Into the Caves
It proved to be an uneasy night, though true to the priestess’ word, Sarahi awoke after the sunrise from a sleep free of all dreams, and as well rested as she could reasonably expect to be.  Even so...a chill ran down her spine when she emerged from the tent that morning and her eyes fell almost immediately on Oro, sitting with his back to a tree across the clearing, though he still looked to be sound asleep.
“Good morning,” Nayeli greeted her softly from beside the fire, offering a plate of freshly fried bacon and a biscuit.  Sarahi shook her head in grateful refusal, and fetched a towel and a fresh change of clothes from her pack.  Tuli and the twins were busy packing up the rest of the camp, but spared a moment each to give her a hug and relieved smile, before the kobolds began breaking down the tent.
“Off for a bath?” Oro asked, surprisingly calm and obviously more alert than he was letting on, as she passed through the treeline some feet away.  With a wince, Sarahi silently answered with a nod...which he apparently somehow heard, as he immediately got to his feet.  “So am I.”  Without even looking in her direction, he pointed an accusing finger at Nayeli as she rose from her seat by the fire.  “Not you.  She and I need some privacy.”
A fresh shiver swept through Sarahi, but she nodded silently and quickly went padding off in the direction of the stream.  On its bank, she forced herself to strip despite the tremors running through her legs, and likewise forced herself to ignore the Rabbit as he piled his clothes on top of hers.  The water only came up to her underbelly at its deepest, but it was cold and clean as she splashed down into it, and she immediately washed her face and rinsed the disgust from her mouth.  Having that small bit of her dignity back, she finally, quietly acknowledged her hated husband as he waited with uncharacteristic patience near her hindquarters.
“I dare not try to imagine what punishment you have in mind for me now,” she confessed only a little louder than a whisper, “But I will accept it.  I still have a duty to fulfill...not to you, or even to the world at large, but for Nayeli’s sake.  If you can see fit to leave me still capable of that...I will not complain of my fate.”
He stepped closer, and laid a hand on her haunches.  “Then be still, and do not speak.”  Sarahi nodded her understanding, bowing her head and hugging herself as she spread her back paws wider.  The Sha'khari lifted her tail and braced herself for the worst sort of brutality...
A bar of soap slid across her rump.  Then down her legs, then further up her back and side.  She looked over her shoulder, dumbfounded, as Oro ran his sudsy hands over her in what she could only describe as a rough but not un-gentle touch.  “Not. A. Word,” he growled, and she quickly closed her slack jaw and faced forward again, “This is your punishment, of which you swore not to complain.”  He worked across her back and both her sides.  He knelt in the cold water to reach under her belly.  He did not spare her sheath or sac or any other shameful part, but neither did he devote undue time or attention to them.  They were just another part of her that needed cleaning.  He treated her upper back similarly, all the way to her neck, tense as a coiled spring.
Her face, already bright red, burned hot all the way from her ears to her neck as he stepped in front of her and, starting from between her front legs, began washing her lower chest and upper belly.  The Rabbit pushed her arms aside, and she obediently lowered them despite her shame, as he cupped and caressed and cleaned both of her breasts.  It was in the middle of this that he decided to speak again.  “That vampire said he respects people who can talk to him candidly,” Oro remarked, eyes meeting hers despite where his hands were working.  His look was stern, but not angry, and a great, great deal removed from the hateful glares of the previous night.  “I respect those who are honest and face their fate head-on.  You just might earn my respect yet.”
She grit her teeth, fighting the temptation to ask what he was implying, as his hands moved on up to her neck, both resting on the back of it as though he might pull her down to face-level with him any second.  “Not even Nayeli has ever talked back to me like that.  I don’t care if you think I’m just bluffing: you are damned lucky I didn’t dismember you right in front of her.”  An increasingly familiar strength pulled her down, just as she’d been expecting, until their noses were touching and she could see almost nothing outside of his large, burning eyes.  “No one has ever had her back before.  There has never been anyone she could rely on in the face of my wrath.  Continue to serve her well, and you can keep sleeping easy at night.”
“...What do—?”
“I said be quiet,” he interrupted her hesitant question sharply.  “I mean that her life is the one and only thing in this world that I might be said to value, and I tend to leave alone things she finds useful, as much as possible.  That is the only way you are going to keep that tongue of yours inside your head for another month.  Do you understand?”  She nodded silently.  “Good.”
Releasing her, Oro sloshed back over to the bank and collected his clothes, though he didn’t bother to put them on over his wet fur.  “And this is no threat,” he added over his shoulder, “It’s a promise: I am going to break your flower tonight, right after I fusk hers.”  Again she nodded her understanding silently.  “Good.  You may speak your mind again as soon as you get back to camp.”
Sarahi watched him go warily, not quite believing that he was going to leave her unscarred...and confused by the strange sense of disappointment that settled on her when that truly seemed to be the case.  She took her time rinsing in the stream, quietly turning his words over in her head and contemplating her place in the world, and this family in particular.  At last...long last...she could no longer justify her stalling even to herself, and got out to dry and dress herself.
By the time she returned to camp, everything was packed.  Nayeli, the twins, and kobolds had their packs on.  Even Tuli was carrying a make-shift pack of limbs lashed together, trying her best not to let the discomfort show on her face.  Up to now, she was the only one besides Oro who hadn’t been required to carry anything, and it was a coin-toss as to whether he’d allowed that as a mercy or an insult.
But it was certainly a small mercy to Sarahi that the busty Ferruda carried her share now, as the large cabin-tent was rolled and bundled up next to her saddle-pack.  “Leave it,” Oro commanded as she started to heft the tent onto her pack, looking for the best way to stack and lash it down.
The Sha'khari gave him a confused look.  “It’s new, and the only shelter we have that will fit me.”
“That’s right.  I’d call it a shame if I cared about petty things like ‘waste’, but we won’t be taking it from here, unless you just want to torture yourself.  We’re already in the foothills.  The runts know an entrance not too far from here, so we’ll be in the caves before the sun even touches the horizon,” Oro explained, nodding toward the kobolds, “Caves and tunnels they use.  There will be wide spots, no doubt, but mostly I expect only the pipsqueaks will fit comfortably.  We’ll be lucky if we don’t have to abandon all the packs before we’re done, and you’re going to have to get very comfortable with crouching and crawling.”
That thought seemed unnerving to everyone except Nayeli.  “Don’t worry,” she assured the large Sha'khari, “I will command the mountain to allow you passage, if I must, so you will always be able to follow.  But it is best not to ask for more than the least necessary.”  She helped the Sha'khari get her pack onto her back and buckled on.  “Normally, before a mission like this, we’d find a place in town to store whatever we couldn’t take,” the priestess explained, “But this time...we won’t be coming back this way.  So whatever we can’t carry through the caves with us will have to be left behind.  I don’t want to be harsh, but this happens sometimes, so it’s best not to get too attached to anything you couldn’t safely carry inside your mouth.  Sooner or later, it’s likely to be lost.”
“Can’t we go in by the dragon’s way?” Tuli asked, “Surely that would be large enough even for Sarahi’s pack.”
“Sure,” Oro rolled his eyes and gestured for them to start walking, even if they had to keep talking, “But the dragon’s way will open to the sky, probably near the top of the mountain.  If the cold doesn’t kill you, the fall will, and you’ll still have to abandon the packs out of sheer exhaustion, most likely.  The tunnels will be safer and easier, especially since the runts know the way,” the Rabbit indicated.  Shortly after that, he was too far ahead to actively participate in any conversation, as he seemed to be making a habit of doing when they traveled.  The kobolds, ever eager to please and also unable to hold conversation with the Ferruda, scampered to keep up with him while the others trailed at a more comfortable pace.
“Not that I imagine he was ever great company, but did he always keep this much distance between you during your travels?” Sarahi asked.
“I walked faster then,” Nayeli smiled, “Much like Gaki and Grik now.  He has no want for company, though, while I am very grateful for it.”  With a chuckle, she added, “I am also out of my habit, and you and Tuli have nothing to contain your scent, so he’s probably concerned about staying alert.  We will have to be mindful of our distance once we get inside the caves.”
Sarahi sighed, a little disappointed but no longer surprised to hear such reasonable excuses from the patient priestess.  “Well...listen, this will probably come as good news to you,” the Sha'khari said in a softer voice, as though a little afraid of even the other wives overhearing, “But Oro promised that he will have his way with us both tonight.”
The priestess gave her a surprised look.  “‘Promised’, you say?  That’s unusually kind of you.  Honestly, I was a little worried he intended to do something of that kind during your bath.”
“I was certain of the same,” Sarahi nodded, “Or that he planned to pull my tongue out, one of the two.  And he did present that as possibly in my future.  But all he did was wash me and talk to me.  Well...more like lecture, really.”
Nayeli dipped a concerned brow.  This was all very out of character for their overly-aggressive husband.  “What did he say?”
“Well, he started by telling me he appreciated that I talked back to him...you can imagine how much I believe that,” she rolled her eyes, “And warned me to keep you happy if I want to have any security around him.  Then he promised...that.  I guess he thinks actually going through with it will help me sleep better,” she sighed, “I suppose I implied as much last night, too.  And maybe it will.  I don’t know.”
Beside her, the priestess just shook her head slowly.  “I find it difficult to imagine him comforting anyone with sincerity.  If nightmares were a thing that could be caught and killed by the sword, perhaps, but...”  She trailed off on that thought, and considered the rest briefly.  “It would be welcome news indeed if either you were not involved or had even the least desire to be involved.  As is...I will try to find a way to dissuade or exhaust him before it comes to that, if I can.”
“Honestly,” the Sha'khari admitted, “I do kind of want to have it over with, if only so I’ll know what to expect thereafter.  Having you there will be a comfort, I think.  At least he’s not long enough to reach both ends of me at once,” she managed to chuckle, “So if you could hold me while he’s at my tail...that might be nice.”
They walked quietly for a time after that, each lost in their own thoughts.  The sun was just a little passed it zenith, and the mountains growing tall and ominous above them, when the kobolds began chattering in excitement.  A void could be seen in the face of the bluff ahead.  They waited just outside of it with Oro for the rest of the group to catch up.
“The runts say they can see in the dark,” Oro explained as the pair of kobolds disappeared gleefully into the abyss not far beyond the entrance, “Your eyes are better than a human’s, but you’re going to want a light before we get too deep, all the same.”  With that warning, the Rabbit also stepped into the darkness, lead by his ears and the whisperings of the demon whether his eyes served him or not.
The mouth was tall enough for Sarahi to enter comfortably, but narrowed quickly before opening out again on one side.  It was possible to describe this wide spot as a small “room” if one ignored the fact that the tunnel continued out the other end uninterrupted.  “Rest here for the moment,” Oro instructed, “Get something to eat.  I wouldn’t recommend a fire, though,” he noted the lack of ventilation.
“Where are you going?” Tuli asked as the Rabbit started to move further down the tunnel and the rest of the group began figuring out how to arrange the packs so there was room enough for everyone to sit for a late lunch.
“To see if it’s worth dragging the packs passed this point,” he explained with surprising clarity, even as he disappeared into the darkness, “And to make certain we’re the only things moving around in here right now.”
That caused Diya to pause in digging out the bread and jerky, and look to Nayeli.  “What did he mean by that?  Did some of the kobolds stay behind, do you think?”
The priestess shook her head, but smiled reassuringly.  “The deep places of the world, when left unoccupied and untouched by the light of the sun or breath of the wind, have a way of spawning...troublesome things.  According to the Order, souls left unclaimed by any Saint of the Order in Heaven flow like water through such places until they arrive at Hell.  But like water, sometimes that flow is interrupted, and the souls form a kind of pool, that eventually manifests various kinds of undead.  That is why deep caves always seem to harbor monsters, ghosts, or worse things, and the dwarves open new caverns with great caution.”  Nayeli noted how still the little half-breed had gotten while she explained..and that his sister’s fur was already starting to stand on end...and broke the tension with a soft giggle.  “So, I take it there will be no ghost stories told during this little expedition?”
“Uh...please,” Diya nodded gratefully with an embarrassed smile, “Ghosts, skeletons...all that kind of thing really, really bothers me.”
Nayeli nodded in sympathy.  “Well, it is wise to be wary of such things, especially considering where we are now.  But rest assured Oro and I have dealt with that sort of enemy often enough it has become almost trivial.  Nothing of physical nature will escape him, and nothing of spectral nature will endure my presence, so you will be safe with us.”
“May I sit close to you, then?” the little female asked, though she was already somewhat reassured.  At the very least, she found it easy to believe Oro could contend with anything that couldn’t walk through solid stone in these confined spaces.
He was gone for a while, though, and Nayeli was earnestly considering asking Grik or Gaki to go look for him when the Rabbit finally returned.  “It looks like we can keep the packs for a while,” he told them, “Though there are a couple of places where the princess is going to have to put all six paws and hands on the floor to scrape through.  If there’s anything you could stand to leave behind for the sake of a lighter load, this would be the place to do it.”
“Thank you,” Nayeli answered, offering him one of the sandwiches they had prepared, “We’ll see what we can spare.  You should take a break, too.”
“Not a chance,” he answered, though he accepted the sandwich, “Sit down for five minutes in quarters this close with all of you and you’ll be dragging me along behind you while I snore.  Saddle up.  There’s no daylight here to waste, but that’s no excuse to dawdle.”
With a sigh, Nayeli nodded her understanding, and the group began trimming down the contents of their packs while Oro paced back off into the dark.  They caught up to him a few minutes later, with packs lightened of anything resembling shelter (aside from their bedrolls), and something of a marching order decided on.  “The runts and I will lead,” Oro explained curtly, “Call out if you see or hear anything coming up behind you.  Keep.  Your.  Distance.  I can’t be falling asleep down here.  If there’s a fork in the tunnel, we’ll wait for you there.”  With no further direction than that, the Rabbit turned and stalked off into the dark one last time, followed closely by Gaki and Grik.
“Do you really think we might run into something down here?” Diya asked Nayeli as the group began filing out.  The tunnel wouldn’t allow any two of them to walk side-by-side at this point, so the priestess encouraged the others to go ahead and let her bring up the rear, in case of the worst.  “Wasn’t this place technically inhabited just a few days ago?”
“A mountain is even larger on the inside than the outside,” Nayeli warned, “We are likely very far from the lair proper, and it’s possible that the kobolds did not often use these particular tunnels even if they are aware of them.  And some branches will never be used, once it is learned they become impassible after going on for who knows how long.  It is out of those places, bypassed and ignored by the living, that trouble will emerge.  So remember what I said before, find comfort in that...and remember to stay close.”
At first it seemed to be smooth going.  The tunnel sloped gently downward, and did not widen out for a long time, but never became impassibly narrow either.  They continued down this natural, winding passage for nearly an hour before running into Gaki standing in the middle of it, waiting patiently just before it seemed to widen out ahead.  “Uh...Nayeli?” Kylan, at the head of the line, called back.  The lantern he was carrying showed the beginnings of a great room filled with furrowed stalactite formations just beyond where Gaki stood.
From the back, the priestess shrugged off her pack and carefully sidled along the wall to pass her other companions.  She couldn’t understand the kobold any better than Kylan, but let her eyes follow to where she was pointing a clawed finger at the cavern floor.  It was littered with pockmarks, and deep impressions below the rutted stalactites, which looked almost like the exposed wood of a termite colony, and Nayeli soon realized the threat.
“Slime,” she nodded, turning back to her companions, “The ceiling here is dangerous, and some of the ground may be too.  If you see anything that looks like algae-stained water, do not touch it,” the priestess warned, eying what she could see of the ceiling.  Much of it looked unnervingly wet, but there was a clear line barely discernible right at the place where the tunnel let out.  “Oro went through as bait.  He can eat this stuff faster than it eats him.  We are going to follow exactly in the path he took, so watch the person in front of you carefully.  If anything drips on you, use a knife to scrape it off immediately.”  Bending down to meet eyes with Gaki, she nodded.  “Show us the way he went.”
Nayeli made her way back to her pack as the others filed out one-by-one, treading a narrow path through the wide room, each walking almost exactly in the footsteps of the one before.  Some water occasionally fell from the ceiling nearby, but never directly onto the group.  Here and there they could see the deceptive substance actually flowing very, very slowly up the walls, trying to return to its perch for another ambush.  Fortunately the path Gaki lead them along did not turn much, and seemed wide enough for even Sarahi to walk safely.  Oro must have held his arms out the whole time to clear as wide a lane as possible.
“That wasn’t so bad,” Nayeli smiled reassuringly as the floor smoothed ahead, free of the tell-tale pockmarks left by the falling slime.  Some natural feature of the ceiling must make it difficult for the stuff to move into this part of the cave.  Gaki, apparently satisfied that her job was done, squeaked something at them and went dashing off into another tunnel ahead, presumably to catch up to Oro and her brother.
They continued following the tunnels for quite a long time.  The dragon’s minions had set up crude ladders and bridges to navigate some of the rougher places, but for the most part the path continued unbroken and relatively obvious, on a slight up-hill slant implying it was winding up into the higher elevations.  Some of the crossings were a little unnerving...such as the natural bridge across one room that was clearly only a patch that had been spared from an ages-old cave-in.  Nayeli called for the group to pause as they crossed this natural pass, and pointed out something moving on the broken floor a couple dozen feet below.  Barely visible in the light of the lantern, the upper half of what might once have been a human scratched at the rough, uneven floor, dragging itself in the party’s general direction.  The flesh had long ago worn off the animated bones, and even its fingers had been ground down from years of crawling across the rock.
“There is an example of what to be alert for as we continue this journey,” the priestess advised, “There are doubtless more trapped beneath the rocks, still trying to dig their way out.  There may be several more already free beyond the reach of our lamp.  So if you hear something scratching the rock or bumping the caverns, please point it out.  It may just be your nerves playing tricks, but it’s just as likely to be a real cause for concern, and I would prefer we make that call as a group.”
Swallowing hard, Kylan swung the light back toward the path and continued the crossing cautiously.  “So pay attention if we hear things,” Tuli clarified, still looking down into the pit below, “What about seeing things?  Is it good to jump at shadows down here?”
“Not ‘good’, but better to err on the side of caution, and trust each other to balance out any paranoia,” Nayeli nodded.  Then, realizing who had asked the question, she prompted, “Are you seeing something?”
“I can’t tell, because the light’s moving and the floor is uneven down there,” the Ferruda admitted, pointing to a place near the edge of the light, a little behind them, “But...there’s our shadows, and it looks like there’s two more behind us trying to catch up, but they’re kind of stretched the wrong—”
“BytheAuthorityvestedinmeIcommandthesun:bringmelight!” Nayeli rattled off so fast her tongue almost didn’t form a couple of the syllables.  A brilliant light flared in the cupped palm of her hand, shrinking and sharpening all shadows on the room.  In the new, brighter light, it was abundantly obvious that two additional shadows were moving along the floor of the room, trying hard to catch up to the shifted shadows of the party, now suddenly cast in the other direction.  Steadying her breath, Nayeli spoke her next words with more clarity: “Oh guardians of dawn and dusk, faithful to keep the dark at bay, let no child of Night escape your blade.  Go forth and cleanse the path of Day, Holy Light!”
The ball of light in her hand exploded into half a dozen beams, lancing through the room in all directions.  It struck the shadows, evaporating them in silent screams.  It struck the skeleton and its previously unseen companions, cracking the ancient bones and driving the unlife from them.  Then it vanished, leaving only the lantern in Kylan’s hands, which suddenly seemed uncomfortably dim to the party.
Nayeli took several deep breaths, gesturing for them to resume walking quickly.  “That was close,” she admitted, “Thank you, Tuli.  Yes, speak out about strange shadows.”
“What was that?” Diya asked, despite a certainty that the answer would only worsen her fears.  Still, better to know what they faced...
“Living shadows,” the priestess explained, “One of the few things Oro will struggle to protect us from.  He can’t eat them, and once they realize his will is every bit as strong and sharp as his sword, they will avoid him in favor of weaker victims.  I’m glad he and the kobolds managed to avoid them.”
“How did they manage that?” Kylan asked, then nearly jumped out of his skin when Oro’s voice answered from the end of the bridge.
“They didn’t notice us since we didn’t have a light,” the Rabbit explained, “If you don’t cast a shadow, there’s nothing for them to attack.”
“Indeed,” Nayeli nodded, “If they touch your shadow, it will become a fight between your souls for possession of your body.  They are spirits lost in darkness, craving physical form.  But once they have it, the realization it is not their original body seems to drive them to despair, and they are quick to commit suicide.”  Nayeli shook her head sadly.  “Returning them to Saint Lady-Of-Ravens or Saint Garrison-Prince-of-Vultures would be the most proper way to deal with them, but I am not familiar with either of their prayers or blessings.  I have no option but to destroy them.”
“So, if they didn’t attack you, what made you come back?” Tuli asked curiously, noticing the kobolds just now catching up and looking perplexed that their master had suddenly doubled back.
The Rabbit’s ears twitched in annoyance.  “We’re not that far ahead, you know.  If she’d stop pointing out every feature like we’re some fusking spelunking tour, you wouldn’t fall so far behind,” he huffed, “But I can generally hear you talking, and certainly recognize a frightened prayer when I hear it.”
“I am sorry, dear,” the priestess nodded, “They surprised me.  If not for Tuli, I would not have noticed them in time at all.”
Oro snorted, staring hard at the busty Ferruda for a minute.  “Fusking idiot,” he grumbled, turning back to the path, “Eyes like a hawk and ears like a bat, but doesn’t know what to do with what she sees.”  Still muttering to himself as he disappeared back into the darkness, Oro snapped his fingers to bring the kobolds skittering behind him again.
Nayeli patted Tuli’s back reassuringly.  “He can’t stand to give compliments, but he’s saying your senses are to be trusted.  Speak up if anything looks out of place to you.  I’d rather find my attention called to harmless rocks than not called to another threat like we just narrowly escaped.”
Her fellow Ferruda nodded her understanding.  “I think I’m getting used to him.  Thank you.”
Eventually they came to another wide cave, mostly level and with a dry floor, to find Oro leaning against a stalagmite as he waited for them.  Gaki and Grik had already spread out their bedrolls and seemed to be having some private discussion between them.  “It’s a little after sundown outside, by my estimate,” the Rabbit explained as the group sidled up to him, “Not that it means anything in here, but you’ll all be feeling the hour soon, and there’s no telling what the tunnels will be like when fatigue starts setting in.  So we’ll rest here for now.”  He pointed off into the darkness ahead of them.  “There’s a small pool of water in the corner over there that should be safe to drink.  If you’ve still got firewood, the ceiling here is tall enough that smoke shouldn’t become a problem if you want a fire.  Otherwise, get cozy as you can.  We move out again when I feel rested.”
With a collective sigh of relief, the Ferruda gratefully put down their packs and took a load off their weary feet.  They’d abandoned the firewood, but there was still plenty of oil for the lanterns, so they spread their bedrolls out around the one they had lit as a substitute.  Dinner was more of the same from lunch, but at least it was filling.  They were still in the midst of filling their bellies when Oro interrupted again.  “You two,” he singled out Nayeli and Sarahi, “I will see in private.  Now.  Bring a light,” he advised, and strode off in the direction of the far end of the cave, not even waiting to be sure they would follow.
But follow they did, dutifully...
“Welcome back,” Diya greeted from her bedroll as they returned to the lamplight a little less than an hour later.  She chuckled at the state Oro was in, unconscious and draped over Sarahi’s back like a rolled blanket.  “Looks like someone got his ritual whether he wanted it or not.”
“Indeed,” Nayeli nodded, crouching next to the little half-breed.  “May we lay him between you and your brother to keep warm?  Tuli and we will bed down a little further that way, so that he’ll be able to get up in the morning.”
Diya and Kylan nodded their understanding, and helped get Oro down from Sarahi’s back and more-or-less into the bedroll between their own.  “So...um...how was it?” the little female asked as they were tucking the naked Rabbit in.
“Weird,” Sarahi answered, rocking her head thoughtfully, “And I’m not sure I’m comfortable talking about it right now.  I want to think on it a little.”
Diya blinked, several times.  “That’s fine and all, but...I just meant the sex, really.  Seems like that’s not all that happened, though.”
“Ah,” the Sha'khari winced in embarrassment, realizing that their companions could not have begun to know all that had gone on between her and Nayeli, especially.  “Um...it was weird,” she ended up repeating, “And I’m not comfortable talking about it right now.  But I won’t be reluctant to do it again, for what it’s worth, so there’s no need to worry.”
Diya curled up in her bedroll behind their husband.  In spite of Sarahi’s words, she looked anxious.  “But I am worried, a little,” she confessed, “First it was Nayeli, and that sounded just awful.  He looked pretty ready to choke Tuli to within an inch of her life last night, before you interrupted.  Then tonight it’s ‘weird’ with you.”  She shook her head with a sigh.  “I can’t help but feel my turn’s coming up, and I’d like to be ready for him.  I’m no stranger to bedroom games, but...honestly, he does scare me.”
Nayeli paused in the midst of dragging her bedroll away from the lamplight, and came back over to kneel on both knees beside the smaller Ferruda.  “He’s not quite so methodical as you give him credit for,” she said reassuringly, “And unlike we three, you and Kylan have done quite well in avoiding his wrath, which seems to be the primary catalyst to his interest.  As it stands, I’d be less surprised to see him going at the kobolds than you, for the time being.”
The little Ferruda sighed happily as Nayeli rubbed her head gently to comfort her, and nodded. “Much as I’d like to feel insulted by that...it is good to know.  Thank you.”
“Thank you,” Sarahi agreed a moment later, as she and Nayeli settled in on the other side of camp, next to Tuli, “For tonight, and all the nights before.  I don’t know what I would have done without you.”
“For starters, probably not be in this situation,” the priestess chuckled, accompanied by a giggle from Tuli, “But you’re welcome, for whatever comforts I do provide.”  Without even bothering to pull her nightshirt back on, the Ferruda flopped into her bedroll and pulled the blanket over her, stretching out on her back with a tired but contented sigh.  “Honestly, it is I who ought to be thanking you.  I have heard ‘thank you’ and ‘please’ and ‘are you okay’ more often and sincerely in the last five days than in all the eight years before them combined...to say nothing of finally consummating my marriage.  Twice,” she purred.  “I will forever be grateful to all four of you.”
Sarahi grinned, laying a large paw over the priestess’ belly as the Sha'khari curled up close and warm at her side.  “I plan to consummate it much more regularly from now on,” she promised, bending down low to press a soft, lingering, soulful kiss to the Ferruda’s lips.
Tuli crawled over on all fours, tail swaying happily as she bowed her face down close to theirs.  “Oo, can I get in on that?” the busty Ferruda cooed, “It was always the one thing I expected to be good at in a marriage.”
“Mmm, and well you should have, if yesterday was any indication,” Nayeli agreed, lifting Sarahi’s chin to push her lips against Tuli’s.  Neither expressed any reluctance accepting the kiss, and Tuli was just sliding her tongue toward Sarahi’s when the Sha'khari seemed to realize...
“Wait, yesterday?” she arched a brow at the priestess below them, “When did this happen?”
It was Tuli who answered with a giggle.  “You were exhausted from the stress of telling him off, so we didn’t want to wake you.  I’ll be glad to make it up to you, so please don’t be mad,” she leaned in to give the Sha'khari another brief kiss, though Sarahi was clearly anything but upset.  The revelation had only surprised her.
Nayeli, below them, only nodded.  “Indeed, and I look forward to indulging all of you again the next time we have an opportunity for a bath.  But tonight...I am very tired now,” the priestess sighed, lifting herself up just high enough to gift a fond goodnight kiss to Tuli’s cheek before rolling onto her tummy, “So if you wish to do more with me, you will have to be satisfied with using my unconscious body.”  None of them were desperate enough for that, so the trio all curled in close beside each other and soon fell asleep.