Plundered Ink

Story by ReynartWrites on SoFurry

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It isn't often that a stranger hires a knife in the dark. Berry would like to know who found her information, how, and if the job paid enough to warrant trusting someone new.

Berry belongs to https://twitter.com/Xilrayne


A town sat by the ocean made of raised stones and carefully laid brick. There were bridges over small creeks that fed into the ocean's water where fishermen often found odd creatures and other interesting catches. It was late enough that the waters were black, with only the reflection of the moonlight and stars shimmering off of the surface of the water. Lamps had been lit throughout the town for those traveling in the late hours of the night; typically a fisherman coming back after checking their cages for various shellfish. The night watch would typically greet the fisherman wandering the dark with a mutual yawn and a joke or two before heading their separate ways. Other than that, the only sounds were the lapping of water against the legs of the dock, and boats creaking from the waves easing them up and then down. It wasn't large enough to be considered a city, and yet, it was an essential hub for trade and even at night there were merchants busy plotting courses and wondering what next to sell or buy. A cloaked figure that most seemed to ignore made their way through the town and out of it, heading through a path that took them into a forested wilderness that rose up and around ending on a cliff that overlooked the town. They moved with quick steps and seemed to shimmer in the moonlight almost as if they were a trick of the light. There was a wagon near the edge of the cliff hidden from the town's view behind a few trees. The cloaked figure touched the side, trailing along it for a few moments before getting to the door. They knocked with a single knuckle, once, then waiting a second before hitting it twice more. The door soon opened to reveal a white-furred fox wearing a light coat buttoned down the middle hanging like a dress. Small circle spectacles sat on their snout, old claw mark scars trailing down their lips. Their eyes were a deep inky black, the same color that appeared at the tip of their tail and colored their hands.

"Good to see that your reply is already here." Came the fox's words with a small smile that betrayed the circles beneath their eyes, "Let's discuss inside. The early Spring still holds an odd chill to it."

The fox stepped back and the figure followed while removing their hood revealing the features of an almond-furred otter. Her eyes were a sharp rose that absorbed her surroundings. The interior of the wagon appeared larger than it did from the outside. Part of that could just be a trick of the eye, but Berry could feel traces of magic dancing along the floorboards. It felt as if she were entering the domain of an otherworldly being, and yet, it just looked like a miniature library. The wall to her left was lined with shelves that held various books along with a few odd baubles here and there. There were chests as well with rather impressive locks and as she passed them, she felt the buzz of something arcane and dangerous coming from them. A clock ticked overhead on one of the walls, the sound of the ticking gears oddly relaxing but unable to keep her mental hackles from rising.

Berry had already found herself uncomfortable with being called upon so suddenly for a job by a stranger but now there was the atmosphere as well driving her to be prepared at any moment to spring into action. Both of her hands had dropped near her waist where her daggers were, but she kept her stance relaxed as she kept walking. Her cloak had parted to reveal that she wore an open coat with a wrap of cloth around her waist and a few belts, everything loose enough that she could easily move and yet tight enough that it fit snugly on her.

She stopped when she reached the end of the wagon where a small bed and study desk were set together. The fox offered her a chair but she simply put a hand up to decline, "Hm? Such a long walk must have tired you out...Well, I guess it would make sense to remain on your feet just in case this was a trap. I'd be nervous too. In fact, I'm fairly nervous about a stranger in my home and about what I need to talk about."

Berry frowned. Being read was annoying but having someone utter it out loud was near grating. Huffing, she tilted her chin up and asked, "And what is it exactly that you need to talk about? I was told that you had a job that would be perfect for me but I don't even know how you found me or who told you about me."

The fox blinked before smiling just a bit more, the expression cutting through their features as they chuckled, "Sorry about that. I started rambling a bit, but what I need your skill for, is to steal a particular book." They then sighed, "Sounds simple enough, I know, but there is a particular detail that makes it troublesome for me."

They pointed and suddenly, Berry saw a map unfurled on the bed. Had that always been there? Regardless, when she stepped toward it she saw that it was a map detailing the layout of a cargo ship with a marked region somewhere near the bottom where there typically wouldn't be anything at all. Berry stared at the map, curiosity building as she noted that there were several notes on what the cargo ship had inside of it.

"This thing is a floating treasure vault." She said in a hushed tone.

"Yes." The fox replied before muttering, "And as such, it is guarded, very well from the dock and from the deck. I want to make a plan tonight and enact it. There is a time limit on how long that anchor will stay and I need the book in that chest."

Berry looked toward them with a frown, "Why?"

She thought for a moment that they might not answer, or perhaps, that was simply her assumption. The fox rubbed the back of their head, breathing out, "The book is a very dangerous grimoire. I had been tracking it for a while to add to my collection and make sure it remains sealed, but it turns out that a wealthy noble from another region with a taste for stupidity has it among his other baubles being delivered to his castle."

"Altruism?" Berry snorted, "What do I get out of it if that's all? Going to promise me power beyond my wildest dreams, devil fox?"

The fox blinked at the nickname, tilting their head before chuckling, "Devil fox? That's a new one. Regardless, I am not here to tempt you with that. I figured that no thief worth their salt would ever accept a dangerous thing like this for the good of the world alone, and to be honest, I'm not that altruistic either. You've seen what the ship has in it. Jewels, artifacts, glittering coins from various lands and so much more."

Her eyes turned to the map again to see the list of items just located near the chest. It was beyond temptation. It was practically seduction on a level that she needed to actively remember to calm her tail. Still, general distrust urged her to ask with a sniff, "And how did you come about all this information?" She narrowed an eye and turned it toward the fox's direction, "And my details?"

"I listened." Said the fox with open arms. When she turned to them with a tilted head, they continued, "Despite how I look, it is fairly easy to blend in. Walk among the crowds, sit in the taverns with the folk washing their troubles away. Bother none but yourself and you're bound to hear something with a good ear. Follow the right sounds and you're likely to hear a lot, and know even more if you've got the confidence to follow those traces. I am not confident, but I certainly am lucky."

She watched them for a few seconds before speaking, "Say I take this job. What's the plan?"

The fox pointed toward her, "That's what I need your help with as well. I can be as capable a mage as I want, but cracking security is not what I am good at and I would rather do this without any spilled blood. Honestly, I could just melt to shadow and ink, but there are moon lanterns on the deck meant to break glamors and bring what is hidden into the light."

Berry rubbed her chin with a stray digit before nodding, "Okay, I see why you need me and I might have a suggestion, but before that, you agree to help me take what I want just the same as I will help you take what you want, yes?" When they nodded, Berry extended her hand, "My name is Berry, and you have yourself a thief."

Her hand was taken gingerly and the fox introduced themselves with a tone that sent shivers down her spine, "I am Wel. I take this contract of words to be binding. What you desire from the ship, I will help you take just the same as you will do for me."

When they let go of her hand, she looked at it and flexed her digits still feeling a bit of static, "I want to establish a boundary right now of not doing weird things without explaining them to me. What was that?"

Wel blinked, "Oh, sorry. It was a fae's agreement, bound in words. I figured you would prefer it that way."

"Fae?" Berry said before scoffing, "That's quite the thing for a simple mage."

They placed a hand at their chest and spoke quietly, "I am more and less than what you think. I'm not a fae, not a devil either. I'm just a cursed individual with far too much experience for their age, and the knowledge to use that curse."

She looked at them for a moment, her curiosity budding again before she scratched at the side of her head, "Bah, I'd rather be riding dick than entertaining mysteries. Let's get to work instead of talking about this."

The sexual comment seemed to freeze the fox for a bit before they said in a dry tone, "We could always talk about your mysteries my partner in crime."

Berry firmly ignored them and hiked her tail up, hoping to give the fox a reason to shut up and stare as she leaned over the bed to begin, "So. This cargo ship is well guarded from the dock and on the deck, like you said. We can't climb onto the deck without getting spotted and we can't storm it because that would be stupid. What we can do is swim but that's a bit troublesome if we come out into one of the windows."

Her tail swished from side to side while her most troublesome thoughts were brushed to the side for a second in favor of calculation. She had ideas and allowed herself to wander among even the most useless ones. Berry didn't want to take an interest in this stranger because they could very well betray her. She would rather work this job, prepare for the knife in the dark and perhaps grind away her troubles with whatever they were hiding under that coat. Honestly, she wouldn't even mind it if she felt something nice and firm slide into her. In fact, she would prefer it. Sex beat out thinking any day, but only because her thoughts were always leading her to awful conclusions.

When she was able to focus again, she muttered, "We want a window that goes directly into the room but there are none. Usually, that room isn't used for storage at all, but it holds some of the most precious cargo. What if I said I could cut a hole for us but only if you were willing to swim in the deep end of things?"

Clawed digits touched her rear, tracing up her coat causing her to shiver while Wel hummed, "I can swim."

"Good. Hope you don't mind getting your equipment wet." She said with a snort.

The digits at her rear gripped just a bit while the fox replied, "That won't be a problem. I can hide our equipment. Will you be able to cut a hole without one of your knives." She nodded and their touch tightened again, their mouth pressed to her neck as she found herself tensing for the moment that they took what they wanted, but instead Wel back away and breathed out, "Good. Is there something you'd like to talk about besides the boat? The offer is tempting, don't get me wrong, but I can't help but feel like there's something else to this display other than desire."

Again, she found herself irritated. It wasn't even a close read, it was just something that struck too close for comfort. With a sigh, she planted her hands on the edges of the bed and turned her head to fixate one eye on the fox, "I'd rather not talk about it, and that's that. If I don't talk about it, I don't have to think about it, I just have to accept every little push and thrust until I get off and until you get off. That's the fun, that's the rub, that's the heat that I get from it. Thoughts are emptied in favor of being stuffed."

Wel nodded, "Understandable."

Her ears twitched and she raised her head, "Is it?"

"It is." Nodded the fox before shaking their head, "It isn't necessarily healthy but sometimes it feels right to just let everything go, because there is far too much to keep track of, far too much that holds a weight to our hearts."

Berry found herself growing colder the more they spoke, the more their words landed anywhere near her until she breathed out and turned her attention forward, "I hated that. I hated that absolutely. I'd rather not think about someone being able to relate to me, rather not think about the fact that I would do this job even if it weren't for the treasure and I really don't wanna think about how turning my back to a stranger is dangerous. It feels like I am in danger every second of my life, waiting for the next person to use me and discard me. These words are spoken as quickly as I can to keep them going, and out." She then spat, "Why am I even talking to you? I should be trying to seduce you or getting ready for this plan of ours."

She felt arms around her suddenly, gripping, embracing tightly, words muttered over her ears, "I don't know what happened and I won't press, but I'm sorry. If you want to lose yourself in this night, then we can instead of focusing on you. I won't betray you. Use the contract as an anchor and an excuse if you need."

The contract? That's right. It was verbal, but magical and binding. She could trust in that. It was something concrete that she could hold onto to pull herself out of this sudden spiral. Breathing out, she stood up slowly with the fox's arms still around her, one of her hands moving up to their wrist to squeeze firmly and twist, "Okay, sex is one thing, hugging is another. This moment of weakness is over."

Wel let go of her, but didn't make a sound in response to her twisting. She breathed out and allowed their wrist to go free while Wel spoke, "Then it is time we get to work and both earn our keep."

Berry raised a brow, "You're going to enjoy this far too much, aren't you?"

The fox hummed, "Hmmm, perhaps."

With that said, Wel stepped out and into the night. Berry followed while shaking her head. The plan had been set in motion. They found a place to safely descend the cliff to the shore away from the town. It would take longer to swim around, but the distance meant that they wouldn't be spotted entering the water and questioned for it. Their clothes came off, equipment and boots as well. Berry watched as Wel deposited their clothes into a void of ink and Berry did the same. With that out of the way, they entered the water. She felt almost at home among the cool ocean liquid brushing through her fur. Her body cut through the water with her tail helping her navigate. Near her, she heard Wel muttering a few curses.

While they had time, she turned on her back and floated along the surface of the water, kicking with her legs while asking, "Trouble?"

Wel huffed, "I just hate the cold and as you can see, I'm not particularly graceful in the water either so I keep getting--" A wave carried her up and then down gingerly while smacking into Wel's face causing them to sputter for a moment before growling, "Saltwater in my mouth."

She tried not to laugh, tried her best but even she couldn't resist a snort as she turned to continue swimming, "Just try to keep up, and keep quiet."

Her partner in crime stopped complaining after what she assumed was an answer in the form of saltwater being sprayed from the mouth. They reached the boat at a lucky moment, when the clouds were passing over the moon and the stars. It meant less light for them but the boat itself had lanterns on it making it easier to see. The spot they were looking for was on the far side of the cargo ship, no one looking over the edge. Berry felt her magic keeping her afloat while her hand broke the surface, dragging water along it. The saltwater formed in her hand as a razor-sharp dagger that she used to cut a hole in the haul as carefully as possible. Once she had an opening, she let the water drip from her hand. She grumbled as she found her hips getting stuck for a few seconds before she managed to scramble in. Wel soon followed, clawing the floorboards of the boat like a desperate animal until they flopped on their back, chest rising and falling.

"Can't believe we're going to need to do that all over again, oh, it isn't even my muscles. I just hate the cold." Sighed the fox quietly.

Berry couldn't help but crack a half-smile at the display before giving their head a pat, "C'mon. We've got some shopping to do."

After a few puffs, Wel got up to check the room with Berry. The room was entirely sealed with a set of grooves along the floor probably signifying some sort of secret mechanism. There were chests and crates lined along the walls with a few stacked atop of one another. Berry remembered the items that were in the room and found herself growing more excited as she remembered the reward, and as the thought of the danger increased. They had to move quickly, but what first? There was the book but they could grab that last if they needed to. Wel was trying to tell her something just as she grabbed onto one of the chests to snap it open and lift it.

"Berry, I really need to tell you something about these chests." Said Wel quickly, voice growing just a bit louder.

She huffed, "What? That there are some of these that contain dangerous objects? I already know that. Don't patronize me."

Suddenly, the top of the chest clamped down on her, and tendrils from within bound her wrists and lashed around her ankles outside of the chest. She yelped as she found herself stuck and without much of a way to break free while the fox sighed, "I was trying to tell you. Some of these chests are artificial mimics. They've got mechanisms you need to solve."

Berry rumbled from within with her ass hanging out, "And I'm guessing you know how to navigate these mechanisms, oh great sage who lacks foresight?"

Wel drummed a few digits atop the chest while sniffing, "I tried to tell you..."

Annoying! What was most frustrating about this situation wasn't that she was bound, no, it was that she was bound by artificial means and could feel her arousal growing. To be trapped like this, to be held down like this by ties and binds instead of flesh and blood made her feel something akin to an adrenaline rush. She both wanted to escape and wanted to be caught at the same time. Gnashing her fangs together, she hoped above all else that Wel would get her out soon. Her body trembled and jolted as she felt digits along both of her rear cheeks, squeezing, and kneading.

Before she could question them, Wel muttered, "If I knew you were going to show me this again tonight I would have just gone feral at the wagon."

"Get me out of this and I'll break your hips riding you." Berry hissed without a second thought.

Wel passed a digit along her heat, her heart thumping against her chest as their touch began to drift up and down. She trembled and sighed, the warmth in her mind begging for more. Irritation and pleasure swirled within her, both at odds while she wished for a rougher touch. The more gentle Wel was, the closer it felt to something that she shouldn't have. With this type of movement, she could think, she could feel and it kept on fostering a pressure she couldn't handle.

Finally, her tail lashed out and thumped into Wel's gut, her voice cracking for a bit, "Be rough with me! Go feral, go wild! Bite my tail, bite my ass! Knot me, paint my ass, tell me I'm yours while making my rear into an instrument! Just don't fucking treat me like a flower!"

That outburst probably earned her the irritation of someone who had shown her any sort of care, someone who had tried to understand her which was a damn rarity. More than that, they were probably someone who wasn't even going to betray her. The thoughts were rushing at her so quick she was about to start crying. At that point, a sudden lance of sharp pain drove up her body from her rear following the sound of Wel's hand striking her rear. Each of her rear cheeks were given firm swats with those strong hands, her mouth opening wide to gasp as the pain and pleasure rose above the strangled frequency of her thoughts.

When she was allowed to rest, her legs quivering, Wel breathed out, "If rough is what you want, then rough is what you'll get. I'll break you out of that chest instead of solving this little puzzle or using magic."

There was something about that quiet promise that had a shiver curling up her spine more than any threat could. She felt like they were really going to attempt to fuck her hard enough to break the chest surrounding her. Berry then responded after a few shivering moments, "Good! Better hurry up since we're on a time limit...Plus, there's some good stuff in here."

Again those strong hands grabbed onto her ass, spreading and kneading while she felt the fox's mouth press to her pussy. Their tongue came out and dipped inside of her, a hand coming up before swatting back down on her rear just to make sure she didn't get too comfortable with her insides being lapped at so hungrily. That thick tongue dipped in deeper and deeper, her rear being swatted more and more as the stinging echoing on her ass kept on rising. If only she could move her hands, if only she could dig her claws into something, if only she could bite and tear into anything at all while getting herself so thoroughly prepared by an animal. This was what she could handle, this is what she craved and desired to grind away the thoughts in her mind. It wasn't right but it was just the way she was!

Wel's tongue pulled away, their hands stopping for a second to give her a break. Her chest rose and fell, her mouth opening and closing as she steadied herself. With how gentle they had been before, she hadn't been expecting much. The swatting, the lapping away her senses; those things had revealed to her a different side of the fox. She felt another facet of the fox slap onto her ass, a thick canine length sliding back before they thrust it forward. A shiver ran down her spine as she felt their shaft slipped and moved up her tail, throbbing with wild heat before Wel began to pull back slowly. The tip pressed against the folds of her heat, pushed and prodded while her mind swam with the anticipation, while her thoughts and feelings were held down just beneath the surface of that rocking mire.

Berry wanted it harder and she got what she desired without uttering a word. Her moans were all that needed to be said in order to get her desire across, her body being driven to the peak. She could feel the grinding urging her closer and closer to a finality that she desired, a mounting climax that continued to slam pressure into her gut with every thrust. The speed and the intensity of the pounding soon brought out that bulbous base against her pussy making her wonder whether or not they were going to knot her in this position. Part of her wanted to tell them to pull out and mind themselves, but that portion of her mind was firmly driven down by a heat that was hacking away at every other thought. A little bit more, just a little bit more and she gasped aloud, her tail thumping against the fox's body as her insides clenched tight on their shaft. Her climax struck her while the fox was still thrusting, while his hips were still crashing against her ass. To their credit, they did not knot her. They tugged out just as her mind was clearing, just as everything in her heart and mind was fading away like a fine mist. She felt heat coating her rear and wished she could see their shaft in action with the amount coating her ass.

When the fox was finished, she opened her mouth to ask to be set free finally when the box around her cracked and splintered. She yelped as the tendrils around her wrist and ankles crumpled and her body dropped flat onto a pile of various baubles and coins. Berry got up to see Wel dusting their hands, a smile on their features as they sniffed, "I guess I could have taken my sweet time with that but I figure we've taken enough time. C'mon, let's get what we came here for."

Not questioning Wel's strength, Berry got to work carefully opening chests before tossing what she wanted out of them into the void formed in the center of the room made out of ink. She took fine linens that she could use for herself and coins that would be usable in this region. Simple and practical things were all that she needed. While she did this, Wel knelt by a chest with their hands hovering over the lock. She stopped her shopping for a moment to check on them, pausing as Wel held a finger up to her. Her daggers appeared from the air and she caught them, knowing that Wel was warning her something was about to happen. Once she had a good grip on her daggers, the fox snapped open the lock and backed away immediately.

A construct made of what appeared to be living liquid and fire rose from the chest. It writhed and spun, arms forming as it stretched them wide as if it were stretching. She thought for a moment it might be friendly before it threw a lance of flame at Wel. The fox darted to the side and turned, their motion directing the lance back at the elemental. It took the fire and seemed to chuckle at the motion, a smile forming along what counted as its face.

"Okay, this is heavy magic territory." Hissed Berry, "So what do we do, great mage?"

Wel nodded, "Right. A fire elemental. Playful things. Not as bad as you might think and won't burn to the touch unless they want to burn you."

"Correct." Said the fire elemental, "I was tasked with attacking whoever opened this chest without the key. I've done that and the one I attacked returned my flame to me. How fun!"

Berry blinked, "It can talk?"

"Rude!" Came the response from the fire elemental, a formed hand on its chest, "I am a living creature! A bound one, but a thinking one regardless. Speaking of bound, I must keep attacking so, please do break this damnable chest so I can get out of here and wreak absolute havoc."

She looked to Wel who shrugged, "If we unbind it then it'll be thankful and probably go after the one who bound it in the first place. Not our problem so long as it doesn't burn down the town."

"And I promise I will do no such thing. I only would like to have a few words about autonomy with the one who put me here." They then clapped their hands together, "Please do avoid this though, and try to impress me with your abilities."

Just as the fire elemental said, a ball of fire appeared above its head and shot toward Berry. She dove out of the way and ran low to the ground, swiping up at the elemental. Her knife sliced through the elemental but it might as well have been cutting through the air. The fire elemental brought its hand up and swung down at her just as ink rose from the ground to meet it in a sizzling exchange. An elemental would be harmed by another element, or was that even what she wanted? If she harmed it then she could seriously turn its anger to them, and what good would that do? She gathered water to her blades from the opening to the ocean, the liquid hardening her knives before she slammed them both into the chest itself. Water burst through the cracks of the chest. The elemental did not seem perturbed by the water invading its confines, instead, it only seemed overjoyed as the wood began splitting from the pressure of the water coursing through it. Before the water could finish the job, Berry needed to hop back and take her daggers out of the wood as the elemental bore down on her with a large arm.

"Sorry!" Came the fire elemental's voice as it pulled its fist from the floor, "You see, I need to attack intruders at all cost. Now, if you could just apply a bit more pressure to the chest then it would break into little pieces!"

Berry looked toward Wel and blinked. The fox held a growing spear in his hands made of ink, the weapon tipped with the point of a pen. They threw the spear once it was fully formed, the head embedding itself into the splintering wood causing it to split entirely. The contents of the chest came careening out of the opening. Various books and gems of all things.

The fire elemental began to laugh, "I have failed! Utterly and absolutely failed! So...Take what you want and go. I'll wait to start causing trouble until after you off the ship."

Before she could ask it what it was going to do, the fire elemental turned into a ball of flame with eyes and simply floated near the center of the room. The spear disappeared into the floor leaving a void of ink that Wel tossed a single book in. They checked a few of the other books and tossed them in as well before rushing out the hole and into the cold water. When Berry saw the elemental vibrating, she tossed her daggers into the void and rushed out of the hole. They swam, and swam with all their might until they felt the crash of pressurized air at their backs full of heat. Berry didn't dare turn back as she heard splintering wood and a distinct laughter. She wondered if the elemental had been holding back, what it could have really done and she decided that perhaps she should have taken much more loot for this.

When they got back to the shore, they got dressed and headed up the cliff to the wagon where they had the perfect view of a ship in smoldering flames creating a lovely pyre. Wel sucked in a breath, "So much for this being bloodless. That might be a problem."

Berry blinked, "I mean, no one will know it was us."

Wel sighed, "I suppose so but what if that elemental was lying to us? They aren't exactly bound by their words."

She thought about that for a few moments before shrugging, "What's the use in worrying about that?"

Silence touched the air between them before Wel snorted, "I suppose you're right. Come on then, let's get you your payment."

Berry watched Wel step into their wagon and she followed, wondering about her own words. Wel did not betray her, even offered to help her store her objects and give her a place to sleep to have an excuse not to go into town. It was a tempting offer and she took it, if only because she doubted the town would be too accepting of visitors at this moment. Even then, she set up camp just outside of their wagon. It wasn't that it was uncomfortable there, wasn't that she even hated Wel, no. It was more that she simply did not know them and could not fully trust them even if they had proved her wrong once. Settling in for the night under a tent, she shut her eyes and pondered on her own words. Could she ever find herself in a situation where she wasn't worried about someone lying?