Season of Bloom - 31. Cat's Curse

“Monsters are starting to appear out of people’s bodies.”

Lapis knelt beside Faes, the amurrun’s hands running over the hollowborn’s bare side. He pulled out a bit of salve, rubbing along the shrinking wound to better heal the burn.

The bedroom was nice and warm, the curtains closed to keep the chill of the winter day away. The amurrun was careful to avoid spilling the ointment; the material had a tendency to stain.

“Monsters? Like an owlbear? How does an owlbear fit in someone’s stomach?” he questioned.

“I don’t know. But I asked around at Oleg’s, and there is a rumour that a prophet is building a rival kingdom dedicated to a goddess. But the only way to cleanse yourself enough to be accepted is to die a gruesome death,” the half human said.

“A death that comes from having a beast rip you in half. Emerge from your stomach, not penetrate you,” Lapis added quickly. “This is not good. We need to remind people that death is not a good thing, or we’ll have people slaughtering themselves in the street.”

“They’re sheep. Frightened, stupid, scrambling for anything they can believe in. But having them kill themselves would be horrible,” Faes sighed. “We’ll get to the bottom of this. I already have Kesten and Tristian searching for one of the harkers proselytizing about this goddess.”

Lapis let his hand trail over Faes’ side, his fingers tracing over a spot that the hollowborn always seemed to enjoy.

“You know, they say the best healing comes from passion,” he mentioned.

“Really? And I suppose you want to make up for missing the full moon,” Faes smirked, looking up at the amurrun.

“It would be nice, but I know the holy day has passed. It pains me to miss it, but I will make up for it next month,” Lapis replied.

“But for now…”

Faes’ sat up, pulling Lapis onto the bed. He traded places with the catfolk, pulling Lapis’ shirt off.

“For now, we venerate Calistria, and take comfort in her blessings.”

“I’ll get my potion-”

“No need for that,” Faes smirked. “This is not the sex of fiery passion, but the fucking of a wounded beast.”

He pushed the catfolk down, nearly ripping Lapis’ pants off. Removing his own pants, Faes grabbed a jug of oil from the dresser. The hollowborn dipped his hand into the oil and wiped it liberally over his hole, slipping a finger inside.

“You… want me in you?” Lapis frowned in surprise.

“I have an itch I need scratched. But believe me, I am fully in control,” Faes assured the amurrun.

His hand grasped Lapis’ length roughly, slathering the catfolk up as he pulled the tip of the dick out. The barbs would come later, but he would already have enough lube in him when that happened.

Working the amurrun over, Faes crawled onto Lapis’ lap, watching as the catfolk breathed heavily. Tiny hip bucks threatened to push them both in the air, but the hollowborn’s weight kept them down.

“Patience,” he chuckled, sliding up Lapis’ legs.

With the catfolk properly coated, Faes let him slip behind, Lapis’ tip poking into his cheeks with every little thrust. Spreading his cheeks with one hand, Faes carefully guided Lapis to his hole, taking a moment to enjoy the prodding that rose to near frantic speed. The kitten didn’t get to penetrate people nearly enough. Maybe Faes needed to let him in occasionally, a reward for being a good boy.

Slowly, the hollowborn sat on the catfolk, controlling Lapis despite the speed the catfolk had started. The slender head slipped inside him, and he let it hammer into him for a few seconds, enjoying the smooth length. Then he allowed a little more in, nearly an inch.

And the first layer of barbs scraped his ring.

Faes let out a soft moan, his eyes closing as that itch was finally scratched. With excruciating slowness, he slid down further, just a little more, and a little more, barbs scratching his innards until with a sudden gasp, Lapis hit his prostate.

He let Lapis go.

Suddenly freed from Faes’ restraining hand, Lapis pounded into the hollowborn, a mewl escaping him as he slid in and out of his tormentor. Faes cracked an eye open, watching the absolute bliss on Lapis’ face. The catfolk was only hitting his spot every few strokes, but with the way the barbs tugged at him, Faes didn’t care.

“Calistria bless our fucking…” he breathed, feeling Lapis’ claws dig into his hips as the amurrun hammered inside him frantically.

A yowl escaped the amurrun as he released into Faes, his claws digging even deeper into the half human to hold him in place as the rapid fucking subsided into shaky humping.

“My lord, Tristian caught- Oh gods!”

Faes glanced over his shoulder as he slowly started humping the spent catfolk. Kesten stood in the doorway, a stunned look on his face.

“Well? Go on, who did Tristian catch?” the hollowborn pressed, his hips still rising and falling as he tried to work another load out of the amurrun underneath him.

“I… I’ll come back-”

“No, you’ll tell us now. Who did Tristian catch?” Faes growled, Lapis mewling as the hollowborn slid off him finally.

He knew that mewl. Lapis wanted him the other way too. But there was little chance of that happening now. Sighing quietly, Faes stood up and started dressing again. He’d have to hold the amurrun’s gift for a while, but the barony came first. Faes doubted he’d even get the usual tongue bath Lapis always had after a good fuck. And that had been an excellent fuck.

“My lord! Over here!”

Tristian frowned as Faes approached behind Lapis. It had taken a while to deal with the aftermath of their “healing”, but Lapis was back to normal now, back to handling the barony’s problems. And at the moment, Faes was their leading expert on people turning into owlbears. The hollowborn had to be a part of this.

The cleric’s forehead wrinkled in confusion as he stared at a page filled with scribbles.

“Please meet Amalia, loyal follower of the Kingdom of the Cleansed,” he said. “She has been surprisingly forthcoming with everything that is going on.”

“Does that mean I don’t get to torture her for information?” Faes sighed.

“Faes, this is not something to joke about,” Lapis scowled at the half human.

The young woman behind Tristian turned a beaming smile upon Lapis, a childlike face drawing the amurrun into a sense of cautious security.

“Oh, please stay a while! I would love to tell you about our kingdom!” she said brightly. “I have been preparing for my own test, when the goddess will take me into her kingdom. My parents are very proud of my work for the kingdom.”

“And your parents are okay with you sacrificing yourself?” Lapis frowned.

“Of course they are. I will lead the way for many others to be cleansed,” Amalia smiled confidently.

“But you’re so young,” Tristian protested. “Surely there are things you wish to do with your life.”

“The goddess teaches us to be unselfish. Once I was like you, greedy, desiring only what I could have on this mortal plane. But then things got bad. People started dying. Now I’ve devoted myself to my goddess. Her kingdom is the only true way to save people.”

“What exactly is this kingdom?” Faes questioned.

“A place free from evil. The goddess promises a speedy redemption for those who kiss the ground and beg for mercy. She will deliver us swiftly from the pain that torments the innocent souls,” the woman said fervently. “For is to serve the goddess not the pinnacle of our lives? And is destroying the false ruler not the path we take to salvation?”

“You’ve been brainwashed,” Faes scoffed.

Amalia smiled sadly.

“You do not understand yet. It is okay. There is still time for you. We will meet again in the embrace of the goddess. The First Faithful has seen it.”

“Does this goddess have a name?” Lapis asked.

“Of course she does, but only the First Faithful may know it. He is the high priest through whom her designs are made clear, and her commands told to us. To clear the tortured ground, opening doors to her creatures through the bodies of mortals.”

“Portals,” Faes grunted. “I knew I saw a portal. There’s no way an actual owlbear would ever fit inside a bandit of any size. And just who is this false ruler?”

“The cursed baron. The one who violates the plains and forests. He will be cleansed by the goddess herself.”

“You realize I’m the baron you’re talking about?” Lapis frowned.

Tristian cast a hard glare at Lapis, the amurrun’s frown deepening. He’d done something wrong.

“You? It couldn’t be. You’re much too polite for the monster that rules these lands,” Amalia scoffed. “I see you have plenty of questions.”

She pushed a piece of paper into Lapis’ hands, the catfolk staring at the strange lettering in confusion.

“Please, do come to our meeting. You can receive the sacraments of the First Faithful himself. You and Sir Tristian together.”

Her eyes paused over Tristian, a blush appearing on her cheeks.

“I must go. There are others who need to hear the words of the goddess.”

“Bye Amalia,” Tristian waved sadly. “May the… the good goddess preserve you.”

The cleric looked down at the paper in his hands as the woman hurried away.

“We’re just going to let her escape, to spread her disease among the masses?” Faes scowled at the two.

“What would you have us do? Start throwing every misguided person in prison?” Lapis frowned.

“We have directions to their meeting. A time and a place,” Tristian said. “Perhaps it would be best to visit.

“I hope you will join me there,” Lapis said, looking at the cleric. “I’m pretty sure a certain someone would like to see you there as well. Maybe you can sway her from this path.”

“Forgive me my lord, but if you are there, that might prove impossible,” Tristian sighed. “Nonetheless, I will follow where you lead. We should head to the Bald Hilltop soon to study it, then we can make our way into the Kamelands for this meeting.”

“Sounds fun to me,” Faes smirked. “I think Lord Sellemius will be adjusting his position soon enough anyway. Perhaps I’ll join you on this quest to knock these cultists down a peg.”