FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

Alright, so, first off, apologies for missing a week. Funny story there, I had this about half written when I had a fun little computer crash and lost everything, meaning this was pretty much written twice. That was a huge motivation killer, let me tell you. Kind of gave me a bad attitude while rewriting it all, so I hope it's still enjoyable. Regardless, I'm happy that it's done, and since this one wound up pretty vanilla, at least by my standards, I look forward to getting to future chapters with more focus on mind controlled sexy times (While backing my files up a bit more often, of course).

Next up is another chapter of Undersourcing, so until then, enjoy!

Proofread by SkyWing

Standard boiler plate: This is fantasy, not real. Simple rule of thumb, do not do things to people without their consent in real life. That is bad. No more to say there than that.

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"What do you think?" Kayle asked as he swept his arm in a wide arc, proudly displaying his opulent castle living quarters with a flourish. "Nice, isn't it?"

Far beyond speechless, Vandor had no response; it wasn't nice, it was magnificent. Among the amenities he could readily see were several ornate wooden chairs and tables, a few shelves stuffed with books, a thick plush rug covering much of the gray stone floor, and a series of colorful tapestries lining the walls, all things traditionally restricted to nobles and their ilk. There was even a full stone fireplace, making sure the room stayed cozy and warm. Forgetting the luxuries for a moment, he took note of the size of the room itself. It was astounding, probably twice as big as the entire hovel he grew up in, and if the additional open, darkened doorways were any indication, this was far from everything.

Still, while he was absolutely floored by the stunning grandeur of Kayle's personal residence, he was becoming increasingly distracted by Kayle himself. Sure, part of it was lingering shock from the spontaneous resurrection and everything, but there was something else... Back when they were growing up they both had a similar scrawny, awkward build, though the tan jackal had always been several inches taller. At some during their long absence, however, they had become like night and day. While the black jackal had remained his little unremarkable self, Kayle had gotten some muscles to fill in his lithe frame, making him look both masculine and stunningly beautiful. Add to that the fact that his clothing consisted of a gossamer pink vest, a scandalously revealing thong, black makeup around his eyes, and nothing else, it was easy to understand why Vandor couldn't stop staring at his old friend.

Chuckling warmly at the unintentional leering, Kayle suggested, "Why don't you sit down and make yourself comfortable? I need to take care of something, it'll just be a second," and sprinted out the front door.

With an absentminded nod, Vandor shuffled to the nearest chair, tripping over the edge of the rug and clumsily dropping into the seat. Part of him was happy that his flamboyant companion had left, if only because hiding the swelling in his sheath was growing increasingly troublesome. He'd always been attracted to the other jackal, though he had always been able to hide it. Now that Kayle had by all appearances become a sex god, well, hiding it wasn't going to be an option for long. Vandor shook his head, figuring it wasn't worth worrying, things would work themselves out in time. For the moment he was content to rest for a little and let it all truly sink in. He sighed contentedly, leaned back, and before he knew it, he was asleep.

______________________

Walking in to see Vandor in nothing but his loose, tattered pants, sprawled out and snoring in the corner, Kayle was barely able to hold in his laughter. He moved as sneakily as he was able, wanting to let his friend rest, and carried a large tray inside with some help from a lizard holding the other side. Once it was safely placed on the dinner table, he thanked the lizard with a quick hug, kiss, and amorous wink. The lizard hurried outside, blushing vividly, leaving Kayle to wait patiently for the little jackal to wake from his nap. To his relief, he didn't have to wait very long.

The instant the smells from the steaming assortment of foods reached Vandor's nose, his eyes shot open and he sped to the source of the tantalizing aroma, knocking a chair onto its side as he ran. Grabbing a seat next to the table, Vandor leaned forward, visibly drooling while licking his lips. A rare steak, steaming baked potatoes, pork shish kebabs, corn-on-the-cob, were all just sitting there as if summoned directly out of his dreams. He visibly vibrated in his chair as he used all the restraint he could muster to keep from falling upon the small feast and devouring it in a single gulp.

"You know," Kayle began as he looked on in amusement, "It's just us here, you don't have to wait for the alpha to eat first."

Briefly looking up at Kayle with a vacant, borderline feral expression, Vandor proceeded to ravenously tear into his meal, sending chunks of food flying in every direction. With everything that had happened since being rescued from prison, he never really had a chance to step back and realize how long it'd been since he had last eaten. Now that he was presented with a feast beyond his wildest fantasies, there was little hope of regaining control until every scrap was gone.

From the other side of the table, Kayle could only giggle as he watched the culinary carnage taking place. He wanted to say something, anything, but between that and the raw flood of emotions from being reunited with the only positive aspect of his old life, the only thing he ever actually regretted leaving behind, he was simply overwhelmed. Thinking of at least one thing he could do to make the hungry jackal more comfortable, he stealthily ducked into a nearby room.

The unexpected sound of running water caused Vandor's tall, pointed ears to swivel in its direction, but he was far too occupied polishing off the last few scraps his feast to pay it any attention.

By the time Kayle walked back into the dining room carrying a basin full of lightly steaming water, the now satiated black jackal was quietly groaning and rubbing his gut. Though Vandor was only dimly aware of a pair of deft hands removing his sandals, he definitely felt the onrush of heat as his footpaws were lowered into the water. What began as a startled hiss quickly shifted into a low, extended moan as he gradually adjusted to the temperature.

"I remember what it was like for me when I wound up here, nothing I wanted more than something to eat and to rest my feet," Kayle said with a pleased smile.

Giving a weak chuckle, Vandor suddenly grew serious. Looking up at his old friend, he shakily said, "I still can't believe it's really you... I thought you were dead."

"I thought I was too... after they conscripted us and I ran away, they took chase and cornered me at the border of The Gray. Figuring it was death either way, I chose my own ending, and woke up here," Kayle grimly explained, gently pulling one of Vandor's soaked footpaws out of the water and drying it with a nearby cloth. His demeanor shifted to one of excitement as he continued, "And then I met Arundo! I worked my way up to become part of his harem, working shifts at the spire to help keep the world alive. And I get to live like this for having the best job ever! It's been wonderful!"

Watching curiously, not sure what was going on, Vandor let out a loud moan as the tan jackal firmly gripped his foot, pressing one thumb into the arch, the other into the pad under his toes, and gave the tired appendage a skilled massage.

"So... how did you get here? What happened after I ran?" Kayle asked, cocking his head curiously to the side.

Almost missing the question, too engrossed by the strange, if wonderful new sensation, Vandor eventually replied, "Oh, well... I stayed behind, but you already knew that... I refused to pick up a weapon so I was made into a scout, I guess they were hoping I'd get killed, and eventually an officer and I were caught by the cats." Gasping sharply, he halted his story, closed his eyes, and mumbled, "Mmm, that's amazing, don't stop." An increasing stiffness in his crotch faintly made itself known as he struggled to focus on his story. "When Arundo came in to interrogate, and, I guess, make us into slaves, I begged him to make me his apprentice... kind of a last ditch attempt to save my own fur, and I still can't believe it worked. It was- KAYLE!!! What are you doing!?!" A moist warmth around two of his toes snapped Vandor out of his pleasurable haze. His eyes shot open to reveal Kayle, still massaging his foot, though now with his head lowered in order to suck on the splayed toes.

Releasing the digits from his mouth with a wet slurp, Kayle looked quizzically at the confused jackal and politely asked, "Something wrong?"

"You had my foot in your mouth!"

"You didn't like it?"

"Yeah, I-" Vandor began to shout until he managed to stop himself. "That's not the point! It's... weird!"

"How so? It's clean, I liked it, and I already know you liked it." Kayle lustily cooed. Smirking devilishly, he reached over with his own foot and playfully rubbed the obvious tent showing through the squirming jackal's tattered pants. "I'm going to be honest with you, Van. You were the only thing I regretted leaving behind, and the only thing I've had left to fantasize about since coming here." Practically leaping off his chair, he landed on his friend's lap, muzzle to muzzle, squeezing the thick bulge in his thong against Vandor's barely concealed erection. "Seeing you like this is a dream come true for me, and I bet it is for you, too."

A pained grunt was the only response Vandor gave.

"Oh, please, you think I missed all those times we went swimming in the pond and you 'discretely' refused to come out of the water whenever I stripped down? Or all those times you checked me out whenever you thought I wasn't looking? Or how you were eye-humping me the moment you got here? Did you really think I never noticed?" Kayle asked, punctuating his questions with a sultry lick of his lips. "Part of my job now is being able to read this stuff, don't bother trying to lie to me."

"It's not that... you're... absolutely right... just very full... you're... very heavy..." Vandor wheezed, trying to keep his food down despite the added weight.

Blushing heavily, Kayle slid off the smaller jackal's lap and jumped to his feet. "Sorry about that, I lost control a little there," he said with a contrite laugh. "I'll tell you what, relax for a while, digest and soak your feet, and when you're ready I'll be waiting, okay?" Without waiting for a response, he sultrily strutted to another doorway, stopped to drop his thong, revealing his own half-hard pink erection swelling out of the plump sheath, and walked into the darkness.

If nothing else, Vandor was grateful that Kayle took the initiative; having that out in the open was a relief. Having to remain there after that little show, however, was a special kind of hell. Placing his foot back in the warm water, he sighed and idly rubbed the tent in his pants, impatiently waiting for his dinner to digest.

Having no way to tell the time, he had no idea how long he was sitting alone, tapping his footpaw so forcefully that a whirlpool formed in the basin, occasionally splashing outside the rim. By the time his stomach ceased its complaining, he noticed that the water had begun to feel uncomfortably cool, which was just the excuse he needed to get moving. He hurried through the door he last saw Kayle slink into and found himself in what appeared to be a dimly lit bedroom, though this time around he wasn't paying much attention to his environment. The nude tan jackal lying on a silken bed, legs spread to display his thick, fully erect knotted shaft, was the only thing worth his interest. If Vandor's dick was hard before, now, it was about ready to tear a hole through the thin cloth of his pants. Stepping dreamily to the bed, as if in a trance, he suddenly slipped and unceremoniously fell directly onto his rear.

Stifling a laugh, Kayle asked, "Forgot to dry your feet?" getting a sheepish nod from the black jackal as he tried to pretend that hadn't happened and picked himself off the floor.

"Uh... if you wanted me to... it's my first time, I'm not sure..." Vandor stuttered, shyly rubbing his butt.

"It's nice of you to offer, but I like it better this way," Kayle responded, rolling over onto his elbows and knees, raising his rump high into the air. His long tail pointed straight up, revealing a glistening, oiled tailhole, showing that he had wisely used his time to get prepared.

Needing no more invitation than that, Vandor ripped his pants off and pounced on the presented rear. It took a few tries due to his nervousness mixed with years of anticipation, but he soon had the tip of his seven-inch knotted cock pressing into the larger jackal's greased, experienced, yet exceptionally tight hole. With a small amount of effort, he managed to push everything but his knot inside, satisfied just to enjoy the crushing warmth around his length.

Looking back over his shoulder, Kayle moaned, "That's feels wonderful, Van. Don't hold back, cut loose, I can take it," and dominantly shoved back against the smaller jackal as if attempting to take the entire knot in one try. More than happy to oblige, Vandor grabbed Kayle's waist and tentatively gave his hips a few thrusts, repeatedly knocking his thick bulb against the tight ring spreading around his length.

Spurred on by Kayle's moaning and his own long since repressed lust, Vandor felt himself losing control again, giving way to the same instincts that had taken control during dinner. He fell forward onto Kayle's back, wrapping his arms around the taut, muscled chest, and in a blur, fucked his ass with a ferocity he didn't even know he possessed. Every thrust of his hips sent their balls slapping into each other with a loud series of smacks, something that only made him want to go faster and faster. All at once, every emotion he had bottled up came pouring out in one show of enthusiastic pounding.

As Vandor lost his mind up above, Kayle calmly wrapped a fist around his own cock and calmly jerked himself off. He couldn't help but be impressed by the sheer fury that was fueling the normally meek jackal. Twice in one day he had seen a side of him that he had never witnessed in all the years they grew up together. It might have been frightening if it wasn't so much more of a turn on.

Unfortunately, the downside to Vandor's desperate need made itself known when he tied them together, forcing his knot into the tight tailhole. He gave several short, brutal thrusts of his hips and reached his peak, totally filling the clenching rump with his pent up seed in one all too quick sequence. With a satisfied sigh, his mental fog lifted and he slowly regained his senses. He was completely exhausted, both mentally and physically, panting like a feral dog with his tongue lolling out. Exhausted or not, he couldn't remember ever being happier, or for that matter, more satisfied.

"Aw, that's all you've got?" Kayle asked, sighing with disappointment, still steadily tugging at his length. "Alright, I'll take it from here."

Before he had a chance to consider what that meant, Vandor was rolled onto his back with the larger jackal lying on top, threatening to crush his chest. Much to his relief, the weight disappeared when Kayle crawled to his knees, hovering above his lap as far as the knot tying them together would allow. Looking over his shoulder at Vandor with a feral glance of his own, Kayle proceeded to pound his rump down, using a series of shallow, powerful thrusts to fuck himself with the still fully erect prick buried between his cheeks. It took some skill to accomplish that while continuing to wank his own needy cock, but ever since he arrived he hadn't exactly been left wanting for opportunities to practice.

Though he was well past overstimulated, having been given no time whatsoever to recover, Vandor wasn't in a position to do anything about it. Resigning himself to effectively being used as a living dildo, he simply held on to Kayle's wagging tail and let out a weak groan, just hoping his pelvis wasn't going to be reduced to dust by the time it was over.

Mercifully for the smaller jackal, his dominant partner didn't keep that pace going too much longer, soon arching his back as he gleefully reached his own climax. Giving a moan that bordered on a howl, Kayle tensed up and sent a thick stream of cum arcing through the air, splattering against the stone floor. As he knelt forward, resting his hands on his knees, he felt Vandor tense up and send several additional weak spurts of cum into his rear. He smiled proudly, knowing he was able to successfully milk another orgasm out of the spent black jackal.

Now that they were both satisfied, he used his last bit of strength to roll them onto their sides, Vandor spooning along his back as they waited for the knot tying them together to fade. All told, given his training and stamina, he was still good for much, much more, but at that moment all he wanted in the world was for them to rest together for a while.

They stayed like that for some time before Kayle sleepily mumbled over his shoulder, "I never once forgot about you, Van. I never gave up hope that you were still out there... somewhere... I'm so sorry I didn't take you with me when I ran away..."

"...no, no, you tried to get me to go with you, remember? I was too afraid to try to escape, that was entirely on me... I wish I could have been brave enough to go with you... It's not important, we're together now, that's the only thing that matters... never leave again..." Vandor said, trailing off as his words trailed off into snores, possessively wrapping his arms around his loving partner's chest from behind.

Kayle let out a yawn as he joined him, falling asleep with a wide smile on his muzzle.

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The first few moments of the new day were like heaven for Vandor as he woke up in a comfortable bed, spooning his oldest friend. At a minimum it felt utterly surreal, and if he had to be honest, a part of him was terrified it was too perfect. A lifetime of hardship had made him wary of peace and joy, concepts that only seemed to act as harbingers of doom. He wasn't sure if he'd ever be able to shake that paranoia, that horrible creeping fear that the happiness he felt was nothing more than some cruel effect of the dragon's mind control, and the reality was that his body was currently nothing more than a sex toy for some tiger noble or another.

Even with that fear, however, he couldn't help but appreciate the fluffy bedding, or any kind of bedding at all, warm silken sheets, warmer light filtering into the room, and the feeling of Kayle's body pressed up against his. Despite his knot having long since deflated, letting his soft cock slip free from the slick tailhole, they had spent the entire night huddled together with Vandor using the larger jackal like a stuffed animal, clutching him as tightly as possible to make sure nothing could ever separate them again.

"Mmm... loosen up on my chest a bit, would you? Getting a bit hard to breathe," Kayle mumbled as he began to stir.

"Sorry," Vandor faintly replied. "Didn't mean to HNN-" he added only to be interrupted by a finger deftly slipping into his sheath. The sudden, welcome fullness helped to clear away any remaining grogginess as his cock rapidly rose to attention and pushing the probing digit out. He let out a quiet moan as he felt a warm, soft hand wrap around his throbbing shaft, slowly moving up and down the length, almost more like a massage than a handjob. In spite of, or perhaps due to his sensitivity from the previous night, within moments he felt like he was ready to shoot, gyrating his hips along with the gentle squeezing and tugging. His friend hadn't been lying, he was really, incredibly good at his job.

In a sudden flash of movement, Vandor found himself rolled onto his back again, this time muzzle to muzzle as Kayle straddled his hips. He looked down, gasping as he saw his own pink cock throbbing alongside the other jackal's similarly long, if noticeably thicker member.

"Well aren't you an eager puppy," Kayle seductively purred as he thrust his hips, sensually rubbing their shafts together. "Feel up for another ride?" Before he could get a reply, a loud knock was heard at the front door. Grunting with indignation, he shouted, "Come in!"

Vandor was beyond terrified when he heard the front door open, followed by the heavy steps of a large individual making its way to their position. He grabbed for something to hide behind, but Kayle had knocked the sheets and pillows off the bed when they rolled over, and there were no other options. As he struggled to get out from under the larger jackal pinning him to the bed, he realized it was too late; Arundo had already entered the room, and he was getting quite the eyeful of his shame.

"I apologize for showing up so late in the afternoon, there was an errand I had to run out in The Gray. I see you've been keeping each other company," the massive dragon said with a smirk, getting a delighted nod from Kayle and a mortified whine from Vandor. The black jackal was fiercely blushing as he tried to hide his erection behind his hands. "Calm yourself, Vandor, it's nothing I haven't seen thousands of times. As I've said, you'll find modesty isn't really a thing here. Show him, Kayle."

With an eager smile, Kayle acrobatically spun around so he was sitting on Vandor's chest, using his strong legs to pin the surprised jackal's arms to his sides. The instant he was in position, he leaned forward, wrapping a hand around Vandor's slightly embarrassment-softened erection and resuming the handjob from earlier, albeit at a much more frantic pace.

At first Vandor reflexively fought back, futilely kicking at the air in some attempt to shake free, but soon surrendered and spread his legs to give Kayle easier access. Suddenly, his mortification at having an audience, specifically the grinning dragon standing cross-armed at the foot of the bed, faded as he was overwhelmed by the silken fist pumping away at his knotted shaft. The taut, muscular rear perched inches from his muzzle worked well as an additional distraction, mesmerized as he was by the slowly wagging tail and dried-cum flecked tailhole tucked underneath.

Letting out a moan that, thanks to Kayle's increasingly rapid pumping, sounded oddly like a series of chirps and grunts, Vandor arched his back as far as he was capable, tucked his legs in, and prepared to shoot his first load of the new day. He humped his hips in the air as he felt his balls tighten, shooting out multiple short spurts of cum, arcing through the air and splattering onto the stone floor a short distance from the amused dragon's clawed feet.

"Very nice," Arundo quietly mused, watching as Kayle licked his hand clean and rolled off the gasping black jackal. "See, no need to be shy. Never forget that once you learn to channel it, that is your single greatest source of energy. You need to work on your stamina though. I trust you can help him there, right?" he asked, looking over at the delighted tan jackal, who eagerly nodded in agreement. "Excellent. Moving on, I got my new apprentice a small gift. Try it on."

Weakly craning his head up as he slowly recovered, Vandor saw the dragon holding what first appeared to be a simple white sheet, but on closer inspection turned out to be a long, white, flowing mage robe. With a small nod, he stumbled out of bed, barely able to stand after being effectively milked in full view of the dragon. Shuffling over to his master, he slipped his arms into the sleeves and cinched the strap around the waist shut. He sighed a little, never having worn anything quite so warm and comfortable in his life. It was almost like wearing a cloud, it was indescribable.

"It's... it's... I can't believe it... Thank you," was all Vandor could say as he spun about the room, getting the feel of his new garment.

"I'm glad you like it. Now, if you'd follow me, regarding the errand I had to run, there's something I'd like you to see as an introduction to your training. It's time sensitive, so we should get moving," Arundo said, briskly striding out the door.

"Yes, sir!" Vandor proudly exclaimed as he rushed out behind him. Almost immediately, he ducked back inside, hopping lightly while clutching his stomach, and awkwardly asked, "Oh... uh... was there somewhere I could..."

"Second door on the left" Kayle answered, laughing as his friend shouted his thanks and bolted out the door. As he looked around the room, wondering what he could possibly do to pass the time, he noticed the small puddles of spooge staining the stone floor. Chuckling to himself, he left to get a mop and do some much needed cleaning.

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As they entered a small hidden tunnel underneath the generator building next to the castle, Vandor began to feel uneasy. He was understandably not a fan of dungeons, prisons, and the like after the past few weeks, so finding himself in such a place, especially after the dragon's previous speech about not having or needing prisons, was quite unsettling. On the other hand, for all he knew, Arundo was just going to show off a secret study or library, so he didn't feel the need to worry just yet.

The tunnel, thanks in part to the plain gray stone walls, seemed to go on forever, but eventually they found themselves at a dead end. As if sensing the dragon's approach, the wall barring their way slowly began to open, filling the deathly silent tunnel with the grating noise of stone grinding on stone and revealing itself to be a hidden door.

Curiously following his master into the new chamber, Vandor looked around in an attempt to figure out the reason for all the secrecy. At first glance it seemed he was right about the secret room being a study, judging by the massive desk, books, and scattered piles of paper littering the room. The presence of a nude cheetah tied to a chair by his wrists and ankles, however, was solid evidence of it being a dungeon.

Blinking several times in confusion, he tentatively stepped closer to get a better look at the bound feline. The cheetah was tall, lithe, and extremely skinny, bordering on bony, but didn't seem to have been harmed in any way. He was definitely alive but unconscious, softly breathing as he slumped forward in the chair.

While Vandor couldn't speak to a certainty, most of what he recalled from his imprisonment was cloaked by a haze of terror and dread, he was fairly sure he was looking at the same cheetah that had previously been guarding his prison cell. That, or he was the one that was outside guarding the entrance. Best as he could recall, the two of them were strangely similar, and if this wasn't the one it had to be the other.

That settled, Vandor turned toward the dragon and asked the obvious question, "What is HE doing here?"

"Let's ask him, shall we?" Arundo replied, nonchalantly snapping his fingers, causing the cheetah to wake with a start.

"What the hell? Where am I!?!" the frightened cat screeched as he frantically tried to make sense of what was happening.

"We'll get to that, be calm. First, I have a few simple questions. What's your name?" the dragon calmly asked, pulling up a chair and taking a seat. While the cat remained wary, he appeared to be oddly calmed by his interrogator's pleasant, soothing baritone.

"...Remy..."

"Greetings, Remy. Why did you enter The Gray?"

"I... I was ordered to keep Quail and... and him," the cheetah answered, nervously gesturing to Vandor with his head, "from escaping at all costs... Oh gods, no... I died didn't I? Rene... I'm sorry..."

"No, you aren't dead. Did you go in alone?"

"Y-yes, I was alone," the cheetah quietly said, visibly trembling in his chair.

"You said you were ordered? Does that mean anyone else knows where you were going?"

"Yes... An officer, some other guards, and I followed the dragon's cart's tracks until they split into multiple directions," Remy explained, oblivious to the smugly grinning dragon, who was all too proud of that clever bit of illusionary spellwork. "We split up in an attempt to find out where they went, and I was forced to follow one of the sets of tracks that led directly into The Gray. I didn't want to go, but I was told to either return with the dog, or not come back at all... If Quail hadn't hurt my twin brother during the escape he would have had to come with me, it was all our fault..." He trailed off as a look of recognition crossed his face. "That... that was you, wasn't it? You're Quail! How are you so much bigger? Have you been using some sort of magical disguise this whole time!?!"

"Hm?" Arundo grunted, jolted out of his thoughts. "It's a long story. Alright, we're almost done. To answer your questions, look into my eyes," he commanded, firmly grasping the cheetah's shoulders and leaning forward so they were nose to nose. His eyes flashed a rainbow of colors, something Vandor recognized from when he watched the dragon convert his wolf superior officer into a drooling sex slave. Initially shaking in his bonds, as if having a small seizure, Remy soon settled into a relaxed stupor.

A few brief moments later, the dragon's eyes regained their normal red color and catlike shape as he sat back in his chair. The cheetah looked stunned, silently mouthing, "Wow," unsure how to process everything he just learned in that short instant.

"What did you do?" Vandor asked, squinting in mild confusion.

"A short version of the tour I gave you, essentially," Arundo casually explained. "I wanted him to have all the proper information before asking my final question. Now, Remy, this is your new home, you can't ever return to your old one. Will you stay peacefully, of your own free will?"

Still piecing through the details force-fed into his brain, Remy shook his head and blinked, eventually answering, "I... I want to stay... This place is everything... everything I've ever dreamed of... But I can't leave my brother like that... I can't leave him behind to face Prince Brice's wrath alone!"

Bristling at the mention of the tiger prince, Arundo tapped a claw on one of his long, sharp teeth. In all his centuries of life he had rarely met a soul as selfish, speciest, elitist, and paranoid as the king of Guisse's middle child. The confirmation of his involvement was in every possible way an unpleasant turn of events.

With a sigh, Arundo sat back and grumbled, "I figured as much, family is always a complication. If that's a sticking point, I'm afraid I'm going to do some memory alterations." A combination of confusion and terror washed across the cheetah's face as he silently tried to think of some way to respond.

"What? Why do you have to do that? Can't you just bring his brother here?" Vandor asked, as shocked by the harsh verdict as the cheetah was.

"Beyond him showing up in The Gray like Remy did, that's a solid no," Arundo said with a huff of annoyance. "Chances are he's already in Brice's dungeon, and if you recall, as powerful as I am, in the outside world I'm not really capable of assaulting a castle alone. I might be able to negotiate something with the king, while I try to smooth this all out, but I wouldn't be optimistic."

"If you let me give him the dog, he'll give my-" Remy suggested, a glint of fearful hope showing in his eyes.

"NOT an option," the dragon interrupted, snarling with a previously unseen ferocity. "It wouldn't do any good either way. Brice isn't known for his forgiveness, especially to an inferior breed, as refers to your kind. Your brother is lost. Now, I ask again, will you accept that and live peacefully in your new home?"

"I..." the cheetah began, barely hiding a flash of hatred before calming himself and saying, "Yes. I'll do what I have to."

Arundo silently nodded, considering his answer. "Vandor, come here, please," he ordered the jackal, beckoning him to his side with a slight gesture.

Nervously obeying his master, Vandor shuffled over to join them. The instant he was within range, Arundo grabbed his hand and once again went nose to nose with the cheetah. For an instant Vandor could see the dragon's eyes flash a wave of colors, until a wave of sickness washed over him and the entire world went dark.

"Are you alright?" a disembodied voice echoed from all directions. "It's been centuries since I've brought someone in with me, I forgot it can be jarring."

"...iiinnn....whhhheeeeerrreeeeee..." Vandor tried to ask, feeling like he was underwater, yet somehow not drowning. Noticing that his eyes were closed, which was odd since he didn't remember closing them, he struggled to open them again, uttering a slow, "...wwwwooooooooowwwww..." at what he saw.

The entire world was gone, with nothing but utter blackness surrounding him on all sides. Not utter blackness, Vandor corrected himself. It was more like a night sky, the dark peppered by a seemingly unending legion of twinkling stars. He had no idea where he was or how he had gotten there, but it was one of the most remarkable things he had ever seen. As he turned to take it all in, he saw the dragon floating just off to his side, giving him a concerned look as he... was completely naked, unashamedly showing off every inch of his scaly, furred body. Vandor broke out into another fierce blush as he realized he was in the same bare state. Frantically moving to hide his shame, he was easily distracted by the afterimages his limbs left behind, accidentally doing a twirl while appreciating his weightlessness.

"Yes, you're fine," Arundo said, crossing his arms with an amused smirk. "You'll get used to it with practice."

"Wheeeeere aaaare weee?"

"Inside Remy's mind. I thought that was obvious."

"Iiiit'ss beeeeeaautiful!" Vandor drunkenly exclaimed, shaking his head as he spontaneously adjusted to the new place all at once. "This is really what someone's mind looks like?"

"It varies person to person. I presume Remy is a bit of a stargazer."

"Why are we here, though? He said he was willing to stay," Vandor asked with a hint of concern.

"He was lying. I'll show you, listen carefully." Looking up at the surreal artificial night sky, Arundo shouted, "Remy! Are you willing to accept that your brother is lost, and live peacefully in your new home?"

What could have easily passed as a lightning storm erupted in the distance, all around them. Stars lit up with different colors, crashed with thunder strikes as they chained from one to another, creating a spiderweb of pulsing lines. All throughout, the cheetah's voice could be heard in fragments, saying in a haunting series of echoes, "never forget... watch, wait... kill dragon... retrieve dog... save brother... never forget..."

"See? Lying," the dragon simply stated.

"What now? You're going to... to erase his mind like you did to the wolf? He just wants his brother back... isn't that, I don't know, cruel?"

"Cruel? Did you forget that he was ready to do the same thing to you?"

"I know, I just... It's in the past... Revenge doesn't interest me, and I just don't have the stomach for seeing anyone get hurt, especially if it's because of me... I know, I'm weak, I've heard it over and over..."

A small smile worked its way up Arundo's scaly muzzle. "You and Kayle really are two of a kind. Even though he'd never accept leaving you alone out there, he was too gentle a soul to ever be a threat. This cheetah, on the other hand, will be a force of chaos, causing suffering and destruction the instant he's able, and I will not suffer something like that to poison my home," he added, growing outright hostile. "Understand this above all else, Vandor. I don't care if it's cruel, I don't care if it's evil, I will do whatever it takes to protect this place. If I have to be a monster, so be it. So long as it's within my power, I will never lose a home again."

Startled by the dragon's rapid shift in demeanor, Vandor nervously nodded. "Wait, if that's such an important rule, then why did you save me? You had to have known it was going to cause problems... Why was it worth breaking just for me?"

Arundo was silent, staring into the distance as he considered the question. "You know," he eventually said, "I'm not sure I have an answer, not one that would satisfy you at least. Curiosity perhaps? Your request surprised me, and at my age that is a rare thing, indeed. You caught me off guard, made me forget myself, nothing more than that. Regardless, it's a perfect example of why the rule exists. I broke it, and now Remy and his brother have a price to pay. Of course, if I hadn't broken it, you'd be suffering in their place, so, take whatever meaning you need to out of that."

"Oh," Vandor dejectedly mumbled. He didn't know what he had wanted to hear, really, but a cosmic shrug wasn't it.

"That said, I don't regret my decision at all," the dragon said, nodding slowly. "You've given me something I haven't felt in a long time, hope for the future, that the world might just have a chance to change for the better. That compassion you feel toward your enemies isn't a weakness, it's your strength. Use that desire to protect everyone, to prevent suffering, to make the world a better place, as a source of inspiration. You may be a coward now, but if you work hard and learn what I have to teach, you have the potential to be something far better than I could ever be." Grinning smugly, he asked, "There, is that a better response?"

Stunned into silence, the jackal slowly nodded, not accustomed to being complimented at all, much less by being called a coward.

"Good. Until that time, I expect you to follow my directions, whatever you may think of them, is that understood?"

"Yes, sir," his apprentice obediently answered.

"Good, again. Now, back to Remy. While many do require a full mind wipe, in a case like his I simply need to remove any memory that he has a brother. He'll still be himself, he'll just believe he's an only child. Please watch closely," Arundo said, placing the palms of his hands together. He closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and screamed as loud as he could, "REMY! THINK OF YOUR BROTHER!"

In reaction to the command, another spiderweb of lightning strikes chained through the field of stars, though this time the stars that lit up were of a uniformly reddish color. With a wave of his hands, Arundo brought those stars closer, effortlessly scanning them and eventually beckoning a smaller subset of those even closer. Satisfied with his selection, he snapped his clawed fingers, summoning a small white box from out of the ether.

"This, Vandor," the dragon said, indicating the box, "Will be used to lock away the memories."

"You're just locking them away? Not erasing them?"

"Of course not. So long as the brain itself is undamaged, memories are indestructible, the only thing you can do is lock them away. Nothing we're doing is irreversible. Now, for the actual work... first you need to identify core memories, the ones that make him who he is, and create clones that can be altered. Just replace his brother with some poorly remembered friend or family member, altering them as needed." As he spoke, each of the closest lights split in two, the originals still red-hued, and the duplicates more of a neutral gray. He concentrated briefly, and with a shimmer, each of the duplicates changed to a bluish color. A flick of his wrist sent the originals swirling into the box, while the duplicates flew into the distance, taking their original memory's place. "Once that's finished, it's a simple matter of removing the remaining non-core memories." Another flick of his wrist sent the remaining red stars into the box, which then snapped shut, leaving no visible way of opening it.

"How did you do all that so fast?" Vandor asked with a look of pure awe.

"Experience. Experience, and the fact that time is a meaningless construct in this realm. However long it feels like, we exist between synapses, and we'll be returning to the moment we left. Understand?"

"Not... really..."

"Don't worry, you'll learn it with time. Given a few decades of diligent training you should be able to do everything I just did."

"Decades? That long? The court mages they have to do this stuff only take a few years-"

"Don't. EVER. Compare that gutter magic to what I do," Arundo interrupted with a brief glimmer of pure rage. "I work like a sculptor with a chisel. They work like a toddler with a sledgehammer. What they do is an insult to my art. Learn to do it the right way, Vandor, or not at all."

"Yes, sir,"

"Alright then, now, the final step. We can't leave gaps where the old memories were, or his mind would be at risk of collapsing in on itself." Holding his hands a couple of inches apart, the dragon summoned an uncountable number of white stars between them. Once he was satisfied that the assortment was correct, he spread his arms and the stars flew off to take their places in the remaining vacant spots.

"What are those? False memories?"

"Not memories, not exactly. I can make memories, yes, but I prefer to only do that when doing a full memory replacement. Shimmying in too many false memories along with real ones can get messy. These are more like simple impressions. Something to fill the gaps, and help him adjust to his new home," Arundo said as an especially toothy grin crept across his draconic muzzle. "One quick test to make sure we're good to go." He took another deep breath and shouted, "REMY! THINK OF YOUR BROTHER!" again, smiling at the total lack of response. Looking over at the jackal, he placed his hand behind his back, and stated, "And with that, we're done."

"So... What now?" Vandor asked. The dragon's only answer was a snap of his fingers, sending the jackal right back into a world of darkness. What felt like an instant later, he woke with a start, sitting up to find himself soaked with what he could only pray was sweat. He cupped his hands around his head, trying without any luck to contain his thundering migraine. To make things worse, a repetitive wet smacking sound was threatening to shake his skull apart.

"Oh, you're up. I may have forgotten to mention that exiting can be a bit bumpy, especially for a novice. You've were out cold for over an hour," a calm, deep voice said, amplified by his headache into an explosive shriek.

"Ugh... h-head... f-f-feels..." Vandor stuttered, barely able to piece thoughts together in his pained condition. Shielding his eyes to block out the dim light, he turned to look for the source of the voice.

He first noticed Arundo looking at him while kneeling on the floor, tightly gripping a pair of spotted legs by the ankles. His gaze drifted lower to see Remy on his back, looking adoringly up at the dragon with a thoroughly cum-soaked face. The cheetah was purring as his backside was brutally pounded by a thick pillar of dragon dick. Shaking his head, Vandor thought that, if nothing else, at least he found the source of the smacking that was on the verge on driving him mad.

"You've seen what I wanted you to see, unless you want to join in, you can head home and let it all sink in," Arundo said, at no point slowing the speedy thrusting of his hips. Once again Vandor was vexed by how the dragon was able to act so nonchalant, even as he fucked the living daylights out of someone. Remy was his polar opposite, clawing viciously at the stone floor with one hand, furiously jerking his thin, barbed prick with the other, splaying his toes, slapping the floor repeatedly with his thick tail, and punctuating his purring with occasional shouts of, "Gods yes!" or, simply, "MORE!!!"

"I-issss he a-a-alright?" the black jackal asked, awkwardly looking away from the activity in front of him.

"He's fine, aren't you, Remy?"

"THIS IS THE BEST DAY OF MY LIFE!" the cheetah exclaimed, spontaneously shuddering as he climaxed, sending a glob of jizz arcing up onto his chest. Using his free hand to scoop up some of his creamy jizz, he hungrily licked every trace off his fingers, purring happily at the taste.

"We've been getting to know each other while you were out. Turns out we have some common interests," Arundo explained with a smile.

Finally steady enough to climb to his feet, Vandor gave a polite nod and shakily rushed out of the room, leaving them to their activity. The grinding of the stone door opening caused fireworks in head, making the silence of the following hallway a welcome change. Once he was a far enough distance away, he leaned against the wall and dropped to the floor, rubbing his temples as his thoughts slowly gathered themselves.

Headache aside, it was all just a lot to take in at once. As much as he hated to admit it, the dragon had a point. The cheetah wasn't going to stay peacefully, he was going to hurt someone, something had to be done... He just couldn't shake the feeling that it was... wrong... That there was some better way. That was exactly what the dragon had said about him, wasn't it? His greatest weakness could be his greatest strength... Compassion...

Clenching his fist, Vandor felt a resolve he had never felt before in all his life. He would learn to be strong, he would become powerful, and someday he would find a way to fix those necessary evils. Some way to make the world a better place. Some way to make sure no one ever had to suffer like he, Kayle, Arundo, and even Remy had to. He was going to save the world.

For the time being, of course, it was nothing more than a dream, though that alone was far more than he ever had before.

______________________

Elsewhere, in a castle back in the land of Guisse, a robed tiger slouched in his throne, impatiently tapping a claw against the armrest as he waited for his new toys to arrive.