Fenza: She of the Forest

1,570 AQ – TANGLEWOOD, A TOWN ON THE CONTINENT CORINA.

Ulily was talking politics again. Grun's ale always did that to him, making post-patrol nightcaps at the Have Another alehouse especially grueling for Nard.

"Heads up their asses, the whole lot of em!" Ulily bellowed, slamming his mug on the table. "I'll tell you this (hic) tell you this right now. Next elections, I vote for the opposite who I want to win. Cuz every (hic) damned time I cast a vote, it's always (hic) always opposite who I pick!"

Grun scrunched his green Orcish face, growled in disapproval, and continued serving drinks.

Nard was always embarrassed when his Commander got sloshed in this manner, but understood Ulily's reasoning. Tanglewood's Central Hub had recently ratified a decision to cut the Shadow Patrol's budget by 20%. The mayor had only seemed half-convinced when he stated the reasoning.

"Shadows are lessening, he says," Ulily grumbled. "The Shadows are as damned thick as they were when the Chaos Demon was dragged under the water. They're as (hic) thick as when I was a brat in training clothes, as when the mayor was preened off his mama's tits. 20% of a budget cut? He'll see. He'll see when we're stuck in the thick, surrounded by thirty Narangorn with dead batteries in our broken Kickers. When his precious town's overrun by Shadowspawn and his whores are screaming for mercy in the dark of his suite, he'll, he'll see."

Ulily took a sip and gently lowered his mug. His sudden silence gave Nard, Pre, Legi and Ocolla hope that there wouldn't be an incident.

That hope was fleeting because Vae was equally knocked.

"Why don't you shut up about Narangorn?" Vae whined.

"Excuse me?" Ulily barked. "You'd do well to watch your tongue when speaking to your Commander, boy."

Vae would, except he was drunk. "No damned Narangorn in this part of the country. Hell, Narangorn don't even exist anymore."

Nard and Ocolla exchanged a worried glance. They knew what was coming.

"No Narangorn..." Ulily made a show of scooting his chair until he was inches from Vae's face.

"I apologize, Vae. Y'see, these old ears ain't what they used to be and I get confused. Believe you said something about no Narangorn?"

"That's exactly what I said," Vae clarified, too wasted to back down from Commander Ulily's attempted intimidation. "It takes an especially dire Shadow to produce Narangorn."

Ulily grinned a passive-aggressive grin. "Boy, I've seen Shadows of the direst. I ever tell you the story? About why I trans—"

"—yeah, yeah, you told us all the story!" Vae snapped.

Ulily pointed an intrusive finger. "Boy...I am eleventy paces past tolerance of your disrespect!"

Grun looked up again. One suspicious eye expanded.

"Fifteen of my Mates died that night," Ulily continued. "The godsdamned Narangorn surrounded us without a twig snap, and then I was covered in my Mates' blood. Now you look me in the eye, boy. You look me in the eye and you tell me Narangorn don't exist!"

"Piss off with that stink Orcish ale breath," Vae retorted. "It was your own incompetency, you drunken old straggler."

Ulily's chair seemed to fall of its own accord. The Commander jumped up, sending his mug crashing to the floor.

"THAT'S IT!" he yelled. He readied his fists. Vae did the same.

"No, that is it for YOU!" a raspy voice boomed. Grun was closing in on their table.

"I warned you," the towering, muscular humanoid growled, baring his Orcish fangs. "I granted you leniency to return here in exchange for good behavior. Piss in my eyes, will you!? Out! The same goes for the rest of you! Go! Get!"

Nard would sooner swallow a Stinger battery than argue with an Orc. The others shared the same sentiment. They began to leave.

Ulily was not done.

"Let me remind you who I am." Ulily was reeling on drunken legs. "I am Commander of the Shadow Patrol's Eastern Wingspan, answering only to the Chief! And an Orc orders me around!"

"Leave," Grun insisted. His patience had burned completely through.

"Shadows may as well have shat out your kind as well!" Ulily barked.

Grun's arm shot out at amazing speed, grabbing Ulily by his uniform collar and lifting him high into the air. Ulily kicked and struggled like a misbehaving child as the Orc led him to Have Another's front entrance and tossed him face down in the landing lot.

The others were waiting outside. Grun gave them all a final hateful glance and slammed the alehouse's doors.

An enraged Ulily pried himself off the gravel. His face was cut and bleeding.

"Throws me out in the street!? I'll arrest him!"

"So you're a City Guardsman, now?" Vae sneered. "You don't have the authority to arrest him, Commander."

Nard normally sanitized himself of these affairs, but tonight it had gotten far out of hand.

"Alright, that's enough," he said, stepping between the two. "Would someone kindly take them home? Both of them?"

Ulily confronted Nard. "I have my own pod, thank you."

"And you're drunk," Nard calmly countered.

Ulily shook his intoxicated head. "Another Mate disrespects me. I'll take you on, you little were-rat. Both of you!"

"I'll drive them home," Ocolla volunteered, taking Ulily's hand. "Come on, Commander. I'll send someone for your pod. You too, Vae."

Ulily's face was contorted in anger. But Ocolla's offer disarmed him and Vae didn't protest. As the two staggered behind Ocolla toward her own roadpod, Nard was struck by how beautiful she looked in the moonlight, even beneath her modest SP armor.

Nard turned to Pre and Legi, the remaining Mates. "Please don't mention this at HQ tomorrow night. If Chief Zy asks, keep your answers short."

They nodded in agreement.

"We have this routine memorized," Pre said.

"Good." Nard walked away.

Pre ran to walk with him. "That was a stir and a half. Worst one I've seen yet."

"Let's hope it's the last, especially at Have Another," Nard bitterly replied. "Grun will probably murder the Commander next time."

"Nasty business," Pre said. "Oh, but speaking of nasty business—"

"—she's a Mate of the Shadow Patrol, Pre. Bound in respect and fellowship, remember? I can't betray Ocolla's trust."

"You're a lucky boy," Pre grinned.

They'd reached Nard's roadpod, a red triangle resting its belly on the ground. Members of the City Guard were supplied government issued vehicles; Shadow Patrolmen provided their own transportation.

"'Luck' I'm not so sure of, Pre," Nard said. "Anyway, I'd better get home. Tonight wore me out."

They watched Ocolla's pod hiss and then levitate two feet off the ground, steam exhaling from its four undercarriage boosters. Its propeller rockets lit with blue fire and the pod left. Legi's followed suit.

Pre slapped Nard's shoulder. "Well, best of luck to you, in any circumstance."

Nard returned the gesture and smiled. "Likewise, friend."

As Pre walked away, Nard let out a deep sigh. He popped the hatch on his two-seated pod and climbed in. A thumbprint brought the engine to life, and soon Nard was floating.

He drove away. Roadpods are steered with a gearshift [steerstick] that also governs the speed depending on how much pressure is applied.

The radio [transmodule] was on. "That was Leafsteps with their classic hit, 'Return to Harmony,'" a gentle and frail voice proclaimed. "Right now it is 4:17 MT [morntime] and you are listening to The Rose Garden, nothing but soothing Elven melodies to carry you through the day, and the night. Up next, after a word from our benefactors, a special treat for you all: a never before played composition from Tanglewood's own Etaeli. Stay in feed."

Nard listened to all music, but after tonight's debacle at Have Another he decided to keep The Rose Garden on. Etaeli was among his greatest friends.

Still, even with Etaeli's beautiful spoken word prose over the harp, Nard could not shake the violent images and sounds from earlier. 'Bound in respect and fellowship.' Evidently not when ale was concerned.

At this time of morning the roads were silent and abandoned. Shadow Patrolmen of small communities were used to quiet rides home. They worked in the forests and swamps in the dead of night and slept during the day.

Shadows only appeared at night, which was understandable. They'd been birthed in darkness, remnants of Chaos Demon Qalech's reign of terror across the globe. After Qalech was sealed beneath the stormy seas it left behind not only a ruined world, but the Shadows, malicious fog from which twisted creatures emerged. 1,570 years later, Shadows remained a persistent problem. Thus, every city and town had its own designated Shadow Patrol, armed men and women separate from the City Guard who hunted and killed what the Shadows spat out.

The Shadows themselves were unkillable. Many had tried, but Shadows always reformed despite the greatest efforts.

Nard's thoughts drifted to Ocolla. Stunning Ocolla with her shoulder-length dark hair and slender figure, delightful breasts only large enough to cup his palms around, downstairs grooming...

His foot slammed the brake pedal. The boosters squealed in protest; steam rose on all sides of the hatch.

He'd spotted a blue flicker in the forest. Deer were a nuisance on Tanglewood's back roads, but Shadowspawn were especially bad.

Take No Chances. Leave No Risk Unchecked. That was a red-lettered line in the Shadow Patrol Code. From the storebox that divided the seat Nard retrieved his issued Stinger, an energy firearm. Gunpowder is still used in Fenza, but Stingers and their larger rifle counterparts Kickers are standard weaponry amongst the Shadow Patrol, as Shadowspawn fall easier to energy blasts.

Nard drifted the pod toward the roadside and stopped the engine. The pod hissed once again and kissed the ground.

He hopped out and covered all sides and points of the triangle, pointing his Stinger in all directions. It appeared to be his imagination.

Perhaps I've had a little too much to drink myself, he thought. It was possible; his tolerance for ale was less than impressive, though he'd only had one mug before the commotion.

Satisfied, Nard returned to his pod.

****

Nard's house was a modest one-story affair in a western Tanglewood neighborhood. The entire residential block was owned by the same leasing company, and the rent was fair.

The lot had no driveway or podshed. Nard's vehicle rested on the lawn. Four steps took him to a landing that ended at the front door.

Having no room in his budget for a cleaner, Nard tried his best to keep the place spotless, though he'd been lethargic about dusting until her.

Shadow Academy training was rigorous and the job required that Nard stay in top physical shape. Shadowspawn that weren't strong were still quick; endurance and agility were essential. Each house on the block had two bedrooms, a toilet room, a living area, and sparespace. Nard had devoted his sparespace to an at-home gym.

In his bedroom he stripped out of his armor. His body was well-defined, abs and pectorals chiseled to brave danger.

He grabbed a bottle off his nightstand, and with a swallow of water, downed two small pills. These were 'nullifiers,' a natural Elven supplement. They rendered sperm ineffective for up to three days. Many companies had thrown generic brands on the market, but only nullifiers straight from Elven chem houses had been proven absolutely effective, almost instant, and risk-free.

Three knocks on the wall alerted Nard to Ocolla, who stood in the door frame. She still wore her SP armor, leggings and boots. Her black hair was tied, a standard requirement when there were hanging branches to avoid. Nard got hard at the sight of her.

"That was some fight tonight, wasn't it?" she commented.

Nard shook his head. "It was a shame. A damned shame. But I'm curious about the ride."

Ocolla scoffed. "It was a zoo. I put the drunken idiots in the backseat to begin with, but less than a mile later they were at each other's throats. I was forced to pull over and separate them. I let Vae sit up front with me because he's the more tolerable of the two. Ulily whined about Vae getting front seat privileges over a Commander, but I ignored him. My patience was thinned when they got pervy."

Nard's brow furrowed in anger. "Pervy?"

"Yes," Ocolla acknowledged with disgust. "Vae offered coin to see my tits. Ulily upped his price, Vae followed suit, and soon my pod was a back-and-forth drunken and bellowing auction house until I pulled over and stated that nobody would see my tits tonight, not for enough coin to buy Queen's Isle. That shut them up well and good. For the rest of the way I had my transmodule volume cranked loud enough to deafen us all."

"The bastards," Nard hissed. "I should speak with Chief Zy tomorrow!"

"Ignore it," Ocolla said. "They're decent when they're not drunk."

"But they sexually harassed you!"

Ocolla got close enough for Nard to smell her odor deterrent. His erection swelled and lengthened to its full seven inches, throbbing beneath his leggings.

"And I lived," she spoke softly. "I can look after myself, Nard. A woman of the Shadow Patrol trains just as hard as the men do."

She kissed Nard lightly on the cheek, fully awakening his drive, putting away his outrage over the pod story.

"There is...one other concern that I have," Nard said seductively.

Ocolla leered hungrily. "What would that be?"

"You said nobody would be seeing your tits tonight. Nobody. Hm. That bothers me."

Ocolla untied her dark hair; the smooth mane spilled onto both shoulders. She kissed Nard's lips with raw passion.

She shoved him backwards onto his bed and leaped on him. He desired a glimpse of the delectable treats lying under her SP armor, those tits and that slit that were just out of reach.

"You see?" Ocolla whispered huskily. "Fully capable. Even a strong man like you falls if I push him hard enough."

She ran her hands down his muscled body. The journey went slowly, teasingly southward until Ocolla cupped the thickened cock under Nard's leggings.

"Someone else was expecting company," the raven-haired beauty noted.

She started undoing Nard's button and zipper. Her work went at an agonizing pace. Nard trembled in anticipation.

Ocolla gazed into Nard's eyes. Her alluring stare didn't waver even as she pulled his cock from its silk undershorts.

Her mouth fell on him. Of the few women Nard had bedded Ocolla's sucking was uncontested. She bobbed up and down, kissed and licked the sides of his shaft, and lapped the deluded cum that escaped his tip.

She stopped, smiled, licked her lips. She engulfed his entire length. She showed no sign of discomfort as Nard slid down her throat as easily as air.

And then, the final touch, the move that threatened to release his load before it was due. Ocolla's tongue, with its shimmering barb, snaked out and swept over his sac.

With her mouth, her sweeping tongue, and her stare, Nard almost came. Ocolla plopped the petrified dick from her mouth. It was soaked in a mixture of her saliva and Nard's pre-cum.

Nard breathed heavily as Ocolla traveled up his body.

"What do you want?" Ocolla whispered in Nard's ear. His hard-on crushed under her leg as she shifted about, sending currents of pleasure through his body.

"You," Nard gasped. "Let me see. Please."

Ocolla sat in a mounting position. "This is your wish for the jann?"

"Yes," Nard said weakly.

"That might be a difficult wish, Nard."

Nard was lost in pleasure, his mind on a plane where he only possessed the most rudimentary sense of comprehension. "Why?"

"Because I'm very tired."

She dropped onto her back, her black hair splayed out on the comforter, cheeks flushed. "I think you should remove everything for me."

Testosterone blaring, he sucked an earlobe, her ultimate weakness. He ran his hands where her small breasts should be. SP standard armor was mostly tough padded material, but the chest was covered by a metal plate. It allowed light movement despite the deceptively heavy appearance. It was so formidable that Nard felt not a hint of those desired treats beneath it.

The top half opened down the middle. With little patience, Nard started at the top and worked his way to the bottom, where the suit met a large belt. The suit unfastened and the belt undone, he pried the armor apart, revealing Ocolla's bra-clad mounds. Her naval was pierced, a diamond situated in the center of an abdomen built up from training. There was a freckle south of her left breast.

Ocolla sat up slightly to work the vest over her arms. Then Nard planted light kisses down her stomach. The leggings were of the same padding. Nard extracted her boots and socks. Unlike the armor the leggings were difficult to remove without effort, so Ocolla assisted him.

Now the half-naked figure beneath him rose and fell with quickening respiration. A damp spot formed on her white underwear. Hard nipples poked against the purple bra.

These encounters varied in speed and pace. This morning was not one for wasting time.

His mouth ravaged hers. Their lips danced a sloppy, primal, animalisitc tangle of want and desperation, tongues fighting and struggling. Nard slipped a hand under Ocolla's soaked panties. He brushed the fine pubic strip that led to her slit. Ocolla bucked and moaned as Nard's furious stroking of her cunt brought her to a climax.

He whisked away her bra and underwear. Her breasts were humble protrusions but shapely, youthful and sensitive to touch. Two rose-tinted, coin-sized areolae surrounded pointed tips. Save for the thin patch, her pussy was shaved bare. Pink lips neatly folded into the likeness of a flower, accented by a small clitoral bud. It glistened with sticky juices.

Ocolla was very orgasmic, to the touch in some instances. She had one when Nard kissed her freckle, and another when his purple head contacted her twat. Her rubbed up and down against her moistened lips as they continued kissing.

"Shove it in me," she rasped through gritted teeth. "Violate me."

Nard found the slick embrace of her hole. He briefly penetrated her with a few inches, and then with a hearty push, shoved the rest of himself in. His strokes were fast, rhythmic and unrelenting. Ocolla writhed, grimaced and groaned as Nard unleashed his full potential. Her muscle squeezed and stroked. Its grip became unforgiving when another orgasm tore through Ocolla. Her scream risked alerting Nard's close-knit neighbors.

Ocolla steadily returned from blissful heaven, her breathing slowing, sweat drenching her body. Then she shoved Nard off to straddle him. Her smooth legs on either side, she grabbed hold of his throbbing cock and guided it back in place, impaling herself down its entire length.

Nard watched the woman dance with grinding, rotating hips. He raised his pelvis in tune with her movements, and soon their stimulation was synergized. The ferocity of their sex never wavered. Ocolla's tight cunt brought on an all-too-familiar rise, and Nard thankful he'd taken the nullifers. There were only two places Ocolla ever wanted a deposit.

"I'm close," Nard uttered hoarsely as the moved him toward the end. "Where?"

"Nullifers?" Ocolla panted.

"Y-yes!"

"Inside me! Do it inside me!"