Two days into the canyon trek and morale remained dangerously high.

Sure, they'd nearly gotten eaten by a sandstone mimic that disguised itself as a erotic statue, and yes, Sera had to fight off a swarm of singing scorpions using only a Libido potion and Zora's thigh bone, borrowed, not stolen.

But all in all, the team was in fine spirits.

"Where exactly are you even going?" Raikya asked, her voice flat as her frostmane hound, Frostlick, clomped beside the others.

She was riding side-saddle, a massive dark furred cloak draped over one shoulder, her sharp, blue eyes scanning the arid horizon. The others trudged or danced along beside her, depending on how Pip was feeling.

"To the Dwarven Kingdom," Vuvi said, stretching her arms overhead with a groan. "Mount Karnagg. Big beards. Big hammers. Big problems."

Raikya frowned. "Why?"

Veena didn't look up from her journal as she answered, "Did you not hear what Pip and the girls were up to last night?"

Raikya grimaced like she'd just eaten a cactus.

"How could I not? It sounded like an orgasming choir."

Vuvi nearly tripped from laughter.

"Bless these canyon walls," she wheezed. "They echoed every moan like a temple bell."

"It was like being serenaded by horny sirens," Veena added, wiping tears from her eyes.

Raikya sneered. "I shoved wool in my ears and still heard them whispering sweet nothings to that construct's pelvis."

"Mm," Vuvi said, the grin still tugging her lips. "Well, that's the plan. In the Dwarven Kingdom, Pip is going to provide that… service. A little joy and love. Of the physical variety."

"You're joking," Raikya deadpanned.

"We're trying to provide some relief from the… the Demon Queen's curse," Veena explained with a deep sigh. "Loosen its grip on people. One divine orgasm at a time."

Raikya squinted at Pip, who was currently being swarmed by Penelo, Lula, and Sera. The trio flitted around him like butterflies in heat, preening and fussing, taking turns rubbing him, kissing his cheeks, and fluffing his cloak.

Pip stood there like a confused saint, radiating warmth and bliss, while occasionally emitting soft thoughtwaves that felt like warm towels on the brain.

Raikya's lips twisted in disbelief. "That thing… affects women?"

"Give him a chance," Vuvi said, waving toward the scene. "He has a powerful effect on anyone who lets him in."

"Don't see the point," Raikya muttered. "Never had sex. Never cared. Just want an alpha to breed me and help start a tribe. One where I won't be ostracized for having white fur."

The group blinked.

"Well," Veena muttered, taking a sip from her waterskin, "that was direct."

"Respect," Vuvi muttered with a nod.

Raikya pulled her hood up and abruptly said, "You know… beyond the canyon is a cursed plain."

"Oh, right." Veena perked. "I've heard rumors in Nettlehusk. Whispers, really. Ghost stories. Curses. But nothing concrete. Official investigations found no anomalies."

"It's cursed," Raikya insisted. "I know it. My hound and I got lost in there once. For a month. Lost time, lost direction, couldn't tell day from night."

Penelo made a soft noise and clutched Pip's arm. "Can we go around?"

Sera exhaled. "We could, but it'd take at least another week by foot. And there's worse things lurking in the south trail. Giant sun-maggots, for one."

"Sounds like traveler's tales," Lula said, flicking a beetle off her shoulder. "People blaming their incompetence on magic."

Raikya turned in the saddle and glared. "I'm not some lost puppy. Frostlick can track a fart across three valleys. We were cursed. No stars. No sense of time. I swear the sun spun in circles."

"I believe you," Veena said gently. "How did you get out?"

Raikya frowned. "Not sure. Passed out from thirst. Woke up on the outskirts. My hound was beside me… and someone had left a canteen of water."

The group went quiet for a beat.

Zora, bringing up the rear on a magically levitating chair made of skulls and sarcasm, piped up. "Could've been a sexy ghost with a water fetish. I'd rescue you."

Raikya gagged.

Zora grinned, his glowing eye sockets winking.

Pip trotted up and splashed a handful of water onto everyone from a nearby spring he'd summoned. It misted over the group like morning dew. Along with it came a thoughtwave, pure and reassuring, promising safety, hydration, and cuddles… if necessary.

"Thanks, Pip!" Penelo chirped, hugging him.

"You're the best!" Lula added.

Sera patted his head. "Ten out of ten."

Raikya rolled her eyes hard enough to sprain something.

"He's barely a man," she muttered. "A cute little sex-bot with stamina. Whoopee."

Pip gave a low, sad beep.

Penelo gasped. "Raikya!"

"You hurt his feelings!" Lula pouted.

"I'm just being honest," Raikya said with a shrug. "I want a real man. An alpha. Someone who can protect me. Breed me. Build me a den in the mountains and give me pups that howl at the moon."

"You want a fantasy barbarian," Sera muttered.

Raikya smirked. "Exactly."

"And Pip?" Raikya glanced back at him. "As sweet as he might be, he's not an alpha. He's a sexy toaster oven."

Zora choked on a skeletal cackle.

"Sexy Toaster Oven..." he wheezed. "Classic!"

By nightfall, the canyon gave way to a barren cliffside that overlooked the cursed plains. They camped near the edge, the stars far too still above them.

Tents were pitched. Stones were circled. Pip produced a warm spring for bathing, and everyone took turns scrubbing off the canyon dust.

Zora grumbled about how skeletons never got dirty, but still insisted on dousing himself in "essence of bone polish."

The campfire roared, food sizzled, and Pip was playing beep-whistle melodies that made hips sway.

Penelo, Lula, and Sera danced around him in varying states of undress, singing songs with lyrics that were equal parts raunch and ridiculous.

"Ride the Pip, feel the zip, let the holy juices drip~"

Zora served up soup with flamboyant flair, wearing a frilly apron that read "KISS THE LICH." He ladled generous portions into bowls, ignoring the fact that he didn't have lips.

"Eat up, mortals," he declared. "This stew will either empower your libido or make your farts flammable. Hopefully both."

Vuvi and Veena sat at the edge of the firelight, sipping wine from enchanted bottles.

"My mother would've loved this," Veena giggled.

Vuvi sighed. "I'm scared mine's gonna try to turn Pip into a consort once she gets a taste of him. Or build a fertility statue in his honor."

"Not a bad idea," Sera called from across the camp fire. "We could worship it every night."

"You do that already," Raikya muttered from the shadows.

The wolf-kin sat beside her frostmane hound, sharpening her spear and scowling at nothing in particular.

"I don't need this," she whispered to her companion. "Just you and me. Like always."

The hound responded by licking her face aggressively.

"Ugh… hey! Quit that!"

But the hound wasn't done.

With a low growl and a determined grunt, it grabbed her sleeve with its massive jaws and yanked.

"Oi! Hey! What are you doing?!"

It dragged her toward the firelight.

She resisted.

It didn't care.

It plopped her down beside Penelo and Lula like a furred offering to friendship.

Then it curled behind her, huffing as it blocked her retreat.

Raikya blinked. "Traitor," she hissed at the hound.

Penelo and Lula immediately tackled her from both sides.

"Oh look, she's in the cuddle zone!"

"White fur is so soft. Like a horny cloud!"

"Let's brush it! I bet she sheds!"

Raikya let out a snarl. "I will murder—"

Too late.

Fingers were everywhere.

Fluff was being ruffled.

Tails were being tugged.

Someone braided her bangs.

"I am NOT smiling," Raikya growled at Sera as she stared with a knowing smirk.

"You are a little," Sera replied from across the fire.

"AM NOT."

The girls descended into a tickle frenzy, pinning her down with love and laughter.

Raikya screamed in frustration… then in laughter… then in both at once.

"I HATE THIS TEAM!" she howled.

"You'll love us soon!" Penelo giggled.

"LOVING IS WEAK!"

Lula grinned. "So is pretending you don't like it."

Raikya howled again, half furious, half gleeful, as the fire crackled and the cursed plains loomed beyond.

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible.