Story and characters are (c) Lars Hellberg

All\x92s Fair...

"I can\x92t believe I\x92m letting you do this to me..."
"Relax, my friend," Feirn laughed. "That\x92ll make it far more enjoyable."
"I\x92m not even interested in things like this!"
"Stop whining, Carle! You really need some good, honest fun, you know."
"Maybe, but this? We\x92re both grown men! It\x92s just not appropriate!"
"Yeah, right!" Feirn snorted, his tail wagging irritatedly. "Start lecturing social ethics! Every time you want to get out of something."
"Well, pardon me! I just don\x92t want to do it. I\x92ve got work to do!"
"Not tonight!"
"Yes, tonight! It\x92s supposed to be done before Monday."
"Carle, shut up!" Feirn slapped the other\x92s arm, making him whine. "Tonight, you\x92re with me, and we\x92re going to enjoy ourselves! Left to yourself, you\x92d work to your death. Besides, the fair only comes to town every two years. Miss it now..."
"Gladly!"
"Sour-puss!"
"Thrill-seeking cub."
"Thanks for the compliment, old wolf."

Still bickering, the two lupines entered the fairgrounds, which covered most of the town\x92s centre, finding themselves face-to-face with a sea of colours, whipped by a storm of voices. Tail high, ears perked, Feirn looked around, memories of childhood fun coming back at full strength as he spotted youngsters darting hither and yon, in search of amusement. Dragging the reluctant Carle with him, he reached a booth selling glazed pear slices, exchanging a coin for a sweet-smelling paper bag.
"Here, try one of these." Biting into one, he reached another to Carle. "They\x92re so sweet!"
""I\x92ll bet! Do you have any idea how hard it\x92ll be to sleep tonight, eating that much sugar?"
"You are not going to sleep tonight! The fair goes on until way after sunrise."
"What about my work?"
"Mentioning it again will merit you this bag over your head. Let\x92s see the lotteries!"
"Did you lose thirty years suddenly, and I failed to notice?"
"Yup. All I have to do is steal a score-and-a-half of age from you as well, and we can start having proper fun. Look, they\x92ve got a bow competition! Win me something!"
"I don\x92t shoot bows, Feirn, I\x92m a scholar!"
"You never know \x91til you\x92ve tried. Go on, I\x92m paying."
Choosing from the available bows, Carle picked out one made from a sturdy willow branch. The targets were a little over fifteen metres away, and consisted of round wooden plates of varying sizes, the smaller rewarding more points than the larger ones. Readying an arrow, he aimed carefully, then let it fly, hitting one of the smallest plates dead in the centre. Repeating the feat, he chuckled slightly.
"To think I haven\x92t held one of these for over twenty years." Placing the third arrow as well in the centre of a small plate, he handed the bow back to the gaping manager, flashing Feirn a smug grin. "Stripes don\x92t wash away, eh? Pick a win, would you?"

They had their evening meal at the fair, as well, choosing to dine in a large tent, filled with the spicy smells of exotic food. Feirn put his large lion-doll beside his chair as he sat down at a free table, eyeing through the menu handed to him by a waiter. About half the dishes he knew well, the rest he had heard about, but never tasted, or hadn\x92t heard about at all. Carle looked at his own menu for a brief moment, then put it back down.
"I don\x92t know what\x92s in more than a couple of these dishes. You know what I like, pick something for me, will you?"
"Okay. Just let me think a while."
After an hour of games, competitions, lotteries and side-shows, Carle\x92s mood had changed, and he had begun enjoying himself thoroughly. Takes a while to burn away the old man in me, he thought. To bring back the boy of long ago. Watching fire-breathers and jugglers, betting on wrestlers or playing a game of dice which proved nigh impossible to win, had brought a smile to his lips, and a comical act on the largest scene had made them both laugh. Seeing a pair of swordsmen displaying their skills in a mock fight had brought other feelings. A mixture of nostalgia and dread at seeing a part of his life long since gone, nearly played out again before his eyes. All the time, Feirn had dragged with him the lion-doll, large as a toddler.
"I just can\x92t understand why you didn\x92t pick a box of chocolates instead," Carle said as Feirn leaned down to sit up the doll, which had fallen over. "It does look heavy."
"It isn\x92t. I think it\x92s stuffed with cotton, no effort at all. Besides, this is a fair, you\x92re supposed to win toys."
"You\x92re incorrigible." He laughed. "Have you found us something to eat?"
"I think so. Horseradish pike, how\x92s that sound?"
"Dangerous. You\x92ve had this before?"
"I was stationed way up in the snowy North once upon a time. You\x92ll be surprised, it\x92s actually quite mild."
"Hmm, if you say so. Myself, I wouldn\x92t trust people who eat rancid fish to make my dinner."
"They do cook other things, too, you know."
"Oh, all right. I\x92ll trust you, instead." Grinning, Feirn placed their orders, adding a bottle of white wine. "Been a while since we had fish."
"We\x92re a hundred kilometres from the coast, Carle. Fish is a luxury. We could move..."
"No thanks. My work..."
"Yes, yes, I know. Just a suggestion. There are some really nice coastal villages, you know. Think of it, the smell of fishermen\x92s fresh catches. Isn\x92t that tempting?"
"Very. We\x92ll move some day, I promise. But not right now."

Sitting back, sipping his wine, Carle had a dreamy look to his face, as if his eyes couldn\x92t quite focus on reality. The waiter picked up their empty plates, returning almost at once with a creamy dessert. Dipping his spoon, Feirn looked up to see that the other hadn\x92t even noticed the arrival of ice-cream. Waving his hands failed to get Carle\x92s attention, and instead, an impish grin crept onto Feirn\x92s lips.
Carle was in another world, lifetimes away. The taste-rich fish sat well in his stomach, and the wine had gone slightly to his head. Memories of other meals competed with the recent, thoughts of other people and distant kin taking precedence over his current company. Normally, he wouldn\x92t think back like this, but stirring the old had...
The spoonful of ice-cream hit him straight between the eyes, running down both sides of his muzzle. With a growl, he leaped to his feet, reaching down his side for a scabbard that wasn\x92t there. For a moment, Carle\x92s eyes were fire, ready to burn whoever was responsible for this indignity. Then he caught sight of Feirn, almost falling off his chair with laughter, and he calmed down. The other wolf\x92s crystal clear laughter brought Carle all the way back into the present. With a wry smile, he picked up his own bowl, placing it upside-down on top of Feirn\x92s head.

Newly washed, they returned to the fairgrounds. It had begun to darken, and the clientele of children had vanished, replaced by curious, expectant youngsters and equally excited adults. The jugglers and fire-breathers were gone as well, the stages now held by conjurers, athletic performances and exotic dancers. They stopped for a while, watching two male tigers and a sleek, female otter performing a whirling dance, enticing the audience with their minimal clothing and their sensual movements, hands and bodies touching, all the while back-lit by a fire that kept changing colour. A low, rhythmic drum-beat kept their pace, adding to the magic of the show. Once this dance had ended, Carle pulled at Feirn\x92s sleeve, dragging him across the street to a tent. Beside the opening was a sign, \x91Performing tonight, Wesinnea, world-famous soprano\x92. The ticket salesman noticed his interest.
"Only fifteen minutes \x91til the show starts, gentlemen. Five markers apiece."
"That\x92s quite expensive," Feirn replied, automatically. "For some singing?"
"For a world-beater, sir. This kind of performance comes not often, let me remind you."
"He\x92s right, Feirn. We would miss a treat."
"Oh, all right. Not that I\x92m too keen on singing, but..."
"You\x92ll change your mind," Carle said, fishing out a small silver coin from his purse, exchanging it for two tickets. "You will change your mind."

Feirn quickly changed his mind, once the show started. Accompanied by a choir, the soprano performed songs that had long ago passed from old to ancient, melodies sung in languages neither of them had ever heard spoken. Still, every word made its way into their hearts, as well as those of everyone in the audience. Her voice was like a waterfall, clear and fresh, every tune vibrating, sparkling with life. Feirn turned his head to look at Carle, who had closed his eyes, his tail slowly wagging along with the song. His hands were moving slightly, as if he was conducting the singers. Feirn himself had tears running down his cheeks. Never had he heard anything like this! All his life, he had believed that beauty was a concept meant for sight alone, but now his ears conveyed to him something as beautiful as a crimson dawn, something filled with so much wonder that it made his heart ache. It was the sound of love, pure and unfalsified love. Closing his eyes, he tried to imagine what the music looked like, and to his mind\x92s eye came a face. The vision of love. Then the singing stopped, and the concert was over. Still seeing the face behind his eyelids, he now opened them. The same face was there, as well, and it smiled at his reddened eyes. Smiling back, he reached out to stroke Carle\x92s cheek, taking his hand as they left the tent.

Outside, he tightened his grip on Carle\x92s hand, pulling the other wolf with him down an alley, then into the densely forested town park. Carle followed, easily keeping up with the other\x92s brisk pace. Every now and then, the smells and sounds of love-making made their way to them, and Carle had to remind himself that this wasn\x92t uncommon practice. He had never dreamed of indulging in it personally, however, yet did nothing to resist Feirn, as the other wolf laid him down on a soft patch of grass, hidden from view by some low shrubbery. Unwritten laws, he knew, would keep others from intruding, or even taking offence. Feirn hugged him tightly, kissing his neck, then worked his way up until their lips met. So that\x92s what music does to a soldier, Carle thought. He had been affected as well; touched, enticed, thrilled to hear such singing once more, but it had not made him aroused. Now, though, feeling the close intimacy of a warm, gentle body rubbing all over his own, he felt himself respond in kind. Returning Feirn\x92s kiss, as well as his caresses, Carle allowed himself to be seduced. Completely shut off from the world around them, they made passionate love, their bodies moving in unison to bring a shared, intense peak. Hissing with pleasure, Carle sank back to the ground, feeling Feirn\x92s all but spent body lie down heavily on top of him. They kissed weakly, cuddling for a while before rearranging their clothes, returning to the fairgrounds as if nothing had happened.

Near the square, there was a show of technology. A mechanical horse, looking uncannily like a miniature of a pony, walked around at the front of the stage, occasionally rearing or whinnying. The show host would pick it up every now and then, rewinding its clockwork engine, then release it again. To the left of the stage, a juggler wearing magnetic gloves kept balls made of iron afloat in the air, without even touching them. To the right, a laser projector drew wonderful pictures in the smoke from a small fire. But the main act was in the centre; a holographic projector that created the most fantastic images. The show started when a group of people suddenly appeared on the stage, moving about and talking just like normal, but as one of them reached the juggler, it passed straight through him. Once the fake people disappeared, an image of the solar system appeared, and the host explained what they were looking at, naming planets and moons, telling some of their history. Nothing of this was new to Feirn, and it looked to him as if Carle was also fairly familiar with technology. To most gathered, however, the display equalled magic, both in the way it made them react, and in the reverent hush that followed every new trick. The old world is all but lost to us, Feirn thought. And I can\x92t make up my mind whether that is a good thing or a bad. His train of thought was interrupted, as Carle tugged at his sleeve, dragging him along to the square. Even before they were there, Feirn knew what to expect. The cheerful music and the murmur of voices told him all he needed to know. There was dancing. A small band performed, playing a happy, up-beat tune; nothing like the soft, gentle singing they had heard a while ago, but equally exciting, albeit in a different way. Next to the band\x92s stage, there were some low wooden racks, covered with various items and possessions of the dancers. Unspoken rules kept everything placed on these racks safe from theft, yet Feirn still seemed a tad concerned at leaving his precious lion-doll there. Carle insisted, however, and soon they were out in the middle of the square, joining a score of other pairs moving in rhythm to the music. They danced through a couple of songs, breaking a sweat as they did their best to keep up with the fast-paced beat. Then the band started playing a soft, slow tune, and the two wolves moved closer, holding each other tight as they danced. Words seemed redundant, so they settled for looking deeply into each other\x92s eyes. Feirn found himself basking in the radiance of Carle\x92s love, feeling himself returning the same gaze, filled with need, desire, longing and love. Before the song ended, they shared a long kiss, not breaking apart until the next up-beat song began. Leaving the make-shift dance-floor, they stopped to pick up the doll before moving on. Carle felt his renewed arousal calm down, telling himself, all in due time.

"I keep forgetting what a marvellous dancer you are," Feirn said, leaning closer to lay his head on Carle\x92s shoulder.
"I had the best of teachers."
"How come I never knew your story, Carle? We\x92ve been together for what, eighteen years? And I still know naught of your previous life."
"Nineteen, my love." Carle reached up to touch the other\x92s face, enjoying the purring sound this invoked. "As for my past, I hope you never do find out. I\x92m not very proud of it."
"Nothing about you could deter me, Carle. Nothing."
"What a sweet thing to say. Maybe I will tell you someday, but not tonight. I\x92m not through enjoying myself yet."
"That bad, eh?" Feirn grinned, yanking the other\x92s tail. "You\x92re a highwayman, right? That\x92s where you learned to shoot a bow. No, wait! A murderer, escaped from your just sentence, hiding and masquerading as a lowly writer. Am I right?"
"No. Leave it, please."
"All right. Look, lottery wheels! Hang on, I want to try and win some candy."
On his fifth attempt, Feirn won a small bag of chocolates, grinning happily as he fed Carle one, then popped one into his own mouth. Slowly pacing along, they now reached booths of merchants, displaying everything from old books to weaponry, from cheap toys to expensive jewellery. While Carle eyed through the book cases, Feirn bought himself a shirt, then went to have a look at various toys; mechanical devices, stuffed dolls, puzzles and games. He bought a new catch-ball, thinking to finally throw away the old, worn-out one. Turning around to look for Carle, he spotted the other just leaving a jewellery booth. As could be expected, he was carrying a heavy bag of books.
"Carle, catch!"
Barely waiting to see that he had the other\x92s attention, Feirn tossed the ball to him. Carle took a step aside, then pounced, his jaws snapping shut around the ball. Shaking his head, Carle muttered something unintelligible.
"What\x92s that you\x92re saying?" Feirn asked, cupping his ears. Carle spat out the ball into his hands. "Ah no, you\x92ve drooled all over it!"
"I said, you always were one for toys." Laughing, Carle held his bag open. "Here, put it in. You can play when we get home."
"Speaking of home..."
"Feirn, we can\x92t have seen everything yet! It can\x92t be much past midnight."
"I was just thinking, maybe we should go home and drop off all these things."
"Hmm, now that\x92s a good idea. Then some more dancing?"
"Or something off the grill. I\x92m getting hungry."

Half an hour later, Carle paid the cheerful cougar who kept the grills fired up, and they each received their meals. While Feirn hacked in on a skewer loaded with tasty meats and vegetables, Carle felt his mouth water at the sight and smell of his own dish of various sausages and fried potatoes. Both kept stealing from the other, growling and snarling and laughing all the while. There was a commotion further down the street, and Feirn could hear a woman\x92s voice, shouting abuse at someone. Then he spotted the lithe otter, ducking through the crowd while holding on to a purse far too feminine to be his own. Putting out his leg, he felled the otter as he would streak by. Crashing to the ground, he dropped the purse, which Carle swooped up, while placing his foot on the thief\x92s neck, keeping him pinned down. The woman, a young lioness, beamed with delight at having her purse back, thanking them both with a kiss to the cheek, when they wouldn\x92t accept a monetary reward. She kicked the thief in the mid-section before leaving, and Carle held on to the grunting otter until he was picked up by the local authorities.
"What do you think they\x92ll do to him?" Feirn asked, just loud enough for the shivering thief to hear. "Chop his fingers off?"
"Either that or burn-mark him," Carle answered. "Depends on if the victim presses charges."
"What do you think they\x92ll do?" Feirn asked again, once the otter was out of hearing range.
"Lock him up, then release him in the morning, I\x92d guess. Depends on how much he\x92s been stealing during the night. Thievery isn\x92t that heavy a crime."
"Finish your snack, Carle. I want to see if there\x92s any jousting this year."

There was. A board, half a metre wide, had been raised a metre-and-a-half above the ground. Padded sticks provided weaponry, and people could either fight each other or choose to challenge one of the three Fair Masters. Strutting like a young cock, Feirn picked up a stick, nodding to the largest of the Masters. Accepting the challenge, the huge tiger flexed his impressive muscles, striking a pose for his audience. The two of them climbed the board, while Carle looked on, a wry grin playing across his muzzle. The bigger they are... he thought, glancing to the sand-pit beneath the board. You\x92re up against a decorated ex-soldier, my feline friend. The joust was over in ten seconds. The tiger let Feirn have first swing, and the wolf struck high, feigning off-balance, then sweeping away the counter-strike. The tiger was good, however, and parried two ferocious blows from Feirn, before the third caught his leg, sending him to a grunting impact against the sand below. Feirn bowed to the cheering audience, then turned as the second Master, a tall chimpanzee, leaped nimbly onto the board. Changing tactics, Feirn waited for the monkey to strike first, then parried, and struck back. Catching his opponent across his shoulder, Feirn sent him off the board, bowing once more. Around him, Carle could hear familiar voices; friends, neighbours, fellow townsmen, all were now talking about Feirn, and although Carle couldn\x92t make out the words, he could hear that they sounded impressed. The third Master was a young dragoness, a head shorter than her wolfen opponent and about half his size. He\x92d better watch it, Carle thought. That one is not there because of strength, so she must compensate with skill. Again, Feirn waited for the other to open, but as she kept dancing about, just outside of his reach, he grew impatient. Striking prematurely, Feirn was caught off-guard as she dodged his blow, and he received a thunderous strike to the side of his head. Unable to help himself, the wolf landed face first in the sand. Within seconds, Carle was there, helping him up, checking him for injuries.
"I\x92m fine, Carle. Don\x92t be a fuss!"
"That was some fall! How could you let yourself get tricked like that?"
"Go on, then, show me how to beat her. The host says she\x92s been undefeated for three years."
"Now, Feirn, please. I\x92ve told you, I am a scholar. I don\x92t fight."
"But you shoot a bow better than the entire archery regiment at Toussa! I have a gut feeling saying you could take her."
"With you already in my arms?" Carle grinned. "Come on, I\x92ve told you already, I won\x92t fight."
"Won\x92t..."
"What?"
"You said won\x92t, Carle. Not can\x92t. Show me what you\x92re made of!"
"Promise me one thing," Carle said, sighing. "Don\x92t ask. Please don\x92t ask."
"I won\x92t. That\x92s a promise."
Paying the host a half-marker coin, Carle chose careful among the sticks, finding one whose balance he liked. Climbing onto the board, Feirn noticed how his friend changed. The timid scholar was gone, and in his place was a warrior. Carle\x92s footing was as sure as if he had been standing on the solid ground, and not on a swaying board, way up in the air. Swinging a couple of times to check his balance, Carle assumed a fighting stance Feirn had never seen before. The dragon girl again started dancing, tempting Carle to strike first. When he lashed out at once, she was caught a slight bit off guard, and had to parry his blow. Moving with a speed way beyond anything Feirn had ever seen in him, Carle struck once, twice, forcing the girl backwards, desperately parrying. Then she leaped up, somersaulting over Carle\x92s head to land behind him, ready to strike. Her blow caught him in the ribs, making him lose balance. Seeing this, she attacked, but at the last moment, she realised her mistake. Feirn saw it, too; the slight smile that played across Carle\x92s muzzle, before he sprung up, meeting her in mid-air and striking the stick out of her hands. As they landed, he jabbed her in the stomach, making her lose balance. One more swift blow, and she fell off the board, landing on her rump in the sand. Bowing shortly to the crowd, Carle stopped to accept a goldish-looking medal from the stunned host, before re-joining Feirn. Smiling wryly, he held out his arm, and Feirn grabbed it automatically.
"Shall we go?" He led Feirn away from the commotion, accepting a few congratulations and cheers, but avoiding most of the crowd. "You know, jousting is a bit like playing chess. You have to think ahead."
"I shan\x92t ask, Carle. I shan\x92t. Lucky thing I\x92m not a cat. That was outstanding!"
"Thanks." He kissed Feirn\x92s cheek. "Let\x92s find something to drink, then go back to the square."
"Feel like more dancing?"
"Are you joking!? That stirred my blood! I can go on all night."
"The night\x92s coming to an end," Feirn said, pointing to the east, where the stars were straining to compete with the first rays of pre-dawn light. "But I guess we\x92ll be in time for at least a couple of dances."
"And then, a dance of joining?" They stopped by a drinks merchant, accepting two mugs of a strong red wine. "A dance of body and soul?"
"If you will..." Feirn giggled, nearly spilling his wine. "If you will..."

Like Feirn had said, they were able to dance through a couple of songs, before the music stopped, and a loudspeaker crackled to life.
"Ladies and gentlemen, daylight is approaching, and it is time for our fair to end. The salesmen will keep open until midday, but the festivities are over. Now, if you look away from the dawn, we shall celebrate the passing of night."
Feirn and Carle turned to gaze westwards, just in time to see a show of fireworks begin. Plumes of swirling colours exploded on the deep blue almost-night sky, and the air was filled with the sharp sulphur smell of gunpowder. The aahs and oohs of the crowd surrounded them, as Carle laid his arm around Feirn\x92s neck, pulling him closer into a gentle embrace. When the noisy display reached its crescendo, the two of them were oblivious; locked in a deep kiss, they were making fireworks of their own.

The sun was well up when Feirn closed their bedroom door, tossing his jacket over the back of a chair. Carle had laid down on top of the bed covers, his arms out-stretched. He was purring with delight as Feirn sat down next to him, rubbing his stomach. But as he felt his shirt being lifted, Carle sat up, straightening his clothes. He gently pushed Feirn\x92s hand aside, ignoring the hurt expression on his face.
"Carle, what\x92s wrong?"
"Nothing. Nothing at all." Suddenly, he seemed fidgety, indecisive, and Feirn reached out to stroke away a wisp of hair from his forehead. "Nothing is wrong."
"Then why do you shy away? That\x92s not like you."
"Nothing is like me. Feirn, will you forgive me?"
"Forgive you? For what?"
"For stalling. For postponing and stalling, all these years. For not doing this long ago."
"That wine went straight to your head, didn\x92t it?"
"Not at all." Carle got to his feet, then fell to his knees before a baffled Feirn. He fished out a small box from one of his pockets, and then opened it. The sight of two plain, golden rings made Feirn lose his breath. "Feirn, my love, will you marry me? Be my mate and my love for the rest of our lives?"
His vision suddenly obscured by tears, Feirn found that his voice was failing him, the words stuck in his throat.
"I... I... Oh, Carle...!" He threw himself around Carle\x92s neck, whispering into his ear. "Yes. Yes, of course I will. B-but...?"
"But what?"
"Why now?" Breaking the hug, Feirn leaned back to catch Carle\x92s gaze. "Why so completely out of the blue?"
"Because of two things." He kissed Feirn\x92s nose, making his whiskers twitch. "First, because tonight you showed me how to live. I must have forgot it, since I tried to resist you. I had so much fun tonight. Secondly, well, I landed my eyes on these rings at the jeweller\x92s booth, and I thought they would be perfect as engagement rings."
"They\x92re lovely." Tears still flowing, Feirn allowed Carle to slip a ring onto his finger. holding it up into the morning sunlight to watch it shine. "So beautiful..."
"I should have asked you to marry me a long time ago, Feirn. I\x92m sorry I didn\x92t. Now, I almost feel we\x92re too old. So much of our lives already spent."
"Carle, no! You can\x92t think like that! That\x92s how you forgot how to live. We have been together, haven\x92t we? We\x92ve travelled together, we\x92ve had fun, we have loved. We\x92ve had plenty of life together, even if we weren\x92t married."
"So you think it\x92s okay?"
"Of course it is!" Suddenly, Feirn\x92s face turned serious. "But what about your work? When will we find the time..."
"Forget the work! If they want those paragraphs written, they can find someone else to do it. I\x92m getting married, then I\x92m leaving this town for good."
"Carle!" Giggling, Feirn hugged his mate-to-be. "Have you gone completely insane?"
"Yes! I have. I\x92m going to take you to the coast, my love. Where we can have fresh fish every day, if we want to. Who\x92s to say we have to stay on this continent?"
"You\x92re off the rocks!"
"I don\x92t want to stop living again." Grabbing Feirn\x92s cheek fur, he locked eyes with him. "I can\x92t stay here anymore, I need to move. Anywhere, as long as you come along. Money is not an issue, I have plenty."
"So I\x92ve seen." Feirn held up his left hand, touching the golden ring. "This is pure gold, must\x92ve cost half a fortune."
"So it did."
"You were a highwayman, weren\x92t you? This is from blood money!"
"Promised not to ask, Feirn..."
"Yes, but not to keep from joking. You can\x92t hurt anybody! Wherever this money of yours is from, I\x92m sure it\x92s good and clean."
"It is. What do you say, want to see the world?"
"Anytime." Grinning, he suddenly shook his head. "Anytime, that is, except right now!"
Feirn ran his hand along the inside of Carle\x92s thigh, causing a gasp and a short yelp as he touched his crotch. Caressing and stroking, he made Carle throw his head back, purring with delight. They paused to remove each other\x92s clothes, then laid down together, kissing and fondling each other. Carle kissed his lover\x92s neck, while he stroked him, every movement of his sensitive hand causing Feirn\x92s body to shiver and jerk. In the strong morning sun, they could see every shift of pattern in their furs; Feirn\x92s smoothly light grey, and Carle\x92s dark grey and brown. Feirn traced the brown patches with his fingers, making Carle shudder with pleasure. A shudder which was accompanied by whimpers and heavy breathing as the grey wolf kissed his way down his stomach. The strong scent of Carle\x92s arousal filled his nostrils as Feirn licked his bellybutton, working his way even further down.

When evening came, they lay sleeping in each other\x92s arms, having finally spent themselves by making love over and over again. Feirn stirred slightly, opening his eyes to watch the sleeping wolf by his side. His future husband. The thought made him dizzy. Kissing the closed eyelids, he thought back to their night of fun, and their day of ecstasy. He had discovered, or rather awakened, a wild streak in Carle, a fiery passion in the mild scholar that he had only glimpsed before. All the promises, he knew, were valid. They would move out, would travel across the world. Feirn knew that he had been wrong. He had been happy, living with Carle, true; realising his dream of settling down to a quiet, laid-back life. Yet... There was a tingle of excitement running down his spine. This new Carle, he didn\x92t want to lose him! Touching his ring, Feirn smiled to himself. I won\x92t. Whatever happens, I won\x92t lose him. The bundle of fur next to him stirred, and before long, he found himself looking into Carle\x92s eyes. Yawing, Carle flashed him a toothy grin, pulling him down into a kiss. Returning it, Feirn laid down, moving closer to his lover. You were wrong, Carle, he thought, and I think you\x92ve realised it. Our lives aren\x92t going towards their end, they\x92re just beginning! With that thought, he gave in to Carle\x92s shower of kisses and caresses, losing himself completely in their re-awakened, passionate love.