First Night Exposition

As you clear down for the night, following Ixy's instructions, she likely know what you do and do not want to attract in this forest, you strip down and lay down in the bed roll. Ixy comes in after and does the same, nuzzling up next to you. The forest isn't quiet, but there is a serenity to the rhythm of the bay fairies, the chirps and hi hats that are probably frogs and the distinct "boots and cats" of what Ixy tells you is a species of frog. It's not EXACTLY the sounds you grew up falling asleep to, but it holds a trance all its own. As you lay there your mind doesn't allow you to feel the forest's ease. The wheels turn. You've adapted to waking up on the floor of a demon woman's house, naked, and the sexual aura that persists this world, but the dangers of the forest and not knowing what's on the other side of it remind you that-

"What's wrong."

Ixy's voice pierces through your thoughts as you look down at her laying on your chest. She tilts her head up at you with worry in her eyes and you feel concerned.

"I felt that too, I'm making you feel worse?"

You raise an eyebrow, "Felt that too" I'm not even that hard right now."

Ixy gives you a small smirk, but the worry still hangs on her face, "A succubus needs to know the feelings of those around her to work. We're very empathetic. You felt distant, then you were thinking of my mom, then me, then when I asked you what's wrong you felt-"

Ixy's eyebrow now raises as you laugh, "So my care amuses you?"

You smile wrap your arm around her waist as she lays on you. After a deep exhale you speak, "I was just in my thoughts. Thinking about everything. Wondering what's next."

Ixy buries her face in your chest, "And you're starting to second guess things. I should have prepared you better for the forest or found a way for us not to get separated. I-"

Ixy's words are cut off with a soft slap to her rear as you take the reins of the conversation, "Stop worrying. I'm not going anywhere."

You don't know if it was the slap or the words, but you feel Ixy relax as her body melts against you. Her eyes still stare at you questioningly.

You smile gently at her before looking at the ceiling of the tent, "I've met succubi, elf, dwarf, rat thing, living forest and more. Haven't been here a week... and I want more. I want to see more, hear more, feel more of all of this. I was just thinking that I still know so little about this place. That's all."

You look down at Ixy and see wide eyes staring at you, not in confusion, if she can read your emotions she has no reason to doubt your words, "I hate how you make me feel like the dramatic one."

"Haven't you always been the dramatic one?"

"I'll have you know I am the reliable straight man of our two man act." Ixy's face relaxes as her concerns seem to be alleviated, "I guess we never really told you more than what you could see at the moment. Night class it is then, if that's fine with you?"

"Always, teach," You respond.

Ixy lifts herself up for a moment as she crosses her arms at the elbows and rests on your chest, "So to recap what you do know, the town I'm from that you so kindly visited via self installed skylight is Venos. My little village is landlocked, and the village was founded in a crater for whatever reason, but we make do due to how fertile the land is for some persistent farming and our proximity to the Forested Forest."

You interject, "Wouldn't a dangerous, magical forest keep people away?"

Ixy shrugs and giggles, "Nah, the past was the great age of exploration. plenty of people hoping to unlock the secrets of land, what's the story with the forest? What made the crater? How is the land so good so far from Ithmusk? People search for answers and whether it was the men of the ruler at the time needing to set up an encampment to search the forest or merchants trying to make money from the earth, enough people came here to make a village."

You ruminate on her words for a moment before speaking, "Then shouldn't the village be bigger?"

"At one point it was, but between the forest not giving up it's secrets and merchants having to get their goods through said forest, the opportunities died down and the village got smaller. Nowadays we serve as a rest stop for those traveling to and from the southern coast and the towns on the other side of the forest. Mom and Aunt Chiss were some of the rare people who chose to move to Venos."

Your face takes on a contemplative look, but Ixy is ahead of you before you ask.

"Mom tells me stories of her home country from time to time. More so since the.. family became smaller." Ixy has a slight delay in how she words that last part. You decide that is an area not to pry as you wait for her to continue.

With a clearing of her throat, " Mom is from the continent of Iterupo, east of Dudent and across The Central Ocean. Further east is Noki Norki, northeast of Iterupo is Lethorso and southeast of Dudent is Malxong. Even further south is Vunther."

You repeat the names in your head and nod, "Tell me more about where your mom is from, Iterupo."

Ixy smiles softly and rests her head directly against your chest again. She seems much calmer than before. Maybe thinking of her mother's homeland is comforting to her. Closing her eyes, Ixy speaks, "Mom has complicated feelings about Iterupo, I can tell from how she talks about it, but there is a fondness in the way she talks. The country has been peaceful for about twenty years now, but it used to be at constant civil war."

You think out loud, "Civil war, hm. The orgies must have been massive."

Ixy laugh is loud and mirthful, almost to the point of tears.

You look at her slightly confused. Then more confused. Then slight annoyed and more annoyed as the laughing continues.

"What?!"

Catching her breath Ixy finally responds, "It was regular war, papi."

You are confused again, "But I thought-"

"Chaos' curse and boon doesn't extend beyond this continent," Ixy tells you, "The rest of the world is more typical in confrontation."

You scratch your chin, "Oh, cool. Got it. Regular Tuesday everywhere else."

She offers you a warm smile as her chin rests against your chest, "More or less. Dudent sees a lot of expats because of how open the culture is. Once you get used to the rules of this place, they're welcoming to pretty much everyone. Iterupo was more... segmented. The first civil war was between elves and dwarves. The demons sat that one out and humans were small in number and playing with sticks so they were inconsequential to the whole thing. That ended in a stalemate. Fast forward a couple thousand years and the demons have a resource problem. Not enough to go around from centuries of draining the land. The answer is to expand into the vast outer edges of their territory, unfortunately that land wasn't as unused as they left it. Humans, now with armour, magic and high numbers had moved in and were very "confrontational" to the thought of returning the land. The demons found them more difficult to move than expected. The new plan was to talk with the elves and dwarves about making a combined front to relocate them, but longed live races have long memories and they chose to stay out of the conflict."

Ixy pouts a bit and rolls her eyes, "They also couldn't say why human armour looked suspiciously like simplified dwarven armour or why human magic was suspiciously similar to a elven magic, like a shorthand version. That aside and with a ballooning population, the demons went into a long, protracted war with the humans on Iterupo."

"Damn, and your mom had to grow up with that?" you ask, your voice a bit sullen.

Ixy gives you a grin, "Oh mom says the war was fine for her. There was plenty of work to go around. Accomplishments and power are how you move up in demon society. Mom said she even got a pretty high up position."

You raise an eyebrow, "Your mother fought in a war?"

Ixy smiles before giving a syrupy giggle, "Nah, succubi aren't exactly known for being a combat build in the old country... or anywhere else really. She worked behind the scenes. Shadowy bureaucracy she calls it. Got the job by kicking a lich in the balls."

"Pardon?"

"between the legs is a very dumb place to keep a phylactery."

You and Ixy talk a little more about this and that. She doesn't have much specifics about what Almara did. You think Almara probably wanted to keep the horrors of war away from her, or kept it away from herself by not being on the front lines. It isn't long before you falls asleep with the desirable demonette on your chest.