The Chase
This is a very short story I had the day after Christmas inspired by one of Honovy’s artwork featuring a wolf. It should’ve taken a week to write, but I’ve had my ups and downs. I didn’t get around to writing it until a few weeks ago.
This briefly describes a human merchant who is taking part in a village festival, and he has taken a liking to a certain female wolf… The story will likely feel incomplete at just under 5000 words, so I might tidy it up later.
This world is similar to or takes place in the same worlds as Full Moons Secret and Redemption.
Hope y’all enjoy it.
Edit! Thank you for corrections.
The stillness of the air wasn't stifling or hot given the late summer afternoon. There was a subtle crispness in the air that signaled a change in season was not very far away. A chattering wren called out into the forest with its signature sharp melody. Others answered in the distance as it hopped along a branch, ducking and perking up in quick motions. The peaceful chirping sounds were interrupted by the sudden snapping of a twig on the forest floor. The wren quickly flew away from the passing commotion, darting to the safety of another tree.
Down below, the forest floor was dappled in sunlight where enough breaks in the branches and leaves permitted light to pass through. The golden rays were briefly interrupted as a man ran haphazardly around a moss covered tree trunk, only to duck behind it and a bush growing beside it. He caught his breath for a moment only to assess the situation, but the pounding of his heart was all that he could hear.
'This isn't a good hiding spot!' The human worried and immediately abandoned the area. Jumping to his feet, he continued running through the forest; ducking under trees and narrowly avoiding the occasional stone on the leaf littered ground.
“Awwooo!" The tell tale howl of a wolf echoed not far behind him.
'I don't have enough time to hide!' He feared being discovered if he stayed in one place too long. The trees seemed endless all around him, and every direction appeared to look the same. Already tiring, the human climbed over a large fallen tree and slid to the other side.
'Straight ahead…' The modest gap between the adjacent trees made the area appear like a natural pathway. He barely made a half dozen steps before a sound from behind caught his attention. Looking over his shoulder, he saw a menacing figure perched on the fallen tree he had less than gracefully climbed over moments ago.
A female figure was never something to have any fear towards, but a physically strong anthropomorphic wolf was a different thing entirely! The claws of her hand and digitigrade paw were firmly ingrained into the bark of the fallen tree. The muscles under fur were tense, ready to spring forward in an instant: and those soft brown eyes were locked onto him in an unwavering predator's gaze.
The look of terror intensified on his face, but the glance over his shoulder would spell his end. Not looking ahead for that split second, he caught the bottom of gnarled tree root and tripped. Tumbling to the ground, he managed to brace his fall only to end up on his back. There was enough time to blink, but it was already too late. A blur of fur rushed to his vision, blotting out the canopy above entirely. Two impossibly strong hands swiftly grabbed his shoulders.
“Ahhh!" The human yelled as he was pinned, but his echo quickly faded into the trees. He scrunched his eyes shut and accepted defeat. A hot breath washed over his face only for something warm, wet, and smooth to wash over his face.
“Huh?" He peeked only to find that the female wolf was licking his face! “Hey! Stop!" He sputtered, but was unable to stop the onslaught of licks while she kept his arms pinned. The wolf giggled once she was finished.
“Got you." She sat on him triumphantly and grinned with a tongue lolling smile.
“Ugh." The human grumbled and wiped his face. Blinking, he looked up at his pursuer with a less than amused expression. However, it was difficult to keep an angry face at her. The anthro wolf had a graceful and wild appearance that enchanted his eyes. A long muzzle with a black nose was grinning cutely at him. Her brown eyes were soft and warm, just like her. Long hair flowed elegantly from the back of her head and nape of her neck down her back with some spilling over her shoulders. His cheeks warmed once he caught sight of her bare breasts hanging so close above him.
“H-How did you catch me so quickly?" He asked, completely out of breath.
“Humans seem to forget that wolves have powerful noses." She smiled and tapped her black nose. “I could smell you a mile away, Cristobal."
“Incredible…"
“Maybe humans can't smell very well because their snouts are so short, or you spend too much time in the city." She teased and tapped his nose.
“Yours is a natural gift, Anushka." He commended her talents. The female wolf puffed her chest out in pride. Cristobal certainly didn't mind the view, but she was still sitting on him.
“Um. Can you get off me? I can't feel my legs anymore." He tried shuffling underneath her.
“Oh, of course." She happily stood up and offered him a hand. Cristobal gladly accepted. Her hands were very human, but decidedly canine. The fingertips and palms were padded and warm, but wielding thick claws instead of nails made a handshake somewhat intimidating. Brought to his feet, the human was noticeably shorter than the female wolf, but it was no surprise that wolves were taller than humans.
“Thank you." He brushed off his clothes.
“Are you ready to walk back, or did you want to stay here for a while?" She asked with a hint of mischief in her eyes.
“Mmhm! Let's head back. I'm starving." He looked around, unsure which direction to take.
“I'm hungry too." Her tail swished patiently behind her. “The village is back this way."
“What area of the forest are we in anyway?"
“This is called the training grounds." She waved out a hand. “Archery, fighting, stealth, hunting, and tracking are all practiced here." Anushka led him through a thicket before weaving between the trees towards the large fallen tree he had managed to scramble over a few minutes ago. She hopped onto the fallen trunk using her digitigrade paws with ease and held out a hand for him.
“Thank you." He grasped her hand and was easily pulled up before they hopped down to the forest floor together. He couldn't help but admire how strong her endurance was after the quick chase. Anushka wasn't tired in the slightest, slouching, or even slow in her step.
“No need to thank me." She humbly spoke. “The head of our village is very happy that you arrived and agreed to participate in the ending of summer festival. Outsiders rarely participate in something that is so important to us. He is impressed by your kindness, especially since you're a human from a city."
The festival was held during the last full moon of the summer. The ceremonial chase they just partook in was vital to the festival itself. It celebrated hunting and the value of determination, cunning, and skill required to master it. Being chased also gave an odd perspective of the animals who were hunted to eat.
“You don't have to speak so well of me." Cristobal admitted.
“Why not?" She looked at him with a tilted head.
“My family are merchants. Their first concerns are about money, trading, and wealth. I offered myself to go, but I have to take care of the family business."
“Trading is a good thing. Without trade neither of us would have what we want." Anushka contently told him.
“Yeah, I guess that's true." He looked around the forest and thought aloud.
“Besides, I enjoy your company." The wolf stepped a little closer to the human and bumped shoulders with him. Cristobal grinned bashfully but looked away from the naked beauty nudging him. He didn't entirely understand why, but wolves seemed oblivious towards nudity itself. Being covered in fur made sense, but it still felt wrong to be so plainly naked in his view.
Females only wore a cloth bound around the chest only if their breasts were very large; but topless was the standard for all of the wolf women. Some males and females wore a loincloth, but it was optional, or maybe it was related to the end of summer festival? In public areas where humans lived like towns, wolves or other tribal anthropomorphic beings would simply wear cloaks to abide by sumptuary laws.
A few cheers and loud barking whoops erupted once they emerged from the thicket. A couple of wolves trotted over to greet them.
“She found you in record time, Cristobal!" A white furred male wolf named Tushunke patted the human's back fervently. He had a blue painted design on his arm and chest hat matched the one on his buckskin loincloth.
“I wasn't going to be any faster the second try." Cristobal mentioned.
“Anushka can track anyone down, human, wolf, or anyone else." A second wolf, named Kaianwa, a grizzled mottle grey male boasted.
“You're quick on your feet despite not having paws." Anushka reassured the human with a grin while placing a hand on the his shoulder.
“Only because it's scary having you chase me through the forest!" Cristobal insisted making all of them laugh.
“It smells like the food is finally ready." She lifted her nose into the air. “Cristobal and I are hungry."
“Uh huh." The grizzled mottle grey male affirmed with a nod. “The entire banquet should be ready now." They walked along the wide path to the first buildings of the village known to the wolves as Ska-Ruh-Reh. The tribal dwellings were a series of longhouses for large families, and lodges for smaller families. Constructed from wood, wattle and daub, as well as tree bark, they blended in with the forest scenery very easily. If someone from the city had never visited this particular wolf village then there was a real chance they may bypass it altogether!
“I'm starving." The smell of cooked food finally reached the human's nose and made his mouth water.
“You couldn't have picked a better time to be hungry."
“He should be hungry after being chased…" Kaianwa mentioned.
“Everyone in the village cooks meat very well." Cristobal grinned. “The food smells heavenly, but tastes even better."
“Hehe." The white furred male grinned. “A human who likes food that wolves eat!" He remarked.
“Our foods aren't very different." The other male mentioned. Passing by a few houses, they reached the center of the village which was full of people.
'It looks like a tribal version of a banquet at home.' Cristobal observed the large crowd. The village center was a lively scene with several dozen wolves preparing for a large feast. Virtually every adult, elder, and child was present. The myriad of different fur colors was exotic to see. He stuck out sorely and received plenty of second glances being the only human present. There were maybe half a dozen foxes from another local village who were also present. Cristobal also saw two female raccoons from another village were also visiting.
'Even they're topless…' He noted the busty female raccoon merely wore a modest loincloth and a leather satchel. However, the leisurely nudity didn't have his focus as soon as his eyes found the large spreads of food. Cornbread, stuffed pheasant, turkey, venison, duck, squash, pumpkin and much more were all prepared for the end of summer celebration. True to their tribal lifestyle, they didn't eat using tables or fancy silverware. Blankets were spread out for dishes to be placed, and people would sit around them. The food was only one aspect of the large social gathering.
Elders shared stories to young ones about past times; mothers gossiped while infants played in their laps or nursed; young warriors and hunters boasted about their accomplishments all while kids and adolescents played games. The jubilant festivities created a very happy and pleasant atmosphere that was contagious. They wove through the crowd of villagers who wore anything from elaborate necklaces, earrings, headdresses, bracelets, anklets, paint, and loincloths to nothing at all.
“Ah, there you are Cristobal!" A voice exclaimed as a clawed hand reached out and grasped the human's arm. The human was greeted by a shorter canine figure. It was Sasu, the village's head shaman, who was an old wolf-coyote hybrid. He wore a very elaborately decorated white loincloth with red dyed tassels and stitching. His ears were also adorned with circular iron earrings. Unlike the rest of the villagers, he was the same height as Cristobal.
Coyotes were known to be herders in the grassy hills between the town on the flat plains and the dense forests. However, they lived in small family unit bands rather than large groups. They were also known for their opportunistic behaviors. Coyotes who lived in light forests were known or at the very least rumored to act as bandits on unsuspecting travelers.
“Hello Sasu." Cristobal nodded.
“I believe the chieftain wishes for you to have a seat beside him." He gestured to lead the way.
“Thank you." Cristobal nodded as the head shaman led him towards a very large spread of food where several wolves were already seated.
“We'll meet up later and howl at the moon together." Tushunke patted the human's shoulder. Anushka gave him a toothy smile before blending back into the crowd. The human was taken through the crowd to the largest lodge where the biggest spread of food was ready. Several wolves were already seated with a close view of the communal fire pit.
The village leader was a tall jovial red wolf named Tanguxuan who had long partially braided scarlet red hair. He had been welcoming even before Cristobal set foot inside the village two days ago. Tushunke and Kaianwa were the two scouts who had greeted him along the end of a dirt road at the great forest's edge. Their presence kept any potential bandits at arm's length during their trek through the forest.
Seated to the chieftain's right were both of his mates, Sisaska and Tsutina, two females who had bore him several children; one of which was nursing at the breast. However, the spot to his left was open.
“Cristobal has returned from participating in the ceremonial chase." Sasu informed the red wolf before gesturing for the human to have his seat.
“Thank you for permitting me to sit here." Cristobal took his place beside Tanguxuan.
“I am honored that you stayed for the entire festival." The wolf chieftain turned to him and graciously spoke.
“Of course!" Cristobal gave a deep nod. “I hope that we can have an earnest discussion about the trade deal that I mentioned to you when I arrived."
“Yes, of course we can once the festival is over." The wolf pleasantly agreed. “Please eat as much as you want before the night comes."
'I wonder if negotiating with him will be difficult.' Cristobal thought to himself. Negotiating between families in the cities was very formal and often a tedious venture. Although, he didn't complain about the large spread of food before him as a few others were already starting to eat.
'The entire village must be right here.' He looked through the numerous faces and furred bodies. It was even busier than the largest markets in any town he had visited before!
His eyes scanned the crowd of wolf people only to catch sight of someone specific. Anushka had disappeared for some time only to reappear nearby; and she looked a little different now. A pair of red lines were freshly painted behind her eyes. She also wore earrings adorned with pretty black and yellow feathers that contrasted with her cream and brown fur. The unique blend of tribal elements that kept her naked was like dessert for his eyes to feast upon. Cristobal caught himself staring and closed his mouth shut. He grabbed some of the cornbread and ate it.
“Mmm." The human hummed and chewed the soft food as the flavor filled his mouth. 'My heart was starting to race!' He calmed down. A mottled grey wolf sitting beside Cristobal nudged his side.
“Yes?"
“Anushka tags alongside you like a fly, are you going to marry her?" He plainly asked causing Cristobal to nearly choke on his food.
“The food is delicious!" He exclaimed to change the subject much to the chieftain's amusement.
***
The evening waned as the feasting came to an end. The subsequent music, dancing around the bonfire, and mock plays were all enjoyed thoroughly only to be concluded by a chorus round of howling at the full moon. Cristobal thanked the chieftain once again before retiring for the night in his provided lodge. His slow steps were guided by the moonlight of the clear skies to the door. A few lingering howls could be heard as the remaining villagers dwindled to retire for the night.
'I'm tired.' He gladly closed the door behind him. Each day had been exhausting, but in a good way. The cabin style dwelling was very simple and plain. It was a modest single room with an upper level bunk to sleep, but the draft of cooler air forced him to sleep on the main floor. His bag, a few papers, a journal, clothes, and other personal belongings were strewn across the floor nearby.
'A few pups must've come by…' He frowned but didn't bother to feel upset or complain. The human hadn't brought anything of personal value with him on the journey, so an innocent theft was of little concern to him.
'They're incredibly curious like any human, fox, or raccoon child.' He crouched down and tidied up some of the mess despite wanting to fall asleep. Cristobal had received several gifts from the villagers. Most of them were interesting little items to remember the village: a necklace with small carvings made from bone; a wooden disc with a painted swirl symbol meant to dispel bad spirits; but they had even gifted him a loincloth, although he only dared to wear it once over his regular clothes.
“My small journal…" He found the leather bound booklet under a crumpled shirt.
He flipped through the pages that were now filled with different fingerprints, palm prints, and finger painting from several of the villagers. Truth be told, even if he wanted to write something down, he had little ink left to do it with!
'Even if I cannot establish a good trade relationship with this village, I still feel as though I have accomplished something.' He thought to himself with satisfaction as he stared at the page containing Anushka's fingerprints. Upon closing the journal, he stripped off his clothes only for his nose to wrinkle reactively.
'I smell like them now.' Cristobal remarked. 'Or maybe it is from Anushka pinning me.' He thought about the lovely wolfess. Glancing at the door, he half expected her to appear in the entrance. A few seconds ticked by before he continued preparing for bed. He blew out the lantern, shrouding much of the home in darkness. Cristobal laid down on the deer pelt and pulled the blanket over himself. It was far from comfortable in the merchant's opinion, but better than sleeping outside. He sighed gratefully and relaxed with closed eyes…
An unknown amount of time had passed since he had drifted asleep until a sudden noise woke him up.
'What?' Sitting up, he blinked several times but didn't see anything in the shadows of the lodge. The crickets and katydids were still chirping incessantly, and the moon was still shining brightly. However, a feeling nagged at him.
“Is someone there?" He whispered only to feel a sense of fear that someone was watching him. A few seconds rocked by as fear began to play on his mind. He slowly stood up, fearing the worst. A shape moved out of the shadows and into the moonlight. Partially illuminated, a naked female wolf was standing at the end of the deer pelt before him.
“Anushka?!" He realized it was her. “You nearly scared me to death!" Cristobal breathed a deep sigh of relief.
“Who else did you think would be here?" She asked.
“What are you doing here so late?" He whispered.
“You weren't so crass to me when I showed up last night." She retorted with a toothy grin in the moonlight. Cristobal held his tongue, unable to come back with a retort. She had caught his eye when he first arrived in the village, or rather, he had caught hers.
“I'm sleeping."
“You're awake." She pointed out.
“Well, I was asleep until you woke me up."
“I wanted to stay with you for most of the night."
“This late?"
“It isn't too late." She reasoned. “The sun set only a short while ago."
“I don't know…"
“You just need convincing." She insisted and stepped closer to prevent any gap from forming between them.
“Your father should've named you persistent." Cristobal joked as he felt her bare fur touch his bare skin. The sensation was very soft and invitingly warm, particularly her two breasts gently pressing against him.
“A hunter must be able to catch what she wants." She murmured. His cheeks reddened as her leathery palmed hands touched his bare sides.
“Well, uh. You have me." He quietly answered, half knowing what she would suggest next.
“You're naked… I'm naked… we can keep each other warm." She suggested innocently enough. “We can enjoy the night to ourselves like last night." The thought thrilled him.
“I uh…" He nervously looked away from her powerful gaze. “What if you howl loudly again?" She pondered his question before coming up with a retort.
“I can make you scream just as loudly." She whispered before licking his ear.
“That's not… helping." He mumbled despite his heart lodging itself into his throat. Truthfully speaking, he did not want her to stop. Anushka could sense his nervousness and eased back a bit. The wolf held him firmly, but not tightly.
“Let me love you again." She continued licking him so sweetly. The human could already feel his blood turning hot. “Touch me." She beckoned to him. “Touch all of me." His hands needed little guidance once they touched her. The feeling of her soft fur was irresistible as he groomed over her curves. Her breasts were covered in the same incredible softness, but felt delightfully squishy under his tender touch. Her own hands, large and padded, traced up and down his back encouragingly.
“You like my breasts, don't you?"
“They're nice and soft." He admired both of her breasts as he rubbed both tenderly. Cristobal felt her tail wag emphatically behind her. He wasn't the only one enjoying the unfolding moment. He could feel her nipples, partially hidden by her cream colored fur, gradually harden against his roving palms. It felt wrong, but right simultaneously. Cristobal was from a respected merchant class family. His parents would decide who he would marry, not his own passions.
The thought was cut off by a sudden passionate tongue licking his lips. Cristobal gladly reciprocated and mouths locked together the best that they could. Her teeth gently bit his cheeks while her overpowering tongue worked over his tongue. Muffled moans and hums softly echoed in the little lodge as their bodies mingled. Cristobal quickly felt his manhood wedge between her furry thighs, as if prodding her for entrance.
Laying down onto his back, Cristobal looked up expectantly at the wolf standing above him in the moonlight. Above the lovely curves of her breasts, the subtle glow in her eyes was mesmerizing, but also a tad intimidating. Her endurance during lovemaking was frighteningly impressive, but he was ready. The wolf crouched down and lined up to his aroused spire of flesh.
“Ready?" She whispered and placed a hand over his heart.
“Mmmhm." He nodded and felt the heat radiating from her palm and fingertips. He felt the burning heat of her womanhood on his tip as she began to impale herself onto him. The tight enveloping heat was smooth and wet as she lowered herself.
“Ahh…" Cristobal sighed with excitement as she settled atop him.
“We're connected once again." She hummed with her ears fallen back.
“Uh huh." He closed his dry mouth and ran his hands up and down her legs and sides. Throbbing inside of her, he felt every subtle movement that she made.
“You're not too sore from last night, are you?" She asked with a hint of concern.
“N-No." Cristobal half grunted. Even if he was sore, he didn't care. She started to writhe and jump passionately on his lap earning several gasps from the human.
“Oooh!" Anushka trembled and softly moaned overtop him. Cristobal grabbed ahold of the bucking wolf's hips to stop her, and the lovely wolf gave him a questioning look.
“Take your time." He grunted. “I'll finish too early."
“Okay. I'll try." She nibbled her lip and kept a slow but steady motion.
“Thanks." He sighed as Anushka lowered her upper body and began nuzzling his face with her muzzle. Cristobal kissed her damp nose before smooching her furry lips. Her dexterous tongue lapped at his entire face with loving care. His arms wrapped around her head, and he rubbed her fluffy cheeks and ears. The wolf's breath and scent wafted around him like an intoxicating odor.
“I want to… make love to you… all night." He said through passionate breaths and kisses. The human received a lusty growl for an answer.
“You better keep that promise." She nibbled his jaw and kept grinding her hips while the moonlight still shined on them.
***
Cristobal found himself awake in the peaceful darkness of the night. Simply laying on a deer pelt, completely still, there was no reason to get up yet. The moonlight was shining nearby, covering part of the floor with a bright silvery glow. He could hear the crickets chirping and frogs croaking outside, creating pleasant tunes to fall back asleep to. It was no different than his home in the small city of Pirovici, several days travel southeast. The subtle coolness in the air went unnoticed.
Anushka was sleeping beside him. Simply laying there, pressed snugly against her furry body, gave him all of the warmth he needed. One of his legs was trapped somewhere between both of her thighs while an arm rested across his chest. Cristobal didn't want to move an inch. Being loved felt wonderful, but he almost didn't know how to handle it all at once. There was the nervousness from so much direct attention; the sudden rush of happiness that mingled with many other emotions; and of course, the lovemaking.
'Would it have been better to have a little fun in the woods?' Cristobal thought quietly to himself about how he could've handled her teases in the forest after the ceremonial chase. Romping around in nature sounded nice, and alluring, but would anyone care if they were found? It thrilled and terrified him at once. However, the feeling was fleeting. He was starting to dread leaving the wolf village tomorrow.
'How did that happen?' He asked himself. His original reason for visiting was to help establish a trade relationship between his family, the Modigliani, and the tribal wolf village. It was a task that he wasn't fond of, but saw the value in a new adventure. The last thing on his mind was expecting to enjoy it all. Yet, he had so much fun over the past three days. The villagers were kind for the most part and welcoming. The food was delicious, the hospitality warm, and the tribal games enjoyable.
'She is very beautiful.' He smiled and thought about the naked female wolf sprawled alongside him. Sure, all of the female wolves were just as naked, but out of them all he only liked her. Her light cream furred front and darker brown sides and extremities were always soft and well groomed. Her flirty personality and sweet nature was always pleasant to be around. She didn't treat him any differently that he was a human, from a city, or from a different class.
Cristobal briefly wondered how she would react to smelling a freshly baked pie from a bakery window across the street. He could imagine the sudden gleam in her eyes as she would tilt her nose into the air. Maybe she would give an excited bark or hurry to the origin of the smell? Although, the merry thoughts of such little moments faded into reality.
'My parents are trying to arrange a wedding for me back home.' He silently thought about his parents, but couldn't entirely blame them for their actions. After all, marriage bridged two families together, even if it wasn't what the individual wanted. He didn't even know the name of the family they were currently considering, or whether they were human or not. There were the Della Verta, a family of humans known for their connections to the wool and cloth industry: the Artois, a family of red and grey foxes who were proficient in winemaking: and the Pitigliano, another human family heavily involved in politics who were closely related to the ruling feudal lord.
The politics of city life would also become a headache once again. Keeping tabs on city council policy, the feudal lord's wishes, aristocrats, guilds' actions, grain prices, bookkeeping, and so much more. Cristobal wanted to tell her all of his worries, but held everything inside. He scrunched his eyes shut in frustration only to relax and sigh.
'I hope the sun takes its time rising in the morning.' With a little prayer, Cristobal wished to be in Anushka's embrace for at least for another moment. In her arms, he found that she was the best source of peace in his world. The human gradually fell asleep once again while the crickets chirped peacefully outside in the moonlight.