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The Price we pay

Prologue:

When she opened her eyes, everything was white. It wasn't so much that it blinded her, it was just all white. She saw no contours, no walls, no ceiling. Nothing. She felt the floor beneath her and she could see herself. She was naked. But she was not cold. Nor did her nakedness bother her. Nothing bothered her at all at the moment. When she thought about it, she felt nothing at all at the moment. But she did. But she felt something. She felt safe. In security. An incredible feeling of safety and security flowed through her. Instinctively, she knew that nothing would happen to her here.

Happened.

Good cue. She looked down at herself. Something was different. She looked at her hands and arms, then her legs and feet. Something was missing. But what? She tried to remember, but it just wouldn't come to her.

*Why can't I remember?*

She rubbed her temples and sat up. Once again she looked around. She was in a room, the size of which she could not guess, that was white through and through. She looked below her and did not even see a shadow.

"Where am I?"

She whispered, and her voice sounded like it was wrapped in absorbent cotton. Slowly, something like worry spread through her.

"Hello?"

She said, already a bit louder. Her voice had no echo. Either the room was huge, or something else prevented an echo. She rubbed her arm, something she had done since childhood when something worried her.

"Hello? Is someone there? I'm scared."

Her voice quivered a little as she looked around again. Her worry was slowly turning to fear. When the voice came out of nowhere, she startled.

"Don't be afraid Shirya. Nothing will happen to you here."

Shirya. Yes exactly, that was her name, she remembered. She looked around, trying to locate the source of the voice.

"Who is this? Where are you?"

She asked into the white nothingness that surrounded her. The voice sounded closer now.

"I'm here, with you. No, don't turn around yet. I don't want you to be frightened."

The voice sounded very soft, was full of warmth and affection. Shirya resisted the urge to turn around immediately. She could feel someone approaching from behind. Her breath quickened in anticipation of what would happen next. She was terribly excited and scared.

"Good, please don't get scared now."

Said the voice empathetically. Shirya thought she was ready for anything, but that the hand placed on her shoulder from behind was adorned with yellow fur and black stripes was something she hadn't been prepared for. She flinched, but the hand gently held her upright.

"Shhhh child. I'm not going to hurt you. I'm here to welcome you."

Said the tiger standing behind her. Shirya slowly turned her head to face him. The tiger she saw standing there was old. His face was furrowed with wrinkles and his yellow-green eyes looked tired. But he radiated an unexpected warmth and love. He made no effort to move, he seemed to be waiting for the inevitable.

"Who are you? And where are we?"

Shirya asked, slowly turning completely around to face the old tiger, who seemed to be standing in nothingness. A warm smile painted itself on his face.

"In my lifetime, I was called the Great Khan. Now I am the guardian of this room. It was I who made the pact with your ancestor that has now led you here."

His voice seemed surprisingly soft for a carnivore of his age. But Shirya now remembered why she was here and where here was. Tears gathered in her eyes. The Great Khan closed his eyes and nodded as he saw the realization in her. He spread his arms and caught her as she fell in. She sobbed and he could feel her face getting hot.

"It's all right child. You've made it. No more harm will come to you here. I have made sure that no one who comes here through our pact has anything to fear."

He stroked her back and waited patiently for her to calm down. It took a while and every now and then, when it already seemed that she had calmed down, the sadness boiled up inside her again and she started crying all over again.

"Shhhh my child. It's really all right. Don't be afraid. I'd like you to meet some people. Shall we go over there sometime?"

She slowly shook her head and buried herself deeper into his embrace. He nodded silently and continued to caress her. She felt him move his head briefly, but she didn't want to see what he was doing. Only a short time later, when her embrace was shared by more arms and hands, did she raise her head. As she looked around anxiously, she was surrounded by tapirs. She recognized some of them from pictures at her home. They were her ancestors. The Great Khan released her from his embrace and Shirya was pulled directly into the next embrace.

With a slight bow, the old tiger withdrew and disappeared into the whiteness of the surroundings.

"My child, why are you here already? Your time had not yet come."

Asked an old tapir that Shirya embraced intimately and did not want to let go. But before she could answer, the old tapir continued.

"No. No don't say it. I know. I should never have made that pact. Look who has walked the path. She's way too young for that."

Lima was close to tears while holding Shirya. The other tapirs had joined in the embrace.

Shirya had closed her eyes and just let herself drift in her feelings. She was safe here, nothing would happen to her here....

The Great Khan would see to that.

Hunger:

She stood in front of the large, richly decorated door that led to the Great Khan's chambers. Already here she could hear that her companion was already playing with the other concubines. The muffled sounds coming through the door increased her anticipation of what was to come. She knew she was not yet allowed to enter her companion's chambers. Like much of their society, the act of mating, at least when it came to fathering the next generation, was a highly ritualized process. There were protocols to follow and specific time frames to adhere to. It was an honor to belong to the Great Khan's personal harem. That alone had earned her family great prestige and many privileges. But to be chosen to father the next Great Khan, to carry him to term, and then to raise him, that was another matter entirely.

She was terribly excited. On the one hand, she was looking forward to spending time together with her mate again, on the other hand, she was excited because for the first and probably only time in her life she would take part in this ceremony, and finally, she was afraid. Would she be able to cope with the great task and dignity that this parrung would bring? She was still young, downright inexperienced compared to the other concubines. Ébano, for example, had been a concubine of the previous Great Khan. She was experienced in these matters. It wasn't as if she had never lain with the Great Khan before, but this was different.

She looked at her hands, artfully wrapped with colorful ribbons, they were trembling. She looked up her arms, decorated with runes of fertility and good fortune. Then she looked down her body. Her breasts, highlighted by the clever binding with braided ribbons and accented by the runes that had been applied to them in bright colors. She resisted the urge to touch them, even if it made her want to. Her private parts had also been richly decorated after the priestesses had shaved them almost completely. It was a strange feeling to be so completely uncovered. She was used to being naked in the harem and in large parts of the temple, after all she wore her fur and was thus always covered, but now... She felt naked and vulnerable. The fact that this part of her had also been highlighted by elaborate ribbons and lacing did little to help her with her shame. Finally, her eyes wandered to her legs, which had also been ritually decorated with all sorts of ribbons and runes.

The sacred oils with which the high priestess had anointed her entire body smelled beguiling. She knew that the ingredients of the oils only strengthened her condition. This was to ensure that the mating would be really successful. She was tingling all over and longing to touch herself. Only because of her shame and with great effort she could stop herself from satisfying herself right there.

She was unnaturally hot but since she was already naked she could not get rid of any more clothes. Her breath was hot and rapid as she finally raised her hand and opened the door.

The Great Khan's chambers were shrouded in darkness as always. She could see him sitting on his throne. His body was also decorated with many braided ribbons. The runes on his body represented strength, endurance, pride and fertility. One of the priestesses was still anointing his shaft. While another was tying the last ribbons around his arm. The priestesses were naked, as protocol dictated for this activity. His face reflected exuberant relaxation as he looked down at himself at the devoted work of the priestess. When he heard the door, he looked up and over at her. When he heard the door, he looked up and over to it. He exchanged a few inaudible words with the priestesses and they immediately let go of him. As the priestess at his feet rose gracefully, he held her briefly and pulled her toward him.

"A shame you're with the priestesses Rayas, I'd gobble you right up."

He said elatedly and pressed a kiss to her cheek. The two priestesses bowed deeply, and she could see from her vantage point that Rayas' fur between her thighs was soaked with moisture. As the two priestesses approached her they stopped in front of her to bow again. She bowed as well and thanked the priestesses for their support. Rayas found it noticeably difficult to suppress a girlish giggle as she pushed past her colleague and out the door.

The door closed almost silently behind her and she was suddenly alone with the Great Khan.

The Great Khan sat reclined on his throne. Except for the ceremonial ribbons, he too was completely naked. His semi-erect member was resting on his right thigh and his left leg was propped up on the seat of his throne. His left arm was relaxed over his knee and he ran his right hand over his chin before looking at her with an almost murderous grin.

"You look adorable Pecada Dulce. Come closer and let me look at you."

Purred the Great Khan as he stood up on his throne and placed his left leg on the floor.

Pecada hesitated for a moment, but then started to move. With lascivious steps she came towards him. Her hips swayed with each of her steps and her tail twitched excitedly back and forth. As she got closer she could see his greed in his eyes and licked her lips seductively. The view, the oils and her own heat did their part and made sure that Pecada couldn't help but show her desire towards him. She wanted him, completely and utterly, for herself. The Great Khan bent down and fished for one of the ceremonial ribbons, got hold of it and pulled her towards him.

She now stood directly in front of him. Her hips slightly tilted to the side, her arms crossed behind her back, which made her already ample breasts stand out even more. The Great Khan's mouth watered as he gazed at his prize. He let his eyes roam over her body from her feet to her slender but strong calves to her muscular thighs to her pubis to her flat stomach and shapely breasts and finally over her slender neck to her lovely face. She was more than perfect. And more than that, she was ready.

Each Khan got only once the chance to beget a descendant, so were the rules that applied since time immemorial. If the khan did not produce a descendant, a new khan would be elected from the ranks of the warriors after his death. The current lineage was one of the longest unbroken since records began. Tonight, the current Khan would beget his progenitor.

He rose slowly and elegantly from his throne. Even though Pecada was not exactly small for her race, the Khan towered over her by two heads. His muscular stature made her seem almost slender in front of him. He knew the effect he had on most others. He was intimidating, he was the embodiment of death. No inhabitant of the jungle could match him. And now he stood before her, at his full height. She looked up at him and her desire for him was clear from her lips. He took her face in his big, strong hands and bent down to her. The kiss was long and intimate. Their tongues explored each other's mouths and their hands simultaneously explored each other's bodies.

Pecada let her dainty hands glide over the Great Khan's flanks, following the lines that dictated the musculature, feeling them move beneath his skin. He was warm, his fur was soft, and his scent, so primal and wild, along with the sacred oils excited her endlessly.

The Great Khan continued to hold her face with one hand while the other slowly ran over her neck. He could feel the hairs on the back of her neck stand up and a pleasant shiver run down her spine. Then he continued down her back. He let his sharp claws glide gently over her spine and was delighted by the muscle play that he could create with it. When he finally arrived at her shapely bottom, he grabbed it.

Pecada took a deep breath and clawed at his back.

"Ow..."

It wasn't so much painful as playful the way she complained to her partner, and the Great Khan knew it all too well. When he pulled his head back, she was hanging onto his lower lip with her teeth. He grinned devilishly and let go of her cheek to bring that hand to her buttocks as well. But Pecada was faster than him and caught his arm halfway. She guided his arm to her waist and held it there. She looked deep into his eyes.

"I know what you're up to Khan, but today I'm the one in charge here."

She whispered and a mischievous grin painted itself on her lips. The Great Khan tilted his head to the side and raised his eyebrows. He returned the grin and nodded.

"My queen. I will be at your service, as you wish."

He said and closed his eyes before bowing suggestively. She ran her hands over his chest. She lost herself in the hills and valleys of his musculature and ran her tongue over her lips. Something flashed in her eyes and she pointed her hand to the bed.

"On the bed, slave!"

The unwavering authority in her voice allowed for no objection. The Great Khan eased away from her and took a step back before bowing.

"Certainly, mistress."

With relaxed but very strongly accented steps, the Great Khan walked to his resting place. With each step, his tail swung elegantly back and forth. The movement was almost hypnotic. When he reached the huge bed, he let himself slide elegantly onto the bed surface and remained in an inviting pose, lying on his side. His upper leg was bent, revealing a view of his ample privates. He had lowered his head slightly and was gazing beguilingly from below at his mistress.

Pecada looked after him. The desire to finally feel him inside her, the anticipation of the sensation of being filled by his manhood, made her shudder. He was a seducer. He knew exactly what she wanted. He knew exactly how to get what he wanted. And now he was lying on the bed, baiting her with his body and his looks. She felt it flowing boiling hot down her thigh. She wouldn't be able to hold back much longer. Her eyes literally ate him up as she slowly strode over to the bed.

"Do you like what you see mistress?"

The Great Khan asked, making his Little Khan jump.

Pecada's eyes widened and she couldn't help but giggle. However, she quickly caught herself and regained her composure.

"Don't act up too much, slave. It doesn't suit you."

She said with a feigned coldness that anyone would have seen right through, but she managed to put her authority back into her voice.

"On your back!"

She commanded, pointing with her hand to the bed. The Great Khan complied with her request without hesitation and rolled onto his back. He was now lying on his back with his head facing her. His green eyes looked up at her devotedly. Her smile grew wider. She very much enjoyed having power over him. She knew all too well that he only allowed this because it was a special night and she held a special position in it. Normally he would never be so submissive. She approached the bed so that his head was between her knees. It took considerable effort on the part of the Great Khan at the sight that now presented itself to him not to immediately grab Pecada and simply pull her on top of him. His head was between her knees and his view of her very innermost was perfect. He saw her nakedness, saw how wet she already was, could see how ready she already was. And her smell, her scent was overwhelming. In deep breaths he took it in. His excitement reached new heights with each passing moment. Pecada could hear the ripping sound as his sharp claws dug into the furs on the bed. Little Khan stood at attention, pulsing his readiness. She too was about to lose all restraint. The oils, his smell, his obvious willingness and her own heat threatened to overwhelm her. Trembling, she climbed onto the bed and stood over him.

"Show...show me you deserve me..."

She said, her voice filled with lust and desire. Without waiting for his response, she dropped to her knees. It was only thanks to her excellent body control that she didn't break his nose in the process, as her sex hovered just a few millimeters above his nose.

"As you command, mistress."

He said and raised his hand to her hip, stabilizing her in that position. He opened his mouth and eagerly began to explore her Folts with his rough tongue. Pecada sharply sucked in her breath before moaning loudly. He licked up the pre, that had allready leaked out of her and traced it back to its origins. He ran his tongue up and down her slit, ever so slightly pressing it in between her labia. She proped herself up with her hand on his chest. The sensation of him licking her in her fired up state almost carried her over the edge instandly. The Great Khan knew no bounds in his efforts to please his mistress. He suckled on her outer lips, made his way to her clit and softly sucked and nibbled at it. All the while her moans and sighs were the soundtrack for what he was doing. And the further he brought her to her climax, the more exciting became the soundtrack. It endet with a high pitched squeal as she came on top of him. Her hips were shaking violently and she almost collapsed onto his stomach. He used his immense strengh to keep her in place, as not to let her fall off the bed.

It did not take long for her to catch her breath, as she was a capable fighter with excellent stamina. When she came down from her high, she slid off him and allowed him to somewhat clean himself up. His face was completely wet from her ejaculation. She felt almost sorry, almost. He licked his face with gusto. In his eyes his desire burned like a sun. He wanted to be in her and he knew she wanted it just the same. He showed a great deal of manners, when he asked, in a completely submissive tone:

„Do you deem me worthy of you, Mistress?"

Pecada sat up and mustered him, lying next to her, slighty propped up on one elbow. He was glorious. Everything a female tiger, or indeed any female could ever ask for, and then some. Her hands roamed over her body, touching herself were he had just touched her before. The knowledge of him seeing her doing that was electrifying. She nodded. She would not be able to postpone it any longer.

„Yes... yes you are deemed worthy of my body. Take me. Ravish me!"

Her voice sounded more than excited and the Great Khan did not need any further invitation. He rolled over to his hand and feed, took a hold of her and draged her to himself.

„Com' ‚ere!"

He grunted, and Pecada was not able to get much more than a short:

„Eeep..."

out, before she lay right in front of him. Her legs wide open, as was her sex. Her breasts rose in tandem of her breath and her swolen pussy pulsed in tandem with her heartbeat.

Grabbing her hips with both his hands, he lifted her up, onto his rock hard member. It took him no effort to find her entrance, since she was already waiting for him. With a triumphant roar he entered her in one smooth motion, penetrating her as deep, as he was able. Yet another time Pecada sucked in the air sharply just to let out her moan. Being filled so violently was a sensation in and of itself. But she was all for it. She did not wait even one second longer, even if it meant a rather painful entry into the fucking of her lifetime.

Since she had requested it so thouroughly, the Great Khan did not bother with the usual niceties, but began to ram himself into his partner vigorously. He was not sure, how long we would last, when he would go all in from the beginning, but he would give her all he got. Keeping a high pace he used his strengh and endourance to hold her in place while plunging his member into her depth over and over again. His balls slapped against her anus with every thrust, adding some percussions to her soundtrack of moans and squeals.

Pecada had buried her hands in some of the furs to keep herself from sliding back an forth all the time. Her breasts bounced almost painfully up and down with each thrust of her mighty partner. This was amazing. He was hittig her spot every time, and every time she would get one slap of his balls clother to her own release. She tried hard to match her own contractions of her internal muscles to his thrusts, but the sheer onslaught of pleasure was to much for her. She was lost in bliss, moaning, sighing, squealing her delight, her pain, her ever growing lust for him into the darkness of the room. Stars were dancing before her eyes and she felt lightheaded as she slung her legs around his waist pulling him into herself even more.

The Great Khan could feel her tense up inside and he himself was not far away either anymore. As she pulled him in even more, he let go of her hips and grabbed the ribbons on her chest. Pulling her up in one go, stabilizing her back with his other hand. He thrusted into her, letting her bounce up on his lap and fall back down onto his manhood, he could feel that he was about to hit rockbottom in her.

„Gonna make you carry my son..."

He grunted as he renewed his efforts, lifting her up with his hips and letting her plummet down onto his hardness. She wrapped her arms around him, bitting his neck with force. Her muffled screams of pleassure sounded through his throat as he grunted his way to his own release.

When she came, she cut her claws into his back, racking him open in four long cuts on each shoulder, leaving a deep bitemark on his neck. Her convulsions were so violent, they almost toppled them both over. She clenched him so hard, he thought she would rip his member from his body.

His own release was no less violent. When he finally came, shortly after Pecada, he rammed himself into her so hard, him thought he had felt something give in her hip. He was so fired up by her, his claws dug into her buttock, leaving clawmarks in a halfcircle around her backend. He roared his success into the room and simultaneously flooded her womb with his seed.

It took a little while for both of them to come down from their high. The Great Khan was the first to regain his bearings and gently lay down Pecada in front of him. He was panting heavy and with the slowly waning afterglow of his orgasm, he begann to feel the little lovebite and scratchmarks Pecada adorned him with. Sure those wounds were not to triffle with, but they would heal fast and without problems for sure. He looked down on her, laying in front of him, still in utter bliss. Panting hard and fast, her chest was heaving and her breasts were almost wobbling. His cum was oozing from her folds and her legs were still shaking a little. He smilled. She was more he had ever hoped for this night. And this night was more he had ever hoped for... and it was not even over yet...

Pecada lay there. She was alone with her self in her head. She did not register anything for the moment. All her thoughts, all her senses, all of everything was spinning around just one thing:

„He has done it..."

She was sure, after this, she had to be pregnant. There was no way this night would not bring forth thte next Great Khan. In her self she was dancing, giggling, jumping. In the real world, her body was rebooting after being forcefully shutdown by a massive tiger.

Slowly she came down from her high, beginning to feel the strains, she had put herself through. Her legs were still trembling, her back was killing her and man would she be sore tomorrow.

She opened her eyes amd looked into the loving face of her partner and leader. Slowly and trembling she raised her hand to his face and stroked his cheek.

„You did your mistress proud. Slave."

She said with a grin and he returned the gesture and grin.

„You did yourself proud. Mistress."

He said in a low tone, stroking her cheek and letting his hand glide down onto her belly. There, hopefully, would develope a new life, a new stemholder for his realm. Her hands joined his and their lips joined in an intimate kiss.

...

For you are what you eat:

The Great Khan sat at the big table and looked at his plate. He knew only too well whose meat was lying on his plate. He looked around. His warriors, his concubines, his priestesses and priests, all were eating with relish. He could not blame them. The meat was first class. The quality was beyond reproach.

And yet, at the sight of it, his appetite was abruptly gone. It had been too short a time. He took a deep breath and then pushed the plate away from him. As he leaned back on his throne, the gaze of his high priestess was glued to him. She was blind, but nothing escaped her. Nothing at all. She nodded at him and he understood.

Without a word, he rose from the feast and left the hall to the outside of one of the courtyards. He stopped in the middle of the courtyard and looked up at the starry night sky. His expression was petrified and he felt his claws slowly digging into his palms. But he didn't stay alone long enough to dwell too much on his own thoughts. The high priestess joined him. She stood beside him with her eyes closed, her nose stretched high into the night air, sniffing the scent of the night. The Great Khan knelt in deep respect beside his elder. She purposefully placed her hand on his head.

"Rise, my son."

She said softly. Her voice as always full of love and confidence. The Great Khan rose slowly but gracefully and stopped beside her.

"A wonderful night, wasn't it?"

It was a rhetorical question, the Khan knew that too, but she had to start the conversation with something. He agreed.

"Yes, a beautiful night. It would be perfect for a hunt."

He returned. She looked up at him, her smile filled with understanding and affection.

"I can understand your state of mind, but it's disrespectful to the sacrifice if you don't eat."

She announced. At that moment, his claws dug through the thick skin of his palms.

"Yes, I know, and I want to respect the honorable sacrifice, but how can I eat this girl's flesh when I just laid with her less than three days before. I was the one who made her sacrifice possible. It was I who ultimately sent her to her death. It was I who first gave her hope, only to send her to hell right after."

His voice trembled with tension. He looked at his hands on which blood was stuck, figuratively and literally.

"Her blood is on my hands. Hers and that of hundreds of other animals."

He almost screamed. On the one hand he was beside himself with anger, on the other hand he was so desperate that he wanted to run away screaming. The High Priestess sensed the inner conflict of her chieftain. She put her old, delicate hands in his. He wanted to take his hands away so as not to stain hers, but she held him with amazing determination.

"Nana?!"

He looked to her. Her face showed a very serious expression. It was unfathomable whether she was angry or worried. She took a deep breath before she began to speak. Her voice seemed as calm as ever, but you could hear her anger.

"My boy. Calm down. First of all, it wasn't you who sent her to her death. Your own tribe allowed her to go the way of all flesh. For them it was an easy and convenient solution. She came to us of her own free will, she emphasized that several times, and the tribes also know what happens when it turns out that one of the sacrifices did not come to us voluntarily. So, put that guilt aside. This weight is not yours to shoulder. As for the blood on your hands. We are carnivores. We are hunters. We are the very image of death. There is blood on all of our hands. In order for us to live, another must die. There's no way around it."

She looked deep into his eyes. He could feel her searching inside him.

"You are a good leader. You show compassion, even to your enemies. You take care of your family. You keep alive the old traditions that have ensured that all who live here in the jungle can live a much better life than ever before."

Once again she took a deep breath and her hand gently stroked his cheek.

"What happened to Shirya is tragic, and it was never meant for anything like this to ever happen. But precisely because it was you who made her sacrifice for the community possible in the first place, you should consume her flesh. It is your opportunity to show her gratitude for her sacrifice, so that it will not be in vain."

The Great Khan leaned his head against the dainty hand on his cheek, tears streaming down her hand. The High Priestess smiled.

"It is up to you to honor her sacrifice and ensure that such a sacrifice will not be necessary in the future. The pact's anniversary is next full moon. Perhaps it is time to renew the pact. Invite the representatives of the tribes to a meeting, as your ancestor once did. Make a new pact."

Her voice had lost none of its firmness, even though she was still full of love for her protégé. The Great Khan gently took her hand from his cheek and straightened up. His expression was serious and his ears were laid back.

"You're right. I am a fool. I will honor her sacrifice, as is the custom, and I will renew the pact. And so help me my ancestors, they will accept this new pact, or they will not leave this temple alive."

His voice sounded unusually harsh and something dark sounded in it. The High Priestess nodded.

"Yes. Sometimes even you must realize who and what you are. Even though I will not condone a massacre in the sacred halls."

He gritted his teeth before looking down at her.

"A massacre won't be necessary, I'm sure of it."

When she nodded, he went back to the banquet. His tension was palpable as he sat back down in his seat. He looked at the plate of meat from the tapir whose innocence he had taken less than 72 hours ago. The muscles in his face twitched under his skin and his lips quivered. Finally, he took a deep breath and took the meat from his plate.

"I honor your sacrifice. The sacrifice you willingly made for the community. Your nobility shall teach me humility. I consume your body so that your soul may find peace in the afterlife. Your flesh will strengthen my body so that I can protect your family as well. No sacrifice will go unatoned."

His words, spoken in silence, were shared by all in the hall.

As he bit into the flesh, tears ran down his face and he vowed again:

"I will end this."

The next day, the messengers were sent out. Every tribe in the jungle received its summons.

The Great Khan invited to a meeting of all animals of the jungle. The occasion was the renewal of the pact between the herbivores and the carnivores.

It was by no means a friendly invitation. That much the messengers already made clear to the emissaries of the individual tribes. Rather, the Khan himself would make sure that those who would not be present would end up on his plate next.

The envoys would be welcomed three days before the next opening of the Way.

"The Great Khan greatly values on your attendance. Especially in the course of the next opening of the Way... No I'm afraid I'll have to insist... But of course we'll guarantee your safety... Be at ease... So I may put you on the guest list, yes? The dear name was again? Matari Lami's Son."

Come to my Parlour, said the spider

It was the evening of the third day before the opening of the path.

The path to the temple was lined with the warriors of the tribe. Each of them was in full war gear and holding a torch.

The procession that day, however, was special. The animals that walked the Way of All Flesh that night did not do so willingly.

They had been rounded up at the entrance to the path. They had been forced to put on the black hooded cloaks. They had been forced under threat of punishment to keep silence while walking the path. The atmosphere was one of tension and fear. Constantly surrounded by the warriors of the tiger tribe, who in their war paint and with their weapons made no secret of the fact that they could strike at any time, the delegates of the herbivores walked with a queasy feeling over the path.

They had been assured beforehand that nothing would happen to them, but they were not so sure now. Unlike usual, the warriors of the tribe did not follow the procession to the temple as soon as it had passed, but the torches were extinguished on the spot and the warriors retreated wordlessly into the jungle.

It had something uncanny only the shining war paint in the darkness to see, when the tigers disappeared backwards into the blackness of the night. From the temple, it appeared as if the path was slowly dying and the light of life was going out. When the priestess leading the procession finally reached the temple, she was met by the captain of the guard. A massive warrior, covered with the scars of countless battles. His ears were torn and his left cheek was so disfigured by a scar that he seemed to be constantly baring his teeth. He stood on a pedestal above the entrance to the temple. From bloodshot eyes he looked down on the arrivals. His disapproval was palpable as he gave the order to open the gates. Without waiting any longer, he turned and disappeared into the temple.

The herbivores were led wordlessly through the temple. Warriors of the tribe were everywhere. All were in full armor and under arms. None of them was even stirring in the slightest. But they made sure that the delegation felt under constant observation and in constant danger. There was also something else to be seen. Always in the corner of the eye, never long enough to really catch a glimpse of it. Always in the shadows and always silent. It was as if someone or something was hunting them. It was those subliminal sounds, the scratching of claws over stone, the quick steps of bare paws on stony floors, the low growl of a hunter who had his prey in his sights.

When they finally reached the large double doors behind which was the hall where they would meet their host, the nerves of many of the herbivores were completely on edge. Some were obviously trembling, others kept looking around, still others tried to hide in the crowd. The priestess stopped in front of the door. Nothing happened for a short while. Just before the mood threatened to collapse, the doors were finally opened.

The priestess turned to the delegation. Her voice was completely calm and composed.

"I am not allowed to enter this room. Please hand your cloaks to one of the priests at the door. There is a table and chairs inside. Take a seat. The Great Khan will be with you at once."

With these words she withdrew without even waiting for a reaction. Restlessness spread among the herbivores, but one by one they finally went to the priests and handed in their cloaks and entered the hall.

The hall was large, the ceilings at least 8 meters high and the walls lined with columns. The Hallwas lid by firebowls, which were scattered around the hall.In the center was a huge table, where surely all the herbivores found a place. On its pedestal at the far end of the hall was a large throne that seemed to be carved from the same stone as the rest of the temple.

But what was far more strange were the huge stone tablets leaning against the columns of the hall. Each of them was completely covered with runes and hyroglyphs. All of these tablets were inscribed in blood red. All but one, whose inscriptions were in white. One of the tapirs took a closer look at one of the tablets and let out a scream. It stumbled back and collided with its kinsman.

"It says her name there..."

She pointed to some writing on the stone tablet. Her kinsman looked closer and recognized some names that looked familiar. But before he could dwell on it further, he was startled by the address from the other end of the hall.

"Welcome to the Halls of Memory."

The animals turned around. Next to the throne stood the Great Khan. Like his warriors, he wore his full war gear, including war paint and his weapons. It was an imposing sight. He was not the largest tiger in the temple, but he was certainly the deadliest among them. His green eyes stood out from the death mask applied with black paint. He took a few steps forward and handed his spear to one of his concubines who accompanied him.

"In these halls..."

His voice had taken on a solemn undertone.

"... We remember the dead. Not only of our tribe, but of all the tribes who have laid down their lives in this temple."

He performed a comprehensive gesture.

"The names of our warriors who have laid down their lives to protect this temple and to protect our community, and the names of those who have laid down their lives in tribute to preserve our pact."

He pointed to the many plaques that lined the hall.

"They will all never be forgotten. They will all be honored and passed down for all time, from generation to generation. Carved in stone and sealed with their blood, that they may never perish."

Even though he did not speak aloud, his words echoed through the hall for a long time. He pointed to the table in the center of the room.

"We are gathered here today to renew the pact we made over 60 years ago."

Hesitantly, the herbivores made their way to the table and took their seats. One of them wanted to speak, but the Great Khan cut him off before he could say it.

"Surely you are all upset at the way I have had you brought here. Surely you are all somewhat frightened and upset. This was done on purpose. It was my desire to bring the feeling to all of you. The feeling, the fear in which all your ancestors lived every day. Constantly surrounded by the hunters. The murderers who could strike at any time and anywhere. The feeling of complete inferiority, of powerlessness. Before this pact, before the war, there was only this fear. Whoever was chosen by one of the many carnivores was hunted down and killed. There was practically no escape. My ancestor and your ancestors made a pact after the war."

The Great Khan's voice echoed through the hall and he slowly came closer to the table.

"We all know that. We don't need a history lesson. And we didn't need this theater, either."

Shouted an enraged herbivore to the group.

"We know very well what the pact means to us. After all, we make a sacrifice every other week."

The big barge whirled around and fixed the interjection. It came from one of the tapirs. One of the concubines came up to him and handed him a dark package, and the Great Khan approached the tapir that had so rudely interrupted him. His footsteps echoed through the great room as he approached the representative of that race in a rage. Only when he was practically standing in front of the tapir could the latter see what the Great Khan was holding in his hands. If the tapir could have blanched, he would have done so.

The leader of the tigers opened the carefully folded skin he carried on his hands. The markings on the skin, the course of the stripes, and the placement of the scars made identification easy.

"This... This was your last tribute. A young, healthy calf. Still unmated and completely inexperienced. It would have had a long, fulfilling life ahead of it if you had not sent it to its death. That was not what the pact was originally intended for. It was for the old, the weak and the sick to walk the path. That is how it was originally intended and agreed upon. You send your future across the path for us to eat? How sick is that?"

He was shouting now. His words thundered through the hall. He carefully placed the skin on the table before drawing his dagger and pressing it to the tapir's throat.

It all happened so fast that no one could react before the tapir slammed into one of the pillars with a bloodcurdling crash. The Khan had lifted him about 30 centimeters off the ground and was still holding the blades to his throat.

"Do you even know what her name was? Who she was? What fears she went through until we granted her the peace she undoubtedly deserved for her courage?"

Hissed the Great Khan. Sheer hatred burned in his eyes. Hatred for these cowards who would rather send their children to their deaths than to die themselves for their community.

"Say her name!"

He screamed when he did not receive a direct answer. His ears were flattened, his teeth bared, and he could feel both his claws and the blade of his dagger slowly digging through his victim's skin.

"Sh...Shirya..."

Stuttered the tapir. The Great Khan nodded grimly. It took him some getting over not just killing the tapir here and now, but that would kill the pact here and now as well.

"That's right... Her name was Shirya. Never forget that name, it just saved your measly life at this very moment."

Growled the tiger and let go of the frightened herbivore. He dropped to the ground like a wet towel. Meanwhile, the Great Khan wiped the blade on his arm and slid it back into its sheath.

"All of you. All of you, as you sit here, are not worthy of the pact your ancestors made with mine. All of you have forgotten the meaning and purpose of that pact."

The tiger spat out, the disgust in his voice palpable.

"This pact once served to allow us to survive without having to hunt you. In return, we drove out the other carnivores and secured the borders. You live in a peace that no other herbivore community has ever experienced. The price for this peace was a sacrifice of each species each full moon and new moon."

His fists slammed down on the table, leaving deep dents in the wood.

"It was never the fucking intention of this pact that you guys would make a beauty contest out of it. Younger and younger animals have been coming across the path for years. Lured with amenities and privileges for the families of those who sacrifice themselves for the community. Young, strong and healthy animals that still have their lives ahead of them are jumping the blade so that the old, fat and lazy specimens can continue to sit at home? Surely that is sick!"

At a sign, the warriors of the tribe stepped out from behind the pillars and surrounded the hall. The Khan's eyes were by now bloodshot, and in his fury he hissed them out accusations against those present.

"It is a disgrace! You are a disgrace! If your ancestors could see you like this..."

He screamed while the veins on his neck and forehead stood out.

"My respect goes to the many sacrifices that have gone this path, despite knowing what was coming. Without exception, all of them have walked this path with dignity and in honor of their ancestors. We can no longer change the past. But I will change the future of this pact."

Once more he struck the table with force before turning and walking to his throne. As he turned back to the crowd, a certain uneasiness spread among the delegates. He sat down on his throne without a word and leaned back. His hands crossed in front of his chest with his fingertips forming a perfect Scholars cradle, he sat there and looked around. He let what had been said sink in. The presence of his warriors under arms did the rest. The whispering quickly began among those present. The Great Khan waited until the whispering almost degenerated into an open conflict between the different species of herbivores. The first of those present had already risen from their chairs when he raised his hand. One of his warriors roared in response.

"Silencium!"

The roar, like a thunderclap, instantly brought the crowd to silence. They all looked to the Great Khan, still seated on his throne. Beside him stood one of his concubines. Her body was richly adorned with ribbons and bows. She carried a parchment scroll and handed it to the Great Khan. He took the scroll with a silent thanks and kissed the tigress' hands before she retreated back into the shadows.

The Great Khan rose from his throne and approached the table again with slow steps. All eyes were fixed on him. He held up the scroll for all to see.

"This is the pact our ancestors made. It was signed in blood so that all would perceive the seriousness of this pact and that it would last forever. But I doubt if it will endure even this hour."

Reverently, he laid the scroll on the table.

"Just look at yourselves. Even in the face of your enemy you are still divided. You would rather deliver your neighbor to the knife than make any sacrifice yourselves. You don't even know yet how I intend to change the pact and you are already arguing about who is to blame for this misery. I can tell you, HE..."

The Great Khan pointed boredly at the tapir he had nailed against the wall just a few minutes ago.

"... Matari Lami's Son, was the one who brought about this misery. By letting his own daughter cross the path. His own flesh and blood. A calf, just old enough to look for a mate. Inexperienced in all respects. She didn't remotely know what exactly to expect. It is because of her that we are gathered here. She was the proverbial straw that broke the camel's back."

The Khan's voice sounded wistful all at once.

"But before you gloat now. I could just as easily point out any of the rest of you, as we have had this kind of sacrifice from every species. That will change now."

He drew his dagger and without hesitation he cut deep into his forearm with it. He rammed the dagger deep into the table and took a handful of his own blood and sullied the parchment that lay on the table in front of him with it.

"All of us are not worthy of this pact. We who accepted the sacrifices without questioning what was going on, as well as you who let your future cross the path without hesitation. No one can save this pact anymore."

He took the blood-soaked document and threw it across the table. The herbivores recoiled as if the parchment was poisoned. The Great Khan looked at his hands, where the blood from his wound was pooling. He took it and dyed his fur red on his face and chest.

The herbivores looked at him, shocked and spellbound.

When he rested his hands on the table, he left large red handprints.

"The pact we seal tonight will reawaken the spirit of the first pact."

He spoke softly and forcefully as he looked to his left and to his right.

"From now on, only those who have fulfilled their duty to the community will walk this path. That is, the one who walks the path has sired, or borne, at least one offspring. Is no longer able to serve the community due to weakness or illness or old age. Has made his wish known to the community in advance and the community has agreed to it."

The concubine approached the table with another document.

"Should these rules be willfully broken, or otherwise circumvented, I will personally drag the tribal leaders into this temple and execute them for all to see. We will not accept sacrifices that do not meet these requirements, but will procure other sacrifices. We already had to make an example once, don't let this become necessary again."

The concubine unrolled the parchment on which the wording of the pact was once again written in both the clan language of the tigers and the official language of the jungle. The Great Khan dipped one of his claws into the blood on his forearm and signed the contract. He then stepped back from the table. Nothing happened for a moment, then one of the water buffaloes spoke up.

"Don't we have any say in this?"

The Great Khan turned to the buffalo. The buffalo was a good head taller than the Khan, but it was old, fat and unarmed. His white teeth glistened under the blood on his face as the Great Khan flashed a downright murderous smile.

"Have a say? Have a say? Your say is limited to saying yes and amen and hoping I don't decide to restore the old conditions."

He walked slowly toward the buffalo with his arms outstretched, leaving a trail of blood drops behind him.

"How many of your children have been taken by hunters? How many of your community have been killed in their sleep at night? How many have reached the age you are now?"

The Great Khan placed his bloody paw on the buffalo's chest. He did not even wait for the buffalo's answer.

"Right!"

Using his not inconsiderable strength, the Great Khan pushed the buffalo backwards against a pillar. Next to the buffalo was the tablet with the names of his tribe.

"But you might want to change that, and end up as the very first among the names of those who will again fall prey to my hunters starting tomorrow."

Disgusted, he let go of the buffalo and turned to the others.

"Or maybe you want my warriors to go back to what nature created them for. Survival of the fittest!"

He went back to the parchment on the table.

"This is the one chance you will get. Sign the pact. All of you. Or starting tomorrow, my hunters will make sure my belly is filled."

With one last look at the parchment and his signature in blood, the Great Khan turned and stomped off to his throne. The concubine readied some quills and then followed her master to his throne. The Great Khan sat down in his seat and the tigress took a seat on his knee. Tenderly she took his arm and began to lick the wound clean. The Khan's growl was a sign of his affection for this concubine, whom he allowed without hesitation as she tended to his wound in public.

There was a flurry of excitement at the table. Some of the herbivores, above all the tapirs and the water buffaloes, were beside themselves. The animated discussion between them and the other species only showed once again the dividedness of the herbivores. Again, it did not take long for open accusations and insults to change camps and the few herbivores who would gladly accept the pact, even in this form, had no chance to bring order to the whole affair. One of the buffaloes had meanwhile pulled the dagger out of the table, which had cost him some effort and threatened an okapi that openly and loudly spoke out for the signing of the pact.

The Great Khan, meanwhile, just shook his head and finally watched his concubine as she began to lick the blood from his chest after his arm and hand.

"Let it be, Pecada. We'll be taking a bath later. Not that you'll spoil your stomach with the colors."

More gently than he was given credit for in his condition, he stroked her belly and she leaned against him.

"Why are they so stupid?"

She asked softly, closing her eyes. She wished she could close her ears as well. The Great Khan stroked her cheek delicately and shook his head again.

"I have never understood herbivores. They're so numerous, if they ever really stuck together, they'd just overrun us. But that's never going to happen again. The only time they managed to do that, and even then only to a limited extent, was when they faced all the carnivores at once in the war. Well, their loss is our gain."

He whispered in her ear.

Looking over to the table, he could see one of the Capibaras walking reverently toward him with its head bowed. It stopped a few feet from his throne and dropped to its knees. Lowering its head to the floor tiles and stretching its hands forward, it crouched there. Pecada stood up and took her place at the right side of her leader. The Great Khan straightened up and looked down at the cowering emissary. He was shaking all over, it seemed to have taken all his strength to get to the throne.

"Calm down and speak. What do you want?"

The Khan's voice was calm and understanding, but he couldn't quite keep the irritation out of his voice. The Capibara raised his head slightly and began to speak, stuttering.

"Si... Sire... please... d-do something. T-this shouldn't end th-this way. I beg you. Stop t-this madness!"

The Great Khan looked over at the table and nodded grimly.

"Silecium!"

Roared the warrior again and also this time the effect was given, within a moment silence returned to the Hall of Memory. And not a moment too soon, as the buffalo had already raised the dagger above his head and pressed the okapi on the table with his other hand.

"No one kills in my house without being commanded to do so by me."

The Great Khan spoke calmly, but his words found their target, for the buffalo immediately lowered the dagger and dropped it on the table. The Great Khan rose from his throne and took a deep breath.

"Look at yourselves. What is this? What are you trying to do? Are you trying to make my job easier by killing each other already so my warriors won't have to?"

He picked up his spear and took two steps forward. His warriors did the same. And all of a sudden, the range of motion for the herbivores was significantly smaller.

"Are you that stupid? Stupid enough to think you'll accomplish anything? I'm not interested in your little squabbles. You can go outside and bash each other's heads in if you think that's the right thing to do. You can kill each other in the shadows for all I care, just because the tribe claims this area for itself, but another tribe has already established itself there. That doesn'T even bother me in the slightest. Not even for a minute! But you will now sign this pact without grumbling and without arguing. My patience has reached its end. If I do not have the signature of every tribe on this document before the first one leaves this hall, that tribe will be the first to fill my pantries."

His voice was no more than a whisper at this point. And everyone in that hall who knew the Khan well enough knew that once he got quiet, he became dangerous. But except for his warriors and his concubines, none of those present here knew him even remotely well enough for that. The other small signs that an outburst was imminent, the slight twitching of the corners of his eyes, the just enough raised neck fur, the constant opening and closing of his fist and the pronounced calm breathing. None of the herbivores present here knew any of this.

Neither did the tapir, which was about to raise its voice once again.

The only reason the Great Khan's spear didn't nail him to the stone pillar was that the Khan's warrior was faster and threw his massive body between the tapir and the Khan's spear. The Khan's spear hit his warrior deep in the shoulder and almost pierced him. The warrior didn't even flinch as he set the tapir back on the ground. As he slowly turned to face his clan leader, the pain could be seen in his eyes, but nowhere else. The giant warrior bowed silently to his leader and walked back into the line of his clansmen. The tapir stood silent and motionless. Probably his brain was still busy processing what had happened. The Great Khan just stood there, breathing quietly.

Pecada approached him from behind and put her hand on the Great Khan's shoulder. She quietly took the floor.

"As you can see, our warriors take their task very seriously, that they would protect a herbivore even from their own leader, putting their own lives at risk. Even if the herbivore obviously likes to cause trouble. I hope it will be a lesson to you. I would now like to ask you to sign the pact so that another demonstration will not be necessary."

Her voice was gentle, almost tender. But there was a firmness and power in it that made it hard to contradict her. She slowly turned the Great Khan to face her. He was positively trembling with rage.

"Did you see what they made me do?"

He said quietly, but loud enough for most of the herbivores to hear him.

"I should just have them..."

He broke off in mid-sentence when she put a finger to his lips. She looked at him sternly and then looked to the warriors and nodded. Almost silently, the warriors retreated. They would take care of Brutus. He would survive. Now it was time to act diplomatically. To keep the male machismo in check and seal the deal.

"My esteemed envoys, if you please. The Great Khan is feeling indisposed. I would prefer this pact be sealed before I can no longer appease him."

Her voice already sounded a bit more energetic. Her eyes sparkled and her smile showed her fangs. The continuous growl of the Great Khan whose rage was obviously about to boil over was still audible even to the most distant herbivores.

It took a moment, but then, one by one, the herbivores began to sign the pact.

They took the dagger, stabbed themselves lightly with it, and used one of the quills to sign with their blood. Even the tapir and the water buffalo stood in front of the parchment at the end. Both hesitated. But finally they also took the dagger and signed the contract.

Pecada very formally thanked all those present and at her beckoning the great portals of the hall were opened again. Under the archway, the priestess who had led them into the temple before was already waiting. She was flanked by two tigers whose fur had been completely blackened. With a welcoming gesture and a bow, she cleared the way and escorted the delegation to the entrance of the temple. The atmosphere was completely different. The tigers who now lined the corridors were dressed in beige robes and wore only the torches that illuminated the halls and corridors. Gone were the war paint and weapons. When they reached the entrance the way out of the jungle, away from the temple was brightly lit.

The priestess bowed deeply and dismissed the herbivores into the night.

None of them knew how close they had come to disaster when the two black tigers silently disappeared into the night, dismissing their companions who were waiting in the leaders' chambers to massacre their families if the negotiations failed.

The price we pay:

The Great Khan stood behind Pecada and caressed her large baby bump, which had once been a flat belly. Full of pride and love, his hands ran over the round and felt the delicate movements of the new life that was growing in his partner. Lovingly he began to nibble on her neck and Pecada put her head to the side to give him better access. Her smile grew wider the longer he caressed her. They both knew he couldn't make love to her so close to delivery, but he could prove his love to her in other ways and she appreciated it. They both stood at one of the larger windows, if the openings high up in the temple could be called that, and looked out over the jungle. It was the night before the full moon.

"They're about to open the path."

Whispered Pecada, watching the points of light spread along the path. The new pact had made waves briefly, and they had had to discuss it a bit at the first opening after the renewal of the pact, as some of the sacrifices were not quite what was stated in the pact. But that had been to be expected.

"I know..."

Murmured the Great Khan, whose hands were now slowly moving higher, massaging his concubine's swollen breasts as he continued to nibble at her neck. Pecada moaned slightly as he kneaded her sensitive bosoms. She enjoyed the increased attention she received from him since she was pregnant. There was no jealousy in the Harem. Everyone had been happy when the high priestess chose Pecada. Since that day she was courted by all and the other tigresses rolled over when it came to helping her. Since the tigers had promised not to multiply further, pregnancies and births were a rarity. And only few had the luck to be chosen for one. And even if one was selected, then that was still for a long time no guarantee for the fact that one was allowed to beget the offspring also with its selected partner. The eugenics of the tribe commanded that only the best, the strongest and healthiest of the tribe were allowed to mate with each other. This often meant that the act as such was not under a good star and the pregnancy that resulted from this mating was often psychologically exhausting.

But the success gave them finally right. Their tribe was stronger, faster, bigger and healthier than any other tribe of their species had ever been.

The pregnancy that brought forth the new Khan happened only once in every generation. It was special in every way.

Pecada smiled, enjoying the goose bumps that formed all over her body as the Great Khan slowly worked his way higher and higher. When he nibbled behind her jaw, she finally shuddered and began to giggle. She was very sensitive there. She pulled her head in and turned to face him. He didn't hesitate but embraced her directly and kissed her lovingly. Pecada literally fell into his arms and returned the kiss.

A few weeks later, on a starry new moon night, the time had finally come. In her chambers, Pecada gave birth to her offspring. As was the custom, the Great Khan was by his partner's side, supporting her while the priestesses, under the guidance of the High Priestess, gave birth to the next Khan.

Births, even under the best of circumstances, were never without risk. So many things could go wrong. But the priestesses were experienced, at least the High Priestess, everything they could prepare for was prepared.

The birth as such succeeded without any complications for the time being. The next Khan was brought into the world alive and apparently healthy. And also his sibling was born without any further problems. Twin births were no rarity with the tigers. They were considered a good omen, especially if both infants survived.

But the fact that the Great Khan had fathered two daughters as his successor had not been planned. The Great Khan's eyes overflowed with happiness and when Pecada finally held her daughters in her arms, she cried tears of joy.

Even though this meant that his line would end with him as Great Khan and his firstborn daughter would choose one of the warriors for herself to take the place of the Great Khan when the day came, the leader of the tribe was overjoyed.

As mother and daughters slept blissfully after the birth and the first tongue bath of the little ones, the Great Khan climbed to the top of the pyramid and shouted his happiness to the night sky.

"I am a father!"

Sometimes the price we are willing to pay for something good is very high.

And sometimes the good we buy with that price doesn't seem good enough.

We don't always have a choice, but are forced to take what we are offered.

And when we have a choice, it is not always easy to decide what is the best.

Only one thing is certain:

We pay the price