Chapter Text
Holtak was a small city at the furthest edges of the Tigerii empire.
It was a small simple city full of small simple people with small simple jobs.
That is until very recently were it was suffering from the disappearance of it's children.
It started about a week ago with the first victim being a young Tigerkin who's age barely crossed the double digits who after a long day playing with his friends returned home to his parents setting him down for bed.
The very next morning the bed was empty and the child was nowhere to be seen.
The concerned parents immediately reported this to the town guard who were not immediately concerned that is until one became two, then three, then five, then ten.
It wasn't long before Holtak was facing a crisis the likes of which it had never seen before and as is typically of bad news it spread like wildfire which ironically enough led to it reaching the ears of two humans who happened to be around the area.
Only they weren't the typical 'hairless apes' as most sceptical otherkin had chosen to call them as well as other things they choose to let slid well one them did, the other decided get a little payback.
Oh no no no, they were in fact individuals who were rather skilled in dealing with these sort of situations. As such it didn't take them long to find the one responsible (turns out it was a vengeful fea), deal with the issue, and return the children who were a bit worse for wear to their now relieved parents.
Which leads us to the current moment.
Lucca had chosen to spend his time exploring the rooftops taking in the cityscape sprawling before him.
Buildings carved of stone and wood were clustered together like a pack of sardines in a tin can and the night air was thick with the mingled scents of cooking fires and sewage runoff with the occasional wisp of incense from the nearby shrine curling up into the starlit sky above.
He sat perched with one foot on the peak of a clay tiled roof as the other dangled over the edge as he balanced precariously while gazing at the streets below which were teeming with merchants closing up their stalls and children playing with each other completely unaware of the crisis that had just been averted as concerned parents guided them back to the safety of their homes.
The sounds of jovial laughter emitting from the building beneath drawing his attention to the tavern where his brother was no doubt being paraded like the here he is while he was up there alone.
"Seems like Lev's having fun." Lucca noted as the sounds of revelry floated up from the tavern below. He was a bit irked that his younger brother was having fun without him but they already sent their report back home and someone had to wait outside for the reply and unfortunately he drew the short straw.
How did he even know he was using a double sided coin!
Lucca leaned back slightly letting the cool evening air brush his face as he listened to the sounds below. The music had a cheerful rhythm to it though the instruments were unfamiliar to him. Some kind of flutes and drums, maybe?
Either way the melody was catchy.
A crash echoed from the tavern followed by cheering and laughter that had him leaning forward to peer down with his curiosity piqued.
His Arcane enhanced ears had no issue picking up the booming laughter followed by the distinctive sound of cheering with a few 'ooh's' and 'ahh's' not far behind as whatever had happened down there was clearly drawing a huge crowd.
Even from up here the atmosphere was palpable.
Lucca's fingers drummed against the roof tiles his body swaying slightly with the music as he couldn't help but feel a pang of jealousy as Lev was experiencing the kind of lively night he'd usually thrive in.
But protocol existed for a reason though that doesn't mean he has to like it.
Thankfully he was brought out of the familiar spiral of unwelcome thoughts when the familiar sound of squawking caught his attention.
He glanced up to see a singular raven easily twice the size of its usual counterparts soaring overhead with its silver wings contrasting against the midnight sky that they cut through in slow but purposeful rhythm.
It landed on the roof peak next to him with a few heavy flaps regarding him with beady intelligent eyes before bowing its head with an almost theatrical air.
Lucca sighed knowing exactly what this meant and leaned forward slightly extending a hand to the bird who showed no fear to his proximity as he gave its head small pats before slowly transitioning into scratching behind its head feathers as the raven closed its eyes and let out a few coos and caws in clear enjoyment.
"I take it you have Thrain's report?" he asked the raven eyes opened slightly at the sound of his voice with it's head tilting slightly as if considering the question before it slowly opens its beak pausing for dramatic effect before it started relaying Thrain's words with perfect clarity though still with the slightly raspy quality of a bird's speech.
"Glad to hear of your recent success despite being on vacation, we'll take about that later… speaking of which sorry to say this but a new issue has come up so I'm to have to end your time off early. Be sure to promptly return home for further orders." It was a well known fact that ravens were gifted in the art of mimicry but this particular breed was trained by his family and when combined with their ability to detect unique Arcane signatures and you have the perfect way for them to carry messages to each other over long distances.
Most otherkin would find the whole thing rather disturbing but as someone who hails from a world where long distance communication is baked deeply into society it didn't come as a shock to him and his family.
"Cause you know how much we love to get called in for more work right as we're in the middle of a forced leave." Lucca let out a low chuckle as he continued scratching behind the raven's head as it ruffled its feathers slightly before settling again clearly enjoying the attention.
"We'll be there shortly." He added before the raven let out a satisfied caw before flapping its massive wings and launching itself off the roof circling once before disappearing into the night sky.
Lucca sighed watching it go with a mix of resignation and amusement as he stood up stretching his arms above his head as the distant music of the tavern below began to shift into something slower and more melancholic.
"Time to deliver the news."
2 hours earlier.
The tavern was packed to the brim with patrons surrounding two combatants caught in the midst of a heated battle cheering with their drinks sloshing over the edges of their mugs as they stamped their feet against the wooden floor in rhythm to the music as the wooden beams supporting the ceiling shook with the enthusiasm.
Lev knew when he entered the tavern he was going to get warm welcome but he hadn't expected to be suddenly thrown into an arm wrestling match and with the captain of the town guard no less.
As one would expect from the usual Tigerii citizen his opponent was indeed a tigerkin noticeably larger than the human with quite a bit of muscle bulging through his thick reddish orange striped fur.
At the start of the match the captain was fully confident he could win against the smaller opponent but seven minutes has passed and the match is still on going with no clear sign of the victor in sight.
Throughout the past five years Lev had grown accustomed to dealing with opponents stronger larger and faster than him and despite being only two inches taller he had grown a bit of meat on his once weak and fragile slim and frail figure that allowed him to hold his own.
His family had also taught him a few tricks along the way that most would find impossible but he didn't need a boast to win against the overconfident feline who he had to admit was putting up a considerable fight.
The rough wooden table they were using as a platform creaked under the pressure of their grip as the surrounding crowd pressed in close to watch the match.
"You're rather strong for such a tiny thing." The captain grunted through gritted teeth with his muscles straining as his massive paw gripped Lev's with enough force that would make the bones of lesser opponent protest in agony but Lev's grip was firm and unyielding.
In terms of strength a keen observer would call the two more or less even but the advantage Lev has over the captain were the two traits that his kind seemed to possess no matter what world they came from.
Stamina and Persistence.
As such it was only a matter of time before the human slowly but surely began to push back against the captain.
The crowd's cheers grew louder as the shift in momentum became clear and the captain's face twisted in a mix of surprise and awe as he realized he was losing to someone three quarters his size.
Lev leaned into the match putting more pressure on the captain's wrist as sweat beaded on both their fave as his opponent fought back with steady but straining muscles as his lips pulled back to reveal sharp fangs with a silent snarl bubbling low in his throat as he tried to push back.
But try as he might be couldn't resist the twisting of his arm as the crowd's roar reached a fever pitch as the captain's arm continued to bend past the point of comfort.
His face flushed with effort with veins standing out in his thick forearm as he tried to keep up but slowly inevitably his hand began to touch the wooden surface of the table and with a final push Lev flipped the captain's arm down against the table hard enough that the wood cracked under the impact as the onlookers erupted in applause and shouts of approval with a some throwing bags of coin down on the table their bets now settled.
The captain panted slightly as he flexed his arm testing its functionality before he burst into a wide grin slapping Lev's shoulder hard enough to send him stumbling slightly.
"You actually brought me to submission!" He bellowed laughing as he grabbed his mug and downed its contents in a single go before slamming it back down on the table before leaning in close to Lev with a conspiratorial grin.
"You're definitely welcome here anytime!" The crowd around them cheered again as the bartender nodded in agreement pouring another round for everyone as the captain pulled Lev into a one-armed hug that nearly lifted him off the ground.
"Drinks are on me tonight!" He laughed as he pulled Lev to the counter slapping down a bag of coins with a resounding thunk that made the bartender grin as he immediately began filling mugs with dark ale.
The night was still young and the tavern's atmosphere had grown even more lively as word of the match spread leading to more patrons gathering around the human to offer congratulations and clap him on the back as stories were exchanged and mugs were refilled.
The captain proved to be an excellent host as the two regaled each other with tales of their recent adventures as they tried to one up each other in terms of grandiose.
One thing led to another and soon the two once competitors found themselves in one of the rooms at the taverns upper floor with the human pinned to the wall as they once again competed against each other though this time with their tongues instead of their arms as the main instrument of combat.
The tiger was strong, persistent, and far more versed that the human was expecting.
He pressed Lev further against the wooden wall with his hot breath puffing against Lev's neck as he nipped lightly at the sensitive skin there before licking a slow stripe up to his ear as his large paws moved from his pinning his wrist to instead grip at Lev's hips and pull him flush against the thick heat straining against his pants.
Lev tilted his head to give the tiger better access as he ran his hands up the tiger's sides feeling the ripple of muscle beneath the fur as he palmed the bulge trapped underneath the dark fabric the tiger let out a rumbling purr as he nuzzled against Lev's neck his claws lightly scraping over the human's sides as he rocked his hips forward pressing them together in a slow grind that made the heat between them intensify.
"Mmm… I like… how responsive… you're being…" the tiger murmured against Lev's ear before capturing his mouth once again in a searing kiss teeth clashing slightly as the tiger's sandpaper tongue once again explored his mouth before going back to wrestling with his tongue.
Lev's hands slid up to tangle in the tiger's mane as he returned the kiss with equal fervor nipping at the captain's lower lip in retaliation for the earlier nibble as the larger man growled deep in approval.
The two separated only so that the tiger's shirt could removed along with Lev's coat before the two were back at it again with hands roaming over heated skin as the tiger lifted Lev effortlessly and tossed him onto the bed where he followed immediately caging the human beneath him with his larger frame as he continued kissing down his neck and collarbone.
The tiger's hands skillfully mapped Lev's body with confident strokes as he rolled up Lev's shirt so that he could nuzzle against every newly exposed patch of skin.
Hot breath ghosted over sensitive areas deliberately teasing him as his rough tongue makes contact with his scars both old and new dragging over the sensitive skin and awakening every nerve ending as the flexible organ began it's journey south lapping at the sweat slicked planes of his abdomen with slow deliberate motions as it worked lower past the trail of darks hair leading into his pants.
The tiger made quick work of the buckle pulling down the fabric springing free Lev's already hard cock as the tiger's hot breath ghosted over the sensitive tip before he finally took the length into his mouth in one smooth motion.
"Fuck-" Lev's back arched off the bed as the tiger's talented tongue immediately set to work swirling around the head before bobbing his head with practiced ease that left Lev's hips bucking slightly with the pleasure building as the tight suction drew him deeper into that warm wet heat.
His hand reached behind the spot behind every tiger's ears that turned them into a pile of putty if his time with tigers had taught him anything.
And sure enough just as he began scratching behind the tiger's ears he let out a deep rumbling purr that sent pleasant vibrations around his cock as the tiger's tongue worked at him with a relentless pace that increased just as his massive paws settled on his thighs claws pricking lightly through the fabric.
Lev's breath came in ragged gasps as his entire body thrummed with need against the relentless assault the tiger demonstrated his skilled mouth had him tightening his fingers through the tiger's fur as pleasure coiled tight in his gut with his breathing to come out in short gasps as the tiger's head moved further in between his legs as he took Lev deep into his throat muscles fluttering around the base of his cock as he swallowed around him.
It was rude to let the tiger do all the work so Lev guided his leg to the tiger's unsheathed member and began rubbing his toes against the barbed organ prompting the tiger's hips to involuntary jerk forward as Lev's toes traced over the thick veins and along the barbed length his breath coming in short pants around Lev's cock as his tongue continued its relentless movements.
The hand not scratching the tiger's ears tightly gripped the sheets as the pressure in his loins began to build to an overwhelmingly degree forcing his hips to jerk down the tiger's talented mouth and into his throat.
The tiger grunted in surprise at first but quickly gathered his bearings and by sliding his large hands under Lev's thighs and easily lifting him to gain better access to his crotch so that his dexterous tongue could wrap around his twitching member.
Lev didn't even know such a feat was possible until now but despite this the act served it's purpose to bring him even closer to the edge with his thighs quivering under the tiger's strong grip as his vision began to blur as the long flexible muscle moves up and down his member dragging it's rough surface against him in ways no human mouth could ever replicate.
The heat in his loins painfully borders to the point being unbearable leaving his body to seek even more of that delicious friction as the tiger earnestly thrusts his hips against Lev's foot rubbing the thick spines against his toes with every movement slickening it further with precum and their breathing grows ragged as they work each other closer to the edge.
"F-fuck…" The word come out as a broken groan as the pressure builds claws gently trace at flesh leaving red lines in their wake as he's held him firmly in place as the wet mouth and phenomenal tongue worked wonders the human who was forced ever closer to his climax.
But sadly it was not meant to be.
Before either of them could reach their release a recognizable and highly unwelcome shift in the Arcane enveloped both the human and his unaware partner but due to the nature of his body Lev knew what was coming would have no effect on him the same however couldn't be said for the tiger.
So it didn't come as a shock when the sudden rush of Arcane waves crashing against his body overwhelmed his senses and promptly caused his eyes to roll behind his head as consciousness leaves him and he slumps down on Lev's crouch with his tongue still wrapped around hard organ.
"Are you fucking kidding me!?" Lev shouted in frustration as the tiger's body goes slack and he wiggles his foot free from the barbed penis while pushing himself into a seated position.
"Hope I wasn't interrupting your fun Lev?" An ever increasingly annoying voice with a subtle mischievous tint that Lev has come to to hate ask as he turns toward its source to find his brother leaning against the now open window frame with an impish grin on his face that Lev has never wanted to punch more than this one moment.
"WHAT THE ABSOLUTE FUCK LUCCA!?" Lev shouts with clenched fists as he sends an absolutely livid glare Lucca's way as the target merely folds his arms behind his head with his eyes glinting with amusement at the outburst clearly delighted at having ruined his brother's fun as he pushes off the window frame landing with the grace of a cat before strolling into the room and stopping just short of the unconscious tiger who's mouth was still with his mouth wrapped Lev's cock.
"Aw, don't be like that. It's not like I interrupted anything serious." He taunts with a lax gesture pointed at the unconscious tiger sprawled across his brother's crotch as Lev grabs a pillow and hurls it at his head with enough force that would have sent him flying if it had manage to connected.
"Get out!" He snarls voice thick with residual frustration and unsated need as he tries to extract himself from the situation but the tiger's jaw remains stubbornly locked around him despite the lack of consciousness growling through gritted teeth before he finally manages to free himself with an audible pop and a string of saliva connecting from the tiger's tongue to his member.
The tiger doesn't even stir through the movement as he gets of the the bed and begins to wipe himself off with the discarded sheet hissing at the overstimulation.
"Just thought I'd let you know that the head honcho wants us back." Lucca explains with a chuckle as he watches his brother struggle with clear amusement stopping only when Lev finally manages to scramble out from under the tiger's heavy body and rolling of the bed as he shoving his softening member into his pants before pulling down his shirt and grabbing the coat which was now resting on the nearby chair.
"Selen's not gonna like how you're treating her 'finest' creation." Lucca point s out noting the current condition of Lev's attire which was not too dissimilar from that of the rest of their rag-tag group.
As was standard procedure all members of their family were to be equiped with a coat woven from black spider silk as it was the only material in all of Avalan that didn't hinder the flow of the Arcane and when coupled with true silver patterns etch into it and it was no wonder they were considered the best of the best when it comes.
Thrain didn't care much how each of them wore their coat in fact he seemed to enjoy it they added their own spin to it. Lucca for example who frequently wore his draped off the shoulders in a fashionable flair while Lev wore his in an asymmetrical design with one sleeve fully unzipped and flowing behind him showcasing the tattoos on his left arm while the straps on the waist remain unclipped making him look what he would call 'stylishly nonchalant'.
"It's mine so I'll treat it how I please." Lev retorts while Lucca merely shrugs as he watches his brother get dressed his face twisting into a smirk as he looks at the still slumbering tiger sprawled on the floor before gently picking him up despite his huge size.
"What is so damn important that it couldn't wait a few hours?" He growls through gritted teeth that Lucca merely shrugs nonchalantly as as he strolls over to the bed and plops unconscious tiger massive frame that takes up most of the mattress before heading to his discarded boots from the floor and yanking them on.
"You can ask him when we get back" Lucca says casually as he leans back on his hands watching Lev tie the laces with jerky movements that showcase his irritation as he shoots a glare to his brother who's grin widens as he stretches out like cat basking in the moonlight which makes him want to strangle the pest.
He directs a look his way.
Lev knows that look.
It's the look that in past few years Lev has quickly come to associate with absolute chaos that ranges anywhere from a buck of honey over a door to an entire house being set ablaze. (Thrain really chewed them out for that one.)
Needless to say he's learnt not to get involved with his brother's shenanigans but before he could voice any form of negation Lucca slides out the window and jumps onto the the roof the adjacent building.
"Raceya!" He says in a single breath before jumping onto the next building with a speed that would have been impossible for anyone to follow… well almost anyone.
"CHEATER!" Lev shouts at Lucca's nimble form which was already scaling the side of the building vaulting from one rooftop to the next with practiced ease with his laughter echoing in the cool night air as sends Lev some rather impolite curses before chasing after his brother.
The night air is crisp against his skin as he climbs out the window his fingers brushing against the rough stone ledge he finds purchase on his muscles tense as he swings out of the window and into the darkness of the city at midnight vaulting onto an adjacent building and landing on a tiled roof with a soft thud before pushing off and immediately heading to the next one as he begins the pursuit of his brother who's already several buildings ahead but Lev was never one to give him an easy win.
He diverts the flow of the Arcane into him letting it settle beneath his skin and flow through his muscles before propelling himself in a burst of speed that lets him closes the distance in one fell swoop while his brother effortlessly springs over the gabs between buildings weaving through chimneys as Lev jumps after him and lands hard with boots skidding slightly before he catches his balance and pushes ever forward towards the other.
One of the many things their family had in common is that they enjoyed a good chase to them it didn't matter if they were chasing or being chased.
They all found a deep sense of exhilaration that filled every corner of their being whenever the moved at speeds that otherkin can only dream of.
Is that perhaps why they chose monster hunting as their occupation of choice?
A question to answered later and not by the two humans who were too caught up in their competition to care as the wind whips past their face stinging against their skin as they race across the rooftops of Holtak with the fluidity of predators on the hunt who's movements were calculated and precise with their footfalls barely barely making a sound as they navigate around obstacles and slide down slanted rooftops.
Lucca glances over his shoulder and sees Lev closing the distance with that familiar determined look in his eyes that always fueled him forward when things got tough. A grin splits his face as he puts on a burst of speed leaping from one roof to the next without hesitation as Lev matches him step for step and buildings begin to grow further and further apart.
They approached the outer edges city where the houses were not as tall or packed as the one at the inner districts and the outer gates come into view leading Lucca to changes tactics and coalesce the Arcane around the soles of his boots in an swirling vortex that would remain unseen to the average eye but not theirs.
Lucca's laughter rings out as he launches himself from the rooftop with enough explosive force to leave behind a small crater in the roof he was just on as he sails effortlessly over the outer city walls with the vents of his coat billowing behind him like the tail of a dark comet.
"Showoff." Lev mutters sharply before choosing to mimic his brother technique and similarly lets the Arcane gather at the soles of his boots before he too is sent flying and the two sail through the air for miles and miles and a small clearing coming into view as they begin to descend outside the city.
Lucca is first to land with practiced ease leaving a trail of displaced earth behind him as he slides slow moving waves before skidding to a halt turning with crossed arms and face still caught in a wide grin as he waits for his brother to touch down only a few seconds later though with a more careful descent that still leaves a trail of displaced earth beside his own.
"Took you long enough." Lucca teases as Lev lifts his gaze to meet his brother's sending him a scowl that does little to diminish the competitive thrill still humming in their blood.
"At least I didn't land face-first in a pile of mud like the first time." Lev retorts before letting out a sharp whistle that echoes throughout the area.
"And by that you mean last time." Lucca corrects with a smirk thar Lev rolos his eyes at as a large shadow flies over them.
The first thing they saw as it descended were two massive sharp taloned wings that sent out a gust of air whipping at their clothes as a large draconic beast easily twice the size of a horse lands beside them with a heavy thud.
A sleek head crowned with crystalin forward facing horns was lowered as it began to examine the two humans before stepping forward to nuzzle against Lev's shoulder with wings folded back with a rustle prompting Lev to gently scratch along its sleek yet powerful frame getting in between polished obsidian scales that glinted the starlight while murmuring something low and affectionate into it's ears as it preens under Lev's attention letting out a deep rumbling purr as his fingers dig into the thick hide of the wyvern he's been bonded with since she was just a hatchling.
"It's time to go home Umbra." He says gently as she huffs in response exhaling warm air that stirs the loose strands of his hair as she lowers her body so Lev can easily climb to the saddle latched on her back before extending his hand to Lucca who grabs it to swings himself behind Lev with practiced ease pressing against Lev's back and securely wrapping his arms around Lev's waist as they settle into the familiar position.
Her large wings stretch wide in preparation for the flight as soft vibrations thrums through her body as she prepares for takeoff being still for a moment before ascending skyward a single flap of her wings as the wind rushing past them as she begins to soar with the world beneath them grows smaller and smaller as they climbs higher and higher until the scenery soon shifts from rolling hills to clouds sailing through the night air.