Monster Reserve Ranger: A Slice of Life Fantasy, page 14
As if summoned by our thoughts, Jasmine chose that moment to enter the station, her arms laden with baskets of dried herbs. "Oh!" she exclaimed, nearly dropping her load when she saw us huddled together over the map. "Am I interrupting something?"
"Not at all," I said, moving to help her with the baskets. "In fact, you're just in time. How do you feel about playing a key role in a magical winter solstice gathering?"
Jasmine's eyes widened, a mix of excitement and anxiety flashing across her face. "A gathering? For... for everyone?"
"Not everyone," Raven clarified, her tone gentler than usual. "Just the more solitary beings. We thought your expertise would be invaluable in making them feel comfortable."
A soft blush colored Jasmine's cheeks, but I could see the spark of determination in her eyes. "I'd be honored to help," she said, her voice growing stronger with each word. "I... I think I might have some ideas that could work."
The next few days were a whirlwind of activity. Word of the gathering spread quickly through the reserve, carried on whispers of wind and ripples in streams. To my surprise and delight, the response was overwhelmingly positive. Even the most reclusive beings seemed intrigued by the idea of a night of companionship.
The day before the solstice dawned clear and cold, the kind of crisp winter morning that made your breath fog and your cheeks flush. I was up before dawn, eager to begin the final preparations. As I made my way to the Enchanted Grove, Ember zipped around me.
"Easy there, girl," I chuckled as she darted ahead, leaving a trail of melted snow in her wake. "Save some of that energy for tonight. We're going to need it."
The Enchanted Grove was a hive of activity when I arrived. Raven was there, helping set up protective wards to ensure the safety of all attendees. Jasmine stood in the center of the clearing, surrounded by an array of plants I'd never seen before—flowers that glowed with an inner light, vines that swayed to an invisible rhythm.
"Morning, ladies," I called out, unable to keep the grin off my face. "Ready to make some magic?"
Raven gave a rueful. "Remind me why I agreed to all this extra work in the dead middle of winter?"
"For the animals, Raven. Shame you for even asking." I shook my in mock consternation. I snapped my finger, sending a gout of flame at the seat of Raven's pants.
She yelped and scowled at me. Jasmine covered her mouth and giggled.
The rest of the day passed in a blur of preparations. As the sun began to set, casting long shadows across the snow-covered ground, I felt a sense of anticipation building in my chest. This was a chance to bring together beings who had long ago resigned themselves to solitude. If we could pull this off, it could change the very fabric of the reserve's community.
As twilight deepened into true night, the first of our guests began to arrive. I stood at the edge of the grove, watching in awe as creatures I'd only ever read about emerged from the shadows. There was the ancient treant, his bark weathered by countless winters, and the reclusive frost phoenix, her feathers shimmering like freshly fallen snow.
I noticed a small group from Willowbrook making their way into the grove, led by old Madam Rosemary from the town's apothecary. She nodded approvingly as she took in the decorations, her eyes twinkling with excitement. Behind her, I recognized the blacksmith's apprentice and a couple of wide-eyed children, all eager to witness the gathering of magical creatures We were building many bridges today, not just between solitary magical beings, but between the reserve and the nearby town as well.
Jasmine moved among them gracefully, her gentle voice and kind smile putting even the most nervous creatures at ease. I couldn't help but feel a swell of pride as I watched her work her own brand of magic.
As more and more beings filled the grove, the grunts and low murmurs mixed, turning to a lively continual hum. I watched as Ember darted between the magical creatures, her fiery form pulsing with excitement. She twirled around a frost phoenix, leaving a trail of sparks that made the bird ruffle its feathers in surprise. When she approached a water nymph, she shrank slightly, her flames dimming in a clear display of caution.
"Ember," I called out, a note of warning in my voice. "Remember what we talked about. Nice and easy, okay?"
But it was too late. With a mischievous chirp, Ember dove into the central bonfire, causing it to explode in a shower of multicolored sparks. For a moment, it was beautiful—a dazzling display of magical fire that drew gasps of wonder from the assembled creatures. Then, the flames began to spread, leaping from the bonfire to the nearby decorations.
I drew in the heat, extinguishing the stray fires and reigniting the main bonfire. "Ember!"
The fire sprite dashed away, as if trying to escape my scolding.
The brief excitement died down and the gathering resumed its festive atmosphere. A lullaby loon, true to its name, began singing, the bird's voice an enchanting sound that could rival any human bard. Soon, the human guests were dancing in pairs, as were more than a few of the creatures. The frost phoenix circled a thunderbird in the air, while below a yeti stamped the ground in front of the water nymph, a rather unlikely duo.
I wondered which was the more surprising pairing, Raven and me, or Jasmine and me. I was pondering this when I caught Raven's eye, then Jasmine's. I smiled and beckoned both of them. A short while later, the two of were holding hands in a small circle, swaying to the lullaby loon's melodies.
As the night's festivities wound down, some of the creatures lingered, as did the visitors. It was late, and more than a few townsfolk had pitched tents to spend the night outdoors next to the bonfire. I checked on the bonfire and set up my own tent, where I'd be staying in case there were any overnight issues. Raven had decided to spend the night in my tent, too, ignoring whatever gossip that might stir up.
Jasmine, shy as she was, had headed back to the Ranger HQ to spend the night. If word of our threesome got back to her grandfather, the old man might croak, and I certainly didn't want that on my hands.
Raven and I were both settling in, an expectant air between us. Yeah, I was smug. Everyone had seen the hottest woman and hottest fire mage at the campsite go into the same tent. They'd be jealously wondering about what we were up to, and I intended to prove them right.
Except as I closed the tent flap, a streak of tiny flame entered our tent, lighting it up.
"Ember?" Raven called out, shielding her eye from sudden light. "That you?"
"It's her," I confirmed. "What is it, Ember?"
Ember grabbed and tugged at my sleeve, making it clear that I was to follow. I gave Raven an apologetic glance and got up to leave.
"I'll come, too," Raven said, joining me.
We raced after Ember, who zipped ahead, lighting up the dark forest path. It became clear soon enough that we were headed for the Ranger HQ. Raven and I shared a worried glance and broke into a sprint.
We burst inside, to find Jasmine lying face down on the wide central table. She was in a flower-laced green dress, her skirt pushed up all the way up her waist to reveal a completely bare bottom, groping or doing something to herself. She gave a startled cry.
"No! Ember, I told you not to bring them!" Jasmine, completely exposed, buried her face in her arms. "No, no, no!"
"Jasmine! What the—" I ran over to her. I couldn't help but linger at her small cute ass. It was nothing like the beauty-contest winning one that Raven had, but a change of pace was always nice. I shook my head, clearing my thoughts. "What is this? What's wrong?"
Jasmine's turned beet red. She shut her eyes and mumbled something. I had to bend closer to make out her words. "...got stuck inside... can't get it out..."
I raised an eyebrow. I sensed Raven stealthily creeping closer, making full use of her deadly ranger skills.
"What's stuck? Where?" I stared at her bare ass. No, she wouldn't... but if she had. What in the world would she have gotten stuck?
"A boiled carrot," Jasmine whispered. She turned her head and opened her eyes, begging with them that I wouldn't laugh.
Fuck, it was possibly the hardest thing I've ever done, but I managed to keep a straight face. "Jasmine. You're not making sense. Are you saying there's a boiled carrot stuck... uh... in your butt? Like up your butt?" I kept tone professional.
Jasmine's eyes watered, on the verge of tears. "I didn't want to be left out. You and her are always..." She trailed off momentarily. "I wanted to practice stretching. Getting ready to take you inside me there."
Oh, Jasmine. What have you gotten into. Slowly the pieces clicked. She would have used a wild carrot, the massive fat one, not the dinky skinny things they sold in the cities. Except there was still one part I didn't get. "Why did you boil it?"
"To kill the germs," Jasmine whispered. "But then it wasn't as strong. It broke off inside me, and..."
Out of the corner of my eyes, I could make out Raven's face turning purple as she covered her mouth and attempted to stifle her laughter. I scowled at her.
"Okay, relax. You got this, Jasmine. Um..." How did you extract a giant boiled carrot stuck in someone's ass? I moved around until I was directly behind Jasmine. Sure enough, her opening was partially gaping, with a wall of solid yellow-white behind it. Of course. Country carrots weren't orange. I reached out with a finger and touched the solid mass. It was rather hard. "I thought you said you boiled it. Why's it not soft enough to just, uh, squeeze out?"
"Parboiled," Raven supplied helpfully. "Not boiled. It wouldn't serve its purpose if it was mush from the start."
"Ah," I said, trying to picture the exact scenario. Jasmine shoving a parboiled, germ-free thick carrot up her behind. Slowly, inch by inch. Then, the weakened carrot had snapped leaving her in an awkward position.
"Can she please not talk!" Jasmine hissed.
I gave Raven a look and mimed zipping my mouth shut. She shrugged.
"And you can't just reach in and pull..." I probed with my fingers around the edges Jasmine's stretched sphincter. Yeah, I wasn't going to be able to slide a finger inside. There was no way I'd be able to get enough of a hold to pull it out. "Okay, I see."
It was pretty hot, seeing her stretched open like that. I ran my finger along the rim of her opening gently. I studied the carrot, tapping it experimentally. Jasmine moaned. I tapped again. She moaned again. I tapped a quick pattering rhythm, and Jasmine's breathing hitched.
Raven made a coughing sound. "Can you two focus," she whispered into my ear.
"Well, if I can't pull it out, I can always burn it. I am a fire mage, after all." Although as a young fire mage, I had never imagined that I'd be one day incinerating lost vegetables from body orifices. I pushed my finger against the carrot, ready to unleash my magic.
"No!" Jasmine screamed. "No fire! No fire inside me!"
"Why? It's fine. I have control. Finesse. Raven, tell her."
"He has control and finesse. I can attest to them both." Raven somehow made the words sound indecent.
"No!" Jasmine shrieked more desperately. "No fire inside me."
"But I go inside you all the time!"
"You're a fire mage. Not fire."
"But if I can't reach inside, and I can't use my fire magic..." I shook my head.
Raven moved closer to me. "Ash. Hold her down."
I gave her a questioning glance. "Why...?"
"Just do it," she whispered back.
"I'm going to hold you still, Jasmine, and Raven's going to—" I had no sooner gotten a solid grip on Jasmine, that Raven forced her fingers into Jasmine's stretched entrance, prying the opening wide forcefully with her fingers.
Jasmine sucked in her breath, about to scream, but there was a popping sound a dull thud on the floor. When I looked over, Raven was holding her hands out to Ember, who was running gentle flames along them in a cleaning motion.
Jasmine hugged the table panting.
"Okay, are we all good?" I asked. "I think we're all good. Uh, good night?" I motioned for Raven to leave Jasmine to her privacy now.
We began heading for the door, but Jasmine called out weakly. "Wait. Ash. You stay."
I mouthed a silent apology to Raven, a bit disappointed that our night's plans had been disrupted.
Jasmine waited until she had left before she spoke again. "I think you'll fit now."
"Hm?" It took me a second to get it. "You mean—"
Jasmine was still kneeling on the table. She reached behind her with two hands and spread her cheeks apart.
I smiled. Okay, so maybe the night wasn't entirely lost.
I rushed over to Jasmine, pulling down my trousers as I did.
Chapter 20
Spring had finally arrived at Whispering Pines, and with it came the monumental task of rousing the magical creatures from their winter slumber. As I stood at the edge of the Enchanted Grove, watching the first hints of green peek through the melting snow, I couldn't help but feel a sense of anticipation.
"Alright, team," Raven's voice was sharp and clear as always. "We've got a lot of ground to cover today. Ash, you're on warmth duty. Jasmine, we'll need your expertise with the more delicate species."
I turned to see Raven, her ranger uniform as crisp and professional as ever, despite the mud and melting snow around us. Her dark hair was pulled back in a no-nonsense braid, but a few rebellious strands had escaped, framing her face in a way that was both authoritative and alluring.
"Warmth duty, eh?" I grinned, conjuring a small flame in my palm. "And here I thought you just kept me around for my charm and good looks."
Raven gave me a flat look. "Just be careful. We're here to wake them up, not smoke them out."
Our first stop was a hollow tree that housed a family of woodland sprites. As Jasmine approached, her steps light and careful, I hung back, ready to provide warmth if needed.
"Hello, there," Jasmine said, her voice soft and melodious. "It's time to wake up. Spring has come to the forest."
There was a moment of stillness, then a faint rustling from within the tree. Suddenly, Jasmine lost her footing on a slick patch of moss. Without thinking, I lunged forward, catching her in my arms. Her soft body pressed against mine, the sweet, herbal aroma of her hair filling my nostrils.
"I... um... thank you, Ash," Jasmine whispered, a blush creeping across her cheeks.
Before I could respond, a pointed cough broke the moment. I looked up to see Raven watching us, her expression unreadable save for a slight tightness around her eyes.
"If you two are done dancing," she said, her tone clipped, "we have work to do."
As the day wore on, we encountered increasingly challenging awakening tasks. The frost dragons, in particular, proved to be a test of our skills and teamwork. As we approached their icy cavern, Raven took charge, her entire demeanor shifting into one of absolute command.
"Ash, I need you to gradually raise the temperature," she instructed, her voice low and intense. "Jasmine, be ready with those cold-resistant herbs. We can't risk shocking their systems."
I watched in admiration as Raven took point, her movements confident and precise. The way she handled the situation, firm yet gentle with the disoriented dragons, was extremely attractive. And to think that she would melt in my hands at night. That made it all the more hot.
Our final task of the day brought us face to face with a particularly ornery cave troll. As we entered its lair, the air thick with the musty smell of long hibernation, I could sense the unease rolling off Jasmine in waves.
"Stay close," I murmured, instinctively moving to protect her.
The troll's awakening was far from graceful. Disoriented and grumpy, it lashed out with a massive, gnarled hand. Without hesitation, I pulled Jasmine against me, shielding her with my body. I felt her small gasp against my chest, her hands clutching at my shirt.
"Ash!" Raven's voice rang out, a mix of concern and command.
I turned to see her expertly maneuvering around the troll, her movements fluid and precise. With a series of calm words and gestures, she managed to soothe the agitated creature, guiding it back to full consciousness without further incident.
As the danger passed, I became acutely aware of Jasmine still pressed against me, her heart racing in tandem with mine. During the walk back to the ranger station, Jasmine kept shooting me shy, grateful glances, while Raven maintained a professional distance that felt more like a challenge than a dismissal.
Our relationship was further than ever, but still complicated. Unconventional, you could say.
That night, the two of them stayed over in my humble little cottage. It was Jasmine's turn, which meant Raven had to be there, too.
I was sitting in a chair, sporting a rock solid hardon, while Raven got Jasmine ready. After the carrot incident, Jasmine had decided that Raven should help her relax, so to speak, to prepare for my girth. In principle, I could have done it, too, but I was stronger than either of them, and the chance that I would tear something or injure Jasmine was too high.
So it was Raven standing once again behind a naked Jasmine kneeling on the table once more, her buttocks spread open. Raven was still in her ranger uniform, an expression of slight distaste on her face. She had two fingers inside Jasmine's asshole at the moment.
"Ow!" Jasmine yelped, as Raven roughly plunged in a third finger. She gulped air, panting hard with a glazed expression in her eyes.
"Do you want me to stop?" Raven asked in a sarcastic tone.
"No, keep going." Jasmine whimpered as Raven turned rotated the three fingers about back and forth stretching Jasmine out further. From where I was sitting, it looked Raven bent her fingers to thicken them at the knuckles, drawing another round of panting whimpers from Jasmine.
"Are you sure about this, Jasmine?" I asked. I swear, if I had done that, I would have ripped something by now. I was worried a little, to say the least.
"Don't stop!" Jasmine gasped. "More, more! Make him fit!"
Raven plunged a fourth finger, everything but her thumb, inside Jasmine's gaping hole. Jasmine shrieked.
