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The tieflings were safe. The deep gnomes were safe. Keon and his party disembarked the boat with the refugees as it came to a stop at the docks of Last Light Inn, all of them utterly wiped and covered in blood, more than ready for a rest.
After what little celebration there was to be had and bittersweet reunions were made, finding a place for everyone to sleep wasn't easy. Keon insisted the party give up their room inside Last Light- much to Astarion and Gale's chagrin- and decided instead that the party should sleep in the loft above the stables, which was at least warm from the heat of Dammon's forge below, if not smelly from oxen manure and stale hay. Still, they'd slept in worse places.
But now, as his team settled in as best they could, Keon found himself unable to lay still. Maybe it was the remnants of adrenaline from their infiltration and daring escape from Moonrise, the panicked fight of making sure everyone got out alive; they'd nearly lost Danis and Lia, the two of them foolishly trying to join the fight and nearly getting killed by the prison's Warden. Neither Rolan nor Bex would have ever forgiven Keon if he hadn't gotten his devilkin out of there alive, and Keon had, admittedly, spent a bit of the boat ride berating them for it until Gale told him to knock it off.
Or maybe it was stress, he thought, knowing they were going to have to go back to Moonrise, to mount an assault on the towers in the next day or so, in the very heart of this unknown Absolute's power. For once, Keon wished his dream visitor would come back and give him some advice; he hadn't heard from the strange figure since the incident at the creche, though. He couldn't really blame him, but still- Keon was no warrior. He had no idea what he was doing, or how the hell he'd gotten saddled with the responsibility of getting everyone through this alive.
Maybe it was the tadpole's fault, he mused as he rolled over, nearly kicking Karlach as he did; the wriggler felt restless, squirming behind the tiefling's magic eye. They'd walked right into the core of the Absolute's influence, and walked right back out, and the little maggot didn't seem to be happy about being separated from its... what, its mother? Its brood? If that was the heart of it, where were the rest of the mindflayers? Where was Zevlor? Mol?
Keon's head felt like it was splitting itself apart, too many thoughts trying to crowd in at once. When there was no chance of being comfortable in his bedroll anymore, he got to his feet and quietly, carefully, stepped around his sleeping friends, pausing to give Scratch and Bite scritches on their heads as he passed. The dog sighed contently, his tail thumping on the wooden planks, while the owlbear cub cooed, nipping sleepily at Keon's pant leg as he carried on.
To Keon's surprise, Halsin was still awake, having found a spot to settle near the door. He and Thaniel were sitting against the wall together, the fae boy asleep on the archdruid's shoulder, a blanket wrapped around his shoulders. Halsin sat with his eyes closed and head tipped back, one beefy arm around his friend, but the lack of loud, rumbling snores- only contested by Karlach's- meant he wasn't asleep.
As Keon approached, silently admiring the moment before him, Halsin's eyes snapped open and he raised his head to look at him; the archdruid said nothing, but the question, the concern for his fellow druid, was clear in his eyes.
"Just going for a walk. Need fresh air." Keon assured him softly, and Halsin nodded in understanding.
"Silvanus watch you." He murmured, reaching up to briefly take Keon's hand and squeeze it. Keon squeezed back, that brief moment of connection and warmth doing wonders for his jumbled head, before they both let go and he slipped out the door.
It was noticeably colder outside once Keon shut the door behind him. The smell of the lake came to him on the breeze, coupled with oily torch smoke and rotting plant material. Wrinkling his nose, Keon made his way down the rickety staircase, wincing at every creak and groan of the rotted, warped wood.
The Harpers on watch were silently patrolling the courtyard and balcony in pairs, while Dammon was up late, restlessly hammering away at his forge. From the looks of it, he was crafting an intricate blade, his tools glowing red hot as he twisted the molten steel into a spiral. He took no notice of Keon, who left the craftsman to his trade and began to walk towards the lake, his tail weaving behind him.
It felt like it had been... too long, since he'd had a moment to himself. He paused at the top of the embankment and took a deep breath, letting it out through his mouth and watching his breath fog in the cold air. Keon was, admittedly, a bit claustrophobic, and having so many people relying on him, looking to him for guidance and leadership, was as enveloping as Keon's own skin. It was a good thing, then, that he knew how to slough it off for a while, he supposed.
One moment, a charcoal-skinned tiefling with a mane of reddish hair was walking down the hill.
The next, in a flash of black smoke, golden light, and unbroken stride, an ebony and russet wolf was in his place, with Keon's same, scythe-shaped horns and golden eyes. Much to his relief, he was warmer now, his thick, coarse fur keeping away the shadow curse's chill.
The large canine was silent as he made his way to the water's edge, the mud cold as it squished between the pads of his massive paws. The water lapped at the acrid shore, the small waves whispering against the sand as the wind rattled the reeds. The smell of algae, of dead fish and soil crowded into his sensitive nose; it wasn't pleasant by any means, but it wasn't foul or sick. Keon stuck his tongue out and gave the water a tentative lick (in the same way he'd licked a dead spider,) and immediately recoiled, the water shockingly cold and tasting almost like sour dairy.
With an upset snarl, he slapped the offending water with his paw, teeth bared and hackles raised. So much for that, he supposed, turning away to pace the length of the shore restlessly.
He was outside, amongst his beloved- albeit diseased- nature, he was in his favorite wildshape form, and he was alone- yet the energy burning in him was as hot as Karlach's infernal engine, his muscles screaming with the want, the need, to run.
That was stupid, though, he argued with himself; he couldn't just take off charging into the shadows, in the dead of night. There were plenty more productive things he could be doing; planning with Jahira, or getting intel on Kethric from Isobel, or even-
The snap of a branch behind him made the grumbling wolf freeze. He raised his head sharply, ears coming to stand upright and tail half-raised as he turned towards the sound, to find a massive grizzly standing above him on the hill, gold-green eyes burning and body silhouetted against the full moon above. Keon was upwind, but he didn't need his scent to know it was Halsin.
The two predators stared at one another for a moment, before the massive bear lowered his head and grunted in question, heavy breath fogging in the chilly air as he pawed the ground.
Keon didn't need a Speak With Animals spell to know what it was he'd asked. He stared at the bear for a long moment, then turned his head and looked beyond the moonlit dome of protection that surrounded the inn, before turning back to Halsin. He answered with a snort of his own, with a whine and a toss of his head.
I want to run.
Halsin grunted again and, slowly, deliberately, began to stalk down the hill, claws digging into the dirt with each step like he was holding himself back from lunging. With his eyes trained on Keon the entire time, unblinking, his lips began to peel back and jaw drop to bare his teeth. The message was clear:
Then you'd better run.
It sent a thrill through the devilish wolf; he could see Halsin approaching him perfectly, his fur turned silver in the gleaming light, yet it didn't stop the feeling of being hunted from pulsing through his chest. He held still as long as he possibly could, the tension mounting with every heavy step of the approaching grizzly, before Halsin's paw crunched the bones of a dead fish, and the moment snapped.
Keon let out a short howl as he wheeled about and took off running at a dead sprint, bounding down the shoreline. Behind him, Halsin answered him with a guttural roar, his shadow briefly falling over Keon as he reared onto his back legs, clawing at the air before he dropped down and gave chase.
Keon's legs pumped, his tail streaming out behind him as he hounded forward, not daring to look back.
His heart was leaping against his ribs like it was attempting its own escape, the restless energy twining with adrenaline and unmitigated glee to fuel him forward. A shadow under the moonlight, he leapt up the hill outside the protective spell and kept going, the fairy's blessing protecting him as he nimbly dodged past the remains of the shadow-cursed corpses that had assaulted him and his party when they defended Halsin's portal.
He could hear Halsin crashing along behind him, snarling and panting heavily, every thrum of his massive, galloping strides pounding through Keon's body.
As the two of them reached the line of trees above the ridge, Keon could feel Halsin gaining on him, sensed the bear leaping towards him, massive paws extended forward to catch his prey.
In a moment of clairvoyance, Keon perfectly pictured his teeth bared, drool flying from his lips and claws gleaming as they closed in around his hindquarters.
Keon wasn't ready to give up the chase yet, though- he swerved sharply, paws skidding and claws tearing up the dirt as he flung himself to the left. He heard Halsin smash into the underbrush not seconds later and bellow in frustration that his prey had escaped, before the bear picked himself up and began the pursuit all over again.
The wind whipped past them, flattening Keon's fur and screaming in his ears like the wails of the damned. His muscles were burning, his lungs aching, his eyes watering- but he'd never felt more alive.
Not even a camp full of goblins was as thrilling as running as fast as he physically could, his paws barely touching the ground, until he was practically flying through the dark, cursed woods. Had he the breath, he would have laughed; as it was, he let out another howl, one brimming with delight and ecstasy, and heard Halsin's chuffing, snarling laughter answer him, hot on his heels and ready to catch him once again.
In another flash of smoke and golden light, as he dodged between the gnarled trees, Keon's wolfish body convulsed and twisted, and came out of the smokescreen as a stag, as black as pitch and with crimson antlers. He heard an indignant vociferation from Halsin as the new form gave Keon a burst of speed, which he answered with his own bleating laugh.
Sweat soaked Keon's pelt as he spotted a break in the trees, and a gorge opened up before him, one that the shadow curse had torn through the ground. Clenching his teeth, he poured all of his energy into galloping towards the edge until, at the last moment, he threw himself into the air.
For a moment he was suspended, soaring over the rift, the ground falling away until there was nothing but himself and the stars.
Then he crashed to the ground on the other side, landed poorly on scrawny legs, and tumbled over himself, collapsing on his side and slamming his flank into the ground. With a lowing of pain, he rolled upright, shook himself out, and kept going, looking back just in time to see Halsin leap the chasm, too, clearing it with ease and landing on the near side like a meteorite. He let out another shattering roar that made Keon's heart quake, that startled ravens from their roosts as he resumed the chase.
In the end, it didn't matter how hard he ran or what forms Keon took; Halsin was relentless, and slowly but surely gaining on him, until Keon could feel his billowing breaths on his haunches.
Just as the two of them crested the next hill, a pair of massive, meaty paws slammed onto Keon's back, Halsin's victorious snarl right in his ear as he caught his prey. Keon bleated in an instinctive terror as Halsin's entire weight came slamming down on him and the two of them went sprawling, horns over ass, a tangle of ursine and ungulate limbs as they rolled down the far side of the slope, ramming to a stop amongst the brambles and tree roots and wilted bushes.
In their own magical bursts, their wildshape forms vanished, and Keon found himself pinned on his back by Halsin's large form, his heavy hand planted on Keon's chest as the archdruid's massive form loomed over him.
The two of them were breathing hard, both of them soaked in sweat from their thrilling chase. Keon's lungs felt like they were going to rupture, in all the best ways, every breath rasping out of his throat as he clawed his soaked bangs back from his eyes. He heard Halsin chuckle above him, the sound as feral as his grizzly roars, and the pulsing in Keon's chest seemed to shoot straight down to his belly as Halsin leaned down, hot and heavy breath puffing on Keon's ear.
"I caught you, cub-" Halsin began, but Keon didn't let him finish; he didn't want words, he wanted action. He surged upwards, grabbing Halsin by his messy hair and yanking him down into a hungry, wild kiss, all teeth and tongue and ferocity. A snorting snarl rattled in his throat that Halsin answered, his own meaty hands tangling messily in Keon's mane as he met his challenge, shoving him back down onto the soft, cold dirt as he licked into Keon's mouth.
Keon couldn't even catch his breath, overwhelmed in the best of ways. Halsin tasted delicious, the smell of sweat and dirt and life filling his nostrils as he bit at the bigger druid's lips. One of Halsin's hands raked through his hair, yanking on it until Keon growled, before it dropped to his trousers. Thick, calloused fingers worked their way under the waistband, and Keon arched into the touch, his tail lashing beneath him until it found purchase and curled around Halsin's shin.
Halsin's fingers shoved between his thighs and pressed against Keon's cunt, to be met with hot slick already oozing from the tiefling's core. Halsin broke the kiss with a breathless laugh, turning his head to kiss and nip along Keon's jaw. "Already so wet, little cub? You must have been pent up for quite a while now." He rumbled right against his pointed ear, the bass in his voice rattling deep in Keon's bones.
"Shut the hells up, I can feel your dick on my thigh- you need this as much as I do." Keon bit back, even as his legs fell open further for those inquisitive fingers.
"Indeed, my feisty friend." Halsin puffed, grinning and breathless, "Let us waste no more time, then."
Keon was more than happy to stop talking as Halsin kissed him again, hot and hungry and claiming, his free hand that wasn't between Keon's legs tugging the tiefling's pants down and away. Keon didn't see where they went and frankly didn't give a damn- the Grove he hailed from was prone to nudity anyways, and not even the threat of a shadow curse on his bare skin could deter this moment. His head fell back until his horns scraped the dirt as Halsin's finger pressed inside him, a moan swelling in his chest at how full he felt just from the singular digit.
Halsin took advantage of his bared throat and swooped down, teeth sinking into the tender meat of Keon's neck. Unlike when Astarion fed on him, it was not a quick pinch and an icy sensation; this was hot, feral and painful and delicious, and if Halsin had torn Keon's throat out in that moment, then Keon would have died a happy man.
As it was, he was still kicking, so he fisted a hand in Halsin's hair on the back of his head, messing up his half-ponytail as he buried his nose in the crook of his shoulder, hips rolling downwards onto Halsin's hand as he inhaled deep lungfuls of his earthy, musky scent. Halsin pushed a second finger inside and Keon groaned, fangs snapping at the thick, beefy muscle of Halsin's shoulder.
"Fucking- fuck-" Keon swore as his claws raked down Halsin's back, catching on the material of his shirt, and Halsin stopped licking at his jaw to huff with laughter.
"That is the idea, yes."
"Then stop with the fingers and fuck me."
"My wildheart, you are a bit smaller than me, I fear I would-"
Keon reached up and grabbed Halsin by his sculpted cheeks, pulling him down until their brows were bonked together, gold and black eyes staring intently into emerald. "If I die, I die." Keon said firmly, and Halsin's pupils pinned like a cat's, his breath hitching in his chest.
Keon grinned, half wild and all teeth, before he grabbed at Halsin's nightshirt and tugged, hard enough that stitches popped. The two druids stripped each other, tearing at one another's clothes like the animals they embodied. The over-thinking part of Keon's mind made a note to bribe Astarion into sewing any tears later, before Halsin's mouth was on his again and any thoughts that weren't about this moment fled. All of their garments were tossed into the mercy of the shadows, before Keon lurched up and kissed at Halsin's throat messily, bracing his hands on his voluptuous, squishy, hairy pecs.
Halsin groaned low in his chest, his own hands getting grabby as one squeezed Keon's hip and the other grabbed his thigh, yanking Keon's leg up over his hip so his fingers could plunge back inside. Keon's back arched, his tail writhing where it was trapped between their legs.
Their tongues tangled, hungry and eager as Keon's hand slid down to palm at Halsin's cock, a moan leaving them both as his fingers wrapped around the thick girth of it. Pre was already drooling from the slit, warm and viscous like Halsin's favorite treat over Keon's palm. Keon felt dizzy just from the idea of trying to take it inside him, yet utterly thrilled by the challenge at the same time.
He broke the kiss to say something, but whatever the hell it was was suddenly unimportant as Halsin took the opportunity to pull his fingers out and seize him, his meaty mitts so big that his thumbs and fingers touched as they enveloped Keon's waist. The tiefling was abruptly flipped over, his knees hitting the dirt and dead foliage. His startled gasp turned into a moan as he realized Halsin intended to mount him, to take him like a beast, and his tail eagerly lifted up, curling over his spine to give Halsin gratuitous access. Keon was dizzy on anticipation, he didn't think he could wait any longer as his spine bowed, pushing his ass back against Halsin.
A purr swelled in his throat as he heard Halsin make a sound between a moan and a snarl, utterly primal as he practically pounced on his prey. His hands thudded into the dirt on either side of Keon's head, his fingers gouging claw mark through it as he loomed over him, grinding his fat, heavy cock over the tiefling's dripping slit. Keon groaned, his heart pounding as he reached back, fingertips teasing the head as guided Halsin, lining him up, and the beastly druid needed no further encouragement.
Their moans mixed in feral harmony as Halsin thrust inside. Just the first inch or so, and Keon already felt like he was stuffed full, pleasure snapping up his spine like firecrackers. He mewled like a bitch in heat, his cheek pressed to the cool dirt as Halsin began to move, every roll of his hips rocking the small tiefling's frame as he grunted, working more and more of himself inside. Keon would've been pushed clear across the ground if it wasn't for Halsin's large forearms bracing him in place, holding him still so he couldn't escape the feeling of each and every inch of Halsin's cock pressing into him.
He wrapped his arms around Halsin's thick wrists, his tail trying to lash where it was pinned between his spine and Halsin's chest. Halsin growled at the thwapping feeling and pulled an arm back, seizing Keon by the base of his tail and yanking on it, hard enough that Keon yowled like a stepped on cat. Heat surged through his guts like waves on a beach , leaving him clawing at Halsin's forearms and thrashing. "Fuck- that's sensitive- you-"
Halsin laughed, deep and husky. "Oh, trust me, wildheart, I'm well aware. These, too, aren't they?" He let go of Keon's tail to grab the base of one of his horns, sharp nails scratching at the ridged keratin right where it met his scalp. Sparks seemed to burst through Keon's head at the touch and he keened, his insides clenching as he tossed his head back to chase the feeling. He rocked back against Halsin, mouth open and drool sliding down his chin.
"Gods- Silvanus- will you just-" Keon rasped, rolling his hips back and sinking himself down another inch on Halsin's length.
Halsin chuckled, and pulled his arm back, snaking it under Keon's belly. Keon groaned as Halsin began to move in earnest, bucking his hips and humping into him until he was fully sheathed inside. He dropped his head onto Keon's shoulder, panting and drooling against the tiefling's heated skin for a moment, as Keon tried to just breathe, tried to get enough air into lungs that felt like they were being crushed by the massive cock that he was sure he was in his throat now.
Halsin didn't give him time to catch his breath, either, as he began to move, rapidly building to a bruising pace as his thick hips crashed into Keon's. The tiefling couldn't do anything but lay there and take it, every drag of Halsin's fat cock pulling the most delectable, primal moans from him. His cunt was absolutely drooling, creating an obscene squelching sound each time Halsin hilted himself back inside.
Halsin seemed half feral, every panting breath coming out in a growl and grunt, like it was taking all of his effort to hold back his wildshape form. The thought of being taken that way- by Halsin's bestial side- sent a pulse through Keon's entire being that made the tiefling keen, his cunt attempting to clench around Halsin, milking him for everything he had as his own release built like a riverbed in a storm; rapidly, and threatening to burst. Halsin nearly barked at the feeling, and the hand splayed on Keon's belly shifted down to messily paw at Keon's clit, rough fingers rubbing the sensitive bud until Keon was quaking from the pain-pleasure of it all.
He tried to speak, before the proverbial dam broke, and Keon was cumming around Halsin with a howl, claws ripping at the grass and at Halsin's arm alike. It burst through Keon like the explosion of a bibberbang mushroom, all heat and pleasure that liquefied his limbs, until he was pretty sure his soul met the Astral Sea for a moment. He only just heard Halsin's accompanying roar through the rush in his ears, the bigger druid fucking Keon through his orgasm, prolonging and heightening it to new levels of carnal pleasure.
Another few rough thrusts, and Halsin's grip became bruising as he chased his own release, a snarl on his lips as he leaned down and sank his teeth into the back of Keon's neck, scruffing him like a beast as he thrust all the way inside once more and came, harder than he had in quite a while. Keon yelped and moaned at the bite, feeling blood well up from the mark- his mind was screaming with utter ecstasy at the idea of a mating bite- before his senses were overwhelmed by the sensation of being filled, hot and potent seed pouring into his insides as Halsin rocked into him. He tried to move with him, but could barely muster more than a wiggle as his cunt milked Halsin for every drop, until Keon was overflowing, the excess dripping down his thighs and making a mess between them.
Slowly, they came down from their individual highs, riding the pleasure for as long as they could before they surfaced from the haze. Keon's breathing ebbed and eased in his raw throat, and his muscles went limp until he sagged in the cold, damp dirt, feeling it stick to his sweaty skin. He was filthy, but- and the thought made him snort- it was nice to covered in nature's blessings again, in more ways than one. Halsin's weight on his back was grounding as his mind drifted, the two of them clinging to one another as their bodies still twitched and ground against one another, chasing every last, fleeting spark.
When the sweat began to cool and get tacky, though, Keon took a deep breath and sighed, turning his head to peer at Halsin out of the corner of his eye. Unbidden, something warm swelled in Keon's chest, sweeter than the primal, heated desire to mate. He reached back and ran a hand through Halsin's mussed hair, and heard the elf grumble in response, felt him nuzzle further into the dip between Keon's shoulders.
As wonderful and freeing as it had been, their little chase and game, the momentary distraction, was over. They needed to get back to Last Light, Keon thought as his mind came back to him; they needed to get some sleep, so that they could get up tomorrow and go back to Sharr's temple, free the Nightsong- whatever the hells that meant- and take on Kethric and his ilk. That drow bitch, Araj, had an appointment with Keon's teeth that he was impatient to meet.
Not to mention the dozen other small things they needed to keep track of, like the gnomes and Thaniel and the tiefling kids, and- and- and-
Halsin's lips on Keon's shoulder snapped the tiefling out of his piling up thoughts. "Let tomorrow's problems come with the sunrise, not now." The archdruid rumbled, before he licked the mark he'd made on Keon's neck, cleaning the blood away and soothing the wound.
"The sun doesn't rise, here." Keon muttered.
"Then let them not come at all; at least, not until we get some rest." He brushed his lips across Keon's shoulders, "Come, my wildheart." With a grunt, Halsin pushed himself up and pulled away, carefully pulling out of Keon's aching hole. Keon winced, but grit his teeth and pushed himself up, too, feeling their mixed juices drip between his thighs. Every muscle ached as he sat back on his knees, and exhaustion struck him like an ogre's club.
With Halsin's help, he staggered to his feet, and together, the two druids gathered their clothes. Keon wasn't totally sure how far they were from Last Light, and like hell he was going to walk all the way back. He grabbed Halsin's arm once they'd mostly gotten their clothes on, and pulled the map out from his pocket, unfolding it and poking the little bead of enchanted light next to Last Light's location.
In a burst of purplish light, the two of them were abruptly transported, back to the courtyard of the Inn, where Gale had inscribed a teleportation circle in the rubble. Nearby, a pair of patrolling Harpers startled at their sudden appearance, but relaxed again when they recognized the two of them.
Still holding onto one another, Halsin and Keon made their way back to the stables, Keon leaning heavily on Halsin's side. Getting up the stairs was going to suck, he thought, before Halsin abruptly wrapped his arms around him and scooped the small tiefling up.
Keon let out a rather undignified squeak, then gave in, more than fine with surrendering to the situation. Halsin made his way up the stairs, but paused before the door.
"You know, cub..." He began softly, making Keon look up at him, "If you'd like to do this again sometime, then I would-"
"Yes." Keon said, no hesitation, "I'd... like that."
Halsin met his gaze, an amused smile on his handsome, elven features that made Keon's heart flutter. "Alright, then. Just... let me know when you need me again."
With that, he pulled open the door and slipped inside. Keon blamed the ache in his legs for why he didn't crawl over to his bedroll, and instead curled up at Halsin's side, joining Thaniel in snuggling against him.
Several days later, after Moonrise was conquered, after the Absolute was exposed and the land's curse was lifted, the party found themselves in Elfsong tavern, crowded into a too-small room in a too-crowded Inn. Keon could feel his nerves fraying again as he poured over maps and tried to plan. He could feel that restless energy under his skin again, making him twitchy as he tried to focus on the plans for assaulting Cazador's manor, when he felt eyes on him.
He looked up, and met Halsin's eyes across the room. The large elf folded his arms across his broad chest and cocked his head, silently inquisitive, asking what Keon needed.
Keon, his heart beginning to race, glanced towards the door, then back to Halsin pleadingly, and tossed his head in the direction of the exit, his leg bouncing under the table.
I need to run.
Halsin grinned, somehow both warm and ferocious, and nodded once, copying Keon's gesture towards the door.
Then lets run.