Silver-white sand shimmered under a silver-white sun in a cloudless sky. The bay was a perfect semi-circle, precisely bisected by a shallow river, its pale banks bordered by small arching silver-leaved arboriforms rising gracefully from close-cropped silvery-green mosses delicately starred with tiny rich blue pseudo-cymes. At the water's edge the complex tides had left the sand - and the low rocks a short way offshore - sculpted into intriguing forms and patterns.
The breeze was warm, caressing, and while the sea's higher tones were lost on Fohmatraan ears, the deep thrumming hum of its broader music called to them...
They had the beach to themselves. If Jezindra's usual guard were anywhere near, they weren't discernable, not even to Fohmatraan eyes.
Triskayen stretched widely, back arching, then stripped with brisk efficiency, dropping coverall, jacket and boots in a heap. Kazestrel followed, more slowly, folding his clothing into a neat pile then turning to his companions...
... to find the chialint watching him, eyes wide and startled. One graceful hand reached towards him, tracing a wide, rough silver scar from its start on a muscular shoulder to its star-shaped termination over the opposite lean hip...
"I am sorry."
Kazestrel eyed the chialint calmly.
"I thank you for your sympathy, but it is needless."
Jezindra frowned, slender webbed fingers splayed over Kazestrel's chest.
"The spoliation of anything beautiful is to be mourned." His gaze moved to the younger Fohmatraan's face. "Whether of body or mind. I would have liked to have *known* you."
"That may still happen."
The chialint nodded slowly then, under Triskayen's glower, forced a smile.
"And in the meantime..." He reached up to remove his torc, then allowed the cote to slide from his shoulders, arms and back arcing gracefully as dark golden skin was revealed. Even for a Fohmatraan he was, Kazestrel noted, an extraordinarily sensual being, taking pleasure in his own languid movements, eyes half-closed as he slipped out of the rest of his clothing and stretched into the breeze. He smiled at the younger Fohmatraan, teasingly.
"... we may still enjoy each other..."
Sygn-tide was ebbing, Foor-tide half-way to full, when they loped down to the water, the waves intersecting each other at oblique angles, damping each others' force a little, although the undertow was still strong. Triskayen paused at waist-depth in the cool water and gazed at his companions, amused at the effect Jezindra was having on Kazestrel: the younger Fohmatraan was fascinated, and only one small move away from arousal. Not that Triskayen was surprised - the chialint had the same effect on everyone he met when in this mood...
**My last pleasuring was fifty C.O.T. days ago**
Triskayen blinked, startled out of reverie, then frowned.
**Why so long?**
**There was no-one to my taste on my last assignment**
**Are you being too hard to please again?**
Jezindra dived forwards, disappearing under a small wave and resurfacing some distance away.
**My taste does not run to Plarithdi, as you well know...**
Triskayen gazed after him, dismayed. They'd sent him on assignment with only Plarithdi as escort? A *nod* from the submerged chialint confirmed it, and the elder Fohmatraan fought to keep his temper under control. He'd have *words* with Lasqendeamyl, in an hour or so when he could do so a little more calmly. That the Caelixiin wasn't Jezindra's administrator didn't matter: no Fohmatraan could be expected to endure such treatment...
Kazestrel peered at his partner - for comfort's sake they'd left their shades back on the beach, and the sun was very bright - then gestured in the chialint's direction.
"Shall we join him?"
Triskayen grinned. Between them, he and Kazestrel should be able to... console Jezindra.
"Oh yes..."
Out from the bay, in deeper water, the tides were slowly changing as Tarn-tide swelled with the larger moon's approach. The waves gradually enlarged, although this far from land the effect was perhaps less noticeable than in the bay itself: it was exhilarating, thought Kazestrel, watching Jezindra glide through the clear sweet water with languid grace...
The chialint drifted upwards, closely followed by his companions, and for a while all three lay on the surface, rocked - and occasionally buffeted - by the waves, until Jezindra flipped upright and gazed at Triskayen, a hint of yearning in his face, a world of it in his mind.
**Please... I want to forget, for just a little while...**
The elder Fohmatraan nodded and beckoned the others to follow him, leading them away from the bay, around a small headland to a tiny, shallow cove, its warm waters protected by the large sandbank across its entrance. Inside it was calm and smooth, the water silky against the skin, the sand underfoot soft and clean. Kazestrel gazed around from narrowed eyes, intrigued, and Triskayen chuckled.
"Yes, it was designed for us. Access from the land is difficult: the Caelixiin thought we'd enjoy the privacy."
Kazestrel nodded. It made sense, and was another symbol of just how much the Collective valued its telepaths. He smiled tentatively as Jezindra moved closer, wrapping his arms around the young Fohmatraan. The chialint licked his jaw, barbed tongue deliciously arousing on sensitised skin: one slender hand caught Kazestrel's, pulling it to Jezindra's groin...
Kazestrel closed his eyes, fingers teasing the opened edges of the sheath, stroking the emerging fibrils as the chialint gasped something part way between a sigh and sob and melted against the stronger body. Behind him, Triskayen nestled close, hands easing into his sheath: at the familiar and much-missed touch Jezindra shivered and crested, collapsing back against his old bondmate as he slowly roused again...
Kazestrel may not have his 'pathic abilities, but he was still sensitive enough to realise that Jezindra was obviously starved of attention. As his own organ stirred, outer fibrils emerging to wrap around Jezindra's, he pulled the graceful body tightly to him, claws lightly stroking dark golden skin under the white mane. Triskayen slid his own shaft between the chialint's legs, inner and outer fibrils extended, joining Kazestrel's to wrap around Jezindra's now fully erect shaft and fondling the writhing tendrils there...
Jezindra whimpered and clutched at Kazestrel's mane, head back against Triskayen's shoulder, eyes closed as he simply luxuriated in being pleasured, gasping as he crested, body loosening as he recovered then quivering as he rose towards the next.
There was great beauty in the giving of pleasure, of satisfaction, to kin. And Jezindra was beautiful, eyes wide and hazy with fulfilment as his body trembled under the loving assault, each cresting more intense than the last until he almost lost consciousness under the dual caressing.
By then Kazestrel was feeling light-headed himself, his own needs satisfied - and he could tell from Triskayen's eyes, sparkling brilliantly from under half-closed lids, that he too was sated...
Jezindra touched Kazestrel's face, hand trembling.
"... should we... rest now...?"
Triskayen chuckled wearily.
"A good idea, I think..."
It was dark when Kazestrel roused. Well, as dark as Caelix Prime ever grew, given its location near the galactic core: the brilliance of the stars overhead shimmered on the gentle swell, the ripples casting smooth shadows on the water. Jezindra's head lay on his shoulder, Triskayen lay behind the chialint, nestled against his back: the air was gently cool, the water comfortably warm against tired bodies. Kazestrel smiled as Jezindra stirred in sleep and cuddled a little closer...
There was such an odd vulnerability to the chialint. He had been so passive, so.... grateful... it had felt wrong, somehow. Kazestrel's smile faded, replaced by bitterness. Seeing kin in any kind of distress was painful: that he could do nothing to *help* was agonising.
He closed his eyes, forcing his misery back down. It served no purpose, and might hinder the enjoyment of their time together. A moment later fingers brushing his face had him turning his head, to see Triskayen gazing at him. He kept his voice low, not wanting to wake Jezindra.
"All is well?"
The elder Fohmatraan nodded, then frowned.
"Are you?"
Kazestrel closed his eyes, head turning back to face the sky.
"I... survive."
**... such unhappiness...** Jezindra's sleeping *voice* was melancholic. **There must be a cure, a solution...**
Triskayen shifted to nestle a little more closely, one hand wrapping Jezindra's shoulder, the other resting gently on Kazestrel's. **We know of none**
**Which is not to say there is none**
Triskayen quirked a fine eyebrow.
**Unlike you to be so concerned...**
Jezindra frowned slightly.
**You do me a disservice. I am not so callous, Glitter, as I used to be**
**I'm sorry**
Jezindra sighed, his eyes flickering open. He eyed Kazestrel's profile for a moment, then glanced over his shoulder at his old bondmate.
**Shall today be for Snowfire?**
Triskayen touched cool lips to his mane.
**For us all**
Jezindra chuckled briefly before turning to the younger Fohmatraan, extended claws stroking lightly down the strong golden body as he shifted to lick along Kazestrel's jaw, barbed tongue deliciously arousing. Kazestrel shivered, then turned towards his companions, eyes widening as sharp canines nipped at his throat.
"Jezindra...?"
Jezindra stopped for long enough to murmur, "hush, young one..." before resuming his exploration of the muscular golden body with lips and tongue and teeth. Behind him Triskayen chuckled silently.
**You always were good with your mouth**
A slow, sensual *smile*.
**I have learned much since last we were together**
The elder Fohmatraan blinked, then grinned, claws grazing down the lean dark body in front of him. Jezindra writhed minutely, biting Kazestrel's hip a little harder than he'd intended: the younger Fohmatraan gasped, the edges of his sheath parting in response to the stimulation.
Then he moaned and grabbed the bone-white mane as Jezindra's tongue slid into his sheath, rasping teasingly over fibrils and burgeoning shaft alike, flicking into the central channel, teeth very delicately nipping the sensitive flesh.
Kazestrel whimpered and crested, body tensed and quivering, and Jezindra took the opportunity to ease the whole organ from the sheath, wrapping his tongue around most of its girth. Growling delightedly, Triskayen moved to Kazestrel's other side, claws and tongue firm on shoulder and neck and ear as the younger Fohmatraan tried to reciprocate.
"Lie still, via'chia. Enjoy, while we're in the mood! Because it won't last for long..."
Purring, Kazestrel gave in, lying back on the water, eyes shimmering with reflected starlight as he was pleasured, moaning quietly as he crested again and again, until finally, panting, he pulled them both to him, holding them close.
"... thank you..."
Jezindra squirmed free and gazed solemnly into liquid silver eyes.
"No, you do not thank us. It's a joy to be with you, to have you with us." He nearly added "... incomplete as it must be" but Triskayen's warning *growl* had him catching himself just in time. He licked the corner of Kazestrel's mouth gently. "A joy, and a pleasure."
Kazestrel regarded him for a moment, then sighed.
"For us all, I think."
Jezindra offered a slow, smouldering smile.
"Oh yes, that is certain..."
As the sunrise spilled silver over the horizon, the three lithe, strong bodies twined together again...
© 2005 May 22nd Joules