FSE

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Ayyal inched forward through the long, yellowing grass. The cheetah's slender body easily dodged the dry branches and the barely visible rocks that might have tripped him. He crawled low, silent in his flawless focus. From his vantage point on top of the elevated meadow, he observed the oasis.

The other cheetahs that he came across, from time to time, agreed; the dry season had been the harshest in living memory. Ayyal had met recently with the coalition controlling the territory around the edge of the forest. Three mature adults, stout males that looked hilariously alike, though only two of them were related by blood. They were known among the coalitions -- and even the loners -- to be expert hunters that fought seamlessly as a unit, with clubs and leather shields. The old one that had taken them in early on, and had trained them, was still part of their coalition, but he'd grown too weak to contribute to the hunts. Time had turned him into an annoying old coot with a pronounced tendency to "regale" his audiences with tales of how everything was gloriously harder in his days, but his trio of protégés would care for him until his last breath. In this case, however, even he didn't contest the brutality of the drought.

Since females had been spotted in the forest a few days prior, Ayyal hadn't exactly been welcomed with open arms, and moved on quickly from what was still, in the end, rival territory.

For predators, droughts represented both a boon and a curse. Prolonged dryness drastically increased water point frequentation -- ideal for setting ambushes -- but it also decimated the herds. The ever present impala had already become rare encounters as most of their tribes had moved away, starved, or had been slaughtered. Sure, competing predators generally avoided each other, but given the circumstances, some of the larger ones resolved to expand their hunting habits.

As Ayyal was painfully aware of, his kind was not one of the larger ones.

The cheetah had waited for quite some time. The oasis did appear deserted. Then again, that was the entire point of an ambush. An empty oasis was improbable, but not impossible. Sometimes, you just got there first. The hunter held his spear, and carefully emerged from the grass, dropping from the small ledge sloping sharply to the ground at water level, about a meter and a half below him. It made no sound. The air and water were motionless.

Ayyal advanced with a defensive half-crouch, constantly scanning around him for any movement, sound or smell. Ten steps away from the water's surface, he paused. If a stronger enemy lay in ambush, that would be the right moment to pounce from behind, forcing the cheetah to escape sideways, nullifying his considerable speed advantage as the threat would be able to flank him. He waited patiently under the spiteful sun. He'd begun to relax when he turned violently, and shoved his spear forward, reacting to a sudden noise even before the trigger entered his conscious mind.

A bird flew out of a bundle of reeds and other aquatic vegetation. It flapped in a semi-circle, and left. Reassured, Ayyal yet had one more extremely important thing to verify. The feline moved closer to the water, stooping to all fours. He inclined his head, parallel to the water's surface, and studied it lengthily. He waited several minutes in this position. Some crocs were known for holding their breath for impressively long periods. No movements whatsoever.

At last, Ayyal breathed. He stood, more confident. The oasis was his. He dropped his small bag of equipment, thrust his spear in the soil, right next to him, and bent over the water. Forming a cup with his hands, he brought the fresh liquid to his face and lapped it up with great contentment. Now that he had water, the weather didn't seem as bad. He filled the two hide pouches that hung at his side with water. While he did so, the cheetah scrutinized the circular edge of the pond, evaluating what would be the best spot to lie in wait.

The deadly jaws jumped up from almost directly under him with an explosion of water. Ayyal jerked his head away in a panic, and miraculously managed to evade the impeccable attack. His position was very, very bad. Soon, understanding filled his brain. He wouldn't escape. The burly green body moved upon him from too close. In fact, he should have been already done for, but the terrible maw had snapped slowly.

Slowly?

The feline frantically struggled to push himself back to his paws and away from the pond, but the reptilian killer had already seized one of his wrists. It pulled with irresistible force. Ayyal plunged headfirst in the water, as the croc used the opportunity to wrap itself around its prey's chest, seeking a lethal throat hold. The croc sunk with his victim deeper in the advantageous water environment. Ayyal used everything. Claws, elbows, punches, vicious biting; nothing turned out particularly effective underwater against the rough scaly hide. He squirmed pointlessly as if against death itself. The croc continued to gain ground and, with a victorious grin, managed to lock Ayyal's right arm with its elbow while pushing itself up. Its jaws opened wide, and thrust forward in a firm grip around its victim's neck. That would do it. The cheetah accepted his end, and went limp as the hold tightened and choked him, hoping his demise would be quick.

Seec, however, had different plans.

Sensing the soft, warm throat well in control between his teeth, Seec repositioned himself. He slipped his left arm around the feline's shoulders and his right arm around his waist for better support, and rose. He emerged out of the water with his catch, and carried the both of them toward the soil.

-- Reeds, he mumbled as best he could while maintaining someone in his jaws.

Ayyal had been waiting for the world to go black, and for himself to dissolve into nothingness. Why was the reptile talking to him? He grumbled a non-response, expecting to die at any moment.

Seec lowered himself over his prey, pressing on both of his upper arms to pin him down. After feeling the exquisite warm blood pumping one last time with his tongue, he let go of his chokehold. He stretched his jaws, and licked his teeth, staring the cheetah in the face.

"Reeds," he repeated. "You forgot to consider the reeds. I could breathe underwater."

Ayyal didn't respond. The heavy reptile still kept him firmly restrained, but he'd let go of a throat chokehold. What kind of predator did that?

"I'm going to let go of you soon. In the meantime, I'd like you to be as calm as possible."

None of that made any sense. That lizard was crazy, no doubt about it. He did act cool and collected, though. He hunted competently too.

-- Why didn't you bite my head? Why did you hesitate?

-- I didn't hesitate. I had to control my movement not to kill you. I held back too much, so I missed.

Ayyal wriggled a little. Not a chance. The croc worried.

"Please don't do that. Stay calm."

-- What do you want?

The reptile grinned maliciously, exposing his unending rows of pointy teeth. Ayyal opened wide eyes. He realized it was probably not meant as a threat, but it was nightmarish nonetheless. His captor appeared not to notice his alarm.

-- That's the question isn't it? There is no point in discussing that right now though. Be patient. Breathe. I won't hurt you.

The both of them remained in place for multiple minutes. Through his wet tribal clothes, Ayyal could feel the life coursing under the shapely reptile's flesh. He sat practically naked on top of him, wearing only a large fish skin loincloth around his waist, and a teeth necklace on his chest. His expression flickered between concern and a faint smile.

After a while, Ayyal had enough.

-- I am calm.

Seec squinted, attempting to measure the truth of the last statement. He decided that he had no reason not to believe it. He shook his head humorously, with a sigh.

-- Alright. I'm letting go of you, but don't run away. Stay.

Seec didn't move.

-- You're not letting go, the captive cheetah pointed out.

-- Yes, yes. I just -- don't run.

After a final hesitation, Seec released his hold and immediately stepped away toward the pond, raising his palms in peace. The agile feline bounced to his paws and leaped backward, putting even more distance between the two. Seec could perceive genuine surprise and confusion in his expression. That was one cheetah who didn't believe he would actually be freed even for a single moment, he mused.

The pair faced each other, like duelists at high noon. Except that neither of them knew nor would ever know what a cowboy was, so that analogy sure was wasted.

At first, both were surprised. The spotted hunter resisted an urge, an overwhelming drive to run the hell away. By moving toward the water, the croc hadn't even boxed him in. He could escape in a completely straight line at any moment, and this overgrown lizard wouldn't have a shadow of a chance to catch up. After a time, he noticed that he didn't run. Weird. Perhaps the fact that he didn't was due in great part to the simple guarantee that he could.

As seconds went by, the reptile's look changed from astonishment to an ever more delighted smirk. His posture sunk in, confident. He lowered his palms.

"Wow," he said in a devious tone.

-- What?

-- You didn't run.

Ayyal felt slightly insulted. He shrugged.

-- And?

-- Nothing. It's just the first time it happens. They all run. It's the smart thing to do, you know.

The absurdity was mind-numbing. Ayyal couldn't efficiently process this level of insane. All emotions dropped from his face and voice.

-- You can't be meaning that you do this regularly.

-- Yeah. Well, I did it a couple of times, but it's never gotten interesting before. Not like this. Now we can talk.

-- Why?

-- Because you're not afraid of me.

Ayyal took a moment to deal with the situation. He began to seriously question the reason for his staying there. The reptile in front of him was getting intensely excited, but he had to know.

-- Why did you spare my life?

As he said the words, Ayyal realized that they were true.

-- I never had any intention to harm you. If you can believe anything I say, believe this.

-- Okay. You had me and you let me go. I believe you. Why did you need to prove that? What do you want?

Seec closed his eyes. He laughed no longer. He was tranquil and resolved.

-- I want you to be mine for a little while. I want to feel you surrender in my claws. I want to break the warm chirping of insects with your helpless squeals of pleasure. I want to see you beg on your knees for me, and most absolutely important of all, I want you to mean it when you do.

Seec braced himself for a reaction. He could see that his partner was less than convinced. He had no practice with that part, but it didn't scare him. Heck, it was already fun.

Ayyal, on the other hand, was unimpressed. He couldn't believe this was the reason behind all the fear he'd just been through.

-- Of all the stupid self-indulgent morons in the world, you have to be the stupidest and most moronic.

The stupid moron kept his aggravating smile.

-- So... you're not interested then?

-- If that's what you wanted all along, why didn't you just fuck me when you could like the beast you are?

The beast squinted.

-- I think you're missing the part of that scenario where you'd be participating in it because you'd want to. It was sort of the point.

Ayyal let loose a half-nervous, half-mocking laughter.

-- Of all the things... So you attacked me, held me against my will, and, because you let me go, you now think that I will happily serve as a plaything to you? You are deranged. Just deeply, deeply crazy.

The croc lowered his head, and raised his palms again, afraid the feline might bolt.

-- Hey, I get it. You make a good point, I don't deny that. Maybe I am crazy, but look here from my perspective. Firstly, I chose you because I was attracted to you. I don't just pick anyone convenient, or I would have chosen someone else. Now, you're a cat. Consider the-

-- Cheetah.

-- Cheetah, yes, sorry. Consider the unhelpful context, though. I couldn't exactly just walk to you and go "here kitty, kitty, I promise I won't eat your head". I had to not eat your head first to even get you to listen. Secondly, I don't think that you're stupid, and that you'll do what I want because you think you owe me. I proposed something that you can accept, or refuse as you wish. Letting you go wasn't supposed to serve as a way to coerce you, it was meant to demonstrate that the proposal was legitimate, and not a trap. Lastly, the "not crazy" thing to do was to run away as soon as I stopped pinning you to the dirt, so you're right there with me.

Ouch. Stunned, Ayyal staggered a bit, rubbing his forehead and trying to figure out what he was still doing there. He'd been angry a minute ago. Then he was just confused. That strange croc was obviously not hostile. Still...

-- I don't get it.

-- Can I take a step forward?

The cheetah emerged from his torpor when the crazy lizard motioned to move.

-- Stay right the fuck where you are, or I'll be gone faster than you can blink.

Seec immediately desisted, returning to his standing posture.

-- Okay, okay. Don't run. I just wanted to get a little bit closer so that we would be more comfortable to talk.

-- Don't you dare budge a toe.

-- Oh, I get it. Okay.

Ayyal didn't know what it was that the reptile had "gotten," and was too busy to care.

-- Why me? Why do you think submitting to you might be something that I'd want?

The croc seemed surprised.

-- That's not something specific to you, don't take it like that. I figure anyone would want to submit to me. I'm a sexy hunk.

And that turned out to be beyond Ayyal's mental fortitude, after the severe stress. He burst out laughing. For some reason, hearing it put in that silliest, most outrageous of ways helped him feel a whole lot better. He sneaked a peak at the bewildered reptile between two spasms, and it just made him laugh some more.

He was. That, he was.

Seec was getting contaminated by the feline's laughter, and began to chuckle as well.

"Somehow, I don't think I'm being taken seriously."

Ayyal finally got himself under control. He rubbed his short snout with two fingers.

-- I concede that you don't seem like a bad guy, but-

-- I don't know about that.

The mood shifted.

Ayyal tilted his head, as if the new angle would help him better corner the reptile.

-- What do you mean?

Seec gazed through the hunter. Nobody could have been certain of whom he was addressing at this point.

-- From a good grip, it takes me eight seconds flat to turn someone like you into a floating chunk of meat. I know that for a fact. It's a matter of body weight and angle. I know what blood tastes mixed in water. I know how to spin to tear the skin and muscles away from the freshest carcasses. I know what it is to bite on a throat and sense a beating life waver and falter. I'm more powerful than any god for eight seconds, but that's not why I do it. I do it because those are the rules. I have to eat. Someone has to die for me. It doesn't seem fair, but I didn't ask for this. Do I have to choose between starvation and guilt because some rules I didn't design are unfair? No. This time, I'll stand out of those rules. I'll do something that doesn't make sense. I have to have power? Fine. Here's what I want to do with it, because I'm not just an animal that survives. I exist. I live. I get to seek things that I want, that make me happy. Do you know what would make me really happy? To have someone else welcome that power, for once. To make them scream in joy instead of in pain. That's what I want.

Ayyal gave the reptile a few moments. It had seemed taxing to get this off his chest. The cheetah smiled kindly.

-- Yeah, you are crazy.

-- Ha. Ha.

-- You can't hate yourself for wanting to live. We have to kill; we're hunters. We die too in the end.

The wide green head oscillated dramatically.

-- Don't give me that cycle of life nonsense. I kill every two weeks. I won't balance a lifetime of that by turning into enough grass for one meal. I don't hate myself either. I'm naturally a threat. I just want it to be a good threatiness, this time.

-- Threatiness?

The croc shrugged.

"So you want to use your big natural lethal reptile meanness to pleasure me?"

-- That's pretty much it, yes.

Ayyal turned away.

-- I empathize, but I don't think I can help you. I'm not that way. That wouldn't please me.

The eyes. Some deep malicious spirit nestled behind the reptile's eyes at that moment. He responded slowly, with very obvious comical irony in his words. Yet Ayyal couldn't figure out why. Something was up.

-- Oh, I understand. I absolutely get it. Submission's not your thing.

-- Precisely. I'm glad you understand.

The croc was way too satisfied with himself. He continued:

-- I guess I shouldn't be that surprised that some people can resist the notion of an assertive male having his pride and self-image bruised, as he humiliatingly has to offer himself to the whims of a dangerous adversary. One would obviously be very anxious at the prospect of such a total loss of control. Your disinterest is no surprise.

-- Uh...

That devious reptile was pulling something. He was pulling something, plain as day. Ayyal wasn't sure what it was yet, and it made him uneasy.

-- I mean, can you imagine the gratification of the other guy? How frustrating it would be for one to know what a potent object of satisfaction he was being shaped into, with no recourse whatsoever but to witness his own growing acquiescence, while his master toyed with his fate.

Freaking lizard was making him hard. Ayyal was being baited, sure, but he couldn't spot the hook yet. The croc was much more cunning than he'd given him credit for. Ayyal began to grasp how dangerous it could get to hang around him.

-- Just what are you going on about?

-- I'm merely stating that I get your reticence. You will leave because the notion of a male grabbing power over another by lording something over their head is unattractive to you, and there is nothing I can do about it.

-- Okay, I'm not dense; I can see that you're trying to pull me in, but what are you talking about? What leverage do you have over me?

With an utterly exaggerated dramatic pose, Seec sprung his trap. With an open palm, he designated himself with a perplexed air.

-- Me? I have no idea what you're implying. We both know that you would get no pleasure from anything I have to offer. No. I was talking about you. I'm surprised you don't take advantage.

Ayyal blinked. Uh oh.

-- Surely, you don't mean-

-- You're the one who has something I desperately desire. You know that I can't take it by force. You've already demonstrated mastery over me, by threatening me into staying put right where I am this very moment. If I moved without your permission, I'd lose your trust, and I need it. I seem to be quite stuck.

The cheetah didn't react too overtly, but Seec noticed his gaze wandering around his smooth scales. He adopted a straight standing pose, and joined his arms behind his back.

"Since I can't move, why don't you come over here instead and... take advantage a little."

Ayyal felt that hook deep into his erect cock. Damn lizard was smarter than him; he was sure about it at this point. If he stepped forward, that story would end badly, no doubt about it.

But he SO did want to know what the reptile would let him do!

He prudently circled around the scaly statue.

-- You're really not going to hurt me if I get close, right? You won't pounce on me, and laugh, and say that I was really stupid for ever trusting you, right?

-- My understanding is that we've established that, yes. If I had any interest in that sort of thing, I would have done so earlier. I'm standing here, powerless. What are you going to do about it?

Ayyal continued his round, edgy and excited at the notion that this mighty apex predator would yield to him in some undefined ways. The unknown element made the prospect even more inciting. He worked to convince himself to move closer, attempting to evaluate his actual safety.

-- What if I let you believe that you might get what you want only to take advantage, and then I ran?

Seec allowed his amusement to show. He threw the cheetah an ostentatious glance.

-- Then I would be unable to do anything about that. You're in complete control.

-- It wouldn't be fair to you.

Seec shook his head and grinned nastily.

-- No, it wouldn't. Isn't that exciting? You're in a position to be unfair to me.

Ayyal was burning up. He gave in for a single step. A single step, however, was meaningless without the next, and the one after that. He had plunged.

Seec watched the cheetah's advance with hidden exhilaration. The cat stopped about a meter away.

-- What's your name?

-- I'm Seec.

-- Seec. I like it. It's very noble.

-- What about you? What's your name?

-- Ayyal.

-- I would have guessed. It sounds warm and soft, with hidden claws.

Ayyal's brow rose. He showed his hand. The claws were clearly visible.

-- They're not retractable.

-- They're not?

-- Not fully, nope.

-- Don't they get blunt then?

-- Just like yours.

-- That's too bad, mocked Seec. You could've traced them along my bare throat. That would've showed me who's boss.

Ayyal closed the gap from behind, and dug his fingers in Seec's neck, over his shoulder. Ayyal's claws weren't that blunt. The startled reptile twitched within the feline's hold.

-- Who's boss, now? whispered Ayyal, breathing on the offered nape.

-- Show me.

Ayyal stood, pressing his chest against Seec's back, while the reptile had one of his most fragile parts explored and dominated. Ayyal pushed under the chin, tilting the proud head back, and increasing the surface for his claws to play with. He fondled and poked around the exposed area covered in tiny delicate scales. Where he felt the life pumping hardest under his fingers, he squeezed, overflowing with delight as Seec's entire body tensed up helplessly.

-- How's that feel?

The reptile hummed briefly.

-- Nobody has ever had me by the throat before. Maybe I'm finally about to be put in my place.

Ayyal couldn't have resisted even if he'd wanted to at this point. Seec's presence intoxicated him, and he could only desire more. His exhilaration reached unmentionable proportions, but he didn't know how to express it in actions. He discovered his unpreparedness with some very real anguish. He couldn't possibly waste this.

Seec picked up on the cheetah's distress. He gently turned his head to give him a side glance.

"Keep it simple, one thing at a time. You have me. What would you like to do with me, right now?"

Ayyal breathed heavily, grasping his reptile with increased vigor.

-- I want to taste you.

-- Do that.

Ayyal opened his maw, and rested his fangs in the tender area between Seec's shoulder and neck. He caressed the scales with his dry tongue, and then did it again more forcefully with saliva, and then much more saliva. Seec tasted like living rock. Seec tasted like wet moss and dry musk. Seec tasted like the force of nature that he was, and no one else would know that but Ayyal. He bit so that his teeth would plow between the scales, and scratch the flesh. He growled. He grabbed hungrily at the slick body. Seec passively suffered the touches on and under his muscular arms; the aggressive, claws-out stroking of his sides and belly; and the fingers boldly slipping their tips under his loincloth to grope his lower waist and haunches. All the while, Ayyal rubbed his chest against Seec's bare back, creating currents of electrical pleasure through the fabric of his clothes.

The cheetah kept going until his prey relaxed, and accepted his bite. Only then did he release. He viewed the dripping mess he'd made on Seec's shoulder. In a moment of possessive inspiration, he rubbed his hand in it and reached around the reptile, spreading cold saliva over his pectorals and abdomen. He wrapped the lizard with his arm. Resting his muzzle against the upper back before him, Ayyal experienced magical contentment. Briefly. When he breathed in, the smell of Seec's saliva-covered flesh juiced him right back up.

Obviously, his mark insufficiently covered his reptile.

Caught in a pleasurable frenzy, Ayyal circled around Seec. He spat in his hand. He felt more rewarded than ever before in his existence when the immobile Seec dutifully endured his chest being smeared, and even directly spat on multiple times. Ayyal stepped back, in a near daze, to admire his work, panting.

"That's harsh."

-- Shut up.

-- Sorry, the croc ironically intoned.

White bubbly spit trickled along the sculpted torso. Some had even landed on his teeth necklace. Though Seec remained expressionless, he looked nothing like a threatening force anymore. He looked pathetic, getting disciplined, and Ayyal had done that. The intensity of this experience surpassed any other notion of "fun" he'd ever had. He contemplated Seec, ever loyal, patiently waiting to be used. Didn't he have enough? No? Perfect. Ayyal studied the scratches, the bite mark and the disgraceful spittle that would soon reach the thick scaled loincloth wrapped around his waist. A renewed tremor of wicked anticipation traversed him. He could do better.

Ayyal grunted. He walked brazenly to his devoted Seec, stepped around to his side and, without a word, undid the lacing on his lower body garment which fell with a thud in a bundle around his ankles. Ayyal himself was shocked by how quickly it happened.

Suddenly, Seec stood completely nude before him. He couldn't help but take in the sight, under his large tail, of his strong, rounded ass surmounting his slightly spread thighs. He'd begun circling around the reptile for a better view without even realizing it. He caught a glimpse of his balls, hanging in the dark zone between his legs. When he reached the front, he viewed Seec's limp penis over his sack. One single trickle of saliva had nearly reached it. It would, soon. The picture was... a lot. Ayyal turned away.

The rapturous power didn't merely feel good this time. It felt wrong too. Ayyal was intimidated.

What had he done to Seec? It seemed terrible. Wasn't this going too far?

On the other hand, all of this belonged to him. That turned out to be a tough call to ignore.

Ayyal steeled himself. He went around his reptile again. He slipped a hand under his remarkably weighty tail, and lifted it up and to the side, fully exposing his bare butt. With his other hand, he slapped it timidly. There had been no strength, and the angle hadn't been right. It'd been absolutely pitiable, but his reptile didn't dare make a comment. Nevertheless, he made sure to nail it the second time. He smacked that ass and the impact echoed around the oasis. It really, actually hurt his hand. Somehow that made it even more fulfilling. It gave him a taste of the punishment inflicted to Seec's bottom. Ayyal shook, and stretched his hand, spat in it, and delivered another potent spank that, this time, provoked a delectable shiver in the stoic reptile. Ayyal knew he definitely had his attention then.

-- Spread your legs, Seec. Wider.

Ayyal immediately detected the hesitation. It fired him up. The feline pulled the croc's tail up against his back, and wedged it in place with his own body. He used his newly freed hand to take hold firmly of the area where he'd bitten earlier and roughly held the reptile in check.

"You said it yourself. You're mine, Seec. Obey me."

Keeping Seec in position, Ayyal swung his hand away. He grunted: "Right now!" At the same time, he delivered yet another colossal spank to the side of the exposed buttocks. The blow echoed. Seec groaned in indignant acquiescence, finally spreading his legs entirely for Ayyal. That overly stretched position couldn't be in any way comfortable.

The pleasure centers in Ayyal's brain were flaring up uncontrollably. Every single new moment of this afternoon was the best moment ever. He'd finally found something that Seec wasn't prepared for, and had managed to truly make him yield to him. He couldn't possibly stop anymore.

Ayyal leaned back to catch a view of Seec's spread-out cheeks. He wasn't disappointed. He could see everything. He took a moment to absorb the fact that Seec's darker ring of flesh was right there for his entertainment and consideration. He looked at that for a while as Seec gave out annoyed grunts because of the stressful position he'd been forced in. He was tough, though. He could take it.

Ayyal slapped his hand forcefully into Seec's most intimate areas and touched greedily. Attentive to the shape and texture of the rift, he welcomed the thrilling knowledge. Almost by itself, his other hand returned to the exposed throat and lounged triumphantly. He fondled between his prize's buttocks. He made sure to insist on his anus, molesting it with two fingers, pushing against it and fiddling around for no other reason than to illustrate a point.

"All of this is mine, too."

Ayyal's hand reached the base of Seec's firm ballsack. He captured it with yet another gratifying grunt from the vanquished. The time had come to demonstrate his supremacy. He squeezed. With Ayyal's hands fully enclosing the mass of his reptile from top to bottom, the cheetah immediately felt the violent reaction throughout said mass. Seec, noticeably struggling to keep his legs where he had been ordered to, twisted and wriggled in silent supplication.

"Bend, Seec. Bend over."

Ayyal towered in amazement when Seec's strong and punished shape hastily surrendered. He adjusted the reptile's angle to his preference with blinding, searing bolts of stimulation wracking his mind, and pushed his groin against the sexually offered body. His blood filled with adrenaline. Trembling, he fought against his own waistband. His shaky fingers were barely up to the job.

Then the unstoppable and familiar force from earlier caught his forearm, making him release his own grip on Seec's manhood in response. He'd forgotten to let go.

-- That's enough.

Seec straightened his back, closed his legs, and wiped his chest with his free hand. Suddenly, Ayyal wasn't drunk anymore. Parts of reality that had been obscured came back to him like a slap in the face. Seec was not his. He was a robust, lethal destroyer that could snap him like a twig with little effort. Ayyal stood well within his reach. He also had just done things to him that might more than qualify as provocation. Yet terror didn't fill the cheetah's mind.

As expected, Seec quickly loosened his fist. Ayyal's arm went free. He became flustered.

-- I'm, I'm sorry. I went too far.

-- Don't be. Your grasp was a bit tight, but the general direction was...

Seec hesitated. His overtly malicious tone returned.

"... Pretty compelling, for someone uninterested. Come. Talk to my face."

Ayyal felt judged, and somewhat shameful. He padded meekly around.

-- I never said I wasn't interested. I said I didn't want to be...

The sentence trailed off. There was no obvious way to make it sound good.

-- In my place?

Ayyal rubbed his soft hands together.

-- I guess that makes me kind of a jerk.

Seec sighed and smiled.

-- Did you enjoy yourself just now?

-- Yeah.

The reptile expected more. He gestured to invite Ayyal to go on.

"I don't know. I felt powerful. It was fun."

-- Nothing about you changed compared to a while ago when you thought you were alone in the oasis, though.

-- I guess not. But then you were standing there. You said I could use you.

Seec cocked his head to the side with a puzzling glance.

-- Was that you being powerful or me being vulnerable?

Ayyal considered.

-- Uh, both?

-- Was it sexy, having me bend to your will?

-- Shit, yes.

It really had been sexy. Ayyal was still rock-hard, and starting to fear that he would only get some release later. Alone.

-- What was your favorite part? The most exciting.

Ayyal hesitated. It was an embarrassingly revealing question to answer. All the same, he attempted to respond.

-- When I, I slapped your ass, and you spread your legs.

-- I see. You caught me off-guard at that moment. You went further and faster that I'd anticipated. You adroitly put me back in my place.

Ayyal laughed nervously at the strange compliment.

-- Heh. Yeah, I guess.

-- What was it that made it even better than the rest?

-- I could tell that you were hesitant. I made you do something you didn't want to do. It felt wrong but also really good. Before that, I figured you merely liked that sort of thing, so the power wasn't real. After, I thought back to when you said you were stuck with obeying me, and I wondered.

-- If it was true?

-- Yeah.

-- It was all true. All that happened was what you made happen. If you'd done something different, that would have happened instead. But I want to leave that aside for now. You detected a boundary in me, and you successfully pushed against it. That proved your power was real. Right?

-- Yes! That's exactly it.

-- Do you think I would have gently stood to attention for you if I didn't want that sort of boundary to be challenged in the first place?

Ayyal meditated on that for eight seconds.

-- I don't think so.

-- Hmm. What do you think I felt when I opened my legs?

-- Humiliated. Lowered in some way. Uncomfortable.

-- Humiliated? Yes. It did feel strange to have a silly kitten access me like so. You enjoyed making me that way. Do you assume it was as sexy for me as it was for you while it happened?

Ayyal pretended to be unsure. He knew.

-- I don't know.

He decided not to be dishonest.

"Yeah, I guess it was sexy for you too."

-- Why?

-- How would I know? It just was! You watched yourself be made to submit. Maybe you liked feeling desirable.

-- Sure I did. That's not the only thing I enjoyed. I enjoyed being vulnerable.

Ayyal paused.

-- Why would anyone enjoy that?

-- Vulnerability isn't bad. Vulnerable means that your ability to shield yourself is low. It makes you aware. It makes your body compensate for that by getting more sensitive, more jumpy. Everything is more intense. If you're afraid, it makes it way worse. If you feel safe, it can increase the good things too. When you touched me, when I witnessed myself allowing it, it told me that I was vulnerable. It told it to you too. That's the power you felt. You saw me getting receptive to you. You got off on what I felt. I may have sacrificed comfortable pride, but I received unique intensity in return. Something you experienced only by proxy as we fed on each other's pleasure. I was the oasis. You merely dipped into it.

Ayyal hadn't considered the possibility that submissiveness might be more fun than mastery or power. It seemed counterintuitive to him.

-- Really?

-- I believe so, yes.

-- Until the "fun" went in a direction you didn't like.

-- What do you mean?

-- You stopped me.

A dark, heavy veil of gravity fell upon Seec.

-- That's because I didn't engage in our little playtime for pleasure, regardless of the fact that I experienced it. I did it for the singular purpose of getting you to do something specific.

-- A trade? Really?

-- No, Ayyal. Not a trade. Again, this is not about fair. I want you to give yourself over, so I needed you to understand why you'd do it. I don't give a shit about fair. I think I've been quite patient, but it's time to drop this charade. I'm in power. We both know it, and now you're going to acknowledge that. You will acknowledge it repeatedly and degradingly until I decide otherwise. I will give orders, and you will heed them because you want to. The result of this, I sincerely believe, will be the most pleasurable experience of your life. If you disagree, run. Run away to your amply deserved boring afternoon.

Touché. A boring afternoon was a nightmarish notion to Ayyal after this buildup. The sudden change in Seec's attitude was disquieting. He seemed meaner and manipulative, nothing like the goofy, playful sexy hunk that he'd been thus far. Yet, it made him even more compelling.

The cheetah found himself trapped. Running never even entered his mind as an applicable plan. Maybe he did want... whatever Seec was offering. At the same time, how could he wish for something so radical? He decided he might be able to argue the details and figure himself out.

-- Seec. Be reasonable. I'm not saying no, but surely you can see that what you're asking of me is completely different from what you've demonstrated. You're bigger and stronger than I am. If I gave myself to you, I would be completely unable to stop you from doing anything. While you were obeying me, you were perfectly safe. I couldn't have used force against you.

-- Yet you approached me. I wasn't any less of a threat because I was behaving docilely. You may actually believe that is the reason for your hesitation, but I know better. If you don't already trust me, nothing you've done so far makes any sense. I don't buy it. You're going to submit to me. I will be lethal. I will hold you, and, every second, you will remember that this hold could crush you. You will know a vulnerability that I can't even conceive of, and I will put that vulnerability to use. My control over you will be absolute. Every part of you will be at my service. You want those prideful boundaries of yours to be violently rammed, and they will be. I refuse to hear any further excuses for weaseling out of something that I know you desire. You will do as I say. You will do it now. You will do it for fun.

Seec took a deep breath.

"Walk up to me."

Ayyal walked. His mind emptied out. He could scarcely comprehend what was going on. He stood right in Seec's face.

-- When did it happen? When did you get total control over me?

-- When you forgot about the reeds.

-- It's scary.

-- Yes. Unknown is scary. Vulnerability is scary. Scary is fine. Do you feel safe?

-- I just said I'm scared.

Seec sighed in exasperation.

-- Do you have any actual doubt that, later, when I'm done with you, you will have suffered no significant or permanent harm? Be honest.

-- I'm not sure.

The crocodile blinked. Then he frenzied.

-- Then what the hell are you doing here? Are you fully insane?

-- That's not what I meant! I trust your intentions, but what are you? Perfect? What about an accident or something?

The reptile instantly calmed down.

-- Hmm. I see. That's legitimate. I can promise that I'll be careful with you. Unfortunately, unless you can get over this, we can't do anything.

Ayyal lowered his head and closed his eyes. He made up his mind.

-- You really, really won't let anything bad happen to me? You swear?

-- Nothing bad that you would regret afterwards. I solemnly swear, inasmuch as I'm able to prevent it.

Ayyal sighed.

-- Fine. Order me around.