A Kings Legacy

A King's Legacy

Chapter 18: Praising Moon

By the time Aster had realized what he had done, it was already too late. For some reason he didn't even fully understand himself, he had kissed the tiger in the midst of his rage. As the human quickly pulled away, his face blushed deeply as he rapidly sucked in a hollow gasp. The prior turgid storm of emotions had almost dissipated entirely, replaced by fresh waves of embarrassment, appreciation, and confusion.

Oust only remained silent with his eyes cast to the side. His ears were still pressed flat against his head, and a rumble of his own feelings stirred within his heart where he had long since buried any such concept of romance, of longing for a shred of tenderness from anyone in this world. Aster may have been regretting it as he came to his senses, but surprisingly enough, Oust wasn't certain he himself did. Despite the beating he had endured for the affection, this was the first time something good actually came after someone's anger towards him. It was the human who broke the unbearably awkward silence between them as he stood, dismounting the tiger's wide torso.

"... Sorry... If your father wins the crown, you can execute me for it then... And thank you, Oust... For letting me win..." Oust had even more questions after that statement, but found himself incapable of asking a single one in that moment.

Without another word, (or even mustering up enough courage to simply look at the tiger again,) Aster made his leave, heading back towards the village. Somehow, the boy was feeling lighter than before, despite both his regret at losing his temper, and an entirely new problem weighing heavily on his mind.

Oust could only lay in the dirt and watch the human leave in thoughtful silence. Of all the things he had imagined, that runt making his heart flutter like it had certainly was nowhere near what he had prepared himself for through years of both training his body for a single purpose, and of building that seemingly impenetrable armor around his heart. The tiger was still trying to process it all, but he was certainly a bit scared by the way the runt had just put a crack into that well-forged protection of his.

When Oust finally did gather himself a bit, he found almost all of the frustration he had been feeling during his training under Sir Corper had vanished near entirely. His problems didn't seem quite so isolating to the beast anymore. Without a sound, the tiger quickly pulled his legs up, and kicked himself back to his feet with one powerful motion before he made his way back to the bear, eager to give his training another chance with a renewed sense of worth... With even a touch of peace for his troubled mind.

When Aster had made it back to the village, he saw his wolf already heading his way with that usual fanged smile, and another fresh pang of guilt stabbed into his heart from his self perceived betrayal. When the noble wolf caught a look at his boy in his exhausted and dirty state, a frown replaced his smile, and he quickly hurried over to ask what had happened. Aster paused for a long while, finding himself unable to look his mate in the eyes when he finally did speak.

"I kind of blew up on Oust... We got into a fight."

Stahl felt his own temper flare at the news, and he quickly assumed the worst as he started going off about all the detailed, and colorful variety of ways he would kill that damned tiger. Aster finally managed to get another word in a short while later between his cursing.

"No! It... It wasn't his fault Stahl... I started it... I initiated ALL of it... I had some stuff on my mind, and I was just so angry about it, that I charged him when I saw him... I took it out on him. We fought for a bit, and I knocked him to the ground. I kept hitting him for a while... Then... I... I... I'm sorry..."

Aster was clearly struggling to put it into words. Stahl could only smile kindly at his mate, and then he drew him in close with his signature embrace while he softly reassured his boy.

"Shhh. It's ok, Aster. Whatever happened, as long as you're alright, it will be alright. We will figure it o-"

Aster took a step back, cutting off his wolf and pulling from the embrace as his guilt flared. It wasn't alright... Stahl didn't understand what he had done... How he had betrayed him... Aster finally looked into his wolf's caring eyes then, and shouted far louder than he had intended to.

"I KISSED HIM, STAHL... It's not alright. I'm supposed to be yours... I'm a terrible mate, I know... I..."

Aster cast his eyes down immediately in his guilt, waiting for his wolf to get angry and yell at him, to tell him how horrible of a person he was like he deserved... It never came, and Aster was simply pulled back into that intimate embrace a moment later, completely taken off guard. Stahl chuckled a bit before he gave his answer in that softer voice he found himself using exclusively for his mate these days.

"Whatever happened, I'm just glad you got some of that heavy stuff off of your chest. You seem a lot better than you were a while ago... You're not a terrible mate Aster, a terrible mate would've said nothing about it. It's alright. You have a lot of love in that heart of yours... If you need to express that love sometimes in ways you don't believe you can with me, that's alright too. You're still very new to all this. You're still figuring it out, WE are still figuring it out. I'm not mad... Definitely surprised you kissed Oust of all beasts and still walked away with your life... But I'm not mad, and you shouldn't beat yourself up over it... I'm ok with anything you need to do to be happy, Aster, as long as I still get to hold you like this... I haven't even properly proposed yet, after all... You deserve to experience everything you can... Everything that was always out of reach for you before. I have told you countless times, I will love you regardless, Aster Venatus."

Aster buried his face into his wolf's soft chest once more as he simply basked in his gratitude, his guilt finally fading. He didn't know what he EVER did to deserve such an amazing mate, but he found himself in awe of that luck daily. His wolf never ceased to amaze him with his understanding. Aster felt a wave of relief wash over him at last as his beast simply held him against that comforting body a while longer. Stahl really did always seem to know just what to say to make Aster feel better...

Stahl, in reality, was simply looking forward with an unreadable look on his face as he held his mate in that moment. Stahl was suddenly afraid of losing Aster in an entirely different way than he had ever expected. Both his own jealousy, and his possessiveness surprised him in that moment, and he felt his own little monster stir beneath the moon... Stahl felt he needed to be careful not to let that monster out again. All the while, his stony-faced expression remained far hidden from Aster's view as the boy accepted the comfort he was still providing.

Sir Corper wasn't exactly sure what had happened during the tiger's short break, nor why he suddenly had as many injuries as he did, but the tiger had certainly made a drastic leap of improvement. That self-loathing that lurked just behind his eyes had all but crumbled away. The cub was finally calm at last, and his movements seemed lighter than ever as the bear stood beside him and they went through the steps, still knee deep in the river.

Sir Corper had started his tutelage with having the tiger mimic him, explaining the most important part was keeping a clear and calm head. To move WITH the flow of both his emotions, and of the water, instead of fighting either. The tiger hadn't really grasped a single thing the bear had tried to teach him up to that point, but somehow, the young beast had finally began connecting to what Sir Corper had been saying.

Oust wasn't striking just to try and hit a target anymore, he was striking because that's the way his body flowed in that moment. His jagged strikes that only limited his motions before were becoming more smooth and polished, reducing the time it took the cub to launch another strike behind it. The student was learning to keep a cool head. The tiger was getting faster. The teacher spoke.

"Good. You actually reigned in that temper, young one. You've broken a few of those chains haven't you? You're now ready for the next part... Forget ALL of the movements I have showed you so far."

Oust could only stare at his teacher baffled. He felt like he was finally making some good progress, only to have the rug pulled from beneath him. He spoke, a hint of his frustration resurfacing.

"Master... I don't think I understand?"

Sir Corper gave a burly laugh before he answered.

"No, I wouldn't expect anyone to grasp it so easily... What I mean is, you already know how to fight well. You don't need to keep trying to fight like me. You already know what steps to take. You already know what strikes work for your body, your style so to speak. Now build from that, and apply what I've taught you on executing those movements. It's time you start finding your own rhythm, it's time to start building your own kind of dance, cub. That is how you will learn to use your body to it's full extent. When you can move without thinking about the steps at all, when it all simply comes natural to you, THAT is when you'll finally tap into a bit of that potential you have buried under all those layered on years of shit, my young student."

Oust grumbled a bit, still not certain he even knew how to go about the task. Should he just practice his training steps like when he was younger? The burly brown bear chuckled once more.

"Do not worry, I'll be here to show you. I don't plan on abandoning my student after only a day. You're going to rise to the stars by the end of this, young one. I wouldn't chance stunting that growth for the world at this point... It's not like a grumpy old bear has much else to do these days, after all."

Mollis stood at the edge of the river with a look of sadness, his thoughts were troubled ones. Sure, Captain Rix hadn't returned yet, but that was within reason. The hard-headed bull likely scouted all the way to the Thorned Thicket knowing him... But Mollis was sad for the fallen and wilting tree. He knew who was actually responsible for the destruction... But he felt it was ultimately himself.

Mollis had let his fear grip him a bit too tightly when he had confronted Aster, an old habit the hare had failed to shake it seemed. He hadn't meant to accuse Aster or his brother of foul play, but he just wanted some answers... Answers Aster never had to give. Answers his brother may never be around to give. The hare had accused Aster's own brother of treason mere moments before the boy had discovered he was missing. What's worse, was the way the boy had looked at him when he had assaulted him with the accusations... At first, it was hurt, clear as the daylight, then followed by hatred, darker than the night... Mollis realized how much he had actually meant to the boy then. Aster actually liked him. Well, HAD liked him... And then he undoubtedly broke that part of the boy, as surely as Aster had broken that tree. Mollis felt like he had unintentionally just made the human's life that much harder. That much more lonely.

The hare leaned down, and started picking up some of the fallen fruit. The mage filled his pockets with quite a bit to begin building the crop for the orcs, and even grabbed a few extra just to keep some on him. With a heavy sigh, the rabbit walked away from the sight, casting it one final glance of regret over his shoulder before moving on to where the orcs had designated they wanted the orchard to be planted.

Someone clearing their throat nearby interrupted the human's embrace with his wolf, and Aster turned his head to see Prince Tyfin waiting patiently. The young lion looked more fatigued than Aster had ever seen him before. As the human ended their embrace, the lion began speaking in a lower tone than normal.

"Sorry to interrupt you two, but Aster, I need a word. I promise, for once, it's not bad news... I've already spoke with Stahl."

The boy nodded once, and turned to give his wolf a final peck on the muzzle before following the prince a few paces away. The prince wasted no time getting down to what he needed to discuss.

"Aster... I've been talking with many of the beasts here about what we've learned a while ago. Some of our citizens are choosing to remain here until the future of our kingdom is more certain. Filling in Chief Crag was a bit difficult, as I had to essentially negate all of the promises we had made so far aside from our supply trade... All because I do not know if I will be the ruler of our country anymore... But he is comfortable with them seeking a bit of shelter for the time being. The Regicide's Endeavor is a contest of physical strength as much as it is one of skill in combat... I don't believe I stand much of a chance... If the Candori or Raxos line seizes the crown, as is likely, I'm certain you realize what that would mean for you?"

Aster only dropped his eyes a bit and nodded. He had come to the same conclusion. The lion picked back up.

"Well... Officially... As I am no longer your prince, nor your king at this time... I release you of both your obligations, and of your duty to me. If... If you stay here, you'll be safe. We can make the official story one where you died in the cavern. This may be the only way for you to survive, and I don't want the blood of a friend on my hands... So-"

Aster stopped the lion there, kneeling down immediately to make sure his stance was respected, and his resolve well spoken.

"Tyfin... I am happy that I can say this as someone you consider a friend... You are still my king. I pledged myself to you, and this doesn't change that, because I am nothing but happy with the way I've seen you rule... Yeah, I could hide here, live a life away from danger and such hateful beasts... But I know Stahl can't abandon his family. I know I couldn't just let him leave me behind either. I know I need to find Cortist... Nothing has changed, except your title perhaps... And it is just as you said, the titles and labels placed on you do not change how I feel about you, nor who you are. Thank you for worrying for my sake, but I won't abandon my post, nor my king... And you will always be a king worth serving in my eyes..."

The human looked up once more, smiling as he turned his king's own words further against him.

"You may not understand your own value to those around you, but in time, I will teach you."

The lion only closed his tired eyes and smirked at the boy's reversal before he answered in defeat.

"You really would've been a great king to your people, Aster... Especially since you're letting your mane grow a bit... My father was many things, but he always did say a great king begins with a great mane. It suits you, as does your change in fur... Almost as much as your astounding capacity for benevolence does..."

The Beast paused for a moment, delivering his final verdict on the matter.

"If we reach a point your life will be in direct jeopardy simply for following me, I WILL make sure you are taken to safety, even if I have to have your wolf knock you out and drag you away myself. The Venatus family has lost enough, and your brother Talan shouldn't lose anything more right now."

Aster winced as that name was spoken, visibly shifting in his demeanor. He answered that statement honestly, yet dejectedly.

"Respectfully, my king... I don't believe Talan would give a single thought to slaying me himself if he had the reason... He faults me for replacing his true brother... He hates me for taking that same brother's name. He only looks at me as a reminder of his failure to uphold his promise to his mother... And I understand that. I have understood that for many years now..."

The human resisted the urge to touch his scar, that same reminder from his childhood to NEVER look into his older brother's eyes again... To never speak directly to him again. The prince frowned a bit. Tyfin never did get the full story between Talan and the human, as the panther refused to say much on it when the prince prodded, but before he could ask Aster, Stahl approached once more, butting into the conversation between them at the news.

"Well, that's a really awful reason to hate a sibling. It isn't like you had ANY choice in any of that... It's his loss. Sounds like Talan is a real shortsighted brother... Not that I can say much there..."

It was the prince that winced this time. He was silent for a bit, but felt needed to say something.

"He isn't that bad... He has a lot of hurt, and he felt betrayed by what your father did by bringing you home... But I do know he does care for you, at least to some extent... He did save you back at the Selection Grounds from those fiends..."

Aster scoffed a bit before he retorted.

"Yeah, cause Corty and Father were there. He hates me, I promise you, but he wouldn't do anything that would bring them pain. That's probably the ONLY reason he saved me... I know he is the second in command to your own guard, so I am sure you've seen a different side to him that even I haven't yet... That I probably never will, but I've seen the worst side of him... I bear the scars to prove it..."

Stahl tensed up as his emotions flared, finally getting the information as to who had put those marks on his mate's face... His own brother no less... Before he could say anything more though, Mollis interrupted the group with a small cough. When he locked eyes with Aster and the boy's eyes narrowed a bit, the hare could only look away as he spoke.

"My prince... I have finished the grove of trees for the orcs. Our supply trade is secured, so I figured I should update you... Hey... Aster... Can we talk?" The human was already walking passed the rabbit, giving his answer flatly, and with a hint of resentment as he continued on to anywhere else at the time.

"No."

Stahl and Tyfin were dumbfounded, Aster didn't ever treat Mollis like that... He never treated ANYONE like that. As the human made his sudden departure, the wolf confronted Mollis, even feeling a bit sorry for the hare. "Wow... Sooo... Want to tell us what exactly you two talked about earlier that pissed him off so much? That isn't like him... Least, I've never seen him like that towards anyone... Especially not you."

Mollis let out a heavy sigh of remorse, and explained the gist of the situation, as well as his loss of composure to the other two beasts as they listened on in understanding. Aster hadn't told Stahl about that foreboding and prophetic part about the darkness in the late King Calium's letter, and that exclusion even troubled the noble wolf a bit admittedly.

Aster heard a knock at the door a good while later, just a few moments before dusk. He had returned to his room to get away from everything for a bit, and he was already feeling quite heavy by the time his wolf came to check on him. Even so, the boy forced a smile for his beast as he came inside and closed the door behind himself. Stahl started speaking to his shirtless mate.

"Alright... So... Lets talk about Mollis." The boy just sighed heavily, and rolled onto his back to stare at the ceiling before he finally answered.

"Do we have to? Look, I know I'm kind of being a jerk... But what he did really bothered me Stahl..." The wolf answered patiently.

"I'm certain it did, and I understand why, and so does Mollis... He does regret what he did, or at least, how it all came out... I know you're dealing with a lot, and I just don't want this lingering in your head too, my love. Will you at least talk to him about it? You know, it's a lot easier to stay mad than to say what is needed sometimes, but that solves nothing in the end."

Aster only shut his eyes, and let out a frustrated groan. His wolf was definitely right, but he wanted to think about it a bit longer, so he changed the subject.

"Yeah... I'll talk with him when I'm ready... But how are you holding up? I'm sure you've got plenty on your mind too. I don't even know how you're keeping it together under this moon. If my emotions were any more powerful, I'd probably break completely tonight..."

The wolf took a grim pause before he gave his reply.

"To be completely honest with you, I am worried about a lot of things... But the biggest fears are all centered around keeping you safe, keeping you next to me... I don't think you want to hear about them right now though... So what do you want, Aster?"

The boy thought hard on that. The wolf was clearly taking on too many of Aster's problems, and neglecting his own just for his mate's sake... What did he want to do? Well... If he was being honest... He wanted to make his wolf feel better. He wanted to lighten his load and ease his mind a bit. He wanted to give his knight some proper care for that desire he had so obviously failed to hide from the boy beneath the moon's light.

"Come lay down with me. I think we both need a good distraction right now, and I think you've got just the tool for the job... If you're up for a little attention that is, my wolf?"

Stahl flashed that fanged smile before answering enthusiastically.

"I'll always be up for any attention you have to spare for me, my mate."

The ashen wolf paced over to his boy, stripped himself down completely, and pulled himself right up against his human. His larger body cradled the smaller one gently as they simply laid there looking at each other for a short moment.

Aster rolled onto his side, and snuggled into the wolf's chest, lightly brushing his nose side to side, and tickling his flesh on the soft fur as he nuzzled closer into his mate. He felt his own member stir beneath his pants, but wasn't planning on giving it much thought tonight. He took a long, heavy breath inwards, and spoke as he released it with a sigh of satisfaction.

"You know... Your smell really is calming, my wolf... But I'm not quite ready for rest... Lay on your back? I'd like to explore you this time if that's alright?"

The beast only smiled in his anticipation, as his sheath had already started to swell. He answered his boy affirmatively, rolling over to lay on his back and crossing both muscular arms behind his head. His bushy tail poked out between his legs as the noble wolf sprawled out and relaxed, giving over full access to himself before he answered.

"That's more than alright, Aster. I'd really love that right now. You explore however you please. Let me know if you have any questions for your teacher..."

The wolf flashed his cocky smirk as he finished his statement, setting up the invitation for his mate. Stahl wanted Aster to enjoy this, but the wolf wanted to fan those darker flames of his ego just a bit too. He was feeling a bit more playful than usual, something Aster had been looking forward to taking full advantage of.

The boy only smiled softly in return, and rolled on top of Stahl before he pressed his nose and hands back into his mate's chest, huffing his wonderful smell there just a few more times before he slowly started tracing his nose downwards, coming to rest right at his wolf's belly button with his legs planted between the beasts own. Aster could feel the heat of his wolf there beneath him as he simply remained hovering just above the growing tool while he affectionately kissed at his mate's soft belly fur.

Stahl closed his eyes as his smile grew in mischievous thought, tilting his head back just a bit as he further relaxed into the tender touch and gathered his thoughts. Stahl had paid close attention to what all had excited his mate, and had acquired quite a hefty list of things ranging all over the place... Everything from instances of humiliation, to trembling beneath a clawed touch, to craving someone to guide him. Stahl was ready to see how much Aster really wanted from him. He would let his boy lead, but he would certainly be doing his part to stoke those flames. When he spoke, there was the slightest hint of a barking tone in Aster's opinion. Something a bit sharper than normal that the human liked.

"So, finally ready to taste your wolf then, boy?"

Aster shuddered as he failed to stop his own smile from forming at the wanted treatment. He paused in his kissing, and tilted his head up to lock eyes with his beast. The boy had a look of pure delight when he gave his answer proudly.

"Yes, I am... Any advice, my wolf? I want this to be good for you... Your maw was fantastic, so I want to be the same for you."

Stahl almost held in his huff of excitement, but only spoke reassuringly, trying to make sure he soothed his mate's doubt.

"Just do what you're comfortable with. If you want a few good beginner tips... I don't usually have this issue with my long muzzle, but don't lose your cool if it touches the back of your throat. Keep breathing as you need, its alright to take a break... Mainly just be mindful where your teeth are. When you're ready, squeezing the knot will nearly guarantee I'll finish every time... My member will swell as you progress, so keep that in mind. It gets largest right when I climax, so you should also be aware of that, in case you didn't fully catch on last night... Most importantly, just enjoy yourself, Aster, and know that I'll love whatever attention you do show me."

Aster only nodded a bit, his cheeks already flushing as his ears burned in anticipation of what he was about to do. The boy slowly brought his head a bit lower, and found himself staring at the snug sheath in fascination, the growing red tip already exposed a good bit. Aster could feel the sheer heat that pulsed off the tool against his face, but more than anything, the boy found himself becoming entirely enthralled by the overpowering musky scent of it all.

He had always loved his beast's smell, but it was far more potent in ways he hadn't expected near that fuzzy set of swinging balls the boy was eyeing with delight. There was something heady about that scent, something that almost seemed threatening. Something overpowering. Something delightfully superior to the human. Something that made the boy crave subservience to his mate in the most disturbing, yet exciting way... Something that sent the boy an instinctual message that he should be servicing such a formidable malehood... That he should even feel lucky to. There was an unmistakable scent of a powerful male here, and it coaxed out primal feelings from within Aster his wolf never would have guessed were there. Aster was about to awaken to exactly how much he enjoyed sucking on a dick.

The boy brought a hand up to gently stroke at the sheath, enjoying the springy and firm feeling of the growing flesh stirring more beneath his touch. Stahl let out a short and content moan from the treatment, giving Aster all the confirmation he needed to continue. The boy was studying the hefty feel of the swelling tool with a sense of awe and appreciation. It felt so different than his own, but more than anything, he was just so stricken by how big it felt in his hands. He wondered how it ever fit inside him, but was feeling proud that it had.

As Aster gave it another little squeeze, Stahl let his instincts get the best of him, and bucked his hips up about two inches, smearing his leaking tip against Aster's cheek in the process. Aster failed to stifle his laugh, but was happy to see his beast was in such need. The boy glanced up at his wolf with a mix of passion and mischief gleaming behind his eyes as he spoke playfully to his knight.

"Glad to see he's excited... Tell me what you want wolf." Aster thought it would be fun to mimic what the wolf had done the night before, but was taken aback when he was hit with a reply that made him visibly shudder from excitement. Stahl was finally strumming on the darker chords of Aster's desire.

"Why don't you just be a good little pup, and put that dick in your mouth already, boy." It took every bit of willpower Aster had not to whine pathetically when he heard his beast talk to him like that. He had no idea why, but that felt like the most erotic thing he had ever heard before. It was something he craved to hear more of... He wanted nothing more than to be that good pup for his wolf as long as he kept talking to him like that. The human lowered his face down, extended his tongue, and, with one meaningful and exhilarating swipe, passed it over the exposed half of his mate's crimson tool up to the tip, getting a heavy first dose of how the beast tasted. They both moaned together at the sensation it brought upon them.

The human lost his self restraint, and decided he wanted nothing more than to pleasure his beast, so he slid his face up a bit, and wrapped those pale, tender lips hungrily around the tip of the tool, sucking a few inches into his warm maw as his wolf gave another gentle buck. Aster began sliding his head over the piece, bobbing lightly as he savored and studied the potent taste proficiently. Stahl moaned once more from the administration, coaxing his boy to go even further. Aster did not keep him waiting, and picked up his pace, taking a good five inches in, barely making his lips passed the thickest point before the tip pressed against the back of his throat. The boy was surprised at how quickly it made him heave, but remained holding his prize within his maw caringly, recalling the beast had instructed him not to let that sensation deter him.

Aster stayed like that for a few moments, pressing the thick girth of the beast towards the back his throat repeatedly, trying to gain some control over his gagging response, and eliciting stifled moans and grunts of pleasure from his wolf all the while. He wasn't going to let anything deter him from having his fill, and picked up his pace a hair, doing his best to give the beast everything he deserved to feel. A touch of instinct came to the human then, and he started giving his tongue a couple of light flicks against the underside of the slick flesh, bringing further sensational ecstasy to the wolf as he only amplified the suction after witnessing the twitching response it spurred from the tepid tool.

Stahl was in a state of pure bliss, eyeing the boy servicing him with a smug look. This felt right to Stahl. This is what he wanted to see, his mate using that alluring mouth to bring him pleasure. Giving it everything he had to make his beast feel desired, to make Stahl feel good. There was a sense of power it brought him, and perhaps that is what spurred the wolf to coax his boy on a bit further, all while being mindful to remind him of how good of a job he was doing.

"By the gods, you're doing so damned good boy... I could watch you feast of that fat dick for hours." The wolf finished his praise with a light groan in satisfaction. Aster trembled beneath the vulgarity, happy he was pleasing his beast this way.

The human adjusted his head a bit, and placed a hand on either side of the wolf's powerful thighs, picking up his pace after such wondrous affirmation that Stahl really was enjoying the treatment. Aster almost made himself heave again with a particularly deep stroke, and was starting to get frustrated at the constant interruption. Stahl noticed, and felt he should offer a bit more advice.

"When it reaches the back, make a swallowing motion. Don't fight it, take it slow and just let it glide in. It'll make it a bit easier to manage... If you can. If not, I'm happy to have even this. I'm just happy to have YOU, my mate... Fuck, you really are good at this..." The beast let out another sensational sigh as Aster sucked just a bit harder from his reinforcing words.

Aster was positively flushed, his skin burning under such high praise. He loved hearing how good he was doing. He loved hearing his wolf credit his attempts. He just loved that thick, swollen, burning, malehood driving into him like it was. He loved servicing his wolf, almost as much as he loved the praise that came with it. The boy steeled his resolve alongside his desire to swallow the beast, and pressed down once more, gagging lightly as the tip pressed against his throat. This time, however, Aster did as was instructed by his mate, and made the swallowing motion. It seemed a bit awkward to the boy, but any sense of discomfort was immediately swept away when Stahl let out a very verbal gasp as his tool slid another two inches into the wet, tight throat of his boy.

It took every measure of strength the beast had to refrain from forcing himself down to his hilt in that moment, but luckily for the wolf, he wouldn't have to wait much longer anyway. Stahl gently moved a hand from behind his head, and firmly brought it to rest on the back of his boy's head, softly coaxing the human to continue, but not forcing him to quite yet. That gesture was all Aster needed.

The human adjusted his position a bit, and pressed down once again, forcing more of the canine cock to pierce his throat. Aster was a bit worried Stahl wouldn't be able to go much further, as his thickness filled his throat to the point it was visibly bulging the tunnel out a bit already, but the boy found with a little pressure, he was able to make the last of it glide down without too much discomfort. Without much warning, Aster felt the hand on his head squeeze him down further, pressing his nose into the sheath of the beast, and his lips against the forming knot, flooding his senses with both that wonderful scent, and a sense of being used for his beast's needs more than ever before. It was enthralling for both of the mates.

"FUUUUCCCKKKK!" Stahl practically whined, "You're such a good lover... This is the best maw I've ever had, and just know, I'm being completely honest when I say that... Tell me, pup, enjoying yourself down there? Liking the way your wolf tastes?"

Aster shuddered a bit violently, his breath being stolen away from both the presence of his larger intruder, and those delightfully sating words. He loved being a warm spot for his wolf. He loved feeling the beast stretch him to his limits. He loved everything about his mate, and he moaned his response lustfully, his voice muffled around the girth pressing into him.

Stahl smiled in a feeling of accomplishment, happy his mate was enjoying this as much as he himself was. The wolf released his grip a bit, and pulled out a few inches, allowing the boy to take a heavy gulp of air in. As Aster went to dip back down a moment later, Stahl tightened his hand into a fist, firmly holding the boy up by the tuft of fur remaining on the center of his head, keeping the bulk of the length just out of his boy's reach. Aster looked to his wolf with eyes dazed by lust, wondering what the pause was for, but enjoying the sensation of having his hair pulled all the same. Stahl gave him the reason a second later.

"Tell me what you think about that dick stretching your throat out, boy, and I'll let you keep going, if you want." Aster felt his own tool twitch in response. He lustily poked his tongue out, giving the head a light lick before answering his beast, his gold and brown eyes brimming with need and desire as he did so.

"Fuck... Stahl, can we...Can we do this every moon?" The boy let out an honest huff of a laugh before he continued. "This might be even better than sex. Tasting you like this... Swallowing you like this... Pleasuring you like this... I never want to stop... And you're finally letting that other side out a bit, too... And I love him just as much as the rest of you..."

Aster dropped his eyes again, staring at his beast's tool, admiring how some purplish veins had started popping up as the knot swelled right outside of the sheath. The boy spoke again, tossing the beast up one final wink as he did.

"Now, let me get back to my prize for being such a good boy, my wolf." Stahl was more than satisfied with that answer. It seemed they were both still feeling the same about the experience. He relaxed his grip on Aster's hair, and smoothed his rough paw back over the prickly, shaved scalp as the human dove back down hungrily, eager to take the beast back to the base once more. Stahl's moaning continued, as did Aster's enthusiasm.

The boy was taking it down to the knot relatively easy, finding himself a natural born cocksucker it would seem, a realization that brought him a satisfying sense of pride and accomplishment. The human was determined to make sure he WAS the best maw the beast had ever had. It may as well have been another mission for the boy at that point, one he had developed a sly plan to ensure his victory in.

Aster shifted his focus down, deep throating his beast well, swiping at the base of the shaft with his tongue as he glided the widest part of it over the arch to slip into the back of his maw as well. It was impossible to breathe through his mouth, but the boy realized he could still breathe a bit through his nose even with this part down. It was strained, but he could draw air still... His idea could actually work.

Just as Stahl was starting to catch on, and before he could even think to stop his mate, Aster plunged himself forward, opening his mouth as wide as he could, and clamped it down over the partially formed knot. He quickly moved his arms to lock behind Stahl's muscular back, just above the tail, and held himself down firmly, prepared for the backlash, but also to hold his ground.

Aster didn't care, he may not have been able to handle it inside of him yet, but he had judged he could handle this, and he wanted to. He wanted to be the first thing his wolf knotted, ever since he first found out the wolf never had before. Aster was determined to do this, but he was soon to find he may have both overestimated his own capability, as well as underestimated his wolf's size. Stahl did realize, however, and was immediately filled with panic as his mind raced on.

`Shit... SHIT SHIT SHIT...No... He can't, he wont be able to breathe! He doesn't realize...'

Stahl snapped back to attention, quickly sitting up and placing both hands on Aster's head, half from the urgency to pull out, and half from the unbelievable pleasure of that warm throat that was threatening to overtake his reason entirely. The wolf quickly began barking at his boy.

"Dammit! ASTER! SPIT IT OUT! It's too big! It will get stuck! You could suffocate! I don't have to have this yet- AHHH!"

Aster squeezed his beast even more around the waist, and clamped his lips tighter on the other side of that rapidly growing mass forcing his jaw wider by the second. He interrupted Stahl's pleading swiftly with the motion, not caring for any reasoning at that time. He needed this. If he had to go five minutes or so without air, it didn't seem impossible to the human. This, of course, was another grave miscalculation on Aster's behalf.

By the time Stahl was able to work himself free enough from the grip to even attempt to pull himself loose before it was too late... Well... It was already too late. He wasn't coming passed those teeth again for a while. He had swollen near fully and was stuck, and neither of them could do anything about it by that point no matter what. They were going to have to ride it out.

Since Stahl did have a little more knowledge on how it all worked, (As well as his experience making fast calls in battle,) he made some quick decisions that would at least make it as easy as possible on the unsuspecting boy. Aster may have been taking a fool's gamble, but Stahl couldn't lie about enjoying himself also if he wanted to. Watching his mate be the first to have him like that? Well... There was really no point in not enjoying it anymore.

Stahl held his boy's head in place as he adjusted his position, coming to stand on both of his knees. Aster was brought to rest on all fours, his nose firmly trapped against the beast's soft belly fur. Aster's jaw was forced open as wide as it would go, and he felt the knot trying to swell even still, pinning his tongue down and out of the way as the tool started to twitch. Aster's cheeks bulged a bit as the wolf's girth quickly filled its new, wet little hiding place with enthusiasm. Aster tilted his head back just a bit to look up at his wolf, and found he could still BARELY draw air in through his nose. He struggled to do so, but it would be enough for a few minutes. He felt another heavy twitch, and a bone chilling sound from above him made the boy tremble in delight as the beast watched on with those piercing, silvery eyes. With such predatory eyes...

Stahl was growling, approaching his orgasm at unstoppable speed. He had delayed it as long as he could, to give his mate time to prepare, but that grace period was rapidly coming to an end. The beast spoke in a near snarl then, trying to make sure his boy knew what was coming, just before he lost himself in the finality of his carnal need being fulfilled at last.

"Keep swallowing... That's all you can do now... Breathe between spurts... I'll try to slow it but... AHH!... I... I hope you're fucking ready, boy, cause you've got at least twenty minutes of this... Here it... Here it comes, pup. I hope you're thirsty... Drink up!" A truly devious flash of sharp teeth overtook the beast's muzzle as he grinned down triumphantly at his trapped prey. The boy was his. Aster was tied, and he was going to drain himself into his mate no matter what now. He could only trust the human could handle it. He could only respect his decision. He could only close his eyes and howl as he finally started firing down his unbelievably stretched throat.

Aster felt his beast's hefty sack draw up against his chin, he felt the burning tool pulse within his very throat as it bulged around the mass. He felt something hot splash against his chest with a great deal of force from the inside, and he knew his wolf was finally laying claim to that tunnel as well. He had made him climax. He had reached his goal. He was starting to worry as he recalled the notion that the beast would be stuck for twenty minutes... But then he heard that glorious howl, and his determination steeled. He would fulfil his duty to the end, and he would do it without further complaint. He really was determined to be the best boy ever for his mate. He would greedily drink all the noble wolf had to give him, and he would do so willingly, and dutifully.

Stahl shot at least twelve heavy shots right down that muzzle before the intensity associated with each finally started dying down. He had never came like that... It was so snug... This was an entirely new level of pleasure... And this was just the boy's mouth. The wolf made a silent oath that day. He would properly tie his mate within the year. He would feel himself locked inside of the boy's velvety passage, and he would fill Aster then just as he is now.

His light growl of satisfaction returned briefly as he looked back down to catch his mate's eyes. His boy had a look of pure acceptance and submission on his face. Aster had small tears streaming down his face from the earlier blowjob, and they only made the scene that much sweeter to the wolf. The boy had chosen his place. The boy had chosen his beast's pleasure over his own comfort once again. Stahl shivered in both awe, and in gratitude as he spoke, gently cupping the boy's gaping jaw.

"Just hang in there Aster. You're doing great... No... You're doing AMAZING, my mate... You're the best boy a wolf could ever hope for. Thank you..."

Aster went to grunt his reply, but timed it all wrong, and almost inhaled a fresh spurt, only making himself vainly choke on the discharge, unable to pull away if he wanted to. Stahl couldn't resist but to chuckle a bit at such an adorable sight, but quickly went to help his mate how he could.

"Calm down. I'll tap you before each spurt. Time your breathing around it. Just clear your head, and keep swallowing when I tap. You don't have much other choice at the time. The flow will die off soon... Just close your eyes, and focus solely on me, and your breathing. You can do this. You're already doing it."

Aster was able to overcome his panic with Stahl there to guide him. He did as he was told once more, and closed his eyes, struggling at first to clear his throat a bit and to breathe through his nose, but managing it after a short second later. He breathed in deeply as best as he could, and quickly paused when he felt the gentle touch of his wolf lightly tapping on his cheek. He swallowed the timed spurts with a lot more ease from that point on, and even though his jaw was aching terribly by the end, he had managed to hold on for a solid eight minutes until he only felt the twitching of the tool, no longer accompanied by the warm blasts of wolf seed. The beast smiled contently as he spoke.

"Well, I think I'm finally empty... The knot is still going to be there for a while longer though... Hang in there my mate. I'll pull it free as soon as I am able to... Hope you enjoyed your dinner?"

The beast flashed his fanged, cocky smile down at the boy just as he looked up to react to the remark. Aster actually scoffed a bit around the girth, before simply giving a wink and a grunt as his answer. An evident yes. Aster was still incredibly hard, despite everything, so Stahl had leaned forward a bit to try and grab a hold of the boy's piece to relieve his straining mate a bit, but the boy's hand stopped him by the wrist. Aster managed to shake his head just enough to get his point across, he didn't want to be touched yet. He was enjoying the neglect. He wanted all the pleasure to stay with his wolf. He only wanted to please his wolf. Nothing else mattered to him that night.

Another fifteen minutes went by, and Aster wasn't sure how much longer he could really hold out. His arms were shaky, and his entire head was on fire from both the lack of oxygen, and from being forced open so wide for so long. It felt like hours, and as torturous as his situation was becoming, his own malehood throbbed on in its confined space all the while. Stahl shifted his weight just a bit, and Aster found a glimmer of hope at last, as the knot finally slipped in place ever so slightly within his mouth, finally giving a sign that it was deflating at last, albeit, very much taking its time to do so.

Stahl felt the pressure on his weapon letting up at last, and knew he should be able to work it free soon. He shifted around just a bit, and felt his shaft slide around ever so lightly within the well coated passage. The wolf patiently waited another three minutes before he felt the swelling drop to a point where he could try to work it out. With a deep breath inwards, Stahl began tugging ever so gently, twisting his hips a bit, trying to find a way to both work the bulge free, and to give his boy some proper air. Aster grunted a bit as the tool rolled in his throat, but was happy to find his breathing was getting a little less strained by the seal finally breaking. He could almost even adjust his jaw, and knew the end of his task was fast approaching.

It took another two minutes of finding the right angle, but eventually, the spent girth of the knot slipped passed the boy's teeth at last, pulling from the encasing flesh with a very wet "Plop," as the beast slid his entire shaft free of his mate's well worked throat and maw, heavily saturated by the thick juices. Aster gasped to suck in air, and found his throat still heavily coated with the thick discharge left behind. The boy tried to swallow to clear it up some, but it seemed he'd just have to adjust to the feeling for a while after the attempt helped little. He felt incredibly full, almost to the point of nausea. His jaw felt locked up, and his breathing was ragged, but even still, the boy remained painfully erect. He was still so damned turned on by the entire experience.

Stahl reached a reassuring hand down to stroke Aster's back as the boy struggled to regain control of his body. The beast spoke with his gentle tone then, completely losing all traces of the domineering side which had been lacing his more verbal commands uo to that point.

"Are you alright, Aster? That was a lot... So-" The human cut the beast of by simply raising up a hand, and clamping it over his muzzle gently before he cleared his throat and gave his answer in a slightly raspy tone as he raised his eyes to meet those ashen ones.

"Stahl... Don't you dare apologize... Yeah, it was a lot... A lot of fun. Look, I'm definitely spent, and it was a lot longer than I expected... But I want to do it again already." Aster flashed Stahl his own devious smile, his beast was certainly not expecting that answer. Aster relaxed his grip on his wolf a bit before he continued in his playful tone.

"What you finally gave me? I want more of. Not always, of course... But that was nice... And I don't mean just the tie, I mean all of it. I loved you being a little rough on me for a change. I loved all the praise, and I loved barely being able to breathe around your dick for some strange reason... But more than anything, I loved seeing the part of yourself you try to hide from me... It was nice to meet that wolf... And it was nice to offer him my maw for damn sure! He seemed very grateful, so I know I'd do it again too... After all, I'm learning certain wolves can't seem to resist a good boy, can they?"

The human looked his beast dead in the eyes with a triumphant smirk on his face. Aster adjusted his hand, and leaned upwards as he pulled his wolf down gently into a kiss, thankful for the entire moment. Stahl flashed a goofy grin at his human when they broke the kiss. Seems Aster really got into that "Good Boy," headspace. He did like a little aggression after all. Stahl still enjoyed taking jabs at him though, so he swiftly spoke his retort.

"I can't say for sure... But after the ravenous way you just attacked my knot... Not sure `Good Boy,' even begins to cover it." Aster huffed in amusement before he responded, leaning up to speak to his beast just as he pushed him onto his back, coming to rest on the hefty chest once more as he stared his wolf in the eye.

"long as I get to be your good boy, I'm happy to have the title... I definitely prefer it over `My King,' for certain. It feels right when you call me your boy... And I want to be good at being your boy... So just let me be your good boy when I feel the need. Or when you do, my wolf. I think we both enjoyed that, so no need to pretend we didn't. It won't always need to be like that, but sometimes... I think it did us both some good." Aster closed his eyes, and smiled softly as he laid his ear against Stahl's heart, still beating quickly from the recent excitement. This was where he belonged, laying against his warm spot. Laying against his sated wolf. Stahl simply wrapped his arms around the hard working boy tenderly, thinking the exact same thing as his mate was. The two managed some well earned rest for the second evening in a row that night.

Captain Rix had made steady progress in his mission to scout ahead, finding little that would impose them up to that point. The captain had walked all night since he had departed the village, and continued on through most of the morning. He allowed himself three hours of rest when the sun was at its highest, but continued his march onwards until evening approached shortly after. The stubborn yet staunch bull hadn't rested nearly enough, and had simply powered on, making good progress as he did so. He hadn't been overheating, and his food and water supply were still pretty decent also, so he didn't figure he would have much to worry about at that point. He was only a short ways away from the thicket when the tree line came into his sights as he reached a bit of higher ground... Unfortunately for the Captain, that wasn't the only thing to come into his sights as his range of vision grew.

"Eight hundred... Maybe even a thousand..."

The captain's mind raced to deduce everything it could about the opponent as the bull quickly and quietly dropped in his place, silently praying he hadn't alerted such a force to his presence.

The force even such a mighty warrior was hiding from, was a truly imposing gathering of hundreds of fiends. There were two larger ones that could possibly even be considered lower demons counted among them. But the most puzzling part of the large gathering, was how impossibly still they all were. In that moment, they truly looked like they themselves were a part of the jagged, thorny bushes that sprouted up where the landscapes met.

Captain Rix gathered what info he could for a while longer. He didn't like this, it was out of place. It was intentional. It was a wall to block passage, placed where it could be easily avoided in plain sight. It was a calculated warning, and a guide. The thicket was off limits, and any who dared attempt to breach the wall would surely be met with a gruesome end. The bull finally pulled away, and began making his way back to report to his prince. He made it about two hundred paces before he heard something behind himself that made his blood run cold. There was a first a hollow, piercing cry that resounded into the air, and then the unmistakable rumble of hundreds of feet suddenly marching on. The noble bull gave one look behind himself, and the growing cloud of dust gave him all the answer he needed. The fiends were heading his direction. They were heading towards the village.

The great brown bull grunted at his misfortune, and shifted his water supply off of his broad shoulder. The bull downed two gourds with swiftness, casting aside the empty shells after, not wanting any extra weight slowing him down. The beast held the ropes on the last four in his larger right hand to steady their sloshing as he stretched towards the sky just a bit, mentally cursing himself.

`Well... That damned hare was right as usual... Should've rested more.' The renowned captain squatted down just a bit, drawing in one more deep breath before he launched forward, his powerful hooves breaking into the dry dirt below as he barreled into a steady, and measured sprint. If he paced himself, he could make it back by dawn to give his warning... The captain could only pray he would make it with enough time left.

Sorry for the delay! Sinus infection knocked me on my ass for a few days. This was almost just split in two chapters, but there was no hard line to draw, so it just became a longer one. Hope you enjoy where it goes as always, and hope you all enjoyed Aster's first taste of the rougher side of sex. I was trying to write Stahl as more of a soft Dom without going too overboard yet, and appreciate any feedback there, just as I always appreciate hearing from you guys! I always worry I draw out the sexual scenes too much, but I like being thorough. Until next chapter -Pup Bayou.