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The "twenty-four hour period" that Chester was, allegedly, forced to stay away from the rest of his group served as a bit of unwilling self-reflection time. There was some anxiety, they had encountered dangerous things almost daily since the first few days of the tournament, and so it was possible either he or his companions would be forced to fight at a disadvantage because he was out here doing...nothing. He tried to scout around, look for interesting bits of terrain he could use as landmarks, but he was increasingly getting the feeling that this place wasn't laid out naturally. He was actually quite certain it was changing occasionally, to deliberately throw him off.

So, instead, he walked through the fall colors of this chilly forest just...thinking. At first he ran himself ragged trying to find out ways to inform his team about what Percival had done to him, but that wasn't fruitful in the least. He would have to live with the fact that anything he tried to do would probably backfire in his face. Then he thought about what Percival said about both he and Vivian having hints of fey magic hanging around them, and wondered how much he could really trust that. He had been feeling a little more...intense recently. He was no stranger to spending days or weeks scouting the countryside, no one else in sight that he could talk with, so loneliness was not unusual to him. There was always the return trip to look forward to, where he could go into town, drop a bit of gold at the tavern to make some new friends, and hopefully relieve his pent up...frustrations. The problem was that he had been feeling _pent up_for days now, and he doubted that things would be getting any better. He was a consummate professional, and didn't dare bring this up to the rest of the group, but still...

Even in his own thoughts he danced around the issue. He didn't like putting words to it. Shifters hid from everything, the world, each other, and themselves. He took a deep breath, and to spite the comment Percival made about his instincts, he committed to putting words to his problem.

He was horny. And it wasn't getting better. After all his insults, his mention of the _distractions_Karla and Ciera had recently dealt with, he felt angry that he was now dealing with a similar problem.

The worst part was that he knew, without a doubt, that if he mentioned it to any of them they would laugh in his face. They would throw everything he had said about them back at him, and he wasn't willing to let that happen. They wouldn't have the chance to shame him like that.

So he decided he would not be telling them about Percival's comment about the fey magic, or his minor distraction. He would let the day elapse, join them at camp like nothing had happened, and deal with his problems himself.

Meeting back up at camp the next afternoon was a bit nerve-wracking. Everyone was certain something should have gone wrong, that someone would have been ambushed or attacked, but Chester walked into a camp that seemed, if anything, more relaxed than when he had left them. He tried not to focus on Karla's new look, which she already seemed more accustomed to. He noted that he needed to keep a close eye on her, in his experience full-blooded beastmen had a tendency to get a bit more...territorial. She would likely be challenging him more often, and now he couldn't fight back without risking being indebted to her in some way. Some deep, hidden, self reflective part of him chimed in with the thought that he may just be being biased against beast races again, but he shoved that thought aside.

As for Karla, she had been adjusting all day to the transformation she had been through. Her balance and gait were all slightly different, but she had done some brief practice with her weapon and adjusted quite quickly. She suspected that the magic used to transform her also helped her adapt to the change, which led her to a worrying realization...she couldn't even picture what she had looked like before, really. She knew, in a sort of distant, logical way that her fur color was was the same as what her hair color had been, that her face had been human, things like that. She just didn't associate those facts with herself anymore. A brief conversation with Ciera throughout the day confirmed that the changes were more than just skin deep. Ciera had gotten used to the idea of having horns quite quickly, and even her ears (which had changed to be cowlike, floppy ears), seemed perfectly normal to her. Karla wondered if this was something that all transformations were like...or if it was specifically something Percival had done. He did imply that he was going a bit easy on her and Ciera...

The group caught up with each other briefly, quickly shifting to setting up who was on watch and when, before Chester decided to bring up the one piece of information he had actually gained while he was out and about.

"We have a choice of what direction to head in. This forest seems to continue on, but I managed to get a fairly high vantage point and up ahead it becomes more of a jungle. The jungle is just a small, dense area, however. We could travel around it. It would maybe take a day or two longer, but there's no telling what's in that jungle. I'm certain they've got some kind of trap laid out, or something dangerous in there."

"The real question is," Karla replied, "How urgently do we need to get to the center of the Tournament grounds? There's no telling how far away it is. Is one days worth of delay really all that bad?"

Vivian spoke up next, saying "I personally suspect that you're not meant to be able to get to the center in a timely manner without 'cheating' in some way by gaining an advantage. Maybe there's shortcuts we don't know about? The jungle could be one of those."

"We really have no idea how dangerous it is...for all we know, the forest around it is just as dangerous," Ciera said.

"My suggestion," Chester replied, "Is that we head through the jungle. Percival said to take risks, yes? I hate him, I really do, but I don't think he was lying about that. We haven't found any artifacts, or anything that would give us an advantage at all. I think that's because those things are put in deliberately dangerous places, no risk, no reward."

"That's an unusually risky plan, coming from you Chester." Karla said incredulously.

"Honestly? We just lost our first fight as a team, and...things were bad. But, no one here is planning on quitting right? Maybe we've played our cards too close to the chest. The only way to lose before the three months is up is if one of us, any of us, forfeits. Taking a few risks early on might be the best way to be in a good position to win later on. Might be the only way."

"I...think I agree with that," Vivian said, "As risky as it may be. We'll know to be on our guard in the jungle, we could even try to search it more carefully, see if something comes up. He's right about our loss, it was bad, but...we'll manage. I'll manage, at least."

Both Ciera and Karla gave her an annoyed look, they had not really discussed the deception Vivian had been a part of. Vivian shied away from their gaze a little, but no one was ready for a confrontation yet. Part of the reason was because they both felt like Vivian had been punished effectively by Percival.

"Well, let's rest up tonight then, be ready for whatever tomorrow brings. As agreed, I'll take first watch," Chester said.

With that, the rest of them went to their tents and tried to sleep, wary of what was to come.

The jungle's edge was unnaturally sharp, a clear delineation between the forest and the jungle. The plants and trees were even split down the middle in some cases, as though the mages had literally ripped a section of jungle out of the ground and planted it here. The juxtaposition was enough to give the group a bit of pause before they stepped in.

They only hesitated a moment, though, before heading forward. The sound of the jungle around them immediately began to grow as they progressed, the insects and animals suddenly somehow more present. The effect was unsettling enough without the constant feeling that you were catching movement out of the corner of your eye.

"Should I...go scouting? Or do we want to stay together. This place seems more alive than the other places we've been," Chester whispered to the group.

"Stay with us," Karla said, "At least for now. If we find a safe location inside the jungle to hide for a bit, maybe you can scout from there and we can try to uncover anything useful. For now though, I feel like splitting up could spell disaster. _Anything_could be hiding among these trees."

They each started to walk more slowly, carefully examining their surroundings as they continued onward. The air was tense, and even with all the life and noise around them, it somehow felt quiet.

And then they noticed someone up ahead. Three someones. They were standing in a small clearing, where some mossy rocks had been arranged for seating around a central fire. They were clearly on watch, their eyes darting at any movement in the shadows.

They had, thankfully, not seen Karla and the others yet. Karla motioned to Chester to sneak around the other side of the clearing, while she would sneak closer and try to get a good look at who these people were.

Karla's footsteps were more silent than they had ever been, a small benefit of her new feet. She couldn't wear her old leather shoes with them, which at first had made her uncomfortable, but now that she was trying to be as silent as possible she was actually thankful for her recent transformation.

The clearing had three other contenders in it, a human, an elf, and a lizardman. The human and elf were women, with the elf carrying a large bow, and the human wielding a staff with some odd markings on it. The lizardman was in full warrior gear, chainmail and plate, with a large curved sword on his back. Karla tried to examine the various symbols on their gear, figure out if there was any information to be gleaned there, when a voice suddenly hissed from the area behind her where Ciera and Vivian had been hiding.

"Well, well, what a ssssuprise we have here! Sssssome new opponents! I wouldn't try anything, I have your friendsss...occupied."

She looked behind her, and Ciera and Vivian were both wrapped up in the coils of a lamia, who's bare chest proved an immediate distraction for Karla. Her nipples were hard as diamonds! Even at this distance, Karla could see how perfectly shaped her breasts were, not quite as big as...

"We challenge you to a-mmf!" Chester tried to shout, before he seemed to suddenly become muffled. Karla glanced over and some a vague shimmering magic over his mouth, realizing that the mage from the clearing had cast a spell to silence him.

"Now, now, my new petsssss...that isn't very ssssporting. I have an offer to make you firssst!

I promise, my..._companionssss_will release you if you decide to refuse...and I will releasssse your friends as well to show you that you can trusssst me."

Karla shook her head, trying to remain focused. It wasn't just her breasts, this woman had a...way about her. Everything she did was enthralling. The way her coils moved slowly, unwrapping around Vivian and Ciera. She tried to focus on a point just over the lamia's left shoulder, hoping she could ignore everything else.

"Sorry, she had us trapped before we could do anything, or warn you..." Ciera said as she stepped away slightly from the lamia."

"Now, time for my...offer. Eliza, releasssse the shapeshifter, I'm sssure he'll behave. He knows he's outnumbered now."

The spell evaporated over Chester's mouth, as he scrambled to join his companions.

"Fine, make your offer! Sounds like we don't have a choice of whether to listen or not. Just let us go when we refuse, right?"

"Of coursssse!" the lamia said, pretending to be offended, "I am a sssserpent of my word, yesss? It isssss really quite simple. You could challenge me and my ssslave - I mean, friendssss over there, and have a fair four on four fight, no different than any other, or...we could raise the sssstakes."

"Or we could leave!" Chester snipped back.

"Yesss, of course you could. But, if you do choosssse to raise the stakesss...I have four tokensss in my possession that will undo any one transsssformation you have suffered. For each of my companionssss you defeat, even should you lose, I will give you one. However...sssshould you not defeat any of us, two of your number musssst...indulge me for a day. Do whatever I asssk of you. I will choose, after the fight, if you are defeated."

The group looked at each other, clearly uncertain as to whether that would be a good idea.

"Can we...discuss this privately?" Vivian asked, eyeing the lamia.

"Mosssst certainly!" she replied, smiling a fanged grin.

The group stepped away from the clearing, but they could see they were still being watched. At least they had some privacy though.

"This is a terrible idea. We have no idea how dangerous any of them are, and we're being offered a choice to just walk away! We should take it," Karla said.

"I agree," Vivian said, "There's no reason to take an unnecessary risk here. Lamias are devious, capable of altering people's minds without any magic at all. I'm not even sure that's allowed in the tournament, but she's still incredibly dangerous."

Chester was still furious about being silenced, and was clearly fuming. "It may not be a necessary risk, but we may want to take it anyways. Those 'tokens' could be vital. I don't know that we need to be afraid of her, that snake bitch just wants us to be scared...so that..." he trailed off, an itch in the back of his head.

"I...let me go talk to her for a moment."

"Chester, that's a terrible idea," Karla said.

"It won't take longer than a little bit, and I'll be right back. You can see me from here. I, uh, have a plan to get more information."

"Alright," Karla said, "This better be good."

He wandered over to the lamia, who was clearly surprised to see him. "To what do I owe the pleasssure, shifter? Made a decision already?"

"I just wanted to apologize. I called you a snake bitch while we were talking over there, and I'm sorry. Anything I could do to make it up to you?"

"Hah! How...polite. You don't look like the chivalroussss type, to be honest. All I want is for your friendsss to enjoy a lovely day with me, after a crushing defeat. Make that happen for me and I'd forgive you. But, alassss my little pet, I'm sure you are too loyal to your friendssss to betray them, so I'll jussst wait and hope you are all foolish enough to take me on of your own free will," the lamia said, with a teasing grin.

"Alright. I understand," Chester said as he walked away, suddenly panicking internally. The lamia watched as he left with a confused look, but didn't say anything as he returned to his group.

"I've learned something interesting," Chester said as he approached. "Someone beat her recently and forced her to make this offer to everyone she meets, but there's a catch - none of her friends over there are allowed to harm anyone. They're just there to make things look dangerous, so no one takes up her offer."

"What, really?" Karla said incredulously, "That's absurd, but...well, we've seen weirder now. How did you learn this?"

"I think she's not allowed to lie directly about the terms of the agreement, and I used that to get the information. I suspected something was off, why would she make an offer like this at all?" Chester replied, his heart rate skyrocketing as he felt like he was unable to control what he was doing anymore. He knew, in some way, that he didn't want to do this, but resisting it was impossible. Even now he was actively thinking of ways to help throw the fight, to make up for his insult. Still, from the bottom of his heart, he hated what Percival had done to him.

"So...this is a freebie then? We take the agreement, and then it's a four-on-one fight against the lamia? Who, as far as we can tell, has no armor or weapons at all? Vivian, can you make sure we're protected against any mental effects she might be able to use?"

"I...think I can, Ciera should probably weave some kind of mental protection as well, as we won't need physical protection against her. She's strong, but I'm sure you two are stronger. You do know some kind of spell for that, right Ciera?"

"Probably not as effective as anything you have, but yes I think I could weaken anything she tried. Is...is that the plan? Are we going to accept?

"I think we should," Chester said.

"Let's go talk to her," Karla replied.

They all approached, the lamia having slithered over towards her companions in the clearing. She turned to greet them, raising up to her full height as she did. She smiled at them, and said "Ah, sssso my prey has made a deicision, yesss?

"We accept your deal, lamia. You give us one of the...tokens? The things you said reversed a transformation. One for each of your number we defeat. And, if somehow we fail to take out any of you, you can take two of us for a day to do whatever you ask."

"Well...unexpected. I'm quite happy though! Ssssso good to have new toysss...Well, I challenge the four of you to a duel! My name is Leila, the lizardman is Rasca, the mage is Eliza, and the elf is Verdania. Your names?"

"I'm Karla, this is Chester, that's Ciera over there, next to Vivian. Are we ready to fight now?"

"Sssso hasty! I like it, I'm ssssure we will be fasssst friends. Let'ssss all take a step back, and start on the count of three. One, two...three!"

Karla and Ciera were already prepared, and immediately cast two spells that caused a brief humming glow over the party. Karla rushed the lamia down immediately, paying no mind to the others that she was certain were no threat, until the elf hit her shoulder with an arrow halfway through her lunge. The entire party was suddenly in disarray, trying to figure out what was going on.

"W-What the hell, Chester, you said they couldn't hurt us!"

"She must have tricked me! I'll try to distract them, they should be easy targets once the lamia is down!" Chester yelled back, firing his crossbows at the elf and mage. His arrows failed to hit their mark, however, and in the depths of his mind he knew that he had missed on purpose.

Meanwhile, Karla was trying take down the lamia, with a surprising amount of success. She had landed two blows, the lamia's snake like movements were difficult to track but Karla could feel the improved agility she had recently gained counteracting that slightly. It wasn't until she realized that the lamia wasn't slowing down that she noticed the mage in the background, intoning some kind of spell.

"She's healing the lamia! Ciera, Chester, do something!"

"I've got it, Ciera, you focus on the protection spell!" Chester shouted, a part of him trying to will himself to resist his compulsion. He knew he wouldn't be able to hit the mage, or do anything to help them win this fight. He sent two daggers flying at the mage, but they both went wide, one striking the tree behind her and one landing in the dirt below.

"Damn it, what's wrong with you? These people aren't nearly as fast as Percival was!" Karla yelled at him, the frustration clear in her voice. She turned to fend off an attack from the lizardman, who had slowly positioned himself to pincer her between him and Leila. She was fending off both attackers, the lamia striking quickly, whipping at Karla with her tail to try to knock her off balance.

Meanwhile, the elf was peppering Ciera and Vivian with arrows, a few managing to hit their mark. They were weakening quickly, but none of the wounds had quite proved 'fatal' yet, so they focused on their spells. Still, they could feel it in the air...they were losing this fight.

There was almost the glimmer of hope for a moment as Karla managed to get a few good cuts into the lizardman, even while she was trying to guard against attacks from two opponents, but things quickly turned when the lamia managed to twist her tail between Karla's feet and pull her in. The lizardman wasted no time, striking at Karla with a devastating blow that left her limp and unable to continue the fight.

Chester turned to try and launch a few more bolts, this time towards the lamia, but now the fight was three-on-four, and the mage had stopped healing Leila. Instead, a large explosion rocked the tree where Vivian and Ciera stood, the combined injury of that and the arrow wounds taking them out of the fight as well.

The fight did not last long after that. Chester wanted, desperately, to try to take even one of them out. Even just _one_opponent, and they could come away from this with something gained. But that would not be repaying his debt, fulfilling his damnable obligation for insulting the lamia. So, his strikes hit nothing but air, his movements were slow and imprecise, and when the elf sent an arrow sailing towards his heart, he didn't even attempt to dodge it. The battle was lost. Because of him.

"Well! You were certainly more...interesssting opponents than I thought you would be. My three little sssservants here are quite sssskilled. And they would do anything for me, isn't that right?"

The three of them nodded at her, a curiously lustful look in their eyes, as they stepped aside and went back to their posts in the clearing, keeping watch. The lamia, meanwhile, gathered the party together and sat them up against a large nearby tree.

"Now, now...what to do with all of you...Honesssstly, I don't know who I'll even pick yet to join me for a day of...fun. It does sssseem like you've all had a pretty eassssy time of it, yes? How many battles have you losssst?"

"It's none of your business!" Chester shouted back, happy to have more control over himself now that he had 'repaid' his debt.

"Ooooh, fiessssty. You do sssstand out a bit you know? Three beautiful women, and you, a yapping dog with more bark than bite. Well, if you have losssst any battles, I think they've gone easy on you. I do not intend to do sssso."

With that, Leila slithered a bit closer to them, leaning forward until she was face to face with them. She scanned over each of their faces, just an inch or two away, her tongue flicking out against each of them in sequence as she did.

"Well...I am beginning to have ideasssss...But, let's work our way up. I'll sssstart with an appetizer, and move up to the main coursssse..."

She then lifted Vivian slightly, grabbing her by the shoulders to sit her up a bit straighter. All of them were slouching slightly, the vaguely-paralytic effect of losing a battle preventing them from resisting much.

"For you...I have nothing too sssspecific. There isssss something I have wanted to try recently...an idea of mine. Let me sssssee if the judges approve..."

She waited slightly, her head cocked slightly as if she was listening to something, before she grinned widely.

"Yesss...good. From now on, when you feel sssssexual pleasure and releassse, you will share it with the...let's sssay with the horned one over there. Ciera, was it? And, in turn, if she feelsssss pleasure, or release, you will feel the sssssame."

Even as the ring on her finger started to grow warm, Vivian spoke up in protest, saying "Hey, that counts as two changes right? It has to, you're affecting both me and her, right?"

"No, I am not. I am only changing you, in a way that affectssss her. The judgessss can be quite understanding, can't they? Perhapssss you should have played for the crowd a bit better?"

Vivian sneered at the lamia, but didn't say anything more.

"Good pet, I like it when they know when to be quiet. Assss for you, the one who has been staring at my breastsssss since the beginning of our encounter, you are quite brave, aren't you?"

"W-what? I just, it's not something I-" Karla stammered out.

"Oh, pet, perhapsssss this is a consequence of a fight? How...interessssting. Either way, I do not appreciate you gawking, it isssss...quite rude. We do not know each other well enough for you to be sssso...open about it. Perhapssss it would be interesting to punish you for your brazen ssssstaring?"

"What?" Karla said, her eyes going wide.

"What if...every time you sssstared like that, you would feel compelled to pleassssssure yourself. And, in addition...if you orgasssssm thinking about breasts...perhaps your own pair should grow asssss well? _That_should make the object of your affectionssss quite aware of your gaze..."

Karla blushed heavily as she felt her ring activate, trying not to let on how much the idea turned her on. It took her a moment to notice she was already falling victim to that particular change, and quickly averted her eyes from the lamia as she pulled her hands away and tried to control herself.

"What fun! Sssssee how interessssting these kinds of things can get? Now, for the milky one over here..." she said, moving to inspect Ciera.

"Gah, how does everyone just know that?" Ciera gasped, her cheeks blushing with embarrassment.

"Sssssmell, my pet. Jussssst because humans cannot ssssmell it easily, in open air, doessss not mean that creaturessss like me cannot. Milk doesss have a...particular sssscent. I know cowgirls like yourself, even half breedssss, lactate at the drop of a hat, but I susssspect that this is due to a duel?"

"N-no, it's...well, you don't need to know!"

"Of courssse...you are not beholden to answer me...not unlesssss I ask you to be my pet for the day, which I will remind you, issssss quite possible. Still, I hear that cowgirls like yourself find milking to be quite pleasurable. Is thissss true?"

Ciera said nothing, but her deepening blush gave everything away.

"Well, if you are a newly-minted cowgirl...you should know that the pleassssure of being milked, by someone elsesssss hand, is supposed to be quite a bit more intensssse. In fact, how about I make certain you get to experience that firsssst hand? For you, my little pet cow, your change isssss that you are no longer allowed to milk yoursssself. Should be interesting, no?"

Ciera whimpered slightly, glancing at her companions, but didn't want to say anything while the lamia was there with them.

"Well, time for the main course then, yessss? The rest of you were just appetizersss..."

With that, she leaned over in front of Chester, this time just next to his ear, so close he could feel her breath on it. He tried to ignore his increasing arousal, a problem he hadn't really tried to solve at all during the last day...

She whispered into his ear, saying "Well, pet,_I do know one thing. Whatever else happensssss, you are one of the onessss I want to sssserve me for a day. I have ssssuch plans, _pet.Snake bitch, was it? I honessstly don't mind, but it sssseeems to have affected you greatly. Were you truly sssso guilty you betrayed your friendssss for me?"

Chester went pale at that, but none of the others seemed to have heard. He didn't say anything, instead trying to stay as still and poker-faced as possible.

"Well, I will learn your ssssecrets in time. For now...well, let me ask you a question, and thissss time you will answer. What is a shifterssss greatest fear?"

Chester gulped slightly, trying to keep his voice low. "Getting stuck in one shape...losing your mind to the shape you're stuck in."

"Yessss, of course. Well, shiftersss have a saying, about the form sssshaping the thoughts? So many storiessss, a shifter getting sssstuck in the shape of some race or creature, no longer remembering who they were...Would it interesssst you to know that those sssstories are false?"

"You wouldn't know anything about that. Why would they be false?"

"Oh, I plan to teach you pet. The truth issss...those shifters no longer_want_ to change. Their memoriessss...their thoughts...nothing isss_gone_. They jusssst made a decision. Poor creaturessss, shifters. Never at home in any shape. Once you find a home, a shape you truly are, why change into anything elsssse ever again?"

Chester looked at her incredulously, before shaking his head, saying "Just get on with it. Whatever you're going to do."

"Haha, well, I will! I have many petsss...many playthingssss...but I have always wanted a puppy. That issss why it is so intriguing you called me a bitch, my new pet."

With that, Chester's blood went ice cold as he felt the ring begin to stir. It's magic was irresistible, he could feel it changing his shape, beginning something that he had felt a thousand times, but some part of him was certain he could resist it! He was a shifter, master of his own shape and form, he had known that was going to be his biggest advantage in this Tournament, they couldn't...but, then again, had he ever heard of any shifters entering the Tournament? Was it possible that the magic they used to transform people was stronger than a shifter's natural abilities...

He wanted it to be painful, he wanted his resistance to feel real, but instead it came in a tingling, almost pleasurable wave. The change happened rapidly, his body's natural malleability working against him, as his hands became claws, his legs shifted to a digitigrade stance, his skin becoming covered in a dark brown fur. He barely had time to register those changes, to reconcile with what had just happened, before the changes progressed even further, his hips widening, waist narrowing, chest growing...

"W-what the hell do you think you're doing!" Chester exclaimed, his voice at a much higher pitch than he was expecting.

"Well, I figured you would look a bit better asssss a puppy dog, obviously. You certainly yip like one! It issss always amazing to ssssee the Judges work, you look jussssst as I imagined!"

Chester stumbled backwards as he tried to stand, the weakness caused by their loss beginning to fade now that the last change had been made. He looked over his hands and feet, his body in it's new shape. He looked like a wolfman, or wolf_woman_, he supposed, except with more dog-like features...

"God, I can barely recognize him..." Ciera said, slowly and carefully getting to her feet.

"Her," the lamia corrected with a grin. "Although I let her keep her...well, let'ssss just say I let my puppy keep her toy."

Chester glared at her, humiliated as she spoke, eyeing the surrounding woods as if looking for an exit.

"Not ssssso fast, puppy. I have made my choice. I want you, and...the horned one, over there. You two will join me for the next twenty-four hourssss, to do whatever it is I asssk of you."

Ciera and Chester looked at each other, horrified, as they realized how much trouble they were in.

"You...have to, both of you. We agreed to it as part of the duel. Those rules are binding," Vivian said, pity in her eyes.

"Indeed they are! Sssso, the rest of you are free to go. Me and my new petssss will have some fun for a day, and then I will return them to you, yesss? I'm sssure they will find you easily. I would leave before I decide that all of you would make fine petssss...for longer than that."

Vivian and Karla looked at their friends, a mixture of guilt and rage in their eyes, as they turned to leave.

"You'll regret this, I swear it!" Karla shouted back as they retreated, the effect someone diminished by the haste with which they departed.

"Well, my new petssss..." Leila said, after watching Karla and Vivian leave, "Would you like to know ssssomething...interesting? I am not allowed to manipulate the mindssss of unwilling contendersss...such thingsss are for the judges only."

"Oh, thank god..." Ciera said, relaxing slightly, until she looked a Chester and saw the sudden look of fear.

"Un...unwilling? Does that include..."

"Ah, ssssmart pet! Good girl, yesss...I could, of course, command_you to let me do assss I wish to you, now that you are forced to obey me for a day. Sssso, your best courssse of action, I think, is to be_very well behaved, so that I don't need to find other meanssss to discipline you."

Chester and Ciera both took deep breaths, looking at each other. This was going to be a problem.

Meanwhile, Vivian and Karla set up a camp just at the edge of the jungle, doing everything they could to fortify the position while they waited. Karla deliberately avoided even looking at Vivian, still concerned about her new problem, but she still noticed that something seemed wrong with Vivian. She hadn't tried to talk about a plan, or about figuring anything out. She was normally quite calm and collected, but not she seemed just as anxious as the rest of them probably were.

"Something worrying you, Vivian?"

"Sorry, Karla, just...just one thing really. Right now at least. What do you think the lamia...I mean, Leila, I suppose...What do you think she'll do to them?"

"I'm trying not to think about it."

"Well, I kind of...have to worry about it. I think that was part of her plan, really, all along."

"What do you...oh, right, you and Ciera..."

"Yes. This could...be a long day. And night, too, if Leila is particularly devious. As for you, just, try to keep a strong will, right? Remember, she said that you would feel compelled to 'pleasure yourself' if you stared, but your breasts growing if you orgasm thinking about someone's tits, that's a _different_thing. So, I won't pry into your, er, personal life, or what you do when you're alone, just...be careful, okay?"

Karla, still turned away from Vivian, nodded slightly, but didn't say anything more. She was trying to keep control over herself, because right now, more than anything in the world...she actually wanted_to give in, to let that happen. As they both retreated into their tents, even though the sun hadn't even set yet, Karla thought -_This is going to be a long night...