125. Eastern Desert, Part 8 (Suka, R-18)

125. Eastern Desert, Part 8 (Suka, R-18)

The ground shakes as cracks in the earth appear for a hundred meters in all directions. Sand sinks into the gaps and thorny green tendrils thick as trees sprout from the depths. Cactus Treefolk cling to the plants as they rise while spraying the ground with streams of water to create mud. I must’ve really kicked the hornet’s nest!

The landscape goes wild with the Cactus Turret's minions as if desperate to prove I'm still not a threat despite my evolution. Yeah, well, I got what I came for so I've got nothing to prove! So, there!

Okay, time to leave.

I race away with my prizes in tow, leaping gaps, double-jumping when I lose my footing, hopping over patches of mud, and ducking streams of water.

The Needle Mouse under my arm tries to stab me with a thorn that came out of nowhere but I tighten my grip on his neck until he lets it go. Good boy!

The water and mud are more of a threat to me than the earthquake or the arsenal of needles I'm continuously dodging. The Turret must realize this or notices how I take special care to avoid the water jets because I feel something change in the air. It's humidity.

Heavy mist rises from the Cactus Turret as the ground trembles again. This time, great geysers of water shoot high into the air from the minaret spires. I know what's coming next and beat a retreat double time.

Jumping and flamestepping in a tight chain allows me to reach heretofore unheard-of speeds. Then a wave of rain chases me away like a physical wall of water on my tail. I have to cross several dunes before I'm out of both archery and waterspout range.

"Woooooo!!! That was awesome!"

"If you're going to kill me, all I ask is you make it quick," the Needle Mouse says.

"No worries, I'm not gonna eat you. Although, I would like to put my mouth on your..." Wait. What would Alex say in this situation? Something about consent? If I molest this little guy now it's technically rape, right? She'd punish me for sure, and the whole reason I grabbed him was to bring him home alive. He'll definitely tattle.

"No worries? No worries??? I've been kidnapped by a wolf but I'm supposed to relax? You're going to breed me to use my kids as livestock, aren't you?!?"

Wow, dark. "No, no, no. No bree—well, there may be sex involved but nothing like that. Not for making ‘livestock,’ I swear. Alex is making me go vegan."

"V-ve-what?"

Argh. This isn't something Alex has to deal with because of her human pheromones making every monster she meets horny instead of hungry or scared.

"Look, you're a prisoner of war, little buddy. I won't let anyone hurt you. So, either go with the flow, or you can be miserable the whole time. Since I can't force you to relax, I'm not going to worry about it."

With that, I speed off into the sunset. We've got to get home soon!

When I reach the Lizardmen camp, activity is quieting down for the end of the day. Everyone is sharing Isabella's prickly pears and belching flames. It’s a beautiful sight. Still, the Lizardfolk eye my prize hungrily. The mouse boy, not the Turret needle—that’s my trophy; he’s my bonus prize.

“Huntress Suka, you’ve returned!” Steeltooth says, metal prick buried in Dura’s sex doggystyle. I see the Ogress is getting her fill of the Lizardman before we have to part ways.

Moka is sitting with Lucinia this time, the two of them watching the festivities from a safe distance.

Isabella is gentle with Moka, having heard my opinion on going vegan, and checks my expression with a glance as she hugs the bunny girl to her chest without letting any needles draw blood. I give her an encouraging smile for good behavior. She’s a fine girlfriend, helping me instead of being an obstacle to my goals.

“Suka, Dura, Lucinia, how are things?” Alex’s voice comes from Flou1’s body. “We’re back at the Hut—well, it’s Field Town, now. Long story. Hey, are you a long way off?”

What did she say? It sounded like, ‘Fieldton.’ That must be it. What all happened while we were away?

I rush over to the Flou-phone and speak into the Fuzzy Slime’s body. Dura continues grunting and rutting with Steeltooth but turns her head to listen. “Hey, Alex! Guess what? I evolved into an awesome monster! Yeah, everyone is alive and well. I don’t think we can make it back before dark, though. There’s a big monster in the way that senses heavy footfalls. I lost my wolf form, so we’ll have to tiptoe past it slowly since I can’t carry everyone. But I’m way faster by myself. Say the word, and I’ll be there in a heartbeat. Are Megan and the others alright?”

“You lost what? Nevermind. Yes, no losses on our side. No, Flou said you picked up a few new friends, so make sure they all make it here safe. We have a fight to pick and can’t wait for you; there’s too much left to do today. We’re already pushing the limit while expecting to get a decent night’s sleep after the orgy.”

“Orgy?” the needle mouse asks, eyebrow raised high. He’s intrigued but mostly skeptical.

“Orgy?” Moka says while looking between me and Isabella. She looks like she felt Isabella stiffen under the leafy skirt and wants to be the chocolate filling in a dick-girl sandwich. That’s a fantasy I’m eager to fulfill!

“Yeah, I expect it’ll be a doozy. Who dat? They sound cute. Wait, I don’t have time for this. Introductions later. I have to get ready for a fight. Love you all, kisses, bye!”

With that, Alex severs the connection.

I hold myself back despite wanting nothing more than to soar over the dunes to my human mate like a comet and fight by her side. It stings to be left out of a fight, but Alex trusts me to shepherd this group home. That’s my responsibility. “Okay, let’s head back to the Hut as quickly as we can. I’d like to hurry and help Alex once everyone is safe.”

“Dura miss bat’le?” the Ogress says as she stands after finishing her last round with Steeltooth.

I give a melancholy shrug, empathizing with her disappointment, “Looks that way.”

The Lizardman squeezes Dura’s butt affectionately and gives her a side-hug. “I’d like nothing more than to march with my warriors at your back, but it’d be suicide with the Sandworm prepared this time. The bedrock around the Oasis is all that protects us.”

Where a tribe on the move would attract too much attention, a smaller group can slip past.

“Say hello to Spindle for us,” Garnet says as she and the Kobolds wave farewell.

“We will,” I assure them.

Lucinia manages a short hop up to Dura’s shoulders on her injured wing. Flou1 shlorps onto me, shifting to become a ruby-studded fur bikini which goes amazingly well with the new color scheme of my flaming hair. I’ve got my prisoner Needle Mouse, and Isabella has Moka in her arms for extra protection from any predator ambushes. Dura gives Steeltooth one last slap on the ass in parting, a gesture the Lizardman wholeheartedly appreciates with a toothy grin.

With how popular the prickly pears turned out to be, we leave with a warm farewell from the Lizard-folk despite taking their dinner—Moka—with us.

It’s a long walk home but, with a native cactus girl guiding us, we’re able to avoid the areas the Sandworm frequents. And, when the ground trembles from the massive monster nearing, we’re able to sneak past on wide, flat sand shoes Isabella made from vines, stems, and leaves.

I stumble across the conjoined Cactus sister’s scent trail but decide not to hunt them down today. I’ve already got a prickly girlfriend, after all.

From there, it’s a short evening jaunt through Fuzzy Field to the Hut.