Ch. 2- The Tiger and the Noble

Story by Admiral Akio on SoFurry

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#2 of Auggie and Martin

The rogue mage Meggido has defied the Guild and now seeks out artifacts from the ancient ruins to fulfill his own ends... it's up to Martin, an expert pyromancer, and his partner Auggie, to stop him. But will they ever stop getting distracted and catch up with him? The answer, so far, is no.


The sun was overhead before the partners woke, the tiger slowly stretching and hugging the dog closely to him one last time before sitting up. "Martin... we didn't get up early." The dog turned over, looking up at the broad shoulders and chiseled muscles of the man he laid with. "Yeah, we didn't keep watch, either." Auggie stood, emptying the teapot from the night before of the congealed substance and gathering the pieces of his armor to don them yet again. Martin sighed as he gathered the mages robes from the ground and started to dress himself, as well. Auggie was remaking the pot of tea as Martin continued to yawn and get dressed. "Here's your fancy stick," Martin said as he handed Auggie his rune staff, then gave another yawn. "Where's my saber?" Auggie looked around the camp, which was mostly clear at this point. "I don't know, it should be wherever you put it before we... ate... right?" Martin narrowed his eyes as he started to look around the camp. "No. Someone was here," he said as he patted down his robes, clearly looking for something. "My ring's gone, too. My RING. Damn it all," he said as he stamped his foot on the ground. "Look, there's where they came up the path, and then they cut through the woods there!" Auggie didn't bother looking at where he was pointing, trusting that he could track them. "Well, I didn't want tea anyways," he sighed to himself, packing the supplies back into his bag. "Just one person?" "Yeah, it looks like it. I can't believe this." "Oh, calm down. You track them down and I'll strongarm them, like usual."

"Give me that," Martin snapped as he stole the tea making kit from Auggie's paws, muttering as he looked for tracks. "Little snot. Look at this print. This kid is like maybe twelve." Martin motioned at a small indentation in some wet ground with an open paw and continued muttering. "Does he really think that he can sell something that's really obviously from the guild?" Auggie just shrugged. "Hm, was he going in a fairly straight line?" "Yeah, looks like it." Martin was gazing intently at the underbrush, trying to pick up on another trail and getting frustrated. "Well, then, our search is over. Look up." Auggie pointed to the horizon, where a few smoky pillars were standing out against the bright sky. "Ah-ha! A town! Yes!" Martin started to walk with purpose in the direction, not bothering to look down at the tracks anymore. "My dad was right, I'm terrible at being a mage. I should have stayed home. When we find this kid, you're going to hold them and I'm going to brun their damn nose off. I'll kill them." "Stars above, you sound like the mages that come back from the southern islands after fighting the ice clan. Calm yourself," Auggie said disgustedly. "Oh, I'm calm. I'm CALM," the dog growled as Auggie started to smell magic smoke emenating off of him. Auggie put his paw onto his partner's shoulder, saying gently, "Listen, Martin. You can't go around and terrorize people with your power. You need to take some deep breaths. Let me do the talking when we get into the town, alright?" Martin took a deep breath and massaged his temples with both hands. "Okay, I'll let you figure out what's going on. But once we find this thief, I'm not guaranteeing that I'll be able to control myself."

As the two of them strode into the town, Martin put the cloak of his hood up in an attempt to look more mysterious and intimidating. They approached an official-looking guard carrying a spear, and were surprised to see an legionnaire's badge on his stained leather armor when they got close enough to talk. "Oh, hail, Mages," he said nervously as he puffed out his chest and nodded shortly at them. "What are you doing in this backwater hamlet?" Auggie bowed and said, "Hail, Legionnaire. We were on the trail of a criminal known as Meggido, an elderly goat with a history of stealing ancient artifacts. Do you know anything of him?" Martin frowned and looked sideways at Auggie, but said nothing. The guard shook his head and shrugged. "No, and I haven't gotten any messages about him, either. We don't get many visitors. Just the occasional caravaner looking for a cheap velocigrade or lost traveler. I can't wait for my tour to be over so that I can get transferred out of this place." Auggie nodded sagely and looked about at the scattered homes. "You wouldn't mind if we looked around a bit, would you? We are on official guild business, after all." The armored man shrugged again, "I don't see any harm. You could start at the-" Martin grabbed onto Auggie's forearm and pointed at a passing horse child, "We'll start right there," he said as he threw back the hood of his cloak. Martin threw off his overcloak and started to chase down the child, while Auggie huffed behind, his armor and supply pack weighing him down as the guard stared. He picked up the blue overcloak and carried it in his fist as he followed the child, who was quite fleet of foot. When Auggie had finally caught up with Martin, he was facing off with her inside of a small house, the door still flung open.

"Stay back! I- I've got your magic sword!" The small girl had put on the ring and was holding out the saber, as if it could shoot out fire like a bow shoots an arrow. Martin cackled like a madman as Auggie walked into the house, re-positioning himself so that he was blocking the back window. "I'm absolutely shaking in my boots," the dog said as he started to retrieve the flint and steel from his pockets and a thin line of blue magic smoke started to flare up around him. "It's alright, she doesn't have the magic ring to strike against it," Auggie winked, and the child quickly pulled the rune covered ring from her pocket and revealed it. "I said stay back!" she said as Auggie approached her calmly. "I'll do it!" She took a deep breath, and a small flare of light came from her chest as she clanged the ring against the sword, but only a small flash of sparks sputtered onto the floor. Auggie pulled his staff from his back and extended it into full length with a snap of his wrist, a bit taller than he was. He lashed out at the girl's paw with a sickening crack, and the saber was sent flying while she cried out in pain, then she crumpled to the floor, sobbing. This only seemed to encourage Martin, who advanced on her and wrenched her arm up, taking the oversized ring off of her good paw. "You're no mage!" he spat out at her in a furious growl. "You're nothing! A little thief from a little town that will never amount to anything because you're going straight to jail!" The girl was still sobbing as Auggie pulled his frenzied partner aside and glared at him. "I'm not going to send you to jail, or tell the guard that you tried to use magic on us. Let me see your paw."

She offered it up to the tiger, and he gently examined it. It was already starting to swell grossly. "I broke her paw, Martin. That's enough punishment for someone in a small town, believe me." "Auggie, don't- don't- ugh." Martin was already starting to cool down, the smell of his magic fading from the air. "Don't do this. She stole Mage Guild property." "I'm sorry," she squeaked out as she returned to holding her own hand again, "I just wanted to- I don't know. I was looking for moss and I saw your robes and there was that stuff in there. I can feel magic in my soul and I thought that... I thought that I could use your magic ring to be a real mage like you and get away from the stables..." she sobbed heavily, streams of snot and tears spilling onto her chest as she bowed her head. Auggie gave her a pat on the shoulder and then stood to face his partner. "She's Shiny. I saw it when she tried to burn you." "Father says that it won't do me any good, that the family business is more important," the girl was almost out of tears to cry at this point, wiping her eyes and wincing as she tried to make her ruined digits work again. Martin seemed to soften at this revelation, and gave a heavy sigh. "Your dad doesn't know what he's talking about," he started to walk out of the house. "Come on, bring us to your stables." They had a stilted conversation as they walked down the path to the stables, Martin offering some condolences to her. "We'll give you father enough to hire an assistant to replace you until your paw heals. Do you like working with velocigrades?" She shrugged, "I don't think that they have as much personality as people project on them. They're pretty much just big bugs." They soon came upon the field of grades, eight-legged beasts that lumbered around sniffing for the piles of moss that the farmers left for them. The child's father approached them while wiping his equine forehead of sweat.

"Er, er, hello, how can I help you?" Martin took out a large sack of silver and placed it into the man's paws, and his eyes popped open. "Erm, did you want to buy a pair of velocigrades with this, it's, er, more than enough to-" He shrank back as Martin leaned in close and narrowed his eyes. "This is the compensation from the guild for your daughter helping us with a job, and enough to hire an assistant until she heals," Martin said as he put his face even closer to the man. "And you can be sure that there will be more silver to come your way if she becomes a mage. We do strongly discourage hedge wizards." He was now close enough to kiss the man as he spoke in a grave whisper, "You never know when they'll get picked up by a bandit gang or a corrupt town leader. They are so rare and special, after all." The man was shaking nervously and took a stumbling step back from his front gate as his daughter crossed over to stand next to him. "My little Lacey is, er, my pride and joy, Sir, of course I was planning on having her report to your guild, Sir." He hugged her tight to his side and gave a broad smile. "Wouldn't dream of anything else, of course, Sir." Auggie nodded and spoke in a deep and commanding voice, "Good to hear. Those with skills beyond magic are valuable to us. Remember that, Lacey. I am only as valuable as I am because of my training as a warrior, and Martin is an expert hunter from his time growing up as the son of a Duke." The father's eyes bugged out even wider at this. "A Duke's son? And you're a, a, mage adventurer?" "My father would, of course, prefer that I stayed home and married a nice girl," Martin said as he crossed his arms, "But we are called for something higher when we Shine with the light of the stars." Auggie looked down on the man while saying, "It's also to compensate you for the wages you will have to pay a worker to help you out while your daughter heals. She sustained a crushing injury to her hand." "What? How? What happened?" "That is highly classified mage business," Auggie quickly snapped as he handed him another smaller bag of coins from his pack. "Take the silver."

They left the man with two bags of silver and a bewildered look on his face as they turned around and walked back towards the center of the town. They saw the guard approaching them as they strode back into the open space at the center of town. "There you are!" He planted his spear butt into the ground and gave them a knowing smile. "Didn't find anything here, right?" "I wouldn't say that," Auggie said, "We found that one of the children here has potential to be a mage. Keep an eye on her until your tour's over, will you?" "Oh, yes, of course, Sir Mage," the guard said idly, leaning on his spear. "Lacey's a good kid, helps out with the stables." Martin rolled his eyes at this, and Auggie led him away. "Well. We'll be off, now. We're trying to reach the town to the north of here." "Aye, good luck, Sirs. You don't mind if I ask your names to write in my log, do you?" He pulled a small notebook out of his side satchel and started to jot down a note with a charcoal pencil. "Auggie, two 'g's, surname Cardirk, fourth class; and V.D. Martin Exmell, second class; on an away mission. That should be enough," Auggie said before they turned to leave again, the guard saluting them smartly. "Aye, Good luck, Sirs. Eria is about a day's march north, you should make it by midnight." The legionnaire knew the lay of the land fairly well, and his prediction was almost spot on. As the yellow moon started to set in the sky, letting the light of more stars take their place in the ensuing darkness, they found themselves crossing a bridge into a quiet town with an obvious tavern. With a knock on the door and a short conversation and exchange of silver, they found themselves in a fairly large and comfortable room that included a large metal bathing basin and a pump for water.

Auggie was quickly out of his clothes and preparing for bed so that he could sleep first while Martin was pumping water into the bath. He heaved a relieved sigh while he struck his mage ring against the steel pump and funneled a small stream of fire into the middle of the water, heating it almost instantly. Auggie gave a deep, relaxed breath and started to drift off to sleep as he laid in the small bed, his bedroll laid on top of him as an extra layer of warmth. The steam from the contact of fire on water clouded his vision as he tried to sneak glances at Martin's body, but he still got enough of an eyeful to start to fall asleep with a sizable erection. Martin lowered himself into the hot water, remembering the day with some guilt as he washed himself off. He finally spoke up, since he didn't hear his partner snoring yet. "Hey, Auggie, do we really need to keep watch since we're in an inn?" Auggie turned over and looked into the steam. "No, but we should get our schedules back on track after last night." "Yeah. I guess so. You're so- so boring." Auggie snorted and climbed out of the bed, then strode over to the bath while Martin nervously lowered himself and giggled. "Um, hehehe, don't hurt me. I don't really think you're boring." Auggie started to strip down next to him, removing his shirt to expose his powerful chest and then turning around to place it neatly on a table before slipping out of his linen pants, baring his tail end to the dog as he stared and started to breathe heavily. "So, is there room for me in there, or are you going to have to drain some water out?" Auggie stood over him and cut an imposing figure, his powerful arms resting on his hips and drawing Martin's eyes to his erect cock that was already starting to drip.

Martin kicked at the drain so that it started to let some water out, not able to conjure any words as he felt his mouth drawn towards the package as if by magnetism. He licked at the tip of the tiger's cock as his tail swished back and forth. The taste of the precum made his eyes roll into the back of his head and he let out a shuddering moan as he closed his mouth around the tip of his partner's head, suckling at it hungrily., Auggie grabbed at his shaft and squeezed even more slick fluid into the dog's mouth as he stroked it and squeezed it. His paw then grabbed onto the back of Martin's head and started to guide him slowly down the shaft, until he gagged and pulled away. Auggie just gave a low chuckle at this and ruffled his ears, before pushing him back as far as he could go down on his shaft. Martin gave a small moan of protest and pulled away again, coughing and sputtering as he glared up at Auggie. "Aww, I'm sorry, am I boring you?" Auggie gave the dog a few light slaps to his face as he chuckled again. Martin felt his muscles go weak as he realized that the tiger wasn't going to let up. "Stop, my throat can't take it all, you're too big- mmmmm-" his eyes rolled into the back of his head again as the member was shoved back into his mouth. "You're doing great," Auggie smiled down at him and gave a few more gentle thrusts as Martin's tongue started to work in a circle around the base of the head. The dog started to grab onto his own cock under the water and continued moaning in a series of hums. Auggie pulled away and patted his partner on the head playfully. "You better stop it." Martin frowned and tilted his head. "What? Why?" "Oh, I mean the water. It's all going to drain out, it's low enough for me to get in now." "Oh, let it," Martin said before pulling Auggie forward again, "We're going to need to clean it out in a couple minutes, anyways."

Auggie took a stumbling step forward, but then grabbed Martin's shoulder with a strong paw and moved him to the side. "I'm getting in." Martin's eyes went wide as he felt the huge beast get into the bath next to him. The tiger turned him so that he could grope under the dog's tail and feel at his hole. "Hey, oh, okay," Martin giggled and leaned over the side of the tub as he was fingered, trying to keep his voice down as he remembered that they were in a building with other furs and not out in the woods by themselves. "You're gonna put more into me, right?" "Of course," Auggie said as he dug further into him with one paw and held his tail in place with the other, lifting him slightly with the force of it. "No, I meant... oo... I meant are you going to- woo-" Martin devolved into a series of noises as the muscular man behind him started to thrust in and out faster, his insides pulsating with heat. "Am I going to fuck you?" the tiger snickered to himself and started to grope around at Martin's shaft, grasping it at the base with enough strength to make it spring to full hardness. "I'm going to fuck you, don't worry." "Oh, do it already," Martin said in a howl as he thrust back against his partner. Auggie put another digit into the dog, stretching him out further and grabbing onto him around his middle to keep him from hitting his head on the edge of the tub. Martin scooted forward and laid his arms against the edge, thrusting his ass into the air and shaking it back and forth while giggling. Auggie gave a small lick to the dog's asshole and slowly jerked himself off, trying to lube himself up with his own juices. He pressed the head against his partner's ass and kept stroking it hard, dripping all over him.

"It's been a while, so, um," Martin muttered softly as the tiger kept fingering him, giving a moan as he stretched him out further. "Me too," Auggie said as he pushed the head of his cock inside of the tight asshole, gasping and purring out a moan as they joined together. Martin bit onto his paw to keep from shouting out as the tiger started to thrust into him, leaking warm precum the entire time. "Ah, you feel amazing," Auggie said as he sunk halfway into the dog, grabbing onto both of his ass cheeks and separating them. He popped out and leaned over to give Martin a kiss on the top of his head. "You okay?" "Mm-hmm," Martin sighed as he reached down and fingered himself below his balls, feeling his taint from the outside. "More, I want more, don't come yet," he said as the dick was planted back inside him and Auggie started to thrust into him again. "You want more?" Auggie said as he grabbed onto his partner by the sides and pushed him further back against him, sinking deeper into him. "Oh... that's not what I meant by more... but okay..." he gave a loud moan as he resisted against the stronger fur, moving forward along the length of his shaft and then driving back against him. He continued humping against the tiger until he felt a swell of heat building up inside of him. "I'm close," he gasped out as he grabbed onto his own, smaller member and started to rub the head rapidly. "Aw, do it, cum for me," Auggie said as he lost himself to passion, thrusting all the way into him and scratching at his back. "Oh fuck," Martin screamed as the sensations caused him to ejaculate his load against the side of the tub. "Fuck yeah, keep it inside me!" he groaned out as he continued to orgasm, squeezing around the tiger's cock and dripping even more cum.

Auggie continued to scratch at the dog's back as he started to thrust again, feeling the clench of his partners insides all the way down his shaft as he sunk himself up to the balls again. The pressure building up inside of his only got worse as Martin continued to moan and groan, and he started to thrust in and out in quick bursts. "Fuck, I'm close now, okay?" "Yeah, do it inside me, I want it," Martin moaned out as he took his paw off of his dick and slowly started to feel his taint again, the sensations becoming almost too much to bear. The tiger grabbed at his back and neck, forcing his cock all the way up to the balls again and feeling the tightness along his length. Martin gasped out a small cry of pain and pleasure as the tiger's smooth belly bounced off of him over and over again. Auggie roared into the ceiling as his balls tightened up against his body and unloaded into the hole that he was thrusting into, filling him up to the point where it was coming out and dripping down his balls. Martin gave him a pat as the last growls faded and he could feel that Auggie's orgasm had ended. "Hey, okay, out now," he gasped out, and then gave a long howl of a moan as his bowels were suddenly missing the cock from his partner pulling it out quickly. Auggie seemed worried now that he wasn't lost in the act. "I wasn't planning on doing it all the way like that, sorry-" "No, no, it's fine," Martin winced as he grabbed onto the pump and adjusted himself so that he was sitting again, then sighed as Auggie leaned down and gave him a long kiss. "I'm all sloppy and drippy," he said as he lifted a leg, exposing his gaping asshole to his partner, who gave a huge grin and leaned in for another kiss, caressing his balls and backside with a careful paw.

Martin splashed some cold water into the tub with the pump, and they both cleaned each other off gently. "Are we going to snuggle and sleep together again?" Martin asked as he got out of the tub, waiting for Auggie to do the same. The tiger climbed out and held him tightly, their nude bodies pressing together. "I thought you would never ask. You okay down there?" "I'm just fine, despite your best efforts," Martin said before slapping Auggie on the butt playfully. Auggie returned the slap with more force, and he gave out a yipe. "Alright, good. You really had me lose control for a minute there. You're way too attractive when I have you face down." Martin laid on the bed face-down and wagged his tail. "Like this?" Auggie slipped a finger into his stretched-out tailhole and wiggled it a little bfore slapping him again and turning him over to kiss him deeply again. "Come one, let's do the sleeping in too late thing again." Auggie crawled under the blanket and bedroll as Martin composed himself and then snuggled up to him. "You're warm." "You're hot." Auggie planted another kiss onto his head and pulled the blankets over them. "You're hot," Martin said in a petulant whine as he felt Auggie's chest and biceps. Auggie was almost completely asleep as he stroked the dog's head absently with a paw and turned his face to the side. Martin sighed as his ass continued to reform into its natural shape, and soon he was listening to Auggie's light snoring as he fell asleep. He frowned and kissed the heaving chest, whispering, "I love you," as he started to follow his partner into sleep.