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Chapter 1

All the guys looked forward to turning 16. It's when we became adults. It was when we could stop masturbating and actually fuck for a change. The ceremony had been the same since the beginning. A herd's young will always be welcomed into adulthood by the experienced. Some of the other bucks were nervous, fretting over what would happen at the circle, but I was excited. I'd heard stories. There were songs sung by the elder stags, and dancing, and then there were drinks that went quickly to a young buck's head. As the moon got full the dancing would turn into play, wrestling and tests of strength with antler locking.

After the dancing we painted each other in the signs of our people, the old glyphs so that we could feel our joining to mother moon and the depth of our connection to the father tree, and then they took us to the breeding stone and made us into men of the herd. Elder males would come one and a time and mate a young male, pushing the seed of our people into him as the others watched and pleasured themselves, some cumming on his body and across the ancient stone, and once that boy was spent, he was a boy no more, but a man of our herd, and the next boy would ascend the stone to lie in the cum of the others and receive his passage into manhood. The first man could rejoin the festivities and take one of the others boys if he wanted, and in this way it would go around until all the males were raised to adulthood.

Some worried that it would hurt, or that they wouldn't enjoy it enough to cum, but I didn't worry about it at all. I was excited. I didn't think I was exactly like the other young bucks of our herd. They fancied the does, spoke of wanting to pierce the tender wetness of the maidens and take a mate, but I was much more transfixed by the thought of being bred by the other males. It wasn't unheard of for a male to take up with other males, but it was seen as a bit less than desirable. No young would come of that. Often males who preferred other males were encouraged to mate a female whose mate had passed, just to produce young. We always needed more young.

I was sure I could do it if I had to. I'd heard it felt good to be inside them, so even if I wasn't attracted to them, if I could get going, and I thought I probably could, I could provide service, but I hoped to find a male to mate with, and hopefully one from my own herd, though I was willing to go on a sojourn to look for other herds if I needed to. The lands around us were fertile and there were other herds about.

So long as I stayed far from the Pack lands to the north, and the Pride lands far to the east I should be safe. Carnivores, wolves and lions, were frightening creatures. All carnivores were frightening, but they were definitely the worst. I'd heard many horror tales of young men who'd ventured into their lands to look for places to start a new herd and had never come back. They ate flesh. There were the Denlands to the west, and the foxes there ate flesh as well, but they seemed generally less hostile, and the Murderlands with the crow people, they were south of us. They were friendly enough, but strange. They saw the world differently, and their black eyes were somewhat disconcerting.

"Teeawin, are you ready for the rite tonight?" My brother asked as he happened by. He was two years my senior and had already gone through the ceremony himself. He'd be at the rite tonight and might even be one of those to take me. The idea didn't upset me at all. He was strong and attractive, and I knew he was well endowed as well. I had first realized my attraction to males with him. When we'd been younger he'd introduced me to self pleasure. I'd caught him stroking himself while sneaking a peak at the does swimming in the pond near the village, and he'd told me to shut up and come watch. They'd been nude, not even dressed in their underthings, and he'd reached into my lap casually as we'd watched them, pushing his finger beneath the fabric of my woven pants and grabbing my sheath.

I hadn't even understood what he was doing at first, but it hadn't taken me long to get hard. Unlike him, though, I wasn't watching the females. I was watching him pump himself, his pointed shaft throbbing as he grew more and more excited. I'd cum first, though, and he'd laughed at me as he'd taken the hand pumping me to himself, rubbing my cum down his shaft as he'd finished.

We'd done that a few more times together, but eventually he'd gone through the ceremony and then he'd started fooling around with females and we'd stopped. I hoped he would fuck me tonight. It would be like a completion of what we'd started so long before.

I nodded. "Of course I'm ready. I've already got my loincloth!" I told him excitedly. All the men at the rite wore them. They were colored to match our fur, and were just a belt with two flaps that hung down to cover us, one in the front, one in the back, though the back one had a hole for our tails. It was ceremonial garb and it provided easy access to our cocks.

He laughed. "Most of you don't pick that up until you go to leave. What, are you thinking of starting a new fashion trend? Some of the does around here might like it. You should go for it."

I flicked my ears at him nervously. "I'm not the only one who has picked theirs up. You only get to become a man once!" I told him a bit defensively.

He just laughed again. "True enough, I guess. I'll see you later tonight, Tee."

"Later, Von." I waved as he left.

My next stop was the Inn, a small place near the edge of the town that rented rooms to those from other herds who were passing through. I was curious to see if there were any strangers in for the Rite. Sometimes men came in just to be involved, and that was an exciting prospect. Having strangers come in and use my body was just a bit exciting. Besides that, Arkelit, the Innkeepers husband was a beautiful buck that I'd often found myself attracted to. He'd gone to Rite with my brother, though they didn't know each other very well. He had an uncharacteristically dark fur that I had trouble keeping my eyes off of, and his antlers were impressive, a wide, masculine spread. I wasn't sure if he participated in the rite or not, and I thought that curiosity more than anything else had brought me where I was.

I knocked on the door before coming in. "Hello!" I said cheerily, entering the small dining area and entrance hall.

"Oh hello doll!" Chiki said, Ark's wife. She called everyone doll, even those whose names she could remember. "Sit down sit down!" She encouraged. She had a way of making everyone feel welcome. Unlike her husband, she had fur just dark enough of a beautiful beige that she was dismissed as a possible Fieldendoe. Her family had been disappointed, but I really didn't think that a life like that was for Chiki, she was too outgoing and not snooty at all.

"So many visitors." A usual at the inn grumbled. She was a woman of middling age who was sort of part of our herd, but seemed to stick to the edges of ours and a few others instead of really belonging. She spent a lot of time at Chiki's inn. She and an older man who, like Ark, was a storyteller were the only two in the inn.

I looked around a bit for Ark, but didn't spot him. I tried not to look disappointed. It really probably wasn't good to be fawning over the man of the woman who was always so sweet to me and everyone else. "Anyone new in for the rite tonight?" I asked, taking a seat by the bar area. I couldn't drink until tonight, but we didn't really worry too much about those kinds of things. I could still sit at the bar.

Chiki passed me something non alcoholic. "Yes, a few, they're resting upstairs." She smiled, her smiles always looked like they were hiding something. "Are you excited?" She asked me, sounding excited for me.

"Great time in a young man's life." The old man said. His antlers were sheared off, meaning he was wasn't looking for a mate even though his was dead, and his position was such that he'd be protected by the herd anyway. He was a great storyteller I knew, but everyone called him 'old krav' and 'krav' was just old language for 'man.' I didn't know his name.

"I think it a strange arrangement, having men screw boys into men who are supposed to find wives. Seems counterproductive to me. I mean I've seen a man make a man cum and it's more than I can do for a man." Chiki said, laughing. The woman, Fela, snorted and mumbled something, so Chiki went to go harass her.

Ark came down and glanced around the room. He walked behind the bar and smiled at me. "If she asked you a question and then rudely walked away, you can always express your answer to me." He said, voice warm, deep, and smooth.

I felt a stir of desire. "She was just expressing her opinion that our tradition of manhood is strange. I like it." I said, having trouble meeting his eyes directly. "Are you coming to the rite tonight, Ark?" I was looking at the fur on his powerful arms. It was so dark and smooth. I really wanted to touch it.

Ark nodded slowly. "I am, actually. I'll be excited to see you there, becoming a man."

The insides of my ears blushed and tucked them down. "That's good! I mean, everyone should enjoy the rite. I'm glad you're going to be there. I hope I see you during my ascension." I blushed darker and my eyes popped open. Had I just implied that I wanted him to fuck me? "I should go!" I said, and turned to run out the door.

Thankfully he didn't have anything else to say as I made my hasty departure. I spent a good portion of the the rest of the day leading up the rite visiting others in the village and seeing who would be there and who wouldn't. The people I wanted there were all going to be there. I had no illusions about finding a male mate I didn't think there was anyone even remotely interested in something like that, but for a little while I would get to live out some of my fantasies.

A few hours before dusk all of the boys my age in town gathered. There were thirty us, a few of us from surrounding herds. These celebrations were better with more people. The adults gathered as well, all of the men participating coming together to lead us out to the site of the rites. A good deal of the young women in the town were also gathering to see the boys off. Many of them were curious. They knew what happened and more than a few wanted to see, but it was strictly forbidden for them to go. In fact, being caught at the event if you weren't a male was punishable by banishment, and that was a very steep punishment.

I almost felt bad for them. Almost.

We all left the village together in good humor, people laughing and joking until we reached the springs outside of the village. Here we undressed and bathed in the warm water. I couldn't help but look at the other men there, to admire their bodies, and the heavy sheaths hiding their cocks. It wasn't long before I was hard, but to be fair I wasn't the only one who was hard. Excitement was definitely running high.

While I was bathing I bumped into Ark again, actually quite literally. I was drying my face and walking, which was definitely a mistake, when I hit something solid. I pulled down the towel expecting it to be a tree or a rock, or anything other than the object of my physical affections. My cock was still partially hard as I bumped into him.

"Oh, Ark . . . I'm sorry! I was, well, I guess I was not paying attention." I said, ears flushing again.

Ark chuckled. "That's quite alright, Tee." He had black eyes, which weren't terribly uncommon among our people but which suited his overall dark coloring well. His passed down my body, looking me over and letting briefly at my cock. His own was partially out, I realized. A little more of it peeked peaked out as I watched. "Many men find the Rite uncomfortable, but if you relax it can very enjoyable." He offered.

I didn't want to tell him that I'd been practicing already for years. "Did you enjoy your rite?" I asked, eager to make conversation. I was actually just eager to be closer to him while he was naked and hard. I had a powerful temptation to reach out and touch the pink sticking out of his sheath.

"Not at first, but overall I did. Very much." He smiled warmly at me. "Have you thought about who'll take you first?" He asked, tipping his heavy head to one side in curiosity.

I nodded, perhaps a bit too eagerly. Then I laughed. I'd actually thought of it lots of times, and he'd certainly been at the top of my list. "I've . . . I have a few thoughts on the matter, but I'm really interested in who will finish me. I feel like that will be more . . . " This time I blushed so hard I knew he had to see it. I'd been about to say "romantic." I cleared my throat a bit. "Will you be taking me at all? I know you can choose who you're with. There are lots of boys becoming men today."

"I will." He said, smile changing to be a little mischievous. "And which would you rather have me do, start or finish you, little horns?" His eyes were dancing with a bit of amusement. His dick had slid out more, though he still wasn't fully erect. "I suppose I won't be able to call you that for much longer." 'little horns' was a term used for older boys as they approached this Rite.

My shaft had gotten fully erect as he mentioned finishing me. I almost always pictured him being the one. Sometimes it was my brother, but normally it was him. He was the most beautiful male I knew. "I'd hold out for you if you told me you'd finish me." I said playfully, realizing what I was saying was probably inappropriate in some way. Though he'd probably just think it was all in good fun, as most of the guys did.

"Well at least hold out until I get there! And then we'll see if you get aroused enough that you can pay me the honor of climaxing beneath me." He winked. "See you soon." He passed me, his arm brushing against mine as he went.

I was breathing a little hard as I separated from him and went to get dressed in my ritual clothes. The rest of the walk was taken in excited silence as we approached the place where the songs and dance would start. We were on a hill that overlooked the rite stone, a place where boys had become men for years and years.

The event started with the songs sung by the elders, songs of men doing brave acts and achieving incredible things. There were songs of the founding of the first herds, and others of celebrating the joy of nature and the founding of the harvest, and then songs of brave bucks who had fought off the aggressive predators that had tried to come and claim our lands over the years.

As the music ended the games began. We began to square off for wrestling matches. I was in good enough shape that I was actually excited to try myself against others. The older men would play as well, some of them, but it was all in fun. We started off with antler locks. Two of us would stand face to face and lock horns. Then the goal was to flip the opponent with just your antlers. This was a game from when we were still just animals and we vied for females by throwing each other with our heads. It was silly in a way, but some traditions were. Everyone always had fun. When we grew enough horns to lock, it was one of the first games any male played.

I was paired against one of the bigger boys for my first match, and I managed to hold my own for a while before he finally threw me to the ground. We laughed and shook and clapped backs afterwards, and then went on to more matches. I ended up going almost a dozen times and winning most of those, though I lost one more when I stepped wrong and lost my balance. It was astounding how much of the contest was about planting your hooves and getting your center of gravity right.

After the antler matches we began the wrestling, and I was looking forward to this. I would get to be close to some of these men, to feel their muscles flex and work against me. It was the closest we would come to full on sex until the actual event, and in some ways it was more intimate. Erections were common, and it wasn't considered inappropriate to hold a male's sheath while wrestling him. The testicles, of course, were completely off limits, but a firm hold on the sheath could provide a nice low body hold to suppress an opponent.

Again I paired off with the biggest male, and again our match was hard fought with him coming in victorious at the end. He locked me to the ground, his hips pressed to mine, and his arm flat cross my chest. He was hard as he beat me, and his shaft pressed against my balls, which in turn made me hard. He was laughing as we parted, unaware that my arousal had nothing to do with the excitement of the fight, or at least not for the same reasons that his did.

I went on for a few more rounds and then found myself face to face with Ark again. We were playing random matches, and I'd drawn his straw. I was still hard from my last match as I approached him, my loin cloth hanging to one side and exposing my shaft. I smiled at him. "We keep running into each other today." I said, not displeased in the least.

He smiled and nodded. "So we do." He had his own pink erection, not quite as prominent as mine in that moment. His fur was already coated in a thin sheen of sweat and his antlers had the marks on them off his recent contests. He had some dirt up along his side and all along his legs that said he hadn't won all his fights, but maybe most of them or he'd had as many matches as I'd had.

Before Ark and I's match I could see a kind of hunger in his eyes. It wasn't unlike a glint that some of the other males got when they really wanted to win. Then the match was called to start and his hands were on me, and mine on him, both of us struggling to pin the other. He was only a little stronger than I was, but faster. Most boys lost their bouts with men, but no one minded.

Then it was more than our hands and shoulders. Ark pushed me into the ground, though I knew I could flip the situation around it would take me several moments and his cock pressed hard into my thigh as his powerful torso and hands held me down, his hooves pushing me into the dirt. Then he switched his hold. I'd thought he'd be satisfied by the one he hand, but he rolled me partially over against my struggles and grabbed my sheath. I was no longer sure I could get away. Then his hand loosened a little and stroked me twice in an obvious sexual gesture. Our genitals weren't visible to the others, my hips being mostly turned toward the ground. I could hear his heavy breathing in my ear from the exertion, feel the heat of it across the back of my neck.

I let out a gasp that others may have taken just for a struggle, but my cock jumped firmly in his fingers and I felt precum trick from my tip. I'd never been so full of desire before. It was difficult to remember that we were still just wrestling, that I couldn't just give in and offer my ass to him. With a surge of strength I pushed upwards against him with all I had and rolled him to the ground instead, straddling him so my hips were pushed against his from above, my cock slid up against his tail. I had my arm laid flat against the back of his shoulders, and my other hand beneath his hips on his sheath which I gave a vigorous pump to as I tried to hold him in place. I knew I couldn't hold him long. We were too evenly matched in strength, and he was faster and more experienced, but I wanted this moment. I pumped his sheath as I held him, my shaft leaking precum onto his lower back and tail. The crowd was cheering, excited at our close match.

Ark chuckled a bit breathlessly beneath me, and then struggled hard. It took him three tries but he finally flipped me, but his hold was a little weak in places. I realized that he grew fatigued a little faster than I did, maybe, I didn't know how his other bouts had gone out how many there were. His new hold had one of my arms behind my back, and his weight holding me down, his other hand pressing down on my shoulder and his shaft pressing into the underside of one of my ass cheeks.

Again cheers followed the turn over. I could have stayed in that position happily awhile, but people might start to notice that I was liking it if I did. This whole encounter was confusing. It was so sexually charged, and we both seemed to be enjoying it. Was this just how the rite went or was Ark getting even more familiar than he should have been? He was married. He couldn't be as into this as I was. I gave a grunt of strength and flipped us again, this time twisting so that when I got Ark on the ground I was on top of him, our balls together, shafts rubbing as I locked his legs with mine, and forced his arms flat across his chest, laying on them to hold him in place. We were face to face now, close enough that I could have licked his muzzle and people were cheering again at yet another turn in the match. I was getting tired myself.

Ark winked at me, flashing me a grin between pants before he started struggling again. I wasn't sure he was going to manage to turn things over again, but then he grunted and managed it, though I ended up getting snagged on a stray root and he came up a couple of feet away. I was rising as he returned, huffing hot air through his nostrils, horns lowered through instinct though I knew he'd raise his head before he reached me. And an elder thankfully called the match. Ark sat back in the dirt, laughing and heaving breaths happily.

"Ark, don't think I've forgotten already how you went through your own rite with a fractured arm. Don't make young Tee do the same, or any other youngen for that matter." Yar said, scratching his bothersome right hip and grinning at us. "Good match, we'll call it a draw. Maybe you can rematch at one if the Spring festivals next Spring."

I came over and shook Ark's arm. "That was a very good match." I said, still quite flustered. My cock throbbed a bit, precum trickling down the length. Luckily I'd pulled my loincloth over it so even though people could tell I was hard, which was acceptable, they couldn't see my excitement dripping down me.

Ark nodded and smiled, shaking my hand in return. I could tell he too was still hard beneath his own loincloth. "It was! You're going to be a fine contestant in the Spring, if you choose to play."

There was still excitement about it all when we stood up and gave up the ring. The other boys becoming men were excited it's took on someone as powerful as Ark and tied him, and many of the men had good things to say as well. No one seemed to tease Ark over my age and his lack of victory, either. It was all good fun and a good way to socialize and know one another for or strengths and weaknesses.

As the time for the last part of the celebration came, many of my fellows looked nervous, afraid even. And some of the men looked grim, others had a glint in their eyes not unlike the ones we got during the contests of strength, excitement for the dominance of winning. Most though we're laughing and talking still, there was a friendly atmosphere of camaraderie.

Yar was dictating who would go first. There had to be some kind of order, and great importance was placed on who would be taken and who would take him first. The older men picked who they wanted to help ascend to manhood, but the first was so important. It set the tone for how the rest of the evening would go, and so the first set were chosen ahead of time though no one was informed of the decision and it fit with the men's preferences.

As we all gathered and waited I could feel the tension in the air, and then the name of the first little horn to become a man was called.

"Alador, come forth and be made a man." One of the stronger young men stepped forward. He was confident and strong looking, and he didn't seem the least bit afraid as he came forward and laid upon the rock slab.

"Kinsel, you shall have him first." The elder called, and one of the younger adult males came first. He was hard already, and his member wasn't that large. He too looked confident and in good humor. They'd picked these two because their pairing would likely go easy and that would set a better mood for all else.

Alador allowed his loincloth to be pulled from him, which left him bare and exposed for all to see. It was important to watch him for a climax, to see him spill his first seed of manhood, so no covering was allowed for this part. He spread his legs as Kinsel approached him. Next to the altar was an open jar of taiva sap, a slick sap that was used to ease the passage during the ceremony. Kinsel grabbed some and rubbed in on his length before taking a little more and rubbing it over Alador's opening.

My shaft was throbbing as I watched all of this. I was so aroused it was almost painful. Alador wasn't hard all the way, probably nerves and a lack of true arousal. He jumped a bit as the lube hit his ass.

"Oh, that's cold!" He said, laughing, which caused everyone to laugh as Kinsel stroked himself and lined his cock up with Alador's entrance.

"And so it begins." The elder said, and Kinsel sank his entire shaft into Alador who let out a sharp gasp of pain, though his cock also slid further from his sheath.

The chatter resumed as men laughed and enjoyed themselves. Some came forward, pumping their shafts and watching the action, while others stayed further back, clearly not aroused, but still involved in the situation. It took three men to get Alador off, three separate deposits left in his ass, and several sprayed across him and the stones as others watched and enjoyed themselves. When he was helped up, cum ran from his ass and down his leg and people joked and laughed about how big a mess he had to clean up, and then the next of us was taken forward.

I ended up going fourth, and already I was far too excited about the whole thing. I was worried I might cum too fast, but I told myself I would hold for Ark. The first man who came to me was a stranger to the herd. He was a big male with light fur, and he smiled at me as he came up and drew off my loincloth. I'd hoped it would be someone I knew, but he was handsome, and his cock was big, bobbing excitedly as he came between my legs. It made me happy that he wasn't one of the males who had trouble performing with men.

He sank into me fast and hard, and I gave an exaggerated moan of pain. It didn't hurt that much. The lube really made it not bad at all, but I didn't want everyone to know I'd been practicing. He went into me fast and hard, and it was amazing. I thought I was going to release, but then he groaned and pushed all the way into me, his shaft throbbing inside and I managed to stop myself from going as he pulled out, his cum left inside.

Next my brother approached. He was hard, though he was stroking himself to. "Congratulations, brother." He said as he slipped between my thighs. "Do I get to make you a man now?" He grinned, taking my legs and pushing himself against my dripping entrance. He passed into me easily. His shaft was big, and he used it with more finesse than the last man had. His stroke were deep and smooth, and it felt incredible. Had it been permitted I would have reached down and grabbed the base of my cock to stop myself from getting too excited, but I wasn't suppose to hold out.

I was panting, moaning as he took me. I didn't want to cum on his cock. I'd thought about it, certainly, but now with all I'd done with Ark, I really wanted it. I wanted him. I bit down hard on my own tongue to hold myself in check, and then my brother came. He groaned through his orgasm, poudning hard into me, which got me so close to the edge I thought I might have leaked a tiny bit of white cum, but only a bit, and then he was pulling out.

"I guess someone else gets you." He said with a laugh, patting my leg and walking off. I looked for who would go next, hoping it was Ark. I didn't think I could hold out through another.

Ark came up with a small smile on his lips and his member already hard for me. He was different than the stranger, and even different than my brother. He put his hand on my belly and lined himself up with my entrance, his thumb stroking over my fur gently. "Mmm, hello young buck." He said softly and slipped into me with his mouth just slightly open. His hands went down underneath me to my ass and he changed the angle, holding my ass cheeks open as he did. He gave the illusion of being more firmly in charge than the other two, even though the first man had been rough and Ark was gentle but fast and insistently pushing harder than both men against an inner sparking stone within me as though he were trying, and succeeding, in lighting a fire inside me. He smiled down at me. "I hope you're enjoying yourself, going to cum for me?" He asked, voice all smooth and deep as usual as he took me, dark eyes glinting with arousal and excitement.

I nodded. "Yes, yes I am." I managed, though the words were soft, punctuated by moans. A burning started deep in my balls and I let out an impassioned groan as my orgasm pulsed up my shaft and a thick rope of seed exploded up my body and over my face. Next to me someone else came, spraying cum over my chest, but my eyes were on Ark as my ass throbbed around him. I wanted him to go inside me. No one else mattered.

"Ah." He said, grinning somewhat triumphantly, but he slammed into me only twice more before he groaned and I felt his cock jerk inside me. His hands tightened on my ass and his eyes glazed over even as he looked down at me and came in my ass. He let off several bouts of cum into my ass, hips rocking with each jet of it, and then he he pulled back out of me slowly, panting. "Congratulations." He said warmly to me as he stepped back.

I stood up, a foolish smile on my face, as well my own cum, and maybe some from someone else as well. It was hard to say. "Thank you." I said, wanting to get closer to him, to go off somewhere private with him and take him again, but this was it. We were done now, and after tonight things would have to go back to normal. That thought made me sad.

"Will you be staying around for the others?" I asked him, walking off a little as the next boy approached the dais.

"I'll stay, watch and encourage until all the boys are through. When it's over, maybe you can come by, have your first drink in the inn? It'll be on me." He said, grinning and reaching out to put his arm around my shoulders as we walked in a friendly manner, squeezing my shoulder.

"Yeah." I said, trying to sound excited. It was a reminder that he was going back to his wife, and I was going back to a life where I didn't get to have what I wanted. I'd probably have to mate a woman. I knew there were interested parties, and I thought I could probably perform for them. Maybe I could find a friend and that would be enough, even if I wasn't strongly physically attracted to her. I supposed it would have to be enough.

Chapter 2

I'd first noticed Teeawin two years before when I'd been a year out from my own Rite. That had been when I'd started looking at men more seriously, when Chiki and I had been recently married and she'd encouraged me to take a visiting buck I'd been attracted to in his room upstairs. He'd been fun to play with, more than fun, satisfying.

My own Rite had been complicated. I'd been eager, but confused about my interest in men over women. My arm had fractured during the wrestling, and I could have gone to the healer kept on hand and been excused from the Rite until the following year, but I'd wanted to be a man. I didn't want to wait, and I found the idea of sex with a man arousing. Some men tried to pretend the Rite wasn't sex, but even then I'd known better. It was silly to pretend otherwise.

I'd been thrilled for my first partner, who'd been a male I admired. He was big and strong, known for his defense of our own lands. But he'd had a glint in his eyes, a frightening desire to dominate, and it had hurt quite a bit when he took me. My injured arm hadn't helped manners, and it'd taken six men to get me off despite my attraction to men. I'd gotten off when a nice man, known for having taken a male mate and being very good at getting them off, had taken me. It'd almost seemed out of sympathy once I'd had five. He was gentle and mine and good, but he didn't quite offset the hurt Garvitel had inflicted. Sick with the pain in my arm and the disappointment of having been somewhat brutalized by a man I admired, I'd gotten patched up by the healer and slipped off.

So I decided I wasn't into men.

I married Chiki because she was a friend, and because she wanted a mate that wouldn't pressure her to have children before she was ready. It was perfect because of our friendship, and because she knew I was only somewhat interested in her. I was also harassed to take a mate, as she was, and we talked about it and realized it was the perfect solution. Even our jobs fit, her being set to inherit her father's inn and me being a storyteller.

But she'd realized that what I needed, or deserved, or wanted was a man. She herself had feelings for one of our frequent guests, Fela. And I didn't mind. We talked about it, but she was far more concerned about my feelings than was warranted. I think she was so grateful, she wanted me to find something similar. She asked me who I found attractive, encouraged me to sleep with visitors, was extra sweet to men and upcoming young men she knew I liked from the herd.

Tee had come in with his brother, Von. I'd played with Von a little here and there, but we weren't close. He was rewarding Tee with dinner and nonalcoholic drinks at the bar, celebrating something the boy had done I couldn't remember now. He was so sweet, charming too, and strong. If he hadn't been so sweet I'd have been turned off by his strength. I'd had trouble appreciating strong men physically since Garvitel, even as I'd made myself stronger.

Chiki had latched onto my interest and was always being extra sweet to Tee. I was pretty sure she liked him too, though not as much as I did. Even Fela liked him in a strange, almost motherly if also grumpy way. Not that Fela's opinion mattered much to me, but she and I had a kind of friendship, or at least a distant relation kind of feel to our interactions. I didn't exactly see what Chiki did in her.

It wasn't unheard of for men to take male partners, but it was rare and frowned upon. Everyone preferred males do what I'd ended up doing, marry and having fun with men or a man on the side. If I'd known I was going to enjoy men like I was, honestly I wouldn't have married until I'd found a man I wanted to be with, and then I'd have married him. I felt my relationship with Chiki complicated things, and made men less interested in being with me in any emotional capacity. It did, I knew it did.

I'd fancied a man visiting from elsewhere just over a year ago. Maybe I'd even loved him. But he'd flat out told me when I asked him to stay that he felt I'd just leave him for Chiki someday. "Men who can do it the easy way, the right way, they do it." Brav had said apologetically. He'd been sweet too, sweet but firm, and he'd left just like he'd said he would.

Tee though. I liked him, he was from my own herd. That eliminated some of the strange differences in culture, and made it less likely he'd leave. He was young too, easy going. I hoped if I could convince him to be with me outside the Rite he'd accept Chiki and Fela and the whole mess. Maybe it was a lot to expect, but at the very least I thought I might make a lover out of him for a while. I thought maybe that would even be better, maybe that was what I would aim for so there'd be less disappointment later. Chiki kept talking about Tee taking me. It wasn't something I'd let happen since the Rite, but the more she talked about it the more I didn't hate the idea.

As the Rite was ending, the last boy being taken, I searched for Tee, wanting to be close to him when the Rite ended so I could invite him back to the inn again. I found I had strange, mixed feelings about the Rite. I didn't like the way some men used it as a place to vent agitation over having been inducted in the same way into manhood. Some men held grudges and took it out on the boys. Mostly though, it seemed like a nice celebration of the unusual instincts present in most men. Even the straighter of men I'd known had some, fleeting and small interest or curiosity in other males. And there was also a feeling of celebrating masculinity, too, that I enjoyed. I'd been on the fence before my own Rite, against it after, but now I found the practice growing on me.

Tee was nowhere to be found at the Rite. I was surprised he hadn't stayed longer. He clearly had some interest in men. I'd thought he might try and mount one of the other boys, but he seemed to just be gone, not even at the small gathering around the bonfire that many of the men were settling down to. They were all men now, even the younger ones. Talk had turned to which doe the boys would fancy, and the best way to take her when she grew her felts in.

I searched for a while more, but finally gave up and turned back towards town. That was how I found him. Tee was back on the return path. He'd stopped at the springs and was tossing stones across the surface of the water. He looked up as I approached.

"Good evening, Ark. I guess we're destined to see each other a lot today." He smiled. He'd changed back into his clothes.

"You left the Rite early, I'm surprised." I said, tilting my head at him in confusion, curiosity. "Did you still want to come back to the inn with me?" I asked, sitting down close to where he was by the springs. I had the sinking feeling he'd realized my interest, I couldn't imagine he'd missed it, and he found my marriage to Chiki unacceptable.

He laughed a bit nervously. "I probably shouldn't. I'd guess you're probably eager to get back to your wife. Chiki is really sweet." He said, the last part sounding just a bit sad.

I wondered if telling him the complexity between Chiki and I would make it better, or not. It hadn't worked with Brav, and it wasn't like Tee and I had been openly fooling around, or developing feelings between one another. "Ah, Chiki is very sweet. Most especially to you." I paused. "She and I are very good friends, it's why we decided to marry."

He nodded. "Yeah, that's a good reason to marry. You should be friends with the person you're going to spend your life with. I hope I'm that lucky." He said, though he sounded like there was a bit more to that statement than it seemed on the surface.

"You should strive to be in love with the person you marry." I said with a chuckle. "Chiki and I married out of convenience, and now a large part of me wishes I'd waited."

"You just said you were very good friends. That seems like more than convenience." He said, looking over at me more closely. "I mean, you care about her. I've seen you two together. You're happier than a lot of the mated pairs in town. Everyone knows you two."

I flashed him a short smile. "And everyone's seen your brother and his best friend Darteel, how well they get along, but they don't expect the two of them to get married. They're just very good friends. Chiki and I are like that. She needed to marry, and I figured there wasn't any reason to put it off when I didn't much fancy anyone and didn't think I ever really would." I didn't want to out Chiki, or I would have told him how it was far less acceptable for women to mate amongst themselves.

His eyes opened a bit wider, than narrowed. "Wait, so you're not . . . you and Chiki aren't in love? Doesn't she . . . " he blushed a bit. "I mean, you're married, so you mate, right?"

"We've only mated in the proper way once, when we were first married. We don't do anything else overly often either. Chiki doesn't want to get pregnant yet, but even when she does, sex just to get children isn't all that interesting and we don't have much interest in each other besides." I said, ears flushing. It was a bit awkward talking with Tee about this, since we weren't close. I didn't even tell most of my friends about it, but I guess I thought he wouldn't tell anyone, and my interest in him got the better of me. I wanted him, so I had to tell him, had to make him see it would be alright to be with me.

"Oh," He said, quiet and thoughtful for a bit. "Does she . . . I mean, is she alright with you not being interested in sex? She doesn't want it either?" His inner ears had flushed a bit. "Don't you get . . . aroused? You felt quite aroused. How do you deal with it?"

"Chiki has encouraged me to seek out people I'm attracted to. She has someone she cares for and they have a very good relationship with one another that definitely includes sex." I laughed softly, scratching at the base of one of my antlers and looking over at him, still feeling a bit awkward or embarrassed. He was so attractive, tall, strong but not in a totally obvious way, his fur a very light color which I really seemed to prefer. It was probably another reason I'd been able to consent to marry Chiki. But Tee had a beautiful set of masculine horns, and I thought the light speckling he still carried on his flanks were cute, a balancing factor to his strength.

"She wouldn't be mad if we . . . I mean, I shouldn't presume you'd want to be with me again." He sighed and shook his head, but then he looked at me with intense blue eyes. "I want to be with you again, privately."

I grinned at him, leaned in and licked his muzzle, our antlers knocking together gently. My hand covered one of his. "I'd enjoy that immensely." I said near his ear. I sat back a little, locking eyes with him. "That would be part of the reason I was inviting you to the inn, to feel out if you'd be open to that kind of thing."

He nodded a bit excitedly and we clanked together. "I would be." He sobered a bit. "This . . . can this be more than sex eventually? I mean, it doesn't have to be now, but would it be alright for us to become more in time if we like each other?"

"Yes." I said plainly, though I blushed in my ears again. "If you want to, there's no pressure to have that happen if you just want to explore with me, there are plenty of other options even if you haven't seen them yet. You'll learn to pick them out." I said, not wanting him to think he had to be with a married man if he didn't want to be. I was also struggling with thoughts of taking him by the pools, but I thought it would probably be better to get him to the inn, maybe spend some time with him, or at least fuck him in a bed.

He smiled. "I'm happy to know there is an option. I mean, an option if we both decide it's what we want." He stood up and held a hand out to me. "Walk me back to the inn, then? I have to admit, I'm a little afraid to face Chiki after what we did and how intense it all was."

I let him help me up and then we headed off. I felt giddy, excited but also nervous. But I was also relieved, and that made me want to be relaxed. "She loves hearing about the Rite. She says there's something similar the women do, but part of it is the secrecy of it and I've never been overly interested." I admitted. "And she'd be happy to know how intense it all was." I said, fighting the urge to blush again. I wasn't prone to blushing usually. "She knows I wouldn't have married her if I'd known how much I'd enjoy men, and so she feels badly and very much tries to make up for it by being nice and encouraging." I flashed him a sardonic grin. "Which of course, tends to only confuse and drive away some further."

He was quiet for a little bit, but when he spoke again he was smiling. "You know, I don't think it's so bad, being married to a good friend, especially not when you're both okay with pursuing the things that you really want. You can be a family without being mates. Like I said, you're happier than a lot of different couples, and I think that's very telling."

I laughed a little and shrugged. "I suppose, there are some good points. And it's definitely better for Chiki this way, but it makes it harder for me to find someone. Harder for me to keep them. Harder for me to offer them some kind of the bond they'll find meaningful enough, strong enough to satisfy them." I was thinking of Brav again, of course. "Harder for people to trust me because they see me as a cheater, even though Chiki and I have an understanding. It seems that it often gets in the way, one way or another."

"I don't see where it should have to. I mean, you explained it to me and it doesn't seem like it's that terrible of a situation. I kind of like it, really. I mean, if you wanted to have children at some point, you two could do that, and you couldn't otherwise. It's not a normal family situation, but I can see how it would work." He cleared his throat a bit and leaned into me a little. ". . . and I'm still interested in you. That's something, right?"

I nodded as we came up to the inn and smiled at him as I opened the door for him. "It certainly is." I said, looking him over again in an appraising way. He was so attractive, I had impulses all over the place, to lick his muzzle, squeeze his ass, tug his short tail, tug an antler playfully, to just run my hands all over him. I refrained, of course, walking to the bar with him.

We were far from the only ones there, but Chiki directed Mavri to help at the bar and then came over to us, grinning. "Hello boys, I'm sorry, men." She winked at me. "Anything you want to try on the house, lovely?"

He looked at me. "I have no idea. I've never had anything before. What would you recommend? I think I'd prefer to keep some of my senses if possible. I have quite a few friends who were eager to lose their head to the alcohol, but there are still things I'd like to do tonight." He smiled a bit shyly in my direction.

Chiki beamed and clapped her hands together. "Oh good!" She said in an overly pleased way that told me she'd definitely caught Tee's meaning. "Then we'll give you a firesnap, and you can try a nice Malvet, exquisite, expensive, appropriate to sip, and not going to dull your senses much."

I blushed and shook my head. "Chiki, you're pushing a little hard." I told her, still taking the very strong drink she passed me.

"Mmm hum." Chiki said. "But I'm not wrong that you want to."

I did, but I was nervous and didn't know Tee all that well, which was at least partially what had gotten me into trouble in the first place. "We'll see where things go. Concentrate on your own love life, would you?" It seemed strange to say that to my own wife.

"I am, no worries." She shot Fela a covert wink.

I led Tee from the bar back to a little booth made for two and that was back a little out of the way and separated from some of the noise. "What are you thinking of doing in the herd, Tee?" I was a storyteller, but I wondered what he wanted to do.

"I've started carving decorative things. I worked in my father's furniture shop a bit, adding detailed decoration to some of his more expensive pieces, and I've been working on my own a little since. I have a few items I'd like to take to the next general market, though I'm a bit afraid no one will want them." He blushed a bit. "Do you think it's foolish? I've considered being just a gatherer. There is always a need for more of them."

"If you love carving, than carve, I say. I sometimes help around the inn more than my storytelling requires, carrying in supplies, things like that. There's no reason you couldn't work as a gatherer sometimes too if you wanted. I need to, I need something physical as well as the mental stimulation of my job. My head is clearer when I have a balance." I told him. "What have you been carving to sell?"

"I've been making scenes lately, pieces of . . ." He blushed brightly and laughed. "I've been carving scenes from your stories, actually. That's why I've been coming to see you so often when you're telling tales, well, one of the reasons. Alright, I came to see you first, and then the idea for the stories came from that."

I laughed. "Oh that's great! Now you have to show me sometime!" I said, grinning a bit foolishly to think he'd been coming to see me.

I had two drinks, and he nursed his one. We talked for a while, but eventually the noise started picking up even louder. I knew soon the place would start clearing out, but I wasn't willing to wait..besides, it was high time I get to have Tee to myself. I motioned for him to follow and led him upstairs.

There was a room I regularly used, just as Chiki had one she always shared with her guests, usually just Fela. It was decorated more to my liking, my own space, and I had many of my things strewn out in the desk, scrolls, stone and wooden carvings of words and pictures.

To avoid the awkward, standing around not knowing what to do stage, and because I didn't feel like stopping my impulses anymore, I licked his muzzle, running mine against his, and backed him toward the bed as my hands ran down his arms and then squeezed his hips. I tugged his antler downward playfully. "Let me know if you're not comfortable and we'll stop." I assured him. This already felt remarkably, wonderfully more intimate than the Rite had. It was almost a frightening difference, there was no pressure to be with one another here, no blanket of social behavior to.hide behind. This was just us, doing what we wanted to.

He pulled his shirt off over his head, then pulled the strings on the top of his pants, letting them fall to expose his member as it slid from his sheath, pink and firm. "I really didn't think I'd get to have anything like this, at least not for a long time, and certainly not with you. I mean, I imagined it, but I didn't really believe . . ." He blushed.

He came forward and put a hand on my chest before licking my muzzle, and then my neck. "Can I have you like you had me?"

I bit my bottom lip and my ears blushed. This was a good time though, I was relaxed, right? Tee was a nice guy, had always seemed like one. It was one of the things I liked about him. "We can try that, but I haven't done that since my own Rite. I said I liked it very much, but I only liked parts of it very much. It didn't start out well for me. We can talk about the details if you want, though maybe later. I want it to just be us in here right now." I said as I stripped my own clothing off. My own cock was out of its sheath most of the way and getting hard.

Tee came forward and touched my hips, his fingers running through my fur before he took a hold of me and pulled us together. He licked my muzzle as our bodies came together, his shaft against mine.

"We can wait on me taking you. I want you to be completely comfortable and ready. I'd still like to make love to you though, but that can be other things. I've imagined so many things that I want to try. Would it be alright to put you in my mouth?" He leaned down and licked my neck, and then my chest before my muzzle again.

"Of course." I ran my hands over his shoulder and neck, enjoying the look and feel of his fur and the way my dark furred limbs looked next to his. This was all exciting, he was exciting. My cock throbbed between us, his suggestion of putting me in his mouth and touching him like this bringing my body to attention. I say down on the bed, pulling him down with me as I explored him and nuzzled my nose against the side of his, our antlers clanking, the sound serving to fuel my desires even further.

He began to run his tongue down my body, stopping to tease my nipples before getting lower and lower until he was between my thighs looking up at my shaft. He ran his tongue from my base all the way to my tip once, and then again before he gently cupped my balls and gave them a playful squeeze. He looked up at me with a smile in his eyes.

"You have no idea how badly I've wanted this." He said, and then he took my shaft in hand and slid it into his mouth, his tongue caressing the underside.

I let out a soft moan and leaned back on one hand, my other grabbing one of his antlers as a hand hold. "Mmm, that's good Tee." I told him. My hands drifted down from his antler to his shoulder, rubbing it lightly as he worked on my shaft. I liked feeling the movement of his muscles in his neck as he moved.

He went surprisingly deep on my shaft, bobbing his head as though he'd practiced in some way before, though I doubted he'd ever actually done this before. His powerful arms wrapped around my thighs and he pulled me close to his face so I couldn't squirm as he worked me with increasing vigor, his soft tongue caressing my length as he throat pulled me in and massaged my tender, pink shaft.

The sensations were wonderful, and watching his antlers bob, his blue eyes look up at me. I'd been thinking about this with him since I'd met him, seen him, and only more often as I'd gotten to know him a little and seen more of him at the inn. And all the while, he'd been coming to see me, it made this whole thing more surreal and enjoyable. His tongue and warm mouth were certainly doing their part, of course. "Tee, you're really good at this, I don't think I'm going to last long if you keep this up." I told him, biting my bottom lip to keep my arousal from spiraling out of control into orgasm.

He slid his lips off of me and looked up at me as he continued to stroke my length with one hand. "Would you like to go in my mouth, or do you want to mount me again? Both of those sound really nice to me, so I'll let you choose, sexy buck."

"I'm not sure yet, but I don't want to cum just now." I said, pulling him up until we were both laying on the bed. Then I eagerly took his cock into my mouth, sliding him in deep a few times and then concentrating on the tip so I could get a good taste of him as one of my hands massaged my balls.

He gasped as my mouth took. "Oh, that's good. I see why you liked it so much." He said with a light laugh as his shaft throbbed in my mouth, precum dripping out onto my tongue. He reached down and grabbed my antlers, holding me firmly over him. His grip wasn't so strong that I couldn't get out if I needed to, but it was a solid hold that reminded me how strong he was for one so young. His hips stroked upward and he pressed into my mouth deeply.

I moaned against his shaft as I let him push in and lowered myself into him so that he pressed deeply into my throat. I loved both the dominant hold he had on my horns and the way I had control over his cock and balls. I laid my tongue along him as I drew back again, and then pressed him in deep again, over and over.

It wasn't long before he was breathing hard, shaft throbbing hard into my welcoming mouth. "Oh, by the gods, Ark, if you keep that up I'm going to dump myself into your mouth any moment now." He panted the words, hips thrusting harder into my throat, excitement clear in his eyes.

I pulled back as he had, grinning up at him. "Is this how you'd like to cum, handsome? Because I've got nothing against feeling your seed slide down my throat."

His inner ears turned pink. "I want you to fuck me again, harder. Can you stroke me while you do it?" He gave me a shy smile. "You don't have to, but it sounds really nice. That orgasm I had while you were in me earlier was amazing."

I nodded, and reached to the nightstand, drawing over a canister with taiva sap. I lubed us both up, not wanting to hurt him, and then I pushed into him eagerly, my hand stroking his shaft and smiling my thumb over his tip with each upward pass. Then I started moving into him firmer, faster, enjoying the way his insides clung to me and resisted me depending on which way I was pushing or pulling. I snorted, hot air pushing out through my nose. "Feel good, Tee?" I asked, picking up one of his hands and licking the back of them gently in a kiss.

"Oh, yes." He said, eyes partially lidded. His cock throbbed with each forward press into his tight ass. His heavy balls pressed against the top of my shaft as I entered him and he gave a pleased moan. "It's so good. Do you like the way I feel around you?"

"Very much, very very much." I said, removing my hand from his shaft to lick his precum from it. I leaned down to lick his muzzle and then returned to the rhythm I had established, watching his cock throb and his body respond to the assault of mine.

It wasn't long and he was panting heavily, his cock leaking precum everywhere as he drew closer to this orgasm. "Ark, I'm going to cum soon." He said, panting turning into moans as his cock bobbed against his stomach. "Please, cum with me you handsome buck. I want you to fill me up."

"No worries, I will. I told him, already having trouble holding back. It felt good, and watching his enjoyment was incredible on my senses. I saw his body tighten for his release, knew it was coming, and stayed cuming myself, my balls pressing into his ass as I drove myself in as deep as I could go.

He let out an inarticulate cry of pleasure as his cock lifted high and released its first spray of seed, thick white semen spraying up his tummy, onto his check and neck. It was an impressive load for someone who'd already cum recently. This was the second time I'd made him cum that day, and he looked every bit as enraptured by the moment. He reached out and placed a hand on my chest.

"Ark, so good!" He moaned as another burst came from his cock.

I leaned down to lick his muzzle, myself overcome by the sensations as my cock continued to throb inside him. I nuzzled my muzzle against his, our antlers rubbing too. "Ah, Tee." I whispered near his ear. I tried to pull back then but found our antlers had gotten tangled, and decided to wait until he was done to work on it more. I relaxed on top of him instead.

He licked my cheek. "You're lying in my cum, you know." He said teasingly. "Not that I mind the thought."

"Eh, there's nothing clean about sex." I said, grinning at him and licking him back. "Besides, our antlers are a bit tangled." I said, unable to keep the content chuckle out of my voice.

Chapter 3

Being with Ark was a bit of a revelatory experience. I hadn't expected to find a male that wanted to be with me beyond the rite, and certainly not one that I was so keenly attracted to. There weren't any males in the herd I would have picked over him. I still hadn't braved up and showed him my carving studio, though I knew it would be time soon. I'd moved out to a place of my own now, and the building on the side was dedicated to my work. I'd finished a few of my bigger pieces, and I really should show the man who'd inspired them.

A small part of me was terrified that he would see them and not like them. They came from his stories. What if I hadn't captured things the way he thought they should be? I came to my favorite and ran my fingers over the detailed features that I'd put a final coat of finish on the day before. It was mostly dry now.

I'd carved the buck hero, a legend named Taliborn, from a single piece of Night Oak, a black wood with golden streaks in the grain. The method of finishing had made it look exactly like fur. It hadn't been easy. I'd spent hours and hours on the details, but it looked amazing. At least I thought it looked amazing.

In the scene I'd chosen Taliborn was standing before the Fel Stag, a demon beast that rose from a combination of the corpses of cursed soldiers from the time of the Great War. So much negativity had built up in the world because of the war that it had seeped into the final battlefield and reanimated the monster. Taliborn stood before it with nothing left to him but his broken sword and a seed from the Elder Mother, the tree that created all light in our world, or so our legends said. He'd had to strip off his armor when the dark corruption of the Fel Stag had seeped onto it and begun to burn it away, so he faced the monster with nothing on at all.

I'd, of course, found this scene arousing, and had carved Taliborn's physique with exquisite care. He had full, round balls, and the tip of his cock protruded from his sheath, little details that most would barely notice at all, but things I'd enjoyed adding. Arousal in battle was common, and the importance of him being without any kind of protection as he faced this last battle was not to be understated. The Fel Stag was five times his size, a beast of bone and tattered flesh that I'd built from combinations of hundreds of different woods. Making it look life-like, well as life-like as something undead could look, had been very challenging. As much time as I'd put into Taliborn, the Fel Stag had taken so much more.

The scene had Taliborn standing with the seed in one hand, and his sword in the other, hooves set to charge forward. One of his antlers was broken, shattered off to a spike. It would be that antler that he used to cut the hole he would eventually shove the seed into, the thing that would bring down the Fel Stag, but for now he still thought his hope was the damaged sword. The Fel Stag was risen up on its fetid back legs, also getting ready to charge. It looked like it was frozen in time. I loved this story, and this scene was one of my favorites. I just hoped that Ark might like it too.

I sighed. It had been almost three weeks now. Ark and I had met every couple of days, usually at his place, though we hadn't really seemed to get too much closer. Certainly we were friendly, and we talked and joked, and he loved to fuck me, or seemed to, but I felt like we were still just friends. I wasn't sure if we would be more than that ever. Part of it seemed to be some resistance he had to getting closer to me, and I knew another part of it was that I hadn't yet really come out with my attractions. I'd even gone out with a young doe the other day. We'd had a lunch in the woods together and she'd asked if I would mate her there. I'd told her I wasn't ready to mate yet, but I should have told her that I wasn't going to mate a woman, at least not the way she wanted. I should have told everyone that. Maybe that was why Ark didn't want to get closer to me.

I was still trying to figure out his situation with Chiki and whoever her lover was. I often came into the bar and saw them laughing and joking together, sometimes hugging, and he even kissed her, though it was usually a peck on the cheek or the corner of the mouth. There was no heat to it, but every time it made me wonder if there was room for me there too. I'd though so at first, but Ark didn't feel any closer, and we'd been together for weeks, so maybe he didn't have room for me too? I'd hoped he might.

Chiki was sweet to me every time I came over. She seemed to be trying to be a little closer to me, maybe even hinting that I should spend a night or something, but I hadn't done that yet. I hadn't really felt welcomed entirely. I still felt a bit on the outside.

A part of me was hoping that showing Ark my shop would win me some points, get me closer to him. I'd invited him over today. As I slipped back into the house to wait, I was anxious again. No one's opinion mattered as much to me as his did. I wanted him to like my work. I wanted him to like me. To really like me. He hadn't yet gotten to the point where he'd let me fuck him, and I was alright with that for now, but I did want it. I wanted to penetrate him, and he had offered that first time, but his clear discomfort had put me off, and it hadn't come up since. He seemed eager to take me, but never made any mention of doing it the other way.

I poured myself a glass of tea and put the kettle on to keep warm so I could pour one for Ark when he arrived. I guessed I would just have to wait and see.

There was a knock eventually, firm but friendly, and I knew it had to be Ark. He smiled when I opened the door, wearing a loose light colored shirt and dark pants that were very flattering to his shape. "Hey Tee." He said, eyes roving over me a bit.

"Welcome, Ark. Come on in. Can I get you some tea?" I'd dressed in a simple shirt with drawstrings up the front and pants of a similar style. I didn't think I looked nearly as good as he did in his outfit. "We can head on into the shop afterwards, but I thought you might like a drink first."

Ark shrugged one shoulder but nodded. "I'm excited to see, but I'm not going to complain if you want to warm up to it with something warm to drink first." He sat down at my table, looking around with his dark eyes.

I poured him a glass and brought it to him as it steeped. There wasn't too much for him to see inside my home. I had some simple furniture, all very well built, things I'd constructed myself. The kitchen area was small and centered around the hearth. My father had wanted me to find a place with more room for a family, but I hadn't thought it was necessary. It was very much a place for one, maybe two people if they didn't mind being cozy. The shop was through a door on the side of the room.

It had been a few days since I'd seen Ark, so as I handed him his glass I took a moment to walk close him and let my hands run over his shoulders before I took a seat near him. "How have you been? Keeping busy?"

"Always busy." He agreed, but he didn't sound upset about it. "Not too busy for you though, you could always stop by, whenever you'd like. I mean, my work is socializing." He said it good naturedly, but his brow briefly wrinkled in some kind of concern before it left his face again. "How are you?"

"I'm alright. I've been working." I said, wondering what had troubled him, but not willing to pry into his business. "I would come and see you more, but I always feel like I'm in the way, or like I don't really belong." I shrugged. "You could come and see me too, you know. My door is never closed for you." I stood up again and gave his hand a little tug. "Come along, handsome. You can drink your tea while you walk around the shop."

He stood up but looked worried. "Are you sure? I don't want to ruin anything." But he followed me eagerly anyway. He forgot about his tea in a moment anyway, leaning in to look at a carving with wide eyes, his mouth opening a little. He looked ... startled? Was he impressed?

I was worried he didn't like it, though that piece was close to done. "I have a bit more finishing to do on it." I said, hoping he'd forgive whatever it was he might not like about it. "Some of the detail could do to be refined." My eyes spotted a few areas that I could go back in and rework. If he didn't like it, what chance did I have of anyone else liking my work? I wanted to take him and show him my big piece, thinking maybe he'd like that one better.

"No I ..." Ark started, turning and getting distracted by another piece. "I mean ..." There was a knocking on the front door.

I was surprised. I hadn't been expecting anyone else. "I'll go get that." I said, almost wanting to ask him to leave the shop. I was embarrassed by my work now, but instead I rushed out to the front door and opened it, just a little angry to have been disturbed during such a sensitive matter, or at least a sensitive matter to me.

"Hello, male version of Chiki." The woman at the door said. She sounded agitated, but I recognized her as a frequent visitor at the inn. She was always grouchy. "Is your fuck buddy here? Ark? Where is the black beast? I need him. Chiki needs him. Now."

"Male version of . . ." I shook my head a bit. "Ark? He's in the shop." Chiki needed him. My heart fell a bit. Of course she did. When she wanted him he would be there for her because they were married. They were mates. I was an outsider. "Come, this way." I said, leading her into the house and through to the shop. Well, I went from no visitors in my shop to two in a few minutes. So much for the sanctity of my shop.

The woman whistled long and low, her arms unfolding but bunching in her pants nervously. "Damn." She said quietly. "Aren't you an artsy sort."

"Fela? What the Hell are you doing in here?" Ark said, turning away from the piece he'd been looking at. He seemed surprised and a bit annoyed.

"Well hubby man, it's time to man up and do your job. The Fieldendoe and their White Buck are here to take her. You're the only one with rights to fight for her. I offered but I'm just a damn doe with no actual ties to her and no bleeding horns. Their matriarch laughed at me, said I'd better be handy with a sword and ready to kill all of them. You and I both know they'd be trampling me into grass food. So go take down their champion." Fela snapped, shifting side to side in agitation.

"What are they doing here?! They passed her up ages ago!" Ark asked, heading for the door.

"Apparently they always need at least nine women of breeding age. They've only got eight. Someone had an untimely death." Fela said, and then looked at me. "Going to come watch your butt buddy bleed all over the place? Their White Asshole is nothing to scoff at."

I was very confused in that moment. I knew little of the Fieldendoe. Their culture was a bit of a mystery to me, but this situation sounded bad. I wasn't exactly sure what was happening, why Fela was here and what stake she had in Chiki's future. All I knew for certain was that Ark was going to do something dangerous to save Chiki, and I wasn't going to let him go alone.

"Of course I'll come, but I don't understand. Why do they want Chiki? They can't just take her, can they?" I was afraid for Ark. I'd heard legends of the White Stag, and they were all about how impressive a fighter he was, and how powerful he was.

"Of course they can take her!" Fela flicked her wide brown ears in nervous agitation. She was fairly plain in her brown coloring, and her figure was always hidden by the clothing she wore which was always somewhat baggy but switched between being vaguely feminine or vaguely male. Her eyes were a bit green, but that was all that stood out about her and even that was a dark coloring mixed with a deep brown so it was easy to miss. "They're all about that white fur. It's stupid, ridiculous! White fur doesn't mean anything. Nothing. It's just pretty to look at. They take anyone they need for their numbers from the herds in these lands, in return the herds get their help in defense, they're all very well trained fighters. And the herds get their young men and women when they get old enough or whatever. It's a stupid policy."

"Most of the sword masters come from the White line." Ark said. "Which does lend their ways some legitimacy, I guess. But they looked over Chiki when she became a woman, decided she wasn't good enough while they had nine women in their ranks. Though they sometimes keep more than that. Nine is the minimum. The herd can't fight for Chiki, but I'm allowed to because I'm her husband, because they left her here with us before and allowed her to find her own life I can fight for her."

"If you'd gotten her pregnant you wouldn't have to be fighting for her!" Fela yelled.

"It was Chiki's choice! She doesn't want a child yet! And frankly, I don't either. I have my own affairs I'd like to have in order." Ark snapped back. "And what about you? Do you want a baby in our mess?!"

"I want what will keep Chiki safe. I've put up with a lot for that. You, for instance." Fela snapped back, but it was clear she was more upset than angry now, her eyes filling up with tears in her frustrated, angry face. "I hate it." She hissed. "I hate all of it. And now you've got this boy with you, like it's not screwed up enough. But Chiki, she has her grand schemes, she was so sure you were the perfect pick." She said bitterly to Ark. "Said it would be better if you ended up wanting men because we could just live our own lives like a pretty little game of pretend like we're all children in some kind of play swapping roles."

Ark ground his teeth and looked both angry and sympathetic.

Suddenly I realized who Fela was and it hit me like a hammer. She was Chiki's lover. I'd thought about it briefly, wondering who it might be, but I'd always been considering men. I hadn't even considered Fela for the briefest moment, but it all made sense. She was always at the inn, and Chiki always put up with her cranky nature with a warm smile and a laugh. Now I was getting a look at the inner workings of this relationship.

I wasn't sure if Fela hated Ark, disliked him, or was just very upset, but clearly she thought that her life would be better without him. What did that mean for me and Ark? Would we end up in the same situation, resentful of Chiki because we could never be a normal couple? I didn't want that. That wasn't at all how I'd pictured things. I liked Chiki. I didn't want to grow to resent her.

"We have to go do what we can for Chiki . . . and for Fela." I said, trying to get things back on track. "We can't just let her be miserable. It's not fair to anyone." I said, heading for the door. "Come on. I need to be there too. If there is anything I can do, I want to do it. I need to help."

Fela sighed. "At least you're a sweet one." She muttered miserably.

Ark jerked forward, nodding, and started leading the way back to the inn at a brisk pace. "Did they say they were waiting? Or what?"

Fela ground her teeth. "They said as far as they're concerned, since you don't have children, the moment their White Buck gets his cock in her she'll have been remarried to their White cult. But I'm not sure if they meant they were raping her here or elsewhere, or what kind of rules they have about when they mate."

Ark muttered a curse and ran toward the inn.

I slowed only long enough to grab my sword on the way out the door. I'd never had to use it to actually fight anyone, and I didn't know if I'd need it now, but I didn't feel like now was the time to leave it behind. I joined Fela and Ark on their run, but by the time we got to the Inn I knew we were already too late.

Inn patrons were standing outside the open door, talking in hushed tones, pointing at the woods near the edge of town and shaking their heads. As we drew close an older gentleman turned to Ark.

"They took her. We tried to stop them, but words weren't enough, and we couldn't fight them for you. They tied her up and dragged her out of town. They said the Stag is waiting for them, eager to break in his new mate." He gave a sigh. "I'm sorry, Ark, but there are other women in town. I know you don't want to hear that now, but you can find another mate."

Ark shook his head at the man and turned for the woods without a word more to any of them. Fela followed after him, a look of shock and fear on her face.

"They shouldn't be allowed to take married women." Ark said, angry. "They shouldn't be allowed to take any woman against her will, that's better. Yes. That. I'm not even in love with her but I'm the only one who can fight for her so now I have to." He sighed. "I do love her just not ... exactly right. You know. I do want her to be happy, fair with you if she wants." He said to Fela.

"Well. Herds are rougher on lesbians. One man can impregnate dozens of women, but a woman can only carry one kid at a time. So we all have to be straight, but I'll tell you, there are more lesbian tendencies among the women than the men and you guys have that gay Rite ritual thing! But the female version? Banned and shunned to secrecy. It's not fair. You could have married a man if you wanted! If you'd realized you were going to want a man before Chiki convinced you to marry her. Oh man she was so ridiculously guilt ridden over than faun colored buck you were all over, what was his name? Brav. That guy. I told her not to cry to me about it, I'd given my opinion on the marriage thing and she knew she was roping you into something you might regret later."

Ark glanced at me. "Brav's an ex. He was traveling between herds, wouldn't stay because he said those that can do it the easy way, act straight, end up following that route." He said it sadly and in a low tone, and I could tell it weighed on him, that it ran through his head often.

"Yeah." Fela said uncomfortably, looking like the sentiment was one she might agree with, and it made her sad. "Well. It's true. Chiki married you, even with me around. And this just proves she was right, really. They would have taken her if they found her married to a woman, and what could I do to get her back? It'd take years of training before I'd be at their level with a sword."

"I'll get her back for you." Ark said, trying to be reassuring but also seeming a bit confused.

"No, you'll get her back for her. But that's alright. That's how it should be." Fela pushed her hands into her pockets. "I'm just so ... inadequate. Useless. She's right and she needs you, and I hate it."

"She needs you too, she loves you." Ark offered uncomfortably. He clearly wasn't used to comforting this woman.

Fela snorted and shrugged. "I think maybe this whole thing isn't good for me." She muttered. "I'll always just be extra, an add-on even though I came first. And again, I'm useless here in this and it only makes me despise everything more."

I felt strange adding anything to this conversation. What right did I have when I was a completely outsider? Clearly Ark liked being with me, but did he feel anything for me? Brav, he'd clearly cared for him. I wondered if he still loved him. I might just be a poor substitute for that other man. That made me sad.

For all that I didn't feel like it was my place to say anything, seeing how badly Fela felt made me think I needed to say something. I was worried for her. I liked Chiki a lot, and Fela loved her, and this was a terrible place for her to be.

"You're not useless, Fela. When someone loves you, you being there for them is worth more than just about anything. Chiki will be happy you came for her. She'll be happy to see both of you. I don't understand everything about how you guys work, but I know if I was her, I'd be very happy you'd come. Fela, Ark and Chiki have their relationship, but it doesn't lessen what you two share." I wanted to come forward and hold her hand, to give her some kind of physical comfort, but I was an outsider, far more than she was. Chiki loved her. Ark liked me.

Fela was quiet a long few moments. "I can't stop her from getting raped. That seems a bit more important than being willing to hold her hand while it happens to her."

"You know that's not what he was saying." Ark said with a sigh, but he'd reached back and taken my hand while she'd thought about it. He smiled a little tentatively at me. "I'm sorry you're dragged into this, but thanks for coming." His thumb rubbed along the outside of my fingers.

"

Ark was quiet a few moments, looking ahead and thinking as we moved through the forest. "Fela, Chiki needs someone to love, and someone who loves her. And for her, that's you, that's a woman. She might need me for other things, but we're friends and we could never really be more than that, even if we can and have had sex it's not the same as being with someone who drives you crazy and makes you take risks because you want them so badly, not just in your bed but in your life. She needs us both. I'm sorry that you can't be all she needs but life is strange. We're strange. And we just have to try and figure out how to fit into this world, and if that means working together, being a bigger family, so be it. I can be happy with that. You should probably ask yourself if you can be, too." He glanced at me, his ears blushing softly even though his face was a bit grim. He squeezed my hand.

I really wanted to believe he wanted me to be part of that family too, but I was still uncertain about my place in all of this. "Sometimes love is difficult, but it's worth it. You're here now, and you'd fight for Chiki if you could. You don't think you're important enough, but right now we're all here for you as much as we are for her, so you're not just important to Chiki, but you're important to Ark too." I didn't know her well enough to claim she was important to me. She seemed a bit mean to me, but Chiki was one of the sweetest people I knew. If she loved Fela, there was probably a damn good reason.

"Families come in all different types. What's important is that they're there for you when you need them. I think this family, for all that it's strange, seems pretty wonderful." I shrugged, not sure what else to say. I wasn't really a part of this family yet, but here I was anyway. Maybe someday I could be more to all of them.

Fela was quiet again for a few long moments. "I'm still going to learn the sword." She muttered, and Ark smiled and slapped her shoulder.

Ark put his arm around my shoulders and squeezed me to him, licking near my ear affectionately before he released me because we were really moving too fast for that kind of intimacy while walking. "You really are the sweetest guy I know."

I blushed and shrugged.. "I just want people to be happy."

After that we settled into a quiet, firm pace. They didn't have that much of a lead on us, and it seemed possible that we might catch up with them, but they must have been setting just as hard a pace as we were. Despite our efforts, we didn't catch their group and as it got much, much darker we had to stop for the night. No one wanted to do so, but there simply wasn't a choice. The roads were dark enough that it was dangerous to keep going, so we were forced to stop and make camp for the night.

I set about putting together a fire quickly, for warmth mostly. We hadn't really brought supplies to cook or eat. We'd been in far too much of a hurry. With the fire lit, I settled down beside it, close to Ark, but not exactly touching him either. I felt guilty being close to him with Fela so miserable.

"I'm sorry, Fela. I didn't want to have to stop, but I'm sure they've had to put up camp too." I tried to reassure her.

"Not your fault." Fela said, shrugging and staring at the fire. She sighed, not looking up. "We should talk about what we'll do if Mr. White has already raped and thereby claimed her as his." Her voice shook a little.

Ark frowned deeper and was quiet for several long moments. "I won't have the right to fight for her then, one on one with the White Stag. And the truth is, I don't think I have much of a chance of winning against him alone, let alone all the others." He said sadly. "And I don't want to die, or leave Chiki in that kind of situation. It's not much of a choice really."

Fela wiped at her eyes. "Yeah I can't blame you, wouldn't. If they've already claimed her then you should go home. Run the inn. Marry your whitey there."

Ark blushed a little at that. "And what will you do?"

Fela shrugged. "I'm not sure. I could train in the sword for years and then go chasing them down, of course by then she might be brainwashed into liking it there. Or I could trail along behind them as close as possible until they kill me or accept my presence."

"Or we could steal Chiki away in the night." I suggested. "We don't have to play by their games. They took no consideration for us, why should we give them any of the same? If the worst happens and they've hurt Chiki, then we'll wait until nightfall and sneak in and take her away. We won't be able to go back to our homes, but we can make a life somewhere else. We're capable enough." Even as I was saying all of this, the enormity of what I was suggesting struck me. I was talking about giving up everything, and I still wasn't even sure where Ark wanted me in his life. I wasn't sure if he was sure either, and yet I'd do it. Chiki deserved freedom, and Fela and her deserved to be able to continue their relationship. They loved each other, and I didn't want to see that die.

They both looked at me in surprise. Ark looked a bit conflicted, but then he moved closer to me, nuzzling my shoulder and almost getting our antlers tangled as he did. "Is that what you'd rather do? Instead of ..." He struggled for wording, which was rare for him. "Explaining ourselves to the herd? Or risking being found out? I mean it just seemed like you wanted to try to be normal. We haven't talked about what we are, where we're going, but you were dating does so I thought maybe you were going to marry one and just keep things between us casual or something. Which would be fine, I told you before you get to call the shots between us." He said, but I saw some hurt in his expression which he was doing a good job of keeping controlled in an expression of curiosity and serious discussion.

"Honestly, I didn't know where we stood, Ark. You seem so passionate sometimes, but then others you don't seem to really know what you want from me. I was afraid you thought of me as just another guy you enjoyed being with sometimes. That didn't leave much for me. I've gone on a few dates because it's expected of me and I haven't really come out to anyone in the herd. I'm afraid to come out, I think, because if I do, and then you decide to move on, I'll be alone, not even able to find a female friend to be with. You still care for Brav. I can tell by the way you talk about him. That worries me too. If he came back, would you still need me at all?" I shrugged and shook my head.

"This isn't about me, though. This is about Fela and Chiki. They're in love, and we have to do what we can to help them. If that means giving up our lives back in the herd, then that's the way it'll have to be." I said firmly.

"Dude, no one give up their lives to make sure someone else is happy. Alive, maybe, but not happy. Particularly people he barely knows and cares about. I mean, yay for me but you're a little insane, kid." Fela said, still surprised, but her tone was far more gentle than it had been before.

Ark chuckled and hugged me, licking my muzzle affectionately. "If you get any sweeter you're going to dissolve next time you take a bath." He teased. He was quiet after that for a little bit. "And it's not true, you could still find someone to marry if we fell through. And I don't want us to. I don't still care for Brav so much as what he said has really stuck with me. It hurt at the time, and it's affected any new relationship I start up. I don't know how to assure someone that I can love them, that I'm not just some married guy looking for flings. It takes a huge leap of faith to tell people the whole situation between Chiki and I, and I took that chance with you. But I don't know how to keep you. I won't leave Chiki, she needs me, but at the same time I can't just be happy with her. And I look at Fela, no offense dear, but I wonder if having someone fall in love with me would turn them into ..."

Fela grinned. "A bitter, angry lesbian? Well, truth be told, I've always fallen on the hot headed and brooding spectrum of behavior. I don't know what Chiki sees in me, though she likes my dark humor, and I'm very sweet when we're alone." She blushed hot red in her ears at the admission. "I'm just not so good with strangers, and I don't make many friends. But I've always been like this, less when I'm not so stressed out because my woman was taken. And the bitterness ... Well, I'd rather have been a straight man than a gay woman, but I didn't get the right parts and hormones. It's a constant agitation, but Chiki eases it. It's complicated."

"I don't want you to leave Chiki." I told Ark, leaning into him as a happy warmth flashed through me. He did want to be with me. That excited me. "I like that she will be a part of our family. It means that maybe someday we can have children, and I think they would feel much more like ours with Chiki because she is part of our family. They will be ours, and hers, and Fela's too. I would really like to be a part of that family." It was my turn to blush brightly. "I'm sure it won't be easy, but the best things in life are difficult."

Ark huffed a sigh of relief into my fur. "Well. Good. But let's hope we don't have to run away to do it all, I want Chiki returned unharmed."

Fela nodded enthusiastically. We were all quiet for a little while. "Can we have the kids call me Ulav? Mama and Papa just don't seem to fit my particular disposition." 'Ulav' was the term for a parent's sibling.

Ark laughed. "Sure Fela. Sure."

Chapter 4

If I had been less worried about Chiki, I would have been very happy with our progress. I hadn't realized we needed to talk, all together, but it was after sitting around the fire with Fela it seemed so obvious. Of course we needed to all form a closer bond. We didn't need to all fall in love with each other, but we needed to be friends, to be a family, to have each other's backs no matter what. In that sense, I supposed Tee was ahead of us all, more a part of the family than any of us were after years of coexistence. He and Chiki knew what they were doing, and the rest of us should have listened.

I tried to sleep, and managed to get a little. I was going to have to fight the White Stag. Every time I thought of it I swallowed hard. I'd seen the man before, if he was still the one I remembered. They always picked him from their own stock. Males were brought up more carefully than the female children for that reason since all females ended up leaving the ranks to join other herds. Then their children, oftentimes, ended up being brought back in as mates for the White Stag eventually. It was how they guaranteed new blood coming in while keeping their coats so pure white.

The idea of fighting their bred and raised warrior made sleeping and eating and even walking somewhat difficult. I felt like I was walking toward my death. Though in actuality, fights over mates didn't usually end in death or even life threatening injury. It was hard to remember that while I kept running over stories of the Fieldendoe's victories in battle against predators and with other bucks who dared fight with them for one or another benefit. But then I thought of Chiki, her exuberance gone as she tried to pick up the pieces of herself after a forced sexual encounter. Maybe she'd be hurt fighting it. And I found myself going ahead after the white deer anyway.

"Pick up your sword Lativan!" A little voice called ahead, and we rounded the bend to see two young fawns play fighting with sticks.

"I'll kick you like that lady did your mom!" The other child yelled back.

They were both hauntingly white, eerily beautiful children. I knew we must be getting close to the herd now. They were a traveling group, usually traveling close to the border with the predators unless they had business with the inner herds. Like finding a new ninth mate.

The children spotted us and darted down the road a bit, watching us with curiosity and weariness. "I'm here to challenge the White Stag for my wife!" I called to them, hoping they might take the challenge up ahead.

The children argued for a bit in hushed tones we couldn't hear, and then one of them ran up the road while the other skipped down to investigate us better. "You're married to the new woman? Are you like, evil? Because you're black?"

"No. Most herds have deer in all colors." I said a little less than kindly.

The child considered that. "I guess. But you're soooooo dark. Can I touch ..."

"No." I snapped, annoyed and uncomfortable. If I lost that was exactly as I'd be portrayed, some evil entity riding in to fight the embodiment of goodness like an evil fool.

The child stuck out her tongue at me. She glanced at Fela, but realized she wasn't a weak link right off and turned to Tee. "You're pretty. I like your blue eyes. We mostly have brown ones, you know." She said, pulling down part of her eye as if to give him a better view.

"Kid, has the Stag taken the new woman for a wife yet?" Fela snapped, looking at her.

The kid looked at her blankly a moment. "Oh, I heard them talking! No. They tried, but she hurt them pretty good so I think they're trying to make her see that we're a nice people or something first. Really pissed off Clivarast, the matriarch. She said, 'the longer we wait to get his cock in her the longer this whole thing goes unresolved!'" The child made a face. "She's so strict, scary sometimes."

I sighed, nearly falling over into Tee in my relief. Fela looked much the same and she even reached out to ruffle the girl's fur on top of her head. "Thanks, kid."

"I could do this fight if you wanted." Tee said softly to me as he drew closer and we moved on. "They don't know me from you. The kids we talked to might have misheard." There was concern in his eyes. "I don't want to see you hurt." He touched the sword on his hip. "I've got some small training."

I was a little alarmed at the suggestion. "No, Tee. I can fight for her. I'm supposed to. And I certainly don't want to see you hurt in my place anyway! No, I'll fight him. If I fail, you can help get me away and hopefully Chiki too. It's not much of a plan, but we'll stick to it, right?" I asked him pointedly, wanting his agreement.

He gave me a concerned look and reached out to touch my cheek. "Alright, but only because I can't justify risking my life over yours and have it sound reasonable. You can do this. I know you can."

I nodded and tried to appear less worried about it. As we came up the road the Feildendoe came into view. They'd stopped and were setting up camp, apparently having got the information that I was on my way. It seemed strange to have the power to stop an entire herd on the move, but that was what my marriage to Chiki had given me, I guessed. There were many, many children. My understanding was that children to the Fieldendoe were only children as the rest of the herds saw them when they were very young. By the time they reached double digits they were treated as small adults with various responsibilities. Women were left with herds all over the place as they became young women somewhere in their mid teens, but the young men didn't leave until one of them took over the position from the White Stag. The swap happened one of two ways, either the Stag died in battle and the young men present fought each other until one was victorious, or one of the young men killed their own father to get the position from him.

The result was that at the time we arrived, there were many young men and children running around setting up camp. A grouping of eight women were waiting on the road in front of us, waiting for our approach as the camp got set up in a field off to one side. They ranged in ages, three of the women were past breeding age, two close to their deaths. Three were in their middle age, and only two were young. Chiki would fit in with the younger two, if she ended up having to stay.

I knew this from Chiki, who'd explained some of their workings for me. She was the granddaughter of a woman born to the Fieldendoe, and had been very interested in them as she grew up, but she'd eventually determined she didn't want to be part of their life. In some ways, it would have suited her, but in others it wouldn't have. She wasn't the serious, stoney type. The Nine were known to have sexual relations between one another as well as being rarely bred by the Stag. Chiki had liked their ability to be open about that, and that the Nine were as much warriors as the Stag. She liked that while there was only one male allowed to breed, it was actually one of the Nine that led the herd and commanded them, the Stag being second in command. But she wanted a buoyant happiness to her life, and less control over who she had babies with and how many. I had no doubt she'd eventually want both Tee and I's baby if we ended up staying together as a family, and I liked the idea.

"Black One." The older woman who wasn't near death proclaimed as we approached. "I'm Clivarast. It's my understanding you claim Chikimet as your wife."

"We are married." I snapped. "You can't just take a man's wife as though she's property. She doesn't want to be one of you, find someone willing. I know there are plenty more White descendants you can ask."

"Chiki is more appealing to everyone." One of the youngest women said, smiling briefly. The younger seemed less sure about the course of action.

"Clearly." Fela muttered, crossing her arms.

"You have the right to challenge." Another of the women said. "But you don't have the right to bring a party here. We could consider this an act of hostility and deny you the right to challenge." She pointed at Fela and Tee. "I'm inclined to think we should do exactly that. Challenging the natural way is impertinent."

"If your wife had meant so much to you, you would have bred her already. She goes to spoil and you come here to take her back to that empty fate?" One of the younger females snorted.

"We're friends of Chiki and Ark. We would not send our friend off into danger alone. What honor is there in that?" Tee asked, voice dark.

"Honor is what we decide it is." The woman who'd questioned my right to bring others said.

"As far as I see it, the White Stag is going to be surrounded by dozens and dozens of friends, I think you can excuse Ark bringing two with him to see that things come out fair. Besides, we're not just friends, we're family." Fela said, raising her chin defiantly.

Clivarast snorted. "Ah yes, Chiki's she-he lover. I didn't remember you for how plain you are." Fela looked furious, but each of the women had a sword of some type on them, and Fela didn't. "I say it's fine that you've come, I am always weary of having too few observations to a clean fight."

One of the older women spoke in Clivarast's ear. She seemed annoyed. Clivarast shook her head, and dismissed whatever she'd said.

"Where is the stag?" I asked, feeling jittery. I just wanted to get on with things.

"He's eating, but will be finished shortly. You wish to fight hand to hand?" Clivarast asked, and I nodded. It was a calculated move. I wasn't overly good with a sword, and I knew these people were all spectacular with the weapon. They were all good at hand to hand too, I was sure, but at least I might stand a chance hand to hand. Or at least, I thought so. Hoped so.

"We'll see Chiki before we fight." I said, trying to making things happen simply by acting confident they would.

Clivarast smiled, apparently amused by my quest for some kind of control. "I'll see if she's able. She's got injured earlier. She's quite hot headed."

"It's hard to piss her off, but when you manage it she's quite the demon." I agreed, almost smiling, but I was too worried about how hurt she was. It wouldn't have been life threatening or they'd have acted like it was a more serious situation, right? Fela beside me was alert and anxious to the extreme though, always expecting the worst.

"The eight of you can't even manage one untrained doe?" Tee asked. "That must be pretty embarrassing. You should bring her out. She'll want to see the people she cares about, especially if you plan on seeing her torn from them. She should at least should be able to say goodbye to the ones she loves, right?"

"Can I kill that male?" A young female asked. "He doesn't know his place." Her hand clenched the hilt of her sword.

"Cool your hand, Ivatellet. These people will be gone soon enough." One of the more middle aged does said.

"She'll grow to love us instead." The other younger doe said as though offended.

"Go and see if the brat is awake and able to come." Clivarast said to her, and the young doe sighed and went off to see about Chiki.

The women became interested in us then, talking low and quietly amongst each other, so I backed off a pace and looked between Fela and Tee, stomach turning with nerves. And the White Stag was eating, cool as anything I was sure. He fought monsters though, of course. I was just an annoying little buck. "So. This should be happening soon." I offered awkwardly to them, unsure what to say to my companions.

"You're powerful, Ark. We fought, and I'm one of the strongest males in the herd. I think you could have easily beat me if you weren't so exhausted. Don't give him time to feel you out. You already know he's powerful, but he knows nothing about you. Give everything you have, and give it fast. These honor matches end when one person gives up, or is put in a point of suppression that they can't escape from. You need to lock his antlers on the ground." Teel spoke quietly and quickly. He kicked a hoof at the forest floor. It was knotted with tree roots here, rough to walk over. "Get his head down and force his lower tines through the roots. He may have a powerful neck, but he won't move tree roots."

I paid close attention, thankful someone's head was on the fight and not on Chiki or panic. It was very helpful, not just with the assessment he provided, but in getting me to focus. I nodded and then darted forward to give his muzzle a quick lick. I smiled at him. "Thanks for coming, Tee. You're right, I'll be fine. Thanks for the tips."

"I know you will. You're incredible." He said, blushing and smiling at me. "Stop thinking of that buck as some undefeatable monster. He's just a buck. He's big and strong, but he's also used to winning, and probably used to other deer rolling over for him. Oh yeah, and the rules of conduct here are different, keep that in mind. You can grab a handful of his testicles, and really, why would you want to miss out on the chance? I'm almost envious." Tee laughed and rubbed my back before slipping over to Fela and patting her shoulder. "We're going to win."

Chiki appeared, being led by the young woman who'd been sent to get her, and that held Fela's complete attention. There was love in Fela's eyes, worry, a shine to the green in her eyes. "Chiki." She said quietly.

Chiki had one arm and shoulder bandaged and in a sling. She looked tired but also furious in a way I'd never seen her before. She grinned when she saw us though, her face lighting up happily, and she would have run ahead if the woman hadn't held her back. As she approached, three of the other does joined her and she looked at them with furious agitation. Her gaze lingered on Fela, but changed to me as they drew close. "You're going to fight him for me?" She asked, sounded surprised.

I nodded, but avoided looking at her too much. I was trying to stay focused on the fight and I didn't need to get furious over her injuries. "Of course, Chiki."

She seemed to realize what I was doing and nodded, giving me a quick kiss before turning and embracing Fela heartily as she smile at Tee. "Hey Tee, it's nice to see you! Thanks for coming. Try not to let Fela run in and get herself slaughtered, alright?"

Fela snorted against her, agitated, but she seemed too busy burying her face in Chiki's shoulder to speak. From the way she was shaking and clinging so hard to Chiki, I thought she might be crying. I understood how hard this must be for the poor woman. She felt like she should have been able to fight, to have the built in equipment for it, but instead all she could do was worry. Chiki stroked the back of her head and down her neck, nuzzling her cheek against the top of Fela's head. "Oh yeah, I bet you already know but this is my lover, Fela." Chiki said, grinning at Tee as though quite proud of it.

"We've had some time to get acquainted. I'm looking forward to getting to know you both much better when we get back home. I want to invite you all over to see my shop." Tee said, fidgeting a bit. "I mean, I have to do a little more work there before I have anyone in again, but I want you all to be a part of my life. So as soon as Ark beats this white asshole into the ground, we'll all go home and be a family."

"As far as I'm concerned, Tee, everything I saw in your shop is spectacular. Amazing. Before Fela broke in I wanted to ask if we could display some of your work, both for sale and different ones depending on what stories I was set to tell in an evening." I said, watching as the stag emerged from a tent. "It's definitely your calling, love." I said. I'd meant to tell him so much earlier, knowing my opinion on them meant something to him. I could see them now even as I kept most of my focus on the white shape coming toward us. Maybe it was just my imagination, but I felt like they gave me courage. There was a lot of courage in those carvings.

The White Stag was taller than I was and wider than Tee. I wasn't short, but I was more of a stocky, compact build. He was older, middle aged, with a huge rack of horns, some spikes missing from his battles, evidence of his capabilities. His neck was thick and packed with muscle from wielding his horns. He moved like he was deadly, and his eyes were piercing and black. He was impressive. I snorted lightly, eager, my nerves falling off in the face of the fight.

Tee squeezed my shoulder. "Come back to me and tonight you will get a reward that will keep you cuming for ages." He whispered, and then slipped back.

The White Stag came forward with a disinterested expression on his face. "You challenge me for my mate, little-horn?" He asked, snorting. "Come then, I'll grind you into the dirt." He pulled off his shirt and then his pants, undressing for the physical combat so nothing would get in the way of his movement.

I couldn't help but smile a little at Tee's offer of a reward, and I had one more moment of feeling how ridiculous this was. I was a storyteller not a fighter! But it fell away as I undressed myself. I was strong and capable, one of the best fighters in the herd myself. If I was careful and clever, I could beat this man.

I snorted again, the exhalation encouraging whatever it was inside us that made fighting come naturally. Then I charged him. There was no official start to the bout, just an understanding that both opponents should be ready, and somehow we knew when that was. As our horns came together and our hands locked on arms and shoulders, I felt the strange surge of how intimate fighting could be when it was hand to hand like this. His muscles were hard under his rough white fur, his and my own snorts not completely unlike the strenuous sounds that could come from lovemaking. Fighting was always this strange duality for me, and I didn't like to do it, perhaps for that reason, that and because I hated being fought to the ground by someone larger. Lingering agitation from Garvital's taking of me in the Rite.

I managed to force the Stag's horns to the ground, throwing in all my force behind my moves. I wasn't holding back today, not even a little. I wanted to end this quickly, before he knew what I was and wasn't capable of. Besides, endurance wasn't my strong suit. I snorted again as I tried to force his horns into the roots and take his legs out from underneath him.

He gave a massive roar and surged upwards towards me, but when he attempted to lift his head his horns caught in the tangled roots. From where I was could see that he wasn't well locked. He needed to be pushed down and in more, but he was thrashing now, his hooves kicking out and hands clawing at the ground in frustration.

"I'll kill you!" He roared, frustration at being caught making him more aggressive than normal. He'd spread his legs and was pushing, trying to break free. If he lifted his head up and back a little he'd be out in no time.

His fury shocked me, frightened me. I could see him spearing me with his horns, but that wasn't what this contest was supposed to be about. Even so I was determined not to let him get the chance. I moved back enough to switch my hold, it was a risk that he might bring his head free of the roots as I shifted but I couldn't hold him as he was. I took a hoof to my thigh for the trouble. It was a glancing blow, the kick missing my bone by a narrow margin and instead bruising a great deal of the thigh and taking off a good chunk of flesh. The pain enraged me and my strength felt increased, I roared back at him, shoving his head and shoulder down hard, my knee finding it's way onto his back as I pushed him downward, trying to lock him in and hold him down.

I might not have had him, but in response to my rage, he thrashed forward and hooked his own horns in the roots, deep and hard. An axe would have to be brought in to free him. He clawed at the ground and surged, but he wasn't' going anywhere. It took nearly ten minutes before he finally began to weaken and subside, but he couldn't get out, and he was only ripping himself up by trying. Finally he slumped to the ground, unmoving, breathing hard.

"Take her." He grunted. "I don't want the bitch."

"Prat, don't speak that way of your own kin." One of the old women admonished. "Always a brute. Don't worry darling, we'll get you free shortly." She said, sending one of the younger does off to get an axe.

Clivarast looked annoyed, but not about to launch into a fury. "Fine, Chiki is yours then." She said, nodded as I backed away. She sent one of the young women nearing her time to leave to herd forward, she had bandages and other healing tools. "Let us patch you up, and then you and your family can go." She said, though she also had food and water brought to us. I collapsed back into a relatively soft patch of grass with a grunt between heaves of breath which were evening out fairly quickly.

Chiki squealed with delight, trying to get Fela to bounce around with her but Fela just blushed and grinned. Then Chiki ran over and threw her arms around me, kissing and nuzzling my head. "Tomorrow night I want to reward you too, alright?" She said, voice teasing and sweet at once. "I'll make sure you like it, no worries. Tee can come too. It can be a party." She said eagerly. Then she released me and went back to Fela, who made her sit down while she investigated Chiki's shoulder.

As I calmed I looked around for Tee, wanting him to come close.

Tee came over and sat down next to me, slipping an arm around me before he leaned in and kissed my chest. "You did good. I knew you could do it." He told me confidently, his fingers brushing through the fur on my belly.

I shifted to hide my arousal which had jumped to attention at his touch, my cock sliding a little ways free of its sheath instantly. The girl was still bandaging my thigh and she was flitty enough already. I leaned in and licked his muzzle. "You did." I said, happily, and then laughed, a little surprised. I had done it. It was over. "I don't think I'm going to be able to wait to have you until we get home." I warned him, and then moved my mouth closer to his ear. "But maybe when we get there, we can try something new, a switch?" I licked the base of his ear. "You inside me?" I felt a thrill of excitement at the suggestion. It seemed I was doomed to want it most when injured.

He turned back to me and grinned, licking my muzzle. "That sounds wonderful. I'm getting hard just thinking about it." He looked down at my exposed shaft. "Want to go take me as soon as you're patched up? I could use it. Watching you handle that huge male like that really got me excited."

"Yes, definitely, right away. I have excess ... I don't know what to call it. Is it alright if I'm rough?" I glanced over to see how the progress was going on my thigh. The girl had noticed my erection and was blushing with her ears back, eyes wide. I didn't like her fear so I hurried her along and thanked her, then I got up and took Tee's arm, leading him into the forest.

"As rough as you want." He grinned. "Did you want to wrestle me down?" He said, pulling his shirt off as soon as we were around a bend and out of immediate sight. He drew off his pants next, and then he was naked, aroused, shaft throbbing pleasantly.

I pushed him against a tree, one hand pinning his shoulders, the other guiding his hips backward. "Nope, I've wrestled enough. I just want you now." I nipped at his shoulder, then nuzzled the back of his neck, rubbing our antlers together. I rubbed my cock between his ass cheeks, getting harder and starting to leak over him. I couldn't wait long and after a half dozen strokes I was lined up and pushing into him hard.

He let out of surprised groan, his shaft pulsing upward strongly as I took him. "Oh Ark!" He gasped. "Yes, fuck me." He pushed his hips back towards me as I laid into him, his ass tightening around my shaft.

I snorted against the back of his neck, hot air spilling out across his fur and his scent filling my nostrils in return. I pushed into him hard and fast for half a dozen strokes before I took my arm off his back and reached around to grasp his shaft. I hummed in pleasure at the feel of it in my hand and his tight ass around my shaft. I was taking him like I owned him, it was almost disturbing to me, but far too enjoyable to question. "You feel good." I told him, and shifted so I'd be hitting his internal button better. I wanted him to cum, to feel it surge up through him and out his cock in my hand.

"Oh gods . . . " He groaned as my fingers slid around his pink shaft. His hips began to buck in time to the pressure I was putting on him and soon he was throbbing between my fingers which were dripping with his precum. "I can't hold it any more!" He groaned and this his cock jumped in my fingers and his seed sprayed out across the tree in front of us, thick and copious.

I moaned shakily, nuzzling his back again as I continued to pound into him, enjoying the feel of him losing control. "Yes, gods yes." I said, stroking him until he was finished and then taking hold of his hips and slamming into him even faster for a few strokes, finally crying out as I pushed deep into him and lost myself there. My cock jerked hard and I held onto him harder, keeping his hips pressed back against me as I pushed forward. I grunted softly in satisfaction, one hand releasing to rub up and down his belly and chest.

He let out a staggered sigh as I finished inside of him, and then reached back to stroke the fur on my hip. "That was a good fucking. I needed that, honey." He laughed a little. "I can't even begin to tell you how good that felt."

"Good." I panted. "I needed that too, I'm glad you enjoyed it as much as I did." I wrapped my arms around him and leaned him against the tree, licking the back of his neck and the side of his face I could reach affectionately.

We rested that way for several long moments, and I waited for the happy glow from the encounter to fade, but it didn't. "I love you, Tee." I told him softly.