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"Thief! Someone help me! Guards! Catch him!"

Jarik panted as he sprinted down an alley, his nails clicking softly against the cobblestone beneath his feet. His white paws clutched the leather pack that held his prize from tonight's heist. Everything would have gone without a hitch if that cursed otter would've had one more mug of ale at the tavern across the street.

"Help! I've been robbed! Guards! He ran towards the market district!"

Jarik stopped running and knelt down in the shadows of the alley. The otter's squeaky voice was distant now, and he knew the city guards would take some time to catch his scent and follow it. By then, he would be long gone. The wolf panted as he tried to catch his breath and winced as a sharp pain throbbed in his side with every breath he took. He cursed as his paw felt along his left side and his fingers came away sticky. Had he really taken a hit from the otter and that pathetic dagger of his? He ran his fingers along the wound. Not a wide lesion, but it was somewhat deep. Not a huge problem now, but it would be if he didn't find a way to stop the bleeding. His leather armor was now slick with his own blood, and a small pool had formed on the cobblestone below. If he was leaving a blood trail, the city guards would have no problem tracking him.

Jarik set his pack down quietly and unclasped the leather straps of his armor around his torso. He peeled back the leather and huffed as the black cloth shirt he wore underneath the armor pulled at his wound. The cloth shirt was wet and made his fur matted and sticky. He didn't have any bandages or healing powders on him. Maybe he could heat his knife with a torch or something and cauterize it. It would be painful, but he would rather go through some discomfort then getting caught and imprisoned. A thief with his reputation would be hung the next day. Either that, or imprisoned for the rest of his life.

Jarik's ears twitched as he heard the distant sound of heavy footfalls. He heard shouting, and the sound of metal-against-metal started to draw closer. Jarik cursed as he recognized the sound of the city guards. He would have to lose the guards before he could take care of his wound. Jarik gritted his teeth as he cinched his leather armor tightly against the wound, hoping it would clot soon. He quickly flicked open one of his leather utility pouches on his belt and pulled out a small cloth sack filled with a fine white powder. The wolf untied the string at the top and emptied half of the powder in the air. This would throw off his scent and hopefully buy him some precious minutes to make his escape. He clasped his satchel on the other side of his belt and took off running into the darkness.

Jarik managed to make it to the vineyard district before he collapsed onto his knees in one of the vast vineyards. The pain was unbearable now and he could barely draw in air without immense pain. He was losing blood and he was losing it fast. His hideout had all of the medicinal herbs and supplies he needed to fix himself up. All he had to do was get past the city gate. The wolf's yellow eyes scanned the vineyard in front of him. He could see the city gate in the distance, but to his dismay, had several guards posted around it. Word must've gotten out about his little burglary. He would usually climb the wall, but he knew it was hopeless with his wound. He could barely run anymore. The moon was high in the sky now and the temperature was dropping. Jarik cursed to himself, his raspy breath coming out in wisps of smoke. He was stuck out in the vineyard with no hopes of slipping past the city guards. He was either going to freeze to death, or bleed out. Or both.

Jarik growled lowly as he shook the fogginess from his vision. He was not going to die alone out in the middle of a vineyard. He was not going to die over a purse of gold pieces and silver jewelry. What other options did he have? There was a small house in the distance where the vineyard ended, most likely the owner's dwelling. Maybe he could sneak in there, at least until dawn. He just needed a temporary sanctuary to attend to his wound and think about his next plan of action. It would be risky, but it was the preferred option over bleeding out and freezing. With a strained huff, Jarik shakily rose to his feet and started the walk through the vineyard to the house.

He reached the rear of the house and clumsily climbed over the wooden fence that divided the house and the vineyard. He silently crept to a window and peeked inside. It was mostly dark in the room, the only light coming from a candle in what appeared to be the washroom. He tried pulling up on the window. To his surprise, the window slid open without too much noise. Jarik stood still for a few seconds, his white ears perked so he could hear any sound from inside. All he heard was soft breathing and the faint crackle of a fire. As long as he stayed quiet, he could sneak in and not worry about the owner waking up. The door to the washroom was closed, which would hopefully muffle any little noise he did make. With delicate movement, Jarik slipped through the window without any sound. He left it open just in case he needed a quick way to escape.

Jarik sat down on the stone floor, his back against the wall. He slid the black shroud off of his muzzle that concealed most of his face and let out a quiet sigh. His legs felt weak and he was beyond exhausted. He just wanted to shut his eyes and rest, but he knew the laceration on his side had to be taken care of first. He slowly began to undo the clasps of his black boiled leather jack. Jarik bit his lip and stifled a whimper as the leather peeled off of his matted fur on his side. His white fur was stained crimson, and clots of dried blood were mangled in his fur. The wound was still seeping blood, and it throbbed painfully. The armor was gently placed down on the floor, followed by his leather bracers and arm cops. Jarik looked down at his side and inspected the wound. He had to figure out some way to stop the bleeding. The best way was to stitch it up, but he wasn't about to crawl around in the darkness and rummage through the drawers in search for a needle and some thread. His only option was to cauterize it with his dagger. His paw reached up to the table beside him and brought the candle down carefully. He set it on the floor next to him and lazily held the blade of the dagger over the open flame. After several minutes, the blade appeared to be hot enough to do its job. Jarik unclasped his leather belt and placed it firmly into his muzzle, ready to bite down on it so he wouldn't howl in pain.

The scorching blade was about to touch his side when the door to the washroom suddenly creaked open. Jarik froze where he was as he watched the door swing open. A coyote stepped into the dull candlelight, his blue eyes wide with surprise as they rested on the half-naked wolf sitting on the floor. Jarik's mind raced as he looked at the coyote in front of him. Should he fight? Or should he flee? The coyote appeared to be unarmed, and he was the one with a dagger in paw.

"Who are you? What are you doing here?" The coyote asked in a somewhat shaken but demanding voice.

Jarik jumped to his feet, dagger clasped tightly in his paw, but a wave of vertigo made him stumble. He tried to regain his balance, but the room was spinning. His vision started to blur and he felt himself fall on his knees. He coughed and tasted blood on his tongue. The room started to grow darker and his heartbeat echoed in his ears.

Jarik's last memory was his head hitting the floor as the darkness closed in around him.

---

The sound of birds chirping was what woke Jarik from his slumber. The wolf's eyes fluttered open. He became aware he was lying down on something soft, and a blanket was draped across his naked body. Jarik attempted to sit up. His head snapped to the side as he suddenly found both of his paws were bound to the posts of the bed with thick leather straps. Panic rushed through his mind and he tried to pull against his restraints with all the strength he had. A jolt of pain went up his side and he gave up trying to escape. His legs weren't bound and he managed to kick the blanket off of his body. The wound on his left side had been stitched up and bandaged. Even his fur had been cleaned around it.

"If you keep straining like that, you're going to rip the stitches."

Jarik turned his head in surprise towards the voice and saw the coyote standing in the doorway of the room, dressed in a white cloth shirt and a pair of leather trousers.

"If you rip the stitches, then that means it will take longer for you to heal, which also means I don't get my bed back." The coyote commented dryly as he walked to the side of the bed.

"What...W-who are you?" Jarik rasped, his voice dry and weak.

"I should be asking you the same question, considering you broke into my house." The coyote snapped at him, his eyes narrowed angrily as he inspected the wolf.

Jarik had never felt so vulnerable in his entire life. He gave the restraints a quick tug again.

"L-listen...I didn't mean any harm that night. I was injured and just needed some help." Jarik said as he tried to hide the fear in his voice.

"Oh? What happened that night? How did you get injured?" The coyote questioned as he folded his arms across his chest.

"I...I got into a brawl at the tavern in the market district." Jarik replied. "Bastard had a blade on him and got a quick stab in."

"A brawl? At a tavern? You were drinking at a tavern dressed in that attire?" The coyote growled lowly as he pointed to Jarik's leather armor in the corner of the room. "I'm not some daft idiot. I know what thief armor looks like."

Jarik gulped as his eyes settled on his belongings in the corner of the room.

"So what do you have to say for yourself now, thief?" The coyote spat the last word.

Jarik sighed as he realized there was no way he could escape or talk his way out. He averted his gaze from the coyote to the ceiling of the room.

"Very well, you caught me. What do you want from me?"

"I want to hear who you are and what you were doing in my house last night."

"My name is Jarik. Don't have a last name, it's just Jarik. I wasn't breaking into your house to steal from you. I just needed a safe place to take care of my injury. Can you let me go now?"

"No."

"Listen...what's your name?" Jarik asked as he looked back at the coyote.

"Sift."

"Listen Sift, I swear to you that I had no ill intentions towards you or your property that night. I just needed a warm place to care for my wound."

"And how did you get the injury?" Sift asked again.

"You're not going to let this go, are you?" Jarik sighed.

Sift shook his head.

"I botched a small heist that I had. Broke into a house and didn't expect the owner to return so soon. He tried to stop me as I fled and he must've nicked me with his dagger. There. Satisfied?"

"That wound was more than a nick." Sift replied as he sat down on the edge of the bed.

Jarik couldn't help but flinch at Sift's sudden movement.

"Calm down. I'm not going to hurt you. You're only tied up for my safety." Sift said as he covered Jarik's nakedness with the blanket again.

"Can you please untie me?" Jarik asked.

"No, not until I trust that you won't harm me."

"Well...can I at least get some water then?"

Sift nodded and stood up quietly. He left the room for a short moment and returned with a tankard of water. Sift sat back down on the edge of the bed again and carefully tipped the tankard towards Jarik's muzzle. Jarik eagerly lapped at the water until the tankard was empty.

"I have to attend to my vineyard now, so I suggest you get some more rest." Sift said as he stood up and started to walk towards the door.

"Wait! You're just going to leave me here?"

"Yes. I'll be back in around the evening to prepare dinner. If you behave until then, I might consider taking those restraints off."

Jarik huffed as he watched Sift turn around and close the door behind him.

The sun had started to disappear over the horizon when Jarik heard the door creak open again. Sift walked into the room, panting slightly and shirtless. Jarik couldn't help but look at the coyote's impressive muscle structure underneath his bronze fur.

"I'm going to prepare dinner. Can I trust you if I untie you?" Sift asked as he slipped on a clean shirt.

"I'm a thief, not a killer." Jarik replied. "Besides, I'd rather not tear the stitches."

"Very well, but I'm keeping this on me though." Sift said as he waved Jarik's dagger in his paw.

"You sure you know how to use something like that?" Jarik asked with a smirk.

"You want to be released or not?"

"Just trying to have some fun." Jarik muttered.

Sift walked over and untied both of the leather straps around Jarik's wrists. Jarik rubbed his sore wrists as he sat up in the bed.

"So...what are we eating tonight?" He asked casually.

"Stew." Sift replied dryly.

"Need some help?"

"No. You shouldn't be moving around much at all."

"I've had worse injuries. I'll be fine." Jarik grunted as he slowly swung his legs out of the blanket and rested his feet on the floor. "Uh...you mind retrieving my trousers for me?"

"What? Uncomfortable with being naked?" Sift asked as he smirked this time.

"Not at all." Jarik shrugged as he stood up and carefully walked over to his leather pants in the corner of the room. He felt the coyote's gaze upon his body as he delicately pulled his pants on and fastened the strings at the waist. "So you own this entire vineyard yourself?"

Sift nodded as he walked out of the room. Jarik followed him into the room with the hearth fire and cooking pot.

"Seems like quite a bit of work for just you." Jarik commented as he sat down in a wooden chair.

Sift shrugged. "It keeps me busy and puts food on the table. Nothing else I can ask for."

"So did you buy the land yourself?"

"I took it over after my parents passed away."

"Oh. I'm sorry to hear that." Jarik replied as he tipped his muzzle towards Sift. "Well if it means anything, seems like you're doing a fine job on your own."

"I do my best." Sift said as he stoked the fire and stirred the boiling water in the pot.

"So do you just grow grapes here?" Jarik asked as he drummed his nails against the wooden table.

"Yes. I grow the grapes and send them off to the market district and the taverns. My grapes are only used to make the wine that is sold in the city."

"Impressive. How long have you been doing this?"

"Ever since I was a young pup." Sift replied as he dumped a bowl of sliced beef chunks into the pot. "Used to wake up at sunrise every morning to help my father in the vineyard. It's hard work, but it's honest work. Probably something you have never experienced before."

"Well that was a stab through the heart." Jarik chuckled. "Listen pup, there's a difference between your typical low-life thief, and then there are your professional thieves, like me."

"I see and hear no difference." Sift snorted. "Go on though. Humor me."

"Ah well...I don't know if I can trust you."

"Can't trust me?!" Sift growled. "I could've dragged your body out of my house and alerted the guards the night I found you. Or I could've just let you bleed out on my floor. Instead, I took you in, hid you from the city guards, and nursed your wound."

"True, but let's just say if I tell you my life story and word gets out somehow, there's some serious repercussions I would face."

Sift sighed as he turned his attention back to the pot. "I just told you my life story. You can tell me yours."

"How about we eat first, and then I'll tell you."

"Deal."

Dinner was soon served and set in front of Jarik on the table. Jarik quickly finished three bowls of beef stew and two hunks of bread before he felt full. Sift slowly ate his meal, his blue eyes inspecting Jarik from across the table.

"Have you ever heard any stories about the Nocturnal Thieves?" Jarik asked as he took a sip of water.

Sift nodded as he continued eating.

"Well I'm one of them."

Sift stopped chewing his food as he looked at Jarik, his eyes wide with surprise. It was only a brief second though before Sift composed himself and looked at the wolf suspiciously.

"Prove it."

"Just look at the bottom of the hilt on my dagger. That's all the proof you need." Jarik replied.

Sift slowly reached behind him and pulled out Jarik's dagger from his belt. He inspected the bottom of the hilt and his eyes went wide again.

"I-I-I didn't know..." Sift's voice trailed off as he looked at Jarik in disbelief. "Y-you're real?"

"Of course we are." Jarik shrugged. "Born and raised in the art of stealth and espionage ever since I could walk."

"I thought you were just stories and myths." Sift replied as he set the dagger down on the table. "Do you have the brand?"

Jarik nodded as he showed his left paw to Sift. "Right on the bottom of my wrist. Go ahead, compare the symbol on the dagger to my wrist if you need to be convinced more."

"I can tell from here." Sift replied as he handed the dagger back to Jarik, his ears folded flat against his head.

Jarik took his dagger back and hooked it on his belt. "Come now, don't be like that."

"I'm sorry...for the way I treated you." Sift whined softly. "I just thought you were some regular thief."

"Well, you're not completely wrong on that." Jarik scratched his ears. "The Nocturnal Thieves used to be made up of hundreds of us, but now they've dwindled down to just a few."

"What happened?" Sift asked.

Jarik shrugged. "I've heard several things. Some just appeared dead around the land. Others left the guild and became normal."

"And you?"

"I guess you can say I'm right in the middle. I don't consider myself to be part of the guild anymore, but I need to sustain myself somehow. That's why I still do what I was trained to do."

Sift nodded in silence as he stared down at the table.

"Enough of this somber conversation though. Have a mate?"

Sift twitched his ears in surprise.

"I...uh...n-no. I mean...not really." The coyote stammered as he rubbed his paws together.

"But you have your eyes on someone though, correct?"

Sift nodded.

"Well tell me about her! You don't have to be bashful about it."

"Him." Sift replied softly.

"Oh? Not interested in females, are we?" Jarik asked with a grin. "That's fine. Neither am I."

Sift's mood seemed to perk up as he looked at the wolf. "Really?"

Jarik nodded. "So go ahead and tell me. Who is he?"

"Well...he's a black cougar. Strong, muscular, and very handsome. Very kind and compassionate. He's a prostitute though." Sift sighed as he rested his elbows on the table. "He sneaks me inside the brothel when he can, just so we can talk and spend time with each other. He's not allowed to leave though, unless he is strictly supervised by his master."

"That's quite risky of him." Jarik replied. "Why doesn't he leave?"

"He can't. Someone would have to buy out his contract, which basically means someone has to buy him."

"And how much would someone like him cost?" Jarik asked as he rubbed his muzzle.

"Fifty gold pieces." Sift sighed.

Jarik whistled. "That's quite a bit of gold."

"I don't even make one gold piece in a year." Sift whined. "I'd have to start robbing the wealthy if I wanted to purchase his contract."

"I recommend you don't." Jarik warned.

"Don't worry, I don't even think I could do such a thing." Sift muttered. "I love him though, and I know he loves me back."

"Are you sure he wants to leave though?" Jarik asked.

"He said he would give up everything if it meant he would be with me."

"What's his name?"

"Tish."

"That's a nice name." Jarik commented.

"It is." Sift replied as he stared at the table. "I think I'm going to turn in for the night."

"Want me to clean things up?" Jarik asked as he stood up and carefully stretched, making sure to not put any strain on his left side.

"I'll take care of it tomorrow. Just leave everything as it is."

"Are you sure? It's no trouble."

"I'm sure. Just leave it." Sift sighed.

Jarik shrugged and followed the coyote back into the bedroom. Jarik looked at the bedroll on the floor near the bed that Sift had slept on.

"You can have your bed back tonight. I'll take the bedroll." Jarik offered.

"You're still injured. You don't need to be sleeping on something uncomfortable." Sift replied as he shook his head.

"I'm fine Sift. Really. You sleep in your bed tonight. I'll be fine on the bedroll." Jarik said sternly.

Sift opened his muzzle as if to argue, but decided against it and instead sat down on the edge of the bed. Jarik lied down on the bedroll, the coyote's scent strong in the fabric.

"Sift? I didn't mean to put you in a bad mood. I'm sorry if talking about Tish was a sensitive topic." Jarik said as he looked at the coyote.

"No, you're fine. It's just...I wish I could do something so we could be together. I just wish I had the money." Sift sighed as he rested his muzzle in his paws.

"I just wanted to make sure I wasn't overstepping any boundaries." Jarik replied.

"I'm just exhausted." Sift said as he rubbed his eyes and removed his garments from his body. "I just need some sleep."

Jarik propped himself up on his right side as he inspected his wound. "When do you think we can remove these stitches?"

"Not for a few days. You want to make sure your wound heals before we remove them. You definitely don't want an infection. Anyways, it's time to get some sleep. I'll wake you tomorrow morning for breakfast."

Jarik nodded and rested his head against the pillow. Sift blew the candle out and rolled over in his bed as the room became dark.

Hours passed as Jarik stared up at the ceiling. He listened to Sift's soft breathing above him and wondered if the coyote had really drifted off to sleep that fast. Jarik quietly sat up in bed and looked at the still form of Sift in the bed. The coyote's ears twitched slightly but he did not stir. Jarik felt a stir between his legs as he stared at Sift's naked form. The coyote was quite handsome, and if he wasn't already taken, Jarik wouldn't mind having some fun with him in bed. He imagined how the coyote's muscular body would feel underneath him. Jarik closed his eyes as his own paws wandered down to his leather trousers, which were becoming quite tight.

"No, not here. Not right now." Jarik scolded himself.

He was quite pent up though. It had been several days since his last release. Maybe he could sneak into the washroom and take care of himself there, as long as he stayed quiet. Sleep wasn't going to come tonight if he didn't take care of himself.

"It'll be quick. Then right back to sleep." Jarik quietly told himself as he crept out of his bedroll.

He crept towards the washroom on silent paws, making sure the sleeping coyote didn't wake up. When he passed the threshold to the washroom, he quietly closed the door and sat on the edge of the wooden basin. Jarik huffed softly as he loosened the strings to his trousers and allowed his erect manhood to slip out from its prison. He panted softly as he held the warm member in his paws and gave it a soft squeeze. He stifled a moan of pleasure as he started to rub his member through his paw. His tail twitched as pangs of pleasure ran through his body, and he knew he wasn't going to last long. Jarik closed his eyes as he continued to paw himself off. He imagined Sift lying down on his back, the coyote's own manhood throbbing against his muscular abdomen.

The sound of floorboards creaking snapped Jarik out of his fantasy and back into reality. He quickly pulled his trousers back up over his erection and was in the middle of tightening the strings when the door creaked open.

"Jarik? Are you okay?" Sift asked from the doorway, his blue eyes inspecting him curiously.

"I...um.." Jarik stammered as he tried to think of an excuse, but he knew the coyote knew what he had been doing. The smell of his musk was heavy in the air and the bulge in his trousers betrayed him.

Sift gave him a coy smile and turned around as he motioned Jarik to follow him with his paw. His face burning with embarrassment, Jarik followed Sift back out into the bedroom. Sift reignited the candle and sat down on the bed.

"You know, I can help you with that." The coyote whispered as his fingers rested on the clasp of his loincloth.

Jarik stood motionless as he watched the coyote unclasp his loincloth and toss it aside. He stared at Sift's naked midsection, realizing the coyote was just as aroused as he was.

"Don't be shy now. Come sit down." Sift said as he beckoned Jarik over.

Jarik swallowed nervously and walked over to the bed. He sat down next to Sift and huffed softly as he felt the coyote's gentle fingers loosen the strings of Jarik's trousers.

"Wait. Stop." Jarik demanded. "I don't want to do this and intrude on your relationship with Tish."

Sift chuckled softly and gave the wolf a lick on the cheek. "Are you forgetting that Tish is a prostitute and has sex with several males every day? I don't worry myself over what he does with other males, and neither does he with me. You're not intruding on our relationship. We're just having some casual fun here."

Jarik sighed and shrugged. "Very well then."

"Now, let's see what you're hiding from me." Sift growled as he pulled Jarik's pants down and allowed his member to spring free. "Oh, very nice indeed."

"Not so bad yourself, pup." Jarik growled playfully as he started to relax.

The coyote lied down on his back, his paw holding his engorged cock. "Well what's your next move, master thief?"

"Well, considering I'm not in full condition to be making any strenuous moves, I suppose you can be the one on top." Jarik replied with a grin. "I usually don't bottom, but I'll make this an exception."

"Are you sure?" Sift asked with a surprised look.

"Just this time though."

Jarik lied down on his back and motioned for Sift to move between his legs. Sift obeyed and moved closer to Jarik's body, his paws resting on Jarik's knees. Jarik smiled as he allowed his white tail to relax on the bed, allowing a full view of his entrance for Sift.

"Just go slow though. It's been quite some time since I've had another male inside me." Jarik panted.

"Don't you worry. I'll take good care of you." Sift huffed as he rubbed the tip of his member against Jarik's entrance.

Jarik let out a small moan of pleasure, his own cock throbbing against his abdomen. He watched as Sift reached into the nightstand by the bed and pulled out a small bottle of scented oil. Sift poured some onto his erection and rubbed some underneath the base of Jarik's tail.

"Oh...that feels quite nice." Jarik moaned as he felt Sift's slick fingers massage him gently.

"Such a nice view down here." Sift laughed softly. "You ready?"

"Ready as I'll ever be." Jarik replied.

Sift gripped the wolf's thighs as he slowly started to push his length into Jarik.

"Ahhhh easyyyyyyyyyy." Jarik moaned. "Easy, big boy."

"S-sorry." Sift panted as he slowed his pace and allowed Jarik to adjust before sinking more of his length into him.

"Oh fuck...you're bigger then you look." Jarik moaned as his paws gripped the bed underneath him.

"I'll take that as a compliment."

Sift slowly started to thrust, his slick member sliding in and out of Jarik. Jarik couldn't help but moan and whimper as he felt the coyote's length slide in and out of him. Waves of intense pleasure rippled through his body and made his heart hammer in his chest. Sift panted hotly above him, his eyes glazed over with lust as he continued to thrust in and out of him. Jarik's own member throbbed and started to become sticky with fluid. He went to touch himself but had his paw swatted away by Sift.

"Please, allow me." Sift said as he grasped Jarik's cock in his paw and gave it a squeeze.

Jarik let out a yelp of pleasure at the sensation. Sift continued to thrust his hips, allowing his paw to move in rhythm with each thrust against Jarik's slick cock. Lust clouded Jarik's mind, and his only need was to feel Sift inside of him. He grabbed onto Sift's thighs for leverage and pulled the coyote closer to him. Sift knew exactly what Jarik wanted, and started to fuck him faster and harder. Moans of pleasure escaped from both of their muzzles as their breath came out hot and heavy. Loud slaps echoed in the room as Sift quickened his pace, his throbbing length almost pulling completely out of Jarik before sliding right back in with ease.

"Oh fuck, Sift." Jarik moaned as his cock slid through the coyote's paw with each thrust.

He felt himself getting close to the edge and he knew he wasn't going to last much longer. Sift's thrusts became harder and more erratic, and he knew by the coyote's moans that he wasn't going to last much longer either. He felt his cock begin to throb in the coyote's paw and tried to sputter out a warning that he was close. Sift suddenly gave one final thrust, and Jarik felt the coyote's knot pop into him. Fire flashed across Jarik's vision, and he couldn't help but let out a howl as he was pushed over the edge. His cock throbbed and he was barely aware of the hot seed that spurted streaks across his chest. He heard Sift growl above him, and soon felt the coyote's warmth coat his insides. He felt Sift's weight upon him as the coyote collapsed against him, breathing heavily into the fur of his neck.

"Gods...that was...that was amazing." Sift moaned softly.

"Indeed." Jarik panted.

The two remained against each other, basking in the afterglow. Jarik's eyes felt heavy and he must have dozed off for a few minutes before he was awoken by Sift licking his neck.

"I think I can pull out now." Sift whispered.

"Mm go ahead." Jarik replied lazily as he rubbed the coyote's ears.

Jarik huffed as he felt Sift slip out of him easily. Sift picked up his shirt from the base of his bed and cleaned the sticky mess on Jarik's chest and cock before he attended to his own.

"Well, I hope you found that as enjoyable as I did." Sift smiled after cleaning up.

"Of course I did. I guess my side isn't going to be the only sore part of my body tomorrow though." Jarik chuckled.

Sift lied back down on the bed, his warm body pressed against Jarik's. "You don't mind we share the bed tonight, do you?"

"I prefer it actually." Jarik replied as he traced his fingers across the coyote's hips. "We'll both be warmer that way."

Sift smiled sleepily. "We should really get some sleep now though."

Jarik yawned and nodded. "Good idea."

The candle was extinguished once again, and the two soon drifted off to sleep, their bodies pressed against each other.

---

Jarik lied on his back in bed, staring up at the ceiling as he listened to the coyote breathe deeply next to him. The coyote had fallen asleep quite some time ago, but Jarik stayed awake, his stomach hurting from what he had to do tonight. He gently turned his head to look at the sleeping coyote next to him. He didn't want to leave Sift. For the first time in his life, Sift gave him a feeling he had never felt before. He didn't love Sift, but he loved the relationship they shared. He considered Sift a close friend, someone he could trust. He didn't want to leave that behind, but he knew he couldn't stay here. He had to leave, and it had to happen tonight.

The two had woken up this morning and enjoyed a hearty breakfast. While Sift went out to the vineyard, Jarik stayed inside and tidied up the place. He washed the coyote's clothes and even prepared lunch for both of them. They chatted casually about their past, and Jarik no longer sensed any hostility from Sift anymore. They ate dinner that Sift had prepared and bathed each other. Wandering paws led to some more sex in the basin, and Jarik had the chance to test Sift's flexibility this time. They ended up making a mess again and found themselves taking another bath to clean their matted fur. Jarik wished he could just stay here, but he knew that danger followed him wherever he'd go. The last thing he wanted was to endanger Sift.

It was time to go. Jarik quietly crept out of bed, making sure to not disturb the sleeping coyote next to him. He padded over to his belongings and carefully placed them out on the floor. He slipped into his black leather pants and pulled his black cloth shirt on. The black leather armor followed along with his gloves and cowl. He carefully tightened the clasps on the armor, making sure it wasn't too tight so it wouldn't irritate his wound. It was mostly healed due to the healing oils Sift had used, but the stitches wouldn't be ready to be removed for a few more days. Jarik sheathed his dagger on his side and pulled the cowl over his muzzle. He was ready to leave. One more thing he had to do though.

Jarik reached into his leather pack and pulled out the coin purse he had stolen. He weighed it in his paw as he looked over at Sift. He knew exactly how many coins the purse contained; more than enough for Sift to bring his true love home. He walked over to the nightstand and set the coin purse down on it. He was tempted to wake the coyote for a final farewell, but he felt it would be easier to just leave. Jarik turned around and walked to the door. His paw rested on the handle as he quietly bid Sift farewell.

He opened the door but stopped as he heard the quiet footsteps behind him.

"You're leaving...aren't you?"

Jarik let go of the door but didn't turn around or respond.

"I knew you couldn't stay. I knew you'd have to leave at some point." Sift said softly as he rubbed his right arm with his paw. "I just didn't think it would be so soon."

Jarik turned around as he removed the cowl from his muzzle.

"I know, and I'm sorry." Jarik replied softly as he set his gloved paw on Sift's shoulder. "I can't stay here though. I have to move on. You know that. A thief like me has no place here."

"Will you ever come back?" Sift asked as he looked into Jarik's yellow eyes.

"I...I don't know." Jarik sighed. "I don't know where my life is going to take me."

"Well...no matter where it takes you, just know that my door will be open." Sift replied.

Jarik let out a sigh and embraced the coyote in his arms. A lump formed in his throat that made it hurt to swallow.

"Thank you. For everything." Jarik whispered.

The two let go of each other and Jarik walked back to the open door. He gave Sift one last look before he walked out into the cold night.