It was late.

The stars blinked silently above the quiet camp, casting pale light over the dusty clearing. Crickets chirped. A breeze carried the faint smell of ash, pine, and sweat.

In a tucked-away tent just out of earshot, barely, Pip and Lula were making the kind of noise that no amount of canvas could muffle. The tent rocked ever so slightly with every rhythmic motion of Pip's polished pelvis.

Lula's moans rose in pitch, mingling with the occasional slap, slurp and giggle, while Pip glowed faintly with divine heat.

The tent's fabric shook, a silhouette of tangled limbs and metal gleaming in the dim firelight. A burst of steam hissed. A low chime followed… beep-beep-whistle… and then the sultry sound of Lula giggling breathlessly.

Nearby, Raikya lay sprawled on her back under the open sky, one arm tucked behind her head, the other resting on the thick neck of her companion, Frostlick. The great frostmane hound's belly rose and fell in steady rhythm, his tail twitching now and then as if reliving the day's games in his dreams. Raikya snored faintly, lips curled in a soft smile… a rare, peaceful expression that spoke of recent joy.

Play-fighting with Lula and Penelo had left her more relaxed than she'd ever admit.

The moment was peaceful.

Until a pair of slender, bare feet padded across the clearing.

She walked straight up to Frostlick and, without asking, lowered herself until the hound's huge muzzle was nuzzling gently into her chest. She hummed affectionately as Frostlick let out a delighted, whimpering yip, tail thudding once against the ground.

Raikya cracked open one eye, blinking blearily. "What d'you want, elf?"

"Half elf, actually." Vuvi replied. "My father was a dwarf. And…" she kisses Frostlick's nose. "I just needed to cuddle something soft," Vuvi murmured, stroking the hound's massive head. "I've got a soft spot for big, fluffy things. Had a frostmane toy when I was little. Slept with it every night."

Frostlick yipped again and nuzzled deeper into her, tail thumping the grass.

Raikya scoffed and turned her face back to the sky. "I get it. Sometimes I just wanna bury myself in her fur and stay there 'til the gods take me."

Vuvi slumped down beside her, uninvited but clearly not concerned. She exhaled slowly and said, "Don't mind me. I'll just lie here. I'm good at being quiet."

Raikya grunted. "Didn't invite you for conversation."

"Well, it's the price you pay for free food, drink… and access to Pip."

"I'll take the food and drink," Raikya muttered. "You can keep Pip."

Vuvi chuckled, her voice warm. "You're growing on me, wolf-girl. You remind me of myself when I was younger."

"I'm not that much younger than you," Raikya shot back. "Don't treat me like some kid."

"Sure, sure," Vuvi said, waving a hand lazily. "But you've got the same grit. That I-don't-need-anyone attitude. It's cute."

Raikya's brow twitched. "Keep talking and you're gonna lose teeth."

Silence fell for a moment. The stars above shimmered like spilled silver. Then Vuvi's voice returned, softer now.

"Figured you had a right to know the truth. About us. About what we're doing. Why we're even in these gods-forsaken place."

Raikya tilted her head slightly, curious despite herself.

Vuvi continued, "Veena is the Demon Queen's daughter. The curse? Real. The source… not Vexena. The world itself is broken. Magical imbalances and whatnot. Pip's more than a sex golem… he's part of something divine. We don't even fully understand it. But the Great Mother… she's watching. Or was. Or… maybe she just gave up on us."

Vuvi spoke briefly of Pip's creation, their journey, and the things they've learned along the way.

Raikya didn't speak at first.

Her brows furrowed. Her jaw clenched.

"If what you're saying is true," she muttered eventually, "then the Great Mother has well and truly abandoned us."

She scratched behind Frostlick's ear, her voice cold. "But that's fine. I'm used to being abandoned. I'll find my alpha, build my tribe, and tame my own destiny. With or without gods."

Vuvi leaned back and gave her a sideways look, impressed. "I like that fire, Rai. Why don't you stick with us? We could use—"

Then, suddenly, a shriek tore through the night, followed by a deep, draconic roar. A geyser of flame shot skyward, illuminating the camp like a bonfire at a festival as Lula final orgasm unleashed itself in physical, fiery form.

A few moments later, from the ruined tent, stumbled Pip, smoke curling from his scorched frame. He beeped in a high-pitched, triumphant chime. His body glowed faintly, runes pulsing like a heartbeat as his hips hissed, ejecting jets of cooling steam.

Raikya blinked at him, then deadpanned, "Thanks for the invite, but your team is way too weird for me."

Vuvi cackled. "Fair."

"I'll stick around 'til we cross the plains," Raikya added, stroking Frostlick's head. "I've got a score to settle with whoever trapped me there last time."

"Glad to have you, even temporarily," Vuvi said with a shrug, standing and brushing off her robes. "Nice to have someone around who isn't obsessed with Pip."

She turned to leave, but paused. With a small flick of her wrist, she pulled a soft leather pouch from her coat and tossed it to the grass near Raikya's feet.

It hit with a satisfying clink.

Raikya opened it cautiously.

Gold coins, polished and heavy, tumbled around inside.

Her eyes went wide.

"It's yours," Vuvi said casually. "We've got more gold than we know what to do with. Lets just say, Pip's services are in high demand."

Raikya stared. "Is this a bribe?"

"Call it a gift. And if you do stick around…" Vuvi grinned over her shoulder, "consider it your first week's wage."

Raikya blinked. "Wai… wage? You're paying these people?"

"Yep. Each team member gets at least that much. Every week."

Raikya's mouth opened. Then closed. Then opened again. "W-WHAT?!"

"Sleep tight, wolfie," Vuvi purred, turning to saunter off toward the still-smoking tent where Pip stood like a victorious gladiator, waving at her.

Vuvi was already strutting away.

Over her shoulder, she called, "It's a pity you won't stay. We've got a demon princess, a dragonkin, a bunny, a half-elf, a lich, and a divine sex golem on our team. A fiesty wolf-kin would've made a nice addition to the set."

Raikya sat frozen, the pouch of gold still open in her lap.

Frostlick woofed softly beside her.

She stared after Vuvi's retreating figure, struggling to form a reply as her heart twisted between disbelief, hope, and something she wasn't ready to name yet.

The night resumed its silence.

The stars continued to shine.

And Raikya's eyes remained wide.

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