Beauties and Beasts

Chapter 34: brought to you by happy drugs

{Trigger Warning; Nonconsensual attempted rape.} Will Neara accept bunny-boy? How does Curtis get over his hurt pride? What happens at the fertility ceremony? How will Shay react to losing Curtis? These questions, and more, might be answered if you keep reading. Maybe not though.

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In the confusion of Curtis's escape, only Winston and Orson noticed that Neara had not given her answer yet. The handkerchief pinned between her fingers, she could only look up at the man-child and down at her hand.

"Um... sure, I guess." She didn't want to piss off the City of Beasts and get them kicked out, especially since they'd just decided to stay here.

Theo blushed and tripped backwards over his feet. "I've memorized your scent. I'll call on you later this night. Evening. Beautiful female." He shot from the palace in a white blur similar to Curtis.

The rest of the rabbits, unable to compete with that level of drama, selected their females, and were accepted, rather quickly. The Ape King stood at the forefront of the stage again and smiled. "We will continue with the rest of the ceremony. Together, we inhale the vapors of fertility that our minds may be opened." He smiled in what he clearly thought was a fatherly smile. "Beastmen, light the medicines."

Wolf beastmen dumped their baskets onto the flames and thick white smoke billowed out. Neara's eyes widened and she stood up, backing away as she clutched the token of the rabbit's adoration. "Winston..." she murmured.

He stood beside her in an instant. "Do you wish to leave?"

"Why would you leave? Isn't there going to be free food?" Shay asked, although attempting to talk over the chair of testosterone proved difficult.

"I just... I don't want to be here anymore. I don't have a good feeling." Neara looked at Winston. "Please, can we go?"

Winston took her hand and led her away from the stage. Beastmen protested as he pushed past them and Neara stepped on more than a few toes.

Shay sighed and looked at Ryan. "Should we stay?"

Ryan's eyes rolled back in his head. "Where would we go? Where are we?"

Joseph leaned back on his heels, the stern look replaced by an amused one. "You know, I thought I knew." He giggled, a high-pitched squeal one wouldn't expect.

"We should probably find Curtis..." Shay's thoughts slipped away from her as the smoke sank into her lungs. It felt like grabbing a soap bubble; once she thought she had it, it popped.

"Curtis needs to find Curtis." Parker swayed above her and collapsed, his hands wrapping around her waist and part of Ryan's head. "He knows where he is, after all."

Ryan nodded sagely. "Naturally."

Joseph stood up in a blur of ginger fur and tapped his feet wildly on the ground. His face looked ferociously concentrated and he whirled in place several times, dancing to a rhythm only he could feel. His hands grabbed at his face and ears.

"Whoa. I didn't know you could do that. I didn't know they danced here." Shay spoke carefully so her tongue wouldn't fall out of her mouth. She wanted a nap. She wanted... to scratch those ears. Her hands felt detached from her body and she rubbed at Ryan's head. The package from the Ape King fell from her lap as she leaned forward, taking Parker with her. "So fluffy."

Ryan purred, a vibration filling the entire courtyard. He flashed between forms, alternating between naked man and panther, each one lounged comfortably between her legs. Parker slumped over and licked the back of her neck methodically. Joseph whirled beside her, his legs kicked faster and higher with each revolution.