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Karla aggressively stabbed at the fire with a stick, stoking the flames with all the force and energy she might otherwise be using to attack opponents. The others around the campfire occasionally exchanged a worried glance, but had so far not said anything. It was, eventually, Ciera who spoke up.

"I-It's nothing to worry about, Karla, I'm sure we just started off somewhere quiet. Maybe-"

"It's too quiet! Do you really think the Judges would give us half a damn forest to wander in without putting some kind of obstruction or someone to fight nearby? We've missed something...for all we know someone is_already_ stalking us, waiting for us to slip up. We just haven't noticed."

At this, Vivian spoke up. "You're just nervous, Karla. Understandably so. The limited research we have on the Tournament suggests that the first few days could always be quiet. Maybe it's just time to let everyone get familiar with their surroundings."

"Besides, there's no one following us," Chester said, his eyes gleaming slightly in the darkness at the edges of the campfire light. "I'd know if there were. While I'm sure anyone joining this tournament is familiar with shapeshifters, I doubt anyone is shying away from every mouse, bird, or bat trying to keep their presence hidden."

"See?" Ciera said, "Sometimes quiet is just...quiet. We'll be fine! We'll keep traveling in the morning, heading towards the center, and if we're lucky we might not see anyone at all!"

"That wouldn't be good either!" Karla yelled back, her cat-like tail twitching anxiously behind her, "The Judges hate it when people avoid fights. We need them to be on our side, it's an open secret how much they interfere with the Tournament! We need to find someone early, someone we can show off our skills on, so the Judges keep an eye on us. So that we know they're paying attention when we really start kicking ass..."

Vivian took a long drag off of her pipe, pointedly blowing a smoke ring in Karla's direction. She smiled when Karla scrunched up her face in annoyance, the smell clearly bothering her.

"I have an idea," Vivian said, sitting up slightly from her reclined position. "What if we split up? We could cover a bit more ground-"

"Please, that's a terrible idea! All it takes is for one of the four of us to be taken out of commission and we'll have no chance of winning. This is a team effort! The moment one of us loses, you can bet the first change someone inflicts on the loser is going to be something as debilitating as the judges will allow..."

Vivian stared at Karla, deliberately waiting for her to finish to show her annoyance at the interruption.

"As I was saying...We should split up. Not all four of us, I'm saying you should go off on your own. The three of us can handle anything that pops up just fine, and you're the strongest among us here. You should be just fine for some light scouting, and your quiet enough and quick on your feat, so it shouldn't be too risky."

"Isn't Rochester already scouting around though? How would that help?"

"I've told you to just call me Chester," he interjected, "And we'd still cover more ground. Ciera is a skilled healer, and Vivian is well equipped to deal with any of the more devious opponents. You are strong willed, strong bodied, and a well rounded fighter. In a straight fight, you're at least equivalent to the three of us."

"That won't matter if they fight us in a one-on-one duel!"

"Then we lose! It will be just ONE fight. What's the worst they'll do? Change one of us so bad they can't walk straight? Make us forget how to fight? There's plenty of artifacts scattered around to recover from the worst they'll do, and covering more ground gives us a chance to _find some_before everyone else does."

Karla sat back, clearly trying to think of a convincing argument. Eventually, however, her shoulders seemed to slump in defeat."Fine! Fine. We split up tomorrow morning. We can find each other using the rings they gave us for the Tournament, so no need to set up a meeting place. I'll catch up to you in a day or so, and if it went well we'll split up every other day or so to cover more ground."

"Good! We'll see you then. Try not to lose to some deviant wannabe warrior out there, okay kitten?" Chester said with a smirk.

Karla eyes filled with rage, but she bit her tongue and went back to angrily poking at the campfire. They all needed to be diplomatic if they were going to win this, and Chester was too skilled to lose over some squabble. Even if he was an asshole.

The next day, Karla gathered her things just before the sun rose, said her goodbyes to Vivian (Ciera had a habit of sleeping in, and like hell was she saying anything to Chester), and set off into the forest.

Hours later, she had never been more grateful to be in studded leather as opposed to heavier armor. Trekking through the forest, especially while trying to stay quiet, would have been exhausting otherwise. It didn't help that it tended to be difficult to find full sets of plate mail and such with the hips appropriately proportioned for her...although at least in her case, the breastplate often only needed slight adjustments. Heavy armor had it's place, she'd seen enough battlefields to appreciate the protection it offers when used properly, but for more general use? Leather was the better fit every time.

This train of thought was part of what caused her to be so surprised when she noted the glint of metal in the distance. From what she could tell, someone up ahead had, in fact, been trekking through the forest in full plate mail. She needed to sneak a bit closer, see how dangerous this person was...

"You're not as sneaky as you think, you know!"

The shout took her by surprise, as whoever it was turned to face her hiding spot between the trees. He lifted his sword to point at her, which even at this distance seemed fairly ornate, and said "I challenge you to a duel."

The words were barely loud enough to hear at the distance she was, but the sudden warmth she felt from the ring on her finger told her it's magic had activated. Damn it. There was no backing out now. Still, there was time for introductions.

She stepped forward, closing the distance between them slightly, and said "I'd ask what gave me away, but I doubt you'd tell me. Names Karla."

"Percival," he said, sticking the tip of his sword in the ground and leaning on it, "And no, I don't think I will. You seem new to the Tournament?"

"That obvious?"

"There's a certain...ease...that comes with repeated attempts at victory. You'll find that experienced contenders rarely seem surprised or anxious about the events that take place here. At some point, you've seen it all."

"I take it you're a veteran of the Tournament then?"

"Oh, a veteran of many things, but yes."

Karla was surprised by that, given that he appeared quite young, and without a scar on his body. He was maybe a year or two older than her, and she had just turned twenty-two a few months ago. It was rare for someone to be a truly experienced warrior that young, but then again, if she could do it...

"Well, if you really are that experienced...this should be an interesting fight!"

"Hah, it will be, especially since I'm willing to bet this is your first fight in this setting. You are aware that no real injury can take place? Paid attention to the rules you accepted when you became a contender?"

"Yes, but what does that change? I can still win, if it works the way they said it does."

"I think you'll find that a verbal explanation does not really do it justice. Well, let's say we start on the count of three?"

Karla had spent the conversation trying to get a read on her opponent, but there was too little to work off of. He didn't seem easy to taunt or cajole into making a mistake, and his piercing blue eyes seemed supernaturally observant, never seeming to leave her gaze and yet reacting to even the slightest movement in his peripheral. His light blonde hair seemed altogether too well-kept for someone traveling and fighting, plus his armor was practically gleaming. Had he been waiting here since the Tournament began a day or two ago?

"Very well. On three!"

"One. Two. Three!"

Damn, he moved fast! For all the heaviness of his plate armor, he seemed to move as if it was made of air. It had to be enchanted, or made of some material she'd never heard of! He was also a skilled swordsman, same as her, and so the only advantage she had was that she seemed to be a bit quicker when it came to reflex. She silently thanked her father, a full blooded beastman, for the cat-like reflexes and speed he had passed down to her.

It was only seconds into the fight when she scored her first hit, a glancing blow across his armor. She was surprised by the lack of resistance, and then realized that this, too, was part of the magic of the tournament. The armor clearly weakened her blow, but didn't actually stop it. Her sword carried through, slicing through his arm slightly, the only evidence of any injury the faint wisp of magic that followed the arc of her blade as it passed through.

The shock broke her concentration, and he managed to get his sword through her own shoulder, piercing it with his thinner, longer blade. She jumped back reflexively, expecting pain, but only felt a sudden exhaustion. So, this is what it felt like to be "injured" in the Tournament...

"You're looking a bit unsteady on your feet there! After only one blow?"

"Hah, just not used to it, not yet. But I'm a quick learner..."

She tried to take him by surprise, stepping forward and lunging in a style more fit for a rapier than a longsword, but he barely seemed to notice the switch in tactics as he batted her sword aside and sliced her once again across her other shoulder. The swipe seemed quick, almost gentle, but once again she felt suddenly a great deal weaker.

"You need to learn to account for your slowing reflexes and movements as you get hit."

"I...don't need your advice!"

She lunged at him again, this time feinting as she pulled a dagger from her belt and attempted to strike at his legs. He seemed almost amused as the dagger grazed his leg, and only switched to full shock when she then kicked at his legs attempting to unbalance him. Unfortunately, while she was certain it would have worked if she was at full strength, in her presently weakened state it didn't seem to budge him at all.

"Unfortunately, I think that's checkmate," he said, his sword piercing her chest as she attempted to recover. The hit was aimed right at her heart, and while just as before there was no pain, she collapsed backwards onto the ground afterward. There was barely any strength left in her limbs, enough to pull herself up into a sitting position, but not enough to stand up at all.

"Well, it was a fair and honest fight. I hope you learned something."

"D-Damn it...I didn't expect to find someone who was actually skilled this early in the Tournament, and now I'm already going to be taken out of the picture..."

"Taken out of the picture? Why would I do that? Sure, it's easy enough to come up with clever transformations or even mental shifts that can functionally disable someone should they choose to continue fighting, but that's just one less person you can fight later on to try to earn favor with the Judges."

"What...What do you intend to do then?"

He smirked a little, looking at her as she stared defiantly up at him.

"I think...it should be a surprise. Some people like to gloat, to go on and on about how what they are going to do will humiliate you, or punish you for your hubris...I prefer a slightly more playful approach."

She opened her mouth to say something, but then noticed the ring on his finger glowing. She panicked slightly, trying to look herself up and down to see what he had done, but nothing seemed to have happened.

"What did you do? I thought you had to clear any changes with the Judges!"

"We do, Karla. I'm glad you learned this little lesson before your first fight, I do hate it when people announce what they're doing like some play fight among children. Talking to the Judges through the ring can be done by thought alone, if necessary. Try it, next time you win a fight. If you ever manage to win one."

She gave him an angry glare, and managed to stumble to her feet, but knew she would not be able to fight him again even if she did recover quickly.

"So...do we just leave then? You're not going to do anything?"

"Do anything? I've already done it. In fact, my hope is that once you figure it out, you're just upset enough to come find me again for a rematch. Or, who knows? Maybe you won't mind at all."

She staggered slightly as she attempted to start walking, but could already feel her strength returning. She knew she needed to find her companions, at the very least she had some information for them now. This...Percival person could wait. She'd find him again, when she was ready. She began to walk away, as quickly as she was able, and all he did was stare at her as she left. There was, she was almost loathe to admit, almost a kindness in his eyes. She would have to be careful to remember how much of a bastard he was.

Meanwhile, Vivian, Chester, and Ciera were wandering the woods elsewhere. The woods here were dark, the canopy much more dense than the other areas they had traveled. The journey thus far had included several angry discussions, and Chester looked a little cowed.

"I don't see why it matters. She knows what she is."

"Chester," Vivian said, "I cannot possibly believe you do not understand the problem. She, like any other half-breed, has been dealing with people insulting her purely due to her lineage for her entire life. It will destroy our team cohesion if you are going to insult her at every opportunity."

"Insult her? No, if I wanted to insult her I'd tell her that her mother was a beast-loving-"

"Chester! Do you want to win the Tournament?"

He sighed slightly, frowning as he looked at her."Yes. Yes, of course I do!"

"Then don't taunt her. She's plenty good at getting angry all on her own. I understand that shifters have...low opinions about the beast races. I don't pretend to understand-"

"It's not hard to understand! We spend our whole lives learning to fight the instincts that come with shape_and there's a whole race of people who just..._don't. Who embrace both parts of who they are. You have to understand, to a shifter, you can't do that. You lose yourself if you try. So, yes, we poke fun and play games with them, insult their animal natures, because we have to. We have to believe that it's worse to give in to your instincts. And I do. Because if we didn't believe that, we'd go too far one day and you'd be talking to a dog, or a cow, or something and...where's Ciera?"

Vivian perked up at the question, quickly glancing around.

"How the hell...We need to go back! There has to be a trace of where she went!"

"Together, Vivian. No splitting up, we've already done enough of that now. Besides, I'm an expert tracker and you're...good with a lyre."

"_Thanks_for that Chester. You have a stunning way with words. Let's go find her!"

Ciera felt the tip of the vine as it twisted and rubbed with increasing vigor again. She had stopped trying to struggle against the vines binding her arms and legs, it only exhausted her. Ciera had known going into this that the Tournament had some...questionable features. Dangerous flora, fauna, and everything else. This..._torture_was not what she had expected.

She could feel her breath quickening again, her body tensing and twitching slightly with each change in the motion of the vine. It was only touching her clit, wrapping around it, rubbing it, shifting it's motion just often enough to keep her right on the edge. It would build her up, slowly, tortuously, and then slow down exactly as much as it needed to to get her to relax slightly, to let her catch her breath. All before repeating the cycle once more. She had no frame of reference for the time she had been there, but surely it had been more than an hour? Maybe only half an hour? Two hours? Something in that area, at least...

When Vivian stepped into the clearing, a look of relief washed over Ciera's face, followed shortly by shame when Chester stepped out behind her. The vines had torn most of her clothing off of her, and so her rather expansive chest was bare to the world. Given how many looks Chester had given her breasts before this little incident, she was both angry and humiliated that he wasn't looking away. If anything he was almost_leering_.

"Damn it, Chester, have some decency!" Vivian shouted at him, his face going slightly red as he looked away from Ciera.

"Just...go help her get down. And get some clothes on, so that I can figure out what the hell this thing is."

"Fine. Ciera, is it...is it safe for me to approach?"

"Oh, uh...Ah! It's...It might be? Oh! Damn, this thing really...God, I can't think straight!"

"Perhaps I could play something to clear your mind a little?"

"H-Honestly I'm pretty sure the only-Ah!-the only thing that would clear my mind is if...O-Oh, Ah! Is if you helped actually, uh...finish the job. God, it's been at this the whole time!"

Vivian sighed slightly, slowly stepping towards Ciera as she carefully scanned the ground and soil to make sure she was safe to continue.

"Hey, there's a sign here! It's in a language I think I recognize, it will take me a sec to translate!" Chester shouted back at them.

"It's probably just a warning sign, Chester! But if it keeps you occupied, it's worth it. I'm warning you, I don't want you _peeping_on this. I will know if you try to catch a glimpse!"

"Yeah, yeah, team cohesion, working together, et cetera, et cetera..."

His tone was dismissive, but Vivian could tell he intended to back off for now. This was important, it was business. Even if that business happened to be a little...different. Perhaps a little more intimate than anyone expected. "Okay, it doesn't seem to care about me, Ciera. Looks like it's focused on you, so I can approach."

"G-Good! Oh, please, hurry up! This thing is evil!"

Vivian rolled her eyes a little as she approached. Ciera was not the strongest willed of their little group, and if she thought this was torture, well...Vivian just hoped she didn't fall prey to some of the other traps she had heard stories about.

"Okay, I'm going to...help you. Once I do, and you're thinking a little more clearly, I'll have some instructions I need you to follow exactly and we'll get you out of this thing, okay?"

"O-Ohhh, Okay! Whatever you say! Just, please!"

"Hey, this sign might say something important, says something about...Not doing something?"

"Damn it Chester," Vivian shouted back, "Interrupt when you have something important to say! It probably says not to enter, like a_warning_ sign would!"

She could feel the irritated silence, but she had work to do. Ciera was lying on the forest floor, on a bed of curiously soft moss and vines. Each movement of the vine elicited small gasps and moans, and Ciera was clearly right on the edge of orgasm. The vines binding her hands and feet seemed strong, but they would be easy to cut through as soon as everyone was prepared to deal with the vines afterward if they went berserk.

For now though, she tried to focus on the positives. Her face was _inches_from Ciera's waiting pussy, so close she could feel the warmth coming off of it. Vivian tried to keep a professional attitude towards her coworkers, especially ones that she treasured as friends. That having been said, being so close to both Ciera and Karla without being able to actually _have_them the way she wanted to was true torture. Now? This was her chance! She would be deceiving herself if this wasn't exactly one of the reasons she had been happy to agree to joining the Tournament with Karla.

She waited until Ciera seemed on the very brink of orgasm, and then dove in with all the force and passion she could muster. She licked at Ciera's clit, trying to ignore the earthy taste of the vine wrapping and rubbing around it, focused solely on trying to push her over the edge. It didn't take long, although from what Vivian had heard of Ciera, it never really did, poor girl was sensitive just about everywhere someone could be.

"Uh, guys...you might want to stop, I'm pretty sure this thing says that you shouldn't 'feed' the plant-"

His warning was cut off by the sudden cry of ecstasy and surprise from Ciera, as Vivian learned something new about Ciera - she was definitely a squirter. She spent a little too long enjoying the flavor and feel of her now soaked face, before the meaning of Chester's warning hit her and she quickly scrambled to her feet and backed away.

Her timing was good, as the bed of vines and moss shifted slightly underneath Ciera, who was still tensing in waves of pleasure as her orgasm started to wind down.

"Ah! Oh, oh thank the gods. That was such a relief...Uh, Vivian? What are you doing over there? What...what's happening!"

Two larger vines burst from the bed of vines she was laying on, more quick and flexible than the ones. Vivian couldn't even track their movements very well, as they reared up and then immediately jabbed down, one into the side of each of Ciera's breasts. Ciera yelped slightly, possibly more from surprise than pain, and just as suddenly the vines retreated, leaving only the bed of moss as evidence that there was anything there at all. Ciera scrambled to her feet quickly, dashing away and attempting to cover herself with her arms and hands.

"I...don't think you need to worry Ciera. Whatever it was, it's gone now."

"W-Why! What did it do?"

"Do you feel any different?"

"My, er...My breasts feel a bit sore, but there's no wound or anything where they jabbed me...I could swear I felt a prick, like a small thorn or something!"

"Odd indeed, considering that no injury is permitted in the Tournament...Let's keep a close eye on anything that changes, yes? For now...You did learn that spell that mends clothing right? Like I suggested?"

"Y-Yes, I guess I could use that to fix my clothing...Give me just a bit..."

Vivian watched as she scrambled over to her clothing, muttering a quick spell under her breath as she ran her hands across the clothes to repair the rips. Thankfully, they seemed to be quick, almost surgical rips. They were easily mended.

"This is why I told you to focus on more utility spells. We only need healing spells if we're involved in a group battle, which may eventually happen, but isn't nearly as important in the long run."

"Thank you, Vivian. It was good advice, I guess..."

A few minutes later, Ciera was fully dressed again and sitting just outside the clearing up against a tree. Chester was cautiously peering out into the woods, keeping watch in case anyone decided now was a good time for an ambush.

"Well, next time, you could translate a little faster Chester," Vivian said with an exasperated sigh.

"It's an old language. You're lucky I even could translate it."

"Yes, well, I'm sure we all feel very lucky. How far away is Karla?"

"Judging by the ring, maybe just a few minutes away? She was getting closer the whole time we were dealing with the...plant...thing."

"Good, at least nothing too terrible happened to her then. We'll wait here, then travel a bit before making camp."

Karla had spent the time she was traveling to meet up with her companions racking her thoughts to try and figure out what Percival had done. Her memories seemed intact, no glaring differences that stood out, but of course she'd heard rumors that the magic the Judges used was quite powerful. She didn't seem different _personality_wise, as far as she could tell. It felt like she was holding a ticking time bomb, but she didn't even know how big the explosion was going to be when it finally hit zero.

As she approached the clearing, Chester intercepted her, his face a bit more serious than when they last spoke. "I'm...I'm sorry. I should be more careful what I say to you."

His voice was a whisper, perhaps he didn't want to be seen apologizing, but it shocked Karla nonetheless.

"Just don't push that kind of thing too hard. A few jokes here and there aren't going to kill me, but you don't know when to stop. I've done a lot of traveling, Chester, and I've met other shifters. I know how they feel about people like me. I just need you to put that aside for the three months this Tournament could last. Then we can go our separate ways, and never see each other again."

Chester sighed, then gave a wry smile. "Very well, I think I can do that. Do be careful going into the clearing, Ciera just went through an encounter with some kind of...plant thing. She might enjoy seeing you in a better mood for once."

Karla nodded, and walked into the clearing. As she glanced over at her two companions, she froze up. Her breath caught in her throat, her heartbeat started racing, and it all happened so fast she didn't even register what it was for a half second. She realized she was staring at Ciera's chest. Not her chest. Her boobs. Her tits. God, how had she not noticed how lovely Ciera was? Vivian too, she was even wearing a lower cut top, almost low enough to expose just the barest hint of her nipple, just begging for someone to-

"Uh, hello? Karla? Everything okay?"

Karla nearly jumped, shocked back to reality. Oh, oh no...

"Oh, uh, yeah, everything is just fine!"

"Are...are you sure?"

"Yes!" she squeaked out, trying to calm herself down. God, she felt more attracted to these two than she ever had before. And she knew exactly why, exactly what she was currently struggling not to stare at. Was...was this what Percival did to her?

"Oh, did Chester tell you what happened? You look positively red with embarrassment, I didn't know you were so...flustered by that sort of thing. It's all over now, Karla, don't worry!"

Ciera spoke up next "Umm, Karla? I get you're probably just, you know, distracted. It's been a long day. But...you're kind of staring?"

Karla swallowed thickly, quickly turning so she wasn't facing the two of them.

"I-I just...Yes, it's been a long day, and..."

"Karla...did anything happen while you were scouting?" Vivian interrupted.

"Yes! I mean, no! Err, well. I did find someone, a knight. We dueled, and I...I won! So, I have some information for all of you about some...small tips that might help if you get into a fight."

"Oh?" Vivian said, cocking an eyebrow, "Well, you can tell us all about it when we camp tonight. Hopefully then you can, you know, actually look us in the eye while you tell us. Honestly, I didn't know you were so bashful!"

As they started to gather their things, Karla avoided dealing with Vivian and Ciera as much as possible. God, why did her party include not one, but two people with such...fantastic sets of tits. And she had never thought of them that way! She had never even thought of people as _having_tits, it was just a...a word people used. But now, now that word seemed to sit inside her head like a heavy, warm stone. When they camped tonight, maybe she would tell Vivian, and _just_Vivian. She was good with this sort of thing, enchantments and mental magic. She could help. Karla just hoped she wouldn't be caught staring at her companions again before then...