Tiimo had to strain his eyes just to see the ground beneath his feet. Snow was getting into his eyes, into his mouth, into his ears, and it showed no signs of letting up. Cursing his bad luck, he pulled off his scarf and wrapped it over his muzzle, so he would be able to breath without coughing. The trail was long since gone; the roe buck he had been tracking would live to see another day. The question now was, would he?

Finally giving up the hunt, he turned around to make his way back home. Many people were depending on him, hoping for his success. They would all go to bed hungry tonight. If I'll even reach my bed, he thought as the realisation hit him. His own trail, too, was disappearing beneath the heavy snowfall. Breathing deeply, he did his best to calm down, fighting back the urge to make a run for the village. Rushing off in blind panic would mean certain death. He looked around, but could see nothing but white, in every direction. The open landscape that he had known all is life was now totally alien, as if he were suddenly trying to find his way on another planet.

"All right," he muttered to himself, hoping that the sound of his own voice would help him keep his focus. "Setting off without a good bearing will only get me more lost. Trail's gone in a couple of minutes. No sun to follow. I'm not like my wild lynx ancestors, I can't just curl up and sleep beneath the snow."

Still muttering, he wished, not for the first time, that his mother had married a full-blooded lynx like herself, and not a southern tom. The thought of his father, and how he would have reacted at that description, brought a weak smile to Tiimo's lips. Maybe I'll join you tonight, father, sooner than any of us had thought. Immediately, he rejected that thought. This wouldn't do! Despair wouldn't help, Tiimo had enough years in the wild to know that. Neither would self-pity. The winter was merciless, and she killed everyone who wasn't strong enough.

"Well, I am strong enough. Didn't make me guard captain because I whined the loudest." His mind settled, at least for the moment, he started walking in a direction he hoped would lead him into the forest. "Just need to find some shelter, or a good landmark."

It was almost completely dark when the thought of his impending death entered Tiimo's mind once more. Twenty-five years of age, he hadn't given it much thought before, even after his father's death. He had preferred believing like all youth do, that he was meant to live forever. Now, though, a strong wind was relentlessly beating his face with snow, stinging his eyes. His cheeks had long since gone numb, and to his dread he could no longer feel his fingers or toes.

"So this is truly my time?" His voice was little more than a mumbling from half-frozen lips. "My time to see what lies beyond?"

For a second, he wanted nothing more than to howl his grief, to cry out his rage to the stars. If they were still there, above the clouds. But he kept walking, stumbling against the wind. He would keep on, he decided gritting his teeth, as long as he had an ounce of strength left in him. Then he stumbled and fell, hitting his head against wood with a dull thud. Straining his muscles, he found them unable to respond, and so he lay back down in the snow, letting it all go.

All of a sudden Tiimo felt warm again, remembering the summers of his youth. Playing in the forest, swimming in sun-warmed lakes or enjoying kisses and caresses in the arms of some girl. He had gone through quite a few girlfriends, though he had never find someone he could truly love. I only regret one thing, he thought while his entire self started growing numb. I regret that I wasn't able to find someone to bear my kittens. Closing his eyes, he felt as prepared as he could possibly be. Slowly, his consciousness failed him, and he was only half there when he felt someone move beside him.

Opening his eyes, he saw a hooded creature crouching next to him, reaching out with a hand. Beneath the hood, he spotted a glimpse of pure white. Was this Death? Had his moment finally come? Then the creature touched him, and his world turned to darkness.

* * * * * *

As he woke up, Tiimo found to his surprise that he was truly warm. His head hurt slightly, and when he tried to move sharp pangs of pain coursed through his hands and feet. A sensible part of his mind told him that the pain was good, that it meant he still had most of his fingers and toes. Still, he couldn't help but cry out. He opened his eyes, but saw nothing apart from pain flashes. Gritting his teeth, he tried to get up, but immediately felt himself being forced back down on the soft bed.

Bed?

Yes, he was definitely lying on a bed. As the pain abated he felt his head rest on a soft pillow, and he was covered with blankets. The bed gave way slightly as someone sat down next to him. A cool, wet piece of cloth was laid over his eyes and forehead, making him purr as it soothed his aches. Soft hands massaged his temples, rubbing away the last remnants of pain. Half sitting up, Tiimo removed the cloth, and found himself staring into a pair of large, ice-blue eyes, surrounded by a face that was almost impossibly white.

"Ah, awake at last. You've slept through most of the day, my friend, and all day yesterday. Though you kept trying to get up." The stranger had a deep, pleasant voice, and he smiled warmly at Tiimo. He reached over to the bedside table and picked up a steaming bowl. "Would you like some soup? You need to thaw your insides, as well."

"Out there, in the snow?" Tiimo asked, his voice strained. "You saved me, didn't you?"

"I heard you fall against the wall of this cabin." He offered Tiimo a spoonful of soup, which the lynx gladly accepted. "That was your luck, or you would have frozen to death just a few metres away from warmth."

"What cabin is this? I thought I knew these woods."

"To be honest..." The stranger hesitated, and a slight blush was visible underneath his white face fur. "To be honest, I have no idea whose cabin this is. I had to seek shelter as the storm rose, and this seemed like a good place. The only place, even. So you aren't the owner?"

"No, but I recognise it now." Tiimo looked around, then accepted more soup. "The chief of my village has many cabins like this, for us hunters to use if we stay out for the night. I must have reached the forest without even seeing it."

"Ah, so I haven't broken into someone's home? That's a relief. I've been here for two nights, now, and I can promise you, I will reimburse your chief for the food and firewood I have used."

"I'd say you have paid more than enough by saving my life. What is your name, my friend?"

"Karitane." Putting the bowl down, he shook Tiimo's hand. "Just call me Kari."

"You're a fox," Tiimo said, taking a good look at Kari's body. "An arctic fox?"

"Damn, is it that obvious?" He leaned in close to Tiimo's face and whispered into his ear. "Don't tell anyone, but I'm really a grizzly bear in disguise, travelling incognito."

It took a while and a wink for Tiimo to catch up with the joke, but then he joined Kari in a hearty laughter. Picking up the bowl, he started eating on his own, while the fox trotted over to the stove for another bowl.

"This is really good! What's in it?"

"Oh, just some pork and vegetables. Are all your cabins this well stocked? And this unguarded?"

"No one steals from places like this," Tiimo said matter-of-factly. "A cabin like this might save your life one day."

"As it has, now. Point taken, Tiimo." Kari sat down on the bed again, and started eating his own soup. "Further south, this cabin would have been cleaned out the same day it was built."

"Well, most southerners are... How do you know my name? I just realised I haven't introduced myself."

"I am a magician, Tiimo. Mind-reading is no difficulty for me."

"I talk in my sleep?"

"More like rant in your fever." They laughed. "I'm afraid you might get quite ill, my friend."

"I can take that, for surviving. I am Tiimo, guard captain of Coppermine village."

"Coppermine? Now that's a place I've never heard of."

"Then why are you here?" Tiimo emptied his bowl and put it down on the bedside table. "It's not a place you just pass by."

"I came from Helsingfors, and my destination is Hammerfest."

"Ham..." Tiimo laughed. "My friend, you are way off your road. Hammerfest is a hundred kilometres to the west, then a hundred and fifty straight north."

"What can I say?" Kari pouted. "Don't fall asleep on horseback! The old thing must've carried me astray."

"You have a horse?"

"Yup. She's out in the stables, munching on your chief's hay."

"Heh. Is it still snowing?"

"A lot. Lie still, Tiimo, you aren't going anywhere!"

"But my village..."

"Can manage without you for a couple of days."

"They must think I'm dead."

"Probably." Suddenly Kari grinned, chuckling slightly. "What a happy reunion it'll be."

"I just hope they don't go out..."

"In this weather? Tiimo, no one searches in this kind of snow, not for anyone! Do you want more soup?"

"No. No, thanks. I'm fine."

"Then you should sleep, to get your strength back."

"Kari, I've slept enough. Talk to me for a while."

"Just wait a second, I'll bring some more snow."

"What for?" Tiimo suppressed a shudder. "Do we need more cold?"

"I'm going to heat you some bath water, my friend. You've been shivering with fever, so you're all sweaty."

"Oh." Running a hand through his fur, Tiimo realised that Kari was right. He was filthy. As he moved about beneath the blankets, he realised something else. "Kari, did you undress me?"

"Yes." The fox laughed. "Don't blush like that! I needed to get you warm, so I took off your clothes, then warmed you with my own body heat, by the fireplace."

"How can you walk around dressed like that?" Kari was wearing nothing but a shirt and a pair of thin breeches. "Aren't you cold?"

"I'm an arctic fox, remember? Besides, it must be twenty-five degrees in here, with the fire and all."

"It is? I'm still freezing."

"You might have a cold, Tiimo. Now, just lie back and I'll clean you up."

Once he had heated enough water, Kari filled a small bucket and brought it over to the bed. He made a very embarrassed Tiimo remove the blankets and sit up, then he dipped a piece of cloth and started cleaning the lynx's fur. Closing his eyes, Tiimo soon found that he enjoyed the treatment. He hadn't been washed like this since he was a kitten, and it felt so good to be cared for. In fact the long, slow caresses of the wet cloth had a slightly erotic effect on him, and he had to try his best not to let it show. He couldn't help purring, though, as he felt the soft fabric in his armpits, or brushing against his nipples. Finishing with his upper body, Kari now moved lower, causing Tiimo to open his eyes wide with shock.

"Kari, no! You don't have to..."

"I'm not leaving a job half-finished. Now lean back."

"But..."

"Lean back!"

Hesitantly, the lynx obeyed, and Kari got started on his toes. All were accounted for, and Tiimo couldn't help giggling as the fox ran the cloth in between them. His feet had always been ticklish. Next came his legs and thighs, and now Tiimo was starting to feel uncomfortable. No, not really uncomfortable. In fact, he enjoyed it very much, but he felt uneasy. The sensations that coursed through his body were somewhat disturbing. Kari's male, he thought, and so am I! I shouldn't be feeling like this! Those thoughts didn't help, neither did the fact that Kari had slipped out of his breeches and shirt to keep them from getting wet, and was now dressed in nothing but a small loincloth. The small, lithe body and the all-white, soft-looking fur worked magic on Tiimo, and when Kari made him turn over so he could wash his backside, the lynx found that the image of the near-naked fox stayed in his mind. Kari was really good-looking. So handsome...

These new and almost overwhelming feelings, combined with the piece of cloth running up and down his back to finally find its way into more intimate places, almost made Tiimo laugh out loud. Was this the reason why he had never found himself a lifemate? Why he had always failed to become more than casual lovers with girls? He fancied males!? Correction; a male. The white-furred one that was now moving his stubby tail aside, applying the wet, warm cloth in a way that made Tiimo shudder.

Kari nudged him, trying to roll him over, but Tiimo resisted at first. Obeying would no doubt lead to massive embarrassment. What the hell, he thought after a few seconds. If anything, it would be a god way to find out if Kari were... if he were interested. The decision came surprisingly easy; he wanted Kari, wanted him as a lover. At least for the duration of the storm. Suppressing a grin, he rolled over, hearing a gasp escape the wide-eyed arctic fox. A smug smile spread across Kari's muzzle, and Tiimo's heart skipped a beat. So he had been right!

"Something tells me you enjoyed getting clean," Kari said, smiling as he caught the blushing lynx's gaze. "Enjoyed it a lot."

"Well, I did. Thank you, Kari."

"Don't thank me yet, I'm not done."

Dipping the cloth again, he draped it over Tiimo's crotch, making him gasp and shudder with pleasure. Taking this as an affirmative reply to the unasked question, Kari increased his efforts. He rubbed the cloth against Tiimo's rock-hard erection, moving it gently up and down. On each down, Tiimo's foreskin would slide back, and he could barely keep from crying out as his sensitive tip was touched by the cloth. And all the time, Kari was fondling his balls with his free hand. The lynx was purring loudly now, occasionally interrupted by a low moan. Once finished with the cleaning, Kari put the cloth away, and instead he grabbed Tiimo's straining maleness with his bare hand. Lying down next to the lynx, Kari met his slightly glazed brown eyes with wells of icy blue.

"This is your last chance to stop this, my friend. As I said, I don't like to leave a job half-finished."

"Then f-finish it..."

The hoarse whisper was accompanied by a slight whimper, and as Kari began moving his hand again more sounds followed. Tiimo purred and moaned as he was stroked and caressed in the most intimate ways possible, almost unable to believe that there was so much pleasure in a body. All his previous liaisons had been fun, but nowhere near this. He reached out to run his hand through Kari's fur, and found that it was just as soft and fluffy as it looked. The thin, almost coarse outer strands covered a thick inner fur that was as soft to the touch as a hatchling's down. It was so white it almost defied the eye.

And beneath it all was a lithe but firm body, skin so warm to the touch it almost felt burning to fingers still sensitive after all the cold. After moving his hands up and down the fox's back, Tiimo proceeded to the front, his fingers finding a nipple to play with. He both felt and heard as Kari sucked for air, and the hands upon Tiimo's crotch quivered slightly. Moving lower, Tiimo touched the loincloth, feeling the stiffness it hid. This is crazy, he thought. Up until that day, he had never thought of another male in the terms of a lover, yet here he was, shivering with excitement as he moved the loincloth aside. Kari's cock was much like the rest of him; short and sleek, and though it was hard it was smoothly soft to the touch.

Tiimo stroked it lightly, much like he would touch himself, but he also used what he had learned from Kari's own caresses. He applied more pressure to the points that brought the most pleasure. Sighing happily, Kari moved until they lay face-to-face, while neither let up their caresses. Gazing into those lovely blue eyes, Tiimo closed his own eyes and opened his mouth slightly.

Understanding what he needed, Kari kissed him, pressing their lips tightly together. Their tongues met halfway, playing lightly with each other. This onslaught of sensations made Tiimo moan louder, and he felt his orgasm drawing near. Kari must have felt it, too, because he now took control, moving on top of the lynx while intensifying both his caresses and his kissing. It didn't take long for Tiimo to come, and he broke the kiss to cry out his bliss, while he felt his hot seed land in spurts on his stomach and chest. Licking his fingers, the fox rolled off of him, making a move to fetch the cloth again.

"Just as I'd cleaned you up," he sighed. "Messy cat!"

"Oh, shut your yap!" Pushing the fox back down, Tiimo moved to straddle his stomach, rubbing the white chest. Snarling, he added a growl to his voice. "Are you pulling away? What about unfinished jobs?"

"Heh. I thought you were done playing, my friend."

"Not yet."

"What are you... ah!"

At that point in time, Tiimo had no idea what he was doing. No, he corrected that thought, that was not true. He had seen males who were lovers before, that was nothing uncommon. One time, when he had been little more than a kitten, he had even watched as two males from his village had mated out in the forest, thinking they were alone. The image of that occasion had slipped his mind, up until he sat there on Kari's stomach. Then it had all come back to him; the sights, the sounds and the scents, and the way they had both seemed to enjoy each other. Tiimo's body had already begun to move when his mind finally decided what it wanted.

Raising himself slightly, Tiimo moved lower, rubbing his butt against Kari's still hard member, thoroughly enjoying it as the tip stroked against his anus and made him slick with the fox's own fluids. Pressing down, he could feel his muscles strain against the intruder, and he tried his best to relax. Still, there was some pain, and he grimaced as Kari slid inside. Seeing the worried concern in those blue eyes, he smiled, stroking the white-furred face while he stayed still for a few seconds, adjusting to this new feeling. He slowly raised himself up until the fox's maleness nearly slipped out of him; then sat down again, met by Kari's counter-stroke.

They worked up a steady rhythm, moving as one while they both moaned, sighed or hissed with pleasure. Again, Tiimo marvelled at these new sensations, realising how much pleasure the male body actually held. Something inside him, some wonderful spot he didn't even know he had, was prodded each time Kari was buried to the hilt. The jolts it sent out to the rest of Tiimo's body made him see stars. He was hard again, and once more he felt Kari's velvet hands move across his length, caressing his balls. The fox shut his eyes, his face twisted in a silent snarl as he neared his peak. Lifting his head, still with his eyes closed, Kari took Tiimo's aching member into his muzzle, suckling lightly as he let his tongue play along its length.

While still struck with fascination from this display of agility, Tiimo felt Kari come inside him, sending jets of seed into his innards Grunting and moaning, the arctic fox sucked on Tiimo as hard as he could, pushing him over the edge. Unable to utter the slightest sound, the lynx came again, for the second time in a few minutes. It was an orgasm so strong it brought tears to his eyes. He emptied himself into Kari's mouth, and the fox's swallowing motions milked him completely dry. Releasing Tiimo from his muzzle, Kari smiled up at him, a single drop of semen glistening its way down his cheek. All but spent, they rolled over, and Kari pulled out. He moved up to embrace the panting lynx, gently guiding him back down from the heights. Tiimo returned the hug and kissed the fox again, tasting his own seed on Kari's tongue. Wrapping themselves in blankets, they cuddled as close to one another as possible. Within a couple of minutes, they fell asleep.

* * * * * *

When Tiimo woke up again, it was bitterly cold in the cabin. During the night the log fire had died out, so he got up to re-light it, pausing for a moment to watch the sleeping arctic fox. A wisp of realisation coursed through his mind, and he understood why he felt so attracted to this male. It was the fur! That all-white, shining fur. Playfully, he tugged at Kari's equally white hair, enjoying the way the fox's feet started kicking. I wonder who he's running from, Tiimo thought. Or running to...

For his mind's eye, he saw Kari running towards him, leaping into a tight embrace, the all-blue eyes shining with love. Chuckling, he shook his head, clearing himself of the image. That would be a dream, all right!

Once the fire was burning again, Tiimo heated some water and cleaned himself from last night's fun. He smiled at the memory of what they had done. The warmth pouring over him from both the fire and his own reminiscence made him react, and he couldn't help stroking himself. He was sitting as close to the fireplace as he could without getting scorched. Closing his eyes, he called forth an image of the naked fox, wondering what it would be like to run his member through that white, fluffy chest fur. He came quickly, bending down to catch his own load in his mouth, something he hadn't done since he was a teenager. Just an easy way to keep myself clean, he thought, licking his lips, not really wanting to admit that he longed to taste Kari like that. That could wait, for a while at least. The snow showed no sign of letting up, so they would probably be trapped for another night. Plenty of time for new fun, later.

When Kari woke up, he wondered for a brief second where he was, until he remembered the cabin. Reaching out, he found the bed empty. Where was Tiimo? Had all that been a dream? Then he smelled frying bacon, and a broad grin spread across his muzzle. No, it was true. He had thoroughly enjoyed last night. The lynx had shown a raw passion, a desire so strong it had made Kari's head swim. Sitting up, he looked over to the stove, watching the humming Tiimo as he prepared their morning meal. What a pity, Kari thought when he saw that the lynx had got dressed. His fingers moved slightly, involuntarily, as he remembered the way he had caressed that broad, muscular chest, those well-marked abdominal muscles, the strong thighs. Not to mention the bits in between, where the lynx was no less well-built.

"Good morning."

"Morning, Tiimo." Kari blushed, knowing that he had been caught staring. "Been up long?"

"Oh, about an hour. You're just in time for breakfast."

"Where I come from, it's called morning meal."

"Whatever. Are you from Helsingfors?"

"No, no!" Kari laughed. "That's was just the start of my journey north. I was born in Prague."

"There are arctic foxes that far south?" Tiimo asked, while he filled two plates with bacon, then started frying eggs. "Maybe I should go there."

"Well, I could tell you liked my fur," Kari said, laughing. "My parents moved back to Hammerfest a couple of years ago, and I'm on my way to visit them."

"Why not take a boat? Or an airship? Why travel all this way on horseback?"

"Airships can't go that far north in the winter. They freeze up or something. And to tell you the truth, I had an errand on the way. A sort of debt to be paid."

"And?"

"And, I did pay it. End of story."

"All right, I won't ask for details." They both laughed. "Have you got any idea where you are?"

"Yeah." Not bothering with clothes, Kari strolled over to his pack, retrieving a map. He could feel Tiimo's eyes wandering over his back, and basked in the attention. Sitting down at the table, he unrolled the map and pointed to a place just east of a crossroads. "Say she led me astray for an hour or two, damn horse, that should leave me just about here."

"No." Taking Kari's hand, Tiimo moved his finger to the right, then up a bit. "You are here."

"No."

"Yes."

"That's over sixty kilometres wrong! That horse is dead!"

"Maybe it's you, maybe you're a poor navigator?" Tiimo asked, grinning. Again, he pointed at the map. "Once it stops snowing, I'll lead you a bit away from here, to this lake right there."

"But I'll be weeks getting there, now!" Kari's eyes were suddenly brimming with tears. "And just at the onset of winter!"

"You could stay, you know..."

"What?"

"Stay with me, in Coppermine." Kari's widened eyes made Tiimo think he had gone too far, and he hurried to force a smile, as if to a joke. "Only for the worst of the winter, of course."

"I don't know..." The fox hesitated, but his look of uncertainty soon turned to resolve. "Oh hell, why not! There's really nothing to debate, is there? I can't go anywhere if this keeps up."

"You are a southerner," Tiimo chuckled. "The winter's just started, my friend. In five months, maybe, could a skilled tracker make his way further north. You would have to wait for summer."

"Thanks a lot! Good thing I didn't tell them I was coming, or they'd think I've met my death or something."

"Speaking of dead, I really hope Tesha and the other hunters aren't out searching for me."

"Tesha?" Suddenly, Kari seemed fidgety. "A girlfriend?"

"My betrothed. The woman I'm going to marry." Tiimo watched a spark ignite in the ice-blue fox eyes, and decided to tease him a bit. "She's a lynx, just like me. Everybody says we were made for each other."

"They do, eh?" The obvious jealousy in Kari's voice nearly made Tiimo laugh out loud, but he kept his cools. "Well, I hope you'll be happy. I really do."

"Everybody, that is, except me and her."

"Really?" The fox's ears perked, and a hint of a smile crept onto his muzzle. "Why not?"

"We're the best of friends, true, but she's in love with a rat boy from across the lake, and I'm..."

"Yes?"

"I'm not in love at all."

"You're not?"

"Nope."

"Not with... anyone?"

"Well, I do have a friend who's good for a roll in the hay, and whose snow-fur drives me wild, but I'm not exactly in love, no."

Smiling, Tiimo got up from the table to take care of the eggs. While he made himself busy he stole a quick glance at Kari, seeing the fox lost in a dreamy smile. Pausing to examine his feelings, Tiimo found that he wasn't exactly lying. I like him, he thought. A lot. And we did have fun last night. But love? No. At least not yet. The thought of spending the winter with Kari was very appealing, and the fox did seem interested. Very much so, judging by that bout of jealousy. The thought sure was appealing, cuddling up to that fluffy fur every night. Tiimo felt himself becoming aroused at the thought, but with an effort he managed to calm down. Instead he served the still-naked fox breakfast, joining him for the meal.

Once they had finished eating, Kari brought some blankets and pillows and piled them up in front of the fireplace. Still naked, the fox lay down and glanced up at Tiimo with an expectant look on his face. The lynx couldn't help smiling. He's really making an effort, Tiimo thought, as he sat down next to his new-found friend.

"Not like that," Kari said, tugging at Tiimo's shirt-sleeve. "You won't feel the warmth from the fire."

Smiling, Tiimo stood up and started slowly pulling off his shirt. Enjoying the way the soft fabric made his fur stand on end, and even more the impatient blue eyes that seemed glued to his every movement, he started flexing his muscles. They were still not functioning properly after his ordeal in the snowstorm, and he needed the exercise. Pretending to yawn, he stretched his arms up and back, letting the fox enjoy the view of his chest. Still teasing, he ran his thumbs back and forth inside the waistline of his breeches, before he began pulling them down, with deliberately slow motions. Clearly, this affected the arctic fox. Tiimo stole a glance, seeing that Kari had begun stroking himself.

Finally stepping out of his breeches, Tiimo extended his finger claws, slowly dragging them across the slightly bulging front of his underpants. Closing his eyes, he listened as Kari's breathing became heavier. Tiimo turned around, then pulled his underpants down in a swift motion, giving the fox a good view of his backside and the wagging, stubby tail. Looking back at Kari, he smiled at the sight of the fox's rigid erection. He turned half around and allowed Kari a swift glance at his own half-flaccid member, then he pretended to change his mind, crossing his arms in front of him as if he had suddenly turned shy. This was too much for Kari, and with a snarl the fox leaped up from his half-sitting, half-lying position. He grabbed Tiimo by the shoulders and tossed him roughly down onto the soft pillows. Lying down on top, Kari began showering the lynx with kisses and caresses.

"Would you keep me waiting all day?" he asked, growling slightly. "You tease!"

"You looked so cute when you were anxious." Tiimo reached up to kiss the other's cheek, pulling him closer into a tight hug. "You held out longer than I thought, before you pounced me."

"Oh, so you had me pinned down as a sex maniac from the start, eh?" Kari gasped, as Tiimo nuzzled his neck, running his nose through the dense, white fur, while he let his tongue pierce through the inner coat to reach bare skin. "Mmmmm, that's so good!"

Tiimo felt almost dizzy with excitement as he kept on licking and kissing Kari's neck, face and ears, all the while taking in the mild smell of the fox's soft, downy fur. A little nip to a small fox ear caused a yelp of surprise, followed by a half-growl that quickly subsided as Tiimo ran his tongue in behind the ear. Then he continued to trace Kari's cheek and chin, ending at the front of his muzzle with another deep, lingering kiss. Meanwhile, he ran his fingers through Kari's soft, fluffy chest fur, tweaking a nipple and sending shivers running all throughout the fox's body.

Breaking the kiss, Tiimo slowly licked his way down the all-white pelt. Kari closed his blue eyes, leaving only one part of his body breaking off against the white. Tiimo lapped at the tip, pushing his tongue inside the foreskin while he fondled the furry sac beneath. Sensing that Kari was getting close, he took him into his muzzle, suckling lightly as he moved his head up and down. He repeated this twice before Kari cried out, his voice a mixture of pleasure and need that trailed away as he came.

"Oh, aah!"

The lynx felt the first spurt of hot, salty liquid splash against the back of his throat, surprised at its force. Swallowing, rejoicing in the arousing flavour, he felt his mouth being thoroughly filled. It seemed as if Kari would go on coming forever. The fox let out small whimpers, his shivering hands clasping down on Tiimo's head while his entire body shook with the orgasm. Finally the flood abated, and Tiimo felt some of the sticky fox seed run down his chin, dripping onto Kari's ball sac. He licked it up gently, before crawling back to embrace the fox once more. After a couple of minutes of panting and whimpering, Kari finally found his voice again.

"Wow, Tiimo, that was..."

"...intense?"

"Yes. Very much so. I don't think I ever came that hard."

"Or that much, I'd bet," Tiimo said, chuckling softly as he licked his lips. "I thought I would drown,"

"Don't tease!"

Kari grabbed ahold of Tiimo's head, helping him clean up the last. Their tongues touched, mock-fighting over the precious drops, once more ending in a kiss. Kari's hand sought and found Tiimo's crotch, gently brushing against his erection.

"What shall we do with this, then?" the fox asked, winking. "Any ideas?"

"A... a couple," Tiimo gasped. "What about you?"

"Oh, I know just what you should do with it."

Rolling away from Tiimo, Kari stood up on all four, wagging his tail. Using a hand to spread his buttocks, he glanced over his shoulder at the lynx, with a look so inviting it took a lot of Tiimo's self-control not to jump him right away. Instead he stroked the white-furred rear, running a hand along Kari's bushy tail, a caress that ended at the newly emptied ball sac, where it caused a sharp intake of breath. Moving closer, Tiimo placed a tentative kiss at the base of the fox's tail, enjoying in full the view he had. Wanting to, but not quite daring to make his kisses more intimate, he chose instead to lick a finger, then stroke it softly against Kari's anus. The fox moaned, moving his hips and encouraging the lynx to speed up. Tiimo pressed his finger inside, earning a happy sigh as he moved it in and out, his other hand finding Kari's once more stiffening member to play with. As the fox began to whimper with the building of another orgasm, Tiimo ceased his ministrations. Ignoring the impatient grunt that followed, he grabbed on to Kari's hips and aligned himself.

Slowly, gently, Tiimo made his entrance, taking due care to let the fox adjust, anxious not to hurt him. Prepared as Kari was, though, it didn't take long until Tiimo was all the way in. Nothing in his life had prepared him for the sensations it brought. Not only the tightness and the heat, but also the complete trust and enjoyment of his lover, combined to give him such pleasure it nearly brought tears to his eyes. Leaning down over Kari's back, he buried his muzzle in the soft, white neck fur, kissing, nibbling and licking as he made his first few thrusts, still moving slowly.

Kari was lost in a haze, his eyes dim as he moaned and whimpered with pleasure. Of the few lovers he'd had before, none had ever made him feel so intensely pleased, so... wanted. Tiimo filled him up completely, rubbing against his prostate with every thrust; the lynx was both longer, thicker and harder than any man he had felt before. Together with the nuzzling of his neck, these feelings almost made him scream with joy. He felt himself harden fully again, another orgasm building up already. Burying his head in the blankets, he panted raggedly as Tiimo reached around his hips to stroke him, bringing him over the top. Squirting into his lover's hands, Kari reared up, standing on his knees as he turned his head to try and kiss the lynx. Tiimo met his lips, increasing the speed of his thrusts as he felt Kari come. The fox cried out, a wordless falsetto as he spent himself completely. Dropping down again, he hardly even felt it as Tiimo filled him with his seed. After what seemed like ages, Tiimo pulled out and lay down next to him, cradling him as they both drifted off to sleep.

* * * * * *

When Tiimo woke up again, he was still holding a white bundle of fur in his arms. Smiling, he let a few tufts of Kari's soft hair trickle through his fingers, holding them up to his nose to really catch the scent. It was a smell he adored. Strong, yet pleasant, and now spiced with the musky aroma of love-making. All right, he admitted to himself, I guess I am falling for this guy. Maybe I don't know much about him, but I do know that I'd trust him with my life. Watching Kari's face, Tiimo saw not one single trace of malice. The arctic fox was one who could probably not harm anyone; in fact, who wouldn't even try to.

"But how do I make you stay with me?" he whispered to the sleeping fox. "Or if I can't do that, how do I convince you to come back once you've seen your parents?"

"Well, you could ask." Opening his eyes, Kari grinned, and Tiimo felt as if all the blood in his body converged to his face. "What makes you think I'd want to stay with you?"

"Nothing, really." Tiimo looked away, his eyes suddenly brimming with tears. "I'm sorry, I..."

"Don't be, I'm just teasing. I know I'm stuck for the winter, and I... I think I want to stay. Longer than that, I mean."

"Really?" His ears perked and a sudden smile on his muzzle, Tiimo looked up again. "Kari, I think I'm falling in love with you."

"With my fur, you mean," the fox teased, swishing his tail across Tiimo's face. "Well, I lust for you, that's for sure. You're so strong, and yet so gentle. Such a sweet personality."

Unable to answer, Tiimo pulled Kari closer, kissing him passionately. The arctic fox met his tongue playfully, nipping it lightly while he stroked his might-be lover's face. Breaking the kiss, he gazed into Tiimo's eyes.

"I wanna give it a try, Tiimo. If you want me to, I'll stay."

"If I..." Once more, Tiimo nearly lost his voice. "Of course I do! I have a nice house, too large for one, really. And once summer's here, I'll take you to Hammerfest."

"You will?"

"Right! If nothing else, to make sure you don't walk straight into the Arctic Ocean."

"Ah! You meanie!" Snarling, Kari tried to grab the lynx, but Tiimo dodged him and hopped out of bed, laughing as he hid behind the table. "You're lucky I pitied you, half-dead from the cold as you were, or I would've roasted you for supper."

"That's right," Tiimo said, stopping to think. "I owe you my life."

Seizing the opportunity, Kari pounced, bringing the lynx to the floor. Screaming and laughing, they tumbled about until finally Kari pinned Tiimo down, sitting on top of his chest. Suddenly acutely aware of how naked they both were, Tiimo ceased struggling, letting himself get kissed and fondled.

* * * * * *

The next morning it had stopped snowing, and after a quick breakfast the two of them cleaned up the cabin, stowing away whatever food they hadn't eaten. Still feeling a weak but no longer ill, Tiimo gratefully accepted one of the fox's spare coats, to hang across his shoulders as they went to saddle the horse. To Kari's surprise, the lynx kissed the old mare's muzzle.

"What are you doing?" he laughed. "Tiimo, you are crazy!"

"She was the one who brought you to me. I owe her my life, and my happiness."

"Are you happy, then?"

"Yes, Kari. Very happy. I survived the snowstorm, I've found someone I could really fall in love with, and I'm going home to people who think I'm dead. You know, my friend, we'll see a great feast tonight."

"I like the sound of that. They'll make me the hero of your village, you know. What was it, Copperfield?"

"Coppermine. You'd know that if you could read a map."

"Quit teasing me! Let's go before it starts snowing again. Which way?"

"Due south, then slightly to the west."

"Right!" Kari looked around, then pointed into the forest. "That way?"

"This way, Kari," Tiimo laughed as he turned the fox around until his finger pointed the opposite way. "Remind me to draw you a simple map of my house. It's got four rooms, you'll get lost in no time."

"But I can't read maps, remember?"

"Then I'll put together a scout party."

"Oh, goodie! I love parties."

"Kari, are you always this impossible?"

"No, usually I'm worse."

"What have I got myself into?"

"Me." The fox grinned happily. "Four times, if I remember correctly. And I did you what, three times?"

"Ah! Incorrigible!"

Laughing, Kari helped the lynx into the saddle, then nimbly leaped up behind him. The mare snorted a little at the extra weight, but seemed able to carry them both without problem. Following Tiimo's directions, the fox grabbed the reins and smacked his lips to make the old horse move. Taking one last look at the cabin, he actually felt a bit sad about leaving it. No matter, he thought. Of all the good stuff in there, he had brought the best with him. Nuzzling the lynx, Kari returned his concentration to guiding the horse towards the village. Towards what might become his new home.