Stallion's Treasure

He waggled his fingers at her.

"Oh, Nummos. That was wonderful." She sighed contentedly.

"Now it's your turn." She purred, slipping off the bunk to kneel at his feet. While he fumbled for the shift buttons hidden under layers of lace, she reached for his belt. Neither the buckle nor his button fasteners offered resistance, and she dropped his pants to the floor, exposing his upright dick. Her eyes widened.

"It's so..." She stopped herself but the damage was done.

"Small?" He said placidly as his shirt finally dropped to the floor. "There is a story about that too, you know. Pavarati is the mother of Justice as surely as she is the mother of Creation, and when she saw the gift she had given the Apes forming in her womb she understood that she must enact a suitable price. Has my gift disappointed you?"

"As if you didn't already know the answer." Timura growled playfully. "But now it's time to show you mine." She pounced, driving him back. Pinning him against the wall of the cabin she sunk lower, sliding her erect nipples down his shaggy chest.

His whole length fit in her mouth, and she sucked it as deep as she could, burying her muzzle in his hairy crotch. She coiled her tongue around it, surrounding it with a tube of soft, wet muscle, prompting him to piston his hips like he was fucking her mouth. Her head never stopped moving, delivering a steam of ever-changing stimulation and gentle bites sent a shiver through his body.

When she felt he might be near the edge she released his cock. Tilting her head to take his balls into her mouth she could see the two monkeys yanking excitedly. Knowing what they wanted she spread her legs farther, angling her hips so they could see the wetness on her slit. She glowed as the two cheeped and high-fived each other.

Her long tongue slid to the base of his sac as one paw clasped his asscheek, holding his crack open. She teased him, almost tonguing his asshole, but not quite.

"Uhhh..."

Her other paw found its way to her own crotch, roughly massaging herself.

The ape's cock strained to the limits of its erectness, and she felt his hands under her arms pulling her up.

"That's enough." He said, licking her muzzle and lowering his hands to cup her ass. With easy strength he picked her up and laid her down on the bunk again. Timura closed her eyes and relaxed, letting him push her legs up to her chest, exposing her spread pussy lips.

Nummos settled into her with a sigh. She felt a pang of disappointment at how shallow he went, but that soon faded as his motion brushed against her sensitive pussy lips. Lowering his body to hers, his hips grated against her clit with each stroke, giving her delight an extra charge. It wasn't long before he had found a rhythm, plumbing her depths as best he could.

Over the sound of their bodies Timura heard a small rapping at her cabin door. Scherade had finished her mission. For a moment she stiffened, desperate to hear that her friend had found the statue. Then she remembered how important it was to keep the ape from suspecting anything.

Pulling off his body and lowering herself to the deck, she knelt on all fours. Facing the porthole she arched her back, offering Nummos her pussy and displaying her erect nipples to the monkeys. The ape didn't need a written invitation and he slipped behind her, pressing down on her back as he slid in easily. Her hips bucked against his thrusts, as if trying to get every last bit of him inside.

He fucked her in short spurts, not enough to bring her off, but enjoyable nevertheless. His pleasure was undeniable, and his breaths came in heavy pants as his thrusts grew more intense. The soft fur of her back against his chest added to the soft warmth of her pussy around his cock, filling his whole body with sensation.

When it was too much for him he bared his fangs and bellowed, jerking his hips against her crotch as he shot his semen into her. He held her tight, pinning her to the deck as he quivered in post-orgasmic pleasure, and his breath came in chuffs as his body moved in ever-smaller jerks.

When he was done, the two collapsed on the floor, with Timura spooned against the ape's strong chest. With one hand he idly traced the outlines of her breasts. For a time neither of the two spoke, content to rest in each other's arms.

They lay there until interrupted by the bosun's whistle, announcing a shift of crew. Reluctantly the ape rolled away and began picking up his clothes.

"That was quite a lesson, good sir." Timura said with a sigh as she watched the ape dress.

"Like I said, anything for a passenger. Should the gentlefur wish to pursue further...education, I would be only too happy to happy to oblige." Nummos said as he fastened his lace collar around his neck.

Timura lay on the bed, legs splayed to display her pussy, and gave him a lazy smile.

"I'm sure I'll require another tutoring session to master this material." She said.

"Until then." He said with a smile, closing the door behind him after a good long stare at her crotch to fix the sight in his memory. Timura looked out the porthole at the monkeys.

"Scram." She growled with fake ferocity. They cheeped, then pulled themselves up and out of sight by their tails.

Satisfied she was alone, she put on her robe and went to Scherade's room, where the fox was sitting on her bunk, looking glum.

"Did you get it?" Timura asked eagerly.

Scherade shook her head. "It wasn't there." She said.

"Are you sure? Did you--"

"I looked everywhere." Scherade insisted. "It's not there."

"At least this means that Nummos wasn't guilty after all." Timura said.

Scherade looked apprehensive, worried that her friend might return to the subject of their earlier fight. The tabby, though, had other ideas.

Timura dropped heavily to the bed beside her. Sighing, she leaned into Scherade's shoulder, licking at her friend's fur for reassurance. The vixen wrapped both arms around her, letting the tension drain from her own body. She rubbed her nose across the bristly tufts atop Timura's ears, letting the smell fill her nostrils.

"We'll find it. I'll think of something." She whispered. "I promise."

"Oh, Scherade." The fox felt wetness against her fur as Timura's eyes watered. "You're the best friend ever. Ever. I'm so sorry."

"Hm?" Scherade mumbled.

"All this. It's my fault. I got you into this. I'm so sorry."

Scherade tightened her embrace. "You aren't listening, kitten." She said.

"I'm sorry." Timura repeated.

"I told you that we're going to find it." She seized Timura's furry jowls and forced her to look up at the fox's bright eyes. "Don't you trust me?"

Eyes wide, Timura licked the vixen's muzzle, a caress that became a kiss as she leaned into her friend.

"I'll take you up on that when we're done." Scherade said with mock sternness. "Now let's go find that statue."

"What about the hyena? No one knows very much about him."

"Have you ever smelled cinnamon on him except after it was served in dinner?" Scherade shook her head.

"No." Timura admitted reluctantly. "But maybe that's the point! Maybe it was a disguise!"

"You don't think one of us would have smelled it on him later? It's not like he could have taken a bath."

Timura shook her head mutely.

"We need to think! That statue didn't look like much. Whoever took it knows what it is and why we have it, agreed?" The fox paced Timura's narrow cabin; three steps in each direction.

"I suppose."

"So who could know?"

"Nobody. We came right to the ship." Timura objected.

"Obviously, someone does. And not the captain, or he would have arrested us."

"The old fox?" Timura asked.

"I doubt it." Scherade shook his head. "He was on board ship when everything happened, probably asleep."

"Wait! What if the cinnamon wasn't a disguise? Then..." Her voice trailed off. "I thought that curry tasted familiar!"

"The cook..." Scherade caught on quickly.

"Nummos said he was new. How new?" Timura asked eagerly.

"And dinner was late because he was missing, right!? It has to be him." The two embraced excitedly.

"Where would he keep it?" Timura asked when they separated.

"The kitchen, don't you think? He bunks with the stewards, he wouldn't risk it there."

"But how can we get in there? We can't let him catch us." Timura's brow furrowed.

"Nummos." Scherade said. "We'll get Nummos to keep him occupied."

"I've got it!" Timura said excitedly. Finally she was the one to think of a clever plan! "I tell him that I'm really hungry, but the cook will get mad if he catches me. As long as I let him get his hand under my skirt before I ask he'll say yes."

"Sorry to make you do that again, but--"

"Don't worry about that." Timura said smugly. The thought of what his hands might do once they'd made their way under her skirt gave her a little tingle. Perhaps she should go without undergarments--just to make sure he took the bait, she told herself.

***

In the end, a whispered promise and a curved rump left temptingly close to his hand proved more than enticing enough. While the pair waited, Nummos called the cook to the hold, ostensibly to help with checking the inventory before landfall.

Scherade and Timura snuck in as soon as the sound of the bull's hooves had faded. Their first glance failed to spot anything unusual; the cook ran a tidy kitchen and everything was properly stored to protect against the ship's motion.

"It's got to be in those." Scherade whispered, pointing at the racks of tins storing flour and rice tied against one wall. Trying to be quiet, the two began lifting off the tops, but nothing unusual appeared.

"There are too many of these, what if he comes back?" Timura worried.

"We've got to hurry." Scherade replied, burying one paw in the first tin and feeling around. Timura followed suit, gritting her teeth as she felt the weevils crawling along her fur.

"Nothing here." She said, moving on to the next one. The pair searched several without success, and Timura's stomach began churn with nervousness.

On the fourth one, however, she felt something hard. Her heart rose into her throat as she pulled it out, exposing the prize.

"It's here!" Timura shouted.

"Shhh!" Scherade hissed, but it was too late. Nummos' distraction hadn't been long enough, and the enormous bull stood silhouetted in the doorway they entered from. With a bellow, he snatched up a cleaver and started towards them.

Clutching the statue, Timura launched herself against one wall, extending her claws to cling to a ceiling beam, then leap for the door. As she went she could feel the rush of air from the cook knife sweeping down where she had been. While he tugged the blade out of the wood Scherade slipped past him on the other side.

"This way!" Scherade said, scampering towards the cargo hold.

Blade free, the Bull turned to follow, the sound of his hooves filling the narrow passageways.

The hold had just enough illumination for nocturnal eyes to see the stacks of crates filling the space and the cargo nets slung from the rafters.

"Back there!" Scherade led the way to a small room to one side of the hold. Once inside, though, Timura was dismayed to find it had no other exits.

From outside the door, they saw a flickering light. The bull had found a lantern and was pursuing them into the hold.

"What do we do now?"

"Let me think." Scherade temporized.

"Maybe Nummos could--"

"Maybe, but we can't get to him, not with the bull out there." The fox shook her head.

"Okay, I'll distract him." Timura tensed.

"No." The fox put one paw across Timura's chest and whispered harshly. "It has to be me. You're the only one that ape will listen to. You have to convince him before that bull kills me."

"But how?" Timura said, anxiety squeezing her chest. "I can't exactly flash my tits and--"

"Then think of something else." The fox made to stand up.

"But--?" Timura asked.

"I helped with the robbery, didn't I?" Scherade asked in reply. Timura's keen vision could see how the vixen's eyes were dilated and her heart beating fast. Before Timura could object further, the fox launched herself through the doorway, knocking over a case of nails as she went.

The bull spun at the noise and sprinted after her, cleaver raised. By the time Scherade hit the stairs up to the deck he had closed half the distance with long, powerful strides.

When he had disappeared, Timura moved cautiously. Not knowing where Nummos was, she aimed for the same stairs. What she saw when she emerged, though, made her forget about the ape.

The bull stood along the ship's rail, silhouetted against the sky. He already had Scherade pinned to the deck with one forearm and his cock out with the other. She whimpered in his grasp, but none of her schemes would help her now. Crewmonkeys jumped and hooted in a circle around them.

Feeling helpless, she did the only thing she knew how to do.

"Scherade!" Timura yowled as her legs bent and sprung, launching her at the bull's back. The flight seemed to take an eternity, as her hunter's brain took in her target's massive shoulders and muscular forearms. His stubby fingers looked as thick as her own legs. Then she slammed into his flank and it was too late for thinking.

She buried her foreclaws in his hide as she raked him with her hindclaws, leaving bloody gashes along his side. With a bellow he spun around, dropping Scherade to reach for the new threat. When she felt his fingers closing on her neck ruff Timura pushed off, landing on the deck and growling. The black tip of Scherade's tail caught her eye as the fox scampered out of reach, retreating towards Nummos. Timura felt a short-lived flash of relief.

Moving with surprising speed, the bull took advantage of her momentary distraction to lunge at her, grasping one forearm. No! Timura thought, as he yanked her close. She buried her fangs in his arm, tasting the metallic tang of his blood as she ripped away gobbets of flesh, but his grip was like iron.

His other hand wrapped around her back, crushing her against his chest. Panicking, she flailed her hindquarters around trying to twist out of his grasp, but to no avail. Arms like bands of steel around her chest squeezed tighter, leaving her no space to breathe.

Desperate, she clawed blindly with her hindlegs, and the bull spun around, trying to shift away from the painful gouging. At this angle, though, all she could do was annoy him, and if she didn't think of something else he would surely kill her.

Her narrowed vision alighted on the rail. That was her chance! Gritting her teeth as he blundered around she waited until he passed by the rail. When he did, she wrapped her strong hind legs around it and pulled. The move would never have worked on a tiger of his mass, but the bull was top heavy, built for power, not for a hunter's balance. He staggered and stumbled against the rail. Another strong yank of her thigh muscles and they tumbled over the edge to the ocean below.

She twisted in midair, trying to free herself from his grasp. Once in the water she would be fine--the ocean held no terror for a Shaelian lynx--but the bull faced certain death if he didn't let go and struggle to keep his head above water.

The pair cannonballed into the waves and disappeared under the spray. As they sunk, the bull spasmed, salt water flowing into his open wounds. For just a moment his grasp loosened and Timura's heart leaped. Pushing him away she tried to escape, but only succeeded in shifting slightly before his implacable grip pulled her close again. The pair began to sink, and her elation turned to terror--the monster planned on taking her down with him!

Whimpering, the tabby twisted desperately. The water around them was growing darker as they sunk further under water. As she squirmed, she realized that the minor shift in position that she had managed offered a new range of motion to her hind legs.

She braced them on the bull's abdomen and kicked, committing every ounce of the strength that had propelled her body across eight meters of empty space. A gust of air burst out of the bull's mouth as he grunted in pain. Even a bull's thick hide has limits, and she felt it tear under her claws. The beast's abdominal wall gave way under another vicious rake from her claws. Blood spilled into the water around them, but his arms stayed locked around her neck.

Timura could feel herself fading. Pulling her hind legs back one last time she churned them into the bull's stomach, whipping his intestines into a bloody froth. Finally one claw caught in the muscles under his lungs and ripped. As water rushed into his lungs his life spilled out in a cloud of red-tinted bubbles and he finally grew still.

She tried to twist out of the bull's grasp as the lifeless corpse began to descend, but his arms remained locked in a death grip. Her lungs burned as she clawed frantically, trying to dig her way through the bull's corpse to freedom. By the time enough space opened for the cat to squirm out, Timura's world had narrowed to her need to breathe. Paddling for the surface with the last or her strength she burst into the light and air, sucking in huge gasps.

"The rope!" Some part of her brain heard the voice calling from above. The ship was nearly past her, but someone had thrown down a line. If she had been thinking she would have held on and let the boat pull her while she caught her breath, but rational thought was beyond her. Seizing it in one claw, she pulled herself up to the deck, sprawling in a pile of wet fur, panting and coughing. Crewmonkeys gathered around her, hooting and jumping.

She tried to tell them to back off, but her throat wouldn't form proper words. What started off as a rumbling growl grew into the roar of a carnivore spirit that no amount of civilization would ever erase. She bellowed her challenge to the world, casting about randomly with her claws. The watching monkeys scattered in all directions; some fled up the masts, others scampered below decks. Even the big ape backed away. Only Scherade held her ground, stepping slowly towards the enraged lynx.

"It's okay, pussycat. We've won." She said. Timura spun towards her, claws raised, but Scherade kept moving, praying her voice would penetrate to the rational part of Timura's brain. "We've won."

Slowly the howl lost volume, fading to a rumbling in Timura's throat as she staggered in exhaustion. Before she could fall Scherade lunged forward and held her. Timura fell silent in the embrace, head lolling against Scherade's chest as her claws retracted. Then her knees gave way and she collapsed against her friend and lover, exhausted, letting Scherade hold her as the world went dark.

"We've won. We've won." The fox repeated softly, and for a long time Scherade cradled her, just listening to Timura's shuddering breaths.

***

The bar had not changed since she had visited before, and once again, Nikolai sat alone at the far table. The same buxom koala bowed as the two thieves made their way to the back table and sat down. Timura drank deeply, but Scherade only sipped, keeping her eyes on the primly dressed ferret.

"It is good to see you both." He opened. Neither of the females smiled.

"Your planning needs work, ferret." Scherade said accusingly. To Nikolai's doe-eyed stare she continued. "The damn horse caught Timura in the act."

"And yet here you are. With the statue, no less." He looked at Timura and chuckled, making an odd clicking sound deep in his throat. "A testament to you and to your beautiful friend." He nodded to Scherade, who did not return the gesture.

"If you had any idea..." Timura forced her vision to widen out of a hunter's focus.

"No, but I would very much like to hear it." Nikolai replied soothingly. He listened carefully to the tale, making noises of encouragement and dismay as the story progressed. When she was finished, she gestured to Scherade, who drew the ivory case out of her rucksack and placed it on the table. Nikolai eased off the straps and opened it, revealing a small statue of a rabbit.