Chapter 34

Djembe’s Lair, Zebrica

Spike stood poised and ready for whatever the shape-shifting shaman could throw at him. What he didn’t expect was to hear the man cackle with laughter while he wiped the blood from his jaw. His hackles raised; Spike channeled as much power into a firebolt forming in his palm as he could. Djembe merely waved it off and got back to his feet. Although his injury had healed, the seething hatred in his eyes had not. The shaman snapped his fingers and the entire cave began to glow a deep violet. Several runes suddenly appeared beneath Spike’s feet.

“Did you really think that I would not be prepared to fight another magic user? What a fool you are, young Dragon Lord. Charging into the beast’s lair without a second thought. So be it. This shall serve as a lesson to you. Most likely the last one you shall ever learn too.”

Before Spike could retort, evil spirits arose from the runes like living dead, grabbing him by the wrists and ankles. Panic struck Spike’s heart as he struggled to move. No matter how hard he struggled, the skeletal apparitions held fast. With each passing moment, he began to feel weaker and weaker until… every nerve in his body felt like it was on fire. Spike screamed in agony and after a few moments of blinding pain, purple, glowing handprints appeared on his skin.

Kneeling and drenched in sweat, Spike spoke in a raspy voice. “What did you do to me?”

Djembe laughed. “It was not I who did it, but the spirits. They heed my command.”

Spike tried to summon his fire magic but nothing happened. He tried several more times but it was in vain. With a choked sob, he slammed his fists against the ground. “No! What’s going on?! Where’s my magic?!”

“Now you understand, boy. I have sealed away all of your powers. You are little more than a nuisance to me now. How shall I go about killing you? Hmm. Slow and painful sounds exquisite. It is the least you deserve for taking away my future apprentice and bride!”

“Theni was never yours to take, you bastard!” Spike wheezed.

“The alpha takes what he desires and the rest feed on the scraps left behind. It is nature’s way.”

Spike concentrated, urging the Bloodstone Blade to heed his call. He growled in frustration when it failed to appear as well. “Sunset! Don’t come any closer. The shaman’s lair is booby trapped.”

“I can’t just leave you in there to fight him alone! Not when I can—” Sunset shouted.

Tendrils of dark magic surged from Djembe’s back and struck Sunset directly in the chest. The fiery-haired amazon was sent careening out the entrance and eventually struck a tree trunk. Coughing and gasping for breath, Sunset struggled to get back onto her feet. When she finally managed to regain her composure, she realized that an entire pack of hyenas had surrounded her. Ignoring the searing pain along her back, she concentrated on summoning two magic bolts into the palms of her hands. Something felt off about the pack, Sunset mused. They didn’t seem to be afraid of magic like regular hyenas would be. She fired two bolts at the one nearest to her and scored a direct hit, underscored by the smell of charred flesh and fur.

With a smug grin, Sunset summoned more magic. “Bring it!”

Sunset’s moment of triumph, however, was short-lived. The hyena got back up again and began to heal its wounds at an accelerated rate. Far faster than would have been possible had it been an ordinary beast. Not only that, but Sunset could tell by the purplish glow that it was dark magic. Somehow, these creatures were connected to and being given supernatural powers by the shaman. With a frustrated grunt, Sunset realized that killing these abominations would be far more difficult than she originally anticipated.

Djembe paced back and forth. “As of this moment, your friend, lover or whatever she is must have noticed that I made a pact with the hyenas. I am that afraid she will not be able to help you out of your little predicament, boy. She shall be quite busy dealing with them for a while.”

Spike tuned out the shaman’s taunts. All the mattered now was to protect Theni and the rest of the villagers from this maniac. The young Dragon Lord charged forward in a desperate attack, hoping that his training would see him through this predicament. Just like Ember taught him, Spike didn’t try anything flashy, rather trying to find a way to incapacitate the shaman as quickly as possible. To that end, he aimed a swift kick to the man’s ankle. Spike let out a surprised gasp when it had little effect. It felt like kicking a wall of solid stone.

Tattoos all over Djembe’s body glowed with eldritch energy. “Again, you disappoint me. What possible hope do you think you have of attacking me like that? Pathetic!”

With lighting quick efficiency, the dark shaman rained a series of blows against Spike. The young man managed to block a few strikes but it was impossible to dodge them all. Spike cried out in pain when a tendril wrapped around his neck, and slammed him against the cave wall with the force of a freight train. Djembe howled with laughter when he saw how much of a sorry state Spike was in after the attack. Bloody, bruised, and in a tremendous amount of pain, Spike could barely gurgle in response. His vision darkened along the edges while he looked around the cave for anything that might give him an advantage over the shaman.

“I might not even have to transform to kill you, boy. Imagine that. Truly, I was expecting you to be so much stronger. Hmm. You are still quite young, though. Barely old enough to wet your manhood. Perhaps, you have not spent enough time training your body. It matters not.”

Meanwhile, Sunset was in a desperate situation of her own. When raw magic bolts had proven ineffective, she switched over to using the Hydronepitaen energy sword. The glowing, crimson blade was far more efficient at cutting down hyenas, but it still put a considerable strain on her magic reserves. There would come a point where she would become so exhausted that it would be impossible to maintain the blade anymore. The amazon dreaded to think of what she would do if it came to that and hoped that she could hold out long enough to kill them all.

Panting heavily with her skin covered in a sheen of sweat, Sunset swung the blade high and cleaved a hyena’s legs off. “Damn it! The sword seems to keep the hyenas from healing as fast but if I don’t decapitate them, they just reform and come back for more. Spike… please hold on. Don’t you dare die on me. We all need you. Now more than ever!”

Djembe stood at the entrance of the cave, hands clasped behind his back, observing Sunset fight. “The hybrid girl is remarkably resilient. I must say, she may prove to be a more powerful apprentice than the disfigured one. What do you think, Dragon Lord? Shall I take her instead?”

Spike growled. “You… wouldn’t. I won’t… let you… harm, Sunset.”

“You are in no position to negotiate terms, boy,” Djembe chided while grabbing Spike’s chin, "her scars prove that she has survived many battles. Ah, look at that. What a sturdy pair of hips she possesses. Good for bearing strong children. Tell me; what was it like to fuck her? I am willing to bet that she is the dominant one in the relationship. It will be amusing to break her.”

Spike wanted to seethe with anger but chose to keep quiet instead. The Dragon Lord then grasped a jagged rock that he’d managed to find laying on the floor earlier. There would only be one chance to strike Djembe while he was distracted and had his guard down. While the dark shaman continued to watch Sunset fight with the pack of hyenas, Spike slowly rose to his feet.

With the final dregs of his strength, Spike plunged the jagged rock into Djembe’s kidney. The shaman roared in pain as blood gushed out of the wound. This had the desired effect of breaking Djembe’s concentration enough to release the seals holding back Spike’s magic. It also weakened the hyenas at the same time. The Dragon Lord didn’t waste a moment summoning as much magic as he could muster in order to prepare for a transformation into his draconic form. He would not be able to maintain it for long but Spike prayed that the power boost would give him the strength to kill Djembe, so long as he struck hard and fast enough.

Djembe immediately sensed the surge of magic and knew that something was wrong. With a pained grunt, he removed the stone and began transforming into his werelion form. “Clever boy. However, this is but a mere distraction. My body will heal soon enough.”

Now fully transformed, Spike snorted and replied in a rumbling voice. “You shouldn’t waste so much time gloating, Djembe. Should’ve killed me when you had the chance.”

Rather than respond verbally to the quip, the werelion charged forward and swiped at Spike’s chest with his deadly claws. Fortunately, Spike was alert enough to grab both of Djembe’s wrists and keep them from moving. The Dragon Lord whipped his tail around and used it to strike a hard blow against his opponent’s leg. A loud snapping sound echoed throughout the cave, followed by a bestial roar. Djembe crumpled to the ground, cursing loudly.

The shaman managed to heal his injuries at a supernatural rate with dark magic, but Spike didn’t let that discourage him. He pounced on top of Djembe and started slashing at the werelion’s chest, hoping to go in for a killing blow to the vital organs located there. It worked to an extent, but the shaman was quick to respond by slamming his elbow into the side of Spike’s skull. Dazed, the young Dragon Lord staggered to his feet and dodged a vicious downward slash that dug into the stone beneath his claws. Spike lunged forward and bit down on the shaman’s thigh hard enough to make his teeth sink deeply into the flesh.

Djembe began pummeling Spike’s face in order to get him to let go, but Spike was stubborn. Eventually, Spike relented when one of his eyes became so swollen that he could no longer see out of it. Half blind, the Dragon Lord rammed his head into Djembe’s stomach and started lurching forward. His goal was to get the shaman out of the cave and away from home field advantage. In the pale light of the moon, the two creatures stood, bloody and battered.

“So, there is some fight left in you after all, boy.” The shaman remarked.

“Like I told you… when people’s lives are at stake… I can’t afford to give up.”

Out of nowhere, Spike heard a primal scream of rage and witnessed a crimson blur go past him. Even in such dire circumstances, Sunset managed to look fierce and heart-wrenchingly beautiful at the same time. Spike smiled while he watched his mate. Sunset slid forward on her feet to deliver a low, sweeping slash to Djembe’s legs. The attack was so unexpected and swift that he had little time to react. He fumbled forward when his knees were reduced to cauterized stumps.

“Spike! Are you ok?” Sunset shouted in a ragged, but concerned voice.

“I—urgh—shit. Everything hurts. We have to finish him off soon. I don’t know how much longer I can keep up my transformation. It’s… sucking up a lot of magic.”

“The hyenas are dead, at least. Took everything I had but—”

Sunset was abruptly cut off when a tendril of dark magic wrapped around her neck. Djembe tossed her aside like a ragdoll while he crawled along the ground towards Spike. “I shall deal with you later, wench!”

While Djembe inched ever closer, his stumps healing ever so slowly, Spike tried his best to summon fire into his mouth. A gout of cleansing, mystical flames would put an end to the shaman’s wretched existence and save the lives of countless innocents. Just as he felt the heat begin to build up in his chest, Spike doubled over in pain. His magic had finally run out. He was once again human. Tears of frustration stung his eyes while he frantically tried to come up with another way to defeat the evil werelion. Sunset was still unconscious from hitting her head and there was no telling when she’d come to.

A bright teal flash blinded them both, followed by a loud thud as the ground was impacted by something. Standing a few paces away like an angry goddess was Zecora, her eyes glowing with supernatural authority. With a wave of her staff, she summoned the spirits of nature to subdue Djembe. They flowed out of the staff in a kaleidoscope of colors, shapes, and sizes. The evil shaman writhed in agony when they touched him. His skin seemed to sizzle and smoke in their very presence. Zecora stepped forward slowly and with great purpose. She grabbed his mane and looked him straight into the eyes, devoid of fear and full of rage.

Djembe’s eyes widened in disbelief. “How?! You were not supposed to be here!”

“My daughter and Princess Ember warned me that you might be in trouble. At their behest, I came to lend the wyvertii my aid. It would appear that I arrived in the nick of time.”

The dark shaman snarled in rage. “So be it! I shall destroy you as well, Zecora!”

“A beast with such base desires as yours is no match for a true shaman. Especially, one that has been dragged from his lair and crippled. Begone vile one! I banish thee!”

A mighty clap of thunder rumbled from the heavens as she lowered her staff. Spike could barely stand to watch the spectacle because the light was so bright, but watch he did. In what felt like an instant, the spirits crashed upon Djembe like a divine wave, purifying him. He was a man so evil, with a heart so full of greed and darkness that his body was consumed by the light. When all was said and done, nothing remained of the once powerful shaman but dust. When the wind blew, so too were his ashes scattered. To be forgotten and never spoken of again.

Zecora frowned when she saw Spike and rushed to his aid. “My Lord, you are gravely injured.”

“I know. That… fight took a lot out of me. How’s Sunset? Is she ok?”

“Parthenia is tending to her as we speak. Please, save your strength.” Zecora whispered.

Spike closed his remaining good eye and sighed with relief. “Good. She’s… gonna be… ok.”

Zecora cast the most powerful healing spell she knew on the now, unconscious Dragon Lord. It would help to accelerate the process but it would take some time before he felt able-bodied again. “Rest, Spike. You have done well.”

Theni hobbled towards her mother with Sunset slung over her shoulder. “How is he?”

“I am not entirely certain, Parthenia. His injuries were quite severe at a glance. Given his people’s natural hardiness, I do not believe that he is in any immediate danger of dying at this time. But whether or not he sustained permanent damage to his body remains to be seen. All we can do now is wait and pray to the spirits for his swift recovery.”

Theni sniffed. “This is all my fault! If had not been abducted, then Spike and Sunset—”

Zecora kissed her daughter’s forehead. “Hush, child. No one is a fault here except Djembe. Come. Let us sojourn to the village. We can rest and take stock of the situation.”

Two days had passed since the fight with Djembe. Sunset wound up having a mild concussion, contusions, a few cuts, and a mild case of magic exhaustion. All and all, not too bad considering how serious the situation was. She was a tough woman and tended to recover quickly. Spike, unfortunately, wasn’t quite so resilient. For two days straight he remained unconscious. Even with the aid of Zecora’s expertise with healing and herbal remedies, his body needed time to repair itself. On the evening of the second day, the young Dragon Lord finally arose.

Spike slowly opened his sleep-crusted eyes. Everything hurt when he tried to move. It wasn’t severe, crippling pain, but a dull ache that radiated throughout his entire body. He coughed a few times because his throat was so dry and grunted when his chest contracted each time. He would have likened it to getting punched there a few times, but that was pretty much what happened. Without a clock, he couldn’t tell what time it was exactly. He sat up and rubbed his face.

Ember and Sunset were nowhere to be seen. He let out a heavy sigh, knowing that it would have been difficult for them to share a bed with him in his current state. The desire to feel the warmth of their skin pressed against his own was overwhelming. He wanted to make sure that his beloved mates were safe and healthy. Particularly, Sunset. She had fought just as hard as he had against the pack of hyenas. Spike’s reverie was suddenly broken by his loud, gurgling stomach. With as much effort as he could muster, the Dragon Lord dragged his weary carcass out of bed and shuffled towards the door. Spike barely made it a few steps before breaking into a sweat.

Theni came rushing into the room, her bare feet pattering against the floor. “Spike! You must not be up and about right now. Your body is still healing. Please, sit on the bed. Rest.”

“What I need is food and,” Spike paused to sniff himself, “a bath. How long have I been out?”

Theni bit her lip and rubbed her hands together. “Two days by my mother’s count. Ember made sure to wipe your body with a cloth while you were unconscious if that is what you are concerned about. Although, I am not certain if she used any scented oils.”

“Well, a long soak will do me a world of good right now. The hot water will help soothe my aching—ah—everything. Not to mention, I’d rather not smell like stale sweat and old bedsheets if I can help it. By the way, where are—OW—the girls? Are they asleep or something?”

Theni twirled a strand of her hair. “Eating dinner, I believe. Shall I… fetch you something to eat as well? That is, if you feel you are able to draw a bath for yourself in the meantime.”

“Yeah. That sounds great, Theni. Something soft, please. I don’t feel like chewing…”

The dark-skinned shaman bowed. “Of course, Spike. How does oatmeal with berries sound?”

“I’m so hungry that I’d probably eat flavored sawdust at this point.” Spike joked.

Theni gasped in shock. “I would never feed such a thing to you!”

Spike reached over to place his hand on Theni’s shoulder in a comforting gesture when she recoiled. “Sorry, I was just making a joke. Are you… ok? Is there something—”

“Please, pay no mind to my skittishness. I am still trying to recover from my own ordeal.”

“Do you want to talk about it?” Spike asked quietly.

“No! Not right now,” Theni snapped, “The bath should be stocked with all sorts of different oils. Simply choose one to your liking and use the handle to pump in hot water from the underground spring. I shall bring your bowl of oatmeal when it is ready.”

Spike wanted to help comfort the poor girl, but he didn’t want to make Theni feel uncomfortable by doing so. Instead, he decided to leave her alone and take a bath. “Ok, I’ll head out now.”

Getting the bath drawn was more of a hassle than Spike cared to admit. Even so, he let out a contented sigh as he sunk into the steaming water. While he leaned back and closed his eyes, Spike had to fight the urge to fall asleep again. It was a losing battle, for he began to drift off within a matter of moments. He was awoken a short time later by a gentle nudging sensation, courtesy of Theni’s foot. Spike snorted and blinked a few times, trying to shake off the drowsiness. He blushed when Theni giggled and set a bowl of oatmeal near his shoulder.

“What did I tell you earlier, Spike? You still need your rest.”

“I suppose I do. After I take my bath and eat, I’ll head back to bed.”

Much to Spike’s surprise, Theni slipped into the water next to him. “If you insist on bathing, then I shall help you accomplish the task. It will be faster than if you did it on your own.”

“Are you sure that’s a good idea after—”

Theni held up her hand. “Djembe tried to rape me? No, I must admit that I am still not back to… feeling the way I used to beforehand. However, if there is one man I trust, it is you, Spike. I know you would not do anything to hurt me intentionally.”

Spike peered into the water to avoid looking at her. “Ok. I just want to make sure that you’re comfortable with touching me and whatnot. In some cultures, a man and woman bathing together would be considered an act of intimacy. I’m not sure if that’s how Zebricans see it or not but…”

Theni blushed and cleared her throat. “For your information, it most definitely would be. But as you well know, these are extenuating circumstances. So, let us leave it at that, shall we?”

Spike coughed. “Uh… sure. Hehe. What kind of oatmeal is this? It smells really good.”

“A blend of my own creation. I added some honey, currants, and a dash of vanilla.”

Spike slowly began chewing on a spoonful. “Mmm! It’s super tasty!”

Theni smiled. “I am glad that you like it. Hopefully, it shall help you regain some of your strength. Perhaps, if you are feeling up to it, we can move onto a meat dish later?”

“I dunno. We’ll see. Despite my stomach growling so loudly earlier, I don’t have much of an appetite. Probably because my body is so focused on all the aches and pains.”

While Spike continued to eat his oatmeal, he noticed Theni scoot a little closer and lather up a loofah with soap suds. He blinked slowly when she began to scrub his back. It wasn’t as though she was rough about it. No, quite the opposite actually. She was very attentive and gentle. Upon finishing his oatmeal, Spike placed the bowl near the edge of the bath and closed his eyes for a moment so that he could think properly. Was it really ok for Theni to be doing this?

“Theni, listen,” Spike encouraged gently, “I know you want to help me but I don’t want you to feel uncomfortable. I can just wash myself while you take a bath too. Is that ok?”

Hand trembling, Theni began to cry. “You n-nearly died for my sake! If you had the courage to face death itself, how could I, in good conscience, be a coward while washing you?”

“You’re not a coward, Theni. What you went through was terrifying and traumatic. I don’t blame you one bit for feeling the way you do right now. All of us: Ember, Sunset, and I want you to get better. And it doesn’t matter how long that takes. What can I do to help you?”

Theni finally broke down and sobbed. “I have no idea! What Djembe did to me was… unspeakably cruel. What if I am no longer fit to be a bride?! Before, the thought of a man’s touch made me nervous but it also excited me. Now, I am terrified of it! I-I had to sleep with my mother the past two days because I kept having nightmares. I even wet the bed like a child!”

Icy hatred formed deep in the pit of Spike’s stomach. There was no point in being angry at a shaman who was already dead, but he found it hard to let go of the man’s transgressions. At a loss as to what he should do next to console Theni, tears of frustration welled in Spike’s eyes. A bright, beautiful, young woman like Theni should never have to suffer like that. It made him want to vomit and punch a hole in the nearest wall all at the same time.

With the utmost caution, the dark-skinned shaman wrapped her slender arms around Spike’s shoulders and gave him a hug. He didn’t return the embrace immediately for fear that it might upset her even more, but it didn’t feel right just letting his arms hang at his sides. Spike pulled her in closer and began rubbing her back in slow, gentle circles like Celestia used to do whenever he got upset. The poor girl wept openly into Spike’s chest, coating it with tears and snot.

When Theni finally lifted her head, she blushed profusely. “Oh, no! I have made a mess! Please, allow me to clean it up for—”

Spike reached over and caressed the pale side of her cheek. “No, it’s alright. I’ll take care of it. You just focus on calming down and letting all those bad feelings out, ok?”

As soon as Spike finished cleaning himself up, he invited Theni to rest her head against his chest once more. This time, she accepted without hesitation and nuzzled him with a contented sigh. Spike felt like this would have been an appropriate time for a lullaby, but he’d never been much of a singer. Instead, he ran his fingers through her hair, hoping that it would bring Theni some measure of peace and comfort. They stayed like that for a while, until Spike could hear her soft snores. He finished washing up as best he could and carried Theni back to the bedroom.

When Spike went to lie down next to her, she hugged him like a big teddy bear. Feeling exhausted himself, the Dragon Lord patted her hand and fell asleep too. While holding hands, Ember and Sunset carefully crept into the room to check on Spike and Theni. They both cooed at the adorable sight of Theni spooned up against Spike’s back, using him like an oversized, stuffed animal. They silently nodded to each other and exited the room as quietly as they could.

Underneath the Baobab tree, Sunset and Ember watched the sky together. Since Ember was slightly smaller than Sunset, she sat in the crook of Sunset’s legs, while the larger girl wrapped her arms around Ember’s stomach. For a while, they said nothing. Content to enjoy the cool evening air and the beautiful canopy of stars painted above them. Sunset leaned forward and kissed Ember’s neck, eliciting a girlish giggle from the tomboy. In return, Ember turned around, cupped Sunset’s cheek, and placed a gentle kiss of her own upon the older woman’s lips.

“I’m so glad that you’re ok, Sunset.” Ember whispered.

“Me too. Fighting those hyenas was a bitch.”

Ember traced her fingers along Sunset’s thigh. “Don’t get me wrong; I’m happy that Spike and Theni are ok too. But—erm—I thought it was for the best if we gave them some privacy.”

Sunset pressed her nose into Ember’s hair and breathed in her scent. “For sure. We might have gotten our asses kicked, but… rape isn’t something that you can get over quickly. If anyone can make Theni feel better about herself, it’s Spike. We just have to let him work his magic.”

“Sunset, I’m sorry.” Ember blurted out.

The fiery-haired blinked owlishly. “Whatever for?”

Ember caressed Sunset’s arm with her thumb. “For being dumb about showing you how much I care. I’ve never been very good at expressing my feelings. And well… growing up in Brimstone, only having an eye for men, I never considered the possibility of loving another woman. I-I mean, sure I did—still do—love Delmira. But not the same way. Know what I mean?"

Sunset laughed and kissed Ember’s cheek. “No worries. We’re all still figuring this whole relationship thing as we go along. What matters is what we do going forward.”

Ember broke away from Sunset’s embrace, turned around, cupped the other woman’s cheeks, and began kissing her passionately. Sunset responded in kind by using her tongue to wrestle with Ember’s, eliciting a pleasured moan from the tomboy. When they finally broke apart, a thin trail of saliva formed between them. Both women had flushed faces but not from embarrassment.

“I want to make love to you, Sunset.”

Sunset giggle snorted. “Gods! You have no idea how horny I’ve been lately.”

Ember’s face flushed a deeper shade of red. “Sunset! I’m being serious here!”

“Sorry, I didn’t mean to ruin the mood. I want to make love to you too, Ember.”

Ember coughed awkwardly. “Ok, w-well, just… lay back and relax. I want to make you feel good. You’re still recovering and I don’t want you to strain yourself on my account.”

Ember’s sudden tenderness and dedication made Sunset blush. “Sure. Just be gentle.”

The tomboy started by kissing Sunset’s neck and slowly making her way down to her breast. With her hand she gently kneaded one, making sure to tease the nipple every so often and placed her lips around the other. Since Sunset’s breasts were so large compared to her own, Ember had plenty to work with while she used her tongue to flick and swirl around the older woman’s areola. Sunset mewled with pleasure in response, making Ember chuckle.

Ember moved onto the scars that spanned across Sunset’s stomach. They were physical proof of her strength and tenacity in battle. Something that Ember had always admired, but Sunset seemed a bit self-conscious of. Without a shred of hesitation, she ran her tongue along them, eliciting a fit of girlish giggles from her partner. A few tender kisses later, Sunset opened her legs, revealing a glistening, pink pair of lips, ready to be savored. Ember ran her fingers along the edges and took a moment to admire them.

“You’re so beautiful, Sunset. I’m going to enjoy digging right in!”

The fiery-haired amazon let out a throaty moan and grabbed either side of Ember’s head while she put her mouth to good use. “Ugh… FUCK… that’s—don’t you dare stop, Ember!”

Ember giggled while she enjoyed the taste of Sunset’s arousal. Unlike sucking Spike’s cock, Sunset’s entire pussy tasted vaguely of cinnamon and oranges, rather than salty with a lightly bitter aftertaste. Even though Spike never once complained about the taste of Ember’s folds, she felt more than a little jealous that her mate had a more appealing flavor than she did.

Sunset clamped her thighs around Ember’s head and grunted. What followed was a gush of spicy-sweet nectar that coated Ember’s face. Out of breath and riding the blissful waves of her orgasm, Sunset sighed contentedly. “You are so getting paid back tenfold for that.”

“It’s ok. I don’t really need—”

Sunset gave Ember’s nipple a playful flick with her big toe. She gasped in response. “See? I knew it! You’re super sensitive right now. I can tell that you’re soaking wet too. Just let me return the favor, Ember.”

The tomboy blushed furiously. “How? I-I didn’t think you’d notice…”

Sunset chuckled. “For starters, you dripped on me a bit. And—uh—well, I can smell you from all the way over here.”

Ember buried her face in her hands. “My pussy doesn’t smell weird, does it?”

Sunset sat up and wrapped her mate in a tender embrace. She then kissed Ember’s neck. “Of course, not. I mean, sure… it’s a bit strong and musky, but I happen to like it. Very Ember.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?!”

“Nothing, I swear,” Sunset explained, “Everyone’s unique. Yeah. It’d be boring if every girl smelled and tasted the same down there, right? Lay down so we can get started.”

Ember slowly and bashfully spread her legs apart, allowing Sunset to access her womanly folds. She expected her mate to start licking or maybe even just fingering her but that wasn’t what happened. Instead, Sunset straddled Ember and lowered her crotch so that they could mesh together. Before long, Sunset began grinding her hips and then the real fun began.

“I might not have a big, fat cock to stick in there but,” Sunset panted, “this is the next best thing. ANGH! YEEES! Ha… I could do this for hours. Your pussy feels great, Ember.”

Ember simply nodded her affirmation. She was far too busy enjoying the intense, tingling sensation that began in-between her legs and radiated throughout her body to form sentences. With some embarrassment, Ember looked down and realized that she came all over Sunset and a significant amount of her arousal had coated the grass beneath them, making it slick and shiny. She hadn’t even been aware that it’d happened, let alone three times already. The only hint that they’d been fucking for a while was the fact that both of them were drenched with sweat.

After one last, powerful orgasm rocked their bodies, Sunset collapsed atop Ember. They cuddled together in the grass, kissing, groping, and teasing each other in that lazy way that couples do after an intense bout of love-making. No regrets were had by either woman. Both felt satisfied in every sense possible. While they watched the stars and listened to the sounds of the savannah, Ember rested her head upon Sunset’s firm, yet pillowy soft breast and sighed.

“That was incredible, Sunset. I don’t know what else to say except… thank you.”

Sunset breathed in Ember’s scent and nuzzled her nose against the younger woman’s hair. “You’re most welcome, my lovely little sapphire.”

“Where did that come from?”

“Your hair. It reminds me of sapphires. Hence, the nickname. Don’t you like it?”

Ember blushed. “Oh, well—I suppose it’s fine.”

Sunset laughed. “You can give me one too, if you want. Just don’t mention bacon. Like, ever. I hate it when people think my hair somehow looks like thin, greasy strips of meat. It’s insulting.”

Ember ran her fingers through said hair until she found, then teased Sunset’s clit in lazy circles. The scarred woman shuddered in response. “Well, you certainly don’t taste like bacon. Hmm. I can’t really think of anything clever right now. Sorry. Let’s just stick to snuggling.”

“Mmm. Yeah. Sounds good to me.”