FSE

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If there was one thing you could count on in a kingdom, it was that the castle stood over everything else. Even lesser nobles would usually have fairly grand castles, ones that you could see long before you caught sight of the places the peasants were forced to live, but the kings and queens had the best by far. They were boastful, braggarts that told of the wealth of their owners and residents, the luxury in which they could wallow while the rest could wallow in naught more than their filth.

But that was the thing about boasting: sometimes you caught the wrong ear.

The king of Belkia, Porcepros, was perhaps one of the most ostentatious of all the rulers in the world, always bedecked in jewels and gems of the most glamorous and ornate style. He didn't ever go out without being adorned in his shiny stones, a tantalizing temptation for all sorts of brigands who would have loved to get their hands on even a couple of them. Of course he was jealously possessive of them, and anyone caught stealing his jewels risked grave sentences...and sometimes, he would use that as an excuse to take gems that weren't even his to begin with. Not that he cared - to him, all the valuable jewels of the world were his by birthright, and those that had them were merely stepping stones to his own acquisition.

Rumors spread far and wide about the breadth of his collection, the variety and size of some of the stones he was known or rumored to have was immense. No piece was so talked about, though, as the mysterious Blue Diamond. The jewel Porcepros prized above all others, yet refused to let anyone see, refused to even describe what it actually was. The rumors swirled around it - that it was the biggest gemstone in existence; that it had powerful magic that Porcepros wanted to keep for himself; that it was cursed and he was unable to actually say what it was because of that; even that there was no such gem in the Grumpig king's collection and he merely used it as a placeholder for a gem he believed to exist and was tirelessly seeking. The fables built up far beyond any actual knowledge of the object, but it was certain that few even of the castle staff knew anything about it.

Which was part of the reason Draz and Galan were interested.

"This feels pretty sketchy, Draz...I don't know how comfortable I am with it."

"Come on, Galan, you can't tell me you aren't curious! This thing is a legend, if we learn something about it, that alone could be worth plenty!"

"It's something that might not even exist. If we go off on a wild goose chase, we risk getting caught or losing out on a prime opportunity that could leave others out in the cold."

"Please, if there's even a tenth of the wealth in there that they claim, we'll have more than enough. All I'm saying is, let's at least give it a shot, if we're going in there!"

Galan sighed and palmed his face. "Brother, sometimes you make me wonder why I stick around with you."

That got a cackle out of Draz. "Because, my dear brother, I make your life so much more interesting." That was a difficult one to deny, though Galan didn't always feel that that was necessarily a good thing...at least, his brother's definition of 'interesting' didn't always sit well with him.

The two in the tavern were a sight, and one look was enough to tell that they were neither locals nor ordinary. A Midday Lycanroc and a Midnight Lycanroc - often just called SunRoc and MoonRoc by many - hanging out at a table on their own, looking more businesslike that most ordinary travelers. While they kept their voices down, they weren't all whispers in the shadows, suggesting a boldness that not everyone could boast - which could make them brave, stupid, or both.

The MoonRoc, Galan, was sitting more upright, looking fairly proper and dignified, his dress simple and spartan. He gave the air of someone who cared little for frills and liked to get down to business and get things done. There was definitely a sharpness in his gaze that suggested that crossing him wasn't a wise decision, yet also a softness that spoke of a warmer side...he didn't seem like the type to ambush you in an alley for no reason, as was the reputation of MoonRocs in general.

On the other hand, his brother, Draz, the SunRoc, looked anything but the more dignified and upstanding type that was the reputation of his kind. He was lounging in his chair, cracking grins and jokes, and had a definite sneakiness about him, the kind of look where one just knew they shouldn't totally trust him. He was dressed more elaborately, with heavier clothing, a cloak, and a hat that was so defined it wouldn't have surprised anyone to know that he never left home without it. It was quite the disparity from the MoonRoc, yet the ease with which the two communicated left no doubt as to their kinship.

"You can do what you wish, but I'm going to try to find the Blue Diamond. Imagine if we got our hands on that...Porcepros would probably drop dead of shock right off."

"And then we have everyone coming for our heads for regicide. No thank you."

"Hm, yeah, I can see why that would be a problem. Still, I want to look. I've been wondering about this thing since I first heard about it. Even if we don't end up swiping it, it'll still be cool to know what the real deal is, right?"

Galan sighed again; he could tell he wasn't talking Draz out of this one. "Fine, we'll take a look, so long as you don't forget about our primary mission. I know you like to claim you can nick stuff in your sleep, but I'd rather have you fully awake."??"Relax. I mean, it's a good payday, you know I'm not gonna pass that up."

"...It's not just your payday, you know that."

Draz waved a hand dismissively. "Ten percent is still a good yield. Gives me incentive to ramp up the total, too, since you're so insistent on spreading it around..."

"I am, and you know exactly why."

"Of course, of course. So now that we've scouted it all out, you think it'll be easy to get in?"

A nod from Galan. "I've spotted the signatures, there are several access points. You'd think castle builders would know better than to put runestone into their structures. According to the maps we put together, the vault could be in one of three locations...two of them have runestone directly in the walls. The third doesn't have a direct access point, so I think we should avoid that one."

"I say we go for the one that's most likely either a vault or a trophy room. Sounds like a win-win to me."

"Absolutely not. Much as I'm sure the trophies are worth more, they're also more obvious. The vault, I'm sure plenty could go missing in there and they would hardly figure it out."

"Dang. I was hoping to claim a nice trophy prize of my own." Draz snickered at his brother's irritated expression. Of course, he knew better than to try to pilfer anything that would be easily missed, but riling up Galan was too much fun. "So, which do YOU think we should go for?"

"Obviously the second option. A trophy room is most likely far away from the vault, which is where the pieces he doesn't care about go. So the southern corner at the lower side of the castle is the most likely place for success. Plus, outdoors patrols don't cover those areas well."

"Low-hanging fruit, but you have a point. Well, then, brother...until nightfall." Draz raised a toast, and Galan reluctantly followed suit. He was more nervous than usual, Porcepros had a reputation and he wasn't entirely sure they would be able to get out unscathed...but big rewards required big risks. He only hoped Draz could rein in his curiosity enough to keep them from getting caught.

---

By nightfall, Galan would have taken the curious Draz over the no Draz he was currently getting.

They had split up for safety purposes - the two of them together could sometimes draw attention that they rarely did alone - and killed time until the dark cover of night took over. They had timed it for the new moon, where it would be darkest, and thick cloud cover obscured even the ambient light of the sky, providing the perfect opportunity for them. Galan had hurried to the rendezvous point in eager and nervous anticipation...but Draz was taking his sweet time, apparently.

Dammit, Draz, there's a reason I didn't want to go into this alone. Get your tail over here already.

Then again, his impatience was tempered with a tinge of worry. Draz wasn't often late for these types of things...his brother could be a pain in the rear sometimes, but he took pride in his craft and when they went in for a heist together he was as reliable as the sunrise. If he didn't show, it was possible he'd gotten caught or attacked or something, and then Galan would have much bigger things to worry about than stealing a boatload of gems. He would sacrifice everything he could to keep Draz safe...

The sound of footsteps put him immediately on guard. The figure approaching, however, was plenty familiar, quelling the anxiety and bringing irritation back to the fore. "Draz! I've been waiting for ages! What took you so long?!"

"Apologies, brother, but I think you'll forgive me once you see this." Draz produced a sheet of rough paper for Galan, who took it and glanced over it. Despite the intense darkness, his vision was as clear as ever. It appeared that he had been handed...a map?

"...What's this, Draz? Why are you giving me a map?"

"Study it, brother. Do you notice anything different about it?"

Galan looked at Draz, then back to the map. He scrutinized it carefully this time, and quickly he was able to see what the SunRoc was talking about. "This is different! Where did you get this?"

"A disgruntled ex-guard. Ran into him in a bar across the way. He wanted nothing more than to see the king get what's coming to him, and he was pretty pliable once I bought him a couple. The map is my marking, the one we were using with changes based on what he told me, and I believe it to be true."

"Ugh..." It wasn't ingratitude, but Galan hated last-second changes. Especially of this magnitude. "You're kidding me. The place we were planning on going, that's actually a guard station?"

"Porcepros clearly has a bit more cunning than he's credited with. The popularized location we had noted down is a total ruse. So is the trophy room. Most of the pieces he cares most about aren't in the trophy room, they're in his own quarters where only he can enjoy them. The trophy room is just the place he puts pieces other people enjoy so that thieves don't think about getting what he cares about most."

"Still, he'd know if they went missing."

"Yes, that's the point. He likes to lure thieves with the obvious. That's why it's a ruse, it makes them think they're the most valuable pieces...most of them aren't even worth that much. The vault is much more robust, though, purely by volume. And you can see from my map, it's also not where we thought it was."

That he could; Galan cursed under his breath. It was halfway up the castle, not towards the base like the old map had suggested. "Why is it so high up?"

"Because it's not a typical vault. The castle has TWO. The first is well underground, would be difficult to assail from the outside, but this is Porcepros's personal vault. And get this - the guard said the Blue Diamond is in there, behind a locked door that only two people have the key to."

"Of course you asked about that."

Draz grinned. "As long as I was getting insider information, I figured why not? He didn't know what the Blue Diamond was, but he said no one was allowed to see it except for the king's most trusted aide. Isn't that suspicious to you, though? It's supposed to be the king's most valuable and most prized gem, but it's not with him?"

"...You think there could be something to the curse?"

"I think there's something funny going on here, and that just makes me more curious."

"You're going to be insufferable until I get you in there, aren't you?"

"You are the more adept locksmith, Galan. I would of course have to defer to you..."

"Yeah, yeah." The MoonRoc sighed. "Well, the plan has changed, but I think we can still pull this off. Let's get to it...the castle rear is less likely to be heavily guarded, at least. But we're going to have to be careful to avoid being spotted..."

"I shall take the utmost of care, brother. Let's go!"

---

In some ways, the key to Galan and Draz's success in their heists was the same as for any other thief. Stay out of sight. Move as silently as possible. Avoid getting too greedy or over-ambitious. Know when to bail. But they weren't masters of the craft for those reasons. It was other natural talents that allowed them to become renowned among some circles and reviled among others. No other thief could have pulled off what they were about to do that night.

As Galan had expected, patrolling was scarce around the rear of the castle. And small wonder - it was sheer rock up until near the top, no windows or entry points that ordinary people could make use of. The only thing a patrol would spot would be an army, so naturally eyes were more on the lands beyond than the building. Still, no chances were to be taken, and the lone guard they could see back there was given the lightest dusting of Sleep Powder they could manage. Already drowsy, he went out pretty quickly, leaving the two to act.

Getting to the vault was no mean feat. They would have to climb several dozen feet up, towards the middle levels of the castle, on a wall that would have defied most without the means to stick directly to it or the means to fly. But the Lycanrocs had a special advantage, one that had given them such benefit over most of their major strikes: the castle was entirely built with stone. And they had a natural bond with stone. With that, the lightest touch to the surface held their hands firmly, allowing them to climb with ease. Draz ascended more swiftly, playing the point role and making sure no one else was around to see them; Galan followed up more cautiously, his eyes more interested in another important feature he would need - the presence of runestone in the walls where they would need to enter. There was a chance they would have to abort if he couldn't find it, but there was no way to know this without examination. And there was no way they could have examined this spot before.

When Draz stopped rising, that was a signal to Galan, and he hauled himself up beside his brother. "All clear?" he whispered.??"No signs of trouble so far. Do you see any runestone?"??"Let me check..." Galan took a deep breath and closed his eyes, focusing his mind on detecting the presence of special stones. A trick he had cultivated from an early age, allowing him to rapidly identify useful and rare minerals and sometimes get them very cheap from unsuspecting merchants. When he opened his eyes again, they darted around for telltale glows, something he'd already seen in other areas of the wall...and his face turned to a rare smile as he saw it, right under where Draz was situated. "Got it. Right in front of you."??Draz huffed a bit as he shifted to the side, though it was more in reverence than irritation. "I wish you'd teach me that trick, brother."

"No, you wish I'd bestow it on you without effort. Every time I try to TEACH you, your eyes glaze over and you do whatever it takes to get away."

"You should put more effort into keeping me there."

"Not gonna happen. Let's do this."

With a nod, the two put one hand on the stone, and their eyes began to glow along with the rock of their focus. Runestone was special, and rarely recognized despite that...it had properties that other stones did not, working as a focus for magic and other energy-based talents, being far hardier than normal stone, and imbuing weapons with properties that were highly sought after. But because it resembled ordinary stone, quite frequently it was used for ordinary purposes such as building grand structures...a weakness that could be exploited if one had the affinity for it. While any with the blessing of Diancie had such an affinity, few had the ability to be stealthy like a Lycanroc, and thus could hardly exploit one of its key benefits...

That any who could channel the power of a runestone in a building could pass through the surrounding walls without disturbing them.

Without making any sound more potent than a rustle, the two pushed through solid rock, passing through to the other side and ending up in the room within, without so much as a fleck of mortar being out of place. The dim light of glowstone hit their eyes, a welcome reprieve for Draz but unnecessarily bright as far as Galan was concerned. As they cast their gazes around, it was clear that they were indeed led correctly by their new informant - there was no question, from the bonanza in front of them, that they were in the vault.

"Amazing...I've never seen so many gemstones before," marveled Draz as they stepped forward. "It's a lot more organized than I would have expected, lots of boxes and chests...I thought they might just be strewn all over."

"There are still piles here and there, so watch your step," warned Galan. "But you're right, it's not as scattered as other vaults we've been in...there's not much protection on them, either. I guess Porcepros feels very secure with his favorite pieces and his misdirection. Let's work quickly and take what we can carry easily and without being readily spotted."

Draz nodded, though his attention wasn't entirely on Galan but also on looking for the promised door. As they began their collection, mostly focusing on stray gems rather than more identifiable jewelry pieces, he spotted it, towards the back corner, away from the main door. "Galan...the door."

"We'll check it if we have time." Galan wasn't really keen on that, even if no one had detected them tarrying was a bad idea. Already the haul of emeralds, sapphires, amethysts, topazes, opals, pearls, and diamonds seemed extravagant, and his bag scarcely had the tiniest fraction of what the room contained. Especially the diamonds, they were scattered all over and made up most of the disorganized detritus. He was picking up quite a few, the sizes varying but the shapes surprisingly pristine. And that was when he noticed something. "Hey, Draz...most of these diamonds..."

"I know, they're incredibly high quality. I don't even know how you get so many that are so perfect."

"Not that...they're blue."

Draz paused, looking back at Galan. "Huh?"

"The diamonds. They're colored blue. A pale blue, but distinctly blue."

The SunRoc took a look, but his eyes weren't as good in the dark as his brother's, and he couldn't really tell. Still, Galan wouldn't yank his chain on a job. "Do you think they're fake?"

"No, I can already tell they're real diamond. The color is odd though, especially in this abundance. How can a blue diamond be your prized treasure if you have so many of them?"

"I don't know. Why would you have a dedicated room for it, either? Doesn't make a lot of-"

A sound made their ears twitch and Draz clam up rapidly. They froze, waiting, listening for more...yes, they could hear it, a very faint sound, something like a voice, but not speaking words. Making some other kind of sound, one they couldn't make out. And it wasn't coming from the area of the main door...it was coming from the locked room.

"...Maybe there's something to the curse after all," Draz whispered nervously.

"Or maybe someone beat us to it somehow," the MoonRoc returned, stepping towards the door. He was getting an unpleasant feeling, and he usually followed his gut when that happened. Slipping a hand into his pocket, he pulled out a lockpick, a very trusty friend that had gotten him out of more jams than anyone except Draz, and into far fewer than his brother had. His other hand wrapped around the lock, it felt sturdy but not impossible, less secure than the king probably thought.

Draz kept filling his bag with gemstones, adding a few gold coins he found in a stash while Galan was occupied - more risky due to their scarcity in this vault, but coin had more imminent uses in his experience. Plus, he could keep that as an extra bonus hidden from his brother, since most of what he had he would be giving up anyway...

"Got it!" The SunRoc jumped a little, turning hurriedly to Galan, who had opened the lock. Rapidly he composed himself as he walked over, eyeing the door.

"We're going in there, aren't we?"

"Weren't you the curious one?"

"I got less curious after hearing ghostly voices."

"I haven't heard them for a bit. Maybe it was an illusion." Galan slowly pulled the door open, trying to minimize the creaking. The light inside was even dimmer, but it didn't need to be especially bright to illuminate the very small room inside, much smaller than the vault. Inside could be seen another, much more scattered multitude of blue diamonds, several presses and other pieces of equipment, and shelves with books and containers.

And a cage in the corner containing a Riolu, laying on its side and softly sobbing.

Galan nearly forgot himself as he strode inside in a hurry, kneeling by the cage. "Holy hell!"

The Riolu jumped, yelping softly. It was unclothed, unkempt, and clearly young, no older than thirteen or fourteen summers by Galan's estimate. In such a state, there was enough visible for him to tell that it was a male, though on the feminine side of male by other appearances. His wrists were bound by heavy manacles, which seemed oddly unnecessary given the small cage and solid lock. And scattered around the cage, and around his eyes, were what looked like blue diamonds, except in different shapes than the ones in the vault. "Who...who are you?"

"Uninvited guests." Draz had been rather dumbstruck when he first saw what was in the room, but had recovered and was now stepping over to the cage. "Who did not expect to see anyone in here. Goodness, who are you and why are you locked up in a vault of all places?"

"I...I don't want to be...that...that man, he...he found out about me and...and..." the Riolu shut his eyes, and a tear squeezed out of the corner...which before their eyes rapidly hardened into something gem-like. Curious, Draz stuck a finger through the cage and picked up one of the other stray diamonds, pressing it between his fingers. It was soft and pliable, while it looked pretty gemlike from afar it was clearly in a state not quite fully solid or liquid...

"Porcepros has been keeping you locked up in here?" Galan couldn't have cared less about gems at this point - he saw a person in turmoil and that had his full attention. "Why?"

"He...I...I'm...different..." The Riolu wiped his eyes and held out his hand, showing Galan. "My...tears...they...harden. Into...well, something sparkly...everyone calls them diamonds. I don't know why...I've never known why. But when he found out...he captured me, sent guards after my family...told them to silence anyone who knew about me and took me here...and..."

"Turned you into his personal diamond factory." Galan's voice had a chilling edge to it. "That piece of shit. No wonder he wouldn't let anyone find out about you, they would be horrified. How long have you been here?"

"I...don't know...it's been so long...I barely know what's going on...I haven't been out of the cage...in so long...only the king...and his...his...he calls him a diamondsmith...ever come in...they make me eat and drink and...I get beaten if I haven't...cried enough..."

Galan's expression was contorted into a fury, his hands were has tightly balled into fists as they could possibly be. And already Draz had a sinking suspicion what was coming before he even looked up at the SunRoc and said it. "We're getting him out."

"Galan, no..."

"Draz!" It was as loud as Galan dared to get. "We cannot leave a poor youth locked up in the hands of this monster! To be abused and neglected, to be tortured in a cage for the rest of his forsaken life! We're getting him out!"

Draz didn't want to hear that. Not just because that was going to ensure their haul was drastically cut - they had maybe two pouches each, when they had been talking around six, thanks to the relative lightness of gemstones to metals like gold and silver. The satisfying payday was feeling a lot less satisfying, though he knew that would never sway Galan. So he went with the other problem, which possibly could.

"Galan, look, I feel for the kid, I really do." Not that Draz didn't - for sure, it sounded like an awful life he wouldn't wish on his worst enemy. "But...how? IF we can take him through the runestone, and that's a big if, he doesn't look like he has the strength to hold on to us while we climb down. And that's assuming that even opening the cage doesn't set off some magical alarm...hell, they might already be on to us. And trying to escape through the castle? Suicidal. We don't stand a chance."

Galan grunted, bowing his head. He couldn't deny that those were powerful objections...but if he knew Draz, he was only saying that because it would cut their haul. Even if he did care about the Riolu, he was pragmatic and sought to do what was least likely to cause problems and most likely to benefit himself. Galan, though, was a more principled sort, and his principles wouldn't allow this. "Do what you want. I'm getting him out."

Draz wasn't allowed even a moment of argument before the lockpick was out again, and he groaned a bit as Galan started to work the lock. Damn you, brother, you know I wouldn't abandon you no matter what fool thing you did...since I know you've done the same for me. We are in so much trouble.

And the Riolu seemed to think so, too, as his expression was terrified. "P-please don't! They'll never let you leave...I don't want you to be hurt because of me!"

"That's a risk I'm willing to take," Galan stated determinedly as he worked the lock. It was a tougher one than the door, and his agitation was working against him, but stubbornness could sometimes win out. As he worked the pick in deeper, he felt the lock start to buzz in his hands, and cursed under his breath. "Magic signal. We don't have long."

"Of course," Draz groaned.

"They're gonna kill you!" the Riolu squealed quietly, eyes wide in terror.

"No, they're not." Galan pushed once more, and the lock clicked under the pressure. He yanked the lockpick out and pulled the lock away, and hurriedly opened the door and grabbed the Riolu in his arms. "We're getting out of here. We've got something far more important than gems."

"And now we ask the obvious question," countered Draz. "How?"

"There's more than one runestone trick we can use, my brother." Galan passed by Draz, forcing the SunRoc to hurry behind. His ears were already picking up the sounds of commotion outside of the vault, guards were hurrying their direction. If Galan's idea didn't pan out, they would find their live spans being cut short very rapidly. Heck, even if it would, there might not be enough time.

Galan had no such thoughts - his mind was on the runestone in the castle walls. Its properties allowed those blessed with the gifts of Diancie to make use of it in many ways - passing through was just the one he had practiced most, being the most immediately useful in his profession. Others took much more effort, but he considered it worth it to know them in case they were ever needed...Draz had never had much of the mind for this, so it was something he alone had in his pocket. It was risky, it was dangerous, and it was their only hope. His paw hit the runestone, and he put all his energy into warping the rock into the shape he needed, the one that would get them out of there alive.

Draz had an idea what his brother was trying to do the moment he saw the walls deform and twist around the runestone...stories he'd often heard, tricks he'd seldom seen practiced, the channeling of the power of stone to bend to its bearer's whim, it all seemed well beyond him. But he hardly had time to be impressed, as he heard the vault door start to creak open. Clenching his jaw, he called up a storm of stray diamonds into the air - his tricks were cruder than Galan's but he still had a few up his sleeve. As a brace of guards rushed in, they were rapidly pelted by gems, some aimed for their eyes to force them to cover them and driving them back, blocking other guards from entering.

In a hurry, Draz pulled from his pouch a pair of orbs, one bright and one dusky. Before the guards could recover, he tossed the bright orb, covering his own eyes as a brilliant flash shot up, creating a wailing series of cries from all who weren't ready for it. In haste the SunRoc tossed the other orb, and smoke filled the room rapidly, obscuring their vision even after the recovery...it wasn't going to work for long, though, he knew that Galan needed to be ready to go now.

He turned and dashed for the new opening in the wall, where Galan was holding the Riolu. There wasn't much time to be impressed, but he couldn't help but marvel at the handiwork - a brilliant bird statue glowing with channeled power, ready to take off. He could already sense the tension in Galan's frame, it wasn't something he'd be able to keep up for long. He jumped on, and gave only one harshly whispered directive: "OVER."

No response, but as the stone bird rose up, he knew Galan had heard, as it started its flight over the castle they'd just barely escaped from. As they flew off, Draz allowed himself a sigh of relief. It was possible they'd been seen, but as fast as it had happened, maybe there wasn't a good look...and certainly, with the guards all gathered at the vault, there wasn't anyone prepared to chase a flying foe. With any luck, the guards would be left to merely gape at the open space in the castle where a wall had been, without having any idea who made it...and Porcepros would have no clue who had taken his Blue Diamond, leaving them able to keep him hidden indefinitely.

A lot of ifs. But they had made their bed.

---

The woods were not the most hospitable place in the best of times. These were far from the best of times.

Galan's eyes fluttered open. His head felt foggy and sore, and there was a weariness all over his body. He couldn't recall anything after he'd created the bird statue...but he was in a very makeshift camp, surrounded by trees, with the Riolu they'd rescued sleeping on the grass next to a firepit, bearing a fire that Draz was quietly attending to. The SunRoc's attention turned to him as he heard Galan rouse, and gave a quiet wry laugh of resignation. "You're never more trouble than you're worth, brother, but you sometimes approach the break-even point."

"Oof...have to make sure you get's your money's worth somehow." With an effort, Galan sat up. "How long have we been here?"

"Since the second time you collapsed. The first time was after you crash-landed our ride...then you woke up and I thought you were better until that wild look in your eyes told me your brain wasn't engaged. You had the energy of a feral after a while, but when you crashed...also, I've had to carry our guest the whole time WHILE dragging you around at times as well."

"Lucky you. We...really escaped cleanly?"

"That remains to be seen, but they haven't found us at least. We can only pray that no one saw us fly off. I fear that we shan't know the whole story until we return to civilization...and that will be a bit of time, seeing as we are apparently walking home."

Galan sighed. "We don't have to walk all the way...we won't be able to carriage our way back but there are passage points...I still have a few passage tokens, and we had enough take that I should be able to buy more."

Draz rolled his eyes. "If you try to tell me you have any idea where the nearest passage point is..."

"Of course not. But...they have this quality where they guide you to them, so those who are lost can still find their way somewhere. As long as we keep moving we'll find one somewhere. Rrf, I may move slowly for a bit but I will be moving."

"I should hope so. Because our first destination is to get to a place with water, so that we can properly bathe. Your scent is rather ripe, and I imagine mine is far from fresh as well. And if they ARE seeking us, then that will be too much of a clue."

Slowly, Galan rose to his feet; he felt more tired than he thought he should, but Draz had points. "Okay...then we should probably move now. Unless our guest needs to sleep more..." His voice trailed off as he noticed something. "Where did his manacles go?"

"I took them off. Right pain it was, but they were very much in the way."

"Agreed, but...how? You leave the lockpicking to me for a reason."

Draz shrugged. "Right, and I didn't want to wait for you to rouse properly. So I blew them off."

Galan blinked, certain he'd misheard. "You what."

"Blew them off. Same snap technique I've used to brute-force some doors in the past, you get the right stone in there and trigger the expansive force hard...come on, Galan, you've seen me do that before-"

"YOU BLEW UP THE LOCK ON HIS ARMS?!" It wasn't quite a yell, but it was about as close to a yell as a whisper could get, purely to keep from startling the Riolu awake. "What in the name of the gods were you thinking?!"

Now Draz was the one rolling his eyes. "That I was getting the manacles off, of course."

"You could have crippled him! You could have taken one of his hands off! You could have sent shrapnel into him and caused him to bleed to death!"

"And none of that happened, brother, and he was free about a day sooner than he would have been if we'd waited for you. Maybe longer, since those aren't easy to pick."

Galan sorely wanted to give Draz a lot more hell, but he tempered himself by reminding himself that the Riolu was there and probably wouldn't be happy waking up to that. "We will talk about this more later...rrrr...let's just...try to get him up gently so we can move on..."

"N-no...it's fine..." Apparently the Riolu was already awake, and shifted to a sitting position. He looked maybe a bit uncomfortable from overhearing the contentious interaction, but his expression was still full of gratitude towards the Lycanrocs. "I...I still...can't believe you did this for me...th-thank you, Galan..."??"I took the liberty of a proper introduction while you were out," Draz remarked.

"Joy." Galan gave his best tired smile to the younger canine. "I couldn't have left you there knowing what they were doing to you...keeping you captive like that was beyond criminal. You may rest assured, we will treat you well while we try to determine the next best course of action...I suppose I should get your name, at the very least."

Unexpectedly, the Riolu teared up a bit and looked down. "I...it's gone."

"...Gone?"

"Porcepros...he...he erased my name. He said...that I was his Blue Diamond...and that was the only name I should have. He went into my head and...and he took it...and he took...other things...a lot of...a lot of my memories...are..."

"Dear gods..." Draz was visibly affected by this revelation, while Galan was stock-still in shock. "I never knew the king was that level of monstrous...I suppose I should have suspected as much, keeping a living being in a cage to produce gems for him...so I suppose that means you don't really have a home to go to or any memory of family who we could get in touch with..."

"No...but...even if I did...I don't think I could...who knows if Porcepros might find me again, and...I can't imagine what they might do to me..."

"That does complicate things. He will be angry, no doubt, and likely even harsher..."

"His life is forfeit." Both turned to Galan, who's expression was far darker than ever before.

"Galan..."

"The penalty for a mind invasion of an innocent is death. He may think he's beyond the law because he's a king, but there are plenty who will see to it that he is done in for this travesty. And you had better not believe for one SECOND that I will keep it quiet!"

Draz frowned a bit. "Be that as it may, brother, remember the rule. Fools rush in where wise men fear to tread. Before we go contemplating triggering regicide, we should perhaps make sure there is something in place that doesn't send everything into ruin. And for that matter, you're scaring him." Indeed, the Riolu looked pretty terrified, and that was enough to break Galan out of his sudden spate of fury.

"Forgive me...this is not something you should be involved with. But...I will ensure that you are safe, whatever it takes." The MoonRoc knelt in front of the Riolu, holding out a hand. "We will escort you to our residence...it may take some time but we'll get there. And we'll get you settled in safely, and try to find a way to keep any of those monsters from finding you. I don't know if anything can be done about your memories or identity...but we can at least give you a new life. Is there a name you would like?"

Still a bit teary, the Riolu took Galan's hand and rose with him. "Thank you...I...I don't really...know any...just...anything that isn't...that isn't blue or diamonds or anything..."

"Rojiani." The two looked over at Draz, whose arms were folded and who looked rather satisfied with himself. "It means 'red sky' in one of the old languages. That's about as far from blue rocks as you can get."

Galan rolled his eyes. "Draz..."

But the Riolu's eyes lit up. "Yeah...I...I like that. Rojiani...thank you, Sir Draz!"

"Oh, goodness, I'm as far from a 'sir' as it gets. Just Draz, please." The newly christened Rojiani nodded eagerly, looking far happier than he had in a while. "Now then...let's be off for a place to wash up, all of us could use it."

---

It didn't take terribly long for them to find a stream. It merely felt like it, with the sun beating down overhead and the air hotter than it had been in months. Galan really did not need the additional heat adding to his weariness, and it was all he could to do keep himself on his feet. It wasn't much easier for Draz, though he hadn't overexerted himself like his brother he was wearing heavier garments which kept the heat in more effectively, and removing his cloak hadn't helped very much. Rojiani was struggling the most - he hadn't been able to stretch and work out his legs like this for years, and they were not in good shape for this kind of walking.

As a result, none of them were in particularly great shape when they finally found fresh water. A nice, quiet stream, not terribly deep or large but enough for them to soak their aching bodies and cool themselves off. Upon their arrival, Galan half-collapsed, going down on his knees and panting hard. "Praise the moon...I thought I might be cooked. Blasted heat...damn orb's got a vendetta against me..."

"You ascribe quite the importance to yourself, thinking the very sky itself has a personal distaste for you," Draz remarked, though his attempt at a humorous tone fell a bit flatter than he would have liked.

"Shut up. That's your blasted patron up there..."

"Doesn't mean I deal with it any better when it's hotter than a Typhlosion's asshole. Let's get you into the water, brother." Draz helped Galan back to his feet, and half-carried him over to the water's edge. He then went back and retrieved Rojiani, who had sank down himself, too tired to go another step under his own power. "I have a feeling that we'll be spending the night here."

"Mmph. Fine by me." Galan flopped into the water, not even bothering to disrobe before hitting the cool liquid. Almost immediately he felt better - the water was slightly cold, but the shock of it got his system back in gear, and got his brain momentarily ignoring the ache in all his limbs. Soon he surfaced, clinging to the bank and shaking his head, and then looking up at his very bemused brother as Rojiani was draped against him.

"Normally one bathes in fur, brother."

"These need a wash themselves anyway. Don't tell me yours won't either."

"Hm, that is true, though I still think it'll be more comfortable removing them first. Why don't you help our young companion here while I do that?"

"Fine, bring him down." Galan took hold of Rojiani as Draz lowered him, and then gently pulled him into the water. The Riolu was mildly revived by the water himself, moaning a bit as he sank into it and then sighing as his overheated, overworked body was cooled down. He pushed back against Galan, making the Moonroc shift a bit to help him get more comfortable. "Mmf, you feel so hot...it's a good thing we got you in the water when we did."

"Aah..." Rojiani didn't seem in much of a state to muster a response. That was fine by Galan, he caressed the Riolu a bit to make sure he was still responsive and not succumbing to the temperature. There was a soft, weary smile on his face...the slender young male seemed so content against him, it felt rather nice. The lifestyle he and his brother led tended to lead them more into the path of roughs and toughs than the gentle and vulnerable...sometimes it felt like the entire world was filled with little more than thugs, and he relished the opportunity to be close to someone who was as far from that as one could get.

A moment rather despoiled by a brusque splash next to him. Draz had finally joined them in the water, and Galan could see that his brother had indeed done as promised and disrobed before entering, though he had dragged the garments in with him. "Tell me you retained something."

"Why? All of it and all of me need a good washing."

"Have you no sense of decency?"

Draz rolled his eyes. "The young fellow you're currently holding has worn nothing but manacles for years. Do you honestly think he cares? Relax and get yourself free from those garments of yours so they aren't stewing in your oils."

Galan clenched his jaw, but conceded to his brother's point - it would be more conducive to cleaning to be separate from what he was wearing, and there wasn't much reason to think Rojiani would care about what they were wearing anyway. His own personal sense of modesty with strangers was more of a sticking point, but he fought that down for the time being. Handing off Rojiani to Draz, he worked himself out of his wet, clingy clothes, grunting a bit as they fought removal. Perhaps he should have waited an extra few seconds to get them off before getting in after all...

Eventually he fought himself free, tossing them on the bank for the time being. Perhaps it was a bit better that way, he felt marginally less constrained at least, the water flowing a bit more through his fur and cooling him further. He was feeling a lot better already, there was still a bit of stiffness and soreness but the sense of being overheated had dissipated, and he was a lot more relaxed than he had been in days. Granted, after how stressful the last few days had been, maybe pretty much anything would have put him in that state, but this felt extra satisfying somehow.

Draz soon plopped Rojiani back on him, something that Galan might have snipped at him for in a different circumstance but that he couldn't really care much about as it was now. He held the Riolu close to him, and felt him snuggle up into his body, the lighter fur rubbing against his coarser and giving him a nice pleasant feeling. Rojiani certainly seemed to be feeling more relaxed as well, his body loose and limp against Galan's as they soaked, occasionally shifting against him. He was quiet, but it felt like a peaceful rather than uncertain silence, like he didn't feel like he had to be saying anything rather than didn't know what to say or didn't feel comfortable talking. Galan had to wonder if he'd felt like this at all in the years of his captivity...it seemed unlikely, under the whim of an abusive despot and forced into service producing gems from his body. His tears, even...which meant they probably wanted to keep him producing tears by whatever means possible, certainly abuse and anguish were the most likely to promote such responses. Relaxation wouldn't make any gems, so that probably wasn't allowed at all...giving Rojiani that blessing made all the trial feel worth it.

His own relaxation hit a roadblock after a while, though, due to the Riolu's presence. In particular, the way he was pushing against Galan's body, especially a particular area that tended to respond a certain way when brisk contact was made with it. He could feel the flush creeping up in his face as he realized that...Rojiani couldn't have been doing it intentionally, but that wasn't making much of a difference in the long run. He was trying to shift in little ways to reduce the amount of contact without disturbing the Riolu's peace, but that was only of limited success...

Dammit...the last thing I want now is the complete faux pas of getting hard and making things awkward. Where's Draz? I need to take a moment to cool myself off and find a better position...

Draz seemed to have vacated the water, though, and wasn't within easy reach. Craning his neck, Galan could see his brother hanging up their clothes on tree branches, letting them dry in the sun. A rare moment of responsibility at the worst blasted time. Galan grit his teeth and willed himself into self-control, trying to endure the incidental rubbing without running headlong into an embarrassing end...Rojiani was certainly making it challenging, though he sure didn't seem to notice.

So much for relaxing...

Perhaps a change of position would do them good. Galan carefully brought his arms into position, turning the Riolu a bit so that he might be sitting with his side rather than his back against Galan, which he hoped would reduce the pressure on that particular part of him. It was a bit tricky to do so while minimally disturbing Rojiani, but Galan was starting to manage, getting him and drawing his legs towards the side. As he did, though, his breath caught in his throat. Apparently, he wasn't the only one having such issues! The Riolu's staff was jutting up visibly in the water, a deep pink color that stood out well against the darker backdrop of the water.

Now what do I do?!

The MoonRoc was a bit flummoxed about the proper way to respond. It didn't help that he didn't know what was inspiring this response in Rojiani - for all he knew it was him, and the rubbing was in fact deliberate. Or it might have been just his fantasies seeping out into reality more than he intended, at which point he might be horribly embarrassed if it was pointed out. And the last thing he wanted to do to this delicate creature was upset him, he'd had more than enough of that already...

"Predicament, brother?" Of course it would be the SunRoc with the worst timing ever. Draz sat on the bank next to them, grinning from ear to ear.

"Do not."

"Oh, come now. Surely you can see the funny side of this. The stuffy older male facing seduction from the handsome young lad who's fallen rather hard for him..."

Galan glowered a bit, partly because he knew Rojiani had heard that from the Riolu's flush. "Draz!"

"I only speak truth, brother. You are quite the ideal in his eyes for all you've done, it's hardly unnatural. If you were a bit loosened up you wouldn't question it for a second..."

"I certainly would! He's far too young-"

"He's at least thirteen summers, and probably more given he's been kept small and scrawny through malnutrition. Certainly old enough to have interest in the pleasures of the flesh, if his behaviors last night were any indication."

The MoonRoc stared at his brother, not ignorant of the squirm from Rojiani in response to that. "What?"

"Heh, you were a bit too out of it to have any awareness, but I did notice it just before we nodded off. He was making good use of his newly freed arms, I'd say...not that he was entirely barred from such things before, but he could do a lot more with them released than bound like that."

"Rrrgh..." Galan clenched his teeth, trying to figure out where to go from there. He didn't know how old Rojiani was, but certainly old enough to be engaged in those sorts of things, it seemed...still younger than Galan would normally have paid attention to. "That doesn't mean it's...appropriate to take advantage of his vulnerability. He may not want to have more than just his fantasies to himself..."

"Ah...sir Galan..." Rojiani's voice was so soft, almost a whisper from the MoonRoc's arms. His face was enormously flushed and his gaze was averted shyly. "I...I...I would...like to know...what it's like..."

"R-Roji..."

"I...there were...a couple of times...the guard who watched me, he would...he brought someone into the vault with him. and they...they would do...things with each other. I don't...I don't know what really it was, exactly, but it...involved...these..." He motioned down to his groin, a little bit shakily. "I...when I felt that, when I knew what it felt like, I...I understood, a little...but...what I heard from them...it sounded so wonderful...I was always wishing that I could know what it was like, but...I never felt like I wanted that from anyone who usually came to see me...they were...scary. Unpleasant. But...you're different. You...you feel good. You make me feel safe, and happy..."

Now it was Galan's turn to be flushing. This was the last thing he would have expected from what seemed like such a gentle and innocent soul when he first saw him...but even innocent souls were hardly immune to the natural desires of all living creatures. And if what Draz was saying was true, the Riolu was in that period of his life when those desires tended to run most rampant. And having been denied any real sort of happiness for so long, it seemed almost wrong to refuse what was truly not a difficult request to grant...

"Roji...if you truly want this, I will give it to you."

Roji bowed his head shyly, but nodded. "I...I do, sir Galan. Please...show me what it was that I wanted..."

With a nod of his own, Galan rose out of the water, lifting the Riolu with him. Something else was rising as well, but he put that out of his mind for the moment, not wanting to rush into anything. Roji was still delicate to him, after all, and needed to be treated gently, eased into it all...he would have never forgiven himself if he had made something that was supposed to bring such pleasure a disastrous experience for the fragile creature. Slowly he brought himself and Roji down to the grass, holding him gently as they got onto their knees. "You can tell me at any time if anything I do makes you feel uncomfortable, or if you would prefer to stop it for any reason at all. This is for your pleasure, after all."

Roji nodded, quivering a bit in Galan's arm. He looked a bit nervous, but also eager, and his shaft was certainly not flagging in the slightest in the face of actual activity. It was here that Galan targeted first, bringing his hand down and lightly stroking the Riolu's member, making him gasp and moan out quite loud already. It was clear he was sensitive, he had almost certainly never known another's touch there even accidentally, this would be much different from his own. Galan could remember his own experience on that front...it had been a while before he had allowed another to touch him like that, and it had blown his mind very quickly. With any luck, he could inspire the same response in Roji...

The Riolu was certainly succumbing very completely to the pleasure by his estimation, almost melting into his body as his shaft was pleasured by Galan's paw. He was keeping a varied performance, sometimes gripping and stroking more tightly and sometimes letting his fingers loosen and dance around, rubbing around his sheath and over the pointed tip. Wetness was not an issue, as the young Riolu was producing plenty of fluid - thankfully, these fluids did not appear to be hardening in any way, which might have made for some tricky issues. As it leaked, he spread it around, making his touch a little less rough and a little lighter for Roji, easier on his inexperienced flesh.

He was having to adjust a lot for the Riolu's squirming; Roji was gasping and mewling as if Galan was doing a whole lot more than basic manual stimulation, he was clearly VERY sensitive. He was pushing himself a bit into that paw, trying to push his knot into the MoonRoc's grip while also trying to rub himself back into Galan's fur, grinding against him as his chest heaved up and down. It was certainly helping to fuel Galan's own arousal, especially when he felt that fur brush against his shaft here and here, making him slightly seize up every time. Perhaps Roji was ready for something a bit more vigorous...but before he could get there, the younger male let out a gasp and began to spurt, a healthy load of fresh seed splashing onto the grass in front of them. Quickly Galan wrapped his hand around Roji's shaft and slowly pumped it, helping the emissions along and ensuring the pleasure high lasted longer, the writhing Riolu appearing to be completely lost in bliss.

There was only so much longer he could prolong it, and soon Roji was slumped against him, panting, moaning contentedly as his euphoric state faded away. Galan's hand was a bit of a mess with his seed, the fruits of his labor, and he pulled it away and wiped it in the grass a bit. He didn't rush Roji, letting the Riolu recover against him, stroking his fur gently, almost protectively. Perhaps that would be enough...but he rather suspected that Rojiani would want more.

And indeed, after a few minutes the Riolu stirred again, looking up at Galan with stars in his eyes. "Sir Galan, that was...wonderful...but...there was something else..."

"I can guess what it was. If you wish it, I shall show you...but I'll need to prepare you first. It can be...somewhat less than enjoyable if done wrong." Galan looked around a bit, and then shifted a bit away from the mess they had made while still staying on soft, grassy earth. "Why don't you lean forward, so that I can do that for you?"

Roji nodded and slowly leaned forward as Galan's arm removed itself from around him. Now on his hands and knees, he felt rather vulnerable again...but he was sure he was safe, with Galan and Draz around to protect him, so it didn't make him nervous like it might have with others. He wasn't sure what was going to happen, didn't know what to expect...but it certainly wasn't to feel a wet, slightly rough tongue around his tailhole. He gasped out as his pucker was licked for the first time, the entrance twitching and spasming under the novel sensation. Galan's hands were holding to his thighs, thankfully keeping him steadier than his own limbs were, allowing him to revel in the pleasurable contact. The MoonRoc's tongue had just this light roughness to it that his paws did, just the right amount of friction to add to the touch rather than overpower it. It felt like a little bit of heaven to him...

Heaven was interrupted momentarily, however, as the tawny fur of Draz suddenly filled his vision. As well as something much less tawny and furry...the SunRoc's own arousal was projected in front of him, bright red and dripping with stony-scented fluid. Roji was confused for a moment, until Draz got on his haunches and rubbed his head. "Hands are not the only things that feel good on his part of one's body. What you're feeling now, also works quite well here..."

"Draz!" Galan snapped, interrupting his treatment to glower at his brother. "He is not one of your consorts! You can't just demand he do such things!"

"Heavens, I demand nothing. I'm merely showing him other means of pleasure. I certainly wouldn't FORCE him to do anything he didn't wish to try."

Before Galan could speak up again, Roji managed to squeak out, "I-it's okay, sir Galan..." To drive that home, he leaned forward and carefully licked a bit at the SunRoc's shaft, his tongue glancing along the undersurface. The strong taste hit him, salty and with a stony-tasting quality, and something else deeper and thicker that he didn't really know what to call it, but it had an oddly attractive quality to it...he licked again, a little less hesitantly but not completely without reservation, still not sure what to make of it all.

Galan glowered at Draz...his brother always had a tendency to be more forward about these things, but right now it appeared that he was just taking advantage of the moment to get his own pleasure. He'd have a talk with him about that later, but for now he redoubled his efforts at the Riolu's rear, his tongue lapping more vigorously at that tight bud and slightly pushing in here and there, helping to prepare him for what was coming as well as providing its own brand of pleasure to Roji. He might not be able to hide Rojiani from Draz's attentions but he was going to make sure the Riolu got everything out of it that Galan could give him.

There was no question that Roji was lost in a world of pleasure - his body was pushing into both elder canines, trying to get more of Galan's tongue while giving attention to Draz's shaft. He wasn't doing anything more than licking - he wasn't quite sure he was ready to do anything more than that, not so quickly - but giving his other rescuer pleasure as well felt perfectly right to him. And Draz wasn't pushing him into anything more, he seemed plenty content with letting Roji go at his own rate, despite the slight leaking of his shaft suggesting a neediness that wasn't being shown. The pleasant and powerful scent and taste were rather appealing to him, even if odd and unfamiliar they triggered something in his body and mind, something desirable...that plus the constant lapping at and in his tailhole was making him moan, making his heart race, making his own member return to life and swell back up again. Only days ago he could never have imagined feeling the touch of another like this, was certain that it would be an experience eternally denied to him, much as he believed his own freedom was...how wonderful that he had been so wrong about that.

Finally, Galan pulled his tongue away from the youth's rear, stroking his hip gently as he moaned in disappointment at the sudden lack of stimulation. "I think you're as ready as I'm going to be able to make you here...how about you sit back against me, that should help make sure nothing goes faster than you're ready to take it."

Nodding, Roji rose up a bit, pulling away from Draz and shifting back upright as he leaned back into Galan. The flush in his cheeks rose up more when he caught sight of Galan's heretofore-neglected cock, a deep red spire darker than his fur, the equal of his brother's in size, with its bulbous knot starting to swell at the base. That part was a bit of an unknown to Roji, he had his own but neither the guard nor those he had seen the guard with bore any such thing, so he didn't really know what it brought itself...it looked so big, but so did the rest of Galan's spire, and he was certain his rescuer wouldn't suggest this if it was going to hurt.

Gently he leaned back as Galan rose up a bit, gently pressing the tip of his tool against the Riolu's inexperienced pucker. "It will be unusual at first...but I promise you it will feel better shortly. I will do my best to make it as short as possible." Getting only a nod from the breathless young man in his arms, Galan decided that would have to suffice, and pushed in gently, almost like he was afraid of breaking a fragile object. Roji's body opened to him a bit more readily than he would have expected, but he still felt the pressure enveloping his cock and the soft cry from Roji that told him that he was feeling it...Galan made sure to take it slowly, working him open rather than breaking him open, trying to ensure that he didn't cause too much discomfort and let Roji adjust. His was not the ideal introduction perhaps, with a naturally rougher surface that often proved harsher to contact than that of other types, but there was hardly any point in seeking an alternative.

With all his focus on Roji, he had rather lost track of Draz, until he almost jumped at the sensation of a tongue around the lower, still-exposed part of his cock. Looking down, he could see his brother's furry back in front of him, with his head clearly down between Roji's legs. "Unf...brother, you are...incorrigible..."

Draz chuckled as he gave another lick, catching his brother's dick as well as part of Roji's pucker and taint. "You tease me so and yet believe it fair to leave me to languish on my own? Not happening, Galan. Besides, I know how wondrous you find my tongue, would you deny him the same pleasure?"

Even if Galan had decided to drop everything to try to dissuade Draz, it would likely have amounted to nothing anyway. So he focused on continuing to introduce Roji to his staff, slowly pushing deeper inside as he worked the Riolu's rear into a more relaxed state. The initial discomfort had seemed to mostly escape Roji's moans, though there were quite hints on occasion as the MoonRoc pushed deeper, which he minded and slowed for. All the while, Draz's tongue was working both of them, making him throb a bit more and Roji clench down at times, eliciting an occasional dollop of pre from the tip of his shaft to spread around those tight insides, slightly easing the passage despite the graininess of the fluid. With patience and persistence, the endpoint was reached, and Roji's star pressed against that thick knot finally; he seemed to recognize that as the point of success, as Galan felt him relax and loosen in his arms, letting out a strained breath and moan.

"Are you feeling all right, Roji?"

"Oh...s-sir Galan...it feels...so good...it's hot, inside, but it feels so nice...to be...on you."

Galan nodded, feeling a bit of relief. "Good...there is more to come, though. It should be easier to adjust to, though..." Slowly, Galan pulled himself back out of Roji, extracting himself partway under the relentless assault of Draz's tongue before pushing back in, faster but still in a controlled fashion, keeping himself from overdoing it before Roji was ready for more. The motion was certainly having an effect, Roji was pushing back into him, back arching as he moaned out his pleasure to the sky, his own shaft shooting a bit of pre out onto Draz's fur. Galan still held tight to him, making sure things didn't get too chaotic...still, the feeling of Roji clenching around him was certainly making him feel much more animated, his heart pounding in his chest. Something about Roji was so alluring, so compelling, igniting feelings that he didn't usually have, especially with those he had so recently met...

Galan's pace built up slowly, but noticeably, instead of just pressing against Roji his knot was starting to bump, the specter of impact rising inevitably as Galan's passions bubbled and Roji's tolerance for the energy of it became greater. Things got a bit too chaotic for Draz to keep his activity up down there, he had to abandon lavish attention on his brother's knot to rile him up as the movement became a bit too rapid...but he had another prime target, and rose up a bit to start giving Roji's cock and balls a thorough tongue bath. He was as energetic and adventurous as Roji had been timid and reserved, his tongue slurping out and lashing over every bit of the Riolu's shaft as well as his sheath and sack below, leaving no part of him unattended. It was adding to the volume and pitch of Roji's cries as he was getting a double-ended pleasure that was clearly far more than he could have been ready for...the SunRoc grinned as he kept it up, wanting to make sure that the first true experience Roji had was a mind-blowing one.

In time it became clear to Galan that he wasn't going to last much longer - the teasing he'd gotten, the rubbing Roji had given him during the earlier parts of the session, and his lack of recent experience were all pushing him much faster to his limits than he would have liked. Still, Roji's pleasure was a lot more important, and he was encouraged to see and hear the bliss the Riolu was displaying. Interrupting it with an important question seemed sacriligeous, but necessary. "Roji...I'm...going to be done, soon. There is...one part of me that is meant to enter only at the end...but it will be...much more intense, and cannot be...done gently. Do you...do you wish to try it, or not?"

"Ah..." He could hear the uncertainty in Roji's voice, hardly something Galan could blame him for. He slowed himself a bit to try and give Roji a bit of time to process everything and think more clearly, though Draz was probably making hash of that with his own work...it was something of a surprise when he heard the Riolu finally managed to get out, "S-sir Galan...please...I want to feel it..."

He would have asked if Roji was sure, but his body wasn't feeling like letting him waste any more time on pleasantries when there was rutting going on. "Okay...I'll try to...make it as easy as I can..." he managed to grunt out before starting up on a much more active pace, thumping into Roji with significantly more vigor and intensity than before. He heard the Riolu crying out a bit louder, though it didn't sound like it was distraught at all...he was handling it better than Galan would have expected, but the end still had a good chance of being too much for him. There was only one way they were going to find out now, though, as the MoonRoc's knot started to pound forcefully at that entry, trying to pressure it into relenting for him. And then Draz got in on the act, his hands snaking around Roji's hips to clench at his supple rear, slowly drawing him further apart to make it easier for Galan to enter, while at the same time diving down on Roji's cock and taking it to the root, sucking and swallowing to give it a ride like it had never had before.

With both elder canines working together, Roji's first knotting came quite quickly, Galan's bulb pushing and breaking through the stretched and opened hole, the precum and Draz's saliva making it a little more lubricated on entry and letting it pop in. For a brief moment it was too much for Roji, his cry strained and tense - and then, in the next instant as his hole closed around it, changed to a heavenly dulcet as he hit his second climax, releasing into Draz's maw a liberal helping of his youthful virility. Behind him, Galan let out his own call into the trees as his orgasm hit moments after, the knotting proving more than effective at getting him to the pinnacle. His own ample load was well contained by his knot, constrained to flush deeper into Roji's body and fill him with quite effectively. He could feel Roji squirming around him at all the new sensations, his breaths coming quick and short, releasing light mewls with every one throughout the duration of his release.

Roji's peak felt like it went on longer than even Galan's did, that settling coming sooner to the MoonRoc as he felt the shots weaken and start to fade after a good bit of time, though his knot persisted inside the Riolu. But that youthful vigor led to a much more rapid fall after it ended...one moment Roji was squirming and writhing around, and the next he was slumping against Galan, all the energy he had evaporating until he was little more than a lump of passive Riolu in the elder's arms. Gently, Galan laid down with him, making sure to keep his knot from tugging and potentially causing Roji distress. It wasn't terribly surprising, they'd been walking all day long, and this had been a lot for him...of course he would be worn out, but at least they had brought him a good flood of pleasure before then.

And then he heard Draz clear his throat above him. "I think one of us has been left out of the fun to a degree..."

Galan rolled his eyes. "This wasn't about you, Draz."

"I know it wasn't, but you still got your relief. And I'm certainly not going to disturb our young guest in pursuit of my own."

"Oh, for crying out loud...fine. Just don't bother Roji while you're doing it." Galan lifted a leg, exposing his own rear for his brother. Draz could be pushy sometimes, and he wasn't in the mood to argue or the position to stop him anyway...at least he doubted the SunRoc would take too long, given how long he'd been stiff already. Not that he necessarily minded that attention all the time, Draz knew how to work him better than anyone, but after just having unloaded, he wasn't going to be getting much out of this. Fair was fair, though...

Draz took a hold of Galan's leg and lined up at that exposed tailhole, and then in an instant buried himself in to the hilt. Galan grunted, but he was far from unfamiliar with this and could handle anything Draz was bound to give him...his brother wasn't one to shy away from going hard and fast and it was damnably amazing every time, something Galan wouldn't have gotten with anyone else. With his knot still nice and thick inside Roji, the pleasure from it was mingled with a bit of discomfort as it tried to stimulate parts that weren't ready for it, but he endured it with naught but a few grunts and grumbles.

Draz was feeling a very different ache, the good kind that came when his cock finally got the attention it needed and was claiming a nice, tight hole. "Ooh...been too long, brother...you always have the best rear for me..."

"Rrf. Like my patience, you've eroded it to suit your whims perfectly."

"Such a huffy front you put up. You can admit how much you love it in front of the pup, he probably won't even pick it up, looks like he's out like a light."

"Ass." Still, Galan couldn't deny that there was a nice burn in there that felt good even if his cock wasn't getting much out of it. Draz was popular in this regard, and Galan had plenty of experience with just how effective he could be, he knew where to go and how to go to give his partners the most he could. It almost made him wish he'd had Draz do this before he'd knotted Roji...no help for it at that point, though.

Thankfully, Draz didn't prolong it, thumping in in almost a frenzy after just a couple minutes and soon sinking his own knot into Galan. He kept his moan of pleasure down for Roji's sake as his released his own pent-up dose of dogseed into his kin, Galan giving the quietest of croons himself at the wet sensation under his tail. Familiar, but never old, it felt so good to be flushed out and flooded full...he'd spent many a night like this in Draz's arms, and sometimes been on the other end of it as well. Whoever else he had to deal with, whatever other people he could or couldn't trust, this was the one where there were no questions, only comforts.

Draz wasn't going anywhere any time soon either, but fortunately Galan was feeling the weariness from the day catch up with him as well, and hardly minded when his brother turned to lay behind him, arms wrapping around him and all the way to Roji. "Not the location I'm used to, but it feels good anywhere, does it not?"

"Mmf. I suppose you're right..."

"As I often am, brother. But I concede to you on our most recent decision. It was the right choice to free him...his life is certainly worth more than coins and jewels."

"Glad you approve." Galan had had no doubt, of course, but it was good to hear that Draz could see the wisdom in the aftermath. Hopefully no pursuit would find them while they were caught up like this...but the forest remained entirely peaceful as he drifted off into slumber.