A dim, warm glow enveloped Yundo as he woke from his slumber, but the pulsating pain in his sore, battered limbs told him that he hadn't fallen asleep in the embrace of his companions, but succumbed to a deadly hazard. His mind was still foggy, though, and he could hardly remember anything beyond his involuntary bath in the raging drainage river, but when he turned his head, a single glance at the creature lying beside him jump-started his memories like a gush of ice water to the face.

The slugcat nearly burst into a cry of distress as he saw the hulking green lizard next to him, and the events from the last night came pouring in all at once. He had been reincarnated in the very same shelter he had been devoured in! Fortunately, the colossal beast was still fast asleep, softly snoring with its toothy, menacing muzzle tightly shut, and it stayed oblivious to the shifting and shuffling to its side as Yundo hastily collected his bearings and looked around to assess where exactly he had landed.

He found himself in a roomy shelter, surrounded by black steel and coarse concrete. The walls were overgrown by bioluminescent fungi whose glow mixed with the low shine of his own body, and the air was pleasantly warm and moist, thick with the green lizard's pungent, yet oddly comforting scent. The slugcat would've gladly stayed for a little longer to recover from the toil of rebirth, but he didn't dare linger for longer than necessary with his previous and potential future demise so closely by his side. So, once he had examined the whole perimeter and spotted the only exit, he heaved himself on all fours and dragged himself to the exit, lugging along a body that seemed only somewhat thinner and lighter than the cycle before.

Yundo cursed Lash under his breath for stuffing him so much that he still couldn't walk properly a whole cycle later. He still eventually reached the edge of the shelter's entrance where he slumped against the wall, recuperating his breath with heavy gasps and stretching his stubby legs to get the blood flowing. At least he was now as far away from the green lizard and as close to escaping as he could be, and looking back at the scaly beast, he noticed the visible bump on its black belly. Lying on its back, it was still busy processing its plump meal, and the slugcat couldn't help but smile at the peaceful sight. As violent as their encounter had been, at least it had left the creature happy and satisfied, and him by proxy as a soft, warm tingle caressed his mind.

What a strange blessing Radiant Heat had given him, making him empathize with a creature who had literally devoured him…

But before Yundo could get too distracted by the corrupting warmth and the massive green log of morning wood sticking out of the beast's slit, a sudden rustling snapped him out of it. Holding his breath, he slowly turned to the origin of the noise, but the exit vent was still dark and lifeless.

For a second, at least, before something stirred in a crack in the ceiling. A narrow, twitching nose emerged from the concrete, followed by a slender, furred face and a pair of beady black eyes. The slugcat's heart skipped a beat as he momentarily thought he was looking at Amu, but the illusion shattered as the lantern mouse pushed his whole head out of the nook, his right ear nicked and his fur a silvery gray compared to his companion's silky white.

Throwing a hurried glance around, the skittish rodent finally locked eyes with Yundo, and the awe on his little face was palpable. "What illusion is this? Who are you?" he whispered. "How are you alive? Didn't you get eaten by it?"

"Yes, the lizard ate me," the slugcat stated, shooting the slumbering beast another hasty look to ensure it was still asleep before he crawled closer to the lantern mouse. Good thing he had made for such a lasting snack. "But that's not that big of a deal because I'm a slugcat. I die, and then I get reborn. That's just how it's always been"

"O-oh? So that's what the golden light meant?"

"Yes. Also, you can call me Yundo," the slugcat nodded. "Now tell me, who are you and what are you doing in a lizard's den? Are you planning to kill it?"

The lantern mouse snorted in distraught amusement and shook his head. "K-k-kill it? N-no, not at all! Never even think of it! I've just… gotten lost in this maze, and this is the safest place to be. A-also, I'm Gimi."

"The safest? Next to a green lizard?"

"Well, it doesn't fit inside my hideout and it keeps the ickies away that do fit in here. And when it goes to sleep, it sometimes leaves leftovers of its… prey," Gimi explained with a grimace. "A-anyway, that h-hopefully doesn't matter anymore because you know the way out, r-right?"

Yundo closed his eyes and hummed, trying to recall the path the lizard had taken when it had hauled him here. Slowly, gradually, it came back to him, and he finally nodded. "I-I think so. At least I can lead us back to where it found me, next to one of the large waterways."

Gimi's eyes sparkled. "Oh, that's perfect! I know the way back to the nest from there!"

"Hang on, your nest?" the slugcat gasped, eyes widening in sudden realization. "Did you happen to have come from the Ebony Tower not long ago?"

"Yes, that's where… wait, how would you know that? Are you stalking us!?" The lantern mouse's voice swelled in sudden suspicion, but he muffled himself with a paw as a low grunt echoed from within the den. The green giant was still asleep, but it was starting to stir, no doubt from their hushed whispers.

"No! I'm not stalking you! We've been looking for your nest…"

"We?" Gimi's eyes bulged out of his skull. "More of you? What are you planning? I should've known this was a terrible…"

"Amu! I've found Amu trapped atop the Ebony Tower and tried to get him back to you!" Yundo blurted out.

"A-Amu? He's alive? B-b-but…"

Yundo heard another grunt, this time louder and deeper, followed by a lazy shifting, and he hurriedly shook his head. "Yes, he lives, but I'll tell you the rest later. Now let's get going before that lizard notices." Grasping for a crack in the wall, the slugcat then pulled himself up on his feet, and although still wobbly, the surge of adrenaline he got from the waking predator kept him standing, and soon trudging forward.

With a quiet nod, the lantern mouse followed Yundo, and he kept his muzzle tightly sealed as they delved into the dark maze. Whatever was on his troubled mind took a backseat to the prospect of freedom, and he didn't even dare breathe too loudly so as not to upset the horrors looming in the pitch black.

The faint glow of the slugcat's body was already incriminating enough.

Thankfully, Yundo's experience and adrenaline-pumped attentiveness managed to keep them out of trouble, and he devoted all his energy to navigating the labyrinthine tunnels while circumnavigating the skittering, shuffling terrors wherever he heard them. He had managed to save one lantern mouse, so he could save another even if an endless set of snarls and hisses kept him on their toes until the very end, likely coming from the now-awake green lizard chasing them.

But before the beast could catch up, the first glimmers of sunlight filtered through the cracks in the wall, and the slugcat emerged from the winding darkness onto the banks of the drainage channel that had almost spelled his end last cycle. The waters were still a roaring, foaming nightmare, but as Gimi slipped past him with a glowing smile on his stubby snout, he knew that he didn't have to lead them any further. "You know the way from here?"

"Yes!" the lantern mouse proclaimed, only to whirl around and beam at Yundo. "And I'm sorry was so suspicious of you. I don't think anyone would risk getting caught and eaten by a lizard just to find out where we have our nest."

"No, the marks are sufficient for that," Yundo chuckled.

"T-the marks? You saw the marks? You could read them?"

"As I said, I was with Amu before I got nabbed."

"Right, that actually makes a lot of sense. How is he doing?"

"He's never been doing better, aside from being separated from his family," Yundo replied.

"Oh, good. Good! But… what now? I know the way home, but you've been separated…"

"Allow me to follow you, Gimi. Because I'm pretty sure that my companions are still following the marks, so we'll meet them at the nest, or even catch up with them on the way."

"Sure, that sounds like a plan. You led me out of that maze, I'll lead you to my nest," Gimi declared, only to flinch as a roar resounded from the vent. Looking at Yundo in shock, he shook himself and hurriedly waved at him. "Anyway, come. Let's not dawdle."

Scampering along the wet, tumultuous waterfront for another while, the lantern mouse soon guided Yundo up the weathered facade of one of the many ancient row houses. More than once, the slugcat doubted the integrity of the wall while he climbed after the small, lithe being, bits and pieces of brick and plaster crumbling under his weight, but for the most part, it withstood the strain.

When the slugcat finally reached the building's flat roof, huffing and gasping for breath, the unparalleled view made up for the strenuous climb. After being trapped in the deep ravine between the ruins with Lash and the others, after traversing the labyrinthine, claustrophobic tunnels with Gimi, he finally got to see where he had come from and what lay ahead, from the decrepit watchtower on the cliff overlooking the ancient city to the mighty pyramid in its heart. Besides, no predator could hide from him up on the canopy of roofs, as not even a white lizard's camouflage could withstand the blindingly bright daylight, and the only vultures he spotted far and wide were currently circling an industrial network of pipes and rusty machinery further downstream.

Their destination, Gimi's and Amu's nest, was the only thing Yundo didn't recognize among the sun-baked sea of buildings, but the lantern mouse carried on without any hesitation, leading the way further forward with another quick wave. "Come, it's not too far anymore."

With that, the journey continued along decaying roofs, rickety planks, and the precipitous crevices that yawned between the towering constructs. For the most part, the slugcat tried not to think too hard about the constant creaking and groaning as the decomposing building materials bent and bounced under his thumping, heavy steps, but it still reminded him of his daring dash through the underground drainage tunnels with Amu. At least no watery grave awaited him below, but a shadowy chasm with a faint white dot moving along it.

A white dot surrounded by three more and a pink-headed lizard.

"Gimi, wait! I think I see something," Yundo gasped, plopping on his belly to inch toward the crumbling edge of the roof. Taking another close look at the group below them, his doubts turned to certainty. Three scavengers, a white lantern mouse, and his beloved lizard, there was no chance he was looking at anything else, and he pointed at them, "It's Amu and my companions."

The lantern mouse next to the slugcat received the news with a concerned frown, "Are you sure? I'm just seeing a pink lizard and some scavengers… that can't be Amu down there, can it?"

"No, no, I'm sure it's them. I have to go down there and meet up with them."

Gimi raised a brow. "If you say so, I won't stop you but don't expect me to come with you. I'll keep my distance and wait for you in the meantime."

The slugcat nodded. He could work with that. Now he just had to make sure to catch up to his friends before they moved out of reach. Still too far to wave at them and not daring to yell, he got up and started running as fast as he could, lugging his chubby frame across the rooftops until finally, something yielded. Constructed of loosely bolted, rusty boards, the rickety roof succumbed to his weight with a sharp snap, and the floors below didn't prove any sturdier, so he just kept tumbling and crashing down floor by floor.

After a few seconds, Yundo's noisy descent suddenly ended as he reached the ground floor, and while he lay spread across the rubble like a splash of water, groaning and shaking from the pain in his everything, a familiar voice tickled his mind.

What was that?

Luckily, the slugcat didn't have to move his lips to respond, even if his thoughts were as shaky as the rest of his battered body. L-lash? It- it's me! Y-Yundo!

Yundo!? Yundo! You're back! Where are you?

I-in one of the buildings to your left, I think. I'm not sure, my head is still spinning. His companions couldn't be too far away, though, as Yundo heard the heavy steps of his beloved lizard. Not able to flip directions in his brain and hesitant to yell, he guided them closer by other means, Closer. You're getting clo… no, you're getting farther now. Oh, this is closer again… even closer…

With the noise of movement getting louder and louder, the slugcat sluggishly started to pick himself up, and when he finally stood on shaky feet again, Lash barged through the flimsy entrance and rushed right toward him, There you are! I was already worried sick. We all were worried sick. What happened after you fell? Where did the stream carry you?

Ah, Lash, slow down. One thing after another, Yundo burst into chuckles as the lizard knocked him over again before showering him with licks. Eventually, he intercepted his mate's enthusiasm with both paws, grabbing his snout to return the stormy affection with a kiss.

Surprised for but a second, Lash unceremoniously parted his pink maw and wrapped it around Yundo's head to indulge him with an even deeper kiss, holding him steady with his teeth as he wrapped his thick black tongue around the slugcat's slender, slippery taster. You smell of lizard, Yundo. Did they get you after all?

Not quite. It's a bit of a story I'll tell you in a bit, the slugcat replied, extracting himself from the pink lizard's embrace to pull himself up by his muzzle. Somewhat balanced, he greeted the rest of the group, hugging Modo, Yebu, and Salu one by one as they followed his mate through the door before finally, Amu came running into his arms.

"Yundo, you're back!" the lantern mouse squeaked, attaching himself to the slugcat's neck to plaster a few more kisses onto his face.

I'm happy to see you too, Amu, Yundo laughed.

Meanwhile, Modo added to Lash's questions, "We've been looking for you all morning, but to no avail, and when the lizards just started pouring from the walls, we were forced to move and chose to carry on to the nest, so how did you manage to find us here?"

Because I was headed to the nest as well, and our paths happened to cross before either of us got there, the slugcat beamed and pried Amu off his neck, holding him up into the air. "That said, do you believe me now, Gimi?"

"Gimi?" the little lantern mouse squirmed in Yundo's hold. "Gimi?"

On cue, a fluffy gray muzzle peeked out of an empty door frame a few floors up, looking at Yundo, then Amu, Lash, the scavengers, back and forth, faster and faster as his fear and disbelief flipped into excitement and back. "Amu? Is that really you?"

"Gimi!? What are you doing here!?" Amu squealed, wildly gesturing at the other lantern mouse. "Yes, it's really me!"

Hearing the white mouse's voice, Gimi's hesitation finally vanished and he climbed down the wall. Just before he reached the group, Yundo let go of Amu and allowed the two to reunite with a stormy hug, squeaking and laughing in hysterical joy. A joy that brought a deeply contented smile onto the slugcat's muzzle. Now he could wait even less to return the two forlorn beings to their tribe.

"Oh! Oh! Oh! By the way, these are my friends, Gimi!" Amu revealed, pointing at everybody, one by one. "Lash. Modo. Salu. Yebe. And Yundo. Also, this is my uncle, Gimi, everyone."

"Yes, I already know Yundo. I've escaped the underground maze and the giant lizard thanks to him," Gimi giggled. "So I really didn't expect to see you accompanied by one."

"He's Yundo's mate," Amu explained. "And a wonderful friend all around. Also, you two escaped a maze and a lizard?"

"Yes, and the lizard ate Yundo… I think? I'm not sure," Gimi replied, warily eying the pink lizard.

"It did what?" Amu incredulously stared at the slugcat.

Aha, that explains why you smelled of lizard, dear, Lash chortled.

"Yes, that's why I smell of lizard. As I said, a long story… but how about we get a move on and I tell you everything on the way? The nest isn't too far from here anymore, right, Gimi?" Yundo asked the gray lantern mouse.

"Yes, it shouldn't be farther than half an hour by foot from here," Gimi nodded. "Also, who said you smell of lizard?"

"Right… let me fill them in first, I'll get to that once I've got them up to speed. Now come, let's keep moving," the slugcat said, shutting everybody up with a raised paw before he patted Lash on the back and walked through the exit. "Gimi, tell us when we're headed the wrong way. As for what happened, it started when a green lizard fished me out of the drainage river…"

While Yundo began recounting the story of his encounter with the green lizard, Gimi scurried past him and took over the lead, one eye on the markings scattered across the ruins while making sure to stay far ahead of the scavengers and Lash.

Recognizing the lantern mouse's unease, the pink lizard kept his distance as well and rather worried about their surroundings, keeping his watchful gaze on the cracks and crevices between the walls and buildings.

Fortunately, the incident from the bridge didn't repeat itself, if only because the buildings were spaced further and further apart, offering ever fewer hiding spots for potential pursuers in the midday sun. The only white lizards they ran across sat perched in a passing back alley, squabbling with a few daring squidcadas that flew circles around them, while no spider nor centipede dared venture into the broad daylight.

Finally, the group arrived at the widest, most open space in the abandoned city since they had descended from the jungle outpost. Whatever business the ancients had pursued here had been long buried under bricks and rubble, overgrown with squirming black wormgrass and vines the size of Yundo's arms, and interspersed with pools and rivulets of muddy water that came pouring from the surrounding quarters. A few piled-up paths of debris crisscrossed the lush urban swamp, and where most buildings around it had crumbled and deteriorated further than their counterparts in the drier parts of the city, a tall, mostly intact tower stood in the center of the ancient city square.

Propped up by dozens upon dozens of steel girders and beams, the brickwork tower was as colossal as it was richly decorated with blackened, rusty metal ornaments. Only its tip seemed to have suffered the wrath of time and the elements, comprising a jagged jawline rather than the weathered, yet mostly intact facades below, and the plants and trees interwoven with the edifice's structural pillars seemed to further hold it together with their roots.

Hybridized with nature, the imposing relic of the ancients bore a plethora of marks from its newest inhabitants, too, as not just the posts sticking out of the wormgrass were marked by Amu's tribe, but the upper and lower walls bore their scratched symbols as well. Only just emerged from the shadow of the urban canyons, Yundo froze in awe at this view second only to the truncated pyramid and the Ebony Tower.

Meanwhile, Gimi stepped ahead and waved at the construct, "And here we are, the home of my people."

"You live exposed and out in the open like this?" Modo asked. "That is… uncharacteristic for your kind, to say the least."

"Oh, this tower is sturdier and safer than it looks," the lantern mouse chuckled, only to throw a hesitant look at Lash. Biting his lip, he murmured, "Unfortunately, I don't think I can invite you all inside. I am not sure if our family would approve of a lizard within their home. Also, as for you, scavengers…"

"Well, I won't fault you for it," Modo laughed. "I am impressed that you have accompanied us at all."

Indeed. Gimi's mistrust is wholly warranted, as my kind ordinarily isn't kind to lantern mice, Lash added, nudging Yundo. Tell him that I will not intrude upon their territory unsolicited.

Without missing a beat, the slugcat relayed the lizard's words, "Yes, I won't fault you either, nor will Lash. I'm happy that I managed to bring you back home…" Of course, he would've been happier to see the building from the inside and personally reunite Amu with his family, but with a heavy sigh, he added, "Amu, Gimi, it was an honor to accompany you, but this seems to be the point where we part ways."

Where the lantern mice accepted Modo's remark with a simple nod, the slugcat's farewell brought shocked expressions to both of their furry faces.

"No, you cannot leave yet, Yundo! It would be unforgivable not to introduce you to the family. You saved Amu, and you saved me," Gimi objected, while Amu just stood there, staring at him, not even twitching a single of his whiskers.

"That's… fine. You two know what I've done, what we have done, and that is plenty in my opinion," Yundo said, only to step next to his pink lizard and place a paw on the ridge of his back. "Also, I refuse to part ways with Lash after all that happened. If you invite me, you have to invite him as well."

Yundo? Are you sure? Lash wondered. We are not getting separated by force. I can stay and wait for you, and we'll see each other at the end of the cycle.

No. the slugcat insisted. We've gotten separated far too often lately, I just… can't.

Rubbing his chin for a moment, Gimi finally nodded, "I can't argue with that, but I also don't have the authority to allow your lizard into our home, so it appears as if our paths do part here. That said, I'll praise your efforts as best I can, and if it's not enough, I have Amu to remind me, right?"

The gray lantern mouse turned to his nephew with a smile, but the younger mouse didn't return his nudge, staring blankly at the ground as his eyes grew blurry and wet. Uncertainty was written all over his muzzle, and after another minute of uneasy contemplation, he shook his head, slowly at first, then ever more vigorously. "N-no, that won't be necessary," he stammered, stumbling toward Yundo to wrap his arms around his belly. "I've just thought about it and I've made my decision. We all go, or none of us goes."

"Amu? I don't think the others will like that," Gimi objected. 

"But they've not been in deadly danger, so what do they know? These guys saved both of us, and neither of us got eaten yet, right?" Amu scoffed and grabbed Yundo's paw to tug him across the dam of rubble toward the tower. "They at least got to see who saved us once!"

The gray lantern mouse blinked at Amu, scratching his chin for another moment before he followed him and the slugcat. "If you say so, Amu… Anyway, follow me, I'll let you all in, but remember that this is all your idea, Amu."

"I know, but that's fine because I trust Lash and the scavengers with my life," the white lantern mouse announced, only to ask, "You need to let us in?"

"There's a little trick to the entrance," Gimi replied with a smirk and dropped into the murky water to fetch an oblivious pop snail. Unhappy about its sudden ascension, the pink-shelled animal immediately started vibrating angrily, but the lantern mouse tightened his grip around its body, letting it charge up without letting it pop yet. "You can probably make it without this." Moving closer to one of the tower's entrance portals, the dam of debris receded into wormgrass-infested water, and the black tendrils started waving and wiggling violently the moment he set foot into the water. "But this makes it a lot safer."

With that, the gray mouse tossed the pop snail into the wormgrass and the critter instantly unleashed all its pent-up indignation in a sharp, resounding plop, stunning the writhing predators. Waving at his entourage, Gimi then squeezed himself along the brick wall and hurried past the patch of dazed death, and the others hurriedly followed suit.

Once the group had cleared the wormgrass, a narrow, winding staircase led them up the tower and soon disgorged them into a large, overgrown hall within its heart. Embraced by massive masonry and gridded steel windows, ample sunlight illuminated patches of trees and vines that had set root in cracks and crevices between the ground tiles and across the ocher brick walls, interconnecting the space with the few crumbling remnants of statues and ornaments that had once filled the mighty hall.

Their arrival was met by the rustling and pitter-pattering of dozens of little feet as innumerable lantern mice scurried across the treetops, glaring at the visitors with big, beady eyes and twitching ears. Most of them remained hidden in the canopy, watching from behind a cover of lush green leaves, but a curious murmur rippled through the skittish crowd when Amu stepped forward, "Mom, Dad, everybody, I'm back! And Gimi is back, too!"

Once he and Gimi had moved about a dozen feet away from the lizard, two lantern mice finally burst out of hiding and rushed toward Amu, one white and one a brilliant silver. "Mom! Dad!" he squealed.

"Amu, you're alive!" his mother replied and pounced on him with her arms spread, almost knocking him off his feet.

"Oh Amu, I'm so glad you've made it back!" The lantern mouse's father followed no two steps later, glomping his son with tears in his eyes. However, the male's relieved smile faltered when he looked up at Amu's companions, his suspicious gaze ultimately getting stuck on Lash as he asked the questions everybody else had only been thinking so far. "Also, who's that? Why did this lizard follow you? What are they doing in our nest?" At his last remark, the silver male turned to Gimi, eyes narrowing somewhat. "Why did you let them in?"

"Because Amu asked for it," Gimi returned with a shrug.

Amu, eyes glistening with tears, nodded wildly and explained, "They saved us and helped us get here, so it's only fair to bring them along so everybody can see how nice they are."

"Well, they mostly just saved you, Amu. I could've found home on my own after Yundo led me out of the maze," Gimi assessed.

"Gimi!? Anyway, they didn't eat us and made for the best, kindest companions. That's why they're with us," Amu proclaimed proudly.

The lantern mouse's spirited confidence sufficed to convince his parents, as they loosened their hug around him and walked halfway toward the ragtag team around Yundo, bowing at them in gratitude, but neither of them could utter a single word when suddenly, a clear, high-pitched voice pierced through the hall. "By the ancestors, what is the meaning of this? How did a lizard get in here?"

Accompanied by four guards armed with rusty, corrugated rebar rods, a mint-green lantern mouse stepped out of the vegetation and straight toward Amu, dismissively gesturing at Lash. "You let them in?"

"Y-yes, Anya," Amu stammered, reflexively cowering up and tucking his tail between his hindlegs as the authoritative mouse chided him.

"What in the world would make you believe that it's a good idea to grant a lizard entry to our nest?" Anya followed up while one of her guards aggressively waved his spear at the group.

"T-they saved me!" Amu blurted out. "And I spent dozens of cycles around them. They're peaceful and friendly, I guarantee it!"

"Perhaps they are friendly, perhaps they are not," the mint mouse replied, glaring so harshly at Lash that he retreated two steps. "However, the decision was not yours to make. One mouse's opinion does not stand over the opinion of the rest, and we cannot tolerate this. This must not set a precedence."

"But they saved me! And also saved Gimi, kinda…" Amu protested, turning to look at the mice in the treetops. "That must count for something, right?" But there came little response, as even his parents meekly lowered their ears, a tense silence filling the halls where one could've heard a pebble drop a mile away.

Taking a deep breath, Anya contemplated Amu's words for a moment before her frown finally softened and she nodded, "Yes, that does count for something. Saviors, I greatly appreciate your effort to return two of our people to their nest, and I apologize for the rough reception, but I must nevertheless ask you to leave now."

"B-b-but…" Amu squeaked.

"No, I cannot let this slide. Do you know how many of us almost had a heart attack when there was suddenly a lizard in the nest?" the mint lantern mouse snapped, now gesturing at one of her guards. "Not everyone had the opportunity to spend several cycles with them and get used to it like you have. Anyway, as I was saying, we unfortunately do not have much to show you our appreciation, but you may have two of our precious pearls, one for Amu and one for Gimi."

With one paw on Lash's head, Yundo nodded, "That is absolutely more than enough. Thank you so much."

Frankly, this is more generosity than I would have expected, Lash assessed as the guard half-heartedly tossed two silvery pearls at them from a safe distance.

I'm pretty sure they're mostly paying off the scavengers with this, but I'm fine with it either way, the slugcat assessed while Modo bent over, gathering the shiny treasure from the ground. Now, let's get going before they change their minds.

Yes, we better leave before any of the guards does something ill-advised, the lizard agreed, beginning to shuffle back toward the stairs.

"Wait! Don't leave yet!" Amu suddenly squeaked and ran at the slugcat, wrapping his arms around his belly to stop him. "Yundo, c-can you do me favor?"

"Yes," the slugcat responded immediately. "As long as you don't ask me to climb the Ebony tower again, that is."

An incredulous murmur went through the crowd, and a choked chuckle spilled from the white mouse's muzzle, a flicker of light accompanying his response, "D-don't worry. I've learned my lesson. Not a thousand lizards could get me back up there. But speaking of lizards…" He looked at Lash, then the three scavengers. "Could you try and find a shelter nearby? And then meet me here before the rain sets in? I don't think I'm ready to say goodbye goodbye yet, but I… I really need a moment with Mom and Dad, with my family… and there's probably some other things I have to sort out too."

"Of course," Yundo said and wrapped a paw around Amu's head, gently stroking his ear. Then he bent forward and pulled the lantern mouse into a kiss, locking muzzles until Amu's back lit up in a much brighter, warmer glow. "We'll be waiting for you at the foot of the tower later. Now go!"

"Y-yes, Yundo! Modo, Salu, Yebe, I'll see you soon," the lantern mouse squeaked, waving at the scavengers only to get pulled into a hug by all three of them. And you too, Lash.

Once the scavengers released him, Amu went to the pink lizard to hug his muzzle to the gasps of the other mice before he returned to his parents. Waving at the group all the way, he was still waving even when they disappeared behind the first turn of the spiral staircase.

Heading down the same way they had come from, a strange silence spread through Yundo's mind as they reached the wormgrass-infested entrance. Of course, Lash and the scavengers were still there, their thoughts and feelings caressing him at every breath, but the anxious, yet bubbly and excitable voice of the little lantern mouse was missing now. After spending cycles upon cycles together, he had left just like that, and the void filled his eyes with tears.

Yundo, Amu will soon join us again. I promise that we will get a proper farewell with him, and I will make sure that it becomes a memory to last forever, Lash reminded his mate, comforting him with a nuzzle.

I know, but that only delays the inevitable. After that, he'll be gone for good, the slugcat remarked.

But he'll be gone in the best way, Yundo, Modo chimed in, waving at Salu to give the slugcat a quick hug together while Yebe gathered a little blue pop snail from the wall to clear the path ahead. He has survived and is now back with his family. Yundo, you have achieved something great today. You have saved not just one, but two lantern mice.

Casting a long, wistful look up the brick stairwell, Yundo spotted a few brief flickers of gray and white at the top as a few of the nest's inhabitants watched their departure. I guess you're right. Now let's get going and look for a shelter and food before it gets too late.

A deafening pop later, the slugcat trudged across the paralyzed wormgrass and back into the rubble around the tower. But even minutes later, every step still felt as if he was dragging himself through the wet muck and wormgrass, and not even the bright blue skies and beaming sun could lighten his mood right now. At least, Lash remained close by his side, hooking his tail around his waist to keep him walking forward, while the scavengers spread out and distracted themselves with the search for shelter so as not to be engulfed by Yundo's gloom.

Thankfully, their search wouldn't take long, as most of the houses they passed by had shelters in the basement, and soon enough, Salu discovered a large enough hideout in one of them, embraced by tall, sturdy stone walls. Drained and still painfully empty from parting with Amu, Yundo moved into the building after him and dragged himself into the rearmost corner. Refusing to take even a single step further, he then slumped next to Lash and settled against the lizard's warm black scales to soon drift off into an uneasy nap. Yebe remained with them, keeping watch while the other two scavengers headed back out to forage for food.

By the time the slugcat woke up again, the sun had vanished behind a mounting bulk of thick, gray clouds, and Salu and Modo had returned from their foray, sitting around a small pile of fruit and batflies. However, it hadn't been their footsteps or chatter that had roused Yundo from his sleep, but a faint echo in his head, and a bright blur in the corner of his eye suddenly caught his attention. Turning to the building's entrance, he was getting ready to warn the others in case a daring white lizard had chosen to try its luck and pay them a visit, but instead, the beady black eyes of a little white lantern mouse peered back at him. "Amu? What are you doing here?"

"Wait, what? Amu is here? Are you sure?" Modo asked perplexedly, following Yundo's gaze to the entrance as did the others.

Only Yebe looked in a different direction, peering through a crack in the wall as he remarked, "Didn't we agree to meet you at the tower? The rain is still another hour away."

Amu nodded and dashed toward them, almost tripping over his own legs in his enthusiasm. "Yes, I know, but I simply couldn't wait any longer," he explained, throwing himself into a tight hug with the stunned Yundo. "Besides, the mood back in my nest isn't the best at the moment. Anya and the others are still a little… peeved about what happened… Anyway, I'm so, so happy that I got to see my parents and siblings again, and they asked me to give you their best regards. All of you, Lash included, despite all the things Anya said about you."

Thank you, Amu. Make sure to give them my regards as well when you head back, the pink lizard chortled. And don't worry about your matriarch. I completely understand the reservations of your kind toward my kin and me.

"Lash is right. There are no hard feelings from any of you toward your tribe and family, and the two pearls are highly appreciated as well," Modo added, pulling one of the pearls from his satchel to bask in its sparkling luster. "But let's not dwell too much on those troubles. Let's just sit back and enjoy the evening together. Please, help yourself, Amu."

With a jolly nod, Amu let go of the slugcat and settled beside him and Lash, taking a pawful of red berries from the pile.

You really didn't have to have taken the risk and come here early. We would've picked you up in just a bit, Yundo whispered, gently wrapping an arm around the lantern mouse. How did you even find us here?

"Oh, that wasn't actually too hard. I asked my parents if they knew of any big shelters close to our nest and went to the closest one, which happened to be this one," Amu explained proudly, popping two of the berries into his muzzle.

"And they just let you go like that?" Salu wondered.

Amu shook his head, "Not at first, but once I managed to convince them that I can look after myself now and that I'd be extra careful, they let me go, and now I'm here."

I know I called you the bravest lantern mouse in the world because that's what you are, Amu, but please don't let that make you reckless, Yundo sighed.

Looking up at the slugcat, Amu replied, No, it's not recklessness. I just realized that this will be our last night together, and I simply couldn't wait any longer. I really want to make the most of the last hours with you. With you all.

Yundo's eyes widened and he stared at Amu for a few heartbeats, utterly speechless. The reminder of their impending separation hurt, but at the same time, the lantern mouse's words stirred a powerful passion deep inside the slugcat, and he suddenly tightened his hold around him. Pulling him up against his chest, he locked muzzles with him in a loving kiss and closed his eyes to relish the moment. Just, promise me that you'll take really good care of yourself once we're gone.

Yes, Yundo. I'll watch my every step, Amu vowed.

Good. Anyway, now that you're here, let us make the most of it. Cupping Amu's butt with one paw and stroking the soft, silky fur on the back of his head with the other, Yundo slipped his tongue into his muzzle and intertwined it with the mouse's in a wet dance.

Within moments, the ruin's interior was immersed in a warm glow as the slugcat's affection ignited the lights on Amu's back, but the bright shine was obscured as Lash cuddled up with the two, surrounding them with his hulking body and shining black scales. Watching them with a toothy grin, he didn't join his mate and the mouse in their intimate kiss, leaving enough of a gap that the scavengers could still see what was happening as well.

Yundo only noticed that the others were watching when he opened his eyes again, and he broke the kiss with a smack, a string of saliva dangling between his muzzle and Amu's as he grinned at them. Want to join us?

No, Lash's answered without hesitation. Considering what happened two cycles ago, let us take things more slowly tonight, because I think it is more fun if we still remember our time together rather than have it become another mindless blur of lust.

None of the scavengers objected, and Yundo nodded with a blush on his cheeks. Right. I just don't want you all to feel left out.

"Don't worry, Yundo. We won't feel left out. Watching your passion warms my heart just as much as joining the fun, and besides, the night hasn't even begun yet," Modo chuckled, lounging back against the wall with one arm around Salu and Yebe.

The slugcat turned back to Amu, about to ask him if he minded the audience, but the lantern mouse's excited quiver and the fully engorged black taper between his stubby thighs were answer enough. So without another remark, he pulled the smaller male into a tight hug against his soft, squishy body and kissed him again, and again. Huffing and moaning ever more passionately, Yundo twirled his tongue around Amu's taster and across his snout, while he felt the mouse's heart racing in his chest as he rubbed his leaking twitching taper against his belly.

The rodent's excitement was infectious, stirring a wonderful heat in Yundo's loins, and it wasn't long before his big, shimmering taper emerged from his slit and joined the fun as well, squirming and coiling against his partner's cock and abdomen as it grew larger with wet smacks and powerful throbs.

The caresses of the slugcat's cock elicited fresh gasps and groans from his little partner, and he began to buck his hips into the slugcat's hug, rubbing his needy cone against his fat, swelling cock meat. A-ah, Yundo. Do you remember the first cycle we met?

Like it was yesterday, the slugcat said and tightened his grip around the lantern mouse's butt. Hoisting him up to his chest, he dropped back against Lash and made himself comfortable against his warm, smooth scales. One more twirl of their tongues, then he broke the kiss with a lusty sigh and rubbed noses with the smaller male. Meanwhile, he slid the tapered tip of his slimy, prehensile cock between Amu's buttcheeks and prodded his taut little pucker, having him gasp and squirm in anticipation before he suddenly yanked it away again. Let me loosen you up a little more first.

W-what? I-I can take it! Amu protested, pushing his fuzzy rump back into the slugcat's taper.

Yundo shook his head with a big grin. That's not the point. Then he lifted Amu up and flipped him around, making his face and belly point down to slit. Dropping him back onto his body, it left him with the mouse straddling his chest, thighs splayed and his taut butt just in front of his drooling muzzle. I don't want to rush this; I want to relish every part of you. And with his eyes locked to the tight, twitching pink ring between the lantern mouse's buttocks, the slugcat wrapped a paw around his ankle and pulled his fluffy footpaw up to his muzzle.

Four toes adorned with the tiniest black claws, a supple black pawpad in its center, Amu's paw clenched and curled up reflexively when Yundo slipped out his tongue and swiped it across the pad, and the rest of the lantern mouse followed suit, that snug pucker and fuzzy sack tensing and jumping as he squirted a drop of pre onto his belly. 

Y-yundo, what are you…? Amu's hot, breathy moan washed over the slugcat's cock, but once he shook off his stupor, he understood. Wrestling Yundo's squirming cock with both paws, he guided it to his muzzle and returned the favor with a big lick around the drooling tip.

Yes, that's it, the slugcat sighed, daintily kissing each of Amu's toe beans before he licked them all over. A swipe for each, between them, around them, and across, over and over again, only to return to his paw pad for a few circles, scattering in more kisses wherever they could fit. Not an inch of the lantern mouse's paw remained unattended, while his growing enthusiasm did more than just put their audience under a spell.

Two nubby, bright pink tips crept into Yundo's vision as Lash's twin rods had burst out of his slit, soon to dangle halfway across his body. Slowly pulsing and oozing pre, they enriched the air around the slugcat with a thick, reptilian musk, and each whiff of the potent scent made him harder still. His own taper flexed and bucked in Amu's grip as the smaller male lapped at his tip, and he let out a deep moan before he wrapped his muzzle around his paw and sucked on it whole, dancing his tongue around and across his wriggling toes.

The slugcat paused his indulgence when suddenly something warm and wet brushed across his own foot, and he pulled away from the mouse's paw to find Lash's toothy muzzle pressed against his sole, flicking the tip of his tongue against it with a happy growl. Lash? I thought you didn't want to join in.

Oh, hush, I just couldn't resist the opportunity to indulge my squishy, lovely cuddle bug~ Besides, how bad can a little licking be? the pink lizard chuckled, dragging the whole, wide flat of his tongue across the slugcat's sole before he slurped up his foot and leg to the knee.

Reflexively curling his toes in the large predator's hot, wet maw, Yundo moaned out in jittery delight as Lash's sharp teeth brushed across his supple skin, and he arched up with a powerful shiver racing down his spine. Y-you call that a little lick?

I could swallow you whole, mind you, Lash replied, swirling his tongue around the slugcat's plump, squishy leg before he pulled away with a wet, drawn-out slurp. That said, don't mind me or the scavengers, and just continue looking after Amu~

Reminded of the scavengers, Yundo saw that Modo and his companions were fully engrossed by the spectacle, three pairs of eyes keenly watching his every action and movement while they sat intertwined in a tight hug, huffing and panting heavily, the antlers on their masks rubbing together just as much as their bare, dark skin, glistening with sweat and bulging with the outline of their powerful muscles. All of them lying back, their impressive, rock-hard schlongs and fat, swollen balls were on full display as well, making the slugcat moan and quiver with all sorts of urges and desires as his sphincter loosened and quivered from the view alone. Are you sure you don't want to join?

Waving in refusal, Modo laughed, "You heard your mate, Yundo. Don't mind us and just take good care of Amu." Then, he casually wrapped his hand around his swollen rod and pumped it with slow, savoring strokes.

As the other scavengers followed Modo's example, the slugcat finally returned his attention to Amu with a shaky breath and gave the lantern mouse's petite rump a long, good look before he decided to indulge the male's other footpaw, making him squeal and squirm with a few more licks across his toes and paw pad. He didn't get much further than that, though, when he was interrupted by a needy plea, Y-yundo, please, I- I can't take it anymore. No more teasing! Prepare me already so I can take you!

Muzzle pressed against Amu's sole, Yundo looked at his little partner with a grin, and the lantern mouse turned his head around to meet his gaze, desperate desire burning in his eyes as he wrested his foot out of his hold. Then, he shuffled up his chest and shoved his butt right into his face. Please!

Well, I can't really say no to this anymore, can I? Yundo cooed, licking his lips as he placed his paws onto Amu's rump and parted his butt cheeks to get a better look at his puckered rosy ring. Then he moved his muzzle closer until his nose prodded the other male's taint just below his tailhole and took a deep breath. Not half as intense and pungent as Lash's reptilian stench, the mouse's scent was far from mild, though, and appetizingly rich and diverse. A mixture of potent pheromones, a touch of sweat, and a natural, earthy musk clung to the fur between his snug sack and hole, and the slugcat immediately went for seconds, inhaling more with heavy huffs while darting out his tongue and dragging it across his partner's fuzzy breeding orbs. Delicious.

S-so warm and wet. So big, Amu whimpered, clutching the slugcat's tip with both paws as he wrapped his tail around his back.

Spreading the mouse's ass cheeks even further, Yundo circled his tongue around his sack one more time before he sucked it into his muzzle. And how's that?

E-even better, Amu squealed, his eyes rolling into the back of his head and his back flaring brightly as the slugcat rolled and squeezed his nuts with his hot, wet tongue.

All the while, the lantern mouse's butthole winked at Yundo with fierce, needy contractions, and it wasn't long before the sight became too tempting to resist any longer. Giving Amu's balls another firm suck, he finally released them with a moist slurp and wriggled his taster up his perineum to his sphincter, slowly circling the rosy ring in a spiral toward its snug, clenching core.

The slugcat's caress elicited another resounding moan from his fluffy, little partner, and more would follow, one breathier and hotter than the last when he finally speared Amu's tight pucker and squeezed his tongue deep into his snug hole. Paws clenching and drooling from his wide-open muzzle, he sang for Yundo and their audience while the larger male squirmed and writhed his taster around inside him, exploring and slickening every inch with his hot saliva, and his thoughts turned into the same lusty mess, love and lust dominating the rodent's mind.

Once Amu recovered from the initial insertion, he returned the favor with all he had to offer. Moving his own fuzzy muzzle down to Yundo's tip, he indulged it with more kisses around the rim and pushed his slender rosy tongue into the slugcat's stretchy urethra, twirling and twisting it around vigorously as he lapped up his pre from the tap.

Now, it was Yundo's turn to arch up and groan with delight, every lash and wiggle of Amu's tongue inside his taper flooding his brain with fresh pleasure. But he only pulled his tongue out of his partner's tailhole for a second. After taking a quick breath, he shoved it right back in, loosening the mouse's snug sphincter with even hungrier wriggles to add another layer of desperation to the smaller male's trembling voice while he rubbed it right against his pleasure button.

The intense prostate massage carried Amu over the edge in no time, and he clutched Yundo's cock with a vibrating squeal when he finally popped. "C-c-cumming!" Powerful contractions seized the lantern mouse, the lights on his back flaring in sync with his butthole clenching around the slugcat's tongue. All the while, he squirted ropes of warm, gooey seed over Yundo's belly, desperately thrusting his twitching little taper into his soft, squishy midriff while the slugcat never stopped tonguing him, slamming his slippery muscle even deeper into the lantern mouse's tightening ring until he lost it completely.

Suspended in pure bliss, Amu shared his innermost ecstasy with everybody around him for another half minute before his intense climax ebbed and released him from its clutches, the incessant twitching and tensing of his hole and taper weakening. Finally, he slumped onto Yundo's belly and the sticky mess he had just made, but his lazy afterglow wouldn't last for long as he was immersed in the slugcat's so far unsatisfied desire. Fortunately, the sight of his huge, drooling and squirming cock rekindled Amu's arousal as much as his overflowing lust, and the interest and attention of their audience fanned it further still. So skipping right over his afterglow, the fluffy male pulled away from Yundo and turned around on his belly, facing him with a hungry twinkle in his eyes. "Alright, enough teasing. Time to put it in!"

With the greatest pleasure, Yundo grinned. Wrapping his paws around the lantern mouse's butt, he spread his cheeks and bent his cock toward the spit-lubed sphincter in between, rubbing the fat, drooling tip against the twitching hole. Ready?

"Y-yundo, p-please. I already told you I need you to fuck me. N-now! So put it in already and fuck me until you cum!"

A horny chuckle went through their watchers, and without teasing the lantern mouse any longer, Yundo tightened his grip and shoved his rod into Amu's tight asshole. Tapered and glistening with spit and pre, his first few inches met little resistance as they glided into his partner's hot depths, and he didn't slow down for the remaining half either, no matter how much effort it took. Thrusting his hips up into the moaning mouse, he continued to pull him down into his lap until he was sitting on his slit with his fat, throbbing cock stretching his supple ring and bulging his guts with a visible, squirming outline on his fuzzy belly. F-fuck, you're tight.

"And you're so big!" Amu cried out, his whole body shaking from the forceful insertion and his arms growing so weak that he slumped onto the slugcat's chest. But he only stayed there for a second before he reached for Yundo's face and pulled himself up again, peering deep into his eyes while he locked muzzles with him in a sloppy kiss. "I need more. Give it to me, Yundo."

Cradling the lantern mouse's head with one paw, Yundo licked him across the snout. Tonight, I'll give you everything, Amu. Then he pulled him into another, even wetter kiss, sliding his tongue deep into his muzzle while he pulled his cock out to the tip, keeping his hole filled with just the first inch. Then he bucked his hips and pushed it all back in, stretching and straightening his guts, again and again, with slow, forceful thrusts.

Amu squealed into their kiss, moaning and drooling as the slugcat plunged his fat cock into his ass, but he wouldn't let go of his head, refusing to break the kiss while the larger male's girth scrambled his mind, straightened his guts, and made his petite, stiff pecker bounce and flex, drooling more pre onto his midriff. B-big, so big. And warm. And pulsy-pulsing.

Thanks to their mental link, the slugcat got to bask fully in the mouse's immense fullness, and that spurred him on further. Panting and groaning into their kiss, he tightened his hold around Amu's fur and slowly stepped up the pace, plowing his snug, hot depths a little faster and harder at every thrust to reap more of that wonderful, tingling stimulation, and his partner's reflexive clenching made the fit even snugger and hotter.

Before Yundo lost himself entirely in the growing rush, however, something hot and heavy slapped onto his snout, a pair of thick, spiny rods snapping him out of his stupor with a very familiar reptilian musk. First you lick my paws, now you drop your cocks onto my face. I thought after what happened two cycles ago, you didn't want to join?

Grinding his huge double fuck meat against Yundo's cheek and face, Lash cooed, It is not quite the same, though, is it? I've not put them inside you so far, and I'm not planning to put them inside you, so we should be fine, right? Also, this is so hot, I just don't want to sit idle anymore and watch you two. So please, may I join?

What do you say, Amu? Yundo asked.

"Yes!" The lantern mouse squeaked, breaking away from the kiss just to reach around one of the pink lizard's swollen rods. Wrangling it with both his little fuzzy paws, he pulled it down to his lips and lavishly spit-washed it with his tongue, dragging his pink taster over all the bumps and ridges of Lash's throbbing schlong.

Chortling at his little partner's enthusiasm, Yundo followed his example and began to lap at his mate's other fat, nubby rod, gorging himself on his salty, intoxicating aromas and thick, reptilian scent. With his paws still wrapped around Amu's rump, the addictive cocktail riled him up even more, and he pumped the mouse's snug derrière with even fiercer thrusts, only for a slippery wet heat to sneak between them. After breaking up their kiss with his hemipenes, Lash made up for the intrusion with wide, broad swipes of his tongue across their laps. Licking the slugcat's cock and the lantern mouse's ass as they fucked, he generously lubricated their bits with his hot saliva and kept Yundo on edge by casually slamming his taster deep into his tight, exposed asshole now and then.

Bathed in their mutual affection, sharing Amu with Lash, and Lash with Amu, Yundo finally lost himself in the carnal lovemaking, huffing and groaning as he rutted the mouse's furry ass with bottomless passion. Draping his tail over his lizard's scales, he could go even faster and harder than before, and he poured every ounce of his strength into the pounding, all to escalate Amu's song of pleasure, to taste more of Lash's arousal, and to draw ever closer to the orgasm building in his chest, the tingling tension growing with every passing second.

Yet, it would take another sweet, little eternity before the slugcat reached the edge, and he spent every second of it tightly intertwined with his two most beloved partners in the world, licking and humping them in a mindless frenzy.

Yundo spent the last few moments hammering Amu in a breathless frenzy, giving him all he got, making him howl and squirm with joy before he inevitably erupted in a mighty orgasm. Like the torrents pouring from the skies at night, a wave of utter bliss rushed through the slugcat, sweeping and scattering his thoughts like neuron flies in a roaring gravity vortex, and where his mind exploded into a firework brighter than the sun in the sky, his body blessed the lantern mouse with a wet, gooey flood of its own. Twitching and thrashing around inside the furry male's tight, hot ass, his prehensile taper erupted with violent spurts of thick, virile cum and flushed every bend and corner with his seed, all while he clutched him tightly against his chest.

Hit by the full, unshackled might of the slugcat's eruption, Amu popped not a second later. Squealing out in joy, he pulled his paws away from Lash's cock to hug Yundo all the harder while he blasted rope after rope of fresh cum over their bellies. And where his tiny taper twitched and tensed harder, his anus clenched all the harder around Yundo's pulsing shaft, his insides rippling and contracting to milk the larger male of every last drop of his potent load even as he was already overflowing his guts.

Packed to the brim and gurgling with slugcat sperm, Amu's belly soon started swelling as Yundo kept pumping more and more cum inside him, nutting even harder from the intense cock massage. At that point, it was finally Lash's turn to join the two, and while he hadn't gotten to stuff nor gotten stuffed, aimlessly rubbing his massive cocks against whatever part of Yundo and Amu they ended up touching, it was enough to carry him over the edge as his every sensation got boosted by their combined orgasmic bliss.

Y-yundo, Amu, I'm about to… With a heavy, guttural growl, the hulking predator succumbed to his climax, and from one moment to the next, his two spiny rods flared up like blooming flowers, flexing and jumping in violent unison as they churned up a gargantuan load for the couple in his coil. The first squirt still shot far over Yundo's head, arching across half of the building's ground floor before it hit a wall, but the coming volley of spurts doused the slugcat and the lantern mouse on his belly with layers of sticky, gooey white, dulling the radiant glow of Amu's lit back. Ears and muzzles, arms and legs, no inch of skin and fur was safe from the warm, sticky shower, and as Lash lost himself in his high, casually slurping and tongue-fucking Yundo's asshole as he came, his immense output ensure that they would both reek of him by the time he was done. 

Subjected to yet another orgasm, the slugcat came even harder and embraced his mate's messy eruption with an open muzzle, moaning out and bending back his head to try and catch some of his hot, gooey load while he stuffed Amu with more of his own. All the while, the lantern mouse yielded just as much to the sensory onslaught, to his own and foreign stimulation and bliss, and kept nutting his brains out even after he ran dry, his taper twitching and pulsing without producing any more seed.

Linked and tied closely together, their orgasms kept raging for another two minutes, feeding and sustaining each other while they trapped Yundo, Lash, and Amu in an unyielding storm of bliss and ecstasy. Only once before, two cycles ago, they had been cumming for longer, and it was likely only becase the scavengers hadn't joined them that the high would ebb eventually, releasing them from their overwhelming climaxes and allowing their bodies to recover from their violent clenching and tensing.

When Yundo's orgasm finally abated, he released his hold around Amu and slumped back with a deep, contented sigh, ready to slide into a well-deserved break and afterglow. The lantern mouse followed his example, relaxing his hold with a satisfied squeak and just lying on his belly with his eyes closed, smiling. That was amazing.

Yes, every second of this was wonderful, Lash agreed, loosening his coil around the two smaller males and resting his head right beside the slugcat with his tongue danging lazily from his toothy maw.

However, not everybody had reached their level of contentment yet, and after watching the spectacle from the sidelines, the scavengers had gotten up and drawn closer, each panting and jerking their fat, swollen schlongs, their long foreskins sliding back and forth with wet smacks. Of the three, Salu reached for Yundo's head with his left, pulling him up to his tip, and Modo and Yebe joined next to him, aiming their cocks at the slugcat with a single shared intention in their mind. An intention that Yundo eagerly welcomed, opening his muzzle in a big grin and pushing out his tongue. I see you can't hold back anymore either? Well, then come and give it to me!

Happy to oblige, the males started pumping their swollen, veiny rods harder. Grunting and huffing with their muscles bulging and flexing under their dark, sweaty skin, they worked themselves ever closer to the edge in a hurry. Yebe was the first to cum, a deep, throaty groan escaping his muzzle as he tossed back his masked head and unleashed his load, squirting thick, gooey ropes of seed right into the slugcat's face, and the other two followed just seconds later.

Yundo closed his eyes as he received his second cum shower of the day, quivering and moaning in Salu's grip as he and his companions painted him with their thick, musky loads, squirt upon squirt, onto his cheeks and forehead, into his nose and open muzzle, over his ears and his chest. A few drops flew astray and splattered on the lantern mouse on his belly, but most of it covered him in warm, dripping layers, all the while the musclebound scavengers kept jerking off with lusty grunts, milking every drop from their fat, clenching nuts while their shared bliss got the Yundo hard again in no time, much to Amu's surprise. Tightening his grip around the slugcat's chest, he squealed with widening eyes as his partner's taper swelled back to life and writhed around his guts, stirring the sloshing load in his swollen belly. Ah, Y-yundo, your cock…

I know. I just can't help it, the slugcat replied and caught the scavengers' last few squirts in his muzzle before they stepped back and let go of their fat, throbbing cocks. He didn't swallow yet, however, but pulled up Amu's head and locked lips in a wet, sloppy tongue kiss, sharing the muzzleful of fresh cum with him.

The taste and thrill got the mouse rock-hard as well, and with a quavering groan, he sluggishly started humping his partner's taper again. I- I can't help it either. This is so hot and good and…

Before Amu could finish his thought, however, Lash chimed in with a gentle whisper, I don't want to be the one to interrupt the fun, but it sounds like the Rain is coming.

Indeed, the goopy dripping and splashing of cum was being drowned out by a much harsher, noisier pattering of rain as drops as large as pearls were already pounding the street outside their ruined hideout, and the water level was swiftly rising between the rubble.

"Well, it's high time to head into the shelter, then," Modo assessed, taking a quick look around their makeshift campsite before he hastily helped Yundo back on his feet. With Lash leading the way into the reinforced steel and concrete bunker, they followed quickly after, all the while the slugcat kept a tight hold on Amu, cradling the lantern mouse against his chest with his cock still deep inside his ass. And when they dropped into the shelter's heart, right beside the large pink lizard, Yundo ended up on top of his little partner and in the perfect position to pin him down and start thrusting, so that's exactly what he did, shoving his taper deep into the lantern mouse. Amu, I love you so much. If I could, I'd keep you forever.

Yundo. I love you too. I wish I could stay, too, Amu responded without missing a beat, rubbing and squeezing the slugcat's belly as he pounded him with renewed vigor.

While the two males embraced each other, the reinforced steel entrance to the shelter shut with a loud clank, sealing the group in, and it wasn't long before the mixed musk and pheromones of Lash and the scavengers clouded the air in a thick mist. Screwing one horny male and snugly surrounded by four more, it thus wasn't long before Yundo lost himself completely in the rush, driven by their shared lust and love, his own pleasure and that of the squealing lantern mouse, ruining all attempts not to repeat the mindless orgy from two cycles ago.

Then again, what better way was there to celebrate Amu's return and their last few hours together than a bout of pure, unbridled passion? And even if he wouldn't be able to remember most of it, tonight would still be a night they would all remember forever.