"What care have we for the affairs of humans? They come and go in the blink of an eye, and leave not but ruin in their wake."

  -Silithariel of the White Branches

  Aurelia woke on her back. She let out a rexed sigh, feeling wonderfully content with the world. Her wings were wrapped around her like a cocoon, and when they parted they revealed a still asleep Thessa ying atop Aurelia. She was still impaled on Aurelia's shaft. Her rge member had softened during her slumber, but it was quickly swelling with her morning wood. Her balls felt better than she could ever remember them being, like stretching a muscle after a day of exertion. She could almost hear them gurgling and churning to replenish their spent load, and she was sure that they'd grow fat and heavy as the day went on.

  Their nights activities had continued long, long after the first monumental release. And though Thessa might still be slumbering, Aurelia by contrast, felt invigorated.

  She couldn't help herself from thrusting her hips just a bit. The small movement prompted a low moan from Thessa, but she didn't stir otherwise. The rocking of her body also shifted Thessa enough that a low slosh could be heard over the chirping of the morning birds which filled the air. Aurelia looked past her companion's rexed face, and further down to where the evidence of their nights delights could be seen.

  Thessa's belly was distended outward, still packed full with her thick cum. With her cock still stuffing Thessa's stretched pussy, only a trickle had been able to escape throughout the night. And that wasn't much compared to the volumes Aurelia had pumped into her little cow.

  Thessa's back was to Aurelia's front, and she was filled with a heart-warming sense of fulfillment when she ran her hands over Thessa's bulging midsection. The skin was stretched taught, and felt delightful under her fingers.

  She thrust her hips again, causing another low moan and a soft slosh. But still Thessa didn't wake.

  Well, if she wanted to sleep in, that was fine. But they did have a journey to get on with, and the daylight wasn't going to wait for anyone. If Thessa wasn't going to wake up on her own, then Aurelia would have no problem waking her up.

  Thessa had woken on the fifth stroke, and Aurelia had had to cover her mouth to stop her from crying out. At first she had been worried that her companion was about to call out, or demand she be released. But she had begun thrusting back to Aurelia, and had promptly started sucking Aurelia's fingers which had been covering her mouth.

  The pair stayed in bed for another twenty, pleasurable minutes.

  "I can't believe you did that!" Thessa compined to her. She rubbed her now ft stomach, and made to walk normally. Though Aurelia could see that she was a bit bow-legged if she looked real close. Thessa was doing a remarkable job of not letting on to any of the others their activities st night.

  "You can't believe I did what?" Aurelia replied, though she was smiling. She knew exactly what Thessa meant, but she wanted to hear her say it.

  "That you... you carried my like that, and then..." She trailed off, slightly flushed at the memory.

  "That I carried you, still impaled, hidden under my wings and cloak, and then wrung you out like a wet rag until the st of my cum dripped out of you?"

  "...Yeah" Thessa said, licking her lips. "And by the way, that was NOT the st of it. It's been leaking out all morning."

  "Just be grateful that I was able to smuggle you out to somewhere secluded to clean up. And besides, you seemed to enjoy the arrangement well enough."

  "Hmph."

  Discreetly, so that no one else could see. Thessa dipped a hand between her thighs. To any onlooker, it was quick and innocent enough as to look as though she was simply scratching an itch, or maybe adjusting the way her sto was arranged. But Thessa withdrew a finger den with thick, white cargo. She raised it to her mouth, and licked it slowly. Her eyes fluttered closed for a moment, and her nostrils fred, and then it was over, and she felt a pang at it's loss.

  After a quick breakfast, the group set out once more. Eager to be underway while the sun was shining. With their current pace, it would be another forty miles before they reached the highnds where their prizes y. After asking Gregorios more about it on the road, Aurelia gathered that they were after Green Razortails primarily. The birds tended to live far from major settlements along the highnds and mountains which snaked their way down the Roman peninsu. Their flight feathers (as opposed to their contour feathers) could get as hard and tough as metal, and were prized both by craftsmen for their ease of use, and magi for their inherent magical properties.

  Rejoining Thessa near the rear of the column, Aurelia was uncharacteristically timid when she whispered to her friend.

  "I know things have... developed, between us." She said, looking at Thessa but not quite meeting her eyes. Her heart was beating fast, as though she was running.

  "But I just wanted to make sure we're all right, that you're ok with what happened st night."

  Thessa reddened again slightly at the memories, but nodded to Aurelia.

  "I, uhh, never imagined myself with a woman." She couldn't help herself from looking down below Aurelia's belt. Where she knew that impressive member no longer y, but the thought had attracted her eyes just the same.

  "But with you it's different... I mean, obviously. But in a more normal way too, you know?"

  Aurelia stretched her arms as they walked, and let out a relieved sigh.

  "Thanks, I mean, for not freaking out with everything." Her eyes became unfocused as she thought of the words she wanted to say.

  "I know I can be a lot, sometimes, and especially in bed... I'm just, really really gd that you're into this whole: I'm a woman, except for what's sometimes underneath my robes thing."

  Thessa just ughed, and bumped her with her hips as they walked. "You're fine, it'll just... Take a bit of getting used to." She assured Aurelia, at the same time as she took a slightly wider step. "I guess I'll have to get used to being sore in the mornings from now on."

  "From now on?" Aurelia asked, wanting to make sure she heard correctly.

  "Definitely from now on." Thessa replied firmly with another heated gnce at Aurelia's particurs.

  For the pair, the rest of the day passed without much farce. The road was long, and they had a lot of ground to cover still. But the fields and towns slowly began to give way to more wild ndscapes. Less travelers passed them by, and the trees began to creep closer to the edge of the cobble-stone road they were following.

  [Interlude]

  Far to the south, where salty sea breeze meets rocky shores, a little boy pyed in the sand. He knew he was supposed to stay within shouting distance of home, but the beach was nice, and it was fun to mess with the crabs.

  The boy didn't look up for a long time, such was his interest in his own affairs. But just where the horizon met the blue of the sea, sails began to appear. First one, then one hundred. When the boy finally looked up, his eyes widened. The ships were no longer small like ants, they were rge enough for the boy to make out the red and white insignia marking the prow of each vessel.

  The boy ran to his father, who ran to the lord, who sent a runner who rode to the city of Tarentum, who promptly sent him back. They had no need to fear the approaching army, they had sent for it after all. And maybe now that they were here, those upstart Romans would wizen up real quick.

  The southern coasts were Greek, and would be forever more. Even if they had to make a deal with one through which the blood of Alexander flowed.

  [End of Interlude]

  On the third day since they had left Rome, Gregorios separated the three inexperienced adventurers from the rest when they made camp for the night. A rge patch of ground had been cleared of all obstructions a little way away from camp, and had been tamped down with their feet.

  He lined them up, appraising them all. To the left was Aurelia, by far the rgest of the three, and the most obviously deviant from human ideals with her enormous white wings and golden hair. In the middle was Thessa, rge for a woman, but looking rather small standing next to Aurelia. Her ears, small horns, and generous proportions set her apart from humanity, but Tauren were a known quantity to the humans, and so she had little to fear in the company of adventurers, who were more accepting than most in the company of nonhumans. To the right was Junia, a pretty, if normal human woman. She looked the most perturbed of the three to be lined up in this way, her weight shifted from foot to foot in her discomfort.

  Gregorios, the greying veteran, walked before them, appraising. He looked each of them up and down, taking in their forms, the arms they bore, and the set of their eyes. The order to line up had been surprising, but not altogether unexpected to Aurelia. The old soldier had alluded to testing out the new blood before they got into the deep wilds, where he and his crew would have to depend on their new companions, have to pce their lives in Aurelia's hands.

  She held her chin high, determined to pass whatever test the old soldier would throw at them. The man had seemed stern, yet amicable when she had been talking with him the day before. None of that softness was present on his face in this moment.

  Gregorios stopped his pacing and appraising, and cleared his throat. Seemingly having finished whatever searching he had been doing before.

  "You three" He said, sweeping his gaze across them. "are here because you want to be adventurers. REAL adventurers. Not the pansy kind who go pick flowers, or get rid of pests. Real adventurers. The ones bards sing songs about, the ones pywrights spin stories about " He paused for affect "the ones who make REAL money."

  That got their attention, and the trio straightened already straight backs.

  "Before we cross into the unknown, I need to see what you're made of. Those bastards over there" He gestured behind them, back to where the rest of the adventuring group was gathered in their camp. "I already know. It's you lot who I don't. Now, all of you are here because I've heard good things from people I trust. People who vouched that you're all decent and reliable. I'm going to make sure of it now!"

  He began pacing in front of them again as he proceeded with the next part of his speech.

  "Now! I could have done this back in Rome, could have found out easy if you've all got the right mettle. But the problem is..." he paused for dramatic effect "... that adventuring is dirty work, and I won't know if I can depend on you unless I can see who you are when we're far from those city pleasures. It's one thing to be strong, surrounded with what you know, with what you can understand. It's quite another to be strong when were far from help, and there's only one way back." He finished simply.

  When he was finished talking, Gaius approached from their camp. He was carrying Thessa's crook, and wooden practice swords in his arms in a bundle. He smiled apologetically as he set down the implements, then retreated back the way he came.

  Gregorios cleared his throat to regain the trio's attention.

  "Well now, you lot see how this works?"

  Everyone nodded, though a little uncertainly.

  "Right, lets start with you, little lordling. You've got you're own horse, mighty fancy compared to your fellows. Why don't you pick you pick up one of those practice swords, and lets see if whatever tutors your father paid for were any good!"

  SarcasticMisfit