<div class="floatright">(http://i.imgur.com/KV72Q5h.jpg)<br/><br/>(http://i.imgur.com/KzDJuUK.jpg)</div><br/>Shugar nodded her head,<strong>"It's a good promise, and I appreciate your honesty, I just..."</strong>She trailed off for a moment and muttered, Zerxel's keen ears picking up the last bit,<strong> "...I just wonder if that's enough."</strong><br/><br/>The bugbear seemed to be lost in thought and uninterested in talking after that.  If zerxel tried to engage her she would smile softly and say,<strong> "Please Zerxel, lets just sit quietly, I need to think, and we should stay alert for any signs of danger."</strong><br/><br/>The sun slid lower into the afternoon sky as long quiet minutes turned into an hour, and then two before Bo came out of the building her face bright and glowing, a wide grin on her face,<strong>"I know where the golden door is!"</strong><br/><br/>Shugar smiled and hugged Bo, and then nodded towards the setting sun,<strong>"The two of you should get back to the Inn.  It's going to be dark soon and if the noises I've heard at night are any indication you don't want to be outside, especially not with Zerxel starting to show the way she is.  I'd guess she's at least two thirds of the way along, and it's been about eight hours  since she ate the soul fruit.  There's no clear rule, but I'd guess she'll 'birth' the contestant inside of her in about another four hours."</strong><br/><br/>Bo and Zerxel agreed with Shugar's assessment, but Bo said,<strong> "What do ye mean us two?  We ken wait fer ya."</strong><br/><br/>Shugar shook her head,<strong>"No Bo, you can't.  I have more than one question for Mistress Skie, and if you two were any indication she demands a rather lengthy time for each payment.  Even if I were only in there for an hour or two, Zerxel is going to be too gravid soon to do much more than waddle along." </strong>It was true, Zerxel felt the weight in her belly quite sufficiently now.  The bulge in her stomach now jutting out just past the tips of her bustier clad tits.  She knew that if she had to engage in any physical activity, she'd be at a disadvantage.  What she might be like a few hours from now, she couldn't even guess.<br/><br/>Shugar continued,<strong> "Get to the inn, and maybe we'll see each other again in the future.  I think it's time I struck out on my own again.  This alliance was a temporary joy, but I know now that you two share a strong bond, and I need to find someone that I can trust, that I can rely on, not just tag along with you two.  If I do, I fear I won't make it very far at the start of the next level.  I know where the exit is now, and I promise I won't do anything to hamper you in the future.  But I have to strike back out on my own, I have to find my own partner."</strong><br/><br/>Bo looked back and forth between Zerxel and Shugar, and Zerxel could see the indecision in the dwarf's eyes.  She could see the dwarf's desire to stay with an ally, not to leave a friend behind.  What was more, and maybe it was paranoia or her drow upbringing, but in that moment Zerxel thought she saw the urge to stay with Shugar even if it meant leaving the drow in the dwarf's eyes.  But finally Bo nodded and clasped the naked bugbear to her in a hug,<strong>"Stay safe Shugar, an WHEN we all make it outta this place alive, we'll celebrate with enough ale to drown a whole clan o' yer people."</strong><br/><br/>Shugar nodded and her eyes were moist as she embraced the dwarf.  Then breaking the hug gave Zerxel one as well.  The lust that always curled in Zerxel's body now caused her to notice the way the bugbear woman's naked body felt so good against her, the smell of the woman, the way her skin was... but then Shugar was breaking the hug and saying,<strong>"Be safe Zerxel, and take care of Bo as well."</strong><br/><br/>Then the Shugar was turning heading into Skie's armory, that fox tail hanging above her tattooed buttocks the last thing that Zerxel saw of her before the doors shut.  Bo and Zerxel stood in silence for a few moments before the dwarf spoke,<strong>"When you were being questioned, she asked me if I'd consider leaving you to go with her.  I told her I couldn't do that, and that at the end of the level I was gonna try to convince you to come into my resting room so that we could be together on the next level.  She said she'd have to strike off on her own an' find someone to partner with before all the other contestants were gone.  I assume she asked ye the same?"</strong><br/><br/>After Zerxel's reply, Bo nodded back to the street,<strong>"Lets go then, get ye back to the inn so ye can birth a contestant back into this hellish place an' I can get me some ale, aye?"</strong><br/><br/><div class="spoiler_container"><div class="spoiler_header" onclick="hideSecond (this);" role="button">ooc</div><div class="spoiler_body">There are no problems getting back to the inn, though Bo seems much more interested in getting drunk then she is fucking.  If zerxel suggests it, Bo asks for a little time.  She's obviously upset over losing Shugar as a companion.  The tavern will be much as you remember it, with no sign of Ruta or Lisa.  Though you can ask.  Big Jack will offer to 'sell' them a room for the night with some of the coins they earned earlier, though he does express some interest in fucking a pregnant drow, and will gladly exchange a room for the both of them for another round or two with Zerxel.</div></div>