Solo Rumble in the Jungle.

[Shakune]

48th Spring, 515AV

The kisses trailed down Shakune's neck to her collarbone. From there his lips travelled further, down to her chest, her breasts, her nipples. His beard was rough and it set her skin on fire. The courier squirmed under her lover's weight, releasing a breathless little giggle as he grazed his teeth against her coppery flesh. He'd so far discovered every inch of her lithe body with his lips and fingers, but the bearded male simply wasn't satisfied yet. His hunger was utterly insatiable.

His lips began their slow ascent back up Shakune's stomach and chest, returning to their original place on her mouth. Her fingertips gripped the back of his shoulders, keeping the male's nakedness close to her own.

"We should be training. That's why we came out here in the first place."

Indeed they had: it had been Shakune's suggestion that they train in the South Woods, to make a change from sweating away in the city proper. They'd borrowed a pair of horses from an associate of Shaune's - though the courier had sincere doubts that the mounts were actually his to give away. The ride had taken most of the morning, and by the time they'd reached the woods, weapon training was the last thing Shakune wanted to do.

"I can think of more entertaining things to do other than training." Her voice was low and sultry. Shakune bucked her hips upwards to push herself against Shaun's bristly body. He huffed and shuddered in response, before giving into his primal urges and ravishing Shakune right there on the dried leaves.

Birds scattered scattered away from their resting stops, cawing with annoyance.

---

"Do you have a habit of taking young men out into the woods and having your way with them?"

The courier snorted as she dressed, her skin glowing with sweaty pleasure and exhaustion. "You? Young?" The two shared a look before Shaun grumbled and glanced away. He disliked being reminded of the ten-year age gap between himself and Shakune.

She'd always liked older men, for reasons truly unknown to the courier. Perhaps it was their calmness, the fact they were weathered down by life like some smooth pebble for her to collect. This was a stark contrast to Shakune's own mentality: she was excitable, hated being tied down. This ultimately explained why her partnerships with older men always came to some awkward, painful end. Her lovers who were not already married were still of that age, seeking a woman to wed and bed and have children with. Shakune wanted none of this - not for the time being, anyway. When they couldn't convince her to confirm their relationship before Cheva, they would huff, argue and ultimately saunter off.

Perhaps this explained why her two longest relationships had been with married men. It was immoral, and in the deepest parts of Shakune's mind, she knew that. And yet she found herself unable to refuse a man who wore a wedding ring. She didn't even feel guilty afterwards - and this she felt was even more sinful that the act of being a mistress. In Shakune's mind, an unfaithful man would be unfaithful anywhere, with anyone. Her involvement was therefore purely... coincidental. If it weren’t her, it would be some other slut.

But Shaun was not married, which made Shakune's life a whole lot easier. She already had one married lover 'on the go', so to say. Vince, and one psychotic wife was more than enough for Shakune to avoid.

[Shakune]

"I reckon we should get started." The male stretched and yawned tiredly, not at all looking energised enough to train with weaponry. With a dozy smile, he looked in Shakune's direction before ambling towards their horses, withdrawing two training weapons from the saddlebags. He passed a wooden khopesh to the courier before slashing the air with his own wooden short sword. "These weapons are bloody shyke. Far too light."

Shakune agreed. Her real khopesh weighed approximately twice as much as the toy-like training blade in her hand now. That very fact she could hold it in just one hand was a testament to this. "It's all we got. Unless you wanna risk losing a hand while practising."

The bald male grinned and picked a twig out from his dark beard. "I reckon I'd be safe enough. Unless you've improved since our last session."

She narrowed her eyes into a glare. Shakune was far from a skilled warrior, but such insults were still rather unnecessary. She was learning, albeit slowly. But then again, the courier wasn't training in order to become a mercenary or soldier. She'd found her trade, and was happy doing it. But living in Sunberth required anyone to be able to wield some sort of blade. For her own protection, Shakune had decided to improve her skills.

But progress was slow. She was clumsy, slow, and distractible. Group lessons, such as the one where she'd first met Shaun, were not helpful. Shakune needed more guidance, and fortunately her bald-headed companion had offered his services. As somewhat a mercenary veteran, he was as good a teacher as any.

And his fees were very reasonable.

"Oh, stop pouting." He kissed her forehead in an unusual moment of apparent genuine affection. After clearing his throat, Shaun's facial expression hardened and he stepped away from his lover. "Now. What'd you remember from the otherday?"

She frowned. School and learning had never come naturally to Shakune. Her attention span was too short. But nevertheless, she recalled snippets of the lessons he'd previously given her: "Keep on the balls of your feet, abs tight. Keeps good form and strength." At Shaun's nod, Shakune continued: "Remember to keep moving. Because I won't have a shield at hand, this is particularly important."

Again he nodded. Despire Shaun's rough nature; he was a thorough and patient teacher. "Yes. Unlike myself, an opponent will be able to come at you from all angles without the protection of a shield. But this doesn't necessarily mean you'll be killed any quicker, though."

"Promising."

The sarcasm was not appreciated. "Anyway. Today we'll put those things in practise more than we did last time. I'll come at you and just... try not to let me hack you pieces. Yes?"

A few ticks passed before Shakune realised she was expected to answer. "Oh. Yes."

Formalities and affections over, Shaun lunged. He moved impressively quickly for such a tall, broad-shoulders man. His surge forward was accompanied by a swing of the sword, but it was slow and horizontal. Shakune noticed, registered, and avoided it all before the wooden blade was even would have touched her. He was going slowly for her, at least to begin with.

The khopesh could be carried in just her right hand, but to make their training more realistic, the courier gripped it with both. She swung it upright, not really aiming and not hugely focused on where the curved blade would land.

Shaun met the khopesh with a conflicting bash from the flat of his sword, knocking Shakune's swing off balance and sending the courier tripping forwards. She managed to catch her balance -- but only because he extended a hand out to catch her.

[Shakune]

"Foes are not usually quite so chivalrous." He said in a warning voice, eyebrows quirked in a disciplinary manner.

"You get to serious when we train." Shakune whined, lips pouting. She pushed herself close to her lover, feeling the gristly heat from his body. They were both spent from their earlier session in the dried leaves, but the courier delighted in pushing his buttons and limits.

Shaun's face remained blank, but his breath became short and wanting. His desire was obvious, as was the conflict between his loins and his brain. Eventually, the latter won and he managed to pull himself away from Shakune's clutches. "I'd rather see you alive and annoyed than dead."

He was genuinely concerned for her wellbeing. Shaun was born and bred in Sunberth, he'd never left the city. So he was familiar with it's impossibilities, it's eternal challenges. It took a real Sunberth native to survive the place, and at the moment he still regarded Shakune as an outsider, innocent and likely to be hurt.

Which irked the courier. She'd lived alone for the past year, surviving well enough on her own and only having one single near-death experience. Not that Shaun knew about that - no doubt he'd be having her run laps around his bedroom to keep her fitness levels up if he ever heard about what had happened to her. But his protectiveness came out care, she presumed. So it was hard to remain annoyed.

"I forgive you." She said at last, a playful smirk on her lips.

Their training restarted, but this time Shaun allowed Shakune to begin. She danced around the man, keeping on her toes as he'd taught her, trying to imagine him as a real foe. Where would she strike to blow the most damage? But the thoughts wee uncomfortable; she didn't want to think of her lover as a murder or rapist.

She darted to the right, then to the left -- or tried to. But Shakune's foot caught under a tree root and she collided noisily with the male. He kept steady and supported her back up to her feet, for the second time that day. "You are unbelievably clumsy." There was a hint of concealed amusement in his voice.

"I know." She wore the label like a badge of honour.

"I think you need to learn to watch where you put your feet."

It was a lesson she'd heard before, so Shakune shrugged and flailed her hand about to dismiss the advice. She'd learn one day, maybe after breaking her neck following a particularly nasty fall.

Yet again, they restarted. Shaun came towards her and raised his sword in an easy-to-predict manner. He would swing it down and diagonally, as he'd done before.

Shakune extended her khopesh forwards, point of the curved blade touching his belly. Drawing it horizontally, she imagined slicing his stomach open and his guts spilling out. The image made her gag.

But her mind was not disgusted for long. Shaun knocked the courier away from him with his spare arm, mimicking how a warrior made do the same with his shield. She staggered, caught herself, and went to the right side of her lover. He traced her movements with narrowed eyes and a suspicious look.

[Shakune]

Shakune shifted forwards, stooping low to avoid any strikes from Shaun's blade. She bought her khopesh upwards, but it was met with Shaun's sword. The wooden blades clunked against each other dully. They were poorly made; the wood was rough and questionably tacky, but nevertheless Shakune managed to pull her khopesh away and trot backwards to avoid Shaun's subsequent swing.

They'd sped up their blows. Shaun was coming at her quickly and powerfully, with great swings that Shakune managed to either miss or which he withdrew just before hitting her. Others, she met with her khopesh and struggled against him before backing off once again.

He constantly gave her feedback: "Good! Push against me, feel that force? No, swing lower. Higher! Don't be predictable."

They continued stepping to and fro away and towards each other, in their own little dance in the woods. Wood clashed against wood and they grunted noisily as they fought.

But then something changed. On the twentieth or so time Shakune pranced close to Shaun, he pulled her close to him hurriedly. She'd assumed his libido had gotten the better of him, but his desperate hushes silenced the courier before she could say anything. Though fear began crept up her spine, a part of her still assumed he was joking.

Until the snort of another horse bought Shakune's attention to the left, and she saw two riders passing through the woods. One rider had two spades tied to the side of his saddle, the other had a sword and some kind of parcel. Rival couriers? She peered forward as far as Shaun would allow, squinting her eyes to try and make out more detail through the wood thicket.

And then she almost vomited. It wasn't a parcel hanging from the guy's saddlebag.

It was a head.

She dived into Shaun, her breaths laborious and loud. When he tried to shush her quietly, the closest horse nickered and turned an ear in their direction. The two riders spun in their seats with all paranoid speed of two men who did not want to be seen. They hadn't banked on there being two witnesses to whatever the shyke they'd been doing in the wood.

The rider with the head attached to his saddle caught Shakune's eye. His narrow lips straightened into a strange smile. "We've got company." He muttered to his accomplice, though Shakune couldn't make out the words from reading his lips. Sliding down his saddle, the man untied a spade from his comrade's mount, before tying his own horse up to a nearby tree.

Shaun slowly released Shakune from is grip and slid towards the oncoming male. "Yes?"

"Didn't realise we weren't the only ones out here." The other man's voice was jovial and light, but in that artificial way bullies used before beating up some unfortunate kid. His eyes scanned Shaun and then Shakune. He clocked onto the wooden weapons and that strange grin came back. "Aren't the two of you a bit young to be playin' with wooden swords?"

Neither Shaun nor Shakune said anything.

"How long you two been out 'ere?" The second man was here now, sword resting on his right shoulder. He appeared to be chewing something, like a cow with cud.

"Not long. A bell or so. We were just leaving."

The first man spat noisily onto the ground. "Nah, you weren't."

[Shakune]

The interaction was souring quickly, turning from intimidating to downright dangerous. These guys had been doing something shady in the woods, and they didn't want to be caught. No doubt there was a shallow hole somewhere nearby, with the body that belonged to that decapitated head.

The first man raised his hands in false innocence, the spade resting against his hipbone. Shakune noticed the distinct lack of a dagger tattoo on his palms. Not a Daggerhand, then. Possibly a Dragoon, or some hired hit who remained neutral in Sunberth's society. Could she appeal to this?

"We're just out here on our own. We ain't seen anythin'."

The first man chewed this over, but his comrade barged in front of him, pointing to Shakune like an excitable child. "She's that courier, Max. I seen 'er runnin' about the city. Whassit called - Sharoon?"

Shyke. Anonymity had at least provided her with some protection. Now these thugs would know where to find her should they let her and Shaun go. Worse: what if they left now and set fire to her business? Her stomach churned and Shakune clenched her jaw. She would not let that happen. Over my dead body.

"Yeh, that's me. Glad you've heard of me."

"Are you?" The first man - presumably named Max - stared at her with an unwavering gaze. He slowly moved towards Shakune, using the spade like a walking stick. "I reckon you're lyin'. I reckon you're a smart girl, and you know that we know where t'find you now. See we didn't expect to see anyone else in the woods today. You've both petched up our plans som'it fierce."

Shaun stepped between Shakune and Max, his jaw locked and brows furrowed. "Look. You're the ones that stopped to chat. We dunno what you've been up to, so move on."

At that moment, Shakune's black eyes shifted towards the two horses, and the head that hung from one of the saddlebags. Thankfully, its face was turned towards the horse's flank. All Shakune could see was matted black hair. Unfortunately, Max’s accomplice noticed her gaze. "She seen it, Max! She seen it!" He scurried towards Shakune and shoved her meekly away, turning her around so Shakune ended up facing her own horse rather than his.

"Don't you dare touch her!" Shaun rushed forwards, but Max bought his shovel down horizontally to collide it with his stomach. The bald man staggered backwards, winded and gasping for breath. "You -- filthy petcher..."

Shakune threw herself towards their horses, legs desperately carrying the courier to her and Shaun's respective mounts -- and the real weapons that were tied on the saddlebags. She unsheathed her khopesh just as Max's ratty companion landed beside her, sword in hand. "Goin' somewhere?"

She turned to face him with a gasp, heart in her throat and guts clenched. She felt sick with fear, unable to cope. But he wasn't immediately striking her down; he was turning to check with Max, like some solider seeking approval from his captain. In the tick that it took Max to nod, Shakune delivered a swift kick to his comrade's testicles.

The man swore, whimpered, and crumpled down. Max also threw out a mouthful of vulgar language to Shakune, but he was silenced by Shaun running into him, knocking him down. She managed to pass her lover his sword just as the two other men had found their feet.

"You fuckers!" Max spat furiously, swiping the air with his spade. His nose was bleeding; he'd fallen badly when Shaun knocked him over. "Clive, you know whatta do."

[Shakune]

Shakune glanced to Shaun, as if he would have any better idea as to what Clive apparently knew what to do. He seemed equally as puzzled as she. Their confusion did not lift when Clive didn't strike at them with his sword, but back away and start undressing.

It was all very odd, but quick. Soon he was naked, wearing only a suspicious smile and multiple scars. Shaun realise what was happening before Shakune, but even he was too late. A circle of glowing white orbs engulfed the scrawny man, swallowing him up and replacing the human with a rabid-looking dog.

Kelvic. Shakune knew little of the humanoid race, other than the fact they also had an animal form. But they were unnatural, perverse in her eyes. An animal shouldn't have the mind of a man.

Max approached his four-legged companion and stooped down to collect the sword. Now they were both armed: teeth and sword. Shakune glanced nervously to Shaun. He looked calm, but she wondered whether he was shitting himself as much as she was.

It surprised her that Shaun moved first. He targeted Max, having apparently decided that a human armed with sword was the more dangerous combination. This left Shakune with the Dog-Man. Out of the two choices, she was relieved. She figured that a dog's mouth was easier to avoid than it was a sword, especially given her meagre training.

Her assumption turned out to be wrong. The dog was lower, quicker and more enthusiastic than she had expected. He bounded up close, snapped at her legs, and then backed away, tail wagging. Tail wagging! It was ridiculous. A man, who'd turned into a dog, was now fighting at her and wagging his tai.

"I'll cut that damn thing off and feed it t'ya." She grumbled as Clive trotted away from her for the second time.

The dog stopped and turned around, slunk low to the ground and came back towards her. So he wasn't joking around now: his ears were flat against his skull, teeth bared. Everything about the dog's position indicated to Shakune that he was coming in for the kill. Readying herself with the khopesh, she pranced back and forth on the balls of her feet, keeping light. Keeping alive, hopefully.

The dog snarled and lunged, jaws snapping and front feet thrown forwards. Shakuned swiped her khopesh horizontally across, but her swing was too high and completely missed the Kelvic. His teeth grazed her leading arm, drawing blood and making her yelp.

But Clive came back for more, knocking against the courier and scraping his claws down her arms and torso. She backed off and swung her khopesh again, missing him once more.

He jumped towards here again, jaw snapping and throat growling loudly. Instinctively, the courier pulled her arms inwards to protect her face and body, eyes tightly closed. She felt a heavy force throw itself against her blade, and then a horrifying squeal. The weight against her khopesh released, but not with the momentum or buoyancy of a living creature. When she opened her eyes, Shakune saw Clive's dog form sliding off the curve of her blade, stomach slashed open and guts sliding out.

Leaning to the side, she vomited violently.

And only after emptying her stomach did Shakune notice the clang of metallic sounds coming from Shaun and Max. Both were clearly proficient fighters, but her naive eye could not differentiate who was doing best. Shaun's cheek was bleeding and so was his forearm, but then again Max had his smashed up face. Maybe if he couldn't see well...

But then she saw Shaun stumble backwards against a tree. The worse case possibility jumped to the forefront of Shakune's mind: Shaun dead, spiked on Max's sword and pinned to the tree. It wouldn't be a quick death, but slow and horrifying.

With that in her mind, she ran forward and implanted the point of her khopesh in Max's back. The man gave great yell and yet again swore profusely. It gave Shaun enough time to right himself and slam a fight into Max's face.

[Shakune]

After struggling to release her weapon, Shakune yanked the khopesh away from Max's back. Blood spluttered up and he gave a slow, whining groan. Shaun kicked his half-dead body over and inserted the point of his blade into the man's throat. That seemed to silence him quickly enough. Shakune stared at his face, a collection of emotions and thoughts battling their way in her mind.

They'd both been alive mere moments ago. Angry and aggressive, but still very much alive. She and Shaun had changed that. Perhaps they'd widowed two women in the process, orphaned a few kids. What would happen to them, the unsung victims of a fight?

She felt the immediate need to vomit again.

"Are you okay?" Shaun's fingers brushed her shoulder, flicking away a droplet of blood. Was it her own, or Max's or Clive's?

Shakune nodded, unable to muster the energy or enthusiasm to speak. But she did open her mouth and gesture to the dead bodies and the two horses. Shaun frowned, realised the meaning to her points and gave a solemn nod. "We'll lead the horses back to Sunberth and then let them go. They'll find their way back to home or the stables. The head..." He chewed his lip, puzzled about this particular issue. "The head we'll leave here. It's clearly a message for someone, and maybe whoever discoveries the two bodies will recognise him, as well."

Decision made, the male sauntered over to the two unfamiliar horses, removing the severed head and bringing it back to their clearing. Shakune looked away as he placed it carefully beside Max's body. "We should go."

She didn't resist as Shaun guided Shakune carefully to her mount, helped her clamber into the saddle. The courier felt completely numb, save for the guilt and fear that lingered in the pit of her stomach. Why did she find this so difficult? Hundreds of people died every day, and hundreds other people killed. But something about the act of taking a life unsettled Shakune. It went against her nature, her morals.

Their ride home was almost completely silent, until the sight of Sunberth came into view. Shaun pulled his horse to a stop, and Shakune did the same. His face was creased with worry, sadness. After running a hand over his dirtied face, he eventually said: "I'm sorry about what happened back there -- it never should have happened."

So he blamed himself for the events that had unfurled in the woods. Shakune kept quiet for a long moment, considering what to say, and how best to say it. She gave a shaky sigh, finally releasing the pressure and regret that had been building up inside her since she'd murdered Clive. "It's not your fault. It was my idea to go to the woods to train. And he - Clive - saw me lookin' at the head. And now they're dead. Because o'me." Her voice crackled and Shakune slammed her jaw shut, locking it in case more sad words came tumbling out.

"And if you hadn't killed that dog-man, he'd have killed you. You must know that."

Shakune nodded. She did know that. But knowing that someone wanted to kill her was an abstract idea, separate from real life despite being an accurate alternative. It was easy to dismiss the maybes and [i]ifs[i] of life, but a dead body couldn't be denied. A dead body was all too real and solid; an alternative outcome was nothing but a could-be, a should-be. She fixed her jaw tight again before looking over to her lover, giving another nod and ending their conversation.

[Shakune]

As Shaun had planned, they released the other two horses whilst standing on the outskirts of the city. They cantered off together eastwards, and Shaune hoped they would find the wife or family of the two bodies in the wood. She didn't like the idea of the men rotting away there, undiscovered and unknown. The couple rode their own mounts back into the city proper, handing the reins over to the same gentleman who'd lent the two horses to them earlier that day.

After that, Shaun took Shakune home, to his own house in the Quarter. After sitting her down on the edge of his bed, he crouched before her, brows knotted and expression folded with worry. He was a man who'd killed many people before. The smell and sight of blood didn't bother him. But here he was, consoling a woman who felt ill with the fact that she'd killed a Kelvic. She felt stupid, like a little girl who was mourning the loss of a single cloth toy when an entire city was burning to the ground.

"Are you hurt?" His fingers found her hands, stroking her palms with his rough fingertips. Did he think her pathetic, or was he genuinely concerned for her?

Shakune didn't want to find out. The past few bells had all been too much. She lurched forwards, colliding her lips with Shaun's. He fell backwards, landing with a thud. Though he'd started to kiss her back to begin with, soon he broke away and that concerned expression of his returned. "Shakune..."

She silenced him with more kisses.

When did she first start using sex as a coping mechanism? Shakune couldn't remember - that was a testament to how long it had been. Perhaps it had started when Percy died, and they'd had to throw his body off the ship and watch it sink to the bottom of the sea? No: she'd been only fourteen then. Maybe when Rachael had finally left the ship, and Shakune had lost the only woman who'd been anything close to a mother figure? Yes, that sounded about right. It had been the last day of their stay in Riverfall and the adolescent Shakune had been upset and angry. She'd taken her frustration on the son of an innkeeper, used the lad - who'd been all very up for it, of course - until she'd felt red raw and numb.

And since that day, anytime Shakune felt overwhelmed or confused, she would turn to sex. Frantic, desperate sex that wasn't even that pleasurable. But it was numbing and distracting -- and people wouldn't ask her any difficult questions.

Shaun muttered and stumbled out a few more fractured words, but his body betrayed his lust. He fell silent after Shakune had removed the minimal amount of necessary garments -- trousers and underwear only. She grinded against him desperately, her body loosening up with each thrust and grunt. Their movements were jerky and desperate. When she kissed his neck, Shakune could taste blood and dirt. It disgusted and aroused her all at once.

But then something changed. Shaun tensed his body, pulled himself up and slowly eased Shakune off him. She scrabbled and pulled, trying to reunite their bodies together, but he wouldn't allow it. Then, slowly, he pushed her backwards, onto the bed and climbed above her. It was Shaun who was in charge now, and with his slow, gentle movements, he'd changed the atmosphere of their sex. When he pushed himself into her again, it was slow and tender. This was no longer a frantic and desperate act of seeking solace, but something far more intimate and soft. Of all her sexual encounters, this was the first that seemed to exist out of something more than just carnal pleasure. There was affection and fondness. He kissed her lips and touched her hair. And after Shaun had gasped, shuddered and finished, he remained where he was, kissing and touching her softly.

Shakuen walked home shortly afterwards. But it was not the events of the woods that played on her mind: it was what had happened in Shaun's bed.

[Sayana]

Shakune Skills: Skill EXP Observation +5 Seduction +3 Endurance +2 Tactics +3 Acrobatics +3 Weapon: Khopesh +5 Flirting +1 Negotiation +1 Running +1 Unarmed Combat +1 Intimidation +1 Riding: Horse +2 Rhetoric +1 Philosophy +1 Lores: Shaun: Frolicking in the forest Shaun: Ten years older Self: Preference for older and often married men Combat: Always keep moving Shaun: Protective and concerned for her well-being Unarmed Combat: Kick to a man's groin Retching after a kill Self: Using sex as a coping mechanism Tender intimate sex with Shaun Comments : That was a lovely story. Romance, adventure, action. I quite enjoyed it. You definitely prove that romance with a NPC can be just as touching. Don't forget to edit/delete your grade request in the grade request thread. If you have any questions or concerns about your grade please feel free to send me a message (like really, I’m all ears if you feel like I missed something). Enjoy.