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UNEXPECTED - CHAPTER 3

"RELATIONS"

Endeval stood with his arms around Angela. He had no idea how long they had been standing there, and he really didn't care. In the bitter wind, her body was warm and wonderful pressed against his chest. All of the fears and doubts he had been having about the morning bled away in clear, salty drops that fell to her shoulder and rolled off of her fine jacket. He was beside himself at the moment, one part of his mind gasping in relief that she was still willing to be his friend, and the other taking detailed note of how soft and cozy she felt pressed against his body. Endeval felt her arms shift a little where they encircled his chest and hurriedly composed himself. Without letting go, he straightened and leaned back. Bright emerald orbs turned up to look into his. Angela's ears flickered questioningly, and one soft, furry hand rose to gently swipe at a trail of moisture on his cheek. Endeval gave her a sad smile.

"Yeah I know. I seem to be crying a lot lately..."

The female watched his face change, and then slowly smiled back, causing the human's heart to jump at her expression. She rubbed her thumb and forefinger together, squinting a little, and then turned to look back up at him, ears forward alertly.

** *N'dvaal, sb'aa d'toaa'niu n'clyaa l'ntiee? M'tmaa l'tleio t'a sb'aa'niu dt'hai ncl'b'nantee. M'a t'qntaa g'shee.***

** ** Endeval shook his head gently.

"I really wished I knew what you were saying."

Angela huffed and rolled her eyes to stare up in the air. She paused for a long moment, and then used a finger to point at his shoulder.

"N'dvaal...m...maarrk."

The human male gaped at her a little.

"Yes. I took the mark too. I did it because I couldn't stop them from hurting you. I'm sorry for that."

The furry female seemed to catch one word.

"Soorry?"

Endeval nodded his head. His arm was still throbbing as a reminder of what just happened.

"Yes. Sorry. M'tnaa r'yrrsa, Angela."

The human pointed at her left shoulder as he said it, prompting the female native to nod in understanding. She paused thoughtfully, as though she wanted to say more. Endeval chewed his bottom lip with nervousness. Granted, she seemed to have forgiven what had happened in the forge, probably due to his own marking, but it remained to be seen where they stood as far as the level of understanding and trust that had begun to develop. The human had gone out of his way to show her that he wasn't like others, and now he could only hope it was enough to see him through on this. Angela shook her head and seemed to be satisfied for the moment, so he gestured with one hand in the direction of the inn.

"Ready to go?"

The furry female turned in the direction of his gesture as Endeval moved to take a step. Angela stepped up next to him as they started down the wooden sidewalk. Two buildings down, there was a narrow alleyway that the human had not seen earlier. Thinking back, he really had not been paying attention to much at all on his miserable walk to the blacksmith. Now, he glanced down the alley and what he saw actually made him stop dead in his tracks. While he had noticed a few people wandering around the main square earlier, now Endeval could see several dozen individuals moving around at the end of the alleyway. Unlike the people doing business in the main, these people appeared to be dressed in less formal clothing, and there appeared to be children as well. Even more curious, the odor of baked goods wafted up the alley on the gentle breeze. Beside him, Angela suddenly sniffed the air and Endeval's stomach growled, so he smiled over at the female native.

"Smells like breakfast! Want to check it out?"

Angela cocked her head to the side, ears flicking, but when he stepped towards the alley, she was right by his side. The two were walking close together, arms brushing, when suddenly Endeval felt her slip her hand into his. He stifled a gasp of surprise and grinned widely as her fingers intertwined with his own. They were hand in hand when the alleyway opened into an open plaza about half the size of the main square behind them. Dozens of people wandered from shop to shop around the open area. Women in long dresses watched as young children squealed and played despite the cold air. Open market stores and shops lined the walkways. The area in the center was filled with kiosks and playground equipment. One side of the plaza was an open stage with rows and rows of wooden benches lined up for the audience. There were people everywhere, shopping, playing, and watching the show. Endeval began to suspect that this was the actual hub of the town, as opposed to the main square. He and Angela stopped to gawk for a moment.

Among all of the humans, dozens of Alemucians followed along behind, or carried parcels, or watched children. The two, still holding hands, began to garner some attention. The humans glanced their way and flashes of disapproval or outright hostility crossed their features. Natives who looked their way wore gazes of open astonishment and incredulity. One native slowed as he passed until Angela gave him a hard shake of her head. Endeval noticed the stares and dismissed them as he zeroed in on a stand selling pastries. He started across the square as he smiled back at the female.

"Let's get something to eat first, ok?"

The human led her to the kiosk by the hand. As they approached, the chubby blonde woman at the stand turned and smiled in their direction. Her dark green scarf and matching gloves fit snugly over her dark brown coat as she continued to rinse something out of sight below the counter. The smile faltered for just a second as her gaze drifted down and spotted the pair holding hands, but it returned full force when Endeval stepped up to the counter.

"What's good today?"

The blonde gestured around the stand.

"Everything! Of course!"

The human male chuckled and sniffed the air again.

"Ok. How about this? What is that incredible smell? It's all the way down the alley!"

The chubby blonde turned and pointed.

"Just made a batch of puffed pastries! Want some?"

Endeval nodded, looked at Angela, and then grinned.

"Give me a dozen then, please. What do you have to drink?"

The woman paused in her packing of the pasties and nodded over her shoulder.

"Want some T'nnit berry tea?"

The human male blinked.

"Um...sure. What's that?"

The blonde vendor emitted a high, musical laugh.

"It's a local delicacy! I bet your...uh...lady friend here knows what it is!"

Endeval's gaze slid sideways to the female native beside him. Angela watched the exchange with interest. At the mention of the tea, her ears had perked up significantly. The human chuckled and held up two fingers.

"I'll take two of your largest, please!"

The blonde nodded, set the paper-wrapped pastries on the counter, and turned to pour two big cups of tea from a silver pitcher on a gel-burning stove. She turned back to the counter and set plain lids on the thin clay cups.

"That will be...fifteen credits, please."

Endeval handed her a twenty credit chit and gathered up the pastries. Angela reached for the cups, her nostrils twitching as she sniffed at one. The human grinned and led her to a nearby open table with two chairs. He pulled out the chair for his native companion and then sat down next to her. Angela took a sip from one of the cups, sighed happily, and then offered the other to Endeval. The human took a sip and grinned in surprise at the pleasant, warm burst of flavor, almost like cherries.

"Wow! This is really good!"

The furry female grinned back at him, both hands wrapped around her cup for warmth. The human unwrapped the paper and handed a pastry to Angela. The female glanced at her hands, and then cocked her head at him. The human chuckled and reached over to hold the pastry just in front of her mouth. Angela smiled toothily, opened her jaws, and then took a seductive bite from the treat. Endeval raised an eyebrow in surprise, and then, smiling back, was rewarded with an eyebrow raise of his own when he proceeded to take a bite from the same pastry. The pair sat still for a moment, and then burst out in chuckles as they chewed. Over the next several minutes, Endeval continued to feed him and Angela, pausing only to sip at his delicious tea.

Soon the treats were gone and the two rose from the table. Hand in hand again, they began to browse the stores and shops spaced around the square. Many of the humans wandering the plaza gave the pair disapproving glances, and several of the natives stared in astonishment until receiving a sharp glance from Angela. Endeval cared very little. As they wandered, his entire focus was on the wonderful female native who accompanied him. Despite the horrific events of the morning, Angela seemed relaxed and comfortable in his company. She smiled at him often, leaning in against him or snuggling on his arm. The former soldier relished every contact, pulling her close and wrapping an arm around her whenever he could. The throbbing pain in his shoulder was the only lasting reminder of what had happened that morning, and Endeval strove mightily to ignore the nagging burn. As far as he was concerned, he had dodged a bullet with the branding, since Angela appeared to be more than willing to continue developing their relationship.

The two spent quite a bit of time shopping the small stores. Endeval purchased the female native some new gloves and a matching scarf. As he wrapped the thick, warm fabric around her neck, he grinned when she lifted her chin to allow him to tie it off. Afterwards, the two purchased more T'nnit Berry teas and sat at a bench near the stage. A human ventriloquist with a comical stuffed anklo on his arm entertained the audience for quite a while. Despite not knowing the language, Angela seemed to be fascinated, leaning against Endeval as she sipped at her cup. The next act was a puppet show, displayed in an elaborately decorated box on the stage. The female native giggled and clapped along through the whole show, turning to smile at the human beside her in delight. Endeval enjoyed the show as well, but not so much the one on the stage. His eyes seemed to drift sideways to watch the female every chance he could. After what seemed like hours, the shows ended and the parents began to gather up their children. Endeval found that the narrow alleys and closed space of the plaza tended to block nearly all of the fiercely cold wind, making it an ideal spot for the festivities. As the mismatched couple rose to leave, the former soldier spotted a heavily-laden Alemucian male trailing along behind a human woman drop a few of his packages. The smartly dressed woman turned and gave him a fierce scowl.

"Benjamin! Don't you dare break any of those!"

The woman just stood and frowned irritably as the poor native attempted to squat and recover the boxes. Endeval broke away from his grip on Angela and dropped to one knee beside him to help. The woman gave him a look of outrage as Benjamin sputtered in surprise.

"B...b...but...I pick up! No have need!"

The human male just shook his head as he gathered the scattered parcels. He started trying to organize the small packages so they would be easier to carry.

"It's fine. Let me give you a hand."

The sputtering native glanced over Endeval's shoulder and froze, all while the fancy dressed woman sniffed loudly in enmity. The human male turned and looked up at the sharply dressed woman with a frown.

"I'm sorry, is there a problem here?"

The woman gave him an unbelieving stare.

"What do you think you're doing?"

Endeval glanced at the native and then back up at her.

"I'm helping him pick this stuff up?"

The woman spluttered in irritation.

"Let him pick it up! He shouldn't have dropped it in the first place!"

The former soldier felt a wave of annoyance coming on for himself as he carefully stacked the boxes in the native's arms.

"The poor guy has his hands full..."

"Of MY things! Now he's throwing them all over the place!"

"He wasn't throwing them, they just slipped free..."

"He should have held on better!"

"Get a grip lady. I mean, you should give the poor guy a break..."

"Don't tell me what to do. He's a Mook, he's the one who should have got a grip!"

"Really? He's carrying YOUR stuff around, and you're yelling at him because his arms are too full?"

"It's his job. He should do it correctly!"

"It's his job because you make him do it, not by his choice..."

"So? He's not human. It's his place!"

"Are you for real? When did we start assigning places?

"When I bought his tag. I paid a lot for him and he needs to get up and do what I'm saying...NOW."

"There's no need to be so mean to him. What happened to simple human kindness?"

"He's not human, so he's beneath us!"

"He's a living, breathing, THINKING being. Not an animal..."

"He doesn't even look human. He's an alien!"

"Last I heard, lady, we invaded THEM!"

Endeval nearly roared the last, his irritation with the woman flaring up his anger. All around him, dozens of people, human and alien alike, had stopped to watch the argument. The human male could hear multiple whispering from every direction as some natives translated his words for others not so well versed in Common. The native called Benjamin stood off to one side, his ears laying back across his skull in fear. Angela stood beside him, one ear tuned on Endeval and the other listening to a native whispering off to the side. The former soldier ignored them both, his attention focused on the scowling woman in front of him. The woman puffed up in outrage, preparing an angry retort, when a man dressed in black uniform pushed through the crowd.

"What's going on here?"

Endeval turned and looked to find it was the same black-suited guardsmen from the front gate. His steely glare bounced between the two humans as his lips compressed to a thin line.

"Well?"

The fancy dressed woman began to open her mouth, but Endeval cut her off.

"Nothing. I stopped to help pick up some packages and I inadvertently started an argument."

The dark-haired militiaman frowned at him.

"Councilman Barbados, right? Why am I still having issues with ya around?"

At the sound of his title, the other woman looked at him in surprise, her mouth hanging open. All around him, the other humans were also gaping. Endeval sighed and shook his head.

"I'm sorry. I was waiting for the Magistrate's office to open and was trying to find something to pass the time."

The guard's eyes slid to the female behind him.

"I see. Did ya take care of that little issue from last night?"

Endeval turned to look at Angela. She was standing quietly, watching the conversation. Benjamin, with his hands full, was standing a few feet away and, with the way his eyes kept snapping down from her face, was trying not to stare at her. The former soldier turned back and nodded.

"Yes. We went this morning."

The guard rubbed his short goatee and stared for a moment, and then gestured with his hand.

"Yer going to have to forgive me but I want to see fer myself."

Endeval blinked in surprise.

"What?"

The guard gave him a stern look.

"By authority of Branton Security Division, any government employee may demand ta see a mark of sponsorship. I want ta see hers."

Endeval paused for a second as the crowd around seemed to silence. Gritting his teeth, he turned and waved Angela closer. Ignoring his own throbbing shoulder, he gently started to undo the buttons on her flap. The female looked up at his face in surprise, but when she saw his frown she quickly glanced at the guard in understanding. When the former soldier finally opened the flap, the female native turned with no prompting and displayed her newly-acquired burn scar under the clear gauze wrapping. Endeval turned and stood next to her.

"Is this what you need?"

The dark-haired man leaned over for a better look, and then nodded. As Endeval turned to help button up the flap, the guard turned his head and nodded again.

"Magistrate just got back from the mine. Office should be open around four."

"What time is it now?"

"Near about three thirty."

Ignoring the stares of the crowd, the former soldier nodded and turned towards the alleyway in which they had entered. To his delight, the furry female snuggled up under his arm and pressed her body against his side. Looking over at her, Endeval smiled warmly and tucked her in close. It amazed him at how quickly the day had passed by as he had spent time with her. She was so easy to be around now, he felt as though he had known her for years. He gave her a little squeeze of gratitude with his arm, to which she smiled at him in reply. Without saying a word, Endeval led them both to the inn. When they walked in the front door, they were met by the thin, stern woman from the night before. She frowned when she saw the two of them so close together, but her tone was civil.

"I understand you asked for us to hold your room?"

Endeval nodded.

"Yes please. Just in case we may need it. I would prefer an early morning start to just a couple of hours travel tonight."

The thin woman nodded.

"Fine. I can take payment now, and then I'll have someone clean the room. Do you still want the extra bed items?"

The human male nodded again as he dipped into his belt satchel, and then remembered his soreness from this morning.

"Would you be so kind as to add some padding? The floor is quite hard."

The woman's eyes flicked to Angela. Endeval realized she must have been thinking that it was the native, not him, who was using the pallet. He said nothing to discourage the idea as the woman took his credits and nodded again.

"I think we can find something. I'll see to it."

"Thank you. Now, if you don't mind, I need to retrieve my wagon. See you later."

The woman's eyes followed them out the door. The couple stayed hand in hand as they approached the entrance to the stables. As Endeval reached to knock at the door, it swung open smartly and the small, thin alien appeared with a smile.

"Hi Boss! Need something? Take good care of team!"

The human grinned at the excited native and patted his shoulder with his free hand.

"Thank you! Would you mind getting my wagon and team ready? I need to pick something up this afternoon."

The small native male nearly danced in place.

"Sure Boss! Be back in jiffy!"

The little alien dashed away into the dark recesses of the stables. Endeval watched him go with a small smile. It felt good to know he was able to help yet another native in this horrible situation. The credits he had bestowed on the small alien yesterday should easily feed him for a week, if not a little longer. Not only that, but the human found himself quite liking the brilliant smile on the little native's face. He was still feeling pretty good when a soft tap on his chest drew his attention to the female at his side. Angela was smiling up at him thoughtfully as she murmured quietly.

*Q'reaa'niu m'hai l'wee. T'ia g'gtea'rt'niu r'ae j'nai ts'raa h'clnia g'mree d'lonaa. M'a v'nioo t'shia b'tsha'niu.*

Endeval had to read her facial expressions to get the gist of her words. He surmised that she was pleased at how he treated the small native.

"I do what I can, when I can. I wish I could do the same for all of them."

The furry female continued to smile up at him, her ears flicking as she tried to read his face. They were standing and grinning at each other when the little native brought the team out, leading them by the front harness. His eyes widened a little when he saw the display of body language, but then he grinned at the human.

"All ready, Boss!"

Endeval smiled and dug blindly into his satchel. He pushed a credit chit into the smaller alien's palm before starting around the wagon. The little native peeked into his hand and gasped loudly. The human was just helping his female companion up into the wagon when the slight male rushed around and tugged at his coat.

"Boss! Give me much! Make mistake!"

Endeval looked down into the alien's open palm where he was holding it up for inspection. One of the thousand dollar credits that were originally in his satchel lay gleaming in the diminutive native's hand. The human regarded the credits for a moment, and then gave the small alien a sly grin.

"What's your name?"

Confused, the little native cocked an ear and answered.

"I...I Namath, Boss."

Endeval smiled and reached down to curl the alien's fingers around the credit chit.

"Well, Namath. I have a VERY important load coming back here that I need to keep safe. I need someone who will watch it for me and make sure my wagon team is well tended for the night. If you would do that for me, then I think that would more than earn those credits. Are you willing?"

Namath's shocked expression was nearly comical. Wide, astonished eyes drifted down to the chit in his palm as his ears vibrated in the forward position. He practically danced in place.

"Oh yes! Yes! I do that!"

Endeval chuckled at him as he climbed into the bench seat. The little native watched him excitedly and then his eyes went to Angela. He chattered animatedly.

* M'hoi r'ai cd'a d'gooa ts'raa bn'h'mni.R'ae'niu vr'cleaa ho'p'moai m'hai?*

The female looked startled at his statement.

* P'moaa m'hai? M'a rw'oaa p'nlaa t'shoa y'loa.*

Namath bowed low in her direction.

* G'e s'lnaa'rt, sh'lea. T'ia b'waiee rn't'a v're ty'lei'niu r'ae v'niaa ct'm'hai.*

Angela gave a sideways glance at the human next to her before replying.

* M'a r'au. C'laa'niu vt'loi t'a h'clnia niu'rh'nseea. M'a b'lteo w'bmae l'nkaa sw'noa ch'lraa c'ni m'a p'moaa b'oe ct'g'ia f'nai. M'a sw'nea g'hea'niu hi'nr'yr'via.*

The petite alien bowed low again and, with another broad grin, turned and went back inside the stable. Endeval had watched the exchange and looked questioningly at the female native.

"What was that all about?"

Angela shook her head and snuggled up next to him with a smile. The human male regarded her thoughtfully for a moment, and then shrugged, clicked his tongue, and started the wagon on its way. It was a short trip to the magistrate building across the square, so Endeval guided the vehicle through an alley to around behind the structure. As he surmised, the back of the office contained a working dock, parking spaces, and an entrance to the interior. He pulled the handbrake and then jumped down to help Angela from the bench. Grinning playfully, the Alemucian female repeated her little hug at the end of her descent. This time, however, Endeval didn't stiffen, but instead slid his own arms around her waist. He found himself inches away from her muzzle, staring into her brilliant green eyes. They stood like that for an indeterminate amount of time, each trying to garner the secrets of the other through senses alone. The human was ecstatic. For the second time that day he had the furry female in his grasp, warm and solid against his chest. He was still grinning when a soft cough from the side interrupted the moment. The human turned his head to find a short, stocky man in black uniform tapping his foot.

"Are you finished playing with your Mook? Because I would really like to know why you're here."

Endeval didn't even bother to release his grip, but then Angela stepped back and broke their embrace. The former soldier found himself more than a little disappointed and tried not to growl as he addressed the stocky militiaman.

"My name is Endeval Barbados. I'm here to pick up my property."

The man in uniform approached with his hands casually clenched in the small of his back. On his collar sat several gold pips of rank. The man's demeanor and posture indicated someone who was used to being obeyed.

"I'm Commander Arturo. Of what property are you speaking?"

Endeval resisted the urge to snap to attention. Years of military service and conditioning wanted to respond to someone of higher rank. It took a moment, but then he reminded himself that, on this world, he was on the council.

"My native associate was traveling with a strongbox intended for my store. Your men confiscated the box. I was informed that it is here waiting for me to claim it."

The man's eyes slid sideways and he raised an eyebrow as he spotted Angela. The former soldier read his look and quickly intervened.

"Not her! The native was a trader. He was through here about roughly two weeks ago."

The Commander thought for a moment, and then snapped his fingers.

"Ah. Ironbound square box? Local wood?"

Endeval nodded. The ranking militiaman turned without a backward glance and started for the door next to the docks.

"Come along, then. You'll need to sign forms...and pay any fines, before we can give it back."

Angela trailed along as the councilman followed the uniformed man into the building. Inside, the Commander led them to a desk in the back of the dock and gestured for Endeval to sit down. The uniformed man sat behind the desk, pausing to frown slightly as the female native slid into the former soldier's lap. Without missing a beat, the Commander turned and reached for a filing cabinet. Endeval sat and tried to concentrate on the militiaman's words as the weighted warmth of the female on his lap provided plenty of distraction. Arturo continued to review the paperwork aloud, flipping through each page as he spoke and made notes on a paper tablet. After several minutes, the stocky human stopped and slid the tablet across the desk. Endeval leaned forward and nearly choked at the number. Grumbling, he reached for his belt satchel. Angela smirked as he maneuvered his arm around her while trying to get to his belt. The tall human grunted softly with the effort, not because the female was a problem, but because the motion tugged at the fabric of the jacket over his wounded shoulder and he was trying not to let it show. A few minutes later, his satchel was nearly empty and two husky workers in rough clothing were sliding the large box into Endeval's wagon. The former soldier stood on the dock, furry female in his arm, as he watched the dockworkers. It was a few moments before he realized something was missing.

"Hey. Wait a minute. Where are my bags?"

Arturo stood off to one side with his arms crossed, and lifted an eyebrow.

"What bags?"

The taller human gestured at the wagon bed.

"My bags! I had a tent, blankets, and camping supplies all bagged up in the wagon. Now they are gone!"

The stocky commander snorted and glanced around, his arms still crossed

"Despite our work here, we still have a criminal element. Your belongings are most likely moving away from here as we speak."

Endeval ground his teeth in frustration and shook his head sadly.

"I suppose I'll need to stop over at the General Store after this."

Arturo shrugged his indifference and headed back into the building. The councilman helped Angela up into the bench seat of the wagon, flinching as the wound on his shoulder gave a particularly vicious twinge. He pulled out of the dock area and started up the alley. As he pulled in close to the stable at the inn, the female native glanced over at him, one ear flicking in question. He chuckled at her.

"Nothing else needs to leave this wagon tonight. I'll have Namath keep an eye on it while we shop. I can carry bags across the square..."

At the sound of the small alien's name, the female gave an understanding nod. The tall human turned to face the seat, reaching for the key around his neck. Angela rose and turned with him, her eyes watching with interest. He opened the secret compartment and extracted a few more handfuls of credits. Securing the compartment and key, he leaped from the wagon and turned to help her down. As Endeval reached to knock at the door, it opened and revealed the grinning face of Namath.

"Hi Boss! Bring wagon back? Need watch?"

The former soldier grinned back.

"Yes I do! Are you available?"

The petite alien nearly bounced in place.

"Yes! I come now!"

Endeval chuckled as he watched Namath hum happily and lead the wagon team deep into the stables. He turned and glanced at Angela, offering her an arm with a smile. The female native snuggled up, wrapping her arms around his. Together, they proceeded across the square towards the general store. The two squeezed through the door as one and waited for the tinkling bell to announce their arrival. Some few moments later, the smiling Miss Robinson made her appearance from the rear of the store. She stopped and grinned even wider when she spotted the two standing together at the front.

"Well hello there! I remember you!"

Endeval smiled back and patted Angela's hand where it wrapped around his upper arm.

"Hello again, Miss Robinson."

The plump human woman made her way to them; green satin dress swishing with every step, and stopped to regard the pair. Her quick eye took in the way the furry female clung to his arm and her smile grew wider.

"It is good to see you again! I must say it appears things have gone well?"

Endeval glanced at Angela and smiled.

"It was...traumatic, but I found a way to salvage our friendship."

The human woman chuckled.

"Now that is good news! So...is there something I can help you with tonight?"

The tall human nodded.

"Ah, yes. It appears someone has made off with our camping gear and bedding. I was hoping you could supply some replacements?"

The stout woman sighed and nodded her head.

"Of course. It's a shame about your equipment. I have a feeling I know where it went."

Endeval was now curious.

"Where do you think it went?"

Lady Robinson gestured vaguely towards the town.

"I normally wouldn't say anything about it to another human, but I think some of the natives are trying to flee back above the Northern line."

The tall male blinked.

"What happens to them then?"

The plump woman frowned.

"They would have to stay up there. Any native who runs, their tag goes on a list. If they return and are caught, the penalties are terrible..."

Endeval shook his head in frustration. Hearing her words made him even more determined to find a way to help the natives. Robinson noticed his head shake and stepped closer.

"I know what you're feeling. But, like you said before, you can't save them all yet."

The big man sighed and nodded.

"Maybe not yet, but I'm getting more and more determined by the minute."

Lady Robinson grinned up at him and clapped one hand on his shoulder.

"That's the spirit! If everyone felt that way, we would...what? What's wrong?"

The plump woman had inadvertently struck Endeval directly on his wounded shoulder. The former soldier had hissed loudly at the blow and doubled over to clutch at his arm. Angela gasped and bent down next to him, trying to hold him up as best as she could. Endeval gritted his teeth as the agony throbbed through his limb. It was almost as bad as or even worse than when he was branded just this morning. He had been doing his best to deal with the pain all of that day, and now the unexpected shot had inexplicably set off a maelstrom of torment. The short human woman leaned in, her face a mask of concern.

"What's going on?"

Endeval shook his head, still clutching his arm and speaking through clenched teeth.

"It's nothing. I got branded too. It's what I used to show Angela I was protesting her mark."

Robinson sputtered and frowned.

"Oh dear! The native's skin is far tougher than ours! You better let me see that..."

The former soldier grimaced as the two females began to peel off his jacket. Everything came off easily until they reached the sleeve with the injury. The stout human woman peered into the opening and gasped.

"Oh my! It looks as though your jacket is sticking to the wound!"

Endeval had long since folded into a nearby chair. He took several deep breaths and closed his eyes.

"Pull it off, please..."

Robinson blinked at him, and then moved to start working the jacket off of the arm. As the fabric came free, she and Angela both gasped at the raw wound on his shoulder.

"Oh that's...it leaked inside. Your whole sleeve stuck to your arm. This jacket is...and your arm...well...I had better go get some antiseptic."

The plump woman turned and shuffled quickly to the back of the store. The female native knelt in front of Endeval and supported his wounded arm, cooing softly at him. The scorched human blinked away the pain and tried to smile at her despite the mess on his limb. In just a few minutes or so, the Lady Robinson returned, hustling up the aisle with a wooden pail in her hand. She set the pail on the floor and dipped a clean cloth into the contents.

"Now this is what I sell to use on the anklos when they get wounded. It works on humans too, but it's probably going to sting."

The stout woman wrung out the rag and started to clean the mess from Endeval's arm. As she worked her way up from his fingers, she tried distracting him with talk.

"I can't see why you didn't treat this earlier. What were you thinking?"

The male sighed as he watched her work.

"I couldn't think at the time. I just wanted Angela to know that I was willing to suffer with her."

Robinson tsked at him.

"If I were you, I would have taken her back to LandDown. She would have been safe there."

"I wanted to, believe me, but I told her brother I would get her back up North to the Clans. I couldn't move her around without that damn mark."

The plump woman nodded in understanding.

"I guess that would be a problem."

Endeval sighed heavily.

"I just can't believe this is allowed to happen here. When I get back to my store, I'm going to contact the Galactic Counsel and report all of this."

Robinson paused in her cleaning and shook her head.

"You can't. I already tried. The Corporation founded the settlements, so they control the only off-world transmitter. Even if you did find a way, the Corporation maintains a security force in orbit. They monitor all outgoing transmits."

Endeval looked up at her.

"How are they getting away with this? The GFC still outlaws slavery!"

The hefty female shook her head again.

"It's all in the contracting. They use words like 'sponsorship' and 'registration mark' in all of the documentation. With the size of the Galactic Bureaucracy, none of the contracts flag in the normal filters."

The human male shook his head in disbelief and glanced down. Angela was sitting on the floor, her chin in his lap, and watching closely as the Lady Robinson cleaned around his wound. Endeval reached out with his good arm and gently rubbed behind her ear. The furry female glanced up at him, smiled, and then leaned into his touch with her eyes closed. The human grinned at her, and then sucked in a breath as the plump human woman started to gingerly clean his open injury. After a few agonizing moments, the Lady Robinson dropped the cloth into the pail and stepped back.

"That's the best I can do here."

Endeval inspected his arm. The brand was indeed raw and ugly, with a sickening red color of the surrounding flesh. His arm, however, was at least now clean and could begin to heal. Beside him, the human female picked up his jacket from the floor and wrinkled her nose.

"This is completely ruined. I think we should find a new one for you."

Angela spotted the woman holding the jacket, flicked both ears forward, and then suddenly stood up from her spot on the floor. She stepped forward and began to dig into the pockets while the Lady Robinson stared in surprise. After a few seconds of searching, the furry female produced the tube of cream Endeval had dropped in there earlier and turned toward the wounded male. She quickly unscrewed the top and began applying the grey substance to his wound. Endeval sighed in relief as the pain killers began to work. Angela smeared the cream on and then turned to the stout human female.

"Gauze?"

The Lady Robinson blinked in surprise before looking thoughtfully across the store.

"Er...yes, my dear. I have some over there..."

The plump female laid the jacket across a nearby table and started down an aisle. Angela reached into the jacket pocket and retrieved the tape. While she was waiting for the gauze, she leaned over close to Endeval and tapped him gently on the nose. The former soldier grinned up at her sheepishly as she gave him her best admonishing expression.

"I know, I know. I won't do this again."

The furry woman huffed softly at him, and then reached out to ruffle his hair. Endeval continued to grin as he felt the concern from the native woman. It was amazing to him, the change in their relationship now from when they had met just a few days ago. He was still smiling when the Lady Robinson returned with the gauze. Angela took it from her hand and immediately set about wrapping it around his arm. The plump human woman stood back, her sly smile and twinkling eyes watching as she nodded her head in approval. When the furry female finished taping the wound, the Lady Robinson winked at the two as she gathered up the ruined jacket.

"I'll find you a new jacket, and I have some camping gear in stock. It should be perfect for you."

As the plump woman scooped up the pail and walked away, Endeval looked up at Angela.

"Thank you."

The female native looked at him thoughtfully for a moment, and then reached out to put her palm on his cheek. Her soft caress felt incredible to the human, as long-lost feelings stirred in his chest. He gazed up at her for quite a while, just enjoying the blossoming connection between them. When the Lady Robinson returned carrying a new jacket, it took an effort of will for Endeval to turn to look at her. The stout woman held the jacket up for display.

"This is one of the warmest I have. I also brought some gloves and a knitted hat."

The big human smiled at her.

"That looks fantastic! Thank you for everything!"

Robinson smiled and laid the outerwear on a table.

"You can just wear this one when you leave. N'jllaa and I will round up some camping supplies and blankets. Is there anything else you can think you may need?"

"Do you have any travel food? I'm almost out of meat rolls."

The heavyset female smiled again.

"I think I can come up with something..."

Twenty minutes later, Endeval was straining under the weight of an enormous duffel bag packed with supplies. Angela stood to the side with a much smaller satchel filled with smoked meats, dried fruits, and various nuts. There were also some chewy, dense loaves of bread, baked crisps, and sharp cheese to round out the foodstuffs. The human male grunted and chuckled as he shook the bag.

"What the heck did you put in here?"

The Lady Robinson winked at him, hands clasped at her waist.

"Tent items, blankets...camping stuff?"

Endeval shifted the bag strap to a more comfortable position.

"Is it made of lead?"

The stout female tittered and waved her hand at him.

"You are so funny! I just made sure there is enough for the both of you."

The taller human grinned and nodded his thanks.

"I appreciate all of your help. Maybe we will meet again someday."

Robinson nodded her head and smiled as she once again clasped her hands at her waist.

"You're welcome. If you need any help in the future with your...ah...endeavors, please come and see me. In the meantime, I wish the both of you the best."

Endeval nodded again as he and Angela turned to go. He exited the store and slowly made his way across the street, following the furry female to the stables. This time, he had to knock loudly at the door before Namath poked his head out. The little alien grinned when he saw who was standing outside his door.

"Hi Boss! Need help?"

The former soldier smiled at him.

"I wondered if we could put our bags in the wagon?"

"Sure! Come in!"

The petite native swung the door open and ushered the two inside. The smell of dung clung to the interior, but it was faint and there appeared to be fresh straw in ever stall Endeval could see. The stables were not very large, but the tall human, with his own stables at home, could easily see that they were well kept. Only about half of the stalls were in use, but the animals were quiet and content. Endeval took note of everything and it bolstered his confidence in the little native. Obviously Namath took very good care of those in his charge. The small alien turned and led them to the back of the building. The wagon was carefully parked to one side in a large, empty paddock with a locked gate. The two anklos from the wagon team were in stalls directly across the open center. Already, the two animals gleamed from a rub down and were happily munching grains from a pail set in the wooden sides of the pens. Endeval nodded in approval as he took in the sight.

"You do a really good job in here, Namath."

The little native beamed as he started to unlock the paddock gate.

"I like animals, Boss. Need watching like children. Take good care."

The taller human smiled at him.

"Yes. I can see that you do."

Namath vibrated in place at the compliment, his tail high and waving. He pulled open the paddock gate and bowed.

"Ready to go, Boss."

Endeval shrugged the bag from his shoulder and swung it up into the wagon bed. He took the other bag from Angela, who was conversing with the shorter native. When he had added the duffel to the back, he turned just as Namath bowed again to the furry female. Angela said something, and the smaller alien straightened and smiled, his eyes flicking between her and Endeval. The former soldier paused on his way out and patted Namath on the shoulder.

"Thank you, Namath. We will see you in the morning?"

The diminutive alien grinned and bowed.

"Yes Boss! Will have everything clean and ready in morning!"

Endeval chuckled, and then stopped suddenly. He looked down at the little form.

"Namath. What is your name in the tongue of the People?"

The short alien blinked as his ears began to fold back.

"I...I N'mmii, Boss."

The human bowed slightly and gave him a more personal exchange.

"You honor me with your presence, N'mmii. May the sun call to your face for many more years."

The native gawked at him in surprise for a moment, and then bowed back.

"The honor is mine, friend. I will sing to the sun for you when my days end."

Both males straightened and smiled. Namath's posture was curiously more erect and relaxed. Endeval thought for a moment and then posed a question.

"You are from the same clan as Angela?"

The smaller alien's eyes flicked to the furry female before answering.

"I am."

"Do you know her?"

"I do."

Endeval bit his lip before asking.

"Is she...alone? I mean...I kind of don't know anything about her past. Is there anything you can tell me?"

Namath paused for a moment as he thought, and then smiled slyly up at the human.

"You like?"

Endeval cleared his throat nervously.

"Um...yeah, actually. I was taking care of her at first because I made an oath, but now I'm doing it because...well...because she's..."

N'mmii smiled again as his eyes flicked between them.

"What you want from her?"

The human stared thoughtfully for a moment, and then spoke quietly.

"I don't want anything from her that she's not willing to give. I think she's awesome, and I'll do everything I can to keep her safe. I just was hoping to discover more about her."

The little alien nodded and paused. He was thinking for a long moment before he finally responded.

"N'jllaa is good person. She say you good man. I think you good person too. You take care of her?"

"I plan on it. I promised I would return her to the Clans."

The small alien nodded.

"Then your honor strong. I glad to know you."

Endeval felt buoyed by the simple statement. He smiled and bowed again.

"Good night, my friend. I'll see you in the morning."

Namath grinned back and bowed as well.

"See you in morning, Boss!"

The human turned to see Angela watching curiously. He stepped up beside her and smiled.

"I wish you spoke Common. I would love to talk with you instead of about you..."

The female native flicked an ear at him, and then smiled as she tucked in close. Endeval grinned and led her back through the stables and out the door. They walked over to the entrance to the inn and went inside. The thin, stern woman met them at the counter. Her eyes flickered down to where Angela was tight to the human's side and her lips narrowed. Her voice was cool.

"I have your room ready. Do you wish to eat first?"

"Yes please. What's the special tonight?"

The woman's voice stayed professional.

"We have local steak and mashed C'klraa root. Will you be dining in the back again?"

Endeval nodded.

"Yes. Please give us two servings."

The couple made their way back to the Alemucian dining area. This time, there were no other natives around. Soon, two heaping plates of food arrived and they started to eat. Endeval chatted quietly through the meal, encouraged by the smiles he was receiving from Angela. Before long, they finished dining and made their way upstairs. Entering the room, the human noticed that the pallet on the floor was now cushioned with a thin mattress. He sighed in relief as he turned to hang up his new jacket. The furry female was inspecting the bed, which had been neatly made. Endeval turned and held out his hands for her jacket. Angela glanced over at him, looked down at his hands, and then promptly slid between them to give him a hug. Startled, the human male automatically hugged her back, enjoying the warm embrace. After a few moments, he chuckled and looked down at her, plucking at her coat.

"Not exactly what I was expecting, but I'll take that any day..."

With a few more gestures, he managed to make her understand what he was after. Angela grinned sheepishly and removed her jacket to give to him. Endeval hung it on a hook and then dug into his satchel.

"I'm going to grab a shower."

He left the female smiling behind him as he went into the bathroom. It was quite a trick keeping the bandages on his arm from getting too wet, but he managed to get a hot, relaxing wash anyway. He was standing in front of the mirror, wrapped in a fresh towel, when Angela stepped into the bathroom. Endeval rinsed his mouth and put his toothbrush away as he turned to smile at her. The female dropped her bag on the floor, smiled back, and turned towards the shower stall. When the thick, sleeveless shirt came up over her head, the human gulped and excused himself from the bathroom. She was facing away from him, but the sight of her bare back burned in his mind as he half-dashed into the outer room. He just shook his head as her mischievous chuckle followed him out the door.

Endeval pulled on a pair of lounge pants and sat down on the pallet. Digging into his satchel, he found a worn pencil and a small pad of paper. As he began to note down a list of things he wanted to do when he got back in his store, he heard the shower come on. The human paused thoughtfully at the noise and his mind started to drift. He thought about the female in the shower, and his imagination summoned up a picture of her, lathering her naked, furred body under the spray. Warm rivulets cascaded down over her magnificent chest, slicked down her soft pelt, and fell to the floor in his mind. Endeval blinked at the mental image, and then shook his head to clear it. Once again, he felt as though his feelings were misleading him. True, Angela had spent most of the day tucked in his arm, or pressed in close to his chest. Even now, he could still remember the feel of the warmth of her body, rubbing against him as she blocked out the cold. The problem he was having was, as much as he fantasized about a possible relationship with her, a niggling doubt in the back of his head reminded him that she wasn't human. Not that Endeval cared that she was a native as he had spent the last two years living with Alemucians and saw them as a wonderful and exotic people. It was the fact that now he knew humans had treated her kind so badly for so long and it left him wondering. That small voice of doubt told him that, even if something were to happen between them, the beautiful female would likely want someone of her own species somewhere down the road. After all, he was an oppressor. Whether intended or not, it was his mark on her shoulder. How could she ever have serious feelings about someone like him? The thought depressed him so greatly, he banished the whole thing from his mind and tried to focus on his list.

Endeval stared at the paper in his hand and suddenly wished for a proper viz screen. For the first time in years, he actually longed for the advanced technology that was only available in LandDown. He knew the technological ban in the settlements had come from the Corporation's massive failure years ago in colonizing a world christened Bering 7. The natives there, called The Dint'nari, had been gifted with a unique physiology that made their mental abilities far more adaptable than anything humans had ever seen. After humanity had arrived on their barren, desert-like planet, it had not taken them long to quickly intuit the advanced tech. Before anyone could realize, the Dint'nari were systematically rounding up and exterminating colonists. Endeval had actually been part of the suppression force that was called in to stop the violence. He remembered the initial insertion clearly, drifting down on a standard grav-chute before a lucky shot blew off his leg. Fortunately, his combat suit had sealed the injury, and three weeks suspended in a nano tank had restored his limb. Grimacing, the former soldier blinked away the memories of the past to find he was rubbing at his leg again. He turned his focus back on the tablet as the shower cut off in the next room.

Several long minutes passed in relative silence as Endeval made several notations on the paper. He was just finishing up when Angela stepped out of the bathroom. The human turned to look and the pencil nearly slipped from his fingers. The female native stood in the doorway, one arm braced on the jamb and the other braced on her hip. She was wearing a different nightgown tonight, a silky, near-translucent thing that barely came down past her hips and was held up with two thin strings that rose from her greatly exposed cleavage and disappeared behind her neck. It hugged every curve, and looked as though one good sneeze would have it falling right off. Angela noticed his shocked expression and leaned her head against her arm, thick ruff of head fur cascading down and around her face. A curl of the light brown mane draped across one of her half-lidded eyes as she grinned at him from the doorway. Endeval took in the prominent chest, cocked hips, and sly smile as his mouth started to go dry. Suddenly, he felt more than a little nervous.

"Um...wow?"

Angela chuckled softly under her breath and sauntered across the room. The human watched in astonishment as the sleek fabric of her gown shifted and undulated across her body as she moved. For a brief second, one smooth fold caught on what could only be a nipple, and Endeval's eyes nearly bugged out of his head. The furry female turned and sat down on the edge of the bed, her tail waving lazily back and forth. She looked over her shoulder at him, eyes smoldering, and then smiled when she held up the brush. The human blinked and rose to take the hairbrush from her hand, his mind whirling at the display of raw sensuality he had just witnessed. As he sat slowly on the bed behind her, he felt his emotions go to war again. Before him sat an incredible female who was young, intelligent, tough, and seemingly flirting with him! As he began to brush her long, luxurious ruff, Endeval also had to take note that she was very easy on the eyes as well. In the past few days, the human had seen her angry, dirty, and fearful, but now he was starting to enjoy this new playful, sexy side. He worked the brush carefully, ensuring that the strands of hair on head were tended thoroughly. He was just finishing up, working near the bottom of her ruff where it hung near the middle of her back, when her tail lifted from the bed and coiled around his wrist. Endeval paused, a little startled, as he had casually forgotten the prehensile properties of the Alemucian extremity until now. He looked at her face as she glanced over her shoulder.

"Did I do something wrong?"

Angela smiled mischievously and reached back over her own shoulders to grasp her gown where it lay low across her shoulder blades. She began to gather the fabric in her fingers, bunching it up in her palms as it began to rise inch by inch. Endeval felt his eyes begin to bug again as the nightgown easily pulled free from where it was barely under her bottom and rose steadily to expose her back. Little by little, she gathered it all up and then, arching her arms, pulled the fabric up over her head to expose her entire hind side. She was sitting there, grinning over her shoulder with the gown clutched modestly to her chest, when her tail tugged Endeval's arm towards her back. He gulped audibly and reached out to begin brushing the fur of her shoulder. Glancing down, he couldn't help but stare at the sight before him. Angela was wearing absolutely nothing under her nightgown, and now the full expanse of her back and the tops of her buttocks were completely exposed to him. She was, he noted, strong and stocky but sported a perfect hourglass shape. The furry female groaned softly as he worked his way through her dense, soft fur. It was incredibly fine and thick, a luxuriously heavy pelt that melted around his fingertips where he touched her with his other hand to help brush her out. He worked diligently in long, slow swipes, trying very hard to focus on the area in which he was working and not on her soft curves. Angela groaned again and leaned forward as Endeval reached her waist. The moan continued as he worked his way around the top of her tail. As he started carefully across her waist line, the groan suddenly turned into a deep, throaty rumbling purr. Startled, the human sat up straight, his eyes blinking in surprise. The native woman suddenly went abruptly silent and also snapped upright, her shocked expression telling Endeval that she wasn't expecting to make such a noise either. The two stared at each other for a long moment, human amazement facing native embarrassment, and then Endeval broke the awkward moment by handing the brush over.

"Um...ok. So that was...yeah."

With the moment vanished, the two wordlessly turned in different directions. The human slid from the bed as Angela pulled her gown back over her head. Endeval dimmed the lights on the walls and crawled on to the pallet. He was adjusting his position, on his side facing away from the bed, as he tried to calm his pounding heart. Above, the bed creaked as the female native also crawled under the covers. Endeval propped himself up on one arm and turned the situation over and over in his mind. The events of the last few days had left him reeling, especially the events of this one. This morning had been hard. Hearing the brand touch Angela's shoulder had truly shown him just how much he had started to come to care for her. It had happened somewhere. Maybe on the trail or in the store, but he had gone from caring about her safety to caring for her on a deeper, emotional level. Now, he and she had spent an extraordinary day just getting to know each other and spending time together. Angela had gone from an acquaintance to a friend, and then, for no discernible reason, had suddenly begun to tease him playfully in a semi-erotic, flirtatious manner. He was still in shock from hearing her throaty purr earlier. The words from the red-haired guard yesterday rang in his thoughts and his mind reeled at the possibility that Angela had let herself tip over the edge into purest enjoyment. The idea thrilled him in ways that he had not felt in a long time.

At the same time, however, he was torn. He had been lonely for an extended period of time, since way before coming to WindFall. He was beginning to believe his loneliness might be causing him to overreact to the actions of the female. He paused and held up his hand, remembering the feel of her soft fur under his fingers. In addition, he couldn't seem to shake the fact that she was technically in his ownership. As much as he was coming to feel that they were growing close, that small, nagging voice in his head kept reminding him that, from her point of view, he was a towering alien who had his mark on her shoulder. No matter how kind and gentle he tried to be, that was the reality. It wouldn't be the first time in the history of mankind that a female used whatever she could to ensure her own safety. That line of thought began to depress him a little, as it brought back his earlier doubts about their disparate species. It was beginning to seem as though he had no clear solution to how he was feeling when the bed above his head creaked again.

"N'dvaal?"

Endeval glanced up to see Angela looking down at him again with her chin resting on the mattress. With her erect ears, bright eyes, and hands clutching at the edges of the cushion, she was once again the perfect picture of cuteness. He smiled softly up at her.

"Yeah, so that got pretty weird pretty fast, huh? What do you want, cutie?"

The native woman took a long look at the pallet, her eyes trailing down all the way to his feet. She flicked her ears for a moment in thought, and then reached down with one hand to tug at his upper arm. Startled, Endeval sat up. As he rose, Angela reached down and snatched up his pillow. As he watched in surprise, she wiggled away on the bed, set his pillow down next to hers, and then threw back the covers. With her head tilted and one ear high in the air, she patted the mattress next to her.

"N'dvaal, m'cloee."

Endeval's first instinct was to protest, but then he saw the concern on her face. There was no sly, flirty grin or mischievous eye twinkle. Angela was very serious about her invitation. As the human rose from the floor, he realized that her somber attitude was making him even more nervous. He crawled on to the bed and settled down, his heart pounding again in his chest. Without knowing exactly what her intentions, he decided he could only do one thing and let it all up to her. With that decision, suddenly he felt more of a sense of peace and calm. No matter what happened between them, he would let her make the move if she wanted. The relief was almost palpable. Angela waited till he was stretched out, and then pulled the covers up over him. She smiled at him and then rolled over to face away. Endeval relaxed a little until she suddenly reached back and grabbed his hand to pull it over her body. The female wiggled backwards until she was pressed right up against his front, his arm draped over her middle and his hand pressed into her soft belly right underneath her chest. The smooth fabric of her nightgown slid softly under his palm as Angela laid her hand over his and patted it once. As she sighed softly and relaxed, Endeval swallowed and tried not to squirm. Her form felt warm and cuddly pressed against him, and the sweet smell of her hair tickled his nostrils. He was still relishing the sensation when she murmured to him sleepily.

"T'ndaaet, N'dvaal."

Endeval blinked, and then sighed and struggled to relax as well.

"T'ndaaet, Angela."

The female patted his hand again. The human lay there for a while, listening as her breathing softened into sleep. After a long time, he followed her into slumber.

Endeval awoke to darkness. His internal clock told him that he had only been asleep for a few hours at most. He lay still, automatically assessing his surroundings as his sleep-addled mind came to full awareness. The first thing he noticed was a low thrumming sensation against his chest. His arm was still wrapped around Angela, but her upper arm was brushing against his, soft fur tickling along his skin. Her uppermost leg was cocked backwards and draped over his thigh, its solid weight twitching once where it pressed down on his legs. Curiously, he wiggled one of his fingers where they were pressed against the female's stomach. The soft fabric of her nightgown was still under his palm, but even more of it was curled up around and pressed against the back of his hand. From down below, something bounced rhythmically on his leg just above his knee. As he blinked in the darkness, he started to realize the thrumming sensation was the sound of Angela, purring steadily against his chest. Startled, the human fought to stay relaxed so he wouldn't announce his awareness. He lay there for a moment and began to realize her arm was moving in perfect unison with whatever was bouncing against his thigh. Just then, the female gasped softly and gave a little buck of her hips. Endeval nearly gasped himself as dawning realization told him what was happening. The bouncing sensation on his leg was her tail, coiling in and out between her legs. Angela was masturbating! Heat flooded his cheeks as he lay perfectly still, guiltily listening in on her private moment. After a minute or so, the female gasped again and whispered.

"...r'cmaara..."

Angela's arm and tail sped up as her hips gave another little buck into the air. Endeval fought to remain still. The thought of what was happening next to him was beginning to make his body respond. He struggled to focus on something else, anything that would keep him from arousal and, eventually, discovery by the female. In the midst of his struggle, Angela whispered again.

"n...nnn...N'dvaal...r'cmaara..."

Endeval froze in shock, not quite believing what he had just heard. He was still trying to process it when the native woman suddenly gave a short lurch, arm and tail working furiously. She sucked a breath through her teeth as her whole body shuddered. The soft purr doubled in volume, vibrating strongly against his front. Her hips bucked once, and then again, before she suddenly froze and quivered all over. After a few seconds, her whole body collapsed softly in stillness, only her breathing heavy in the silence. Endeval lay quietly in astonishment, not quite knowing how to feel about what he had just witnessed. His mind was still fixated on the fact that she had said his name in the middle of all that. He was still contemplating it when Angela moved again. She wriggled softly, arm moving, when the fabric bunched over the human's hand began to slide back down over her hips. With her nightgown back in place, the female shifted her leg off of his and pressed herself back against Endeval. Her hand once again came to rest over his on her stomach. As she sighed softly, the human couldn't help but notice her fingertips, brushing over his, were still wet with her fluids. It was a long, long time till he could fall back asleep.

Endeval awoke the next morning with a quiet sigh. Angela still pressed against him, her soft breathing the only other noise in the dark room. He lay still for a moment as he enjoyed the sensation of waking next to someone. With his time in the military, it was a rare event in any case, much less in the last few years. The human propped himself up on the arm that wasn't draped across the native woman and took a moment to look at her up close. At this range, Angela was even more beautiful. Her soft ruff was splayed across the pillow, her closed eyes were still, and her mouth hung slightly open as she breathed. He was still staring when she shifted her arm and lightly gripped his hand where it rested under her breasts. The movement brought back the memories of midnight excursions and Endeval let his imagination drift to that moment. Everything that he had inadvertently witnessed last night seemed like a far-off, erotic, fantastical dream. The memories of what he had experienced started to have an effect on him, and, as he recalled her intimate moment, he began to grow aroused. Blinking to clear his head, he slowly extricated himself from beside her and slipped out from under the covers. A last glance at the bed told him that she was still sleeping, so he went to use the restroom. He was drying his hands on a small towel when he heard the bed sheets rustle in the next room. Poking his head out the doorway, he saw Angela had rolled slightly in her sleep to her back, one hand sliding across the covers as if searching for something. Her face was scrunched a little, eyes still closed, as her ears alternately flicked back and forth. Smiling, Endeval rounded the bed and quietly crawled back on to the covers. The native female's questing hand found his hip and immediately her face relaxed as she tugged him closer. He was propped up on one arm, smiling down at her, when her eyes fluttered open sleepily.

"Good morning, Angela."

The female blinked a little until she focused on his face, and then beamed up at him with a big smile of her own. Endeval took a long moment, chuckling down at her as his eyes roamed her features. Her grin was like magic, lighting up her eyes with a pleasant twinkle that had his heart pounding again. He glanced at the end of her muzzle, only scant inches from his face, and the sudden urge to lean forward had his heart racing even faster. He was right on the brink, ready to move, when Angela surprised him by levering herself up and gently licking the tip of his nose. Endeval spluttered, his eyes going a little crosswise with astonishment, as he automatically leaned backward and wrinkled his nose. The native woman burst into a spate of giggles as she sat up and slid from the bed. Her musical laughter followed her into the bathroom as Endeval rubbed thoughtfully at the spot where she had licked him. The whole thing had happened so fast, and her laugh was so infectious, that he started laughing himself as he turned and sat on the edge of the bed. Angela heard his chuckles, and soon poked her head out of the bathroom to smile at him.

"T'ndaaer, N'dvaal!"

Endeval was still snickering as she came out of the restroom and nearly skipped across the room. His snickers became choked gurgles when Angela bent over to dig in her bag. Her backside was facing him and the nightgown, which barely covered her hips anyway, rode up and exposed her entire posterior to his view. The female was humming, her tail arched over her back and waving lazily in the air. The perfectly rounded globes of her bottom framed her sex, nestled in snugly between her thighs. The sight had his heartbeat going like a trip hammer again. There was just no way she wasn't doing it on purpose! As if to confirm his suspicions, the native woman stood up, her hands full of clothes, and turned to look at him over her shoulder. One fuzzy eyebrow raised over a sly grin as one ear came up and pointed in his direction. Endeval's guilty stare rose to her face. He took in her grin and expectant expression as he swallowed hard and composed himself.

"Waiting to see what I'll say? Or do? Well, maybe I need to turn the tables a little..."

The human stood and strolled nonchalantly over to Angela. The female turned to face him, her expression still curious. With his own sly smile, he lifted her hand from atop the clothing and, staring into her eyes, gently sucked once on the tips of her fingers. It was the same hand she had used in the middle of the night to bring herself to orgasm. He laid her hand back on the pile and stood still, watching her face. Angela lifted her hand to stare quizzically between him and her fingertips, both ears now flicking. Endeval smiled harder and whispered one word.

"r'cmaara?"

The female's eyebrows shot upward in surprise. The human smacked his lips softly and chuckled as the inside of her erect ears suddenly turned pink. Angela ducked her head and grinned up at him sheepishly, her ears splaying out to the sides. Endeval chuckled again and turned to casually cross the room to his own bag. Behind him, the native woman suddenly burst out in more giggles as he knelt to dig for his own clothing. The sound was music to his ears. As he pulled items from the bag, he had to chuckle along. The playful, sexy, flirting from the night before was back in full force and he was enjoying it to the utmost. Behind him, he heard Angela humming softly to herself as he stood and turned around. The furry female was already half-dressed as she pulled a thick, sleeveless shirt down to meet the tops of her pants. Endeval paused, and then shrugged as he shimmied out of his pajama bottoms. He pulled on his pants and just started to put on his shirt when he spotted the female native sprawled on the bed, one arm propped up, and watching him with interest. He chuckled again as the shirt went up over his head. When he could see again, he nodded at her.

"I hope you like what you see."

Angela rose from the bed and walked around him. As she passed by behind him, she delivered a gentle swat right on his ass. Endeval jumped a little in surprise, and then grinned as her mischievous chuckles followed her into the bathroom. Yes, he was definitely enjoying this! He finished dressing and started packing his belongings in his satchel. Angela came back out carrying her soap, which she promptly put in her own duffel along with her brush and nightgown. When the two were completely packed, Endeval put on his new jacket and slung his satchel on his shoulder. He looked over at the native woman as she picked up her bag.

"Ready to go?"

Angela smiled and stepped up next to him. Together, they exited the room and descended the steps. The rosy-cheeked blonde waved as they crossed the dining area and exited the building. Endeval turned and made his way to the door of the stables. After a few knocks, a familiar petite native answered with a grin.

"Morning, Boss! Need help?"

The human smiled at him.

"Good morning, N'mmii. Could you bring out my wagon and team, please? It's time for us to get going."

The little native blinked in surprise.

"Go north now?"

Endeval shook his head.

"Not yet. I have to go back to LandDown first. I need to drop off my things and make arrangements to travel north. I want to check on some things to try to help the People here before I get back."

N'mmii cocked an ear, his eyes wide.

"You help People? How?"

The human glanced around and then leaned forward.

"I don't like what is going on here. I'm going to try to find a way to free the People."

The small native gasped.

"Boss! You do that and make all People happy! Will have great honor among Clans!"

"I don't care about the honor, N'mmii. I just want to help free the natives from this horrible situation."

The native nodded at his words.

"That why you will gain much honor. You no seek it and it will come."

As Endeval considered that statement, N'mmii turned and ducked back into the stables. After a few long minutes, the little native returned leading the wagon team by the halter. Both anklos gleamed with health and pranced excitedly, ready to move. The human smiled and began to reach into his satchel. N'mmii reached out a hand and stopped him.

"No credit, Boss. You do much for me, now I do for you."

Endeval looked down at him.

"You have my deepest thanks."

The little native bowed and smiled.

"Remember N'mmii when you return?"

The human bowed back.

"I will not ever forget you."

"Then may the ground always call to your feet and the sun to your face."

Endeval smiled warmly at the phrase. He replied in the formal way.

"May the ground always find your feet as well, and I will sing to the sun for you when my days end..."

N'mmii grinned broadly and nodded his thanks. The human turned and helped Angela up into the wagon. As he made his way around the front, the female and the smaller native exchanged a few words. As they spoke, N'mmii glanced at Endeval in surprise. A few more phrases, and then it was the native woman who turned to look at the human. Her expression was more thoughtful and considering. Endeval began to get a little anxious, wishing yet again that he knew the language. Back home, Jeremy had always translated for him as a form of courtesy, but now he was feeling left out. Just then, Angela nodded and turned towards the human. Behind her, the little native waved and retreated back into the stables. Endeval watched him go and then looked at the furry female.

"All done now? Ready to get going?"

Angela smiled at him and scooted closer on the bench. Taking the cue, the human clicked his tongue and started out into the street. The number of people moving around the settlement appeared to be greater than in the evening. Humans and Alemucians alike hurried along the walkways as they headed for their daily labors. Endeval guided the wagon up to the palisade wall and was waved to a stop by a familiar looking red-haired guard. The black-coated human approached and propped one foot on the side of the wagon. Tipping back his hat, he glanced between the two riders, his face a sly leer.

"Leavin without saying goodbye?"

Endeval frowned at him.

"You stopping us for a reason?"

The lithe guard nodded at Angela.

"Just gotta check the mark before you go..."

The former soldier huffed in frustration and turned to the native woman to tap on her peek flap. Angela unbuttoned the flap and let the cover drop. The red-haired guard crawled up on the side of the wagon and leaned over the sitting human to get a better look. He didn't lean back right away, but stared at the native female for a long moment. Endeval cleared his throat irritably.

"Do you mind? I would like to go now."

The guard dropped back to the ground with a smug look.

"Heh. You're good to go."

The former soldier ground his teeth. There was just something about the guard that set his nerves on edge. He nodded wordlessly and pulled away, happy to be leaving the settlement behind. Angela buttoned up her flap and leaned against him as they slowly drew away from the town. The wind blew cold out in the open, but the new clothing helped to keep both of them warm as they started down the trail. After the settlement disappeared from sight around a bend, Endeval wrapped one arm around the female and blew out a breath.

"It's a little cold out here."

Angela looked over at him, ears forward.

"C...cold?"

He smiled at her and pretended to shiver.

"Cold. Brrrrr..."

The female's eyes lit up.

"Ah! Cold!"

Endeval smiled at her again.

"That's why we bought jackets."

Angela tilted her head again.

"Jackets?"

The human grinned. If she was starting to get curious, now was a great opportunity for her to start learning Common. He plucked at his coat and then at hers.

"Jackets."

The native woman repeated, and soon they were going back and forth as Endeval pointed to various objects and gave the names. Hours passed as they made a game of it. The human would point out something, give a name, and then have her repeat it back. Soon, he would just point and Angela would try to remember. The furry female turned out to be a very fast learner, giggling and grinning with every correct answer. The day progressed that way as the sun rose to its peak in the sky. Soon, Endeval's stomach reminded him that they had skipped breakfast and he handed the reins to Angela so he could turn and dig in the bag. Within moments, the two were eating as the human pointed out the various names of the food. At one point, he held up one of the salty, baked crisps.

"Crisp."

Angela swallowed her mouthful of bread and responded.

"Crisp."

"Good!"

The human held up a piece of dried and sugared fruit.

"Fruit."

The native woman tilted her head.

"Froot?"

Endeval chuckled.

"Close enough."

He popped the piece of fruit in his mouth and started to chew. Apparently, someone had used quite a bit of sugar when they dried it.

"Oh wow, this thing is really sweet."

Angela cocked an ear.

"Sweet?"

Endeval paused as he tried to think of a way to explain. He ended up holding a crisp up in one hand and a piece of fruit in the other. With the female watching, he licked the crisp and smacked his lips.

"Salty..."

He then repeated the process with the fruit.

"Sweet."

Angela nodded her head in understanding as he popped both pieces in his mouth. The two ate in silence for a few minutes while Endeval glanced over at her. She was chewing, her nose in the breeze, and humming softly to herself. All in all, she looked absolutely wonderful. The human found his mouth moving before he even thought.

"You are beautiful..."

The furry female turned and looked at him quizzically.

"Hmm?"

Endeval struggled to find a way to say what he meant. He decided to use a human concept that he hoped would translate to her.

"Angela...sweet."

The female native paused as the words sunk in, and then suddenly grinned and threw her arms around him. Endeval hugged her back in surprise. Her enthusiastic reaction took him a little off guard, but he enjoyed it nonetheless. After a few minutes, she leaned back a little and stared at him, nose to nose. This close, her deep-green eyes were even more striking. Angela was grinning, and then suddenly her face turned thoughtful. She looked at him for a long moment, and then leaned forward to softly press her muzzle to his lips. Endeval froze for a split second in surprise, and then returned the kiss. It was everything he had imagined, and more. Angela's lips were a little fuzzy, but soft and pliant on his. He held the moment as long as he could, delighting in the sensation of her warmth pressed against him. After a long second of eternity, the native woman leaned back to look at him. He smiled softly and whispered.

"I've been thinking about doing that for some time now."

Angela smiled and leaned forward to hug him again. The human pulled her close, his hammering heart threatening to give away his excitement. He wasn't quite sure how or why it happened, but at the moment he couldn't care less. The sweet emotions boiling through his veins were more than enough to keep him floating in happiness for some time. After a long pause, the furry female disengaged from the hug to turn and cuddle up next to him. Wordlessly, she picked up her piece of bread and took a bite. Endeval watched her for a moment, his mind reeling, and decided to follow her example. He sat and enjoyed her company, finishing his lunch. A few minutes later, Angela wiggled her finger in the air and cocked an ear at him in question. The human picked up on her cue and chuckled as they began the word game again.

"Finger."

And so it went for the next few hours. Endeval continued to teach her as much as he could as the anklos continued their steady gait along the trail. The memory of their brief kiss still lingered in his mind, buoying his spirits. Every so often, Angela would pause and look at him thoughtfully, her ears flicking back and forth, before turning and resuming their word learning. The day passed by quickly, as it always seems to do when the time is pleasant. Before long, the sun began to touch the far horizon, and Endeval pulled the team into a small clearing off the trail. The native woman slid from the bench seat right away and started forward to unhitch the anklos. The human blinked in surprise at first, but then shrugged and descended from the seat. He went around to the back of the wagon and pulled out the heavy duffel from the general store. He hefted it and carried it across to the only spot in the clearing not covered in snow. Setting the bag on the near-frozen soil, he knelt and opened it up.

At first glance, he only saw what appeared to be a thick, warm blanket. Removing it turned out to be two blankets, each so dense as to be nearly a thin padding in themselves. Two thinner covers lay underneath, along with two fluffy pillows covered in a thick, soft material. Endeval found himself amazed at the bedding. It was luxuriously soft and appeared very warm. With the bedclothes out of the way he noticed a large collection of poles wrapped in neat bundles. The poles were neatly packed on to a heavy fold of textile that filled the bottom of the bag. The human removed the poles, noticing they were longer and heavier than his old ones, and tugged at the material left in the bag. He hefted it with a grunt, surprised at the unexpected weight. Dragging the heavy tarp from the bag, he began to unfold it on the ground. The material was some form of slick, leathery canvas on one side and a soft liner on the other. As he continued to spread it out, he began to wonder at the size of the tent. The tarpaulin was already progressively larger than his old tent, and he had a few folds to go. He was still puzzling it out when Angela approached from across the clearing. The native woman knelt and fingered at the cloth. She looked up questioningly at Endeval, who chuckled.

"Tent...I think..."

Angela snorted at the vast expanse of fabric.

"Tent?"

The human chuckled again as he turned for a group of poles.

"Tent. But I think this one is a little bigger than the old one."

Working together, the two started to erect the structure. The native woman worked diligently and with purpose. Endeval watched her out of the corner of his eye as they quietly figured out how the tent went together. The base of the tent turned out to be a thick rectangle a little wider and longer than a twin bed. The bottom was heavily padded, and the rest of the shelter was folded inward on top of it. The human found two sturdy ropes already attached to the tops of the folds. The poles seemed to link together in such a way as to create a sturdy skeletal structure that completely supported the fabric of the tent. As Endeval pounded in the last peg, he looked over the shelter and whistled softly in appreciation. No wonder the bag had been so heavy! He dropped the hammer back into the bag and turned to find Angela already gathering rocks into a cleared circle of ground. The human shook his head at her rush but moved immediately to begin gathering some wood. Thirty minutes later, they were sitting on patches of canvas near a small open fire. Endeval dug in the bag and handed Angela some of the food. The native woman accepted it with a smile and turned to stare at the fire while she ate. The human stared discreetly at her for a moment as he started eating as well. Angela seemed lost in thought ever since their kiss earlier that day. She still smiled and cuddled up with him, but whenever she thought he wasn't looking, Endeval would spot her thinking, her ears flicking back and forth. The whole thing was starting to make him a little nervous again. Did he do something wrong? The native woman suddenly turned and looked at him.

"N'dvaal?"

The human looked at her and smiled.

"Yes?"

Angela paused thoughtfully as her ears rotated forward and back.

"N'dvaal...sweet...N'jllaa?"

The human puzzled that one over for a moment. He wasn't sure what she was trying to say, but the concept seemed to follow what he had tried to say to her earlier, so he agreed.

"Yes. I'm definitely sweet on you."

The native woman gave him a beaming grin and then returned to her contemplation of the fire. Soon she was lost in her thoughts again as she finished her meal. Endeval took a few minutes to clean up the bags and put them back in the wagon. He spread out the blankets and pillows in the bottom of the tent, feeling slightly amused. When the Lady Robinson had mentioned she had the perfect tent, the human hadn't even contemplated she would sell him something like this. There was plenty of room for two people, and the sturdy shelter was proof against the cold. It even had a little flap that held a local variety of glowstone to bathe the interior in dim lighting and could be closed easily with two small buttons. Endeval backed out of the tent and returned to the campfire to sit next to Angela. The furry female leaned in close and laid her head on his shoulder. The two watched the flickering flames for some time until Angela piped up from her spot on his arm.

"N'dvaal?"

The human turned his head slightly.

"Yes Angela?"

The native woman tilted her head so that her eyes met his without her cheek leaving his shoulder.

"N'dvaal...happy...by...N'jllaa?"

Endeval lifted his other hand and touched her cheek softly.

"You make me so very happy. I wish I could tell you how much."

The furry female looked at him for a moment, and then rose from the ground. She kicked some snow over the fire and turned to offer a hand to the male. Her face was strangely all business, prompting Endeval to rise with some confusion. Angela led the way into the tent, kicking off her soft boots and immediately clasping the glow stone to activate it with her body heat. The human followed her in, removing his own boots before settling on to the blankets nearby. The inside of the tent wasn't cold, but still felt a little chilly to exposed skin. The native woman released the dimly glowing sphere and stretched out on her side of the tent on top of the covers, still fully clothed as well. She sighed and stared at the roof of the shelter while Endeval lay down next to her, also on top of the covers. He began to get a little more worried. The air felt...expectant, like something monumental was about to occur. He was lying in the exact pose of the female, on his back, hands clasped at his waist and eyes staring upward. There were a few moments of silence, and then suddenly Angela heaved herself up and swung a leg out over his waist. She plopped her bottom in his lap and put a hand on each shoulder to stare down at his face. Her eyes searched his for a few seconds in the dim light of the sphere, and then she took a deep breath.

\ **N'dvaal...* b'nya ncl'cg'raoo ct'ncl'd'cvoa d'nea ncl'd'creea, m'a P'MOAA'niu.*

Endeval blinked up at her in a panic. Her words were uttered in the same timing and tonality of an oath, but he had never heard it before. Whatever she had just said, he had no clue how to respond! He was still searching for an answer when Angela leaned down closer. Her eyes softened and her smile warmed as she whispered to him.

\ **N'dvaal, m'a p'moaa'niu.**

The human stopped struggling with a reply. The way she looked at him, her soft words, and the gentle smile all now told him at least the essence of what she was saying. His heart burst with happiness as a warm, lovely feeling overcame him. The nagging pain of loneliness he had been carrying around for years dissolved away in a heady rush of excitement. He reached up to cup Angela's face with both hands as his heart soared. The truth bared itself in his mind. He had started out admiring her, and now, in the short time they were together, he couldn't see himself living without her. Finally, he could tell her what was in his heart the past two days, and what he stopped denying to himself. He had fallen in love. With that realization, he looked up at her and tried very hard to speak her words back.

* M'a p'moaa'niu , Angela*

The native woman gave a little gasp at his words, and then smiled down at him in sheer delight. Without warning, she dropped her weight on to his chest and pressed her lips to his. The change in attitude from earlier was astounding. Angela pressed up against him and gripped his neck with her forearms. Her fingers moved through his hair as her kiss turned into a slow lick across his lips. The human waited for her to get about halfway before opening his mouth and letting the tip of his tongue slip out. To his surprise, the native took advantage and plunged into his mouth, swirling her own tongue freely with his. The kiss was awkward at first as Endeval struggled to get used to her alien muzzle, but he soon found that tilting his head had them meshing together rather well. Her sudden grab of his head had pushed his arms to the sides, so he simply slid his hands down to the small of her back where he could run them over her jacket and pull her tighter to his body. Angela gave a quiet whine through her nose and started grinding her hips in his lap. Endeval's heart rate jumped instantly as she redoubled her efforts. Her kisses became ravenous and heated as she rubbed herself against him with a fervent need. The human gave a quiet gasp of his own as one of her slow hip grinds rubbed him through his pants right on his burgeoning erection.

Without warning, Angela sat up straight, licking her lips and still straddling him across his waist. Her quick hands started on the buttons of her jacket, and soon the garment was tossed over her shoulder to land on the boots at the end of the tent. Endeval lay still, watching with anticipation and breathlessness as the female gripped the bottom of her thick, sleeveless shirt and pulled it up and over her head. Finally she paused, smiling down at the awestruck human with half-lidded eyes and giving him a chance to take a long look at her in the dim lighting. Endeval panted lightly in appreciation. True, he had seen her a few times now in revealing clothing and nude from the back, but now he drank in her form as she leisurely dragged her hands down over her incredibly body. Her fingers lingered for a moment on her magnificent globes, and then she tilted her hands downward and slowly pushed her palms down over her sides. At the bottom of the sensuous maneuver, she gently grasped Endeval's wrists where his hands lay on her thighs below the waistband of her pants and lifted them to press his palms against her bare fur. The human took the hint and slowly began to run his fingers upwards through her soft, dense pelt. The feeling was amazing as every curve and muscle came alive under his hands.

Angela sighed, put her arms behind her head, and arched her back at his touch. Endeval took his time, sliding his palms upward over her plush form until he was just under her breasts. He paused for a second, and then slid his hands out and over her chest. The human thrilled as he felt the heft and weight of each in his grip. Angela's bosom was marvelously full and firm, yet remained pliant under his touch. He stretched his fingers out over their surface, barely covering a third of each. Angela's chest wasn't ridiculously massive, but it was rather large. Endeval gave them a gentle squeeze, eliciting another sigh of pleasure from the native woman. After a moment, he dragged his thumbs across the surface of her breasts and found her nipples nestled in her fur. As soon as he brushed her erect nibs, Angela shuddered and groaned, clapping her hands over his to encourage him to keep going. The human was more than happy to oblige, massaging the pencil eraser-sized protrusions in small circles.

After a few more moments of bliss, Angela leaned forward a little and started working on the buttons on Endeval's jacket. The human reluctantly let go of her as she opened the last one, and moved his arms to lever himself into a sitting position. Sitting up caused the furry female to shift her position a little further down his legs, and then she helped him shuffle off his jacket as she grinned at him from just a few inches away. Endeval grinned back as he wiggled his shoulders to get his coat to slide off of his arms. As one arm popped free, he slung the jacket around with the other arm and tossed it to the back of the tent. He continued the gesture in one single motion that wrapped his arm around her bare torso and pulled her in for more kisses. Angela was more than willing, pressing herself close as her lips met his. While they were kissing, the native woman worked her hands down over his sides and began to tug at his shirt. Endeval waited till she had it almost all the way up before he leaned back and raised his arms. His shirt joined the pile of clothes at the back of the tent, and then Angela leaned back to run her hands over his chest. She took her time with fascination, tracing the lines of muscle he worked hard to keep all these years. The human chuckled at her.

"I think I like yours more."

Angela grinned up at him from where she was inspecting. She leaned forward and nibbled lightly on his skin, sending an electric tingle throughout his body. Endeval gasped softly and groaned in appreciation. The air of the tent had started out very cool, but now the space was warming fast on the human's exposed flesh. The native female continued her erogenous oral assault for a few more long moments, and then stopped to grin up at him. Endeval smiled and leaned down to kiss her again. She kissed him back, hands on his cheeks, and then slowly pulled away. Beaming at him again, she shifted her body to each side and moved from her knees to her feet in a sort of a squat. The native woman then fell away backwards; gradually rolling her body till she lay sprawled out on Endeval's legs, waist on his thighs and head between his feet. She picked her legs up from where they were sprawled to each side and pressed them together in front of the human's face, temporarily blocking his view of her body. Endeval paused curiously as Angela worked at something out of his sight, and then suddenly she began to wiggle against his lap. The human leaned to the side and discovered the furry female with her thumbs hooked in her waistband, pushing down on her pants. She continued to wriggle out of her garment, slowly working them off of her butt and starting up her legs. Endeval reached up to help, shuffling her trousers over her feet so that Angela could toss them to the back of the tent. The native woman paused playfully, and then slowly dropped her legs to either side.

The human was completely enthralled with the sight before him. Angela sprawled out sexily with her twinkling, half-lidded eyes perched above an easy, lazy smile. The native woman cradled her head in her arms, cocked it to the side, and flicked one ear up as she continued to smirk. Not one stitch of clothing blocked Endeval's view as he drank in her form. She was absolutely marvelous. Bending at the waist, the human stretched out over top of her and placed his hands on her chest under her neck. Moving slowly, he gently began to drag his fingertips down over her front. Angela groaned softly, closing her eyes and tilting her head back as Endeval caressed her breasts for a moment before starting down over her soft belly. One hand drifted to the side to stroke her hip as the other paused above her bellybutton. Without warning, the female's tail arched upward to coil around his forearm. She used the prehensile appendage to drag his hand lower from where it rested near her navel, guiding his fingers down between her legs. When his thumb touched wetness, Angela's groans intensified and her hips gave a little roll forward.

Endeval sucked a quick breath in through his teeth. The native woman's hip roll brought her heated sex up to rub across the pad of his thumb, leaving a slick, warm liquid to trickle down the back of his digit. Angela was incredibly wet to the touch, like lustrous satin under his fingers. The human stroked her slit with his thumb, marveling at how closely her genitalia resembled that of a human. At the top of her sex, he discovered a fleshy horizontal ridge where a human would normally have a clitoris. The firm lump must have had the same function, for Angela groaned louder and began to squirm in a sort of slow-motion belly roll. Endeval grinned at the display, his heart hammering in his chest and his pants more than uncomfortably tight. Every passing fantasy he had imagined with the native woman paled in comparison to the erotic display she was giving him at this very moment. He continued to rub and play with her thin folds, his other hand exploring her hip and upper thigh. Angela's tail relaxed around his forearm now that he was moving on his own, so the human concentrated on bringing her as much pleasure as possible. The female alien continued to writhe slowly, moaning and panting into the air. Her eyes were still closed, until Endeval spoke breathlessly.

"That is the hottest thing I think I have ever seen in my life..."

Angela dampened her moan and looked up at him. Instantly, she was levering herself up to a sitting position, scooting her bottom back and away from Endeval's fingers. Before he could protest, she leaned forward and greedily pressed her lips to his again. As the two exchanged a wet, sloppy kiss, the native woman reached down and began to tug at the buttons on the human's pants. In just a few seconds, the buttons were undone and she was pushing down on his waistband. Endeval broke the kiss and lay back on the soft bedding, arching his hips into the air to shuffle his warm britches down and off. Angela quickly got to her hands and knees so that she could move off to one side and assist. Between the two of them, Endeval's pants soon joined the pile of clothing in the back of the tent. The native woman barely paused before pouncing on his naked body. She dragged her blunt claws playfully down his sides and across his waist. The human gasped in pleasure at the light scratches as their destination became apparent.

He was already painfully erect, so it was rather easy for Angela to grasp his manhood with one hand. She inspected him curiously, rubbing the length of his shaft with her fingers while touching around his waist with her other hand. Endeval groaned as her warm fingers embraced his girth and slowly moved up and down. After a few moments of groping, the human began to squirm ever so slightly. Angela noticed his movement and leaned forward to nuzzle her soft nose next to his manhood. She gave him a gentle lick that trailed all the way up to his navel, causing Endeval to gasp softly. The native woman continued to work her way up his body in small, tender licks, dragging her chest along behind on his skin. She threw one leg over his thighs and used her stomach to brush against his shaft, further driving his excitement up a notch. Angela continued her way up his body, nibbling and licking at his skin until she reached his neck. The female alien paused, her hot breath tickling his cheek, and then she shifted her weight forward. Reaching down, her slim fingers grasped him again. Endeval stiffened in anticipation as Angela held her breath next to his ear.

There was a moment as she drifted backwards, and then something warm and wet pressed against the tip of his manhood. The female native gave a soft grunt, and then rocked backward, enveloping the head of his length in her hot, tight passage. Angela moved slowly, her breath hissing out as she gradually slid down over him. She was incredibly snug, like nothing Endeval had ever experienced before. The furry female continued to descend for a moment, until she just suddenly stopped short. She softly licked the human's cheek once, and then tucked her muzzle down next to his chin. With a soft gasp, she rocked her hips back again and encased him completely. The female's body gave a convulsive shudder, her insides flexing and clutching at him while Endeval stroked her sides with his hands, basking in her incredible warmth. Angela gave a long, heavy groan as she twitched in his lap, her body struggling to adjust to his size. After a few moments, her extended groan transitioned into a full, throaty purr that echoed in the tent and vibrated down into his body. Endeval was in ecstasy. The native woman wasn't moving at the moment, but her inner walls were pulsing and contracting at regular intervals around his manhood. Her body was a wonderful, heated sleeve around him as he stroked his hands down over her lower back and cupped her rump. After a brief pause, the native woman levered herself up far enough to look into his face. Her gaze contained a strange mixture of pain and enthusiasm, prompting Endeval to quickly become concerned.

"Hey. You all right?"

Angela heard his soft voice and apprehensive tone as he looked up at her with an anxious gaze. The human rubbed his hands up and down the small of her back as she took a long moment to look into his face. The steady thrum of her purr continued as she leaned forward and kissed him softly, her tongue slipping into his mouth with slow, delicious purpose. Endeval kissed her back, gripping her waist lightly as she slowly brushed her fingers across his chest. When her hands reached the center of his chest, she broke away from the kiss and pushed herself to an upright position. Her purrs increased in volume, vibrating down into his hips. Endeval enjoyed the sensation even though a part of him missed the steady pulsation through his breastbone. He reached up to caress her bosom once again as Angela rolled her hips back experimentally. The movement caused her to press down a little more on his length, eliciting a gasp from both. Angela continued to rock back and forth slowly, her eyes closed in bliss as she braced herself against his chest with her hands. Endeval watched her with delight as he felt her slow oscillations up and down. Her body continued to clench rhythmically as she moved, giving the human a new and exciting experience. Endeval had been with women before, but no human female had ever felt like this. Angela's insides tugged and pulled at him, seeming to draw him ever deeper into her snug tunnel. On one particularly strong squeeze, the human groaned softly and rolled his head back.

The native woman re-adjusted her position and began to rock back and forth harder. She opened her eyes and looked down to match the human's gaze. Without stopping, she reached down and peeled Endeval's hands from her hips. She placed hers palm to palm with the human's hands and intertwined their fingers. With the added support, Angela lifted her weight from his lap and dropped back down. Endeval sucked in a breath through his teeth and arched his back. Angela was so incredible, so wonderful, that he wasn't going to last very long at this rate. The furry female paused after her initial drop, eyes wide open in surprise at the sensation, and then smiled down at her human lover. Watching his reactions, the native woman began to bounce, driving herself down on his shaft repeatedly. Endeval grinned and moaned through his teeth. He let go of her hands and put his palms back on her hips, the better to feel her moving up and down on him. Angela braced herself on his forearms and concentrated on her movement. With every bounce, her silken passage would tighten spastically around him.

For several minutes the only sounds in the tent were the panting and purring of the two lovers. The female native had her eyes closed again, her snug, warm sex dragging deliciously up and down on Endeval's girth. The human twitched below her, riding on a slowly building wave of ecstasy that was working to only one certain conclusion. The air of the shelter was more than warm now as the two lovers generated a lot of residual heat. Above, the stable, thrumming purr of the female changed in pitch, becoming louder. Angela picked up the pace, her breathless pants in counterpoint to her throaty purrs. Endeval sensed what was coming and rolled his hips upward to meet her downward thrusts. The two worked in tandem, building to an impending climax. Suddenly, the native woman dropped all of her weight down on him and gasped loudly. Her body tightened up as she twitched and shuddered around him. The human felt her warmth dribble down over his shaft as his upward thrusts turned into sloppy wet slaps. He continued his pace, even as Angela twitched above him, until the growing wave in his loins suddenly broke loose. With a mighty heave, he arched his back and trembled through his own orgasm.

Endeval grunted lustily as he spurted up into the furry female above him. He became acutely aware of Angela shuddering through another climax, her body bearing down on him as her insides pulsed and flexed. She twitched once more as the human felt her ripple inside, milking him of every last drop. The panting female gasped around her purrs and then flopped forward on to Endeval's chest. The human wrapped his arms around her, breathing hard himself from the intense orgasm. The couple lay together for several minutes as their breathing and heartbeats slowed back down to normal levels. Endeval lay quietly, just enjoying the feel and warmth of the purring female on top of him. After a long moment, Angela lifted her head and looked him in the face. The human smiled up at her.

"That was amazing. Thank you..."

The native woman smiled back and leaned forward to kiss him again. Endeval kissed her back passionately, intertwining his tongue with hers. Angela pulled back first, beaming down at him as she looked into his eyes. After a moment, the human reached over and flipped the edge of the blankets up and over them both. The native woman grinned, licked his cheek, and then lay her head down on his chest directly under his chin. Endeval lay still underneath her, rubbing her back with both hands under the covers. He was soft again, but still tucked inside her as she lay purring lightly on his chest. The human rubbed his chin softly on her head and marveled at his luck. It was hard to believe this smart, sexy female had come into his life the way she had, and then shared herself with him in the most intimate way. It was as though a hole in his life had closed, and now he looked forward to sharing himself again. Angela shifted slightly on his chest, her hands brushing his sides as she sighed and relaxed on top of him. Her gentle purrs ebbed as she transitioned into the soft breathing of sleep. Even as exhaustion crept up on him, Endeval smiled as he continued to rub her back. No matter what tomorrow may bring, he was very, very happy now. Outside the tent, the wind blew endlessly through the night, but the human and his new love didn't even hear.