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Kingdom For A Heart

Silent as a hunting owl at night, a tall shadow managed to sneak his way past armoured guards, their silver scimitars reflecting the light of the gibbous moon up in the sky. It was in its waxing stage, which meant the nights would be even less safe than they already were. Not that Niki had a problem with that. The dark cat moved along the tan walls of the estate he was currently planning on invading, his yellow eyes scanning the building for a climbing spot, while his ears swivelled back and forth to pick up any sound. There were numerous riches inside that were his for the taking once he'd find his way inside.

Dressed in cream-coloured leather that would hide him from the passing eye of any possible onlookers, the feline scaled the sand-coloured stone wall, using his years of training to his advantage. Ever since he'd escaped his past by leaving with Rain, who'd taken him under his wing, he'd gone through rigorous training in order to be able to look after himself. It turned out that the boy was so amazingly skilled as a thief, combining his former talent as an informant, that he'd outgrown his teacher. There was no lock he couldn't pick, no wall he couldn't scale, and he was more flexible than Rain could ever hope to be.

Niki made his way up the wall and crouched along a balcony, making sure to stay under the windows and out of sight of the guards below. It always struck him as funny that people never looked up unless they had a direct reason to, and he wasn't about to give them one. He went around the corner, jumped for the next balcony, and pulled himself up, seemingly without any effort. A smile formed on his dark face as his yellow eyes spotted an open window. He made his way over to it and peeked inside.

It was a bedroom of sorts, and he was able to distinguish all that was located in the room, due to his cat eyes being able to pierce the veil of darkness. He climbed inside and scanned the room for signs of life and valuables. It was a small room, apparently designed to be a servant's quarters, and it only housed one person, who was currently sleeping soundly in her bed. Niki moved through the room, his soft paw pads making sure he did so soundlessly, and put a few small trinkets in his bag. This person didn't have much of value, but he found a silver pendant with a small moonstone in it. It was a rather simple thing, really, but the stone piqued his interest. He slipped it around his neck and hid it under his shirt before checking out the sleeping beauty.

Angelic was the only word that came close enough to describing the female cat curled up on that shabby bed. The moon beams that shone in from outside illuminated her face in the most beautiful silver. Her breathing stirred her long white whiskers, and the world seemed to slow around the black cat as he beheld her from only a few feet away. Niki's heart beat faster for this ethereal creature, but, knowing that he didn't have all night, he tore himself away from her and left the room.

Moving through the torch-lit corridor, he came upon a heavily reinforced door with the newest of locks in it. The cat grinned from ear to ear as he'd been practising on this type of lock for weeks. Such a strong door could only mean that something extremely valuable was beyond it. It definitely wasn't cheap to install one such as this one. The cat knelt down in front of the door and pulled the needed lock picks from a secret compartment in his leather bracers. He went to work on the lock and had to stop himself from humming, which was a habit of his while practising. It helped him concentrate, but he had no intention of alerting anyone. Once he had one of the picks in place, he reached into his bracer for a third one, which was a new thing for locks. Most locks could easily be picked with one or two picks, but these new ones were so cleverly built that they required at least three. Niki was lucky enough that Rain had purchased those locks for his own establishment, which presented the cat with plenty of opportunities to practise.

His heart jumped with joy as the last tumbler fell into place with a clicking sound. The black feline opened the door and went inside, closing it behind him. After letting his eyes adjust to the darkness around him, Niki looked around the small room to see various gems and stacks of gold just lying there for the taking. Where most thieves might have just shoved everything in their bags, the black feline carefully placed the gems and coins in his bag and the numerous pouches secured to his armour, for making any unnecessary sound could prove fatal in situations like these.

"Hah, don't worry! I have what you're asking for right here in my vault!"

A rather low voice spoke from somewhere behind the door just when Niki was gathering the last coins. He secured the bag to his back and looked around for a place to hide, his hackles raised and tail poofy. The room had no windows to escape through, so he did the next reasonable thing, climb up. He braced himself as he hid in the shadows, closing his eyes almost all the way to prevent them from reflecting any light.

"I hope you do, otherwise I will have to take something of equal value," a second, higher, voice spoke.

"Don't threaten me, Omar, I have your money right there," the first voice spoke before the sound of a key sliding into the keyhole reached Niki's ears.

"Huh, that's strange. I'm sure this was locked." The door swung open and a camel held up a small lantern, casting even more shadows in the now seemingly empty room with the flickering light of the candle within.

"Where's my money, Emre? It should be here, right?" a mean-looking leopard asked, folding his arms, his eyebrows expressing his scepticism.

"It...it was here! It was all here! THIEVES! THIEVES! GUARDS! SEARCH THE GROUNDS!" the camel yelled as he ran out of the room, followed by the leopard, who chose to follow in a more relaxed gait.

Voices and footsteps could be heard all over the place now, and the cat dropped down on all fours before looking around the open door, only to find the leopard looking right at him, as if he'd known all along.

"Omar, there's your thief," he said while grinning, apparently enjoying the current situation.

The camel's neck almost broke with the speed of his head turning around to lock eyes with the black cat. "HALT! GUARDS! THIEF! THIEF!" he yelled before running at the leather-clad feline.

Niki immediately bolted for the room he'd entered through the window, throwing aside vases and plants in order to slow down his pursuers. He ran through the wooden door of the angel's room, and slammed the door shut. The silver cat was sitting up in bed, sheets held up to cover her body. Her eyes were so like the moon that they arrested the thief with their captivating beauty.

"Go. Go, don't let them catch you!" her voice, sweet like honey, spoke to him. It was like the sound of water after having walked around in the desert for days. This was what had been missing in his life. She was the final piece to his puzzle. He smiled at her and moved a paw to the back of his head. "Hey..."

"Hey? Go! If they catch you, you're dead!" she girl pleaded before throwing her pillow at his face.

This broke the trance he was in, and he ran to the window. He looked at her again before dropping onto the balcony and made his way around the corner to his point of entry. He dropped down onto the grass and rolled into the bushes, both to break his fall and to disappear from sight as fast as possible. He climbed a tall palm tree and jumped onto the lower roof of an adjacent building, running over the roofs as quickly as he could, successfully escaping with the loot. Happy as he was with this, there were two things on his mind though: who was she and why did she help him?

***

In contrast to the streets at night, the city was absolutely bustling with people. The central marketplace situated around a large fountain that provided fresh water for the people to drink from. It was also a beautiful piece of decoration in the middle of the city that originated around an oasis. The fountain was built right on top of it to honour the cities origin. The water came from way up high in the mountains that shielded the city from the north. Countless merchants and travellers crowded the streets, through which Niki was weaving his way with practised ease.

He was wearing a beautiful white robe with blue and gold details, a gold sash, and a turban in the same style, looking to the rest of the world like a wealthy young man. Usually, less fortunate people, beggars especially, would move out of the way or avert their eyes. However, the faces of the city's poorest always lit up at the sight of the black cat.

"Good morning, Master Niki. How are you today?"

"Blessings upon you, Master Niki!"

"May the stars ever shine in your favour, my Lord."

The young cat smiled at all who came to him, knowing what they both wanted and needed. He reached into his purse and produced a few coins for each of them. "Make sure you eat well, Judur. How's your mother, Asbat? Take good care of her, boy. Razin, any news?"

"Word is that Lord Najih was robbed yesterday, my Lord. Other than that, there is no news," the old goat said while pocketing the coins he'd received.

Niki nodded and smiled. "Thank you, Razin. Good day."

"A good day to you too, Master Niki."

Rain would never have approved of Niki being so friendly and generous towards the poor, considering them filthy and to be ignored, unless he needed information. It was an attitude the cat usually reprimanded the otter for, by reminding him that Niki himself was living on the streets until the master thief had taken him on as his apprentice and had led him to a new life. Apparently, the older otter had seen something in him that day that he liked. They'd been together for many years following that day. He owed the otter a lot, but he would never forget his roots, and how every day was a battle for survival. If he could help those in need with the money he had taken from the prosperous, then he'd gladly do so. Besides, it felt good to have people coming to him for help and calling him by his name. It stroked his ego in such a way that he sometimes felt like the guardian angel of beggars. He chuckled at this foolish thought and headed over to Rain's establishment.

"Drop your weapons! Get up and put your paws behind your head!"

Rain was already halfway to the window when Niki barged into his brothel, pretending to be a city guard making an arrest. Along with him, several of the entertainers and patrons looked worried. It wasn't until Rain looked at the cat and groaned loudly before straightening himself, did the people in the foyer relax.

"Damn it, Niki, how many times until you stop doing this?" the older otter said with a sigh. The years hadn't exactly treated him kindly. Silver fur was spreading from his ears and muzzle, as well as throughout his entire pelt. His once glossy dark fur had lost most of its shine and his claws definitely weren't as sharp as they once were.

"When you stop giving me the satisfaction of seeing you move as fast as a squirrel spotting the last walnut bread," the black cat said before moving up to the counter and leaning on it. "How are you today, Rain?"

"Well, besides being scared even greyer than I already was, today has been very uneventful up till now. I expect things to pick up in the evening of course. I've heard one of the larger merchant ships will return to port tonight, so I'm expecting a full house. Anyway, what can I do for you?"

"I'd like some time with the twins," Niki said without blushing or blinking. He had frequented Rain's establishment more times than he cared to remember, and his twins were his favourite companions. Besides them being very good, there was something extra naughty and pleasing about making love to two siblings at the same time.

"Alright, they should be free and in their room. That's two gold, please," the otter said while smiling as the cat's paw had already found its way into his pocket to produce the required payment. "Enjoy. Perhaps you'd like to join me afterwards to examine a fresh batch of apples?"

The cat smirked and nodded, knowing full well what Rain meant by that. He went past others who couldn't afford to pay for the pleasure he was about to experience, instead choosing to stay down with some of the girls to enjoy a drink. He offered them a nod and a wink to the girls before going up the stairs to the room he had visited many times before.

He knocked on the door before opening it and poking his head in. "Is everyone dressed?" he joked.

"Master Niki! No, of course not!" a young female red fox said while smiling brightly.

"Come in, come in!" her enthusiastic twin brother said. He was lying on his stomach at his sister's feet, his amber eyes on the black cat. He got up once the door was closed and made his way over to Niki, taking off the cat's robes without him being told to. Simple commands like that had become unnecessary between them. Niki moved his paw along the fox's neck and onto the back of his head, pulling him into a deep kiss. He tilted his head slightly and invaded the vulpine's slender muzzle with his tongue while his robes slid down his shoulders and back, to pool at his feet.

He was led to the bed, where he was welcomed by the sister in the same manner. "We have missed you, master. You really shouldn't keep us waiting this long next time," she said while pouting playfully.

"Heh, I'm sorry Amber, but I have been terribly busy making sure I can still visit you and Jasper," he said while grinning. He cupped the girl's breast and gently squeezed it. "You'll have to forgive me." The feline bent over the curvy female to take her exposed nipple between his lips, suckling softly on the soft flesh. Rain made sure to keep his entertainers perfectly-shaven to keep them looking as appealing as possible to the clientele.

"Oh... I guess I could do that," Amber said softly, closing her eyes as she enjoyed the attention she was given. Her perfectly-manicured claws raked through the cat's neck fur and the back of his head, leaving subtle trails in the obsidian pelt.

Niki felt the twin brother behind behind him, and he smiled around the nipple he was teasing. "Jasper, get me ready for your sister, please," he said before wrapping his black lips around the vixen's areola again, applying gentle suction to draw out the pleased sounds he wished to hear.

The fox moved behind the cat and stroked his slender-yet-toned body before gently moving the ever-moving tail out of the way. He pressed a tender kiss under Niki's tail before applying his tongue to the same area, causing the feline's sheath to stir and thicken, the pink shaft slowly protruding forth from its protective velvet pocket. He poked at the backdoor before applying just enough pressure to get his tongue to slowly slip past the cat's defences, drawing a low moan from the thief.

After urging the vixen onto her back, the young feline spread her legs, revealing the patch of pure white that covered her loins, safe for the hint of the desired fruit that lay hidden behind the moist folds of the girl's sex. The cat nibbled his way up the female's inner thigh, drawing impatient moans and gasps from her before he seized the prized fruit with his tongue, spreading her folds with it to claim his prize.

Niki grew fully hard in Jasper's paw, as the fox was stroking him in time with the thrusting of his tongue. Soon abandoning the black cat's tail star, the male chose to suckle on the plump balls resting in the palm of his paw. His soft fingers gently massaged the cat's rod, encouraging the salty clear pre to leak from it.

The dark thief sat up before standing, keeping Jasper's muzzle in place with his paw and forcing the male to sit up, while motioning Amber to put her mouth to work. The vixen crawled over herself to sit down on her knees. Her tongue darted out to wet her lips before she planted kisses all over the feline cock in front of her. Once she was sure she had covered all of it, she took it into her muzzle, all the way to the hilt.

Niki let out a long moan at the twins' combined efforts and he moved one paw on each of their heads, keeping them in place while enjoying their tongues on his most private parts. In his mind's eye, the vixen in front of him shifted into the silver cat from the night before. He could picture her clearly as she bobbed her head along his throbbing member, servicing it to the best of her ability. What could her name be? He had to have her. She had helped him, which had to mean something, right?

He lay down on his back and pulled Amber on top of him. She faced him and smiled as she sat up and took his rod in paw, guiding it inside of her as she started riding the black cat, moaning softly as she was filled by him. Jasper sidled up to Niki's side and kissed him with a passion most often experienced by fresh lovers. The fox licked his lips, begging for a kiss. The cat happily obliged, and moved a paw around the male's waist, resting it in the curve leading to the boy's slightly feminine hips. Niki's other paw went up to massage the vixen's breast, his fingers gently massaging the suppleness of her body. He pictured her as the silver feline again, watching her from behind closed eyes as she rode him, her fur rolling over her frame. The way she arched her back and pushed up her breasts, caused her ribs to show through the fur ever so slightly. Her perky breasts made small jumps of joy as she slammed herself down on his meat, desperate to please both him and herself. Niki considered her a true work of art, and if the gods ever made anything more beautiful, they'd surely have kept it to themselves. He could imagine her so vividly that the reality around him faded to the background.

What didn't fade however, but contrastingly grew so strong that it eventually took possession of both his body and mind, was his body's need to shoot his essence as deep inside the silver cat as he could. His attraction to her enhanced his biological desire to knock her up with his kids, which was exactly the reason why Rain would never let any patron sleep with someone of the same species. Luckily, that would never stop Niki from fantasizing about it. He clawed at the girl's hips and bit his lip after ending the kiss with Jasper. He could feel the fox's whiskers tickling his neck an instant before a kiss was planting in his neck. He was close and they knew it.

"Fuck her hard, sir. Don't hold back," the male vulpine whispered in his ear, his warm breath rolling over the sensitive hairs on the inside. Niki didn't need to be told twice, and he thrust up into the female's hot sex, grunting with each push of his hips, his abs tensing up into neat little squares underneath his midnight fur. He opened his eyes to see Amber looking down at him, smiling and panting, her breathing becoming louder. She had started trembling, which told the cat all he needed to know. He placed his thumb at the little pink pearl at the top of her sex, and started rubbing it just the way she loved it.

She moved both paws on his to make sure he wouldn't pull away, and clenched tightly around his cock, milking him by squeezing around it every time she moved up. He growled and clawed at her hip before letting out a lustful cry as he shot rope after rope of his hot sticky cum inside of her demanding sex, painting her walls white with his seed. He didn't forget about the vixen though, and he kept rubbing at her nub in his afterglow, until she came around his cock, her juices flowing over it and dripping down his balls and loins.

The two sighed and relaxed, Amber lying down on top of Niki, resting there even after he had slipped out and sheathed again. The cat realized that Jasper hadn't orgasmed yet, but the fox had reassured him in the past that he didn't need to, as he'd need every load he could save up for the evening, when most customers would show up. The three cuddled up together, kissing and nuzzling, before it was time for Niki to leave.

***

"So, what are you looking for this time?" Niki asked as Rain and he approached a remote building at the docks. The salty scent of the ocean filled his nostrils and the sight of fish being hauled off boats and ships of various sizes made his mouth water. He loved the docks. Perhaps he should make a sea voyage one day, find another country to explore, meet new people. The thought of it entertained him long enough that he didn't hear the otter's reply properly.

"Sorry, could you repeat that please?"

The dark otter rolled his eyes and sighed before looking at the building ahead. "Males, mostly, if they have nice ones, though I wouldn't pass up any extraordinarily beautiful females either."

"Hmm, I don't care much for men, though I must admit that I like Jasper."

"Which means that you aren't entirely immune to the charm of a beautiful man. Let's see if we can find someone that may interest you," Rain said before making his webbed paw into a fist and knocking on the door. Two times at first, then once, then three, after which he coughed twice. A small piece of wood slid to the side, revealing a tiny window as well as a pair of piercing eyes the colour of a raging storm.

"Password," a voice that matched the eyes demanded.

"The devil is here to collect what slipped through the angels' fingers," Rain said softly before grinning. The sound of multiple locks being opened and removed could be heard before the heavy wooden door opened up, revealing a bulky black bull behind the door. He was dressed in brown studded leather armour, and his weapon, a morning star the size of a baby was resting against the wall behind him.

"Welcome," he said as the two friends entered the dimly-lit hall, after which he closed and shut the door again. "Next time, the password is 'nothing would sate me more than an exotic flower plucked from Heaven's garden'. Remember it," the bull spoke before sitting down on a stool that Niki thought looked way too small to support the bull. He had no chance to see if the poor furniture would hold though, for Rain pulled him along through a dark red curtain, taking him to the main hall.

What met his eyes was the sight of a couple dozen males and female chained to poles by their wrists and ankles. Some were even muzzled or were bound to poles by metal collars around their necks. It was a pitiful sight to behold, and he'd expressed his concern with Rain once, to which the otter answered that it was their duty to at least take one of them and give them a chance to a better life. Niki didn't believe that Rain could be as selfless as what he would like people to believe, but the twins looked happy enough, and they were former slaves as well.

"Well, divide and conquer, kitten," the otter said before leaving Niki's side to inspect slaves on his own. The cat didn't mind. He'd always been more of an einzelgänger anyway. He went in the opposite direction and walked past the multitude of males and females that made up the plethora of possible servants, dancers, labourers, sex slaves, and companions that were housed in the tenebrous room. There was even a special section for children hoping to be adopted by loving families.

The first person he came across was a strong-looking female striped hyena. He knew he technically shouldn't view her as a person anymore, the slave traders definitely didn't, as they were to be considered property. He couldn't help it though. The thought that one person had complete control over another one's life always struck him as a little strange. She was naked, just like every other slave for sale in the room, and eyed him with eyes that radiated power. Her muscled rippled underneath her striped grey fur as she flexed them. He wasn't sure whether it was to get his interest or to scare him away, but the black cat walked on.

The next person surprised him. The slavers had managed to lay their paws on a falcon. She was rather small, and her wings were bound. Her beak was covered by a steel cage, which told the cat that at least one person had lost their fingers to her. Her plumage was a shade of warm brown, and her curves were rather enticing to the cat. Her eyes scared him away though. She was daring him to come closer, but even though she was bound, Niki wouldn't take his chances and moved to the next one that caught his eye.

He walked up to a male komodo dragon with scales the colour of thyme, and let his eyes wander over the muscled body. A black forked tongue slithered its way in and out between the green lips. He appeared to be quite at ease. His physique was incredible in the cat's opinion, and he would definitely make a great addition to someone's work force, but that was not what Niki and Rain were there for. He passed a female buffalo that was much too voluptuous and muscled at the same time to interest the cat, so he moved on to a rather peculiar sight.

In one of the corners of the room, a black dog with strange fur was tied to the pole with her paws behind her. She gave the black cat a smile that could only be interpreted as friendly. "Good day, sir," she spoke with an accent that Niki couldn't place. She was the first to look happy to be there and the first one to talk too. What was more surprising about her was her fur. She looked as if her parents were a sheep and a dog, but a hybrid like that was impossible. People have tried it. Her fur was like wool, but it was shaved away to expose her breasts and stomach, as well as her sex. She was missing fur on her arms as well, which made it look as if she was wearing furry bracelets. She was so unique that Niki found it difficult not to stare.

"What are you?" he asked softly with a smile.

"I'm a caniche, but people from other countries call me a poodle, sir," she said.

"A caniche..." he said while slowly circling her.

The dog giggled at this and followed him with her eyes. "You can touch if you wish, sir," she said. It wasn't as if she could actually had any say in it or could stop him if he went against her wishes, but it felt good to have her consent. Niki stood in front of her and moved his paws onto her shaved sides, stroking and kneading her there, enjoying the feeling of the shaved fur tickling his fingers. She wagged happily and watched his every move. He moved his paws slowly up her sides and moved his sharp claws over her perky breasts without damaging the skin. She hissed in pleasure, inhaling air through her teeth, and gave him a lustful look while biting her lower lip. He had the feeling that she wanted him, and that was sexy! He was still playing with the poodle and touching her when Rain walked up with three slaves in tow, the otter already holding their leashes. He'd worked fast and had already acquired three new members for his house of pleasure.

"Having fun, I see?" the otter asked with a smirk spread over his face.

"Oh. Eh. Yeah. She said it was okay," the cat said while blushing and taking a step back.

"Niki, she's a slave, which means that it doesn't matter what she says, alright? Keep that in mind," he said before checking out the dog for himself. This gave Niki the opportunity to check out the people that would be joining the brothel.

Among a very cute male fruitbat, who looked very uncomfortable being there, and a curvy brown female rabbit with lop ears, was a feline who Niki had definitely seen before. The cat of his fantasies, who he'd met that one fateful night, now stood before him, fully naked. He had to catch his jaw from dropping to the floor as he beheld the beautiful female. "You... How did you end up here?" he asked softly as he moved a bit closer.

She looked into the cat's eyes, hers filled with sadness. "Emre couldn't pay the debt he was owed, so he was forced to sell off some of his property, me included," she said softly. "After he'd let Omar have his way with me."

A feeling of guilt washed over the cat as he beheld the silver feline. She had ended up there because of him, because he had felt the need to relieve her former master of his money. He took her paws in his and softly squeezed them. "I'm so sorry." His words didn't even come close to the regret he felt, but he wasn't a scholar or a poet, so he had to make do with the words he knew.

She shook her head and looked up at him, the sadness gone from her eyes. "Don't be. Emre was a horrible master, and I'm happy to no longer be in his service. I just hope it will get better from now on," she said.

"I'll make sure of it. I'm Niki. What is your name?" he asked, still holding her paws and gently rubbing his thumb over the backs of her paws, feeling the thin bones beneath her glossy fur. Surely, Rain would be a better master than this Emre person. The fox twins seemed happy enough. However, the idea of her belonging to his former mentor didn't sit right with him.

"Danya," the cat spoke, looking at him with her silver eyes, arresting him for a few seconds before he nodded and moved over to Rain, who was busy feeling up the caniche and was two knuckles deep inside of her.

"Rain, we need to talk."

"Not now, boy. Can't you see I'm busy?"

Niki growled softly in frustration and pulled the otter's shoulder, turning him around, his webbed fingers slipping out of the dog, who let out a moan before pouting in a disappointed fashion. "Now."

"By the gods, boy, what is up with you?" the otter growled, wiping his fingers off on his robes. He didn't look all too pleased that his moment with the sheep-furred dog had been ended abruptly.

"I wish to buy the silver cat from you," he said, stating his wish in all seriousness.

"What? Why?" the otter asked, looking quite confused. Niki had never shown any interest in owning a slave before.

"Personal reasons."

"Well, it's a no. I just bought her, and she'd be a lovely addition to the house. Just look at subtle hourglass figure and that beautiful striped silver fur! People will line up for a beauty like her. She's going to make me a lot of money, boy, so you can't have her," Rain said before turning away.

Niki pulled him back on his arm. "Please!"

The older otter shrugged him off with a growl and glared at the younger cat. "No, Niki. I'm her new master and I don't owe you anything. That's the last I wish to hear of this," he said before signalling one of the slavers, a grey-muzzled lion.

The black cat turned away to look at Danya longingly. His paws were aching, but there was nothing he could do at this point. His puzzle piece was out of reach, as he would never be allowed to be with her simply because they were the same species. The thought of other men sliding their filthy dicks inside of his angel caused acid to come up into his mouth. The idea of their paws roaming all over her body made him feel ice cold inside. He couldn't let it happen. He had to stop this at all costs.

"Shall we go?" Rain asked.

The black feline turned around to see the dark mustelid holding the poodle's leash. The girl was smiling brightly and holding the otter's arm as she walked. Well, at least one of them was happy with their current arrangements. Together they walked out of the slave market, the black cat trailing a little behind with Danya. He took off his sash and carefully tied it around the girl's chest to cover her up a little. Next, he unwrapped his turban and tied it around her hips. Nobody else was allowed to lay their eyes on her naked body but him. She was his. Rain just didn't realize it yet.

***

He had to move fast, as there might only be a few hours left before the merchant ship, The Valour, would make port. He didn't know for how long they'd been out at sea, but he wouldn't be surprised if the sailors hadn't had a good lay in many weeks, which made it all the more important that Niki beat them to the brothel.

Wearing his cream-coloured leathers again, the young thief made his way through the various alleys connecting his house to Rain's brothel, making sure to avoid any guards he might come across. Compared to where he lived as a child, the guards in this city were terribly lax and mostly for show. The real justice was served by those who had the money to pay for it. That didn't mean that he could just do whatever he wanted though.

He made it to the brothel, only having had to dodge two guard patrols on his way there, but didn't go in through the front door this time. He turned the corner and moved to the side of the building before taking a grappling hook from his belt. His trained paw swung the rope in circles before throwing the iron hook onto the roof with an arc Fibonacci would have been proud of. Unfortunately, the cat hadn't managed to get it stuck, so he reeled it back in and tried again, succeeding the second time. He tested it by strongly pulling on the rope a few times, only climbing up once he was sure it was safe. Niki extended the curved claws on his feet for better grip and made his way up.

He peered through the windows he passed, but couldn't find the one he needed in this row. The thief pulled himself up onto the roof and fastened the grappling hook again before lowering himself, the muscles in his arms tight and straining as he slowly made his way down to the next row of windows. This process repeated itself a few times, until he found his prize, his silver angel.

She was on the bed, as naked as when she had been led from the slave market, the collar still around her neck. She was chained to the bed, her neck and paws secured to the backboard of the bed. She had pulled up her legs and was staring down, her eyes cast down. The sight of her in that state made his blood boil, and the thought that some random males would have their way with you like that, was something he could simply not stomach. Niki wasn't used to the entertainers being tied up like that. Jasper and Amber were free to roam the building. Perhaps Rain thought there was a considerable chance Danya might run away if she could. This bode well for him.

He pulled a dagger from a sheath on his lower back and slid the thin blade between the two panels, before moving it up to lift the hatch and open the window without a sound. He climbed up into the room and placed his paws on the lush carpet that caressed his paw pads. "Hello, Danya," he said with a smile as he sheathed his dagger.

The girl startled and screamed before realizing who was standing before her. "You? What are you doing here?" she asked as she tried to move closer, only to be held back by the heavy manacles around her wrists.

"I am here to take you away, at least for tonight," he said and smiled as he moved closer and pulled a lock pick from his bracer. He fidgeted with the manacles for a moment, one after the other, but managed to free her from them. Danya rubbed her wrists before tilting her head, so the obsidian cat could more easily remove the collar around her neck. Once she was free, the girl wrapped her bed sheets around herself, fashioning a makeshift dress from the white fabric.

"Away? Where to? I have nowhere to go, Niki," she said.

"You remembered my name," the black cat said while smiling. That fact alone caused his heart to jump, and he moved his arms around the girl, pulling her against him.

She placed her paws on his chest and pushed back, creating distance between the two of them. "Why are you doing this?"

"Because I'm in love with you," Niki stated bluntly while smiling. "Ever since the first moment I saw you, I knew you belong in my life, and that I would have to persuade you to stay by my side."

Danya stared at him in disbelief and she shook her head. "Why me? I'm just a girl sold into slavery by her parents so they'd be able to feed the others. Now I'm a sex slave. In the eyes of the world, I am nothing," she said.

"To me, you're everything. My heart was stolen by you ever since I first laid eyes on you the day we met. Tell me, Dayna, why did you help me that night?"

"Well, because Emre is a tyrant and I didn't want to see you get killed. It's that simple," she said.

"I see... Nevertheless, the fact is that you helped me, and I would love to help you out now, by freeing you from this life and starting a new one with me," he said and smiled.

"You would do that for me?" she asked, her eyes on his, searching for a possible lie.

"Yes. Dayna, I'm in love with you, and I would like you to come with me. You don't have to become my wife right away, but at least let me court you and prove myself," he said before moving his paw down his shirt. His fingers searched for a few seconds before a thin chain brushed against his pads. He pulled out the silver moonstone necklace he'd taken from Dayna's room that night. "I believe this is yours."

"My mother's necklace! You had it all this time? I thought it was lost when Emre confiscated all my things and sold them off along with me."

The door behind Niki opened and a burly grey wolf walked in. The male frowned upon taking in the scene. "What the hell are you doing here? I was told the girl was free," he said.

"Well, she's not, so please get out," the black feline said, moving his paws onto Dayna's hips and pulling her against him while glaring at the wolf.

"Over my dead body, cat, I paid good money for this whore, and I will fuck her right now!"

Niki hissed and drew his dagger, aiming it at the wolf's throat. "Over your dead body, you said?" he growled. Dayna moved behind the thief, holding the silver pendant to her bare chest. This only strengthened Niki's resolve. Nobody would touch his angel that night. "Leave. If you show your face again, I will shove this blade between your ribs."

The canine's hackles were raised and his body was tense, his fists trembling at his sights. He didn't dare move closer because of the cat's dagger though. He snarled and growled before stamping back down the stairs.

"We have to go, before anyone else shows up," he said, turning to the silver tabby again.

"How? We can't just go out the door, and I'm naked," Dayna said, sounding quite distressed by this sudden turn of events.

"Use the sheets. It's dark outside anyway," he said before moving to the door. He used his lock picks to lock the door from the inside. Unfortunately there were no desks or chairs to block the door with. He hoped the locked door would give them the time they needed.

"And then what? Climb out the window? How did you even get up here?" she asked as she tied the bed sheets around her tighter than before.

"I used a grappling hook; there's a rope right outside the window. Use it to get down," he said

Niki heard footsteps approaching the door and he moved the girl to the window. "Go! There's no time!" The door handle was pulled down, but the door, of course, wouldn't open. He heard swearing and the sound of a key sliding into the lock. "NOW!" he yelled as he put the rope in her paws and shoved her out the window. He'd apologize to her later.

Dayna screamed as she gripped the rope and swung from side to side for a moment, before slowly and carefully making her way down, paw for paw.

The door opened and Rain stormed in, his eyes filled with rage. "How dare you, Niki! After everything I've done for you!" he yelled as he advanced at the cat.

Niki held up his knife and trembled a little. He'd never seen the otter this angry before. "Please, you don't understand! I need her! I love her!" he pleaded.

"Love is for the weak and stupid, and you're neither of those, so man the hell up! Love is just some fake ideology people love to fill your head with. It doesn't exist in this world. It's use or be used," he snarled. "That woman will promise you all kinds of things, but she'll betray you sooner or later. Maybe for a lot of money, maybe because she found someone better, or maybe just for fun. She will do it, boy. Mark my words!"

"Shut up! You don't know her at all! You don't know how I feel! You don't have any idea of what love is! You have probably never been loved! Not even by your own mother!" the cat screamed while trembling. He would let no other man have his angel. She was the missing piece of the puzzle, the sun to his moon, the sheath to his blade, and the cherry to his pie.

The otter snarled again and leapt at the cat, wrestling him to the ground as he took hold of his wrists and used his superior weight. "You will not steal from me, boy!" he growled before wrapping one paw around the feline's throat, squeezing down hard.

Niki felt his windpipe slowly being crushed, a sensation unlike anything he'd ever felt before. He took hold of the otter's wrist and tried pulling him away. Looking up into the fire-spitting eyes of his former mentor filled him with dread. The man that had taken him under his wing many years ago was trying to end his life now? He tried kicking him off, but Rain had spread his legs with his body, rendering them useless. The lack of air was making it difficult to think clearly. Instinct took over and he clawed at Rain's arm, slashing through the thin robes and his skin. He dragged his paw down, making sure to bury his nails as deep inside of the arm as he could.

Rain screamed out in pain and released the cat's neck, only to punch him in the face and block the clawing arm with his knee. Blinded by pain, the former master thief released Niki's other arm and choked him with both paws.

The onyx feline reacted immediately, even though he was slightly dazed by the punch to his cheekbone. His fingers wrapped themselves tightly around the handle of his dagger, before he punched it right into the dark mustelid's chest, penetrating his raging heart. I'm sorry.

Rain gasped and coughed, letting go of the cat as he stared down at him in disbelief. "You..." he growled as he looked down at the growing red stain spread around the blade, his leg moving off the feline's arm. He punched the cat's paw away and ripped the dagger out of his dying heart. He raised the knife above his head and snarled. "You will burn with me for this, Niki!"

He brought the knife down, but the cat blocked with both arms, successfully saving himself as the blade dangled a mere inch from his face. They struggled like that for a few more seconds, before Rain's body finally gave out, and the otter slumped over. Niki rolled him off, took the dagger, and looked down at the man he once saw as his adoptive father. "I'm so sorry," he said as tears welled up in his eyes and rolled down his bruised cheek, leaving subtle dark trails in the fur of his face.

He went to the window, sheathed his dagger, and lowered himself along the rope, his tears falling down onto the ground below. Once he was safely on the ground, he wiped his tears away and looked around, only to realize that Dayna was long gone. Surely Rain couldn't have been right. She must be hiding somewhere close in case something went wrong. That had to be it. Niki walked away from the brothel, leaving his old life behind to look for his silver angel, hoping to start anew with her.