Alps looked out over the courtyard. It was pretty empty. This early in the morning it usually was. Neit was probably still asleep. Alps wondered if Nita approved of the young lady friend he brought with him. She did not seem upset.  Then again, Alps' intent with her had been rather noble at least. He looked up at the sky. It was still a darker, deeper shade of blue, except over the horizon, where pink and orange hues were spilling over it. Alps smiled warmly.  Nita and Nidaja would be here soon. They came here both to relax and, in Nidaja's case, to exercise. Also, Nita usually brought snacks. In all his life as a slave, he had never been given sweets or other tasty breakfast treats, and Nita shared with Alps. He had grown a real sweet tooth. 

 

He sat down on the bench, happy to be the first here. He looked out over the sandy circle in the center of the courtyard. Nidaja was the general of the letai army… The royal guard… All the power of their people rested in her hands.  The war against the Orcish army had been a long and fruitless one. Their numbers far exceeded those of Alps' race. But the attacks had stepped down a bit over the last twenty years, ever since the terrible raids ended. Almost 80% of Alps’ homeland was lost, but they were allowed to live freely on this area of land, the island of Amani. Alps had not even been told about the war until he got here in Diera. He had learned so much that his mistresses and masters thought was unneeded knowledge for a slave. Nita did not really treat him much like a slave, more like a trusted companion. He was already starting to forget the dark, cold nights in a little shack outside a nice house and having been beaten. He truly felt that he was finally in a place where no one could hurt him. Safety. He'd never felt safety before. Education… questions being answered without having to be terrified of asking them. His life was a dream now, one that he never wanted to wake up from. The Letai were losing the war, this was sad news for Alps… and a source of great sorrow for Nita, who was the leader of this rather gentle race. However, Alps would share this destiny with Nita now. He had promised himself that after the first night in bed with her. He was there for her for life, even if she got married and had a family, and never made love to him again. His life was hers, and he was glad it was.

 

      "Oh, Alpsie… you beat us here!" a beloved familiar voice piped behind him.  Alps lifted his head from his pensive thoughts and greeting Nita with a little motioned kiss to the air between them. She caught the kiss on her lips as it was hurled to her so adoringly. Nidaja rolled her eyes.

 

      "You two are like kids, you know?" she said. She put her pack down and stretched a bit. Alps looked up at her and beamed a smile.

 

      "Well, hello Nidaja," he chimed. "Are you strength, speed, or technique training this morning?" Nidaja took off her overcoat, a leather longcoat that she wore when she was outside. Her body, though strong, was still very feminine. To command more respect for her strength she wore clothing that made her look a little larger. Alps stood up and looked at her carefully. 

 

Nidaja had not changed since the first night really. Though his love for her and his friendship with her had made her a very pleasant sight to behold, even outside her physical beauty. Her gorgeous lupine features glowed in the morning light as she placed her coat on the bench. She wore a rather loose and flowing silken vest of sorts and a tight cotton shirt underneath, that held her firm, ample breasts in place. The cool morning air caused her nipples to perk enough to attract Alps' interest and a warm smile. On her hips, she wore a war belt. It was regular leather, but with steel plates bolted to it, to keep her belt from being severed in a fight. One did not want to lose a sword in fleeing or just moving about. Especially before one got a chance to fight. Nidaja did not have her sword on though. She was not going to practice with a live blade.  She rarely did when she trained for speed or strength training, though she would for technique training. She wore a pair of canvas shorts… loose, short, and durable. Tan in color, much like his own. They held to her lusciously wide hips comfortably and allowed her free range of motion. 

 

Alps patted the bench and Nita sat close beside him, her hip touching his.  Alps gave a rather playful smile to her. Nita was wearing a short silken shirt, which showed her midriff, buttoned along the front… also boosting her generous breasts a bit. Though hers were not quite so large as her sisters. She wore a suede leather skirt, which buttoned up along the side, and a belt with a leather pouch, which contained her personal effects, including her crest for identification. Nita placed her gentle hand on Alps' thigh, and gave a fond squeeze.

 

Nidaja picked up a staff that was lying by the bench. She had left it there the previous day. No one would steal it here, of course. She looked at Nita as she caressed Alps' thigh and laughed, shaking her head. "Oh my goodness… you two slept together last night! Can't you get enough?" 

 

She moved out to the center of the sandy circle. "You should put that energy to something useful, Alps. Given how much time you spend with Nita, perhaps you should pick up a sword and learn to defend her? She could use a knight in shining armor," the emerald Letai chided softly. She raised the staff to eye level. It was weighted and balanced to be equal to her sword, but without the ability to accidentally cut her in half if she made a mistake. Alps blushed slightly, having been the victim of the woman's teasing before. He was used to it and kind of liked it. They teased each other like that, and being teased as well made Alps feel more included… special… like family. It was a good feeling. 

 

Nidaja looked back at him. "I am speed training today, of course. Though it looks like Nita has some exercise in mind too." she said, laughing again, before she began to spin the mock-blade rapidly, stretching, and warming up with it in a routine Alps had seen a dozen times now. He came out here every morning, to help if he could. On occasion, he was allowed to carry things for them or just to give Nidaja a rub down when she was done. He leaned into Nita and giggled. 

 

      "Well, she expects me to behave when she's dressed so… enticing and moving about like that? She does have high expectations of me." Alps looked at Nita and then back at Nidaja. "Would you teach me? Would you teach me to defend my mistress and my friends?" he asked. He knew it grated Nita's nerves to be called mistress, but the mood was already teasing, so it rolled off with no more than a flick to his left ear, which he twitched a bit to recover. Nidaja looked at Alps, stopping her routine. She thought a bit, and then nodded softly.

 

      "Sure, Alps. I can teach you. Step right up." Alps looked to Nita, who quivered her bottom lip, mockingly. She then pushed him to his feet and swatted his rump. Alps looked at Nidaja. Was she actually going to teach him to use a weapon? No mistress in her right mind would ever do that for a slave. They are dangerous if they can fight. It's hard to discipline them. Nidaja handed Alps an equal staff to her own. Alps had carried the things dozens of times now. However, the one he was handed seemed a LOT heavier now that he held it, for the first time, as a weapon and not just property being carried for Nidaja. He held it up and looked defensive, unsure of what was to come. Nidaja smiled and looked to Nita. "He is pretty scared. See how the tip of the staff is shaking a little?" she asked. Nita nodded softly.

 

      "It's okay, Alps. She won't hurt you bad. It'll sting if she hits you, but you said your other owners used to beat you badly. Her attacks won't be anywhere close." Alps looked to Nidaja and nodded softly. "Then attack I guess and I will try to defend myself," his voice wavered. Nidaja held her staff up, slightly curved, just like her sword, and taped the tip of Alps' staff sending it far to the side… such a small motion and so much power. Alps nearly lost hold of the weapon. He then recovered and held the weapon up, but when he faced forward again, after recovering, Nidaja was gone. Then he felt a searing hot flash of pain on the back of his shoulder. He stumbled forward and looked behind him.  Nidaja was there, tapping the weapon on her shoulder. Alps blinked, looking at her. She was so fast! He had never really thought about how fast she actually was if you were facing her. Speed training was right! He looked sternly at Nidaja and moved forward. She touched the side of Alps' staff with her own and just turned in a very fluid circle, letting Alps' staff slide forward. She glided around behind the wolf and brought the staff to the back of his knee.  The wolf went to the sand and was on his back, with a dull thud and a deep release of air. He looked up at the sky, stunned. Nidaja took the opportunity to straddle his hips. 

 

      "Looks like I win, Alpsie." she said laughing, placing the staff off to the side and touching his throat in a little slicing motion, signaling that, if she had a knife, the white furred slave would not be sucking air anymore. Alps blinked again. He really was trying, but it was… what… twelve seconds? Ten? Less? No time at all, and he was "dead". He looked up at Nita who shook her head softly, smiling. She knew of Nidaja's skill and what would happen to Alps. The places the general had hit did not really hurt, though, so it was not too bad. And now Nidaja was straddling him in the dirt, so it was better! He laughed softly and rubbed the back of his head, looking a little embarrassed.

 

      "Yes, you did win, General Razelle. What is it you will take in your victory?" he asked, touching her tummy softly. "You and your sister own me after all. What conquest is there in defeating lil old me?" he asked. The morning sun was darkened as Nita's form moved between his head and the horizon, shading him from it. He looked up at the queen. Nita was smiling and… undoing the buttons on her silken blouse. Alps gritted his teeth. She could not possibly be after that so early in the morning. She had just taken a shower an hour ago. Alps looked to Nidaja, who was blushing slightly.

 

      "Oh Nita, don’t tell me you liked seeing that," she said, hugging her own chest, realizing that she was, indeed, very perky from the activity and the cool morning air.

 

      "Oh yes… I did!" she said, sliding off the blouse, and placing it on the bench. She was not wearing anything underneath. Alps' eyes widened a bit. Sure, they did it outside at night. A very open and intense night indeed… but it was at NIGHT. It was not in the morning when the general public was often visiting the castle. The courtyard was visible from the back of the castle. Alps knew it was uncommon for the general public to be granted admittance until noon, but still, there were others here, such as guards, nobles and friends of said individuals who would stand a chance to see. Nidaja looked at the rising sun and giggled softly.

 

      "Well… I’m not gonna let you get into trouble," she said. "You know how protective Anubis is. He would probably lecture you about lowering your guard to someone who was raised as anything but a noble." Nidaja removed the flowing silk vest thing and tossed it before peeling off her shirt. If she was warning Nita about getting into trouble why on earth was she undressing? Alps inhaled deeply and felt that warm rise of heat between his thighs. His canvas shorts suddenly seemed a lot tighter than when he put them on this morning. He swallowed softly and wriggled a bit, wondering if Nidaja and Nita were only teasing him here and would take him someplace private. He did not want to get them in trouble with Anubis. 

 

Anubis was a general under Nidaja. Being an older uncle, he had a little more sway as a family member, and could chastise the girls if he needed to. For it was a task left to him in their mothers will and was now his responsibility to look after their well being. He would until the death. Alps had only seen him a handful of times, as he handled a lot of the military obligations outside the castle walls while Nidaja handled a lot inside. 

 

Alps looked up at Nidaja as she tossed the shirt to the side and her firm, large breasts bounced in his vision. They were covered in velvety fine, short fur, so soft, and so warm and smooth. His paws gravitated toward them. She had him pinned so he had to give her some kind of contact. 

 

Alps gasped as Nita, completely nude now… as he had not seen her wriggle out of the skirt, moved alongside Nidaja. No, they were not teasing him. He swallowed again and wriggled just a bit. Nidaja's hips were right over his so her crotch would apply pressure to his already swelling member as she moved slowly, back and forth, to further tease him. To Alps' shock, Nita straddled his chest, giggling softly. He had not expected her to get in between him and Nidaja, as it placed her rather intimately close to her own sister. He had been blindfolded when they were together last time, so he did not know if they had been intimately close then. But now they pressed their chests together in a rather playful and fun-loving embrace, as Nita pressed her already warm and humid sex against his chest, streaking his fur with her tangy, elicit scent.  Alps crooned softly, unable to move now, as the two emerald lupine females held him rather firmly to the ground with their weight… and their authority. Alps could not allow himself to forget that he was their slave, and if he wanted to protest it would not do any good. However, he had no intention of protesting as he watched them kiss. It was slightly curious when he saw Misha and Uri do it, but just… shocking to watch Nita and Nidaja do it. But as they kissed he looked over Nita's shoulder at their faces, turned enough to the side for him to see as they kissed passionately, and he knew. Their love was a family love… something bonding deeper than sex, sisterhood, or even lovers. 

 

Nita was very limited in who she could trust since she was the queen, and Nidaja was likely the friend and companion that, for all these years, she had trusted the most. Alps caresses over Nita’s rump and lower back as he lets them seal their friendship and family bonds with that romantic and adoring kiss.  Alps looked at the horizon, the slowly rising morning sun. He was intimately involved with these two and they did not seem to really fear others finding out a whole lot. Was he really that valuable as a companion that they would let others know they had such a relationship with him? Or was it generally accepted in high society that Alps' intimacy was common with his mistress. He thought a little about these things, before his mind was snapped back into the reality of the moment. 

 

Nidaja's hand had slid down between herself and Nita, and she had scooted back some. Nita was working the ties to Nidaja’s shorts and Nidaja was working the ties to Alps' shorts… making sure to stroke over his already firm shaft with her thumb through the fabric. Alps arched his hips a little to show his interest in the lovely female. As if the feel of his already swollen length would not be enough to tell her he was interested. Nita scooted back a little as well, to make it easier for her to remove Nidaja's shorts. 

 

Nidaja slid back and turned around just a bit as Nita worked her clothing the rest of the way off, and she helped Alps out of his on the soft sand of the fighting ring. Nita's scooting back placed her in a position for Alps to do something that had began to come naturally to him. His eyes drawn forward by her powerful musky scent, he saw her slit parted slightly from her leaning forward the way she was, her legs spread. He could not resist the temptation and touched the silken length of his hot tongue between those dewy folds, tasting the tart flavor of her sex, freshly showered, and yet, as always, tasting no less of Nita. Alps giggled softly to himself as Nita gasped, and jumped a bit, having not expected him to touch so soon. She slid back a little and placed her arms on Nidaja's shoulders, giving a soft, pleasured sound. 

 

Nidaja laughed softly, taking her place back on Alps' hips, her moist sex pressing his now exposed shaft against his belly. She began to slowly roll her hips, teasing him a little bit with her wetness and her muscles, which would contract softly on his length. Her hips would hold him tighter letting him realize he was not able to get away. His voice raised enough for her to hear from between Nita's now possessive thighs, as she pressed her sex to Alps' generous muzzle…

 

      "A little friendly with that tongue, isn't he?” she asked her sister, who continued to hug the lupine general. Nita jerked her hips again as Alps flicked her clit with the tip of his tongue, experimenting, always eager to find what pleasured his mistress. Nidaja and Nita were very different for what they liked.  He was learning this over time. Alps had already learned that Nita liked deep penetration, whereas Nidaja liked rapid motion over her clit more. Nearly everything seemed to pleasure Uri, though. Alps smiled as he pressed the length of his tongue into Nita, tasting her all over his tongue. The slight salt on the tip… the tangy bitterness along the side… the warm taste of her flesh on the back of his tongue, which touched tentatively over her clit, brushing against it lovingly. If this was fighting practice, the wolf would definitely train hard and become Nita's strongest guard. He closed his eyes, letting himself feel more than see now, though he could still hear, as Nita released a lightly breathless answer.

 

      "Y… yeah. He does like to do that. It's something I am finding I especially enjoy. And when I am in season… when he can't actually have sex, I know he will be able to do that… and he knows that I will reward him like last night," she said, gasping again as Alps' tongue penetrated as deep as he would let it. Alps spread his legs a little, and braced his feet in the sand, holding his knees up. This cradles Nidaja's rump a little, and pressed her forward on his body, holding Nita close still. Nidaja sighs happily, and reached down, letting her fingers slide under Alps' cock and pressing him tighter against her wet folds, almost penetrating, but not quite, teasing herself over his length, playing with him as she might a sex toy. For now, Alps actually was her living sex toy, but he felt a degree of trust and friendship and kindness from her that warmed his heart and never left him feeling used, even if he was used pretty heavily for her own pleasure. He did not mind, certainly.  Alps began to pant softly himself, as the pleasure Nidaja was stealing for herself was not wasted on him either. Alps' tail jerked every time she would let the tip of his rock hard member pass over her entrance and seem to want to let it slip in. Alps wanted so badly to just feel her tight body around him, even if she was not actively making love to him. Just to feel those muscular walls inside her closed around his shaft… pulsing, throbbing. That heat which he had learned so well and could now feel in dreams, so familiar he is with it. Alps placed both his paws on Nita's hips, holding her steady as he allowed his tongue to dig deeply into her, his nose pressed on the short span of flesh between her anus and sex.  Slowly massaging her with his nose and licking deeply, he could only think to cause pleasure, just as she had last night. The mouth was so capable, and he had not really thought as much about just how much until last night. Nita’s hot muzzle… so searing and so gentle… So powerful, yet so caring. 

 

      Alps arched his back and softly cried out as he felt his length slip into Nidaja. By the loud sound of intense passion from the general it was obvious she had not intended that just yet, but when it happened she was not disappointed.  Her paws went up to Nita's chest where they began to play happily, just as Nita's warm, clever paws already played upon her breasts, teasing touching, flicking pert nipples, tugging, caressing, hefting, holding, grasping, anything her hands could do to give Nidaja's chest pleasure, to send shivers down her spine, she did. Alps presses his tongue deeper inside Nita's sex, feeling her walls clenching on it, reacting wonderful to the oral fixation the wolf had. He was breathing heavily now, driven wild by the sensation of Nidaja’s tight, searing body grasping his cock deep inside her, pulsing wetly. She held still for a moment, kissing Nita again, reminding her that they were sharing him and each other. Alps did not feel funny about it at all now. There were too many other things for him to feel. Alps began to roll his hips heatedly as Nidaja started her slow up and down and back and forth motions, enjoying the feel of the wolf inside her. Alps' white fur bristled and he cried out softly. The evenings of doing this had raised his stamina and endurance, but he still could not last long under this kind of stimulation. Just giving Nita oral alone was enough to make him almost climax. Nidaja’s tight sex wrapped around his length, suckling on him, nursing him toward his climax, was more than enough to complete the circuit. It would not take long. The passion between them was rising too, so perhaps they were not just going to play around as much as usual, for real fear of someone disturbing them. Alps followed their lead with the growing passion, placing his paws on Nita’s hips, letting his tongue slide back and forth between her swollen cunny-lips faster, more desperately, the pace of the general now almost feverish, as one of her paws dropped to Alps' tummy to give her more leverage for the motion she enjoyed. Nita’s muzzle dipped and she was using her tongue to flick at Nidaja's nipples, which bounced heavily as she slammed herself up and down harder on Alps' body, moaning deeper, more desperately, each sound she made seeming to change slowly in pitch, the lady lupine slowly working toward climax, her fur bristling, her breasts wet with sweat and with Nita’s saliva as she licked, nipped and teased her sister's nipples, eager to make sure she had enough pleasure from this. 

 

      Nita's sex suddenly seized on Alps' tongue with a surge of heat and wetness on his muzzle and face. Nita cried out and shuddered, bucking into Nidaja who slammed down almost painfully on Alps' hips. Nidaja cried out gleefully to the queen and held her, as Alps almost choked on her warm nectar as it poured from her and spattered on his chest with her eager thrusting, humping motions. There really had not been any warning. Alps pondered, as he held firm and ridged for Nidaja, if he had hit just he right spot or something. Alps leaned his head back, letting Nita's sex cool a bit, watching as his mistress held Nidaja, who was now very franticly rising and falling on him. Nita cried out happily, but weakly to her sister.

 

      "Oh… oh yes… oh god yes, Nidaja. Go for it… cum too. Feels so good… together… hhmmm… oh… again… I can cum again… I want it to be together!" she cried, pressing her sex back on Alps' muzzle. Confused slightly, but obedient, Alps began to eagerly and rapidly lick Nita. Her sultry and perverse words to Nidaja were even more effective than the lady general's heated thrusting, as Alps whimpered softly into Nita's sex, feeling himself close. He was going to cum soon. He did not know if he could outlast these two, but he would try to let them enjoy theirs with his own. He closed his eyes, trying to focus on the sisters' pleasure. Nidaja was hammering him pretty hard now, her sex slick and hot, still tight enough to tug at his cock as she would rise and press it, as she would fall. Her muscles were so strong, inside and out. Nidaja cried out now, her breath coming in bursts when she would descend, their bodies now making a soft impacting sound from the force with which she took him. Never had he been ridden so furiously before.

 

      "N… Nita… I dunno. I'm real close… I can't stop… can't hold back… Oh my god…" She closed her eyes tightly, and held Nita’s shoulders.  "I want to… but… can’t… stop. Feels so good… so close… so close. Oh… ohh…" Nidaja's voice was becoming uncharacteristically high pitched. Alps knew she got like that right before she came. This made Nidaja a LOT more of a woman than the tomboy she was otherwise. It was hard not to feel like a female with nine inches of lupine flesh buried inside her. Alps lashed at Nita's sex with his eager tongue, feeling himself teetering on the edge. Ever cell in his body was begging for the girls to climax so he could too, his legs trembling. Nita cried out again, her voice also higher pitched, her body shaking a little.

 

      "I'm… right there. Oh Nidaja… Alps' legs… He’s gonna pop too! Come on… cum Nidaja! Cum with us… Alps… cum in Nidaja. Let her feel your hot seed inside her. That’ll make her cum. Oh… oh let me know when you cum. Gimme a sign. I'll come too. Oh I'm already… so… close…” Alps just couldn’t take it anymore. Nita's pleading voice, those words. Nidaja's powerful stroking, panting, her moans of pleasure. No amount of sexual training could stop his orgasm from happening. He let Nita know in the most intense way he knew how to give her an idea of just how powerful his orgasm was. He howled. Right into her sex, he howled… a very feral lupine howl. As he did so, the vibrations from his explosive howl, his rich voice, send a shockwave of powerful vibrations as deep as Nita's chest cavity. The howl was stifled just a bit by the introduction of Nita's dense, warm nectar to his open muzzle. Gurgling just a bit, Alps swallowed, and shut his muzzle, dragging in a deep breath though his nose, and taking a heavy face full of Nita's fluids, scent-marked sexually to the ears. As he pulled in that powerful breath, he yelped again softly as he felt the second powerful wave of his orgasm not just flow from him, but get violently dragged out of him by Nidaja’s convulsing body, the general crying out in a rage-pleasure growl and stifled scream, holding Nita tight as she quivered over Alps' face, and the male slave pulsed seed helplessly into Nidaja's tight, suckling, convulsing sex, which coated his inner thighs and tummy with its nectar as it drew in his warm life essence deeper into her uncaring body. Alps' toes curled a bit, and gripped sand, as he felt himself shuddering as more and more of that thick fluid pulsed from him into Nidaja. She held Nita, both of them panting so hard, as they twitched and spasmed over him. Alps could not get used to just how unusual it was… a slave, being so intimately involved. He felt he would never get over it, but then again, maybe he would. How long had it been? Not terribly long, but this was a fairly regular occurrence. Intimacy. Perhaps it was just fun for Nita and Nidaja and Uri, but Alps felt himself very emotionally bonding to them, and felt that, anymore, he would not want to live a life without them in it. He was serious about what he said to Nidaja. He would protect Nita. No one would be able to hurt her while he was still alive. Alps shivered just a bit as he thought about that. Was he… falling in love? With Nita? With Nita Arcana Razelle? The queen? A lowly slave loving her? Alps closed his eyes and sighed a long and happy sigh. Yeah, so what? He could love her, even if she did not love him the same way back. Nita was easy to love. So was Nidaja. Alps' life was happy now and it was because of them. Alps' mellow mood and relaxation were shattered by a male voice, close by, and Nita and Nidaja's simultaneous lunge for their clothing leaving Alps rather lewdly exposed. Alps scrambled and sat up indian style, weakly swaying, with his hands over his soaked lap looking up at the source of the voice.

 

      "Had to be the most… interesting thing I have seen in a very long time," he said. Alps looked at him. A tall, black furred wolf, seeming to be rather heavily muscled and wearing leather armor that was not merely black… it seemed to have a finish that did not shine or reflect ANYTHING. Not light… not shadow… not sheen… nothing. And it covered him completely, except for his head. He had cloves made of the stuff and boots… and pants and a coat. Nita and Nidaja scrambled to get their clothes on. Nita growled rather savagely to him.

 

      "You had best have a DAMN good reason to be here, stranger, or you will be dining on your tongue tonight. What you saw here is NOT to leave this courtyard!  It's private business between just me and my sister, and our knight. It's a right that we are given in the royal doctrines," she hissed. Alps gasped softly.  A knight? He was called a knight. That was oddly… embarrassing to him. He knew that she was lying of course, as it obviously would be frowned upon if a commoner found her so romantically entwined with a slave. Knights. True knights were always nobles. Alps kept his mouth shut though and let the tall wolf speak.  His eyes, where Alps were violet, were crimson. He was one of the original Amani tribe. There were very few left, and almost nothing of their history remained to be told. His voice was soothing, but dark, and deep, and hollow, as if he were speaking from somewhere else, and the sound did not… *quite* match his lips… or did they? It was hard to tell.

 

      "I beg your forgiveness, your majesty. I mean no harm and news of this will reach no one. It is, as you say, private business and I count myself fortunately and blessed to have seen the true beauty of her highness and General Nidaja, both of who I have admired for some time. Ahh… but forgive my impertinence. My name is Lunaris. I am… a bounty hunter." He sat down on the bench and handed Nita her skirt. Nita hastily put it on, as Nidaja got into her own clothes, grumbling something about locks on the gates.

 

      "Very well. A bounty hunter. I do not recall granting you a morning audience. This had better still be important," she said. "And I mean VERY important. You screwed up my afterglow," she grumbled. The large wolf smiled and nodded. He looked to Alps and asked softly, chuckling, "And your knight? I have never seen him before… rather… young."

 

      "He was just… umm… inducted." Nidaja said, obviously trying to help Nita.

 

      "Wow," Lunaris chuckled, "Where do I sign up to become a knight. I wanna have an induction ceremony too." he chuckled. Alps carefully got into his shorts and then snapped a rather severe look to the larger wolf. How dare he make such a comment to Nita, being a stranger as he was? Alps stood up and growled to him.

 

      "You come unannounced on unscheduled business with the queen, and you dare to insult her that way?!" Alps said, stepping forward.

 

      "It would seem your knight has some life in him, even after the beating he just got," he said. "If I'd been fucked like that my legs would be unable to move!" he said, laughing. "Stand down boy, unless you want to get hurt. I have important business with the queen that does not concern you." Alps lowered his brow. He did not like this fellow at all. He was far too sure of himself.  Lunaris leaned down and picked up a staff pointing it at Nita.  Alps gritted his teeth and gasped. Nidaja was on her feet, but her legs were obviously still shaky.

 

      "Drop it, and state your business. You are not going to play your stupid bounty hunter domination games with us. You are in our kingdom and you will respect and follow our laws, and moreover, as Sir Alps had stated, you have no right to speak to the queen like that. Nita's eyes were round and then narrow as the staff was pointed at her. Alps looked to the side, where his staff had dropped when he was pounced by Nidaja. He leaned down and picked it up. He raised the wooden shaft up shakily to face Lunaris. Nidaja and Nita looked up with shock and fear. Alps looked at them and realized just why. Alps just made himself a target. Slowly, Lunaris turned. Alps heart sank, but he tried to remain as cool and calm looking as he could.

 

      "Well, well, well…" Lunaris said, pointing the staff at Alps. "This will be a great chance for me to prove my worth as a bounty hunter to the queen. I shall test my skills against their knight. To be this close to them, you must be a personal bodyguard or something, as I would have seen you outside the castle walls if you were not. They looked scared when you picked up the stick. Maybe they think you could tear me apart, and feared for the fight they would see. Let’s find out." He took a fighting stance. Alps lowered his brow and glared at him threateningly. Inside, however, he felt sick. Why? Why did he have to pick up the staff? He looked at Nita and Nidaja. They were not moving. Alps was on his own with this one. He gripped the stick tighter, and prepared for the attack.