by Atlas Kane
Cade swept her pants off, throwing them away in his haste, and both Satemi and Minda gasped at his urgency.
He fell to his knees and rubbed Minda’s clit with his hand. She was wet, her sex hot with desire. Cade looked to Satemi whose body was tensing, her hand moving frantically in her pants. “Take them off! Please, show me all of you, Satemi. Keep the mask if you will, but show me the rest.”
Satemi obeyed and removed her pants, then spread her long legs, displaying herself in the firelight. She slipped two fingers inside herself with one hand and continued to berate her clit with the other.
Cade’s voice came out like a growl, and Minda bucked back against him, pressing herself into his hand. He slipped three fingers inside her and began to thrum them front to back, gesturing urgently for pleasure.
Minda was about to cum, but his hand wasn’t enough for the woman, not on a night like this. Pulling his fingers free, he put them in his mouth, relishing her wild taste. Then, watching Satemi and staring into the two holes in her mask, Cade thrust his dick into the beastkin.
He wasn’t gentle, didn’t bother with grace or ceremony. Cade crushed Minda’s hips in both hands and bucked. The mounting climax burst almost at once, Minda writhing against him. “Cade! Harder, Cade! Yes!” Minda moaned, her head resting on the ground and her hand cupping his balls as he slammed his body into hers.
Cade’s muscles sang, the fire of the drug moving through his limbs freely. It felt like his body was aflame with another orgasm, but he didn’t cum. The sensation simply kept mounting. He growled at the terrible joy of it all. Satemi’s smooth belly pulsing as she came, her hands refusing to stop as she mounted orgasm after orgasm. Minda came a second time, tightening around his dick like a vise as she howled. Her third orgasm began to spill out like lava. Cade growled, his throat thrumming with urgency, and each breath brought greater depths to the sensations. And as he finished again, all went silent.
His body floated, Minda still attached and soaking the ground beneath them. He knew Satemi watched still, observing the exquisite musculature of his body this world had given him. Yet Cade only stared up at the stars, endless and undeniable. What world is this to be so pure? What joyous life have I been given?
Cade pulled himself free, the pent-up fluid of their union spilling to the clay near the campfire. He urged Minda to crawl a few feet closer so that her friend could hold her. And behind them both, Cade fell into place once more, holding both of the women he was so quickly falling in love with.
27
Hung Over and Hanging On
When Cade woke, his head throbbed and his breath tasted like their new pet had shit in his mouth. Bellows was cheerful despite the grogginess of the three partiers. Minda unwound herself from a groaning Satemi, and as they stood, the humor of the situation took hold.
None of them had their pants on, and their bodies were streaked with red clay and ash from the fire. There was no way to begin their day other than trudging up to the waterfall and drenching their sin in fresh water.
When they were done, a meal was made collectively, and they ate in silence. The drug was more forgiving than Cade had imagined, however, and soon they all felt themselves again. The food, the bath, and donning clothes again made them recover by late morning.
A welcome surprise came when Cade peered into the shelter and noticed the roof of interwoven trees had finally sealed off the sky. Just as he’d seen in the other village, their main structure was now a living, solid shelter that would allow no sunlight nor any rain to seep in. It was a marvel to behold, and Satemi and Cade thanked Minda for the impressive contribution to their new village.
“A home is not very inviting without a permanent structure like this one. I’m glad you both like it,” Minda said, her cheeks blushing at the praise. Then, to pull the attention away from her, she added, “And what are the plans for the day then?”
Cade scratched his chin, looking to both of the women in turn. “I know it is a tight path, but I’d like to take a look up the pass. It winds around the mountainside, and I think there might be a plateau to explore up there. Not wanting to go far, not when we have so much more to do in camp, but we should at least see if there are any immediate threats,” Cade said, pointing to the trail that sprung up from the other side of the pool.
Satemi nodded, still munching on a handful of seeds. “That’s fine. I have plenty of work to keep me busy here. Have a mind to build a workshop, one that is large enough for all three of us to meddle in. Will take a few days, but would be worth it I think.”
“Good idea. I’ll head with Cade and make sure he doesn’t die. Our chunky friend there can stay with you. Besides, I wouldn’t trust that huge thing up a narrow pass like that,” Minda replied, scratching the boar’s hide. Bellows ate a great deal of food, and he would need to scavenge for some of his meals. That morning, though, they decided to treat the animal to an all-steak breakfast. So far, he’d consumed almost fifty of the venison steaks. As Cade watched him finish the last, looking up with hope for more written on his hairy face, he knew they’d need to work on a way to grow or harvest more food.
“Fine then, let’s get to it. We will be back in no more than a few hours.” And with that said, they each began to strap on their armor and weapons, preparing for the day’s labor. Though Satemi would only be doing construction, she wore her weapons along with the rest. They would only be safe in this village once they had enough villagers to post an effective guard. For now, all three of them were needed at all times.
Minda and Cade had relinquished all of their Inventory items except for those that would spoil. More handy than a refrigerator, spatial storage was something Cade couldn’t imagine living without now.
He also took his latest creations, two small Bang Sticks and one huge Boom Stick, named for their sizes. The Combustion Powder was easy to work with. It only required impact to set the explosions off, so there was no need for a wick. The acid was another story. He tried pouring it into the hollowed wooden stick, but it ate through far too quickly. They would need to find a way to fire the clay from the stream bed to make the Acid Bombs he dreamed about.
Minda crossed through the stream first, and as Cade followed, he was grateful for the hundredth time that his boots were long gone. The soles of his feet were tough as leather now, and unlike the boots, getting them wet would have no ill effects.
The trail climbed up at a terrible angle, each step demanding. Worse yet was that after only five minutes, the wind picked up, sweeping across the rock face. It buffeted their bodies, and when Cade looked down, his stomach lurched. Already, the glade was almost a hundred feet down.
From this vantage, the vast jungle beyond was visible. Cade could see the silver trickle of their waterfall and the placid pool beyond. Their fledgling camp beginning to take shape filled his heart with hope, and he saw how lucky they were to have such substantial stands of trees tucked around the glade. It would be enough resources to last them a very long time if they shepherded it well.
The dark-limbed trees the Earthen Apes lived in were just down the meandering slope to Camp Casmeer. He was shocked to see how condensed an area the beasts lived in. It was perhaps only a couple acres of canopy, but was enough to sustain an entire species, or a portion of their population at least.
Beyond, though obscured by mist, Cade could see the rising bluffs where they’d fought the abyss cats in the bamboo, a ridge of rocky mountains above. In fact, low mountains seemed to rise around them in all directions. He came to understand how truly secluded their glade was. If they could only ensure that the path they were climbing up didn’t lead to some atrocious danger, he could feel certain they were as safe as possible.
“Don’t look too long. If you fall, I will kick your ass, Cade. Just focus on the trail in front of you,” Minda said, panting with the effort of the climb.
Before Cade could reply, he heard two sounds that sent shivers across his arms. The first was Satemi screaming out a war cry, her voice rising fr
om the glade below. The second was a feral roar, one he’d never heard before.
The two sprinted down the side of the mountain in a flash of limbs, fear hounding each footfall. Minda was fast, but Cade’s long legs pushed him on, and soon he found he either needed to leave the woman behind or slow down. Making a split-second decision, he shouted, “Catch up when you can. I’m headed for Satemi!” Then he used Wyrm’s Wrath, increasing his movement speed, and tore away from his companion.
The path was a blur ahead, and Cade knew that if he fell, he might well tumble off the ledge or at the very least tear half his skin off. But the cries of battle below urged him past the point of caution.
At last, the curve of the cliff broke even and Cade could see Satemi below fighting for her life. Fear threatened to overwhelm him as he saw the slick, black hides of the abyss creatures. They were fearsome foes, not beasts one should fight alone. Then again, the bulky form of Bellows stood beside her, a stalwart companion if there ever was one.
Then the stream was breaking away from his furious strides, and he rose up the bank and across camp. Halfway down the slope leading to Minda’s garden, the battle raged.
As soon as he was within range, Cade shouted his Alpha’s Call. The increase in speed and power urged him on faster than ever and rippled through Satemi and Bellows as well. Cade ran and took up the center position, shoving back the lead Abyss Cat with a defensive blow of his buckler.
Arrayed before them were four of the Abyss Cats and two other beasts that were enough to give a full-grown man nightmares the rest of his days. He inspected the newcomers instinctively and brandished his axe.
Maktar Loor - Abyss Bear
Level Unknown
Creature Type Unknown
One of the great bears stepped over the crumpled body of a fallen cat and roared in Cade’s face. The monster was terrifying in form. Like an ordinary bear in many ways, but leaner, its limbs moving too graceful for something so massive. Rather than being covered by a coat of shaggy hair, its hide had the same stretched and oily appearance of the abyss cats.
Along its spine and across the ridges of its skull, a series of onyx bone spines protruded, making the thing look like a creature from hell. Long teeth glinted in its gaping maw, saliva dripping freely. Whatever the hell this thing was, it was hungry.
Cade answered with a Double Tap to the thing’s face. The first round shattered the teeth of the bear and sank into its neck. The second bore a hole in its eye.
The beast didn’t fall.
Rather, it shook its head, sending sprays of blood across the ground. It roared in outrage.
“Blast! Fight defensively until Minda gets here!” he shouted, and brought out one of his Bang Sticks. Two of the cats were circling them, trying to find a more advantageous position to attack from. He tossed the stick before them, and when it blew, one of the monster’s legs was torn from its body. The cat toppled over, hemorrhaging dark blood. One down.
The lead bear closed in, striking at Cade as the remaining cats attacked from the sides. Cade managed to dodge the initial attack and clip the bear with a Culling the Pack as it retreated. Its movements slowed, and the man prepared to dash in and deliver a more substantial blow. Before he could do so, the bear’s eyes began to glow red, and it stood up on its hind legs. Then the bear roared loud enough to shatter stone, ripples of crimson and onyx energy tearing through their ranks.
Cade felt the flesh in his body begin to decay. It was a slow effect, but one that would turn the tide of the battle inevitably. He glanced over and saw that Satemi had fallen to her knees, and she was weakly brandishing a sword to protect herself from the encroaching cat.
Now or never, Cade thought as he tapped into the power of the buckler. Restoration of the Grove rippled out from the small shield, and the man gasped as relief flooded his body. It wasn’t enough to completely heal the corrosive rot the bear inflicted, but it brought him back to fighting form. Satemi stood back up, and in the blink of an eye, she darted forward, her sword cleaving the cat’s head from its shoulders.
The bear Cade fought fell back, allowing the second to take its place. Like the first, it stood up on its hind legs, its eyes beginning to glow. “Fuck no! No way that is gonna happen, you cock biter!” Cade screamed, chucking the larger Boom Stick directly in the beast’s mouth. The explosion nearly knocked Cade off his feet, but when the black mist of flesh and blood dispersed, the bear fell to the ground, headless and unmoving.
Minda ran up, already casting a root spell on one of the remaining two abyss cats. Cade’s blast staff had recharged enough, and he shot the cat in the head, and it fell dead, still being crushed by the enchanted roots.
The four of them stood strong, facing one hulking bear and one cat. Cade felt confidence return, but the feeling was short-lived as five more cats emerged from the forest. It seemed the battle was far from over, but the cats weren’t what Cade was afraid of.
Behind them, a monster stalked, taller even than the huge bears. It had curling talons dangling from nimble paws. A massive saurian head rested atop a sleek and muscular body, a lithe tail lashing behind it. Instead of the sleek, oily skin of the other abyss creatures, this one was covered all over in black scales. Each was distinct, sharply outlined, and glinting like polished obsidian.
It was walking upright.
Fenmali Loor - Abyss Raptor
Level Unknown
Creature Type Unknown
“A fucking alien dinosaur!” Cade shouted, suddenly angry with himself he’d used the largest of his explosives already. He kept the final Bang Stick stowed in his Inventory, hoping to use it when things turned desperate.
The abyss cats charged ahead, forming a phalanx of teeth and fangs. Minda strode from behind, her glowing staff charged with power as she channeled a storm of mana leaves to barrel through their midst.
Howls emerged from the attacking cats, and their bodies were sliced in random places.
Sensing an opportunity, Cade shouted out to Bellows. “Cinder Breath! Now!” The boar responded immediately, opening its maw and roaring. A cascade of orange sparks flooded out between its tusks and tore through the already-flagging abyss cats.
The huge raptor crouched, preparing to pounce. Cade made a second command to the pet, hoping to buy them some time. “Attack!” he screamed, pointing to the scaled horror. Then the boar, its eyes ablaze with hatred, charged the raptor. And as Cade looked on, its tusks rammed into the resilient hide of the abyss creature. Long claws lashed out and hooked into the boar’s flesh.
Chaos reigned in their once peaceful glade, and Cade shook his head, focusing on the hulking form of the final bear as it approached. Ridges of onyx bone emerged from its spine, its shoulders shifting with each step. The bear’s face was gaunt, teeth dripping with a viscous slime, and the air shuddered with its growl.
Out of the corner of his eye, Cade witnessed the unharnessed glory of Satemi wade into the sea of yowling cats. Her swords lit with a blazing light. At her side, the white shadow of Minda’s lithe form darted forward, dagger and staff poised to kill.
Can’t sit by and watch them do their work. They’ll be fine without you, Cade chastised himself, turning back to face the beast before him. The only way he could help his girls was if he killed this son of a bitch as quickly as possible.
The bear raced forward, its mouth snapping towards Cade’s front leg. Rather than move away, he landed a Slug Shot in the beast’s chest. The Daze effect didn’t apply, but the round served to slow the attack. Angered, the bear extended its paw, claws flashing. Again, Cade refused to give ground. He triggered Shroom Shield instead of dodging.
A blast of silvery energy exploded from the buckler strapped to the back of his forearm, pushing out against the bear’s oncoming paw.
The attack landed, and Cade grunted as fevered claws burned across his thigh. But he used the time afforded him to strike back with his axe, using Culling the Pack. Again, the bear suffered from the wounding debuff.
As
the beast recoiled, it moved slower than before, and Cade wasted no time taking advantage of the situation. He flipped the axe over and struck out, blasting the bear on its ribs with the hammer. It countered, forcing Cade to roll beneath the mighty paw.
Rising to his feet again, he cracked the beast in the head, the hammer chipping off a fragment of the black bony crest that ran the length of the bear’s brow.
Cade moved to dive away again, but as he looked up, he saw the beast was stunned. Its head wove in a circle, blazing eyes searching for a target it couldn’t acquire. Goodnight, you ugly bastard, Cade thought grimly, and hacked into its neck three times before the bear’s head rolled to the ground.
Turning to his companions, he saw that Minda and Satemi were paired up against the final abyss cat. Already, blood poured from a dozen cuts across its body. They were fine.
A grunt of pain came from the other direction, however, and when Cade spun around he saw Bellows pinned to the ground, blood pouring from his chest where the massive raptor had cut into him with its claws.
The raptor opened its mouth, preparing to tear the boar’s throat out once and for all. Cade shouted, charging to save his new friend’s life. He fired a Double Tap, the two bullets sinking into the raptor’s sternum. Then he followed the attack with a hammer blow to the same spot. A sickly crack sounded as Cade’s hammer snapped the beast’s front ribs and smashed its heart. The raptor’s body caved in.
The tusk wounds, bullets, and hammer blow had finally taken their toll.
All of its savage strength fled the beast. It toppled forward, slowly collapsing over Cade’s body. Black blood poured out over him. The strangest part was that the blood wasn’t hot as blood should be. It felt no warmer than the air around them.
“Ah! Damn, a little help!” he shouted as a thousand pounds of raptor flesh toppled forward, the monster still rasping out its death rattle.