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Footsteps behind him; someone had slid out of the bush and was climbing flat-footed down the bank towards him.

"Hey 'Kanna," Lai'iya said.

She knelt beside N'Kanna, but he didn't look up from the river's edge. She put a hand on his shoulder and tried to make him turn over onto his back, but he resisted.

"Don't," he moaned. "Go 'way."

"What d'you mean, don't? I want you! When've you ever said no to fuckin'?"

He raised his chin from the river mud and looked up at her. His eyes were dull and weary, his cheeks damp. His nose leather, usually moist and dark, was dry and tinged with pink. And there were little tufts of his chin fur left in the river mud.

I feel awful," he said. "I had to run to the privy last night and my tummy kept emptying both ways until after dawn. And then I was too cold and now I'm too hot and I hurt all over and I think my fur's coming loose. I'm a little hungry but I can only sip water 'cause I feel like I'll throw up..."

"I don't wanna know the details!" Lai'iya exclaimed.

"Nobody wants to be friends 'cause they're afraid they'll get sick, too. I don't even want any friends, I'm tired and sick and I just want to be alone!" He lowered his chin back to the mud between his hands. "Please," he moaned, "leave me alone today."

"Are you crying?"

N'Kanna rubbed his cheek wearily against one hand and sniffled.

"I'm scared," he said. "I've never been this sick before. I wanna be alone."

"I thought you otters knew medicine!"

He raised his head just enough to look at her. "I wanted to get some tummy clay from the clay bank, but I'm too weak to swim..."

"Tummy clay?"

"There's a shade of clay, if you eat it, it soothes an upset tummy."

"You eat clay?"

His head sank down to the bank again. "Just a little," he muttered. "The elder brought me some newt liver and soap root stem, but it didn't help much."

"Clay and newt liver! You otters are so stupid!" Lai'iya heaved a deep sigh. "Don't go to sleep," she said. "I'll be back in a while with some real medicine. You better not go to sleep, either! I won't wake you up and then you won't know what to do with it!"

Lai'iya hopped up the bank and into the bush. N'Kanna sipped a little river water, grimaced and lay still again.

"Who pee'd on her breakfast?" he muttered.

#

Something struck the dirt of the bank nearby. Footsteps from flat feet; a foot nudged his ribs. He moaned.

"Are you asleep?"

"Lai?"

"You gotta be on your side."

N'Kanna struggled to roll over. Lai'iya knelt beside him and pulled at his shoulder, then his hip as well. He flipped completely over. Lai'iya, caught by surprise, landed on her tail. N'Kanna found himself with his head in her lap. She scowled down at him, then sighed.

"You're supposed to be sitting anyway. Now scoot up!"

She took him by the shoulders and helped him to move further into her lap until his head rested on her chest and his back was cradled in her knees. She held him and petted his chest.

"You're not as heavy as you look," she said. Then she reached behind herself and put a small basket on his tummy. "Chew this," she said, pulling some wood fibre out of the basket. "It's willow bark, it'll make the heat and the aches go away. Don't swallow it, just chew. And chew this while you're at it," she added, pulling three long, spiky leaves out of the basket. "Happy leaf, it'll make your stomach feel better and help you sleep.

"When that stuff's done its job, spit it out and eat the blue mould and strong root. They taste awful, but they'll help you get better, so eat them all anyway. Then chew the breath leaf for a while. Your breath stinks and the strong root'll make it even worse. Then you can go to...

"Hey, your cheek's wet, you're still crying! You're a teacher, you're old enough to fuck! You'd think you'd be more grown-up than this, you bum-fuck!"

"You're being mean," N'Kanna sniffled and tried to nuzzle her breast. "I'm really scared! I'm so sick, what if I die?"

Lai'iya growled and her ears dropped down to her shoulders. "You're not gonna die, stupid! Just chew the medicine and shut up! And quit crying!"

"Lai, what are you so mad about?"

The bunny didn't answer. She kept very still for a while, growled once, then sighed and relaxed a bit. She gently petted his chest and her long ears slowly lifted as she pressed the leaves and bark to his lips.

"Just chew your medicine, okay?"

#

Lai'iya walked along the river bank, her empty basket in one hand. The more she walked, the more annoyed she felt; the more annoyed, the faster she walked until she caught herself hopping. She stopped, flicked her ears up from her shoulders and deliberately walked extra slowly. She was close now to several otters milling about in the river. Then, smiling almost grimly, she hurried to get to them.

The tribe was doing the things otters usually did together; splashing around, eating fish and grooming each other. None of them seemed to be playing, though. She noticed Shan sitting on a log, watching the river flow and sulkily making waves with his feet. She went and squatted beside him. Then she noticed that the fur on his cheeks was damp. She growled as he looked morosely back at her.

"Now you're crying!" she said. "What's your problem? Never mind, where's your sister? I wanna play with her."

"Esh is sick," Shan sniffled. "'Kanna, too, they're both really sick and staying by themselves. I'm scared, Lai, what if they die?"

Shan jumped aside as Lai'iya drove her fist into the side of the log. She ground the rough bark with her knuckles, then opened her fist and shook her hand.

"Ouch," she growled.

"Lai? What's wrong?"

"Was Esh up all night shitting and puking?"

"Lai? Are you o..."

"Was she!"

Shan nodded meekly. "Since just before dawn," he said.

"Too cold before, now she's too hot and achy all over, too weak to swim and her breath stinks?"

He nodded again. "'Kanna, too... Lai? Where you going?"

"To get your fuckin' sister some fuckin' medicine!" she screamed over her shoulder as she hopped up the bank.

"Can you get some for 'Kanna too, please?"

"I did," she barked back, "he's sleepin' comfortably!"

"Thank you, Lai!" Shan called back. "You're... ...really nice," he muttered at the spot in the brush she'd hopped through at full tilt. "Who pee'd on her breakfast?"

#

Esh'Ek chewed the breath leaf Lai'iya had given her and grimaced.

"It's stronger than the strong root," she murmured.

"So's your breath," Lai'iya replied.

"I feel a lot better though. But kinda weird, like I need to laugh at something."

"That's the happy leaf. We chew it sometimes just for the weird feeling, it's kinda fun. I don't like it much, though, except for an upset stomach."

Esh'Ek nodded, then struggled onto her side and spat out the breath leaf.

"I wanna sleep now. Thank you for the medicine, Lai, it helped a lot."

"At least you're not crying," she replied.

"Crying?" Esh'Ek asked, then yawned widely and nestled her head into the crook of her arm and sighed, already asleep.

"Sweet dreams," Lai'iya muttered, "at least you feel better."

She stood up and walked slowly along the bank towards the rest of the tribe. Shan and a few others glided quietly through the water beside her. She kicked a fallen branch near the water's edge. But it was partly buried in the mud and didn't budge.

"Ow," she muttered, and wandered on.

"Lai?" Shan said. "Can I carry you back across the river?"

The bunny ignored him.

"If you'd rather stay on that side for a while, you can just call me when you want to cross. I'd be happy to take you any time."

"Any of us would," said another otter; they all nodded.

"Yer always happy," she muttered.

"Did I say something that upset you?" Shan asked.

"I think maybe she was upset when she came here," another otter replied. "Why are you so unhappy, Lai? Is there anything we can do to help?"

"I'm all right," she growled.

"Please, forgive me for denying your opinion, I know I'm trying to speak your own mind for you."

Lai'iya looked for the otter who'd said this. It was their elder; she'd swum ahead and was climbing out of the water in front of her.

"But it's obvious that you're not all right," she went on. "You've been away for a long time. Now that you're back, you seem to be very upset about something. You're sad when you aren't talking to us and angry when you are. You've made Esh'Ek and N'Kanna feel much better with your medicine, but you don't seem to want to be pleased that you've helped. You don't seem even to want our gratitude..."

"Yeah, so what?"

The elder put a damp hand very gently on her shoulder. She didn't do anything to stop Lai'iya from going around her, but the quiet, elegant dignity in her stance and the undemanding concern in her face seemed to stay the bunny. Lai'iya looked into the elder's bright eyes and her annoyance seemed to melt. She shut her own eyes tightly and looked down; she shuddered a little and her ears sank.

"I've been in heat," she said.

The elder took both of Lai'iya's shoulders in her hands and slowly massaged them. The bunny shuddered again. Putting her hands around the elder's waist, she rested her head on the damp shoulder and sniffled.

"Six or seven days I was wandering around the forest, looking for bucks and getting them to poke me. Just craving having them in my cunny, wanting more and more! But they didn't want to have fun, they just wanted to get as much of their cum into me as they could! And my own body, I... I just let them do it! I wanted to make them give me an orgasm, I'm so frustrated, I hate being in heat! I hate it!" She held the elder close and sobbed. "And when I came looking for some otter nookie, 'Kanna was sick, and Esh, and Shan doesn't have his feather yet! I want an orgasm!" she cried.

"There isn't one of us," the elder coo'd, "who wouldn't want the chance to share their bodies with you. We're all grateful for everything you've done for us. We admire you, and we think you're very attractive."

"You do?" she sniffled.

"Please, Lai'iya, what's really upsetting you?"

For a moment the bunny was silent; she stared blankly at the river behind the elder, turned her eyes and glanced at the other otters watching them. Then she closed her eyes very tightly and cuddled her face into the elder's throat.

"What if I'm pregnant?" she whimpered.

The elder smiled. "I'm sure you'd be a fine mother," she said. "We'd all help you to raise your children, as if they were our own tribe."

"But I don't want kits! I like my life like it is, I'm not ready to change it for babies yet! I don't want..." and she sobbed desperately.

The elder held Lai'iya close and scritched gently behind her ear. "It's hard, isn't it, waiting to see if you're pregnant?" (Lai'iya nodded.) "Even if you want cubs, it's scary, I know. And thinking about it only makes it worse. All you can really do is try to take your mind off it while you wait.

"I know what! Would you still like a nice orgasm?"

Lai'iya pulled a little away from the elder, her face set in astonishment.

"Baby sex isn't as much fun as friend sex, is it?" she went on. "Maybe some friend sex would help you relax while you wait. Would you like that?"

"With you?"

"With any of us you'd like. Except Shan," she added, looking meaningfully at the under-aged otter.

Shan scowled in frustration, then turned and started back the way they'd come.

"I'll go check on 'Kanna," he said.

"Perhaps you could watch over him, he's weak and vulnerable to predators."

Shan hesitated. "I should watch over my sister, then. She's vulnerable too."

"I'll watch over 'Kanna," T'Ka said, and swam away in his direction as Shan took off towards Esh'Ek.

"The rest of us, dear Lai'iya, are here for you," said the elder.

Lai'iya took the elder in her arms and hugged her very tightly.

The elder stroked Lai'iya's ears as they knelt beside the river. Two otter girls ran their short claws gently through the fur of her back and shoulders, while two more rubbed her feet. Two otter boys crowded in front of her; in turns, one would nuzzle and very gently nip one side of her throat while the other blew warm breath through the fur of her opposite breast. As they steadied themselves on one hand, they rubbed her sides and tummy with the other. Lai'iya's ears hung limp to their sides. She swayed gently between the two boys, breathing deeply and murring, writhing a little under the girls's claws. She looked past the boys at a row of smiling otters, waiting patiently and watching. She smiled dreamily back at them.

"More," she said. "More!"

Chuckling, her lovers applied more pressure. The girls switched from claw and finger tips to knuckles, pressing into her back and shoulders and feet, rubbing in little circles. The girls rubbing her back rubbed lower as well; down to her butt cheeks, not quite to her tail, before they returned to her shoulders again. The elder kissed her cheeks and nose and forehead as she scritched behind and in front of her ears. The boys began to lick and kiss her breasts, to take more of her throat between their teeth and suck as they gently nipped. They pressed their knuckles into her tummy, around her navel and lower, near her mound.

Lai'iya took the elder's hand in hers and kissed and licked her fingers. The elder pressed her claw tips to Lai'iya's mouth; the bunny licked and sucked at them. She moved her mouth aside.

"No, not there," she told one of the boys, "not yet. I'll tell you when."

The otter on the right nodded and moved his claw tips up from her mound, away from her clit. He pulled the edge of her navel towards himself instead, rubbing inward with his thumb. She moaned; she took the elder's fingers into her mouth again and sucked. The eldest otter pulled her hand away and gave the bunny her mouth instead; kissed her deeply, explored her teeth, carefully sucked her tongue. The two girls at her shoulders did the same. Then they switched places with the two at her feet, who kissed Lai'iya as well. The elder knelt, (a little bit stiffly), and took the left boy's place; he kissed her too, and licked and nuzzled her nose. Then he switched with his partner, who nuzzled her mouth before giving her his tongue. He gave place back to the elder, who pressed her nose to Lai'iya's.

"Kissing is for love," said the bunny.

"Didn't you know that we love you? Lai'iya, you're our friend!" and she kissed the bunny's mouth long and deep.

Lai'iya put her arms around the boys's backs and pulled them closer. "Suck," she told them, and scritched their ears. She looked up to the girls at her shoulders; they smiled back at her and kissed her forehead in turn. They stopped rubbing her butt cheeks; the other two girls kissed and nipped her there instead. The boys left her tummy and stroked her breasts as they licked and kissed her nipples.

Soon there was a sweet scent in the air. Lai'iya touched her spreading petals and felt the thick, warm juice beginning to drip from them. She spread them further with two fingers; with two others she stroked inside. One of the boys noticed and pulled her hand away.

"Let us do that," he said, as he licked her fingers greedily.

"Uh uh," said the girl at her left foot, "us first."

She moved in front and crawled, between and under the two boys, up to Lai'iya's mound. She licked the sweet dampness from the bunny's lips, then between them, then inside. Lai'iya hissed and moaned and swayed.

"More!"

The otter girl plunged her tongue into the bunny's mound, sucking and stroking the sensitive warmth within... then pulled it out again. She coughed a bit and muttered something that nobody else could hear. She took one of the bunny's outer lips between her own and sucked on that instead. Lai'iya cried out, pressed her hips towards the girl's mouth. She writhed as the sleek, young otter squirmed out from under.

"I think it's time for the boys," she said, and joined the watching crowd.

Another otter girl came and rubbed the bunny's foot as the boy on the right grinned at his partner. The other kissed Lai'iya's mouth again as he moved between her knees.

"I'm coming into you now, okay?"

"Hard," she moaned, "and slow."

He put his arms around her waist. The other boy reached between them and lifted his partner's stiff organ into place. As a third boy came and massaged her open breast, the first otter pressed himself up and into her; ground their hips together, made a circle with his pelvis, pulled out again; shoved their hips together and circled her mound the other way. And again, and again; slower, then faster! He nuzzled her mouth; moaned under her ear as the elder scritched behind it. Then he slowed his thrusts again.

"Would you like me in your tail hole?" he whispered.

She murred in reply.

"And someone else in front?"

She pulled away and looked at him, her mouth open in astonishment. She nodded, a hopeful smile spreading over her face.

The boy pulled out of her. His stiff otterhood dangling damp before him, he moved swiftly behind her as the girls giggled and spread her butt cheeks for him and held her tail aloft. She rose higher on her knees for him, then down again as he pressed himself again her tight rear entrance. Then the second boy moved in between her knees, taking her hips in his hands as the first took her around her tummy. Another boy came to massage her open breast as the third lifted his partner's pole to Lai'iya's wet lips.

("We're running out of room," the elder whispered, and kissed Lai'iya's cheek before she joined the watchers.)

Gently at first, the otter boy pressed himself into the centre of Lai'iya's rear entrance. Slick with her own juice, the hard flesh went up, and through, and in! She gasped, sighed raggedly. One of the boys at her breast pressed his mouth to hers before she closed it and caressed her tongue. Her forward lover pushed into her, rocked up and down against her, as her rearward lover gently pulled out -- then in again as the other pulled back for another run. And back and forth, as her girlfriends massaged her calves and ankles, kept her back and buttocks relaxed, kissed and licked her throat and ears and cheeks.

With a yowl, her rearward lover came. Otter cream pumped high up into her back passage. He nuzzled her ear, pressed himself against her tail until he began to go soft.

"That was good," he murmured, as he pulled himself out. "Thank you Lai, I like being your friend!" and he nuzzled her cheek affectionately before he joined the watchers.

"Would you like me in your tail hole now?" her forward lover asked.

She gaped at him, then grinned. Half-sobbing, half-giggling, she nodded.

"More, more!" she cried.

#

Otter and bunny yowled together. Warm, thick cream gushed into her already gooey depths; sticky heat spurted from her folds, soaking his lap. He bit the back of her neck and moaned as more cum pulsed out of him. She hissed, nuzzled his throat, took some of his skin between her teeth. But she was already coming down from the orgasmic high and didn't bother to bite. Her lover was licking where he'd bit now and the nipped-feeling was going away.

"Did you draw blood?" she murmured.

She felt more than heard him chuckle.

"No blood. Are you okay?"

She drew back a little and kissed the corner of his mouth. Then she cuddled his throat again.

"Don't pull out. Stay inside me a little while."

"As long as you like. Lai..."

"Don't say it. Don't say anything, okay?"

He held her in close silence. She stroked his back and neck. His heart was beating slowly, strongly under her breasts. She sighed contentedly.

"I take it back, I want you to say you love me, even if it isn't true."

"It is true. You're my friend, I love you very much. We all do!"

"You just slipped out, you know."

The otter pulled away and touched his nose leather to hers. His dark eyes gleamed in the setting sun.

"Do you want me again, or the next boy?"

"How many more are there?"

"Just one. Achesha! You still there?"

"Coming!" a young voice replied.

"Wait 'til you're with her!" (A playful growl drifted back.) "I hope we can do this again soon, Lai. You're wonderful!"

"Hey, wait, isn't Ash one of 'Kanna's students?"

But the otter only kissed her forehead and stood. As he turned away, Achesha ran up to her from the river. His cheeks were bulging around a big smile. He pressed his lips to hers; his mouth was full of water. He passed it to her slowly. She took it as quickly as it came, looking over his shoulder as he did, until she'd swallowed it all.

"You got your feather!"

Achesha grinned.

"I asked the elder to test me and give me a feather so I could be with you today. D'you like it?" His smile faded. "Lai? Are you okay? You look sad. Are you feeling angry again?"

"No, I, I... I'm thirsty, my cunny's been juicing all day. Can I have s'more water?"

"Does your medicine basket hold water? I can bring more in that."

"Yeah, it will. Here."

She handed him the basket and he trotted down to the river. Lai'iya looked back at the girls.

"He just didn't want to be left out," she said, uncertainly. "He wanted to play with the big kids."

The girls giggled. One leaned both hands affectionately on her shoulder.

"You were upset. You're letting us help you be happy doing one of our favourite things. You've given us a lot, we all want your happiness. And we all want to share ourselves with you. 'Kanna taught him well, he was ready. Today was the best day for him because of you.

"Lai," she said, stroking the bunny's cheek, "you look like you want to cry."

"Here he comes." Lai'iya forced her face into a smile. "Don't tell."

Achesha walked back, holding a nearly-full basket of water slowly dripping from the bottom. Before he could say anything, she took it and drank greedily. Some ofthe water spilled down her chest. Her face was composed by the time she lowered it again.

"Thanks Ash, I was really thirsty. I, uh, left some. Would you give me another water kiss? I liked that."

Achesha smiled and drained the basket. He pressed his lips to hers and let her suck the water from his mouth. When it was gone, she opened her lips and gave him her tongue. But when he tried to kneel between her knees, he found her arm under his tail, holding him. His pole slipped out of his fold and swelled against her tummy. She scritched between his shoulder blades to keep him bent over her. At last she let go of his mouth. As he straightened up, she crouched down until his organ pulsed between her breasts.

"Don't you want me inside you?"

"Feels nice where it is. Doesn't it?"

He nodded. "Lai?"

"S'your first time," she said, nuzzling under his arm. "Got somethin' special for ya!"

Her long ears folded back as she licked the crook of his elbow. She pulled herself up his tummy, dragging her soft fur over his otterhood as she licked and kissed her way up into his armpit. She nuzzled him there as she rubbed her tummy back and forth over his stiff member, rolling it through her fur. The young otter breathed faster, deeper, moaned aloud. He scritched behind her ears with his free hand, held the other arm out for her. He leaned into her body, felt her rubbing harder.

"But... I'm... s'pposed t'... be making you happy..."

"I've never been happier," she replied. "Lemme make you happy, 'kay?"

He just moaned and hissed in reply. She chuckled as she nuzzled away from under his arm, across his chest, probing through his fur with her tongue until she found a tiny nipple. She sucked it gently as she swished the bottom of her breast over his tip.

"You're wonderful... Lai... I think..."

"Not yet you don't," she murmured.

One arm still under his tail, she pressed her free thumb to the base of his pole. The spunk pressed back, be she held it firm as he whimpered.

"Lai!"

"Gotta work on yer control, sweetie. I'll let ya cum soon 'nough."

As soon as the pressure had subsided, she eased the throbbing pole between her breasts again. Now she teased his belly button, hooking the skin with her long front teeth and pulling, then licking inside. A fishy smell of otter cream wafted from her front. She rubbed his sack with her palm as she slowly licked and kissed further and further down his tummy, until his tip pressed against her chin.

She kissed his shiny glans. Sweet pre-cum touched her lips; she licked it up.

"Wanna taste?"

He looked back uncertainly. One of the girls behind her nuzzled her cheek; Lai'iya shared the sweetness with her instead. Then she kissed his tip again. And again. Each time she took a little more of his pole into her mouth. He moaned aloud. He growled. He gasped and whined.

"Lai, careful..."

Lai'iya smiled up at him, his tip between her teeth. Then she took a deep breath and started swallowing him. Soon his hot, hard member was in her throat and still she swallowed, her tongue stroking him, urging him. With a loud, final yowl, he gushed into her. She kept swallowing a little longer, then pulled him out again, gasping for breath. She felt him give another spurt against her tongue as she breathed, tasted the fishy, starchy cream in her mouth. She sucked again anyway, pulling as much out of him as would come before she let him kneel down with her at last. He kissed her, tasted himself, licked her mouth clean. At last he pulled away from the kiss, nuzzled into her throat, as relaxed as a sleeping otter, trusting her to hold him.

"Lai," he murmured.

"Congratulations, sweetheart," she cooed, "you're a brother of the tribe. Feel good?"

"You are so wonderful. You're the best." He sighed contentedly. "Do you feel better?"

"I've never been happier in my life. Ash?"

He withdrew from her throat and smiled up at her.

"Promise you'll play with me if I want you again?"

"Any of us, any time, we all say so." He kissed her nose. "Can I have some of your juice, please? I promised K'Nra'ai my tail hole when I got my feather 'n we need some mud lube."

"Otters!" she laughed. "Sure, take all you need!"

He kissed her again, then cupped both hands against her fold. She reached between them and stroked herself, parted her inner lips to get more flow. They noticed the smell at once; harsh instead of sweet. Achesha withdrew his hands and they looked at the juice. It was tinged with pink and had a bloody smell. Achesha looked into her face, his own full of concern. Then he gasped with realization and chuckled. He laughed aloud and the girls giggled with him!

"No wonder you were so grouchy this morning! Yeah look, there's some blood on the ground, too... Lai? Are you all right?"

Lai'iya was laughing and crying at once, her body shaking with sobs. She clutched her sides and rocked back and forth.

"I'm all right," she gasped. "I'm not pregnant!"

"I'm sorry, I hope we didn't..."

"I hope you did! I don't want kits, not yet! It's all right, I'm safe!"

"She's been in heat for the last few days," one of the girls explained.

"Oh. Uh..." Achesha looked down at the bloody juice in his hands and dumped it on the ground. "I guess I'm just gonna be sore tomorrow. Thanks Lai," he added and kissed her nose. "You're a great friend!"

Then he stood and walked towards the river. The girls yowled after him, imitating the way he'd cried when he'd come. He growled back at them playfully before he slipped into the water and swam away.

Another hand touched Lai'iya's shoulder; the elder knelt beside her.

"We found out this morning when Shri tasted your cunny. Somebody neglected to tell Achesha! But you were too busy to notice, so you managed not to think about your fears until they went away."

"I didn't even notice it was Shri!" the bunny exclaimed. "I really needed those orgasms! How many did I have, anyway?"

"I counted two!" one girl cried.

"Three before that!" another yelled.

"At least five from the start," said a third, "and I think Irri counted two after I went to catch lunch."

"Where is Irri?"

"Catching supper!"

"I think we can safely say," said the elder, "that you've had plenty of orgasms."

"I came just watching you!" one girl said, holding her paws to her tummy in enthusiastic agreement; several other girls smiled and copied her. "I wish I'd come with you, though." (Again there was a chorus of agreement.)

"How do you feel now?" the elder asked.

"Like I've eaten my fill," Lai'iya replied, with a chuckle. "But my asshole is on fire! I should've demanded lube, I'm not gonna want anything in there for a while!" She sighed. "I better get into the forest and find an empty warren while there's still light."

"No, stay with us!" a girl cried, and several more agreed.

"Please stay," the elder added. "We've tended you all day for our brothers and we'd like to play with you now."

"Uh uh," she replied. "Mr. Bloody has no buddy. My smell'll attract predators, I'm a danger to you."

The otter girls protested, but Lai'iya started to get to her feet.

"Hey, there'll be other nights," she said, "I'm not gonna... Ow!"

She collapsed back down onto one knee, grabbing her other calf in her hands. She whined and grimaced in pain.

"Cramps!" she exclaimed. "Both legs! Too long on my knees! Get clear of me..."

But instead they helped her gently onto her side.

"You've already attracted predators," the elder said. "A pair of wolves passed by us once and a ferret twice. There were too many sharp teeth around you," she added, giving the bunny a grin that didn't look at all welcoming. "You're safe with us," she said, smiling sweetly again. "Please Lai'iya, relax and let us help you."

She moaned as they straightened her legs, hissed as they pressed her toes towards her kneecaps, then sighed with relief as they pressed the flats of their thumbs into her calves and stroked first up, then down. Soon they switched to their palms and massaged the sides of her calves as well.

"Lie on your tummy so we can rub your thighs," one girl said. "They've been cramped all day, too."

Lai'iya turned over. Four otter girls worked on her legs. The elder lay beside her and stroked her head.

"Does that feel better?"

She turned her face towards the elder and nodded.

"How did you learn to do that?"

"It's something we teach our cubs. N'Kanna could do it when he was very young. We've known about healing massage for a long time."

"It's supposed to have come from..." a girl started, but the elder held up a hand and shook her head, no.

"From where?" Lai'iya asked.

"From before anyone can remember," the elder replied. "Do you feel better?"

"You're massaging my butt," Lai'iya replied. "You've been rubbing that all day."

She looked knowingly at the elder, who smiled back hopefully. The bunny scooted down a bit and kissed the elder's small breasts. The eldest otter lay back, drawing the bunny over her with a light hand on her shoulder. She stroked Lai'iya's ears as her nipples swelled erect under the bunny's flicking tongue; moaned as the bunny's thumb firmly caressed her ribs.

With a free hand, the elder beckoned towards the other girls. A young otter came and kissed her mouth, then licked Lai'iya's throat. The elder scritched behind the bunny's ears as the young otter licked inside their base. Lai'iya turned, brushing her fur over the elder's nipple, and kissed the young otter. Then she blinked and took a good look at her second lover's face.

"Chirri? Wait, you're one of 'Kanna's students!" She looked over the otter girl's shoulder. "You got your feather too?" She turned to the elder. "How many..."

"Three."

"Me too!" said a third girl, as she knelt beside the second.

"Nesh!" Lai'iya shook her head. "Why?"

"'Cause you were upset 'n needed cheering up," said Chirri.

"'Cause you're our friend," said Nesh.

"Because we want you," said the elder, stroking her nipple with a claw tip.

Lai'iya's shoulders quaked. Dampness spread slowly through the fur on her cheeks. She bent and kissed and kissed the elder's small breast. She kissed up the otter's chest and throat, pressed her lips to her lover's mouth and caressed her tongue. Then she rolled onto her back, guiding the elder over her, still quaking all over.

"Are you all right, Lai'iya?" the elder asked.

"Take me," she sobbed. "Play with me!"

The other girls crowded around in a circle, concern in every face.

"Why are you crying?" Nesh asked.

"I love you too," she sniffled. "Share my body."

A smile lit every face. The elder kissed her cheek and started to rise. But Chirri put a hand on her shoulder and stopped her.

"You first," she said, and the other girls smiled and nodded.

"Then you two," she replied, to a chorus of giggles. "All right?" she asked the bunny.

Lai'iya nodded and reached for the elder. The older otter took the bunny in her arms; one arm she put under her lover's neck and kept her weight on that instead of Lai'iya's chest, the other she snuggled under the bunny's shoulder. Smiling, she stroked Lai'iya's nose with her own, then joined their lips together, touched their tongue tips, sucked gently until Lai'iya took the invitation. She caressed the elder's tongue, cheeks and teeth. She wrapped her arms around the otter's back and held her close; petted her small breasts, her pert nipples. The elder reached between their tummies to their mounds and locked their lips in a clitoral kiss. Lai'iya parted their mouths.

"You'll get my blood..."

"I'm not worried."

The elder began arching her back, gently brushing her clit over Lai'iya's. Their entwined flesh, slick with bunny blood, caressed, nearly parted. Lai'iya tightened her tummy, arched her hips, pushed her muff more firmly into the elder's. She nuzzled the older otter's throat behind her jaw, felt her lover's pulse against her nose; she gently nipped a counterpoint. The otter lapped inside the base of her ear, pressing her tongue downward, licking outward. She slid a hand over the bunny's ample breast, rimming the nipple, putting a little weight on it.

Lai'iya moaned aloud. Some of the girls giggled; the elder kissed her cheek. She moaned again.

"Please..." she whimpered.

The elder kissed the corner of her mouth and nuzzled her there. She moved her hand to their coupled mounds, felt the bunny's swollen flesh, moaned as she brushed her own.

"That didn't take long, did it?"

"Please..."

"Yes!"

The elder pressed her firm clit against Lai'iya's. She thrust them, rubbed and wiggled them together, as hard as she could. Lai'iya pushed back desperately. She grabbed the older otter's cheeks under her tail and pulled. She moaned and cried as the elder growled and hissed and groaned and then yowled. Hot stickiness gushed over and into the bunny's mound. Sticky heat burst from Lai'iya's depths, over her petals and the ones that kissed them. She yowled, cried, moaned -- and sighed. The elder pressed her mouth to Lai'iya's. Hands stroked them, claws scritched as they lay together, lingering in each other's moist closeness.

"I love you," the bunny said at last. "All of you."

"Sister, we love you, too. I love you. Stay and share yourself with us."

"Yes," Lai'iya replied, smiling. "Yes."

The other girls giggled. They petted the lovers's faces and throats and shoulders. As the elder nuzzled Lai'iya's mouth, they began a slow, rhythmic churring. They stroked and scritched in time with their churrs. One of the older girls nodded at the two new sisters, who beamed back at her and began to chant.

"All the boys have had their day,

"They'll be sleeping soon.

"Now we girls come out to play

"In the shimmery moon!"

The rest of the girls took up the chant. The elder, gazing fondly into Lai'iya's face, chanted with them. The bunny took it up the third time through. When they'd repeated the chant five times, they went back to churring. The elder kissed Lai'iya one more time.

"Please, sister, let's share our bodies often. It feels good being with you."

Her eyes shining, Lai'iya just said, "Yes."

The elder climbed to her feet, a little stiffly. Chirri offered both hands to help her up; the elder kissed them both before she went and sat aside.

Then the two new sisters crouched by the bunny's side. They smiled shyly and giggled at each other. Lai'iya raised herself up on her elbows and watched them until she began to giggle, too.

"D'you got somethin' special for us, Lai?" Chirri asked.

Lai'iya looked into the new sister's face thoughtfully, giggling more and more. Then a sly smile spread over her face. Suddenly, she grabbed the young girl and wrestled her to the ground. Chirri squealed and wrestled back, trying to reverse the bunny's one-handed grip and flip her instead. Then Lai'iya started tickling. Chirri writhed helplessly, laughing and squealing. Then Nesh attacked Lai'iya's ribs. The three lovers took turns attacking and being tickled; laughing, squealing and playfully growling. After a while, they collapsed into each others's arms, gratefully breathing each others's scents. Lai'iya looked at the two girls's laps. Both their clits were swollen, as hers was, but Nesh's was starting to retreat.

"You first," Lai'iya told her. "I'm gonna tickle you some more, but this time don't resist. Just let me make you laugh, okay?"

Nesh nodded and lay back in the bunny's lap. Then Lai'iya beckoned to Chirri and whispered in her ear. The otter girl giggled and sat back.

Lai'iya played laughter out of Nesh's ribs, stroked squeaks and giggles from her tummy, squeals and gasps from her thighs. The otter girl wriggled in the bunny's lap, but never tried to make the sweet torment stop. She rested her head in her lover's bosom, trusting herself to the bunny's intent. Then Chirri lay down with her face in Nesh's lap. She kissed her clit, licked inside her folds, kissed her again. A third kiss; Nesh screamed! Hot, sticky fluid spurted onto her partner's face, twice, again! She cried out, moaned, tears started from her eyes. Lai'iya started rubbing the tickle away.

Nesh lay panting in Lai'iya's lap. Lai'iya held and cuddled her, stroked her cheek, kissed her forehead. Chirri licked her partner's damp folds clean; then an older sister made her sit up and groomed her sticky face.

"I love you Lai," said the limp, young girl.

"Love you, too, Nesh."

"Is it gonna be that strong every time?"

"You wish!" Lai'iya chuckled. "Hey, even when it's bad, it's still pretty good."

"Can we do that again?"

"Hey!" Chirri exclaimed. "Me next!"

Lai'iya and Nesh exchanged sly leers.

#

The brown trout glistened in the morning sun as N'Kanna bit into its belly. He tore out a chunk out of its flesh, wolfed it down, then took a breath and bit off more.

"Hey! You coming to shore soon?"

N'Kanna looked along the river bank, then quickly swallowed his mouthful.

"Hi, Esh! I'm too hungry, I'm gonna finish this out here!"

"Too bad," Esh'Ek replied, "I've got some crayfish to share!"

She held up her hands; seven fat, little lobsters dangled from her fingers. N'Kanna reached into the water beneath him and pulled out his fishing spear. Two big, fat bass were impaled on it.

"Share!" he cried, and swam to the bank with his trout in his mouth.

#

The two otters sat cuddling on the river bank, sucking the last morsels out of crayfish shells and fish heads.

"Shan said you were sick yesterday," Esh'Ek said.

"Uh huh. I felt really weak and sick, I thought I was gonna die! But Lai gave me some medicine, it helped a lot. Rabbits must know a lot about plant medicine, I guess 'cause that's what they eat." N'Kanna licked a shell, then tossed it into the river. "But I feel fine today."

"Me too! Yesterday I was so weak I could hardly move, but today I'm fine. I guess Lai's blue mould and strong root worked."

"Maybe. Maybe it's a kind of sick that only lasts for a day."

"I hope so. Shan is sick today."

"Shan!" N'Kanna grabbed Esh'Ek's shoulders. "Where is he, who's with him? What's wrong, does he have what we had?"

"Hey, calm down, you're hurting! (Don't apologise, I know you're just scared, so am I.) The same things happened to Shan as me and you, so I guess it's the same kind of sick. He's alone, he said he wanted to be alone. But predators didn't eat me or you for half a day yesterday, so I guess they don't want to get sick from us. Just like we don't eat fish that don't look right."

"Yeah, I guess so, but I'd be happier if somebody watched over him until he's better."

"I wanted to, but I was so hungry I just had to go eat. Ow! You're hurting again!"

N'Kanna let go of Esh'Ek's shoulders and looked in astonishment at his own hands. He looked into the otter girl's face, then hung his head in shame.

"I'm sorry, Esh. I don't really blame you for leaving Shan alone, 'specially since that's what he wanted. I had to leave 'Ka alone; he's sick, too. And I couldn't find anyone to sit with him while I hunted!"

Esh'Ek put a hand to N'Kanna's throat.

"I can't find anyone either," she said. "It's like the whole tribe's hiding except us, Shan and 'Ka! Even the elder's gone, I only saw Lai lying on Elder's Rock, so I went to find you... but then I just had to eat!"

N'Kanna took Esh'Ek's hand in his own as he stood. "C'mon," he said, "let's find Lai. Maybe she knows."

#

"No more! No more!" Lai'iya murmured, and curled her legs up until her feet touched her tail.

"Lai, wake up!" N'Kanna cried, and gently shook her shoulder. "We need you to help us, we can't find anyone!"

"They're down river, tryin'na be alone."

N'Kanna and Esh'Ek exchanged frightened looks. Esh'Ek gently lifted Lai'iya's face.

"What's wrong? Are they sick?"

Lai'iya got wearily up onto her elbows.

"Yeah, sick," she said, "same thing you had, everyone." She blinked and her eyes focused on Esh'Ek. "You look better. How's 'Kanna?"

"I'm fine," N'Kanna replied. "But you look awful! Are you sick, too?"

"Then whatever is, prob'ly only lasts a day."

"I thought it was your medicine that helped," Esh'Ek replied.

"Helped..." The bunny yawned. "...wouldn't better that fast..."

"Lai," N'Kanna said, "are you all right? Are you sick, too?"

"Sick? Oh, 'Kanna... sick!" She turned on the otter boy. "I'm tired!" she exclaimed. "I was up all night fuckin'..." (The two otters flinched.) "...every girl in the tribe! 'N I was fuckin' the boys all yesterday... Quit flinching!" She lay back on the rock. "I'm tired 'n sore in places even you wouldn't believe. I need to sleep!"

"Lai," he replied, "I'm really sorry, but if everybody's sick... then we... need... You shared yourself with the whole tribe???"

"Three of yer students got their feathers so they could share with me," she said, leering.

"Three... Shan?" (She shook her head, no.) "Well I only had four!"

"The elder even said I'm a sister of the tribe."

"You didn't!" Esh'Ek exclaimed, with a grin. "With her, too?"

"Wait," N'Kanna said, "you're one of us now?"

"Aw, she's been one of us for years!"

"Yeah, but she's finally accepted us! Lai, you said yes to us, you gave yourself to be our tribe... the tribe... The tribe needs medicine! Lai, please help us!"

Lai'iya got up on one elbow and yawned.

"It only lasts a day, just give 'em the willow bark 'n happy leaf to help 'em sleep. Uh..." She yawned again. "...inner bark, not the tough stuff outside. 'N take it from ten trees, more's better, or you'll hurt them. They have a right to live too, y'know! Uh... happy leaf, uh, some grows at the edge of the forest, pretty tall, you'll have t'cut the plant down. They grow in clumps everywhere, so don't... uh, don't chew that stuff too much or you won't be able to stop, and anyway it makes you stupid for a while. You could, uh... forget the resta th' stuff I gave you, it's, I uh..." and she yawned so widely that N'Kanna and Esh'Ek yawned, too. "I can't help you gather, I'm too tired!"

"Do you need some medicine, too?"

"Willow, double dose. And get me some fennel and peppermint and parsley; just pick a couple of the whole plants, it'd take forever to tell you the parts I need. And get some balm, comfrey, water mint and catnip. And see if you can find some garlic and ginger roots. Oh, if the local bear hasn't eaten them all, pick some cranberries, or blueberries if you can find them. And some marsh mallow and pennyroyal, too. You got all that?"

Esh'Ek and N'Kanna looked at each other. N'Kanna shook his head, no, but Esh'Ek nodded, yes.

"I'll get the willow bark," said N'Kanna.

"I'll get the rest of Lai's medicine. We can meet at the forest edge and get the happy leaf."

"Thanks," Lai'iya replied, and lay back on the rock. "Now go 'way 'n let me sleep! I'm tired 'n sore!"

Esh'Ek kissed her nose and nuzzled her ear. "Later," she whispered, "when you feel better."

N'Kanna licked the corner of her mouth. "Love you," he murmured.

The two otters waded ashore and headed towards the trees.

"I wish there was one more of us to let everybody know that help's coming," N'Kanna said. "'Specially the cubs, they must be scared! What if they're sick, too? But we gotta get the medicine first of all, right?"

"The cubs'll do what we taught them, get together 'n hide where we can find them. Poor Lai, she really needs medicine. Did you notice the smell?"

"Her own blood. D'you think the tribe was too rough with her?"

Esh'Ek laughed and shook her head.

"Stranger come a'calling," she replied.

"Oh, of course!" N'Kanna said, chuckling. "That's why she was so grouchy yesterday!"

"Though it's not surprising she's rubbed raw in places, she shared herself too much yesterday..."

Lai'iya lay back and stopped watching the otters leave; folded her ears and stopped listening.

"Otters!" she murmured. "Stranger come... now I made 'em all sick..." She yawned widely. "...tried to warn 'em, they wouldn't... never tell 'em, not now." Lai'iya yawned again and closed her eyes. A happy, satisfied smile spread over her face.

"All the boys have had their day," she murred,

"They'll be sleeping soon.

"Now us girls come out to play

"In the shimmery moon."

copyright © 2004 Allan D Burrows, All Rights Reserved