FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

So, here we have the latest addition to the OWoS series, which, as I mentioned in my last journal, takes place in another location. This time, we are turning our eyes towards the cold forests of Kerennya, as Mallon Veraughn makes his first appearance. Up until now, everything we knew know about him came from the bits and pieces, snatched from the conversations between Tirran and Emrin, which depicted him as a pretty plain bad person. I wanted to give him a personality of his own though, and since I don't want to limit the empire of Iskalath to just those parts of the story that take place inside of the palace, I decided to write about Kerennya for a change.

I hope you enjoy reading this story as much as I enjoyed writing it (and I also hope you'll give me some feedback on the story, so that I can decide wether you'd want to read more stories like this one in the future ;)

On Wings of Shadow

The fox in the forest

The black forest had curled itself into a shroud of fog, which might have driven even a berserker to despair. Mallon shuddered, as his horse neighed quietly beneath him. He leaned forward and gently stroked the animal's neck, causing it to snort in response.

He hated the black forests, and the steady light rain, which continued to soak his tailor made and very expensive clothes, did its part to steadily deteriorate his mood even further. He spat out and spurred his horse, which whinnied loudly in protest before it accelerated.

The men behind him were caught off guard and desperately tried to keep up, but he didn't care; he had waited for this for far too long and he was sick and tired of shaking cold water out of the fur at his neck, without ever getting it dry.

Trees and shrubs shot past him, emerging from the fog and disappearing back into it just as quickly. It was almost like some bizarre magic trick. He shielded his eyes with a hand to counter the rain that was now whipping into his face. Nothing. By now, the Valryn family's castle should have at least been in sight.

He loudly cursed the fog and the weather god Korgos, whereupon the low-hanging branch of a pine tree shot out of the fog and struck him in the face.

Mallon almost lost his grip, barely managing to grab and hold on to the saddle knob in time. He spat pieces of bark and pine needles into the now swelling rain.

"Well, if you want to have it that way!" He reached for the scabbard at his side and drew his sword. Cold blue steel glistened in the dim light.

It was undoubtedly a shame to make the noble blade do the work of a forest warden but be that as it may. Mallon pressed his lips against the flat side of the sword and kissed the engraved coat of arms of the house of Veraughn, his coat of arms, then he raised the proud weapon. Another branch crossed his path, but this time it hit a different obstacle. Mallon's sword described a shimmering bow and the steel bit hungrily and completely through the hard wood, without meeting even the slightest resistance.

The corsac fox barked with satisfaction as the branch crashed to the ground next to him and drove his horse on further. It fought its way forward, sweating as its hooves hurled water and mud up into the air. Another branch fell victim to the sword, but Mallon no longer cared. He thought about what punishment might be appropriate for a forest warden, who allowed the ways of his lord ways to degenerate in such a way.

A quick glance over his shoulder showed him that he had lost his guards, and even his old friend Breon, who was usually a much better rider than himself.

Mallon let his horse slow down and listened but couldn't hear any other sound besides the falling rain and the snorting breath of his horse.

He pulled his soaked cape closer. Why was he only beginning to feel the cold just now? His sword sparkled palely, while the rain pushed resin and pieces of bark down the blade. How far could he still have to ride be until he reached the castle?

He looked around, but still couldn't see or hear any other riders as his horse trotted along the increasingly muddy path. With a sigh, Mallon wiped the sword with his coat and pushed it back into the scabbard, before he swung himself out of the saddle and landed next to his horse with a splash. His boots sank ankle-deep into the mud but kept his paws dry. In retrospect, the boots had probably not been as overpriced as he had suspected.

He grabbed the halter and lead the horse on. In front of him, a shadow slowly peeled out of the fog, which turned out to be a part of the outer wall of the castle. Mallon's boots crunched across coarse cobblestones as he walked towards an open gate. Apparently, someone had expected him, but nevertheless it was a foolish mistake to leave the gates open, especially in such a dense fog.

He looked at the stone gatehouse with its heavy black wooden gate. It was probably the only stone structure in the entire forest besides the castle itself. It was a bit strange considering the fact that the rest of the outer walls were made of wood, but on the other hand, it had to have been a huge effort to transport all the stone over miles of poorly maintained paths, and had probably led the constructors to the decision to build the outer walls and watchtowers out of the resistant black wood that was available in abundance in this forest.

His eyes kept wandering over the gatehouse as he passed through it and entered the castle walls. There were even drop grids which could be lowered in front of the gates, in case of an emergency; a luxury he greatly appreciated, even considering that the greatest danger in this forest were likely some poachers and smaller gangs of bandits, who occasionally haunted the main roads. Shaking his head, he continued and led his horse towards the stables.

It was outrageous that he had not been properly welcomed yet. Probably, some kind of general negligence had manifested among the inhabitants of the castle, which would undoubtedly be directly attributable to his cousin. At least Mallon was very sure of that. Quietly, he stepped into the shadow of the old castle of the Valryn family, which had been his mother's home and, in for some time, his own home too. The dark grey walls of Kerennian fire granite rose into the sky of the rainy evening, like the brazen body of a stranded Leviathan. Four high, round towers had originally been constructed in a circle around the large central keep, before they had eventually been connected to it and each other by additional walls.

Mallon watched a stream of rainwater which emerged as a torrent just below the crenellations and streamed down the ivy-covered towers. He cringed at the thought that the original keep had not even been covered by a wooden roof back when it had been built. The Valryn family had always been composed of rather tough individuals, at least if one did not look too closely at individual members of the current generation.

Mallon approached the stables, that were built in the shadow of the castle's southern tower and stopped in front of a large wooden entrance gate. He could hear somebody quietly snoring on the inside and briefly flashed his teeth before he sent the door crashing into the interior of the stable with a precise kick to the hinges and accompanied by the loud and, as he noted to himself, extremely satisfying dull noise of its impact. A quiet, pain-filled groan sounded as Mallon entered the stable. With a low crunching sound, the fallen door rose slightly from the ground, before it fell to the side, and gave way to the sight of a somewhat battered-looking shepherd dog, rubbing his forehead.

"What in the name of all the gods was that for? Can't you pay attention to what you do with your thrice cursed paws you miserable.." The young dog rose and plucked the straw out of his fur as he spoke. Then his gaze met the tunic and the coat of arms on Mallon's chest causing him to freeze in an instant. "But.. you are.." He bowed down so quickly that he lost his balance and stumbled forward, catching himself just before his nose hit to the floor. "Forgive me my Lord, we had not expected you to arrive before tomorrow."

Mallon covered his eyes with a hand. It was unbelievable to see in what a pitiful state Tirran had left his castle. "For Wolgar's sake, get up, lad."

The servant rose slowly. Dry straw poured down from his black-brown, short shaved fur as he stood in front of his master with his eyes lowered. "I am Ellam, my lord. Servant."

Mallon looked at the dog standing in front of him. He was slightly younger than Mallon himself, though not by much. two or three winters probably and he looked surprisingly well-groomed for a stable hand. On the other hand though, Tirran had probably placed particular emphasis on selecting "good-looking" rather than capable personnel. A relatively clean leather doublet covered his slender, slightly muscular torso, and his legs were covered by a pair of linen trousers held by a sturdy belt of mat dark leather. Mallon looked into a pair of warm brown eyes. "You say you're a stable hand?" He looked around and encompassed the empty boxes with an expansive gesture. "What are you even doing here? What is your task when there doesn't seem to be a single horse around?"

Ellam scratched himself behind an ear in embarrassment. His tail wagged slowly as he thought about this. "Well, sir, you did just bring me one that I could take care of." He smiled uncertainly.

"Hmpf." Mallon led his horse in and tied the reins to a post. "Don't worry, you'll have plenty to do as soon as the others arrive. I was rather wondering about what your tasks might have been up till now." He let his eyes wander across Ellam's form. "Although I am beginning to have a suspicion about what it might have been."

The stable hand lowered his head slightly. "If you want me to serve you like I did Lord Tirran, then.."

"That won't be necessary!" Mallon hastily took a step back. "That kind of service is not needed here anymore. I want you to let the other servants know that I have arrived so that they may at least have the opportunity to welcome me properly, and I want to see my banners flying above the castle as soon as possible."

"Yes, milord." The shepherd turned around and stepped out through the broken gate.

Mallon sighed. "Ellam?" He waited until the young male's nervous face appeared in the doorframe again. "Sorry about the door. I didn't expect that you'd be.." He pushed a bushel of hay into his horse's feeding trough. "Just forget this happened."

Ellam bowed and disappeared again. Mallon shook his head. His damn cousin was still playing with him, and obviously he didn't even have to be present for that. "Such services are not needed here." He sat down in the straw next to the quietly chewing horse and leaned his head back against the wooden wall. No, he would not repeat the mistakes of his cousin, who had ridiculed their family and their traditions by simply doing whatever the hell he wanted to. It didn't matter what he had to give up, or how handsome certain people were, who were much lower in the social hierarchy than himself. He bit his tongue. He had already figured out that it would be hard to gain a foothold here. Having to fight was also nothing new for him, but.. A loud, heavy voice ripped him from his thoughts.

"You could have waited for us, you know."

Mallon chuckled when he saw Breon Bergaren in the doorway. Cold water flowed down his black-brown fur, and over the neatly tightened black cape. He could see the coat of arms of the house Veraughn embroidered in proud silver threads on the right side of it. With heavy steps, the newcomer made his way through the stable before he sank to the ground next to Mallon and took off the silver-plated steel helmet he had worn. The helmet itself was an elaborately crafted piece that was built to resemble Breon's facial features and head shape. As a full helmet, it enclosed his entire head all the way down to his throat. A single drop of water ran down the stern silver brows and then remained sparkling like a tear under the right eye opening.

"I wanted to offer an old friend a little challenge." The corsac fox smiled. "But you don't seem to appreciate that, do you? I thought as a Doberman you were practically born for the saddle. Isn't that what they say about the hounds of Bremont?"

Breon laughed barkingly and slapped his friend lightly on the back with his flat hand. "Don't be silly, I love a good hunt just as much as everyone else, but you could have hurt yourself. This forest is not without dangers."

Mallon grinned and let his gaze wander across the room. "Maybe I should have taken your sister with me instead. At least she wouldn't try to mother me."

"Oh, I'm sure she would do quite a lot to you if you let her close, but as you know, she's on the road, escorting our brave king Logan anyway. Bremont's dogs are still the best, no matter the task." He pulled a wooden pipe from a small leather bag on his belt and began to stuff it.

"The next time I see Silena, I might mention that you still have that fucking thing." Mallon gave his friend a disapproving look while the Doberman tried to ignite the herbs in the pipe.

"You know, I keep wondering how she manages to be friends with you and your cousin at the same time. There is nothing wrong with silver herbs though; they have an invigorating effect and calm the nerves." Breon brought the pipe to his lips, inhaled deeply then let the white smoke escape through his nose.

"It smells disgusting and that smell sticks to your fur for hours." Mallon shut his eyes. "Why do you think the quacks who sell the stuff can only be found in Walgrundt? I bet it's nothing but the weeds they rip out in their backyards.'

The Doberman shrugged. "It dispels the smell of horses and wet fur, and since we're talking about horses; why are we sitting here in a barn in the straw when you have been given the whole damned castle?"

"We are waiting for me to be officially welcomed." Mallon rose from the ground and plucked the straws from his gray-brown fur and the black-and-grey tunic he wore under his cape. Of course, he could have just stormed straight into the castle, but that wouldn't have made any impression and the fact that he, the lord of the castle, was obviously simply ignored, annoyed him immensely.

With a quiet sigh, Breon knocked the embers out of his pipe, got up and crushed the remnants of the herbs under one of his boots. "Wait here, I'll take care of it." He put the helmet back on, making himself an even more impressive sight than he already was by himself, and disappeared out into the rain.

Mallon waited, while outside the unmistakable sound of a fast-opening door could be heard, followed a while later by the protesting voice of a person who was apparently not accustomed to being dragged through mud and rain out of a sudden at such a late hour. He smiled with satisfaction as his bodyguard entered the stable, nodded at him briefly and thrust a completely soaked figure wrapped in a colourful robe into the straw in front of him. Judging by the shape, it seemed to be a badger.

"This glutton says he is the steward here." Breon gave the badger a kick in the butt that sent him muzzle first down into the straw as he tried to get up. "I am inclined to believe him, judging by his behaviour. I found him cowering in front of the fireplace, like some Ekurian wench." The stylized fangs of his helmet sparkled menacingly.

The badger pushed himself up and spat straws onto the floor. "This is outrageous! How dare you mistreat lord Valryn's deputy in such a way?" Tumbling he came to his feet and stared furiously at the corsac fox in front of him. "Your kind is rare in Kerennya.. only a handful of you were able to make a living so far north of the wastelands. Who are you? Bandits?"

Mallon laughed in generous amusement and shook his head. "Who I am? I am the son of Teleria Valryn and Keleanor Veraughn." He took a step towards the badger, who retreated in shock. "Master of horses of his majesty King Logan of Kerennya and recently proclaimed as lord of the black woods." He couldn't resist to grin as he bowed deeply in front of the badger, who stumbled further backwards until he collided with Breon. "Mallon Veraughn at your service."

The badger paled and rubbed his paws in panic against his long robe, a not-quite-cheap garment, as Mallon noted. "Please forgive me, my lord, I did not know that you were arriving today, otherwise I would have..."

The fox showed him a humorless smile. "You would have done what? Would you have had the walls manned and the gates closed to celebrate this special occasion? Or maybe you would have stopped devouring the wine and supplies of my family, which my poor cousin apparently entrusted to you in his recklessness?" Mallon gently slapped the belly of the badger with his hand, and it began to wobble in response. "You are a disgrace to your office, but don't worry, I will help you improve." He snorted while leaving the stable. "For now, you will take care of the horses, and you will not dare to pass on your task to Ellam or anyone else."

Breon looked after his friend, then he grabbed a fork hanging from the wall and pressed it into the badger's trembling paws. "Have fun." He laughed softly as he followed the fox, who had disappeared into the main tower already. Firelight shown promisingly from within. The Doberman stepped in and ordered the officers, who had been waiting for him inside, to have the outer wall and gatehouse manned. It was practically impossible that there would be any attempts to attack the castle, but Breon was a cautious man, especially when it came to the well-being of a friend.

Mallon had sat down on a padded bench next to the fireplace and looked at the plate on the table in front of him. "That guy did really have a good time here."

"Can you blame him?" Breon took the helmet off and loosened the buckles of his cape, letting it to fall to the ground with a quiet wet slap. He sat next to the fox and laid the helmet on the heavy wood of the table. His gaze wandered across the room. Of course, it was large and round, just like the tower itself. Apart from the front door, which consisted of heavy black wood and was covered with iron fittings, there was no way to get in. He also noticed a heavy grille next to the door, which could be used to bar it in the event of an attack. No windows or shooting slits lined the walls, which were instead covered with tapestries, and only a narrow shaft above the fire pit allowed the smoke to leave the room. The wooden ceiling was supported by massive beams, which in turn were supported by ornately carved and decorated pillars of black wood standing between wooden benches and tables. Apparently, this room was mainly used for gatherings and dining. In the back, he could see a door that would likely lead to the kitchen. "So far out in the woods there is not much to do, I suspect, especially in this kind of weather."

Mallon rolled his eyes and grabbed a roasted goose leg from the plate. "Please make sure that the men on the wall are taken care of. And have them take turns to alllow them to warm up in the gatehouse as much as possible. I want to keep them as healthy as they were when we brought them here."

"Already done." Breon reached into his leather bag.

"Don't you dare to rekindle this cursed thing today. Especially not while I'm eating." The fox shook at the thought of the smell of silver herb.

Breon grinned and pulled a small metal bottle from the bag. "Just a good drop from home to celebrate the day." He screwed the lid open, looked around briefly, and then slammed his fist into the underside of a shelf above their bench, causing two silver cups to fall down onto the table.

"I would be very thankful to you if you did not smash up my castle on the very first day." Mallon smiled as the dog poured them a treat.

Breon laughed and shoved his cup against Mallon's causing them to clang. "What are we drinking to?"

The fox pondered briefly. "To family." They threw their heads back and downed the sharp smelling liquid at the same time. After a few seconds, the fox shuddered, which made Breon laugh again.

"It's just as I had remembered it."

The Doberman nodded. "The best Bremont has to offer."

"Apart from your sister and yourself, you mean." Mallon smirked and let himself fall back against the cushions, but rose up again with a quiet growl when the guard of his sword stabbed into his side. He detached the scabbard from his belt and placed the weapon on the table next to Breon's helmet. The polished steel shone almost as bright in the firelight as the golden inlays in its haft and knob.

"A true gem I have to say. The copper it cost you was well spent." The Doberman looked at the ornate scabbard. The black leather embroidered with pure silver threads glistened dimly.

"A good weapon, yes." Mallon took another goose leg off the table and bit into it heartily. For a while, they sat silently by the flickering fire as the plate in front of them slowly emptied. It was truly remarkable to see what a single badger was able to eat. Mallon looked over to his friend and remembered that both of them had been riding through wind and rain for hours. After chewing it clean, he put the last bone aside. "We should go to rest, Breon. I think there has really been enough excitement for one day."

"Are you talking about that thick badger sweating with the horses in the stable?" Breon took another sip from his bottle before letting it disappear back into his bag.

"Among other things. As far as I remember, you chose the chamber right next to mine, right?"

Breon nodded briefly, then reached for his helmet and threw a glance over to his coat.

Mallon waved off as if guessing his friend's thought. "Just leave it lying there. I'm sure somebody will take care of it. And if not, I'll make the badger a washwoman tomorrow." He got up and walked over to the wooden staircase at the edge of the large room. The wood creaked quietly under his boots as he climbed the steps to the next floor. It felt strange to be back here. The room that had once belonged to his mother was quite high up in the tower and the room of the lord of the castle was located somewhere in the middle, at the "heart" of the tower, which meant that he still had quite a few steps ahead of him. It was, of course, a sensible idea to accommodate the important rooms higher up, but this made the paths for the lord of the castle, himself, also unpleasantly exertive.

A while later, he arrived at the door of his chamber, followed by Breon, and opened it quietly. His gaze wandered across the dark room. The accommodation was appropriate; a heavy table, three upholstered chairs, a large, massive cupboard for his belongings, four narrow windows with glass roundel panes and a bed that would have been too big even for three foxes. He also recognized the familiar shape of an oven in the corner, and of course no one had bothered to light it. It was just as dark and cold as the candles in the small chandelier hanging below the ceiling. Breon walked past him into the room and lit a candle near the bed.

"Looks pretty cozy."

Mallon looked down and noticed that his friend was standing on an expensive-looking carpet with his muddy wet boots. He chose not to make a comment on this while Breon pulled a linen cloth sheet off of a painting on the wall and paused. He gave the fox an uncertain look.

"Should I.. Would you rather have me remove that for you?"

Mallon stepped up behind him and froze. It was a painting of his cousin Tirran. To be more precise; it showed a younger Tirran as he had looked like when he, Mallon and the rest of their family had still been living in the castle together. Back when he.. "No, leave it here."

Breon gave him a brief look, then nodded and left the room. "Very well. Have a good night then, friend."

Mallon waited until the door had closed. He took another look out of the window and over to the gatehouse, over which the banners showing the twice broken oak tree would by now be waving somewhere in the dark. He took off his wet clothes and slipped under the silky duvet. His gaze wandered over to the painting of Tirran, whose features seemed strangely alive in the candlelight. He shook his head and sighed softly, before he turned around and closed his eyes.

***

"Mallon?"

A voice. Soft, like silk on the breeze. He blinks. He is lying on his back in the grass and sunlight warms his face. He smiles happily. Nearby, he can hear the water of the river as it splashes and plays with the fish who live in it. He pushes himself up on his lower arms and stretches his limbs. It is summer again. Finally.

A movement next to him makes him turn around.

A smile. Lips as soft as velvet part before him.

"Asleep again?"

A hand. Gentle and warm as it ruffles through the fur at his neck. He growls playfully. "Dreaming."

"What of?"

Another hand dances across his chest like a butterfly across a rose petal. "Life. Love." He reaches out for HIM.

"I like to hear you say that. You seem so.. distant at times."

"I do?" He thinks about this as the oak tree above him whispers in the breeze. He can hear his mother singing in the distance. The wind carries the smells of berries and freshly baked bread.

"You do."

He lies down and cuddles up to HIM. The scent of HIS fur is breathtakingly wonderful. HIS heart beats warm and soft against his skin.

HE is everything.

Mallon smiles and puts an arm around HIM as the sun smiles down on them. The world of his heart smiles. He pulls HIM close and their lips find each other, a hot, loving spirit moves between them.

HE is Mallon's world, as Mallon is his.

"We will have visitors today I hear."

HE smiles, as their lips part gently. Mallon knows HE is right, his mother has told him about it. HE stands up and takes his hand. Together, they walk back to the castle. Sunrays play over the walls and laughter fills the air. They sit down at the table. The visitors are there. Wolves. Mallon doesn't know them. One of them comes over and sits next to them. He doesn't take any notice of Mallon and talks to HIM instead. They laugh. Mallon watches, but can't hear what they say. He turns around to grab a loaf of bread. When he looks back, they are gone. He looks around.

HE is nowhere to be seen.

Mallon sits and waits for what seems like hours to him, but HE does not return.

Mallon gets up. Dancing couples move across the lawn while servants play light music for them. He pushes through the mass of bodies. In the distance, he can hear the river calling for him. He starts to run. The oak tree is close, HE will be there. It is their place and.. Mallon stops.

HE is there.. The wolf is there.. Mallon stares in disbelief. HE gets up. HIS clothes are everywhere. Mallon can smell the wolf's essence on HIM, in HIM, as HE turns around.

"Mallon? Come to me. I didn't want to.."

HE opens HIS arms. Mallon takes a step back. HE looks at him in despair.

"Please, I didn't want to.."

Mallon can see the wolf grinning at him, licking his lips. He is terrified, angry, lost. The oak tree cracks, a broad tear runs down its stem as pieces of wood and bark come showering down on top of him like hail. Mallon turns around and runs. Colored leaves start to fall around him, crumbling to dust before even reaching the ground. He runs for the castle, for the embrace of his mother. His world lies broken behind him, defiled.

He enters the keep, while the sun sets over the forest. It is cold inside. He can hear sobbing. The hall stands empty. He can see their family, his uncle is shouting at HIM. His grandfather is there. Mallon stops, as he turns to look at him with pain in his eyes. His heart stops beating. A shroud hangs across the painting of his father and mother. He starts to cry.

The world turns.

His grandfather stays in the castle. They mourn together. HE is there, watching him from a distance.

Time passes.

Mallon stands in the hall with his uncle and grandfather. They talk about the south. Suddenly, he can feel HIM behind his back. HIS breath feels hot on Mallon's neck as HE lays his arms around him and presses himself against Mallon's body. He turns his head.

"I'm sorry.."

Mallon feels HIS lips press against his own. He is confused. His uncle turns around and starts to shout at HIM. His grandfather turns around too. He is furious. Mallon is frozen in shock as his grandfather walks up to him. A fist hits him in the face. Warm blood runs down his muzzle. He calls for HIM, calls for help, but HE is gone. His uncle is gone. There is only his grandfather. Another blow hits him. Mallon feels the pain flaring through his left eye. Another. Mallon whimpers. Another. Another. He loses count.

Time passes.

He doesn't see HIM anymore. His grandfather holds him by the shoulder instead. He is family. Family is everything. His grandfather will take him home, away from the others. To the south. Mallon steps out of the castle with him and finds himself standing in front of the oak tree. The river is dried out. The fish are dead. The leaves are dead. His grandfather's voice echoes in his ears, "Beware of the wolf who holds your heart in his jaws." Mallon begins to cry, as the oak tree cracks once more with a deafening boom.

***

Mallon shot up in his bed and screamed out in agony. His heart was racing like crazy. He heard a rumbling noise from somewhere close, then his door crashed into the room in a hail of wooden splinters. Breon charged in through the carnage, holding a dagger and a short crossbow. He took up position in front of Mallon's bed, the head of the bolt in his crossbow wandering across the room, as he scanned for threats hidden somewhere in the darkness.

"Are you alright?" The Doberman didn't turn around. His entire body tense and ready. Nobody would be able to get past him.

Mallon was breathing heavily. "I.." He watched as the Doberman slowly made his way through the darkness.

Breon gave the remains of the broken picture frame in front of him a soft kick. "So, this caused all the commotion, hm? You should have let me take it down; that would have spared us this little episode." He unloaded the crossbow and sighed.

"It was just a nightmare." Mallon laid back on his pillow. "Sorry for waking you up."

"Are you kidding? That thing made enough noise to awaken the dead when it came down." Breon walked back towards to the bed.

"But.. It fell down by itself?" Mallon stared at his friend in disbelief. "After it had been hanging there undisturbed for years?"

The Doberman shrugged. "That's what they do, right? They hang around, they gather dust, and then they fall and break into bits. End of story." He stepped out of the room without another comment.

Just when Mallon began to wonder what to do about the door, Breon came back with a blanket and laid it down in front of the bed. Noticing the questioning look on the fox's face, he grinned. "I'll stay here and you'll sleep much better. You'll see."

"Breon, that isn't necessary, I.."

"Will thank you in the morning. I know. No need to do that though, I'm just making sure you sleep safe and sound, since I had to remove your door. Sorry for that by the way." He lay down next to the bed and looked out the window. A pillow hit him on the head, causing him to turn around, but Mallon had already rolled over and was facing the wall. "Right. Thanks, friend." He smirked while he watched the broken doorframe until he drifted to sleep.

***

Mallon awoke and blinked into the sunlight. What a night. He rolled around and noticed that Breon was still sleeping. He smirked, and looked through the window, before realizing something. His eyes wandered back to the sleeping Doberman. Mallon hadn't noticed it in the darkness, but his friend had been completely and utterly naked when he charged in. He chuckled softly. What a guy. To him, it didn't matter under what kind of circumstances he had to fight, he would protect his friends no matter what. Mallon made a mental note to give him a special gift in return. His view slid over the dog's sleeping body, all the way down to his rump. His tail hung down and allowed a near perfect view of.. He bit his tongue. No, Breon was a friend, and a friend who preferred the company of females. It was okay to look though, wasn't it? He had to focus. Mallon swallowed hard and cleared his throat.

"Done watching me, hm?" Breon stretched with a wide yawn and got up. "It's no shame to enjoy the sight of another male, if you ask me. Heck, it's not even a bad thing to do more than that, no matter what the priests and the rest of the aristocracy say." He walked out of the room. Mallon could hear his heavy steps echo through the hallway and into the room next door.

The Doberman returned a while later. He wore a black leather vest and a pair of dark linen trousers, held at his waist by a sturdy leather belt. His feet were hidden in a clean pair of boots. Mallon also noticed the dagger, which he was still carrying in a scabbard at his side. "Isn't it time to get up milord? I'll be waiting for you in the hall once you're ready."

Mallon gave a short nod in response. He stretched and got up. A quick glance out the window showed him, that the men of the night watch were just leaving their posts. Heading towards the southern tower, which was serving as their barracks. Commendable. He walked past the window and over to a small wardrobe. A silver platter sat on top of it, and on top of that, a linen towel and a jar filled with water. He dipped his hands in and gathered up some of the cool liquid, which he then splashed into his face. He flashed his teeth as the cold tore the tiredness from his aching features. After another splash, he picked up the towel and dried himself up. He looked up at the small mirror at the wall atop the wardrobe. Now for the less uncomfortable part of the morning, he thought to himself.

A short while later, Mallon came down into the main hall. He was wearing a fresh set of clothes and even allowed himself to smile for once. Breon looked at him and smirked. He hadn't seen his friend smile for quite some time now.

A bowl of boiled meat, carrots and oat grits was waiting for him at the table. Mallon stared at it for a moment before he sat down. "I had nearly managed to forget that this counts as breakfast around here."

Breon chuckled as he dug a metal spoon into his bowl. "It has vegetables AND meat in it. This is the stuff that makes the peasants grow their muscles my friend."

"As well as the hair on their teeth." Mallon grumbled as he sat down. Breon burst into laughter and slapped him on the back in response.

"I just love that sense of humor of yours milord. Better eat up though, otherwise the kitchen lady might get upset at us, and from what I've seen so far, she knows how to handle that spoon of hers." The Doberman grinned and went back to eating with growing appetite.

Mallon groaned quietly as he watched him. The fur around his lips was drenched already. He looked down and brought a spoonful of the stuff to his mouth, carefully sniffing at it.

"It's always been a favorite around 'ere milord. Dem men o' yours can tell if you don't believe me."

A huge female badger was standing in the kitchen door, holding a giant wooden spoon, covered in grits. Her belly was put to shame only by the large pair of breasts hidden under her linen clothes. Somehow, she reminded Mallon of the Idols that the early Kerennians had carved out of wood and stone to please some ancient fertility goddess of theirs. He gulped. "It is quite an unexpected treat so early in the morning, I have to say."

"I always knew there were some nobles with be'er taste." She beamed with joy as she turned around. "You 'ear that ya sleezy bastards? His highness loves me breakfast, so get back to work. If I see any of you slacking off in the corner again, the soldiers 'll be havin' weasel for lunch."

Mallon grimaced as the door fell shut behind her.

"She swings that thing like a club milord. Wouldn't want to be hit on the head by that." Breon grinned, still chewing his meal. "You know, she put some extra meat in it for me, after I complimented her on her cooking skills."

"I guess she doesn't receive compliments too often." Mallon whispered, eyeing the door in case the giantess returned. He took the spoon in his mouth and grimaced. It was not exactly bad, but he was used to a very different kind of food. Breon chuckled as he watched him eat.

"I hear she is very good at roasting and grilling stuff. Remember the meat you had when we arrived here yesterday? She prepared that too."

Mallon mumbled something incoherent in return and continued to chew. At least the stuff was great for training his jaw muscles he thought to himself.

Both of them kept eating until their bowls stood empty. When the badger returned to ask if they wanted a refill, Breon opened his mouth, but it snapped shut again when Mallon kicked him in the right shin below the table. The Doberman bit his tongue while Mallon sent the cook back to the kitchen, commending her for her fabulous work.

"That was close." Mallon raised an eyebrow at his friend. "You seriously wanted even more?"

The Doberman rubbed his shin and snorted. "I'm hungry. Also, I fight better after a nice breakfast."

Mallon rolled his eyes und pulled a rolled-up piece of paper from his pocket, placing it on the table. "I have something to do for our men."

Breon watched as his friend unrolled a plan in front of him. "A plan of the castle, hm?"

The corsac fox nodded. "I have some improvements planned for the western tower in particular." He tapped his right index finger on the map. "We will move some of the unused beds from other parts of the castle, as well as some wooden tubs."

The Doberman scratched his neck. "Well, it's your castle, but if you ask me, the southern tower is better suited as a garrison, as it is closer to the gatehouse." He looked over at his friend who showed no reaction at all. "What exactly are you up to?"

"You'll see, don't worry." Mallon got up and walked over to the entrance, pushing the heavy door open. Before passing through, he turned his head back towards the Doberman. "Gather some of the men and meet me at the western tower when you're ready."

Breon groaned silently as the door fell shut. This was not the kind of work he was being paid to do, but at least it would keep him busy for a while.

* * *

"Easy now! Let go!" A loud thump echoed through the empty tower, as the heavy wooden bed touched the floor. Breon wiped cold sweat off his forehead and sighed. They had been working their tails off for the entire morning and he still didn't know what for. He watched Mallon who was currently mumbling something to himself, while checking another one of his plans.

„Why exactly did we have the men redecorate half of the western tower?" Breon asked, as he walked over to Mallon to get a glance at the plan in the corsac fox's hands.

Mallon looked back at his friend and shrugged. "They are working to improve morale in the castle. Think about it, we are in the middle of nowhere out here. Nothing to get your mind off the daily routines. That's going to drive any male or female insane after a while." He made a wide gesture, encompassing the room. "I have been pondering this problem for quite some time, even before we began our journey here. And this, right in front of your eyes is the solution I came up with. Look around. What does it remind you of?"

Breon grimaced as he looked around, his eyes following the motion of Mallon's gesture. "Korrsulean style I'd say. A.. tavern of some sort judging by the cushions and draperies."

"Close." The fox smirked. "This my friend is a bathing house."

The Doberman burst into laughter. "They give you all of this and you turn it into a whorehouse? That is just glorious!"

"I said a bathing house. It is going to keep the soldiers occupied when they're off duty." Mallon rolled out the plan and placed it on the table in front of him, holding it open with his hands until Breon had pinned the ends down on the thick wood with a couple of nails.

"I like the way you think, friend, but still, where are the workers going to be coming from?"

The fox smiled knowingly. "Don't you worry. An acquaintance of mine has already taken care of that problem for us."

* * *

The wagon rolled through another hole in the road, making her head bump against the hard, wooden wall. She cursed. As if the shackles weren't bad enough already. She had endured the shaking for almost two days now, and the stench of unwashed fur and sweat was heavy on the air inside. She growled quietly as she looked around. There were six more of them, her mother, four other females and her brother. Damn coward, she thought to herself. The straw beneath her rustled dryly as she pushed herself up. A thin ray of light fell through a gap beside the door. She pressed her head against the wall to spy through the tiny hole.

"See anything?"

She growled louder than before. "Shut your damn mouth, Letharr. If I hear one more word from you, I'm going to strangle you with these fucking chains." Gritting her teeth, she returned her attention to the outside world. Dust. Something green. The smells of dogs, horses, and wood. A forest road maybe? Another bump in the road shook the wagon, causing her to slip on the straw. She hit the ground hard and the impact knocked the wind out of her. She coughed as stars began to dance in front of her eyes. Her view wandered over to her brother, but he didn't show any reaction. Good for him.

"It's not his fault we're in here Kethra." The older female glared at her from the darkness.

"I didn't ask for your opinion Sennara." She pushed herself up and rolled over onto her back. The world was still spinning around her. "I don't care if you're my mother. I was chosen as leader for our group, so better bite that tongue of yours." She turned her head and watched as her mother lowered her head and turned around.

What a damn shame to be caught like this.

The task had seemed easy enough; protect the provisions and the camp. That wasn't a big deal for a warrior after all. When the night had come, the sentries had taken their posts, while the main force laid down to rest for the night. Nobody had seen the ferrets coming with their knives and bows. Nobody except for her brother. They had caught him off guard and spared his life, because they had mistaken him for a female in the darkness. The raiding party had finished the rest of her group off swiftly after that, capturing most of the females alive in their sleep. A couple of them had woken up in the end, but their resistance was crushed almost effortlessly. Afterwards, the survivors had been chained up and stuffed into these wagons.

Where were they taking them? Kethra thought they might be headed for Walgrundt at first. But then, why would they even go through all the trouble to capture them? It wasn't the block that was waiting for them, that much was certain. The dogs were likely going to put them to work or lock them up somewhere for the rest of their lives. Another shudder ran through the wagon. She was so sick of waiting like this. Sitting up on her knees, she raised her fists and slammed them against the wooden door.

"Open up you cowards! I'll break this door with my bare claws if I have to! Open up!" Her fists slammed against the door again and again.

"Will you stop that? You're making it worse for the rest of us."

Kethra turned her head. One of the other females had sat up too and was staring at her. She raised her fists again and hit the door even harder than before.

She had barely enough time to open her mouth again before the wagon stopped abruptly, causing her head to smash into the wall.

* * *

"That smell is just terrible.." The guard walked around the first of the wagons, listening to the noises inside. "What are you bringing to the castle?" A weasel was sneering down at him from atop the wagon.

"None of your business pup. We came because your lord invited us here." He wrapped at the roof with the tip of a steel dagger. "Now, if you could announce us, our wares are going to spoil if we let them sit for too long."

The dog bared his teeth. "You have a quick tongue for a weasel."

"Funny, that's exactly what your sister said too." The weasel chuckled.

"Why don't you get off that cart and I'll show you just how much I appreciate your fine sense of humor." The dogs right hand closed around the grip of his sword."

"Easy there Mereon. Lord Veraughn wouldn't want to see his guests turned into minced meat out here. On the other hand, I'm pretty sure that badger in the kitchen would be able to turn them into a proper meal." Breon stepped out of the castle, followed by Mallon.

The dog bowed and stepped back.

"Good boy." The weasel snickered. "It is so nice to see, that they at least know who holds the leash around here." He got up, jumped off the wagon and bowed deeply. "My lord Veraughn, I am your most humble servant."

Mallon nodded and extended a hand. He watched as the weasel got closer and kissed it. "I see you have brought quite a lot for us?"

"Indeed, indeed my good lord. Nothing but the finest wares; true jewels of the steppes. Soft of fur and strong of mind and body. All of them enemies of mighty Kerennya and warriors of the Katharri clans. Caught especially for you, oh noble lord." The weasel rubbed his paws and winked at them knowingly.

"Wonderful. I hope you have fed them well on their journey?" Mallon ran his paw across the wooden wagon as if to brush off some dust.

"Of course, my lord, though it was not easy. They are unbroken yet, but it would be a great pleasure for me, if you wish us to.."

Mallon shook his head. "That won't be necessary. I want to talk to their chief in private, before we bring them in though."

"There is no chief among them my lord. We caught a female with one of those embarrassing, colored headdresses, but she isn't worth more than a sergeant I'd say." He made a short gesture towards the door and two weasels with staffs took up position beside it. "She might be a bit.. frustrated about her new situation, but I am sure she will get over it rather quickly.

The door opened. Kethra was lying on the ground and blinked into the light in confusion, then her chain was grabbed and yanked harshly, and she was dragged across the straw covered floor and onto the hard ground outside. She tried to get up, but something hit her in the back. She looked up and flashed her teeth with a feral growl.

Mallon looked down at her. "A cougar?"

The weasel nodded. "As far as I know, we also captured her mother and sister. The mother is a cougar too, but the sister is a cheetah. A marvelous trio of such excellent quality should be worth a handsome reward, don't you think?"

Mallon rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "What do you have in mind?"

"For the three of them? I'd say 800 at least, if you were just a regular customer that is, but let us sweeten the deal shall we? We caught 15 in total; mostly lionesses, tigers and some leopards, but there's also a black panther in one of our wagons." He grinned widely. "How about three thousand and five hundred for the lot of them?"

"That is a lot of copper you're asking for." Mallon looked down at the cougar, who was kneeling in front of him by now, held down by the chains and spears of her captors. "I'll have to see what I can do with them first."

The weasel stared at him. "My lord, it is most unwise to mount a wild horse. They have to be properly tamed first and.."

"I can handle it." Mallon stepped forward and grabbed the chain connected to her collar. She hissed and bared her teeth at him as he pulled her upright and then led her inside the tower.

The guards threw a nervous glance at the closing door. "Sir, shouldn't we.."

Breon shook his head. "He said he can handle it. Give him a minute. If he does not return shortly though, I'm going after them."

Kethra shook her head. Their smell was everywhere; dogs, wolves, the strange fox who was pulling her along with him. She did her best to show him she wouldn't go down without a fight. He led her up a flight of stairs and into a large room. Her chain rattled to the ground as he let go and sat down behind a wooden desk. She stared at him in confusion. Why had he..

"First, I'd like to welcome you and your warriors to my castle. I am deeply sorry about the way you have been treated on your way here." Mallon poured some wine into a crystal goblet und watched as the dark red liquid glistened in the light. Then he brought it to his lips and took a sip. "Now, let us get to the part that is going to interest you the most. That weasel in front of my keep has just asked me for an outrageous sum of money in exchange for your little party. If I should refuse to pay that much, he will likely take you to the next logging camp and sell you as work slaves. You've heard about those camps, right? Run by people who lost their families to your raids, their wives and daughters taken by your warriors.."

He nodded to himself without even looking at her. "Of course, you have. You wouldn't be treated as warriors there, not even as sentient beings. Your life would be brutal and short." Mallon could literally feel her staring at him. He took another sip of wine before he continued, taking the time to admire the flavor on his tongue.

"I do offer you a choice though. I could pay the sum he asks for, if.. You agree to work for me." His eyes focused on her. The cougar didn't move a muscle. She just stood there staring at him. "Your females will work with and for my soldiers, and in return, all of you will be treated with respect. You will receive three meals per day, a bed and as much water as you desire from the well. What do you say?"

Kethra did not respond. Instead, she brought her hands forward and turned her wrists upwards. Chains and shackles clacked and glittered dimly in the light.

Mallon looked at her, as if thinking about the gesture. He carefully placed the goblet back on the desk and got up. His footsteps sounded on the wooden floor of the room as he slowly circled her. "I hope you value how much trust I'm putting in you by doing this.." He retrieved a thin dagger from his pocket, and stepped in front of her. He looked into her eyes, as he sunk the blade into the lock of her shackles and twisted it. The metal shackles sprung open with a quiet click.

The cougar threw herself forward with a roar, claws fully unsheathed. Mallon cursed as she swung her hand at him. He barely managed to dodge the attack; her razor sharp claws ripping through the expensive cloth of the shirt he was wearing. He stumbled backwards. The dagger fell from his hand, clattering across the floor into a corner of the room. He cursed loudly. Another claw strike whistled towards him. He smacked her underarm aside with a fist, and the impact sent a jolt of pain through his body. The female roared again, launching herself at him with her claws aimed at his throat. Somehow, he managed to grab her by the wrists, holding her in place as she slowly pushed him backwards towards the desk. The soles of his boots creaking as they rubbed against the floor.

"You are nothing!" She hissed at him through gritted teeth. "Not a wolf, not even a worthless dog! You are just a fox. I will cut you down and free the others and then.." Kethra coughed as the fox let go, pulling her towards himself, and rammed his knee upwards into her unprotected stomach.

Mallon ducked. The surprised, groaning female fell forwards and he used her momentum to throw her over his back and onto the desk. The heavy wood cracked and splintered as she crashed into it. He didn't waste any time as he ran into the corner where he had last seen his dagger and managed to find it, after a moment of frantic searching, under a heavy cupboard. When the cougar rose from the wreckage of the desk, he was already waiting for her. She was strong, but lacking experience. He grabbed the bottle of wine and threw it at her.

Kethra brought her hands up, deflecting the bottle before it could smash against her head and.. she froze. She felt the sharpness of the blade against her throat, shearing through her soft fur. The bottle hit a wall and broke, covering the floor with tiny shards of glass and ruby colored liquid, but Kethra barely noticed it. She stared at the strange fox in front of her, who was holding his dagger against her throat. This hadn't been a fair fight. "You are.." The blade pushed harder, making her wince.

"You don't talk, you just listen." Mallon was breathing heavily. "I tried to ask nicely, but you wouldn't listen. I tried to reason with you, but you wouldn't hear it. You will not take anything from me; not my life, not my castle, you hear me?" He bared his teeth at her. "Do you have any idea how much I had to set on the board to get this far? I doubt it."

Kethra watched as he began to circle her again, keeping the blade close to her neck all the time. So this was it then? He would kill her right here in this room? She hadn't even managed to lay a single claw on him. She swallowed hard, making the blade of the dagger jump at her throat.

The corsac fox leaned forward and stared at her intently. "I am asking you again now, for one final time. Will you be a nice cat, and do as I say?"

Kethra rasped as the blade drew back far enough for her to speak without fear. A dark glimmer was flickering in the fox's eyes. "But.. I am their leader, I can't just.."

Mallon tutted, pressing a finger against her lips. "I don't like the word "can't".. People who use it are often just trying to make bad excuses. Try again."

The cougar gulped. Her mind was racing as she thought about a way to come out of this alive. Maybe he would.. "You have.. bested me in combat.." Her eyes focused on his. "Your will is that of a warrior worthy of myself." She stared at him nervously as she continued. The fox was looking back at her with suspicion in his eyes. "I offer my claws to you and will lay by your side to guard your sleep. I will bear the life you have to give. I accept you as.." Her lips began to tremble slightly. "my mate."

"That was not what I asked of you though, was it?" Mallon's eyes narrowed and a corner of his upper lip curled upwards. The dagger did not move.

"A female will always honor the will of her mate, as he would honor hers." Kethra lowered her head slightly. The fox thought about this for a moment. Then he gave a curt nod and the blade disappeared from her throat. Her legs began to tremble slightly.

"Cooperation then? Well, that does sound reasonably fair to me. Since you are my "mate" I expect you to share a room with me during the night. Your warriors will move into the western tower. I expect you to instruct them to behave." Mallon cleared his throat and sighed as he looked down at his ruined jacket.

"I.. have a favor to ask." Kethra growled. She kept her eyes fixed on the ground, trying not to look him in the eyes.

"A favour?" Mallon raised an eyebrow at her.

"As your mate, it is my right to choose other females to lie with you. I would have my.. mother and sister share you with me. I don't want them to lie with your men."

"Ahhh.." The corsac fox sighed. "I see. That is.. quite a decadent wish, but you're in luck. You know.." He placed a hand under her chin, gently lifting her gaze up to meet his. "someone I once knew always told me family is everything."

Kethra froze and shivered as a chill ran down her spine. The cougar nodded slowly.

A smile crossed Mallon's features. "I see we understand each other. Your mother and sister will be sharing our room too then. I will have the necessary preparations made. Now, shall we?" He offered her his arm, and she took it carefully, allowing him to guide her back down and outside.

* * *

The air was still filled with tension when Mallon stepped back out into the light. Kethra followed behind him, with her head bowed. He didn't exactly trust her, but it was important to make the right impression on the rest of her little band. He waited until she had stepped up next to him, then he cleared his throat. The corsac fox could feel that everybody was staring at him but didn't show any particular interest in them. He took the time to brush a splinter of wood off his jacket before he spoke. "I have come to an agreement with your leader. She tried to murder me in cold blood, but as you may have noticed, both of us are still alive."

Breon growled, baring his teeth. He pushed his sword out of his scabbard with a twitch of his thumb. "How dare you.." As his grip closed around the hilt of the weapon, Mallon raised a hand, causing him to pause.

"We are both alive, because I won and spared her life." He shot the cougar a sidelong glance.

Kethra spat on the ground but raised her head to face him. "You did."

The corsac fox nodded. "And according to your customs, it was my right to ask her to become my mate, which she accepted."

A murmur ran through the crowd. As it seemed, neither the clan warriors, nor his own were too pleased with the idea. The mercenaries were beginning to become uneasy, too. Mallon could make out the unmistakable sounds of swords being drawn. Breon shot him a harsh glance, before the Doberman turned around. "SILENCE YOU CURS!" he bellowed.

Everything fell silent immediately. The only sound left was the dissipating echo of the Doberman's voice. "Your lord has made a decision. You will follow his will, as you have always proudly done. We have won wealth and glory in his name and will do so again." He let his gaze shift across the dogs and wolves gathered in front of him. "I haven't been told either about this aspect of his plans, but rest assured, he would not do something like this, if it wasn't worth it."

"Marrying a cat is heresy in the eyes of Wolgar!"

Breon turned his head around to a German shepherd, whose ears immediately flattened against his head in submission. "You dare insult our lord like this? I will.."

"That's quite enough Breon." Mallon laid a hand on the Doberman's shoulder, causing him to pause. "Heresy you say. That is a harsh accusation." He lowered his head, as if to think on this, stroking his chin with his right hand. "As I recall, Wolgar's law does not permit the marriage of his sons and daughters to the children of Katharna, the feline goddess of blood and chaos. So, it would indeed be a sin in the eyes of the priesthood if I were to marry a cat." He waited, while some of the soldiers began to murmur and nod in agreement.

"But.." He raised a finger, looking up at them. "I am not marrying her at all. As you know, my only wife is lady Naressa, who is a hyena and as such a daughter of Wolgar." The soldiers were looking at him expectantly now. Mallon smirked. "Have any of you ever been to a tavern? I for sure have been." The comment earned him a bit of laughter from some of his soldiers. "And at some time, some of you will have spent a night with another soul, who just happened to be there with you. Heck, maybe you will even have woken up next to them and that night would turn into a week, or a month."

Breon huffed and crossed his arms in front of his chest. "Would be a damn awful shame if Bremont's hounds weren't good for more than a night." He gave a short nod as his soldiers cheered at this comment.

"And what if you had woken up to the sight of a cat?" Mallon looked down at them with a smirk on his face. "Don't tell me that any one of you would have wasted such an opportunity."

"We fight our wars outside of our beds. That is the law of the tavern." Breon shot his friend a sharp look.

The soldiers murmured in agreement. Mallon noticed that swords were slid back into their scabbards and the tension began to disappear from the faces. He turned to face the captured warriors. "Now, to welcome our new guests. I think, we should begin by showing our trust and remove those.."

"My lord?"

Mallon turned and stared at the leader of the weasels who had stepped up in front of his prisoners. He kept throwing uneasy glances over his shoulder.

"It might be.. unwise to do that just yet. There is still the matter of our payment to be discussed, and unshackling those cats while we are still around, might incite.. violence." At the last comment there was the unmistakable whisper of daggers sliding from well oiled sheaths.

"Well, of course." Mallon nodded and folded his hands behind his back. "You will be paid in full. My men will retrieve your copper from the treasury."

"You heard the lord." Breon looked to his side, pointing at the two of his men closest to the castle. "Nilian, Morin, go get us some coin, and hurry up. Wouldn't want to keep our guests waiting."

The leader of the weasels watched them leave and a weird silence set in. Kethra bit her lip in frustration. Maybe this would be a good time to try again? Her eyes met those of her mother. The other female inclined her head merely an inch and brought one of her claws up against her throat. Too dangerous. Kethra swallowed hard. They were in the middle of a kill zone unarmed. Even if she managed to overwhelm the fox, there would be arrows raining down on them in no time. Maybe it would be better to wait for the night and.. The door slammed open, tearing her from her thoughts.

The weasels grinned as two bags landed in front of their leader and the sound of clinking coins briefly filled the air.

"Do you want to count them?" Mallon gave a curt nod towards the bags.

"That won't be necessary my lord. You are a most trustworthy customer after all." The weasel bowed as two of his men took up the bags and carried them to the wagons. He made a short gesture with his left hand and the rest of his men backed away from the captive cats and began to climb onto their wagons. "We will be back if Wolgar wills it. I hope to see the lot of you again in good health." His lips parted in an honest smile, that showed a row of brilliant white teeth. He clicked his tongue and the wagons started to move. A backwards step and a quick leap later, he was holding onto the back of the last wagon.

Mallon watched as they passed through the gate until it fell shut behind them. What a curious bunch, he thought to himself. Give a weasel a piece of copper, and he will learn how to earn even more of it as quickly as he can. He looked over his shoulder at his newly acquired workers. Or were they better suited to serve as warriors? Could he even trust them? He pondered this thought for a while. The clans had been known to fight among each other and it wasn't uncommon to see bands of their warriors hired as guards by adventurous caravan owners, travelling eastwards in search of wealth. Lately though, if the rumors and his informants were to be believed, they seemed to have united for some reason, attacking the garrisons and smaller settlements along the Kerennian borders in greater numbers. Whole villages had disappeared, their populations seemingly dragged off for unknown reasons. Trains of refuges were crossing the borders and lining the streets to the capital, Walgrundt every day. It wasn't a question if the war would come, the question was; when would it begin?

He shook his head and raised a hand towards the still bound warriors. "Unshackle them." Breon growled deeply but obeyed, barking a few curt orders at his men. Mallon watched as chains and cuffs fell to the ground. He felt the urge to reach for a sword, but resisted, turning towards the cats instead. "I am quite sure we have all had enough interesting experiences for a day. My men will escort you to your quarters, and since you are going to be working with them, I expect there won't be any trouble."

Kethra growled when the corsac fox looked at her, answering with some words in her native language that made some of her warriors grin in response. "Get acquainted to the castle and then get some rest. I want you to be ready in case those weasels come back sooner than expected."

Breon grunted and stepped up to her. "Show them our hospitality and behave. Wouldn't want them to bring out their claws in here." His ears twitched as the cougar made another remark and he grabbed her arm in response, tugging it sharply. He leaned forward, his voice merely a whisper in her ear. "I do understand every word you say, you know? Your cat's tongue won't do you any good here. If you really did do something like the thing you just mentioned, you and your little band would find out just how expertly my men can handle their bows."

Kethra's eyes narrowed. "Bows are weapons for cowards." She hissed, pulling free from his grip.

"Once you're dead, it doesn't matter one bit what killed you, as the result stays the same." The Doberman kept staring at her until she growled and turned around, following after the rest of the cats. "Had enough already?"

"I need a bath. This weasel stink is worse than the smell of the rest of you."

* * *

A while later, Kethra sat in a wooden tub, while hot water poured down her back, matting her brown fur against her skin. She growled. "Mated to a damn fox.."

"It could have been worse, I guess. Damn weasels might have sold us to a logging camp. I heard those are rough."

"Just shut up Letharr. This is a damn disgrace, and I'll have to find a way to make this work out for us. At least he's some kind of noble, so the pay might be decent. I'll have to get him to arm us though." She grimaced as she thought about Breon. "His pet dog is not going to be a fan of that. Another stream of hot water splashed against the back of her head as her brother emptied another bucket on top of her.

The cheetah smiled weakly as he bent down to refill the bucket. "Maybe you should just.. sleep with him? I mean, you've had worse partners than him, right? Remember that lion who.."

"I told you to shut up." Kethra rubbed her forehead. "I'll have him sleep with you instead."

"Me? What are you talking about?" The cheetah froze, holding the half-filled bucket of water in his hands.

She could hear the irritation in his voice. "I had him accept you and Sennara as secondary mates, so.." The bucket slammed to the ground next to her.

"You did what?" Letharr stared down at his sister. "You're joking, right? You dragged our mother and me into this?"

"I am your older sister and your Tal'uhn. I can decide on behalf of both of you and I.."

"I am NOT a female!" Letharr yelped, as his sister turned around and roughly shoved him backwards. His feet scrambled for purchase on the wet floor for a second, before he slipped. He fell backwards and hit the ground hard.

"You ARE a female to THEM!" Kethra rose from the water and stepped out of the tub. Drips of water fell from her wet body as she stood looming over the fallen cheetah, baring her teeth at him in a feral display of supremacy. "You brought us into this situation. If I hadn't done this, one of those dogs would have found out sooner or later. The only cat unwilling to let off some steam with one of them? You would have endangered all of us." She kneeled down and leaned forward until her face was right in front of his. "You are going to let that fox fuck your spotty butt and I will use that as leverage to get us out of here alive. You are going to play along and please your new mate. You will do so to make up for your mistake, and maybe, just maybe, I won't leave you here once this arrangement ends."

The cheetah stared back at her in shocked defiance. "I can't just.."

"You can, and you will. There are other Katharri who do it. Gods, there are even some dragons who do it." She rose slowly. "I suggest you take a bath. Wouldn't want our new lord to mistake you for a weasel."

Kethra turned and left without another word, leaving her brother lying on the wet stone floor. He stared at her back until she had disappeared, then he pushed himself up onto his knees and slowly got up again. This couldn't be happening. He roared in frustration and gave the bucket a kick that sent it rolling across the floor. "She can't do this." But she could, couldn't she? He had to obey her orders at least. A sigh escaped his lips as he tore off his vest and threw it into a corner of the room where it smacked against the wall with a wet thud. His pants followed shortly, leaving him naked. He grimaced as he climbed into the tub. "Great.. now I'm going to smell like her for weeks.." Letharr leaned back, slowly allowing his body to sink into the hot water. It felt nice to have some form of comfort at last, after days of travelling in a windy wagon on a bed of moist straw. The thought made him shudder and he slipped deeper into the tub, holding his breath as his head disappeared below the water. He opened his eyes. Reflections played across his fur, which stood up in the water like a grove of aquatic grass. He let out his stored breath as he came up and breached the surface again.

"Feeling better?"

Letharr looked up to see a cougar watching him from the other side of the wooden tub. She was standing in front of it, her underarms resting on the wooden rim. "You heard what she said?"

The cougar smirked. "Of course. I am not sure if anyone on this level did not hear it." She dipped a finger into the water and pulled it out again, watching as a drop of water ran down across her fur.

"And you didn't say anything?" He stared at her in disbelief.

The cougar shrugged. "Why should I? She is our Tal'uhn, our leader. If she thinks this will work, then maybe she is right?"

"But she sold both of us to a fox! Why would you agree to that?" Letharr sat up in the tub pulling himself back against the wooden wall.

The female looked at him with interest and grinned. "A wealthy fox, who will provide us with a soft bed. A fox who was either strong or sly enough to best your sister. He will make for an acceptable mate if you ask me. He might give us strong children. Well, not in your case specifically, but he will at least give you a good fuck."

Letharr opened his mouth but gave no response. His body sagged slightly.

Sennara cocked her head. "Accepting our place now, are we? Good. It is always better to follow the wisdom of one's parents. Your father may have been a fast runner, but he was never a quick thinker. You should leave that to me and your sister." She got up and slowly walked around the tub towards her son, lightly scraping one of her claws along the rim of the tub as she went. When she reached him, she leaned down again, gently massaging his shoulders and licking his cheek. "Now, remember that this is a good thing you're doing for your warband and your family. Your sister may not care too much, but your mother wants you to at least enjoy yourself." She smirked as she ran a hand across his chest. "Your fur is soft and your form is slender, so you shouldn't have too many problems winning him over. The main problem is that package between your legs, so do your best to not let your mate notice that before it's too late." She bit her lip before she continued. "Since you are not a female, you'll have to make do with your tailhole. Usually that is not something a male will want for their first time with a female. They want that soft slit between our legs to ensure that they're giving us their offspring. You'll have to make him want it first."

Letharr groaned in return. "I can't make anybody want that."

The cougar raised an eyebrow and stopped her stroking. "Suck his dick. I have seen you suck yourself off before, so you should have at least some experience at that. It will also get him nice and slick for the main event. Trust me, you wouldn't want him to go in dry on your first time." She could feel the cheetah wince at the comment. "Once he is inside of you, you'll have to make him cum and ensure he stays inside. Take that knot of his up your tailhole and he'll be yours. Knotting someone makes their hearts grow and their brains go soft. Some call it a gift of the goddess of love, but it can also easily be exploited."

The cheetah hung his head in defeat. "But how do I even"

"First you'll need some practice. You won't be able to make him feel good, if you don't feel good yourself. I want you to relax." She began to massage his shoulders again, gently sinking her hands into his wet fur. "Think about a male and a female in heat. Get that thing between your legs nice and hard."

Letharr closed his eyes and focused. He gasped as a tongue ran along his neck. His dick twitched in response, sliding out of its sheath. He licked his lips and ran a paw across the emerging tip to welcome it.

"Good. Now imagine yourself as the female, your strong mate standing behind you, cupping your breasts as he bends you over. His dick hardening against your back." The cougar ran one of her hands across his nipples, gently circling each of them with a finger. She could hear a low purr escape his lips. "Now get one of your hands down to your tailhole and touch yourself. Run two of your fingers right along that soft ring and start to gently push at the center."

Letharr obeyed. He was completely lost in her calming voice as he touched himself the way she told him to. It.. did feel good.

"Good boy." She purred. "Can you feel his dick pressing against your entrance, begging to slide in?" The cheetah gave a low moan in response. "Relax and slide those fingers in then. Aaall the way in." Sennara watched as his hand moved between his legs. "Very good. Now feel along the upper side of your tunnel. You should find a small lump which.." She could feel him tense up. "Careful. Just use one of your fingerpads to gently rub it back and forth. That's it, keep going like that."

The cheetah purred softly as he fingered himself. Sennara's tongue returned to lick at his neck, causing him to shiver. In his mind, he could imagine the male sinking his dick deep into his tailhole. He would have never thought it would feel like this. It didn't even hurt. He could feel the male beginning to change; the undefined shadowy suggestions of paws slowly turning into strong hands that stroked across the cheetah's back, ruffling his fur as they went. Slender claws scratched playfully at his shoulders, before travelling down to his waist. Letharr felt him taking a hold of his hips as he began to fuck him. He bared his teeth and hissed, raising his tail higher for the invader. The dick inside him had changed too, it was more than just a long, slender shape by now, feeling more like his imagination of a canine penis.

Senerra watched as the cheetah's eyes moved beneath his closed eyelids, while his fingers worked their magic under his tail. It was frowned upon to put a male in a trance like this, but ultimately it had been necessary and was thus excusable in this particular case. She looked back over her shoulder. "Enjoying the show?"

"I told you to make him obey, not enjoy." Kethra stared at her as she walked back into the room. "Can he hear us?"

Sennara shook her head. "Lost in an illusion and slowly bending the way he needs to." She laid her arms around his shoulders and held him close as he began to shiver. His tail twitching in the water as he came. "That's it! Keep going. Your lover is not spent yet. Allow him to keep on fucking you and he will make you cum again in a heartbeat, you'll see. Do you feel how much better it is to cum from being fucked like this?"

The cheetah gritted his teeth and moaned openly as he kept fucking himself through his orgasm.

"This is unnecessary." Kethra looked down at her brother as he kept stretching and twitching in the water.

The older cougar glanced up at her. "He is my son. If you want him to do it, I will help him to enjoy it. That is my decision to make."

Kethra turned her head aside, extending her arm and made a gesture encompassing the room. "You want to reward him for all of this? Fine. Have it your way then."

"He got taken by surprise. Things like that tend to happen." Her mother shrugged. "We are still alive, and he has learned his lesson I think." A splash of water hit her face as the cheetah shuddered and came again. She blinked repeatedly to get the water out of her eyes. The movement of his hand continued unabated and she gave a short content nod. "He is a quick learner."

"If only he had that kind of stamina in battle, we.."

"Enough. It is not his fault that your father died. I chose his father instead of mourning the loss of my first mate till the end of my life." Sennara glared at her daughter. "This ends right here, right now."

"His father is weak. He gave you a weakling son and that is making both of us weaker as well. I allow him to keep calling me sister, because you are his mother, but only because of that." Kethra bared her teeth at her mother.

"What now, do you think you can scare me like that?" The older cougar crossed her arms in front of her chest and chuckled. "He isn't weak, and he is not a tool for you to use as you see fit. The omens said he will go far in life."

"Oh, that he will." Kethra stepped up behind her mother and laid a hand on her head, causing the older female to growl at her. "He will go far up that lord's tower." She bent down, leaning closer to her mother's ear. "And then he will spend the rest of his life there, moaning like a whore with the dick of a fox buried deep in his tailhole. He will be so glad that you enabled him to enjoy that at least." Her upper lip curled in disgust as she watched the cheetah cum again, while the water around his stomach began to slowly turn milky white.

* * *

"Pretty damn cloudy if you ask me." Breon stepped up to his friend as he looked out from the top of the castle's main tower. His men looked pretty small from up here, and the view across the forest and the surrounding region was.. "Breathtaking isn't it?"

Mallon raised an eyebrow as he turned his head, his right hand still on the merlon he had been leaning across. "It can be. Today I can barely see the end of the forest though. The damn clouds are coming down on top of us, so it might rain tonight. Better have the brasiers on the walls lit and make sure the men have somewhere warm and dry to warm up during the nights watch. Can't have them falling ill after all."

The Doberman nodded as he let his gaze wander across the courtyard. "I hope your guests didn't bring any maladies with them. Cats are full of fleas and lice from living out in the wild I hear."

Mallon thought about this for a moment. Drips of moisture were beginning to cover the ancient stone of his ancestral home, making it slick to his touch. He grimaced and wiped his hand on his tabard. "Nothing but propaganda obviously, but I don't have to tell you that, do I?" A stinging smell reached his nostrils and he coughed. "Damn, that thing again."

A soft click sounded as the Doberman tapped the merlon with his pipe. "I heard silver herbs are good against the cold. Protect you from sickness and things like that."

"Hardly." The corsac fox pulled a pair of black leather gloves out from under his belt and put them on to keep his hands from getting wet. "If you're so scared, you can have the cats checked for signs of sickness."

"They won't let our treaters near them. They keep hissing and making stupid gestures with their hands. Something religious if you ask me." Breon put the pipe between his lips and inhaled deeply, before blowing the thick white smoke out again.

Mallon rolled his eyes. "I'll make sure to have that dealt with." He turned around to face the forest again. Sheets of rain were already beginning to come down in the distance. It wouldn't be long before they would get their pelts wet again. The corsac fox groaned at the thought. A soft white cloud passed by his head and dissipated. "Something else on your mind?"

"You took another female? I thought the one you had was too much for you already." Breon walked up to his friend and leaned against the merlon next to him, looking out across the treetops.

"A.. necessity. We all do what it takes to achieve our goals, don't we?" He ran his paws across the wet stones, watching as small streams formed and trickled down into the depths.

"Hmm." Breon looked at his pipe, which had begun to hiss sporadically as tiny drops of water met with the burning embers of the plants inside. "You don't have to break yourself trying to achieve them though."

The fox chuckled sadly at the comment. "Twice broken stands the oaken tree and yet it stands with pride.."

"Defiant, strong and ever free amidst the raging tide."

They both fell silent for a moment. A drop of rain fell hard on Mallon's right shoulder splattered and wet the heavy fabric of the tabard he wore. The fox looked up into the sky as more rain started to fall around them. "I am not going to stick my prick into one of them if that's what's worrying you, so there is no risk of me falling ill or anything like that."

Breon shook his head. "That's not it." He laid a hand on the fox's shoulder. "I want you to stop doing this to yourself. We both know what it is you want, so for Wolgar's sake, just go ahead and take it already. He will understand."

"It's not the right time. If I do it just now, I will be remembered as the villain of this tale." Mallon's upper lip shivered and rose, baring his teeth as he continued. "I am not a villain. I am doing this to show them the truth they don't want to see."

"You are just hurting yourself more and more. Think about this; you got out. You are free to do whatever you want here." The Doberman stared at Mallon, the pipe in his left began to hiss before it finally went out. A thin plume of smoke rose from the dying embers as the rain welled up around them. He could hear the men yelling down in the courtyard as they did their best to get out of the torrents of water.

Mallon reached up and shoved his friend's hand off his shoulder. "I am here to make this right again, and you know that. Logan has always just taken and used whatever he wanted to. Are you telling me, that I should give up now?"

"I am telling you, that you're making it worse. This won't end well for any of us." The Doberman reached out again, putting his arm around the fox's shoulder and pulling him away from the merlons.

The corsac fox barked in anger, turning with the momentum and ramming his elbow into the Dobermans ribs. Breon clenched his teeth and stumbled backwards, narrowly dodging a punch aimed at his head. The Doberman grimaced and threw himself forward. He slammed into the fox, knocking him backwards off his feet and throwing both of them down onto the ground in a splash of rainwater.

Mallon coughed and spat out a mouthful of water. His friend was kneeling over him, holding him down. He cursed and slammed his right fist into the Doberman's side. Breon flinched but didn't move. Another strike hit him, then another. He looked down as the fox snapped at him, struggling to free himself. "Enough of this."

Mallon stopped and grudgingly ceased his efforts to break free. He growled, looking up at his friend. Their clothes were soaked in water and both were breathing heavily. The corsac fox could see Breon's muscles working under his leather vest. He turned his head aside und tucked his tail between his legs.

Breon groaned and began to get up shakily. He leaned against one of the merlons and extended his right hand to Mallon. The corsac fox looked at it for a second, then grasped it, allowing his friend to help him get up again. "You've gotten better at this."

"Not good enough it seems." Mallon leaned against the merlon next to his friend.

The Doberman cursed as he looked at the broken remnants of his pipe on the ground and gave them a kick that sent them skidding across the wet floor. "You owe me a new pipe."

Mallon chuckled. "Your sister will thank me for that."

"Oh, plough her.. I'm getting a new one." Breon straightened and pointed at the door. "Care to head inside? I don't particularly enjoy getting my fur wet for no good reason."

The corsac fox shrugged and began to head for the door. "Just stop holding down your friends like that then."

"No chance." Breon followed the fox inside and down the wooden stairs, until they reached their chambers. He grunted, opening the door to his room and stepped out of his boots. His feet leaving wet footprints on the floor as he walked over to a small cabinet in the corner and opened it. A towel slid out and he caught it, before it could hit the floor. The Doberman sighed and laid it around his neck. A shadow on the ground caught his attention and he half turned. "Come in."

"I just.."

"I said, come in." The Doberman waited as slow, wet footsteps sounded behind him. "There is a chair by the bed you can sit on." His hands began to unbutton his vest until it hung open, loosely around his form. He shook it off his shoulders and it fell to the wooden floor with a wet slap. Good. He was growing bolder every day, now that they had returned to the north. The Doberman leaned forward, undoing the knot of his belt, and then letting it slide down his leg. "I know you like this. I can tell by the way you're panting. Better take off that tabard and vest. You can use the blanket to dry yourself up." Breon opened the string that held his pants closed and allowed it to slide to the floor. He turned around.

Mallon stared at him. His torso wrapped in a blanket, and his clothes still dripping with water. A puddle was already beginning to form on the ground below the chair he was sitting on. "I.."

"Come dry me off." The Doberman took the towel off his shoulders and threw it over to his friend. Mallon caught it and got up, slowly walking over to him. Breon turned around and waited until he felt the soft fabric against his fur. "Good. Keep going, you can do it."

The corsac fox swallowed but kept on working. Absentmindedly running his left hand through the dog's fur as he dried it with his right. He could feel his heartbeat and the thick muscles at his back. He continued until..

"Keep going."

"But, I.. Your.." He bit his tongue as the Doberman opened his linen underwear and slid it off. His hands continued their way downwards, halting at the dog's waist for a moment, before crossing the threshold. He softly rubbed the towel across the Doberman's buttocks, drying up the short fur. As his friend turned around, he paused.

Breon looked down at him. "What's the problem? I haven't seen you at a loss for words before. Go on, touch it."

"But you're not.." Mallon looked at the dog's sheath and balls and swallowed uneasily.

"You know I'm not into males, but I'm doing this for you. Now, touch me." He waited until Mallon slowly extended his right hand. "Without the towel."

He let go of it without a second thought. His hand reaching out and gently cupping the other male's sheath. "It's.. quite warm."

Breon smirked. "A little bit of sparring always gets the blood pumping. How does it feel?" He could feel the corsac fox's other hand gently weighing his balls.

"It feels.. right." Mallon looked up at his friend in defeat.

"Because this is what you really want. It is your body telling you to stop forcing yourself to lie with females." The Doberman laid a hand on Mallon's neck. "Now come up here."

The corsac fox complied, reluctantly letting go of the dog's pride. "I can't just do what I want."

"But you will do so anyway. You will not sleep with those cats, or I will throw them out the damn window while you're asleep." Breon looked him right in the eyes sternly. "Understood?"

"I.. This will make working with them more difficult." Mallon turned his head aside, avoiding his friend's gaze.

"It most certainly will, but you can count on me beating them back in line if the decide to act up." The Doberman reached aside, pulling a blanket off his bed and wrapping it around Mallon's shoulders.

The fox pulled it close to his body.

"You left your chains behind my friend. Don't you ever go and fashion new ones for yourself."

* * *

Kethra absentmindedly rubbed her wrists. Damn those weasels. She would make them pay in time, she decided, as she walked up the wooden stairs. What was it with dogs and high buildings? Were they trying to get closer to their gods by building higher towards the sky? She didn't really want to know, but having to climb all these stairs bothered her greatly. After her brother had run dry eventually, they had spent the rest of the day training in the yard. It had been hand to hand training of course, since the dogs had refused to arm them, but..

"The dinner they gave us was pretty good, don't you think?"

Kethra glanced over her shoulder to see her mother following behind her, with her brother in tow. "Better than salt meat and stale bread at least."

The older cougar shook her head. "Don't be so pessimistic, I thought you'd make this work out for us."

"I will." Kethra growled and turned her head further to get a better look at Letharr. The cheetah was walking behind them with his head bowed and his tail tucked between his legs. At least she wasn't able to smell him anymore, now that they had wasted most of his essence. The thought made her smirk. Maybe she would have him do that on a daily basis from now on. Just for fun of course. Well, and maybe to make sure he didn't breed. At least now, he would be slightly less useless to her. She stopped as she reached the next floor and found the Doberman staring at her.

"The lord has been waiting for you" Breon growled.

"He had his pet dog to keep him company, didn't he?" The cougar inclined her head and grinned back at him, while the rest of her family came into view.

Breon's lip curled upwards slightly, exposing one of his fangs for a second. "I wouldn't be so cocky if I were you. It would be a shame if you were to slip on the stairs and fall all the way back down."

Kethra's eyes narrowed. "Are you.." The door opened.

"Ah, I see you have arrived. Excellent. Please come inside." Mallon waved at them from inside the room.

The young cougar smirked triumphantly as she walked past the dog. She waited for the others to enter and placed her hand on the door handle, only to find it held in place. She turned around and found Breon staring at her.

"No trickery, or you will find out just how well cats can fly." He let got and the door fell shut.

Damn him. Kethra turned to face Mallon.

The corsac fox was sitting on his bed fully clothed. "I have thought about our arrangement and came to the conclusion, that it would be.. inappropriate for me to spend the night with you and your family." He smiled at them.

"You.. What?" Kethra raised an eyebrow.

"I had a mattress prepared for you." He pointed into the corner of the room. There was indeed a mattress lying there. "This way, we don't have to share a bed and you can still guard my sleep and keep face in front of your warriors."

The younger cougar purred and walked towards him, slowly gyrating her hips as she went. "How.. generous of you my mate. But what if I want to share your bed? My sister has been looking forward to this night. She has always had a craving for you canids, and this would be her first chance to fully enjoy it." Kethra arrived at the bed and placed her hand on Mallon's chest. "Just lie back and relax and I can promise you a night you'll never forget."

Mallon looked at her completely unimpressed. "Oh, I'm sure you could, but like I said, it won't happen." He smiled and gently grasped her hand, pulling it off his chest. "You and your family will share the mattress and I will lie here. If that shouldn't please you, I am sure my captain would be pleased to find a more suitable accommodation for you. A low chuckle could be heard from the door at that comment.

Kethra bit her tongue as she smiled back. "The mattress will suffice my mate. I would rather spend our first night together in our room."

"Very well, I wish you a pleasant night then." Mallon undressed his body, carefully folding his clothes and placing them in front of his bed. Then he lay down on his side, watching them.

Kethra noticed her mother cocking her head and throwing her a questioning glance, at which she rolled her eyes and nodded towards the mattress. The older cougar shrugged in return and began to take off her vest and pants, leaving her completely naked. She lay down and turned her back at the rest of them. Her brother eyed her nervously.

"Lie down, sister." Kethra hissed at him. He complied, lying down and cuddling up against their mother's back. The young cougar waited for a moment longer, then clambered onto the mattress, making sure not to lie down too close to her brother. It was a setback, but.. She closed her eyes and waited. He would have to go to sleep eventually.

Time went by and whenever she opened them again, the light of the moon had traveled a little bit further across the floor. She silently turned her head. The fox lay still on his bed, his chest raising and lowering slowly in the silver glimmer of the moon. She grabbed her brother by the shoulder and shook him. "Wake up." She hissed into his ear.

The cheetah's eyes opened slowly. "Is it morning already?" He yawned and tried to turn around again, but she held him in place.

"You will get over there now. Take off his pants, suck him till he is hard enough and then get on top." Kethra pointed over her shoulder at the sleeping fox.

"Now? I haven't even.."

"We won't be getting a better chance." She grabbed him by the throat. "If you don't do what I say, I will slit your throat in your sleep and blame it on that dog in front of the door, you hear me?"

The cheetah nodded slowly and she let go of him. He got up silently and slowly made his way through the room towards the bed.

Mallon opened an eye and saw a shape moving towards him through the moonlit gloom. It wasn't hard for him to pretend to be sleeping. Actually, it turned out to be quite easy after some practice and observation. What a strange situation, he thought to himself. If they would be out to kill him, they would certainly come at him together, considering how their first attempt had failed. Something else then. Maybe she wanted to talk without the others noticing? He waited patiently, until the figure had reached his bed and slowly began to climb inside.

Letharr carefully lay down next to the naked fox and reached out for his..

"You're not Kethra."

The cheetah turned pale as the fox opened his eyes in front of him.

Mallon stared at the cat that had just entered his bed. "Speak, but do so quietly. Do you understand?" The cat nodded. "What is this about?"

"I.. am meant to seduce you."

Mallon rolled his eyes. "Don't tell me that you're the sister with the crush on canids."

The cheetah swallowed. "No. I mean yes, but.."

"Just go back to your sister and tell her I'm not interested. I will talk to her about this in the morning." The corsac fox rolled over on the bed, turning away from the cheetah. He felt a hand on his shoulder.

"I can't. She said she would kill me in my sleep, and I think that she might. Please, at least let me stay here."

Mallon raised an eyebrow and rolled back around. "What is that supposed to mean?"

"She blames me for our capture and I.." Letharr lowered his head.

"I see. And why would I want to let you stay in my bed? What can you offer me?" Mallon gently placed a hand under the cheetah's chin, lifting it until their eyes met.

"I.. will give you my body." The cheetah blushed deeply.

"I have no need for females. I already told your sister that.."

Letharr closed his eyes. "I'm not a female."

Mallon fell silent for a second. "You are.. not?"

"My sister told me she would make you sleep with me and then use it against you, and.."

"Oh, she did?" The fox turned his gaze towards the supposedly sleeping cougars. "I see."

"Are you going to.. throw me in a dungeon?" The cheetah stared at him.

"I don't tend to lock up potential allies, if I don't have to." Mallon looked at the cheetah again. His flat, naked chest was quivering. One could almost hear his little feline heart beating in his chest. "Alright, I'll have you."

Letharr swallowed hard. "You'll keep me safe?"

Mallon gave a short nod. "I will. You are my mate after all. Isn't that what we're supposed to do according to your customs?"

"Your mate? But I told you.." He paused as the fox smirked at him.

"You told me, you would give me your body. Your sister expects that to happen, so we shouldn't disappoint her. Let her think her little deception has been oh so successful." He leaned forward and licked the other male's muzzle causing him to shiver.

"But as your mate I'd have to stay with you and.." The fox placed his index finger against his lips, shutting him up.

"Yes, exactly. Every. Single. Night. Don't worry, I'll make sure you enjoy yourself and as an added bonus, how would you like to take over your sister's position in your group? Just nod if you like that thought." Mallon smiled. To everybody else, he would have appeared totally calm, but his heart was racing in his chest. He wanted this; he longed for it.

The cheetah nodded. Mallon growled contently and kissed him straight on the lips. Letharr pulled back slightly before he gave in and opened his muzzle, letting their tongues intertwine. He could feel the body of the corsac fox press against him. Mallon's hand traveled down the cheetah's slender form before sinking into his pants to grab his butt cheeks.

Letharr tensed in surprise but relaxed as the fox intensified their kiss. Mallon's other hand opened his pants, pushing them down along his spotted legs. Letharr kicked them off, letting them fall off the bed. As he felt a hand begin to play with his balls, he gave a muffled hiss, causing Mallon to break the kiss. The corsac fox growled at him playfully, gently squeezing the fuzzy orbs in his hand. Letharr gasped and whined softly, as the other male pulled him into another kiss.

Kethra half opened an eye and grinned wickedly as she watched the spectacle unfold in front of her. So, he had swallowed the bait after all. "Just turn around and put his thing into your hole now you moron. We don't want him to go poking about your backside and finding your prick in the process." She muttered to herself. The cheetah shakingly pushed the fox off of him and rolled onto his front on the bed, causing Mallon to growl playfully and nip at the back of the other male's neck with his teeth. Kethra hissed in quiet passion as she saw the soft, spotted fur being gently pulled up by the fox's muzzle. The dim silver rays of the moonlight that fell into the room gave the scene a wonderfully sensual atmosphere. Her right hand traveled down her body and found the wetness between her legs. She was going to enjoy this fully.

Letharr mewled, lifting his head as the fox began to suck at his sensitive neck. He felt his newfound mate's hand slip under the trim of the short leather loincloth he wore and carefully pulling at it. The cheetah pushed himself up, raising his hips to allow the fox to continue. He felt the tough fabric slide along his legs, and down across his feet. It fell to the ground and landed on his pants with a dampened, soft sound, that caused his mother to stir on her mattress by the window.

Mallon let go of the other male's neck, planting gentle kisses on it as he straddled the cheetah. He laid his hands on Letharr's hips, before slowly sliding them up his sides. The spotted fur was wonderfully soft to the touch. Mallon thought he could almost smell the sweet grass of the steppes swaying in the wind as he touched it. The cheetah pushed himself against Mallon's touch, causing him to smirk. Enjoying yourself, aren't you? He thought.

Letharr felt a hand taking a hold of his long, slender tail and gently tugging it to the side and away from his ass. He snarled weakly, showing both his displeasure, about this dishonorable gesture towards a warrior like him, and excitement at the same time. He turned his head and saw the fox giving him a toothy grin, before his head was gently turned to face forward again.

"Don't spoil the surprise I have waiting for you, kitten." Mallon purred. He lowered his head and pushed himself further down the cheetah's body. Gently, he grabbed the spotted cat's butt cheeks, spreading them open. He moaned quietly, his tongue rolling out his muzzle to lick across his lips. He looked at the tight, light gray ring of muscle, deeply set between the other male's cheeks. It didn't protrude outwards for even the slightest bit, presenting an almost perfectly smooth surface, marred only by the gentle decline of the tight muscular ring and the dark, narrow crevice in between. He began to salivate at this sight of perfection, slowly bringing his muzzle closer to it. Mallon extended his tongue, causing the cheetah to shiver as the fox's warm breath washed against his now unprotected hole. The fox growled in barely contained pleasure as he began to lap, brushing his tongue against Letharr's tailhole in gentle, longing strokes. It felt so right, so natural to finally be able to do this. He could feel his foxhood pressing against the cheetah's soft furred legs.

Letharr moaned, sinking his head into the pillow in front of him, while his mate continued to eat him out. The tongue at his rear was already beginning to push itself into him and past his tailhole. He gasped, trying to relax. A warm, wet trickle was beginning to mat the fur at his left thigh. Was he..? The fox's warm tongue slipped through and into his tailhole, spreading him open, making him hiss in extasy. This was not something that he had seen the other warriors do before. No, they would just stick their things into each other and pound away. He pushed himself back against Mallon's muzzle, urging him to go deeper, but the fox pulled away instead, giving his backdoor a last gentle lick before he pushed himself up and on top of the cheetah.

The corsac fox leaned forward, whispering into Letharr's ear. "Tell me that you want it, kitten."

Letharr grimaced. "I.. want it." He growled impatiently, as he felt the fox's pride slide back and forth between his butt cheeks.

Mallon grinned and shook his head, feeling the cheetah squirm below him in frustration. "Not good enough. Put some effort into it."

"Pleeeeease fuck me already. I want to feel that dick inside of me. I am yours already, please make our bond known and claim me." Letharr pushed himself back, trying futilely to cause Mallon's foxhood to slip in. He felt a hand stroking along his throat and rubbed himself against it in submission. "Take me and show me that I belong to you." He purred, stretching his neck out.

"You do belong to me." Mallon whispered, as he lined the tip of his dick up with the cheetah's tailhole and slowly began to slide it into him. The big cat moaned, trying to push back, but Mallon held him in place, slowly continuing the thrust until his balls pressed against Letharr's ass.

The cheetah moaned openly, his tongue hanging out the side of his mouth. A feeling of warm wetness grew at his stomach, as his own member, trapped between his body and the mattress, began to spill his precum onto the bed.

"This is what you'll get to enjoy for the rest of your life." Mallon said as he pulled back, making sure to angle his penis to make it brush against the cheetah's prostate as he did. "A little trick somebody showed me when I was younger." He groaned, gritting his teeth as he slid back in and enjoyed the wonderfully tight, sucking grip of the spotty cat's backdoor. His thrusts were beginning to speed up slightly, as he settled into a slow rhythm, accompanied by the slapping sound of his hips meeting his mate's backside.

Letharr moaned and dug his hands into the soft pillow, damaging the delicate cloth with his claws. He hadn't expected to enjoy it this much, gods, he had not even expected to enjoy it at all. His legs trembled from the sensation of his mate's pride burying itself deep into his hole. At least he was lying on his front, so the fox wouldn't be able to.. His eyes rolled back as an orgasm hit him, causing his member to begin pulsing beneath him as it coated the bed and his fur in copious amounts of his essence. He gritted his teeth. The fox had slowed down slightly, but still he kept fucking him through his orgasm.

"There you go." Mallon was breathing heavily as he fought to restrain himself. He wanted the cheetah to enjoy himself, and the best way to do so was to wait until his orgasm had passed and the cat became less sensitive again. The tightness around his foxhood increased, as the cat's body fought to hold it inside and milk it off its load, but Mallon would not give up so easily. He kept going, slowly, steadily, while each of his thrusts coaxed another shot of cum out of the cheetah's balls. After some more moments, the cats moans became softer again, and his tailhole stopped clenching. The fox smiled and leaned forward, planting a kiss on Letharr's neck. "That was a good start. Don't worry, we'll have you spurting again in no time."

The cheetah groaned weakly as his mate picked up the pace, and his assault on the spotty cat's prostate began anew. He could feel his thick essence sticking to his fur. It would be an awful mess to clean that up in the morning. A hiss escaped his lips as one of the fox's hands pushed itself between him and the mattress. He could hear him growl encouragingly as he withdrew it.

"You're quite productive I have to say." Mallon watched the strands of pearly white essence covering his hand. "Would be a shame to waste something like this, don't you think?." Without breaking his rhythm, he leaned forward, bringing his hand close to the cat's muzzle.

Letharr stared at it weakly, moaning in bliss as the fox kept fucking him. He knew exactly what was expected of him, so he opened his mouth obediently. The fox's index and middlefinger slid inside, gently brushing some of his essence off onto his tongue. He closed his mouth around them, sucking them clean.

"Don't swallow yet."

The cheetah groaned, but complied, opening his mouth again and licking the rest of the fox's hand clean. An approving growl sounded from behind him, and the fox's hand disappeared from view again. He could feel his load slosh around in his muzzle, as his mouth began to salivate. Soon, the taste was everywhere. It coated his tastebuds like thick, exotic honey, making it even harder for him to resist. He groaned as he came again, and his cock began to drench his fur once again.

"I see you like your own taste quite a bit." Mallon smirked, gently riding the cat through another crashing wave of bliss. The cheetah became pleasantly tight while he came, and Mallon savored the sensation of the cat's body trying to draw his essence out of him. He moaned deeply, baring his teeth as he sank his foxhood deep into his mate. The cat's legs were shivering heavily beneath him, but he didn't stop thrusting. "I'll keep fucking you till you run dry my kitten, but don't worry, we won't be wasting any of your essence." His hand disappeared under the cheetah's hip again, this time wrapping around Letharr's throbbing pride. He squeezed it gently and began to stroke it in time with his thrusts. Letharr started to thrash, groaning wildly as his sensitive member was milked for his cum. "That's right, get it all out of your balls. I want you to be shooting dry when I cum inside of you." He leaned forward, gently biting the cats neck to stop his squirming.

Letharr relaxed immediately and allowed the fox to continue, gritting his teeth while his new mate stroked his dick. Eventually, his orgasm died down. He groaned as the fox still kept going and brought his hand up to his muzzle again. It was slick and utterly coated in his cum this time. The cheetah opened his mouth, trying his best not to swallow, as the fox wiped his essence onto his waiting tongue. When he was done, Letharr sucked his digits clean one by one, before licking up all remaining stray drops with his tongue.

"Good girl." Mallon smiled as the cheetah mewled softly. He lowered himself down onto the cheetah and rolled onto his side, pulling the cat with him. His hand slipped between the spotty cat's knees, gently bending his top leg and then lifting it up. Moaning in delight, he slipped his cock deep into the cat, making him wince in pleasure.

"You're so deep." Letharr hissed. The fox's hand slipped across his waist, taking hold of his dick again.

Mallon increased the rhythm of his thrusts, sinking his pride as deep as he could into the cheetah's tight anus. "Better to knot you like this." He said between breaths. "Now I can watch you squirt, and it'll be more comfortable for you to fall asleep like this later."

The cheetah groaned. His eyes rolled back slightly. He could feel the fox's hand squeezing his dick as it began to twitch.

"Swallow."

Letharr obeyed, hungrily drinking his own essence down, and yet the taste somehow didn't vanish with it. The cheetah opened his mouth and loudly groaned in bliss as he came. His pride began to twitch, trying to force at least a final weak spurt from his balls. There was none; his balls had run utterly dry. He clenched his teeth as his mate kept fucking him without slowing down. An urgent desire to cum felt his loins, as his orgasm went on and on. The fox's hand was still jerking his cathood. Groaning in frustration he bucked back against the fox's hips, driving his dick deeper into his backdoor.

The corsac fox moaned openly as he watched the cheetah. He was like wax in his hands now, trying to sate his desire to cum, but utterly unable to. His mouth opened and he gave the cat's neck a long lick before gently nibbing at it. "That's it, almost there." He hissed, while his knot swelled against the cheetah's backdoor. He pushed harder as he felt his mate tensing. "Relax. I'm going to knot you now. That's what you want, right?" Mallon could feel the tight barrier softening slightly, allowing the barest fraction of his knot to slide in. He pulled his hips back and thrust forward again for a final time. His knot popped into the cheetah, followed by a gasp of pleasure by Letharr. The corsac fox bared his teeth, thrusting once, twice more into that heavenly tight embrace and came with a long drawn guttural groan. He held the cheetah close, letting go of his dick and pressed his hips against the other male's backside, as his foxhood began to spurt inside of him.

Letharr groaned as the fox's knot swelled and pulsed against his prostate while he filled him with his essence. His own orgasm had died down, and the only thing left for him to do was to wait, and enjoy, and moan.

Mallon was breathing heavily, as he kept cumming deep into the cheetah's hole. He groaned in content. "That was quite a ride for a cat." Even in the relative darkness of the room, he could see the cheetah blush in response.

"I.. thank you." He tried to pull away from Mallon but found himself held back by the fox's arms and the swollen knot, which was firmly stuck in his tailhole.

"You're spending the night with me." The corsac fox pulled his mate close and managed to drag up one of the blankets with his foot. He covered them both with it and closed his eyes.

"Can you at least pull out." Letharr squirmed, slightly adjusting his position to make himself more comfortable in Mallon's embrace. The hard knot inside of him didn't soften.

"The knot stays in, kitten. I'm not in the mood for waiting around until I soften up again, so better relax and get some sleep." He could feel the cheetah shiver as his foxhood pulsed inside of him again. "You're safer here with me."

Letharr sighed and pushed back against the fox. It took him quite a while to get used to the feeling of being filled like this before he finally fell asleep.

Kethra stared at the sleeping males from her makeshift bed. Masturbating to their performance had been less satisfying for her than she had anticipated. Maybe because she had had to keep her own voice down in order not to make them aware of their audience. Still, her plan seemed to have worked. The cougar turned around and fell asleep with a grin on her face.

* * *

Mallon's morning started with a loud crash. He opened his eyes blinking into the light as something metallic bounced past the bed. His hand felt only an empty mattress as he tried to reach for his mate. He sat up groggily. There was no sign of the cougars, but the cheetah was standing behind the wooden table, and in front of that.. "Breon?"

The Doberman tried to grab the damn cat again, his hands swishing through the air. "Come here you damn whore! I don't know what you did to him, but I'm going to teach you some manners!" He charged around the table, but the cheetah was faster than him and managed to stay on the opposite site.

"I didn't do anything!" Letharr was out of breath, clutching a blanket to his chest to hide his naked form. His tail was tucked between his legs, though Mallon couldn't tell if it was a gesture of submission or simply to keep the corsac fox's seed from leaking out.

"Would somebody tell me what's going on here?" Mallon barked. This was ridiculous. He felt as if he had gone to sleep in his own bed only to wake up in the middle of a circus. He got up, throwing his own blanket aside.

Breon roared and kicked the table hard. It flipped over with a loud crash, knocking back the cheetah who had taken refuge behind it. The Doberman bared his teeth at the cat lying on the floor in front of him and stepped across the fallen table. Ancient wood creaked in protest under his heavy boots. "I am done with your games, cat. I don't know how you did it, but I am not letting you take advantage of my friend like that." He grabbed Letharr by the throat with both hands, pulling him up until the cheetah was standing on his toes, hissing, and spitting at him, while he feverishly tried to pull the dog's hands away.

"That is quite enough, Breon. Let got." Mallon stared at his furious friend in disbelief. It was unlike him to act like this.

"I told you, I'd throw them out the window. You promised me you wouldn't fuck them, so they must have tricked you into doing it somehow." Breon barked in anger, lifting the struggling cheetah up slightly higher. He could feel the female struggling in his grasp. He could hear her claws scratching across the floorboards, desperately trying to cling to the ground. A hand touched his right arm, trying to push it down. He turned his head and found Mallon looking at him.

"Look at him!"

Breon raised an eyebrow in confusion and turned his attention back to the coughing female in his grasp.

"Lower."

The Doberman's gaze wandered down her twitching form. Across her small breasts and down to her.. dick? His eyes shot up again. "Treason!" he barked. The hand of his friend kept pushing down on his arm.

"Yes, treason indeed, but I need him to live."

Breon stared back at him in disbelief. "You can't be serious!"

The corsac fox gave another hard push, and this time, Breon allowed the cheetah to stand on his toes again. "I am very serious right now. Yes, I did spent the night with him, but not because he tricked me into it. Plots like these should be like a spider's web, elaborately woven to trap the unsuspecting victim." He nodded towards the Letharr. "This one however was crafted by a bloody amateur, unknowing of what they were getting into; it is simple and blunt like a hammer." He turned towards the terrified cheetah. "What you hold in your grasp here, my friend, is a key. He is a piece on the board and I'd like to have him so that I can use him to accomplish something greater."

Breon looked at the cheetah again, growled deeply and let go. The cat fell to the ground, clutching at his throat, coughing and breathing heavily. "Be very glad today, cat. Your lord has allowed you to keep on breathing." He kneeled down in front of Letharr, grabbing him by the back of his neck and pulling him close. "If you do anything to harm him, you are going to wish that I hadn't taken my hands off your neck when he asked me too." He spat out and pushed the cheetah away hard, causing him to slam to the floor where he curled up into a whimpering ball, trying to shield his head with his hands.

Mallon glared at his friend, then sighed. "Alright, now that that is decided, would you mind heading down to the kitchen and have a hearty breakfast prepared for us? I am feeling quite hungry."

The Doberman growled quietly. "You better get dressed before you come down. I know what your sheath looks like, but the rest of the castle really shouldn't." He turned around and stomped towards the door, halting for a moment as he opened it. "And don't bring the cat."

Mallon was about to reply, but the door slammed shut in front of him. He sighed looking down his own naked body and then sat down next to the bundle of spotted fur on his floor, gently rubbing his back. "Relax, you're safe now." The cat's only reaction was to curl up even tighter. The corsac fox rubbed his forehead. "Don't be difficult, okay? I said.."

"You said, you would keep me safe! He wanted to kill me!" Letharr whimpered through clenched teeth.

"But I did. You're still alive, aren't you?" The corsac fox gently ran a hand across Letharr's back.

The cheetah pulled away from his touch. "You told him I was a key. Is that what I am to you; a tool to be used and disposed of once it is no longer needed?"

Mallon rolled his eyes, grabbing the cheetah by the shoulder. "We're all pieces on somebody's board, that is what my grandfather taught me. So yes, you are a tool, but it is you who chooses whether you want to be a shovel or an axe."

The cheetah turned his head to look at Mallon. "What.. is a shovel?"

Mallon raised an eyebrow. "A flat, rectangular blade on a stick. Has a rounded tip. You use it to dig in the dirt."

"I'd rather not be a shovel I think."

The fox chuckled, placing his right under the cheetah's chin as he looked at him. "Good. You're more of a dagger anyway."

Letharr purred quietly. "Because I'm quick and slender?"

"That is rather obvious, isn't it?" Mallon gently patted the cheetah's head. "And now, if you'll excuse me, I have to get dressed. I'm rather hungry." He got up off the ground and walked towards one of the small wooden cupboards.

"What about me?"

"Hm?" The corsac fox opened a drawer, retrieving a black linen shirt. "Oh, I'll have your breakfast brought up to you by one of the servants."

"I.. have to stay here?" Letharr slowly sat up, watching the fox from behind as he put on the shirt. "Maybe I should go back to the others and.."

"No, that would be detrimental right now. If you stay here, it will seem as if I favor you." He reached into the drawer again, this time retrieving a pair of linen pants, which he carefully put on. "In order to keep this little charade of yours intact, I will have some womanly clothes brought up for you. That should convince your sister that I am trying to cover this up, which is what I want her to think." He pulled the bands at the shirt's collar tight and tied them up, before he stepped back and looked at himself in the mirror, which hung at the wall over the cupboard. "How do I look?"

The cheetah looked at him, cocked his head and raised an eyebrow. "Dressed?"

Mallon chuckled in response. "Fair enough." He turned around heading for the door.

"Will you.. be back?" Letharr got up off the floor, and Mallon paused for a moment as he let his eyes wander across the cheetah's naked body.

"Of course." Mallon's hand closed around the door handle and pushed it open. "This is my chamber after all." He didn't wait for a response, passing through the door and pulling it shut behind him. His throat felt coarse. He coughed, clearing it, and adjusted the strings of his shirt slightly. He moved on towards the stairs, passing by a female ferret in the clothing of a chambermaid. "The lady is awake. Fetch her some clothes and knock before you enter so that she has time to cover herself."

"Of course, my lord." The ferret bowed curtly and hurried off.

He nodded and began his descent down the stairs. It was sunny outside. He could tell by the rays of sunlight that fell through the windows. Maybe it'd be the right time for some light exercise? He would have to ask Breon about that of course.

* * *

A couple of minutes later, he sat down at a table in the main hall. A couple of soldiers from the early watch were sitting nearby, enjoying their lunch, and joking among themselves. Mallon looked at his friend as he dug into his food with undisguised appetite. "Any.. events during the night?"

The Doberman looked up. Bits of food stuck to his fur, and a particularly viscous drop slowly stretched down from his lips, before it fell back into the bowl. "Well, one of the men had two of his teeth knocked out by one of our guests."

Mallon groaned. "Is the cat still alive?"

The Doberman nodded. "Well, of course. Mereon is in the barracks though, drinking to your health to keep the pain at bay. He told me it had been worth it though. He hadn't been laid that good since the madame of the rose of Walgrundt died two years ago, he said." Breon wiped his mouth with a piece of cloth and took a gulp from his cup.

"What has the badger in store for us today?" Mallon tried to catch a glimpse of the Doberman's bowl.

"Maisle? Porridge and a side of ham. She said I was her favorite." Breon chuckled deeply.

"I see." Mallon turned towards the kitchen door, expecting the enormous shape of the female to appear at any moment.

"So, that cat of yours.." Breon thoughtfully stirred the contents of his bowl with his fork. "Was she any good?"

The corsac fox looked at him but found himself unable to read the Doberman's expression. "She was quite.. persistent."

"Oh, good. That's a good thing, right?" The Doberman looked aside, tapping his left index finger onto the wooden table. "How did it feel? I mean, being with her."

Mallon swallowed and looked towards the kitchen door again. "It felt right."

"Great, great. I'm happy for you then." Breon smiled honestly, as an uncomfortable silence set in between them. The soldiers at the other table had finished their meal and left, leaving both of them alone in the hall.

"I.. thank you." Mallon gave a short nod. By now, he had given up on the thought of the badger showing up any time soon.

"Was it.."

Mallon sighed, gritting his teeth. "Can we talk about something else please?"

"Eh.. Of course." Breon coughed and leaned back in his chair. "So.. our new guests. Do you think we can trust them? I don't like their leader one bit."

"Kethra? Obviously not. The Katharri can't be trusted while they still feel superior to us, which they do as long as their leader sees herself in a position of strength." He took a sip from Breon's cup and coughed as the sharp taste of liquor touched his throat. Breon turned his palms up and grinned apologetically in response. "Anyway. My new 'mate', who happens to be Kethra's brother, is currently in the weakest position imaginable. Even I couldn't have designed a situation much better than this."

Breon looked at him thoughtfully. "You think he would rather throw his lot in with you than his sister?"

The corsac fox shrugged and grinned in response. "My grandfather always used to say: 'All people will eventually flock to your banners; you just have to raise them high enough.'"

The Doberman stared into his cup for a moment. "Was he talking about the banners or the people?"

Mallon chuckled as he put a hand on his friend's shoulder. "Both." A bowl was placed in front of him.

"There you go m'lord. I am sorry for makin' you wait, but I added some eggs in for you. I hear you 'ad a night with the ladies." The badger winked down at Mallon.

He had no idea how she had managed to leave the kitchen without him noticing, but he was glad about the food at least. "Thank you Maisle, that is very thoughtful of you."

"Ah, don't mention it your highness. I know what a proper man needs to give his wife some 'ealthy pups." She grinned, whistling happily as she made her way back to the kitchen.

When the door had closed behind her, Mallon leaned over to the Doberman. "Breon, I want you to send some of the men to the market to buy fresh vegetables. And get me some farmers or the like to build a garden."

"Couldn't the cats do that for us?"

The corsac fox groaned at the thought. "Breon, I talked to one of them, and he didn't even know what a shovel was. Just send the men to the market, will you?"

"Of course, but aren't you forgetting about something?" The Doberman grabbed into his pocket and retrieved the back end of a broken pipe.

Mallon buried his face in his hands. He knew his friend wouldn't let up anyway. "Fine. Tell them to bring one of those too."

Breon rose with a grin. "At once." He winked at Mallon, turned around and left the castle. The corsac fox could hear him barking orders at the men outside. There was a barely noticeable undertone of joy in his voice while he did it, Mallon thought to himself. He stared at his food for a long moment. Three boiled eggs and a slice of cooked ham, sunken in a bowl of hot porridge. He grimaced. Then he shrugged and began to eat.