“I know exactly where we’re going.” Aisell spoke without looking back.

 

Loona wasn’t normally a nervous person. She was calm under pressure and thoughtful. Walking through a thick, unfamiliar wood on the far side of the planet as the sun was setting was making her a little jumpy.

 

“We’ve been walking for quite a while…” Loona said.

 

Aisell stopped and turned round and gave Loona an exasperated smile. “Worst case scenario is we are lost and we have to spend the night here. We curl up under a tree somewhere, hugging each other for warmth. The most dangerous predators out here are Humans so we’re not in any danger.”

 

“OK…OK…I trust you.”

 

“Good! Because we’re here.” Aisell said and turned back and walked between two bushes into a small clearing.

 

Loona followed Aisell who was approaching a large tree. She was looking up into the branches.

 

“Anyone home?” Aisell asked.

 

The pair waited. And waited a little bit more. Aisell thought they were being rather rude, showing her up in front of her guest. They would have known she was coming for a few minutes before she arrived. They always had watchers. Luke had also joked how much noise they made, even when trying to be quiet.

 

“They’re usually not like this…” Aisell said.

 

“Who is normally not like this?” Loona asked.

 

“Our business partners…” Aisell said and then turned her attention to the tree. “Hello!? Are you guys ok in there?”

 

“You should know by now that we don’t take kindly to strangers being brought to our home.” A small voice said from above.

 

Aisell and Loona looked up and a small figure with red hair and a stern face stepped out from the shadow of the canopy.

 

“I know you like your privacy but Loona is a friend. I thought you and Luke would like to meet her.” Aisell said.

 

“Hi…” Loona waved up feeling not entirely welcome.  She was still trying to wrap her head around Humans that appeared to live in a tree. She knew Aisell worked with Human partners. She assumed they’d live in houses. She couldn’t picture Nonah being too keen on living in a tree. Niall would find the idea downright ridiculous.

 

Quendra nodded to the stranger and turned back to Aisell. “While we trust you and your sisters we cannot trust every Titan. I’d appreciate it if you discussed any visitors with us first so my defenders don’t come running to me in a panic as I’m putting my son to bed.”

 

 

“Ah.” Aisell winced feeling thoroughly admonished. “Sorry…”

 

“Apology accepted. Now why did you want me to meet this friend of yours?” Quendra the Leader asked.

 

“Loona has been working to advance the cause of Human rights. She’s had a bit of success.”

 

“Oh?” Quendra raised a sceptical brow.

 

Loona blushed a little. “Well, only a little bit of success. If it weren’t for my friends I’d probably have had zero success…”

 

“If it weren’t for you they wouldn’t be where they are today.” Aisell interjected.

 

“Your friends?” Quendra asked curious about the stranger.

 

“Nonah and Niall. They’re both Human.” Loona explained.

 

“Your pets?” Quendra pressed.

 

“No. Well…Nonah started as my pet. It took a while but I realised she was more than that. Niall is actually from Earth. Like your Luke.”

 

“I have heard of this…Niall before. He knows more than the Titans and rather than share his knowledge with his own people he chooses to teach those who oppress him. I can’t say I’m overly impressed.” Quendra folded her arms.

 

Loona laughed. “My you are a serious one. You and Niall would get on well.”

 

Quendra didn’t look happy.

 

“Niall is arrogant and brilliant. He could probably build his own ship and fly back to Earth if he wanted.”

 

“Then why doesn’t he?” Quendra asked in a manner that was more suggesting than asking.

 

“Because of his fiancée. She does a pretty good job of keeping him grounded.” Loona smiled.

 

“She’s a Titan.” Aisell finished up just in case Quendra had missed that detail.

 

Quendra rolled her eyes. She had not missed that detail. “Human men are such base creatures. Always looking for the girl with the softest chest, even if it’s big enough to accidentally kill him.”

 

“You’re right actually. His fiancée is…well endowed…” Aisell said moving her hands in an arc over her chest.

 

“Yamanu, Thurfrit, this Niall one and my own husband…”  Quendra shook her head. “All idiots.”

 

Aisell decided to check out her feet.

 

“I haven’t heard of one Human woman who has taken up with a Titan man. We are far more sensible.” Quendra said with pride.

 

“I’m sure there are some…” Aisell said.

 

“I’m pretty sure there are.” Loona added.

 

“Impossible. A girl can only accommodate so much…” Quendra the Leader pointed out.

 

There was a collective wince from the three women.

 

“Anyway!” Aisell quickly changed the subject. “Loona’s friend Nonah is a writer. She is just publishing her first book of stories. Stories she was told a child. Human stories.”

 

“And Titans will read these stories?” Quendra asked.

 

Aisell nodded.

 

“They will.” Loona added. “And they will know the stories are about Humans. They’re aimed at older children. We hope when they grow up they will have a better opinion of Humans than their parents.”

 

“A wise plan.” Quendra nodded with approval.

 

“I was thinking maybe Loona’s friend Nonah could visit the tribe? Swap stories with you. Meet Luke and hear some of the stories he knows from Earth. I hear he tells them a lot.”  Aisell said.

 

Quendra smiled and her posture loosened. Luke loved to tell stories from Earth. And she loved to hear them. All the tribe loved to hear him tell stories. It was a regular occurrence for Luke to send the tribe’s children to bed with tales of derring-do by adventurers from his home.

 

“Oh, I think she’d like that!” Loona perked up.

 

“We’d be honoured to host this story teller. And to hear her stories. I shall inform Luke.” Quendra smiled.

 

“Good.” Aisell said pleased her idea was well received. “I’ll keep in touch with Loona and work out when she can come down.”

 

Quendra nodded.

 

“Well I’m sure you want to kiss your son goodnight. We shall leave you.” Aisell said.

 

“It was nice to meet you.” Loona said.

 

“It was nice to meet you as well. I apologise for my curtness. We are just cautious…” Quendra offered a small smile.

 

“I totally understand. You have to be safe.”

 

“It won’t happen again.” Aisell said. “Say goodnight to Luke for me.

 

“I shall. Safe journey.” Quendra said and turned to go back inside and then turned back on her heel. “Eyes like Ice…”

 

Aisell rolled her eyes internally. She wasn’t keen on that nickname. “Yes?”

“Your sister informs me you are to go to Grelau to handle the contract signing?”

 

“I am…” Aisell said nervously. She had told Loona it was more than a signing. She hoped she wouldn’t pick up on it.

 

“I would be much happier if Lezah were to go herself. Business and people are more her area. You are sure you are capable?” Quendra asked.

 

“Very much so.” Aisell refrained from groaning.

 

“You do sometimes have a way with people…”

 

“And you don’t?” Aisell replied.

 

“Yes, but I am not going to sign the contracts am I?” Quendra said.

 

Aisell was about to reply with something witty but decided it was best to keep this conversation brief. She stayed quiet.

 

“But if your sister trusts you then I shall trust you.” Quendra turned to go back inside. “Goodnight. I look forward to hearing from your story teller.”

 

“Goodnight.” they called after her.

 

The two women turned and headed back to the house and exchanged a knowing look.

 

“She is a character.” Loona said when they were far enough from the tree.

 

“She’s had to be. Tough life living off the land.”

 

Loona nodded slowly realising what kind of life bred that kind of woman. “I suppose it must be. It’s good you can help them.

 

“They help us as much as we help them. It works well.” Aisell added.

 

The pair continued to talk as they headed towards the glow of the farmhouse, both unaware of the two guests who tagged along with them.

 

****

“We’re in so much trouble!” Lerwin clutched the edge of the bed like object he was hiding in. He could hear voices, slightly muffled through the wall of the bag. There were gaps in the conversation, likely from a Human replying to the Titanesses. Surely they were about to be turned in.

 

“Relax would you?” Rognar said. He was lying on his back on top of a fold up tank top with one arm cocked to prop up his head. “There’s no way they could know we’re here. Just enjoy the ride.

 

Lerwin sat listening keenly to the conversation, looking to the roof of the bag waiting for it to be torn open and his trespass exposed. It didn’t take long and they were moving again. He let out a long breath and relaxed slightly. He tried to think of a way he could get both him and Rognar out of this mess.

 

“Smells nice in here…” Rognar said idly.

 

Lerwin ignored him.

 

“And these clothes are very soft.” Rognar continued undaunted. “Not like our clothes. Even new clothes cut from fresh cloth are rough. These are the softest things I’ve ever felt against my skin.”

 

“I suppose you’re right.” Lerwin said and stroked his hand along his soft bed. “I didn’t know clothes could smell of anything apart from soggy tupp.”

 

“What is that you’re sitting in anyway?” Rognar asked sitting up and looked over the bed.

 

“I  dunno…It’s sort of round, like a bowl but it’s soft and comfortable. Maybe she has a Human and this is their bed?” Lerwin supposed.

 

Rognar spotted that the bowl was not alone. A thick piece of cloth ran out of it and folded over into another bowl which the top one fitted snuggly into. A wry smile drew across his face. “I think I know what it is…”

 

“What is it?” Lerwin asked curious.

 

“Well there’s actually two of them…and they’re bowl shaped. Sort of like a woman’s…”

 

Rognar didn’t finish the sentence before his hunting partner jumped out of bra cup with a cry of horror.

 

“Shhhhh!” Rognar hissed. “You’ll get us caught!”

 

“This is soooo wrong!” Lerwin was almost hyperventilating and his face was white as a sheet. “So, so wrong!”

 

Rognar laughed. “Honestly friend you are too prudish. No one is getting hurt. We’re practicing hiding since we can’t practice hunting. I remember the hunters used to hide from the Guardians.”

 

“Yes! When we thought they were monsters! Not our friends!”

 

Rognar waved him off.

 

“No good will come of this Rognar. Mark my words. No good will come of this.”

 

****

“I’m going to call Nonah, make sure she’s ok and tell her about your idea.” Loona said as she entered Aisell’s room.

 

“Oh…ok.” Aisell said with a disappointed tone.

 

She pushed lifted her a hand to the opposite shoulder and pushed the strap over her shoulder and let it fall down her arm. She repeated the process on the other arm and let her dress gently slip down revealing a bare torso to Loona.

 

Loona responded by dropping her pad on the table and her bag on the floor and strode quickly to her friend and embraced her tightly, and kissed her passionately. Loona’s arms slid up and down Aisell’s bare back and dug her nails in, just a little, enjoying Aisell’s shivering and squirming in response.

 

Aisell responded by placing her hands on the back of the taller woman’s neck and held it gently but firmly in place and she kissed, teased and nibbled her lips

 

Loona groaned and dug her nails in deeper and Aisell shivered. The blonde Titaness released her partner’s neck and turned her attention to the delicate line of Loona’s bare shoulders. She kissed and licked along the smooth skin of Loona’s shoulder, skipping over the strap of the tank top, and then let her tongue slide slowly up the curve of Loona’s neck.

 

When Aisell reached Loona’s ear she let her tongue trace along the delicate outer edge before gently nibbling on the lobe at the bottom.

 

Loona couldn’t take it anymore. She pushed Aisell away from her and took a step back. Aisell locked her eyes of ice with Loona. The usually cool eyes burned with lust and Loona was more than happy to take advantage of it. But she didn’t want to be in charge, it was much more fun just to let Aisell run wild. She half smiled and glared at Aisell, daring her to take her on. Aisell obliged her in furious fashion. She rushed the space between them and pushed the taller woman on to the bed a dived on top of her, pinning her arms to the bed and kissed her over and over.

 

“Gods I love you.” Loona said between a kiss.

 

“I love you too.” Aisell stopped for a moment to make eye contact as she spoke before diving back in.

 

****

 

“You ok Rognar?” Lerwin asked as he extracted himself from underneath a pile of clothing that had fallen on him when the bag they were in had quickly fallen to the floor.

 

“Rognar? You there Rognar?” Lerwin called again without a reply.

 

He clambered over the hills of cloth in a direction he could see light coming from and quickly found the entrance to the bag. He just about made out the silhouette of a man as it dashed away. Lerwin scurried to the entrance of the bag and looked out. Not far ahead of him were two pairs of feet., one pair bare and the other in boots. On the ground was a blue dress large enough for almost the entire tribe to take shelter under.

 

He resisted the urge to look up past the bare feet in front of him to what he was sure was a lot more bare Aisell. She was his friend, it was wrong of him to be there. It was wrong of both of them to be there. He had to find his friend and get out of there before this got any worse than it already was. He checked his bow was secure and counted his arrows to make sure he hadn’t lost any, took and deep breath and the bolted out of the bag.

 

 

Lerwin didn’t look up. He didn’t dare look up. He could hear the slapping of tongues and heavy breathing so he knew he hadn’t been spotted. He dashed round to the back of the bag and hid behind it for cover. He looked around to get his bearings. This was not his first foray into Aisell’s room, though usually he was invited. The bag was in the middle of large space at the end of Aisell’s bed. Opposite him was a desk. To his left was the door, which although shut he should be able to squeeze under. To his right was the window which shut tight.

 

“There you are!” Lerwin said to himself.

 

A quarter way up the orange curtains, that hung from the top of the window all the way to the floor, was Rognar.

 

Lerwin was just about to step out but froze to the spot as he heard and felt a great rush of movement. He listened. The floor trembled heavily and he heard the cacophony creaking of bed springs. Lerwin exhaled the breath he had subconsciously held on to.

 

“What is that idiot doing!?” Lerwin said as he started the mad dash across the open floor towards the curtains. He was exposed out here. He’d never do this on a hunt. He was hoping Aisell and her partner were too busy with each other to spot a small creature such as himself.

 

“Rognar! What are you doing!?” Lerwin called up when he reached the bottom of the curtains. Rognar was almost halfway up by now and approaching the end of the desk.

 

Rognar looked down and waved for Lerwin to follow him up the curtains.

 

“I am not going up there!” Lerwin hissed.

 

Rognar ignored his hunting partner. He was a good but above the level of the desk now. He started to swing back and forth from the edge of the curtain as he gained momentum he flung himself towards the desk and out of Lerwin’s view.

 

“O’ Great Spirit please grant me the patience not to kill my friend, and grant me the ability to remain out of sight.” Lerwin closed his eyes and whispered. He then grabbed the curtain and started to climb.
In contrast to Lerwin Rognar was quite enjoying himself. Not just because of the spectacle in front of him (but mostly it was) but it was also the thrill of the hunt. The element of danger. The risk that he could be caught at any second. When he was growing up he’d heard of the brave deeds the hunters had done. How some had even fought and killed shaars. There were no shaars for him to fight. Only harmless prey. He wished he’d thought of this years ago.

 

Aisell was straddling her friend and had her rear pointed right at him. She was still wearing a small, black undergarment but it was still the best view of a female rear end he’d ever gotten. Despite his claims to the contrary he hadn’t gotten below the cloth of any of the girls in the tribe. Their community was small and their moral code was strict. You only coupled with a girl if you intended to marry her. Rognar much preferred the Titan way.

 

Things were proceeding very much to Rognar’s liking on the bed. Aisell had just pulled her short haired partner’s tank top over her head revealing a piece of clothing remarkably similar to the one Lerwin was hiding in earlier. Rognar smiled, quite happy to see he’d been right.

 

Rognar near jumped out of his skin as the short haired Titaness looked up towards him. He made a short jump and took shelter behind a picture frame. He peaked out to find Aisell removing the last article of clothing from her friend and both happily wrapped up in each other.

 

“Thank you Great Spirit…” the apprentice hunter spoke as Aisell threw the bra across the room.

 

Rognar was staring at the greatest sight he’d ever seen. Aisell’s partner wasn’t exceptionally large of chest but had she been Human they’d have likely been a little more than a handful. They were round and pert and Rognar found himself infatuated. He traced the lines in his mind trying his best to not only enjoy the view but to remember it as best he could for future…purposes.

 

Much to Rognar’s annoyance Aisell seemed to be just as interested in her friend’s chest as he was and buried her head in it leaving Rognar with just the block locks of the back of Aisell’s head.
“Argh!” Rognar fumed. Aisell did not seem to be shifting.

 

“What are you doing!?” Lerwin said out of breath as ran across the desk top.

 

“Trying to get a better view. This is amazing!” Rognar grinned and looked around for a better spot to perch.

 

Lerwin looked furiously at his friend. “We have to leave! Now!”

 

“Soon…”

“This is wrong! So very wrong! It’s a breach of trust of a good friend!” Lerwin hissed.

 

“Shhhh!” Rognar put his finger to his lips. “They’ll hear you. Look, either stay with me and enjoy the view or go find a hole to hide in.”

 

Lerwin shook his head. “I’m not watching my friend this way. You do what you must but on your own head be it if you get caught.”

 

“Fine! Go!” Rognar said and grabbed on to the side of the picture frame and started to haul himself up.

 

Lerwin turned and headed into the clutter on top the desk. He’d hide out here until this was all over and they could head back later when it was safe.

 

Rognar pulled himself up the side of the frame using the carved wooden pattern as holds. It took under a minute for him to get to the top. He hauled himself carefully on to its top, staying low to keep his balance. It wasn’t a very stable place to stand. The frame shook slightly and it was only about the width of his foot.

 

Aisell was now worked her way down her partner’s torso. She was holding the sides of her underwear and slowly pulling it down. Rognar’s eyes widened. He couldn’t quite see what he desperately wanted to get a look at. Behind Aisell’s head was a sight that Rognar could only picture in his head; what lay between a woman’s thighs.

 

He carefully stood up, holding his arms out to the side for balance. He could almost see. Aisell’s head was moving up and down and her partner was groaning and flustered. Aisell was definitely up to something. Rognar stood as tall as he could and pushed himself on to his tip toes.

 

“Nearly…nearly….almost there…”

 

Rognar wasn’t sure how it happened. He’d been so close. One second he was on top of the picture. The next he was lying flat on his back on the desk and the picture was lying shattered on the floor below.

 

The hunter sat up and shook the cobwebs out. He looked straight ahead of him and the blood drained from his face. Staring straight back at him with eyes of ice burning with fury was Aisell. She locked eyes with.

 

“Yeb…” he whimpered.