Warm Winter

“This is Spring Island control, flight 146, you are leaving radar scope.”
“Roger Spring Island control, leaving radar scope, switching to Hairaku control frequency.” Jen answered the radio.
“Confirmed, reporting your status to Hairaku control, they are expecting you on their monitors at 0300. Have a good flight, 146.”
“Thank you Spring Island control, good night.” The young polar bear woman turned the radio off and sighed. It was odd, but only now did she feel really free. Sure, flying should always give her that feeling, but in a cramped cockpit it was difficult to see it that way. As she looked down onto the seemingly endless ocean, knowing that there wouldn't be any voices during the next three hours, this was something completely different.

Spring Island, what a funny name. The manager had always insisted upon the fact that it was winter. Jen chuckled. Winter, seriously? This land didn't know what winter was. It was always sunny and warm here, unlike in her home where the snow was blazing four months a year. She wore her favorite light blue sundress and flip-flops comfortably, something that would have been unthinkable at this time of year back home. Thinking about her cold home, Jen smiled. She liked the real winter and soon enough, she would be back. What she wasn't looking forward to was meeting with her family again. She had been surprised that her father had sent her on this 'mission' anyway. For many years, he had shown far more interest in his various affairs than in her, but that seemed to have changed since the day her mother had decided to file for divorce. Jen was pretty sure it was only because at this point, she would be able to knock the most money out of their messed up marriage. Anyway, her father had initially suggested her to take a commercial flight, but as always, she wanted to do things different from what he suggested. So, she had used her own private jet. Following a sudden impulse, she had declined to have its pilot fly her. She had a valid license after all, and she wished for freedom and solitude at a time like this. 

She turned the autopilot on and leaned back, stroking her blonde bangs out of her face. The trip had been successful and largely uneventful. The hotel her family owned on Spring Island was in perfect shape and the business worked as smoothly as clockwork. Of course, she had stayed in one of the suites. Big, light, and clean, just as advertised. The staff had been exceedingly friendly, though of course not just towards her, but also towards the other guests. Still, they had always gone the extra mile in trying to please her with exotic and fancy menus, huge arrangements of fruits, cakes and cocktails. Again, Jen chuckled at the thought. Sure, she had curves, some would call her a little chubby, but did they think she was only thinking about food? No, it wasn't unusual for her species to look like this, right? Anyway, she didn’t let that behavior get to her. She was beautiful and confident, and she didn’t care what anyone else thought. True, she had a few boyfriends here and there during high school and ever since starting college, all of whom found her alluring, but she never needed their validation and those relationships never lasted long anyway; she was never one to settle down much with all the travelling she did. Maybe someday when she finished college and found her path in life she would meet that special someone, but for now she was content with being a free spirit.

The plan juddered gently in the high altitude winds. A motion relaxing and soothing. Jen's eyes wandered over her controls. The autopilot steered the plane, she had enough fuel and still hours until she would even be in communication range with her destination. The constant humming of the engines lulled her in and soon, she felt her eyelids dropping down. A couple of times she woke from her near sleeping as her head jerked up again, but each time, the sky she saw in front of her was the same and the autopilot still did the work for her. Finally, she fell into a deep sleep, it had been a long week after all.

She was in the hotel she had been ordered to inspect again. Stepping onto the balcony of her suite, she heard the rumbling of thunder. Her father stood next to her and said, “This could all be yours when I'm gone, one day.” Once again, he had to tell her of his wish that she would eventually take over the family business. Though she still had yet to figure out what she wanted to do with her life—she was young, after all—the thought of running a giant company never appealed to her and she wished her father would realize that...but of course, he never really cared about what she wanted. Sometimes she wished she could just run away and never come back. Or fly away... 
Anger welled inside her, but before she could say anything rain started to pour down, making clicking sounds on the thin iron sheet that formed the roof. Suddenly, Jen was standing in water, so much water. The hotel shook under the heavy rain, making it hard for her to keep standing.

With a sound of surprise, Jen was suddenly awake again. She felt lingering anger from the dream, but she had no time to dwell on it as the plane was violently jolted around and for a brief moment, lightning illuminated the towering columns of clouds all around her. She had flown right into a thunderstorm! She tried to check the radar, but the storm seemed to be everywhere around her. Suddenly, the plane dropped down, three hundred feet, eight, one thousand feet, the engine roaring as it struggled to pull the small aircraft forward through the turbulence until the wings got lift again and the plane rose. Jen held the flight stick firmly in her hands. Her old flight instructor had told her that from time to time that it was better to let loose and allow the plane find the right altitude and bearing, but right now she needed to force her plane to climb, as getting above the thunderstorm was the only chance she had. The engines protested, howling and screaming, the sound being almost swallowed by the raging forces of nature all around her. 

Then she saw it. A patch of blue, a clearing within the clouds, a calm within the storm. She turned the plane slightly to the left to reach it, there she could climb and avoid the thunderstorm, but right when she thought she would enter, some winds hit her plane like a train. Wind shear, she knew as she was rocked around in her cabin. Suddenly, there was an awful ripping sound and then an alarm. She couldn't control the rudder anymore, the plane bucked and reached up one final time, then tilted and fell to the side, its nose pointing downwards as it lost altitude. Jen cursed and pulled at the stick, clenching her teeth. Something was broken and she wouldn't be able to get out of this with her plane, but anyway, she needed to slow her fall if she wanted to at least try an emergency landing. Against her instincts, she pushed the stick down, forcing the plane to approach the ground even faster, faster and faster, the engines still working, then, she pulled up, using the extra speed to gain enough lift to get the plane under control at least for a little moment. Then, she was within the eye of the storm. The sea, there was nothing but the endless sea underneath her. She looked down the moment she got the plane under control again. It was trembling and shaking, losing speed again and it was hard to keep it from rolling over its left wing. There was a small chain of islands, still pretty far away, if she could just manage to get there... “Don't fail me now, old girl!” She hissed, struggling as best as she could with the plane, then another tremble ran through its frame. “Oh no you don't!” She shouted. She was approaching the islands but by now, she was too low to look for a spot to land, then suddenly, the engines quit working. For a moment, there was silence, she saw the lightning in the distance, illuminating a black wall of clouds, the rushing of the wind outside her cabin, and then the nose of the plane pointed downwards.

The impact on the relatively calm sea was brutal and it threw Jen forward, then back into her seat, making her groan in pain. Water gushed over the nose of the plane and sprayed onto the cockpit, blocking every sight. Then, the plane stopped. Immediately, water started pouring in. Jen's hands were trembling as she freed herself from her seat belt. Don't panic, don't panic...She told herself. She was still alive and apparently not seriously injured. Her flight training kicking in, she reached to her side, opened a hatch and pulled a small case out. It was bright red and labeled EMERGENCY. Then she turned to the door. She tried to open it, but was unable to. Was the water pressure outside too much? Had the impact on the sea deformed the frame of the plane? She jerked at the door, groaning and screaming at it, but it was of no use. The only thing she could do was break the cockpit window. She again went for the hatch and pulled out a small, red hammer. Covering her eyes with her arm, she beat against the glass with all force. Nothing! By now, she water was reaching up to her knees and she was still trapped! Again she hammered against the glass. Still nothing.
	
“Fuck, fuck, fuck!” She screamed and tried a final time. With a loud cracking sound, the glass finally gave in and shattered into a million pieces, immediately allowing more water to flood in. Jen kept her mouth tightly shut and held her breath, struggling against the flood quickly filling the plane and forcing it further underwater. She tried to move forward, towards the makeshift exit in the broken window, but the flow of the water was too strong. Only as the plane went under, she took a final breath and then, as the cockpit was filled and no more water poured in, she grabbed the emergency case and swam forward through the broken window. She was almost out when something suddenly held her in place. She turned around to see her sundress was still caught somewhere within the plane, most likely on the edge of the broken window. She pulled and screamed, air bubbles escaping from her mouth. The plane was already falling towards the seafloor not far underneath her and pulled her down with it. Without thinking, she frantically pulled the dress straps off her shoulders with her free hand, letting the fabric slip from her body and allowing her to swim up. Like that, only in her panties, coughing and gasping for air, some scratches and bruises, but otherwise unharmed, she reached the surface, immediately looking around to see a shore not far away. She inhaled deep, she had made it this far. While she certainly wasn't the best swimmer, she would make it to this shore! 

Struggling, gathering her last remaining strength, Jen started swimming. Maybe it was a good thing that her clothes were gone; she could swim better uninhibited, and right now she needed all the help she could get, right? The thunder could still be heard, but for now, she was still in the eye of the storm and there was no wind and no current fighting against her. She could make it! Even though her muscles were aching and her lungs protesting, she kept on swimming, arm swing after arm swing she got closer to the shore. She still held the emergency case in her hand and considered dropping it, making it easier for her to move in the water, but that would mean she would be without supplies later. No, she needed to hold onto it, even if it made swimming more difficult! Finally, her knee touched something solid. She knew she had made it.

Jen struggled to her feet, the soft waves almost throwing her over as she walked the last distance to the shore, only to fall into the soft sand as her feet stepped out of the ocean. Finally she was safe! Tears of relief ran down her cheeks, laughing and crying at the same time, digging her hands into the soft ground, never before had she been so grateful to feel sand underneath herself. Giggling inappropriately, she remembered how she had joked with her friends at the beach that one day that this sand would get everywhere and now she was lying in it with almost no clothes.

Time to check her options! Looking up, she saw something that might have just jumped out of a tourism advertisement: the beach was vast and beautiful, white sand stretching out into the distance. Now, after the storm, there were some stranded jellyfish, seaweed and the odd piece of driftwood. Behind the white line of the shore, a dense jungle of palm trees sprouted and somewhere in the distance, still clearly visible against the dark sky was a group of steep mountains, maybe extinct volcanoes. Jen knew little about life on such an island, but she was sure that at least she wouldn't starve here. Once she had recovered enough, she made her way to a small group of trees standing a little closer to the sea. Sitting down underneath them, she opened the emergency case. There were some provisions, dried bread and some kind of peanut cream in a not particularly appealing looking plastic bag. A small first aid kit, plastic bags and a small cup, a compass and a knife and a seawater desalination device, a flashlight and a signal gun. Jen shrugged, none of these tools would be much use at this particular moment, but for now, she wanted to find fresh water; that device looked like it would be a lot of work to get a few drops of water out of the sea. 

Jen looked down at herself, and grimaced at the sight. She was nude aside from her panties, her snow white fur still wet from the ocean and dirty with sand from the beach. How did this happen? The moments after the crash were like a blur in her mind, a whirlpool of images, sensations, emotions. She remembered that her dress had gotten caught on the sinking plane, and her sandals must have come off during the swim to the shore. She sighed. She would have downed if she hadn't discarded her clothing, and it’s not like her flimsy sundress would have provided much protection from the elements, while her padded feet would guard against the rough ground at least somewhat. But right now that was little comfort to the fact that she was nearly naked in the wilderness. What if someone saw her exposed like this? For a moment she panicked, then realized how stupid that was. If anyone found her here, she would be saved. The embarrassment of having to run around like this would be a small price to pay. Perhaps she could find or make something to cover herself soon, but for now she had more pressing concerns.

At least, she could tell that she wasn't injured aside from a few scratches and bruises under her fur. Groaning, she stood up and attempted to brush out the sand stuck in her fur, the task of cleaning off her ample breasts serving as an irritating reminder to her state of undress. Some of it stubbornly clung to her body, and she considered going back into the ocean to wash it out, but she was already drying out and she didn’t want to any more saltwater soaking her fur, especially not so soon after swimming for her life in the ocean. Deciding to hold off on bathing until she found a fresh water source, she put the equipment back into the box and looked along the shoreline. If there was a river with fresh water, it would flow into the ocean, so walking along the shore would be the easiest way to find it. Plus, if a ship came by, she would notice it and could send a signal. On the other hand, the jungle would maybe offer better protection from the storm. She could still hear the roaring of the thunder in the distance.

Enough thinking! Jen decided. The storm seemed to calm down and if she was wrong about that, she could still search for cover once it started raining.

She had been right. While the clouds still covered most of the sky, the storm had spared the island. For several hours Jen had been walking at the edge of the jungle. She had found a few dried out river beds. Well, river would have been an exaggeration. It looked more like those were just ridges that occasionally, after intense tropical rain, carried water. Jen sighed. If she didn't find water soon, she really would have had to try that damn desalination pump. Occasional sounds from the jungle kept her alert. She had heard that smaller islands couldn't host large predators, there simply wasn't enough food, but could she be sure? Maybe those sounds just came from parrots and monkeys, but maybe there was a lost large feline that arrived on driftwood here? Scared, angry and very hungry? She was now much closer to the mountains, maybe she could find shelter in a cave? That was, if she had more luck finding a cave than finding water.

Suddenly, Jen stopped. There was something odd and she needed a moment to find out what it was.

She had seen paths and corridors within the forest before. Huge trees had fallen and pulled other with them, burying everything in their path. But this one was different. This one reached straight to the shore and even that showed a slight depression that seemed like a continuation of the corridor. There was also no fallen tree, just hints of debris and fresh grass.

This looked artificial. With her heart beating faster, Jen approached. Were there people on this island? Maybe they could help her? As she came closer, she was pretty sure she was seeing the remains of wheel tracks and a few cut down tree trunks. Someone had cleared the jungle. Maybe they were still here?

Since it was already getting dark, Jen considered resting for the night before she continued searching, but the prospect of a night in some warm and safe amphibious vehicle was just too good to pass, so she shook off her exhaustion and turned towards the center of the island.

Stumbling over the uneven terrain, consisting of soil, occasional rocks and the remains of overrun plants, Jen was starting to regret losing her sandals in the ocean, and even began to miss the business shoes packed in her suitcase along with the rest of her packed clothing that went down with the plane. Which shoes did she wear anyway? She couldn't remember for sure, but they were elegant shoes her father preferred to see her in when doing business for him. Right now a pair of sturdy boots would have been much more helpful. But being as things were, there was no choice but to rely on the natural protection her paw pads offered and be careful about splinters and sharp rocks. Therefore, her attention was at the most time pointed downwards and when she looked up again, she suddenly saw it. There was a heavy amphibious vehicle. Strange, it was painted in camouflage colors. Dirt stuck to its high wheels and its flanks, but Jen was pretty sure that it was still a fairly new vehicle. Maybe there was a military operation going on here? 

Heavy thunder rolled over the island and the wind played with the top of the palm trees as Jen stepped closer. She made out a large tent and a cheap corrugated steel shelter. Barrels and boxes were stacked up underneath the shelter and more goods were carried out of the vehicle. She could hear voices now too.
“Hurry up, we'll be picked up in two hours.” It was a rough, commanding male voice.
“Yeah, we are, we are, but this shit is heavy!” Another one replied.
“We don't pay you for complaining!” The first one growled in reply.
“Considering the loot from the past few weeks, I would hardly call this payment at all!” A third guy said.
“Shut up or I'll make sure you won't leave this island again. There's plenty of volunteers to take your place.” 

The debate was momentary over but Jen felt a cold shiver running over her back. Loot? She had heard stories about attacks in this area. Unlike many modern pirates, these weren't directed to merchant ships, but against small towns or better, their harbor installations. Speed boats attacked with violent shooting and noise, plundering storage houses and vanishing before anyone could react. Had she stumbled on the pirates’ hideout? She rushed over to the treeline and listened into the wind.

“What's with him?” a pirate asked. Jen was curious, she worked her way from tree to tree, carefully using the growing darkness to conceal herself as best she could, well aware that her snow white fur stood out like a sore thumb against the foliage. Then, she saw a few of the pirates. Hyenas, wildcats, and a reptile whose species she didn’t recognize. They were dressed in a variety of military camouflage clothes, but also in jeans and shirts, and all of them were armed to their teeth. One of the men, armed with a rifle, was standing next to a bound figure that sat on the ground next to the vehicle. A young reptilian man who looked to be around her age, maybe even a bit younger. And it was clear that he was neither one of the pirates, nor from any of the towns they might have raided. He was tall and athletic, his body covered in bright green scales and a long tail with grey stripes, with long, dark hair and an elaborate tribal tattoo that completely covered the left side of his chest and upper arm. He wasn’t wearing much; though Jen couldn't see too well in the darkness and him sitting there, but she guessed that he was probably only wearing a loincloth – not that you’re dressed any more modestly, she thought to herself.
“I don't care, you let him wander into our camp.”
“Hey, it wasn't my fault, that guy was just too curious. We knew this place had natives, there was always a risk.”
“We’ll be leaving soon anyway, let’s just release him then. Who could he possibly tell anyone about us?” A calmer voice asked.
“I don't know, and I don't care. As long as anyone knows about us being here, it's dangerous. We need to get rid of him.” The leader of the group concluded.
“What about his people? I say we keep him as a hostage in case they come looking for him.” Another one suggested.
“Works for me. Okay, guard him, but when the ship arrives, kill him and dump the body in the ocean.” The leader waved his pistol.
“Got it boss.” The one guarding the boy nodded.

They were going to kill him! Jen had a cold feeling in her heart. Those pirates were going to kill that poor native boy and there was nothing she could do. Or could she? How many were there? At least four, maybe even more and they were armed, most likely experienced in combat and she was neither. She quickly went over her options. All she had with her was an emergency case and almost no clothing to speak of, she was completely defenseless. If she tried to save him she would either wind up dead or captured and soon to be dead like him. She heard it herself, they didn’t want any witnesses. The best thing she could reasonably do was sneak away, search for shelter and wait until they had left the island again. They did say they wanted to leave eventually, right? 

She looked over at the captive. Even from the distance she thought she could see his fear and desperation, vainly struggling against his bonds...no, she had to help him. There must be something she could do. It had started raining again. Not very strong, but the heavy droplets falling onto the leaves of the palm trees absorbed any sound she made as she sat down the box she was still carrying and searched through it. The survival knife would do little to help her against guns, but she had her own gun. But it was just a signal gun and as she counted, she had just four shots with it. It would be suicide to attack the pirates with that. Could she sneak in and untie him when they weren’t looking? No, they were keeping too close of a watch on him. Her only hope was a distraction of some kind.

Jen held the gun in her hand, the weight was somewhat calming. Then she looked over to the shelter. Those barrels, they had warning signs on them that said ‘flammable,’ and at least one of them looked like it wasn’t closed properly with signs of liquid leaking down the side. Was it petrol? She had no idea how much fuel a craft like the one the pirates were using needed, but she assumed it was a lot. She turned her head. The captive was held prisoner on the other side of the craft, if she would be able to – Jen loaded the gun. Her hand was trembling. If this didn't work out, she was as dead as one could be. 

As she aimed, her hand was calm again, but her heart was beating violently. She had never before used a real weapon, the only shooting experience she had was just playing some silly arcade games with a plastic gun and this one was even harder to aim. Though from this distance, it shouldn't be too hard – Jen pulled the trigger and with an awful loud sound, the gun fired, revealing her position for sure. But only a moment later, that sound was dwarfed by another one as the bright light of the signal flare hit one of the barrels which immediately burst into flames and exploded a few moments later, ripping the roof off the shelter off and making it fly into the air. There was shouting and cursing, more barrels fell over and bright flames erupted all over the place as leaking petrol caught fire. 

The pirates were running around, shocked, confused, trying to make out what was happening and protecting themselves from the inferno that had erupted right next to them. Apparently, they had even stored ammunition next to the barrels, for there was no other explanation for the subsequent smaller detonations.

Jen didn't think at all as she shoved the signal gun back inside the emergency case and rushed over; she had to get to the other side of the clearing as fast as possible. Her head down, the case in one hand and knife in the other, she ran towards the bound man. This was, by far, the stupidest thing she had ever done, taking on armed pirates while almost naked and defenseless...she dashed through the rain and desperately hoped no one would see her out a sense of embarrassment almost as much as out fear for her life, trying hard to ignore the feeling of her breasts bouncing as she frantically ran. His guard had abandoned his place, hiding somewhere while others tried frantically to regain some kind of control of the situation. The young man – boy, really; now that she had a closer look there was no way he was older than her – noticed Jen only as she knelt next to him. His eyes were wide with shock as she quickly set down the case and took out the survival knife. “Don’t worry, I’m here to help.” She whispered. What a sight she must be to him, a topless, rain soaked, knife-wielding polar bear girl suddenly appearing out of nowhere to rescue him...He seemed to recover quickly enough though, and he raised his bound hands and Jen made quick work of the rope with her knife, cutting away the bonds around his ankles next and helping him onto his feet the next moment. He really was tall, at least a head taller than her, she thought for a moment, before he grabbed her hand and pulled her into the forest.

How long the two of them had run Jen couldn't tell. The sounds of exploding petrol, cursing men and screams of agony were long gone, replaced by the intensifying rain and the occasional thunderclap that indicated yet another storm. Finally, the lizard boy stopped, panting hard. He only then let go of Jen's hand who had with some effort managed to follow him.
“Thank you.” He said.
Jen was startled. Somehow she had expected him to be unable to speak her language.
“You...you speak...English?” She said in between gasps, her hands on her knees as she tried to catch her breath. Though the lizard was very athletic, she was no physical slouch herself, but sprinting as fast as she could twice with no rest in between still took its toll on her. Still, even though she was thoroughly winded, her legs sore from running and her chest even more sore from running with no support, she was mostly just glad to be alive.
“A bit.” He answered, then waited a moment, considering his words: “We had a teacher – and we have radio.” 
“In your village?”
“Yes.” he nodded: “Our village.”
“Where is it? I think we should find shelter there.”
He again thought for a moment: “Away, on other side of the island. I, how do you say?” He looked up: “Was on a quest, wandering when those...evil men caught me.”
“I see.” Jen nodded: “So we can't make it there in time?”
He shook his head: “No, too far, but there are caves.” He pointed into the vague direction where the mountains would have been.
“I never spent a night in a cave.” Jen said, blushing as she realized that she was standing practically naked in some tropical jungle and would spend the night with a native boy she didn't even know in a cave.
“Thank you.” He said, smiling shyly.
“For wha – oh, that, that was nothing.” Jen lied. She was shocked about her own bravery, or was it foolishness? It all felt so unreal suddenly. She still couldn’t believe her plan actually worked. It seemed like such a reckless idea, putting herself in mortal danger to rescue someone she didn’t even know, but she knew it was the right thing to do, and now that it was over she was glad to have made a difference in someone’s life.
“It wasn’t, you are very brave.” He said, continuing to smile at her.
Jen blushed at his words, and also his smile. Now that she saw him up close he looked quite cute, even moreso when he smiled. Embarrassed, she looked down away from his gaze, but this only gave her an eyeful of his strong chest and abdominal muscles. He was indeed wearing just a tight loincloth around his waist that left very little to the imagination, the rain pattering off his athletic body and making his smooth, tattooed scales glisten in the faint light. She blushed even harder at the sight, painfully aware that she too was standing in the rain, just as exposed as him in only her panties. It made her feel even more embarrassed, but strangely she didn’t feel the need to cover herself around him. Was is because he didn’t seem to regard her near nudity as noteworthy? Maybe a barechested girl was a normal sight where he came from, but it couldn’t be the only reason she felt comfortable around him.
Still blushing, Jen pushed those thoughts aside and looked back up at him. “I'm Jen, by the way.”
“Tama.” He replied, still smiling that cute smile at her.
“Nice to meet you Tama.” Jen chuckled, trying to ignore the rising heat in her cheeks.
“We need to go to the caves now.”
“Okay, you lead the way.” Jen nodded. Wordlessly, she followed Tama as they made their way through the foliage, feeling her stamina returning now that she had stopped to rest for a bit. The rain started to let up as the two of them moved quickly through the foliage, Jen walking slightly behind Tama and giving her a view of his developed back muscles, and his backside only partly covered by his tail and loincloth, his wet scales shimmering in the moonlight shining through the trees and clouds above. Jen blushed again upon realizing she was staring, and hastily averted her eyes. She had seen reptiles before, but never one this up close and unclothed...okay, she admitted that he was cute, handsome even. Who could blame her for being attracted to an athletic, barely-clothed male around her age? But it still felt inappropriate to have such thoughts about someone who had been in mortal danger mere minutes ago. And although he seemed nice enough, she still didn’t really know him, and very soon they’d be sharing a likely cramped cave together, with her just as unclothed as him...the situation seemed unreal and more than a little intimidating, but she had no choice but to trust him if she wanted to escape this island alive. Yet for some reason, she felt she could trust him even though they had just met, and not just because he owed her his life. If she could take on armed pirates with nothing but a flare gun, surely she could manage this.

They didn’t speak during their walk, leaving Jen alone with her thoughts. But with Tama's knowledge of the island, it thankfully didn't take them long to find one of the caves. It was lying deep within the jungle, a low cliff, half overgrown, making the crack almost invisible as he shoved away a few leaves and roots. The small crack in the rock gave way to a spacious cavern, not huge, but Jen guessed it was about five meters squared. With the little light there still was outside, the cave was almost pitch black and Jen had lost her equipment when she saved Tama, so there was no flashlight.
“We can't make a fire. The men might still be around.” Tama explained.
Jen nodded, realizing that he would most likely not be able to see it. The ground was surprisingly soft underneath her feet. She reached down and touched it, feeling the plantlike woven material.
“We know this cave, sometimes use it for camp, that's why the brush matts.” Tama explained.
“Ah, that's good.” Jen said, literally falling down onto the floor, grateful for a chance to finally rest for real: “What a day.”
Loud thunder seemed to shake the cave: “How you get here?” He asked.
“It was an accident, my plane crashed and I swam ashore.” Jen said. “I...uh, my dress got caught on the sinking plane. That’s why I’m, you know, dressed like this.” For some reason she felt the need to explain it to Tama, even though he considered it unremarkable. She looked down at herself, feeling embarrassed all over again. Once again her snow white fur was wet, but at least this time it wasn’t with saltwater and thankfully the rain washed the rest of the sand from her fur. She wrung the excess water from her hair and pushed the damp bangs out of her face. She looked and felt like a mess, and suddenly felt envious of Tama’s lack of fur making him less soaked than her. She wrapped her arms around her body and shivered, it was getting chilly. 
Suddenly, Tama was sitting next to her: “I am sorry that you are stranded here.” He looked at her with a sympathetic expression that she could see even in the darkness, his face being so close to hers making her heart flutter. “But...I am thankful. You saved my life.”
“You're welcome.” Jen said, smiling shyly. Weird, she had always thought reptilians would be cold, but she felt warmth radiating from the young man next to her. A very welcome warmth this night. “I’m...I’m glad I was able to be there for you. I won’t lie, I was scared, but when I saw you, I had to do something.” It was odd, she was stranded on an island, without supplies or even clothing. She should feel scared and vulnerable, yet she didn’t. And she knew why, it was because she wasn’t alone. His close proximity felt oddly comforting, why did she suddenly wish he would just put his arm around her...?
Tama nodded. “Again, you are very brave.” Again with that cute smile of his. “We have a, how you say...saying in our village. ‘Bravery is when you do what you are afraid of.’ My father once told me that.” His red eyes looked into her blue ones, making her face feel warm all over again. Why was this native boy having this effect on her?
“Huh, your father sounds like a very wise man.” Jen said, feeling nervous and wanting to break the tension. “I guess I’ll be meeting him soon? I...I’d like that." She wondered how this would look to his parents, how would they react to him bringing home a foreign girl his age, even one who had saved his life. Another potentially awkward situation, but the possibility of staying in a warm house instead of a cave was inviting enough to make her not care much at this point.
“I...” He paused. “Yes, you will meet him soon.” Did he really look a bit nervous just now, like he had something to hide? Jen decided not to press him though, she felt nervous enough herself right now, but in a good way, as unbelievable as it sounded.
“So...what’s next?” She asked.
“We spend the night here, tomorrow, we can go to my village. The warriors will check if the men are gone, then we can try get help for you.” Tama explained, staring into the darkness.
“Sounds reasonable.” Jen answered, smiling at him. The two remained quiet for a while afterwards. Jen felt the adrenaline battling with the tiredness and the cold creeping up her body, and even though Tama didn’t have wet fur she knew he had to be cold as well. She now wished even more strongly for him to put his arm around her, for warmth as well as comfort...it was strange, she barely even knew this boy, yet his smile and gentle presence was all that was needed to make her feel at ease. Earlier she had admitted to herself that he was physically attractive, but now she knew it was more than that. In the short time she spent with him she felt more at home than she ever did with any of her past lovers, never mind her real family. Were those feelings real? Or was she just desperate enough for genuine affection and companionship that she’d be willing to get with a nice and handsome boy she barely knew? And if it was real, did he feel the same way, or was he just being friendly to her out of gratitude for saving her life?

Well, there was only one way to find out, she decided. Even if he shared her feelings, she wouldn’t wait for him to make the first move. Besides, for all she knew he was too much of a gentleman to embrace a girl he just met. She moved closer to him, and he looked at her in surprise. Her heart was pounding in her chest. This was the second most reckless thing she had ever done, but their narrow escape from the pirates made her feel bolder than she had been at the start of the day. Maybe this was a mistake, maybe it wouldn’t work out, maybe he didn’t want to be with her and it might just make things awkward between them, but Jen decided that while she could live with him turning her down, she couldn’t live with spending the rest of her life wondering if she had missed out on a chance at happiness. Without further hesitation, she nestled up against his side and a moment later put her arm around his waist.

Somewhere she had read that in a situation like this, it could be useful using each other’s body heat to stay warm, and after a moment of looking shocked, he smiled and happily let her, wrapping his own arm around her waist, finally giving her the comforting sensation she desperately longed for. What firm, smooth scales he had, she wondered and for a moment, her eyes fell shut. She was lost in the wilderness of some remote island and yet, she felt a closeness she hadn't experienced in many years. Maybe, within a few days, she would be back in her old life, but until then – it felt like a dream, it was so unreal, yet felt so real to her – whatever happened here no one would ever know about. She turned her head and placed her hand on the young man's cheek, making him face downward in her direction. Jen had to strain up a little, moved her head upwards and placed her lips on his, feeling a jolt of intense emotion the moment her muzzle met his snout. He tensed for a moment, being caught off guard by her bold move, but the very next moment, he opened his lips and let her tongue in. His hand was suddenly on her bare back, caressing her damp fur as she fell into their first kiss completely. She closed her eyes and let her tongue play with his as they sat side-by-side, her hand stroking over his strong chest gently.

His scales felt so smooth, she had expected them to be hard and cold, but instead, they radiated a certain warmth and her fingers slipped over them almost effortlessly, and his pectoral muscles felt wonderful under her hand. She could feel his heart beating and his chest rising and falling with every breath he took. They interrupted their kiss for a moment, looking into each other’s eyes, at least as good as they could in the darkness of the cave. “You are beautiful, Jen.” She heard him say, and she could hear the genuine affection in his words. She blushed and smiled at him wordlessly, grateful that she hadn’t been wrong about him wanting her. She still didn’t know what would happen after today, but whatever the future held all that she cared about in this moment was the here and now. As she leaned in to resume their kiss, she felt his hand abandoning her waist and sliding over her shoulders, pulling her even closer with his gentle strength. Suddenly, Jen felt so comforted, cared for and wanted, she could just melt into his embrace and she let out a faint sigh as their tongues met into another slow yet passionate kiss.

They were in no rush and even though she felt his nervousness and impatience, most likely owing to his youth, she also felt him wanting to make this special, restraining his needs as his hands gently roamed over her body, most likely touching the soft, furred body of a mammal female for the first time in her life. Maybe she was even his first mate in all his life? But why ask such a thing now? No, his touches were just too skilled to believe this was his first time and as he slowly traced his fingers down the groove of her spine, she forgot about her questions and leaned in for a deeper kiss. Her eyes closed, she suddenly felt his other hand stroking her soft belly, slowly moving upwards. He was testing the waters, she realized, and without thinking she grabbed his wrist and placed his hand on her chest. She moaned into their kiss as he began caressing her right breast, massaging in a circular motion, gently squeezing the ample flesh and taking her nipple into his fingers before moving to her left breast and doing the same, sending waves of pleasure though her body.

Eventually he stopped their kiss and abandoned her chest; she didn’t want this to end, but she quickly realized his reason as he shifted his position so that he was in front of her, embracing her with his strong arms and kissing her more passionately, making her gasp as she kissed him back. Her body was grinding tightly against his now, her breasts pushed against his chest, his toned muscles pressing against her soft curves and making her shiver in delight, his wonderful warmth sheltering her and making her feel safe and secure from the hostile world just outside the cave. 

Not wanting to give away control completely, she broke the embrace a bit and let her hands wander over his chest, then his flat, toned abdomen, making him groan as she finally reached the small bit of clothing he wore, feeling the already hard erection of his member underneath. It made her shiver and sent a warm, tingling sensation through her core. Gently she felt him through the loincloth then he broke the kiss, gasping: “Feels...so...good.” He said breathlessly.
“Yes?” She said teasingly, sliding her hand under the fabric and taking a firm hold, as she slowly moved up and down, again making Tama groan.
“Yes...I will make you feel good too.” He said, suddenly leaning forward and kissing the approach of her breasts, making her whimper in surprise and joy. Immediately her nipples grew almost painfully hard and she couldn't keep herself from pushing her chest out to meet his caresses as a long, forked tongue flickered out and made her feel so good as he explored every inch of her exposed fur and skin, kissing and licking all over her chest, alternating between her left and right breasts while his hand massaged the other. He had definitely done this before, it just felt too good.

Jen lay her head back as his lips closed around her nipple, gently sucking and still licking while she tried to further stroke his hard shaft. How he would feel inside of her? She wondered. Then, his kisses travelled lower down her frame, her abdomen, closer and closer to her groin, making her whimper in need. Her hands slipped from his nethers, but she still touched his shoulders, his scaled skin felt so good and his face looked at her lovingly. Gently, she stroked his smooth scales, even as that long tongue flickered out, wet, fast, volatile and so very good. She felt him caressing her thighs as a louder groan escaped her and she parted her legs without needing any further invitation. 

Only for a moment she closed them again as his hands slipped over her hips, under her panties and pulling them down slowly, with her helping him to free her fully from those annoying remains of her clothing. For a moment, Jen felt doubts. She hardly knew this young man, she was in a situation where she might not been able to made rational decisions and so was he. What would society – what would her parents think of her? The last thought cleared her mind. Well, if her mom and especially her dad wouldn’t approve, then to hell with them! This was her life and her body, she was an adult capable of making her own decisions. If she wanted to enjoy some time alone with a cute boy, no one had any right to deny her that. Besides, no one would ever know if she didn't tell, right? 

Jen gasped, the last remainders of her previous thoughts vanishing as that incredibly long and flexible tongue flickered over her lower abdomen and down that triangle between her thighs.
“Oh yes...” she gasped, lifting her hips up again and spreading her legs even wider, only to be rewarded with the wonderful sensation of his tongue slithering over her move sensitive spots. It felt warm, gentle and yet determined and her body reacted immediately. Heat washed through her, making her cheeks burn and her clit throb in anticipation. His hands moved as well, leaving her hips and sliding under her thighs, right beneath her backside, as he buried his face between her legs, his tongue moving unpredictably around, one moment dancing over her clit, then along her already wet sex, caressing her outer lips, then back up, curling around that little bud, before easily slipping between her folds and teasing her engorged entrance. Her hand wandered to his head, taking hold of his long, brown hair, holding him there, as if he had needed any invitation. Not thinking, she brought up her other hand to her breast and began squeezing it, and that combined with the feeling of both his hands caressing her butt-cheeks beneath her only added to the intense pleasure emanating from her nethers. He withdrew from her depths and began stimulating the exterior of her sex again, moving slow, then fast, gently then more demanding and Jen knew that his tongue against her clit would make her come in no time. She was already panting and bending her back in desire, then, his hands still firmly gripping her backside, he slipped down again, and suddenly, his tongue penetrated deep into her. The young woman's eyes went wide from the weird, yet wonderful sensation. The tongue wriggled and curved, sliding deeper than any mammal could ever have done, reaching the deepest spots of her inner flesh and making her moan in utter pleasure. She had never been with a reptile before now, but she realized that his species’ naturally long and flexible tongue let him go in very far, and she moaned at the sensation of it wiggling around the depths of her insides, massaging and stimulating every square inch of her sensitive flesh.

Once deep within her, she felt Tama's hot breath against her clitoris, only adding to her arousal and he didn't move out, but his tongue just stayed there, caressing her from the inside, sending wonderful sensations though her body as it wriggled and moved. It soon became too much for her, struggling and squirming underneath him, her own hand still frantically massaging her breast, and she managed to contain the rising flood of her climax for a moment longer, enjoying the tension of her body before she finally erupted in her peak, thrashing and undulating underneath him, somehow managing to prevent a full scale scream from escaping her throat as she came.

Moments longer, she fell back onto the ground, her chest rising and falling rapidly, the warm afterglow of her peak making her skin tingle even when Tama's tongue slowly slipped out of her, making her feel somewhat empty and disappointed, but continuing to send pleasure through her like a parting kiss. The lizard's muscular, smooth body slowly brushed over her front, as he slithered upwards, resting on top of her and making her shiver in delight at the sensation of his body gently pressing down on her. He kissed her mouth hungrily, going in deep with his long tongue, her own tongue dancing with his now. Jen had tasted herself before with previous lovers, but now it tasted like lust and pleasure even more than she had remembered. Then, he broke the kiss. In the darkness of the cave, she thought she could see his eyes full of desire: “I want to...” There was a brief pause: “...share bed with you.” It was more a statement than a question, but his lack of better words made Jen smile. Apparently, the missionaries who had educated them left out a few phrases. She nodded, but realized that he couldn't see it, but even as she did, she felt his slick, warm shaft against her entrance. Closing her eyes, Jen moved one hand down, stroking it gently. He was big, no monster, more long than thick and with a somewhat uneven surface, she had wondered how he would feel inside her and now she would find out as he moved his hips gently forward, easily sliding pass her folds and penetrating into her wet sex, spreading and filling her so wonderfully. 

She wrapped her arms around his strong frame, then her legs around his hips, even before he started moving out and back into her, each time filling her deep and complete, making her feel so wonderfully as each ridge and bump on his shaft massaged her already sensitive inner flesh to the point where she forgot where she was and fell into sexual bliss, panting and moaning and moving her hips in unison with him. His body continued to press down on her; while she wasn’t exactly a small woman he was still bigger and heavier than her, all of it lean muscle, and as such he effortlessly pinned her to the soft ground, holding her in place. But it didn’t make her feel scared or uncomfortable, quite the contrary, his nude body gently pressing down on her was a wonderful sensation as he kissed her lips, then her neck, grinding his body against hers and massaging her flattened breasts against his chest, adding to her pleasure as he moved in and out of her with growing passion.

There was no need to talk, no need to coordinate their movements, he took his time which she was thankful for, but over time he speed up and soon, they were both approaching their peak again. Jen reached it first, and this time she cried out loudly as his movements inside her triggered another orgasm in her. Tama let out an almost hissing groan, then stiffened, pushed into her one final time, before he moaned and came shortly after she did, hot seed gushing into her body as she held onto her lover during their shared peak.

The rest of the night was a warm, cozy tangle of sensations and emotions. Jen occasionally fell into a light sleep, just to wake up in this handsome boy’s strong arms, listening into the darkness where the storm still raged outside. Then, after a longer period of sleep, she woke to hear birds singing outside. With a groan she opened her eyes and looked directly into Tama's face.
“Good morning, Jen.” He said, smiling warmly at her as he held her in his arms.
“Good morning, Tama.” Jen replied, smiling back and rubbing her eyes with one hand, dim light falling into the cave: “What time is it?”
“The sun has risen a while ago, the storm is over.”
“Oh that's good, and those armed men?”
“Haven't seen any.” He shrugged, standing up and walking towards the caves entrance as if he wanted to look for them again: “Maybe left on the boat.”
Jen couldn't keep herself from admiring his muscular back, he was young and athletic and walking around nude outside didn’t seem to bother him.
“Could be, but we should still be careful. What should we do now?” Jen asked. She was used to making her own decisions and not to listen to the commands of someone else, but she knew that she was a foreigner here and while she had rescued him, he was her best chance to get through the adventure unharmed. At least, she got up as well, stepping up next to him, if only to show her own confidence.
“We go to my village, is not far.”
“I - I'm not sure if I feel comfortable with my, well attire.” Jen said, finding her panties and hurrying to put them on. Last night she hadn't cared too much, but now she was almost painfully aware of her state of undress and that made her feel more than just a little uneasy. Besides, she still didn’t know too much about the moral standards of his people, she surely didn't want to offend them.
“I see nothing wrong.” Tama answered, his gaze clearly transfixed upon Jen's chest after he turned around.
Jen playfully crossed her arms in front of her breasts: “Yeah, because you are a pervert.” She smiled wryly. Apparently her suspicions were correct about a topless women not being taboo in his culture, but she still couldn’t help teasing him a bit.
Tama tilted his head, perplexed: “A...pervert?”
“Yeah, that's, well, a guy who – ah forget about it, let's go, I'm getting hungry.” Jen took his hand and the two made their way out of the cave that had been their hiding place for the night and towards his home. Funny, Jen thought, I slept with a guy I just met and now I'm about to be introduced to his family. Things kept getting stranger and stranger, but she still had no regrets about any of her choices last night. Her whole life had been filled with uncertainty and loneliness, yet in the cave she had never felt more certain about what she wanted. She didn’t know how long that feeling would last or if anything more might come of it, but the only way to find out was by going forward.

The ground underneath their feet was still wet and soft from the rain and occasionally, heavy drops fell from the trees, the air was fresh and clean and the sun rose slowly as they made their way, affectionately holding hands all the while. At one point, Tama jumped onto a low tree, climbing up to collect some fruits that resembled papaya. They tasted delicious and were just what Jen needed, aside from a bit of her emergency rations the other evening, she hadn't eaten anything since the crash. It wasn't really a breakfast, more of a quick snack while taking a little break from walking, but she loved the gesture, especially since she hadn't mentioned her hunger, but he had known that she needed to be hungry – he was so as well of course.

The young polar bear wasn't sure how big the island was and with her very limited experience she also couldn't tell for sure how far they travelled, but she was certain that they had walked a good distance off the coast and also at least a few hours by foot from where she had found Tama, when they finally crossed a small path through the dense forest.
“This leads to my village.” Tama said turning his attention to Jen.
“What?” The girl asked him, a bit surprised, he looked so serious suddenly, as if he was contemplating something.
After a while, a smile formed on his reptilian face: “Nothing, I'm just very grateful that you were there just at the right moment.” He paused. “And...I’m happy to be with you last night. You are...amazing. And beautiful.” He said, smiling shyly again.
“Thanks, I'm...well, I'm glad we met too.” Jen replied, not really good at dealing with praise. She felt the familiar heat rising in her cheeks again. “And last night...you made me feel happy for the first time in a long time.” She had trouble finding the right words, but it seemed to be good enough for him, as he said “And you made me happy for the first time in my life too.” Then to her surprise, he put his arms around her, leaned down and planted a kiss on her lips. He knees shook as she closed her eyes and kissed him back, reawakening the feeling of desire she had felt in the cave. After their shared kiss, they didn’t speak much more as they made their way back to the village, but already Jen felt better about everything. 

The village filled all the clichés one would have about a tropical paradise. It consisted of a few dozen huts, some smaller, some bigger, and all made from wood and built upon short pillars under which Jen made out not only provisions but also chicken stables and of course, playing children. The roofs were covered with palm leaves and the doors consisted of just plaited straw. Jen saw children playing in the central square, men and women working there, preparing food, sharpening weapons and tools. Others were just chatting or eating in front of their houses. And while there were armed hunters, there were no signs of defenses. No wall, no trench, most likely building the huts on those pillars protected them from nightly predators and that was all the defense these peaceful people needed.

Jen blushed as she finally saw for herself that none of them indeed wore any more clothing than Tama, regardless of age or gender. A simple loincloth was all they wore aside from various jewelry and armbands and tattoos, and the women weren't ashamed about showing their chests. So why should she? Still, it was their culture, not Jen's, and her cheeks burned as the first villagers noticed them returning home.

The first who approached them was a female, not the youngest anymore, Jen guessed she might have been in her forties, though it was hard to tell with a different species. She bowed in front of Tama, then spoke to him in their own language, looking over at Jen, then to Tama again.
“Speak in her language please. And yes, the strange men had caught me, but she...” He pointed at Jen: “Saved my life.” He explained with a sheepish expression on his face.
“Yes, I apologize.” The woman said, her eyes grown wide as she had heard that who had saved Tama: “I need to thank you for saving our prince.”
“Your...prince?” Jen asked, now it was her who showed her surprise.
“Yes, didn't he tell you?”
“N-no.” Jen stammered as she looked at Tama surprised, still looking sheepish beside her. So that’s why he sounded reluctant about the subject of his family last night, he was embarrassed about revealing his high status to her. Of course, his embarrassment paled against hers as the implications of last night’s events dawned on her. Oh shit, she thought, did I really just screw this tribe’s prince? Though she still didn’t know their taboos, that sounded like a massive faux pas no matter the culture...Granted, Tama didn’t seem to be any more eager than she was to share the details of last night, but even if these people didn’t find out the mere thought made her nervous as hell.
“You must be a very strong and brave woman.” The woman explained: “Though your clothing doesn't show, I'll make sure you get new ones.”
“I would be thankful for that.” Jen replied, bowing hastily, relieved that these people didn’t seem to think there’s anything suspicious about their prince returning home with a strange girl his age.
“Come with me.” The elder said and gestured towards one of the huts. Jen looked at Tama. She wasn't a coward, but right now, in the middle of all these foreigners, she didn't want to leave his side.
“It's okay, I will be here.” He reassured her and patted her shoulder. He gave her an apologetic look, as if to say he was sorry for not telling her who he really was, and Jen gave him a reassuring smile back. Would she have come onto him in the cave if she knew he was a prince? She’d like to say it wouldn’t have mattered, but her nervousness a few moments ago made her think that she probably wouldn’t have. In that case, she realized she was glad that he hadn’t told her, as she felt they shared something special last night. She had no regrets, even if she was still uncertain whether they would stay together after today.
Jen nodded and followed the woman into her hut. It was rather dark, warm and humid, but there was a calming, pleasant smell of foreign herbs in it. The woman opened a basket and almost crawled into it as she seemed to search for something: “There it is!” She pulled out another loincloth, the same one Tama wore.
Jen stared at it for a moment. “Um, you are sure that's the right thing for me?” She said, feeling a bit reluctant about the fact that she wasn’t being given more clothing. 
The woman nodded: “It's made from our finest leather, soft and durable. It's just the right clothing for the woman who saved our prince.”
Jen shrugged. She didn't want to appear rude and ungrateful and besides, she hadn’t been wearing much more when she arrived, right? So she took the little piece of clothing, turned around and removed her panties, unconcerned with modesty at this point, and quickly slipped into the loincloth. True to the woman’s words, it felt soft and comfortable, though the feeling of its narrow back wedged in between her backside would take some getting used to. As would the fact that, unlike her panties, it left her butt almost completely exposed, especially since unlike these people she didn’t have a long thick tail to cover it. Still she knew complaining would do nothing except make her look ungrateful, so instead she smiled and said, “Thank you, it feels...just fine.”
“Just like one of us.” The woman chuckled and nodded, then led Jen back out of the hut.

Tama was standing in the middle of a small group, chatting with them in excitement. As Jen approached them, she didn't fail to notice the curious looks of the warriors she attracted – curious and not just for her being a foreigner, but also for the fact that she was a mammal. She decided not to play the shy girl, but instead walked proudly, maybe a bit too provocative, looking at Tama with a questioning expression in her eyes.
Tama smiled at her as he saw her in the traditional garb of his people.
“Ahala here-” He pointed at one of the other men: “just told me that he saw a boat leaving the island early this morning, they had carried the remains of the machine you found me at.”
“So they are gone?”
The other man, he had darker scales and was slightly smaller than Tama, still a warrior, but nothing in comparison with him, nodded: “For now at least.”
Jen exhaled, at least, they were no longer in immediate danger. She looked around: “By the way, you mentioned you have a radio?” She said to Tama.
“Radio?” Ahala asked curiously.
“She means the machine the missionaries use to talk to their friends on other islands.” Tama said.
“Yes, yes, that's what I'm talking about.” Jen nodded feverishly.
Tama shook his head: “They took it with them when they left.”
“Crap!” Jen said out loud, regretting it immediately. She didn't want to give the impression that she wanted to leave this place as soon as she could again. Actually, she didn't want to, it was more the fear of living a life in an unknown world that had made her speak.
They didn’t seem to notice, thankfully, and a third warrior said, “The missionaries will return and bring a radio with them.”
“When will that be?” Jen asked.
Tama shrugged: “Not sure, in a few months, less than a year.”
“They can tell your people you are well and bring you home.” Ahala said.
“Or we take longboat and find help on the flower island.” The forth warrior suggested.
“No, there's no rush.” Jen said with a wide smile, turning towards Tama: “If you’ll have me, I think a few months here will be very nice.”
Tama smiled: “You will stay here until then?” After a pause, he added: “With me?”
Jen gulped, what was she doing? Again, she still hardly knew this young man, but he’d been so good to her...and he was so handsome. All the concerns and troubles of her life seemed so distant when he was around: “Of course.” She said, suddenly taking his hand in hers, and he gave her hand a reassuring squeeze.

“Tama!” Jen flew around as she heard a rather loud voice. From one of the huts, actually, the biggest within the village, she saw an older woman coming their way. Even though she still had difficulties reading these reptilian facial expressions, the voice sounded very excited. The woman ran over to where they stood as she continued her flood of words in that foreign language.
Tama seemed to smile, wrapping his arm around Jen, who had quickly moved to his side: “Mother, this is the woman that saved my life.”
Jen blushed, her cheeks burning. She hinted a bow: “Happy to meet you.”
“You Tama saved, I grateful.” The woman replied, bowing in return: “Sorry for bad speaking.”
Tama chuckled: “My mother never got too comfortable with your language I'm afraid.”
Then, Tama's mother talked to her son again, gesturing wild, before she fell into his arms, sobbing as she did. After a long moment of reunion, he turned to Jen again: “She said after the hunters had informed them about the pirates and me not returning home, she how do you say?” He paused for a moment: “Expected me lost. And she's surprised a beautiful woman saved me.”
Jen felt the blood rushing into her cheeks even more: “Well, thank you, it was, well...pure luck.”
“Tama, welcome home.” An elder male, reptilian, his hair greying but his body still strong like that of Tama stepped out of the hut, extending his arms.
“Greetings father.”
The elder male wore similar clothing to the others, but his wrists and neck were decorated with colorful bird feathers and he carried a heavy wooden staff with him on which a bird’s skull and exotic shells were attached through leather ribbons. He most certainly was an important person.
The two males hugged for a moment, though only briefly, then the older one turned to Jen: “I am in your debt for saving my son, and the village is in your debt for saving my son.” He said: “I am Hamuk, what you would call chieftain, king of this people. And this is Haukea, my beloved wife.” He took the elder female by her waist and pulled her close.
“I...thank you. It’s a pleasure to meet you.” Jen bowed again, feeling uncertain, not really knowing how to properly address the leader of an island tribe.
“You will of course be our guest.” Hamuk said: “We'll have a feast, celebrating the return of our prince tonight. And we shall honor you, his savior.”
“Oh, there's no need to-” Jen stumbled, but then thought about it and smiled. If she was going to stay here for a while, she should fit in as best as she could and what would be a better way than to participate in their celebration. Besides, she certainly didn't want to offend her hosts.

The rest of the day passed really quickly. Jen got to meet more of the villagers, mostly the younger ones as Tama lead her around and introduced her to his friends. It helped that she could communicate with those young people better, too. Maybe they absorbed the new knowledge, the new language better than the elder people? But all treated her equally friendly and with gratitude, even when Jen helped them preparing the tables and the food for the feast. Through it all, she realized that she felt more at ease among these people than she ever did before, and she knew it wasn’t just because of Tama’s presence; she felt a sense of true belonging for the first time in her life.

When the sun started to set, huge fires were lit and all villagers gathered on the central square. Heavy drums were played and the younger girls, many even younger than Jen herself, started to dance in front of the audience and Jen smiled at the boys who were eyeing their favorites within the group of dancers and got rewarded here and there by a seductive look from one of them. 

Jen felt Tama's hand stroking over her exposed thigh during the dinner and she placed her own hand on his, their fingers soon intertwining. She didn't let go of him even when Hamuk addressed her: “You have heard that it will take time until a ship can bring you back into your world?”
“Yes.” Jen nodded, taking some fruits upon her palm leaf: “But that's okay, I'm thankful for your hospitality. And I'm sure I will enjoy the time here.”
Hamuk chuckled: “I'm sure you will with my son, he's handsome, isn't he?”
Jen blushed again. These people were so open about many things. Should she tell the chieftain that it wasn't appropriate for a father to talk that way to his son’s – well, what was she to him, anyway? Besides, she wasn't used of being talked to like this, but she went with the truth: “Yes, he's very handsome indeed.”
“And I can tell you two have taken a liking to each other.” He said, smiling. Jen flinched. Did he suspect her doing something with his son while they were out together? She glanced at Tama, who to her surprise looked unconcerned. Hamuk continued, still smiling. “Yes, I can tell there’s something between you. A father knows these things!” Jen’s heart leapt into her throat, but before she could say anything, Hamuk continued: “So if the two of you agree, I think you can share one hut together. It's time for my son to move out of the hunters’ shared hut anyway.”

“Y-you really mean it?” Jen couldn’t believe her ears, and looked at Tama, who was once again giving her that shy smile she loved so much. It seems these people were even more open-minded about things than she suspected, if the village chieftain had no qualms about his son staying with a girl he just met. She hadn't been sure where she would stay here, but had already wondered if she and Tama would have time alone again. She already imagined the two of them sneaking out of the village to meet in the jungle or in “their” cave again, but a shared hut? It sounded so romantic, so classic, she would wait for the prince to return from his hunting, prepare dinner for him and afterwards, they would make sweet love on their bed made from palm leaves. Her heart skipped a beat at the idea. Well, maybe he would prepare dinner while she gathered food as well, after all, she had always envisioned a marriage between equals, and maybe this tribe had different views on what a traditional marriage was, anyway.

The dance had finally stopped and giggling and chattering, the girls left the stage as a small group of young warriors entered, carrying burning torches in their hands, soon performing a wild and yet impressive and beautiful fire dance.

Marriage? Jen scolded herself. This was silly, she still hardly knew this man and in a few months, she would leave the island again, whatever would happen now, it would more be like a brief affair – not that she couldn't enjoy this. 
Haukea talked to her husband for a while now and he finally nodded. 
Hamuk turned to Jen and Tama again: “My wife just told me how beautiful the stars are tonight, the perfect time to unite two lovers in marriage.”
“What?” Jen asked, her heart skipping a beat, then she turned to Tama, who looked equally surprised. He shared a few words with his mother, then changed to English as he addressed his father: “Jen isn't used to our traditions, besides, what of Kau'i?”
“You and Kau'i were promised each other years ago, but it's obvious that she has only eyes for Nikau. I don't want to see any of you unhappy.” The chieftain explained: “Jen, I know that your people know the ritual of marriage as well.”
“Yes, that's true and I feel flattered, it's just...for my people, it takes a bit more time to get to this decision.”
Hamuk nodded: “I see, well, here we live for the day, because no one knows what tomorrow will bring, but if you think it's not what you want-”
Jen looked in Tama's face. Though the boy had been surprised, she noticed a brief expression of sadness at his father’s speech. Besides, weren't these people right? Who knew what tomorrow would bring? Besides, she already decided to sleep with Tama on a whim last night. She liked him, he liked her, so why not give it a shot? She was here, right now, that very moment and making long term plans for the future was something that maybe her father did, but not her. She suddenly took on a defiant expression: “Good! I want to, Tama if you are good with it, I want us to get married, today, this night, right now.”
Tama smiled: “Yes, yes, I want that too.”
Haukea clapped her hands and let out a little shriek of delight. Then, Hamuk got up. He extended his arms until he had the attention of the entire village. Pointing at the two young people by his side, he said something in their language. Jen couldn't understand the words, but she knew that he was announcing that there would be a wedding this night and the people all around them started to chat and nod, apparently, all were excited and happy about it.

Well, maybe not as excited as she was. It took only half an hour for the village to make it to the nearest beach and all carried flowers and fruits, some torches to light the way and to form an improvised square next to where their boats lay.

Hamuk walked to the beach, flanked by two warriors with their torches, then gestured to his sides. Jen was nervous, not only because of her bold decision but also because she knew nothing about these people and their traditions, or how should she act. She stopped right in front of the chieftain and turned to look at Tama, who was smiling at her reassuringly. Then, he extended his hands and Jen took both of them, happy both to touch him again and for the feeling that she wasn't alone anymore. As they stood there, holding each other’s hands, the women of the tribe approached them. First Haukea who was wearing two of the most beautiful flower wreaths Jen had ever seen. None of those cheap imitates produced for tourists, but real, colorful flowers gathered within the forest. She placed one around Tama's and the other around Jen's neck, smiling happy as she looked both of them in the eyes. The other women approached them, soon, Jen had flowers in her hair, around her wrists and ankles and so did Tama as they still stood there, holding each other. When the women were done, Hamuk raised his eyes to the sky and started a low chant, finally placing his hand on those of the young couple. He again shifted to English: “Do you take Tama as your husband?”
“Yes, I do.”
Then he addressed his son in their own language and Tama answered: “Yes, I do.” Squeezing Jen's hands.
They didn't need any more invitation as they engaged into a kiss and the audience erupted in loud cheering and the drums in the background woke again.

Within moments, they were surrounded by the younger people of the village, dancing and cheering all around them and Jen had to smile as she saw all of them happy for their newfound luck. She turned to Tama and smiled at him. Yes, luck, she really felt as if this could be it, the life she had always wanted even without her knowing that. Deep inside, she had known that the future her father had planned for her wasn't what she wanted for herself, but due to lack of alternatives, she had gone with it. But now she had an alternative, and he smiled back down on her and held her hands in his. Gentle but at the same time strong.
“What now?” Jen whispered to him.
“We need to watch dance for a bit.” Tama whispered back, then winked: “We retire afterwards, everyone will understand.”
Jen winked back, yes, she had a pretty good idea what that meant and when they walked away from the crowd a few minutes later, they earned a few cheers and a few more congratulations before the tribe returned to celebrate further, the sound of their singing and the drums getting quieter as the young married couple approached Tama's house.
“Maybe I should have checked your room before we-” Jen wanted to make a funny, brash comment about a bachelor’s household, but she couldn't say married just yet, it felt so weird still. Tama smiled at her again and squeezed her hand, then lead the way into his nice little hut, brushing a curtain of dry leaves aside.

Inside, the hut was relatively dark of course, but some moonlight fell into it as they opened the curtain. 
“Wait a moment.” Tama said as Jen stood in the door. She kept the curtain open as he turned to the little fireplace formed by rocks and with some matches – maybe a gift from the missionaries – he lit a fire in no time. The flickering flames emitting a cozy warmth along with enough light to allow her a good impression of her husband’s – now also her – new home. Like she had guessed, it consisted just of one big room. The low walls as well as two wooden pillars carrying the room were completely decorated with carvings showing geometrical patterns but also weird animals and reptilian faces, but weird, alien ones, like ghosts or gods. She could look directly at the roof so that the room appeared high and light and the smoke from the fire vanished through the dried palm leaves. Next to the fireplace there was a small rack with wooden bowls and clay pots, also a single metal cooking pot. Herbs hung from the ceiling. At the walls she made out paddles and two spears as well as a ceremonial mask. There was also a simple table and three chairs around it and – Jen felt her heart beating faster a broad, low bed. It was made from wood and stranded mats and there were even colorful red blankets. The bed was easily large enough for two, maybe even three. Jen realized that he had possibly learned what they had done last night in this bed. He undoubtedly had lovers in the past just like she did, this was a very open culture after all.

“Finally home.” Jen said, stretching out and slumping down into the bed with an inviting grin. 
Tama didn't need a further invitation, looking at her with desire and still a bit of wonder about this body that was so different from his or those of the women of his tribe, he quickly removed his loincloth, giving Jen a good look at his manhood. He wasn't fully erect yet, but already of more than considerable size and it sent a pleasant tingling sensation through the young woman. 

She stretched out her arms and Tama slithered down onto her, his strong body pinning her down onto the bed as they engaged into a deep, long kiss, both of them wanting to let it happen slowly, but both feeling their need building as their tongues played together and they again tasted each other. His tongue felt as good as it did when they had kissed for the first time and like back then, she felt herself responding with passion, leading for a moment, then submitting to his skills again, holding him close and running her hands over the smooth scales on his back.

After a while, they interrupted the kiss and looked deep into each other’s eyes. Was it love? Jen wasn't sure about it yet. Maybe not, maybe it was still just infatuation, but whatever it was it felt good and right. Her mouth formed a gentle smile, then suddenly, she moved her hands to his shoulders and with little effort, she shoved him away and onto the bed, making him let out a sound of surprise as she suddenly was on top: “I want your tongue again.” She purred, turning around quickly so that his red, hard shaft was in view and she felt his hand on her round behind. Groaning in anticipation, she lowered her head, kissed his tip with her soft lips and only a moment later, she felt his hot breath against her sex, before his tongue flickered out and over it again, making her moan immediately. If he could make her feel this good so fast, how would she hold up against his assault long enough to give him a good time as well? Closing her eyes, she kissed him again, then licked, extending her tongue as best as she could and much to her joy, she heard him groaning as well. Maybe a thick, warm mammalian tongue was different in a good way when compared to that of a reptilian female? Of course, such complicated thoughts vanished from her mind when he licked along her tight slit, then slithered between her labia, back and forth, tasting, teasing her, finding her clit and paying attention to it. She panted and groaned, opened her mouth and took his shaft in willingly, trying desperately to give him the best blow-job she could. If her father knew she was sucking a tribesman's co—no, it didn't matter, her father didn't matter, his business didn't matter. She didn't do this to rebel against his authority, she did this because it felt good and right and because she wanted her husband to feel good. Suddenly, his tongue slipped into her depths again, making her moan with that hard, throbbing member still in her mouth. She moved her head up and down frantic now, then had to release him, panting, her head sinking onto his thigh her tongue only occasionally darting out to lick his base as she felt herself sinking onto her husband’s strong body with his tongue doing its magic. 

It didn't take long to make her climax, she shook and twitched on him, whimpers of joy escaping him as her body squeezed around his tongue. Then, she slipped further down, his tongue moving out of her before she turned around. His muzzle was glistening from her own wetness and as she pushed her behind further back, she felt his hard member pressing against her privates. Her hands came to rest on his strong chest for a moment as she looked him deep into his loving, confident eyes when she impaled herself onto him, feeling him penetrating into her wet sex with little effort, as his hand rested on her back in support while she moved down.

Now, with him deep inside of her, she leaned forward and the two kissed again, her taste still on his lips as they did and she rolling her hips gently to feel him better, before she started moving up and down, each new movement eliciting sounds of approval and urging him to move against her very soon. His other hand slapped down on her behind, his fingers massaging her cheek, driving her almost wild with desire. Faster and faster she moved and she felt him panting and flexing underneath her. He was so handsome, so strong and yet gentle and refined with her, she knew that she wouldn't be able to hold back much longer, but still she tried, she wanted to make this special and when she felt him tensing underneath her, she slammed down hard on him, threw her head back and as he twitched inside of her, she came, his hot seed gushing into her body making it only more intense as they screamed out their passion together. 

A few minutes later, she was still sitting on him, feeling his now softer, yet still at full size member inside of her, as she rested her face against his chest: “I don't want to leave ever again.”
He gently stroked her hair: “And I don't want to let you go again.”

“Well my child, this is of course your choice.” The elder wolf said, nodding slowly: “I know of the beauty and the riches of this land.” It was obvious that he was struggling to keep his gaze from the young polar bear’s chest: “Still, this isn't your home and you might just be caught up in its thrills.”
“I've thought about this decision for a long time, trust me.” Jen answered, pausing before she spoke, to make it clear that she hadn't made this decision lightly.
“Good, in that case I will of course respect that and, though I'm not happy with that burden, I won't tell the authorities about you being here.”
“Thank you.” Jen smiled. She had thought about this for weeks. If he informed the authorities, she could of course still stay here. She was an adult, and no one could force her to leave the island if she didn’t want to. But still, she had a feeling that if her father knew where she was and what she’d been up to all this time, he would do anything to get her back and that wasn’t something she was prepared to deal with. No, she needed to keep what had become of her a secret, even if it meant that her broken family would have to live with thinking that she had died in a plane accident.
“At least, you helped my work by improving these people's knowledge of the English language.” The missionary smiled, he had come to the island for a few more weeks, teaching the islanders, telling them about the world and about his religion, gathering them for prayers that they hardly understood but apparently enjoyed.
“If you ever change your mind about your future, let me know about it, you know that I'll be visiting once a year.”
“I will. Thank you, Father.” Jen was grateful that this humble man, so committed to his service, still understood her motivation. 

As Jen left the hut in which the missionary lived during his stay on the island, she took the moment to breathe in the beauty of the island again. The small beachside village with its lovely huts was surrounded by a lush green forest with dots of colorful flowers all around it and from here, she could already smell the warm sea. Now, with the sun beginning to set, there was a dim red glow over the palm trees and the heat of the day was starting to turn into a wonderful warmth surrounding her like a blanket. The villagers were, due to their simple life toned and fit and all rather good looking, though to her Tama was of course the most beautiful of them all. She smiled. While she visually was still an outsider, a white-furred polar bear with more curves than the average reptilian island girl, she had grown perfectly confident with walking around barechested in just her loincloth, and the villagers had accepted her as one of them. 

“Are you coming or not?” She turned around as she heard the voice of Tama, her handsome husband. He waved with two paddles in his hand.
“Sure!” Jen nodded and rushed over to him. 
“Did you notice the boys’ looks?” He asked with a smirk.
“Yeah, I know that one, it's the 'she's about to do something no girl does' look.”
Tama laughed: “Yes, fishing is a task for men here.”
“Yes, but I'm bad at weaving. Do you have any problem with me in your canoe?” She gave her husband a wry look.
“Certainly not.” Tama replied and she saw pride in his eyes: “You certainly showed them your skill, considering that I've only be training you for a couple of months.”
“What can I say, I'm a quick learner.” Jen winked.

As the two stepped onto the beach, there were already several fires burning and some of the biggest fish they had caught today were being prepared on sticks over these fires. All around the fires, on their chairs sat the young warriors of the village, cheering as Jen and Tama approached them. One jumped up, grabbing his spear and performed a little dance in front of them as they approached the beach.
“There's the winner canoe of today's hunt.” One announced and all cheered again.
Both of them sat down and were handed coconuts with their special wine made from various fruits of the island, Jen had gotten used of this source of alcohol and drank with the others. As the fish was passed around on palm leaves, the sun was already setting and the hunters celebrated their victory. Only now some of the females of the village joined in, since none of them had dared to go to sea like Jen did.

The celebration continued long into the night and Jen was happy that the rising darkness made it easy for them to remain in a remote corner under two particularly nice trees, where they held each other close and engaged into a long, loving kiss with the sounds of the island drums and the sea washing ashore was all she noticed and all that cared was that she was here with her beloved Tama.

The End