FSE

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Rhue opened his eyes slowly. He was wrapped in a large, warm blanket that cushioned him nicely. The human’s consciousness shifted as his mind moved out of a decadent dream. Feeling the soft blanket on his naked body, he was dreaming of the large wolf that had swallowed him the previous night, and the feeling of the big belly he had been tucked away in.

Seeing the warm, blazing fire in front of him, Rhue quickly came to his senses, and jolted up into a sitting position, breathing rapidly. He looked around him. The room was covered in animal skins, their patterns dancing with the shadows cast by the flames. His makeshift bed was a thick, soft woollen rug that lay beneath him, a small cushion, and of course the lovely blanket that covered him. He saw his bag on a nearby chair, then turned his head towards the sofa. There, in the light of the flames, he saw the wolf for the first time properly.

Randi looked a little smaller than Rhue had remembered, but still at least eight or nine feet tall. His fur was black, with no markings or imperfections. It looked sleek in the warm light. The wolf had a typically shaped face, with a large black nose atop his snout. The massive paws that had gripped him last night hung off of the sofa in front of the wolf. The digits had cute black pads on them, even darker than the fur itself.

The wolf’s torso had a cute set of abs, accompanied by somewhat muscly arms. By human standards, the wolf was buff and strong, but looking at him more closely the wolf seemed to be somewhat slender for a creature of his size. The wolf’s legs were curled in front of him, but Rhue could still see the thick, tree-trunk thighs and large foot-paws the he had. Seeing such a wolf like this was a little bewitching.

Rhue had stopped to admire his captor for a few minutes, then felt some of his own morning needs creeping in. He was parched, hungry, and needing the bathroom urgently (if the wolf even had one). The human crept over to his bag quietly so as not to wake the sleeping giant that was dozing on the couch. He gently moved his hand through it to retrieve his water and some of the food he had left. Taking a swig of water, he sat in the chair and proceeded to cut himself some salami, and slowly satisfy his hunger. He dared not take his eyes off the wolf.

The human could not stop thinking about what had happened last night. The entire scene replayed in his head. He remembered the lethal fear he felt as the creature has started to devour him. Then there was that strange smelling fluid, that brought an eerie calmness when he had encountered it.

It all echoed in his mind. Every scream. Every thought. Every feeling. Every sensation. And finally, the...

Rhue nearly dropped his salami as he blushed in remembrance. While inside the wolf’s pouch, he had masturbated! For the first time since meeting the wolf, he felt a severe sense of shame. How embarrassing to have been swallowed by a member of a different species, only to sexually enjoy it! Worst of all, the wolf had never agreed to such an act happening within his stomach, so this would definitely stem into the unlawful territory.

Rhue tip-toed over to the spot by the fire where his clothes sat. Luckily, they were dry. He covered up his physical shame, then proceeded to plan an escape from the emotional shame. He peered around, seeing a few doors to his left, right, and on the opposite side of the room from the fire. The one across the room was very large. This door was covered by thick skins, which drew like a curtain across it. Moving the curtain gently, the human reached for the handle of the large door, and felt it. A twinge of cold waved through the crack on his bare hand. The human hadn’t even packed gloves. What a fool he was. Now he couldn’t leave, unless perhaps he took some of the animal skins with him for warmth.

He felt his stomach churn. On one hand, he felt very uncomfortable in the wolf’s cave, and wanted to leave desperately. On the other, he knew now how bad the cold would be and that stepping outside meant certain death. He also considered himself above theft, especially from someone who had saved his life.

“Apparently not above more heinous crimes though”, he thought to himself.

Feeling defeated by his own emotions, Rhue put his bag back down on the floor and slumped in the chair. He looked back over at the wolf, feeling a sense of gratitude. He decided that it was only right to pay this wolf back for saving his life, and for his own personal conscience about his rancid secret.

***

Randi had slept long and peacefully. He was so deep into it that the sounds of the human getting up had not awoken him. He woke slowly and stretched his body; arms and legs extending past the arms of the couch. He glanced over to the fire, where Rhue was no longer sleeping. He whirled his head around to see him on the chair instead, just sitting there. Randi rolled over onto his belly and placed his muzzle on the armrest of the couch.

He looked at the human and smiled, wagging his tail. He was acting almost like a friendly little puppy.

“Good morning. How are you feeling?”

Rhue turned his head back to the wolf, after pretending he hadn’t been staring at him for 20 minutes straight.

“Hi, uh...” His anxiety for the situation made him quickly stand up, as if he was sitting in the King’s Throne. He placed his hands behind his back. The wolf, seeing his fear, slowly moved to a sitting position on the couch.

“Why don’t you come sit down? Please, I won’t bite.” The wolf patted the couch cushion next to him.

“No thank you, I...” Rhue started to shake in fear. He began to step back further. “I need to relieve myself... please...”

“Oh, down that hall and it’s the one at the end.” Randi indicated behind the chair the human had been sitting on towards the door to the hall.

“Thank you sir.” Rhue made his way through the door and down the hall to the bathroom. He shut the door behind him, and looked around.

The room was full of candles, which lit up the toilet, bathtub, and sink. It was colder than the lounge, but at least it wasn’t freezing. Rhue sat on the toilet and conducted his business. There was a flushing chain, but he decided not to pull it yet. He closed the lid and sat back down, staring at the door. The wolf was so intimidating, even though it was being kind. Rhue took some time to catch his breath. He knew that he had to go confront the wolf. He would just have to ask for some animal skin so he could leave, and pay the wolf for his troubles. Mustering up his courage, he opened the bathroom door and walked back to the living room.

Randi was still on the couch, though he was deep in a book when Rhue walked in. Understanding the small human’s fear, he decided not to move or say anything, and let the human approach him. He didn’t want to ignore the human, but he thought this the best way to help clam him down. He knew he had to be careful about his actions, lest the human try to leave and be frozen alive.

Rhue moved swiftly over to his bag. He pulled out some money, and went closer to the couch, just within arm’s reach of Randi.

“H-Here. Thank you, for saving my life. I’ll be going now, would I be able to take some animal fur for warmth?” Rhue held out the cash in front of the wolf. Randi turned and looked at the money in the human’s hand, and stood up slowly.

“Thank you. This is very generous of you.” Randi slowly took the cash from the human’s hand. He then reached over to Rhue’s bag and put it straight back in. “But I am afraid I cannot accept this.”

“Please, just take it. I intend on repaying you for-”

“Human. What’s your name?” Randi interrupted.

“Rhue.”

“Rhue. I appreciate your kindness. I do. But I do not need any money. If you want to repay me, we can arrange something. For now, I want to make sure you’re okay. Being pouched must be scary for a human like yourself.” Randi sat down on the floor in front of the fire and indicated to the chair. He allowed the human to sit above him to make himself look smaller and less intimidating. Despite this being his territory, he was used to being an omega, having grown up around sensitive and uptight alphas.

“Look, I only have money, or a little food. I need to get to the next town, so can I pay you and be on my way please?” Rhue’s fear had made him want to leave again, such that he had forgotten the bitter cold that awaited him outside. Randi gave him a little smile. He calmly reminded the human of his position.

“Rhue, it is minus twenty centigrade out there. And it will be for a long time. The next town is a week away, at my speed. You’re not going to make it through the snow.”

“So what am I supposed to do?!” Rhue yelled at the wolf. Randi was taken aback, and furled his brow at the human. He was behaving perfectly, and being yelled at! Rhue covered his mouth with his hands, realising what he had done. “I’m sorry, I – I didn-”

Randi forced his frustration down and stayed calm. He knew that if he over-reacted to the human, then the human may try to leave and surely die. Then his act of salvation would have been in vain. He sighed shortly.

“I understand this must be a hard situation for you. Please sit. Let’s talk about this.”

Rhue walked back to the chair and sat down. He frowned a little and looked down, daring not make eye contact with the wolf. Trembling, he could feel his eyes welling up with tears, and his heart began to accelerate. Randi spoke again, looking down, twirling a piece of fur from the rug in his fingers.

“The stormy season lasts a quarter of the year. I can go out and hunt for our food, but you will need to stay indoors. If you would like to ‘repay me’, I’d be grateful for your help with cleaning. I would also ask that you help cook our food, which I shall bring home from my hunts, of course.”

The human had no choice now. He’d have to stay with the wolf for three months. All of his own plans would need to be put on hold. He cursed himself for being so stupid as to travel to a place like this on the brink of winter. How had he not researched this area? He had been so excited to travel that he had truly rushed into it without proper preparation.

“It’s probably not what you want to hear, but I do not believe you’d make it in the cold.” Randi spoke again, trying to persuade the human not to throw his life away.

Rhue nodded silently, and looked back at the wolf. For the first time, their eyes met, and Rhue saw the beautiful deep blue of Randi’s eyes. He could see the kindness and genuine concern in them. Feeling an overwhelming mixture of fear, nervousness, and gratitude, Rhue began to cry.

“Thank you. Thank you.” The human continued to sob. At this, Randi decided to get up and sit down next to the chair. He gently took Rhue’s tiny hand in his paw. Rhue looked back at him. Randi gave him a big smile.

“Of course. I’m not going to save your life only to starve you or let you wander into the cold. Now, I am going to pop out and grab some food for us, could you do me a favour please?”

“Yes, of course.” Rhue wiped away his tears and stood up with Randi, still holding on to the wolf’s soft paw.

“Through the door there is a large vat of water. Could you please fill up the cauldron in there and place it over the fire? Then go into the pantry in the right and grab some herbs and spices you like. We’ll make some soup for lunch.”

“Yes of course.”

“Great, thank you Rhue. I will try to be back within an hour or so. The rabbits are out this time of day and they are fairly easy to grab.” Randi went over to the curtained door and opened it. It led to a small hallway that was devoid of any animal skins, and had only a large locked door at the other end. Light streamed from the crevices at the sides. The wolf carefully closed the inner door fully before Rhue heard the door to the outside world open and then slam shut. He was now alone in the wolf’s cave.

***

Rhue wasted no time in going through the door opposite to the hallway entrance and into the specified room. Before him was a huge barrel of water that had a large pipe going into the top, likely a system that drew from an underground aquifer or something. A couple of cauldrons lay by it. Rhue grabbed one, turned the tap on and filled it about three quarters of the way before stopping the tap.

The filled cauldron was very heavy for the weak human, but after a few minutes of lifting, setting down, and breathing, he managed to set it over the fire in the living room. Noticing that it was getting a little low, he stoked the fire with the poker and added more firewood from a stack nearby. He looked into its bright, warm flames. This would be his home for the next three months. This would be his life. And that huge wolf would be his breadwinner.

Rhue sat down in front of the fire, hugging his knees, questions about Randi running through his head. Why had the wolf saved him? Why was Randi so kind to him? Why did he feel somewhat attracted to the wolf? The scene from last night started to play in Rhue’s head again, but mostly his orgasm and the wonderful sensations of being in the wolf’s soft, warm belly.

Rhue spent the next half hour making a nice herb-filled broth. Oregano, rosemary, garlic, salt and pepper, and a few other herbs he found in the pantry. He set a ladle and bowls from the cupboard on the stool near the fire, and filled the tea jug with fresh water. The sound of the boiling water reminded him a little of the gurgling sounds from last night. Rhue could not shake these thoughts from his head. He needed a better distraction.

The human pulled a handkerchief out of his bag and started to dust the cave. Starting with the wooden mantle of the fireplace and shelves in the living room, Rhue made his way through the house tidying up whatever he could. Anything to pass time and get these thoughts from his head. He then went into the kitchen, and continued his work in there.

Finally he did the bathroom, making sure to wipe the toilet, sink, and bathtub. He noticed that the tub and sink had faucets of their own. Clearly the wolf had installed full indoor plumbing in the house. It was quite impressive, really.

There were two other rooms in this hallway. Rhue dared not enter either of them, lest he invade the wolf’s privacy. He began to wonder how far the wolf’s kindness would go. If Rhue truly had to stay here for three months, he’d have to make sure to be a good guest and not get on the beast’s bad side, lest the wolf eat him for real next time.

Would he do that? Eat him? Rhue considered the fact that he had never heard of this creature. It clearly ate meat, and was of human-level intelligence, so what were it’s views on humans? The dragon-folk from Rhue’s own country never ate humans, but were smaller than humans were, and Rhue had no idea what to think of this wolf.

Feeling tired after dusting up, Rhue went over to the couch and laid down. Head on the base cushion and feet hanging off the other side, he turned his head towards the gently blazing fire. The water in the cauldron simmered, the pot lid trembling as steam rose from the crevices at the side. He closed his eyes and turned his head away, burying it into the back of the sofa. He could smell the musky scent of the wolf laced deep into the old cushions. Rhue inhaled deeply. Despite it being the aged musk of a huge furry animal, it wasn’t too bad at all, even somewhat pleasant to smell. Rhue sighed, and drifted off to sleep.

***

Randi had managed to pick up some of the Rylan rabbits as he travelled through the snow. They weren’t hard to catch for him, as they normally made for a delectable snack. Tempted by instinct to feast on their flesh immediately, he had to remind himself of Rhue’s presence in the cave.

“Save some for the human.” He told himself.

Randi’s thoughts dwelled on the happenings of last night. He was unsure how to interpret the entire situation. He had forcefully swallowed the human. Even in the interest of keeping him safe, he knew this had terrified the human, at least at first. Then after the human was inside him, at some point the human had orgasmed. Was it perhaps due to the trauma manifesting in this way, like how one can laugh at inappropriate times when they cannot process grief or stress? Did the human possibly just have a wet dream? The massaging muscles egging on his sleepy pleasure? Maybe the human had pleasured himself long before meeting the wolf and he hadn’t noticed the scent previously?

Randi knew that the fluids inside him were potent anti-stress agents. They had to be. Even for a member of his species, the feeling of being swallowed is not natural at first, and so the sweet scent of the lubricating fluids help provide a sense of calm for anything taken into the pouch. They should have been strong enough to calm a human, but were they perhaps acting as an aphrodisiac? He couldn’t be sure. In any case, he decided to hold no grudge against the human for what had happened. Grudges were not in Randi’s nature, especially in such a social species like his, there was no time or energy for such silly emotional quarrels. True to his kind, most of his emotions were short-lived in general.

Although there was a thought Randi could not shake. His own sexual curiosity. While unlikely, what if the human had genuinely masturbated in him? He began to feel aroused with these thoughts in his head. Being a lonely male wolf, he had not experienced sexual intimacy with another being in so long. He had never been with a human, but had heard of human-wolf relationships.

He knew the most likely explanation for the human’s ejaculate was either a wet dream or his own lack of awareness for semen already on the clothes. But his mind still dwelled on lewd thoughts about the human. The little man was cute, and somewhat attractive under those ugly rags. His skin so smooth to the touch. He imagined Rhue’s fingers running across his fur, the scent of the human, and the feeling of holding and protecting this small, vulnerable creature.

“This is ridiculous.” Randi sighed to himself. “Getting worked up over nothing.”

He heard another one. His head darted in the direction of a fourth rabbit. Ear perked, he bolted in it’s direction, rushing towards it. He panted deeply as he chased down the rabbit, which now had no chance of escape. Randi was too good of a hunter. He picked up the rabbit and promptly snapped it’s neck, refusing to bite lest he gobble it down at the taste of its blood.

The wolf continued to hunt in order to distract himself until he had a few more rabbits. He hoped he’d be too busy at home to think about the human in a sexual light again.

***

Rhue awoke to the sound of the door being opened. The wolf was back. The human sat up and looked over. Randi had returned, holding a few rabbits by the neck in each hand. He placed them on the set of drawers next to the entrance and shut the door behind him.

“Heya! Smells good in here. You sure know how to make a better broth than me!”

“Oh, um, thank you.” Rhue blushed a little and smiled.

“Right. Now I gotta skin these and remove the meat. Would you like me to show you how to do it?”

“Sure.”

At this, Randi beckoned the human to come over. Rhue stood in front of the dead rabbits on the counter. The wolf opened a drawer, and pulled out a roll-out-mat of tools.

“Now, these are the rabbit tools, and we follow them from left, to right.”

He picked up the shaver and grabbed a rabbit. Randi then stood behind the human and placed the rabbit on the table, holding it with one and skinning it with the other. Rhue kept his eyes on what the wolf was showing him, but his mind was lost in its own thoughts. The wolf was standing behind him. It’s chest against his shoulders, with that big muzzle right over his head... again.

Randi continued his work on the rabbit. He carefully removed the skin so as to save the pelt. He then removed the meat from the bones, talking all the way through. The wolf was articulate in his motions, separating skin and meat to perfection. In less than a minute, a perfectly skinned and prepared rabbit lay in front of the duo, ready to go in the pot.

“And there you have it! Wanna give it a try Rhue?”

Hearing his name, the human snapped back into focus and looked up at the wolf.

“Huh? Oh, uh, sure, I guess?”

Rhue picked up the shaving tool that the wolf was using before, and held it to the next rabbit’s fur. Having completely forgotten all of the wolf’s instruction, he moved his hand over the rabbit, unsure when to start. Randi chuckled.

“Need some help?” Randi then gently put his paws around the human’s hands, adjusting the tools and rabbit. “I will do it with you, then you can give the third one a go.” Rhue shied away a little at the wolf’s touch.

“Okay, thank you, uh...” Rhue searched for a name. He had forgotten it! In his mind he knew this wolf as only a nameless creature that had eaten him. Well, pouched him. Whatever it was, he hadn’t even asked the name of the wolf! He bit his lip then asked.

“What was your name?”

“Randi. So when you have gotten past that part we switch blades. Like this...” The wolf nonchalantly moved the human’s hands with his to skin the rabbit, focusing on his craft.

“Thank you, Randi. For your kindness.” Rhue blushed hard at saying this, thoughts and emotions reeling through his head. He pushed his hands a little more into the wolf’s, despite being only the second time they had ever been touched by them. He looked down at what they were doing, and got used to the feeling of animal skinning. What a useful skill to learn, he thought to himself. Anything he could to to help repay Randi for saving his life.

Randi chuckled again. “It’s all right. It was nothing, really. You don’t need to thank me. Can you take care of the last one? I need to duck into my room for a bit.”

“Oh, sure. I’ll try.” Rhue affirmed himself and started on the third rabbit. He managed to somewhat replicate the wolf’s handiwork, but was sloppy. Still, the end result was a skinned rabbit, at least. After a few minutes Randi returned from the bedroom and grabbed the three rabbits.

“Right, let’s chuck em in the soup! Then it’ll be ready in an hour.”

“Okay, cool.” Rhue looked over at Randi, watching as the wolf hunched over the cauldron and placed the rabbits in, covering it with the lid again.

“So, uh, about sleeping arrangements. I haven’t got a fireplace in the guest room yet, just the living room and my room. So you can have the choice of the couch, chair, or you can have the floor in my bedroom with the mattress from the guest bed. What would you like?”

“What’s easiest for you?” Rhue did not want to inconvenience his host.

“Well, I usually let the fire burn out in the evenings in here to save firewood. I normally just eat and cook in here and relax in my room, which is nice and warm. So if you don’t mind sleeping in there, I think that’s probably going to be the comfiest.”

“Okay. I will share the room with you.” Rhue smiled at Randi and nodded. Randi stood up, facing the human, and smiled in return.

“I’ll go put the mattress in front of the bed then.” Randi walked away and went to prepare the bedroom for his long-term guest.

Rhue sat back down on the sofa. He heard a few noises come from down the hall, and looked at the wolf was shifting a queen-sized mattress with ease. He heard a big ‘flop’, and saw the wolf make trips back and forth for sheets, blankets, and pillows. Rhue saw the covers from yesterday and picked them up to take them to the wolf.

Randi’s room was somewhat large. The bed sat in the middle of the room, headboard to the left against the wall. At it’s feet, as the wolf promised, was his mattress. Then, a few more metres away was a small fireplace with some fresh wood on it. Rhue went over to help Randi make the bed.

“Thanks.” Randi looked into Rhue’s eyes briefly. “Right. Now we wait for lunch, and relax for the rest of the day.”

They went into the lounge and sat down on the sofa, and a brief spell of silence ensued. Randi broke it with a question.

“What were you doing in those woods on the brink of winter?”

Rhue looked down, feeling bashful.

“I have been travelling to Vana City for several weeks now. I was running low on supplies, and saw that cutting through the forest would save some time. I had no idea this area got that bad in the cold.”

“Vana is quite a way from here, still. Definitely best not to travel until spring then. But you truly didn’t know about Ryla?”

“Ryla?”

“The country you are in. Consisted of the Great Rylan woods, and the city of Cirran, in which most of my people live.”

“Uh, no. I didn’t know anything about this place.”

Then why enter it, Randi thought to himself. Not that he’d scold the human for his lapse of judgement right now.

“Where do you hail from?”

“Vinland. A small village called Scree.”

“That is also very far. Whatever were to travelling to Vana for that you couldn’t do in your own country?”

“The city is always growing and developing, so there is a skill shortage of people who can balance the books. I’m good with numbers.”

“Makes sense.” Randi paused. “So you’re smart?”

“Smart, yes, knowledgable, no. I knew nothing about this area going into it, obviously, and I had never read any books about Ryla.”

“I see. I’d better check the stew.”

“How did you come to live here?”

Randi sighed. He thought he may as well tell the human a bit about his past life, even though he hated talking about it.

“I live as a hermit, I think you call it. My family environment was a very unhealthy one so I decided to leave. I was always a proficient hunter despite my status, so I had little trouble making it on my own.”

“Status?”

“Basically I was a very low ranking wolf. I had to learn the skills of Materia, Hunt, and Emotia. This meant that I could support my higher ranking family members in terms of building and maintaining the household, helping provide food, and emotional labour, of which there was a lot. In the end, that life was not what I wanted, so I left it behind.”

“Did you make this place yourself?”

“Yep. Took a while to hollow it out and install the pipes, but bit by bit, it became home.” The wolf sighed contently.

“It’s very impressive, and has such a nice feel to it.”

Randi smiled. “Thank you. I am glad you like it. Now enough on that, let’s eat.” Flattered by the human’s compliments though he was, he wanted to drop the subject of his past.

***

A few hours later, Rhue and Randi were sitting on the sofa together, bellies full of delicious rabbit stew. Each were reading their own book. The unlikely pair sat in peace together. Rhue had fully calmed down and had lost the strange thoughts that had plagued him earlier in the day. A good meal, fresh water, and good company had set his head mostly right. Occasionally, Rhue would peer over the wolf to look at his book, which they would then discuss. A few times, he sneaked a peek at what was under it.

The wolf didn’t wear clothes, so his privates were, well, not private! Randi’s balls were covered in black fur, and right above sat the sheath, which obviously contained the huge wolf’s penis. After catching a glimpse the human would turn back to the book, then keep in his mind what he just saw. What secret shapes and contours lay in the contents of that sheath? And as for those tennis-ball sized testicles...

Rhue couldn’t rip his mind away from it. In a way, he was simply curious, and sort of enthralled at this beast’s lack of shame. He wasn’t exactly staring in a sexual way, but he certainly did find Randi attractive at this point. He had always wondered what it would be like to be with a beast-man like this, of which the males were terrifyingly beautiful, sometimes more so than members of his own species, he thought.

How perverted of him, he thought to himself. He hadn’t even here a day and was already getting comfortable ogling his host.

The fire in the living room started to burn low. Noticing this, Randi cleared his throat. This brought Rhue out of his self-induced daydream.

“Why don’t we relocate?”

Rhue nodded in silence and followed Randi to the master bedroom. Randi leapt onto his bed playfully, then opened his book again, lying on his back with his legs spread open. He smiled to himself, then patted the other side of the bed, beckoning Rhue to him. Rhue chuckled at the wolf’s strange behaviour. He crawled gently onto the other side of Randi’s big bed, sitting up against the soft headboard. Rhue maintained a respectful distance from Randi, but the wolf closed the distance by shuffling next to the human. He lay his paw down and gently held the Rhue’s hand again.

“I read that this calms humans down when they are stressed.”

“Hmm?” Rhue looked at the wolf, slightly confused.

“Holding your paws. It’s meant to relieve stress I think. I know you must be upset about what happened last night, but I want you to know that I am going to take care of you.” Randi looked into Rhue’s eyes and smiled, somewhat apologetically. Rhue smiled shyly back.

“Thank you. It was a lot. I was really scared. But feeling that cold, even when inside... I am truly grateful for you, Randi.” Rhue locked his fingers through the wolf’s and leaned against the large mammal. He felt the soft, thick fur on Randi’s arm, covering the powerful muscles underneath. Rhue closed his eyes, relaxing into the comfort of the bed. He felt happy overall, and was imagining a peaceful life here, at least for the next wee while. He shifted downwards and rested his head against Randi’s shoulder.

The human had not offered such contact previously, which upon first notice made the wolf smile again. He truly wanted to get along with the human. The next few months would be unbearable for him if he couldn’t. Randi leant his head over and sniffed at the human’s face, giving Rhue a cute little lick on his nose.

Rhue smiled gently. He felt so tired. Twenty-four hours had passed since his fateful encounter with the wolf, and his mood had changed completely since then. He closed his eyes, and fell asleep on Randi’s arm.

Noticing that the human had fallen asleep, Randi decided to turn in too. He gently shuffled himself with the human to lay down. He turned slightly onto his side to make it easier for Rhue’s head to be on his chest. He placed his big furred paw under Rhue’s shirt on his back, the other arching across the human’s shoulders. Before he fell asleep, Randi leant his head against the human’s and gently whispered in his ear.

“I will take care of you. I promise.”

***

The next morning, sunlight shone on the blanket of snow outside of Randi’s den. It glimmered, with beads of light dancing as the wind caught the tiniest flakes off the surface of the thick layer of snow. Sadly, this beautiful view could not be seen by Rhue or Randi. There were no windows into the den. This would let in too much cold, making the fire a waste. The chimneys alone needed to be expertly crafted to prevent heat loss, with shutters for when the fires run out. The pair lay in complete darkness, but safe, serene warmth.

Randi’s eyes opened slowly. He felt the human’s body intertwined with his. He looked down, eyes used to the darkness of the den, and saw the rough shape of the small man that was snuggling him. Randi’s arms were instinctively wrapped around the human, protecting him. The wolf had gotten used to his role already.

The wolf felt content. He decided that, if the human wanted to, he could stay in Randi’s bed with him. It would be warmer anyway, and he didn’t need the spare mattress cluttering up the floor.

It was also very nice to cuddle.

Randi had not had a guest in so long, let alone shared a bed. The feeling of another being in his arms made him feel so forlorn. The downside of living as a hermit was made clear in the wolf’s mind. Despite not being able to handle his family, and ex, he was lonely at times. Perhaps if he could get this human to stay with him, his new companion would offer a solution to his loneliness.

This human, this small creature, who he had saved, was now getting close to him. He considered again the previous events that had taken place. Could there be something further to this? A relationship, maybe even...? Randi let his mind wander, holding the human close, and smiling to himself.

A few minutes later, Rhue woke up as well. Realising he was lying on the wolf, he respectfully tried to shift away, but was locked in Randi’s arms.

“Morning.” Randi whispered quietly. He nuzzled the top of the human’s head affectionately.

“Hi.” Rhue said. “Uh, sorry, I guess I was really tired. I’ll move -”

“No, it’s fine. You seem perfectly comfortable.” Randi didn’t let his arms yield to the human, and patted Rhue’s head. “If you like, you’re welcome to sleep with me in my bed. It’s much warmer and comfier than the spare mattress.”

“Uh, I...” Rhue was unsure what to say. He already felt bad for having fallen asleep on the wolf.

“You don’t have to, it’s just an offer. In my species sleeping next to each other is not a big deal, is it for humans?”

Rhue contemplated his situation. The wolf had already swallowed him once to keep him warm, so this really wasn’t all that extreme. His bed was very nice, not to mention the feeling of those muscles cradling him, and that silky soft fur. As the human thought about what to do, Randi got up, and went over to the small fireplace to get it started. Light filled the room, and he could see the silhouette of that hunky beast once again. Rhue would get to spend every night in his arms? It felt like a fever dream. Awkward as he was feeling, he did not want to say no.

“Okay, yes. I’d like to sleep beside you.”

At this, Randi got very excited again. His tail wagged, and he walked back over to the bed.

“Sounds good to me.”

He leant over and let loose a small flurry of licks upon Rhue’s face, as he normally would to someone he had reached an agreement with. This startled the young man.

“Ugh!” Rhue pulled back. Randi chuckled at him as he shifted position. Tail was upright in the air, wagging profusely.

“It’s just a friendly greeting. Ever met a dog before?”

“I don’t usually let dogs lick my face.” Rhue remarked, realising the good nature of the act.

“And I don’t usually let humans sleep in my bed, but here we are.” Randi joked. Rhue rolled his eyes at this, not to the wolf’s lack of notice. “Oh, we have a cheeky little one here, do we?” Randi propped himself up by his arms and legs over the human, wagging his tail playfully.

“What are you doing?” Rhue retracted into the pillows beneath Randi. He blushed a little at this, and his eyes almost trailed down again as Randi’s voice interrupted his soon to be lewd train of thought.

“I think I should give you a proper canine greeting, Rhue! A nice, slobbery lick!”

“No no no! You’ve already -” Rhue put his hands in front of his face to push the wolf away. Randi simply licked at them, drooling all over them. His massive tongue wetting any dry part of the human’s palms and digits with ease.

“Ugh!” Rhue wiped his hands on his shirt, leaving Randi an opening. He licked at the human’s face, his tongue rolling over it once again like the first night, with a completely different intention this time. Rhue started to giggle underneath it, yelping playfully. It truly was like a massive dog coming up to say hello.

“Okay, okay! Enough...” Randi started to lick slower, and eventually pulled back. Looking at the human’s wet face, he laughed even harder. Rhue laughed with him. Randi grabbed a handkerchief from the bedside table and started to wipe Rhue’s face. The human snatched it from him.

“I can clean myself, thank you.” Rhue chuckled at the wolf. Randi held his paws up.

“Okay, okay, just thought I’d help out.” Randi started to calm down and got up to start the day.

“Hunting time! Can I trust you with the broth again, dear chef?”

Rhue giggled at this. “Of course.”