Tantric Absolution

Story by Whyte Yote on SoFurry

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Author's Note: the following is a work of furry fiction, including humans, and may involve acts of yiffery and sexual acts between males of different species. If you're not old enough, or it's against the law, or you don't like reading stories with humans, then buh-bye. Otherwise, read and enjoy...

(the original of this story was a three-page manuscript written in one afternoon on a bus for a college writing class field trip. I just thought I would mention that)

FEEDBACK always welcome to: [email protected]

Tantric Absolution ©MMIV Whyte Yoté

The bleary grey clouds peaking the western horizon foretold of storms two days away. The trading season was almost over in the New Frontier; those storms could even bring snow this late in the year. But that was two days from now. Two days would have brought him to Cooke City, if he were on horseback, but colic had dispatched good ol' Bowlegged Bill nigh on a week ago, and the going was slow.

At least his pack was less of a burden, as much of his food was gone. He had tried to spare his rations; the past days had been increasingly cold, and his appetite more demanding. Fortunately, there was a small camp marked on his map, maybe seven miles ahead, and he could rest himself and trade some ammunition for supplies to get him to his destination. If he was really lucky he would be able to secure an escort along the way.

He had found, along his journey from the west coast, that the "savages" of the wild interior weren't savage at all. The sensational stories in the papers told of travelers sent to make friends and coming back with tales of horrific clashes, scalps taken, and cannibalism among tribes. So far, the worst thing he had seen was tribesmen who argued over who would get the bullets and firearms he brought to trade.

It had been a surprise, if not awkward, to find the untamed, "unevolved" native peoples inhabiting what had always been thought to be empty land. The fact that they weren't human sparked protests and talk of legislation to have them put on reservations (what they really would have been was little more than zoos) or, according to extremists, exterminated altogether. Cooler heads had prevailed in the District of Columbia, and instead a vast exploration had been drafted, with President Garfield spearheading the operation's funding directly.

Since then, the country had been learning more about the natives, and about itself in the process. As territories became states, a mutual agreement of "live and let live" was abided by both sides, and commerce improved from coast to coast through word of mouth and trading. The traveler was on his way to Montana, having spent the better part of the summer and fall hunting, trading and gathering what knowledge he could about the strange and intriguing fur-clad tribes.

Now he walked along a seldom-used wagon trail, not much more than two parallel lines where the high grasses had been bent over and thinned, the worry about those dark foreboding clouds a flicker in the back of his mind. Just around a low bluff he came to a stream, winding its way in a more or less southeasterly direction. Stopping at its rocky shore, he watched small green plants sway in the current, thinking how weird it felt to be able to see through the water.

Kneeling and bending his sore back, he filled his canteens with some of the sweetest liquid to which he'd ever set his lips. Nothing like from his native San Francisco, where God only knew what seeped into the taps before he turned them on. He watched the freezing-cold water, no doubt runoff from mountain snow, took off his boots and socks, and waded quickly through.

The sun was out again, warming and drying his feet on the opposite shore. He stood up, turned and entered a sunny meadow with the stream and accompanying trees to his right. About a mile ahead, the next verdant rise grew out of fields of wild grasses and marshes, marking his next resting point. Until then it would be easy going over flat terrain.

A single tree stood out in the field among several large boulders. As he trudged nearer it, getting cockleburs on his pants in the process, a breeze whirled around the valley. A scent came to his time-sharpened nose. It was bitter, and pungent: the smell of the wilderness and carrion. He approached the tree; upon closer inspection, he could see the bottom of the trunk was stained and freshly wet. The smell almost overpowered him. A wolf had been here, and recently.

Damn murderers. He remembered tales, as well, of whole teams of men decimated by the beasts of the Wild West, rabid feral wolves who would lunge for the neck first and never ask questions. Unceremoniously, he opened his trousers and covered the animal's scent with his own, getting an odd sense of satisfaction from this little victory of marking wars.

Clouds overcame the sun and color drained from the landscape. A sudden chill seized the traveler's body, causing him to look plaintively to the sky. The shade would pass, but the ominous charcoal clouds in the west stayed put. He wondered if he would be able to make it to Cooke City after all, much less the Montana border. Hunger pained his stomach; maybe Wyoming would claim him after all.

A sound pulled his mind from its reverie and his gaze to the a small rise just a quarter mile or so in front of him. He squinted at the monochromatic landscape, and to his left periphery a large dark form bounded over a hill of sagebrush. Steam billowed out of its mouth and off its bulky body. The thing was a bison, thundering at top speed, bellowing and limping a little over the frosted ground.

What emerged behind the bison almost took the traveler's breath from his lungs. Twenty yards or so behind the bison followed two grey wolf warriors. The front wolf ran full-speed, using his paws and feet to propel him across the ground. The other lagged a bit behind, as a backup, running upright. Both carried bows, and quivers of arrows on their backs. They had evidently wounded the bison and were tracking it until it fell.

The front wolf, the larger of the two and probably the alpha male (and, he surmised, the owner of the scented tree), suddenly raised himself to a standing position. In a blur of motion, he drew his bow out of his muzzle, where he had been carrying it, and let fly an arrow. It struck the bison in the rear, drawing blood but doing little to slow it down. The beta male (he could only guess about that) came up from behind, took three long strides and leapt at the bison's rear leg, tearing the muscle and rendering its hindquarters almost too weak to run. The beast stumbled, recovered, and stumbled again.

The alpha dropped down to all fours now, bounding up to cut the animal off. When it staggered, the wolf went for the neck, tearing flesh and arteries in a spray of red. Seeing an advantage, the beta latched on to a rear leg, breaking it and rolling with the bison as it fell onto its side. Legs kicked and thrashed but found no purchase on the wolves.

Now was the perfect opportunity to help out, he thought. Some fresh meat sounded like heaven right now, and he had the firepower to finish the job the warriors started. Immediately he ran toward the fighting threesome, shouting "Hyah!" and whooping at the top of his lungs. The wolves were surprised and looked up at him, momentarily distracted from their kill, seeming to scrutinize the strange invading creature.

The bison gave a guttural, wet cry and somehow got itself on its hooves. The beta was thrown down, and both wolves backed away and started to call to the creature. Their high-pitched yips and growls were echoless in the fading afternoon. The animal was in its death throes, almost mad with desperation, and came dangerously close to trampling the lupine warriors. He ran onward, covering the distance in halting steps through the thin crust of snow. He took aim, the end of his Colt .45 pistol wavering to draw a bead. One eye closed, the other focused...

The shot split the silent, grey day into fragments like broken glass. The traveler's arm went slack, and he almost dropped the gun into the snow. He knew what he had done, but he didn't move. As he had pulled the trigger, the bison had feinted to the right and tripped, and the beta had been exposed on the other side. He hadn't even seen the wolf until he fell, bleeding from a wound to the neck, into the snow. The alpha kneeled next to his fallen comrade.

He ran, checking the safety of his pistol as he approached the scene of death. The bison lay in the snow, its wounds steaming, and he could see the animal was finally quite dead. His attention turned to the wolves behind him. The beta lay in a rapidly growing pool of freezing blood and melting snow. His chest rose and fell rapidly, and the alpha was trying to keep him from writhing too much. Holstering his piece, the traveler knelt opposite the alpha and dropped his pack to the ground, looking for cloths with which to stem the flow of blood.

The beta turned his head with effort and looked at the strange human kneeling above him. The recognition of who had wounded him so mortally was in his eyes, but when their gazes met there was no anger or regret. He winced and growled softly as the traveler put a cloth to his neck. The alpha remained kneeling, holding his friend's paw to comfort him, and let the human work.

In a matter of minutes the cloth was soaked through, the traveler's hands red with blood. He had nothing else to help with the wound, and he let out a cry of exasperation. The beta stole his eyes again, gripping his forearm so hard his claws penetrated the soft flesh. What he saw when he looked into those rapidly paling but glowing amber eyes he could not tell, but something passed between them. He felt something, but at the same time he wasn't really feeling anything...at least, not in the traditional sense. Something opened up in his mind, and for a moment it was as if his soul had been set aflame. Then the feeling subsided, and he realized he had lost the beta's stare. The wolf laid his head down, staring straight up. His eyes rested on the alpha. A long tongue emerged, stained dark red, licked black lips, and retreated. There was nothing more.

The traveler sat back on his haunches, rubbing his forehead with the back of one hand. This was the last thing he would want to happen. It was an accident, yes, but he had still killed a person. To many of his friends, he might be considered a hero, just one less beast to worry about stealing babies and killing livestock. But he had a heart for these people, who managed to live off the land while the great bustling metropolises on the coasts pushed their way inward.

He was interrupted when a paw pulled his hand away from his face. The alpha had left his friend and knelt next to the human. He watched as the wolf held his fleshy palm in his paw, studied the shorter fingers tipped in black claws, felt the warrior's soft black pads warm on his skin. The wolf lowered his head and licked at the half-dried blood, then proceeded to clean his hand until there was none left save for underneath his fingernails. The same thing was done to his other hand.

When the wolf had finished, he put his paws on the traveler's shoulders, looking at him in concentration. The alpha's eyes were a glimmering, lupine yellow, hinting at a great intelligence just behind them. As the human watched, the eyes became very shiny, filling with tears for a moment. The wolf blinked; one tear fell all the way to the ground while the other slowly tracked a wet trail down the fur of his muzzle. Almost instantly the eyes grew resolved again, the grip strong on his shoulders. There was no emotion on the lupine's face.

"We must make quick work," he said in English. His voice was low and a bit gravelly, as if he wasn't used to speaking the foreign tongue, and it seemed infinitely odd to see bestial lips forming the words. "You will come with me."

The traveler nodded. He would do anything he could make up for this travesty of an accident. He tried to explain. "I didn't mean to kill your friend."

"I know." There was no sarcasm or edge to the wolf's voice. The traveler let it go, and joined the lupine next to the bodies.

A hunting knife came glinting into the sunlight, and he began to work. Soon he was stained and covered in bison blood. The work was messy and not appetizing, but he did feel warmer. The wolf tribesman cleaned the fallen beta's neck with pawfuls of snow, then wrapped the stained towel around the wound. When the traveler had burdened himself with as much meat as he could carry, the wolf stood with the corpse over one shoulder. He pointed to the east, where the day was rapidly turning to twilight.

They started walking.

* * *

Flurries lightly dusted the ground around them. The approaching storm had brought with it cold air and the promised snow of two days ago. Rido, as he had come to know the alpha wolf, said they were still a day's walk away from the camp, if they were lucky. That meant another night in the snow, freezing their respective tails off and attracting predators with the extra meat they carried. Despite their healthy cargo of bison meat and readily available means for lighting a fire, they chose to share the traveler's rations. They would savor the bison meat only as a last resort.

Long shadows extended in the failing light. The already muted colors of the mountain desert now faded into varying shades of grey and darkened, the brush and snow beginning to melt into one another. Rido, who could see just fine in the dark, kept a brisk pace with which the traveler found it sometimes difficult to keep up.

Upon cresting a hill, the human spotted a small bright spot in the growing night, most likely a fire. With the way light traveled across this vast land, that fire could be ten miles away over rock-strewn hills and forest. He turned to tell Rido, but the wolf was smiling as he looked in the same direction.

"Dana'an," he whispered, and then he lifted his head to the sky. He let out a powerful howl, so loud that the human had to cover his ears and shut his watering eyes. Envy creeped into his thoughts as he watched the warrior sing, the fur standing stiffly from his extended neck, his fangs seeming to bite the air that had bitten at their skin for days. Rido broke off the howl with a short yelp and fell silent, the steam rising from his muzzle highlighted by the rising half-moon. Ten seconds passed, and a distant, yet equally haunting answer floated on the breeze, carried by the hills and cold air.

"He will meet us," said the wolf.

"Incredible," the human mumbled, a little awestruck.

"Not me. Not any of us. But..." the lupine pointed to the night sky, indicating whatever gods might reside there. With a nod, the traveler led the way onward.

Later on, long after the moon had hit its zenith and set below the horizon, Rido led the traveler through dense forest by the paw. It was practically the only warmth he could find; the wolf's heartbeat was fast and strong despite the chill, and he thought it would be nice to have a fur coat right about now.

The wolf stopped short amidst the tall pines, raising his muzzle to sniff at the air, and barred the human from continuing any further. Just ahead of them, the trees threw shadows that flickered and danced among an orange glow. Moments later a torch came into view, and under it a horse and rider. The horse's features were dulled under its winter coat, and on top of it rode Dana'an, dressed in heavy skins and robes. The wolf was grey compared to Rido's mix of grey and light brown, and he looked older.

Greetings were exchanged between the tribesmen, and after a short discussion in their native tongue regarding the body on Rido's back, Dana'an gave the traveler a look of mild annoyance, but he smiled and patted behind him on the horse, encouraging him to mount. Rido climbed in front of Dana'an, the traveler behind, and the horse took the burden from them.

* * *

Another day passed, during which a fresh fall of snow blanketed the country in white. It weighted the trees down and buried much of the sagebrush, but the horse and its three riders lost neither time nor distance to the weather. Most of the time they were silent, except when they shared the rest of the traveler's rations. Still, the bison meat was untouched. Rido felt the same way about it, and Dana'an knew it would do better to feed the tribe than themselves.

It was already dark when the forest gave way to a small but deep valley, cut by a wide river. From where they stood above it all, the waxing moon outlined everything in an ethereal bluish glow, reflected by the thick covering of snow.

The village was nestled not far from the river's banks, on a section of land free of trees and boulders. It was not much more than a circle of teepees surrounding a large bonfire, but it housed more than fifty lupine natives. A crowd gathered as the horse made its way to the center of the village. The traveler watched the expressions on their faces; some in wonder at seeing a human for the first time, some in happiness at the return of Rido and Dana'an, and some in shock and grief at seeing the lifeless body draped over the horse's back. None of them knew the traveler had caused the beta's death, and he felt even worse because of it.

As they neared the fire, the snow gave way to barren and trodden earth, and the air grew warmer. The body was taken down and carried into a nearby teepee by a group of females, a few of them weeping softly. The trio dismounted and stood before a large, foreboding wolf. He stood taller than the traveler on long, strong legs. He wore a headdress made of what looked to be eagle feathers and a necklace of small bones around his neck. White fur adorned the whole of his body, with silver streaks across the sides of his muzzle. His blue eyes were bright but somber, aged with the wisdom of many years.

The chief, the traveler surmised, appraised him with a cool stare. Most of the tribe had gone back to their business around the village, but about a dozen wolves, all of them male except for one, stood around waiting for the chief to speak. The bonfire crackled behind them.

A paw fell onto his shoulder, and the lupine concentrated, his nostrils flaring and puffing out bursts of steam. "You," he spoke in a low rumble, "have the smell of death."

Somehow the chief was speaking in two tongues at once. The human understood every word, but at the same time he heard growls and animal sounds as well. It seemed the rest of those present understood as well, even if they didn't speak English. Entranced as he was, however, his attention did not sway.

"I'm sorry," he said, realizing how meek his voice sounded in the presence of the wolves. "You must understand I did not mean to kill your...warrior. It was unintentional, an accident."

Those eyes, deeper than any blue he had ever seen and withholding immense power, never left the traveler's. The chief called a name in his native tongue, and the single female among them hobbled forward, supported by a thick staff of birch. Her fur was thin beneath the many robes she wore, and graying on her paws and muzzle. She was four feet if she was an inch, her head roughly level with his navel.

The chief backed away, and the female took his hands in her paws. Warm, callused fingers, two of them missing claws, traced the lifelines on his palms while she stared pensively at them. The rest of the camp seemed entranced by her, as if waiting for an important decision. After a time, she let go and beckoned the chief to bend down. The two whispered for a moment, then the white wolf raised up again and the female scuttled away from the group.

"My friend," the chief said with judgment in his eyes, "you are in much trouble." The human's heart jumped into his throat. "You have killed one of our own. His name was Aidi. He was the beta male of our tribe. He was my grandson."

Suddenly the traveler's throat felt very dry and constricting. His legs were weak and rubbery, and he fell to his knees in the dust. Now he knew the extent of the grief he had caused, whether it was intentional or not. There was nothing he could do or say to bring back the lost warrior, nothing to explain the circumstances behind the murder. He realized, with a sickening twist of his gut, that his life now belonged to the wolves in whose presence he kneeled.

There was a question he knew he must ask, but he feared for the answer as he feared for his life. After swallowing again, he asked, "Is there anything I can do to make up for what I've done?"

"There is nothing that will bring Aidi back to us." The chief stood, arms crossed, his large tail swishing back and forth widely and slowly. "Some say the only expiation for a death is a death. Wouldn't you agree, my human friend?"

"Oh, God," murmured the traveler, and his hands started to shake. "Yes, sir. That...that may apply to murder, but...but I did not murder your grandson. It was an accident."

"My friend, did I ever say that you murdered him?" He received a shake of the head in response. "No, you did not. You killed, but without intention or purpose. The death of my beta is on your head, his blood on your hands."

"I know, I...I just don't want to die."

The chief gave a single low chuckle. "My friend, I believe I am more worried about your death than you." This prompted the traveler to look up, confused, his eyes bloodshot. The chief continued: "You cannot give back the life of my grandson. But, you do not realize that you still hold his life in check."

"How?" the human asked, and the white wolf sat down cross-legged in front of him, leaning close and peering into his soul.

In a confidential but serious tone, he said, "Aidi's death was wrong. It was not his time to pass into the next plane of existence, the spirit world. He was not ready. He looked at you when he died, did he not?"

The traveler nodded.

"I thought as much. It is said, by our elders, that a soul unprepared for the next life must find a vessel in which to travel until a ceremony of absolution in performed upon the vessel. Only then can both souls rest in peace and the lost soul go on to the spirit world. Aidi looked to you, with his eyes. They are windows to the soul; his now resides within your body. Until he is liberated, he will never rest. He yearns for freedom, my friend. The only way to that is through your absolution of sin in the eyes of our tribe and our gods."

"That's why I had to come to you."

"Yes. Had Aidi's soul not been inside you, any one of us could have taken your throat with one quick rip of the jaw. If we had killed you in retribution, we would have been responsible for the loss of a soul, an offense worse than murder. All you have to do, my friend, is give yourself to the spirits and be cleansed." The chief's paw was on his shoulder again, this time feeling assuring and amiable in its warmth.

"How do I do that?" said the traveler, grateful that the wolves had spared his life.

"You must give of yourself freely and willingly, of body and of mind, in the most elemental of ways. You will see, in due time. If you refuse, you will be lost forever to the next world. It is a small price to pay for eternal absolution." The chief stood, bringing the traveler up with him. "For now, my friend, you are to relax and gain your strength. The ceremony is trying for some. We must make preparations for a pyre."

The white wolf shouted in his tongue again, and three teepees opened around the fire, each bearing three young females. One set took Dana'an into one teepee, Rido into another and the traveler into the third. He looked back over his shoulder to the fire again, wanting to ask one more question about the ceremony, but the ivory lupine was gone. The bonfire was deserted, warming only air.

For the next few hours, the traveler was treated to a very relaxing and gratifying regimen. He was given a bath in a corner of the teepee, where the earth had been scooped and carved so that all water drained out under the thick animal-skin structure. His attendants were very modest and open, directing him to strip totally and washing him quite unabashedly. Afterwards, his skin was moisturized with oil and rubbed down with some sort of powder that reminded him of lilacs. He was groomed, shaved, and fed very well with the bison meat. Then he was left to rest on a thick bed of animal pelts that kept him incredibly warm and comfortable.

His dreams were vivid and incoherent, and he was a little relieved when a gentle voice called from the door. The traveler sat up and blinked sleep away from his eyes. One of his attendants, a young female with tawny fur down her back, crooked a finger, motioning him to follow. When he stooped to pick up and put on his clothes, she made a negative gesture, and so he emerged from the teepee clothed only in his shorts.

The air was bitterly cold outside, and a slight wind had picked up, but the nearer he came to the fire the warmer he was, and soon it was as if winter did not exist inside the little village. Snow danced in the orange glow, circling around the gathered and mounting to the sky. The chief stood in the middle of the circle of wolves, as did Rido and another, smaller wolf he had not met. Twelve others surrounded them. All were clothed only in loincloths, whereas before most of them had had at least one heavy cloak or skin protecting them from the elements. All were male.

In the center of the circle he stood, his rugged features contrasting almost rudely with the regal muzzles around him. The fire cast mad shadows over the group, dancing wildly and dangerously. Nothing was said until the chief moved to stand facing the human. The wolf placed his right paw on the traveler's left shoulder, and motioned for him to do the same.

"Do you agree that you killed Aidi, the beta of this pack?" he asked, staring holes into his eyes.

Standing as tall and proudly as he could, the human replied. "Yes, I agree."

The wolf raised his voice and spoke in the feral native tongue of his tribe, so those present could hear. Some in the circle nodded; the rest did nothing.

"My council," the chief described with a wave of his free arm, "acknowledges that you admit to your actions, unintentional though they may be. Do you wish to repair the damage you have done, both for the sake of the soul of Aidi and your own soul?"

Swallowing reflexively, he had to think for just a moment. As a man, he owed a debt to these noble creatures and to the soul he had entrapped inside of him. As a human, however, he wasn't sure if he wanted to be part of a ritual he knew nothing about. However, he always repaid his debts, and didn't let his friends down. There was no choice to be made here.

"I agree," he replied.

Again, the chief spoke to the rest of the circle, and this time all of them made gestures and sounds of approval. Smiling, satisfied, the white wolf turned back to the traveler. His grip became stronger, as if to brace him for what was to come.

"In our culture, a being's value is not placed on his belongings, or his words. Above all else, actions are seen as the most absolute way to prove oneself to others, be it a promise, a show of supplication, or a trade of goods. The spirits regard actions and ceremony highly, and favor those who do not question what is demanded of them. This means you are willing to set right what you have taken out of the balance."

Sensing that something was expected of him, the human said, "I will do whatever it takes to gain the favor of the spirits and set free the soul of your beta." The chief blurred for a moment, and the traveler realized that he was actually tearing up. The seriousness of tonight was fleshing itself out before him.

"By saying this you have agreed to take part in a very ancient and trying ceremony...that of absolution from a sin of the spirit. We value both the creation and destruction of life...it is that circle which defines us essentially and guides us in our beliefs." As he was listening, he noticed Rido adjusting himself through his loincloth. It did not warrant his attention, but he quickly realized that the young warrior wasn't adjusting his clothing...he was arousing himself on purpose. The seeds of worry gnawed at his stomach.

"The act of creation is the most holy and revered in our culture. It symbolizes not only the creation of life, but the transference of it as well." From his left, the smallish, light-furred wolf stepped forward. "This is Omun, the gamma of this pack. He must take Aidi's place as the beta, and so must receive his soul through the very substance of life..." The chief then took his free paw and, very lightly and deliberately, pressed his palm to the traveler's groin. Immediately his penis stirred from the touch, and he jumped visibly. He looked over the wolf's shoulder and saw Rido remove his loincloth. Three inches of the wolf's cock had emerged from his sheath, and Rido continued to masturbate slowly, but neutrally. Now he knew what the ceremony would entail.

"But..."

"But?" The paw stayed at his groin, and started to gently squeeze. The pressure was neither overtly sensual nor forceful...it was meant to arouse him for a task to be performed, and nothing more.

"But before you can transfer a soul, your own must be repaired." Rido approached the two, pulling his sheath down over the base of his lupine shaft, the member bobbing and swaying slightly as he walked. "You must receive the sacred gift from Aidi's superior. Rido will save your soul by taking you as his, as you will take Omun as yours to save Aidi. The line of succession will be restored, if you are prepared to give of yourself in the most basic and most powerful of ways." The chief's paw left his half-erection, and the traveler felt very much exposed, as his undershorts did little to hide any arousal. He looked furtively at the gathered council, awaiting his decision with judging eyes. Omun wringed his paws, obviously not having gone through this before, and having lost his own loincloth somewhere during the chief's speech.

His heart ached from the turmoil inside of him. It seemed the soul of the lost beta was calling to him...from somewhere, deep in his own soul, something primal stirred. He was on foreign ground. Release from this state would restore his conscience and alleviate the burden of the label of life-taker. It would be utter joy compared to the mounting despair that invaded him as the white wolf spoke.

The traveler's resolve returned quickly upon that thought, and he held the chief's eyes as he prepared to offer himself to the wolves and their gods: "Do as you wish." The white wolf nodded, and a member of the council came to his side, his paw dipped in a bowl. He was instructed to close his eyes. He did, and a paw pressed into his face. When it was removed, it left his skin warm and wet. Bringing a finger to his cheek, he wiped a bit off and looked at it. The smell was coppery and bitter. He had been marked with Aidi's blood. It was, perhaps, the most terrifying moment in his life.

Rido came up behind him, and whispered into his ear: "Do not worry, my friend. Aidi will be grateful for your sacrifice." The wolf put a paw on his back and gently guided him around to the other side of the fire, where a pile of thick blankets and furs waited. The fur felt wonderfully soft on his bare feet, and was warm from the flames. Suddenly his undershorts were pulled down, leaving him partially aroused and totally exposed. He stepped out of them and dropped to his knees when Rido's paw pushed down on his back.

A storm was brewing in his stomach. Ever since Aidi had died looking at him, he had felt unusually burdened with a small, gnawing at the very pit of his body. Now that small disturbance was roiling and pulsing inside of him, not painful but very uncomfortable, as if it were a foreign object his body was trying to reject. Looking at the gathering of wolves watching him prostrate himself as some kind of offering, he came to understand his place in the grand scheme of things. At this moment he was not a man, middle-aged and sent to the great wild to find out the ways of its native peoples; at this moment he was a marked being doing the only thing he could to save his soul...even if it was not for his Christian god, he still had a duty to fulfill.

The circle of wolves watched with detached and professional interest. Some of their arousal pushed at their loincloths, and the smell of male lupine drifted on the wind and was intensified by the fire. A stronger, rawer scent came from behind him, as Rido continued to pet the human's back in a soothing manner, occasionally drifting over one or both of his buttocks. The traveler gripped the fur tighter, feeling his manhood lengthening again despite his fear. He knew he could hide nothing.

Omun appeared in front of the human and sat down, crossing his legs, directly in front of his head. He looked up at the young wolf, and saw his face reflected in yellowish-green eyes that appeared just as anxious as he felt. Omun lifted a paw and began to stroke the traveler's hair, rumbling and growling feral words of encouragement. He almost didn't notice when Rido moved behind him and spread his legs a bit.

"Oh, God, please help me," whispered the human, although he didn't know for what or to whom he was pleading. He lowered his head, and was provided a close-up view of Omun's cream-colored sheath and testicles, still flaccid despite the state of the others.

Warm, vibrating breath, followed by a cold snout on his hind end, caused him to gasp audibly. Immediately Omun leaned in and drew his long tongue over the human's face, meaning to calm him in the only way he and his kind knew how. The traveler stared numbly at the ground, his arms straining to support his weight, as Rido's nose gave way to his doglike tongue, slavering over his cleft and brushing against his virgin hole.

Omun whimpered, afraid he was not doing his job properly. As the gamma, the ultimate recipient of the human's seed and, by proxy, Aidi's soul and position in the tribe, it was his job to make sure the man was as comfortable as possible during his ordeal. Licking his face hadn't worked...perhaps the humans didn't regard that as he did. But he could think of one other thing that always succeeded in calming him, and it was universal through all of nature...so he crawled under the traveler on all fours, and watched the funny-looking penis as it bobbed underneath his roundish belly.

The young wolf marveled at the absence of fur and, most notably, a sheath to cover his member when it was not erect. He took the dry, pink flesh in his pawpads and stroked it a few times. The human barked loudly at the unexpected touch, but he grew to full erection in no time, signaling that he liked what he was receiving. Emboldened, Omun lay on his side and continued to paw gently.

Rido concentrated hard on the task of preparing the man for his offering. Even though he had been cleaned thoroughly, he slathered his tongue in between the traveler's furless buttocks and over the tight pucker therein. He prodded with his snout over the salty-tasting flesh, pressing with more and more insistance until he felt the hole relax just a little; then, he penetrated the first ring of muscle and stayed there. The human tensed and stiffened, and the alpha heard a low moan.

For the traveler, his body was on fire with mixed feelings. First, Omun had licked his face. Being a human around dogs, he made to reject the action as unwanted. He didn't understand the symbolism of it, but in a way he was glad he had done it, because he now had a soft, warm paw on his cock. Omun's feet stretched lazily in front of him as he felt the young wolf's wonderful grip on his erection. He'd never been touched by another male, but at this point he didn't care, as long as the wolf kept on stroking. In a moment of weakness, he felt his rear end opened and knew Rido had succeeded in penetrating him. The feeling was a bit uncomfortable, something he knew he would never get used to, but for the moment it was bearable.

The alpha dug deeper into the human's warm insides, ensuring he was prepared and well-lubricated. His cock was achingly hard and dripped onto the furs. He knew it would be a sizeable offering. By the way the hole spasmed around his tongue, Rido could tell that the gamma, also his brother by another father, was doing a satisfactory job of diluting any discomfort the man would feel. The wolf retreated and walked forward on his knees, his seeping tip inching closer to its destination.

A low whisper rippled through the circle around the fire, though no one had spoken a word. The flames crept higher and illuminated the tribe in their hellish light. A chanting started to rise, beginning with the chief and gathering strength as the council joined in. It turned into a monotonous wail, punctuated by unintelligible syllables spoken in an ancient language without words. It was a single note surrounded by yips and growls, sung to the traveler and to the sky, filling the late night to help appease the spirits and set free a trapped soul.

The traveler, now feeling a bit out of sorts with the pleasure he was receiving, raised his head with effort. What he saw were thirteen nude and erect wolves, singing in an ever-increasing volume, and beginning to make motions with their paws. This was much beyond a regular ceremony; it was a display of raw fertility and the power of creation, and the depths of the soul that must be tapped to gain that power. Some of the lupine members dripped profusely, and for some reason the man's penis stiffened markedly in Omun's paw at the sight.

He was in danger of overload, and he almost ruined everything when Rido placed himself at his hole and pushed gently. Slickened by precum, the tapered tip eased in quickly.

"Aaaahh!...Oh, oooohhh...damn...damn it to hell..." Omun sensed the furless testicles draw up forcefully into his body, and let go of the man's cock just in time to hear him swear as he fought back orgasm. He gasped, his belly rising and falling, starting to drip sweat onto the furs. Rido worked his hips forward a bit, and the rest of him penetrated the human's hot hole, until his swollen knot met resistance.

The chanting fell off dramatically, settling into a whisper once again. The man's knees trembled; his back shook as Rido petted his spine up and down. He couldn't quite gasp what was going on. He felt immobile, his muscles just as stiff as his cock, and the cock inside of him. A male wolf had mounted him, and was about to...to... Still, his mind refused to process it for what it was. All he could do was moan at the sensation as Rido withdrew and pushed back in, stretching him to fit his wolfhood. Thankfully, Omun started stroking him again, and he was surprised to feel an untold amount of sensitivity where there had been none before.

Rido thrust a few more times, relishing the carnality of the act before covering the human. He lay his body over the pale white, moist back, resting his chin just below the neck and inhaling the interesting scent radiating from the body below him. Placing his knees on either side of the traveler's and gripping his hips for balance, he moved into a rhythm. The chanting returned again as he worked himself towards climax, feeling the wonderful release of restraint gained only during a mating.

As the alpha, and his older brother, began breeding the human, Omun stopped stroking him and sat back to watch the scene. His paw went to his muzzle; he licked the bit of fluid from his fingers and worked his own sheath, already hard, to full exposure. He masturbated underneath the traveler, watching as Rido's hips drove his cock into the man, who now had his head down and his eyes closed. His short, stubby tongue hung from his mouth, and his little belly jiggled with every thrust. The council's arms moved in great arcs and symbolic gestures, the chanting growing in intensity as the fire seemed to change color before his eyes. He couldn't resist the urges from his groin, lifting a leg and easily reaching his own cockhead but keeping an eye out for the approaching crucial moment.

The traveler was surprised to find that Omun had stopped pawing him, because it still felt like there was something roaming over the surface of his cock. He found himself pushing back against Rido, feeling the powerful wolf's hips pounding into his backside, the lupine cock filling him and trying to push its way even deeper. The gnawing in his stomach had migrated into his throat, where it seemed to become a razor-edged fireball. His voice was gone; each time he moaned nothing but a rasp of air emerged.

Rido raised to one leg for a better angle and thrust faster, drawing his body further up to the human's. One paw moved to grip his shoulder, the other made its way underneath his stomach and wrapped itself around his erection. The man buried his face into the furs now, breathing raggedly and letting Rido's movements thrust him into the paw. Wild, lupine voices rose in the night, the fire brightening with every note.

The moment was upon them all. Omun saw his alpha rise up on both feet, leaning heavily over the man, his back arching and straining as he slowed his thrusts and pressed forward incessantly, trying to drive his knot home. Encouragement echoed from the circle, and Rido's muzzle drew back in a fierce snarl as a scream built up from the human, finally finding his voice. The wolf could feel pre shooting from his cock already, and he was rapidly losing thought to climax. He quit pawing the man and held onto his shoulders, both of them sweating profusely. There was a tremendous tightness, and then his knot popped in, with a lustful growl and a shriek of mixed pain and pleasure below him. Immediately he started a staccato pounding, the thrusts short but quick, the cum pumping through his system.

Omun caught the human's scream and left his erection to crawl underneath the tied pair. The traveler was too close to the ground to mount him on all fours, so he propped himself up on his elbows and scooted so that he was muzzle-to-face with him. The face he saw had sexual numbness written all over it, the clear expression of a man who is experiencing something too powerful for his mind to comprehend. Smiling, the gamma licked the sweat from his skin, savoring the taste of helpless abandon. Then he pulled his knees close to his chest and put them on the man's shoulders, over Rido's paws. With his flexible young body he was able to reach the human's cock, pulling his hips forward just enough to place the head at his tailhole.

Recognition dawned through the haze of the traveler's mind. The pain from Rido's unexpected tie had been excruciating, but it had subsided into a dull throb that was mostly masked by his cock pounding against something deep within him that gave off strong waves of pleasure. He saw Omun below him, and suddenly his cock was placed against hot flesh. There was no question about what he had to do; he managed to crawl forward enough to feel the hole give way, supporting the wolf on his back the whole time. His breath plumed out, but the mist was an odd bluish color. He hardly noticed that the fire had almost lost its orange color, and that the chanting had reached a frantic level.

Rido hit his peak, his claws digging into flesh and dirt as he pummeled himself over the edge and into orgasm. His tail rose high over his back, asserting his dominance, and he bit down hard on the human's fleshy neck, snarling and drooling in ecstasy. His seed flooded the passage forcefully, his cock becoming almost too hot to bear. Something entered him, searching for just a moment, then retreating back into the human's abused body.

Looking dazedly into the gamma's grinning face, the traveler's eyes went wide when his neck was engulfed in pain and warmth. He shoved his hips forward and down, hilting the whole of his cock in the young lupine. Apparently, Omun had been preparing himself for the penetration. The man collapsed onto his elbows as much as he could, still supporting Rido's quivering body, and humped into the wolf below him. His senses went wild, and it didn't take him long to come inside the lupine's hot tailhole. The gamma's tail swished the ground, tickling the insides of the man's thighs and spurring him to release more of his seed.

The ball of fire in the traveler's throat dislodged itself, and even though he knew there wasn't anything there he felt like he was choking. His rear felt full, somehow satisfied, and he continued to pump what seemed to be an impossible amount of semen into Omun. He gagged, staring down at the wolf underneath him. Omun saw this and grasped the back of his head, pulling him into a deep kiss. Confused, the man tried to pull away but fell victim to his oversensitive cock. He was still buried deep within the wolf's tailhole, still thrusting, and he felt the long, thin tongue running over his own, far down his throat, seemingly searching for the obstruction of fire.

Their eyes met; Omun's were full of youthful energy as he embraced the human offering, working his mouth to find the thing he had only heard about in stories. His tongue was bathed in heat, and suddenly his lungs seemed to be on fire. Both human and lupine lips sealed. An electric shock raced through their stiffened and motionless bodies. Rido held on tightly, still tied to the human. The fire scorched the lower branches of the surrounding trees, taking on a ghastly bluish-white tint. The chanting stopped, and all was silent except for the crackling of electricity and the sounds of mating.

Looking directly into Omun's eyes, the traveler felt as if he had been set aflame, and then the shock ceased, leaving him freezing cold. As their lips separated, the color of Omun's eyes changed-just for a moment-to amber, and he was looking again at Aidi. Those eyes were thankful and at peace...then they were gone.

A puff of smoke, or mist, drifted from where the two had embraced, and rose slowly upward. The human looked at it, swearing he could just make out the shape of a running wolf in the small cloud, before it was swept into the fire and carried up to the sky on flames that were rapidly returning to orange.

The gamma fell back onto the furs hard, his chest heaving. Looking at the man's shivering but relieved expression, he felt wetness on his chestfur. He glanced downward, finding that he was covered from neck to sheath in his own cum. Sometime during the exchange of Aidi's soul, possibly during the electric shock, he had climaxed by himself.

Finally, now with nothing inside eating at his conscience, the traveler felt a wave of exhaustion settle over his body and mind. He tipped to the side, carrying both Rido and Omun with him. The fire was orange and warm again, all three of them soaked to the skin. The alpha, still too swollen to move anywhere, curled his form around the human's and nuzzled his wounded neck, licking at where his fangs had pierced the skin. Omun managed to keep the human's cock inside his tailhole and snuggled up to the smooth chest, licking affectionately at his stubbled neck. There were no words spoken, only their regulating breaths as all fell quickly into a post-coital slumber. The wolves and the human, all liberated now in the eyes of the great spirits, did not even hear as the chief led his council circle in a long howl of plaintive mourning to the black sky.

* * *

The smell of burning pine came to the traveler's nose and woke him to the dawn. The air was cold, and frost coated everything around them. They had been covered with heavy blankets and left to sleep. The man stirred and shifted positions, sitting up and noting that sometime during the night the three had become unattached. Their clothes lay in a bundle next to the fire.

He stood, quickly dressing in the early-morning cold, and turned to warm himself by the flames, but took a step back when he saw what was keeping the fire alive. A pile of wheat and grasses burned bright and covered a rudimentary framework of branches. The structure was mostly ashes now, but enough remained to tell what it had been: a funeral pyre. Somewhere in there lay Aidi's bones.

The traveler felt his eyes stinging, but this time there was nothing to keep him from holding back. For the rest of his life he would remember this moment as one of only three times when he gave himself to his emotions. He cried for his act of killing, for the soul of the lost wolf, for humanity in general, that God should have mercy on their ignorant souls. There was a moment when he was utterly ashamed of his species, but it passed quickly as he heard the wolves pushing aside the blankets and dressing. Wiping his face on a sleeve, he made to warm his hands as Rido and Omun sat down on either side of him.

The alpha watched him intently as the three thawed out. He put a paw on the man's shoulder, remembering the way the traveler had shaken under his weight as he had sprayed his seed in a moment that now seemed part of a dream. He thought carefully before speaking in English, "Aidi is free now...you know that, yes?"

"Yes, I think I do," replied the traveler, but his bloodshot, deep-set eyes belied any sense of innocence he should have been feeling.

Footsteps approached from the opposite side of the fire, and the three looked up to see the chief standing tall above them. The alpha and new beta stood, the human following suit. Somehow, it no longer felt appropriate to stand in the presence of the regal lupine, and the traveler found himself avoiding the blue eyes and thinking that this must be what it felt like to live in a pack society.

The white wolf dismissed Rido and Omun, but before they left to their respective shelters each gave the human a tight hug, growling something native in his ear. When they had gone, the chief spoke. "They were thanking you, my friend."

"Tell them they're very welcome."

"I must thank you as well. What you did takes unimaginable courage and dedication and a respect for others...for life. Because of your actions, one of our own is free to live in the afterlife, among the great spirits." The wolf took something from a pouch around his waist, and handed it to the traveler. It was a necklace of a few bones, some small beads and a lock of fur. "Aidi, I am sure, thanks you too. I know he would want you to have it, so that you never forget what happened here."

The man fingered the object, admiring its craftsmanship and detail. He put it around his neck, and his bout of crying just minutes before seemed far away and insignificant. For the first time in a long time, he smiled. The wolf smiled back. "Thank you."

"You have a journey ahead of you, my friend," the wolf admonished with a sweep of his paw across the valley floor. "I will give you use of my mount, so that you may reach your destination healthy and in comfort." From behind him came hoofsteps, and he turned to see a white horse, led by a female wolf, saddled and ready for riding.

"Thank-" The wolf put a claw to his lips to silence him, and placed a gentle kiss on his foreheadd. Warmth flushed the man's exposed head.

"A blessing. And our gratitude for your gift of selflessness. Now go." With that, he turned and walked away, the low mist of the morning seeming to swallow his ivory form.

There was nothing left to be said. The traveler mounted his horse, which was already laden with his possessions. After one last look at the village, he made a silent promise to return, one day, to the people who had restored his soul with their natural gift.

He turned to the north and east, looking beyond the mountains and wondering how far Cooke City lay. A cold breeze whipped across the river valley, driving across the sky bleary grey clouds that foretold of storms two days away.

FIN

11/11-11/25/04