Chapter 91: Howling for Round Two

Serenith settles onto the riverbank, bare feet dipped into the cool water, and watches the little boat drift lazily across the current, Brina’s head popping up every so often, flushed, hair a wreck, eyes wild, before vanishing back down into the hull.

She giggles as faint moans and grunts start rolling across the water. The whole scene is almost absurdly peaceful otherwise, morning sunlight dancing gold across the ripples, butterflies drifting lazy loops over the reeds, a pair of birds chasing each other through the low branches overhead, a light breeze carrying the smell of woodsmoke and frying fish up from the village behind her. Serene, beautiful, gently punctuated by the increasingly delighted sounds of a woman being very thoroughly pleasured.

Then a small, hitching howl breaks loose across the water.

Serenith flinches, then dissolves into giggles of her own.

Another follows. Louder. Rougher.

She flicks her gaze up toward the boat, now bobbing with considerably more violence than the current alone could explain.

Aroooo~

Another howl rolls out, and another, and another, each one climbing higher and wilder than the last.

Serenith hops to her feet, craning up onto her toes to try and see over the boat’s low rail.

Lucien’s head pops up for half a second, hair plastered to his forehead, expression somewhere between ecstatic and mildly terrified, before a paw hooks around his collar and yanks him straight back down out of sight.

Serenith tilts her head, confusion creeping in fast behind the amusement.

Then the loudest howl yet rolls off the water, climbs the riverbank, and rips clean across the entire village, flattening ears in every direction.

Otter-kin scramble from their stalls and doorways in an instant, certain a wolf pack has somehow found its way to their doorstep. Somewhere behind her, someone starts shouting for the guard captain, another voice demanding to know where the children are, a third simply screaming for no discernible reason at all. Within moments, half the village stands clustered along the bank, spears and rolling pins alike gripped in white-knuckled hands, squinting out at the small, violently rocking boat, trying to work out exactly which unfortunate wolf is in that much distress.

Brina pops up over the rail, stark naked, fur soaked and standing on end in every direction, and howls straight up at the sky with a wide, delirious grin stretched across her face before dropping back down out of sight.

The gathered otter-kin burst into laughter, spears and rolling pins lowering all at once, several parents already steering wide-eyed children back toward their morning chores with a hand clapped firmly over small, curious eyes. Someone near the back starts placing bets on how many more howls are left in her, and someone else immediately takes the wager, coins already changing hands before the next one even sounds.

The whole crowd dissolves into easy chatter as they wander off.

Kamiko lingers at the water’s edge, watching the boat bob with a wistful, faraway look.

Serenith floats over to join her, and the two of them stand there quietly for a moment, watching.

“He’s been surprisingly sweet with her,” Kamiko says eventually.

Serenith sighs. “That’s Lucien for you. He knows exactly how to make a woman happy, if she lets him.”

Kamiko smirks, glancing sideways. “I’ll admit, I’m getting a little jealous now. Two weeks and I still haven’t gotten a taste.” She nudges Serenith with her elbow. “That’s on you, you know. You didn’t just punish him. You punished every woman within reach of him too.”

Serenith groans, dragging a hand down her face. “You’re all impossible.”

“I mean it, though.” Kamiko sighs, propping her chin on one hand as she watches the boat drift lazily toward the far bank. “There’s something almost unfair about it. A man that ridiculous shouldn’t also be that considerate.”

“Tell me about it,” Serenith mutters. “I’ve spent weeks trying to convince myself it’s all an act.”

“And?”

Serenith doesn’t answer that one.

A while later, the boat finally drifts back toward the dock, Brina at the oars now, grinning ear to ear, thoroughly, unmistakably pleased with herself.

Serenith waits at the end of the dock, arms crossed, squinting as they draw closer, sunlight catching off the water in bright, restless flickers. Her eyes go wide the moment the boat bumps against the wood.

Lucien is sprawled across the floor of the boat, absolutely wrecked. Claw marks striped down his bare chest, shirt torn clean in half, hair standing up in every possible direction, one boot missing entirely and never to be seen again, and a wide, blissed-out grin plastered across his face like he’s just had a religious experience.

Serenith gasps, whirling on Brina. “What did you do to him?”

Brina just shrugs, smirking. “A lot of things.”

She reaches over and slaps Lucien’s cheek lightly, twice, before he so much as stirs. He jerks upright at once, eyes half-lidded, smile still dopey and content, and the moment his gaze lands on Brina it widens even further.

“Best breakfast I’ve had in ages,” he purrs.

Brina giggles, and Serenith just stares between the two of them, caught somewhere between exasperation and reluctant, dawning awe, wondering, not for the first time this trip, exactly what she’s supposed to do with a man like this.

A while later, the whole group sits outside a small riverside restaurant for a proper breakfast, Lucien, Brina, and Val all demolishing their plates with equal enthusiasm while Kamiko and Serenith keep sneaking glances between the two of them.

Val, halfway through his third helping of smoked fish, glances up long enough to note that Lucien’s missing a boot, then goes right back to eating without further comment, apparently deciding some mysteries aren’t worth the effort of solving before noon.

Brina finally looks up mid-bite, catches them both staring, and frowns. “What?”

They both giggle in unison. “Nothing.”

Brina scoffs and goes back to her food, though the tips of her ears stay stubbornly pink for the rest of the meal.

Lucien slumps back in his chair with a long, deeply contented sigh, claps his hands together once, and announces, “This has been a wonderful morning. A brilliant breakfast, and now some good food, too.”

Brina snorts a laugh into her cup. Lucien laughs right along with her.

“You two certainly seem to have had a pleasant morning,” Kamiko says, deadpan.

Brina smiles, warm and genuine. “Best morning I’ve had in years.”

Lucien grins, proud and insufferable, and shoots a wink toward Serenith.

She rolls her eyes, hard.

But she can’t quite fight down the smirk tugging at the corner of her own mouth.

“Don’t get used to it,” she warns him, pointing her fork in his direction. “One good morning doesn’t erase two weeks of suffering.”

“Of course not.” He raises his cup toward her in a mock toast, grin never wavering. “But it’s an excellent start, wouldn’t you say?”

She doesn’t answer. She doesn’t have to. The smirk says plenty.

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