Unfortunately, he wasn't nearly fast enough. Soon after that, Talina pushed herself back into the folds of the tents out of the way. She saw the rest of Dregolf's war pack, veterans all, burst out of other gaps between the tents. They had recognised their alpha's war cry. From then, life for the Berserkers took a distinct and monumental turn for the worst.

Talina grinned and turned to slip out of the tents. There she found Ishka trying to clamber amongst the tents with fury in her eyes. The orc wasn't as nimble as Talina or Dregolf, and she pawed her way through the overlapping canopies of the tents blindly. The strike to Ishka's throat seemingly came out of nowhere. It sent her falling to the ground, clutching her neck and desperately gasping for air. For a moment, Talina stopped and felt a twinge of an old and familiar desire. It would be so easy to slip down beside the orc and finish the job. Then she thought of her master and shook her head, not wanting to bring that kind of trouble down on him. Instead, she skipped over Ishka, giving her one last surgical jab to the back of the neck that opened her airways again.

Considering her mischief well and truly successful, Talina slipped back between the folds of the tents and seemingly vanished into the night.

When Gregory awoke the next morning it was with an unusual degree of clarity. Until his time on Arolius, he definitely wasn't a morning person. The snooze button had been his greatest ally in what he considered to be a never ending battle against the unending trials of consciousness. Lately, it seemed as if waking up was no more difficult than flipping a switch. This was doubly surprising considering he was often barely getting more than four hours of sleep a night.

Maybe it was something in the air?

He didn't usually spend much time worrying about it since he was often immediately distracted by the beautiful woman lying beside him. He'd spent the Last night with Valise, and today she remained cuddled up against his chest in all her naked glory. Even given all his current troubles, he had absolutely no problem at all with this world if this was how it greeted him every morning.

A smile crept across his lips before he leaned in to settle a Light kiss on hers. It surprised him when her eyes immediately flickered open to focus on him without a hint of sleep marring their focus.

“I'm sorry. I didn't mean to wake you," he said.

“You didn't. I haven't yet slept."

“Why? Did you think I'd start rooting through your things looking for lost elven treasures once you'd nodded off?"

That brought an amused smile to her lips.

“Everything I own is already yours, Gregory. Although I'm afraid I'm a

Little short on elven treasures at the moment.”

“Not really." He looked down over her slender figure with a distinctly appreciative gaze. Given her nudity, there were plenty of treasures freely on display as far as he was concerned.

The brazen way he looked over her brought a little shiver through her body. She moaned softly when she felt him begin to harden against her bare thigh.

“I didn't want to sleep. It has been a long time since I've been quite so content, and I've learned that it could be a very long time until I find such happiness again. I'm merely savouring a moment."

“A moment? Crikey, I hope I lasted a bit Longer than that."

That got an immediate Laugh.

“Very well, I'm savouring quite a few very long and very happy moments. And I enjoy watching you sleep.”

“Great, because that's not creepy at all." He reached around and gave her bare bottom a playful pinch. She yelped with a combination of shock and laughter before they fell together in a long, slow kiss.

That kiss lasted quite a bit longer than a moment, and both of them had to take deep breaths when they finally came up for air. They had shifted enough that he now found himself laid on his back with her languidly resting over his chest. Her small breasts cushioned against his hard muscle, and he felt her nipples lightly poking against his body.

“I should get going. Today's the big day, and I figure I need to give Algra and Janette a good while to chew me out over not coming home Last night."

“Tell them it was time well spent. And remember to be yourself today. Don't let them try to make you fight like an orc when you can do better by simply being who you really are.”

“Yes ma'am." He nodded as she lifted herself up from him and reached to pick up her long, white gown.

He took a while to enjoy watching her dress, and then when his cock had finally fallen enough to be comfortable, he reached for his trunks.