Jules Quickblade - Revised introduction
#2 of Jules Quickblade
This revised work includes all the changes I made to her story to fix my goof about where Bannihar is (rocky instead of forrest) as well as her 'morning after' talk with Dresna that leads up to the expedition to Zion.
I slowed my wagon, it was the lead in a caravan of three, and pulled up beside the very deadly looking hound by the side of the road, it was Jules, everyone had heard of him, but very few knew him. Jules ran a small gang beyond the west side of the city walls, where things lurk in the crags waiting to kill and consume the unwary. Jules for the most part was considered one of the things that lurked waiting to kill.
My four guards I had hired marched up beside my wagon, two of them were my usual, they looked at ease but I knew they would fight if it was needed, the other two looked positively ready to jump into a scrap. "Wait, Jerome, Richard, pull those two pups back, last thing we need is to lose half our guards just into the trip." I jumped down from the wagon after tying the reins to the cart. "Jules, as always its a mixed blessing seeing you. So what's it today? Cutting all our throats and taking everything or can we maybe play dice for our lives?" I tried to sound serious, but as I Stepped forward we clasped forearms.
"Good to see you out here again Dresna, is my favourite little rat up for the usual trade?" The whipcord-strong brigand asked with a grin to take the sting from the very literal description of myself.
"Yeah, got the gear in my wagon..." He had walked right past me, to grab the hands of one of his cohort as it was reaching into my wagon.
"Git your hands off the merchant's goods or I will have the damn things for my meal tonight!" He growled at the slightly larger grey-wolf. "They come here willing to trade food and salt for a guide through these lands, significantly less work than we usually have to do for such a prize, and you thank them by trying to steal! I should throw you into the city for that."
I glared around, I could probably take the wolf in a fight, but I knew not only could Jules take him, he would rip him to shreds.
We rounded on the rear of my wagon together, "How has the autumn been so far Jules, your lads look a little thin around the bone for this time of year?" I asked, showing him the goods I had brought.
"Yeah, not much on the roads these days, its just not as safe out here for travellers as it used to be." He chuckled at this, "If I could find more merchants willing to pay for this service it would almost make an honest dog of me." Now I laughed.
"Jules, you like more than you have too much to settle for a sedate job like leading poor innocent city bread whelps through this uncompromisingly harsh jungle." We were both having a good laugh now.
Later that evening, with Jules and his group shadowing our caravan we drew up at the camp site they had indicated, it was still a little before sun-down, and the other caravanners were grousing about lost daylight. "Look you lot, you signed on to follow me out here, this is the last safe camp for almost a days travel, we either stop here and lose some light or risk some nasty, night time surprises later on tonight."
A few tried to work up the wherewithal to argue but with Jules wandering around camp making sure things were being set up just 'right' they were acting as scared as field mice, which one of them was.
We travelled well, it was on the fourth and final day of their escort that we had a problem, a blackwhip had made its home just beside the road and the large animated plant was not inclined to let us pass without a fight.
The first we knew of it, of course, was the scream of one of Jules men in front of us.
"Crap, Jed! What's up there?" Jules yelled, realising stealth was no option now we had been attacked.
"Blackwhip, Jules!" A distant yell brought back.
"Fuck for fucks sake, Dresna, you got anything that is flammable? If that's a blackwhip we need to burn it out of its holes or it will pick us off one by one."
Accepting the order from the regional expert in 'staying alive in the wild' I reached for my can of lamp oil, thankful I hadn't had the coin to spend on the new wizard-made lanterns. "Will this do?" I offered it and it was received in short order.
He loped off along the track, following his senses.
A few minutes later a roar sounded ahead along with a fountain of flame into the air, and later still Jules came back to camp alone, some fur on his arm singed. "Its safe now, damn thing got all but one of my men." He sighed as he neared my wagon, "At least the food will go further now. Guess it'll be my job to scout." And with that he was off again.
We ran into no more danger before reaching the edge of the his 'territory', the roads ahead carrying much less risk. I couldn't help but think that I was safer behind on the road with the brigand guarding me than I would be in the more open lands ahead.
I called, "Jules, got a minute?"
He trotted over and I leaned down close. "I don't care what the city guard say, sign on as a guard and I will keep you in food and whores till the day you die." At his quick glance to the side, toward the younger male, formerly the youngest of his gang, I added, "Him too, no questions asked, I bring enough coin to the city that they won't ask questions."
"Babe, as much as I love the idea of settling down with you, it..." A flash of something pure and wild swept through the hound, "I can't stop this, this life, it may be dangerous, it may be illegal, but its freedom. I wouldn't trade this for anything, even survival." He lowered his eyes, unsaid was the 'even you'.
"Very well, I can't force you, but know that I will have some ears open around the cities, let it known your looking for me and I can set it up. Just, if you do, don't bring too many strays eh?" I left him with that, moving my wagon on into the low country.
-
I watched the wagons pull away, knowing a part of my heart went with them, she was the only person I ever felt bad about lying to.
"Well squirt, looks like we got some miles to cover before dark, and a load to carry. Lets make a start." I hefted half the meat onto my back, ready to start the hike back.
The instant pain in my side was the only warning I got, the pup, his muzzle close to my ear, "Fuck you, I ain't risking my life just so you can live your fucked up dream out here, I am out of this. And so are you." I felt the knife drive a little deeper. The blade dug between two ribs into my back.
I lay face down on the rocky ground, struggling to breath around a lung full of fluid. After a while, realising I wasn't going to die quickly, I made the concious effort to live. Levering myself so my good lung was higher than the drowning one, I opened the sack of goods I was carrying, and after some hunting found what I was looking for, salt.
Gritting my teeth I started to douse the wound in the crystals, I yelled, I screamed. Jaw open wide I made sure everything around me and the world in general knew that yes I was wounded, but I was pissed off.
When the blackness faded it was mid-way through the next morning, the sun high in the canopy already. I reached down to my water and opened it, taking long gulps but saving the last for one more needed task. Gritting my teeth again I poured the water onto the wound, soaking my back.
I felt around the wound, it wasn't puffy, at least the kid hadn't used a dirty blade. Howling again at the re-application of the salt I managed to use the anger, channel it and worked my way to my feet.
I couldn't blame the kid for what he did, if I had the choice I wouldn't live this way, but I knew there was worse ways to live.
I started out back toward Bannihar.
Reaching the cleared area around the city a week later, I was almost delirious, the wound hadn't gone septic, but something had stolen the meat from me the second night, and my body was now on the verge of collapse. A wounded hunter couldn't hunt.
I slowly made my way to the gate of the city, a place I swore I would have no more to do with.
"Well, what have we here?" A soldier said, sneering. "Is this some whippet come crawling for scraps?"
"Private, what have I told you about thinking?" A big leopard said, and when I fell down and couldn't get up he added, "Shit, get me a cleric and some food."
When I woke, I was laying on a low bed in front of a fire. My ears swivelled lightning quick when a voice beside me spoke, "That was a close thing, you are an unusual species to say the least, hardy though. The Sergeant has put you down as being a recruit, he said it would pay for what its cost to revive you, since you didn't have any coin." The female Rabbit said, "I bet you are feeling hungry about now? Here, have this." And she handed over a huge platter of assorted meats and vegetables. Eschewing the plant matter I tore into the protein, having a dietary requirement of 'meat only' was tough some of the time, but when the meat was this good, it made up for it.
"I have truly never seen a species like yours. Don't fear, I have not undressed you any further than was needed to treat the wound, your modesty is intact sir." If I could, I would breath a sigh of relief, but with a mouth full of... hrmm, cow, yes cow, it was hard to make any sound apart from those only a cook would appreciate.
Just then the big cat from earlier came in, excused the cleric and sat down beside the bed after being sure the door was closed.
"I know your profession Jules, although a lot will not know you by name." At my start he chuckled, "Be at ease, I ain't telling anybody about it, far as I can see we can both do each other a favour. You see I have to operate a squad of soldiers on patrol just inside the jungle, starting next week, frankly, I am shit scared of the place. Everything I have heard about it tells of predators and monsters that would leave not much left of my men. But the one thing I kept hearing, was of a brigand who lived out there, who was more at home with those monsters than any creature should be. What I wouldn't give to have that man as a scout for my squad."
I looked up at him, "And what if you can't find him? What if all you can find is an injured whelp who can barely fire a bow and couldn't track if you put him on a road? What then?"
"Well, I would have to take what I can get, and consider the owing of a debt to the guard, and also have to inform the Church that that debt could be transferred to them..."
I cursed, very obnoxiously about the lineage of soldiers and priests.
"I take that as a 'yes sir'?" The big cat grinned down at me.
"Fuck you." I muttered, "Yeah, you got your trained dog."
It was then the big cat reached forward, inquisitively, and poked at my jaw. "Just how big is that mouth mr wolf?"
I replied by opening my mouth wide, almost getting the jaw to hinge back till it was almost a strait line from my nose to my chin.
"Holy fuck, what are you?" He said, pulling back.
I closed my mouth. "Yours now, apparently."
-
Sergeant Coleson wasn't all that bad, he did what he had to, he kept my secret, he didn't ask any more of me than what he had initially.
I was in a tavern one night, spending some of my meagre allowance, given to me after a chunk was deducted to cover the costs of my healing, on ale. I could hold my ale well, I was just into my fourth pint when she walked in. It was a common pub, one close by the west gate, one that now held Dresna.
I was too stunned to react, and so when she swept the crowd with her eyes, she noticed me sitting staring back, she made a show of grabbing a drink and picking a table at random, mine of course.
"You have come to take up my offer?" Were the first words from her mouth.
"I think we need a private room if we are going to chat about things... best left unknown." I replied, finishing my drink and signalling to the barmaid I would have another.
"I just got some rooms upstairs, come on." She urged.
Once we were behind a locked door I just had time to put my drink down when she hugged me tight. "I couldn't find you on the way back, what happened?"
Realising the futility of trying to shrug out of the hug, I wrapped my arms around her and drew her closer, "The kid. He had had enough of the life. Once you were well out of sight he stuck me and left me to die."
She jerked out of the hug, "That little, I wil-" I cut her off.
"No, it was his choice, he knew I wouldn't let him just wander off, he had to do that. It wouldn't have been so bad if some wild animal hadn't stolen my food one night. I staggered up the the gates here and collapsed at a soldiers feet. Long story short, I owe the guard a lot of money for some clerical healing and am working it off scouting for them. Its not a bad life..." I lost it there, and found myself in her tight embrace again.
"Shh, I will fix this, however much it is, I will settle it and you can come work for me." I wanted to believe it, I really did, but...
Then she drew back from me, just a little, and without a warning to her action leaned back in and kissed me.
It was a moment before I realised I was enjoying it as much as she was, a moment later and I found myself helping her undress, and she me.
When she got to my kilt and I grinned and shucked it down, it came to me all of a sudden, I had never told her.
"Where's... uh, what's up?" She asked, not quite breaking the mood, just curious.
I must have looked embarrassed, she pulled me down onto the bed with her and murmured, "Tell me in your own time."
"I grew up in the wilds, my were both, well, Thylacines, like me. Mum had travelled before she settled down with my dad, her excuse was that it was a relief to finally find a guy built right." At her questioning look I almost choked out, "A split... a double penis. Males of my species are... well endowed." I managed a grin, I knew I was blushing like hell though.
"So, when I was about twelve, they came, it was a group of priests and soldiers, they started yelling that my mother was a demon and that we needed to be cleansed. Father managed to hide me, but my brothers, my parents..." I was in tears on her shoulder now.
She let me cry it out, the first time in my life I had told another soul, there was a lot of pent up emotion to get out.
When I calmed back down she asked, "So then you started as a brigand?"
"No." I replied, "I tried to hunt down the soldiers, their path ended at the gates to this city. I almost died several times trying to break in, eventually I sucked up every ounce of anger and hatred and left this place to make my home in the woods. Only, the first gang I joined, the leader was very... liberal in his appreciation of women, the first raid I slit his throat when he tried to rape the daughter of the carriage occupant. I knew at that time, that I would not stand for that, for two reasons. One, it is just wrong, no one should ever have to suffer at the hands of someone stronger, and two, as a woman myself I couldn-" I didn't get any further.
"Oh babe, is that what's been bothering you?" She cut in, "You know I am a rat of liberal tastes in merchandise, what made you think it would not extend to the bedroom?"
At my astonished look she kissed me again, this time I gave in and reciprocated, I felt one of her paws slide to my chest, instinctively seeking what she knew from experience should be there.
I broke the kiss for a moment, "Wrong place, down south a little." I murmured.
She took the advice, seemingly as interested to explore a different body structure as she was horny.
When her hand reached down below my pouch and rose up under the fold of skin I gasped out loud, reaching for her in response. Gripping her firm breast in one hand, I broke the kiss and lowered my muzzle to her other, capturing the little nub of flesh at its peak in my front teeth very carefully.
Her gasp and reaction of sliding her fingers up and down my vent made me arch my back and mewl out in pleasure, "Please... don't stop." I managed, moving my own hand down to the softness of her groin.
She began working a finger into my vent, I returned the favour when she gasped, "What, you have..."
She then slid another finger into my second opening, the world around me became fuzzy as my body exploded, drowning out all feeling but what Dresna was doing to me.
I was panting over her shoulder, trying to focus when she said, "Wow, you were quick. Is th-" I silenced her with a kiss as I spun around aiming my tongue for her slit, the action silencing any further discussions for the rest of the night.
-
I woke slowly, my body wrapped around Dresna, spooning her slighter form, one of my hands still cupped a breast.
I lay there, drinking in the sounds and feeling of her against me, letting the thoughts of what we had done run through my mind.
"Mmm, that feels nice." She said sleepily. It was then I realised I had been unconsciously kneading her breast while ruminating on the nights activities.
"Sorry love, didn't mean to wake you." I murmured softly in her ear, although I hadn't stopped my attention to her chest.
"That's ok, I don- wait" She turned slowly in my arms, looking at me directly in the eyes, hers were icy blue, and very very beautiful. "Do you mean that, what you just said. I have always been attracted to you but-"
I silenced her with a long kiss, she didn't struggle, well, not after a few seconds, not that my hands had were both free and working busily.
She broke the kiss with a moan and, with a deftness belying her sleepy state, pressed a finger into each of my female entrances. I couldn't move or think, locked in the sudden bliss her fingers perpetrated upon me.
"I love you too Jules" Was the words that finally penetrated my fuzzy brain.
"Do... do you mean that?" I managed, despite the distractions.
She ceased all activities and kissed me softly, "Of course I do, lover.".
She returned to her task with due diligence, leaving me gasping and struggling to return the favour.
At last our hormones let us rest, we rose and dressed. I climbed back into my much-loved tartan kilt and put my uniform on over the top of it, leaving only a slight hem of my families heritage-pattern showing. Thankfully most people just saw the uniform and plopped the title 'Guard' on me and didn't look any further, and since I wasn't one for the current youths trend of layering on too much jewellery the church members around the guardhouse overlooked such a slight display.
I playfully 'helped' Dresna get dressed, she wore clothing suitable for her trade usually, but right now she was wearing a very pretty dress I just couldn't stop myself from touching her in. "Hands of damn it, let me get decent so we can go downstairs.".
I let her finish and we both went down, stealing glances back and fourth as we descended to the floor of the 'merchant's tavern'.
As we sat down opposite each other, I noticed out of the corner of my eye some people stealing glances at us, I felt myself blushing, "Why do they keep looking at us?" I asked Dresna plaintively.
"Possibly because the two most beautiful girls in the room are at the same table, faces flushed after a night AND a morning spent making each other squeal." She replied quietly.
I looked back to her sharply after trying to get the serving girls attention, "Please, I... I don't know if I could handle it if... if people knew I..."
She saved me by saying, "If people knew you were female? Babe, its ok, others will look at us and think 'Damn, she nailed the most handsome guy in town' and 'Wow, he sure managed to hook up with a sugar-momma'. None of them will see you for what you are, the most amazing person I have ever met."
The serving girl arrived and we ordered, after that, I turned the conversation to our future, "So what now? How do we continue?"
"Well, I will buy out any remaining of your debt, sweep you off your feet and take you back out into that world you love so much. How does that sound?" She said, and I felt my blush return.
"I... there's going to be an expedition to Zion, the last delegation sent didn't make it, I... I told the sergeant I would escort them. Just let me do this one last thing for the man. He saved my life that first time, and despite me having returned the favour a few times, I still feel I owe him one more." I told her.
She frowned, "Ok, you get that, but I have two absolute conditions, these are non-negotiable if you want to do this." At my nod she continued, "One, you get your arse back to me, I don't care if your in a fight and all about to be wiped out, leave them to their fate and come back to me." I nodded again, "And two, your not a common species Jules, hell I have not seen another of your kind here in Bannihar, what I ask is that if you find a male of your species, one who is willing, have him bed you. I would hate to have your beautiful face be the last of your kind I see."
I was shocked by this, "Dras, what..." I paused, still unable to continue.
"No, there is no compromise, you will agree to these provisions if you are willing to embark on this mission, otherwise I pay out your debt and drag you off to my caravan and chain you down as my slave for the rest of your days..." At the end she was grinning and pausing slightly between words, obviously making up her dream on the fly.
I gulped, raised my right arm and, when she did the same, clasped forearms with her. "Ok, but there's still a week to go before we depart, do you have any idea what we can do to pass the time till then?" I answered trying to look as innocent as I could.
"I could think of about, hrmm, one 'thing' I could do." She replied and was punctuated by our food arriving.