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Passion on the Plains

Prologue

Zaharu Taiena whistled a tune to herself as she sauntered through the knee-high golden grass of the Untherian Plains. In one hand she held a spear that was taller than she was, balancing it on her shoulder. The other hand was reaching out to the tips of the golden blades of grass that swept in waves past her. She was in a great mood, something she expressed by rhythmically sweeping her feet across the dirt and swishing her tail out behind her. She was dancing to a tune in her head, imitating the motion of hitting drums with each of her fingertips to keep the beat in between pats at the satchel that she kept draped over her hip. She wore a thigh-long skirt of leathers and fur as well as a similarly crafted tank top that remained snug around her broad chest and nothing else.

She was a rare hybrid; unfortunately the product of two competing tribes. Her father was a wandering member of a distant lion pride to the southeast and her mother was one of the leaders of a hyena pack in the far west. Her very existence was an affront to both tribes even if the survival of a hybrid should have been something to celebrate. As the sole survivor of a set of three cubs, there was a brief moment in her life when both her parents rejoiced, hoping her existence would help to quell the generations-long rivalry between their tribes.

It did not work out that way. Rather than use her birth to unite the pride and pack of her parents it just further divided them. She was not seen as a beacon of hope but an abomination. A twisted, mangled mess of lioness and hyena. A scabbed wound of dishonour across both tribes. For this she was quickly abandoned in the bush to the north, far away from either tribe. There, she was taken in by a wandering pack comprised mostly of canines and a few others that called themselves the Strays, a collective of various nomadic outcasts that found companionship in their mixed bloodlines.

She grew up with the Strays, which were known across the plains as the Stray Pack, adapting to their ways and learning to fend for herself in the process. She was of course an outsider as the only feline among dozens of canines and others but it was the place she was most readily accepted because they welcomed all outcasts. Her travelling home. Her family.

Amidst her adoptive family she was one of the pups. As she grew, she quickly started displaying features that didn't line up with her gender. Though she was a lioness, she had a mix of features that confused people. Most notably, she had the male trait of a thick mane wrapped around her neck; given her hyena half she also had a mohawk down her back and a mix of spots and stripes wrapped around her. Though she was a growing woman, female through and through, she displayed many masculine behaviours and she loved it when her friends couldn't be sure of her gender. As she matured Zaharu grew increasingly androgynous and loved using that to her advantage.

What mattered was that she made friends with many of the others both male and female, playing just as rough and even falling for a few of her companions. However, issues came up later in life when her hyena lineage manifested, occasionally manifesting in a pseudo phallus; her lady bits dangling out for her partners to see and feel. While her pack mates were certainly affectionate and it was not uncommon for males to cavort about with other males some were intimidated by her endowments and that affected her romantic pursuits. She wasn't male but occasionally looked the part.

Her love life was further complicated the more her identity clarified itself. as much as she was comfortable among her nomadic pack, the sense of rejection that came from her earliest memories kept her at arm's length from getting too close. She was a hybrid, half hyena and half lioness. There was no real point in getting too emotionally invested in her canine companions; there was no chance at starting a family so she didn't allow herself to lose her heart.

Instead, she made sure to maintain as many close relationships as she could growing up. That wasn't hard among her canine family. Strays loved to make friends, as it was essential to survival. Once she had fully matured and was a young adult with all the traits of both her parent tribes blossoming, she found it easier to simply be affectionate without being intimate.

This persisted until the day she chose to part ways with the pack. As an adult it was time for her to forge her own path. Of course she could have kept with the Strays and lived a long and prosperous life. It would have been safe and she would always have companionship one way or another but she felt this was something she needed to do. It wasn't like she wasn't welcome back if things didn't go well and she needed to come home. As the leaders of the Stray Pack assured her dozens of times before her departure, their den was always open for her if she wished to return. Metaphorical den, of course. They were nomads and didn't have dens except for when breeding season came around.

She knew where to find them. She burned no bridges and and was welcome home any time.

The last thing she did before she left was stay up all night with her closest friend in the Stray Pack. A rather tall male by the name of Ezra. They never had a romantic interest in one another but he was one of the only ones she felt fully comfortable being intimate with since he, like her, was equipped with more versatile equipment than their other pack mates. Zaharu was never rejected for her anatomy but it did make things complicated. A complication she chose not to aggravate. Instead she chose to mostly keep any physicality beyond roughhousing and cuddling to a select few. Like Ezra.

He was one of those who liked night better than day so he got promoted to be the one who watched over the Strays while they slept. This gave he and Zaharu plenty of time alone as they grew up together, away from the curious eyes and ears and noses of the rest of the pack. That night, he gifted her a spear tipped with an ademane head and laced with ademane spires spiralling down its handle to tip the blunt end with a bulb. He said it was a family heirloom, imparted upon him upon his father's passing. The spear was said to be indestructible and never dulled, something Zaharu learned to be true.

And that was that! They watched the stars that night and Zaharu left the following morning with spear in hand and a satchel full of trinkets to remember every member of her adoptive family. She gave a series of warm hugs and nibbles to every packmate and was off on her journey of self discovery.

Years later she remained on that path. A sole nomad wandering the Untherian Plains with a song in her heart and a spring in her step. Despite her early history of abandonment and scorn she held no ire for her parents. Though she could have harboured resentment for her lion father and hyena mother for what they did to her and how they reacted to Zaharu daring to survive in spite of her mixed blood, she couldn't find it in herself to hold onto that hatred.

Her time with the Stray Pack, casually observing the other tribes that she encountered from afar, taught her more valuable life lessons about the contentious nature that plagued the Untherian Plains than her abandonment and subsequent adoption ever could. One thing she knew for certain was that no matter the tribe, no matter the region, and no matter the excuse, lions and hyenas never got along.

Ultimately she was fortunate to be alive and not fed to some disapproving pride or pack leader.

Perhaps that wasn't the best lesson to take from her experience, that she was lucky to be alive and thus wasn't permitted to be angry at her circumstances. Yet it just felt like it made the most sense to her. Negativity painted all experiences dark, and that wasn't the way she wanted to live life. Out on the plains, life could be hard enough without letting resentment or anger take over. With each passing season she knew with increased clarity that everyone around her, regardless of tribal affiliation, was doing their best to survive and hopefully thrive. All were competing for the same food and shelter, and each tribe had their own way of dealing with the world around them.

Ideally they'd work together but it was hard to convince one who just lost out on a hunt that the one that stole their kill could be their friend. That just wasn't something that translated well to anyone not prepared to learn it. That was something that only the Stray Pack seemed to understand.

That was why she was whistling to herself, swaying her rump and flicking her tail to a song, tapping her fingertips to the beat of drums only she could hear. Because in spite of everything she was living a great life. In spite of her hardships she thrived. She shouldn't have survived at birth, but through strength and will she persisted. She should have been fed to the beasts of the plains soon after but her parents had just enough love for her they kept her around even if just out of curiosity. And when their tribes demanded blood, her parents instead left her with the Strays.

Zaharu had every reason in the world to resent everyone and everything that led up to that moment, yet she instead chose to see every new day as a gift from the skies above that she was alive. And besides, both her parent pride and pack could only half hate her! The lion pride hated the hyena half of her while the hynea pack hated the lioness part of her. She saw that as a victory of sorts, as it was a lot easier to befriend those already half inclined to love her! It was a flimsy excuse but it worked.

Her optimistic and chipper take on life made it hard for anyone to fully hate her. So in her years since disbanding from the Stray Pack she'd made allies of members of virtually every tribe she met. Except the lion pride and the hyena pack, of course. They hated her just enough to keep her away.

Now she travelled the plains alone, with an enchanted spear in one hand and the other patting her satchel of goodies that she kept slung over her hip.

The plains laid out around her in all directions with the summits of mountains seen to the north and west. A few errant trees dotted the horizon, obscured by the dancing heat of the thermals rising off the grass. Only a handful of light, fluffy clouds meandered in the skies above, clouds that she swore she could see the visage of a gryphon staring down at her from. That was just her creative mind seeing art in the mundane, a distraction and nothing more.

What actually caught her eye was the image of a massive lioness hunched over, stalking through the grasses on route to a small cluster of trees that made up a cozy little copse that wrapped around a small lake, one she knew to host one of the best fishing spots in all of the plains of Untheria.

Zaharu narrowed her eyes and matched the hunched over posture of the gargantuan lioness, spear at her side with only her head and billowing mane poking out over the tips of the flowing, waving grass. She followed the lioness, which she could tell even from this distance was a member of the Sabretoothed Pride. Not the lion pride her father had come from but still a lioness. Probably a scout or huntress looking to pick up some easy prey on the borders of their territory.

She was exceptionally large compared to Zaharu. If the two ladies stood side by side only the tips of Zaharu's mohawk would have tickled the underside of this giant's bosom. Two heads taller. Maybe more. A worthy opponent! Or ally. It was hard to tell without getting in closer.

Curious, she followed the sabretoothed lioness, keeping her distance while remaining hidden in the long grass. She crawled as briskly as possible, allowing the brushing sounds of the wind whipping waves of grass over her to mask what little noise she made so she wouldn't be seen. The moment she saw the lioness slip beyond the edges of the bush, Zaharu emerged into a crouching sprint, sure to catch up before the lioness disappeared within the dense foliage of the copse.

She sniffed the air to keep the trail fresh in her mind, remaining stealthy while maintaining a brisk pace. She couldn't lose the trail, so she risked a bit of danger by making more noise, hoping it was masked by the wind whirling through the trees.

It seemed to work and she was able to catch up to the lioness with ease. Except when she got close she could see that the massive sabretoothed gal had tossed her polearm to the side as she was wading into the shallow water. She still wore her leathers and fur garment but that wasn't likely to be for long as she got to deeper waters.

Zaharu got as close as she could, only moving closer when another gust whipped the leaves above her. An audible distraction. Once she was at the very edge of the treeline mere meters away from the shore of the lake, she got down onto one knee and gently placed her spear on the ground next to her. She kept her gaze focused on her prey, her crimson eyes barely visible between the light and shadows that cascaded over her face through the underbrush.

Then, with a sudden burst of energy, she leapt from the treeline and soared through the air with claws outstretched and jaws open wide! The lioness was caught off guard and could barely react to her ambush so all she was able to do was turn to meet her attack with a roar of defiance that shook the trees around the pair of them and rippled the water she was knee deep in.

The hybrid gal, much smaller than the sabretoothed lioness, made contact with the larger feline and sunk her teeth into her prey's neck. The lioness, with far greater strength, was able to stay standing tall in the water, whipping Zaharu around and landing on the shore nearby. The two rolled over together with Zaharu latched onto the lioness's neck with no remorse, tumbling in the mud and water.

In a vain effort to retaliate and defend herself, the sabretoothed lioness grabbed Zaharu by the nape of the neck and tried to pull her away while also opening wide in an attempt to bite down on the assailant's neck. This was a fruitless endeavour as Zaharu's thick mane put enough space between the lioness's teeth – even the long sabers on either side of her maw – to ensure she couldn't quite get any flesh. Only fur.

She resisted and kicked and clawed with all she could muster before deeply sighing and growing limp in Zaharu's jaws. Her tongue lolled out the side of her muzzle and her eyes rolled back, a defeated victim. One that Zaharu refused to let go until she was sure the job was done.

Moments later, the lioness growled in Zaharu's ear. “Ya know, you really don't need to bite so hard. I know you've got plenty to compensate for, being so small and all that, but those bone-crunching jaws of yours are no joke and it hurts more than I would like to admit."

Zaharu whimpered a bit and released her maw's trap-like grip, apologizing by way of a few gentle licks up the lioness's neck fur, helping to straighten it back out. “Sorry about that, Sashé. I know you can take it." She gave a gentle nuzzle and lick before perking up, straddling Sashé's belly. “So what do I win?"

Sashé rumbled to herself, the sensations coursing through her chest and belly to tickle Zaharu's loins. She wrapped each of her hands around Zaharu's hips and squeezed the hybrid's rump cheeks, scratching at the base of her tail. “That depends, really. I guess we'll have to do some hard negotiation."

Sashé grabbed her spear on the way out of her hut, sure to hold it close by her side so everyone saw it. She would be going out on a solo hunt and wanted others to know. By most accounts this sort of thing really shouldn't have been something she needed to declare – female sabre-toothed lionesses were often hunters in her tribe – but she was not any ordinary female. She was the daughter of Chief Aleksandr. A princess, under the right circumstances. Sashé was not expected to hunt yet she did regardless of her father's insistence that she stay home and let the meat come to her.

From a young age she was always expected to reap the benefits of her station within the tribe but that never felt right to her. Every member of the pride had their place, their job, and their purpose, so it felt like a waste to her that she was to stay home and eat off the kills of others. It was taught to her that as the daughter of the chief her bloodline would bring more benefit to the tribe than any kill possibly could and thus it was better for her to stay home. Limit the risk of her being harmed.

Not only was hunting on the plains a dangerous role to play, but there were other dangers beyond just prey that fought back. The white hair atop her head marked her as a member of the royal family within the sabre-toothed peoples, meaning she was a target to the dastardly hyena packs.

Naturally, this discourse between Sashé and her family ensured that not a season went by without some sort of drama or scene about her supposed rebellion. Every year in spring, her father would try and introduce her to one of the males in the pride or even one from a neighbouring pride and she refused each and every one. She didn't want to be just another link in the bloodline, she wanted to hunt. It felt wrong not to contribute in a tangible, direct way.

Much of her early life saw her dedicating her time to resisting the will of her father. Not with malice, of course. She didn't want to bring harm to him or any of her pride mates; just the opposite, she wanted to do good. To help. If she stayed home, pampered like a snob just waiting for the meat to be hauled in by others she was by all accounts a burden. Instead, she opted to sneak out join her mother's hunting party and prove her worth. Her mother was not included in that party, it was just the team that worked directly for the chief's family and was comprised of her mother's closest friends named the Chieftan Claws.

Sashé was not much help at first. She was still young and inexperienced. But she did observe and vowed to help next time. However, upon coming back to her tribe's settlement she was forbidden from ever doing that again and scorned in a manner her father and mother both deemed appropriate. That only made her want to hunt even more. At that age, all young lions want to prove how much better they are than their parents think they can be whether it's true or not.

Against her parent's wishes she kept sneaking out to join the hunting parties early in the morning before anyone could stop her. The Chieftan Claws tried stopping her the first few times but saw not only that she was tenacious but quite capable in her own right. Still not as skilled as the others but she'd been blessed with her mother's size – one of the largest lionesses in the entire tribe – and thus could help with the larger targets. She was a full head taller than most others.

One lesson she did take from her mother was to never allow someone bigger than her to intimidate her. She was to be the princess of the tribe no matter her size and any perceived weakness would open her up to attack. Fortunately she did get her mother's height but some of the males were still larger than her so she had to show her strength around them. Though she was mostly courteous and kind, this sometimes manifested with her being aggressively petulant. Very competitive and borderline arrogant. She tried to keep this behaviour to a minimum but it still manifested from time to time.

This got her plenty of respect not only among the Chieftan Claws for her unwillingness to back down but also from the people of her pride. She grew into a capable and intimidating hunter, much to the chagrin of her father. He in particular protested every season about how she was putting herself in danger and that she needed to be safe but she just used this as motivation to resist him even more.

To be clear he wasn't a bad father and he wasn't being rude or nasty in any way. He was just convinced that this was the best way to maintain order among the tribe and the safest way to ensure the continuation of the chieftan's bloodline. Sashé didn't rebel against him to anger him or to be stubborn, at least not once she grew into adulthood and knew that wasn't helping, but to show him there was another way. Her family and the other high ranking members of the tribe did not need to be separate from the hunters and the weavers and the other members of their village. That felt wrong to her.

As far as she was concerned her people would prosper if everyone contributed and benefited from those contributions. Hunting together and working together strengthened bonds between pride mates and that way everyone felt needed and loved. People who felt wanted tended to work harder and contribute more to the pride. She knew this first hand, as she was as prolific as any of The Chieftan Claws despite hunting not being her job. She did it for her people and for her own sense of self.

So Sashé dedicated her life to hunting while also forcing herself to learn the various other skills that the other members of the tribe would be expected to do. She learned how to sew, she learned construction to help with making and repairing homes, she learned how to cook and to clean and to do reconnaissance around the Untherian Plains. She was especially bad at recon due to her size and mediocre at the others but that didn't upset her. She was competent at most skills and proficient at hunting so she was more useful than her father insisted she be.

That was a victory in and of itself. And it was more than was ever expected of her.

A strange rebellion for sure. Sashé was not like most women. Her form of rebelling against being told what to do was to help more, offer more, and learn more. Of course, when every day was a trial by fire and fang on the plains of Untheria the tribe needed all the help it could get. She was an asset to most any group she joined regardless of specialty. Some more than others.

Which was why it bothered her so much that her father kept pushing so hard for her to find a suitor and carry on the bloodline. That was why she proudly carried her spear with her wherever she went, to remind others she was a hunter first and the chief's daughter second. She'd find someone to settle down with when the time was right. As long as she was fit and able, that time would not come.

Ready for the evening's plans, she emerged from her relatively tiny single-room hut to bask in the midday sun. Others from her pride and others within the tribe all went about their business. Her village was fairly well populated with over a hundred sabre-toothed lions. Dozens of small huts not unlike her own were all erected around a small lake that gave them drinking water. That water was an important part of their culture, as the lake was connected to a well underground that ensured it never seemed to run out and was always clean, making her village a sought-after bit of land for passerby.

Their merchants were able to trade the clean water from the lake for other goods, but mostly they kept it to themselves. It was what made their tribe so prolific and prosperous. What few skills they lacked and what few resources they struggled to collect they could trade for using their water source. That was one of the main reasons Sashé's father was so keen on keeping her home, they knew if nothing else the water would supply them with all that was needed to live a life of prosperity.

She stood tall as she walked down the bank of the lake past a group of kittens playing in the water. She politely nodded at them and kept walking, eventually making her way between two huts to the chief's cabin. Sashé could have just left but she got a subtle thrill out of reminding her father where she was going and what she was doing.

After pushing the hanging fabric dangling from the door's archway, she emerged into a single room with a long table surrounded by a half dozen thrones on either side. Each one of the thrones was for the head of each of the various prides that made up the tribe that occupied the village with her father, the Chief's, throne at the end of the table opposite the door. He was sitting there, head on his hand propped up by the arm rest while he addressed someone that was standing on the nearest throne. A relatively large mare in modest white robes. She had a similar yet inverted coloration to the sabre-toothed lions with a buttery warm golden fetlocks and mane and darker base color.

Those colours reminded Sashé of someone she knew.

It wasn't often others on the Untherian Plains could stand tall next to any of the sabre-toothed lions yet this mare was quite large.

The large mare gal turned to look at Sashé the moment Sashé entered the cabin hall. She smiled warmly and nodded once before turning to the chief. “I've told you what needs to be said. I will return in one month's time to hear your response." She then offered a bow of respect to Chief Aleksandr, smiled warmly at him, and briskly sauntered past Sashé, stopping before she left the hall. This large mare wasn't as tall as Sashé but wasn't intimidated by the predator. She looked up at Sashé with another warm smile and addressed her. “And I look forward to seeing you in particular very soon."

Before anyone could act what that meant, confidently left the room under the fabric, leaving Sashé alone in the hall of thrones with her father. “What exactly was that all about?"

Chief Aleksandr sighed and sat up straight in his throne, claws idly prodding at the ornately carved wood of the arm rests. “I'm not entirely sure. She sought an audience with me and asked about you, then said that great fortune would come to our tribe if we did something for her. Something about carving rocks. I'm not entirely sure."

“And you didn't just eat her? That would have been enough meat for a week." Sashé joked.

“No. We're not beasts."

“I know we're not, I just-"

Her father hand waved away the train of thought. “Sorry, not what I meant." He he lowered his gaze and stared at the table in front of him which had an etched map of the plains carved into it. The silence that cast itself upon the room as he stared at the table was so awkward that even Sashé didn't know how to break it without making it worse.

After what felt like far more time than it was passed, she narrowed her gaze and stared at him. “Are you unwell? Since when do you listen to the words of random fools who ask for your time? Just eject her from your presence and move on, right?"

He shook his head. “No, it's not that simple. She said a few things pertaining to your mother that she couldn't possibly have known, which makes me think her words may have had more weight than they seemed. As silly as it was."

That mention of Sashé's mother made her ears perk up and her heart begin to race. Her mother had passed a year prior under unusual circumstances, something that had baffled all the other pride leaders and hunters. They rarely spoke of it, as a warrior tribe they didn't mourn losses like some may have but they still felt the pain in their hearts. Any mention of Sashé's mother was usually accompanied by hushed silences and she never got to figure out why. “What did she say?"

Again, her father waved her off. “Nothing that would interest you. I promise." He may have been the type to play diplomatic but Sashé could tell he was being sincere so she didn't interject and instead let him continue. “I see you're going to play in the plains instead of finding a partner. Well, you go have fun, I'll be here when you return."

She gulped and tried her best to not reveal her confusion. Her father was acting strange, but she also knew he was a strong leader and wouldn't share more information than he had already. At least not until he was prepared to do so. Rather than impose, she nodded once and struck the ground with the butt of her spear. “Indeed. Doing a solo run today. I'll tell you if I catch anything."

He nodded and waited until she turned to leave to speak. “Do you know any tigers?"

Sashé paused midway through opening the curtain to the tribal hall to turn back to him. “Do you mean members of the tiger clan to the north?" Such an accusation could have been considered rude; the tigers weren't rivals like the hyenas but there was some history between the tribes.

“Any tigers. This isn't about tribalism." He elaborated, his tone soft. He could sense he may have offended her. “They can be our allies, you'd make for a good ambassador if-" He stopped himself mid sentence, his gaze still unfocused.

“I know no tigers, father. Just the lions you keep trying to court me. They're all brutes, you know." She was trying to lighten the mood while still attempting to decipher these random, cryptic statements of his. She remained halfway out the entrance to the hall of thrones, one arm beyond the fabric and against the outside of the hut.

“They're supposed to be brutes, Sashé. How else will they provide for cubs and protect their people? Bah, I'm not arguing with you over this, not today. Begone, hunt your silly prey and make sure you're back before sundown. I hear there are wandering packs travelling the region this season. I do not need anyone getting drawn to that beacon atop your head in an attempt to gain influence." He gulped once and nodded approval, something he rarely did. “Be safe and careful out there."

She nodded in solidarity and faintly cracked a smile she tried to hide. “Yes father." With that she slipped out of the hall and stood in place for a moment as she tried to process what had just happened.

Her father was usually more stern and assertive when she was doing something he considered unbecoming of her position in the tribe. If nothing else the pair of them would share some contentious barbs back and forth before she'd defiantly assure him she was going to head out no matter what he thought. But not this time. No, this time he'd made a few passing jokes and comments but his heart was not backing his words. Something that robed mare said to him was affecting his mood.

Part of Sashé thought that in spite of her determination to head out she should have stayed. And if it was anyone else she would have but her father was stubborn to a fault. If he wasn't going to share more information willingly he definitely wouldn't do it by coercion. She definitely got that part of her personality from him.

While pondering what had happened she noticed by the angle of the shadows that it was later in the day than she had anticipated. She had places to be and couldn't be wasting time worrying about questions that she knew she wouldn't get answered.

Sashé then collected her thoughts and raised her chin, defiantly marching her way beyond the gates of the village to emerge into the Untherian Plains on her afternoon hunt. Hours later, as she came across a familiar copse of trees that she became the prey.

Chapter 01

Zaharu straddled Sashé's waist, hands on the sabre-toothed lioness's belly, pushing back into the paws that wrapped around her rump. “So, how did your day go?" She was making conversation while also being upfront about her intentions by wearing a warm, gaping smile as she shifted back and forth, grinding her loins under her skirt against the larger feline's pelvic mound.

Both of them were still fully clothed but they both wore skirts of fur and leather that didn't even go down to their knees and nothing underneath. Zaharu was notably smaller but that didn't stop her from taking control. Sashé was by no means submissive but respected Zaharu enough to allow it.

“Weird, actually." Sashé said, a blank expression of distant thought shaping her face. “There was this mare with my father."

“Oh, kinky! Likes to play with his food?"

“Not like that!" Sashé huffed a laugh. “No, she was apparently trying to manipulate him into carving stuff into stones or something like that. He didn't really get to explain it to me and he was acting weird about it when I asked."

Zaharu laid down, belly to belly with her chin resting between Sashé's pillowy breasts. “So? I bet your father deals with plenty of delusional travelers trying to get something out of him. I still say just eat the mare. Or eat her out. Really depends on mood."

“That's what I thought at first." Sashé stroked around Zaharu's ear and down her mane to the strip of her mohawk that lined her spine, right to the base of her tail. “But he was acting strange. Like she actually said something that made him actually consider it."

“Probably nothing you need to worry about. You're a huntress, just keep your ear to the ground and listen to the events around you that way. No need getting worried about it now. It might become important later but not yet." She purred to herself, the vibrations reverberating between them where their bellies and chests touched. “At least he's not harassing you about getting some dick."

Sashé laughed, her bosom heaving against Zaharu's body. “Oh, he's still doing that but his heart wasn't into it. Not today. I don't think he'll ever stop pushing me to breed for him. You know, I want to be angry at him, to demonize him for pushing me to be something I don't want to be but he's not being unreasonable. He's just doing what he knows work, wants to keep me out of danger."

“That's an awfully mature thing to say coming from someone who's actively antagonizing him." Zaharu said with a playful tongue razz.

“You taught me a lot about perspective, Zah. You're insufferably chipper even when you should be angry." Sashé smiled, then narrowed her gaze and flicked Zaharu on the nose, deliberately hitting her tongue with her retracted claw. This made Zaharu wiggle her snout and make a biting motion at her. She calmed her lover with another stroke down her mane and mohawk. “I know. I know. I like to poke fun and agitate him but I'm no fool. I want what's best for all as well and I'm perceptive enough to know when something isn't right. I can tell when his ire is more than just casual antagonism. Whatever was happening before I walked into the hall of thrones is important."

Zaharu pushed herself back up into a sitting position, deliberately cupping her palms on Sashé's voluptuous breasts to do so. “Yeah, probably. But one thing I learned is that it's good to measure things out based on proximity. The closer it gets, the more it demands your attention. As far as you know, that mare may have meant nothing. It could mean everything. But until you know what it is and have no way of finding things out at your discretion, there's no point in worrying." Sashé went to open her maw to counter but Zaharu raised a single finger and pressed it to her lips between the massive sabre-toothed fangs. “Ah, not yet. I'm not quite done."

“Sorry." Sasha folded her thick forearms over her midsection so that her wrists were pressed to Zaharu's belly, elbows parting her partner's knees under the leather and fur skirt.

Zaharu continued. “That doesn't mean to ignore it, or to completely put it out of your sight and therefore out of mind. You never dismiss things completely, you just need to gauge what needs your attention most and respond accordingly. If you concentrate too much on things that are in the distance you'll miss out on the thing right in front of you."

“Is this a cheeky way of telling me to pay attention to you?"

“No but I like how you think." Zaharu grinned broadly, flashing her teeth from ear to ear. “So if that's what's on your mind, why are you not focusing on me a bit more? I imagine I'm a lot more fun than stuffy tribal politics and mysterious mares." She then leaned down again, crawling over Sashé's chest to once again bury her muzzle in the lioness's well-muscled neck. She didn't clamp down in a bite but instead nuzzled and nibbled, plucking the skin and fur there.

The love bites coaxed a deep rumble from Sashé's chest. She cradled the back of Zaharu's head and held her close, cheek-nuzzling the top of her hybrid partner's mohawk. As if by instinct, she slowly parted her knees and reached down with her free hand to hoist up her skirt to expose her loins, then slid her fingers under Zaharu's skirt to lift it up and gently drag her claws along the bushy fur on her rump.

Zaharu had both of her hands free, so without letting her lips part ways with Sashé's neck she reached down to find the knot under her satchel that held her skirt in place on her hips. After a few moments of distracted fumbling she found the slip and undid the knot, letting her garment flop onto the ground next to them in the dirt.

Given their difference in size, Zaharu had to crawl back over Sashé's body. She brought her knees up onto her partner's belly, then slowly scooted back a bit at a time, sure to use her teeth and lips to pluck the skin on Sashé's neck before making her way down her chest. She nibbled on the tendons in her neck, playfully bit down on her collar bone, then buried her snout between the sabre-toothed feline's breasts, relishing every deep reverberation that her partner forced through her.

All the while, Sashé kept her palm to the back of Zaharu's head, right between her ears. She had a firm grip on the mane and mohawk there; past experiences taught her that she needed to be able to be in control just in case Zaharu got carried away. Those jaws of hers were strong and biting was a love language to the half-hyena warrior. She loved to bite and in the heat of the moment she sometimes bit too hard, even for Sashé's well trained body.

On this evening she was expressing restraint and self-control. Not only did she not hurt Sashé when she nibbled on her collarbone but she was able to nuzzle into the feline's breasts and nibble her nipple through her top without making her wince or twitch. Still, Sashé wasn't as interested in her nipples being played with as she may have been on other days. Other parts of her needed attention and this desire was expressed as her rumbling purr weakened a bit.

Zaharu read this subtle message well and continued crawling backward, slipping both of her legs between Sashé's to end up kneeling on the ground in front of her partner. While there, she passionately flipped Sashé's dress up so that it was flat upon her belly. It had already been hiked up but had been pushed down and back into place as Zaharu slid down. This gave Zaharu direct access to her treat, a pair of thick, mauve lips that poked out from a golden peach mound of fur. She wrapped both her arms around either of Sashé's thick thighs for leverage and leaned in to give her lover a kiss.

She offered only the faintest peck of a nuzzle at first, deliberately smearing her snout against the moist flesh of her feline partner's loins. After taking a moment to slowly and deeply inhale, sampling the scents of arousal that billowed up around her, she slowly let her hot breath back out, tickling Sashé's flesh and coaxing her to arch her spine. Sashé still had a firm grip on Zaharu's mane and used that control to force her snout deep between her thighs.

This was exactly what Zaharu wanted so she wasted no time getting to work. She eagerly nuzzled and nibbled right where thigh met hip, intermittently licking at Sashé's lips and using her own lips to pluck her clit. She didn't force herself inside, not yet. She was bathing in the delight that came from pleasuring her partner by switching back and forth between long, loving lips and deep, huffing nuzzles in between Sashé's plump mound and her inner thighs.

In many ways this sort of thing was exactly why Sashé had fallen for Zaharu when she'd so easily and readily rejected each and every one of the suitors her father had sent her way. The sabre-toothed lions of her tribe and the other felines of neighbouring tribes had all been so rough and aggressive with her. Yeah, she was a massive warrior of a woman but there was a time for aggression and a time for passion. Felines were quick, cared little for affection, and so rough it ruined the fun. Not only did they mostly disregard her desires, they were nasty even when they were trying to be kind.

They bit down hard. They rarely used their paws or mouths and when they did the barbed flesh of their tongue was not treated with the delicacy it needed to not make her feel like she'd been impaled by a tree stump. Some tried but social pressures ensured their focus was never on her, just her bloodline. Zaharu was different.

Not only did Zaharu enjoy using her maw, she was blessed with a tongue that lacked the barbs of a feline. She still had a tongue with texture capable of plucking and gripping but it wasn't anywhere near as aggressive of fellow felines. She was born with better equipment for this sort of thing and was not only willing but able to use it. That alone was enough to set her aside from all other suitors that Sashé had encountered ever since coming of age. But it wasn't the only thing.

As she laid back, teeth bared, back arched, legs spread, and chest rumbling with the growling of ecstatic pleasure, she couldn't help but aggressively pull Zaharu into her, using her muzzle for Sashé's own pleasure while grinding her hips down upon her lover.

This was exactly the sort of thing that Zaharu loved about Sashé, too. She had no such obligations regarding politics or bloodlines or suitors beyond her own unfocused desires. She wasn't actively looking for a single partner but as a nomad found companionship – be it casual or intimate – in whoever she needed at the time. In all her journeys she was rarely able to find someone decidedly stronger than she was, able to control her without being forceful about it. Sashé was the only one she'd found that was willing and able to take control while not being dominant.

It also helped that she had the most delightful scent and taste. Zaharu was a carnivore at heart and loved just how thick and meaty Sashé was between her thick, muscled thighs. The moment she breached the feline's lips she was greeted by a soft, tender passage that was begging to swallow her up. Sashé was well muscled and that went for all her muscles, inside and out. She could loosen up to take all Zaharu had to offer or could clench so hard not even a single digit could breach those lips.

When she was eager and begging for more she could handle anything Zaharu could possibly give, her depths were insatiable. She was happy to work together to satisfy that hunger.

She did her best to be aggressive without being rough about it. She used every neck muscle she had to nuzzle and bob her head all while her back rolled in waves to accentuate her every movement. She dug her fingertips into Sashé's thighs, which she felt flexing and growing firm in her palms. She, too, tried her best to purr, matching the intensity that coursed through Sashé's body only to have her get the vocalization caught in her throat, resulting in a hiccup-laugh hybrid.

They both stopped a moment while Zaharu glanced up over Sashé's belly and between her breasts – which had spread to the side due to gravity – and laughed. This time on purpose. Zaharu's giggling was sharp and intense but warm while Sashé's was deep and gentle.

The harmless mishap may have been a bit of a passionate pratfall but it stirred Zaharu's loins. She could feel the shifting of her depths swelling and descending beyond her lips. Her hyena lineage was coming out, figuratively and literally. She smiled up at Sashé while resting her lips on the sabre-toothed lioness's mound. “Hey, I'm feelin' a little 'yennish if you're in the mood."

Sashé knew that this meant. Zaharu's unique anatomy meant that she could take after either her lioness side or hyena side. Her feline half was more traditional, where all her sensual bits were on the inside, while her canine side was far less common and her insides could come out, forming a fleshy phallic extension she could either have penetrated or use to slip into others.

Time had taught Sashé that males were often a bit too brutish and selfish, so being on the receiving end of any partner was not as much fun as she had hoped for. However, Zaharu was no male and had similar experiences with her own partners. Because of this she was far better aware of how to treat a fellow warrior woman. She knew when to be gentle, when to be firm, when to be aggressive, and when it was time to finish up. Since she was not male she never suffered from bloated balls or unmatched desire. That alone ensured she was more empathetic to Sashé's needs.

Knowing all this, Sasha excitedly nodded and let go of Zaharu's mane. She still cradled the hybrid's neck to help ease her forward but let go of the long hair and fur there. “Yeah. Yeah I think I need that right now."

Zaharu eased forward until their hips nearly met. Her skirt had already been peeled off and was lost somewhere in the bushes nearby so nothing obstructed her loins as the rolls of her pink and brown splotched insides slowly descended out beyond her lips, blooming and unfolding a few wrinkles at a time. Her depths emerged bit by bit until the tip emerged – her loose, drooling cervix – nearly at the ground and the rest of her shaft firmed up.

It was a pseudo-cock. It wasn't quite at the same angle a male would have but instead angled downward while still being slightly curved up. That meant she couldn't just cover Sashé like a male may have. Their difference in side also ensured that such an angle wouldn't give her much room to sink her flesh into her partner. Instead, she reached under Sashé's knee and hoisted it up while straddling the sabre-toothed lioness's other thigh, scissoring her with her member trapped between them, the tip jutting out where their hips met.

Her opening – technically her cervix – was by no means tight. Instead it was spongy and shaped like a half-aroused flare. Less texture, as her fully engorged pseudo-member was smoothe and soft to the touch while being soaked in the same sort of natural lubricant she'd have oozing out of her if she was on the bottom. Like precum if it was being secreted out of every bit of her emergent flesh.

Sashé sniffed the air to get a whiff of the pheromone rich aroma that was billowing out between them. She clenched her thigh muscles to hug Zaharu with her legs, idly grinding and rubbing her loins against the underside of Zaharu's shaft, using the soft and silky flesh to tease her own clit in the process. Feeling mildly adventurous she cupped and cradled Zaharu's pseudo-cock in her palm, then rubbed her thumb into the tip. She was able to get her digit in past the knuckle, though it was quite tight and didn't give her much room to thrust.

Zaharu chuckled a bit, her feral vocalizations a mesh of purr and hyena laugh. “Oh! Oh yes that is-" She stopped mid-sentence to heave forward and breathe heavily, idly grinding and thrusting her hips. The angle was a bit awkward since her imitation member angled downward for the most part but it wasn't painful. In fact, the pressure that came from hoisting it up just amplified the sensations as she began to grind her shaft against Sashé's clit and between her meaty lips.

“Good to know." Sashé purred as she did her best to stroke and thrust into Zaharu's acting manhood. She was able to stroke on the outside with her palm and fingers while her thumb's digits ravaged the inside. Each motion coaxed a throb from Zaharu, which made grinding against it feel even better for Sashé's clit.

This didn't last too long, though. Both of them knew what they wanted so Sashé slowly pulled her hand away from Zaharu's cock-like appendage with a series of long, trailing slime bridges. She pulled until each strand broke and soaked her belly fur then excitedly licked up what she could from between her digits.

Zaharu saw this and yapped gently, reaching out to pull the slime-soaked hand up to her own muzzle, smearing it on her lips and nose and snout while pressing her tongue between the fingers. She used her other hand to wrap around herself where shaft met lips to guide herself. Though mildly strenuous in that position it didn't take long for her tip to find Sashé's soaking flesh. “Ready?" She asked with a grin that exposed all her teeth. She was sure to gently nibble on the crook between Sashé's thumb and forefinger while she did it. Asking was important given the lioness's history.

Sashé offered the subtlest of nods. It wasn't much but it was enough so Zaharu eased into her, every bit of her length disappearing between the lioness's lips.

The sensation of feeling flesh wrapped around her makeshift cock felt similar to what she felt when being stuffed full on the opposite end. The flesh was the same and the sensitivity was the same, the only difference was that she felt it in a different placed depending on whether she was top or bottom in any given encounter. She knew as she felt Sashé's lips touch hers that they were both enjoying a similar pleasure, which helped her to know when and how to move her body.

She bit down on Sashé's inner thigh as she hoisted the larger warrior's calf up to drape over her shoulder. She kept undulating her spine in waves, sure to grind as deep as she could, kissing every time their lips touched. She was actually thicker and longer than Sasha's other partners but the softness of her skin was a gift from above to Sashé, who was used to barbed members.

That was another benefit Zaharu had to offer. Her flesh was soft and tender, not spiky and cartilaginous. Her length was slick and velvety, gentle. It was exactly the touch Sashé craved. Not only was her offering far more supple than others, she also had no concerns about lasting or not lasting long enough to pleasure her partner. She was no male, so she could mount and buck for as long as she needed, whether she finished first or second or a dozen times intermittently with her partner.

Both warriors knew and understood the value of many, quick sessions so they were not looking to play until nightfall. Zaharu was eager and vigorous as she slammed into her larger partner, eager to get as deep a stroke as was possible. She nearly pulled out fully but Sashé's loins helped guide her back with every thrust, easing her back in only to squeeze tight at the apex of every motion.

Above all else, Sashé's musculature ensured she had the pelvic strength to keep any partner tight inside her. She clenched so hard that it nearly forced Zaharu's makeshift member out of her. The added pressure made every thrust exceptionally sensitive to Zaharu, who felt from the outside the same way she'd feel if a cock that was two sizes too big entered her. Pressure in, pressure out.

The more she bucked and the harder Sashé clenched, the more intense both felt. Slowly and with every jerking motion, Sashé felt herself gradually rolling onto her belly with her hips up and only her ankle on Zaharu's shoulder. She had one hand on the ground underneath her, rubbing her clit as her partner ravaged her depths. The warmth, the slick friction, and the pressure of having a gentle member pumping in and out of her quickly brought her to a point of aggressive delight. Her loins clenched and throbbed around Zaharu while her rump and hips twitched erratically. Her rumbling yowls of pleasure spliced through the purring that resonated through her body and tickled Zaharu's belly and loins. It wasn't long at all before she collapsed forward, idle spasms coursing through her body.

Zaharu was one of the few strong enough to hold her up, keeping her from fully landing on the ground. Her own pleasure had long since peaked and had been on a plateau for a while now so all she had to do was lean back and weave her legs in between Sashé's while her cock remained inside the sabre-toothed depths that had gripped her so thoroughly.

They both ended up flopped on the shore of the small lake, scissored with their loins meeting in the middle like they were sharing a toy. As they huffed and whimpered and made all the cute vocalizations of their respective tribes, Zaharu's length softened and curled back up, retreating inward from Sashé's depths. Eventually it all ended up tucked back inside, leaking a combination of fluids from both of them into the dirt.

Amidst the symphony of ragged breaths and the idle sounds of nature around them, Zaharu was able to get into a sitting position, straining against the weakness of her belly muscles. She had to use Sashé's stubby tail to tug herself into place, something she knew the lioness wouldn't mind. Once fully seated between the larger warrior's knees, she leaned forward to flop upon her back, chest to spine. She nuzzled the back of her neck while using her hands to massage Sashé's upper arms.

“Good girl." She huffed from behind into Sashé's ear.

This sent a shiver through her body. Once it made its laps through her limbs and back she slid out from under Zaharu and propped herself up on her rump, stubby tail flicking behind her in the grasses and ferns that lined the small lake's shore. Zaharu sidled up next to her. She wrapped an arm around her hybrid partner and looked up at the sky, which had begun to darken during their tryst. Stars were poking out as the sun disappeared over the horizon. “So when will I see you again?" Sashé asked.

Zaharu grinned, eyes wide. This reminded her of her time with Ezra back with the stray pack. “I have no particular plans. Up to you, really."

“If it was up to me I'd drag you by the mane back to my village and present you to my father." It sounded like a threat but they both knew it was an expression of love.

“Hah, no. I'm great at taking care of myself but I couldn't fight a village worth of your people. Hell, I can barely handle you!" She leaned in and nuzzled up under Sashé's arm, paying extra attention to the side of the larger feline's breast while Sashé continued to purr. She was going to make another joke about It but then thought of a clever ruse. “Why not tell him I'm your boyfriend?"

Sasha ceased her purring and offered a sidelong glance with one ear up and the other flopped in confusion. What you say sounds absurd but your tone implies you're serious."

Zaharu slipped out from under Sashé's arm and straddled her lap, looking up into her eyes. “I'm not being serious but if you wanna play a bit of a joke on him I'd love to see the look on his face. I've got a mane. I've got a cock. I could pass as male."

“I don't think you'll be giving me a litter of kittens any time soon." Sashé poked Zaharu's belly.

“No, but we can certainly try!"

They both broke down in laughter at the absurd premise before rolling over onto the dirt and ferns, ending up with Zaharu's head nestled in between Sashé's neck and shoulder as the stared at the emerging stars through a break in the trees above them. Once their chuckles died down they took a moment to enjoy the serenity of this remote, partially hidden location they had to themselves. Zaharu reached over to grab her skirt to wrap it around her hips without removing her cheek from the lioness's shoulder. Minutes passed in silence as the stars revealed themselves one at a time.

But then a streak of light cut across the sky, a shooting star. It was a beautiful sight to see and a lovely rarity to have enjoyed together but was nothing of significance; at least not at first. They'd both seen shooting stars before but never when they were together since they rarely got to spend time alone after sunset.

A few seconds later, the sky lit up like it was day for a moment followed by a ruinous blast of sound coming from the direction the shooting star had gone. The flash of light lasted only a moment but the shockwave from the blast it had caused and the sound that washed upon the land in its wake shook the trees and silenced the insects and birds in the copse around them.

They both got up and glanced at each other. “Skies above, what was that?!" Zaharu intensely inquired aloud. She didn't expect an answer and Sashé had none to give.

“I don't know." Sashé admitted.

“Should we go see?" Zaharu asked as she got to her feet, grabbing her spear and holding it close to her side. “I know you might want to be getting back home now that it's past sundown but-"

She didn't need to finish her thought. Sashé grabbed her spear and stood tall next to Zaharu. Them standing side by side clarified just how much larger Sashé was. “Yeah, I should probably head back but a noise like that has to mean something and I'm sure it was seen and heard back at the village. I'll have to explain in the morning that I was distracted on the way home and had to investigate."

“I hadn't put that much thought into it but that makes sense. Alright, let's go." Zaharu reached up to pull Sashé's face down to give her a gently peck of a kiss between her sabre-toothed fangs before they shared a nod of understanding and darted off through the underbrush heading northbound towards the impact site of the fallen star.

Chapter 02

Sashe took the lead ahead of Zaharu. It wasn't that she was more dominant or that Zaharu was submissive, she just had longer legs. “It looked like it landed not too far from here." She pointed her spear north across the plains. “Based on the difference in time between the flash and the boom, I'd say it was about ten to twelve kilometers north of here."

Zaharu caught up, bounding alongside the larger feline. “How can you tell that?"

“Hunting." Sashe said without hesitation. “The Chieftan Claws occasionally encounter storms. For every two seconds in between the flash of the lightning and the crash of the thunder, that's about a kilometer away. I counted. It's not exact, and it wasn't lightning, but I'd say based on what we saw that's what we have to work with."

“Oh! I didn't know that! I guess when I hunt I just stalk and pounce." She had to keep a brisk pace to not fall behind Sashe's longer strides. It looked taxing but she was used to it; this was normal for her. “Was this an omen or something?"

“I can't say for sure. I do know, based on what I've heard from the other Claws, that meteors can house special metals that are used for spears." Sashe put her spear head forward to get a proper look at it. “That's actually what my spear is made out of. Sky-Metal. The blade was forged from a falling star while the gemstone at the base is a rare ademane crystal. Purple instead of your teal. This spear was passed down through generations, or so I'm told."

Zaharu smirked a bit. “Yeah, that sounds like something an old chief would say to make his daughter feel special. Might be true." She gripped the pole of her own spear and tapped her blade to Sashe's. “We're touching tips." She joked.

Part of Sashe felt a little frustrated that Zaharu wasn't being serious but it didn't take much to be reminded why she liked that about her. “I do actually believe it." She said with a shrug. “Everything about it is slightly different from the very basic cured wood and basic metal the other huntresses use. I remember when it was first given to me, I was told it was not for hunting but as a keepsake to be displayed. I ignored that immediately and caught lunch with it that night. The blade holds its edge almost as well as yours!"

“That's good to know. Ever considered sparring with me?" Zaharu offered. She was only half joking. “Actually, I take it back. Tempered ademane is likely to destroy it if we actually go blade to blade. I would hate to destroy such a priceless family heirloom with my priceless family heirloom."

Sashe stopped mid stride and lightly slammed the butt of the spear into the ground next to her.

“Everything okay?" Zaharu asked as she hopped forward and turned around so they were facing each other. “Did I say something to upset you? If so, I assure you it was not my-"

“I know. It's fine." Sashe huffed to herself. “I just don't really know if it's a good idea for me to be heading out. My father made it clear that I was to be home by sundown for fear of rival packs or prided. If I'm not home they'll send a party out to find me."

Zaharu nodded. “Yeah, but that explosion was certainly heard across the plains. If they are concerned enough to come looking for you, they'll know where to find you. And if your legends are true and there's special metals in whatever crashed in the woods, you can say with honesty that you were seeking riches for your people."

“That's...actually a good point." Sashe didn't want to admit it but she had to concede. “I'm more worried about you, though. If a party seeks me out and follows the source of the noise they'll find you."

“So? What are they going to do? Kill me? I'm part lioness enough that they'll at least pause long enough to see I'm with you. You have authority. Tell them to flock off. Like a bird. Flutter away home." She made dismissive hand motions like flapping wings on a bird. “I'm not worried. You shouldn't be either. Besides, I'm heading that way either way. My curiosity has officially gotten the better of me and I'm investigating whether you come with me or not. You really wanna be the reason I was caught alone while your people fight with me?"

Sashe's eyes narrowed and she growled a bit. “I don't appreciate the attempt at manipulation."

“Manipulation? No, a warning! I don't want to have to kill any of your people in self defense. It'd put quite the damper on my first impression when you take me home to your father."

Against her better judgement, Sashe grunted in a brisk, restrained laugh. Just a single one. She didn't want to look undignified. “Okay, that's fair. Good point. Still, though, I really think I should at the very least head back to tell them I'm going on my own."

Zaharu raised an eyebrow. “Really? You know that's not going to work. You could barely come see me without others following you. What chance do you have doing the same thing with such an event shining light on the region?"

“I'm just trying to keep you safe." She said. “And before you make some snarky comment, I know you don't need my protection. I just can't help it if I have protective instincts. I am no mother yet, but I care deeply about my people; You're my people."

After a brief pause, Zaharu crooned at Sashe and outstretched her arms, inviting a hug. “Aww, that's so sweet! I'm your people?" She lunged forward and wrapped her arms around Sashe, head between the larger feline's breasts. She shook back and forth, purring into her partner's chest. “I love you too!"

Sashe faked reluctance before hugging back, stroking Zaharu's mane. “Okay, you don't need to get all emotional about it. I just-"

Before she could finish her sentence another bright light started to bubble and leak out of what appeared to be a tear in the air not far away. The image of the plains laid out ahead and the forest in the distance rippled like the reflections on water only to have the image create circular waves, like a rock was thrown into the water. From the middle of that point a void of nothingness grew and out stepped a tall mare, one with peachy cream covering most of her body with darker calves and forearms. She had a fiery gold mane and a big bushy tail. This mare was taller than Zaharu but shorter than Sashe and she wore only a simple white gown that was partially transparent.

Startled, Sashe and Zaharu both pointed their spears at the mare while slightly crouching in a defensive pose. Everything about this mare seemed ominous.

Doubly so when Sashe's eyes raised. “It's her!" She growled to herself.

“What do you mean?" Zaharu asked, not taking her eyes off the mare. They were about five meters away and the mare was not doing anything to be threatening. Well, nothing aside from materializing out of a random void. That was not something either of them had seen before.

“The mare that was whispering to my father earlier today. I saw her in the Hall of thrones, I don't trust her." Sashe went shoulder to shoulder with Zaharu, the best position to defend.

“Why not?" Zaharu asked. She wasn't being difficult, she just liked context before making any rash decisions. “I mean, she doesn't seem like she's going to hurt us."

The sabre-toothed lioness growled to herself, ready for battle. “Just a gut feeling. She gave me a sense of dread when I saw her in the Hall of Thrones and emerging from nothing isn't exactly making me feel safe."

Zaharu nodded. “Fair enough. So, what's the plan?" Normally Zaharu would just attack or run, not wait for prey or predator to make a move. However, she knew that Sashe had more to gain or lose, given her role in the pride. She was respectful enough to defer to her partner in this.

“I don't know. Hold fast, observe." Was all she could say to Zaharu before calling out to the mare. “Who are you and what do you want?"

The mare hovered over to them, not moving her legs but still approaching. She got just outside of spear range and stopped, smiling warmly with hands folded over her chest. “I come with advice. A warning. Perhaps guidance. It all depends on how you interpret it."

“That's not needlessly complicated at all." Zaharu scoffed. “Speak plainly."

“That's not really how we seers work." The mare countered. “If we give instructions too clear, it could alter your response and thus undo the prophecy."

“Convenient." Zaharu countered right back. She was a bit more quippy than the more stoic Sashe. “So then if you're not here to fight, then either speak or leave." She eased the tip of her spear forward, threatening the mare while not being outwardly aggressive.

Unbothered, the mare raised a hand to the end of the sharp, ademane spear tip. She lowered her palm onto the blade, its edge slicing through her with no resistance and coming out at the wrist. She then turned her hand while in place to show that the blade was passing through her but not affecting her. She wasn't corporeal, instead being an illusion. “There's no need to be concerned. I cannot harm you and you cannot harm me."

Zaharu was first to accept this truth and pull her spear back. “Okay. Then speak?"

“What in the skies and the depths and everything between." Sashe growled to herself.

The mare looked at Sashe, then over to Zaharu, then back to Sashe. “Do not return to your village tonight. Neither of you. The quest you so nearly abandoned is paramount to your future. Seek what lay at the impact site and allow it to change your lives. If I speak any more it may influence you beyond what we seers should allow. Take my advice, do not cower, and do not deny your destiny. Your future begins at that crater. I mean, your future always begins with each passing second but-" She stopped herself and shook the thoughts free of her mind, fiery golden mane reflecting light and glistening in the night. “I'm still learning this oracle nonsense."

That comment got Sashe to narrow her gaze and growl. “I don't understand, what are you?"

The mare huffed and shrugged, raising her hands in defeat. “Look, I don't know. I'm not entirely sure about all this. When I matured I started seeing visions and in time I came to realize it was the voice of the gods guiding me. I know, it sounds weird, like some delusional religious leader or unstable madman. But no, I started seeing the future in intensely clear visions, and within the last year I started getting direct commands from whatever it is influencing me."

“And you expect us to believe your ramblings as prophecy?"

“No, I don't believe it but everything I've ever predicted has come true. I don't fully understand it myself. Two of my herdmates started getting visions around the same time and they went their own ways. One is in the Arrenthen Basin, one is in the Tehgolian Delta, and I'm here in the Untherian Plains. I don't fully understand these visions, I just know that when I get them I have to convey the information I see to those involved." Her image lowered itself to the ground, where she started pacing back and forth, now seemingly physical and interacting with the grass. “I spent years trying to deny these visions, to convince myself I just had an overactive imagination, but coincidences compound and I can't deny these things are real. You both gotta head north. Don't divert your path, it'll mess everything up."

Sashe reluctantly steadied her spear at her side, standing tall to ensure the mare knew that she was taller. “We were heading there. That was the plan."

“No it wasn't. You were about to bail out and go tell your daddy about it."

“I was no-"

“Yes you were. That's not very rebellious of you. Aren't you supposed to be a thorn in your father's side? Antagonizing him for some semblance of your own identity?" She paused to see if Sashe responded but followed up before the lioness could get out a word. “Nevermind. It's not important. Well, it is important but this gemstone's ability to project my image only lasts a few minutes before it needs to be recharged. If you need some sort of proof that I'm not a fraud, I'm not sure I can do that right now. Just know that your father believed me when I spoke of your mother, and you really need to figure out what the purple gemstone on your spear does. You'll find it very useful."

Sashe hoisted up the butt of her spear to look at the gemstone there. “What do you mean?"

The mare just twirled in place and walked away, waving dismissively as the image of her rippled into wisps of smoke coloured like her fur and mane. “I'm out of time! You have your direction. We'll meet again and I can explain more then! Ta-ta!" And with that, the last of her voice and visage dissolved into the night air of the Untherian plains.

Both Zaharu and Sashe glanced at each other. It was Zaharu who spoke first. “Well, I guess that settles that. Come on, let's be on our way!"

“That's it? You're just going to believe her? She didn't seem so sure of herself." Sashe asked.

Zaharu paused to get in close. Not threatening, but so that their eyes locked and she could show her sincerity. “I think you and I have vastly different understanding of what is and what isn't competence. That mare knew exactly what she was talking about, and it was clear she was trying to help. I've met a lot of people who fake confidence or skill, she was being true. I believe every word and you know I have a very good ability to read people."

“Perhaps." Sashe purred to herself, avoiding eye contact. “I still don't feel comfortable around her but you are right. You do have good instincts."

“There ya go!" Zaharu patted Sashe's arm, then took her hand to pull her away. “Come on, if your father trusts her and I trust her, then she must be fine."

Sashe reluctantly kept up at a brisk jog. “I really don't think that trusting my father's judgement is as good an argument as you think it is."

“Rebellion on your part means finding your own path, it doesn't mean you're a fool. The chief is good at what he does and you know it, you just think you can do better." Zaharu pointed out.

It was a good argument. One that Sasha didn't really think about until that moment. After a few bounds next to Zaharu across the plains she managed to speak. “Okay, that's probably a good point."

The pair of them jogged most of the way north in the chilly night air. The plains were open, with few trees or bushes in any direction. The yellow of the grasses contrasted the deep blues and blacks of the sky, almost illuminating their surroundings. It was dark but the moons were out and the stars were bright so they could see their destination. There were a few herds of beasts in the plains, each minding their own business while grazing. Any other time they could have been food but midnight was fast approaching and they intended to reach the impact zone before anyone else.

As they got closer to the northern tree line that marked the edge of the region, they saw the faintest image of smoke billowing up a few kilometers from their location. It was hard to see clearly in the night but it was unmistakable.

“Looks like we're on the right trail." Zaharu said, pointing her spear to the pillar of smoke almost directly ahead of them. “Only a few minutes of a jog left to go."

But then Sashe slowed to a stop right as they got to the treeline. She planted the butt of her spear in the ground and waited there, unsure of herself.

“What's wrong?" Zaharu asked from between two tree trunks. “We're almost there."

“This is the edge of our territory. Once I step foot between those trees, I'll be in tiger territory. Sabre-toothed tiger territory. Not only is that foolish on my part, I'm the chief's daughter. My presence may be seen as invasion. And my white mane makes me a target."

Zaharu took a moment to think about that. “Okay, so we have to be quiet and careful. In and out quickly. They won't even know we're here. Tigers aren't nocturnal, are they?"

Sashe blinked. “Yes. Yes they are. That's the problem."

“Ah. I see. Well, I doubt a seer like that would guide us wrong. I'm sure it's fine. Come on."

“Don't be a fool, Zaharu. We don't know what we're going to find there. If it's some massive chunk of metal we won't be able to carry it. If it's ademane-" She paused to glance down at the gemstone at the end of her spear “-then it's not like either of us will know how to extract it."

Zaharu nodded solemnly, then hopped out from between the two ferns. She got close to Sashe and looked her in the eyes with a smile. “Spoken like someone who's never been out on an adventure. Come on." She positioned herself behind Sasha and forced her into the forest before leaping forward and leading the charge.

Sashe was mildly annoyed but couldn't help but find Zaharu's attitude endearing. She needed someone like that in her life, someone to drag her over the line of what was and what wasn't 'right' for a person in her position. She'd never forge her own path if she always had part of her consciousness held back by wondering what her father would do.

The two of them crept through the underbrush of the dense rainforest, glancing to the sky any time there was a break in the canopy to make sure they were still heading towards the source of the smoke. They weren't far now.

Ahead of them, they could see a clearing in the forest. An absence of anything as far as they could see. It was the crater, which had carved a bowl out of the forest at least a hundred meters across with a streak of torn trees and snapped trunks to the west. Sashe stopped and grabbed Zaharu's arm to keep her from emerging through the treeline, hissing a whisper in her ear. “Are you certain you-"

“I'm not certain of anything here." Zaharu interrupted. “We can't be certain of much. But if we're going on a bit of an adventure, we have to take a few leaps of faith. And look, I don't wanna get emotional on you but if I gotta be out on a quest of some sort I'm glad it's with you."

“Appropriately sappy." Sashe joked. “But I'm serious, this is our last chance to bail out."

Zaharu cradle's Sashe's cheek in her palm. “I respect your caution but your rebellious side is a bit more fun. Come on, let's go meet our destiny and begin our future!" With that she zipped away and through the fallen, mangled trees to emerge into the crater, pausing immediately when she stepped foot on the smoldering dirt and ash. “Oh." Was all she could say as the clear vision of the destruction around her started to settle in.

The crater was far larger than a hundred meters in diameter. It was an almost perfect circle carved out of the land itself, with the burning husks of trees and ash and embers lining the sides of the bowl shaped destruction. The treeline that encircled the crater was twisted and mangled with leaves and bark and wood piled in a wall of debris. What stood out most, however, was that there was no meteorite or rock of any sort in the middle of the crater. No evidence of a shooting star, just the destruction left in one's wake. All the destruction with none of the evidence.

Sashe stepped up behind her and laid a hand on Zaharu's shoulder. “What does this mean?" She asked, glancing around to observe the same confusing scene before them. “Where is it?"

“I don't know." Zaharu admitted while laying her hand on Sashe's. But I can see something in the very middle. It's faint but it's there. Come on, let's go! We've come this far. Might as well go all the way." She bounded forth, tugging Sashe along with her.

They both made their way down the wall of the crater, eventually coming to the middle. The closer they got the clearer it was that was waiting for them. Both of them grabbed their spears and prepared their weapons as they came to stand over the form of a large bipedal tiger laying in a fetal position, nude as the day he was born.

Within seconds of them taking their final steps and standing over him, cautious, Zahara slapped Sashe's spear away. “You don't wanna look threatening if this is someone important. Diplomacy."

“Right, right." Sashe pulled her spear away and anchored it on the ground with the blade pointing up. Away from the tiger. She gently prodded him with a foot paw, seeing if he was alive.

The tiger rolled over and yawned widely, arms outstretched as he rolled his spine much like one would in the morning. He blinked and licked his lips, barely conscious as he glanced up at the two ladies above him. “Oh, you're both cute." He said casually. Then, as he realized what he said, he clamped his jaw shut and his eyes went wide, glancing around the crater. “Wait, where am I? What's going on? Who are you?"

Both Sashe and Zaharu were confused and didn't know how to respond. They shared a look before Zaharu reached out to offer the tiger a hand up.

“Can't really answer any of that until you tell us who you are." She said, patting him on the shoulder. He was a bit thinner and taller than Zaharu but still shorter than Sashe. About the same size as the mare seer.

He stumbled away from them as he got his footing, paws slipping in the loose dirt and ash left by the crater. “What? What's going on?" He surveyed the crater, noting that he was in the direct center of it, at the very bottom of its impact site.

Sashe lightly hit his rump with the butt of her spear. “Well, we were hoping you could tell us. A shooting start landed here and when we got here all we saw was you. No rock, no metal, nothing. Just you."

“You a god?" Zaharu accused. “Fallen from the skies or something?" She used the butt of her own spear to lightly tap his other rump cheek.

“I don't think so?" He admitted, unsure. “I mean, I know my name but...it seems not much else. Would that help?"

“It might. Only one way to find out. Tell us."

Seemingly having no survival instincts, the tiger answered. “Oh, my name's Rex. But I have no idea where I am or what's going on. Can you lovely ladies fill me in?"

Zaharu raised an eyebrow. “Nope! We know about as much as you do. However, your presence makes me think that you're important." She turned to Sashe, speaking to her like Rex wasn't there. “You think he's what that seer's prophecy was talking about?"

“Is there any other way to interpret it?"

“Not really." Zaharu conceded, then turned back to Rex. “We don't know what's going on, but we need you to come with us. We're...not really supposed to be here but I've got a feeling you're important. Somehow. So come with us and we'll answer your questions as best we can, we just need to be on our way, we can't talk here."

Much to their surprise, Rex shrugged, accepting the situation. “Sure. Lead on! And, uh, do you have any clothes? I seem to have misplaced mine. Or they were burned in the impact. Wait, am I a shooting star? That's interesting."

“No clothes but come on, make haste. You eat meat?" Zaharu asked.

“I imagine I can." Rex confessed. “And I'm starving."

“Perfect." Sashe added. Then the two grabbed either of his hand and hurriedly dragged him out of the crater heading back south to the border. They needed to be urgent in case any of the tiger locals came looking for Rex. Neither of them had any idea what to do, what came next, or how they were gonna handle the situation but they got the impression that Rex was the focus of whatever it was that the seer had told them.

That meant that their goal was to get him out of there and work out the details later. At least that was what Zaharu claimed. She was far more willing to accept what came her way. Sashe had her caution but was trusting Zaharu in this instance. Right now they needed to get back home.

Chapter 03

All three of them were mostly silent as they escaped the tiger's territory, returning to the plains where the Sabre-Toothed Tribe ruled. For the most part it felt awkward to spend the hour or so to escape the forested region without talking but they needed to be silent. Sashe in particular was a large woman and needed to focus on stealth, doubly so with the white of her mane being a beacon for any seeking to target her. Rex kept trying to talk and figure out more about his captors – or heroes, depending on shifting perspectives – but they kept hushing him.

Eventually they did make it past the treeline and had to slow their pace. It was late and both Sashe and Zaharu were tired. Rex was still alert, though; he'd just woken from the deepest sleep and was as refreshed as he may ever have been.

However, since he had presumably slept a long period of time, Zaharu had to catch something for him to munch on as soon as they found a few moments to relax. She used her spear to get him a meal in the form of a harux stud with massive cyclonic horns and a pair of bushy tails while Sashe set up a very basic camp under a tree.

They weren't far from the edge of the forest. They didn't need to be. The border of the Sabre-Toothed territory and the tiger territory was a hard line where the trees ceased and the plains began. The moment they set a single foot onto the lion territory they were no longer a threat or in danger. Well, as long as they were out of spear-throwing range. Which they were.

While Zaharu was out hunting the cervine meal for the three of them with Rex in tow, Sashe sat among the roots of the tree next to the fire, where she had some time to think to herself. She had a lot to contemplate. Mostly just how strange things had gone that day.

Sashe's morning had started simply enough. She got up with intentions of performing a bit of young adult rebellion for her father's entertainment, which was a near-daily occurrence. She left, she met up with her girlfriend, she had some fun, and was ready to go back home. A very normal, mundane day. That was, until the shooting star shot across the sky and landed in the forests to the north. Then she had an image of a seer approach the pair of them, drop a random prophecy of sorts on their laps, then they found a random amnesiac tiger at the center of the impact zone.

None of that made sense to her. It was such a bold shift from what she was used to, and yer she wasn't as bothered by it as she felt she should have been. Perhaps it was Zaharu's enthusiasm and will to go on adventure that made Sashe more open to influence. Or maybe she wanted it, too. By all means she should have rejected it and went back to her village to inform her father what she'd seen or at least asked more questions of the seer, but she didn't.

Instead, she just accepted what came and adjusted accordingly. Part of her wondered if she was naturally adaptive due to her role on the Chieftan Claws; a hunter needed to be prepared for anything and couldn't head out expecting things to go their way so they had to adapt as they went. Maybe it was Zaharu's nomadic lifestyle influencing her, encouraging her to take risks and accept the odd.

Actually, the more she thought about it the more certain she was that it was Zaharu's doing. She was optimistic and did her best to see the good in anything that came her way so that included simply accepting happenstance, no matter how odd or absurd it seemed. If Zaharu wasn't with her this night, she wouldn't have even considered investigating the explosion.

That was a good thing. Sashe had always wanted to forge her own path but was constrained by her role in the tribe. Try as she might, she was always tethered to what others expected of her and her need to present strength and diplomacy for those around her. There was always going to be an act of balance between her desires and her responsibilities and being around Zaharu eased her over onto the side of freedom and chaos. In a good way.

It was one of the things she loved most about that hybrid. Zaharu made her feel properly free to do what she wanted, to be adventurous, and to accept things as they were while always trying to improve things. As it should be.

So even though the night's events should have made her step back and evaluate the situation from an analytical point of view and do the rational thing, she was enjoying the feeling of autonomy. She was not only happy but eager to see what happened and have fun with it. While she may have had many questions – and she'd get to them – she was content making a small fire to cook a meal with no care for what her tribe might be thinking.

Actually, as soon as she thought about that she had to double-take a bit. She wanted to do her own thing but she couldn't shake the feeling of giving them distress. There was a large explosion nearby, she was out well past sundown, and she was a person of interest to the neighbouring tribes. As much as she hated to admit it, her absence was likely causing a stir of undue stress back home.

That's why, when Zaharu came back with the harux over her shoulders and Rex beside her, Sashe had to speak her mind. “Good job, as usual! But I fear I may not be able to stay." The bonfire was crackling nearby, big enough to cook the carcass.

Zaharu hoisted the harux over her head and laid it on the ground in front of herself and started to work on it by removing its pelt. “Okay! I'd love to spend the night with you but I understand."

Sashe just blinked. “You do? You're not upset? This is the first time we've had a chance to really be away from my family in months."

“Yeah I'm a bit disappointed but it's not like I won't see you again in a few days. Right? Besides, I could tell from your interactions with the seer that you were uncomfortable and only going along with it because of me. I do have one request, though." She kept peeling the hide away while Sashe prepped the fire to cook the meat.

“What's that?"

Zaharu used a blade to carve off a leg of the carcass, slicing through the meat and ligament between hip bones in a bloody mess. “At least stay for a meal before you go." She offered the creature's hoof to use as a handle, motioning for her to hold it over the fire.

Sashe huffed to herself and half-cocked a grin. “Deal." She took the meat and held it up over the bonfire, high enough to cook the meat without letting it burn. “But I have to leave as soon as we're done. I am certain my father will have sent out a party to find me, especially give the explosion. I'll be sure to tell him I was on my way back home when I saw it and went to investigate."

“That works. But enjoy!" Zaharu sliced off another limb and tossed it to Rex. “You know how to cook this?"

He grabbed it and held it at arm's length tentatively. “Yeah. Bit bloodier than I'm used to but I suppose it works."

“What exactly are you used to, then?" Zaharu asked while doing her best to carve up the carcass and cook what she could. The actual process of putting it near the base and letting it cook slowly would take all night but she was very keen about not wasting a single bit of it. Whatever she didn't manage to cook would be left nearby for the scavengers of the plains.

Rex sat by the fire next to Sashe, mostly addressing her since he'd spent time with Zaharu already. “Well, like I was saying when we were out hunting – well, she was out hunting – I don't know. The only memories I have prior to this evening are a few fleeting images of crystal and rock around me with others nearby. I clearly speak your language so I must not be from too far away but that's really it. I seem to have opinions and ideas and emotions but I have no context to filter them through so I've decided to take after Zaharu here and see what happens."

“Convenient." Sashe joked while shooting Zaharu a glance.

“What? It's a good philosophy to have. If he doesn't know who he is or where he comes from, why not start fresh? Honestly, I'm jealous. No history bogging him down, he can be anything! There's a world of possibility unhindered by his past story! Because he doesn't have one."

Sashe turned the leg over the fire and nodded. “Actually that does sound refreshing."

Rex started to purr to himself, his deep rumblings resonating within his chest. “I think I like you two already! Not getting any bad vibes from either of you."

“You might wanna get some bad vibes." Sashe joked. “I should totally take you hostage!"

Rex's eyes went wide but he was calmed by a casual fist bump on the shoulder from Zaharu.

“She's joking. That's not her tribe's style and definitely not hers." Zaharu took a big meaty bite out of her cooking leg. IT was still mostly raw with only a faint cook on the outside but she was used to raw meat and it was a lot easier to eat the cooked outer layer then let the inner meat cook after. Faster. Tastier. “I do hope you know enough to pick up on sarcasm and the like."

“Seems so." Rex said while stifling a gulp. “But I guess I still have a lot to learn. So what about you two? What's your stories?"

Zaharu and Sashe jokingly insisted the other go first until Zaharu shared. She spoke at length about her past, how her parents were ostracized for bringing her into the world as a hybrid, and how that first lesson in life guided her and influenced her optimism since she was lucky to have even been born, to have survived, and to have prospered left for dead. Every day she lived was a miracle so she did her best to be positive about it.

Sashe made sure to tone down her lineage when she shared her story but it came up a lot when she made it clear how important it was that she be as much a person of her people as she was the vessel for her blood line. She wanted to change things, to make things better even though things were working well for her pride. Above all else she wanted to be a positive influence even if it meant resisting the status quo that had been instilled in her homeland for so many generations.

And then both of them were about to share tidbits about how they met and what brought them together when Sashe saw torches cresting the horizon, the light of the fires a beacon to her eyes. “Oh shit, I guess it's time to go." It was her pride members out looking for her and Zaharu knew it so she didn't protest.

Zaharu got serious and leaned in to give a nuzzle and a kiss to Sashe's cheek and neck. “Okay, be safe, see you when I see you!" She said in a brisk tone. “Love you."

“Love you too." Sashe said, then grabbed her spear and departed from under the tree, trying her best to flank the party in order to distract them from the sight of the fire that was left burning in between Rex and Zaharu.

Rex took a tentative bite of his meat, unsure if he was going to enjoy the semi-raw nature of it. Luckily the fire had cooked it deep enough that he didn't get any of the raw parts. “What was that about?" He asked after chewing and swallowing.

“Her pride mates. Given her role in the tribe she's seen as a very important person and thus it's dangerous for her to be away from the village at night. She is likely to go greet them and guide them back home before they see us. They don't like me and I doubt they'd like you, either."

“Should we hide or something?" Rex asked before taking a second, more eager bite.

Zaharu shook her head. “Naw, if she reaches them she gets to command what they do and where they go. They'll listen to her. We're not in danger."

Rex enjoyed another bite, this time finally getting into the raw bits. He didn't enjoy that part as much so he put the leg back over the fire to cook it more thoroughly. “That's good! So what are we doing in the morning, then?"

“I hadn't thought that far ahead, to be honest. Well, that's sort of a lie, I have some ideas but I don't want to presume anything." Zaharu admitted. “I was thinking I could take you back to some friends of mine that might be able to help you."

“Help me? In what way?" Rex adjusted so he was cross-legged, tail flicking behind him.

“Empaths. Amateur psychics. Two of the members of my pack have very mild psychic abilities. They might be able to help you unlock some of your past. If there are memories buried in there they may be able to unlock them so you can get a better grasp on yourself." She glanced over to watch as Sashe disappeared into the dark of the night. With no torch, she had little to illuminate herself even though Zaharu's night gaze gave her a good look at that rump walking away through the tall grass.

Rex finally took another bite, the fire having charred the meat enough to go in for another round. “Is that necessary? I won't complain but like you said, does my past really matter?"

She turned back to look at him with a broad grin. “It might be. I'm very open and optimistic but I still have some survival instincts and you could be lying. I was also hoping to see if they could check and make sure you didn't have any hidden sinister intent." She waggled her eyebrows a bit, making intense eye contact as she did.

“Oh! Okay, yeah I suppose that makes sense. I don't have any sinister intent and I'm not lying so I have nothing to hide. Who are these psychics, then?" He never broke eye contact as he took a bite.

Zaharu was actually impressed that he was so forthright with her. It was not a trait she was used to dealing with since pretty much everyone she interacted with had some sort of motive to deal with. Those motives weren't devious or dangerous, but it was a natural part of socialization. So few people were truly comfortable exposing themselves emotionally. It was refreshing. “Trisani and Natsasha. Their mother was a powerful psychic and they got a bit of that. They're part of my pack."

“Oh, the Strays you mentioned?"

“That would be them! Lovely pack that I visit a few times every season. It's been a while since I saw any of my brothers and sisters so perhaps now's as good a time as any to bring a boy back home." She gave him a seductive wink and grin that revealed her teeth.

Rex gulped. “Oh, are they going to be okay with me being...not canine?" He motioned to his nude body, referencing his tiger stripes.

Zaharu laughed, perhaps too loudly. “I'm part feline myself. Lots of lion in me! Nah, they're mostly canine but the pack is open to any and all strays they trust. You seem nice enough. I bet they'll love you as long as you pass the psychic test."

“Oh, that will be nice! I think. I hope so, anyway." Rex caught himself yawning right as he tried to take a bite of the meat. “Oh, dear. It seems in spite of everything I'm quite tired."

“It is night. That makes sense." Zaharu took his meat and laid it on the ground next to the fire so it can lightly roast overnight. “Do you need something to lay on?"

He just motioned to her with open arms as his eyes glazed over. He was falling into slumber quickly, like all the fatigue of the prior hours was catching up all at once.

Zaharu thought this was a little strange, to be embracing her so openly, but she wasn't the type to say no to a cuddle. She did what she could with the last of the meat by the fire and crawled over to him, allowing him to wrap his arms around her and pull her down onto the ground next to her. There, he held her close, nuzzling into her chest idly. She could tell he wasn't being lewd or inappropriate so she allowed it, gently embracing him back.

She did feel mildly uncomfortable at first but her hope was to make sure he felt welcome and safe so she allowed it. And in time she even enjoyed it as the pair of them fell into slumber within each other's embrace, the fire crackling and cooking the meet by their feet.

It was nice. Unexpected but nice. She was happy to accept some random affection, even if it wasn't coming from Sashe. She knew the sabre-toothed lioness wouldn't have minded, either.

Chapter 04

The next morning, Zaharu awoke cradled between two of the tree's roots with a tiger cheek purring on her chest. Rex was leaning against her, hand wrapped around her midsection and leg wrapped around hers while using her shoulder and breast as a pillow. He was nude, so his morning erection was resting squarely on her thigh.

A small part of her wanted to make jokes about it and wake him up by flicking his tip but the rest of her was excited to see cock. It did seem mildly inappropriate given the circumstances but it had been a while since she'd been with any male – she usually played that role – and the idea of what could have come from that was getting her excited. Not too excited, but certainly a little.

He shifted next to her, accidentally rubbing his member on her thigh and even slipping up under the edge of her dress made of leather and fur. She could have pushed it away or shifted so that it wasn't under her skirt but she knew he was asleep and not doing it on purpose so she didn't bother.

That was the thought that went through her mind, only to have it broken when he yawned and stretched, licking his chops as he woke mere seconds later.

“Well good morning." She said to him under the shade of the single, lone tree.

“To you as well." He looked like he was about to say something when he noticed what position he was in with his face on her chest, his arm around her waist, and his shaft probing under her skirt. He immediately pulled away and rolled so that he broke contact, hunching over to hide his morning erection. “Sorry about that, I didn't mean to-"

Zaharu rolled onto her side and propped her chin on her palm. “It's fine."

“Is it?"

“It is." She nodded and shifted so that she was in a sitting position. “If I was uncomfortable around nudity I wouldn't have let you cuddle me. But with that said, I think it's time to go."

He nodded but didn't move. He seemed bashful, almost. Not quite to the level of shy but it was clear he felt a little vulnerable about his pink rod being exposed.

“No need to be like that." Zaharu said as she got to her feet and stretched. “Mine's bigger."

Rex seemed taken aback. “What? Are you not a-" He cut himself off before finishing his thought. He had ideas about what male and female was but had no idea how that translated here. He had just enough self-awareness to not make bold claims based on his incomplete understanding.

She laughed and offered him a hand to get up. “Yeah I'm female but I'm also part hyena."

“I don't know what that means in this context." He admitted while taking her hand and getting to his feet. He tried to cover himself up and be modest by palming his groin but the tip poked up over his wrist to say hi. “And I'm not sure now is the time to-"

But Zaharu wasn't shy in the least and figured now was a good a time as any to explain. “Hyena females have, uh, external genitalia. I'm half hyena so half the time my lady bits resemble what you have, only notably bigger."

Rex didn't know if she was trying to shame him or just being informative. “Bigger?"

She laughed. “Oh, sorry, I didn't mean to give you the wrong impression. I wasn't competing, it's just very, uh, different. It's a pretty unique trait so it's fun to share. Luckily most of the people in my life love it. Lots of fun all around."

He feigned being bold by asking, “May I see?" Only to then avoid eye contact as he stared at the ground, like he was shocked at his own inquiry.

“You sure?" She raised an eyebrow and grinned. “Because I'm not shy, you know. If you do want to see I'd be more than happy to show but you gotta be prepared to handle it and help me out."

“What do you mean by help you out?" He gulped and tentatively re-established eye contact. His member was growing hard again, showing that it was more than just morning wood.

She stepped up to him and gently pulled his hand away from his groin while guiding it under her skirt. “I mean, if you want to get that part of me to come out, then I have to be aroused. If you want to see, you have to put in some work." He stood a full head taller than her, so his member poked her on the belly. She lightly caressed the underside of his shaft, making it twitch and bob.

His expression grew more serious. “Okay, I don't have any context to know why but this does feel strange, am I wrong?"

Zaharu leaned into him, grinning up at him. “No, you are not. Most people wouldn't do this but I'm not most people. Plus it's been so long since I was with a drake of any type and it's pretty clear you're as eager as I am." She gave his shaft a bit of a squeeze and tug, the moisture that coated it soaking her palm. “If you don't want me to I won't, obviously. But I see no harm in having some fun before we head off."

Rex paused to contemplate that for a moment, his hand lightly touching her inner thigh under her skirt without touching her slit. “I suppose you're right. And now I'm very curious. So, show me, then!" He leaned back, shoulders against the tree trunk to let her take control. He almost fell backwards since he wasn't centered on it.

She backed off a meter or so and shimmied out of her skirt and top, tossing both over one of the roots. “Well, if you're curious, you gotta do some of the work." She explained.

Given her claims, Rex was shocked to see she looked like a woman with no parts out of place. She had a relatively flat chest, her breasts modest but still distinct, thick thighs, a toned belly, and a pronounced yet discrete mound between her legs. “I don't know what I'm supposed to do, honestly."

“That's fair. Like I said, it's been a while since I was with anyone other than Sashe and she knows my body very well."

“So you two are a couple? Should I be-" He pulled back to make sure he wasn't touching her.

Zaharu laughed. “Right, right. We are together but we are not what you might call 'exclusive'. Some people are like that but we are not. I can't speak on behalf of wherever you're from or even of everyone here, but it's not uncommon for folks to be with whoever's most convenient at the time. The whole stray pack is like that. Lots more fun when there are options and no shame."

Rex accepted that answer pretty quickly. Maybe it was his stance on being open about things or maybe it was his arousal speaking for him. Either way, he shrugged and nodded his approval. “Okay, then tell me what to do! I am not familiar with your customs but I feel like I take instruction well."

Refreshing. At least that was what crossed Zaharu's mind. Just two free folks willing to experiment without the restrictions of shame. “Well, I don't know how much of your instincts will take over an how much of it is intuition but it's usually good to start with your hands, eh?" She took him by the wrist and leaned in so that his palm was pressed against her mound. She manipulated two of his fingers to slip inside of her where her slippery folds eagerly accepted him. “You feel that?"

“Wet." He said, then started gently pumping his digits in and out of her. He sniffed the air, noting a clear change in the aroma that wafted around her. It was a scent that made his fur stand on end and his tail hoist up while he corrected his posture. “Like this, then?" He was a little awkward, not really getting the angles right while his thrusting was a bit too shallow and aggressive.

Zaharu expected this so she shook her head while not breaking eye contact, a broad smile across her face. “No, but that's okay. Here, try this." She slipped two of her own fingers into herself behind his, making his digits curl so that his tips were pressing into the front of her wall like he was hooking her loins. “Do that, but then curl your fingers. Most girls have a spot right there that is extra sensitve."

He did as commanded, curling his fingers to drag his tips along her depths, nearly coming out. It was almost like he was having a memory unlocked because the moment he felt her walls clench around his knuckles he felt like his instincts were taking over and he leaned into her, lowering his muzzle to bury itself between her neck and shoulder.

“There ya go! I knew I'd awaken something in you!" Zaharu said right into his ear. She then used her free hand to grab his rump cheek and pull the rest of him in close, forcing his cock to poke against and grind along her belly. She then shifted and stepped on one of the roots to get a bit more height and leverage to counter the fact that he was notably taller than she was. “You want to make sure I'm very wet and tender before taking me, but it looks like that won't be a problem."

Though Rex maintained his composure, the more he felt her depths clenching around his fingers the more he wanted to feel that tight around his cock. He grabbed himself and slid his tip down while slowly pulling his fingers out of her, leaving a slimy trail of arousal bridging from her lips to his tips. Before making another move he brought his hand up behind her, where he sniffed the slime between his knuckles. He extended his tongue to lick it when she pulled back and did it for him, sucking her own juices off his fingers, then stared at him with a grin that asked, 'what are you gonna do about it?'

He huffed to himself and then pressed his lips to hers, plunging her tongue into her maw to get a taste of her that she'd stolen. At the same time, her free hand grabbed his member and aimed the upward-curved tip between her lips. There, she felt the pluck of the nubs and barbs that lined his shaft that she hadn't noticed before, each of them poking her flesh before passing through. “Oh, that's nice." She commented after pulling away from his embrace. There was a bit of saliva that went from her tongue to his, so she leaned back in and stole as much of it as she could.

Rex grinned and gulped. “I thought you said you were bigger than me." He accused while pressing his hips to hers, his length getting smothered within her depths. “I have reason to think that's quite a statement. You'll have to prove it."

Zaharu snapped her teeth at him, just barely missing his snout. “Oh, you'll see." She then leaned into him and started gyrating her hips so that his upwards-curved shaft was stroking its tip along her front wall where she was most sensitive. Not only was his bulbous head gentle and soft but the barbs around the upper half of his shaft tickled her with an intensity she hadn't felt in a while. She knew other felines were more aggressive than that, which was one of the reasons she stopped playing with male cats for the most part. But he was nice. And despite being a little awkward and inexperienced, willing to do what was needed.

She wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him back so that they both stumbled away from the tree and into the long yellow grass of the plains with him still inside her. Then, just to add a hint of silliness to proceedings, she death rolled him a few times until they were very far away from the tree and he was left dizzy on top of her.

“What was that all about?" He groaned, holding his head while his other hand propped him up. He was still inside her, and she clenched around him to get his attention. “Aah! Oh, that's nice! Okay, maybe I don't care why you did that."

“Hey, you wanted to see what I had, right?" She slid out from under him, pulling her lips away from his shaft with a subtle schlick sound. This left her partially gaped in the morning sun, revealing the pink of her insides were splotched with darker patches. It also showed that her tail hole pucker was plump and soft looking, with the flesh dark and accented against the creamy yellow of her fur. All of it seemed to match the stripes and spots of her back, legs, and arms. “So suck it out!"

He paused and shook his head in confusion. “What? That doesn't sound right."

“Trust me." She said while grinning broadly. “And work up a purr while you're there."

Admittedly, Rex didn't know how to respond to that. What little context he had about all of this told him this was peculiar – well, everything but the purring, he assumed the vibrations were nice – but he also wasn't going to not enjoy the company of this lovely hybrid woman. So he leaned into her, crawling on all fours before putting his lips to her loins and pulling in a deep breath through his nose to purr heavily against her. The scent of her flesh was wonderful on its own, but the moment his muzzle vibrated into her lips he could literally taste her arousal coursing out from her depths into his maw.

His barbed tongue prodded her depths, lapping at her walls and tugging on her folds as he collected as much of her fluids as he could muster.

The hybrid gal was clearly enjoying it, too, because she grabbed the back of his head and pressed him against her loins, ensuring he couldn't escape. She started grinding into him, applying more and more pressure while trying to take as much pleasure as she could from his deep rumbling vibrations. Slowly, she let her head fall back while her maw remained agape, a silent roar of pleasure getting trapped in her chest as she felt her flesh descend.

Her depths compressed and lowered, meeting his tongue between her lips then forcing him out. All of her pussy was threatening to unfold and escape, the mottled flesh of it unfurling into his open mouth. The best part was that the most sensitive parts that were buried just inside were now pressing out against his purring lips.

Rex was a little confused by this at first but his desire to just accept what happened and roll with it meant he instead started sucking on the emerging flesh. He felt her silken depths unfurling into his muzzle, blooming in a way that extended down his throat without causing any friction.

Much as he tried to accept it with grace, the pressure swelling in his gullet made him gag and he couldn't help but pull away, the growing shaft that had emerged from her lips now dangling between her legs while still growing. He watched closely as the dark mauve flesh continued to unfurl downward while a throbbing patch of wrinkled flesh on the top near the base oozed fluid.

Within a few moments, the drooping, flaccid flesh that had emerged from her nether lips began to swell and grow firm, the wrinkled texture along its length growing taut and smooth as it took form. Much like his, her 'cock' curved upward with a nicely rounded head that throbbed with each pulsation that coursed through the shaft. She remained hoisted up on her hands and feet with her belly and 'cock' aimed up, giving him a clear view of what she had in terms of equipment.

“Okay, you are correct! That is bigger than mine. And, uh-" There was a sweet aroma billowing his direction, one that made him want to crawl back over to her. He tentatively reached out and wrapped his hand around the base of her shaft, noting that it was incredibly slick but not quite as firm as his. Soft but still fully erect. “Do you mind?"

Zaharu maintained a broad toothy grin. “Have fun! I'd love to see what sort of kinky fun you can think of!" She wagged her hips a bit and bucked gently, making her member bob gently. The tip had a distinct hole in it, one that looked snug, not unlike her rump hole. Same colour, too.

Once again his instincts took over and he happily crawled on top of Zaharu, deliberately purring and rubbing the underside of his shaft down his chest until his hips touched hers. He knelt between her legs and leaned down, his flexible spine allowing his tongue to probe the opening to her member. It tasted the exact same as her pussy, only tighter and far more snug. His cock, still hard and dripping excitedly, lightly prodded her tail hole but he wasn't bold enough to do that. Part of his mind knew that might not be appropriate. Fun, but not necessarily welcome.

Instead, he wrapped his lips around the tip of her shaft and sucked gently while his barbed tongue prodded her insides, tugging flesh and collecting every last drop of her oozing arousal.

She grabbed him by the hair and nodded excitedly at him, bucking into his maw as best she could. Sure, the sharpness of his teeth was a bit of a deterrent and that tongue was every bit as aggressive as the cocks she avoided for the most part but it seemed to be different coming from someone who was a little hesitant and unsure of himself. He wanted to please, not just to be pleased.

Zaharu wanted to reward him for this, so she slid her hand down between the pair of them to wrap her fingers around his shaft. She plucked some of the barbs with her finger tips and then aimed his tip right into the middle of her tail hole.

The softness of her flesh there was so inviting he couldn't help but lean more into her, burying his shaft all the way to the base. The movement did make his maw pull away from her cock, so he had to struggle to get the angle again, ensuring he could suckle on her shaft while still grinding against her incredibly soft and tender rump.

As he made out with her cock opening, he noticed she was getting looser. His tongue could probe deeper, her flesh wasn't squeezing as tight. Curious, he brought his free hand up her shaft while keeping the first one wrapped around the base. When he pulled his lips away from her tip, he used a single finger to probe at and penetrate the opening there. To his delight, she accommodated him to the knuckle with no resistance.

“Someone's getting adventurous." Zaharu commented. She had noticed his curiosity and was eager to encourage him. “Whatever's on your mind, go ahead."

“You sure?" He asked. “What if I hurt you?"

“You won't, and if I'm uncomfortable I'll let you know. Go ahead." She rumbled her own growl, a hybrid version of a purr, while she waited to see if he was going to do what she thought he was.

It took him a moment to make a move but once he did she was pleased to see he was going the direction she hoped. He slowly pulled his member out of her tail hole, using the lube secreted by her shaft to keep his own length fully soaked in fluids. Then, after curiously wrenching down her cock so that it was at his waist level, he pointed his tip at hers and gripped their shafts, one in each hand.

“Yes." She huffed to herself while she leaned back on her elbows, sure to keep her hips up at a perfect level for him to cover her.

Once he was certain he had leverage over both of their cocks, he eased into her, roaring loudly as he felt her flesh swallow his all the way to the base. His member disappeared into hers, which was actually her vaginal canal just on the outside. The tightness, the warmth, the subtle but silken texture, and the fact that she was squeezing him harder than his own grip in pulsating waves made him nearly collapse on top of her.

He stroked himself through her shaft all while erratically bucking into her, eyes rolling and toes curling as he dealt with the pleasure that coursed through him, originating in his loins. He glanced down and could see the bulge of his own length in hers, perfectly form fitting since they were both curved at a very similar angle.

She howled and growled at him, grabbing him by the hair to hold him over her while she bucked upwards into him while he did the same to her. Her climactic tensions milked him quickly and easily, bringing him to a twitching orgasm that had him jerking erratically and slamming into her involuntarily. It was cute. Awkward, but cute. And hot for her; she loved seeing what she did to others.

Rex nearly collapsed on top of her and would have made her tumble had she not been expecting it. She braced him as his loins clenched and spewed his seed deep down her shaft, countering the pulsations of her own constrictions and applying pressure to her depths in the process. He twitched and bared his teeth, eyes closed as he focused on the sensation of her shaft milking his, the release of tension in his orbs so intense he actually felt like he was about to pass out.

Zaharu had expected this so she reached out to grab him before he collapsed, sure to hold him in close while he continued to shoot load after load into her. The angle was of course a little awkward and it resulted in her length getting gently bent but since it wasn't actually a cock but a pseudo-penis, her flesh was more malleable than a male's.

He buried his snout into her chest and idly bit down on her skin, hands digging claws into her back as he kept bucking and thrusting, eager to force as much of himself into her as he could.

Then, seemingly with no warning whatsoever, he eased forward until his cock popped out of her, leaving her gaping and drooling cum while he adjusted himself so that her shaft was up between his legs, the tip prodding between his rump cheek and under his tail. He tried to ease back on it only to find that her length had grown soft and was retreating back inside her.

This disappointment seemed to snap him out of a trance. He shook himself free of confusion as her member curled up past his cock and back into her depths. “I-I'm sorry, I don't know what happened there." He apologized, genuinely stunned by his behaviour.

Zaharu stroked his hair and neck, grinning up at him. “Don't be sorry. We'll get there. For now, we should really clean up and head back to the pack." She winked seductively and pecked him on the cheek. “Come on, we've got a bit of a trek ahead of us."

She slithered out from under him, sure to help keep him from collapsing in her absence. She wasted no time stuffing the last of her flesh back inside her and casually strolled back over to the camp, where her clothes were waiting. Rex was just on his hands and knees in the long grass, oozing tiger seed into the dirt while he huffed. It took him a few minutes but he was eventually able to join her.

Though it was subtle, his climax cleared his mind enough that he was able to think more clearly. At least once the afterglow had cleared.

“Hah, if you think that's good, wait until you meet the rest of the pack." Zaharu joked while lightly slapping his rump. She then slipped back into her skirt and top, grabbed some of the meat that had been cooking near the embers of the fire, and the two of them departed with a spring in their step.