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This work of fiction is part of a series; if you did not already read the preceding chapters, please do that before starting this one.
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~~~ Town ~~~
Mara stripped off her dress and put on the clothes of one of the smaller thieves that Rustle had killed. It was much easier for her to ride on Russell's back, in his low-land gorilla form, wearing pants. It would also help them keep anybody from recognizing her when they snuck into town. She wore a bandana around her neck and a hat on her head - with her bright hair tucked up inside. From a distance, she could easily pass for a slender man.
They emptied the highwaymen's bags onto the floor of the cavern and then took three of them with them for whatever they might find a Mara's old home. She followed the ape to the edge of the ledge and then climbed onto his back to ride across the stream and through the woods.
When they got to the far bank of the stream where she'd landed after being struck by the stone, she had to wrap her arms around his neck and hold on as he climbed the bluff. It was almost effortless for him. There was no doubt in her mind that they'd be able to climb over the city walls without any trouble.
They remained far enough back in the trees to avoid notice, watching the town, until darkness fell. They waited until full dark - and after a changing of the guards - before she mounted up and Russell headed to the left to come at the walls where no one was actively watching.
They were over the wall in seconds and moving down the dark streets. They startled a couple of cats but, otherwise, things were really quiet. Five minutes later, Russell stopped in front of the place that Mara had previously called home.
She climbed off of his back and Russell pushed the door open and stepped inside.
<"Can you make a light?"> he asked.
The same flame that she used to light the campfire appeared in her hand. It lit up the front room of the dwelling. Everything was chaos.
<"Let's make sure nothing is living here and then you can explore,"> he told her.
Russell's current form barely fit through the doors - or down the hallway - but they quickly made their way from the front room, to the bedrooms, and the kitchen.
<"Looks clear. I'll wait at the front. Grab anything that looks useful.">
<"I love you,"> she told him.
<"I know this isn't easy,"> he replied. <"Rip it loose like a matted bandage - fast and clean. Be methodical, my beautiful witch. Grab what you need and let's go.">
<"You're right, my love,"> she sent back. <"Thank you.">
<"I'll hold you later and you can weep over what's been lost. Focus on your tasks. We're still in danger and I don't want to risk you any more than I have to.">
She kissed his fearsome maw and hurried through the house. She found a lamp that wasn't broken and lit it, freeing her other hand to help with packing up whatever she might uncover.
He heard something heavy being dragged through the house and the redhead appeared with her straw-filled mattress.
<"Can you carry this?">
<"Yes, easily,"> he replied.
She nodded.
He took the mattress and dragged it out to the street. Once it was dropped off, he prowled down the hall, turned the bed on its side and began dragging it out as well.
<"What are you doing?"> she asked.
<"We'll take the mattress when we go,"> he replied. <"I'll drop you off in the trees and come back for the bed. We'll leave it there until you're home and then I'll return for it. We'll have a real bed to fuck on.">
She giggled despite the tremendous tension she felt.
He leaned forward and kissed her. She grabbed his massive, furry head in her hands and kissed him back. When she let him go, he finished dragging the bed to the street.
After several more minutes, Mara returned with three bags stuffed with items she had recovered.
<"No tools?">
She shook her head.
He leaned forward and kissed her cheek.
She laid her palm against his cheek and kissed his leathery lips.
They slipped back out to the street. Russell rolled up the mattress like a rug and tucked it under his arm, walking on three of his four hands. Mara rode on his back quietly, keeping an eye out for anyone to emerge from the shadows to see them.
Once Russell had Mara and the mattress across the wall, he told her, <"Let me run back and grab the bed and I'll leave it here - so I don't have to worry about the guards changing.">
Mara nodded but looked worried.
Russell hurried. The bed was bulky but he was back before Mara had begun to get overly concerned. He left the wooden frame in the shadow of the wall, took the mattress back under his arm, and waited for his lover to climb onto his back.
~~~ Home ~~~
The way back to their home was slower but soon enough Mara and the rescued items were in the cave. She kissed his scary face and told him not to leave her to worry too long.
He startled a fox and a buck in his race back through the dark woods. He took up the bed-frame and struggled to find a good way to carry it. He finally just walked on his two hind feet/hands, and carried the thing above his head. This trip was much slower.
By the time he got back to the cave, the moon was high above his head and Mara was standing on the opposing shore. He shook a finger at her but she only shook her head back at him.
<"It's not safe,"> he growled.
<"You were taking too long,"> she shot back.
<"I'll be fine. What if something attacked you?">
<"You would rescue me,"> she replied.
His low growl startled several sleeping birds but she would not be cowed. He gave up, carried the bed across the stream, slid it behind the falls - and then discovered that it wouldn't fit inside of the mouth of the cave.
Mara laughed as she looked around his massive body to see what the problem was.
<"Bring it back out,"> she told him. <"We'll take it apart tomorrow and bring it in in pieces. We'll be cozy on the mattress, my love.">
She climbed back down from the ledge and waited for him to drag the bed frame back out. Once he had it out of the way, he lifted her back up to the ledge and then followed her inside.
She pulled him to the mattress and told him to change. She held his head in her lap and stroked his brow.
~~~ Bed ~~~
Russell awoke to the kisses of a fiery redhead. The moon's glow, through the water falling at the entrance to their hiding place, offered little light by which to see - but he smiled at how gorgeous she was. She was beautiful in the light of day or the dark of night.
She was naked - and ready. She pulled him on top of her - and between her thighs. As soon as his manhood was snugly ensconced within her secret place, he took her face into his hands and kissed the life out of her.
He stroked his length in and out of her as she kissed him. When she finally let him breathe, he wasted no time telling her how beautiful she was, how full his heart was, and how he planned to do everything he could to insure that she had everything she ever needed or wanted.
The sounds she made - both from the attention his stiff prick was giving her womanhood - and the butterflies that his words were loosing within her belly - filled his balls with seed and his loins with a rampaging lust. His thrusting came faster. Her pussy trembled as his raging prick pounded into her.
"Fuck me, beast-man," she growled. "Make me cum on your beautiful cock and then I want you to fill me with your seed."
As soon as her climax began, his cock lurched within her and his balls began giving her the very thing that she'd asked him for. She kissed him hard as soon as her breath returned.
"Another?" he asked her.
"There's plenty of time for that later," she purred. "Let's rest. You've had a busy day."
She pulled a tattered, thin blanket over them and they cuddled together and fell asleep.
~~~ Peddler ~~~
The next morning, they heated the last of the rabbits and ate them for breakfast - as well as for the supper they had skipped.
As they ate, Russell expressed, once again, his desire to make certain that the depths of the cave held no dangers that would come upon them when least expected or wanted.
He transformed into the gorilla and Mara climbed onto his back, called a flame to her palm, and they began to explore. They followed the cavern for nearly half an hour before deciding that it didn't warrant further investigation. They had heard no sounds, found no branching paths, and the way led ever downwards - deeper and deeper into the earth.
Russell vowed that he would build a barricade to help set his mind at ease but - for now at least - he was satisfied that nothing untoward would attack in the near future. There was a mild possibility that goblins might live somewhere below but there was no evidence in the spaces they had searched so far that showed signs of anything living there or passing through. They returned to their living spaces near midday.
Russell told Mara that it was likely that the wolf den would be quiet at this point in the day - and he set out to see if he could collect a few skins. She wanted to tag along but he wouldn't risk it. She grumped, but he wouldn't give in.
While he went to hunt, she started gathering things - mostly from the brigands - that she thought they could trade. Over breakfast, the other thing they had talked about was trading off the things they didn't need - for the things they wanted - like tools.
