A small brown creature hurried its way over the jutting metal, dirt, and moss that made up the landscape, with a large dark gray and blue reptile lumbering behind. The increasing cloud cover overhead hastened the duo’s pace, the looming ever-present threat of the region’s weather cycle ingrained in their heads.

The first figure was a slugcat, a fairly intelligent species that was well adapted for traversal in tight spaces and tool usage. This one, sporting a russet-white coloration, shall be referred to by the title “Wayfarer” on account of their seemingly aimless odyssey throughout the land, apparently content with taking in the sights and staying alive. Their traveling companion, the sizable lizard that followed in tow, had been bestowed the name “Sluice” for the sake of differentiation from his variously hued kin in Wayfarer’s mind. 

The day had been eventful, but as is the nature of events it had reduced the distance that the slugcat had originally intended to cover. The first obstacle was a scavenger outpost. The tribal creatures had established a toll for passage, which resulted in Wayfarer having to backtrack to locate enough serviceable spears and vegetation to pay. The cost felt suspiciously higher than normal as some of the scavengers gazed warily at Sluice, but the two were let through all the same. After that was a wide open segment of land, which would have been a pleasant walk were it not for an incident with a preying vulture. They barely had time to react as its shadow preceded its descent. The massive gas-propelled beast tore down from the heavens, its sharp tusks at the ready. Having ironically relinquished their weapons earlier at the outpost, the two were forced to retreat to cover and hide until the brute abandoned its hunt and returned to the sky. By the time it had moved on, clouds were rolling in, signifying an upcoming danger far worse than any fauna could offer. Wayfarer gave up on any further progress, and doubled back towards their previous hibernation shelter as the first few drops began to fall.

***

They were almost there. The weather had worsened, slowing each step more than the last. There was one last stretch of ground to traverse, but it was past mounds and gaps that were under the open expanse of dark sky, with the rain now pouring down near-suffocatingly from above. Wayfarer’s mind raced. If they were to set foot outside their current overhang, the deadly precipitation would pelt them into the ground before making it a few steps. Sluice’s more durable physiology could hold out for longer, but he stubbornly refused to leave their side, even though the waters would eventually wash them both away. The blue lizard was decent at swimming; he possessed some minor webbing on his feet, as well as extended frills down his spine and tail. Even then, few creatures could oppose the rain for any extended period.

The waters were rising, tunnels and passages becoming submerged as Wayfarer wracked their brain, barely able to hear their own thoughts over the roaring downpour. I can’t leave the area without getting crushed, Sluice can but refuses to… Their gaze drifted towards their longtime companion. Wayfarer had found Sluice countless cycles ago, clinging to a wall while a brute of a green lizard lumbered around below. A few spears and a centipede later, Sluice began following the russet slugcat diligently ever since. As it turns out, while the blue species of lizards are regarded as the weakest and are often preyed upon by its larger cousins, they seemed to possess excellent potential. Hunting alongside a tool-adept partner had yielded astounding results, as Sluice had nearly doubled in size during their time together. 

An idea crept into their head.

Why not take cover inside him?

They almost immediately discarded the thought from the absurdity of it, jerking back to reality, but found themself staring at the lizard’s dull gray flank. It’s not like I have any other solutions… The possible pros and cons of such a stunt clashed in Wayfarer’s mind. 

Wouldn’t that just have the same outcome as the rain? 

The mucous layer in my fur for traversing tight spaces is somewhat acid-resistant. 

But other slugcats have been devoured by creatures easily!

But it’s always a bite that punctures the membrane. Sluice would never injure me, right?

Even if it did work, what then?

He knows the way back to the hibernation shelter.

The plan would send quite the mixed message. What if he just goes to sleep? Acid resistance does not mean immune!

Well it will be a test of trust, won’t it?

The torrent was worsening, the water having risen to only a few feet away from the two’s hiding spot. It’s now or never. Wayfarer knelt before their scaled companion, intently sharing eye contact. The slugcat briefly petted his armored snout, and pointed towards the tunnel to safety that the deluge separated them from. Then, heart pounding so fast it threatened to give out, Wayfarer slowly parted Sluice’s jaws, exposing the moist, gray interior accompanied by a row of mostly dulled but sizeable teeth. Warm breath came out in puffs of vapor, a stark contrast to the cold air as the slugcat, holding the upper jaw with one arm, ducked down and reached in, their paw sinking into the soft flesh of the lizard’s tongue. Sluice emitted a curious trill at his companion’s actions, but held his mouth open as Wayfarer slowly placed their other paw alongside the first, gently grasping the large, muscular organ, and leaned in face first.

Being inside the maw of one of the species’ most common predators was certainly not at the top of any slugcat to-do list, but Wayfarer was surprised to feel the comforting embrace of the warm, wet cavern as they pushed themselves further inside, slicked head to waist with the lizard’s saliva. Sluice closed his jaw slightly, the weight of his mouth disrupting Wayfarer’s footing as they slipped, their muzzle plunged directly into his humid throat. The folds of muscle contracted tightly and pulled the slugcat further, warmth greeting their rear paws as they slid away from the chilly climate and into the maw of the lizard.

Just as they were beginning to… enjoy? the ride, a sharp shiver jolted through Wayfarer’s spine as the frigid waters outside made contact with their tail, the reminder of the situation eliciting an involuntary squirm. Feeling his passenger’s discomfort, Sluice repositioned, lifted his head into the air, and tilting back with gravity’s assistance, began taking slow, long gulps. His charcoal gray neck bulged as its occupant slid deeper into its length, and Wayfarer soon found themselves being squeezed through the cardiac sphincter as it pinned their limbs to their side before pushing them into the chamber beyond.

What the slugcat expected the stomach to be was a cramped, oppressive cell, but instead they were greeted with a muggy yet inviting sanctuary of undulating, powerful muscles. As Wayfarer’s hindquarters and tail caught up with them, they found it relatively easy to turn around and situate themselves, even as the walls of flesh pulsated around them. Here, the cacophony of rain was noticeably muted, almost seeming like a far-off trouble compared to the warm, cozy interior. For a moment, their current predicament slipped their mind as the slugcat let themself relax, growing drowsy before their biological domicile rocked as its owner moved.

Outside, the waters had become too high to ignore, and Sluice waited until he knew his nomadic partner had reached their next destination before standing up, his undercarriage swaying beneath him with the added weight of its occupant. Shaking his bulky head with a quiver that ran from his frills to his tail, the hulking blue sauntered out from the now flooded overhang. On the other side of the lizard’s hide, all Wayfarer could hear was what sounded like rocks pelting a thick leather tarp, their refuge proving to be quite the bastion against the downpour. Then the racket was suddenly replaced with roiling bubbles as the lizard dove into the raging torrent.

The swim was no cakewalk for Sluice. The blue lizard’s large frame put up some resistance to the whims of the turbulent currents as it weighed him down to sections of terrain he could push off from, but at the same time it made dexterous movements arduous due to his size. This resulted in more than a few blows to the side as the reptile was swept against extrusions and debris, but finally he found purchase at the tunnel bearing the mark of the shelter. Even though most passages fell under “one size fits all”, it was still a bit of an ordeal as Sluice kicked and squeezed through the entrance, his portly build sliding into the tunnel like a dog forcing its way through a gap in a fence. Meanwhile, Wayfarer was dealing with some difficulties of their own. Not exempt from the cramped fit, they found themself squished tighter by the encompassing, meaty lizard guts. Their environment transitioned from a rather spacious chamber to a scrunched position; pressed on all sides by the now stifling, immobilizing flesh; like a plushy in a rubber mold the slugcat was mashed against the sturdy but flexible rib cage. In this claustrophobic state, all external noise was deafened, the dull, rhythmic thudding of Sluice’s heartbeat serving as the only available form of sensory input.

After a few achingly long minutes the lizard’s noggin emerged from the tunnel into the welcoming haven of the hibernation shelter, the rest of his thickset body extruding out behind him until the narrow passage released its grasp, followed by an audible ‘splop!’ as his hindquarters came free, landing with a damp thud on the floor. Here, the rain was all but silent, the destructive force it held now merely background ambience. The room was modest, only built for two to three small inhabitants at a time. At Sluice’s size he was taking up seventy percent of the space as he awkwardly situated himself, his rump pressed against the back wall as it competed with his tail and front half for territory. Just as the lizard began to settle down and get comfy, his stomach sent him a reminder of his duty in the form of a noisy gurgle. Oh, right.

Propping himself up on his front legs, Sluice started exerting his diaphragm, his abdominal muscles contracting as Wayfarer felt the flesh around them constrict even tighter than before. This time however, the slugcat found themself being shunted forward, re-entering the reptile’s esophagus as it pulsed and squeezed their sleek body further along like an introverted weasel being removed from its burrow, if said burrow was a toothpaste tube. Sluice’s neck bulged as he opened his mouth and with a distinct ‘Gack!’, he spat out a dazed and quite slimy Wayfarer on to the shelter floor. They pushed themself up off the ground, brief disappointment flitting through their head at being evicted from the cozy internals of the lizard, before a different thought made itself prominent. Sluice had understood and followed through with the plan!

Wayfarer felt the weight of an all-too familiar tongue stroke their back as their partner slowly cleaned away the excess saliva from their body, before following up with an inquiring nuzzle. The slugcat breathed deeply and sat up, their heart rate slowly returning to normal. Metal creaks and groans sounded nearby as the shelter’s bulkhead sealed itself for the remainder of the cycle, ensuring absolute security for the two inhabitants, so Wayfarer relaxed and allowed themself to fall back onto Sluice’s flank. The blue stretched and shook his frills before laying down, resting his head upon his tail. Now surrounded by the gray, already-snoring bulk, it was the slugcat’s turn to curl up. Wayfarer tucked themself in with what little space was left, resulting in their head getting mashed against the lizard’s belly as they sank into their slumber, accompanied by the murmurs of the gut next to them. 

The duo’s bond had reached an entirely new level of trust.