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Part II - Purgatory

Journal entry: April 9th

'I had a horrible dream that I was lost at sea on a raft made from freshly cut logs. The dark waves tossed me like a leaf in a windstorm. All of my calls for help were drowned out by the towering waves and choppy seas. I awoke in a cold sweat from this nightmare. I wonder if this a bad omen, but I cannot let fears drive my decisions! I am really excited for this foreign trip, if my family can make the proper final arrangements. I seem to wait nervously for the next letter to arrive, finalizing it all.

The subtle thwacking sound of a log being chopped softly echoed into the humid early morning air. The everlasting songs of crickets and insects throughout the jungle were also blaring sounds of their own. A naked tigress was busily chopping the final section of a freshly fallen tree along a twisting trail. Augusta was an early riser and not at all shy of working hard. With a final thwack, the cut finally severed the last piece.

"Phew." Setting her axe down, the tigress paused to wipe her forehead.

"Are you tired already?" A voice spoke up. Glancing over, Augusta found her mate Zenobia the busty Doberman watching her.

"Pff. Hardly." The tigress half grinned. "Hmm. I was just thinking."

"About what?" The canine curiously looked at her.

"How I'm glad to have small breasts so they won't swing while I chop." She teased and prodded the doberman's large breasts. "You could get whiplash from those big beauties."

"Hey!" She chuckled and swatted the tiger's hand away. "Mine might be huge, but your nipples are pretty sensitive from what I remember."

"That's a different question entirely." The feline blushed lightly and curled her tail.

"Hehe." The canine giggled quietly. Their ears perked up when they heard two sets of paws approaching them along the pathway. Cassandra and her older sister Maragi both had armfuls of wood.

"Last pile!" Cassandra happily smiled.

"Thank you again for helping me carry the chopped wood. I was getting behind with my tasks." Augusta thanked them.

"Glad to help." Cassandra and Maragi loaded the lumber into an old hand cart. "Although, I'm going to be a little sore tomorrow morning."

"A little muscle wouldn't hurt you." Maragi teased with a grin and nudged her sister's arm.

"Where is Aaron at?" Augusta asked.

"Oh, she's at home with Lydia right now."

"Didn't Ariel say that she could leave the village and go into the jungle today?"

"Yep, but she didn't want to go to the beach with us for some reason." Cassandra explained.

"Well why not?"

"I do not know. She has been quiet since yesterday evening." Cassandra mentioned.

"What about this morning?" Zenobia asked.

"Same." The younger lioness sister shrugged. "We asked her if everything was alright, but she didn't say what was bothering her."

"And Lydia is with her?" Augusta wanted to confirm.

"Mmhm." She nodded.

"Did something happen?" The tigress guessed.

"Everything seemed normal until she offered to clean a washing bucket for us." The lioness thought for a moment. "Oh, goodness."

"What?" Zenobia asked.

"Something must've happened while Lydia and I were getting a little romantic." Cassandra bashfully grinned.

"Oh! Do tell!" The Doberman was interested.

"What did you two do?" Augusta spoke in an accusatory tone.

"Nothing!" She exclaimed. "We wouldn't do anything in front of her. The door was closed and she was outside the entire time. I hope she didn't somehow see us by accident." The lioness felt her cheeks blush.

"Oh my." Zenobia giggled. "That would be quite a sight to stumble upon."

"I doubt seeing romance would scare someone." Maragi rolled her eyes.

"Well, that's when she started acting differently. Lydia and I thought she might have remembered more of her past, but she has only said a few things at most."

"Mmhm. She was acting weird at the stream yesterday." Zenobia revealed.

"Why? What happened?" Cassandra was curious.

"If seeing a little romance startled her, then maybe what I did to Ariel didn't help either." Zenobia guiltily folded her ears back.

"What did you do?" Maragi looked at the canine with a stern gaze.

"Nothing unusual. I was in the stream sitting beside Ariel when Aaron showed up. The fox looked flustered or surprised, so I reached around Ariel and jiggled her breasts." The canine shrugged.

"Hehehe." Cassandra and Maragi chuckled while Augusta rolled her eyes.

"Childish..." Augusta mumbled.

"How?!" Zenobia laughed. "You enjoy it when I do that to you!" The Doberman elbowed her striped mate.

"Doing what? Teasing Augusta's hard nipples?" Cassandra teased causing the women to giggle. The tigress blushed and looked away. Her nipples did look sharp and firm in the shining sunlight though.

"Hey, someone is coming this way." Maragi noticed movement ahead.

"Did a group go hunting this morning?" Cassandra wondered as they watched a lady appear along the closest bend in the pathway.

A golden coat pattern with spots blended well with the surrounding dense foliage. She wore little and was effectively naked, which was most comfortable to her. Her breasts were saggy, and her nipples were surrounded by wide areolae. They seemed to subtly bounce against her chest and sway with every step that she took. Her belly was pudgy and her legs slightly thick; but she held onto beauty with her age.

The older leopardess wore a modest but brightly colored blue bandana around her forehead, and nothing else concealing. For jewelry she was also modest. Her bracelets chimed quietly as they jingled on her wrists while a leather stringed necklace held a single gemstone between both breasts. With a staff in hand, she appeared regal like a sage.

"Elder Ampira!" Cassandra called out and waved. It was indeed Elder Ampira, the leopardess who was a part of the council in capital finally returning to the village!

"Hello-!" She stopped and started to wave.

"We're so glad that you returned!" Cassandra exclaimed excitedly as all of the women ran up to her.

"Why do you sound so enthusiastic? You knew I was coming back after a few days." The old leopardess smiled.

"Someone washed ashore a few days ago!" Maragi informed her, causing the leopard's eyes to widen.

"Oh my! Who?"

"A red vixen named Aaron." Cassandra explained. "Lydia and I found her on the beach one morning and have been taking care of her. She has amnesia!"

"Lydia is with her right now." Zenobia quickly added.

"This is very exciting! I want to meet her." The elder spoke with kind smiles.

"We'll explain everything on the way." They excitedly walked back to the village with the elder leopardess accompanying them.

***

Inside a quaint little village home, Lydia the red vixen was washing dishes from a recent meal. Aaron was seated close to her, holding onto his illegible journal while he vixen told him about a story.

"It was not true. I used to spend nights out in that field." Lydia recited to him. "Laying out there in the grass during the early night, watching the stars reveal themselves with my friends or alone was so much fun." She happily recalled and used a rag to dry a plate. Aaron nodded and thought about similar moments when he was a kid. He was able to remember almost his entire life, just like before. He didn't tell any of the women, and tried not to dwell on the memories though. More pressing matters had his attention.

"Lydia..." He started to say.

"Yes?" The vixen turned and looked at him, giving a plain view of her naked chest.

"Something just doesn't feel right." He admitted and averted his eyes from her lovely large bosom.

"What do you mean?" The vixen stared at him. The red fox hesitated for a moment, almost fidgeting in his seat.

"Can I ask you something?"

"Of course you can." Lydia grinned.

"Do any men live on this island?"

"Men?" She blinked in surprise. "Oh my, of course not!" Lydia stated only to chuckle a little. "Only women live on Ezo. It is called the Isle of Women for this very reason." Aaron became nervous as an uneasy feeling solidified in the pit of his stomach. He had never heard of 'the Isle of Women' before.

"Hmm. I'm starting to think that you're not from Ezo." Lydia thought aloud. The male fox looked away nervously.

"That's what I'm thinking." He quietly mumbled. However, a sudden realization dawned on him.

'What if she doesn't know that I am a man!!' Aaron was stunned at the thought. 'No. Everyone must know, right?' He didn't know which one was true, but there was one way to find out...

"Aaron..." Lydia's voice snapped him back onto focus.

"Huh?" He blinked.

"Hello. You look like you're staring at a ghost." The red vixen waved a hand before his gaze.

"Sorry..." He shook his head only to sigh and look at her once again. "Lydia, I need to tell you something, but I'm not sure how to say it."

"Sure. What is it?" The red vixen looked at him innocently.

"Well..." The red fox rubbed his head and looked away for a moment. "It's kind of... I mean, do you know that I-." He started to tell her, however, a sudden knock at the door interrupted them.

"Who is it?" Lydia called out.

'I will try to tell her later.' Aaron sealed his lips, hoping it was Cassandra returning from the jungle.

"Lydia! Aaron!" The door slid open quickly as Cassandra entered the home with an excited look across her feline face. "Come quickly! Elder Ampira has returned to the village. She wants to meet you right now, Aaron."

"She's back?!" Lydia jumped to her paws excitedly.

"Yes! Hurry up!" Cassandra called from the door before peeking outside.

"I-I don't know-" Aaron hesitated only for a pair of hands to pull him up.

"We're coming, Cassandra!" Lydia called out while dragging Aaron to the door. The red fox had a dissatisfied look across his face, but he didn't refuse as he was led outside. It was a typical day for the village. Kids were helping older siblings or their parents; or playing around with one another. Their squeals and laughter were prevalent despite the humidity. Plenty of villagers were out as well. The mother genet of two was carrying a bundle of sticks with her little toddler following behind.

"Aww. So cute." Cassandra whispered to Lydia. However, Aaron was too nervous to appreciate the subtleties that they noticed.

'That must be her.' Aaron figured as they approached a group of villagers including Zenobia and Augusta who were talking to an old leopardess. Her spotty body was aged as any eye could plainly see. Her belly was pudgy and her breasts clearly sagged, but the staff she carried in hand helped dignify her image in the fox's opinion.

"Hey! We brought Aaron!" Lydia called out.

"Wonderful! I am eager to meet her-" Their eyes met and the bad feeling in his gut immediately worsened. The elder's eyes widened as her jaw dropped.

"That's a man!!!" She exclaimed sending the ladies into panic.

"What!?"

"Who?!"

"That man right here standing before us!" She pointed at Aaron. Everyone looked around in confusion; at each other, at Elder Ampira, and Aaron all at once.

"Aaron?"

"That is ridiculous-!" Lydia started to laugh.

"Of course I'm a man! Didn't you know?" Aaron barked back at the leopardess. Several ladies gaped at him in shock, and one even screamed at his open admission.

"Aaron..." Cassandra's jaw dropped. Lydia stared at him with wide eyes in complete shock at the open admission.

"Aaron is a man?!" Zenobia shouted in disbelief. The red fox took a step back as all of the women openly gawked at him. Terror drove him to act on impulse. In a split second the male turned and ran towards the jungle.

"Capture him!" A voice called out after the fleeing fox.

***

Noon came with concern, fear, and paranoia infecting the entire village. Calamity had broken out in the normally peaceful village with everyone searching for Aaron. Several women, particularly those who hunted carried spears, knives, or bows in case a fight was possible. Lying still somewhere in the jungle, Aaron shuddered as he thought about what might happen to him now.

'Why aren't men allowed here? Does that mean they'll hurt me?' He didn't know the answer, and was afraid to find out. Very distant voices of women searching, real or imagined, worried his listening ears.

'Where can I run to?' Aaron knew sitting in one spot meant that someone would find him eventually, but his legs refused to budge. A close rustle alerted his ear. Aaron's heart raced, fearing another group was approaching him. The fox glanced around the large tree and bushes that he was hidden behind, but no one was there.

"What do I do?" He whispered to himself.

"Aaron?" A familiar voice spoke. Aaron's eyes bloomed wide open. Looking to his left, a naked buxom vixen had partially emerged from a neighboring thicket.

"Lydia?!" The male fox hastily jumped to his paws as she slowly approached him.

"Don't do anything!" He held up his hands in case she was going to trick him. The vixen stopped by the side of the tree.

"Don't scream. I'm not hunting you like an animal." She softly spoke to him. Aaron remained tense but didn't blindly flee further into the dense jungle. Lydia was as naked as ever, and didn't have any weapons in hand.

"Can you tell me what's going on?" He asked urgently.

"Did you..." Her voice faded for a moment. "Did you fake being a woman, or did you truly not know?" The vixen asked.

"I thought everyone knew I was a man." He was just as surprised as her. "Didn't you know?" Aaron looked at her, but the vixen looked away.

"No." She meekly admitted.

"How?" He didn't understand. "Did the entire village not know? Has anyone not seen a man before? How is any of this possible?" Aaron wondered if he had ended up in a fantasy dream world that had become a nightmare.

"I don't want to die. I just want to go home!" He cried out and covered his face. Lydia watched him and wondered what to say.

"You're not from this island, are you?" She guessed. Aaron silently shook his head.

"No."

"So you are a man." Lydia stated.

"Yes. Am I stuck here?"

"I'm afraid so." She admitted. Aaron wiped his eyes again and composed himself.

"What is everyone in the village going to do to me?"

"I don't know-"

"Will they hurt me?"

"No one wants to hurt you." She explained.

"I don't believe you." Aaron retorted.

"You can't hide here forever."

"I don't know what to do." He stated but knew deep down that she was correct. The fox would never be able to leave the island if he hid in the jungle like a scared child. Lydia patiently waited, unsure of what else to tell him.

"O-okay." He managed to say only to pause and clear his throat. "I'll come out and go back to the village if I can meet with the Elder, and not be harmed."

"Okay." She nodded. "I'll let everyone know, and then I will come back here alone to come get you."

"Thank you." He wiped his nose as the red vixen quickly hurried back to the village. The crunching of leaves faded and the red fox was left alone in the noisy jungle.

'Why did I have to break down and cry like that?' He frowned and stared up at the canopy. Even though the jungle was always noisy, the fox rarely saw the insects or birds that caused them. Aaron breathed out a hasty sigh and blinked several times. Lydia had left him only a few minutes ago, but it felt like an entire day had passed since the vixen promised to return.

'Why did any of this have to happen?' Aaron thought about the trip he was supposed to take to another country. 'This feels like a dream that won't end.' He closed his eyes briefly and imagined the house he had lived in with his parents. The furniture, carpets, nice bedrooms, silverware, and plates. It was easy imagining dinner being served with glasses of wine. Glancing down at his lap, Aaron was reduced to nothing more than his shorts.

'I'm a sorry sight to see.' He ran a hand feverishly through his head fur. A subtle rustling in the leaves made his ears wiggle again.

"Lydia?" He cautiously said, but was met with silence. 'Is it someone else?' The red fox feared a hunter would find him.

"Yes, it's me." The busty red vixen emerged from the bushes much to his relief.

"Thank goodness..." Aaron wiped his forehead. Lydia approached him with an optimistic expression. "What did she say?"

"Elder Ampira has agreed to see you in the meeting hall." She informed him. "I can take you there now."

"And no one will harm me?" He looked at her fearfully.

"No one will hurt you. I promise." She offered a hand. The male looked at her trusting eyes and then the way her heavy breasts hanged naturally below her. Without a word he reached up and grasped her outstretched hand, accepting her offer.

"I trust you." He quietly spoke. Lydia took him through the dense foliage to a pathway that they followed. It was a short walk through the jungle, and they were met by Cassandra who was standing at the end of the pathway. However, the normally cheerful lioness appeared nervous.

"Everyone is waiting in the meeting hall." She quietly spoke. Aaron was too nervous to speak, but managed to nod at her. The two ladies exchanged a few glances but said nothing more as they walked Aaron along the path through the grass. The entire village was quiet, and no one was seen outside their homes. The subtle change had turned the village from resembling paradise to something eerie. Walking past each house, there were no children playing, or women working. No middle aged women were taking a break from the midday heat, and there wasn't a mother around breastfeeding an infant or toddler.

Aaron kept his gaze focused as they approached the village's largest building, the meeting hall. Two ladies standing guard armed with knives and spears quickly ran inside.

'I guess everyone knows we are here.' Aaron thought to himself that running away was no longer an option. He could hear voices inside before they even entered.

"How can we trust anything a man says?"

"Isn't it true that the man washed ashore?"

"What he doesn't show up?"

Once they stepped inside, the hall fell silent as all eyes turned to stare at him. The building was packed with what seemed to be every villager; woman and child. Several of the women covered themselves in his presence despite their obvious nudity. Aaron could see Zenobia and Augusta among others. Amanda the pregnant papillon was scowling at him, but was seated next to Larissa the older raccoon farmer. The elder leopardess who everyone respected was seated calmly at the front of the crowded hall. It vaguely reminded him of a judge inside a courthouse.

"Tell us who you are, man." One female spoke up only for elder Ampira to cut her eyes at the sudden questioner.

"Where are you from, Aaron?" The leopardess calmly asked him. The red fox took a calm breath before answering.

"I'm from a place called Brookhaven, a city in Lemonshire. This is a country far away from here."

"Can you tell us how you ended up on the beaches of Ezo, near our village?"

"Yes. I was sailing on a ship to the foreign city of Sarousse, and had to cross a great distance across the ocean. There was a violent storm at sea one night." He shuddered just from mentioning it. "The few passengers were scared, I was scared, and even the crew was afraid for the worst to happen. I remember the boat rocked to one side so I ran up to the deck. And then..." His voice faded.

"Go on." Elder Ampira nodded patiently.

"Then I... I don't know." He rubbed his head and mumbled with uncertainty. "I don't remember anything after that... I swear!" He exclaimed. "I remember seeing a room and faces briefly before waking up again... I just want to go home!" He concluded.

"Is it true that you had amnesia once you woke up?" The leopardess asked.

"Yes. I could barely remember my name at first, but I gradually recovered the rest of my memories."

"Have you ever heard of Ezo the Isle of Women before?"

"No." He shook his head. "I couldn't locate it on any map if you asked me to." The aged leopardess remained seated without saying a word. Everyone stared at her intently, and Aaron felt his heart pounding in his chest as he waited for her to speak again.

"Lydia. Cassandra." Elder Ampira addressed the two ladies by the fox's sides. "Tell us your thoughts about Aaron." The lioness and red vixen looked at each other in surprise at the request.

"You first." Cassandra quickly whispered to her mate.

"Well... uh." The red vixen's black tipped ears fell back as she thought for a moment. "I remember Cassandra finding Aaron on the beach." She recalled. "It was very scary finding someone who appeared dead, but I found that the body had a pulse. Cassandra and I brought her-uh him back to the village with Augusta's help. Ariel looked him over, and we enjoyed our time together with Aaron. I was happy to help save a life. We thought Aaron was a woman just like everyone else." Lydia shrugged. "I've never seen a man before, and I have never heard of a man washing ashore, so how could the person not be a woman like us?" She reasoned.

"Mmhm." Cassandra nodded without wanting to speak. Elder Ampira wisely listened before responding.

"Aaron." Elder Ampira spoke the fox's name. "You have not harmed anyone in his village. That is easy to see." The feline said politely. "You did not mean to fool anyone, and treated everyone well even as you were under the effects of amnesia. After considering all of these circumstances, I think it is best for you to leave Ezo, the Isle of Women undercover to avoid attracting any further attention." She recommended much to the fox's relief.

"But he is a man." One woman in the crowd spoke sternly.

"He has broken the ancient law of setting foot on this island."

"That man should be punished!" A third shouted bringing a sense of dread into Aaron's heart. Elder Ampira raised a hand bringing an end to the sudden outbursts from the crowd.

"Aren't all men wicked?" Aaron heard another woman close by whisper.

"No, but they're... weird I guess."

"Without men you can't get pregnant..."

"I want to say something." Everyone turned as Larissa the mature raccoon farmer stood up.

"You shouldn't let a man see you naked." Naomi tugged her mother's arm.

"I'll bare my breasts to anyone." Larissa grumpily pulled her hand away. "I wanted to say that Aaron was very nice to me, my daughter, and our friends. He helped carry some of our tools back to the village. I don't know Aaron very well, but we should be kind to him. Thank you." There was at least one murmur of agreement inside the hall as she sat back down.

"I have made up my mind." The elder stated and all heads turned towards her. "I believe having Aaron leave Ezo peacefully and undercover is the best action we can take right now." The elder turned her head to look at Aaron directly.

"The only way off this island is by a trading vessel from the capital to the port of Inoki. It will be dangerous." She warned. "If anyone finds out that you're a male in the capital, then you will almost certainly be thrown in jail. Moreover, if any of us are found guilty of harboring you, then we will likely get into trouble as well."

"How is he going to leave?" Maragi asked from the crowd.

"I will accompany him." Elder Ampira stated. Several villagers whispered to one another.

"When?"

"I can take Aaron tomorrow morning." She said to the fox's surprise.

"Can we go?" Cassandra and Lydia spoke up.

"I would like to go with my sister and her mate." Maragi quickly added.

"What about us?" Zenobia stood up while holding Augusta's hand. Aaron was surprised that they wanted to accompany him.

"I cannot have the entire village travel with us." Ampira flatly told them before an uproar started. "We need a small group to split up and regroup when necessary, but nothing large enough to attract too much attention." She paused to think for a moment while several women in the crowd whispered to each other. "Lydia, Cassandra, Maragi, and I will take Aaron to the capital." She decided. Aaron heard an audible huff from Zenobia the Doberman as she sat down.

"You will need to bathe and clean up before we take you tomorrow." She stared at the male red fox.

"A bath?" Aaron gave her a questioning look.

"Yes. You smell, and anyone a mile away will recognize it." She scrunched up her nose. "Cassandra." The elder addressed the lioness. "You and Lydia can go help him bathe." She ordered.

"Yes ma'am." They quickly stood up and led Aaron outside the meeting hall while everyone else watched them.

"To everyone else," Ampira continued, "no one should speak of this until we return so word doesn't spread to the capital. Having this fiasco in the open will only make the situation worse."

The lioness, vixen, and male fox walked through the quiet village. Only the chirping of crickets and croaking of frogs were heard as nearly everyone else was currently in the meeting hall with Elder Ampira.

"How did you not realize Aaron is a man?" Lydia was dumbfounded at her mate.

"You didn't know either!"

"How was I supposed to know if you didn't know? You said you saw a large clit, so there's no excuse."

"Well, I have never seen what a man looks like!" She fretted.

"But you saw how different she-er he was."

"You told me it was nothing to worry about." Cassandra pointed out. They both paused arguing as Aaron watched them with a lackluster expression.

"Sorry..." Both sighed as they reached their house. Cassandra ran in and retrieved three towels for themselves before heading up the pathway. Thankfully, no one else was within sight of the stream. They had the water all to themselves, however, all three hesitated at the water's edge.

"You're not going to run away again, are you?" Cassandra asked.

"No!" He angrily replied.

"Don't be snappy with her." Lydia scolded him. Aaron blew a frustrated sigh but said nothing more about it.

"Do you want us to leave?" Cassandra asked.

"No. You already know... so it's okay."

"We're taking a bath with you." Lydia told him. Aaron had mixed feelings but saw no way around it.

"It's fine..." He mumbled and removed his shorts unceremoniously. Both ladies blushed as they discreetly looked him over. All three waded into the cool flowing water together. Aaron ended up sitting in the exact spot where Zenobia and Ariel were seated the previous day.

"The water is nice and cool." Cassandra grinned.

"Mmhm." Lydia agreed but Aaron remained silent. "Aren't you happy?" She asked. "We will be able to take you off the island to a port town."

"I don't know how to feel yet." He admitted. "I guess I'm nervous."

"Why are you nervous?"

"Because I have to go to that town that the elder mentioned. She said it would be dangerous. I don't want anyone to get in trouble for me, and I don't want to end up in jail either."

"Don't worry about us. We will be fine." Lydia stated. "We have to worry about you."

"Why did you two want to go with me?"

"What do you mean?" The vixen placed her hands on her hips. "We saved your life once, and we are going to make sure that you get home safely." She sat down in the water beside him, which mostly covered her large breasts.

"Wash his back Cassandra." Lydia told the lioness who remained standing.

"Mmhm!" She waded behind Aaron and sat behind him. The red fox looked over his shoulders as she poured water onto his back. However, a finger poked his chest.

"You get my back while she does yours." Lydia drew his attention back to her. "At least you'll have something to do other than worry yourself."

"You're right." He agreed and watched her turn around, presenting her fiery red backside to him. Aaron wet her back and began rubbing just as Cassandra was doing to him. Only the quiet splashing of water was spoken between them. It was a moment of calmness between the three that they needed.

"Thank you both for your help." He broke the silence once his hands retracted back underwater. "I should be more grateful, because you two saved my life and cared for me whether I was a man or a woman."

"Aww. You don't need to thank us." Cassandra blushed.

"We're glad to help." Lydia added and turned around.

'Uh oh!' His eyes widened as Lydia rose up enough from the water and moved towards him. Her large wet breasts hanging just above the water's surface. Cassandra hugged Aaron from behind and Lydia hugged him directly. The red fox found himself wedged between two wet women as their breasts squished against him.

"Hey! You're both naked!" He yelped.

"We've always been naked!" Lydia laughed. The flustered fox blinked as they undid the double sided hug.

"Hehe. Are men always so uptight around women?" Cassandra found it silly.

"When they're naked, yes." Aaron huffed a sigh. "I doubt I would ever get used to it." He started washing himself as Lydia and Cassandra bathed one another. However, his ears flickered detecting voices above the sound of nearby crickets and distant birds. There were several sets of eyes watching him, and not so discreetly whispering about him.

"Look at how that man bathes himself."

"He looks so... brutish now."

"Other than no breasts, Aaron doesn't look so different."

"Do men have proper manners when bathing?" The last comment ticked him off.

"I'd like a little privacy!" He glanced over at the onlookers unhappily.

"How rude..." One muttered as most of the partially visible women departed, but one of them stepped forward.

"What is it, Maragi?" Cassandra looked up at her sister.

"I just wanted to check and see how you were doing." The lioness mentioned. "You know, after everything that has happened." She glanced at Aaron.

"Yes, we are fine." She reassured her sister.

"Are you going to take a bath with us?" Lydia asked.

"No thank you." Maragi's gaze dropped to the edge of the stream. "I had one early this morning." Her gaze rose up to the male fox bathing with them.

"I thought you were a woman just like everyone else Aaron." The older lioness sister admitted. "Amanda's mate April has a flat chest, so I thought you were athletic with small breasts. My breasts are small because of my body type." Maragi wasn't shy about it.

"I didn't realize how different everything was until I regained my memory." He explained. "I thought everyone knew I was a man. It was just as jarring to know that I wasn't supposed to be here."

"Well, you're here with us now." Lydia gently slapped his wet shoulder. Maragi grinned as Aaron appeared slightly nervous with the buxom vixen beside him.

"So have you been to the capital a lot?" Aaron asked the lioness.

"Yes, I have been there several times." She nodded. "I even lived there for a short time. It's a really active and busy place, so if we don't get caught then I think you will enjoy seeing the town." She mentioned.

"And what about this Inoki place?"

"I have never traveled to Inoki." She shrugged. "I don't have a mate, and I never cared to go there." Aaron was a little perplexed, but didn't mention anything else about it.

"I'm done. Are you two finished?" Lydia stood up in the stream.

"Yep!" Cassandra followed suit, although Aaron was a little hesitant before wading out with them. They walked ashore and gathered their towels to dry off, but even the stoic Maragi stole a few peeks at the male. She cleared her brow and looked away with a subtle blush.

"Don't forget these things." Cassandra handed the fox his shorts.

"Thanks." They walked back together and ignored the other women spying on them from the grass and nearby houses. They hung up their towels on a clothesline despite the evening already coming to a close. Aaron discreetly managed to put his shorts back on.

"Rest up for tomorrow." Maragi hugged her sister. "We will see each other bright and early."

"Sleep well and take care." Cassandra said goodbye.

"See y'all."

"Bye." They went inside while Maragi went home.

"What a day!" Cassandra sprawled out onto the floor.

"I'm tired and worn out." Lydia agreed.

"Mmhm." Aaron sat down by the mat and sheet that he slept on.

"Any idea on how you will be disguised for the capital?" Lydia looked at the male fox.

"Other than clothing, which no one seems to wear, I don't have many ideas." He admitted. That hurdle wouldn't be easy to overcome in his opinion.

"Can't you tuck everything between your legs?" Cassandra asked.

"No. I won't be able to walk like that!"

"I wish you could take it off or something." Lydia mumbled and tried thinking of a solution.

"Yeah, maybe I should just take it off and hide it in my hands." He sarcastically spoke. Lydia and Cassandra exchanged glances.

"You can take it off?" Cassandra looked at him.

"No!" He nearly yelled only to startle the lioness.

"Don't yell at her." Lydia frowned.

"Sorry. It's just... This has been a really difficult day for me." Aaron covered his head with a hand.

"It's been a long day for everyone..." She pointed out. There was a sudden knock at the door.

"Now is not the time to visit." Lydia called out to whoever was there.

"It's just me." An old voice spoke as the door opened.

"Elder Ampira!" Cassandra was surprised to see the old leopardess standing in their doorway at the late hour. The look on her aged feline face was anything but relaxed.

"What a day..." The leopardess sighed tiredly as she sat down on the floor. Ampira leaned forward with her hand on her forehead. Her saggy breasts naturally hung above her lap, but drooped much like her facial expression. What was supposed to be a comfortable day as she returned to the village had turned out to be the start of an unprecedented fiasco.

"I have never in my life ever experienced anything like this before." The old leopardess admitted and looked directly at Aaron.

"Neither have I." He modestly answered causing the older lady to half grin.

"Are you feeling alright?" Cassandra asked.

"Yes. I'm just very tired." She admitted. "I was expecting to take a nap or even go to bed early after walking since sunrise."

"How should we prepare for tomorrow?" Lydia asked

"I would suggest getting a good night of sleep." She started out. "No one has to wear anything, but it's the capital, so you should wear something to look nice." She reasoned. "Obviously you need to wear something." The feline looked at Aaron.

"What do you have to wear?"

"I'll get my best clothes." Lydia offered and hopped to her paws. There was a brief commotion in the back room before the vixen returned.

"What do you think?" She showed a few different garments, mostly dress like pieces and draped loincloths. Aaron frowned at the frilly and feminine items.

"These are... a little revealing too." He didn't like them.

"Wearing those pants will attract plenty of attention." The elder reasoned. "No one wears anything like them, not even the capital."

"We'll find a way to keep everything covered." Cassandra promised.

"Good. Does anyone have any concerns?" The elder asked. She was met with silence until Aaron spoke up.

"Can I ask you something?"

"Yes, but it's already late. We need to get a lot of rest for tomorrow."

"I know." He understood. "Why is there a law against men coming to this island?"

"I said it's already late..." She mumbled softly with half lidded eyes. "This island has a long history that goes back over three hundred years."

"That's a long time to not be invaded or conquered." He pointed out.

"And that has been managed." She graciously spoke. "But there are several tales to describe the beginning. Maybe each one has a fragment of truth, or the history is completely lost; but men have been forbidden since the beginning. Men arriving here will corrupt our small society and bring their sinful behaviors with them. That is why only women are allowed on Ezo."

"I remember some stories when I was a kid about how men have a bad nature, or maybe they can have a bad nature or something." Cassandra thought aloud.

"It seems a little extreme." Aaron stated.

"You are a man, so I would expect as much from you." Elder Ampira grinned. "But it is late, and we can talk more tomorrow. Please sleep well for tomorrow." She bid them farewell for the night before leaving.

"Goodnight." They replied before the door slid closed.

"I'm tired..." Cassandra covered her mouth as she yawned.

"Are you both okay with me sleeping in your home?" He wasn't sure if they were comfortable with him being inside anymore, or wanted to kick him out for the night. The vixen and lioness looked at each other.

"Of course we are!" They said in unison.

"Just because you're a man doesn't mean we have to treat you poorly."

"There's plenty of women in this village who think you're a good person."

"I doubt it is a lot."

"Have a positive attitude." Lydia told him. "Like you said at the stream, be more grateful."

"Yeah, you're right." He nodded.

"It's getting dark." The red vixen pointed out. "Let's get plenty of sleep like Maragi and Elder Ampira said so we can be ready for a long day tomorrow." Everyone agreed and soon went to bed. Cassandra and Lydia went to their bed together and Aaron laid down on his temporary bed. Darkness quickly fell and the loud chirping of crickets and other insects were soon heard through the shutters. However, the red fox went to sleep feeling some semblance of peace for the first time in a while.

"It's all... floppy." Lydia complained.

"Just don't tie anything too tight." Aaron gritted his teeth.

"How do men walk with these things between their legs?" Cassandra asked.

"Trust me. We manage just fine." The male was standing as still as possible while the two ladies dressed him with a nice salmon colored loincloth. The linen fabric was very comfortable, but the garment itself was something he had never worn before.

"You'll need some of this in there since we will be walking all day." Lydia held up a handful of something peculiar.

"What the heck are you stuffing in there?!" Aaron watched the vixen's 'gloved' hand dive below his waist to his groin. The fox managed to keep still despite a hand bumping into his manhood.

"It's lavender." Lydia answered. "That should help deal with any smells throughout the entire day. I put a bunch in your pants pockets when they were drying the first time you took a bath, but I took it out since they smelled already better." She explained before retracting her hand only to leave a funny sensation inside his loincloth.

"Do women here actually stuff herbs in their loincloths?" He couldn't believe it.

"No, we typically don't wear any, but people will rub different herbs on themselves after a bath for a certain fragrance."

"Crazy..." He mumbled only to feel a hand start patting the nape of his neck.

"What are you-ugh. That smells-!" He coughed.

"Mm. Wonderful!" Cassandra finished for him.

"Yuck." He coughed again.

"Men must not know what smells nice." She put away the little bottle of perfume.

"Not this." He waved a hand in front of his face. "Ah!" He jumped.

"What?!" Lydia stopped.

"Too tight!" He nearly squeaked.

"Okay, this should be concealing enough." Lydia stepped back once she tied everything together once again.

"Thank you." He was relieved to have both ladies step back. Aaron was flustered, but thankful they had finished without doing much harm, except to his ego.

"It's very... feminine." He looked at the pinkish colored garment that wrapped around and under his waist leaving the remaining length draping to just above his knees from the front and back.

"Just don't tug it." Lydia warned him. "I don't want the strings to loosen." She tapped a skinny rope piece around his waist to keep everything together for safe measure.

"I don't know how to ask this, but uh... what if arousal pops up?" Aaron felt his cheeks warm just from the words alone. "I mean there will be a lot of naked or topless women in the capital, so yeah..."

"I don't think anyone will notice if your nipples get hard." Lydia shrugged it off. "It's hard to tell anyway unless someone is intimate with you."

"That's not... never mind." Aaron sighed and hoped for the best. "Will I be okay not wearing anything over my chest? Isn't there something to cover my upper body?" He asked.

"Not really." Cassandra thought aloud. "It's kinda weird to cover your breasts-er your chest."

"You just look flat, and some women are like that." Lydia wiggled her nose. I think all women in Ezo are too proud to cover them. They embody beauty, nourishment, and the softness of a woman. It would be weird to hide such wonderful parts of our bodies." Lydia poetically spoke.

"I wish women where I am from thought like that." He mumbled.

"Are you three ready yet?" There was a ferocious knock at the door followed by a disgruntled voice.

"Yes, Maragi!" Cassandra called out to her impatient sister.

"You ready?" Lydia asked Aaron.

"Yes." He took a few more steps in the loincloth before carrying his old pants and journal in hand.

"Let's go." Cassandra opened the door. Maragi was standing directly outside, waiting for them. The athletic lioness wasn't wearing a loincloth like Lydia or Cassandra. She was effectively naked which didn't come as a shock to Aaron. However, the lioness wore an armband as well as two bracelets and a simple necklace.

"You look... good." Maragi looked over the red fox keenly.

"Uh. Thanks."

"Aaron looks beautiful." Cassandra smiled.

"Don't say that..." He frowned.

"Are we ready to go?" Lydia closed the door to their home and received a round of nods before walking through the village. Many of the villagers were already outside despite the sun barely peeping above the horizon. They were diligently waiting at the edge of the village for the group to leave.

Elder Ampira was waiting for them at the beginning of a wide pathway that led into the jungle. She was "dressed" very plainly and only carried a small bag over her shoulder. The aged feline no longer wore a blue sash around her forehead, nor did she carry her staff. A beaded necklace graced her chest, and a series of strings around her waist held in place by a circular seashell buckle formed a rudimentary belt where a little leather pouch was tied securely. The eyes of the crowd watched Aaron approach in silence.

"Is everyone ready?" The old leopardess asked.

"Yes." Maragi answered for them.

"Can you carry these for me?" Aaron handed Ampira his only two belongings.

"Of course I can." She obliged and took both items.

"How long will you be gone this time?" One of the villagers asked.

"I don't know." Elder Ampira stated. "If all goes well then I will likely return after a trip to Inoki."

"That could be ten days." An adolescent pouted.

"It will seem like the blink of an eye when we return." Elder Ampira winked.

"Before I leave, I wanted to say a few things." Aaron spoke up. Elder Ampira nodded for him to continue. Despite everyone's enthusiastic friendliness the past few days, yesterday's ensuing craziness left the villagers decidedly silent. Some weren't sure whether or not to cover up in front of him, avert their eyes, or act as if nothing had happened. However, the majority didn't seem too bothered at the fact, but were sad nonetheless.

"I wanted to say thank you to all of you for taking care of me these past few days, and of course saving my life." He glanced at Cassandra and Lydia to his right. "Everyone met me with kindness and treated me like a guest of honor. I only wish that I could do the same for all of you in my home. I won't forget any of these past days, but I will cherish the memories for the rest of my life." He concluded and gave a short bow.

Zenobia the Doberman frowned and folded her arms causing her breasts to lift up as if her nipples needed to stare at him just like her sharp eyes.

"We'll miss you." She stepped forward and gave him a hug. The squish of her large breasts against his chest felt warm and reassuring more than anything else.

"Thank you." He embraced her before letting go. Augusta the strong tigress stepped forward and gave him a firm handshake.

"Take care." The tigress told him before stepping back to her mate. Larissa the middle aged raccoon mother stepped forward next.

"I should've recognized that you are a man, but I guess it has been so long since I have seen one." She kindly grinned and patted his shoulder. "I hope you find your way home safely."

"Thank you, I appreciate it." He nodded. However, no one else stepped forward either out of nervousness or confusion. Larissa's daughter Naomi and their farming friends didn't look at him directly. The expressions across the crowd were varied, but very few seemed angry at all.

'At least some of them don't hate me.' He glanced across the crowd of faces staring intently at him.

"Lydia, Cassandra, Maragi, and I will return in due time." Elder Ampira informed the gathered villagers. "If anything changes, I will personally send a courier to deliver any news." The old leopardess explained.

"Take care."

"We hope you have a safe trip."

"Stay healthy and safe." Many of the villagers gave her well wishes.

***

The trail through the jungle was scenic and calm. The trees and foliage appeared endless to either side of the pathway. Chattering birds and insects calling out with blaring tones filled the air. The dirt pathway was cool from the shade giving a nice little reprieve from the humidity. The group of five kept a steady moderate pace. Even Elder Ampira had little trouble walking far distances despite her age.

"Are you still nervous?" Cassandra glanced over and looked at Aaron.

"Yes." He admitted. "Aren't you?"

"Well, yes, a little bit." She grinned bashfully. "But it's always fun traveling to the capital town." The red fox had a feeling that they were all nervous on some level. Yet, no one complained because it wouldn't do any good.

"Is the entire island covered in dense forests?" He tried thinking of something to occupy his mind.

"No." Elder Ampire answered. "Much of the island is covered in forest, but this is the largest dense forest on the entire island. You'll find fields, hills, mountains, and the like across all of Ezo. However, the southeastern forest is famous for its hunting. Anyone who hunts in other villages travel to this portion of the island to hunt big game."

"You could say our village has the best hunters." Lydia grinned.

"I think we have a few ladies who can back up that claim." Cassandra agreed. A quiet pattering soon interrupted them. The thick clouds above had brought enough to rain.

"Sounds like a light drizzle." Elder Ampira stopped and looked up at the canopy looming over them. "Let's stop until it passes." She recommended. Everyone else halted, and stopped for a rest. The elder leopardess sat down on a fallen log alongside Aaron with Cassandra while Lydia and Maragi stood by to listen to the quiet pattering around them.

'Just relax already...' Aaron told himself. He stared at his black socked arms and felt how tense his muscles were. The male fox kept a calm and steady breath to ease his worries, but so many thoughts concerned him. Would he escape on the trade vessel? What if he was discovered in the capital town? Would the women punish him, or would they punish everyone involved? Glancing over, the old feline beside him appeared to be in deep thought as well. She embodied the stillness of a statue until a wandering fly landed on a saggy breast. A simple swat had the insect buzzing aimlessly away.

"Are we close to the town?" He asked.

"We're about halfway there." Ampira told him before her sharp yellow eyes met his gaze. "How is your loincloth holding up?"

"Surprisingly well." He looked down at the garment covering his waist and manhood.

"I tied the strings extra tight." Lydia nodded. "They won't come undone unless someone gives them a firm yank."

"Thanks. Although, I can see why everyone goes around naked when it's this hot midday." He wiped his forehead.

"It's normal to be naked." Cassandra found what he said funny. "It doesn't matter too much if it is hot or not, clothes are more fashionable than anything else. You only wear them if you want to."

"Where I'm from, and everywhere else in the world that's a global power, you have to wear clothes, the more expensive the better. You will never see anyone naked unless it is a serious accident. It's a huge embarrassment where I am from to be seen naked, and it is normally a crime."

"Is that true?" Cassandra looked directly at him with surprise. "What about if a male sees a male, or a woman sees another woman?"

"Yes." He stated. "Nowhere in public can anyone be seen naked. I can't think of another palace in the world where any society lived like the women of Ezo do." He admitted.

"Elder Ampira, is the outside world really like that?" The lioness remained skeptical.

"From what I understand, yes." The elder nodded. "I'm sure you realize we don't practice the same customs as the rest of the world." She looked at the male fox.

"I do." He said without hesitation.

"The rain stopped." Maragi pointed out. The drizzling rain had indeed let up after a brief time. It was time to resume their journey. Without a word everyone seated stood up and began walking once more down the forested pathway.

The male fox wasn't entirely sure what to expect. When they meant town or capital, was it closer to in size and simplicity as the village he had left; or was it much larger? Either way, he couldn't imagine a large urban center with great sophistication being built by naked women. How would the advanced world not know of such a place?

The pathway had few curves and virtually no turns as they continued through the forest. Aaron was starting to wonder if it would take all day to walk to the town. His gaze suddenly focused as a figure appeared ahead of them.

'This is the first person who doesn't know me...' The fox kept his lips sealed as they walked closer and closer. The approaching figure was a cheetah wearing a modest blue loincloth and matching wrist bands. She was slim and athletic, possessing a flat chest but toned muscles.

'Don't make eye contact or say anything.' He kept his lips sealed. Elder Ampira said a friendly greeting for everyone and the cheetah politely waved, but walked by without saying anything else. He breathed a sigh of relief.

"Hey." The cheetah stopped and asked. Aaron's ears perked up as they stopped. "Is this the road to Clusina?" She turned around and asked.

"Yes. It leads straight to that village." Elder Ampira spoke.

"Thank you. I wanted to make sure I wasn't lost." The cheetah smiled before resuming her walk.

"Of course!" The old leopardess smiled before they continued walking as well.

"I don't recognize her. Was she going to visit our village?" Cassandra asked her sister.

"I guess? She's not carrying any mail." Maragi wasn't sure.

"Don't tell me you're scared now." Lydia whispered to Aaron. "She didn't notice anything."

"I'm fine." He muttered only to silence himself as they spotted another group of women a short distance ahead. They were crouching down at the edge of the pathway, tying a large slain boar to a sturdy wooden pole with rope. Spears, bows, and quivers with arrows were strewn around them. Hunting knives had been drawn as well. A large chested wolverine and a red vixen with a cut ear carefully tied knots strong enough to hold the slain beast. A border collie was sitting with her back against a tree, catching her breath, while a caracal cleaned blood off a knife. Aside from wearing a pair of belts, they were all completely naked except for one hunter who carried a shoulder bag.

"Nice catch!" Maragi called out smiling and received a few thank yours and kind grins in return. Aaron didn't like the sudden attention to them, but the hunters were too busy to even glance at him.

'Maybe I am disguised well enough.' He felt more relaxed.

***

The forest began to open up the further they traveled. At first the openings were small and narrow, but soon the thick tree cover dissipated to moderately sized fields and rolling hills. Aside from the dirt path they walked on, all of the nature around them appeared to be untouched. The only evidence of other people was an abandoned hunting camp with an empty fire pit. All of that changed once they ascended a hill that formed a small ridge.

The apex overlooked a wide swathe of cultivated fields and orchards bordering the outskirts of the capital town. The flattest section appeared wet to grow rice, but other crops like cotton and flax were also visible. Small homes and granaries dotted the landscape, but more elaborate buildings like a windmill and watermill were also visible.

"Is this the capital?" Aaron asked.

"Sort of." Maragi placed her hands on her hips.

"We're on the outskirts of town. These are the surrounding farms and orchards."

"They're extensive compared to the village." He noted. They wasted no time and proceeded down to the flat dirt road that cut right through the middle of the countryside. Plenty of women were out and working in the fields or doing regular chores. Virtually every woman he saw was naked save for minor adornments like necklaces, earrings, or armbands. However, those were rare due to the physical work that needed to be done.

One raccoon farmer was pulling a small handcart with a half load of clay soil. Both hands and paws were dirty from working. Her hanging breasts seemed to bounce off her chest with each arduous step that she took; but the determined look on her face wasn't concerned at all about giving up.

Two women had queued up at a well, and were patiently waiting as a mother with an infant in a papoose was fetching water first. Not far away, another pair of women were filling in wooden molds with blended clay to create bricks. Another was cooking something in a large kettle over an open fire.

The houses along the edge of the town were small and simple in design like those of the village. However, they were by no means shoddy. Whether it was a thatched roof or a wooden one, it made no difference. An odd feature that resembled an outdoor shower was located by a few homes. However, only one mother Akita Inu was seated on a stool and bathing her infant with a wet rag and bucket by her paws. Nearby, an older genet lady was seated on a blanket while weaving a wide conical hat with reeds. Beyond a small fence, a few kids were running around chasing one another as a game.

"The only thing better than finishing work in the fields is going for a swim during midday." An Akita smiled alongside a raccoon carrying a hoe over her shoulder.

"I just hope no one is fishing at the big pond with hooks." The raccoon briefly grabbed her breast. They walked past their group looking forward to a swim.

'I feel like I'm in the village again.' Aaron thought to himself about the quaint serenity of Clusina. 'And no one is noticing me.' He felt relieved. The fox glanced at two more women they passed by along the dirt road. One was a German shepherd with an athletic built, and a shorter margay with wide hips and perky breasts. They both carried baskets in hand, but were gossiping about something that captured their attention. Not far behind them, a little margay was chasing after them with a small basket and spade in hand.

"Wait for me mommy!" The little Margay squealed before catching up to them.

"How cute." Cassandra smiled and looked at Lydia who was also smiling.

A proper street had formed once they passed the final rural house and patches of cultivated land. Every subsequent step ahead was a different landscape of managed roads and corresponding buildings. It was nothing like the village he had stayed at. The buildings of the town proper were large and grand in a blended style similar to the traditional Minka style. Most shops did not possess doors, but instead had open entryways often decorated with noren curtains. Some were even two or three stories tall! The women of the island weren't backwards or tribal in any sense that he would've assumed at first guess. There were no train stations, factories, or beasts of burden to assist them. Everything had been constructed by hand with only tools and their wits.

Flower beds, particularly hydrangeas, were common decorations wherever he looked. They were frequently used in hanging baskets along short fences, poles, and underneath the edges of roofs. Elaborately stylized terra cotta pots and boxes resided beside doorways and underneath windows. Herbs producing desirable aromas like lavender and mint were popular too. Roofs were extended to provide shade where awnings were not used. The smells of food cooking enticed his nose as well.

Ladies were walking along the streets, often chatting when in groups of two or more. What they wore varied as much as the species he saw. Necklaces made from strings, beads, brass, and seashells were most notable. Earrings had the same variety, but little feathers and thin painted disks the size of small coins were most common.

Loincloths were common, but outright nudity was almost just as common. Toplessness was almost a requirement at first glance since no one covered their breasts regardless of size or shape. Low hanging necklaces were uncommon, but always seemed to stay parallel with how far the wearer's breasts hung. Even the fashion of wearing a loincloth came in many different displays. Some were folded at the tops along the groin and tied neatly with beaded string to give an appearance like that of an unfolding book. Some were even worn sideways so that the colorful cloth draped down one's sides leaving the womanhood and rear completely bare.

Despite the grandeur and bustling activity compared to the village, there were plenty of subtler moments happening all around them. One lioness wearing two armbands and nothing else was seated in a wicker chair across from a strongly built badger. They were chatting about gossip while playing a little board game. The lioness had one leg tucked up giving an easy view of her womanhood. However, having her naked sex visible in public wasn't an issue if women were the only ones on the entire island.

A trio of females were seated on a large blanket at a street corner and talking while their toddlers played before them. Given their swollen breasts, it was obvious that they were the mothers. Ladies were selling goods at storefronts; some were not at all shy about calling out to strangers to buy what they had. Buyers carried bags or wore belts made from thin strips of leather which safety carried leather pouches of money. A strong husky carrying a heavy jar nearly bumped into an older Doberman, only to apologize. One burly badger woman was holding one of her breasts in hand while teaching a pregnant calico feline about wet nursing.

Aaron found it amusing to see two older women, a fennec and a heavyset badger using handheld fans to cool off from the sun. Both had sagging breasts, but the badger was leaning back with both breasts rolled off center, as if trying to seek shade into her armpits.

"This is a large town." He was impressed by all of the buildings and people that he saw.

"What did you expect?" Cassandra gently nudged his side.

"I don't know... Nothing quite like this." He took in the sights all around him. "There must be a few thousand people who live here."

"I think that's an accurate estimate." Elder Ampira mentioned. Aaron noticed two kids underneath an awning were sharing a large slice of watermelon when the youngest tried to sneak an extra bite.

"Don't be greedy like a man." The older sister scolded the younger child who sheepishly waited for another bite.

'There is an obvious anti-male bias though.' However, he wasn't surprised. After all, it was an island populated solely by females.

"Do all of the women on this island hate men?" He asked Elder Ampira.

"There are hard liners who don't wish to leave the island, and consider men bad in every way." She nodded. "However, there are plenty who have no issue with men when visiting the port of Inoki. They see the importance of the opposite sex to become pregnant, and wish to live separate lives. You may have even changed a few minds in our village." She acknowledged his good nature. The male fox felt a little pride in that, and hoped that his stay in the village was mostly positive.

"Come this way everyone, so we can talk." Elder Ampira led them to the street corner beside an alleyway. All five formed a close circle away from anyone else's attention or eavesdropping ears.

"I need to find the right people to see if there's a schedule for the trading ship to set sail soon." She explained. "This will take me some time, and I can say you three are curious about traveling to Inoki as an excuse." The leopardess elaborated. "If you must give an answer as to why you're here then say you're curious about traveling to Inoki. Aaron..." She looked at the male fox directly.

"Yes."

"Do your best to avoid talking with anyone. I feel nervous about this now that we are in the town." She admitted.

"I understand." He nodded.

"Can we take him around the capital while you do all of that?" Cassandra asked. The leopardess frowned and thought for a moment.

"Yes, but don't attract any attention to yourselves. Having a man on this island, in the capital no less, will be a grave crime." She sternly warned them. "If an elder sees him, or anyone who travels to Inoki on occasion, then there will be trouble. Please avoid running into crowds of people or attracting any attention to yourselves." She warned.

"You won't have to worry." Lydia promised. "We'll keep to ourselves."

"Good. We will meet back here once I am finished. Be sure to stay out of trouble and return here by the evening."

"We will." They gave a resounding answer in unison.

"Take care then." The leopardess offered a reassuring smile before departing.

"Where are all of the places that we can safely go?" Aaron looked around.

"That's a good question." Cassandra hummed aloud. "There's a lot of places we can see."

"This will be so much fun!" Lydia smiled and clasped her hands together. "We have not been here in quite some time."

"Is there anything that you want to see, Aaron?" Cassandra asked.

"Um. I don't know." He shrugged. "I'm happy to go anywhere at this point. The fox looked over his shoulder. "Provided that I am not found out."

"You have us. Everything will be fine." Maragi reassuringly patted his shoulder.

"Hmm. We can go to the docks along the bay." Cassandra suggested. "We will be able to see Mount Gaia across the water too."

"That's where Elder Ampira will likely be." Maragi pointed out.

"Let's go to the arena." Lydia suggested.

"I'd like that." Maragi agreed with a grin.

"Arena?" Aaron wasn't sure if he had heard correctly.

"Yes!" The vixen exclaimed. "That's where all of the competitions are held. You know, like fighting."

"There's fighting?" He was surprised.

"Yep. It's a lot of fun to watch and very popular in the capital. There's wrestling, mock fighting, and plenty of other games, but the most popular is the ball game." Aaron didn't expect women to be the fighting type, although if there were no men then surely there would be plenty of strong women like Maragi or Augusta who excelled in athleticism.

"Many of the women in the capital have some form of training, kind of like the hunters in the villages are well training in spears and bows." Maragi told him.

"Shouldn't we avoid areas with a lot of people?" He suggested.

"We can hang out and watch from the back rows, or close to an exit." Cassandra suggested. "No one will be looking at us anyway."

"If you say so..." He felt nervous despite their obvious excitement. They turned down another sunny street and passed by a sight that Aaron had never seen before. His eyes widened at a few open outdoor showers beside a building facing the open street. Three women were rinsing themselves off under separate shower heads, or seated beside buckets of water cleaning themselves. There were no curtains or walls between each other or any potential onlookers. One of the ladies showering off was a fennec vixen happily talking to someone on the street wearing only a loincloth. The fox suddenly remembered to blink and look away.

"Is that an open shower?" Aaron whispered to Cassandra.

"Yes. It's important to be clean." She pointed out the obvious. "Plus, there's no men to disturb them." The lioness giggled. "Or at least, no one knows you're here." He found it odd, but it made sense that the women of Ezo Island wouldn't cover up or make certain things private because there were no men around.

Aaron kept his gaze focused on Maragi, Cassandra, and Lydia while walking down the streets despite his curiosity nagging at him to take in all of the sights. He could glimpse different women all around him in the urban environment. One in particular was a grey wolf was standing in the street while laughing with a friend. She was middle aged and had a somewhat stocky build and saggy breasts; but what caught Aaron's attention was the unique "harness" that she wore. A single strap wrapped firmly around her upper torso, partially hidden by her hanging breasts, and was connected to a second strap that diagonally went over her shoulder.

"Why is that wolf wearing straps and nothing else?" Aaron quietly asked Lydia.

"Hmm? Oh, she's a mail carrier." The vixen pointed out the small buckskin bag that was attached to the side of the torso strap via a metal ring.

"There are mail carriers here?"

"Yes." She grinned. "The island is big enough that if you wanted to send mail to someone to another village or elsewhere then you can write a letter and one of the mail carriers would deliver it. As for the straps... If you had to carry a lot of stuff with you, then sometimes people wear belts to fasten pouches along the side."

"Oh. That makes sense." He found it fascinating that the entire island had a sophisticated mail system for communication.

"Okay, we are here so stay sharp." Maragi warned them as they approached a street where a stone wall nearly three stories tall towered above them.

'This is the arena?' Aaron looked at the tall stone curiously. 'It's like an old monument or something.' They turned to a modest entrance where a tall heavyset badger with small breasts patiently waited. Whether she was security or simply waiting for someone else to arrive was anyone's guess.

'She looks strong like Augusta.' Aaron kept to himself, but could feel a lingering stare from her. Lydia and Cassandra eased forward and said something before walking past her. Aaron and Maragi passed by next.

'Stay clam. She won't notice you're not a woman.' He took a steady breath and avoided eye contact with the burly badger woman. The entryway opened up revealing a small grassy playing field surrounded by many spectators in stands. The loud chatter of noise seemed to come from nowhere and then everywhere at once. There were many women seated together and talking while watching a small open field before them where a small number of women were positioned. The fox didn't know what to make of the rowdy atmosphere. It was like an open theater before a performance had started.

"This way." Lydia motioned, but Cassandra led the fox by the arm.

"There's a lot of people here..." He mumbled to Cassandra.

"We'll be fine." She reassured the nervous fox. "No one knows that you're here... er a guy that's here."

"Okay." He exhaled and followed the ladies to a series of empty spaces towards the back.

"This is a perfect spot." Lydia sat down. "We aren't in the front and we can see the arena well."

"So what exactly is going on down there?" Aaron asked.

"They're playing the ball game." Maragi explained. "There's two teams, one on each side, consisting of four players. The goal is to hit the ball to the opposing team's side and either strike the ground or hit one of the hanging targets. The team with the most points wins."

"Sounds simple enough." He presumed and looked at the teams. One team leader was a very strong and athletic lioness whose fierce scowl struck fear into Aaron's heart. Her beautiful golden and cream pelt was bare naked, but revealed her muscles to frightening detail. The claws on one hand could likely slice through leather. She wore a pretty beaded necklace and two red strips of cloth around her wrists. However, the only parts of her that he found remotely feminine were her modest breasts and womanhood.

"She looks... dangerous." Aaron mentioned.

"Who? Zourafa the lioness?"

"Yeah. Their team leader." He nodded.

"She's one of the best ball players, if not the best." Maragi said.

"Mmhm. Zourafa is even good at wrestling, running, and fighting." Cassandra added. None of those fears surprised him in the least, although the thought of having to wrestle her terrified him.

"She could crush my head between her thighs..." He gulped and clutched his neck.

"Yeah, I'd like that too." Cassandra sighed contently. Maragi nodded with a faint grin. Aaron gave them a disturbed look only to return his gaze to the ball court. The game had resumed as one player tossed the ball towards the other side. The menacing lioness swiftly kicked the ball with her knee and then shin, sending it over to the opposing side. An opposing player quickly dove and returned the difficult strike. Many of the spectators resumed cheering in force as the players exchanged the ball skillfully. The game seemed never ending as Maragi, Cassandra, and Lydia all eagerly watched.

'There's so many kinds of women here.' Aaron observed the women of all ages from young to old. Many had different styles of dress and jewelry, but like on the street, just as many were completely naked.

'I have never seen so many naked ladies in my entire life!' He couldn't believe everything before him was real.

"Aren't you enjoying the game?" Cassandra noticed Aaron wasn't watching.

"It's fun and interesting, but I just feel nervous." He admitted.

"Why?" She didn't understand. "We are in the back rows, and no one is looking at us."

"I know, but Elder Ampira felt nervous about this before we split up, and I am right here in a large group of people."

"What's wrong?" Maragi asked.

"Aaron wants to leave." Cassandra said.

"But we just got here." Lydia's shoulders slumped.

"I didn't say that." He glanced around nervously. "There's just a lot of people here, and I have a bad feeling." Aaron glanced around the crowd.

"We can go if you want." Maragi said while looking into the crowd of spectators. They stood up and quickly filed out of the stands and exited through an entryway back onto the street. The burly badger from before was nowhere to be seen. In fact the whole street adjacent to the arena was quiet and calm despite the muffled cheers and excited crowd beyond the walls.

"That was so much fun to watch!" Cassandra excitedly smiled. "Zourafa is so graceful and powerful as she hits the ball."

"I guess we can watch a full game another day." Lydia wished.

"It's a good thing we left." Maragi pointed out. "Someone was watching us."

"I knew I had a bad feeling about it!" Aaron exclaimed.

"Really? Who?" Lydia asked.

"There was a dhole lady, slender with average breasts, who was looking at us a lot."

"Was she looking at me?" Aaron checked his loincloth securely tied around his waist.

"I think so." The older lioness sister nodded.

"What did she look like?" Cassandra asked.

"A dhole with reddish brown fur, well built, and fairly small breasts."

"All lynxes have fluffy cheek fur." Lydia wiggled her nose.

"Imagine grooming all of that fluff." Cassandra giggled.

"No one is coming out after us." Maragi looked at the entryway. "So we should be fine."

"We can walk around if you like, Aaron." Lydia suggested.

"Yeah, let's do that." He agreed. They walked down the street and turned a corner where a mink was weaving straw hats on a mat under the shade of an awning. Mere steps away a civet was watering several brightly colored flowers. Aaron liked looking at the everyday scenes of the town. It wasn't anywhere near as crowded and noisy as where he had grown up in Lemonshire. The arena only reminded him of that. Everywhere he looked reminded him of a fantasy world that only existed in a book of tall tales that his mother had read to him as a child.

'An island full of naked women.' It was still a little jarring that he was awake and experiencing it all. They passed by a large nicely designed building with white and peach stucco walls. Several women were entering or exiting through one of the arched entryways with towels in hand. A genet and Doberman were entering with a pair of staffs in hand much to his surprise.

"What kind of building is that?" Aaron asked them.

"It's the biggest gymnasium on the whole island." Maragi explained. "There are three gymnasiums in the capital, and this is the largest one. It's connected to a spa, bathhouse, and courtyard."

"That's a lot for a town capital." Aaron remarked.

"Well, the other two are much smaller from what I remember." Maragi scratched her chin. "One was a small field with a water fountain."

"What's the spa for if you've already bathed?"

"The spa is where someone tends to you: brushing your fur; massages; trimming your claws; relaxing; and everything like that. Unlike the baths, it costs money."

"Are they popular places?" He wondered.

"Yes." Maragi nodded. "It's not only the best place for a hot or cold bath, but also where you can receive formal training and learn how to fight. Wrestling and combat are almost as popular as the ball game."

"Wow." He was surprised. "Did any of you receive formal training?" Aaron looked at all three ladies.

"No." Cassandra shook her head.

"I haven't either." Lydia admitted.

"You two should, or at least make time for me to teach you." Maragi flexed an arm. "I received about half a years worth of training when I lived here."

"I can tell." He glanced over her athletic form.

"It would be nice to take you through, but that's probably too risky." Cassandra admitted.

"Yeah, that's a no." Maragi eyed her sister.

"Is it any riskier than what we are doing right now?" Aaron asked partially out of temptation only to receive a few stern gazes.

"The gym, spa, and bathhouse are all nude." Lydia told him. "That's the last place you should go."

"Sheesh..." He blew a hasty sigh as his cheeks warmed at the thought of naked ladies exercising. The corner of a spa didn't have many concealing walls or barriers for the all-female town. The male was afforded more than a mere peek as they passed by. He saw a naked raccoon laid on her back while an Akita was rubbing her feet and a genet was massaging her shoulders and breasts. The calm pleasant look across the raccoon's face spoke volumes of how relaxed she felt. Beside her, an ocelot was receiving a similar treatment while laying on her front.

"Wait. If there's bathhouses, then why did we see women using the outdoor showers earlier?" He quietly asked.

"They're more useful when you need a quick rinse off, especially if you're busy, for instance, working in the fields most of the day." Lydia explained.

"Yeah, they're more common by the outskirts of town where farmers are." Maragi agreed.

"I think there's a few by the market." Cassandra added.

"Oh. We can go there next if it isn't too crowded." Lydia grinned.

"How's that sound, Aaron?" The lioness asked.

"Do you think Elder Ampira is waiting for us by now?" Maragi interrupted.

"Hmmm..." Lydia hummed aloud. "We can go look for her-."

"There she is!" Cassandra spotted the old leopardess walking towards them.

"Hey! What did you find out?" They huddled close together, but the leopard didn't look pleased.

"I can't get a schedule from anyone." She huffed with clear disappointment. "But it sounds like the next trip to Inoki will be around one week."

"One week?" Aaron felt his face drop.

"It could be ten days for all I know." She admitted. The male fox was left shocked and dismayed.

"Ten days isn't something we are prepared for." Maragi pointed out. "Unless you think we can tour the area unnoticed for that long."

"Should we go back to the village for a few days?" Lydia asked.

"No." The old leopardess shook her head. "I need to get a definitive schedule, or else we could miss the next trip."

"How long is it between each voyage from here to Inoki?" Aaron asked.

"It is before the harvest season so there are fewer trips." The elder pointed out. "There's usually only one trip roughly every two weeks."

"How long ago was the last one?" Media asked.

"I think it returned a day or two before I returned to Clusina." She thought back. "My next mission will be to check with the instructors who train or evaluate the next group of women who are going to Inoki, aside from traders. I need more time to find out that information." She admitted.

"You've already done so much ma'am." Cassandra encouraged the elder.

"Cassandra is right." Lydia agreed. "Let's use the rest of the day to enjoy ourselves. That way we will have plenty of time tomorrow to figure out what needs to be done next."

"That's a fine idea." She grinned and nodded. "What do you think, Aaron?" She turned to the fox.

"I'm fine with that." He agreed. "If it is going to be a while then we can make arrangements." The fox hoped for the best.

"That's settled then!" Elder Ampira smiled and placed her hands on her hips.

"Is this a map?" Aaron pointed at a large wall of a building by the alleyway behind them.

"Ah, yes. That's a mosaic map of Ezo, the Isle of Women." Ampira told him.

"Where exactly are we?" He searched the mosaic.

"Right here." The leopardess walked up and pointed to a square tile at the center of the island.

"How will I escape if I'm at the center of the island?"

"There is a deep inlet that extends to the ocean from here, and forms the bay that is used as a harbor." She pointed out. "That is how fishing vessels and the large trade ship are able to sail into open waters from here."

"Oh ok." Aaron felt relieved that there wasn't an issue from sailing out of the capital.

"Sibir. Hydra. Naxos. Konta. Clusina. Nomira. Borsa. Melos. These are the eight villages scattered across the entire island. Our village of Clusina is one of the smallest and most isolated from the capital due to its distance and the great forest separating it. Each village is represented by one elder who is from another village." She explained and pointed along the map.

"Why another village?" He wondered.

"That's so no one develops a bias in local affairs due to family ties or close friendships."

"Oh. That makes sense." He nodded.

"There are eight villages, so that is where the eight elders come from. However, the capital has six elders because there are six districts. In total that is fourteen elders to make decisions for the entire island."

"That's a lot of sagging breasts." He joked. Maragi held back a laugh.

"They can't stay firm forever!" She crossly scolded him.

"I didn't say it was bad." Aaron sheepishly grinned. "But the capital has such a large population. Why not have more elders representing them?"

"This helps balance influence across the entire island so the town and villages remain roughly equal." She told him. It was a much more elaborate system than he would've guessed back in Clusina. He looked at the surrounding villages on the island curiously, and noted how there was no map of anywhere else in the world on display.

"So what are we going to do now?" Maragi asked while a few kids noisily played across the street from them.

"We can keep walking around town and think of something." Lydia suggested.

"What about finding a place to sleep for the night?" Aaron asked.

"If we must stay overnight at an inn, I don't see anything wrong with that." Cassandra stated.

"That would be a lot better than returning to Clusina or camping out by the edge of the great forest." Maragi agreed.

"There are good inns in the capital." Ampira pointed out. "We can rent a room if we need a place to stay temporarily. I can arrange for something this evening." She agreed.

"Thank you." Aaron bowed his head with relief.

"Of course!" The old leopardess flashed him a toothy grin.

"We can go back to the market and buy something, since we have the rest of the day to ourselves." Cassandra suggested.

"To look at nice things to buy." Lydia smiled at her mate.

"There's plenty of food vendors." Maragi shrugged.

"I am kinda hungry..." He grabbed his stomach. Smelling all of the food cooking from earlier had given him an appetite.

"Let's eat then!" Lydia hungrily smiled.

"Are there a lot of places where we can eat?"

"Mmhm." Elder Ampira nodded. "Follow me." She took them down the street. They passed by a large breasted vixen scrubbing something in a bucket outside a side door to a house. Other townswomen they walked past didn't bat an eye towards the male amongst them. Elder Ampira brought them to a wide street where several open shops were cooking and preparing meals. Ladies were scattered and crowded with shopping for food or eating.

"This is a mixture of a food market and cooking shops." Elder Ampira told him. The bustling activity made Aaron nervous, but his growling stomach nagged him onward.

"Let us know if there is a place that looks good to you." She mentioned.

"We can always decide for you." Lydia teased and lightly elbowed his side.

"I'll let you know if I can't decide." He scanned the crowds and lonelier spaces while they strolled along the street. Many ladies, including families, were eating together or shopping. There were plenty of choices to make, and all of them intrigued his nose.

Some shops were more concealed thanks to hanging cloth curtains to help keep the ocean breeze and dust at bay. One place had a chicken roasting over an open fire, and another tended by a petite papillon had an array of fruits on display. However, a particular wayside shop caught his eye and nose. It was across the street from some kind of pawnshop where an older heavyset red panda was negotiating with a younger German shepherd.

"Fresh catch from today!" The husky voiced wolf called out while holding onto a thick rope with a strong arm. Her arms were strong and she possessed a nicely rounded bust. The tip of her grey ear was missing, presumably a scar from fishing or fighting. She wore several necklaces adorned with carved bone hooks. Most importantly, a large simmering cauldron resting before her smelled very appetizing.

"Can we eat here?" He asked.

"Sure." Elder Ampira nodded. "This is a good wayside shop." She led them over.

"Mmm. It smells good." Cassandra hummed to Lydia who nodded in agreement. Aaron noticed a piece of paper stuck to a wooden beam by the front of the building.

"That's a wanted poster." He blinked and recognized the writing. The portrait was a feisty angry fennec with two large earrings in one ear. She had a petite build and small breasts with wide areolae. It read: 'Wanted Bianca.'

"Yep. Every now and then you'll see wanted posters for theft or fighting." Maragi told him.

"Do the posters have to show her bust too?" He found that a little revealing even on an island of only women.

"Yes, because you can identify someone by their breasts and facial features." She gestured with her hands resting at her mid torso.

"Well, I guess that's true." He agreed.

"What are you two looking at?" Lydia peeked over. "Let's sit down."

"Welcome ladies." The grey wolf greeted them kindly. "How can I treat you this fine hot afternoon?"

"We'll each have a bowl of your soup and a cup of tea if you have any freshly made." Elder Ampira smiled.

"Of course! I will serve each of you in just a moment." She hopped away from the cauldron.

"Thank you." All four took a seat along cushions at a low wooden table.

"So what were you staring at earlier?" Lydia was curious.

"It was a wanted poster of some fennec vixen." Maragi shrugged.

"It's kind of funny, because I had a girlfriend whose name was Bianca too." He explained.

"Ooh. Tell us about her." Cassandra was eager to gossip.

"Was she beautiful like us?" Lydia winked.

"She was very pretty." Aaron recalled with a grin. "The coloration of her fur was striking, and I loved the sound of her voice. We often met at a garden while our families were meeting."

"Very romantic!" Cassandra smiled.

"Where is she today?" Lydia asked.

"I'm not sure." Aaron sadly shrugged. "She stopped visiting after nearly half a year. I wrote letters and she never replied back. I guess she wasn't in love or found someone else." His ears fell back for a moment.

"Aww." Lydia gave a deflated sigh and folded her arms across her bare chest.

"Did she fall in love with another woman?" Cassandra asked.

"No." He shook his head. "That doesn't happen where I'm from."

"The rest of the world isn't like Ezo." Elder Ampira added. The wolf lady returned to the large cauldron with a tray of bowls and spoons.

"Soup and tea coming right up!" She cheerfully declared. All of them watched as she leaned over and gave the large pot a thorough stir before ladling each of them a bowl full.

"Seems like her breasts want to eat." Cassandra giggled to Lydia as the canine's hanging breasts jiggled above the steaming surface.

"I'm sure that's happened many times." The vixen smiled.

"Here you ladies are..." The wolf placed each bowl followed by cups and a pot of tea.

"Thank you." All five of them said in unison.

"Mmm. It smells very good." Aaron smelled the aromatic steam. The soup's broth had a warm color and looked delicious. Noodles, a boiled egg, cooked fish, and beans were visible ingredients.

"The recipe is from my mate's mother, who inherited from her mother." The wolf confidently spoke. "I caught the fish myself early this morning. Luckily, it didn't try to take a bite outta me." She giggled and touched her ear tip.

"What got the tip of your ear?" Maragi curiously asked.

"A young shark that wanted the fish I speared one afternoon. I'm not sure if it meant to get my head, but I can't complain." She shrugged.

"Goodness." Elder Ampira mentioned. Cassandra looked away with uneasiness over the topic.

"It's a good thing that shark was just a baby." Maragi pointed to her scars along her torso and arm.

"Oh wow!" The wolf's eyes widened with intrigue. "I can't say you're just a casual swimmer."

"It was two separate times when I was spear fishing." Maragi said. "I had to fight back both times."

"I'm glad you made it through that with only a couple of scars." The wolf was impressed. "Oh. Enjoy your meal!" She waved before tending to a young couple entering the wayside shop.

"I wish you didn't have to bring that up." Cassandra grumbled.

"We were just chatting." Maragi calmly brushed it off.

"Let's eat." Elder Ampira said with a spoon in hand. Everyone gladly dug in.

'Not bad.' Aaron had never eaten anything like it before but the soup had a hearty and savory taste. Given his appetite, it wasn't long before he found himself staring at the bottom of an empty bowl.

"You ate that quickly." Maragi noticed.

"Aaron can eat double portions." Cassandra recalled.

"Males are known for their appetite." Elder Ampira mentioned.

"How do you like everything?" Lydia asked.

"Mmhm! That really hit the spot." He grinned.

"I mean the town too. What do you think of everything you've seen today? I know you didn't care for the arena..."

"You three took Aaron to the arena?" Elder Ampira surprisingly looked at them with a stern glare. Cassandra and Lydia looked away guiltily.

"It was just to show me around." Aaron insisted. "We didn't stay."

"Mmhm!" Lydia nodded. "We left."

"That's right." Her mate added. The leopardess sighed.

"Don't go there again." The elder warned them.

"Yes ma'am." Lydia, Cassandra, and Maragi said.

"Well, about the town..." Aaron mentioned. "I've never been to a place like this, aside from the obvious." He glanced at the naked women. "We passed by the gymnasium and spa. It was weird but interesting to have a place where people exercise, fight, bathe, and relax in one place." He recalled the elegant building. "But there's all the little things you see walking around too. I think there was a woman we passed by on the street who was teaching another younger woman about breastfeeding." He wasn't sure. "That would never be heard of in public where I'm from."

"Breasts are very important." Elder Ampira giggled. "It is always good to nurse, or help others nurse. You're never a shout away from finding a wet nurse here."

"And this street was unique. I like this shop, and the food was great too." He grinned.

"Since you enjoyed this so much, what kind of food do you eat back at home?" The old leopardess asked the red fox.

"It depends on the time of day." He remembered the dishes he would eat. "There's biscuits, jams, cakes, and pies." The fox paused to lick his lips. "There's apples, pears, oatmeal, pork, beef, lamb, potatoes, cheeses, fish, and chicken." He thought of some basic foods that were always available to him.

"That's quite a few things to eat." Lydia mentioned.

"Pork and beef are from the mainland." Elder Ampira noted. "Seafood is very common since a lot of women fish in the bay or along the coast. There's a fair amount of wild game from the fields and forests." She added. "You'll see deer, boar, and wild chickens in the market or cooked regularly in town."

"Mmm. I know two women who hunt and cook boar and deer very well." Maragi stated. "I don't remember where they live in the capital though."

"It wasn't someone who used to live in Clusina, was it?" Elder Ampira asked.

"No." The lioness shook her head.

"I wouldn't mind buying a few mandarins or mangos from that vendor over there for a dessert." Lydia leaned over and whispered to Cassandra while sipping from her tea. While the ladies were chatting, he could look out from the comfort of the shade at passersby. Through all of the chatting people he saw a mother jackal nursing an infant while a child seated next to her was fascinated with a praying mantis climbing a wall. A mail carrier wearing her unique harness design wove through the meandering people with letters in hand.

At the corner of the wayside shop bordering a large house, a middle aged mother raccoon approached a younger adult daughter raccoon tending to a clothesline. She had a basket in hand resting against her naked hip, whereas her daughter wore a bandana across her forehead.

"Haven't you and your mate decided on going to Inoki and having children yet?" The mother raccoon said in a hopeful tone.

"No mom." She sighed in a dejected manner while pulling a garment down. "We haven't decided yet." She folded it and placed it in the basket her mother was carrying. The older raccoon walked away with a defeated sigh. Aaron blinked as the younger bandana wearing raccoon walked into the wayside shop. She took a seat on a mat to enjoy a cup of tea in peace.

'Mothers wanting grandchildren... Not much different than home.' Aaron half grinned. He briefly reminisced about his own family hoping that he would get married soon and start a family as well. His thoughts were cut short by a familiar sensation.

"Elder Ampira..." Aaron whispered.

"Yes?"

"Where can I relieve myself?"

"Oh." The leopardess blinked as Lydia and Cassandra looked at each other.

"Crap." Maragi rubbed her forehead and looked around.

"No, it's just-"

"Take Aaron out of here and wait for me to pay." The old leopardess stood up from her seat. Aaron followed suit as everyone hastily rose up.

"Cmon." Lydia took ahold of his hand.

"Thank you again for the meal ma'am!" Elder Ampira paid for the food.

"Thank you!" The wolf smiled happily. "Please come again."

The group hurried out of the wayside shop and onto the busy street with Elder Ampira quick to catch up to them.

"Don't you know where Aaron should go?" Cassandra asked her sister.

"I don't know." She admitted. "I rarely came to the markets when I stayed here. My friends are far more chatty."

"Geeze..." Aaron tensed his legs nervously,

"Go in there Aaron!" Elder Ampira pointed further ahead to a stone and brick building nearly half a block away.

Aaron passed by a few people and entered the building steadfastly. His nose was immediately bombarded with various perfumes and herbs that hid the more unpleasant odors. Bundles of mint and rosemary were hanging by the entrance as well as the edges of each "stall." Scented candles were also burning on shelves in the walls themselves. The lavatory was basically a long trough of running water separated by modest privacy walls and sliding curtains at the front for extra privacy if needed. Other women were casually entering and leaving. The sound of the curtain rings sliding was heard above the mundane chatter, or footsteps across the tiled floor. Aaron quickly walked into an open stall and closed the curtain.

"Does he know what to do?" Lydia whispered worriedly.

"Go in there with him!" Cassandra hissed and pushed the red vixen through the curtain.

"Lydia?!" Aaron grabbed her so they wouldn't fall over into the water or the thin privacy wall. Glancing down, her breasts and entire front were pressed hotly against him.

"Sorry-."

"Ahem!" He cleared his throat and turned around. Blushing bashfully, the two stood back to back. Aaron quickly scrambled to untie the strings to the salmon colored loincloth but his jittery fingers made it impossible.

"What's wrong?" Lydia could feel him bumping into her backside from the constant fidgeting.

"How do I untie this thing? I need help." He struggled to remove the loincloth.

"Darn." Lydia muttered and turned around. The vixen knelt down and tended to his only garment. He stared at the stone wall while her adroit fingers quickly worked along his waistline. The garment eventually loosened only for a bunch of lavender to fall out onto the floor. Lydia covered her mouth to muffle a sudden gasp.

"I forgot about putting that there." She shakily sighed and stared at the floor for a moment to collect herself.

"Sheesh..." Aaron felt his cheeks burn as his member came into view.

"Alright. You're good now." She whispered and stood up behind him once again.

"Thank you." Aaron stared at the flowing water below him. The seconds ticked by as nothing happened. 'Don't panic.' He told himself despite his heart racing within his chest. 'You just have to pee... in a women's lavatory... on a women only island.'

"What's taking so long?" Lydia whispered.

"I can't go when you're so close to me." He struggled.

"What?" She looked over her shoulder. "I kinda need to go too." She whispered.

'Ugh...' Aaron felt helpless.

"Just squat and relax." She gritted her teeth impatiently. After several stressful moments of praying and deep breaths, the fox relieved himself with a noisy stream.

"Done." He sighed with relief and turned around.

"Thank Gaia."

"Can you tie this back on?" Aaron held up the loincloth.

"I'll get it when I'm done." She whispered and stepped around him. Aaron turned around with the salmon pink loincloth in his hands as she straddled the trough. Staring at the curtain, he could hear others walking in and out of the lavatory. The fur on the nape of his neck stood up as an unseen figure stopped right at the curtain.

"Someone is in there..." He heard an aged voice mumble before walking to the next stall.

"Ok. I'm done." Lydia blew a sigh past her lips. "Turn around."

"Alright-" Aaron turned only to find the vixen crouching mere inches from his naked groin.

"Let's hurry up." The vixen snatched the loincloth from his hands and began to dress him. Aaron had to swallow his pride once again as she grabbed his manhood and wrapped the garment around his waist. Once everything was secure, she tightly tied the strings back.

"What about the lavender?" He looked at the tile floor.

"Leave it." She said in a hushed voice as a child's laughter echoed into the lavatory. "Let's go." Lydia wiped her hands and stood up.

"Thank you." He emerged right before Lydia and walked to where Cassandra and Maragi were waiting for them. The younger lioness sibling was relieved to see them again.

"Thank Gaia." Cassandra said.

"No one saw. You're fine." Maragi cooly spoke.

"Easy for you to say!" Aaron hissed through his teeth like piping hot steam.

"Where's Elder Ampira?" Lydia looked around.

"She had to go too." Maragi nodded to one curtain where the old leopardess emerged.

"Is everyone feeling better?" The elder smiled kindly.

"We're good." Aaron affirmed.

"Perfect. Let's go back outside." She led them to the street once more.

"You'll need to tell me what happened." Cassandra whispered to Lydia only for Aaron to hear.

"I don't know... maybe tonight." Lydia smoothed her head fur as they brushed by people in the moving crowd.

'This must be what it feels like to walk through a bazaar from one of those desert countries.' Aaron thought to himself. Despite the heat and sun, vendors were happily selling their produce or crafts to buyers. The atmosphere was friendly and inviting despite the lack of dress between all of the women.

Ahead in the crowd, he spotted an individual who stuck out from the rest of the naked or half naked women. An old female jaguar was strolling towards his direction, admiring what some of the fruit stands had to offer. Her spotted pelt was pretty even in her age. Her breasts sagged openly without shame but a pair of long necklaces dangled between them. Armbands with bright and colorful feathers adorned her upper body. The strings tied around her waist were adorned with matching lengthy colored tassels. The old jaguar's appearance reminded him of Elder Ampira, regal and humble. A hand suddenly grabbed the oblivious male and yanked him towards the edge of the street and into an alleyway.

"Hey-!"

"Shh!" Maragi hushed him.

"What's going on?" He looked around and found Lydia, Cassandra, Maragi, and Elder Ampira around him.

"Are we hiding?" Cassandra peeked out at the street.

"I don't want anyone to recognize me either, or we may have to split up." The elder admitted.

"Who did you see?" Lydia looked around.

"That jaguar over there." She nodded towards a fruit stand. "That's Elder Tenochca."

"Another elder?" Aaron spied at the jaguar he had seen just moments before.

"Yes. She would likely recognize that you're a man at a second glance too." The leopardess warned.

"Hello! I see you!" A squawking voice startled them all. However, no one was behind them.

"What was that?" Lydia spoke up.

"I see you!" The voice repeated. Looking up, a watchful parrot was perched above them.

"How neat! It's a pretty talking bird." Cassandra admired the brightly colored feathers.

"Heh. We were scared over a bird." Aaron chuckled. Maragi folded her arms and glanced back into the street.

"At least Elder Tenochca is gone."

"That's good." Elder Ampira was relieved.

"It's a man!" The bird looked at Aaron and squawked causing the male red fox to freeze. Cassandra and Lydia's eyes opened as wide as saucers.

"Crap." Maragi muttered and looked over at the bird. The lioness growled swatted at the talking bird.

"A man! Hello!" The parrot flapped it's wings loudly. "It's a man!"

"Shut that bird up!" Elder Ampira said through her clenched teeth.

"Shoo!" Cassandra waved her arms and jumped at the bird to no avail. A short coyote with perky torpedo shaped breasts appeared from around the corner. She wore a shell necklace and a loincloth similar to the one Aaron had.

"Oh don't feel insulted." The coyote laughed at the sight. "He likes to chatter all sorts of things."

"Is this your bird?" Lydia asked.

"Yep." She flashed a proud smile. "I bought him from my sister who went to Inoki earlier this year. He says the craziest things too!"

"How funny..." Ampira chuckled with a huge sigh of relief. "He gave us quite a scare by squawking behind us."

"Hehe. Sorry about that." The coyote smiled bashfully. "He loves sneaking outside when I'm busy. Have a nice day and sorry to bother you!" She took him inside.

"No problem! Thank you." Elder Ampira said before they exited the alleyway onto a quieter street.

"That was a close call!" Aaron leaned forward by an empty barrel, almost exhausted from their ordeal.

"From a bird..." Maragi grumpily stated.

"It could've been worse." Cassandra said. "That bird could've followed us around town."

"Thankfully, it didn't."

"Are there any talking birds I should be aware of?" Aaron half joked.

"Hehe." Lydia giggled. "I hope not."

"That must've been a freak accident." Maragi concluded.

"Hey. What kind of building is that?" The male fox noticed a large stone and wood building not far from them.

"That's the academy." Elder Ampira pointed out.

"An academy?" Aaron looked at her surprised. "You mean like a school?" He found it odd that naked women would have a complex education system.

"The academy is different from the small schools and is connected to a library of scrolls, papers, and stone or clay tablets. It's the same place where women go to learn about the outside world and prepare for their first journey to the port of Inoki. A two week session is required if you want to depart."

"Are maps located there?" He asked.

"Some, but not many." The feline answered. "Are you looking for something specific?"

"Is there a map of the world, or an entire region, or even the great ocean?"

"Hmm... I don't think so." She shook her head. "There are a few maps of Ezo with the islands to the west where Inoki is located."

"Oh. So nothing will show the wider world?"

"Not in its entirety."

"I'm worried about how I will get home once we get to Inoki." Aaron admitted.

"You don't need to worry about that until you set foot in that port town." The elder told him. "Right now all you need to be concerned about it getting safely on board a trade vessel." She stated as they continued along the street. They approached a curious section where a few trees surrounded a pair of sacred buildings. The walls were mostly painted red and the terra-cotta roof looked spotless. Each one was marked by a lone arch before its stepped entrance.

"There's the Vesta shrine and the Gaia shrine." Maragi pointed ahead. "Sometimes people go to pay their respects at each, but they're usually fairly quiet unless there is a festival going on."

"These are the smaller shrines located in town." Elder Ampira explained. "The larger shrine complex is located at Mount Gaia across the bay. Have any of you been there?"

"No." Lydia, Cassandra, and Maragi all shook their heads.

"One day we should all go there." She advised and walked with them to a statue overlooking a fountain resided before the steps to the twin shrines. A few kids were playing in the water while their mothers talked nearby.

"This is an image of Gaia." Elder Ampira showed them the carved bust of a lioness with rounded breasts looking boldly ahead.

"Whoever carved her did a beautiful job." Cassandra appreciated the craftsmanship.

"Yeah, this is very detailed." Aaron was impressed with the details.

"There's a myth that if your rub the statue's breasts, then you will have an easier time nursing." Maragi pointed out.

"I don't think there's any truth to that myth." Ampira chuckled. "Trust me."

"What's weirder, a young Elder Ampira, or watching her rub a statue's breasts?" Cassandra whispered to Lydia causing the vixen to giggle.

"Who is this Gaia person anyway?"

"She is the main founder of Ezo as an all female society." Elder Ampira told him. "She also helped establish this place as the capital with her mate Vesta, although it was only a tiny fishing village back then."

"Is there a long story about how the island society of all women was founded?"

"Yes." Elder Ampira nodded with a grin. "You have a tendency to ask questions with long answers."

"Bad habit I guess." He flashed a smile.

"It's not that long of a story unless I forgot some of it." Cassandra said.

"Well, here is a short version that everyone knows." The leopardess smiled. "There are always variations, but Gaia is a lioness who was brought by her mother to Ezo shortly after her birth. The entire island only had one small permanent village at that time. When Gaia became an adult, there were very few men on the island. Women always gave birth to daughters on the island. At this time the leader of a clan arranged her to be married to a man of his choosing. However, Gaia refused this forced marriage. The man she was supposed to marry attacked and tried raping her. Rape is the worst crime you can commit on Ezo. It is also man's original sin against women." She briefly mentioned with a frown.

"Many of the women defended Gaia and a fight broke out. The small group of men were chased away, and had to sail back to the mainland. Gaia declared the entire island of Ezo a safe haven for women. That's how the Isle of Women was founded." Elder Ampira explained to him.

"Wow that's incredible." Aaron had never heard of such a tale, whether it was real or imagined.

"It took a lot of courage." The leopardess hummed.

"Doesn't your homeland have a founding story like that?" Lydia asked Aaron.

"Not really." They continued walking down a less busy street. "What kind of building is that?" Aaron glanced at a wooden two story building. Two women were seated outside, completely naked like any villager at Clusina, save for earrings and feathered necklaces. They were chatting to each other, but the way they sat with their legs spaced open was more provocative. Above the entrance was a large wooden sign painted red of an octopus catching a fish. Unlit lanterns dangled above potted tulips, and painted signs of peaches decorated the front.

"It's a place for women... seeking intimacy." Ampira didn't want to explain any further.

"You're not going there." Maragi bluntly told Aaron.

"Oh..." He understood.

"Maragi has been there a few times." Cassandra giggled making her stoic sister blush.

Aaron saw a small group of mostly feline ladies was crossing the street. They were all athletic, but unlike most of the townspeople, they wore intricate belts made from strips of leather that carried curved daggers and knives. One jaguar even had a shoulder pad made from a turtle's shell, held in place by a pair of straps. Armbands and toothed necklaces were commonly worn as well. Of course, all of this left their sexes and breasts completely naked. Their scariness was matched by their apparent seductiveness.

'And I thought Maragi was strong.' Aaron thought. "Who are they?" He stepped back behind Maragi.

"Those are some warriors of Ezo."

"Warriors?" Aaron had never heard of such a thing.

"Yes." She gave him a funny look. "Can't you see them?"

"I can!" He exclaimed in a hushed voice. "But female warriors?"

"Do they not exist where you are from?" Lydia innocently asked.

"No." He gave her a serious stare.

"If you grow up in the capital, it is recommended that you receive training in self defense and combat. A basic level is required to travel to Inoki." Elder Ampira explained. "As for the warriors, they keep training for the rare chance someone tries to invade the island, but they mostly assist in finding petty criminals, and occasionally traveling to Inoki as security." She concluded.

"Has anyone invaded the island?" Aaron couldn't imagine wanting to be on the receiving end of a knife wielding jaguar.

"Not in a very long time." Elder Ampira mentioned. "The worst I have dealt with in my lifetime was piracy many years ago. We may see more of the warriors since it is getting late." Ampira remarked. "I know of a good inn we should lodge at for the night." She waved a hand for them to follow. With the evening beginning to wane, it was time to retire for the ensuing night.

Elder Ampira led them through the dwindling streets as the buildings' shadows stretched inland towards the east. She brought them to a two story building flanked by two trees and decorated with many phlox and flowering plants.

"Wait out here while I get two rooms set up." She instructed before going inside. Across the street from the inn was a short series of outdoor showers. None were in use but a young mother and her mate were playing with their infant daughter beside one. Further down the street, he could see a marbled cat sweeping the outside entryway of a house.

"My feet are killing me." Cassandra sighed and sat down for a moment.

"Mine too." Lydia agreed. "I miss the sand of the beach." Aaron briefly thought about the village of Clusina where he had been the past few days. He was tired as well, and remembered the mat Lydia and Cassandra made for him to sleep on.

"I wonder if Amanda has gone into labor yet." Maragi wondered. "She is due any day now." Aaron thought about the pregnant papillon and her border collie mate.

"Is Inoki where women go from Ezo to get pregnant?" He guessed. "I know that men and women can't exist without each other."

"Yep." Maragi nodded. "I haven't visited, but that's where anyone from Ezo will go."

"We thought about it before, but kept putting it off." Lydia admitted and looked at Cassandra.

"It would still be a lot of fun to visit Inoki though." The lioness said.

"She's back." Maragi saw the leopardess emerge from the inn.

"Everything is set up." She happily spoke. "We have two rooms ready."

"Am I staying in one alone?" Aaron assumed.

"No, of course not!" The leopardess flashed him a frown. "I was going to stay with you unless someone else wanted to." She looked at the three ladies.

"Oh, we can stay with Aaron." Lydia didn't hesitate.

"It will be just like in the village." Cassandra added.

"Okay then. Please follow me." She turned around and led them inside. The lobby was a small quaint little room where someone was tending to an ivy plant. Aaron kept his gaze hidden and remained silent as they walked up the steps to the second floor. The hallway was short and Elder Ampira showed them the first room on the left.

"Maragi and I will be in this room across the hall." Elder Ampira nodded over her shoulder. "If you need anything, knock quietly before you come in."

"Thank you." Lydia walked in.

"Don't stay up too late sharing stories." Cassandra teased her sister and followed Lydia. Aaron stopped inside but turned around.

"Can I have my two belongings for the night?" He requested.

"Of course." She reached into her bag and gave him the journal and pair of pants.

"Thank you. And thank you for all of your help today and yesterday."

"Don't thank me until we are in Inoki." She mentioned. "But I appreciate your kind words. Get a good night's sleep." She called into the room before sliding it shut. Lydia laid down one of the provided beds with an exhausted sigh. Cassandra joined her in the same exasperated fashion. Aaron sat down on the second bed, and glanced around the room with half open eyes. Even though the sun had completely set, he was tired from the long day of traveling and sight seeing. The room was small with a shelf and drawer to put away belongings. A pair of rugs and mats rested at the end of both beds. There were two windows looking out onto a side street and other homes.

"Did you enjoy your first day in the capital?" Lydia asked with a grin. Aaron glanced over and found the naked vixen laying on her back with both large breasts resting atop her. Despite her innocent demeanor, it was difficult not to see her as very beautiful.

"Maybe Aaron's just happy to see so many naked women." Cassandra noticed his prolonged stare and teased him.

"It's too stressful to enjoy that." He blew a sigh and looked away.

"Besides, he is used to seeing us." Lydia winked at her mate.

"I did have fun though." He half grinned. "I never thought a world like this existed."

"I had fun too." Cassandra agreed as she stared up at the ceiling. "Well..."

"Well?" Lydia looked at her.

"Except for when that parrot called Aaron a man."

"Hehe." Lydia giggled. "But you didn't have to go to the bathroom with Aaron. I nearly screamed when lavender fell out of his loincloth." Lydia laughed.

"Is that what happened?" Cassandra's eyes widened until she started laughing too. Aaron felt a grin curl onto his muzzle until he started laughing as well. Looking over, the lioness and vixen were looking at him with warm smiles. It was a nice relaxed moment where none of them had to worry about being caught.

"Thank you both for coming here with me." He laid down and closed his eyes.

"Of course." Lydia made her self comfortable alongside Cassandra. "I wish we could've bought so many things." She said only to yawn.

"Did you see that vendor who had those pretty blue painted vases?"

"Yes. They looked so nice..." They started whispering to each other while Aaron fell asleep. He didn't even hear them say goodnight.