Trail Markings

Marie and Jakob were visiting the US from Germany for a three-month long camping trip. It was something they had been considering for a while, having already hiked through various parts of Europe. After a basic amount of research, they packed light and flew straight into middle America, to the small town where the trailhead was located. They had neither the interest nor finances to explore the large coastal cities. Marie worked at a pharmacy and was between jobs, while Jakob drove a truck for the logistics industry on a contract basis. They checked their gear, strapped their backpacks, and set off.

One of the pleasant findings had been the supportive community around the trail, extensive yet informal. They met people from all walks of life, amateurs and veterans. There were those who offered water without asking, and others who left you alone when silence was needed. As the trail unwound over sunny meadows and rough boulders, Marie and Jakob got to know faces who were making the same long journey. While this was Marie's first time in the US, Jakob had visited earlier. Perhaps that was why it was usually Marie who exchanged a few words with fellow hikers, while Jakob had the slight air of someone who knew where he was. Of course, Jakob was also quiet by nature and reserved, with a hat usually covering his eyes, and a thick beard over his expressions. Ideally, he would have preferred hiking alone.

Which was why it was a surprise to Marie that their party had expanded to include Mark. They had met Mark, an American, during the first week on the trail. It had just so happened that he was on the same wavelength as them. He was a strong hiker who kept the same steady schedule as Marie and Jakob, capable of covering many miles a day. Like them, Mark preferred the outdoors to cramped civilization. They spent hours walking through forests without conversation, letting nature do the talking instead. Marie knew Jakob well enough to tell that he respected Mark. The evening campfire had become Mark's unofficial responsibility, something he could kindle rain or shine. Night often fell with Marie and Jakob retiring to their shared tent, with Mark safely putting out the fire.

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Mark worked as a carpenter, although he took on construction jobs for additional income. He had used some recent earnings to replace his tattered tent, buy a modern bear bag, and finally undertake the trail that had been on his list for long. Now in his late thirties, his body was not what it used to be. It showed signs of wear, like the nicks and knots in his strong workman's hands. But with regular mountain biking and running, he planned to be in good enough shape to keep hiking for many years to come. Although some friends had warned him that the real concern would be the mental effort of hiking solo. Mark had been prepared for it, but was glad to have run into Marie and Jakob. He enjoyed their minimal company, and was happy to help in minor ways, like knowing which stores to stop at when the trail went through towns.

Did Mark find Marie attractive? Perhaps, he would reply if asked, but it was not something that occupied him. They seemed to be of the same age as him, somewhere in their thirties. In comparison to Mark's lean and tall frame, Jakob looked thicker, probably from the long hours of sitting and driving a truck. Marie came up to Mark's shoulders, and he felt that she would have been stocky if not for all the physical activity. She had a square face with plain features. Her dull blond frizzy hair was often tied back in a short ponytail. Her bluish-gray eyes were kind instead of sparkling. It was funny, Mark thought, how Marie had the blonde hair and blue-eyed combination associated with German models, but was actually quite simple, and he liked that. It just went to show how limited stereotypes were. When he lay alone in his tent and heard Jakob and Marie speak in their native tongue, he thought of what their lives back home must be like. They seemed like solid people, and he wondered if the working class had more respectable lives in Germany. One of his great-grandfathers was German, or so went the story anyway. Such were the thoughts that crossed his mind.

Mark would also be lying if that was all he admitted to thinking about Marie. His very first sight of Marie had been when she was hiking up a hill, ahead of him. He had looked up, and above her pair of strong climbing legs, seen her large, round ass. Her pale curvy thighs, taut in black shorts, had arrested him. Every evening at camp, Marie would change out of those shorts and into more comfortable slacks for the night. Initially, she would find a secluded spot, away from the men. As the weeks went by, and they got more essential and trail-weary, Marie would peel her clothes off nearby, trusting Mark. And at times Mark would let his eyes wander and drink from the sight of her glorious, naked rear. But it was also true that Mark did not live in a constant state of lust, and thought that Marie was mostly plain-looking. During dinner conversations over the campfire, with Jakob invariably silent, Marie would look on at Mark with a patient, curious gaze. These were nice people, Mark thought, and let his desires end there. It was only on those mornings when he woke up with a dick raging from a lack of sex that he allowed thoughts of Marie to flood his brain.

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Marie thought it was cute when people asked if Jakob and her were married. They might assume that this was a couple in a happy relationship. The truth was that Marie had planned this trip in order to save it. They had been dating for many years, and Marie was eager to take the next step, but Jakob had entered a stasis, growing increasingly passive towards her. She found it hard to tell what was on his mind. Now, six weeks into the hike, she had less hope of them remaining together, and the fact that half the journey remained led to feelings of uncertainty and despair. If it came to breaking up in the middle of things, she had made up her mind to quit the trail, and get Mark's help in deciding how to fly back home. That was another of the reasons she was glad he was around.

On that day, they stopped at a town in the morning. Mark suggested they have lunch at a local tavern. It was a rare treat for their lot, and Mark had made no secret of how much he loved the cheeseburger he had ordered. It was an interesting place, used to boarding hikers, and Marie enjoyed looking at the walls crammed with old pictures of those who had passed through. For the remainder of the day, they leisurely hiked to their next campsite, sated as they were with food and drink. Mark built a fire, and they sat by it till the sun went down. It was a memorable evening, and Marie felt the best she had in weeks.

Trouble began when Jakob said that he was tired and asked, innocently enough, if she wanted to go to bed. Except he had spoke in German in a low whisper, which made Marie reflexively scowl. She had previously told him not to do that, feeling like it was rude and excluded Mark. Jakob got up and left without a word, entering their tent. Marie had followed, apologetic and worried. Mark put the fire out, watching as the embers died, and then retired to his own tent, their heated tone leaving no doubt that this was an argument.

Marie and Jakob debated well into the night, till she lay exhausted. They were in their sleeping bags, with Jakob's back turned towards Marie. She was sad, and felt the connection between them the weakest it had ever been. She was ready to lay down arms, and began rubbing his shoulder gently. She didn't express it often because it upset Jakob, but a lack of physical intimacy had been killing their relationship. They slept next to each other each night, but had gone for so long without sex that Marie often found herself flushed.

When Marie got close to Jakob, he shoved her away. "Jakob, what's the matter." She tried to look at him, but he avoided her gaze. She was suddenly enraged. "Do you not want me anymore? I saw how you were flirting with the bartender today," she was hoarse. It was Jakob's turn to get angry, and he bounded up. With tears, Marie watched as he appeared to be getting ready to leave the tent. "Don't go," she said, both for the sake of his safety, and their relationship. Jakob told Marie to lick his ass, unzipped the tent, and walked off.

Marie was initially shocked. She sat motionless for many minutes, staring out into the darkness that had swallowed up Jakob. It then dawned on her that it was over, and this knowledge was somehow freeing. She felt a calm slowly spread over her, got on her feet, and walked out of the tent. The moon was bright, and her eyes fell on Mark's tent, which glowed like a gauzy beacon. The night air was cold against her skin, but her breaths were warm. She realized that she was still light-headed from all the frenzy, and still horny.

**********

Mark slept fitfully, and had been roused by the footsteps outside. Out in the woods, you learned to pick out every sound, from insects and falling leaves to potential large animals. His flap was then zipped open, and he saw Marie come in. It all happened quickly. He was still in a daze as he felt his pants slide off, and Marie's cold fingers wrap around his dick. Her warm lips followed, as she sucked him hungrily for a few minutes. Mark grew rock hard, fast, the way it goes on waking up in the middle of an erotic dream. Seeing that he didn't need much encouragement, Marie took her own clothes off. She slid under him, spread her legs, and guided him into her pussy.

By the time Mark was fully conscious, they were having sex. His senses had awoken completely, and he could feel just how hot and very, very wet Marie was. Her juices had drenched his balls, and were probably soaking into his sleeping bag. Mark grew aware of the strong smell of sex that filled his small tent, as if Marie had marked his surroundings with an odor that was pungent and inviting. Mark's eyes grew used to the light, and he saw how beautiful Marie looked, with her wavy hair open and tousled. Her head was rolled back, and her eyes were closed. She was almost fucking herself, breathing erratically, moving her hips around his hard cock. Mark could see that Marie needed this, and decided to take it slow. With minute movements, they probed the folds of her vagina with his penis, pausing when they touched a sensitive spot, with Marie gyrating to extract all the sweet pleasure. She let out a sound each time Mark's length penetrated into her tight recesses.

Mark held himself on top of Marie, studying her, when he suddenly heard twigs creak outside. Jakob was returning. Marie and Mark had not touched much, aside from being glued together between their legs. But when she heard Jakob approach their tent, Marie's hands coiled up Mark's strong arms and held onto him. Mark saw the stress in Marie's face, and felt contempt for Jakob. He did not know their history, but knew that she deserved better. He arched back, drawing out of Marie, an action that alarmed her. She opened her eyes wide to look at Mark, the first time she had done so, as if pleading with him not to pull out. Mark had no intention to. The tip of his cock was barely in contact with her pussy, and he thrust back in with all his length in a clean stroke. Marie groaned.

Mark built up a steady rhythm of thrusting in and out of Marie, and she wrapped a thigh around him. Jakob was out there, barely a few feet away on the other side of the tent wall. Mark was unafraid, and wanted Jakob to face up to what was going on. He returned his attention to the confident fucking of Marie. He could tell that she was melting and would not last much longer. As she quivered, Marked reached a finger down to her pussy, and hooked into her clit. Marie's body broke into waves of an orgasm, and she placed a hand on her mouth to muffle her cries. Her pussy clenched thirstily on Mark's cock, animal and involuntary. It was all his starved balls could take, and he shot his cum into Marie with a grunt. He held on as her orgasm settled, the odd twitch still convulsing through her.

**********

Mark was still hard, and flexed his cock, which made Marie squirm. She opened her eyes, and stared at him with that open, curious look of hers. Jakob must still be outside, motionless, and Mark didn't care anymore. He had had enough of the two of them, of him playing the third wheel. Mark wanted more of Marie. She may have decided to start this, but he was going to continue it. Mark placed his hands beneath Marie's arms, feeling the swell of her breasts, and pulled her up out of the narrow sleeping bag. She sat facing him, looking confused for a moment, till he kissed her. What began as a gentle caressing of lips quickly grew passionate. Mark held the back of Marie's neck firmly and kissed her with his tongue. If at first it was Mark who thoroughly explored her mouth, Marie soon responded, and their tongues dueled as they kissed longingly. Marie fed on his affection as ravenously as her pussy had made love to his cock. Mark finally felt Marie's hands roam over his body, over his chest and shoulders. Mark held her face and pawed her round breasts. He felt wild, wanting all of her but not knowing where to start. He then remembered the first time he had seen Marie.

"Marie," he said, and she looked surprised when he broke the kiss, "I'm going to really fuck you." He grabbed her with his strong hands and easily re-positioned her till she was on her fours, facing away from him. He then knelt behind her, facing her ass. There it was in all its glory, faintly silver in the moonlight streaming in from the top mesh of the tent. Mark explored Marie's curves gently, cupping her ass, running fingers along crevices in her thick flesh. He kissed her legs by the mouthful, working his way up her inner thighs till he reached her pussy. Marie let out sighs of pleasure as Mark's mouth made her wet again. When she was hot and ready, he stroked his cock a few times, and then penetrated her hard in one go.

This time there was no build-up of rhythm. This was Mark's fuck, and he wanted it badly. He held Marie's delicious waist, and repeatedly thrust into her, her soft ass meeting his balls each time. Mark's hands roamed over Marie's back but returned to her ass and thighs. Now matter how he tried to knead and pull at them, the luscious skin seemed to spill out of his fingers. Mark couldn't get enough of Marie, who was groaning with every thrust. He held her hair with one hand and pulled, so that her open-throat cries rang out loudly. Mark looked at Marie's ass which trembled as he fucked her, and brought his hand down on it in a firm crack. Mark paused to let Marie absorb the sting. Her body heaved, she breathed heavily, and then shuffled her large ass back, returning Mark's cock into her pussy. Mark smiled, holding Marie's neck as he resumed pounding her. He spanked her a few more times, reddening her ass, imagining the claps spreading through the forest.

Mark wanted to get closer to Marie as he fucked her to the finish. He turned her over to face him, and raised her legs to reach deeper. Despite the chill in the night, they had worked up a sweat. Marie's arms flailed about, searching for something to hold on to. Instead, she pressed her palms against the tent walls, stretching them, with Mark picturing how it must look from the outside. As Marie approached another orgasm, Mark reached down and kissed Marie's neck, which set her off in a series of sparks. This time, freed of restraint, she let her wanton scream ring out through the woods. Mark thrust into her a few more times, and then finished as well, pinning his cock as his balls emptied inside of Marie. With her pussy still pulsing on his cock, Mark lay down beside Marie, and they embraced and kissed till they fell asleep.

**********

Mark woke the next morning with Marie next to him. She was covered with the signs of sex: dried fluids flaking off her body, markings on her back and thighs. He tried to resist her ass, but failed, and squeezed her roughly. That was when his cock hardened and he realized that he had been inside her all night. Marie stirred and woke up, looking up at him with her clear blue eyes. Mark did not know where Jakob was, but she was his now. As Mark shifted to be on top of Marie and mount her again, he knew that they would finish the trail together, and fuck like animals for the rest of the journey.