The Forest of Fairies

• Chapter 9 in the Chronicles of the DragonRider

Anitra sighed, leaning back against Blake's flank as she felt the last dregs of the orgasm ebbing out... there was no Quickening to take its place this time, since it had been straight, vaginal sex. A parting fuck, before she ventured into the unknown. The bottle of shrinking-potion laid in her hand, where she absently spun it around in her palm - the antidote was packed safely in her backpack, protected by several layers of cloth... it was her ticket back to her normal size, after all, so she didn't want to take any chances.

"I wonder if our telepathic communication will work while you're shrunk..." Blake mused, his head resting on his foreclaws. "Maybe... but probably not." She replied with a sigh. "But even if it DOES work, it won't be terribly useful - if I get in trouble, any rescue-attempt you might launch would be just as likely to get me killed." Blake did not reply immediately, instead taking a deep breath. "Well..." she finally said, to break the silence "I guess I'd better get going." With a grunt, she got on her feet, and started strapping on her armor. Blake also pushed himself off the ground, stretching out his wings. "Yes... I guess you'd better. I'll be waiting for you, here - hurry back, would ya?" She nodded, picking up her backpack and pulling it on. "Of course... but keep in mind, I'll have some pretty short legs after I take this drink, so it might still take a while."

"Yeah, yeah... well, there are enough wild beasts in the surrounding hills to keep me from starving, and there are enough streams and lakes to keep me from thirsting - but neither will keep me from getting horny." He winked naughtily at her, and she laughed in response. "I'll give you a good ride when I come back..." then, her face turning somber, she went up to him and gave him a goodbye kiss on the mouth, before picking up her backpack, turning around and walking up to the edge of the forest. After waving one final time, she went into the forest, fading from view.

The forest was thick - even here at the edge. Though she was slim, she often found it difficult to squeeze between the trees, and the high undergrowth constantly hampered her progress. After less than an hour's walking, she found herself facing a solid wall of wood, and sighed. This, apparently, was as far as she'd get in her present form. Grabbing the flask from her belt-pouch, she uncorked it and took a moment to sniff at the contents before drinking. It had no smell whatsoever. With a shrug, she drank a mouthful of it, noting that it had no taste, either. Then, she gasped as she felt her entire body tingle. She corked the bottle with shaking hands, and quickly stuffed it back into the pouch, before leaning back against a tree. The tingling was growing into a loud buzz, and her entire body was spasming... taking a deep breath, she leaned back her head and closed her eyes, letting the potion work its magic.

Gradually, the spasms slowed, and breathing became easier. The tingling sensation disappeared, and after a couple of deep breaths, she opened her eyes to see a new perspective of the world. She was still leaning against the rough bark of a tree, but now, looking up, the trunk seemed to vanish into infinity. What had seemed like a dense forest before now seemed sparse... the nearest tree was several minutes away - at a dead run. The undergrowth, however, didn't seem like such a big problem anymore - she could slip between the individual plants.

Looking around, she saw no sign of life - no bugs, no mice, no birds... nothing that could be a threat. Here previous form had probably scared them all away. When they came back, she'd be the one running... so, she'd best take advantage of this short respite, and get going. The solid wall of wood she'd stopped at was a good hour's march away now, but she could see several holes that she'd easily be able to slip through... hopefully, once she got into the dense part of the woods, she'd meet a fairy. Only they knew where the tablet rested...

A few hours of walking later, she was starting to feel somewhat down about the whole thing... even though it seemed like she was making good progress, she simply couldn't get past the fact that she'd probably covered no more than a few yards, at most. The forest was starting to come alive around her, though, now that the large human who had disturbed it seemed to be gone. A few times, she saw some small rodents sniff curiously in her direction, and the scurry away rapidly - apparently, she still had a human scent, and the animals of the forest knew to stay clear of that.

Then, up ahead, she heard several voices, jeering and shouting... there was also a clicking sound, that she couldn't quite identify. Fairies, at last? Only one way to find out... she picked up the pace, and strode in the direction of the sound. When she sensed she was getting close, she peered cautiously through a tuft of grass - no sense in leaping into anything before she knew what it was. What she saw caught her breath, and inexplicably caused her pussy to start drooling.

On the ground nearby, a small group of red ants were gathered around a petite, winged, and obviously female being - a fairy. Two of them was gripping her hands with their mandibles, holding her down, while a third was on top of her, fucking vigorously while the crowd jeered and clicked their mandibles at the show - the sound she'd heard, apparently. The fairy was crying, and shouting for them to let her go, but she apparently couldn't pull her arms out of the vice-like grip of the other ants.

As Anitra snuck closer, she realized that she could understand not only the fairy, but the ants as well - a side-effect of the potion, apparently. "No way we're letting a hot little package like you slip away..." one of them said, in answer to her repeated pleas. "We're drones - the only thing we're good for is fucking. We've spend our entire lives fucking the queen - sweet life, too - and now that she's gone, and the hive is doomed, we're gonna get the most out of our remaining time - and that means more fucking!" "Man, wait 'till you guys get your cocks into this tight cunt..." the one on top of the fairy panted. "She's soooo much better than the old queenie...there's just no comparing."

"Yeah, I hear ya bro... and the sooner you finish, the sooner we can get a shot at her, eh? So move it!" "Yeah, yeah, I'm screwing as fast as I can, y'know?" He replied crossly, his abdomen never slowing as he continued to jab his cock into the squirming fairy. "But just so you know - I'm definitely coming back for seconds." The others laughed loudly, shouting "Thirds" and "Fourths!" while crowding closer. "Ya hear that, fairy? We're not letting you go until we've all had at least four times at ya - and seeing as there's quite a few of us, I hope ya haven't made any plans for the next few days..." One of them started pinching at her nipples with his mandibles, eliciting high-pitched screams from the fairy. However, Anitra couldn't help but to pick out a certain pleasurably tone in the voice - even though this was obviously rape, the fairy seemingly couldn't help but to enjoy it somewhat.

She seemed very innocent, though, with short, blond hair, and huge, blue eyes. Anitra licked her lips, one hand slipping into her panties to rub her sopping pussy. It was quite a show - the ant possessed both strength and endurance, and his thrusts were relentless. Every time his cock bottomed out, his abdomen would smash into her buns, making them jiggle, and causing her to buck forwards. His body, divided in three segments, allowed him to arc his back a great deal, making for some very long and deep thrusts, without sacrificing any speed. And his insect strength enabled him to keep going long after most mammals would have been exhausted.

Finally, he thrust deep into her, and cried out "Oh yeah! Take my load, bitch!" while his abdomen shook in the release. Anitra imagined that she could actually hear the splurt of hot cum pouring into the tight pussy, but it might just have been the sound of her own fingers plunging into her wet cunt. Her panties were down around her ankles, now, and she had three fingers going in and out as she worked herself towards an orgasm. The rising pitch of the fairy's screams also indicated that she was getting close - but just as she seemed to be about to go over the edge, the ant crawled backwards off of her with a sigh. "Damn, if that wasn't the best ride in my life. Well, you're next, bro."

While the first one staggered away, the other one crawled up, his raging hard-on visible even from where she was siting. The fairy was silent for the moment, apparently torn between begging them to let her go, and begging them to finish her off. The moan she made when the ant plunged his cock into her cum-filled pussy indicated that she was leaning towards the later, though. The ant made a rude sound. "Bah, I hate sloppy seconds... good thing there's an alternative. Always wanted to try this, anyway - the queen would never let us." The fairy instantly redoubled her efforts to get free, obviously aware of what that meant. "No, no, not there - you're too big!" she cried, but the ant ignored her. Thrusting in and out of her dripping wet pussy a few times for lubrication, he then pulled out and repositioned his abdomen for a higher target. She attempted to wriggle her bum out of the way, but the ant had legs to spare - two of them gripped her ass, steadying it, and then he thrust forwards.

Her scream gradually turned into a moan as the long intruder slid smoothly up into her ass - apparently, she wasn't quite a virgin there, and as close to an orgasm as she was at the moment, it seemingly wasn't all that hard for her to derive some pleasure from it. The ant obviously didn't care either way, though, and he instantly started thrusting hard enough to make the fairy's teeth clatter. Even as her screams started taking on a more painful quality, however, she started shaking in orgasm, her head bowed in shame as the rough treatment pushed her over the edge. Anitra, too, felt the waves of a self-inflicted orgasm wash over her as she bit her lip to keep from making it audible.

"You can't do this to me!" The fairy cried out, recovering from her climax. "I'm a Hunter Fairy!" The ants didn't seem to care, though. "Yeah, well, we'll see if they'll want to keep you when we're done with ya!" one of them shouted, and the rest laughed. Anitra, however, instantly came to attention. The details were sketchy, but the information that Lezard had provided had mentioned the Hunter Fairies. What little was known indicated that they held a certain status, like royal knights in the human world. If this young fairy was truly one of them, saving her might give her royal favor... at the very least, it should provide a favorable introduction to the strange kingdom of the Fairies.

Resolutely, she pulled a handful of moss of a nearby rock, and wiped her inner thighs clean before pulling her panties up in place. Wouldn't do to let the fairy know that she'd been enjoying the show before deciding to interfere...

She pondered the tactical situation for a moment before moving. The element of surprise was obviously hers, but she didn't really know what she was up against - she'd never had to fight an ant before. And she was also outnumbered by ten to one. Then, remembering something she'd once heard about insects, she grinned and stealthily ran in closer. The ants were totally absorbed in the scene going on before them, and not one of them thought to look out for dangers coming in from behind...

Speeding to a dead run, she leaped up on the back of one of the ants near the edge of the crowd, behind the current rapist. With one quick swing of her sword, she removed its head. Then, before its six legs even had time to buckle under it, she leaped from it unto the back of the raping ant. "What the fuck?!?" he screamed, feeling her weight suddenly press down on him. That was the last thing he ever said. Her sword pierced his thick carapace with ease as she stabbed it down though his head, emerging from under his chin.

The fairy squeaked in surprise as the combined weight of Anitra and the dead ant pushed her to the ground, but the lightning-fast charge had the expected effect - the sheer violence of it sent the ants scurrying backwards, and the two ants who had been holding on to the fairy's arms let go to back out of the range of Anitra's steel. Pulling her sword out of the ant's brains again, she jumped off of her dead foe, and took a quick swing at an ant who hadn't been quite fast enough. He still managed to reach his fellows, who had now formed a loose circle around Anitra and the fairy, but he left one of his 6 legs quivering on the ground.

With a confident smile, Anitra jabbed her sword into the ground before her, the green ichor that passes for blood in an ant's body running lazily down the blade. Then, with both hands freed, she grabbed the dead ant and lifted it off of the fairy, proceeding to hurl it out at the stunned ants that surrounded them. The fairy was panting, both from surprise and from having the air pressed out of her lungs by the weight of the ant. She was starring at Anitra with amazement written all over her cute face. Giving her a quick wink and a sidelong smile, Anitra picked up her sword again, and swung it threateningly at the ants. "All right, which one of you dirtbags wanna be the next one to die..." she said warningly, the blade tracing lazy circles in the air.

"What the fuck ARE you?!?" One of the ants asked, taking another step back. "No antennas, no wings... you look like a human, but you're no bigger than us..." Anitra just smiled, and kept juggling her sword lazily. "Who CARES what she is!" One of the other ants shouted. "She's just one - we can take her down! And then we'll have TWO girls!" A couple of others joined him with a "Yeah" and a "Let's get her!", but neither dared to move inside the range of her sword. The ant who had spoken had taken a step forwards, however, and Anitra wasn't late to take advantage of that. She took two quick steps forwards, and swung and overhead blow at it, intending to split its head wide open.

The ant, however, was apparently capable of putting his money where his mouth was - or, actually, putting his mouth where his mouth was. His powerful mandibles caught the blade in its lethal arc, pinching it with inhuman strength, and halting the blow. "Hah! Now what do you say, bitch?" He laughed, and the other ants instantly started moving towards her. She just grinned, and activated the sword. Flames ran up the blade, burning away the traces of ichor that the first two kills had left there, and emitting a dreadful stench in the process. The ant instinctively shied away from the heat of the fire, and as soon as the grip of his mandibles loosened, the halted blow continued into his brain. Smoke welled up from his cracked skull as the interior of his head was cooked by the intensely hot flame of the BlackFire blade...

Feeling the heat from the fire, and seeing the fate of their bravest member, the remaining ants lost their nerve. As one, they scattered and ran, never looking back. The one who had lost a leg earlier, however, wasn't able to run quite as fast as his fellows, and before he could vanish into the undergrowth, Anitra reached him. Her blade cut his abdomen open, sending him screaming to the ground. "A lesson learned too late, bug..." she hissed "The weaker sex - isn't." Then, her sword came down, cutting his body neatly in half, and ending his cries.

Taking a deep breath, wiped the sweat from her brow, and watched as the last flames died away from her blade, before sheathing it. She could still feel the adrenaline coursing through her veins, and she actually regretted that the ants had run so easily - she would have liked to cut down a few more of them. But, she had more important things to do than sating her bloodthirsty tendencies... looking back, she saw that the fairy was still sitting where she'd left her. A bit surprising that she hadn't flown away, actually - those wings on her back obviously wasn't for show.

Suddenly, another fairy descended from above - this one was dark-haired, and somehow seemed a lot less innocent than the other one. "Pfil!" she cried "Are you okay?" Anitra hesitated, not quite relaxing... if the fairy, who was apparently named Pfil, didn't say something quickly, the new arrival might assume that it was Anitra who had assaulted her. The fairy, however, seemed to snap out of her surprise fairly quickly. "I am now... some ants attacked me, but this woman just showed up out of nowhere and rescued me... but Pamila, how did you know I was in trouble?" The fairy called Pamila shook her head. "I didn't know - I came for another reason. But we'll talk about that..." she turned to fix Anitra with a piercing gaze "...once we've found out who your intrepid rescuer is."

The fairy walked up closer, and Anitra used the time to take a closer look at what apparently passed for a uniform in the Fairy Hunters... an attire that would have made an experienced whore blush in the human world, was apparently quite normal here. A bikini that covered so little skin at to hardly qualify as 'clothing' at all, a pair of straps that went from the sides of the bikini to a collar, just barely covering the nipples, shoulder-length fingerless gloves and a pair of thigh-high boots... all made of what looked a lot like black leather. Of course, the forest was pleasantly temperate, so obviously, the fairies had no real need for clothing... but it certainly was an odd twist of fate that would make their standard attire into something so obviously sexual in human eyes.

Behind the inquisitive Pamila, Pfil was pulling back on the dress that the ants had apparently removed... although it was somewhat torn, it was fairly clear that it was a bit more modest than Pamila's outfit - more like a one-piece bathing-suit than anything else. Still, it was certainly enough to kill a man with a weak heart, just by looking at it...

Meanwhile, Pamila was examining her just as intensely, her otherwise smooth face wrinkled in thought. "So, just what are you?" She suddenly asked. "A fairy who's lost her wings? And antennas?" Suddenly, Anitra noticed that while Pfil had a rather large pair of blue antennas, that curiously enough didn't really look all that out of place emerging from her honey-blond hair, Pamila didn't seem to have any... figuring that it was as good a retort as any, she shrugged. "I'm Anitra. And you're one to talk about missing antennas..." Pamila froze, and her eyes narrowed. Apparently, she'd hit on a soft spot. Before anything more could happen, the now fully-dressed Pfil interrupted. "You really deserved that, Pamila. She rescued me from those ants, and instead of thanking her, you start interrogating her!" She was pouting - rather prettily, Anitra noticed - and it had an instant effect on Pamila, whose eyes softened considerably.

Even though she didn't really have much experience in that area, something told her, beyond any kind of doubt, that Pfil and Pamila were lovers. Of course, things like that might be both common and accepted in the fairy kingdom, for all she knew... certainly, Pamila didn't want to do anything to hurt Pfil. She nodded. "You're right, Pfil, that was dreadfully impolite of me. Please, Anitra, accept my apology, and my thanks for rescuing my partner." Her eyes, however, kept running over her equipment. "If you don't want to tell us where you're from or where you got that equipment - or even what, precisely, you are - then that's fine by me. You're welcome in the Kingdom of the Fairies either way."

Anitra grinned. "All you really need to know is that my armor is virtually impregnable, and my sword can cut pretty much anything. I'm an adventurer on the move, just passing through." Suddenly, Pamila's eyes took on another, rather calculating look. "A good warrior, eh?" she said, almost speculatively, to herself. Then, she turned to face Pfil. "Before we go on, I better tell you why I came here, looking for you..." Pfil nodded and smiled, but the smile quickly vanished when she saw Pamila's serious expression. "You'd better sit down..."

Pfil went somewhat pale, and seated herself on a nearby mushroom. Deciding to just stay quiet and keep her ears open, Anitra leaned her back against a sapling and listened. "Okay, I've got some bad new, some really bad news, and some even worse news..." Pamila began ominously. "The bad news is that Ilina has broken out of jail. The really bad news is that she didn't do it on her own - somebody busted her out. The even worse news is that Urushira has gone missing." Pfil went pale as a sheet and gasped, looking like she was about to faint... Anitra just raised an eyebrow. "And get this..." Pamila continued "you know that big monkey that served as Urushira's assistant? He was found dead. Bitten to death. Teeth marks looked like they were from a big dog. I suppose you could call that the really, really, really bad news, but even though it certainly rings a bell, it could just be a coincidence..."

"No..." Pfil whispered "Not Marcia too..." Pamila shrugged. "It seems to hint in that direction, doesn't it? I've got no idea how it all ties together, though. But it certainly doesn't look good at all..." She turned to look at Anitra again. "Which is why I'm somewhat interested in our new friend, here... she seems to be a capable warrior. If we're going to have to fight off the ghosts of the past, it would certainly help to have a sword like hers on our side." Anitra pretended to give it some thought. She had no idea who these people they were talking about were - but obviously, they were feared. And the fact that one of them had previously been imprisoned hinted at some kind of criminals... well, she wouldn't have a chance of finding the Tablet in this huge forest alone, and they probably already knew where it was... it had worked in the Valley of Wonder, so why not here?

She gave Pamila a grin and shrugged. "Well, luckily, I'm a mercenary as well as an adventurer. My sword is for hire, at the right price..." Pamila's eyes narrowed. "And what might your price be?" "Well, I've heard that you fairies have in your keeping a piece of an ancient tablet... if you can get me that, I'll fight for you. Just tell me what to cut, and I'll cut it." Pfil scratched her head. "A piece of an ancient table? I've never heard of that before..." Pamila seemed equally confused. "Me neither... but I suppose that either the Queen or the Wise Woman might know... in either case, we'd best head for the castle."

Her wings started beating rapidly, and she was already lifting off when Anitra cleared her throat. "Ahem... as you so perceptively noticed earlier, I don't have wings..." Pamila froze, hanging a couple of inches off the ground - no, probably more like half a millimeter, she corrected herself, then inwardly shrugged and decided not to bother thinking about her changed perspective. Pfil, who hadn't lifted off yet, looked at Anitra speculatively. "Think we can carry her together, Pamila?" The dark-haired fairy pirouetted in the air, scanning the area. "Well, since there's no sign of any helpful animals nearby, who we could ask to serve as transportation, I don't think we've got much of a choice..."

Moving resolutely, the two fairies 'chaired' her, and lifted her up into the air, diaphanous wings beating rapidly, both of them huffing at the exertion. "Damn, it's a long way to the palace..." Pamila moaned as they clawed themselves up higher. "Look at it as physical training. We'll need it." Pfil replied, her face set. After the initial shock, the message that Pamila had brought seemed to have toughened her up.

A while later, they settled down to rest on a branch, halfway to the castle, and Anitra decided that it was time to ask... "Those people you mentioned - the ones I'm apparently gonna be fighting - who are they, actually?" Pamila looked up, still trying to get her breath. "Ilina, Marcia and Urushira, you mean?" Anitra nodded, and Pamila did likewise. "Well, we don't really have all that much time, but I guess I could give you the short version... basically, Ilina and Marcia was two of the three Cruel Sisters, a group of murderous and sadistic criminals. Me and Pfil had a run-in with them a while back. Must be over a year, now... anyway, the third one - Oliga - was killed, and Ilina was captured and imprisoned. Marcia lost her right hand, and was then presumed dead after she was carried off by a wild hound, but it's starting to look like we might have been too quick on that... after all, nobody ever saw her dead body."

"As for Urushira, she's an old friend of mine... at least by day. She's got dual personalities, and at night, she turns into a perverted, nymphomaniac, control-freak. A few months ago, her night-time personality captured both me and Pfil, in an attempt to force me into loving her - long story. The final result, however, was that we defeated her nighttime-self, and brought her daytime-self into dominance, after getting rid of the drugs she'd been using to enable herself to stay awake all night. She's a doctor, you see, so she knows a great deal about medicine and drugs. However, if her nighttime-personality should be somehow returned, she'd be very, very dangerous..."

Anitra nodded. "Right, so basically, you suspect that Marcia might have somehow survived, and that she's returned to free her sister - and that she's recruited Urushira's 'evil' personality to replace this Oliga?" Pamila sighed. "That's the worst-case scenario, yeah. Oh, and just a word of caution: Don't kill Urushira. Her daytime personality is really very sweet, and I don't want her to suffer for the deeds of her 'other' side." Anitra rolled her eyes. "Hey, I'm just a hired sword. You tell me what to cut and I cut it, remember?" Pamila retorted with a 'Hmph...' and got up to continue the flight.

Half an hour later, they reached the palace. The sigh caused Anitra to gasp - it was like a merger of man-made building and a monument of nature. A huge oak, ancient beyond belief, its crown covering the sky... but in several places, grand doorways were visible, made from white marble and gold. Winged fairies, most of them dressed similar to her two hosts, were flying in and out of these doorways, which were scattered more or less randomly up and down the trunk. Several gates could also be seen between the gnarly roots, and she could see why - a caravan of tiny wagons pulled by what looked like rhinoceros beetles were on its way through one of them. Then she noticed something else - virtually all of the fairies she could see, hovering in the air or standing on branches (most of them staring at the new arrival) were female. She spotted maybe 10 males, tops, in a crowd of at least a hundred fairies. She knew that most animal species had a general overweight of females, since a single male could impregnate numerous females, thus making for more potential progeny, and a better chance of survival for the entire race. It was only really humans and a few other species who had the odd idea about a 50-50 divide. Fairies, apparently, stuck to the old model...

When Pfil and Pamila finally deposited Anitra on a platform outside one of the doorways, they'd gathered a rather large crowd of onlookers, most of whom kept their distance, whispering to each other. Pamila gave a contemptuous sneer in their direction before pulling Pfil and Anitra along into the interior of the palace. "Never mind them... come on, at this time, the Wise Woman should be with the Queen - with a bit of luck, we can speak to them both at once." Somewhat bemused, Anitra let the lithe fairy pull her along, eyes jumping to take in the strange architecture. Everywhere, royal grandeur was mixing with the vitality of a living, breathing tree, and the effect was somewhat dazzling.

Finally, they entered a waiting-room where several fairies were sitting around, presumably awaiting their chance at an audience with the Fairy Queen. Surprisingly enough, however, Pamila's preemptory request for an immediate audience was granted - Anitra couldn't quite tell how much of it was the chamberlain's surprise at seeing her, and how much was Pamila's apparent authority, but in they went, to a hall lined with pillars. At the end sat a beautiful, regal fairy on a jeweled throne, a scepter in her hand. She radiated calm authority and benevolent wisdom but she wasn't really wearing any more clothes than the other fairies... her large, well-shaped breasts were entirely exposed, although her attitude somehow seemed to make that fact unimportant - despite the fact that her royal gown could best be described as 'minimalistic', her demeanor made it clear that she was fully dressed.

She inclined her head slightly as Pfil and Pamila approached the throne and kneeled. Anitra, however, kept standing, arms crossed under her breasts. Pamila hissed a "Get down!" out the corner of her mouth, but the queen - who apparently had a royally good hearing - shook her head. "No, Hunter Pamila, I have no right to demand that this woman kneel before me. After all, she is clearly not one of my subjects, and I have no authority over her. Now, please, introduce me to this visitor, that I may greet her properly."

Being part-dragon, Anitra had no real respect for humanity, and in the presence of human royalty she would have been entirely unfazed. This queen, however, was a creature of magic as ancient as her own, and her attitude, if nothing else, was deserving of respect. With unconscious grace, she performed a bow. "My name is Anitra, your majesty, and I am honored to meet you. Though you may, as you say, have no authority over me, I nonetheless acknowledge the fact that you reign the lands that I travel through. For the hospitality you have showed me in this greeting, you are deserving of my respect."

The queen gave a slight smile, and nodded her head in Anitra's direction. "Greetings to you, then, Anitra the traveler, and be welcome in my kingdom. Now, Pamila, if you please - tell me how you met this most fascinating person." Pamila proceeded to recount how she'd found Anitra fighting to protect Pfil when she'd gone to tell her about the recent jailbreak and disappearance, and when questioned, Pfil blushingly told about the events leading up to Anitra's appearance. Pamila then finished by telling the queen of Anitra's offer to act as a mercenary in the fight against the escaped criminal, and whatever compatriots she might have.

The queen leaned back in her throne, contemplating silently for a few seconds. "Wise One, what do you think of this?" she suddenly said, and Anitra was surprised to see that a wizened old fairy had apparently entered without a sound. She was now standing next to the podium on which the Fairy Queen's throne stood. The fairy seemed centuries old, short and stocky, and was as wrinkled as the very oak they were standing inside. She nodded, stepping forwards. "I am familiar with the fragment of which this stranger speaks, your majesty. Eons ago, it was left in the care of my great-great-great-great-great-great-grandmother, by a traveler passing through the kingdom - according to the descriptions that have been passed down since then, he resembled our present visitor a great deal - like a fairy without wings and antennas, or like a fairy-sized human. As for the fragment, little is known - various members of my line have attempted to decipher the text on it, but since it is only a small fragment, it is impossible to make much of any sense of it. The traveler, however, said that it carried a 'great significance'..."

She then faced Anitra directly, eyes as deep and black as bottomless forest lakes, a window into centuries of wisdom. "Why do you seek that fragment, pretty one?" she croaked, and Anitra felt a strange magic clawing at her natural resistance - not so much an actual spell, as an innate ability of the aged fairy - an attempt to force the truth from her. Against her defenses, however, it came to naught... not that there was any real need to lie. "I'm trying to gather all the fragments. Together, they should show the way to a great treasure." She replied, shrugging. "That's all I'm willing to tell about that, I'm afraid. The fragment for my services, take it or leave it." The queen closed her eyes thoughtfully. "Wise One, what do you suggest?" she asked. The old fairy was looking angrily at Anitra, probably wondering why her powers hadn't worked like they usually did. With a snort she turned away. "I would advice that you turned her down, your majesty. That fragment has been in our keeping for millennia - it should not be given away to the first and the best treasure-hunter who comes asking for it. Besides, her sword isn't really needed all that badly - the Hunter Fairies have taken down Ilina and Urushira before, they can do it again. This time, those critters won't even have the advantage of surprise, like they did last time..." with a 'hmpf', the little, old fairy scuttled away from Anitra.

The queen considered this for a moment, then shook her head. "Just minutes before you all got here, a messenger arrived. She reported that several insects claim to have seen a large hound moving about in the forest, with a fairy riding on its back. No details are known - all witnesses wisely chose to keep their distance. But it opens a number of dark possibilities... most likely, and most terrifying, that Marcia has not only survived - she has also somehow gained control over the very hound that everyone assumed had become her doom. Against a beast like that, even all the Fairy Hunters together would be hard-pressed indeed. We need all the help we can get, and the fragment in question is of no real use to us." Rising from her throne, she approached Anitra. "Traveler, adventurer, warrior, mercenary... whatever you choose to call yourself, Anitra, visitor in my realm: I offer you the fragment you seek in return for your aid in defeating the dangers we now face. Do you accept?" Anitra gracefully inclined her head. "I do, your majesty."

With a final nod, the queen returned to her throne. "Very well, then. Anitra shall be our secret weapon - our ace in the sleeve. I will dispatch all available Hunter Fairies to search for the hound and its rider, as well as find out more information about the two missing persons - Urushira and Ilina. In the meantime, Pfil, Pamila, I'd like you two to take care of our guest. Show her the hospitality of the forest." The queen tapped the armrest of the throne with her scepter, apparently signaling the end of the audience. The two fairies rose, and left the room with Anitra in tow. Once they were gone, the queen looked gently at the old fairy who was her chief advisor. "Do you disagree with my final decision, Wise One?" she asked, tilting her head. The wise woman sighed. "I'm not actually sure, your majesty. She is certainly more than meets the eye - and there's quite a lot that meets the eye to begin with. She could, indeed, be a most potent weapon. But I've got no idea if she spoke the truth - no idea what she intends to do with that fragment." The queen nodded. "I understand, Wise One. You are concerned with the wisdom of the ages - artifacts of times long gone. But I am the queen now and here, and I must prioritize as such. If it could save my people from the onslaught of a vindictive Marcia, I would give her my very throne..."

The fairies' house was a study in simplicity. Had she been her normal size, she would have easily mistaken it for the nest of some bird or small rodent... a spherical room, constructed from a weave of twigs and dried grass, with the lower part of the ball filled with soft moss, nestled safely between two branches near the top of an old tree. The entrance was a simple hole, with no cover whatsoever, displaying a - for humans - startling lack of privacy. "It's nothing fancy, but it's home..." Pfil said shyly. "Not all our houses are this simple," she then hurriedly continued. "but I'm a Hunter Fairy - on call at all times. All I really need is a place to sleep, so there's no point in living in a big house." "It's nice." Anitra said with a shrug, dropping down on the floor. The moss was soft and springy, as comfortable as any pillow or bed she'd rested on. "With this floor, it's like it's one big bed..." Pamila grinned naughtily, hugging Pfil from behind. "Y'know, I've noticed that myself, on a number of occasions..." Pfil blushed prettily, and tried to push Pamila off, while Anitra watched with a raised eyebrow. She was becoming fairly certain, however, that their union was considered quite normal around here. With so few male fairies around, it was obvious that girls would learn to enjoy each other's company - it was that or do without, for most of them...

Grinning, she winked at Pamila. "Hey, don't mind me... it's your house, knock yourselves out. After all, I doubt you could show me anything I haven't already seen on my travels." "That sounds like a challenge..." Pamila replied, licking her lips, here eyes aflame with desire. Ignoring Pfil's squeals of protest, she began pulling off both their clothes. "Oh, pipe down, Pfil..." she said, pushing the blonde fairy down on her back "The queen told us to show Anitra the hospitality of the forest, right? Well, that's just what I intend to do..."

The practiced ease with which Pamila removed her partner's clothing - and her own, for that matter - made it clear that she'd had plenty of opportunity to drag the resisting Pfil into similar scenes before. Pfil's hands fluttered around like drunk butterflies in a desperate attempt to cover both her large, luscious boobs, and her slit - which, Anitra noticed, seemed to be getting a bit moist. Soon, however, the two perfectly-shaped bodies were naked on top of each other, Pamila stifling Pfil's continued protests with her mouth, while her fingers busily dug into the fairy's pussy. Hot juices started gushing from it, filling the room with a sweet smell that seemed very intense to Anitra's heightened senses. The sight, sound and smell of the scene before her were having an undeniable effect on her, and she couldn't help but to think back on her experience with Aelia - even though she'd been pretty masculine at the time, it had taught her that a soft, subtle, female body could be every bit as erotic as a muscular male...

There was also that sweaty session with her mother, of course... but that night still seemed somewhat of a daze - she's been drunk on newly-gained power, and as it tended to be with those things, it made the memories a bit foggy.

With an inwards shrug, she started pulling off her armor. After all, there wasn't really any reason to resist, was there? She wasn't one to pass up a chance for some free pleasure, and judging from the sounds emerging from the couple, Pamila was very good at manipulating a female body. The fairies, she noticed, had removed only those garments that got in the way of the pleasure, keeping their long, fingerless gloves, and their thigh-high stockings on... presumably a habit born from the need to respond quickly to the call of duty. Or just because they did it so often that considerable amounts of time were saved that way...

She, however, chose to remove all of her armor, finally walking barefoot across the soft, springy moss, to join Pfil and Pamila. By then, it seemed that Pamila had broken through the blonde fairy's protests, and they were now undulating against each other as the tides of pleasure began to rise. A bit uncertain about how to enter the twosome, but determined not to let it show, she kneeled down by their heads and winked at Pamila. The fairy lifted her head - she'd been sucking on Pfil's left tit - lust flashing in her eyes. "Wow, nice rings, Anitra..." she said. "I hadn't even noticed that they weren't part of your armor!" She reached up a hand and ran her fingers gently over the stretched flesh of the pierced nibbles, causing a shiver to run down Anitra's spine.

With surprising agility, Pamila propelled herself off of the floor, dragging Pfil along as she pounced on Anitra, pushing her down on her back. Their mouths met in a hot kiss, tongues intertwining, while her fingers dug into Anitra's cunt - which was already sopping wet. The edges of the fingerless gloves added an extra bit of stimulation as the fairy's fingers plunged into the depths of her pussy, offering another possible explanation as to why they hadn't removed them. The previously reluctant Pfil seemed to have been caught up in the sexual dynamics now, and began to gently play with Anitra's erect nipples, sucking on one while her fingers gently teased the other.

With two warm, soft bodies moving on top of her, Anitra felt her pleasure rising rapidly. It was unlike anything she'd ever felt before - her pussy was barely penetrated, but nonetheless the sheer array of sensations she was feeling were pushing her ever-closer to an orgasm... already, she was panting into Pamila's mouth. "I wonder if you taste different from a fairy..." Pamila mused, removing her juice-dripping fingers from Anitra's cunt and raising them to her lips. A visible shiver ran down her well-formed body as she sucked on her fingers. "Mmm... delicious... almost as good as Pfil's." she moaned, running her wet fingers over her tits, before crawling down to get a better taste.

Deciding that two could play that game, Anitra reached out and gripped Pfil around the waist, lifting the almost weightless fairy up over her head. Having already been subjected to Pamila's skillful manipulations, the fairy's pussy was dripping wet, and looking quite inviting. As she felt Pamila's tongue dig into her own cunt, she settled Pfil's down over her mouth, and tasted the sweet nectar once again. Digging in eagerly, she couldn't help but to compare it to the last time she'd feasted on a hot pussy - back when she'd seduced Aelia. She had been good - but this one beat all. So sweet, so smooth, so delicious - like it was truly nectar, the drink of the gods. And not only that... as the fluid made its way down her throat, she could feel her body begin to tingle in that familiar way that heralded the approach of The Quickening. Apparently, her ability to absorb energy from her sexual partners weren't limited to males...

As she absorbed the fairy's 'power', she felt that she grew light, flexible, and very, very hot... A surprised sound emerged from her crotch, as Pamila lifted her head from the honeypot she'd previously been digging into. The lower part of her face was completely soaked with juices, and her face had a rather serious expression - which, considering the situation, was actually rather amusing. "So much, all of a sudden..." she said, looking down on Anitra's cunt which was now wetting down the moss covers. "And it tastes exactly like fairy nectar... but it didn't, a moment ago..."

Driven both by the need to keep her powers secret, and the desire to have the pleasurable treatment of her cunny resumed, she pulled the protesting Pfil off of her head again, setting her down on the floor, before leaning forwards and embracing Pamila. Covering her mouth with a hot kiss, sharing with her a mouthful of Pfil's juices, mashing their tits together, and digging her fingers into Pamila's cunt... pushing all thought of the strange change out of her mind, and replacing it with blazing lust. The move had the desired effect - Pamila responded eagerly and lustfully.

Out the corner of her eye, Anitra spotted Pfil, lying on her back with a dazed expression on her face, and several fingers in her cunt. An idea struck her, and she broke away from the kiss with a smile - surprising Pamila more than a bit. Obviously, she was used to being in charge when her and Pfil hit the hay... having Anitra pushing her around was quite a change. Her surprise was redoubled when Anitra resolutely changed her grip on the lithe fairy, lifted her into the air, and spun her around so that she was hanging upside-down from the dragonrider's strong arms...

The fairy felt virtually weightless as Anitra rose to her feet and walked the few steps over to the dazed Pfil, crouching down over her blonde head. Pamila, now understanding Anitra's idea, rested her knees on Anitra's shoulders while her head was lowered into Pfil's sopping pussy. After a few adjustments, it was in place - a real love-triangle, three girls with full access to each other's pussies. While Pfil ate her out from below, Anitra drank deep of Pamila's nectar. She, in turn, tongue-lashed Pfil's clit, before encircling it with her lips, sucking gently.. A complicated, but quite pleasurable, position, made possible by Anitra's strength and the fairies' low weight.

Each with a hungry tongue in her pussy, each with a wet slit in her face, each giving and receiving pleasure... a mixture of whimpers, moans and loud licks emerging from them... and then, simultaneously, all three exploded in orgasm, each drenching the others' face. With the waves of the pleasureable climax washing over her, Anitra lost her grip on Pamila, and her knees began to wobble. The clever love-triangle they had build collapsed, and turned into a mixed tangle of arms and legs on the floor. However, with the tides of desire running so high, it didn't faze any of them - they simply degenerated from a well-ordered sexual position, to a chaotic dance of naked bodies on the floor. Sliding against each other rubbing stiffly erect nipples and wet pussies against smooth skin, licking and kissing everywhere they could reach... fingers groping, squeezing, rubbing, and diving into any orifice they could find... sheer chaos, pure pleasure, it seemed to last forever.

But, of course, it didn't. The fairies showed impressive stamina, but eventually, they simply collapsed on the floor, panting for breath after a long string of orgasms had robbed them of breath. Anitra wasn't feeling much perkier, but her draconic strength was still putting her at a marked advantage. Feeling somewhat mischievous, she continued her sexual assault on the exhausted fairies for a bit longer, rubbing and licking at oversensitive pussylips and clits, bringing them both to just one more, very tired, orgasm. Far from the cries of pleasure they had uttered in the beginning, only faint whimpers sounded from them at this...

After that, she left them alone, leaning back against the wall. She was, after all, quite exhausted as well... she needed to replenish her stamina, just in case. "Wow, you're really something else..." Pamila was the one talking - she'd pulled herself up, and was now just sitting there - naked and sexy as ever. Obviously, she was used to exhausting sex-play... Pfil, however, seemed to have fallen asleep. "I've never before met someone who could outlast me at sex..." she continued "and quite frankly, I hadn't expected to ever do so, either." A smile glimmered in her eyes. "We've all got our talents, and sex is mine. I've won more battles with my sexual skills than my whip."

Her eyes were piercingly clear now, clouded neither by lust, nor by fatigue. "But you... you take it even further. I won't pretend I fully understand it, but you draw power from it - from sex." Anitra said nothing, simply looking back at Pamila with what she hoped was an indecipherable expression. The fairy shrugged. "Well, I can't say I wouldn't like to learn that trick, but I can tell you're not about to share it. And don't worry, I'll keep my mouth close - just like you're the Queen's secret weapon, so that is your secret weapon. I understand that." She nodded, apparently satisfied by her own reasoning. Then she yawned. "Now, if you don't mind, I think I'll join Pfil in dreamland. We'll need to be rested for when the other Hunters have tracked down Marcia - if it's really her, causing all this trouble." Rolling over next to her sleeping partner, she embraced the blond fairy and promptly went to sleep. Anitra could see an angelic smile spread across Pfil's sleeping face as she wriggled deeper into Pamila's embrace, their naked bodies pressed together...

She couldn't help but to shake her head in bemusement. One might easily get the idea that the two fairies were all about sex, but clearly, it went much further than there - there was real, and deep, love between the two. She had never seen, or even heard about, such a relationship between two women, back in the human world... not really surprising, considering the general narrow-minded approach to sex held by humans. She vaguely remembered feeling outraged at her mother's changing partners... but it didn't really bother her. It had been another life, another girl. She was here, now, in a world much nicer, much more idyllic, and much more free, than the place she came from. And if she could help make it a bit safer while getting the fragment she'd come for, well, it was a nice fringe benefit. With this in mind, she laid down on the soft floor and went to sleep - unknowingly sporting a smile similar to Pfil's as she dreamed of the great, black dragon she had come to love more than life itself...

A fairly nasty giggle awoke her, and in a flash, she was on her feet - the hostility was unmistakable, and when she saw another female fairy crouch at the entrance to the nest, she almost leapt to the conclusion that it was one of the hostile fairies that she had been told about the previous day... but just as she tightened her muscles for a lounge, Pamila roused herself and rubbed her eyes. "Oh, Takapi, it's you... what do you want?" She said sourly. "That's no way to talk to your superiors, Pamila..." the fairy replied, stepping inside while giving Pamila a nasty look. "Anyway, the Queen sent me to tell you two to report to the castle, and bring your wingless... 'friend'." Anitra narrowed her eyes at the tone in her voice, and the haughty expression on Takapi's face. She really didn't like the way she looked down her nose at her, as if she was somehow 'above' her.

A nasty smile now played across Takapi's lips. "I see, incidentally, that you've had some fun with your guest... what's the matter, Pamila - run out of insects to fuck?" Anitra lifted an eyebrow at this statement, wondering if having sex with insects was as commonly accepted in this world as lesbianism obviously was. The way Takapi stated it indicated that this was not the case, and Pamila's reaction confirmed it. "You got no evidence, and you know it! I've been raped by insects several times, but you know me... no sacrifice is too great for the Hunters, right?" Although she blushed, the smile that accompanied the last statement indicated, rather obviously, that she felt that Takapi ought to sacrifice some more for the Hunters. Her life, for instance.

During this developing argument, Anitra had studied the new arrival carefully. Takapi was dressed in tight-fitting black leather, like all the other fairies she'd seen, but her dress indicated a considerable amount of care. A hood covered most of her head, leaving a heart-shaped hole around her face, as well as leaving a similarly heart-shaped spot on her forehead, right between the antennas, free - very decorative, but not very practical. The same could be said for the upside-down teardrop that was painted (or tattooed? She wondered) on her left cheek. From the neck, the dress continued downwards between the well-shaped breasts, leaving them entirely naked, before spreading out to cover her abdomen much like Pfil's bathing-suit like dress. She was also wearing the same kind of thigh-high leather stockings and long leather gloves as Pamila, although not fingerless. Remembering that the Queen's dress had also left her breasts bare, and that Takapi had claimed to be a ranking high within the Hunter Fairies, she couldn't help but to wonder if naked tits were some kind of badge of authority in the fairy world. She also couldn't help but to wonder how on earth Takapi got into, and out of, that dress...

All in all, Takapi gave the impression of someone who was very conscious of her own beauty and authority, and who was prepared to use it in any way that could get her ahead. Exactly what had created the obvious enmity between her and Pamila, she of course didn't know, but she already found herself agreeing heartily.

Before the argument could develop further, she interjected lazily. "Hey, Pamila, I'm not familiar with the etiquette of this land... is it generally considered acceptable to barge into somebody's home and insult the owner? It isn't where I come from..." Takapi looked somewhat stunned, and Pamila laughed out loud before answering. "No, Anitra, that is actually considered extremely impolite around here, too." Anitra nodded, and then leaped forwards without warning. Grabbing Takapi by the shoulders, she swung her around and hurled her headfirst out of the entrance-hole. "Your message has been received!" She shouted after her, before turning to face Pamila - and Pfil, who had been awakened by the argument. Both looked somewhat stunned. Anitra shrugged. "That's what we do to impolite visitors where I come from. Is it any different here?"

Pamila collapsed in laughter, rolling around on the floor as she gasped out a "No, not at all..." Pfil, however, took a step back with a worried expression. "She'd the Elder Hunter... our commander..." Pamila came up for air, wiping tears of laughter out of her eyes. "That's the great part, Pfil... nobody can blame us... it was our visitor who chucked her out, and she, of course, can't be expected to know our etiquette... " at this, she collapsed again, laughing delightedly. Pfil looked less sure, but apparently decided to drop the matter for now. "Come on, Pamila, get a hold of yourself - we've got to report to the Queen, remember? They've probably found Marcia, or whoever it is..."

With a few more laughs, Pamila nodded and picked herself off the floor. "Yeah, serious business awaits... but hey, even if we fly to our deaths, I've had the best laugh of my life..." She almost collapsed again, but a rather stiff look from Pfil apparently made her control herself. The two fairies began picking their skimpy garments off the floor and putting them on, while Anitra did the same with her armor, finally strapping the sword across her back. A great challenge awaited, indeed - she'd be fighting a dog, and with her current, diminutive, stature, that was a foe much greater than even the demonic minotaur she'd encountered in the Valley of Wonder.

The castle was teeming with fairies, just like the first time they were here... but now, the bustle seemed altogether more serious. Most of the fairies were now carrying weapons, and several were lined up like well-disciplined military units. The variety of weapons were impressive - most of the fairies carried whips, spears or light rapiers, but she also spotted some one-handed battleaxes, and even a flail with an unusually long chain. A few of the fairies, apparently officers, stood out greatly by wearing light armor - not unlike her own, except for the inclusion of ornate helmets and shields emblazoned with heraldic symbols. These also carried slim longsword at their sides, and their confident stride indicated that they knew how to use them.

She heard Pamila gasp, and followed her eyes to a terrace fairly high in the tree. There stood the Fairy Queen herself, the Wise Woman at her side. Obviously, it was rather unusual for her to greet her guests at the door. Pfil and Pamila changed direction to land gracefully in front of her, kneeling down as soon as they'd let go of Anitra - who bowed gracefully, but did not go as far as kneeling. The Queen inclined her head at them before speaking. "I fear that there is little time for politeness. As I'm sure you've already guessed, Marcia has been spotted - and no, I'm afraid there is little doubt left. One of our scouts spotted the hound near the great oak in the west woods, just sitting there, apparently waiting. On top of its head stood 3 fairies, one of them missing her right hand..."

The Queen shook her head sadly. "With this much evidence, it is clear that we're facing the worst-case scenario. And what more is, she seems to be simply waiting for our first move, confident that she can handle anything we can throw at her." Pamila's face darkened. "Well, then I guess we'd better go and prove her wrong." The Queen nodded. "Indeed. Now, hurry to the armory and pick up your weapons. Oh, and do not worry - you will not be carrying Anitra into the battle. I have arranged for a steed befitting her power." She gestured with her scepter, and two fairies brought a large Rhinoceros Beetle out on the terrace, saddled and bridled. Pfil gasped and took a step back. "You know that beetle?" Pamila asked her, sounding surprised. "Um, yeah..." she mumbled, blushing bright red. "I arrested him a while back - for rape." Anitra lifted an eyebrow, but the Queen merely nodded, unfazed. "Yes, this beetle is currently serving a lengthy sentence for several cases of rape - and indeed, it was Hunter Pfil who brought him in. However, he is also the biggest and strongest insect in the forest, and he has therefore been offered a reduction in his sentence in exchange for carrying Anitra into this battle. As you can see, he accepted the offer."

The huge, black beetle scuttled up to Anitra and bowed deeply. "At yer service, ma'am." He said gruffly. "And let me tell ya, it shall be a pleasure to fly into harm's way with such a beautiful maiden upon my back." He added mischievously. The Queen, acting as if she hadn't heard his last statement, continued. "Should he refuse to obey your orders in battle, attempt to escape, or anything like that... you're free to kill him." This statement resulted in a strangled sound from the insect, but Anitra just nodded gravely. It was good to know that he'd probably respond instantly to any order she might give. It still wouldn't be the same as the telepathic connection she shared with her regular steed, but on the other hand, she'd never ridden into battle on Blake's back, so she wouldn't really be able to make comparisons.

With a confident air - she was used to riding a more powerful steed, after all - she grabbed the reins and swung herself into the saddle. From this high position, she could see the fairies on the lower branches and terraces finish their combat preparations... it was not a large army by human standards, and there was only a handful of lightly armored fairies - the lieutenants. But of course, for winged creatures such as they, agility was probably a better defense than heavy armor.

The overall impression, however, was that of a disciplined and skilled fighting-force, and she caught herself wondering how much difference she could do in the upcoming battle - before remembering that they'd be up against a beast that could literally eat half a dozen of them in a single mouthful. As the Queen has so aptly said, they'd need every sword...

While she waited for the army to get ready to move, she continued to ponder the problem of fighting a gigantic dog. Several plans flashed through her mind, but all were risky - especially without the help of The Quickening. What she'd absorbed from Pfil and Pamila the night before had already worn off, and besides, it hadn't been all that impressive in terms of combat potential. A feeling of lightness, vitality, and intense sexual desire... pleasant, indeed, but hardly the superhuman strength she'd need for the upcoming battle.

Finally, the tree grew quiet. The entire army of this magical kingdom now stood below her - over 150 strong, at a loose count. Anitra's sharp eyes picked out Pamila and Pfil, standing side-by-side in one of the units, with Takapi in front, looking somewhat less vain than before, decked out in light armor and helmet. Both of the two fairies looked hard-bitten, but of course, they had a personal feud with the enemies they now faced.

The Queen approached the edge of the balcony and lifted her scepter. "Today, I send you all into harm's way. Come back alive." She said simply, and then brought down her scepter in a sharp movement. As one, the fairies took to the air, filling the area with a sound that would remind most humans of a particularly aggressive swarm of wasps. As the rhinoceros beetle below her spread his wings and took off, she could she the fairies below her fall into V-formations, with the armored lieutenants flying point. It was certainly the most beautiful displays of organized unfriendliness she had ever seen... actually seemed like a bit of an overkill against a wild hound and 3 criminally insane women. But she had a hunch that the battle wouldn't be quite that unbalanced...

It was a fairly shot flight, less than half an hour, and it passed without a word from anybody. It was the first time that Anitra had flown (or otherwise traveled) into battle alongside an army, but from what her mother had told her, this was somewhat unusual. Mostly, men would joke and banter, to reinforce their own confidence and raise the spirits of their comrades - making light of the whole thing, as if they were sure of victory. But of course, this wasn't men - but women. And they had no need for banter - each was confident in her own skills, and in the skills of those who fought by her side. Each was willing to lay down her life for her comrades, and for the safety of their realm. Whatever petty rivalries they might indulge in on an average day, there was none of it now... only the knowledge that some of them wouldn't be flying home again.

As their target came into view, the disquiet was nearly tangible... the great oak towered above them, and at the foot of it, sure enough, a hound was sitting, as unmoving as the tree itself. 3 specks were barely visible on top of its head... Around the huge tree, there was a fairly open space - nothing that could be called a clearing by human standards, but a large area of open air by fairy-standards. As the fairy army approached the boundary of this area, its pace slowed until it finally just hovered in place at the very edge of the dense forest. The three fairies that were standing on the hound's head were now clearly visible, at least to Anitra's falcon-sharp eyes.

The one on the right was dressed much like the fairy hunters, only more revealingly - if possible. Her dress seemed to consist mainly of a number of thin straps covering the general area around her nipples and pussy, but not really hiding anything. She was holding a short riding-crop in one hand, and a long knife in the other. Presumably, this was Illina, the escaped convict. The fairy on the left, however, was dressed quite differently - she was wearing a white nurse's outfit that would have been rather modest if the skirt hadn't been so short that it barely covered her panties. Anitra couldn't help but to wonder why it resembled a human nurse outfit to such a great degree - but then again, she didn't possess much knowledge about that line of work... maybe there were practical considerations in it that dictated the form and color of such a dress, above and beyond cultural differences. The girl also wore a rather large set of eyeglasses, which surprised Anitra somewhat - she hadn't realized that the fairies had mastered that kind of advanced glassworking. Indeed, not all human kingdoms possessed the degree of sophistication necessary to make eyeglasses... This fairy wasn't carrying any weapons, apart from a syringe she was holding negligently in one hand - but unlike the other two, her clothes left plenty of room for concealed weapons. From what Pamila had told, this would then be Urushira, the doctor with twin personalities...

However, despite the rather unusual characters that flanked her, it was the fairy in the middle that drew the eye - the catalyst of the whole situation, the fairy whom all had thought dead - Marcia, cruelest of the Cruel Sisters. She was wearing a corset that left her tits entirely bare, and which attached to a rather slim pair of leather panties, effectively covering virtually no skin... like most of the fairies she'd seen so far, the wore thigh-high stockings and long gloves - but her stockings were studded, and both ankles and wrists were banded with spiked metal bracelets, giving her an altogether badass appearance. Of course, the scars didn't detract from that, either... stretching down from her left shoulder, they covered most of her body, left painfully visible by the minimal dress. Her left wing was conspicuously absent, and her right hand, even more so... rather than just being a dull stump, her right arm was crowned by a broad axe-blade, apparently attached to the very bone of her arm. In her left hand lay the handle of an extremely long-chained flail, with the spiked ball resting on the furry head of the hound - who was, without doubt, a far more deadly weapon than any of those carried by the 3 fairies.

While the rest of the army hung motionlessly in the air, Takapi flew out into the open space and shouted. "Urushira, Illina and Marcia! You are all charged with crimes including, but not limited to, kidnapping, torture, attempted murder of a fairy and the cold-blooded murder of an insect. Come along quietly, and you shall be given a fair trial. Otherwise, we will use lethal force." For a moment, the brave words simply hung in the air, then Marcia laughed loudly. "Heh heh... so brave you are, thinking you've got us well outnumbered... well, I've got a little surprise for you, hunter Fairy - not all the insects in the forest agree with your ideals. NOW!" The last word, she shouted at the top of her lungs, and suddenly, the airspace around Anitra descended into chaos. From the wooden branches of the trees above, several huge, sticky nets fell, capturing entire units and sending them tumbling to the ground, unable to fly. Following immediately behind them was a stream of insects and arachnids, flying or running down the trunks, shouting warcries.

Anitra's eyes darted quickly amongst the new enemies, trying to assess the severity of the tread. It was severe, all right... virtually all of the insects were of the predatory kind, and they fought side-by-side with a large number of spiders, including one bulging tarantula. Presumably, these predators chaffed at whatever hunting-restrictions the fairies had placed upon them, and as such they were willing to aid these dangerous criminals, in an attempt to overthrow them. Everywhere around her, the remaining units of Hunters were engaging the hostile insects, but with their numbers severely thinned by the surprise attack, they were hard pressed.

As so many other times, her mother's words flashed through her head... "A real battle is much different from a chess-game, but one thing remains the same: Remove the king, and the battle is won - the loss of a general costs the opposing army both morale and cohesion." Narrowing her eyes, she kicked her steed. "Ignore the other insects, go straight at those 3 fairies..." she sneered, pulling her blade from its sheath at the same time, both to prepare for the encounter, and to make sure that the rhinoceros beetle obeyed. Without a word, the insect complied, powerful wings beating rapidly as it plowed through the air.

A huge praying mantis suddenly dropped from above, landing unsteadily on the shell in front of her, lifting its sharp-edged forearms to strike her down. His downwards sweep was blocked and deflected by her sword, cutting a deep notch into the mantis' claws - impressive though they may seem, they were still living tissue, not hardened steel. As the mantis hissed in pain, she ran her sword through his chest, and with a sharp pull to the side, sent him hurling over the side to his death below. As soon as the green body was out of her field of vision, however, she saw a large spider hanging from a silken thread in front of her, all eight legs outstretched to capture her.

Before she could call out to her steed to dodge, he lowered his head and speeded up. The huge horn on his forehead, with the inertia of both him and his rider behind it, ran straight through the chest of the spider, making its many legs spasm. Noticing the thread still stretching from its abdomen to the branches above, she reached up and cut through it before it could tighten and potentially wrench the beetle's head out of its socked. As soon as the spider was loose, the beetle threw his head to the side, hurling it through the air. Out the corner of her eye, she saw its body smash into a treetrunk before falling down. "We make quite a team, eh?" the rhinoceros beetle commented as it continued to rush through the air. She chose not to answer him.

As they came out into open air, Anitra chanced a look over her shoulder, to where the battle was now raging. She managed to pick out Pfil and Pamila, fighting wingtip to wingtip against several large, black, wasp-like insects, before turning back to look forwards. The three fairies hadn't moved, and neither had the hound - but they had clearly seen her approach. They were obviously confident in their personal skills... hopefully, she'd prove that confidence unjustified. Leaning forwards to make sure the beetle heard her against the wind, she gave him his final orders. "You'll only be in the way down there - just fly straight over them, and I'll jump down. Of course, I won't be able to prevent you from running away at that point..." The insect nodded. "One bombing-run, comin' right up." He said cheerfully.

As they began final approach, the rhinoceros beetle went into a shallow dive, adding the force of gravity to his charge. With the wind howling in her ears, Anitra lifted her legs so that she was kneeling on the saddle, and narrowed her eyes as she concentrated on timing the jump. As the insect pulled up, going straight over the heads of the three fairies, she stretched her legs out forcefully as she leaned back, arms outstretched, propelling herself off of his back, backflipping through the air. As she whirled through the air, she caught an upside-down glimpse of the three fairies, who were now turning around to face her as she descended towards the hound's neck. Their faces showed neither fear, nor shock, nor even surprise. Then her rotation carried them from her view again, as her legs came around under her once more, and she braced herself for the impact.

The impact was bone-shaking, but not as hard as she'd expected - the hound's fur, though short, dampened it greatly - as did the living tissue below. The surface was actually almost springy, causing her to nearly loose balance as it reasserted itself after her impact. Her advanced sense of balance, however, allowed her to rapidly compensate for this unusual surface, and she turned around with the confidence that the strange 'battlefield' wouldn't hamper her. The three fairies hadn't moved to take advantage of her exposed back - they were still standing above her, on the domed skull, looking down on her in an altogether unnerving manner.

Marcia grinned. "I knew they'd probably come up with something unexpected... but they disappoint me - THIS is the best they can do? A fairy without wings... bah! Come on, girls, let's make her ours..." With her grin turning wider and more wicked, she stepped forwards, with the sleek Illina by her side. Urushira, however, circled smoothly behind them, brandishing the syringe and its unknown contents... probably a lethal poison, or worse, some kind of hypnotic drug - Pamila had indicated that Urushira was skilled with that kind of things. But she was obviously not a combatant - rather, a soft target who relied on the more warlike sisters to do most of the fighting. A weak point in the chain, perhaps.

However, her tactical musings were soon interrupted by the immediacy of combat, as Marcia made an agile jump into the air, using the downwards force of her landing to swing her flail in an overhead arc straight at Anitra's head. The chain was longer than she was tall, lending tremendous speed and power to the spiked ball at the end - more than enough to crush her skull like an egg... but rather than dodging backwards as would be the logical thing to do, she raised her sword horizontally over her head, holding the hilt with both hands, and braced for impact.

The chain hit the edge of the sword, causing the spiked ball to swing a full 360° around the blade, the spikes locking it in place. The strength of the impact, however, made her feet sink several inches into the soft floor, and made her arms feel like she'd been practicing punches on a stone wall. Marcia's face showed surprise, which then rapidly turned to glee as she pulled back on the chain, attempting to pull the sword from Anitra's hand - or at least pull her off balance. Anitra, however, had foreseen this, and pulled back with similar force. The chain went taut...

But Drewyn's steel did not fail her. With an odd squeak, the meteoritic blade bit through the metallic chain... the released tension caused several links to literally fly apart, while Marcia stumbled back, now wielding only a long chain, while the spiked ball fell heavily to the ground at Anitra's feet. Seized by a sudden inspiration, she jumped back a step, then moved forwards again to deliver a forceful kick to the spiked ball. The shock implanted itself all the way up through her leg, but the ebon-black scale set in the toe of her sandal was harder than the metal, preventing her toes from being crushed - and the strength of the kick sent the ball flying in a ballistic arc straight at Marcia and Urushira, who were both forced to drop down in a most undignified manner, to avoid getting hit.

It was only then that she realized that she couldn't see Illina anymore. Cursing herself for having forgotten her enemy's ability to move freely through the air, she whirled around just in time to see a dagger descend towards her chest. Bringing up her left wrist, she deflected it with the bracer, and danced backwards to get enough room to swing her sword - she was not, however, fast enough to avoid the follow-up attack as Illina lashed out with her crop, leaving a stinging mark across her midsection, just between the lower edge of her breastplate, and her panties. Ignoring the pain, she slashed rapidly at Illina with her sword, only to see the light-footed fairy jump back and take to the air, her butterfly wings carrying her out of reach.

Before she could formulate a strategy for dealing with her airborne opponent, a cold chain wrapped itself around her throat, cutting off her air supply and yanking her off balance. The other two fairies had obviously gotten to their feet behind her, and even without the spiked ball at the end, Marcia's flail could still function as a metallic whip. Trying desperately to draw breath through her squeezed air-pipe, she awkwardly swung her sword backwards towards the chain. However, while she managed to hit it, she wasn't able to put enough force behind the blow at that angle, to break the chain. And before she could regain her balance enough to turn around and aim a better blow, she felt a sharp sting on her right biceps. Suddenly, the whole arm went numb, and the sword fell from her lax hand, tumbling over the side of the hound, to the ground far below.

Her vision going dark from lack of air, she felt her legs buckle, and fell to her knees. Just as she was about to black out, the chain around her neck loosened, allowing her to draw a deep, shaky breath. Before she could clear her mind or assess her situation, however, the chain was instead pulled tightly across her upper arms and midsection, squeezing her ribs and tying her arms close to her body. Then she felt an edge on her throat, and heard Marcia's voice close to her ear. "So that's all that the 'secret weapon' of the Fairy Hunters could do? Heh... you actually had me worried there, for a moment. Maybe you're worthy to become our personal slave after all." As her vision cleared, she found herself, once again, in a rather unenviable situation. She was on her knees, bound by the powerful chain from Marcia's flail, and standing above her were Urushira and Illina. Marcia was, apparently, behind her, holding the chain together and keeping her axe-hand at her throat.

Added to that was the fact that her right arm was still completely numb, and as she noticed that Urushira's syringe was now empty in her hand, she knew why. The twisted nurse giggled as she hid the empty syringe in the folds of her dress, pulling out another one instead. "Don't worry, Marcia. The drug I just gave her will paralyze all her extremities, and it'll last for hours. She's not running anywhere." Illina looked a bit worried. "How can you know this for sure, Urushira? We've got no idea what she is." "Dosing a drug is mostly dependent on body mass..." Urushira replied with a condescending look. "It doesn't matter what she is - she's no bigger than us, so the effect of the drug will be pretty much the same." Anitra knew that she was wrong - her other limbs were unaffected, and she'd be very surprised if the effect in her right arm lasted as long as the nurse had claimed. Remembering how she'd surprised Ali and his brothers by pretending to be fully affected by their drug, until she limited effect had worn off, and she could fight unhindered, she decided to try and re-use the trick. With a conscious effort, she let her legs and left arm go lax, sinking together so that it was mainly Marcia's chain that kept her up.

Urushira crouched down, and caressed Anitra's face with a soft, gentle hand. "I agree with Marcia - let's keep her as our personal slave. I'd enjoy breaking her down..." "But what are we going to do with her until the battle is over?" Illina interjected. Urushire just twirled the new syringe she'd pulled out a moment earlier. "This is a mixture between a potent aphrodisiac and a powerful hallucinogen - one of my favorite concoctions, and a perfect first step in her training. It'll have her screwing illusions all day. By the time it wears off, the battle will be over by far." Anitra tried to shirk away as Urushira approached with the syringe, but with the edge of Marcia's hand-axe against her throat, she was helpless. She could only hope that her unique physique would be able to combat the chemical, allowing her to take the self-confident fairies by surprise. She grimaced in pain as the sharp needle jabbed into her throat, injecting the substance directly into her jugular vein. As the rushing blood carried the drug into her brain, the world spun around her, and she was swallowed by darkness...

Even though she hazily remembered falling into darkness, she was not in a completely white place. White everywhere, up, down, and in all other directions. No floor, no walls, no roof... but she was standing on something... with bare feet... yes, she was completely naked, except for the large rings that pierced her nipples. Her nipples that were fully erect, straining out from her chest, as if reaching for some source of stimulation, far away, out of sight. Looking down, she could see that her inner thighs were covered in juice, which was running from the slit between her legs. The little, hyper-sensitive nub above it was also out of its hiding-place, almost quivering as it urged her to touch it. Answering the lustful cries of her body, she let one hand reach down to but her sex, while the other tweaked one of her nipples. But the moment she touched the sensitive flesh, it became numb - she couldn't even feel her own touch. Moaning in desperation as her need grew stronger, she dug into her pussy with one hand, while twisting and pulling at her nipple-rings with the other - nothing, no pleasure, no sensation at all.

Sinking to her knees, she sobbed, hugging herself and finding no comfort in it - once again, her flesh seemed to deaden at her own touch. Then she felt a touch at her shoulder, and gasped in shock - she had actually felt something. Looking back and upwards, she saw a strange creature standing there... the body was that of a man, but it had the head of a dragon. Not Blake... just some indefinable dragon. His eyes were strangely expressionless, seemingly starring right through her, rather than at her... but the eyes weren't the part she focused on. Standing out proudly from his crotch was a good, old-fashioned human cock, fully erect and throbbing... an instrument of the pleasure she needed so desperately.

Seeing as her head was level with his crotch, it seemed only logical that she turned around, leaned forwards, and engulfed his cock with her mouth. With practiced ease, she took it in to the root, letting the swollen head tickle her tonsils, and delighting in the velvety-soft skin she was touching with her tongue. Expectations of the pleasure it would generate when it entered her needy pussy were already rushing through her mind, while she began to work her head over it. It was a fairly average-sized cock, by human standards, and hence several orders of magnitude smaller than what she was used to - but at the moment, she couldn't possibly care less. She was in desperate need of a cock, and this one would do in plenty.

In the heavenly heat of her mouth, the already erect member swelled and hardened further, and when she finally pulled her head back off of it, it swung up to vertical, pointing straight upwards and vibrating like a steel rod. It glistened, even in the absence of a visible light-source, covered in her saliva... not that any additional lubrication was really necessary, since her pussy couldn't have been wetter if she'd just gotten out of a bath.

Leaning onto her back, she spread her legs wide and beckoned the stranger forwards. "Come on, now! I need it badly!" She panted, spreading her outer labia to show him the inviting, moist, pink interior... The draconic face remained expressionless, the eyes looking straight through her. Then, without a word, he kneeled down in front of her and grabbed both her legs, lifting them onto his shoulders - thus elevating her pussy to the same level as his cock. She was panting like a bitch in heat, now, sweat running from her forehead as her entire body tensed in expectation of the pleasure. Her pussy seemed to almost stretch out from her body to grab the cock that was now hanging mere millimeters in front of it...

Finally, he leaned into her, thrusting his full length inside in one movement. Her dripping-wet cunt eagerly swallowed every inch, and a long, drawn-out moan issued from her lips as she felt pleasure rush through her body at long last. As he pulled back for the next stroke, her outer labia clutched obscenely at the shaft, refusing to let it escape - futilely, of course, but it added to the delightful friction. Bit by bit, her lover increased his speed, soon rocking her entire body with each stroke. In the position she was in, there wasn't really much of anything she could do to increase the speed or depth of the fuck - and when she tried to add to the pleasure by running her fingers over her painfully erect nipples, she felt the now-familiar deadening of the flesh. She clearly had no control over the situation - she could only lie there while pleasure was given to her in whatever measure her dragon-headed lover decided.

He was, however, an undeniably skilled partner. Rather than just fucking quickly in and out, he varied his angle of entry a bit at every stroke, constantly hitting new areas of her cunt, sending shocks of pleasure coursing along her spine as he found particularly sensitive spots. Every thrust lifted her higher towards the peak of her pleasure, and her moans became increasingly high-pitched. She was feeling the edge of an approaching orgasm, and when she felt his cock begin to pulse within her, she knew that she'd climax as he filled her with cum.

Then, suddenly, he pulled out. As Anitra gasped in surprise at the sudden withdrawal, the throbbing cock shot its load over her belly, creating a trail of slimy sperm from between her breasts, down to her aching pussy. For a moment, she tethered on the edge of the climax... then, she felt her pleasure begin to subside, unreleased. Tears stood in her eyes as aching need once again filled her body. "Why did you stop! Come on, fuck me more! Bring me off!" she cried at the dragon-headed being. His face remained utterly emotionless as he released her legs and unceremoniously dropped her on the invisible floor, before getting to his feet and walking away. Shaking in desperate need, she let her hands rush down to her soaking-wet cunt before thinking, and instantly the entire area became numb. Her clit, which had before been radiating wave after wave of sheer pleasure, was now nothing but a nub of dead flesh.

Scrambling to her knees, she called out after the creature who was now vanishing into the whiteness. "Please! Come back! FUCK ME! I'll do ANYTHING, just FUCK ME!" The figure seemed to hesitate for a moment, but then continued, his outline growing hazy. Her body felt like it was about to break from the pent-up sexual tensions - she NEEDED pleasure, and she couldn't administer it herself. "I'll do ANYTHING for you if you'll just FUCK ME! I'll be your SLAVE!" She finally pleaded, voice broken with sobs. The figure, now barely visible, stopped. And suddenly, it seemed like the distance between them just vanished, and he was standing right next to her again.

His face hadn't changed in the least, but he was back, and his cock was still semi-hard, hanging down between his legs. This time, however, he seemed to have different ideas about positioning, as he simply laid down on his back and waited. Not hesitating a second, she leaped in between his legs, grabbing at the flaccid tool and sucking vigorously to rejuvenate it. Her efforts were rewarded, but only slowly... then, the white nothingness around her seemed to spin for a moment. One second she was starring into his crotch, the next she was on top of him in a 69 position, his soft cock still in her mouth.

Her body shook with desire as she felt his fingers part her outer labia, and when his long tongue struck out, digging deeply inside her juicy cunthole, a moan vibrated down her throat. His reptilian tongue danced expertly around the outside and inside of her pussy, occasionally sending spikes of pleasure into her brain when he hit the tiny, hyper-sensitive clit. Feeling the tides of pleasure rise within her again, she redoubled her efforts on his cock, alternating between sucking it deep into her throat, and licking up and down the shaft. Gradually, it hardened into full erection...

Then, just as she felt she was about ready to cum on his tongue, it vanished from her pussy, and the whiteness spun around her again. She was now sitting across his groin, facing him, his saliva-covered cock resting against his abdomen right in front of her pussy. Breathing heavily, she lifted herself up off of him, noticing that she left a small lake of pussy-juice between his legs - it was really running freely now. While stabilizing herself with one hand on his muscular abdomen, she used the other to lift his hard-on into an upright position, pointing straight up at her oozing cunny.

With an expression of utter delight on her face, she lowered herself down on the throbbing rod, shaking with pleasure as her pussy was once again parted by the intruding member. Tremors of joy went through her as she lowered herself all the way down, her hairless labia touching his equally bare groin. She was so filled with sexual tension that the feeling of his blood-filled member throbbing inside her, alone, was enough to make her gasp. She was about to push herself up off of him and start thrusting, when his arms reached out and seized her ass in a vice-grip. His arms seemed supernaturally strong, and all her attempts to push herself up were useless - he held her down on his rock-hard erection as if he was made from solid steel - denying her the pleasurable friction she desired.

Then, with insufferable slowness, he began to lift her up, sliding his cock out of her millimeter by millimeter. Her upper body was thrown in all directions as the slight pulses of pleasure she derived from this slow exit were magnified by her sex-starved brain, resulting in something resembling an epileptic seizure. Her hair flew around her as a black cloud, and her large tits bounced up and down, sometimes swinging to the sides or colliding in the middle with a loud thump.

It took several minutes before the lower ridge of the draconic creature's cockhead became visible, peeking out between the drenched pussy-lips of Anitra's overheated cunny. He held it there for a few seconds, and then reversed his direction, pulling her down on top of it once more, as slowly as he had lifted her up. With her pussy in its current hypersensitive state, the slow pace allowed her to feel every tiny vein and ridge on the shaft, once again lifting her infinitely close to the seemingly unattainable orgasm. She continued to struggle against his steel-like arms, attempting to free herself so that she could thrust herself down on him, fully impaling him in one, culminating thrust - which would be all she needed to reach her climax at that point. Her struggling proved as futile as before, however, and she soon gave up and instead started pleading with him to let her cum.

Her offers to hand over her invaluable equipment, all her gold, and even sell herself into slavery fell on deaf ears, however. The snail-like pace continued, and as he bottomed out again and started to lift her for a second 'thrust', she fell silent. Her entire body was shivering with repressed lust, and the feeling of being continuously held on the very brink of orgasm was making her mind tremble. Her head lolled loosely from her neck, and a string of drool ran from the corner of her mouth as her eyes became more and more empty.

As the movement stopped with only his cockhead nestled inside her, it seemed as if she was so close to her orgasm that the mere presence of his shaft inside her would be enough to set her off... but rather than begin another slow downstroke, he continued to lift her up and off. As soon as his cockhead was free of her drooling pussy-lips, it began to spurt, coating her abdomen with sperm. She could hardly comprehend the cruelty of it - had he shot it inside of her, that feeling of being filled with hot cum would have set her off instantly...

Then, as it had happened before, his cock softened below her, and he vanished, leaving her kneeling on the floor, in desperate need of pleasure, and unable to administer it herself. Looking up, she could see him in the distance again, moving away, leaving her alone...

From the edge of madness, a feeling of burning rage rolled in and covered her mind. How dared he... how dared he leave her like that... nobody walked out on Anitra the DragonRider! Her body now shaking with anger instead of sexual tension, she leaped to her feet and sprinted towards the draconic apparition with superhuman speed. At first, it seemed as if he was somehow moving away from her faster than she ran, even though he didn't appear to be moving at more than a leisurely stroll... but the rage burned as bright as dragonfire within her, and as she continued to speed up, he began to come closer.

Finally, with a triumphant roar, she pounced - leaping through the air, knocking him flat on his stomach. With a quick grip, she rolled him over and sat down on his abdomen, pinning his arms to the ground. He didn't struggle against her, though - nor did he speak a single word. Still seething with anger, she shifted her hands to close around his throat, squeezing hard and finally getting a reaction out of him. His mouth gaped open, clefted tongue emerging as he gasped for air... his arms lifted from the ground to grip hers, trying to pull them away, but this time it seemed as if the tables had turned - even though she could see him gripping her forearms, she could hardly feel the pull... it was as if the irresistible strength he had wielded during their previous session had somehow been transferred to her...

Then, she suddenly felt something poking at her backside. Looking back over her shoulder, she was surprised to see that he had apparently gotten another erection... in such a situation? Dimly she recalled having heard something about asphyxiation occasionally leading to an involuntary erection in males... she couldn't clearly remember where she'd picked up that tidbit of information, but apparently, it was true. She loosened her deathgrip on the strange creature's throat slightly, allowing him to draw one wheezing breath, but still keeping her hands clamped around his windpipe as she carefully lifted her ass off of him. She had to be very careful... she couldn't spare a hand to insert it, and if she allowed it to fall all the way down to his abdomen, there'd be no way for her to get it in without hands.

As the erect member swung forwards on its own accord, no longer blocked by her well-shaped buttocks, she quickly thrust down, attempting to skewer herself on the throbbing piece of man-flesh as it passed under her oozing cunt. Flushed with lust as it was, her pussy was standing wide-open, eager to receive the instrument of pleasure that it craved, and her timing was impeccable. With one thrust, she was impaled on the rock-hard rod, her eyes opening wide as the long-awaited pleasure finally flowed through her. She lifted herself for another thrust, and another, each pushing her closer to the edge that she had balanced on for so long. Finally, as she rammed herself down on the draconian cock for the third time, her clit impacted his pubic bone, and stars exploded in her head. The climax she had needed so desperately was finally hers, and as the all-encompassing orgasm washed over her, the world turned black around her...

A few minutes earlier...

Green ichor was dripping off the slim blade that Pamila held in her right hand... the sword was not her own, but rather one she had taken from the hand of a fallen fairy, after her whip had been cut short by an enterprising Stag Beetle. It was his blood that was dripping from the blade, now - along with the blood of many of his fellows. She and Pfil had been fighting back to back since they were separated from their unit during the first minutes of the ambush, and Pfil had once again managed to surprise her more mature lover. Most of the time, Pamila was the fighter, looking out for Pfil and not infrequently saving her cute ass.

But during the entire battle, Pfil had been fighting with the hard-bitten determination of a seasoned warrior, and the ferociousness of her attacks showed Pamila a side of her gentle lover that she'd rarely seen before. Actually, she'd only seen it twice before... once during the final (they thought at the time) battle against Marcia, where she had refused Pamila's help and insisted on finishing the sadistic fairy on her own in spite of her weakened state. And the other time was at the end of the ordeal with Urushira's dark personality, when a large ape, drunk sky-high on human liquor, had broken into the tree and grabbed Urushira, obviously intending to rape her - an act that would have killed her without a doubt, considering the size of the beast. Pamila had been tied down and unable to act, but Pfil had risen to the occasion and saved Urushira - in spite of what she'd just put them through.

And now, she was once again showing her true colors as they fought their way through the chaos to reach the center of the clearing and help Anitra. Despite constant attacks, they had continued towards their goal, and they were now within sight of it - and it was not a pretty sight. The three fairies were standing on the hound's head, acting as if they didn't have a care in the world. It seemed as if Anitra had failed... if that was truly the case, they'd have to take the traitorous fairies on themselves, and exhausted as they were, that didn't sound like a good idea. They've been in free flight for more than 15 minutes, and their wings were rapidly growing tired...

Pamila feinted to the right, and as her opponent - a large wasp - moved to block with one of his forelegs. She changed the direction of her thrust, and pierced his parades, the pointy tip going through his carapace with a sickening crunch. As the sharp blade tore through his sensitive inner organs, his rapidly beating wings slowed, and the gleam in his eyes went out. His body fell to the ground below, pulling itself off of her blade in the process, leaving a fresh coat of ichor. Behind her, she heard another insect keen in pain, and she looked over her shoulder to see a spider hang limply from its thread, its eight-legged body pierced by Pfil's rapier.

With both their opponents defeated, the two fairies rotated around, while keeping their backs to each other, searching for new opponents, and finding none. By moving into the free air of the clearing, they'd removed themselves from the main battlefield - the edge of the forest, where most of the fairies had stayed to take advantage of the more tactical environment, rather than risk attack from all directions in open air. Several fairies were also still trying to rescue the units that had been trapped in the spider-webs during the first surprise-attack, and Pamila felt a bit guilty at not joining them - but if they had a different mission.

Flying side-by-side now, Pfil and Pamila rushed towards the head of the hound, their hearts sinking as the details became visible... Anitra was lying behind them, restrained by a solid metal chain, and squirming visibly. The two fairies stopped at a safe range, hovering in midair. "What did you do to Anitra?" Pfil burst out before Pamila could say anything - not that she was really sure what to say. Urushira giggled. "I just gave her a dose of a drug you should be very familiar with... when she wakes up, she'll be my loyal slave, just like you once were... and will be again." Illina suddenly broke in. "No, Urushira - I want her!" The nurse looked down her nose at the lithe fairy. "You had your chance, remember? And you couldn't do it..."

While Marcia moved in between the two to stop their bickering, Pamila saw two things quite clearly: One, these three fairies weren't as closely-knit as the original Cruel Sisters had been, united under Oliga's velvet hand in an iron glove. Two, Anitra was getting up to her knees while the three fairies were distracted. Here eyes were still closed, and the chain still bound her arms tight, though... was she even conscious, or she just moving around in her drug-induced stupor? Then, she saw the muscular girl's upper arms vibrate, and acted on instinct. She quickly reached out and grabbed Pfil, rocketing into the air and pulling her partner with her. The three fairies stopped their argument to look after them, seeming somewhat baffled... and then, there was a wrenching sound behind them...

With a loud cry of unleashed pleasure, Anitra opened her eyes to the real world again - and as the orgasmic tension was released, a surge of power went through her body, shattering the chain as she brought her arms out and up. Torn links and pieces of the chain flew in all directions, several of them hitting the three fairies in front of her, leaving large, ugly bruises and causing them to cry out in surprise and pain.

Anitra seemed a bit wobbly as she got to her feet, but she quickly stabilized and started laughing. "You thought to imprison me within my own mind? Fools... I rule there, and nobody else!" Marcia glared angrily down at her, gritting her teeth. "Okay, so I guess we'll just have to kill you, then..." she said menacingly, taking a step forwards. "Come on, girls... girls?" Surprised at the lack of reaction to her words, she looked over her shoulder to see Urushira staring at Pamila - who was now hovering in front of them again - with complete concentration. At the same time, Illina seemed intent on something Pfil was saying to her. With a muttered curse, she turned around again, and advanced towards the unarmed Anitra. "If you want something done around here, you apparently have to do it yourself..."

"Pammie, Pammie, my love... it's really been too long..." Urushira purred, twirling a syringe between her agile fingers. Pamila stared at her coldly, before speaking. "Urushira... what are you doing with those two? Have you forgotten how they used to torment you when you were a child?" "You seem to be confusing me with that little weakling you used to know..." The pretty nurse sneered. "I owe them my very existence - after you and that little whore, Pfil, had rendered me dormant, Marcia was the one who reawakened me... and more than that, she gave me the opportunity to establish myself fully, so that I can maintain control of this body day and night.

Pamila shook her head. "That's just not you, Urushira. Not either one of you. Being in a group like this, I mean - you were always independent. How can you tolerate taking orders from Marcia?" Urushira's eyes narrowed at this. "Oh, you're so clever, Pammie... of course, I can't. But she had a good plan... and once the Hunter Fairies and the Queen have been destroyed, I'll have my own little kingdom to control... and then I won't have to take orders from ANYONE anymore. And I'll have as many slaves as I want..." Her eyes were burning, and the syringe in her hands were twirling faster. Suddenly, her arm shot up, and the syringe flew through the air.

Pamila quickly dodged to the side with an oath, and felt a sting of pain as the syringe tore through the thin fabric of one of her wings. Rather than risk further tearing by continuing to use the wing, she quickly landed on the hound's head in front of Urushira. "So, you won't come along quietly, huh? Seriously, Urushira, how do you expect to stand against me in actual combat?" The fairy smiled darkly, pushing her glasses further up on her nose. "Well, I've been training, Pammie-dearest... and I only need one good hit." At this, she grabbed the side of her nurse's uniform, and tore it away from her body, revealing an extremely skimpy bondage-suit underneath, made entirely in black leather so thin, it seemed to be painted on. Up both sides of her body, and down her arms, syringes were set in little holsters for easy access, and now she pulled out a matching pair, crossing them before her. "Soon, you'll be mine again, Pammie... and I'll make you forget all about that slut..."

"Pfil..." Illina said hesitantly as the young Hunter hovered before her, with those huge, adorable, innocent eyes wide open. "Illina, please..." Pfil entreated as she flew in closer. "You must stop this madness - you're not like them. Even back when we first met, you tried your best to help me, to save me... you even said you loved me." Illina's face betrayed her inner turmoil. "I don't know, I just don't KNOW! I don't want to fight you, but... sis says it's the only way we'll be free... and I don't want to go back to jail!" She was breathing heavily as she talked, her weapons shaking in her hands. "Come on... if you just surrender and come along quietly, you won't get as harsh a sentence... I'll put in a good word for you..." Pfil really didn't want to fight this cute young fairy who had, admittedly, saved her from a grisly and painful death when she had first been captured by the Cruel Sisters.

With an angry cry, Illina lashed out with her riding-crop, missing Pfil by several inches. The reason was obvious - she was blinded by tears. "What does it all matter?!? I know that you've only got eyes for Pamila, anyway..." she hissed, blinking the tears out of her eyes and preparing her knife for a more accurate attack. "The only way I'll ever have you, is through Urushira's drugs... and then it wouldn't be you, not really..." Pfil opened her mouth, and then closed it again. What could she say? It was the truth. Grimly, she readied her rapier to deflect Illina's next attack... neither one of them wanted to fight, particularly not each other, but somehow, they had to do it nonetheless...

Marcia advanced towards Anitra with madness in her eyes. Her long flail was now scattered in small pieces all over the area, but she still had a razor-sharp axe-blade attached to her right arm, while Anitra was unarmed. With a howl, she leaped into the air and swung her axe-hand in a downwards arc towards Anitra's head. A shock went through her body as the blade was stopped in midair, and even as she struggled to regain her balance, she could see what had happened - the mysterious girl had lifted her hands and clapped them tightly around the axe-blade, locking it in place with the power of friction. Angrily, she tore at the axe, ignoring the pain in her arm where it was connected to the bone, but it seemed as if it was stuck in solid stone, rather than a pair of hands.

Anitra laughed loudly. "You call that an attack, little insect? You may be swift and agile, and all that stuff... but in terms of strength, you can NEVER match me!" Pulling her hands, with the axe locked between them, backwards over her head, she rolled down on her back, making Marcia loose her balance and stumble forwards. Pulling her legs up between them, she then planted both feet solidly in the fairy's midsection, using the combined force of the pull and the kick to send Marcia sailing over her head, falling hard on her ass a bit further down the hound's back.

Anitra completed the maneuver by rolling up to a handstand, and then flipping down to her feet before turning around to face Marcia again. The fairy seemed to be almost foaming at the mouth in anger as she staggered to her feet, and she was preparing another headlong rush when Pamila's voice interrupted them from behind. "You may as well stop, Marcia. It's over. You can't hope to defeat Anitra on your own, and your cohorts have been defeated." Anitra chanced a look over her shoulder to see that Pamila wasn't bluffing - Urushira was lying unconscious at her feet, twitching oddly, while Illina was kneeling next to Pfil, holding her hand over a bleeding wound in her other shoulder.

A bestial roar of pure madness rose from Marcia's lungs, seeming out of place as it emerged from the beautiful face. "USELESS! All USELESS!" she shouted. Then, suddenly, she dropped to her knees and grabbed at the short, rough fur of the hound with her one hand. "Shake them off NOW!" she shouted, and before anybody could react, the ground twisted and bucked as the hound - who had been still as a statue so far - suddenly came to life. The powerful tremors threw the fairies in all directions - except Marcia, who had managed to keep her hold. Anitra saw Pamila and Illina float slowly to the ground, breaking their fall as best they could considering their injuries, while Pfil had grabbed Urushira's unconscious body, and was barely managing to slow their combined weight down with her exhausted wings.

It was entirely clear that none of them were close enough to reach Anitra before she fell all the way to the ground - and just as obvious that even if one of them was right next to her, it wouldn't help - it had taken the combined efforts of Pfil and Pamila, completely rested and uninjured, to carry her before... Then, the fairies disappeared from sight as the huge bulk of the hound came between them, and she continued to fall towards the forest-floor far below... As she saw the ground rush up to meet her, it occurred to her how ridiculous it was - after everything she'd been through, she was going to get killed by falling off a dog's back?

Then, something big and black appeared below her, flying up to meet her. She felt the shock of impact go through her body as she hit it, but unlike the ground, it moved down with her, absorbing the force of the impact. The breath was knocked from her lungs, but she could feel that no bones were broken. Panting for breath, she pulled herself up to see what had happened. The large, shiny-black horn that rose in front of her made things fairly clear. "Rhino?" "That's me, ma'am." "I thought you'd made good your escape..." "Well, I thought about it, but then I decided that I couldn't really leave such a beauty behind, and I came back to see if I could lend a hand - or a back." He chuckled, and Anitra smiled almost in spite of herself as she climbed into the saddle and grabbed the reins. "Indeed..."

Pulling on the reins, she brought them around in a tight circle, to see what was going on. What she saw made her gasp. At the end of her robe, Marcia had brought out her most fearsome weapon - the huge hound was now an active participant in the battle, stomping forwards, biting in all directions, and scattering whatever fairies came close. High atop its back, Marcia stood, shouting the same thing over and over again in a shrill voice. "KILL THEM ALL! KILL THEM ALL!"

That was what she'd been hired for - stopping the hound. But how... her eyes scanned the ground in front of them, and finally caught on a metallic glint. "There!" She shouted at her steed, pointing. "Go over that, as low as you can get without crashing." With a quick "Aye aye, ma'am.", he complied, going into a dive so low that his legs occasionally scraped over the dead leaves that littered the forest floor. Anitra leaned down over the left side of her insectoid steed as they came closer, narrowing her eyes and steadying her pulse to time the grab just right...

Seconds later, her hand closed around the hilt of her sword, which was standing where it had fallen, the tip buried in the forest-floor. The speed of their passage almost wrenched her shoulder out of its socket, but the sword came free easily, no dirt sticking to the smooth blade. With the BlackFire in her hand once again, she suddenly knew exactly what to do. Leaning over her mount with the sword clutched in her left hand, and her right hand holding the reins tight, she gave him his instructions. "Fly in close to the hound's forelegs, and follow my directions carefully..." He seemed to hesitate for a moment, then nodded and changed his heading without a word, going low and rapidly closing with the huge beast.

Their task was made difficult by the fact that their target was in constant motion as the hound moved its huge body around in the clearing to snap at fairies who were attempting to attack it from the sides or behind - it seemed as if most of the insects that had been fighting for Marcia's side had been either defeated or run away, freeing the majority of the uninjured Fairy Hunters for the unenviable task of taking on the hound. There was no time to try and coordinate an attack with them - she simply had to count on that they'd continue to supply a distraction as she went in for the kill.

As they came in on the final approach, the hound lifted its left foreleg to take a step, and Anitra carefully adjusted their heading towards the place where she calculated that he'd set his foot down again... she readied her sword, and just as the foot came down, throwing up clouds of dust and making the ground shake, they whizzed past. Behind them, blood spurted, and the hound gave a howl of pain as his left leg gave out under him. Even as this happened, Anitra and Rhino were continuing towards his right leg, which had - of course - come down as soon as his left leg refused to carry him. Another fly-by, another quick swing of her sword, and blood flew through the clear air again. Now, it was a race against gravity as Anitra leaned low over Rhino's back and squeezed him hard with her thighs. She didn't need to explain it to him - he knew what was happening.

With both of his forelegs hamstrung, the hound could no longer remain standing. His legs gave out under him, and he fell to the ground, his furry chest descending towards Anitra and narrowly missing her as Rhino put an extra swing in his wings and came out of the looming shadow. Behind them, a resounding thud could be heard as the hound collapsed to the ground. Above them, the fairies were cheering, but Anitra knew that it wasn't quite over yet. The hound was immobilized, but it was still very much alive, and the huge head continued to snap at everything that came near.

Not even slowing to think, she pulled Rhino into a tall loop, taking them right over the hound's head. As they reached the top of the loop, she simply released her hold on the saddle, and fell through the sky headfirst. Twisting around, she got her legs under her while her eyes looked for a place to land. With the way the hound was throwing his head around, it was hard to get a definite target, but luck was with her as she managed to land on its elongated snout - the impact of her landing could obviously be felt, and caused the canine to freeze for a few seconds - and that was all she needed.

She rushed up the snout, sword in hand, and knew that she'd only get one chance. And even that chance had an unknown factor in it - the effect she sought to achieve, she'd only seen once before. But it was the only card she had to play - her only chance at actually administering a lethal blow to a creature so many times larger than her. With that in mind, she leaped into free air once more, sailing towards one of the hound's eyes. Even though he still seemed somewhat stunned by her landing, his reflexes were fully functional, and the sight of an object flying towards his eye caused it to squeeze shut. But she'd been expecting that. Her right hand grasped a handful of eyelashes, and her feet found foothold on his skull, as she brought her left hand up and back with her magic sword at ready. Twirling the hilt between her fingers, she reversed the direction of the blade, holding it like a dagger, and finally plunging it through the eyelid and into the eye itself.

She knew that the pain would cause the hound to shake his head wildly, almost certainly dislodging her - there were literally only milliseconds to work with. As soon as she felt the soft tissue of the eye give in before her blade, she activated its fiery power, and prayed that the spectacular effect she'd seen when using it on 'Invincible' Ali would reoccur.

The hound howled in pain as his eye was destroyed, and threw his head to the side to get rid of the painful little pest who had caused it. He felt a certain degree of satisfaction as the weight left his face, and his remaining eye saw her sailing through the air - but the stinging pain was still there, and worse, it felt as if the sting was growing hot... and the heat was spreading...

This time, Anitra was prepared as she fell through the empty air - and sure enough, Rhino appeared in front of her, wings buzzing. Agilely, she grabbed his horn, swinging herself around it to land in the saddle once more. Both her hands were free, since she'd left the sword buried in the wound she'd caused. Bringing Rhino around, she made him hover in the air as they watched the spectacle unfold before them...

The hound was crumbling, his entire body shaking with pain. His remaining eye was squeezed tightly shut, and his terrifying maw was closed tight, a faint growl emerging from between the fangs. Suddenly, he threw back his head and howled - a shockingly large sound in the clearing, which had fallen quiet after Anitra's daring attack. Then, the howl turned into a roar as flames shot simultaneously from his throat and eyes, exploding outwards as his burning blood became too much for his body to contain. The pressure of the explosion sent Anitra's sword flying, rotating through the air, still afire. Filled with adrenaline-driven elation, Anitra almost unconsciously maneuvered her steed into the path of the sword, grabbing it out of the air in an utterly pointless and potentially lethal demonstration of skill.

The hound slowly toppled over on the side, his corpse being rapidly devoured by the flames raging within - already, fire was emerging from random areas of the body, spreading a sickening smell of burned flesh and hair in the calm forest air. Anitra's sharp eyes easily picked out one small body, rolling off of the hound's back as it fell... Marcia. With a quick squeeze of her knees, she ordered Rhino to fly down towards her before the other fairies, who appeared to be completely stunned by the hound's dramatic demise, could approach her.

She jumped off as soon as Rhino touched the ground, cautiously approaching the fairy - who had, in the meantime, gotten to her feet - with her sword out. Marcia, however, didn't seem to care much for caution. With madness burning in her eyes, she leaped forwards, swinging her axe wildly before she was even within range. "YOU KILLED HIM!" She screamed at the top of her lungs. "Do you have ANY idea what I had to go through to enslave him? YOU'VE GOT NO IDEA WHAT I HAD TO GO THROUGH!" Anitra easily dodged backwards, outside the range of the insane attack, considering the statement. It wasn't quite true - she had an idea, but of course, she didn't really know. Regardless, she could kind of understand the fairy's frustration - having a weapon as powerful as that, bought at a high, personal price, snatched away with a single attack... well, it had to suck pretty badly.

As she continued to dodge away, Anitra tried to decide what to do. In her present state of mind, Marcia wasn't really much of a threat... with all those wild, uncontrolled swings she made, it would be a matter of great simplicity to simply dive under a swing to run her through... but it would be just as easy to knock her out. Or simply wait 'till she'd gotten so tired that she wasn't able to lift her arm anymore - which, at this rate, seemed likely to happen fairly soon.

A tired voice interrupted her musings. "Sis... just stop... it's over..." Glancing to the side, Anitra spotted Illina, a makeshift bandage covering her shoulder, leaning heavily on Pfil, who was approaching along with Pamila and a couple of other fairies. "OVER?!?" Marcia cried out, her madness now focusing on Illina. The younger sister stood up to the burning gaze, however, and simply nodded. "Yes, over. We've lost. Just give up, Marcia... surrender. Isn't prison still better than death?" Marcia opened her mouth to shout an angry retort back at her sister, but then all of a sudden, her face went calm. Anitra tensed her body and readied her sword - she had been no threat while seized by the madness, but now she once again seemed dangerously competent.

She made no move to attack anyone, however, but simply shook her head and spoke. "For you, perhaps. But not for me." Then, before anyone could figure out what she meant, she turned around and ran across the clearing towards where the fallen hound was still burning merrily. Even as her intentions became clear, nobody moved to stop her. Illina, however, turned her head away and closed her eyes, one tear running down her cheek as Marcia leaped into the flames, vanishing in the inferno without a sound. After a few seconds, a loud shriek was carried across the clearing, and then it fell silent again.

The journey back to the castle took a lot longer than the journey out. Few of the fairies had come through the battle unscathed, and even fewer could still fly. Those who could walk carried those who couldn't, and the dead were left behind for lack of alternative. Those who still had the strength to fly patrolled the forest around and above the ragged unit, looking out for any remnants of the Cruel Sister's insect army, who might otherwise think to take advantage of the weakened state of the army to launch another attack.

When they finally reached the Palace, the moon was rising above the treetops. Groups of fairies were perched on the branches, cheering at the Hunters as they returned, many of them flying down to help carry the wounded to the palace hospital. Anitra was also feeling a bit worse for the wear, despite having suffered no real injuries during the battle... hopefully, a good night's rest would perk her up for the trip back to the forest's edge and her beloved Blake.

Despite her tiredness, she couldn't fail to notice that a number of impromptu orgies seemed to be developing around her, mainly involving the more lightly-injured Fairy Hunters going down on other female fairies. She presumed that it was some sort of thanks-giving ritual, and tried not to stare too hard, although she couldn't avoid feeling aroused by the sight. "It's the Nectar." Pamila suddenly said. Anitra jumped slightly, having failed to notice the light-footed Fairy Hunter approaching her. "I just realized that you probably didn't know..." she explained. "Fairy Nectar is what we call the juices we generate when we become aroused. It's got powerful curative effects, which can help to fight off disease, neutralize poison, dissolve glue, and even speed up the healing of physical injuries." Anitra nodded thoughtfully, but then smiled naughtily. "Aha... so, they're not doing that because they enjoy it?" Pamila laughed loudly, attracting a few odd looks from the other, more demure Hunters. "Heh, you've got a point there - yeah, they probably are enjoying it too..."

As they spoke, they'd reached the trunk of the Palace Tree, and Pamila pointed upwards. "The Queen is waiting for you up there, probably with your reward - you've earned it. I'll head to the infirmary." Anitra nodded. "Right... we'll probably meet again at least once - I need to head back to Pfil's house to pick up my backpack." With a wave, Pamila headed through the door into the great tree, and Anitra lightly kicked her steed to send him whizzing up along the trunk to the high platform where they'd bid the Queen goodbye. And sure enough, she was standing there again, watching the remnants of her 'army', with the squat, wrinkled form of the Wise Woman beside her.

Anitra jumped off of Rhino's back, and nodded respectfully at the Queen as she turned to face her. To her surprise, the Queen replied with an elegant curtsy, causing the Wise Woman to gasp in outrage. The Queen silenced her with a level stare, before turning her attention back to Anitra. "I owe you my full respect now, adventurer..." she intoned melodically, answering the question that hung in the air. "The Elder Hunter Takapi have reported to me on your exploits, and by the sound of it you single-handedly defeated the gigantic hound, as well beating Marcia in single combat. You have earned the treasure you sought, as well as the respect and admiration of me and my people." She gestured sharply to the Wise Woman, who huffed slightly before pulling a chunk of stone out of her spacious robes. The jagged edges clearly marked it as a fragment, and as the Wise Woman put it in her hand, Anitra recognized the strange script on it from the other pieces she'd found.

The Queen then turned to the Rhinoceros Beetle who had carried her through the battle, and lifted her scepter. "As for you, you have more than fulfilled your part of the bargain. The reports I've received also indicates that you had an opportunity to escape, but passed it up in order to help Anitra. Considering this, I grant you a Royal Pardon for your past crimes, rather than the reduction of sentence you had been promised. You are, after all, not likely to be a repeat offender." The Queen added the last bit with an odd half-smile, and Anitra briefly wondered what she was missing there...

The insect, of course, thanked the Queen profusely, bowing as deeply as his bulk would allow, but the Queen just waved it off and turned to face Anitra again. "You are welcome to stay here as long as you wish." The Queen said. "But I don't suppose you're going to take advantage of that, are you?" Anitra shook her head. "You're right. Now that I've got the fragment, I'll be moving on. I'll head back to Pfil's pad to collect my backpack and get some rest, before leaving. Probably before dawn tomorrow." The Queen nodded. "Then I bid you farewell and wish you luck on your future journeys. Also know that you will always be welcome here in the forest, and if you ever need our help, you need but to ask." Anitra smiled. Would she have been as gracious if she'd known that she was actually a human? It was hard to say, but regardless, it seemed as if she'd befriended this strange forest people - perhaps they would come in handy in the future.

After the Queen and the Wise Woman had left the platform, Anitra stretched and yawned. She was really feeling quite tired... "C'mon, I'll give ya a lift to Pfil's place..." Rhino offered. Anitra accepted the offer happily, since she really had no other way to get around. As the darkness grew thicker, she guided the rhinoceros beetle through the woods, following the route she remembered from when Pfil and Pamila had carried her there. Rhino dropped her off on a branch next to the small, spherical nest, before saying his farewells and buzzing off into the night. She got the distinct feeling that he wasn't too keen on meeting Pfil again, and figured that it probably had something to do with her arresting him originally...

As she entered the nest, she spotted Pfil, just sitting there looking lost and forlorn. She looked out with hope in her eyes when she heard Anitra enter, but then looked down with a sigh again - obviously, she wasn't who the young fairy had hoped to see. "Why aren't you with Pamila?" She asked, sitting down next to her. "I wanted to be..." Pfil muttered. "But she has to stay the night in the infirmary to get her wing fixed, and they wouldn't let me stay too. They need every bit of floor-space for the wounded and the nurses, so there's no room for someone who never even got hit." Pfil's dark expression seemed to indicate that she would've preferred a grievous wound, if only it had allowed her to stay at Pamila's side.

Anitra could understand Pfil's depression. It had been a very busy day, and she was both physical and emotional exhausted. Probably more emotionally than physically, after having confronted those specters of the past... having to be without your loved one at a time like this, well, it was obviously hard. Anitra regarded her silently for a few moment, then smiled and began to strip off her armor, taking care to stay outside the downcast fairy's field of vision. Pfil needed someone to be close to, and she needed an energy-boost to get ready for tomorrow... seemed like a good enough reason to start something.

Completely naked, she kneeled down behind Pfil's back, and tapped her shoulder. When she turned her cute face around to look at her, she grabbed it with both hands and pulled her into a rough kiss, her tongue exploring the fairy's mouth as she opened it to protest. Moving quickly while Pfil was stunned by the surprise, she covered the lithe fairy's frame with her own, more muscular, one - running her hands over whatever erogenous zones were handy. Finally she got a reaction as Pfil moaned into her mouth, her little body bucking in pleasure as Anitra's fingers dug in between her legs, pushing her tight-fitting bodysuit into the slit. She could clearly feel her fingers grow wet as Pfil became excited.

Suddenly, Pfil pulled back from the hot kiss, gasping out "This is wrong! I... I can't do this without Pamila!" Anitra just shook her head. "No, YOU'RE wrong. This is right. Neither one of us wants to sleep along tonight. Both of us need to relax after the battle. And you know that Pamila won't be jealous." Smiling, she leaned down and gave her a quick kiss on the lips, enjoying the look in those huge, blue eyes as she continued to tease her pussy and breasts with her fingers. Then, taking a good grip on Pfil's hips to discourage any sudden attempts at jumping up and running away, she moved down between her legs. Pulling the thin fabric of the swimsuit-like uniform aside with two fingers, she leaned forwards and ran her tongue over the outer labia, drinking down the juices that lay there as droplets of dew.

Pfil was moaning cutely now, no longer trying to move away, and her pussy was positively gushing as Anitra parted the outer lips with her remaining hand, and thrust her tongue right into the center of the delicious, pink flesh. A flood of juices ran over her tongue and down her throat, the sweet and heady taste making her feel slightly drunk... she could understand why they referred to it as 'Nectar'. Eagerly lapping up as much as she could, she then moved on to the fairy's tiny, sensitive clit, giving it one brief suck, and then moving back to the pussy to drink down the juices that flooded it as a reaction, while Pfil moaned in pleasure and began to thrash around on the soft moss floor. Anitra's tongue was tireless, constantly switching between digging deep into the cunthole, and lashing all over the outside - and it was quickly driving Pfil towards her climax...

Anitra could feel that Pfil was getting closer, and decided to give her a last push. Pushing two fingers into the sopping wet hole with ease, she quickly searched around inside the juicy orifice, locating the place she was looking for - a soft, almost spongy, ridge, on the roof of her birth-canal. Her G-spot. Moving her head up, she closed her lips around the clitoris again, and sucked hard on it, while simultaneously rubbing against the G-spot with her fingers. The otherwise quiet Pfil exploded with a cry, screaming "I'm cumming!" for all the forest to hear, as her entire body became rigid, and her back arched up from the floor. Quickly, Anitra withdrew her fingers, and covered the entire hole with her mouth, eagerly swallowing as a flood of Fairy Nectar flowed down her throat...

It was noon on the following day before Anitra marched down a branch and into the more sparse part of the forest, where she would be able to return to her old size. Since Rhino had disappeared during the night, and Pamila was still in mending, Takapi had provided two uninjured Hunter Fairies to fly her to the edge of the forest. The episode from when they'd first met in Pfil's nest was never mentioned, and the Elder Hunter seemed just as grateful and appreciative of Anitra's help as the rest of the fairies. Anitra guessed that it would last 'bout another half-day before the shock wore off and her usual personality reasserted itself. Fortunately, by then, she'd be far away...

Pulling the bottle of antidote from her belt, she took a deep draught, and then kneeled to keep her balance as the buzzing she'd experienced when she shrunk returned, her body spasming as the powerful magic coursed through her. She closed her eyes to avoid the disturbing sight of the forest shrinking around her, and didn't open them 'till the tingling had passed entirely. Getting to her feet, she checked herself as best she could against the trees and shrubs she could see, and determined that yes, she had in fact returned to her previous size - no more, no less.

From there, it only took her about an hour to make her way to the edge of the forest, and as she walked, she sent a telepathic signal to Blake, proclaiming her victorious return. So, you're back to your old size, you're unharmed, and you've got the tablet fragment? He asked rhetorically. Yep._She replied. _Okay, then I just got two questions... he continued as she walked through the forest. One: Where are we going next? Anitra mulled it over for a bit before answering. I'm not entirely sure, since I don't have Lezard's files handy, but as I recall, the next entry on the list is an underground city inhabited by something called 'The Drow'. She heard Blake mentally sigh. Underground? That probably means that I'll be left out of all the action again... anyway, question number two... She felt his telepathic signal take on a mischievous quality. Do you suppose you could help a very horny dragon with a rather big problem? Anitra laughed out loud, and quickened her pace, eager to be reunited with her beloved Blake.

The End

Stay tuned for Chapter 10 of the DragonRider Chronicles: Dark City of the Drow...