Volume 12 - Grand Opening, Chapter 90 - The Wanderer

A magenta-haired centaur stepped out of a side door of the Sports Club Kobold gym. She had a duffle bag on her back and was wearing a yellow lightweight jacket and black centaur-cut running shorts.

For an evening in January, the weather was unusually nice, so Tsuen decided to jog all the way home from work. The night before had brought a dusting of snow, leaving the air chilly and the ground a little damp, but that was fine by Tsuen. The cold air felt wonderful against her fur, and her hooves didn't kick up as much dust as they normally would.

The run was invigorating and really got Tsuen's heart pumping. Of course, she'd been leading exercises at the gym all day, but that couldn't compare to the simple bliss of running: that perfect sensation of speeding through the countryside by the power of her own four legs.

Tsuen was almost sad that it ended when she reached her destination. She stepped inside the house, put on her indoor slippers, and trotted straight to her and Mara's room. She needed a shower after all her sweaty exercise, but she wanted to check in on her lovely little spider first.

Mara's been working an awful lot on her ComicMon preparations. I hope she's been taking breaks too, she thought as she opened the door.

Tsuen stopped in the doorway, totally still. Her body had locked up while her mind processed what she was seeing. Mara and Chione are in bed together. Mara's face is up against Chione's chest. I can see both of their panties.

Tsuen started breathing heavily, and not from the jog. What are they doing? Did Mara cheat—

Mara stirred, then sat up. She looked at Tsuen, still standing in the doorway, and said, "Oh hi, Tsuen." She blinked her six eyes sleepily and asked, "What time is it?"

Tsuen couldn't answer. Her thoughts were in turmoil. She's acting so casual, like there's nothing unusual about being caught sleeping with someone else!

Mara answered her own question by looking at the clock, which said 6:07PM. "Well, back to work." She hopped out of the bed, grabbed her skirt and pulled it back on over her head, and climbed up onto her computer chair. She shook the mouse to wake the PC up, then went straight to typing.

When Tsuen saw the spreadsheet on Mara's screen, all the pieces started to fall into place. Mara's busy working on ComicMon stuff… Her gaze shifted to Chione, who was still fast asleep on her stomach with her teddy-bear panties on display. And Chione must have been working with her, then they went to sleep…

Tsuen let out a relieved sigh and thought, So, there wasn't anything unusual going on. They were literally just sleeping.

Tsuen was happy, but she also felt a little guilty for doubting Mara so quickly. She stepped into the room and walked up behind Mara's chair. Then she bent down and kissed Mara on the top of the head. "I'm glad you're getting some sleep," she said.

"Yep, yep," Mara said, still focused on her planning document. "Around noon, I made an executive decision for us to go to sleep. Chione looked like she needed it." Mara decided not to mention that she had been just as exhausted.

"I'll let her sleep until I'm done with my shower, but then I'm kicking Chione out of our bed," Tsuen whispered in a mischievous tone.

Mara glanced up and noticed the sultry look on Tsuen's face. She picked up on the frisky tone and amplified it. "Aww, you don't want her to join us?"

"No." Tsuen scowled, made a fist, and bopped Mara gently on the head. "If that crazy dream the other night taught me anything, it's that I prefer one-on-one encounters, and that I prefer you."

Mara grinned wide and spun around so she could hug Tsuen around the midriff. "Aww, thanks! I prefer getting it on with you too!"

Tsuen rolled her eyes. Mara had a very crass way with words, but it was part of her charm and Tsuen had grown to love it.

Haru stood up in the hot spring, steaming water dripping down her nude body. She put both of her fluffy white wings up high over her head, then leaned slowly to her left side. As she stretched, a pained grimace appeared on her face.

From the other side of the hot spring, Froze noticed. "Are you alright, Haru?" she asked. The blue-haired fenrir was submerged up to her leather collar, and she was quite enjoying the heat soaking into her body.

"Yeah, I'm fine," Haru said as she sat back down in the water. Her breasts bobbed at the surface but she made sure to keep her wings dry. "There's just a knot in my back that won't seem to go away. It isn't a big deal, and the hot water seems to help a little."

Froze nodded, but she didn't have anything to say. The soothing water was solving all her problems. Well, except one… She still missed Kehp painfully. Froze hadn't seen her girlfriend in a month, and wouldn't see her again for another month. Just thinking about it brought down her mood.

Now it was Haru's turn to be a keen observer. She saw the frown that appeared on Froze's face and said, "Hey, Froze…"

"Hmm?"

"Do you ever call Kehp? When she's on those business trips?"

Froze's ears wilted and she shook her head. "No. She's usually in remote regions with no cell service. Hell, they don't even have electricity most of the time."

Haru scooted along the edge of the hot spring until she was sitting next to Froze. Haru rested her wings on the stone edge of the pool and crossed her legs in the water. One sharp talon peeked above the shimmering surface.

"You could buy her a satellite phone, one that has a crank to charge the battery," Haru said, then she turned to Froze, smirking. "They're not cheap, but they're still a lot cheaper than impulse flights to Japan," she teased.

Froze scratched her cheek with a paw. "Oh yah, that's a good idea," she said, then frowned. "I wish I'd known about it earlier. It won't do any good for this trip. She's gone for another month."

Haru flexed her talons in thought, then said, "She's got some Exchange Program people with her, right?"

"Oh yah, from the Canadian branch."

"I bet one of them has a satellite phone." Haru grinned at Froze, her golden eyes gleaming. "And I bet Agent Will can get in touch with them. He even owes me a favor."

Froze's ears perked up, cute and hopeful. "Really? Why does he owe you a favor?"

"For being so chill about him dating my mom…"

The two carnivore girls finished their hot spring soak and got dressed, then Haru called Agent Will. As Haru had hoped, he was willing to help Froze out. He pulled some strings and got the phone number of one of the Exchange Program agents on Kehp's team.

In the living room, Haru gave the number and the cordless phone to Froze, then slapped her on the back with a big fluffy wing. "Time to call your girl, Froze!" she cheered.

The phone had huge buttons, mostly for Haru's benefit, but it helped Froze too. She was nearly vibrating with eagerness as she dialed the number with one shaking claw. She was too excited to even sit down, so she stood next to the couch while Haru stepped out of the room.

A voice answered very formally, and in English, "This is John Young and you've reached the Shangri-La expedition. State your business."

Froze switched to English as well. "Uh, I'm trying to reach Kehp. She should be there with you."

The man's voice softened. "Oh, yeah, she's here. I'll get her for you."

About thirty seconds later, a sweet feminine voice came on the line. "H-hello? Sorry about the delay." Her adorable accent stretched 'sorry' into 'soar-ee', and 'about' into 'aboat'. "This is Kehp. How can I help you?"

Froze's tail wagged in excitement, nearly knocking some coasters from the end table. "Sheepy! It's me, Froze!"

Kehp sputtered for a bit like her tongue couldn't decide whether to be screaming in surprise or shouting for joy. Then she said, "Froze! Oh, it's so good to hear your voice. I've missed you!"

Froze debated for a fraction of a second whether she wanted to act strong, but she went with honesty instead. "I've missed you too, so very much…"

"Aww, I'm sorry for being gone so long," Kehp apologized, but the happiness in her voice was loud and clear. "And that's why you called? How'd you get John's phone number?"

Froze sucked in a breath, then sheepishly said, "Uh, about that. I got really, uh, lonely at home, so I went to visit Haru and Yuisu."

"What?! You flew to Japan?"

"Yeah… They really helped me a lot. I was in a bad state before…" Froze trailed off, then after a second, she started again, "But anyways, Haru and Agent Will got me this number so I could talk to you. I really missed you."

"You already said that, Pup, but it's still nice to hear it."

When Froze heard that nickname, in Kehp's sweet voice, she practically melted. She flopped down onto the couch and pulled her tail onto her lap. As she spoke, she started to pet her tail, in the same way Kehp liked to. "So, Sheepy, how's work going?"

With a little sigh, Kehp responded, "Not bad, but not great. The people of Shangri-La are very kind, but they just aren't interested in joining the rest of the world."

"Shangri-La, eh? Where's that at? What kind of liminals live there?" Froze asked. She had always been curious about Kehp's work, but this place was extra intriguing.

"It's in the Himalayas, in an absolutely beautiful little valley. The people call themselves Titans, and I guess they're similar to ogres, except made of stone," Kehp explained. Her voice was excited and passionate, since she loved to talk about other liminal civilizations. Suddenly she stopped and said, "Sorry, you probably don't want to hear me ramble about work."

"No, I do!" Froze hastily proclaimed. "I'm happy just to hear your voice, and I love hearing about your job."

"T-thanks," Kehp said, then she resumed her explanation of the Titans' culture and technology and why they didn't want to reveal themselves to humanity.

Froze listened quietly for a while, genuinely interested, but then she said, "Hey, Kehp?"

"What's up, Pup?"

Froze shivered from ears to tail. She really did love that nickname, at least when Kehp was the one saying it. "Are you alone right now?"

"Oh yah, I'm in my tent. It's about about twenty feet from the others, since I'm the only girl on the team. Why?"

Froze continued to pet her tail, but she was imagining Kehp's hands touching her instead of her own. "I miss your smooth skin, and your soft wool. I miss your touch." Froze ran her tongue over her sharp canines and along her lips with an audible slurp. "I miss your taste."

"Oh," Kehp said. "Ohhhh." It took her a second, but she realized what Froze wanted. She'd never had phone sex before, but it sounded interesting. She asked, "Are you alone, Puppy? I want you to be able to let loose…"

Froze crashed back down to reality. She blushed as she realized she'd been sensually petting herself right in the living room. This spot won't do, but this cordless phone won't reach my cabin, she thought. Then an idea struck her. Yuisu mentioned that the center guest room was unoccupied. I'm sure she won't mind if I borrow it…

"One second, Kehp."

Froze crept stealthily down the hall, making sure to keep her claws from clicking on the wooden floor. The soft pads of her paws were silent as she snuck past the laundry room and Mara's and Tsuen's bedroom. Then she ducked into the open guest room. It smelled freshly cleaned, with just a hint of its previous occupant. Froze's keen sense of smell told her it was a human female she didn't recognize. Must have been one of those consultants that have been coming and going.

Froze closed the door and hopped onto the bed, which was covered in soft tan sheets. She put the phone on speaker-mode and curled up next to it. She closed her eyes and pictured her wonderful, fluffy, shy, sexy girlfriend.

In a sultry growl, Froze said, "I'm alone now, Sheepy. And I'm gonna tell you what I'd like to do to you…"

She described all sorts of lewd actions, and she listened closely as Kehp, haltingly at first, did the same. As they spoke, Froze lifted her skirt and slid a paw under her black lace panties and began to pleasure herself.

The house had thick walls and sturdy doors, so no one could overhear the two lovers' conversation. However, some time later, a loud howl rang through the house. A satisfied, sexual howl.

Haru was in the kitchen when she heard it, and she immediately knew the cause. "Wow, Froze really needed that," she said with a sly smile.

A few days passed and the Mountain Lily Inn's guests came and went. Yuisu was sitting at the new desk in the front hall of the inn, going over the ledger of all the inn's current and upcoming bookings.

Alright, we're full up in the cabins this week, thanks to Froze, some consultants, and that tourist couple, she thought. The advertisements I put out in travel magazines are starting to pay off.

There was enough business to keep the inn between fifty and eighty percent capacity, which was where Yuisu liked it. Any more than that and she'd need more help from the girls living there than they could spare. After all, between convention preparations, raising Pwess, and holding down actual jobs, everyone was already effectively working full time.

Of course, Yuisu planned to hire actual staff to help clean and maintain the property, but not until she hit her own stride and had things under control. The last thing she wanted was to try to train someone new while she was running around in a panic.

She flipped over to the page of the ledger for what she called her 'overflow rooms': the empty extra-large room in the older cabin as well as the two guest rooms in the main house. Miti checked out this morning, so all three of those rooms are o—

RING, RING, RING!

Yuisu was startled from her thoughts by the business phone ringing right next to her. She wasn't yet used to working at the new desk.

She grabbed the phone and put it to her ear. "Hello and welcome to the Mountain Lily Inn! This is Yuisu. How may I help you?"

A female voice as smooth as silk said, "Hello. I know this is short notice, but is there any chance you have a room open tonight?"

Yuisu opened her mouth to answer, but the woman added, "I already tried the hotels in town, but they claimed they were full… as soon as they saw what I am."

Yuisu gritted her teeth, thinking, Those bastards are still turning away liminals?! Then she forced a happy tone and said, "We absolutely have a room open tonight. Do you need any special arrangements for temperature or size?"

"No, I'm fine with whatever. Thank you so much!" the woman said, clearly giddy. "I'll take a taxi up as soon as I can! Bye!"

"Wait!" Yuisu blurted, trying to catch the woman before she hung up. "Before you go, can I get your name for the reservation?"

"Oh, hehe, sorry. My name's Saya," she answered cheerfully before the line went dead.

Yuisu chuckled at the strange conversation, then went back to her ledger.

About an hour later, the front door opened and a woman stepped inside. Luxurious auburn hair spilled out from under her large grey knitted cap and down her back. She was wearing a baggy cream sweater that had slipped off one shoulder, and a dark grey skirt. Below that, she wore tall brown boots that covered the rest of her legs.

Even though the outfit was very fashionable and quite fitting for early February, Yuisu recognized it for what it really was: a way to hide liminal features. This woman was trying to hide something under that hat, and likely something on her arms or legs too.

As an Exchange Program host, and now as an innkeeper as well, Yuisu strived to help people feel comfortable as themselves. She hoped she could get the woman to open up and shed her disguise.

Yuisu stood up from her chair and stepped around the desk to greet the visitor. "Saya, I presume? I'm Yuisu," she said, bowing slightly.

The woman smiled and approached. "That's me. It's nice to meet you, Yuisu, and thanks again for the room."

Her voice is even more silky and sensual in person, Yuisu thought. She got a good look at Saya and quickly noticed her deep gold reptilian eyes and rosy skin, then thought, Yeah, she wouldn't be able to keep the fact that she's a liminal a secret for long.

Yuisu cheerfully said, "Of course! This inn was founded to accommodate liminals, after all. Let's get payment arranged, then I can show you to your room." Yuisu stepped back behind the desk and told Saya the room rates.

Saya seemed happy with the prices, which were quite reasonable. She dug out some cash from her purse and paid upfront for two nights.

When Yuisu took the money, she got a closer look at Saya's hands. What she had previously assumed was a pair of gloves was actually Saya's skin. Her hands were smooth and shiny, with a dark maroon color on the back and deep rose-pink on the palms.

Yuisu looked up and made eye contact again. "You're all set. Let me show you to your room."

Saya paused to take off her boots before leaving the entryway, then followed after Yuisu. If Yuisu had turned to look, she would have seen Saya's wide, claw-tipped feet pattering softly on the wood floor.

As they passed through the kitchen, Haru walked by going the other direction. The white-haired harpy was holding a plate of meatballs and wearing tiny jean shorts, a white tank top, and no bra. She was used to seeing inn guests around the house, and she apparently didn't mind them seeing her underdressed.

Saya turned to watch Haru, her eyes starting on Haru's bountiful chest. Then as the scantily-clad bombshell walked away, Saya's eyes drifted down to follow her hypnotically waggling hips.

Only after Haru rounded the corner and disappeared from sight, Saya turned back to Yuisu. With an excited look in her eyes, she said, "If I want to stay longer, can I add more nights?"