Illiana breathed, savoring the way the air filled her lungs. There was simply so much of it now. So much of her.
Cinder looked positively tiny beneath her except for her huge forelimbs that dangled off either side of the table. The table had to be dwarven made, it didn’t break. Illiana chuckled as she lifted herself off Cinder and stepped down onto the ground. She took a moment to admire herself. She’d gained no more height, but everything had thickened, strengthened. Her broad muzzle intruded on her vision, her arms, all four of them, were as thick as her waist once was. Pressing stout fingers into the plush fur, they sank in at least an inch or so. And her hands! Heavy paws with claws longer than some of Cinder’s knives but retaining a fair amount of dexterity. Page turning without piercing the pages was going to take some practice. Her star-dappled breasts were impressive too. The upper pair were more than a pawful, a human would need two hands to support one’s span. The second pair were half the size, although they ached for touch all the same.
So much more to explore with tentacles and fingers, but she had to get moving because, because…
A hand drifted down and pressed against her stomach, feeling for something there. Fingers pushed, palm pad rocked back and forth.
Nothing. No flickers.
Cinder’s seed hadn’t quickened within her.
Disappointment made Illiana’s shoulders sag. Fuzzy memories flowed. If it had worked, she’d be in the haze of building a den, twisting space to protect herself, her mate and her cubs.
I can twist space? Illiana blinked at the realization, but it made sense. That's why they were termed Glitch Sabers, they instinctively warped space between their starself and fleshself. It was that magical feat that made them dangerous. Far more than just the tentacles or extra limbs. Of course, they could do more than that simple switcheroo.
“Huuh, grrrlll.” Cinder groaned softly and began to stir.
Illiana smiled at her mate, easily scooping Cinder up into her arms. Fur had claimed Cinder’s lower body, her tail ending in a flame red tassel, her legs began as feline haunches but ended in heavy cloven hooves. Her torso remained as it had been except four black nipples on her stomach. The feline had conquered her shoulders and arms, her big paws lacked any sort of thumb. Her face sported a short but handsome muzzle. Illiana couldn’t help but kiss it.
Cinder murred in response to Illiana’s tongue, her eyes cracking open. Revealing stars floating in her red irises. The sight set the tip of Illiana’s tail twitching. Cinder’s paw came up to gently push away Illiana's muzzle.
“Illy.” Cinder murmured, her mouth opened as if there were more words but instead of a purr rumbled up. Eyes closing, Cinder turned her head to rub her cheek into Illiana’s furry arm.
“We have to go to Hearthold.” Illiana whispered.
“Yeah.” Cinder agreed, letting her horned head fall back. “It's getting worse. We’ve got to get to Tinny.”
Illiana paused, taking a beat to remember who that was, then laughed a single breath. A smile curled the edges of her muscle.
“Or we could just, let it happen.” Illiana leaned in and touched Cinder’s black nose with her own, their heads turned and their lips met in a kiss. Cinder’s paw reached to curl around Illiana’s neck for leverage as the kiss grew deeper, rougher. Growls grew between them, and just as Illiana pressed her tongue past Cinder’s lips, Cinder tore herself away and her paw shoved away Illiana’s muzzle.
“No!” Cinder gasped. The pair breathed, and Illiana’s ears wilted with the rebuke.
“Illiana! Did you see what… my spunk did to Mother Lorn? And Barnaby?” Cinder asked.
“Well, yeah. We went over that Your balls are packed with transmutation energies.” Illiana grumbled. “Humans tend to handle that… interestingly.”
“This isn’t an experiment!” Cinder kicked out of Illiana’s arms. Her hooves made loud clops as she landed, and her tail swung as she found her balance. “These are people’s lives!”
As if in answer, a long drawn out and very happy, “MOOOOOOOOO!” Boomed out through the wall that bordered the church. “Fuck me harder! You overgrown peasant! Harder for your Mooooommy! YES! There! Right Moooooooo!”
“Sounds like Mother Lorn’s purrfectly happy with the new order.” Illiana laughed.
“For how long though?” Cinder fretted. “And Barnaby? He’s turning into a skunk!”
“I thought it was rather fitting.” Illiana said, managing to tone her laugh down a bit. “He could use a walk on the wild side.”
“You’re not thinking straight!” Cinder rounded on Illiana, jabbing out with one of her massive paws. Her attention fell onto her mitt, lips curling in concentration until three of the four digits curled, her index digit bent slightly less.
“Aaaaugh!” She shook out her paws as if she were trying to dislodge mittens. “And these are useless!”
“Your second set of arms should grow in soon, maybe they’ll stay hands. If not these are surprisingly dexterous.” The buds of Illiana’s tentacles yawned open, showing the many sharp teeth that lined the petals and snapped closed.
“I want my hands back, Illiana! I don’t want to walk on all fours like an animal.” Cinder bared her fangs.
“Don’t want to walk, like this?” Illiana gracefully lowered herself and put her weight on the palms of her hands. It felt surprisingly comfortable, relaxing the hunch of her back and lifting her head. The posture was a bit bunched up with all her limbs, but if her torso extended, that wouldn’t be an issue. Experimentally, she stretched and felt several pops in her spine. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw that Cinder stare open-mouthed so she slowed down the stretch, let her see the tension in her leg muscles. Then she circled, padding carefully on all six limbs, flicking her tail up briefly to show Cinder her pussy before striding up to Cinder and rubbing up against her.
Cinder’s paw slide along Illiana’s spine.
“No fair…” Cinder whispered, “Your.. So sexy it fucking hurts.”
“Its good for my mate to think that.” Illiana purred, letting her body form a C shape around Cinder and kissing her shoulder, then neck. Cinder leaned against her, a purr of her own rising.
“Please, Illiana. Lets just go somewhere else. Far away from everyone else. Just you and me.” Cinder pleaded as she returned her affection. Grooming around Illiana’s ears.
For a moment, Illiana considered it. She opened up her magical senses, the stars on her coat swirled into the shape of eyes. Her sight extended far, far further than it ever had before. She could see the distant glow of the wylds far over the horizon. They’d never make it that far in heat. The mountains contained some mana but it was a feeble trickle compared to the radiant pulse that shone from the direction of Hearthold. Magic that belonged to the land, stolen and caged within those city walls. It hurt Illiana’s heart to see it abused like that.
“Can’t you feel that? It's calling out to us.” Illiana said.
“What? What’s calling?” Cinder asked, pausing.
Illiana looked at the sparse stars of Cinder’s fur. Glitching would be an effort for her like that. With that few stars, could she sense anything? No. Of course she couldn’t. Cinder had no magical training, nor the memories of an ancient matriarch. She’d never be Illiana’s equal in power, but she could certainly start learning now.
Peeling away, Illiana padded over to where Barnaby had dined and split his pants. Her tentacle snaked down and plucked a round object from among the fabric scraps. It shone with a white light. Touching it, she could feel the power hiding away within it. Power that would easily refill her depleted reserves. But for Cinder, it be something far more than a recharge.
“Oh shit! The Archmagus’ eye? Barnaby just left that on the ground?!” Cinder shook herself.
“Looks like you’re the only one left to carry it to Hearthold.” Illiana extended it out to Cinder, who cupped her paws. The lips of the petals opened and the stone fell into them.
“What am I supposed to do with this?” Cinder looked between Illiana and the eye helplessly. “I’m naked and I have no pockets, or even thumbs Illiana!”
“It's an eye, use it to see. Then you’ll understand why we have to go to Hearthold.” Illiana slinked her way over the window. “You’ll figure it out. My mate is a very smart kitty.”
“Not when it comes to magic!” Cinder exclaimed. “Illiana, if you go to Hearthold. Then I won’t follow. Its too much of a risk. Think of all those people!”
“They’ll all adjust. People are very good at that.” Illiana put one paw on the sill and looked back. Cinder's wide eyes pleaded with her to stay, but freed from the heat for the moment, Illiana knew it would be better for Cinder to come after her. Otherwise, they’d argue the entire way. When it came down to it, Cinder had always been the most compassionate of the trio, but also the least willing to overturn the table.
“With the eye, you might even have the power to stop me.” Illiana winked and flowed stars out the window.
“Illiana! I’m serious. I won’t follow you like some love lorn dog!”
“Course not. You’ll follow because I’m yours and you're mine. Only you can bring this naughty kitten to justice.”
<fzzzts> Her flesh turned to stars, and the stars jumped out the window.
“Damnit Illy! Don’t… Don’t leave me.” Cinder sagged.