Author's note:

Warning: smut incoming.

Chapter 38: Hero's Gift

"And Todd Brenner makes it to third base by the skin of his teeth! This is it, folks. All bases are now loaded. This next pitch could decide the entire game."

Dash stared at the television. Anticipation tightened every fibre in his body. The first throw was a ball. The second a strike. Just one more and the final inning would be over. "Come on. Strike them out."

The batter swung. He smashed the ball high into the air. And much too far! Dash lurched forward. "No!"

"I don't believe it! A homerun! That's four more runs to launch the Paladins into the lead! It doesn't look like there's much the Tigers can do to claw back from this one, folks!"

Dash's heart sank as the score changed. His mood mirrored the field as the Tiger players lost their motivation for the rest of the game. Dash fell back onto the bed feeling as defeated as his team. That was it. This was the end for them.

The door then knocked. Dash glanced forlornly towards it. "Come in."

"Hey, Dash! How are you feeling today?" Slippy burst into the room with a bag in his hand. A plaster still covered the gash between his eyes. Slippy's bright smile fell when he saw Dash's expression. "Whoa. You don't look so good. What's up?"

"I just got some dire news," Dash muttered. "The Zoness Tigers lost their shot at the finals."

"Ah, jeez. Really? Falco's going to be mad when he hears." Slippy placed the bag on the table next to Dash's bed. "Lucy made this get-well basket for you. Peppy asked me to bring it over. They'll both come around a little later today."

"That's nice of them. Thanks. How's the rest of the team?"

"Katt went with Falco to talk to General Pepper today. He had some more questions about the battle on Fortuna." Dash remembered meeting the old bloodhound after he first woke from his surgery. It felt strange talking to the military's highest official about his mission while dressed in a hospital gown. Quite intimidating, actually. "As for Doctor Reinard, she went to see Fara. She felt bad about her and the others leaving the gala so early. We're all thinking about you on the Fox."

"Thanks. Any word on Oikonny?"

Slippy saddened. "No. He's still on the run. Probably lying low somewhere at this point." That was disappointing. "We finally got the report about your starfighter. Sorry, Dash, but it's a write-off."

Dash's heart broke. He built his Monkey Arrow by himself from scrap parts. After he left it at Oikonny's base, his cousin's thugs smashed the thing into a crumpled heap. Whether it was to stop Dash from retrieving it or just to get revenge, they hurt him worse than any bullet could.

"We're going to buy back one of our old Arwings to replace it," Slippy said. "Sorry it's not the same thing, but it'll get you back into the air as soon as you've healed."

Dash sighed. "It can't be helped. Sorry for causing so much trouble."

"Hey, don't worry about it. The army rewarded us for taking down Oikonny's superweapon and his base's defences. Since they also got the stolen AI back, we earned enough money to cover the Arwing. Not bad for a rescue mission, I'd say."

Dash smiled at last. "That's something good, at least."

Slippy turned his attention to Dash's leg. It hung in a harness above the bed. A thick cast covered everything from the sole of his foot to his knee. "So, how long until that's healed?"

"The doctor looked at it this morning. I can take the cast off in two months. But it'll still take another month after that before I can try walking again. The good news is that I can get out of here in a week's time."

Slippy's expression brightened. "That's something to look forward to. Do you think you'll come back to the Great Fox?"

"I talked about it with Falco yesterday. I'm going back to Zoness to spend time with my family. Mom freaked out after I told her I'm in the hospital again."

"Did you tell her about Oikonny?"

"If I did, she and Grandma would never let me leave home again," Dash chuckled. "But going back will put Mom at ease. It'll also be nice to not have to worry about missions for a while."

"We'll miss you while you're gone."

"Same here." Dash smiled. "So, what about you? What's news?"

Slippy shrugged. "Oh, you know… Still trying to rejig the P-POS. That's what I'm focusing on right now."

"Uh-huh. And how did things go with Amanda back on the ship? Did she give you her phone number?"

Dash cracked a grin as Slippy blushed hard enough to answer the question. "Maybe…" Slippy squeaked.

"Good for you, buddy! So, are you going to ask her out?"

"Ah, jeez! I don't know!" Slippy tore the cap from his head. "I mean, Amanda is really pretty… But I don't know what she's into! What do you think I should do?"

"Beats me. It's not like I've got any experience." Dash frowned, jabbing a thumb at himself. "Kind of hard to find a girlfriend with the whole 'Grandson of Andross' thing hanging over my head."

"Oh yeah… Sorry about that. Hopefully being a Star Fox pilot makes up for it."

"My love life is going to be on hold anyway until my leg's better," Dash said. "Why don't you ask Falco or Katt?"

"Oh, god no!" Slippy freaked. "I cannot ask Falco about this! He'll just give me a bunch of stupid tips that only work for cool-looking guys like him and Fox! I don't have what they've got! I mean look at me!" He gestured wildly at his round stature.

Dash twirled a finger next to his temple. "I know I was a little brain-addled from the drugs and agony at the time, but it looked like Amanda was really into you. Maybe you should just ask her out for coffee? Find out what her interests are."

Slippy fidgeted while he thought. "Yeah… Yeah, that could work. Thanks, Dash." He rubbed his head a bit. "So, when do you think I should call her? Three days? Is that how long people usually wait?"

Dash shrugged. "I don't know. Ask Katt. Unlike Falco, she gives good advice."

"Yeah… Maybe I will."

They chose to talk about other topics for the next hour. A nurse interrupted them to administer Dash's next dose of antibiotics. Turns out that crawling through mud with an open wound in the middle of a tropical storm can lead to severe infection. Dash counted himself lucky that his leg didn't turn septic.

Slippy chose that moment to take his leave. "I'll see you again soon, Dash. Thanks for the advice earlier."

Dash smiled and waved. "No problem. Good luck."

Once he was alone, Dash turned to the bag that Slippy left on the bedside table. He lifted it onto his lap and inspected the contents. A huge grin split across his face.

"Brownies?! Aw, hell yeah! Thanks, Lucy!"

"That was some whack story, bro."

"I know! I almost can't believe it either, but I can still feel that cyclone shaking me up whenever the wind blows."

"I reckon you've got some serious PTSD, Falco."

"Are you kidding, Isaac? It's the coolest thing that's ever happened to me. Like, Fox used to brag about taking down Andross's mutant head all by himself, but I've driven a tank through nature's fury while fighting a giant robot. That's way more awesome."

"Good point. I bet you'll be drowning in cloaca with a story like that under your belt."

Falco's grip on his phone tightened anxiously. "Yeah… I doubt that. Katt and I are an item now, you know?"

"Not sure how you guys make it work in the bedroom, but you do you, I guess," Isaac replied with what sounded like a shrug. "Man, you guys should come over and visit again soon. We barely got to hang last time. Oh, and hey! On that note, did you hear about that guy you asked me to track down?"

Falco frowned darkly. "Yeah, I heard he's out on parole now. What about him?"

"Ah, I don't know. Just kind of bummed about the whole thing. I was expecting you to lay the smackdown on that fuzzball."

"Meh. I don't care about that anymore. Eight months on good behaviour was better than nothing. You should have seen Billson at the trial though. I went there with Lucy, and I swear the guy shat himself at the sight of me. That more than made up for everything he did in my book."

"He didn't call you out for planning to pummel him?"

"Wouldn't have been able to prove it. Lucky for us, Mouser and Bowser live in the same city as Billson. Katt and I could have easily said we were meeting up with old friends at the time. Had to head back to the Great Fox as soon as we heard about the scams."

"Luck is one beautiful lady, isn't she?"

"Oh, Falco," Katt sang from outside the room. Falco glanced from the bed to the open doorway. She stepped into view wearing black lace lingerie.

Falco's beak gaped. "Yeah… She is…"

"So anyway, how's Katt doing?"

"Sorry, Isaac. I'll call you back." Falco hung up and threw the phone aside.

Katt smirked as she now commanded his full attention. With a sway of her sublime hips and a curl in her tail, she sauntered to the foot of the bed, holding Falco's stare hostage. "I didn't mean to interrupt your phone call. Should I come back later?"

"No!" Falco exclaimed. Wincing at himself, he lowered his voice. "No. Now's perfect."

A purr mingled in Katt's giggle. She crawled onto the mattress, pushing Falco onto his back again. "I just thought that now would be a great time to give you that hero's reward I promised." Katt puffed out her chest so that he could see through her bra. "Do you like what you see?"

"Absolutely."

"Good." Katt closed the gap between them, kissing Falco's beak tenderly. She laid herself atop his chest. Her soft breasts pressed into him. One of her thighs rubbed between Falco's legs. He seized Katt around the middle, letting her trail kisses down his neck. It took a while, but Falco now felt more accustomed to the scratch of her tongue. He stroked behind Katt's ear in return.

After a few minutes, Katt pulled Falco into a sitting position. She slowly removed his shirt and jacket. He caught her again, eliciting a surprised gasp from Katt. She sighed in bliss as he began preening her. Between her ears; around her whiskers; under her jaw. Falco covered all bases.

"Will you stop grooming me and let me fuck you?" Grinning, Katt pushed him away. Falco chuckled as he leaned back to enjoy the view. Katt pulled off his belt and boots, locking wanton eyes with him as she peeled off his trousers. Boxers stayed on for now. Katt traced a finger along Falco's bulge. Her claw teased the coils hidden underneath.

"Now who's the one stalling?" Falco challenged.

Katt's palm then pressed onto his crotch. She ground into it, stroking upwards firmly. Falco unleashed a hoarse groan from the precise mix of pain and pleasure. Katt didn't ease up for an instant. She thoroughly enjoyed playing with him like putty in her hand.

"What's that? Am I going too slow for you?" she asked, dragging the heel of her palm for effect. "What are you going to do about it?"

Falco pushed Katt's hand away and grabbed her underneath the arms. He threw her down onto the bed next to him, crawling on top so that Katt couldn't escape. She didn't try to; but wrapping her legs around Falco's waist made it hard to proceed without her cooperation.

"I'm not sure this is how nature works," Katt smirked. "I always thought it was cats who preyed on birds."

"Well, this little kitty under me bit off more than she could chew," Falco growled. Purring, Katt began to grind them through their remaining fabrics. Falco indulged her for a moment, feeling her soak through to his skin. "Oh, God… You're amazing, Katt."

She huffed, losing herself to desire. "You want me? Then take me." Oh, he planned to.

Falco pried himself from her hold and studied Katt's beautiful form. Anticipation ballooned in her chest with each breath. Her tail flicked eagerly against Falco's leg. He threaded a finger through the hip of Katt's panties. Slowly, he pulled the sodden lace down her thighs, marvelling her little pussycat. Falco stopped at Katt's knees to run his feathered finger along her folds. Katt jerked, screaming sharply. "Ah! No! Falco, stop that!" Her legs slammed together to fend him off.

Falco drew his hand away, relishing in Katt's giggle-ridden squirms. "Aww. But I thought this was my reward?"

"If I wanted tickle torture, I would have asked for it." Katt sat up to slap his wrist further away. "Now stop fooling around and hurry up."

"Okay," Falco snorted before tugging her panties all the way. Carelessly, he tossed them to the floor. His boxers flew to join them seconds later.

Parting Katt's knees, Falco crawled back into their earlier embrace. Katt sampled his length for a bit. Falco's husky groan drowned out her soft purr. He used one hand to tease Katt with his tip. At her throaty invitation, Falco pushed inward.

He thrusted in steady, deliberate motions. Katt bucked her hips in time with him. Over the course of their relationship, Falco learned how to best please her for the longest amount of time possible. He focused on making the most of the moment, not on getting to the finale straight away. This more tender approach lulled Katt into hugging her chest firmly against Falco's. Her delighted cries sang in his ears. Her claws pricked against the skin of his back. Katt wrapped her tail around Falco's thigh for extra purchase. She'd never let him go until he made her see stars.

"I'm almost there, Katt," Falco warned.

"Not yet," she begged. "Don't stop yet."

He couldn't help it though. Falco squirted inside her, but he didn't let that stop him. He powered through until Katt's grip nearly crushed him, signalling that she'd reached her climax at last. She relaxed, reclining onto the pillow with laboured breath. Falco tapped a kiss upon her cheek. Katt returned it passionately. God, she was worth a hundred battles for.

They agreed on a short break before going again. Resting side by side, Katt snuggled onto Falco's ruffled chest. "So, that phone call I interrupted… What were you and Isaac talking about?"

"A few different things. Nothing too important." Falco's breath felt short inside his lungs. "He invited us to come by his place again sometime."

"That'd be nice."

"Dash wants to take time off with his folks while he recovers," Falco mentioned. "I reckon we could squeeze in a visit after we drop him off."

"Good idea. Wonder if Mouser and Bowser would be free too."

"I'll make a few calls in an hour or so." Falco stroked Katt's fur. "You know, now's probably a good time to let the team take it easy for a while. Slippy can concentrate on the satellite; Peppy can train Lucy up; and we can get Dash a new starfighter in the meantime."

Katt released a regretful sigh. "I knew I shouldn't have sold the Catspaw. I'd have let Dash use my Arwing if I still had it."

Falco held her tighter. "There's nothing we can do about that, so it's not worth kicking yourself over. Isn't that what you're always telling me?" She nodded half-heartedly. "In any case, Dash isn't in any rush to fly again. The doctor made it clear that he's not allowed for at least five months."

"That sucks."

"Tell me about it. I've got to pay his worker's compensation. At least Lucy can fill Dash's spot now. Peppy picked the perfect time to finally pull his head out of his ass."

"I'm telling Peppy you said that."

Falco went rigid. "I was joking!"

"So was I," Katt grinned. Falco's shock morphed into a scowl.

"You're evil."

"I've been called worse." Katt returned her head atop Falco's heart. "I'm glad that this whole business with Oikonny is over. From now on, I just want clean, simple jobs where we don't have to throw one of our friends into a lion's den for a year and hope they'll be okay."

Falco kissed her ear. "I'll try to cut back on the crazy missions for a while then."

"It would be nice to take a vacation though," Katt perked. "We could make it just the two of us."

"What do you have in mind? Do you want to stay at home or go away somewhere? Make it exciting or relaxing?"

"Away. Definitely relaxing. We could rent a beach house on Aquas for a week. I hear there's this one place on an island somewhere. It's perfect for snorkel diving and long walks at sunset."

Personally, Falco didn't care much about either of those things. However, if it made Katt happy, then why not? "Sure. You pick out something at a good price and we'll do it."

"Ooh! Can we go somewhere with five stars?"

Falco frowned as he introduced some limits. "Just don't go crazy. The team might have a lot of cash right now, but Peppy will shoot me out of the main cannon if we spend any of it on a holiday. Let's keep it out of our own pockets, okay?"

"Works for me." Katt nuzzled him. "So, are you ready for round two?"

Falco's cavatappi answered before he could. "I am if you are."

Excitement glinted in Katt's eye. "Ooh! How about you peg me by the scruff this time?"

His brow lifted. "Are you sure?"

"Of course, I am."

Falco shrugged. "Okay. If that's what you want, babe."

As Katt eagerly rolled onto her front, Falco pulled open the bedside drawer. He retrieved a specially designed, low-pressure scruff peg that she ordered online a few months ago. It was one of her weirder kinks in Falco's opinion. Most cats older than three hated having their necks grabbed like this. Yet Katt seemed to be a stark exception. Isaac's words echoed in Falco's head. "You do you."

Moving above Katt, Falco pinched the loose bit of flesh near her nape. She made a noise when he tugged it. Falco stopped to ask if she was okay, though Katt urged him to keep going. At last, Falco clipped the peg over her scruff. He carefully eased the tension so that it wouldn't close on her all at once. Katt's arms tucked themselves underneath her body as it became limper than a noodle in hot water.

"You good?" Falco asked.

"Feeling great." Katt's response was laced with heavy breath. Falco checked her face. A dreamy smile plastered it as her eyes lost their focus. She definitely had her freak on right now. Falco scratched behind her ears tenderly.

"What safe word do you want to use?"

"I could start moaning Mouser's name. That'll kill your mojo in an instant."

Falco frowned. "You really are evil, you know that? Fine," he sighed. "Just say 'Mouser' and I'll take the peg off." He shifted between Katt's open legs and laid his hands on the hooks of her bra. "But first… Let's get rid of this."

He undid the garment and pulled it off Katt. "Naughty boy," she called him. Falco cupped one of her newly freed breasts and gently squeezed it. His other hand guided his Arwing towards her hangar. Katt trembled in anticipation.

She moaned his name many times throughout the next few minutes. Never once did Mouser's pass her lips. Once they were done, Falco removed the peg. He then held Katt safely in his arms, nuzzling her, petting her, telling her that she was the best thing to ever happen to him. She kissed Falco, clung to him, and whispered how much she loved him.

They were perhaps the strangest couple to ever grace the Lylat System, though Falco couldn't imagine anyone he'd rather be with than Katt.

It felt good to breathe the mountain air. On summer days like this, the surrounding aroma of plants invigorated every fibre in Krystal's body. The humidity sat at a sweet spot where the outdoors became cosy without being too warm and sticky. This was the kind of weather in which a Cerinian could lounge through their day off without a care in the world. Not Krystal though.

"Here's another patch," she said, bending down near the base of a tall tree. Krystal dug up one of the tall, leafy shoots at her feet, being careful to keep its roots intact. She inspected its stalk and found no insects eating away at the plant. Satisfied, she tossed it into her basket and began harvesting the next one.

"Is this right?"

Krystal turned to Fox. He crouched a few feet from her. She moved over to inspect the plant pinched between his fingers. "That's stalthar," she shook her head. "See the white spots near the stem? It can cause ulcers if you ingest it, so leave it be."

A minute frown turned Fox's lips. He nodded and replanted the stalthar where he found it. Krystal smiled at his improved behaviour from simply tossing whatever he dug up by mistake. She held out the plant that she collected. "Take another look at this. Moath herbs look the same, but their spots are yellow. These will reduce fever if you boil them."

Krystal allowed Fox to hold it so he could study more closely. "I'm amazed you can tell all these different plants apart."

"It was one of the first things they drilled into me as an apprentice. The Jad even tests us by making us drink our own moath tea. Guess how quickly people learn not to get these two mixed up."

"That's harsh."

She agreed. "But it's effective. Of course, moath can upset your stomach if you don't boil it long enough, so a lot of apprentices still end up squatting on a chamber pot after their first try."

"I will never complain about training at the Academy again." Krystal giggled.

After learning from his error, Fox helped her harvest a good number of moath shoots. They left some untouched to replenish the ones unearthed, ensuring that more would always be abundant in the future. Krystal deeply appreciated Fox coming out with her today. With his own job and the work that he did to build Andross's rocket, collecting herbs for the shrine seemed trivial in comparison. Yet Fox insisted that he wanted to spend this time with her. They shared so little together outside of their evenings. His gesture warmed Krystal's heart.

A little past noon, they arrived at a lake. The water was so clear that Krystal could see the bottom from the shoreline. Nothing but lazy fish dwelled beneath its surface. Krystal settled onto a patch of long, luscious grass and placed her basket beside her. So far, various medicinal ingredients filled it to half-capacity. They had moath herbs for fever, kivir grass and jajamak bark for fatigue, and gor mushrooms that bolster mana production. A fair haul for a morning's work.

Fox sat down with his own pack containing their food for the trip. He set out a lunch of bread rolls, dried meats, and fruit atop a large blanket, along with sweet honeycomb to share for dessert. A perfect meal between two mates on a long hike.

After eating, Krystal dozed in Fox's arms. He sat upright, scratching her full belly. Krystal listened to his gentle heartbeat as Fox stole kisses upon her head. All her cares melted away in this perfect moment.

"You're amazing. You know that?" Fox said suddenly.

Krystal's ears perked. "Hm?"

"It's your day off, but you came out here to collect supplies for your work. You could have easily made someone else do it, but you took it upon yourself instead."

"Is that unusual?" Krystal asked.

Fox chuckled. "Not with you. You've always gone above and beyond. It's one of the reasons I admire you."

That earned him a little kiss on the cheek. "I'm only doing what I feel is my duty. More people are getting sick lately, and the shrine is always in need of medicine. If taking on a little extra work can help everyone, then I don't mind it at all."

Fox smiled. "Just make sure you don't exhaust yourself. Otherwise, you'll be the one needing help."

"And would you be the one who'll take care of me if I do?" Krystal giggled.

"What kind of question is that? Of course, I would."

His lips on her neck tickled Krystal terribly. She then settled back with her head reclined against Fox's chest. "You really do love your people, don't you?" he asked.

"I do," Krystal smiled wistfully. "Ever since I was a little girl, I always wanted to help people just like my parents. My mother, especially. It's what drove me to train as a lythan. Becoming one meant I could then protect people and care for them."

"Like you did me," Fox added.

"Like I did you." She relished in the warmth of his embrace. "I can't think of anything else I'd otherwise be."

Fox sighed softly. "I wish I had nobler reasons for becoming a mercenary. I mostly wanted to follow in my dad's footsteps and avenge him. Saving the Lylat System from Andross and becoming a hero were just consequences. Compared to yours, my dream was pretty self-serving."

Krystal turned in his arms to face him. "Fox, don't diminish the worth of your deeds because of your motives. Even if all you cared about was becoming like your father, that doesn't erase the good that you've done. I've seen how grateful people were to you in your memories. Here on Cerinia, we'd have sung legends about you to future generations. That's how much of a hero you are."

"Songs about me?" Fox snickered. "That's a weird thought from where I'm sitting. If that happened back home, everyone would sing them non-stop for a few months before forgetting all about them."

Krystal scoffed. "That must mean that your world's songs aren't nearly as memorable."

Fox laughed louder. "Can't argue with that."

It felt wonderful to share these moments with him. Krystal stroked Fox's cheeks in both hands. Love brimmed in his eyes as much as it did her chest. "I am glad that you chose to follow your father's path in life. If your dream and your duty hadn't led you to chase Andross here, you and I never would have met."

A sombre look overtook Fox's expression as he nodded. "And if you hadn't become a lythan, that ordus would have killed me after I crashed. I know I say it often, but I still owe you my life, Krystal."

"You owe me nothing," she protested with a kiss upon his brow. "The gods work in strange ways, but I am grateful for the events that allow me to spend these moments with you."

A small smile returned to Fox. "There were a lot of times that sucked like hell. But now that I've met you, I can't imagine my life without you either."

Krystal's lips pressed against his. Fox kissed her back just as tenderly. Their tongues danced as their hands roamed across the other's back. Krystal basked in the bliss and affection radiating from Fox's thoughts. Something else blended in with his emotions. Krystal pulled back and smirked.

"You're feeling frisky."

Fox's ears turned flat and shamefully red. "Sorry. But having you sit on my lap dressed like you are just riles me up. You're bloody gorgeous, Krystal."

Krystal noted that in her bra and loincloth, she revealed more of her body than she understood Fox's people normally did. Off-worlders had strange views on what was considered decent to wear in public. Krystal couldn't imagine wearing a single stitch more in Cerinia's stifling summer climate though. Regardless, she enjoyed the influence that her beauty had on Fox. Every time he looked at her, she became all that he could see.

"Oh?" Krystal smirked. "And what would you like to do to me then?"

She adored how flustered Fox could get. "Come on, Krystal," he whined. "Just because I think of something, doesn't mean I want to act on it."

"What if I wanted to you to act on it?" Krystal asked, closing in on him. Fox swallowed hard. She could feel his excitement pressing up beneath her. "You have my permission."

Desire and shyness duelled within his thoughts. Fox glanced briefly at Krystal's basket. "What about the herbs and stuff? Don't we need to get those to the shrine as soon as possible?"

"The Jad doesn't need them urgently, and those will stay fresh for a good, few days." Krystal scratched beneath Fox's chin. "We don't need to hurry anywhere." The fight in his eyes petered out.

He smiled. "I can never say no to you."

"Not in any way that matters." Krystal crossed the distance between their lips. Her tail flailed vigorously as Fox pulled her closer to his chest. She poured as much of her love as she could into both his mind and their kiss. His gentle caresses on her rear made Krystal burn where she wanted him most.

Her hands pulled away the top of Fox's toga. Krystal leaned back to admire his physique. The muscles in his arms and torso had grown through his training with the bow and spear. Combined with the jagged scars clawed across his chest, Fox looked the perfect image of a seasoned warrior.

Krystal's finger traced the tattoos that now adorned him. Her favourites were the winged vulpine on each bicep; the crest that he had chosen for his clan. A part of Krystal dreamed of marking those same designs onto her own arms. Likewise, she foresaw the Sharrde Clan's spiral sunburst upon Fox's thighs. He would carry them with great pride.

In her musings, Fox already pulled off Krystal's bra and began fondling one breast. Krystal sighed deeply, grinding upon his earnest. Lest she soil her loincloth for all to see on the way home, she extracted herself from Fox to remove it. She then helped Fox until he laid unsheathed before her. Their eyes locked for an eternity within an instant.

"May I?" Krystal asked sweetly.

"I'm all yours," Fox purred.

Her fingers moved to caress his sack. It was healthy, plump, and heavy with everything that Fox had to offer. He moaned in a whisper. His body quivered into erection. Drips of anticipation glistened from his tip. Krystal transferred her hand to around the base. She kneaded Fox's flesh, feeling the first signs of a knot forming. Fox watched her with a silent plea that Krystal heard loud and clear. Slowly, she began stroking him.

Fox gasped. His arms buckled where they were meant to hold him upright. Pleasure radiated from him like a fire's warmth. Krystal smiled as she watched Fox melt. Her thighs rubbed together, stoking her wishes to share in his experience. Soon, though. There was all the time in the world for that.

As Krystal worked, Fox quivered like a leaf in the wind. When he could no longer take it, he howled as he erupted. White seed shot all over his stomach, as well as Krystal's wrist. She cleaned herself with her tongue. Then she tidied Fox off like the treat that he was. His grateful fingers scratched her ears as Krystal worked.

"Lie down," he told her. Krystal smacked her lips and obeyed, spreading herself out across the blanket. Fox sat over her, admiring the view. "You're perfect." Krystal's heart fluttered at those words.

Fox laid himself between her legs. His hand reached around underneath one thigh. His muzzle came down to kiss the tender flesh inside it. Krystal bit her lip. She could scarcely believe that Fox knew how to make her tingle from the most unexpected of places. He nuzzled and cuddled her thigh, only gazing at Krystal's womanhood from afar as though it needed to be treasured. His prior experience certainly worked to her benefit.

"Why must you keep me waiting?" she demanded via telepathy.

Fox only smiled before at last proceeding to her lips. He kissed her and licked, riddling Krystal with delight. She cooed as his tongue penetrated. It flicked and rolled like a bird feeding from a flower's nectar. Krystal's legs closed around Fox's head. Everything that he made her feel she sent back to him, so that he knew where to best move next. Passion began to tighten deep inside Krystal. Her hands flew behind Fox's ears, crushing his nose into her as he brought her finally over the edge.

Tears swam in Krystal's eyes. Fox became shrouded in mist when he crawled over to meet her gaze. He cupped her cheek, stroking Krystal gently with his thumb.

"I love you, Fox."

He kissed her. "And I love you, Krystal."

Yet they were not done. She assured him as much. Once Krystal had caught her breath, she rolled Fox onto his tail and skewered herself onto him. Mutual moans escaped them. Krystal's thoughts washed through Fox's like the tide. She felt where his back needed to be scratched. He felt where her neck craved to be nibbled. They were not quite one, but they were close enough for what they desired in this moment.

Krystal lifted herself up and down. Her insides squirmed to accommodate Fox. She felt as hot as he did. Krystal closed her lips upon Fox's. His flavour, emotions, and girth all intoxicated her. Strong hands supported Krystal's hips through every motion. A firm fist of flesh besieged her with each thrust, vying for entry.

When Krystal went faster, Fox matched her tempo. When she neared her end, he tied her deep. When her howls burned her throat, his eyes crossed into a blind stupor. When she sank into him, his arms held her close. Their haggard breaths passed in sync. Krystal laid her heavy head upon Fox's shoulder. His cheek pressed against hers.

"My angel…" she whispered.

His tender fingers combed her back. "My hero…"

Krystal closed her eyes. The sun was on her back. A beautiful lake laid before her. She had Fox's fuzzy mind interlaced with hers; his rich scent through her nose; his tender arms wrapped around her waist; his hard knot lodged inside her walls; and his warm seed deep within her womb. Nothing could be more perfect.

"I hope that was worth it to you," Fox said, smiling. "Because neither of us are going anywhere for a while now."

"I have no problems with that," Krystal replied, wagging her tail. She watched Fox's make the same motions. If she remained joined with her dear mate until night fell and the new day rose, Krystal would cherish that time with all her heart.

"We won't have much time to gather more herbs later."

"That's fine. We have plenty."

Pulling back, Krystal stared deeply into Fox's meadow-green eyes. She licked her fluids from his muzzle until it was clean again. His tongue flicked across Krystal's in gratitude. "So," he asked. "What do you want to do in the meantime?"

Krystal wiggled her ears. "Maybe we could have another language lesson?"

Fox smiled warmly. "Sure thing. What would you like to learn this time?"

"Why don't you teach me how to say the names of everything we can see in Papetoonish?"

And so, Fox mentored Krystal in the ways of the strange and beautiful tongue that his people spoke. He taught her the names of the lake and its fish, of the grass and the trees, even all the dishes that they ate during their picnic. Fox then taught Krystal the words for each part of her body as he kissed them, causing her to laugh while staving off his ticklish nose. And after they untied, they played in the water to clean themselves up. They spent the rest of the afternoon foraging through the woods again before finally turning towards home with the setting sun.

The gods worked in strange ways to bring their two souls together, though Krystal thanked them time and time again for delivering her such a sweet and loving mate as Fox. She could scarcely imagine her life without him.

End note:

Raise your hand if you read the previous note and thought Slippy was going to pack fudge with Dash. Now slap yourself because Dash is in no condition for that sort of thing.

You know, when I originally planned the Fortuna rescue arc, I meant for Falco to get shot in the abdomen while he and Slippy were defending Dash inside Oikonny's base. In this chapter, Katt would have given Falco his reward in the hospital bed, which most likely wouldn't be recommended by any doctor. Funny how things pan out during the writing stage.