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Reckoning

Written By: Spudz

The sun stood higher in the mid-morning sky when the pack moved out.

No going back.

Araki steeled herself as she ghosted through the trees at a steady pace. The husky's footfalls carried only the slightest crunch of snow, the augmentation spellweave keeping her step to a feather lightness. Only a handful of the pack had stayed behind at the mining camp to guard the group of terrified villagers, leaving the rest to follow silently in her wake.

Not a creature stirred in the surrounding brush as it flew by. It was as if the forest had gone deathly still in anticipation of what was to come.

We have to see this through.

The tension became palpable as Araki skidded to a stop right at the edge of the village to take up position behind a tree trunk. The rest of the pack did as well, some crouching low in the snow, others positioning behind cover just as the husky had. All of them looked to her for cues.

<What do you see?> Koov's mindspeak came with a wary edge. A few hundred paces back the malinois was in the process of scaling a larger tree to gain a better vantage point.

Araki carefully surveyed her surroundings. The familiar gash cut into the landscape--Lynua's first attempt to sway the anthros from expanding into the northern edge of the valley--lay just in front of her as a large trench. The flat farmland beyond bore a featureless expanse of melting snow with the thatched roofs of the village scattered about in the distance.

Nothing seemed out of the ordinary... no, now she did see the armed sentries patrolling the outer perimeter of the village houses. Closer inspection also revealed a set of tracks in the snow working their way along the edge of the trench too, walking on top of several other sets to give the familiar pattern of a guard's patrol. So, they are watching the edge of the forest.

The husky wove a quick spellweave to amplify her vision and gave the village a closer look. No bombards or other mana-enhanced weapons were visible. She did catch sight of a guard tower that had been hastily constructed on top of the tavern roof; the three guards manning that post had a sweeping view of the entire village and surrounding trees right up to where she currently stood. No doubt they had crossbows at the ready, as was the typical ranged weapon of choice for the Auxillia.

After another sweep of her eyes, Araki reached back with her mind to touch Nolasa's aura. <Anything new?>

The pack's scrying specialist was doing her best to sweep the village for any potential spellweaving dangers. <I'm picking up... eddies. Weak, but there is, or has been, something there. Nothing powerful.>

Araki digested this revelation carefully. The cuprum bombards they had encountered back at the encampment could've been the source of that. Both of those weapons were now nothing more than molten heaps of metal after Lynua had seen to things. But Araki couldn't assume the Tukor hadn't brought more such enhanced weapons with them. A competent commander never committed all of his resources in one place; and this particular lord they now faced seemed to have a cold and calculating mind about him. The danger was very real.

The husky drew a steady breath and felt out for the mana threads around her. The patterns responded readily to her mind's touch, giving no indication that counter spellweaves or traps were active. Her amplified gaze told more: the patrolling guards walked with a cautious stride, and the sentries manning the tower were studiously looking off to the northern mountains.

They were alerted, and for good reason. The show of force Lynua had put on, very literally blowing up an entire mountain peak within sight of Northpoint, could not have been missed by anyone in the village. The shockwave alone would've been enough to send up alarm. Even now, a heavy wisp of smoke and dirt still wafted up into the atmosphere from where the peak had once been.

A quick flick of the mind signaled the pack; they began spreading out in a broad arc, still keeping to cover.

The oddity of giving commands to the pack and alphas was not lost on Araki. But she had no time to linger on that. A plan had been worked out, and the best chance of success rested with her coordinating from a leadership role--a fact that Tolem and Lynua had grudgingly admitted. Lynua made it known that this shift of control was only a temporary thing, and the husky couldn't have agreed more. She had no aspirations of leadership.

Doko stayed by her side as the others vanished into the trees. He looked up to her expectantly, ears half splayed. <I trust in your plan, Araki. We'll succeed.>

She reached down and ruffled his headfur, before drawing her katana. Being mindful not to catch the sunlight on the blade's edge, she drove the weapon straight into the snow, letting the curved tip bite into the frozen ground to root it in place.

High above Araki, the deeper plane of weather threads woke at her touch. She brought her hands together in a focus seal, spreading her legs apart to leave a rut in the snow as she closed her eyes.

The ethereal plane of weather patterns and weaves burst forth into stark clarity, shifting and flowing in slow fluidity. The husky reached out and grabbed hold, pulling the threads downward to her physical self. A shift in focus brought her gaze to the subtle glow of her body, as well as the pinpoint of energy that was the katana's anchoring spell.

Another shift of her focus and a quick weave tied the weather patterns directly to her blade. Immediately the steel came to life before her with a dark glow of black churning light, channeling all of the latent energy directly into a single finite point--a point that she could now easily grasp and manipulate with her mind. Now she would play god.

Slowly, being mindful not to tip her hand, Araki fed energy into the patterns high above, building the power to a gradual head. A single lightning bolt could be crafted without the need for changing the overreaching patterns. But she needed more this time.

The clear sky started to cloud over, soon blotting out the sun. Small clouds grew in size and puffiness until they combined and darkened in tinge, heavy with moisture. After nearly ten minutes of careful building, the makings of a storm had gathered above the village. To Araki's perception, the weather patterns churned and spun with greater and greater violence. She drew on more potential from neighboring regions, taking care not to let any of this building energy escape as an errant bolt. The whole endeavor required maddening patience.

Now the guards did perceive the rapidly changing weather. But this was a valley tucked against several towering mountains where storms could very literally form out of thin air at any moment. They did nothing more than hunker down and prepare to ride it out. More movement drew Araki's attention, though.

Two columns of fully armed troops suddenly came into view from the center of the village, marching toward the northern treeline with a sense of haste. A reaction force. They must be heading to the encampment after witnessing Lynua's handiwork. The plan changed; now a number of new targets presented themselves to Araki, unprotected and easy pickings.

But she waited, appreciating the change in the situation. The gathering storm continued to grow more violent above; a rumble of thunder from a cloud to cloud lightning strike pealed across the valley.

Sure enough, more activity perked her attention a moment later. A horse-drawn cart lurched into view behind the marching troops towing a stowed bombard behind. The driver brought his steed to a halt right at the edge of the open farmland and two more infantry quickly set to work on the long process of unpacking and setting up the weapon. More troops followed, spreading out across the edge of the village to start preparing defensive positions. The garrison was on alert and trying to dig in. But did they know what threat they faced?

By now the marching reaction force had made it halfway across the open expanse of farmland, struggling a little to make headway through the slushy snow. Only a meager wooden fence offered any sort of protection. A number of the infantry glanced up worryingly to the threatening clouds gathering above.

<Now!> Her focus seal shifted and the spellweave discharged with savage power; the building energy in the clouds roared forth, lancing down to the ground in several deafening lightning strikes.

The first bolt landed squarely in the midst of the marching troops, catching most of the infantry up in its lethal power. The second landed a split second later. A third. Forth. Fifth.

The entire contingent of infantry fell to the ground in motionless heaps. Araki didn't linger her attention on the smoking carcasses and shifted focus to the bombard crew.

Another series of bolts pierced down from the heavens cracking concussive reports across the valley as each connected with the huge metal cannon. The crew starting to take cover never saw their deaths coming.

The last strike hit the stockpile of mana infused shells stored in the cart, destabilizing a shell with violent results. Cart, weapon, and crew all disappeared behind a fiery blast, consuming everything in a fireball that reached out to level a nearby house.

Araki cursed under her breath, but couldn't let the collateral damage throw her off. Clear, precise strikes. Make each attack count.

The remaining Auxillia started to take cover. They fled to houses and dove into ditches, getting out of direct line of sight from the angry sky above. Soon she had no targets left that didn't risk the villagers. The others were already moving in to finish what she started.

Koov's quick series of mana-guided arrows made short work of the three sentries manning the sentry tower, toppling one of them over the edge of the palisade to fall onto the street below. His subsequent shots started to pick off any and all Auxillia that were within his line of sight.

The wolves--having surrounded the entire village--added their might to the fray, each reaching out with their own unique spellweaving prowess to attack the reeling enemy. Each member of the pack had their part to play, coordinating with the rest on picking targets while ensuring the villagers were kept safe. The sounds of battle quickly grew in volume to spread across the valley.

Araki reached out to pull her katana from the ground, holding the blade to her side as she channeled the steel into the familiar cobalt glow of a honing spell. She looked down to Doko at her side. "Alright, you ready?"

Doko nodded, and wove the teleportation weave in the next instant. <I'm with you.>

The forest fell away; the husky found herself positioned up against the side of a house, one of the larger dwellings making up the center of the village. Doko's precision was true to his word.

She leaned down to the black wolf as he fidgeted nervously. "Stay here. I don't want you to get involved."

He growled annoyance, hackles going up. <Not on your life. I'm with you through this to the end.> When she tried to sway him with a stern look, he faced her right back down. <I will not let you go this alone.>

Araki knew when she would not win a battle. She nodded as a show of defeat and eased down toward the nearby open street, back pressed up against the side of the house, and peered around the edge to the tavern entrance.

All manner of chaos and destruction rained down around the village perimeter, but the Trail's End stood untouched, save for the sentry's body lying in the street with a black arrow protruding from his chest.

A quick survey of the scene revealed the two Auxillia door guards tending to their fallen comrade while casting anxious looks around them. Their ends came swiftly, both by Araki's blade and Doko's fangs.

The rest of the pack had started to move in on what remained of the garrison, leaving the last adversary for Araki to deal with. And yet she paused with a hand on the heavy double-doors of the tavern's entrance. Her heart raced, and she couldn't stop from panting. That foreboding sense of dread suddenly made itself known.

<Araki?> Doko nosed at her side. <Are you alright?>

The husky looked down to the hissing katana held in her hand. "Yes. It's just... nevermind." She straightened and refocused anew. "Thanks for sticking with me."

<This is where I belong.>

A forceful push was enough to ease the large door open for Araki to make her way into the tavern, katana held at the ready. The open common room held not a single soul; all of the tables and chairs had been removed except for one next to the lit fireplace, its space littered with maps and all sort of official documents. The emptiness of the place struck her, contrasting that very first night she'd spent in Northpoint with the room packed to the brim, beer and laughter flowing freely. How had it come to this?

"So, a mere sage is responsible for my troubles?" The thick accented words accompanied the appearance of Lord Olsan Trueblood Raekord from behind a corner. The dingo wore his ornate armor and carried a sheathed broadsword easily at his side. He looked down his nose at her and Doko, eyes full of contempt. "A pesky annoyance."

Only then did Araki notice the fur adorning the broad shoulder plates of the dingo's armor. Yut's eyeless face hung limply down his front, while Oslan wore the rest of his fur like a cape. She felt her grip tighten on her katana as her lips peeled back to show fangs. The glow of her blade took on a new angry life.

"How dare you," she hissed through clenched teeth. "How can you call yourself a lord when you wear someone's fur like a trophy! Disgusting filth!"

The dingo feigned surprise, and brought a hand up to brush along the malamute's fur. "What? This thing? It's nothing. Just another in my collection of many conquests."

The husky's snarl was joined by Doko. The rage filled her, threatened to take control. She just barely held her ground. "This ends here," she spat, bringing her katana up in a ready stance. "I'll cut you down!"

The grin that played the dingo's muzzle held no mirth. "Always confident in those spellweaving abilities." He advanced toward her, drawing his broadsword in a slow deliberate motion to let the polished steel scrape against the edge of the scabbard.

Araki held her ground, keeping the sharp edge of her katana leveled at the cool and collected lord. She had not expected his confidence when facing down her blade.

"You're all the same," he sneered, the dingo's thick accent grating on Araki's nerves. He gave the sword in his grip a little flourish. "Think you can just best everything with magic. But take that away and what do you have?"

His off-hand moved in a flash, throwing a small object that had been concealed in his palm. Araki brought her katana up to defend, but the projectile abruptly froze in the air several paces away.

A rune pulsed into existence all across the small cubical object, expanding outward to splay across the open air. Symbols and patterns danced all about, until something snapped into place with an audible thump that seemed to come from within Araki's chest. A spell... he just activated some sort of spell!

The enchanted object fell to the ground, all the pulsing lights and patterns winking out of existence. Araki prepared for the worst, weaving several counter patterns without even thinking. But then...

The energy rushed out of her like a torrent; her blade's glow evaporated. The patterns, she reached out for them and felt nothing. Nothing. All of her spellweaves had vanished!

In a panic she turned to Doko. The wolf's muzzle had fallen open. He looked to her, but no mindspeak came.

She tried to form words in her head; Nothing. Nothing at all!

Oslan laughed mirthlessly, still advancing on her. "That look. Oh, I always love seeing that look before I cut one of you down. Take that spellweaving nonsense away and you have nothing!"

The dingo tore at her with a yell, his sword coming up. She yelped and countered with a hastily thrown block.

The clang of metal on metal rang true with the forceful contact. His surprising strength sent her reeling, pushing her back a few steps. The broadsword moved mercilessly quick, coming in low and fast. Her blade only just staved off the crippling blow, pushing her back another step.

Doko leapt onto the dingo from the side, his open jaw aiming for Oslan's neck. The lord deflected his attack effortlessly with a raised armored elbow, redirecting the wolf's momentum away.

Araki struck out at the opening she had, only to meet the dingo's broadsword with another clang of metal. Her second strike came just as Doko jumped onto Oslan's back, fangs and claws trying desperately to gain purchase. Both of their attacks met his impenetrable defense. Without the ability to augment the sharpness of his claws and teeth, the wolf had no hope of penetrating his opponent's armor. Araki's blade fared no better, but she still had a chance.

Their weapons met forcefully in a fit of blows, trading attack and defense with each series of advances. Doko never relented in his own assault, trying with all his might to find a weakness, to knock the dingo off balance... something to swing the fight in their favor. Her plan had not counted on the lord being a master swordsman, let alone that he had a magical rune. Things had gone terribly wrong.

Oslan took them both on with ease. He danced on his feet, trading blow for blow with Araki while keeping the other omega at bay. His muzzle held a wicked, insane smirk all the while. He was enjoying this!

The others, they had to have sensed Araki and Doko disappear from the pack's bond. The sounds of combat still echoed from outside. Surely someone would come! They had to!

Her defense started to weaken; a glancing blow sliced at her forearm, leaving a gash in the black leather. She grimaced and advanced, finding an opening in turn. Her katana bounced off the dingo's heavy armor harmlessly, only managing to yank Yut's fur off his person.

He countered with another cut that sliced into her chest piece, almost reaching her fur. The strike resulted in the combatants separating.

Araki panted, trying to keep her katana up and ready. Doko fought for breath at her side as well. The way the energy had very literally been drained from their bodies put them at a huge disadvantage. Without the katana's honing spell, all she could hope to do was penetrate with a decisive thrust, and her strength was already waning.

Lord Oslan took the opportunity to rock his neck with an audible crack. "I'm going to enjoy running you through, little one. I want that fur. So soft and white. Will make a perfect addition to my collection."

She didn't rise to his goading, and sucked in a heavy breath to steady herself. Her katana never shook or wavered.

"Alas, it's time to end this." The dingo gave his broadsword a quick confusing flourish, and then he was upon her like a demon.

She started to counter, but a black flash of fur suddenly bolted in between her and the looming dingo.

Oslan saw Doko's lunge and shifted his blade at the last second. It happened so quickly: the yelp of pain, the look of surprise on Oslan's face as Doko careened headlong into him, the huge opening that presented itself to Araki as the other omega fell awkwardly to the floor.

She thrust forward with all her might, screaming at the top of her lungs. The tip of her katana met the dingo's armor squarely in the middle of his chestplate.

The thick metal offered only brief resistance, and then yielded to her blade.

Araki ran Lord Oslan all the way through until her hilt impacted his armor. She held herself there, almost pressed up against the stunned dingo. The next sound that reached her ears was his broadsword clanging onto the wooden floor and his startled gasp of surprise.

She stepped back short of breath, letting go to leave her katana embedded in her adversary.

He took a step back, eyes wide with pain, hand going to her blade and wrapping fingers around the steel. He tried to stay something, but nothing came. Finally, the dingo fell backwards onto the floor with a heavy thud, the force of impact pushing her katana back up through him as he landed flat on his back.

The shock quickly wore off. She rushed over to where the rune lay on the ground and brought her booted heel down on the object harshly, shattering it into countless pieces.

Everything came back in a rush--the mana threads, the latent energy of her mind and body. She practically ran to where Doko lay motionless, sliding to a stop at his side on her knees. "Gods, Doko..." A pool of blood had formed underneath him. She reached out with her mind and felt for his aura. His pain flooded back, making her grit her teeth. "Why? Why did you do that!"

He turned his head to look at her, eyes clouded over. <I'm alright. Just... a wound.>

She reached out frantically for the others and felt them respond. "Hold on. I'm getting help."

His chest rose and fell with his every labored breath. <Ah, yes... I...> he drifted off, whimpering softly.

Araki shushed him with a gentle coo and started petting his head. "Just be still. I'm here with you." She stole a glance to the felled dingo; he was still alive, but only just. "I'll never leave your side. Just hang on."

It felt like an eternity had passed before Koov barged into the common room out of breath. He said nothing, already knowing the situation, and ran over to where the two omegas lay. Araki moved to the side and kept petting Doko's splayed ears with a comforting noise, watching the malinois set to work out of the corner of her eye.

The relief that soon washed over Koov's expression brought her ears to full attention. "Nothing serious. Just a deep cut across his shoulder. Lost a little blood, but he'll be ok." A twist of mana threads settled his numbing weave into place, easing the pain from Doko's taunt body to the point that the wolf sighed pure unadulterated relief.

Koov kept his gaze on his patient while he worked his spellweaving. His labored tone conveyed the malinois's concentration. "When I felt you two drop from the pack's bond, I knew something was wrong. A barrier had sprung up around the inn when I approached. None of us could get to you. I'm so sorry."

"Don't be. It was my fault for assuming I could take that bastard on my own. He had a powerful rune. I was stupid to assume he'd be defenseless. I've never seen an artifact like it; just sucked all of the mana patterns right out of me."

"You had no way of knowing."

"I should've waited for backup. I almost got poor Doko killed."

Araki refocused back to the wolf as she cradled his head in her lap, stroking fingers gently across the soft fur of his head. His golden eyes struggled to stay focused on her through the whitewash that Koov's sedative brought on. "You were so brave. You saved us both." His tail thumped against the floor once as she leaned down to kiss his nose. "I'll never leave you."

Koov made short work of mending the damaged tissue, and finished in record time with an expert touch to coax the wolf's black fur into regrowth. "He'll be weak and probably won't be able to walk for a day. I had to use what remained of his body's reserves."

Araki still kept Doko's head in her lap, scratching at the base of his ear. "Then I'll carry him."

The malinois nodded and turned his attention to Lord Raekord. The dingo had gathered the strength to grasp at Araki's katana still partially embedded in his chest, and was trying with all his might to rend the weapon free. The weapon's protective spellweaves ensured it stayed put. "You should finish it," Koov spoke softly.

She sighed and gave Doko a gentle pat, noting how her hand shook. The shock still hadn't quite worn off yet. She tried to ignore it, and just how close death had come. "Stay right here."

He tried to lift his head to follow her but failed. <Ok. I... don't think I'm going anywhere.>

Oslan's eyes refocused on her as she came to stand over him. His labored breath hitched when she reached down to extract her blade. The tip moved to hover right over his throat. He only managed to utter a single word. "Bitch."

Araki closed her eyes and forced her hands to stop shaking as they gripped the katana. "On my pledge to my people and kin, on the sacred vowels I have sworn by, I hold my actions to be righteous and unquestionable." She finished the vow with a deft stroke of her katana across the dingo's throat, ending his suffering in anything but a peaceful manner.

Once the body was still, she bent down to clean the blood from her weapon on the cloth that bore his family's crest, just as he had done to Tuk, and stood to sheathe the katana back into its rightful place at her side.

Doko had managed to sit up in the meantime, and regarded her with a grave expression when she returned to him. <I'm sorry that I'm being a burden.>

A slight tweak to his ear stopped him from saying anything more. "Stop thinking that. Now let me carry you out of here. It's the least I can do."

He licked her whiskers as she bent down to scoop him up, using a spellweave to lighten his weight so she could actually lift him off the ground. He ended up cradled against her front, her arms supporting him around his chest and rump with his paws dangling below. His plush fur obscured her view, but she didn't let that stop her from making her way toward the door.

On the way, the husky passed Yut's fur on the floor that she had ripped off Oslan during the duel. It pained her to think that the malamute had been killed simply for his coat. Just when she thought she'd seen the greatest evil the world had to offer, nasty vile creatures like Oslan reared their ugly head to prove her wrong in the worst ways. At the very least, they needed to give Yut a proper burial.

Outside, the storm she'd conjured had unleashed a torrent of bitterly cold rain, soaking into the snowpack to create a growing layer of slushy mud. She welcomed the discomfort it brought, how the rain first soaked into her fur to mat it down before the chill reached her body beneath. She made no attempt to dissipate the storm, but did weave a simple ward above the wolf in her arms to shield him from most of the downpour.

Her carelessness had almost gotten her killed. Worse, it had almost killed Doko. The thought of losing him... she couldn't bear to think about it. With the wolf still cradled in her arms, she leaned down to nuzzle at his cheek. "I'll never put you in harm's way ever again."

He didn't respond and it took her a moment to realize he had passed out from his exhaustion. His slow even breath told that he was not in pain, and was at least resting comfortably.

The pack stood around the tavern door, watching her keenly. No one mindspoke anything, not even the alphas. Lynua and Tolem did pad up to nose at their son held in her arms, who had been the only casualty of the attack.

Beyond the circle of wolves, some of the villagers had mustered the courage to wander out into the streets now that the chaos of battle had died off. They stood some distance away and watched silently. One particular husky spat on the corpse of a fallen Tukor Auxillia.

Koov came to stand at Araki's side and refastened his bow to the hardpoint on his back. "This won't be the end of it."

"I know. A full garrison suddenly going silent is not going to be missed by their command. How much time do we have before they send reinforcements?"

Lynua chose that time to make her presence known once more. <We must return to lupine territory. Now that the enemy is dispatched.> She turned to pad over to the rest of the waiting pack.

Araki sucked in a heavy breath for what she said next. "Alphas, if I may."

The way the black wolf paused mid-turn and looked back over her shoulder with narrowed eyes showed she had already caught on to what was coming. <I don't have time for your disobedience, omega.>

Koov--knowing what she was up to--graciously took Doko from her arms so that she could kneel down as her station commanded. "We can't leave the villagers like this. The Tukor will not just leave Northpoint alone after we cleansed it of the garrison. They're going to return, and in greater numbers."

<And, again, I must ask why that is our problem? Was it not already too much to invade anthro territory like this?>

"Yes, of course." The husky dropped her gaze briefly to the ground between them, before refocusing back to the alpha's withering regard. "But it's still a death sentence to leave them here like this."

A long pregnant pause came before Lynua mindspoke again. _<And what do you ask we do?>_The question had a sneering edge to it that stung.

"Is it too much to leave a protective element in the town? Me and Koov maybe?"

<Absolutely not!> Now Lynua turned fully back to the husky and brought up a forepaw to level at her as a means to emphasize her mindspeak. <It is bad enough we encroached into anthro land as we did. I will not allow any wolves to linger. Not even you two. No, that is not acceptable.>

Araki bit her lip, but then nodded reluctantly. She couldn't fault the alpha for refusing such a request. She had already asked too much of the pack to this point as it was. But... "Can we bring the villagers back to lupine territory then?"

The question was so unexpected that the alpha female recoiled back as if struck, ending up sitting on her haunches. Her head canted in an incredulous manner. <You can't be serious?>

"I am. You've already taken in Koov and I. You've given safe harbor for Shishu and her son too." The husky's mind raced as she tried to parse out her idea. "I'm not asking for the entire village to be sheltered in the den. Perhaps... perhaps we could build a temporary encampment. Nothing permanent. Just a means to give shelter while we figure out a long-term solution."

Tolem padded up to join his mate's side. <Do you realize what you're proposing?>

Araki nodded slightly, her regard of both alphas never faltering. "I do. I know it's breaking with all of the customs you have. But we have to do something. Please... at least until we can figure out a more permanent solution to give them safe passage away from here."

<And where would they go?> Lynua's question dripped acidly in her mind.

"I don... don't know. Just... for now we need to get them away from the village. When the Tukor reinforcements come, anyone they find in Northpoint will be in grave danger. They'll be tortured for information... or worse."

<The last thing we need is for those bloody Tukor to encroach on our land.>

A little heat crept into Araki's voice. "That will happen regardless."

Both alphas started, before Tolem took a step forward. <What makes you think that?>

"Search my memories. I know these bastards. They'll never be satisfied with their conquest. They'll keep coming, and coming, consuming more and more land. Even if we hadn't done anything today, they would eventually push further into lupine territory sooner or later. The Kaowyn realm was all that stood in their way and now it's gone."

The husky realized she had drastically overstepped her bounds and shrank back. But the reprimand she expected never came. When she forced herself to look up, she came nearly eye to eye with Lynua's piercing regard.

<I almost lost my son today. Just thinking about that gets my hackles up. These Tukor are an exceedingly dangerous lot.> She drew a long breath and some of the heat left her gaze. <Thankfully, that lesson was not paid in more lupine blood, a fact I am grateful for. Next time we will not underestimate them. They will never have the chance to harm our pack again.>

"And of the villagers?"

The two alphas exchanged looks, as was becoming customary when they were presented with a trying decision from their omega. Tolem eventually let out a sigh. <If we're going to take these villagers under our protection, I don't see a better way.>

Araki dipped her head in understanding and chose to remain silent.

Both alphas turned to leave, but Lynua stopped with a cut of her eyes over the shoulder once more.<You can be a trying omega. Know that I still have plans of a suitable punishment later. For now, look after my son. I trust him in your care.>

When the alphas were out of earshot, she stood with some difficulty that came in her exhausted state. Koov, who still held Doko, had kept silent through the exchange. "I'm glad you spoke up. I had no better ideas to offer."

"Do you think this is a good course of action?"

His expression set as the malinois looked off into the distance. "Your guess is as good as mine. But, like Tolem said, there's no better path at this point. The question to ask now is where do we move the villagers to?"

"I... don't know." Araki reached over to take Doko back into her arms. The wolf stirred a little at her touch, but remained unconscious as her spellweave continued to support the majority of his weight. The healing had definitely taken it out of him. Once more she was reminded just how close death had come, and how he had thrown himself squarely into danger to protect her. He would've died to save her.

She sighed and touched her nose to Doko's cheek. I really don't deserve you.

************************

Some hours later, the shock of the day still hadn't fully left the husky. Even in the familiar comforts of Doko's burrow, she still couldn't get her hands to fully stop shaking.

She did take some solace in seeing the other omega resting comfortably on their shared bed, still soundly asleep as his fatigued body regained its strength. She'd seen such a condition all too many times before after a serious battle injury and subsequent healing session; the wolf likely wouldn't wake for another full day at the least.

The bed had been a new addition to the burrow after Doko had invited her to live with him. It had been the one aspect of anthro life she could not easily give up. Doko, himself having seen what a tavern mattress offered for luxuries, had needed no convincing on his part to change up his sleeping accommodations.

The bedding itself was composed of various flora that had been altered by lupine spellweaves to give a soft buoyancy far superior to the finest wool or down. The covers had come from the hides of elk, and had also been magically altered to provide a silky texture the likes of which she had never touched before. Lupine crafting arts of the natural world simply had no parallel.

"Sleep as long as you need," Araki whispered to herself, not wanting to ever leave her place cuddled up against his flank in nothing but her fur. His warmth always offered a soothing comfort to her.

<How are you holding up?>

Koov's voice in her mind came with a slight hollow tenor that bespoke how far away he was.

Araki took a moment to focus her thoughts and reached out across the pack's bond toward the distant aura of the malinois. <I'm alright. Doko's sleeping soundly.>

<That's good to hear.>

<And how about you? Do you need help with the relocation?>

Koov's mindspeak took on a fatherly reproach. <Araki. We went over this. The rest of the pack is managing the villagers just fine. You worry about keeping Doko comfortable.>

She wanted to protest, but knew the prospect was a losing battle. <Is it at least going well?>

<The wolves' communication barrier is making it tough... not to mention the villagers are still terrified of them. But Shishu is doing a marvelous job of managing the crowd for me.>

It had taken some haggling with the alphas to determine a suitable location to establish the refugee camp for the villagers once all of the commotion had died down. Eventually a place had been agreed upon in a protected valley near the pack's den, well away from Northpoint.

However, convincing the villagers to up and abandon their homes without any warning proved to be the first daunting task. Not to mention doing so placed their wellbeing in the hands of mysterious creatures that had seemingly sprung out of legend itself. Araki couldn't blame them for being hesitant. Their world had literally been turned upside down, and many were still trying to make sense of all the recent chaos.

Only after Shishu had joined the effort of trying to convince the townfolk to leave did some finally start to see the danger of staying. Still, others stubbornly refused to leave and had remained behind.

Through Koov's eyes, Araki could see that the encampment was starting to take shape. A good number of villagers had already made it to the protected valley under the watchful guard of the wolves. They had brought whatever they could carry, and what the few horses of Northpoint could pull via wagon. Now they watched with a mixture of awe and fear as the wolves set about growing shelters from the bark of the nearby trees via spellweaving.

<Shishu's back at the village rounding up the last group that's willing to come.> Koov gave her awareness a tap with his mind, much like he would clasp her on the shoulder physically. <Get some rest. This is far from over and we'll need both our omegas back at full strength soon enough.>

She wordlessly thanked him and felt his awareness pull back to become the more usual muted glow over the pack's bond. The husky had no reason to doubt that Koov and Shishu had things under control.

A flick of her own mind brought the hovering mana light of the burrow down to a softer hue, only just painting her surroundings in opaque shadows. Sleep was probably for the best.

She snuggled up closer to Doko. His warmth permeated through her bare fur to ease the last of her troubles, and for a long peaceful moment Araki started to let her consciousness drift into slumber...

It took the husky several seconds to start back to full wakefulness. The fur on the back of her neck stood on end. All of her senses went on high alert as the realization donned on her like a splash of icy water--something had entered the burrow.

Not a pack member. What...

Her mana light blazed back into full luminance to flood the space in its light. In that instant Araki's startled gaze found a wolf standing just inside the burrow's entrance, one that she had never seen before.

The lupine gave her a devious wolfish smirk that immediately put her on guard. I can't sense him through the bond. No... wait, I can. But... but this isn't normal.

His fur was that of a common grey menagerie pattern, and from his outward appearance he looked like any other typical wolf. But something about his presence unnerved her greatly.

"Who are you?" When his smirk only grew wider, she sat up more. Her hand instinctively worked its way down to the hilt of her katana beside the bed. "Answer me."

<Calm yourself, young Araki. I mean you no harm.> He took a few steps more into the burrow. His stature and poise gave him the presence of an alpha. The way he kept smirking at her in that mischievous way only accentuated that. But she couldn't make any sense of the aura he gave off. <I just came to see how my favorite omega pair are holding up.>

Araki's eyes darted back to Doko, who had stirred a little but remained asleep. She kept her voice low, still letting her hand hover near her weapon. "Favorite?"

The strange wolf sat on his haunches beside the bed and curled his tail by his flank. His head tilted playfully. <Indeed. I figured it high time that I finally introduce myself properly.>

"How did you get past the den's barrier without alerting the pack?"

<That, young Araki, is my little secret.> He huffed his amusement. <You have quite the perplexed look about you. It's rather humorous, I must admit.> When she didn't say anything more, he brought a forepaw up to rub the underside of his muzzle. <I guess I shouldn't expect mortals to immediately understand.>

Araki's eyes went wide. She opened her muzzle, but no words came.

<How about we move somewhere else to let poor Doko rest.> Before the husky could begin to gather her wits the burrow suddenly vanished. She found herself sitting atop the rock formation that dominated the den's central clearing in the very next instant.

The wolf had not teleported her. There had been no disorienting moment where it felt like she was being taken apart and put back together in a new location, as was typical of teleportation weaves. No, one second she had been in the burrow and the next she was outside without any spellweaving work at all. The transition had been seamless, and jarring in its own discomforting way.

<That's better. I never was fond of being underground.> The wolf, now sitting opposite Araki on the outcrop, gave her a graceful bow with a sweep of his forepaw. <To answer your earlier question, you may call me Marlois.>

The way he so casually introduced himself left her speechless. Somehow, she had already known she was standing in the presence of a god. But hearing him speak his own name, one that had accompanied various apocalyptic tales of destruction and despair throughout anthro lore, made her fur stand on end. This was Marlois himself--the heavenly god of wickedness who wrought unhallowed ruin upon the deserving and devoured the souls of the damned.

<I see that my reputation precedes me.>

"I... can't..." Her words trailed off as she tried to come to grips with this unimaginable event. She didn't want to believe this was happening, but the lupine bond left no question that this was the god himself sitting before her. It took a long pause for her to find her voice again. "Why me?"

Marlois grinned as he stood and padded up to her, his golden eyes holding an impish air to them. <To be honest, I've taken a liking to you.> He paused and gestured with his nose down to her. <May I? I believe you could use the company.>

It took Araki a moment to realize what he was asking. In her bafflement, she could only nod dumbly.

His ears splayed a little as the grey wolf came to lay on the outcrop with his flank resting against her side. After a moment he rested his head on her thigh and sighed. <Ah, it's been quite some time since I've felt the touch of a mortal on my fur. One of the simple pleasures that I always miss.>

She could feel the wolf's body heat and his steady breath. From an outside perspective, his intimacy was no different than any other member of the pack. "Do you... ah, visit wolves like this often?"

<Hardly. In fact, young Araki, you're the first mortal that I've graced with my presence since the advent of the second world.>

That certainly sent the husky reeling. In all of her time poring through the leyline's archives she had never seen any historical record that recounted of Marlois physically appearing to any lupine; she had no reason to doubt he was telling the truth. "This is all... just a bit much to take in."

<I do realize this is quite unorthodox. But, admittedly it's not the first time you've had your world upended. Am I right?>

"I... yes." Not sure what else to do, Araki ventured a gentle massage of her fingers behind Marlois's ear. When he sighed his gratification at the gesture, she kept on. Just like every other wolf, the god was a sucker for the attention. Strange as it sounded, she started to find herself more at ease.

"You're nothing like how they portray you in the scriptures."

This provoked a chuckle from him. <No, I'm not a twenty-foot-tall fire-breathing demon that eats naughty pups. Nor is my fur cloaked in a crimson flame that burns blacker than the night. I'm hardly so vain... although the fire-fur does have a certain theater to it that I like.>_He took a second to roll onto his flank at her side, beckoning with his eyes for the husky to shift her massage to his chest and belly. When she obliged his features crinkled in delight. _<Suffice to say that the other gods are to blame for spreading those falsehoods... oh...ah, I'd forgotten how lovely this feels.>

Araki couldn't help but smile at seeing the god's tail wagging. "Nothing like the scriptures, indeed."

<Perhaps... a little lower?> He shifted on his hips, splaying hind legs wider apart to suddenly give her a generous view of his plump sheath and furry balls.

"I beg your pardon?"

<Just a little lower, hmm? I've seen what you can do with those hands of yours. You have quite the way of pleasing a wolf.>

Araki was at a momentary loss. "That's why you've appeared before me?"

<Of course not... Although I'd be lying if I said I wasn't keen on enjoying this mortal form while I retain it.>

The thought alone was crazy in and of itself. Here and there one could find ancient stories from an earlier time when god and mortal kind had laid together in sensual courtship. But such tales had never been taken seriously or believed in the modern era. And yet here she sat with Marlois sprawled before her, giving the husky an unhindered view of his spread hind legs and arousal.

Without thinking about it, her hand reached out for a curious stroke along the wolf's thick grey sheath, her finger lingering at the tip were a bit of pink poked forth. "I... I had no idea gods could even do such things."

His muzzle parted to give a hint of fang to the wolf's roguish regard. <There's a lot you do not know about the eternals.>

Araki felt her ears pin at his implications. It was still hard to believe this was real. After a moment of inaction, she withdrew her hand. "I really don't think such sensual pleasures are warranted right now. Doko is weakened and I don't want to leave him alone for long. Besides, the rest of the pack is currently busy tending to the displaced villagers. It wouldn't be right."

He rolled back over into a sitting position suddenly looking rather chastised. <Apologies. You are right. It's easy to let these mortal urges get the better of me. I don't usually have to deal with them.>

"They can be strong," she admitted, glad he had relented.

He took a moment to compose himself in the awkward silence that followed. <So, young Araki, let's talk about the past. Do you recall that fateful night in the tavern?>

"The night of the fire?"

<Indeed. It was on that night that you consummated your status as omega with Doko and became the first anthro to ever fall under my kinship.>

She still remembered that night so vividly. That first time with Doko had been magical, and had certainly been the beginning of a new chapter in her life. But then everything had gone so horribly wrong. "And then the fire had happened... without warning. It spread so quickly. Shishu never did figure out what had caused it."

<The fire was my doing. It's only fair that you know.>

The starkness of his reply gave her pause. "What?!"

<There was reason for my actions.>

Araki stood in a flurry, her hackles going up. "Are you serious? Like hell! Do you realize how many lives you endangered? How you almost exposed me to Shishu!"

The grey wolf looked unfazed by her ire. <I made sure that all of the tavern's patrons would escape. And as for you, like I said I had my reasons.> He paused long enough to sit upright. <To be blunt, I saw a chance to sway events in my favor and acted.>

The husky had to quickly remind herself who she was talking to; it took a long terse breath for her to reel in her emotions. Just simply trying to comprehend what all of this meant was taxing enough. "And what did you want?"

<To have you become fully part of the Three Peaks pack. Your integration into the pack was exactly the outcome I wanted.> He was regarding her keenly now from where he sat. <There is much strife that currently plagues the mortal world. The gods are dismayed by the atrocities that are being committed, particularly with the Tukor. The others refuse to directly intervene, but I cannot sit idly by and watch as the second world slowly tears itself apart. That is where you come in.>

"What do you mean?" To say that Araki was struggling to digest all of this was an understatement of the grandest proportions.

<I have a bit of a reputation for opposing the will of the other gods. I prefer a more... direct hand in dealing with the mortal world, while they desire to remain aloof. And as such that is why I am here before you now.> He leveled a forepaw at the reeling husky. <You will be one of my best instruments for bringing needed change to the second world.>

A long uncomfortable silence built as Araki's eyes darted about in search of comprehension, her mind racing to take it all in. A pit formed in her stomach. "You coerced me into mating with Doko to become part of the pack?"

<No. I do not affect the free will of mortals. That is strictly forbidden. I merely exert my influence to sway events as I desire, like the fire.> He puffed his cheeks at the scornful look that got him. <Oh, come now. Sometimes there's no room for finesse. I saw an opportunity when Doko tied you and I took it. You can be upset all you like. Up until that point I had no part in events as they played out. Had I not started that fire, there is a good chance you never would've become part of the pack. In fact, you'd probably be dead right now.>

That got Araki's attention. She had to take a moment to stamp down her anger to focus on the bigger picture. "To what end?"

Marlois's regard grew serious. <There are power struggles at work that you cannot comprehend. But know this. The coming battle is not just on this mortal plane. The gods themselves are at war. And now that the Three Peaks pack has intervened in the Tukor conquest, I can now apply a more direct paw.>

"What exactly can you do?"

<That mostly remains to be seen.> The serious look vanished from the wolf's countenance. <But that is a concern for another day. You've done well so far, young Araki. There is great strife that still lies ahead, but I'm confident you will continue to shine as the resourceful omega that you are.>

His words hit home harder than the husky expected.

<As I said, I do like to take a more direct approach with my dealings in the mortal world. So, for you, I have a gift.> The god brought up one of his forepaws and held it in the air before him. The air above his paw soon shimmered with gathering light that took the shape of a strange hieroglyphic symbol.

Araki craned her head, realizing after a beat that the light pattern was some sort of spellweave. "What is it?"

Marlois motioned with his muzzle to the floating weave. <It is a key spell. One that no mortal has ever possessed. It is used to unlock one's true potential.> He noted the husky's deepening confusion with a roll of his eyes. <I suppose I shall need to explain this better. All manner of life retains the ability to work the spellweaving arts. This has been the truth since the mortal world came into being. But, as you are probably aware, not all anthro kind can work spells. Am I right?>

It took Araki a moment to realize the god was waiting on her answer. "Ah, no. Erm, yes. Only a few can."

<As it has been for all time that encompasses the second world. But this is not a rule that the wolves follow, as you have plainly seen.>

Araki was still staring at the floating symbol. "I had wondered. I couldn't find anything in the lupine archives that explained why all wolves possess spellweaving abilities while anthros do not." She looked up to meet his expectant gaze. "As far as I could discern it's always been that way for the wolves as far back as records were kept."

Marlois let a hint of fang show in his smirk. <That has been by my design. And to help you understand why, a little history lesson is in order.> He did a little twirling motion with his paw to spin the floating symbol. <I take it you do not know how the first world came to an end?>

Araki shook her head slowly. "The scriptures from that time are fragmented at best. All that is known is that something cataclysmic happened."

<It was a war. One that was fought between various powers both anthro and lupine alike. Terrible power was wielded then with spellweaving nations battling for control of the mortal world.> The wolf's gaze took on a dark air that made Araki recoil. <The gods watched it all unfold, unable to stop the coming doom. And it did come--when one side eventually found itself faced with defeat. In a last spiteful act they brought together their strongest mages and wove a spellweave that tore the world apart unlike anything ever seen before or since.>

At Araki's stunned silence, he continued. <There was nothing left after. The gods were forced to remake the mortal realm and recast it as the second world. But it was agreed that such awesome power could never be wielded by all of mortal kind again. Imagine if the entire Tukor army--every last foot soldier--could weave spells just as potent as your own. Had such a thing come to pass the second world would've likely already suffered the same fate as the first.>

The husky nodded slowly, picturing the horror such a threat would've posed.

<And so a key and lock of the very soul itself was conceived to seal off this prowess from mortal kind. If the other gods had had their way no mortal would have ever woven a spell again. But then I couldn't let that happen.> A flick of the wolf's forepaw brought the rotating symbol back to its original position. Araki watched, no less awestruck, as the outer helix slowly parted and split. The icon broke apart into several smaller pieces, still attached to one another by dancing ribbons of light that flickered about. She recognized the patterns as the core weave of the spell itself. <I did a little sabotaging of my own to corrupt the lock, in a manner of speaking. This allowed for some of you anthro mortals to circumvent the gods' desires and still master the magical arts. But only a token few.>

"Why do such a thing? Wouldn't that cross the other gods?"

The grey wolf opposite her cuffed his amusement. <Oh, but of course! I cared not though. For me, there is such beauty in the spellweaving arts that simply cannot be denied to you mortals. It would be a sin against nature itself to completely deny something so essential. It is why I gifted this prowess to all of the lupine kind, who understand how to manage such a power responsibly.>

"And anthros don't?"

<It's not the wolves who have been laying waste to the world with their armies.>

She ducked her head with pinned ears. The husky couldn't argue against that.

<But that's where you come in, young Araki.> He held out his paw with the spellweave aura still floating above it. <My gift. I hope you use it wisely.>

"The key spell?"

<Yes.> He nodded down to the floating symbol. <Reach out your hand and touch it.>

She wavered at first, mulling over everything that the god had just said. But her fingers did reach out toward the spellweave, twitching with hesitation. A strange warmth enveloped her hand as she finally did grasp the symbol. She felt her aura connect to his own; In that moment Araki became one with a god.

The key spell pulsed brightly to her mind's eye in that next instant. She felt the weave merge with her consciousness, the fibers of the pattern melting away as they bonded with her soul. Just as suddenly, it was over.

When her eyes refocused back to the rocky outcrop, she found Marlois grinning roguishly at her. <And that's all there is to it.>

She'd never experienced anything like it before, not in all of her days working weaves. She could still distantly feel the key spell lingering on the edge of her awareness. If she focused her attention on the pattern, it pulsed brightly to her. And when she pulled back, the spell faded back into the recesses of her mind as if being placed in a storage chest.

<The key spell can be used to unlock the potential of any mortal.>

"I still don't exactly know what all of this means. What happens when this potential is unlocked?"

Marlois sat back more on his haunches. <To put it simply, young Araki, when the key is used on someone, their ability to sense and work spellweaving patterns will awaken. Although, they'll be just as you were when you were first tested for the gift back at the academy--untrained and inexperienced.>

She did recall that fateful day vividly. At only nine years old, the husky had found herself standing in a line with several other prospects of similar age. Back then the tall arching walls of the Rajo Order temple had been so intimidating to a young naive pup like her. How things have changed...

A shake of the head brought her back to the present. "Why do all of this? Why give me this key? You talk about how powerful spellweaving brought the first world to a cataclysmic end and how the gods desired for that not to happen again. And yet this is all counter to that ideology."

<As I said, I have my own methods.>

Araki fell back to sit awkwardly on her rump. "What am I supposed to do now?"

Marlois cocked his head to look down his muzzle at the husky. <I can't give you all of the answers, now can I?>

Another long uncomfortable silence built as the husky lost her words. She didn't know if she could fully trust him, god or not. His methods seemed... decidedly careless, reckless even. The tavern fire was proof enough of that. But there was no denying the gift that he had bestowed upon her, and that the wolf sitting before her possessed untold power over the mortal realm itself. She could not overlook that terrifying fact. He was...

<A dangerous ally, no?> At her start he let his muzzle splay into another cheeky lupine smirks. <I suppose that's fair for you to think that.>

Araki's ears fell. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to offend."

He waved a paw dismissively. <Please. It takes much more to twist my tail. In any sense, young Araki, the rest is up to you.>

Marlois stood and made to leave.

But then he stopped, midstride, suddenly wavering. For a beat he remained frozen in place.

When he did turn back to regard her, it was with an unexpectedly predacious look.

<I'm going to be honest. I can't fight this anymore. It's just been so long.>

The husky was suddenly on guard as he took a step toward her.

<I know this is not a good time, young Araki. But I must ask.> The grey wolf came to stand before her where she sat on the outcrop, his nose almost touching her own. His expression was awash in a conflicting range of emotions unbecoming of his station. <Surely it would not be amiss for us to have just a quick bit of fun before I depart? I can't pass up this opportunity. These mortal urges are too irresistible.>

What could she say to that? Their conversation moments ago was all but forgotten. Now, with the wolf so close, she could smell his arousal once more as it permeated the air. For a fleeting moment she thought back to the earlier sight of the male's hind legs spread before her, his thick sheath and balls freely offered to her desires. Her heart did quicken at the thoughts that followed.

He clearly wanted her. All she had to do was give in to her baser instincts, which began to gnaw at her willpower. But again, the idea came across as utterly selfish while the rest of the pack labored and Doko recovered.

"I... I don't know."

Marlois didn't seem to hear her words. His gaze had lowered, and without any hesitation he worked his muzzle insistently between the husky's naked legs to take in her scent with a long heady breath. His subsequent exhale wafted across the bare flesh between her thighs to send electric tingles racing up her spine.

Araki was suddenly reminded that she wore nothing but her fur. It was selfish to let this happen, yes. But could she actually say no to a god's advances?

Any thought that came after that evaporated away as Araki bit back a moan; there was no mistaking that remarkable feel of a canine tongue trailing across her supple lips.

Again the wolf parted his muzzle to lick, taking his sweet time tasting the husky. His eyes danced with a predatory glint between her twitching hips, hungry for more.

Araki fell back further to lean against the rock, the tension leaving her body more and more with each lap of the lupine's tongue that seemed to erode away what remained of her willpower. She felt the fire within stirring to life, felt the heat start to flush her skin as it radiated outward. The way his eyes watched her hungrily as he began to eat her out only heightened the surging energy.

She felt her body starting to wind up. It was happening so quickly.

Araki's hands instinctively reached out for the wolf's head to hold him firmly between her twitching thighs. Her hips rocked in tune to his bobbing muzzle as that wondrous, broad tongue of his pierced her slick folds over and over again, curling and lapping, hitting all the right places.

Already, all of the tension from the day built up to the coming high that fast approached. Araki bit her lip with gritted teeth and humped against his muzzle urgently. I cant... I can't...

With a yelping bark she came hard against the wolf's tongue, her hips lifting off the ground to arc her back. His muffled growl of gratification joined her in the throes of her release as he kept his muzzle buried in her slick pussy.

The waves of pleasure crashed down over Araki as she held on to the wolf for dear life. Her whole body went rigid, her senses washed out by the sudden unexpected rush of her climax. She rode out the high for several long blissful moments, whimpering softly through it all, not letting go of the wolf buried between her thighs.

When it all finally fell away, she came back to her senses to find Marlois sitting back on his haunches, grinning roguishly with a curl of his tongue across his whiskers. <I may be a horny wolf, but a female always comes first.>

Araki let herself pant in the ensuing exhaustion that crept up on her, distantly surprised at how quickly he'd brought her to a climax. The long day was now definitely catching up with her.

She had no time to recover; Marlois suddenly leapt up to place his forepaws on top of the rock she was resting against, one paw to each side of her shoulders. With his haunches straddling her hips, and his chest forcing her to slide down the rock some, she suddenly found herself face-to-face with the male's thick sheath, already presenting a tip of slick pink cock with a dab of pre right before her muzzle.

There was no mistaking what he wanted. Again, she didn't really have a choice.

<Show me what you can do.> The mindspeak came with the god's low growl as he stood almost possessively over her.

Araki's hand reached out to gently massage the wolf's swollen sheath, while the other cupped and fondled his heavy sac. His masculine scent infused the air and drowned out her surroundings, thick and potent with his arousal; she did lick her chops in anticipation.

He shifted his stance wider, a heady groan spilling from the wolf's muzzle as he shuddered at her touch. <Oh, heavens, how I've wanted this for an eternity!>

She pulled back on his sheath to let more of the male's tapered length slide forth. He bucked at that, popping the beginnings of his knot out, letting his full twitching lupine cock stand at attention for her waiting muzzle.

Her tongue snaked out through the husky's parted maw to give a long, slow lick along the underside of his crimson length. The wolf bucked again, whining above her. His impatience was clear. He wasn't about to let this draw out like the other males tended to do.

She wasted no time going down on the wolf, parting her maw to draw in his thick cock against her cupped tongue. Her fingers wrapped around the base of his half-formed knot just in time, holding the male barely in check as he started to thrust into her muzzle eagerly with reckless abandon.

<Oh, yes. Just like that. Let me enjoy that tight muzzle!> His vocalizations grew louder as that thick length penetrated her maw over and over again, tip already spilling ample amounts of pre. His heavy balls slapped against her chin repeatedly.

Her interlaced fingers around his thickening knot only just kept him from muzzle-fucking her too deeply as the male's hips moved in a powerful, rhythmic blur. He was wild, far more eager than any wolf she'd mated with. She could feel his desperation to cum.

Marlois's tempo never flagged, only growing more urgent by the second. His building growl took on a desperate edge. She held on as best she could, drinking down every bit of pre that his length painted her maw with. Her broad tongue lapped at his slick flesh, wrapping around his cock, cupping and gliding against every square inch of the male she could reach.

The slurping and sucking of her efforts grew wetter as the male's thick knot started to swell. She could feel his peak already approach as his thrusting hips took on new erratic energy. Her fingers held fast around the base of his swollen bulge to keep it outside of her muzzle, still letting the male experience the same sensual bliss of tying a bitch in the throes of a passionate mating.

Her free hand reached out to cup his swinging balls, feeling them start drawing tight. The wolf's growls suddenly shifted to a labored whine. <Rah! So... so, ahh!>

She felt his release hit him like a torrent as his hips slammed against her muzzle one last forceful time, her fingers holding him fast. The first thick rope of lupine seed sprayed the back of her maw. Then another. Another.

The wolf above her came hard in her muzzle with a feral snarl, his heavy sac twitching with each new spurt of cum that she drank down. Every muscle in his body seemed frozen tautly in place, his tail flagged high. She could feel the sensual pleasure of his release radiating forth and did her best to prolong his high with a gentle massage of her fingers around his knot.

Finally it was too much. She pull backed, letting the wolf's twitching cock spill from her maw. His tapered tip painted her whiskers and nose with several spurts of lupine cum. But she kept her hold around his knot, fingers massaging at the base, simulating that perfect tie to a bitch.

<Just... rah! Hold me just like that!>

He kept humping weakly against her grip, his climax never faltering from the untold years of pent up energy. The wolf had soon made a complete mess of her head and chest fur. His high seemed endless.

Finally, mercifully, the wolf's climax fell away, giving rise to one last spurt of his cum to splash across Araki's muzzle. She finally let go of his length and he dismounted the rock to stand alongside the husky a panting mess. <Gods' graces...>

Araki curled her tongue across her whiskers in a futile attempt to clean a bit of his seed from her whiskers, and then regarded the god sheepishly. He'd made a complete mess of her fur. What was she supposed to do now?

He answered that for her by padding up to gently bite down on her arm. <I'm not done yet.>

She could only look on in muted surprise as he guided her down with his muzzle grip onto her hands and knees. In the next instant the male was behind her, his nose snaking its way up under her curled tail for a sniff.

Exhaustion was definitely making itself known now as Araki started to pant again. "Didn't you... just finish?"

<There are many perks to being a god, young Araki.> He punctuated his mindspeak by giving her pussy a long lick that forced a timid whimper from the dog.

Strong powerful forepaws suddenly wrapped around her hips as the wolf mounted her impatiently. Araki had no time to prepare, her whimper abruptly cutting off with the male's bite on the scruff of her neck.

<I need to feel it. What it's like to truly tie with a bitch!> He shifted and humped his hips, his tapered tip prodding her rump, looking for the slick lips of her doggy cunt. He growled his annoyance into her scruff as his inexperience clearly showed through.

Suddenly Marlois found his mark, his haunches surging forth to hilt himself in the husky with one eager motion that sent her senses reeling.

Araki bit back a curse, her body shuttering with the carnal barrage of being filled so fully with wolf cock. Through the onslaught of it all she distantly noted how his knot had already shrunk back to a half-formed state, no doubt the perks he had referred to. Can he actually mate with someone over and over again as long as he wants?

The thought vanished with the wolf's first eager thrust of his hips, withdrawing that huge cock of his abruptly only to slam forth once more to take her to the very limits.

Araki did let out a bark at that, her ears pinning back as she screwed her eyes shut. It took every ounce of her strength to keep herself upright as the wolf fucked her passionately; his hips smacked against her rump over and over again, each hilting motion driving himself deeper within her slick pussy.

The pleasure did start to come then, hitting her in quick energetic bursts as she rode out his passionate fucking. Her body rocked rhythmically in tune to his thrusting hips, her soft needy whimper drowned out by his possessive growl into her scruff. She lost out to her baser instincts and fully submitted herself to the wolf's desires, her hips pushing back to meet his every forward surge.

He owned her in that moment, his bite ensuring his bitch stayed perfectly still. He fucked her with a vigor only a canine could muster, his knot already swelling again to threaten the looming tie.

Araki braced against him, her tongue lulled in hitching pants now. She felt that familiar tightness welling up, threatening to overtake her again. Every fiber of her body ached with exhaustion and the building carnal pleasure, melding into a prickling fire that quickly consumed her senses and drowned out the world around her.

She felt his knot growing, entering her hot and slick pussy with greater and greater effort that only heightened the growing tightness.

<Give me that tie! I want to feel it!>

Marlois was not one to be denied. In a final powerful thrust of his hips the wolf slammed his knot against her lips one last time, before the bulge entered her with a lewd pop.

It was the last straw for Araki as she suddenly succumbed to her climax, head craning back as her ears completely flattened. Her whole body trembled with the waves of ecstasy that flowed forth to wash away everything else; the husky could only manage a weak bark through it all.

She squeezed down around the wolf's knotted length as he kept thrusting against the tie like a demon possessed. In the next moment he released her scruff to tilt his head back in a toothy snarl; his haunches mashed up against her to hold him there, his pointed cock poised to claim her sex for his own.

The wolf's second climax came with no less potency as the first, his balls drawing tight and his knotted length twitching to give Araki the first spurt of his lupine seed. Another came, and another, each adding another pointed emphasis to the male's claim over her.

They rode out the high together, both canids caught up in the throes of pure bliss, both unable to do anything but remain frozen in place. Araki could feel every hot splash of cum as it filled her, each prodding her own high back to new life. He just kept cumming, displaying a potency that only a pent-up god could possess.

When it all melted away, Araki came back to herself an exhausted wreck. Her arms and legs trembled with the effort of remaining upright, and it took everything to continue supporting the wolf's weight as he remained mounted above her, his knotted cock holding him firmly against her.

She could feel the wolf's cum readily leaking out around his damming knot to mat the fur of her thighs and add to the mess he had already made of her. Even now he was still pumping her full with a few weak spurts.

Marlois seemed to be out of his senses just as much as she was. He panted heavily above her, his hot breath teasing her ear. <I need to come down to the mortal plane and do this more often.>

The god's dismount was far from graceful, but he did eventually manage to swing his leg around to end up in a proper tie position rump-to-rump with the exhausted husky.

The motion sent a shiver through Araki as his knotted length shifted, allowing more leakage to spill from her sated cunt. In that moment her arms finally gave out and she collapsed forward to rest the side of her head on the ground. The afterglow of their mating lingered like a soft radiance, which burned a dull hue against the backdrop of her wearied state. I hope he's not up for a third helping.

She didn't have a chance to find out.

One of the pack members drew close to her mind's perception, bringing Araki out of her stupor. She realized, just before the wolf leapt up onto the adjoining ridge, that it was Lynua.

The alpha female tilted her head as she padded closer. <Araki, just what are you...> Her mindspeak tapered off as her gaze shifted over to Marlois, who had recovered his composure enough to put on the same wily smirk that he had greeted Araki with earlier. <What is this?>

<Ah, good evening Lynua.>

Before Araki could speak up, she suddenly fell forward onto her face with a startled yelp. The pressure from the tie with the wolf had abruptly vanished. But he hadn't pulled out. When she managed to sit back up, she found Marlois standing beside her conspicuously missing a knotted cock between his haunches.

<Don't be cross with young Araki here. She was kind enough to entertain my desire to mate. I'll admit it was a selfish act on my part.>

Lynua, for the first time Araki had seen, was at a loss for words. It was clear by her furrowed brow that she was trying to figure out who this strange wolf was standing before her.

Marlois didn't give her a chance. <As much as I'd like to stay and converse, I'm afraid that I must be going. But young Araki here can fill you in on all of the details.> He turned to regard the husky with a sidelong glance. <I know my faith is well-placed. Until we meet again.>

What happened next, Araki could not fully explain. She watched in astonished silence as the god very literally phased out of existence. One second he was there and the next his wolfish form simply dissolved away into nothing. No spellweaving had taken place. He was just... gone.

Lynua's muzzle had fallen open. <What... what just happened? Who was that?>

The husky sat up more and sighed a weary sigh, dismayed at how much of a mess her fur was. "I don't even know where to begin."