Panic
#3 of Belden and Nova
Belden let out a shrill yelp as another crack of lightning filled the sky, the booming thunder instantly shaking everything below him. Tears flowed from his eyes; he was shouting and running in pure fear, his siblings running alongside him. A splash of blood suddenly slapped him across the eyes and he screeched, falling over his own paws and sliding across the soaked ground.
"Belden!" Fael barked, skidding to a halt and running back to him, taking him by the scruff. "Come on! We have to keep going!"
He blinked his stinging eyes open, his vision blurred and minimal in the darkness. His head canted back as he was tugged along, catching only a glimpse of the Dhole that lay motionless, a pool of blood collection under its head.
"Mother!" all four pups shouted, jumping between the vicious fights all around them. Jina screamed as a wolf charged from her right. The wolf was right upon her by the time she saw him, and all she could see were his gaping jaws. Belden's face appeared suddenly, stricken with terror. All four heads turned to watch the Dhole and wolf tumble over one another, biting and snapping at each other's necks.
"In here!" someone shouted, sliding to a halt in front of them, fur standing on end. All four pups stopped as quick as they could, slipping through the mud for a brief moment before turning to run into the small hole under a large bush. It was Belden that lost his balance and fell headlong into his mother's legs. Her nose brushed against his neck as though to bite his scruff and lift him, then a horrid blow caught him alongside the head and the world was no more.
========================================
His next memory was the throbbing pain pounding in his ears. As his eyes opened, he couldn't see. He was warm, too warm for the time of year, and felt an intense weight pressing down on him. Flashes of his last memories came to him and he began to scramble frantically. Light punctured his eyes and he closed them tightly as they ached with the bright sun, dragging himself out from under the heavy weight. His eyes slowly lidded open, scanning his surroundings as they gradually came into focus. He recoiled, his stomach churning. There was death and blood everywhere; piles of bodies slumped across one another, mangled wolves and dholes alike scattered with little or no throat at all. Pools and streaks of blood covered everything; it was hard to take a step without smearing foreign blood on his paws. The pain in his skull was the only thing that kept him from vomiting.
He turned to see what he was stuck under, head canting slightly to avoid the pain inflicted by a large bite mark along the back of his neck. No tears came to his eyes as he saw his own mother laying there, the remains of her throat still attached by a few thing strings of flesh. That's when he noticed the blood caked in his fur on one side, and he knew who that blood belonged to.
He turned and padded towards the bush where his siblings had hidden, nosing through it in hopes of finding passed out or sleeping pups. Of course, there was nothing in the hole, but his siblings scent was still strong in the area. He lifted his head to gaze down the trail of the scent. His eyes met with Fael, missing an ear, most of her right foreleg, and her entire neck coated in blood, punctures littering the flesh. Next to her was Laeven, hindquarters stretched out atop her, his belly open by a several inch hole and his throat also missing.
Further up the path, however, it seemed like an invisible line separated two worlds, one filled with death and despair and the other filled with uncertainty and hopelessness. It was coated in low, thick hanging fog, the trees grown together in thicker clumps, the canopy overhead filtering most of the sunlight. There was no sign of Jina other than a small trail of blood, which Belden assumed to be hers. He stared down the invisible path for a good while, trying to remember the previous night...or two nights...how long had it been?
Small red paw prints trailed behind him as he left the scene of the carnage, ears folded back while his nose hung low to the ground. His sister's scent was getting fainter and fainter as he moved in the opposite direction. He had no idea why he chose not to follow it...perhaps he was afraid of finding her. She could be dead, she could have been drug by the neck with the pack that attacked, or perhaps she was curled under a tree nursing her wound. He didn't want to see her, whatever the outcome, and each step became heavier and heavier.
His vision began to blur again; his head swam and his lead-heavy paws began to make him dizzier with each time. A soft whine escaped his lips and he fell onto his stomach.
========================================
(3 days earlier)
Laeven shoved Belden's cheek and muzzle into the ground with a paw, grinning victoriously and forcing most of his weight down. "You can't beat me Bel! Give up!?" he teased.
"Never!" Belden growled, jerking his head. It was no use, his brother was just too strong and too heavy.
"Oh stop teasing him Laev, you're like twice his size!" Jina barked, rolling her eyes. "Males.." she muttered under her breath to her sister.
"I am not! Not even close! Besides, it's not my fault he doesn't grow as fast as I." the male chuckled. Belden continued to struggle underneath the stronger paw.
"You are too." Another voice said as calm and sweet as the wind.
Laeven's maw gaped some as he stared at the female Dhole that approached and sat on her haunches beside his sisters, relieving some pressure on Belden's head. Belden shouted and pushed himself up, toppling the larger male off him. "Aha!" he shouted, getting up onto all fours quickly. "Gotcha-....oh..." he trailed as his eyes found the new female as well. "H...Hi Danell.." he sputtered nervously.
She giggled in a small, high pitched sound, tilting her head to the right and down some, looking to Belden. "Hi Denny." She said casually, smiling to him.
"I uh, I was uh...Just pinning my brother." He said, trying to make conversation. She simply giggled again and nodded lightly.
"I could tell...you kept under his paw for quite a long time there. Was that a new record?" she teased.
Belden felt his cheeks grow red hot, although his deep orange fur hid any actual blush. "No! He had just...I was...I mean..." he stuttered, trying to come back to the accusation.
"Oh stop trying to make excuses and let's go. I found a spot I want to show you." She said, lifting her hindquarters from the ground and waiting for him.
Belden looked behind him at his brother, the male still sprawled on his side, looking up to his brother. Laeven's eyes narrowed and he made quick motions of his head towards the female, grunting low. "She wants you! Go get her!" it was nearly a whisper. With a nervous smile, Belden turned and bounded towards Danell in a few steps before coming up beside her, both dholes walking off.
They made it out of sight of the three siblings quickly, turning around a small cropping of tall bushes. Danell turned and kissed her male companion's cheek, smiling. "Hi Belden." She said.
The male blushed once more as his cheek was kissed, turning his head to nuzzle into her muzzle affectionately. "Hi D..Danell." he replied, stepping in a little closer to her so they could walk side against side. She was slightly taller than him, the size of all three of his siblings, yet thin with a smooth, beautiful S-curve from chest to stomach.
"So, come on! I found this great spot where we can talk and have time to ourselves without being disturbed!" she said in a proud, matter of fact voice. A smile lit up her face, suddenly pouncing forward and jogging at a good pace.
Belden rushed to catch up, following her tail as they ran through trees and over dead branches, their foot paws crunching on the dead leaves littering the forest floor. He giggled as the wind rushed past him, Danell's own feminine giggle sounding through the air, and soon they were both laughing as they chased each other through the trees.
Light was fading by the time she finally came to a rest, panting heavily as she took a chunk of bush into her teeth and pulled the leaves aside, revealing a small, fully enclosed space. Bushes grew thick on all sides, the leaves of a hefty branch providing overhead cover. The crisp orange leaves teetered on the edge of their branches, threatening to fall, and scattering light randomly in the space. Belden smiled at her and stepped into the enclosure, followed by the female quickly.
Her lips were suddenly pushed against his, head canted to the side slightly. Belden's eyes went wide, his ears perked high, unsure of what to do. Lower jaw parted as he curiously licked at her lips to see what she would do, and then pursed his own to fill in the gaps. She loved the attention, relaxing and taking control once more, parting her jaws some to slowly lap and lick at the male's tongue, working her lower jaw against his to further deepen the kiss. It was only a minute later when she pulled back, still panting lightly.
"I don't know what's come over me.." she said to him, nuzzling into his neck. "I like you a lot, Denny...but I've never felt such a...well...a burn.."
Belden, dazed by the sudden, intense kiss, looked to her, tilting his head some. "Wh...what do you mean?" he asked.
"In the whole time I've known you and flirted with you...I've always seen how sweet and gentle you are. But now I...well, look!" she said, moving away from him some and turning around. Her vulva was quite swollen, the lips puffy and pink.
Belden squeaked hard as she showed herself to him. Everyone saw a male's sheathe and testicles, it was very common. But to openly stare at a female's hind end, hoping her tail would move so one could catch a glimpse of her sex was grounds for a fight. Yet she displayed herself so openly to him for those few seconds, and he felt his sheathe stir at the sight.
She turned and moved back over to him, pressing her muzzle against his and letting out a small huff. "I can't look between your legs without it throbbing a little...I can't even think about you without it getting...uhm...wet.." she blushed. "I've never felt that when I look at that thing hanging between your legs...what's wrong with me?"
The male could only sit and shake, his nerves pounding. "N..Nothing is wrong.." he said, carefully rubbing his muzzle along hers once. "I...I think you are an adult now." He told her with a little smile. "Uhm...my mom has been acting a little funny lately around my dad, sort of like how you say you feel. She also smells different...it's really strong, but none of my sisters smell like it."
Danell only heard the first sentence or two before her eyes transfixed between Belden's legs, staring. It wasn't until after he was done talking that he noticed her silence. "Danell?" he asked, then pulled his head back. She seemed to come out of a trance and look at his face, looking surprised.
"Wha?" she asked quickly, her eyes darting back once before coming to his face again.
"What are you looking at?" he asked, turning his head. Then he saw the object of interest, a red point sticking from the orange fur of his sheathe. He moved to curl and sniff the new sight, but her muzzle was quicker, stuffed against his sheathe and sniffing at the red tip. Carefully her tongue pushed out experimentally licked it, causing Belden to moan.
Her ears perked at the sound he made, turning to look back to him. "What?" she asked again, turning her head to slowly lick the tip once more. Belden moaned again and her ears pressed forward more. "Why are you making that noise? It doesn't hurt does it?"
Belden didn't know how to react; he'd never seen or touched that red point before. "Actually it...it feels really good.."
"There's more!" she said, pulling her head back and looking up to him. He turned his attention from her to between his legs, noticing the tapered shape of the head that had appeared. He smelled his mother suddenly, but stronger. At first his heart raced, head swerving to look around.
"Oh crap!" he said, startled.
"What!?" she said for a third time, jumping up onto all fours and stepping back a bit, trying to see outside the bushes. "Is someone coming?" she asked, shuddering.
His nostrils were suddenly bombarded with the scent now, her sex less than a foot from him now. "Wait.." he said, standing up and moving, pressing his nose under her tail. If scent could hit, he would've been knocked out. "That's you!" he exclaimed and pulled his head back. He felt his sheathe throb.
"Belden.." she panted, her body calming down from a series of shivers. "I think...I think this is what the adults call heat." She said, suddenly realizing the state she was in.
Belden stiffened as he heard that, knowing quite well what heat was verbally, though he'd never experienced or witnessed it before. "Then...you..?" he asked.
She nodded slowly, lifting her tail up. "And you..." she replied.
Belden stepped closer slowly, biting his lower lip. "And you want...?"
She paused for a moment, biting her lower lip before looking back at him. "Yes.." she said quietly.
Belden had no idea what to do. His sheathe continued to throb, and he looked between his legs. A little more of the red, alien body part had appeared. He looked to her flagging sex, stepping forward some and pressing his nose against it once more. He throbbed as her scent and pheromones hit his nostrils, slowly licking the puffed lips. He found his tongue dipped between them, a small flap of skin at the bottom in-between the folds. A small trail of delicious fluid teased his tongue up until he felt a small hole. It wasn't long before he put two and two together.
She had barely begun to moan as Belden's chest fell upon her back, his forelegs around her waist. His hips were shifting, poking that red point around. He could feel her swollen lips, his trail of saliva, the heat between her folds, and then he was in, just like that. Hips began to fly as he thrust, suddenly feeling a hot, wet tunnel clamping around something between his legs. There was more, a lot more, as the full length of his shaft was out in a few thrusts. His head swam with the sudden blissful feeling that overcame him, his thrusts automatic. 'This is amazing!' he screamed in his head. The pleasure only got stronger
She knew, somehow, how this ritual worked. She knew heat brought pups, and she knew the pack raised new litters of pups after each heat. Belden was her closest friend, she trust him with everything, she flirted with him nonstop...she loved him a lot more than she knew. Yet she saw him in such a different light as her head turned to watch him stick that long, hard something into a place she never guessed to have anything. It was the best thing she ever felt, even if a sharp pain stung each time he pushed in. No longer did she see a handsome, playful dhole that was fun to spend time with, but an attractive, sexy, strong dhole to protect and care for her. The pleasure only got stronger.
And stronger, and stronger, and stronger.
Then he couldn't thrust anymore, pulling back only to find he was stuck. At first, he panicked, and then suddenly gasped. His eyes shot open as a burst of white hot pleasure shot up his length, causing him to tense. He tensed over and over, moaning out hard and loud as he lay upon her back.
She too was blinded by pleasure, her entire stomach warming like a small fire and sending jolts of pleasure into her head, her body quaking with his. He was shooting something into her; she could feel it splashing against her stomach, but on the inside. It felt like small, warm bolts that stuck and spread, hitting her in a different place each time, yet collecting with a noticeable weight in the same spot.
He panted, sliding down off her and, without realizing it, turning to stand facing the opposite direction, pressing his rump to hers. The bliss still shot up his shaft, but not nearly as intense as before. It was constant and quick, but it felt good, and he smiled.
"What...what are you putting in me?" she panted out, turning her head once more to look at him.
"Wh...what?" Belden replied, confused. "I...I have that red thing inside you...I don't know what it is." He said.
Danell shook her head. "No it's...it's heavy...and warm...and it hits me inside my tummy...it's very different from that red thing."
Belden blushed and shook his head, at a loss for words. "I...I don't know what else is going into you, then.." he said with a small whine.
"It feels good, whatever it is." She smiles, gazing at his face. "I love you Belden...I want to be your mate." She blushed, looking away. "That...that's why I brought you here. I thought that new feeling back there was...was my body telling me you were the right male for me. I didn't intend for this to happen." She smiled.
Belden's heart skipped a beat. Ever since he and Danell nuzzled for the first time he had felt strong feelings for her. As time went on, he knew more and more that he wanted her to be his mate. "I love you too Danell...I want nothing more than to be your mate." He smiled. The little spurts of pleasure shot into him still. "So...so what now?"
She giggled quietly, looking to him once more. "I...I think I'm going to have pups now." She murred. "Mother has told me about heat, and how once a year every dhole finds a male to put out the heat, and after a few weeks her tummy gets very big, and after a few months, she gives birth to pups." She giggles some. "I think you put out my heat."
Belden let the words sink into his head for a full minute, smiling wide at the notion of his new mate having pups, knowing he helped her! "I'll be the best father ever, I swear." He said proudly.
"I know you will, Belden. That's why you're my mate, and I am yours."
========================================
He suddenly awoke. Light was just breaking through the trees and the musky smell of smoke and moist air hit his nostrils. Belden drug himself up onto all four paws, his head cast towards the ground as he slowly walked on as though he'd never collapsed.
Flashes of Danell passed through his mind; how beautiful she was after they mated, how happy he felt when he'd become her mate. Her smiling, laughing face played in front of him like a relentless ghost. No sound came to his ears but the crunching of leaves, no thought passed his mind but those of Danell, no emotion found his heart but heartache.
The loud snap and sharp pain that suddenly shot up his hind leg snapped him out of his thoughts. He looked back, seeing a small metal mouth clamped around his ankle. He was bleeding profusely, his body shaking from the shock of the pain. He tried to tug his paw free, and then realized just how much pain his memories held off. He yelped and collapsed once more, whimpering as unbearable pain spiked through his body.
It wasn't the pain, but the sudden memory of Danell's neck held in the jaws of a wolf that brought the flow of tears to his face.
He curled up and cried, long and hard, tears flowing freely down his cheeks and dripping onto the damp leaves below.