FSE

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Chapter I - Shifting Sands

It would seem that all the sand in the world was located in the great deserts. Among immense dunes and howling winds the overpowering heat was ever present for the entire year. Sand ranged from a fine white in some areas to a coarse dusty red. Dunes could shift overtime, but the sand and whistling winds would remain forever. Villages dotted the immense desert, a few were modest in wealth but most were poor. Across the unforgiving sand to the north, rich coastal towns and a few cities rested on more fertile land away from the harsh interior. Law and order existed there more so than shifting tides of tribes and village despots. The sword and power were the only form of solid law in the endless sands. If anything was certain in the vast deserts then it was uncertainty and change.

"Get your greedy hands off me!" A voice yelled. Inside a public building, the sounds of struggling were muffled by rammed earth and mud brick walls. The small village of Kefir located at the edge of the southern desert region had a small population of one thousand or so at any given moment. No more than one hundred and fifty rammed earth houses created the desert village, and a dozen other buildings. One watch tower, one well, two crude stables, and one notable jail. Most of the dozen or so spaced cells were completely empty. The little desert community almost did not need a jail, but on the rare occasion a cellar or two could be occupied. "I haven't been charged for anything! Let me go!" The human fiercely yelled. A fist firmly struck his gut, winding him. The two fennec foxes carrying the disgruntled human by his arms tossed him into a cell. He scrambled to his feet to face his canid jailers only for a metal door to slam in his face. The lock was secured. The guards abruptly left as the reality started sinking into the human's fuming skull. His hands grabbed the metal bars and rattled them violently.

"I didn't do anything illegal!" He fumed. "I have lived in this town for a year without trouble!" He yelled. Joseph listened to his ragged breaths and slowly calmed down. 'How could this be happening?' He scrunched his eyes shut and pressed his forehead against the dingy metal bars.

Corruption was common for Kefir's hard pressed inhabitants, but rarely resulted in jail time. Most were poor but had a livelihood. After all, who could pay a bribe without a coin behind bars? A small dot in the desert with only a few sources of underground water, the town's survival depended upon caravans and long distance trade. Humans were uncommon, but certainly not a rare sight in any desert village or town. Lions, fennec foxes, coyotes, and jackals were the most common species living in the tribal dominated deserts. Out of all the tribes living in the deserts, nearly all were nomadic, or at least semi nomadic. Humans however were never traditionally in those tribes unless by marriage. Joseph was no different. He was from the land of Fez, the small local region of semidesert villages where very few hardy plants could grow. It was surrounded by harsh deserts except for a small strip of savanna to the southwest. But none of that mattered now since he was locked away in a cell. His hands finally released the cold metal bars.

'I need to think...' The human took a lasting deep breath. He turned and looked back into the small cell. There was plenty of sunlight from the little barred windows above to see. Two pallet beds stuck out from the sandstone walls, supported by two chains and a brick post. A lioness was reclined on a bed, watching him with ever imposing golden eyes. 'I have a cell mate?' But that wasn't the only part that surprised him. She was completely naked and didn't show any sign of embarrassment because of it. Her golden coat of fur appeared browner from the shade in the corner. Her front white fur had a dusty color. Small breasts bore light brown nipples, and her nethers likely had the same darker undertone. Two half lidded predatory eyes gazed at him.

"What are you in for?" She lazily asked. The human blinked, not entirely believing that he was set in with someone else when there were so many empty cells.

'A lioness?' His thoughts emphasized the feminine denoting 's' sound.

"Well?" She arched her brow at him.

"Uh... I honestly do not know." He admitted. "They came and took me away to this place without stating why."

"Sounds like someone doesn't like you." She mused. Joseph frowned.

"Why are you in here?" He asked in turn. The lioness finished picking her teeth before answering.

"I murdered my husband." The nonchalance in her voice chilled his spine.

"Why are you naked?" He quickly changed the subject. She lazily itched her chin before setting her gaze on him once again.

"Surprised?" The lioness purred.

"Desert nomads are lenient on nudity but your case is... different." He answered like a scientific scholar.

"You're right." She yawned and sat up, arching her back with feline grace. "Where I'm from a male wearing a belt may be considered overdressing in a village or a caravan. However," the lioness stood up without concern if he looked her over, "I chose not to wear the garments that they gave me here for personal reasons." Joseph watched her hand clench into a tight fist before relaxing. The lioness silently approached him until they were mere inches away. He looked up at her, intimidated. Lions were stronger than most and their height certainly added to that, even though she was barely taller than him. He swallowed roughly as her golden eyes gazed down upon him.

"My name is Chiba." She held out a hand. Her claws were sheathed, and the white fur surrounding her black padded palm wasn't threatening either.

"I'm Joseph." He calmly nodded and shook. Her palm felt leathery against his own. The lioness grinned kindly. "Where are you from?"

"The land of Sham." It was a large section of desert marked by a small mountain to the east. An oasis or village was rare in those endless sand dunes and salt pans. The people who inhabited the area were semi nomadic, and accustomed to the harsh arid environment. Their customs ranged widely but long distance trade linked them together across the great seas of sand. "I can tell that you aren't from around there." Her tail swayed.

"How?"

"The tribes that live in the land of Sham are indifferent towards nudity." The lioness faintly grinned at his staring eyes. "And this town borders Sham so all of its local inhabitants are accustomed to it." She smartly pointed out.

"I haven't seen people walking around fur naked."

"We still wear clothes." She held back a laugh. "Albeit, not many amongst ourselves. Where are you from?"

"I was born in a village southwest from here."

"So you are from this land of Fez?" That was the name of the hardy semi arid region Kefir was located on the eastern edge of. "Tell me Joseph, what do you normally do to stay alive?" Her choice of words made him uneasy.

"I work odd jobs to make a living and I try to save enough to travel north."

"What lies north for you?"

"Hopefully a better life." The human wistfully spoke. "I want to leave the poor land of Fez and see the great coastal cities and towns of the north." She grinned at his answer and slowly turned her back to him. Joseph watched the lioness sashay back to her bed and sit down. Her golden eyes stared back at him intently. It was odd how business-like she appeared despite her own nudity.

"I have something that will work for both of us." She purred in a low voice. "But you will have to agree to help me."

"Help you?"

"Mhm." She nodded. "You see," the lioness spoke in a quiet voice, "I cannot escape from here without your help." He frowned and looked away uninterested but the thought became more appealing. It was very obvious that no one would care to let him out, unless money changed hands. The human wasn't willing to give up anything.

'What if I'm caught? Then I'll receive a rough beating or even worse...' He weighed his option of a successful escape versus an unsuccessful escape. However, doing nothing meant that he would be stuck in the same cell as a murderer. Would anyone protect him from her? 'Can this get any worse?' Joseph thought to himself. Chiba bided her time and keenly watched the pondering human. The lioness sensed opportunity in the hot air.

"It's in your benefit to escape with me, or would you rather rot in here with me?" Chiba pressed him for an answer. The lioness drew a finger up one of the chains holding the miserable bed up.

"No." He didn't hesitate to answer that question, but remained silent after that. Joseph definitely did not want to be stuck in a cell with a murderer for months, maybe even years!

"There's only one guard that comes before nightfall." She off handedly mentioned.

"How do you know that?"

"Look where I have been for the past three weeks." Her tail waved around with a flick. Joseph thought about it for a few hard minutes. Escaping jail was one of the worst decisions he wanted to make in his life.

"Tell me one thing." He stated. The feline's brow arched curiously. "Why did you murder your husband?" She wiggled her dark pink nose at the odd question.

"It's common for lions where I am from to marry multiple wives, but I didn't want to be any part of it." She looked away. "He clearly didn't love me, and I clearly wasn't going to play the role of a child-bearing maid for him." Joseph nibbled at his lip for a minute and looked around the walls.

'She's a cold murderer... And I'll be the one to help her escape.' He didn't like the idea of letting a murderer walk free, but he didn't like the idea of spending unjust time behind bars in the cell with her either.

A cheetah guard walked down the main hallway of Kefir's jail. The tip of his tail slowly swayed side to side with every step. Most of the partially underground sandstone building was turning dark due to the setting sun. Empty cells passed one by one until he approached Joseph and Chiba's cell. A pair of keys by his waist jingled underneath his outer robe. The guard started to unlock the cell door only to see a figure lying motionless, face down in the corner.

"What's going on here?" He glared at the lioness peacefully sitting on her wooden pallet. She returned an equally annoyed stare.

"Get him outta here." Chiba spat and pointed to a slumped over Joseph by the wall.

"Stand over there." The guard pointed to the back wall. Chiba obliged as the cheetah unlocked the cell's door. He keenly eyed the lioness before kneeling by the motionless human. He rolled Joseph over only to see the human blink. "Wha-Ack!" A strong arm pulled the cheetah into a choke hold. Joseph watched the guard quickly pass out. Chiba snatched the keys from his waist and jumped to the door. "Hurry up." She hissed and unlocked the door from the inside. Joseph jumped and ran our without a second thought. She locked the cell door behind them.

"Where should we-?" He looked down one end of the dim hall only for the lioness to hurry up the other. 'Not cooperative...' The human carefully walked in her direction. "I'm surprised that so few people are in jail." He quietly passed by a cell with a sleeping occupant. Thankfully, the rest were empty. Joseph pressed against the wall as he climbed a few steps at the end of the hall. He hesitated and peeked around the corner. Joseph found a jackal guard lying on the ground unconscious with a triumphant Chiba standing over him. "What are you doing?" He held his voice from screaming. "People will know that something is wrong when they see a naked lioness is running around." The lioness yanked the rest of the guard's outer robe off leaving him half clothed.

"How's this?" Chiba enshrouded herself with the outer robe.

"Just keep the robe closed." He stepped around the guard and lioness.

"I'm keeping the shield too." She picked up the guard's almond shaped defense and tied it to her back. "I'll need you to distract someone so I can steal a camel for us."

"Steal? We don't need to steal anything."

"Do you want to walk across the desert?" She growled.

"We won't have to." He motioned her to follow. It was the first hour of darkness. The heat of the desert sun faded to a tolerable temperature, and shop owners would still be active for a little while longer. A few villagers were still mulling about the rammed earth buildings too. Joseph avoided direct looks from anyone. Even though no one knew they had just escaped the little jail, Joseph had to suppress the urge to break into a mad sprint. 'When will they find those two unconscious?' He worried and glanced over his shoulder. Chiba walked close to him.

"Where are you taking me?" Her deep whisper hinted at a threat.

"Where I hid something." Joseph went to the edge of the dusty village where no buildings faced the desert. He dropped to the base of a dead tree and started digging. Chiba curiously watched him move handfuls of dirt and sand. Her ears perked up hearing him hit something.

"What is that?" She saw him pull out a modest clay jar.

"I've been saving this for over a year." Joseph uncapped the vessel and emptied its contents into the dirt. A fair sum of metal coins created a little pile.

"So this is why they came and put you in jail?" Chiba guessed. "I don't see why you couldn't have just given them one and fled."

"I don't believe in paying bribes or extortion. It's all theft." He frowned at why he was jailed.

"I'm sure officials call that taxation." Joseph snorted at her statement and started picking at the bottom of his robe. "What are you doing now?" She tersely asked.

"I'm tearing the edges so it looks like I've worn them out while traveling." He wore the edges more before wiping it in the sand and dirt. Chiba impatiently kept watch as he hid the money in his robe.

"How much do you have?"

"Enough for a pair of camels and some supplies."

"Here." She handed him a few coins. It wasn't enough to buy a camel, but any bit would be handy wherever they ended up.

"Where did you get these?" Joseph looked at the coins in his hand.

"They were in the guard's robe."

"Thanks." He pocketed them. "Every piece will help... Now we need get out of here." Joseph stood up and led her towards a small stable.

"I'll stay nearby." She murmured and parted paths with him to hide by a group of houses. Joseph's uneasiness didn't let up without her intimidating presence.

'I wonder how long it will take before they realize that guard is missing... When will the guards wake up?' His worries made the situation much worse. He took a deep breath and focused. The strong smell of the desert pack animals was present even at a fair distance. A group of camels were kept under an enclosed area with a roof. Under the lavender colored awnings he spotted the stable owner mulling about the grounds, ready to close up for the night. The owner was a tall broad chested human, and someone Joseph didn't know.

"Hello." The tall human greeted him. Joseph froze for a moment and his heart pounded. "I said hello, traveler." The stable master spoke again.

"Yes, hello." Joseph swallowed his fear. "I need... two camels." He asked. 'I don't trust Chiba enough to share one camel.' The lioness took down two guards with ease, and he couldn't tangle with the tough lioness. If something went awry, he could at least take his own path.

"Look around and I will help prepare the two that you choose." Joseph did not waste a second and picked out two with good sized humps. "You have a good eye, traveller." The owner led them away from a low trough and retrieved a few blankets. "I will not charge you for a meager blanket or two since you are interested in more than one camel." He spoke as he readied them.

"How much will it be?"

"Twelve pieces or one prime piece." A prime piece was a southern term for a coin that was mostly, if not entirely made of silver or gold. The rare metals were more valuable in the southern desert regions because of a tendency for counterfeit coins to circulate. Joseph handed over a small silver coin.

"I need a small pack of water and food too."

"Of course. The market is closed at this hour." The man nodded understandingly and went into the back. Joseph felt every heartbeat thump in his chest. the human could not be going any slower in his rushing mind. He returned with a large water pouch in hand and a bag with dried foodstuffs. "In exchange for an additional price...."

'I do not have time for this!' Joseph hated haggling, but he needed to get out of Kefir quickly. "How much more?"

"Seven pieces." The price was outrageous, but Joseph paid it anyway.

'Who can I complain to? The jailor?' He joked to himself and impatiently watched the tall human pack both camels with supplies.

"Did you hear that someone was taken to jail today?"

'Uh oh!' Joseph tensed. "Um... No I have not." He carefully spoke.

"Well I did. It was some guy yelling louder than a mother in labor. I hope they shut him up."

'Maybe they'll shut you up if you stay here too long.' Joseph held his tongue.

"There. That should do it." He finished tying everything together. "Have a safe journey."

"Thank you." Joseph led the camels away. "Sheesh." He checked how much money he had left. 'I only have enough for... not a lot.' He frowned that it took half of his savings over the years to purchase everything that he would need. 'At least the only challenge will be resupplying.' Joseph walked steadfastly by the houses. The sudden sound of footsteps from behind startled him. "Who is it?!" He jumped around causing lead camel to grumble.

"Quiet! It's me." Chiba appeared out of the growing shadows.

"Don't startle me like that!" He released a pent up breath.

"Let's go." The stern lioness took the second camel and followed Joseph to the edge of Kefir without another word. The human calmed his nerves

'Who would imagine being jailed and escaping within one day?' Joseph thought to himself. They stopped and mounted their rides for the journey ahead.

"This will work nicely." Chiba sounded pleased and made a quick circle.

"You are from the land of Sham. What route do you suggest we go?"

"We will go across the Aurum Desert." Chiba told him.

"What?!" Joseph's eyes widened. "There are no wells there for days if we go straight across! It's a large desert."

"We will not go straight across, but through a small piece. No one will follow us into there." She plainly replied. Chiba nudged the camel to move, but Joseph stopped her.

"It will still be dangerous. We could simply ride north."

"That's where they would expect us to go." The lioness went around him.

"But-"

"I'm from the area. You are not." She advised him and made up her mind.

"Fine. You lead then." Joseph let her take the front. With the stern swat of a stick, Chiba's camel trotted into the endless sand facing east. Joseph followed suit and kept a close watch over his shoulder. His mind worked through the scenarios of the two guards waking up and shouting, causing more trouble. The desert village of Kefir grew smaller and smaller until it was a little grain of sand along the setting horizon. Only when they were out of Kefir's sight did Joseph begin to feel relief. 'We made it. We're free!' The human took his first long look into the Aurum Desert ahead. The moonlight and stars illuminated the desert from the nightly sky above. Joseph rode up to the lioness' side.

"Are we stopping soon?"

"Just a little further, if you want." She conceded. Joseph had a bite to eat and drink while he looked around the sands.

"Let's rest here." He pointed to the dead shrub and the small living green shrub. It was a lonely little area leading towards the northeastern dunes. Chiba didn't say a word as they approached the spot and dismounted. The human's legs wobbled. Joseph could barely stand. The adrenaline from earlier had worn off completely, and he was exhausted from the day's unpredictable events. They set up camp together by rolling out two blankets. It wasn't much of a bed, but no one complained that they successfully escaped Kefir's jailhouse.

'Where will we go next?' Joseph wondered, but wanted to pass out immediately. "I am tired-" He yawned and laid down in the sand, missing the blanket entirely. In an instant he was asleep with the lioness looming nearby.

Chapter II - The Merchant Prince

Tasting warm sand on his tongue, Joseph snapped his mouth shut.

"Ah!" His upper lip cracked. 'What in the...' He opened his eyes only to shut them tight. 'It's bright.' Joseph groaned and rolled onto his side. Stiff muscles stretched as he came to life. His eyes adjusted to the bright morning and scanned the sideways landscape. The camels and their limited supplies were nowhere to be seen. "Chiba?" He looked around, but she was gone without a trace as well. His hands checked the robe for his money only for that to be gone too. 'Ugh... She took everything... and left me.' He realized and rolled back onto his front. His hands hit the sand with sudden force, scattering heated grains into the air. "I let my guard down and a murderer walked free." Frustration gnawed at his insides, but he had other things to worry about. Joseph was in a much worse position than a little jail in Kefir. "I'll die out here." He roughly swallowed at the prospect. 'And I can't waste my breath or tears about it.' Joseph pursed his lips and wiped his eyes. He rolled over and rose to his feet. Muscles ached from the odd sleeping position during the night. He brushed off the sand sticking to his body and clothes. An object in the sand caught his eye.

"The water pouch." He was shocked to find it resting beside him. Joseph scrambled across the sand and shook the item. His eyes widened hearing water slosh inside. 'Water!' He opened and tasted a swig before sealing it tightly. Every drop inside became his lifeline to making it through the hostile desert. Joseph stood up and his gaze turned east. Over the vast land of sand towards the horizon, the red glow of the rising sun saluted him. Simply standing for a minute already made his brow begin to sweat.

'Should I try to follow her or just go north?' He had no knowledge of the Aurum Desert's terrain or routes around it. Chiba never divulged any information about the region to him. He glanced over his shoulder. Returning to Kefir and the little region of Fez was no longer an option. The human took a few breaths before taking a step forward, towards the mid morning sun.

The heat was omniscient and ever present. There was no sense of time among the nearly silent steps he took through the grainy sand, only the sound of footsteps through the soft ground. The only change Joseph observed was the amount of water left in the water pouch. It seemed lighter, and he seemed thirstier each time he checked. The deadly test of endurance gradually finished its first lap as the evening fizzled away. Joseph stopped to rest for the approaching night and checked how much water he had.

"Only a little left..." He blew a weary sigh and settled into the dark side of the sand dune for the night. He was exhausted, but refused to guzzle down his remaining water supply. 'Wouldn't Chiba and anyone else overheat by now?' How someone endured the extreme heat with a full coat of fur was beyond his disoriented comprehension. Through squinting eyes he stared at the ocean of earth.

'Is this desert endless?' He hoped that some place much more habitable was nearby. 'Or will I spend an eternity here?' His thoughts didn't put his conscience at ease. Joseph managed to close his eyes and find sleep as darkness befell the Aurum Desert.

The cooler nighttime barely lasted a blink before the hot sun rose in the horizon.

"Already?" Joseph sat up and fought back his worries about the predicament that he was in. The human stood up onto shaky legs and calmed himself. His second morning alone began the same as the first. Moments after the first kiss of sunrise he continued his desperate journey on foot through the Aurum Desert. Joseph lumbered through the unbearable heat, sipping water only when he was desperate enough for it. With the high sun bearing down in the human, he reached for his dwindled water supply and raised it to his lips.

"Ahh..." His voice faded when nothing landed on his tongue. He roughly swallowed and stared at the empty container until it slipped from his hand. Joseph left it behind and resumed what he hoped would not become his death march.

"Don't sweat too much." He told himself only to zip his mouth shut. 'And stop talking aloud!' His foot kicked something in the sand in the midst of his mental anguish. 'Hmm?' The human paused and noticed something. Eyes widened at the sight of a bleached white bone in the sand before him. It was bare, dry, and lifeless like the desert around him. His heart raced at the sign of death and he quickly resumed walking across the hot sand. But without water, the heat was able to play tricks on him. Far ahead the ground appeared to move from the hazy heat. Through that his eyes spotted intricate shapes.

"A building?" His eyes lit up seeing a hazy structure far ahead through the heat. The heat proved difficult to make out exactly what kind of building that it was. Thoughts of running water, shade, and food enchanted his mind, but clouded his focus. Joseph immediately hurried towards the image. His legs stumbled down an infant sand dune. Thousands of hot grains followed him to the bottom. 'I don't see anyone!' He hurried towards the building despite the odd fact. His sense of relief was short lived as the image gradually faded the further he walked. Joseph finally stopped when he realized nothing was there at all in the searing heat.

'A... Mirage...' The thought was hazy like the intolerable heat. Frustration clouded his thoughts before morphing into a sense of dread. Whatever energy had surfaced to carry him closer to the daydream, quickly vanished. An hour trickled by, like the sweat on his brow. Finally sapped of strength, Joseph's legs bent and he collapsed into the sand. The hot grains burned his hands like a fire. With enough effort, he rolled onto his side to face the blaring sun reigning overhead.

'Is this... Is this it?' He squinted at the blank blue sky. His hand curled into a fistful of sand in an act of final defiance. Eyes closed, seeking an eternal peace.

***

He could not tell if a minute or an hour had passed before a sound caught his ear like a fly. It wasn't enough to stir him from his famished state. However, it grew closer like heavy footsteps. His current state of lightheadedness made him believe it was all another mirage.

"Hello?" A voice broke through the radiant heat. Joseph winced and squinted at the cloudless sky above. There was only emptiness above him. He almost closed his eyes, but this time, movement passed over the sand.

'Am I dead yet?' He wondered at the cautious figure approaching him. The human turned his head a little, startling the robed figure. A tail was visible behind the person's robe. Only his eyes were visible through the full head scarf, but a canine muzzle was partially visible underneath. The canine knelt down beside Joseph and looked the human over. A hand rose up and quickly yanked away the fabric covering the stranger's face. The head of a golden jackal was revealed in the bright sunlight.

"Here." He spoke. "You need water." The canine brought a small pouch to the human's lips. Joseph sputtered and gulped down the cool drink.

'Water!' His mind was last to react as he drank in a spurred frenzy. The source of water suddenly vanished from his parched lips.

"Easy. You'll choke." The male's voice calmly informed. Joseph coughed and hastily wiped his lip. He breathed a little easier but couldn't find the strength to fully move. The human felt movement underneath him, and suddenly found himself being lifted by the jackal.

"H-Hey!" Joseph struggled only to cough more.

"Stop moving." The canine gruffly answered and approached a seated camel with a small pack on its hump. He was thrown onto the camel like a piece of luggage. Too weary to sit up, Joseph hung onto the camel's hair while its owner mounted. "Hut! Hut!" The jackal sharply barked and swatted the animal with a stick. The camel hastily rose and began trotting away. Joseph watched the sand pass beneath him. It was only a short trip, but it seemed much longer under the hot sun.

"I found someone!" Whoever the person who found him suddenly shouted. The camel suddenly trotted faster before slowing to a halt.

"Who?" A not too distant voice questioned.

"A person! Someone wandering the desert!" Joseph heard the rider exclaim and jump off. He leaned side to side as the dromedary sat down. The human tumbled off the animal and staggered to sit up. The mysterious jackal helped Joseph up and retrieved the rest of his water. Another figure entered Joseph's vision, but he hardly took notice in his delirious state.

"Water!" He gasped as the refreshing liquid touched his lips. Some spilled over his cheeks as he thirstily downed gulped until he coughed. He flopped onto his back and breathed easy.

"Get him something to eat as well!" A male's voice beckoned as the human passed out.

***

Brown eyes blinked wide awake. The sun wasn't visible, but its waning light was more than enough to see by. Joseph cleared his throat, noting that it was merely dry and not parched like before. His nose detected the smell of freshly burned incense lingered in the air. Joseph sat up and looked around his new surroundings. The human was inside a large tent with finely woven carpets covering most of the sand. He could hear people talking from an unseen area.

"Am I dead?" He wondered.

"You're very much alive." A voice startled him. Joseph looked to his right where a cheetah was seated. The male feline wore a happy grin, and was dressed nicely for such a desolate area. "You were on the verge of death my friend." The cheetah explained. "My guard spotted you stumbling across the sand like a wandering ghost."

"Who are you?"

"I am Giuseppe Acciaioli." The king patterned cheetah introduced himself with a grand smile.

"Acciaioli?" Joseph mumbled at the familiar name.

"Yes." He nodded with a grin. "I am the second eldest son to Pater Acciaioli, the head of our merchant family."

"Oh. You're a merchant." Joseph slowly nodded. "I've seen a few merchants before." The human's sluggish voice concerned the feline.

"You could use some more water and good relaxation after nearly dying of thirst." A sand cat servant jumped to his feet and brought another metal tray of dried peaches with a large cup of water in the center.

"Ah. Thank you." Joseph downed some of the water thirstily before biting a peach. The cheetah curiously watched him eat for a moment before calmly eating a peach himself.

"So how did you manage to end up this far into the dangerous Aurum Desert with only the clothes on your back?"

"I was traveling by camel with Chiba from Kefir, but she... left me during the night." A sense of guilt passed over the human. The royal cheetah's eyes widened.

"Who is this Chiba?"

"She's a lioness er, she was a lioness traveling with me." He recalled that she stole the jailor's robe and shield before taking his belongings. "We separated on... bad terms." Joseph didn't want the merchant to know that they had escaped from a jail.

"A lioness huh? She must be a Kakuyid."

"Who are the Kakuyids?"

"They're a large tribe of lions from the Sham region. Desert tribes tend to be lenient towards nudity, and there are only two or three from around this area."

"Where is Sham from here?"

"It's a fairly large region south, northeast, and east of the little Aurum Desert. You could say that the Aurum is the western desert and Sham is the eastern desert."

"Are they really naked all the time?" Joseph's question made the cheetah laugh.

"No! I said lenient. In their desert villages or nomadic encampments it's no surprise to see someone underdressed. In a city they will normally be dressed."

'She was a sight to see.' The human though to himself. "I wish I had kept my senses about her in order." Joseph regretted.

"I have heard many tales about women tricking men before, although it is rarely this serious." Giuseppe suspected more to the human's story, but didn't press any further. "Anyway... Tribes like the Kakuyids tend to be physically free in movement, but settled in customs, traditions, and beliefs. Now urban dwellers and merchants like myself tend to have the opposite. We are physically settled, but free in customs, traditions, and beliefs."

"That's a nice way of putting it." Joseph thought aloud.

"Speaking of free flowing movement. I love dancing." He heartily smiled. "I prefer keeping my clothes on though, but it's not as beautiful in full garb because you can't see the body's full motion." The cheetah clapped and two dancers immediately entered and gathered to the center of the large tent. Both were fennecs, a young female with modest but sensuous curves, and a middle aged male with a thin and wiry build. Neither wore any clothes except for long decorative translucent scarves wrapped around their necks and arms with the remaining ends in hand, or draping to their shins. With another clap, they started. The fennecs danced slowly and smoothly, letting their thin veiled garments elegantly sway and twirl around their naked bodies. It was a sensual dance of the two gracing the carpeted sand. Joseph glanced over and noticed the merchant enjoying the spectacle. The human had never seen anything like it before. At one point the female danced to the two seated spectators. Merely inches away, she gave them quite a view before skittering back to her male dance partner. After a few more gracing moves, both stopped and bowed. Giuseppe clapped.

"Thank you both very much. Your performance is delightful as always." The merchant smiled. The two foxes scurried off the center space. The female disappeared behind a flap into another room under the tent's structure, and the older male sat down beside an auburn haired fennec vixen his age towards the corner.

"How do I look?" The naked male breathed, wearing a witty smile.

"Handsome." She grinned, placed an arm around him, and nuzzled up close. Joseph returned his attention to the cheetah.

"So what is your name?" Giuseppe asked.

"It's Joseph." He answered.

"Where are you originally from, Joseph?"

"The land of Fez."

"That's an interesting place." The cheetah thought for a moment. "I remember going to a town by the name of Dabur where I dealt with salt traders from the area. They were a rough bunch there. One jackal was blind in one eye and had a scar over the other." Giuseppe drew his fingers to demonstrate. "It's one of those places where you know that you are being watched. There was this sand cat I had met there who told me about a tale of a giant snake in the desert that could fly. He even told me that he saw it once before, and that it is commonly seen around dusk."

"That is a strange tale." Joseph remarked.

"There are many tales that I have heard while traveling the great desert." He mused. "There's an interesting one that I heard about an isolated village that no one ever leaves. They marry, have a well for water, and play games..."

"What's wrong with that?" Joseph asked.

"The tale says that the village is full of males, and no females." The cheetah explained. "I wonder how males can exist without females, and you know, have children."

"But you said it was only a tale." Joseph scratched his head in confusion.

"Ah. I did." The feline chuckled. "I wonder where the story originated."

"You always talk about tales and stories Guiseppe." The female fennec sitting nearby teased.

"Hearing and telling stories are some of my favorite pastimes." He grinned in acknowledgement. "And there are many to hear in all of the places I have traveled."

"And why are you all the way out in this desert?" Joseph asked. "I doubt it is for local stories."

"Ah, a good question. I went to the southern desert town of Sabha to deal. Now I am going to the village of Fashoda to the northeast, bordering this deadly desert. Where are you traveling?"

"Anywhere north where there are large oasis towns. I want to see the coast one day."

"Hmm..." He thought for a moment. "Leila can accompany you to the nearest village or town." He motioned a hand to the female fennec with long auburn hair resting with the male dancer. "She's practically my older sister. More beautiful and smarter too." Giuseppe chuckled. The vixen smiled warmly at his compliments.

"I can take him to the village that I grew up in." She suggested. "It's nearby, and my sister lives there."

"That sounds like a splendid idea Leila! What do you think Joseph?" The cheetah turned to the human.

"I would appreciate it. Thank you." He couldn't believe his luck.

"There aren't many humans in the desert as the coast or in Fez. Tell me, what are your parents?"

"My mother is a coyote, and my father is a human." Joseph answered. "Why do you ask?"

"There is a saying from my native town that a human with a mother of fur will fall in love with a lady of fur." The Acciaioli merchant smiled. "Maybe you will have better luck with females there than this desert."

"I'm more worried about staying alive right now." Joseph made the feline laugh.

"It must be my mind thinking of the other for you first." He smiled.

"Anyway, I greatly appreciate the hospitality and the fact that all of you saved my life, but I don't want to burden your group..." The human attempted to stand, but found his legs feeling weak. A hand rested in his shoulder.

"You're not being a burden. You need rest." Giuseppe encouraged the human to lay back down. "It's almost sundown, and there's no rush to make in life." After some more coaxing, Joseph stayed seated. "If you need anything, just ask Sa'as." He motioned to the short male sand cat in simple white and blue garbs. "If you need to talk to me, I'll be in my separate chambers. Sleep well weary wanderer." The cheetah merchant patted his shoulder before disappearing into his private chambers of the constructed tent. Joseph looked around the quiet tent. The dwindling fire became the only faint source of light as the evening came to a close. The male fennec dancer and his mate nestled down in the opposite corner together for the night, whispering to each other. The jackal guard came back inside for a quick bite to eat before returning outside.

"Do not worry human." Sa'as spoke from across the tent. "You can rest and sleep well tonight."

"Thank you." Joseph quietly spoke and laid back down. He stared for a brief moment before closing his eyes. 'I should be dead...' The human knew how lucky he was to be found after being abandoned in the desert. But fate had other plans with the merchant group's miraculous intervention. Without anything else he could do, Joseph rolled onto his side. Tired from the whole ordeal of the past few days, he went to sleep.

A camel sat idly in the glaring sun while Sa'as finished packing its back with supplies. Joseph, Giuseppe, and the others exited the tent. The human had been given a new set of clothes as well as a veiled turban to protect his face from the unyielding sun above.

"Everything is ready." The sand cat made sure everything was secure.

"Thank you Sa'as." Giuseppe smiled. "Are you two ready?" The merchant turned to Joseph and Leila.

"I'll take the reins." The short fennec offered.

"I cannot thank you and everyone else enough for saving my life." Joseph shook the merchant's hand.

"Saving one's life is a duty." The merchant humbly grinned. He approached the camel where Leila was awaiting, and climbed onto its back. "Good luck on your journey Joseph, and may our paths cross again."

"Thank you for all of your help." Joseph warmly waved goodbye to the merchant prince who had saved his life.

"We eagerly await for your return Leila. I bid you both safe travels."

"I'll catch up to you in a few days." The fennec flashed a grin at him and her husband.

"Take care." The male fennec ran up and held her hand.

"I will." The foxes shared a brief kiss before lightly kneeing the lumbering camel to stand.

"Goodbye!" Friendly waves were given as the pair rode northward. The tracks they left behind were swept away by the wind. Facing ahead, Joseph could easily see over the shorter fennec seated in front of him. However, her tall ears could obstruct his view of the endless sand before them.

***

The sun traveled across the arc of the sky above them. Very little was spoken through the slow journey across the hot ergs of sand and endless sunshine. It was a time Joseph spent to reflect on his lucky situation.

'I almost didn't make it.' A hot chill passed through Joseph's entire body. Knowing that he would've died without their extremely chance crossing made his present situation almost surreal. 'Was it decided by fate for me to live?' However, his question was left without an answer in the darkening desert. Whatever happened to the mysterious Chiba was beyond his knowledge as well.

"We can camp here for the night." Leila slowed the camel to a halt. The lumbering relaxed animal knelt down for them to slide off.

"Are we out of the Aurum Desert?" He removed his turban piece.

"Yes. That last ridge of large dunes marks the border... Well, the winds will change it gradually." The fennec unlatched their supplies. They began unpacking a few things. Two blankets were laid out side by side, and they shared a bite to eat as the sun settled along the horizon behind them.

"I meant to ask this earlier, but why were you in the Aurum Desert?" Joseph understood that it was dangerous for anyone attempting to cross it.

"This time of year bandits are common across the southern deserts. The Tulunids are the most dangerous, because with enough gold you can hire them for any job."

"Any?"

"From theft to murder." She frowned. "Anyone who murders or steals to be paid has no morals." Joseph didn't like the sound of that. Even wealth could make you a target. Only the strong could survive outside protective city walls.

"So what exactly do you do for Giuseppe? I don't think you are there to simply tag along."

"I help keep account of his wealth whether it's goods packed up or coin. I had to learn very quick, and I wasn't very good at dancing." She chucked.

"How did you come to know Giuseppe?"

"Ooh, that was some time ago." She wistfully remarked. "When I was sixteen I fell in love with Nahab, the male fennec that was dancing for you the other night with the young female. I watched him practice dancing for hours, and enjoyed every moment we were together. But he wasn't from my home, so I agreed to elope with him when he had to leave with the Acciaioli. Giuseppe was a young cheetah back then, still learning from his father about being a merchant in the deserts. Not too many stray far from the large coastal cities, and we have had our experiences of trouble." She briefly reflected. "But I am happy, so I can ask for no more."

"So you all travel frequently together?"

"Mmhm. Usually." She nodded. "If we encounter friendly nomads or travelers Nahab will dance for an audience, and Giuseppe will exchange stories."

"How do you feel about your mate dancing like that in front of people?"

"I don't mind. I enjoy watching him dance." She smiled. "He's very elegant and graceful." She disrobed before him, revealing her beautiful white front and breasts that sagged from their own heaviness. The vixen reminded Joseph of a seasoned, sweet mother.

"What tribe are you from?"

"The Harsusi. They're mainly a tribe of fennecs like myself. And yes, foxes from my tribe tend to have large breasts."

"I didn't ask that." He sheepishly half grinned and averted his gaze.

"I knew you were thinking it." She returned a soft, knowing grin. "They aren't truly larger than others, but our smaller bodies make it seem so."

"There are never bad breasts to a male's eye." He remarked. Her tail swished at the indirect compliment.

"I have some Harsusi tales for you then!" Leila chuckled. "I can remember a few where lonely female fennecs would attach little shiny rings on their nipples with tiny chains with enchanted stones on the very end." She pretended to demonstrate. "Then they would gently shift in their stance causing the chains to sway to and fro that would hypnotize a male. She would lead him back to her home hidden under a sand dune forever."

"I hope you're not doing the same to me." Joseph nervously rubbed his neck.

"No!" She laughed and folded her robe. "Have you ever tried sleeping in clothes with a coat of fur? It's very hot, not to mention the sand getting caught everywhere..."

"That is true." Joseph was glad that he could keep his on during any day or night. The pudgy fennec laid down on her back and folded her arms across her tummy.

"So, where are you from?" Leila looked at the human. "I've told you my stories." She added with a chuckle.

"I'm from the land of Fez." He sat down beside the openly nude lady.

"Oh, I have been there with Giuseppe, Nahab, and the others once before. It was several years ago though."

"There isn't much there. As soon as I was old enough, I started earning and saving money to leave that barren place."

"I have been to a few quaint villages to help Giuseppe exchange gold for salt." Leila recalled.

"There isn't much else there." Joseph mumbled.

"Do you have any family there?" The fennec asked.

"No..." He plainly answered. "I don't have any family."

"Oh." Her ears folded back some. "I'm sorry to hear that." She empathetically spoke.

"It's ok."

"I have a family, but only my sister accepts me as family." The fennec vixen told him.

"What do you mean?"

"I told you that I eloped with Nahab. My family wasn't wealthy, but we still had some money. My parents were beginning to arrange a marriage for me, and I didn't want any part of it. So they disowned me from the family. My sister is the only one left who recognizes me, but even she will not see Nahab." Arranged marriages were very much the norm of most, regardless of tribe or standing. The predetermined fate resulted in many different consequences.

"You must love your husband a lot to go through with all of that."

"Yes, I do." She firmly spoke. "I never like being apart from him for more than a few days."

"Have you ever been away from your husband very long?"

"Hmm... On rare occasions, yes. There are times when we can't be together, and it always saddens me."

"Why wouldn't you two be together?"

"Sometimes, like right now, I visit my sister and it's best to do so without him." Her concise details revealed her disdain discussing very personal family matters. Joseph quickly thought of something else he wanted to ask her.

"Have you seen the large cities along the coast?"

"Yes, I have." Her cheery mood quickly returned.

"What are they like?"

"Crowded and noisy." She chuckled. "But there's always beautiful buildings so large you have to wonder how they could be built. Merchants and nobles of fine dress walk around with entourages at their own leisure..." The fennec thought aloud. "They seem to forget that the harsh deserts are outside their walled cities, but there are many decent people making their living. You'll see and meet different people from across the sea to the north. It's almost unreal compared to the empty winds across these deserts." Leila spoke about her experiences without much excitement, as if they were daily occurrences. "If you go close to the shore, you can hear the gentle lapping waves of the sea."

"The sea..." Joseph wondered what the sound of waves lapping against a sandy shore sounded like. He gazed out to the empty, darkening desert, imagining the great body of water resting beyond one more dune. A land of bountiful opportunity. But the thought of Chiba somewhere out there in the desert like a prowling predator unnerved him. She took with her plenty of answers that he would never know.

'Who was she?' He secretly feared that the lioness would want to kill him if she found out that he had escaped the clutches of the famous Aurum Desert. Leila watched the human's unwavering face harden.

"I have never seen someone who survived the desert looking so tense." She observed.

"It's nothing... Just excited." He flashed a brief grin. Her ears wiggled to sense his tone.

"You can sleep with me if you want." She offered. "I not a fan of being alone either."

"Are you sure that's alright?"

"I can tell you won't try to harm me." The fennec could see right through him. Joseph didn't say anything and laid down behind her. She rolled onto her side to make room for him. The vixen and human snuggled back to back. Leila felt a foot brush over hers. A bushy tail flicked against his leg. Joseph felt awkward for sleeping so close to her in the first place, but it was very comforting after the rough past days.

"S-sorry-"

"It's fine." The fennec closed her eyes and settled for sleep. Joseph kept his hands to himself, and did the same.

Chapter III - La Selva

The lumbering of a camel could be seen through the hazy heat against the desert sand. Joseph rubbed his eyes, hoping to see a town within sight, but all he could see between the fennec's large ears were sand dunes. Glancing over a shoulder, the human half expected to see Giuseppe and his entourage still behind them. Sand swept around them from a passing gust of wind.

'It really isn't good to get it in your clothes.' He disliked the rough grainy feeling. After shaking his new garment several times, he kept watch ahead with Leila. The fennec normally liked to chat, except during the hottest time of day, but she was oddly silent. Her large ears were facing forward expectantly. They had traveled by camel across the desert for several days, but would today finally be the day they reached an oasis town? The fennec's large ears moved.

"Hut hut!" Leila lightly nudged the camel to trot ahead.

"What is it?" Joseph held onto his turban and the bounding camel. "Huh?" Something new appeared. A roof and a lookout perch with openings. The top of a tower suddenly came into sight! More buildings came into view as well. Basic houses and other buildings of various heights and shapely styles. Great surfaces of sun baked adobe brick, cob, rammed earth, and other durable materials painted the landscape rather than endless reddish brown sand. Walls of a small qalat fortress were visible on the opposite end of town. The tops of palm trees became visible on one side of the town too. They reached the top of a sand dune on level with the town before them. A short path below, the sandy hill descended down to something the human never expected to see in the desert.

'Water...?' A wide shallow stream rested at the dune's base. The waters, cool and dark, wandered towards the town. The stream was bordered by shrubs, palm trees, and water loving grasses closer to town, but only sand elsewhere. The edge of a waterwheel could be seen slowly turning to the stream's course. A few people were visible along the side closest to town either bathing or gathering water.

"It's not a mirage?" Joseph blinked several times.

"Nope!" Leila cheerfully answered. "We are at my hometown of La Selva."

"La Selva?" He questioned.

"It means 'The Jungle'."

"Really?" The greenery did not expand very far from the town, and sand was within sight everywhere.

"Yes." She chuckled. "It's an oasis town. You have maybe two to three weeks of travel through the desert between here and the coast. Don't think you can walk from here to there."

"I'm lucky to come this far..." He admitted.

"What will you do now that you are finally here?" Leila inquired.

"I don't know." Joseph admitted. "I guess I will work hard here to make enough money to leave." The fennec grinned at his words.

"You remind me of Giuseppe. He's a hard working and honest person like you, albeit a little clueless at times."

"Thanks... Wait. Clueless?" He looked at her only to receive a sweet giggle.

"You should plan something out more than that while you are here." She nudged the camel to continue walking.

"Wait! What about you?" He held the fennec's shoulder. "What are you going to do?" If it was one thing that he didn't like, then it had to be walking into a new town with no idea what to do.

"Don't worry. I'll take you to my sister's home." Leila reassured him. The camel lumbered down the dune and reached a very shallow section of the stream to cross. Joseph watched the water splash and ripple below as they crossed into a new urban environment. Those at the river didn't bat an eye at the two passing travelers. The sand beneath them quickly changed into hard, dry dirt where a single step kicked up a small cloud of dust. Passing by the first densely packed houses, Joseph could see that the town of La Selva wasn't much different than the towns he grew up in the land of Fez. It was small, but the presence of wealth, like its oasis, was more visible. They navigated the short, narrow streets of the town's center. A few locals had dried fruits and other items spread out in baskets or on rugs to be sold. Colorful awnings helped shield buyers and sellers from the sun. Canine and feline children playing games darted around them.

"Mrauuugh." Their camel grumbled at the extra moving obstacles to pass.

"Easy. Easy." Leila maneuvered through the narrow lane.

"It's nice to be back in a town again." Joseph mumbled to himself, taking it all in. Shady figures with hidden faces roamed the streets as well. Covered faces and more revealing, looser clothing was a sign of who was from a desert tribe. Joseph could barely tell what species some people were aside from a tail, but the presence of desert tribes was constant. If anything, the town of La Selva was an urban island among a sandy ocean of nomads. Other desert travelers traversed the narrow streets, whether on foot like the locals or on camelback.

"I'll bring us to a stable." Leila spoke over her shoulder.

"Ok." Joseph merely answered and watched the urban environment around them. The camel lurched to the right as Leila found a stable. An awaiting serval took the reins.

"Hello." The feline greeted them.

"Hello." Leila quickly retrieved a coin. "We need to hold him for a while."

"Yes. Thank you." He quickly nodded as they slipped off the animal's back. Leila gathered their supplies from the camel, and they promptly continued on foot through the little oasis town.

'That was fast.' Joseph felt like he had waken up from a long nap.

"Here. Down this street." The fennec pointed. Joseph kept up with the quick footed fox to reach the simple door of a modest house.

"Whose house is this? Yours?"

"No. It's my sister's." She told him and swiftly knocked.

"Come in!" A muffled voice from inside called out. Leila opened the door and Joseph followed behind. Inside was a modest house with simple wares. An open room with earthen jars, a modest rug, and other utensils had a quaint feeling aided by the light of an open window. A basket by the back wall had different cloths stacked on it, and a large rug rested in the middle of the room. A figure very similar to Leila appeared from another room. A modest fennec vixen of average stature with darker brown fur tones. She was dressed in a very common long grey robe with a white colored sash tied comfortably around her waist.

"Leila!" The fennec lit up in surprise. The two foxes tightly hugged and brief greetings were exchanged. "What are you doing here?" Her cheerful voice asked.

"Well, it is an odd story..."

"And who might this human be?" The sister peered over Leila's shoulder.

"He is Joseph... This is my sister Begum." Leila introduced him to the slightly darker furred fennec vixen.

"Hello." He kindly grinned.

"Is he one of Giuseppe's guards?" She looked at the human suspiciously.

"No! Not a guard." Leila chuckled. "We found him in the Aurum Desert ready to die from thirst. He is trying to reach cities along the coast like Al Lishbunah." Her sister's eyes widened at the introduction.

"It's nice to meet you." The human kindly greeted her.

"Well Joseph, you certainly have a long way to go before you reach the coast. Don't tell me you are taking him all the way there by yourself!" Begum worried.

"No, of course not!"

"Is someone else taking him then? Are the Acciaioli in town?" She placed a hand on her hip.

"No. We split up." Leila reassured her. "I came to bring Joseph here so he could work and earn enough to travel to the coast on his own."

"I don't really need much of an extra hand." Begum seemed unsure at the idea. "And I don't have anything extra to pay him."

"What kind of work is available for him?"

"Hmm..." The other fennec thought for a moment to herself. Her tail swished in thought as well.

"I'll do any hard work that someone will offer me." Joseph spoke up causing both fennecs' ears to perk up.

"Well... There is Manbu. He is an old leopard and never leaves town, but from what I have heard he needs some assistance in his workshop."

"Workshop? What exactly does he do?"

"He is a metalworker and makes pottery. Everyone in town knows about his artisanal skill. He is grouchy and tough to handle sometimes." She warned.

"That's fine. I'll try it." Joseph hoped for the best.

"Good. Then I can take you there tomorrow... Where does he plan on staying?" Begum inquired.

"Are you okay if he stays with you?" Leila asked.

"That's fine. He can stay here, so long as it is only temporary." She shrugged. "But he will not sleep in the same room as me."

"Is that alright, Joseph?" Leila looked over at the quiet human.

"Sure. That's fine with me." He was thankful for a roof over his head any day.

"Good." Begum nodded before turning back to the main room. "Let's eat. I was just getting ready to cook something." She waved a hand for them to join her.

***

The three shared a short meal on the carpet together. Most of which was spent by the two sisters catching up with each other. Joseph didn't mind the chatty company. A regular meal inside a home was a good sign of a stable situation.

"So how did you meet Leila and the Acciaioli caravan?" Begum set her cup down and leaned forward a little. "Why were you in the deadliest desert alone?"

"It's not easy to explain." Joseph began, wanting to avoid his beginning predicament in jail. "I was with a lioness and set out to travel north, but on our first night she robbed me blind of everything."

"That's terrible." Both fennecs remarked.

"I should've known better that it would happen." He regretted.

"You can't trust some people." Begum folded her arms.

"Well, it's in the past now. Thank you for the meal."

"You're welcome."

"It is getting late. Maybe I should go before the sun sets." Leila looked over her shoulder towards the door.

"No. You can stay here and leave in the morning." Begum suggested.

"Are you sure?"

"Yes. You should stay the night and then leave in the morning." Begum insisted. "Don't chance going through the night here. Any robber could be waiting outside town in any direction."

"I can handle a knife, but sleeping here is better than the desert." She agreed.

"Great!" Begum flashed a toothy smile. "We can share my bed." The fennecs rose to their paws and started cleaning up the remnants of the meal. In a whirl the carpet was cleared.

"Um... Where should I sleep?" Joseph rose up from his seat. Both foxy faces looked back at the human.

"Anywhere in this room will be fine." Begum mentioned.

"Her room and bed aren't very big anyway, Joseph." Leila giggled and started disrobing as she walked into the other room with her sister a few steps behind.

"Thank you for letting me sleep in your house Begum." He thanked the darker furred fennec. Begum stopped in the doorway to her room.

"You're welcome." She nodded. "But no men beyond this point." She firmly stated with a brief kind grin before disappearing into the room.

Joseph walked alongside Begum down a narrow street. The late morning sun was a minor annoyance in town. With two wells and a stream for water, not to mention buildings and awnings, the brightness and heat that created the desert merely warmed the oasis town. They passed by a few inhabitants down the winding narrow street, and even a traveler on camelback. Despite the size of the oasis town, La Selva was more like an intricate maze to the human native of Fez. The fennec beside him paused after they rounded the corner of a house.

"His shop is that building right there." Begum pointed. "If he is not there, then you can check his house right beside it." She gestured to the small earthen home beside it.

"Thanks for taking me here." Joseph turned to face the slightly dark furred fennec.

"You are welcome. I expect you to return to my house before nightfall." She said with a smile before departing. Joseph took a deep breath and faced his next destination. The building was a little smaller than a modest one room house, but enough space to work. He wondered if the old leopard was really as bad as Leila's sister let on.

'Guess I will find out.' He approached the open workshop where an old leopard was inside. Stepping inside, Joseph could see that the workshop was more of a cluttered storage room rather than a place for an artisan to create. Among the hand crafted pots, bowls, vases, and plates were odd items: wooden trinkets, torn patches of cloth, reed baskets, old papyrus scrolls, pole-arms, and even sword handles. At the wall in the center of it all was the old leopard, Manbu.

"Hello." The human greeted the leopard working on something, but wasn't greeted in return. The feline didn't even raise his head as he resumed head deep in fiddling with something.

"Hello?" Joseph stepped closer. "Hey-?"

"Huh?" The leopard looked over his shoulder quixotically. "Who are you?" His fangs were visible as he talked.

"I'm Joseph."

"Are you here to buy something?"

"Well, no. I heard that you could use some help-"

"I don't need any help!" The old leopard crossly answered and turned back. Joseph wondered what to do.

'This place hasn't been cleaned in years...' The human looked around the haphazard workshop. A broom in the corner of junk had ancient spider webs on it. "At least let me help you clean it, sir." Joseph kindly offered. "I mean there's plenty of broken pieces that can be thrown out, and a broom can quickly sweep up the dirt and dust in here... And then... Maybe you can teach me a few skills that you know..." Joseph continued.

"Eh?" He piped up with a bewildered look.

"If you don't have time to sweep or clean up, then I can help you." Joseph stood firm.

"Well if you plan on sitting around here, start cleaning that jar." The leopard pointed at a particular earthen vessel before retuning to his own work. "It needs to glisten in the sunlight when someone buys it." Joseph quickly retrieved it and grabbed a rag. The human had never been a cleaner or anything closely related to it while doing odd jobs in Fez. He sat down and carefully started polishing the aged surface of the large jar. It was tedious work but designed markings gradually became visible, revealing hand painted designs and intricate calligraphy that danced across the round surface. It was much more beautiful that the grimy and dust covered thing he had grabbed a moment earlier. Joseph noticed that Manbu was watching him. The leopard's head lifted up and feline eyes darted away from Joseph. The human looked over and spotted a figure behind him. A tigress around Manbu's age was standing at the shop's entrance. Dressed in common robes, joseph didn't think much of the stranger until Manbu reacted explosively.

"Get out of here Zabunah!" He threw the clay potsherd over Joseph's head. The hand made piece crashed on a wall and the tigress skipped behind the wall for protection. "I've seen enough of you!"

"Watch your mouth geezer!" She snapped back and swiftly walked away.

"That tigress..." He grumbled and growled. "Always stopping by... just to make me angry."

'What was that about?' Joseph felt afraid to ask after seeing the leopard's rage. After all, he needed work to make enough money to travel north. Waiting for a traveling merchant caravan might take months or even years!

"Sometimes I think that God is envious of people." The old leopard rambled on. "We can die at any moment, yet God cannot." Joseph looked at the feline with a puzzled expression, but didn't cease polishing the clay pot.

'Either this guy is old and senile, or I am going insane.' He gradually finished cleaning the earthenware. "Here. It is shining bright and new again." Joseph showed the empty vessel.

"Huh?" The old leopard turned his head and blinked at the earthenware. He took ahold of the item and inspected it without a complaint.

"Cleaning a pot regularly will help sell it, and if you teach me some of what you know, then I can help you even more." This time he was quick to speak, and made his way outside. "I'll stop by tomorrow!" Joseph quickly called out before departing. He loosened up, slumping forward as he walked along the street. 'That was more difficult than I thought...' Joseph blew a sigh of relief only to wonder what he had gotten himself into. The hard dirt passed beneath his strides before abruptly stopping.

"Oof!" Without paying attention where he was walking, he had bumped into someone. Looking up, his eyes met with someone taller and stronger than him. A tall barrel chested human glared down at Joseph.

"Dad! He bumped into you!" A noisy fennec kit riding the tall human's shoulders loudly called out.

"Excuse me!" Joseph walked around the bearded man and quickly went his way. The human passed several houses and noticed an old jackal reading beneath the awning of a house. An uncommon sight to the native of the poor region of Fez was someone reading a book. The smell of someone cooking briefly caught his nose. 'I wonder if Begum is cooking something now?' He hoped. Joseph approached the town's qalat fortress. It wasn't a giant fortress for the whole town, but rather a small walled enclosure for the town's local ruler, a small garrison, advisors, and perhaps a few ladies for pleasurable company. A small group of male lions were standing near the large building, standing guard over the gated entrance. The human's brow furrowed seeing that they were armed with spears and small daggers around their hips. Although, what caught his attention more than their weapons was that they were decidedly naked except for a small scarf like piece tied around their necks that barely reached their upper arms, and another cloth tied flatly around a section of their torsos. Male fur-tufted genitals were on proud display like jewelry or arm guards. Their bodies were equally athletic, accustomed to living lives in the harsh environment. Two furry maned heads turned and looked at the passing human. Their feline eyes narrowed.

'Who are they?' Joseph didn't pause to think about it and turned down another street. An extra two turns and the human quickly found himself through an alleyway and at the door to Begum's house. Without a knock, the human entered the small home. He looked up and suddenly found himself staring at a topless fennec. Eye catching features of a busty female with a lovely curvy figure were a sensual sight to see. Begum's eyes widened for a split second before an ear piercing scream caught him off guard.

"AAHH!" She jumped and covered herself. Joseph stepped back in disarray, but didn't understand why she was so outraged. Covering his ears, he blinked at the fur raised lady. "Turn around!" She barked causing his heart to race fearfully.

"Sorry!" The human quickly spun on his heels feeling his face flush with embarrassment. Footsteps quickly moved around and the sound of cloth being quickly unfurled were heard. Joseph could hear the fennec vixen huff twice as she properly dressed herself.

"Ok. You can turn around now." She spoke in a calmer voice. Still visibly shaken, Joseph turned and found a clothed fennec standing before him. "Sorry for scaring you like that, but this is a town, not a desert." She groomed her cheeks. "My sister seems to forget that."

"What were you doing?" Joseph rubbed his ears, still hearing an echoing shriek in his head.

"Grooming my fur." She bashfully answered. "It is my home, and I don't expect people barging in while I am undressed." Begum added in a more stern voice.

"Sorry about that." He apologized.

"It's fine." Begum dismissed him as suddenly as she had accused him. "I forgot that you were staying here. Just remember that I'm a Harsusi vixen, not someone who lets his genitals dance as he walks."

"I saw a group of males standing outside a large building. They were half naked."

"Half naked? I bet they were lions."

"Yeah. Do you know who they are?"

"They're Kakuyids." She affirmed with a nod. "All lions are."

"You know about the Kakuyids?"

"Of course. Everyone in the desert knows who the Kakuyids are."

"I don't. I am from Fez." Joseph admitted. "Who are they?"

"They're the most powerful tribe in all of the deserts, and control many towns and trade routes from the southern deserts of Sham all the way to the coast."

"What are they doing here?"

"The Kakuyids installed one of their own to rule the town years ago. Thankfully, very little has changed except their increased presence in town."

'And Chiba is one of them?' Joseph wondered.

"So what did Manbu say?" Begum asked. "Will he let you work for him?"

"Well... He didn't shout me away like he did to an old lady tigress." His response made the fennec chuckle.

"Ah. That's not a bad sign." The fennec half grinned. "He just might accept you as an apprentice or assistant if you pester him enough."

"Is he that difficult to work for?"

"He has a reputation for being difficult around certain people." Begum shrugged. "But he is a very talented person when it comes to creating things."

"Can you tell me more about the Kakuyids?" Joseph asked.

"Enough questions for today." She dismissed his curiosity and approached him. "Here." Begum handed the human a rag.

"What's this for?" He looked at it.

"Since you are staying in my house, you will have to pay rent." She half grinned.

"What kind of rent?"

"Chores." The fennec simply answered. "I need you to take these dishes and wash them in the river." She pointed at the stack resting on a narrow ledge. "Now go. Unless you'd rather wash my paws, sweep the floors, and do laundry while I cook." Her tail swished quickly. Joseph gathered the hefty stack and quickly went outside.

'As if I'd wash your paws like a slave... I already miss Leila.' The human thought about the easygoing fennec, and headed down the shaded alleyway and awning topped streets. For a little oasis town surrounded entirely by desert, it was a quaint place of calm activity. The dull tapping of a wooden bucket was heard from a few buildings away as someone emptied its contents. The wheels of a cart pulled by a horse rattled heavily. A lightly clothed human and side striped jackal walked alongside the horse with reins in hand as they collected waste and piled it onto the cart. Inhabitants were eager to sell their goods and food to passersby. Joseph noticed a pair of mostly naked male lions standing quietly at a street corner. Curved swords hung at their naked hips with only the aid of a belt around their abs.

After the short walk he walked down the gentle slope to the water's edge. He passed by a plainly dressed male cheetah carrying a large jar full of water. The human from Fez couldn't help but relish the sight of so much water. He knelt down and set the dishes aside before cupping the cool liquid into his hands and taking a drink.

'Ah, that's nice.' He like the wet sensation dripping off his chin.

"Ahh! You got him!"

"I am the Sultan of this stream!" Screams of playful laughter caught the human's attention. A group of kids were undoubtedly getting into trouble playing in the middle of the stream where there was a tiny sliver of sand acting as an island. The little ones were splashing noisily amongst themselves, having more fun than anyone else could handle. Plenty of garments were draped over a wooden post, or merely left in the sand or over a bush. Four mothers of similar appearance were bathing on the stream's edge, not too far away. They were serval or coyote, and likely distantly related. He could not help but indulgently watch the naked ladies bathe for a moment. They ducked away and turned their backs when one noticed Joseph's prolonged stare.

'I'm in a town...' The human reminded himself of his home land's semi-urban manners, and retrieved the first plate. He dipped the dish into the water. "Better than staying in a jail cell..." He mumbled and began cleaning the hard surface.

"You're that human Manbu is starting to train." An aged female voice caught Joseph by surprise. He looked over his shoulder as an old tigress approached the shallow stream beside him. It was the same feline who Manbu had thrown a potsherd at.

"Uh, yes... I am Joseph. Who are you? I don't remember your name." He admitted.

"I am Zabunah." She crouched down and sat beside him. The old tigress removed the veil around her shoulders. Joseph watched her lightly dip it into the shallow water before setting the damp garment over her head. Her fluffier cheeks told him that she was very hot in the desert climate.

"Aren't you going to use the river downstream, where it's more private?" Joseph referred to the area where females particularly bathed where several palm trees provided shade.

"I'm not here to soak." She breathily spoke in spite of the dry heat. "Ah, who am I kidding." The feline half growled and roughly opened up her robe. The white fluffy fur of her front was revealed down to her navel, including two hanging breasts. "Modesty decreases with age in most anyway." She enjoyed the newly found freedom from her garment's encasing heat. "I'm sure you don't mind." The tigress mumbled offhandedly. Joseph blinked but kept his gaze averted. It was confusing to constantly adjust between acceptable town and tribal dress code alone, not to mentions their different ways of life.

"Where are you from boy?" Zabunah suddenly faced him and asked.

"The land of Fez."

"Hmm... That's south of here, correct?"

"Yes. It's a semi-arid area next to the land of Sham."

"Ah. What brought you here?"

"It's complicated..." He thought a moment. "I planned on traveling north to the coastal cities, but fate had something else ready for me."

"Fate is a fickle thing..." Her golden eyed gaze seemed to pierce right through him. "It brought me here after all."

"Are you not from around here?" Joseph guessed. A brief moment passed without a response.

"Unlike everyone else in this village... I'm from a land very far from here." Her lonely tail curled around her waist.

"Where are you from, the cities along the coast?" Joseph assumed.

"No." She shook her head. "Much further away." Her answer only confused the human.

"What land are you from then?"

"The land is called Campania."

"Campania? Where is that?"

"It's a hilly region in the lands across the sea. Olives are grown for their oil, and grapes are fermented into wine. It is a very fertile land for agriculture, and not hot like the desert." Zabunah added. "Working for Manbu will mean you'll have enough money to travel north in due time. If you work hard, you'll earn his trust and respect. He values that in people."

"You know a lot about him." Joseph found it odd that the tigress and leopard who hated each other, also knew each other.

"We know a lot about each other."

"Why do you and Manbu hate each other? You two aren't friends from what I've seen."

"Friends?" Her muzzle wrinkled up sourly. "Even enemies is too light of a word to use." She quietly admitted without saying much more, but Joseph had questions for her.

"What happened between you and Manbu?" He asked. A brief silence passed as the tigress gazed across the calm stream's dark waters. But she finally spoke.

"I fell in love with him..."

"What?!" Joseph couldn't believe what she had said.

"It's a long story." She looked at him with lowered ears. With only plates to wash, Joseph was all ears. "I was the daughter of a modest merchant visiting the coastal towns and cities, but I was rebellious. I loved the energetic atmosphere of the large cities, and the people who inhabited them. I always thought it would be fun to explore the coast and desert too. Manbu and I met at a small port city near Al-Lishbunah."

"Al-Lishbunah?"

"It's the largest city on the coast. There are small pastures and farms outside the city, but it quickly changes to sand if you go south... My father did not approve of Manbu because the leopard was the son of an artisan. You see, my father being a proud merchant wanted me to marry someone of equal or greater social standing. Rather than marry who he wanted and go into his trade of cloth, I eloped with Manbu. I would sell what he could make. We did alright in the city and made a little money, but it wasn't enough. We were young, in love, and adventurous. Barely a year passed before we began traveling into the desert, aspiring to fulfill a mutual dream of exploring. We met so many different people and enjoyed the quiet nights together in the desert." Her smile faded a little.

"What happened?" It seemed like a perfect tale of happiness to the human.

"Our youthful luck ran out. Outside this town we were robbed by a group of bandits and beaten severely. We managed to walk into town and argued, blaming each other endlessly over our misfortune. The next few days we fought and argued before never speaking again to each other for years..." She shook her head solemnly at the result. "Now we both live miserably in La Selva, so close yet so far away. The only reason I walk by his workshop and chance getting hit by a pot is because I still yearn to hear his voice, albeit a yell. Don't make the same mistakes that I did." She kindly warned him. "It's too much to hate someone you love."

Joseph didn't know what to say after she finished her story. After all, the human did not expect getting himself tangled up in personal affairs on his way to the coast. A brief scene between the two where they could hear the splashes of playing children.

"Haven't you tried... talking to him?"

"You've seen what he does at the sight of me." She answered.

"Oh..." Joseph glanced down at the plate in his hands and remembered what he was at the stream to do. He hastily lowered the plate into the water again and wiped its smooth surface. The tigress's keen eyes watched him closely.

"Ah. You're washing them all wrong." She tittered. "Here, let me show you." The tigress reached out and snatched the plate from his hands. "Use your thumbs and rub in circles." Her hands diligently washed the hard surface, working all the pads on her hands until it gleamed brightly. Joseph expected her to hand it back, but was surprised to watch the feline bring the wet plate to her bosom. The tigress rubbed both sides, drying it off on her chest fur.

"Uh. What are you doing?" He snickered.

"Drying it." Zabunah took a moment to appreciate the cool water on her fur. "See how it gleams?" She held it up in the sunlight. "Now it's clean, and I'm not too hot."

"It must be your fur..." He mumbled and started washing another. "But I have a rag to dry them with." The tigress chuckled.

"Here. I'll dry them." She offered and placed the next one on her white tummy fur. Joseph merely shook his head and held back a laugh. "It feels better!" She laughed.

Inside Manbu's workshop Joseph was hard at work. Seated on a rug, he was surrounded by a few jars. In his hands was a large vase shaped pot made of clay, finely glazed to durable elegance. The human labored at whatever the old leopard needed him to do whether it was cleaning or assisting in making pottery.

"Make sure you clean them inside too." Manbu instructed. "I will be right back." He slipped out the shop, his tail disappearing behind him.

'I know. I know.' Joseph thoroughly cleaned the older earthen jars dutifully. He had only been working for Manbu the past five days, but it was hard and often meticulous work. The pay kept him from giving up. The leopard's workspace was once dirty and disorganized, but now it was more orderly since the human started working for the old cat. He could walk around from corner to corner without fear of his robe knocking something over. Manbu returned without a word and paced angrily around the shop.

"That's enough cleaning. Heat this furnace up." The old leopard ordered.

"Yes sir." Joseph quickly switched tasks and sat before the furnace. He added charcoal and started a fire while the leopard watched. When the fire had become hot enough, Manbu retrieved two blades in need of repair and a basin to hold water.

"Whom are those for?"

"A Kakuyid warrior." He answered and peered at the furnace. "And if they raise the taxes here I will raise my prices, then I will have to leave..." The old leopard spoke to himself. "That's good. Now go to one of the wells and fill this basin with water." The leopard handed him the odd item.

"What will you need it for?"

"To cool any hot metal, but first I need you to wash my paws." He spoke with a frown. "I cannot find my shoes and it's making me angry..." The human hesitated, hoping it was a dry joke, but a quick stern look from the spotted feline was anything but humorous.

"Alright..." Joseph took the basin and left the workshop. 'Maybe I should've stayed in Begum's house as her servant...' The human frowned and went to the well a short walk away. 'House chores aren't as bad as this.' He patiently waited for a father sand cat and his son before taking his turn at the well. The sun shining brightly above seemed to remind him of worse fates as he poured water. Joseph quickly returned and found Manbu seated on a small stool before the furnace, bringing its temperature up. A small anvil rested beside him. One of the swords was already held in a pair of metal thongs while the end of the blade was heating inside the furnace. The leopard's ear flicked.

"Bring the water here." He half turned on the stool. Joseph set it down only for a pair of paws to quickly splash into the water. A hasty sigh left the cat's lips while the human wiped his face. He begrudgingly knelt down in front of the basin, and dipped his hands inside. Retrieving a paw, he held it up and rubbed the leathery black padding. Joseph slightly grimaced and wanted to think about something else.

'Chiba... The coast... Zabunah. Wait.' Joseph remembered what the tigress had told him the other day, but still found everything hard to believe. His curiosity begged him to ask.

"I heard from someone that you once traveled with a tigress." He mentioned. The leopard frowned and grumbled.

"Who told you? All of that was a long time ago."

"Zabunah told me." He surprised Manbu. The leopard's tail flicked in annoyance at the tigress's name. "Is it all true?" He asked. The leopard's teeth clenched angrily.

"A lot happened between us." The big cat growled. "I don't want you to speak about her any-"

"She still loves you." Joseph firmly spoke. Silence was the only answer he received. For the first time the leopard had no biting retort. Not a word was spoken while Joseph fished out the leopard's other paw and cleaned it.

"Please, dry them." He quietly spoke when Joseph finished. The human fetched a rag and wiped the feline's paws dry. Manbu didn't lift his gaze from the basin of water, not even when Joseph stood up to leave. The human paused by the workshop's entrance and looked back.

"I'll see you tomorrow-"

"Take tomorrow off to rest." The cat waved for him to leave. Joseph lingered at the shop's open entryway before leaving. For once he felt pity for the old grouchy cat. Manbu was too stubborn to change his ways or realize that he still very much loved someone.