Yes, but I get a little distracted.

With a nod of thanks, I begin walking forwards. I am standing between the pair when I stop. My eyes focus on the bear man’s arm. His super soft looking, fluffy arm. For a couple of seconds, I stand there, lost in thought. I am only broken from my trancelike state when I hear a snort of amusement behind me from the cheetah woman and a sigh from the bear man.

Heat rushes to my face, and I stammer out another apology as I look up at the bear man. To my relief, he seems to find the whole thing rather funny. With a look of exasperation on his ursine features, but eyes alight with mirth and mischief, he extends his arm towards me and says, “Here, get it out of your system.” Embarrassed, but fully intending to take him up on the offer to satisfy my curiosity, I reach out and run my fingers through his fur.

So soft! So warm! So fluffy! When I come back to myself, the cheetah woman is laughing so hard that she is bent over double, clutching her knees for support, and the bear man is looking at me like I’ve grown an extra head. “He was probably joking.” I think, cheeks crimson with embarrassment as I take a couple of steps back. Sheepishly, I add, “errrm, sorry about that, thought you were serious.”

Straitening up and wiping a tear from her eye, the cheetah woman says, “poor Marcus, felt up by a tourist while on duty.” The bear man (who I assume is called Marcus) shakes his head whilst chuckling, then says, “Oh shut it, Annie.” His look turns mischievous as he gives me an appraising look up and down before adding, “if she wanted to find me after work and touch me up then, I wouldn’t complain overly much.” Both Beastkin fall silent, watching to see how I react to the thinly veiled proposition.

I get the distinct impression I am being tested, so, matching Marcus’s actions, I give him an up-down look of my own. Honestly? Not bad. He is very tall and broad and looks incredibly strong. His body shape speaks of hard labour and he has the gut that back on earth would go hand in hand with actual strong-men rather than the chiselled but fragile definition of a show bodybuilder. As for the not human thing? If anything, it’s a plus. The thought sends a jolt through me with the anticipation of a fetish I never thought I would get to experience.

My eyes return to his, and I can see that he is well aware that I like what a see. I recognise the cocky look he is giving me and decide to knock him down a peg or two. Turning to Annie with a shit-eating grin plastered across my face, I say, “I’m not so sure he could handle me.” I hear Marcus’s indignant squawk as Annie’s grin matches my own. With a nod of approval and a chuckle she says, “oooohhh, I knew I liked you.” Deciding to push things a little further, I give her an up-down look as well, then give her a wink before adding, “you might though.” Her grin turns predatory as she replies, “we’ll see.”

As much as I am having fun shamelessly flirting with these two, I should really get going. I wink at each of them, before continuing through the gates of the town. As I walk away, Annie calls out, “Most nights the gate watch like to hang out at ‘The Prince and his Favourite Pineapple’ in Cheap Street. Once you are settled in, you should join us.” I laugh at the strange name of the pub, then promise to see how things go. With nods and a wave goodbye, the pair return their attention to their assigned task, and I get my first proper look at Kybor’s Rest.