So this is one of the Arfad, I thought as I looked upon my soon-to-be housemate, another in a land unfamiliar... we are definitely well-suited.

Let me back up a bit.

My name is Lyle Keaton.

I'm the seventeen-year-old son of a real estate salesman and a stay-at-home mom with a penchant for stagecraft and costumes. Up until... half a year ago? I lived with my mother, father and ten-year-old sister Aubrey in Cheyenne. One Thanksgiving holiday, we were on our way to our grandparents' farm bordering Grand Teton National Park when something strange (that's the only way I can accurately describe it) happened and our SUV went from a country road to a rough hillside choked with mossy shrubs, and we ended up slanted to the left, and the sun changed places in the sky, and crisp autumn air from the window was replaced with a sort of... I don't know, it was different. We were all confused of course, more so when soldiers armed with spears and shields appeared and took us away.

To make a long story short, we somehow ended up teleporting or warping or magicaling... God that sounds stupid, into this antiquated but somewhat exotic land called Caelum. More accurately, we ended up on the outskirts of Vinea Urbus, west of the citadel city of Arcis Caelum, capital of the Caelum Kingdom that occupies the North Talam region of the Thiar Talam continent on... and they didn't actually have a word to describe "the world;" didn't even have a concept for "planet."

We pressed a little, but the most they would ever say was: "All is Talam." So I guess this world is Talam, and we came from Earth. After several days, and getting pushed around a bit, we ended being declared "honored wanderers" and were provided a temporary residence until we could get on our feet. That house was fine, but the lack of plumbing was definitely a sore point. Luckily for us, Dad had studied engineering in college before finding employment in real estate.

After several long-and-involved discussions with Caelumite architects, he was hired as a "royal" architect (not that the king had anything to do with it, they were just the ones who were put in charge of building cities). His work was much appreciated and was well-rewarded for his efforts, and his knowledge soon became held in high regard. He only had trouble once*, but aside from that, our new lives were actually quite comfortable.

*The spot of trouble involved Dad promoting the practical use of the arch, which the people of Caelum were initially against due to the southern Cumas Ladir Empire adopting the arch as a symbolic aesthetic.

Furthermore, Mom, mostly out of boredom, started sewing shirts, pants and dresses in the American fashion. These made us stick out a bit, but more than a handful of our "new fellow countrymen" took an interest in the "Keaton fashion" (gah).

We ended up making a home in the coastal city of Oram Portus (at the behest of Felix Iudex, Eleventh King of Caelum; he's alright) and Dad instantly got to work renovating the busy port. Aside from the culture shock, not to mention the entire ordeal of going POOF new world, the only real difficulty for us was the written language. While the spoken language, thankfully, was English with the exception for the names, the written Caelum alphabet required some mental gymnastics in order to actually read. It took me a couple of months to get used to it... at least, about sixty days worth? The calendar is different here too.

After settling into Oram Portus, I began to feel sort of... cramped... I don't know why, maybe I just needed to get out more. I talked it over with Mom and Dad and we came to an understanding. After a few weeks, we found a small, newly built house in-between my family's home and one of the city's academies. I moved into it and was able to live on my own since then. I was able to focus on my knowledge of the written language to the extent where I could actually translate from Caelum to English script. Furthermore, I've created a hobby of trying to write vice versa, attempting to recount stuff I barely remembered from Earth's history. At one point I considered transcribing Lord of the Rings from memory, but never got further than a basic summary of the trilogy. I probably would've done more until news of the Arfad arrived. I didn't think much of this until it was clarified that they were different from the fox-like Uasal.

Oh, right, one more thing.

In addition to humans, it was explained, there were also the Uasal, the rumored Fain, and now these Arfad. All three are mostly human with certain animalistic characteristics; always ears and tails with some variations in regard to specific attributes. These attributes usually ranged from acute hearing to seeing in the dark.

In regard to Caelum, humans (or Thiaran or "tailless") and Uasals were legally equal, but it seemed to me that Uasals were either merchants or sailors and nothing else. Most of these Uasals had some shade of reddish hair, though I had seen a handful with black or white hair and I was told that there were grey-haired Uasal across the sea on Thoir Talam. All had fox-like ears and tails, and they all more-or-less acted with a similar manner of morals that made them seem like an inclusive religious sect; the Orthodox Jews of this world. The Uasal homeland is called: Glean Talam.

As for the other two.

The Fain, supposedly, have wolf-like characteristics and were barbarians who inhabited the Ar Thoir mountains, which ran east-to-west and separated Glean Talam from southern Abhan Talam in much the same way Ar Thiar kept the northern Caelum separate from the southern Empire.

The Arfad, on the other hand, were more cat-like with a vast variety in hair, ears and tail. According to what some of the Uasal explained, the Arfad were friendly enough. The fox-folk were vague in their descriptions of Arfad culture, saying they were "fiercely independent and harmonious," which didn't make any sense to me.

Regardless, an Arfad messenger arrived at the capital and met with his majesty King Felix Iudex. Turns out that the Arfad have been trying to establish sea trade. They had always traded with the Thoir Uasal, but that was mainly the fox-folk sailing down the coast on their own. Now the Arfad got around to sailing on their own. Their first attempt was with Cumas Ladir; no doubt a tragic failure. Then the Uasal informed them of Caelum, and so an envoy sailed across with guidance from Uasal sailors. Hearing what happened with the Empire, the messenger was obviously well-received. Part of the agreement was what people-on-Earth would call "a cultural exchange". Because the Arfad were wise enough to realize they were pitifully ignorant of this half of the world, it was suggested that some Arfad visit Caelum for a lengthy period. King Felix and the rest of the government agreed and requested volunteers to provide housing for the incoming guests.

My days consisted of going to the nearby academy and returning home. Sometimes I would go to the market or visit my family's home, but not often. As relieving as it was to be on my own, I was now overtaken by boredom. So I became one of those volunteers. I changed out the unused bedding in the guest room, stocked up on what food I could (when the hell was this world going to invent refrigerators?), tidied up and waited. On the appointed day I had taken a day off from the academy. A little after noon, I heard two double-knocks on the door and opened it.

She was half-a-head taller than my 5-and-1-half-foot self with warm olive skin and long silver-gray hair. Garbed in a black sort-of crop top cloaked by an auburn shawl and a knee-length tan skirt with simple teal embroidery along one edge and an azure leather belt, she was obviously athletic, her visible midriff showing as much. Her face bore large amber-brown eyes, a slender nose and mouth and two symmetrically curved marks across each cheek. Said marks actually matched similar marks on each side of her torso, kinda like stripes. And, of course, the ears and the tail.

At first glance, my first thought of her was that she was related to one of those Egyptian Mau cats, with the long narrow tail and the large ears that shot upright when I opened the door. Definitely not an Uasal, and definitely not of Caelum.

So this is one of the Arfad; another in a land unfamiliar... we are definitely well-suited.

I bowed forward somewhat in greeting, hand over chest.

"Afternoon, welcome to Caelum." Her dark amber eyes widened a bit before narrowing as she looked me up and down, frowning.

"You are tailless, yes?"

"I am."

"That was an Uasal greeting." Oh, crud, and here I was trying to be courteous.

"Ah... sorry, I meant no offense." She continued to frown at me, then she bowed back.

"I am Morna, my land is of Tirim Talam, I thank you for your generosity."

"Nice to meet you Morna, please come in." I stood aside and she walked in, hefting a rolled canvas pack. Her ears flickered a bit when I closed the door. She placed a hand against the wall.

"This is not stone, is it mortar?"

"No, it's cement, similar to mortar but with a different mixture." She dropped her pack to the floor of the entryway. "Uh-shall I take your coat?"

"What?" That's a shawl, not a coat you idiot! I resisted the urge to smack myself.

"Nevermind, sorry, outdoor coats are usually put on the pegs." I gestured to the set of seven coat hooks on the right side. "But never mind that if you have one, or not really, since it isn't even that big a deal-'rambling'-I'm Lyle, by the way," I held out my right hand out of habit, "Lyle Keaton." Her ears flickered again as I spoke. She tilted her head.

"Key-ton?"

"Yes, Keaton, it's my family name."

"Ah..." her posture relaxed, "so they weren't fooling me."

"What?" She reached up and started to undo a black cord holding part of her hair in a long tail, the front bits hanging in a pair of side-lengths tied at the ends.

"When we got off the boats, I was told that the one I'll be staying with was a foreign one." She crouched down and began removing her sandals. "And you are the first Thiaran I've seen who doesn't call himself my-name-son-of-whoever-of-whatever-else." She had a remarkable sense of balance, not even teetering from that crouch; probably because of her tail, swishing back and forth. I pulled my hand back and forced a chuckle.

"Well... it's kind of hard to say where I'm from if there's no way to point to it." She stood and stared at me.

"That's another thing they said." Her gaze, though not frightening, was actually quite intense. "That you came from an unreachable land."

"That's true." She leaned toward me, I had to lean back a bit. "Um... yes?"

"How?"

How what? How did I come from an unreachable land? "Uh... no idea."

"Ma'ah?" she said with a queer expression.

"My family was traveling to visit relatives, then we somehow ended up in Talam." Morna just continued to frown at me for a few more moments. Then she hmfd and wandered into the house proper, taking her pack with her. I followed after her, seeing her look around. Damn, her figure looks drop-dead gorgeous from behind- FOCUS IDIOT!

"Have you eaten today?" I asked.

"Mmh, before we got off the boats." Her face soured somewhat. "I think I'll wait a while longer before eating again." She's probably a little seasick.

"I understand." God, this is awkward. "Um..." I probably shouldn't ask about her trip if she's suffering seasickness. "Do you need to lay down?"

"I'm not ill, I don't need to lie-" she paused, "do I have a place to lie down?"

"Yes, this way." And I showed her to the guest room, where she seemed to marvel over the bed.

"Is the bedding made of feathers?"

"Uh... no, wool."

"Ma'ah?"

"Wool, like from, you know, sheep."

"Oh. I see." This was still awkward as all hell. She's definitely the more confident one here, seeing how she carries herself. Maybe I should just leave her alone for a bit.

"I'm going to check on a few things, I leave you be to settle in." She made a simple grunt in acknowledgment and I left the room, thinking how I probably looked like a foreign idiot.

~

After Lyle left the room, Morna looked at the guestroom door. One moment... two... three... She put her travel pack down, carefully removed the shawl from her shoulders, then pounced onto the bed, reveling in the softness of a wool-packed mattress. She even let out a low purr as she rubbed her face, limbs and torso against the smooth fabric sheets.

"Ah... so much softer than straw," she murmured to herself. The bed alone made the voyage more than worth it. She breathed in deeply. Yes, that boy's scent was here, but barely; he either rarely sleeps here or had the bedding changed or both. Certainly not the worst host. Standing a tad shorter than her, this Lyle was scrawny with green eyes and smooth blonde hair that was a tad longer than the usual tailless fashion. Kind of a wimp. But the way he stood though, and that inquisitive look in his eyes... why did he look like that? Why was-

Doesn't matter!

She flopped around again on the soft bed and curled up, tail twirling in the air behind her as she purred.

~

I learned a few things about Morna over the next few days. For one thing, she's quiet, she rarely starts a conversation, and almost all conversations are brief. There were two exceptions, both around the dinner table in the evening. Speaking of dinner, she's actually kinda picky. As expected, she liked fish, though it took her a couple of days to crave them after the voyage. What she didn't like at all was bacon, bulb sprouts (basically Brussel sprouts), broccoli, rye bread and bread with sesame seeds. Also, Morna is rather restless. Every day, without fail, she would go out and jog around the neighborhood a few times. Once in the late morning, around when I leave for the academy, and again in the late afternoon.

Usually, after returning from the second run, she would then bathe; though not how Caelumites would. Luckily, this world has mastered basic plumbing and Caelum communities began implementing "shared-heating water" a few years before my family showed up. Basically, neighborhoods would be oriented around a cistern. As afternoons waned, whoever was in charge of the cistern would light a wood fire in a space beneath the cistern. This resulted in everyone having balmy hot water in the evening; this world's one modern comfort.

On that first evening, after Morna took her first bath in Caelum, I found water on the floor and edge of the tub and the bathing pitcher showed signs of ardent use. I figured, instead of submersing herself in the tub, she sat on the edge and cleaned herself there with the pitcher. Perhaps, like actual cats, the Arfad don't like water. That, at least, would explain why it took so long for them to cross the ocean.

One day, after returning from the academy, I walked in to see Morna already leaving the bathroom, a large towel around her body while she dried her hair with a small towel.

"You bathed already? Aren't you going for your second run?" She lowered the small towel, her hair cascading past her shoulders, ears twitching, eyes aimed at the ceiling and her tail feebly swishing behind her long bronze legs. Damn, those legs are- eyes up!

"It's going to rain," she said simply.

"You can tell?" She nodded. "How was the bath water?"

"Cold." Of course, it wasn't evening yet.

"Should I prepare a hot meal?"

"Yes, please," she said before moving to the guest room. Those long legs are really- down idiot! She's a guest, behave yourself! I went to the kitchen and started cooking a meat stew. It wasn't long until rain began to patter off the roof.

I guess the Arfad can sense rain... by smell? I vaguely remember people on Earth who said they could "smell rain".

Morna eventually trudged in and took a seat at the kitchen table, now wearing a loose-fitting black tunic-like dress. She drew up her legs to her chest and wrapped her arms around her thighs and under her knees. Her expression was wistful and her ears drooped sideways.

"Don't worry," I said, turning back to my cooking, "it'll clear up sooner or later." There was a pause followed by a sort of: heh.

"You really are from another world."

"What?" I looked back at Morna. She was smiling ruefully now, her amber eyes glinting and her ears rising a little.

"You not have Baisti where you come from?"

"Bay-es-tee?" Her grin widened a bit, but only just.

"It's the rainy season, it doesn't just 'clear up'. Rain will fall for days this time of year."

"Oh, I see." Her smug smile lingered, but her eyes and ears fell. She's still down, gotta think of something else. Maybe... "What is your favorite meal?" Her ears perked up again, albeit briefly.

"Maize bread: bread made from maize." Maize? Maize; as in corn? I looked about my kitchen counter. I didn't have any corn, but I did have a cluster of five bananas on a hook-stand. I had gotten them the day before news of the Arfad. I bought a batch of six for a steep price, mainly because I haven't had any since coming here. I ate one, put the rest on the stand, then got distracted by other things. Now the batch was beginning to show some small brown specks on the peel.

Hmm... there's still some time before sundown. I have, what's left of the day's milk and butter, but no eggs. The rain isn't coming down that hard, and the neighbor with the chicken coop is only four houses down...

The stew was done at this point, luckily. I removed the pot from the fire and set it on the serving towel in the middle of the table, along with the two bowls I set earlier.

"I'll be right back."

"Ma'ah?"

A couple of minutes later and I closed the front door behind me, careful not to drop the handful of eggs. Morna looked up from her bowl of stew, ears perked.

"You actually went out in the rain?" she inquired incredulously.

"I needed eggs."

"But you're soaked! Are you not cold?" I was.

"I just really needed some eggs," I hastily explained as I shuffled to the counter, then the oven.

"Are you well?" She sounded genuinely concerned.

"I'm all-" oh boy "-I am all ri-CHOO! -am alright." I could tell she was giving the back of my head a disbelieving look.

"Amadan-Fionn..."

"What?"

"Nothing. I'm going to bed." What the heck does Amadan-Fionn mean? Ah-ma-dan-Fee-on? No matter. I focused on the cooking, which actually took a lot longer than I expected, a little over an hour. But eventually, I was able to extract a golden brown loaf of bread from the oven.

Looks alright. Smells alright. Hopefully, it will taste alright.

Morna poked her head back in, now wearing what I would call an oversized nightshirt.

"What is that smell?"

"Sorry, is it bad?"

"No, it just isn't eggs."

"That's because it's bread."

"Ma'ah?"

"I didn't have any maize or corn, but I did have some ripened bananas. Want a bite?" She came in and leaned over the banana bread as I set it on the table. She inhaled deeply, her left ear twitching and her long legs- eyes up!

"May I?"

"Of course. I'll get a plate, it's still hot." So I got two plates and cut two slices off the end of the loaf. She sat down, the tip of her tail fluttering as she scrutinized her slice. She sniffed it again, then took a bite. Her ears perked and her entire tail began swishing back-and-forth. She immediately took another bite before making an unmistakable humming noise.

She definitely likes it.

"Is it good?"

"Mm-mmm!" She eagerly took a third and fourth bite. "Not quite like a banana, but it's still good."

"Glad you like it." She wolfed down the rest of her slice and I cut another one, while my slice had only two bites out of it.

"Arf yu nof whafing yor talenf?" she asked, mouth full.

"My talent?"

"Yef," she swallowed, "you're good at cooking, yet you're studying to be a scholar."

"I'm not that good. That was just something my mother taught me."

"Your mother's a craft-cook?"

"Craft? No, she's a seamstress." I held my arms out and gestured to my shirt, now somewhat dry. "The new shirts and pants you see people wearing around here, she designed all of them." She took another bite.

"Fe Keafon fafion?"

"Yeah... I hate hearing that." She actually coughed at this.

"Ma- cough -you hate it? Why?"

"Well, for one thing, my family did not invent 'Keaton style' clothing. And for another, I don't like having my name attached to something I did not create." She cocked her head at me.

"Do you not like your... what you call it; family?"

"No, I do. They're the only family I have in this world. I just want to be known in history for what I've done, rather than what my family is known for."

"So... your own legacy?"

"Never thought of it that way, but yeah, my own legacy." She finished her second slice.

"But you are weak."

"What?"

"You want to go down in history, but you are neither a leader or a warrior, so how will you forge your legacy?" Okay, I see what she's saying. I shrugged, taking the liberty to slice up the rest of the bread.

"I don't know. I'm just gonna have to figure it out."

"Figure it out?"

"Yeah, wing it."

"Wing it?"

"Yeah." I finally finished my first slice.

"You are wingless." I was puzzled for a moment, fetching my second slice.

"It's a figure of speech."

"Figure of speech?"

"Yeah, it just means: I'll plan as I go."

"Like how you ran through the heavy rain just to get some eggs?"

"It wasn't that he- hea-" I angled my head away, "ACHOO!"

"Uh-huh," she said with a smirk, helping herself to a third slice. "Amadan-Fionn."

To make a long story short, the banana bread was gone by the next morning.

~

The next day, the rain was still pouring. I went to the academy, came back and found Morna furiously pacing a circle in the living room in a short tunic that showed her stomach and a bright blue sarong.

Gosh, it must be hell for her. Pity I didn't have any more bananas to bake. Maybe... maybe this would help out somehow.

I took a seat in the kitchen and pulled a spherical oddity from my satchel. The oddity in question I had received from a friend at the academy. My friend's father was a wood carver who is also hosting an Arfad.

"Morna, can you help me for a moment?" She came into the kitchen, ears perked.

"Help with?" She blinked. "Ma'ah?" I held up the wooden oddity; essentially a spherical burr puzzle with three rings, the smaller rings nestled within the larger ones, and an ornate wooden orb in the center.

"I got this from a friend at the academy and I've been trying to figure it out."

"A trí fáinní?"

"What?"

"That, it's a trí fáinní, three-ring puzzle."

"Yeah, I thought it would be easy to figure out; but," I grinned sheepishly, "that's obviously not the case."

"May I see?"

"Sure." I handed the puzzle over and she proceeded to turn it over in her hands. She fiddled with the wooden rings, her head cocked to one side, ears twitching, eyes narrowed in scrutiny and frowning pensively. Then she smirked. She spun around, there were a couple clicks, and she turned toward me holding the three rings in one hand and the orb in the other. "How?" Since it was a puzzle from Abhan Talam, I expected her to be familiar with it, but I didn't expect her to solve it so fast! I looked up at her and noticed a twitch at the corner of her mouth, a glint in her eye.

"Show-off!" She couldn't hold it in and burst out laughing.

"Never before-" laughter overtook her and she had to regain her composure, "never before have I seen such astonishment on a male's face!" I felt my ears get hot and figured my cheeks were probably following suit.

"Well sorry for being astonished."

"There, there Amadan-Fionn," she ruefully soothed, turning away from me again, "there's no shame for not hearing." Not hearing?

"Is that your way of saying: ignorance is bliss?"

"Absolutely not!" She turned toward me again, the orb back in the middle of the three rings. "You just couldn't hear how the rings worked." She gestured to points where the rings interlocked. "They could only move certain ways. Those of us with big ears can hear how the rings move."

"Oh, so... any Arfad or Uasal can easily solve these?" She handed the trí fáinní back to me.

"They are amusing children's toys." Oh great.

"Oh great!" She laughed again. It was a cute laugh, I must admit.

"Well, go on," she said, sitting down across from me, "try again."

"I intend to."

"Wing it."

"That's what I'm doing." She smirked. "What?"

"Amadan-Fionn."

"Are you ever going to tell me what that means?"

"No."

In the end, I was only able to unlock two rings before supper.

~

The rain was pouring the next day too! Holy crap, she wasn't kidding. Went to the academy and came back to find Morna sitting on the living room sofa. Knees drawn to her chest, head down, ears drooping sideways. Today she was wearing that black crop top and a black knee-length skirt that did little to hide her legs. She must be in agony over the past few days. I am not the athletic sort, but I can imagine being unable to jog every day as being equivalent to cabin fever. I stopped by my room, changed into a burgundy long-sleeved shirt that wasn't damp and returned to the living room. Not having spare bananas or a novelty to ponder, I fetched a Caelum history book and sat down next to her.

"Do you want to read with me?" Morna's ears perked up, eyes wide as she looked at me. She blinked, then she frowned and her eyes narrowed. Shifting in her seat on the sofa, Morna's tail suddenly whipped around, whacking the book out of my hands. "Wha?" She pounced on me, no other words for it. Forcing me down on the sofa, her hands in place above my shoulders, her knees on either side of my waist, amber eyes boring into my own and her tail flitting above them.

"Morna?"

"I'm restless," she said bluntly.

"Obviously, you've been restless for the last three days!" She blinked a few times, tilting her head.

"You could tell?"

"Well yeah, you haven't been able to run. So I figured you were becoming stir-"

"I like you."

"You..." Wait, she likes me? "you do?"

"Back across the sea, since I was young, I have yearned to do things alone. One of the reasons why I took ship to Caelum. But now, with all this rain and no other for most of the day, it is nice to have someone to share moments." So she likes sharing moments with me?

"The... I am honored to share these moments with you." Smiling down at me, Morna sat up astride my waist. Her warm fingers slid down my chest.

"I know how you can help me not be restless."

"Which is?" She reached for the hem of her top.

"Mate with me." And lifted her top over her head, fulling baring her breasts. Holy shit, she was beautiful! I wanted to just reach up and grab those luscious mounds- NO! HOLD ON!

"Wait a moment!" I managed to prop myself up on my elbows, trying and failing to keep my eyes on hers. "Aren't you being too hasty?"

"No, I am restless. And you need it more than I."

"Need- wait, what?"

"Exercise." I need exercise? I'm not fat! If anything, I'm underweight. "You are lazy."

"I'm not lazy!"

"Yes, you are," she strongly insisted, prodding my chest. "You spend all day at the academy, then return and do nothing but cook, read and write."

"You... don't consider knowledge valuable?"

"Nooo, knowledge is valuable. But," she leaned toward me, "what good is knowledge if you don't use it?" Fair point.

"That's... fair." She leaned in closer, pressing her forehead against mine.

"So..." a soft and slender palm touched my cheek, those warm amber eyes, gentle but hungry smile, "don't be lazy."

Her mouth came onto mine. Hot breath filled my throat and tickled my tongue.

Oh hell with it, I want her.

I closed my eyes and leaned into the kiss. This wasn't my first kiss, but definitely the first time a girl kissed me, never mind a drop-dead sexy young goddess! I reached up and placed my hand on her side. The tender warmth of her torso tickled my fingers and electrified my arm. I slid my hand up her shoulder blade, both of us gasping for air before delving into each other's mouths again. I brought my hand back down her torso, my thumb brushing against the side of her breast before I-

Morna nipped my bottom lip. I winced, but not so much from the sharp prick of pain than from a sort of shock from the bite. That must be her way of saying: she wants me.

"Alright," I gasp, feeling somehow light-headed, "I get it!" I sit up and reach for her with both my hands, my left finding Morna's cheek and my right on her side again. She froze and her eyes widened a bit. I leaned in, keeping my eyes on hers, my thumb tracing the seamless marks across her soft skin, and kissed her this time. She relaxed and leaned into my kiss, her own fingers digging into the fabric of my shirt. I guided my right hand onto her stomach and upward until I found her left breast. She shivered as my fingers enveloped her bosom. She reached down and slipped her hand under the hem of my burgundy shirt. I broke the kiss and pulled my shirt by the collar. Morna didn't bother to wait, kneeling over to stroke and hungrily kiss my belly, core and chest.

God, now she was making me tremble as I tossed my shirt aside. She continued to kiss up my torso, her ears twitching. I wrapped her in my arms, but not too tightly as to not hinder her progress, and ran my fingers through her long silver hair. She hummed. I then reached up, lightly touching the edge of one of her ears.

It twitched against my thumb.

Aroused and enthralled, I gingerly traced the outline of her right ear. It quivered in my hand. I curved my fingers around and felt the warm fleshy inside of-

"Don't!" I released her ear.

"Sorry, did I hurt you?"

"No," she answered, her lips against my throat, "just don't, please." Okay, ears off-limits.

"Okay, I won't, I promise." I touched her other cheek and lowered my head to kiss her again, hot breath filling my mouth again. She moaned and her fingers tugged at my waistband.

Wow, I'm really doing this!

We broke apart and I quickly took off my cargos and boxers while Morna effortlessly slipped off her skirt. Before I could take a complete look at her pure naked figure, she placed a strong palm on my chest and pushed me down again.

On my back with her astride me... she was so beautiful! Holy shit, she's a living goddess! (Please don't smite me God.) Her ears perked up, amber eyes gazing upon me, cute nose, partially open mouth, long silver-gray hair draping her olive angelic form... The fingers of her right hand crisscrossed down my body and I just realized that this is the first time I'm showing my dick to another living soul, and a goddess at that! Oh shit, what if she's grossed out? Or if it isn't big enough for her? My penis was right there, erect, right in front of her!

Her hand reach the base of my shaft and drew her fingers up to the head. I shivered as her fingers wrapped around my member (so it was longer than her hand-span at least). Then she knelt down, lowering her mouth to - no way, she's really!

Soft lips, warm breath, wet tongue enveloped the tip of my dick then slid down the shaft, more than halfway. Holy shit! That feels amazing! Where did she learn to do that? No matter. Watching her head go up-and-down along with the sensation on my cock was making me lose track of everything else, even the ever-present rain. God, that feels so good. Maybe too good. I felt a familiar pressure beneath my waist.

"Morna," I managed, "wait-" She actually increased the rhythm of her fellations, her eyes locking on mine as I failed to think of a way to hold it in. "I'm about to-" too late. She tensed up and eyes widened as a load of my semen exploded into her mouth.

Oh God, I messed up already.

Her ears drooped, mouth still on my dick. Then her eyes narrowed, ears angled upwards 'bout halfway, and she slowly lifted her head, her lips giving me one last stroke before sitting upright. Mouth closed, eyes narrow in a pensive manner, Morna raised the back of her hand to her lips for a few moments, then gulped.

"Sorry..." what else could I say with a hand over my face? A warm palm on my chest and I lowered my hand to receive a second, but briefer, kiss.

"Don't be, you didn't mean to."

"It was gross, wasn't it?" She shook her head with a small smile.

"It was bitter, but better than Arfad essence." Oh?

"Really?"

"Why would I lie?" she asked candidly as she adjusted her position on my hips. "You have no reason to feel shame. Besides," her hand took my still erect cock, "you haven't faltered after your release." I glanced down just in time to see her lower her hips, guiding my penis as it slid into her pussy.

"Ah!" The hot flesh of her insides writhed against my member as she shuddered atop me. She was a snug fit! And before I could fully comprehend the new sensation, she began to move, rising and falling. Oh God! She didn't even have her hands on me as she moved; arms slack, mouth open slightly as she breathed with her movements. I couldn't help but gasp and moan at the same time (I didn't even know I could do that) as she slid up and down my shaft. She suddenly grabbed my wrists.

"No lazy," she brought my hands to her waist, "you move too." Her soft skin tickled my palms again, my hands began following the motion of her hips. You move too. Okay then, here goes. She moved twice more before I thrusted upward as she reached the crest of her rise. She jolted and cried out, rising higher, almost leaving my cock. Didn't want that. I clumsily slowed down as I dropped. She descended, my dick delving deeper, causing us both to cry out. As incredible as that felt, I didn't want to hurt her. I waited for her to rise again, shuddering, then I thrusted as she came down. We met halfway. I fell, she rose. I thrusted up again, she fell.

"There!" she gasped aloud. Thrust. "Yes! There!" Thrust. There, like that, I got this. We settled into a steady rhythm, my thrusts and her hips. Her hands pressed against my torso, fingers caressing my belly. Her eyes wandered as we continued. God, she feels amazing! It must feel good for her too, seeing how she reacted to each and every thrust. But I already wanted a reprieve from the thrusting, and I wanted to feel more of her.

Don't be lazy.

I let go of her waist and pushed myself upright. The rhythm faltered somewhat as we adjusted our position. My right foot found a place on the floor as we embraced each other. Her fingers kneaded my scalp and gripped the back of my neck. Mine running up-and-down her back and behind. My chest rubbed against her voluptuous front as we moved. While her eyes were closed, savoring the moment, mine were on her face. God, she's beautiful! I pressed my lips against the side of her throat, provoking a purr, an actual purr! I continued to kiss, drawing a line down her collarbone, sternum and top of her right breast. Then my lips found the nipple.

Well, she nipped me, so she shouldn't be opposed.

Half wondering if I was fucking up in the completely wrong way, I gently put my teeth around her nipple and sucked.

"Wha-ah!" She jolted in my arms, her fingers tightened on a lock of my hair and sunk into one of my shoulder-blades. "Mi! Mi! Myah! Myah!" Her voice changed. I felt her nose against the top of my head as she continued to "myah." I reached up with my right and grasped her left breast. "Myah! Myah! Mi-!" She shuddered and her insides constricted around my cock. That felt incredible! She spasmed and threw her head back. "Myaaah!"

I stopped as she slumped in my embrace, breathing heavily. I looked up to see Morna actually averting her gaze, blush bronzing her cheeks and face marks.

"Did you cum?" Her eyes flitted to me and away again before nodding.

"Sorry." Why was she embarrassed now, especially after his unwarranted release? But that look was absolutely adorable.

"Don't be, it felt incredible." She locked eyes with me, ears perked. "Cum all you want. Let's fuck until we get that restlessness out of you!" She smiled and her tail fluttered into view, waving furiously.

We brought our mouths together again, each as hungry as the other and her purring down my throat. I leaned forward a little as we broke that third kiss. She fell on her back, gripping my arms as she looked up at me. Placing my hands on either side of her, under her arms, careful not to press down on her hair. Now this was a position I could really work with, the position I fantasied the most about. I began to thrust in her again. Yes! This was the best position so far! God! This is amazing! She is amazing! Feeling the depths of her insides, seeing her tits shake, the gleam in her amber eyes, and hearing her pant through her open mouth (in addition to the slap of skin).

The pressure began to build up in my loins again. I closed my eyes. Just how the hell do I hold it in? After some more thrusts, my hazy mind figured that tidbit of sexual advice was bullshit. As I neared the edge of my second climax, I figured pulling out was the only sensible thing to do at this point. Right as I was about to release, I pulled back-she locked her legs around me and pulled me back down!

"Ah!" I shot a load inside her and she writhed beneath me. But I didn't feel the rippling squeeze from earlier, so she didn't orgasm. She still shuddered a little though. Eyes closed, she took a deep breath, ears twitched, and looked up at me with a satisfied smile. I had to return it with my own. "Was that alright?"

"Mm-hm. I can feel your essence." She stroked my arms. "It's a good feeling."

"It is," I concurred, then frowned. "Your safe tonight, right?"

"Ma'ah?"

"I was going to pull out, because I didn't want to... give you a child you don't want." Her ears perked, eyebrows raised briefly, before she relaxed.

"That is actually quite thoughtful." But then she gave me a mischievous smirk. "Amadan-Fionn."

"What?"

"You may not want to burden me, but," she shifted her hips, my still erect penis within her. I got the gist.

"You want me to stop?" She laughed and I pulled us upright and kissed her cheek. "How do you want it next?" Her ear twitched a bit before humming. We broke apart, but I felt something fuzzy on my hip. Morna's tail. She kept me tethered as she slid past, setting herself on all fours at the opposite end of the couch. She looked over her shoulder, smiled, shook her hips.

"Pour it in me." Her tail tightened about my waist.

"Say no more." I grasped her hips and slid inside her, deeper.

"Oh!" Uh oh?

"Too much?"

"Not at all."

"Earlier, when you were riding me." Her tail shifted around me in a way that conveyed comfort (somehow).

"I never did it face-to-face before you. You are not a brute. Go deep, deep as you want!" I pulled back and shoved in with a little more effort.

"Ah!" Again. "Yes!" Again. "Like that!" And so on. While I thrusted into her depths, I shifted my hands around, feeling her ass, thighs, the small of her back, even the tail a little bit (not too much though, remembering her ears). A little while later, I could feel a climax building up again. I wanted to cum deep inside her, making her "myah" in what I hope to be overwhelming euphoria.

But hold on.

Why wasn't she going "myah?"

She was crying for joy as I kept at it, but she wasn't "myah"-ing. What was different that time compared to now? Wait?

I leaned forward and reached around for her breasts. My right found her left and my left instinctively joined in.

"Wha-aoh!" She writhed and I pulled her almost upright as I continued to fuck her from behind. "Wha? Wha! La! Ly! Lyle!" I pulled her against me. "Lyle! Ha! Oh! How!?"

"Want me to stop?"

"Ma! Ah! No! You! Your! Making! Me feel! What! I didn't! Feel! Before!" Pulling her tight against me, I began kneading that one breast with both my hands. She spasmed and cried out. Her tail tightened around me.

"I want you to cum with me!"

"Lyle!" She reached back and her left fingers awkwardly found the back of my head, grabbing tightly.

"Cum with me Morna! Reach down and play with your pussy while I fuck you!" A few moments of her keeping her mouth shut and whimpering, I felt the tips of her fingers of her free hand between her thighs as I continued to thrust.

"Mmmmm!"

"Don't hold it in! I want to hear you Morna! Let me hear you like before!"

"MMMMM!" I gave that one breast a sudden squeeze and bit her shoulder. "MYAH!" Yes! "Myah! Myah! Myah!"

"I'm close!" I really was. "Cum with me Morna!" I quickened my pace, pounding into her, kneading that breast and nipping her neck this time. Her tail threatened to constrict my middle, her left hand gripped my hair, her hot insides contracted around my cock.

"Myah! MYAH! MYAAAH!" My load exploded inside of her and we both shuddered violently, collapsing in a heap on the sofa. We lay there for a bit, both breathing hard.

Laying there.

Breathing.

Breathing.

Breathing.

She slid out from under me, her slack tail following suit.

"Still... restless...?" I asked, wanting to go again.

"Little," she gasped, sliding to the floor, "but your body isn't up for another round." Damn it, she's right.

"Sorry I wasn't able to... get it all out of you..."

"Don't be," she said, stretching, "I really needed that. And," she reclined against the front of the sofa, "you made me cum so much! My heart's still racing."

"Was I really that good?" I inquired, turning onto my back.

"Why would I lie?"

"I'm not saying you are. I just didn't expect my first time to be so incredible for the both of us."

"That was your first time?" she asked incredulously.

"Sorry to disappoint."

"No! No! You were great! Amazing! I actually envy your next mate." My next mate?

"What do you mean?"

"If mating with you was that good, and that was your first time, then imagine how your second time will be. Or maybe that was normal for tailless. Either way, the next woman you mate with will be more than grateful."

"But that's just it." I reached out and touched her cheek with two fingers. "I don't want a second mate." She turned to look at me, ears perked, eyebrows raised.

"Ma'ah?" Well, I came this far, and why shouldn't I tell her?

"You're the most beautiful woman I've ever met. You're strong, you're smart and you're kind. There's still a lot I don't know about you, but I want to learn. I love you Morna. Will you stay with me?"

She stared at me, her ear twitching. Then she closed her eyes and both ears drooped a bit.

"This is what you tailless and Uasal call marriage?"

"Yes?"

"I know you mean well by offering, but it is best if you don't bind yourself to anyone."

"What?"

"Don't get me wrong. I've had more than enough enjoyment with you, a fellow stranger in a strange land. And out of the four mates I've had in two years, since my sixteenth summer, you are the best by the ocean's breadth. But we Arfad don't bind ourselves to each other, save for our mothers."

"Why?"

She looked at me plainly. "By all Arfad being free, no jealousy arises. No meaningless bloodshed over who-is-with-whom and land is not bound to any Arfad either."

"But what about family?"

"Mothers, brothers, sisters."

"And the fathers?"

"What about them?" This was probably the first time I was truly frustrated over learning something about this world, about Talam. I propped myself on an elbow.

"What about them? Do you not know your own father?"

"No. But I have no doubt you would be a good one."

"Why, because I made you cum twice?" She gave me a puzzled look as my ire rose.

"Because you are kind, caring and knowledgeable." She blushed. "Though, as I said, I envy your next mate."

"No."

"Ma'ah?" I dropped onto my back and crossed my arms.

"All things considered, I much rather live the rest of my life celibate."

"Celibate? You?"

I glared at her astonished face. "What good is a man who just leaves a woman after sleeping with her. In fact, what sort of man in his right mind abandons his kids before they are born? I don't want to be like that." Her eyes widened at this. "You're a goddess in my eyes. If you don't want me because you love someone else, fine. But don't just tell me to fuck around because women will appreciate it."

"Lyle?" She sounded shocked, maybe even frightened. I realized then that I had raised my voice. I covered my mouth and turned away.

"Sorry, I shouldn't have snapped. I apologize." There was a lull.

"Didn't you say you wanted your own legacy? If you are bound to someone, then it is no longer just your legacy."

"True."

"Then why not stay free?"

"What's wrong with sharing a legacy with you? Besides, there's a saying my father and uncle would often use. 'Rare treasures are hard to find, but worth every bead of sweat.' Maybe I'm just used to how things were back on Earth, but the idea of doing it with many women makes me think the sex would eventually get worse, not better." I looked back at her, at that same astonished face and perked ears. The ears drooped and she stood up.

"I'm going to rest in my room," she said, picking up her clothes, "let me know if you are bathing before me." And she walked off, down the hall.

I felt bitter.

~

The next day, that damn rain kept pouring. I found it hard to focus in the academy, my thoughts going back to Morna. Damn it! Was it something more than just cultural differences that she rejected me? Did I do something? Well, I raised my voice at her. No, before that. I don't know. Jesus Christ! I furiously scratched my head as I made my way home. God, help me out here! Culture be dammed, I don't want anyone else! Is that wrong? Christ, when was the last time I actually prayed? Years? Probably doesn't even count on Talam.

I came home, took my coat off, and went to the kitchen. On the table was that three-ring puzzle I still couldn't completely solve.

"Amadan-Fionn." God damn it!

Why did she even pounce on me to begin with? Why the fuck did she tell me to mate with her if she didn't want a relationship; to share a life, a legacy, with me? Damn it! I looked out the window, skies still gray, even as sunlight burst through during a pause in the rain. Wait a moment, it stopped? It did! Possibly only a break though, considering how many clouds there were. Should I? Its what she's been waiting for, it would be a nice gesture. What's the point if she isn't even interested in me that way?

"I like you... its nice to share these moments with someone... don't be lazy." Hold on, she said that before they had the more-than-absolutely-amazing first-time sex (for me)! Why would she say that if her kind doesn't-?

I looked out the window again.

I took a deep breath.

"Morna, there's a break in the rain! I don't know how long it will last, but it has stopped for now." There was a silence, followed up but some bustling around in her bedroom. So she's going for it. I thought about everything she said once more, then made a... possibly desperate decision.

Morna came out fully dressed and started donning her sandals on at the front door. I came up and got my shoes.

"You're going out?" she asked.

"Yep."

"I don't think the market is open."

"I'm not going to the market, I'm going to run." She gaped at me.

"Ma'ah? You?" Here goes nothing.

"Well... a certain goddess told me; don't be lazy. So, I figured I should heed her advice. It's the least I can do." She stared at me, then turned away. She either sighed or took a deep breath or both.

"Amadan-Fionn." She reached back and tied her hair into a ponytail. "Lyle?"

"Yeah?"

"Can we... talk, after we come back?" she inquired sincerely, a bit of blush upon that bronze cheek.

"Of course. Are you alright?"

"Hmm... maybe, after I run." Then she shot a mischievous grin at me, bouncing on the soles of her sandals. "Think you can keep up, weakling?"

"Eh, I'll wing it."