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Book III – Return to Earth

Chapter 2 – Where Eagles Stare

The rest of the group were not having as good a time as Magnus and Netyu.

They did not want to wander too far away from their designated camping site for fear of getting lost or intruding on some ritual forbidden to foreigners, so they foraged within sight of the treetop town, and consequently in sight of the citizens of the town. The constant swooping and twittering of bird people flying by to check out the strangers effectively squelched any carnal desires they might have been entertaining.

Not that the citizens of Shambhala were unfriendly. Many waved cheerily or said ‘hello’ in the common tongue as they flew by, but the Avians did not go out of their way to make their acquaintance. Coyotka supposed it was because of bad experiences with humans in the past. Annie thought that it was just as likely to have been Terrans or other andromorphic species with evil intent, like James’ vulpine uncle Rory. Junafir did not join in the argument, but noted that none of the Avians were wearing any clothing to speak of.

“That’s because they have feathers or fur to cover their junk.” James noted.

Junafir shrugged and began to peel off the shirt and shorts she had been wearing. “So do I.” She pointed out. “And it’s warm enough here to go with just fur.”

“I’d join you,” James grinned as he crossed his legs, “but seeing you like that is already making it difficult to conceal what I’m feeling.”

She leaned over him as he sat cross-legged on the ground, letting her heavy breasts sway forward until they were almost touching his nose.

“Not my fault if you apes never evolved a sheath.”

“Put your tail down, Junafir.” Gael called laughingly from where he stood across the fire from the tigress. “James isn’t the only one without a sheath.”

His loin cloth looked undisturbed, but Annie poked him in the side anyways.

Coyotka stole a quick glance at Chris, the grey fox assassin she had picked as her submissive partner. She noted that his eyes were fixed on Junafir’s big round bum and his paws were folded on his lap where they would conceal anything protruding from his sheath. She made a note to make him suffer for it later, but just enough to get him good and hard; a Mistress needed her itch scratched too occasionally.

They set a watch when it got dark, mostly to watch the fire so it didn’t burn down the aerial village. James was surprised hen Gael woke him an hour before dawn because it was supposed to be Magnus’ turn before his, but the blacksmith informed him that the stag had not returned yet, nor had there been any sign of Netyu.

“You think ...?”

The big horse shrugged. “Her eyes were as big as silver dollars when she heard him singing.”

“Heh, groupies.”

“Groupies? Isn’t that a kind of fish?”

“That’s groupers. I’ll explain the difference later.”

“Along with the porn sites?”

“Sure, they’re sort of connected subjects, but you’ve pulled a double shift, so get some sleep now.”

“Right, see you at breakfast.”

James stoked the fire and prepared oatmeal with a side of bacon for the carnivores. Magnus and Netyu showed up just as he was waking the rest. The deer-man looked tired, but content. The griffin hung on his arm possessively with a dreamy expression.

“You look like you’ve been ... up ... half the night.” James said, pausing to emphasize the double entendre.

Magnus was not fazed by the sexual innuendo. “You might say that.” He turned to Netyu and smiled. “We have both been ‘up’ quite a bit. Netyu learned to fly last night!”

Annie and Junafir jumped up to congratulate the griffin and crowded Magnus out as they sought out the details.

Above the “ohhs” and “aws” and giggling James managed to ask Magnus about his night.

“It turns out that some things that I’ve only sung about really are as wonderful and inspiring as the songs say that they are.” Without getting into the details, he went on to explain how their shared song, “and, uh, other activities” he added with a blush, had provided the distraction that allowed her to get off the ground and really fly for the first time in her life.

“Wow!” Gael, who had moved in to listen exclaimed. “Doing it in mid-air. That must have been a rush.”

“I didn’t say that we ...”

“You didn’t say you didn’t either.” Gael interrupted with a grin.

“I thought you said that you were saving yourself for the right doe?” Chris, who was still getting used to social interactions with non-assassins asked.

The group of males went silent. James and Gael glared at the fox while Magnus’ jaw went up and down without producing any sound for a few moments.

“I ... I really didn’t think of it.” The stag said in a state of confusion. “Not until just now ... when you mentioned it. I suppose I ... I don’t know what to suppose.”

With that Magnus got up and wandered off, his hand on his chin, deep in thought.

“Great!” James hissed, turning on Chris. “He’s just had the best night of his life and you have to make him feel all guilty about it. What a buzzkill.”

“What? I didn’t mean to kill his ... buzz ... or anything else of his for that matter. I’m not in that business anymore.”

Gael pulled Chris to his feet and, putting an arm around his shoulder, led him away in the opposite direction. “Let me explain it to you while James goes to talk with Magnus.

James took the hint and hurried after the deer-man.

“Hey, Magnus! Wait up.” When they were out of earshot of the rest James stepped in front of the stag and put his hands on Magnus’ shoulders.

He could see in the deer-man’s face that Magnus was beating himself up over his failure to remain true to his pledge.

“Look, Magnus, you made a commitment that was ... uh, admirable ... but it was only aspirational. You had no idea when you made it what would happen in the future. Look at me and Annie. Neither of us thought that we would fall in love with Terrans. Hell, we had never heard of the place before this summer. She was supposed to go off to art college and meet some skinny hipster with a taste for larger ladies and I was ... I ...”. James frowned and looked away. “I don’t know what I was supposed to do. Have fun, learn the family business, go to community college ... but falling in love with a Tigress that likes to run around naked all day wasn’t in the plan, not even once I found out about Terra.”

“Are you and Junafir in love, like Gael and Annie seem to be?”

James only had to think for an instant to know the answer. “Yes, we are.”

“Doesn’t that complicate things, given your desire to return to Earth?”

“Yes, yes it does. We have some big decisions to make.”

“Do you know what you will do?”

“No, not yet.”

Magnus threw his hands in the air and then let them drop in frustration. “That is not much help.”

“What did you expect?”

“I expected to meet the doe of my dreams, to fall in love instantly, or gradually, but to be certain when it happened that she was the one for me.”

“And you’re not sure about Netyu?”

“No! We just met ... and she’s a ... a griffin.”

“But you like her?”

“Like her! She’s amazing! And not because ... because we flew together. She sings like an angel, like she invented music, and when we sang together ... and other times ... our spirits were connected. I could feel it. But how could she be the one?”

James shook his head. “Did your mother ever meet the stag of her dreams?”

That brought Magnus up short. “Of course not. You know my father is ...”

“Human?”

Magnus cast his eyes down in shame. “Yes.”

“But your mother loved him, and you loved him, didn’t you?”

The stag fell to his knees as the strength went out of his legs. “Yes ... she did ... I did.”

James squatted to keep his eyes level with the deer’s. “I loved my father, and I was just learning to love my mother, a vixen, when he was taken from me. In the short time the three of us were together before that I could see how much he loved her, and vice-versa. I don’t blame her for them being in love, or for our separation while I was raised on Earth.”

He brushed his thick red hair back out of his eyes. “Look, Magnus. My whole perception of life and love has been turned upside-down and inside-out a number of times since I turned eighteen earlier this year. Life is going to throw you few curveballs and you just have to roll with the punches. You know what I mean?”

“I have no idea what you mean. How can balls be curved? They’re round. And they don’t punch.”

“Forget that. What I meant was that you found something with Netyu that was good for both of you. Maybe it will turn into something more but until it does don’t go killing it by blaming yourself or her. She can fly now, and that’s because of you. You’ve discovered a new song, maybe not the one you were planning on singing, but a great song all the same. Go out and sing it together, for as long as it lasts.”

Magnus wiped a stray tear from his eye. “You’ve been hanging around Paul too long.”

“Yeah, I know.” James said as he helped magnus to his feet. “Next I’ll be making reasonable plans and lusting after elf-dragons. But don’t tell Junafir, she’s the jealous type.”

“Did Paul and Aldreda really ...?”

“Another time. For all your new-found experience your ears are still far too tender for that that. Let’s go join the rest, and remember ... go with the flow.”

Magnus understood that reference, musically in any case. When he went back to the fire he greeted Netyu with a genuinely warm smile and shared her excitement for her part in the upcoming festival.

Coyotka would have preferred to have gone straight to see the owl, Oyo, who she envisioned as some sort of dried up, dusty old amateur academic, rather than attend the Summer Solstice Festival, but her curiosity got the better of her and she enjoyed observing the cultural event firsthand. The rites, lead by a hundred or so avian monks in yellow robes, were interesting, and the music afterwards was enjoyable. She was quite impressed with the song that Netyu and Magnus had composed, and noted the awe of the other Avians when she rose into the air at the crescendo, bearing both her and the stag’s weight. She could easily imagine what the two of them were doing the night before that brought such joy to their song, and the thought made her a bit damp between the legs.

She was hoping to sneak away with Chris for a quick one, but it turned out that Netyu and Magnus’ song was the last act on the agenda and the young griffin was soon there to escort them to the owl’s lair.

It was not far, nor too high off the ground. Netyu lifted Coyotka up while a friend of hers who was mostly crow but with arms as well as wings carried Chris to the platform outside the owl’s home.

“Just go on in.” Netyu said cheerily. “Oyo is expecting you.”

The coyote arched one eyebrow. “Aren’t you joining us?”

“Oh, no. Oyo has no time for what she calls ‘silly singers’. She spends all day reading and researching and writing down what she’s learned. Then she’s up half the night cataloging it all in case someone comes to look it up in her library some day.”

“Hmph.” Coyotka huffed in grudging admiration. “Maybe this visit won’t be a total waste of time then.”

“Okay, bye. I’d stay to wait for you, but Oyo has a rope ladder you can use to get down when you are done and Magnus said he has some new passages he wants to show me.”

“I’m sure he does.” Coyotka turned her back on the departing griffin and spoke over her shoulder to Chris. “Come, and don’t interrupt me while I’m talking to the owl.”

Chris bowed his head and followed meekly like when he was an acolyte assassin.

There was a door built into the trunk of the tree, and it stood open. Coyotka walked boldly in, and almost fell a hundred feet because the tree was completely hollow, with just a spiral platform winding its way around inside the trunk. If Chris, who always kept one eye closed and covered for a few minutes before entering a dark room, had not seen that she was about to step off into space and grabbed her she would have plummeted to her death. As it was, he was able to turn her ninety degrees to stay on the ramp without sacrificing too much of her dignity.

Coyotka mentally took three lashes and a paddling off their next encounter, and graciously added a blow job, providing he was apologetic enough for touching her without permission.

“Up, I think.” She said after her eyes became accustomed to the gloom.

Chris nodded and led the way. He had heard the sounds of someone mumbling and shuffling about above them. Although Netyu had assured them that they were perfectly safe anywhere on Shambhala he preferred to go into unknown situations prepared. He kept one paw wrapped around the hilt of a dagger and the other on a grappling hook and line they could use to descend to the base of the trunk quickly.

He needn’t have worried. When they arrived at the top of the spiral stairs and entered the chamber that had been carved out of the living tree it was obvious that the greatest threat was being crushed by one of the tall piles of erratically stacked books that filled most of the space.

The librarian herself was on the small side, with fluffy dark brown feathers that faded to tan at the extremities and around her neck. From the knees down her legs were bare and the tough skin there was grey. She had long copper coloured hair and, because her back was to them, they could see that her tail consisted of two large individual feathers on long stems.

Coyotka cleared her throat and the amateur librarian turned to face them.

The two Terrans were a bit taken aback. They had expected to see a flat face with a stubby beak surrounded by feathers, but Oyo’s face was entirely human. She had large golden eyes, much larger than most humanoids, and a very small nose and mouth. Her skin was pale and her ears, if she had them, were hidden under her long, thick hair.

Another thing became evident when she spread her wings and presented her empty hands in peaceful greeting the Shambhalans used … she had no arms. Unlike Netyu and several other Avians they had seen up close up the librarian’s hands were attached directly to her wings, and would normally be hidden under her feathers.

Coyotka swallowed her shock. “You are Oyo, the ... uh ... owl that Netyu said would consult with us?”

“Yes.” Oyo cooked her head in a very birdlike manner. “Please do not let my appearance put you off. I am a crossbreed. My father was human, from a place called Cambridge on Earth. My mother was an owl from the territories west of here. Her folk do not look kindly on crossbreeds, even when it involves two avian species, so when I was hatched she moved here to raise me among the tolerant citizens more used to visits from other worlds and the resulting progeny. The face, hair and hands I inherited from my father, who returned to Earth before I fledged. The rest of me is all owl.”

Just to demonstrate, Oyo turned her head until it was facing backwards on one side and then the other.

“Quite handy for catching students passing notes in class.” She mentioned.

Coyotka blinked. “Oh? You’re a teacher? Netyu told us that you were hoping to become a librarian. Where did you matriculate?”

“You shouldn’t ask personal questions about her female issues.” Chris whispered in the coyote’s ear.

Coyotka ignored him. She raised her eyebrows in a challenge to the diminutive owl-woman.

Oyo met her glare head on. “I did not graduate from any school of higher learning that you would recognize.” She snarled as she stepped up to confront the taller coyote. “Everything I know I taught myself by seeking out knowledge from those who had it. Mainly Wanders and other strangers that passed this way over the last millennium. And what knowledge I have gleaned I have tried to pass on to others who would care to learn it. A trait I inherited from my father, or so I’m told.”

“How long is a millennium?” Chris asked, hoping to distract Coyotka who’s temper was up in the face of this unqualified upstart.

Coyotka and Oyo answered him simultaneously.

“Wow!” He exclaimed. “I’d never have guessed. You don’t look a day over thirty.”

“Unlike your coyote friend, whose years of study and research in the finest of institutes shows plainly.”

Coyotka squinted hard enough to crack walnuts and adjusted the glasses on her snout as she peered down at the big-eyed innocent expression on the owl-woman.

“So, you’re self-educated, are you? Well, there have been a few rare cases of the eclectically inclined archiving real knowledge, although most just manage to collect an untidy pile of dusty references.” She snorted as she waved around the room where most of the books looked like they had not been disturbed in decades.

“I have a system,” Oyo insisted, “and I don’t need to re-read those tomes that I have already memorized.”

“Oh really? How many know worlds are there?”

“One Thousand, three hundred and twenty-seven. How many are inhabited by humanoids?”

“As native species of including colonies?”

“Native.”

“One hundred and seven. What is the rough weight of all the gold in the known worlds?”

“Two hundred and fifty million metric tons ...”

Coyotka opened her mouth to object, but Oyo rushed on.

“... including roughly one hundred million metric tons in reserve, yet to be mined.” When Coyotka’s mouth closed with a frown Oyo took a step closer and asked, “What is the common greeting between Atlantans?”

“May your gem shine bright. What is the atomic Weight of Mythodium?”

“Nothing. The anti-matter protons and electrons cancel out the matter giving it an effective weight of zero. How many toes on a three-toed harpy?”

“Hah!” Coyotka declared. “Seven. Three on each foot and one above the vulva, used to incite other harpies into arousal before the hermaphroditic harpy passes sperm to the other which is held in the recipient’s oviduct to fertilize future eggs.”

They were nose-to-nose now, with Coyotka leaning over the smaller avian and Oyo looking up through the glasses balanced on the coyote’s snout. Coyotka’s breasts. which were not large but whose nipples were poking out under the thin material of her blouse, were just under Oyo’s chin. The owl’s smaller but no less pointy breasts were pressed against Coyotka’s abdomen.

“And what happens when two female-oriented harpies mistakenly initiate sexual intercourse with each other?” Coyotka said as her chest heaved and her breath came in short, forced gasps.

“They lose themselves in acts of mutual stimulation that last for hours, even days, but which are ultimately ineffective, as neither will produce sperm to fertilize the other.”

“An unproductive endeavour.” Coyotka sighed as she bumped her body against the librarian.

“A fruitless harvest.”

“A ... A ...” Coyotka struggled for words then gave up and pulled the owl’s face to hers. “Fuck it.” She said as she sank her tongue into Oyo’s willing mouth.

Chris’ eyes went wide as the coyote’s snout engulfed the owl-woman’s smaller mouth. He could hear lips smacking and tongues slapping around in there.

“Uh, what just happened?”

Coyotka came up for air long enough to say, “Didn’t I tell you to keep quiet? Now, get in behind her if you want in on this, otherwise sit and watch.”

Chris debated answering with ‘Yes Mistress’ the way she had trained him to do, but she had just told him to keep quiet, so he did as he was told and moved into a position behind Oyo. He put his arms around the two females tentatively, afraid that he had misinterpreted Coyotka. He was relieved when she grabbed him behind the head and pulled him in for a quick kiss and a lick before turning Oyo’s head up to his.

He had never kissed a human face before. It was new, and different, and a little exciting. He caressed her face and head and marvelled at how smooth and warm the bare skin was, while the hair nearby was thick and luxurious and smelled faintly of apples.

While he was busy exploring Oyo’s human features Coyotka was concentrating on the avian parts. More specifically, she had discovered two mammalian breasts tucked away beneath the downy chest feathers and was licking the tiny pink nipples with her rough tongue. Her paw was grouping between the owl’s legs, searching to see if the sex organs also resembled that of a humanoid.

“A-ha” She exclaimed when her fingers slid into a slick slit that was already moist.

While Chris continued to kiss her, Oyo’s hands proved to be as clever as anyone’s by feeling out the buttons and clasps on Coyotka’s clothes. In short order she had the coyote’s blouse off and had loosened the hiking shorts the academic canine favoured in warm climates such as these. She even managed to pluck off Coyotka’s pince-nez glasses and secure them in a button-down pocket before jerking the shorts down over the bushy tail that was the last thing holding them up. As soon as Coyotka’s groin was exposed the small owl folded her wings behind her so she could rub the coyote’s mound in return.

Oyo broke off kissing Chris to lick and lap at Coyotka’s breasts, which were very close to her mouth.

“I see that like most Terran species your vulva resembles that of the humanoids. Well, I don’t see it actually, but it feels that way.”

“As does yours.” Coyotka had found Oyo’s clitoris and was rubbing it in tiny circles between plunging her digits deep inside the owl’s twat. “Rachnid, the camel philosopher of Panchaia, theorised that most intelligent species have similar sexual organs because intelligent species should crossbreed to improve their collective gene pool.”

“Yes, I have a first edition of his book on the subject here in my library.”

“You do?” Coyotka rubbed Oyo’s clit harder in her excitement. “I’d kill to get a copy for my university.”

Oyo stopped sucking an engorged nipple to reply, “I think I have a second edition, in the original Panchaian, that I can spare.”

Chris could only wonder why such talk was making the two females so excited, but he took advantage of it to shrug off his tunic and drop his trousers. All the wiggling Oyo’s ass was doing against his groin had excited him also. He may not be an expert in off-world anatomy, but he guessed that rubbing his erection against the soft feathers that lined her ass would feel good, for him at least, so he proceeded to do so.

The feel of a warm, thick cock between the cheeks of her ass, rubbing up against her sensitive anus, did not feel bad to Oyo either. She responded by bending over to nestle his meat stick more firmly and expose more of her to him. That caused Coyotka to step back, and she tripped over an errant scroll, knocking over a pile of leather-bound parchment volumes in the process. She ended up half laying on the inclined pile.

With the sudden absence of coyote in front of her, Oyo fell forward also, landing on her hands and knees with her face buried in Coyotka’s groin. Chris, who had both hands on her ass, followed her down, ending on his knees right behind her, with his cock wedged between her downy thighs.

“Well, isn’t this a convenient accident?” Oyo said as she made tentative probes of Coyotka’s half-open slit with her tongue.

“Don’t talk with your mouth full.” Coyotka chided her.

“But my mouth isn’t fu- ...” The owl was silenced when Coyotka pushed her hard roughly down on her eager cunt.

“Don’t argue with her.” Chris advised as he leaned over her back and nuzzled her feathered ruff. “It only makes it worse.”

Oyo fought back against the coyote’s restraining hand for a moment, but the scent and taste of coyote musk overcame her struggle for dominance. Soon she was tongue deep in the increasingly moist slit and fondling Coyotka’s breasts at the same time.

Chris was lost in the enticing scent of dusty books and apples, enough so that he wasn’t actually aware that he had guided the tip of his tapered cock to the entrance Coyotka’s fingers had recently abandoned. He found her wet and open, and the pre-cum leaking from his prick only helped lubricate its passage inside her. In a few short thrusts he was knot deep, and he grunted with satisfaction when the taut skin over his inflated gland pressed against the moist inner lips that had flowered to greet him.

Oyo moaned with pleasure also as she rimmed Coyotka’s clit with her clever tongue. She brought one hand down and under her so she could continue to caress that hard button of flesh while she explored the edges of the mound and the folds of flesh trimming it. When she returned her tongue to the clit her fingers forced their way inside, first one, then two. After a few strokes and a little effort she got three digits inside, leaving the smallest one to tickle the puckered hole under the coyote’s tail.

Instead of shying away Coyotka pressed back against the probing digits. She used her hands on Oyo’s head to guide her mouth to the sweet spot around her clit, encouraging her to suck on it while flicking it with her tongue. Oyo was not unfamiliar with manipulating female anatomy to induce climax, but knew enough not to argue, each female had their own preference as to how they liked to be pleasured, after all.

As for her own pleasure, she would normally have a hand at her groin while orally pleasuring another, but Chris’ exuberant pumping was doing the trick .... almost. She reached back with her free hand and guided one of his to her groin.

Chris got the idea and began rubbing Oyo’s clit the way Coyotka had taught him to rub hers. To do so he had to get on his toes and lay along her back, but that allowed him to put more muscles behind his thrusts and had the added bonus of bringing his mouth in reach of Coyotka. Their tongues found each other, and they were soon swapping spit above the head of the diminutive owl.

The level of excitement rose as fingers tickled anuses and tongues probed orifices. It was Chris first threesome ... with females in any event, and the feel of soft feathers on his taut belly made it even more exotic. Coyotka had engaged in sexual intercourse with both males and females before, but never at the same time, despite her claims to worldliness. Oyo was perhaps the most experienced of the three, having mated with various combinations of males, females and hermaphroditic harpies over the centuries, but this was the first time with a pair of canines.

A canine and a vulpine, she corrected herself. But the two were close enough physically as not to make a difference. There was one thing she had never experienced though, a gap in her personal knowledge that she wanted filled, so to speak. As she sensed that her two lovers were nearing climax she let her desires be known before it was too late.

“Knot me.” She gasped, lifting her head for an instant. “Knot me hard, you grey-furred fucker.”

Chris was eager to comply. He had been holding back for fear of injuring the smaller avian, especially after all the talk about penis-less sex between bird species, but now that he had been given the ‘all clear’ he did not hesitate; he drove his hips in as hard as he could on the next thrust and was rewarded with a satisfying ‘pop’ as the last of the air in her passage was forced out around the invading knot.

Oyo cried out in ecstasy as she writhed and twisted, trapped in place against him. She redoubled her efforts on Coyotka as she felt her insides swelling, lashing the clit with her tongue and driving her digits in, even penetrating the coyote’s anus with her little digit, which was awash in coyote cunt juice.

Coyotka screamed and bit down on Chris’ lip. Chris yelled, half in pain, as his balls exploded. Oyo gave a muffled cry as spooge splashed inside her while feminine cum filled mouth.

It was a while before they stopped twisting, turning and twitching. Chris was locked inside Oyo as she came, just as the owl was held hard against the cumming coyote by the weight of his body. Coyotka was weighed down by the two of them and could not escape the weakening lapping of Oyo’s tongue or the idle probing of digits gone slack inside her. Eventually though, the three became immobile, and managed to shift around into a position that was comfortable for all.

Laying on her side facing Coyotka, with Chris still stuck firmly inside her, Oyo stroked the coyote’s damp fur tenderly.

“You do not know how long it has been since I met someone my intellectual match.” She told the coyote. “I find it very hard to become aroused by mental weaklings.”

“Oh, I know exactly how you feel.” Coyotka assured her. Then looking over at Chris she added, “But I try to make do.”

“Hey!”

“Quiet slave. The adults are talking.”

“Don’t be mean with him. He contributed to my knowledge and increased the scope of my experience tonight.”

“Oh, first time being knotted, eh? How did it feel?”

“Different, and exciting. Now that the initial excitement has worn off it feels warm and cozy inside me, but I am anxious to get on with helping you in your research. How long before it ....?”

“Subsides?

“Deflates?”

“Disgorges would be the proper term to refer to the shrinking of the bulbous glandis, the canine knot.”

“I defer to your superior knowledge of your species. So, how long would you expect your ... slave, was it? ... and I to be stuck together?”

“Hey, I’m right here if you want to ask me.”

The two females ignored Chris.

“He’s only my slave in a sexual sense, which is to say most of the time. He usually disgorges after twenty to forty minutes depending on how good he feels.” Coyotka glanced at Chris for the first time since the trio had finished. “He looks a little pissed right now so probably on the short side; his face needs the blood to maintain that angry flush.”

Oyo shifted into a more comfortable position.

“So, Netyu mentioned that you are looking for a portal?”

“Yes, one that leads to Kent in medieval Earth. We need to get to a place called Camelot so we can take another portal near there to Jotunheim and then to modern-day Norway.”

“Ah, yes. She said that your portal was two days north of here, so I did bit of preliminary research. There is a portal that connects to such a place in the land of the eagles.”

“Is that going to be a problem?”

“Other than having to walk there it should not be. The eagles are a bunch of stuck-up divas, but they are essentially fair and just. Perhaps I should accompany your group when you go to see them; I’m quite familiar with their culture.”

“That would be a grand idea.” Coyotka said as she stroked the owl’s downy feathers. “It would give us time to try a few other things.”

“Then count me in. I never turn down an opportunity to learn more about another species habits and sexual practices, especially firsthand.”

“How is it feeling down there, by the way? Starting to loosen up?”

Oyo wiggled, which brought a fresh flow of blood to Chris’ knot.

“Not yet.”

“You do know the purpose of the knot?” Coyotka asked with furrowed brows. “It is to improve the chances of conception by locking the semen inside, as well as preventing another male from mounting before the sperm have a chance to impregnate the female.”

“Oh, yes, I was aware, but not to worry, I’ll take wild carrot seed and thistle tea for seven days to prevent conception.”

“Your herb lore is impressive.”

Oyo sighed. “It has to be in a land where any species can impregnate another. I just wish that my mother knew as much as I do now.”

Coyotka hugged the armature librarian, pulling her away from Chris’s and making his knot ache from the strain. “There, there. I know how hard it can be being the smartest cub in the pack, looking different at the same time must have been doubly hard.”

“It’s better here in this town of mixed breeds and odd-balls.” Oyo said as she nuzzled Coyotka’s thick ruff. “One can often find comfort among the exotic creatures and strangers that pass this way.”

“We’re glad we could help, aren’t we Chris?” She hardly waited for the fox to mumble an agreement before she continued. “Anyway, if you have some cold water up here I think I know a way we can get you two disengaged quicker. Then we can consult your references to see how well my memory of the portal chain leading back to Twenty-first century Earth holds up.”

Oyo did indeed have a jug of water kept cool by the shade and the breeze at this elevation and she was soon free of Chris, who rubbed his shivering parts while Coyotka and Oyo examined recent editions of ‘The Wander’s Handbook’ and other tomes on inter-world travel.

“Your indexing system is unique, but very efficient for one that can fly.” Coyotka admitted. “When we pass back this way, I will have to take you up on your kind offer to lend the University some of your spare copies. Perhaps I can return the favour by extending you an invitation to come study at our institute?”

Chris frowned. “I thought you said that the university was closed?”

Coyotka whirled on the fox. “It’s open as long as we have even one student.” Then she turned back to the owl with a smile. “Although I would think you would qualify as a visiting academic.”

“Thank you, Coyotka, but being a student at such a prestigious academy as yours is enough for me.” The owl finished making notes that the coyote could carry with her and consult along the way. “I’m sorry that I can’t give you my copy of the latest Wander’s Handbook, but I can’t risk losing it. You will be travelling though some very dangerous territory.”

“I understand. The notes will suffice, I’m sure. And you’ll accompany us as far as the eagles?”

“Yes. It will be nice to get out and about. By the Solstice, I haven’t left this town in over five hundred years.”

After packing a few essentials and a good supply of wild carrot seed and thistle tea Oyo followed the two Terrans down to ground level.

“Are you sure you don’t mind walking?” Coyotka asked.

“Not at all. I inherited my father’s forward-bending knees.”

Back at the campsite Coyotka introduced the owl to the group of questors. Oyo knew Netyu, of course, but she was glad to meet the other Terrans and Humans.

“Quite an heterogenous assembly.” She commented. “While we get the occasional Human here, they are either seeking religious enlightenment or are lost mountaineers. Terran traders are not unknown, but a tigress, that is usual.

The look on the owl’s face as she looked her over made Junafir feel uneasy, James a little mad and Coyotka a bit jealous. The owl was to find that her research into off-world sexuality would be restricted to observation only, as none of the other couples wished to engage with her personally. She did glean a few clues as to their habits from such things as the claw marks on James’ back and the lopsided way Annie walked after a noisy session in the woods with Gael. Magnus and Netyu were no mystery as they were usually doing it in mid-air; Oyo just had to fly up and poke her head above the canopy to see what acrobatics they were up to.

What the owl was missing out on with the others Coyotka made up for with her demonstrations on the finer points of Bondage, Discipline, and Sadomasochism.

“Ouch. That looks like it really hurts.” Oyo commented when Coyotka was showing off some of the toys she travelled with to use on Chris.

“It does. But as the submissive he is in control of much pain I’m allowed to inflict. The longer he avoids using the safe word the more of a sexual frenzy he creates in me, heightening our eventual release.”

Chris, who was hanging by leather straps from a tree turned and frowned. “What? We have a safe word?”

<whack> Went the improvised paddle Coyotka had carved out of a fallen pine bough. “Quiet, Slave!” She turned to Oyo with a wide smile. “He likes to joke. Don’t you Chris?”

“But what is the safe word? You didn’t tell me the safe word!”

<whack>

Coyotka hastily administered a ball gag. “See what I mean? Always joking”

“Muggrf wassit afe wrrrd?”

“Can you understand him with that thing in his mouth?”

“Of course! He said, ‘let’s try the thistle brush next, Mistress’.”

“Oh!” Oyo made notes in the journal she had brought to record her observations during the trip.

Her herbal remedy against conception proved to be of great interest to the females of the group as the supply of condoms from Earth was growing low. Oyo not only taught them how to brew the tea, she also showed them how to recognize the plants required.

“Why, this is what we call ‘Queen Anne’s Lace’ back on Earth.” Annie exclaimed. “And these thistles grow practically everywhere.”

“We have them on Terra too.” Junafir affirmed. “Although we call it ‘Mother’s Lace’. The thistles are a little hard to find as we have eradicated them around inhabited areas. They tend to get caught in the fur, you see.”

Even Coyotka was impressed. “This will come in very handy on those worlds where coyotes and foxes can interbreed, don’t you agree, Chris?”

“Prse tik auf dis grag.”

“What are you still wearing that thing?”

“Burt uoo read nut ouu rake et auff.”

“I can’t understand a word you’re saying. Take that silly thing off.”

Chris undid the gag he had been wearing for two whole days and said, weakly, “Th- thank you.”

<whack> “Thank you … MISTRESS!”

“Thank you, Mistress.”

During the trek to the portal Oyo filled Coyotka in on the eagle culture she was lacking.

“Eagles fly alone.” The owl-woman explained. “They do not associate with other Avians and frown on cross-breeds. That is why you don’t often see them back in town. They are not aggressive, though they will defend their territory to the death.”

“Do they often have to?”

“No. They are very large and very strong; somewhere between James and Gael in height but not as heavy, despite all their muscle. That’s because of the leanness of avian muscle and our hollow bones. The eagles here are very much like birds on other worlds. They have no arms or hands, but they do very well with their clever beaks and talons. In the early days, before Shambhala found peace,” she admitted, “there were often territory wars.”

“Some of the harpies and griffins I’ve seen are fairly large.” Coyotka noted. “I suppose they were quite a challenge for the handless eagles.”

“Actually not. The eagles have one main advantage in that they can fly in storms, going higher and higher while other birds hide and cower. When they fight other Avians they do it at an altitude where the air may be too thin for the other birds to breathe and maneuver in. When they fight ground-based creatures they dive from the sun, pick their enemies up, if they are small enough, and drop them from great heights.”

“I would think that even rudimentary weapons like spears and arrows would be devastating against flying creatures.”

“Well, despite not having hands the eagles are incredible engineers, and they trade those skills for finished goods such as stainless-steel talon sheaths and titanium armour. That and their ability to weave and roll in mid-air makes them hard to hit.”

“Hopefully we won’t have to fight them then. What else can you tell me about them?

Oyo discussed their social life, how they hunted alone but lived in colonies. “They mate for life,” she mentioned, “and are very picky about their partners. The female eagle assesses the commitment, dedication, skill and stamina of the male eagle by repeatedly dropping a stick from a high altitude for the male eagle to catch before the branch gets to the ground. She uses small twigs to assess his eyesight and heavy branches to test his strength. She does it in high winds also, to assess his agility and stamina. Only if the male eagle catches the twig every time will the female eagle allow that eagle to mate with her.”

“Impressive.” Coyotka said dryly, glancing over at Chris and wondering if she was being too hard on him lately.

No, she concluded. Pain just makes him stronger, like an eagle.

On the other side of the camp Chris saw her looking at him and cringed.

James noted the reaction. “What’s up?” He asked the fox.

“I don’t know, but when she gets that look on her face I know I won’t be sitting down for a couple of days.”

“We’ll be at the portal early tomorrow, and then we’ll be too busy for Coyotka’s ... uh ... hobbies. I can give you some tasks that will keep you away from her until then.”

“Thanks, James. I could use a break.”

Coyotka was a little peeved when she found that she and Chris’s had separate tasks and opposite shifts, but James had done the same to all the couples, claiming that he needed them all sharp in the morning.

The next morning, they approached the eagles’ territory openly, stopping at the line of stones that marked the border. There was no sign of activity.

“Do you think they know we’re here?” James asked.

“Oh, they know.” Oyo assured them. “They have aerial sentries watching the borders and they can see incredible distances. The moment you step beyond those stones they will be on their way to meet us, in force given the, uh, unique makeup of this group.”

She let her eyes slide over the red-haired human male that looked like a barbarian with his big muscles and long sword, the horse with his even bigger muscles and larger sword slung across his back, the warrior woman with only half a head of hair and the emerald spear beside him, and the half-naked tigress with the wicked looking cleaver. Even the mild-mannered deer-man looked formidable with the sapphire sword on his hip, and Coyotka could freeze lesser animals with a glare, even without the long daggers in their black sheaths.

She noted that Chris’s, the former assassin, had disappeared, which he tended to do when danger lurked near. It was not cowardice, she suspected, but a tactic he had learned when he was a working assassin. Coyotka had told her that when the chips were down Chris could be relied on to pop up and stick a dart or a dagger into just the right place to turn the tide of battle. There had been real respect and admiration in the coyote’s voice when she described the fox’s actions in the dragon’s cave, and perhaps a bit of affection too.

“Let’s not make them wait then.” And with that James stepped over the line of stones. The rest followed.

They had not gone a dozen paces when a dozen small dots appeared in the air above the horizon. As they continued to advance the dots resolved into a group of flying birds, birds that glinted in the early morning sun. It was clear given the heat shimmer from the open plain that they were still very far away. It was not very long though before the rapidly approaching Avians closed the gap enough for the group to see that they were eagles, eagles in golden armour. James stopped to wait for them, holding his hand palm down to indicate that the others should remain calm.

The Eales landed out of weapon range before approaching on foot. The ones in the reception party were all as large as Gael. Their plumage, where it showed through their armour, was brown and mottled. Their beaks and legs, where they showed below the knee where the feathers stopped, were dark brown.

“I was expecting something more like the eagles in ‘The Hobbit’.” Annie said out of the corner of her mouth.

Oyo’s head came up. “Hobbits and eagles? Those eagles hardly ever leave Middle Earth. Too large for most portals, you see.”

Before Annie could ask any more questions the troop of eagles arrived. They all wore similar armour, with slight differences that gave them a sense of individuality. They had chest and shoulder protectors and caps of shiny golden metal, which James identified as Titanium. “We trade in it … or used to.” He explained.

The armour covered up all of the vulnerable places that would be exposed while flying. It also did a fair job of protecting the vital spots when they were on the land, leaving just their legs exposed above the steel-clad talons. The toe covers drew furrows in the ground as the eagles advanced.

Behind him, Junafir began to giggle.

“What are you doing?” James hissed.

“I can’t help it. Look at the way they walk!”

On the ground the eagles had lost all their grace. Each step they took made their bodies sway from side to side, but their heads remained fixed and centred as they focused on the strangers. It was a bit comical, and James could sense that some of the others in his group were holding chuckles back. He fought the urge to giggle raising inside him and turned to face the eagle he presumed to be the leader.

“Hail, respected flyer.” He called using the greeting Oyo had taught him. “We come in peace, seeking passage though your lands.”

The leader, the largest eagle in the bunch, answered as his yellow eyes flicked from one stranger to another.

“You come in peace bearing weapons? Why?”

“We have enemies that have followed us across several worlds, seeking to destroy us. There will be more danger ahead. We have to be ready to fight at any time.”

Oyo had said that the eagle could respect such an explanation, and James saw several armoured heads nodding in agreement, but the leader was not moved.

“Surely you do not expect to be attacked while you are in our territory?”

Oyo had mentioned that the eagles were too proud to fight for others, and to imply that they had taken up another’s cause for profit would be considered an insult. James and Oyo had worked out a reply he hoped would be acceptable.

“No sane person would dare to infringe on your sovereignty to attack guests on your territory ...” he began, “... not under normal circumstances. But this is a family matter, and my uncle has been driven insane in his desire to control the family assets.”

Now the leader was nodding his head in understanding. Inheritance of the home nest and leadership of the clan was the one issue that eagles were passionate about, and when there were claimants of equal standing the ensuing fight could destroy an entire brood.

“You are granted peaceful passage on foot,” he informed the human, “all of you.” He added with a sneer at the two Avians in their midst. “Including the fox hiding behind the bush over there.”

Chris stood up and pretended to be adjusting his trousers as he slipped his daggers back up his sleeves.

“Thank you.” James replied before things went sideways. “We are seeking a portal in your territory. The sooner we are through it the sooner we will be out of your ... uh, feathers.”

“That may prove to be a problem”

“What do you mean by that?”

“You shall see.”

The eagle refused to elaborate as he and his patrol took to the air to escort them. Netyu and Oyo tried to fly ahead to check out the route but the eagles forced them to land and walk with the rest.

“Do they think you’re a threat?” Coyotka asked the owl.

“Not a threat, but my crossbreed status offends them. Netyu could be viewed as a threat given that she has arms as well as talons, but her being part eagle is even more offensive to them.”

They continued on across the open plain, toward a group of tall trees that were rising up on the horizon. It was almost noon before they reached them.

The leader of the patrol landed beside James as they approached.

“I’ll leave you now. This nesting area is ruled by a different clan than mine and they can defend themselves.”

“Is this where the portal is?”

“It is, but it may prove difficult to cross through. You will have to negotiate passage with Windwing, the local Chief. But be warned, if you make war on him, or any other eagle, all the clans will come to his defence.”

James had been warned to expect this. Eagle clans were separate entities, Oyo had said, but loyal to their species above all else. “Don’t try to ‘divide and conquer’ here.” She had advised. “Even the weakest, lest respectable member of the weakest clan is treetops above every other species, in their view, and to attack one eagle is to declare war on them all.”

James watched the patrol fly off. “So if this Windwing doesn’t like us he can just claim we tried to attack him and set all the other eagles against us?”

“He could.” Oyo replied. “But to do so without dealing with us himself would make him look like a coward and hurt his status among the clans, so he will more likely goad us into raising arms against him and kill us himself.”

“That would be a costly mistake.” Gael rumbled as he loosened his broadsword in its sheath.

“I’m sure it won’t come to that.” James said as he stepped forward.

Several eagles, similar to but distinct from those that had escorted them here, flew down from the canopy and took up positions above and to each side of them as they neared the trees. There was a road of sorts between the trunks leading into the grove and James followed it. He noted that the lowest branches, still far above their heads, were full of armoured eagles.

These eagles had lighter feathers than the first group, and their beaks were yellow, but they did not have the black and white plumage that Netyu had inherited. That was probably for the best, he thought, as she would be even less welcome in the nesting area of her father, who had broken the code of conduct when he mated with a griffin.

James estimated that they were near the centre of the grove when a gigantic eagle in elaborate armour landed in front of him. He stopped and introduced himself.

“Ah, a scion of the Douglas clan! But no longer the leader of your nest-group, I hear.”

James bristled but, remembering that this eagle controlled the portal, kept his temper in check.

“That is yet to be decided.” James replied. “And I would respectively ask permission to pass through your territory and through the portal therein so that my companions and I may pursue that issue away from where any eagles may be caught up in our feud.”

“I’m afraid that the portal is closed for the foreseeable future.”

“Oh? How so?”

“Come, you will see.”

Windwing turned his back to them and led them farther along the road as more armoured eagles filled the trees and the spaces between them. The road ended in a clearing, where the portal should have been, but it could not bee seen due to an elaborate basket of thick branches that had been woven over it. Windwing allowed James to circle the framework to confirm that it was solidly anchored in the ground and had no entrance.

“Why have you done this?” He asked, although he already suspected the answer. While circling the clearing he had noticed a large number of animal carcasses hanging in the trees.

“It is a matter of, ah, trade policy.” Windwing told him. “A hairless human offered to supply us with a year’s worth of prime beef in exchange for exclusive rights over the portal for the same period. What you see in the trees here is the first instalment.”

“Ross.” James spat the name out. I suspect that we will find similar arrangements at every portal leading off this world.”

“Probably.” Windwing said, and the flesh around his beak wrinkled in what might have been a cruel smile.

Coyotka stepped forward, obviously angry. “I thought that eagles would not lower themselves to work for a snake like Ross.”

The armoured eagles nearby ruffled their feathers at the implied insult, but Windwing just looked amused.

“We would never deign to do the fighting for others,” he began, “but as I said, this has to do with trade. We reached a fair deal with this Mister Ross and built this cage around the portal to ensure that none shall use it without his permission while the deal stands.”

James thought hard. If he raised his sword against the eagles they might win, given the advantage of their magic weaponry, but several of his group could die, and then the rest of the eagles would be after them then too.

“I suppose that this cage you built belongs to Mister Ross now that you have accepted payment for it. It’s not like you are defending someone else’s property, like lowly guards.”

That got to the Chief, and he ruffled his feathers up until he looked like a duster in armour.

“Of course we do not ‘guard’ the property of others.”

“So, you won’t mind if we hack it down then?”

Windwing chuckled. “You can try. That cage is made from ironwood. It would dull the sharpest axe in just a few strokes. It would take you a week to cut through it, and I will not allow you to stay past sundown. That is the limit of my hospitality.”

James pulled his sword from its sheath. The magic was so strong there on Shambhala that licks of flame traced the blade as soon as it felt the air. Gael drew his broadsword also, and sparks flew off the blade as it gathered energy from the surrounding area. Magnus then drew the sword Paul had gifted him and was immediately enveloped in a chilling mist.

“Perhaps just the two of you.” The stag said to James and Gael as he replaced the sword in its sheath and waved away the chilly cloud.

“Very impressive.” Windwing said, although he did not sound impressed. “I would let you have at it right away, but the cage is not ... quite ... finished.”

With that he signaled the eagles in the lowest branches. The birds stared hard at the cage. Nothing happened for a few moments, but then a pale green glow began to emanate from their eyes. The beams widened as they reached down to the cage and merged when they touched each other. Within a minute the entire structure was encased in a glowing green dome.

“Just a little enhancement we offered in exchange for some lamb in the next consignment.” Windwing said waving one wing at the dome. “Feel free to hack through it too, if you can.”

Raising his sword and calling up flames as hot as he could handle, James stepped forward.

Oyo grabbed his arm from behind. “Wait! Don’t use magic on it!”

James turned to face her, as did Gael.

“The dome absorbs enchanted energy and takes on the nature of the magic used against it. If you set it on fire it will blast you with your flames. If you strike it with lightning it will send out tendrils of electric energy that no one can survive.”

James looked around in frustration. “Why didn’t you tell us eagles could use magic?”

Oyo squinted back, unafraid. “Because you didn’t ask. The magic field is strong on Shambhala; it’s what keeps us young and healthy. Almost everyone here can do some sort of magic, I myself am adapt at wind magic, but eagles specialize in this sort of defensive shield. I would have mentioned it earlier but it is rarely used, and only against the most formidable foes.”

“Can you blow it away?” James asked.

“It would blow back a hundred times harder.”

“What would happen if we aim a jet of water fine enough to cut steel at it?” Magnus suggested.

“You would flood the grove.” Windwing answered for her. “And since you can’t fly ...” He ended with a shrug.

“I could call the local wildlife here to tunnel under it.” Annie said, fingering the emerald on her spear.

“It forms a complete globe around the portal, and it would take on the attributes of whatever animal you set against it.” the eagle answered.

“Is that bad?” Chris asked.

The Chief of the eagles squinted and looked up in thought. “Imagine a twenty-foot green badger coming at you.”

“I know.” Magnus said as he produced his magic lute with a twist of his father’s ring.

“Magnus no!” But before Netyu could stop him the first clear note rang out.

It was returned and amplified by the dome to such a degree that it knocked the deer-man from his feet and made his lute disappear in a puff of purple smoke.

The griffin helped him to his feet.

“What were you thinking?”

“I thought I could dance it away from the portal.”

“Does it look like it has legs?” Coyotka snarled. She continued without waiting for an answer. “No, it doesn’t. It does not have ears or eyes or a heart or a soul or anything else you can influence with standard magic.”

She dropped to one knee and began fumbling in her pack.

“Looks like you can’t break through without attacking the eagles that are creating the shield.” Windwing said dryly. “And you know what doing that means.”

“We have one last trick up our sleeves.” Coyotka said as she produced the headpiece of the holy spear from her pack. She placed it on the end of the staff that she was using as a walking stick and twisted it on tight.

“Coyotka, wait.” James tried to stop the coyote, but he was too far away to intervene.

“The only way to defeat magic is with more powerful magic, right?” She said as she leveled the spear and drew it back to strike.

“What if the dome takes on the attributes of that thing?” Junafir yelled, but it was too late. Coyotka had already thrust the spear of destiny at the dome with all her might.

There was a blast of light and energy that temporarily blinded all the creatures in the clearing. It broke the eagles’ stare, but the dome did not disappear when they closed their eyes in pain. When they could open them again they saw that the dome remained, but now it was a luminescent gold.

Like all the creatures on the ground around the dome, Coyotka had fallen backward when the blast hit her. But despite being so close she was not hurt, thanks to the spear, perhaps. She recovered quicker than the rest and picking herself up, she approached the dome again.

She poked at it gently. This time, instead of causing an explosive reaction a circle opened up in the dome around the head of the spear. She could see the wooden cage though the hole. As she advanced the hole grew, and by the time her body was even with the dome the hole was large enough to walk through. She planted the spear on the ground and turned back to face Windwing.

“I suspect that nothing short of a holy relic could get through this dome now. Ross won’t be able to deliver the next consignment, lamb or no lamb. Looks like your deal with him has been voided.”

The Chief of the eagles looked hard at the spear and then at the rest of the group, whose weapons were all drawn and fairly spitting magical potential. Then he glanced at his troops. Most of them were biting their tongues and shaking their heads quickly back and forth.

“I agree.” Windwing said, turning back to face Coyotka. “Having failed to advise us of the true nature of the threat and thus exposing us to the risk of facing holy weaponry makes our contract with him null and void. You may dispose of the cage as you will, but uh ... I would be grateful if you came back and got rid of this dome when your business with your uncle is concluded.”

“I’ll start researching how to do that right away.” Oyo offered before turning to Coyotka. “I know that you will be too busy and I believe I have the right books in my library to do so.”

“Yes. Good idea.” Coyotka conceded.

Oyo moved closer and said in a low voice, “Did you know it would do that?”

A smug look came over the coyote’s face. “I studied holy relics under Professor Mudhump for two years, but he was suffering from dementia by then so, no. I had no idea what it would do, but it was worth a try.”

“Are you sure that you won’t go with us Miss Oyo?” Magnus asked as James and Gael stepped through the hole in the dome to cut an opening through the wooden cage with their magic weapons.

“No, lifetimes on other worlds are too short for my life’s work. I must stay here and complete my library.”

“I used to feel the same way too.” Coyotka said while caressing the cheek of the owl-woman. “I’ve found that life feels much longer when you get out and see things first-hand. I think I understand now why the Wanderers wander. It’s not just to learn, but to live while learning.”

“Oh, you are much braver than me, dear Coyotka. Maybe one day I’ll be brave enough to follow in your footsteps.”

While the owl and coyote talked Netyu guided Magnus away from the rest. When they stopped out of earshot she put a hand to his cheek.

“Magnus ... I ... won’t be going through the portal either.”

“Wha- ... Why not?”

“Partially for the same reasons as Oyo, and partially because doing so would put your friends in danger.”

Magnus was distraught. “How could your coming put us in any more in danger?”

She stood back and spread her wings. “Look at me. Even a loose robe and a deep hood can’t cover up these wings.”

“Maybe you can fly above us during the day and come down to join us at night, when it’s safe.”

“I’m nowhere near strong enough for that yet. And I’m not a fighter. Every time this Ross or his hirelings attacks, you’ll be trying to protect me rather than your friends. No. I should stay here.”

“But Netyu, I ... I ... I think I may ...”

“Love me?” She smiled and touched his face. “Maybe you do, and maybe I love you, but it’s too soon to tell.”

“What if I wan to spend my whole life with you?”

“Then spend it here. Give Chris your sword and stay with me. But you will not just be abandoning your friends, you will be abandoning your quest to find your father also.”

Magnus opened his mouth to speak but just then the last of the wooden cage collapsed, the way to the portal was opened and he felt a vibration against his chest. He pulled his father’s tooth out and stared at it.

“I have so many questions for him.”

“Then go find him. And see your friends safely to their homes. After that, if you still feel the same way about me, come back and we’ll sing together again for as long as you like.”

“For a lifetime here on Shambhala?”

“If you can stand it; many off-worlders can’t. The years drag on their souls it seems.”

“Has anyone ever done it?”

Netyu was silent because she did not know the answer. Oyo was passing by on her way back to the road and heard the last bit of the conversation. She answered for the griffin.

“Yes, Magnus. A very few have.” She stepped up to him and placed her hands on his chest. “But you will need to find peace with self first, and you can’t do that if you have unfinished business.”

The stag stood back and thought about that, about his quest to find his father and his pledge to help James and the others.

“I should go with my friends.” he said with a heavy heart.

“Yes.” Netyu said as she leaned up to give him a kiss. “You should.”

“I will see you again.”

“I hope so, with all my heart.”

They embraced one last time. then Magnus picked up his pack and went to join the rest of his party inside the dome.

The others were downing the disguises they would wear while travelling in the human realm of medieval Earth. Magnus pulled his outfit from his pack and began to dress too.

James appeared beside him. “Everything okay Magnus? You look a little down.”

“I’ll be fine.”

“You sure? What happened back there?”

Magnus heaved a sigh. “I just learned why you can’t write a love song until you’ve been in love, and why I could never sing a song about lost love convincingly … until now.”

“I get where you’re coming from. Sorry about that buddy. Do you need a little time? We don’t have to cross over right away.”

“No.” Magnus said, hefting his pack. “Let’s go.”

Gael Tholkes © MarcusXLight

Junafir Pawstone © Frostlupus

Netyu © Frostlupus

Oyo © Frostlupus

Chris Cinereo © Kyroo Echos

Constance “Coyotka” Jotkowska © Coyotek

Magnus © Thwaitesy