Alisha slowly awoke, her mind swimming and her head pounding like blacksmith's hammer against an anvil. As consciousness returned she vaguely recalled what had led to her present condition.

Damnit, that's the last time I let that damn gnoll talk me into a drinking contest! Who knew the savage could down so much Dwarven brew!

Moaning quietly, she dimly noticed a furry arm draped across her bare stomach. It tightened a bit at her moan and she blearily looked over to see Beowulf's golden eyes shimmering slightly in the dim light of the room. Her brain slowly processed this and she glanced down at herself. She noted she was still mostly dressed and while Beowulf had removed his shirt, he was still clothed from the waist down.

Looking up at him again, her brain still running behind, she asked him a question.

"Did we fuck?"

Beowulf blinked lazily and smiled, saying nothing, his eyes bright with amusement.

Alisha frowned slightly at him as her brain began to start working. "I don't feel sore and you still have your pants on so I guess not."

"Your reaction was not what I was expecting." Beowulf remarked.

She frowned slightly, rolling her eyes. "What, were you expecting me to scream?"

Beowulf smiled. "That would have been amusing. But with you I should have learned by now to expect the unexpected."

Alisha frowned, trying to follow his statement. "Don't use fuzzy logic when I'm still slightly drunk."

Beowulf chuckled, glancing down at himself. "'Fuzzy' logic?"

Alisha chuckled. "Ash used that term once. I still don't get what that means, but I guess it applies to you, being fuzzy and all."

Beowulf chuckled quietly at the pun. Alisha continued to gaze at him for a few moments, letting her eyes roam over him for a moment before she looked up at him again. "Am I ugly to you?"

Beowulf blinked in confusion before replying quietly. "No. I don't think you're ugly at all. In fact, I think you're quite lovely."

"For a human?" She asked. Beowulf shrugged noncommittally.

Alisha blinked a few times. "So if you're not here to fuck me, why are you here?"

"Well, I was planning on this being a joke when you woke up but that seems to have fallen flat. Why do you think the only reason I would be here would be to rut with you?"

Alisha snorted, turning her head to look at the ceiling. "Why else would a male be in my bed? That's all men want after all. A warm hole to stick their dicks in."

Beowulf looked at her carefully. "That is what you really believe, isn't it? That men only have lusts and expect women merely to be breeders and a good time?"

Alisha shut her eyes. "That's all I've ever known." She replied quietly.

"What about Torin?" Beowulf asked gently, reaching up a hand to stroke her hair.

Alisha laughed quietly. "He's been a friend all my life, he doesn't count. Sleeping with him would be like sleeping with my brother, if I had one."

Beowulf nodded slightly. He stayed quiet for a moment or two before speaking again. "Did someone hurt you?" He asked carefully. "A long time ago?"

Alisha glanced over at him sharply for a moment but only saw honest concern in his eyes. Finally, she relented.

"I had a friend when I was younger. She was 13, I was 14. She lived close by and I would hang out with her. One day when I went over to her house, I noticed her parents weren't home. I heard noises coming from the bedroom so I looked through the crack in the door."

Alisha's eyes watered slightly. "I didn't know who was doing it, I didn't recognize him, but she was fighting with everything she had. I only knew a few simple spells at that point so I ran in and grabbed him by the shoulder. He knocked me back and slugged her in the face pretty good. Dropped her like a sack of potatoes. He grabbed me and pinned me to the wall. Punched me a few times in the head so I couldn't fight back well. He ripped open my clothes…His hands were all over me."

Alisha blinked a few times, wiping her eyes before she continued. Beowulf continued to stroke her hair.

"Finally I was able to get my wits together. He had his pants around his ankles at that point. I grabbed him and put everything I had into that spell. It sent a nasty shock through him. Next thing I know he's twitching on the floor. The guard took care of things but I never forgot. She and her parents moved away soon after that."

She found herself being pulled into a tight embrace with Beowulf's chin resting against the top of her head. Turning her head into the scruffy fur, she let the tears fall as she hugged him back, shaking slightly. Finally, she looked up at him, her eyes red and puffy.

Beowulf gently cleaned her face with his thumbs as he gazed at her gently. "Did you not tell Torin about this?"

Alisha shook her head. "I was too afraid. I guess I thought he'd leave me too if I told him. Silly, I know, but I wasn't thinking straight for a while. And maybe I was afraid of him a little."

"That he'd do the same to you as the man did." Beowulf stated quietly.

Alisha nodded. "I knew it didn't make sense but that didn't make the fear go away. Eventually I was able to move past it but…I guess I didn't want it to taint my friendship with him."

Beowulf hugged her close, kissing the top of her head. "You are safe with me." He stated in a quiet, intent voice, staring into her eyes. "I will never hurt you like the man did."

Alisha smiled slightly, looking back at him. "I know. For all your talk and nudist ways, you're a big softy inside."

Beowulf smiled. "You search for someone who is safe and yet you armor yourself with tough talk and a sharp tongue."

Alisha looked at him. "When did you become so wise, you big rug?"

Beowulf's face fell somewhat, his eyes losing their shine. "Beowulf has seen his own share of bad things." He stated somberly. "Gnolls are not generally nice, you know. Many of them revel in pain and death. They torture and kill for fun. How they can do such things I don't know. I'm just glad I'm not like that."

Alisha looked at him sadly. "I'm sorry."

Beowulf stroked her cheek with a finger. "Let us both be sorry for each other, then. We both have scars, here." He pressed her hand gently against his chest. His heart beat slow and steady under her palm.

She looked down at her hand and looked back up at him, a thoughtful on her face. "You know, I've always been nervous around men. But you're a gnoll."

Beowulf chuckled before smiling at her fondly. "I could say so many things to that. But with my new brains, I think I'll do the intelligent thing and agree with you."

Alisha smiled, patting his head like a dog. "Good boy."

Beowulf merely wiggled his eyebrows at her in amusement. Alisha smiled, tracing a finger through his chest fur before running her fingers through it slowly. Beowulf watched her silently as her fingers ran through the fur on his shoulder before moving back to his chest, twitching slightly as her finger traced a circle around his nipple. She looked up at him with a mischievous smile.

"So you have those too. Hmm…do you have anything else in common with us humans?"

Beowulf's eyes widened slightly in surprise at what she was hinting at before looking at her carefully. "Are you sure you want to find out? Right now and after telling me about what happened?"

Alisha smiled softly. "I don't know where this will lead, but I'd like to find out. You're the first person to ever really give a damn about who I am rather than what I am. Besides, you've saved my life more than once. Torin's the only other person who has done that for me. "

He looked at her, his face slightly apprehensive. "Will Torin be-?"

"Jealous?" She shrugged. "I don't think so. He cares in his own way. He's fought to defend me and I know he's a close friend. But I don't feel that way about him and he doesn't about me. We never have. If he wanted to go further, he's had years to try. Just because we share a flat doesn't mean we sleep together. And even if it does bother him, it's not really his business, is it?"

She smiled at him mischievously. "And besides." She said silkily, wrapping herself around him. "I want to find out if you're really as big as you say you are."

Beowulf's eyes widened again at the bold declaration before smiling softly. "Beowulf will show you." He whispered huskily.

Taking her head in his hands, he pressed his lips against hers in a gentle but firm kiss. She wrapped her arms around him, kissing him back as his hands slid back to rub against the back of her head. Breaking the kiss gently, she smiled at him.

"Hmm…you're a good kisser anyway. Have you done this before?"

Beowulf looked a bit sheepish. "Beowulf has never rutted with anyone. You are Beowulf's first."

She arched an eyebrow at him. "With all that prancing around nude?"

Beowulf chuckled. "Beowulf just like to show off."

Alisha's smile widened in amusement, running her hands over his long muzzle and ears. Moving up slightly, she whispered into his ear breathily. "Show me what it's supposed to be like."

Beowulf shivered at the soft breath and the words she spoke. Reaching down, he kissed her deeply, one hand against the back of her head, his other arm around her, pulling her tightly against his toned body. He could feel her hands sliding through the fur on his back, teasing the thicker mane that ran down the center along his spine. Sliding his hands down to the edge of her shirt, he slowly pulled her top up and over her head, tossing it off the bed. His eyes lowered to her breasts, taking in their round firmness and the pink nipples in the center of them. He slowly rolled her onto her back, kissing her again before slowly sliding lower, swabbing her neck with his tongue before moving to her left collarbone. He slowly began to lick a path around the edge of her breast, tasting the salt on her skin, his nose catching the hint of musky pheromones. His rough tongue slowly dragged across her nipple causing her to gasp slightly. As he lapped at it with his tongue, his other hand slowly traveled up to stroke and caress her other breast, the slightly rough pads on his fingers causing her to shudder as his thumb encircled the other tip. Carefully, to avoid using his sharp fangs, he pressed his lips against her peak, sucking gently. Alisha moaned softly as she arched her back, pressing her breast against his mouth.

"Use your teeth!" She muttered softly. "Gently!"

"Always." Beowulf said breathily, gently scrapping the soft flesh with his fangs, biting down just hard enough. Alisha's breath became harsher as he stroked and squeezed her before licking her once more. His tongue lavished more swabs down between her breasts to the valley between them. Licking her sternum, he surprised her slightly by resting his head against her chest, his ear pressed against her heart. Making a questioning noise, he glanced up at her with a gentle smile.

"The heart is a primal thing. The center of life" He said softly, listening to the steady thump in her chest. "Humans never pay attention to things like this. But it is so very important. The heart tells how someone feels. If they are afraid or calm. The young hear their mother's heart and are calmed when they cry. The hunter sometimes hears the prey's heart as it runs. When the heart of a brother or ally goes silent, we mourn."

He looked up at her with a soft smile. "It tells me how much you want Beowulf. And it also tells me…" He slid his hand down her stomach and began to rub her gently between her legs. "What you want." He finished, as he heard her heart begin to pound more swiftly.

Alisha nodded frantically. "Yes!" She muttered.

Beowulf kissed her chest once more before leaving a trail of kisses and swabs down her flat stomach. Reaching her trousers, he swiftly undid them and slid them down, revealing her mound covered in red hair. Pulling off her boots, he slid her pants all the way off before resting his head between her legs, his sensitive nose inches from her opening. The scent of musk and desire was thick as he drew in a deep breath, reveling in the rich aroma. Swabbing his tongue around her lips to taste her, he parted them gently with his fingers before running his tongue along the nub he found there. Alisha cried out softly.

"Gods! Yes!" Grabbing his head with her hands, she pressed his face against her, silently demanding more. Happy to oblige, he began flicking his tongue quickly against her clit, his hands reaching under her to cup her cheeks. As she ground against him, he could hear her breathing and heart quicken even further. Stopping for a moment, he slid his tongue between her lips, tasting her insides as he lapped. Her fists gripped the fur on his head as she threw her head back, crying out softly as her body shuddered. Beowulf smiled inwardly as he continued to lap her clit and lips, her heart skipping from the pleasure as she gasped before collapsing onto the bed, panting. Giving her a few last licks, tasting her juices, he slowly slid upwards to lean over her, a smile on his face. Collecting herself, she smiled up at him, breathing heavily.

"Damn! If I'd known you were that good with that tongue, I would have asked for a demonstration a long time ago!"

Beowulf chuckled. She reached up with a hand and pulled him close.

"My turn." She whispered fiercely.

Nodding submissively, Beowulf laid down on his back, Alisha straddling his stomach, her wet lips pressed against his furry stomach. Her fingers trailed over his face before she brought her lips to his in a passionate kiss. She moved to his neck, biting down where she felt his pulse, making him jump slightly.

She smirked up at him. "I'd be kissing you all the way down but a mouth full of fur doesn't appear to me. Yet."

Beowulf grinned as she ran her hands across his chest. Finding his small pink nipples beneath his fur, she teased the fur away and bit down gently, causing him to hiss in surprise. Glancing up at him, her eyes twinkling in excitement, she began to nibble and flick her tongue across it before moving to the other one and give it the same treatment, causing him to whimper slightly. Finally she began working her way down his flat stomach, nuzzling her nose into his fur and teasing his navel before moving down to the hem of his pants. Looking up at him intently, she began to run her hand over the bulge she found there, causing Beowulf's face to twitch. Undoing the clasp, she slid his pants down and off his feet before turning back to face what awaited her. She stared in curiosity at the red member standing at attention with a thick knot at its base, protruding from a light tan sheath of fur, his furry sac lying underneath. She watched it twitch slightly in time with his heartbeat before taking it into her hands and sliding them up and down its length in curiosity. It was undoubtedly longer than a normal human male's but not so big that it wouldn't fit inside her. The flesh was hot under her hands as she slid them down to the thick knot, running her fingers over it before squeezing it gently. Hearing his breath catch, she looked up to see his eyes closed, his chest rising a falling quickly as he licked his lips. Smiling at the sensations she was invoking in him, she ran her fingers through the fine fur of his sheath before cupping his balls with her hands, fondling them gently.

"You were right." She murmered, causing him to open his eyes halfway to look down at her. "You do have a big dick." He smiled at her and she returned the smile. "But I think I'm big enough to handle it."

"Shall we see?" He teased.

Smirking, she squeezed the knot, causing him to gasp in pleasure before sliding up so that she was face to face with him, her eyes intense. "Do me like the noisy bitch I am!"

Growling with pleasure, he flipped her so that he straddled her. "Gnolls do it from behind. But Beowulf hear humans do it from the front. I will try it the human way for you."

Alisha grinned as Beowulf slid down slightly, positioning himself. Suddenly she felt a thick heat slowly slide into her. Beowulf looked up at her curiously.

"No virgin skin?"

Alisha grimaced slightly. "It's not what you think. I was climbing a tree one day and slid off the branch. Another big one caught my fall but it hit me between my legs and tore it. Hurt like hell for a few days."

Beowulf winced at hearing it but smiled at the end. "Better this way. I cannot hurt you."

Alisha smiled at the comment before she felt him go deeper inside her. Letting her head fall back she moaned at feeling the gnoll's thick hot member filling her completely, stretching her muscles. Finally she felt him nudge against her cervix and opened her eyes. He was completely in her all the way up to the edge of the knot. She smiled at him, flexing her muscles around him, causing him to shiver.

"I guess you're too big for me after all." She muttered with a smile. "Your knot won't fit."

Beowulf shook his head. "No. Alisha is just perfect."

Smiling widely she hugged him against her, rubbing her hands across his back as she felt him begin to move in and out, carefully bumping the tip of him against the entrance to her womb. She began to move with him, her breasts swaying back and forth as he began to move faster, his pants deepening. The thrusts became faster and stronger though she could dimly tell he was being careful not to hurt her. Finally, she felt him spasm inside her as he reached his climax, throwing his head back with a howl as he pounded deep inside her. The intensity of the moment caused her to climax as well and she threw her head back with a cry. She felt her senses explode into waves of pure pleasure as her muscles clenched desperately around him. Finally, he partially collapsed on top of her, barely holding himself up, his tongue lolling out as he panted heavily with his eyes shut. Finally he regained his breath and looked up at her curiously. She was looking at him with a satisfied smile on her face.

"You are a wild animal aren't you?"

"Beowulf is a gnoll." He grinned.

"Beowulf is also the best fuck I've ever had." Alisha replied.

Beowulf blinked in amusement. "I thought I was your first."

Alisha smirked. "You are. Therefore, you are the best fuck I've ever had. I thought you grew a brain a while back you primitive."

Beowulf pant-laughed at her before rubbing his cheek against hers. She smiled and kissed his muzzle. After a few moments, he slowly slid out of her and laid down next to her, wrapping his arms around her in a spooning position.

"You know." She mused thoughtfully, glancing back at him. "I was wondering, does this mean we're starting our own pack? You being the Alpha and me being the Beta?"

"I suppose so." Beowulf replied, after a moment's thought. "It seems I have many titles these days. I am the Beta-Brother and Shadow to the Alpha Ash. I am a warrior of the Alpha St. Cuthbert. And I am the Alpha of my own pack." He chuckled. "No wonder humans get into so much trouble. They have a hard time remembering who's in charge and when."

The pair chuckled as they snuggled against each other, touching and exploring each other as the night fell around them.

A/N: I had written this tangential episode a while back while I was writing Chapter 20. It was intended to occur after the drinking game between the two of them but I didn't feel it added anything significant to the overall plot so I decided not to include it. I'd also made an assumption that people would freak about it due to its mature theme and the non-human nature of one of the parties. I mentioned this to a reviewer who asked that I post it for consideration so I am doing so.

At this point, I am undecided about whether this should be considered 'canon' or not so they can either have a fun one night stand and I'll never mention it again, or I can have Beowulf and Alisha continue their budding relationship. Do let me know either way.