The night had settled gently over the clearing. After the hunt and the bath in the river, the atmosphere between Moon and Lyan remained strange, a mix of tension, expectation, and something too new to be named.
When they finished tidying up the cabin, Moon took a deep breath, gathered her courage, and called out:
— Lyan... sleep with me tonight...
He froze. His fluffy tail stopped midair. His blue eyes trembled.
— S-sleep... with you? He stammered, blushing all the way to the tips of his ears. — Females don't sleep with males who aren't their mates! And even when they are... they prefer to sleep alone...
Moon chuckled softly, making space for him on the bed.
— We're not going to do anything inappropriate. I'm just cold.
She paused provocatively. — And... who knows, in the near future... maybe we'll become mates, hm?
The sentence exploded in Lyan's mind. He became stiff as a statue.
Moon pulled his wrist, gently guiding him to the bed. He lay down as if it were a crime, tense, rigid, completely locked up. But as the minutes passed, he slowly relaxed, breathing steadily, his body naturally fitting against hers, drawn by Moon's warm, intoxicating scent.
When dawn came, they were tangled together, holding each other as if made for that.
Moon stretched... and then felt something rigid pressing against her back.
Before she could comment, Lyan jumped away with feline agility, landing beside the table in a perfect leap.
Red. Embarrassed. Breathing fast.
— S-sorry! I don't know what's happening! I'm not in heat! I... I swear!
Moon covered her mouth to hide a giggle.
He grew even more nervous when he saw her smile.
And she, with messy hair, cat-print pajama shorts and shirt, looked so sweet, so perfect, that Lyan felt dizzy.
— Calm down, Lyan... this is normal. Males react like this when they're near a female who attracts them.
He was petrified.
Moon approached slowly, eyes locked on his, her voice dropping to a seductive tone:
— Are you attracted to me, Lyan?
It was like shooting an arrow straight into the poor feran's heart.
— I-I would never dare! You are the envoy of the Pons! Even if I dared, you would never want someone like me... not even the low-leaf females from my village want me... imagine you...
Moon almost laughed out loud. How foolish those females were...
Lyan was beautiful. Gentle. Caring. Strong where it mattered.
And she, powerful, intelligent, determined, could very well be his provider.
And many others.
The idea of a harem appeared so vividly that she laughed internally.
Moon then took Lyan's hands, pulling him closer.
— Lyan... as an envoy of the Pons, I can make you the strongest feran of all.
His tail lashed excitedly in the air, but he tried to control himself.
— Let's eat, then take a bath and brush our teeth...
After that, you'll take me to your village.
At that moment, Boing's voice echoed in her mind:
[Moon! Lyan's interest in you is rising fast. It's already at 79%.]
[He has been excluded for a long time due to his low level.]
[New mission issued:
INTRODUCE YOURSELF TO THE VILLAGE ELDER AND PARTICIPATE IN THE TEST.
Mandatory mission: Level D]
[D (Low difficulty): 1,000 points]
Moon simply replied mentally:
— Ok.
Breakfast smelled of blueberries and fresh coffee. Pancakes, yogurt, fruit. Lyan stared at everything as if they were divine artifacts.
Then Moon asked:
— Do you want clothes to change into after the bath?
Lyan tilted his head, not knowing what "clothes" were, since he wore only a leather strip tied at his waist, leaving his legs free, basically covering just his waist and his sexual member (almost...).
— I... don't need a bath. I didn't hunt today.
Moon crossed her arms.
— Hygiene prevents disease. And if you want to keep sleeping with me, you need to bathe every day.
His expression changed instantly.
— Then I... will take a bath.
Moon grabbed a robe, liquid soap, shampoo, conditioner, black boxer briefs (she was going crazy imagining him walking around like that), toothpaste, and a toothbrush.
Lyan looked at everything as if it were some kind of forbidden magic.
Perfect.
Moon really wanted to see that "Greek god" completely naked.
— I... I don't know how to use these things... — he confessed, embarrassed.
Moon smiled dangerously.
— Then I'll bathe with you and teach you.
Lyan's eyes widened, his tail excited but uncontrollable.
Even so, he agreed, red from head to toe.
As they left, Moon stored everything back into the infinite warehouse.
Lyan jumped.
— I-it disappeared! You made it vanish! — his fur bristling, tail fluffed.
Moon laughed, calming him as they headed toward the river.
At the bank, she pulled out a bench from the warehouse and placed the clothes and robes there. Then she began undressing without any shame.
Lyan turned his back so fast he almost fell.
— You already saw me yesterday, Lyan. What's the problem?
He turned slowly... still with his eyes closed.
Moon burst into laughter.
— Take off your clothes (if we can even call that leather strip clothes).
He obeyed, still with his eyes shut.
Moon was shocked by his impressive member.
And... aroused.
She pulled Lyan into the river by the hand, feeling his warm body tremble.
She took out the black orchid liquid soap (her favorite), put it on the sponge, and began scrubbing his body.
Lyan shuddered, goosebumps rising with every touch.
— Open your eyes, or you won't learn how to use anything, she warned.
He opened his eyes slowly... saw Moon naked before him... the morning light illuminating her silver hair... her bronze skin glowing...
And he froze.
Moon put foam on the sponge and handed it to him.
— Now it's your turn. Use it on me.
She turned her back.
Lyan hesitated at first, but soon began to move the sponge with a delicacy that made Moon bite her lip.
When she turned around, she said:
— Now you turn around, I need to wash your back.
He obeyed. Then they submerged in the clean water, rinsing together.
Moon taught him about shampoo and conditioner, asked him to bend down so she could wash his hair and the fur on his ears.
Lyan found it all wonderful, and very intimate.
When Moon caressed his ears, the feran turned abruptly, grabbing her hand.
His pupils were dilated. His body trembled.
That was a mate's touch.
And he was aroused. Very.
Moon received another notification:
"Attraction: 90%.
Mission available: kiss Lyan: 100 points."
She gently touched his face... and kissed him.
Lyan froze, not knowing what to do. Ferans didn't kiss.
But the heat grew inside him, like heat season.
His body reacted on its own. His hands found her waist as if they had always belonged there.
The kiss began softly, but hunger soon followed, inevitable and urgent.
He felt strange and aroused at the same time, the innocence of the first kiss mixing with the urgency growing inside him.
When their bodies pressed closer, he couldn't resist the impulse to rub against her, as if every inch of contact could say what his words still couldn't. The simple touch sent waves of heat and desire through him, and he pulled back only to look into her eyes, stunned, flushed, knowing that nothing would ever be the same after that moment.
— It's not the time yet. I know you want me. And I want you as my mate too. But we need to go to your village before nightfall.
Lyan's mind stopped.
— M-mate...? You... want me as your mate?
His voice came out broken.
Moon sensed his emotional collapse and held his face between her hands, pulling him down until they were at the same height.
She kissed him again, this time sweet and gentle.
— Are you calmer now?
He took a deep breath.
— Y-yes...
— You are the first feran I met. And regardless of level, I feel safe and happy with you.
You are kind, sweet, determined to protect me even without strength.
And I can help you become stronger.
I am currently as strong as a level 8 feran, Lyan... and I will make you even stronger.
Lyan stood still.
Eyes shining.
An expression caught between shock, happiness, and absolute devotion.
And the world changed for him.