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The evening light was finally shifting through the warm spectrums, the sunlight on the underside of the clouds drenching everything with pinkish orange tones. It made the painted pillars even more vibrant, and the murals started to come alive as flames took over from the natural light more and more.
The Temple of the Wayward had once boasted nearly a dozen gods all with their own shrines and grounds, the entrance statues worn shiny with the paws of pilgrims and worshippers. Offerings had fed monks, priests, oracles and more for hundreds of years. Now it was a shade of its former glory, more broken roofs than not, few altars left without defacement or outright abandonment. Of the countless who had tended the grounds over the centuries only one remained now, a FireKeeper to tend the candles and torches, the incense and altars.
The lone remaining servant of the gods padded silently through the halls, steps measured and slow, robes barely parting to let the rosy sunset light shimmer off his fiery-orange fur. He tucked his dark green outermost robe a bit tighter around himself as he passed the main gate, a towering construction made of two trees that had been grown in place and trained into finely woven shapes. He tread between them, scattering loose leaves with his brushtail as he walked the meandering path towards the lowermost offering hutch. The trail had been made winding and long for those who wished to approach the temple to spend time in contemplation, but these days all it meant was that those who wished to give their tithes never went to the temple grounds proper anymore.
The early fall was just starting to lend a nip to the air, especially nestled in a mountain valley as this temple was, and the groundskeeping fox knew soon their days would be filled with incessant sweeping and raking… absolutely their least favourite activity. At least gutters were satisfying to watch run clear with water again, and rugs and carpets were cathartic to beat the dust from. Still, at least this was the time of the harvests, so offerings were more than adequate to keep him from feeling the gnaw of hunger.
As he approached the final corner of the smooth stone path, claws clacking lightly with each ginger step, the sight he had anticipated had an unexpected addition. More than the hutch's incense burned out and offerings set on display (or more often wrapped for better keeping and resisting the temptation of bold wildlife) there was a worshipper as well. What was even more surprising was that they were not kneeling in prayer or silent communion, instead standing and looking almost expectantly at the lone caretaker.
"F-fair winds, Proneshka'i." The supplicant spoke with nervous, timid words… but indeed they were the words of one of Her followers. From their timbre they were male, despite their meek posture and inability to meet the older fox's gaze. Oh and indeed they were a fox, those large perked ears submissively folded to the sides, even though they lacked the warm, saturated tones of the monk's fur. His were lighter, more tans and beige with a hefty sprinkling of silvery grey as though he had been dipped in ashes. He wore simple, road-worn clothes in browns and linen whites, and carried a small basket slung over his back, a few little trinkets and tools tied or bundled against it.
It had been some days since the FireKeeper had spoken aloud to another being, weeks to one who could understand his words, and even longer yet to one who had spoken a word of his ancestral tongue. He stood on the foot of that path, paws still held in his sleeves, before finding the words once more, voice a little hoarse from underuse.
"Hrm… Ghrhrm… And may She shine on your path…" He stood there still, blinking a few more times and leaving the pilgrim nervously shifting from paw to paw before stepping off the path and towards the offering hutch. He crouched down and opened it, inspecting the day's offerings and smiling. There was a special treat among them, a chunk of honeycomb from the village apiary, delicately wrapped in a fine cloth. He recognized it from the embroidery on the cloth alone. He did not yet take anything from the hutch, however, even though there was no clergy to chastise or enforce rules it was still a poor idea to accept the offerings while a worshipper was present. And so he stood back up, gently swirling his tail to re-settle his robes, and turned his attention back to that smaller fox.
"It is late, little one. Her gaze may be open under the night's grasp, but the Temple is not, I am afraid. There will be enough light to find the village for an hour yet." The traveller flicked those ears further back, still refusing to make anything approaching eye contact. His tail curled nervously between his legs, tip flicking and lashing with agitation.
"I… I have no place in that village… I-I simply need to see Her shrine, please…" He tries his best to put on a strong face, but still can't quite look at the monk higher than his knees. He takes a half step forward, the FireKeeper tilting his head but standing fast, ears focused forward.
"There is a tavern which can offer a be-" The younger fox let out a near bark of frustration, interrupting and leaving the monk's eyes widened and ears angling sideways slightly, brow furrowing with consternation.
"RF! No! N-no I… I just need to see Morre… Erm. T-to visit her shrine, please… P-please I will leave immediately after I commune with Her…" His impolite request was starting to border on downright rude, insistence making it even moreso. The younger fox's ears started to lift and for the first time he actually met the gaze of the FireKeeper, his eyes a bright, vivid violet with an inner edge of silvery-grey around the pupil. The monk let out a soft growl, barely audible, before responding.
"Rrrrr… Hrmm… You are quite insistent, for a yearling… Where are you from, that you were taught to make such careless demands of Her chosen?" He took a half step closer then, paws once more hiding in his sleeves, loosely crossed. The Firekeeper had to fight the urge to bare fangs at the insolent boy… but the grumble of his stomach replaced any vitriol that might have slipped into his voice otherwise. He simply furrowed his brow deeper, head tilting back to look down along that muzzle while he tried not to think of the morsels waiting in the hutch.
"I… I am not a yearling!! I am fully grown and of age! Please… My name is Seskek Vorana. I… I come from warmer lands… by the Varndel's sands. A-and… And you are not one of Her Chosen. W-with respect, Proneshka'i." The smaller fox then, as if he had not just directly challenged the FireKeeper's authority, bowed deeply… ears once more splayed to the sides respectfully. His basket started to shift off his shoulders before his paws quickly grasped the straps to hold it still.
"Seskek Vorana… You plea for the use of my grounds and Her shrine while insulting my station in the same breath??? Has your naming gone to your eartips, little one? Why should I entertain your request, hmm? When you speak of respect but do little to show it. Just leave your offering with the rest of them, kff. Hrrk." His coughed, voice beginning to crack from speaking so much in so short a time, and he tossed his paws upwards as if asking the darkening sky for its opinion. He turned back to the offering hutch, taking a jug from it to wet his throat with the bitter dandelion tea it contained.
The supplicant fox waited for perhaps too long before replying… slowly straightening a bit, eyes still downcast. "I… I apologize, Proneshka'i, p-please forgive me… It is simply that Her Chosen are all white-furred, or -eyed. I d-did not intend to imply you were not qualified as a priest of this sacred place. P-please… I… I have an offering for Her. A-and Her alone. Once I have given it I will be on my way, and you may never have my tail brushing your floor ever again." He once more bowed, and much to the Firekeeper's chagrin there was wetness on his cheeks that slowly dripped down his muzzle and to the forest floor. Whatever things that basket held clattered against each other as Seskek's motions were deeper and quicker than before.
"Only for Morrenska, then. And since I am not Moon-touched I cannot accept it on her behalf. And I presume you simply do not trust that I will bring it to her altar for you, either? Audacious." The monk watched as the younger fox held that bow… even when his legs started to shake slightly from the awkward position without the use of his tail to counterbalance. He sighed, shaking his head and starting to gather the offerings into his sleeves. It had been long since he had company.... Perhaps it would do some good to show mercy on the foolish todd, if only for his own gain. "Fine. Straighten up before you upend your basket all over the ground… you will carry this jug for me."
The supplicant fox stood straight perhaps too fast, basket contents making a worrying racket as he wobbled a little with the rush of blood. He stammered his thanks as he swayed. "T-Thank you! Thank you P-proneshka'i I… I am so grateful… Ah? This… is this not an offering???"
The monk lifted the jug and set it in the younger fox's paws, churring affirmatively and leaving it at that before once more closing the hutch and padding quietly for the path back up to the Temple proper.
"B-but… but I can't–" The Keeper did not slow, though thankfully his pace was not rushed in the slightest. "Vorana, are you going to keep wasting your namesake or do you want to commune with Morrenska tonight? Come."
Meekly, Seskek hefted the vessel and hurried along to follow. His tail was wagging until he took a sniff of the tea, wrinkling his nose. For once the younger fox kept his words to himself, not wanting to risk the FireKeeper's ire.
The path was not any longer on the way up than down despite how it seemed, winding through the trees and thick bushes. In days gone by they were trimmed so one could see the main gate for the majority of the journey. The sky was darkening steadily, both foxes having to watch their step more carefully on the smooth pathstones that had been set so long ago. They were evenly worn in two tracks, one from paws and the other from the water of the spring melt, and it had the tendency to trick those who weren't surefooted and make their pilgrimage even longer.
The silence was something the FireKeeper was well used to, but it seemed to make Seskek rather nervous, steadily moreso as time went on. There seemed to be no real sign of the temple but for the occasional surviving talisman carved in the trees, or dangling chimes from their branches. "Uhm… Proneshka'i…"
"If you ask how far it is, Vorana, I will roll you back down the path myself." That seemed to silence the supplicant… but only briefly. "... N-no, it's not that… I wanted to ask where the other attendants are… From what I know this place should have many more?"
The older fox didn't reply for a dozen steps… ears flicking half back to focus on the boy without turning from his careful watch of his pawfalls. "... There are no others here. I am the lone FireKeeper of this Temple, and Skywatcher, and Priest of the Mother, and gold-oracle, and groundsweeper…" He flicked his tail in two little spirals, indicating that the list went on.
"... That must be so lonely… Ah! I-I'm sorry Proneshka'i, I m-meant th–" The Firekeeper sighed and simply stepped off the path and out of sight. With a start, Seskek hurried to follow… and his eyes widened, taking in the massive woven branches of the Gate. The wood looked painted, in coiling swirls of red, purple, green, and yellow, and he had to rest his head on the basket on his back to see the actual leaves, so high above. When his eyes came back down the older fox was smiling softly, hood drawn back to reveal his full face, from tattooed eartips to inkstained lips. His gaze was drawn in by the FireKeeper's bright blue eyes, edged in grey and flecked through with gold. With him smiling, the pilgrim thought to himself that the older fox looked surprisingly youthful.
"Welcome to The Temple of the Wayward. Come." He simply turned, walking towards the covered walkways that led deeper into the temple grounds and to each separate shrine. Before stepping onto the lacquered wood he paused, and, hot on his heels, Seskek nearly ran into him. He stepped into a little trough of cold fresh water to one side of the walkway, rinsing his footpaws before stepping up to the walkway and grabbing one of the small towels there to dry his pads. He pointed the younger fox at the water, tossed the towel down onto the floor for him, and took the jug.
"... Proneshka'i, I–" The Firekeeper cleared his throat, subtly stopping him before he could continue. He walked to an incense bench to set down the vessel and procured a lantern stashed beneath it, using one of the scented sticks to light the candle within.
"My name is Chandra. Please call me that, I am nobody's Father." He smirked at the confusion on Seskek's face… Morrenska would be pleased with that turnabout. Even the little revenges were Hers after all.
"Uhm. R-right. C-chandra, then, uhm…" He started to wash hurriedly, though his paws were a fair bit more dirty than the FireKeeper's from his travels. "... Where is Her shrine?" Chandra simply smiled once more, waiting for the younger fox to finish cleaning and drying his footpaws. Once Seskek was done and stood on the wood of the path, he handed the vessel back before turning away. The Firekeeper walked before replying, down the halls that gradually merged the garden with the interior. Only half the torches were lit, lest it take all night to put them out, lending perhaps longer and more eerie shadows than would have otherwise existed in the quiet wooden halls. After a minute or so of walking the answer finally came.
"I am taking you there, little one. But there is no hurry… She is more attentive when the moon rises, regardless. As you said it yourself, you have no place in the village. I will not send you out into the dark of night, even with Her light being full you would probably just slip on the rocks and then I would have a body to clean up in the morning. You'll stay the night in the dormitory, after you wash." He left no room for argument, and the younger fox couldn't think of any way to object, simply churring his assent meekly. "Good boy. Now then, it is just down this hall with the tall windows. You will see Her rising in about half an hour." Then he took the jug, and turned to continue down the main hallway.
"I… Uhm. T-thank you pron-erk! C-Chandra!" The older fox simply gave a single chirp of acknowledgement and left the smaller fox to gather himself and continue alone down to the shrine.
His deity was Morrenska, Goddess of the Moon, Revenge, and Passion. Her shrine was centered around a silver statue of Her, a hooded figure with one white eye and the other covered by a patch, muzzle not quite vulpine but close. Her mouth was softly open in an indulgent smile, tongue outstretched and care was taken to polish it so it looked wet with drool. In her left paw she held a bundled scroll plated in gold to represent the Passion of creativity, and in her right a thin, straight dagger held in a reverse grip for Revenge. They were not part of the statue, but actual relics held in the formed paws instead.
Seskek took a soft breath as he approached the raised platform Her statue was on. Surrounding it were four altars, one each for her Passions and a fourth for less specific offerings. The one he approached was the amorous Passion, Nesodre. This altar was lower set than the others, and was placed in front of the statue so She could watch the offerings be made. There was a dish set in the back of the altar, well-polished and clean as no other offerings had been made in years. Pillows and cushions surrounded it, no sign of the usual incense and vials of oils to help. It was only the low light from the candles and the cushions, apart from the soft glow of that statue's one eye.
The pilgrim sighed softly… a light flush to his cheeks as he looked Her in the eye before taking his basket off and gently kneeling on the altar. "Morrenska, I come to you again. I thank you for guiding my path, and for keeping my pack light… For smiling on my fortune and keeping the fire in my heart fueled." He bowed, then smiled more brightly, and reached into his basket. "I have an offering for you! I know I send you some every full moon but I don't usually have a real shrine to do it at… though I love staring into your eye so bright above me!"
His tail was softly wagging as he pulled out a small ceramic pot sealed with a canvas lid. He set it down on the altar, and then hurriedly stepped off to quickly undress, shivering a little against the cold of the unheated room. He knelt back down, sheath already perking with a bit of warmth at the tip as he opened the pot. Inside was a semiliquid silvery fluid, which he dipped one finger into carefully, rubbing it between thumb and forefinger before looking back up to Her.
"Morre, I give you this offering, of my Passion, my sensation, and my pleasure. Please, feel through me the bliss of my love for you!" He slides that finger down in a smooth, practiced motion, gently grasping and rubbing it around his tip in circles. Tingling, soothing warmth seeped into his sensitive nerves as he openly stroked himself more and more, working that sheath further down until he just had to bring his other paw in to pop the bulb at his base free. His eager squirts of vulpine lubricant flew from his tip, some pattering into the offering dish already before he re-aimed his tip, angling down and into the little pot with that plentiful slick.
He squeezed his tie firmly, tugging upwards as his other paw took another dollop of the pot's contents, gently sniffing them. It used to be that he would have fired off as soon as he squeezed, that was what was natural after all… but his ears folded as he grunted with effort, trying to push himself over the edge with no luck.
"Hhnfhh~ Ahhh! Morre~! I-I… hnghhh… m-mmaybe just a little…" He glanced over his shoulder, but there was no-one near. So he stood, leaning up to the statue with a little huffy breath and blushing so bright he thought he would catch fire as he closed in with Her countenance. He licked Her cold, silver tongue directly, one paw slipping off his knot to trace the shape of Her motherly body. He did it, and it was even more arousing than he thought it would be, moaning muffledly as he began to kiss and suckle on Her tongue outright. He kept one paw tugging and squeezing on himself desperately, and the other hugging the shape of Her broad hips as he ground his shaft against the cold metal.
He knew full well he was defacing Her shrine, but for some reason the metal didn't feel so shockingly cold to his shaft. Even as he stepped in the offering dish for that little bit more height to get his tongue over Her fangs, he was only getting more aroused. His lust-addled mind reasoned that She would feel his Passion and forgive… And yet that damn peak avoided him still no matter how he whined and humped his paw. It seemed his earlier 'offerings' spent on the roadside on his journey made this one harder to achieve.
Desperation tainted his panting whines of pleasure, and his eyes glanced and scanned furtively about… finally settling on the scroll. His ears rotated back but the thought had already entered his mind. Without hesitation he plucked it out of the statue's grasp, kneeling back down on a cushion and dipping one end of it into his pot, getting it nice and slick along with his two fingers once more. Hurriedly, he slid his paw behind himself, tail curling upwards, taking a deep breath. With a trembling moan, he did as a vixen, and began to massage and slicken his rear, unable to even make eye contact with the statue anymore.
Unbeknownst to the small fox, Chandra had been silently padding along the hall towards him and his blatant desecration, watching every blaspheme with steadily increasing anger. Only the darkening of the room as evening slipped into night kept him hidden, especially as he found the intimate display forced his own sheath to disgorge his throbbing arousal. It had been a long time indeed since he had shown worship to Morre with anyone else, after all, he reasoned. As he approached the platform he shed his robes one by one, silent as the night but for the rustling of clothing which easily hid among the younger fox's panting and lurid slickening of his rumphole.
Seskek shuddered and bit his lip as he finally worked the second digit in, feeling that liquid do its soothing, relaxing work and deciding that the scroll should fit now. The offering dish had a small puddle of his drooled precum already, along with a couple footpaw prints. He bent over it, shaft throbbing and pulsing in the cool open air, his shoulder leaning directly on Her legs as he lined the scroll up, shivering at the cool metal against his relaxed hole. Using such a holy relic for such a filthy thing made him harder than ever, pouring drips of liquid arousal into the dish with every rapid heartbeat. He didn't notice the FireKeeper stepping into the candlelight as he pressed that scroll in, the younger fox letting out a high-pitched whimpery moan, working it in and out with hurried lustful motions.
Chandra had never seen someone so very… shameless in their passion. Surely it would be quite a powerful offering when he did achieve that peak, but that did not forgive his mis-steps, his sacrilege of the holy statue and items. The caretaker wished it wasn't so arousing watching the pucker of that tan-furred fox spread so around the scroll, seeing that silvery substance slicken and plump it perfectly. It can't have been the boy's first time doing such a thing either, that scroll slipping in all the way to the seal.
"AAaanhnhh~! Oohh Morrrrre tttake my pppassion and feel my PLEASURE~!" The young fox was finally feeling that tension build, his soft sack tensing and lifting just a bit higher. The FireKeeper knew this was his chance. He grasped the boy's tailbase with one paw, tugging upwards harshly, as his other smacked the boy's paw aside and pulled the scroll out, leaving Seskek yelping as his pucker winked on air, orgasm once more denied.
"AIEE~! AAa-aahh P-pproneshka'i!?! Y-yyou, I–!!" Chandra simply glared down as the younger fox looked over his shoulder, mortified and yet still as on the cusp of orgasm as ever, eyes drifting away from that burning gaze to settle on the smooth exposed fur of his chest and belly.
The older fox snarled, teeth bared just slightly, admonishing the boy. "Seskek Vorana! You impudent little pest! First you make unreasonable demands of me, then you desecrate Her shrine after talking so highly of Her… I should dock your tail and kick you out on it! RRRrrrhrrrlll…" The smaller fox yelped in pain and whimpered, cowering as best he could while being held up by his tail.
"And yet that would not please Her, would it?" He used that grasp on Seskek's tail to pull him just a little bit closer, resting the tip of his shaft against that prepared tailhole. He grinned, looking up to the statue and respectfully splaying his ears. "Morrenska, please accept this offering of passion from two of your followers… and my offering of revenge on your behalf, for his rude desecration of your shrine!"
Seskek looked panicked, trying to pull away, but the older, larger fox's grip was unyielding. "P-please Pronesh–e-erm C-cchandra P-please don't– AHHH!" His protests were cut off by Chandra leaning over him and plunging his thick, heated length deep into the much smaller fox's rear. He was definitely larger than the scroll but much warmer, immediately sending waves of pleasure through the supplicant todd that made his shaft squirt out the most productive jet of precum yet. It was even slightly cloudy with how close he had gotten to his peak before being interrupted. He did not get any time to adapt, the hall filling with his cries of discomfort, embarrassment and pleasure as the FireKeeper helped improve his offering.
Improve the offering it certainly did, the statue's eye shimmering ever brighter as the silver light of the full moon was just starting to crest one of the skylights. Her silvery glow suffused the room around both of them as Chandra bucked hungrily, the first mating he'd felt in years. The larger fox leaned over and hugged the pilgrim's hip tightly, rocking from tip to tie over and over in those slick silky insides and truly using that grippy rim without holding back.
"Ooohh~ HHahhhh you squeeze like a vixen, little one, I feel you quivering with pleasure~ Go on, release your passion for Her, show her your penance! Gggrip your shameless tie and let loose your offering, tight brat!" Despite his demanding tones he found himself wishing it would not be over too soon, even if he was getting rapidly close to his finish himself. It had simply been too long since his last time, his root was rapidly starting to swell up with every insistent smack on that silver-coated tailhole.
"NHnhnh!! Ahahh y-yyou're t-ttoo bbig Cchhhandra s-sstop, I c–MMNpH!?" His complaints were silenced by that scroll being shoved into his maw lubed-end first, rubbing more of that silvery goo directly onto his tongue. The effect was immediate, the smaller fox's ears pinning back as he whined through his nose and pushed his hips back desperately. He was fully submitting now, accepting his place as makeshift vixen for the FireKeeper and trying to relax into it. His paw returned to his shaft, rubbing in the slickness being constantly forced out of his tip by that hungry cock ravaging his rump, edging himself ever closer to that peak once more. The young fox's mind raced as it was somehow even more passionate, more pleasurable than he could have ever imagined.
"O-ohhnhh Goddesssss yess that's a goood supplicant boyyy Vorana~ ccclean that relic well and ttake mmmy offering as H-her vessellll~!" Chandra leaned back, both paws now gripping the slim fox's hips and hammering ever harder ever faster, desperation of imminent release making his head tip back. He locked his eyes onto that shining white light in the sky, claws digging into both cushion and Seskek's hips, and howled his dedication to Her. "M-mMORRENSKA WITNESS~!"
Lurid wet schlaps and plaps echoed off the walls as he shoved that ever-fattening tie insistently against the boy, forcing a yelp and then indulgent purrrrrr out of the younger todd. He throbbed barely twice before starting to release without even tying, heavy pent up sack mashed to Seskek's far smaller one and knot visibly pulsing and swelling with every rope the boy milked out of him. For Seskek's part he barely needed to tug his tie once with the liquid heat rushing into his depths to finally find his offering, leaning just a bit forward and angling his shaft down to make sure it poured on target. Audible splatters and splurts of his far less productive peak filled the air alongside both of their panting, the boy eagerly tugging and squeezing on himself for two full minutes to fully empty himself for Her. Chandra's claws relaxed, his hips still twitching and rocking inwards instinctively as he similarly made sure that tight rim kept gripping. He pressed hungrily, testing if it would stretch to accept his bulb every time and relishing every moment, truly losing himself in the passionate sensations and sending it all to their Goddess.
"HHnhhn~ oohhh by her stars yesss~ aahh… Gooood boy, Seskek~ Y-you've pleased Her and I both now~ RRhhrrfff… pity you could not take my tie, alas." The FireKeeper churrred and slowly began to pull back, his crimson girth pulling and tugging the grippy boy's rim with him as he went.
Seskek hissed in a breath, whimpering a bit at the feeling of being so empty. "Hhnhh… ahh… hss ssshit… you were… aahhh… already too big… There's no way…" He looked over his shoulder to steal a glimpse of the bare-furred fox above him, eyes locking to that shaft as it flopped free, a few wet squirts of post-cum firing into the air. With a yelp the boy tried to clench down to hold it in, but was utterly unable to quite close up, silvery mess pouring down the insides of his thighs and down the back of his pert sack.
"You say that, little Vorana, but you could not find your offering until after I had sheathed inside you~ Come now, clean the altar and the pillow, I have a warm bath drawn and a meal prepared." The FireKeeper smiled at the younger fox as he straightened up, but before he could pull away he felt Seskek's tail curling around his leg, holding him in place. He waited as the boy shifted around, kneeling still, and nosed up into that shaft that had just been inside him. His bright eyes shined, looking up as he gently licked over Chandra's shaft. "S-sseskek… Ahh, you needn't…"
"I want to." The supplicant todd gently, carefully lifted a paw to heft that breeding tool by the knot, licking and slurping over it with his soft little tongue, even making sure to clean inside the older male's sheath. It didn't take him that long, even with new eager squirts of poorly-named precum squirting over his fur every few seconds. Chandra laid a paw on the boy's cheek, gently pushing him back before he could get too eager.
"S-seskek… I-I appreciate your libations, but… I need more time before another. Clean Her… then we will go wash together. And use your tongue!" The smaller fox looked as if he might object or sulk… but instead blushed and nodded, turning back around. He crouched low, licking the spots his indulgence missed the dish and got on the pillows, before his gaze rose to the spot on the statue he had been grinding and pawing off against. He thought about asking permission, but the priest was simply looking on, calmly. He wordlessly put his paws on that statue once more and nosed up to that soaked spot, licking, slurping, purring a little as he polished Her countenance with his tongue.
Chandra gave a soft nod, moving over to where his robes were piled, just grabbing the innermost layer and pulling it on, leaving the front open as his tie had yet to deflate enough to allow his sheath to contain that sensitive cockflesh. When he returned to the altars Seskek was wiping his chin with a paw, the lid on his pot once more sealed and put away, staring up at Her in the sky.
"Thank you…" The younger fox spoke so softly it nearly was drowned out by the flickering of the flames. He stood up, gathering his belongings up in his arms but for that basket-pack. His own sheath was starting to swallow his member back up. "Thank you for… helping me. And even just… letting me in."
Chandra grinned at that, chuckling as he helped the young fox carry his basket. "So you do know how to show proper respect~! Heh. I am glad for the company. You needn't leave on the morrow… Now come, you reek of the trail still." He gathered the smaller fox in close, letting out affectionate churrs as he led him, tails softly curling around each other. With Her eye high in the sky, they walked away from the altars and towards the rest of their evening.
Silently, once they were gone, Her statue knelt. Her paws cupped the dish so full of the boy's offering, lifting it up, that confident easy grin only getting wider. "Your offering is accepted, Seskek Vorana, The Breath We Forgive."
She tilted the dish back, drinking every drop.
"Yours as well, Candle. I expect much more Passion from you soon~."
She would not be disappointed.