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Nathan Carter had made it out about two hundred kilometers from the coast. He'd been riding smooth with a full mainsail hoisted and taut with ripe conditions. His beautiful sailing girl, an open 60 he'd owned for about three years, had been coasting at about twenty-three knots for a little over three quarters of an hour. The surfing waves coming in from behind and hitting nearly centerline added to his speed. Not to mention, the angle and speed of the wind was also perfect - just ten knots at eighty degrees to the front.

He preferred to sail alone. There was just so much to enjoy out on the open sea. The least number of distractions was the best option. Plus, there was a certain degree of pride to be found in the fact that he was an independent sailor. Nothing could beat the feeling of the cooling wind and crisp ocean spray rushing past his face and rustling his thick brown hair. It was the epitome of freedom.

Nathan leaned back in his seat and stretched his left arm out to reach a small radio. A few clouds were rolling in up above and the satellite signal was starting to crackle into static. It was nice to have a few tunes while out at sea, but the sound of the ocean would beat radio static any day. He twisted the little knob on it until it reached the off position. The quiet was majestic.

"Nothing beats this feeling," he reminded himself. It was a simple pleasure.

Only the dark blue expanse surrounded him and he was free to roam wherever he desired, but this time he was going to let the winds decide his destination for the meantime. He'd figure out his location on the GPS later and shift his sails toward the port to which he'd originally intended to sail. It was an island he used to sail to nearly every summer with his father - a cherished memory. However, he sighed at the thought of his father.

His eyes wandered over to a picture he'd fastened right next to the door to the cabin. The old catamaran in the background was all too familiar, and the ocean-sprayed hair of the young man and elder sailor proved that they broke some hard waves with those two hulls. They were one of the first few sailors to own a catamaran, before it became more popular. The young man was also holding a German Shepherd puppy on his lap. But it was the black ink scribbled across the bottom of the photo that stood out the most to Nathan. It said, in a distinct, cursive handwriting, "Follow your heart, son."

Nathan smiled. He lifted his right hand and wiped away a single tear from his cheek.

Nostalgia took over him. It mixed well with the soothing sounds of the ocean waves and sea breeze - quite possibly a dangerous combination for a solo sailor. He soon found his eyelids growing heavier by the minute. A short nap sounded wonderful.

"No!" he snapped his head back up and shook it. It didn't last very long. The heaviest anchors had been cast from his eyelids, way too heavy to hoist back up.

It wasn't until he felt something cold and wet drop onto his bare forearm that he started to come back around. It was different than the usual mist that sprayed up from the sides of the hull. No, it was much heavier and colder than he'd expect.

"Rain?" he thought, but it was hardly enough to rouse him from his half-sleep.

BOOM!

That did it. The quaking rumble of thunder shook him at his very core and he jolted to his feet. His eyes shot right up to the blackened sky as another streak of white lighting cracked the obsidian dome in two. It was god's fury on full display and his boat was heading right into the heart of it.

No longer was the wind in his favor to sail out of the coming storm, and as he took control to direct the sails, it started to pour. The lightning continued to flash in the heavens and the wind became chaotic, thrashing his main sail to and fro. He didn't have much choice. He had to lower the sails and hope to ride out the storm.

Slowly, however, the waves swelled in size and speed. If he wasn't fast enough, the combined power of the wind and force of the water would capsize him. He took in a deep breath and focused. He'd been through this before. His father, as well as the time he'd spent in the marines, had taught him everything he'd need to know in order to survive such a situation.

He grabbed the first line and worked it around the pulley, loosening his grip to release the necessary part of the sail. Now, he needed access to the release the line connected with the main mast - the halyard. He ducked under the boom and slid over to the line. He released it and slowly loosened it to lower the sail slowly, but nothing was happening. The sail had gone a bit limp but it wasn't moving down anymore.

Then he saw the problem. The halyard was snagged on something along the middle of the mast.

He needed to get to it fast, and that meant crawling atop the small cabin where the gooseneck was situated. It was a dangerous task since he could slip at any moment, and he'd be thrown right off his boat. Usually he didn't wear a safety line to access the mast, but this time was an obvious exception. He clipped one carabiner to his belt and the other carabiner to the thin guardrail along the edges of the hull. It wasn't much, but at least he'd have something with which to pull himself back up to the boat in case he was thrown overboard.

Maintaining three points of contact, he shuffled over to the base of the mast in a short amount of time. The lighting still cracked above him, and the thunder was loud enough to cause a slight ringing in his ears. He didn't have much time before the strongest part of the storm was upon him.

He used the mast to hoist himself up to his feet. The snag was just within reach, but it was too tight to undo with one hand. He wrapped one of his legs around the gooseneck and hugged the mast tight. It took all of his strength, but he worked the halyard off of the snag.

It ended up being quite the unfortunate misstep.

The moment the snag was undone the halyard whipped upward, dropping the sail right into a wild gust of wind. He fell backward, but the guard rail caught him before he tumbled right into the swelling and ravenous ocean below. He let out a big sigh of relief, unclamping the carabiner from the guardrail and scooting toward the deck. He'd done it.

Or so he thought a fair bit too soon.

Before he even had a chance to notice, the metal boom was flying right toward his head. He attempted to guard himself with his arms, but it was too late. The thick, heavy bar collided with his head, right above his right ear.

The last thing he noticed was just how beautiful the sky full of lightning looked before everything went blacker than the clouds he'd just witnessed.

* * * * * * * * *

I feel too comfortable. It's warm and I can hear the waves rolling in. Am I alive?

Nathan rubbed his eyes before he attempted to ease them open. And as he did so, something soft cascaded down the skin of his arm. He could tell he was in a bed somewhere. There was no way it could be a hospital, as whatever sheets were atop him were way beyond his budget. However, he was not expecting exactly what he witnessed when his eyelids finally inched open. It was like the scene was straight out of a dream.

His first thought was that he'd been sent back in time to ancient Greece. Nathan wasn't entirely sure, but the walls and ceiling were expertly crafted into a broad, stone arch, which extended from the head of the bed to the opposite side. To his left and to his right were balconies. They stretched out from the room with the same ivory and charcoal-colored marble as the bedroom floor. Each balcony had an exquisite view of the glimmering ocean and the bright blue sky, which was dotted with a few marshmallows of creamy white clouds. Even the bed in which he awoke was carved out of some of the finest bianco marble he'd ever witnessed. Each bedpost was even in the shape of a column.

It was all too much.

Nathan sat up and let the silk sheets slide from his bare chest. He grabbed a tiny bit of the skin on his arm and pinched it. He definitely wasn't dreaming.

"Am I in heaven?" he asked out loud, his voice bouncing of the walls and back to his ears.

Unexpectedly, a soft chuckle as well as a feminine voice echoed within the chamber. "That depends on your definition," it joked. "Some would possibly call this place heaven."

"W-who's there? Where am I?"

And then she appeared. She strolled in underneath the open doorway in the stone wall right before him and the bed. He stopped breathing the moment his eyes locked with hers. He never really believed in such fanciful stories, but his breath truly was taken away at the first sight of her.

Right in front of him, a woman of stunning beauty stood beneath the arched doorway. She had one hand resting on the white, stone doorway and the other on her hip. However, her beauty was not conventional by any means. She wasn't even human; but, she was human enough. Nathan wouldn't have believed it if eyes didn't say otherwise, but she had the appearance of a black panther. She certainly had the eyes of one - a deep, nearly glowing yellow that could pierce even the strongest of souls.

Her body was covered in fur that resembled the darkest of obsidian. It even had the same gleam of that black gem, shimmering with the rays of sun entering from the balcony on her left. She wore a ruby-colored skirt that swayed just below her knees and a sleeveless top of the same color. It was small and tight enough to expose her bosom as much as it exposed her midriff. A golden circlet coiled around her crown just below her rounded ears, holding her long, black hair out of her dazzling face.

There was a gold chain necklace around her neck. It was long enough to rest near the crest of her breasts where a glimmering emerald rested. There were also golden armbands decorating both of her upper arms, and her feet were fit comfortably in a pair of leather sandals. Nathan had never witnessed such a remarkable and striking woman, even if she wasn't entirely human.

"I am very pleased to see you're alright," she started. A pleasant smile worked its way along her short, black muzzle.

Nathan didn't respond. He was utterly nonplussed. He remained shocked and enthralled by her beauty, spellbound by such an unimaginable sight.

"I can understand your shock. There are very few humans that have ever laid eyes on my true form, but I could sense that you would handle it well," she explained. "You have nothing to fear from me. I found you on my beach and brought you hear, to my home, to nurse you."

Nathan shook his head and swallowed hard, trying to regain his wits. "W-who... or what... are you?"

She let her hand slip down from the cold stone and glided over to the foot of a bed in an elegant gait. Nathan had never seen a woman walk in such a way before. It was as if she was royalty of the highest degree, and she certainly had the air of some kind of nobility. She lowered herself softly to sit near Nathan's feet. Her head twisted to meet with him, and a comforting smile stretched across her whiskered muzzle.

"I suppose I could be referred to as an anthro, or a pantheress with human shape. Humans have had depictions of me and those like me for time immemorial. However, you can refer to me by my name. I am Kiyora, and I welcome you to my island, Nathan Carter."

"Y-you know my name?"

"I know many things, Nathan. One of which is how to heal you of your wounds, but I will not continue unless I have your permission."

It was then he finally caught just how much pain he was in. His body must've taken quite the beating. With his eyes he met with her and nodded, giving her the permission she desired. Despite such an alien situation he was in, he hardly felt he was in any danger.

Kiyora scooted closer to him and inched her hand upward with her palm facing him. At first, Nathan remained skeptical of what she may have been doing, but it didn't take long for him to be convinced of its efficacy. With a quick wave of her hand he started to experience a relief of his discomfort. He felt all of the pain throughout his body dissipate in a matter of seconds.

She lowered her hand and smiled. "Does that feel any better?" she asked.

His eyes shifted between hers. He still couldn't believe what was happening. "It really does. In fact, I kind of feel even better than I normally do, like years of accumulated weight have been lifted off of me. H-how exactly did you do that?"

"As I said, there are many things of which I know. I am just glad I could help you before anything worse had happened. It is unfortunate that you'd got caught out in such a nasty storm."

That was right. Nathan started to remember it all. He'd tried to lower the main sail and take shelter in the cabin of his boat, but the boom had knocked him unconscious. He could only imagine, though, that his girl - his open 60 - probably lied at the bottom of the sea now.

"Do you happen to have a ship that I could use to sail back home?" he asked. Since he was already feeling better than ever, he figured he might as well set sail as soon as possible. He was worried that someone - although he wouldn't know who - would be searching for him.

Her smile turned into a slight frown. "I am sorry, Nathan. There are no boats on my island," she explained and Nathan felt his heart sink. "But don't worry. You are welcome here as my guest for as long as you need. It has been so long since I've had a man visit my island. Would you be so kind as to humor me and indulge my desire for some company for a while?"

"Does that mean you've been alone on this island?"

"Oh no," she replied. "There are around a hundred other female panthers, just like me, on my island. They are my faithful servants."

"I see. How did you ladies come to live on this island?"

Kiyora grinned. "That is a story for a later time. But for now you should try and get a little more rest. Feel free to explore my home and the island when you are ready. My servants will be at your disposal. Call for them and they will serve you as they serve me."

She rose from the bed and strolled over to the doorway, swaying her tantalizing hips. Nathan was still enraptured by her beauty.

"Kiyora?" he spoke up, getting her attention before she turned around the doorway and out of sight.

"Yes, my honored guest?"

"Thank you for everything you've done for me. If it wasn't for you, I'm sure I'd be food for the prawn at the bottom of the ocean," he expressed and started scratching his head nervously. "I guess that kind of means I owe you my life."

"You're thanks is not necessary, Nathan. Now get some more rest. I will see you later."

* * * * * * * * *

Nathan didn't do much resting, but he did take Kiyora's advice and decided to at least relax for a while. He lounged out on one of the balconies for some time, admiring the picturesque view of the ocean. The waves appeared to roll in gently despite a lack of any kind of natural or artificial wave breakers. A beach with sand the color of amber extended along the entire perimeter of the island from what he could see from his bedroom.

He also noticed that Kiyora's home, which was much like a Greek palace, rested on the highest point of the island, surrounded by cliffs of white stone. Plenty of green vegetation and flowering plants spotted the steep slopes. If Nathan was to have an image of heaven, this certainly would have been remarkably close to it.

But as much as the magnificence of his surroundings kept him distracted for a little while, he still couldn't help but feel anxious about the whole situation. His brain was riddled with questions about how such a place and such a person like Kiyora existed. Had they really been that isolated from civilization? And they've had to have remained secret all this time. It was clearly a mystery that needed solving. He hoped, however, that in due time Kiyora would answer all of his questions.

In the meantime, though, he figured he may as well just enjoy himself.

Kiyora had kept true to her word about her servants. The moment Nathan called out for a servant she arrived within a matter of ten seconds. She was the first servant he encountered, and the similarity between her and Kiyora was noteworthy. However, he could tell that she was shorter than her mistress, and her eyes looked much more human, almost as if she'd been human at some time in the past.

The main reason he'd called for her was to test the truth of Kiyora's statement, but he'd also needed a glass of water or something to drink. His thirst took a fair bit to notice, considering he was caught up in trying to come to terms with his situation, but he was really quite parched.

After handing him the water, the servant brushed her hand up against the back of his arm. She stared awkwardly at him with a curious smile as he took the first gulp. Nathan didn't know how to respond to her behavior, but his body language stated that he was confused as well as a tiny bit uncomfortable.

She looked away, locking her hands and biting her lip in a coy manner. "I apologize, my lord. It has been many, many years since we've seen a man. Please, forgive my staring."

It was an odd notion to think about but Nathan understood, even if it was cause for more confusion on his part. Had it really been that long since they'd seen a man?

"I think I can understand where you're coming from. There's no reason to apologize."

"Thank you. Will that be all?" the servant asked.

"Yes, this should do well," he replied and watched as she turned and started toward the exit. "Wait," he called for her again.

"Yes, my lord?"

"Do you happen to know where Kiyora is at the moment?"

"Our mistress is currently preparing for her daily exercises. Why do you ask?"

"Just curious. I figured I'd finally take a stroll around the palace. Is that alright?"

"Our home is your home. You are welcome wherever you please," she finished and left the bedroom.

Shortly after finishing his drink, he took the first step outside of the bedroom and around the stone barrier, which acted to add privacy for the room. It opened into a sort of lounging room with chairs around a small fountain in the center. Right above the fountain was an open dome ceiling, letting the bright rays of sunlight into the chamber. Vines and other flowering vegetation flowed down from the open roof and added to the room's elegance.

Nathan figured that each room in the palace was not going to fall short of surprising him with its rich splendor. He could hardly imagine just how wealthy Kiyora must have been. But was she even rich? Did she even need money? It was still all a wonder to him.

"Too many questions..." he murmured to himself and shook his head. If he continued thinking so much, he was going to end up with a headache.

The lounge connected with a hallway on the wall opposite of the bedroom, and Nathan wandered over to it. He found that it ran to the left and the right a fair distance. The right hall looked like it led over to some kind of bathhouse. He could hear the water from the hallway, mixing in with the sound of flowing water from the fountain. However, he decided to follow the hallway to the left instead.

It took him past a few other bedrooms that may or may not have been for some of Kiyora's servants. He wasn't too sure because each of them displayed a fairly similar opulence to the room that Nathan woke up in, and it didn't seem like typical servants' quarters.

Eventually, the hallway opened up into what was a grand foyer with a marble staircase on the east and west ends of the room. Nathan didn't figure the palace had a second level, considering how large the first floor was. He assumed that Kiyora's room resided on the second floor, and he wondered just how large it may have been.

On the first floor connected to the grand foyer was the dining hall on the east end and some kind of sunroom on the west end. Nathan continued exploring, choosing to mosey on over to the sunroom. Besides all the chairs for lounging and soaking up some sun, the room almost reminded him of a greenhouse. It was just missing all the windows. Instead, the roof and walls were mostly open to the sky with exotic plants covering nearly every nook and cranny. The best thing was the smell, though. The scent of the flowering plants was a delightful, saccharine mixture of citrus and lavender.

The rows of the sunroom eventually led him to an exit, right into a garden, and the sweet aroma continued to fill the air around him. Long, elevated garden beds made out of white stone encircled a wide and round spouting fountain. Nathan couldn't help but marvel at the spectacular plumbing that must have been built throughout the palace. It almost seemed inconceivable, but it was right before his eyes.

Another curiosity was the fact that he hadn't come across a single servant, or even Kiyora for that matter. That's when he heard a bit of a ruckus coming from the southern direction of the garden. He followed his ears, leading him out of the garden and to a flat and open portion of the palace grounds. Most of it was grassy, but there was a huge sand ring with nearly a thirty-foot diameter. And in the middle of that ring was Kiyora. However, she wasn't alone. Nearly ten of her servants were in the ring with her.

There was no doubt in Nathan's mind. He'd seen such a ring before, and it had to have been a sparring ring. By the looks of it, Kiyora was taking on all ten of her servants, and they had her completely surrounded. Nathan was intrigued. He approached them carefully, skirting the edge of the ring, watching.

"Do not hold back at all. Give me everything you have."

They did just that.

It seemed like a few of them recklessly charged in at their mistress, but it was actually quite calculated. Nathan was able to tell due to the training he'd received while he was in the Marines. But something was slightly different about their combat technique. Some of their moves were advanced and powerful, unlike Nathan had ever witnessed before. And something about the way they'd move and twist their limbs to get a different kind of potential out of their moves was interesting. It was like some kind of archaic martial art that Nathan had never before heard or seen of.

But what was even more surprising was the fact that Kiyora was taking on all ten of them, and it hardly looked like she was breaking a sweat. Despite having her outnumbered ten to one, none of them could land so much as a single hit. Her agility was awesome. She seemed to be able to predict the punches and kicks before they even came, and Nathan had a damn hard time trying to keep track of her movements. They were essentially a blur.

However, Nathan could piece together some of the techniques Kiyora and the servants were using. It didn't happen too often, but a servant would get a fair grasp on her mistress's arm and roll into a body throw, much like he'd learned from his Judo instructor. However, it hardly worked on Kiyora, who was able to maintain keep her balance and land on her feet. She'd trip the servant over in turn with a swift swipe of her leg.

Kiyora was changing her stance quite often, and Nathan had a hard time keeping track of what martial art she may have been implementing. He was sure he once caught her flow into a Tai Chi stance, guiding most of her servants' attacks right into one, or many, of their teammates. Her moves while in that stance were graceful and full of a deceiving and beautiful danger. She led their weight exactly where she wanted it, usually right into the ground, where she would have had an easy, ending blow against them.

The moment some of her servants had realized they'd been defeated, they'd left the ring, leaving just four of them. The four that remained seemed to be the only few that were causing Kiyora a tiny semblance of trouble. The pantheress grinned noticing how determined her servants were. It seemed to please her quite a bit.

Kiyora changed her stance once again, but this time Nathan was certain he recognized it - kung fu's tiger style. Her knees were bent in a wide stance and her hands and arms forward in a display of clawed power. Her piercing, yellow eyes were intently focused on her target. She was going to be going on a full offensive - swift, strong, and merciless. Nathan's spine tingled at the sight as a bit of fear overtook him. The same thought must have gone through the servants' minds as they took a step back from their mistress.

Kiyora let out a low growl from deep in her throat and the servants took another step back. They were already in varied defensive stances. She pounced at the first servant and threw her powerful arms right into a block that sent the servant stumbling backward. Taking a clear opportunity to strike from behind, two of the other servants flew at her with all of their weight into a kick. Kiyora ears perked as the sand scratched behind her. She dove and slid back, dodging their kick and forcing them to flip forward. They caught their balance mid flight and landed deftly on their feet.

"Very good," Kiyora smirked. She hadn't realizied the last servant was right behind her.

The servant snuck her arms underneath Kiyora's and put her straight into a nelson hold with her hands locked on her mistress's furry neck. She bent forward forcing Kiyora to bow slightly.

Kiyora chuckled, "Well, this doesn't happen too often. I must congratulate you on successfully executing a hold on me."

The other servants still approached Kiyora with caution, knowing full well of their mistress's cunning. The bravest of them went in for a blow to Kiyora's exposed belly. However, Nathan caught it before it all flashed in front of him, all in a blur. She'd grinned.

Before the servant could even start her attack, the agile pantheress walked up the servant's body, using it as a wall to launch herself upward and over the servant behind her. She came crashing down, slamming the unfortunate servant into the sand, ending it with a simulated, finishing blow. That servant rolled out of the ring. Only three were left.

Kiyora returned to her tiger stance and pounced before the one could regain her balance. She wrapped and locked arms around the other servant, flipping over her and throwing her right into one of the others. The weight of the first servant easily plowed over the other. Nathan could hear the wind being knocked out of both of them. His eyes went wide at Kiyora's display of immense strength and flexibility. The two crawled out of the ring trying to catch their breath.

Only one more remained.

"We are bested, mistress," the last servant pleaded, dropping to her knees.

"Do you wish to yield, Evelyn?" Kiyora asked, staring coldly at her servant, waiting.

The servant slammed her fist into the sand. "No," she spat. "I will not yield so easily."

"That is what I like to hear," the pantheress replied, pleased.

The servant took in a deep breath and returned to her feet, sliding into a firm, yet offensive, stance. She nodded and Kiyora did the same. Only a second passed before the servant charged at her mistress with her arms swiping furiously and mightily. Her flurry of attacks was effective enough that Kiyora had to drop back into a defensive stance and take a few steps back in order to block each blur of an attack. Some of the servant's deft kicks had even made contact, but were easily blocked by her mistress. However, the beautiful pantheress was beaming the entire time. She appeared glad to see that she was slightly overwhelmed by the servant's surprising offensive.

But there was a tiny flaw in the servant's attack, and even Nathan had had enough time to notice it. It was a slight misstep that placed her balance too far forward.

Kiyora seized the opportunity. She twisted her stance and rooted her leg around one of the servant's legs. All Kiyora had to do was press forward, into her leg, and the servant was swiftly on her back, feeling the heat of the sand. And in less than a second, her mistress's foot was planted firmly on her exposed chest. The ball of Kiyora's foot pushed against her muzzle and twisted it gently.

The servant sighed, feeling Kiyora's toes pressed hard against her cheek. She knew that her mistress could have easily broken her neck in that situation. But Evelyn knew she wouldn't. Kiyora was always careful not to use too much force, and the servant was grateful that her mistress was gentle enough with them when sparring.

Kiyora released the Evelyn and addressed all the servants that had just sparred with her. "Not too bad," Kiyora stated. "You all continue to impress me with the progress you've made since you first started so many years ago." Her eyes wandered over to Nathan, and a wide alluring smile crawled along her black muzzle, those bright yellow eyes even more intense in the sunlight. "Please, Nathan. Do not be shy. Come closer."

Every single eye shot right over to him, and he could feel each one looking him over, taking in every inch of his body. He made his way toward Kiyora. Some of the servants caressed his arms, chest, and back with their fingers, whispering to their neighbors after getting a good touch of him.

"I apologize for intruding, Kiyora."

"Do not apologize. You were not intruding at all. Besides," she says and looks around to all of her servants. "We enjoy having an audience. So what did you think?"

"Frankly, it was absolutely amazing. I've never seen such a display of martial prowess in my entire life. And that's saying something."

"What do you mean?"

"Since I spent time in my country's military - the Marines - I was introduced to some of the world's best fighters. Hand-to-hand combat was an essential skill, and we had some of the best trainers."

Kiyora tilts her head and scratches her chin in curiosity. "Very interesting, Nathan. Please, tell me more about your time in the military." All of the servants immediately sat down and stared up at Nathan, waiting for a grand story. Kiyora smirked but remained standing. "Don't mind them. I'm sure you can imagine that having a man around is a bit of an exciting thing for them."

"No doubt," he replied. "Well, I wouldn't really know where to start except for the fact that I'd wanted to be a Marine since I was a kid. I guess one big reason was because my father had been in the Marines, so it was a bit of a family tradition, just like sailing was."

She listened intently, smiling. "Go on. Could you tell me more about your father?"

Nathan gulped. That was a difficult subject for him.

"If it is something hard to talk about, then you may continue with the Marines. I was just curious."

Thank you, he thought and cleared his throat before continuing. "Right after I graduated High School I entered the Marines. My father was very proud. And just like him, I was the perfect fit for that kind of life."

"What is High School?" one of the servants asked.

Nathan raised an eyebrow. He could imagine they were probably all a bit sheltered being on an island, but to not know what High School was, that was a bit odd.

"No interruptions, please," Kiyora commanded. "Let him tell his story."

Nathan shook his head. "No, I don't mind too much. High School is a place where teenagers go to get a basic education before they decide what they'd like to do for their lives. At least that's a very simple explanation."

"Go on, Nathan."

"Anyway. Even though I was fully aware that it was wartime, I still joined. I wasn't quite the best Marine, but I held my own very well, outperforming most of the other Marines in most combat training - hand-to-hand being one of them."

"You fought in a war?"

"I was deployed overseas, yes. And we, being the Marines, saw a fair deal of actual combat."

"Obviously you fought well, seeing as you are still alive and whole."

"Yeah, I - uh - I suppose so."

"You mentioned that you did well in hand-to-hand combat?"

"I did pretty well, yes."

"Would you care to spar?" she offered.

"Who? You?"

"Of course."

Nathan swallowed hard and a few beads of sweat formed on his forehead, "There's no way I'd be a match for you at all. I saw what you can do, and I'm nowhere near that level of skill."

"There is no need to fret, Nathan. I will go very easy on you."

He let out a long sigh and gulped down that tiny lump that had formed in his throat. It had been a few years since he'd last sparred with anyone near, or above, his own level of skill. "Alright," he answered. "I'm sure there's plenty I could learn from sparring with you, so why not?"

"That's what I like to hear," she beamed and motioned to her servants. "Move along, ladies. Give us some room."

All the servants rose to their feet and moved to the edge of the ring, absolutely thrilled to be able to watch their mistress take on a man in hand-to-hand combat. He walked to the edge of the ring and removed the shoes and the t-shirt he'd worn when he was knocked unconscious. He'd found his clothing earlier. They'd been drying on a line on one of the balconies in his bedroom.

He returned to the center of the ring and faced the pantheress. He hoped he wouldn't disappoint his audience, especially Kiyora.

"I will let you make the first move," she said, spreading her feet into a firm, defensive stance. "Whenever you are ready, Nathan."

He took in a deep breath and swallowed hard, allowing his eyes to focus on her. It didn't necessarily help. He was still quite distracted by her beauty, especially with her breasts held up in a firm position with her current sparring attire. It was odd. He'd sparred with a few women before and he wasn't as distracted then. This time was different.

Nathan went all in at first, trying to get a bit of an upper hand with foot placement. He attempted to force her into a standing grapple, hoping that he could rely more on brute strength on the ground rather than speed. Playing to his strengths was going to be his best choice and he'd excelled at Brazilian Jujitsu. If only he could get her to the ground and in a hold, he'd possibly get the advantage he was looking for.

But it didn't work.

Using the Tai Chi he'd witness before against the servants, she guided his force and weight right down to the ground. Thankfully, he'd learned how to tumble through proper training as well as many past mistakes. He expertly rolled right back up to his feet and into a firm defensive stance, expecting a counter attack from her.

Nathan anticipated her move correctly. He blocked her arm before it made contact with his side. He instinctually twisted her arm toward a submission move, which would have worked against most opponents. However, Kiyora wasn't like any other opponent. The pantheress's body twisted with her arm, doing a flawless cartwheel in the air. She landed square on her feet and used her momentum and weight to force Nathan forward into the sand. All the servants gasped at the sight.

Kiyora backed off and let him return to his feet. "It was a nice try, Nathan. But you'll have to do better than that against me."

"Alright," he replied, dusting the sand off of his pants. It was time to try something else in his arsenal. He couldn't rely solely on just one martial art. Just like Kiyora, he'd have to employ, and rapidly switch between, multiple styles. It was going to be difficult, but he had some experience in mixed martial arts.

"Good," she smiled. "I will let you make the first move again."

Perhaps, he thought, he could trick her. He slid his feet into the kung fu style he was most familiar with, but it wasn't going to be what he'd use against her the moment he was within striking distance. One leg forward with most of his weight and balance on the rear, he was poised to strike like a snake.

Kiyora grinned. It was clear she recognized the style and was preparing to counter it. Nathan grinned, too, knowing full well that he wasn't going to be using it against her.

He glided forward, making it look like he was going to strike at her core with a swift punch. She went to defend against it, and that's when he twisted his stance and went full Muay Thai at the last second. His body built up tension into his circular motion until he let it lose like a wound up spring, right into a reverse roundhouse kick. All of his weight went into it, searching for a clean hit. But it never came. His leg did nothing but cleave the air.

Caught off guard, Nathan ended the move slightly off balance. He didn't notice that Kiyora was crouched right below him before it was too late. She threw her arms and palms forward, making perfect contact with Nathan's chest, and it was strong enough to lift him off the ground and back a few feet. It was a powerful blow, but it wasn't enough to knock him to the ground.

However, as he was recovering from the hit, she was already on him with her foot flying through the air with a front kick. He placed his arms in front of him, effectively blocking it. It didn't matter, though. She was already on the ground swiping a leg right under him and tripping him, landing right on his back. The rough sand dug a bit into his bare skin.

"Nice try again," she smirked, wiping her palms and returning to her feet. "You're thinking too much, Nathan. Your moves need to become instinctual. They should come from the gut not the brain.

"How do you react so damn quickly?" Nathan coughed, feeling the painful need to ask. Her speed was overwhelming.

Kiyora chuckled slightly, "Like I said. You must feel it as if it is part of your being. Do not rely solely on conscious awareness. Perhaps you've been trained to rely too much on thought and planning rather than gut instinct. If you are to ever stand a chance against me, you must unlearn much of what you've been taught."

Nathan got back up and sighed as he dusted the sand off of his pants once again. He didn't know whether or not he truly understood what it was she was trying to tell him. It went against so much that he'd been trained to do.

"Come at me again," she explained. "But this time attack me as if you know nothing. Be like a tiger chasing its prey. It does not think or plan. It only takes action, adapting each second to its prey's movements. That is what you must understand."

That made a bit more sense to him, and he caught some of the servants taking the same mental note of her instruction. "I think I understand," he replied, closing his eyes and taking in a deep breath. Now that he was aware of it, he noticed just how hard it was to clear his mind of thoughts. Like a tiger, he whispered to himself. His stance widened and his arms lifted firmly in front of him, claws at the ready.

"There you go," she added. "You must learn the focus of a tiger."

Nathan opened his eyes, his pupils narrowing in on his target. He let an animal instinct take over him. He charged furiously at the pantheress, clawing his hands toward her chest. Deftly, she dodged his attack, but he was right on her taking another swipe. This time, he threw his leg in a high kick, slamming it back down to the ground after missing by inches. He then crouched and threw his other leg in a wide circle nearly tripping her. But like usual, she was too fast for him, doing a front flip right over his leg.

He took the opportunity to pounce at her, ready to pull her to the ground in a grapple. Every single servant took in a sharp breath as Nathan brushed past Kiyora's fur. She'd barely dodged it that time.

Nathan went right into his next attack. He was clearly on full offensive, and for the most part, it appeared to be working - for the moment.

But just like the last servant Kiyora had faced, she waited for the tiniest of missteps. And it didn't take long. Nathan swung a bit too hard with his arm, and Kiyora naturally took note of his motion, dodging it with ease. She went down into a crouch doing all the motions of what looked like she was going to trip Nathan.

He went to dodge her trip, but soon found that that was a huge mistake. He couldn't even do anything except watch in slow motion as the bottom of her foot flew at his face. She'd tricked him. It wasn't a trip. It was a forward high kick. It made contact, her sole digging deep into his cheek. He flew backward from the force and landed flat on his back.

Before he could even react, something heavy was upon his chest, pinning him hard to the hot sand. He squinted, trying to filter out the sunlight that was blinding him. After his eyes adjusted, he saw her. Kiyora was looming over him with her left foot planted firmly on his breastbone. The sole and ball of her foot twisting and grinding slightly against his skin. Its warmth, however, was somewhat comforting - an odd feeling for Nathan.

A sly grin twisted along her muzzle. She was well aware that she had him beat. And Nathan knew it as well. "That was a very good offensive, Nathan," she praised him. "However, you have been bested. Do you yield?"

All the servants watched in awe as he tried to wriggle out from under her foot, putting as much of his strength against her leg as possible. It just wouldn't budge a single inch. His jaws clenched and his arms shook erratically until he finally gave up. Her foot just wasn't going to move.

"Do you submit?"

Nathan swallowed hard, his pride slightly wounded. "Yes, I yield, Kiyora."

"Good," she replied and lifted her foot off of him.

Once again, Nathan rose to his feet and dusted a fair deal of sand off of him. He wasn't too pleased with his performance or the fact that the pantheress didn't even seem to break a sweat against him. Kiyora could tell he was upset.

"Were you really holding back?" he asked.

She nodded, "But it is nothing to be ashamed about, because no one has ever beaten me in combat. I've been a warrior my entire life with many more years of experience than you. If you wish, I would be happy to teach you what I can."

Nathan's frown disappeared. It was obvious that she'd be able to teach him things beyond his wildest dreams when it came to combat. He would have been a fool to refuse such an offer from her. "I'd love that," he answered.

* * * * * * * * *

The rest of his first day on the island had been delightful. He'd soon grown used to having nearly every single servant stare and bat their eyes at him whenever he crossed their path. Kiyora had escorted him around the rest of the palace that, on the outside actually resembled Egyptian architecture. It had some of the most intricately carved stonework, another thing he'd never quite witnessed before, and he'd even seen some of the world's wonders throughout his travels.

Perhaps the most interesting piece of art and masonry was a statue in the center courtyard of the palace. Just like Kiyora, it was a panther anthro. However, the feminine statue was clad in battle-ready armor with a buckler strapped to the left arm and a spear held high in the right had, pointing skyward. The statue's gaze followed the length of the spear, looking up toward the heavens. The resemblance to Kiyora was uncanny. It almost made Nathan thing twice about who exactly the pantheress may have been.

After showing Nathan her quarters on the second level of the palace, Kiyora invited him to dinner. He graciously accepted the invitation, not that he'd have anything else to do, and followed her back down into the grand foyer and into the dining hall.

There were a number of large rectangular tables that stretched nearly the entire length of the dining hall. Each of them was made of a fine, stained mahogany and probably seated around twenty-five people. On the other end was a head table that sat four. Kiyora waved for him to follow her to the head table, where the servants proceeded to provide both of them with a four-course meal. Nathan wasn't used to such extravagance as well as the exquisite flavor of each dish. The chefs made food as if their lives had been devoted to it since the day they were born. It was definitely something he could grow accustom to.

"Today was an absolute pleasure, Nathan," beamed Kiyora. Her bright smile was attractive and warm, and if Nathan was properly interpreting the signals his body was conveying, he'd say he was starting to enjoy her company, too. "I suggest you take a nice bath before bed," she added. "I'm sure you noticed the bathhouse next to your quarters while you explored the palace?"

"Yes, I did."

"Good. Go wash up and let the warm waters that flow through the pools of my palace free you of your stresses." She brushed her right hand along Nathan's cheek. He shook a bit with pleasure to the touch. "I will see you soon."

He gulped and stared as she left him, climbing the marble stairs in the foyer. Her hips and tail swung in a sort of enchantment he couldn't resist. He was unable to peel his eyes away until she was out of sight.

Even though he'd only been there for a day, he was already getting quite used to the layout of the huge palace. He was easily able to find his way back to his bedroom. But instead of passing through the lounging room and into his quarters, he did as Kiyora had suggested. He went straight down the hallway and right into the bathhouse.

There was a large pool of clear, clean water that reflected the orange glow of the sunset that made its way into the room. The west end of the bathhouse opened to a terrace covered by a wide stone canopy. The entire floor, including all of the pool, was a multicolored and tiled mosaic that resembled the waves of the ocean. The pool was constantly flowing with new water that came from a cascading waterfall of a fountain that was the south wall of the bathhouse. It was still humming with that same sound of running water he'd heard from his room. The entire chamber was built for maximum comfort and relaxation.

Nathan removed his clothes after making sure the coast was clear. He anticipated, for obvious reason, that the servants wouldn't mind getting a sneak peek of a naked man. After dipping his toes to test the water, he inched his body down into the pool until he was almost entirely submerged. The top layer of the warm water started to steam a bit in the cool evening air. The soft vapors had an aroma with a hint of eucalyptus and mint. His muscles instantly lost all of their tension as he let the rest of his body slide underwater.

With his breath held, he kept his eyes closed and let the warmth surround him for a number of seconds. He was convinced, again, that he may have been in heaven.

Slowly, his head emerged from the water. He let it stream from his hair for a while before wiping it from his brow and finally opening his eyes. A surprising sight greeted him. Kiyora was just feet in front of him wading her way over to him. His hands bolted down to cover his manhood from her.

Kiyora chuckled slightly. "I do hope I didn't startle you too badly."

"N-no. I j-just wasn't quite... I mean... when did you even get here?"

A sly grin crept across her smoky muzzle. "I'm a master of stealth," she joked, but Nathan understood she wasn't lying in the least. She waded through the water even closer to him. Her charcoal-colored nose was just a few inches from his, and those devastatingly stunning eyes peered deep into his soul. "I hope you don't mind the company."

"I-I d-don't m-m-m--" he stammered, finding it impossible to maintain any semblance of composure while he was that close to her.

Her hand caressed his face and stroked his chin gently. "You're very cute when you stutter," she replied, amused. "It may take some time, but I'm certain you'll grow more comfortable around me."

She sunk down underwater and pushed away until she was near the center of the pool where she emerged and tossed her long black hair back. The water followed suit, making a perfect, glimmering line in the air above her head.

Nathan let go of the breath he didn't even realize he was holding. Her beauty was unparalleled, he thought. In such a short time, he couldn't help but feel attracted to her in a way he'd never experienced before with any other woman on the face of the Earth.

She took each step out of the pool at a leisurely pace, swinging her nude hip with each one. Nathan was glad that he kept his hands held between his legs, hiding something he was sure he didn't want her to see. When she reached top of the stairwell out of the pool, she turned to him, her large, supple breasts on full display.

"I look forward to our days together, Nathan. I shall see you in the morning," she smiled, before turning and leaving the bathhouse, the water still streaming off of her glimmering black fur.

"As do I," he admitted to himself and sunk back into the warm water.

* * * * * * * * *

It was every single time. Nathan would catch himself staring at her - at Kiyora. Every time the pantheress was near him, he'd watch her intently, taking all of her in with his green eyes. He was unable to convince himself that he wasn't attracted to her in nearly every way. It wasn't just her devastating beauty. No. There was something powerful in the way she moved, the way she talked, and the way she could comfort him with the slightest of smiles. It all attracted him like no woman ever had before.

Nearly a week had passed living on her island. Most sailors or men would have gone stir crazy being stuck in a place for so long, even though it was relatively a short amount of time. There was a wanderlust mentality with most sailors. That was generally the case with him, but Kiyora was making an exception of the rule. He'd enjoyed every minute spent on the island thus far. And the fact that he was surrounded by nothing but beautiful, feline women wasn't even the best part of it. That was just a big plus.

Kiyora was the reason he'd found time flying by. She had a way of entrancing him when she was around, and the concept of time seemed to fade away. And although it later seemed as if the time had slipped away from him, in the moment, it had felt like an eternity. Each second was filled with the beauty and bliss of her presence. It was something he couldn't escape from, and he had the growing feeling that he wouldn't ever _want_to escape from it. Kiyora had been tugging on all the right strings of his heart in such a short amount of time.

Nathan would often catch Kiyora staring at him, too. She'd wear that alluring grin and swing her tantalizing hip each time she passed by. When she was near, her hand would brush up against his arm, chest, or back. It was becoming clear that she liked to caress him whenever she had the chance. Nathan couldn't help but think she was increasingly making advances on him.

And he had a few examples to believe that was the case. While sparring and learning new techniques, she was much less wary about the way she'd touch him, especially after knocking him to the ground. She would run her fingers along his body before offering her hand to help him back up. Soon enough, no body part was off-limits. She'd brush up against his inner thigh, dangerously close to his package. He'd even sworn that she'd grabbed his ass one time before throwing him to the ground. He didn't really know what to think about it, but she was definitely groping him in the subtlest of ways.

And that was just one example.

"You are looking very handsome today," she'd say nearly every morning with the most seductive of tones. That was despite not being able to shave since he'd arrived on the island, too.

He'd also grown accustomed to her greeting him with a warm hug and a hand on the cheek, petting his facial hair. It was a wonderful feeling, but Nathan was always unsure how to take it. Each time he'd tell her, "Thank you," but he'd chastise himself afterward for responding so awkwardly.

She also sat closer to him at the dinner table, sometimes placing her hand on his. Nathan came up with whatever excuses for the behavior that he could conjure. She's probably not had any physical affection for quite some time, he'd tell himself. So he allowed it. It wasn't like he minded it in the least. It was just a bit awkward for him.

Another thing was how comfortable she was mentioning certain private thoughts or jokes around him. One time, while relaxing in the sunroom together, she caressed the inside of his thigh. "It's kind of hot, isn't it," she mentioned.

"Yeah, it is," he replied. "Not a single cloud in the sky."

"I wasn't talking about the weather," she joked, chuckling and measuring his response.

"Oh," he said and turned away to hide his reaction. He couldn't - for whatever reason he hardly understood - respond without being tongue-tied or uncomfortable shy.

But none of that disheartened Kiyora. She was a determined pantheress, and she was most likely used to getting what she desired. So the advances on Nathan continued, and he remained coy.

However, it wouldn't last long.

Kiyora knew what she would have to do. If Nathan was unable to make a move or accept her advances, then she'd have to be a little more forceful.

Every night she bathed with him, and that night was the same. He'd grown quite used to her company in the bathhouse. It took some time, but he was able to control how his body wished to react to seeing her wet, naked body. He feared what she may eventually desire from him. But deep down, he wanted it. He knew he wanted it. And even though he tried his best to hide his true feelings, he knew she could see it. There was no way she didn't know.

"Something is on your mind, isn't there, Nathan?" she asked as she pushed her hair back and rung some of the water from it.

He could feel his heartbeat knocking somewhere low in his throat. He was afraid to respond, afraid that honesty would be an improper reply. "It's nothing," he answered.

"Nonsense," she said, gliding through the water to be closer to him. "Tell me what is bothering you."

His heart beat harder the closer she got to him.

She raised her hand and placed it on his cheek, caressing his upper lip with her thumb. "Well," she started. "You don't even have to say a word. I already know."

There it was. It was exactly what he feared, yet he desired it more than anything else in the world at that moment.

Her hand slid up the side of his face, gently raking through the hair right above his ear. And that's when she closed her eyes and inched forward. Nathan trembled at first but closed his eyes as well, waiting for what he knew was coming, fearful that he may somehow disappoint her.

He felt pressure from her hand on the back of his head. Kiyora eased him forward right into her supple, moist lips. His muscles relaxed and he sunk forward deeper into the kiss. He could feel every thought, every worry, everything else but the sensation of her lips on his lips, disappear. His body went lose. He utterly melted.

Kiyora pressed forward harder into the kiss, and Nathan let it all happen. He let her taste every inch his lips. It was sensual and thrilling, with his heart beating hard against her chest as she pressed her nude, furry body up to his. He felt her soft breasts caress his chest, pushing firmly against him and caving in to the pressure.

Her soft, pink tongue escaped her muzzle and entered his mouth, sliding with a sensuous twist along the tip of his tongue. She continued pushing her body against his until the cool tile of the pool wall touched his back. She then pushed deeper into his mouth, getting even more of a taste of him. The wet, smacking sound of deep kissing echoed between the bathhouse walls as they continued making out for a number of seconds.

But that wasn't all. Her other hand had crept down Nathan's side until she'd found exactly what she'd been looking for. She wrapped a few of her fingers around his hardening shaft and gently rubbed his balls with the other few. Nathan jerked with a tickling pleasure. With her eyes still closed, Kiyora grinned in response, gripping his cock even harder.

"Nathan?" she began with a sigh of pleasure.

"Yes," he replied.

They both opened their eyes and met with each other. Her muzzle nestled up against his chin as she stared deep into his eyes, darting back and forth between them. "I'd love nothing more than to feel you inside me," she offered rubbing her furry muzzle along his cheek. She stroked his cock a few times, making him jolt with more pleasure.

And that's when it happened. Nathan didn't even have time to respond. Her hip pressed forward and Nathan felt the supple lips of her labia press against the head of his cock, eventually engulfing it. His back arched a bit and it forced him deeper inside of her. Kiyora moaned as it slid deep along the throbbing walls her vagina.

"Yes!" she cried and pulled him close until their hips connected, kissing him once more. She straddled her legs around his and wiggled into a more comfortable position against the wall of the pool.

The stimulating warmth of her wet pussy over his cock sent chills of ecstasy down Nathan's spine. He wrapped his arms around her back, raking his fingers through her long black fur. The pleasure, much like everything Kiyora had shown him up to that point, was remarkable. And every inch of movement of her pussy along his shaft was filled with overwhelming stimulation. Yet she hadn't even truly begun.

Her hip glided back and forth, slowly stroking the entire length of his long, hard erection with her eager pussy. And with each thrust she moaned louder until she started to increase her pace. She was in full control, but Nathan didn't mind a single bit. He let her do as she pleased with him. He truly had no reason or desire to object to it.

Her arms moved to his back and she humped him harder, forcing his cock even deeper insider of her. Nathan could feel her start to tremble with satisfaction. He could also feel the pleasure starting to grow to an uncontrollable level in his groin. His balls were begging him to let go, to have their release.

But Nathan couldn't disappoint her. He held firm, instinctually understanding it wasn't going to have to be for long. Kiyora's fingers were digging into his back. It was coming.

Her back arched, and she thrust one last time as hard as she could into his crotch. Nathan held her there as she let out a roar of pure pleasure, her vagina contracting around his cock and sending him over the edge, too. He clenched his jaw and let out a deep groan as his body twitch. His orgasm, as well as hers, lasted several seconds as he released deep within her.

When it was over, he let out a sigh. "Wow, t-that was wonderful," he said.

She let out the same sigh and replied, "Yes, it was amazing." She pulled away from him but kept a hand on his cheek, staring deep into those green eyes again. "Nathan?"

"Y-yes?" he panted slightly, trying to catch his breath.

"I'd like you to sleep with me in my bed tonight. Is that alright with you?"

He swallowed hard. There really was only one response to that question. "Absolutely," he answered.

They climbed out of the pool and dried off before Kiyora took his hand and escorted him through the palace. The place was peculiar to him for some reason, almost eerie. It all seemed different at night.

Nathan couldn't really put his finger on it, but the place almost seemed quieter than during the day. Maybe that was because all the servants were sleeping, but even the waves rolling onto the beach weren't as loud. It was all very calming. Everything about the island was. No wonder Kiyora or the servants didn't seem to ever want to leave the island.

She pulled him inside her room with a wide grin across her muzzle. She let go of his hand and closed the large wooden door behind them.

Her room sat at the very top of the palace. It was in the shape of a wide arch with a stone terrace that wrapped around the entire thing, except for the portion with the door. Stone columns lined the edge of the room, holding up a domed ceiling above them. Painted within the dome was a mural of major zodiac constellations. Nathan knew them well ever since his father taught him out at sea.

She stared up at the ceiling with him, her long ebony tail flicking back and forth behind her. "You know them well, don't you?"

"It was all people used to have when out at sea. My father showed every single one to me when I was young. He told me that if I was ever lost all I had to do was look up at the sky."

"Your father sounds like an amazing man."

"He really was," Nathan replied, looking down at the floor.

"I am sorry, Nathan. It was not my intention to upset you."

He shook his head. "I'm not upset. Those are all good memories, and in that sense, he'll always be with me."

"I understand. Is there anything I can do for you?"

Nathan wandered over to the bed. It was right in the center of the room below the peak of the dome. It, too, was circular, matching the shape of the mural above them. He let himself fall backward onto the bed, melting into the soft silk sheets. A bed had never felt so wonderful, especially after making love with a woman so beautiful.

"I'd love to just lie in bed with you for the meantime."

Kiyora smiled, "I would enjoy that, too."

She crawled onto the bed with him, gliding her hand along his side from his foot up to his face. It stopped on his cheek, caressing his upper lip with her thumb once again. He didn't just feel it on his lip. It tingled all over his body and down his spine. The feeling was fantastic.

Nathan scooted over to her and wrapped his arm around her side, embracing her. It had been so long that he'd been held and she sensed it. She quickly reciprocated, pulling him close, his head resting on her soft, furry chest, right between her breasts.

"I know that it's only been a week, but I feel like we've grown very close," she admitted. "Do you feel the same way, Nathan?"

He thought about it for a second, sliding one of his fingers down her back until his hand came to rest on her buttocks. "I think I do. I know I was shy at first, but I was honestly attracted to you the moment I set eyes on you."

"I do apologize if I came on to you too quickly, but it has been many years since I've felt such a way about a man. That says a lot about you, Nathan."

"Well, I apologize for ignoring your advances. I'm not sure, but I may have been afraid of how I actually felt. I wanted so much to touch you, to hold you, and just to feel you close to me, but I fought against it. And I'm still confused about my feelings. Never have I fallen for someone so quickly."

Kiyora nuzzled closer against him, gently raking her fingers through his hair and scratching his crown. The warmth of her body against his was exactly what he needed most in that moment. She smelled of the same eucalyptus and mint from the bathing pool and that put Nathan at ease. Everything about being close to her was comforting. He felt so safe next to her.

They continued to touch each other all over, exploring each inch of their bodies together. His hand soon found its way up along her belly and to her breast. He pushed up against it, letting the supple flesh yield. It easily filled the palm of his hand, and she leaned into it, moaning. He continued to massage her breast, running the coarse skin of his thumb over her nipple, stimulating it until it hardened.

She took his hand into hers to stop him from rubbing her breast any longer. Instead, she forced it back down her belly until they came to the edge of her clitoris. Together, they stroked along the hood. It wasn't long before she started to get wet.

"Kiss me," she demanded pulling his head up to hers. His lips sunk into her mouth and she massaged them with her tongue. Their hands went down farther, and the pantheress guided his fingers into her. She forced them back and forth, grinding her hip slightly against his palm.

Nathan was already getting hard. He could feel his cock starting to press up against her thigh. But he continued to stroke her wet pussy with his fingers as she kissed him even harder. Eventually she pushed him onto his back, straddling his hip.

He pulled his fingers out but she grabbed his hand and shoved them right back in. "More," she said, leaning over him and sticking her tongue into his mouth, tasting every inch of it.

He did as she commanded and did his best to stimulate as much of her womanhood as possible, using his thumb to rub her clit even rougher than before. She was starting to squirt right into his palm.

Kiyora let out a growl of pleasure and stopped kissing him for the moment. Instead, she forced his head to turn and she started to nibble on his ear. It was wet but delightful. The soft bumps on her tongue were able to send thrilling shockwaves down each of his limbs, making him twitch every few seconds.

That was when she pulled Nathan's hand away from her moist crotch. Her hip lifted and allowed his erection to stand tall bellow her dripping pussy. The sweet smell of her sex as well as the anticipation made him even harder, his cock pulsing below her.

She descended upon him, her soft wet flesh stretching over the head of his cock with ease. All of his muscles clenched to the immense pleasure. It was almost overwhelming, but he absolutely loved it.

The best part, however, was how much Kiyora was taking control of him. It was something he already knew and understood about himself. He'd always known that he was turned on by dominant women, and Kiyora was the perfect match - a fantasy come true.

The pantheress pulled away from him but shoved him deeper into the bed as her eager vulva ate the rest of his cock. Her hands slid down along his arms and her fingers coiled around his wrists. She leaned forward and forced his arms up above his head where she held them firmly in place. She was not going to let him go anywhere.

Nathan tested that theory and tried to pull his arms back down.

"No," she growled, forcing them back above his head. "Just let me have you, Nathan. Let me do the work."

She closed her eyes and started rocking back and forth over his cock, rubbing the entire length of his shaft over and over. Her huge breasts bounced up and down right in front of his face. They were too alluring, giving him an itch to press his face against them. He tried leaning forward, but he just couldn't reach.

But Kiyora noticed and allowed him to indulge in that pleasure. She let her body drop so that they were pressed up against each other with Nathan's face snuggled between her breasts. The soft flesh and fur wrapped nicely around his head as she continued to use his cock to pleasure herself.

Nathan turned his head and pulled one of the pantheress's nipples into his mouth, wrapping his lips around the areola and sucking. She moaned, clearly enjoying the extra stimulation.

"Keep it up, Nathan," she roared. "I... I'm about to cum."

And so was he. But with a mouthful of her breast, he wasn't going to take the time to say so.

Kiyora rocked even faster, stroking less of his shaft but concentrating on feeling it deep inside her. Her clit was rubbing against him, though, and that only aided in her pleasure. He could feel the inside of her pussy start to tighten and spasm.

This time, however, he was the first to orgasm. It just got to the point where he could no longer hold it in. And even though he was pretty empty, he still came a bit inside her, releasing even more of his seed.

His body jerked as the erotic contractions took over his senses, but he did not release her nipple from his mouth. He sucked on it even harder.

Kiyora sped up and started to cry out in ecstasy as her intimate flesh trembled around his cock. She was cumming. She didn't stop this time, though. She continued stroking Nathan's softening erection, prolonging the orgasm as long as possible.

Eventually, her body relaxed and she opened her eyes again, staring deep into her lover's eyes. "Thank you, Nathan," she sighed with satisfaction.

Nathan's chest was visibly rising and falling with each deep breath. He was finding it difficult to get air. Never before had a woman been able to satisfy him so well that he could hardly catch his breath.

"It has been so long," Kiyora explain. "I apologize if I was too rough on you."

"You've been stuck on this island," he replied between breaths. "I can see why. Besides, I really enjoyed it. It felt amazing."

She placed a gentle hand on his cheek and gave him a quick kiss. "It has truly been a pleasure having you here, Nathan. It never has to end."

"I'm not sure if I'd ever want it to," he returned the smile.

* * * * * * * * *

They'd nearly become inseparable after that intimate night. Not that it was difficult to stick together on a relatively small island. Sure, the island was large enough for a hundred or so people, but it wasn't very large in comparison to many of the other islands Nathan had visited. And some of the best times spent with Kiyora were on the beach either soaking up some sun or taking a nice cool dip in the ocean.

And every time his eyes met with hers, he was filled with joy. He knew she was happy, too. There was no way he could imagine her position, going so long without having the kind of company that makes you feel loved. He didn't know how Kiyora had done it. So seeing that bright smile of hers made him realize how much it made him feel needed and loved.

The staring didn't stop, it only increased. He no longer had to hide it or find subtle ways to let himself be entranced by her beauty. And she returned the compliment. There were times they would just lie together in bed or on the beach and stare into each other's eyes with a longing of the most devoted of lovers.

Nathan also became highly attuned to Kiyora's feelings, anticipating what she'd like before she could tell him. It pleased her greatly to have a man so astute and empathetic. And Nathan gave it willingly. He truly was falling hard for her, and he knew she had to have felt the same about him.

Because his intimate connection with her had developed so quickly, he also knew when she was upset, which wasn't very often at all. In fact, it wasn't until a fair amount of time after they'd grown intimate with each other that she was irritable for the first time. He did not know why. All he understood was that something had been bothering her that day.

He found her resting on a lounging chair, which was on one of the large balconies. It lined the edge of the cliff that surrounded the palace. The balcony had one of the best views overlooking the beach in Nathan's opinion. The water below was shallower than the rest of island and it had more of bright, teal tinge to it. He loved that color of water.

He approached Kiyora. Her dark fur stood out in contrast to the ivory color of the chair's padding below her gorgeous body. The sun was shining off her fur the same way he'd seen that first day when he woke up on the island.

"You weren't in the sunroom like usual," Nathan started, wandering up to the chair to sit by her side. He ran a hand along her thigh. "So I thought you might be over here."

She didn't respond but offered him a weak smile.

"I can see that something is bothering you. Would you like to talk about it?"

"I'd rather not," she replied. "It is a complicated matter that, perhaps, I will tell you at a better time."

"Then is there anything I can do for you? What do you need most right now?"

She stared out at the ocean, thinking about Nathan's question. That was not something she had to ever think much about. People had always offered her things over and over, but they'd not often asked what it truly was that she needed. "I-I'm not sure," she answered, looking over to him.

"May I try something?" he asked and scooted closer to her feet. His fingers had an itch for a touch he'd been craving for a long time.

Her brow furrowed with confusion at first. "As you wish, Nathan. If you think it will help me relax, then I am more than willing to allow it."

He started by removing her sandals and setting them down onto the stone below the chair. She wiggled her toes with the freedom, feeling the gentle ocean breeze whisk between them. She lied back in the chair and got comfortable, allowing Nathan to do with her feet as he pleased.

After cracking his knuckles he went right to work, wrapping his fingers around the top of her left foot and digging his thumbs into the tense flesh with his thumbs. He started with the sole of her foot and eased his way upward toward her toes where he massaged them individually.

With circular pressure he worked the toes hard, feeling them loosen up over time. He also snuck his fingers in between her toes and massaged the more tender flesh there. And while his finger scratched the fur on top of her foot, he used his palm to rub the ball of her foot where most of the tension seemed to be. It, too, started to soften with each little circle he made with his hand. Her toes would move to the motion, caving to the direction his fingers were moving. Manipulating her foot and feeling it yield within his hands felt absolutely wonderful.

The hardest part was getting the sole of her foot to loosen up a bit. He ran his fingers down the arch of her foot until he wrapped them around them underneath her sole and a bit onto her ankle. He placed his other hand atop the foot a held it in place as he dug his fingers deep into the tight flesh, running them back up into the sole of her foot.

Kiyora could feel the tension melting away, not just in her foot, but all over. The fantastic feeling of Nathan's fingers pushing deep and hard into the bottom of her foot was enough to distract her from her previous preoccupations. She'd even let her foot go limp so he could work it even harder. He was more than willing to oblige.

Nathan adored it. He searched all over her foot with his hands, intimately rubbing and feeling every inch of it - every little curve, or bump, or crack. It all made the best of impressions on him.

He admired the way the flesh on the bottom of her foot felt on his skin. Sometimes it would tickle the sensitive tips of his thumbs, and that would send a slight jolt of pleasure through his body. He nibbled on his lip, knowing just how much he enjoyed giving foot massages.

His fancy for feet was something he'd known about ever since he was a kid. Nearly all feet interested him, but Kiyora's were beyond a simple interest or pleasure. Her feet were something to be worshipped - like a goddess.

He moved on to her other foot, glancing up quickly to gauge her reaction. It appeared that her shoulders had lowered and she'd been able to start to relax, which made Nathan smile as he dug his thumbs into her other sole. The sound of her enjoyment made it all the better for him.

He'd bend her foot forward, stretching the muscles and tendons, and then he'd do the reverse. With each move of his hands and fingers, she'd let out soft coos of delight, letting him know that she was taking pleasure in it. He'd also use the full surface of his palms to press hard into the bottom of her feet and loosen the tense muscles underneath. She'd murmur with an even louder satisfaction when he did so.

His thumbs gravitated toward her toes and he worked each one, pressing firmly into them and smoothing out the muscle and skin. He also rubbed in between each one just like the other foot. It didn't have to be the same, but he preferred to repeat the same motions as the first foot.

He did the same things with her ankle and sole, but this time he started near the bottom of her calf, massaging the muscles with his finger under her warm fur. His palm was pushing hard into her sole as his other hand made its way down to her ankle. He then started really working the tense muscles in her sole, pressing hard and deep.

She groaned with satisfaction, her hip twisting a little and her fluffy tail swishing with delight. Her toes curled, which made Nathan lick his lips. The sight of her toes wiggling just inches away from him was making his mouth water. He wanted them.

Nathan found his body getting hot, and it wasn't just because of the sun beating down on them. No. He had an urge to do more - an urge his body wasn't going to let him resist.

He bent down over her foot and pressed his tender lips against the biggest of her toes. He kissed the bottom of her foot a few more times, moving closer to her sole with each one. It was until his lips had touched her sole that he realized exactly what he was doing.

Kiyora's head was already raised and staring right at him with those stark, golden eyes.

"I'm sorry," he apologized immediately, shaking his head.

"Apologize for what?" she asked, furrowing her brow in confusion before lifting them upward with glee. "I'd never quite felt anything like that before. I really enjoyed it. Would you mind continuing?" She raised her foot and held it directly in front of Nathan's face, wiggling her toes some more. "They're waiting," she added with a sly grin.

Nathan was a little surprised, but it didn't matter. He didn't care. He had her permission and even more than that. She actually enjoyed it.

He grabbed her foot, one hand on top of it and the other coiling around her ankle. He pulled it up to his face and planted his nose between her toes and the ball of her foot. His mouth and lips slowly opened and wrapped around the tender flesh that swiftly and easily tickled his tongue. It was as wonderful a taste as it was a smell. It was slightly salty, but that's partly what made it so enjoyable for Nathan. And her smell was delightfully intoxicating. It had a distinctive and marginally smoky aroma, but it maintained subtle hints of eucalyptus and mint from the nights they'd spent together in the pool.

Kiyora's toes curled atop his nose as he continued to suck and lick the entire ball of her foot, tasting each portion below every toe. After the ball of her foot was well moistened, he moved on to her toes, sliding up with his tongue and starting on the smallest one. He drew it into his mouth. His tongue circled it a few times so he could enjoy its fine flavor.

The fur atop her toes tickled the roof of Nathan's mouth, but he didn't mind one bit. It only added to the stimulation he was craving as he moved up the line to the next toe. Each subsequent digit delightfully filled his mouth more.

His eyes rolled back to the feeling of her flesh inside of him and stimulating his tongue. But it wasn't just the sensation of her toe rubbing against his tongue that got him going. It was all of it put together - the taste, the smell, the picture of her perfect body, and the sound of her satisfied sighs.

The pantheress lifted her other foot and placed it on Nathan's cheek, caressing him with it. "The other one needs some attention," she teased.

He did as she suggested, moving on to her other foot. His lips wrapped right away around her big toe. With a slippery ease, it slid all the way in along the surface of his tongue, titillating every taste bud. He sucked on it for a moment and let her flavor fill his mouth. It was succulent enough to make his mouth water even more.

After tasting and licking each individual toe on the other foot, he pressed his face against as much of the bottom of her foot as possible. His nose was planted between her toes and the ball of her foot again where he took his time drawing in a number of breaths and indulging in her scent. Slipping from his mouth, his tongue swept across the entire arch of her foot. Her foot bent and pushed harder into his face.

"Oh, Nathan," Kiyora gasped, clutching the sides of the lounging chair with her hands. "That feels so good. Lick it harder. I want you to taste all of it."

"As you command," Nathan breathed into the bottom of her foot. He stuck out as much of his tongue as possible, pressing it hard against the bottom of her sole and gliding upward. He repeated that motion until all of her foot had been licked and made wet with his saliva. The taste of her lingered on his tongue and he absolutely relished it.

He continued to tickle the sole of her foot with his tongue and massaged the rest with his fingers and thumbs.

She removed that foot from him and gave him the other, pushing the arch of it against his mouth. "They need to be evened out," she declared, and Nathan caught a glimpse of that sly grin on her muzzle once more.

Nathan dove right in, giving into his craving, letting his tongue do as it pleased. He even let his tongue slip in between her toes where the taste of her was even more present. It was delightfully erotic, arousing him to the point that he hardly realized one of his hands had slipped down to his crotch. He started to touch himself as he got lost into the bottom of her foot.

His tongue went all over, just like the other foot. He wanted to please her to the best of his ability, and the soft purrs of satisfaction that vibrated from her core reassured him that he was doing the job. Eventually, her foot, along with the other was tender and moistened from the constant touch of his tongue and lips.

In one last tasting, Nathan grabbed both of her feet and placed them together in front of his face pressing his nose between them and inhaling deeply. He took in as much of her as he could before lowering them. He looked fondly into her eyes and they met with loving smiles. His lips twisted into an alluring grin before he went on with his last taste of her.

He started with the first toe on his left, taking the whole thing into his mouth and slowly pulling his tongue and lip over it until they gently drew away from it. He did the same thing with each one.

Kiyora closed her eyes as he did so and focused on just that feeling. Each one was progressively more enjoyable than the last, until he finally reach the final toe on the right. He gave it a long kiss for good measure.

Gradually, Nathan lowered the pantheress's feet until they came to rest on the lounging chair. She opened her eyes to watch him tease her feet a little while longer with the tips of his fingers.

Kiyora's expression was one of pure bliss. Having her feet worshipped was truly a delight to her. "That was more than relaxing for me, Nathan. I enjoyed it immensely, enough so that I would love to do it again sometime. How does that sound?"

"That sounds wonderful," Nathan replied, kissing her feet a few more times. It was the first time he'd been able to indulge in such a pleasure. And it with such devastatingly beautiful feet attached to a drop-dead gorgeous woman.

* * * * * * * * *

"Can you tell me more about yourself, Nathan?" Kiyora began.

They were relaxing out on a tiny beach within the island. They had their arms behind heads crisscrossed in the golden sand below them, their eyes gazing upward into the bright blue sky. A crisp breeze glided over the lake and caressed their sides, and the soft crackling of cresting waves filled their ears. A subtle aroma of fresh water lingered in the air and tickled their noses.

Nathan had noticed it before, but this was one of first times they'd decided to relax on the small lake inside the island. It was a great source of fresh water for all the inhabitants, which made sense because it gave them the means to survive there much longer than if they hadn't had any fresh water.

A small stream and a waterfall that cascaded down the short cliff behind them kept the small lake filled with that fresh water. The sound of flowing water just added to the tranquil environment. It was a wonderful place to escape to.

"What would you like to know?" he finally replied, not knowing where to start. They'd spent a lot of time together, but they'd never really spent too much of it talking about their pasts.

Kiyora twisted in the sand to turn onto her side and face him. He did the same, meeting with those dazzling eyes of hers. Getting lost in that sea of gold in her irises would never get old.

Her fingers played with the sand, twirling in the shape of figure eights. "You'd mentioned your father the first day. Would you feel comfortable telling me about him now?"

Nathan twisted to lie back on the sand, staring up at the sky again. His chest expanded with a deep breath, holding it in for a little while. "Yes, I think I can tell you about him now," he said, exhaling. "I'm sure you've probably been able to figure it out, but he's not alive anymore. He passed away shortly after I'd joined the Marines."

"I am truly sorry to hear it. Judging by the way your voice changes when you mention him, he must have been a wonderful man."

His eyes swelled with a few tears as he continued. He did his best not to allow his voice to crack, but it did anyway. "He was," he choked on those words. Kiyora stretched her arm over to grab his hand. Her comforting touched helped him continue. "I'm just glad I was able to see how proud he was of me before he died. That's what I'd always wanted. And that smile on his face when he'd found out that I'd become a Marine was wonderful."

"May I ask how he died?"

Nathan swallowed the growing lump in his throat. It was becoming more difficult for him to breathe as he went on. "There was a storm," he started. His lips tightened as he recalled just how similar of a storm it was to the one he'd encountered. "It was pretty much like the one that made me wash up on the beach here. Except...." he stifled, "...except he wasn't as lucky. And it happened during my first deployment overseas. He usually waited for me to get back before going sailing, but I was gone that summer and he loved it too much. My absence wasn't going to stop him from going."

He gave a quick chuckle, "And I would have done the same in his position. Both of us were pretty damn stubborn men. Hell, a mention of upcoming storms wasn't even enough to deter us from sailing. We kind of thrived on the danger - the adrenaline rush."

"I completely understand, Nathan. If we let fear control us, then we would never have the opportunity to truly live and achieve," Kiyora added, smiling with sympathy.

His head twisted to look at her. He returned the smile before continuing. "I really admired him most for his courage. Nothing would ever deter him from doing what he knew was right. I wanted to be the same man - fighting for what was right." His brow twisted with discomfort. A deep thought was clearly disturbing him. "I thought I'd known what was right," he swallowed hard. That lump wasn't going away.

"That's the sound of a warrior who has seen too much," Kiyora said, squeezing Nathan's hand tighter. "I know it all too well."

Nathan sniffed. "Could we talk about something else?"

"Very well," she agreed. "Did you ever have any pets?"

That instantly brought a grin to Nathan's face. He did in fact have a pet. "He was a German Shepherd named Max. He was such a happy and healthy dog. He was our companion when my dad and I would go sailing. But that was after we moved on from sailing the catamaran. The catamaran was a lot of fun, but it was nice being able to relax more on a single hull sailboat."

"Is... Max?"

"Yes," he answered, knowing exactly what she meant. "Three years ago. He'd just grown quite old, even though he had a long run. I miss him a lot, but I'm glad he had such a great life."

"That's good to hear," she smiled.

Silence overtook them as they let the reminiscing sink in. Just the sound of the tiny waves rolling up onto the beach and the running water from the waterfall echoed from the short cliff behind them. Kiyora let Nathan's hand slip from hers as she climbed to her feet. She offered him the other hand. "Would you like to take a quick dip in the lake?" she asked.

She'd hoped that a little bit of exercise in the warm lake water would help ease some of the lingering sadness from such a difficult discussion. There was a lot more to Nathan that she wanted to learn, but she wouldn't ever want to press the issue. He could always talk to her when he felt comfortable enough to do so.

He grasped her hand, allowing her to help him to his feet. "I think I'd enjoy that," he replied. He was happy to do something - anything - to get his mind off of some of the memories running through his mind. It was amazing that Kiyora was so emotionally intelligent to anticipate his needs. It was almost like she could read his mind.

They jogged, hand in hand, out into the water until the small waves were up to their chests. The lake water was even warmer than the pool in the palace. That was most likely due to the fact that it was under the constant heat of the blazing sun. It felt wonderful enough to wash away some of Nathan's worries as they let their feet lift from the sandy bottom and float with the waves.

The water pushed them back together, their chests pressing up against each other. They took the opportunity to embrace each other, nuzzling their cheeks together. Nathan's arms stretched around Kiyora's wet and furry back, and her legs wrapped around his waist, floating in the cradle of his arms. Her tail coiled around his thigh. It tickled the hairs on his leg, but it was a good kind of tickle. He squeezed tighter, resting his head on her shoulder. She did the same.

His right hand raked through her fur and up to her ear. He scratched behind it with care, knowing how much she loved the feeling. Her ears dropped into a relaxed state as she eased deeper into his shoulder and melted into his embrace. Such touching and cuddling from a man had been something she'd missed for so many years.

"Nathan..." she spoke softly, pausing to let out a sigh, "...I want you know that I could never thank you enough for what you do for me."

He tightened his arms around her. "I could say the same," he replied.

They shifted so they could meet with each other's eyes. Kiyora brushed some of Nathan's wet hair aside so she could get a better look. "Every moment spent with you is a blessing that I wouldn't ever change." She inched forward, tilting her head in the slightest to press her lips into his. They closed their eyes and held the kiss for a few seconds. The feeling of their lips in an intimate embrace was something they both wished could last for an eternity.

Kiyora lips escaped his as she leaned backward, urging Nathan to release her. He let her slip from his arms, and his fingers slid down her back and sides as she started to drift away. His fingertips tingled with the touch of her soft, black fur.

The pantheress's legs and feet lifted until they floated on the surface with the rest of her body. Nathan stood still. He waited to see what she was going to do. That's when she waved her arms underwater and glided across the surface of the water toward him. She lifted her feet in front of his face before she set them down atop his shoulders.

Her body rolled with the little waves as they came in. They made her ankles sway on top of Nathan's shoulder muscles, massaging them a little. He dipped farther into the water, but allowed enough room for the soles on Kiyora's feet to keep her attached. He lifted his hands up and out of the water, bending his fingers around her feet to press into the soft arches. With a grasping motion, he squeezed and rubbed the bottom of her foot.

Kiyora tilted her head back to the touch of his hands, her long hair spreading out under the water. Her forehead was underwater, but her muzzle remained surface. With shallow, relaxed breaths, her chest expanded and her nostrils flared. Her eyes were closed and it almost made Nathan think that she had fallen asleep.

"It feels so wonderful," she mentioned. "All of this. It truly is paradise, isn't it?"

Nathan couldn't help but agree with her. He didn't even have to say so. A grin stretched across her muzzle, knowing that he felt the same as her.

He pulled her feet off of his shoulders and held them right in front of his face, with just her toes above water. He had a foot in each hand and dug his thumbs into both of her soles. For a minute or so he worked the tough flesh.

The massage continued but Nathan dropped deeper into the water, placing his lips just inches from her big toe. His thumbs had worked their way into the arch of her foot with his fingers wrapping around the top. He bent her foot forward and let her big toe slip into his mouth. He could feel her smile with pleasure the moment she felt his warm flesh wrap around her toe.

It was just too good of a feeling to have her toe inside to taste and to feel. And she loved it, as well. He would no longer have to fight the urge or deny himself such a wonderful indulgence.

He let her toe slip in and out with the slight motion of the waves. The rough flesh stroked his tongue with each motion, exciting his taste buds and sending shivers of delight down his spine and legs. He did the same with each of her toes, but enjoyed the way her big toes would fill most of his mouth and caress more of his tongue with her lovely flesh and flavor. He saved her other big toe for last. A minute or so passed, as he let her big toe pleasure his tongue.

He pulled away with a satisfied smile. He adored every second of it, and he continued to massage the rest, rubbing the balls of her feet with his thumbs. His mind seemed locked on the intimate pleasure gained from the experience and the fact that Kiyora was so willing to allow him to do it to her.

But something at the edge of his hearing was able to distract him.

It was soft, but it almost sounded like the low siren of a foghorn. His head twisted to look out at sea, across a clearing that rested between the lake and the ocean. There was, in fact, a foggy haze in the distance that almost seemed to follow the horizon that wrapped around the island. But nothing was within sight. There was no sign of a boat.

He soon found his heart pounding lightly in his throat as he was reminded why he was on the island in the first place. It wasn't really by choice that he was there. He'd just washed ashore. It was an accident.

It was an odd thought, but Nathan was starting to realize that he missed home. He'd gotten lost in the pleasure of Kiyora's company and her beauty as well as the island's that he didn't realize a few weeks had actually passed. And the possible sound of a boat brought all of that to his attention.

"You stopped," Kiyora observed.

Nathan snapped back to find her with a playful smile. She used her hand to splash him with the fresh lake water. It was her way of trying to lighten up the situation even more as she sensed that he was distracted.

He smiled right back at her and stuck out his tongue. "Oh, you want to play, eh?" he laughed and let her feet slip from his hands. He was right back into the moment, completely disregarding what had distracted him. "Alright, but I won't go easy," he joked, knowing full well that even giving her his all still wasn't very much against her.

He pulled his hand up and returned the splash, getting the rest of her face wet.

"I wouldn't have it any other way," she sneered with a mischievous delight. "Make your move, Nathan."

Nathan squinted, focusing on Kiyora. He'd learned well from her to trust his instincts. This time, he wasn't going to let her take him as easily. He knew that she was going to win no matter what, but he was intent on making her work at least a little for it.

He took calculated but instinctual steps toward her. His hands were forward and held high to protect his shoulder and underarms to be grappled too easily. The pantheress stood very relaxed and cracked her neck with a teasing smile. She was trying to urge him into a state of overconfidence, but he wasn't going to fall for it. Not this time. He'd already learned that lesson earlier.

With another dash forward through the water, he made it look like he was overconfident and going for her shoulder but that was far for his intention. Kiyora snapped into her stance. She deflected his attempt at a grapple, but Nathan just smiled. And that's when she noticed her mistake. He'd snuck his foot behind hers. Her eyes went a bit wide as it came as a bit of shock that he was able to trick her like that, but she was right back in the game. Her other foot darted behind her into a defensive but necessary stance where she dug it into the wet sand.

Her midriff was exposed from having to switch stances, and Nathan took full advantage of it, wrapping his arms around her waist and attempting to trip her into the water with his well-placed foot. I didn't work. She didn't budge. He knew she was fast and strong, but he didn't know that she was that strong!

"Hah!" she puffed, bending over and wrapping her arms around Nathan's waist as well. She squeezed tight to make sure he couldn't wiggle from her grasp. "I'll have to admit. You actually caught me off guard with that one. Nice work!" she praised him, and he smiled in return. It was great to hear that he'd actually been making some progress from training with her. He also realized that he was currently in an extremely vulnerable position. "However..." she chuckled, "...you may want to hold your breath."

He heeded her advice and took in a sharp breath. Kiyora pulled him right up by the waist until his legs dangled above her head and fell over her shoulders. He took a chance with wrapping her head up in his thighs, but she did the same right back to him. But her legs were much more flexible than his. They lifted well up to his belly. And that's when he noticed exactly what she had planned. Hidden behind the hazy blur of the water, he caught the bottom of her feet just before they planted on his face.

Her arms slid up to his knees, and she held his legs in place atop her shoulders. She pushed hard - but gently - with her feet, digging the rough yet yielding flesh into his cheeks. The move forced Nathan's back to arch and stretch just a bit beyond a comfortable limit. His face dug deep into the bottom of her feet, but he still had to be careful to watch for the claws on her toes. She'd hardly have the intention to scratch him. However, accidents could happen.

They landed, with their bodies contorted together, onto the bottom of the shallow lake. Some of the wet sand was disturbed and tickled Nathan's face, at least the parts that weren't being forced deeper into the bottom of Kiyora's feet. It may have been an uncomfortable position but there was definitely something to love about it. His face was in her feet.

Nathan could feel her belly laughs vibrating along his back. "Well, isn't this a delightful hold," she teased. It was extremely hard to hear her clearly - or even at all - from underwater, but Nathan had a good idea that that was what she'd said. He knew her well enough to guess what the unintelligible rumblings meant.

Her chin feel into his crotch and nuzzled gently atop his balls. It tickled like hell and his body wanted to jerk with pleasure, but he couldn't move a single inch. She was really enjoying having control of him like that.

And Nathan didn't really mind it. Having a woman dominate him like that was actually quite a turn-on he was learning to love, especially with his face planted firmly into her feet so hard that he wouldn't be able to move a single millimeter.

It was clear that she'd won. He hadn't expected any other ending to their short wrestling match. And since there really wasn't anything that he'd be able to do against her, he took time to let his tongue slip out from his mouth and run along the arch of her feet. He was already pressed solidly against her flesh, so it didn't take much for the bottom of her feet to really scratch and delight the length of his tongue. And despite being in the fresh water, it still had a slight salty flavor that pleased his taste buds.

She wiggled her toes on his forehead as he continued. "Tap out when you can't hold your breath anymore," she advised. At least that's what he'd thought he heard. He'd figured as much, but he wanted to enjoy his wonderful position as long as he could, trying to twist his face in order to lick more of her glorious feet. It didn't work too well and he could feel his lungs starting to spasm for fresh air.

Nathan lifted a hand and tapped twice on her left calf. She released him immediately and he floated up behind her, taking in a deep breath the moment he surfaced.

"I win," she beamed, passing him a proud grin.

Nathan wiped his brow clean of water and glanced over at her, smiling. "If every wrestling match ends up like this, I might just have to let you win."

"Hah!" exclaimed the pantheress. "Are you saying you 'let' me win this time?"

His lips pursed in a coy and joking manner. "Maybe..."

"Ah... well, I guess you'll be seeing much more of the bottom of my feet if you keep that up," she joked.

Nathan's brow lifted with a dash of seductiveness. He winked and replied, "Don't threaten me with a good time."

They both broke out in hysterical laughter that ended with a long but satisfied sigh. Nathan couldn't help but remind himself of what Kiyora had said earlier. It truly was paradise on the island.

* * * * * * * * *

Another few weeks had passed by and Nathan was intimately familiar with the island as well as Kiyora. And that included her body. They were intimate nearly every other night with each other.

It was actually starting to tire Nathan, because he'd never been with a woman who had such a ravenous sexual appetite. He'd be damned if he said that he didn't like it, though. He absolutely loved every second he spent with her, and the sex was just an added bonus.

But she had him worship her feet often. It was almost like clockwork, happening multiple times throughout the day. She had learned to love having him treat her feet like royalty, just as much as he loved massaging and licking them. And Nathan looked forward to each time, sometimes counting down the minutes until their next foot-play session.

They were having another one of those sessions out on the beach one day. Nathan didn't even know what day it was anymore. He couldn't even guess as to which day of the week it was. But that was the furthest thing from his mind. He had two gorgeous feet in front of him with which he could do everything of which he'd always dreamed.

His lips had just slipped off of her big toe with a soft, smacking noise. His eyes met with her. She was so relaxed that it appeared, like it often did, as if she was sleeping. But her toes started to wiggle, signaling that they were starting to feel neglected, and Nathan went right back to it, slipping the next toe into his mouth.

"I love it so much..." she murmured, "...the way you worship my feet. You truly treat me like a goddess, Nathan." She felt his tongue slid down and lick the length of her arch. It sent a tingle of pleasure up her spine, and her black ears twitched with gratification.

"That's because your feet are absolutely worthy of worship," he added, wrapping his lips around the bottom of her sole, letting the taste tickle his eager tongue.

That's when he caught a familiar sound. It was the same foghorn he thought he'd heard when they were at the inland lake. But this time, its low pitch of a hum was louder. Kiyora even heard it, and Nathan noticed her ears twist toward its direction. Her brow furrowed.

"Was that what I think it was?" he asked, turning to look out over the ocean.

Kiyora sat up, trying to grasp his attention. "It was nothing, dear," she explained and rubbed his chest with her bare foot. "My foot is still itching for attention, Nathan. They're starting to get a bit dry."

"I could have sworn..." he continued. He peered and scanned across the horizon, looking for some clue of a ship.

The pantheress was starting to feel a bit irritated, but she still spoke softly. "Forget it, Nathan. It was just your imagination. We get sounds like that all the time on this island.

Nathan's lips tightened with disappointment, but just as he was about to turn back around to Kiyora, he saw it. At first it was just a quick gleam of sunlight reflecting off of the shiny hull, but there was no denying it. Off in the distance, starting to rise over the horizon, was some kind of freight ship.

"It's a ship!" he exclaimed, caught up in the excitement. It meant that he had a chance to go home. He'd have a chance to get off of the island.

In that moment, it didn't matter how much he'd enjoyed his time on the island. He was, after all, there by accident, and he was starting to miss his home as well as some of his friends. And that ship was his ticket back to mainland.

"Nathan!" Kiyora's voice dropped to a bit of growl that came from somewhere really deep in her throat. But he didn't hear her. He took off scrambling into the ocean and wildly waving his arms and hands.

"Over here!" he screamed in hopes of getting the ship's attention, as futile as that may have been.

He even went further than that. He was so caught up in the possibility of getting off the island he started to swim toward the ship and out into the sea.

Kiyora still called for him, but he was far enough that her voice was only at the edge of his hearing. He just kept tossing his arms forward and pulling himself closer to the ship that remained woefully distant from him. It still remained a possibility in his mind.

But then his body froze.

He was unable to move a single muscle as his contorted form rose out of the sea and into the air just a few feet above the blue, ocean waves. Some kind of haze of a yellow aura surrounded him, putting his body into a petrified stasis. He couldn't even move his lips to speak the words that ran though his mind.

However, he still felt the air rushing past him as the ship grew farther away. He was floating back to the beach. Was it some kind of trick? Was it some kind of magic? Nathan had absolutely no clue.

That was until he found his feet landing back onto the hot sand right in front of Kiyora. Her bright yellow eyes were glowing, ablaze with a fiery anger. It was the first time he'd seen the pantheress express such a powerful emotion, and it was enough to strike the deepest of fear within him.

The same golden aura that surrounded him was surrounding Kiyora until it dissipated and released him from his stasis. But although the aura had disappeared, there was still an air of an inferno between them. It was like her anger pumped out heat like a furnace around her. And that was in spite of the sun beating down on them.

But that wasn't the worst part. The worst part came when she opened her muzzle to speak. It boomed and echoed with the wrath of a god's fury.

"NO ONE LEAVES MY ISLAND WITHOUT MY PERMISSION!"

Nathan cringed a bit in horror. He had no idea how a woman could let out such a dark and heavy voice - one that resembled how gods would speak. But her anger and thundering voice disappeared as fast as it came.

In her normal, soft voice she continued. "This is your home now, Nathan. I want you to accept that."

"T-that was incredible. H-how were you able to do that?" he stammered, his eyes wide with utter disbelief.

"I am a goddess, Nathan," she revealed, her shoulders rolling back in divine confidence. "And I am sorry that it took this situation for me to tell you that."

Nathan remained quiet. His pulse was knocking up at the back of his throat where a nervous lump was forming. He tried to swallow it down, but it wasn't disappearing. Clearly, he still didn't quite believe everything that had just happened.

"Must I prove it to you in some other way?" she asked.

He still didn't respond. He just nodded his head, wary of what she may have meant.

Kiyora lifted her hand with her palm facing the sky. Her eyes narrowed as she focused some kind of energy through her body and concentrated it in her hand. A bright blue flame formed above it, hovering just an inch above her flesh. She flicked her hand forward and the ball of fire shot into the water. In an instant, the flame vaporized the water around it, creating a large empty space before water filled it again.

"And that is just an extremely small percentage of my power, Nathan."

Nathan took a step back. It was true. It had to be true. How else could he have explained what had clearly happened right in front of him?

"I... I don't know what to say," he replied. It was too much to take in. Not to mention, he was now terrified of her and all the implication that came with her being a goddess. He had so many questions. They just started pouring out. "H-have you used your powers on me? Is that why I fell in love with you so fast? Has this all just been a cruel ploy?"

"I did not make you fall in love with me, Nathan."

"That doesn't answer the question. Did you use your powers on me?"

"I did. But..."

"But what?"

"It was only to make you more durable and resistant to my strength when we sparred, when we wrestled, and when we were intimate. I did it to protect you, because my power would have easily overwhelmed your body without it."

"So you did use it on me. You used some kind of magic on me without my permission," he gulped as he took another step back from the goddess. "Just like you're keeping me on this island."

"I am not using any kind of magic to keep you on this island, Nathan. This is you're your home, now. I want you to accept that."

"But you could use your magic to send me back home, couldn't you?"

Kiyora was growing irritated once more. It was obvious in the way her hands were clenching into tight fists. Her furry brow was also entrenched deep over her glowing, yellow eyes. "I _could_send you back, yes. But you promised to keep me company. Why do you insist that you even want to leave our home?"

"Because what kind of relationship is this if I don't even have the freedom to leave? You were lying to me from the beginning."

"You were not ready to handle the truth, Nathan."

"And now I am!?"

"I did not wish for it to happen this way, but you forced my hand." Kiyora took a step closer to him, extending her hand to grab his. "Come, my love. Just come back to our palace with me and forget about this awful experience. Let's just return to how things were."

Nathan pulled his hand away from her. "H-how can you even suggest that? I can't just 'forget' this."

Her nostrils flared and her lip curled with contempt. "I am not asking that much of you, Nathan. I have given you everything you could possibly dream of here. Is it really that much for me to ask this of you?"

"I..." he paused, taking a deep breath, staring into those big beautiful eyes that he still respected and admired dearly, "...I need some time to think. Could I have some space for a while?"

Kiyora seethed for a second before she exhaled, calming herself down. She understood how much of a shock it had to have been for him, so she agreed. "Okay. I will give you the space you need for the rest of the day. But when tomorrow comes, I expect you to be ready to come to terms with all of this. Just remember that I can give you everything you'd ever want, Nathan."

Nathan passed her a weak smile but didn't reply. He turned to start toward the natural staircase that climbed the hill along the beach. He didn't even know where to start with his thoughts. Having some time and quiet to work it out in his head was going to be the best course of action. He still couldn't believe it.

* * * * * * * * *

Nothing had been the same since that day. Another month had passed and Kiyora had been lavishing him with wondrous gifts and treasures. Under normal circumstances, he would have adored her for each and every one she gave him. But he was having a hard time trying to force or will any authentic appreciation, and Kiyora could sense it.

The change in their interactions was obvious. He still enjoyed the times he spent massaging and playing with her feet, but now it felt almost forced. Everything felt that way, and he was unsure it would ever return to how it felt before. Now that he had it in his mind that he was essentially a prisoner on the island, he couldn't help but feel utterly trapped, almost like a slave. Without his freedom, what was he to her? And what was she to him?

He still had feelings for her no matter what. That wouldn't ever change. But unless she offered him at least a chance to return home, his currently tempered contempt would only boil and fester. It wasn't what he wanted, because he truly wanted to love her and to keep on loving her. She was, after all, a goddess. And what man wouldn't want to be with a goddess such as her?

Kiyora, too, was torn. Never before had she gotten so attached to a human or even anyone for that matter. To lose him now would feel like losing her world. She couldn't let that happen. She _wouldn't_let that happen.

However, her actions would not go unnoticed by the other gods and goddesses. She knew that it wouldn't be long before her relationship with a human would be taken into account. They all watched each other with a close eye, and none of them were immune from judgment. So it didn't come as a surprise to Kiyora when a new guest arrived on her island.

Kiyora had sensed her presence long before she caught sight of her in the foyer. The room was empty at first as she waited for her new guest. The air grew warmer as an atypical energy filled the environment, and within the matter of a short second, a lioness materialized near the grand staircase.

She stood just as tall as Kiyora and with the same poise as if she were nobility. A white aura was about her that accented her golden yellow fur. Her eyes also glowed just as bright as Kiyora's but were the color of an expertly cut sapphire. She wore a creamy white skirt and shirt that exposed her midriff and a pair of elegant sandals on her feet, a lot like Kiyora's clothing. An amulet rested on her neck and chest with a large, blue diamond situated in its pendant.

It was clear she was also a goddess.

"It has been quite some time, Kiyora," the lioness started. She moved closer to the pantheress, running her slender fingers along the stairwell's marble railing.

"Navani," Kiyora answered, "It is always a pleasure. To what do I owe this honor?"

The lioness turned to pass the pantheress a bright smile. It was a glimmering, ivory grin that Kiyora hadn't seen for decades. Navani's beauty could easily rival her own.

"I felt that a visit was overdue," she answered.

Kiyora shook her head, "We both know that's not entirely the case. You know me. I'd much rather skip the pleasantries."

Navani's gaze shifted down one of the halls that ran into the foyer. Kiyora did the same. There was no denying that the other goddess already knew about the human on her island.

"Let's find somewhere a little more private, shall we?"

"I agree," Kiyora replied.

They strolled through the sunroom and eventually out to the garden in silence. They may have both been goddesses, but neither of them wanted to broach the subject too quickly for fear of the other's reaction. Neither really wanted to upset the other. Gods and goddesses had fought in the past before, and only utter destruction came of it. If fighting was avoidable, it was the best option.

They worked their way to the center of the garden where the fountain still flowed with clear, glimmering water. It also served as a slight means of covering their conversation with white noise. Navani's tail flicked about nervously for a while before she finally spoke.

"This human of yours," she started. "Are you--"

"Nathan. His name is Nathan."

Navani nodded, "Yes. Nathan..." She took a step closer to the pantheress, and swallowed hard. "How long have you been keeping him here against his will?"

Kiyora grew red hot with irritation in less than a second. "I am NOT keeping him here against his will."

"So he is allowed to leave?"

The pantheress's black lips pursed with annoyance and she paused before speaking. She had to be honest with Navani. To lie to another god or goddess was hardly ever a good course of action, considering it was nearly impossible. She knew that they'd already been watching her and Nathan's interactions.

She gulped before finally answering, "No."

The lioness's bright smile turned to a concerned frown. It was clear that she was still empathetic with Kiyora's experience of the situation. "You cannot keep him prisoner, my friend. He must be allowed to leave."

Nathan was strolling through the garden when he first heard her and then saw her. He came across Kiyora and the lioness by accident. He had no idea that Kiyora had another visitor on the island.

For the most part, he tried to avoid Kiyora but not so much as to make it obvious. She had to have known that he'd been evading her at times. He wondered if she was just ignoring the change in their relationship. But the arrival of this lioness changed that.

They didn't seem to be alerted to his presence, so he chose to hide behind the closest bed of tall, flowering plants with his back up against the ivory stone. He stared up at the cloudless sky but kept his ears on full attention, eavesdropping on their conversation. It was possibly a poor decision to spy on a goddess, but he didn't care if he got caught. It wouldn't have changed anything.

"I won't hear it, Navani," Kiyora continued. It was clear that they were arguing about something, and the pantheress wasn't going to listen.

Nathan took the opportunity to peer though the small cracks between the plants. He caught a portion of the lioness's fur. It shined in the sun with a color somewhere between the glimmer of gold and amber of wheat fields. From what Nathan could currently see of Navani, she had to have been just as stunningly gorgeous as Kiyora.

However, it was Navani's voice that struck Nathan the most. It was soft and silky, nearly angelic. Even the greatest of singers would be in awe of its clarity and consistency. Her voice also did the impossible. It seemed to carry through the air without waning in the slightest. It was pleasing to his ears like butter was to the tongue. He didn't doubt that she, too, must have been a goddess like Kiyora. That's how it all felt to him, but - perhaps - it sounded that way because of what the lioness was saying.

"Kiyora, you cannot keep him here against his will. You need to offer him his freedom," the lioness replied. It was already something that Nathan had argued, but he was willing to give Navani the chance to convince the pantheress. She may have held more weight with Kiyora.

The pantheress whipped around, turning her back to Navani. "No," she shook her head. Her ears were bent down in defensive and vehement opposition. "He's my husband and he's staying with me."

"If you are keeping him against his well, he's not your husband..." Navani went on, pausing for a moment, choosing her next words carefully, "...he's your prisoner."

"I've given him a home!" she exclaimed. She threw her arms up in the air as if to disregard what Navani had argued. "I've given him everything he could ever want."

"Except his freedom."

Kiyora growled in response. "What business is this of yours anyway?! Besides, _you_have a human husband. This is no different."

"The circumstances and context by which I came to be with my husband are very different, Kiyora. I courted Richard and he _chose_to live with me and be my husband of his own free will." explained the lioness. She took a step closer to the pantheress and looked her squarely in the eyes. "This is not up for debate. You will offer Nathan his freedom and let him return if he so desires."

Kiyora knew that Navani's command was not just an opinion without any weight. The pantheress may have been a goddess - even a warrior goddess - but she was not willing to go against all of the gods. She was very powerful, but not powerful enough to take on all of them. Her tone changed, knowing that Navani was not really giving her an option in the matter. Her voice softened and she started to plead with the lioness.

"I love him, Navani," she began, taking the lioness's hand into hers. "Nathan is the best thing that has ever happened to me. Now that he is with me, I don't know what I would do without him."

Nathan sunk a bit farther into the ground, feeling like he needed to disappear. He knew that he meant a lot to her, but he didn't know that he meant that much to her. His hand stroked his forehead and temples as he thought. He wondered if he would have done the same if he was in her position. It was hard to imagine since she was a goddess, but some part of him felt that he could empathize with her feelings.

"I understand," Navani finally responded. "But if that is true, then you must give him the choice to return home."

Kiyora hung her head and took in a deep breath. She swallowed hard and emptied her lungs with a long sigh.

The lioness turned to look at the garden bed behind which Nathan was hiding. "You can come out now, Nathan."

His heart went straight up into his throat. They'd known he was there this whole time? Of course they did. They were goddesses. He rose to his feet and his head inched up above the plants that had done nothing to actually keep him hidden.

Not knowing what else to do, he gave them a quick, nervous wave and made his way around the garden bed. His gait was slow as he approached them as the last thing he wanted to do was upset Kiyora again. He'd seen a tiny portion of her power. He was afraid to see more.

Navani's beaming smile returned the moment she saw him. "He is quite handsome," she observed, looking him over from head to toe. The pantheress actually appreciated the lioness candor. Navani turned to her and stated, "I'd like to speak with him alone, Kiyora."

The pantheress nodded. She wished not to utter another word. She simply turned toward the palace and left them to discuss the matter in private.

"Let's go for a walk," Navani suggested. She started walking around the fountain and out toward the training grounds.

The image of the sparring circle had many good memories of Nathan and Kiyora. He smiled with some nostalgia as he followed close behind the lioness. He didn't dare speak the first word, however.

"Kiyora loves you, but she cannot keep you prisoner. We will not allow it."

Nathan wondered exactly what Navani had meant by "we," but he certainly had a very good guess. It was surprising to him that so many gods could have existed without him - or many other people - knowing. He didn't even have an exact number. Was it in the tens? Was it in the thousands? Such rhetorical questions and guessing were useless, though. He shook his head, trying to remove such worthless thoughts and concentrate on the matter at hand.

"That's good to hear," Nathan replied, mostly because the silence was growing awkward. "You have no idea how excited I am to go back home."

Navani met with his eyes and gave him a weak smile. Real happiness for his excitement was not evident in her eyes, which were as bright and blue as the sky above them. She remained silent for a while before continuing to walk toward a terrace, which stretched out over a portion of the white cliff. The cool breeze ruffed her fur, and she closed her eyes, letting the crisp air fill her nose and lungs.

"This will be hard to hear, but I must ask you to stay with Kiyora," she revealed, opening her eyes and taking his hand into her own. Her palms were nearly soft as silk. They were much like the linens that were draped over his body the day he woke up on the island.

He didn't speak right away. The only noise around them was that of the waves rolling up onto the beach and the calls of the gulls that frequented the island.

"But I've basically been a prisoner on her island for months," he replied at last.

The concern on Navani's face only grew thicker. "Do not judge her too harshly, Nathan," she requested. "Kiyora has been alone for thousands of years. It must be easy for you to imagine that she has grown lonely and moody from such long isolation. It's been a bit too much for her, and even though she may have her loyal servants, it is not the same. It is not the same as having someone by her side, not at her feet."

"Meeting you has been the best thing that has happened in her long life. And that is a powerful thing to say, considering the years she has lived so far. For the first time in thousands of years, she is happy. You have filled a hole in her heart that has been empty for so long."

"Kiyora needs you. Losing you would utterly devastate her. Please," she pleaded, "I beg you to stay with her." Her eyes narrowed in the slightest. It was as if she was staring deep into his soul. "And you care for her more than you may realize," she concluded.

Nathan's chest grew heavy and warm after hearing those words. The lump in his throat was also returning. He swallowed it down and let the feelings sink in. It was all true. During all the time he'd spent with Kiyora, there was no denying that he grew fond of her and cared so deeply for her. He could never ignore the fact that he developed strong feelings for the panther goddess.

"Can you do this for her?" she asked.

Nathan stood in silence, thinking about his conflicted feelings. In the end, however, he nodded in response.

"Good," the lioness gave a single nod. "Shall we return?"

Not a single word more was uttered as he and Navani walked back to the garden where they found Kiyora. Nathan had a lot to think about on the way, but he didn't even know where to start. He was ready to accept what he needed - no - what he wanted to do. He did love Kiyora.

He and Navani approached the pantheress, who was sitting on the edge of the fountain, twirling her fingers through the water. She didn't even look up at them at first. But they knew she was aware of their presence.

Navani took Nathan's hand into her own. It was so tender and soft. It really did feel like silk on his skin. The lioness made sure that he met with her eyes before she nodded and passed him a gentle, caring smile.

"I will leave you two to yourselves for some time. I think there is much that needs to be discussed," the lioness explained and let go of Nathan's hand. She wandered past Kiyora without saying anything and turned the corner of a flowerbed toward the sunroom.

Nathan stood still, rapping his fingers on his legs with anxiety. He hardly had a clue where to start. But he didn't need to.

Kiyora let out a long sigh. She was still staring into the water and running her fingers through it when she spoke with great reluctance. "I am willing to give you the chance to return home, Nathan. But why do you wish to leave me? I love you so much. It pains me to know that you want to leave."

Nathan kept silent for the moment.

"Did I ever do something wrong? What did I do wrong?" she asked, finally turning to look at him. "I promise I'll never do it again."

Nathan stopped tapping the sides of his legs. He needed to respond to her. "You've done nothing wrong," he replied, shaking his head. His eyebrows were rooted with concern.

"Then why do you want to leave me?"

"I--"

He was cut off by Kiyora rising from the fountain and getting on her knees in front of him. She grabbed his hands and held them in front of her. Her eyes locked with his, and he noticed a few tears slipping down her cheeks.

Never before had Kiyora done such a thing in her ten-thousand-year life. She bent down, below a human, and begged. It was something she'd always seen as a weakness, but in this moment, it was worth swallowing her pride. It was worth it not to lose Nathan.

"Please, Nathan," she began, squeezing his hands tighter in her grasp. More tears started to fall down her furry, black cheeks. "I can give you anything you want. Like wealth... I can give you gold, jewels, and more money that you will ever need. Or even power... You wanted to be a skilled warrior, I can make you the greatest warrior the world has ever known, I can give you power beyond your imagination. I can make you a god!"

After seeing his bewildered reaction, she continued, "I'll get you a pet dragon. I remember you telling me how much you love dragons," she sniffed and wipes away some of the tears. "I can even resurrect Max for you, Nathan. I can bring him back. You can see him and play with him again. I'll do any of this for you. Please, just stay here with me."

Nathan was stunned and more than moved by her actions and her words. He bent down to her level and removed his hands from hers. Instead, he placed them on her wet cheeks and caressed her soft fur. Their eyes locked and they stared at one another for a few seconds.

He smiled and his voice cracked as he started to speak. "The truth is I love you, too, Kiyora. My time with you has been the best of my life," he paused and swallowed down the dry lump in his throat. His eyes flitted back and forth between hers. "I'll stay here with you."

Her black ears twisted forward to his words as she continued to gaze deep into his eyes. "Please say that again, Nathan."

He gave her a quick smile before repeating himself. "I love you, Kiyora. I'll stay here with you if you'll have me."

"Of course I'll have you!" she exclaimed and threw her arms around him. "Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!"

They held each other for several seconds, melting in the other's embrace. Kiyora pulled her head back and gave Nathan a kiss. She was utterly overjoyed.

"I love you more than anything in the universe, Nathan. I will truly do anything and everything for you."

Nathan continued to stroke her cheeks and returned with the same beaming smile. It made him happy to see her so cheerful and pleased. He did, however, wonder if all she'd offered him was true. Although, there was one particular thing that she'd mentioned that had caught his attention the most.

"Would you really be able to bring Max back?" he requested. From everything he'd seen her do, he was not about to put such an ability past her. "It really broke my heart when he died three years ago. It would be amazing if I could see him again."

"Yes. Anything, Nathan," she answered. She placed her right hand on his heart and felt the ache that still lingered from the loss of Max. "I will do this for you right now. I will do it to prove to you that all you have to do is ask for whatever you want and you shall receive it." The pantheress rose to her feet and lifted Nathan to his. She gave him another quick kiss before telling him, "Just give me a fair amount of time, and the next time you see me, Max will be by my side."

Kiyora's tail brushed up against his leg as she twisted around to leave the garden. The fur left a trace, tickling feeling on his skin. He rubbed the spot with his hand as he watched her turn the corner.

"Meet me in the dining hall in a few hours," she mentioned just before she was out of sight. Nathan couldn't see her anymore, but he could feel the wide smile across her muzzle. The thought of it made him smile, too.

* * * * * * * * *

Nathan's legs bounced up and down beneath the head table in the dining room. Dinner was fast approaching and he still hadn't heard word of Kiyora. Her servants weren't even privy to her whereabouts.

He hadn't even let time pass before he'd gone to the dining room. His excitement was too powerful for him to be able to relax anywhere, even though there were plenty of places on the island to pass time. Thankfully, he had Navani as well as a few servants to help keep him company.

The lioness had expressed her deep appreciation for what he'd done, and that quickly became the topic between him and all of the other feline women in the room. They all went on about how irritable and moody their mistress had been before he showed up. All of that had apparently changed the day she found him washed up on the beach. They'd noticed a gradual transformation in her mood throughout those first few weeks. Kiyora had just hidden her irritableness from him at first, because she'd wished to be a good host for him.

The servants also explained that he absolutely _was_the best thing that had happened to their mistress. All the signs were apparently clear. So it was obvious that it wasn't just Kiyora who thought that he was the best thing for her. Even her subordinates were inclined to agree without a hint of doubt.

He was so distracted by the servants' stories, as well as Navani's, that he didn't even notice the large spread of food that was pouring out of the kitchen. The first thing to hit him was the delightful aroma of smoked meats and crisp fruits and vegetables. But that wasn't even enough to draw his attention away from what the lioness had to say to him.

"Give her time, Nathan," Navani finished. "Since she's had such a long life compared to a human, she has been through much. And a lot of that she has had to face alone. The isolation can really build up, whether you're a goddess or not. Being alone is difficult and it can eat away at the soul. You are exactly who she needs. Trust me. I know of such things."

Nathan went to respond but he was interrupted by the echoes of loud chatter, which had filled the big room, falling silent. Navani's gaze, as well as the servants', shifted to the entrance of the dining room where Kiyora stood.

The pantheress had changed her outfit to a bright red dress that clung tight to her fur and went down to the middle of her thighs. Her upper arms still had those glimmering gold band that gleamed from the sunlight breaking in through the dining room windows. She'd also adorned her black ears with a few gold rings that matched the color of her lustrous golden eyes.

Nathan nearly slipped from his seat at the sight of her. But that wasn't the only thing that just about sent him flying off of his chair. Her left arm and hand were moving back and forth petting the furry head of a German Shepherd, which was sitting beside her. Nathan rose to his feet and climbed over the table until he was on the other side. His eyes were fixed on the dog.

"Max..." he uttered at first, walking toward them.

The dog's pointy ears twisted forward, and he cocked his head to the side as he examined Nathan. His paws inched forward before he started to trot with a cautious gait in Nathan direction. The closer the dog got to him, the more Nathan noticed all the little markings that set Max apart from other dogs. One in particular was a black patch that ran down the middle of his chest that looked like a lot like a sword.

Nathan stopped and bent down onto one knee, but the German Shepherd didn't stop walking. In fact, the dog increased his pace the moment he caught a good whiff of the human. He started charging toward him, and Nathan opened his arms in response as the dog jumped right into him, resting his front legs on the human's shoulders. Within a second, the big dog was attacking his owner with thick, slobbery licks.

"It is you, isn't it, Max!?" Nathan exclaimed wrapping his arms around the dog's back and pulling him closer. He slid his hands up and ruffled the fur around Max's neck and scratched right behind his ears. Max sat back down and stared at his owner, his tail swishing wildly from the left to right. "This is amazing!"

"I'm glad to see you so happy, Nathan," Kiyora said as she approached them. She gave Max another quick pet on his head as Nathan stood to greet the goddess.

Nathan went right in to give the patheress a tight hug. She smiled and sunk into his embrace.

"I can't thank you enough for this," Nathan mentioned, squeezing her harder. He let a tear fall from his eye and onto her bare shoulder.

"You are very welcome. But I, too, can't thank you enough. I can't thank you enough for deciding to stay," she added, returning the squeeze as well as the same single tear. "Remember that I'll do absolutely anything for you. That is my promise. All you ever have to do is ask."

"Thank you..." Nathan paused and considered what he was about to say next, "...my love."

Kiyora swooned. She melted even more into his arms as more tears escaped her bright, yellow eyes. "I love you so much, Nathan," she sniffed and wiped some of the water from her muzzle. She kept him in her arms, but looked into his eyes. "Shall we start the celebration?"

Nathan looked around and finally took note of all the food that had come out of the kitchen. "So that's what all of this is for?"

She chuckled, "Yes. Having you decide to stay is something well worth celebrating, and - of course - all of my servants agreed with that proposition."

Nathan turned and caught a number of the servants waving or winking at them. They were all beaming just as much as Kiyora.

"Then what are we waiting for?" he said, pulling her close while petting the fur on Max's head. "Let's get the party started!"

* * * * * * * * *

"In so many ways, you've already given me everything I could ever wish for," Nathan told her. His thumbs ran down the center of her feet as he continued to massage them. They were lying naked together in Kiyora's bed, ready to relax after such a great evening.

Kiyora returned his adoring smile. "And this is just the beginning, Nathan. There is so much more I can do for you."

He bent over and gave her big toe a kiss before responding. "In this moment, I can't think of anything more I could possibly want." Using both hands he stretched her right foot forward and curled her toes for her.

That sweet smell of citrus and eucalyptus was already crawling up into his nose from her soft skin and fur. She used her other foot to stroke his right cheek. She held it there until Nathan took it into his hand. He twisted his neck to place his lips against the ball of her foot, and his tongue slipped out, licking the coarse flesh. It had been a little while, but her flavor was just as he remembered.

"Sleep with me tonight, Nathan," she offered. "Let us make love again."

Nathan stopped licking and turned to respond. An amused grin stretched across his lips. "I guess there was something I could ask for," he replied.

"Oh?"

"I want you to know me like we knew each other that first night in this bed. I want you to do what you did with me then."

The pantheress beamed before reaching forward and grasping Nathan just under the chin. She dragged him along her nude body until he was lying on top of her. "Your wish is my command," she whispered in his ear.

She held him in place and pulled Nathan's ear into her mouth. Her wet lips wrapped around the sensitive skin, and her teeth nibbled on his earlobe. He jerked a little, but she didn't allow him to squirm out of her grasp. Her hand crawled up his back, massaging his muscles all the way before she raked her fingers through his hair. It all tickled but Nathan enjoyed every single second.

The pantheress twisted one of her legs around his and swung him in one swift motion to his back. She was now on top of him and staring into his eyes. Her lips sunk into his, and they kissed for a moment before Kiyora ran her tongue all the way down his chest and belly. Her right hand crept up his inner thigh until it met with his balls. She gave them a careful squeeze, making Nathan twitch with pleasure.

His heart was already pounding hard in his chest and pumping blood to his crotch. He could feel himself already getting hard. Kiyora bent down between his legs and drew one of his balls into her mouth as she sucked on it. That did it for him. His erection was solid within a few seconds of that delightful sensation of her wet lips and tongue on his genitals.

Her tongue slipped out further onto his taint before sliding upward along his ballsack and then to the base of his shaft. His slightly smoky aroma was filling her with lust. She even snuck a few fingers down to her slit to find it already getting moist.

Nathan closed his eyes and let her continue uninterrupted. Her tongue kept running upward, leaving a trail of saliva along the entire length of his hard shaft. And the moment she reached the tip of his cock, she wrapped her thick, luscious lips around the head, pulling it in across her tongue.

His hands clenched the soft sheets as the rest of his cock slid into her mouth. It eased inside, all the way to her throat. She held it there for a few seconds as she glanced up to Nathan, evaluating his reaction. A smile stretched across her muzzle when she caught just how much he enjoyed it. She continued.

Her head bobbed up and down at a gradual pace, squeezing her moist lips and tongue around his meaty member. She stroked it with her mouth for a few minutes ensuring his arousal for the next part. She was also stimulating herself with two of her fingers, which were rubbing her clit down below. The satisfied moans coming from Nathan also help fill her with lustful anticipation.

She stopped when she knew Nathan was getting fairly close to an orgasm. She wasn't going to let it happen just yet. Her tail ran up his leg and thigh as she climbed back over him, holding her lubricated pussy just an inch above his throbbing erection. As she moved, he caught a good whiff of their sex melding together, carried by the ocean breeze swirling into her chambers. It was a delightful mix of different aromas that only made him want her to envelop him.

"Is this what you desire, Nathan?" she asked, looking up at him with those glowing eyes.

Nathan felt his heart beat in every single limb, but it was especially pounding in his chest. He nodded just once in response.

Her hip inched downward until the head of his cock started to spread the wet lips of her pussy. She bent her legs back and lowered herself until all of Nathan was inside of her. The moist flesh gave way with ease as his cock slipped deep between her legs. Her back arched and she grasped the sheets within her hands.

She held him there for a little while as she bent forward and stroked his cheeks with a hand. She went for a kiss and caressed his lips with hers. Her tongue forced its way into his mouth, but Nathan just let it happen, allowing her to taste him.

In that position, she started to rock, stroking his cock with her intimate flesh. The slippery walls of her vagina had just the right texture to stimulate and tickle the sensitive skin of his member, especially along the tip. And the faster she swung her hip over him, the greater that feeling grew. He did his best to hold it in for her, though.

It wasn't long before Kiyora decided to change her position, however. She kept him insider her but swung her legs forward until her feet came to rest by his head, her legs straddling his arms.

"Please..." she said, starting to moan, "...worship them." She coiled her fingers and hands around Nathan's ankles and used them as leverage to keep her body in motion, stroking the entire length of his erection.

Nathan brushed his hands up her legs until they came to her feet. He hoisted them up to his chest and placed the bottom of her feet onto his face. His nose came to rest right between her arches and her smell swirled into his nose right away. It made him shudder with pleasure and added to the overall stimulation his body was receiving.

With his thumbs, he worked her soles, massaging them with pressured, circular motions. And with his tongue, he licked right between the arches and up to the balls of her feet. He used his pointer fingers to bend her big toes forward, kissing each one at once.

Kiyora pushed forward, driving all of his manhood back inside of her as well as pushing one of her big toes into his mouth. Immediately, he started to suck on it and let the semi-salty flavor take over his taste buds.

"Oh, Nathan!" she moaned in ecstasy and quickened her pace. Her wet flesh was starting to contract and squirt around his pulsing erection. It was clear she was ready to cum.

He let the big toe slip from his mouth and tried to catch his breath. He, too, was getting very close to orgasm.

Kiyora abandoned that position and pulled herself back to where they started without a break in stroking Nathan's cock. Her legs and feet crawled back and met with his. Together, their feet played with each other, tickling the sensitive skin on the bottom.

"I love you..." she said with a heavy sigh, staring into his eyes.

Nathan got just as lost in her eyes as he replied, "I love you, too."

She clenched and went in for a kiss just as her pussy started to contract around him. She mumbled with deep satisfaction as her lips pressed hard against his.

All of it sent him over the edge. The delightful taste of her tongue, the sweet smell of her fur, the wet sounds of her sex on his, the feeling of her body rubbing against him - all of it sent the thrill of pleasure throughout his body and, especially, his balls. They gave in and finally released their seed. His cock swelled inside of her, and his body wrenched below her. He pulled her tight against him and let out his load, pushing his cock as deep inside of her as he could.

In each other's arms, their bodies writhed together with the most sensual satisfaction as they continued to climax at the same time. Eventually, their muscles relaxed and they melted into each other, catching their breath. It was mostly Nathan trying to draw in fresh air, but Kiyora, too, was breathing heavily.

She rolled off of him but kept him in her arms. They turned to meet with each other. He stared down her muzzle and right into her glimmering, yellow eyes.

"Thank you..." he whispered between breaths, but this time he didn't even need to consider what came next, "...my love."

Kiyora ran her hand along his cheek again. "Nathan, you mean so much to me. Nothing will ever come between us. I love you."

"I love you, too, Kiyora."