Mud and Magic Ch. 08

Rhys gasped air into his lungs. "Sorry, I should-"

Lishaka cut him off with a hungry kiss, hugging her four-feet body against Rhys. He replied with as much fervor, not minding his taste on her lips or tongue. She slid back onto his chest while they kissed. Eventually, they came up for air.

"Nah, it's good," she panted, grinning like a lunatic. "I never considered that humans could spew bucketfuls of that stuff." She licked her fingers clean, eyeing Rhys with a wicked grin. Her hand found his rod, still hard as a pipe. "Still not enough?" she asked.

"I can't help it," Rhys said. "It's been too long." And that thing with Celeste doesn't really count, he added silently. He slid two fingers under Lishaka and teased her, causing the goblin to moan hoarsely. "What about you?"

Lishaka giggled. "Your tongue on me was just an appetizer. Now I want everything!" She moved her butt downwards and lifted herself up until she could trap Rhys' rod with her sex, sliding up and down its length. "And before you ask, I'm taking herbs. No chance of me whelping anytime soon."

A smile tugged at his lips. "Well, since we're already here..."

"Yeah, let's do it before the others wake up," Lishaka muttered, going to her knees and angling Rhys' rod upwards. "Hopefully you'll fit this time."

"This time?"

"Well, last time I had you this close to me," Lishaka gasped, rubbing his head against her sex, "you were a little too big to go in there." She slid him along her whole slit, generously coating the tip with her juices. "But since that day I have been training with one of Chassari's playthings, one of the big ones."

"No need to hurry," Rhys said, cupping her butt and squeezing her buns. "I'm sure the others are still fast-" He nearly choked on his tongue as his tip made it past her labia.

Lishaka made a triumphant sound as his crown slipped deeper into her tunnel. Groaning lustily, the goblin slid down his shaft until her nether lips touched his pelvis.

"Are you all right?" Rhys asked her. Lishaka fixed him with a quirky stare, somewhere between lust and madness. "I... have never been this full," she panted. "Please don't break me~e!" She rolled her hips and squealed, the sound echoing off the trees surrounding the clearing.

"I'm not doing anything," Rhys whispered, simply holding onto her as Lishaka moved, her hips gently rising and falling, nearly every movement causing her to squeak or shudder. She was incredibly tight, like a velvety glove grasping and milking his shaft.

A hoarse rasp from behind him tore into his heated haze. Rhys leaned his head backwards and looked. Borna huddled in the tent's entrance, her loincloth bulging obscenely and one of her hands slowly moving under it. Their eyes met and her angelic face blushed. Quietly, she slipped from the tent. Rhys looked up but Lishaka hadn't noticed anything. The goblin had her head tilted backwards, eyes closed as she rode him. Her fingers played with her breasts, flicking her taut nipples. Rhys pulled himself upright and hugged her close, pressing his mouth onto hers in an eager kiss. Lishaka tensed up and another squeal tore from her lips. She wound her arms around his neck and redoubled her efforts, bouncing on his lap like a woman possessed. Despite his recent release and the image of Borna pleasuring herself, Rhys could feel himself creep closer and closer to the edge. He added a few thrusts of his own, feeling himself slide even deeper into the thrashing goblin and before he knew it, he bucked helplessly against her, flooding her tight cavern with another burst of his cream. Lishaka made unintelligible noises into his mouth, squeals, laughter, moans, as her body was rocked by a cascade of climaxes. Eventually, Rhys sunk onto his back. Lishaka, giggling, slumped onto his chest, her pussy still clutching onto his rod.

Somewhere in the distance, an inhuman roar echoed through the forest. Lishaka shot upright, nearly tearing Rhys' lance out of its socket. "What- what was that?"

I have a pretty good idea, Rhys thought, hugging Lishaka, his hands caressing her scar-riddled back. "Nothing we should worry about," he said aloud. "Let's get cleaned up. How about breakfast?"

"I like the way you're thinking," Lishaka said. "Although I'm not quite sure if I can walk after this." She rolled off him, leaving a huge puddle of their combined juices on his stomach. "And Rhys... thank you." She clasped his hand and squeezed his fingers.

"What for?"

"For making me a very happy goblin. Most humans would rather puke their brains out than even think about..." Lishaka began, only to be cut short by Rhys' lips on hers.

"Shhh," he said. "I didn't even think about that. You are Lishaka, and I'm Rhys. What else is there to think about?"

Her hug nearly crushed his ribs.

* * * *

Without Borna to tend to it, the fire had gone out. Using a fresh load of branches and a quick burst of flames from her fingertips, Lishaka started a new one.

"And I was just about to ask if your magic is back," Rhys said, inspecting his shirt and vest. There still were dark blotches on the fabric.

"Maybe you recharged me," Lishaka purred, nudging Rhys' ribs with an elbow. "Or maybe the bedroll did work. I'm not complaining either way." She critically eyed her robe. "So much for salt water." Lishaka drew a handful of power and enveloped the fabric with a glittering spray of magic particles. The garment suddenly looked like new.

"Are you learning different spells than me?" Rhys asked her. "That's a pretty useful trick."

"Let's just say that after the goblin baptism, I vowed to never, ever be dirty again," Lishaka grumbled. "'Cleanse' was the first spell I learned. I begged Idunn to teach that to me above anything else." She dropped the towel she had wrapped herself in and wound a loincloth around her hips before adding an undershirt and the robe. Once dressed, she repeated the spell two more times, causing Rhys' garments to shine like new.

"My, you're a lively bunch," Chassari said, slithering from her tent fully dressed. "Thisss autumn chill will be the death of me," she complained. "Where'sss Borna?"

"I think... she went to relieve herself," Rhys said, exchanging his robe for his traveling clothes. Chassari was right though. It was unpleasantly cold, despite the fire, and the clouds overhead hung low like a particularly dire omen. "Let's just hope it won't rain," he said. "Although I have little hope."

"If all else failsss, we can sssnuggle up in one tent," Chassari purred, eyeing them knowingly.

"What are you looking at?" Lishaka huffed, digging in the gear sack for a trail ration.

"Nothing, nothing," the serpent-woman said, her hands held out in a placating gesture. "But you know that tents have lousy sound proofing, right?" She sighed. "Now I am hungry and in the mood."

"Leave the rations, we don't need them today," Borna rasped. She stopped by the fire and let a deer slide off her shoulders. "I got us a few steaks."

"Did... did you kill it?" Rhys asked, surprised. There wasn't much in the way of wounds on the carcass.

Borna sighed and slumped down next to the fire. "Poor thing crossed my path, saw me and keeled over dead. Animals and I don't get along." Another sigh. "And I used to love kitties."

Lishaka and Chassari tugged the deer towards the edge of the clearing, chatting animatedly about steaks. Rhys fetched the Infinite Water Bottle from the tent and handed it to Borna. She drank greedily before restoppering the flask.

"Was that before or after you came?" he asked gently. "The deer, I mean."

"You'll never let me hear the end of that, eh?" She fixed him with a long stare. There was no trace of her usual gloom in her eyes, something different instead. Humor? "I have to say, you two were quite the spectacle."

Rhys blushed furiously. "How long did you watch us?" he asked quietly.

"Watch? Not long. Lisha-honey had just claimed your pole. But I heard everything you two did. Your mouth on her, hers on you, all the little gasps and moans. And I smelled your secretions even by the fire. Eventually I had to have a look." She cast down her eyes. "I would have loved to join."

Now it was Rhys who looked away. "I'm not sure..." he muttered.

Borna took his hand with hers. No icy daggers lanced into his skin. "Give me a chance. Please," she whispered. "You seem to be the least afraid of all of them." Gently, she threaded his hand under her loincloth. Her impressive member brushed the back of his hand but she didn't aim for that. Between her thigh plates, there was another area of soft skin and here she guided Rhys' fingertips. Despite himself, he explored. There was a pair of lips and as he fumbled around blindly, he noticed both her massive rod and a small clitoris harden. He withdrew his fingers, keenly feeling Borna's gaze on him.

"You don't have to take me up the ass if you don't want to," she whispered. "In fact, I would love to feel you inside me, however you want. I'll make sure to touch myself with the stone beforehand."

Rhys closed his eyes. Images of Borna writhing in front of him, beckoning him to mount her, sprung up before his mind's eye. A part of him was deathly afraid of lowering his guard around her, while another, the rational one, reminded him that Borna wasn't dangerous by choice, only through a lack of understanding of her own powers. Without the negative energy radiating off her claws and stinger, she was alien, yes, but not a living, breathing hazard Galdor and the others made her out to be. And it didn't take an archmage to see that she was very lonely.

"How about this?" Rhys said. "Once we're done with the supply depot, let's talk about it again."

"Is this a 'no, thanks,' only wrapped in a diplomat's robe?" Borna asked, the sting of rejection imminent in her voice.

Lishaka cawed at the edge of the clearing, holding aloft a bloody piece of meat. The dripping hunk reminded him sharply of his dream. Shivering, he returned his attention to Borna. "No," he said emphatically, sliding his hand under her loincloth and closing his fingers around her rod. She flinched, a look of utter surprise on her angelic face. "I'm a simple farm boy. To me, a 'no thanks' is a 'no thanks.' I'm just saying," he caressed along her member, causing Borna to draw in long, shuddering breaths, "that if we go ahead with this, we should do it back at the tower, in privacy and at a careful pace so we both derive the most pleasure from it." His fingers left her throbbing hardness, causing her to moan in disappointment. He moved his fingertips lower, parting her lower lips and caressing her moist folds. Borna clamped her teeth around her wrist to keep from squealing. "Is this agreeable?" Rhys asked, locking gazes with her. Borna nodded hastily, her tail slapping the cold grass behind her. Rhys' thumb caressed her clit one last time, leaving Borna a shuddering, wheezing mess. He stood up and hugged her, kissing her lips. Her clawed arms came around and nearly broke him in half.

* * * *

"Fried mushrooms and venison," Rhys said, looking at the plate in his lap. "Who needs an inn?"

Lishaka, busy chewing, simply nodded. She gulped down her bite with a long pull from her water cup. "What luck that both Chassari and I know how to draw game. We have more tasty meat than we can carry now."

"Let's hope that this is a fortuitous omen," Borna muttered, popping a few mushrooms into her mouth.

We could really use one, Rhys thought. Another dream of Desire. She's probably trying to get into my head after my refusal to use that idol of hers. But even to himself, the thought felt hollow. "Whatever we do, we should be very careful. These woods are unknown territory for most... all of us."

"You can say that again," Borna snarled. "I nearly got lost earlier. And I never get lost. Not with my nose."

"We'll travel asss a group," Chassari suggested. "No ssscouting ahead, no 'trying to find ssshortcuts.' It will be slow but safe." She tore a piece of meat off her portion and chewed languidly.

"What if Borna notices someone spying on us?" Lishaka asked. She sat close to Rhys, her knee touching his leg. Despite the generally serious mood, she grinned from ear to ear.

Chassari swallowed hard. "It'sss not an order, merely a suggessstion," she said, shrugging. "Rhys is our group leader, he has final sssay."

Rhys raised a hand. "I'm fine with taking suggestions," he said. "Just so we're clear. I'm probably the one with the least experience out in the field. I could and should learn from each one of you."

"We're happy to help," Borna said. "But in the end, someone has to make final decisions. The moment we stop and argue, we're probably dead." Her tail slithered through the grass and wound around his ankle, squeezing gently. "This is the second time we're out and about together and twice already you have saved my scaly ass. I don't need any more proof that you should lead us."

"Me neither," Lishaka said, squeezing his thigh.

"I can watch out for myself," Chassari calmly assured him. "But you have shown to be a decent team player, ssso I will do my bessst to keep up with you."

"Thank you. I'll try not to let any of you down," Rhys swore solemnly.

"You value our opinion, yesss?" Chassari asked.

"Sure. What's on your mind?"

She pointed upwards. "We should be going. It'sss almost noon and the weather probably won't hold. We're better off under the trees than out here."

Rhys nodded and wolfed down the rest of his breakfast. The moment they packed up the tents, the first drops of rain hit.

* * * *

Four very wet and grueling days of forced march later, they reached the edge of the forest. Rhys didn't know what had been worse. The constant rain soaking them to the bone, the forest seemingly creeping up on them from every angle, alive with threatening sounds, their brisk marching pace, long nights with little sleep -- they had decided on a three-person watch cycle, which alternately included both spellcasters -- or the simple fact that no one actually tried to attack them, despite Borna's steadfast assurances that they indeed were being followed.

"I'm ready to kill someone," Lishaka snarled, cowering in a bush next to Rhys. For once, the rain had stopped and in the leaden light of dusk, they could see their target. It had been placed on a fire-cleared patch of land easily double the size of the inn's plot. There were watchtowers at the corners of its square palisade and another pair of towers guarded the main entrance. Carver's black-and-gold axes-and-goat head banners flew from each of them. There were other banners but Rhys could only see the elaborate cross-beams they were mounted to peeking over the wooden fortifications. The palisades were manned by at least a dozen armored warriors shivering in the evening chill.

Looks more like a frontier fort than a simple supply post, Rhys thought. Not that I'd know one from the other. He could feel Chassari move behind him. Four days of enforced closeness with his companions had sharpened his instincts. He could sense their presence, almost like he could sense power sources.

A second later, her hand caressed down his back, cheekily cupping his behind.

"I am ready to infiltrate the camp," she whispered into his ear, her long, forked tongue tickling his earlobe.

"Shouldn't you wait until it's completely dark?" he murmured back.

Her scales rustled softly as she shook her head. "One of the guardsss is heading thisss way. I'll wear him as a disguise. No need for ssstealth that way."

"And we have to watch over his unconscious body?" Rhys whispered.

"Who saysss anything about him being unconsciousss?" Chassari bared her fangs. "I didn't know you cared for Carver'sss swine. By the time we're done tonight, they'll all be dead anyway."

A fist clamped around Rhys' stomach. "I... thought we..." He closed his mouth. Of course she's right. We can't let anyone leave. Suddenly, the whole weight of this operation dawned on him. He snatched one of Chassari's hands. "Whatever you do, be gods-be-damned careful. I don't want to lose you."

She hugged him from behind, both hands caressing down his front, homing in on his crotch. Rhys froze. But it wasn't Desire's sultry whisper in his ears, only a soft, serpentine sigh of appreciation. "Don't worry. It takesss more than a camp full of thugsss to ssstop me from coming back to you." She caressed his rod through his trousers before disappearing between the trees. A few moments later, Rhys heard a surprised noise, followed by a horrifying, gurgling sound. He shifted his weight onto the other foot and strained his eyes, trying to see in the deepening gloom. A guard slouched back to the camp, the living embodiment of low morale and fatigue. He saluted at the main gate and strode right in.

"Now we have to wait," Lishaka whispered, backing out of the shrub. Rhys followed her example and they retreated back deeper into the forest. On the way there they found Borna, dragging the naked corpse of a guard. She had closed up the horrible throat wound he had suffered with clumps of earth, but the most horrifying aspect of the dead was his face. Most of the skin was missing and the bones underneath had an ugly, molten appearance. A nasty, sour stench assaulted Rhys' nostrils.

"What happened to him?" Lishaka asked no one in particular. Borna chuckled as she dumped the corpse into a hollow off the path.

"You didn't know? Chassari can spit poison," the demon princess rasped.

Rhys paled, involuntarily cupping his crotch. How often did she have him between her lips! Borna giggled, almost placing her claw on his shoulder. She stopped just in time. Today, her hands and the tip of her tail were sheathed in life-draining energy. Rhys could feel the hellish chill seep into his skin, even from almost a hand's width away. "Don't worry. She usually drains the stuff when at the tower. Galdor uses it to clean his tools."

"I...I did not know that," Rhys sputtered. He rubbed his hands together. "I wish we could at least light a fire."

"Yeah, and announce our arrival with naked Allura worshipers putting on a show," Lishaka added.

Borna hissed, wheeling on her heels. Her tail missed Rhys by the slimmest of hairs as she leaped onto a low-hanging branch.

"What is it? Our invisible stalker again?" he asked.

"Don't make fun of me," she snarled. "There was someone!"

"We can flush them out if you want," Lishaka said, her hands aglow like twin infernos.

"And have some Allura worshipers put on a show?" Rhys said. Instead of preparing a combat incantation, he sheathed his body in Armor. Next he cast a low-intensity Light spell on a pebble and hurled it in the direction Borna was scouting.

For a few moments, it was quiet. Suddenly, a huge lizard-like creature crawled closer on thick, stumpy legs. Its back looked like a fallen log, covered in moss and fungi, the snout was triangular, with irregular teeth poking from its upper and lower jaw. Slowly, the maw opened. It could easily swallow either of them, even Borna. But it wasn't interested in the frozen trio. A disgusting, pale-pink tongue flicked out of the maw and curled around the dead soldier, effortlessly reeling him in. With a sickening crunch, the maw fell shut, cleanly cutting off the feet and one dangling arm. Three small tentacles sprouted from what Rhys had thought to be knotholes on the beast's back, picking up the remaining pieces. Uttering a satisfied growl, the thing slithered back into the inky blackness of the elven forest.

After a few minutes Lishaka exhaled slowly. "Is... is it gone?"

"Hopefully," Borna said. "Fighting that could have turned into a huge problem. Even with all three of us."

"Any ideas what that was?" Rhys asked.