Better relations...

As Sage enters Clive's shop, she feels the heat from the dusty, sun-scorched building envelope her. The aroma of old metal, leather, and who knows what other oddities fills her nostrils. The sound of haggling in the distance adds to the lively ambiance. She spots Clive behind the counter, his scaly skin glistening in the dim light. She hesitates for a moment, embarrassed by Aurora's words and the memory of her intimate exchange with Clive.

With a deep breath, Sage steels herself and approaches the counter. "Ah, Sage!"" Clive chuckles, his voice raspy. "To what do I owe this unexpected pleasure?"

"Clive, I need to discuss the trading relationship between our settlements," she says, trying to keep her voice steady. Sage clears her throat. "I was hoping we could strengthen our relationship even further. Our people rely on the supplies you provide, and I believe we can negotiate better terms for both The Warren and your settlement."

"Anything for our Saviors." Clive chuckled jovially, his eyes wandering over Sages furry body it obvious admiration and desire. As they discuss the finer points of their bargain, Sage can't help but feel the weight of Aurora's words and Luna's assignment. She knows she needs to focus on the task at hand, but her mind keeps wandering back to the judgment in Aurora's cold gaze.

Meanwhile, Aurora moves from hut to hut, trying to learn more about the Meram settlement. She overhears whispers, sees cryptic glances exchanged, and feels a palpable tension in the air. The locals are cautiously friendly toward her, but she can sense the curiosity and suspicion beneath their pleasantries.

As she gathers information, Aurora comes to realize that there is more to the Meram settlement than meets the eye. A secret is being kept, one that could prove crucial to their mission. But she'll have to tread carefully if she wants to uncover the truth and not risk ruining their hard-earned alliance.

Luna, on her way to Old Trudie's hut, sees the older woman in the distance, tending to a small garden. The sun casts a golden glow around her as she gently pulls weeds from the earth. As Luna approaches, Old Trudie raises her head and gazes at her with piercing, knowing eyes.

Luna's conversation with Old Trudie about the location of the Meram settlement takes some time: the old human woman tells that she herself has never been to that place; however, sometimes wandering merchants from there come to Burnsyde (usually Clive communicates with them). And also: Old Trudie told that according to rumors, the terrain in the southwest direction is quite difficult to pass - small canyons, ravines, hills, narrow paths. One thought from what was said provokes a vague alarm in the mind of Luna - groups of feral ghouls, which recently tried to attack Burnsyde, also moved from approximately the southwest direction ...

Old Trudie asks Luna about her life and the latest news in the settlement of mutant rabbits.

Suddenly the old human woman asks a strange question...

"I saw the way you looked at Sage," Old Trudie says, her voice soft yet firm. "You have feelings for her, don't you?"

Luna flushes, her eyes darting away. "It's complicated," she mumbles, unwilling to meet the older woman's stare.

"Complicated is just another word for trouble," Old Trudie replies, a knowing smile tugging at the corner of her mouth. "But sometimes, trouble is worth it. Life is too short to avoid the things that make your heart beat faster."

With that, Old Trudie turns back to her garden, leaving Luna with a lot to think about.

As the day wears on, Sage and Clive arrive at a new agreement after she provided a bit of oral pleasure, securing better terms for The Warren.

During their conversation, Sage also asked her... friend (or should I call him "sexual partner"?) about the facts he knew about the Meram settlement.

Clive didn't tell much...

"It's about a day's journey to this settlement if you go in a southwest direction... Sometimes traveling merchants from there come to my shop and I buy something valuable from them... These guys can behave strangely... But all this is trifles - trading with them is quite profitable" - Clive was clearly not in the mood for a detailed conversation.

His attention was more concentrated on the seductive curves of Sage's graceful body. He clearly wanted to continue the "communication" in a more intimate format: the oral abilities of the cute rabbit-girl in the field of sucking an excited large cock and swallowing a stream of viscous sperm really pleased him and he would like to use his male genital organ to "explore" the rest of Sage's voluptuous holes.

Unfortunately, there was no time for that this time…

Sage was supposed to meet Luna and Aurora soon, so that the trio could go on a mission.

This time, Clive had to be satisfied with just a blowjob…

Leaving the shop building, Sage felt a carefully suppressed shame in her soul. She was sucking Clive’s cock again. Everything happened as Aurora expected. Sucking cock in exchange for benefits and useful information. Trading your body as a commodity used for sexual “services”. There is a more precise, brief and… psychologically unpleasant term for this. Whoring.

With a heavy sigh, Sage went to look for her two companions.

What was Aurora doing while the others were busy?

Questioning many local inhabitants is a rather long and tedious task…

Not all of them can tell anything useful about the Meram settlement.

Small children and teenagers in torn and dirty clothes running along the streets and between the huts...

Tired women who are busy preparing food or doing other household chores...

Local human men who return from hunting and bring small game to be butchered for meat...

Most of these people are clearly busy with their own affairs and do not show any desire to chat for long.

However, after spending a considerable amount of time, Aurora finds several talkative locals: one of the hunters tells her about the area to the southwest of the village (canyons, hills, ravines... this hunter even gave her a primitive map-scheme, which is made on a piece of tanned skin of some killed beast); one of the women mentions that she heard rumors that the settlement of Meram is hidden from outsiders (but how exactly is it hidden?).

So, Aurora now has a rough idea of ​​where the trio should go to complete the task.

And also: the admiring glances of some local inhabitants at her and her powerful weapon are a little... flattering to Aurora's vanity. The pleasant awareness of her own superiority provokes the strengthening of some self-confidence and pride in her character.

Well, each of the three girl-rabbits tried to know something useful...

Aurora uncovers the route to Meram settlement, and with it, a newfound respect for the people hiding it. Luna realizes that her feelings for Sage couldn't be ignored, and she vows to follow her heart, no matter the consequences.

With the map Aurora had discovered… they press on to Meram settlement in hopes of securing more trade relations… together.