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Lupine

Written By: Spudz

<It's a pleasure to meet you. My name is Doko.>

Araki heard the words echo in her head, but she couldn't believe it. This creature, this wolf, was communicating to her through mindspeak. She was stunned.

<Are you ok?>

The husky realized her muzzle was hanging open. She made an effort to speak, but the agonizing headache that racked her mind made itself known with a vengeance. The pain was unbearable, to the point that her vision tunneled inward in a hazy blur. She could only manage a pitiful whimper.

This was too much for her to take in all at once.

Still sitting upright in the snow, Araki didn't register at first the weight of the wolf as he gently slid himself halfway into her lap. Only when she felt a soothing spellweave wrap itself around her did she manage to regain some of her faculties.

The threads had a medicinal pattern to them. They purposely bound together in intricate patterns, honing in on the throbbing anguish that threatened to split her head open at any moment.

<I'm sorry about the discomfort. I didn't realize how rough this would be for you.>

She let the wolf's weave envelop her. _Discomfort? That was an understatement._Araki closed her eyes and tried to block out the pain, succeeding marginally. Without realizing it, she reached out and found the black silky fur of her newfound companion and held on as if he were an anchor in a turbulent storm.

<Hold on, let me try and fix you up.> As his voice echoed in her mind, the swirling patterns grew more defined, encircling her head in a dizzying dance. The dazzling light didn't help when she tried to look. She had to keep her eyes closed, for fear of losing the contents of her stomach onto the snow. Thankfully, the wolf was quick in his work.

A comforting chill overtook her as the weave snapped into place, steadily building, gradually cooling the raging inferno that burned. It felt like her head had been dipped into an icy lake. But the sensation wasn't so unpleasant, far from it.

Araki breathed a relieved sigh, inwardly surprised that the wolf could actually perform medicinal weaves. Yet again, his prowess had taken her by complete surprise.

She never liked it when others poked around in her body, and for that matter her head, even if they were sages educated in the medical practices. The thought was always distressing. But right now, she could put that anxiety aside, if it meant getting rid of this nauseating headache. Never mind the fact that this was a strange four-legged creature she had just met who was performing the weave. At this point she was willing to trust him.

That trust, as it turned out, was well placed.

She gave the wolf's fur a few appreciative strokes as the crippling agony gradually receded away, until it was nothing more than a dull ache, still an aggravation, but far better than before. At least now she could think straight.

"Ah, gods, thank you," the husky managed.

<I hope that helps a little.> He let the weave dissolve, allowing the threads encircling her to lose their life and fade out of existence. <That was... worse than what I was expecting.>

"Yes, I feel much better," Araki breathed. She risked opening an eye, and was glad when the light didn't bring about any added discomfort. "Much better."

She found the wolf - his name was Doko, she reminded herself - sitting with his front legs in her lap, looking up to her expectantly. He was quite a majestic creature, with those piercing yellow eyes that were so striking. She didn't know what to do.

Doko, himself, was at a loss as well. His gaze momentarily fell to the ground as he seemed to search for something to break the silencethat had built up between them.

A brief gust of wind rustled the branches of a nearby tree. Somewhere off in the distance, an animal called out, piercing the silence that otherwise prevailed in the surrounding forest.

The shock from earlier still hadn't worn off. In the daze of the moment, Araki found herself reaching out toward the wolf, who didn't shrink away from her outstretched hand. He instead accepted her invitation and leaned in as she gave him a gentle scratch under his muzzle.

<Oh... I love it when you do that.> His mindspeak was glazed over in contented pleasure, the wolf's muzzle twisting upward in a doggy grin.

At his encouragement, she continued massaging, even venturing to briefly rub her knuckle inside his sensitive ear to Doko's rich groan of delight.

She was surprised how quickly he succumbed to her touch. For a moment she forgot about the fact that this was a hundred pound wolf in her lap, who could speak and had demonstrated an intellect equal to or even greater than her own. In that moment, he was just a happy goofy dog, looking for some love and attention. There was something beguiling about the way she suddenly had him at her mercy.

All of the chaos from earlier slowly began to come back into focus. As Araki sat there caressing the wolf in her lap, she could begin to sort out her thoughts, methodically putting the shattered pieces back together. The gradual realization was like a bank of fog peeling away in the early morning sun to reveal the landscape beyond.

The mindlink, that instantaneous moment where her perception had been shared with the wolf, she remembered now.

Her hands stopped their massaging motion as she looked down to Doko - it was odd to think of him by name - who looked back up toward her expectantly. Their muzzles were almost touching.

Something was different from before, Araki realized. She had no real good way to describe the feeling. It was almost like something had been forcibly shoved into her mind. She tried to focus on the strange newness that floated around her perception.

It was a language, but not just that. There was more, much more, knowledge that was both strange and vaguely familiar in an intrinsic way. She couldn't begin to decipher all of the new information that was just suddenly there. She looked to the wolf for answers. "What did you force into my head?"

He recoiled away from her gaze, ears splaying flat. His voice in her head was shamed. <I gave you my language, and my culture. I'm sorry, I had no other way to speak with you.>

The husky started. How had she not realized this sooner? The way he had just started conversing with her through mindspeak, it had felt so natural. She hadn't even realized the strangeness of it all until now.

Araki had heard of spellweavers that could poke around in someone's mind and extract and place knowledge at their choosing. She had never seen the practice done in person though. None of the sages in the Rajo Order had that sort of proficiency. It was an exceptionally dangerous feat to carry out; and this wolf had just done it to her effortlessly. Again with the surprises...

It was a strange, rough dialect that Araki now comprehended, composed of coarse syntax that was difficult to speak. Or was it a language that was supposed to be spoken aloud in the first place? So far Doko had only spoken to her via the mind. More questions still unanswered.

One thing was certain though. This, she now understood, was the dialect of the wolves.

He had probably also taken the chance to pull her language for his own understanding, maybe even more than that. How else could he understand what she was saying now? The husky allowed herself a weary smile. "I suppose you didn't have a choice in the matter. I just, ah, would rather not go through that again."

He gave her a reassuring lick on the side of her muzzle, tickling her whiskers. <Oh, you don't have to worry, Araki. You'll never have to go through that again.>

She resumed her gentle petting, lightly gliding her fingers through his soft black fur, feeling that it was the right thing to do. Hearing him speak her name in her head only reaffirmed her hunch he had translated more than just her language. "I'm sorry; meeting you like this has been a real surprise for me. Can you only converse via the mind?"

Doko had closed his eyes as her hand worked its way through his fur. He sighed, enjoying her attention. <Yes, my kind doesn't speak vocally like you.>

"Only via mindspeak? How is that possible?"

The wolf shifted himself in her lap, much to her sudden discomfort, and looked up to her. <That is how it has always been. Can you not converse in this fashion?>

"Only a few of... my kind, can speak like you do." Araki paused and focused her thoughts carefully. <It requires years of teaching to master this technique.>

<I didn't think it was that difficult to learn? Pups are typically able to speak before they have seen two winters.>

Before two winters? If that was true, it implied an understanding of mindspeak that was unheard of. Only those who exhibited any signs of spellweaving proficiency had the potential to learn the subtle art. And even then, only a select few could master the technique. It wasn't a gift many had. "It's quite difficult for me to speak with you in that fashion. I can't believe wolves only communicate in such a way."

Doko licked his lips thoughtfully. <I suppose yes, and no. We do commune through vocal calls and mannerisms. The knowledge that I passed to you should allow you to fully grasp all aspects of the lupine tongue.>

This brought up a nagging question that had plagued Araki for several days, one of the many she had on the tip of her tongue. "Just how many wolves are out there?"

<I'm not exactly sure. The greater lupine territory sprawls the entire northern hemisphere. There are at least several hundred thousand of us spread across the region.>

His reply left Araki in stunned silence. Several hundred... thousand. For a species that was supposed to be extinct, the number was staggering for her to hear. "That's... I never would've imagined."

Doko, upon seeing her disbelief, carefully extracted himself from her lap. As the husky looked on, he picked out a nearby patch of snow and began drawing a large circle with his claw.

At first Araki had no idea what he was up to. He continued drawing, using the claw like a precise tool to carve out lines within the circle. Only after a few moments of studying his work did she comprehend what he was up to; it was nothing less than Terra itself, the second world of modern civilization. He was drawing her a map!

She could make out the Sineos continent far to the south, and then there was the vulpine kingdoms bordering the Dalevin Sea, and then the canine realms further north.

When the depiction was complete, Doko took his claw and made a solid line that bisected the northern hemisphere horizontally all the way across. He then motioned to the isolated north with a paw. <We claim the land north of this line, although that varies slightly depending on geological features of the landscape. The entire region across the world, all the way to the northern pole. This is the greater lupine territory.>

Araki studied the depiction with muzzle ajar, unable to fully grasp what the wolf had just said. The region that he had indicated, the Great Northern Expanse, was uninhabited and desolate. As far as she knew, there was no form of modern civilized life that encroached into this land. Northpoint was the northernmost village she knew of.

When the husky realized the gravity of what Doko had shown her, she turned to him. "If there are so many wolves, why has the modern world been ignorant of your existence all this time?"

<My kind has willed it so for over a millennium. Contact with anthros is strictly forbidden. We strive to isolate ourselves from your society, leaving no trace to hint of our existence.> Doko appeared to pick up on the husky's unvoiced question. He plopped down onto his haunches and stared at the snow between his paws. <I'm... I'm not supposed to be here. This goes against the most serious of lupine laws. If they found out I was meeting you like this...>

She could hear the fear creep into his voice, which foretold of grave consequences should he be discovered. If the punishment for him was severe enough to put him on edge, what would happen to her if other wolves chanced upon them right now?

Araki pursed her lips, and tried to steady her nerves. She had to trust his judgment for now. "I don't want any harm to come to you because you sought me out. Please, if this is dangerous for you."

<I'm safe, for the moment. But I don't have much time.> He looked off toward the distant mountains. <They'll be expecting me back soon. I hadn't counted on you being unconscious for so long.>

"How long was I out?" Now that he had called attention to the fact, Araki took notice of the threatening sky above. Already a light snow was falling, and the wind had begun to pick up.

<You were unconscious for most of the afternoon. I didn't want to wake you for fear of complications with the link. It took your mind longer than I expected to accept the knowledge that I gave.>

"That long? Gods, it felt like I was only out for a second." Araki managed to pull herself up onto her paws. Yes, the storm was definitely approaching quick. This was going to be a bad one. She would have to head back to the village soon. "The weather is going to turn nasty."

He followed her gaze up to the sky above. <You are able to sense and alter the weather?>

"Yes, it is my primary affinity." She held out a hand and watched as several snowflakes landed in her open palm.

<Are there others... that possess your gift? I know of no wolves that can work the weather like you did back a few days ago. Lightning in clear blue sky, I've never seen such a thing.>

"It's exceptionally rare. There are no other weatherweavers I know of."

Doko perked up as she spoke. <A weatherweaver? Is that what they call you?>

"Well, no..."

Araki's words were cut off by the haunting sound of a mournful howl far off in the distance. She stopped to listen intently, recognizing the call for what it was; an alpha was calling his pack together.

The way the knowledge just came to her out of nowhere, it was odd, disconcerting. How did she know the howl belonged to an alpha wolf? What was an alpha wolf in the first place? Only more questions answered the ones she already had.

Alongside the husky, Doko cringed. <They are calling for me. The pack is gathering for a hunt.> He looked to her, concern clear in his wolfish eyes. <I must go. If I am missed...> His voice trailed off in her head, leaving the rest unspoken.

Araki held out her hand. "Wait! How will I find you? Will we be able to meet again?"

<I will find you again. For now, go back to your village. You will need rest and food to help cope with the aftereffects of the link.> He turned to go.

Araki watched him pad away from her. When he stopped on the other side of the small clearing, she felt the echoes of his spellweave begin to form. She said the only thing she could think to say. "Thank you."

He glanced back toward her, and she caught a brief wag of his tail. <I'll be back soon... I hope.>

With that, the wolf's teleportation weave snapped into place, illuminating his form for the briefest of instants. And then he was gone, as the weave collapsed inward with a loud report, leaving behind a melted patch of snow and thick wisps of steam that quickly dissipated into the chill air.

For a few minutes, Araki simply regarded the set of paw prints that Doko had left behind. They were huge, far larger than the average domesticated dog, a telling reminder of how big he was. There was one thing the ancient scrolls had gotten right at least; wolves were very imposing creatures.

Physical presence aside, Doko was a remarkable animal, no, a remarkable individual. It wasn't fair to refer to him in such a degrading term. She had to look past his stature to the personality that dwelled within. He was no different than any normal person she had ever met before, even if he walked on four legs.

Now, standing there alone in the forest clearing, the husky had to ask herself a question she had already asked several times since beginning her mission. "What do I do now?"

Eventually, the storm reminded her of its coming fury with a particularly strong gust of wind. Araki was forced to concede to the weather and hastily donned her leather armor and katana for the trek back into town.

By the time she made it to the Trail's End Tavern, the snow was coming down sideways in a blinding sheet.

To her consternation, the rest of the village had apparently decided the inn was the best place to weather the storm as well. She immediately ran into a wall of patrons right through the front door. The place was absolutely packed.

At first Araki couldn't make any progress through the throngs of hulking malamutes and akitas, slinging mugs of ale and mead about to the raucous tune of drunken conversation.

At least she wouldn't be cornered by Shishu. With so many customers to attend to, the cheetah probably had her hands full at the moment. All the better. Araki didn't have the energy, or willpower, to fabricate another lie to go along with the prior fib she had crafted for the tavern owner. The cat would see right through it. That was a problem that was best left for the following morning.

Eventually a particularly rowdy group caught sight of her ebony armor. An opening formed in the throng of furry bodies, providing her room to pass.

The opening quickly grew as more villagers noticed her presence and cleared away, giving her a straight path to the adjacent hallway. No one wanted anything to do with her, and really, she was fine with that tonight.

Araki wasted no time making her way through the parted crowd, not even glancing around to the disdainful looks that were directed at her. Let them deride her for the sage that she was. She cared not for their disrespect, especially tonight after everything that had happened.

After only a few days of her snooping around the forest, supposedly unable to find any sort of threat, the villagers thought their wellbeing safe. Without said threat to cow the populous, they felt themselves free to scorn Araki's presence and the office she represented. She had come here and put her life on the line to protect them, and was now met with nothing but contempt.

These folk had no idea what was happening out beyond the supposedly safe borders of their village. Such narrow-minded people. If they really knew what lurked out there in the forest, they would be practically groveling at her paws for protection right now. The thought provoked a weary grin from the husky. If they knew of the wolves, this town would be in a panic.

Soon the din of laughter was left behind. It required more effort than Araki thought for her to find and subsequently use the key to gain entrance to her room. Exhaustion continued to creep up on her.

Only when the room's door was shut and barred against the outside did she breathe a sigh of relief. Only then, could she let the whole day catch up to her in one rush.

Her armor, sword, clothing, she discarded it all onto the floor haphazardly, leaving the husky in nothing but her striking white fur. She remembered what Doko has said, but had no will to eat; she wasn't sure she could keep anything down if she tried. Her whole body was out of sorts.

Instead Araki threw herself onto the lush comfort of her bed, where the last cognitive thought she had was the exhausted delight of soft pillow down beneath her tired head.

***************

The path back to wakefulness was an arduous one.

When Araki eventually mustered the will to peel open an eye, nothing but the pale darkness of the husky's room greeted her drowsy gaze. Oh, what time is it? I haven't slept like that in a good while.

Uttering a groan, she managed to sit upright in bed. Outside the window the blizzard howled at its full ferocity, beating the shutters against the outside of the inn with every intent of ripping them from the structure. The faint light that managed to work its way through the panes told her that it was sometime during the day, although whether that was morning or afternoon was anyone's guess.

At least Shishu had kept things cozy enough. While there was no fireplace or candles to provide light in the husky's room, the space was comfortably warm, no doubt due to a centralized heating system that utilized a single fire to properly heat all of the rooms of the inn; a feat of modern engineering art that Araki didn't quite understand.

First things first, let's have some light. A simple spellweave would do the trick.

She took a moment to steady her breathing and held out her hand before her. In a matter of seconds, the husky wove a spell purely from practiced memory, drawing mana threads together into a small concentrated ball in her opened palm. The result was a glow of light that slowly grew in intensity, until the entire room was illuminated in its soft blue radiance.

When the illumination spell was fully formed, Araki tied off the threads she had worked and haphazardly tossed her hand upward. The ball of light left her palm and floated upward, until it attached itself to the ceiling of the room, spreading its glow more evenly across the open space.

The new brightness of the room drew the husky's attention to a covered plate resting on the floor. Huh, I don't remember that being there.

She padded over toward the mysterious plate, feeling the hours of motionless sleep slowly unraveling from her taunt muscles. Someone had been in the room since her return last night...

The contents of the covered dish turned out to be a nice sampling of salted meats, bread, and sweet butter. This was no doubt Shishu's doing, but how had the cheetah negated the lock on the door? The fact that Araki was still wearing nothing but her stark white fur brought on a wave of embarrassment. The cat must've had quite a sight seeing her sprawled nude on the bed.

However, her trivial shame was brushed aside as the husky's hunger was quick to win out. She was utterly famished. Shishu might have been a little nosy sneaking into her room, but she was willing to forgive the cheetah for providing Araki with a nice meal to sate her raging appetite. The cat certainly knew how to take care of her guests.

Some minutes later, her breakfast, or dinner, was nothing but a memory. Now, with more natural light from several candles illuminating her surroundings, the room had taken on a softer ambience, the perfect abode for the husky to relax in. She wasn't going anywhere, not with the blizzard raging in full fury outside.

There was no way she was going to make her appointed return date back into Adro. The Order would grow concerned at her absence, and would probably dispatch another sage to check on her wellbeing. She had no way of sending long distance messages, and there was no hope of getting a courier letter to the capital in time, not with this weather. But, that was all probably for the better.

A report of wolves roaming about the forest would send the entire Kaowyn kingdom into an uproar. If the ancient scrolls were to be widely believed, most would see the lupine reemergence as a grave threat to society. The repercussions would be serious, possibly throwing the entire region into chaos.

Doko's existence needed to be kept a closely guarded secret for now, Araki decided. She had to learn more about his kind, to understand why the lupine species as a whole had avoided contact with the civilized world for so long. There were a lot of unanswered questions, and a lot of uncertainties that could spin this whole situation completely out of control.

She would have to tread carefully from here on out.

The rest of the morning, she figured it had to be morning, was spent attending to basic hygiene needs. When that was all taken care of, and the husky had just finished drying off her fur after a nice steaming bath, she again found herself standing next to the window, watching the snow blow sideways in a desperate attempt to redefine what was up and down.

The previous day repeated over and over in her mind. Each time it seemed more and more like a strange dream. This whole string of events was just surreal.

When would she see Doko again, if at all? Had their clandestine meeting been discovered? She had to wonder what he was doing right at that very moment.

No matter; she wasn't going out there any time soon, not with the storm. It looked like the husky was relegated to her confines for a good few days. At least...

She felt it first, a subtle pressure that seemed to push through her body right where she stood. The force strengthened, enveloping the space of the room in what felt like a smothering burden. Her mind had only an instant to recognize the powerful spellweave that was forming, before a new intense light blotted out her vision.

The pressure grew to an overwhelming peak, and then evaporated in an instant as a muffled whamp punched through Araki, sending her reeling back against the window. The various candles throughout the room flickered, their flames almost extinguishing.

When the husky regained her composure, she found the room blanketed by a veil of condensation, obscuring her view. This was a teleportation weave! Which meant...

In the center of the open floor, something stood motionless on four legs. She moved closer, trying to see through the concealing fog.

As if on cue, the vapor suddenly evaporated, giving way to the distinct black furry profile of... "Doko? Bloody hellfires! What are you doing here?"

The wolf turned to look at her sheepishly. <Sorry about that.> His gaze then drifted about the room in awe. <So this is what the inside of this village looks like. I never would've known.>

Araki was caught up in a panic. Quickly she looked to the door, making sure the latch was still securely fastened. "Doko, gods, if anyone finds you here there will be bedlam!"

His posture shrank at her indignation, tail curling between his legs. <I'm sorry. It seemed like a good idea.>

Without thinking, the husky bolted to the nearby wall and placed her hand against the wooden surface, calling up a barrier weave. It took a tense moment for the threads to form and bind along the walls and ceiling of the room, before she spun her hand to lock the spell in place, securing the space from any unexpected outside intrusions. "No one can know you exist!"

When she spun back to the wolf, she found him cowering against the floor, ears pinned back. Her anger dissipated immediately at the sight. "Oh... Doko, sorry, I didn't mean to get cross." She moved to him. "You just need to be more careful." Still he recoiled away from her presence, rolling onto his back with tail still curled between his hind legs. She knelt down beside his cringing form and gave him a reassuring pat on the head. "It's ok now. We're safe. I'm not angry with you. You didn't know."

Only then did Araki realize her mistake. The knowledge she had gleaned from the mindlink, it told her everything she had done wrong. She had just asserted her dominance over the poor wolf without realizing it, coming at him with a rigid posture, eyes glaring. It was the stance of an alpha.

"Ah, bloody hellfires, I'm sorry, Doko." She gave his muzzle a gentle caress of her hand, and was relieved when he finally did look up to her. "I'm still not familiar with lupine mannerisms. I didn't mean to do that."

<No, it's my fault for showing up like this unexpected. Was a foolish idea.>

"It's ok, there's no need to worry." She leaned down further and gave him a lick on the side of the muzzle, knowing it was the best way to calm his nerves. "I made sure no one can burst in unannounced."

His tail uncurled around his leg to thump a few times against the wood of the floor. <Are you sure you're not cross?>

"We're both still trying to cope with the strangeness of all this," Araki soothed, taking a hand to stroke along the exposed fluffy fur of his stomach. "I'm actually really glad you came."

As she spoke, Araki couldn't help but marvel at Doko's... striking features. He was a big wolf, and was equally endowed with impressive male parts. For a moment, she found her thoughts trailing to a dark place, as she eyed his black furry sheath and balls with a certain forbidden hunger. No, no, what in the gods' names am I thinking?

The husky pushed the inappropriate thought away, forcing herself to focus on more immediate concerns.

Doko's entrance had been quite loud; no doubt the entire tavern had heard the concussive report when his weave had snapped into place, allowing the wolf to phase into the room from wherever he had initiated the spell. She wondered if anyone would come to check on the strange noise. What could she do if Shishu suddenly showed up?

Thankfully, Mother Nature provided a helping hand, in the form of a crack of thunder that rolled through the building with a forceful punch. The thunderous sound was not unlike what she had heard when Doko had suddenly appeared. Hopefully, the patrons of the tavern would think his spellweave was nothing more than a close lightning strike. At least with the barrier in place she would know if someone did come.

Araki moved to stand once more, allowing the wolf to roll over into a sitting position, much to her inward relief. She was glad she didn't have to stare awkwardly at his striking maleness any longer. "Were you missed by your kin yesterday?"

He sighed heavily. <No, no one was suspicious. I'm on watch tonight, so it was wise for me to see you now.>

"Tonight? Is it not morning?"

His head tilted to the side curiously. <It's the eve of afternoon. Night is not long coming. How long did you sleep?>

"Too long, I suppose," Araki breathed, bringing a hand up to rub her head. She looked back to the wolf who was still sitting in the middle of her room. His demeanor had completely changed from before, appearing much more relaxed. "You said something about being on watch?"

He got up and made a show of stretching, flagging tail high with a groan escaping his muzzle. <It's my mission. I've been watching over these mountains for almost a year now.>

"Why?"

<It's the will of my kind.> He looked over toward the window. <This village was built right on the border of lupine territory. Since anthros moved into this valley, it has always been the task of my clan to watch over this land and ensure they do not move further into the mountains.>

"And when they tried to start a new mining operation on the northern slopes?"

<Mining operation? I don't know what that is.>

"It's a, ah, well, they basically dig down into the earth to extract certain rocks and materials for building tools and other daily necessities." She motioned with a hand to the surrounding walls of the room to emphasize her point. "Such as this tavern we are currently in."

Doko turned his attention away from the window, and, after looking about the room a moment, padded over toward the bed. With an inquisitive air he gave one of the down pillows a careful sniff. <I never understood how your kind can live like this. Is it not easy enough to live off the land like we do?>

It was a valid question that Araki had no immediate answer for. Instead, she took the opportunity to join the wolf by the bed, and plopped down onto the side of the fluffy covers. "We could probably live off the land in a more natural sense. But I'll admit, I enjoy the comforts this sort of living affords. I'd much rather be holed up in here instead of out there in that brutal storm."

<It is quite cozy in here.> He suddenly jumped up onto the bed with surprising grace.<Oh, this is very soft!>

Araki watched with a smile as the wolf eyed the bed cautiously, testing out its firmness with a paw. He was mystified by its pliability. "I've never seen anything like this.> Without any warning, he sidled up next to the husky and lay down against her side, uttering one of the most contented sighs she had ever heard.

For nearly a minute he lay there in silence, eyes closed, body and tail curled up in a tight ball. Araki found herself enjoying Doko's company. She watched the slow steady rise and fall of his chest, marveling at the majestic presence of the wolf. There was something about having a hundred pound pile of fluffy fur coiled up at your side that really put the mind at ease.

After a few minutes spent in blissful silence, Doko's eyes opened lazily to regard her.<This is so comfortable. I don't think I ever want to move again.>

"Nothing beats a nice bed after a long day." She reached down and gave his head a few pats. "You'll never want to sleep out in the wilderness again."

<I couldn't imagine any other way before. But this... this is so pleasant.>

"Where do you sleep at night?" Araki asked, casually stroking a hand through his fur once more. She had so many questions, but it was best not to overwhelm Doko all at once.

<It depends on what a wolf prefers. I like the cool comfort of an underground burrow. Others like the open ground, and still others sleep up in the trees.>

"Do you travel in packs? Or stay in one location mostly?"

Doko rolled onto his side, allowing her to shift her massaging fingers to his flank. He was more than happy to answer her questions with the attention she was giving him. <Each clan owns a particular region. There is a rocky outcrop to the north of here that is our home, but the pack does roam on occasion for hunting and other purposes.>

She found his replies fascinating. To think that such a way of life existed outside modern civilization. "It sounds like a whole different world almost."

They lapsed into silence once more, both deciding to sit back and enjoy the coziness of the moment. But soon Doko looked up to her, and worked up the will to venture a question of his own. <What happened to you here?> He motioned with his nose to the exposed fur of her abdomen. <Were you in a fight?>

Araki had completely forgotten she was still nude. The husky felt her skin run hot as embarrassment momentarily overtook her.

Her bareness was forgotten though as she brought a hand up instinctively to touch the swath of fur on her stomach that hadn't grown back right. "A fight... yes, one where I almost lost my life."

Doko was still looking to her, concern clear in his golden eyes. <Teeth and claws did that to you?>

Her hand gripped the disfigured fur around her scar, the agonizing pain of that horrid moment coming back to her for an instant. "It was a spellweave. I made the mistake of facing an opponent far superior to me in combat. I was young and reckless."

<A spellweave did that to you? Heavens above.>

"It's a daily reminder of past mistakes I will never make again." She gave Doko a reassuring smile. "I've come out of the experience a better person; a wiser person."

There was a strange energy developing, something that Araki couldn't quite explain. She felt it growing, slowly building in intensity. Did Doko sense it as well?

The black wolf suddenly stood alongside her, his eyes focused keenly on her own, ears splayed slightly back. <My kind would consider such a scar a mark of responsibility. It means you have made mistakes, and learned from them.> He closed the distance between them, until his muzzle was only inches from her own. His demeanor was oddly submissive. <You're a beautiful female, a strong warrior and intelligent individual. May I... welcome you into my pack?>

The question hung between them. Araki was at a loss for words. She didn't know what to say.

To be part of a pack, in lupine culture it meant the beginning of a close relationship. She wasn't sure how she understood that; the mindlink perhaps? No matter the circumstances, she knew, without a shadow of a doubt, that it was an immense privilege, an honor of the greatest importance.

"Of course," the husky replied, distantly surprised by the sureness in her words. She wasn't ready for what happened next.

Doko was upon her in an instant, practically in her lap. He bathed her muzzle in excited licks, tongue dancing across her whiskers in a flurry of elated joy.

His jubilant onslaught pushed her back onto the bed, where the wolf promptly straddled her, never relenting in his eager licking of her muzzle. It was a display of submission, she understood. He was submitting to her dominance!

Something primal suddenly seized Araki. On impulse she reached out, gripping both flanks of the looming wolf above her, and pushed his weight over to the side with great force.

Doko yielded to her authority, falling over sideways, whimpering passively. They both ended up on their sides, facing one another on the bed out of breath.

"Oh, good grief, Doko!" Araki managed, trying to collect herself.

The wolf looked a little overwhelmed. <I'm sorry. I... I got a little carried away.>

She reached out to him. "Doko, I don't want to be your dominant. I want to be your equal." The words she spoke seemed to come from someone else. But no, they were from her own mouth. It was strange. She didn't know what to make of the whole jumble of unexpected emotions and feelings that consumed her.

<But, it's... you want to be my equal?>

Only one answer felt right to the husky. "Of course."

The wolf hesitated. He obviously hadn't expected her reply. The impasse lasted at length, until he leaned over to lick Araki's outstretched hand. <Then I'll accept you as equal, and kin of the Three Peaks Clan.>

The husky was now part of the pack.

Part of the pack? What did that mean exactly?

The troubling thought was fleeting. When she looked into Doko's gaze, there was only a sense of excitement, eagerness.

The building energy between them continued to grow, almost becoming palpable.

Araki's outstretched hand shifted, gliding along the wolf's elegant black fur. Her fingers traced their way across his shoulder, down his prominent chest. He watched her anxiously as she splayed her hand through his ample belly fur, rubbing in a gentle circle. In response Doko uttered a pleased sigh, and shifted to splay his hind legs apart, giving her an unrestricted view of his maleness.

Her massaging fingers continued their slow roving trek across his exposed belly, seemingly with a mind of their own. They glanced softly off his imposing sheath, eliciting a startled groan from the wolf.

He made no move to stop her, and instead spread his legs further apart. A primal thrill took Araki, encouraging her onward. She stroked across the black fur of his sheath more purposefully, feeling his malehood swelling within.

_<Ohhhh.>_Doko's voice practically melted in her head as she fondled his ample furry balls, feeling his heavy seed just aching for release. The husky licked her chops, anticipating things to come.

A distant part of her mind told her what she was doing was wrong, that it was taboo. But Araki didn't care. Her sudden hunger for the wolf sprawled before her was insatiable. She was now part of his pack, but only in name. The valued bond had to be sealed in physical union, the ultimate rite of acceptance into a clan.

The husky turned her focus to his sheath, massaging urgently, coaxing his maleness into view. When the red tapered tip of his cock emerged, she pulled back the furry covering to reveal his formidable length, throbbing with Doko's heightening excitement, only the faint outline of his knot visible against slick, tender crimson flesh.

She pushed the wolf fully onto his back and straddled his muzzle, feeling his heavy breath waft against her moist sex. She had no need for words, nor did Doko. His raw emotions seeped into her mind; passion, desire, need, he craved this as much as she did.

The wolf's malehood glistened, an open invitation. Growling possessively, she draped her hand around the base, bringing the tapered tip up toward her, feeling his hips twitch as her fingers teased the underside of his knot. Beneath her, his breath caught in bated expectation.

Supple lips parted readily around hot flesh, taking the wolf's cock eagerly into her slick maw. Doko groaned, a guttural anguished groan. His body tensed, barely restrained from the wild desire to thrust shamelessly into the husky's hungry muzzle.

A dab of precum dotted her palate. His musk was powerful, wild, a potent air that infused her nose as she glided him into her mouth. The wolf's length was impressive, too much for her to take fully into her muzzle.

Doko's voice exuded unbridled rapture. <Oh, Araki! Gods above... so...ah!>

Her fingers kneaded against the sensitive underside of his rapidly swelling knot, tongue bathing his tapered length in a sensual caress of sodden warmth. Her other hand found his tortured balls, gently rolling and fondling the supple orbs, teasing the wolf mercilessly.

The quickened wafting pants that tantalized Araki's heated sex ceased. The husky froze, a muffled gasp escaping her filled muzzle at the feeling of a broad velvety tongue suddenly stroking across her swollen lips.

Strong paws wrapped themselves around her hips, guiding her down, holding her in place for Doko to return her bodily favor. She inhaled sharply at the feel of his cold nose pressing against her most sensual place, sensing his desire through the unvoiced emotions that clouded her awareness.

The wolf pounced, thrusting the tip of his muzzle into the welcoming folds of her sex, lapping fervently, curling his slick wetness in deep overpowering lashes.

Araki lost herself, whining headily into Doko's engorged cock. She sucked passionately on his throbbing flesh, spurred on by the rhythmic bursts of pleasure that swept through her body with each caress of the wolf's tongue.

He withdrew suddenly, leaving her with a momentary pang of emptiness, only to zero in on the husky's sensitive clit, bathing the stimulated nub in a soft blanket of silky wet ecstasy.

She writhed above the wolf, sensing a tightness mounting in her loins. Beneath her she could feel Doko's hips tense with each pull of her velvety tongue across his slick erection, tasting a new spurt of his pre with each twitch. Her kneading fingers worked over his swollen knot, assaulting every facet of his length.

<Araki...mmph, close!>

His muzzle fell away from her sex abruptly, the wolf uttering a low exhilarated growl. His furry balls tightened around her teasing fingers, body suddenly going rigid.

Slick, heated flesh pulsed vigorously around her probing tongue, painting a thick creamy rope of the wolf's cum against the back of her maw. Araki drank his offered seed ravenously, savoring the potent salty taste with each spurt he gave into her waiting muzzle.

The wolf groaned in unbridled delight beneath her, caught up in the throes of a wonderful peak. His orgasm was endless, each jerk of his heavy furry balls sending another hot jet of lupine seed from his tapered cock. Again and again, he came while Araki lapped at his throbbing length, coaxing from the wolf all he had to offer.

Then, at last, Doko's body went limp beneath the husky, his spurts slowly tapering off. Breathless, Araki let his knotted malehood slip from her maw, distantly marveling at the lupine's potency. She savored his taste, his intoxicating scent dominating her senses.

She panted, feeling her own peak tantalizingly close. That cliff hovered just out of reach, beckoning to her, trying to draw her over its euphoric precipice. She was so close!

Doko's muzzle suddenly plunged into her burning sex, his tongue darting out to stroke sensually along her inner folds, splaying across that most sensitive of spots.

Araki uttered a yipping bark, instinctively pressing down on the wolf below, feeling herself careen over the edge. The tightness in her loins exploded forth, her flushed and tender folds contracting rhythmically around Doko's invading tongue.

The voluptuous murr that escaped her muzzle was all she could hear, as the world around tunneled inward in a blissful shroud of carnal pleasure.

The wolf drank in her essence zealously, drawing out her climax with his eager lapping. His contentment and delight readily inundated her mind.

After a timeless moment, she came down from her high, feeling Doko withdraw from her trembling lips. Suddenly exhausted, she rolled off the prone wolf to lie on her side, panting in a desperate effort to catch her breath.

<Oh, Araki, that was wonderful!> Doko's voice floated breathlessly in her mind as he rolled onto his side to regard her, eyes glazed over in the afterglow of release. His broad chest heaved to his labored breath. <I've never... never experienced a sensual moment like that before.>

The husky's eyes were drawn to his pulsing erection, which bobbed enticingly between his partially splayed hind legs.His impressive knot put most anthro males to shame. Her mind toyed with the idea of taking that swollen bulge, wondering how it would feel to tie with the wolf before her. The arousing thought only brought new life to the smoldering desire that continued to burn within, threatening to overtake Araki once more.

She took a heavy breath to steady herself. "I never thought you would be so... virile."

Doko's ears splayed back slightly. His words in her head were hesitant. <Ah, well, it's been a while since I enjoyed the company of another, like that."

"I suppose that makes two of us."

In the silence that followed, Araki felt her moralities creep back into her thoughts. I just had relations with a dog! Thinking about it made her blood run cold. It was the most forbidden of things!

But no, this wasn't a dog, a new part of herself was quick to remind. Doko wasn't a lowly domestic animal. He was kin, and the act of engaging in intimacy was far from unthinkable, it was social norm. She wasn't sure where the idea came from; the mindlink playing its influence again?

Araki decided to ignore her old self, the obedient sage who found this whole situation appalling. She rather enjoyed this new wilder side that seemed to have sprung up out of nowhere with a mind of its own. It was invigorating, just letting her inhibition go.

<Thank you for that, sister.> Doko's tail thumped against the bed with his elation. <I'm proud to welcome you into my pack.>

There was that word again. Hearing him speak of her as kin served to cool the simmering fire within the husky. "What does it mean to be in a pack?"

The wolf's gaze refocused back to her. It took him a moment to gather his thoughts.<It means you're part of my family. Everything we do, we do as a pack. Hunting, gathering, rearing the young, everything is a collective effort. Is it not the same for your culture?>

Something in Araki flinched as Doko's words sunk in. She vaguely remembered her oaths as a sage, and the responsibilities that were bound to her. But the sudden twinge of anxiety was quickly forgotten, lost in the excitement of the moment. "I suppose in a way. I never would've thought I'd be sharing a bed with a wolf tonight."

A particularly powerful gust of wind rattled the worn glass of the nearby window, reminding both of the unrelenting blizzard outside. Doko took a moment to shift himself, splaying his hind legs further apart. <Nor did I think I'd share company with an anthro. I'd much rather prefer your warm companionship to that nasty storm.>

Araki eyed the wolf's throbbing length, feeling her heart skip a beat. She forced herself to relax, and reached out to stroke her fingers through the thick fur of his flank. "Thanks for taking the risk of seeking me out. I'm glad I... can enjoy your company too."

The howl of the wind continued unabated, punctuated occasionally by the window shutters forcefully pounding against the outside of the inn. She watched as the wolf closed his eyes and lolled his head against the down of the bed, sighing deeply. She was content to let him enjoy the ebb of release. He was no doubt appreciating the newly discovered creature comforts a roof and fire had to offer.

But Araki herself didn't feel satisfied. Why?

Yes, she had been brought to a wonderful peak by Doko's expert tongue, however she wanted more. She wanted something that was forbidden, unethical... and yet of beautiful carnal gratification. He wasn't a dog, but did that justify her vulgar desire?

Why wasn't she more ashamed of these wild thoughts? The mindlink was to blame, surely. Or was it? Was this a side of herself she had never known before?

<Are you ok?>

"Uh, yes... just a bit overwhelmed."

The husky's loins burned, a glowering blaze that promised to flare up at any instant. It had been so long since she had been mated by a virile partner. Oh, she longed to feel a maleness take her deep in the throes of a furious coupling, filling her so perfectly in a way she could never realize on her own. Nothing compared to the sheer exhilaration of such intimacy.

The wolf's sudden motion drew Araki's gaze. He leaned down casually to clean his receding maleness, bathing the sensitive flesh with slow deliberate strokes of his broad canine tongue. The last of her restraint gave way; she couldn't hold out any longer.

_<Araki?>_Doko paused, caught by surprise at the flurry of motion as the husky purposely brought herself to stand on all fours and presented her haunches to him.

Araki flagged her elegantly curled tail to the side, giving him an inviting view of her soppy sex. She looked back over her shoulder to the mesmerized wolf.

No words needed to be spoken.

She could feel his newfound excitement as Doko stood and slowly padded toward her, his eyes fixated on her raised tail.

Her breath caught; his sharp muzzle nuzzled against her hindquarters.

Slick velvety warmth parted her slightly puckered lips, eliciting a short yip of surprise from the husky. Doko was slow but deliberate, teasing her with a few eager laps of his broad tongue.

His warmth pressed up against her, intimate and exciting. The wolf's heady panting was all she could hear... or was that her own exhilarated pants?

A strong heavy chest slid itself slowly onto her back. Strong powerful paws wrapped around the crook of her hips. Araki waited, body tense, eyes squeezed shut, anticipating what was to come.

The black wolf loomed above her, his hot quickened breath floating teasingly in her perked ear. His weight shifted forward, bringing his newly resurgent cock ever closer to the ultimate prize... until...

His hot flesh ever so slightly parted Araki's folds, evoking a lengthy moan from the husky.

Doko, too, let a groan escape his muzzle as he slowly rocked forward, taking her fully in one powerful motion. His hips ground up against her haunches, the beginnings of his impressive lupine knot already filling her so perfectly.

Araki buried her head in the down of the bed, gritting her teeth at the sudden pain of being filled by the wolf's immensity. His musk flooded her senses, raw, intoxicating; she lost herself in the animalistic emotions that suddenly took her.

Doko held himself still, paws wrapped tightly around her waist. He leaned down to lick the fur of her neck reassuringly, endeavoring to sooth her discomfort.

Her distress slowly eased, until the husky's body relaxed beneath him. There was... only a sense of pure satisfaction, feeling Doko's muscular form pressed up greedily against her haunches, his length buried to the hilt within her eager sex. It felt so right.

The paws around her waist curled tighter. The wolf withdrew, slowly, ever so slowly, drawing the sensation out as long as he could.

Araki felt a pang of emptiness; she wanted this, she wanted Doko... she needed his glorious cock inside her...

The wolf slammed forth with a grunt, smashing his engorged maleness back into her with savage force.

She yelped in surprise, feeling herself stretched to the very limit. He withdrew almost as quick, only to thrust forward once more, briefly lifting her legs off the bed.

Doko growled possessively, smashing his hips against her quivering haunches urgently, hungrily. His potent balls slapped against her tender clit, lupine paws gripping her hips tightly as he humped her with feral desire.

Araki gritted her teeth, ears pinning back. An exhilarated whine escaped her clenched muzzle; she was overcome by his strength and his ample bulk. Her ragged breath filled her ears, intermingled with the desperate pants of the wolf and the sloppy, raucous sounds of their wild coupling.

His powerful thrusts jarred her body, each punctuated by a burst of bodily pleasure that washed through her like a rolling wave. She pressed back against his surging advances, grinding her rump against his hips, trying to draw out that wonderful apex of his cock pressing deep into her sodden folds.

Doko's passion was overpowering, his hips thrusting in a blinding blur of untamed need. The wolf's length began to swell within her, spreading her tormented sex further with each frantic plunge. His vocalizations grew in strength, low throaty growls slowly building in intensity to his heightened tempo.

The powerful scent of their mating infused the husky's nose, drowning out everything around her. A familiar tightness began to build within, a coiled spring that wound itself ever tighter. The coming crescendo fast approached.

Doko's knot swelled, grinding against her tortured clit. His thrusts became frenzied, impassioned with forceful urgency.

The impulse to tie consumed Araki. Her loins ached for the full vigor of his bulge, to feel him take her completely like the needy bitch she was. The animalistic fervor of the wolf was unlike anything she had ever experienced before. She wanted it all... his full sexual prowess. <Tie me Doko, give me your seed!>

The wolf snarled warningly in reply, and thrust forward with everything he had. His knot ground rudely against her puckered labia once, twice, three times, trying to reach the glorious climax they both sought.

The sudden onslaught sent Araki reeling. Her gaze unfocused, hands grasping at the sheets desperately, trying to keep the husky anchored to the room around her.

Doko gave one last reckless surge of his hips, lifting her hindquarters off the bed completely.

She yelped; her sex finally took the lupine's sizeable knot, locking the mating couple together. Araki fought against the blackness that suddenly tunneled her vision. The feeling of being tied by the wolf... she couldn't find words.

The tightness in her loins crested, on the tantalizing verge of reaching the peak she craved.

Doko became a wolf possessed, humping against her haunches in a crazed blur as much as his swollen knot allowed. He grunted through bared teeth, his body tensing up above her.

He suddenly bit down on the nape of her neck, hilting himself inside her as his balls tightened. The wolf's release flooded forth to his muffled growl, coating her heated sex in thick creamy spurts of his lupine seed.

The coiled spring within Araki exploded forth like the crack of a whip. She arched her back, her muzzle falling open in a sharp intake of breath. The husky's body tensed, contracting rhythmically around Doko's twitching malehood. She joined him at the pinnacle of climax, magnificent and unyielding, the zenith of sensuous release.

His knotted length sent spurt after spurt of the wolf's cum deep within her folds. The lupine's seed filled her copiously, drawing a heady murr from Araki as she rode out the waves of ecstasy that overtook her. Her sex milked him relentlessly, prolonging both their peaks in beautiful harmonization.

Through it all, he held her fast by the nape of her neck, letting Doko empty himself into his needy bitch. Her rich murr of delight drew on at length, coupled with his dominating growl. They both didn't want it to end.

Soon though, Araki's breath grew short. Her pulsing contractions around the wolf's knotted length slowly ebbed, until her body came down from the glorious high.

She only just managed to stay upright, barely registering the wolf go limp above her. Her arms and legs trembled, threatening to give out at any moment. Slowly things came back into focus.

Through the comforting blanket of her afterglow, Araki felt his knot expand further, damming her sex and locking them together. Even after his earlier release, his seed coated her folds thickly, threatening to spill out around his bulge.

There was a twinge of discomfort, but only just. He was definitely larger than any anthro male she had bedded. She had never been stretched so wide. It was... magnificent, truly unlike anything she had ever felt before.

Doko shifted above her, his breathless pants emulating her own. To her shock, he gracefully vaulted himself off her form, spinning about to face away from the husky. His knotted erection shifted within her, resulting in a few new ample spurts of cum that coated her already sated folds.

Araki moaned, her head collapsing sideways onto the bed. The wolf's new stance pulled his embedded cock against her sensitive folds, his rump pressed up against her, their bushy tails intertwined.

This... this was what her body had craved; firmly tied to a potent male, his length still pulsing weakly with the ebbs of his release as they rode out the reverberations of their coupling.

She sighed, shifting her weight to feel a bit of the wolf's seed spill out around his engorged knot; pure carnal bliss.

But then, in that heavenly moment, Araki's old self asserted itself once more, cutting through the afterglow like a crack of thunder. A chill lanced down her spine, her fur standing on end. She suddenly felt sick to her stomach.

What have I done?