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The Spirit of Dalonia

Chapter 00 - Prologue

The life of a nomad was dynamic by nature, which for Ceylon was simultaneously a nightmare and exactly what she needed.

She lived a generally quiet life, the gryphoness happily huddled down in her den with her naga partner Leera or perched atop her loft reading books and experimenting with magic. While she was always open to new experiences and seeking knowledge, the one thing she needed in all aspects of her life was control. Control over her personal experiences, control over her immediate environment, and control over her destiny. In fact, Ceylon found a life of solitude to be superior in almost all aspects. Not only could she remain in control of her personal space, but she also found it a lot easier to not upset others or exert her control over others. Something she knew most people hated. Well, aside from Leera.

Ceylon and Leera made for a perfect couple for a variety of reasons. Ceylon was indeed bird-brained, often aloof and had a tendency to have difficulty focusing most of the time, except when she became hyper-focused and ignored the world for days on end to accomplish a task. This was quite counter-intuitive considering her need for control. Control which she so often lacked in her own mind. Control she needed but had no ability to maintain without an external force. Leera was that force.

Countering Ceylon's aloof hyperactivity alternating with hyper-focus and control, Leera was comparatively relaxed, perpetually composed, and tolerant of the gryphon's strange mood swings. She was the sturdy base in which Ceylon was able to anchor. She had limitless patience, a tendency to speak calmly and rationally, and a willingness to stand up to Ceylon when nobody else dared to. They balanced each other out, their strengths and weaknesses in sync and their lifestyles matching flawlessly.

But life grew somewhat stagnant. Sure, being in control of one's own destiny was mentally healthy and emotionally stable, but without some form of spontaneity in their lives, things got boring and stale. And for that reason, Ceylon thought it best if they decided to embark on an adventure. To upturn their comfortable, well-established lives in the mountains to live a life at sea.

Why a life at sea when that was so disparate from their stable lives in the mountain range known as the Cradle of Dalon? Riches. Endless riches. They had heard from an old friend named Ilorek that among the 10,000 islands of the Ijimulian Archipelago were seemingly limitless gems, gold, relics, and magical artifacts to be seen. Ilorek and his partner Valencia been exploring for years and seemed to find old treasure chests and hidden temples on every island they'd investigated, resulting in them getting so rich they were able to fund and construct what was at the time the largest ship in the region.

It seemed like a great way to keep things interesting while still maintaining a sense of control in her life. So Ceylon and Leera designed a ship of their own and set sail for the Ijimulian in search of new meaning in life as well as limitless riches. They would be treasure hunters - not pirates, as they had no desire to harm others - and they would carve their names into the history books!

This was a massive change and a risk for Ceylon. She usually preferred being familiar with her surroundings, knowing what to expect, and acting accordingly; she was fine with spontaneity if she was the one instigating it but hated outside interference. Being on a ship, sailing on the open waters, and being at the mercy of the elements meant that one semblance of control was lost. It was uncharted territory for her both literally and metaphorically. So, in this quest for excitement she found the most comfort in the design of her ship. A slice of home, brought with her. That was the key to her comfort.

The start of their journey was as idyllic as they could have imagined. They wanted to live new lives, so Leera and Ceylon built a ship on their own which they called The Spirit of Dalonia. A ship that was built to their specific needs and adjusted to adapt to a limited crew. While they would have preferred just sailing on their own, even a rudimentary bit of research taught them that they needed a crew to sail a ship farther than a few kilometres away from shore. Otherwise they would be at the mercy of the great blue and the titans of the depths.

It was a small ship, meant for no more than two dozen personnel at most. Small, but incredibly quick; no more than twenty meters long aside from the bow. The entire ship was about as long as Leera was in her full natural form, which was a lovely trade-off for its speed and agility even in the most hazardous of environments. It was equipped with everything they needed, most importantly a place for Ceylon to read and for Leera to relax.

Ceylon and Leera both had some very specific needs. As a gryphon, Ceylon was fond of open areas and wasn't a huge fan of claustrophobic spaces. Not a good start, considering the ship below deck was by its very nature a closed-in space. However, by putting ornate glass upon the back end and lining it with ademane trim that enchanted the walls, the interior looked and felt a lot more open than it actually was. Her personal quarters had perpetual illusion magic paired with a wide rear window that wrapped around the entire back and even crept up the back quarter of the hull on either side. It wasn't perfect, but it worked for its intended purpose of making it feel more open than it actually was.

Leera was a lot simpler to handle. She liked enclosed spaces and preferred to be coiled up in a tight cubby nearby. Underneath Ceylon's quarters was a single meter tall crawlspace accessed by a trap door in the floor, and adorned with heating gems strewn about the edges for basking. Perfect to keep her serpent body hot. And since Ceylon needed the extra height while she needed less, Ceylon's quarters and hers equated to two normal-height quarters. It was a perfect blend of wants and needs.

The rest of the ship was relatively straightforward aside from the ornamental designs. Much of the hull was comprised of a nearly black wood with white and brown trim to represent the two at the helm. On deck, there were three masts. A primary in the middle with an extra-large crows nest so Ceylon could perch there while docked, and two smaller masts on the bow and stern. Out front, the ornamental shelf below the bow was that of Ceylon, wings spread to wrap around either side of the hull while Leera the naga coiled around her with her body and scale patterns carved into the underside of the bowmast. A bit self-indulgent, but very ornate and designed by an artist and close friend of theirs.

Below deck were three layers. The top layer was for the food supply storage and the kitchen; it was also where things were thrown down through the steel grate hatch in the main deck. The second layer down was where the crews quarters were mostly held. That and the majority of the cannons and gunpowder. Ceylon didn't really expect to need to use the cannons, as she was quite adept at magic and capable of defending her ship if the need arose. For this reason, the second layer down was mostly just used for personal quarters. And by that, it really meant this was where anyone could hook up a hammock and sleep. The crew was never going to be large and the ship wasn't a naval vessel with conscripted crew, so anyone could freely sleep wherever they wanted. They could even sleep in Ceylon or Leera's chambers if they wanted. Nobody was shy on The Spirit of Dalonia.

The third and final level was where the rest of the ship's supplies were held, such as carpentry tools and wood for repairs, linens and leathers for sail and armour repair, salt for curing food. And a small controlled forge for blacksmithing. The heaviest stuff at the lowest level ensured that the ship didn't rock or tilt as much in strong weather.

All in all, it was a pretty basic, pretty small vessel. One custom designed for Ceylon and Leera's personal needs. But it still needed a crew so they had to find themselves a few blokes who had similar goals and were just as ready and capable in a fight.

The first addition to their crew was Styreks. He wasn't so much a crewmate so much as a pet. He was Leera and Ceylon's pet laurossin from their time ashore, an intelligent but feral beast, a mix of Dragon and Saurian. Basically a thickly-built raptor with wings. He had leathery teal skin, swept-back horns, red-highlighted scales on his knuckles, spine, and sheath, and a broad wingspan that enabled him to fly in short bursts. He also had a thick, rudder-like tail that gave him control underwater as well. He was smart, but not quite sentient. He could have stayed on land in and around Ceylon and Leera's home in the Cradle of Dalon but he couldn't bear to be away from his people and thus joined the crew.

Foxifly the fox-moth drone actively pursued a spot on the ship the moment she heard about the construction of it. She was also the artist friend who carved the ornamental bow of the ship. She was one of many, a collective hive mind that spread across the land. This made her an excellent ally and limitless resource of knowledge and insight. Naturally, Ceylon and Leera were always happy to invite Foxifly on board, especially if that meant they'd have a direct link to the neural network that she and her many other drones shared. Even better, Foxra - the core of the hive mind - had drones all over the Ijimulian, ensuring Ceylon and Leera were readily able to communicate with allies and get news before anyone else. She was, of course, an essential crewmate on any ship she chose to aid.

Next came Anax Agorean Spektrr and Cero Dactyle Unilete, two biped naga recommended by Leera due to their time together ashore. Anax the venomous viper and Cero the powerful constrictor. They were a pair of brilliant alchemists looking for adventure who also had combat experience and loved seeking relics and artifacts for the sake of research and magical discovery. They were a natural addition to the crew, doubly so given their natural strength and very low food costs. Serpents don't eat much and are made of muscle.

After them came Fidget, a Jackalope messenger that was working with Anax and Cero to gather ingredients and distribute the potions they made ashore. When Ceylon and Leera poached Anax and Cero, Fidget came with the package deal. She was equal parts cervine and lapine, able to shift between that of a doe or a bunny or end up anywhere in between. She wasn't the strongest, physically, but she was fast and nimble, had infinite stamina, and had a special hypersensitivity to potions that ensured she was invaluable on a ship like that. This meant that any enhancement or healing potion would work faster and last longer than it would on a normal person.

The only problem was that she had little to no magical power of her own so the energy it took to shift between her forms often left her weak and exhausted. Ceylon was the master of transformation and aided her in unlocking her potential by giving her a new life at sea by taking her into the womb and giving birth to her, sharing some of her own magical talents to unlock fidget's transformative potential. Now she could easily shift on the spectrum anywhere from the lapine and cervine ends of the spectrum.

Almost begrudgingly, Ceylon agreed to let Yetzer come aboard as well. Ceylon never felt she could trust the golden brown naga, but Leera and Yetzer were pretty close and that gave him some credibility. He was known to be a little more abrasive than Ceylon liked and he could be violent but Leera insisted that he'd behave if he was operating under the pair of them. That, and if he didn't have Leera back in Klyneth to oversee him and keep his more aggressive tendencies in check, he could lapse and hurt someone. This was the best place for him. He was the same size as Leera with the same skill set, he was just a bit more ruthless and lacked her compassion. A liability, but one with potential benefits in the event of conflict. This was likely to happen given that they were hunting treasures.

Finally came Shiazo, the most unique and interesting of the ship's crew. Shiazo was an enigma in many ways. Neither male nor female, neither gryphon nor dragon. The best way to describe them was that Shiazo was a floral golem. Their entire body was made up of natural plant matter. Where skin would be, there was a smooth bark. Growing on that bark was a mix of moss and grass where feathers, fur, and down would be. Their bones were like sticks and branches, their muscles like vines. Their beak and horns and claws and talons resembled gnarled driftwood, and they constantly had flowers and ferns growing on them like a feathered display especially around their neck like a mane.

Shiazo was actually the one member they added to the crew after setting sail and exploring for a month or two. They found the floral golem lost on a tropical island, somewhere in the marshes at the foot of a lightly active volcano. They were nearly feral, roaring with an accent that sounded like twisting trees creaking against one another while reacting to any and all that came near.

With the use of some telepathic magic from Ceylon, she was able to decipher fragments of Shiazo's past. The golem's fate was somewhere on the fine line of tragic and miraculous. Long ago, they'd succumbed to a very nasty bloodvine infection. The parasitic plant dug into their skin and the roots filled their veins, replacing their blood with sap and cellulose. For most people, this eventually turned them into a mindless plant zombie, slowly dulling their mobility and senses to the point the eventually collapsed and decayed on the spot, sprouting up another bloodvine tangle for another hapless soul to come across. Shiazo, however, had sought help from a phytomancer and priestess.

As a result, Shiazo's mind and body were saved from dissipating into and beyond zombification; sort of. The progression from plant zombie to rotting husk never happened and they retained some of their sentience but time and the elements got the better of them and they were slowly descending into a more feral state of mind. They didn't remember their past life, before the bloodvine infestation, which was why they couldn't be sure if they were a dragon or a gryphon. They were born anew.

Ceylon and Leera were able to bring them back from the brink of oblivion, restoring their mind and personality but none of their memories. As a result, Shiazo pledged themselves to Ceylon's ship, offering to do what they could to help as a thanks for saving their life. However, little did they know that there was more to the story than that. Shiazo wasn't just a single entity, but two living in the same body. It wasn't until many months later that they discovered this. This event was also when the Farshores made themselves known to the merchants and treasure hunters of the Ijimulian.

As expected, their plans for a peaceful time at sea hunting treasure and enjoying the lifestyle came to a swift and abrupt end. It was a perfect plan, at least at first. What started as a simple, personal need to head in a different direction quickly turned into an adventure that ended up encapsulating the whole of the Ijimulian and everyone within it. Given the sheer volume of loot to be found scattered among the 10,000 islands, it was only a matter of time before it drew the attention of unsavoury types.

Ceylon, Leera, their crew, and the crew of Ilorek and Valencia's Ship 'the Storm of the Rift' were all peaceful types. Just charting new ground, discovering new islands, and getting rich off the relics and gemstones and coin found throughout. They wanted only to be merchants of shinies, not pirates as they would be labelled historically. They wanted to avoid that moniker.

If they were going to be labelled as such, they wanted to be known as pPirates of booty, all of the shinies, none of the shanking. A joke, but one that served a purpose.

But they knew, alongside another ship captained by their friends Olfrin and Luero called Ademane's Venomous Wrath, that this sort of peace would not last. Not with so much wealth to be had. Historically, that was how this sort of thing happened. A new resource was found, some seek it for self improvement, and others seek it for power while the different philosophies conflicted violently.

The story to this point was that The Spirit of Dalonia, the Storm of the Rift, and Ademane's Venomous Wrath agreed to form an alliance and become the inception of what they decided to call the NLF. The Nautical Liberation Force. Those three flagships brought together dozens - nay, hundreds - of merchant vessels to fly under the flag of no land in an effort to form their own nation on the high seas and amidst the ten thousand islands of the archipelago.

In an effort to differentiate themselves from any hostile outsiders that may decide to go about their treasure hunting in a violent manner, they also established their collective sovereignty.

Things were going well for many months and the code was solidified, forming a truce of sorts between the NLF and the many royal navies that lined the outer rim of the Ijimulian. The rulers of the land didn't interfere with the nautical nationals and the NLF agreed to not plunder or pillage anyone flying under a naval or merchant flag. Shockingly, this went surprisingly well and no incidents occurred for nearly a year, but once word got out to the far reaches of the world, that truce was tested.

And that's exactly what happened. All was well until outsider pirates seeking to take those riches by any means necessary entered the equation and made themselves known. While they didn't sail under a single flag or seemingly identify themselves as a unified force, they quickly became known as Farshores by the members of the NLF. Outsiders who did not represent the peaceful treasure hunting and companionship of the Nautical Liberation Front. This distinction was important because in the eyes of the nations surrounding the Ijimulian, any and all who sailed under no navy was a pirate.

The Farshores steadily invaded the Ijimulian seeking the same treasure that the adventurers of the NLF sought. They, unlike the NLF, had no qualms about violence and intimidation to get what they wanted. They pillaged, they plundered, they raped, they razed, and they destroyed anything in their path, causing strife in the Ijimulian and it weakened the truce as established.

Since the Royal Navies couldn't decipher the difference between the NLF and the farshores - Good pirates and bad pirates - the treaty quickly broke down. Only, by this time the NLF had amassed such size and power that no one royal navy could compete. So the leaders of Saff'Rald, Viokenic, Waverthe, Kaidu, Balico, and Koluma formed an alliance they called the Coastal Discipline Authority or CDA for short. This Coalition of the Land tried to enact authority over the NLF, which stirred up strife that left the region in a state of unrest.

Three parties, all with vastly different goals and leadership and philosophies. The NLF wanted to hunt treasure and establish themselves as a nomadic naval nation, the farshores wanted to take all the resources and wealth that the Archipelago had to offer, and the CDA wanted to shut down any conflict and enact their own form of control over the region. By all means, this became a three-way war.

Soon after this conflict ignited, Ceylon's vessel came upon a fleet of ships flying under unknown flags laying waste to an NLF ship. An ally. It was two ships against a dozen, but the Spirit of Dalonia was able to save the crew of the merchant vessel and escape mostly unharmed. They were faster than any other ship on the Ijimulian and were propelled by magic so Ceylon and Leera were able to captain their ship defensively and effectively.

Only, on the escape, a stray cannonball and chain duo struck their flank, hitting Shiazo and obliterating them entirely, blasting bits of bark and moss all over the deck. The resulting explosion blew sap and other floral juices on the rest of the crew members, soaking the wood and activating the ademane nearby. It was an abrupt but tragic event, one even Ceylon was unable to stop.

This appeared to be Shiazo's end, but then a wisp emerged from their hollowed out husk of slimy leaves and honeycomb guts. A teal-coloured ethereal creature made of pure ademane and magical energy with a cloud of ectoplasmic mist emanating from it. This wisp contained a soul, one that had been residing inside the floral golem's body, sharing Shiazo's mind. The wisp danced around the rest of the crew and eventually returned to Shiazo's gutted corpse.

And that's when things got weird. As Ceylon and Leera and the others watched in a mix of horror and intrigue, the sap and slime and honey and other juices of Shiazo's remnants got absorbed into the ship's deck and hull, becoming one with The Spirit of Dalonia. The bits of bark and grass and moss and leaves all decomposed rapidly, turning to dirt and mush before soaking into the deck, transforming the wood of the ship itself in ways Ceylon couldn't quite understand. It also changed the ornamental bow from an image of Ceylon and Leera to one of Shiazo and a tangle of vines.

The wisp - the spirit that occupied Shiazo's floral golem body - merged them with the vessel and restored Shiazo's natural form, albeit in a smaller size due to all the lost matter that had been blasted off into the sea. And like that, Shiazo was reborn, the size of a large dog rather than the full dragon or gryphon size they were prior to the incident. Stranger still, they reformed and acted like nothing had happened, oblivious to the fact that they'd been blown to pieces and unaware that so much of their mass had fused with the wood of the ship. Not until Ceylon and Leera shared those details.

That was when Shiazo was able to explain what had happened in better detail, once the wisp had re-merged with Shiazo's smaller form and everything went back to normal. Back when Shiazo was saved from the blood vine infestation, they retained their sentience and intelligence but were constantly fighting the impact of the floral parasite to the point it nearly drove them mad.

The wisp, who was another spirit lost without a body and no memory of their past self, found solace and companionship in Shiazo, merging the pair of them. Their spirits literally became one, and the wisp itself became the ethereal representation of Shiazo. Such a symbiosis came with its own perks and costs. While the perk was that they both got a companion and the ability to perfectly adapt to whatever happened to them, the wispy spirit required a steady supply of magical energy to fuel their abilities and their symbiosis.

Being a floral golem, all of Shiazo's body was photosynthetic, supplying most of the required energy to keep them alive. Unfortunately, they lived near a volcano and were on a desolate island, resulting in long swaths of time where there was no light or the sun was blocked out by volcanic clouds hovering above. Plus they lived in a jungle, deep beneath the canopy that blocked even more sunlight.

In time they went mad and the wisp went dormant, unable to maintain the higher mind functions needed to keep them sentient. Their symbiosis kept Shiazo from decaying but at the cost of their mind. That was, until Ceylon arrived looking for treasure and rescued them. Shiazo was unable to leave the island on their own, but were able to hop aboard a ship, granting them a freedom they'd not experienced for what appeared to be decades. Maybe centuries.

Everything prior to their rescue was a bit of a blur. Both Shiazo and the symbiotic wisp inside them had flashes of memories they were able to decipher and explain but no sense of time to put it all in proper context. So, for all intents and purposes, their life began anew upon Shiazo's destruction and rebirth aboard The Spirit of Dalonia. The wisp, which had been in a form of spiritual hibernation, had been reawakened upon the destruction of the floral golem's body. And now, with both Shiazo and their wisp companion merged, they were once again a single entity.

What was once a drake and a wisp was now one spirit with one voice that could disassociate.

Not only that, but the parts of them that got absorbed into the ship actually created a living vessel linked to them. Shiazo was their own entity, but their body extended to the ship itself, their wisp and souls merging with the wood of the hull and deck to become The Spirit of Dalonia itself. This had many benefits but a handful of setbacks, much like many of their circumstances. As long as Shiazo remained on the ship, the wood could 'heal' in the event of enduring damage and they could adjust the sails and rudder without input from Ceylon or the rest of the crew. They controlled every aspect of The Spirit of Dalonia, but that also meant that they couldn't part from the ship for long lest the wood of it decompose into nothing and the ship sink to the ocean floor.

Just like any lost husk that succumbed to the bloodvine parasite. Yet the existence and stability of the wisp inside Shiazo fortified the fusion with the ship, giving immense strength and durability.

Within weeks this transformed the ship from a more traditional-looking vessel with black wood and both white and brown highlights to a living ship made of solid wood, with gargantuan leaves for sails and vines for rigging. Dirt and grass on the deck and chambers in the lower levels. Nothing changed as far as the overall layout of The Spirit of Dalonia but the properties of the wood and features all changed to be a living entity, growing on its own accord, sprouting flowers and ferns in every direction, absorbing so much sunlight through its leaves that Shiazo remained magically fuelled.

It was a unique set of circumstances that led to this, resulting in Ceylon and Leera remaining able to pilot their growing ship with only a handful of crew as opposed to needing dozens of helpers or expelling excessive amounts of magic. Shiazo was able to control everything by sheer force of will, and could easily merge into the wood and emerge anywhere else on the ship nearly instantly, all while experiencing everything as a living vessel.

There was nothing like it sailing the Ijimulian. But Ceylon knew this wasn't necessarily going to last forever. Shiazo needed a steady stream of sunlight and natural energy to fuel their symbiosis with the ship, so Ceylon set out to create and supercharge three pure gemstones. In her lifetime she'd been working on making these powerful relics, but up until she met Shiazo she didn't know what to do with them. They were immensely powerful sources of magical energy without any enchantments, perfect for Shiazo, perfect for their unique circumstances.

As one of the only people in the world with the capabilities to do so, Ceylon extracted and distilled their own ademane, crystallizing it into three pure, marble-sized gemstones that had virtually limitless power and no enchantments. Such purity was unheard of and took a lifetime to achieve, a personal hobby she had undertaken with the help of Leera decades prior and had been constantly working on ever since. This meant they had limitless potential but were incredibly costly in terms of her magical reserves. She was only able to make three, as it left her weakened and exhausted for extended periods of time.

These three gemstones were all incredibly valuable, since they were not enchanted with any one spell or effect. They were just pure, concentrated energy that could be harnessed and used to amplify any spell a person could cast through it. In the case of Shiazo and The Spirit of Dalonia, Ceylon chose to use one of the gemstones to fuel her vessel, amplifying Shiazo's powers and the ship's durability in the event that Shiazo chose to go ashore for extended periods of time.

The gemstone acted like an energy reserve, absorbing extra energy photosynthesized by the leaves and foliage of the ship in the day so that under the shroud of storms of night Shiazo had the reserves to continue to pilot the Spirit of Dalonia.

Two gemstones remained, each one equally as powerful. As the conflict between the NLF and CDA grew increasingly volatile, Ceylon chose to send the remaining two gemstones to the NLF's headquarters, where they would be used for defence in the event that things turned bloody.

Unfortunately, the merchant vessel sent en route to the NLF headquarters - an underground cavern in the hollowed-out remains of a dormant volcano - the ship was attacked by farshores and one of the gemstones was stolen, leaving the final gemstone in the wreckage that had been left ashore.

Talba and Vaulix's vessel - the Gem of the Ijimulian - came across the wreckage and were able to retrieve the final gemstone, following the map and the instructions to find the NLF headquarters.

The problem with this was that the Gem of the Ijimulian was one of the three flagships of the CDA, a group the NLF was actively trying to keep away from their headquarters. The whole purpose of establishing the capital settlement in a hollowed out volcano was to remain hidden from all outsiders, including farshores and the navies of the coalition of the land.

Upon learning of this, Ceylon and Leera sailed their ship back to the headquarters, where they met up with Talba and their crew. There, a further truce was established between them, recreating that same volatile alliance as before. It ended up being that each of the three factions had to their name one of the three gems.

Ceylon held one gemstone upon the Spirit of Dalonia, using it to fuel their living vessel. Talba and Vaulix held one upon the Gem of the Ijimulian, utilizing it as a namesake while also keeping it as a sort of bargaining chip. The third was lost somewhere to the farshores, which made it potentially the most dangerous thing in the archipelago of 10,000 islands.

Both parties of the Gem of the Ijimulian and The Spirit of Dalonia went their separate ways that day, their rocky alliance solidified just enough to not result in a fight. But this meant that Ceylon needed to put forth all the energy she had to finding that last gemstone and bringing it back to her ship.

Compromises were made but things ended at the headquarters on a positive note.

The Spirit of Dalonia, the living ship captained by Ceylon and Leera headed north while the two other flagships of the NLF went in opposite directions. Ilorek and Valencia captained the second largest ship in the region, the Storm of the Rift, and went west while Olfrin and Luero piloted Ademane's Venomous Wrath, another mid-sized vessel that went south.

The three flagships of the CDA headed east, including Talba and Vaulix's Gem of the Ijimulian, Yelena and Sanfrit's Northern Frost of Unity, and Keran and Satsierra's Grail of Knowledge.

Six ships leading the way for two factions in an uneasy alliance against the farshores. Things could go any way at this point, but now they just had to see what happened. Piracy in the Ijimulian was complicated and dangerous, but Ceylon and the rest of the Nautical Liberation Force were willing to fight for their freedom to hunt for treasures without being overseen by the Coalition of the Land or attacked by the farshores. Three factions, all with their unique goals and intentions, all struggling to coexist. It was a volatile situation for all involved.

Chapter 01 - Working the Crew

She extended her wings and stretched out with her rump up and chest down, yawning wide and clacking her beak before standing tall and relaxing. She blinked a few times and folded her wings upon her back while curling her toes and rolling her wrists and ankles. It was time to wake up. Around her, the wood of the ship creaked and groaned, similar to the sound of mighty trees twisting in a wind storm. Below her, the ground was coated in a thin but fine grassy moss, an element of Shiazo's doing.

It was a special day for Ceylon, the anniversary of her hatching and the day when her own clutch was growing inside her. As an avian, she produced eggs every cycle, rendering her horny but so full of eggs that she couldn't really do much until they were laid. She considered dealing with that before leaving her chambers but she still had work to do. She had a ship to captain, a crew to motivate, and some news to share with those sailing alongside her. The gryphon lass used her beak to hook the edge of the latch leading to Leera's chambers, ducking below deck to see if her serpentine partner was still asleep. She was, so Ceylon gave her bulky scales a gentle stroke, nuzzled her a bit with her cheek, and then headed back up to her room.

The day was still very young, so the sun was streaming in through the wall of windows at the back of her chambers at a very sharp angle, reflecting off the piles of gold and gemstones stacked up in the corner and illuminating the room. In the other corner was Styreks, his tail curled up around himself and his wings draped over his head to keep his vision dark. He wasn't ready to wake. As a cold-blooded beast he did a lot of sleeping and resting up for when he was needed.

Ceylon didn't want to wake either of his reptilian mates, so she shook herself off, preened a few of her feathers, and escaped her chambers to greet the morning with her beak agape and neck plumage at maximum fluff levels. Every morning aboard the Spirit of Dalonia was an adventure, given the nature of the ship itself being one solid piece of wood with dirt and foliage painting its walls and floors. There were flowers and vines and ferns nestled into every corner, with hanging mosses draped over the edges of the deck and hanging from the vine-like rigging. The sails themselves were made of overlapping, interwoven leaves, and the hull below the water was draped in trailing algae. Every single element of the ship was merged with plant matter, from rigid wood to flowing flowers.

Above deck she was greeted by every one of the rest of the crew. Yetzer was slithering between the vine rigging, Fidget was bent over the bow overlooking the horizon dotted by islands, Cero and Anax were by the helm reading a map, and Foxifly was buzzing around the crow's nest. Shiazo was merged with the ship and operating it, keeping the leaf-sails at full mast and adjusting the rudders as needed. All was well aboard the Spirit of Dalonia. And on this day, Ceylon's hatchday, she had to break some potentially problematic news to her crew. A decision she made to help them long-term.

"Good morning, captain!" Fidget declared as she saw Ceylon emerge from below deck. The others looked up and offered a half-hearted salute of respect. There wasn't much in terms of strict hierarchy on this vessel, as the crew was so small and tightly knit. Yetzer and Foxifly remained in the rigging while Fidget joined Ceylon, Cero, and Anax at the helm, huddled over the map.

Cero, the tall constrictor with white and gray scales, pointed to the map as Ceylon got close. "This was where the gemstone was last seen, this is where we are now. If we keep going in this direction we're going to end up in the Abyss of the Depths." She informed. She wasn't usually the worried type, but she was referring to a massive, mysterious region of the Ijimulian ocean that hadn't ever been mapped because no vessels survived sailing over it.

This was the crux of Ceylon's reveal and the reason she was mentally preparing for an argument. She knew her crew would trust her, but she had plans that sounded pretty dangerous.

The archipelago of the 10,000 islands started at the east coast of Koluma, forming a strip that stretched from there to the western shores of Sosemma, Kaidu, and the southern half of Saff'Rald - Ceylon's home nation. This left an almost perfect circle from the northwestern edge of the strip of islands to the southeastern shores of Viokenic and Waverthe that was just empty on every map. This region was known as the Abyss of the Depths, or the Void depending on what culture described it.

Legends spoke of kaiju and other colossal beasts residing in the depths, dragging down ships that dared to sail over it. Others just said it was too far away and that no vessel could survive such a trip, especially not when they could just stick to the shores that nearly touched tips, linking Viokenik and Saff'Rald along the north edge of the Ijimulian or hop from island to island in the archipelago.

"Yeah, I know." Ceylon answered, grinning broadly yet nervously. "We're heading northeast to Saff'Rald, I have some more personal items hidden away at home that will help me seek out the missing gemstone. This path is going to take us around the rim of the Abyss of the Depths. But don't worry, we'll be fine. The Void is called that for a reason. It's just empty. We'll be fine."

She could see that everyone was just staring at her.

Anax shook her head, the naga's cowl rattling down her neck. "Are you sure that's a good idea?"

"Can never be sure." Ceylon declared. "But we have the fastest and most powerful ship in the region, a living vessel that can carry us through no matter what happens. There's enough food on the ship to last us all months - especially considering half our crew are snakes and only eat once or twice a month - and I've been curious about what's goin' on there for a while now. Don't worry, it'll be fine." She had to repeat herself and verbally justify her position given the region's reputation.

Fidget was the most cheerful and optimistic. "If you say so, I trust you. But, is the risk worth it? I mean, if literally nobody's ever survived sailing through there, maybe there's more to it than we thought?" She was optimistic, not dull.

"I've actually sailed there before. Far as I can tell it's basically nothing. Big open swaths of emptiness, and I was on a ship that wasn't magically infused with Shiazo's essence. Don't worry. We'll mostly be around the edge of the Abyss anyway. Not going through the middle. That would be pretty dumb. Besides, the relics I have back home are all very finely attuned to high magic signatures. Will help us find that third gemstone before the farshores do anything with it. And given the purity of the gemstone as well as its magical potential, well, it's worth the risk."

"Have you been keeping secrets from us?" Cero asked. "Because you never told us the gemstone was that strong. You said it was powerful, but I've dealt with dozens of 'powerful' relics that weren't worth this sort of risk. Do we need to be worried?" She probed a bit deeper.

Ceylon considered joking around and playing glib - she was confident in her ability to recover the missing magical artifact - but she figured it was best to not mince words or underplay the gravity of the situation. "Maybe. Maybe not. It's hard to say. Those three gemstones have enough neutral magic energy in them to take any spell or potion and exponentially multiply its power. Put in a simple bit of wind magic and it can whip up a typhoon. Add a touch of bolt magic and you've got a thunderstorm enough to wreck a coastline. If the farshores figure this out, the only way to counter it would be to use one of the other two gemstones to negate it. Fine in theory, but good luck timing and placing the spells accurately enough to not just make the issue worse. If the farshores figure this out, it's a problem."

They all went stone-faced. Even Fidget gulped. "And you never told us this, why?"

"I was hoping to get it dealt with before it became an issue, hence why I'm risking crossing the edge of the nautical Void to get back to my home in Saff'Rald as quickly as I can. And honestly, the chances of them breaking through the protective seals I wrapped around it are pretty small. Possible, but unlikely. This entire 'treasure hunting' excursion is supposed to be fun and stress free. Just relax. Enjoy the sun, bask in the mist of the waves, and just let me know if you see anything of interest." Ceylon shouldered towards the horizon where a few islands dotted the landscape. "That there's the edge of the archipelago. Just keep that on starboard and in sight, we should be fine. I know I keep saying it, but it's true. If you want to vote against me I will accept your decision but I insist we're fine."

There was a moment of silence before each of the crew members paused to consider their next words. Despite being new to a life at sea, Ceylon was a water bird and had natural instincts that drew her to the ocean. She had a good feel for what was and wasn't safe, and had been an appropriately measured captain with a history of compassion for her crew. She was not going to lead them wrong, even if her decisions felt somewhat peculiar or inappropriate to the others. It was a side-effect of her neurodivergent mindset. She knew what she was doing and how she came to that decsion but didn't always think about the fact that she needed to explain her thought processes to others for them to understand her logic.

Ceylon was fortunate enough to be correct most of the time and have a crew smart and capable enough to clean up her mistakes in the event of misjudging a situation, but she still needed to do better when it came to enunciating her thoughts. In this case, she just waited too long to elaborate on her plan and simply chose the wrong day to let her crew know her plans to skirt the edges of the Void.

It was Anax who nodded in agreement. "At this point all we can do is carry on. Getting worried won't help us sail any faster. Though it would have been nice to know this little detail earlier." She flicked Ceylon on the beak and leaned in close. "Seriously, next time let us know before we're on the verge of the Abyss of the Depths. This is not the way to captain a ship." She flicked her tongue to express her frustration before returning to her map with Cero, once again finding the best way to navigate the open water without losing themselves.

Fidget motioned for Ceylon to follow her to the bow of the ship amidst the piles of barrels and crates of goods nestled in next to the banister. Once they were more or less alone, with only a nearby hovering Foxifly within earshot, she leaned in close to whisper. "Were you serious about that or just being dramatic? Are we going to be safe? Are you certain?"

"A little bit of both, I'd say. The risks are real and all, but the chances are pretty low on both halves of the equation. It's a pretty slim chance they'll figure out how to use the gemstone, and like I said I've sailed across the Abyss before, it's just a whole lot of nothing. With Shiazo running the ship, there's no problems. You just need to have a bit of adventure in your life, you know?" Ceylon paused for a moment because she saw that Fidget wasn't buying it entirely. "Yes, it's fine. There's absolutely nothing to be worried about. Leera, Foxifly, and I discussed it at length. Perhaps we should have discussed it with the rest of you as well but what fun is treasure hunting without some adventure?"

"There are ways to have an adventure without worrying your crew, captain." Fidget scolded. "Like, perhaps by punishing them for being insubordinate?" She then turned and lifted her stubby little bunny-doe tail, lifting her kilt to reveal she wasn't wearing anything underneath. It was a very swift change of mood and tone, one that switched the moment she felt comfortable with Ceylon's assurance.

Under most circumstances and on most naval vessels, such lewd behaviour would be mildly uncouth. Unprofessional. And indeed, insubordinate. But the Spirit of Dalonia was not a typical ship. Everyone was sexually lewd and brash with the exception of Anax. Nobody had any shame, and there was really nothing to do for long stretches of time in between ports or when there was no conflict.

Plus, there was an inherent trust in each other. While Ceylon was bad for failing to explain her plans in advance, she'd always led the crew to riches and so far they'd always come out ahead. Any dissension that bubbled up aboard the Spirit of Dalonia was quickly squashed since every member of the crew was a close friend to the others. It was less like a naval vessel and more like a recreational yacht. That was, in the few exceptions where they encountered farshores. And even then, Ceylon took command with authority, knowing when to be in control and when to be casual. Most of the time they were casual. This was no exception.

For the most part, the crew occupied most of their time flirting with one another, experimenting, and living up to the degenerate image of a pirate. While the lifestyle had an outward appearance of swashbuckling and perpetual joy, the reality was that at least three quarters of their waking hours was occupied by sailing from one location to the next. That was a lot of downtime, especially on a vessel that didn't need a captain at the helm at all times. What better way to occupy one's time than with lewd behaviour, especially among a crew of equally lewd friends?

Fidget was especially promiscuous after Ceylon's rebirthing of her. Once she no longer had to worry about the side effects of her magical potential being drained any time she shifted her form - a side effect of getting aroused - she could be as slutty as she wanted without repercussions. She had no problem exposing that plump, pink pussy of hers all while cutely wagging her little tail. And few had problems taking her up on her offers. If a fellow crew member didn't do something about her needs, she'd simply sit on the deck and wait for Shiazo to command a vine to grow right up into her.

In truth, Ceylon wasn't sure if she was in the mood, though. "Sorry babe, I've got a clutch bubblin' up in me and I'm not sure if I can take you for another ride." She apologized, assuming that the cute little hybrid gal wanted to be rebirthed again. While that process was in fact done with purpose, both Ceylon and Fidget found unending pleasure in the process.

"That's alright, I had something else in mind, anyway." She tapped her hooves on the deck, scraping gently as a pair of thin yet rigid vines emerged from the moss snaking their way up her ankles to hold her in place with her legs parted. Shiazo was clearly in on this and using their possession of the ship to add a bit of adventure to Fidget's day. "And it looks like they do, too."

Ceylon chuckled to herself. "Well, as captain it is my duty to take care of my crew. If you're finding yourself in need it would be irresponsible of me to not satisfy you." She wasn't really the type to play flirty; her mind was often more on the logical end of the spectrum and she found herself an outsider to more traditional courtship. That said, she was definitely horny and happy to explore. "Just, you know, you don't need to roleplay with me. Not sure how it goes with the others, but-"

"Shut up, Captain." She chirped back. "Just have some fun. You wanna play or not?"

"Maybe I should punish you for insubordination." Ceylon joked under her breath, just enough for Fidget to hear. The gryph could tell that she was heard, so she leaned in real close so that her breath tickled Fidget's fluffy tail, which wagged excitedly at the sensation.

This was not something that happened all too often. Ceylon wasn't the most promiscuous of the crew members and rarely had much interest in sex so she rarely participated and wasn't often invited to any of the fun times hosted by her crew. The gryphoness was mated to a naga, a partner that almost never showed any form of sexual need and she herself was often emotionally distant to the point where she didn't see the point of intimacy.

But that was just pure, vanilla sex. She rarely had interest in traditional mating but was kinky as could be and loved playing with others. Ceylon had heat cycles that could trigger desire, but for the most part she was a neutral party. That was the case for most of her life. Neutral and logical most of the time, accented by hyper-intense moods and needs. It was an odd sexual paradigm to exist within, but it meant that Ceylon was only horny a fraction of her time but those moments of carnal desires were intense and kinky, experimental and curious. Either that or rough and raw and violent.

As she was a hybrid of species blending avian, feline, equine, and serpent, she experienced different kinds of horny depending on what parts of her were in season. She could also swap between genders at will determined on her partners, who was available, and what kind of horny she experienced. When her equine parts tingled with intent, she wanted it raw and hard and rough. She needed to be bred deep, with the biggest cocks she could find. Or, when she was feeling a male rutting sensation she needed to find someone small like Foxifly or Fidget to knot and tie and spend a night with, giving her partner a bulge to be proud of until they parted.

The avian portion of her got aroused the most often. Because most birds lacked cocks and thus penetrative sex, her arousal was triggered by the emergence of eggs deep within her womb. The avian brain was an intelligent, thinking brain that delved more on curiosity and experimentation than carnal courtship, so when that part of her was activated she tended to get more explorative. Far kinkier. The eggs inside her would grind against one another, resonating throughout her flesh while also making her fantasize about kinks relating to vore, oviposition, unbirthing, and magical acts like transformation.

She had a clutch of four in her womb at the moment, as best she could tell, so she had a lingering sensation of lust bubbling up from her core, teasing the back of her mind with every step. She didn't realize it at the time but she was leaking from her equine pussy lips, her scent emanating out from under her tail to alert any and all others to her desire.

Fidget was neither avian nor equine, yet even she could practically taste Ceylon's arousal. Given her personality as one who was more brash and forthright than most, she had no problems presenting herself to Ceylon in order to help alleviate the captain's desires. She liked to tease and joke. "Maybe you should, if that's what you need. Tell me, Cap'n, do you need me to carry a burden or two for you?" As she spoke, the vines that were emerging from the ship's deck continued to slither up her legs, wrapping around her thighs and squeezing tight to hold her in place. Her vulva, a plump and swollen pair of doe lips as droopy and soft as Ceylon's equine bits, jiggled a bit every time the ship hit another small wave, the morning sun reflecting off her flesh.

"I don't know what it is with you, but you really do know how to press all of my buttons." Ceylon joked again as she brought a single talon up to grab Fidget's booty. The gryphon's talon was so big that just the palm covered Fidget's entire rump cheek. It didn't matter that others were watching; as far as either of them were concerned they might as well join in!

More vines emerged from the railing of the ship, arching over Fidget's wrists and forearms to keep her in place while also growing up her biceps and even going so far as to snake their way up her neck and entangle with her horns, knotting around her jewelry and weaving in and out of the holes in her pierced bunny ears. This would normally be a huge turn-off for Ceylon, who had a natural aversion to bondage of any sorts given her bird brained need for freedom and physical liberation, but with the right partner and in the right situation it triggered something in her.

Ceylon knew that Fidget was not here against her will - quite the contrary, Fidget was the one in control - so she was able to enjoy the gift of a partner prone and exposed to her. A partner that Ceylon could do whatever she wanted to. For a brisk moment, the overabundance of options left the captain paralyzed with uncertainty.

But when Fidget resisted the constriction of the vines around her chest and neck and horns to grin back at her, Ceylon decided to treat herself. The rest of the crew were busy with their tasks, Shiazo was having fun with their control of the plant matter of the ship, and both Leera and Styreks were still sleeping below deck. Ceylon knew she could do whatever she wanted without restraint when it came to Fidget - a lovely side effect of having rebirthed her with transformative properties - so the only limit was her imagination and desire.

She flexed her talon to dig her claws into Fidget's rump, the curved, pointy tips drawing furrows in her fur while plucking her flesh beneath. The sharp sensation of it made fidget dip her lower back and made her tail rapidly sway back and forth in anticipation. At the same time, her perfectly round, pink pucker throbbed and pulsated while a humid aura billowed up from between her legs. She was, as she often was, completely without shame. Just exposed herself and let Ceylon know what she wanted

Part of the captain wanted to maintain a sense of dignity and authority, to pretend like she wasn't as needy as her crew. Problem was, those eggs rumbling deep in her womb kept her in a steady state of arousal and the more of Fidget's aura she tasted in the roof of her beak the more she wanted to just let loose. So she did.

Without any further hesitation, she leapt up so that both her talons were on Fidget's rump, palms on cheeks and thumbs curled inward to tease both holes. She spread Fidget's booty with half her weight down on the doe's lower half, squeezing and kneading her flesh to really get across the sense of dominance she desired. She even went so far as to let the plumage on her neck and shoulders stand on end, giving off the aura of a feral beast attacking her prey.

This seemed to excite Fidget. Her chest started to rapidly heave as her pulse raced, bright pink flesh of her loins dripping and drooling a thick slime down her inner thighs to soak into the vines wrapped around her legs. She got so lost in the moment she lowered her head so that her cheek was resting on the railing of the ship, where a series of vines grew and wrapped around her face to hold her in place. More vines joined the ones entangled in her antlers, anchoring her down in place on all four limbs while Ceylon kept most of her weight upon her.

Of course, Ceylon was treating this almost like having ensnared prey. She leaned down and pressed her beak to the underside of Fidget's stumpy bunny tail, nuzzling into the thick bushy fur there while her tongue slipped out and teased the hybrid gal's rump, tugging the plump flesh upward to slightly gape her. A gape Ceylon quickly filled in by lowering herself and pressing as much of her tongue inside as she could, rolling it inside to tease the many internal folds under Fidget's tail.

She tasted wonderful, something not really expected while so far from shore for so long. Her flesh had an accent of greens, like a hint of hay roasted over a steak. A weird analogy for Ceylon to imagine, but not so strange when you remember that Ceylon is a predator and all prey tasted like meat to her. Perhaps inappropriate given their relationship as captain and crew, but it still made Ceylon a bit more ravenous. She couldn't help but push in deeper, upper beak pressed to the underside of Fidget's tail while her lower beak slipped between her lips to open up her pussy in a similar manner.

Of course this was just a trigger for Ceylon to get a bit more aggressive with her tongue. She plucked the muscled tendril from Fidget's rump, gulped down all the juices she extracted, then pressed her tongue back out to part her pussy lips. This taste was far more tangy as her depths were positively drenched with arousal. A sweet and tart garnish akin to mango or citrus on top of the meatiness of her flesh, that same prey flavour that most had as far as Ceylon was concerned.

She couldn't help but knead her thumbs downward, using her claws to dig into fidget's depths and spread her open, a guttural squelch billowing up so loud it could be heard over the gentle splash of waves on the hull or the creaking of the ship's many parts groaning against their own weight. Ceylon got a look deep into Fidget, as the ship's sailing angle was perfect; the sun was rising behind them, its rays shining right into Fidget's backside, illuminating the deep cherry pink of her tender pussy walls and her rippled rump insides. Every bit of it looked delectable and insatiable, her flesh malleable and swollen with arousal, accented by Ceylon's prior gift of transformative magic.

There was a lot of different things the captain could do in that situation with Fidget bound to the deck and railing by the many vines entangling her. But in spite of all the vast potential of Ceylon's imagination at her disposal, she had two very distinct ideas in mind she wanted to inflict upon her crew. Good things, of course, but kinky nonetheless.

Given that Ceylon was in female form and would be until the clutch inside her womb was taken care of, she lacked a cock to mount this horny bound doe-bunny. That would have been fun and she was feeling pretty dominant at the time like a rutting male, but it wasn't an option. So she did what she could to emulate that as best she could.

By using one talon to tug Fidget's flesh to the side, she kept the doe's pussy and rump both gaped wide open, her red walls pulsing and constricting with each rapid beat of her heart. Ceylon then dragged her other talon up and down Fidget's lips, collecting as much of her arousal as possible before smearing it all over herself to the wrist. Once her free talon was soaked in fluids and glistening against the rays of the morning sun, she slipped a pair of fingers into the bunny's pussy and curled downward.

The pressure of fingertips against her anterior wall - right up against her clit from inside - Fidget tried to rear back and holler in pleasure only to have more of the vines wrap around her head and neck to keep her pinned down. She tried to squirm and to wriggle and twist her body to alleviate some of the pressure on the engorged patch lining her anterior wall, but it was all for nothing. The vines had her tied in place, there was almost no wiggle room for her; she just had to deal with whatever Ceylon did to her. That was part of the fun.

She had no worries. The sense of danger that came with the vines holding her down just made her blood pump a bit harder and her flesh a bit more tender as a result. She felt every subtle movement, every gentle grind, every wrinkle and every ridge of claw pressing against her. And it made her literally gush with excitement. Her depths secreted so much natural lubricant it literally ran down Ceylon's wrist and dripped in a puddle near where the vines were emerging from between her legs.

Fidget knew what was coming. She knew Ceylon's propensity for certain kinks and knew she was going to be feeling every bit of the captain's talon soon enough.

Ceylon was not predictable in most situations but she had a handful of buttons she liked to press and this was one of them. Once her talon was coated to the wrist and she'd used her fingers to thrust and tug and knead Fidgets walls in all directions, she added a third finger. She repeated the motions, gently easing in and out, curling her digits to press out against walls - especially her anterior wall where her engorged inner-clit swelled with excitement - before pulling out and using both talons to spread those lips as far as they could go.

The view was immaculate. With fingers prying at Fidget - Two fingers per talon tugging on her lips with one on either side of her rump - her loosened holes were both gaped wide, once again revealing her depths to the cervix and her bowels to her first bend. She was hollowed out if only for a second before Ceylon then took one talon, converged all claw tips into one, and plunged her entire fist in to the wrist!

Fidget broke from the vines as she threw her head back, bits of leaves and twigs bursting around her to land in the water and on the deck to get reabsorbed into the ship. She pushed back against Ceylon with all the might she could muster while still anchored by the vines wrapped around her hooves and legs, hungry to take as much of the gryphon's fist as possible. Of course, she had that deep transformation magic inside her so her body adapted within seconds of feeling Ceylon's knuckles grinding against her lips.

Eager to fill her up, Ceylon kept her fingertips at a point, twisting her wrist and grinding against Fidget, nearly making the tiny hybrid gal fall over the railing of the ship; she would have tumbled if not for the vines tying her down. Then, all at once, Ceylon's knuckles slipped out past Fidget's pussy lips, bursting with fluid all over the place and giving her a moment's reprieve before balling it up and forcing it right back in with a punching motion

The two of them had a bit of a lovely back-and-forth, with Fidget pushing down like she was laying an egg while Ceylon pummeled her depths right back in, each of them fighting for control. Of course Ceylon was the larger of the two and thus had the power advantage. She always won, her fist always went right in past the wrist to grind against Fidget's depths.

But that wasn't enough. While she was as deep as she could go in the tiny gal's pussy canal, she had something else in mind so she extended a finger again and used a talon to tease Fidget's cervix, dilating it just enough to get a single digit inside.

This intense pressure made Fidget's eyes broaden, her throat tight, and her hooves curl against the wood and moss of the deck. She could feel the typical discomfort of her womb being invaded but knowing she was safe made her relax a bit and enjoy it. Despite having broken from the vines around her antlers and neck, the ones around her wrists and upper arms were still tied tight as well as the ones around her angles and constricting all the way up her thighs; she remained anchored.

Which is when Ceylon started teasing a bit deeper and a bit harder. She twisted her wrist inside, curled her digits to tug on Fidget's womb, and slowly grew with intensity until her own breaths became ragged. The captain had unique tactile kinks, and one of them was that any of her flesh - be it cock or cunt or talon - felt the same to her, sexually. Any sexual stimulation could be felt all over, so to her having her fist buried in Fidget's pussy was as stimulating as being knotted or tied, a lovely benefit to being female and still being able to get the full experience of penetration.

This also meant that as she thrust and twisted and tugged on Fidget from within, her own orgasm slowly built up deep within her, constricting her passage and kneading her womb with all the eggs. The grinding of the shells resonated through her body, teasing her pussy from beyond its depths to loosen her up. Then, all at once, a shifting lurch of weight followed by both an intense pressure and invigorating release of that pressure had an egg pop out of her womb and deposit itself in her pussy only to be stopped by her still-tight lips.

The blunt end of the egg dilated her opening, stretching her flesh and threatening to pop out had she not clenched and held it there. With her fist still deep in Fidget, she balled it up firmly and gave a tug while her other front talon reached up between her legs to caress her lips, loosening them just enough to allow the egg to pop out into her palm.

A gush of fluids soaked her hand and the egg, which she pulled up and observed as the ship lurched and a spray of ocean mist washed over it. The natural fluids mixed with the sea water to make the lubrication extra slimy and slick, so she yanked her fist out of Fidget, left her gaping, then immediately pressed the narrow end of the egg up against her.

Fidget pushed back and grunted as she squeezed her entire abdomen, forcing her womb to descend and her cervix to part her lips, giving Ceylon unfettered access to her deepest depths.

An invitation the captain happily took. With one firm push, Ceylon was able to force the egg through Fidget's pussy lips and beyond her battered walls, easily boring open her dilated cervix and popping right into her womb all in one fluid motion. The egg made her look pregnant, the resulting bulge considerably larger for her than it was for Ceylon, but that wasn't a problem.

She huffed, she collapsed over the railing, and the vines began to slowly recede, getting absorbed back into the ship's deck in the process. The pressure of the egg pushing out against her inner clit - the engorged spot along her interior wall - kept her in a constant state of near orgasm, every time the ship rocked she could feel the egg shift inside her and grind out a micro-gasm.

Ceylon licked her talons clean, licked Fidget clean, then hopped up over the other side of the railing overlooking the horizon. Her own equine pussy was winking and drooling all over the place, resulting in patches of flowers and ferns growing where her lubrication pooled.

No words were spoken between them. They just relaxed while pondering what was next for them and the rest of the crew over that horizon.