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How Cowboys Relax

Chapter 1: A Cowboy and his Mare

Therris kept his form loose but upright as he rode his mare Oceras through the Sosemman frontier, sun setting in the distance to blanket the land in a soft orange glow. He had only been in the region for a few seasons but was already falling in love with the natural beauty that could be seen everywhere he looked, a beauty unlike anywhere else. The Kirin had spent many years travelling the globe but had never found a place to settle down, and yet his plan was to make this his new home.

The Kirin kept his posture pristine so he looked good, even if nobody was watching. The pink bodied, purple scaled, cyan accented, and pearly-white haired kirin loved to be the most gorgeous traveller in the land, and there was nothing better than the warm glow of a sunset to highlight that.

He and his steed were trotting along the banks of the Cauder river, heading upstream to go from Port Sanri to Rhybute Pass. As far as he knew, those were the largest settlements in the region with Port Sanri being the landing point of the settlers first invited to the continent and Rhybute Pass being the trade hub that connected the two nations on either side of the Rhybute Mountains. His goal was to find work in the valley that housed Rhybute Pass, because if the rumours about a vein of ademane crystal were true then there would be a lot more coin flowing through there than there already was.

That spelled opportunity, and while Therris loved being a drifter some stability would be nice.

The nations of Bloche, Itanobel, and Sosemma - as a southern extension of Nosemma established once the natives invited the agens of Ovariof to their land - were largely untouched by modern civilization since the natives - the dozen tribes of Itanobel - had preserved it with intent to keep it pure. While the dozen tribes weren't allies, they all agreed that the most important thing to their mutual survival was to keep and care for the land, to take as little as possible, and to not leave too big a paw print on history. A poetic ideal, one that Therris agreed with, but it appeared that such an outlook had largely left the tribes vulnerable to sickness far beyond that of the agens of Ovariof.

Less than a decade prior to Therris trekking down the Cauder river, a plague had struck all twelve of the tribes in unison, hitting hard and hitting fast enough that more than half of their population had dwindled before the following summer. One year after that, almost three quarters had perished in the wake of what came to be known the razing scourge. It was then that the elders of each of the dozen tribes convened at Val-Verrex to discuss the matter and unanimously agreed it was time to welcome the agens from Ovariof to their land.

Up to that point, there was a respectful truth between the tribes of Itanobel and Bloche as well as the agens of Saff'Rald, and Kerolioa, Kaidu, and Nosemma - then known only as Osemma before the north and south split. The agreement between the natives and the immigrants was that the land was owned by the natives, the immigrants were allowed to visit and erect a single port town for purposes of trade, but nothing more. The natives of Itanobel wanted nothing to do with the sprawling cities and technological advances that they felt brought pain and strife - even more than the petty squabbles between them - but had no problem with the presence of the agens of Ovariof.

To them, the thing that mattered most was that the land was cared for and never sullied by industry or war. They lived a natural life and liked it that way. That worked, but once the razing scourge impacted them so fully, they needed help. The remaining quarter of the population was as strong as ever with a new found appreciation for life and an immunity to the plague that had killed so many, but it gave them a new perspective.

As far as they were concerned, the health of the land was still paramount but it may have been a good idea to invite modern medicine into their lives. Spells, potions, and herbal remedies had lasted them for generations and would continue to be a cornerstone of their culture, but the pharmaceutical edge pioneered at NoThEn Labs and various other locations around the world could have given them what they needed to combat the sickness that ailed them.

Sure, they would never fully change their culture to something completely foreign, but it may have been time to open their shores and their hearts to the outside world. While they were happy to welcome immigrants to their land, there remained only two major settlements in the newly established nation of Sosmma: Port Sanri and Rhybute Pass. That was all they needed. Aside from the trade routes that connected those two locations, the land remained largely untouched.

And skies above was it beautiful. There was nothing quite like the pale orange sunlight that cast itself across the land, a pink and blue sky above giving way to the dark of night as the trees and rivers and cliffs painted a tableau in all directions. Therris couldn't help but gawk to the point he nearly guided Oceras into the river he'd been trekking alongside. Luckily, his mare was smart enough to not let his wandering gaze dictate her direction.

Therris was certain his steed was smarter than other horses. She exhibited behaviour far more advanced than most equines and the hippogryph that sold her to him the prior summer had hinted that there was more than meets the eye to her, but Therris hadn't paid him much attention beyond the transaction that happened that day. Since then, Oceras had rescued him, exhibited acts of trickery, and displayed emotions far more expressive than horses were expected to.

He had a very good reason for bonding with her; she wasn't just his steed but his companion. They shared a much greater connection than most riders and their mounts.

"Whoa, girl." He said, lightly tugging on the horn of his saddle. He learned within weeks of purchasing her that she didn't need a bridle when riding out in the wild, she just obeyed commands with the intelligence of a dog or wolf companion. "Sun's gettin' real low, might be about time to set up camp before we make the ascent to Rhybute." He knew he was mostly speaking to himself, but deep down inside he felt she understood him and that made every journey he shared with her all the more special.

She did as commanded and not only halted her trot but leapt up the bank of the river to end up in a clearing that had a doused firepit and looked like it had been used to set up camp in the past. She was very perceptive and Therris was not the only one to travel this way. He patted her on the neck and hopped off her saddle to land next to her. She shook her head to make her golden-tipped mane flail about while grunting at him.

"Well, no need to get an attitude with me, Oceras. I wanted to stop back at the bend but you were givin' me that look like there was wolves huntin' us. Well, if they were, we'd still be in their territory, so pthpbth." He stuck his tongue out at her and sidled down her flank towards her haunches, where he reached into her saddlebags and pulled out a few key items to sleep for the night. Mostly just a blanket, a hammock, and some gems to start a fire. The woods around him had plenty of leaves and twigs and branches for tinder.

While there, so close to her backside, she lifted her tail and squatted down a bit. He thought she was going to relieve herself but nothing happened so he quickly realized what was going on. His eyes narrowed and his horn started gently glowing blue, an indication he was feeling a stir of emotions within him. "Didn't I just take care of you after we left Port Sanri?" He chuckled at her, lightly patting her rump with the palm of his hand and walking his fingertips towards the base of her tail.

She glanced back and tossed her mane again, lifting her tail in the process while subtly winking her thick vulva and clit at him. This was by no means an uncommon or out-of-character act for her, so it wasn't surprising to Therris even if he wasn't thinking about that sort of thing at the time. She was in heat and would still be for a few days; the mare had no qualms about letting her rider know and he had no problems indulging her if that's what it took to keep her by his side.

After a few seconds of teasing that were left untended, Oceras tossed her head again and stomped her hind foot, the motion tensing up her haunches beneath Therris's touch. She shifted and flicked her tail, swiping it from side to side while hoofing at the ground. She grunted and pumped her tail in between the swipes, each one accompanied by a wink of her clit that trickled bits of her natural fluids down her inner thighs.

Therris couldn't hide his feelings - the gentle glow of his horn told her all she needed to know - but he wasn't prepared to tend to her yet. "You're such a drama queen." He teased, then slipped his fingers up under her tail to see how she reacted. Almost instantly, the mare stopped her agitated motions and lowered her head with her tail hiked up and hinds legs spaced for stability. She was soaking wet, so much so that he barely needed to apply any pressure while sliding a fingertip between her cheeks to have it slip into her.

Therris heard a juicy, wet sound coming from under her tail but couldn't be certain it was her; it might have been the light babbling of the river running by him. She'd completely paused, however, and was no longer causing a commotion so he felt he had no choice but to caress her silken walls with a couple of fingers and gently squeeze her clit just once before pulling his hand out from under her tail and giving her a light pat. She remained frozen as if she was expecting him to continue, but he didn't.

Instead, he reached over her haunches to pull her saddlebags off then laid it over a nearby fallen log. She had been sweating pretty badly so a powerful equine aroma wafted up from her flanks within seconds of him peeling her bags off her and it only got worse once he did the same to the saddle and the pad that was between it and her back.

It was about here that she realized he wasn't going to be continuing to give her the attention she needed under the tail, so she wrenched her neck and lipped his arm, biting down on the tuft of peach fur on his elbow. When she tugged, it was enough to make him stumble off balance and end up with his cheek pressed against her golden-feathered shoulder.

"Ooomph! Hey!" He griped, then bit down on a mouthful of feathers and mane where the two met. "I'll teach you to bite me! And for that, no cock for you!" He then pulled away, slipped under her chin, and hopped over a log to kick some debris into a pile before clacking two gems together and tossing the one that started glowing orange into the pile. Within seconds, a flame had burst through the kindle and had illuminated the clearing with an equally intense orange glow.

Oceras wasn't shocked by this sudden eruption of flame, she had been travelling with Therris since the prior summer and had experienced it every night that they weren't stabled. In fact, she was so unfazed by it that she hopped over the log to be with him closer to the flame, not even caring that she nearly tripped when she clacked her hooves off the bark of it. The mare just sauntered over and started headbutting him with the side of her face to get his attention before turning and lifting her tail. She repeated this three times without Therris making a move towards her.

No, he was too busy setting up camp the whole time. He arranged the saddle on the log, draped the padding over a branch up above the flames to let the heat and smoke remove the scent of horse sweat, and then struggled to find two trees close enough to one another and the bonfire to hang his hammock. The drake was a roving wanderer, but he wasn't fond of sleeping in the dirt if he could avoid it. Nothing worse than twigs and bugs and leaves in his flowing, luxurious locks.

He may have been dedicated to setting up camp but Oceras wouldn't leave him alone. She kept pacing around the fire as it crackled and danced in the clearing, embers landing on her flank and light dancing across both of them while she nipped his elbows and wrapped her chin around his chest from behind. In response, he caressed her snout and kissed her on the cheek before turning around.

"Alright, fine. Now that I'm done setting up, I'm all yours, okay? Don't get your bridle knotted." He then leaned into her and swayed his tail, kissing her on the cheek while cradling her chin. "Come on girl. I'll take care of you."

The mare tossed her mane while he slid down her flank between her and the bonfire, his tail coming dangerously close to the flames. When he got to her hindquarters he kept a keen eye on hers while sliding his hand up her plot to brush her tail to the side. She saw and felt what he was doing and responded accordingly by flagging and squatting with a widened stance. She shuddered once in anticipation before lowering her head and letting her mane obstruct her gaze.

Therris laughed to himself and tugged on her rump cheek, parting her lips in the process as he sidestepped by her until he was behind her. He'd been in this position many times before so he knew she wasn't gonna get spooked and kick him. Well, as long as no wolves came howlin' or looking for a meal. Luckily he knew the fire would keep predators at bay, even the bigger ones like bears.

When he let go of her rump cheek and let her lips seal shut, a juicy splat could be heard while a light sputter of her fluids soaked his digits. She was so eager that she was practically drooling natural lubricant over his hand and onto his wrists, so he licked it up and revelled in the flavour, rolling it around in his mouth before positioning himself behind her and licking his lips.

Oceras was a big girl compared to most horses. Her haunches were tall enough that Therris - an above-average height kirin - barely reached her rump and pussy lips even when standing up straight. Of course, this didn't stop him from brushing her tail to the side and leaning in to kiss her there, lips to lips and tongue probing her depths as he did so.

His attention coaxed a full-bodied shudder down her spine resulting in a widening of her stance, a wink of her clit, and a gentle spurting of her fluids onto his chin and neck. The smell that washed over him coupled with the sweet tanginess of her flesh made his loins swell to the point it was uncomfortable, so he unzipped his pants and let his growing member flop out as a gooey strand of precum splashed against her fetlocks.

Before he had time to contemplate the mess he'd left, he brought both hands back up to her haunches and buried his snout under her tail once more. There, he passionately made out with her depths, tongue probing into her and lips plucking hers in between gentle pinches and sucking on her clit to tease her more. As a result, she grunted and lightly shifted in place, grinding her hips against his face and making all sorts of guttural, fleshy sounds from deep within her only broken up periodically by the flagging and pumping of her tail.

She was having a great time and continued to do so until Therris heard the faintest hint of a howl in the distance. Suddenly alert, he pulled his face out from under her tail and licked his lips, ears flicking and twitching to find out where the sound was coming from, which direction.

Oceras didn't let this distraction last long. Mere seconds later she grunted, tossed her head, and stomped her hoof next to his foot to tell him to get back to work, tail flicking him in the face while she glanced back at him. Though she lacked the facial expressions that agens possessed, Therris swore she was smiling deviously at her.

So he got right back to work, hands caressing her haunches and muzzle pressed tight against her soaked pussy lips and drooling clit. She was smothered in a combination of his saliva and her own natural fluids, the two combining to make her so slick he felt he could have lost his muzzle in her.

While Therris may have been the consummate gentleman - always putting her pleasure first - the sweetly pungent aroma she emitted was driving him wild and he knew he wouldn't be able to hold off for too long. Oftentimes he'd use his arm as a stallion supplement, but not tonight. No, she deserved the real thing and all he needed to do was find a position to make it happen.

"Hey, come on." He urged her, patting her haunches and giving a gentle shove in between licks and sucks and nibbles and pecks. He was trying to guide her closer to the log that was resting against a nearby tree, because that's the only way he'd get enough leverage to take care of her in the way he desired. Luckily for him, she was quite receptive to his suggestions and did shuffle sideways and turn ever so gently to lean back into the log, plot hovering over it at the right height.

He hopped up and gave her rump a gentle smack - something he originally did playfully but over time had learned that she liked it and it got her excited - while grabbing his cock with his free hand to slip it up under her tail. She flagged, arching her back and pushing back while widening her stance and squirting down his shaft, gaze trained on him with that uncanny eye-smile of hers.

Therris then wrenched her tail up, grabbing it by the base and hoisting it to the side while using his other hand to guide his cock up between her cheeks. His member - which resembled a stallion's in form and texture but came from a slit between his legs and lacked a sheath or balls - was at full mast, its mauve and royal purple colours highlighted by the dancing reflection of the fire distorted by the natural lubricants that coated it. He was soaked, slimy, and ready; luckily, she was equally eager and produced just as much lubricant as he did, so when he leaned into her his length disappeared between her lips until his hips were pressed to hers.

He grunted and let go of his shaft, pressing his palms against her haunches as he leaned into her, the throbbing blue glow of his horn mixing with the dancing of the embers to illuminate the clearing. The kirin rested all of his weight on her as he started grinding his hips, length pumping in and out with shallow, passionate motions while relishing the warmth and slickness of her flesh squeezing him tight. Despite her being a larger mare, she hugged him tighter than anyone he'd ever paired with in his journeys, her silken walls somehow stroking him without having to move.

Her muscles were clenching and squeezing in waves from her clit and lips all the way to her deepest depths, tugging him while she spurted her feminine ejaculate down his inner thighs and onto his trousers, soaking him with her warmth and marking him with her aroma.

Not only did he not mind, but the tickle of the fluids running down his shaft and mixing with the fluids of his slit coupled with the sweetness of her essence wafting up to his nostrils helped to coax a quick and powerful wave of pleasure out of him. He barely managed a dozen erratic half-thrusts before he found himself unable to hold back any longer, her tight walls resisting his every motion.

He grunted, biting his lower lip and digging his fingers into her haunches while every muscle in his body tensed up at once. His cock throbbed and his flare exploded inside her followed almost immediately by a blast of his essence deep within her. He could feel his seed filling her, threatening to flood her womb only to reflect and splash back against his flare, the pressure building until some if it seeped down his shaft between his flesh and hers. Eventually, after a few more pumps, his essence seeped out over her clit, soaking her in white before dripping down between them and onto the log.

Therris considered pulling out to let his mess fertilize the ground but instead collapsed on her back, tail up and legs spread with his semi-hard member still pumping bits of his essence into her depths. He caressed her shoulders from there, tickling her flank and walking his hands back to her haunches before gathering all the strength he possessed to stand back up straight.

His member had softened, the equine part of him keeping his session short but fun. Before long, the muscles in his loins had tugged his member out of her and back up into his slit, its length folding up and head curling in upon itself before finally disappearing and leaving a milky, creamy mess lining his crotch. She was just as much of a mess as he was, so he leapt down off the log and patted her haunches to get her to shift to the side again.

There, he used his free hand to zip up his trousers while his other hand kept her tail out of the way as he buried his snout between her cheeks once more, his tongue lapping at her lips and probing her to clean her the best he could.

He was a gentleman, after all. He didn't give up on her until he could find no more of his mess on her lips, on her pert little donut-shaped pucker, or between her rump cheeks. His tongue made short work of her, even though he was certain she didn't get it all; part of him knew she wanted to keep some of him inside her by clenching her muscles enough that it forced the deepest seed into her womb.

Therris and Oceras weren't compatible even if they shared a common ancestor in their equine heritage, but it always made him happy to see she shared that passion for him. As much as he wanted to stay there, comfortably nuzzling her cheeks while under her tail, it was getting late and he needed sleep and food. Without much in terms of transition, he tapped her at the base of the tail to tell her their tryst had come to completion, then he stepped past her to grab some jerky out of the saddlebags that were draped over the log. On the way, he nuzzled her and pressed his cheek to hers.

She nickered and lipped his shoulder, giving him a hug between her chest and chin before letting him go. Once they parted ways, he crawled up into his hammock and she stood guard next to him, head drooped over his body to protect her rider while he ate his meal.

Before falling asleep, Therris reached out with his arm, caressing her cheek once more to say goodnight. When he finally passed, his palm was outstretched and resting on her shoulder to ensure they didn't break contact.

In the distance, a wolf howled. Therris knew they weren't a threat. Between the fire and Oceras standing guard, no wild animals would come near. The only beast in his heart was his mare. And with that pleasant knowledge in his mind, he smiled and let sleep overtake him.

Chapter 2: Arrival at Rhybute Pass

The following morning, Therris woke to see that Oceras was still standing over him, eyes closed and sleeping but there to protect him overnight. He gently reached out to caress her cheek, waking her in the process before rolling out of the hammock and stretching in preparation for the day.

His mare sauntered out from around the trees to stand near the glowing embers of the fire pit next to Therris, batting his side with her snout for attention while using her hoofs to kick dirt towards the pit, extinguishing it. She had done this a few times and had picked up on Therris's morning routine by this point. Her knowledge of his patterns guided her to the log where her saddle and bags were resting, waiting for her. It was only a matter of time before he wrapped up and was ready to go.

As expected, he removed the hammock from the trees, put all everything in the bags, kicked dirt onto the other side of the fire pit to ensure no smoke billowed up from the embers, grabbed an apple out of the saddle bag, and quickly equipped her once more without saying so much as a single word. He had packed up everything in on their campsite within minutes. Once her saddle was draped over her back, he hopped up and pointed towards the treeline closest to the pathway and she obeyed. Oceras kicked at the dirt, leapt over the log, and zig-zagged through the trees until she made it to the barren pathway marked by a lack of trees or grass.

However, once there, they were apprehended by a two-toned canine gentleman riding on a ulokar mount. He wore a large hat, white leather chaps over black denim pants, and a thick vest open at the front to reveal a series of scars across his chest. He was brandishing a rifle in one hand, ready to use it if needed. Once Oceras and Therris burst onto the path, both Therris and the canine stopped dead.

Under most circumstances Therris would have grabbed his gun and aimed it at the traveller, just to make sure this canine didn't get the better of him in a duel. However, he kept it in his holster because he quickly saw that this gentleman had a star badge with the word 'marshal' on it with his name, Var'Rex, underneath that. Even at a distance of five meters, Therris's eyes could see that sort of detail and that had saved him from escalating the situation.

"Whoa." Var'Rex said to his ulokar mount. He then lowered his rifle and looked to Therris. "You'd best be careful bursting onto the path like that. I almost shot ya."

"Sorry about that." Therris apologized, tipping his hat to the marshal. "I'll be on my way."

Va'Rex spurred his ulokar forward. "Before you go, can I ask you for a small favour?" He reached into his saddlebags and pulled out a folded sheet of paper. Upon unfolding it was revealed to be a wanted poster for a horned feline named Vraska with bright blue and green striped fur and a thick lion-like mane tied up on either side of his face. "Have you seen this jysar?"

Therris took the wanted poster and looked it over, reading that he was wanted for the murder of a family, theft of a train car's worth of goods, the razing of a portion of forest near Port Sanri, and other minor infractions. Four hundred gold coins for him and one hundred gold coins for any of his gang members. He looked familiar to Therris. "I have, but not recently. Saw him and a few kobolds in Port Sanri a month or so back. Haven't seen him near Rhybute Pass."

"A shame. He and his gang were reported to have also jacked a caravan of potion supplies coming to Rhybute and we have reason to believe his next attack will be at or near the Pass. If you are heading there and hear anything or see anything, report to Chief Storm of the Rhybute Pass Sheriff's department. It's paramount we catch this bastard before he does more damage." Var'Rex was being very serious, dire even. He was not messing around.

So Therris nodded. "If I see him or hear from him I will. But it says here the bounty's four hundred gold, could I bring him in myself?" He folded up the wanted poster and gave it back to Var.

The marshal shrugged. "You could, but he's very dangerous, shoots without warning, and has at least a dozen gang members backing him up. You've not got a chance unless you ambush him." He shook his head to refresh himself. "Just don't get yourself killed, mate. We've got professionals on his trail. You be careful on the road to Rhybute, I might see you there." He then tipped his hat and spurred his ulokar to burst up the path towards Rhybute Pass, leaving Therris and Oceras behind.

"You get a good look at the wanted poster?" Therris joked, patting Oceras on the neck. She shook her head and nickered at him as if she understood then immediately started trotting up the path.

From there, the two of them casually made their way through the winding path that followed the river towards Rhybute Pass. This trek kept them busy for most of the morning, with them only stopping briefly so that Therris could enjoy some tea and breakfast once they hit the treeline and emerged into the open wilderness. From there, the rest of their trip would be quite taxing for Oceras, since pretty much everything from that point to the Pass was uphill.

From the edge of the forest, while he sipped his tea, Therris surveyed the land and the path ahead of him. Much of the landscape and the horizon to the east was on a gradual slope in the foothills of the Rhybute Mountains, dotted by farms and ranches and groups of homes in between. Rivers, creeks, and pathways crisscrossed over the landscape until many of them converged into one unified trade route and one river that were both at the entrance to the Pass.

Cliffs lined the edge of the mountain, creating a series of waterfalls and small lakes as the river cascaded down the side of the incline. Therris heard there were three great lakes hidden between the peaks and plateaus of the mountain range, but few could reach them given their altitude and difficulty scaling the cliffs to get there. All that Therris knew for sure was that the water coming from them and down the river he'd been following was some of the purest and coldest he'd ever tasted.

If it wasn't enough that Rhybute Pass served as a trade hub for Sosemma and Itanobel, it was also the source of a bountiful, seemingly never-ending resource in the form of cold fresh water.

His focus remained trained on the river and the waterfalls that fed into it for the duration of his trip. On the way, he came across many smaller homesteads in small bunches that acted as a hamlet but weren't large enough to be towns; he also saw ranches, farms, and everything in between. One ranch in particular had a tall orange and green-skinned dragon-like fellow tilling the fields while a series of smaller dragon and gryphon females helped out. Therris casually waved to him and tipped his hat before carrying on and seeing another smaller homestead with a pair of fields and no livestock being tilled and cared for by a brown-haired equine. Therris waved to him as well.

Therris was quite sociable, in general. Unlike most people who wandered the Sosemman Frontier, he felt no fear towards others and acted without caution while helping. One of the first rules of the frontier is to not trust anyone without a good character reference, but Therris had never found himself in a position to test this advice. Most everyone he met was nice to him and even the ones that were nasty were easy enough to avoid; he'd heard stories of being mugged or outright killed by roving gangs but he hadn't run into such an issue.

He was just lucky. Luckier than most, at least. This fortune made him consider getting into gambling or betting given his luck, but he figured that would test whatever force was watching over him and could draw the ire of sore losers. Instead, he roamed alone or with friends and his trusty steed Oceras. Many months later, he was loaded up on coin and gemstones, always had a full belly, and had been enjoying the most freedom and beauty he'd ever experienced.

Life was good for Therris. That was why he was travelling to Rhybute Pass. He figured, if nothing else, he could buy Oceras a nice new saddle or fill up on a feast without worry. He could invest in local businesses or just give his girl some new shoes, it didn't matter, he just wanted to spend some money and Oceras definitely needed new shoes.

At the foot of the mountain and the opening to the pass, Therris looked up the hill that would lead to Rhybute with a growing sense of dread. The incline was steep, but the path meandered a bit to alleviate the angle a bit. He would be fine and he knew Oceras could handle it but that didn't mean he wanted to force her to do anything he wouldn't do; to prove this to her and show he cared, he hopped off and walked next to her instead of acting as her burden.

She looked confused, assuming his dismount meant they were stopping for some reason. It wasn't until she noticed that Therris had made a motion for her to follow while ahead of her that she decided to keep pace with him.

Therris was a kind soul and his sacrifice for his steed was admirable but Oceras was incredibly strong and barely felt him on her back. He was making it hard on himself for nothing aside from his own sense of love for his steed. She was smart enough to understand and appreciate this so she kept close by, nuzzling and nibbling his hair and hat from behind to show affection.

About halfway up the foothills of the mountains, Therris came to the realization that he didn't have it in him to go the rest of the way. After apologizing to her, he hopped up onto Oceras's back and held onto the horn for balance as she kicked into high gear. She galloped up the pass, blowing by other caravans and riders that were pacing themselves. She did this all without any command from Therris to do so, proving to him that she wasn't exhausted and that he didn't need to worry about her load.

Despite the mare having endurance for days, the incline did take its toll on Oceras. Just before they rounded the final turn of the pathway to enter the city limits, she slowed to a trot next to a caravan of a half dozen carriages heading into town next to them. The front carriage had a dapper looking feline rifleman in a vest sitting shotgun, eyes scanning the horizon for threats. On one of the further back carriages was a peculiar-looking hybrid creature with a bony dragon tail, dragon horns, canine features, and glowing arms that were partially transparent. He looked quite nasty and likely magically charged.

"Good day to you, mister!" Therris said to the feline as he passed the slow-moving caravan, tilting his hat to show goodwill. "Whatcha haulin' into town?"

The feline narrowed his eyes and readied his rifle, clearly showing a distrust towards Therris and his large mare. The law of the frontier stated he shouldn't trust anyone without character references, which included the most friendly of folk such as Therris. "Nothing in particular, just goods from the farms to feed the people in town." This was a lie and his expression showed that, but it mattered not.

Therris nodded and shifted so that his vest covered the handle of his pistol, a show of faith to prove he had no interest in inciting the ire of the feline rifleman. "Glad to hear it! I've got some coin myself so I might end up purchasing some jerky or spices. What store ya headed to?"

"Why's it matter?" The feline asked, suspicions rising.

"It doesn't, was just curious. I'm not here to cause trouble, just passing through and like spending coin where I can. Anyway, pleasure meeting you mister-"

"Dusty." The feline interjected. "Or Dustafyer if you're not into brevity."

With another nod and a tilt of his hat, Therris acknowledged the feline. "Name's Therris. Hope to see more of you in town before I leave!" He turned back to take one last glance at the caravan - all eight carriages of it - to see two bipedal equines riding a big black dragon somewhere in between. They looked a little sinister but it didn't take Therris long at all to discern this was no produce haul.

Mercenaries and riflemen protected this caravan with aplomb, their minds sharp and their guns ready to kill at any time. They were transporting something valuable if it needed this much protection. If that wasn't enough on its own, that bloke with the glowing arms looked like he could have conjured a fireball to envelop a whole city with one mere flick of his wrist.

With that in mind, Therris spurred Oceras on in an attempt to get distance between he and the caravan. He just wanted to buy some goods and have a fun time in Rhybute, he didn't wanna stir up a fuss or get into any altercations; not only did he hate conflict, he so far had a perfect record of peace!

Once he pulled ahead of the caravan, he turned the final corner to bear witness to the glory that was Rhybute Pass, the city in the valley and the central hub of trade between Sosemma and Itanobel.

The city of Rhybute Pass was situated closer to the western entrance of the valley that cut through the mountains, with the downtown area itself mostly comprising of two strips on either side of a ravine that housed the river below. Each of these strips - an extension of the trade routes that fed the town from east and west - were their own unique main street with stores and vendors lining either side of it. On the outer edges farthest from the ravine, the buildings were large and built into the steep hills of the mountain, with the innermost sides of either of these halves having smaller merchant stands nestled up against the edge of the ravine.

Dozens of bridges connected the north and south side of the ravine, some of them big enough to house stores and smaller establishments on their own. Each of these bridges - some of them stone and raised, others rope and dangling - remained in position above the river that raged below. It looked a little dangerous, with the majority of the city so close to a river that could have easily taken lives, but it also served as a central hub for all the businesses.

The entire city was surprisingly lush despite being carved into the valley and nestled up close to the ravine. The mist from the river below ensured that plants, trees, mosses, vines, and other vegetation were plentiful, with rich brown dirt lining the pathways and plenty of flora poking out from the cliffs.

As Therris strode through town - the incline finally giving way to the relative flatness of Rhybute Pass to give Oceras a break - he noticed that there appeared to be a series of pathways leading away from the central hub of the town to smaller groups of homes and suburban expansion. Therris quickly realized that there was more to Rhybute Pass than the central strips lining the ravine, even if the outskirts of town were sparsely dispersed among the many cliffs and hills.

Hundreds of people of all races were milling about, with horses and carriages and caravans and individuals intermingling along each of the strips - both the one Therris was trotting down and the one across the ravine on the northern face of the valley. Folks were buying and trading goods, working girls and boys both were trying to sell their bodies in broad daylight, potion makers were loudly shouting to anyone who'd listen, and almost every building nestled up to the cliffs and the hills of the valley had a dozen or more mounts tied to hitching posts out front as their riders did business inside.

The air was crisp and had the faint pungent aroma of ademane accenting it, something that was surprisingly welcoming, all things considered. Ademane was the primary fluid used in potion making, magic, and the creation of enchanted gemstones, so it was incredibly valuable. It resided in the bodies of all and could be extracted if needed but also occurred naturally in some caves and some plants, resulting in crystal caves and crystal forests that could be harvested or mined.

"Aha!" He said to himself as his thoughts brushed over the implementation of ademane and its impact on local economies. That caravan he passed that was violently protective of its goods must have been carrying ademane crystals or mining equipment! Rhybute Pass was an incredibly wealthy town despite being relatively young, and the scent of ademane in the air meant there must have been crystal in the mountains worthy of being mined! This revelation gave Therris a smug sense of self-satisfaction.

Knowing this, he kept a grin and trotted his way through the southern strip, tipping his hat to any and all folks who walked or rode past him in the opposite direction. Some ignored him, some gave him dirty looks, but most reciprocated and that made him smile. This positive first impression had an impact on him within minutes, making him feel at home even when he'd adjusted to not feel that way.

Therris was surprised at just how big the city actually ended up being. The twin strips that lined the ravine each were a few kilometres long and branched out to the surrounding highlands dozens of times in either direction. There were hundreds of vendors and small businesses lining each pathway, giving Therris many options to chose from.

And yet, despite having all those options, he couldn't decide. He came across four blacksmiths, seven farriers, five gunsmiths, easily twenty or more potion makers, two sheriff's offices - one with a prison and one without, and an uncountable number of food stands among the farmer's markets that filled up the space in between. Rhybute Pass came across as a bustling metropolis despite its reported population being less than thirteen thousand. It was by no means a small town, but it felt bigger than it actually was while also feeling homely due to the serenity that came from its location.

The mountains that cradled the pass on either side doused out much of the outside noise while the steady flowing of water coming from below was serene. The surrounding homes all in the hills around the central strip made the district feel rural on the whole.

"Would you be against settling down here?" Therris asked as he patted Oceras on the neck.

She shook her mane and grunted at him, coming to a stop in her tracks so abruptly that the lady following behind accidentally got a face full of mare ass followed by a whip on her cheek as Oceras swiped her tail to the side to scare away the pest.

Therris turned to apologize. "Sorry about that, miss."

The lady, a magenta shark wearing a sultry-looking short skirt and thigh high boots, smiled and waved a fan in her face. "It's okay." She said, voice a bit too low to be female. "I should have been paying more attention. Now if you'll excuse me, I have to get some supplies." The shark girl then turned and headed into the store that Oceras and Therris had stopped in front of.

It was called The Near and Dear, with a sign that indicated it was 'a general store for all your needs', with the word 'all' highlighted and accented. This intrigued Therris, so he motioned for Oceras to go sit next to the other horses, dragons, and ulokar so he could tie her to the hitching post. She wasn't wearing a bridle so he just latched a rope around her neck and over the post itself; he knew she only needed to pull it off the post to get away, but he also knew that she wouldn't leave regardless. He only tied her up to make it look good for any passerby and the law; she was well-behaved enough to not need such restraints.

He gave her a kiss on the snout and patted her neck before hopping up onto the well-decorated front porch, and from there he noticed that there was a small crack in the land next to the building with a small stream of water cascading down into the main river. There were many other tributaries like this throughout the city but this was the first one he paid much attention to.

This was interesting but not the primary focus of his journey so he slipped on inside and ignored most of the goodies on the front porch. This proved to be difficult because even the deck had a bunch of cool, sparkling goodies he wanted to indulge himself with.

Once inside he was greeted by the image of an overwhelming variety of choices. The Near and Dear was stocked with a little bit of everything, at least as far as he could tell. One portion of the store was full of all the fresh and canned produce a traveller or local could hope for, including fruits and vegetables and dried meats and spices and canned fish. There was also a wide variety of household accessories like plates, cups, pots, pans, and silverware. A corner of the food area also had food for dogs and horses, which was something he'd definitely need to pick up. Oceras loved oatcakes.

But that was only one part of the store. There was an area that sold actual furniture and appliances, a portion that sold potions and other concoctions such as elemental gemstones that could keep food frozen or heated up in a pinch, and a big pair of doors that led to another area. Therris had no idea what it was that was behind those doors so he felt the need to ask.

The lass behind the counter was a white and blue furred wolf wearing a lovely little vest and a frilly white shirt underneath. She was reading a book and not really paying much attention until Therris stepped up to her. "Welcome to the Near and Dear." She said simply; she wasn't trying to sell him any goods, she was simply stating it in a matter-of-fact way.

"Place to sate all my needs." Therris joked, referring to the shop's tagline with the emphasis on 'all' just like it specified. "Yes, I know. But I'm curious what's behind the redwood doors." He inquired, pointing towards the back of the store.

The wolf half-cocked a grin. "New to town, are ya?"

"By less than an hour, yeah. Just arrived for the first time this morning."

"Well then now's as good a time to tell you that the word 'all' in our tagline is pretty literal. The Near and Dear is a little bit of everything all rolled into one. We've got the general store up front, we own the blacksmith next door and they dabble in a little bit of everything from gun-smithing to horse-shoeing. Out back, however, is where things get fun." She motioned for Therris to move in close. When he did, she whispered in his ear. "We got a saloon out back and a brothel upstairs if that's what needs satisfyin'." She then leaned back and laid her book down on the desk next to the in-house catalogue.

This all sounded pretty impressive to Therris. Most shops specialized and there were very few he came across that did such a wide variety of tasks. General stores were one thing, it wasn't in any way uncommon to see a store that sold produce and meat and tobacco and horse feed, but they rarely overlapped with blacksmiths and brothels. He couldn't help but nod in approval. "Impressive. I guess I found my spot to stock up, then." He reached into his satchel and pulled out a small bag of coin. "How much for some oatcakes for the girl and some jerky for me? You know, to get started."

Just as she was about to answer, the big red doors swung open to reveal a black, gray, white, and orange shark-fox hybrid in chaps with a glass pint mug in one hand and a towel in the other. "Hey Ithilwen, have we got any of that tribal ale in the back?" He then paused and looked at Therris with a smile. "It's very good, you should try some."

"I don't drink, but thanks!" Therris politely declined.

Ithilwen, the white and blue canine, shrugged. "You're the one running the bar during the day, you tell me." She then shot a glance at Therris as if to tease the other bloke who came in. "That's Rick. From the Itanobel tribes. He helped Neera and Rime set up a few years back when they were first established." She explained with a roll of her eyes.

Therris flicked his ear in confusion, one eye twitching. "That's some awfully convenient backstory. No idea why you felt the need to tell me that, but I'm Therris!" He outstretched both hands to Ithilwen and Rick. "New to town; might stick around a while; since I apparently know you both better than anyone else in town, it makes sense to call you my first friends! We've got a bond now and I suppose that means you can expect to see more of me."

Both Rick and Ithilwen took his hands and shook before turning to each other, pleased.

"Well, I guess if that's the case, you'd best whip out that satchel of coins to start spending. We could always use it given the competition in the region." Ithilwen pushed, winking knowingly at him.

Therris happily agreed with their logic and did precisely that. His shopping spree lasted the majority of an hour and involved him stocking up on apples, pears, dried meat, oatcakes, a few potions for healing and invigoration, and some new silverware while he was at it.

Oceras was a large mare and was capable of carrying it all, but once he went outside to stow it all in her saddlebags with the help of Rick, he realized that his haul was too big to fit. That's when Rick, who had quickly become friendly to Therris, suggested something a little odd.

"How long did you say you were going to be staying in or round Rhybute Pass?"

"I hadn't decided, but I figure based on what I know and my travels thus far that I might be here a few months, at least. Why do you ask?" He patted Oceras on her haunches to establish contact only to have his touch trigger a raising of her tail that made his heart skip a beat. No, this was not the time for that.

Rick seemed to notice the mare's instinctual reaction to Therris but didn't mention it. At least, not directly. "Well, you don't strike me as the type of guy who needs to pay for companionship, but the Near and Dear does offer an inn of sorts in the brothel part of the establishment. You can spend a few weeks in one of our suites and you don't have to pay for one of our workers if you don't want. You could if you felt so inclined, but I wouldn't push it."

"That's pretty helpful. How much are the rooms?" Therris asked, hoisting the bag of apples over his shoulder. Oceras reached over and grabbed the sack with her lips, so he gave her one before getting a response. He then gave her a look of disdain, as if to silently scold her for her lewdness.

Rick grabbed the sack of pears while guiding Therris back inside. "Well, it's one gold coin per night. Four coins for a week, which is a one-day discount. Twenty percent off." Weeks were five days.

Therris cringed a bit. "That's a bit pricey for an inn, don't you think? Especially one that's likely got folks moaning and banging in the next room, drunkards fighting downstairs."

"I suppose it is, but you'd be hard pressed to find better beds in town, we've got some soundproof rockwood lining the walls and floor, and it comes with complimentary breakfast and boys, if you're into that. Or girls. I can't actually tell what you're into." Rick offered, hoping for an answer.

"Both are good, but you're right and I've got Oc-" He stopped himself before he admitted to shagging his horse. "I've got plenty of tail, I don't need to pay for it."

The two of them continued through the general store of The Near and Dear past Ithilwen and a few other shoppers before heading up some spiral stairs to the second level. Only once there and in relative privacy did Rick carry on with the conversation. "You don't have to be shy about what you do with your horse, mate. We're in the wild west, pretty much everyone has gotten lonely at least once."

Therris chuckled to himself. "Who said anything about being lonely? She's a great partner!"

"You're probably not wrong." Rick coyly agreed, then opened up the door to one of the suites, revealing a large room with red walls and a huge bed in the middle. "But the option's there if you feel the need to use it. Attached at the far end is a bathroom with a large tub in it, so you can shave or shine your scales if need be and if you want some, uhm, help, there's a bell you can ring."

After glancing around and taking a few steps into the room, Therris put his bag of apples down. "I guess I can stay here for a week, see how it goes. Make it a sort of base of operations while I explore the rest of the town and look for work."

"Too bad you can't bring your horse up." Rick joked before darting away to return to his duties in the tavern, leaving Therris alone in the brothel with only his thoughts and some fruits.

He wasn't kinky enough to do anything naughty to the apples, so he made his way back down to the main floor, paid Ithilwen for a week's worth of the room, and then went outside to gather up his saddlebags from Oceras, relieving her of the weight and leaving her wearing only the saddle and lead line loose around her neck and shoulders. He had a few places he wanted to visit before he got something for lunch or dinner - it was already mid-afternoon and he didn't know what sort of meal he craved - so he stored all his goods away and went about his day.

Chapter 3: Horseshoes and Dragon Flames

As suggested, he took his mare around the side of the building, which was a blacksmith's shop. Ithilwen and Rick had suggested he take her to their onsite metal workers to get shooed while he also got his pistols looked at. Seemed awfully convenient, but he got a discount since he was spending the night in their inn of ill repute. This was clearly just fast-talk from the two folks he'd met and Therris knew this, but he liked them enough that he went with it and bought into their pitches.

The blacksmith's shop was rather intricate, Therris noticed once he passed through the front gate. Inside there were two forges, a series of workbenches with tools and weapons - including swords, for some reason - hanging off the wall. Four blokes were working the various forges, hammering horseshoes, and carving up patterns on pistols and rifles. Upon entering with his horse, Therris was greeted by a tall red and purple dragon wearing only thick black goggles and a blacksmith's apron.

"Well hello there." He marvelled, mostly looking at Oceris, in awe at her size. "What can I do for her? I mean, you?"

Therris offered the dragon Oceras's lead line. "She needs new shoes, if you could do that. And I could use some maintenance on my pistols. What's your price?" He removed his holsters and bandolier and held them out for the dragon to investigate.

The dragon leaned to the side to get a better look at Oceras. "Well, she's a pretty big girl. Normally it's ten silver but I might have to charge you twelve for the extra materials." He then took Therris's guns and laid them on the nearest workbench. "These look to be Adethryll metal guns, which I'm sure you know is incredibly high quality and is very hard to work with."

"I'm aware, can you work on it? I don't care about the price." Therris challenged with a grin.

"By the power of the dragon's flame within me, I can certainly touch these up for you. Two gold, five silver per pistol." He waited for Therris's protest, but it never came. "I'll get right on that for you. I'll get my assistant to come and work on those shoes for ya. Jay! Get in here! You got work!" He shouted to the back.

A small roo-dragon with long whiskers, digitigrade legs, and a hell of a bulge in his pants came out from behind one of the forges. "Jaikonran here! What have you got for me Saethwr?"

Saethwr - the red and purple dragon in the goggles - pointed towards Oceras with a toothy grin. "You've got a mare to work on. Needs a set of shoes. And you'd best make them immaculate."

Jay stared up at Oceras and gulped. He was rather short to start with but he was absolutely dwarfed by the massive mare in front of him. Oceras was tall for a horse, at somewhere between twenty to twenty-four hands high, so she was tall even compared to Saethwr and Therris. The image of her standing tall over Jay made the roo-dragon gulp and his whiskers droop, intimidated by her.

"She's fine, promise." Therris assured Jay. "Gentle as can be unless you hurt her. If you hurt her, well, you won't survive the kick." He winked and grinned, making his point clear in the process.

Somewhat reluctantly, Jay took her lead line and guided her back to the forges to take some measurements while leaving Saethwr and Therris stayed at the front near the workbench. Seconds later, a whistle went off and most of the workers left for lunch, leaving the four of them alone.

"Any reason you're not going on lunch?" Therris asked as Saethwr opened a cupboard.

"Once we have a task we work until it's done. We still get lunch, but that comes later. Don't worry, neither of these jobs will take too long. No more than an hour, tops." He then moved to the side to reveal what was in the cupboard. "What kind of tea do you want? We've got just about every kind."

Saethwr wasn't lying. Inside the cupboard had to be forty jars or more of various tea blends.

"I didn't say I wanted tea, but if you're offering I like mine dark and rich."

The dragon returned to the cupboard to find a blend that worked. "No, but you look like a tea kind of guy and even if you don't like tea I do have dirty bean water and hot candy drinks if you're into that. Plus, I love sharing my tea. Now come, sit. I'll heat up the water while we're working up the flame for working in your pistols." He grabbed a chair and slid it over towards Therris, who happily took it.

After sitting down, Saethwr quickly heated the water to a boil and let the tea steep inside metal cage balls while occasionally stirring. The same flame - one that came from inside him - was heating the forge to make Therris's pistols hot enough to be malleable. This was not common practice for most metal guns but was needed for Adethryll metal. One couldn't polish or buff it or clean it properly without heating it up; this sucked for maintenance costs but was great for longevity as the metal was quite resilient to wear and tear.

While waiting for the flame and the forge to heat up, the two chatted a bit about Rhybute and Saethwr's time working the forge. At the same time, Therris noticed that Jay was acting peculiar while measuring Oceras for her shoes. He was taking her hind hoof measurements a few more times than needed while casually glancing up under her tail every time she flagged, resulting in a throb in his bulge every time. Even Therris and Saethwr could see the mare was moist and tender, still horny.

Therris knew exactly what was happening with Jay, so he called out to him. "You know, if you keep giving her plot so much attention she might demand you do something about it." He said before taking his first casual sip of tea.

"Excuse me? I'm a professional." Jay grunted as he hopped down off the stool where he was taking her hind hoof's berth measurement for the fifth time. "I'd never-"

"Don't tell me that, tell her." Therris continued. "She's the one who decides who gets the pleasure of her backside. Don't worry, she'll kick if she doesn't like you." Jay didn't respond, he just huffed and took one final glance up under Oceras's tail before getting back to work.

Saethwr took a sip as well. "You invite everyone to mount your horse like that?" He joked.

"Not everyone, but my girl's pretty smart. She has a good head for people and won't lift her tail to people she doesn't want to get attention from. If your assistant doesn't wanna be kicked, he'd best stop teasing her and either do something about it or get on with his work." He was oddly casual about it as if this wasn't the first time he'd dealt with someone else wanting a go at Oceras. It wasn't. Not by a long shot. Seemed the girl went into heat every time they entered a new city or if she just got bored.

Jay and Saethwr shared a glance before Saethwr shrugged. "Up to her, he says." He called out.

"If you need privacy, I can leave and come back." Therris offered with a laugh, then turned to Saethwr. "But I kinda don't wanna leave. This tea is delicious."

Having heard and taken in the things Saethwr and Therris had said, Jay's expression shifted to a far more enthusiastic visage. His whiskers started flicking and his bulge visibly grew as he allowed himself to stare up at the mare's tail hole and plump vulva. Everything had worked out perfectly for the roo-dragon up to this point, with Oceras being receptive, his coworkers leaving for lunch, and the mare's owner giving him the go-ahead all in quick succession.

Under most circumstances, Jay never would have actually considered making a move on a mare that was a client, and if he worked at literally any other location he wouldn't have taken Therris up on his offer, but the reality was that he worked with Saethwr as a member of the Near and Dear family. Neera and Rime - the owners of the establishment - had made a point to push positive sexual experiences in any situation. This meant that, unlike most places in town, workers at The Near and Dear were encouraged to come to work naked if they felt so inclined, to fraternize with one another, and - within reason - to indulge where it was safe and viable.

As it turned out, Oceras was receptive and therefore safe and viable. Still, he needed to make sure one last time before actually making a move on her. "So, you sure about this?" He asked, still glancing up at the massive mare's hindquarters. "I don't want to misread a client. You know, for all sorts of professional reasons."

Therris sipped his tea, turned his chair around so he was facing jay, and shrugged. "I'm saying it's not up to me. She may be a horse - my horse - but what you do and do not do with her is her decision since it's her body. I can request you not touch her that way, but I won't. Have at it! I don't mind watching if she's in the mood." He leaned back against the chair, tail pushed out under the backrest for balance as he took another sip of his tea.

Behind him, Saethwr had begun to work on the pistols by warming them with his internal flame. The dragon was casually interested in seeing where this went but didn't want to interrupt so he tried his best to focus on his work while only periodically glancing over to see what was happening.

Jay shrugged once more and decided he wasn't going to question it further. The bulge in his trousers - which mostly consisted of his balls - showed just how long it had been since he had been granted a proper release and he figured a mare was the best place to deposit.

The roogon grabbed a short meter-tall stepladder and pulled it up behind the mare while he kept a keen eye on her to gauge her reaction. The mare did hoof at the dirt and glance back to her rider, but then swished her tail from side to side, slapping him in the face twice while wafting her scent over him.

"Well, I guess that's a good sign." He said to himself as he scaled the stepladder. Once he was on top, he gave her haunches a bit of a pat and a caress while remaining cautious. If she kicked, he was going to be knocked back into the wall with a workbench's worth of tools landing on his head; or worse he could be hoofed right into the forge. Not a fun idea of potential sexy times gone wrong. Much to his delight, Oceras swished her tail again and hoisted it up, revealing the plump black flesh of her vulva to him while glancing back at him with head lowered.

She couldn't have been much clearer in her desires, but Jay still felt the need to clarify with Therris. "So you're entirely sure this is okay? You're not weirded out by this? Just some random stranger getting his hands all up in your ride?" He was trying to be as casual as he could to mask how hot he was getting in the presence of Oceras's drooling lips. It wasn't working; the bulge of his cock could be clearly seen poking out from the pillowy mounds of his balls pressing out against his trousers.

"If you want I can look away, but for her, it's just another day. You're not the first bloke I've encountered who is entranced by her beauty and you won't be the last. The more you talk, however, the more frustrated she'll get and the harder you'll have to work." Therris took a sip of his tea, casually embracing Jay's reluctance while finding it endearing. "I'm not the jealous type, okay? Go ahead."

This seemed to be just enough to give Jay the incentive he needed to make a move on the mare. He gave her haunches another gentle pat before sliding his palms down to her inner thighs, revelling in her warmth and gulping in anticipation when she parted her hind legs and lifting her tail again. It was clear that his touch - especially in that region - was triggering her desire as much as it was his, based on her reactions. Upon identifying this he took another risk by sliding his fingers up between her rump cheeks to feel his knuckles drag along her moist lips while his fingertips parted her flesh.

She winked at him. Not with her eyes, but with her clit. As his digits gently slipped into her, she clenched her muscles and pushed out her clit to shoot a gob of her creamy fluids right onto his snout, landing with a splat and immediately inundating his sense of smell with the aura of her estrus aroma.

That was the end of his resistance. Up to that point, he had tried his best to be professional and restrained, all the while waiting for and expecting Therris to say something or put a stop to his advances towards the mare. The second he felt the warmth of her fluids on his muzzle and the sweet earthy aroma of her loins washing over him, his restraint was obliterated. Almost instinctively, he leaned into her to nuzzle under her tail, snout pressed close to her lips while his tongue probed her depths and his lips sucked on her clit in an effort to get more out of her.

She hiked her tail up over the small of her back and widened her stance, arching her spine to lower her loins in an effort to get closer to his level; even with the stepladder he was barely able to kiss her on the lips and she was able to identify this quite easily. The shift in her position and the flip of her tail was as open an invitation as a mare could possibly give her partner, an invitation Jay happily took.

He leaned into her, hands on her haunches and muzzle buried between her rump cheeks with his tongue lashing at her depths to taste what she had to offer. His whiskers were flailing about, lashing at her thighs to show his excitement as the bulge in his pants continued to grow. Jay got so excited he even pulled his hands inward, palms tracing her haunches as his thumbs slid into her and parted her lips to give him a great view of her glistening, cherry-pink insides as another trail of slimy fluid dribbled over her clit and onto his outstretched tongue. Her flavour urged him to lap every bit of it up.

This was immediately followed by Jay pressing his relatively small snout into her, upper and lower jaws parting her lips while his tongue probed her depths as deep as it would go, thumbs both kneading and prodding at her tail hole to see if she liked that at the same time. She was bucking in time with his every move, pushing back and arching her spine and gushing a combination of her fluids over his muzzle and down his chest as well as down his throat, all of which got swallowed or soaked up.

Jay was loving every second of this but knew that if he was to please her he needed to give her more than a tongue. He pulled his muzzle out of her and started brushing his fingers up and down between her cheeks, soaking his hand from wrist to fingertips in her juices before creating a single point between all of his digits and easing his fist into her. He was gentler than a stallion would have been, so he was surprised at how well she responded.

Once more, she arched her back, flagged her tail as high as it would go, pushed into him, and gushed down his forearm to soak his chest, belly, and thighs. Her fluids - a slimy mass of mostly-clear and partly opaque juices - clung to him and smelled of sweetness and earthiness in equal measure. There was so much coming out of her that, had it had a golden tinge, it would have appeared to be something else entirely; it soaked him to the skin through his work apron, pants, and fur.

As her lips swallowed him to the wrist, he pushed in a bit deeper and balled his hand up into a firm fist inside her. By wrenching his wrist downward, he was able to grind his knuckles into her most sensitive zones along her anterior wall, coaxing even more mess from her to soak his chest and arm. In and out he pumped, thrusting with the firmness of a stallion but the gentleness of a lover, each move urging her to grunt and squat and wink her clit at him in approval.

He kept at this until she started to slow down, her appetite mostly satisfied. Neither stallion nor mare had a reputation for sexual endurance, so it made sense that after only a few minutes of passionate fisting she was starting to get low on fluid reserves and was growing tender inside.

Jay recognized this and pulled out, slowly allowing her fluids to seep out as his balled up fist slid out from between her tender pussy lips. She winked and shuddered in delight, nickering and tossing her mane as she hopped from hoof to hoof in place. Her rump twitched as an orgasm shot through her body, clit winking and a series of wet squelches escaping her as the air he'd pumped into her emerged to form bubbles along her lips.

Naturally, he couldn't help but lean in and use his tongue to clean up the mess. He hadn't even pumped a load into her and she was already soaking wet from the underside of her tail right down to her knees, the fur of her inner thighs darker and dripping in mare fluids. He was a bit disappointed he didn't get to finish in her, but he figured he could use the lubricant she'd produced to fap during a quick bathroom break before finishing the job.

He raised his hand to get Saethwr's attention. "Hey, boss, can I take ten to-" He was cut off when Oceras bucked in place, not kicking but jumping and pushing her hind legs out before leaping to the side and rolling onto her back with her front legs folded up on her chest and hind legs up high. She looked and was acting more like a dog than a horse while staring at him the whole time. This left Jay baffled until Therris pitched in.

"She wants seed, my friend." He instructed, still sipping his tea. He was almost done and Saethwr was behind him already putting some finishing touches on Therris's pistols.

As it turned out, Jay had lost more than a few minutes while his face was buried under the mare's tail. "You sure?" He asked, still standing on the stepladder with weak knees. Her little buck and sudden leap had triggered a burst of adrenaline inside him. However, as he looked down at Oceras lying spread eagle beneath him with her pussy exposed and vulva parted to reveal her pink insides, he came to accept that Therris was right.

Therris grinned and tipped his tea in a toast before taking another sip, encouraging Jay.

"Alright." Jay mumbled to himself as he leapt down from the stepladder and pushed it to the side. He was still hard and his balls were still swollen and throbbing in anticipation of release, so he knew going into this that he wouldn't last long. All he managed to do was lift his apron, lower his pants by the waistband, and pull his cock out from its confines to have a strand of precum drool off the tip and land on her clit. The fluid trickled down between her lips, disappearing in the fluid inside her.

She wagged her hindquarters, golden-tipped tail sweeping at the dirt on the ground while her abdomen tensed and her clit winked at him, fluids barely escaping to soak the base of her tail.

He gave one final glance to Therris to make sure this was okay. He was greeted with the image of his client rubbing himself, a wet spot in his trousers. The moisture there despite a lack of bulge made Jay rethink Therris's gender but he didn't dwell long on it before making the plunge.

The roogon grabbed his member and got to his knees behind Oceras, straddling her tail and lightly pressing down between her teats for balance as he slipped his length into her. He curled his toes as her flesh enveloped him, the surprising heat of her depths tickling him in all the right ways. He couldn't help but feel the familiar tingle of an encroaching climax overcoming him almost instantly; he had spent long enough teasing her and bringing pleasure to the mare that his own loins felt neglected, ready to pop at any moment.

Her silken walls clenching shockingly tight around his member made quick work of him, practically sucking the seed right out of him within minutes.

Jay thrust into her repeatedly and with the vigour of a stallion, slapping his hips against hers with his hands wrapped around her thighs for leverage. His loins throbbed with every beat of his heart, flesh hypersensitive to every stroke and tease of her walls around him. He tried to last a bit longer than a stallion would, but quickly found that she had a grip upon him that he couldn't resist. Despite being a massive mare with a pussy that could smuggle Jay's entire body if she wanted, the muscle control she exhibited was far beyond any partner he'd ever been with, her walls more tender and sleek than others.

For these reasons, he lasted less than a minute once he felt her lips swallow him. A few dozen intense thrusts later and he felt the dam break, his balls squeezing tight, and his cock turn into a hose to deposit gallons of his seed into her. He may have been short but those balls of his were filled to the brim with his essence and every last drop of it was pumped into her, flooding her cunt and even invading her womb in the process.

He grunted and clenched his fists tight around her thighs, pulling himself into her to form a seal between his sheath and her vulva. This didn't work, as his loins pumped so much of his seed into her that it kept bursting out from between her flesh and his, the creamy whiteness soaking into the dirt beneath them both.

Totally spent and soaked in his own seed, Jay was rendered beyond a lucid state, mind drifting into nothingness as his member shrivelled and his balls shrank in the absence of his essence.

Oceras could sense he was done so she shifted in place, grinding her back into the dirt while her hind hooves kicked at the air, one of her errant motions resulting in her shoe cracking Jay in the side of the head and immediately waking him from his daze. Luckily it wasn't a kick or he'd have been in trouble; instead, it was more like an incidental impact against him as she acted like a cat, rolling from side to side and flicking her tail.

He rolled away and got up, the fur on the side of his face indented where she hit him. "Ow!" He groaned, rubbing himself with one hand while putting his junk back in his pants with the other.

"That's what you get for getting complacent." Therris joked. "Have fun?"

Jay glanced down at Oceras - who was still rolling and acting like a cat as more of his voluminous seed trickled out of her. "Yeah. Saeth, can I hit the shower before I finish this job?"

Saethwr, who had just finished etching some nice-looking patterns in the barrels of Therris's pistols, nodded. "Sure, but make it quick. And do something about your mess." He pointed to the pearly puddle of roogon seed in the dirt between Jay and Oceras.

"Yes, boss." Jay said with a salute. He then got a shovel, scooped up the dirt that was gummed up with his mess, and deposited it in a bin alongside a bunch of other trash.

At the same time, Oceras rolled to her side, looked over at Therris, and got to her feet while a steady stream of white trickled out from under her tail accompanied by gooey bubbles. It was a delectable sight for Therris, who loved watching his mount get pleasured whether he was participating or not. His slit had soaked entirely through his trousers and he could feel the swell of his member.

Saethwr noticed the faint smell of dragon musk but didn't have the angle to see the moist patch on Therris's groin. He tried his best to focus on work. "Okay, so it turns out your pistols are made from a specific blend of metals." He started, encouraging Therris to turn and pay attention. "As you can see, the metal is white, not black. With the proper application of dragon flame to the adethryll, it has been purified. These pistols should both last you a year or more before needing to be serviced again. Honestly, they didn't need to be serviced today. I respect a fellow drake who cares for his sidearms."

Therris reached out to grab each of his pistols - one in each hand - only to stop and drag his fingers along the fine engraving patterns that started at the frame, wrapped around the cylinder, and traced down the barrel. The primary colour was white, while many of the detail pieces such as the hammer and trigger were golden and the grip was a dark magenta. A beautiful combination accented by an ornate pattern that wrapped around it.

He reached into his satchel and pulled out five gold coins. "Here. Take it all. I know you didn't ask for that much but damn you did a fine job." He didn't bother asking for change before plucking both of his pistols and holding them up to his face, investigating the details with an even closer look.

"Glad you like." Saethwr boomed, chest out in pride as his client admired his handiwork. "But it is lunch time for me so if you don't mind I'm gonna grab a bite and be back in an hour. Jay won't be long, I don't think, so he should have her shoes ready by the time I get back."

Therris offered a salute, got to his feet, twirled the pistols around his finger, and holstered each of them before taking a moment to practice his quick-draw.

Chapter 4: The Law of the Land

Jay returned before long and quickly got to work on making custom horseshoes for Oceras. Given her size and the shape of her hooves, it took a bit longer than they expected but the job was complete before Saethwr returned even if the volume he'd left in her resulted in him having to dodge drops of his own seed when working on her hind hooves. All the while, Jay and Therris joked about Oceras being a slut, something that made Jay giddy but was so commonplace for Therris that it almost felt mundane to him. Still, they bonded quite quickly over the mutual love for larger partners.

The two of them parted ways with an extra spring in their step. Jay was still weak from having so thoroughly been milked by Oceras and Therris was giddy at the work that had been done to his pistols while also being impressed with the craftsmanship of her new shoes.

Their next destination was to one of the local stables to get her cleaned. Silly girl rolled in the dust and dirt so much that even the thin layer of feathers - which usually repelled water and dirt - got mucked up. The Near and Dear offered many services but horse care wasn't one of them so he had to embark upon a journey with his girl to get her cleaned and cared for.

As it was still midday, Rhybute pass was still bustling with activity. This meant that, as Therris rode through town high atop his mare, be barely even noticed the immense black gryphon that had been following him around town, golden eyes trained upon him.

Therris wasn't paying the least bit of attention to those around him since his focus was trained on scanning each and every vendor and business along the main strips of Rhybute Pass. He needed to find a place to get Oceras washed off first and foremost. He had just about found a place, too, when the tall black gryphon stepped up in front of Therris and Oceras, blocking their path. He wore a white uniform with a black symbol on the shoulder and a star-shaped badge that indicated that he was the sheriff. He was taller even than Oceras and towered above all but the tallest of folks milling about. Had to be nearly three meters tall, maybe more.

"Whoa, girl." Therris halted Oceras, leaning back on the saddle. He then trained his attention on the gryphon that had so rudely obstructed their path. "Can I help you, sheriff?"

"I'm not sure, can you?" The gryphon countered as he laid his palm on the grip of his pistol - one so big it looked more like a rifle to Therris. "Tell me, sir, what brings you to Rhybute Pass?"

This threw Therris off. "I'm not sure I follow. The same thing that brings everything else here, I guess? Business, trade, the charming locals?" He snidely responded with a grin. "And you are?"

The sheriff gryphon took a menacing step in closer so that he was nearly touching Oceras's snout, forcing the mare to twist her head and glare back at Therris through her mane; she had a look of disdain upon her face, telling her rider she didn't trust this gryphon.

"I'm sheriff Storm, the law around these parts. My deputies and I keep eyes on the locals and any that come or go. I've never seen you nor your abnormally large horse around here before; your presence wouldn't have anything to do with the haul of mining equipment and gems, would it?"

Storm's declaration triggered a memory inside Therris's mind, making him immediately think back to the caravan with the mercenaries and riflemen protecting it. "Oh! So that's what those folks were haulin' when I came into town! They told me it was produce!" It was almost comical how little Therris took the sheriff's accusations seriously, which seemed to enrage the gryphon. He didn't bother trying to alleviate the situation, either. "Well, I did arrive at the same time but I'm just here for pleasure. Mind wasn't even on hauling expensive equipment until just now. Why so curious? Got wind of a planned heist or something?" He grinned broadly, showing his teeth in a cocksure manner.

Once again, Storm narrowed his gaze and hissed at Therris. "Don't play coy with me, you know exactly what's going on. And I've never seen you before so it's not hard to connect the dots." He then paced around the side of Therris while the other members of the crowd backed away to watch and see what was happening next. Evidently, this was something that needed to be observed. "Then again, Vraska's gang has been targeting ademane crystal mines for a while now. I'm sure it's no coincidenc-"

"Are you trying to intimidate me, Storm?" Therris interrupted. "Because it's not working."

"That's Sheriff Storm, and no. If I was trying to intimidate you, I'd have knocked you out, tied you up, and thrown you in prison by now." Storm clarified while still walking around Oceras. He grabbed his pistol and used the barrel to force the mare's tail up so he could get a good look, sniffing at the air as he did so. "It's just so very important to know who it is that comes and goes from my town."

Therris rolled his eyes while tracking Storm. "So then why are you being so hostile? Think about it; if I was part of some gang, I wouldn't be riding in on this sexy beast of a creature." He patted Oceras on the shoulder and she beamed, knowing he was complimenting her. "She's twenty hands high, has golden-tipped mane and tail, and literally has a patch of feathers on her shoulder and neck. She stands out for all the right reasons but it makes for terrible stealth. And look at me! I'm pink and purple! I practically glow! Couldn't do stealth if I wanted to. Could never join a gang without gettin' caught."

Finally, Storm returned to stand tall in front of Therris, chest out and beak up to show pride as his expression slowly shifted to a smile that continued into a grin. "Heh, nice. You've got some balls, mister." He nodded in approval before extending his hand to shake. "Welcome to Rhybute Pass."

"The name's Therris, Sherrif." Therris informed Storm as he took his hand and shook. By this point the crowd that had gathered around them had started to dissipate and things were starting to go back to normal. From here, Storm got into position next to Therris and walked along with them.

"Well, welcome to Rhybute Pass, Therris. I'm sure you understand as a drake with impeccable taste that the region's experiencing some growing pains and we have to be careful. Gangs are forming and the mines have only just opened up so we're still waiting on the equipment to really get this going." He patted Oceras on the shoulder, noting that she didn't wear a bridle. "Your girl here seems well trained, too. Got quite a bond with her, I see. I don't suppose that means you're intimate, does it?" He sniffed the air again, making it clear that he smelled something musky around the two of them.

Therris was taken off guard by such an intimate question asked so casually in front of so many people but he didn't want to lie or skirt the truth. "I'd say it gets lonely as a traveller, but that's not true as long as I've got my girl with me." He answered without actually answering the question. "And yeah, that's why I came here looking for work. Heard there was a lot of opportunity for growth in the region and I know I've got a lot to offer whoever does hire me. Thinkin' about maybe setting up shop in The Near and Dear. What's your take on that place?" He wasn't, yet, but it made for good conversation.

"Love that place. It really comes to life at night when the saloon opens up. They get dancers, live shows, lots of drinks, food, you name it. Might go there tonight!" He then turned to Therris. "You'd best be good while you're here. You seem like a fine gentleman, but being quick-witted doesn't mean you aren't here with ill will in your heart. I'll be keeping an eye on you, and your mare here makes it very easy to do so." Then, without warning, he passed by Therris, smacking Oceras on the rump and heading to the sheriff's office that they had recently passed.

The sudden departure of Storm left Therris off balance. He felt there was a lot more to discuss between them and none of that came to be. Perhaps it was meant to throw him off or otherwise confuse him. It was working. He couldn't let the peculiar experience distract him too much; he had a goal in mind and no time to waste! Therris had to get Oceras brushed up and cleaned!

He seemed to recall a stable near the entrance of the city, as it was one of the first buildings he passed after arriving from the west. This often made the most sense, since stables required a lot of open space to hold the various steeds, be they horses or dragons or wingless gryphons or ulokar. It was also closest to a rather large field with a dozen different pastures in it, each accustomed to a different species and presumably a separate gender - couldn't have the stallions mounting the mares.

Therris decided to make his way there only to once again be apprehended by another caravan entering the city from the west, this one only consisting of three carriages instead of five. The first in line was ridden by a small purple and cream-coloured wingless dragon with spectacles and a modest shirt. The two horses that pulled the carriage were large stallions, one of them ashen in colour.

Curious, Therris couldn't help but prod a bit. He knew it was probably uncouth to butt his snout into the business of others but had a compelling desire to inquire after the last caravan and Sheriff Storm's accusations.

He rode up next to the front carriage, noting that Oceras was so tall he actually looked down at the dragon rider that led the caravan. "Hey! Whatcha haulin'?" He asked with a broad grin.

Unlike the last caravan leader, this one smiled back and whipped the sheet between he and his cargo to the side, revealing dozens of bushels of apples. "Fruit! Ademane-rich fruit for potion makers! Wanna try one? We got apples, pears, uriel, peaches, and strawberries!"

That was about as straightforward an answer as Therris could have imagined. This gentleman wasn't hiding gemstones or mining equipment like the last one. He still had what appeared to be a posse protecting his goods en route, consisting of a few dragons and a wingless blue and white gryphoness riding atop what looked like a ulokar without the scales or tail of a dragon. The third and final of the caravans was driven by that orange and green-skinned dragon-looking creature that Therris had seen tilling fields on his way into town.

Seemed like everyone was converging in Rhybute Pass this evening.

"I'd love to try a strawberry." Therris accepted, then tossed a bronze coin to the leader. "And take this. The name's Therris."

"And I'm Vel'Gahrus, but most just call me Vel." The dragon responded while reaching back to grab a single strawberry from the nearest basket, tossing it to Therris. He then grabbed an apple and did the same. "And here, have an apple for your girl."

Therris happily reached forward to feed the fruit to Oceras while popping the Strawberry into his maw and biting down, juices dribbling down his chin. "Yum! Very rich!"

Vel nodded with a grin. "Well, that's the nature of ademane fruits. Very rich, good for flavour enhancement in potions. We all know that ademane from fauna kinda tastes and feels like snot, so we gotta find ways to make potions even more enjoyable than that!"

"A noble cause!" Therris declared, still walking alongside them as they made their way through town. Oceras was still dirty but he knew she didn't care - the cleaning was more for his happiness than her comfort. She loved being dirty. "So, I know this is going to come out of nowhere but I'm new to town and was wondering if you needed any help doing what you do. Maybe another gun to protect you when travelling or maybe another farmhand?"

"Hmm, not sure I need that, right now." Vel rubbed his chin and glanced back to the green and orange bloke. "I think Cocamo would need to have a say in the matter. He's got his own farm and his own hands to work it but we do a lot of work together. I let him use the fallen fruit for fertilizer, he lets me use his carriages to transport. I say go ask him; I'm going to be dropping much of this product off at The Near and Dear this evening before heading back, so we have all day to - wait, do you know where the Near and Dear is? It's-"

"Yeah, I do." Therris interjected, ensuring Vel didn't wast too much time giving directions. "One of the only places I've become acquainted with since arriving. Pretty much everyone I've met on my way into town has been heading there."

Vel couldn't help but laugh. "Well, today is their grand restock, which they do once a month. Food, supplies, new boys and girls upstairs, if you get my meaning."

"I do, yeah." Therris confirmed. "Got some workers sellin' their bodies up there. Not sure if it's my scene but all the power to 'em; gotta feed yourself, right?"

"Of course!" Vel said with a smile, then pointed past Therris. "And it looks like I'm about to be escorted by Deputy Tritus, so we might have to part ways. He helps me get to my destination."

Coming from the heart of the town came a large blue dragon riding a black, orange, and yellow dragon. Much like Storm, he wore a lovely vest and white shirt kept in place by a bandolier with shotgun shells lining it. He galloped near and put himself between Therris and Vel.

"Ahoy Vel'Gahrus! Long time no see!" The dragon deputy said, then turned to Therris. "I'll take it from here, my friend! Nobody dares rob a caravan when the law's escorting it."

Almost instantly, Therris got the impression that Tritus was far more pleasant than sheriff Storm thanks in no small part to his broad grin and forthright attitude. Just seemed like a pleasant dragon!

Vel offered a final wave to Therris as he was taken away by Tritus. "Anyway, I'd best be off! Pleasure meeting you, Therris! I hope to see you again! Who knows, maybe I'll see you at the Near and Dear's saloon! I know they make some lovely food!" And with that, Vel used the straps to make the stallions pulling the carriage go a bit faster, their caravan parting the strip on either side, Tritus leading the way all the while.

Therris considered keeping pace with the third and final carriage so he could talk to Cocamo, but upon getting close the gruff-looking fellow appeared to have no interest in talking. Instead, Therris tipped his hat, offered a pleasant greeting to Cocamo, and then turned to make his way closer to the stables he was so keen on visiting to clean Oceras. He didn't even bother approaching the gryphon and her mount despite the pair of them looking a bit more amicable towards him.

By the time he reached the end of the strip, he was greeted by a rather small canine with cute little red and white markings all over as well as a small sabre-toothed canine-lady with purple fur and a gorgeous, flowing mane. The canine lady immediately took notice of Oceras and got Therris's attention.

"Wow, that is one dirty mare." She declared, stepping forward with a brush in hand. "Please let me clean her! Can't be riding around with a layer of dust between the saddle and her back, that's just asking for trouble!" Even without permission, she started brushing Oceras's Mane, something the mare loved enough to smile and lean into.

Therris didn't know how to respond - mostly because it was already too late to protest - so he just shrugged. "Sure. How much for a full-bodied clean?"

"Oh, we don't charge for a brushing and a clean. That just comes free with stabling your steed here while in town." She offered a few more strokes of the brush and outstretched her hand towards Therris. "I'm Angell, by the way. I run this stable. Lots of lovely horses, if your girl loves company. This here's Pooj, my assistant."

Her assistant, apparently named Pooj, bowed and smiled.

"Hi, Pooj. Hi Angell." Therris shook his head and reached forward to pat Oceras on the neck. "But I'm not stabling her here, she goes with me everywhere."

"That's fine, I'd still like to clean her. Can't stand seeing dirty horses." Angell countered. "And I see you're not using a bridle or a harness. Very nice; she must be very well behaved to trust so wholly."

"The best-behaved horse I've ever met." Therris considered arguing about the brushing or at least offering money, but he got the impression she wouldn't accept it so he reluctantly hopped off his mare and let them take her into the barn. He followed, of course, but let the girls do their work.

All the while, Oceras kept her head high, one foreleg raised and tail flagged to show just how proud she was and how much she enjoyed being pampered. Her new shoes were shiny and smooth, her mane and tail were quickly brushed out and cleaned, and the feathers around her shoulders were straightened and preened by the two stable workers. When her saddle was taken off, Pooj and Angell got right to work, using a bucket and a sponge to wash her down and brush he clean. They finished off by giving the mare a full-bodied brush-down with a pair of brushes that had glowing orange gems.

Therris inquired about these gems and the two girls informed him that they were for heat, to dry her after soaking her with water. It worked wonderfully but left her mane and tail a little puffy. Once they went back to the original brushes, the mare was once again given a luxurious coat before being told she could go.

"Thank you, kind ladies!" Therris said as he tossed them each a silver coin. "Call this a tip, because I know that Oceras is going to roll in the dirt first chance she gets. She's a wonderful mare but she isn't as keen on cleanliness as I am." He patted her on the shoulder and ran his fingers through her feathers. In response, she swung her head around and started lip-nibbling his hair.

He brushed her away, equipped her saddle, and hopped up to ride out of the barn in order to better go about the rest of his afternoon.

Chapter 5: The Near and Dear at Night

From that point forward, Therris decided the rest of his day was going to be dedicated to travelling from one end of Rhybute Pass to the other and back again, trying out everything he could along the way. He tried on some new clothes, sampled some lovely street-meat vendors, purchased a few random potions from shady-looking vendors, and even went so far as to ask if anyone needed some hired help for the season.

As it turned out, most places were content and didn't need any help. Even the mine, which Therris had learned was just starting up, was said to already have a crew of over one hundred folks being imported from Port Sanri and Val-Varrex. This was odd, as far as Therris could tell, but he had no place telling locals how to run their business.

He also avoided the Sheriff's office, knowing he already got a bad vibe from Storm. Tritus seemed like a pleasant guy, but if the gryphon in charge put Oceras at unease, he didn't want to offer to do anything for him. In other cities, he liked to do bounty hunting, but not here. Not for Storm.

Eventually, he made his way back to the Near and Dear. He had enjoyed much of his day and was happy to have gotten well-acquainted with the locals and the layout of the city. However, his day felt incredibly long given the many activities he participated in and the amount of money he spent. Fortunately, he was a long way away from running out of coin. He still needed to find work, though.

When he arrived at the Near and Dear and went around back to the saloon hitching post, he was greeted by a pleasant surprise. The creature the blue gryphon had been riding behind Vel was there tied by the entrance. He hadn't been around the back yet so he was quite pleasantly surprised to see just how natural-looking and ornate the deck, stairs, and railing looked compared to the rest of the town. The windows were glowing yellow, flickering and dancing as the lanterns inside kept the saloon warm.

Therris tied Oceras to the hitching post, reluctantly sliding a bridle over her muzzle because he knew there was a good chance he'd not be coming back out until morning. "Sorry girl." He apologized, patting her on the shoulders and rubbing his cheek to hers to show affection before he left. She didn't seem all that bothered by the bridle, because her attention had immediately gone to the silver and green drake next to her.

He wore a collar with a medallion hanging down, so a curious Therris had to check it out. "Raekal." He read aloud. "Well, Raekal, you be nice to my girl or you'll get a kick!" He joked.

He didn't wait for a response before hopping up the stairs and bursting through the doors to emerge inside the Near and Dear's saloon. Upon entering, he was immediately approached by two folks who looked like they were the type to keep the place under control. One was a peach, magenta, and lavender dragon - vaguely similar colours to Therris - and the other was a tall, strong-looking tiger wearing a vest.

"Welcome to the Near and Dear." The dragon said with a smile. "I'm Rime, and if you have any troubles I want you to come to either me or my partner Rex." He motioned towards the tiger. "And if you are trouble, you'll be dealing with one of us whether you like it or not."

Therris raised his hands in a faux-surrender. "Just here to get something to eat before heading to bed, mister! I have a room reserved in the inn upstairs."

"Inn?" Rime repeated back, confused. "Oh, the brothel. Alright!" He offered a sly grin and a nod before motioning for Therris to pass on by, an invitation he was happy to take.

Though he had already entered the building and the door had already closed behind him by the time Rime and Rex let him past the entrance, it was only then Therris started to truly take in what was going on around him. A jaunty tune was being played on a piano by a blue and white, quadruped winged wolf-dragon, there were male and female dancers on the stage giving a show to anyone who wanted to look, there were brothel workers going from table to table trying to sell their services, and the bar was busy with a purple snake serving drinks alongside Ithilwen and Rick.

All in all, it was quite overwhelming for the introverted Therris. And yet, despite it being too stimulating for comfort, he felt welcome the moment he entered the room. The barflies gave him a wave, the dancers hooted at him, a group of poker players invited him to their table, and a server came over to seat him. This one was the same magenta shark in the skimpy dress and thigh-high boots.

"Can I get you a place to sit? Are you alone, with others, or social?" He asked while attempting to imitate a female shark voice.

Therris shook his head and happily accepted a menu. "I'm on my own today. Just sit me in the corner somewhere and I'll observe. Just taking it all in, you know?"

"I do! Bit of a voyeur, are ya?" The shark acknowledged. "I'm Kiaki, so just holler my name if you need me. For now, follow me and I'll get you a spot to sit." He weaved through the various tables, careful to not let his tail brush along any of the other patrons. As promised, he found Therris a nice spot in the far corner in one of the rounded tables and booth seats. "Can I get you anything to drink?"

Therris nodded as he sat down. "Just a root beer, please. Non-alcoholic if you got it."

"We do! I'll be back in five!" Kiaki then bowed and turned to walk away, tail up to lift his skirt and expose himself, revealing him to be going commando under the skirt.

"Not bad." Therris muttered to himself, cocking his head to the side to get a better view under the gentleman's dress. Once Kiaki was gone and out of range of view, he relaxed and leaned back, grinning broadly as he took in the scene around him. Not only had the song on the piano changed, but the dancer lineup had changed too. It was only then that he started to notice that, despite there being at least fifty other patrons and workers in The Near and Dear, he recognized quite the number of faces!

Cocamo was sitting at a table with the blue and white gryphoness that rode Raekal, while Vel'Gahrus, Dustafyer, and the gentleman with the glowy, clear orange arms was at the table next to them. On the other side of the room were Saethwr and Jay, both enjoying a drink after a hard day's work. And, to Therris's greatest shock, Var'Rex the marshal was at the bar as well, happily enjoying a nice meal that Ithilwen and Rick served him. In the other corner opposite Therris were the black unicorn stallion and his smaller blue-haired mare partner that he'd seen with Dustafyer on the caravan that he first saw coming into town; they were heavily making out as if nobody was watching.

Nearly every person he'd met, encountered, bought from, or casually tilted his hat towards had made their way to the very same saloon that he ended up gravitating towards. This could have been strange to him, if not for the bits of information he'd gathered throughout the course of the day.

The Near and Dear was apparently the largest multi-service establishment in town and possibly the most successful outside of the mines. It was restocking all of its produce and supplies, which was what brought just about everyone into town on the same day - this explained why the strips were bustling with activity from morning to evening - and it was easily one of the nicest saloons Therris had ever seen. He never would have guessed there was a brothel upstairs or a general store and blacksmith workshop next door.

As he was thinking over the path he took to get to this point, a tall chestnut mare wearing a loose-fitting blouse and frilly dress came over to his table, standing over him with a smile.

"Can I help you?" Therris asked, trying his best to not be confrontational. He didn't know who this mare was, even if he smelled a familiar scent billowing out from under her dress. It was the same aroma he basked in every time Oceras went into heat.

The mare leaned down and extended her hand to him. "My name is Neera, I'm the owner of this here establishment. I hear you rented out a room for the week and I wanted to say hi to you, personally. I hope you don't mind, but I like to get to know any and all patrons; especially those who stick around."

Therris took her hand and shook it. "You've got a lovely place her, miss. I'm quite impressed, as I've never seen a single establishment with so many different services under one roof. Inn, general store, blacksmith, brothel, saloon, that's impressive and it all looks quite nice!"

"I reckon you'll come to be even more surprised when you see how good the food is, or how good the boys are upstairs." She winked and turned to walk away, tail up. She then paused to ask. "Did your server take your order?"

"Not yet, I'm not even sure I know what I want yet. Got any recommendations?"

"Try the Shepherd's Pie. It sounds like a peasant dish but our cook makes it exquisite. As for boys, I recommend Kiaki, if he's on duty tonight." She then hopped away, having made satisfying contact with Therris. She had other business to attend to, but was stopped when Therris called out.

"Actually, I'm not interested in companionship. Please don't send anyone to my room tonight."

She hesitated and turned back around. At first she opened her mouth to speak, to try to sell him on the Near and Dear's custom brand of hospitality, but when she saw how dilated his pupils had grown in her presence, she immediately pieced together his preferences. "Got it, you've got a mare out back."

A silence washed over them both while Therris composed himself. He wanted to deny it, to act like Oceras wasn't also his lover, but based on how Ithilwen, Rick, Jay, and Saethwr had acted, he figured there was no point in acting coy. Instead, he just leaned back, offered a smug smirk, and a shrug.

"Understood, darling. Enjoy your meal when it comes." Neera gave a sly grin in response and then quickly returned to the spiral staircase that led to the balcony and the brothel upstairs.

Moments later, Kiaki returned with a large wooden mug of root beer and took Therris's order. As recommended, he asked for the shepherd's pie and patiently waited for his meal to arrive.

In spite of the location being stuffed on all corners and bustling with all manner of activity, his meal came rather quickly and it looked delicious, almost gourmet. Plentiful, too. Of course, it didn't take him long to realize that the meal was pretty much already made, prepped in a deep dish skillet and only in need of reheating in the oven. Not a problem, since the meal was delicious and filling!

However, about halfway through enjoying his food, the doors busted open to reveal Sherrif Storm and his Deputy Tritus. Both strode in like they owned the place and bypassed the entrance with Rime and Rex. As they made their presence known, the entire aura of the Near and Dear changed. The piano stopped, the dancers halted in place, the servers froze in position, and much of the chatter went dead within seconds. Storm stood tall, head and shoulders above everyone else with chest puffed out in approval of this attention he got before he dismissed them by waving his hand. "Carry on."

Only once the patrons got the sheriff's permission did they get back to doing what they were doing. The piano took a moment to get back to where he was in his jaunty tune, the dancers had to synchronize once more, and the dull roar of the crowd took a minute to build back up to where it was.

The whole event - which lasted no more than five minutes - put Therris at a sense of unease. Storm's mere presence had changed the composition of the entire establishment and it didn't go back to normal until he - the gentleman in power - gave permission to do so. That couldn't be healthy or safe for the general public, and it got worse when Storm made a move on Neera.

With one aggressive motion, he cornered the owner of the establishment, pinning her against the railing without ever touching her. His wings spread to partially block her in, but Therris's angle allowed him to see what was going on. Storm was speaking with Neera, but his words were obscured by the noise in the Near and Dear. Behind him, Tritus casually ordered a drink from Ithilwen as if this was a completely normal occurrence.

That was quite concerning for Therris, but since he was the only one acting concerned he didn't speak up or question the actions of the Sheriff. He casually kept picking at his meal, eyes locked on what was happening between Storm and Neera.

He continued to act aggressive towards her, posturing and widening his stance to look big and intimidating before wrapping his hand and wrist around her neck, pulling her in close. She stood tall, defiant in the face of his aggression with a smile on her face, while both Rime and Rex watched from the exit. They weren't making a move, either, despite being the security for the location.

Neera pulled away and put some distance between she and Storm, only to have him close that distance again, this time pinning her against the wall. She raised a finger to him as if to scold him before he made a motion towards his badge, which spoke to Therris as if he was using his power to get something out of her. Was he shaking her down for money? A protection racket? Therris couldn't know. At least, not until Storm reached down to caress her chest, his massive hand cupping one of her breasts.

She flagged her tail and flared her nostrils, stomping one hoof in the process, all while smiling for some inexplicable reason. The mare didn't resist or pull away when Storm reached under her dress to caress her between her legs. He gave a few motions as she widened her stance before pulling his talons out from her garment to sniff his fingertips. After licking his beak, he leaned over her with one hand, an imposing a stance as Therris could imagine.

Just then, as Therris was trying to get a read on what happened, the canine-deer hybrid marshal sidled up next to him, trying to act casual as he did so.

"Are you seeing this?" Therris asked, pointing to the scene between Neera and Storm.

Var'Rex nodded. "I am, but it's not my concern."

"Aren't you the Marshal of this region? Isn't it your job to do something about this? He's very clearly taking advantage of his position; I mean, look what he's doing to that mare!" Though his words were intense and desperate, Therris was trying to keep his volume low so as not to alert Storm.

"I am, but we handle entirely different jurisdictions of the law. He handles local crime and I focus more on the nationwide stuff, big gangs, repeat offenders, higher level stuff. If the locals have a problem with him, they have the option to vote him out of office; I let the locals handle their local politics. I'm here to ask you a few questions about that gang leader we discussed by the river this morning. Also, by the way, absolute serendipity that I met you here again. Shocking that we both ended up on the same path to the same destination." Var'Rex seemed awfully cavalier in general, which made him appear to not care but in reality was a show he was focused on the task at hand.

Therris watched helplessly as Storm guided Neera to the stage, where he commanded the mare to dance for him. It was rather unpleasant to watch, but she seemed like a natural - not only good at it but made it look like she was really into it, too!

He tried to clear his mind in order to focus on Var. "Yeah, I remember a thing or two about 'im. Vraska, I think you said he was. Horned feline fellow with green fur?"

"Precisely. He's been spotted in town by a few of my undercover locals. You know the shark boi that took your order? He's one of my network. Not officially a member of my crew but an avid helper. Best I can tell he used to be military from the war, came here looking to get away from combat but still has the skills needed to help out. He's an informant of mine and he said he saw Vraska not long after he first saw you." Var pulled out a pad of paper and a pen, ready to take a statement. "Now, I'm not here to accuse you of anything, and I won't, but I need to ask you for your whereabouts throughout the day and if you have any information that might be interesting to a band of stagecoach thieves."

This could have upset him if he wasn't so fixated on what was going on with Storm. Neera was still dancing with him alongside the others but she was getting increasingly touchy with him, caressing him with her hooves, grinding on his lap, and even going so far as to bend over with her tail up high enough that Storm - and everyone else in the Near and Dear - could see her moist, puffy lips.

Despite being distracted by the show, Therris had no problems reciting everything he had done, learned, and heard while in town. He spoke of the caravan with Dustafyer and the others that he quickly came to realize must have been filled with mining equipment and gemstones. He retraced his steps through town and referenced Ithilwen, Rick, Jay, Saethwr, Angell, and Pooj, all of which revealed his location and time of day. He made a point to say that he was never more than ten meters away from Oceras - an oversized, thick, and golden tipped mare with a feathered mane around her neck and shoulders - to further show he was easy to monitor and that he had no interest in being sneaky.

This did seem to please Var, who then countered by saying that was almost too convenient to be true, but conceded when Therris - who was still more focused and Storm and Neera - barely had to think to tell his tale and extol the virtues of his easily identifiable look and mount.

Their mini-interview concluded with Var casually thanking him for his time and taking a bite of his unfinished shepherds pie, but he didn't leave. He wanted to, but seconds later more commotion stirred up between Storm and Neera when the gryphon grabbed her down off her pole, bent her over the stage, yanked her tail, and started grinding against her. Other dancers and patrons backed away in shock and Var'Rex reached for his pistol in case he needed to use it but then paused.

Neera appeared to be waving the others away as if to assure them this was fine. Storm, the sheriff of Rhybute Pass, was clearly forcing her into a scene but she didn't seem all too bothered by it.

"You not going to do anything about this?" Therris prodded Var while quietly considering taking action himself. He wasn't a fighter, but he knew how to sling a gun and travelled so much he was prepared to leave Rhybute an outlaw if that's what it took.

Var shook his head. "Only if she calls for help. Not sure if you've been properly acquainted with the rules of this place, but it's very much so an adults-only establishment. Sex, orgies, vulgar displays of dominance, and all sorts of kinky events happen here. For all we know this is just how they like to play. If that's the case, then I have no place interfering. What people do for pleasure's certainly not my jurisdiction." He took another bite of Therris's shepherd's pie before sitting back down.

Though still in a mental state of disapproval, Therris felt it made the most sense to not get involved. Storm's actions appeared to be well beyond that which Therris considered acceptable but Var was right; he had no way to know what was going on and therefore could risk making a scene for nothing. While he wanted to be helpful and pleasant and well-liked by all, he didn't want to stir the pot.

So he sat back, tried his best to focus on his food, and went about his evening. The only problem was that Storm and Neera were being so active that it was virtually impossible to not pay attention to them. Their exaggerated motions and occasional squawks and nickers could occasionally be heard over the jaunty piano tune and the roar of the crowd.

It wasn't until Storm aggressively tore his pants off to reveal his throbbing, purple-fleshed cock that Therris found he could no longer peel his eyes away.

Storm leaned over Neera, holding her in place with his massive hand wrapped around the back of her neck to pin her to the stage. His cock throbbed and spurted a few globules of precum up under her tail, soaking her and her dress in equal measure. Though the exact details were obstructed from Therris's view, he was able to see her chestnut vulva glistening and winking in anticipation in much the same way Oceras would when she was begging for him.

She did everything she could to brace herself, by spreading her legs, reaching out with her hands, and twisting her head to grind her cheek into the wood of the stage all while Storm did whatever he wanted with her. She looked more like she was suffering through his assault than enjoying herself.

Regardless of her reactions or Therris's perceptions, Storm went about his business with her. He grabbed her at the base of the tail and hoisted her high enough that her hooves came up off the ground in order to better access her depths. He used his other hand to grab and guide his cock, wrenching it down and grinding the tip up and down between the mare's lips. The angle didn't seem right due to their difference in size, so he had to squat down a bit and widen his stance, revealing from behind his massive balls hanging beneath him.

Therris gulped a bit as he got that brief glimpse of what the gryphon was packing. Part of him wanted to be on the receiving end of the load those orbs would have delivered.

But that wasn't what kept his attention for long. After Storm realized he was too big to mount Neera at this angle from this location, he let her back down onto her hooves as he aimed himself into her, easing his member past her lips and into her depths with one motion that caused her to arch her spine and throw her head back, her expression somewhere between ahegao and agony.

Storm wasted no time leaning over her once he felt her lips swallow him, his massive body holding her down while he started to buck and thrust. His massive member was almost too much for Neera, which was noteworthy given just how malleable most mares were, but that didn't stop him from carrying on without care. From his stance high above her, he reached down to grab her by the neck from behind and used that as leverage to pick up the pace.

His vigour could be faintly heard over the hustle and bustle of the Near and Dear, the squelches and guttural splatters that emanated from his mount echoing above the murmur of the crowd in short bursts even if very little of their actions could be heard.

The gryphon's motions quickly grew even rougher as he slammed into her repeatedly. He pushed so hard that a creak could be heard as the wood of the stage was put under pressure beyond what it was built for, showing just how powerful he was and how poor of a decision it would have been to interrupt; any drake that could make that noise and rock the entire building was not one to trifle with.

Of course, he was only getting started. Again and again he thrust into Neera, the mare hoisting her tail up and pushing back to match his every motion - presumably to get it over with quicker. A gush of fluids escaped her, splashing over his knot and soaking his balls and inner thighs before dripping onto the hardwood floors of the Near and Dear by the stage.

He used this extra lubrication to his advantage, grabbing her tail and thigh with each of his hands to grind and gyrate, rolling the bulges of his knot in a circle in an attempt to burst into her.

Though he was vigilant, his arm muscles bulging as he gripped her tightly, he didn't seem to be making any sort of progress so he went back to thrusting and slamming his hips against hers while others watched - most notable of which was Tritus, who happily drank off to the side while casually elbowing Vel'Gahrus on the shoulder.

From that angle, it was hard to see, but this was when Therris began to notice that others were not only showing interest in the live sex show that was happening in front of them, but many others were actively making strides towards getting involved with their partner of choice. Tritus - the deputy of the town next to Storm - had a bulge in his pants while propositioning Vel, clearly hoping to get lucky. On top of that, Cocamo and the blue gryphon - who Therris vaguely heard being called Ichaya by her friends over the noise of the saloon - were getting rather handsy with one another over in the other corner while the glowy-armed dragon-creature looked on. Var'Rex appeared to be getting hot and bothered next to Therris despite his position of power, and the two equines opposite Therris in the other corner booth were now outright engaged with one another, mess spewing all over the table!

Just when everything appeared to be getting out of control, Storm picked Neera up and hoisted her across the room while holding her close to his chest, knot still on the verge of popping into her. He pushed Tritus and Vel out of the way and slammed her down on the bar, still face down. He was quite violent with her, his actions appearing to be more like a fight than sex, but Therris held off saying anything knowing there was a chance he could misread the situation.

The position didn't last long between Storm and Neera. After a few deep thrusts into her, he reached down, grabbed her leg, flipped her over so that she was on her back, grabbed her under the knees, and continued working on her at an angle that ensured everyone could see the damage he was doing to her pussy.

And yet, despite how rough he was being and how violently he was attacking her loins with his oversized member and bulging knot, every half-pull-out of his length came accompanied by a visible spurt of fluids cascading over his cock and soaking the edge of his sheriff's vest at the bottom. This all made it so very hard to tell whether this was consensual or not. Storm kept choking, grabbing, controlling, and otherwise being abusive to Neera and the mare, in turn, couldn't seem to make up her mind between distress and pleasure.

Of course, it all came to a head mere minutes later as he wrapped his hands around her thighs with such strength it looked like his claws might tear apart her dress and puncture her flesh. With a grip that tight, he was able to grind and push and press and force himself into her, half-swollen knot popping beyond her lips and bursting into her depths with a sputtering groan of her internals echoing out throughout the Near and dear, her resulting whinny and his screech both drowning out the piano and the clatter of the nearby dancers.

He hissed at her, wings partially spread and beak open over top of her as he bucked a few more times, his expanding knot tugging on her lips and threatening to pop out before he slammed his hips to hers once more. A steady trickle of her fluids dribbled over his cock and soaked his sheath as she splayed out, legs parted wide, tail drooped down over the side of the bar. She was about as spent as could be, and yet she seemed to show that she wasn't done when she grabbed Storm by his chest plumage and pulled herself up to him, grin upon her lips and knot still buried deep inside her.

Storm, apparently a gentleman now, preened her mane and pulled her up off the bar. She wrapped her legs around him for grip and balance while he found his way to his own personal booth off to the side meant for larger folks such as himself. He snapped his fingers a couple of times and summoned Kiaki over to order a meal, then shouted while the shark boy was walking away. "And don't forget my drink!"

"Yes, Storm!" Kiaki responded, then turned and rolled his eyes before making his way to the bar.

And just like that, the sheriff's ended as quickly as it had begun. Fifteen minutes of rough, aggressive mating with a mare that was much too small for him but managed to take him without vast complications. As she sat on his lap, straddling him while in the booth and sharing a meal with him, she occasionally twitched and flagged her tail, likely on time with every new burst of his seed too deep within her. She seemed content, as far as Therris could tell, but he was still concerned for her.

Chapter 6: Could This be Corruption

"Are you entirely sure that's okay?" Therris asked Var, noticing that the marshal had almost finished his shepherd's pie for him. He sighed a bit and tossed his fork onto the plate as he leaned back, the shift in position revealing to him that he was hard inside and moist outside. The crotch of his pants was soaked with his arousal that had come from watching the event unfold before him.

It didn't help that, mere moments after Storm had finished and tied the mare amidst another gush of their combined fluids, a powerful musk filled the room and washed over everyone. The various couples and groups that had been getting frisky erupted into full-blown orgies, with each table pausing their card games or meals to get intimate.

Most notable of them was Tritus and VelGahrus, who had snuck upstairs via the spiral staircase to get a good look of what was going on from the balcony of the second level - the brothel level. Such a placement made sense for the deputy, who was likely tasked with keeping an eye out while Storm was busy with Neera. He was second in command if Therris was correct about the rankings within the members of the law in the region.

At the same time, Cocamo the dragon-like bloke had bent Ichaya the blue and white gryphoness over the table, burying his snout under her tail with his tongue probing her depths all the while. At the table next to them, Dustafyer and his glowy-armed companion - who was revealed to be named Zaldrin by Dustafyer in conversation as they watched Cocamo and Ichaya - were drinking and getting hard under their pants while casually rubbing themselves. Dustafyer tried to reach over and slip his hand into Zaldrin's pants, but Zaldrin casually pushed him away.

Even the workers of the Near and Dear's bar were getting in on the action. In between serving drinks and filling orders for their horny patrons, Ithilwen and Rick were casually grabbing one another at the base of the tail, with Rick even slipping a finger between Ithilwen's legs and pulling away to lick it off. Very kinky, very widespread. Then, as Kiaki went by the bar with Storm's order, Saethwr pulled him to the side to give a gentle stroke down the shark's tail before letting him go to complete the order.

Kiaki had quite the maze to navigate en route to Storm's table since almost every group had been overtaken by the musk that filled the air. He kept getting groped and grabbed and fondled to the point he almost had his dress plucked from his body, but he persevered and delivered the food to Storm. Then, when Storm tried to reach out and grab him, he laughed and shook his head, producing a tiny pistol from his one leg strapped to his calf, unwilling to allow the gryphon to make a move.

Storm, evidently lost in his own lust and drunk off his power while hardly registering the pistol aimed at him, reached out a second time to grab him only to have Kiaki produce a massive hand cannon that was under his dress, flipping it around and pointing it right at Storm's forehead as he shook his head with a toothy grin, backing away. Therris couldn't help but wonder where he kept that thing.

There was a look of apprehension on Storm's face as he hovered over his own revolver before slyly nodding and returning his attention to Neera, offering Kiaki a wink of approval as he did so.

Content, Kiaki spun around, his dress widening while he flipped the revolver around his finger. He then holstered it back on his thigh and headed back to the bar to see about picking up another plate. However, on route to his destination, he was grabbed and pulled off his feet by a rather large feline, a yellow and black spotted gentleman wearing leather straps over his chest and cuffs on his wrists. It appeared the two knew each other, and Kiaki had been hiding an erection under his dress ever since the mass-sexuality had commenced, so it didn't seem to take much to drag him down into his lust as well.

Up on the second-floor balcony, Tritus had really gotten involved with Vel'Gahrus, but it was Vel who seemed to be taking the initiative. The purple dragon had gotten down to his knees in front of Tritus, briskly undoing the deputy's trousers while using his snout to burrow beyond the fabric, searching for the other dragon's cock. It didn't take long, and the moment Vel yanked Tritus's pants down past his knees, he almost immediately spun around so that he was behind the dragon, snout pressed up against the underside of the deputy's tail.

This caught Tritus by surprise for a few moments, as he was not expecting his tail hole to be probed so thoroughly, but he didn't waste a moment of the opportunity. He lurched forward and leaned over the bannister, keeping an eye trained on those below him while Vel kissed, plucked, licked, probed, and nibbled around his tail hole.

This continued for a bit longer than Therris expected, for Vel was proving to be a very enthusiastic dragon, rimming the deputy and practically making out with him beneath the tail.

By this point, Ithilwen and Rick had basically stopped working behind the counter. The two of them were now on top of the bar where Storm had mounted Neera, with Rick casually pulling his member out of his pants - both of them, apparently - to start grinding against Ithilwen's loins. She seemed eager to receive him, so she grabbed both of his members and aimed them where they needed to go, rushing to move her skirt out of the way in the process while raising her legs.

He bit down on her neck, sharp teeth nearly drawing blood while he bucked and thrust, both members taking turns probing her depths before pulling out and making her beg for more. Not content with their location and the lack of leverage, they rolled off the bar, landed on their feet, and attempted to sneak out past Rime and Rex to the deck out back.

"This certainly took a turn, didn't it?" Therris joked to Var, who was still sitting in the booth next to him, only now the marshal had a visible bulge in his trousers. "You need some attention there, mister?" He asked, nodding as if he was tilting a hat that he wasn't wearing.

Var nodded and grinned. "What can I say? Even when on duty I have my needs, partner."

Therris reached over and stroked Var's upper thigh. "Think I could help you out with that?" In truth, he wasn't entirely in the mood to participate in the orgy despite being the type of sexually liberated bloke that would use any opportunity to get wet; mostly, he was still turned off by how Storm treated Neera. However, since nobody else seemed to have a problem with it, he tried to not dwell on it.

"That's entirely up to you, big boy." Var cooed at him, tail wagging in the groove in the seat behind the two of them. "If you find the inspiration, I won't say no, not right now."

Naturally, Therris couldn't help but get a bit more passionate with the stroking of Var's thigh, deliberately making his way up until he could feel the bulge of the hybrid's sheath pressing out against his trousers. This urged Therris to use his nimble fingers - useful for reloading revolvers, pleasing his mare, and apparently undoing buttons on pants - to pull out the marshal's member, rubbing his sheath and peeling back the thick flesh in the process.

Var couldn't help but buck gently, the tension in his loins peeling his sheath back more while he clawed at the table. He wanted more, the scent of all the males in the room was wafting around everywhere and Therris - despite being rather feminine in appearance - had a musk about him that was just as potent or even stronger than Storm's. Lost in the moment, Var slipped out from the booth and bent over the table, easing his pants down to reveal his tail hole while his balls pressed out and came to rest on his belt. "Come on, go ahead. I trust ya." He said, nearly moaning all the while.

Therris found it quite difficult to resist such an open invitation. While he was still focused on what was going on around him, he couldn't resist himself any longer. His loins were dripping with the arousal that had built up within him, cock hard but still in his slit and eager to come out to play. His plate was empty and nobody was coming to get it, so he slid out from behind the table and pulled his pants down, leaving his chaps on his upper thighs while completely exposing himself otherwise.

Clearly eager beyond traditional measure, Var reached back and was shocked to see that Therris had a slit instead of a more traditional sheath. This was offputting for a moment, but the musky aroma that billowed up from between Therris's legs spoke volumes of his masculinity to Var. Once he put the shock of not seeing a sheath to the side, Var then cradled Therris's emerging tip, collected the viscous lubricant that was seeping out into the palm of his hand, and smeared it up under his tail, moistening his hole and the back of his balls in the process.

Just as Therris leaned in to make his move, Var sniffed his palm and wrapped his fingers around his snout, huffing the scent and licking the slime off his hand in the process, tail up and ready.

"You sure?" Therris asked, grabbing a hold of the base of Var's tail with one hand and yanking his length out with the other. Var didn't respond, but the look he gave over his shoulder spoke volumes, so Therris went ahead and leaned into him, grinding his shaft between the marshal's rump cheeks, teasing his tail hole and smearing his fluids all over.

What started as an impassioned mounting slowly tapered out into an idle grinding. Therris was eager to fill Var'Rex but was still distracted by the happenings around him. Over by the bar, Ichaya had finally made a move on Cocamo, straddling his hips and bouncing on his exposed cock while Zaldrin and Dustafyer watched. Zaldrin was clearly more into it than Dusty, who seemed distracted. It was clear Zaldrin loved seeing the two of them go at it, even if it was clear that he'd have preferred being in Cocamo's place with the gryphoness riding him.

Though Zaldrin was by no means grumpy about the whole situation, he did push away and head out the back door with Dustafyer following him. The two of them - both of which were linked to the gemstone mining equipment coming into town - quickly departed the Near and Dear before the orgy took a hold of them.

Cocamo and Ichaya barely even noticed their absence. Instead of making comments about it, Ichaya then shuffled in place so that she was squatting down on her partner, reverse cowgirl and bent over the table as she sipped a drink, tail up and pussy slamming down repeatedly on Cocamo's lap. He may have been distracted at first, but after a few notable pumps from the lass on his lap, he couldn't help but slap her rump, grab her hips, and match her every motion.

While midway through his session, he even caught Therris's eye, giving the bloke a nod of approval while Therris was rubbing and grinding against Var's tail hole.

This brought forth Therris's bashfulness - something that hardly manifested - in such a way that he had to avoid eye contact, thus once again bringing his attention back to Vel'Gahrus and Tritus on the balcony, where the two had changed positions so that Vel was bent over the bannister and Tritus was pressed tight against his back, never averting his eyes from the scene below.

In fact, Vel was actually biting his lower lip while he braced himself on the bannister, eyes rolling back in his skull and tail wrapped around Tritus's waist to hold him there. His toes were curling, scraping the wood of the floor in the process while the deputy grabbed his hips and slammed against him repeatedly.

Both dragons looked to be having a wonderful time with one another, even if Vel kept his pants on for the most part with his member pressing out against the inside of the trousers, only the back pulled down over his booty to expose his tail hole.

From below, Storm offered Tritus a salute with Neera still on his lap. The two shared a moment amidst the orgy they'd helped create until they shared a growl and a squawk of unity!

Then, as Therris was just about to slide his member into Var's rump, a loud cracking sound could be heard outside followed up by a growl and a whinnying sound! It seemed only a handful of folks from inside noticed at all - be it due to the roaring sound of chatter, the moans of the orgy participants, or the jaunty piano tune and slammin' beats of the hooves of the dancers - but that only made Therris even more concerned.

"Sorry, mate." He apologized as he patted Var on his haunches, quickly pulled out from under the hybrid's tail, put his own member back in his pants, and darted off. He did leave a few silver on the table before he leapt away, but he had no idea if the server was going to get that or if it paid for his meal. All he cared about was his horse.

As he made his last dash for the exit, he went by Ichaya and Cocamo, the only other two who seemed to notice that anything was happening.

Ichaya, sensing something wrong with Raekal, pulled up her panties, lowered her dress, and joined Therris on his way out the door. Every step she took left a single drip of Cocamo's essence on the floor behind her. The two of them glanced at each other with a knowing look in their eyes before bursting out to the back porch simultaneously. The image before them was not what either expected.

Chapter 7: A Once Enchanted Mare

Raekal had leapt up onto Oceras, biting down on her neck as he was bucking his hips, cocks dangling down below Oceras's tail. He was on Oceras with all fours, claws clutching the mare's shoulders and hips with his tail out for balance. Zaldrin was behind the both of them, careful to make sure nothing terrible happened while Dustafyer was near Oceras's face, calming her and talking to her. Off to the side and up against the corner of the bannister of the porch, Ithilwen had bent over with Rick gently caressing her rump, both of them completely naked while a few random passersby glanced at them.

"Raekal! Down!" Ichaya chirped at her mount with an angry and commanding tone. "Now!"

The creature, whom Therris could not identify as dragon or wolf or anything else, just bit down harder and bucked his hips once more, defiantly mating with the estrus mare he'd caught as his prey. The situation could have been dire, but Therris couldn't help but laugh, relieved.

Zaldrin, Ichaya, and Dustafyer all swung their heads around to look at him, confused.

Therris felt the need to explain. He hopped down the steps to walk around his mare, getting a good look in her eyes, down her flank, and eventually her hindquarters where Raekal had managed to slip both his cocks into her - one in the ass and one in her pussy. "This mare here's mine, fellas." He slipped past Zaldrin and patted her on the haunches. "See how her tail's up, her head's down, and her hind legs are spread for stability? Yeah, she's fine. If she didn't want him on her, she'd let him know."

Ichaya tried to shake the disbelief from her head. "Excuse me? Raekal's jaws can crush bone! He needs to get down, now!" She pointed at him, then at the ground for emphasis.

"That's between you and your steed, m'lady. See the feathers 'round my girl's neck? She's part hippogryph. She's very durable. And while I can't fully explain it, she seems to be fully resistant to all forms of damage. Saw a flying saurian snatch her out of the field once, slammed his claws down on her, bit her and tried to break her neck. From her came an explosion, the saurian broke his neck and was eviscerated in the process, she fell hundreds of meters onto the ground. I figured she was dead for sure, but nope! Girl got back up like nothin' happened!"

Zaldrin glanced over to Dustafyer, who shrugged and glanced to Ichaya for clarification. It was the gryphoness who piped up. "And what's this got to do with her being mated by an aggressive-"

"She's got an enchantment of some sort," Therris interjected. "The bloke who sold her to me said she was special in many ways. Sometimes she's a mare, sometimes she's a stallion, she seems to always be in heat, she's clearly smarter'n any other horse I've known, and she's got some sorta protection spell about her. I don't know how it works, I don't wanna test it, but one thing I know for sure is that if she don't like what you do to her, you're gonna have a bad time. This Raekal fellow's no exception." He then leaned in and patted Raekal on the haunches.

"That's absurd." Dustafyer blurted out. "There's no way that's true. You're makin' stuff up!"

Therris shook his head, then brushed his hair away from his face. "I swear I'm not. There's a reason I don't let her leave me; there's a reason I don't let her go far from me. As long as we're close, we're safe and sound. Protected." He hated telling this story, letting people know about what he'd experienced with Oceras, but he felt it was important given the context of their encounter. The others were all various levels of concerned, with Ichaya visibly disturbed that her mount may have attacked a fellow steed; this was why he felt the need to share what he mostly kept to himself.

In truth, he wasn't entirely sure if the story was true. He saw it happen, he experienced the fear and the heartache and celebration that came with watching his partner be chewed up, presumably killed, then miraculously walk out of it unharmed, but he wasn't convinced it wasn't a dream or a hallucination. It could have been the result of a spell, a potion's side effect, or an enchantment for all he knew. Whether it was true or not, he knew a hoisted tail meant she was happy to present herself.

"I don't care!" Ichaya whimpered with panic in her voice. "Either my boy's gonna hurt her or she's gonna kill him; either way, we need to get them apart!"

"If she wanted him dead, she'd be dead already. Told ya, she's having fun. Just let them finish and everyone goes home happy." He then rubbed Oceras on the rump and stroked both of Raekal's cocks, his own loins swelling at the thought of having twin members inside him. With Oceras, she had one in each hole, doughnut-shaped pucker and plump vulva each got a throbbing, thrusting cock in it. He had to resist the urge to use his tongue to clean her up before sliding down her flank, patting her on the cheek, and hopping back up onto the porch. "But you do what you want."

Ichaya huffed and stomped her foot, tiny little wings fluttering behind her as she waited for Raekal to finish the job. Dustafyer and Zaldrin backed off and joined Therris up on the deck while a curious Ithilwen and Rick sidled their way up to them, still naked and casually rubbing and grinding against one another.

The group of them stood in silence, watching the two mounts finish what they started, the grunting and gentle squelching of flesh in flesh accented by the buzz of bugs and the hooting of owls around them. Oceras nickered and whinnied, stomping her hoof and squirting equine fluids all over the dirt behind her as Raekal bit down and gave it his all.

Moments later, Saethwr the tall red and purple dragon from the blacksmith's shop came out with a bottle of ale in one hand and a flask of alcohol in the other. He wasn't drinking them but looked like he'd been caught by surprise by the sound of what was happening outside. Behind him, Var could be seen peeking through the window, also curious about the commotion outside.

"Evenin' gents! Can I interest any of you in some spirits?" He offered Dustafyer and Therris before pausing to take in the image of Raekal and Oceras getting rough and finishing up. This didn't phase him all too much, mostly because the view didn't much help his mood out - the mare's tail end was facing away from him and he couldn't see any of the juicy details.

Both Therris and Dustafyer took the drinks they were offered, with Dusty hopping up onto the rail on the opposite side of the steps, balancing there as he took a sip. He even kicked his pants off since Ithilwen and Rick were nude and it seemed he was just more comfortable that way. Therris pulled his shirt off as well, figuring it made the most sense to enjoy the cool evening air on his skin.

While they watched Raekal give his final thrust followed by a burst of his seed erupting from Oceras's loins, Ichaya gave Raekal's harness a tug, effectively ending the couple's passion. Raekal jumped down, Oceras squatted to push out much of the seed, and Ichaya grumpily took her mount somewhere else, someone he couldn't cause problems with mares.

Likely down at the stables with Angell and Pooj.

This left Therris leaning over the bannister with Saethwr and Zaldrin on one side, Ithilwen and Rick on the other, Dustafyer on the other side of the steps, and Oceras tied to the hitching post in front of them. All was silent except the juicy sputters of seed bubbling out from under Oceras's tail.

It was Zaldrin who first extended a hand to Therris. "Howdy mate! I don't think we've been properly introduced. I'm Zaldrin! Saw you when our caravan came into town but I never gave you my name!" Therris took his hand and they offered one another a hearty shake.

"I'm Therris. And yeah, I heard someone inside say your name. Just passing by in town!" From this point, each and every person took a moment to introduce one another so that they all - after having bonded over bearing witness to an interspecies act of courtship - knew each other quite well.

Therris explained himself to be a traveller accompanied by his trusty mare Oceras, Dustafyer and Zaldrin briefly explained their role in the caravan that had come into town, divulging that it was, in fact, a haul of mining equipment and gemstones they intended to get enchanted. Ithilwen and Rick explained their relationship to Neera and Rime, reaffirming that Ithilwen was an old friend who invested in the Near and Dear while Rick was one of the natives who was helping them to better understand the land and the locals. This left only Var'Rex, who had found a comfortable spot just inside the windows so he could keep a good look at what was happening without ever interfering or interacting with them.

As it turned out, everyone already knew him, for he had stopped to talk to each and every one of them at one point or another in his quest to track down Vraska the bandit.

Once they were all acquainted, it was Zaldrin who first showed interest in Oceras. "Say, you tell me she has an enchantment on her, right? Do you mind if I test a theory?" He hopped down from the deck and rolled up his sleeves, bony tail swishing out behind him as he approached the mare.

Therris, who had enjoyed a drink from his flask, toasted to him with little worry. "Sure, go ahead. Just be careful, her kicks can be brutal if she doesn't like you, and I have no idea if those glowy arms of yours are hot or not so you might wanna be careful."

Behind him, Saethwr leaned back against the wall to get a good look at his booty, deliberately taking notice that his pants were loose and his rump was showing. He wasn't trying to be overtly sexual in his stares, but he couldn't help it thanks to the combination of scents in the air - mostly drake musk and mare estrus - blending and forming one delicious concoction.

"See something you like?" Therris laughed as he swayed his hips back and forth, tail up to reveal the cyan scales lining his tail hole. His member wasn't exposed, yet, but it was forming a bulge.

"You could say that." Saethwr responded, grinning as he leaned in and pressed his hips to Therris's, belly up against the underside of the chimera's tail, which he happily grabbed onto in order to better assert dominance. He wasn't exactly the dominant type but that didn't stop him from admiring a lovely, shapely rump like the one before him. Therris must have been a hell of a rider because his rump was about as tight as Saethwr could imagine.

Without a moment's worth of hesitation, Therris unbuckled his belt, wiggled out of his pants, and left only his chaps on before kicking his trousers to the side, fully exposing himself to Saethwr. "Well, mate, if you're gonna make a move you might as well dive right in. That sheriff of yours has taken a toll on me, I must confess." He wiggled some more, deliberately grinding against the emerging bulge that was forming in the dragon's trousers.

Zaldrin responded to him, mistaking what Therris said about diving right in a little too literally. "If you say so." He then stepped up to Oceras and hoisted her tail with one hand, exposing everything under it from pucker to clit; everything was soaked with a combination of her own arousal and Raekal's musky seed. The aroma was heavenly - which contributed to the overtly sensual scene around them - and it seemed to have quite the effect on Zaldrin.

As he stood there with his muzzle up close to Oceras's rump, his member started to grow and press out against the inside of his pants. Despite glancing over and seeing that Therris had mostly stripped aside from chaps while Rick and Ithilwen were making out over the balcony, he didn't feel right exposing himself. Not yet, anyway. He did, however, feel the need to clarify with Therris. "You sure this is okay? Don't wanna impose, but my expertise-"

"It's not me you gotta ask." Therris interjected. "You can do whatever you want to her as long as she's okay with it. You take the risks you feel right takin'." He then gave a knowing wink and pushed back into Saethwr, urging the dragon to make another move.

And make a move he did. It was increasingly clear to him that Therris was as needy as he was and that there would be no last-second changing of minds. He unbuttoned his shirt, loosened his tie, tore off his belt, and pushed his pants down so that his member was exposed, revealing its bright red glistening flesh and series of ridges along the top. Once he was fully exposed, he grabbed the base of Therris's tail and pulled him in close, pressing his member between the kirin's rump cheeks while prodding at his tender rump hole, all the while smearing his own fluids all over.

Dustafyer couldn't help it any longer. While on the railing, he started rubbing himself until he was hard, intermittently sipping from his bottle while glancing over at Therris and Saethwr, pausing only for a moment long enough to divert his attention to Zaldrin and Oceris. He was then distracted as Rick and Ithilwen daintily slid out from behind Saethwr in order to join Zaldrin on the ground. He took another sip while gently caressing the underside of his member, casually hoping for some attention.

Right then and there, Ithilwen tackled Rick and pinned him to the ground next to the bottom of the stairs, growling at him all the while. She glanced over at Zaldrin, then back to Rick. "That bastard did it again, didn't he?" It wasn't clear what she was talking about until she leaned back and sat up, reaching behind herself to grab both of Rick's members to aim one in each of her holes. "That bastard, Storm, keeps comin' into the store and it doesn't matter how much I wanna stab him I always end up here, on top of you. Or under you, depends on the mood."

Rick grinned back at her, hands on her hips. "I won't lie, I don't mind if this is what comes of it. He can start up an orgy every day if it means I get to teach you a bit more about the local customs."

Ithilwen laughed and shook her head. "This has nothing to do with the local customs, but I like how quick you were to take credit." She leaned in and licked his cheek, nuzzling and growling as she did so. "It's cute, but it doesn't help me out, you know." They both played off each other as if they'd been together for a long time and this sort of back-and-forth was commonplace.

Given all his surroundings, Zaldrin figured he might as well let his more carnal instincts take over. Sure, he had a theory in mind that he wanted to test, but at the same time, it seemed everything around him had urged him to turn his inquiry into an intimate act. Ithilwen and Rick were on the ground next to him, happily making out and grinding against one another, Dustafyer was over on the other balcony watching, and both Saethwr and Therris were holding nothing back! Above all else, Therris was hard as could be, his equine-like member throbbing and poking out from between the gnarled slats of the railing.

His professionalism was waning in the presence of so many cocks and tits on all sides, breaking the moment he reached into his pants and pulled his own cock out to stroke himself.

"So what exactly was it you wanted to test and see?" Therris asked, lightly grunting as Saethwr bucked into him. The dragon had yet to penetrate, but his tapered tip was prodding him periodically.

Zaldrin gulped a bit, tentatively self-conscious about being caught with his member exposed. He managed to compose himself within seconds. "You said she had impeccable luck, perhaps an enchantment. Well, I work with gemstones and enchantments all the time, there's a good chance she has been granted a high-level gemstone one way or another."

Therris laughed, taking another sip of his drink while pushing back into Saethwr. "And you think it's where? Inside her ass or something? Trust me, there's nothing in there, I've explored quite deep and found nothing."

"I understand, but no. I figure it's in her womb, which might be mostly inaccessible except when in heat. One form of birth control local ranchers use when they don't want their mares pregnant is to slip a marble in past their cervix. It keeps any young from, uh, taking hold in the walls of the uterus." He stuck his tongue out and half-cocked a grin, realizing that his speech was draining his excitement in the process. It was a very technical discussion, but the aromas billowing up from under her tail turned it sexual in nature regardless of his initial, pure intentions. "If she's got a gemstone in there, it could function as a lucky charm and birth control, which might explain your peculiar situation."

"Hm. Wasn't sure I had a peculiar situation, but go ahead, have your fun." Therris insisted. He then reached back with his free hand, grabbed Saethwr's member, and guided it into him while pushing back to swallow it entirely, one ridge at a time.

Naturally, Saethwr growled until smoke came out his gullet and muzzle all at once, claws digging into Therris's haunches as he pressed his hips to his partner's. The warmth of Therris was unreal compared to what he was used to; as a dragon, he naturally ran hot and found that most partners were slightly cold to the touch, but not Therris. The kirin - who was half dragon and half horse - might have been hotter than Saethwr, but not by much. That, combined with Therris's supple flesh, soft scales, and well-weathered insides blended to bring untold pleasure upon Saethwr.

The dragon couldn't help but pick up the pace a bit, grinding and thrusting intermittently while pausing at the apex of each motion to clench his loins and define his member's ridges in the process, further bringing pleasure to his partner. While he did this, he focused on his inner heat, warming his own body in order to make his member as pleasant as it could be to Therris.

With many of the others occupied with their tasks and partners, Zaldrin was able to focus the entirety of his concentration upon Oceras, even if his mind was divided between his physical needs and the curiosity that came with checking out to see if his theories about the mare's fortune were true. Once he had the self-confidence to make a move, he stepped up to her and patted her on the haunches once more, his touch triggering Oceras to lift her tail and arch her back, practically begging for attention.

She turned back to look at him, clit winking and fluids spurting out onto the ground as she grunted and nickered her encouragement. When he didn't immediately make a move, she swiped her tail to the side, effectively slapping him in the face with the golden tips of her hair.

"Okay, okay! Sheesh!" Zaldrin took one last glance over to Therris for certainty before concentrating on Oceras's pussy lips. First, he slid a pair of fingers up and down her vulva, pressing her clit like it was a button before pushing in and parting her flesh to reveal deep cherry pink insides that were heaving and throbbing with every breath and beat of her heart. He paused for a moment before rolling up his sleeve the last of the way and plunging his entire fist into her up to the elbow.

Zaldrin was shocked at just how easily she took him. Sure, she was a large mare and had just been mounted by Raekal moments before, but mares could really squeeze tight if they wanted and she not only relaxed enough to let him in but practically pushed into him, forcing her lips to swallow him past the glowing portion of his forearm and beyond his elbow with relative ease! She wanted more.

Though Zaldrin was not in her for the pleasure, the velvety caress of her flesh squeezing and sucking on his flesh combined with the juices dribbling down his bicep gave him a bit too much to resist. He found his member with his free hand, once again stroking it while he prodded about inside her, searching for anything out of the ordinary. The look on his face told a tale of concentration, of distraction-free focus, but the rest of his body language spoke of a desire for her.

It didn't help that Oceras was into it like she was being mated. For the third time that day. Therris recognized those bedroom eyes, her subtle grunts, the shifting of her weight, and the steady flow of fluids escaping her; not only was she lost in lust but she really loved something about the way Zaldrin was giving her attention, be it the general girth of his arm or his actions inside. Maybe there was something more to the glowing, semi-clear portion of Zaldrin's arm that tickled her just right.

Either way, she was in heaven. Therris offered a toast of approval, a sip of his drink, and a spurt of his own precum dribbling down his tip as he imagined what he'd do to her when she was done with Zaldrin. He and she lived together and travelled together, but his passion for her never once waned.

That exact moment acted as a sort of catalyst for the group of them. Zaldrin remained beyond elbow-deep inside Oceras, Saethwr was comfortably mounting Therris from behind as Therris bent over the railway, Dustafyer was casually watching from the other bannister with cock in hand and drink in the other, Ithilwen and Rick were relaxing on the ground next to Zaldrin, and Var'Rex the marshal of the region was staring out the window at them, clearly wanting to be involved but not brash enough to make a move. The moment was brief, but it was powerful, bringing them all a little closer together.

Of course, it also served as a sort of branching off point for them as well. Soon thereafter, each of them finished up and went their separate ways, starting with Zaldrin.

He kept his arm buried deep inside Oceras, feeling around, pressing his fingers and palms to each of her walls as he eased his way deeper and deeper into her until he found her cervix. While many mares tensed up and stepped away once someone prodded about beyond that point, Oceras arched her back, grunted, pushed down on him, and left a mess down his front as his fingers snaked their way deeper into her.

In truth, he felt a little bad about it, since his goal had nothing to do with giving her an orgasm and thus he felt like he was neglecting her despite the obvious delight he brought her. Once again, his expression told the story to Therris, who kept a close eye on him since he didn't need to be some bloke she crushed with those dinner-plate-sized hooves of hers.

Zaldrin continued to grind and push, bending his wrist and twisting his arm to get in deeper until she had taken and swallowed all of his arm past the shoulder, including some of his sleeves that were still in the way. His cheek was pressed tightly against her tail hole - which didn't bother him as much as he thought - but it seemed she still had room inside to go deeper. That's when he realized he was at his limit. With every bit of his arm swallowed by mare lips, he hadn't reached the opposite end of her womb and thus he had no way of knowing if there was anything in there.

There was nothing to say, but the expression on his face was one of intrigue and curiosity, so Therris had to inquire. "So? Whatcha got?" He was shockingly casual considering the size of the dragon cock buried deep in his rump and the depth of Zaldrin's fist in his mount.

Zaldrin shrugged; an act that distorted the shape and conformation of Oceras's vulva around his shoulder. "I don't know! Can't find anything; you'd have to tie a rope 'round me and open her up to have me dive in if I were to find anything that deep in her." He joked, then pulled his fist from her womb and his arm from her depths, balling up his hand in the process to grind his knuckles against her most sensitive regions on the way out. Upon bursting from deep within her, his hand was accompanied by a torrent of liquid delight that soaked his front once more, a slimy, almost creamy concoction that made for an excellent lubricant.

This served him well, as he was able to catch and collect enough int he palm of his hand to happily wrap around his length, further engaging himself with such vigour that he couldn't help but lean forward with his snout under the mare's still-raised tail. He prodded and nuzzled up against her, licking and tasting her arousal as his own pleasure quickly grew within him. The scene, the setting, and the company he kept ensured he wasn't one bit self-conscious as he shuddered and bit his lip, bucking once to spurt a stream of his seed into the palm of his hand, between his fingers, and into the mud.

His mess mixed with hers, each new thrust bringing another, smaller eruption of his essence to splatter in the estrus puddles beneath her hindquarters. This left him with only one regret as he continued chomping down on her pussy, licking inside her, and plucking at her clit with his lips. His only source of remorse was that not a single drop of his seed made it into her. Had he possessed a stool or a stack of crates he'd have found a way to ensure she wasn't left wanting, but as he pulled his face out from between her cheeks, she shuddered one last time, flagged and pumped her tail, and stepped to the side, satisfied.

With one final pat on her haunches with his soaked palm, he finally looked up to see Dustafyer, Saethwr, and Therris all staring at him with smiles. It was creepy and unsettling to the point he felt the need to wipe his hands off on his trousers and put his cock away. Though not ashamed, his post-orgasm mindset did make him feel vulnerable and he did feel the need to escape.

Not only had he finished with a more than satisfactory bit of self-indulgence, but he had some fantasizing to do in his room. With that in mind, he buttoned both his shirt and pants up before nodding to Therris. "If you need me for anything tomorrow, anything gem or crystal related, I'd be happy to check your girl here out with some of my detection equipment, but for now I think I'd best be on my way. Dusty, sleep well. Saethwr, I hope you have a good night with your partner, there." He then tipped his hat - well, an invisible hat since he wasn't wearing one, and went on his merry way with a clearly distinct bulge in his pants that refused to go away despite being spent.

Chapter 8: Relaxin' and Relievin' Tension

"That's one hell of a partner." Therris joked as he tipped his hat back, watching Zaldrin's bony tail swish about in the dirt as he turned the corner and made his way home. He then leaned back into Saethwr and kept grinding away at the dragon's cock. "What's taking you so long?"

This caught Saethwr off guard. "Long? Sir? I've only just begun!" He gave Therris's rump a smack and grab before bucking into him again, his hips hitting Therris with such force that a creak could be heard coming from the bannister they were bent over together.

"Sir drake, I warn you I like to mount and run and I'm used to being with a mare or a stallion so I prefer quick, powerful sessions above long, drawn-out ones." He squeezed his rump muscles with all his might, producing enough constriction to nearly force Saethwr out if not for the ridges that kept him lodged in place. "You'd best finish me up or I'll finish you up."

Saethwr laughed as he wrapped his hands around Therris's thighs, keeping the kirin in place as he focused his efforts. "Do forgive me, mister, but I take great pride in my work and would never rush a job just for the sake of efficiency."

Therris grinned and took another drink before tossing the flask to the ground next to his pants. "You're rutting me, derg, not crafting a ceremonial blade or repairing the sheriff's pistol. This ain't the time nor the place to be fussed about presentation or keeping your workbench clean. Make a mess, leave me sore, I don't need to be courted or assured of my worth, that's for when we're inside and gettin' to know each other, you know?"

Newly inspired, Saethwr shrugged and huffed to himself, bucking his hips with enough force to bring out another audible crack from the bannister. He panicked for a moment and almost pulled right out of Therris until he felt his partner's tail wrap around his waist to hold him in place.

Without waiting for any further permission or warning, Therris spun around with his tail wrapped around Saethwr's midsection, yanking the dragon off his feet and body slamming him to the ground between the door and the stairs all without letting even a single ridge of cock to slip out of him. This resulted in Therris squatting down on top of Saethwr, balancing delicately and pinning his partner with his head and horns dangling down over the steps. "Well, if you're not gonna-"

Saethwr was, of course, quite the perceptive bloke and knew exactly where this was going. He may have been taken by surprise thanks to Therris's sudden slamming of him and the subtle change of position - which resulted in Therris ridding him cowboy style - but he was able to adapt quickly. Rather than let Therris have all the fun, he wrapped his hands around the kirin's waist and clenched his tail and hips, bucking upwards and into Therris with the sort of vigour only a dragon could muster!

"There ya go!" Therris cheered him on, squatting and slamming down in time with every thrust. He clenched and squeezed and tensed up, each constriction of his inner muscles punctuated by a swell of his equine flare and finished off by the gob of precum that was pumped out of him and onto the chest of his dragon companion. His member bobbed and throbbed, spewing precum all over and forming webs all over the dragon's dapper shirt.

Of course, Saethwr wanted to taste some of it and so he extended his tongue and craned his neck, desperate to capture a bit of it and swallow it down. Such an angle and contortion of his form did leave him somewhat distracted, especially given the vigour in which Therris bounced on him, but he was able to steal a strand as it splashed across his snout and lips.

He didn't immediately lick the gooey mess from his muzzle as he thought he would. Instead, he took in a long deep breath to sample the savoury scent and bask in its glory before finally making a move to finish up. He buried his claws in Therris's sides - talons nearly tearing a the chaps wrapped 'round his hips - as he bucked one final time. His every muscle constricted, his cock ridges expanded and grew even more defined, locking him in and filling Therris as his pleasure hit its peak and he shot a series of hot streams of dragon seed deep into him.

Saethwr bucked, he growled, and he dug his claws into his partner as he kept pumping more and more inside, each subsequent ejaculation slightly weaker and less voluminous than the last.

It was Therris who paused and leaned down to put an end to their brisk yet intense session, gently patting Saethwr on the chest with a grin. "Now that's what I expect from a dragon." He said with a wink before standing up straight, rising off Saethwr's cock and dripping dragon cum from his slit.

"Ugh, someone get me some tea." Saethwr joked, fully spent and flopped down over the steps.

"Yes indeed, get this drake a tea!" Therris declared before turning and sitting on a nearby bench, nearly as spent as his partner. He then glanced over to Dustafyer to see the feline was fully erect, furiously masturbating while watching. "And you, why are you over there and not over here?"

This plucked Dustafyer from his fantasies with a shake of his head. "Uh, what?"

"You've been watching the rest of us from your perch on the bannister for a while now, why haven't you gotten involved? You too, Ithilwen and Rick. Get up off the dirt and come sit." He patted his own lap, shaking his erect cock in the process. Like many stallions, his length had begun to droop a bit once he paused, for he had only enough blood to operate his equipment for short bursts. That was why he was so keen on finishing Saethwr up quickly.

Dustafyer shrugged and turned to hop off the bannister, cautiously glancing into the Near and Dear to see Var'Rex still watching with an erection of his own; most of the rest of the orgy had died down with Storm and Tritus both sharing some ladies and getting rough with them.

However, just as Dustafyer was about to make his way to Therris, Saethwr sat up and went to do the same, still eager to have another taste of Therris. He crawled while Dustafer sauntered over, cock out and hand stroking himself.

"You two share," Therris interjected, squeezing at the base of his cock. "There's plenty for both of you." He then cradled his flare and collected some of his precum to smear down his shaft.

Before long, both were on their knees, begging for some seed. The difference in size between the feline and dragon was almost comical, but Therris couldn't help but enjoy the visual of them both. He then spread his legs and caressed his belly, waiting for them to make a move.

Saethwr was first to act, given the fact that he was already well acquainted and inundated by the musk of the kirin invading his nostrils. He leaned in and caressed his cheek down Therris's shaft, cradling it with his tongue while using his free hand - the one not wrapped around his own member - to caress Therris's thigh.

Dustafyer was by no means a shy cat, so he took Saethwr's guidance and did the same by mirroring his actions, using his hand and tongue and cheek on the opposite side. Only, he went one step further by finishing with his lips wrapped around the tip - or trying to be, anyway; his mouth was nowhere near big enough to take that equine flare.

Didn't stop him from trying, though. Didn't bother Therris, either. He was loving every second of this and found the roughness of Dustafyer's tongue to be refreshing and invigorating! The caress of its rough papillae tugging on his flesh almost brought him to climax immediately - in no small part due to the fact that Saethwr had brought him close to orgasm already and he had a bit of a hair trigger - but all that stopped when Dustafyer pulled away.

"He's all yours." Saethwr offered with a nod and a bow, scuttling off to the side to sit on the bench next to Therris. "I've already finished up and you deserve some fun, too. I'll just relax."

This pleased both Dustafyer and Therris, because it gave them both some time together.

The look in the feline's eyes spoke of a hunger, a desire for Therris cock. Yet, despite that need, he seemed to be a bit more active in his desires. Rather than stick with licking and caressing, he got to his feet and turned around with his tail up high, exposing the pink flesh of his tender, throbbing button underneath. He was already wet with excitement, having taken some time to collect and smear Therris's precum all over himself. While there in that position he wagged his rump a bit, dipping the tip of his tail in a playful manner.

"Hold up there, partner." Therris cautioned with a pat on the feline's rump. "I'm sitting, if you want to use me for your pleasure, you gotta sit with me. I'm not getting up."

Just then, Rick and Ithilwen got up from down in the dirt, having finally taken Therris's advice from before. They were locked, tied together with her riding him cowboy style. Though their mobility was a challenge to overcome, they did manage to waddle up and sit next to Therris on the other side of the bench.

Now, with all of them on or in front of the bench, Dustafyer happily bent his knees to feel Therris's bulbous equine flare against his rump. It looked and felt like it'd be too big, but that didn't stop him from grinding and gyrating while applying a bit more pressure. The rotations seemed to do the trick because the spongy flesh rolled and popped in one side at a time before lurching into him, expanding and plugging his tail hole within seconds.

This sudden and expansive invasion of his backside made Dustafyer scowl in delight, tail flicking and twitching behind him to smack Therris in the place as he shuddered and tried his best to get comfortable.

"Careful there." Therris cautioned him, grabbing the feline's tail to pull it away from his face. He let go of his cock and eased the feline down his shaft, watching closely as his flesh was consumed one bit at a time. There was resistance at first, but before long Dustafyer took in a breath, relaxed, and laid more of his weight on top of him, slowly engulfing his length.

Such surprising ease of penetration coaxed Dustafyer to point it out. "You know, I'm not usually this, uh, roomy. What's going on?"

"Kirin magic." Therris commented, then turned to Rick and Ithilwen. "Get a load of this guy, takin' me without any problems. Got a size queen over here."

Ithilwen grinned at him, wagging her tail and clenching her own loins as she sat on Rick's lap. The two of them had tied together, with Rick's two knots deep in each of her holes - rump and pussy. They seemed oddly quiet, considering how boisterous they were earlier in the day when running the shop. Still, they did acknowledge Therris's comment.

Dustafyer mewled a bit, feeling like he may have upset Therris. "I'm not usually this loose. You're not small at all, I didn't mean to-"

"Cut it out, kitty cat. It's fine. I wasn't kidding when I said it's kirin magic. I ain't much of a mage myself, but I know a few spells and one of the first things I learned when I came of age was how to use my cock as a wand and to grant my partners durability. I'm fairly well endowed for my size an' while it's just easier to be with Oceras than find other agens to mess around wit' I do enjoy some tight pussy's pussy." He shook his head and slapped himself on the cheek. "Sorry, I'm not usually one to speak with an accent; I'm usually far more eloquent."

Saethwr patted him on the shoulder. "I gave you some pretty strong stuff to drink. That might be it." He laughed and crossed his leg over his lap, still semi-hard and glistening in the moonlight.

After taking a moment to pull away and feel Therris's flare tugging on his insides, Dustafyer chose to accept what he was told and have fun with it. He pushed back, slowly applying all of his weight and pressure until he felt Therris's thighs pressed up against his rump cheeks. There, he used his tail to anchor himself while lightly bouncing on his lap and intermittently grinding. He was happy there and didn't feel the need to speak but he did purr gently to show his appreciation.

He melted when he felt Therris stroking the back of his head and neck, caressing the thick fur there by tracing his talons down his back.

"I won't be long, Dusty. You'd best prepare yourself." Therris advised before turning over to Ithilwen and Rick, acting casual about the feline that was sitting on his lap, plugged by his flare. "So why have you two been so darn quiet? The first time I met you it was like you wouldn't shut up, but now you're just casually sitting there, all tied up and quiet as a mouse." As he spoke to them, Dustafyer started to slowly bounce on him

Rick scoffed a bit, laughing as he shifted in place, his knots both slipping a bit deeper into Ithilwen. "It's our job to clean the mess that Sheriff Storm makes every night. We're sort of biding our time out here until he leaves and we can start mopping up."

Ithilwen leaned into him and nuzzled. "So we try our best to not be part of the problem by hanging around outside. You just happened to follow us. However, with that mare of yours, I totally get it. I'd come out here to be with her, too."

"She's a lovely mare," Saethwr added. "Got to work with her a bit earlier today. Well, more accurately, my assistant did. Still, she's quite the lady!"

Therris laid both his hands on Dustafer's rump as he offered the subtlest of bucks to match each of the feline's downward thrusts. A faint sound of flesh squishing along flesh came from under his tail followed by the gurgling of insides being churned, the kirin's equine-like flare tugging and pushing guts with each stroke. He was distracted but still carried on his conversation. "So, uh-" He paused to grunt, shaft throbbing inside the feline's rump. "Yeah, she's the best. Smart, too."

Dustafyer noticed that Therris was getting close so he picked up the pace, deliberately tugging by squeezing his rump muscles as tight as they could go before pulling off and slamming back down. Again and again, he clenched and pulled, relaxed and pushed. Before long, a visible bulge formed in his lower abdomen as Therris grabbed him by the hips and held him in place.

As promised, Therris didn't take long at all before slamming his hips to Dustafyer's rump, every feature and detail of his equine cock expanding and growing firmer as his flare exploded with a burst of seed deep inside the feline's bottom. The hot fluid splashed about, inflating bowels and bloating his belly in the process. None came out, for even with the magical augmentations he was too tight.

The added pressure, the sudden expansion of his insides, and the growing heat that emanated from within him urged Dustafyer to stroke himself from that position. He collected some of Therris's natural lubricant in the palm of his hand, then started furiously abusing himself while clenching and gyrating, effectively stirring his loins with each rotation of his rump.

The two of them were mostly silent, save the feline's purring and the squishes and squelches of their flesh rubbing together, all of it occasionally accented by the sputter of fluids escaping and splattering all over Therris's belly. Though his climax was as intense as expected, it wasn't long at all before his member softened, his flare shrunk, and his length started to wrinkle as it was tugged back into his slit and out of Dustafyer.

Luckily for the feline, the shift in texture combined with the friction and the fluid dynamics of kirin seed worked together to tickle him just right, coaxing a sudden burst of pleasure from him that resulted in a climax that ejected across the deck and actually landed on Oceras's mane!

He was lost in the moment and barely noticed as he twitched and constricted, his rump squeezing so tight it actually forced Therris out of him. The second he heard the pop of a soft flare being yanked from his tail hole, he fell forward and draped himself over the bannister, tail up and hole leaking down his inner thighs as the cool air of the night tickled his flesh. He was heaving, whimpering and purring all at once while his cock drooled all over the wood of the deck.

As he was about to turn around and beg Therris to nuzzle his loins, Therris saw that Oceras had grown agitated. Not by the dash of feline cum on her mane, but something in the distance. Something beyond the ravine.

"Your girl's lookin' a bit agitated. Everything alright?" Rick asked, pushing Ithilwen to the side to see what was going on.

"Yeah she's fine, I just gotta-" Therris got to his feet, tucked his cock back up into his slit, and grabbed the clothes he brought out with him. "I'll be back." He hopped down the step to tend to her, carefully navigating around the puddles of arousal and mixed seed around him. He wasted no time sidling up next to her and patting her neck, cooing and hushing her while glancing in the direction of her gaze to see if he could identify what she was concerned about.

After a moment of being unable to decipher what it was that spooked her, he hopped up onto his saddle and unhooked her lead line from the hitching post. "Alright, let's go!"

Epilogue: What's Yet to Come

Therris and Oceras galloped out of town, weaving through the few scattered vendors along the main strip in an attempt to escape as quickly as possible. His mount was spooked, but he had no idea why and that was rather disconcerting. As they neared the edge of town and the one bend that took them tot he winding mountain trail, they were met up by Var'Rex on his mount, keeping pace with them both. He made a motion to Therris to pull over.

Torn by his loyalty to Oceras and the power of the law, Therris reluctantly halted his mount and had her slow to a trot so that they could speak to one another. "What seems to be the problem, Var?"

"Why are ya running, mate? Seems awfully sudden of you to just up and burst outta here." Var pointed out, casually making note of Therris's shocked expression.

"I've got no idea." Therris confessed. "My girl here got spooked, I have no idea what spooked her, and in my experience, it's always best to follow her lead. She's never done me wrong and I trust her judgement. I'm sure I'll figure it out, but for now, I'm just going with it." Oceras then threw her head to show how agitated she was getting by not moving as fast as she'd like. Therris encouraged her to speed up to a cantor, which was fast enough to satisfy her anxiety but slow enough to still talk to Var.

The marshal rubbed his chin, narrowing his gaze as the two of them made their way down the winding path at the mouth of the pass. "Is there a chance she's at all psychic? I've heard of some creatures - usually hippogryphs and feral gryphons - possessing that sort of clairvoyance and she's got those feathers on her neck. Not sure if I buy into it but based on your reactions I'd say you believe it."

Therris shrugged, not sure how to respond. "Honestly, I've got no idea what I believe. All I know is that when she has a feelin', I follow it. She's gotten me out of some nasty scrapes before, she's managed to protect herself in the face of danger many times, and my fortune's never been greater than when I paired up with her. I can assure you, whatever it is she's got or she does, I trust her."

"That seems fair." Var conceded. "But that just makes me wonder if maybe she saw something or felt something was imminent. Maybe she's attuned to the safety of the town and was warning us!"

Such claims made Therris stifle a laugh. "Not likely, Var. She mostly just cares about herself and me. She's not the type to worry about politics or the law unless it impacts her. You're stretchin' a bit, I think." He patted her on the neck, which made her curl her head back and grin like a goof, showing she was happy and confident now that she was out of harm's way. He gave her a nuzzle and let go of her reins, allowing her to travel at her own pace and in her on direction.

Var'Rex nodded, acknowledging that he may have been silly. "You're probably right. My job has taught me to search anywhere I can for clues and leads. From what I heard of your conversation earlier when that silver-furred drake was mounting her, I figured maybe she might have been attuned to more than just her own survival. I guess in the end she's just a horse, isn't she?" He didn't mean it as an insult nor was he trying to downplay her importance, he was just trying to state that she acted with self-preservation in mind first and foremost.

Therris understood this and nodded. "Yeah, but she's my mare, and she's special to me."

The two of them trotted down the path together in silence, unsure of what to say next. Therris was allowing Oceras to forge her own path and Var, despite being inquisitive and commanding in his approach, felt awkward just riding alongside Therris.

To break the silence, the Marshal made a pass at him. "You know, you sort of left me in the saloon back there. Pretty rude to leave someone pent up like that." He wasn't being entirely serious but it was clear he was testing the water to see how Therris would react.

"You know, you're right. But at the same time, I'm feelin' a little sore. That dragon really had it in for me and I spent myself on that feline bloke. Not sure there's much I can do to help ya." He then winked and shifted on the saddle, raising a leg to reveal that he wasn't wearing pants. The chaps were still on him all the while, but most of his clothes were stowed away in a bedroll on her rump behind the saddle.

Var nodded in approval, knowing exactly what move to take next. He motioned to the side of the road, where a bonfire pit had been previously erected. "Should we maybe take a bit of a break? I'm sure we could both let off some stress. I've got this gang to worry about, you've got your horse to worry about. So much worry. How about we-"

"Yes, dear. I got it." Therris interjected. He then patted Oceras on the neck and guided her to the clearing next to the path with the bonfire pit and Var followed with his mount. Both of them took a quick moment to guide their steeds to nearby trees but not tying them up - both were ell behaved enough for that to not be an issue - before lighting the bonfire. Oceras seemed to take interest in Var's mount, nipping at his neck and cheek-nuzzling him but not lifting her tail to him.

A spark ignited the flame of the bonfire, lighting both Var and Therris in the process. They stared at each other as Therris curled his lips back in a devious, playful grin, a precursor to him stepping over the fire and pinning the marshal to a tree. "Tell me if I'm being too forward, Var." He advised as his free hand slid up Var's inner thigh.

"Don't worry, I can handle myself." Var countered as he stared back, defiantly. "I've got a gun and I'm not afraid to use it."

"Glad to hear it." And with that, Therris pulled Var into an embrace, gently laid him down on the ground near the bonfire, and straddled the marshal's body as a series of shooting stars streaked across the starry sky. In the distance, a wolf howled and the sound of thunder echoed across the frontier.

This was just the beginning of Therris's time in Rhybute, but he could already tell it was going to be a lot of fun. The people seemed fun, there was adventure around every corner, and the threat of gang violence proved to be oddly intriguing to him. He wasn't the one to operate outside of the law, but the thought of living on his own terms with like-minded individuals away from the constraints of the city limits proved to be quite appealing to him.

Many thoughts darted from one side of his mind to the other, but for now, he only had eyes for the marshal. The cute yet fierce wolf-deer hybrid. It was Oceras who tipped him off that Var was a good man, had she not taken to he or his mount so easily, Therris never would have bedded him.

If only he knew what this would lead to in the future.