of a small pocket on the side before returning to the bed and striking a pose dressed only in the see through thong. “I've shown you how good I am with my tongue. Now you show me." Turning around, the shepherdess gave the wolf a show as she bent down and peeled off her underwear before crawling onto the bed past him and then turned and lay on her back. He hesitated for a few seconds before shuffling around and ending up with his head between her legs. Maria saw the awkward expression on the wolf's face when he spied the piercing in her clitoral hood. “It doesn't bite." She taunted before nudging the back of his head with her ankle, then with a grin she watched the male lower his nose towards her folds and with a gasp of delight she felt the first tentative lick across her folds, followed by another. He was eager; she couldn't fault him on that, but he didn't put his heart into it as he slobbered over her nether regions with little skill.

Not really knowing what to do the wolf began to kiss his way up the cream patch that ran from her legs up her front. He buried his nose into the soft fur on her belly and kept going until he bumped up against the bottom of her breasts. Slightly bothered by the fact the wolf abandoned his oral efforts; Maria put her paws on his head, gripping his wavy black hair as he licked her nipples. This time the male did put in more effort; nibbling and suckling eagerly on the rigid teats while his paws stroked and squeezed the large mounds. She shook head and suppressed a laugh with a moan instead, realizing that he was definitely a boob-man. Swirling his tongue over her areolas, he made her tremble and utter some more delightful and encouraging moans that made his large ears twitch.

With his own need rising he got on his knees and shuffled forward, pushing his knees under her legs on either side of her wide hips. When his shaft poked her in the thigh, Maria quickly let go of his hair and pushed him back hard. As the wolf sat up she could see the bright red spire, eager to go. Flexing her fingers she produced the small glossy wrapper she had been palming for a while. “Put this on." Her voice leaving no doubt that it was a non-negotiable topic with her. He took it without complaints, opening the wrapper and quickly rolling the latex tube down his cock.

Maria gripped his hair once more and drew his face to hers. The kiss was deep and sloppy as their tongues coiled around each other. Feeling his body draw closer, she reached down between their bodies and took hold of his warm shaft and guided it into her warm, waiting pussy, but not before checking the condom was in place. Letting out a happy grunt the wolf felt himself slide into the blazing hot depths of the shepherd. His paws found her large breasts again, groping them fiercely to a chorus of muffled moans and groans into their kiss. Rolling her hips, Maria felt the male shift inside her; he was a nice size and rubbed all the spots that required attention. Feeling him starting to thrust, the shepherd gasped and broke their kiss. Soon enough the room was filled with wet noises as the wolf thrust vigorously into the female underneath him. With his eyes closed he kept up a steady rhythm while his lips brushed against her neck.

This was what Maria had been hoping for; but something was missing. Lifting her legs, the shepherd wrapped them around his waist and clenched her thighs in an attempt to make him speed up. After squeezing him with her thighs hard for a short time, she only extracted another groan from him. It was clear that he wasn't getting the message. Straightening her legs she used the tricks she learned during numerous martial arts lessons and self-defense seminars. With a yelp the wolf found himself being flipped onto his back, the shepherdess sitting on top of him with a wide, triumphant grin on her muzzle and sharp, cool eyes pinning him in place. Unsure why he opened his muzzle to complain, his confusion was washed away when she began to move her hips and grind hard against his crotch.

Maria watched the male roll his head back and begin to pant while she rode him. As she felt his knot brush against her pussy one paw reached down and tugged on the condom. The latex protection had two sealing rings, specially designed for canines. With a twist of her wrist Maria made sure the second ring snapped around the base underneath the knot. “Time for a proper ride, wolf." She growled lustfully and sped up her motions, which made the bedsprings screech in protest. Her paws pushed down on his chest while her ass bounced in his lap, his knot kissing her lips again and again. To his credit the male did his best to keep up, with his paws on her chest he thrust upwards every time the shepherdess came down. She was proving to be too much for him. When he rubbed her breasts together her paws grabbed his and forced them to get what she wanted out of his actions. In a moment of clarity the wolf suddenly realized she was using him, but as his climax approached he didn't complain.

Putting more and more force on her way down, Maria was determined to get the wolf's knot inside her. With every wet slap that filled the motel room, the fleshy mass spread her labia a little bit more until she slammed down hard and it disappeared with a wet squelch into her depths. To his credit the wolf didn't cum right away; it took a few more short hard thrusts before he howled out while his body went stiff as a board. Maria didn't even notice as she rode herself to orgasm, the twitching of the shaft inside her and the added warmth within the latex helped but in the end she had to finish herself. One paw reached down between her legs and began to rub her piercing back and forth until she saw stars. The shaft inside her was already softening when her tunnel clamped down on his length and milked it. Leaning forward, sweat dripped from her brow onto the wolf's chest as she gasped for air. Even after she passed her peek, Maria kept rolling her hips until the male underneath her whimpered in submission.

A minute after the euphoria passed through her, Maria felt the wolf's knot deflate rapidly. Her inner fire quenched, she rolled off the male and lay on her back taking deep ragged breaths. Her heartbeat was ringing in her ears so loud that she barely noticed the wolf get up until the light in the bathroom was turned on. There was a splashing of liquid on porcelain that lasted a good long while followed by a loud flushing before the male reappeared in the door. When he hit the mattress with an exhausted grunt it jostled Maria enough to become aware of her own call of nature. Getting up on shaky legs she groped her way towards the bathroom where the bright light still burned and she shaded her eyes to avoid being blinded. After lowering the toilet seat she sat down with a sigh before putting her elbows on her knees and resting her head in her paws. She felt release as the sound of splashing against porcelain got muffled by her thighs.

Looking around the shepherd noticed that the bathroom was cleaner than most motels, then again it was popular with the people that didn't go there to sleep and the owner made sure to keep the rooms clean to keep them coming and paying a premium rate. With a groan Maria got back on her feet before flushing and washing her paws. As she looked in the mirror she cast her reflection a satisfied grin before reaching up and trying to rearrange her dishevelled hair. After smoothing down her hair and several tufts of fur on her face she stretched and yawned, the needy itch between her legs was gone and replaced by a dull throb from being knotted. Her paws cupped her breasts, brushing her fingers through the matted fur around her nipples. Sighing, she weighed up her choice. The male hadn't been that bad a lover, but also wasn't anything special and judging from the snoring that came from the other room, a second round was out of the question.

Turning the light off as she left the bathroom, Maria walked around the bed where the male lay spread eagle and snoring loudly. The smell coming from her thong made her question if she should put it on but remembering the judgement she made earlier that evening she stepped back into the lightly soiled garment. Opening her purse she grabbed her phone and began tapping on the screen. It only took a few seconds to write the name of the motel and she didn't need to wait long for the reply which read: '15 min.' followed by an emoji of a taxi and a thumbs up. She took her time putting on her dress, making sure she was presentable. Standing next to the bed she took out a couple of banknotes and a slip of paper from her purse before rummaging around in the depths for something to write with. As she checked one of the many compartments her finger brushed against a large square piece of glossy paper, she pulled it out a little, then catching a glimpse of the image on it realized what it was and pushed it back. After checking a few more compartments she found a pen and scribbled a short note on the paper before placing it and the money on the bedside table; then picking up her high heels she quietly slipped through the door. Alone inside the motel room the wolf snored loudly as of yet unaware he would wake up to an empty bed and some of money with a slip of paper on top that read: “My share for the room."

The night was chilly, but Maria didn't mind as she waited outside the motel in the shadow of the sign that advertised they had rooms available. Her mind didn't linger on what she had just done; instead it was whirling around what she found in her purse. The taxi rolled up as the shepherd's mind was still wandering, but Mattie brought her back with a short blast of the horn. With her high heels back on her feet, Maria walked swiftly to the taxi and got into the back. “Sorry about that; lost in thought."

“No worries," the lynx said from the front seat. “Was the sex that good?"

Maria shook her head as her encounter with the nameless wolf had already sunk into the depths of her mind. “What? No."

“That bad?"

The shepherdess shook her head again. “No. It was fine." She reached up and turned on the light before putting her purse in her lap. Opening it, she drew out the square of glossy paper she had found earlier and turned it so she could read the writing on it. There were two names on the back, the first was Maria with a small heart that dotted the 'I' but the other was obscured by the shepherd's thumb, which she deliberately kept over it.

Taking a deep breath Maria remembered 'him' showing it to her. 'He' had written their names on the back, including the little heart above her name; it had made her laugh when 'he' had done it and looked so proud of 'his' handy work. Slowly she turned the photograph around and looked at the image. The glossy front showed Maria kissing a male, her face clearly visible but his was obstructed by her arm as she grabbed him by his hair. The grey tangle matched the male's fur. From the ears and large muzzle one could determine he was canine perhaps even a wolf that the shepherd held in a lover's embrace, and from the angle it was clear that the male made the picture by holding the camera at arm's length. Maria took in a shaking breath as she stared at it, bending it in her fingers and nearly folding the photograph and causing a permanent crease in the picture.

“Everything alright Maria?" The voice from the front of the taxi sounded genuinely concerned.

Taking a moment to compose herself, Maria put the photo back where she found it and took another deep breath. “I'm fine, Mattie. Just some old memories."

“Alright," the lynx commented not sure what her passenger meant. “We should be there in about ten minutes, no traffic."

“That would be unusual; a traffic jam in the middle of the night." Maria said with a lopsided grin on her muzzle before reaching up again and turning the light off. They rode the remainder of the way in silence, but Maria thanked the Lynx sincerely when she stepped out and slipped her a high denomination bill before Mattie could protest.

Entering the building and catching an elevator as its doors were closing; she felt good as she rode up to her apartment level. Her body's urges were sated, but her mind wasn't as serene as she had hoped.

Once inside her apartment she kicked her shoes back into the closet, slipped the dress on a hanger next to her court suit and flung her thong in the hamper. Glancing towards her mirror she spotted her purse on her bed and moved to picked it up like it was a dangerous animal, then opening it cautiously, almost expecting something to happen. Her fingers found the photograph and pulled it out; the purse dropped back onto the sheets and spilled some of its contents. Maria didn't care about the lipstick that rolled off the bed and hit the floor with a sharp crack; her mind was on the picture in her paw.

The shepherd stared at the male in the picture for several minutes before making up her mind what to do with it. Extending her arm she pushed it between the mirror and its frame. A soft smile graced her features before she walked into the bathroom to freshen up. After a quick shower and drying, Maria felt like a new woman, even though the day's activities were taking their toll. Slipping under the covers, she lay her head on the pillow as she had done for many past nights and extended her paw to the empty spot on the king size bed before glancing towards the picture on her mirror. Without a sound she turned her back on the empty place and switched off the light, knowing she had to be at work in a few short hours.

* * *

The thick curtains in the room held the early rays of sunshine at bay and let the occupant enjoy the embrace of Morpheus a bit longer. The alarm clock didn't share the same convictions though and began buzzing loudly when the display added another minute to the tally. With a groan Maria slammed a paw down on top of the device and silenced it, but the damage was done. Peering out from underneath the sheets she looked at the time before throwing back the covers and sitting up on the edge of her bed. With her hair pointing in every direction she stood up and yawned loudly before scratching her backside in a manner utterly unbefitting a lady.

Without a stitch on her body she walked into the kitchen and threw a bagel in the toaster, then pressed the button on the coffee machine. As the kitchen filled with the sound of beans being ground into pulp, Maria had a moment of clarity and scrambled to get a mug. The first drops of coffee fell and stained the metal grate underneath the machine before she got the large mug in place. She took that day's first sip of coffee as the bagel popped out of the toaster and filled the kitchen with smell of warm bread. During breakfast she sat at the kitchen table, idly tapping on her tablet propped up in front of her; checking the news and her email while she nibbled on the bagel. With no imminent disaster heading her way she got dressed, a matching set of practical underwear, a dark knee length skirt, a long sleeved white blouse and a sleeveless vest to finish the ensemble. Just as she turned from side to side in front of the mirror she glanced at the clock and muttered to herself. “Best get going before the traffic gets worse." But as she turned to leave the photograph caught her eye and she felt compelled to brush a finger over it. “I wonder where he is?" She asked herself softly, then scrunched up her face and snarled loudly. “Who cares!" Grabbing her usual purse she fished out her car keys before storming out the door.

Blessed with a heavy foot that morning, Maria arrived at the district attorney's office early, where she found the folders she left with Rick yesterday neatly stacked on her desk and substantially thicker than before. After grabbing a cup of what could only laughably be called coffee, she sat down at the desk and began studying the files more thoroughly. It didn't take long before she began spotting mistakes, but then again she gave it to an intern and some juniors; still, they had done most of the legwork for her.

When Maria was about halfway through the first case file the office began to come to life as everybody began filing in. From the sounds coming from the bullpen it would be a calm, productive morning but all that changed when Brutus entered shouting and cursing. “Someone get me those damn files and start making calls to the witnesses! I need confirmations on testimonies and evidence!" It sent a chill down Maria's spine, she quickly got up and opened her door to peer into the chaos that now raged on the other side. “Maria!" The large mastiff spotted her and shouted so loudly his unlit cigar nearly launched across the room. “Remember that rape case I closed last week? The damn ambulance chaser launched his appeal yesterday evening! I'm stealing your juniors and intern! You focus on your cases for now!" Maria just nodded clearly enough for him to see before slowly closing the door. It was going to be one of those days she thought as she sat back down behind her desk. Picking up the mug she peered into it for a moment and then downed it in one go before grimacing at the taste. “Ugh... It's going to be a long day.

* * *

Maria had kept her promise to Brutus and stayed long past nine o'clock, though not by choice. It had been a long day; far longer than she anticipated. All around her chaos reigned as Brutus became the office tyrant for a day but as long as her door had remained closed, she was able to avoid getting drawn into the commotion. She had spent almost the whole day alone, checking her staff's research, collated reports and court transcripts as well as attending a short hearing in the middle of the day. By the time she left the office she was mentally and physically drained, her relaxing efforts from the previous night notwithstanding.

The huge engine under the bonnet of the Mercedes had roared as she sped her way back home and the automatic gates barely opened in time to avoid getting rammed. Tired, hungry and with her arms full of files, Maria leaned against the side of the elevator as she traveled up. “Don't forget your briefcase tomorrow." She growled to herself as she balanced the stack while she walked towards her front door.

The shepherd noticed several things at once as she stepped into her apartment. First: the alarm wasn't beeping and appeared to be turned off judging by the blinking green LED. Second, was that it was too dark. Maria was certain she hadn't closed the curtains and though it was unlikely that the housekeeper had, though it wouldn't have been the first time.

With adrenaline coursing through her, Maria felt alert and revived. She carefully put down the case files on the floor and removed her shoes before closing the door behind her with a soft click. Perking up her ears, she listened for any noises but after a minute couldn't hear a thing. Step by step she ventured into the dark apartment, not daring to turn on the lights.

Once her eyes had adjusted to the darkness she noticed light coming from the dining room. Carefully she peered around the corner and her eyebrows shot up in surprise. In the middle of the dining room table illuminated by moonlight piercing a break in the curtains, there stood a box wrapped in thick brown paper. Wondering if the housekeeper had brought it in, Maria's curiosity grew. She peered down the hallway, the rest of the house was quiet and box was like a siren's call drawing her in. Stepping up to the table she read what was written on the paper wrapping. It was addressed to her but she hadn't been expecting a delivery. It was still three months until her birthday, so it was unlikely to be a gift from her parents. By its post marks and stamps, she could tell the package had come from Italy and had passed through France and England before coming to the States. Turning the box over she saw the customs papers on the back but it held no further information for her other than it arrived here legally.

Starting to get a bad feeling, Maria began to open the box; using her front door key to cut the packaging tape that was applied vigorously by the person who send it. After cautiously removing the paper she opened the box and found out it was full to the brim with lime green packaging peanuts that spilled over the side when she probed around inside the box.

Maria stopped abruptly when she came across a hard object. Putting both paws into the box she took hold of it carefully before lifting it out. What she held in her paws confused her for a moment; it was a reusable airtight bag. Pulling the seal apart she peered into it and looked at the spine of a book but when she took it out a folded piece of paper fell onto the table. The book itself appeared to be old, the pages giving off a yellowish shine in the moonlight but the dark leather it was bound with felt smooth and supple.

Holding the book in one paw, Maria pushed the box to the side before unfolding and sliding the paper into the light with her other paw. It was a certificate, and the lettering on it was highly decorative and felt like the document had come from some official office. It read: “Certificate of Authenticity." Maria frowned and peered at the book, there was no title on the spine or covers so she turned her attention back to the paper. What she read nearly made her drop the book.

“_ Apology of Socrates. Translated into english by an unknown author – Printed 1883 on..." _

The shepherd didn't read on, all her attention was focused on the book she firmly took hold of with both paws. In her living room she kept a special bookcase with decorative glass doors that were almost always locked. Inside were books that had already seen a century on this earth; works of classic masters that she had been collecting for years. She already owned copy of the book she held, but it was a modern print and resided in her normal bookcase. With her tail wagging like it was possessed, Maria gingerly opened the book and began to read the first lines as best she could.

“A little light might help." A voice spoke out from the hall as the lights gradually came on in the dinning room; stopping at a brightness fit for a romantic dinner. “Do you like it?" The voice asked sincerely and sounding hopeful.

Maria went rigid; her tail stopped it's enthusiastic arcing and dropped between her legs, the tip occasionally flicking with annoyance. That voice caused a turmoil of emotions inside the shepherd. Closing the book and placing it carefully on the table, she turned her gaze to see her 'guest' but stopped when she caught sight of two empty plates that were set out opposite each other at the far end of the table; she was surprised she hadn't seen them when she had seen the package. An unlit candle and a single red rose in a vase stood between the plates, completing the image of a romantic dinner in waiting. Swallowing hard she tapped the book with her finger. “Where did you get this?" She said calmly, controling her temper.

“A little place in Florance. As soon as I saw it I thought of you and got it checked out."

The sincerity of his tone made her heart pound and blood boil. 'He' had done it before; it was a disarming tactic, but she had grown wise to his methods. Turning to the hall she saw 'him' standing there dressed in khaki pants and a simple black, button-up shirt, his paws in his pockets as he leaned against the diningroom archway. “Hi, Maria."

“Nathan..."

To be continued...

Legal Tension – Chapter 2

Nathan

“Nathan."

The large gray wolf gazed hopefully at the gorgeous shepherd, his ears twitching back and forth in anticipation as she began to walk towards him and his tail began to sway cautiously. “Nathan." Maria called out softly again as she held out her arms and slipped them around his neck. Like a shy schoolgirl, she avoided his gaze until her paws met behind the taller wolf's head and drew her body closer to his. The wolf's tail became a blur behind him and smile of relief crossed his face as his arms began to loop around her back. The illusion ended as she looked into his eyes with a cold calculating death stare.

There was a rapid brush of her leg past his thigh, followed by a pain in his nether-regions so intense that it made his vision blur. Tumbling to the floor without any support, his body doubled over and curled into a ball. Letting out a wheeze and a strangled cough, the wolf grabbed between his legs to protect his now throbbing crotch. After gritting his teeth and taking in a deep breath he found his croaking voice. “Hello, Marian."

“Marian!" Maria curled her mouth into a snarl, her voice dropping from cold to frigid at the mention of another female name.

Even in pain, Nathan was able to put a boy-ish grin on his muzzle before speaking again. “Robin Hood Prince of Thieves, nineteen-ninety one; good movie. Maid Marian said hello to Robin in the same way."

“Ugh." Maria turned away from him because the joke was so corny and to hide the fact that it made her laugh; a hearty chuckle on the inside as the corners of her muzzle curled into a smile. Composing herself, she faced him with her stern expression once more and swept her icy gaze over his prone form. “Once you've recovered," she crossed her arms under her chest, giving Nathan a good look of what he had had left behind four months ago, “take a seat on the couch. We need to talk, Wolf." Maria saw his tail twitch, hackles rise and eyes sharpen briefly at the mentioning of the word. Stepping over him callously, she ignored his reaction. Maria had known for a long time that Nathan hated being called by his species to his face; to him it was ill mannered at the best of times and an outright insult in the worst. She sighed to herself when he was out of earshot, not sure if she had done it deliberately to hurt him, or if tiredness was getting the better of her. “And bring the book with you! I'll be out after I freshen up." She called back from down the hall.

For several minutes, Maria stood before her mirror, having splashed some water on her face and straightened her clothes. Her eyes were on the photograph she had put up less than twenty-four hours ago. Her mind and her heart were in turmoil with no clear winner as both kept switching sides in the argument. After taking one more look at the picture she turned and walked out of the bedroom, snatching up a discarded piece of clothing and tossing it in the hamper. Following the hallway, she could see the shifting lights of flames. He must have lit the fireplace, she thought; a waste as it was nearly summer.

Stepping into the living room, Maria glanced towards the area she had made her study and spotted the case files she brought home now neatly stacked on the left side of her desk; just the way she preferred when she worked. Nathan hadn't lost his helpful traits she thought before turning into the main living room area and stepped around the fireplace and large couch. Passing the two comfy chairs and glass coffee table opposite the couch, she stole a glance out of the segmented glass sliding door that lead to the balcony and allowed herself a casual smirk. Nathan sat on the couch, his back straight even though the couch was begging to be lounged in. His forearms resting on his thighs and his paws pressed together between them, the tips of his fingers touching as if he were in silent prayer.

Taking in the situation, Maria sat opposite him in her favorite chair. Not looking at the wolf, the shepherd noticed something new. On the table in front of her chair stood the book, perched on a brand new wooden stand with a tag around its base. She surmised that Nathan had bought it for her so she could put it in her locked bookcase to display it. Next to Maria's new prized possession stood a wine glass, filled halfway with red wine just as etiquette dictated with the bottle standing next to it. Sitting in her chair she got comfortable and took the time to look at the bottle; it wasn't one of hers and the label was written in French. She shot Nathan a harsh glance, seeing that he was trying to shower her in gifts. Maria knew he was aware that he couldn't buy his way back into her good graces, but it was still a nice sentiment. She reached out and took the glass in her paw before bringing it up to her nose and sniffing at its content. A full bodied Cabernet Sauvignon, she thought to herself and after a sip she concluded that it was a very good one. The glass returned to the coaster it came from before she picked up the book. Pulling her legs underneath her and wrapping her luxurious tail around them, she began to read.

Nathan watched her intensely, the stately bohemian clock on the wall behind Maria ticking away slowly. Several minutes past before he cleared his throat to attract her attention, but it had no effect. Still in the same position as he was when the shepherd entered he spoke up quietly but clearly, and then waited for the verbal bombardment he was sure he was due. “You wanted to talk?"

Flicking an ear when he spoke, Maria ignored Nathan's question for a good few seconds before reaching out and taking another quick sip of wine. “Not while I'm reading." Her eyes glanced up at him but never met his gaze, then turned her attention back towards the antique book in her paws. Unsettled by the silent treatment Maria was giving him; Nathan put his paws on his knees and started to stand up. “Sit. Back. Down!" The words were harsh and fast, and the wolf obeyed, returning to his former position with a sigh. He was deep in thought and she guessed he was contemplating their complex history together. Maria hoped he might be thinking about two years of same situation occurring several times; each time involving a lot of screaming and verbal abuse from herself and utter silence from him. Putting the thoughts aside, she glanced at the wolf again and was pleased to see that he was uncomfortable.

“Are you alright, M..."

Not letting him finish the question, Maria shot daggers at him. “Shut up!" His ears twitched and she knew he felt the anger in her words. Watching him for a moment, she saw him puzzling over her new method of attack and trying to figure out what was going on behind her steel grey eyes.

Resigned to sitting impotently, Nathan's posture relaxed as he took in the view before him. It was one he had seen it many times before, the beautiful woman curled up in the chair; alone in her own little world. Taking another glance at the wolf, she could tell he wanted nothing more than to be curled up next to her, sharing in her solitude.

Another ten minutes past with the only sounds in the room being the crackling of the fire, the ticking of the clock and the turning of old yellowed pages. Tapping his index fingers together, Nathan's seemingly infinite patience seemed to be waning for the first time as he tried to get the situation to move on. “Maria..."

Within a second the cold steel gaze was on him and with snarl Maria spat the words at him. “I told you to shut up! Didn't your parents teach you to listen!?"

The wolf was stunned by the shout for a brief moment as he processed what she said, but his body reacted almost instantaneously; baring his teeth and raising his hackles. Maria watched as fury flowed through him; his fingers curling into claws and tensing up so hard the tendons were visible on his knuckles as his tail bristled in annoyance. Her control of the situation began to break as he levelled his grey-brown eyes with hers and bore into her, all the while not making a sound.

Knowing she had pushed the wrong button, Maria buried her face in the book to hide the deep blush of embarrassment that reddened her cheeks under his caged lightning stare. Maria cursed herself inwardly; she had wanted to hurt him as he had hurt her so many times by leaving without a word. On reflection, she remembered Nathan didn't like to speak of his family, and when the situation arose, he was always either highly defensive or intolerably aggressive. Staring at the page for some time, she tried to think of something to say but the words escaped her. She didn't dare glance up at him though she knew she had to eventually. Slowly her ears hid in her thick black hair and she risked a tentative glance at him only to look straight back down again; a feeling of dread clenching around her heart.

After a minute of silence, the wolf sighed heavily; his anger sinking as if it had just taken a broadside from a battleship. The regretful glance she had dared deflated the sudden tension in the room as he caught her gaze. A semblance of serenity settled between them, but the guilt of her verbal attack still weighed heavy on her mind. She had cut him deeply on a subject she knew all too well was off limits. Peering over her book, she watched him calm himself, his thoughts adrift and difficult to read given his neutral expression.

When their eyes met eventually, both averted their gaze and just sat there; Nathan looking through the glass table in front of him and Maria gazing at the words on the page but unable to read. In the end salvation came in the way of a sound, the sound of an empty stomach protesting loudly, making both occupants of the room look at each other.

Trying to put on a brave face, Maria spoke up with a voice that wavered a little as she looked at him. “Nathan, would you start dinner, please? It's getting late and we're both hungry."

A smile slowly reappeared on Nathan's face as he stood up and walked around the table. “I think you'll enjoy what I've brought. A pair of..." He paused suddenly, his warm smile turning into a cheeky grin. As he past her, he gently laid his paw on her shoulder; she looked up at him and felt a reassuring squeeze that brought some relief to her. “Stay there I'll come and get you when it's ready."

The change in his tone was encouraging, but Maria could tell her outburst had done some damage; she would apologize over dinner. Calming herself, she turned towards the kitchen, her mood was settling but the resentment for her guest was still there. The internal debate raged on as strong scents of meat and spices began to drift in from the hallway. Inhaling deeply, she could tell that Nathan was on form tonight. The wolf had always been good in the kitchen; she buried her face back in the book as the thought brought a blush back to her cheeks.

After almost forty-five minutes, Nathan walked into the living room just as he wiped his fingers on the now stained apron he wore. “Dinner is served, Ma'am." The large wolf even bowed slightly at the waist before gesturing back the way he came.

Maria rose from the chair, the book still at the same page as when she had last shouted at him. “Give me a moment," she said and she tapped the cover of the book. “Let me put this away and I'll be right there." Her eyes slowly went up and down Nathan's apron and the various smears and blotches that covered it. “Make yourself presentable."

With a gentle smile, Nathan stepped back and winked at her before walking back.

“Whatever the lady desires."

Following him with her eyes, Maria cradled the book against her chest. Once he was out of sight she collected the book stand and sauntered into the study area and sat behind her desk. Carefully laying the book on the hardwood desktop before she turned the chair around and faced her safe then leaned down to open the door. Entering the password on the keypad, the safe's mechanisms clicked and the door opened to her touch. Inside the safe lay several folders but she didn't pay those any attention; instead her paw went to a tiny compartment at the top and withdrew a small metal key from it. Making her way across the room she stopped in front of the bookcase with the decorative doors. The shepherd slid the key into the lock and with a soft click the doors opened, revealing Maria's collection from behind the protective glass. Most of the bookcase still remained empty but the middle two shelves had a line of books standing side by side at the rear with a few of her highlights on stands in front of them. It would take time to fill the bookcase but Maria looked forward to it as she gathered up the new stand Nathan had bought her and ripping off the label before putting it on an empty shelve above the full ones. Picking up the book from her desk she placed the leather bound tome in its new home. “Perfect. “ She said to herself before closing the doors and taking a step back. Every book she owned she had read at least once but her latest acquisition would have to wait until later.

With her treasure hoard expanded and secured, Maria walked towards the dining room, returning the key to the safe quickly, and then continuing on towards the kitchen. As she approached the more heavenly the scent seemed. Peering through the doorway she was pleasantly surprised that Nathan's apron had not been an indication to the state of her kitchen.

Besides a couple of bowls that stood in the sink every surface and utensil was clean, as if the only thing he had done was warm it up in the microwave.

When Maria walked into the dinning room she realized he had done quite the opposite. On the table, steaming gently and spreading the hearty, spiced aroma stood an oven dish full of hot food. Standing next to the table, Nathan held out a chair for her with a warm smile on his muzzle. “Your new treasure all secured?"

She nodded then brushed her hip past the wolf's thigh as she sat down in the offered chair. “It smells great, Nathan." she commented softly as he slid the chair towards the table. With her paws folded in her lap she watched as she wolf leaned in past her. Turning her head she could smell his cologne, the same cool, fresh Arctic scent he always used, but she had never seen a bottle of the stuff in his bags. While she had been distracted by his scent, Nathan had served her a steak and an assortment of vegetables from the ceramic dish.

“Careful, it's really hot." Nathan warned before walking around the table and putting a serving on his own plate. “It's customary to use fennel but I know you don't like it so I switched it for an onion, used more tomatoes and..." Suddenly breaking off the sentence, he tapped his finger tips to his forehead. “Damn, forgot the wine." In a flash he was gone from the table to rummage around in the kitchen.

Left alone, Maria struggled not to start eating; after only a few seconds the smell proved too alluring to ignore. Picking up her fork she skewered a piece of onion dripping in sauce and quickly brought it to her mouth. Momentarily distracted by hunger, she forgot Nathan's warning and her tongue protested as the sauce touched her palette and behaved like napalm, leaving a trail of scorched taste buds.

When Nathan returned with two glasses dangling from his fingers and a different bottle of wine in the palm of his paw, he couldn't help but chuckle as he saw Maria with her mouth open and waving her paw in front of it to cool her tongue. “I told you it was hot." He teased while Maria glared at him indignantly before pointing at the wine he was holding. Dutifully, he placed a glass in front of her and poured the wine.

Picking up the glass, Maria took a sip and swirled it around in her mouth for a few seconds before swallowing. “I thought you were kidding."

Moving to his side of the table, he raised an eyebrow questioningly at her. “When did I ever joke about food?"

Smiling in spite of herself, Maria looked down into her glass and waited until Nathan had seated himself. Slowly she looked up at his gruff face and smiled carefully at him. “I like this wine as well, is it a Sangiovese?"

He nodded before taking a sip, saying nothing; almost as if he knew that wasn't what she wanted to say.

Licking her lips, she played with her fork for a moment before she tried again. “I'm sorry... For what I said earlier." Feeling her ears trying to hide themselves again she took a deep breath to steady herself though she still felt her heart beating in her ears.

Nathan just smiled and reached over the table, placing his paw over hers. “You have every right to be angry, just, be careful where you swing." His voice softened while he rubbed the back of her paw with his thumb.

With the apology out of her mind she tightened her fingers around the large paw on top of hers. “I thought my knee did the most damage." She avoided his gaze but a smile curled the sides of her muzzle all the same.

“Nothing that slipping an ice-pack into my underwear won't fix." Nathan replied smoothly as he took a bite of his food.

Maria looked up at her wolf from beneath her long lashes. “And here I thought you were happy to see me." Her voice had become warm and syrupy while she batted her eyes at him.

If the wolf had a snappy comment in mind, it stuck in his throat when she looked at him like that. His expression changed rapidly between arousal and lost cub, as if someone had hit pause on an old VCR. The piece of food he had on his fork slowly slipped down and landed in his plate with a wet splat.

Laughing heartily at the silly expression on his face, Maria began to eat now that the food had cooled down. Her knife went through the steak like it was butter and the taste of the sauce had marinated deeply into the meat that it made her tongue tingle upon contact with it. They ate in silence for a while before Maria lay her paws down next to her plate. “So, you were in Italy for your last job?"

Perking up his ears, Nathan knew by the tone of her voice that he wasn't out of the dog-house yet. “We stopped in Livorno for supplies and I thought I'd take a trip to Florence to..." He stopped, sensing he had stepped into a huge bear trap that was going to take his leg.

“Aaah Florence..." Maria mused in a voice that could freeze a lake of fire and grew colder with each syllable. “Such a quaint little village; No phones or Internet, you know, I hear the pay-phones don't work unless the wind comes out of the right direction." Keeping his mouth shut the wolf bowed his head and stared at his food. Small twitches rippled along his muzzle, and she knew he wanted to say something, but instead he let her continue. “So what was it this time?" Her icy voice levelled but she stared at the wolf with her steely gaze. “Emptying out a sunken galleon or was it something more recent?"

Nathan sighed and leaned back in his chair. “It was a standard run. A wreck that's been in relatively shallow water for about twenty years, but with changes in sea levels there were concerns that it was going to be a problem." He shook his head. “It was a pain in the butt really; it took fifteen dives just to plot out how we were going to cut it up and haul it out."

“So, did you get it off the sea floor?" Maria asked, suddenly a bit more curious about what her lover had been up to for the past four months.

“Eventually." Nathan folded his arms across his chest and rolled his eyes. “I won't lie; it's not my favourite kind of job. It was a defective ship made with substandard hull plating, so it was bound to go down sooner or later, but that thing was corroding so badly most of the large sections we cut up broke while Matt and Jackson were winching them up with the crane. That was a whole new set of problems."

Maria stared quizzically at the wolf. “What kind of, problems?"

“We lost the primary motor for controlling the crane. It was under stress but was holding, then when one of the sections split the sudden rush of power burned it out. I don't mind fixing things like that, but when you're in rough seas the day after it happens; you tend to get edgy with your tools flying around you."

Maria tried to rally her anger once more for the four months of silence and neglect he had given her, but nothing came other than a feeling of silliness at her own thoughts. “That sounds dangerous." She said softly as she slipped her high heels off and stretched out a leg. Slowly she brushed a toe against his feet while she continued to eat. Peering through her lashes, she watched the wolf react to her touch. With the shepherd's toes rubbing against his leg Nathan shut his eyes and made a comforted sigh.

For the remainder of their dinner the couple ate slowly and in comfort, though behind them their tails swayed slowly and content in matching rhythm. Eventually silverware clinked on the plates as Maria lay them down then leaned back and began to unbutton her vest. Catching Nathan staring at her, she slowed down and made it a show. Once every button was loose she shrugged it down her shoulders and gathered it in her paws before standing and casually throwing the vest towards Nathan's face. “It's not polite to stare."

Underneath the vest he chuckled deeply, savouring the scent that clung to it. “Should I get dessert? There's ice cream in the freezer."

Even though the male couldn't see it, Maria shook her head. “No. I'm about ready to pop, maybe later though." The chair slid back as she stood up and readjusted her shirt.

Nathan's eyes went wide as he pulled the vest off his face to see Maria's form fitting blouse pulled taught against her body, giving him a good look at everything he'd been having vivid dreams about for weeks.

Maria lifted her tail until the tip brushed against her hair. “The food was heavenly, Nathan, but you'll have to do the dishes on your own. The dishwasher is broken." There was a groan from behind her as she headed to her bedroom. “Just kidding, Honey."

“You're a cruel mistress." Nathan called after her as he began to collect the plates and silverware.

* * *

It was almost half an hour before Maria heard Nathan's footfalls coming down the hallway. She had turned the gas in the fireplace down, making the fire give off a more reddish glow than before. Lying bundled up in a blanket on the couch close to the fire, she had a report open in front of her and occasionally she put down the page she was reading and picked up a new one with the arm that poked out of the folds of the blanket.

The wolf looked over her shoulder curiously as he approached. Rounding the couch he spotted the large glass of wine on the table with a second standing close next to it. “Is that for me?" The only reply he got was a nod from the industrious female as she switched pages. Walking past her to sit down on the couch, he noticed that she hadn't wrapped herself completely into the blanket and left her back uncovered. The invitation was clear and he leapt at the chance to be close to her again. Carefully sliding along the couch behind the shepherdess he gathered the loose ends of the blanket before cuddling up to her. One of his legs slid between the shepherd's thighs before he pressed his chest against her back and laid his muzzle on her shoulder.

With a smile, Maria felt him take the offered seat and pressed close to him once she felt his weight against her back. “You're warm." She commented idly then turned her head and rubbed her nose against his. Feeling his paws slide around her body she kissed his muzzle. “Paws stay on top of the clothes. I still have some work to do."

Nathan contemplated showing what he could do even with her wearing clothing, but instead his paws wrapped around her abdomen and squeezed her closer to him.

“Uugh! Careful! I don't think your cooking will taste as good on the way up."

Chuckling at her complaint, the wolf loosened up his grip slightly. “You're too kind." His curiosity in her work returning; he began to read the page she was holding, picking out the key information from the jargon. “A rape case? Lovely." He grumbled.

Not taking her eyes off the paper, Maria nodded. “Yeah, we had a verdict but they're appealing it. I'm doing a bit of opposition prep. I'll be attacking our own case to see if we missed anything." She felt the nod of understanding on her shoulder as she put down the piece of paper before grabbing a pencil that lay next to a small notepad and scribbling something down.

Maria kept working, as Nathan's paws began to wander firmly but gently over her body and the nose on her shoulder began to brush against her neck. For a moment she closed her eyes and enjoyed the feeling but as she looked at the papers in front of her she rolled her shoulder. “I need to finish this." she protested weakly.

Not listening to her, Nathan moved his paws around some more and let out an approving low growl as he felt the curves he had longed for. Moving a large paw up the front of her body he found her large bosom while his other paw casually stroked hair away from her neck. Pressing his lips to the divide of soft caramel brown and deep wood brown fur, he kissed her beautiful, slender neck.

The paper she had been reading slipped from her fingers as his caresses became stronger and more needy. Not caring about the papers in front of her any more, Maria moaned loudly when she felt his paw cup her breast. Writhing against the wolf, she reached back and grabbed Nathan by his hair right between his large triangular ears. “Oh, that's it…" she moaned in a husky whisper. A warm exciting shiver rippled through her when she felt him tenderly bite the back of her neck. “You're not playing fair."

“I missed you, Maria." He growled like a distant storm in her ear. She felt weak in her knees at the sound of his voice; it was a weakness she didn't like admitting to, but deep vocals set her body on fire.

“You're really not playing fair, Babe." She panted heavily. Unable to resist the urges she thought to have buried the previous evening; she began rolling her hips against him as he carefully moved over her body and pinned her beneath him. His response to her statement was alternating between biting and licking her neck that sent small pleasurable shocks through her body. “Nathan..." She uttered the name in a voice that was weak, but followed with moan that was deep and filled with lust as her entire body trembled. Feeling the paw on her breast shift, Maria gasped in surprise when she felt it slip into her blouse and pulled the cup of her bra down then began to fondle the bare breast. “Agile fingers"

“Don't move." The wolf growled seductively as he brushed his muzzle past her ear and then let out a rumble from the depths of his throat as he began to slip down her body. As the weight lifted off her back, Maria crossed her arms and laid her head down on them. His paw slipped out of her blouse and joined the other as the trailed down her body. With a sly grin the wolf tickled a sensitive spot at the small of her back that made her squeal softly and raise her tail. Feeling him move into position, she wagged her tail across his grizzled face. She heard a chuckle followed by a playful grow then felt teeth clamp around her tail and giving it a gentle tug. “Beast." She moaned as the wolf's strong paws reached her hips.

Opening his mouth, Nathan released her tail and watched it curl over her back, giving him the unspoken permission to do what he wanted. Taking in the marvellous view before him as his paws rested on the shepherdess' wide hips that looked amazing in spite of her black knee length skirt covering them. Sliding his paws further down, they came to rest on Maria's firm round backside. His heart skipped a beat when he sat back even further, straddling her lower legs and hooking his thumbs under her skirt.

Biting her lip in anticipation, Maria felt the garment begin to slide up her thighs, higher and higher until it pulled over her butt and bunched under her tail.

Nathan paused for a moment and raised an eyebrow at the sight before him. “Maria?"

Peering back over her shoulder and from behind her lashes, Maria flicked her tail against the wolf's muzzle. “Yes?" She batted her eyelashes to distract him a bit longer before giving her rump a shake. “I've already told you once tonight, Nathan. It's not polite to stare."

Suppressing a chuckle, Nathan put his paws on the inside of the shepherd's strong thighs. “Did you take your underwear off after you got home, or were you going commando all day?"

She hit him squarely in the face with her tail before slowly lowering it to cover herself. “I see you don't appreciate the gesture. You're all ta... Hey!"

Having recovered from the swat in the face, Nathan gave her ass a firm playful slap to surprise her, then hooked an arm under her and around her waist, lifting her closer to him. With his other paw he grabbed the base of her tail and made sure it stayed out of the way as he lowered his muzzle between her thighs. “All talk, indeed." he replied in a gruff tone as his head disappeared behind the upright bushy tail.

Held awkwardly by her lover, she couldn't help but feel vulnerable. Laying her head back down on her arms, Maria felt a shiver run down her spine as she felt Nathan's warm breath on her already moist sex; the sensation made her legs shiver.

Nathan's eyes kept locked on to his target and the closer he got the deeper his breathing became; his nostrils filling with her heavenly scent. As he got closer he shifted the paw on her tail to her hip to steady her, her crotch below his muzzle and thighs pressed to his shoulders. The arch her back made was a glorious sight as Nathan caught a glimpse of it reflects in a nearby wine glass, and then turned his attention to the barbell that pierced the hood of her clitoris.

While the wolf admired the view, Maria was growing impatient. “What are you doieeeeh!" Letting out a high pitch squeal, she arched her back a little more and reached out clawing for something to hold on to.

Nathan's grip held firm as the shepherd's thighs tensed and squeezed the sides of his face and neck. Pleased that he hadn't lost his touch he grinned, and then licked her again; his tongue parting her swollen lips and making her call out his name breathlessly.

Trying not to claw her couch, Maria gasped loudly as his skilled tongue slowly explored her labia and clitoris, teasing sensitive spots in perfect sequence. She hadn't expected her body to be so sensitive, but she writhed in his grip feeling waves of unbearable tingling sensations flow from her slit to the rest of her body. Muscle twitches travelled up and down her body as she tried to gasp in enough air to fill her lungs. Unwavering in his hold of the shepherdess, Nathan turned his attack on her barbell piercing, rolling and flicking his tongue over it from all directions. Seconds rolled on and on, then a minute or two, maybe three; she lost track of time as ecstasy fired through her every nerve.

Lashing out with her arms the case folders she had been reviewing and all their contents were scattered on the floor, but she didn't care. Panting like crazy she drew in one last long breath waiting for the finish she had been craving. It never came.

The relentless assault of the wolf's tongue over her pussy suddenly stopped as he pulled away and laid her body back on the couch in a twitching mass of confusion. “Wha... Nathan?" She huffed as she drew a ragged breath. “What the hell?"

Rolling his shoulders and unbuttoning the top few buttons of his shirt, he slid onto the floor and closer to her. “Sorry, was just saying 'hi' to an old friend."

Her paw was a blur as she reached out and grabbed his shirt collar. “You want to sleep in my bed tonight?" Her eyes were cold, and by her expression, Nathan knew she didn't want to hear a smart remark; he nodded. “Then finish what you started."

“Yes, Ma'am!" He growled softly and gripped her thighs. Maria let out a short squeak and he pulled her body around to face him, then ducked beneath her legs and sat up, catching the back of her knees over his shoulders.

Maria's eyes levelled with Nathan's and they shared a grin of mischief, knowing from his current position exactly how the night would end, as it had so many times before. Impatiently she grabbed the cushions on either side of her and watched as that long grey muzzle drew ever closer until she let out a gasp when his cold nose bumped against the small warm barbell. Her legs tightened around his head when he inhaled her scent deeply and then exhaled, letting his warm breath gently caress her folds.

Firmly encased in between her strong legs, Nathan didn't struggle or attempt to escape from the vice squeezing his cheekbones; not even when the squeezing intensified, telling him that his lady was waiting. Puckering his lips he kissed the little good luck charm before dragging his tongue up from just above her tail-hole until his tongue flicked off her clitoris. His action did nothing to relieve the tension on his face; it only increased more. His eyes closed and a warm smile split his lips; no-one could have made him happier in that moment as his tongue slowly and softly caressed her folds and clit once more.

Resting her head on the back of the couch, Maria gasped and moaned as her wolf's silvery tongue appeared and began to work its magic. She felt the agile muscle part her labia once again, lazily moving up and down, making all the muscles around her pelvis tense in sheer bliss. Feeling the twitches through the earmuffs clamped to his head, Nathan pressed his tongue into her vagina and collected a few more drops of her tart liquid that he thirsted for.

Hearing the happy grumble from between her legs, Maria curled one paw over the back of the couch. She struggled not to claw at the soft leather as she felt his tongue starting to coax its way inside. Her other paw shot up to her mouth and she bit down on a finger to stifle a moan when Nathan twisted his tongue and plunged it deep into her pussy. The finger didn't do its job and the moan reverberated loudly in the room.

That moan was music to Nathan's ears; a compliment and an indication that she appreciated his skill. Playfully flicking his large ears that stood out from between her powerful thighs, he took a deep breath and then made a seal around her folds with his lips. Making slow waving motions with the agile appendage he began to massage her warm, wet insides; earning him another chorus of moans and appeals to keep going.

Maria pulled the finger out of her mouth and gripped the couch with both paws while she took hard, ragged breaths between moans. Suddenly her body went rigid when Nathan touched one of her more sensitive spots. The sensation didn't last long as the wolf began to avoid the area. “Nathan…" She protested loudly as he began mentally mapping out pleasure her spots, then refused to make us of them. Gritting her teeth, Maria growled hard and shifted her legs making the hold on his large head a proper headlock by putting her foot against the back of the other knee before rolling her hips and grinding her pussy against his mouth.

Having fought this wrestling match many times, Nathan looped his arms around Maria's shapely but crushing legs and placed his paws on her stomach. Pressing her down into the sofa as he kept going; curling his tongue and thrashing it swiftly around her sensitive flesh, he began to tap and rub against every spot that set her nerves ablaze with pulsing sensations of ecstasy. Her hips stopped rolling with wild abandon and her shouts and praises returned in full force.

Seeing stars and flashes of light, Maria felt her orgasm approach at a gathering pace, then suddenly nothing. The tongue inside her lay still even as her walls rippled around and squeezed it. Letting out a vicious roar of frustration, both her paws launched from the couch and grabbed the back of Nathan's head. “Don't fucking do that to me!" She hissed venomously.

Feeling the finely manicured claw tips nearly scalp him as they seemed to try and force his muzzle inside her pussy, Nathan was wise enough not to tease her again and returned to his ministrations in earnest. As the shepherd's tail slapped against his chest, he pushed her once more to the edge of ecstasy keeping her there for several seconds before the pain on the back of his head told him that she was about to pierce his skin as he brought her closer to a climax. Pulling his tongue out of her soaking folds, he clamped his teeth around the small silver barbell piercing and lashed his tongue against it, giving everything he had.

Maria wanted to scream, wanted to tighten her legs around him even more but couldn't; her body refused to listen as her spine felt like it was electrified. Waves of pleasure cascaded through her body and made her limbs go limp; a croaking moan came from the back of her throat as her head lulled against the backrest of the couch.

With the headlock gone, Nathan looked up past her heaving chest to see pure bliss expressed on that beautiful face. It was one of the few times that one would be able to call Maria cute; just after an orgasm that left her completely spend. Nathan knew the other well; when she was fast asleep on a cold night and nestled deep under her bed covers. Looking down at the pair of lips he had been tonguing so attentively, he returned his tongue to them and began to lick her clean. The shepherd twitched and made short gasps when he touched her more sensitive spots, but remembering her earlier actions he proceed more carefully. Once she was clean, he untangled their bodies before slowly laying her down on the couch with her head towards the fireplace. The reddish glow of the firelight played tricks on his eyes, making the dark fur around her muzzle seem to move against the caramel brown of the rest of her face. Glancing around, Nathan realized the mess they had made and gathered up the scattered case files quickly then laid them on the table. Taking a moment to stand and stretch the wolf's eyes shot open as friendly paws reached out for him.

“Mmmmh, is this your camera or are you really happy to see me." Maria looked up at him with a sultry smile that made the part she was touching twitch.

“Very happy," he said in a soft voice as her nimble fingers felt around the front of his khaki trousers. Kneeling down, he took her paw in his and brought it to his muzzle once their eyes were at the same height and kissed it reverently. “Want me to carry you to bed?" He asked as he ignored his own needs and desires.

Slipping her paw from his grip, Maria reached to once more grab the back of his head and pulled him closer. “Loose the pants and I'll return the favor."

The comment made Nathan shake his head. “You don't need to..." He was silenced when a finger touched his lips.

Having brought up her other paw to shush him, Maria smiled. “I know what you want, Nathan." She grabbed one of his paws and placed it on her bosom. “If my legs weren't made of jelly right now I would be riding you..." She batted her eyelids at him in that way she did that briefly paralyzed him. “Now you had better get up here and remind me that your tongue isn't your only trick. Exhaling forcefully through his nose, Nathan wanted to jump on the couch but the paw on his head stopped him. “Loose the pants and everything else too," she added in a deep husky voice.

He rose to his feet when she released his head and reached down immediately to unbuckle his belt but after a quick glance at her, he slowed down. Having rolled onto her side, Maria looked up at him and smiled lecherously. The wolf got the hint as she saw his paws let go of the buckle before reaching up to undo the remaining buttons on his shirt. Letting out an approving murmur, she watched him peel the shirt off his broad shoulders and reveal his bare chest. “You stayed in shape." She growled huskily, her words laced with desire.

Nathan couldn't help smiling as he showed off by running his paws up and down the rough pale gray fur on his chest. Maria giggled to herself; it seemed that the wolf had learned some of her tricks when it came to teasing. She licked her lips as she admired his physique, tall, and athletic with hard earned muscles. When his paws returned to the buckle she grinned eagerly and perked up her ears as his belt slackened. The button followed quickly but she had to wait as he made a show of pulling down his zipper. “If you don't come here soon I'll regain the feelings in my legs and rip those pants off you."

Not listening to her, Nathan turned around dropped his pants along with his underwear and feeling relief as his member sprang free. He jumped slightly when her paw cupped his ass and gave it a firm squeeze.

“Mmmm, very good shape." She said as her claws combed through his fur.

Turning to face the shepherdess, Nathan flicked his tail around his body to tease her. As he put a knee on the cushion, he watched his lover roll onto her back before straddling her legs. To his displeasure her skirt had slipped down and made the shepherd almost decent.

With Nathan looming over her, Maria reached down and wrapped her fingers around the large red spire that pointed at her. “Did you really miss me?" Her tone was soft and motherly and it made Nathan shiver.

“Please, don't talk to my penis like that." All that the wolf got in response was a quiet giggle as her fingers rubbed his cock, keeping the mood of the moment. Eager to continue, he placed a paw on her breast and rubbed the large mound through the bra. “You're overdressed, Beautiful."

Letting go of her prize, Maria arched her back and unzipped the skirt while releasing her tail from the catch above it. “Then why don't you do something about it?" She knew the taunt would work and in one quick motion her skirt was down to her ankles courtesy of her lover. As she moved her legs to get the garment off all the way she plucked at the blouse. “Is the skirt all you care about?" Putting her paws behind her head she looked up as the wolf grabbed the front of the blouse and began to work on the buttons. For as agile as his fingers had been earlier, he seemed to struggle now. It was a well-rehearsed trick of hers; fluster him quickly, then watch him fumble for a few moments. For all his skill as a lover, she still enjoyed watching him being reduced to a teenager and struggling with her clothing. After a few more seconds and little to show for it she blew him a kiss. “It's an old blouse..."

Those liberating words returned a feral grin to Nathan's face as he grabbed the front of the blouse with both paws. One swift rip later, Maria found herself almost fully exposed, a situation that was quickly remedied by the wolf with a rapid uncoupling of the front clasp of her bra. Suddenly his head was buried in her bosom, making her moan in excitement as his long canine tongue lapped at her nipples. In spite of his current focus, he helped her slip the remains of the blouse and her bra off her arms and cast them somewhere neither of them cared about.

“There," Nathan said, sitting back and admiring his work. “All done."

“Not quite..." Maria commented before there was a rustle of cloth and her skirt fell from the tip of her toe onto the floor. “Now we are." She said in a voice as soft as silk before running a paw along his cheek. Putting a finger under his chin she guided his lips down to hers without having to say a word.

Their first proper kiss in four months started slow, their lips brushing against each other before locking in place. Arms were affectionately wrapped around each other as the kiss deepened. Maria could feel him eagerly probe her lips with his tongue and she parted them to let him in. Teasingly brushing her tongue against his lips, she coaxed her lover to be more aggressive and soon enough their tongues wrapped around each other. Shutting her mouth she trapped Nathan's tongue and as he drew back she opened her eyes and winked at him playfully, feeling the wolf's soft tongue slowly slide through her teeth.

His tongue retreated quickly into his own mouth once he escaped her gentle bite. Sitting back he gazed over her body then looked her in the eyes and smiled lovingly. “I missed you, Maria."

Putting her paw on his cheek she mirrored his smile. “I missed you too, Nathan." She felt him shift and she parted her legs allowing him to kneel between them. They never looked away from each other, even when she lifted her legs up around his hips and felt something warm and hard brush past her inner thigh. Flicking her tail upwards she caressed the spot she had kneed a few short hours ago. “Are you sure you're up to it? Are they?..." She asked as she tickled him again with the tip of her bushy tail.

Nathan chuckled softly as he lent back down, brushing his muzzle past hers before kissing her throat. “Guide me in..." He whispered in a deep tone and felt Maria shiver in anticipation beneath him. Once more, gentle fingers held him and began to move him forward.

Letting out a loud moan, Maria let go of the throbbing red spire as it slipped into her in one firm thrust. Grabbing the fur on Nathan's back she shivered as he filled her. The wolf from the previous night couldn't even come close to the way this one her made her feel. He was bigger for a start, not enormously so, but he made her feel full and satisfied by his length. It was his girth that really impressed her though. Even before his knot would inflate, he was thick enough to make her quiver with every thrust. Above all else, he knew how to use his cock in a way few, if any of her other lovers had ever been aware of; changing the angle of his penetration or moving her hips, using a variety of different positions, knowing when to take charge or surrender to her will; it all added up. Once his hips bumped into hers, he lifted his head and stared longingly into her eyes.

Not a word was spoken as Nathan began to roll his hips, drawing his cock out an inch or two before sliding back in. Her pussy quivered around him as he sped up a little each time. The red glow from the fireplace reflected in her beautiful gray eyes and soon he found himself lost in her gaze.

Squeezing him every time he reached her depths, Maria panted heavily. She felt him speed up but hoped the sensations would last forever. Still entranced by her eyes, Nathan's body moved of its own will. Like the wolf atop her, Maria's normally stern gaze softened; happy to be in the presence of her lover once more as she lost herself in his eyes. The feeling continued until a splash of pre-cum hit her hot walls and made her tense up. Arching herself off the couch and nearly ripping two clumps of fur out of his back she quivered and moaned loudly before falling back.

The sharp tug on his fur, snapped Nathan out of his reverie and as Maria came back down he kissed her quickly on the lips before pushing her pelvis hard into the cushions. The moans of delight he got from her made all the long nights alone on the ship fall away. Once more his lips found her throat, which he kissed and licked to her delight.

Maria was floating on a little pink cloud of bliss as her every urge and desires were slowly being satisfied. “Naaathannn!" She slurred his name as her body twitched in unbound pleasure from the constant stimulation he provided her. He seemed to find every nerve end in her vagina with ease and it was beginning to affect her in several other ways. Turning her face away, she looked at the fireplace only for her vision to blur. Suddenly every effect was remedied when a large fleshy bulb smashed against her labia. “Oh fuck!" Feeling the insistence from Nathan to bury his bone, she began tugging on the back of his head to get his attention. “Nathan, up. Sit up!" The voice was harsh and with a touch of concern.

The tugging and shouting finally got through to Nathan and he quickly sat back on his haunches, his cock slipping out of her warm hole and sent a warm squirt of pre-cum to splash the shepherd on her belly. “Sorry... I... Is it a bad day?" He panted with his eyes wide in panic. A second later he found her foot on his chest.

Feeling the warm splash on her belly, Maria smiled in triumph as she splayed her toes before giving the wolf a hard shove backwards. He let out a cry but fell on the soft cushions behind him and in a flash she was on top of him, straddling his groin. With the warm spire rubbing more of their combined fluids into the fur on her thigh and groin she leaned over and placed her paws on his shoulders. “No," She growled seductively “today's safe, but like I said…" Lifting herself up a little, she felt some more of their combined efforts leak out of her and making his crotch just as messy as hers. Reaching down between their bodies she took his cock in her paw and rubbed it from tapered tip down to the fat knot. “I, want, to, ride, you!" Holding the shaft at the perfect angle she slammed herself down hard.

Nathan only saw her silhouette surrounded by the red hue of the flames but he felt the warmth slide down over his shaft. Grabbing the shepherd by the hips he let her do as she wished. Maria took control and began to ride her wolf hard, digging her fingers into his shoulders as her luscious butt bounced down on his hips; filling the room with dull wet slaps.

Enjoying every second, Nathan answered her death grip on his shoulders by grabbing her firm ass and thrusting his hips in time with hers. Slowly but surely his panting, growls and moans became louder and deeper. Bathing in sweat, Nathan lifted his head and stuck out his tongue so that he could brush it against one of her nipples.

With her fur also covered in with a glossy sheen of perspiration, Maria watched as he stuck out his tongue and moaned softly when it tickled the hard nub that crowned one of her breasts. She shifted her paws to either side of his head before leaning down and giving an up close view of the twins, stopping her ridding for a moment but still grinding her hips against him. “Is this what you want, Babe?"

Not having to be told twice, Nathan let go with one paw and slid it up her back while he raised his head once more. His lips found one of the nipples and wrapped his lips around it before he began to suckle greedily on hard nub.

“Ooooh, so eager." Maria whispered huskily into his large ear. She gasped suddenly when he switched breasts and cupped the one his mouth departed with his paw and moaned in delight as his mouth settled on her other nipple. Getting a hard but pleasant grope along with the suckling, she returned the favor by riding him once again. More and more she focused on the wolf's big knot as it bumped hard against her piercing and made her tail twitch violently behind her. Every time Maria felt the shiver run up her spine she rolled her hips and felt her pussy spread before the intruder.

Whenever the wolf felt her press down on his knot, he exhaled hard through his nose; his heavy breathing was starting to make him woozy. Spreading his legs he got a good footing and when he felt the swollen, wet lips kiss his knot again he tensed his legs and drove his hips straight upwards. The shepherdess on top of him arched back and screamed in rapture when he entered her with a loud plop and locked her in place, it robbed him of the nipple he had been paying attention to, but his paw stayed in place.

Reaching behind her, Maria took Nathan's other paw and placed it on her unattended breast and then covered both of his paws with hers. “Don't stop, please..." Her voice was soft and oozing with pure lust as she rolled her hips and ground the knot against her insides. Looking down she saw him staring up at her with an equally exhausted and anxious face. Then as if flood gates on a dam had burst, she felt the euphoria spread through every vein in her body as she clamped down hard on his knot.

Nathan was busy squeezing and massaging the large breasts in his paws when he saw her face change. Knowing what it meant, he had to grid his teeth as suddenly the pressure around his member increased; almost as if she was intent on crushing his knot or ripping out his shaft by its roots.

They both moaned as one as they came. Maria's pussy was already a wet mess with her own juices and only became slicker before Nathan added his load of cum. Feeling his cock throb and jerk inside her, he could feel his cum splatter against the entrance of her womb; a sensation that made her quiver with even more pleasure while she kept rolling her hips against him and rode out her orgasm.

Being the first to come down from their sexual high, Nathan still had his paws full and made use of them, rubbing his thumbs over the hard points that had been poking his palms. Feeling the large amount of cum he had been saving up now locked in behind his knot he sighed deeply and smiled with tired satisfaction. Maria slumped forward in exhaustion and he lay her down on his chest. It wasn't long until he heard soft rhythmic breathing coming from her. Carefully he placed his paws on her back and casually ran a finger up and down in a soothing motion, something she automatically responded to by wagging her tail slowly in time with the rhythm. Nathan knew sleep would claim him too and ever so carefully gathered the blanket Maria had used earlier with his feet before he could grab it with his fingers and then wrapped both of them in it. Feeling warm and secure, he looked down at the shepherdess; her disheveled look gave her that same cute appearance that he was sure only he had seen. He wanted to tell her what she meant to him, but as his eyes closed he knew he couldn't. It would wait for a better time. It always did.

To be continued…

Legal Tension – Chapter 3

Recess

Slowly opening her eyes, Maria blinked several times before the glass table came into view, the red flickering light of the fireplace still reflecting in the shiny surface. She felt Nathan's breath in her hair and against the back of her head before feeling his lips leave a trail of kisses up to her ears as he hugged her close to his body and whispered. “Are you awake?"

Maria listened to the tired voice as the kisses stopped for a moment. “Yeah." Her voice barely rose above a whisper. “How long have you been awake?" She felt his body tense when she spoke and turned her head, trying to look him in the eyes.

“Oh, you really are awake." Nathan moved his paw and ran his fingers over her stomach. “I've been asking for a while now." As he spoke he raised his head so he could look her in the eyes.

Leaning in Maria kissed his throat and rubbed her nose into his fur. “Let's go to bed, it'll be more comfortable." She ended the sentence with a long and noisy yawn before going back to nuzzling him.

Her actions only made it harder for Nathan to get off the couch. Every time he pulled an arm away, Maria grabbed it and tried to pull it around her again. Her playfulness got the wolf to smile; he kept at it until finally he stood next to the couch smiling down at her. “I'll go turn down the bed. Now stay here and behave." His trip to the bedroom was quick but when he returned he stopped mid-step and took a deep breath as he watched the scene before him.

Maria had rolled onto her back and was running her paws over her body; her fingers playing with her nipples, coaxing soft moans from the back of her throat before slipping further down. Planting her feet firmly on the couch she lifted her hips a little so he could watch in the light of the fireplace. Slender fingers furrowed the fur on her smooth belly and as she traced a line towards her groin. Spreading her legs a little she slipped her paws between them and rubbed the top of her inner thighs, framing the part of her body that was warm, sensitive and still leaking slightly. One paw moved and cupped her sex before running two fingers between her labia, making her grunt loudly as she parted the red, swollen lips. After collecting a good sample of the fluid leaking out of her she held it up to the light and watched how small strings of their fluids stretched between her fingers when she splayed them. Without a moment of hesitation she moved it towards her muzzle, parted her lips and stuck out her slender tongue. She took her time cleaning her fingers and heard a whine coming from the wolf; she grinned wickedly at him. “If you had brought me to bed sooner I wouldn't have to play with myself."

The 'hint' was as subtle as a brick but it didn't even register with Nathan as he strode up to her and knelt down in front of the couch. Wordlessly he slipped his arms under her shoulders and legs before lifting her with barely any effort. Looking down he saw that Maria didn't stop touching herself and was momentarily distracted when she casually waved her paw in front of his nose. “Tease." The male growled as the pure scent of sex made him take a deep breath through his mouth to stay focused on carrying his precious load, though his body was already beginning to rouse to her suggestive behaviour. When he stood at the side of the bed in the light of the bedside lamp, he watched her wet fingers move to his lips and then playfully licked and sucked on them. The mix of their juices spread across his tongue before the fingers were quickly pulled out again only to be replaced by the long canine tongue of his lover as she kissed him passionately.

Lost in lust, Maria held onto Nathan's neck as he lowered her onto the bed and didn't let go. She moved when her body touched the mattress, sliding her body underneath him as she pulled him on top of her, never breaking their kiss.

Pushing his body further onto the large bed, Nathan tried to move her head towards one of the pillows while he fought the primal urge to pounce on his lover. His shifting broke the kiss and they both gazed longingly at each other, panting and clearly tired but still both very much in need of each other.

“Be gentle with me."

Nathan winked and then buried his muzzle into her shoulder and began slowly licking her neck. Letting out a low growl, that send a shiver to the body underneath him, he spread her legs by pushing his knee between them. With one of her legs under him he looped his arm under the other and lifted it up to his shoulder.

Giggling, Maria found herself wide open for the large wolf on top of her and as she held the back of his head with one paw the other slipped between their bodies and lined up the rock hard member with her quivering folds.

Still sensitive, Nathan eased himself carefully into the warm and willing body; groaning once more as her warm folds wrapped tightly around his cock. His instinct was to take her hard and fast, but his body couldn't find the reserves of energy.

Slowly and steadily their bodies moved against each other as they exchanged soft kisses. Nathan's large ears twitched, picking up every throaty whimper and moan from Maria as he pushed himself deep inside her until his balls nestled themselves neatly against her buttocks.

“Oh fuck, Nathan!" Maria cried weakly as he rolled his hips against her. With both paws gripping the fur on his back, she tried to move against him but with the weight of her lover pinned her to the mattress. She felt him start to pull out and it sent shocks through her already agitated nerves; the sensations only grew stronger when he reversed direction.

The leg over his shoulder tensed sharply and her toes curled when Nathan ground his hips against hers again. She began to writhe forcefully against him and moaned her approval when he pulled back; her walls clenched even harder around him, not wanting him to escape but the velvet passage was so sopping wet that it didn't hinder his actions.

She felt his muzzle brush next to her ear as he growled deeply to her. His deep vocals made Maria shiver and moan loudly while she clung weakly to his back. The shepherd tried to speak but only a dry croak emanated from her throat. Maria's hair was dishevelled and her fur was matted with sweat; her exhaustion prevented her from doing anything other than holding on to him even as her grip on his back wavered, every muscle in her body protesting while euphoria flooded through her. A cry of bliss got stuck in her throat when she felt the wolf's knot tap against her pussy that was still throbbing from their previous tying.

Panting hard into her shapely neck, Nathan barely felt the weak tugs on his fur as the only signals his brain responded too came from further south. Once his knot came into play he tried to force his body to put more effort in his love making but in the end he had to content himself with rubbing the fleshy bulb against her warm folds and turning his woman into a sweaty, moaning mess.

Feeling the thick knot grinding against her set her nerves on fire; Maria couldn't stop it even if she wanted to. Her vision blurred as she felt a new climax building inside of her, making her muscles twitch more frequently.

Slipping his paws down Maria's sides, Nathan grabbed her ass and found the strength to actually thrust into her but no where near close to tie his lover. Snorting through his nose and gritting his teeth, he felt himself getting close even without the grip of her tight pussy around his knot.

Seeing nothing but flashes of light, Maria raked her claws down his back hard when her orgasm hit. She felt his cock jerk and throb inside her before his scalding hot cum hit her walls and made her shiver fiercely. Collapsing next to each other, the canine lovers lay with their limbs still tangled and breathing hard in the middle of the bed, neither of them in a hurry to move.

Nathan was the first to get up as his bladder protested. The wolf sat up slowly and looked at his cock as it slipped out of Maria's pussy. Without his knot to seal their fluids inside her a small pool of cum began seeping onto the sheets. Groaning as he stood up, the wolf staggered for a few steps then steadying himself against the wall. A groan from the bed made him look back; he smiled, pleased with his handy work as a thick glob of pearly white liquid oozed from the shepherdess' swollen red lips. Shuffling into the bathroom, Nathan took care of his business then returned to his lover, carrying a soft towel. Standing at the edge of the bed he saw that Maria had rolled herself to the opposite side of the bed and curled up under the covers. When he laid the towel over the mess he was glad that their love making had been at the edge of the bed and he didn't have to lie in the wet patch. He turned off the bedside lamp and slid into bed next to his lover, his leg brushing past one of her feet. Once his eyes had got used to the darkness, Nathan lay staring at the ceiling with a smile of relief across his muzzle, his eyes scanning the empty stretch of plaster above him as if he was looking for something and happy that he couldn't see it. There came a sigh from his side along with the sound of the covers shifting as he felt a paw lazily slide over his chest. The smile only grew wider as Maria pulled herself into his side and laid her head against his shoulder as she nuzzled his throat. Turning his eyes away from the ceiling he looked down into the tangle of black hair before wrapping his arms around her warm body and closing his tired eyes as he listened to her quiet murmurs of happiness.

* * *

Warm sunlight beamed through a crack in the curtains gently warming Maria's face as she rolled onto her back and lazily opened her eyes. Sitting up and rubbing her eyes with the back of her paw, she threw her legs over the edge of the bed and smirked to herself, still feeling the dull throb that lingered between her legs. Standing on shaky legs and looking around, blinking against the bright light, she noticed that there was no sign of Nathan and the rest of the apartment seemed quiet. It began to make her worry. “Oh, he had better not..." Nathan usually left without saying a word, but never after only one night. The wolf was at least courteous enough to wait at least a week or two before casually departing without a trace. Putting on a robe she walked out of the bedroom towards the living room. The soft sound of piano music made her halt; she recognized the tune. After a moment the vocalist began to sing about a small town girl. Swaying her tail she listened; a lopsided grin curled one side of her muzzle and she concluded that Nathan was still in the apartment. As she opened the double doors that led into the living room what she saw made her stop in her tracks.

Sliding into view across the laminate flooring, Nathan crossed her vision, holding one of her hair brushes as a mock microphone as he mimed to the words. The wolf struck a pose and made exaggerated bouncing motions with his hips and shoulders, and turned the music up even higher with the remote in his other paw. Maria's jaw dropped as she watched him fool around wearing one of her pink tank tops that was far too small for him, a bright yellow bikini bottom, and a pair of her luminous pink work out socks. She didn't dare ask where he had found those. In a great parody of trying to be sexy, Nathan launched into a highly over the top series of dance moves that wouldn't have been out of place in a nineteen-eighty's music video. Placing a paw on the string that held up the bright yellow bikini bottom up he gave his hips a shake that nearly made him spill out from behind the small patch of stretch cloth.

Bring a paw up to her mouth Maria didn't know what to say or do, then Nathan turned and paraded out onto the balcony; she laughed hard as he shamelessly showed off the backside of the bikini bottoms; the yellow thong disappearing between his cheeks before popping up just under his tail. Her robe fell open as she began clutching her sides from laughter, tears running down her face as his mimed serenade finally broke and he sung with the music, badly, with arms raised to the world. “Don't stop, believing!"

Unable to remain standing on her own, Maria leaned back against the doorframe as she began hiccuping with laughter.

The scene was suddenly disturbed when the doorbell rang as if someone was smashing the button over and over again.

Unable to decide what to do first Maria stood but was rooted to the spot trying to compose herself as Nathan danced passed her towards the door. She had barely started to protest when he opened the door in one quick motion, hardly giving the shepherdess time to close her robe.

Standing outside the door was a stately looking red squirrel that had more grey than red left in his fur. With a finger raised in a patronizing way, he was about to admonish his neighbour when he was greeted by a wolf in drag. Looking the wolf up and down he didn't know what to say as the scantly clad male greeted him with a grin.

Nathan just waved at the stupefied squirrel, then gripped his paw and shook it firmly as he introduced himself. "Hi, I'm Nathan. Sorry about the noise, but Maria and I haven't had sex in about four months and when I'm done making her laugh, I'm going screw her brains out for the rest of the morning; apologies in advance for the forthcoming noise. Now if you don't mind, I believe I have work to do."

Maria watched in disbelief as Nathan dismissively closed the door, leaving the squirrel looking like he just had a stroke and the wolf with a huge victorious smile on his face as he sauntered towards her. “You're insane!" She blurted out and began to laugh again, her robe falling open when she tried to steady herself against the wall.

Stepping up to her Nathan wrapped an arm around her waist and drew her against his chest. “I think I handled it quite well. He knows the morning is still young and he can expect more." Teasing her robe to the side he slipped a paw over her breast. “Now, I think I made a promise I had better keep."

Pushing her body against his, Maria bit her lip as she felt his fingers squeeze her chest. “And there is the true, Nathan Fenn; the motor mouth." Letting him have his way with her for a moment she pulled his head towards hers and kissed him deeply. Reluctantly breaking the kiss, she pushed him away and eyed the ensemble he was wearing. “Those are not your size, Babe." She rested her paws on her bare hips and leaned forward a little. “They look better on me anyway."

“I like what you're wearing now though."

Rolling her eyes, Maria saw the hungry look in Nathan's eyes and that the bikini bottoms only seemed to grow tighter. “Sorry to shatter your dreams, lover boy, but I have work today." Still with her paws on her hips and her curves on display she pressed her body against him before giving his ass a swat. “Make me some coffee and a bagel, please." She gave him a kiss on the cheek before turning and walking back towards the bedroom; her tail slowly waving form left to right.

After completing her morning ablutions, Maria added the last touches to her suit for the day. She looked at her watch and grimaced; she was sure to run into traffic on the way to the office and still wanted to review a more of her case files that she had taken home before she had to face Brutus, knew she was running out of time. When she walked towards her study the smells coming from the kitchen told her that a simple cup of coffee and the bagel had changed into something completely different.

Moving to her desk she saw the top case file was open. The shepherd spun the folder around and glanced over the file; the name 'Reece' was on the header of each page. Closing the folder, she placed it in her briefcase then added several more from the pile, but left the briefcase on her desk. Curious to see what Nathan had prepared for breakfast, she wandered towards the kitchen. The smell of scrambled eggs teased Maria's nostrils and when she walked in she was greeted by the near bare backside of the wolf. Unable to resist, she walked up behind him and pinched his cheek before wrapping her arms around his waist. “Now what part of 'coffee and a bagel' did you have difficulties understanding?"

Brushing his tail against her legs, Nathan deposited the scrambled eggs with mushrooms onto a plate next to two pieces of toast. “Look, I know when you're working on a lot of cases you don't eat right. I'm just trying to make sure you get through the day without relying on coffee and snacks."

“My culinary hero." She kissed his shoulder and let go of him, and then sat at the kitchen table where she was severed with the steaming plate and a glass of orange juice. Out of the corner of her eye she saw a pile of oranges, a knife and juicer; she quickly deduced that it was freshly squeezed. Taking a bite of her food from a fork, she looked at Nathan when he sat down opposite her with just a glass of juice. “Talking about cases, why were you reading the Reece folder on my desk?"

Shrugging his shoulders, Nathan took a sip before answering. “I remember the name from when I was younger. I followed the story on TV about how that young kid lost his parents, then disappeared. I felt sorry for him and it hit home hard because..." The wolf paused and raised his eyes to Maria's to see her looking fascinated as he started to open up about himself. He sighed heavily, “Maybe that's a story for another time." The shepherds look of intrigue was replaced with a grimace that Nathan passed making his usual witty remarks on. “I always kinda hoped the Reece kid would resurface someday with a happy story of his own, but life doesn't dole out happy endings to everyone. I guess I got lucky when I met you though." Maria made a sympathetic glance towards the wolf and placed her paw over his. “Anyway, when I saw the file I just wondered why you were interested in such an old case."

Swallowing a bit of toast and egg, Maria tapped her fork on her plate. “Because it's a mess, always has been and most likely, always will be. They dropped the case about a year after the kid disappeared and couldn't find any evidence linking the chief suspect and just labelled it as an accident. I hear the family's assets were secured by a friend of theirs and that he's still holding them in trust, waiting for the kid to come back. That's all hearsay though; the real issue is that there is so much paperwork to sift through and so many negatives to cross off the list. It was the first research case, Brutus ever gave me; I think he has some personal connection to it." She ate a few more bites and watched how Nathan patiently waited for her to continue. “It's deemed a cold case now, but there could be clues and leads buried somewhere in the paperwork. I tend to give this to my interns to straighten up and review how it was handled. That way the case stays in circulation, it stays on the radar of the cold-case team and they might actually find something one of these days." Piling on some egg on her toast she ate the piece in a few bites. “Rick, my new intern chewed through quite a bit of red-tape in the last few weeks, so I was going to review it," Sitting back she frowned “though with the appeal coming up on that other case, I'll have to put it on the back burner for now." She mused on the day ahead after mentioning the appeal case, then checked her watch again. “Damn it! I'm going to be late." Working herself up into a panic, she wolfed down the rest of her breakfast and rose to collect her things for the day. “Sorry, Honey. I've got to run."

Nathan followed her closely and laid a firm but gentle paw on her shoulder. “Calm down. You'll only be a few minutes late. Look, I made you seconds so you don't have to send someone to that overpriced sandwich place everyone at your office seems to love eating at so much."

Maria took a second to catch her breath, then turned into her lovers embrace and kissed him softly. “You're the best when you're here, Nathan, but I really need to go now. You eat it, please."

Brushing some stray hairs from her brow, he nodded and made a disappointed sigh. “Alright, give me a call when you're coming home and I'll have dinner ready when you get back."

“Thank you." She murmured softly as she lightly scratched his chest. “Try to stay out of trouble, okay?"

The wolf grinned. “You say that like you don't trust me."

“Nathan, I never trust you on your own."

He chuckled and stole one more kiss before handing the shepherdess her briefcase and walking her to the door. “I'll be here."

“You'd better be." She growled affectionately as she left her apartment.

Closing the door, Nathan padded through Maria's home and dressed himself in something more comfortable, then found his backpack that he'd hidden away when he arrived. Reaching into the front pocket, he removed a tablet and unlocked the device from its standby mode. Brining up his email program, he retrieved a message he had been drafting earlier that morning. Attaching several dozen files to the email, he waited patiently while they uploaded and then tapped the subject line and typed: _ The lost file, found! _ After sending the message, he sat and waited patiently. After ten minutes a reply came. Opening the message he read it with a sombre look on his face.

'_ How did you get this? Was it your girlfriend? You know she'll kill you if she finds out? Looks complete though. I can't believe Waterstone had the file all this time. I'll have my people take a closer look. Don't do anything else rash to spoil this good fortune.' _

Nathan sighed and typed his reply.

'_ It was just chance. Yes, she was working with the file. It'll be worth it if we can find anything of real use. When did I ever do something without considering all the options first?' _

He only waited a few short minutes for another reply.

'_ You're reckless! Stay out of trouble until we can sort things out at this end.' _

The wolf tapped his finger on the side of the tablet. Opening the files he had copied, he sighed, knowing he would regret it as he began to read. The more he read, unwelcome memories began to resurface, memories so dark he wished he could forget.

* * *

When Maria walked into the bullpen several faces looked up from their work and stared at her in confusion. The shepherd walked through the gauntlet with a sheepish grin as she tried to make her excuse as sincere as possible. “I got stuck in traffic."

The excuse was weak as by the time the large Mercedes had roared onto the street the traffic on her route had cleared up. An added bonus was the fact that the police had their speed traps in other parts of the city.

Once in her office, Maria got the folders out of her briefcase and piled them neatly on the left side of her desk next to an empty tray labelled 'In'. Starting up her workstation she checked her digital in-box and one message in particular stood out amongst the rest; the title in bold letters and punctuated with over a dozen exclamation marks. She didn't need to read the message as the title told her everything she needed.

_ 'Get to my office right away!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!' _

Rolling her eyes as she stood, Maria straightened her suit and walked towards the door, but saw someone grabbing the handle on the other side through the frosted glass. When Rick stepped inside she grinned and brushed passed him, bumping her hips against his deliberately then trailing her tail across his leg. “Don't worry I got the message, I'm on my way, no need to escort me. You can go back to work."

After swallowing hard and making sure his reaction wasn't showing, Rick followed Maria closely. “Sorry, Brutus told me to get you to his office without delay."

Maria raised an eyebrow at the young canine as he followed her. “How is the boss' mood?"

Afraid that Brutus would hear him, Rick just shook his paw as he glanced around in a fit of paranoia.

Maria let out a snort of suppressed laughter before walking away from the bullpen to another frosted door with engraved letters reading 'D.A.' in beautiful letters that covered almost the entire door. Having seen it a thousand times the shepherd just pushed the door open and waltzed into the large office. The first thing she noticed was all of the documents strewn around the room. “Are trying to bury yourself?" She asked curiously before picking up a random sheet from a stack on Brutus' desk.

With a gruff grunt, Brutus snatched the sheet back and slammed it down on the stack it came from. “Don't touch that!" Rising up from behind his desk, the huge mastiff glowered at Maria. “You told me you would look into the file to see where I might have left a hole for the bastard to wiggle through!" Squinting his eyes he looked the shepherd over. “You did read the file didn't you?"

“Most of it," Maria began as she crossed her arms under her chest and shifted her weight to one leg “you had a solid case. The witness testimonies were all over the place, but the evidence was rock solid. My guess is they're going for a technicality.“ She gestured around the office and the myriad of boxes. “They'll expect us to focus on the key witnesses, but I would start looking at the arrest, the interrogation and the officers involved. Let me double check with Helen and I'll start looking into it." Leaning down Maria gave both males something to look at as she patted one of the boxes while her tail rose straight up towards the ceiling. “Start with this box, the first interrogation. Getting statements deemed inadmissible as evidence is the first step."

All the while Brutus had his eyes on Maria, studying her as he ground his nicotine gum into tiny fragments between his molars. Something in the back of his head was making alarm bells go off but he couldn't put his finger on it. “Well, you certainly seem sure about yourself."

Standing up again, Maria glanced over her shoulder and could tell both males had been eyeing her up. With an amused but stern expression she put her intern in his place before turning to Brutus with her paws on her hips. “Your court-case was rock solid. They're trying to make you panic so that you overlook what they're up to. It makes sense, so they will have to attack the basics." She pointed down at the box she indicated earlier. “Like I said, start with that one. I'll finish reading the case-file in peace and I'll give Helen a call." In a flurry of tail, Maria spun around and shooed Rick out of her way.

Realization hit Brutus like a plane crashing on his head. “Maria!" He waited for her to look over her shoulder at him as he placed his paws on his desk and leaned forward menacingly. “When did he get back?"

“Last night," the shepherd replied without batting an eye.

Raising a paw Brutus pointed at Maria and snarled. “I don't want to see him in this building. I don't even want to see him near this building! Clear?"

"Alright, I'll do what I can, but you know I can't really stop him. I know he's disruptive, Brutus, but his pranks aren't that bad."

The large mastiff slammed his paws on the desk again and made the hardwood structure creak under the force of the impact. “Not that bad! He put a firecracker in my cigar, Maria! It singed my eyebrows!" His tone had grown dark as he spat the words out in anger.

Maria tried not to laugh as she remembered the incident. Before a grin could seep through her serene mask she turned on her heel and swiftly walked out of the door, waving her paw above her head. “I'll try and keep him out of your hair."

“I mean it!" Brutus called after her. “If I see that wolf around here, I'll punch that smirk off his face!" He didn't get a reply but it didn't matter as he dropped himself hard in his chair before looking at Rick with a worried expression. “Let's just hope he stays around until after the appeal."

Drawing a complete blank, Rick looked at his boss and lowered his head slightly. “I'm sorry Mister Waterstone, but who are you talking about?"

Swivelling his chair around Brutus gazed out of the window with a far off stare and began to speak in a soft voice that oozed with pure disdain. “Nathan Fenn, Nathan fucking Fenn." Blindly the mastiff reached for a drawer and pulled something from it.

Rick saw what he thought was a large baton for a relay race, but when Brutus bit off one end he realized it was a huge cigar; yet it looked to be a normal size in those huge paws. “Nathan Fenn?" The youth asked out loud, hoping he could gain more information about this mystery male.

“Maria hooked up with him about two or three years ago. He's works in deep sea salvage and is usually gone for several months at a time." Brutus put the cigar between his lips and moved it around until it was in the corner of his mouth. “Every time he's around, Maria's skill in the courtroom gets dialled up to eleven," Casting a surreptitious glance towards the youth the mastiff chewed his cigar “everybody in the office knows how he does it, but damn it, every time he leaves he..." Chewing the cigar hard it pointed upwards alongside Brutus' muzzle, the thick stem in front of his eye.

“What does he do when he leaves?" Rick couldn't help but ask as he learned about this rival.

Seeing where the cigar was, Brutus lowered it quickly; even though it wasn't lit and this time he was sure there was no firecracker inside it. Slowly turning back, he rested his elbows on the desk as he looked at Rick with sad and tired eyes. “He vanishes without a trace or so much as a goodbye for her, and every time it hits her hard. Last time she lost focus on her work for around two weeks and nearly screwed up some major cases. Luckily I got them handed off to Carl and he took care of business while we kept her out of court for a few days. It's been worse though."

“Why does she..?"

“I don't know kid." The mastiff said in a dark voice when he rose from the chair. Taking the cigar out of his mouth he wiggled it around between his thick fingers. “I need a smoke," he walked around the desk before stopping in front of the young canine. “you smoke?" He asked and received a negative shake of the head as a reply. “Good, don't start. It eats up your time." Looking at the large brown stick in his paw he chuckled. “I started with cigarettes, but when you're my size you just burn your fingers trying to light those twigs."

The sudden familiar mood in the office put Rick more at ease as he spoke up. “You could always try vapping, Sir, or Nicotine..."

Brutus cut him off as his chuckle grew into a raucous laughter. “Vapping? No, I'll leave sucking on a flashlight for the hipsters. As for nicotine gum; I chew it all the time, fat load of good it does me." Putting the cigar back into his mouth he gestured towards the box Maria had indicated. “Start with that box and get me the list of all the officers involved in our files, we'll cross check it with the police list."

Rick nodded and when the Mastiff passed him, he got a pat on the shoulder that nearly made his legs buckle. While he dug out the box his mind drifted to the wolf that seemed to agitate his mentor so much. “Nathan Fenn." he whispered and instantly began to dislike him.

With a single folder on her desk, Maria had made several piles of documents to sort out the parts of the trail she was focusing on. A sudden whirring and pinging made he stop and fish out her phone from underneath some scattered papers. Seeing the ID displayed she grinned and accepted the call before putting it on speaker. “Hey, Haffy. I called but you were busy. Got time to talk some shop or am I keeping you from an investigation?"

The other side of the line remained silent for a moment before a female voice spoke up. “Bathroom break, nothing fancy. And as for you, Maria; I always have time. What do you need?"

“Remember Brutus' big rape case he closed a few months ago?"

“Of course. Glad he put the creepy shit behind bars."

Maria grimaced. “That's the point..."

“They're appealing?"

“Yeah, I'm thinking that they're going for a technicality. I'm doing opposition and I can't make a dent in the forensics." Maria drew a small pile closer to her and began leafing through it. “Those first two interrogations, I need to know every single officer he came into contact with."

“You think they're going for a rotten apple in the bunch?" The voice said coldly.

Running a finger over the list she tried to pick out the officers she knew. “I have the official list but I need to make sure."

“I'll round everyone up and set the minions to mine through the security footage."

Raising an eyebrow, Maria looked at the phone. “You still have the footage? I thought you only kept it for two months."

There came a snort from the other side. “New system got installed just a few days before that creep got dragged in the first time. All digital, we can save up to two years in HD quality. After that time with the badger twins the commissioner wanted a state of the art system."

“How many people know?" She asked cautiously.

“Contractors, the tech guys. It was a job done on the down-low at the precinct."

Tapping her finger on the paper, Maria began to think. “Get me that footage, please. I've got the feeling that's what they're going for, 'cause it's exactly two months since that... 'convict' was last in your cells."

“Alright, I'll swing by your office later today with what we find. Talk to you later, Maria."

“See ya then."

* * *

Over the next few hours, Maria considered her suspicions thoroughly and was confident she was on the right track. Her cold logical break down of the case fragments slowly started to build a new picture for her, all she needed was the last pieces of evidence to complete her analysis. Suddenly and painfully, her stomach rumbled from not being fed since breakfast. Clutching at her tummy and glaring at the clock she noted that it had just slipped past three in the afternoon and for a moment she wondered if she could have gone through the entire day if she had taken Nathan's offer of a second helping at breakfast as he had urged. The shepherd stood up and stretched to get the knot at the base of her spine to loosen. Her desk was a mess of paperwork and she decided that a break was in order. Walking with a slight bounce in her step through the bull pen, she noticed glances towards her and made an educated guess regarding the sudden attention. Before she stepped into the hallway that lead towards the small kitchen, the shepherd turned around and raised her voice. “Yes, Nathan is back. Brutus already told me to keep him away from the office, but I can't promise that there won't be any vinegar powder in the coffee." There was a groan around the room as she turned around and continued on her way.

The kitchen was small and housed a large refrigerator a few cupboards and a large dual pot coffee maker. One of the glass pots was empty and there was only a small layer of dark liquid in the other.

Grimacing at the pots, Maria didn't feel like testing if the remnant was still drinkable. Instead she turned her attention to the fridge, but when she glanced inside she didn't see anything that wasn't labeled or set there for the entire office. Turning and walking back to her office quickly, she caught sight of the garbage can and saw an empty box of assorted pastries. The thought of the delicacies set her stomach rumbling even more fiercely. Arriving in the bullpen she cleared her throat and tried to get the attention of some of the staff, but clearly Brutus had them hard at work. “Excuse me. Tamara, Nigel..." She said in a more friendly tone than usual. The pair ignored her and as her irritation grew, her tail began to whip back and forth. Slamming her paw down on the closest desk, Maria shouted loudly. “Listen up! I haven't had food or coffee since eight-thirty this morning. Somebody, please run down to the deli on the corner and get me a chicken sandwich and a large coffee!"

The bullpen fell completely silent for a good long while before a small mouse woman raised her paw. “Can I get something for myself while I'm there?"

Holding up her paws, Maria let out a sigh of relief and deflated anger. “Just... Get me a sandwich and coffee quickly." Without another word, she walked back to her office and slammed the door behind her making it rattle. The low blood sugar suddenly hit her and it made her grumpy; the lack of a full night's sleep didn't help either. Sitting at her desk she stared at the papers before letting out a groan. Once she got home, she was going to jump Nathan and after she was done, they would eat the dinner he prepared before she'd flip him over to go again. The plan sounded perfect in her mind and it made a silly grin appear on her face as she began to fantasize about her wolf.

About twenty minutes later, her office door opened and a raccoon woman strolled in without the courtesy of knocking. Wearing a pair of ripped jeans, an old, abused red leather jacket that hung open to reveal a black tank-top with the 'Rolling Stones' logo that showed off her well-proportioned bust. She looked around and smirked at the shepherd before holding up a large paper bag. “Stole this from a nervous looking staff member; I'm guessing you ordered this?"

Staring at the bag, Maria felt her stomach clench and demand the contents. She shifted her gaze to the person holding it, looking up at the dark eyes behind her natural black mask. “I thought you stopped doing stings for the vice squad years ago?"

Letting out a loud snort, the raccoon pulled the bag back. “If you're going to bite the paw that feeds you..."

Reaching out, Maria made a grabbing motion towards the bag. “Ugh, give it already before I tackle you, Helen!"

Stepping closer to the desk, Helen looked down at her friend. “Attacking an officer is a bad idea. A lawyer should know that." Seeing the hungry look on the canine she opened her jacket to the side to reveal a badge and a holster with her shiny black firearm. “Before you think that it's worth it; I'm armed." She watched Maria slumped over her desk and blow a long raspberry as if she were a deflating balloon. Helen sat down on the edge of the desk, avoiding the paraphernalia scattered about it before opening the bag and peeking in. “Oooh, Chicken." Reaching in, she pulled out the large cup of coffee and put it down next to the mass of black hair on the desk. “One large decaf for the exhausted shepherd."

Raising her head, Maria looked genuinely worried. “You're kidding me!" Peering at the cap she didn't see the normal mark the deli used for decaf. Her tired grey eyes locked with the humorous brown ones. “Don't do that to me." She complained before reaching for the cup.

“Don't do that. You'll get an ulcer if you drink that on an empty stomach." Unwrapping the sandwich, Helen dangled it in front of Maria and watched her take it and bite into it ferociously. “So," she began gently “that good for nothing is back in town?" The silence told her enough and she crossed her arms before shaking her head. “Why do you keep letting him back into your life, Maria?"

Swallowing half the sandwich in one go, Maria gave a wry smile. “He's a really sweet guy... You'll see if you ever meet him."

“Ugh, pass." Helen said as rolled her eyes before standing back up. “I'll be here when he dumps you again and you need a shoulder to cry on."

Both females stood on opposite sides of the room looking at each other, but when Maria finished her sandwich she held out her paw towards Helen. “So, did you bring the security footage?"

Rolling her eyes, Helen reached into her jacket and pulled out a small portable hard drive. “Of course. The tech guys cut it together quickly. It's all the feeds where you can see the sleaze ball and his shyster." She stepped up to the desk and handed it to her friend. “Any idea what you're looking for?" Putting her paw behind her head, Helen played with her braided auburn hair, then pulled the braid over her shoulder before running slender fingers through the loose hairs at the end. “I watched the first and second interrogations, but I didn't see anything out of the ordinary."

Looking at the silver device in her paw, Maria ran her fingers over the brand name and storage capacity information that was etched into the casing. “I'll have to look at it all then." Placing the drive next to her keyboard, she opened a drawer and got out the cables she needed to connect it to her workstation. Pushing it off to the side, she looked up at the raccoon. “So, why are you dressed like that? I think the commissioner would have a heart attack if you walked around the station like that."

With a grin on her face, Helen spread the jacket to show off her top. “Going to a rock concert tonight. I changed into this when I left the precinct."

Staring down at the Raccoon's waist, Maria nodded towards the holster. “You always carry that to a concert?"

Helen just grinned as her long striped tail curled around her waist. “Of course. That's how I dominated the moshpits." The shepherd wasn't buying it. Helen shrugged and shifted her weight to one leg. “Alright, I actually have a work to do at the concert; I'm just wearing this to blend in."

“I've seen you wear every piece of that outfit before, is it your own stuff?" Maria asked raising an eyebrow questioningly as she drank a sip of coffee.

Putting her paws in the jacket's pockets, Helen struck a pose. “Yeah, it is; I didn't have to rummage through the piles of confiscated clothes to find something, thankfully." Pulling one paw out of the jacket pocket she pointed at the drive. “If you need more, just give me a call."

“You're not going to help me sift through it?" Maria batted her eyes at her friend as she put the cup to her lips and took a long drink.

“Hah!" Helen chuckled and gave a quick shake of her head. “Not even if I actually had the time." With both paws in her pockets again, she nodded towards the shepherd. “Once you've found something I'll start a formal inquiry."

“Officially," Maria began with a troubled look on her face. “I have to share any evidence with the defence. So until I find anything," She pointed at the drive, “I will have to tell them about this. I really hope there is something here we can knock their appeal out of the water with."

Slowly sauntering towards the door, Helen just stuck up a paw and gave her friend a weak wave. “Have fun with that. See you later, Maria."

Watching the striped tail follow the silhouette that moved behind the frosted glass she commented to nobody in particular. “I won't."

* * *

Several hours later, Maria laid down the pencil she had been using to scribble notes with and stopped the video playback. After watching several interrogations she hadn't found anything that would be grounds for an appeal. Spotting the clock at the bottom of the screen, she grimaced; it was quickly approaching seven and looked as if it had been raining outside with a threat of more to come. As the computer was shutting down, she locked the papers and the drive away in her desk before gathering some work in her briefcase. Maria grabbed her purse and fished her cell phone out and then dialled her home phone. The line buzzed as the phone rang on the other side. Once, twice, more and more. By the tenth ring, Maria was getting irritated. She stepped out of her office and made her way towards the elevators; not even noticing the last few staff left in the bullpen. After the trip down she all but ran towards her car, fear and anger battling in her mind.

The large V8 made the air in the parking garage tremble as it roared to life. The sleek black vehicle was a blur as it rushed through the streets, the tail-light leaving a red trail in mist the back tires kicked up from the rain water. The clouds overhead darkened with the setting sun, the promise of more rain becoming ever more likely as she raced home.

With the weather reflecting her mood, Maria took the elevator to her apartment's floor and hurried towards her door; her high heels tapping hard on the marbled floor. When she stood in front of her door she pulled out her key and paused before entering, afraid of what she would find, or rather what she might not find inside. The door opened with just a single twist of the key, surprising Maria, as did finding the alarm turned off. The green LED blinked slowly telling the shepherd it was in standby mode. Closing the door behind her the soft click echoed through the gloomy apartment.

Outside, more clouds had gathered and the sky had grown dark as the distant rumble of thunder caught her ear. “Nathan?" Maria called out, but the house remained silent. The dinning room and the kitchen were empty and there was no dinner waiting for her. As she looked through the open doors into the living room, she saw the wolf's backpack perched on the couch. “He's still here." She commented to herself in relieve. Turning back she set her briefcase down on a table in the hall before going into her bedroom. Peering around the connecting rooms, there was no sign of Nathan. She laid her jacket on the bed before continuing; her nerves still on edge even though she knew he hadn't left her again.

The search led through the first guest room, a Spartan furnished room with a double bed; nothing. The second guest room that she used for storage turned up the same results, then she stepped back into the hall across from the dining room.

“Where..." Her words were drowned out by a heavy rumble of thunder that sounded oddly clear to Maria's ears. At a brisk pace, she returned to the living room; and after a single step through the door she felt the draft coming from the open balcony. Heading towards it, there was a flash of lightning that framed an outline of a figure leaning over the railing of the balcony. “Nathan?" The figure didn't respond to her hail and remained still as a statue.

Maria cautiously stepped onto the balcony and in the gloom she clearly recognized the figure as her lover. Standing behind the wolf she raised a paw to touch his shoulder but hesitated for a moment. When the first drops of rain began to hit her muzzle she brushed her fingers against his arm.

Nearly jumping out of his fur, Nathan twisted around, seemingly coming out of a daze and realizing where he was. “Maria? What are you doing home already?" Confusion spread across his face as he blinked a few times to clear his blurry vision.

When Maria saw his face she was shocked to see heavy clumps of matted fur under his eyes. “What's wrong?" placing both paws on his muzzle, she began to comb the fur, feeling how wet it was. She saw him open his mouth and she levelled a stern stare at him. “Don't give me that 'nothing' bullshit!"

Swallowing the word, Nathan tried to think up something else but his thoughts were interrupted when the rain began to come down in earnest. Glancing skyward he took Maria by the paw and pulled her towards the open door. “We'd better get inside."

Back in the living room, Maria looked at Nathan and caught sight of herself in the mirror; they had both become a soggy mess. She laughed encouragingly as a few drops fell from her muzzle. “Well that was fun." Pulling down her blouse she saw the wet spots in the fabric had turned slightly see through. Looking back through the balcony door, she saw a black rectangular shape on the balcony table when another flash of lightning lit the sky. “Nathan," she said after the loud rumble “is that your tablet?"

His mind had gone wandering again, but when he heard Maria's comment his eyes went wide. “Damn it!" Without a moment's hesitation he dashed back into the storm.

Not quick enough to grab him, the shepherd called out after him. “Let me get you a raincoat first, you dummy!"

Nathan was back within a few seconds, but the deluge that was going on outside had soaked him through.

Chewing her lip to stop herself from laughing at the soggy wolf; Maria looked at the dripping electronic. “How is it?"

“Oh, this is nothing." Nathan said as he held the tablet up. “It's waterproof, I just don't like water stains on the screen." He shook the drops off and brought the screen to life.

Letting out an exasperated sigh, Maria punched him hard in the chest. “Seriously; you got soaked for something you didn't need to worry about?"

Before the wolf could answer a gust of wind blew in through the door, spraying water on the floor and causing Nathan to shiver slightly in his soaked clothes. He stepped up to the door and closed it securely and for a moment he watched the rain strike against the glass. When the lights came on in the room, he could see Maria waiting for him in the reflection.

With arms akimbo, Maria watched the wolf for a moment before walking up behind him and tugged on his dripping tail. “You're making the floor wet. Grab a shower before you catch cold and put some dry clothes on. I'll take care of dinner." She didn't wait for his reply and walked towards her desk where she picked up the handset for her home phone. “Pizza alright for you?" The question didn't get a reply and as she turned around she caught a glimpse of Nathan as he shuffled out of the room. Something weird is going on with your wolf, Maria thought to herself as she dialled. The shepherdess plucked at her wet blouse as she walked into the hallway. Her unoccupied ear heard the shower being turned on while a cheerful girl spoke in her other. “This is Maria Eckholdt. I'm in the system. Yes, I'm calling for a delivery. One large 'triple meat', make it spicy, and one medium 'Pile-it-on', just hold the olives and seafood. Yeah that's it. Just twenty minutes? The advantage of ordering late I guess. Yes, I'm paying cash. That's perfect, thank you." Slowly making her way towards the bedroom, Maria called another number, telling the building's doorman to send the pizza delivery guy up before throwing the phone on her bed.

The handset bounced on the mattress before coming to a rest next to Nathan's duffel bag.

Maria undressed, getting out of her work attire before putting on a pair of Bordeaux sweat pants. Standing topless at the foot of the bed she looked at the duffel bag before sitting and pulling it into her lap. Pulling the top open, she peered inside and began rummaging around inside. Nathan's usual Arctic fresh fragrance rose up from the bag as she explored its contents. Her fingers found a large patch of rough spun wool and she tugged it out from under all the other clothes. With a chuckle, she pulled out the dark blue knitted sailor sweater before putting the bag back on the bed and standing up to admire the garment. Holding it up in front of her she looked into the large mirror in the corner of the room. Her smile only grew when she slipped it over her head. The sweater was far too big for her and it nearly slipped off her shoulder when she moved, but that didn't stop her from wrapping the long sleeves around her and sniffing the coarse wool, inhaling the scent of her lover. Lost in her own little world until she caught sight of her alarm clock, Maria was surprised to see how much time had passed and that the pizza could show up any minute.

As if it had been waiting for the shepherd to realize the time, the phone handset began to buzz loudly. Leaning over the bed, Maria picked up the noisy apparatus and answered the call. “Maria speaking. Yes you can send him up, thank you." Not throwing the handset back on the bed this time, she got up and used it to tap against the bathroom door. “Nathan? You've been in there long enough; pizza's here. Babe, everything alright?" Her paw was already on the knob but stopped when she heard the shower being turned off. “Dinner's in the living room. Dress casually." Maria smiled, hearing a low grumble from inside the bathroom while she walked out of the bed room. Taking a slight detour to get some cash out of her desk, she opened the door just in time to see the delivery boy walk up to the door. “Perfect timing."

With a cap failing to keep the unruly pubescent mane under control, the lion teen opened the bag he had been carrying before slipping out the pizza boxes. “One large triple meat, extra spicy and one medium 'Pile-it-on' no olives or seafood."

“That's us." Maria said with a grin before holding out her arms to accept the boxes. The teen had been so distracted by the high-class surroundings to notice the woman that had been waiting for the pizzas. Seeing the expression on the lion's face change to one she'd seen countless times on other delivery boys, Maria just grinned and accepted the boxes with one paw before holding out the money with the other. “Keep the change for the speedy service." The lion didn't get the chance to reply as she turned around and flipped her tail out of the way before stretching her leg behind her and giving the door a gentle push until she heard the soft click of the lock. Lingering by the door for a moment longer, she heard the lion's footfalls and him muttering something in a tone that told her he enjoyed what he saw. Entering the living room, she put the boxes on the coffee table before getting the pizza slicer and two plates from the kitchen. With the food all sliced up, Maria began to wonder what was taking Nathan so long. Getting off the couch she just took a step out of the room when she heard the bedroom door open.

Dressed in jeans and a plain black t-shirt, Nathan stepped through the door; not seeming to notice her; his eyes on the floor until he saw her feet. The wolf stopped, slightly startled by her presence and looked into his lover's eyes.

Gazing deep into his eyes, Maria could see the turmoil going on behind them. Without a word she placed her paws on his muzzle, preventing him from speaking before kissing him on the lips. When she felt his arms slip around her waist she wrapped her own around his neck. The kiss lasted for a few seconds but lacked any of the usual passion she was used to. The fur on his muzzle was still damp from the shower; she smoothed it with a few strokes of her fingers before stepping back and taking one of his paws as they fell away from her body. “I got you a large triple meat, extra spicy." She lead him back to the couch sat him in the corner before sitting next to him. Nathan's self-imposed silence began to worry her as she leaned forward to grab a plate.

There was glint of mischief in Nathan's eyes as he twisted on the seat and hugged the shepherd from behind when she sat back down.

Letting out a surprised squeak as she was pulled between Nathan's legs; his arms clamped around her stomach. With her paws full, she felt the weight of the wolf's head on her shoulder. “Nathan, I've never seen you like this. What's wrong?" She felt Nathan shrug and just bury his nose in the nape of her neck. Her annoyance grew with his silence. Putting her plate in her lap, she used her free paw to bring a slice of the triple meat to her shoulder. “If you're not going to talk then you might as well put that mouth of yours to other uses." She felt him take a large bite and then pulled the slice back and took a bite to sate her own hunger. As the ham, bacon and pepperoni danced across her tongue she realized that extra spicy meant really spicy. “You can have this." Maria put the slice back in front of Nathan making him chuckle as he took another bite.

“I thought you didn't mind spicy?"

Wedging the remainder of the slice in the wolf's mouth; Maria patted his cheek. “It speaks full sentences. I'm amazed." Trailing a finger along his jaw, she tried to coax more out of him. “So, want to talk about it?"

Tensing up involuntarily, Nathan hugged the woman in his arms a little closer as he ate the slice quickly before speaking “I dug up some bad memories." Knowing her next question he interrupted her train of thought. “No, I don't want to talk about it. Not today, please Maria."

“I hate your secrets." Maria grumbled as she roughly patted the side of his head. The slices disappeared over the course of the next hour, the pair eating in silence and comfortable in their embrace. Nathan only let go of Maria long enough for her to refill the plates and sit back down before he returned his head to her shoulder. A few minutes after the food had vanished, he began to fidget in his seat. Feeling the male behind her shift, Maria glanced over her shoulder, but the position of his muzzle prevented her from seeing him. “What is it babe?"

“Maria..." Nathan said in a low whisper.

Liking the way he said it, Maria began to wiggle her backside against Nathan's groin. “Yes?" Her voice just as soft as his.

Readjusting himself, Nathan put his paws on her back and gently began to push her away. “Eeeh, Maria..." This time his voice had more of an edge of discomfort to it.

Confused by the feeling of his paws pushing against her, Maria turned her body to glare at him. “Nathan?" Her voice turning cold as she couldn't understand his actions.

Clenching his jaws, Nathan gave her another firm shove. “Bathroom, now."

Her eyes went wide and she giggled like a schoolgirl, suddenly pushing back hard against him. “What's wrong?" She purred as innocently as she could.

The rubbing of their nether regions against each other produced a natural reaction in Nathan, putting more pressure on his bladder and groin. The big wolf let out a desperate whimper that was met with more giggles from the woman in his lap. Twisting her body, Maria slipped from his grasp and her back hit his chest with a thud. Turning up her teasing to the max, she rubbed her nose against his muzzle and gave it several gentle licks. Putting her paws on his thighs she began rubbing them and gyrating her hips even more. “Come on, Babe." Her voice was thick with lust and desire; it was a complete lie, betrayed by her constant giggling.

Growling, Nathan grabbed the tease firmly around her waist before forcing himself to stand up with another low primal growl from the back of his throat. Maria just laughed even louder at his display of dominance as he hoisted her into the air. Twisting his body, the wolf dropped his tormentor onto the couch and watched her bounce on the cushion while she laughed hysterically. Without further delay, he hurriedly made his way out of the room, his gait altered due to the pressure in his groin.

Wiping her eyes, Maria sat up and launched into another giggling fit. Taking deep breaths she regained a measure of her composure before rising from the couch. With an occasional titter, she gathered the plates and empty boxes before skipping to the kitchen, her tail wagging behind her.

Nathan peered into the living room after he answered the call of nature and stopped dead in his tracks at the threshold. Moving as silently as he could, the wolf took a few steps back to stay in the shadow of the dark hallway before returning to the bedroom. A minute later he returned with a large black object in his paws. He knelt down next to the doorway leading to the living room before bringing the object up to his face. Peering through the eye piece he saw the same sight that made him come to a halt moments before.

After cleaning the remnants of their dinner, Maria had brought back the pitcher of orange juice from that morning with her and poured two glasses. She now sat wedged in the corner of the large sofa with her legs folded underneath her and her tail wrapped around them. All of her attention went to the book that lay open on her thigh, so engrossed was she that she didn't even hear the whirring and clicking from the camera aimed at her.

Turning his camera, Nathan looked at the display on the back and chose the best photo to keep and deleted the others. He stood up and walked into the room with his thumb playing over the buttons on the back of the device.

Spotting the wolf out of the corner of her eye when he moved in front of her, Maria tore her eyes away from the book and smiled up at him with a big mischievous grin. “Feeling relieved now?" When she said it she spotted the camera and closed the book. “Pictures from your expedition?" The wolf nodded before he sat down next to her. Scooting forward to give him room, she took the camera from him as he slipped behind her once more. “Is this to stop me asking questions?" Feeling him nod against her neck, Maria pressed herself against him, it wasn't the answer she wanted, but at least he was engaging with her again.

Nathan had his muzzle buried in the nape of her shapely neck once more and his arms wrapped around her stomach. His tail lay next to his leg and the shepherd's tail lay on top of his; every twitch of his she answered with her own. The simple gesture made him close his eyes and snuggle closer to his lover.

Looking over the first pictures that showed a beautiful sunset over the ocean, Maria listened to the content noises coming from behind her. “Is this the Atlantic?"

“Mediterranean."

The next series of pictures were all taken underwater with the aid of powerful lamps, mapping out the outside of the wreck. Several images followed that were taken inside with a large bull in diving gear pointing out specific struts.

Looking at the pictures it was clear that the ship was a corroded mess. The next picture made Maria blink as it went from a dark blue setting to one with natural sunlight. A smile came to her face as she cocked her head. The picture was taken at an odd angle and she saw why. Standing in front of a mirror in the middle of what she guessed was his cabin on the ship, Nathan stood wrestling with the watertight casing around the camera; his tongue peeking out of from the side of his muzzle as the task clearly turned out to be trickier than it appeared to be. Seeing the little pink tip dangling from his mouth made Maria grin, but she licked her lips as she admired the rest of the picture. Nathan's wetsuit was open and the top half hung around his waist, giving her a nice view of his bare chest and torso. If there was one thing she liked about his job was all the physical work he had to do, the constant swimming and manual work kept the wolf in very good shape. The nearly snow white hair of the his happy trail began just under his belly button and disappeared under the wetsuit just above the bulge between his legs that she admired for quite a while. “Print this one out for me will you?" She rolled her shoulder to get Nathan's attention.

“Mmmh, what?" The voice coming from behind her was thick sleep and was slow as he spoke. “I don't remember taking that."

Pressing her cheek against his, Maria rubbed against him slowly and affectionately. “Just print this one out for me, alright?" The next couple of pictures were taken back inside the ship as several divers we preparing to cut the wreck into more manageable pieces. The pictures then started to jump ahead in time. Showing how each part of the vessel was hoisted onto the ship Nathan worked on and then brought into port piece by piece. One of the pictures showed several smaller parts on the deck, she guessed it was the segment that had broken up during lifting that Nathan had told her about the previously night. The next picture made Maria smile as it showed the entire crew, the twenty something rouges that stole Nathan away from her time and time again. She spotted Nathan on the back row his fur and hair tussled and untrimmed; it was so different from the clean and well-groomed wolf she knew, but there was something alluring about seeing him so unkempt. Flicking the button with her thumb she was taken aback for a second before rubbing herself more firmly against the heavy body pressed against her back. Maria admired the photo that Nathan had taken of her earlier before reaching back and caressing his muzzle. “One for your collection no doubt?" She only got a sleepy grunt as reply. Rolling her shoulder, she tried to get a better response, but only got another couple of grunts from the wolf. “Time for bed." She concluded and began to untangle herself from Nathan's sleepy grasp. Nathan nearly fell forward when his support suddenly vanished, but a paw on each of his shoulders prevented him from crashing nose first into the floor. Blinking hard he looked up and saw Maria's smiling face looking down at him.

“Let's go to bed, Babe." Maria said gently as she helped the wolf stand up. Putting one arm over her shoulder the pair shuffled towards the bedroom. She turned down the bed while Nathan pulled his shirt over his head. Hearing a muffled growl from behind her, she turned around and starting laughing. In his sleepy state, Nathan was somewhat clumsier, and his t-shirt was now stuck around his head; the wolf's arms sticking out of the tangled mess. Maria stepped up to him and put her paws on his chest, smoothing the fur down. “Let me help."

Once the shirt was gone and carelessly thrown on the floor Nathan was about to make an attempt for his pants but Maria was quicker. With a lopsided grin he watched how she opened up his pants before pushing them down to his ankles. She came back up and left a trail of gentle kisses up the side of his body until it ended in a deep kiss on the lips. Feeling his body fight to find the energy to mate with Maria again, he calmed his own urges knowing now was not the time. He broke the kiss and smiled at her. “Sorry, Beautiful, I'm too tired to fool around tonight."

Standing on the tips of her toes, Maria kissed him on the nose. “Go to bed, Babe."

Doing what his lady said, Nathan nearly fell into bed and was asleep only a few seconds after. Maria just smiled at the sight before pulling the covers over him. Walking around to her side of the bed, she slowly pulled the large sweater she wore over her head as if Nathan could be watching. The sweatpants followed and she took her time turning around, making sure her lover would have the best view as she bent over to remove them. Sadly when she turned to see him, the big wolf had his eyes closed and was snoring peacefully. Putting her paws on her hips Maria smiled softly at her lover and watched him for a moment before slipping into bed next to him. She barely had the chance to get comfortable when large paws reached out to pull her close. When they slipped around her body she was pressed to his broad chest and heard a deep sigh of comfort from the wolf. With a smile she pressed her nose into his grey fur and took a deep sniff; the cool, arctic scent filled her nose as she drifted to sleep, feeling warm and secure.

To be continued…

Legal Tension – Chapter 4

All Rise

The room was still dark when Maria opened her eyes. Hearing rain softly pattering against the window, she saw there was very little light outside but instinctively knew she had slept in longer than usual. As the haze of sleep began to clear she listened to the soft snoring coming from the wolf lying next to her. Using his arm as a cushion, Maria shifted her head and peered at the wolf's long muzzle and smiled at the peaceful sight then rested her paw on Nathan's trim stomach. Her eyes lit up when the big wolf began to make happy noises in his sleep. Rolling onto her side the shepherdess lay her muzzle on his shoulder then pulled the covers off their bodies carefully.

Letting her paw roam over Nathan's torso, she gazed at him lovingly as he made quiet and pleasant moans as the sensations he was feeling were clearly amplified as he dreamed. The wolf shifted his body from side to side as if he were about to wake, but after letting out a deep breath he settled once more. Sighing happily she cuddled into the side of her lover, listening to every deep breath and feeling his warmth next to her.

A mischievous idea ran through her mind and she pushed herself up on her elbow. Looking at the relaxed yet happy expression on the wolf's face, she danced her finger tips over his throat. Her eyes followed her fingers as she began to trail them down his body; when she reached his stomach her eyes fell on the bright red spire that was beginning to protrude from the large grey sheath at his groin. For a moment she was tempted to grab his cock and play with it, but she wanted to fool around with the rest of her lover first. She licked her lips then lowered her head towards his chest and easily found a pink nipple, and swiped it with her tongue. Her eyes were glued to his face and she let out a soft chuckle as his long canine tongue lolled out of his mouth to one side. Gradually, Nathan began to wake from Maria's teasing; his body tensing and releasing as he stretched subtly and flexed his fingers. Seeing the signs of his waking, Maria leaned over and firmly kissed him on the nose before flipping her body around and landing diagonally across his chest on her back.

“Ooomph" The sudden impact on his chest made Nathan's eyes fly open and woke him up in a hurry.

Giggling, Maria reached up and patted Nathan on the cheek. “Good Morning." Before the wolf had a chance to respond she spoke again. “So, yesterday I woke up and there was this crazy wolf dancing around my living room that put me in a very good mood, but when I got home last night, all I got was a grouchy, brooding, sulky mess."

“Sorry."

Turning her head, Maria tried to look up at Nathan's face. “Excuse me?"

Wrapping his arms around the shapely body on top of him, Nathan leaned his head down and kissed her ear. “I'm sorry for being such a downer last night... Let's put it behind us, alright?"

Not completely satisfied with his answer, Maria scowled for a moment before letting out a sigh of resignation, knowing he was unlikely to open up any further on the topic. She lay there for a while feeling Nathan's warmth on her back, then a sly grin began to play with her mouth. “It's just weird to see my big bad wolf so grumpy."

Not catching the gist of her words, Nathan hugged her even tighter and spoke in a whisper. “Until I met you, I was bad..."

Having heard that line before, Maria didn't want the mood to slip back into the doom and gloom from last night. “I don't know; you've done some pretty bad things with me..." She rubbed her butt against his stomach and felt something very familiar push against the back of her thigh. “Is that one of the three little piglets or are you happy to see me?"

Nathan couldn't help letting out a snort of laughter, then kissed her ear again before biting it softly. Starting to rub his large paws up and down her stomach, he growled in her ear with a deep rumbling tone. “Leave the jokes to me, Sweetheart."

Wiggling her body against his, Maria closed her eyes and enjoyed the deep baritone of his voice that made her whole body tingle. “Or what?" She taunted, “you'll huff and you'll puff?"

With a wicked grin on his face, Nathan made his move. Grabbing her by her wrists he held Maria's paws to her chest before rolling her over and pinning her beneath him. Keeping a firm grip on her slender wrists he lifted himself off her back and grinned at the fuzzy black mass of hair that was now laying face first in a pillow. “No, but I might make you the shepherd that cried wolf."

Turning her head, Maria let out a submissive whimper as Nathan kept her down. “Well you've got me where you want me, so what are you going to do?"

Leaning over her, Nathan slid her paws under the pillow and pressed his hips hard against hers. Feeling her luxurious tail slip out of the way for him, he took the gesture as it was intended and buried his nose into her tangled black hair; he found the base of her shapely neck and nipped at it hard.

Feeling his teeth graze the back of her neck, Maria whimpered loudly before pushing her hips up in an attempt to get on her knees. Folding her knees under her, she shoved her firm rump hard against his groin and to her delight, felt the male's rock hard cock nestle between her butt cheeks.

Nathan growled into the scruff of Maria's neck when she moved and felt his member being sandwiched between her firm buns. Grinding his hips hard against hers he murmured into her neck when he felt the heat from her core as his balls touched her quickly dampening folds.

Listening to the noises her lover made, Maria shivered every time his cock pulled back and felt a cool trail of pre-cum being left by the tapered tip. She felt the liquid seep into her fur before collecting in the first divot it could find. When the glob of cool liquid touched her pink tail-hole, the shepherdess gasped and clenched her buttocks tight; much to the delight of the male on top of her.

Letting go of her neck, Nathan began to lick it slowly while the woman beneath him massaged his cock between her butt cheeks. After a few moments she relaxed, but he was ready for her and began to nip at her neck; this time focusing on Maria's scruff. He began teasing it, combing his long canines through her pelt and tugging on the patch between her shoulder blades.

“Wolf," Maria squeaked when he pulled on her scruff. Feeling him react immediately to her, she felt him pull his cock back further; tensing when his tip brushed her tail-hole. When she couldn't feel his member anymore she braced herself for what was to come; she didn't have long to wait. A hard blast of hot breath hit her neck as he growled; the vibrations from his throat and teeth making her quiver intensely.

Keeping his grip tight on Maria's wrists, Nathan brought his hips forward slowly and deliberately. When his tip touched the warm, wet and swollen lips of his lover, he growled again and jabbed forward hard with his entire body.

Letting out a shrill cry of pain that was rapidly drowned by the sounds of her pleasure, Maria felt the tapered tip push between her lips and miss what she had expected to be his target. The wolf had aimed too low and his large member pushed along her moist folds before hitting her piercing and brushing over it. Pushing her face into the pillow, she screamed into it; her body jerking as if electrified.

Hearing the muffled scream, Nathan groaned his approval as a squirt of warm liquid hit his lower abdomen. Rubbing over the silvery barbell with the upper side of his cock, he took his time, controlling his urges and waiting briefly before lining his shaft up with her pussy.

Still coming down from the burst of ecstasy, Maria could only focus on the feeling of the leaking tip being drawn back as it left a similar trail of pre on her front as it did on her back. Opening her mouth to speak she was only able to let out another squeak as he pressed his cock slowly inside her fiery mound. Biting down hard on the pillow, Maria tensed up as his girth stretched her and his length slowly stole her breath.

The sensation made Nathan's leg twitch as his cock was engulfed by her sweltering velvet passage that fit his member perfectly. Every move and tremble of Maria's body was felt by him as he finished his first thrust and held himself inside the shepherdess.

Not expecting him to come to a halt, Maria turned her head again and protested with a pitiful whine as she was denied her pleasure. There was a sharp tug on the scruff on her neck again, then the hot spire began pistoning in and out of her with no reserve of energy spared. She lost control of her senses. Every thrust stripped a little of her will but made her passion flare to new heights. As her vision blurred she could feel a spur of protective jealousy rise in her. This wolf was hers, and in spite of their relationship problems, she was reluctant to give him up because of how well he sated her physical needs. Maria's vision began to blur, when she felt Nathan's cock dumping loads of pre-cum into her twitching passage.

The cool air gripped around his cock as it left its warm confines and the sudden chill felt especially strong on his rapidly forming knot. Reversing his direction he took his time to enjoy every bump and ridge on the way inside his lover's pussy, making sure to push his knot hard against her labia.

Guessing at his motives, Maria surrendered fully to the wolf on her back and let out an eager whimper while biting down hard on her pillow. The dull throb from her neck disappeared and she felt his cold nose travel along the top of her spine and up the back of her head before she clearly heard and felt his panting in her ear. The rock hard spire pulled back an inch or so and she couldn't help but clench hard around it to stop it going any further. It returned with a firm thrust making her groan deeply, her voice sounding like a honeyed growl of lust.

Reveling in the sensation of how deeply he was penetrating his lover, Nathan thrust again and felt his knot pushing hard against Maria's puffy lips; his tip brushing against her last obstacle. The shepherdess felt it too; her pussy clenching hard around him. Gently kissing the ear in front of him, Nathan quickened his pace and listened to chorus of delightful noises his lover made over the dull slaps of their hips colliding.

Pressing her body harder against the mattress, Maria arched her back even further and nearly came then and there when she felt Nathan impact her cervix. The sensation made her shake her head, violently tossing her hair around as every muscle in her body began to tense at random.

Pulling his head back to avoid his nose getting hit, Nathan grinned as her insides gave his cock a wonderful massage. Releasing her wrists, he slipped his paws into hers interlacing their fingers and pressing his cheek against hers as they both let out an affectionate murmur.

With Nathan covering her entire body, keeping her warm; Maria sensually arched her back against his chest and squeezed his fingers to tell him she was ready. The signal was loud and clear as the male began to shift his position slightly. Feeling his tip tug and pull on her insides, she tensed her stomach to keep herself under control as her tail flipped and curled around Nathan's waist when he pulled back and nearly slipped out of her.

Nathan let out a hard growl that made the shepherdess' body tremble as he let go of all restraint. Like one of his feral ancestor he began to thrust hard and fast into the woman, the dull slaps becoming hard and sharp as he fucked her passionately. Still cheek to cheek he huffed loudly when his knot began to force its way into his lover.

The large bulb that battered the shepherdess' folds became more and more insistent; her one wish in that moment was for her body to yield faster so she could feel him fill her fully. The buildup in her loins was quick as the pain and pleasure of being knotted muddled her mind she let out one last cry.

The sound she made was muffled by the pillow as Nathan's knot slipped in and tied him with Maria. Her body shuddered and then went stiff as a board; at the same time milking his cock for all it was worth. Not quite as close as his lover, Nathan kept up his thrusting even though they were locked in place; his knot preventing him from pulling out more than an inch or so. As he pounded the curvy backside of the shepherdess, he clenched his teeth unable to resist reacting to the vice like grip she had on his shaft. At last, in a moment of triumph; he reared up and howled loudly as he came.

Maria's climax had passed its zenith but when the warm splash of cum hit her cervix and flooded her womb; the sensation of the squirts of semen filling her made her body tense up again, extending her orgasm and igniting every nerve with powerful sensations. Then it was gone, the passion of the moment gone, leaving only a pleasant afterglow as the wolf and shepherdess tumbled onto their sides.

It was several minutes before Nathan fully regained his senses. The first thing he noticed was heavy panting coming from both of their muzzles as they lay cheek to cheek. Still trembling with exhaustion, he pushed himself off of her and admired his work.

Feeling the warmth leave her back, Maria shivered as the cool air began to prick her skin through her wet fur. Panting hard, she was covered in sweat but she didn't care as her mind focused on the afterglow and sensation of still being tied.

After untangling his fingers from hers, Nathan pulled his paws out from under the pillow and slowly rose up to sit on his knees. Leaving trails of combed fur along the shepherdess' back with his claws, he rested a paw on her backside as he looked down. Angry red and swollen lips were barely visible; kissing his sheath as was the bulge from his knot, buried inside her. Burning the image into his mind for his own private collection of memories, he lay down again and began to kiss where he had bitten her between her shoulder blades and lovingly made his way up her neck.

Maria finally began to make coherent thoughts again and smiled when she felt the gentle kisses Nathan was leaving on her cheek, neck and ears. “Wolf…" she said barely above a whisper. He responded with a growl and a sharp but playful nip at her ear. Flicking her ear clear of his bite, she smiled and chuckled softly as she felt his large paw push itself between her body and the sheets to cup her breast before squeezing it and coaxing another throaty moan out of her. Opening her eyes she glanced over her shoulder and smiled at Nathan as she rubbed her backside against him. “That was amazing."

The tugging on his knot made Nathan pause and take a deep breath as he wanted to whisper in her ear the three words he had been desperate to say for so long, but they caught in his throat again. With an exhausted sigh, Nathan took in his surroundings then looked at the pillow Maria had bitten and snickered. “One more pillow ruined. I'll add it to the score board."

Reaching up, Maria patted him on the cheek. “Not the pillow, just the casing. Sorry, but you're not as devastating as you think."

Sliding his paw from her breast down her belly, Nathan grinned wildly when he touched the little barbell and felt her twitch violently. “Devastating enough though. That's what happens when you cry 'wolf' my little shepherd."

“I'll keep that in mind, Maria whispered as she turned her head and slipped her paw to the back of Nathan's head to bring their lips together. She kissed him quickly before rolling her hips again and letting out a moan. “That's knot isn't going down anytime soon is it?" The reply came as a shake of the wolf's head to which she licked her lips. “Let's find something to do to pass the time then." Tensing her arm, she brought their lips together again and while their tongues slipped past each other she moaned as his large paw returned to her breast.

* * *

Days began to blur together, the passionate nights and mornings with her wolf kept Maria motivated and sharp as the appeal's court day loomed on the horizon. Her apartment had become a warm place where she would eagerly return to in the evening, where Nathan would be waiting for her; the wild wolf at ease with the routine of his days. During the day he would occasionally meet Maria for lunch before roaming the city, meeting up with shipmates but always returning home. Awaiting the arrival of his lover and to steal a kiss when she walked through the door as one month passed by.

* * *

Pressing her cheek against the cool tiles, Maria let out a sigh as the warm water hit her back. A moan quickly followed as two large paws pushed her butt cheeks apart and a large tongue licked her from her piercing all the way to the base of her tail.

On his knees behind her, Nathan took his time cleaning her swollen red lips with tender loving care. Using his thumbs he parted those lips and watched how the water cascaded down the shepherdess' back washing away the mess he had made earlier. The collection of a very long evening and early morning. “Dirty girl." He chuckled and was rewarded with a heavy wet tail slapping him in the side of his face.

“And whose fault is that?"

Chuckling, Nathan spread her labia further before blowing a stream of cold air over the sensitive flesh in front of him. Maria's legs twitched violently and he felt her ass wobble in his grip. Closing his eyes and leaning closer he went back to work, licking everything several times before moving on.

Feeling his diligent effort in cleaning her, Maria pressed herself harder against the wall to keep steady. A month; she thought to herself. A month had passed since Nathan had walked back into her life with that silver tongue of his. Grabbing the shower rail, she pressed her backside firmly into the wolf's face. Over the past few weeks he had used his talented tongue so many times; every time knowing how to play her like a fiddle.

The moan resounding inside the shower made Nathan smile as his tongue delved into her depths once more. The tart taste of her sex didn't bother him; it drove him to make sure his lover was always satisfied. Turning his head slightly, he curled the tip of his tongue and pushed deep into her vagina as it quivered around his agile appendage.

Clutching the rail with both paws, Maria let out a whine and managed to find her frail and shaky voice at the end of it. “Nathan... Careful." Her entire form trembled as his tongue flicked in and out of her for long minutes.

The wolf had finished cleaning Maria some time ago and was enjoying himself by pleasing his lover. The simple pleasure of having his nose pressed against her lush ass and his tongue deep inside her, sipping her nectar, brought him a genuine sense of happiness. When the shivers around his tongue became more and more erratic he pulled it out and peered up.

With her entire torso heaving as she breathed, Maria was thankful for the moment's respite, but it didn't last long as she felt his agile tongue tapping against her clit and the piercing just above it. “Oh, shit... Nathan!" Gritting her teeth she pushed her cheek hard against the wet tiles and did her best to remain upright for as long as she could. Feeling his hot breath on her folds, the wolf took her piercing into his mouth; she was about to scream when one thumb shifted and sneaked its way under her tail. Her eyes flew open and with a cry of slight discomfort and pure pleasure.

Looking up at Maria's shaking form, Nathan wrapped one arm around her legs and tried to keep her upright. Slowly he pulled back the thumb that he had used to tease her tail-hole and admired the small pink star for a moment before slowly standing up. Guiding both his paws to her front he pulled her gently back into a standing position. Holding her close he watched her content face as she laid her head on his shoulder. “You're so sensitive under your tail. Imagine what we could..."

“No." Maria's answer was short and to the point as she rolled her head towards his and opened her eyes. “Maybe you'll get lucky one day," slipping a paw around his body and cupping one of the wolf's firm buttocks, she pushed a finger between his butt cheeks “but only if I get to return the favor."

Nathan raised an eyebrow and looked up as he contemplated the suggestion. Licking his lips he returned his gaze to hers. “Do I get to choose the size of the strap-on?"

Withdrawing her paw, Maria patted the side of his head with the other. “We'll see." Deftly gliding her paw to his crotch, she wrapped her fingers around the hard and warm member she felt poking her lower back. “Now that I'm clean, we need to do something about you."

Before Nathan could think up a snappy comeback, he found himself pressed against the tiled wall with a paw pressing firmly on his chest and another squeezing his cock. Following her every move; he watched as an amused expression played across Maria's face. Even with her black hair plastered against her features, she still looked beautiful standing under the spray. “Careful," Nathan began as he felt the paw on his cock move. “I'm still really sensitive."

Leaning in Maria, brushed her nose past his muzzle and whispered in a wet husky growl. “So am I." Starting at his neck, she began to kiss her way down his body. When she bumped into a nipple she looked up and smiled before licking the hard nub.

Nathan grabbed the back of his head with a paw and the shower rail with the other as he watched his lover make her way down his body. He tensed up and bared his teeth when she bit his nipple and watched as her long tail wagged from side to side, flicking water around. Bright steel gray eyes peered out from behind long black hair as her muzzle worked further down his body. Nathan couldn't stop his tail from wagging and brushing hard against the wall. What he was about to experience was a rare event, and he would savor every second of it.

Settling on her knees, Maria made herself comfortable and stared playfully at her prize as she leaned in. Touching his sheath with her nose, she could still smell the wolf's arctic scent before planting several gentle kisses on the furry pouch. Slowly moving her paw up and down she stroked his cock from the still deflated knot to the pointed tip and watched her wolf shiver with delight. With warm water running down its length, Maria stuck out her tongue and made a show of licking along the underside of the large wolf cock in front of her.

With a white knuckle grip on the shower rail, Nathan growled his approval as her agile tongue teased his sensitive flesh. The wolf never questioned her ability and just enjoyed the fact that she was easily as skilled at oral sex as he was; she was just a little more reserved when it came to engaging in the act. His head rolled back and bumped against the wall with a thud; he didn't care about the twang of pain as it was quickly washed over with other more enjoyable sensations. When her tongue left his cock, he let out a long sigh, but her lips returned seconds later and kissed the tip, then began to draw him inside her warm mouth once more.

Feeling the ridge of the tapered head slip inside of her mouth, Maria moaned approvingly; the vibration rewarding her with a warm squirt of pre-cum that made her tongue tingle. Sucking him in deeper she swallowed the salty drops slowly, savoring his taste. Glancing up, the shower sprayed in her face and blinded her, but she could still hear Nathan let out a satisfying grunt. One of her paws rested on the wolf's hips while she caressed the inside of his legs with the other; slowly making her way up his thighs before gently cupping his large ball sack.

Feeling a soft touch play with his testicles, Nathan did his best to smile with his mouth wide open, but his tongue lolled out of his muzzle as the lips around his cock began to slide back and forth along his length. Spreading his legs slightly, he tensed the muscles in his abdomen as she pushed him to the edge in seconds. “Fuck, so close..."

Pulling her head back, Maria grinned wickedly before squeezing his testicles. “You had better performance with three balls."

Nathan laughed heartily. “I can't believe you still remember that." His laughter quickly turned into a moan when she took his tip in her mouth and sucked on it harder than before. She toyed with her lover for a few minutes keeping him whimpering and growling lustfully as her tongue lashed the angry red member in her mouth. When she felt a paw touch the back of her head, she pushed the shaft all the way down her throat and felt his knot pulse and expand against her lips. Tightening her jaws she felt his fingers tense and grab her hair. Pulling her head back steadily to avoid sudden choking, Maria shifted out of the stream of water and looked up at the wolf. “I'm in charge here." She warned him playfully and immediately felt his fingers let go and the paw leave her head. “Good boy."

Nathan raised his arms above his head, holding onto the vertical shower rail with all of his strength. When her sleek muzzle moved towards his cock again, he closed his eyes and waited. His mouth fell open when instead of lips he felt teeth just behind the tip of his cock. Maria gave his member a short sharp tug, and Nathan roared at the ceiling; his eyes wide open but unable to focus on anything.

Feeling his balls in her paw twitch and draw close to the wolf's body, Maria pushed forward to make her teeth lightly scrape against the sensitive red spire before locking her lips tightly around his engorged knot. His shaft twitched violently with his tip hitting the back of her throat as she forced herself to take more of him, swallowing every drop of his watery semen as it launched into her. After all of the sex they had been having over the past month, Maria wasn't surprised that it wasn't as thick as it usually was, but she didn't mind. Caressing Nathan's cock with her tongue she made sure she got everything he had to offer before slowly pulling her head back. Her lips stayed in contact with his shaft until it finally slipped from her mouth and she gave it a loving kiss. “You must be tired." She felt the member soften as she put her thumb underneath it to hold it up. “Go back into your sheath so you can rest."

Nathan wanted to protest as the shepherdess talked against his crotch but all he could do was let out an exhausted huff. The back of his head rested against the wall next to the shower rail as he tried to catch his breath in the steamy shower stall.

With gentle kisses, Maria guided her plaything back into its home. “Go to sleep. Mommy has plans for you later." Keeping her nose close to Nathan's body she got back to her feet and brushed her hair out of her eyes. The shepherdess began to laugh at Nathan's expression; the sardonic smirk on the wolf's face was priceless. She pressed herself close to him, wrapping her paws around his waist. “Awww, don't tell me you're jealous of, Little Nathan?"

The wolf raised his head and looked up at the ceiling making her stand on tip toes to touch the underside of his muzzle with her nose. Nathan wrapped his arms around her body and shook his head as he gave her ass a firm spank, extracting a squeal of delight from her. “Little Nathan doesn't need any encouragement." When he looked down, Maria moved to kiss him but he avoided her lips by turning his head. “Oh no. I've seen where that mouth has been..." He growled sarcastically, as his fingers squeezed her butt cheeks and did his best to hide a humorous grin. “Brush your teeth."

Reaching up, Maria put her arms around his neck and pulled herself up to reach his face more easily. While Nathan still moved his head to avoid a kiss, she stuck out her tongue and began licking his cheek working her way up to his ear. “You don't taste half bad..."

The wolf inhaled sharply when her agile tongue brushed the inside of his ear making him shiver and twist his head to try and avoid it. Letting out a deep growl he took a firm hold of Maria and lifted her before twisting his body around and pinning her to the shower wall again.

Maria grunted when her back hit the wall and instinctively wrapped her legs around Nathan's waist. “Mmmh, I know you want to play again," she purred as her paws cupped his cheeks and gently stroked through his wet fur. The wolf didn't move when she leaned in and their lips met; she gave him a proper taste of himself and then pulled her head back and lost herself in his eyes for a moment. “but I need to get ready for work."

Enjoying the feeling of her breast squashed against his chest, Nathan shifted his body slowly as he nuzzled and gently bit at her throat. “Just a few more minutes…"

* * *

Lying belly down on the bed, Nathan watched Maria dress herself; his eyes glued to her backside. When she bent over to put her panties on, a delightful smirk crossed his muzzle when she raised her tail and gave him a show. Hearing him growl seductively behind her, Maria took her time pulling the plain blue panties around her butt, making sure they sat comfortably. Reaching out to the dresser, she picked up the matching bra she had laid out earlier. “Enjoying the view?" She asked as she fastened the clasps under her breasts.

“I could watch you dress all day."

Grinning at the compliment, Maria slid the clasp of the bra to her back before turning around and catching the wolf's eyes shift between her face and her bare breasts. “Flatterer." She stuck her arms through the shoulder straps before lifting them up on her shoulder. The cups of the garment pressed uncomfortably against the underside of her breasts, pushing them up and forming a lot of cleavage for her lover to ogle at. Taking her time to make sure her girls were settled in the bra properly, Maria continuously glanced at Nathan as he admired her.

He didn't notice her watching as he kept looking at her curvy form, his elbows pressed into the mattress as his paws supported his head; all the while his tail slowly wagged behind him. “You're beautiful."

Letting out an audible snort, Maria put her paws on her hips and looked down at herself. “I could be wearing a burlap sack and you'd still say that." She adjusted her bra one last time before walking into her closet to find an outfit for the day. Once she was out of sight she called out to him. “Why don't you get dressed and get breakfast going?"

With a content sigh, Nathan rolled onto his back before throwing his legs over the edge of the bed and sitting up. After putting on underwear, a pair of jeans and a t-shirt he sauntered towards the kitchen. It wasn't long before Maria stepped out of the closet dressed in slacks, a sleeveless blouse and blazer that matched the slacks. Lifting her nose and sniffing deeply, she took a guess as to what was waiting for her in the kitchen. “Mhmmm, Toast."

Sitting at the dinner table, Maria found a plate with two buttered slices of toast and a jar of strawberry jelly waiting for her. Next to it was a small bowl filled with an assortment of fruit slices and berries. Nathan whistled quietly to himself as he made more fresh orange juice. When he finally returned to the table, Maria had already devoured half her breakfast. Stepping up behind the shepherd, he leaned passed her to place the glass next to her plate; the position gave him the opportunity to brush his nose past her ear. “You really do look beautiful."

Turning her head, Maria kissed his cheek as he leaned forward. “You already said that, but I was barely dressed at that time so I'm having a hard time believing you."

Kissing her ear, Nathan placed his paws on her shoulder before leaving a trail of kisses in her thick black hair before finding her bare neck. “Your kind of beauty isn't skin deep though." One of his paws slipped down her back and under her arm before coming to a rest on her thigh. A second later he made a disappointed sigh. “Slacks?"

Reaching down, Maria pushed the paw on her thigh a bit further towards her knee. “I wouldn't need these if you didn't keep crumpling my skirts in the morning."

“You never complained before." Nathan growled affectionately as his other paw slipped under her other arm and felt its way into her blazer.

“I wasn't complaining." Maria giggled before preparing the last piece of toast with a heavy spreading of jelly. The wolf's advance became more amorous; still feeling playful; Maria guided one of his paws back towards her knee and the other out from under her blazer before finishing the last piece of her breakfast. They kept their lusty dance going for several minutes until Maria decided her time was up and rose from the table.

Turning to face the wolf, Maria stepped around the chair and slipped her arms around Nathan's neck, pressing her body against his. Enjoying the moment, she felt his paws settle on her backside and murmured her appreciation of his gentle gropes, but she had to bring him back to reality. “Not going to happen, Babe. You'll have to wait until tonight before we can play again." Before the wolf could respond, she kissed him gently on the lips.

Nathan savored the kiss and let his lover go when she broke their tender moment. “Are you going to be in court today?"

Downing the last of her juice, Maria shook her head from side to side lightly. Once the glass was empty she set it down and repeated the gesture. “No, but it's hectic at the office so I had better look good just in case we get called in or need to take a statement." Letting her hips sway, she walked over to the sink and cleaned the remnants of jam that had caught on the fur of her muzzle. “It's going to be a long day though, no matter what happens. Don't expect me home before nine."

Unhappy with that bit of news, Nathan frowned and looked at the empty plate. “You should have said so. I would have made you a bigger breakfast." Picking up the empty plate and glass he brought it over to the sink. Coming to a stop next to the shepherdess, he put his burden down before slipping a paw around her waist and drawing her closer.

Looking up Maria saw his head lower towards her and met his lips for another kiss. “Don't worry about it," she said once they parted again, but quick glance at her watch made her sigh. “I really need to get going."

Nathan leaned back against the counter and watched her stride purposefully towards the hallway before speaking up. “I already put your briefcase next to the door."

Changing direction and heading back to the door, she smiled happily. “Perfect. Thank you, Babe."

With his arms folded, Nathan walked towards the doorway and peered around the corner. He watched Maria collect her keys out of the hallway table drawer and open the door. She peered back long enough to blow him a kiss before the door closed behind her. Alone, he stretched lazily and scratched the back of his head. “What the hell am I going to do now?" He asked to nobody in particular, as he reached into his pocket, digging out his smart phone. He hit the power button to bring it off of stand-by mode and checked for various icons that might detail new messages. After staring at it for a moment, he returned the item to his pocket. “All quiet… I can't let that stand."

* * *

Rick looked at the tiny clock on the photo-copier's display, to his delight it was nearly lunchtime but he still had work to finish before taking his break. Once the machine had stopped rattling and buzzing he sorted the copied papers into the appropriate folders before securing them under his arm. Stepping out of the small copying room and heading to the small kitchen area, he froze when he saw an unknown form standing in front of the coffee maker. It was a wolf, but he was too casually dressed to be part of the office staff. Curious about the stranger he canted his head to the side, making one of his floppy ears unfold as he spoke up. “I'm sorry, who are you and what are you doing here?"

Putting a few more spoons of coffee grounds into the filter, the wolf didn't turn around and just kept working. “Do you people just set a single pot for the entire day?" He slid the filter basket back into the machine before turning around. “No wonder Maria usually gets her coffee at that overpriced deli."

The mention of the shepherdess made Rick's head snap up and he glowered at his rival. So this is Nathan Fenn; he thought. Everything Brutus had told him about the wolf had made his blood boil. The thought of this joker sharing a bed with Maria made him green with envy. Tensing his jaw he just stared menacingly at Nathan as the wolf walked towards him.

Picking up a paper bag from the table as he passed it, Nathan scrutinized the young canine for a second. “Not bad," he commented as he put his paw on Rick's shoulder and casually moved him out of the doorway to pass him. “Keep working on that face kid. In a few years it might actually look intimidating."

Torn between exploding with rage and remaining professional, Rick followed Nathan; his bitter emotions simmering as something sprang to his mind. He tried to keep the vicious grin off his muzzle as venomous words rolled off his tongue. “Miss Eckholdt went out to have sex before you came back. She cheated on you!"

The tall wolf paused in his stride and looked over his shoulder at Rick, trying to figure out what he was hoping to achieve. After a moment of silence had passed between them, Nathan turned fully and looked at the young canine with one eyebrow raised. “You're Rick, right?" The young intern took a step back, surprised that the wolf knew who he was. “Tell me, what do you think that information will do to me?" The youngster tried to find words, but the wolf's calm reaction had caught him off guard. Nathan took a step closer to Rick and folded his arms, the paper bag dangling against his elbow. “Do you think I'm going to fly into some great temper tantrum? Maybe you think it'll force me to break up with her. Oh, what if that clears a way for you?" The wolf paused then let out a deep chuckle that disturbed the young canine. “Listen kid, Miss Eckholdt," he smirked as he said the name, “has needs just like everyone else. If you think I'm jealous; then you're right, I am… Very." Taking a deep breath, Nathan turned his gaze from the youth and frowned. “However, the only one to blame for that; is me." He glanced towards Rick and shook his head. “I will never tell Maria what to do with her life when I'm not around. That would be selfish; so long as she's safe and happy doing what she's doing, I'm happy that she's getting on with her life. The only thing I regret about what you just said; is that I wasn't there for her."

The two males stared at each other for a long moment. Rick was taken aback by the wolf's words. He had expected to anger him and put the wolf on the back foot. Instead, Nathan had been level headed and shown no retaliatory behavior. In that moment, Rick suddenly felt very small.

Canting his head slightly, Nathan looked Rick over; clearly making the younger canine uncomfortable. “So, why is a good looking lad like yourself chasing after a woman who you know doesn't want you?" Rick blinked, stunned by the question, but failed to answer before the wolf spoke up again. “You know, if you actually took care of yourself, you could have almost any girl you wanted." Rick didn't know if Nathan was being sincere or pulling his leg. “You're still young kid. Make your mistakes and make peace with them, but just as a word of advice…" the wolf leaned in closer and whispered, “If you're going to start something with someone, make sure that you're the one who's going to leave with his head held high." Tapping two fingers to his brow in a mock salute, Nathan turned and continued on his way towards Maria's office, seemingly unphased by their exchange.

With a gleeful bounce in his step, Nathan walked into the center of the bullpen and came to a halt whistling to himself. As all the staff slowly began to take notice, he grinned. Every staff member and intern that had ever been at the receiving end of Nathan's pranks stopped working immediately when they saw him and as word spread in hushed murmurs, everybody that hadn't yet been a victim paused to see what the infamous wolf would do next.

Seeing every pair of eyes on him, Nathan exaggerated a royal wave as he made his way through the maze of desks. “Hello everyone; good to see you all again." He noticed some covert glances in the direction of Brutus' office and when he reached Maria's door he turned and bowed slightly. “Don't worry about the boss, I know he's away." The wolf was so caught up in his own theatrical performance that he didn't notice the door opening behind him. “So until he's back you are all my... Hey?! Ouch, that hurts!"

With a firm grasp around the root of the trouble maker's tail, Maria pulled Nathan into her office before closing the door on the frightened faces of the office staff. “Damn it, Nathan! I told you to stay away from the office. Brutus is going to flip out when he finds out you've been here."

“What, will he flip out like a ninja? That would be worth sticking around for." Nathan chuckled, but drew nothing more than a sigh from his lover.

Walking back to her desk, Maria sat down and closed the folder in front of her, then placed it on the pile to her right. “Not that I'm unhappy to see you, Babe, but what are you doing here?"

Rubbing the twinge in his tail that she had caused, Nathan looked at the shepherdess and suddenly felt like a school boy as she looked at him from behind her desk with an air of authority surrounding her. It fired his imagination, but he curbed his urges and held up the bag before bowing respectfully and gesturing towards it like butler. “I have brought you lunch, my lady." Setting the paper bag down in front of Maria, he opened it and pulled out a large cup that he placed in front of her. “One extra strong, large coffee with vanilla creamer."

Maria reached out and wrapped her fingers around the cup before drawing it close to her and inhaling the warm roasted bean scent. “Good start." She could feel the warmth radiating from the cup and a watched a thin wisp of vapor float up from the drink hole in the lid. Reaching back into the bag, Nathan pulled out a small airtight box that he set before Maria with a smile on his muzzle.

Curious why he didn't say what he had brought her, Maria looked up at the wolf and raised a questioning eyebrow, but he wasn't giving anything away. She reached out and gingerly lifted the cover before looking in and seeing a slice of bread. “A sandwich; that's what you brought me?" Looking at Nathan, she frowned in disbelief before gesturing at the bread. “The fact that you cut it diagonally doesn't automatically make it fancy."

“It gets better," Nathan commented as he walked around the desk. “There is more underneath." Seeing the indecisive look on her face told him that she was still choosing between laughing or punching him. Removing himself from immediate danger, he stood behind her and out of her attack radius. He reached over her shoulder and took hold of the first sandwich. “Close your eyes."

“What?"

He couldn't help but grin at the unsure tone in her voice. “Close your eyes." Nathan repeated and to his delight he watched her do just that. He lifted the sandwich out of the box before bringing it to her muzzle. “Now, open wide…" There was a moment of hesitation from Maria but when her lips parted he carefully pushed the tip of the triangle into her mouth. “Bite."

Feeling the sandwich touch her tongue, Maria bit down on it. A large chunk of bread entered her mouth and when she started to chew, the taste of what was in the sandwich filled her senses. Her eyes flew open and she smiled up at Nathan, flashing her teeth even though she was still chewing. “Chicken with cranberry, Nathan..."

“Don't talk with your mouth full," Nathan admonished her before leaning down and kissing her between the ears, his nose twitching as it was tickled by her black hair. After surrendering the sandwich, he watched Maria wolf it down and start on the remaining three. When she was about to bite the fourth one in half he spoke up. “So, why do you love chicken and cranberry so much?"

Maria bit down on the sandwich and turned her head to look at him. After swallowing, she cast the wolf a quizzical look. “I never told you?"

“No. I've you seen you make them before and really enjoy them, so I made these as a treat, but I never knew why?"

Looking at remaining piece of bread in her paw, Maria took a deep breath and smiled as she thought back. “You know my family was very poor when I was little right?"

“You mentioned it." Nathan watched the expression on the shepherdess' face carefully and knew that she didn't want to be pitied.

“Once in a while, dad would bring home food that wasn't out of a can. It was usually a chicken he would get from a friend at work." Rotating the sandwich in her fingers, Maria's gaze became distant. “Sometimes mom would put a slice of chicken on my sandwiches for school, but it would always be dry by lunchtime." She chuckled as she remembered her youth fondly, while Nathan remained quiet. “I didn't want to complain because chicken was a luxury for us, but after a few times mom knew I wasn't completely happy with her generous gesture." Her breathing became unsteady but she regained her composure quickly. “I told her how dry it got, but she didn't get angry." The shepherdess' usually cold steel grey eyes softened as her trip down memory lane continued. “She didn't get angry at all, she just hugged me and told me she'd do what she could. The next time she made me a chicken sandwich for school, she put cranberry jelly on it. I swear, it was the best lunch I ever had at school." Turning her head Maria smiled at Nathan. “Even when dad got promoted and life got a lot easier, mom would make me chicken and cranberry jelly sandwiches from time to time."

“So, I did good?" He smiled at her with perked up ears and his tail gingerly wagging behind him as he waited for her answer.

The shepherdess' smile was beaming on her face when she gazed at him lovingly and reached for the front of his shirt. It didn't take any persuading to make the wolf lean forward. “You made me the perfect lunch." She said and teased her lips against his. “Thank you."

The teasing made Nathan growl and kiss her deeply. Their paws reached for each other's heads and their embrace lasted for a long moment. Once their kiss broke it left them both panting heavily. “I would take you in a manly fashion." The wolf growled lustfully.

Maria giggled “Because I'm pretty?"

“Because you're pretty."

“I didn't know you watched that show." The shepherdess laughed heartily.

“I need something to do on the boat at night. Any word on season two yet?"

She lightly swatted his muzzle knowing that he was joking, before kissing him softly on the cheek and removing his paw from her breast. “I'd gladly let you take me, but Brutus could be back any minute. So for your safety and my sanity, you'd better take off, Babe."

With a warming smile on his face, Nathan leaned down and kissed her again before licking his lips. “Mmmh, cranberry."

She winked and finished the last piece of the sandwich before shooing him away. “Get out of here you lunatic. I'll thank you properly for lunch when I get home."

The promise in the tone the shepherdess used caused a shiver of anticipation to run down Nathan's back as he gathered the sandwich box. He kissed Maria once more on her forehead before walking to the door but before stepping through, he spoke up. “Oh, by the way. There is only decaf in the kitchen."

Maria groaned and looked at the coffee he had brought her. “That's why you brought me this?" She caught him winking at her as he disappeared out of the door.

When he appeared in the bullpen everybody eyed him wearily, but he just waved dismissively and walked past them. “Have a lovely day. Work hard, bust criminals, ruin a life or two..." He almost laughed out loud at the paranoid and irritated looks he got before getting into the elevator. As the doors closed he licked his canines and pushed the button for the top floor. After a short wait, the doors opened and he exited on an all but empty floor. It was filled with large conference rooms of which two were in use by groups of lawyers having a lively debate as the opposing party's stared daggers at each other. The wolf slipped past everyone unnoticed and passed through the stairwell door before descending back to the floor he had just left. In the stairwell was a large box that he had paid one of the janitors to leave for him while he visited Maria. He picked up the package before slipping through the door as quietly as possible. The hustle and bustle had picked up again in the bullpen in the few short minutes of his absence. People were rushing around to get all their papers in order and sorted correctly. So loud was the activity that nobody heard the loud metal click from the stairwell door, or saw the figure that slipped into Brutus Waterstone's office.

* * *

When Brutus finally returned to the office, he felt something was wrong. All of the staff seemed to be on edge for some reason, and he couldn't put his finger on the reason why. Stepping through the door to his office, he let out a sigh before sitting in his chair. Keeping his eyes on his desk he reached into one of the drawers and pulled out a carton box of nicotine gum.

“Still trying to kick the habit?"

The voice made Brutus inhale sharply before he let out a loud growl towards the intruder as he crushed the box and its contents. “Fenn." Raising his head, he saw the wolf leaning against a filing cabinet with his usual torturous smirk on his muzzle that he seemed to reserve for Brutus alone.

Sauntering towards the desk, Nathan placed a paw on the polished wooden surface. “Please, you know I prefer, Nathan." Slowly the wolf's smirk transformed into a big toothy grin. “Now Brutus, I know you've been under a lot of stress these past weeks." He raised a paw, stopping the large mastiff as he tried to stand. “Calm down. I know this because Maria has been just as tightly wound," he paused for a moment as his grin turned into a lecherous smile, “not to give you too much information, but helping her unwind after a long day has been my pleasure. So, I thought you could use some of the same treatment."

Nathan leaned over the desk pursing his lips and fluttering his eyes. Brutus leaned back utterly confused and disturbed by the wolf's actions. His confusion quickly turned to anger when Nathan stepped away, threw his head back and laughed like a musketeer.

“The look on your face." Nathan managed to utter while chuckling. “I swear, Brutus, you're priceless, but don't worry, I'm not your type." Taking another step away, he tried to look serious, holding up a finger while his other paw touched his elbow. “Seriously Brutus, you need to relax more; go get some girl, some guy or whatever you're into and have some fun. If you're feeling really dangerous, go get a hooker."

The veins on Brutus' forehead throbbed visibly as his anger boiled over into sheer rage. The mastiff sprang up intent of beating the aggravating wolf in front of him as he sent his chair crashing into the cabinet behind him. “You..." Brutus paused, interrupted by a sharp beeping coming from Nathan's pocket.

Taking out his phone, Nathan looked at it and stopped the alarm, all the while never taking his eyes off the angry Mastiff. “Hold that thought." He took a further step towards the door. “We'll talk again after you've picked up some nice girls."

As the wolf began to leave, Brutus was suddenly on alert; knowing Nathan never left without preparing some prank for the office, himself, or both. Scrambling to his top drawer, he was relieved to see his cigars hadn't been tampered with this time. He took a second to breathe a sigh of relief, when a soft whirring sound caught his ear. Turning towards the source of the disturbance, he saw a large black box sitting at an odd angle on top of one of his filing cabinets that he hadn't noticed when he arrived. Having been the butt of many of Nathan's pranks, Brutus guessed this was part of his latest gag. As much as he tried to resist, he knew he'd have to touch the box to get rid of it.

A thunderous bang issued from Brutus' office. The noise stopped all work from proceeding as coffee mugs and files were dropped, and the staff were shocked into a fully alert state. All the while, Nathan casually wandered across the bull pit whistling tunelessly to himself. Maria rushed to her door to see what the commotion was about in time to see Brutus' office door fly open and the huge mastiff fill the frame. “NAAATTHHHAAAANNNN!!!" Behind him, dozens of fliers fluttered around his office, he even had a few crumpled ones in his paws. Maria turned her attention to a sudden rush of activity in the bull pit and saw Nathan run and vault over a desk towards the elevators. She was about to call out to him when he hit the elevator call button and turned to give a showman's bow. She wanted to be angry at him, but couldn't find it in herself after he had been so kind to her.

Nathan laughed as he stood upright and called out across the office. “To all a merry Christmas, and to all a good night." Catching sight of Maria, he blew her a kiss, utterly uncaring of the massive form of Brutus charging towards him. The elevator doors opened and he slipped inside, brushing past a female raccoon as she exited the elevator in a hurry and apologized for bumping into her.

“Get back here you little shit!"

The raccoon stopped in her tracks seeing the raging ball of fury that was Brutus, charging at the elevator. Rapidly coming to her senses, she stepped to the side and glanced into the elevator as the doors were closing and caught sight of a wolf with a boyish grin on his muzzle.

Impacting on the elevator door with his full weight, Brutus roared in frustration before battering his fists against the doors. “Come back and face me like a wolf!"

Trying to stay out of Brutus' cross hairs, the raccoon was about to continue on her way when she spotted a flier stuck to the bottom of his shoe. Squatting down, she read it out loud. “For the best massages and a happy ending, call Stacy. Oooh, Stacy, I hear she's good." She could feel the piercing dagger stare from Brutus cutting into her as she cautiously looked up.

“That's not funny, Lieutenant Forrester." Lifting his foot, he snatched the flier away and looked at it before crumpling it in his massive paw along with another that he already held.

“Confetti-bomb prank?" Helen asked with a smirk.

Brutus grumbled something under his breath and then fixed the raccoon with a stern stare. “On your way." He growled before stomping back to his office.

Getting back to her feet, Helen rearranged her brown leather jacket and watched the Mastiff storm away. She spotted Maria standing in her open door and waved at her as she approached. Closing the door behind her, Maria took a deep breath before looking at Helen and letting out a snort. “So, you've finally met Nathan and seen why Brutus hates him."

Helen looked hesitantly at the shepherdess. “Actually, I was lost in thought when I got out the elevator; I only caught a glimpse of him. He's tall, just like you said."

Rolling her eyes, Maria walked up to the raccoon and hugged her friend. “What are you doing here, Hun? Business or pleasure."

Returning the hug, Helen gave Maria's cheek a quick kiss. “Sadly, business. We've had a very angry lawyer raging against the commissioner earlier today. What did you do?"

Letting Helen go, Maria had a Cheshire cat's grin on her face. “Brutus might have pulled the same trick on them as they did on us. We sent them every investigation we had in progress, but hiding the good stuff away. Actual paperwork gets so messy, especially when put in the wrong folder or box."

“That's evil. Aren't you supposed to be the good guys?" Helen said as she waved an accusing finger. “Anyhow, I came to tell you the good news in person." The look the shepherdess gave her made her stick her paws in her pockets and glance up at the ceiling and smile. “I may also have come here to see if I could steal you away from your wolf this weekend. After the last month I think we could both use some pampering." She saw Maria think about it and she jumped on her delay. “Afraid he'll start chewing the furniture?"

The mental image made Maria laugh. “No, I was just trying to remember the last time we did something like that."

Doing the quick calculation in her head, Helen held up three fingers. “Three months at least. We went to that spa up north. I think a day of hot baths and massages will be just the ticket to get rid of all the stress."

Thinking back to last time, Maria remembered how good she felt after spending a day there. “It sounds perfect. Doing nothing but relaxing."

Seeing the dreamy expression on her friends face, Helen smirked. “I'll make reservations for Sunday then." She licked her lips, then bit them gently. “Maybe Melchior will be free for massages..."

Immediately Maria remembered the big burly tiger as his strong paws kneaded the muscles in her thighs, hoping he would touch just a little bit higher, and then she remembered Nathan doing the same thing only a few days ago. The thought made her blush.

“Maybe this time we can get him to lie down on the table." Helen had a faraway look in her eyes as she wrapped her arms around her waist. “Me on top of his lap and you on his muzz..."

Maria's fantasy stopped immediately and she shook her head. “No. If you want to have fun with Melchior, you can go right ahead."

The blissful expression on Helen's face changed into a scowl. “Oh right, Nathan is in town and Maria turns into the faithful wife."

Maria's ice cold stare focused on the raccoon and through clenched teeth she hissed. “I don't fool around when he's here because I don't need to."

The two femmes exchanged frosty stares for several seconds before Helen sighed and held up her paws as she knew how this argument would end. “I know. You've told me he's a great lover," taking a step closer to Maria she held her arms akimbo and sighed in exasperation “but every time that prick skips town, I'm the one who picks up the pieces." Stretching out an arm she placed her paw on the shepherdess' shoulder. “I hate seeing you hurt."

“I can take care of myself."

“I know." Helen interjected. “I just want to punch him for dumping you for his wild adventures. I'm sure you have your reasons for taking him back when he eventually returns, but I don't have to like it."

Having gathered her thoughts, Maria reached up and patted the raccoon's paw on her shoulder. “He's a really sweet and thoughtful guy. He takes care of my apartment, cooks for me, and when he kisses me..."

Reaching up with her other paw, Helen silenced Maria. “I know. You've told me the stories of his agile tongue; frequently!" She added with her eyes wide open. Pulling her finger from the shepherdess' lips, she thought of something. “Tell you what I'll come by your place on Sunday and pick you up, but,“ Helen's face grew stern and serious before she continued “I want to speak with Nathan, alone." The stern tone disappeared again as she looked unsure for just a moment. “That is, if you still want to go on Sunday?"

Maria wrapped her arms around the Raccoon's waist and hugged her close. “Of course I do. Just don't be too harsh on Nathan."

Returning the hug, Helen smiled. “I promise not to inflict bodily harm. At least not right away, even though he deserves it for every time he's left you."

* * *

The summer sun beamed down on the city as Nathan walked through the streets with a smile curling the corners of his mouth and a bounce in his step. Seeing a park, he couldn't resist going in and losing himself in the gardens; the shadows of the trees shading him from the harsh sun rays. It had been an hour since his successful pranks on the D.A.'s office and felt as if he were on top of the world; his tail wagging as he looked forward to seeing Maria at home later that evening.

The fragrance of dozens of different flowers, trees and freshly cut grass filled his nostrils; sustaining his good mood as he wandered aimlessly through the garden paths. Tall trees and hedges created long shadows which the wolf used to stay out of the sun light when it hit his eyes. Approaching the center of the garden, the area opened up into a large grass square, with pathways leading to the middle and a large fountain. Nathan grimaced at the structure as no water flowed or tumbled from its surfaces. Standing at the edge of the fountain, He looked into the still water and saw that the bottom was covered with coins. He chuckled as he thought about all the people that had made a wish and decided to join them. Reaching into his pocket he played with a couple of coins before removing one. Raising his paw he looked at the coin and rolled his eyes at the superstition of it all; though deep inside, he had one wish that he would do anything to fulfil, but the path he had set himself on made it highly unlikely that it would ever see fruition. “A ray of hope." Nathan mumbled before flipping the coin high in the air and watched it hit the water on its way down. The ripples bounced around the concrete basin, disrupting the mirror flat surface where the coin sank and joined all the other wishes that had been cast into the fountain.

Nathan watched the ripples for a moment and sighed, but as he turned to leave he felt the phone in his pocket start to vibrate and ring. Taking his phone out, the wolf look at the screen and frowned as he read the number on the display. For a moment he thought about ignoring the call but after several more rings he accepted it. “Fenn speaking."

“Nate," a gruff voice called out. “We got the go ahead for that Peru salvage, but the clock's ticking. You need to be ready to ship out in an hour."

There was a spark of anger and disbelief behind Nathan's eyes as he raised his voice and roared into the phone. “An hour!" Around him he saw several people in the gardens turn their heads towards him as he disturbed the tranquility in the area. He lowered his voice but the spite and rage still oozed from every word he spat into the phone. “I begged to be kept in the loop, Jackson! I begged! Just having a day or two to say goodbye for once."

“I know," said the calm and level headed voice of the bull. “But the captain..."

“Will be walking like a penguin after I remove his balls!" Nathan hissed. “I don't care if he is sober or not I will..."

“Nathan!" The calm voice suddenly had a razor sharp edge to it. “As much as I would love to keep listening to you lose it; I've got to call the rest of the crew."

“Two hours." Nathan said quickly before Jackson could hang up. “Give me two hours, I need to get back to Maria's place and get my things."

The conversation fell silent for a few seconds before the bull spoke up. “You're lucky I called you first. Two hours."

Striding swiftly towards the exit of the park, Nathan let out a sigh of relieve. “Thank you, Jackson."

There was another moment of silence before the bull spoke up. “Good luck with the missus, Nate."

* * *

Nathan burst into Maria's apartment and quickly disabled the alarm before rushing to the bedroom and grabbing his duffel bag. He gathered his clothes and turned on his tablet before hastily typing an email.

'Ship is sailing for Peru. I should be back in about two months. Let me know if you found anything.'

As Nathan waited for a reply he rummaged around in his backpack and pulled out a large blue envelope. Removing the card from within, he took it to Maria's desk and began writing; explaining where he was going and how much he would miss her. He ended the message the same way he had always did; writing down his feelings for her, finishing with the three words he struggled to say, followed by his name. Sliding the card back into the envelope he took it to the bedroom and placed it on her nightstand, propping it against the wall so that it was clearly visible. Making sure it was good and upright he turned back to his tablet and found a reply waiting for him.

'Smooth sailing Nathan. Hopefully I'll have some new leads for you to investigate upon your return. Stay safe.'

Nathan put the tablet back into his backpack and continued the hunt for his clothes; finding some in the living room where he had taken them off the night before. The memory of that night alone would be able to sustain him for a month on the ship. He dug up a bunch of underwear and socks from the clothes hamper in the corner, taking his time to extricate them from Maria's panties. Walking around the bed he did one last check and spotted his sweater through the open door of the walk-in closet. Stepping through the door he was about to reach for it but stopped just before his fingers touched it. Maria had worn it almost every night since she stole it from his duffel bag. He had to admit, she looked stunning and comfortable in it. Turning around, he left the sweater hanging where it was and checked his backpack; making sure his tablet, mini-printer and camera were secured. Reaching into the front pocket, he pulled out a photograph and jammed the corner into the mirror below the one that had been stuck there all month. It was the picture of him from the ship, trying to remove his camera from the waterproof case that Maria had liked so much. The wolf grabbed his backpack and slung it over his shoulder before grabbing the duffel bag on his way to the door. He closed the bedroom door gently as he always did, barely feeling the draft rush through the door.

Through the narrowing crack of the door the blast of air was directed straight at the nightstand and the envelope perched on top. Maria had known about the draft for years and had learned the hard way never to leave anything that could be blown away on her side of the bed. The gust pushed hard against the large blue envelope and forced it flush against the wall. It slid behind the nightstand, but the unusually large envelope got stuck on its way down; a clear sky blue corner still sticking out of the crack that had claimed every one of its predecessors.

Nathan came to a stop at the front door and looked down the hallway, the urge to stay was overwhelming but he knew he had to go. He pulled out his phone and considered calling Maria, but he knew she was having a tough day and didn't want to add to her troubles, his letter would explain, it always did; he just hoped she'd read this one. The alarm let out a shrill continuous beep as the wolf turned it on and left. As the door closed behind him, Nathan was unsure how things would go the next time he would step through it; if he were allowed to. Reaching into his back pocket, Nathan drew out a square glossy piece of paper and looked lovingly at the sight of Maria curled up on the couch reading a book and wearing his sweater; out of the several dozen photographs he had taken over the month, he loved this one the most and he already knew where he would put it.

* * *

Sitting in her office, Maria stared at the bare ceiling. It was late and the office was already deserted; Brutus had wanted everybody to be well rested for the first hearing of the appeal. “Still working on the same case." She sighed; having put the information Helen had brought her to good use and now waited until the last possible moment before leaving for the day for any news. The phone on the shepherdess' desk began to ring, breaking the perfect silence that hung in the dim office.

Maria glanced at the caller ID and even though it showed the number was hidden, she knew who it was. Putting the caller directly on speaker, she didn't offer any pleasantries knowing that the caller would be in no mood for them. “What the hell do you think you're doing, Patricia?" There came no reply, so Maria continued. “You want to get a lower sentencing by holding the police liable for your client's injuries that he sustained while in their custody? You actually waited two months before launching the appeal because that's how long they keep the footage." Still no reply came from the caller. “But, as you can see we have footage in high definition of your client taunting the other inmate who, by the way, has a really good right hook."

“I thought I could keep this out of court." A soft melodious voice said on the other side of the line. “I had hoped Brutus would be too busy to pay much attention."

Shaking her head at the audacity of the plan, Maria let out a chuckle. “And with Brutus not caring about the case you would be able to settle and shave a few years off the conviction, yes? Something that would look nice on a resumé?"

“Yes."

The answer told her everything she needed before going in for the kill. Her voice became cold and dismissive as she interlaced her fingers and tapped her chin with both of the index fingers. “Drop the appeal, if you can catch Judge Locke, you can cancel the first hearing for tomorrow so you won't have to face Brutus, who by the way, has been very pissed off by this whole ordeal."

The voice on the other side had lost some of the melody as Patricia spoke again. “I've heard the stories. I will strongly advise my client to drop the appeal."

With a victorious grin on her muzzle, Maria leaned back in her chair. “Good. Until next time, Patricia. Have a good evening."

“A good evening to you too, Maria." Patricia grumbled before ending the call.

Listening to the continuous tone of a terminated call, Maria slowly spun her chair around and let out a sigh of relief. The smile plastered on her face didn't fade, even after several minutes when she finally hit the hang up button on the phone. Getting to her feet she gathered her briefcase and didn't put a single file into it, the soft click of the locks the only sound in her office. For a moment she thought about calling Brutus to tell him, but she thought that good news was best given in person; her real desire was to get home. Turning off the lights as she went, Maria made her way to the elevator and as the doors closed she felt the rush of victory invigorate her even after such a long day.

* * *

With barely any traffic, Maria had driven home swiftly and parked in her private spot. She was bouncing on the balls of her feet, the heels of her shoes tapping on the hard elevator floor. When the elevator doors opened she bounded to her front door and as she turned the key her spirit began to fall as she had to turn it twice to open the door. Stepping inside, her fingers felt numb as she pushed the numbers on the keypad to turn off the alarm. “Nathan?" She called out in a wavering voice. There was no reply; the only sound that could be heard was the soft ticking of the bohemian clock in the living room.

Her briefcase hit the floor with a hard thud when it slipped from Maria's fingers. Her heart constricted as she dreaded what she would find or rather what she wouldn't find. Running past the dining room and kitchen, she rushed into the living room and turned towards her study. On a side table where Nathan had placed the printer that turned out the small square photographs he loved to make; she saw nothing. “No..." Taking deep breath, Maria turned and ran towards the bedroom. The door flew open in front of the shepherdess, it impacted the wall and the tremor traveled around the room. It was just enough to dislodge the blue envelope behind her nightstand, and as Maria turned on the light the sky blue corner that had peeked out, had vanished. After her eyes adjusted to the bright light, she ran to Nathan's side of the bed and let out a scream of anger as there wasn't a single piece of clothing left. “That fucking bastard!"

Reaching up, she gripped her thick black hair and paced about the room, trying to sort her thoughts. She staggered back out of her room as she took several deeps breaths to calm herself. He had done it again, but this time she was determined that she wouldn't break down; he would probably be back in a few months and they would dance around each other again like an asteroid around the sun, drawing in close before being flung back out into the farthest reaches of the solar system.

“If he thinks he can waltz back in next time..." Maria growled out loud as she found herself standing in the middle of the living room. As she moved, the shepherdess felt her knees begin to weaken as she moved towards her favorite chair. Sitting down she gripped the armrests and dug her claws into the smooth leather and ground her teeth in blind rage. “When he comes back," she snarled as her vision became blurry “he... he..." Pulling her legs up she wrapped her arms around them and tensed up. “He... He'd better come back." The first sob racked through her body as tears began to burst from her eyes. “Nathan… Come back." All of her anger was spent as she buried her muzzle between her legs. He had vanished once more and she had failed to tell the wolf again, how much he meant to her. Rage turned to regret, her desire to hit Nathan turned into a simple wish of him walking through the door with a comforting smile on his face and open arms.

Legal Tension – Chapter 5

Adjourned

Blinded by bright sunlight streaming through cracks of haphazardly drawn curtains, Maria tried to hide beneath the covers but it was to no avail. The shepherdess wanted nothing more than to curl up in a ball and sleep for the rest of the day but the daylight only stirred her further. With a growl she sat up and shook her head. Her mane of black hair hung heavily on the sides of her face creating a perfect reflection of her mood. Stealing a glance towards the empty side of the bed, she let out a woeful sigh before sliding her legs off the bed. The empty feeling inside of her only got worse when hunger made its presence felt. She stood up on shaky legs and had to grip her nightstand to regain her balance. Once her body caught up with her movements she began shuffling towards the bathroom. She ignored her alarm clock that suddenly began blaring and instead turned on the shower.

Time slipped past as the warm water revitalized Maria's body, washing away the fatigue but doing nothing for the turmoil in her mind. With her body refreshed she dried herself vigorously before stepping out of the bathroom. Glancing around her bedroom, the empty spots where Nathan had kept his belongings glared back at her. The only sign he had even been there was a new photo pushed into the mirror frame below the one she had found before his latest arrival. Her whole home suddenly felt cavernous and a deep sense of loneliness settled on her. Rage began to build inside her as she found herself alone once more with the wolf off on one of his adventures. Gazing at herself in the mirror with narrowed eyes when she spotted the photograph and cursed him inwardly. The small pink patch of Nathan's tongue seemed to taunt her from the new picture and the thought of ripping it up came to her mind.

Forcing herself to focus on her morning routine, Maria dropped her towel in the hamper before turning her back on the mirror and walking naked out of the door. She paused when she reached the kitchen. For the first time in a month there was no breakfast waiting for her. With a growling stomach she began browsing through the cupboards after setting the coffee machine going. Hunting for something quick to eat she discovered a pair of proteins bars behind some near empty cereal boxes. They seemed to be the only decent food in the house that was immediately edible. Having skipped dinner the previous night, the shepherdess scoffed the bars down and made a mental note to do some grocery shopping as she pulled out her mug out from underneath the coffee machine. “Good thing he kept that topped off." She muttered dejectedly before taking a sip. Her usual morning routine felt alien without Nathan to talk to and distract her with other activities. Checking the news on her tablet she caught a glimpse of the clock; realizing the time she nearly spat out her coffee before dumping the rest in the sink and bolting to the bedroom.

After setting a new personal record for getting dressed, Maria ran out of the door and gnashed her teeth as she waited for the elevator and then again when riding it down to the parking garage. Only when she sat in the soft leather seat of her Mercedes did she stop to take a deep breath. With care she backed the large vehicle out of her parking spot and rolled it towards the gate, feeling the power of the engine reverberate around her. As she rolled onto the street she put her foot down and the engine roared as if to match her mood. The vehicle skidded a little leaving dark tread marks on the asphalt as she sped off into the distance.

* * *

The ping from the elevator seemed louder than normal when Maria arrived at work; it made the silence in the bullpen disturb her greatly as she walked to her office. When she came into view everybody at their desks looked up at her and one by one they started to applaud. Maria wanted to sink into the ground as her cheeks and ears began to burn, but she had played this game before and her act of self-control began.

The commotion became loud enough to rouse Brutus from his office and when he saw the shepherd he smiled, but it swiftly turned into a scowl as he saw what few others could. Catching her attention, he raised his voice and the commotion quickly died down. “Maria, join me in my office please." Disappearing behind the door to his office, Maria followed swiftly, passing the staff that carried a multitude of boxes from the large room.

Brutus nodded to the shepherdess as she passed him and gestured for her to take a seat, which she refused as graciously as she could manage. “I understand congratulations are in order." A wide smile returned to the giant mastiff's muzzle. “However, it would have been nice to have had a note, memo, or email letting me know the opposition had dropped the appeal."

Maria lowered her head and let out a long sigh. “I'm sorry, that was careless. When did you find out?"

“About an hour after I arrived. It's not every day the defense sends an official notice out of the blue, telling you that they're dropping their appeal." The huge canine looked proud of the shepherd as he leisurely strolled back behind his desk; the first time he had done so in over a month. “There was even an addendum to the notice giving personal regards to you for due diligence on this case from Patricia."

“That's nice." Dejection was heavy in her tone as she rested her briefcase on the chair Brutus had offered her and then gripped the headrest from behind.

Bringing his paws up to his chest, Brutus tapped his fingertips together. “Can I assume your hunch payed off?"

She took a deep breath and nodded slightly. “Yeah, it did. I just ignored the interrogations in the end and went for the cell footage." She shook her head and gazed out of the window. “You'll feel sick when you hear what it was and what they were after… I really should have caught it sooner"

Brutus eased himself into his chair and raised an eyebrow. “Well?" His massive paw gripped a large fountain pen that he began to spin about his fingers.

Rubbing the bridge of her nose, Maria huffed with irritation. “It seems that our defendant got into a fight with another inmate on his last night."

There was a thundercloud forming above Brutus' head as the seasoned prosecutor had a good idea what she was leading up to. “Nobody at the station noticed or heard anything?"

“Correct." Maria said while rolling her eyes. “However, they did find hairline fractures in his jaw and cheek bone when he complained about the following day and was taken for an x-ray, before he was transferred to prison"

“Neglect?"

Feeling she could cut their meeting short, Maria took opportunity. “They wanted leniency due to neglect by the police while he was in their custody."

“Leniency!" The mastiff jumped up and smashed his paws hard on the desktop and Maria was certain she heard something crack. “They gave us the run around for a month for some, some, fucking leniency!" His rage boiled for a moment but it quickly deflated like a dingy with a puncture. Brutus fell back into his chair. “I hate being screwed around." As he twirled the fountain pen around between his thick fingers once more, Brutus took deep breaths to calm himself. Patiently waiting for the Mastiff to regain his composure, Maria watched him stroke the front of his shirt, his thumb shifting around as if searching for something. Brutus stopped stroking the front of his shirt and let out a deep breath, all the tension having left his body. The pair stared at each other for a while but both knew they couldn't ignore the elephant in the room for too long.

Closing her eyes, Maria dug her fingers even firmer into the cheap upholstery of the chair. “Do we have to do this now? I just want to lock myself in my office and get through the day."

Putting his elbows on his desk, Brutus leaned forwards and looked sternly at Maria. “I think I've been very clear about my feelings and concerns regarding your lover."

Maria knew that her boss was in a particularly good mood at the moment otherwise there would have been more patronizing and yelling. She would use the fact that she was in his good graces to get away as quickly as possible. “If that is all..." She picked her briefcase from the chair she had been leaning on.

Sitting up straight Brutus looked Maria in the eyes and raised an eyebrow. “One last thing." His neutral expression turned into a soft smile. “Thank you again with getting them to drop the appeal. I was ready to spend the entire day in court if I had to." He raised a paw and slowly gestured towards the door. “I'll try and keep your workload light today."

With her case at her side, Maria adamantly shook her head. “No. Please, just give me enough to bury myself in." The expression on her face was that of complete exhaustion and the usually strong and well-groomed femme looked weak.

“I'll see what I can do." Brutus said surprisingly softly and as he watched the shepherdess leave his office. Slipping the fountain pen he had been playing with back into his pocket, he realized Maria was now a ticking time-bomb in the office. One wrong word could set her off but something was different this time. Not knowing how she would behave if she snapped the mastiff knew what he had to do. Reaching for his phone and taking the receiver into his paw as he struck the keypad hard with his large fingers. After several rings someone on the other line picked up. “Lieutenant Forrester, it happened again. Is there any way you can get Maria out of the office before she snaps?"

* * *

Sitting in her office, Maria had tried working her way through a few dossiers but couldn't keep her mind from straying. Her feelings were stuck in a metaphorical roller coaster ride with no end in sight. Behind her, her tail twitched in agitation and she was about to shove the entire mass of papers onto the floor when her door flew open.

With a bag slung over her shoulder, Helen waltzed into the office not stopping until she was in front of the desk and looked down at Maria. “Get your stuff, “she said in a commanding voice “we're getting you out of here." With a graceful motion she brought the bag around and put it right on top of a tower of folders. “I switched our reservation from Sunday to today. Let your minions deal with the workload until Monday."

Tapping her pencil on the desk, Maria looked up at Helen and cocked her head to one side. “Haff, what are you doing?"

Before either women could speak up another voice joined the conversation.

“I called her, Maria." The huge form of Brutus loomed in behind Helen as the mastiff appeared to have quietly made his way into the office. “I'm giving you the rest of the day off."

Feeling the hackles on her neck rise, Maria bared her teeth and barely noticed the snap from her clenched fist as her pencil broke in two. “I don't need pity. I don't want your pity. Just let me do my work." Her voice was ice cold and unwavering as her steel gray eyes shot daggers between the two conspirators standing in front of her desk. “Now please, get out of my office."

Surprised by the reaction, Brutus began to frown. She had skipped several stages of her usual period of grievance and had gone straight to anger instead. At least she wouldn't have to be kept out of court, a small voice in the back of his mind told him.

Not willing to suffer any of her friends temper, Helen lifted the bag up before letting it drop back down a little harder. “No. The point is to get you out of this office, now!"

“I'd rather stay here if going with you means having to listen to you lecturing me, again!"

Raising her eyebrows Helen stared at her friend for a few seconds before a smile curled the corners of her muzzle. “I promise not to bring up the dirt bag in anyway."

“You promise?" Maria sounded uncertain as she watched the raccoon's eyes trying to see whether or not Helen was lying.

The raccoon raised a paw and placed the other on her chest. “I solemnly vow not to lecture or patronize you regarding your douchebag boyfriend." Once she lowered her paws, she gripped the bag and slung it over her shoulder. “Come on. If we leave now we can get there by lunch and eat before spending the rest of the afternoon naked and sweating."

Letting out an awkward cough, Brutus pushed the arousing image of the two shapely women out of his mind. The cough made Maria turn her head and lock onto the mastiff with her gaze. “Are you really okay with me taking the rest of the day off?"

Slowly nodding his head, Brutus crossed his arms in front of his chest. “I was going to give you the rest of the day off anyway. Seeing as you dealt with the appeal our agenda for the rest of the day has been cleared." Reaching up to his ear he scratched himself idly. “It's been a hectic month, Maria; a long weekend would do us both good."

Once more, Maria looked from one to the other. The thought of spending the rest of the day in a sauna and receiving a massage was too alluring to pass up, and with Helen's promise she would actually get the chance to clear her head. “Fine," she held up her paws in defeat before putting them on her desk and raising herself from her chair “but have Rick and the others take care of the..." Her paws danced over the folders on her desk and she grabbed three before placing them in the center of her desk one by one. “O'Neill, that's with two l's; Carter, Jackson…" She riffled through another stack in search of more. "Wasn't there another one with an odd name?"

Brutus stepped up and put his huge paw on the pile Maria was reaching for. “We'll take care of that. You just get out of here."

Stepping around the desk, Helen took her friend by the shoulders and began to maneuver her away from the small towers of folders. “Come on, get your coat."

Lifting his paw off the pile, Brutus straightened his jacket. “Now that it's settled," he gave a short bow towards both femmes “a pleasant day to the both of you. I'll send Rick in and you can tell him what to do." He turned on his heel and left the room, closing the door behind him.

Standing behind Maria with her paws still on her shoulders, Helen began to push her thumbs into the shepherdess' back in a slow circular motion. “Good thing Brutus called me. You are so fucking tense!"

Maria rolled her head back as the impromptu massage worked wonders on her neck. “Oh yeah, right there..." Her knees felt weak and she leaned into the raccoon for support. A gentle moan escaped her lips as she closed her eyes, caught up in the relaxing feeling.

Closing the distance, Helen pressed her hips against Maria's while she kept massaging the shepherdess' shoulders. “Perhaps I should just hang a sock on the door and relieve your stress right here." She shifted one arm and curled it around her friend's body; her paw rested on the shepherdess' stomach briefly but reassuringly before slowly moving up.

Feeling the paw brush against the underside of her breasts, Maria reached up and held it in place. “Not here, and not with an audience."

Helen raised an eyebrow and craned her neck to look at Maria only to see the shepherdess staring at the door. Following her gaze, the raccoon saw the dumbstruck intern frozen in place; his eyes were the size of dinner plates. Licking her lips, Helen leaned in and brushed a nose against Maria's ear. “I don't know. I don't think he would mind."

Turning her head away from the tickling nose, Maria reached back and cupped Helen's backside, squeezing the soft flesh through denim jeans. “I'm sure he wouldn't, but I don't think he can handle it." The shepherdess felt her friend take a step away and then took the opportunity to turn around and wrap her arms around the raccoon's neck. Pressing their bodies together the femme's breasts squeezed together, the tight blouse and straining tank top seemed close to bursting at the seams as they came together.

Settling her paws on Maria's hips, Helen began to grope her curvy ass, plucking at the skirt to make it rise up and show more of her legs. Their eyes met and the bolder police woman began to turn her head slightly before leaning in ever so slowly.

Maria hesitated for a second before mimicking the move; she felt the breath from her friend making the hairs on her muzzle dance. She parted her mouth as their lips came closer and closer. Closing her eyes she quickly wet her lips readying herself for the kiss.

A pitiful whine broke the moment, the high pitched squeak reminiscent of a helpless pup calling for its mother. Both women opened their eyes and looked at each other with wide, humorous eyes before bursting out laughing. Turning their heads towards the source of the whine, they saw Rick swallowing hard; his eyes still wide open and a clear bulge in the front of his slacks.

Untangling herself from Maria, Helen stepped around the desk and before Rick could get control back to his legs, the raccoon walked up to him and cupped his cheeks with her paws. “Aren't you adorable! Maybe I'll take you home with me."

Maria wiped a tear from the corner of her eye as she grabbed her jacket and slipped it over her shoulders. “Oh Helen, don't. You'll just break him and I'll have to get a new one."

Not backing down, Helen pressed her bust firmly against Rick's chest and kissed him on the nose. “Aw... Alright." Shooting Maria a casual smirk, Helen left one more remark for her own personal amusement. “Spoil sport."

Chuckling at the look of both sheer terror and absolute delight on Rick's face, Maria walked up and pulled her friend off of the youth. “Helen, behave." Once Rick was free and slightly more coherent she poked his chest with her finger. “Get it together, Mister Ashmore. The three folders in the middle of my desk; sort them and prepare them for Monday." The only acknowledgment she got was a blank stare and a slow nod. Glancing down, she grinned wickedly. “Pleasant dreams, Rick." She said in a sultry tone before turning towards Helen and ushering the raccoon out of the office.

Side by side the females walked through the office; their progress followed by several pairs of eyes. It didn't take long for the elevator to arrive, and with quick steps and straight faces they entered. Helen was the first to break composure and started to laugh loudly. “Oh that whine." Reaching up she started to toy with her braided hair. “I could just eat him up."

Wearing a wolfish grin, Maria rubbed her cheek as she played the scene back in her mind. “He's so innocent. I bet he's still in the same spot where we left him." She kept giggling until the doors opened again and they stepped into the parking garage. Glancing towards her partner in crime, the shepherdess motioned towards the rows of parked cars. “So, what's the driving arrangement?"

Setting off towards the large black Mercedes, Helen swung her bag back and forth. “I caught a ride in a squad car. They dropped me off at the front door." Coming to a stop on the passenger side of the car, she ran a finger across the polished black metal. “So you get to drive. This thing scares me."

Sticking her tongue out, Maria opened the car and slipped into the comfortable driver's seat. She pressed the starting button and as the engine revved she turned her head towards Helen who had taken her position on the passenger's seat. “Okay, so are we going to swing by my place to get my stuff?"

“No need." Helen retorted quickly as she patted the bag between her legs. “I brought another set of clothes just in case you wanted to slip into something clean afterwards."

Turning her head to look behind the car as she backed out of her parking spot, Maria giggled. “Does the shirt have something obscene written on it?"

Shaking her head, Helen opened her mouth but paused for a moment before snapping her teeth. “Damn it," she muttered “I should have done that. A nice bright one with 'twelve inches and up' written on the back." Her fingers slipped through the hair at the end of the braid. “Why didn't I think of that?"

With the car out of its parking spot, Maria set it in motion towards the exit. “And I bet that you actually have that shirt somewhere." She waved at the security guard as they passed and once on the street she let the car roar as she maneuvered it through the late morning traffic.

Double checking her seatbelt, Helen braced herself in her seat. “Keep to the speed limit, please!"

Glancing to her side, Maria cast the raccoon a wicked grin. “I am. Everything feels faster in this car."

Helen chuckled immediately. “So, no sex in the car then?"

Maria let out a snort before shaking her head. “Not while driving at least." She licked her lips as she remembered parking somewhere on the outskirts of the city the previous year while Nathan had been with her. They had taken a long weekend to explore nearby areas and each other. She hadn't wasted any time slipping into her wolf's lap and letting passion overtake her.

Watching her friend fall into a daydream, Helen scowled. “Is that why you let him back in? Is the sex that good?" Maria's paws tightened around the steering wheel and she clenched her jaw. Cursing her outburst, Helen watched her friend for a moment before letting out a scream as the shepherdess threw the car into the corner and floored the accelerator as they took the ramp up to the highway. Holding onto the armrest, she feared for her life for several seconds as the agile Mercedes weaved around several large trucks. “Okay, next time we're taking my car!" Helen stayed quiet for several minutes before she dared to open her speak again. “I wasn't patronizing or lecturing you. I seriously wonder about that sometimes and I just don't buy it when you say, he's sweet."

Maria remained quiet, her jaw set and her eyes locked on the road ahead; her mind clearly in turmoil. “Not now, Helen." Her voice was quiet and demure as the question clearly vexed her. Glancing out of the corner of her eye, she saw the raccoon try and get comfortable in her seat again. They traveled down the highway in silence but as Maria turned on the indicator to take the exit she broke the silence. “I hope it's not going to be too crowded."

Helen shrugged, clearly not bothered and relieved by the change in conversation. “It's never that crowded even on the busiest of days." She held up her paw and rubbed her thumb against her index finger. “Too expensive."

The road they were on ran through a thick forest, and it seemed like there was nothing around until Maria turned the car into a narrow road that lead deeper into the thicket. A little further down the road, there was a large brown and green sign that seemed almost invisible until the friends were close enough to read it. It read: Welcome to Deep Wood Spa. Registered guest entrance.

The forest opened up into a huge clearing with the spa complex in the center. The road led into a wide cul-de-sac and the entrance to the parking lot. Maria rolled up to where a line indicated she should stop before rolling down her window. On either side of the entrance stood a large metal pole with a camera and intercom build into it.

“Welcome to Deep Wood Spa, if you have a reservation, please state you name." A joyful voice said over the slightly crackling intercom.

Glancing to her side she looked at Helen. “What name did you make the reservation under?"

Helen just smiled as she played with her braid. “Mine of course, but mention that is was switched from Sunday by mister Turov."

After relaying the information the person on the other side went eerily quiet and for a while Maria was worried that something had gone wrong. The voice returned after a few moments and continued on the same cheerful note. “Sorry that took so long, the system hadn't processed the change in reservation yet." There was a sharp buzz as the fence slid open. “Our sincerest apologies for the delay. Please enjoy your day here." Maria found a spot close to the door and as soon as she parked the car she got a playful punch in the shoulder from her companion.

“You were worried," Helen teased “you thought I screwed up didn't you?"

“The thought crossed my mind." Maria said in jest before getting out of the car.

* * *

Slowly sinking in a large hot tub, Maria closed her eyes as jets of warm bubbles massaged her back. “Ooh yes." She murmured to herself as she got comfortable. The combination of warm water and the gentle rumbling of the jets were making the shepherdess drowsy. The peace didn't last long as someone else made a lot of waves coming into the tub.

“Don't fall asleep."

The splash of water that hit her face made Maria frown. “Was that necessary?" She asked as she opened her eyes and glared at the raccoon sporting a wide grin opposite her.

“It was," Helen said with conviction “otherwise you'd have fallen asleep." Resting her arms on the edge of the hot tub, she spread herself out, one of her feet lightly brushing against the outside of Maria's thigh. “So, Melchior is finishing up a long massage session and then he's got the afternoon off."

“But?" Maria urged her friend on.

Helen brought her paws together as her muzzle split and she gave a toothy grin. “I asked nicely and he's willing to take us in a private room and work on us." One of her paws slid underneath the water as she wiggled her hips from side to side enthusiastically. “So we've got the big hunky tiger all to ourselves in a near soundproof room."

Maria shook her head disapprovingly. “No. I said it before, you can play with your tiger all you want; I'll pass."

Scowling, Helen shook her head. Her braid slapping the water as it whipped from one shoulder to the other. “He's gone Maria, you can play around again."

“I don't want to." Maria's voice became cold as she looked away, watching several other guests walking around or relaxing in the other hot tubs.

Stunned by Maria's answer, Helen raised an eyebrow. “So you're going to wait for him to come back like a good little girl?" The words escaped her mouth before she could nuance them. Knowing she had most likely crossed the line, she waited for the bomb to explode.

Slumping where she sat, Maria rested her head on the edge of the tub. “I don't know."

The three word reply surprised Helen and she slid around the tub until she sat next to her friend. Bumping her shoulder against Maria's she waited until the matted black hair lay on her shoulder. “Last time he was gone... How many guys... I mean, how long after he vanished was it before you went out to take care of things?"

Maria snorted loudly and rubbed her cheek on the raccoon's shoulder. “The night before he got back and... I don't know... It wasn't that great really."

Realizing that is wasn't her usual idle boasting; Helen reached up and rubbed Maria's cheek. “Maria, are you that deeply in love with him?" She only got a shrug in reply and before she could retort another figure strode up to the edge of the tub casually.

“Ladies, are you ready for your massages?" The large tiger asked in a surprisingly gentle and soothing voice.

Helen looked up and smiled at him. “Hi, Melchior, and yes, yes we are."

Both femmes stood up, the water seeping out of their fur and Melchior did his best to not to stare too much at the beautiful women as they stood in nothing but their wet fur. “Once you have dried off please come to room two, I've prepared it for you."

Quickly blowing him a kiss before the tiger walked away, Helen was the first to step out of the hot tub and offered a paw to Maria to help her out. Looping an arm around the shepherdess' she began to lead her friend towards the dryers.

Still lost in thought after stepping out of the tub, Maria slowly came to her senses as she glanced around and saw some of the guests covertly or openly watching them. She realized that most of the clientèle that came to the spa were at least twenty years older than her, and the thought amused her. Slowly she began to sway her hips, bumping against Helen who quickly picked up on the shepherdess' game. With their stride in sync and drawing attention, the pair arrived at the large air dryers close to where they left their robes and towels. Maria was the first to step into one of the dryers and turned it on, but as the fans began blowing warm air around she felt Helen step behind her; the raccoon's paws starting to run through her wet fur. Turning around, she saw the grin on her friend's face as her paws found Helen's body. Using their paws the two women helped dry each other, but afterwards they kept combing their fingers and claws through their fur.

Helen's actions became amorous as she slipped a paw down the shepherdess' stomach and felt the little barbell piercing between her index and middle finger. Unable to speak coherently over the fans, Maria bit her bottom lip as the Raccoon teased her. Not to be outdone she returned the gesture and found the small ring that hid between Helen's legs. The feisty raccoon mimicked her friend, biting her lip as her agile fingers made her hips buck hard against the shepherdess. The rush of pleasure made her moan loud enough to be heard over the fan.

The sound was loud and clear, and Maria quickly retracted her paw before turning off the dryer. “Better not fool around," she chuckled before leaning close to the raccoon and whispering into her ear “not here at least."

Happy to see Maria's change of mood, Helen winked and then walked out of the dryer. As she turned the corner, she nearly bumped into an elderly otter. “Oh, sorry." She squeaked quickly as her breasts nearly hit the short male in the face while she pirouetted around him, her tail brushing along the underside of his rather sizable belly.

Maria caught a glimpse of the interaction and being only a step behind she similarly spun around the short male. Feeling his breath in her cleavage as her breasts nearly hit his muzzle, the shepherdess prevented him walking straight into them by putting her paws on his shoulder. Stepping around the otter she turned him around before following Helen. “Really sorry about that, sir." She called over her shoulder as she rejoined her friend.

Slipping their robes on, Helen nearly burst into tears from the giggling fit she was having. “I think we made his day."

Lowering her voice to a conspiratorial tone, Maria rubbed her shoulder against Helen's. “Oh, really; what gave you that idea?"

Helen tapped her friend on the nose. “I saw where your tail went and it was clear that someone was happy to see you."

After securing her robe, Maria pushed the raccoon towards the private rooms. “You are a bad influence on me! Now, let's not keep Melchior waiting."

Bursting into another giggling fit Helen let herself be shepherded. “Me, a bad influence?" She laid her paw on her chest mockingly. “I remember a several years ago that you had a great idea," reaching down with her other paw she drew half of her lower robe to the side “and I'm still wearing it!"

Maria rolled her eyes as she pushed Helen into the room. “Get in there you crazy…" She quickly shut her mouth before she finished the sentence as Melchior came into her line of sight; standing patiently, waiting for them.

“Ladies." He bowed courteously before indicating the tables he had set up for their session. “Please disrobe and lie down. You may use your towels for modesty if you wish." Pointing over his shoulder he indicated the door leading to a small office nestled between two private rooms. “I'll get some oils while you get ready. Please don't forget to close the door." When the tiger turned around both femmes canted their heads slightly to admire the well-toned ass that was packed into a pair of form fitting jockey shorts.

Reaching blindly behind her, Helen found the doorknob and the lock underneath it. The bolt fell into place with an oddly loud click as the room was quiet. “You sure you don't want a piece of that?"

Mulling it over one last time in her head, Maria shook her head after only a second or two. “No. He's all yours." She disrobed and hung the garment on a hook before lying face down on one of the tables, using her towel to cover her ass to make herself somewhat more modest; the edge just under her tail so it could lie on top.

Helen watched her friend for a moment and shook her head. Her towel went underneath her as she lay in the same pose as Maria. “The offer stands if you want to change your mind."

There came no reply from the other table as the door to the office opened again and Melchior wheeled in a small trolley filled with an assortment of bottles. “Miss Forrester asked for a deep tissue massage, is that correct?"

“Yes it is, hun." The raccoon smirked.

Helen lay with a huge grin on her face while Maria thought things over. “Deep tissue sounds fine; I've got a lot of stress to get out of my system." Maria rolled her shoulders as she looked up at the bulky tiger.

“Alright, then, who's going first?"

“Start with her," Helen said as she gestured towards her friend “she's the one who really needs it."

With a quick nod, Melchior picked up a bottle and squirted a strong fragrant gel into his paws. “Very well." As he turned towards Maria he slowly rubbed his paws together. “Alright I'll start at the shoulders. Tell me if you need want me to be more firm or if I am being too rough."

Before Maria could reply there came a playful growl from the other table as Helen watched with a lecherous glean in her eyes. Not taking any notice of the growl, Melchior leaned over the shepherdess and placed his paws on her shoulders. As soon as he began to work the kinks out of the muscles he felt just how tense Maria was. Not waiting for her to tell him, he put more force into the massage.

Maria rolled her eyes and moaned loudly in both pain and pleasure when the tiger began his routine. His progress was slow but the massage left her muscles feeling hot under her skin. Drowsiness hit her full force and she began nodding off by the time the tiger was pressing his thumbs into her lower back. Working diligently, Melchior followed the tension down the shepherdess' back but when he hit the edge of the towel he stopped and took a step to the side to continue with her calves.

Before the tiger's fingers touched Maria, Helen spoke up in a quiet tone, but the humor was clear as day. “Amazing, you massaged her to sleep."

Slowly and far more gently Melchior began to massage Maria's legs, turning his head only a little to talk to Helen behind him. “I'm just that good." He grinned.

“She probably hasn't had a decent night sleep."

Melchior just shrugged as he kept working slowly working up the shepherdess' shapely legs, though when his thumb pushed against the inside of Maria's thigh she shifted.

“Mmmh... Nathaaaan..."

Helen covered her mouth to stifle a giggle and Melchior chuckled softly. “Her husband?" He inquired but the usually snappy raccoon stayed quiet for a moment as he finished working on her other leg.

“Oh Melchy, I don't have the time to explain this one to you. Besides, it's my turn."

Grabbing a towel from his cart, Melchior cleaned his paws from the oil before turning around towards Helen; the towel nearly dropped from his paw when he saw her.

While the tiger had his back turned towards her, Helen had rolled onto her side to watch him work. She had her head propped on an elbow with the other draped over her chest obscuring her nipples from the tiger's view. To complete her attempt at modesty she had drawn one knee up to keep her groin out of view as well. “Well. What are you waiting for?"

Letting his eyes roam up and down her body one last time, Melchior turned towards his cart and picked up the same bottle as before. “I'm waiting for you to lay on your stomach." He was about to squirt some oil in his paws when Helen spoke up. “Wait, could you use the other oil; the eucalyptus one?"

“Of course." The tiger replied happily but as he rummaged around in his cart he couldn't find the bottle he was looking for. “I thought I brought a bottle with me." He shrugged and peered over his shoulder at the femme that still lay in that same position. “Let me just grab a bottle out of my office. Lay down on your stomach please." With a swift pace he left the room and once in his office he opened the small supply closet behind his desk. It didn't take him long to find a new bottle of the missing oil before a sharp whistle behind him made him turn around. Melchior was just in time to catch the object that was flying towards him and as he looked down he held two identical bottles.

“Oh come now Melchy, don't tell me you're surprised?"

Rubbing his thumb over the smooth plastic bottles, Melchior slowly looked up and the sight that greeted him made his breath catch in his throat and made his twitching tail fall completely still.

Helen was an incredibly beautiful raccoon, and she knew it; she had put her robe back on but left it open. The bright white terrycloth stood out against her dark and light gray fur as it framed her bare breasts. With slow and deliberate steps the raccoon made her way towards the desk; her hips swaying in a teasing rhythm. Passing the dumbstruck tiger she sat on the cheap wooden desk, spreading out the robe behind pressing her bare backside firmly on the desktop. One leg idly dangled off the edge while the other reached out towards the desk chair, rolling it slowly back and forth.

Melchior just watched, his eyes moving from her breasts and the hard pink nipples poking out through the light gray fur before going down where the motion of her legs brought attention to her groin and the reflective surface of the small golden ring that pierced her clitoral hood. He swallowed hard and peered over Helen's shoulder, eyeing the door she had come through before going to the opposite wall to the door that led to the corridor his office was attached to. “Helen, we can't! Not here!" The raising of the raccoon's paw made him tremble, his eyes locked on her fingers.

“If you don't want to," Helen said in an amused but autocratic voice “you have one chance to say so." Her thumb and middle finger touched at the tips before she began to put pressure on them. “But by the state of your pants, I would say you want this pretty badly."

As Helen's fingers snapped, Melchior bowed his head and licked his lips in anticipation. “Just don't make too big of a mess."

“Sorry? What was that?" Helen's voice became authoritative as she barked harshly at him. “What did you forget servant?!"

The tiger's tail twitched in excitement as he dropped down to his knees, keeping his head bowed low. “I'm sorry mistress. Please forgive me." He whined as he put his paws on the floor to bow even lower.

Putting both paws behind her on the desk, Helen watched the tiger for a minute to see if he moved. Once satisfied he wouldn't move a whisker without her say so she spoke again. “You did a good job on my friend," her eyes locked on the tiger's ears as they twitched ever so slightly “now I'm expecting you to be just a diligent. Come closer."

Fighting to keep the large smile off his muzzle, Melchior crawled closer to the desk, his head bowed the entire time until he sat between the raccoon's legs.

Helen paused; watching the tiger inquisitively before wiggling her toes on the foot that hung just in front of him. “You may begin here." She watched as the tiger brought his paws up and chastised him immediately. “How dare you touch me! Use your tongue, servant!"

The voice made Melchior curl in on himself. “I'm sorry, mistress." He repositioned himself and lowered his muzzle towards her foot but before he could stick out his tongue he received another scolding.

“What are you doing? Start with the bottom! I see I've become too lax with your punishment."

“Forgive me Mistress!" Melchior begged quickly as he tried to work out how she wanted him to behave. From previous experience he quickly remembered that lying on his back would only displease his mistress. Forced himself onto his belly, he winced as his erection didn't enjoy being pushed along the inside of his thigh. As he craned his head to bring his tongue to her feet, Melchior couldn't see her face but he could feel the raccoon's authoritative eyes burn into his back, and he loved it. A shiver went through his body as his tongue touched her soft footpad.

Having forgotten her own ticklishness, Helen did her best to silence the squeal but couldn't stop her foot from jerking away. “Oh! I forgot how rough that tongue is."

There was a happy rumble from below as Melchior waited for the foot to come back to him. “I missed you, mistress." Once more he pressed his tongue against her foot and began to lick the pad with the tip.

Helen felt the soft scraping against her skin as the tiger began to lick longer and harder and nearly pulled her foot away again when the agile body part slipped between her toes. “Good servant. Now the top," she said nearly breathlessly part of her had enjoyed it but she was too ticklish to stay in character for long. The command came as a relief for Melchior and a moment later he was back on his knees letting out a grunt when his cock went back to tenting the front of his shorts. With his eyes closed he continued licking and grooming the raccoon's fur in reverence.

Enjoying the gentle tongue bath, Helen didn't scold Melchior when he took it upon himself to start on her shin. Muscles tensed in her groin as she felt his warm breath rise along the inside of her leg, while a small pool began to spread out between her thighs. Melchior was so engrossed with his task that he didn't notice the heady scent coming from above him. With eyes closed and his paws clenching his knees, he kept licking her calf while a dark stain spread from the tip of the tent he was sporting.

When he began to have more difficulties with grooming her, Helen scooted a little closer to the edge of the desk so that he could see his goal. The raccoon grinned playfully; she had one more reward for him. “You may touch me now servant, but only with one paw!"

Opening his eyes Melchior smiled at his mistress, but what he wanted to say got stuck in his throat as he gazed past her swollen wet pussy and large bust to see her face. “Thank you, mistress." He stammered while he watched a drop of her fluids trickle off the edge of the desk and onto his bare knee.

Grinning viciously, Helen leaned down, raised a paw and smacked him in the face when he wasn't looking. “Look at me when you service me, worm!" She didn't have to wait long before his golden feline eyes locked with her emerald green ones. “Now, get back to work."

With his gaze passing by all the good stuff, Melchior had a hard time keeping his eyes on hers but with due diligence he continued his task. Gently, he wrapped his fingers around Helen's slim ankle and pulled the raccoon's leg away from the desk before continuing her grooming.

On top, Helen was having a similar problem. Struggling to keep her gaze locked to his as she caught sight of the dark patch spreading into the stretched fabric of the tiger's bulging shorts. “That's enough." She said, her voice trembling slightly. “Continue here," she demanded as she patted the inside of her thigh “but no touching."

“Yes, mistress." Melchior said dutifully; he wanted to stare at the top of her thigh but Helen's command kept his gaze on at her face. Helen watched the tiger reposition himself and scooted back a little before angling her hips for him. He would have a perfect view of her leaking folds if he wanted but she would punish him harshly for it if he did. Reaching behind his back, Melchior clenched his paws together to avoid temptation. When his nose pressed into the soft fur on the raccoon's thigh and his nose bathed in the heady scent, he had to put his chin on the table and immediately felt the hair on his chin absorbing the small puddle of the raccoon's sexual juices. Taking his time, he licked her inner thigh with an easy grace as he made his way up to her groin.

Smiling softly at the tiger, Helen reached down and brushed his ear with a finger before harshly grabbing his hair and shoving his nose right between her legs. Their eyes remained locked but the tiger shivered and let out a deep throaty purr as he pushed his rough tongue deep inside Helen's hot inviting pussy. With his nose rubbing against the small golden ring piercing, Melchior grabbed the edge of the desk and dug his nails into wood to stop him from grabbing her legs and spreading them as far as he could.

The mischievous raccoon knew exactly what he wanted to do as she watched his claws dig deep into the cheap wood. “Mmmh..." Words didn't come easy for her as the rough tongue tugged against the soft insides of her vagina. It took her a few minutes to get her moans and breathing under control as the big cat happily purred between her legs. “Good... Keep pleasing your mistress." Her mouth fell open as she drew in a ragged breath before slowly falling back. Stretching out an arm behind her for support, she caught herself and watched rapturously at how she was being enthusiastically devoured.

Savoring the female juices like they were his mother's milk, Melchior was as happy as a kitten while he tried to push his tongue into her as deep as he could. His eyes never wavered from the beautiful raccoon's face as he watched for signs of her pleasure. Taking his cue from her, every now and then he would draw back to wet his tongue properly and nibble on her piercing before diving in again.

While enjoying the sensation, Helen demanded more. In one fluid motion she had both legs wrapped around his head and locked him firmly in place. Leaning back on both paws, she licked her lips and tightened her leg muscles. “Keep licking and I might let you up for air."

Melchior exhaled forcefully before taking a deep breath, the tendons on his paws clearly visible as he fought to control himself. A shiver rippled down his spine and the already sizable stain in his pants began to ooze the sticky white goop he had been slowly filling it with.

Even though their scents mingled heavily in the air, Helen didn't register it as her senses were overloaded. The tiny barbs on Melchior's tongue raked against the inside of her pussy, tugging on her skin and drowning her body in ecstasy. The vice she had around the feline head between her thighs became even tighter as her climax finally surged through her and she cried out in pure pleasure.

The wash of juices filled Melchior's mouth as he drank it down though it became more and more difficult with his nose being buried deep into the raccoon's groin. Waiting out Helen's climax before he could take a deep breath when her legs fell away from his shoulders, the tiger stumbled to his feet and took a step backwards before falling onto the office chair with painful force. His arms hung limp at his side while a toothy grin split his muzzle.

Still coming down from her peak, Helen watched the tiger and his stupid grin for a moment before she gathered her strength and gave the chair a shove before watching him spin around slowly. Once his back was facing her, she sprang into action. As quick as she could she pulled the sash from her robe and got to her feet. Melchior didn't notice until it was too late and his arm was pulled behind him and tied to the frame. Pulling on the sash with his free paw only helped his assailant to tie him in place as he kept the first knot tight. “I never said we were done my little servant." Helen whispered in his ear before turning him around. Having dropped the robe on the desk she stood before the tiger naked and licked her lips as her eyes wandered. “Now, what will I do with you?"

Feeling a bit dumb for remembering the woman's ravenous appetite, Melchior bowed his head and got back into his roll. “I'm sorry mistress."

“No you're not."

The tiger swallowed hard as he felt her soft thighs brush against the outside of his legs when she straddled his lap. The golden ring piercing came into view as it bumped against the mess of his crotch and followed swiftly by her breasts being pressed up against his face.

Helen listened to the whimper as her hot folds parted against the rock hard and wet bulge. Certain she could feel it twitch against her, she laughed viciously. “What's this?" She pulled her breasts away from his face before gripping his muzzle and turning his head so he looked at her. “Have you been keeping things from me?" Slowly she reached between them with her other paw before grabbing the front of his shorts harshly. “This belongs to me."

The male whimpered as she roughly kneaded his cock and sheath. A shot of pain coursed through his body when her fingers pinched a fold of skin and a tear appeared in the corners of his eye, yet his cock pulsed against the raccoon's paw. “Mistress... Please."

Completely ignoring the plea, Helen grabbed the hem of the gym shorts and pulled, ripping them down the tiger's legs until they landed around his ankles with a wet flop. Her eyes never left the hard pink member when it popped out of hiding, sending a few droplet of pre-cum splashing against front of the tiger's near pristine shirt. “What's this?" She took hold of him again, and jerked hard on his cock several times. “First you hide this from me and then you get it all filthy." Letting go, Helen raised her paw to his face and presented him with several stains matting her fur. “Well!" She barked. “Start cleaning." Complying with the demand, Melchior leaned in and stuck out his tongue but just when he was about to lick her paw his mistress did something that made him stop dead in his tracks. Having shoved her hips forward, Helen had pinned his cock against his stomach before rolling her hips and sliding her pussy along the underside of the tiger's dick. “What's the matter," she said as authoritatively as she could between moans. “I told you to lick." Quickly, she moved her messy paw out of the way before using it to grab his hair and clean her fingers. “You disappoint me," she whispered in a husky voice while another squirt of pre-cum began to seep into the fur on her stomach. Raising herself a little, she felt his cock slide between her labia where several of his barbs pricked her on her way up. “Such disobedience! I wonder if you would even lick my breasts if I told you."

Having felt the hard nipples brush against his chest, Melchior wet his lips when they came up to muzzle height. Eager to get back on the raccoon's good side he stuck out his tongue to assault her perky peaks. He came to a halt quickly as a hard tug nearly ripped a chunk off his scalp.

“I never told you to do that!" Helen sighed condescendingly as she tugged on his hair again. “I see I need to discipline you even more."

In a mix of pain and pleasure, Melchior looked up at her pleadingly. “Please mistress, I beg your forgiveness."

“I don't know," There was a sharp dismissive tone to her voice but Helen's eyes burned with lust as she slowly rose from his lap “you need to listen to me, my little servant."

As the tip of his cock brushed past her clit one of the larger barbs hooked into the small ring piercing; Melchior didn't notice until a sharp jerk on his cock made him moan out loud.

Matching his moan in lust and volume, Helen rolled her hips and every time she felt the jolt of pleasure travel up her spine she would look at the tiger's face to see his pleasure mirroring hers. Slowly she leaned forward, her dark green eyes locked with his bright golden ones, until she could feel his hot breath wash over her nipple.

Melchior didn't wait for her command as her nipple was presented before him and sucked it into his mouth. There was a sharp pain in the back of his head as the raccoon tightened her grip on his hair but kept him in place. His vision was now filled with Helen's cleavage as he suckled loudly on the raccoon's nipple. With long slow lapping, the rough surface of his tongue tugged on the firm flesh in his mouth as he tried to time every movement of her hips with his licking.

With her breaths coming in gasps, Helen occasionally pulled his head away from one breast before smothering him with the other. She gave his cock another hard tug and she felt a hard splash against her already wet and matted belly that made her stop. “Did you cum?" The question made Melchior weakly shake his head not wanting to let go of her breast. Helen smiled as she gently lowered herself until the barb was freed from her piercing and then reached down with her free paw. What she found was hard, throbbing and dripping all over her fingers. “My little servant... You haven't earned this, but your mistress wants it." Grabbing his cock by the base, Helen angled it up before slamming herself down on his length. She nearly doubled over from the feeling as the barbed cock drove deep into her flesh and hooked itself into her tender spots.

When his mistress bent forward, Melchior lost his nipple and clenched his jaw hard. His cock had become so sensitive from all of Helen's teasing and tugging on a single barb that it had kept him on a knife's edge. As they moved against each other the warm glove around his cock tightened, extracting blissful groans and huffs. They knew it wouldn't last long, but both lovers knew they would get everything they wanted from their time in physical union.

Eager to pick up the pace, Helen raised herself and grabbed the tiger's thick black hair with both paws, leaving quite a mess. Tensing her thighs she got an even tighter grip on the throbbing length inside her before she lifted herself off of the tiger's lap. They looked at each other as their breath caught in their throats. “Gentle..." Melchior moaned but the lustful look in the raccoon's eyes made him shiver.

Bringing her forehead to his, Helen looked deep into his eyes before sliding back down his cock, his barbs brushing effortlessly past the skin they had just raked on the way out. Her hips hit his lap with a firm slap and immediately she felt the hard prickles twitch and prick her; a promise of pain and pleasure on the way out.

Melchior tensed against his bonds but his wrists were bound tight, giving him no leverage to break out. He wished he could grab the woman in his lap and stop her or slow her teasing, but the thought escaped him when she rolled her hips and pushed him to the edge of ecstasy. “Helen... Please."

“Shut up." The curvy raccoon moaned softly before kissing the tiger full on the lips. As their tongues coiled around each other, Helen rose up and moaned down Melchior's throat as every barb dug into her vaginal walls to prevent her from lifting off. She clenched down and came to a halt when she felt a hot spray coat her insides. For a moment she though he had cum but an eager roll of the tiger's hips told her there was still life in the cock she was sitting on. When the kiss broke Melchior was panting hard, sweat dripped down his back and his tail wound tightly around the base of the chair. Having no real say in the matter, he waited to see what Helen would do next. She didn't disappoint. When she gyrated her hips he snarled loudly and almost wished he could cum and relief the strain on his crotch. The muscles in his arm tensed as he yearned to grab the raccoon and pin her to the desk and have his way.

As if reading his mind, Helen ran her tongue along the edge of his ear. “Thinking about fucking me?" As she spoke she thrust herself down until her pussy lips pressed against the tiger's sheath. “Bending me over the desk and just let the beast out?" She rolled her hips before lifting herself off of him and grinning wickedly at the tiger.

Melchior didn't register much after that. Helen began to ride him relentlessly, showing no mercy to either of their bodies. The chair protested with angry squeaks and the tiger countered with lustful groans. Every time he wanted to join in he received a painful bite to his ear. Riding her tiger hard, Helen was enjoying herself but her need was beginning to overcome her. Reaching between their bodies she put two fingers on her piercing and began playing with it. The crescendo of moans and lusty calls came to their peak when Helen pulled Melchior's head into her bosom and held him there while her body began to convulse with violent lust. More and more their grunts and snarls became louder; Melchior was the first to burst. Letting out a loud chuff before his entire body stiffened while inside his lover, his cock throbbed and pulsed, digging deep into the soft walls of the raccoon's pussy as the tiger came hard. The splash of liquid hitting her inner walls made Helen gasp and speed up her desperate rubbing, eager to finish before the tiger was done ejaculating. With the cock biting deep in her pussy she rolled her hips and let out a long moan of pleasure as his cum made the flesh raked by the barbs tingle. With a final roll of her hips, she slammed herself down onto the tiger and threw her head back. She wailed loudly as she came hard, her insides gripped tightly onto the feline member inside of her hard enough to make the barbs dig deep into her soft, sensitive tissue.

* * *

Maria slowly opened her eyes when she heard someone shuffling into the room. Greeted by the raccoon's behind, she chuckled as she got a clear whiff of her friend's sexual escapade. “You two are loud."

Helen let out a yelp as she turned, giving Maria a clear view of her front with her robe hanging open, with all the mess on display. “Maria! You're awake?" She asked with some bewilderment.

Resting her head on her arms, Maria grinned at the other femme. “I have been for a while; you forgot to close the door behind you, and yes, you two were quite loud."

“Sorry." Helen said as she tried to close her robe but realized the sash was still bound to the chair. Grabbing the edges of her robe she crossed her arms and held the garment closed.

As she stretched out, Maria released a comfortable sigh before slowly sitting up. “Don't be, it was a nice little show you two put on. You and Melchior have quite the..." She searched for the word for a second “Rapport; he was so submissive."

Peering back through the door, Helen watched Melchior as he tried to clean some stains from the chair. “Actually," she started before looking back towards her friend and suspected that the shepherdess already knew “we dated for a while. It was never serious but occasionally we still give each other a booty call." Leaning forward, she lowered her voice and playfully bit her lip. “He loves being dominated and I enjoy doing it."

Playfully flicking her ears, Maria chuckled as she wrapped her robe around herself. “So I heard." Rolling her shoulders she looked the raccoon over and smirked. “That massage did wonders for me and judging by what I heard; Melchior hit all your hard to reach spots."

Helen wiggled her eyebrows and smiled. “He's a professional."

As if he had been called, the professional gingerly walked into the room, fully dressed in a spare uniform and upon seeing the shepherdess sitting up and dressed he became slightly weary. Coming to a stop a close to the females, Melchior held out the sash of Helen's robe nervously. “You dropped this miss..."

Maria let out a snort while Helen leaned in and kissed his muzzle, then took the sash. “Don't worry, she knows and you're not in trouble." As her paws busied themselves with looping the sash back around the robe the raccoon turned back to her friend. “So what would you like to do now?"

The shepherdess wagged her feet from side to side and appeared indecisive for a moment. “I was thinking about locking myself in the Finnish sauna for the rest of the day."

As the woman spoke, Melchior's tail began to bristle and even with Helen pressed against him he spoke up in a brusque and professional manner. “It is advised that you take regular breaks from the sauna's and drink."

“You have the afternoon off." Helen admonished the tiger gleefully as she drew his head towards hers and kissed him tenderly, holding him in place. A moment later she let him go and patted him on the nose. “Don't worry about us. Go enjoy the rest of your day," her free paw slipped down between the male's legs and she gave him another passionate, albeit short kiss, while her fingers creased the front of his shorts “and thank you for the massages." Having had to find his tongue after the tongue twisting kiss, Melchior was speechless when the raccoon's dexterous fingers ran across his sensitive balls and sheath.

Crossing her arms Maria smirked, clearly amused by the couple's antics. “Do you want me to leave the room?"

After one last tickle, Helen withdrew her paw and turned toward the shepherdess. “Sorry, I got carried away." She didn't give the tiger a second thought as she walked up to Maria and pushed out her elbow to let her friend loop an arm though hers. “Off we go to get sweaty!"

As the pair walked towards the door with their hips swaying, Melchior felt abandoned but after Helen let Maria walked through the door she turned her head towards him and blew him a kiss. “Don't worry my pet; you did good. I'll call you this weekend."

* * *

Having found a small sauna room, the two friends made themselves comfortable after hanging up their robes and grabbing some fresh towels. Maria had lain on top of the towel and was resting on her stomach, the heat giving her fur a dull shine of perspiration and condensation. Her head lay on her crossed arms as she let out a long comfortable sigh. Cracking one eye open, she spied the Helen leaning back on the other bench. “So, when did you become a dominatrix?"

Sitting on her towel with her arms and legs spread out and her head resting against the wooden wall, Helen turned an ear towards her friend. “It was years ago. I was still a rookie street cop; my partner and I were on patrol in a squad car when he suddenly got out his handcuffs and cuffed himself to the steering wheel before begging me to beat him with his nightstick while jerking him off."

Flicking her tail around, Maria launched several drops of sweat towards the raccoon. “Care to try that again?" She asked in a smooth but level tone.

Laughing heavily when she was hit by the sweat drops, Helen wiped them away. “If you're expecting a long complex story I'm afraid I have to disappoint you." She wiggled her butt from side when a drop of sweat found its way between her cheeks. “I've always liked being the dominant one with my males, and when I met Melchior it just developed into a master and slave relationship."

“You and Melchior seem like a cute couple, so what happened?"

The raccoon smiled with a distant look in her eye and shrugged. “It just didn't work out. We just meet up for the occasional booty call. I'll go over to his house and he'll tell me what a bad boy he has been and we take it from there." Even through the slight haze in the room, Helen could see the change in Maria's expression from external curiosity to internal and couldn't stop herself from asking. “Thinking about dominating your own bad boy?"

“While I don't think he would mind seeing me in leather, I'm sure he'll scarper when I pull out the handcuffs and whip." As she said it, Maria had to fight back the mental image of the wolf's expression if she did.

Helen reached up and wiped more sweat from her brow with the heel of her paw as she frowned. “Whips are for S&M, that's a whole different fetish." She theatrically whipped her own tail around while rolling her eyes. “People watch one soft-porn video with some leather and they think they know it all." She brought her leg up and put her foot on the bench. “It's all about mutual respect and boundaries. Giving and taking. Melchior and I are more dominance and submission with a little bondage from time to time. I might bite or scratch him every now and then, but I never actively try to hurt him." Looking down she saw a small stain spread onto her towel. “In the end, I give him pleasure, he gives me my release."

From her viewpoint, Maria could see between the raccoon's legs and the trickle coming from between her rosy lips. “And that's all you need, right?"

The raccoon just shrugged. “I do. I'll leave the complex relationship to you and Nathan." She saw the fur on her friend's back stand on end. “So have you found out what he actually does during his months away?"

Pushing herself up on all fours, Maria stared at her friend. “I never told you?"

Helen cackled softly with laughter as she watched the expression on the shepherdess' face. “No; you either get love sick rambling about how sweet and attentive he is, or tales about his sexual prowess and some of the more creative spots you've done it or you despise him so much that you refuse to utter his name."

With an exasperated sigh, Maria dropped back down and rested her head on her crossed arms then closed her eyes. Her tail flicked a few times, wafting around the hot air and began to tell Helen about Nathan's adventures on the ship, Nemo's Spirit and his recent trip to Florence.

Neither of the friends watched the sand in the small hour glass at the door as the last grains settled in the bottom half. Maria had just finished telling Nathan's latest exploits when she started to feel a dull throbbing in her head. Slowly sitting up, the throb only got worse. “How long have we been in here?" She asked, making them both glance towards the hourglass.

“Too Long." Helen commented as she got up and had to balance herself. Maria took her time and was more careful when she stood, but they locked their arms around their shoulder as they got out of the sauna. The sudden cool air did wonders for them and soon enough they were chuckling about it as they stood in the shower area.

Maria leaned back against the cold tiled wall of the showers, enjoying the feel of the cool water seeping through her fur. Crossing her arms over her stomach she let out a long sigh and closed her eyes; alone in her own little world for the moment. She suddenly felt a presence in front of her and when she opened her eyes she saw Helen licking her lips, their noses nearly touching. “Yes?" Maria asked with a sweet voice.

With her paws pressed to the walls on either side of Maria's head, Helen leaned in closer; slipping her muzzle alongside the shepherdess'. “You're looking good."

“We stayed in the sauna too long and I think you cooked your brain." Even though her tone was dismissive, Maria put her paws on the raccoon's hips before giving Helen's ass a quick smack. “I think you've had enough for today."

Helen had the perfect comeback for Maria's comment, but from the corner of her eyes she saw more people coming their way. A precession of chattering older women shuffled into the shower and the raccoon quickly stepped back under her own stream as she winked slyly at Maria.

After cooling down followed by a quick drying session, they stood in their robes and were about to discuss what to do next when Maria's stomach rumbled. Reaching up, she up put her paw on her belly and grimaced. “Should we head to the restaurant?"

Helen glanced around then stepped close to the shepherdess. “I've sweat enough for today. Why don't we go back to your place order something extremely bad for us?" She raised an eyebrow and stared questioningly at the position of Maria's paw. “That is, if you can hold out for a while longer."

“I'll manage." Maria said with a smirk, before turning towards the changing room. Before she could take a step a paw hit her on the backside. “AH!"

Walking past her friend, Helen dragged her paw off the soft round rump of the shepherdess and winked over her shoulder. “Stop standing there looking pretty."

Setting off after the raccoon, Maria watched the striped tail sticking out from under her friend's robe and licked her lips. “Someone has to."

Glancing over her shoulder, Helen stuck out her tongue and shook her butt. She was the first to reach their locker and pulled out the large bag she had brought. “Ready to see what I brought you?"

Maria approached gingerly as Helen opened the bag. Frowning but also smirking at Helen's choice of attire for them, the shepherdess shook her head. “About as bad as I expected."

Legal Tension – Chapter 6

Exposure

Reaching behind her, Maria tugged on the cut off shorts she wore, digging the thin sliver of fabric from between her buttocks with her index finger. She winced uncomfortably as the material adjusted to her generous curves and pinched at her fur. “I keep forgetting that you're a size smaller than me."

Stopping on the other side of the large black Mercedes, Helen shrugged indifferently as she set her bag between her legs as a wry grin curled the corner of her muzzle. “You just got way more ass than me," she glanced at the dour expression on her friends face and chuckled vocally “however, that top looks quite exceptional on you." Her eyes widened to great dark orbs as she admired the shepherdess' bust.

Seeing where the raccoon's gaze was directed, Maria rolled her eyes dismissively. “Well you chose the top." Grabbing the hem of the bright orange crop-top her manicured claws combed through her short velvet fur on the underside of her breasts before tugging the cloth taut across her breast, making her nipples clearly visible through the thin stretched fabric.

Helen's eyes never left the bumps that pressed hard against the fabric. “You could have worn a bra."

Seeing where the raccoon's attention had settled, Maria let go of the crop-top and instead plucked on the wire thin shoulder straps. “You can't wear an ordinary bra under a top like this." She played with the straps some more raising the top little by little until the underside of her breast peeked out from underneath. Shaking her head the shepherdess began to wonder if her nipples would peek out from underneath the garment if she kept playing with it.

Leaning forward, Helen crossed her arms on the warm roof of the car before resting her chin on them. “The view is great though. It perks me right up."

Maria glanced from side to side before grabbing the hem of the crop-top again and pressed her arms against her sides, framing her breasts and showing her deep cleavage as she peeled the neckline over her breasts. The shepherdess blew her friend a kiss when her fingers touched her chin. “I know you love my girls." Her train of thought was broken when a sudden gleam of reflected sunlight, made her look up and miss Helen's retort.

The majority of the cars surrounding her Mercedes were low sedans except for a single large SUV that stuck out like a sore thumb only a few parking spaces away. Having rolled his window down, the familiar face of an old pudgy otter glanced towards the girls from inside that towering vehicle. Biting her lip, Maria watched his small eyes seem to grow in size from behind his large pair of bi-focal glasses. Slowly covering herself up she couldn't help herself but laugh at the situation.

Helen noticed Maria's body language change as she stared over her shoulder. Turning around and catching sight of the otter, she recognized him immediately and watched him bicker with someone in the passenger's seat before setting the massively oversized vehicle in motion. As the vehicle turned towards them an idea popped into the raccoon's head and she quickly stepped to the front of the Maria's car.

Curious as to what her friend was up to, Maria leaned against the side of her vehicle and watched Helen spread herself across the hood as if she were partaking in some seedy photo shoot. As the SUV rumbled past, the shepherdess could see an extremely thin otter woman that clearly wasn't a stranger to visiting a plastic surgeon with her eyes glued on her phone while her husband's eyes watched Helen excitedly.

The tires on the SUV squeaked when the otter swerved slightly to avoid colliding with another car entering the facility, much to the delight of Helen as she laughed maniacally. She remained sprawled across the hood of the large sports car, her legs spread wide as she pressed her breasts against the polished surface. Her laughter turned into a sudden shriek when a paw came down on her ass. “Hey!"

“You said something about me not wearing a bra, Dearie." Maria rubbed the cheek that she struck extracting a soft moan of delight from the raccoon as her long tail flicked from side to side. “You know, you really can see everything in those spandex shorts." She gave her friends rump one more firm squeeze before stepping away and opening the driver's door. “Come on, we'd best get out of here before we get into any real trouble."

With a sensual twisting of her body, Helen peeled herself off the shiny black metal surface and winked at the shepherdess as a giggle built up in her voice. “I did nothing wrong. The indecent exposure was all you, which you should be thanking me for not arresting you for."

Maria's face darkened as she glared at her friend. “Alright, I'm going."

The Raccoon's giggling continued but with a frantic undertone as she scrambled to the other side of the car. The engine roared to life as she opened the door and threw her bag inside; the moment she closed the door they were in motion and were soon following the SUV out of the parking lot.

The otter drove extremely slowly on the forest road making Maria roll her eyes and sigh. “There's careful driving and then there's this shit. Gods forbid he might have to drive over some leaves!"

Helen stretched in her seat making her seatbelt pull down the front of her t-shirt; the v-neck hole low enough to show off the edge of her areola. “Just relax and overtake him when you get the chance."

Tapping her fingers on the steering wheel, Maria glanced to the passenger's side with a cocked eyebrow. “Don't flash him. He might swerve into us.

Bouncing her knees up and down, Helen giggled girlishly. “Maybe you're right. We've given him enough to think about. His wife will probably be happy that we got his blood pumping again."

Maria's expression was contrary to her friend's statement. “I doubt it." She said suppressing a giggle. “I've seen his wife. If they've had sex since the turn of the millennium it would surprise me."

The comment only made the Raccoon laugh more. Shortly after their ways parted as the SUV took a different turn on the interchange and Helen lost her chance to show her charms to the elder otter one last time. Maria stifled her own giggle as a pouty expression of disappointment crossed her friends face.

They drove in relative silence for nearly twenty minutes as the radio played generic pop music that was occasionally interrupted by a content sigh coming from Helen. Finally having heard enough, Maria smirked at her friend. “You're not soiling the upholstery are you?" Helen only made a toothy grin towards her as a reply, so she kept talking. “We'll need to make a stop at a store. I need bagels for the morning."

Wiggling her butt into the soft seat, Helen reached between her legs and rummaged in the bag and then pulled her phone out. “Or we can order the groceries on-line and not leave the house for the rest of the day." She didn't wait for a reply and began to tap on the screen.

Weaving her way through the afternoon traffic, Maria turned off the highway again as they approached her home and the tapping next to her didn't seem to stop. “Are you buying the entire store or what?"

Helen just grinned as she turned her phone towards the shepherdess even though she didn't expect her friend to actual look. “Don't worry. I got your bagels, see. You got sixty bucks on you? Though maybe if the delivery guy's cute..."

“Don't even think about it. You can play out your porn fantasy somewhere else." Maria turned the car into her apartment complex and towards the automated gates. “So, what did you get us?"

“You'll see."

The Raccoon seemed too pleased with herself and that worried the shepherdess. Remaining quiet as she parked the car and mere moments later they were walking towards the door at the side of the high-rise. Maria opened the door with a key-fob and held it open for the Raccoon to go first. Watching Helen walk past; her striped tail curling from side to side as she walked revealing her spandex clad ass; Maria grinned mischievously; it was just begging to be smacked, Hard.

Standing on a stool behind the building's reception desk, George Tammar was sorting the mail; his nimble paws making neat piles as he worked. The Meerkat stood barely four feet tall and was dressed in a sharp uniform. He liked his job as doorman, it was easy, an inside job most of the time and compared to his previous occupation, it was a breeze. He reached down to touch his leg and tried to rub away a painful throbbing. His paws stopped moving as a loud smack and shriek reverberated through the hall. George turned his head and saw a scantily dressed female raccoon walk in from the parking lot doorway, frantically rubbing her backside. The Meerkat was about to ask if she had any business in the building but quickly closed his mouth when a familiar Shepherdess came into view.

Maria waved her stinging paw from side to side as she ignored the childish grumbling coming from her friend and stepped up to the receptionist's desk. “Hello George," she felt a bit embarrassed as she saw the familiar friendly face strain not to look at her outfit “any mail for me today?"

George turned his head and looked at one of the stacks he had been sorting. “Yes ma'am. I have this," He picked up two envelopes and placed them in front of the Shepherdess, giving him a fine view of the extremely tight top the she wore, but he remained composed in spite of the temptation before him “and a package also arrived for you earlier." The Meerkat dropped down from his stool and winced ever so slightly, then walked behind the desk to find the small compartment assigned to Maria's apartment. “Here it is." He was about to turn around when there was another smack and similar shriek compared to the previous one.

“Damn, I'm jealous of that butt of yours, Maria."

“Behave! George is getting my mail. We'll go up in a minute, geez."

After collecting the box, the Meerkat returned and put the package on top of his stool before climbing up after it. Even with the throbbing in his thigh he made short work of the task.

“Oh my gosh! Look at that little uniform." The raccoon leaned over the desk and George had to lean back and strained to keep his balance. Luckily the Shepherdess came to his rescue and pulled the scantily clad woman back.

“Go stand next to the elevator and behave!" Maria gave Helen a shove away from the desk, resisting the urge to smack her again. As she looked back at the doorman she mouthed. “I'm sorry."

George smiled in spite of the embarrassment of the moment as he put the package in front of Maria. “No worries, Ma'am, it happens from time to time." He glanced to the side and was dumbstruck at the sway of Helen's spandex enclosed buttocks. “But not that often…" His calm demeanor slowly began to crack at the sight of Helen's tightly packaged rump. “I… Um…"

Maria quickly thumbed through the envelopes and the label on the package before looking back at George. “I am expecting two deliveries this evening. One is groceries and the other will be take-out of some kind. Just send them up, please." Even though she always told the Meerkat to send people up he would always call and double check. It was his meticulous and prim nature that made him so well loved with the people in the building. The Shepherdess picked up her mail and package before giving the doorman one last smile. “Have a good evening, George. Sorry again about Helen."

George returned the smile and tipped an imaginary hat. “No worries, Ma'am. I hope you have a..." He couldn't help but cast a surreptitious glance towards the elevators. “...pleasant evening."

With the package pressed against her stomach, Maria winked at the Meerkat before she set off towards the elevator and caught up with Helen as she held one of the elevators open with her foot.

“What did you get?"

Maria looked at the label on the package again. “I don't know. The company name doesn't ring any bells." The two females stepped into the elevator and enjoyed a quiet ride up before getting out and making the short trip towards Maria's front door. Once they both were inside, Helen stole the package after Maria set it down.

“Let's see what we got!"

“Wait? We?" Maria called out after the retreating striped tail that vanished into the darkness of her apartment. She set off after Helen but instead of going into the kitchen, where the raccoon was looking for something to open the box with; she headed into her study and put the letters down on the left side of her desk. When she returned, Helen was poised to start dissecting the box with an old knife she found in the drawers.

The usually brash and assertive woman now pondered for a moment before turning her head towards the shepherdess. “If you're not expecting a package, you don't think this'll be a bomb send by a pissed off convict?"

Maria leaned against the counter and looked thoughtfully for several long seconds. “It could be, though George usually screens for that..." She paused to let her derisory tone set in. “…Ya paranoid looney!"

Leveling a cold stare at her friend, Helen tapped the box with the small knife. “Very funny." She thought for several seconds as well, switching her gaze between the box and its recipient. “Aren't you afraid of something like that?"

“Give me that." Maria said as she took the knife from Helen's paw. “Our doormen are very thorough. If a package doesn't come in via the usual couriers they make note of it. I even gave George written consent to open anything he considered suspicious."

Taking the knife back, Helen put on a face before shaking her head at Maria. “Smartass." With several quick cuts she opened the box and as she looked in she raised an eyebrow. “Coffee?"

Maria took the knife back and cut open the plastic invoice bag glued to the top to pull out the receipts. After setting the knife aside and unfolding the papers she looked through the sheets and found a comment made by the one who placed the order. “For all the lawyers suffering from caffeine withdrawal, you guys needed something better. I hope this smooths over any hard feelings. Nathan." She took a deep breath and set the note aside, resisting her normal urge to rip up something with his name on it that he might leave behind. “It's from Nathan."

The mentioning of that name made Helen's ears stand up straight. “He sent you coffee? Why and why now?"

“It was a prank he pulled yesterday, before what he did to Brutus. He switched all the coffee in the office for decaf."

“Oooo, savage." Helen said with a wry grin. “Though it would be funny to see everyone in the bullpen get cranky before falling asleep, huh?"

Maria shook her head. “Nathan loves disrupting what he thinks are menial or boring jobs. I think he'd go crazy being stuck at desk from nine to five."

“So he just wants to disrupt people's day?"

Having picked up one of the bags from the box, Maria was busy appraising it. “There is no malice behind it. He just has a different view on the world." She dropped the bag back into the box before turning towards the doorway. “I'll order us some pizza. Want to share a big one?"

Absentmindedly, Helen was glaring at the box before snapping out of her reverie and glancing up at her friend. “Sure." There was a moment of pause before she spoke up again. “Just order your usual. I'll eat anything." There was a moment of regret as the raccoon realized her slip and as her friend fled the kitchen giggling she turned in her chair and called out after the shepherdess. “Stop that and get back here!" The laugh that rang through the apartment lasted for several seconds as Helen blew raspberries towards the ceiling until the box once more drew her attention. Taking a bag of the coffee, she got up and retrieved her bag before fishing out her phone again.

Maria had just put the phone down when it rang again. In one fluid motion she spun around and picked up it up and began her customary greeting after she pushed the button. “Maria speaking."

“Good afternoon miss Eckholdt. This is the reception. There is a delivery here for you from the local market. Should I send him up?"

“Please do. Thank you George." The call ended and Maria put the phone back down and this time it remained quiet. She made her way back to the kitchen with a few bills in her paw. “Helen. You said the groceries were about sixty bucks right?"

Helen had crossed her legs and was bouncing one back and forth as she leaned back in her chair. Hearing the question, she turned her head and look up at her friend. “Yeah sixty should cover it... Or just give him one of these bags of coffee." She stared at the bag in her paw and idly looked at the brand name before she continued. “I'm not kidding this brand is crazy expensive." Her gaze returned to the box and a scowl formed on her face for several seconds. “How much does Nathan earn if he can spend this much money on pranks?"

The shepherdess' fingers leafed through the bills and made sure she took enough from her desk. “He makes a decent living while he's at sea and can be away for months at the time so it accumulates quickly." She flicked the raccoon's ear before turning towards the hallway. “Come help me carry the groceries inside."

Letting the subject drop, Helen got to her feet and put the bag back in the box.

When Maria opened her front door they both heard the ping from the elevator doors opening, followed by the soft scuffs of sneakers against the marble tiles. She saw the large box before the person carrying it and it looked heavy.

A heavy set Hedgehog was silently cursing the upstart Meerkat behind the desk for denying him the use of his trolley just because the wheels left marks on the floor; resulting in him having to carry the heavy box around. His scowling visage scanned around for the apartment number but upon seeing the two gorgeous femmes waiting for him it was replaced by a stupid grin.

“So... Pay him in cash or..?" Maria asked in a whisper as she turned her head towards the Raccoon at her side.

“Oh hell no." Helen growled not nearly as quiet as the shepherdess' whisper. “Let me get that." She said while looking at the delivery guy and sticking out her arms to take the box from him. Leaning in closer, her nose curled up at the scent of stale sweat and other things she'd rather not think about while she lifted the box out of the shorter male's grip with a grunt. “That's heavy... We ordered too much stuff."

“You ordered." Maria corrected as she watched Helen take the box inside. “I'm just paying." When she looked back at the hedgehog she saw where his eyes we're glued and just held out the money until Helen stepped into the kitchen and out of his sight. “Here is sixty plus a tip for the heavy lifting."

Blinking rapidly the hedgehog reached out and took the money between two fingers, all the while letting his gaze sweep up and down the woman in front of him. “Ah yeah, quite the party you two are planning in there."

The cold gaze Maria cast towards the delivery guy had the desired effect as she drew her paw back. “Thank you for the delivery." Turning around she closed the door and shook her head with a grin on her muzzle. “He must have thought he landed in a porno and was about to experience the time of his life."

In the kitchen Helen was already storing the items from the box and slyly put a large bottle of wine to the side. “We could have had some fun flirting but I like my victims clean, or a little sweaty if they are cute."

“My, my, aren't you picky." Maria mused as she grabbed two wine glasses from the cupboard.

While looking in the box to see what was left inside, Helen raised her paw and extended her middle finger. “I enjoy being single and I when I see someone I would like to get to know better I don't beat around the bush." Putting her finger away she then busied herself with opening the bottle of wine. “And I don't know," she paused for a moment as the pulled the cork out of the bottle with a clear and sharp plop “I've been extremely horny the past week."

Holding out the glasses to be filled, Maria gave her friend a lopsided grin. “Should I worry about my virtue?"

Pouring the wine, Helen peered up through her lashes at the shepherdess and licked her lips. “Depends on how drunk I can get you."

“Pf, right," Maria snorted loudly as she brought the first glass to be filled to her mouth and returned it after taking a long draft from it. “Mhm, nice. Not usually a big fan of rosé, but this one's good." She moved the glass around and watched the clear pink fluid swirl inside.

Helen waited for a few seconds for Maria to stop moving the glass before refilling it. “I figured you'd like it," she said putting the cork back in the bottle and taking the glass she had poured herself while Maria tested the wine. “Shall we retire to the sofa and await arrival of our dinner?" There was a hint of sophistication in her voice as she gestured towards the hallway with the bottle.

Letting out a snort and a giggle, Maria preceded the raccoon and let her tail sway in time with her steps as the both of them made their way into the living room.

While her friend took her usual spot in the lazy chair, Helen turned as they stepped through the living room doors and began to peer through the windows of the closed bookcase. “You and your books."

“Yes?" Maria asked sweetly as she spun herself around, gingerly sipping from her glass.

Raising her paw, Helen tapped on the glass with her knuckle. “I never understood why you spend money on these. You probably already got the books in modern print." Waving her paw to the side she indicated the large wall filling bookcase behind her desk.

With a big smile on her face, Maria nodded. “I do. Every single one of them." She paused to take a long sip from her wine, which annoyed Helen a little more. “There's just something about old books. I love the feeling of the old thicker paper and the cover resting in my palm."

“And the hallucinogenic fumes coming from the mold spores." Helen turned and sauntered across the room, emptying her glass before setting both it and the bottle down on the coffee table. She eyed the couch for a moment before jumping up and landing on it lengthwise on her back. “Fuck, this thing is so comfy." She rolled onto her front and wiggled her butt. Turning her head she shot a lecherous grin at Maria. “So..."

Knowing what was going on behind those dark green eyes, Maria chuckled. “Gods, you have nothing else on the brain do you?" Standing up she reached across the table to grab the bottle and drew it closer to herself. “But to answer the question, yes that couch has seen a lot of action. It's pretty resistant to stains too." She quickly refilled both glasses before sitting back down.

“I'll try to behave." Lying face down on the seat cushion, Helen relaxed her body but stuck her ringed tail straight up before whipping it around. “But it's been so boring at work; I need something to sink my teeth into." Before either of them could continue the phone rang again.

Helen sprang up surprisingly nimble from the couch and hopped over to the desk and picked it up. “Eckholdt residence." She sang into the receiver and almost immediately put on her most husky voice. “Hello Georgy. The pizza's here? Well, send him up." There was a longer pause as she listened to the Meerkat speak. “Perfect... Is he cute?" There was glint of devilish delight in her eyes as she listened. “Young Lion... Cute ass?!"

Seeing the look that came over her friend's face was priceless and it set Maria off into a giggling fit, though she tried to keep it down by clasping her mouth his both paws.

A knowing smile graced Helen's muzzle as she overcame her surprise. “And I was so hoping you were staring at my ass..." There was a click on the line as the Meerkat hung up that left the Raccoon with a crazed grin on her face. “And I wondered why my charms didn't work on him."

The comment set Maria off on another giggling fit, but she still got out of her seat and stepped towards the desk. “Ahem," she collected herself and patted herself on the chest. “Right. Let me get the mon..."

“Oh, I'm paying!" Helen interjected quickly. “Least I could do."

There was a nagging feeling in the back of Maria's mind but she ignored it for the time being. “Fine by me," she commented before gesturing towards the front door. “Better get it quickly. He should be here any second."

Helen watched Maria walk away as she placed the phone back in its cradle before sauntering after the shepherdess, pulling on her spandex shorts to make sure they were nice and snug. In front of her, Maria opened the door to reveal a lion teen with an unruly pubescent mane barely held in check by the cap he wore. Slipping past her friend she bumped hips with the shepherdess and accepted the large box from the lion. “Thanks Sweety." She smiled and batted her eyes at the teen. Turning her head towards Maria, she lifted the box up to her chest with both paws. “Beautiful could you get the money out of my pants? I've got my paws full."

Taken aback by the request Maria took a moment before realizing something as she looked at the raccoon's outfit. Her eyes glided over Helen's shapely backside and legs at the smooth spandex piece of clothing that was devoid of pockets. Glancing towards the lion and seeing where his gaze was focused made her grin. Spinning on her foot Maria came to stand nearly face to face with Helen, one breast pressed against the other as the shepherdess stood slightly offset. “Naughty." She whispered as she put a paw on Helen's stomach, slowly moving down.

Licking her lips as she gazed into those ice cold steel gray eyes of her friend, Helen put her paw on the shepherdess' hip and hooked a finger into the cut off denim shorts and tugged them up a bit. “Keep going."

The lion didn't know where to look, switching between watching Maria's denim shorts disappear between her amazing ass cheeks and the two femme's leaning in as if they were about to kiss, and the fingers that began to slip down the front of the beautiful raccoon's spandex shorts. Regardless, his crotch was under tremendous strain in that moment and his mind was close to overload.

Maria turned her head slightly as their muzzles nearly touched, all the way her fingers sunk deeper into the spandex. She felt the warmth between the raccoon's thighs and a familiar scent wafted up from within the tight garment. The pads of her fingers pushed against Helen's swollen and hot to the touch folds, slipping one claw between them to feel the raccoon shudder and let out a small moan. She had felt the money press against the back of her fingers but she moved her paw around farther before pulling it away.

The lion stood mouth agape as he watched the spectacle unfold in front of him. His eyes were glued to Helen's groin as he tried to catch a glimpse of her privates around the paw sticking out of her pants.

With a paw reeking of Raccoon musk, Maria turned around and waved it around underneath the teenager's nose. When that didn't have an immediate effect she gently placed the moist bills inside his mouth before pushing his chin up with a wet finger. “For the pizza and your tip." Maria said in a husky voice before urging Helen through the door.

Panting slightly, Helen let herself be ushered back inside and once the door was closed she start to laugh. “Oh we are so bad!" The slap that hit her backside came as a surprise, making her shriek and jump loud enough hear herself echo in the hallway.

“Take the pizza to the living room you little slut. I need to wash my paw and get plates." Maria strode into the kitchen and quickly ran her paw under the water, both to clean it and to stop the stinging from the slap she just gave Helen. The pair had done a lot of crazy things in the past, but their antics that afternoon had perhaps been the brashest they had ever done. Retrieving two plates and a pizza slicer before leaving the kitchen, Maria strode into the living room and found Helen prone on the couch, her well defined ass raised slightly off the cushions. With her arms crossed on a small pillow, the raccoon was sipping her wine whenever she wasn't giggling. “You enjoyed that way too much."

Turning her head at the admonishing tone, Helen snorted. “Like you didn't! You ignored the money for quite a while when you were down there."

Remaining silent, Maria cut the pizza and handed the Raccoon a plate with two slices before dropping down in her favorite chair with a plate of her own. “Maybe."

Toying with a slice for a moment, Helen observed her friend for several long seconds. “I haven't seen you this flirtatious in years."

Taking a large bite of pizza, Maria wanted to end their line of discussion, but knew that it would be waiting for her regardless. She watched Helen make a scene of savoring her wine and the shepherdess knew that the police officer would never let it go now. “Three years?" She asked rhetorically.

“No... Since our college days when you had a new boyfriend almost every week, but now that you've brought it up." Helen took another quick sip of rosé and smacked her lips as the sweet taste lingered in her mouth. “What happ.."

“Oh you know what happened!" Maria barked as she interrupted her friend, a scowl carving creases in her forehead. “What do you want to know? How I met him?"

Helen shook her head and nibbled on her pizza. “No... You told me that, several times in fact. In exquisite detail too." Putting her pizza down, she used her freed up paw to point an accusing finger at her friend. “I told you earlier today that the only thing I got from you was details of you two having a lot of sex while he's here or nothing but angry grumbles when he isn't."

“I already answered your questions."

“True," Helen said easily “but we got interrupted by overheating. I had more questions."

Picking up another slice from the box, Maria took her time settling back in her chair and while she looked at her food she spoke. “Why I keep letting him back in?"

Helen just smiled and tapped a long claw tip on her plate. “That's the big question. Is it because he buys those old books for you?"

Turning her head, Maria glanced towards the locked bookcase. “No..."

“So none of those books are from him?" Licking her lips, Helen locked her gaze on Maria as if she was in an interrogation.

Turning back, Maria saw the look on the raccoon's face and let out a groan in defeat. “Some... But that doesn't mean... How did you even know?"

“Because you usually tell me when you found an old book worthy of being added to your collection. You haven't done that in quite a while, yet the one alone on its own shelve wasn't there last time I was here."

“Excellent deduction there Sherlock," Maria said with notable irritation. “Yes, Nathan did get that for me... Want me to tell you about his latest return?"

Thinking the proposition over for several seconds, Helen ultimately shook her head. “No. Let's go back to the beginning. Tell me what happened the first time he came back, please."

The tone in the raccoon's voice made Maria chuckle before leaning towards her friend with a bemused expression on her face. “It sounds like I need to get a lawyer." When that didn't get a response she let out a sigh. “Very well, it was a few years ago...

* * *

-Almost Three years ago-

Standing in her kitchen, Maria looked at the intimidating button filled interface of her newly installed coffee machine. Her paw drifted over the numerous dials and switches that programed the device's settings, unsure of how to start it. “Where did I leave the manual for this damn thing?!" It was early in the evening and with a large pile of paperwork stacked on her desk the shepherdess was in need of her caffeine fix to get through it. A push of a button only made the machine make a few noises in protest before falling quiet again. “Piece of…!" The remainder of Maria's colorful description was interrupted by a clear gentle rapping on her front door. She frowned and quickly approached the door, there was a doorman in the lobby and wouldn't let just anyone into the building. She opened the door, expecting it to be one of her neighbors as she peered out at the figure standing in the hallway.

“Maria, hi..."

“You…" The shepherdess growled as she looked up at the wolf that gazed at her with a gentle smile. “You son of a bitch!"

The shout surprised Nathan as he was caught by her angry eyes; so much so that he didn't see the paw swinging at his face. The impact made his head snap to the side as the slap numbed his muzzle. He didn't utter a word, neither in anger nor in pain as he straightened himself as a dull ache slowly started to spread through his cheek. “Maria, I'm..." This time he saw the slap coming and his arms tensed preparing to reach up to block it, but instead remained at his side.

Maria's paw stung and her vision was beginning to blur as she screamed at the wolf. “Get the fuck out of here, you asshole!" Tears began to darken the fur beneath her eyes as she turned around and slammed the door behind her. Taking a ragged breath the shepherdess stormed through her apartment, trying to suppress the joy of her time with Nathan and how much grief his sudden disappearance had caused her. After clearing her eyes, Maria found herself once more in the kitchen glaring at the coffee machine, but even after giving it the same treatment as she had to Nathan it still refused to give her coffee.

The ringing still hadn't left the wolf's ears as he stood before the door. Scrunching up his face where he'd been slapped he made a slight chewing action to help relieve some of the pain and then shook his head. "Nate, you idiot." He muttered, wondering what to do. It only took him a moment to make his decision and then he swung his duffel bag off his back and set it firmly against the wall next to the door. With a painfully throbbing cheek he stood before the door of his irate ex-lover and raised his paw once more.

Hours passed and the pile on Maria's desk hadn't shrunk during that time as the shepherdess sat staring blankly at it. With one folder open in front of her she tried to start her work, but every time she started reading it her train of thought was derailed. In the end she just gave up. The sudden surprise of seeing her ex was still burning through her mind when she stood up and slowly walked out of the room. It was silent in the hallway, not even the rhythmic ticking of the old bohemian clock in the living room seemed to reach her. As she stood in the dark, Maria gathered her rage as her ears swiveled forwards; waiting for something. It only took a few minutes before the clear and distinct rapping on the front door happened again and she began to stride furiously towards the door as the knocking ended. Once her paw rested on the doorknob she clenched her teeth and raised her hackles before tearing the door open.

Nathan hadn't moved from his spot, his paw resting against the smooth lacquered surface of the door that he had been softly knocking on at regular intervals for the past few hours. He nearly jumped out of his fur in fright when the door swung open, but what it revealed scared him even more.

“I told you to get out of here you fucking bastard!" Maria roared as her paw rose up sharply. She expected a response from the wolf but all Nathan did was take the hit before turning his head back to face her; almost as if he dared her to go again. “You..."

The pure rage in her voice made Nathan flinch inwardly as saw her paw come up once more. He readied himself for another slap, but in the rush he didn't spot that it was a fist flying towards him and not an open paw. A split second later he was seeing stars. Staggering back a few steps Nathan clenched his teeth to silence his cry of pain as the coppery taste of blood filled his mouth.

Her knuckles stung, but Maria barely felt it through her adrenaline induced rage. “You! You..." Words didn't come to her as another surge of rage made her lash out. Balling her paw, she thrust it hard into Nathan's solar plexus and left it there as the wolf nearly doubled over.

With all the air forced out of his lungs Nathan just stood there bent over the arm that she had just punched him with. He didn't utter a word and took his punishment, his head pounding from the abuse and his torso bruised from the punch.

Breathing hard, Maria felt her anger ebb a little as she looked at the top of the wolf's head. A slew of thoughts flooded her mind and she knew she wanted answers. Withdrawing the paw from the wolf's stomach she watched him sway slightly, and then as it passed his head she took a firm hold of his spikey hair.

Nathan's eyes nearly popped out of his skull as pain shot through his scalp. As the angry shepherdess pulled him through the door he did his best to keep up with her in his compromised state.

Not caring about the open front door, Maria bolted through the apartment until she came to a stop in the middle of the living room. Launching Nathan at a chair as she turned around, the shepherdess leveled her paw and pointed an accusing finger as she glared at the silent wolf clutching his head. “You piece of shit, Nathan! Have you anything to say for yourself, for what you did to me?!"

In silence, Nathan's face cycled through several pained expressions before he cautiously pulled his paw away from his head and finally spoke. “Ouch!"

Jabbing her finger at him again, Maria was about to give him another earful of abuse, but she suddenly saw her fist was full of his hair. Opening up her clenched fist the chunks of hair floated down to the floor. Gazing at the small mess she had made for several seconds, she let out a sigh and felt the bulk of her anger ebb away from her slowly. Watching him slump in the chair he had been thrown into, a flush of guilt worked its way into her mind. Resisting the guilty feelings to the best of her ability, a small measure of responsibility crept into her having now seen her handy work on the wolf. “Let me take a look at that."

Prodding the thinned out area in front of his left ear, Nathan winced in pain. “Nope, I think that's quite enough for now." His voice didn't hold any accusation but he avoided looking at her and stared at the floor around her feet instead.

Her right ear twitched and the motion seemed to cause further irritation to run down the shepherdess' spine before she bore her teeth and shouted at Nathan with all her might. "Enough?! I should be ripping out something else by the root you fucking bastard! You think you can disappear for months and then I'll let you back in just because you knock on my door!?"

Nathan's shoulders sagged and he let out a deep sigh. "Listen, Maria. I didn't come back to cause you any pain. I came back to apologize for leaving so suddenly, and maybe see if there was a chance of us picking up where we left off?" He stood up from his chair and shook his head slowly as he finally dared to look her in the eyes. "I think that might have been a mistake. If you want me to, I'll go, but if you change your mind, call me. I'd like to take you out to dinner, just to talk. I know it's been a while, but I've thought about you a lot since I left. Hell, this is my first stop since getting off the boat."

Twisting her foot from side to side, Maria's long tail twitched in agitation as she spoke. "I've heard better plea bargains from murderers about to get the death sentence." As the silence settled the shepherdess kept her eyes on the side of the wolf's head but he she couldn't get a clear view. Stepping up to him and quickly grabbing him by his ear she pulled it back and applied some pressure while she used her other paw to brush more hair out of the way to see. "Stop moving and let me see." The tone of her voice was enough to make a meat locker feel like a sauna; it was fitting as she didn't want to hear any arguments from the wolf.

"Alright, alright!" Nathan sat back down with another wince of pain and knowing he was about to make it worse. "Did you get your caring touch from, a pro-wrestler?"

The quick delivery of the wisecrack caught Maria by surprise and she was barely able to hold back a loud snort. She didn't know what to do with the facetious wolf. One part of her wanted to throw him off the balcony, another wanted to throw him out the door, and the last wanted to throw him into her bed. His disappearance had left her sex-deprived and her attempts to scratch that particular itch had left her wanting; the agitation only grew now that Nathan had reappeared. The vice like grip on his ear remained but with the other paw she gently combed through his hair and saw the bright red and irritated skin underneath. "Let me get something for that." Her tone had eased in those few seconds but still made it the room feel chilled.

Nathan watched as she walked away and began to speak. "I really am sorry, Maria. I did tell you that I sometimes have to leave at a moment's notice. I... I just didn't expect the call to come through that quickly."

When Maria entered the room again she remained silent and began to gently apply the ointment she retrieved. Her fingers danced over his scalp as she became lost in thought, taking her time until both of them were startled by the low chiming of the large clock on the wall.

When the twelfth chime had died down, Maria felt her guilt grow again. She had left the wolf standing outside her door for several hours. His determination and foolhardy stubbornness was something she never experienced in a friend, or a lover. "It's late," she let the statement sink in for a moment "you can sleep in the guest room if you want."

Nathan looked up at the shepherdess, surprised by the sudden gentleness of her tone but clearly weary by the rough treatment. "Are you sure? You don't have to put me up for the night. I think I should go, for your sanity and my safety." He said with a self-deprecating chuckle. When he stood, his eyes met with Maria's and she could see both pain and guilt weighing heavily on his mind. The wolf raised a paw and with the gentlest touch, he brushed his thumb across her cheek. He wanted to say something, but the words choked in his throat.

Maria's paw moved to his muzzle and pushed it down so he would stop looking at her with his warming gray-brown eyes. "Don't argue with me. It's late and I don't want to you out on the streets with the headache you've got." The paw on his muzzle moved and she affectionately caressed his cheek. she turned and began to walk out of the room as she spoke over her shoulder; the icy winds once more clear in her voice. "It's your choice though."

"Thank you." He said softly and followed her for a few paces. "I'm on my best behavior. I'll even sleep with my pants on."

A hint of a grin appeared on the shepherdess' muzzle but it vanished just as quickly as it arrived. "I'll get you a blanket." She stepped into her room before going to her closet to rummage around for a large blanket.

After quickly retrieving his bag from outside, Nathan closed the front door and stepped into the guest room then looked around at the spartan surroundings; a bed, a nightstand, and a single lamp. Setting his things aside he stared at the bed until Maria returned, his ears low, and his shoulders and tail sagging as if he were carrying the weight of the world.

Maria stopped at the door for a moment when she saw him. Memories flashed through her mind, but she kept quiet about them when she entered the room. "You can turn on the heater if it gets too cold." She spoke softly to the wolf as she handed him the thin blanket with one paw while tossing a pillow on the bed with the other. "You look like shit Nathan, go to bed." Without a second thought she turned around and walked out of the room.

"Maria..."

She stopped in the doorway and glanced over her shoulder; the butterflies in her stomach were in a wild frenzy.

Nathan turned to face her with a soft smile appearing on his muzzle. "I missed you."

Looking into his eyes the shepherdess couldn't help but blush a deep crimson as her ears lowered and hid in her hair as she whispered her reply. "I missed you too." With that she walked through the door closing it behind her.

Glaring at the clock, Maria rubbed her eyes again. Sitting up in bed she grumbled to herself; sleep wasn't coming to her as her mind raced. The air in the apartment was cold as it assaulted the half of her bare body that stuck out from beneath the covers. The atmosphere around her was tense as her mind focused solely on the person in the other room. It was strangely cold for the time of year and she was making Nathan endure it with only a single thin blanket.

Stepping out of bed, Maria grabbed her robe to warm her body but the chill rushed past her feet and sent shivers up her spine. Walking to her closet and straight past her slippers, she gathered another blanket in her arms and headed for the guest room.

Cautiously opening the door, she stepped into the room and turned the dimmer switch to low so she could see what she was doing. Nathan was lying on his side with his back towards her and from the occasional shivers it was clear his blanket really wasn't cut out for the cooler conditions. Even curled up it was barely enough to cover him, leaving his shoulders and arms exposed.

“Nathan?" Maria asked in a hoarse whisper. She asked again when he didn't reply but the wolf was fast asleep. Putting her paw on his shoulder she felt how cold he was and quickly set to work unfolding the blanket she held draped over her other arm. It was larger than the first and would easily cover him as well as provide some much needed warmth. When Maria had covered him and tucked the blanket around his back, Nathan stirred.

“Thanks, Mom," he whispered as he subconsciously hid under the new blanket.

Maria blinked repeatedly in surprise, unsure if he was dreaming or simply remembering another time.

-Back in the present-

“Aw, ain't that sweet." Helen said with a slight drawl. “So what did you do then? Crawl under the blanket and tell him how much you really missed him?"

Letting out a snort, Maria shook her head. “No, that came much later." With a sigh she stood up and began clearing the remnants of their dinner. It didn't take long and when the shepherdess returned she realized that Helen hadn't moved since she had first lain on the couch. “Aren't you relaxed?"

Helen looked up and pouted like a child and raised herself on her forearms. “That's because it hurts to move," she reached back with one paw and rubbed her backside “you really did a number on my butt." Bursting into laughter, Maria walked around the coffee table and sat next to Helen and playfully began poking the raccoon's backside. The shriek from her friend kept her laughter going after Helen slapped her paw away. “Owww, that hurts you heartless bitch!"

Between moments of laughter, Maria managed to stick her tongue out at her friend as she put her paws on either sides of Helen's hips. Curling her fingers into the hem of the spandex shorts, the shepherdess' laugh was slowly replaced by a sultry growl. “Just be quiet and let me take a look." Laying her head down, Helen grinned and raised her hips a little to let Maria peel the tight fitting garment off her legs. After opening the Velcro catch to release the raccoon's tail, Maria slid the spandex down teasingly. Revealing the gray furry cheeks within, she could almost feel the heat coming from the slapped area though what really caught her attention was her friend's scent. Lightly dragging her paws along the outside of Helen's thighs she noticed the crotch of her shorts still clung to its original position. “Oh wow..." She commented as she took deep sniffs.

Wiggling her butt from side to side, Helen glanced over her shoulder. “How bad is it?"

“Just terrible." Maria said as she brought a finger up to pull the spandex away from the raccoon's fur. Thick strands of fluid stretched out between the fabric and Helen's sopping wet pussy. Catching a little of the sticky mess on her finger, the shepherdess grinned. “You're an absolute mess." She commented before bringing the finger to her lips and slowly licking it clean as lewd ideas entered her mind.

Helen suddenly reared up, her face a visage of both pain and pleasure as her ass was squeezed and massaged firmly. “Oh shit... Maria!"

Standing up, Maria put her knee next to the raccoon's thighs and quickly straddled her friend. “Shh, let me work my magic." With a wicked smile she leaned forward, placing both her paws on Helen's hips before pressing her lips against one of her throbbing buttocks.

“Oooh!" Helen moaned when she began to feel a wet trail, left by a broad canine tongue, seep into her fur. The soothing pressure made her wriggle her ass but when a set of long, sharp canines pushed through her fur and into her butt, she froze. “Ow!" Reaching behind her she tried to smack the snickering shepherdess but missed. “Don't do... Ooooh," her admonishment fell flat.

Maria watched the shiver of pleasure make the striped tail in front of her shudder from base to the tip as she pushed her middle finger deep inside Helen's leaking pussy. “Come on; use your words like a big girl."

Having several colorful words she wanted to throw at her friend Helen opened her mouth to speak, but all that came out was a quiet squeak as the prod of a well-manicured claw send her insides dancing. Instead she slammed her head into the cushion beneath her to stifle her near constant moaning.

Shifting her position, Maria nudged the raccoon's legs apart with her knees so she could sit between them. Laying with one arm on the small of Helen's back, she could easily massage the gray furred butt in front of her and keep her attention on what she was doing with her other paw. With the raccoon still sensitive from Melchior's barbed cock all Maria had to do was rake her claw against the irritated wall to get her friend to fidget. “Mmmh... This brings back memories from college. That time you spent a night with the lion twins."

Raising her head, Helen swatted the shepherdess in the face with her tail. “Gods I loved that night. They took turns..."

“And you couldn't walk properly for a week." Maria finished as she slowly inserted another finger.

Feeling her entire body tense up, Helen bit her lip to stop the moan but it escaped none the less. “Oh, don't lie... Two days at most." She let out a throaty groan and rolled her hips onto her friend's fingers. “Now stop teasing me!"

Shifting her body forward, Maria pushed down on Helen's back so she couldn't move. “Don't make me smack you again." As she bit down on the tender cheek, she slowly extended another finger and drove it deep into the raccoon's dripping cunt.

Feeling the extra digit pushing into her and spreading her folds made Helen respond by clenching her muscles around the intruders. “Oooh, yeah; that's it."

Swirling her fingers around, Maria fought against the sudden tightness before slowly drawing her digits out. At the sight of her fingers covered in thick sexual fluids she sat up while opening and closing them, watching the sticky substance stretch between them.

Pushing herself up on her elbows, Helen turned her upper body to watch Maria play with her sticky fingers before moving it to her muzzle. Watching the long canine tongue lap her juices away from her friend's fingers only made her wetter by the second. With remarkable agility, she twisted herself around, swinging her legs around Maria until she lay on her back with her legs spread wide. With one foot over the back of the couch and the other on the floor, Helen slid a paw down her belly and gently tapped her clit with a claw tip. “And, do I still taste as good as you remember?"

Making a show of licking her fingers clean, Maria prolonged her silence as long as she could before falling forward, her paws landing on either side of Helen's chest. Leaning closer, she nuzzled the raccoon's cleavage. “I think there's still a bit of tiger in you."

Sliding a nearby cushion beneath her head with both her paws, Helen glanced down her body and over her friend and then quickly wrapped and clenched her thighs around the shepherdess' body. “I thought you liked tiger mixe… Ow!"

Biting down hard, Maria's sharp canines punctured through Helen's thin shirt and fur poking her breasts. She flicked her tongue several times over the small peak that pressed through the cloth before pulling back. “He was sweet."

“Are we talking character or ta... Ow!" Once again, Helen felt the sharp canines poke her in the breasts again. “Hey, be nice!"

Maria withdrew her mouth and grinned at her friend before sliding her paws up Helen's gray furred flanks, slipping them under the loose shirt and lifting it out of her way. “I didn't want to comment on this," she said as her paws cupped both large mounds in front of her nose “but am I seeing a bit of sag going on with the girls?" She accepted Helen's playful swat to her ears before moving her muzzle down to one of the dark pinkish-gray nipples and taking it into her mouth.

Holding her paw just above the shepherdess' head, Helen closed her eyes and enjoyed the feeling of the broad tongue swirling around her nipple. “We're getting older, it happens."

Sitting up, Maria scooted forward into a better position, straddling her friend once more. Grabbing the hem of her top, she peeled it over her head; shaking her hips and shoulders as her breasts dropped into view. “In your case maybe, but mine," she cupped her breasts and slowly kneading them “are still as perky as they have ever been."

Stretching out her arms, Helen replaced Maria's paws with her own after some encouraging nudges. “Mhmm, you're right; still nice a firm." She gave the girls a hard squeeze before sliding her paws to the sides of her breasts so that she could pinch the shepherdess' nipples gently. “Tell me your secrets, oh perky one."

“Get some good supporting bras; you don't need to flash them all the time so they don't need to be sexy." Tangling her arms through Helen's, Maria grabbed the raccoon's breasts and mimicked what her friend was doing to her. “Think of the boobs! You need to take good care of these beauties."

Helen pinched the shepherdess' nipples firmly and let out a soft moan when Maria did the same thing to her. “Ooh, sure thing Mom. Grandma bras and panties from now o... ow!" She rolled her head back as the pain from her nipples made her spine feel like her tail was plugged into an electrical socket. The pain faded and was replaced once more by a broad tongue lapping at the sore peaks. “Oh baby..."

Sucking hard on the nipples in front of her, Maria began to gyrate her hips; sliding her crotch along Helen's bare leg until the rough denim shorts rubbed against the raccoon's dripping folds. The warmth spread into the cloth and she could feel it seep through.

Helen gripped the cushion hard enough to puncture it with her claws, her head rolled from side to side on top of it as she began mewling like a kitten lost in pleasure. The two girls slowly sped up, their hips pushing hard against each other and letting the thin sliver of coarse denim do most of the work as it slipped between their folds to rub against their sensitive pink flesh. Even though Helen was expressing the most lust, it was Maria that began to pant louder. The shepherdess' entire body began to tremble every time her hips made full rotations.

“Looks like someone's ready to pop."

Drawing in a breath, Maria felt the sweat drip down her face as her ears picked up Helen's jeering comment. “Shut up!" She hissed and focused on remaining up right while moving her hips.

Seeing the intense look on her friend's face, Helen began to laugh before moving one foot from the back of the couch and putting it against Maria's shoulder. She stopped laughing when the shepherdess realized what she had done and an evil grin split the gray muzzle. With one hard shove and a scream of surprise from her victim, Helen had switched their positions and now sat between her friend's legs. “You look tired. Allow me, you enjoy."

Maria tried to mumble something while she lay on her back, her head tucked against the back corner of the couch. With one paw grabbing the seat cushion and the other up to her mouth so she could bite on her finger which made everything she uttered an incomprehensible slur. After listening to a few moments of the pleasure induced gibberish, Helen reached down between them and began to unfasten the front of Maria's shorts. It was tricky with the wet denim making both the button and zipper slippery. After several failed attempts she gave up and sat forward, putting her paws on Maria's stomach before she continued the movements of her hips. Maria's hair was a mess; glossy with sweat and plastered against her face and cushions. When Helen began to move again she tried to match it but her body wasn't listening to her. It didn't take long for the muscles in her stomach to start to contract. Her panting became louder until she suddenly went silent, the only indication she was having an orgasm were her eyes clenched shut and her legs squeezed around the thighs of woman on top of her.

Feeling the muscles under her paw tighten up, Helen knew what was coming and made sure that each roll of her hips made the shorts rub against her friend's clitoris. “There you go… Let it all out." Hitting her peak, Maria gasped and began letting out long sultry moans as she rode out her orgasm. Not letting up for a second, Helen watched Maria writhe; spasm after spasm and how the shepherdess' body finally went limp from the intense pleasure. When the muscles under her paws began to relax once more she could feel warmth spreading against her own crotch. Looking down and chuckling softly Helen smiled. “Ooh we're making a mess."

“It'll wash out." Came the sluggish reply between heavy breaths from Maria as she sprawled over the cushions. Her arms flailed about until she got them under control and was able to push herself up on her elbows. Her chest was rising and falling with a frantic frequency, her nipples visible as they stood erect, jutting out from her fur. “I can't feel my legs."

“Yeah." Helen said with a huge grin on her face. “That was a lot of fun." As she pulled back, she looked down and watched how their juices stretched between them in thick strands. “Want to go again or should I carry you to bed."

“Go ahead and grab a shower," Maria said with the hint of a tremble in her voice before she found the strength to sit properly against the backrest of the couch “I'll be there in a minute."

Leaning forward, Helen put her paws on the shepherdess' ankles and blew her a kiss. “You sure you don't want to join me?" Answering with a simple shake of her head, Maria made a shooing motion with her paw. Helen pouted for show as she got off the couch and began to make her way towards the open doors and into the hallway; all the while swaying her hips as she peeled her top off and flicked it carelessly to the floor.

Gliding one paw down her body, Maria pressed her fingers against her slick groin and pulled the shorts down a little. Once she realized that didn't help her situation any, she stood up to unfasten and remove her shorts. Leaving the assorted pieces of clothing where they had dropped the shepherdess walked towards the hallway, her large ears picking up the faint rushing sound of the shower's jets being turned on. Listening for several seconds before the noise was silenced by the shower stall door closing, she continued, turning away from the open doors she walked past her prized collection in the ornamented bookcase and sat behind her desk.

In front of her lay a large black rectangular shape made of plastic and metal. Lifting the lid and pressed the power button of her laptop, the screen blinded her as it booted up quickly and within a few seconds of blinking it was waiting for her password to continue. Once the sequence was entered the screen faded to black before displaying a neutral blue covered desktop while in the background several programs started. Maria didn't have to wait long until she got a prompt that she had received an email in a specific account earlier that day. With a swift double click she opened the email whose subject was a long string of numbers that included the date of the previous day. There was no attachment but it showed a mess of names, dates and times all dumped into the message without formatting. Using the search function she quickly found what she was looking for.

'Ship: "Nemo's Spirit" <Leaving Port> Destination: Puerto Pizzaro, Peru.'

Reading through the gibberish in front of what she had found Maria realized that Nathan had likely been back on the ship shortly after she had last seen him. Her heart beat heavily in her chest, but after such a good afternoon with Helen, she had no reserve of anger to throw against her on-again off-again boyfriend. Bringing two fingers to her lips, she kissed them before gently brushing them over the ship's name. “Have a good trip sailor." She whispered under her breath before closing the laptop and standing up. She wrapped her fingers against the wood of her desk before walking towards the hallway with a confident stride and her tail swishing behind her as she went to take a shower.

* * *

Lying on her stomach sprawled over Maria's bed; Helen had her head buried in a pillow as her tail lazily flipped from one side to the other while she listened for Maria. Stepping out of the bathroom, the shepherdess was busy drying her hair not paying attention to the raccoon at all with her legs spread wide apart. Walking past the bed, Maria dropped the towel in a hamper and marched straight into her walk in closet.

Not even opening her eyes, Helen turned her head in the closet's general direction before speaking up loud enough to be heard. “Getting into your pajama's? I thought you slept naked?" The grunt she got in reply was enough to set the raccoon off on yet another giggling fit. After a few short minutes she settled herself deeper into the soft bed. “I'm never leaving this bed." There was a rustling sound and a chuckle followed by more rustling and a soft click coming from the closet. Helen didn't move when Maria approached the bed, not until the shepherdess' paws pressed gently on the small of her back and slowly glided forward as she felt her friend straddling her thighs. Turning her head, she glanced up at her friend and raised an eyebrow at the expression on the face behind her. “What are you up to?"

Maria felt a shiver of excitement in the body beneath her that seemed to travel up her arms and rushed down her spine. Whipping her tail behind her she licked her lips before leaning forward until her warm breath washed against the gray muzzle in front of hers.

Feeling Maria's breath, Helen bit her lip and tried to turn her head to give her friend a kiss, but stopped dead when she felt something slimy and cold brush past her thigh and press between her cheeks. “What are you…? Ooooh." Her eyes rolled back in her head as she let out a long, low murr of delight and then sighed when Maria guided the well lubricated tip of the dildo into her. Clenching her muscles around the tapered point, the raccoon made its wielder work for her prize; the deep moan coming from behind her made her acutely aware of just how connected they really were.

The ribbed ball at the other end of the silicon shape shifted and twisted inside of Maria when she rolled her hips; the girdle barely shifting as she drove the lupine phallus deeper between the raccoon's buttocks, but their slightly odd angle made it difficult to put pressure on both their folds at once.

The sharp jabs against the front of her pussy had Helen drooling in no time, her paws clawing at the sheets as she tried to get on her knees. “Maria," she begged, “please…"

Reaching down, Maria grabbed the striped tail and pressed the raccoon's wide hips down. “Just a little longer."

Helen wiggled her butt before tensing her body and then she launched her arms backwards and grabbed the shepherdess' wrists. The thumbs pressing into her tendons made Maria gasp and open her paws before they were pulled away. Falling forward she landed on top of Helen, the impact cushioned by her ample assets to a point, but the jab of pain that followed made Maria grunt softly. Both females moaned loudly at the movement, the strain that their tumble had put on the strap-on had pressed both ends of the marital aid hard against the female's insides.

Helen was the first to move, angling her hips and curling her back to relieve some of the tension. Instead of her intended plan it slipped the firm silicon shape deeper into her until it was finally stopped when a hard bulb at the base of it hit her folds. “I like your choice of toys." She muttered as the muscles inside her pussy milked the fake cock for all that it couldn't deliver. With Helen's body moving the ribbed ball inside of Maria, it rolled and tugged against all of the sensitive spots inside of her. She reached down, looping her arms around the Raccoon's abdomen before twisting her hips and giving the ball another axis of movement. Feeling her friend move, the raccoon grinned and glanced over her shoulder. “Don't hold back now. Show me what you can do with that thing!" She practically begged for it as she angled her hips even further upwards to give the toy a smooth entry.

Taking what she had learned from a certain wolf, Maria pressed herself hard against Helen's back and began to leave a trail of licks down her friend's neck and spine. Tensing her arms, the shepherdess shoved her pelvis forward with a flexing move lower in her back, driving the toy to their depths. Both femmes moaned loudly when the unyielding silicon knot rebounded from Helen's folds and the impact rippled to the other end of the toy that was embedded in Maria.

“Don't be gentle, don't be gentle…" The words spilled from Helen's mouth as a garbled mantra while her paws gripped the pillow beneath her head. The rustling of the girdle made her ears twitch and barely a moment later the tapered tip of the strap-on pulled back before ramming back in, making her head rise up from the pillow to let out a loud guttural moan.

The maneuver was clumsy as she had only been on the receiving end of this particular move, but Maria got into a quick rhythm that suited her. The test run with her new toy was proving to be a success, her pussy squeezing the ball inside her hard as she tried different angles. Moving one of her arms she trailed her paw along the raccoon's stomach before slipping a paw in between her breasts that were squashed against the mattress.

Feeling her friend's paw, Helen pushed one of her own between her body and the sheets to guide it up. She tilted her shoulder before letting out a gasp as the shepherdess' paw took hold of one of her breasts with her own paw covering it. “Harder..." She mumbled in between gasps, feeling her folds grow hot from the constant battering of the artificial knot.

Maria squeezed the breast in her paw firmly, digging her sharp claw tips into the soft flesh and coaxing out another blissful moan from her friend. Her nose was still at the nape of Helen's neck where she had been leaving kissing and small bites only to open her mouth wide and take hold of the scruff of the raccoon's neck. The soreness in Helen's neck, breast and crotch mixed with the pleasure coming from the faux canine member that was jostling her insides made her cry. She wanted to moan, she wanted to shout, but she bit down on the pillow and everything that came out was an indistinguishable torrent of noise. Suddenly something gave way and with a soundless gasp, Maria's hips struck Helen's. The impact sent sparks up the women's spines and the both of them let out a scream of ecstasy. Then the world turned to blackness and silence for both females.

* * *

Maria was the first to regain consciousness; her cheek was pressing between Helen's shoulder blades and was covered in sweat. Placing one paw on the mattress she pushed herself up and extricated her other paw from under the hot sweaty raccoon that it was pinned by.

The femmes' fur was sticking together in places as the cool air rushed in to chill where their bodies had been touching. A slight pull backwards by the shepherdess made both of them moan as the silicone knot was still buried deep inside the raccoon's vagina and the ball inside Maria pressed against her sensitive walls once more. With her hips stuck to Helen's, Maria tried to sit up but only was able to get on her paws and knees without setting off her post coitus sensitive groin. In the end she knew she had no choice and with a shuddering inhalation she sat up before taking hold of Helen by the hips and pulling back.

The sudden sensation of something being pulled out of her made Helen's eyes fly open and her mind sharpen to full wakefulness. “Oh fuck, Maria!" She felt the shepherdess' body crash next to her on the bed and then turned to look at the panting form at her side. Licking her lips she eyed the shepherdess' heaving chest before her gaze drifted further down her body. With her legs still feeling like jelly, Helen used her arms to turn herself and bumped her nose against the side Maria's breast. “That was great." She kept turning, straddling the shepherdess' stomach with her arms while she kept her eyes locked on the toy between Maria's legs that pointed towards the ceiling. Lowering herself towards the sloppy tapered tip, Helen stuck out her tongue and gave it a lick hard enough to get a moan out of the body beneath her. “Mmmh, passion fruit." she commented before giving it another lick.

Raising a weak arm, Maria shoved hard against the gray body hovering over her body and groaned as the strap-on shifted again. “Stop it... Still... Raw..."

“Shhh." Helen cooed reassuringly as she ran a paw over Maria's thigh. “I just wanted to thank you." Her paw drew back along Maria's thigh and fingered one of the buckles that held the girdle in place. With two soft clicks she had loosened the belt that held the strap-on in place. Grabbing one of the belts close to the small plate to which the dildo was attached, the raccoon pulled gently.

“Oh fuck, Helen!"

Laughing softly at the near exact words she uttered only a few short moments before, Helen pulled the ball out of Maria's pussy with a slurp and watched the many delicate strings of her juices cling to the thickly ribbed sphere before turning her head to give Maria's swollen, twitching lips a kiss and a lick. Maria groaned loudly as one of her paws flailed down and smacked fruitlessly somewhere against the raccoon's body. Sitting up, Helen marveled at the marital aid that she held in her paw. It was a normal canine dildo but at the bottom there was a thin sturdy strut of silicon that stuck through the girdle before it turned upwards and widened into a ball covered in what looked like heavy duty tire treads. She shifted and got on her knees, and then straddled one of Maria's dangling the strap-on from her upheld paw. “This," she indicated towards the toy with her other paw “is pretty damn cool. Why do you have it?"

Still breathing hard from the extraction, Maria had one arm slung over her face that covered her eyes. There were a few seconds of silence before the shepherdess opened her mouth. “You know how some guys eventually try to talk you into anal sex?"

Raising an eyebrow, Helen had a curious smile on her muzzle. “Yes."

Maria took a deep breath before continuing. “Well, I got that in case he agrees that if he gets anal from me; I get it from him too."

“And by 'he' you mean Nathan." It was a statement not a question. Helen looked at the toy and grinned before throwing it towards the end of the bed. “I would love to see that happen."

“Him on me, or me on him?"

“Both!" Helen chortled. Scooting closer to her friend the raccoon shifted again until her knee bumped against Maria's other leg, which the shepherdess obediently lifted up and bent her knee. Pulling the leg to her side, Helen completed the turn and leaned forward to place her paws on either side of the Maria's chest. “Are you sleepy yet?"

Finally removing her arm, Maria looked down and realized how the raccoon was sitting. “More?" She asked in a throaty whisper with disbelieve written on her face. “I still can't feel my legs."

Blowing her best friend a kiss, Helen reached between their bodies. “Don't worry, this time I'll do all the work." Her fingers found the small silver barbell between Maria's legs. Watching the shepherdess roll her head back when she touched it, she smiled lovingly at her friend. “How long has it been since we did this?" She asked while moving their hips together.

Even with her mind swimming, Maria was sharp enough to gesture in the vague direction of the living room. “Just now?"

“Not that." Helen said with a chuckle before turning the small barbell to the side. Maria felt their pussies touch and tried to look down but the nerves in her spine were on fire. Her head lolled to the side as her breathing quickened once more. With trembling fingers, Helen pushed the barbell through the small golden ring she had pierced in precisely the same spot as Maria's barbell. After a final dexterous move of her nimble fingers, she leaned back and put both her paws on the sheets behind her. “We haven't done this," she rolled her hips, causing the interlocked piercings to pull on their clitorises “in years."

Reaching out, Maria grabbed for the raccoon and came up with two paws full of raccoon boobs. “It's college all over again, but this time you don't have your ex tied up to watch."

Helen let out a throaty chuckle before twisting her hips in a practiced move that got them both to moan loudly. Pressing herself against her friend firmly, the raccoon ground her pussy against Maria's as they took deep breaths after their sudden rush. “Still got it." There was a hint of pride in her voice.

Giving her friend's chest a good squeeze, Maria wrapped the leg on top of the gray thigh around Helen's hips. Rolling her head back she gently moved her pelvis from side to side, letting their folds rub together. “Next time we should get a proper double ender." she whispered with closed eyes.

“Why didn't I think of that?" Helen wondered while she leaned into the shepherdess' paws. Her eyes locked on her friends face when she began to circle her hips again, letting the tension between them build up once more. Taking in a sharp breath of air, Maria gazed back at her friend and began to play with her pawfulls in earnest. Turning her paws so that her thumbs could reach Helen's rock hard nipples pointing towards her, she began teasing the lust filled raccoon by pinching her swollen nubs. Starting slowly, she rolled the firm fresh around, occasionally letting her claws graze the sensitive flesh.

Helen pressed forward more forcefully until her chest pressed against Maria's; the only things separating their large bosoms were the shepherdess' paws. “And did you enjoy today?"

“Yes." Maria said in a whisper as their muzzles nearly touched.

They looked into each other's eyes as Helen raised her hips and got her tail to flag pole behind her then lowered her head to catch Maria in a deep kiss mid-moan. When the agile raccoon tongue tangled with her own, Maria flexed her paws as they moaned in unison. Slipping a paw out from between the fleshy sandwich, she redirected it down Helen's back before clamping down on one of her ass cheeks.

Every time her fingers dug into her flesh her butt tensed, Helen's hips jerked and a shot of neural fire set the raccoon's entire body trembling. Breathing heavily through her nose, she reached up and ran her fingers through the shepherdess' thick black hair.

The women kept moving, their bodies pressed against each other and when Maria broke the kiss she brought both paws to Helen's backside and pulled her butt closer. “Stop your teasing!"

An evil grin split Helen's muzzle as she sat back and held Maria's legs down by pressing on her thighs. “But I like teasing." With an agile flexing of her spine, she set her hips in motion once again and watched with both pleasure and pride as her friend reacted.

Maria grabbed the pillow beneath her head and nearly ripped it in two as their labia joined together once more in an extremely wet kiss. Completely out of her control, she began to mewl and pant while she tried to move her hips, but Helen kept her lower body pinned. The sensations traveling through her body made her see sparks as her body convulsed in pleasure.

“That's it, let yourself go." Helen whispered encouragingly while she watched her friend squirm beneath her and she had to admit to herself that her actions were finally getting to her too. She shuddered when a tremor in Maria's legs seemed to transfer to her and nearly made her lose her balance but she held firm by clenching her paws around the shepherdess' soft but strong thighs.

A gurgling moan was all Maria could add to the conversation, as one of her paws shot down her body. Misjudging the distance her fingers landed harder than she intended around the stretched patches of pink flesh. Helen tensed up and tried to grab Maria's wrist but as she fell forward the bump only made it worse. Her cheek landed on Maria's soft breasts as she began to writhe and gasp. Already in a weakened state, Maria had been seeing stars since she bumped against their interlocked piercings earlier; the bolt of pleasure and pain had made her arch her back presenting a perfect landing spot for her friend's head. Both females came hard, their blissful cries and delightful sensations being prolonged as their sweat soaked bodies slid and shivered against one another.

Helen buried her face between her friend's ample assets, moaning her satisfaction as her mind became void of any coherent thoughts. The tension left Maria's body and her arching back slowly sank back to the sheets with a quiet rustling. She was breathing hard as her paws fell from Helen and lay at her sides with an occasional twitch.

Reaching down, Helen fumbled trying to unhook herself from Maria and in the end gave up. With tremors running through their bodies, she tried to look up and grin at her friend, but with her energy finally spent, her head hit the shepherdess' chest with a dull thud; her eyelids too heavy to remain open.

Legal Tension – Chapter 7

Inquiry

A searing jolt of pain woke Maria abruptly. The nerves in her spine and groin flared like they were on fire as her mind was jump started and the sensation slowly turned from pain to pleasure; a cry of agony gradually turned to a deep throaty moan that she struggled to suppress.

Squatting over her friend, Helen gave Maria a rueful grin. “Sorry about that." Biting her lip as she moved a paw between her legs and wiggled her hips around with a look of euphoria smeared across her face. After a moment the raccoon gave her hips one last twist unlocking their piercings and then fell on to her side with a low groan.

With her legs tingling, Maria sat up planted her paws behind her and stared down her body. Her piercing was glistening as it stood out between angry red lips and then she turned her muzzle towards Helen, who was lying on her side panting heavily with her back towards the shepherdess. A sigh left her as she shook her head disapprovingly.

“Sorry." Helen mumbled before rolling onto her chest. “I was trying not to wake you."

“Well you did." Maria stated bluntly. Sitting upright at last, she rubbed the back of her neck as she spied the time on her alarm clock. It was too early to be awake on a Saturday, but now feeling sore between her legs she felt strangely well rested and in no mood to go back to sleep. Instead she got out of bed and shuffled, with a heavy throbbing between her thighs towards the bathroom and fumbled to turn the shower on. Shortly after entering the shower and washing her fur, she felt the door open behind her and stepped to the side to allow her friend access.

Helen grumbled when the hot spray hit her and drenched her thoroughly. Setting her paws on the wall, she shook her head and sent her long brown hair flying. “Jets, Please."

Making sure she wasn't in the direct path, Maria pressed a button on the small touch screen panel and in an instant the pre-heated jets built into the stall unleashed a torrent of water at the raccoon standing in the middle of the stall. Coating her paws with shampoo, Maria began to lather Helen's back, massaging the muscles hidden under the fur and thick layer of foam. “What's the matter; didn't sleep well?"

The chipper voice mocked her and Helen canted her head until a dull pop sounded over the noise of the water clattering down. “Not really," she began before turning around and poking her friend right between her luxurious breasts “Your mattress has lumps in it." She turned back towards the jets as Maria chuckled softly behind her. Helen ignored it and let herself enjoy the barrage of water hitting her body. “Gaaah," she drawled with a content moan at the end. “I want this shower; I need this in my life." She turned her head and batted her eyes at Maria. “You've got money, buy me one."

Pressing herself against the raccoon's back, Maria smirked before patting the perky gray furred rump in front of her. “Tell you what; I'll meet you half way for your birthday." She said in jest.

They finished in shower quickly without a hint of their intimacy remaining. When they stepped out they gathered themselves in thick robes and set out for the kitchen where the bagels and coffee were to be found. Standing at the kitchen counter, Helen peered out through the window across the balcony to the city beyond. “I'm jealous, Maria. You've got a great view here; I can even see the ocean."

“The advantages of a high paying job and smart investing." Maria said without a hint of boasting in her voice as she sat at the kitchen table, cradling a large mug of steaming coffee with both paws. Following Helen's gaze out of the window she stood up and hooked her bagel with one finger then moved towards the balcony doorway. “It's already warm, I'm gonna sit outside; you coming?"

Taking a sip of her coffee, Helen watched her friend step out of the room and grabbed her own bagel before following. When she passed through the living room doors she was greeted by a soft breeze as the glass doors had been opened all the way. With her arms spread, Helen walked onto the balcony and all but shouted. “Good Morning world!"

With the back of the lounge chair upright, Maria sat still for several seconds and looked at her friend questioningly before finally bursting out in laughing. “If you shout any louder my neighbors are gonna disagree with you."

“There are always pessimists," Helen retorted before peering down over the railing and then glancing over her shoulder. “So is this a penthouse?"

Shielding her eyes from the sun as it appeared from behind a soft white cloud, Maria shook her head. “Not really. The apartments are all about the same surface area; this is just the top floor."

Helen gazed off to the side where the balcony narrowed when it passed the kitchen before widening again where the dining room began. The fact that the balcony was almost half as big as the apartment wasn't lost on her. Turning around to face her friend, Helen spoke with almost fierce determination. “I'll have a place like this one day." She bit down on her bagel as if to cement the point.

“I don't doubt it; you're already a lieutenant."

There was no sarcasm or derisive tone to the comment and it made Helen's smile a little wider than normal. Looking at her friend basking in the sun she smirked. “You look extremely comfortable."

Having just taken a bite of her own bagel, Maria grinned around a mouthful before gesturing towards the lounger next to her. “Take a seat."

“Don't talk with your mouth full." Helen admonished her friend before taking the offered seat and wiggling her backside to let her tail fall into the depression that ran between her legs. The raccoon then unceremoniously devoured her bagel before draining the last drops of coffee out of her mug. Taking her time with her coffee, Maria watched her friend let out a content sigh and recline against the lounger; it made her smile as they both listened to the early morning noise of the city. After several minutes of silence, Helen turned her head towards the shepherdess, an enigmatic smile on her muzzle. “How are you feeling today?"

Knowing exactly what the raccoon was trying to provoke, Maria sighed and tried not to sound too annoyed. “I'm good. I know after Nathan's vanishing acts I'm not the easiest person to be around."

“You're a walking, talking land mine if I'm honest."

“Well, that's flattering." Maria growled under her breath, but knew her friend was likely playing it down for her sake. “I don't know why it's different this time. Just learning to accept it I guess."

“You're definitely over it faster than usual." Helen let the silence settle, listening to the honking of a horn coming from somewhere on the streets below. “So," she said wearily to broach the subject. “Think you'll let him back when he shows up again?"

Anger made Maria's tail fluff out but it didn't last long before she slumped back in the chair. “Probably."

Seeing her opening, Helen bit her lower lips as she gathered her courage. “You never did finish telling me how he wormed his way back in the first time."

Maria's head snapped to the side and glared at her friend, but Helen had her eyes closed in the bright sunlight.

“So... Nathan's sleeping in the guest room and you haven't told me how in the morning, you were in bed with him again." Helen said, taking advantage of her friend's silence.

Shaking her head, Maria tried to look calm while she gathered her thoughts. Several long seconds passed before she spoke; her voice icy but neutral in tone. “Nothing happened that night," she didn't look but she could almost read the raccoon's mind “and neither did anything happen in the morning. We had breakfast, talked and then said our goodbyes." Once more, she paused while deciding what to tell her inquisitive friend. The interrogation tactics of yesterday came to mind and instead of being hounded for the rest of the day, Maria decided to tell the story. “We did agree to go out for dinner that evening though."

Perking up her ears, Helen turned to watch her friend tell the story; almost as if she was afraid it would stop if she didn't show how eager she was to hear it. “So, was it deeply romantic?"

Maria's stern expression broke and she let out a sharp snort. “It wasn't." Glancing to her side she saw the curious expression on Helen's face. “I never set foot inside the restaurant."

-Almost Three years ago-

With her car parked a few blocks away, Maria made her way towards the restaurant where Nathan had invited her to dinner. She was over an hour early and already her heart was pounding in her chest. Her gaze scanned around the street from the corner she was standing on and so far she saw nothing that would fit her plan until she checked behind her. A small one story building on the corner of the block across from the restaurant made her smile and then feel a little ignorant that she hadn't noticed it as she approached. A quick peek through the window revealed the perfect set up for her plan.

The bell above the door resounded with a hard clang causing several of the diner's patrons turn their heads. The scene was almost comedic as all patrons sat in a row at the counter, but Maria kept a straight face and nodded politely at them in greeting. She ignored the assorted grumbles she got and walked to the side of the building that looked across the street. Spotting a booth with a perfect view of the restaurant, and a large blinking neon sign on the other side of the window would hide her from anyone looking in. Maria slid into the booth and opened her briefcase to work on some papers to kill time.

“Hi Hun, what can I getcha?"

The unexpected voice startled the shepherdess and she looked up sheepishly into the eyes of a tall grizzly bear woman in an apron. Recovering quickly, she smiled warmly at the waitress. “Coffee, please." The smile she got back was barely pleasant, which was more than could be said for the contents of the cup that was placed in front of her after a minute or two. After just a single sip her tongue screamed in protest. The cup was filled with cheap, weak coffee that was somehow even worse than the concoction that she had to make do with at the office. The minutes crept past and the scents wafting in from the kitchen smelled a lot better than the coffee. It wasn't long before Maria's stomach started growling and she realized she hadn't eaten since breakfast, having been too preoccupied by her dinner date with Nathan. Her mind returned to the image of the huge smile the wolf had on his face when she agreed to go to dinner with him.

“Here you go, Hun." Again Maria was interrupted mid-thought and when she looked up, the bear's smile was more genuine than before. “Just give a shout if you want another one." Maria watched the bear return to the counter before looking at the plate in front of her. The two B.L.T. sandwiches looked highly appetizing and when she bit down into one it tasted twice as good as it looked. The first of the sandwiches was reduced to crumbs in minutes, but just as she got ready to bite down on the second, she froze.

There across the street, standing in front of the restaurant was a tall lupine figure dressed in a long black duster. Nathan had made an effort; his facial fur was neatly trimmed and he wore a dark green shirt above a casual looking pair of khaki pants. “Punctual," Maria whispered under her breath as she eyed him appraisingly. “Looking good there, Nathan." She wrestled her eyes away from him, knowing she couldn't watch him the entire time so instead she began reading the pages in front of her. The distraction didn't work. After ten minutes she realized that she kept re-reading the first three pages again and again; restarting after every bite of the delicious sandwich and every sip of piss poor excuse for coffee.

Eventually, Maria gave up and peered out of the window again; easily spotting Nathan in the same spot as before, next to the restaurant's entrance. She reached into her briefcase and pulled out her phone, the clock on display told her that the hour they had agreed on had already come and gone. With a solemn sigh she dialed the wolf's number while doing her best not to look out of the window at him. In the end, her head moved involuntarily and she peered around the bright sign in front of the window as the phone rang once before he accepted. “Hi Nathan."

The fact he had been waiting for over an hour hadn't dampened Nathan's enthusiasm and hearing Maria's voice set his tail wagging. “Hey Maria; running late I'm guessing?" The voice in her ear sounded chipper, but Maria saw the outwards sign of dread in Nathan's posture and couldn't help wonder if he feared her canceling their date. “Maria?"

The gentle question snapped Maria out of her pondering and she shook her head. “Sorry, I got distracted," she mumbled before clearing her throat “A case got dumped on my desk just when I was leaving. I should be done in about half an hour though. Will you wait for me?" Lying to him didn't feel that bad, as long as she kept it buried under the anger and grief he had caused her when he had left.

“Until the sun goes out."

The optimism that he emitted both in voice and posture made Maria inadvertently smile. “Cya soon." After ending the call she placed the phone on the table while she stared bewildered at the change that short interaction brought to the wolf. With paws deep in his duster's pockets Nathan returned to his vigil, ears perked up high and tail wagging excitedly.

Another cup of coffee came and went while Maria kept her eyes on the wolf, even when she wanted to look over the pages on the table again. When she almost succeeded in doing some work, something caught her attention on the other side of the street. A large family of opossums had gathered in front of the restaurant and the father had gone inside to see if the restaurant had a table to accommodate his wife and children. Meanwhile the wife, a weary looking woman, tried to keep their five children from running around and causing havoc. With no waiting area inside, the group had no choice but to remain outside.

Nathan seemed to attract the attention of several of the kids when he began flipping a coin; the shiny dollar vanished from one paw only to reappear in the other. In less than a minute the kids had gathered around Nathan, their mother standing behind the smallest of her offspring looking both weary of the stranger and thankful for distracting the rowdy pack. With dexterous fingers and a smile, Maria's former lover was pulling coins out of the smaller opossum's ears and from behind their backs; gathering cheers and happy chatters from the youngsters until the father came out and shook his head. Nathan had a brief exchange with the family, apparently expressing his own dismay that the family could not dine where they wished before passing his coin off to the youngest member of the family. Eventually the older opossum's gathered the troops together and moved on, the mother reminding her kids to wave at the friendly wolf as they left.

Guilt grew stronger than her anger and Maria could feel her stomach tighten in shame. Her mind started to weigh all of the good things against the bad. The shepherdess remembered when she had had a long day at work and he had given her a massage and made dinner. Then later the same evening he had tucked her in bed and had gone home. There was another flash of memory as she saw the things they had done on their first official date which made her blush like a small cub. More memories followed, and Maria recalled how early in their relationship she had dug into Nathan's history and the things she had found. The thoughts only pilled more guilt on her. As she drifted between thoughts and memories she was caught by surprise by heavy rumble that made the air around her vibrate and in a flash she recovered from her daze.

A storm had begun to roll in. The sky flashed with lightning every few seconds only to be followed by louder and louder thunder and equally heavy rain. Maria tried to look through the window, but the gusting wind and rain made it nigh impossible. A streak of lightning illuminated the entire street and for a brief moment she could see the wolf quite clearly as he had taken shelter under one of the restaurant's awnings. The wind whipped around harshly rendering Nathan's overhead protection of little actual use and within a few minutes the rain seeped through his duster and the hard gusts of wind made his body shiver. Still he looked determined not to move from his spot and even glared up at the rolling clouds in defiance.

His refusal to let the weather come between his date with her wasn't lost on Maria as watching him got harder by the second. A gust of wind howled around the diner and forced the rain to strike the windows, she felt a cold shiver run down her spine that made a sip from the lukewarm coffee feel good. Stopping the waitress from refilling her cup, Maria ordered several more sandwiches to go. There was a hint of relief on the old bear's graying face when she noted down the order, most likely happy to see the booth hogging German Shepherdess getting ready to leave the establishment.

For a few moments Maria played with her phone. Rolling it around in her paw before finally flipping it the correct way up, she started dialing. Pushing the call button she lifted the phone to her ear, by which time Nathan had already answered.

“Maria, what's up?"

The cheerful tone didn't reflect the posture of the soaked figure she was catching glimpses of across the street. As the wind and rain muffled his voice it didn't seem to dampen his spirit. “Hi Nathan. I'm sorry; I can't come to the restaurant." A perfectly timed flash of lightening granted her a visual of the moment his hope seemed crushed. Slouching against the wall with his back to the rain, Nathan sighed as his ears drooped like wet rags dangling from the side of his head with his phone wedged beneath one.

The rumble made the line crackle with static for a second before Maria heard the sadness in his voice. “Oh, okay. Nothing you can do about it I guess. I don't blame you though, the weather just turned really foul."

If he only knew; Maria thought, but her mind was already made up. “I'm just too tired, that last case file drained me." It wasn't a complete lie; the day had been tiring for her and viewing Nathan instead of her case files had been easily as mentally and physically draining. “I'm going to get some sandwiches and curl up on the couch." She licked her dry lips and listened to him breathing for what felt like forever, but was only a few seconds. “Want to come to my place? I feel bad for making you wait so long."

The change in him was immediate and his voice was once more filled with cheer and eagerness as his posture became more erect again. “Sure! I'll be there as soon as I can."

The sound of his hopeful voice made the shepherdess smile; his good mood always seemed infectious to her. “Can I pick you up somewhere?" She didn't want to tell him out-right that she was just across the street, but at the same time she wanted to get the stubborn wolf out of the rain.

“No need, I'll see you there in about half an hour. See you soon, Beautiful."

The connection was dropped and Maria raised an eyebrow as she peered out the window. As if aware of her need the sky lit up again and she saw Nathan's retreating form as he ran down the sidewalk with his duster and tail whipping wildly behind him.

“Ahem."

Maria turned around so quickly that her phone nearly slipped from her paw and was surprised to see the bear standing next to her booth with a large paper bag in her large paw. “Ah, thank you," she said graciously as she accepted the bag and handed the waitress a large denomination bill. “Keep the change."

“Well thank yah." Came the drawl response.

Not even listening, Maria began placing the papers back into her briefcase while she tried to plot the quickest way home. Clutching the paper bag with their dinner to her chest, she all but ran out of the diner using her briefcase to shield herself from the downpour as best she could while scrambling to her car. Even though she had parked relatively close, by the time she sat down in her silver Ford fusion, Maria felt water seeping through her clothes and fur in several spot on her body. The briefcase and the sandwiches went onto the passenger seat before she started the car and set off. She had been heavy with her right foot and managed to arrive at the high rise apartment block she lived in, in about fifteen minutes as traffic dispersed due to the heavy rain.

The parking lot gates opened before her and Maria parked the car in her apartment's reserved spot; between a sleek jaguar and big shiny S.U.V. “Maybe it's time to get that new car." She whispered to herself as she could see her reflection in the glossy metallic paint of adjacent vehicle. Gathering her things, she made the short run to the side entrance. Pulling the security FOB from her pocket, she swiped it over the locking pad and pulled the door handle in one smooth motion. In the end, her swift movements hadn't saved her from the downpour, and she ended up leaving a trail of drips on the polished marble floor.

“Everything alright Ma'am?"

Surprised by the voice, Maria whirled around sending droplets flying from her long tail.

From behind a huge mahogany counter, a pair of near black eyes observed the soaked shepherdess. “Everything alright?" The voice asked once more, with a hint of genuine concern in the question.

Maria smiled at the doorman. “Hello, George." In spite of making the move to the high end apartment block, there were some things Maria wasn't sure she'd ever get used to. The posh surroundings and fancy cars outside were one thing, but a regular doorman in the lobby almost all hours of the day was quite another. Making her way towards the Meerkat behind the counter, she could feel her wet clothes rub against her back and legs, and it irritated her; though she was relieved to see only a few small wet spots on the bag of food she was carrying.

“Got a lot on your mind Ma'am?"

Reaching up, Maria rubbed her forehead before letting out a sigh. “Yeah, it's been an," she paused for a moment as she chose the correct word for the moment “interesting day so far."

Leaning forward George, rubbed his chin as he studied the shepherdess' face. “Interesting good or interesting bad?" The Meerkat absolutely hated the majority of the haughty, stuck up inhabitants of the building; though he didn't count the shepherdess among them, seeing her as a breath of fresh air instead.

The curious look on the doorman's face made Maria smile. “That remains to be seen. Was there any mail for me today?"

George nodded and reached under the desk. “Just a single letter from the district court. I think you've been summoned for jury duty."

The straight faced delivery made Maria laugh softly as she accepted the letter. “It'll probably be for a case I'm prosecuting." With the bag and letter in one paw and her briefcase in the other, she motioned towards the elevators with her head. “Have a nice evening, George. I want to get out of these wet clothes." She was about to start walking away when she gazed down and saw the small puddles that had formed around her. “Sorry about the mess."

With a smile on his face, George shook his head. “It's part of the job, Ma'am. Don't worry about it."

“Call me, Maria. You don't have to keep calling me, Ma'am."

“Not while on duty, Ma'am." George retorted turning his attention back to his work. Even though she was soggy and cold, Maria returned the smile before heading towards the elevators.

Once inside her apartment she dropped her briefcase and the letter on the hallway table, the bag of sandwiches on the kitchen table and a trail of water droplets on the floor. She undressed quickly and dumped the wet clothes into a hamper before stepping into her shower stall. Still wary of the new piece of technology, she carefully pushed one of the buttons on the small display. The ring around the small shower head icon flashed blue before shifting through the spectrum to red within a few seconds. Maria pressed the button again and the large round shower head built into the top of the stall directly above the shepherdess began to rain down warm water. The chill that had crept into her body was quickly expelled as she felt heat return to her body.

Warm at last, her mind wandered to the wolf that was on his way and whether or not to tell him about what she had done. The entire situation sent her head spinning; the wolf's sudden return, how easily he had wormed his way back into her life, and the fact that she had let him in. With a shake of her head she pushed those thoughts from her mind before bringing up her paw to the control panel. Her finger hovered over the button for the jets, but she moved on and pressed the button to stop the shower; she hadn't used the numerous nozzles pointing at her, and in her mind they remained somewhat intimidating. Once more Maria's fur was dripping wet, though now she felt a lot better. Pressing another button, blasts of hot air began to swirl around her. She ran her paws over her body combing her fingers through the wet fur to prevent it from clumping together as it dried. After giving her luxurious tail and thick black hair one last tussle, she stepped out of the stall with a little dampness the only evidence remaining of her shower. “Worth every penny," she commented with a glance over her shoulder before padding to her bedroom.

The shepherdess didn't get far before there was a series of sharp, rapid knocks on the front door that were quickly followed by another and another. Maria threw on a thick robe around her body before heading to the door, along the way she wondered why George hadn't called as he always did for anyone entering the building to see her. Her thoughts were silenced when she opened the door in the middle of another series of knocks and was shocked by what she found standing in front of her.

Drenched from head to toe, Nathan stood in the hallway panting like he had just run a marathon. “Hi," the big wolf panted; the huge grin on his face never wavering as his eyes locked onto hers revealing his joy to see her again.

“Nathan!" Maria barked in surprise. “You're soaked!" Grabbing him by the sleeve of his duster she pulled him in and saw the puddle he had made at her front of her door.

“I was already at the restaurant when you called," Nathan said, his panting still not under control. “So I ran here."

“You ran across town?" The shepherdess almost screamed at him, unable to hide her shock as guilt hit her like a ton of bricks, making her body tense. “You idiot!" Tightening her grip on his sleeve she began pulling him towards the kitchen, not caring about the mess Nathan left behind. Once in the kitchen she directed him towards the table. “Take off that jacket and sit down while I grab a towel."

Nathan watched slightly confused as Maria left the kitchen with her lovely tail hanging limp behind her. After peeling his soaked duster off, he draped it over one of the chairs and then spotted the paper bag on the table. Unable to restrain his curiosity he pulled the bag closer, opened it and reached in. One by one he got out the plastic containers containing the highly appealing sandwiches. Nathan was about to crumple the bag when a small rectangular piece of paper slipped out and landed on the floor. Scooping it up, he glanced over it. One side was blank, but when he turned it over there was the name of the dinner along with a phone number and the address. He was about to slide it back into the bag to be thrown out when he noticed something that made him look at the card again. Shaking his head, Nathan remembered looking at the same diner for several hours, he'd even thought about going there to wait for Maria's arrival.

Picking at the terrycloth towel, Maria strode back into the kitchen and upon seeing Nathan's confused and hurt look she could tell what had happened.

“Isn't this place across from the restaurant?"

Her ears burned fiercely when she stepped close to him and she was sure he was able to see it. Unfolding the towel she held it with both paws and reached up to dry his head. Feeling somewhat betrayed by the shepherdess, Nathan couldn't find words to say and instead stood still as her paws came to rest on his head. Ever so delicately, Maria began to rub the soft towel over the wolf's cheeks and muzzle; their eyes failing to meet. In complete silence she worked on his head until his fur was all fluffed up. Finally looking at him she smiled weakly before her paws began to reach down.

Seeing the shame in her usually harsh gray eyes, Nathan knew what had happened. Like the previous evening, she had let him wait; only this time in the rain. His frustration ran deep, yet he struggled to find the will to be angry with her, let alone voice his displeasure. He felt as if he was still being punished for his past actions, and stoically took all she had to offer without complaint.

Bringing her paws down, Maria took hold of his shirt and began to pull it out of his pants before lifting it to reveal his stomach. With the corners of the towel wrapped around her paws she began patting the damp fur; slowly making her way up his body. As his shirt was raised higher and higher, Nathan lifted his arms to give her better access; losing sight of her when she lifted the wet shirt over his head. Licking her lips as she saw the wolf's bare furred chest; strong memories rushed back to her as she leaned in and brushed her nose against the matted fur, inhaling deeply and catching the scent of rain water, sweat and whatever gave him his ever present cool arctic smell.

Unable to stop herself, Maria's tongue flicked out and licked over his pectorals, before her lips zeroed in on one of the wolf's nipples. The towel slipped from her fingers as her arms looped around her lover's waist as she tensed her jaw and nipped at the small nub between her teeth.

“Ow!" Nathan exclaimed as he struggled out the soaked shirt. He was limber but couldn't quite get the purchase on the slippery wet cloth. Unfazed, Maria casually made her way up, leaving kisses where she first brushed her nose through the damp fur. Once at his throat she opened her jaw and pushed her sharp canines through the hairs and grazed the skin and making the male tense up. Rolling his head back Nathan growled affectionately at the playful biting. Sometimes the wolf couldn't understand the shepherdess and her mood swings, but he was thankful in his own way that they kept him honest towards her.

Hearing the growl, Maria chuckled and looked up at him; her ears perked up and wide toothy grin splitting her muzzle. Raising her paws, she helped the wolf lift the shirt further over his head until she could guide his muzzle towards hers. The kiss started innocently, but Nathan could feel the shepherdess hold back as he disposed of his shirt by throwing it on the floor with a splat. His arms wrapped around her shapely figure and pulled her close to him, while he opened his mouth to brush his tongue over his lover's soft full lips. To his delight Maria responded in kind and caressed his tongue with her own. Like two strangers brushing past each other, their tongues evaded each other before suddenly curving back and entwining. When she felt his tongue on hers, Maria could sense that all was forgiven although probably not forgotten. It didn't matter; nothing mattered in that moment as her arms locked around Nathan's neck. She pulled herself against his body and recalled times that she had dreamed of this even after coming home from a night on the town. She had often cursed the wolf for raising her standards and leaving her with vivid and highly explicit dreams about him that left her wanton.

For Nathan the kiss was like a dream come true. He had been lonely onboard the Nemo's Spirit, longing for her warm body to lie next to him. It didn't help that a picture of her was the first thing he saw every morning and the last thing he saw at night while aboard the ship. Finally though, after all of those lonely nights of waiting, he held her in his arms once more. With his fingers gliding over her back, he did his best to return the raw passion that Maria was pouring into him. Eventually the kiss broke and the pair ended up looking at each other with labored breaths.

Maria was the first to recover, and returning her muzzle to his neck, she continued her kissing and nibbling. “I missed you... You asshole."

Wisely, Nathan remained silent and simply smiled as he turned his head ever so slightly to offer his neck to her. While his neck was being lightly nibbled on he extricated the fallen towel from where it had become pinned between their bodies before flicking it around the shepherdess' backside and catching it with his other paw. Not needing the towel being stretched over her rump as encouragement, Maria pressed her body tightly against the wolf. Feeling her breasts squashing against the firm body in front of her, she began to roll back and forth on the balls of her feet; all the while her lips stayed on Nathan's neck.

Nathan could feel Maria's hardening nipples poke through her robe and his fur as the shapely femme moved against him. He turned his head towards hers and began to rub his nose against the base of her ear; even after a shower he could still detect hints of the perfume she had worn. “You smell good." He murmured into the thick black mane.

“So do you." Came the reply as Maria pulled back to look him in the eyes. Still rubbing herself against the wolf she moved one paw from around his neck to slip between their bodies, sliding lower until she felt something hard and warm pressing through his pants. “It feels like you brought me a souvenir from your voyage." Batting her eyes at him she lowered her head a little to enhance the effect and to hide her lecherous grin. “Show me."

Feeling his heart pound in his chest, Nathan gazed into her demanding eyes. The smile that formed on his muzzle was one of the purest happiness. “Gladly." He dropped the towel and ran his paws over her curvy backside before dipping on his knees slightly and gently picking her up by the back of her thighs.

Holding on tightly with one arm, Maria wrapped her legs around his and glanced around curiously, wondering where he was going to take her. She didn't wait long before he gently set her down on the kitchen counter. Letting her arm slip from his neck, the shepherdess reclined and gave his pants one last squeeze before she began to tease the hem of her robe open. “Well come on," she teased “I don't see much yet."

Without a word, Nathan unbuckled his belt then teasingly opened his fly, dropping his pants. Maria gave him encouragement by baring her cleavage to him, her eyes never leaving the bulge even when the pants dropped. Licking her lips at the sight of the wolf's wet underwear that gave her the perfect outline of his delicious lupine dick. She let out a soft murr that spoke volumes of her arousal.

With one paw, Nathan slid his boxers off and his cock hit his stomach with a wet thud, while he placed his other paw on the counter next to Maria's leg. Now completely naked, he slid his clothes off to the side and out of the way before moving both paws to the shepherdess' bare knees.

“Oh, nice." Maria commented as she eyed the wolf from top to bottom and then turned her gaze to her legs and spotted something next to her limb where his paw had been just seconds earlier. A small string of three condom wrappers lay on the counter next to her. The shepherdess smirked; Nathan always had nimble fingers, the proof being that she hadn't seen him remove them from his pocket. “Oh my, Mister Fenn. You seem to have plans for tonight." She reached down and pulled on the robe's sash until it spread and the flaps fell to her sides as she reached with a paw to grab the condoms.

“I had hopes." As the robe opened, Nathan felt an almost painful throb coarse through his body that made his cock jump. He had seared every curve and fold of her into his memory, and yet nothing could compare to the real thing. Sadly he had to pull his gaze away to grab her wrist and stop her from picking up the condoms. The look of confusion and slight apprehension that followed immediately didn't stop him from gently resting her paw back on her leg before he stepped closer. Leaning forward he planted a kiss on the swell of Maria's breast before moving his muzzle between her firm mounds.

For a moment Maria had been afraid that he would proceed without a condom, but as she felt his hot breath wash over the sides of her bosom she smiled. Clenching the muscles in her pelvis she could feel her need; her juices matting her fur down there as they trickled from between her winking folds. The Shepherdess had a feeling that he knew what she wanted and when she playfully flicked her tail, the tip brushing against his rock hard member, she immediately felt Nathan exhale forcibly into her cleavage. “What are you doing?"

Trying to ignore the velvety soft brushing against his scrotum, Nathan glanced up and smiled before lowering himself to one knee. “Serving the lady first." He held that smile while his muzzle neared her belly button until his long tongue flicking out to wet his lips. Feeling her body shift and her legs spread, he placed his paws on the inside of those powerful thighs before finally shifting his gaze to see the little silver barbell and whisper. “Hello my little friend."

Maria hadn't quite heard the whisper and was about to ask what he had said, but a well-aimed lick made her head roll back, killing the question immediately. None of her disposable lovers in the past few years compared to the wolf when he was between her legs. In truth, she had missed him dearly in those past few months. Her paws found his head quickly, her fingers splaying around his large triangular ears, while her claws affectionately scratched his scalp.

Their time apart had left Nathan ravenous and determined to sate his sexual appetite here and now. As his tongue dove in with his mouth wide open, he covered the shepherdess' groin almost completely, giving his tongue all the space it needed as he lapped at her sensitive flesh in a barely controlled frenzy. Her taste was every bit as good as he remembered, and he relished his contact with her warm pink flesh.

The act was messy and sloppy, yet Maria was in heaven. Even at his worst the wolf was good enough make her to moan in ecstasy. “Nathan…" she had to swallow before she could speak again “please, don't tease."

Several minutes and multiple pleas later, Nathan relented enough and began to focus his attention. Long, slow licks along her pussy got his lover to shiver, squeak and moan whenever he twisted her piercing with the tip of his tongue. When he began to press in deeper, he had to push firmly with his paws to prevent his head from getting squashed by Maria's powerful thighs on either side of his head. Corkscrewing his thick appendage, he slipped it all the way into her depths while listening to the exalting moans and praises his lover bestowed upon him. He wished he could see her expression but knew if he opened his eyes he would only see a dark brown forest of hair from Maria's luxurious tail wrapped around his head.

Maria reclined against the wall to get comfortable; her fur was dampening with sweat as her body became ablaze with pleasure, the cool touch of the kitchen counter being the only thing helping her find balance in her surroundings. She brought one paw to her mouth and gently bit two of her fingers to keep herself from moaning too loudly, while her other paw grasped at the wolf's still wet and slippery hair.

The scrapping of sharp claws tips against his scalp didn't bother Nathan. Caught in the moment; he reacquainted himself with every one of Maria's sensitive spots, inside and out, and each time he struck one, he felt a resulting tremor run through her legs into his arms. With his muzzle thoroughly drenched by her slick juices, Nathan withdrew his head; a complaining whine emitted from the femme in front of him as he did. Slowly rising to his feet as her tail dropped away from his face he could finally see properly again. The sight that greeted him made his heart skip a beat. His enticing lover lay on the kitchen counter panting hard, making her chest rise and fall and with her shining, disheveled mane of raven black hair framing her face.

Steel gray orbs of fury locked onto the wolf as Maria tried to catch her breath to curse him, but something in his eyes stopped her. She couldn't see the usual mischievous twinkle; instead it was replaced by something she only describe as longing. As his paw moved to her side, she grabbed his wrist and gently placed his large paw on her thigh as she gazed at him she held back a giggle. His eyebrow rose in confusion and one of his ears turned slightly; it was a sight that Maria thought was absolutely adorable. Her paw moved again and took hold of the string of condoms before ripping one package off and putting the remaining two back on the counter. Nathan watched her dexterous fingers twirl the silvery package around before he took a step forward until he felt the heat from the shepherdess' core against his scrotum.

Holding the condom wrapper in her mouth for a moment, Maria pushed down with both arms to raise herself into a sitting position. Wrapping her legs around Nathan's waist she closed the distance between their bodies until his leaky tip pressed against her abdomen. “The guest of honor is a little under dressed." She whispered huskily; finally breaking the silence before opening the package and taking out the latex sleeve.

“We can't have that," Nathan said with a gentle smile before stroking his fingers through the fur on her cheek “I've gotta look presentable for my lady."

Maria's eyes never left his; the two lovers stared at each other, both were hungry for what was to come. Guided purely by touch, she took hold of the rock hard spire between their bodies and ran her fingers along its length, making Nathan moan, growl and make a slight mess of her paw. With her other paw she brought the contraceptive down on the tip before rolling it along his shaft and hitting the swell of his partially inflated knot. “Almost done, Babe." With both paws she tugged on the second seal of the condom, sliding it over the bulge and tucked it neatly against the opening of her wolf's dark gray furred sheath. Pulling her paws back she quickly cupped his balls and stroked his length. Judging from the swell of his sack and tension in his shaft, Maria guessed that he had not touched himself for several days. The smile that formed on her face was warm, affectionate and alluring. Leaning forward, her eyes softened as their noses almost touched. “Are you ready, Mister Fenn."

“Thank you, Miss Eckholdt, I believe I am." His reply was as good natured and playful as her statement, but instead of moving his hips, Nathan leaned forward and kissed the gorgeous Shepherdess before him. His paws took a firm hold of her hips as he pressed himself hard against her; his cock sandwiched between their bodies.

After just a few seconds, Maria broke the kiss and wrapped her arms around the wolf's neck and then leaned back separating her breasts from his chest. “Don't leave me waiting." She teased and batted her eyelids at him.

Taking a hold of his member and angling it down, Nathan moved his hips to give him the space to line up with her slick folds. Finally breaking eye contact, he looked down and saw how the red of his cock showed through the stretched milky white of the latex cover before sliding it between the throbbing labia in front of him. Pushing in he felt Maria's body attempt to suck him inside. Her muscles quivered around him and Nathan growled at the blissful sensation, squirts of pre-cum already slowly filling the tip of the condom as his pushed into her depths.

Feeling him enter her, Maria gasped and then moaned softly; her arms still wrapped around his neck as she pulled herself forwards. He lowered his head, resting his forehead on the nape of her neck and closing his eyes. With his muzzle facing down, pressing to the top of her breast, he inhaled her scent deeply. Tensing her legs, the shepherdess urged her lover to thrust deeper and let out a sultry moan in his ear when he did as she wished. It was as if her body recognized the intruder pushing into her and it rejoiced by sending a burst of pleasure along her spine. Shuddering and with her tail whipping around behind her, her legs clenched harder to his waist, trying to get every last perfectly fitting inch inside her body.

Craving the same thing, Nathan pressed forward with encouragement, but didn't think the impatient woman knew how tight she was. He grunted loudly before rolling his hips, his cock rubbing hard against every muscle of the hot tunnel in turn before it could slide in even a little farther. “Oh fuck... Maria."

Hearing the words, Maria smiled and rubbed her paws up his neck towards his ears before stroking back down slowly. “I missed you..." The words slipped from her lips before she could stop them and after a split second of feeling panic in the pit of her stomach, she was glad she said it. Relaxing her legs as she began shifting her hips, she quickly matched with the wolf's slow powerful rhythm. Moving together it wasn't long before the shepherdess and the wolf moaned in unison when the already sizable lump at the base of Nathan's cock pressed against Maria's loins.

Nathan finally opened his eyes and was greeted by the sight of two large perky mounds capped with stiff pink nipples. Pressing his muzzle against one of the soft furred and fleshy hills, he opened his mouth, freeing his long tongue and gave one of her rock hard nubs a quick lash. A satisfying moan was his reward as well as a ripple from Maria's pulsing pussy that squeezed his cock in all the right places.

Pleasure was dominating Maria's mind so much so that Nathan surprised her by pushing her onto her back. The act made her entire body tense up. Pinning her arms, Nathan gazed down on her with an impish grin that made her bare her teeth in return. “What the hell, Nathan?" She snapped as her shoulder and neck pressed against the cool kitchen surface. Not one to handle unexpected moves well, she freed one arm to strike the insolent wolf.

Seeing the attack in preparation, Nathan set his paws on the counter beside her hips and then jabbing forward hard with his hips. The shepherdess' body trembled as his knot battered her pussy and the fist she had made fell limp. With danger to his internal organs avoided for now, Nathan slowly pulled his hips back and could feel Maria's vagina fight to keep him inside her and resist when he pushed back in firmly; the femme's resentment for him being in charge was clear in her body's reaction and the look she gave him between pants and soft lusty whines.

While not overly thrilled by the change of position, she wanted the wolf to go faster. Maria tried to lock her legs around his waist but all she could do was watch as Nathan looped his arms under her legs and brought her knees to the same level as her stomach. The advantage of this new position was that his head was lower than before. In a flash she slammed the flat of her paw hard against the side of his head before opening her mouth to give him a piece of her mind.

The slap stung and his ears were ringing but Nathan had never been one to quit on a good thing and dove in, kissing Maria passionately. Daringly, he involved his tongue immediately risking a little knowing that she did occasionally bite if she was worked up enough. To his relief the wolf had caught her in a better mood and soon enough he was kissing her deeply while slowly rocking his hips back and forth. The blast of hot air from her nose made the hairs on his muzzle dance and from the depth of their locked mouthed came a slow moan of satisfaction. The vibrations of that moan traveled along the wolf's body and sent his tail wagging happily. Curling her fingers until her claw tips dug into Nathan's cheeks, Maria locked his lupine head in place so she could take command. Feeling him surrender to her, the shepherdess dominated him, pressing the agile appendage against the roof of her mouth; she could still taste hints of herself on his saliva.

Nathan let the wild woman have his head while he planted his paws on her breasts and squeezed. His fingers couldn't contain the large mounds as they dug into her soft flesh. Grinning into the kiss as he felt her hard nipples rub against his palms, the muscles on his back rippled under his shiny slick fur as he made love to his his girl on the kitchen counter like he had something to prove. After one particularly hard shove the wolf got the shapely shepherdess to break their kiss before letting out an extremely loud groan of ecstasy next to his ear. Planting soft kisses along the side of her head he growled softly. “I think I'm deaf."

Gripping the back of his head harder and wrapping her legs around his legs again, Maria was breathing hard as her mind was solely focused on his latex wrapped length that was twitching and rubbing against her insides. “Just fuck me!" she whined and tensed her firm leg muscles to urge him on. The look on Nathan's face was somewhat resigned before he closed his eyes and rubbed his cheek against Maria's and shoved his nose into her luscious mane of black hair; a sanguine smile returning to his muzzle as he savored her scent. Oblivious to Nathan's change of expression Maria only wanted to feel his thick knot buried inside her, and so far he had just been teasing her with the thick bulge. One of her paws left his head, leaving several dark red marks in his scalp before slithering down between their bodies until her fingers wrapped around the sizable swelling flesh.

Feeling Maria's fingers wrap around his cock made Nathan growl softly in her ear but then yip sharply in surprise and pain when she tugged on him as he moved forward. “Ow, slow down Maria."

“Stop playing then!" The tone of her voice was that of a petulant child not getting the present that she really wanted. Her urging did yield a positive result and she felt his knot bash into her labia more fiercely; her folds spreading and stretching to let him in.

Even through the latex, Nathan could feel how drenched she was; supplying ample lubrication for their sexual escapade. He had lost any semblance of control, knowing that her paw wrapped around his cock could seriously hurt him if he didn't do as Maria demanded. The wolf didn't mind though, as her preferred form of punishment seemed to suit him well.

With every bump and grind, Maria felt her lover push deeper and deeper until he hilted himself with an audible slurp and plop. Her nerves burned with pleasurable electricity as she curled up and off the counter; her back arching with the robe clinching to her sweat drenched fur.

Nathan let go of her breasts and looped both arms under her body to keep her in her current position. Growling loudly he rubbed his nose against the shepherdess' shapely neck before rutting hard into her, his knot expanding rapidly to lock him in place as nature took over. The pleasure was incredible, but her current position wasn't and it was slowly ruining her enjoyment of the experience, so Maria chose to change it by kicking the back of the wolf's knees.

Bashing hard into the cupboards Nathan crumpled in agony, the pain and shock in his knees contorting his face as he stumbled backwards, taking the shepherdess with him. The impact on the floor knocked the air out of his lungs and for several seconds he lay there dazed, only able to look up at the sensual shepherdess who seemed to almost dance in his lap.

With a desire to keep her lover intact, Maria had held onto the wolf's head to make sure he didn't crack it on the hard tiles, but once they had landed and the buzz in her loins had died down she sat up confidently. With both paws on his chest, she began to swirl her hips like a practiced belly dancer. She could feel the tip of the condom brush her cervix, tickling her with every move.

While they had been busy the world had turned dark. Rainclouds had been carried farther inland and a full moon had risen; providing the couple with ample light. From his position on his back, Nathan had finally noticed and lay there captivated in the moment as the moonlight cast a silver sheen around the beautiful shepherdess. Her midnight black hair gained a bright white lining but her eyes made his heart beat faster. They seemed to be larger than normal, enhanced somewhat by her dark, wolf-like mask of fur, they appeared to be lit by a bright silver flame that made her gaze pierce him to his soul. “Maria…" he moaned with effort as the goddess on top of him continued her sensual dance.

Keeping to her rhythm, Maria's eyes screwed shut as she felt Nathan's thick knot grind against her sensitive walls and didn't see when the wolf finally moved and his large paws firmly onto her ass. She moaned loudly when Nathan's fingers dug into her flesh and spread her cheeks so that her pussy was pulled taut. Distracted, Maria didn't pay attention to the shifting of his legs until he suddenly shoved his hips upwards. She rose up and had to tense her arms so she didn't fall forward. With her hair falling around her face she gave the wolf a toothy grin. “Is that all you got?"

If Nathan had thought her beautiful before, the thought was eclipsed as Maria leaned forward; her hair falling towards him like silver rain. “Maria…" he whispered again in both delight and physical stress. The look on her face told him that she understood.

“Cum with me Babe."

Nathan didn't have much say in the matter, but did his best as he thrust into her with short hard jabs. He whined when she began milking him, her muscles clamping around his shaft and knot like a vice. Another grunt left his muzzle as the shepherdess on top of him reared back and called out loudly. “Oh fuck! Yes, Nathan!" His goddess had called his name and he exploded on the inside, he closed his eyes but he felt like a blinding light burned his retinas as his body became distant and heavy.

Maria felt her stomach tremble as she came, her tail slapped hard against the cupboard with each twitching wag. The feeling of bliss was prolonged when she felt the condom inside her expand as it was filled with Nathan's warm seed. Her mind went blank before she collapsed on his chest, barely having the strength to prevent herself impacting with the wolf too hard. One last groan escaped Maria's mouth before she fell silent, content and exhausted on top of Nathan.

A low rumbling made Maria open her eyes and she quickly realized that she was making the noise. Groaning as she tried to get her paws out from underneath her, she was suddenly grasped by two gentle paws on her shoulders that helped her to sit upright.

“Hey beautiful."

Maria finally noticed how dark it had gotten during their encounter; the moon had risen too far to shine through the window making it nearly completely dark. “Hey you." Her voice was soft as she smiled at the silhouette beneath her. She wanted to move but as she shifted her hips, her loins tensed unwillingly as she felt the wolf still inside her.

Biting his lips, Nathan stifled a pained whimper as she squeezed his sensitive flesh. “Careful." He cautioned but was nearly drowned out by another rumble from the shepherdess' belly. He chuckled softly before feeling his way down to her thighs and massaging them. “I think we could both use something to eat."

Not arguing with his conclusion, Maria pressed both of her paws on his chest and rose up. She shivered visibly and moaned as the latex balloon slipped out of her before hitting Nathan's stomach with a wet splat.

Exhaling loudly, Nathan recovered from the feeling of leaving the shepherdess' body and pushed himself up on his elbows. In the dim glow of the city bleeding through the window he watched Maria's curvy outline as she stood and then moved away, imagining how she would have looked with the lights on. Stepping over him, her thigh brushed past the side of his face causing him to grin playfully before sitting up properly. When the light came on the wolf was trying not to fall down though now it was while trying to stand on mildly trembling legs.

Once her eyes were used to the new source of light, Maria grinned at the slouching form against the counter. “Don't tell you're spent already?"

Nathan glanced up grinning, but then pouted as he watched the shepherdess close her robe and made his displeasure known. “I was watching that..."

Putting as much sway in her hips as she could without falling down, Maria walked casually towards him. “Oh, I'm sure it'll come on again later tonight. She pressed herself against his side before reaching down and easing the filled condom off of his flaccid member. “Go get clean up. I'll set out our dinner."

“I didn't bring any clothes." Nathan realized as he looked down at the heap of his wet clothes; the thought of putting them back on didn't sit well with him in the slightest.

Having quickly disposed of the soiled contraceptive, Maria smiled at him and gestured in the direction of her bedroom. “There is a robe for you in my closet, next to the door. I was going to give it to you..."

Feeling his ears burn in shame, Nathan sensed that she had planned on saying 'before' and silently thanked her for not doing so. Reaching out he cupped the shepherdess' cheek and caressed the side of her muzzle with his thumb. “I'll go get cleaned up."

Maria leaned into the paw as Nathan drew it back and then watched him walk out of the kitchen. “Don't make me wait." She called out after him, but her voice barely rose above a mumble. To her surprise, he didn't. She had barely set the containers on the coffee table when she felt his paws grip her hips. “That was fast."

“It wasn't." Came the reluctant reply as the wolf hugged Maria. “That new shower is weird."

Chuckling at the wolf's comment she glanced over her shoulder at him. “I'll show you how it works later; come sit down."

Nathan took one of the plastic containers as he made his way to the couch. Opening the package and cradling the sandwich in a large paw as he sat down; his eyes never leaving Maria. His large ears perked upright and his eyes wide; hoping that she would sit down next to him. To his dismay she sat in one of the chairs on the opposite side of the coffee table from where he was. Silence settled in as they just sat there; Nathan nervously picked at the corner of the container while Maria stared at the table and bit her lower lip. Starting to feel awkward, Nathan stopped fiddling with the plastic and instead began to finger the hem of the robe he was wearing. It was soft, comfortable and he even liked how the anthracite colour complimented his fur. Guilt weighed heavy on his thoughts and by the look of the femme sitting across from him she shared similar feelings. Even after their wild sex in the kitchen, there was still tension that hung between them.

Opening her container, Maria retrieved the sandwich and bit down hard; it tasted just as good as the one she had in the diner though she barely noticed. Her mind raced back to their encounter the previous night and she still felt a strong desire to punch Nathan square in the face.

“You know," Nathan started as he poked at his own sandwich and cast a wary glance at Maria before quickly looking away from the piercing look that rose to meet him. “What you did tonight. I deserved that."

“Yes you did!"

The cold anger in the comment made Nathan frown heavily before he spoke again. “I would do it again though," he saw the fur on the shepherdess' neck bristle and quickly added “waiting for you; not the leaving. The waiting."

Maria turned to face him, her half eaten sandwich forgotten for just a moment. “You meant what you said then? That you'd wait for me until the sun burned out?"

“I did."

Maria glared at him before setting the sandwich and container back on the table before rising from the chair. Scoffing the last bite of his sandwich down as the shepherdess approached, Nathan became still, with only slight movements from his head and eyes revealing his cautious change of character.

Placing both of her paws on the wolf's broad shoulders; Maria straddled his lap but refused to look him in the eyes. Nathan tried to smile but the endeavor ended when her paws smacked hard against each side of his head and sharp claws dug hard into the skin around his ears causing him to let out a startled yelp.

At last, her eyes met his and all that could be seen in the steely gray depths was internal strife. “Why… Why can't I figure you out Nathan?!" She barked harshly. A tremor rippled through her causing her fur to bristle before she continued. “You make me laugh, your kind almost to a fault, you try to help me, and yet," she screwed her eyes up tight and released the vemon that had built up over the last few months “you infuriate me! You insult my boss, leave without a word, and come back expecting to pick up where we left off. For everything you do that makes life a little better, you do something that makes it really difficult! Do you understand?"

Hard understanding eyes and a curt nod from the wolf were her only response.

“Good!" She huffed with some indignity. “I really can't figure you out, Nathan. You're stubborn, persistent, and even obnoxious at times." A sigh escaped her muzzle and her grip on his head lessened as she began to speak more softly. “And then there are times I see you do the most extraordinary things. The magic tricks you did for the kids at the restaurant tonight," she stifled a quiet laugh as it formed but couldn't stop herself from smiling “You even got in the face of some dumbass Dalmatian who was giving me a hard time that night we met without being asked." Her fierce grip faded and the shepherdess found herself tenderly stroking her lover's ears. “I can't figure you out, Nathan Fenn."

Nathan's smile slowly returned as the pain in his head subsided. “Sorry," he said softly “I'm not an easy person to live with."

Baring her teeth, Maria spat out her words as all the remaining anger she had was released. “Damn it you stupid bastard! If you ever, EVER! Do that vanishing act on me again; I will beat you until your fur turns black and blue! Got it?"

The torrent of abuse that was hurled at him made Nathan lower his ears. Resigned to accept his punishment, though deep inside of him he respected her display of dominance; he was in her home and in her life by her acceptance after all. In spite of all that had gone wrong in the past few days, Nathan still looked upon the shepherdess with love, admiration and understanding.

Left panting for the second time that evening, Maria glared at the wolf and upon seeing the weird expression on his face she shook her head before turning around. Wiggling her hips, she leant forward to get her sandwich from the table. A soft growl came from behind her as she lifted her tail and smacked his chin and then a smile crept on her face as it came back down and struck the male right between the ears.

Nathan felt as if he didn't have a choice. Having her perfect ass thrust towards his face deserved to be growled at as his eyes tried to burn through the terrycloth. His imagining was interrupted when her tail smacked his head, his vision now blocked by the fluffy appendage's soft brown hairs. In a flash he turned his head to the side and opened his mouth wide.

The sudden sensation of teeth pressing down on her tail made Maria drop her food back into the container, but the yank that followed made her giggle. “Beast!" she called over her shoulder before lowering herself back down into his lap.

Letting go of her tail, Nathan admired the shepherdess' backside a little longer until it came to rest on his thighs. He looped his arms around her waist and laid his head on her shoulder while she ate. After waiting patiently for her to finish, he quickly glanced over at the two remaining containers on the table. “I could eat some more." His statement fell on deaf ears as Maria seemed to be more interested in checking her claws. “Maria? Dear? Can I have another sandwich please?" He asked sweetly.

“No." Came the cold answer. Maria didn't even look at him when the wolf's stomach rumbled. “Maybe later."

Nathan raised an eyebrow and looked at her face, but no response was forthcoming. An idea suddenly popped into his mind and he pulled his head back, a little smirk split his muzzle as he put his plan into action. His nose pushed through the veil of black hair before it touched that slender neck, his olfactory receptors working at top speed as a mix of the shepherdess' shampoo and sweat flooded his senses. There was a slight trembling from her neck and shoulders as his cold nose touched her, but when he licked her he felt Maria tense in his grasp.

Trying her best to keep her breath under control, Maria felt his tongue move down her neck. The sensation made her smile even though she did her best to hide it from Nathan. Moment by moment, his muzzle and tongue probed around her neck and shoulders while his paws teasingly pulled at her robe. Maria could have stopped him, making her point that she was still angry with him, but her rage was spent and she was in need of more of his particularly intimate company. Tightening her buttocks over something firm forming behind her, she reached up with a paw and lightly stroked her fingers along his muzzle and in a breathy voice she uttered his name enticingly, betraying her near insatiable need. “Nathan…"

-Back in the present-

“We've been out here too long," Maria said bluntly as she peered up at the sun standing high in the sky. As she sat up on the lounger she heard a disappointed groan from beside her.

Helen raised her head and pouted; she had been laying on her side as she had been listening to her friend's story. “You can't stop there!" She complained in a whine. “It was just getting good again."

Maria grinned as she stood up and sauntered indoors. Once in the shade she could feel how hot she had become while telling her story. Moments later she was in the kitchen pouring two ice cold drinks, as the raccoon waltzed through the door.

Spotting the clock on the wall Helen hurried her pace and headed for the bedroom, the top half of her robe dangling around her hips as it was bound at her waist. She granted Maria one last glance at her bosom before lazily covering it up by pulling her t-shirt over it.

Familiar with her friend's expression, Maria held up the glass and grinned at her friend, and remembered college days together. “Running late?"

“I didn't realize how late it was. I gotta be on duty in an hour."

Maria's expression softened as she watched Helen return and drain the glass before reaching out and placing a paw on the raccoon's shoulder. “Thank you for that. Switching shifts to help me."

Waving her paw in front of her friend's face, Helen shook her head. “Don't mention it." She reached out and poked the shepherdess on the nose. “I'm sure you'd do the same for me." The smile on Maria's face told her enough. “I do have one favor to ask though..."

Raising an eyebrow that gave her face a smug expression, Maria reached towards Helen's waist and tugged at the spandex shorts she had been wearing. “Want to borrow something less revealing?"

“Yes."

“Top too?" Maria asked as she hooked a finger into the deep v-cut neckline before pulling it down slightly. “Strange how modest we get when work is involved?"

Pushing out her chest, Helen nearly spilled out of the neckline, but kept her eyes on Maria. “Our teenage selves would scream in horror." She retorted. “Yeah a top would work too. I just need to look presentable until I reach my locker."

“Just leave my suits alone and pick something from the casual stuff." Maria chuckled before letting go of the loose t-shirt. “I'll call you a cab to get you to the station."

Closing the distance between them, Helen gave Maria a quick hug. “Thanks, Hun." She turned and walked away with a strut that made her butt wiggle from side to side. “Now I'll peruse your modest wardrobe for something I could possibly be seen in public with." Her loose brown hair flowed behind her as she threw her head back to give an air of sophistication and class.

In answer, Maria stuck out her tongue and blew a long raspberry at the retreating figure.

Completely naked in Maria's bedroom, Helen set her bag on the bed before pulling her phone out. Opening a notepad app and typing frantically, she created a new document titled “N. Fenn - Lying Bastard" and with remarkable speed she filled it with bullet points. One of the traits praised in the police force was a good memory, and Helen's was exceptional. Her friend had told her a lot of things in confidence but in the raccoon's mind that didn't mean she couldn't do a bit of digging. “Let's see if there are any skeletons in Nathan's closet." She mused quietly to herself before finishing her rapid typing and dropping her phone back into her bag and then strode into Maria's closet to find some clothes.

Calling for a taxi and throwing a few bagels in the toaster didn't take long and as Maria began nibbling on her own breakfast Helen walked returned to the kitchen. The raccoon had found a knee length black skirt, a dark purple top with surprisingly modest neckline and a dark gray vest zipped up to the mid-point of her chest. In once glance Maria could tell exactly what was going on. “Don't want anyone to know you're going commando?"

Helen grinned and grabbed a bagel. Quickly spreading some cream cheese on it she glanced at her friend. “Wouldn't want to start any rumors that the lieutenant from inter departmental affairs is a nymphomaniac now, would we?" She bit down on the bagel and chewed it rapidly before swallowing and sensually licking a smudge of cheese from of the corner of her mouth. “I'll be too busy turning down all those frustrated rookies I have work with."

“Oh woe is you." Maria giggled mockingly as she brushed some crumbs from her muzzle.

There was a lecherous glimmer in the raccoon's eyes as she licked her fingers after finishing her bagel. “You might spread that rumor to your intern though."

Maria laughed and shook her head to dispel the mental image. “If you run into him outside the office you can do with him as you like. I don't doubt after the show we gave him yesterday that he'll probably be surrounded by soiled tissues by now."

* * *

In a small apartment across town a canine of questionable heritage sat on his bed in his underwear staring at his laptop. Licking his lips, Rick began typing and describing his desires to the search engine in front of him. Numerous hits appeared and he began swiftly skimming through them until one caught his interest. Two clicks later the picture he wanted appeared on his screen, making a small yet sinister smile appear on his face before reaching between his legs.

The grainy and slightly faded colour picture depicted a small group of males of all different species and sizes. Rick twirled the pencil he just picked up and began noting down some information on the small notepad lying next to his laptop. He saved the picture to his hard drive before further searching the site he had found it on. The picture that he had been looking at was a crew photo of a cargo ship called 'The Vagabond' and underneath in bold print was the names and positions of the crew.

“Nathan Fenn." Rick said in a growl as he read the name out loud before following up with what was written after the hyphen. “Cargo rating." After scribbling some more notes and a little skull before the name on the paper, he began to look through the other crew photos. A photo taken a year after the one he had saved caught his attention when he couldn't find Nathan's name and new rating appeared to be a bear call Damian Ferris replacing him. Scrolling up, Rick noticed that there was a gap of three years and between the recently saved picture and another he had glanced over a few minutes earlier. Instead on Nathan's name he found, Bryan Daye was listed as the cargo rating. Glancing at the photo he tried to find Bryan, but instead found Nathan staring back at him. He clicked on the photo to enlarge it but the graininess didn't improve the detail. It was clear that the photos had been taken using an old thirty-five millimeter camera then developed before being digitalized by a poor quality scanner.

Quickly saving that picture as well, Rick spent the next few minutes switching between the two trying to discern any difference between the two wolves on his screen. While he couldn't be completely sure about their height and fur colouring due to the poor quality, the one thing he could be absolutely sure about was that smug grin on their muzzles. He had seen that particular grin up close and personal, and it had burned itself into his memory. Scribbling on the note pad again, Rick put a theory in writing.

'Nathan Fenn = Bryan Daye?'

He tapped the paper with the butt of the pencil before scribbling a dozen more question marks behind his notes. With a new resolve fueling him, he began typing away. His search had suddenly become a lot more interesting.

-Weeks of peace and quiet later-

Going through the maintenance schedule for the building, George was enjoying a lazy Sunday morning with no chance of mail or packages arriving; he could finally deal with some administrative tasks. The sudden opening of the front doors made him look up and raise a curious eyebrow as a sharply dressed German Shepherdess stepped through the doors. “That's strange." He mumbled to himself quietly knowing Miss Eckholdt usually arrived through the side entrance. The closer the woman came the more curious he became until realization hit him; it wasn't Miss Eckholdt. “Ma'am all visitors must check in."

Twirling the key-fob she used to enter the building around a slender brown furred finger, the Shepherdess leveled a pair of icy blue eyes at the Meerkat then ignored him, proceeding on her way towards the elevators.

Swallowing hard after recovering from her near devastating stare, George picked up the phone and quickly dialed the apartment that would be the visitor's most likely destination. By the time the first ring sounded the elevator doors had closed and the car was on its way to its destination.

Maria had been enjoying her day off. She had seen to several smaller cases over the week and closed every one of them successfully. Feeling accomplished, the shepherdess sat curled in her favorite chair with the doors to the balcony wide open and the warmth of the early day sun slowly filling the living room as she leafed through the old book in her lap.

The sudden shrill ringing coming from the desk shattered the peace and quiet. Carefully closing the book, Maria stretched her legs and let out a groan as she stood up. Taking her time to walk over and pick up the receiver, she paused when she saw it was the front desk on the display. “Apartment ten-eighty, Maria speaking." She said suppressing some mild apprehension.

“Miss Eckholdt, this is the front desk. I'm sorry to disturb you, but I believe there is a visitor coming to see you."

Slightly confused by the way he framed the remark; Maria was silent for a moment before responding. “You believe?"

“Well, she just walked in and for a split second I thought it was you, Ma'am, but when I asked her to check in she just stared me down."

Letting out a grunt, Maria knew enough. A cold bead of sweat dripped down her spine as dread made her heart beat faster. “Thanks for calling, George. Yeah, she's here for me." Listening to George's sincere apology before saying goodbye, Maria hung up the phone. Her finger had barely come off the button when there was a hard, sharp knock on the door. Biting her lips, she looked down at what she was wearing. A pair of comfortable sweatpants and the sweater she had stolen from Nathan and nothing underneath. Another knock filled Maria with dread as she quickly stepped to the door and reached out to grab the latch before taking a deep breath and opening the door. With her head down she stood to the side to let the other Shepherdess inside.

“I know this is the big city, but I believe the correct etiquette when greeting a guest would be a polite 'hello' at the very least."

Maria saw the high-heeled pumps enter her downcast view and mumbled out a greeting. “Hello, Momma." After several seconds of silence she looked up and remembered where she inherited her own stern look from.

The older femme opened her arms and stepped closer to her daughter before wrapping them around her. “Hello puppa."

Legal Tension – Chapter 8

Suspicions

“Hello Puppa."

Maria leaned into the hug she got from her mother and drew strength from it. Feeling like a little girl again, she recalled coming home from bad days at school and finding comfort in those arms.

The older female's voice had grown soft and affectionate as Rachel Eckholdt slowly rubbed her back. “What's the matter, Puppa? You haven't called in weeks, so I had to come and see if you were alright."

Suddenly feeling tired, Maria hung on the older femme as she rubbed her nose into her mother's shoulder. Being near to the older female gave her strength and allowed her to lower her defenses and feel her unconditional motherly love and care. “It's been a rough couple of weeks, Momma."

Rachel gave her daughter's back one last rub before reaching out to her side and closing the door. Stepping back, she cupped the younger shepherdess' muzzle and noticed tear drops in the corners of her steely eyes before tenderly rubbing them away. “Trouble with work or does it involve that boyfriend of yours?" The tone of her voice made it clear that it was a purely rhetorical question. Turning her head away from her mother's paw, Maria growled softly instead of answering. Gesturing forwards with her paw, she guided her mother into the living room. Following behind, Rachel sighed and shook her head. “What did he do this time?"

There was another grunt that evolved into a curt growl as Maria threw her paws into the air before shouting. “What else?! He disappeared again! Poof; like a fart in a wind tunnel!"

Rachel sat down on the couch, not responding to her daughter's outburst until she had smoothed the wrinkles from her skirt. “While I'm sure your father would be proud of you for putting it so tactfully, I'm less than impressed by you choice of words, young lady." Her head slowly turned and she brought her cool stare down on Maria. “Now, please refrain from the colorful adjectives and analogies."

Maria felt the urge to release a deluge of ever more damning colorful phrases that her father taught her, but in the end she thought better of it. Her ears drooped as she bowed her head gently towards the older shepherdess. “Sorry, Momma."

The stern expression on Rachel's face broke with a warm smile as little as she motioned to her daughter. “Good. Now sit down and tell me everything."

Over the next half hour, Maria told her mother everything from coming home to finding the mysterious box on the dinner table and the greeting she had given the wolf, to the things they had done over the month that ended with him bringing her lunch. Her expression darkened when she described looking forward to coming home only to find the apartment dark and empty, and every sign of the wolf gone like his presence had only been a dream.

Rachel nodded as she listened and once the story was told she stared at Maria and smiled. “He didn't take everything, did he?"

Letting out a snort, Maria gestured towards the table. “He left the book." As her arm moved into her field of view she suddenly realized what her mother was referring to. “Ah, no, he didn't."

“I thought so. Not really your style now, is it?" Lifting one leg over the other, Rachel watched her daughter for a while longer. “Tell me more about him."

Remembering her day spend with Helen, Maria frowned and rubbed her eyes with fingers. “Let me guess, whenever you asked before it was either lovesick rambling or complete silence." She got off her chair and held up a finger. “One moment." In a hasty stride she left the room but returned barely half a minute later. Killing time by brushing the creases of her skirt down, Rachel smiled up at Maria when she returned holding out a glossy piece of square paper towards the older shepherdess. “Momma, meet Nathan Fenn." Maria said with little enthusiasm in her voice before dropping onto the couch beside her mother.

Rachel took her time to look at the picture of the wolf in wet suit. “Well… He's certainly a healthy boy, isn't he?"

Glancing towards the picture, Maria realized she had forgotten just how revealing the photo was. “Yeah, diving keeps him in great shape."

“So he works on a ship and he dives professionally?"

“Yes." Maria said with a sigh. “I'm sure I already told you that."

Unperturbed by the slight annoyance in the younger femme's voice, Rachel replied easily. “A lot can change in three years, but this still doesn't tell me anything about his personality."

Not in the mood for a question and answer round where she was only responsible for supplying the answers, Maria clenched her teeth and muttered something under her breath before she could stop it.

“He's an inconsiderate asshole?" Rachel repeated, having picked up her daughter's vicious description surprisingly clearly.

A deep blush burned Maria's cheeks. Pulling her knees up and wrapping her arms around them, she turned her face away from her mother.

“He brings you your favorite lunch, that doesn't sound that inconsiderate. It cheered you up and you were looking forward to coming home to him." As she spoke, Rachel gave Nathan's bare chest one last look before putting the photograph down on the table. “I wonder why?"

Swiveling her head towards her mother, Maria glared at the older shepherdess, but she had her own iron gaze leveled at her. Having lived under her mother's gaze for years the rebellious side of her personality didn't pause for a second as she allowed her mental filter to break. “Because he fucks me like a wild beast!" Seeing the expression on her mother's face change to one of wide eyed shock, Maria pushed her muzzle down between her chest and her legs and suddenly felt ashamed of her outburst.

With calm and reserve returning rapidly to her posture, Rachel reached up and brushed a finger against the side of her muzzle. She repeated the move on the other side before finally speaking; her voice was ice cold. “You're still hanging around with that Raccoon aren't you? She's a bad influence on you, Maria." Turning to sit sideways on the couch and face her daughter more directly, she reached out and laid her paw on top of the tousle of black hair. “Puppa, I know you better than you think. It's not just about the physical element now, is it?"

Maria shook her head and a faint 'No' could be heard from somewhere inside the curled up form. Slowly she drew her head back and sniffed loudly as a tear matted the fur on the side of her muzzle. “He's sweet, he's funny." She bit her lip hard before continuing. “When he's here, he takes care of me. I feel safe around him, and… and I'm not going to lie; he can be a beast when we're alone, Momma; but he's my beast, even with all his faults."

“Do you love him?"

The question hit her like a freight train, leaving Maria stunned for a few seconds before burying her muzzle back between her legs.

Rachel's ears twitched as she could hear something being muffled by the thick sweater. “Don't mumble, Puppa. Answer your mother properly."

“I do!" Maria all but screamed, loud enough to be heard outside her clenched thighs. “I do love him."

Scooting closer Rachel wrapped an arm around her daughter and pulled the younger shepherdess against her side. “Does he love you?"

Finally pulling her head from between her legs, Maria let out a derisive snort. “Why would he keep coming back if he didn't?"

Raising her eyebrow, Rachel took a good look at her daughter before speaking in a clear admonishing tone of voice. “You haven't told him, have you?"

Filled with shame, Maria curled up closer to her mother, but refused to meet her gaze. “No..." She swallowed hard before speaking out her deepest fear. “He'll... I'll lose him if I say it."

Shocked by Maria's statement, Rachel reached over with her free paw and rubbed the back of her fingers against her daughter's cheek. “Why on earth would you think that?"

“He's a free spirit." Maria said in a sad but steady voice. “He answers to no-one. He pulls pranks when he visits my office office because he can't stand desk jobs. He leaves without a word and a few months later he'll waltz back into my life like he never left."

“He sounds like your father when he was young," Rachel said with a nostalgic look on her face “the very idea of sitting behind a desk drove him mad." Leaning in, she kissed the disheveled array of black hair. “Just look at him now. Puppa, you just need a way to tame your savage beast."

The sagely advice made Maria to chuckle, remembering all too well the arguments her parents had that ended in her father losing. The price of that loss usually meant he would be doing the dishes alone which as a young shepherdess, Maria didn't mind one bit. The happy memories of her youth made her smile for a brief second before her face fell in sadness once again.

As if she could read her daughter's mind, Rachel spoke first. “What about his family? Do they live here in the city?"

“I don't think so." Maria said after a moment of thought. “Whenever the conversation gets close to the subject, Nathan normally refuses to answer. I pressed him once and he got angry before locking himself in the guest room, but he never raised his voice, not once." Finally she turned her head and stared at her mother, as a terrible truth seemed to dawn on her. “I don't think they're alive anymore."

Rachel understood and reassuringly went back to slowly stroking her little girl's hair and rubbing her back. They sat for a while before Rachel raised an eyebrow; suddenly remembering something from Maria's stories. “Puppa, how does he actually get into the apartment when you're not here?"

Maria looked up at her mother and began laughing; a deep hearty laugh that lifted her spirits. “I don't know."

-A day later-

The sun beamed over the city outside of the window, the air shimmering visibly as the summer had started properly; luckily the air conditioning in the building worked perfectly. Sitting at her desk in the prosecutor's office, Maria had a pencil twirling between her fingers while she stared at the wall. “How does he get in?" She asked herself idly before looking at the open folders in front of her. It was a simple assault charge, but the evidence was solid enough for a plea bargain; a typical nine-to-five case for the shepherdess.

Maria was about to close the folder and move on to a new one when her phone rang and from the flashing button she could see it was linked through the switchboard. That usually meant that a lot of extra work was about to be dumped on her plate, but she was looking forward to something new instead of the pile she had stacked in front of her. “Prosecutor's office, Maria Eckholdt speaking." There were several seconds of silence before a familiar voice finally spoke up.

“Hey, Maria; I thought I dialed Brutus' extension."

“Hey, Haffie." Maria said with a smile, she hadn't had the chance to talk to Helen for a week as work had kept both of them busy. “You're out of luck, Brutus has a day off. Anything I can help you with?"

Again, there was a distinct and uncommon moment of silence from the Raccoon. “Eeehm, not really; I need to talk with Brutus about a case that he has the information for."

“Which case is it? I'll get the information for you." Maria said quickly as she pulled a notepad closer. “I could actually use a distraction; so many boring cases right now, you know?"

Helen's voice was apologetic and slightly nervous. “I can't Maria. I can only ask Brutus."

“Aaah." Maria nodded as she leaned back in her chair. “I understand." It wasn't the first time something like this happened and she couldn't fault her friend for her curt responses when they were talking shop. “Orders from higher up, I get it. You could try reaching Brutus at home, but I would strongly advice against it."

On the other side of the line, Helen sat at her desk in her tiny office with her paw resting on a thick dossier. “I'll have to risk it." Nervously she picked at the label, scratching at the name with the tip of her claw. “Could you give me his home number?"

“Sure thing, Haf." Came the chipper voice from the phone before Maria began to recite the number she knew by heart.

As Helen scribbled the number down, she bit her lip. Her expression slightly troubled. “Will he be angry at you for giving out his private number?"

Maria chuckled on the other side. “He'll be annoyed that you've interrupted his day off. Mostly because he enjoys working in silence. Oh, and about the number, it's x-directory, so don't be handing it out." She fell silent for a moment then spoke up in a seriously tone. “I trust you with this, so don't leave it lying around."

“Gotcha," Helen said “I'll eat the paper once I'm done."

Hearing the more cheerful tone in her friend's voice Maria chuckled at the small joke. “That'll do the trick." There was a noise from the other side. “Ah, I've got a scared looking staffer in my office. Looks like I've got some fires to put out. Anything else I can help you with?"

“No," Helen said as she stared at the number in front of her. “Thanks for the help Maria."

“Good Luck with your case," The shepherdess said idly while looking critically at the staffer who seemed ready to piss himself. “We'll talk soon."

Even though nobody could see her, Helen nodded. “Yeah; talk to you soon, Babe." As she set the handset back into its cradle the breath she felt she had been holding for a while finally escaped her muzzle in a long sigh. Her gaze shifted from the slip of paper back to the dossier. “I need a drink..." She muttered and felt like her heart was beating in her neck. She ran a finger over the thickness of the dossier. It was all the information she had gathered over the past weeks in her own time, and now she needed a lawyer to look it over and due to the subject matter it couldn't be her friend. Lying had left a dirty taste in her mouth and as she stood up she growled. “Another thing I'll blame you for, Mister Fenn."

* * *

The hospital elevator opened and a strong smell of disinfectant flushed the Rabbit's nostrils. Striding towards the duty station, the tan furred bunny saw several heads turn in her direction, but she had no time for their gawking. The latex dress she wore squeaked a little as her high heels clicked on the hardened linoleum flooring.

The duty nurse looked up and saw her approaching. “Can I help you Ma'am?"

The Rabbit's neutral expression never changed as she nodded in response. “Yes, I'm Gail Whitetail. I have a friend here to see."

Picking up a chart and pointing down the hall, the Clouded Leopard nodded. “Yes, he's right down here." Stepping out from behind the station she walked quickly with the Rabbit. “I'm glad you're here; he's been a real menace for us. We've had to strap him to the bed to prevent him from getting up and opening his wounds again."

“Is he sedated?" The Rabbit asked, her voice betraying a fraction of her true concern.

“For now," The nurse confirmed “His medication will be wearing off soon so we need to get the next batch ready. You should have about twenty minutes to talk to him before the pain becomes too much for him."

Gail nodded, making her deep blood red hair flick lightly behind her. “How bad is it?"

“Honestly?" The nurse paused as they stopped by the door they had been looking for. “I'm not sure if he's lucky or unlucky to be alive after his ordeal. However, there is some good news; he'll be able to walk properly again, that is if he'll just let his body heal."

The rabbit's soulful blue eyes fixed on the Clouded Leopards. “You can't mean that?"

“I wish I didn't, Miss Whitetail." The nurse checked her forms once more before opening the door. “I'm sorry; I never got your relation to the patient."

Glancing through the small window, Gail could see the various apparatus that beeped and whirred as they were hooked up to the person she had come to see. Swallowing hard she turned away from the small window having seen more than she ever wanted to. “His sister." The nurse raised an eyebrow. “For all intents and purposes, nurse. I'm his sister."

Reaching out and laying the back of her finger carefully against the door the nurse asked, “Would you like to speak with him?"

Tensing up at the idea, the rabbit quickly shook her head. “No, I don't. I'm really here to make sure his wishes are respected." She glanced towards the window one last time before turning her back to it and gesturing towards the desk. “I have specific instructions for you to follow as well."

Confused the Clouded Leopardess followed the rabbit back to the nurse's station before handing her a piece of paper and a pen when asked. “We'll do our best to adhere to the patients requests, but if this is about treatment I should call for the attending physician."

Gail shook her head again. “This isn't a medical issue." She wrote down a phone number and then handed the paper and pen back. “You are to call this number and repeat what I am about to say, word for word..."

* * *

A phone rang loudly and the person sitting next to it wasn't happy at all. With a colorful explicative the mastiff grabbed a small remote control and pointed it towards the Hi-Fi system nestled in the corner of the room, lowering the volume yet leaving the record player on top running. Brutus grabbed the phone's receiver and finally ended the blaring noise coming from it before barking into it. “Who is this?"

Pulling the phone from her ear in shock at how loud Brutus was, Helen stared at the receiver in her paw for several seconds and then quickly spoke up before Brutus could slam the horn down. “Mister Waterstone, This is Lieutenant Forrester."

His paw was midway towards smashing into the phone when Brutus heard Helen speak, for a split second he was very tempted to continue, but curiosity made him bring it back to his ear. “Lieuenant Forrester; who gave you this number and why are you calling me?" His voice was gruff and rumbled with annoyance.

Relieved that Brutus wasn't shouting anymore, Helen breathed a sigh of relief and quickly answered his first question. “I tried calling you at the office, but I got Maria."

“She's the senior staff member when I'm not there." Brutus acknowledged before leading Helen's statement to the natural conclusion. “So she gave you my home phone number?"

“She did." Helen confirmed quickly but was interrupted by the Mastiff before she could continue.

“If this is about a new case then I don't see why Maria couldn't handle it. There's no high profile prosecution going on and when I last watched the news all seemed relatively quiet; so why did you insist on calling me at home?"

Scowling, Helen kept her voice under control as she was unwilling to face any consequences for shouting back at the city D.A. “Because, Sir," she said with a tone that failed to hide her irritation from being interrupted. “She wouldn't like the subject it refers to."

Piecing together the subterfuge that had taken place, Brutus could guess who the subject was. “Helen did you lie to your friend to get my phone number?"

Already feeling bad about it; hearing it spoken out loud made Helen's stomach clench hard. “I did," she said in a hard voice that didn't mirror how she felt. “I found out some things about Mister Fenn that raised a few question and in my experience they appear to be a bit... Suspicious."

The fact that the Raccoon had lied point blank to her best friend piqued the mastiff's interest and he even found himself getting excited to hear what she had learned. “Well, what did you find out about our dear friend, Mister Fenn that you don't wish to share with my senior prosecutor, just yet?"

“What would you think if I told you that his entire identity is fake."

Brutus smiled and leaned back in his chair, the wooden construct squeaking and groaning under the bulk. “People change names for various reasons. Give me something more substantial." He didn't get to where he was in his life by focusing on weak cases. The raccoon would have to earn his attention once more.

Helen was ready for the challenge. “How about that his A.O.W.D. diving certifications were all done within one week at a diving school in the Bahamas that has been under investigation several times?"

“Saving the best for last?" Brutus asked with a chuckle, not really expecting an answer. Questionable certificates could seriously jeopardize the bothersome wolf's job; it would be a small victory but the Mastiff had no doubt that even that would be satisfying. “Well don't stop there. What else have you found?"

“The company he works for is under several international investigations for illegal salvaging, potential grave robbing and several more for illegally trafficking of historical artifacts." In her small office Helen was running her finger over an impressive list and she began to recite some examples. “An incident involving a sunken Dutch galleon off the coast of Central Africa, the two Congo's, and Angola. The Dutch government was in a fight over whose claim on the vessel was legitimate. One day the Nemo's Spirit swooped in and before anyone actually noticed the ship, the galleon had been ransacked and now the countries are fighting over who does the investigation."

“A bunch of pirates, clearly," Brutus mused “but of course they left no trace and it's all just speculations." He started to get an idea what she was aiming for and decided to let her talk a while longer.

Helen was leafing through the dossier, skipping a lot of minor infractions she had found that didn't hold much promise, but on the whole it clearly showed someone that had no problem brushing up against the law. “Furthermore, there are a dozen unresolved crimes to which Nathan falls perfectly within the description for one the culprits."

“There are a lot of wolves on the planet, Lieutenant." Brutus mused almost as if it was a random thought that popped into his head. “Do more of the crew match the other descriptions?"

“Only one," the Raccoon said slowly, the smile on her face almost visible in Brutus' mind. “A bull by the name of Jackson Jones matches descriptions according to several reports..." She fell silent for a moment to build tension. “He's also Nathan Fenn's best friend from what I can tell."

Holding the receiver to his ear with one paw Brutus scratched his neck with one of his thick fingers, tugging on a thin golden chain that was normally hidden beneath his tan fur. “I think I'm ready for the main course now, Lieutenant Forrester."

Flipping back through the dossier Helen returned to her first selling point. “That fake I.D.; if we can prove it then Mister Fenn has a very big problem."

“How so?" Brutus asked, anticipating the 'if' but still wanting to know more.

“The Nemo's spirit had two weapon masters, Jackson Jones and..."

The Mastiff chuckled in delight. “And out dear lupine friend of course. Helen," he began almost affectionately “would it so happen to be that Mister Fenn signed for some of these weapons?"

Now Brutus' smile was clear as day in Helen's mind as she closed the dossier. “He did, several in fact, even one that's illegal in this state."

Nodding sagely, Brutus leaned forward and rested one elbow on the desk before cradling his chin in his paw. “Sadly you don't have enough evidence to warrant an investigation but," He drawled as he closed his eyes “you want me to give you permission to start one don't you? Having the support of the D.A. behind you means that you don't have to cobble together a case file on your own time and without all the resources you could normally use." He opened his eyes again and glanced to the side where he held the phone as if to try and relay his smirk through the connection. “Am I correct?"

Unbeknown to the smug looking District Attorney, Helen had her own equally smug expression. “You are, but not completely. There's someone in your office that's also digging into Nathan's affairs." Flipping through a couple of sheets of papers she pulled out a few. “They're focusing on an older employer of Mistrer Fenn, and the name Bryan Daye appears more often than Nathan's."

Pleasantly surprised, Brutus halted himself from reaching into the desk drawer and grabbing a box of nicotine gum. “Oh?" His paw hovered over the drawer handle as he spoke. “Are you telling me that Maria is actively checking up on her lover?

“The orders are from her office, but they don't have her signature. They're even lower clearance than what I've been using."

“An intern?" Brutus mused out loud before finally opening the drawer and retrieving a stick of gum; he bit down hard on it. “It seems young Mister Ashmore is more crafty than I've been giving him credit for."

“How do you know it's him?" Helen asked, her interest sparked.

Thinking about the young canine, Brutus chuckled in his head before changing his voice to his officious slow baritone. “He's the only one who has access to Maria's outgoing requests; so he could sneak one in without Maria finding out. He also knows that if he reached too far questions would be raised, he's digging on the surface and trying to strike oil." Once more the mastiff leaned back to hear the furniture protest. “As to why he does it? Well, he's quite enamored with his mentor. His eyes are like those of most males in the office; glued on her backside when she walks by and he runs to her office when she calls. Its puppy love; and I am sure he has no love towards Nathan." Tasting the nicotine, he took a moment to squeeze it out of the gum. “Back to that name, Bryan Daye. Did he come up in your searches?"

Knowing the dossier by heart, Helen was certain she hadn't. “No I haven't, but I would like to get his notes, however, if I ask Maria to borrow her intern..."

Throwing his head back in a moment of hilarity, Brutus nearly swallowed the gum as the laugh quickly turned into a short violent cough. “So you need my help with that as well."

“Yeah."

“Consider it done." The Canine growled excitedly. “I'll get you the boy's number and I'll give you the authorization to dig deeper, perhaps Richard's efforts will be a nice addition to your own investigation."

“I'm sure he found something. He's been sneaking the orders in for a few weeks now." Helen said with conviction.

Brutus toyed with the box of gum, poking at the sticks still inside it. “Then it's time you two compare notes. In cases like this, two heads are always better than one. “

Letting her mind wander to the young intern she and Maria had teased and probably given explicit dreams to, Helen licked her lips slowly. “We'll have to do this out of office hours. I should invite him to my apartment and we'll work from there."

“Sounds like a plan." Brutus said before standing up and leaning over his desk, one paw resting on top to balance him. “I'll give you his number tomorrow and tell him that I'll ignore his well-meant transgressions if he co-operates."

Helen grimaced. “Harsh, but I understand your reasons. Do want me to send you a copy?"

Not even thinking about it, Brutus dismissed the idea. “No, keep it out of the office or Maria might find out about it through someone. It's your responsibility until you find something concrete about Nathan." Leaning towards the phone on the desk he spoke before she could reply on his previous statement. “It's been a pleasure, Lieutenant Forrester. I'm looking forward to what you find."

“Okay, goodbye Mister Waterstone." Helen said, but heard the phone line go dead before she finished. “So far so good." She smirked.

* * *

Ten minutes had passed since Helen had called and still Brutus' paw lingered on the phone as a toothy grin split his muzzle. The conversation with the Raccoon had proven to be worth the interruption to his day off and he suddenly felt full of energy. Spitting his gum into the waste basket, he rounded his desk and carefully lifted the needle of the record from where it idly spun in the center, the music having reached its end somewhere during the phone call. Slipping the vinyl disk back into its protective cover, the Mastiff didn't realize how his tail was wagging even when he placed the record back into the large library as his excited limb tapped against the sound system.

A short while later, Brutus walked into the large sun room at the back of his house, with the glass doors all open it all but changed into a glass roofed patio while the gentle wind blew the scent of flowers in from his well maintained garden. Sitting in a thickly upholstered fan back chair he seemed to be out of place; the chair was something that would have been at home at the start of the previous century in a rich household while the Mastiff clearly came from the modern era and looked like he was from the lower spectrum of the income scale. Dressed in a pair of lose fitting track pants that had numerous colorful stains dried into the fabric and a t-shirt which was once white that suffered from the same affliction. He eyed the canvas in the middle of the room; the news Helen had given him had filled him with creative energies and this was the way he gave them shape.

The palette on the table next to the easle was clean except for the edges where the oil paints had crusted into the deep scratches. As he visualized his creation to be, Brutus began to fill the palette with his choice of colours and then retrieved a fine detail brush. Mixing a hue of blue that was to his liking, he began to paint a series of dots across the broad canvas, and crafted an image of a happier time in his life. Pointillism was time consuming and difficult, but his meticulous nature and sharp memory suited the style of painting. Slowly but surely, the image of a beach began to resolve, yet Brutus could see it in his mind as if it were yesterday. Stepping back after a few hours, he grunted in approval of what he had begun to create and wiped his brush on his track pants once more to clean them.

The peace and quiet was interrupted when the doorbell rang with its gentle but insistent chiming. Brutus' eye twitched; clearly he was some cosmic joke that the world wouldn't let enjoy a day off, alone. With a sigh he looked at his half-finished painting before cleaning his brush once more time and putting the palette back on the table under chorus of the doorbell ringing again. Lazily, Brutus sauntered into the house muttering under his breath. He passed through his den, circling around the luxurious leather seats to make sure no paint would touch them and then past the small bar along one side of the wall before stepping into the hallway. Through the etched fractal designed windows of his front doors he could see the outline of someone short standing in front of them. His paw came up and brushed against his chest for a second before he reached for the door. Putting on a deceitfully friendly smile, Brutus opened the door to see who and why someone wanted to speak to him. As the door swung open he wondered if security of the gated community had been lacking in their usual diligence and had let some sales rep or religious peddlers in; either one of the two and people would lose their jobs over it if it turned out to be the case. Brutus would see to that.

Standing in the bright sunlit walkway to his front door was a short, golden retriever girl that barely looked past the age of twenty. Her modest but pleasant curves were wrapped up in a strapless sun dress that almost matched her natural fur coloring. Her long red hair cascaded down in slight curls, past her shoulders and were tipped with bright blue. “Hiiii, Mister Waterstone," she sang in a high pitched voice “Daddy sent me over here to tell you that we're back from vacation." She scrunched up her face and thrust out her hip to one side to strike a pose, the dress fluttering up as the hem barely reached halfway down her thigh. “He's been such a pain in the ass. Even in the car he didn't want to turn the A.C. down like two degrees." Her paw rose up and she hooked a finger down into her dress, between her breasts before pulling the fabric forwards a little. “I mean could he be any less considerate?"

Brutus kept on his fake smile as he looked straight down between the lovely humps under the girl's dress. When she was done cooling herself he looked more at her neckline and the leather necklace with small cubes strung along it that seemed to read out a name. “Cloe, I don't think your father sent you here to tell me that he didn't want to turn up the air conditioning in the car.

The golden retriever's ears perked up as much as they could before the young woman pouted. “No, you're right Mister Waterstone." It was fun for Brutus to watch her bounce back and forth between adult and moody teen, which was typical for her age and being a spoiled brat. “Dad did a quick walk around the house and he wanted me to thank you for lending us your gardeners." Cloe crossed her arms and huffed, making her charms push against the thin fabric of her dress. “If he hadn't fired ours he wouldn't have been worrying all the time about his stupid roses." The sheer annoyance in the voice got Brutus to chuckle and the look of sheer indignation he got didn't help. Cloe huffed again before he saw a glint in her eyes and she sensually pushed her torso towards the Mastiff. “Mister Waterstone, it's so hot today," she dabbed at her bare shoulder before gliding the paw down and teasingly brushed over her breast “can I come in and have something to drink?"

“You're not trying to avoid carrying your luggage into your house now, are you, Cloe?" The moment he said it Brutus could see that flirty mask fall away and the little socialite's scowl return. Before she could make a scene, Brutus stepped aside to let her pass. “Come on in." He watched her bound past him, her golden tail seemingly intentionally brushing against the front of his pants and resulted in a blue spot at the tip of her tail that seemed to match the ones in her hair.

“Oooh, Central Air." Cloe cooed as she raised her paws up in the air and stood on tiptoes before doing a small pirouette that send her dress fluttering. The front of the Retriever's dress had been a joy to admire for Brutus and the back was just as nice as it revealed a large bare patch, but to his surprise there was no hole for her tail. Instead it jutted out from under the hem and during the pirouette it rose to give the male a perfect look of the frilly white panties that perfectly enclosed a pair of shapely cheeks. Looking over her shoulder, Cloe seemed to be doing her best to flash the older male. “You had a bar in there, right, Mister Waterstone?" She asked but didn't wait and proceeded towards the den in a brisk bouncing step.

With a hard-on growing but so far still hidden by the lose fitting track pants, Brutus sighed and reached up to rub his temple, but after a few moments he chuckled and shaking his head slowly, he set out to follow the girl. Inside the den Brutus found his visitor behind the bar, dropping ice in a short glass before grabbing one of the bottles that stood opposite the counter. Cloe saw him in the large mirror that hung behind the bar and winked at the Mastiff as she grabbed the bottle before pouring herself a double whiskey. “You're not allowed to drink that yet Cloe." Brutus stated flatly as he leaned on the counter directly in front of her.

“Almost!" Came the Retriever's retort while she stared defiantly at him. “One more year." Immediately she saw that he didn't believe her and she scowled. “Fine! Two, technically." The ice clinked against the thick glass as she used the paw she held her drink in to point at him. “On Majorca I was allowed to drink." To prove that she could handle it just fine, she brought the whiskey up to her lips and took a swig.

With great pleasure Brutus saw her face contort into pure agony and he quickly snatched the glass from Cloe's paw as she began to cough loudly. Sticking his finger into the glass he quickly fished out the ice cubes and dumped them into the small sink behind the counter before taking a sip of the whiskey. “This is not one the crappy bourbons your father drinks, my dear. This is Scottish Whiskey; you do not defile it with ice."

Once she recovered from her coughing fit, Cloe was shooting daggers at the big male.

The look did nothing to the Mastiff that was used to facing down psychopaths or people he tried to keep out of jail across a courtroom. Raising his free paw he pointed towards the side. “In the fridge at the end, there should be some sodas." He took another sip and smacked his lips before smirking at her once again. “I can't have you going back home stinking of booze."

“Whatever." Cloe muttered as she walked behind the bar before bending at the waist, putting everything on display.

Brutus licked his lips as he admired a perfect camel-toe that was so snuggly held in those white panties that appeared to be as thin as the sun dress. When he grunted in admiration, Cloe stood up with a bottle of soda in her paw and began looking for the bottle opener, but he didn't pay attention as two small points caught his attention. Whether it was the cold from the fridge she had been rummaging in or something else, the Mastiff was left little to the imagination.

“Where is the damn opener?"

Ignoring the question and turning around, Brutus walked to the low table in the center of four chairs and opened the small case sitting on top of it. He pulled a thick cigar from case and as he bit off the tip his other paw also grabbed a match before striking it against the abrasive surface specifically lined in the lid for that purpose. Turning to face her, he watched the girl take a drink from her soda after she found the opener as he inhaled deeply and set the tip of the cigar glowing.

Seemingly ignoring the male, Cloe strutted around the room and lifted the hem of her dress up to clearly put her panties on display again before pulling out a smart phone from the waist band that the Mastiff hadn't noticed. A few short swipes later she held it up to make the camera look down at her face and cleavage. “Hey, hey, guess whose home?" She pressed a button and then growled. “Damn it, no Wi-Fi." Batting her eyelids she peered at Brutus over her shoulder. “Mister Waterstone?"

Knowing the question that was coming Brutus shook his head. “No, I don't have Wi-Fi in the house. And call me Brutus, I start feeling old if you keep calling me, Mister."

Rolling her eyes, Cloe began to walk towards the sun room and muttered loud enough for him to hear. “No Wi-Fi? You are an old fart, Brutus." She glanced through the doorway before chuckling mockingly. “What are you painting? It's a mess, doesn't even look like your garden."

Sucking hard on the cigar, Brutus' eyes had become pin points as he watched the girl mope around. He couldn't deny it was actually fun seeing her out of her comfort zone. “I paint from memory, unlike your generation who can't seem to survive without the ability to access the Internet for more than two minutes."

Skulking back towards him, Cloe put on a vile face when she climbed over the chair that stood between them before dropping into it. Putting both her arms up over the back rest and one leg over an armrest she writhed in her seat to make sure she showed off her panties again. “And you can't even look at me without getting a stiffy. I'm impressed you can even get it up you dirty old fucker."

The cigar drooped in Brutus' mouth as he took in the moment, he was indeed hard enough to pitch a tent from her constant flashing; for a moment he almost felt guilty. Almost. One foot came down before the other as he rounded the table and saw the look of fear in the Golden Retriever's eyes when he closed the distance.

“Look, don't touch you asshole!" Cloe screamed weakly as she tried to raise her arms, but the Mastiff was faster than she expected and let out a bark of pain as his paw wrapped around her wrists and pulled her arms back down over the top of the backrest.

Grinning at his conquest, Brutus planted a knee between the girl's legs to make sure she couldn't kick him as she raged. “I'm done looking," he said easily as he took another hit from his cigar before taking it from his mouth and set it in the small hidden ashtray in the armrest of the chair. Turning his head to make sure the cigar was placed safely he heard the sharp inhale of breath before something wet and slimy hit his cheek when he turned back to face the girl beneath him. He growled deeply before gathering up some of her spit with his free paw. “I was hoping you would do something like that." He said in a creepy voice before sticking the fingers into his mouth and sucking them clean.

Cloe strained against his grip but couldn't break out. She shook her head and sent her curly red hair flailing until she only obstructed her own view. “Sicko!"

With an almost caring touch, Brutus brushed the blue tipped locks out of her petite cleavage before harshly pushing his finger into it and pulling her dress down past her charms. “There now, they don't have to strain against your dress so much." The smile on his muzzle became genuine for a moment as he saw the large golden ring suspended between her breasts on a thin golden chain that hid under her fur. Turning his attention to her perky mounds, he gave her arms a sharp tug, making the girl groan and push her chest out further.

Biting her bottom lip until it almost bled, Cloe watched the Mastiff lower his large muzzle down her body. Trembling and with aching shoulders, she was powerless to stop the broad tongue from flicking over one of her pert nipples. Against her will she moaned with terrified delight.

Feeling the young body jerk from his touch, Brutus smiled before he took his cigar from the ashtray and closed his mouth around her stiff pink nipple. Her struggling moans quickly became groans and sighs of confused pleasure and disgust that rang through the room, but he didn't care as he kept suckling her hard nub of flesh.

“No... No..."

Brutus listened to her beg as he switched nipple, slathering his saliva all over it as she struggled in vain. Biting down on the nipple firmly, the Mastiff listened to the Retriever's moan while she fought to keep them silent. He pulled away and looked at Cloe's furious expression that was rendered moot by her panting and small beads of sweat on her forehead, plastering her beautiful red hair against her fur. “Daddy must have kept you on a short leash in Majorca. I bet he didn't want his little princess to get spoiled in some seedy bar."

Taking hard breaths, Cloe wanted to rage at the brute but couldn't find her voice. In the end she choose to spit at him again, but failed and ended up with drool dripping from her chin.

“I can see it now," Brutus continued as he ignored her feeble attempts to free herself “You dancing in a night club; anybody that wants to run his or her paws over your body getting free reign." Taking a deep draw on his cigar he blew it in her face, the thick smoke making the girl's eyes water. He put the cigar back into the corner of his mouth before running his free paw over her body. First he gave one of her perky B-cups a squeeze; hard enough to make Cloe moan and turn her head away in shame, then he slid his fingers down her side before dropping down her bare thighs and giving the soft flesh another firm squeeze. “You wouldn't stop them would you? You love being the center of attention, what would you care if..." Cloe stifled a scream as she felt the fingers slide under her dress and push hard through her panties and against her pussy. “I can feel how wet you are," Brutus growled towards the girl as he vigorously rubbed with one of his thick fingers. He felt her labia spread before the digit and how the thin fabric separated him from touching her most private spot directly while it absorbed her gushing fluids.

Trying to kick him, Cloe fruitlessly struck the larger male's hip with her ankle; the tremors that his touch caused traveling down her legs. All she could do was let out another meek growl in protest, but she couldn't even look at him while he continued his story.

“You'd love standing there with the music pounding and paws all over you. Finally, when one begins to pull on your panties you'll just raise your tail and push that ass into their grip to make it easier." While he'd been telling his suggestive tale, Brutus shifted his finger to hook her panties and with one hard tug he had them down to her knees. “I bet you would stop dancing just to get them off your legs, and once they're around your ankles you'd give them away like a trophy." It wasn't quite as easy as he described, but with some coaxing he ended up with a soiled and musky pair of frilly white panties dangling from his finger. Carefully he switched out his cigar for the pair of panties, parts of the waistband dangled from the sides of his muzzle while he drank her juices from the crotch as it lay on his tongue.

“You sick fuck!" The Golden Retriever barked, finally able to cast a glance at him, but upon seeing her underwear in his muzzle she turned away once more.

Brutus took his time draining her panties of every drop of her sexual fluids, but when he deemed it time to go back to telling the story he looked at the cigar in his paw and proceeded to crush the thing that could buy a family of five an expensive restaurant dinner into the small ashtray. Once he was done, he took his time extracting the dripping garment from his mouth and held it up to her face. “I should thank your father. Instead of your panties staying in Majorca I can put this next to my own trophies. Perhaps I'll show them to your parents next time they come over for dinner." Carelessly throwing them behind him, the wet fabric hit the small case on the table where it lay on display. Having them waved in her face, Cloe watched and now stared at her unmentionables laying there, claimed by the Mastiff. “Where were we?" Brutus asked out loud for show before closing his eyes and nodding. “Oh right," he commented idly before roughly shoving his paw back between her legs “it wouldn't be long before so many were trying to finger that little cunt of yours."

Pushing her entire body forward, Cloe yelped in pain as the strain on her arms burned at her shoulders. Brutus' grip on her wrists was unwavering as his thick digit went back to rubbing over her slick slit. “Only one would be able to win that contest for your affection. Only one would be lucid enough to unfasten the front of his pants and push his cock underneath your dress and just fuck you right there on the dance floor."

Cloe screamed at the top of her lungs when his thick finger suddenly changed angle and it went two knuckles deep inside her clenching pussy in one rough push. Her cry of pain and dismay died before it reached the garden through the open doors, the thick carpet on the floor and the lush upholstered furniture soaking up the sound.

Feeling her squeeze him, Brutus laughed a little sadistically before quickly pulling his finger out and stuffing it back in with a stab. “But you youngsters are always too eager and your new lover would take a few times to get the angle right." He moved his entire body and forced the leg she had on the armrest higher so her hips had to roll up a little. “Or until you bend over just a little bit more, like a good slut and present your pussy to him."

Moaning despite herself, Cloe felt the finger drive in even deeper before curling slightly to rub against her walls. “No!" she said weakly as her hips moved of their own accord and another shiver ran through her body.

Brutus looked at it for a moment before leaning down and brushing his nose against the side of her neck. “Now Cloe. I don't need to point out that that's a lie; you want this. Why else would you let your panties get pulled down?" He twisted his finger and was rewarded by another deeply reluctant moan that came from her throat in a stutter. “You'd love being fucked there on the dance floor by a guy you haven't even seen. Not knowing what species he is." Curling his finger a bit more he dug his blunt claw tip into her flesh. “I bet you would love a feline with his cock barbs. Just imagine how angry daddy would be; he wanted to set you up with one of his cousins to keep the bloodline pure, but there you'd be, getting fucked by a stray cat. Just imagine the hybrid that could come from it."

His words clearly struck a nerve as Cloe threw her head back and howled as her body tensed. Her pussy clenched hard around the digit and squirted over the tan furred paw wedged against her groin. “Ooooh, fuck!..."

“Once you came the first time it'd be easy for a small group around you to whisk you away to a dark corner of the club. That's where daddy's little girl will be turned into a real whore." Withdrawing his paw he extended another finger before shoving both digits all the way in fully extended. While still coming down from her orgasm when she was penetrated again, Cloe screamed as best as she could manage. Her weak body twitched involuntary as she was abused, but something deep inside her rebelled. “They'll take turns spreading those legs and..." Brutus didn't get to finish his story as he suddenly felt teeth digging into the side of his neck. “Ow!"

Brutus' consistent rubbing of his nose against her neck had left him open and Cloe had struck. With her smaller muzzle she was able to put her nose right behind his jaw and once she had gathered enough courage and strength she threw her head forward and bit down as hard as she could. It wasn't hard enough to draw blood but she felt his paw around her wrists slip. Like a pair of springs suddenly released Cloe's arms came down hard on top of the Mastiff's head.

Reaching up with a messy paw, Brutus grabbed the side of his neck once the Golden Retriever had let him go. The spot stung as did her strike on his head, but due to the great difference in weight and muscle he recovered almost instantly.

Seeing her split second chance, Cloe put both her feet on the chair's seat and jumped off to the side, her plan was to dash off towards the hallway and perhaps out the front door, but she didn't get far. Her legs felt like jelly and she swayed right into one of the barstools, making it and herself topple over and tumble to the floor. Luckily the carpet was thick and it absorbed the impact, but the Golden Retriever kept trying to get away and ended up on her paws and knees when she was caught again.

With a growl, Brutus took hold of the girl's rich red hair with several of the blue tips sticking out from between his clenched fingers. Cloe screamed again as she felt the tug on her hair; she threw her paws up to grab Brutus' wrist and relieve her pain. “I'll tell my Daddy about this!" She sobbed from underneath the tangle of red locks. “He'll make you pay!" The response she got was not what she had expected and it made her shiver.

Brutus laughed loudly with one paw holding her in place he used the other to flip her dress over her rump; though her tail hid her soiled folds from his view. “Oh you stupid brat. Let me tell you how the world works." Twisting her head back so he could catch the glint of her eyes, the Mastiff pulled down his tented track pants, peeling the artificial fabric from his cock as a large stain of pre-cum did it's best to stick the two together. He let out a sigh of relief now that the pressure was off his groin and he stroked himself slowly. The large canine wasn't as long as some males of his size, but he had girth. A lot of it.

Seeing what he was doing from the corner of her eyes, Cloe could see that cock and she let out a terrified whine when she thought about what was going to happen.

“Your daddy still wants to become mayor next year, and he won't be able to do that without my help!" After giving himself one last stroke along his cock, Brutus reached out and grabbed the Retriever's tail. Pushing his thumb under the patch of golden fur, he poked at her tail-hole and earning him another whine and whimper. “When your father asks his price and I tell him it's you; he'll throw you on my bed in a heartbeat!"

Taking a long shivering breath, Cloe felt her tail being lifted up over her rump, her desperate attempts to cover herself only making it flag up and down, which in turn made a cool breeze brush over her swollen and slightly parted labia. A desperate cry for help got stuck in her throat when the broad tapered tip touched her.

“If I told him to do so, he'd stay in the room." Brutus' voice was malicious as he rubbed his tip between her lips, feeling how hot and wet she was before gently pushing it right at the opening of her vagina. “He'd be standing there as I fuck you, and he'll be glad to finally have a use for you, seeing as you hang around his house doing nothing! Then, once I've fucked you and you're lying there with my cum leaking out of you for your dear father to see, he'll ask me if you were satisfactory. I wonder what I would say."

A cry found its way out of Cloe's throat when she felt him force her swollen labia apart. Pain and pleasure came in a strange mix that echoed slightly in the room as he spread her more than his fingers had before. She let herself fall onto the shaggy carpet, burying her cheek in it with her paws grabbing at the long fibers; the necklace with the large ring wedged between her squashed breasts.

“Snug." Brutus commented as he moaned in pleasure. Releasing her hair, he put his paw on her ass so he could squeeze the cheek and pull it to the side so he could admire how the teen stretched under him. “You've not been fucked by a group, but I can tell you like 'em big." He paused when he watched his cock sink a bit more into her warm yielding body; the occasional visible twitch from her pussy signaling when her entire passage would squeeze him. “Does daddy know his little princess isn't a virgin anymore? Does he know you like them big? If so, it would explain why your weakling cousin walked away in shame last time you saw him."

The shame burned Cloe's cheeks and it gave her golden fur a reddish hue. The Mastiff's harsh words and her current position made her burn inside and as his sizable member plunged deeper into her body as her hips began to roll of their own accord. Letting go of her tail, Brutus smiled wickedly when it remained curled over her back. With both paws on either side of her shoulders, he leaned over the small body not having to thrust or move to fuck her as she moved on her own. “You let an older male fuck you. A big man! Was it your gardener? Is that why your father fired him? He couldn't stand the fact that the old fox fucked his little princess?"

Cloe wasn't listening anymore; she merely moaned and whimpered as she rocked herself back and forth. Brutus wasn't about to let her be in charge when the perky Retriever's ass came up towards him and he met it with a hard thrust, pushing her down until she was nearly prone and adding his own moans to her chorus. He felt the tip of his tapered cock bump and grind against her velvety walls and was spilling pre-cum like crazy while her juices flowed just as freely.

As she drooled into the carpet Cloe didn't think about what was happening; how the big Mastiff had broken her down or how he simply took liberties with her body. That changed when a hard wet thud made pain shoot up her spine. Jump starting her mind as Brutus presented her with his knot as it eagerly bashed at her opening. “No, don't knot me!" She suddenly screamed, her paws once more grasping at the carpet as she tried to get away from the male on top of her.

“Too late!" Slamming his paw down between her shoulder blades, Brutus pinned the small femme. Her hips stopped moving so he took over; rutting her even more fiercely and every sloppy kiss of her lips on his knot spurred him on.

“I'm not on birth control!"

The protest made Brutus grin more savagely. “Good; maybe you'll finally do something with your worthless life!" He growled and grunted loud enough to drown out Cloe's whimpers; even the wet plop when he finally entered her was nearly unheard due to the shrill scream from the Retriever femme.

Feeling the fleshy bulb pulse inside her, Cloe's mind went blank once more. Her body did it's best to squeeze it out, but it only slipped in deeper to where nature had prepared her body. Fully locked together, the Mastiff's length continued to sink deeper. She felt the tapered tip forge its way through her insides and press hard against her cervix; the sensation made her entire body convulse wildly.

Wrapped up in his own experience, Brutus' body kept moving; rolling his knot against Cloe's soft insides as he lay upon her. With his cock buried to the hilt it didn't take him long to arrive at his final destination. The large canine huffed and puffed before blowing his load deep within the less than willing woman. He felt his good mood return, he had been pent up for too long with no real time or inclination to relieve himself. The spoiled teen's arrival at his doorstep had been somewhat fortuitous.

The hot wash of seed splattering her insides made Cloe shudder, the constant pulses of the Mastiff's heartbeat kept hitting all the right places. The delicate moan that left the Golden Retriever's muzzle made Brutus smile, he could feel her cum around him. Shifting his position slightly something slipped from his shirt, a delicate golden chain with a golden ring intricately woven into it that wouldn't even fit on the tip of his little finger. Noticing the slight pull on the chain he glanced down and watched the small loop dangle, the display making him smile. Brutus brushed his nose through her long red hair; his big toothy smile never leaving his short black muzzle. “If you do get pregnant, perhaps I'll do the honorable thing and marry you."

Cloe shivered again and she glanced over her shoulder through stray locks of hair at Brutus. The look she gave him set him laughing, a gregarious and joyful sound that made her titter quietly along with him.

* * *

Picking at the collar of her suit jacket, Maria stood in the hospital elevator as it ascended. Several other people stood with her including some doctors in white coats. Floor by floor more got off on their way to their destinations, but she didn't pay them any heed. She had been on the phone with Philippa Tracker, a lawyer friend who had requested her assistance with a civil case when another call came in. She had initially let it pass, but the nurse on the line had been insistent about talking to her. Once she had accepted the call, the nurse, a polite sounding woman, had informed her that a client of hers was currently residing in the intensive care ward at Revered Asclepius Hospital. The nurse hadn't disclosed who the client was or even why he or she was there; only requesting the Shepherdess' presence as soon as possible.

Biting her lip, Maria stared at the floor indicator and sighed. The hospital had a lot of floors. In the end, curiosity had overcome her frustration over the lack of information. It didn't feel right, but at the same time, didn't feel like she had been asked to go to a dark alley in the middle of the night. Checking in at the front desk, the staff had just given her directions to the I.C.U. before sending her on her way and calling ahead of her arrival.

“That should conclude the paperwork." Gail said in her usual soft, demure voice as she put the clip board back on the nurse's station counter. “Once Miss Eckholdt arrives, you'll be free to disclose any information about the patient should she ask." She turned her head slightly as she heard the sound of the elevator opening. Showtime, she thought to herself as she turned and quickly walked towards a small waiting area.

Two pairs of high heels sounded in the hallway and when the German Shepherd rounded the corner she and the Rabbit stood face to face for a moment. Gail feigned indifference as she stepped into the waiting area and took a seat where she could easily see the counter. Maria had the feeling she knew the latex clad Rabbit as they passed but she didn't look as the Clouded Leopardess nurse had already stood up from behind the counter to greet her.

Running her paw over her leg, Gail smoothed a crinkle in her dress while she watched Maria with an inscrutable expression on her face. Her eyes slowly moved up and down the shepherdess' body taking in every detail. “So, that's the Ice Queen." With her little cotton bud tail twitching, she felt jealous of the long silky tail that hung from the other femme's curvy backside. Glancing down, Gail noted with pride that her own chest was more voluptuous, but felt quite envious of the shepherdess' overall curvier body frame; her own slender body offering far fewer curves than Maria's.

The discussion at the nurse station became more heated and her long sensitive ears picked up a name. Curious to see the shepherdess' reaction, she leaned forward; the latex creaking while she watched unblinking. The silky tail of the Shepherdess she had been eying was now jerking in agitation. “Huh, she can show emotions." Maria began gesticulating wildly at the poor nurse who looked like she was in the path of an oncoming train with no escape.

Unable to resist Gail stood up and took several steps closer, using a pillar to hide behind, but when she got closer the pair began to walk away. With the nurse in the lead and the Shepherdess on the leopardess' heels, the two women moved down the hallway at speed towards the door that Gail had refused to enter just an hour before. The Rabbit wanted to get closer, but when she saw the look of terror and fear on Maria's face she stopped. “Perhaps she'll be too scared to enter." She felt it would be a small victory for her, to see the fierce and unyielding Ice Queen back away from the horror in that room.

The nurse was busy explaining some things to the Shepherdess and barring her way until the older femme had said everything that needed to be said and then stepped aside. Much to Gail's disappointment and shame, Maria didn't pause for a millisecond before she pushed through the door. Bowing her head and swallowing her own pride, the Rabbit couldn't help but admire the Shepherdess' strength of character in that moment.

From the room came a cry of anguish as Maria finally saw for herself what the nurse had been telling her but what she couldn't believe. The cry was quickly followed by a loud sob as she broke down in tears.

“Nathan..."