Chapter 7

Lawrie took hold of his main cart, while Tasya was given the reins to the second cart. Mellany was brought over to drive Ben and Ylva’s cart, as Ylva unhitched one of the Thunderers. Once it was free, the mutant woman guided the animal away from the cart and soothed it as best as she could. Once it was moving placidly, Ylva then slowly clambered onto its back.

The Thunderer made no sudden movements, which was good as Ylva didn’t want to be thrown off its back today. Ben climbed down as well, handing the woman her spear. She took the weapon and guided the Thunderer behind their cart. The plan was for her to come out of the rear and surprise any raiders who got out of the way of the carts and end them quickly.

“OK, we all know what the plan is, then?” Ben asked, making sure that everyone understood it.

“We charge in, driving the carts straight for the town gates, shouting and screaming like we’re there to take them to the hells,” Lawrie told him.

“Run over as many of the raiders as we can, no matter how big they are,” Tasya replied.

“While you are perched on your cart, shooting anyone who thinks to attack us,” Mellany stated.

“And I come up from behind, killing any raiders left,” Ylva finished.

“Good. All right, let’s do this!” Ben told them.

He hopped up on the cart with Mellany as Lawrie snapped the reins for his cart and it started trundling off. It ambled at first, but soon picked up speed. Tasya snapped the reins for her cart and they moved quickly, picking up speed to where it was right behind Lawrie. Mellany hit the reins on the cart and in seconds, they were charging down the road, gaining speed as they went.

Ben stood in the back, on top of all the gear, with his feet planted. He kept his legs loose so he could keep his balance. It was also important so he could line up precise shots, instead of bad ones that could hurt innocents. The trees rushed by them and he saw the smoke get closer and closer. Ben steeled himself, as this fight would be something very different from what he’d gone through a few days ago.

They finally broke cover and saw the town walls and gates, with smoke pouring from within the walls and men screaming as they attacked. Men and women like Lawrie and Ylva, dressed in matching leather armor, stood against these men, fighting hard. Ben guessed they were the town’s militia and searched for other targets.

He saw the attackers were dressed much like slavers were, attacking two militiawomen, fighting back to back. They sneered at the women, as they had them at their mercy. Ben drew an arrow, sighted in his closest target, and loosed an arrow.

The brute he had in his sights was taunting the women and laughing. But that was before the arrow Ben had fired punched through the back of his head, the tip of it coming out of his mouth. The other men who surrounded the militiawomen were shocked and turned to find the source of the shot. Ben then howled a harrowing warcry as the carts charged in, with the others screaming with him.

Many of the raiders stopped their attack to gawk at the vehicles coming at them. Those who kept their heads got out of the way quickly. They scrambled to avoid the hooves and wheels that would be their death. The men who stood there in disbelief weren’t so lucky. The Thunderers pulling the carts trampled nearly one quarter of the attacking force in the initial charge.

The militia were just as surprised as the raiders were, but upon seeing the traders were there to help, a cheer went up. The militia rallied, many of the downed fighters getting to their feet and fighting back against the larger raiders. Ben unleashed a volley of arrows, claiming a raider’s life with each shot. Ylva charged in from behind the cart, scattering the party of raiders that had surrounded the militiawomen.

Her spear whirling, Ylva cut down two raiders, before wheeling the Thunderer to turn around and head back for the other three. The militiawomen then turned to face the men, ready to put them down like the dogs they were. Two of them stood fast, ready to die if necessary. The third, however, dropped his weapons and ran, not liking the odds arrayed against him.

He cried out as he ran, before falling to his face, a steel shaft sprouting from his back. Ben hollered like a madman, charging in to assist Ylva, drawing the raiders’ attention. This lapse cost one of them his life as one of the militiawomen ran him through. The other turned to fight but was knocked off his feet by Ylva’s flying spear, skewered through the heart.

Ylva rode up and snatched her weapons, before herding the militiawomen to join the main force that was using the carts as cover. Ben picked what arrows he could recover and fired them at the raiders, dropping more with each shot. The raiders didn’t understand what was happening, but they didn’t care, as Ben and his friends showing up turned the tide of battle against them.

Their leader called a retreat, and the raiders that were still fighting disengaged from the militia. They ran as fast as they could, intent on keeping their lives, hoping they’d make it out. The militia wasn’t about to let them escape that easily and charged, looking to make the raiders pay for the attack on their home.

Even Lawrie, Mellany, and Tasya joined the fray, each one picking up a dropped weapon and brandishing them like they were possessed. More raiders fell to the counterattack, but nearly half of them made it to the treeline, disappearing into the woods to the north. A cry went up among the militia, cheering that they repelled the raiders. Others took up the cry, happy to have beaten back such a vicious attack.

Ben moved about the battlefield, collecting his arrows as he went. Ylva moved with him, making sure no one took them or bothered Ben as he did this. Several members of the militia walked up and thanked Ylva for her help. Many others also went to Mellany, Tasya and Lawrie, thanking them for helping turn the tide.

They took the thanks in stride, happy to have helped in sending the raiders packing. One member of the militia approached Lawrie and, when standing next to the others, he stood out. His manner and how smartly he was dressed made him stand out from everyone else there.

“Lawrie! Didn’t expect to see you here for a while yet! What brings you back so soon?” the man asked.

“The tales of the cache of raw materials from the Before were just that, Denys. Tall tales meant to lure unwary merchants and adventurers away from safety. We spotted the bastards and avoided their trap but were set upon by a pack of Clackers on our way back,” Lawrie told the man.

“And you escaped?” Denys asked.

“No, we were surrounded. If it hadn’t been for Ylva and Ben there coming to our aid, we would have become that pack’s lunch,” Lawrie recalled with a shudder.

“The Pinkskin? He doesn’t look like much, but damn if he can shoot!” Denys replied.

“This Pinkskin also helped me with claiming this man’s life,” Ylva stated, sauntering up and holding Unktar’s massive battle axe for display.

“Is that...” Denys asked, almost awed to see the weapon out of its owner’s hands.

“The axe of Unktar, the Bloodthirster. Broke the fucker’s jaw, arms and legs, before Ylva cut his nuts off. That’s all before she cut his throat,” Ben explained, coming to stand beside his lover, having recovered all his arrows.

Several of the militia stared at them in disbelief, but they all recognized the axe. If these two were holding such a weapon, then the pair of them must have been telling the truth about how they got it. Much innocent blood had been spilled by Unktar and his men, and they were happy to hear of the savage’s demise.

“You ... broke his jaw? How is that even possible, when you’re so small?” Denys scoffed. Ben sighed and handed Ylva his bow and quiver, and she smirked as Ben walked up to the man.

“Like this.”

Before Denys even knew what was going on, a stunningly quick sequence of punches hit him in his gut. The punches themselves had more power behind them than he’d expected. What shocked Denys the most is when he’d swung his fists to fight back, Ben deftly blocked them. Seconds later, he was thrown to the ground, his armor clattering and clinking with the impact.

Ben stood over him, standing in a fighting stance, ready to move at a moment’s notice. Some of the militia closed in with him, but halted the second they saw Ben wasn’t going to kill their captain. Denys stared up at the Pinkskin, bewildered, but also in utter awe of how he’d taken him down so handily.

“Where did you learn to do that?” Denys asked, taking Ben’s offered hand and pulling himself up.

“I had a teacher who taught me how to fight like that,” be responded.

“Where is this teacher and would he be willing to teach me?” Denys wondered, impressed at Ben’s speed.

“He’s dead. But he taught me well enough where I can teach others,” Ben stated.

“I might have to come and learn some things from you then! If you can fight like that, we all could use a lesson or two!” Denys enthused.

“Depending on how long we stay, I’ll teach you what I can,” Ben promised.

“Is Sonya’s still open?” Mellany asked.

“It’s still light out, so it should be. She’ll be grateful for the custom, as there’s not much of that these days,” Denys replied cryptically.

“What do you mean?” Lawrie wondered.

“I could tell you, but I have work to do here. Find Sonya. She’ll fill you in on what’s going on around here. If you need further news of what’s happening, speak to the mayor in the morning,” Denys told them.

Lawrie’s face went serious as he nodded and helped move the carts away from the gates. Once they were clear, the gates were opened to admit the small party. They trekked through the archway, and Ben was surprised by what he witnessed. Though this was the future, it was almost as though he’d stepped back in time.

The buildings had the look of post-colonial America, complete with accents and all. It almost appeared as though he’d stepped into a town of the Wild West. A lot of the people were dressed in the same way, but it was an odd mish mash. There were those who moved and dressed like Lawrie, Tasya and Mellany, along with those who were garbed like Ylva.

The one thing that stood out most to Ben was that they were all mutants, like his new friends. He searched the crowd but could find no regular humans like him. Ben also glanced around and found the source of the smoke they had seen earlier. Several homes that lay near the wall had caught fire, with small portions of them still burning. The fires were contained as the last remnants of them were being put out.

Some mutants stared at the procession that moved past the gates. A few moved forward to speak with Lawrie or Mellany, exchanging a friendly word or two. They would often stare in Ben’s direction, with suspicion or distrust in their faces, but they said nothing. Curious about this, Ben thought to ask about it when the cart stopped.

“We’re here,” Lawrie called out, dismounting from his cart. He helped Tasya down first, then his sister and Ben did the same with Ylva.

“Where are we?” Ben asked.

“This is Sonya’s Inn. One of the best places there is to get some wonderful food and a proper night’s rest,” Mellany grinned as they made their way inside.

“Sounds like you lot have stayed here before,” Ben chuckled.

“Sonya’s a good friend, so we always make a point of stopping by if we’re in the area,” Lawrie replied.

“Lawrie! Mellany! Tasya!” a feminine voice cried out in joy.

Ben soon saw the owner of the voice rush up and give each one of her friends an enormous hug. She was built very much like Mellany was, if a bit smaller, yet curvier. The woman had a kind face and long black hair that she wore loose and large combs to keep the strands out of her face. She was dressed much like Mellany was, but wore a large white apron, which was dusted with what he assumed to be flour.

“Good to see you, Sonya! Allow me to introduce our new friends, Ylva and Ben,” Lawrie said to her, making introductions. Sonya greeted Ylva with a kiss on the cheek but was surprised upon meeting Ben. Ben made her acquaintance and kissed her hand, which Sonya was unused to, but blushed slightly at the action.

“I’ve never met a Pinkskin so polite. Welcome to my inn!” Sonya replied with a smile. “So, Lawrie, have you anything to trade for your stay?”

“Hmm. Well, since you’re a friend, we have several Rabbits we brought down. They need to be skinned and butchered properly and we lack to the tools do to it. What would you consider a fair price?” Lawrie asked. Sonya perked up at the mention of Rabbits, and she was rolling some ideas in her head before she came to a price.

“How many Rabbits do you have?” she wondered.

“Seven.”

“Hmm. I take it you still have the pelts?” Sonya asked.

“We do,” Mellany replied.

“Two rabbits and three of the pelts you took, and you can stay here for ten days. Meals and all,” she told them.

“Done. Of all the pelts, though, leave the black one. That one belongs to Ben,” Lawrie told her.

“It was your kill?” Sonya asked.

“Yeah. The Pack Alpha, according to Lawrie,” Ben responded.

Sonya’s eyes widened at this news, as everyone knew that Pack Alphas of Rabbits didn’t go down easy. Her face went from shock to one of ... appraisal, almost as though what she thought of Ben had changed in seconds. Ylva noticed the look and came to stand beside Ben, almost protectively. Sonya smirked at the gesture and addressed Ylva.

“You don’t need to worry about me, honey. I’m a married woman and my Joe, he’s plenty for me,” Sonya teased. Ylva then smiled, happy to hear this, when Sonya kept on going. “The serving girls, though, that’s a different story.”

The couple craned their heads, noting how a majority of the serving girls were now eyeing Ben with interest. They obviously overheard about how Ben had brought down the pack Alpha, which piqued their interest. If a man had the skill and fortitude to bring down a pack Alpha, then he’d be a good provider.

Though Ylva’s presence and glare shooed them back to work, as none of them were nearly as fit as she was. There was also the fact that she carried weapons on her person like they belonged there. None of the girls had handled anything more than a kitchen knife, at best. Ben looked up at Ylva, admiring how she’d stared down every serving girl there with just one look.

“Your usual table then, hon?” Sonya asked, addressing Lawrie.

“Yes, please. If you have any ale, I’m sure we could all go for a mug,” Lawrie told his friend.

“Of course! Five ales, coming up!” Sonya replied before she bustled off.

Lawrie and Mellany led the others to a table right next to the door that Sonya had disappeared through. It was unoccupied and looked to be freshly scrubbed, which was something Ben found comforting and refreshing. Though the civilization he knew of was gone, it was good to see some elements of it survive. Everyone seated themselves at the table just as Sonya came out of the kitchen with five mugs in her hands.

Ben’s eyes widened as the mugs in question looked more like small pitchers to him. He accepted the mug of ale with thanks and took a sip. The alcohol wasn’t half bad, as it was close in flavor to the beer he remembered from centuries ago. Peering in his mug, he could see that the liquid was clearish, with a pleasant amber color to it.

“How do you like it?” Sonya asked, directing her question at Ben and Ylva.

“It’s not half bad. It’s got a nice nuttiness to it and a good shot of something in it I can’t quite place,” Ben replied, smacking his lips.

“Hunh! A Pinkskin who likes my beer! Will wonders never cease?” Sonya giggled.

“Ben is ... different from others you may have known. Certainly much kinder than those others,” Mellany commented, taking a sip of her ale. Ben glanced at her and raised an eyebrow. It was the first compliment the woman had offered to him, and he smiled at her for it.

“I would agree! So, dinner for five?” Sonya asked.

“Please! If you have any of that wonderful crusty bread of yours, a couple loaves would be welcome!” Lawrie requested. Sonya then padded away, fetching their order.

“Lawrie, I’m curious about something,” Ben said to the merchant.

“What is it you’re curious about?”

“Why do people call me ‘Pinkskin’? Also, what’s with the dirty looks?” Ben wondered.

“That is because most people out there have dark yellow, brown, or green skin. There are few like you, who still have pink skin and are of slight stature like you. There are fewer still who are trustworthy enough where people will trade with them, or even let them into town,” Lawrie explained.

“Wait, there are others like me?” Ben asked.

“Yes. Though few ever do any business with our kind. They also tend to stay in their ... caves,” Mellany stated.

“I see,” Ben mumbled, catching more than one or two glares from other patrons in the tavern.

“I wouldn’t worry about them, Ben. Because I’ve vouched for you, no one will dare do anything to you, no matter how high their distrust is,” Lawrie told the man.

“Well ... thank you!” Ben replied, grateful that his new friend went to bat for him.

“No problem! Ah, food has arrived,” the big man enthused.

As he was saying this, Sonya walked out with a large tray in her hands. On the tray was a set of five bowls, spoons, and three large loaves of bread. Next to the bread, which was still hot, sat a bowl of butter with several small knives dipped into it. Behind Sonya was a mutant man, but he appeared to be younger than most people there.

In his hands, he carried a large cast iron cauldron, which steamed and gave off the most pleasant smell of meat and vegetable stew. He lifted the cauldron by its handle, placing it in the recess that was in the center of the table. Sonya then placed the tray on the table and handed out bowls and spoons, before placing the plate of bread and the butter dish. She then produced a knife for cutting the bread and put it in front of Lawrie.

“Will this be enough?” Sonya asked.

“This will be plenty! Thank you, Sonya! Are you sure that Joe and your boys won’t need a hand with the Rabbits?” Lawrie asked.

“They’ll be fine. Besides, it’s good to get them away from drilling with the militia,” Sonya groused.

“It’s gotten that bad with those raiders?” Mellany asked.

“Yeah. If you want details on that, you’ll have to speak with the mayor about it in the morning,” the innkeeper told them, before rushing off to tend to another customer.

“Seems like we got here just in time!” Ben commented.

“How do you mean?” Tasya asked, jumping into the conversation.

“Whatever is going on here, it’s nothing good. We should try to help, if they’ll accept it,” Ben stated matter-of-factly.

“Why?” Ylva asked, as Mellany handed her a ladle for the stew.

“Whoever these raiders are, they’ve obviously staked out this territory as their own, right? If they’ve done this, then they might know what’s been going on in the area. Maybe they even know who’s passed through, if they let anyone by,” Ben told her. Ylva was confused for a moment, but caught on almost instantly.

“They might know where Byrgyt is!” Ylva exclaimed.

“Exactly. So, looking into and solving this problem could benefit us,” Ben replied.

He then busied himself with getting some stew after everyone else had served themselves. The bowl in question was larger than what he was used to, so Ben only filled it halfway. He also got himself a few slices of bread and buttered them before he dug into the food. His mouth was an explosion of flavor as he took his first bite, eyes widening in delight.

“Wow! This is good!” Ben groaned happily.

“Sonya is one of the best cooks, if not THE best cook for at least a hundred kilometers in any direction!” Mellany smiled as she was going through her stew. “It’s one reason so many people come here.”

Sure enough, Ben saw the common room of the inn filling as more and more townsfolk walked in to get a table. The serving girls scurried this way and that, filling out orders and fetching food and drink for the customers. Sonya was right there in the middle of it, making her presence known. She was obviously well known, judging by how many people greeted her on a first name basis.

“I can see why!” he chuckled.

Ben polished off the half bowl he took and got himself another helping, much hungrier than he’d anticipated. The group still snickered and laughed at Ben’s hunger, still amazed that such a small man could eat so much. Everyone took their time and enjoyed the meal, especially Ben, who was loving the taste of everything. In some small way, it almost reminded him of how things were back in the Before.

They all started chatting, taking their time to enjoy the ale and the evening as it wore on. After they had emptied their mugs, Lawrie stood up and stated that he was going to get some sleep. Tasya agreed and stood to join her husband, but everyone knew they weren’t going to get much sleep. Ylva giggled as she watched the married couple leave, eager to be out of sight.

“So, which rooms are ours again?” Ben asked, posing the question to Ylva.

“Room eight is for Mel, but we have room nine,” the woman replied, knowing where this conversation was going.

She smiled widely as he stood, offering his hand to her, which she took. Ylva stood up as well, glad to see that her lover was in a desiring mood. He led her upstairs to the second floor, while Mellany was left at the table. Ylva then crooked her finger behind her back, a subtle, yet clear signal for Mellany to follow along.

She did just that, though, keeping her distance, so Ben didn’t see her. Mellany still wasn’t sure if he’d be OK with joining them, so she left Ylva to work with him. She stood by the edge of the landing on the stairs as she watched the lovers kiss each other. Mellany climbed up the flight of stairs and watched as Ylva pasted Ben to the wall, letting passion guide her hands.

She then reached over and opened the door, directing Ben into the room. The two of them fell, with Ylva landing atop of him, and they laughed. Ylva then scrambled to her feet and went to the door, peering outside. She noticed Mellany sitting by the top of the stairs and gestured her to move. Without hesitation, Mellany rushed into the room and Ylva closed and locked the door behind them.

“Mellany? Ylva, what’s going on?” Ben started. He would have still gone on speaking, but Ylva shushed him, putting a finger to his lips.

“Ben, I don’t want you kicking up a fuss about this. Mellany will be joining us tonight in our ... fun,” Ylva told him.

“Wait, what?!?”

“Mellany hasn’t had a man touch her in a while and needs some release. Because you are a man that I trust, I have ... decided that I will share you with her tonight. If you agree?” Ylva queried.

“You are ... OK with this?” Ben asked, shocked beyond belief.

“Yes. You’ll find that many women today are ... flexible with their mates. Just as many men are flexible with theirs,” Ylva stated.

“Um ... let me see if I got this straight. You are willing to share me with Mellany? No strings attached?” he asked, still doubting her intent.

“Yes. Why? Do you not want her? Is she not pretty?” Ylva pouted.

“No, it’s not that! I think Mel here is a very fine-looking woman! I’m just surprised how you’re so ... liberal about the matter,” Ben explained.

“You said that there were women who ... allowed this back in the Before,” Ylva reminded him.

“Yeah, but they were few! Like less than one in one-hundred were fine with it!” Ben told her.

“Here, that number is much higher,” Ylva grinned, seeing his reluctance as something endearing. Ben was speechless and stupefied at hearing this, but Ylva just rolled on.

“You don’t want to see something like this?” Ylva mock pouted, as she drew Mellany to her. She then leaned in and kissed the thicker woman, moaning as she did so. Mellany moaned, kissing her new friend back. Ben couldn’t help but stare as his loins stirred something fierce.

“I’m all for seeing that!” Ben stuttered as he stood up.

Ylva broke the kiss and smiled at him before crooking her finger. Ben walked over, almost in a daze, as she guided him to Mellany, who looked down on the man. She was a little apprehensive, as it had been a while since she’d had any male contact. Craning his neck to Ylva, he saw her nod as he guided Mellany to the massive bed on one side of the room.

Mellany squeaked in surprise as she fell to her ass on the bed. It creaked slightly with her weight, and she stared up into the face of the human man. She gulped slightly as she licked her lips as ben bent down, drawing near to her. He stopped just a hair away from her lips and asked a question, which almost confused Mellany.

“How long has it been for you?” he whispered.

“More than a year,” she whispered back.

“Too long,” Ben breathed, before he leaned in, kissing the woman.

Mellany groaned in delight at this, her insides lighting up at his touch. She moved her hands to the man and found that she liked what she was feeling. It was obvious by the way Ben was kissing her he liked what he had found, too. She could feel his strong hands kneading her breasts through her dress and moaned at the touch. She felt his hands come up to the neckline of her dress, trying to find a way past the fabric.

“Wait. Just a moment,” Mellany told him.

She then doubled up her arms behind her, undoing the buttons that held her dress in place. In a matter of seconds, she pulled her arms free of the garment and busied herself with a bustier she wore beneath the dress. Ben was impressed by the size of her rack, which made Ylva’s sizable tits look middling next to hers. The moment they sprang free of their confines, Ben was on them like a cat to milk.

Mellany giggled, then moaned as the sensations coursed through her. She needed and wanted this badly, pulling Ben’s head into her tits. Ben suffocated for a moment before he got a breath of air in and dove back into large mammaries. Ben chuckled inwardly, thinking if he would suffocate, it would be one hell of a way to go.

“Mmmm! I think Mellany is nicely warmed up! My turn!” Ylva giggled.

Ben turned to see that Ylva had shed her own clothes and stood naked next to him. She scooped him up in her arms, holding him up as she kissed him. His cock stood at attention, wagging in front of Mellany as she sat up. She eyed Ben’s meat hungrily before leaning forward and inhaled his dick, sucking on it.

“Holy ... fuck!” Ben gasped as he broke his kiss with Ylva.

“Ooooo! Someone is having a good time! I don’t think there will be anymore arguments from Ben here. What do you think, Mel?” Ylva questioned.

“I doubt he will ever complain again!” Mellany snickered before she went back to sucking on Ben’s dick.

“I’ll ... still complain ... but not ... about ... this!” Ben breathed, feeling himself riled up beyond belief.

“Good boy!” Ylva grinned as her hands roamed all over Ben while Mellany sucked him off.

“Whoa ... stop, stop, stop!” he groaned, tapping Mellany’s head.

“What’s wrong?” Mellany asked, her face taking on a serious look.

“Allow me to show you!” Ben grinned.

He then took Mellany by the hips and turned her around, having her kneel on the bed by the headboard. He then slid beneath her and took hold of her ass, drawing her down onto his face. This turn of events shocked but delighted Mellany, and she obeyed his movements. The moment her nether lips touched his speaking ones, she cried out, the touch of his lips giving her a start.

Ben chuckled and started using his tongue, licking her slit. Mellany shivered with joy, as she had rarely ever experienced this before. Even then, the men who did this for her didn’t linger with it, wanting to be done with it quickly. Ben seemed ... eager to taste her, wanting to take her into his mouth. The way his tongue moved along her outer and inner lips was enough to have her squeaking with glee.

Ben kept his mouth on Mellany’s pussy lips, wanting to make her squirm and squeal. She did all of this, and more, feeling that she was on the road to her peak. Ben could tell that she was, and he groaned even more, as he felt Ylva’s lips envelop his cock. Her mouth slid up and down his tool, making him hard as steel and nice and slick for them.

“Mellany first,” Ylva said briefly, popping her mouth off Ben’s dick to say that, before she filled her mouth again.

Ben grunted an affirmative, while his mouth was full of Mellany’s pussy. He moaned and growled, sending pleasing shivers and vibes through the woman. She cooed in appreciation of his oral efforts, enjoying every second of what he was giving her. He kept going, driving her higher and higher to her peak, until he withdrew his mouth from her quim.

“What ... why...” Mellany protested as Ben and Ylva moved away.

Her pout was soon replaced with a grin as she saw him moving closer to her with his dick in hand. He lined it up with her dripping slit and pushed it into her, making her groan in delight. Ben felt larger than he looked, his cock stretching her insides out nicely. She shivered in desire as she felt his tool fill her, his balls bumping against her nether lips.