Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

The forest pulsed with life—an untamed, breathing entity shifting with the rhythm of the hunt. The canopy above was a thick lattice of deep crimson leaves, swaying like restless spirits against the evening wind. It was known as the Scarlet Forest, an ancient expanse drenched in blood-red foliage, its roots twisting through the land like veins, drinking deep from the earth.

Through the wild underbrush, a lone figure sprinted, black armor sleek as an obsidian carapace glinting beneath the dim, fractured moonlight. The plates of her cuirass bore the scars of past battles—gashes in the metal from fangs, claws, and the unrelenting brutality of the hunt. Strapped across her back, a Great Sword, heavy and worn from the carnage it had endured, rocked with each stride. Every inch of her gear had been chosen for function: hardened leather straps binding her greaves, segmented plating along her arms, and a half-cloak draped over her shoulders, tattered from use but still defiant against the elements.

Beside her, a swift, four-legged form kept pace, tearing through the foliage on all fours. A Palico, but not just any.

Aspen.

The feline was a battle-hardened warrior in its own right, a compact, muscular creature wrapped in thick brown fur, its ears sharp and alert beneath the weight of its bulky leather armor. Its chest piece, reinforced with scaled plating, clinked as it moved, and a heavy satchel of supplies bounced against its back, packed with vials of Mega Potions, traps, and elemental coatings. A scar ran across one of Aspen’s yellow eyes, a testament to past fights, but the Palico remained unfazed, claws gripping the dirt as it ran in perfect sync with the hunter.

The forest trembled.

The sound rolled through the trees like thunder, shaking leaves loose as the air itself seemed to ripple. Lottie pushed harder, her boots pounding against the earth, her breath a steady rhythm, honed by years of the chase. The Scout Flies flared ahead in a vibrant golden hue, cutting a path toward the target.

And there it was.

The land broke open into a wide, pond-like clearing, the muddy ground slick from recent rains. But that wasn’t what made Lottie skid to a halt, her armored boots digging into the wet earth.

It was Uth Duna.

The Leviathan towered over the clearing, a monstrous blend of reptilian elegance and primeval terror. Its body was a living tapestry of deep reds and gleaming scales, a luminescent stripe pattern that shimmered under the storm-choked sky. Its elongated head was narrow, arapaima-like, but the jaws—razor-lined and powerful—could crush bone and armor alike.

But the most striking feature? The fins.

Translucent water-like formations stretched from its back, limbs, and tail, glistening as if woven from liquid itself. These weren’t ordinary fins—they shifted and pulsed, extending from the long tentacle-like appendages curling from its body, secreting a thick mucous that kept the water structure intact.

Then came the roar.

A deep, guttural howl that made the very rain hesitate. The sky flashed, and behind the beast, lightning danced in a blinding arc.

Lottie barely had time to react before she heard it—

"Lottie!"

She turned, her visor flashing droplets of rain off its surface, her chest rising and falling with adrenaline.

Callie stood at the edge of the clearing, her handler's dark leather coat whipping in the wind, cinched at the waist with reinforced straps. Her gear was lighter than a hunter’s, meant for mobility, yet every inch spoke of a seasoned expert: a **belt lined with tools—whetstones, sharpeners, tracking vials—**and a thick, waterproof cloak thrown over one shoulder, shielding her Guild-issued authorization scroll.

Callie’s voice cut through the downpour. "The Guild gives you authorization to hunt Uth Duna—GO!"

Lottie grinned behind her face shield. Showtime.

She whistled.

The forest answered.

A shadow burst through the trees, mud flying beneath its talons.

Her Seikret.

It was a bipedal, raptor-like beast, its powerful legs kicking up water as it charged. Its plumage was a rich blend of dark greens and earthy browns, the natural camouflage of a predator honed by the wilds. The feathers on its head and tail flicked like a signal, its golden eyes locking onto Lottie as it closed the distance.

Without hesitation, Lottie lunged forward, her foot finding purchase on its flank, and in one smooth motion, she vaulted onto its back, gripping the saddle’s leather rein.

Aspen yowled, leaping onto the Seikret’s tail, claws digging in as the creature pivoted, storming toward the Leviathan.

Uth Duna saw them coming.

The forest god inhaled, its chest expanding, the rain itself bending toward its maw.

Then it expelled.

A column of high-pressure water, a beam so intense it carved the mud into a trench, shot forth.

Lottie jerked the reins. The Seikret twisted sharply, claws ripping into the mud as it dodged, the sheer force of the water beam blasting past them, tearing through the forest behind them.

Aspen barely held on, hissing as the Palico’s fur was drenched.

Lottie’s heart thundered. They were in close now.

She tightened her grip.

Then—she leapt.

Her Great Sword sang as it was unsheathed, the iron gleaming despite the darkness, a weapon of brutal, unwavering force.

She came down hard, slamming the blade against Uth Duna’s massive forelimb, the impact sending a shockwave through the beast’s body.

She hit the ground, rolling with the momentum, her armor scraping against the mud.

The Leviathan screeched in annoyance.

It turned—fast.

The hunt had begun-

Uth Duna whipped around, its massive bulk moving with a liquid grace unnatural for something so monstrous. The translucent fins rippled, a shimmer of water and mucous, as it reared back, lifting one of its clawed forelimbs high.

Then—it struck.

A downward arc of muscle and talon cleaved through the space where Lottie stood. But she was already moving. A roll to the side, fluid and precise, her armor scraping the slickened mud as she barely avoided the sheer force of the strike.

But the second was coming.

A sudden, crushing swipe of Uth Duna’s opposite forelimb, aimed to end her outright. Lottie’s eyes flashed beneath her visor, instincts firing like a lightning strike.

She braced.

The Great Sword came up, a wall of iron between her and oblivion—

CLANG!

The impact sent a shower of sparks into the air, the screech of metal against claws howling through the clearing. The force alone was enough to stagger most hunters, but Lottie held firm, twisting her stance, using the beast’s own weight against it. Uth Duna shuddered back, a hiss slithering past its jagged teeth, its talons flexing as though tasting the sting of the perfect parry.

She capitalized on it immediately.

A sweeping strike, her blade carving into its side, muscle and scale rupturing in a cascade of shredded flesh. She twisted her grip, following through with a rapid flurry—short, brutal slashes, feeling out the creature’s weakness, forcing it to reel under the relentless assault.

Then—it retaliated.

The ground beneath them trembled.

Uth Duna arched its massive frame, its body quivering, then—it dropped.

The belly-flop came thundering down, a tsunami of force, sending an explosion of mud and water in all directions.

“Shit!” Lottie threw herself backward, boots sliding across the slick ground.

Aspen, mid-throw with a barrel bomb, barely managed to escape the impact zone, his eyes wide before he flung himself aside, claws tearing trenches in the earth. The bomb detonated on contact, a blinding flash of fire and concussive force against Uth Duna’s scaled hide, but the monster barely flinched.

Instead, it rolled.

The Leviathan spun, its massive, mucous-covered body twisting violently, sending sheets of water and thick sludgy earth cascading over them.

Lottie gritted her teeth as she was drenched, the sheer force of the mud-slick sending her skidding backward. The swamp water clung to her armor, thick, reeking of decay, dripping from the edges of her visor.

Uth Duna was hovering now, its translucent fins pulsating. The air around it shimmered with moisture, the very rain bending toward the creature as it coiled power into its lungs.

Then—

It exhaled.

A beam of pure, concentrated water, compressed into a high-powered torrent, ripped through the battlefield like an artillery shot.

Lottie threw herself sideways, hitting the ground hard, rolling as the water beam carved a deep scar into the earth, mere inches from where she had been standing.

No time to hesitate.

She whistled.

A blur of dark green and brown burst from the trees, kicking up sludge and mist.

Her Seikret, its feathered body streaked with mud and rain, nostrils flaring. Lottie sprinted forward, gripping its saddle, vaulting onto its back in one smooth motion.

Aspen barely had time to scramble onto the Seikret’s tail before Lottie snapped the reins, and they were off—charging straight at Uth Duna.

The mud bogged them down, the Seikret’s claws struggling for traction—

But it didn’t matter.

Lottie leapt.

She shot off the saddle, launching herself skyward, her Great Sword raised high as Uth Duna descended from its levitated state.

Timing was everything.

She plunged the blade deep into the beast’s shoulder, the impact violent, metal cleaving through wet scales and dense muscle. The force nearly tore her shoulder from its socket, but she held firm, driving the weapon deeper, locking herself in place.

The Leviathan thrashed, its body bucking beneath her, but Lottie was relentless.

One hand still gripping the embedded Great Sword, the other tore her hunting knife from its sheath.

Then—she went to work.

Brutal. Savage.

The blade dug deep, Lottie ripping into flesh, carving through thick sinew, the warm gush of blood flooding over her armored arms, painting her in red.

She stabbed.

Again.

And again.

Each wound a gaping maw, the hot, iron-scented gore steaming against the cold rain.

Uth Duna screamed, its roar shaking the treetops, its massive frame writhing in agony.

Lottie shifted, gripping her knife, her boots digging into its back as she vaulted to another section, the weapon slicing through more fresh meat.

She felt the muscles clench beneath her, the tendons snapping like tensioned ropes—

Then—she leapt.

Just as she reached her Great Sword, she ripped it free, the blade glistening with a thick layer of crimson.

The moment her boots hit the ground, she twisted, bringing the weapon down in a savage arc, the edge carving straight into one of the Leviathan’s open wounds.

The force drove it down.

Uth Duna collapsed, its massive body slamming into the swamp floor, sending another wave of filth washing over the battlefield.

Lottie rolled from the landing, boots carving trenches in the mud, her breathing heavy.

She pushed herself up.

No hesitation. No mercy.

She was already moving, rushing forward, her Great Sword raised high, primed for another devastating blow.

Then—

The tail came.

A blur of motion.

A wall of scale and muscle, whipping toward her like a battering ram.

She braced.

Impact.

Lottie’s Great Sword came up, absorbing the brunt, but the sheer force still sent her skidding back, boots tearing through the sludge, her armor groaning under the strain.

She came to a stop, her chest heaving, a wild grin splitting her lips beneath her visor.

She barely even shrugged it off.

Aspen landed beside her, panting, drenched, but battle-ready.

Ahead, Uth Duna struggled to its feet, its watery fins pulsing with renewed rage.

Then—

It charged.

Lottie stood her ground, the storm reflecting in her eyes.

The hunt was far from over.

The earth trembled as Uth Duna’s massive frame surged forward, a tidal wave of muscle and momentum, its translucent fins rippling violently as it bore down on Lottie. The ground quaked, mud and water displaced in the wake of its charge, and the hunter knew she had only a breath of time to act.

She planted her feet, boots sinking deep into the drenched earth, and raised her Great Sword, both hands gripping the massive weapon—one clenched around the hilt, the other bracing the flat side of the blade against the incoming force.

Then, impact.

It was like being hit by a mountain.

The sheer weight of the Leviathan crashed against her, forcing her back several meters, her armor groaning under the pressure, metal grinding against the relentless power pressing down on her. Her bones ached. Her arms burned from the exertion, tendons screaming, muscles locking as she fought against being completely overrun.

The weight was crushing, unbearable, pressing into her ribs, forcing the air from her lungs in ragged gasps. She was seconds away from being flattened into the earth, but then—

A screech.

A sharp, distinct Palico cry.

Lottie’s instincts kicked in, eyes snapping shut behind her visor, trusting the sound without hesitation.

A rippling flash.

The detonation of a Flashfly burst in the air, a searing, blinding explosion of white-hot light that illuminated the Scarlet Forest like a false dawn.

Uth Duna reeled, its fins flickering erratically, the monster bellowing in confusion as the sensory overload rattled through its skull, sending it staggering backward.

Lottie didn’t hesitate.

She pushed off, forcing herself forward, twisting her grip as she swung her Great Sword into a deadly, practiced maneuver—

The Offset Rising Slash.

The massive blade came dragging down, slicing through scale and flesh, carving a vicious upward arc into the beast’s lower jaw.

The steel bit deep.

It tore through thick, sinewy muscle, splitting open flesh like paper, blood spurting in a violent geyser as the blade ripped through the bone, shattering its lower mandible. The sheer force of the impact sent Uth Duna crashing backward, its massive bulk slamming into the earth, displacing another explosion of mud and rain.

It was down.

And Lottie was already on it.

Her blade moved with precision, every swing a blur of steel and death, cleaving through flesh, carving deep wounds, exposing raw, bloodied muscle beneath its once-untouched hide.

The scent of copper and salt filled the air, thick and metallic, mixing with the storm-churned mud.

She didn’t stop. Didn’t hesitate.

But she was caught too deep in the moment, too immersed in the carnage, in the thrill of tearing this god-beast apart.

"LOTTIE!"

Callie’s voice. Panic.

She turned—too late.

Uth Duna’s head snapped up, its gaping, ruined maw aimed straight at her.

Then—

It fired.

The beam hit her point-blank, a lance of condensed, pressurized water, tearing through the rain-soaked air like a sniper’s shot.

The impact ripped through her armor, slamming into her chest and stomach, lifting her off her feet and sending her hurtling backward.

Her body spun midair, rag-dolling as she crashed through the mud, rolling over and over, her Great Sword wrenched from her grip, her fingers failing to hold on.

Pain. Immediate, searing pain.

Her breath hitched, her lungs spasming as she coughed, thick and wet, the taste of blood coating her tongue.

She gasped, chest tight, constricted, struggling to draw in oxygen. Her armor had absorbed the worst of it, but the sheer force of the blast left her battered, bruised—a deep ache spreading across her ribs.

Her hands trembled as she reached up, ripping off her helmet, her chestnut-brown eyes burning with agony and rage.

Lightning splintered across the sky, thunder booming overhead, a war drum to the carnage.

Uth Duna was already back on its feet.

It came for her, charging once more, its massive form blotting out the rain, bearing down on her like a god of the old world.

She had seconds.

Lottie gritted her teeth, muscles locking, and forced herself to move.

Dodge. Weave. Roll.

She barely slipped past the monster’s clawed forelimb, the mud dragging against her boots, slowing her as she staggered toward her sword.

She needed it. Now.

A double whistle.

Her Seikret heard it.

The raptor-like beast moved in an instant, snatching the half-buried Great Sword in its jaws, the mud dripping off the massive blade as it bounded toward her.

Lottie rolled—just in time.

The massive right paw of Uth Duna came down, aiming to crush her completely.

And in the same instant—

Her Seikret flung the sword.

She caught it.

The weight of the weapon settled into her grip like it had never left.

She twisted, her body pivoting with the momentum, the Great Sword coming down in a devastating arc.

It bit deep.

The massive wrist of Uth Duna split open, flesh tearing, tendons snapping like taut cables, blood surging in thick, pulsing waves.

Then—the bone gave way.

A sickening CRACK.

Uth Duna screamed, its massive paw severed completely, the appendage dropping into the mud with a wet, lifeless thud.

The gory stump sprayed, the Leviathan rearing back, its bellow a mixture of rage and agony, its lifeblood draining into the battlefield like a sacrificial offering.

The Scarlet Forest bore witness.

And Lottie, drenched in blood, rain, and mud, stood her ground—waiting for the next move.

Uth Duna’s roar of agony shattered through the Scarlet Forest, a guttural bellow of rage and desperation as it thrashed wildly, its massive form throwing waves of mud and water in all directions.

Lottie barely had time to brace before its tail came whipping around, a monstrous, bladed blur through the rain.

Instinct took over.

She threw herself aside, the sheer force of the attack sending a shockwave through the swamp floor as the tail obliterated a tree where she had stood moments ago.

No time to hesitate.

She pushed up, armor caked in filth, just in time to see Uth Duna rear back, its entire chest expanding like a bellows, sucking in a colossal amount of air.

Lottie’s blood ran cold.

Not just a beam—something stronger.

The Leviathan unleashed.

A hydro cannon, a titanic column of water, denser than steel, erupted from its maw, tearing across the clearing like a flood turned into a weapon.

Lottie whistled sharply, and before the blast could reach her, she vaulted onto her Seikret in one smooth motion.

The raptor-like beast roared, powerful legs tearing through the sodden earth, weaving between torrents of destruction, mud and water exploding around them as Uth Duna dragged its hydro cannon across the battlefield.

Aspen clung to Lottie’s shoulder, his claws digging into her pauldron, hissing as they charged headlong toward the beast.

Lottie leaned in, her Great Sword gripped in her right hand, dragging the gleaming blade against the monster’s wounded side as they raced past, slicing through exposed muscle, sending a crimson wave spraying into the air.

But she wasn’t done.

She kicked off her Seikret, launching high into the storm-ridden sky, twisting her body into a spiraling descent.

The blade came down, a downward spiral slash, the sheer force of her momentum like a comet crashing into flesh.

Steel met scale—then bone.

The sword cleaved through Uth Duna’s left eye, splitting through its pupil, rupturing blood vessels, carving deep into the socket.

A wet, sickening rip.

Blood—thick, hot, and blindingly red—exploded outward, mixing with the storm, the Leviathan’s scream deafening, primal, a sound that rattled the very roots of the Scarlet Forest.

It lurched back, thrashing, its ruined eye gushing fluid, pain overriding its senses.

Then—it fled.

Even maimed, even broken, Uth Duna was fast as hell.

It crashed through the underbrush, its massive frame bulldozing trees and rocks, its form a blur of red and glistening scales vanishing into the storm.

Lottie hit the ground hard, rolling onto her feet, her body aching from exertion, and immediately whistled for her Seikret.

Callie was already moving.

The handler pushed her own mount harder, hooves pounding into the soaked earth, splattered in mud but eager, adrenaline flashing in her storm-colored eyes.

“Faster!” Callie barked. “We’re losing it!”

“Slow down!” Lottie snapped back.

Callie gritted her teeth, resisting the urge to bite back, but her hands twitched on the reins. She wanted to be in it. To feel the rush, to be more than just a damn observer.

But Lottie wasn’t having it.

Instead, she shifted her grip on the Slinger attached to her vambrace, loading in specialty rounds.

Aiming ahead of the fleeing beast—

She fired.

A shot of Slicing Ammo flew through the air, lodging into Uth Duna’s hide before detonating, a sharp crescendo of blade-like shards cutting through flesh.

The Leviathan shrieked but didn’t slow.

Lottie reloaded.

Explosive Ammo.

Another shot—this time a direct hit to its exposed wound.

The blast ruptured through its flank, sending a wave of gore splattering across the forest floor.

Uth Duna stumbled but kept running, crashing through the terrain, ripping apart the land as it fled.

But Lottie saw it.

The narrow mountain path ahead.

And the cliffside looming over it.

She reloaded one final shot.

A deep breath.

Then—she fired.

The explosion struck the rock face ahead, detonating with a force that sent boulders and rubble cascading down in a deadly, tumbling landslide.

Uth Duna had no time to react.

The falling debris crashed into its body, shoving it off its path, sending the monstrous beast plummeting down into the abyss below, vanishing into the storm-darkened valley.

Lottie reined in her Seikret, stopping at the cliff’s edge, staring down into the dark, the howling wind carrying the beast’s final echoes.

Behind her, Callie finally caught up, her face twisted in frustration, but she said nothing.

Lottie exhaled sharply, her breath still ragged, adrenaline pulsing in her veins.

Then—without sparing Callie another look—she vaulted down the cliffside.

“Stay here!” Lottie barked, already moving, her boots slamming against the unstable terrain.

The storm raged, and the earth trembled beneath her, boulders and shattered debris tumbling alongside her as she descended into the abyss where Uth Duna had fallen.

The air was thick with dust, a swirling haze of stone fragments and mist rising from the crash site. The Leviathan’s labored breaths echoed, guttural, pained, its massive form lying half-buried under rubble, the rain cascading down its wounded hide.

But even broken, even on the brink of death, the monster was still alive.

It let out a low, mournful whimper, a sound that rumbled through the ground like a dying god’s lament.

Lottie didn’t hesitate.

Her fingers curled around the hilt of her Great Sword, knuckles white, her heartbeat steadying into something lethal. She began circling the beast, eyes locked onto its massive heaving chest, its throat pulsing with every ragged inhale.

Aspen, ever watchful, launched from her shoulder, the Palico twisting midair, and in one smooth motion, pulled a Flashfly bomb from his satchel.

A split-second later—detonation.

A searing burst of white-hot light obliterated the darkness, reflecting off the torrential downpour like shards of shattered diamonds.

Uth Duna screeched, its fins spasming, its body shuddering in disorientation.

Lottie moved.

She sprinted forward, kicking off from the debris, using the rain-slickened rubble as leverage, launching herself high—her Great Sword gripped tight, poised for a killing blow.

Her blade plunged deep into the side of the beast’s neck, steel meeting muscle and sinew, splitting through blood-slicked scales—

Then—

A roar.

But not just any roar.

This was primal. This was power incarnate.

The storm obeyed it.

The rain bent toward the Leviathan, drawn in as if the very water worshiped it—before bursting outward in a violent shockwave.

A hurricane of razor-thin liquid blades.

Lottie barely had time to react.

She spun, instinct forcing her to bring up her Great Sword, shielding Aspen with her own body as the razor rain ripped into her.

It was unrelenting.

Her armor screamed under the assault, gouges torn into the plating, metal shrieking as if it could feel the pain.

A searing slash tore across her cheek, another ripped along the side of her head, warm blood mixing with the cold rain as it ran in crimson rivulets down her neck.

A pained yelp.

Lottie’s breath hitched.

She turned—just in time to see Callie go down.

Her Seikret crumpled beneath her, the beast writhing, kicking, trying to regain its footing, but Callie—

Callie clutched her arm, a jagged wound running down her forearm, blood dripping in thick streams, diluted by the rain.

The moment Uth Duna’s dazed vision cleared, its remaining eye locked onto Callie.

It recognized weakness.

It inhaled deeply, its throat expanding—

No.

“CALLIE, STAY AWAY!”

But Callie was still struggling to stand, her mount staggering, her eyes wide with fear as she saw the Leviathan's maw opening.

It was about to fire.

Lottie didn’t think.

She spun on her heel, her drenched boots sliding in the mud, and with all the strength left in her body, she hurled her Great Sword.

The massive blade spun, a horizontal spiral of death, slicing through the rain, whistling through the air like a guillotine.

Steel met flesh.

The sword impaled into the side of Uth Duna’s face, embedding deep, tearing through its cheek, splitting flesh apart with a sickening crunch.

At the same time—the beast fired.

The hydro blast shot forth, but the searing pain from Lottie’s sword strike forced its aim off by just a hair’s breadth.

The beam tore through the space beside Callie’s head, missing her by mere inches.

The shockwave from the blast sent her flying backward, mud and stone exploding outward, but she was alive.

Lottie saw red.

The fury inside her burned hotter than fire, hotter than the lightning still cracking through the sky.

“Get the fuck out of here!”

Callie, breathless, pale, stunned, stared at Lottie—then at the Leviathan, still thrashing, still trying to rip the Great Sword from its skull.

For once, she didn’t argue.

She scrambled onto her Seikret, gripping its bloodied saddle, urging it into a sprint, disappearing into the mist.

That left Lottie.

Alone.

With a raging, blood-maddened god-beast that wanted her dead.

She cracked her neck.

“Alright,” she whispered, low and dark, tasting her own blood in her mouth.

“Let’s finish this.”

With a final, desperate lunge, the creature snapped its jagged maw toward her, trying to end this battle in its dying breath.

Lottie moved first.

She surged forward, boots pounding against the soaked earth, her body screaming from exhaustion but her will unyielding.

Her hands wrapped around the hilt of her Great Sword, and with one violent yank, she ripped it free from the Leviathan’s skull.

The moment her blade was loose—

She twisted, using the full momentum of her spin—

And drove the sword downward.

Straight into the beast’s throat.

Steel cleaved through flesh, muscle, and sinew, cutting deep into the jugular, through the windpipe, splitting open the lifeblood of the Leviathan in one final, merciless stroke.

A spray of hot crimson erupted, gushing in torrents, coating Lottie in its dying essence.

Uth Duna let out one last, guttural cry, a sound that shook the forest itself—

Then, its massive form collapsed.

The ground shuddered beneath its final weight, mud and water surging around its body as it went still.

Silence.

The storm began to settle.

Lottie stood over the slain beast, her chest heaving, her ribs aching, the pain deep but not unbearable.

Her fingers trembled as she let her Great Sword rest in the ground, the rain washing away the blood staining its steel.

Then, she knelt.

Head bowed, fingers brushing against the soaked earth, she muttered the hunter’s prayer.

A whisper of honor, respect, and gratitude.

“Rest, great one. You were mighty. You were fierce. And now, you return to the land that bore you.”

The words were lost to the wind, but they weren’t meant to be heard.

Only felt.

A soft nuzzle against her shoulder—her Seikret had returned, standing by her side, its feathers damp but unharmed.

Aspen appeared next, the Palico crawling onto her knee, his small hands reaching for hers as if to check if she was still breathing.

She let out a small chuckle, her lips curling slightly despite the pain.

With a deep breath, she pushed herself to her feet, her body protesting every movement.

Her Great Sword felt heavier than usual, but she lifted it, resting it against her back as she stared down at the fallen god before her.

Her ribs ached, her muscles throbbed—

And fuck.

She was hungry.

The Hunt Was Over.

Chapter Text

The Scarlet Forest stretched endlessly before them, bathed in the dim glow of a retreating storm. The rain had lessened to a mere drizzle, the remnants of the hunt dripping from the canopy above, mist curling between the tangled roots of ancient trees. The air was thick with the scent of damp earth, blood, and exhaustion.

Lottie rode in silence, her Seikret moving with a steady, deliberate gait, its powerful legs navigating the mud-slick terrain with ease.

Strapped securely to the saddle’s flank, bundles of freshly carved Uth Duna materials swung with each step—gleaming red scales, translucent fin membranes still slick with mucous, slivers of unbroken bone that shimmered under the dying light.

The hunt was over.

The battle was won.

But the war inside Lottie’s mind had only begun.

She was trying to breathe steadily, trying to keep her anger from consuming her, but the emotions coiled deep in her chest were a storm of their own—colliding, raging, unrelenting.

Rage burned inside her, but so did something else.

Something softer.

A part of her that was still reeling from what almost happened.

Beside her, Callie rode her own Seikret in tense silence, her face unreadable, her posture rigid, eyes forward.

She knew Lottie was pissed.

She knew she had fucked up.

The silence dragged on between them, pressing heavier than the injuries Lottie barely had the strength to endure.

Finally, it cracked.

A voice—small, hesitant.

“Lottie…”

Lottie didn’t turn her head, her grip tightening on the reins.

Then—softer, quieter.

“I’m sorry.”

Lottie’s breath hitched—but the fury had been waiting.

She wrenched her Seikret to a sudden halt, mud splattering from the impact, the beast letting out a deep huff as it steadied.

Callie pulled up beside her, looking ready to argue—but she never got the chance.

Lottie turned on her, eyes dark, voice sharp as the edge of her blade.

"Sorry? You think sorry is enough?"

Callie’s lips pressed into a thin line, her fingers tightening around the reins.

“I could have lost you.”

Her voice cracked, just slightly, but the weight behind it drove through Callie like a blade.

Before Callie could even think of a response—

Pain.

A guttural curse ripped from Lottie’s throat, her body seizing up as she clutched her side.

A sudden, violent cough—wet, thick, a sharp splatter of red against her gauntlet.

Callie was off her Seikret in an instant.

Aspen, ever alert, immediately snapped to attention, eyes flicking between them.

“We need to stop.” Callie’s voice left no room for argument. “We need to make camp. Now.”

She turned to Aspen, urgency crackling in her tone.

"Go scout ahead. We’re too far from base camp. I need to treat her wounds—go now!"

Aspen hesitated only for a heartbeat before vanishing into the underbrush, his small frame disappearing between the crimson foliage, his silhouette swallowed by the forest.

Callie turned back to Lottie, reaching out carefully.

“Lottie, stay with me.”

Lottie barely heard her, the pain blurring the edges of her vision, her body barely holding together.

Callie eased her forward, letting her lean into the warm, steady weight of her Seikret, keeping her upright as best she could.

Lottie gritted her teeth, barely suppressing a groan as the movement jarred her already fractured ribs.

The world tilted.

Everything faded into the dark.

---

Fire & Flesh

When Lottie opened her eyes again, the storm had passed.

A small campfire crackled softly, its glow flickering against the stone walls of a shallow cave, the light dancing across the damp rock.

She wasn’t wearing her armor anymore.

She was laid on a stretched-out bedroll, her body aching from head to toe, her breath shallow, her ribs burning with every inhale.

Her torso was tightly bandaged, the fabric stained with blood that had seeped through the wrappings.

Callie was beside her, kneeling over her wounds, hands moving with careful precision, focused, unwavering.

The air reeked of medicinal herbs, a mortar and pestle nearby, crushed poultices smeared onto fresh linen.

The damage was worse than Lottie expected.

Angry, deep gashes ran along her side, her flesh raw and torn from the rain attack. Purple-black bruises bloomed across her ribs and abdomen, painful to even exist in.

And her ribs—

Cracked. Maybe broken.

It explained the knife-sharp agony whenever she tried to breathe.

Callie worked tirelessly, her expression hard, unreadable, yet… meticulous.

Aspen stood near the cave entrance, ever watchful, his sharp golden eyes scanning the darkness outside.

And her Seikret…

It stood just beyond the firelight, its feathers still damp from the storm, resting but still alert, ever the silent guardian.

Lottie shifted slightly, her breath catching.

Callie’s head snapped up.

“Don’t. Move.”

Her voice was firm, but Lottie could hear the strain underneath.

She had been tending to her for hours.

Lottie forced a smirk, though it was weak, her lips split from the fight.

“You look like shit.”

Callie exhaled sharply, rolling her eyes, but her hands never stopped working.

“So do you.”

Lottie let her head rest back against the bedroll, exhaustion finally catching up with her.

The hunt was over.

But she wasn’t sure what had truly been won.

She took a deep breath.

Her ribs screamed.

And fuck.

She was starving.

---

The fire crackled softly, the scent of roasting fish, melted cheese, and seared mushrooms blending with the fading storm. Callie had been quiet as she cooked, her hands mechanically preparing the meal, her thoughts likely as tangled as the embers flickering between them.

Aspen sat a short distance away, tearing into his rations, his tail flicking in quiet contentment. Their Seikrets had been fed first, the massive beasts hunched over their meals, devouring without hesitation, feathers still damp from the hunt’s aftermath.

Callie, for all her usual stubborn energy, was pouting as she picked at her food, pushing bits of mushroom around the tin plate, shoulders hunched.

Lottie watched her for a moment before sighing, her ribs still aching from the motion.

“You need to listen to me.”

Callie’s grip on her fork tightened.

“I know. I’m sorry.”

Lottie exhaled through her nose. "Sorry is—"

She never got to finish.

Callie moved suddenly, straddling Lottie’s lap, her thighs pressing against Lottie’s sore hips, the warmth of her body sinking into her.

Lottie stiffened.

Callie’s face was flushed, her red-rimmed eyes heavy, her lips parted as if she were on the verge of breaking.

Aspen glanced over—then quickly looked away.

Both Seikrets shifted, sensing the shift in atmosphere, their reptilian instincts sharp enough to give them space.

Then—

Callie kissed her.

Lottie’s breath hitched, the taste of salt, dried blood, and fire-warmed food mixing on their lips.

The kiss was deep, urgent, desperate.

Lottie’s fingers clenched around her plate, then abandoned it completely, letting it slide to the dirt.

Instead, she reached for Callie’s waist, fingers gripping the soft flesh there, the shape of her pressing closer.

Heat curled low in Lottie’s gut, a slow but undeniable hunger building, pulsing.

She could feel herself hardening beneath Callie, her cock stirring, pressing against the fabric between them, trapped and aching.

Callie moaned softly, the sound muffled against her lips, her hips shifting instinctively, grinding against the hardness beneath her.

Lottie winced, pain flaring through her ribs—but fuck, it didn’t matter.

She rolled her hips up, seeking friction, needing more.

Callie’s breath shuddered, her fingers trembling as she broke the kiss, eyes lidded, pupils dark with want.

She sat up slightly, hands reaching for the latches of her armor, the layers she had been too wrapped in guilt to remove.

The clasps came undone.

And when she pulled her tunic over her head, her breasts spilled free, pale and flushed with heat, nipples already hardened from the cold night air.

Lottie shuddered.

The pain, the exhaustion—none of it mattered anymore.

Only this.

Only Callie, naked and warm in her lap, and the hunger that was no longer just for food.

The fire burned low, flickering shadows against the cave walls, the embers crackling softly beneath the weight of the storm beyond. The scent of rain still clung to the air, mixing with the earthy musk of damp stone and the lingering remnants of battle.

Callie stood before Lottie, her breath uneven, her body trembling with more than just exhaustion.

Without a word, she reached down, fingers moving with careful precision as she untied the laces of her boots, kicking them aside before sliding her thumbs beneath the waistband of her hunter’s undergarments—a simple but practical wrap of dark fabric, weathered from long nights in the field.

She peeled them away, slowly, letting them drop to the cave floor, the firelight casting golden shadows over the curve of her hips, the soft lines of her thighs.

Lottie swallowed hard.

Her ribs still ached, her body ached—but none of it mattered now.

Callie’s gaze never left hers as she lowered herself back onto Lottie’s lap, straddling her, warm and bare, their bodies flush against one another.

Lottie sucked in a sharp breath as Callie reached for the fastenings of her own armor, undoing them with deft, impatient fingers.

Her undergarments clung to her skin, damp with sweat and rain, but they didn’t last long—Callie stripped them away, revealing her, exposed and aching.

Lottie’s cock was hard, flushed, twitching in the cool air, heat pulsing between them.

She instinctively moved to slow Callie down, gripping her hips, fingers digging into the softness there. She wasn’t sure how much more her body could take.

But Callie wasn’t waiting.

She guided herself over Lottie, her slick heat pressing against the rigid length, her thighs trembling as she lowered herself down.

The moment she took Lottie inside, they both gasped.

Lottie’s head fell back against the bedroll, the tightness consuming her, the wet, searing heat pulling her deeper.

Callie whimpered, her nails digging into Lottie’s shoulders, her body stretching around the intrusion.

Her breath hitched, tears brimming in her red-rimmed eyes as she moved, slowly at first, adjusting, every inch pushing her further open.

“I’m sorry,” she choked out, her voice cracking with something more than just pleasure.

Lottie’s hands tightened on her hips, her ribs screaming in protest as she thrust up into the motion, unable to stop herself.

She could feel everything.

Callie gritted her teeth, riding through the ache, moving in slow, grinding rolls that sent a sharp pulse of pleasure through them both.

Lottie leaned up, groaning against the pain, her arms wrapping around Callie’s waist, pulling her down, pressing their bodies closer.

Her lips found the soft curve of Callie’s throat, tasting the salt of sweat and storm, trailing downward until her mouth met the peak of a bare, flushed breast.

Callie shuddered.

"It’s okay, baby,” Lottie murmured against her skin, her tongue flicking over a hardened nipple before taking it between her lips, sucking deep.

Callie gasped, her back arching, pressing more of herself into Lottie’s mouth.

Lottie moaned around her, hands gripping her rear, fingers spreading her open, helping deepen the movement as Callie’s pace quickened, desperate, wanting.

“I just wish you’d—fucking listen to me,” Lottie groaned, her voice muffled against Callie’s breast, her teeth grazing over sensitive flesh.

“I know,” Callie whispered, her voice shaky, wrecked.

She pressed their foreheads together, their breaths mingling, her lips brushing against Lottie’s as she murmured,

“I just wanted to prove I’m not useless.”

Lottie’s eyes flashed, her expression darkening.

“Don’t even fucking think like that.”

Her hips snapped upward, her thrusts growing deeper, more controlled, more deliberate—Callie cried out, her fingers curling into Lottie’s hair, pulling, needy.

Lottie groaned, head falling back, her ribs aching but overshadowed by the sheer bliss of Callie tightening around her.

Her fingers dug into Callie’s hips, guiding her, urging her to move faster, harder.

“I’m here to protect you, baby,” Lottie rasped, voice thick with lust and emotion, her breath hot against Callie’s collarbone.

She thrust upward, driving deeper, forcing Callie to take more of her, stretching her fully.

“Fuck—baby, you mean so much to me.”

Callie whimpered, shuddering, her head tilting back, exposing the delicate line of her throat.

Lottie pressed her lips there, sucking a bruise into the soft skin, marking her, owning her.

Callie whimpered again, her movements turning more desperate, hips rolling, bouncing against Lottie in a sloppy, needy rhythm, the sound of their bodies meeting echoing in the cave.

“You’re my good girl, aren’t you?” Lottie murmured, voice rough, teasing, her hands tightening around Callie’s waist.

Callie shivered.

"Yes—" her voice trembled, breaking into a moan as she clenched around her.

Then—wicked, teasing, breathless—

"Yes, Daddy."

Lottie snapped.

A deep, primal growl ripped from her throat as she gripped Callie’s ass, spreading her wider, pulling her down harder onto her length.

Callie gasped, nails scratching against Lottie’s chest, her movements turning frantic.

Her thighs trembled, her pace growing erratic, desperate, her body responding to the raw, carnal hunger between them.

She rode harder, faster, her walls tightening, pulsing, dragging Lottie deeper, milking every inch.

Lottie’s breath turned ragged, her grip bruising, her hips bucking up to meet each thrust, sending sharp jolts of pleasure through them both.

Callie leaned in, her forehead pressing against Lottie's, their breath mingling, their bodies sliding together in slick heat.

“Does this make up for it?” Callie gasped, her voice trembling between moans.

Lottie groaned, her jaw tightening as she pushed deeper, harder.

“For not listening?” Callie teased, her lips brushing against Lottie's, swallowing her low, guttural moans.

Lottie gritted her teeth, her control slipping.

"Yes, baby. Fuck—"

Callie squeezed around her, her muscles fluttering, her walls gripping Lottie in a vice, pulling her deeper, dragging her to the edge.

Lottie growled against her lips, her hips stuttering, her body locking up—

She was close.

Callie felt it, knew it, wanted it.

She cupped Lottie’s face, her thumbs stroking over her cheekbones, eyes burning with something more than just pleasure.

"Go ahead, inside," she whispered, her voice trembling.

Lottie snapped her hips forward one last time, burying herself to the hilt, her breath catching as she finally unraveled, spilling deep inside Callie.

Callie gasped sharply, her entire body tensing, her own release crashing over her in waves, her walls milking Lottie dry.

For a moment—just a breath, just a heartbeat—

Everything was still.

Then Lottie exhaled, her body slumping back, her fingers still gripping Callie’s waist, holding her close, grounding her.

Their bodies shimmered with sweat, breath mingling, hearts racing.

Callie stayed curled against her, her fingers softly tracing the bruises along Lottie’s chest, grounding herself in the warmth, in the aftermath.

Their bodies were still slick with sweat, flushed with the lingering remnants of pleasure, their breath slowing into something steady, something shared.

But Callie wasn’t done.

Slowly, she pushed herself up, the motion forcing the last of their combined heat to slip from her, a slick trail of evidence running down her thighs.

Lottie watched it, mesmerized, her pulse kicking up again.

Callie moved deliberately, shifting onto her knees, straddling Lottie’s face, standing over her, her thighs still trembling from the aftershocks.

Lottie could see it.

The mess she made of her.

Her own release glistening, dripping from Callie’s swollen folds, smearing her inner thighs in a warm, sticky sheen.

Lottie groaned, her hands coming up instinctively, gripping Callie’s hips, holding her in place.

Callie shivered, her breath hitching as she realized what Lottie wanted—what she was about to do.

Then—Lottie pulled her down.

Her tongue slid against the sensitive, slickened flesh, tasting everything, claiming everything.

Callie cried out, her hands shooting to Lottie’s hair, fingers tangling in damp strands as pleasure flared through her all over again.

Lottie worked slowly, thoroughly, savoring every drop, her grip tightening on Callie’s hips to keep her from squirming away.

The cave echoed with soft, breathless moans, the wet, obscene sounds of Lottie’s tongue working against her.

Callie was shaking, her thighs clenching around Lottie’s head, barely able to hold herself up.

And when she came again—a weak, desperate whimper falling from her lips—Lottie drank down every last shudder, every last tremor.

Lottie didn’t stop.

Her tongue lapped at the lingering slickness, tasting the raw, intoxicating essence of Callie, drinking her down like a woman starved. Her lips latched onto the tender, swollen flesh, sucking, teasing, her hands locked onto Callie’s hips, keeping her from pulling away.

Callie shuddered violently, her entire body overcome, overstimulated, her voice rising in a desperate, wrecked cry.

“Lottie—”

She couldn’t take it anymore.

Her legs gave out, her spent form collapsing forward, her body pressing fully onto Lottie’s chest, limp, trembling.

Lottie smirked against her inner thigh, pressing one last, teasing kiss there before leaning back, licking the last of Callie’s pleasure from her lips.

Callie let out a weak, breathless laugh, her cheek resting against Lottie’s sweat-dampened collarbone, her body boneless, completely undone.

“Fucking hell,” she whispered, voice hoarse, ruined.

Lottie only grinned.

But she wasn’t done.

Her own need still burned, heavy, demanding.

With a low, breathy groan, she carefully shifted Callie onto the bedroll, laying her back against the soft fur, her chest rising and falling with exhausted breaths.

Then, Lottie sat back on her knees, wrapping her fingers around her aching length, stroking herself slowly, teasingly, her arousal still hot, throbbing, demanding release.

And Callie?

Callie wasn’t done yet.

Lottie barely had time to catch her breath before Callie shifted, moving slowly, deliberately, her hands dragging over Lottie’s thighs, her stomach, her ribs—before settling against the twitching hardness still standing between them.

Callie let out a soft giggle, her fingers wrapping lightly around Lottie’s cock, still slick with the aftermath of their previous rounds.

“You’re still hard, baby?” she teased, stroking her thumb over the sensitive tip, watching Lottie’s body jolt, watching the shudder that ran through her spine.

Lottie groaned, her hands flexing at her sides, trying not to just grab Callie and take her again.

“F-fuck, yeah.” Her voice was rough, panting, wrecked.

Callie tilted her head, mock-curious, her lips curving in amusement.

“I’ve never seen you like this before, Lottie.”

She trailed her fingers lower, wrapping around the thick base, feeling how Lottie twitched in her grasp, so painfully hard, so needy.

Then—an idea.

Callie grinned, shifting forward, pressing her soft, supple breasts together, trapping Lottie’s aching cock between them.

Lottie hissed through her teeth, her hips twitching, her body already reacting before she could even process what was happening.

Callie gave her a teasing, wide-eyed look.

“Does that feel good?”

Lottie’s breath hitched, her fingers clenching against the bedroll beneath them, trying to ground herself, trying to focus through the overwhelming heat coiling through her stomach.

“Oh, shit—y-yeah.”

Callie laughed softly, watching her, watching how Lottie’s face twisted in pleasure.

Then—she moved.

Slowly, grinding the plush weight of her breasts around Lottie’s cock, the warmth swallowing her, the friction so perfect it made Lottie moan.

Callie bit her lip, watching the way Lottie’s muscles tensed, watching the way she twitched, the way she completely unraveled under the sensation.

“You’re so cute like this, Lottie.”

Lottie barely registered the words at first—until Callie leaned in, her lips brushing against her ear, voice sultry, teasing, dangerous.

“Like a deranged animal.”

Something snapped.

Lottie growled, hands flying up, gripping Callie’s shoulders, her arms, her waist—before settling on her chest, grabbing her, kneading her, squeezing, using her.

She thrust forward, rough, desperate, hungry, her cock sliding between Callie’s slick, warm cleavage, faster, harder, her movements animalistic, frenzied.

Callie gasped at the force, at the sheer raw need consuming Lottie, her nails raking down Lottie’s arms, her back, clinging to her as Lottie fucked into her chest like she was made for this.

“Damn it, Callie—” Lottie growled, her voice deep, broken, her hips snapping harder, her entire body shuddering with need.

Callie could barely hold herself together, her breathing ragged, her own arousal dripping between her thighs just from watching Lottie fall apart like this.

She knew it.

She knew exactly what was driving Lottie wild.

And she wanted to push her even further.

Callie leaned down, her tongue flicking out, licking across the flushed, leaking tip every time Lottie thrust through her breasts.

Lottie shuddered so violently she nearly collapsed on top of her.

Callie moaned, teasing, lapping up the precum that smeared against her lips, licking, sucking, biting.

“You like that, baby?”

Lottie groaned, her grip tightening on Callie’s chest, dragging her closer, forcing her deeper into the rhythm.

Her hips snapped forward, brutal, relentless.

“Yeah. Yes—oh yes, I love it, baby.”

Callie smirked, pressing her tits tighter together, feeling how Lottie twitched and pulsed between them, throbbing, so fucking close.

She could see it—the way Lottie’s body locked up, the way she lost all control.

She pushed up onto her elbows, whispering against Lottie’s lips, her breath hot, filthy.

“Come for me, Lottie.”

Lottie snapped.

Her hips stuttered, her grip bruising, her entire body tensing as pleasure tore through her, crashing like a tidal wave.

Her release spilled hot and thick, painting Callie’s chest, her collarbone, dripping between the soft curves of her breasts.

Lottie let out a deep, trembling groan, her breath ragged, her body locking up before finally sagging, spent, satisfied.

Callie lay beneath her, panting, her fingers dragging through the mess, smearing it, completely wrecked, completely undone.

Lottie collapsed beside her, her arm slinging lazily across Callie’s waist, pulling her closer, tucking her against her chest.

Their bodies were sticky, hot, exhausted—but neither of them cared.

Callie let out a soft, satisfied hum, nuzzling into Lottie’s throat, inhaling the scent of her.

Lottie, still dazed, let out a breathless chuckle, pressing a kiss to Callie’s damp hair.

Lottie collapsed beside Callie, pulling her into a lazy, exhausted embrace, both of them still warm, breathless, and utterly spent.

The air inside the cave was thick, still charged with the remnants of their fevered passion, the scent of sweat, fire, and sex lingering between them.

Callie, still half-drunk on pleasure, let out a satisfied hum, her fingers dragging through the sticky mess Lottie had left across her flushed chest.

She glanced down, watching the slickness smear between her fingertips, before she grinned mischievously and brought her fingers to her lips.

Lottie raised an eyebrow, her breath still uneven, her eyes half-lidded with exhaustion.

“You’re really gonna do that?” she asked, voice gravelly, amused.

Callie shot her a playful look, lips curling before she slowly licked her fingers clean, making direct eye contact the entire time.

Lottie’s stomach tightened.

“Damn, baby. You really are something else.”

Callie let out a soft giggle, but it was laced with something darker, something knowing.

She dragged her fingers through the mess again, gathering more of Lottie’s release, but this time—

She turned to Lottie, holding it up toward her lips.

Lottie blinked.

Then snorted.

“The fuck? You expect me to—”

Callie pouted dramatically, shifting closer, pressing their bare bodies together, her voice taking on a mockingly sweet tone.

“Come on, Lottie. It’s only fair.”

Lottie groaned, dragging a hand down her face, before glancing back at Callie’s smug, expectant expression.

“You are the most ridiculous woman I have ever fucked.”

Callie beamed. “And yet, you keep coming back for more.”

Lottie rolled her eyes but opened her mouth, sticking out her tongue just slightly, reluctantly.

Callie’s grin widened as she dragged her fingers across Lottie’s lips, smearing the mess there before Lottie sighed heavily and finally licked it up.

The moment she did, Callie gasped dramatically, clapping a hand over her mouth.

“Oh my gods, Lottie Matthews just sucked herself off.”

Lottie choked, nearly died on the spot.

She immediately shoved Callie down, pinning her beneath the furs, her face burning as Callie cackled beneath her.

“Shut the fuck up. I hate you.”

Callie was still giggling, gasping for breath, absolutely delighted with herself.

Lottie huffed, leaning down to kiss her roughly, stealing the last of her laughter, letting her tongue press against Callie’s lips until she moaned again, breath hitching.

Just as they were about to get carried away all over again—

The cave entrance rustled.

Lottie cracked an eye open, her instincts still sharp even through the haze of post-orgasmic exhaustion.

Aspen stood frozen mid-step, his golden eyes narrowing as he took in the scene before him.

His ears twitched.

His tail flicked sharply.

Lottie swore she could actually see the judgment radiating off of him.

Callie glanced up and groaned, burying her face into Lottie’s shoulder.

“They know.”

Lottie snorted, pressing a kiss to Callie’s temple, still grinning like an idiot.

“Of course, they know. They have eyes.”

Aspen let out a sharp, disapproving chirp, shaking his head like an exhausted parent dealing with unruly children.

One of the Seikrets huffed, their reptilian heads turning away as if deeply uninterested in the absolute depravity happening inside their shelter.

Aspen, however, was having none of it.

With a pointed flick of his tail, he marched toward the far side of the cave, making a very dramatic show of turning his back to them, sulking like a scorned elder.

Callie peeked out from under the furs, stifling a laugh.

“He’s pissed.”

Lottie chuckled, finally rolling off her, letting Callie stretch beneath her.

“Yeah, well, if he had a girlfriend that let him nut on her tits, maybe he’d be in a better mood.”

Aspen chirped louder, scandalized.

Callie lost it.

Lottie, grinning ear to ear, pulled Callie back against her chest, tucking the furs around them, feeling the steady rhythm of her heartbeat against her own.

The storm had passed.

Aspen would get over it.

And for once—

Everything was quiet.

Chapter Text

The fresh scent of damp earth and burned-out firewood still clung to them as they rode through the scarlet-hued trees, the weight of exhaustion draped over them like a second skin.

Lottie wasn’t in a rush.

The memory of last night still burned hot in her veins, her muscles aching in a way that wasn’t unpleasant. The soreness was less of a burden and more of a reminder—a lingering heat, a satisfaction that unfurled in waves.

She could still feel Callie’s touch on her skin, the breathy moans against her lips, the way she had taken her so perfectly.

Callie, still quiet in her blissful haze, sat snug behind her, arms looped securely around Lottie’s waist, her cheek pressed against the cold metal of her backplate. She wasn’t speaking, wasn’t fidgeting—just resting against her, holding onto the moment for as long as she could.

But peace never lasted long.

The moment the glow of base camp appeared beyond the trees, flickering lanterns and smoldering campfires coming into view, Lottie felt Callie shift slightly, stiffening.

A silent tension settled between them.

Hunters always talked. News traveled fast, and the return of a warrior—especially one who had slain a Leviathan—would never go unnoticed.

By the time they rode into camp, heads were already turning, whispers carrying through the air like embers catching the wind.

Lottie dismounted with a groan, boots sinking into the worn dirt, her entire body aching but alive.

Callie followed, slipping off her Seikret with far more grace, but the moment her feet hit the ground, she glanced at Lottie, then beyond her.

Not because of anything Lottie had done—yet.

But because of who was waiting.

A slow, confident drawl cut through the thickening air.

“There she is. The goddamn champion.”

Lottie smirked before even turning.

Natalie.

The woman strode toward her with effortless ease, her black-plated hunter armor scuffed from battle, stained with dried blood, worn in a way that made it look like a part of her.

Her swagger was infuriatingly natural, her gaze sharp, playful, challenging.

And trailing beside her?

Misty.

The ever-watchful handler, her blue eyes glinting with thinly veiled amusement, taking in everything, every shift of tension, every smothered look of jealousy brewing between Lottie and Callie.

Aspen and Natalie’s Palico, Rocky, exchanged their own silent greeting, a simple nod before they trotted off together toward the food tents, blissfully unaware of—or choosing to ignore—the tension thickening in the air.

Natalie didn’t hesitate.

She didn’t even glance at Callie.

Instead, she walked straight up to Lottie, her smirk widening, and she got touchy.

A hand on Lottie’s shoulder.

A squeeze at her bicep.

A lingering press of fingers over a healing bruise on her forearm.

Callie’s glare intensified.

“You actually did it,” Natalie murmured, voice low, teasing, and full of genuine admiration.

Lottie grinned, letting the warmth of her ego settle comfortably in her chest.

“You doubted me?”

Natalie scoffed, shaking her head, her fingers dragging lazily down Lottie’s arm, slow, lingering just a little too long.

“Never. But fuck, you keep pulling off the impossible, and I’m starting to think I should start betting on you.”

Lottie felt the heat of Callie’s stare boring into her.

Natalie?

Still didn’t acknowledge her.

Instead, she leaned in slightly, lowering her voice just enough to be heard only by Lottie.

“I owe you a drink for that one. Hell, maybe more than one. Maybe a whole night’s worth.”

Lottie chuckled, feeling Callie practically bristle beside her.

God, it was adorable.

“Dangerous offer, Nat. You might not handle me.”

Natalie’s grin sharpened, her fingers still grazing over Lottie’s arm.

“I’d be willing to take my chances.”

Then—

A sharp, exasperated scoff.

The burning intensity of Callie’s silence finally snapped into something vocal.

Callie, jaw tight, fists clenching at her sides, shifted ever so slightly—just enough for her shoulder to bump into Natalie’s arm, firm, subtle, but unmistakable.

Natalie finally acknowledged her.

She turned her head slightly, catching the deadly glare Callie was sending her way, and—

Grinned.

Misty, still lingering at her side, barely contained a smirk, watching the scene unfold like a drama she had already predicted.

“Cute.”

Natalie mused, arms crossed, head tilted in amusement, watching Callie all but fume beside Lottie.

“Jealous is a good look on her.”

Lottie let out a low, knowing chuckle, finally turning her attention fully to Callie.

And there it was.

The pout.

The crossed arms.

The glare that could pierce through solid steel.

Lottie knew better than to tease too much.

But fuck, did she love moments like these.

A slow, wolfish smirk pulled at her lips, and she reached for Callie’s waist, fingers barely grazing the leather of her belt—

Only for Callie to swat her hand away with a sharp scoff.

“Callie, baby—”

“Eat your damn food, Lottie,” Callie snapped, snatching her plate with more force than necessary, her entire face twisted into that adorable, jealous pout.

She turned on her heel, storming off to the eating area, her steps heavy, her Seikret even chuffing softly as if rolling its reptilian eyes at her dramatics.

Lottie let out a soft, amused exhale, shaking her head as she watched Callie stalk away.

Misty, ever the amused observer, finally spoke up.

She leaned her chin into her palm, her lips twitching in barely concealed delight.

“You really do love to cause trouble, don’t you?”

Natalie grinned, stretching her arms lazily before draping one over Lottie’s shoulder, far too comfortable, far too cocky.

“What can I say? Some people just can’t help but get territorial.”

Lottie arched a brow, tilting her head toward Natalie’s very intentional proximity.

“And you just can’t help but be a little shit, huh?”

Natalie flashed her a smirk, teeth flashing like a predator.

“Oh, I absolutely cannot.”

And then—because she lived for this—Natalie pressed herself a little closer, letting her fingers lazily graze over one of Lottie’s many fresh battle scars, a slow, lingering touch.

Callie, who had just taken her first bite of food, choked so violently that Aspen had to pat her on the back.

Lottie bit back a laugh.

Misty pressed a fist to her lips, fully invested.

Callie set her plate down with an audible thunk, then turned, fixing Natalie with a glare so sharp it could have been considered a weapon.

“Oh my fucking gods, get off her, you thirsty-ass lizard.”

Natalie laughed outright, completely unbothered, shifting just enough to drape her entire weight over Lottie, knowing full well she was playing a dangerous game.

“Aww, what’s the matter, Callie? Feeling a little… left out?”

Callie’s eye twitched.

Lottie, utterly entertained, took a slow bite of her food and chewed as she watched them go at it.

“Left out?” Callie scoffed, crossing her arms tighter. “Yeah, because I just love it when you hover over my girlfriend like a flea-ridden Tigrex.”

Natalie gasped, mocking offense.

“First of all, rude. Second of all—if I was a Tigrex, I’d be an incredibly sexy one.”

Callie growled under her breath, jabbing her fork in Natalie’s direction.

“Touch her again and I’ll shove this so far up your—”

“Alright, alright.” Lottie finally spoke, grabbing Callie’s wrist before she actually committed murder. “No one’s getting impaled with cutlery at the dinner table.”

Callie huffed but let her grip on the fork loosen.

Natalie, grinning like the absolute menace she was, finally pulled back, but not before ruffling Lottie’s hair like some asshole older brother figure.

“Fine, fine. I’ll behave. But only because your little handler is adorable when she’s pissed.”

“I’m not little, you absolute parasite,” Callie muttered, still pouting as she picked at her food.

Natalie laughed, slapping Lottie on the back before finally sauntering off, leaving behind a trail of smugness and chaos.

Misty, still hiding her grin behind her knuckles, shook her head as she followed.

Lottie, still grinning, turned back to Callie.

She was fuming, lips pressed together, stabbing at her meal far too aggressively.

Lottie leaned in, nudging her playfully.

“You’re adorable when you’re mad, y’know that?”

Callie scowled but refused to look at her.

“Shut up and eat, Matthews.”

Lottie chuckled, leaning over to press a teasing kiss to Callie’s temple.

Yeah.

Tonight was going to be interesting.

---

The celebration had been endless, the camp alive with laughter, clinking mugs, and the warmth of bodies pressed together in drunken camaraderie.

Lottie had been the center of it all—praised, admired, touched.

The women of the camp had fawned over her, flirted with her, whispered in her ear, draped themselves in her lap, wanting a piece of the hunter who had slain a god.

Callie had watched it all.

She had watched Natalie smirk knowingly, had watched the others bask in Lottie’s attention, had sat through the entire ordeal of her partner being practically worshipped.

But now—

Now Lottie was hers.

Callie had her bent over, trembling, panting, her thighs shaking as Lottie’s fingers plunged deep into her butthole, stretching her in a way that had her biting into her own forearm to muffle her sounds.

The canvas walls of their shared tent rustled in the night breeze, the faint glow of the dying fire outside casting flickering shadows over their bodies.

Lottie was full from food, buzzing from drink, but nothing—nothing—was more intoxicating than Callie trembling beneath her.

Her fingers worked deep and slow, teasing, curling, dragging out the sinful, broken gasps from Callie’s parted lips.

“You wanted my attention, baby?” Lottie rasped, pressing a kiss to Callie’s shoulder, her teeth scraping against flushed skin.

Callie whimpered, her hips pushing back, desperate.

“Y-Yes—”

Lottie chuckled, pulling her fingers out with a slick pop, leaving her empty, clenching around nothing.

Callie made a frustrated sound, but it turned into a sharp gasp as Lottie spanked her once—

Then again.

And again.

Each slap landed firm, precise, sending a delicious sting through Callie’s body.

“You act like I don’t see you, baby,” Lottie murmured, her voice thick with lust, her hands kneading into the soft flesh of Callie’s ass, admiring the red bloom of her handprints.

“But I see you. And now? Now, I’m gonna make sure you never doubt that again.”

Callie moaned into the bedroll, her fingers gripping the fabric as Lottie spread her ass wide, positioning herself.

Lottie pressed the blunt, leaking tip against Callie’s tight entrance, her body tensing at the sensation, knowing this was going to be intense, filthy, deep.

She took her time, easing in, inch by aching inch, the heat and tightness sucking her in, forcing a groan from her throat.

Callie’s breath stuttered, her whole body arching as she tried to take it, her teeth sinking into her forearm to keep from waking the entire camp.

“Fuck, baby, you’re so tight.” Lottie gritted her teeth, gripping her hips, feeling the way Callie squeezed around her.

Callie whimpered, her voice muffled by the bedroll, trembling beneath the weight of Lottie’s possession.

“More, Lottie—please—”

That was all it took.

Lottie snapped her hips forward, burying herself deeper, making Callie jolt forward, her back curving as she tried to take all of it.

The rhythm was unforgiving, raw, deep—each movement a claim, a reminder, a demand.

Callie loved it. Loved being ruined by her, loved knowing Lottie belonged to her.

And Lottie?

She was obsessed with the way Callie took everything she gave her.

The night stretched long, their bodies tangled in a feverish dance, moving from one act of devotion to the next.

Lottie lay sprawled on the soft furs, breathless, still half-drunk off adrenaline, alcohol, and Callie herself.

She watched, enthralled, as Callie knelt between her thighs, fingers digging into Lottie’s hips, her eyes half-lidded, lips swollen and wet.

Her tongue traced the length of Lottie’s hardness, teasing, torturous, dragging slow, deliberate circles before she finally took her in again, warm, slick heat enveloping her inch by inch.

Lottie’s head fell back, her fingers tangling into Callie’s soft hair, guiding her rhythm.

“Fuck—baby, just like that.”

Callie hummed around her, the vibrations sending a deep, aching pleasure up Lottie’s spine.

Her throat stretched, taking more, her eyes watering, but she kept going, driven by the way Lottie’s thighs tensed beneath her, by the low, guttural groans spilling from her lips.

She pulled back with an obscene pop, her breath coming fast, her cheeks flushed as she stroked Lottie’s cock with both hands, slick and messy, her spit glistening in the dim firelight.

She gazed up at her through heavy lashes, her lips parting as she whispered:

“You like watching me do this?”

Lottie growled, her hips bucking up, barely holding onto the last shred of control she had left.

“You know I do.”

Callie smirked, then took her back in, sucking deep, hollowing her cheeks, letting the wet, sinful noises of her mouth fill the space between them.

Lottie cursed, her grip tightening in Callie’s hair, hips rolling up, fucking into her mouth, needing more.

Callie took it, gagging just slightly, drool slipping from the corner of her lips, eyes brimming with tears.

Lottie nearly lost herself right then and there.

But she wasn’t done with Callie yet.

With a desperate groan, she grabbed Callie’s wrist, yanking her up, flipping her onto her back in one swift motion.

Callie let out a small gasp, barely registering what happened before Lottie was between her thighs, pinning her down, spreading her open.

Her fingers traced over Callie’s dripping heat, teasing, barely pressing inside, feeling how utterly ruined she already was.

“So fucking wet for me.”

Callie whimpered, arching into the touch, chasing it.

Lottie didn’t make her wait.

She pushed inside, slow, deep, stretching her open inch by inch, savoring the way Callie clenched around her.

Callie gasped, fingers digging into Lottie’s back, her thighs wrapping tight around Lottie’s waist.

The first thrust was slow, controlled, deliberate.

The next was deeper.

The next stole the breath from Callie’s lungs.

Lottie set the rhythm, pulling out almost completely before sinking back in, each stroke claiming, consuming, dragging sharp moans from Callie’s lips.

Lottie leaned down, mouth hovering over Callie’s ear, whispering filthy, breathless praise.

“You take me so well, baby.”

Callie shuddered.

“Filling you up so perfectly, stretching you just right.”

Callie’s whimpers turned desperate, her nails leaving red streaks down Lottie’s back.

“You love being ruined like this, don’t you?”

Callie nodded frantically, too lost in the pleasure to form words.

Lottie groaned, rolling her hips deeper, hitting the perfect spot, sending Callie reeling.

But she needed more.

She wanted to see her from every angle, to break her apart and put her back together.

So she pulled out, leaving Callie whimpering at the loss, trembling from the absence.

She barely had time to protest before Lottie grabbed her ankles, lifting them up, positioning them just right.

Then—Lottie pressed Callie’s feet against her aching length, her cock twitching as the soft curves wrapped around her.

Callie blinked, lips parting in pure confusion.

“Wait… is this…?” She glanced at Lottie’s expression, watching as her eyes fluttered shut for a moment, jaw clenching as her hands gripped Callie’s thighs tighter.

Callie’s brows furrowed.

“You’re seriously into this? Like… a foot job?”

Lottie let out a guttural groan, hips bucking slightly, watching the way Callie’s small, delicate feet wrapped around her cock, squeezing, teasing.

“Baby, just fucking move.”

Callie huffed, still looking deeply skeptical.

“I mean, it’s kinda weird, but—” She flexed her toes experimentally, gripping around the thick length, squeezing in a way that made Lottie’s breath stutter.

Lottie hissed through her teeth, head falling back.

Callie grinned, tilting her head.

“Oh, shit. You’re really into this.”

Lottie’s grip tightened on her thighs, nails sinking in.

“Shut up and keep going.”

Callie snickered, rolling her ankles, slowly stroking up and down, her slick soles gliding along Lottie’s hardness, feeling the heat, the way it pulsed under her touch.

“Damn, you’re really fucking into this.”

Lottie groaned, hips jerking, thrusting between the soft curves of Callie’s feet.

Callie bit her lip, watching the way her lover unraveled, watching how desperate and needy Lottie looked, how wrecked she was just from this.

“You’re such a perv, Lottie.”

Lottie’s eyes snapped open, dark and dangerous.

“Keep talking, Callie. See what fucking happens.”

Callie giggled, but obeyed, stroking faster, her toes curling around the thick shaft, squeezing slightly every time Lottie twitched.

Lottie was panting now, eyes hazy, watching the way she disappeared between Callie’s soft, slick feet, completely lost in the sensation.

Callie grinned, tilting her head.

“Damn, you’re so fucking big… it’s kinda crazy.”

Lottie growled, hips snapping harder, rougher.

“You’re just figuring that out now?”

Callie let out a mock gasp, all false innocence.

“I mean, I knew it, but like… seeing it from this angle? You’re hung like a godsdamn monster, babe.”

Lottie snapped.

Her grip turned bruising, her hips thrusting hard, fast, desperate, her cock sliding between Callie’s feet with wet, obscene sounds.

Callie moaned, licking her lips as she watched the way Lottie completely lost control.

“Gonna come already, babe? Just from my feet? Fuck, that’s kinda hot.”

Lottie snarled, gripping her ankles tight, thrusting deep between her toes, until—

Her breath hitched, her body locking up, back arching as she finally let go.

Thick, hot ropes of cum spurted across Callie’s ankles, dripping onto her calves, marking her in sinful streaks of white.

Lottie let out a deep, trembling moan, riding out the aftershocks, barely able to keep herself upright.

Callie stared down at the mess, blinking.

Then, she wiggled her toes, watching the way Lottie’s release dripped between them.

“Okay… that was kinda hot.”

Lottie, still panting, shot her a deadpan look.

“Took you long enough.”

Callie smirked, lifting her foot and dragging it teasingly up Lottie’s abs, smearing the mess across her stomach.

Lottie groaned, grabbing Callie by the hips, dragging her down, pinning her beneath her.

“Oh, you’re gonna pay for that, brat.”

Callie just giggled against her lips, knowing exactly what she had just started.

Lottie yanked Callie into her lap, her hands gripping firm, possessive, guiding her down, watching as Callie sank onto her cock, taking her to the hilt.

Callie’s head tilted back, a sharp gasp escaping her lips, her walls fluttering around the thick intrusion, adjusting, stretching.

“Fuck, baby—” Lottie groaned, her fingers digging into Callie’s soft hips, holding her there, keeping her down for a moment, making her feel every inch.

Callie trembled, her thighs quaking from the sheer fullness, the heat, the raw pleasure sparking up her spine.

Then Lottie moved.

A slow, deep grind at first, rolling her hips deliberately, making Callie feel every inch dragging against her slick walls.

Callie let out a soft, helpless moan, her hands flying to Lottie’s shoulders, nails digging in.

And then Lottie picked up the pace.

Harder.

Faster.

Deeper.

Their bodies collided, sweat-slicked, desperate, mouths crashing together in a messy, heated kiss, moaning into each other, breathless, starving.

Lottie’s grip tightened, her strokes turning brutal, unrelenting, each snap of her hips making Callie jolt, her breath coming in short, sharp cries.

Callie could barely think, barely breathe, barely function—she was close, trembling, breaking apart in Lottie’s arms.

Lottie was right behind her, her own pleasure coiling tight, burning deep, her fingers bruising Callie’s hips as she drove into her.

Then—

A sharp, overwhelming pressure built low in Callie’s stomach.

It was intense, consuming, almost too much, like an urgent, unbearable fullness.

Callie gasped, eyes flying wide, her body seizing up.

“Lottie— I—”

Lottie didn’t slow down.

“Fuck, baby, you’re squeezing me so tight—”

Callie panicked.

“Wait! I think—I think I—”

Too late.

Callie arched violently, her orgasm ripping through her, shattering her into pieces.

But instead of just release—

A sudden, hot rush spilled out of her, drenching Lottie’s lap, soaking her cock, flooding between them.

For a second, Callie didn’t process what had just happened.

Then—absolute horror.

Her eyes went wide, her entire body locking up, face flushing deep red.

She had just fucking pissed on Lottie.

Lottie had stilled completely, still buried deep inside her, still pulsing, still throbbing—

But utterly silent.

Callie’s breath hitched.

The mortification set in.

“Oh my fucking gods.”

She clamped both hands over her mouth, her entire body trembling—not from pleasure anymore, but from pure, absolute, soul-crushing embarrassment.

Lottie still hadn’t said anything.

Just stared down at the mess pooling between them.

Then—

She cracked the fuck up.

A full-bodied, deep belly laugh tore out of her, her head tilting back, her whole body shaking with laughter, absolutely losing it.

Callie, still on top of her, still full of Lottie’s cock and shame, nearly died on the spot.

“LOTTIE!”

Lottie just kept laughing, clutching Callie’s hips, forehead resting against Callie’s shoulder as her body trembled with uncontrollable amusement.

“Baby—baby, holy shit—” Lottie gasped between wheezes, still inside her, still throbbing, still very much not over what just happened.

Callie slapped her arm, her face buried in Lottie’s shoulder, refusing to move.

“Don’t fucking talk to me. Ever again.”

Lottie snorted, pressing a kiss to Callie’s damp, flushed skin, still grinning like an absolute asshole.

“Oh, come on, baby. You’re adorable when you’re embarrassed.”

Callie groaned, absolutely dying inside.

“I will actually murder you.”

Lottie chuckled, her arms wrapping tight around Callie’s waist, holding her close, pressing another teasing kiss to her cheek.

“Don’t worry, baby. I still think you’re cute.”

Callie groaned louder, smacking her forehead against Lottie’s shoulder, refusing to acknowledge reality.

But as Lottie tilted her chin up, kissed her slow and deep, whispered against her lips—

“Next time, we’ll make sure you don’t panic first.”

Callie let out a soft, strangled sound, smacking Lottie’s chest again.

This was never leaving the Tent.