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Priestly Business.

His robes itched.

Endur scratched frustratedly at the coarse, rough wool that covered his body, chafing his skin and occasionally catching on to a strand of fur and pulling it out with a painful yank. The monastery was trying to cut costs this year, with the gold in their treasure being a bit thin on the ground, and it showed, especially in the quality of the vestments issued to all of the residents of the large stone compound atop the hill. And that was not the least of it. The Arch-priest had stated in a speech a while back that he expected all the residents to increase contribution in an effort to boost their finances, or risk 'serious disciplinary action'. Which of course meant, in a more direct tone; get to work or get your sorry arse kicked out, never to return. And count yourself lucky that we don't take all your worldly belongings, too.

Which was why he was here now, scratching away with an archaic pen on a piece of rough parchment, shifting in an attempt to get comfortable, wool pulling at his fur.

Endur resisted the urge to nod off as the narrator droned on and on, some drivel about his family bloodline and heritage. His hands worked as he copied down whatever that pompous feline said, trying to get everything right, his head bobbing dangerously up and down as exhaustion crept into his muscles. With the level of illiteracy in the surrounding town, many people approached the monastery for writing services, everything from contracts to love letters, wills to death threats (which would have been fantastic if any of the people receiving the threats could actually read), seeing as the priests were the only ones capable of putting words to parchment. They were glad to do it, for a fee of course. Such a convenient time, mister peasant. It appears that our coffers are awfully thin right now. Perhaps a small donation would help 'hasten' the writing?

And to think we used to do it for free, too.

He scribbled down whatever the man said, trying to keep his writing as neat as humanely possible. The candle on his writing table had burned down to a stub almost an hour ago, but the man had refused to let him get a new one. So he was stuck here, doing his best to write as the light from the dying candle flickered and wavered, squinting at the jumbled mass of lines and symbols. It was already a ways into dusk by this time, with the last vestiges of sunlight peeking out over the horizon, a dark, blood-like red.

"Did you get everything I said?"

Endur looked up, midway through a word. "I think I did. It would help if you slowed down a little, though."

The man looked irritated. "Are you telling me what to do?"

Endur flinched slightly. Such were the hazards of dealing with people of higher birth than him. All pompous arrogance and bravado beneath their skins, nothing else. "It's just hard for me if you go so fast."

"I thought you would be better at your job than this. You know how much I'm paying for this?"

Endur scowled furiously. Damn the Arch-priest for his stupid idea. "This isn't actually my job, I'll have you know. I'm a healer, I heal people. I'm not a scribe."

"Then why are you bothering?"

Endur looked down sullenly. "Why don't you ask the Arch-priest about that? All that talk about broadening our horizons, and what does he do all day? Stays cooped up in that cell of his, poring through lascivious books and popping grapes into his mouth. 'Communing with the gods', he calls it. Communing. What a joke." He finished bitterly.

"That's dangerous talk."

"Yeah, what's he going to do? Beat me with his walking stick? Whatever it is, fact remains I didn't have a choice."

The man flicked his tail annoyedly. "That's fantastic. They send some half-wit who can't even put full stops at the end of his sentences to write something as important as this. And then I find out he was forced. Look at what a mess you made of my book!"

Endur looked down. The man was right. Most, if not all of his sentences lacked a full stop (and in some cases, pretty much any form of punctuation). And the handwriting wasn't exactly the best either. The lack of proper light had seen to that. At least his spelling was still somewhat passable. But only just.

"What an idiot." The feline brushed himself off and made for his writing table, his leather boots thudding on the stone floor.

At that point Endur would have loved nothing more than to burn that infernal book and hurl his inkpot right into the feline's smug face. But such an act would have far-reaching consequences, seeing as who the man was.

He was the son of the town Mayor.

Such a title reduced him to simply flicking his pointed, wolfish ears irritably at the jab, shooting a dark glance at the epitome of arrogance standing in front of him.

The man was oblivious. "Forget it. That's enough for today. I'll come back tomorrow, and hopefully the Arch-priest sends someone more competent the next time, or I'll be having words with my father."

Endur secretly breathed a sigh of relief at the statement. Finally, he could escape this farce and get back to what he truly enjoyed, and was actually any good at. Wiping the nib of his pen on the hem of his robes, he corked the inkpot and slammed the book shut with a loud thud.

The man gestured angrily. "Oi! Careful with that, the book's worth more than you are."

Endur refused to grace him with a response. Picking up the thick book, he shut the clasp on the side and dropped it into the arms of the aristocrat, who gave an 'oof' as his feeble arms, in the typical fashion of wealthy people who hardly did any exercise, struggled to hold up the weight of the book. Giving him one last, dirty look, Endur spun on his heel and marched briskly out the door, his boots making loud footfalls on the stone ground as he strode out without so much as a backwards glance.

The dining hall was silent.

The only sounds were the sounds of people shuffling to and fro, the clink of iron spoons and bowls and the annoying sounds of jaws working as they chewed. Endur gingerly spooned the viscous mess that lay in the bowl in front of him. Dark green, it appeared to be some sort of vegetable porridge, the sort of food that could be made in vast amounts in massive pots and boiled all at once and dumped into people's waiting bowls. And no meat. Not a single sliver. Cheap food.

Of course.

He winced as he brought a spoonful to his waiting mouth, the foul mixture making a sickening slimy noise. Putting it in his waiting maw, he chewed with some effort, and swallowed, holding his breath to make sure he didn't taste whatever was in there.

Spoon it up, put it in your mouth, swallow it.

That became his mantra for the next fifteen minutes, his hands moving rhythmically, almost robotically. Spoon it up, put it in your mouth, swallow it. Again, spoon it up, put it in your mouth, swallow it. Repeat as often as necessary. And pray to the gods you serve that you don't get food poisoning.

It was barely a few minutes later that he realized that the bowl was empty, with only a few scrapes of that horrible stuff coating the bottom. There was a nauseated, roiling feeling in his stomach, the sort of feeling you get when you do a handstand after a massive meal.

"That's quite enough, I think." Endur pushed the bowl and spoon away, and wiped his muzzle on his large sleeve. All around him, people were forcing down that stuff, not speaking. The only communication was through hand signals, as was the custom in the monastery. It made for a depressing, silent hall, with the only light coming from torch scones located at intervals along the walls. It was already full dark outside.

Endur started slightly as he felt the bench jump from someone sitting next to him. Turning his head, he gave a wave at Fradin, the cheerful raccoon that never seemed to stop smiling, and was also quite possibly his best friend in this dank place.

"Horrible food, innit?" Fradin scratched at the back of his hand.

"Bloody hell, yes. Worst I've ever eaten. They've really degenerated." Endur jabbed a finger at the cooks, who milled up and down the rows of benches and tables, spooning more into the bowls of those who wanted it.

Fradin followed his finger. "I can't believe those people still want more."

"Gods bless their souls. Let's hope they're still alive come morning."

"I hope not. At least their deaths would give us reason to ask for a change of menu."

Endur looked at him. "Somehow, I don't think we're that lucky."

Fradin laughed, a fast sort of giggle, as he stood up from the bench. "Look at us, wishing for the untimely demise of several of our 'brothers' in exchange for a different menu. We're such holy people."

Endur followed him, trying not to attract attention as they made for the exit and the stairs that led up to their priest cells. Behind him, one of the cooks hastily cleared up his abandoned bowl and spoon. The hall didn't even notice their departure. Not a single head turned, the silence as thick as usual, the people only concerned with hoping that the next bite would not be as terrible as the last.

The corridor leading to their tower was lit only by several torch scones that lined the walls every few feet. The light cast stark shadows on the stone that made up the floor, giving an odd hypnotic effect that made Endur feel slightly dizzy. The relentless churning in his stomach did nothing to help ease his difficult situation. Occasionally, a fellow robed priest would hurry by, a book tucked under his or her arms, hoping to catch a bite to eat before the cooks rang the bell that signified meal time being over. Endur was half tempted to warn them of the terrible situation they would be in if they ate a single bite of that mush. Better to be hungry than sick, like he was feeling now.

Fradin grasped on to his upper shoulder as they reached the stairs that led up to their cells. "You feeling all right? You look a bit pale."

Endur waved him off as he tried to keep his balance on the treacherous stone steps. "I'm fine. It's the food. I've never eaten anything half as bad as that."

"I ate it all, and I feel fine."

Endur looked at him exasperatedly. "You're a raccoon. You're used to eating crap."

Fradin's arm snapped out, catching him on the shoulder. He wobbled dangerously as the light blow caused him to almost lose his balance. His arms pinwheeled madly as he fought for traction.

Fradin caught on to him. "Oh, man. That was close. You really need to put some meat on them bones." He pinched the meagre flesh that covered his friend's slim body.

The wolf brushed him off again. "Tell that to the Arch-priest."

By this time they had finally made it to their cells. Endur waved goodbye to his friend as he closed the door and turned the key in the lock, immersing him in the darkness of the tiny room he called home. Fumbling about, he tried his best to find his bed without stepping on a book or piece of experimental equipment. He would have lit the candle if the Arch-priest had not decreed that everyone would be rationed to two candles a week, and he had almost used up his second one. Instead, he was reduced to blindly feeling for obstacles with his hands as he mentally yelled at his eyes to adjust quicker. By the time he finally found the bed he had skinned his knees on no less than three walls as he bumbled about in the dark. Ripping off his vestments, he lay back on the bed, the rough straw prickling his fur and giving him the illusion of warmth as he drew the furs that made up his blankets up over himself. His slim body wasn't used to dealing with cold, but he tried his best to make do, with the distinct lack of a fireplace in his chilly, tiny room.

What a life.

That thought resounded over and over in his head as he felt the gentle touch of sleep caress his tired body.

Larez's head turned, carefully examining the trees that loomed on either side of him, checking the gloom in between for any sign of movement. He had a hand placed on the hilt of his trusty sword, ready to draw it at a moment's notice.

He rued having to come here, rued the day he had even suggested this farce. But what's done is done, and as a person of his highborn status he was honour-bound to meet the challenge. There was no backing out now.

The repetitive hooting of owls pervaded the otherwise silent calm of the night, the only other sounds being the creaking of trees and the rustling of the leaves they bore in the wind, as well as the subtle pat of his soft boots in the churned mud that made up the path. Darkness had fallen hours ago and he guessed the time to be somewhat around midnight. The only light came from the half moon above, the shape like the grin of some maniacal person in a sanatorium, and from the thousands upon thousands of stars overhead, casting a dim glow that his eyes struggled to get used to. He silently cursed himself for not having thought to bring a candle or a flaming torch. The trees stood like sentinels in the dark, standing over him, towering like watchers in the night. Swallowing, he felt a tremble wind its way up his spine as he walked. Reaching down, he patted the hilt of his sword, the feeling of the metal handle, wrapped in leather to increase grip, gave him a slight sense of relief. At least the metal had been what it always was; reliable, strong, sharp, ready to bite into the flesh of any being that dared threaten its master.

Shivering, he wrapped his cloak tighter around himself. Despite his thick coat of fur the frigid air all around him cut deep to the bones. He released a breath, watching it wind its way out of his bear-like snout and turn to vapour, before disappearing into the night sky.

This is the place

He slowed himself to a stop as he reached the area he had designated. For some reason the grass within the clearing grew shorter than in the rest of the rest of the forest and no trees grew within, as though the ground was cursed somehow. A few blocks of weathered stone littered the area, remnants of some ancient statue, now broken and covered with moss and vines. And at the bottom of the base, on which the feet once stood, Larez saw a bag.

He's already here.

Shuffling over, his boots making no sound on the soft ground, he lifted the flap of the canvas backpack and rummaged through the contents. A water flask, a hunk of dry bread, an apple core. The remains of a book, the leather cover crumbling, the spine separating from it. Grimacing, he flipped through the tattered pages, trying to make out the words in the gloom.

"Enjoying yourself?"

Larez leaped up, drawing his sword and brandishing it in one smooth motion. The abandoned book fell to the ground, where the pages finally decided to separate from the cover. The air was riven with the sound of metal against leather, the hardened steel blade glowing with the moonlight off the smooth silvery metal.

"Now look what you did with my book." The voice tutted.

"You're early." Larez's teeth were bared.

"No, I think you're late."

"There was no failure on my part. This clearing, at midnight, as we agreed."

"You poor fool. So eager to come to your death."

Larez swung his sword, the blade slicing through the air with a deadly sound. "That remains to be seen."

The source of the voice finally chose to emerge from the gloom of the forest at that moment. Larez growled as he watched the emerging figure resolve itself into a fox, with its distinctive pointed ears, the left one missing half its length. It was a form he wished he had never seen, and hoped to never see again once this battle was over. He stood almost as tall as Larez, his body armoured in what appeared to be a leather jacket studded with metal studs. Larez could not make out his weapon in the gloom. The fox was slim, his muscles speaking of someone who was well used to running and climbing. The sandals he wore made not the faintest sound on the soft forest floor, strewn with twigs and dead leaves.

"You nobles are all the same. So concerned with pride and honour that it makes your minds stupid." The fox jabbed a finger at his head.

Larez scowled, his hackles rising. "We're not stupid. You dishonoured my family name. I'm here to show you the error of your ways."

"And of course, you suggested a duel, as foolish nobles always do." The fox pointed a finger at Larez, then at his chest. "Let's face it. You're a wealthy noble, I'm a thief. A member of the common rabble, as your people like to say."

Larez raised his sword, slowly circling the figure, who remained calmly looking at him. "What are you getting at?"

"I'm saying, we could both back out of this. Walk away from each other and forget all of it. Your family's honour is lost. Doesn't matter who took it. It's gone forever. Some foolish duel won't change that."

"It will once I bring back your head. You're scared, aren't you?" The bear lifted a finger at his opponent tauntingly.

"No, I'm just efficient. You can go back to your decadent lifestyle of drinking and whoring and I can go back to," he coughed, "transferring ownership of valuable objects. How's that sound?"

"You're a fool if you think I'm going to let you just walk away after what you did."

"Pity. You'd just be wasting your life then." The fox raised a hand to his collar, undoing the clasp that held his cloak around him. The cloth fell to the ground with barely a sigh.

Larez did the same to his own cloak. The thick cloth would only serve to impede his movement in a fight, which wasn't needed at all.

All through that the fox stared steadily into his eyes. "I didn't have to come here, you know. When my contacts told me you were looking to fight me on some delusion that you could win back your family's pride by my death, I laughed my ass off. But then I thought, this is such an excellent chance to show that us commoners aren't meant to be crushed under your boots like your people usually do. And that chance starts with you."

Larez pointed his sword directly at him, the point aimed straight for his heart. A challenge. "You'll have to win first!"

"Win?" The fox sniggered. "There is no victory in a fight against an opponent as feeble as you. Why, I will be laughed at when I tell this story to my tavern friends."

Larez charged forward, swinging his sword with all his might at the fox's head. It met only thin air.

The fox chuckled, having dodged back nimbly. "How slow." Reaching at his belt, he drew his weapon, a knife of somewhat medium length, more commonly known as a dirk. The metal was thin, the shape pointed and straight, more suited to slitting throats than full on duelling. But the edge was razor-sharp, and the wicked point could pierce even the toughest of armours. Larez knew that his opponent was a master of his knife, and with its light weight parrying blows would not be a problem for him.

In comparison, his blade, a broad hand-and-a-half sword, was heavier and therefore slower and more unwieldy. However, with its weight, combined with the momentum of the swing, all he needed to do was land a single blow and the blade would do the rest, shearing through the fox's armour, fur and skin as though it was nothing more than common silk.

That was all he needed to do. Land a blow, and the fight would be over.

The fox suddenly leapt forward with a howl, blade flashing in the moonlight. Larez's eyes widened, but his muscles, honed with years of training, snapped up automatically. The two blades met with a clang that sent a murder of crows in the surrounding trees to flight, cawing indignantly. The two duellers spun away from each other, the sound of the contact still ringing in their ears.

The fox smiled widely. "Very good. I see you've had training."

Larez did not bother to grace him with a response.

"But there's something...different about you." He idly blocked a blow from the bear's sword. "Something I can't quite place my finger on." He nimbly jumped back from a heavy swing of the sword, the blade swishing in the wind, his movements showing the famous (or notorious, depending on how you look at it) agility foxes were known for.

Larez's breath was strained from the effort of swinging the sword. It wasn't particularly heavy, but proper control required large amounts of strength to prevent from burying your blade in a stone or a tree. "Yeah, what is it?"

The fox pretended to think as he easily parried another slash from the bear's sword. A mocking grin crossed his face as he wagged a finger at him. "Ah, I've got it now. Training you've had, yes, but you do not possess the acquaintance one has of real battle. You've never killed a man before, have you? I can tell."

"It won't be long now." Teeth bared, Larez swung a mighty blow at the fox, who met it with his dirk. The impact was strong enough to strike sparks off the metal, the light illuminating them for a brief second, and send a jolt travelling down his arm. Ordinarily, Larez's blow would have been enough to push through the fox's defence, but he was unfazed. His strength was clearly higher than Larez had first imagined. He wondered if he had made a mistake underestimating him.

The fox grinned. "'It won't be long now'? I wouldn't be so sure of that." Suddenly, his sandaled foot snapped forward, crunching into Larez's ankle. He gave a grunt as a jolt of pain shot up through his leg, but years of training and instinct instantly told him that the blow was simply an opening to a more deadly attack. He quickly raised his sword, half blindly, just in time to block a blow from the fox's dirk. Looking up, he saw that his opponent had made a fatal mistake. The overhead blow had left his torso open. A quick counter-shove, a block from the expected retaliatory strike, followed by a quick riposte, and the fox would soon be spilling his insides all over the forest floor.

With a jerk, he quickly set to carrying out the manoeuvre, until he happened to glance into the fox's eyes. They stared at him as if he were a very funny object, clearly laughing inside.

He knows what I'm trying to do!

The warning came too late. With his sword out of the way, the fox took the opportunity to quickly extend his hand faster than Larez could follow, penetrating his defences. There was a sharp bolt of pain from his upper arm, and he let out a pained grunt as he felt something warm soak into his clothes.

His opponent danced back, tutting. "You didn't think I'd fall from that trick of yours, did you? Such inexperience."

Larez gritted his teeth as he clutched the wound. "Fuck...you..."

"Sticks and stones, my friend. Come on and finish this. It's just a scratch."

A sort of mad rage filled Larez's very core. Picking up his sword, he leapt forward with a war cry, a mad frenzy of slashes and stabs aimed at the fox with his blade. Forced back onto the defensive, he was reduced to blocking the near frantic flurry of blows with his knife. The bear drove his opponent back, right to the edge of the clearing. He felt a strange sense of satisfaction as he watched the first vestiges of fear enter the fox's blue eyes.

With a howl, he swung a mighty blow with all the strength left in his body, bringing the sword down with all his weight behind it. The fox shot out his arm to parry it, but the second his knife made contact with the steel, the dirk snapped, it's blade already overtaxed by the flurry of heavy blows it was never designed to take. Both Larez and the fox watched the broken blade arcing through the air, reflecting the moonlight in waves, until it finally landed in a bush and out of sight.

Larez gave a triumphant roar. Raising his sword again, he took another swing. The fox jumped back just in time, but the tip of his blade sheared into one of the studs that adorned his opponent's armour, striking sparks and pulling the metal bit out of the hard leather.

The fox laughed. "Ha! Still too sl-"

His sentence was cut off midway as Larez landed a blow to the side of his muzzle with his fist, a heavy strike with all the force of his arm behind it. His opponent flew back, his arms swinging wildly, and he collapsed onto the ground with a groan.

Larez leapt forward, arms poised for the killing blow. With a grin, he snapped his arms down, sword in hand.

Then found that he couldn't.

A strange, tingling feeling of numbness crept through his body. It seemed to originate from the wound at his shoulder, but it spread through all his limbs with all the speed of wildfire, leaving a strange, cold feeling, as though his body was encased in ice. His brain suddenly felt fuzzy, and his thoughts seemed to collapse and jumble onto one another. His jaw locked up, and his tongue seemed to large for his mouth, or was it that his mouth was too small?

He could not think straight.

The broadsword dropped from his suddenly nerveless hands, and he collapsed over backwards onto the soft ground with barely a sound. An iron fist was wrapped around his chest, and simply drawing breath seemed to require all of his concentration and effort. Paralyzed, he could only watch helplessly as the fox picked himself off the ground, rubbing his tender jaw.

He casually sauntered over to his prone form, and crouched down beside him, sighing as he patted Larez's cheek.

"What a waste. You've lost. Do you know why?"

Larez could only moan.

The fox plopped down onto the ground beside him. "That's the problem, my dear friend. You are not familiar with the true ways of the world, of battle. You've only ever fought your trainers or straw dummies. You've never fought a person who's actually trying to kill you."

He stroked his cheek, speaking in a fatherly tone, as a parent would to a child. "We mortals are such fallible creatures. We lie, steal, kill, and cheat."

He held up the broken dirk, the jagged edge where the blade had broken off glinting in the moonlight. "Poison. Hemlock, to be exact. A special formula I concocted myself when a situation required quiet, discreet, killing. A fairly simple mixture, but the smallest cut..." He twitched the blade."And death is all but assured. I coated my knife with it and the moment I wounded you I knew the fight was as good as done."

The fox smiled. "As we speak, the poison is winding its way towards your heart. Once it reaches it, well..." He shrugged and tossed the broken knife aside. "At least, rest assured it will be painless and easy. I should know. I've never had anyone complain." A taunting grin split his face.

Larez's mouth was numb, but he managed to spit out a few words. "Poison...is a coward's weapon..."

The fox shook his head exasperatedly. "All you nobles and your grand ideas of 'honor'." He made apostrophes with his fingers. "What you fail to get is that in battle, there are no rules. The only thing that matters is victory. And you would have known this had you fought a real battle before. But you haven't. All you've ever fought are people whose only aim is to test your skills. But when you're up against an opponent whose only thought is to kill you, ah, that's real fighting. In battle, anything goes. It's a shame you don't know that."

The fox gingerly stood up, rubbing his bruised muzzle. "I must admit, you're one of the most resilient opponents I've ever faced. Your attacks after I wounded you....I thought I was going to die before the poison took hold. But it appears I was wrong. Perhaps," He gestured idly at the sky, "When we one day meet in the heavens, we could have a drink. My treat."

"I don't think so." Larez spat out the word between clenched teeth.

The fox reared back. "I'm offended. Why not?"

"Because there's not a chance you're ever getting to heaven."

The fox laughed, a healthy, melodious sound. "Defiant to the end. A fool, but a defiant fool. I like that. Too bad it wasn't enough."

He looked at the helpless bear. "Farewell, my friend. You have some skill, I'll give you that much at least. But first, a thief's gotta do what a thief's gotta do. And I'm a very good thief." Crouching down, he stuck his hands into Larez's coat pockets, searching through the contents. The fox took his favorite ring, which he had removed prior to the fight to avoid it catching on anything, as well as some jewelry he carried about as a lucky token. Cutting open his purse, he spooned the pile of gold and silver coins into his coat pocket with his hands, carefully counting out and leaving behind the near-worthless bronze ones. Finally, as added insult to injury, the fox undid the clasp on his clothes.

"Hmmm...Fine make. You really must tell me the name of your tailor. Oh wait, you can't. Anyway, I'll be taking this. I can fetch a good price from a fence for this, or maybe, I'll keep it for myself, to always remember this day." Shoving the bear's limp body over, he pulled his pants out from beneath him, grunting at the weight of his body. As a final poke in the eye, he stripped off Larez's smallclothes, exposing his generous balls and sheath and leaving him as naked as the day he was born.

The fox smiled, clothes bundled under an arm. "You're pretty well-endowed. Too bad we didn't meet on better terms. I could have showed you the time of your life."

Larez tried to shout that he didn't swing that way, but all that did was make his muzzle twitch.

With a final glance around the clearing, the fox strode over to his pack, tenderly tucking the abandoned book inside, before slinging it over a shoulder.

"It was nice meeting you." The fox gave him a taunting wave before trotting off, his figure receding until he finally disappeared into the darkness of the night.

Larez struggled to stay conscious, but he could see black spots in his eyes. His breathing was labored, his chest rising up and down frantically as his lungs tried to draw in the breath he so desperately needed. He could feel his strength ebbing away, and with it, his life.

Not so fast, Mr foxy man. I'm staying alive.

That thought gave him courage, and he began to pull himself forward, one inch at a time.

The road. Gotta get to the road.

He pulled himself towards the path, pulled and pulled until he felt the strength go out of his limbs. Darkness enclosed him like a warm blanket.

All over now.

_ _

Endur felt a hand shake him, unceremoniously dragging him out of a pleasant dream involving a large bed, chains, several phallic objects and no less than six fit, hot-as-hell fellow wolves.

"Endur! Wake up!"

He groaned and turned over.

"Stop playing hard to get! Wake up!"

Pulling the fur blankets over himself, he snuggled up even more tightly, intent on continuing that lascivious dream of his, until he felt the tip of a wet nosepad touch his pointed ear.

"Wake! Up!"

The voice roared through his mind, slicing through the fabric of his dream like a knife. He shot out of the bed, so fast that he lost control of himself and tumbled off, the blankets tangled around his legs.

"What the...Patience is a virtue, idio... I mean, friend. Heh"

"How nice."

"How did you get in?"

Fradin held up a pair of lockpicks. "The way I'm best at."

"Remind me to buy a bolt for my door. Anyway, what's the reason for this?"

Fradin jabbed a thumb over his shoulder. "Got something for you. Some guy in a pretty bad state down below."

That caught Endur's attention. "Really? What happened?"

"Don't know. All I knows is that he needs your attention right away. The gal who brought him in can give you more details. She's one of the town guards."

Endur hastily pulled on his vestments, tying the rope belt around his waist. Suitably dressed, he threw open the door and hurried down without another word.

When he reached the healing rooms, he saw a small group of priests huddled around a large form on one of the cots. From distance it looked like a bear, but it was hard to be sure. The man was completely naked, his body a silhouette starkly lit by the torch scones on the stone walls.

"Is this him?" Endur strode up to the cot, Fradin trailing along behind.

"Yes." The speaker was a small man Endur vaguely knew. "She can tell you more."

A stunningly beautiful women loped up beside him. A cougar, she wore the customary red brigandine and jacket of the town guard, along with a pair of canvas pants and leather boots. At her side was belted a sword and a small dagger, and slung across her back was a round wooden shield. In her hands she carried another, larger, sword.

"What happened? What's your name?"

The cougar looked at him with eyes a shocking gold. "My name is Saera. Town guard."

Endur nodded impatiently and motioned for her to continue.

She swallowed. "Um, well, I was going on my nightly patrol along the eastern road, near the forest, when I heard some sort of shuffling in the bushes. I thought it was some sort of animal, and I wanted to trap it to eat. You know, poor pay and all that. Anyway, I was creeping over to the shrub but when I looked inside I saw...him." She pointed at the unconscious figure. "Gave me a big scare. But anyway, when I found him, he was barely alive. I think he was unconscious, so his movements were all reflex. I've seen it before, on my father's farm animals." She swallowed again and licked her lips anxiously.

"What did you do then?"

"Uh, well, I asked him if he was all right. Don't look at me like that, I've never had to deal with unconscious people on my job before so that was the first thing that came to my mind."

Fradin smirked. "I assume he didn't respond?"

Endur motioned him to be quiet, as Saera continued. "Your wiseguy buddy got it right, though. He didn't say a word, but he looked to be struggling to breathe, so I tried to help by opening his mouth. Didn't help much. Anyway, I didn't know what to do, so I simply brought him here."

"You carried him all the way here?" Endur looked incredulously at her.

"No, I dragged him. Did you really expect me to haul that lump of meat around on my shoulder? I'm not some giant or legendary hero."

Fradin smirked again. "That explains the state of his fur." The unconscious man's fur was matted with mud and bits of twigs and dead leaves, the strands set in strange patterns sticking up in all directions.

"Did anything happen along the way?"

"Well, he did wake up momentarily, but all he did was mutter something about never wanting to see a fox again in his life before falling unconscious again."

"Uh-huh."

The woman suddenly started. "Oh, I almost forgot. I think this belongs to him." She handed Endur the sword she held in her hands, who huffed and almost dropped it when it fell into his arms. It was rather heavy. "It was attached to his foot by the leather thong on the hilt. He was dragging it the whole way. From how I found him I would say that he was set upon by bandits or something, and they must have stolen all of his stuff, including his clothes. He didn't manage to kill any of them, though."

"How do you know that?"

"There was no blood on the blade. Anyway, I'm guessing the sheath was attached to his belt, but the bandits must have stolen that too. Careful with it. It's really sharp. Cut me twice on the way here."

Fradin immediately shot over, tenderly examining the cuts on her hands while taking the opportunity to sneak a peek down at her cleavage while she was distracted.

As Fradin flirted with and visually molested Saera, Endur crouched down beside the bear. The man was breathing, but just barely, his breaths coming in ragged gasps. His body was small for a bear, Endur having seen much larger ones, muscular and obviously fit, but he was in no way considered large (except for that. Endur felt a tingle run down his spine when he saw it). Running his eyes over his body, Endur tried to determine the source of the man's unconsciousness and apparent paralysis, but he could not find anything except for a small gash on his shoulder. The wound looked fresh.

Saera looked concernedly at him whilst waving off Fradin's attentions. "What do you think?"

"It's odd." The small man Endur vaguely knew leaned over and examined the sleeping form. "It seems that he only has one wound, and a small one at that. What could have caused this?"

Endur looked up dramatically. "Poison."

Saera's eyes widened. "Really?"

"Yup. Think about it. He only has one wound. Tough guy like him, such a wound wouldn't faze him much, so I doubt he fainted from pain or shock or anything like that. So that only leaves one possibility."

"Wow, the bandits are really getting sophisticated."

Endur leaned down and smelled the bear, but apart from his musk and the earthen smell of mud he could determine nothing else. He turned to Saera.

"Besides the unconsciousness, did you notice anything else unusual? More specifically, did you smell anything unusual?"

Saera looked confused. "I was in a bit of a hurry, so I didn't bother."

"Come on. Feline like you, your nose must have picked up something."

Saera screwed her eyes up. "Well, I did smell something odd. That really smelly vegetable, all the more strange because it's not in season now. What is it called? Palley? Pulley? No wait, that's machinery. Uh, Par-something...I know the name sounds like the sound scissors make."

Fradin looked up. "Parsnips"

"That's the one."

Endur looked up suddenly. "Hemlock. He was poisoned by hemlock." He looked at all of them. "It is said that the plant smells like parsnips, and it also causes paralysis, like he's experiencing now. Plus, now wait for it..." He inhaled dramatically. "Hemlock causes difficulty breathing. Saera said that he had trouble drawing in breath when she found him, so that must be it."

Fradin looked astounded. "I'm amazed he survived this long then. The ones I've seen before I came here all expired in a couple of hours or so, longest. I fought against the valley tribes, remember? They were fond of using arrows coated with that."

Saera looked up excitedly. "You fought against the valley tribes before? So did I!"

Fradin seized his chance. "You and I, my dear, have a connection." He pointed at her then at himself.

The woman swayed seductively. "A mental connection. Want to make it a physical one?" She batted her eyelashes and waved her sinuous feline tail.

Endur could practically see the drool appear in Fradin's mouth, so he decided to intervene before it got out of hand. "You guys are going waaayyy too fast. Not even a date first? Besides," He pointed at the sleeping figure. "We've got a guy in trouble here."

"Oh. Right." Fradin and Saena simultaneously turned away, determinedly not looking at each other.

Endur motioned to the group. "All of you, out."

Fradin and Saena both brightened at the opportunity to get out and get to a private room.

"Not you, Fradin. I need your help. Rest of you, shoo."

His friend looked disappointed. "Oh come on! I was just about to..." He quailed in the face of Endur's glare.

The rest of the group slowly filed out of the healing room, leaving only Endur and Fradin, Saena kept looking back concernedly until the small man assured her that the bear was in good hands.

When the door shut, the room was plunged into silence. Endur stared at his friend and said. "Don't worry, you can get back to that cat soon enough. This is a deceptively simple procedure."

"What is it?"

"Tannic acid. A few mouthfuls and he should be fine. It's the antidote for hemlock."

Fradin hurried over to the apothecary cabinet located at the corner of the room. After poring through the contents for a minute, he finally retrieved a small brown bottle from the back of one of the shelves. Handing it to Endur, he watched as the wolf tipped the bottle down the bear's throat, pinching his nose to make him swallow. When the bottle was empty, Endur set it on a table and sat on the edge of the cot.

"Now we wait."

Fradin looked amazed, and more than a little annoyed. "That's it?"

"What, did you expect me to wave my hands and do a dance and Alakazar!, he wakes up fine and dandy?"

"You could have told me earlier. I could be bedding that cat right now."

"She'll still be here come morning, and even if she isn't, you can always find her in the town. It's less than fifteen minutes walk from here."

"But-"

"Nope. You're staying here until he wakes up."

"Come on! Such a catch is hard to find. Did you see the size of her breasts? She-"

"You're staying here!"

"Okay, okay..."

They didn't have long to wait. A mere fifteen minutes later, and Endur noticed the bear's breath came easier. Another five minutes, and the bear's eyelids began to twitch. Half an hour later, and they opened.

Endur leaned over. "Are you feeling-"

The bear's hand shot out, closing around Endur's neck in an iron grip. The wolf flailed his arms helplessly, trying to pull his fingers off, but his slim arms didn't do much against the strength of a bear, even a fairly small one. He struggled with all his might, trying to form words, to tell him to let go. He could see his vision begin to darken.

"STOP IT!"

The bear turned his head and stared at Fradin. The raccoon held the sword over the bear's head, his arms trembling from the effort of holding it up.

"Stop it or you get it." He swung the sword to make his point.

The bear hastily released Endur, who scrambled backwards madly, trying to draw in breath.

"I've done my part. Now you." The bear's voice was raspy from the abuse at the hands of the hemlock.

Fradin let his hands flop down, the sword clinking on the stone floor. "I was hoping there wouldn't be a stand-off. I wasn't sure I could hold it up much longer." He grinned. "At least you were very reasonable."

"I like to think so." The bear looked at Endur, who was now trying to get up, his body doubled over coughing. "I'm sorry. I thought you were a fox. Pointed ears and all. You know how it is."

"That's...fine..." Endur hacked, before straightening. "You kept talking about a fox on the way here. What was that about?"

The bear looked down. "I'd rather not talk about that right now. Suffice to say, I'd like to find him and do the same as I did to you, except without letting go."

Endur involuntarily touched his neck. "I see."

The bear shifted on the bed, craning his neck to look around. "Where am I?" He examined the long rows of pristine white cots and shelves, and at the torch scones casting their eerie glow about. The sun was yet to rise for at least another five hours.

"The town monastery. You didn't exactly make the most grand of entrances."

"How careless of me. How did I get here?"

"A town guard found you unconscious by the side of the road and brought you here."

"Brought?"

"Dragged, more like."

"Dammit. Look at the state of my fur. That idiot. Couldn't he have called for help or something?"

"You were in a bad way. There was no time. And it's a she."

"Couldn't she, then. Doesn't matter. And why did you bring me here?"

Fradin looked curiously at him. "This is our monastery healing room. Where else would you expect us to bring you?"

"Why, a private room, for starters. Look, a cot! Ridiculous! Where are the beds?"

Endur stared incredulously at him. "Your life was hanging by a thread and the only thing you care about was your own private room? You need to take a look at your sense of priorities."

The bear glared at him. "Don't talk to me like that."

Fradin growled. "He saved your life! Show some respect."

"I'm a noble of a great House, you're a bunch of peasants. You show some respect."

Fradin looked furious. "Well, this 'bunch of peasants' just made sure that you're still alive now, and this is how you treat us? We should have left you by the roadside."

The bear bared his fangs. "Talk to me like that again and I'll..."

"I'll what, huh?"

"I'll get my father to come back here and tear this place to the ground."

Fradin snarled. "You gods-damned son of a-"

Endur silenced him with a motion. "Calm down. Remember your vows. And you." He pointed at the bear. "All places of religion are protected by laws none can break. The Emperor himself couldn't lay a finger on this place. So stop all this bravado."

The bear glared at Endur, who glared back. The man was at least one and a half times his size, but he was damned if he was going to submit to this arrogant lump of muscle and fur. They continued like this for the better part of five minutes, until the bear finally lowered his gaze.

"All right, all right. You've made your point. I guess I have some gratitude to show on my part. So thanks."

Endur smiled. "You're welcome. You can start by telling us your name."

"Larez. Yours?"

Endur pointed at himself and his raccoon friend. "I'm Endur, and this is Fradin."

"Endur. A strong name." He looked down at himself, at his tangled, mud caked fur, adorned with twigs and leaves. "Don't suppose I could get a bath around here, Endur?"

The wolf motioned to his friend. "Fradin. Get the maids to bring up a couple of buckets of hot water to the bathhouse and fill up the tub. Quickly now."

Fradin fumed. "Why does it have to be me that has to tell the maids for this cheeky bastard?"

Larez bristled.

"Because if it's not you, it's got to be me, and you don't want to be in the same room alone with him, do you?"

The raccoon sniffed and spun on his heel, stalking out of the room without another word.

Endur smiled and turned back to Larez. "He's always like that, but he'll come around. Think you can make it?"

The bear had already gotten off the cot, his legs slightly wobbly. He smiled back.

"I'll manage."

The bathhouse was deserted, the many candles placed all around the rooms casting a dim glow about. It lent the place a surreal, eerie air, and more than a little romantic, which made Endur feel slightly uncomfortable. He walked quickly, his robes billowing behind him. Larez trailed along, his hands placed over his nether parts. There was a slightly embarrassed look on his face, made worse by two giggling priestesses who had come across them on their way there. They had sniggered and pointed while the bear tried to conceal himself, occasionally shouting at him to show them his manhood, stating that all good things had to be shared. The bear had blushed hotly, hunching his back to prevent them glimpsing anything. He had declined with as much finesse as possible, but the speed at which he had strode away from the two women, legs pumping, spoke of his state of mind at that moment, a mixture of confusion born out of inexperience accompanied by a healthy dose of embarrassment. In all honesty, Endur had hoped that the bear would go along with the duo's lusty demands, if only so he could catch a glimpse of those glorious balls and thick sheath. Just thinking about such a sight sent tingles of arousal shooting up his spine. He regretted not taking a longer look previously, with his mind so preoccupied with treating the bear's condition. Such lustful thoughts were not strictly condoned by monastery law of course, but Endur figured he could let himself go for a bit, without anyone's knowledge. Fradin had gotten it right. Such a catch didn't come along often, although Endur doubted he'd get anything more than a few glances throughout the night. The bear just didn't seem like the type.

The wolf pushed open the door that led to the bathhouse, a thick wooden chunk of wood, slightly rotted from years of damp and steam, and ushered Larez in. The bear seemed relieved to be in a private place, away from prying eyes. They walked along the corridor, until Endur reached a room blocked by a large stone door.

"This is the original bath. The rest was built all around it. It has its own piping, but we still have to bring in water manually. Right now only the Arch-priest uses it, but I figure he could lend it to us for tonight. Without his knowledge, of course."

The bear smirked. "Those two ladies flirting with me, and now this. I get the feeling you people aren't exactly holy around here."

"We try our best." Pushing open the door, Endur stepped in, with Larez following behind closely. The room was of medium size, the walls all entirely carved out of stone, with occasionally a few shelves cut into the rock. The room had been carved out of the side of a large piece of stone that was somehow embedded in the hill back when the monastery was first built, and generations of men and women, Arch-priests and important people, had bathed, washed and done other, more nefarious things within.

And now it was their turn.

The maids had done their job, leaving two large buckets of water standing out in the corridor, in preparation for whichever room the two of them wanted to use, in their case, the one they were not actually supposed to use. Endur shoved the large buckets into the room, careful not to spill any of the water, while Larez helped. Endur poured some cleansing mixture into both, with Larez standing there shivering in the cold.

The bathtub was not actually a 'tub' per se, more like a large chunk carved out of the rock with the rest hollowed out, leaving a deep bowl-like indentation in the middle that served as the tub. With a grunt, Endur heaved the first bucket in, pouring out all of the water within into the bowl. With the tub almost full, Endur invited the bear to step in, which he did gratefully, sinking into the hot, almost scalding water with a satisfied sigh. Some of the water overflowed, splashing on the stone floor, and the rest inside turned almost instantly brown as the mud all over his body began to wash off.

Endur picked up a coarse brush and began scrubbing the bear's fur, while at the same time copping feels of his musculature. The bear's body was toned and muscled, with his arms and legs firm from extensive training and running. Just feeling the hard muscles was enough to make him feel aroused, the tip of his member taken a peek out of his sheath beneath his robes. Endur could feel the bear's muscles relax as the hot water took all of the tenseness out of it and replaced it with a warm, sedentary feel. The wolf scrubbed harder, helping Larez to pull all the tangles out of his fur, as well as picking all the bits of detritus out. Picking up a bar of fat soap, he scrubbed the bear raw, until his fur was sleek and smooth, all of the dirt removed.

"I think you're fairly clean now." Reaching in, Endur pulled the plug, allowing the water to wash down the drain, until the tub was empty. Shoving the other bucket, he emptied all of the hot water in, the steam clouding the room, until the tub was almost full again. This time, the water stayed clear.

Endur watched Larez soak in the warmth for a few minutes, his eyes closed with comfort and satisfaction, feeling the trials of the night wash away as the warmth soaked into his bones. Only the bear's head was visible; the rest was hidden by steam.

Endur hated to break into the bear's comfort, but there was something that needed saying.

"Larez..."

"Hmmm?" The bear cocked an ear at him.

"I have some bad news."

"Well, great. Just what I need. Go on."

"Um, well..." Endur rubbed his forehead, his ears twitching irritably. "You know, our monastery has come on some hard times. We need to make money to support ourselves, so the Arch-priest has decreed that..."

"Decreed what?"

"That we charge for our services. This isn't free, you know."

Larez turned around in the bath and stared at him. "What is this place, a regular trading house now?"

Endur winced. "I know, we used to provide our services and such for free. But that was before the new Arch-priest came in. This was not my idea. I don't agree with it. But I have to."

"And that means..."

"I'm afraid I can't let you leave without some sort of payment. And that leads us to our next problem. You-"

"-Don't have anything to pay us with. I know." The bear finished.

Endur looked down. "I hate panhandling like this, I really do. But I don't have a choice. The bandits or whoever took everything you had. When you came in the only thing you had on you was the skin you stood up in. And your sword."

The bear's eyes widened incredulously. "You must be mad if you think I will give you that. It's been in my family for generations, from my father to my father's father and his father before that. I can't. I'm sorry."

Endur looked at him lamely. "So am I. But I need something. I can't allow you to leave otherwise."

The bear looked at him. "There have to be alternatives. What if you let me go, and I came back and paid you later? On my honor."

"I don't think that'll work. We had somebody say that a while back and we let him go, but he didn't return. Now the Arch-priest has forbidden it."

"Or how about...Let me think. Well, I've got a fox to hunt, but I don't suppose I could stay here and help around for a couple of weeks or so to work off my debt?"

"I'm afraid we have enough people to help. We don't need any more. You'll be surprised how many people suggest that as a method of payment. Anyway, you don't want to be eating the food here. Trust me."

"Damn."

Endur looked at him. "Well? Any ideas?"

They stared at each other for several minutes. Endur hated this part, hated the Arch-priest for making him do this. But he understood the necessity of it. The monastery would have been abandoned years ago if he had not.

The bear looked down, the steam obscuring him slightly. "Well, I guess there's only one option."

"What's that?"

An embarrassed grin crossed Larez's face. Standing up, the water sluiced off him like a waterfall. Through the steam, Endur could see his wonderful member, causing him to gasp. But that was not the least of it. The bear turned around and bared his butt at him, grasping the edge of the tub, his nub of a tail twitching madly with anticipation or excitement, he could not tell.

Endur swallowed as he got his meaning. "You want to pay me with..."

The bear giggled uncharacteristically and swayed his hips. "If I have to pay, might as well pay with something I enjoy." He giggled again.

The wolf twitched. "This isn't exactly legal payment here. Not to mention the monastery doesn't exactly condone such an act..." Secretly, his mind was screaming at him to take the opportunity. The thought of mating with this muscular, fit and sexy bear was almost more than he could take.

"I don't exactly have a large number of choices. This is payment, is it not?" The bear grinned devilishly.

"You're one to talk about not being holy. Crow calling the raven black, if I ever heard it." Endur could feel his breath coming quicker, his chest rising up and down with his arousal. His hand involuntarily twitched to the rope belt at his waist.

"Call me a hypocrite, I don't care." The bear grinned. "At least I always pay my debts."

"And I'm glad...to collect." Endur couldn't suppress a grin splitting his face in two.

The bear smiled, only to gasp as he felt a pair of hands seize his butt cheeks, massaging those two tender lumps of flesh. He couldn't resist wagging his nub harder as Endur squeezed.

The wolf could barely breathe. This was nuts! If anyone caught him in the midst of this he would never hear the end of it. He might even be regalated to washing dishes in the monastery kitchen for the rest of his life as a priest. However, the potential consequences only seemed to add to his lust and the sexual tension of the both of them. He was damned if he was going to refuse such a direct proposal, especially by one so fit and sexy.

The bear's eyes were closed as Endur continued his massage, rubbing the tender flesh, his hands drifting over those two mounds, occasionally drifting down to his thighs. He gently stroked the bear's sack, electing a short moan from Larez as the sensation sent a tingle up his spine. The bear's pulsing ring was exposed, the flesh taut and tight. Grinning, Endur quickly moistened a finger with his saliva, before running his paw pads all around the circumference. Larez shook and gasped as Endur continued his treatment, his tail-hole pulsing with his every breath.

Suddenly, the bear gave a veritable yell as he felt the tip of Endur's long finger enter his tail-hole. He squeezed his muscles as he felt the invasion in a place he had never let anyone touch before. His muscles trembled as he felt Endur's finger swirl within him, touching all the recesses of his hole. He squeezed it with all his might, moaning at the sensations that coursed through him, sparks of bliss that arced through him.

"Time to get more involved, I think." Endur muttered as he withdrew his finger from Larez's tail-hole, causing the bear to give a moan of disappointment. Bringing his hands to the rope belt that held his robes up, he quickly undid the knot and pulled the thin rope out from around his waist, throwing it aside on the wet floor. Sinuously, he widened the collar until his midsection was exposed, giving the bear a show as Larez leaned back against the edge of the tub, his legs splayed, exposing his generous sheath, now fully erect, his thick pink member standing up and throbbing with his every heartbeat.

"No such thing as credit here. Payment up front." Endur pulled the robes down to his ankles and stepped out of them, swaying his hips to give the bear a better look at his slim body. His grey and black fur was damp from all the moisture in the air, tangled slightly. His member was standing up out of his sheath with his arousal, tingling slightly in the warm air. He didn't posses much in the way of muscles, but he had enough from his days working in the monastery yard. His musculature was slim, his frame lithe and agile, with slightly defined packs and good biceps. He spun slowly, throwing the robe aside carelessly on the damp floor.

Larez's eyes widened. "You were naked under that all this time?"

"I admit it was quite a challenge keeping my erection under control at the sight of your wonderful body." Endur strode up beside the reclining bear and traced a finger under his jaw. "But the size of the robes helped a lot. Anyway, no need for that now. Mind if I join you?"

"Feel free."

Endur stepped into the water, now mostly warm, slowly reclining down on the side of the tub like Larez. He paddled idly with his legs, smiling. He enjoyed letting himself go like this. After all the years of chastity and keeping his true self under wraps while living in the monastery with his fellow priests, it felt good to cut loose. He snuggled up close beside the larger bear, tracing a finger over the lines of his chest, savouring the feel of his hard muscles beneath his finger.

The bear sighed with pleasure. "Never thought you'd be a debt collector, huh?"

"If the debts were to be paid like this, I'd be applying right away." Endur grasped onto Larez's hips with both his hands and brought himself on top of the bear, his member aimed directly toward that delicious tail-hole. "None of all that banging on doors and shouting. Just a bath, and two naked men, both hot-as-hell and lusting for more."

"What do you say I pay my debt now and you write this one off the books?" The bear grinned lustily at him.

"I'd say that's one less bad debt in this world." Endur smiled ferally, showing his teeth. Snapping his neck forward, he brought his fangs around Larez's neck and bit sharply, but with gentleness. Larez groaned at the feeling at his neck as Endur teased his flesh with his two fangs, worrying the flesh between his teeth.

"How's it feel like to be taken by a predator when you're a predator yourself? You, an apex animal. Top of the food chain. And now you're my bitch because of your debt."

Larez's eyes widened and a lustful grin spread across his face. "I do so love to be brought down low sometimes."

Endur nipped at him with his teeth, causing the bear to yelp. Wrapping his arms around his body, Endur snuggled closer, bringing his member tantalisingly close to his hole, allowing the tip of it to brush against his ring. Larez shivered despite the warmth, his muscles jerking. The wolf touched his wet nosepad to his partner's ear, and the bear sighed softly, locking his arms around the wolf.

"Take me now, Endur!" His voice trembled with his arousal, his heart beating so fast he half-thought it would burst out of his chest. He struggled to draw in air as his brain screamed for release, for the slim wolf to penetrate him, to bring him down and show him who was boss.

"Let's repay the original debt first." Endur brought his throbbing member to Larez's tail-hole, teasing his flesh with the tip. As the bear shook and trembled, Endur pushed the tip in. He was unbelievably tight, obviously revealing that he had never done this before. The bear let out a slight moan of pain mixed with pleasure, as his tight recesses tried to get used to the thick flesh entering it. Endur felt Larez's anal muscles clench around his member, sending jolts of pleasure shooting up from his groin. He grimaced as he continued to push in, allowing the muscles of his anus to get used to the invasion of this thick rod. Larez pushed back too, getting closer and closer to each other until they were fully joined.

Endur looked at him, his face flushed, his breath coming in ragged pants. "Are you ready?"

The bear nodded frantically, his eyes screwed up, too focused on savouring the sensations to speak.

Endur began to frantically hump him, his legs pumping, as Larez squealed with every thrust. There was no mistaking how much he needed it. His years without a partner had diminished his skill, but he made up for it with sheer enthusiasm and lust. Endur could feel the bear's walls parting before him, moulding to his shape, his every breath and heartbeat causing his muscles to close around him. He panted and groaned, feeling himself come closer and closer with every thrust. Larez pushed back every time he did so, trying to get as much of that length into himself as possible. The sounds of their pleasure filled the room, a cacophony of moans and groans and squeals, as well as the sound of water splashing and the sound of their thighs slapping against each other. He felt a jet of pre shoot out, lubricating its passage further. Larez trembled and shook, his body bouncing from the ferocity of Endur's thrusts.

"Now for the payment of interest." The wolf wrapped a hand around Larez's girth and gave it a pump. The bear howled as the motion sent sparks of pleasure shooting up through his body, causing his toes to curl. He begged Endur for more, who happily complied, his hand pumping up and down like a piston. Larez pumped his hips in sync with Endur, moving up and down and savouring the feelings that shot all around their bodies.

It was Larez who achieved climax first, a veritable roar that echoed all around the room and out beyond the door as his body shook from the pleasure of his release. Thick ropes of cum shot out from his throbbing member, spattering onto him. His teeth were bared as he rode out his orgasm, his eyes shut tightly as sparks ran up and down his spine, his toes curling involuntarily. Just as he felt the wave begin to settle, he was set off again by the almost simultaneous orgasm of the wolf on him. Endur howled as he felt his cum burst from his tip and into the recesses of the bear's anus, as he felt his walls close around his member tightly. His body shook and trembled, and he gripped on to Larez with all his might, near sobbing as he felt all his lust from years of sexual famine be released in a single moment, as his pleasure raced all around his body, and set him afire.

They held each other for several more minutes, until they felt themselves begin to settle down, the pleasure replaced by a complete and utter sense of exhaustion. They flopped down onto the edge of the tub, backs resting against it, floating on the water silently as their exhausted bodies filled them with a sense of satisfaction.

"That...was amazing." Larez could barely speak.

"I consider your debt repaid. Interest too." Endur floated beside him, a hand on his chest and his head resting on his shoulder.

Slowly, they felt their energy returning, filling them again with the strength needed to prevent them from falling asleep. Endur looked up with affection into the eyes of his newfound mate, the first in a very long time.

"How about again?" Larez grinned.

"Sure...just let me get my-"

The door banged open.

Larez and Endur both jumped as they watched twin figures approaching them, unbeknownst to their presence.

"No one will find us here! It's the Arch-priest's own bathroom, nobody comes here."

"But what about Endur and that bear?"

"They should be gone by n-" The raccoon stopped as he saw the two figures in the bath, staring incredulously at them.

"Oh. Hey guys."

Saera gave a scream, and as she jumped backwards Endur saw that she was completely naked, all her armour and gear shed in replacement for a small towel. He grinned sheepishly.

"Gods. What's that smell?" Fradin's nose wrinkled. Suddenly, a knowing look spread across his face. "You two didn't do what I think you did, did you?"

Their guilty looks said it all.

Saera loped up beside him. "Sorry, you gave me a shock that's all. Say..." She smiled lustfully as she took in their bodies. "Two's a pair, three's a crowd, and four's a party, so they say..."

Larez started. "I don't think that's how it goes..." But he shut up when he saw the looks of pure lust on all their faces as they looked as each other.

"Oh come on, we only just finished..."

Endur grinned. "I think it's time for more debt collecting." He smiled as the duo closed in onto the tub, and the rest, as they say, is history.

The tavern was dimly lit, with only a few candles dotting the tables all around. There was a shortage of candles in the area, when a farm that supplied beeswax had mysteriously gone bankrupt overnight, all of its money gone.

The fox sitting at the corner table grinned as he felt his fat purse hanging at his belt. The farm had been an easy job, the guards either asleep or unconscious from too much alcohol. Breaking in had been simple, and so had opening the safe. The getaway had been a joke. He had walked out right under the noses of the guards, and they had been so concerned about the fire he had set in one of the rooms as a distraction that they had not noticed the slim figure walking out the front gate, his pockets bulging with a distinct clinking sound.

The fox treated himself to a long drink from his tankard of mead as he brushed at his clothes, newly taken from his most recent duel with that fool. He had made the choice not to sell them as a reminder of how stupid some people could be.

"Fancy meeting you here." The voice emanated somewhere over his shoulder.

The fox gasped and fumbled at his side for his dagger. Lowering the cup, he glanced at the dark golden liquid within, and at the reflection that looked back at him.

It was a bear, but not just any bear. The fox caught sight of a small but distinct scar.

Located on his shoulder.

He swallowed mightily. "Who are...You!"

"Fine wear you've got there. Sadly, I think those belong to me."

The fox felt his heart beat faster. "You're supposed to be d-"

Those were the only words he could get out before he felt a pair of hands close around his neck.

2/4/2013 - 6/4/2013