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Chapter - 10 -

"Team Vulpine"

*"This is awkward," * she murmured softly. "And your injuries don't appear grave. Perhaps your memory ailment is temporary." Kursed removed her paws from either side of Fox's head and looked at him suspiciously. The last time he'd been this close without having built up a history with her, he was shy. This time, he wasn't.

"What's wrong?"

"I can't figure out what's different this time," she murmured to herself, adding, "The strange thing is, I can see images of us in your mind. However, you have no idea who I am; I don't sense any actual memories or history."

"Excuse me?" Fox looked up at her with his brows quirked. His left hand moved the photograph book back to a secure location then he dusted off his palms and stood up, coming face to face with her. Pondering if she could be telepathic he cleared his mind and consciously thought, 'Can you help me?' He waited to see if she'd respond.

"I surely hope so." She reached for his sunshades and eased them down his muzzle until she could see his eyes. "That was a nasty landing. I nearly had that bastard, Octoman, but... I couldn't let you lay in a pool of blood down here. I honestly expected the Arwing to explode with all those Nova Bombs in your cargo space."

"I'm a little fuzzy on things right now." He looked around then smiled at her. "Had the smell of hydraulic fluid not caused me to wake up, you'd have found me unconscious. For that matter, if I hit my head any harder than I did... well, you might have found me in serious trouble. Either way... Thank you for breaking off of your chase. I'm sorry I caused you any trouble and..."

She lifted her fingers to his lips to quiet him. "Save it." She stepped back and frowned. "It's a shame I can't ask why you're here. I suppose Corneria finally got around to hiring you for the Octoman job. Well, my dear boy, you might as well pack up and leave. I've got it under control."

Fox offered a respectful nod and a sympathetic shrug. "I'm a little on the stranded side right now." He nodded back to the remains of the fighter. "I wouldn't exactly know where to go or how to get back to the address on my license until this 'thing' clears up. Mind if I tag along? I won't take your commission if that's what you're worried about. If I can help, great. I won't get in your way, though."

She eyed him again. After a brief pause she nodded. "Very well. I wasn't able to land close by because of the forest - follow me."

---

The couple stopped at the edge of a clearing. There were men with blank expressions, going through the Cloud Runner and guarding it. Kursed gritted her teeth and glanced back at Fox. "Perhaps you're more trouble than I initially realized. Even with your gun and my staff, there are quite a few of those men. They're also innocent in this. If we can manage to take down Octoman, those fools will leave peacefully. Let's find another way."

"Fair enough," whispered McCloud. "How do we track him?"

Her ears lowered. "I have the antenna in my pocket but without my ship's computer I still can't track him. I can't believe that man had the audacity to try and kill you."

"Why?"

She blinked then put a paw on his chest and guided him further back into the woods. "Because you're Fox McCloud."

"Yeah, so?" He shrugged as if unimpressed. "Big deal. I'm apparently here to do a job, same as you. Obviously I came because I must need the work."

"I doubt that you're here because you need the work," she said.

Fox tilted his head, recalling something that someone had said about him recently. "I still put my pants on one leg at a time." He pondered who might have said it but drew a blank otherwise. "Obviously I'm not all that good if I was shot down - you said my ship was still full of ordinance. That means I didn't even get a shot off."

Kursed furrowed her brows. "Your confidence is up and your ego is down. Maybe that bump on the head did you some good." She glanced around the area, probing with her mind to check for hostilities but even the brainwashed men offered little more than a telepathic scent. "Okay, let's go this way. We need to set up camp and figure out a method of shelter. This area is one of the least populated sections of Kew because it's an enormous isthmus that connects the landmasses between the two races on this world. The hunters are in the south; the watchers are in the north. Those tribes will work in tandem with one another but refuse to deal directly with one another. Besides, the Kew races are both capable of teleportation. So utilizing the joining natural land bridge is unnecessary - thus it was never populated."

Fox tilted his head. "All I see are miles and miles of trees. Where's the water?"

"On each side of this landmass there is an ocean as far as the eye can see. However, it's a more than half-a-day walk in either direction if you want to go to the beach, Fox."

He rubbed his chin then asked, "What can I call you?"

"Kursed."

Fox tilted his head, offering a look of disbelief. "Now that's certainly not your name. No one would name such a beautiful daughter with such a horrible name unless..." He bit his lip then frowned. "I'm sorry. If that word means something else in a native language... well, I didn't mean to be offensive. I'm just... surprised. In my language it means one who is..."

"I know what it means. I chose that name while living on your planet. So... you remembered that I'm an alien?"

"I assumed it because you can apparently read my thoughts; I don't have that ability so we must not be from the same race. The blue is a bit on the exotic side, too. I may not remember anything but it doesn't seem natural for the vulpine species to come in that flavor. You also mentioned that the races of this planet can teleport. Obviously, with the relaxed way you speak of it, dealing with various species is quite common so... where did you come from and what were you called on that world?"

"That world is gone, unfortunately. I changed my name to Kursed because it suits me well."

Fox frowned again. "Yet you came up with that name while living on my home world? Corneria, I assume, based on my license. I'm sorry you feel suited to call yourself by such. I'm also sorry about your home." The two began walking through the woods together, headed back to the crash site. "You're incredibly attractive and it seems to me that there must be another name that would suit you better."

"Kursed - I've grown fond of it."

"Fair enough, Miss Kursed." He offered his paw as they walked side by side. "Fox McCloud. It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance. Is it safe to assume this is, at the very least, our second time crossing paths?" He kept his paw extended but she looked at him as if unsure. After a moment to probe his mind and deem his intentions safe, she took his paw and the two shook firmly.

She dodged his question. "You're certainly full of flirty praise."

He shrugged nonchalantly. "Just because I've called you beautiful and attractive? I'm only stating the truth. If I'm offending you with my forwardness, I'm sorry. I don't recall very much about myself and if I was always this forward, well..."

"No." She released his paw and looked away. "You were shy and nervous about things the first time we met."

"So I did know you? I had a feeling because of the way you looked at me... and the way you came to help me."

Kursed sighed then said, "You warmed up to me but... I've always known you as shy and nervous around me because I was a female peer. For the first few years, you were too timid to try getting into a relationship. You tried to say it's because you wanted to remain professional but I knew that wasn't quite the case. In the end, you simply needed a while to warm up to me."

"A few years, huh? Well... that's odd. I certainly see you as a female peer, but I can't think of any reason why I should treat you any certain way. I'll admit I'm a little nervous about saying the wrong thing in front of you because, from the moment I met you, I instantly liked you. You're professional, you're beautiful and my first opinion of you is that you're very intelligent. However I have no reason to be timid." His eyes went to the white branding marks on her bicep. "What are those for?"

"It's a status mark. Everyone from Cerinia had a unique one in some way or another." It didn't take long before they returned to the Arwing's remains. Fox hung back and watched her search the fighter for usable gear. While she was preoccupied, he opened the photo book that was in his jacket and glanced through the pictures again. The one of the blue-furred vixen with blue headfur had the same markings on her arm as this woman with the purple headfur. He flipped a few pages forward and stopped on the one of him proposing to her then he sifted through the following pages, showing them snuggled up together in various ways. He closed the book then put it back into his inside jacket pocket and folded his arms, waiting for her.

Kursed called out to him. "I found something! Thank goodness your ship is fully loaded!"

He hurried over to the backside of the crumpled fuselage. She was in the middle of pulling a piece of fabric from a compartment. The vixen glanced over at him and said, "It's a two-piece emergency stealth tarp. If we work together, we should be able to create a wood structure and we can drape this overtop. We'll peg the corners into the ground and it'll be a makeshift tent. You also have a large sleeping bag in here, which is perfect because the temperature goes down to nearly freezing at night during this time of year."

"Only one? Can it be unzipped to create a larger blanket?"

"Yes," she replied quietly. "We'll also need to create a campfire. That blaster of yours will come in handy for hard cutting. Let's find your wings and use the blaster to carve out blades then we'll attach them to solid branches. Once we have two axes, we can get started on shaping out a small frame for this tent. If your team comes down here to search for you, we'll have them give us a lift back to GreatFox. Then we'll be able to utilize all the gear located there in our hunt for Octoman."

"Do you have to bring him in dead or alive?"

"He's caused too many problems. Octoman doesn't deserve to live." She continued to bunch up the tarp as she pulled it from the cargo hold.

"My apologies if I'm being too forward but... why did we break up?"

Kursed froze and scanned his mind. However, all she saw were various images, scattered as if at random. "What do you know?"

"I went on a vacation with you and saw you in a bathing suit. Like the outfit you're wearing right now, I saw your arms. Between that and your face, I know you're the same girl. Later on, I gave you a ring and we were happy together. What happened?"

She gritted her teeth, feeling as though he put her on the spot. "You happened, Fox. You felt as though I would hold you back because I was a danger to myself. You felt that I wasn't safe at your side. You pushed me away. It's been quite some time."

He lowered his eyes to the ground. "I wish I could remember your name. I wish I had recognized you when I saw you. I wish I could recognize you now."

"Kursed is fine," she murmured. "Why are these images in your head if you don't remember anything else?"

"I wish I could properly apologize for what I've done but I can't think of a single reason as to why I'd have done such a thing. Were you in danger?"

"Of course not! You were being an idiot! You made me feel like I was your personal ward - I refused to hold you back so I walked away with my tail tucked between my legs."

"Then I'm sorry I didn't recognize your abilities. I would imagine that, as a telepath, you would probably have quite a field advantage. It'd be impossible to sneak up on you and... let's face it... I was shot down; you were apparently chasing this target. So if anyone was being a ward, here, it's obviously me, Kursed. How long have we known one another?"

"Long enough to live together for a while," she replied. "Look, this is ancient history. There's no point in rehashing the past."

"But knowing more about myself makes me who I am."

"Who you are is the reason we're not together anymore. You crash landed on this planet and you hit your head... and now you're not that person anymore. You're not here, chasing me away and telling me to go and hide for my personal safety. I don't want you to be that man again. I just wanted your respect. Your respect, Fox. Now that you have no preconceived notions, I apparently have it."

He placed a paw on the tarp and his other on the fuselage. "Well, obviously you're a better pilot, judging by how my ship looks and how your ship looks. Obviously you have a heart or you wouldn't have come to check on me, thereby losing your target and leaving your ship unguarded. You're out here, alone, hunting for this person... so you can obviously handle yourself. What's not to respect? I'm quite impressed."

She took another corner of the tarp and pulled the rest of it from the bottom of the fighter. "Do me a favor and stay like this. Whatever history you've forgotten has had a serious impact on you. If you can stay like this, I might actually think that losing Octoman and my ship are almost worth it. Now, get that other end and bring both edges to me, so we can fold it. Be careful - it splits into two halves at the center."

Fox did as asked and brought the edges to her. They worked together until the tarp was folded into a small fabric square. She pushed it into the sleeping bag, which was still zipped shut on the sides, then she rolled it. Finding a makeshift gear bag in the hold, she attached it to the backpack and tied the sleeping bag down carefully with a bungee tie. Fox took up the burden of carrying the gear on his back and then she helped him to remove the blackbox recorder from the Arwing.

Finally, they removed the Nova Bombs and carefully disarmed each one. He packed the fuses into his gear bag then they left the area and headed for the hills to the southwest. As they walked, Fox asked her, "How long have we been apart?"

"A while, now. A few years... Why?"

"I suppose I sound silly for saying this but I find myself drawn to you. Whatever I've done in the past, well, it's obvious that I was a fool, Kursed." He offered his paw again. "Friends?"

She reached for his paw quicker than she initially intended. Kursed secretly scolded herself for appearing too eager. She didn't release his paw right away, though, and after a moment of silent deliberation, she nodded and said, "Friends. Let's hope you're not as stubborn as you once were. I admit I can be quite stubborn as well. You wouldn't remember that so I'm just warning you now."

"Fair enough. I hope you can forgive me enough to start our friendship over fresh. After all, I've only just met you." He offered her a smile and gave her paw a gentle and reassuring squeeze. "But we should really think about calling you something else."

"Fox, I'm not budging on that."

"Not even a little?" He offered the most sincere smile he could muster.

She looked away and released his paw. After a moment to let him sweat, she quietly said, "Look, just treat me right this time... I'll eventually tell you."

"I can live with that." Fox stuffed his paws into his jacket pockets, again finding the crumbled wrapping paper within. He withdrew it again and studied it. "Do you have any idea what this is?"

She took the crumpled paper from him and licked her lips then looked away. "It's gift-wrap." She knew that his birthday was this month but couldn't remember the exact Cornerian calendar date. She decided that she wanted to see his license to make sure. Now wasn't the time to ask, however.

After twenty minutes of walking, now within eyesight of the foothills, the couple came across one of the Arwing's stabilizer wings. It stood majestically from the ground like a sword buried in the granite. Kursed casually glanced up then nudged Fox to follow suit.

His eyes trailed after hers to the other wing, stuck halfway through a tree trunk several stories above them. She smirked with a sight shake of her head. "We'll make due with cutting the one, Fox. I don't want you climbing up there to dislodge the other. So you can get that thought out of your head right now."

"Okay, okay." He offered a smile then withdrew his blaster and changed the settings on it. The pilot approached the vertical wing and began cutting through with the narrow beam set at maximum intensity. "Why did you make such a big deal about that guy shooting me down?"

"It's almost amusing, in a way, to see you like this," she murmured thoughtfully. "I never met you before you were a celebrity. I wonder if this is what you were like before the Lylat War."

"Who knows?" He continued to cut out pieces of the metallic scythe jutting up from the ground. "So I was in a war? I would imagine that a battlefield could really mold someone. Perhaps that's what caused me to be so obsessed with your safety?"

"You were fine until we began a relationship. Once that started, you refused to allow me to fight alongside of you."

"I see both sides," he said, breaking the first metal piece free. Fox handed it to her then began working on cutting out a second piece. "It seems natural for a man to want to protect his woman. Maybe I'm just hardwired that way. However, since you're telepathic, one would think that I would see that as advantageous. Your abilities would keep both of us alive. So by making you feel like a ward, you probably felt slighted." His head lifted, seeing the sun move across the sky. He resumed working on the second metallic panel until it came away from the stabilizer.

McCloud holstered his weapon and collected the other piece. "Now we just need something to use as a handle." His tilted his head back, seeing branches jutting out from the trees. The lowest ones were at least fifteen feet high. "I guess I'm climbing."

Her ears perked up. "Even if you gave me a boost, I wouldn't be able to reach the lowest branch. I guess you're climbing. ...And yes, Fox, I felt slighted - that's putting it mildly. I felt shame. I was embarrassed and hurt. I gave you a part of me... my heart, my body, and I shared my soul with you. Then you pushed me away like some sort of..."

"Wait." He held both paws up defensively. "I can't defend myself and I can't apologize for actions that even I don't understand - I can't imagine what was going through my head and I can't fathom my reasons. I am sorry, but saying so is a little hollow, don't you think? I can't apologize because I'm not that person right now. Just know that I don't agree with what happened to you - to us. It's the best I can offer."

"Fair enough." She followed Fox's eyes to the tree trunk then the vixen shook her head and removed her staff from the harness. "Do you remember how to use this?"

"I've... no, I've never seen it in my life."

She extended the staff and walked him over to the tree trunk. She guided it into his paws then placed hers atop of his and positioned his palms to the right places on the metal pole. Kursed stood behind him and put her arms around him to guide his posture until he was holding the staff correctly. "You'll want to push the base of the staff into the ground and hold on tightly. It will charge then it will boost you up into the air quickly." She trailed off, sensing his emotions. She could feel the heat in his face from having her chest pressed against his back. They grew quiet.

After a moment, Fox cleared his throat and whispered, "How, uh, high will I go? Or should I grab onto the trunk at some point?"

"No," she returned in a hushed tone. "You should make it to the branches." With a slow reluctance, she backed away from him and dug her right toe into the ground. "Just don't let go of the staff"

"Sure thing," he said quietly. "So, just... like this?" He pushed the base into the ground then closed his fists tightly. A soft azure light collected at the tip then discharged down the staff. Once the blue glow made it to the bottom, the staff jerked upwards and his body went with it.

McCloud reacted with instinctual grace. He could feel his body slow as gravity caught up with him. His left paw reached outwards, catching one of the branches while his feet found another. It was as if he'd practiced this a hundred times in the past, landing perfectly on a strong supporting limb. He smiled down at her in a semi-nervous way. "How was that?"

"Impressive, Fox." She opened her arms. He understood her body language and dropped the staff back to her. She caught the lightweight metal pole and returned it to her harness.

McCloud withdrew his blaster and used it to remove several limbs. They crashed back to the ground then he flipped the safety switch and holstered the firearm. "Now the fun part..." He eyed his options then moved to the trunk, put his arms around it and stepped off the branch. Sliding down the trunk did little to help his rapid descent. Near the bottom, he drew his knee to his chest, put his feet against the wide trunk and kicked off of it.

Fox performed a reverse somersault instinctively. His body reacted as though it was the natural thing to do. The back flip was graceful; his landing was anything but... Fox's feet hit the ground but momentum carried him backwards and he stumbled. The next thing he knew, Kursed offered a paw. McCloud was sitting unceremoniously on his backside, looking up at her offered hand. He took it with an embarrassed smile. "I don't know where all that gymnastics stuff came from. I didn't even intend for it."

"You were reacting naturally. It's what you do. That was quite a fall, though, I would think that velocity carried you onto your tail; it's partially my fault. With all the stuff I've given you to carry on your back... I imagine you should have took it off before hand." She took his wrist with both paws and pulled him to his feet. "We have plenty of limbs now... enough to make a campfire, make a tent and create tools with which to build things. Well done."

"How should we connect the new wooden handles to our metallic tools?"

"Change the settings on your blaster, Fox. We'll shape the wood pieces and fit them into the hollow end of the slabs then heat it with your blaster until it becomes malleable enough to shape it around the... I'll show you."

Fox watched in interest. The demure vixen retrieved a piece from the stabilizer. She held it up so he could see it then she rotated it so that he could see there was a hollow side that was for avionics lines, wires and a hydraulic chamber for changing the flaps. With the hollow end cleared out and empty, it had a gap of about four to six inches. "Let's whittle down one end of a branch then slide it up into this hollow section. After that, we'll heat the metal scrap and bang on it with rocks we can find... eventually it will be tight around the top of the new handle. We'll do our best with what we have until we've exhausted all of our options."

"What can I say? I'm impressed with your ingenuity."

She looked away to smile so that he wouldn't see it. "You'll need your blaster to heat up the metal enough to make it work."

"Not a problem," he said, withdrawing the weapon again.

---

*Hours later, with their tent constructed * and the campfire in place, they settled in for the night, keeping the precipice behind them for protection. Fox unzipped the sleeping bag and set out a remaining half of the folded tarp as a large pillow. Kursed lowered herself to her left hip; he tucked her in then climbed beneath the makeshift blanket. He settled on his right hip, back to back with her, so they could share body heat. He could already see his breath illuminated by the light of the fire. They snuggled up, facing away from one another and grew quiet.

For some reason, he was able to sleep easily being so close to her. Fox shut down and began breathing deeply in a short time. Kursed lay there, with her eyes open. How did she get into this situation? She couldn't believe she was lying there next to her ex-boyfriend.

Now that he was asleep, she rolled over and eased her paw into his jacket. She carefully eased his scrapbook from the inside pocket then she retrieved his credentials from his pants pocket. She sighed in relief, glad he wasn't lying on the wallet. First, she looked at his license - her eyes widened seeing that today was his birthday... she carefully put it back into his pocket then she began going through the photographs.

She saw him looking happy with the first girl near the beginning of the book. She saw him somewhat happy with the second girl, further in the book... then, later on, she saw him looking very happy with Krystal. She continued to flip the pages until she came to the picture where he proposed. Kursed's heart sank. She licked her lips then flipped back until she found the pictures of the sandy-furred vixen again. "Who is the fennec?" she wondered aloud.

In a soft voice, barely above a whisper, Fox murmured in his sleep. "Fara Phoenix. She's with my father now."

Kursed glanced down at him but sensed he was unconscious. "Why?" she asked softly.

Fox answered from the depths of his slumber. "Star Fox sometimes kills the people most dear to me - Dad, Fara and Krystal were killed by Star Fox."

She winced, realizing that he must have thought she was dead prior to losing his memories. Surely he'd seen her ship before crash landing because he called out to her before going down... but because of hitting his head, that memory wasn't processed properly and now he remembered nothing. Regardless, on this unconscious level he appeared to recognize her.

"Am I a burden, Fox?" She leaned down to wait for his answer.

He mumbled in reply and, with some of his words, she had to use her telepathy to translate his lack of enunciation. "At first I thought it would be safer to keep you away from me. But later I realized the only place you're truly safe is at my side."

Her heart fluttered. She composed herself then asked, "Who was Fara Phoenix?"

"The first girl I ever loved. She died on a mission because I put her into harm's way."

She ran her paws back through her hair. Kursed looked around and began rubbing her eyes next. She settled back down, close to him, and asked, "Do you still love me?"

"More than anyone I've ever loved; I'll never stop loving you." His words were so genuine and tender, spoken with conviction... yet he spoke soft from within the depths of unconsciousness. But then he continued speaking. "I would do anything to have you at my side forever. I would retire from Star Fox, I would fly with you as a team, and I would father your children. I love you." It was difficult to discern his words because of his incoherence and lack of proper enunciation but she not only heard his voice, she sensed the words coming from him. Her heart began racing.

Kursed took a deep breath then asked, "Do you dream about me?" She couldn't help but want to know. Part of her felt silly for sounding so shallow but she wanted to know if this man would be there for her forever.

"It's the only time I'm not alone." Again, Fox's words made her heart turn to butter.

She leaned down and kissed his lips softly then whispered, "Happy Birthday, Fox." She saw his muzzle contort into a smile. It put her at ease. 'Krystal' snuggled up against him then, careful to keep him asleep, she rolled him over so that he was facing her. She snaked her arms around him and got close beneath the blanket. Her eyes fluttered shut and she felt at peace for the time being. Listening to his rhythmic heartbeat relaxed her. Before long, her eyelids grew heavy and she began to dream.

---

Seven hours later...

*Kursed's eyes snapped open. * She sniffed at the air then looked around in the direction of the forest. Now that she was awake, her mental relaxation decreased but her alertness increased. She narrowed her eyes and placed her paws on Fox's face. She eased his eyes open with her index fingers and clamped his nose shut with her thumbs. It caused him to wake up with a start. She used her palms to keep him from speaking. With her maw near his ears, she whispered, "We're not alone. There are hostiles nearby. They're hunting for us." She paused to hear his thoughts then said, "No, it's not your team. They're definitely hunting to kill and they're not indigenous to Kew." She released his face and eased the blanket away from her body. It was then that she realized she was wearing his jacket.

The vixen closed her paws around the staff and she stood up slowly. Her eyes shifted from left to right, unable to truly pinpoint the brainwashed, mindless drones. However, she could sense the aggressive intentions and smell their adrenaline. She whispered back to Fox again. "The campfire is smoldering, let's leave it here and move into an ambush position."

Fox sat up and eyed the glowing orange embers through the entrance of the tent. He withdrew his blaster, flipped off the safety then moved from the blankets. He unfolded the tarp section that had become used as a pillow. He quickly re-folded it long ways and positioned it vertically then put the blanket overtop of it. Satisfied that it looked suggestive, he followed her into the forest. He spoke to her in hushed tones. "Kursed, can we use your staff to get up into the branches so we can be above them?"

"A good plan but they may see the energy buildup; the staff's glow is quite bright. Let's stick to the darkness. Follow me; I'll avoid their incoming path." The couple moved to the north and got down low, watching the abandoned campsite through the trees. "I determined why you had gift-wrap in your pocket," she whispered. "Reply in your thoughts, Fox."

He glanced at her then back to the quiet camping area. With half the tarp draped over the makeshift 'tent', and the other half folded in a rectangular shape, stuffed beneath the bedding, it really looked as though their camp was still occupied. Fox pondered the words in his conscious mind. 'My birthday, I assume... when exactly was it?'

"You're a very smart man with a very quick mind. You're right; it was for your birthday... Yesterday," she whispered. "You're thirty-five, now. ...And good eye, Fox - that was me in that picture. I'm surprised a photograph even existed and I just don't know what to say." She perked up then nudged him with an elbow. "Incoming."

Three armed men approached the tent. Two stood outside and another stepped into the makeshift tent. A bright flash illuminated both the entrance and where the fabric flaps met the ground, between the metal shard pegs fashioned from the stabilizer wing. Fox frowned. Had he not been with Kursed, he would be dead. "Why did I kick you off the team again? Was I feeling suicidal?" He began to get up but she gestured him to stay down. He quirked a brow. "Is there more hiding in the trees?"

She nodded and lifted one finger. Slowly, she got to her feet then waved for him to follow. They crept through the wooded cover and came up behind one of the guards. Fox lowered his blaster's setting to 'stun' then placed the barrel against the man's left shoulder and pulled the trigger. He dropped into Kursed's arms and she lowered him silently to the ground.

Their ears perked, hearing the man coming from the tent, nearby. "NO ONE IS IN THERE!" he shouted in plain Cornerian then repeated himself in a non-Lylat language. All three guards turned away from the tent, drawing their weapons.

"Are you ready?" She offered him a smile. "There are three of them and two of us. I'll take the two on the left and you take the one by the tent. After that, finish off the two on the left."

"Non lethal," said Fox. "I want answers and these guys apparently have no permanent ties to the target."

A smile found its way to Kursed's muzzle. "Let's go." She charged from their hiding spot. Fox took careful aim and targeted the guard in front of the tent. Kursed brought her staff up and used the freezing blast ability. Both guards reacted by shielding their faces from the intensely blinding cold. With their arms held outwards before them, those very limbs were the first to freeze. Their weapons locked up, turning to solid ice. The man by the tent got off a shot rather quickly. However, Kursed was quicker. She jerked her staff upwards, activating the blue shield. The man's blaster round hit the field and was redirected back in the guard's direction, narrowly missing him.

Fox's blaster came to life with a brief flash. The man by the tent froze. His knees came out from beneath him and he collapsed straight to the ground, legs tucked beneath his back, facing upwards. His arms dropped out to the left and right and his gun tumbled back into the tent.

With a grin at her abilities, Fox retargeted the other two, whose arms and weapons were frozen. They tried to run but the pilot took each of them down with a single shot. Silence filled the area. She turned to Fox and placed a paw on his back, patting affectionately. "Fantastic job, hon. I see you still have your basic skills."

"I knew what hydraulic fluid was yesterday, I know how to shoot this morning. I probably still know how to fly. I'm glad I haven't lost my skills or abilities."

"It must be a select part of your mind - your long term and short term memories only. I believe they're in two different parts of the brain; it's odd you should lose both. Perhaps it's a third part of the brain that's been injured that keeps you from accessing either of those two parts..."

Fox shrugged. "I don't know enough about that sort of thing." He stunned the man by the tree again then walked out to the campsite and plugged each enemy one more time to keep them stunned for a lengthy period of time. "Okay. Now to find Octoman. Should we pack up so we can make another campsite?"

"Yes. Let's pack everything up and get it into a backpack then we'll secure our makeshift axes." She took one of the guards by his arms and began to drag him away from the tent. "At least we have more weapons, now."

"With that staff of yours, I doubt we'll need anything else. That's twice you've saved my life this morning." He tilted his head. "Would the old me have felt slighted or awkward about that?"

"No, you saved everyone on your team and they often returned the favor by keeping enemies off your tail."

Fox smiled. "At least I wasn't a total jerk." He went for another guard, taking the man by his left leg and the remaining guard by his right. Fox pulled both men away from the campsite then dusted his paws together.

The pilot duo worked to clean up the campsite, including the remains of the fire. In the east, the sun began to rise, casting the sky into a glorious orange mixed with a deep blue to the west.

After a short time, both of them were packed and ready. Fox followed her along the foothills in search of a path to ascend. He thought about offering his paw but wasn't sure if she'd want to hold his.

Hearing his thoughts, she smiled and said, "Not just yet." They continued to walk in silence but she eventually stopped then turned to her ex-boyfriend. "These guys had to come from somewhere. If I were Octoman, I'd want my base up high so I could stay safe and see my enemies from a vantage point. But there doesn't appear to be an easy way for his cronies to get to our campsite in this direction. Let's head back the other way."

"What has these men acting like this?"

Kursed pondered the question and a proper way to address his concerns towards the innocent people they were fighting. "They're obsequious to Octoman's whim. He can somehow brainwash them. He did it to your friend Slippy back during the Anglar war but somehow it merely took a dogfight to free him from Octoman's mental grasp. If I could talk to Slippy I could find out what happened for him to break the sycophancy. Thee... ah, subserviency this awful man holds over his thralls, as it were."

They made their way back to the original campsite but it didn't have any signs of their stay. The duet continued their way in the opposite direction. In less than twenty minutes, they found a shallow slope. Kursed grinned at him then hooked a thumb over her shoulder. "Feel free to pat me on the back. Look at the footprints." She folded her arms, standing proudly over boot markings in the dirt.

With a grin, Fox patted her back then rubbed his fingers against her spine, just beneath the base of her neck. She shivered. Her ears lowered and her eyes fluttered. Rather abruptly, she jerked away from him. "Thanks, that's more than sufficient." She silently scolded herself for being so responsive to his touch.

Fox stared at her for a second then ran his paw through her hair much to her surprise. He began to wiggle his fingers behind her left ear. "No, you deserve the praise. You did a great job."

Her tail fluffed up and her body stiffened, however his secretly-welcome touch caused her body to relax. She glared at him, trying to look firm. "I hope you're happy with yourself."

"I may not remember your real name," he said in a respectful tone, "But it seems I remember your favorite spot." His paw trailed down the backside of her head to the nape of her neck. She shuddered again and her fur bristled up from goosebumps on her skin. "Yes, it appears your touch was more of a skill than a memory." Her ears lowered once more. Kursed removed his jacket and passed it to him then used her palms to smooth down the fur of her forearms. "Why did you give me your jacket last night?"

"You were shivering. Feeling you shake was enough to wake me up. I noticed that you were snuggled into my chest. I had to pry you away from me... I really liked that. It felt natural. You stopped shivering after I put the jacket on you."

"I'm surprised I didn't wake up." She held the jacket out, waiting for him to take it.

Fox kept his paw at the back of her neck and began to rub firmly to relax her muscles. He used his free paw to take the jacket. After another moment of the spontaneous massage, he withdrew his hand and wrapped the jacket around his waist, tying the sleeves together. The pilot adjusted his weapon to keep it overtop the fabric now on his hips. He placed his paws out and half-bowed, gesturing for her to go first. She took the lead and his eyes raked over her feminine figure.

"Behave," she murmured just loud enough for him to hear. Really, she was quite surprised. She'd never seen him so open, confident and flirty. It was refreshing and she appreciated seeing this new side of him. She felt desired again. "I appreciate your persistence, though. Let's apply that trait to finding Octoman."

"Business first, huh?" He came up besides her and followed her on the dusty incline.

"Typically you're the one who is business first. Although, yes, you're right... I'm a professional and I take my sense of duty very seriously." She cut her gaze over at him then shifted her eyes back to the path that lay ahead.

The incline began to grow steeper. Fox moved ahead of her and put his feet into a crevice then offered his paws, palms up. "I'll give you a boost."

Kursed placed a foot into his paw and moved up onto a ledge but the ground was dusty. She began to slide. Unintentionally, Fox quickly lifted his right paw to steady her, with his left still beneath her foot. She had one knee up on the ledge but couldn't get her paws on anything to pull herself up. Fox's right paw moved beneath her tail, pushing against her bottom. With his paw beneath her center of gravity, he was able to help push her up onto the ledge. She blushed discretely but upon looking back at him, she saw that he was visibly red through his facial fur. She sensed that his touch was unintentional but it was easily the best place to steady her.

She swallowed then turned around on the ledge and reached a paw down to him. "Are you, uh, ready?"

"I've got this, just step back." His words caused her to quirk a brow. She stood up and moved back. Fox backed up, cracked his knuckles then sprinted towards the ledge. He put his foot up on the flat rock face, his paws up on the ledge then used momentum to boost himself up. Fox tucked his legs up to the side and landed on his hip at the edge of the ledge. He sat up on an elbow, lying on his side like some sort of playboy. His eyes met hers. "Hi." Finally, he sat up and dusted off his clothes. "Not as graceful as I'd have liked but it worked."

She offered a wry grin. "Indeed, it worked." Kursed took his paw and helped him the rest of the way to his feet. "No one can say foxes aren't fantastic jumpers."

"Yes, I suppose so." He continued to dust himself off then they began walking again. "I tried to hurdle it sideways. I probably looked pretty goofy landing on my hip like that, huh?"

"You looked like you were purposely posing that way." She gave him a playful shove. "Goober."

"Goober?" he laughed and shook his head. "Real cute, Kursed. If I get a nickname, you should get one, too. How about...?"

She grabbed him by the jacket, kicked at his knees without warning and shoved him to his back in one smooth motion. A volley of blaster fire passed harmlessly over their heads. She reached back for her staff and held it up. The blue glow of her staff's shield repelled a third gunshot most likely destined to miss them anyhow. The energy round was deflected straight into the air. Kursed stood up and provided covering fire.

Meanwhile, McCloud drew his knees up to his chest, arched his back and performed a kippup. He drew his blaster and one of the weapons secured by the guards back at the campsite, wielding them akimbo.

More energy rounds came from a ledge high up the mountainside. Fox returned fire to suppress their attacks. He and the blue-furred vixen rushed up the path until they came to a sheer face of granite. With their backs against the steep wall both pilots glanced straight up and watched the ledge above while panting. Kursed offered a wan grin at his thoughts. "No, I'm afraid the staff won't boost you quite that high."

Fox looked to the left, then beyond her to the right. "Well... they're still up there. We don't have a very effective way to go up the mountain - they have the height advantage. This is going to turn into a sticky situation. If we get too close, he'll just fly away and we'll have lost him again. We need a way to disappear."

"Oh I wish Slippy Toad were here."

"The green frog from the pictures you saw?"

She eyed him. "Yes, the ones from your picture book. How did you know? Did you recognize the name?"

He shook his head. "I saw him in the pictures. With a last name like that it made perfectly good sense." He offered her a casual grin then pointed both weapons upwards and fired twice. Both shots struck the bottom side of the ledge. It crumbled and two Venom Lizards tumbled over the side with a distant scream. He saw Kursed's horrified look out of the corner of his eye and quickly pulled her face into his chest. Both men hit the ground with a sickening thump - one of them bounced twice then slid down the dirt slope for ten to twelve feet. Bits and pieces of the rock ledge showered them harmlessly with loose dirt.

Fox gently rubbed his fingers in a comforting way against the backside of her head. "That was on stun. They're down."

She nodded somewhat, still keeping her face against his chest. She drew a deep breath in then relaxed and composed herself. Kursed eased her head away and exhaled in a breathy sigh. "It's difficult to be telepathic at times. I was paralyzed with fear because I felt it so strongly as they fell... My chest hurts." She willed her heart to calm.

"Sorry about that. Okay, so I've covered our retreat if that's what you wish to do. Maybe we can come back after sunset?"

She shook her head slowly. "It's almost fourteen hours before the sun starts to set in this area. I fear our best bet is to try and take my ship back. Then we can use it to contact the GreatFox and make a direct assault on Octoman. There's no doubt about it... he's up there. Those men that fell... they weren't brainwashed. They were willingly working for Octoman." She patted his hip, gesturing him to relinquish the arm around her shoulder, which he'd used to pull her head into his chest. Fox relented.

Kursed left his side and approached one of the bodies. "They're middle aged Venom soldiers. They must have seen war for years, probably working for Andross. They have old scars and injuries that look as though they're quite dated."

Fox twitched, hearing the name 'Andross'. His eye fluttered and his left ear flickered listlessly. He glanced over at the woman then approached her, keeping a cautious eye on where the ledge had come from.

She knelt down by the soldier and casually said, "There's no one else up there - you can relax." Her paw slid over the reptilian man's chest pockets then his pants pockets. Kursed withdrew the man's wallet, took his identification and jerked a chain from around his neck. Two dog tags fell to the ground, clattering against one another. Hanging from the other end of the chain was a security key card. "But this says we have the option to make things personal."

"For now, I think we should stick with your other idea, Kursed. If your ship is unobtainable, we'll come back at night and sneak up here with that card."

"Fair enough. It's good to have a plan-B." She pocketed the identification card then reattached his lanyard chain with the dog tags and put it back around his neck.

After that, the couple spent the next hour and a half walking until they made it back to the Cloud Runner. There were guards posted around the ship, four in all. Once on the scene, both pilots moved to the edge of the clearing and got down low. Fox looked at the set up and started thinking of options. "We need a way to either take them down all at once or disrupt their radios. If they call for help things could get bad, especially if they've disabled your ship. We won't have time to repair it if we're trying to defend ourselves."

"I saw a radio tower not far from here. Perhaps we should take it down first."

Fox shook his head slowly. "No, that would attract more attention in the long run. Let's stay quiet. We don't want to give this Octoman guy a reason to panic and leave the planet."

"True. Again, I wish Slippy were here. He would be able to jam their radios... most likely right from Great Fox."

"It sounds like I have a pretty handy team."

She nodded solemnly. "You do, Fox. You chose the best."

He offered a brief smile then narrowed his gaze, watching the four guards. A fifth guard came from the ship, spoke to one of the men on the ground, and the two switched places. He frowned. "Okay... almost half a dozen." He glanced back at her and snapped his fingers. "I have an idea."

She eyed him then sighed. "I despise that role, Fox."

"Why? Because it's dangerous?"

"No, I hate portraying a cliché damsel in distress. The danger is the only part of this that's even remotely alluring."

"Is that so?" He gave her shoulder a playful shove, the way she'd done to him earlier. "Danger is alluring, huh? You must have been steamed when we broke up, if my life is always this interesting."

She watched the guard move back into her ship then eyed the other four. "More like... ashamed that you considered me incapable of pulling my weight."

He shook his head then shrugged. "I don't know how to explain what I've done, Kursed. All I know is that I'm sorry, now. You've saved my life about ump-teen times this morning alone. So far as I'm concerned, I can't live without you."

Kursed looked away. She swallowed then breathed for a moment. "Say it again."

"I can't live without you," he repeated, this time speaking with a more personal tone. "What if I didn't come here to stop this man? What if I tracked you here to find you?"

"Remembering last night, she asked, "What if you thought I was dead?"

"What if I came to avenge you?"

She had to fight herself so as not to fidget. "It's possible." She looked away again then nodded. "We'll go with your plan. How do you propose we pull it off, exactly?"

"Just watch." He pointed for her to get behind a tree. She moved into position. Fox picked up a rock, slid back into the wooded cover then threw the rock with all of his might. It struck a tree trunk with a resounding thwack! He peered out into the clearing and grinned, thinking the words, 'One of them is coming to investigate. Get ready!'

He put one of the weapons into his belt and readied his birthday blaster. It was still on the stun setting. The guard, a brainwashed furless man from a nearby star system, moved into the woods. Fox came up behind him, put the blaster to his back and stunned him. Kursed came out from behind the tree trunk and caught him. She turned around, and, with Fox's help, he put the man against her back. Fox guided the guard's arms over her shoulders and she took them to keep the man in place.

Kursed took a moment to psyche herself up for the event then she handed Fox her staff and took the enemy's weapon. "Okay, get ready." She gave him a slight smile, took a deep breath then ran out into the clearing for everyone to see. Kursed screamed as though she were in pain then fired the weapon at the ground, keeping her back and the stunned guard towards the Cloud Runner. She suddenly flopped over with the stunned guard overtop of her.

Now motionless, it appeared to the other guards that the soldier and the woman managed to dispatch one another. Neither moved. The guard inside the ship came out through the hatch then the remaining four crossed the clearing to investigate.

Once they were all in range, Fox brought his blaster up and held the staff in his other paw. He waited patiently until they were surrounding the two motionless people on the ground. The blaster lit up and, without even thinking of how to use it, he managed to fire the staff several times. The men attempted to scatter but two of them dropped to the ground in silence without a fight.

Krystal rolled to the left, shoving the initial stunned man away then she fired the blaster she had in her paw, dispatching another guard.

Fox fired two more shots but the last guard was weaving evasively. He pursued the man to keep him from getting away. Fox's sharp eyes saw the soldier reach for a radio on his belt. The pilot lifted Kursed's staff into the air then brought it down on the ground with a quick hop to avoid the tremors he created. The soldier stumbled but didn't fall. His ability to use the weapon came back naturally from prior training.

McCloud fired his blaster again, growling that he missed. Finally he drew the staff back and threw it hard. End over end, it spiraled about through the air. Being so lengthy, it managed to catch between the soldier's legs. He flopped to the ground, rolling twice from momentum.

Fox leapt into the air and pounced his enemy from above. He squatted on the man's back, firing twice into the alien's torso all in one graceful move. Pleased with his work, McCloud stood up, stepping off of the man. He glanced back at Kursed then said, "Good job with that guy you blasted."

She got to her feet, flipped the safety and put it on her belt. "If we move the ship, Octoman may notice. Perhaps we should wait until sundown then attack him while he's asleep."

"A combination of both plans, huh?"

"I suppose." She looked at the five men littering the ground. "We'll need to dispatch these men so that they won't report later on. I hate to kill people."

"You mean people that don't deserve it. Since you're telepathic, can't you ...I dunno, maybe put your paws on their head and somehow put them into a coma or something?"

"You mean overload their brain?" She frowned. "I don't recall ever telling you about such... but yes, it's theoretically possible. But it could cause a stroke, which would cause death. It's very dangerous and could damage them psychologically or even neurologically."

"That sounds horrible."

"It is. My people haven't used that ability in generations. It's sick. There must be another way."

"Can we create a makeshift brig on your ship?"

"There isn't enough room for seven." She frowned then shrugged. "I have rope on my ship. We'll tie them to one another then to a tree trunk. I'll put food on the rope that secures them to the tree trunk, and, in a day or two, forest animals will chew the rope until they're free. How does that sound?"

Fox tapped a finger against his bottom lip. "Hmm... Dangerous at best. Leaving them to wild animals could be a gruesome fate. Let's tie them to your outer hull. We can release them after we defeat Octoman or if we can figure out how to deprogram their minds. So long as we don't forget about them and hit super-cruise or leave the atmosphere they'll be fine. I'll strip their radios and you go get that rope. Maybe we should try to take an afternoon nap so we're at our best tonight."

"Fair enough. There should be plenty of room for us to stay in the belly of the Cloud Runner."

---

The Murphy bed was _comfortable _ and after sleeping on the ground overnight, Fox welcomed the mattress. However, the sun beating down on the hull caused the cargo section to become rather warm. He shifted his weight but wearing fur and clothing wasn't exactly a perfect combination right now.

A calming hand came to his side. "It is a touch warm in here," she murmured. "Just... we'll cook ourselves if we don't dress down. Fox, if it comes to 'plan-B' - going after Octoman on foot to penetrate his hideout, we don't want him to smell us in advance. I have a laundering facility. Perhaps we should wash our clothing while we sleep."

"I don't want to be inappropriately dressed for..."

She cut him off by placing her fingers on his lips. "Nothing I haven't seen already, Fox." He couldn't disagree with her words - she had a point. Kursed rolled onto her side and propped her head up with a paw on her elbow. "All that flirting and now you're nervous about handing over your clothes?"

Feeling challenged, Fox sat up and began to take off his shirt. He removed his boots. Next, he undid his belt and his pants, then he held his paws outwards. "Ta dah!"

"All of it."

"P-pardon?"

"Go on," she goaded him, placing a finger on his boxers. It was too dark in the room to see very well. "All of it. I'll put mine in there, as well." She waited until his undergarments came off then she quirked a brow at him. "Socks, too. God I hate when you boys wear socks to bed." He took them off. The petite woman slid off the mattress and moved across the small dwelling. After touching a panel on the wall, a plate slid away, revealing a cubbyhole. She pushed all of his clothes into the area hidden in the wall.

Kursed turned back to him and smiled in the gloom. "Would you like me to undress for you?" Hearing the words made his breath catch in his throat. Somehow, he managed to nod, spellbound. She flicked her tail about in a teasing fashion. The vixen turned to face him. Her pupils dilated fully, now able to distinguish his outline while he sat there on the bed.

With the protracted rhythm of a romantic dance, Kursed brought her paws in front of herself like an enchantress. Her slender fingers started at her shoulders and trailed slowly down her body, lingering on her breasts for a moment before leaving them to trace the gentle slope of her hips. She unfastened the leather-like pants.

Fox found it hard to even blink. Kursed curled her fingertips into her shirt and lifted it, showing off the flat smoothness of her tummy fur. The dim lighting from the crawlspace that led to the cockpit played off of her glossy pelt.

With an aching slowness, the cerulean vixen worked the garment over perfect, lush twin globes contained in her black satin bra. She lifted the shirt over her head, letting it whisper to the floor. She stood there for a moment, letting him drink in her figure. Kursed suppressed a smile as she reached behind herself to undo the clasp of her brazier.

Fox nearly trembled as she revealed herself to him - everything else in the dimly lit room became a mere haze. The soft lighting that came from the crawlspace seemed to create an aura around her and, for an instant, she appeared as a goddess. She was little more than a silhouette with only the most important features, like the twinkle of her eyes. The female fox hooked her fingers beneath the elastic band of her panties. After a pause, she lowered them, along with the pants, away from her thighs, uncovering what remained of her body.

She watched him, knowing that he was trying not to squirm. In soft, dulcet tones, she softly asked, "Do you like me?" Her ears lowered modestly along the back of her head.

He was nearly breathless. "You're gorgeous."

"Thank you," she whispered, feeling her cheeks burn with a secret blush. Kursed lifted the various pieces of garment into her arms then placed them into the cubbyhole and closed the panel. A gentle hum filled the area, beginning the laundry cycle. She strode across the room, back towards the bed. Fox nearly choked as the nude vixen seated herself beside him. "Now perhaps we won't be quite so overheated in the afternoon sun." Her paw lifted to a panel on the wall not far from the bed. It illuminated, adding more ambient lighting to the room. She thumbed a blue arrow, lowering the interior temperature by five degrees then she settled back on the bed and stretched out a bit. A small vent in the ceiling opened, followed by another on the outer hull. It was akin to opening a window in a parked car on a sunny day.

With nothing to say, he rolled over to face her in the darkness. "A man only has so much willpower. I'm surprised with how comfortable I feel without clothes on in your presence."

"What does it feel like to lay besides one another this way?"

"It feels like home," he replied sincerely.

Kursed licked her lips and nodded quietly. "Yes, it does. Fox, I'm sorry I..." She ran her fingers back through her hair. She wanted to apologize for going back to Panther but because he didn't remember anything, she was able to enjoy having no preconceived notions - she didn't want to ruin this newfound relationship so soon. "I'm... sorry I left Lylat when we didn't work things out. I've been here for two years looking for Octoman and even though you may not remember worrying about me, you undoubtedly did worry. And I'm sorry." She placed a paw on the side of his face and gently rubbed her thumb along his lips.

"Please tell me your real name."

"Baby, I can't yet. I'm worried it might bring your memories back. I've never experienced you this way and I don't want to lose it yet."

Fox drew his lower lip between his teeth. "Can I earn the right to learn it?"

"In time, yes. My only concern is that you'll go back to the way you were before, with your complicated feelings and your strangely distant emotions."

He shook his head and placed a paw on her hip. "I would never want to jeopardize exactly how I feel about us right now. I want to feel this way forever."

"Goddess knows, so do I."

After hearing her words, Fox felt confident enough to lean in. He eased forward until he was merely centimeters from her lips. She surrendered to his charming desires and brushed her lips against his in a gesture of permission. Now, with her blessing, he was free to cup either side of her face and kiss her like he'd never kissed her before.

Their tongues dueled with one another in a sumptuous swirl of decadence and bliss. She shuddered into his kiss; her left paw closed around the bed sheets and gripped it firmly. His lips caused a fire to flame up inside of her body. Consumed with licentiousness, 'Krystal' found herself overheated in a metaphorical way. She wanted to break the kiss but her hormones overrode her logic, her prudence and any desire for parsimony. However, she didn't feel as though this was dirty, like when she went back to Panther. Instead, this felt right. And, unlike the last time Fox tried to kiss her a few years ago, she wasn't freaked out. Instead, he kissed her in a way that made her forget that drama ever happened in the first place.

Her right paw began to roam over his body, re-exploring the man to whom she'd given her virginity years ago. His familiar build felt equally fresh and new, making this experience that much more passionate and exciting. Their tongues danced in harmony and everything felt natural. Fox's paws lowered to her neck, cupping beneath her head and adding a subtle hint of control to the situation that made her whimper with exhilaration.

Krystal's paws moved to his chest, palms flush against his torso in a submissive posture. She ached for him to mate her but her mind protested the actions of her body. It was too soon - she'd only been around him for barely two days... how could she simply throw herself at him?! After all he'd done to hurt her, she questioned if she had any self-respect left. But oh, how she pined for him and adored the way he touched her and commanded her body with his strong paws. Her tail curled between her thighs, subtly covering herself and the aroma of her fragrant pink flower.

Fox closed his lips over her tongue and suckled softly then his paws tightened but only gingerly, still holding her at the neckline in an aggressive caress. She was blinded with desire. But her mind continued to race, looking for a way to deescalate this passionate moment. Her body burned with need and she was drenched between her thighs but she also knew this was rushing into things.

She broke the kiss and breathlessly whispered, "Let me taste you."

A shiver raced down his spine and he nodded. Fox's paws slid back up, through her azure locks and he slowly guided her head downwards. She conceded to his leading touch until her lips brushed against the swollen tip of his flesh. Krystal swallowed back a hint of trepidation in regards to her behavior then opened her muzzle willingly.

Fox's fingers curled within the splayed tresses of her hair and he guided her head to his body. She loved the rare occasions that he took charge in bed and prayed it wouldn't end. Her tongue glided slowly along the underside of his cock until she fully engulfed him within her elongated muzzle. Her ears perked at the sound of Fox's raspy groan. It was like a symphony of pleasurable music. She lifted her head against the guide of his paw then, with his touch, she slid her lips back down upon him again. It wasn't long before they found an agreeable rhythm and his paws followed her head's bobbing motion, interlacing with her hair because of the pleasure she provided.

Krystal readied herself. She relaxed her body, which shook with adrenaline and estrogen. The tip of his cock brushed against the back of her throat. She willed herself to relax, despite the gagging sensation caused by her uvula. Her eyes rolled back into her head and her ears lowered, hearing him groan again in such a gutteral way. She wanted desperately to please this man because of their true inner connection. She continued to push herself downwards until the tip disappeared down the back of her throat.

It didn't take long for her neck muscles to relax. The first three inches of his pulsing dick continued its way down beyond the uvula until her gagging reflexes subsided. She murmured softly, causing a vibration around his cocktip that drove him wild. Fox writhed from the sensations she offered and began panting. The sounds he made drove her crazy with desire. Next, she swallowed quite purposely, using her throat muscles to massage his cock then, with deliberate and forceful motions, she began to bob her head.

Fox was putty in her palms. "Oh my Goddess, I've never... is this deepthoating? I.... This is incredible," he told her. "Whatever you do, please don't stop." His paws gently cupped behind each of her ears, pulling her head down rhythmically, while thrusting his hips upwards. She whined softly, again using sound vibrations to stimulate his cock. The effeminate whimpers caused his body to react in a way he'd never experienced before now, regardless of his memory.

Krystal bobbed her head madly, ensuring to keep at least the first two inches within the confines of her throat at all times to appease her gag reflexes. Her right paw snuck down between her thighs, disappearing beneath the tail that she'd curled up over herself. She began to pet her slit firmly then her paw ventured further. Again she whined, offering a submissive sound to stimulate his masculine ego.

A long, loud groan came from McCloud and he shut his eyes, panting in pleasure. She telepathically fed off of his excitement and pleasure, thrilled by the mix of his and her own physical stimulation. The faster her head bobbed over his cock, the faster she stuffed herself with three fingers. Her other paw moved down to cup his balls firmly, coaxing her first mate with a caressing touch.

"I am so close to cumming." He wanted to tell her that he loved her. He wasn't sure why but it felt right to want to say it. However, he held it back, as it was too soon to bring in emotions, since he wasn't sure how she would take it. But she heard his thoughts and they warmed her. She knew, then and there, that she still loved him as well. She murred sensually at his words and continued at the same pace and intensity, impaling her saliva-slickened gullet with every inch she could swallow in an attempt to pleasure him.

Krystal's body was equally close. Her fourth finger curled in with her other fingers, tucking the index and pinky together, beneath her middle and ring finger. She couldn't hold back any longer and her body hummed with sexual release. She came hard over her fingers and the scent was beyond powerful, assaulting Fox's senses.

His left paw moved from her head and he reached down for her forearm. "Let me taste your fingers," he demanded in a persuading tone. She relented, taking one last rub at her lush inner walls. He brought her sugary glucose-coated paw to his muzzle and he began to suckle on her fingertips while railing her little lips with every inch of himself. Fox's lower lip trembled, on the verge of his own release... it was so damn close he could taste it as well as the juices that now coated his tongue.

She bonded with his mind, and, as he came, she allowed herself to relax into yet another orgasm. Gooey nectar sprayed the back of her throat and Fox pulled back somewhat. The rich, cream was sugary sweet yet salty, rushing over her tongue. Her throat clicked, swallowing every drop he offered as though she couldn't get enough of his offering. But, unlike Panther, his cock didn't soften or go down. Instead it throbbed from his racing pulse. Krystal withdrew her paw from his muzzle and ran her fingers down over his chest, just touching him to be near.

He looked down at her with a loving smile but he was still keyed up. She, too, wanted to take the next step with him right away but she knew that rushing into things, the way she had with Panther two years ago, might hurt their renewed relationship. She continued to suckle until there was nothing left for him to offer. Her head lifted and she licked her lips. "I... was that all right?"

Fox semi-gawked at her. "Was it all right? I feel incredible." He pulled her into his arms and kissed her again much to her surprise. He didn't care; he wanted to kiss her to show his affection and the furnace of emotion in his heart. His arms encircled her and he clung to her, lying back down on the mattress. "I won't rush you into things... Let me hold you for a while."

"I would like that," she murred in reply, wanting to take the opportunity to calm herself. She didn't want to go any further so soon and the fact that he not only recognized it but reciprocated it... that was perfection to her. Needless to say, this was the Fox McCloud she always wanted. Kursed buried her face into his chest and sighed wistfully.

"What's wrong?"

"You'll eventually get your old memories back."

"But I won't lose these memories. And whatever I was before... I'll remember how perfect we are right now. And I'll do my best to make sure it remains this way if you'll just stay with me forever."

"If you don't let me down, I'd be willing to consider this... us... again. I still love you, Fox. I don't want to be alone. Even worse than loneliness, I don't want to be without you. This hurts... knowing it could happen again. I won't be able to open my heart to you all the way until your memories return so I can make sure you won't leave me again."

"Then we'll do whatever it takes to get them back. No matter what. The sooner we get through this, the sooner we'll be together."

"I hope so," she whispered against his collarbone. "I want to rush back into everything we had when I wore your ring... but it's just too soon."

His lips brushed her ear and his breath was warm. "I'll be patient; you're worth waiting for."