Mating Season

The late afternoon sunlight streamed over the valley, reaching the mossy patch that Mietsa rested on. The cool, green moss was a welcome distraction from the summer heat. Though mountains ringed the valley, the weather was warm enough to make the air dance over the lake in the center.

Mietsa wanted to slumber away the afternoon, but the dull ache in the pit of her stomach kept her awake and tossing around uncomfortably. When she was able to quiet herself enough to doze, dreams about a shadow kneeling over her kept her from truly slumbering.

Eventually, she contented herself with lying on her back and staring up at birds making a nest in the tree branches. She wasn’t hungry, but watching them took her mind off the ache. It was also interesting to see how they lived when she wasn’t hunting them. Soon, she was too involved in watching the red and blue feathered beasts to notice the heat, the moss or the breeze that carried the scent of another Sekh.

The scraggy yellow stud almost caught her by surprise. If it were not for his arrogantly tossing his unwashed loincloth into her face, he would have been standing over her before she finally noticed him.

She tossed the offending linen away in disgust as she looked up at him. "Good day, my queen," he hooted. "Remove those scraps covering you and let us see what we have here!"

Mietsa rose to her feet with deliberate slowness, lulling the stud into a false sense of security as she allowed her loose linen tunic to glide off her skin. "Very well. I have let you see me. But what makes you believe that I shall let you have me?"

Riagne wiped blood off his mouth with the back of his hand as he looked upon the dead stag before him. It hadn’t been a very difficult kill, but it was bigger than he could possibly consume before the carcass rotted. As he broke the antlers off the animal’s head, he remembered the poor beast’s plight when he found it. The stag had allowed its antlers to grow too large, which in turn got stuck in a tangle of blackberry vines. Riagne made the mistake of taking pity on the beast and freeing its head.

The stag, probably scared for its life, had tried to gore him. Luckily, the massive antlers were too heavy for it maneuver them effectively. A quick swipe to the forelegs and a powerful bite to the jugular stopped its bout of tempestuousness.

Examining the antlers, Riagne noted that they would make good weapons once he sharpened the points. He laid them on top of the stag’s skin before picking up a knife to cut the carcass into strips. Parts of it he would throw out randomly for weaker carnivores to dine on. It was fine meat, so it would be a pity for it to go to waste.

Once he had finished cutting the meat and wrapping it in his light cloak, he looked at the antlers he meant to sharpen and was reminded that his claws also needed some attention. He sauntered over to the closest tree, stiffening his fingers to make his claws slide out. Before he started to scratch the tree’s thick bark, he noticed some grooves no more than a day or two old.

Riagne sniffed the marks. They were from a queen. He grinned when he noticed the subtle aroma of pheromones emanating from the marks. As he continued to examine the marks, he noticed more grooves scratched out on the ground. The depth of these grooves had a more intense meaning: "stay away."

The grin crept higher on Riagne’s muzzle, causing his whiskers to arch up. It had been a long time since he had a challenge. But he needed to prepare his den for his future mate and his progeny...

Mietsa groaned as she scooped handfuls of dirt over her urine. The musky scent of her sex competed with the pungent ammonia of her wastes. No wonder the stud had bothered her! Didn’t she just have a season of estrus? Why was her body so insistent on reproduction?

When Mietsa was only a kit, a traveling Renpit with a stubby tail and feathered headdress killed her mother for refusing to mate with him. But the three other queens that shared her territory taught her about her seasons and how to mask her scent so studs would not find her if she did not wish to mate.

Mietsa wanted kits one day, but did not yet want the responsibility of raising them -- having to hunt for them, defend them from predators and teach them to survive. But she also knew that studs never took "no" for an answer and she would one day meet a stud that would not submit to her vicious claws, snapping teeth, and lashing tail. So, masking her scent, essentially hiding from the roving studs, was the only sure way to keep from having kits.

As Mietsa made her way to the lake, she reflected on the tawny stud that tried to mate with her and earned a deep scratch on his nose for his trouble. He was barely older than Mietsa, experimenting with his newfound sexual energies. She almost felt sorry for the poor thing.

Almost.

Riagne made a meticulous survey of the lake as he approached the shoreline. The trail led to this vicinity, but he did not see any other Sekh around. Electing to lie in wait, he spread his cloak on the ground and leaned back on it.

He did not wait long before a flash of white against the green backdrop caught his attention. The sight was followed by a sharp snap. A breeze that rippled the water in his direction carried the scent he had been tracking. He realized the white flash must have been the clothing of his quarry. Removing his loincloth, he padded across the sand and slid into the water, keeping sight of the white cloth that rose with a regular rhythm. It acted as a beacon that signaled his quarry’s location.

As he shielded himself from view under a clump of vines, he watched a golden queen with long fire-colored hair. She attacked a large rock with a damp white tunic, pausing to sniff the garment every so often. Once she was satisfied with its smell, she laid it out on the rock. As she removed a leather thong that kept her hair out of her face, Riagne dipped down so that only his nose and the tips of his pointed ears poked from the water’s surface.

The breeze brought the pungent scent of the queen’s hormones to him. Its unique nuances told him all he needed to know about her: No previous mates. Good health. Very fertile. Though her scent also carried a hint of defiance, Riagne was sure that he could quell her ferocity...

Once she was sure that her scent was washed out of her clothing, Mietsa waded into the lake until the water reached her waist. Bending forward, she straightened her tail and propelled herself into the cool water. She glided through the water until her toes were a foot above the bottom. Dipping her head underwater, she turned over so that she floated on her back and let the contrast of sun and water relax her. She heard an occasional fish break the surface of the water and pondered the concept of catching some of them for dinner. Or perhaps she would just look for some eggs...

Careful to remain downwind, Riagne glided through the water towards the floating Sekh. When he was within five body lengths of her, he dipped under the surface of the water so he could glide under the queen’s body undetected. He took a few moments to admire the lithe muscles that rippled under the golden skin and the flaming hair that splayed out around her head.

Then he sprang up to claim her.

Mietsa yelped as she felt something wrap around her midsection and draw her downwards. Water forced its way down her throat before she remembered to close her mouth. At first, she feared that she was about to be a Sobek’s meal, but the lack of teeth piercing her throat persuaded her otherwise.

She scratched the non-reptilian arms and legs that were wrapped around her and held her underwater. After a few frantic moments of struggling that only depleted the air in her lungs, she tried to haul her captor’s weight towards the water’s surface.

But, as soon as she made a motion for the surface, she found herself staring at the lake’s bottom and no relief for the burning in her lungs.

Riagne knew that the queen would fight, but he didn’t think she would be foolish enough to try it underwater. He knew that she was getting desperate for air, but he was slightly worried that her frenzy would drown them both. Fortunately, his fortitude proved greater than hers and she started to weaken.

Once he thought she wouldn’t fight any further, Riagne swam to the surface and let the queen’s head come up above the water. He swam backwards toward the shore, holding the gasping Sekh to his chest.

"Relax, little one," he whispered into her ear. "Don’t fight me. I won’t hurt you." As he swam towards the place he had left his cloak, he noticed that the queen kicked her legs to help propel them faster.

When they reached the shore, Riagne half-dragged and half-carried his quarry over to his cloak and dropped her unceremoniously onto it. While he waited for her spluttering to cease, he crossed his arms over his scarred chest and evaluated her sleek flanks and rounded teats. Her wet hair clung to her back and muzzle. Once she had regained some composure, Riagne tossed his thin black braids over his shoulder and squatted beside her.

"A nice day for a swim," he stated sardonically as he reached for her shoulder. "You are a bit young, but I could do much worse for a mate."

The queen lashed out with unsheathed claws, giving him a deep scratch on his arm. She let out a low snarl, which caused him to back away a few steps. He crouched low, holding his hands out so that his palms faced her. The display was intended to communicate that he did not wish to hurt her, but he was poised to defend himself if necessary.

Mietsa could not believe the unmitigated gall this stud had just displayed. He could have drowned them both! Why couldn’t he have waited until she came back to shore?

As she gathered her wits, she evaluated the stud. She could touch the top of his head, but she was only as tall as his chest. Scars crisscrossed it, showing her that he had met up with many difficult opponents. His long black hair, tied in hundreds of thin braids, hung in his face. Water ran in streamlets through the cuts of his well-toned body and made his black fur cling to him like fur clings to an otter.

Fighting him would be of little benefit. She placed her hand on the sand and clenched it, trapping sand into it. As the stud opened his mouth to speak again, she hurled the sand into his face. It hit his eyes and mouth, causing him to yell in surprise.

Mietsa leapt to her feet and ran as fast as her legs could carry her.

Riagne shook his head violently, spitting out sand and grit. Tears blurred his vision as he blinked grains of sand out of his eyes. He flipped his braids out of his face as he watched her hazy form get further away. He growled as he tried to think of a way to stop her without having to chase her down.

Patting the ground around him in a wide circle, he found a stone the size of his hand, sans fingers. Briefly, he considered using his sling, but realized the force it would produce would kill his quarry. He blinked rapidly as he took aim and hurled the stone at the disappearing queen. The stone disappeared into the flora, followed almost immediately by the queen falling to the ground.

Riagne quickly stuffed his loincloth into his pouch and slung it over his head so that the strap crossed his chest. He picked up his cloak and carefully followed her small footprints to her. Even with her running, his stride matched two of hers.

When he found her, the queen’s body was halfway underneath a thicket, as if she was trying to hide. She wasn’t yet unconscious, but she moved very little. Riagne dropped his cloak. As gently as he was capable, he reached under the brambles and dragged her out by her legs. Mewls of protest and weak kicks were the queen’s response.

"I told you not to fight me, little one," he said with a little amusement.

When he finally pulled her completely out of the thicket, he immediately regretted his statement. The queen had her eyes tightly closed and grasped the back of her head with both hands. Her fiery hair was tangled with debris and black patches of dirt clung to her damp golden fur. Riagne bowed his head with guilt.

"I apologize, little one," he whispered. "Throwing that stone was not necessary." As he spoke, he brushed dirt off her whiskers and muzzle. He helped her sit up, wrapping his cloak around her once she was upright. "Care to tell me your name?"

Instead of answering Riagne, the queen slumped against his chest with a low moan. He picked her up, cradling her against his chest. Walking down the path, he started the journey to his den.

When Mietsa regained her senses, she felt soft animal skins under her nude body. A dull, throbbing pain emanated from the back of her head. She turned to her side and gingerly touched the knob forming near her crown. Roasting meat and smoke reached her nostrils. The only sounds she heard were loud crackles that she recognized as fat dripping into a fire.

Once she was sure that she was not dead, Mietsa slowly opened her eyes to look around. A fire with a meat-loaded spit hanging above it allowed her to see the walls of a mountain cavern. Smoke spiraled upward towards a hole in the ceiling, which she could not see. By the fire’s light, she made out paintings of black Sekhs hunting animals and Sobeks. Near the fire, a spring trickled into a pool large enough to hold four grown Sekhs.

A scraping sound near her head caught her attention. Mietsa looked up to see the stud sharpening his knife. She sat up quickly, scattering a few of the furs in her hurry to dash away. The stud did not look at her at first, instead putting his knife and sharpening tool away. After checking the meat on the spit he spoke to her.

"I see you have revived."

Mietsa drew a fur over her body in self-consciousness. "Where am I?" she demanded.

The stud looked over his shoulder at her. "My den, of course. I have chosen you as a mate."

"I am not your mate, you arrogant piece of Renpit droppings!"

The stud turned towards her and crossed his arms, looking over her haughtily. "You will be, little one. By catching you while you were bathing, I have proven my worth as a hunter and provider." He walked towards her, studying her body posture. His ears and whiskers pointed towards her. "Furthermore, I am patient. Eventually, your need to produce kits will overcome your wounded pride."

The stud paused within arm’s reach of her and dropped into a squat. "Perhaps I should start with an introduction. I am Riagne. And you are?"

Mietsa pulled her ears and whiskers back and thumped her tail against the floor. "Mietsa," she hissed in reply.

Well, at least she finally told him her name! Riagne reached out to Mietsa, about to brush some of her wild red mane out of her face. She growled and bit hard enough into his hand to make him cry out. He gave the queen a ringing smack on the muzzle to make her let go. Mietsa spit and brought her legs under her. Her tail swished behind her as she prepared to leap at Riagne.

Riagne recovered quickly and pushed her back onto her rump. He knelt over her, pinning her under his haunches. After leaning back to avoid her claws, he caught her wrists and pinned them to the furs and above her head.

"Now. Now. That’s enough of that."

Riagne bent his head to wash her muzzle with his rough tongue. When growling and baring her teeth didn’t stop his grooming, Mietsa roared and bit at his nose. He responded by placing his teeth on her throat and bearing down just enough for her to feel their sharpness. She continued to kick and twist until he gave her a low warning growl.

Mietsa let out a panicky mewl as Riagne’s knee moved up to spread open her legs. She drew her knees together and dug her toe claws into the skins. Riagne transferred both of Mietsa’s wrists to one of his hands and stroked her flank with the other. He noticed the queen was trembling. Riagne released his hold on her neck and nuzzled against her cheekbones. A deep, rumbling purr swelled up from his chest.

The purring had a calming effect on Mietsa. His free hand pressed into the area slightly above her left breast, as if trying to calm the frenzied beating of her heart. The feeling of his leg pressing into her crotch caused a tingling sensation in the pit of her stomach. She found herself enjoying the mysterious tightening between her legs.

A surge of heat shot through Mietsa’s body once she felt Riagne’s padded fingertips prodding her sensitized sex. Suddenly, she was aware of every movement that his fingers made and wanted more heat to surge through her body. Her body moved in waves, silently coaching his hand in making the motions that caused the greatest surges.

"Yes, little one," Riagne said through his purring. "Relax yourself. Mating is not so bad."

Riagne released her wrists and used his newly unoccupied hand to stroke her breasts. He again licked her face, but this time Mietsa welcomed his warm, moist tongue. He slowly moved toward her throat to tenderly smooth down the fur that was disturbed by his teeth.

Mietsa shifted uncomfortably under him as she felt musky secretions drip from her sex. She looked into Riagne’s eyes, which caused his pupils to widen.

"Ah..." she started bashfully.

"Yes?"

"I heard from... other queens that mating would hurt."

Riagne rolled off of Mietsa and lay on his side beside her. He kept a hand on her sex and gently teased it while he sat up. He ran his free hand through her red mane. "Is that why you continue to fight me?"

Mietsa nodded. "I do not want kits, either. At least, not yet"

"Do not worry, I will be gentle with you. And once our kits are born, you will not be restrained to the den if you do not wish to be. Studs do help raise their progeny."

Mietsa contemplated the paintings on the cavern walls. She noticed that some of the black Sekhs led smaller Sekhs in hunting animals. Her whiskers bent forward and twitched. Riagne’s braids dangling over her muzzle brought her attention back to him. His padded fingertips gingerly brushed over her muzzle and made her whiskers tingle.

"Do you still have misgivings about mating me?"

Mietsa took a moment before answering. "I do not think so."

"Good." Riagne touched his forehead to hers with a light purr. He knelt over her hips and reached down to aggressively stroke her sex. As Miesta ground against his hand, Riagne bent forward to groom her breasts. She found herself enjoying his attentions and started purring back at him. Miesta rode the waves of heat, which grew steadily higher. The smell of her secretions grew stronger with each wave and mingled with Riagne’s own odor.

"You are almost ready for our first mating, little Miesta," he whispered. "Just relax as I enter you."

Riagne guided his mate’s legs apart with his hand and positioned himself between them. He slowly guided his penis inside her and watched her expression for any indication of pain. Mietsa winced in discomfort at being stretched, but quickly found the sensation to be pleasurable. Riagne’s rumbling purr caused a minor vibration in her sex. Mietsa purred in kind as she placed her arms around Riagne’s neck.

For a few long moments, Riagne moved back and forth. Mietsa arched up to keep him inside her. She wanted him to press the upper region of her canal, which caused her body to tighten and shudder. Gradually, Riagne increased the speed and pressure of his gyrations. Both Sekhs’ breathing quickened in time with their movements. Soon enough, Riagne straightened up and growled as he felt her sex clamp down on him. Mietsa mewled as she gripped the furs. Her body shook to its very core. All she was aware of was Riagne pressing into her.

Riagne slipped his hands under Mietsa’s arched back and held her hips tightly against his. Growling, he felt himself tighten and release his seed into Mietsa. After he had emptied himself, he slumped over the queen. He twirled Mietsa’s hair around his finger and rubbed his muzzle against hers. Both their tongues pulsed slightly in and out as they panted.

"Was that so bad?"

Miesta shook her head.

"Excellent." Riagne spent a few moments stroking her hair and studying her pleased expression. He almost sighed with disappointment as he felt himself soften and the spines on his penis start to protrude. "I have to pull myself out, dear one. It will hurt a bit, so brace yourself."

Mietsa responded by tightening her crotch.

"No, no. Relax. It will hurt more if you don’t."

Mietsa took a deep breath and relaxed herself. Riagne placed his hands on either side of her waist and pulled himself out with one quick motion. He winced as he felt his spines drag over the walls of her canal and heard her growl. He only grunted as she swiped at his muzzle and drew blood.

Riagne examined the scratch with his fingers. "Hmm. You hit hard. I hope you can do that again should you ever need to protect our kits." As Mietsa sat up, Riagne went over to the fire and checked on the meat. "Almost ready. Hungry?"

Mietsa felt her stomach growl in response. "A little."

"Take a bath while you wait. The spring is very warm."

Mietsa moved slowly over to the spring and slid in. The water was indeed warm and soothed her scratched sex. She rubbed out the dirt and grime she accumulated during the fight with Riagne. As she bathed, Riagne divided the meat into two clay bowls and placed one near the fur pallet. He ate silently, watching his mate splash around in the spring. When Miesta climbed out of the spring, Riagne handed her a large cloth to dry herself with.

After drying off, Mietsa gobbled her meat down. She had not eaten anything that day save a rodent for her morning meal. As she finished eating, Riagne rose to his feet and dressed in his loincloth. He draped his cloak over Mietsa’s shoulders.

"Cover yourself with this, little one. I am going to find some flax for you. You will need bigger clothes once you become pregnant." Riagne nuzzled her one last time before slinging a large bag over his shoulder. "I shall return soon. If you become hungry again, I keep the food under a loose rock near the fire."

Mietsa watched Riagne light a torch with the fire and carry it with him into the dark recesses of the cave. She pulled the cloak around her as he disappeared. Contemplating how her body would change with kits growing inside her, Mietsa lay on the skins and closed her eyes.

When Riagne returned, his mate was asleep. He placed his flax-laden bag aside and lay beside her. Her golden skin and red hair were mesmerizing, her musky scent intoxicating. He had to fight the temptation to wake her so she could relieve his arousal. She looked as innocent as a kit, but already had the ferocity of a mother. He embraced his young mate and enjoyed the feeling of her warm body next to his.

Mating season had begun.