dragon's head
by nightshade
for Chris Castillo
Colin copyright Chris Castillo
Karla copyright Stephanie Hitchner
Colin stumbled through the snow, the blizzard swirling around him. He leant on a tree for a moment and panted hard. He pulled the tatters of his coat around him closer and moved on. Snow stuck to his fur, his shoulder length hair tangled with ice. He wheezed for a second and fell to his knees. 'I may die here but at least I'm free.' he thought as he struggled to his feet. His stomach growled and he coughed weakly as he made his way through the harsh forest. His strength almost all gone, his ears shot up as he heard a horse whinney. He gathered up his last reserves and dragged himself towards the sound. A large building loomed out of the blizzard and he moved forward a few steps. "Almost... there..." His vision faded and he fell full length upon the stoop.
Karla looked up from the table she was wiping clean when the loud 'thud' hit. Her cat ears twitched as she listened for anything else. She put down her cloth and slipped on her coat and opened the door. She gasped and called out. "Gus!" the bear tavern owner came out of the back room and hurried over. "Help me with him," she said as she tried to drag the limp figure inside. The bear helped carry him in and Colin was quickly and carefully carried into the tavern proper and laid out on the bar. "He's in a bad way," the bear said as she put some water on the stove to boil. "Leave his clothes on," she said as Gus ran to get several thick blankets and towels. Colin opened his eyes and looked up at her. "An angel..." he murmured, his lips cracked. Karla smiled reassuringly. "Hush." they wrapped him well and carefully.
Colin moaned and stirred as the fever gripped his dreams. Karla jerked awake and looked to him. "Lay still." she said softly. He heard the soft voice and did so, trying to speak through his parched throat. "Where?" he managed to croak. She touched his lips softly "you're in the Dragons Head tavern in the village of West Water." he settled back. "Thank you." he managed to say clearly. "No need, just relax, I'll take good care of you." She purred softly as she looked down at his form. Although much of him was covered at the time, she could tell he was well built. Colin was a handsome young dire wolf with jet-black fur and thick black head fur hanging down to his shoulders. His eyes were such a deep blue they looked like sparkling sapphires. She laid a warm cloth gently on his forehead and wrapped the blankets around him tighter. He opened his eyes halfway and finally got a good look at the voice. What he saw was breathtaking. Karla was a slim white furred panthress. Her white head fur cascaded down to her waist like a curtain. Her body fur white as the snow he trekked through. Only with light blue highlights here or there. Her eyes were bright blue and just as lovely as his. Exhausted beyond belief, he closed his eyes and slept better than he had for a long time.
"Careful, not too much," she giggled as she held the spoon to his lips. He sipped it slowly and she twitched her tail. "Good boy." she purred, getting another spoonful of broth. "You're doing very well," she said softly. "I can do this myself madam," he said softly, although he wasn't complaining at the attention. "Hush or mama spank," she replied playfully. He tilted his head slightly. "I don't even know your name." she flicked her tail and smiled. "Karla, Karla Consata." He nodded and told his name in turn. "Colin Young," he murred softly. A knock came on the door. "Come in." she called. Gus looked in. "And how is our foundling doing today?" Colin looked up at the towering bear. "Better. Thank you, Mr..." "Gustav, Gustav Serban," he replied. He looked over to Karla and rumbled a jolly laugh, giving Colin a wink. "I envy you, you have a very good nurse." Karla glared at him. "Oh hush, you old rascal," she giggled. He brought in a bag and set it next to the doorway. "We washed and mended your clothes as best we could." Colin looked at the bag and blushed a little. "Uh yes I noticed I seem to be nude." He lifted the covers and took a quick glance "Which of you..." he began to ask when he noticed Karla lowered her eyes a bit. "I did, but I did my best not to peek." the young wolf sat there with the two visitors and absently fingered the old scar across his chest. Gus was the first to speak after an awkward moment of silence. "You were in bad shape when we found you. The storm you were in was one of the worst I've seen in a long time." "Its okay," Colin replied, "I've been through worse." He shivered and closed his eyes a moment. "What is it?" Karla asked. He huddled into the blankets a bit and sighed, "it's nothing, I'll be okay." Karla shrugged it off and fed him the rest of the broth. "Eat up," Gus said, "its my wife's best chicken broth." "Your wife?" Colin asked. The bear nodded and Karla answered. "Yes, she's the cook here." Karla purred. "Rest now." She gently stroked a bit of hair out of his eyes and he lay back in the bed. Gus smiled and went outside. After a few moments she came out and he chuckled quietly, a confused look across Karla's face. "You like him don't you?" she blushed. "Welll..." he laid a fatherly paw on her shoulder. "Come, we'll have the regulars soon."
The regulars were indeed beginning to arrive and soon they were busy, serving meals and keeping the tankards full. About midway through the night, the door swung open and a tall coyote dressed in black entered. He stamped the snow off his boots and walked with a steady tread towards the bar. As he passed the tables, conversation petered off, and when he reached the long bar top, the whole place was silent. With a heavy chink a black silk bag was tossed upon the wood. "I'm looking for someone." Gus cleaned a glass and looked back at the stranger with a neutral expression on his face. "Aren't we all? Whom may I ask?" the stranger did not smile. "A young dire wolf; black hair and fur, with a scar across his chest." Karla stifled a gasp and tried to keep calm, grateful she was facing the fire at the time. "You a bounty hunter?" Gus said calmly. "I represent certain parties who wish to make sure the young man is safe. Have you seen him?" Karla held her breath and prayed. After what seemed an eternity she heard Gus say. "No, sorry, no one like that has been through here." "Are you sure?" he asked. The bear gazed back levelly. "Positive." The stranger gave a thin smile. The bag was scooped up and a single coin was flicked into the air, landing on the bar with a tinkle "good evening then." The coyote stalked out. After the door closed behind him, the air still seemed to hold a chill. With a low murmur, talking began again and soon the room felt almost as if nothing happened. Karla finished with her order and hurried towards the bar. Gus was turning the coin over and over in his fingers. "I don't like this one bit." he said softly to her.
Karla sat on the bed and looked down at Colin. 'Who are you?' she wondered in her mind. 'You handsome stranger, what secrets do you hold?' She reached over and brushed a little hair out of his eyes and purred softly. The door opened and Gus's wife looked in. "Best to let him sleep," the large she-bear smiled. "Yes Ruthe, you're right." she stood and left him to rest.
Colin sat at the table and ate ravenously. "Thank you Gus, it's been so long since I had proper food." the bear chuckled deeply. "I figured so, the way you're putting it away." Karla purred. "You've made wonderful progress these past two weeks, considering you were half dead when you arrived." Colin mopped up his plate with a crust of bread. "I don't have much to pay you back with." Gus raised his paw. "No need for that, it never hurts to aid a stranger in need." Karla flicked her tail nervously. "I suppose... you'll be wanting to move on now?" she gulped, trying to hide her feelings. He shook his head. "I have nowhere to go." she looked to Gus with a pleading look and the bear smiled in return. "Well you do now. You can stay as long as you like, if you don't mind pitching in. We could always use an extra set of paws." the young wolf smiled. "I'd be delighted." Karla was almost screaming in her mind with joy.
A few days later, as he was helping Karla change the sheets on one of the beds, he noticed her studying him. "Is something wrong?" he asked. She shook her head and blushed slightly at being caught staring. "Well actually, I was watching your tail. You wag it in such a curious way." he blinked. "I do?" she nodded. "Yes, kind of backwards." He looked over his shoulder and moved it to and fro behind him. "Is that wrong?" he asked. She giggled and shook her head again. "Oh no, I like it actually." He smiled to her. "Thank you milady." He turned around and bent over to set the corner and Karla couldn't help but look. She purred softly, admiring the outlines of his rump through the fabric of his trousers. He straightened up and cracked his back. "Colin?" she called. He looked to her. "Yes Karla?" She lowered her eyes. "Oh. Nothing."
"Take this to table 4." Gus handed him a large tray of drinks to Colin. Despite his size and the number of partitions in the room at the time, he dodged the occupied seats and tables and made his way through the jumble to the table. "Here you are gents. Enjoy." One of the diners flicked a coin into the air and Colin plucked it out of the air and shoved it in his pocket. "Thank you sir." He started to walk away and glanced over to Karla serving a nearby table. 'She's so beautiful,' he thought. He felt a flush of heat at the way the firelight shone on her soft fur and the gentle swell of her bosom. When one of the furres grabbed her backside, he bit back a growl and set down his now empty tray at the bar. "Stop that Derak!" she snapped and the tiger laughed. "Oh come now little pretty, be good to the customers." She tried to move away but he grabbed her arm roughly. The others at the table were grinning evilly. "Give us a kiss," the drunk said. She struggled to get away and Colin strode over to them. Standing at the table and over the head of the tiger, Colin growled lowly. "The lady said no," he said. The drunk stood up and soon was staring up at him. He was at least a head taller then Colin. '...crap' Colin thought. "Oh? And what are you going to do about it?" he gruffed as he raised a paw the size of a brick. "Colin, be careful!" Karla cried as the fist came down. With a blur of motion, Colin dodged the massive fist and drove his own paw into the tiger. The drunk grunted and doubled over, struck right in his solar plexus. Colin hefted the tiger and headed for the door. "Sorry for the fuss gentleman." Colin said calmly as he dragged the limp figure out of the tavern and tossed him into a snow bank. Karla, wide eyed in amazement, stared as he came back in and dusted off his paws. "Another round gentlemen?" The table just shook their heads and left.
Later that night after closing, Karla came up and knocked softly on the door to Colin's room. "Come in," she heard through the door and opened it. She looked in and saw him stretched out on the bed, still dressed. "Am I intruding?" she asked. He smiled and waved her in. "Not at all. Please come in." She entered and shut the door behind her. She fiddled with the edge of her apron for a moment and finally Colin said something. "Is there something wrong?" he sat up and on the edge of the bed. "The way you handled that drunk," she finally said. "It was amazing." He smiled ruefully. "Noticed that did you?" He sat on the bed and patted the space next to him. She walked over slowly and sat. Colin drew in a deep breath and spoke. "Before I came here, my life was... complex." His eyes seemed to un-focus and drop slightly. "I was a slave. I was used to train soldiers. A living target if you will." He closed his eyes tightly. "That's where I learned to defend myself. It's also where I got this." He pointed to the plainly visible scar across his chest. She touched his shoulder. "Oh Colin, I'm so sorry." He shuddered and continued. "...My masters daughters. They had other uses for me. It was terrible. They used me to pleasure them and threatened to tell their father and my master." Karla was disgusted by that. Colin kept talking. "One night, my master forgot to lock his key up and I escaped. I made my way for days in the blinding snow until I finally ended up here. I was lucky, because I would rather have died out there in the forest than gone back there." she took his paw and squeezed it. "It's over now," she said. Colin opened his eyes and a single tear rolled down his cheek. She reached up to wipe it away and gently stroked his cheek. "You're safe now Colin." He thought about it and suddenly started to cry softly '...Its over,' he thought. He repeated Karla's words in his head over and over. She held him close and tried to calm him down some, gently stroking his fur like she would a small cub. After a few moments, he calmed and their eyes met. She realized she was hugging him and blushed crimson under her fur. "Oh, I'm sorry," she said. He chuckled slightly and wiped his eyes a little. "No need to be Karla. I've been wanting to get that out of my system." Their eyes met again and Colin couldn't take it any longer. "Karla, I... I..." She put a finger to his lips as if she already knew what he was going to say. "I know Colin, so do I." They both leaned their muzzles closer and kissed deeply, holding each other close. The kiss deepened, their paws slowly roaming each other and soon they were tugging at each others clothes...
Karla meowed softly as Colin ran his paws over her body, kissing and caressing her chest. She gasped and shivered as he licked her nipples, her paw stroking his rising shaft slowly. "Be gentle," she mewed. Her eyes closed with intense pleasure. He nodded, a soft murr rising in his throat. He moved forwards and as they joined, she felt a wonderful feeling of warmth and fullness. He slid in and stopped midway in as he felt a slight resistance. He looked at her questioningly and she looked back up at him, nodding slightly. He pressed through her maidenhead and she gasped in pain, her claws digging into Colin's back. After a few moments of pain, she relaxed and held him close. They kissed and nuzzled as their bodies moved as one and she felt a tingle grow in her tummy and spread. With a soft cry, she arched her back and pressed harder against him as she climaxed. Colin moaned as he gifted her with his seed, his essence flowing into her. She panted and groaned as their bodies melded together, their hearts beating quickly. "I love you," she gasped and he ruffed tenderly in return. "And I love you." He shuddered as he came again and she gripped him tightly as she growled and came again as well. Karla panted softly as she lay with him, idly stroking the scar on his chest. "That was amazing." She licked his cheek and he murred "You're the amazing one." Karla sighed happily and snuggled closer, Colin's arms wrapping around her tightly as they drifted off to a blissful slumber.
Gus chuckled as he watched them, nuzzling and purring as they cleaned the dishes. "It's about time," he gruffed. They both blushed slightly. "I was wondering when you too would realize." He clapped them both happily on the shoulder, almost knocking Colin into the sink. "Thanks Gus." Karla purred, giving Colin a kiss on the cheek. "Just so long as you concentrate on your work." the bear grinned and they both nodded. Karla hummed and swished her tail as they worked, serving drinks with a flourish and a happy smile. Colin felt pretty damn happy too, the dark cloud over his heart finally beginning to lift. The tips were good too, the customers loving her cheery attitude and swift service. Gus gave them a larger room and often he and Ruthe would often hear the creaking of their bed and their muffled moans, smiling to each other at the joy of young love.
Across town however, darker deeds were afoot. The tiger Derak sat in across from the black clad coyote. "You say you know where my quarry is?" The striped traitor nodded. "Yeah, I can get you the guy. He cheated in a fight after I tried to get a kiss from that barmaid bitch." The coyote nodded. "Show me where and the reward is yours." Derak smiled grimly. "Ill teach them to mess with me." The coyote smiled in the depths of his hood. 'Blind tiger fool.' he thought to himself.
Karla and Colin grew ever closer and more customers came in, drawn by the palpable joy in the tavern. Gus and Ruthe gave advice when asked and regaled them with tales of his youthful days as a traveling actor, even teaching them to sing. Ruthe told them of the day they'd met and of raising their three daughters, all married now with cubs of their own. Colin proved to have a very good tenor voice and Karla a great soprano. Karla grew more adventurous in their love and Colin felt ever happier, the memory of his ten years of harsh servitude fading to the back of his mind.
As they sang a duet for their crowds one bitterly cold night, the door opened. Looking towards the sound, Colin froze in mid-voice. "No." he croaked and Karla hissed, her paw gripping his tightly. It was the coyote, with Derak by his side. He strode forward, smiling grimly. "So here you are, slave," he snarled and Colin went pale under his fur. The coyote tossed the bag of coins to Derak and he hurried out. "Traitor!" Karla called after him, the other customers rushing out too, not wanting to become involved. "Come along now, time to come home." The coyote brought out a collar and leash from his pack and Colin backed up. "No, no I won't!" His back against a wall, he looked around wildly and snatched up a knife from a nearby table. The bounty hunter smiled and drew his sword with a 'shing'. "You know you are no match for me. Give it up." Karla threw herself at the hunter, snarling and clawing. He easily dodged and tightly gripped her by the neck, throwing her aside into several tables. "Karla!" Colin shouted and tried to get to her. A firm paw shot out and grabbed him by the neck as he was lifted off the floor. "It's over slave." Colin nodded, seeing Karla sit up groggily. He smiled softly, his face calm and at ease. "Yes, it is over." He lifted the blade in his paw and looked at his love. "Goodbye darling." Karla screamed as he plunged the blade into his stomach. "CCCOOLLLIINNNIN!!" she shrieked as Colin choked and went limp in the bounty hunters grasp. "No!" the coyote snarled. "You damn fool!" he tossed Colin aside and turned, coming face to face with Gus. "Get out." the bear growled and floored him with a massive blow to the face. He picked him up easily and threw him out the door. "Your masters won't be happy you failed, if I were you, I would run very far from here." The coyote stumbled groggily to his feet and ran off into the darkness.
Karla cradled Colin in her arms sobbing bitterly. "No no, oh my poor love, no!" She rocked him tenderly, her heart shattered into a thousand pieces. Gus laid a paw on her shoulder and she looked up at him, her face soaked in tears. Colin moaned and she looked at him with shock. "Is he gone?" Colin opened one eye and Karla fainted dead away. When she awoke, Colin was by the bedside, wiping his paws clean. "It's not a dream my dearest." She blinked. "But but, I saw it, you died!" Gus smiled. "No, he's alive." He held up the knife he had used and pressed down on the blade. With a slight creak it slid harmlessly into the hilt. She looked back to Colin. "A trick," She muttered, utterly revived to see him alive. He stroked her face softly. "Yes, I knew he would come for me eventually, so I palmed the table knife and used the fake one I'd kept with me." She threw her arms around him. "Oh darling!" he murred and hugged back. Suddenly, she snarled and gave him a ringing slap, knocking him to the floor. She climbed out of the bed and straddled his hips, gripping him by the shirt and snarling in his face. "If you ever try a stunt like that again, I'll kill you myself!!" she snarled, showing her fangs. He nodded rapidly in fear. "Yes dear, no dear." Her face softened and she purred. "And this is for not being dead." She leant down and kissed him deeply. Gus smiled and chuckled and let them be as the kiss deepened and his arms moved round her...
"What do you make of it?" the guardsmen asked his partner as they stood by the frozen body. "Its Derak, looks like he's been poisoned." He nudged the bag by his side. "Why would he be carrying a money sack with poison dust inside?"
The coyote shivered as he knelt before his master. "We sent you to retrieve the runaway. You took several months of my time and now you return with the news of his death!" He lowered his head. "Master please, I beg..." he was cut off. "You have failed, now face the punishment." Two large guards stepped forward and lifted him to his feet. "No please, not that master, I'm sorry!" he cried as they dragged him out. Just visible through large doors was a sharp axe and a chopping block...
Gus smiled as he brought in the large bowl and set it by the bed. "I think we need to disguise you young fellow. After all, you are 'dead' but they may still look for you." Colin nodded, holding the sleeping Karla in his arms. "What do you suggest?" he said as he sat up in the bed. The panthress moaned as he let her go, half awake. "What is it?" she mumbled as she noticed Gus smiling at them. "A new life needs a new look." He held up a bottle, "Fur dye" she giggled. "What color?" Colin gave her a look. "I'm not good enough with black fur?" she sat up and kissed him. "You know I love you in any shade." The bear rumbled a laugh. "Trust me, you'll love it." Colin slid out of bed. "Well alright." Karla purred and patted his naked rump. "Have fun." Colin looked over his shoulder and gave his hips an extra swing as he left the room.
"It suits you." Karla purred as he looked at himself in the mirror. She put her arms round his neck as he looked at the newly colored white hair on his head. Gus nodded. "Now you two match." She shot him a dirty look and he grinned. She licked Colin's ear and looked at him in the mirror. "You know, I think I need to keep a closer eye on you. With that new hair you're even more handsome. I don't want some other girl snatching you away from me." Colin turned and held her close. "Oh and what do you suggest my lovely kitten?" she purred deeply. "Marry me." His eyes widened and he lifted her off the floor with a hard hug. "Of course I will!"
Over the next few days, the preparations were made. On the fateful day, Colin paced in his room, clad in borrowed finery when Gus looked in. "She's almost ready." The dire wolf looked up. "Thanks." The bear entered and straightened Colin's jacket. "I was nervous too." Colin nodded. "Well no need to worry. It'll be over soon and then the real adventure begins." Gus rumbled a deep chuckle.
"Goodness me," Ruthe said as she fussed with Karla's dress. "You're a bundle of nerves you are." The panthress purred nervously. "You're a tower of strength Ruthe." The female bear smiled. "Oh its nothing, after all, you learn a few things after 3 cubs." Karla blushed. "I helped with all their dresses and I'm glad to see I still have a way with a needle and thread." She straightened the veil. "There you are dear, a vision for his eyes." Karla purred and swished her tail, hugging the old bear happily.
The old badger priest smiled, glasses perched on the end of his nose. "Is the happy couple ready and the witnesses present?" Ruthe and Gus nodded. "Then let us begin. Do you, Colin Young, take this woman to be your life mate?" He nodded happily. "I do, with all my heart." The old priest smiled and looked over to the bride. "And do you, Karla Consata, take this man to be your life-mate?" She nodded, her face radiant. "Yes, with everything I am." He nodded. "Then before the eyes of these witnesses, I pronounce you husband and wife." Colin lifted the veil and they kissed deeply and lovingly.
A little later, Karla giggled as Colin carried her into their room. "Mrs. Karla Consanta Young, a fine name." He kissed her and laid her on the bed. "Gus did a great job with the dye, your hair looks so natural." He murred and started to disrobe. "And yours is beautiful, like fresh fallen snow." She purred and kissed him deeply. He laid next to her on the bed, and moved over her soon after...
Karla gasped and moaned as she rode her new husband firmly. She felt a deep hunger in her tummy and as sweat ran through their fur she yowled softly and shuddered above him. He growled lovingly and fired within her. She felt the hunger erupt into a fire and she panted at the wonderful warmth flowing into her. He grasped her tightly rolled her under him and they continued to love, her legs raised around his hips. "Love, you, so, much." she gasped as he huffed and pumped. "Love, you, too." He groaned and kissed her deeply. She writhed beneath and up into him and when she felt him gift her with another thick flow of his seed, she gave a cry of love and need, her depths accepting every drop with eagerness and joy.
A couple of months passed and the snow began to melt. As grass appeared between the drifts, a new life entered their lives as well. Gus rumbled as Colin watched Karla, the firelight shining off her body as she smiled back at him, illuminating the visible slope of her tummy. She put a paw on it and purred happily as Colin sat next to her in front of the fire. He placed a paw on her stomach and smiled at her. "I love you Karla." She smiled back and kissed him "I love you too Colin."
The end
authors note-this was a wonderful request to do, made even more helpful by the assistance of the requester.
he was kind enough to edit this story, and as always i loved doing a romance.