FSE

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A lone one story building was nestled amongst a few trees at the edge of a forest. The dwelling was a popular resting stop for travelers crossing the large swathes of untamed forests and rural areas. On a hanging sign the words "Scarlet Inn" were written in bright red pigments. A shanty structure directly beside it acted as a stable, housing a pair of horses. The well traveled dirt path, however, was home to a vast amount of foot traffic. Paws of various shapes and sizes were imprinted along the naked sections of ground. Hooves were not the most common sight by far.

Darkness had recently fallen over the wooded countryside, and the sunlight had faded fast, yielding to the rising moon. But the small windows of the main dining hall were glowing with their own golden light. Inside, numerous candles were burning atop tables, creating a bright glow within the modest dining hall. Wax dripping, they had been burning for some time. The noises of a boisterous evening had long since died down. Almost all of its nearly dozen or so guests had retired to their rooms for the night. A soft crackle and pop in the hearth were the only constant sources of sound above a creaking chair. A nose flared at the subtle odors of ale, unwashed fur, dust, and ashen smoke still clinging to the dry air. At the bar, a large male badger was quietly cleaning the remaining mugs that had been used throughout the day. On the other side of the bar, seated in a tall chair, was a female wolf gripping a mug in hand. It was her third cup of ale, or maybe her forth? There had been too much fun for her to keep track.

She was the only lady inside the inn at the hour, which was typical for her travels. She was a "regular" at the inn. A lover of ale and general rowdiness, the wolf thrived in untamed environments. She didn't exactly fit the noble appearance of her name, Valeria. Completely naked, her clothes were scattered on the floor before her. She had lost many rounds of what turned into a lengthy game of strip poker. Cards had been dealt, slammed with force, and even thrown during the matches; but an all out brawl had been avoided. But losing her clothes was much cheaper than paying out, and a table of rugged pioneering men were eager to accept the trade off. The wolf certainly wasn't shy about her body, and saw no need to immediately dress herself once again at the late hour. Huffing a content sigh, her front slowly rose and fell.

Valeria was a grey wolf, but her markings and coat colors were distinctly unique. The wolf's fur coat was a mixture of dark grey, light grey, and an earthy red tinted brown. The sides, lower back, outer arms, and top of her tail were a dark grey. Her muzzle, hands, inner arms, breasts, belly, and backs of her legs were a lighter grey. Her ears, shoulders, upper back, collar bone, and backs of her hands were the tone of brown. The brown coloration reemerged at her knees and trailed down to the tops of her paws, leaving the rest of her legs a light grey.

The female wolf was not dainty in her appearance. She was thick and hearty from living a physical life outdoors. Her belly was rounded, but the pudginess concealed strong core muscles. Her legs were no different. Her arms weren't frail or thin either. The wolf's strength wasn't meant to be questioned, but her feminine qualities were equally noticeable.

Her large breasts were heavy and rested on her chest like pillows. A visibly tanned pair of thick fleshy nipples surrounded by a wide ring of areolae freely poked ahead without complaint. They had seen as much sunlight as her eyes from her many travels.

"Mmm..." Valeria hummed as she took another swig of ale. Light footed steps made her ears instinctively rise, but the sound quickly stopped. Lowering her mug, Valeria caught sight of someone out of the corner of her clear golden eyes. A certain male fennec fox was eyeing her, staring at her naked form like an anxious teenager. He was a worker, small and thin like anyone his species. His sandy colored fur was out of place for the typical forest residents or the area. She had never seen him before, except very briefly during the early night when he cleaned tables and served guests.

His dark brown eyes were staring at her intently with a blank expression. Her brow rose with interest at where his gaze had fallen. A smirk formed on her lips.

"Don't just stare at it." She parted her leg invitingly. "You can come over here and get to work." Her words made his eyes widen. Snapped from his stupor he quickly returned to cleaning the last table in the room.

'He is easily scared...' She took a full drink from her mug and thought about how odd the fennec's behavior was. Maybe it was the alcohol and the rowdy night, but Valeria took an immediate liking to the new inn worker. Her eyes didn't blink as she watched him walk back with several empty mugs in hand.

"All the tables cleaned?" The badger asked.

"Yes sir." The fox meekly nodded.

'Sir?' The wolf's head cocked to the side. 'I have never heard anyone call that badger sir before.' Her nose wrinkled in thought. The wolf's attention returned to the fennec fox as he walked back to the last table and cleaned it.

'He is cute.' Valeria didn't know why, but she was interested in the fox. 'I will try my luck with him.' She felt giddy at the thought, and downed the last of her drink with determination.

"You there!" Valeria raised her voice. The vulpine immediately froze like a their caught red handed.

"Me?" The fox's large ears perked up to full height.

"Yeah." The female wolf slid out of her seat and retrieved a candle. "I need some help carrying my clothes to my room." She insisted. "My hands are full." She raised the mug in her other hand. Unwilling to deny a guest staying for the night, the vulpine assisted her. He hastily gathered the scattered clothes strewn across the floor for Valeria.

"Just follow me." The wolf beckoned with a flick of her tail. The fennec followed her to her room by the guiding candlelight in her hand. Moonlight filtered in through a single window, casting its silver shade onto the floor and wall. The room was small and modest, just enough to set one's belongings aside and fall asleep in a simple bed. There were no rugs or other 'special' amenities. The window was more of a luxury than a standard fixture.

"Where do you want me to put them?"

"You can set them over there. Thank you." She pointed to the far wall with the nearly empty mug in hand. The wolf quietly shut the door behind her. He turned to leave but found the naked wolf standing in his way.

"What's your name?" She asked.

"It's Ovid."

"That's a nice name. I'm Valeria." She flashed her fangs in a smile. "How long have you worked here? You're new."

"It's been almost a month, I think." He meekly answered, having difficulty removing his gaze from her naked body visible in the moonlight. Valeria was all too happy to have his gaze roam over her naked form.

"You know..." The wolf's voice lowered as she lightly swayed side to side. "You weren't part of that poker game, but you've been staring at me all night." She placed her hands on her wide hips. "And I'd like some compensation for it."

"I'm uh sorry about that..." Ovid started to apologize only to knit his brow in confusion. "Wait. What?" He didn't know what to say. "I-I can't pay you!" His hands rose up innocently.

"No. Not that kind of payment... Nothing involving money." She slowly shook her head and took a step closer to him, and then another. "It will be something that we'll both enjoy." She stopped when her breasts barely touched the fox's front. Ovid gulped nervously at what she might do to him. Despite all of the ale in her system, Valeria swiftly scooped the fennec into her arms and brought him to the bed.

"Hey-!" Ovid's voice was cut off as he was unceremoniously dropped onto the bed. A hand swiftly yanked his pants down to his paws, keeping them bound together. Before he could move, a heavy weight saddled across his legs. Looming overtop him, the curvy wolf's golden eyes stared at him lustfully. The fennec's heart pounded from a mixture of fear and arousal. Valeria licked her fangs at the fox below her.

"You're as excited as me." Her voice rumbled with pleasure. He swiftly grabbed her by the shoulders, but the wolf was too strong to move by force. He held his breath feeling her grasp his malehood.

"Here's the deal, handsome." Valeria told him while carefully holding the base of his erection. His ears listened closely. "If you let go, I'll scream." She murmured and rose to her knees. His lips parted only to gasp as the hefty female impaled herself on him.

"Ahhh." Ovid clenched his teeth and rolled his hips.

"Yesss!" Valeria's voice hissed with pleasure as the fox softly moaned.

The sharp tweeting of a bird made Valeria grumble. Stirring from a deep sleep, a golden eye peeked open only to shut from the stinging morning sunshine.

"Mmm." Valeria grumbled only to feel something pressed against her body. Blinking her eyes open a second time, the wolf found that she wasn't alone in the bed. 'Huh?' She found herself staring at a fennec in her arms. Thoughts slowly formed in her mind.

'Oh yeah...' The grey wolf remembered the previous rowdy evening and then the night that followed. Several moments passed as she pieced all of the events together.

'No headache.' Valeria felt some relief in telling herself that. 'So I didn't drink too much... Where do my inhibitions go when I drink?' She wondered. They certainly were not at the bottom of any mug. 'I have never gone to bed with someone after drinking.' She felt embarrassed, but the wolf liked the feeling of having him in her arms, pressed against her naked front. It was odd. Even though Valeria was in bed with a complete stranger, she didn't want to get up yet. Had it been anyone else, then the wolf wouldn't hesitate to toss the other person out of bed. But the fennec male wasn't like the men she regularly found herself in acquaintance with: rough, unapologetic, and annoying. He didn't take pleasure from her like any other male would've desired to.

'He's very cute when he is asleep.' She thought to herself. 'And he is a heavy sleeper. No doubt I'm a giant pillow for him to snuggle with.' The wolf smiled at the thought with amusement. There wasn't an inch between them, and muzzle was resting comfortably between both of her breasts. Valeria soon found herself gently rubbing his upper back and neck.

'This is my fault. I was a little rough with him...' She exhaled quietly and glanced up at the empty mug of ale on the nightstand. As much as the wolf loved to have a drink, she knew that a few could make her brazen. Her gaze soon returned to the sandy pelted fox. Despite being cornered, he hadn't resisted her much and complied with her rough alcohol induced romanticism.

'I will have to apologize to him... and Hovhaness. I'm glad the new owner isn't here.' She didn't want a bad first impression either. That fact that no one had stormed in on them was a blessing in itself.

"Hmm?" Her wandering hand touched something odd underneath his fur. Brow furrowed, she preened at his sandy colored fur and found a tight leather collar around his neck.

'Oh my...' Her grin instantly fell. The dark toned object was a clear mark of his social status, or a lack thereof. The fennec wasn't working at the inn of his own free will. 'That explains why he is here.' She realized. 'What should I do with him?' The canine wondered. It bothered her that he was here against his free will, but she didn't have much time to decide on something. The fennec began to stir in her arms. Dark eyes blinked awake with a yawn only to focus quickly.

"It's morning-?" He sounded surprised.

"Sh. You can go back to sleep." Valeria rubbed his back. "You're with me." The fennec wondered what to do, but the arms wrapped around him convinced him to close his eyes and lay back down. After a moment had passed, the fennec's eyes popped open. He swiftly sat up and found himself entangled with the female wolf. There was a brief look of horror on the his face, but it quickly dissolved into embarrassment. His large ears laid flatly behind his head.

"Oh. Wow." He rubbed his head feeling everything sink in mentally. "That wasn't a dream." His eyes darted around before settling onto Valeria's calm gaze with shock.

"Lighten up." Valeria calmly spoke and grinned like her usual self. "It was better than a dream. If it was a nightmare then you would've screamed when you woke up." The wolf continued to rub his back. He didn't say anything in response, but seemed content with her rubbing his back.

"Where are my clothes?"

"Somewhere in here." Valeria wasn't concerned, but felt him slip away. The skinny fox found what he was looking for on the floor at the bedside. The wolf sat up and scooted onto the edge of the bed where Ovid had laid. She intently watched him. The fox's sandy backside seemed to glow in the morning sun, but the faint image of the collar around his neck made her frown. Ovid quickly picked up his clothes from the floor and dressed himself, but a hand rested on his shoulder.

"Huh?" He paused.

"Don't move." Valeria stood behind him and drew a small pocketknife. She quickly dipped the blade and cut from under the leather. Valeria tossed the item over her shoulder where it hit the wall with a meager thud. She watched the fennec feel his freed neck in confusion before looking back at her.

"I think you're coming with me." She told him.

"What?" His large ears perked up in confusion.

"You're not staying here."

"What do you mean?" His large fluffy ears shifted as if he had misheard the wolf. She sighed, not liking to repeat herself.

"I'm not letting you stay here for who knows how long to work here." Valeria firmly spoke. She could see a sense of relief appear on his face, despite the lack of explanation. "We're getting outta here as soon as I can get dressed." The wolf found her clothes by the corner. "Speak now, or forever hold your peace." She hunched forward and grabbed her pants. He watched Valeria pull up her blue pair of pants before attaching her leather knee guards, paw guards, and donning her leather wrist guards. But all she wore on her upper body was a leather belt that didn't cover anything. It merely crossed between her breasts from shoulder to hip.

"You don't have any... shirts?" He was surprised to find that she had finished dressing.

"Nope." Her curt reply made him blink. "Haha!" The wolf couldn't hold back a laugh at his reaction. "I'll wear a shirt or something when I'm in a town, although I don't think I've worn any in a while..." She looked down at her chest and scuffed the floorboards with a paw. "I know I have one in my pack..."

"So you go around like... that?"

"If I am in the countryside or woods, then sure. Besides, bras are the most deceptive things I've ever seen." She remarked with a grin, and cupped her breasts. "They hide and push things up. It's not normal. I prefer baring it all out and being free."

"Okay..." He blankly nodded.

"Okay?" She rose her brow questioningly. "Aren't you happy that I stay topless?"

"Yes." He spoke with a little more courage in his voice.

"Good. That won't change anytime soon." She put on a pack full of supplies. "Carry these for me, please." She handed him two wooden poles. He looked at them curiously but carried them without question. They promptly exited the room, and went into the main hall.

"Hovhaness." Valeria called out to the badger working behind the bar.

"Yes ma'am." He turned around only to find the wolf standing just across the bar from him.

"This guy." She spoke in a low voice and nodded over her shoulder. "He's coming with me. Whoever the new boss is, tell him not to bother us." The wolf brought her hand to the counter, leaving two coins for him.

"Yes ma'am." The badger grinned and placed a hand over the money and slid it over to himself.

"And sorry about last night." Her face briefly lost its typical confidence as she apologized.

"No harm done, but I noticed you're up late." His voice was amused, but understanding as the wolf turned and headed for the entrance.

"We're outta here." Valeria waved for Ovid to follow her. The fox was quick to leave the inn alongside the canine. Outside, the bright sunshine marked the beginning of a new day. The ground beneath their paws was cool and moist with fresh dew clinging to the sparse grasses. The road took two turns, one leading westward into the rolling hills and fields; and the other eastward into the large forest. No one else was around the perimeter except for a feline guest saddling up a horse at the stable to ride out. Valeria took a noisy breath of fresh air to clean her snout from the dusty inn's smell.

"We're going this way." Valeria waved with a hand and took the road into the forest. The dirt road was dappled with golden sunlight from the towering trees above. A few scattered rays of sunlight managed to reach the forest floor around them. The fennec constantly looked over his shoulder at the Scarlet Inn behind them until the building was nearly out of sight.

"So what's going on?" Ovid finally asked Valeria. "Did you... purchase me? I saw the money-"

"I didn't buy you," Valeria cut him off and scoffed at the idea, "I paid him so you can walk freely with me." She explained. "I hate to see you work here against your will. I can tell this isn't your kind of place. You looked terrified, and..." Glancing to her side, the wolf realized that Ovid wasn't beside her anymore. "Hey. Where'd you go?" She turned around and found the fennec a couple of steps back. The expression on his face was utter surprise.

"You freed me?!" His cream furred jaw dropped.

"Do I have to keep explaining myself?" She frowned and placed her hands on her hips. "Yes! I freed you!" Valeria raised her voice.

"Thank you!" Ovid ran up to the wolf and attempted to hug her despite carrying the two poles. "Thank you so much!" The joy in his voice was one of pure elation.

"Alright, alright. Take it easy." She didn't make a big deal of it, but found herself grinning at his sudden burst of happiness. "I'm not that touchy during the daytime anyway." The wolf pushed him off her.

"Sorry, but thank you!" He stumbled over himself to repeat.

"By the way, how old are you? You look young."

"I'm twenty one."

"You're young." She remarked. "Let's say that I'm closer to thirty than you are." The wolf flashed a quick pearly white smile, and waved him them to keep walking on. "Tell me about yourself." Valeria asked him next. "Where are you from, and how did you end up in that mess back there as a servant?"

"Well..." He thought back over the past years of misfortune. "I grew up on a farm by a small village with five brothers. It is a poor area away from the forests, and the main livelihoods are farming and herding. I was the middle child in age, but all of us except my mom had to work in the fields. My dad would work the hardest of course, but he liked to drink. Unlike you, he was angry and violent when he drank."

"I've seen that happen to a few people." Valeria nodded. "It's not a pretty sight." She could recount many fellows, good natured or bad natured, becoming unruly when drinking.

"When I was young, my second oldest brother left home and tried working on a nearby river, but he drowned during a storm. When I turned eighteen I didn't want to farm for the rest of my life, so I ran away from home. I was afraid of working on a river because of my brother's death. There weren't any other opportunities for me, and my eldest brother was going to inherit the land anyway. For two years I wandered around a few towns looking for work, but I didn't make much so I had to beg for food or steal it. The militia law eventually caught up with me and I was sold as an indentured servant to someone for my debts. My terms were three years of labor, and I completed one before being moved out here." He concluded.

"That's quite a story, but I believe it." She nodded.

"Well, it's true." He looked at her with conviction.

"Just making sure you aren't trying to swindle me or anything." She explained and looked ahead. "I'm glad you didn't tell me yesterday that you were once a thief." Valeria stated. "Or I would've treated you very differently." Her tone hinted at something more aggressive. The fennec's ears fell back from her remark.

"What about you? Who are you?" He wondered.

"I'm a wolf who... well... I kind of beat things up." She summed up things with a genuine shrug. "I'm a wolf warrior who loves alcohol. I travel throughout the countryside and visit the towns, villages, and small cities throughout this region." She waved her hand out as she talked. "I'm kind of a person-for-hire."

"So you're like a mercenary?"

"Well... Kinda." She shrugged. "Sometimes farmers hire me to find lost livestock; a village will hire me to catch a thief; or a town will hire me to join a militia to fight of a group of bandits, monsters, or something. It's a little bit of everything that requires a strong lady." She flexed an arm revealing a fair amount of muscle.

"So why were you at the inn?" He asked. "Was that part of your hired work?"

"No. It was just a stopping point to sleep and drink." She admitted.

"Where are we going then?"

"Well, I planned on going to a town not too far from here, but I wasn't expecting to find a traveling companion along the way." She looked at him with a grin. "We're taking a detour to a friend's house. It's about a two day walk from here, but I will figure out something once we get there." She promised as they walked together through the woods.

***

The pair walked from morning to evening with only a brief break in between to cover as much ground as possible. The shaded pathway through the woods was never quiet even when Ovid and Valeria weren't talking. Birds chirped, crows cawed, and summer insects blared their own rustic tunes into the humid air. Without a change in scenery along the dirt road, the forest around them resembled a maze. The towering trunks of oak, pine, ash, elm, and cedar trees appeared endless. Without a road, Ovid feared that they would've become lost in the vast network of trees. Valeria began to slow her pace as the evening sun started to sink towards the horizon. Nighttime would soon envelop the shaded forest floor?

"Let's set up camp here." She stopped at a nice area of level ground beside a few trees.

"Good." Ovid dropped the two poles he had carried, and took off his shirt.

"Phew. It's hot." The wolf dropped her pack and then her leather belt. "There should be a creek right there." She pointed with a claw into one section of the forest. "You get some water, and I will find some wood for a fire." Ovid nodded and split up. Water was fetched from the nearby creek, and a fire was started with the collected wood. In little time, the random spot of dirt was their quaint resting place for the night. Valeria strung out some dried beef and three big handfuls of rice into a small pot.

"Alright. This should cook quickly." The grey wolf stood up and backed away from the fire with a sense of pride.

"What's this?" Ovid noticed a different piece of armor tied to her pack. Unlike the pieces she wore on her wrists and legs, it was broader and larger.

"That's my chest armor."

"I thought you didn't wear anything, unless you were in town."

"If I'm in going into a serious fight then I'll wear it. Male or female, a cut to the chest can easily be deadly." She drew a line through her fur with a claw.

"Good point."

"This might sound odd, but now that I am thinking about it, can you fight at all?" She asked.

"Yes, of course I can." He was quick to answer, but the wolf was unconvinced.

"How about with a staff?"

"A staff?" He blinked and looked at the pair of wooden poles she had him carry all day.

"Yes." The grey wolf kicked one up with a paw and caught it in her hand. "Here's yours." She tossed him one and picked up the other for herself. Ovid looked over the slender pole.

'There's no point or blade. How is this a good weapon?' He thought to himself.

"We can do a quick spar." Valeria told him. "Prepare yourself." The wolf steadied her legs, and gave him a toothy grin. She was just an inch or two taller than the slender fennec fox, but that minor difference in height felt much larger with her burly stature. Seeing that she was serious, the fennec held the staff tightly. Staring directly at her, Ovid was reminded of the fact that she was starkly topless. Her hanging breasts had changed from a pleasant nakedness to a dangerous distraction. In the blink of an eye, she charged.

"Haa!" The wolf swung at him. Ovid raised the staff to block resulting in a loud thwack that echoed above the noisy forest.

'She is really strong!' His face and neck muscles strained at the force she created. Valeria backed off a step, and dipped low to swung at him again. Ovid managed to evade the second strike entirely; but her breasts swayed freely with the motion, catching the fox's attention. With his eyes temporarily distracted, Valeria tripped up the fox and knocked him onto his rear.

"Ouch." He grumbled. Looming over him, the wolf grinned with a hand resting on her hip. Her golden eyes were locked onto him, but Ovid found her hanging breasts staring right at him too!

"You remember what I said about bras being deceptive?" She asked.

"Uh, yeah... Why?" He ruffled his head fur.

"By not wearing anything, then I can possibly distract an opponent's eyes with these." Valeria pointed at her breasts before offering a hand.

"That makes sense." He grasped her hand. She effortlessly pulled the fox to his paws.

"I'd say you need some training before you embark on your own." She recommended. "You never want to be completely defenseless."

"Are you going to teach me how to fight?" He was surprised.

"That would take a fair amount of time, but I could." Valeria humbly offered. "You definitely need some meat on those bones. You're frail compared to me." She pinched his arm.

"Ow. Okay, I get it." He returned the wolf's staff.

"Hmm..." The wolf's nose lifted and smelled the air. "Let's eat." Her tail swished as their attention turned to the fire where aromatic smells came from.

The lingering light faded as darkness enveloped the forest. The stars and gibbous moon became the sources of light from the heavens above, while the orange flames of the fire lit the small area by the road. The popping of the fire was soft and quiet compared to the loud frogs and crickets blaring in the summer darkness all around the makeshift camp. Ovid was sitting by the fire, but Valeria was reclined and laying on her back with her paws stretched towards the flames. Their bellies were full, and both were in good spirits.

"You haven't said anything in a while." Valeria said as she finished picking her teeth with a claw. "Is your stomach upset? Everything was cooked."

"No, everything was cooked well. I'm still... in shock, I guess." The fennec admitted.

"About what? That I could knock you on your butt?" She grinned about their brief spar with the staffs.

"No... I can't believe you paid for me to leave with you. Why did you buy, er pay Hovhaness so I could walk free?" He asked. The wolf closed her eyes in thought for a moment.

"You looked scared last night. I remembered that in the morning." She recalled through the somewhat hazy memory of the previous night. "When I woke up you were peacefully asleep in my arms. You looked so sweet. I couldn't just leave you at an inn where you didn't belong there..." Valeria's face lifted into a pleasant grin as she hummed for a moment. "Now stop bothering me about that. You're free." She told him.

"I'm free." The fennec whispered the wonderful phrase and slowly nodded. Valeria pulled her arms behind her head and stared at the open sky above. The stars resembled glittering specks of silver dust against the inky black night sky. Ovid quietly watched the wolf stargaze. The dancing flames casted a shadowy effect onto her grey fur. The darker shades appeared even darker; and the reddish tones had a crimson effect in the light. Of course, she wasn't wearing anything above the waist to cover up her front. The canine's light grey furred belly gently rose and fell with every relaxed breath. A little further up, he eyed her large breasts. They were rolled off center due to their size, on the verge of slipping off her front entirely. How could he not stare at the topless canine beauty? Valeria glanced away from the twinkling starlit sky and found the fennec's eyes resting on her.

"What?" She caught him staring. He glanced away, but she waited for his gaze to return a moment later.

"Well... No, it's nothing." He pursed his lips, clearly wanting to say something.

"You're staring at me." She pointed out.

"Sorry..." He looked away.

"It's fine. You're being polite about it." The wolf didn't mind in the slightest. She grinned and kept her arms behind her head, not wanting to cover herself up.

"Are you sure?" The fennec allowed his eyes to creep back to her again.

"You should know by now that I'm not about hiding things or keeping secrets." She took a deep breath causing her naked chest and belly to gently rise me fall to demonstrate. "Just tell me what's on your mind."

"You're beautiful." He blurted out.

"Oh?" Her ears dialed around, and her heart fluttered with a hint of giddy bashfulness. "Not too many people say that after they see me fight." The wolf managed to say. "I'm not that ladylike either."

"I think you are."

"Haha!" The wolf heartily laughed. "You do?"

"Yes. You look like a lady. I mean, I am looking right at you." He meant her appearance.

"I won't entirely deny that." Valeria chuckled. "My body is shapely, but I think I'm a tomboy rather than a princess." She ruffled the fur on her belly.

"You saved me. I'm indebted to you."

"Don't try to flatter me." She mumbled with a half grin. "I think I should apologize for being rough with you last night." Her words surprised him. "I look rough and mean, but I have never done anything like that before."

"I was terrified at first, but last night was... nice. I enjoyed it." He admitted with a smile, and his ears folded back flatly. A broad smile emerged on the wolf's face.

"I really enjoyed last night too." Her voice dropped in tone. "It's been a long time since I have tried being intimate with anyone, and the last time ended with the guy running off scared." They both chuckled at that.

"I'm glad that I broke that drought." He grinned.

"Mmhm. You can hold your own with a lady like me." The wolf wore a broad grin as she beckoned him with a finger. Valeria wondered what he was going to do while she was reclined, but he wolf didn't have to wait to find out. Ovid knelt down beside her, and much to the wolf's surprise he lifted her right arm. The wolf watched as he gently rubbed over her arm. He lightly rubbed and stroked her hand and wrist before returning to her thick bicep. After a minute of alternating between both arms, one hand ventured away and traced over her pudgy belly.

"You're not as shy as I thought you were." She grinned and watched his hand lightly ruffle along her light grey fur. The touches excited her nerves wherever he traced. Ovid's fingertips dipped low, peeking at the hem of her pants before snaking up between her breasts to play with the tuft of reddish brown fur below her neck. Her arm was then gently set down so that both hands could focus on her front. The wolf watched with delight as he targeted her chest next. Continuing with a gentle touch, Ovid pet over both large breasts. The heavy masses yielded to his hands as he graced over the tops and smoothly pet them from above. The light massage was guided by the direction of her fur. His palms soon brushed down over exposed skin. Turning his hands, the fennec continued massaging until his thumbs traced around the wide circle of warm flesh surrounding her nipples.

"Ahhh." Valeria sighed and clenched her toes. "Keep that up." Her voice hinted at a growl of desire. The fennec had no intent of letting up. Ovid laid down and brought his lips to the wolf's closest breast.

"Oooh." Valeria sighed feeling his tongue lick at the thick bud of flesh while he continued to rub and knead her other side. "Mmm." She nibbled her lip. The bud of flesh became hard in seconds, only making the sensations more erotic. She felt her face blush with warmth as her entire body tingled. It was too much for the warrior wolf to take while lying still.

"I wouldn't mind this all night, but you've got me in the mood." Valeria suddenly huffed and sat up. She gently pushed the fennec back, leaving her flesh slick with his saliva. "You can lay down right there." Ovid eagerly complied. The grey wolf stood up and kicked her pants off. Her leather guards were quickly tossed aside in short order. With a wide stance and hands on her hips, Valeria gave him a full view of her naked body. "Let's see what you're hiding for me..." She knelt down and pulled his remaining garment down his legs. An aroused member sprung into view. In seconds it rose to its full stiff height. Valeria licked her lips at the healthy spire pointing towards the sky, but also towards her. The wolf didn't hesitate to move forward and line up. Ovid helped guide the wolf down, grunting twice as her wet walls enveloped his member like a vice. Their hips finally bumped together when she finally sat on his lap. The fennec contently stared up at the large lady who was clearly aroused.

"You're hot in there." He groaned from the sensations.

"I was about to say the same thing." Valeria lowered herself onto her elbows, letting her belly and breasts rest on him. He softly moaned as his erection followed her movement. They were nose to nose with nothing between them.

"Let's keep things nice and slow. We both need to walk in the morning." She grunted as she spoke. Ovid nodded in full agreement. Her muzzle turned and brought their lips together. Lips parted, deepening the kiss. This time Valeria was very gentle, clearly in the mood for something lasting. Ovid wasn't passive either. His hands roamed along her arms and side, lightly rubbing and teasing where he could.

"Mmm..." Valeria hummed in approval as she began gently rocking back and forth. The soft and subtler sounds of their lovemaking in the woods were blurred out by the noisy summertime crickets and singing frogs of the early night.

The wolf and fennec casually walked along the dirt road in the forest. The incessant humming of insects blared throughout the clustered trees, but the scenery was quickly changing around them. Brighter unfiltered sunshine unfolded as the woods opened up, revealing a sunny plot of land ahead where a small cottage rested. The rolling field extended to their left as the trees became sparse.

"Are we finally out of the woods?" Ovid asked. Two days had passed since their departure from the Scarlet Inn, and the fox was happy to see grass instead of trees.

"Pretty much." Valeria glanced around before walking off the path. They walked onto a tiny trail furrowed between the knee high grasses leading directly towards the humble home. A wheelbarrow full of hay was parked outside a wooden fence where several grapevines grew along its posts. The large green leaves harbored several bunches of purple grapes, almost ready for picking. Within the wooden fence grew a large garden of squash, cucumbers, strawberries, and other bountiful produce. Outside the fence and house, several types of flowers and herbs grew in various quantities adding colors and aromas to the rural scene. A dirt pathway led from the garden to the front door of the cottage where a rake, hoe, and shovel were propped against the wall. The owner clearly worked outside a great deal.

"This is my friend's house." Valeria spoke up.

"Is she all alone out here?"

"Not entirely. She has neighbors, although they're mostly wild deer trying to eat what she grows." The wolf joked.

"So why are we here? Didn't you have to go to a town?"

"I'd like for you to stay here an entire week to think about what you'd like to do." Valeria recommended. "I don't think you want to return home to farm forever, or finish your two years of labor." She guessed.

"No." He shook his head.

"Okay, then you'll stay here while I go to Abelard. It's a town about a day's walk that way." She pointed towards a grassy hill with a handful of goats grazing on its gentle slope. "You won't be staying with her for free though. You're a hard worker, right?"

"Yes."

"Then I'll expect you to help her out with anything that needs to be done around the house." She mentioned.

"That won't be a problem."

"Good." Valeria nodded. "You'll probably learn a few things from her." They walked up to the front door. "Hello!" The wolf pounded at the door causing Ovid to jump.

"I think she can hear you." The fennec held onto his large ears. Thankfully, the door opened up and they were greeted by a pudgy female snow leopard who, unlike Valeria, wore a modest dress and an apron. Her fur was fluffy from her cheeks right down to her long tail tip swaying above the ground.

"Valeria?! It's nice to see you unexpectedly!" The feline beamed a fresh smile.

"Good morning Livia." Valeria spoke up. "Got any booze?" She asked much to Ovid's surprise.

"No." Her friend flatly spoke with a less than impressed expression at the wolf's unchanging habits. "Who's your friend?" Her brow arched at the skinny fennec standing beside her.

"This is Ovid." Valeria introduced the sandy furred fox with a pat to his back. "He is a former indentured servant."

"Hello." He kindly grinned.

"Hello there. Y'all coming inside?" She gestured over her shoulder with a questioning look.

"If you'll allow it." Valeria marched right through the doorway. The feline rolled her eyes and waved for Ovid to come into the home's main room as well. Aromatic scents immediately bombarded the fennec's nose; spices and herbs alike. A stone hearth was alive and well, cooking a pot suspended above orange flames. Bundles of herbs rested on a shelf above a window with small clay jars. Cooking utensils from pots and pans to lengthy forks hung on a series of hooks. In the center of it all was a small table with chairs. The space was homely as is was quaint.

"You have a nice house." Ovid mentioned.

"Thank you. Please have a seat." The snow leopard gestured to the table. "You must've been out here in the countryside for a while if you're showing up at my house like this." She glanced at the wolf's exposed chest.

"Yeah, I haven't been to a town or a village in several days. I'm actually a day behind schedule." The wolf set her pack down and rested in the chair. "By the way, do you have a shirt that I can borrow? Mine is ripped."

"What? Again?" Her friend looked at her in disbelief. She watched Ovid dig through the wolf's pack before handing her a plain shirt with a lengthy tear along its front. "How did you accomplish this?"

"I think a nail caught it, or maybe a claw..." She wasn't sure and looked away guiltily.

"Fine. I'll give you another, but you'll have to return it." She disappeared into another room before returning with a simple shirt in hand. "Make sure you don't rip this one."

"No promises, right?" The wolf smiled graciously. "But thank you. I didn't have anything else to wear anyway."

"That doesn't surprise me." The feline took a seat at the table with them.

"Livia, where do I go..." Ovid spoke up.

"Outside in the woods or tall grasses, please." She pointed at the door with a smile.

"Thank you." The fennec stood up and promptly left. Livia's gaze turned to the wolf's as soon as the door closed.

"Okay." The snow Leonard's voice dropped to a more serious tone. "What's going on? You've never brought someone along with you to my house, ever." She eyed Valeria intently.

"Take it easy," she calmly reassured Livia, "I'll explain." The wolf closed her eyes and blew a short sigh to think. "He's had a difficult time..." She began. "He ran away from home when he was young, helped farm some land but fell into debt, and then he ended up as indentured labor for the guy who bought the Scarlet Inn."

"But how does that involve you?" She asked with a sharp gaze making Valeria rub her neck in thought.

"I was drinking..." She mumbled, regret evident in her voice.

"What else is new?" Her friend rhetorically added.

"Anyway, I caught him staring at me so I brought him to my room. One thing led to another and I slept with him... The following morning I found out that he wasn't working at the inn on his own free will, so I paid Hovhaness to keep the fox's disappearance under wraps."

"Is someone going to be chasing after him?"

"No! Well," the wolf rubbed her chin in second thought, "no one should be..."

"That's doesn't make me feel better." Livia frowned.

"Everything's fine." Valeria waved a hand.

"So why would you pay for someone's freedom like that?"

"It just bothered me so much after I woke up with him in my arms all snug and sweet... I couldn't leave him at the inn. At the time I wasn't sure if I had made the right choice, but I'm glad that I did."

"Why is that?"

"I like him." She gave an honest palms up gesture.

"Sheesh. Really?" Her friend was baffled. "You two look like complete opposites. He's scrawny, you're brawny..."

"That is definitely true." She grinned. "But he is nice and honest towards me, and maybe a complete pushover."

"You can push most people over."

"Proud of it!" The wolf laughed. Livia rolled her eyes, but was amused. "Um. Can he stay here for a while?" Valeria eagerly asked with a funny smile.

"Here? At home with me?" She was surprised. "Why does he have to stay at my house!? Why can't he go with you?"

"Because I want him to have a little time to decide on what he wants to do. He's an adult, but still young and inexperienced. Traveling with me isn't easy or safe."

"Yeah, you're not exactly the most innocent person I know." Livia pointed out from experience.

"Besides, it will give me some time to think all this over too." Valeria added. "So will you let him stay here for a week?"

"I don't know... Why was he an indentured servant?"

"Just petty theft."

"You can't just say that so plainly!" Livia fretted.

"Please?" The wolf clasped her hands together. "I already promised him that he could stay here with you."

"Fine. Fine." Under sudden pressure, her friend relented much to Valeria's relief. "But if he takes anything from me, I'll beat him down to half his height." She warned.

"Bah. You don't have to worry about anything." The grey wolf reassured her friend. "Besides, he knows I'd have his tail if he did anything stupid. He likes me a lot too." She added with a pleasant tone. "He can be very intimate..."

"If he likes you so much then will you finally settle down somewhere and start a family?" Her friend slyly grinned.

"What?!" Valeria's eyes widened. "That's ridiculous! I'm not settling down-." Their ears perked up as they heard the door open. Ovid returned inside and rejoined them at the table.

"We were just talking about you, Ovid." Livia spoke up.

"You were?"

"Yep." Valeria stood up, and retrieved her pack. "It's time for me to head into town." All three returned outside. "Ok. Here's the plan." Valeria told him. "I'm going to town, so I will be gone for a week. When I return... You can choose to stay here longer if you like, go out on your own, or travel with me." She offered. Livia eyed her friend as the terms of his stay were potentially changed.

"I understand." Ovid nodded.

"Good. I'll expect you to treat Livia with the same respect you've given me."

"You won't be in any debts with me, sir." Livia addressed him politely. "But I am expecting you to work while you stay here."

"Yes ma'am." He curtly nodded.

"You won't have any problem with that." Valeria grinned. "He's a hard worker, and satisfies me." She glanced at the fennec and winked. A bashful grin emerged along his muzzle. She rested a hand on his shoulder. "I'll be back in a week." Valeria promised and planted a wet kiss on his muzzle. Ovid eagerly reciprocated. The wolf happily opened her arms and gave him a big that left him smiling even after pulling out of the intimate embrace.

"Thank you for everything." Ovid mentioned.

"Ah, don't mention it." She winked. "Livia is an actual lady, so you won't be seeing her prance around like me, okay?"

"Right." He nodded.

"That doesn't mean you aren't helping with laundry." The feline spoke up. "I'll have your other shirt mended by then, Valeria."

"Thank you. I'll be back in a week." Valeria turned and left.

"Bye."

"Goodbye." They watched the grey wolf gradually disappear through the grass and down the road.

"How did you ever end up with her?" The snow leopard asked.

"I have no idea." Ovid shrugged. "She just looked at me." He said, causing the feline to laugh.

"Valeria told me that she liked you." She mentioned.

"She did?" The fennec's ears perked up.

"Yeah. She doesn't say that about too many people."

"I like her." He admitted. The snow leopard's brow rose in surprise. As Valeria reached the top of the hill, she paused.

"Aaaroooo!" The wolf howled back at them.

"Crazy wolf..." Livia placed her hands on her hips. Ovid waved as the wolf finally disappeared over the hill. "Alright," Livia said, "let's eat something and then get to work." She held the door open for him. The fennec nodded and followed the snow leopard back inside. He took another peek over his shoulder at the hill Valeria had disappeared behind. He smiled with thoughts about the following week to come.

End.