Allô! I wanted to take a moment to thank everyone who's been giving stars to this story. I'm stoked that it this has reached 100 votes!!! Your support means a lot to me and it goes a long way in motivating me to continue writing and updating. Thank you all so much.

Here is the promised Monday update. Hope everyone has a great start to the week.

Enjoy :)

~~~~~~~~~~~~

Ink deftly caught each of the five bizarre silvery cylinders that the female threw at him. He could tell that they were thrown with malice, but he'd punish her for that later. He once again watched as she smoothly made her way down the rope. The way she moved caught his attention in way he didn't want to admit.

Once her feet touched the ground, she approached them before stopping and bending down to retrieve the weapon Ink had forced her to discard. The movement brought Tawn back from his pup-like behavior and both males bristled at the perceived act of defiance.

Casually making her way back to the stiff males, Iris indicated at one of the cans and asked as she plopped down nearby. "Can you pass me that?"

"Drop the weapon, it won't work against us anyways" Tawn instead answered.

Iris rolled her eyes. "If it wouldn't work against you, why do you seem so on guard about it?" She taunted in return.

Ink replied in an aggressive hiss. Tawn in a snarl.

"Animals." Iris muttered. "Just pass me the can already." She asked impatiently paying no attention to the offended alfa males. She had seen enough men with superiority complexes that she no longer bothered reacting to it.

"Drop the shiny thing and you get the 'cans.'" Ink replied deeply, his voice aggressive and dominant.

Iris looked him dead in the eye and replied without flinching, "I need it to open the cans, you caveman naga"

"You'll be polite when you address us." Tawn interjected, not liking her tone of voice towards his companion. They were to be her males and they would lead the family.

"You stumble into my camp for your make-out session. Sure, I attacked first, but in my defence the dude is freaking half snake. Then, I give you water and am about to give you food and all you do is sit around and demand that I be polite when you both have been nothing but rude. Fuck off!" It was the most she had said to the two since they had come in contact. The frustration rolled off of her in waves and she unknowingly released beast pressure – not that it effected either male, they were level three and she one.

"I don't see any food. And you lost the fight you started" Ink sassed back smartly, smugly crossing his arms over his finely muscled chest. He wanted to see where the female was taking this before he put her in her place. He also didn't like that she had released her pressure, couldn't she see that they were both level threes? Her puny pressure would do nothing.

"You're holding it." Iris dead-panned while indicating at his hand.

Both Tawn and Ink froze, quizzically looking at the object in Ink's hand.

Realising that this wasn't going anywhere any time soon, Iris got up and retrieved one of the cans. She plopped back down, positioned the knife and opened the can. It was easier than usual.

The males watched with bulging eyes as the delicious smelling food within was revealed.

"Now, if you guys know how to start a fire, I would appreciate the help while I get these opened. We can talk as we eat." She motioned towards the half snake for the next can, which he readily passed over. He was too entrapped in his curiosity to deal with her rudeness immediately.

Tawn, already drooling for the food, sprang into action. He quickly retrieved dry wood from the female's pile and set it inside the fire pit. Ready to start the fire, he looked around for some flint stone but found none. "Where's you're fire stone?"

Neither male carried the stones with them. Males never felt a need to cook their food as they were generally too lazy to bother unless if they had a female to cook for.

Iris looked up and cocked her head to the side. "I don't have any. Though I do have some match sticks." She replied. Putting down the can she'd been working on; she fished the rattling box of match sticks from her pocket and passed the lot over to the bulky naked man.

Tawn flipped the box around in his hands unsure of how to use it.

Noticing his confusion, Iris filled in. "Slide the inner part out." She watched as the male did just that. "Take out one stick. Then slide the box closed." The man once again complied before looking back at her for the next step. Finding that he almost resembled a puppy, Iris had to hold in a giggle when explaining the last part. "Then slide the red side of the stick against the red side of the box. When the stick catches fire, place it into the fire pit. Make sure it is in contact with what you want to ignite." She finished.

Once Tawn had succeeded he passed the box back to Iris. "That was really fast. It usually takes longer to get fire with flint stones." He commented, returning to his spot next to Ink who still had his eyes glued to the female, clearly not trusting her.

Iris nodded as she moved the cans next to the growing flame to begin the process of heating them. "Why do you both walk around naked?" The question had been gnawing at her brain for the last little bit.

"It's a hassle to take off coverings before shifting. Is it not common place to males to be nude where you are from?" Tawn replied, starting to feel more comfortable with the female.

Confused by his answer, Iris asked, "What do you mean shifting?"

Both males snapped their heads towards her.

"You know, shifting into the beast your blood hails from... How can someone who has a level one beast mark not know this?" Ink asked suspiciously, cocking his brow..

Frustrated, Iris ran her hand through her hair. "Why did I even bother asking?"

Ink shot his tail out at the female; he'd had enough of her attitude. He wrapped his tail around her before she even had a chance to react.

She tried to wiggle out of his coils, glaring daggers at him. Wanting to teach the disobedient female a lesson, Ink constricted around her until she could no longer breathe.

Seeing the tension rising, Tawn tried to de-escalate the situation. "Ink, calm down. It isn't like you to be this volatile... It's my job to make trouble not yours." He tried to joke with his companion, but the mood was dry. They would have to talk later.

Ink took a deep breath and loosened his coils, but still did not release the female.

She sputtered and coughed as her lungs worked to bring air back into her system.

Before Iris could fire off a rude remark Tawn interjected, "Why don't I demonstrate what we mean by shifting?" He tried to seem friendly.

"I would appreciate that." Iris replied kindly to the actually somewhat bearable male before turning back to the asshole, "But first, I would really appreciate if this brutish naga could back the fuck off." She did not like his habit of manhandling her, not to mention he still held her wrapped in his tail.

Tawn placed a hand on Ink's shoulder, trying to reign in his aggression before calmly replying, "His name is Ink, not 'Naga' and he's probably one of the wisest beastmen I know. We all got off to a bad start. As you said, why don't we talk as we eat, and I'll show you my shift after?"

Both Ink and Iris calmed, and it was as if their bristles were visibly lowering.

Ink nodded in agreement. It was as if he and Tawn had switched personalities with how they were acting, it was unsettling.

"I'm Tawn by the way." The tan, naked man quickly added.

"Iris." The female replied in form to show her agreement, an unsure half smile gracing her lips.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

Per usual, thank you for reading! If you enjoyed, please tap that sexy star <3

Cheers

Oct. 18, 2021