Seeking a Path

Maggie purred at the feel of Talon's blunt muzzle butting up against her jawline. Part of her missed kissing, tender flesh raw and chapped with cold offering comfort, moist and hot giving salvation. Talon tried to figure out a way with her, some method to use these muzzles of theirs, but it was never the same. Sevarius had taken even that from her.

Fangs pressed against the muscles in her neck. Not threatening, just reminding her. Stay focused on now.

She sighed, nodded her thanks and wrapped her fingers into the ruff at his neck. Her mind tended to wander at the oddest moments, cravings from the past catching up with her.

Talon wanted her to live in the now, with him, and help him do the same. Becoming accustomed to their new way of life challenged the both of them. They were lucky to have the comfort of one another.

Talon caught her hips in his hands and led her back to the bench he'd set up his room. After a couple failed attempts at playing in bed, they'd discovered that putting weight on their wings could be distractingly painful. Maggie didn't know what the bench had been, but stood a little lower than her hip height, stable, fairly wide. He'd put new padding on it after the first couple uses. Maggie could bend over it comfortably, allowing him access from behind, so he could nibble on her neck and shoulders.

Tonight, they both needed to be a little more connected. He stepped up and sat down, drawing her up into his lap so she straddled him. His firm hands helped her hike her tush into the right spot before slipping up and running his hands along the underside of the t-shirt she wore.

She moaned and rocked against him. Today wouldn't be a day for slow moves.

Maggie reached between them, rubbing his straining cock through his sweatpants. She purred as she felt moisture starting to soak through. She loved his sweatpants, he had the kind with the snaps up the sides. All it took was a little tug and he'd be completely nude.

The smile on his muzzle told her he knew exactly what she was thinking. His hands sneaked up and cupped her breaks, rolling the soft globes, tugging on the nipples. She growled and awkwardly tugged at his pants. Okay, harder to get them off when she had her weight on them.

She hadn't gotten up the gumption to try sucking him with her new set of teeth, grazing on occasion with teeth before was alright, but now that she could tear flesh, not so welcome. The sight of him springing hard and hot, with that little bead of precum, made her groan with want. She ran her fingers up his length, catching that lovely moisture and licking it from her fingers. They both groaned.

"Please, don't tease me tonight."

Maggie grinned and eased herself down onto him. God she loved the way he filled her up.

She pushed down slowly, enjoying that near agony of first welcoming him.

His hands wrapped along her back, gently tracing the edge of her wings before firmly grasping her rump to help her.

They rocked back and forth, going slow and tender only for a moment before Maggie's claws in Talon's neck drove him faster and faster. His teeth caught her jaw again, holding her as he pumped into her from below, the poor bench rocking on its joints.

Her breath rasped through her throat. Damn but he felt so good. Talon near whimpered under her. He wrapped his arms around her middle, pulling her tight against his body as his pace quickened to a furious beat. His mouth released her as his breath started a mewling pant.

Maggie nibbled along one furry ear, her tongue dipping in and sending him over the edge. He shouted his release, twitching in her arms. She held him tight, riding him out.

His arm shook as his fingers trailed through the soft fur along her side and belly, trailing down to where they still joined. He panted, his body trembling, his fingers finding the swollen little nub.

She cried out as his thumb dipped between them, collected a bit of moisture and started rubbing. He drew his nail along the flesh, drawing the hood back, and wiggled her to heaven.

They slumped against one another, foreheads pressed against each oher's shoulders, catching their breaths.

Maggie smiled languidly. "You know, Angela said they do it flying."

Talon stuck out his sandpaper tongue. "Think I'd have a date with the cement if I tried."

His chuckle reverberated into her through where they were still joined. She loved that he didn't always go soft right away, just laid heavily in her. Maggie rested her cheek against his chest, fingers toying with the tufts of hair in front of her nose.

"You're feeling sad again."

Contemplative, perhaps, but no reason to argue, since it generally amounted to the same.

"It's going to get lonely."

Fingers traced her jaw. "Why lonely?"

Maggie shook her head.

"Tell me," Talon pressed.

"We're monsters."

"Maggie." His finger caught her chin, bringing her attention up. "You're not a monster. What was done to us was terrible, but you are kind and beautiful."

Maggie smiled at Talons misunderstanding.

"Yes, and you are strong and wonderful, and we have each other."

His smile warmed her. She felt a twitch deep in her belly.

"...Are you thinking about little mes and little yous?" he guessed.

They'd mutually avoided the subject of protection. Maggie seriously doubted that either or both were still fertile. If they did have children? She'd always wanted a family; a selfish little part of her silently hoped that the gene splicing had affected her totally. Little yous. Little mes.

She looked down at his collarbone, wishing that where her brain has been wandering this time. They hadn't talked about children, but that topic seemed to be an obvious enough one now. No, this conversation she didn't know how to start, or how it would end. The silents went on uncomfortably long while she considered how to start.

"We have each other," she started again, her voice wavering more than usual. "You, and me. We. Together."

"I don't know where you're going with this."

"It isn't just us down here, Talon. You have me, but...."

"Aah." Talons chin rested on the top of her down-turned head. "You're thinking about Claw."

She nodded. His head shifted above hers, his cheek taking the place of his chin.

"We will always be there for him, no matter what. There's no reason for any of us to be lonely, my Maggie."

She tweaked one of his nipples. "We're there as friends, yes, but he's a grown man. What human would have him, like he is?"

"Goliath has Elisa."

She shrugged. " Goliath is... well Goliath. We're the only ones who can understand Claw."

Talon's hands slid down to her hips. "What are you trying to ask me?"

"I don't want to exclude him," Maggie whispered. "I care for him."

"Like you care for me?"

Maggie gnawed on her lower lip. "Different, maybe, I don't know."

Talon pushed her away so he could stand. Maggie felt bereft without his warmth.

"You want to invite him to our bed. Bench. Whatever."

She didn't know how to respond, so she stayed silent, not able to meet his eyes.

"I need some time alone."

She retrieved her clothes and put them on quickly.

"I love you, Talon, remember that, please."

"I love you too, that's why I'm not yelling. Please, I'll talk to you tomorrow."

"Have a good day's sleep," Maggie said in parting, darting into the hallway and closing the door behind her. Her whole body shook. She couldn't believe that she'd actually said it. She'd been thinking it for a while now, but hadn't been able to voice it for so long.

It was unfair that Sevarius only made one female to three males. When Fang had been living with them in the Labyrinth, she would never have thought, never have offered. Fang would take, when he needed. He had the charisma to woo a human, if he needed. Claw... Claw had a gentle soul. The kind of shyness that called out to what she had been.

She just leaned against the wall for a moment until her legs felt solid again. She had to move. Her feet took her to the communal eating area.

Claw looked up from his plate. She couldn't quite do the barely cooked steaks that the men seemed to prefer. Luckily, he'd finished it. She hesitated at the door. She felt drawnt o sit with him, keep him company. Talon's solitary contemplation niggled at her. If he came out, found her speaking with Claw, would he feel hurt?

Maggie shook her head. No, she wouldn't let anxiety overtake her. No matter what happened, they were all allies. Friends.

"May I sit with you?"

Claw nodded and smiled, shifting to make an obvious show of the empty space around him. She tried to steady her body movements, not hesitate, not pounce on the spot.

Claw's eyebrows furrowed. He touched the winkles showing on her forehead. You're worried, why?

She looked over at the humans. Everyone eavesdropped here. Not a bad thing, just a thing. She didn't want to explain anything in such a way to have it overheard. She touched the space over her heart and looked down. Claw and she had developed an elaborate sign language; whatever they couldn't gesture, they could write back and forth. Tonight, however, she needed to be vague. He nodded, understanding.

He pressed his fingertips to the end of his muzzle, mimicking a kiss, and placed it over her heart.

Maggie felt her skin heat. Glad for the fur concealing her skin. She ducked her head shyly. When she looked up again, Claw had done the same.

Just as she opened her mouth to ask an innocuous question to divert them both, the main doors opened again. Her toes clenched for a moment until she realized it was only Lexington and Cailean.

They smiled and moved purposefully towards their table.

"Hey you two. You're cutting it pretty close, Lex. Isn't dawn in a couple hours?" Maggie couldn't tell them how thankful she was that she didn't just turn to stone at the stroke of dawn. It struck her as way too fairy tale, too Cinderella.

"Actually, we need to ask your help before dawn."

"Elisa recommended asking for your help."

"Help with what?"

Lex gestured out. Maggie nodded. They went out of the communal area and back towards the private quarters. Claw caught up after he'd put his dishes away. Maggie turned to tell Claw to give them some privacy, but Cailean shook his head.

"It's okay. I'm still new."

Maggie glanced back and forth between the two of them, wondering at the exchange.

"So, Elisa?" she prompted.

"Cailean's hurt," Lex said without preamble. "Elisa thought you could help clean and wrap it before he goes into stone sleep."

"Doesn't stone sleep heal everything?"

Lexington shook his head. "Not necessarily."

"This is actually an earlier wound," Cailean said. Damn, his voice is soft. Barely echoes in this cavern.

"Lets go into my room then, no point looking at it out here."

They all filed into her room. Kind of cramped. Claw leaned against the door, arms crossed over his chest. Lexington hovered close by until Cailean spoke a couple calming words.

"So, where is this injury?"

He unbuttoned his shirt carefully, pulling it back just enough to show the ragged gash crossing over his ribcage. He'd been in some serious fight.

"I think it didn't heal properly because he wasn't in sunlight yesterday. Could he spend the night in the Labyrinth?"

"Of course. Fhew, it does look bad. May I?" A small nod. Maggie touched it gingerly. No blood, just torn up. Half healed. But he'd been wearing a filthy old shirt over it all day long. "Okay, take that off completely. You're going to need to wash and clean that."

She bustled the young gargoyle into the bathroom. She turned on the hot water in the shower. Cailean looked up at the water flowing down while she explained how to use the fingernail brush and soap to scrub into the nooks and crannies. It wasn't until she'd bent to get more cleaning supplies that she noticed Lex followed, and Claw after that.

"Okay guys, only one person is needed in here. Lets give Cailean some privacy."

"Actually, I should go if I want to get back to the clock tower before dawn."

"Lex...."

Maggie stepped back with Claw to watch the exchange. Lexington had turned away until the other had called his name. They seemed frozen like that, the taller wrapping his arms around his middle, covering the injured flesh. Lex turned back, his skin darkened with a blush, his eyes didn't go back up to Cailean's naked skin.

"Could you stay?"

"Stay?"

So used to reading Claw's body language, she could see thoughts warring over Lex's shoulders and neck. He'd been told to get back to the clock tower. But Lex wasn't impervious to the vulnerability in Cailean's voice. They'd connected tonight.

"I'll stay."

Maggie shared a knowing smile with Claw.

"You'll stay out in my room, for right now. Come. Cailean, you scrub every inch of your body. When you're done, don't put those filthy things back on. Claw, do you have anything he can borrow?"

The mute gargoyle nodded and disappeared.

"Get started, I'll put something through the crack in the door when he gets back."

Lex crouched on Maggie's one chair, while she sat on the mattress. They listened to the sound of water falling. Occasionally something would drop in the other room, causing Lex to twitch.

Claw returned well before the water had finished. He handed Maggie a couple articles of clothing. The jock strap made her blush, but she understood, a tail made normal tighty whities difficult. She handed the skin-tight pants back to Claw, she doubted they would fit Cailean's much smaller frame. The jeans looked like they would be loose, but with the burrowed belt he already used it could work.

Maggie knocked quietly on the door, opened it a hair, and snaked her arm in with the clothes.

"Almost done?"

"I don't know how to turn the water off."

Maggie snickered. Poor Cailean, he'd probably finished ages ago and here they were doing nothing.

"Dry off, hun, and put these on, then I'll come in and turn the water off for you."

He opened the door after a moment. The jeans hung loose on his frame, the edge of the jock strap peaking through. He'd figured out how to have the belt slip the loop at the back of the pants, the belt going over his tail and the pants under, connecting on either side. Looked like it secured the jeans pretty nicely to his frame.

Maggie scooted past him enough to turn off the water and retrieve her first aid kit, also known as the tackle box. The damn thing kept getting bigger. Considering none of them could go to the hospital anymore, she'd gotten half decent at dealing with minor injuries.

She moved Cailean over to his bed. Lex scooted to give them room. Claw stayed at her elbow to offer assistance.

Cailean had scrubbed very well. Most of the tears had reopened, blood weeping from a couple places. Claw handed her supplies without her having to say a word. She wiped, cleaned, and started using sticky butterfly sutures to start pulling bits together. Cailean sat surprisingly still, his tail lashing on occasion as Maggie prodded some part or another. Lex caught his hand and held it over one particularly bad part.

"That's downright eeiry," he finally said through grit teeth.

"What is?" Maggie asked, intent on her task.

"The way neither of you talk, but you're working together so smoothly."

"Practice," she said with a smile. "Okay, I'm going to use some gauze and wrap the rest of this. It should hold until sunrise, seeing as that's only a few minutes away. I'm going to wrap you up tight so everything is in place for daylight."

"Where should I sleep for the day?"

"We have a spare room, for when our upstairs neighbors come down. Come on, I want to get you situated."

The sun must've rose just as she got them into the room, because she didn't even get the chance to tell Cailean to take a relaxed pose. Luckily Lex'd been holding the door open. Claw helped her scrape them along the ground to get them out of the door way.

She resisted the urge to cover their statues with blankets. It still weirded her out a little bit. She flipped the switch to turn o the flooding daylight mimicking lights and shut the door.

"Good night, kids."