The Warmth of Campfires

Story by Kandrel on SoFurry

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I can't even remember what the motivation for this one was, except for hot feral humping with an appreciative crowd! Enjoy!


"I had it! It was in my hands! Why did you guys have to kick the door down just then?"

Jade's complaints were a constant part of our nightly ritual. I figure if Jade had nothing to complain about, it meant our adventure just hadn't been interesting enough. The tabaxi was unpacking his bag of holding. Down he went, elbow-deep in the belt-pouch sized bag, and up went his rosetted leopard-tail. Out came our folded-down tent. Out came our luxury sleeping rolls. Out came a night's worth of rations and an oversized cauldron to cook them in.

The unpacking was interrupted by an audible slap, followed by a feline snarl. I might have jumped, if it wasn't also a nightly activity. Mock's beak was open in Jade's face, letting out a slightly unsettling little girl's laughter. "You were half dead"/"Wasn't going to risk losing the tightest tail in the tundra!" Both were said in different voices, all coming from the Aarakocra's mouth. Mock lived up to his name, while Jade (or more formally, Starlight-Through-Jade) glowered, then reached in with one hand to pull out another piece of camping gear while keeping an eye on his crow-like fellow party member.

"Both of you, shut it. We only technically finished the assignment. We only hope the marquis won't have heard about the fourteen dead private guardsmen and hired hands that your little mistake caused, cat." Markus was the surly sort. If he wasn't so good in a fight, I'm pretty sure our bard would have 'accidentally forgotten' to heal him ages ago. "Now what do I have to do for a properly cooked meal?"

<Simply ask.> Said our paladin--the only one of us that refused to speak in common. She could understand us, obviously, but never bothered to return the favor. It was just lucky that all of us--save Jade--spoke Gnollish. <Slave, see to the dinner.>

Ahead of her, the towering hyena pushed her slave. The little rat-folk girl bent towards the fire ring that I was assembling and started to assemble kindling. Ik was a closed book to us. She followed Eeheki around on a chain leash and collar. But never had I seen that leash go taut. I could see the adoration in the little rat girl's eyes every time she looked at the gnoll. I had seen--we all had seen--so much of the little rat and her master together that we were all sure it'd been a willing and mutual arrangement.

<And when you have completed dinner, you will serve me personally.> Eeheki reached for her slave, and I saw two of the gnoll's thick fingers disappear beneath the rat's tail. Unfortunately, I wasn't in a good position to see the action. I was, however, in prime position to see Ik's eyes close in rapt bliss, and the little shiver of her hands on the kindling and tinder she was building as the gnoll's hand gyrated.

"Already starting with this shit?" Markus complained. He was the only one complaining. I personally considered the gnoll's nightly sacraments an unspoken perquisite of our little party's adventuring campaign. With the way Jade had stopped his unpacking to watch, and the way Mock was eyeing the two up while fumbling with the sleeping rolls, it was clear that Markus was in the minority.

But the complaint worked, at least for now. Without another work, Eeheki removed her hand. Eyes locked with the orc's, she lifted the digits to her mouth and inserted them, suckling on suspiciously damped fur.

The orc spat, turned his eyes, then rattled off orders. "Jade, Mock, first shift. I'll take second with you, Rheese." He pointed at me for that part. I felt Uki push against my side and lift his head beneath my hand. I rubbed the giant fox's cheeks and hid the dire creature's scowl. Even though he couldn't talk, the intent was clear. I stroked his chin and scratched his ears to make him forget the rude orc. In return, he rubbed his head against my thigh.

"Last, Eeheki and Ik. Maybe your spells will be prepared before we're ready to go in the morning, and we won't have to wait for an extra hour while you copulate with your hireling." Markus growled and walked away from the quickly forming camp.

<It occurs to me that even a fighter with skills as refined as Markus' can be replaced. It would be a shame if I were forced to bleed him out and let the scavengers feast on his flesh.> Eeheki mused quietly when the orc had gone far enough out of earshot.

I sighed and helped Ik light the fire. She nursed the ember, while I settled back on my sleeping roll and helped Uki groom burrs from his pelt. "I would prefer to think that I can trust my back to the party." I countered, and the gnoll let out one of her telltale cackles.

<You are in no danger from me, cow-lady. Your heart and mine are alike in texture.> I assumed that was a gnollish compliment, though I wasn't crazy about the cow-lady comment. I was a minotaur. I know there's a translation for me that wasn't just a reference to those dumb herbivores the humans kept.

<Anyway,> Eeheki continued, <How could I deprive the lovely Uki of his master? A more noble animal I have never had the honor of petting.>

I snorted. At least I knew that word. It technically translated to 'petting', yes, but just like she'd been 'petting' the rat girl just moments ago. "Better not let the grumpy orc catch you fondling my pet."

The gnoll giggled, softer this time, then reached down to the fox's muzzle. Uki leaned up to meet her hand. It occured to me while he licked her fingers that he was probably tasting rat.

When the fire was crackling away and the dusk started to drain color from the sky, Ik assembled the rickety frame that dangled the pot above the fire. Mock was busy singing some foreign song and strumming on his lute, and Jade was idly playing with the Gryphon's Eye, the gem we'd been dispatched to free from its previous owner.

"You know," he mused, "It doesn't really look very much like an eye."

"It's a gem." Markus quipped. "They all have names like that. And put it away, before you drop it or 'lose' it."

"It's too lopsided. Long, and thicker on this side than the other." Ignoring the command, Jade flipped the jewel over in his hand. "If you hold it like this, it's actually a bit more like another bit of anatomy. Give me another just like it and it'd be better named the Gryphon's Testicle."

He wasn't far wrong, actually. It did look like one, and given the heft in his hands, it looked like it was about the right size, too. On the far side of the fire, Mock gave a chirp, and Jade's voice came back to us through the bird's beak, modulated upwards in a sing-song voice. "The gry-phon's Tes-tick-le!"

Our orc rolled his eyes, but quickly made room as Ik approached him with a bowl of the night's stew. It was thick and filled with meat. He blew over its surface as Ik retreated to gather the next few bowls to dole out. I accepted mine with grace, sharing the first spoon-full with Uki. The rat girl pet my fox's head, then returned for the last two bowls--Eeheki's and her own.

Music and chatter ceased around the crackling fire for a few minutes as we ate. When it came to camp provisions, Ik was gifted. Eeheki had bought her a present some time ago, a small spice pouch that magically refilled itself. It'd been the best thousand Royals we'd spent, in my opinion. The stewed met fell apart on my tongue, tinged with just enough spice to please. I took special joy in the meat, as I knew it came from those same dumb animals that Eeheki had compared me to earlier. It was a particular pleasure to devour their flesh.

I had finished all but the last few tidbits from my bowl when Uki decided that I was done, and that he required attention rather than my meal. He took another bite from my spoon, then pushed his head up against my belly and chest.

"Uki, let me finish. Let me--Oh, you pest." I grumbled at him, but to be fair, I was feeling full enough anyway. I put my bowl down to the side and let the dire fox wriggle up against my front. Jade was on my bowl before my fingers had even pulled away. Greedy cat. Ah well, better it didn't go to waste anyway. It was a chilly night, so the fox's presence wasn't unwelcome. I propped my cushioned sleeping roll up so I could still see and chat, even while the fox squirmed into a comfy position, with his ruddy head laid on my leathers just between my breasts.

Markus raised an eyebrow at me. I glowered back at him. The fox was in a compromising position, but as far as mister orc knew, he was just an animal--and didn't know what he was doing. I made sure that the surly fighter never found out that Uki wasn't as dumb as the orc thought, and that the fox knew exactly what he was doing.

Chatter around the campfire continued as some of us finished our meals, though Mock and Eeheki appeared to be taking their time with the meal. I stroked Uki's head as Jade nattered on about what he expected the Marquis' protections lacked, and that if we were going to burn that bridge anyway, we might as well make it out with some of the nobleman's riches. Mock agreed with the sentiment, and Markus said it was right out.

Meanwhile, Uki pushed his nose into my paw, and he looked up into my eyes. Oh, my precious boy, I know that look. I smiled a dirty little smile for my pet. I slid a hand beneath him. Hidden by his hips and inconspicuous in the flickering campfire, I tugged my leathers out of the way and slid my undergarment aside. It felt especially dangerous with the orc still glowering around the fire, but I was confident in my ability to hide it. Anyway, it gave me a little thrill to catch Markus' eye as I felt Uki's slick tip slide against me. The orc gave me an uninterested glance, then returned to explaining why we couldn't steal from the marquis.

"Do you ever want to get hired again? Stupid cat." Markus growled

Sensing that he was supposed to be sneaky, Uki licked my hand as he subtly ground his floppy sheath between my legs. The bigger the dog, the floppier the sheath, I've found. I was enjoying the lewd glide of my pet monster's tip against my newly-bare fur. I knew I was all matted down from spending the whole day in the armor, so those eager squirts that Uki was giving me were going to show on my pelt. He'd better stay where he was, or he was going to give the game away.

"By him?" Jade shot back. "Nah. We'll hop a duchy over, and no one there will know the difference."

I admit at this point of the conversation I lost a bit of focus, because Uki had found the right spot. Slim canid tip slid eagerly against my lips, and I felt the hot spurt of his pre much better when he sprayed it against bare skin. I coughed to cover what would otherwise have been a moan as the dire fox mashed his sheath against my slit and slid up into me. Even though I was used to the sensation at this point, it didn't make it any less of a perfect tickling of my senses. Uki hid his face against my palm as he throbbed inside me. I knew he wanted to hump. The good boy also knew he was supposed to be quiet and secretive. I stroked his ears in reward for his restraint.

I was quiet, but some eyes were more perceptive than most. Mock's beak clacked, and I caught his black, beady eyes on me. His lute strummed again, and in the background he began the serenade of Red Hood and her lupine lover. At least no one else seemed to have noticed. Gods, I wanted to just tilt my hips up and let Uki have his way. He felt so lusciously divine, throbbing and wetting down my inner walls in time with his quick heartbeat. My good boy was even keeping his tail down to hide anything that might be dripping. I kissed his face and put my effort into the act. Just a casual snuggle by the firelight to ward away the chill, right, mister orc?

"Selling the marquis' goods would be difficult anyway. Even in Somerfell they'll know his mark." Markus argued.

Jade finished the last bits of my bowl and stacked it with his--both now empty. Greedy cat. "Trivial. You are acting as if this isn't my profession. We melt down the gold and recast it--I have a smithy friend who won't charge much on the border..." Anything past there was lost, because Uki shifted. I'm sure he thought it looked like just a casual readjustment of weight, but the slick and increasingly thick fox cock that was secretly sliding into me retreated, then returned with a deep thrust. I bit my tongue to keep myself from moaning. My dear pet knew me to well. Wasn't it convenient that he'd found the spot just conveniently a dire-fox-length deep that made me squeal when he jabbed it?

Eeheki must have caught my quivering, because the gnoll gave a lewd leer. She lifted her spoon to her mouth and carefully chewed on another cube of beef, while her off-hand absently rattled Ik's chain.

"Tomorrow, we should be able to make the keep." Markus stated. "I say we pick up our payment as quickly as we can and make our way to Somerfell to make any purchases. I'd like to be out of there before the marquis hears of--oh for fuck's sake. Can't I finish before you start that?"

Ik had finished her bowl of soup first, and while her mistress was noisily slurping around the last few pieces of meat on her spoon, the rat girl had sidled between the gnoll's legs and was shifting the loincloth aside with careful fingers. She looked up at the orc in momentary panic. Above her, Eeheki paused in her noisy masticating long enough to mouth an innocent <Start what?>

There was silence around the fire. Ik was clearly intimidated, but deeper than the fear, she knew her place. With the rat-girls eyes on the orc, she managed to shift the gnoll's loincloth the last few inches. Eeheki's pseudo-penis flopped into the firelight. Markus opened his mouth, presumably to complain further, but he was interrupted by the sound of Ik's mouth closing around the tip of her mistress' cock, then sliding up until she'd buried her nose in Eeheki's crotch fur.

That finally broke the eye contact. "Every fucking night, I have to put up with this shit. Don't you ever take a break?"

<Every day your body is broken and the Dark Mother knits your bones together and seals your fresh anew. Perhaps you do not wish her blessing? You, who willingly stand in front of swords and spears, you would wish me to forsake my pact with my god?> The gnoll bristled. The orc tried to meet her gaze, but couldn't. He owed his life twice over to Eeheki's healing touch. <I thought not. The Laughing Matriarch requires her sacrement, and you, who requires the most of the blessings I channel, complain the loudest. Take your whining elsewhere, little-tooth. I have ratling cunt to defile.>

Markus shook his head and stood. "Fuck you all. May a night ambush take you before I have to see another of these shameful displays. I'm going to go piss or something."

I smiled at the gnoll as Markus stumped off. She gave me back a grin full of teeth. The orc wouldn't be back for a while. Crunch-snap-crack, his heavy footsteps broke twigs and crushed leaves loudly as he retreated. I waited until he was finally out of earshot before I finally let go.

"Oh, fuck, thank you Eeheki." I let out in a rush as I pushed my hips up for Uki. Jade and Mock were staring straight up my snatch as I came messily around my precious pet. The fox licked my face as he felt me jittering around him.

<My sister should not have to coddle the fool when she wishes to give herself to the beast.> The gnoll stroked her slave's face as the diminutive ratling swallowed around the dangling pseudopenis. <As for you, that is enough, slave. Our dark mistress will not take her satisfaction from your mouth.>

As Ik stood, Eeheki's length drooped from her mouth, though I saw it give a throb and a bounce against the rat girl's belly as she stood to meet the embrace of her mistress. I stroked Uki's head, and he stood to give me room to turn around. I spun about and lay on my belly, propping my head up in my hands so I could watch. Uki bit one of my horns and gave a playful tug. I stroked his neck, then lifted my hips for him. I knew what he wanted--and it was all his to take. I just wanted to be able to watch the show, too.

His slim muzzle ducked between my legs, and I hugged my thighs around his nose as his tongue slicked against my lips. I was already wet from my peak, so he got a good mouthful as he licked. Soft music filled our little camp again as Mute picked something a bit less rowdy. Something that took a bit less concentration, too, since Jade was settled between the bird's legs and slowly stroking the slender pink length sticking out from a gap in the bard's trews.

<Dark mother hear my prayers. Between her thighs I lay this tribute. May she accept me into her embrace.> Eeheki lifted the rat girl with one hand around her waist. Ik gazed up at her mistress with reverence, and her mouth opened to meet the gnoll's kiss. Hyena jaws closed over the rat's face. One hand stroked down Ik's front, claws extended and sharp. The gnoll's length slapped against the rat's thighs, and Ik reached down to guide it in. The rat shivered, twitching and dribbling around mistress' shaft. A symbolic defiling, dismembering, and devouring, though at least one of them was more literal than symbolic.

"What do you, think, Uki?" I asked my pet as he circled and settled over my back. I could feel his sheath bump against my thighs, so I spread my legs slightly to guide him downwards. The dangle benefited me in this position, since that meant the dire fox only had to cuddle me close and push for his shaft to slide up into me again. "Are we all horny because of that dirty gnoll's god?"

Eeheki cackled at me as she lifted her jaws from around the ratling's face. Ik was still staring upwards blissfully, eyes closed and body rigid as she sank lower and lower onto the textured pseudopenis. It was conceivable that we were all under her spell--that we were all giving sacrement to the dark mother even though we weren't adherents to her faith. But I didn't _feel_ensorceled. I could have stopped at any time. I could have told Uki to stand up and not to fuck me--but where's the fun in that? This felt good. Oh, so very good as my fox started to vigorously hump against my rump. "Or is it just maybe that you're an undeniable, sexy beast, Uki? Is that it?"

He whined midway through his thrusting and lowered his head to my shoulder. With one hand I stroked his muzzle, and with the other I reached down and massaged his balls as they slapped against my inner thighs. This position wasn't ideal for him--he probably wouldn't be able to reach to tie. But since Markus could be back before his knot had gone down that was probably for the best. So instead I decided to help him by closing my fingers at the base of his sheath, letting his knot smear against my legs.

"Oh, good boy" I urged him on as I felt him squirting inside me. "Good boys get to sleep in my sleeping roll tonight."

I felt his tail brush against the back of my thighs. "Nnnf. Better boys get to sleep inside me tonight, if you can be quiet." I heard his response as a muffled whine. Then felt his reponse as another twitching throb as he filled me wetly.

<Naughty ranger.> Eeheki giggled at me. She was lifting Ik like a sentient sex toy. Beneath her fingers over the ratling's belly, I could see the bulge of the thick gnoll faux-cock each time she was pulled down into the spotted lap. <The orc will eventualy catch you. What will you and your noble beast do then?>

"Nothing." I growled. Uki shifted, and the angle of his squirting changed. He was so close to a nicely sensitive spot that I tilted my hips to match, and suddenly I was in Elysium again. His canid tip jabbed at my inner button, and every few seconds I felt a wave of heat fill me as another gush of his cum washed over that same blissful spot. "All I need to do is nothing when you finally get fed up with him, instead of making you see 'reason'."

<Smart> The gnoll exhaled a hot breath into the ratling's face, and I saw the diminutive creature shudder. Then liquid pelted the paladin's crotch as her slave squirted around the thick shaft spreading her so lewdly wide. Ik reached down, around the thick gnoll fingers holding her aloft, and touched tentatively around the periphery of her own lips, and the pitch-black monster that was sliding between them. Her whole body quaked as she descended into a wave of knee-clattering orgasms, one after another, that soaked her mistress' belly and legs. Eeheki glanced up from the girl that was fluttering around her cock and smiled at me. <Does that mean you would like to watch me to defile him?>

"Markus? No." I mentally recoiled. "Ew. No."

<Then I will let you know when to avert your gaze. I have held my temper for your benefit, and for that of our bickering couple here.>

I looked over. They weren't bickering now, at least. The music hadn't stopped--Mock was rolled onto his back and still strumming as Jade pounded his backside. In the unsteady firelight, I saw Jade's pink taper disappear between black feathers. The rogue was typically silent about it, while the bard was not. Soft little coos were adding a backdrop to the lute strumming as Mock enjoyed his audience.

<They have each individually confirmed that they no longer feel the need for the orc's presence. If you are also of one mind, then we must simply wait. I will not tolerate his insults to my patron again. I am glad you have seen reason.> Eeheki's voice was soft compared to her normal giggling cackle, I think I prefered when she was loud. She was less scary that way. <Now excuse me for just a moment.>

I watched as the gnoll rose from a crouch over her bedroll. I had seen her nightly sacrement enough to know what came next. Specifically, Eeheki came next.

Her cackling filled the campsite for a few moments as she held the ratling still. I could see the throbbing through her belly, then liquid gushed from her slit and soaked her thighs. She reached up for the gnoll, and Eeheki leaned down to meet her. The violent sacrament was complete, so our paladin could let down her guard. She and her slave shared a loving kiss. In any other world, they would have been mates. Or lovers. Or companions or shield sisters. But, as Mock had explained in his sing-song storytelling, the Dark Mother demanded slaves. If the cost of being with her gnolless was her freedom, Ik paid it willingly.

I felt Uki begin to soften, and I wrapped fingers down to stem the tide. As soon as he slipped out, I squeezed my knees together to keep it inside. While it would have been fun to just let it run out wherever, I also wanted a good night's sleep, and dire fox scented puddles made for a restless evening. I waddled away from the campsite to make two puddles before I fell asleep, and I saw Jade joining me. Neither of us said anything as we did our business. When we returned, the fire was low and our bedrolls were calling.

True to my promise, I held my sleeping roll open for Uki, who cuddled close. Markus returned when I was starting to feel my eyes drooping. My fox, cuddled close, as if he enjoyed flaunting himself in front of the orc, even if that orc was none the wiser. The tender caress of sleep drifted near as I felt my dear pet sliding inside. Pleasurable dreams would follow. I slept.