Chapter 231: Spoil Sport
Kat was up earlier than everyone, again. She was sitting by herself when Ann woke up, cleaning her armour quietly.
Ann yawned wide, licking her lips. Sharp tips reminded her she needed to get rid of the fangs. A quick toothache later, and she was back to her normal canine set. Gently, she put the spare teeth through the incineration portal, deactivated it, and tucked it back into her pack.
Rosalyn stirred next to her, woken by the movement. “Mmmmmm,” she groaned.
“Morning, sweetheart,” Ann said, kissing her forehead gently.
“Feel like I was run over by a carriage,” the fluffy woman grumbled.
“Still enjoy yourself?”
“Oh, for sure, just get to deal with the consequences.” Rosalyn sat up and stretched. Her back was scabbed where Ann had clawed, making her wince as the crusted wounds cracked under the movement. Fumbling around, she found her glasses and greeted them both with another yawn.
“Speaking of consequences, Kat, got a question. I’m… well, I’m kinda shit at the dirty talking. Is calling you a whore alright?” Ann asked as she massaged Rosalyn’s stiff neck.
“Oh, we’ve gotta work on that,” Kat giggled. “Ye’re fine there. Get dirtier. It’s a lot o’ fun tae see how ye debase me.”
“You’ll let me know if I go too far, though, right?”
“Promise on me mum,” Kat swore, putting down the chest piece she was polishing. “Ye say somethin’ that actually hurts me, I’ll tell ye.”
“Alright. Guess I get to start brainstorming insults.”
“Aye. Rosalyn’s easy enough, but get foul wit’ me.”
“You two are hilarious,” Rosalyn moaned as Ann worked a knot free in her tense muscles. “But next time? I get the portal.”
“Orenous save us, that’d be crazy,” Kat laughed.
“Save you from what?”
All three of them spun to see a naked woman sitting behind Kat, hands deftly braiding her chocolate hair. She was Grrn, this time, but still possessed the immaculate beauty Orenous was known for. Her stone body was sculpted after a massive woman in pure white marble. Purple gemstones for her eyes twinkled as She winked at Ann. That massive body, muscular and inhumanly sexy, plus the purple eyes and… yup, that was a massive dick between her legs? Ann knew Orenous had been snooping in her memories. Still, the image wasn’t exact. The woman’s long, stone hair was intertwined with gold inlays, giving Her the appearance of highlights, and She had silver veins running over the rest of Her body in accentuating patterns. The most eye-catching were the ones that framed each of Her heavy breasts perfectly. Ann really wanted to know what those felt and tasted like. As always, She was perfect.
“What’s the matter, Annita? Looks like you’ve seen an old lover,” Orenous teased. “I thought all of the desire would have been drained after last night, but you’re ready to go? I knew I chose the right woman.”
Ann’s cheeks burned as she realised she had a raging hard-on. Pulling a blanket over, she tried to cover up, but Orenous flicked it away without moving from Her spot.
“Perish that though. I love to see what my Chosen’s come up with. The five of you were doing such wonderful things to worship me last night, I had to pop in for a visit.”
“Ye’re peepin in on… wait, the five o’ us?”
“Oops, did I let that slip?” Orenous covered her lips, a mischievous smile spreading.
“I FECKIN’ KNEW IT!”
“MUST YOU? REALLY?” came a shout from the neighbouring tent.
“HARLOT!”
Ann sat there. Her tail was whipping up a storm behind her. She was right! They were fucking!
With a snap of her stone fingers, they were all clothed again. “Sad to say, they will be joining us soon, so I will preserve some modesty between siblings,” Orenous giggled in her musical way.
Bren and Lucia stormed into the tent shortly after. Both of them were a mess, hair everywhere, and smelling like sweat. Bren, specifically, was incredibly unkempt in a way he never let anyone see him. It only further confirmed Kat’s outburst.
“So how the feck long was this goin’ on, an’ when were ye gonna tell us?” Kat teased.
“Blast it all, Orenous. I was keeping this a secret! I wanted to see how long it took them to put it together!”
“Sorry,” she was not sorry at all. “I couldn’t resist with how sweetly you two made love. Truly warms my heart to see two minds and hearts come together.”
Bren’s mouth was working, but nothing was coming out of it as he flailed his arms in exasperation.
“Oh, I meant come so close together. Silly me,” Orenous giggled.
“Was private! No right!”
“Darling, your love is My right, and My wrong, and My everything. Just because that one-track-minded Goddess has you marked as Hers doesn’t mean I don’t partake in your worshipful acts. I swear, Bryltia could do with a good fuck. Maybe I’ll set Her up with a good horse. Beast that She is. I kid, but She could do with more fun and less ‘hunt big thing raawr’.” Orenous sighed.
“Speak ill of Her,” Lucia growled.
“Relax, child of the Huntress,” Orenous waved Lucia’s anger off. “A bit of banter between the Divine is nothing. Only be concerned when We go to war.”
“Ok, changing the subject,” Ann decided for them. “Why don’t you talk like a Grrn?”
“Oh, sorry, would you understand,” Orenous made a horrible grinding noise. “No? Well, then I’ll keep speaking like this. I let you understand the local language, Annita, but the unique ones will take study. Can’t make everything too easy for you.”
“Easy, right,” Ann scoffed. “Know how many times I’ve almost died?”
“Yup! Been watching them in some capacity the whole time,” Orenous sighed, finishing up braiding Kat’s hair as a second version of Herself ducked into the room. She had to crouch just to fit without Her head hitting the ceiling. The second version promptly began brushing Lucia’s hair, smacking down any attempts to resist. “I can split my attention far better than this character, but I’ve been busy. You have been digging up some fascinating information.”
“Ann, what’s she mean by character?” Rosalyn asked.
“She looks like someone from a book I read. Don’t worry about it.”
“But she’s so pretty and do you see what’s between her legs? That’d go up to my neck!”
“It’d fit, too,” Orenous teased.
Ann groaned. She was not explaining her taste in smut right now. “So what have you been looking up?”
“Finding out who We forgot. Your conversations outside the Seed mostly filled me in, but we have had plenty to look into. Between that and the rise in Warped activity, I’ve been pressed to monitor things and do research. Qu’Sella have been helpful, but even They are rather busy right now. So, here’s what I’ve narrowed down. Whoever claims we abandoned them isn’t a God.”
“How do you mean?” Bren asked. “From Annita’s description, she seemed rather Divine.”
“Correct! One hundred points,” Orenous tapped Bren’s nose. Even he blushed at that. “Qu’Sella said to tease you. Not sorry. Just because they appear to be Divine does not mean they are. Ann, she appeared as a massive person in a sea of darkness, on an island?”
“Yeah, and was singing.”
“Hm. If she’s not a God, and she’s still Divine, we really have very few options. One is a spirit so powerful that they are on the cusp of Godhood. Two, it’s something completely new. Three, they may be a fundamental force.”
“Uh, teacher, what’s a fundamental force?” Ann raised her hand.
“You remember how the Titans and the Gods worked for the Greeks?”
“Yes!” Ann and Bren replied.
“Sort of like that. We personify much of nature and humanity, but there are things so wide, so universal, that they are essentially beyond godhood. Something like time, or space, or gravity would be an example. Problem is, their personifications are incredibly reclusive. I don’t know where any of them are, currently. Last I saw one, Time was three star systems away. I only saw them in passing, and they seemed to be on the move yet perfectly still at the same time. It’s a confusing sight, even for me. Now, you said she told you she was abandoned? Left behind?”
“Yeah. Seemed to be pretty intent on blaming people for ditching her. Said I’d see the same fate in time.”
“That doesn’t narrow it down. Ugh, who could We have pissed off by leaving? It’s not like we just packed up and flew away. We all knew we had to leave. Couldn’t tell the mortals, but it had to be done!” Orenous crossed her muscular arms, the smooth stone sliding against each other with the whisper of a scrape. It even deformed like flesh. Her lips pouted as the body next to Kat tried to think. The other one was still working on Lucia’s hair.
“Orenous,” the other body said. “Do you remember anyone We didn’t tell?”
“Sure don’t, Orenous,” her first body replied. “Told every river and rock we could find. Everyone was ready to go.”
“Yeah, that’s what I thought. We didn’t tell the spirits, though. Maybe one of them manifested during the Return and got really angry?”
“Always a possibility. If the wrong one stumbled into a conflux of power, that could have let them start all of this.”
“Would also explain the gradual buildup of it. Only starting two thousand-ish years ago means they were planning for a while.”
“But this widespread? It would mean they achieved Divinity, which we should have noticed.”
“There are always exceptions to the rule. Qu’Sella tells us that enough.”
“Very true.”
Ann felt her head starting to spin as the Goddess talked to Herself.
“Ye gonna keep talkin’ in circles or give us an answer?” Kat cut into the internal-external dialogue.
“I’d have that tongue running in circles, but Bren wouldn’t appreciate that,” Orenous sighed. “I swear, one of these times will be a visit purely for pleasure. Once you’ve got that silly little heart of yours figured out, princess. Now, I don’t have exact answers, but you’ve narrowed down our suspects significantly. We’re going to be tracking down the fundamental forces, though that could take a long time. If it’s a spirit avoiding us, it’s likely in a Seed, which blocks our view. It would be a dead end. We’ll search the divine realms to see if anything else has slipped past us, but we’ve already searched extensively. It’s a low chance.”
“But people worshipped Her. How could she have gone so unknown?”
“The creature,” Bren gasped. “What… what if She did the same? Erased records of Her existence? Maybe more?”
“But this book talks all about her,” Ann said, patting her bag. “None of that’s getting erased.”
“Book? What book?” Orenous’s free body perked up.
“Oh, this thing.” Ann pulled out the leather-bound book and held it up to Orenous. “Got it from the priest in the Seed. Whoever he was worshipping, which seems to be who we’re after, is adding notes to it as we go. So far, there are only two, but She made me able to read it as well. Never seen writing like this before.”
Orenous took the book and flipped to the first page, then the rest, then returned to the first, closed it, turned it around, shook it, smacked it, then set it back down. “Inscruitable. I recognise the script. It was one of the many used before We left. Always thought it was rather beautiful. Even knowing what it is, this entire thing is enchanted, so I can’t read it. What’s it say?”
Ann read out the passages. It wasn’t much, but Orenous nodded along.
“Yup, nothing besides what We already knew. She seems bent on your development, though. I’m surprised Waheela has been so cooperative lately if she was part of this being’s plan.”
I choose what I am. I am not stuck in some rut like a certain Bitch, always ploughing whatever she can get her legs around! Waheela snarled in Ann’s soul. The old wolf still hated the Gods, even if she had come around on Ann.
Put one muzzle on you, pup, and you get all barky. Sit, Orenous’s voice rang in Ann’s mind like a clear bell. She’d so effortlessly slipped in, Ann hadn’t even noticed.
Waheela was standing there, hackles raised, and fangs bared in the snowscape. The massive beast loomed over the trees as the pink spiritual form of Orenous looked up, unimpressed.
I appreciate you helping Ann, but there’s only so much disrespect I can allow. I’ve heard them when you two’ve been talking, or you thought you were by yourself. Do me this, and I’ll leave you alone.
Bow to a Goddess? The one who put me in these chains? Waheela howled, yanking at the pink bindings on her limbs and neck. I’d rather rip my neck open and bleed.
Do this, and I’m gone. Well, for now. Keep helping Ann, and I might reward you…”
Waheela faltered for a moment. Ann knew her thoughts. Ann was the pack, and the pack was survival. Orenous was encouraging Waheela to protect their pack, which was exactly what she wanted to do. A reward from a Goddess wasn’t a thing to scoff at, either, even if you hated Them. Ann stood there, incorporeal, and waited for Waheela to make her decision.
A growl that shook the trees clean of snow came from the old wolf as her haunches lowered. I do not have the power to defy you yet. When I do, I will make you pay for this disgrace.
Take it out of my ass, I beg you, Orenous winked. I think we’d both enjoy that. Well, that’s all. Be good and be quiet like the Dragon and that strange Faun. Unless you have more to tell us about your mistress?
Waheela snarled but remained where she was. Ann only just now realised the world around her and Orenous had gone black. Smoky tendrils whipped out of the darkness, lashing at Orenous’ presence, but avoiding Ann entirely. The Goddess ignored them as they dissipated in her aura.
I have done thine bidding. Be happy I suffer your humiliation. I will feast upon your energies, you have my word.
Well, there are more fun ways to do that. Anyway, sorry for popping in like this, Ann. Had to check in on the bindings. She’s starting to break through a couple of them.
“Ah, no, I’m weakening them a little,” Ann startled. The darkness was gone, and she was back in the dim and snowy forest, Waheela’s face poking out of the treeline as she rested her massive head there.
You are what?
“We’ve been talking. Something you probably didn’t pick up. No, I know it’s probably not a great idea, but if I’m going to figure out what the hell is going on, I’ve gotta take some risks. Waheela’s been pretty damn helpful, considering all the insanity I’ve been going through. I trust her to a point. What I don’t do is cage up people who earn that trust.”
Orenous’ pink presence narrowed its focus on Ann. I believe this to be a mistake, child. This one seems cunning. This could be a trap.
She is my pack. She is safe with me, Waheela growled back.
“Yeah, she’s getting really attached to that idea. I like it. So yeah, I’m willing to give her a chance, faults and all, to take a different path. Sorry, she wants to tear you apart so much, but I’m taking things one step at a time. Don’t get to Mordor by flying on eagles, you know? One step at a time. Right now, I’ve got to the point she doesn’t want to wear my skin and hunt down everyone around me. It’s only recently she’s started considering the rest part of the pack.”
You know her better than I do, Orenous sighed. Just be careful, my Chosen. You are irreplaceable.
“We’ll be careful,” Ann said with a nod to Waheela.
The old wolf huffed back.
Ann was back in the cave, back in the room with her lovers and friends. Everyone looked a little dazed, trying to get their bearings.
“Did you check in on all of us?” Ann asked.
“Yup. Had to make sure everything’s behaving. Some of us are causing trouble, and others are more subtle about it. Watch her, Rosalyn.”
“I know, she’s a trickster. I’m trying,” Rosalyn nodded eagerly. “But I can’t just go and discard knowledge she’s got. It’s too valuable to have a guide more familiar with these creatures and what makes them tick, even if she’s just giving me nudges. I gotta tread the line and be careful about it.”
“And ye’ve got us tae bounce ‘er questions off if they seem weird, yeah?” Kat nuzzled Rosalyn’s fluffy hair affectionately.
“You gonna get all sappy on Lucia like that, Bren?”
“Whatever caused you to think so? I would not take her dignity from her.”
“Says the guy holding her hand and blushing!”
“This is private!”
“Lovebird. OH! Lucia’s got a bird warped! You’ve got some kind of cat thing! Opposites attract! It’s perfect!” Ann fell against Kat’s scaly shoulder as giggling overtook her.
“She has you there,” Orenous grinned. “Alright, I do unfortunately have limited time here, and need to get back to my duties. Not the least of which is figuring out who this deity-level being is. So, now it’s your turn! Commence with the interrogation!” Orenous spread Her arms wide with a dramatic flare, giving everyone in the room a wonderful look at her still completely naked bodies.