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Leo stirred, waking up to a feeling of something heavy weighting down his hips. He opened his eyes but saw nothing but darkness. He tried to move but his hands were stuck together. A surge of panic nearly made him try to bolt up before his memory returned. He was in Imara's bed, bound and hooded. He heard her voice say, "Wake up, it's time to rise and shine."

He tried to reach for his hood, but couldn't get to the laces. He felt himself being pushed on one side, being rolled over to his belly. He let it happen. The weight moved back onto him and now he felt tugging at the back of his head. Imara pulled off the hood. The sudden transition from the darkest night to the bright morning sun was blinding, he still couldn't see anything, even the light shining through his eyelids was painfully dazzling.

While he regained his sight, Imara undid the ropes around his wrists and ankles. She stepped out, and stood next to the bed, looking down at Leo. She was already dressed in her regular skirt and top.

"And what do you say?" she asked.

"Oh... Good morning, Mistress."

"That's right. Good morning to you too. Now, go clean up, then join me for breakfast.

Leo did so. He didn't think he needed a bath (and wasn't sure if he was allowed to draw one) so he settled on doing some spot cleaning with a moistened towel.

He found Imara sitting on the sofa in the living room. On the table in front of her was a tray of antelope jerky strips. Leo kneeled down by the table.

"At ease," Imara said, giving him a dismissive wave. "Sit. Eat."

Leo sat on the couch and picked up a strip of dried meat.

"I'm pleased to see how quickly you've learned you manners," Imara said. "Many candidates, although willing to serve, need considerably more time and training to reach this point."

Leo nodded minutely and took another strip.

"I am making arrangements to present you to the Queen."

Leo paused midchew and looked at her, eyes widening in surprise. "Does... that mean I'm graduating, Mistress?"

"Not quite yet. When I present you, I am asking the Queen permission to continue your training. In practice, she never has cause to reject a candidate because I never bring her I have no confidence in."

Leo nodded, disappointed. A second later, having processed the full sentence, the disappointment turned to elation: Imara already thinks he's worthy of joining the pride?

"But fret not," Imara continued, "after the ceremony, you go from being a candidate pride member to a probationary one. Your graduation is effectively certain."

She waited until Leo had eaten his fill, then stood up, brushing her skirt as she did. "Now, follow me. You have an appointment with Asim to get a custom chastity cage fitted. See how much faith I have in you? If I thought there was even a chance the Queen might reject you, I wouldn't bother with this until after the ceremony."

Asim's apartment was down in the northeast corner of the second floor. Rather than simply barging in, Imara knocked on the door. Very soon, as if he had been waiting behind it, Asim opened it.

"Ah, the patient is here. Thank you, Mistress."

Imara nodded. Putting her hand on the small of Leo's back, she pushed him forward. "Please bring him back to my apartment once you're done."

"As you wish, Mistress," Asim said, giving a respectful bow.

She left, leaving Leo standing at the threshold. Asim waved for him to enter and follow. The front door opened to a small vestibule, with two doors leading inside the apartment proper. One stood open.

"Please, step into my office."

It was indeed an office of sorts. In the middle of the room, beneath an adjustable light fixture with a large silver reflector, was a thing like a chair or a table or something in between, with rests for the head, arms and legs. Naturally, leather straps with which to restrain the patient (or victim) hung from all these parts. By the far wall was a long table full of vials and jars, a mortar and pestle, some scary looking brass surgical instruments, and other medical paraphernalia of unknown use. There was also a bookshelf and a large apothecary cabinet. The room did look like it belonged to a physician. Only the leech tank was missing.

Asim gestured at the chair. "If you please," he said.

Warily, Leo took a seat.

"Lean back and put your legs up on the stirrups, please."

Leo did so. He was lying down nearly horizontally with his legs raised and splayed wide. A very vulnerable and revealing position that allowed the doctor (or torturer) easy access to every part of his anatomy. As soon has he had is legs in the stirrups, Asim buckled the attached straps over his shins.

"What are you doing?" Leo asked, slightly alarmed.

"I'm going to take off your chastity cage, so you need to be tied down. That's the rule, if you remember. Also, my job is much easier when my patients stay still. Put your arms on the armrests too."

Leo did as he was asked, reluctantly.

"Don't worry," Asim said as he strapped down his forearms as well, all the while wearing an exaggeratedly cheerful grin. "I'm very professional. Even my female patients allow me to restrain them when I need to."

"So, you're an actual physician?" Leo asked.

"Yes."

"As in, you've been trained?"

"Yes. Does it surprise you?"

"I guess. I didn't know hyenas practiced medicine."

If this insulted Asim, he didn't let it show. "A common enough prejudice in the kingdoms, I know. Perhaps I'm similarly prejudiced, but is bloodletting still considered the pinnacle of doctoring where you're from?"

Leo pursed his lips, did not want to answer.

Asim walked around his outstretched leg and settled between them, then removed his cage. Having it off was such a release that Leo couldn't even think of anything to compare it with. Asim gave the object a sniff and wrinkled his nose. "You must learn to wash yourself better. Even if I'm not there to clean you, you should still practice basic hygiene. Do you think your Mistress will ever want to take your cage off if you stink?" He set it on the table behind him and pulled up a stool. Leaning in close, his muzzle practically in Leo's crotch, he set about taking measurements. Using a length of string with regularly spaced knots he measured the girth and length of his sheath and around his whole sheath and balls. These measurements he wrote down on a small piece of parchment.

He stretched out the skin of Leo's scrotum and poked at the tender underside with a dull claw. "I see the chafing has worsened. Good thing Imara heeded my request, another day or two and it would have turned into an open sore."

He went over to the apothecary cabinet and browsed through its many little drawers. He gathered up a batch of little jars which he brought to the work table. There, he poured the content of the jars into the mortar and ground the mix into a powder he transferred to another jar. He stirred the whole mixture with a metal rod, resulting in a rather pungent smelling herbal balm of some sort. He returned to Leo and, with one finger, spread the oily paste over the sore spots on his scrotum. Leo hissed through his teeth, the ointment felt both cold and hot at the same time and burned like he had sat on a nest of fire ants.

"It might tingle for a while," Asim said. "But that only means it's working. Meanwhile, I'll adjust your cage for you."

Leo nodded, gritting his teeth. The burning and tingling was driving him crazy, like a hundred ants crawling on and biting such a sensitive area. He wanted to scratch himself but that wasn't an option, nor would it likely have been a good idea. He could see why Asim preferred his patients restrained. "Can I ask you something?" he said, trying to distract himself from the maddening itch.

"Go ahead," Asim said. He was standing by a shelf with his back to Leo, going through what appeared to be a box full of chastity cages. One by one, he picked them up, examined them and put them down again.

"Where did you train to be a physician?"

"You're wondering whether I learned here or in my home country?" He apparently found what he was looking for, for now he moved to sit by his work table. He clicked on a bright desk lamp.

"I suppose. Where exactly are you from?"

Asim placed the U shaped piece of the cage in a vise and began filing it down. "My home city lies a fortnight's journey south from here, along the great river we call Tamus-Met. And yes, it is a hyena city. To answer your first question, I was trained in the Temple of Isir-Khe. In addition to medicine, my education also included mathematics, calligraphy, and accounting. And, of course, having my testicles removed."

"So you chose to become a eunuch then?"

"I had no choice in the matter," Asim said icily. He continued in his usual calm voice, "For minor Houses like the one I was born into, sending their excess sons to the Temple is a way of accruing social cachet. We are more valuable this way, desirable even to the oldest, most prestigious of Houses."

"Oh... But how did you end up here, in a lion pride?"

Asim removed the piece from the vice, ran a finger over its edges and sighted it against the light. "As I've said, that is a long story. But I will make you a deal. If you graduate, I will tell it to you."

He returned to the stool in front of Leo and fitted the new cage over his sheath. He clicked the adjusted retaining piece into place. Leo realized just how ill fitting the old one had been; this one you could easily forget was there.

"There. How's that?"

"Much better," Leo said. "I thought it was normal for these things to chafe and pinch."

"Indeed not. When they make you wear something painful, it's painful on purpose, not accident. Any other ailments I should take a look at while you're here? Chipped teeth? Ear mites?"

"No... I don't think so."

"I better take a look anyway. If there's one thing I've learned in my years of practice, it's that patients lie."

He carried out the rest of the physical exam, which involved peering into his mouth and ears with a small magnifying glass, listening to his heart and lungs with a hollow horn, and pricking his toes and fingertips with a needle and asking if he felt it. (He did.)

Apparently satisfied he was in good health, Asim freed Leo from the chair.

"Be sure to have Imara send you to me again regularly," Asim said. "As the saying goes, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure."

He waved for Leo to follow and led him back upstairs. Walking behind the hyena, he kept his arms crossed, hands clasping his elbows. He couldn't shake the feeling of being out without permission, like Asim didn't really count as an escort. He was so small, there was nothing he could do to stop him should Leo decide to go his own way.

A lioness walked past. She gave Leo a curious glance but Asim a friendly hello. This happened a few times and after each time, Leo felt a little more secure, a little more relaxed. Finally at the top floor, Asim knocked on Imara's door. There was no answer. He waited for another minute, then said, "She seems to be out. I will leave you inside, as requested."

He pushed the door open, startling Leo. What astonishing trust they had for each other here. Or was this how it was elsewhere and just his old pride that was particularly fractious? But such a culture of high trust did explain the strict vetting and training he was undergoing before being officially admitted. That Imara trusted him with just Asim to keep watch had to be part of the test too.

Stepping in, Asim called out, "Mistress? Are you home?"

Still no response. He turned towards Leo. "She does appear to be out. Please, up against that wall."

Leo looked at where Asim was pointing. Side by side on the wall next to the door hung five pairs of manacles. Leo frowned. Just as he had been impressed by how trusting this pride was. He went to stand with his back against the wall and raised his arms above his head and let Asim lock him up.

"I'm sorry I can't let you stay loose," Asim said as he clicked shut the second cuff around Leo's wrist. "Mistress Imara wants all otherwise unoccupied male guests to be kept bound until needed. It is... how she likes it."

"I understand," Leo said. Being bound and restrained at every turn, the physical sensation of the ropes and shackles, it was all a very effective reminder of his place, which was likely the intended effect. That, and Imara simply seemed to relish exerting her dominance over him. Leo was quite happy with that, even if he had come here expecting less shackles and more sex with assertive females. Still, he found the bondage and submission part more enjoyable than he'd known to expect.

Asim left, leaving Leo by himself. He wondered when Imara would return. A frightening, yet thrilling thought occurred to him: the door wasn't locked, anyone could barge in while he was bound and helpless. It could even be another male. What would he do to him? A fantasy bubbled up, like an intrusive thought you just couldn't shake. Leo imagined the lion he had seen yesterday strolling in. With no-one else around, he'd decide to have a little fun of his own. With those hands that looked strong enough to bend an iron bar, he'd grip his head and kiss his neck with long, wide licks. He'd move downwards, his raspy tongue roaming across his chest, teasing his nipples, threatening to lick them raw, then down his belly until he got to his...

The fantasy derailed. What would he do with the cock cage? Surely he wouldn't have a key. Leo let out a frustrated snort. Even in his imagination the chastity device was stymying him. Still, that short fantasy had been unexpectedly hot. It had to be this place loosening his inhibitions. Only a week ago he would've been ashamed of having such thoughts.

He tried to pass the time. There were books and scrolls on the shelf, but he couldn't make out the titles. Steamy fiction, perhaps? Maybe not, Imara's real life was probably steamier than anything put to paper. Holy texts? She didn't seem the type, unless she was a follower of one of the hyena fertility goddesses. Journals perhaps? Something dry like census records? Whatever it was, it couldn't have been more boring that standing here, waiting for Imara to return.

He looked at where the sun shone in through the window and noted the position of the beam of light it cast on the floor. He tried to see if he could notice it moving. Either time passed very slowly, or he couldn't discern it.

At long last, the door opened. It was, thankfully, Imara who stepped in. Leo wondered if he should welcome her, but the words of the guard lioness who had brought him in were fresh in his memory: "males speak only when spoken to."

Imara went past him, pointedly ignoring him. She disappeared into the hallway and moments later return with a broom and dust pan in hand.

She walked up to Leo, set the broom against the wall and said, "I have a task for you."

After releasing him, she pointed pointed to the tools. "I want you to clean up this room. I'm expecting company soon, so I need this place to be spotless."

Leo looked at her in utter confusion, mouth hanging slightly open.

"Is something unclear?" Imara asked. "You do know how to sweep a floor? Or are you such a pampered little prince you've never had to clean up after yourself?"

"I... uh..."

"You came here to serve, didn't you? That means work, not just play. Get started, you'll pick it up as you go along."

"Y--yes, Mistress," Leo said. He picked up the broom and set to work sweeping, the way he had seen servants do. Imara watched him for a while, a skeptical frown on her face, then, with a shake of her head, retired to her study. Leo kept at it, sweeping the floor, periodically emptying the dust pan into a garbage basket.

It took him, by his estimate, an hour to get the whole floor swept. Satisfied at a job well done, he went over to Imara's study.

"Mistress, I'm finished."

Imara, sitting behind her desk, looked at him, set down her quill and stood. She marched past him to the living room and looked around intently, her hands on her hips.

She made a tsk noise. "I'm not sure whether I would call this 'finished' but it'll do." She turned to face him. "Your next task. Go lock yourself up," she said, pointing at the cross on the wall.

Leo walked to the end of the room, ears folded. From Imara's tone of voice, he suspected a minor punishment was to be expected. He put his back against the wooden X, spread his legs and stooped down to strap himself in. The ankle restraints were merely leather belts attached to the beams. He buckled them up, then put his left hand up and, with some difficulty, managed to tighten the strap there too. He put his right hand into position but was then at a loss on how to proceed. Imara stepped up to finish the job. The restraints felt rather escapable. Leo was sure that with just a little squirming squirming, he could slip out. As if reading his mind, Imara continued: she buckled up the straps by his upper arms, thighs, and around his waist. There was even a little metal loop on the wall she closed over his tail at around knee height, forcing it to point straight down.

Now Leo felt utterly trapped. The bonds still weren't too tight, but with so little freedom of motion left, he simply did not have the wriggle room to slip out. With the straps around his hips, it was as if was pinned in place like a beetle on a cork board. He couldn't help but to recall the light testicle torture Imara had inflicted with a mere touch of her bare hand and, in a conflicting mixture of emotion, both feared and hoped he was due for a second round.

Imara stepped back, looked at him from head to toe, evaluating, assessing. "Perfect," she said. "Don't look so alarmed, you're not there to be punished. I always put up decorations when I'm entertaining guests and still-lifes just don't do it for me. The lion body is a beautiful thing and deserves to be displayed, wouldn't you agree? One more thing, however."

She walked to the hallway and returned holding a muzzle gag: a short, narrowing leather tube she fitted around Leo's snout, with straps she tightened behind his head.

"There," Imara said. "Wall art is to be seen, not heard. I usually prefer a full hood instead, but since today is about you in particular, I want to leave your face visible." She looked at him, tilting her head and scratching her chin, like she was looking for something. "Sometimes I like to add extra flourishes, like an intricate rope harness or some nipple or genital accessories. But I think for this occasion, the all-natural look is better." She crouched down in front of him and reached for his groin. Leo braced himself. Rather than pain, he felt her unlock his cock cage, pull it off. Just the act of removing the chastity device gave Leo an erection, as though it was a conditioned response.

"Yes, much better," Imara said. "Let your body speak for itself."

She stood there admiring him--or rather, her artwork--for a moment longer, then walked off to the kitchen. She returned with a tray of fried and salted crickets which she set on the table. She next fetched a carafe of cold tea and three drinking saucers. These she arranged on the table with two on one side and the carafe in the middle.

With the table set, she meandered around the room, brushing aside dust here, straightening up things there. She took a book from the shelf and settled down on the couch to read, not paying any more attention to Leo. He was just there as background. Time passed and Leo started to feel sleepy, although the only partially supported standing position was not one could easily fall asleep in.

At long last, a knock came from the door. Imara looked up and put away her book. She stood, straightened her skirt, and, without hurry, went to open the door. Two lionesses entered. Imara greeted them with familiar touches and hugs. Leo squinted. They looked very familiar somehow.

"Hello, Chiriki, Himaya," Imara said.

"Good afternoon, Imara," one of the lionesses said. Her voice jostled his memory, recognition hit. They were the two guards who had caught him (or more precisely: to whom he had given himself up) near the border. So the one who had spoken, the one who had taken him in, was called Chiriki.

Imara led the two to the couch and sat opposite to them. She poured tea into the saucers.

Chiriki, sitting on the sofa, stared intently at Leo. Leo tried not to stare back, instead keep his eyes forward. He felt his cock hardening again, extending out to its full glory. It was as if his body was betraying him. His ears flushed hot with embarrassment. Without even his chastity cage to preserve the shred of modesty he had left, he felt incredibly naked.

"Is that Leo?" Chiriki asked, sounding like she already knew the answer.

"It is," Imara said. "You remember his name?"

"I was the one who escorted him to the castle. Himaya couldn't be bothered."

Himaya frowned and brushed her cheek while Imara shot a disapproving glance in her direction. "Is that so," she said icily. "Protocol calls for at least two escorts."

"Well," Himaya said defensively. "I was sure she could handle it. He looked so scrawny."

"Hmh. Be that as it may, the rule exist of a reason. Complacency kills. I expect you not to put your partner in potential harm's way in the future, otherwise I'll have you too in the dungeon for disciplinary action."

Himaya nodded glumly and ate a cricket, casting a brief glare at Chiriki. Chiriki and Imara both took a saucer and lapped up some tea.

"So," Imara said, putting the saucer down. "About Leo. I am planning on presenting him to the Queen soon, tomorrow even, perhaps. As you were the ones to first encounter him, I'd like to hear your impressions."

"Oh?" Chiriki said. "So soon?"

"He has responded well to training. Even Mahiri spoke positively of him. I have faith he will make a fine addition to our pride. Just look at him, what a good time he is having."

"Ha! I knew it!" Chiriki said. She elbowed Himaya. "And you thought he was just another wannabe-king."

Himaya cleared her throat. "Well, in hindsight it does seem clear he was speaking the truth. He was just the right amount of hesitant. Pretenders are always cocksure."

"Will you tell this to the Queen?" Imara asked.

"Hmmm, I'm not sure," Chiriki said, smiling and narrowing her eyes. "I didn't get to spend enough time with him to get a good picture of his character. I can't in good conscience give testimony based just on a surface impression."

Imara sighed. "What do you want?"

"Let me claim him for a night. For evaluation purposes only."

"Have patience. At this rate he'll graduate in no time."

"Not without my testimony."

"Your testimony is not strictly needed."

"What if I say I thought he seemed like a spy?"

Imara rubbed the top of her muzzle. "So you really insist on having him?"

Chiriki remained quiet for a few seconds, then, "Yes."

"Fine," Imara said, rolling her eyes. "But know that I've yet to train him in the ways of giving pleasure."

"Doesn't matter," Chiriki said, waving her hand.

"As you wish," Imara said, sounding tired. "And how about you, Himaya? Do you want him as well?"

"I'll pass, but you'll have my testimony."

"Thank you." Imara took another lap of the tea, then leaned back on the sofa, settling to a more relaxed poise. "So, with that out of the way. How goes the border patrol? Any interesting happenings?" She jabbed her thumb in Leo's direction. "Other than this one?"

"Nothing noteworthy," Himaya said and popped another cricket in her mouth, crunching down on it loudly.

"Yah," Chiriki concurred. "We sometimes see Azizi's border guards out walking their route. They turn up their snouts and don't even wave back at us. A bunch of scraggly maned bastards, yet they think we're beneath them. Fuckers."

"In other words, nothing new under the sun," Himaya said.

"Have you heard anything about the Transcontinental Trading Company caravan?"

"According to Baraka's guards, the ones who actually stop to chat with us, the caravan was last seen in Xolani's territory. If so, I expect it should reach us within a week or two."

"Oh," Chiriki said brightly. "I put in an order for this cotton fabric last year. It's a very breathable material, great for outdoor wear. I hope they haven't forgotten. I've been itching to upgrade my work clothes. Literally itching, the old ones are terrible."

"Are you expecting something?" Himaya asked.

"Only the usual. The Queen is the one most looking forward to meeting them again. Personally, I'm not sure I trust them all that much."

"I think I know what you mean," Himaya said. "They always make a big deal about sending an all-female delegation, as if we should feel honored by that."

"Exactly," Imara said, nodding. "They hide behind a veil of polite words and etiquette, but in their eyes you can see barely disguised contempt."

"Does it matter what they think?" Chiriki asked. "We give them gold, they give us stuff. That's all."

"I would prefer trading partners with at least a degree of mutual respect," Imara said. "It's still my opinion we would find more common ground with the hyenas down south. The northerners have hearts as cold as the ice they tread on."

Himaya munched down another cricket and said, "Hm, well, it's the Queen you need to convince, not us."

"Indeed. Oh, well. What's the latest scandal among our neighbors? Anything amusing?"

"I heard that King Urur is soon to give up the throne to his firstborn son," Chiriki said. "But it's said that the son won't be able to discharge his kingly duties on account of not having the slightest interest in females."

Imara chuckled. "Bodes well for his brothers, then. They should just elect their monarch like we do, would make their politics only metaphorically cutthroat."

They each took a cricket and lapped up some tea.

"Rumor has it," Himaya broke the silence, "that the drought in Azizi's kingdom is worse than he lets on. He blames us, claims our well is too deep and that we're hoarding all the water."

Imara snorted and shook her head. "Naturally."

"The situation might yet turn to our advantage," Himaya said, but was cut off by Imara raising a stern finger.

"Let's put a pin in that," Imara said. Her eyes darted in Leo's direction. "Certain matters of... foreign policy should not be spoken of when the walls have ears."

"Of course," Himaya said, nodding apologetically.

Leo listened as the talk went on, turning back to safer, more lighthearted topics. Despite its frosty relations with the kingdoms, the pride appeared to be just as well informed in the going-ons around them as any other. Between lulls in the conversation, Chiriki kept taking good long looks at him. Leo hoped she wouldn't settle for just looking, but at the same time, he was slightly concerned at what exactly she had planned that did not require him to know how to please a lioness.

The crickets disappeared one by one, mostly into Himaya, and the carafe gradually ran dry, as did the gossip. Just as well, for standing up spread eagled was a straining position to hold, even if the straps carried some of his weight.

Chiriki and Himaya stood, bidding Imara farewell. Chiriki paused at the threshold and shot a toothy, hungry looking grin at him before she left.

Now just the two of them again, Imara removed his gag. "You did well," she said. "Did you enjoy that?"

"Yes, Mistress," Leo said. It had been a little tiring, but very arousing as well. There was something about being made the center of attention, restrained, spread, and exposed that just worked for him.

"Good," Imara purred. "This won't be the last time I call you to serve in this manner."

She put his chastity cage back on, then released him from the cross. "I will take you back to your cell," she said. "Chiriki will come fetch you sometime today, and perhaps tomorrow you will meet the Queen."

* * *

Time seemed to drag on. Leo sat on the edge of his bed and stared at the door. The hallway outside was dimly lit, he couldn't see much anything through the little window on the door. His stomach turned. He had barely been able to finish his bowl of kibble, which had tasted particularly revolting today. He got up and paced around the bed. He was much too aware of the beating of his own heart. Hours had passed; the sun must have set by now. Where was Chiriki? Was he being stood up?

A noise from the hallway. Leo stopped, strained his ears. Definitely footsteps. A shadow at the window, then the grating sound of the bolt sliding. He quickly knelt down, facing the door, his heart pounding so fast now he thought he might faint.

Chiriki entered. She was wearing the kind of clothes like when he had first met her: short pants and a short sleeved shirt, colored like the savannah. Slung over one shoulder was a small sack.

"Hello, Leo," she said. "Doing well, I hope?"

"Yes, Mistress," Leo said.

"How are you finding your time here? Is it as you expected?"

Leo thought for a second before responding. "Not exactly, Mistress. But it has been... gratifying, in an unexpected way."

"Is that so," Chiriki said, raising her eyebrows. "That's good to hear, then." She paused. A silence stretched until it became awkward. Finally, she continued, "Tell me, the females of your pride... They must submit to the princes' every demand?"

"Yes," Leo admitted, his voice almost a whisper and his ears flattening.

"Even if it is something they would not want to do?"

"Yes, Mistress," Leo said. He couldn't look her in the eyes. He had demanded a concubine's services only once but even so, he felt shame not just for himself but on behalf of his pride-brothers.

"And are they allowed to leave the pride, to join another one, perhaps?"

"No, Mistress."

"What happens if they try?"

"They... are hunted down and punished, Mistress."

"Hmm," Chiriki hummed, appeared to be lost in thought for a moment. "The whole idea is rather disquieting but I must admit that a part of me finds it titillating. What is this feeling called? When something is both repugnant yet fascinating, or frightening but arousing? I'm sure you can relate, seeing as how you gave up your position as a prince for a role similar to that of your concubines? Although I suppose there is the rather critical difference that you chose to come here and we give you the freedom to leave."

Leo had to think about it. There was perhaps some truth to her words. "Perhaps so, Mistress," he said.

"Perhaps so," she repeated. She remained quiet for a minute before continuing, "Do you know what we're going to do tonight?"

"No, Mistress."

"We're going to play a game of hunt-the-antelope."

"Mistress?" Leo said, confused. Out of all the things she might have wanted him for, a cubs' game was not one he had imagined.

"Surely you've played it? It's simple: you run and I catch you." She crouched down and set the sack beside her. From it she pulled a small hourglass, confusing Leo even further.

"To make it a proper game, we'll have a time limit. If I can't catch you before the sand runs out, you win. And to keep things interesting, the winner gets a prize. If you win, you'll be my king for the night." Chiriki looked him in the eyes, a sultry smile on her lips. "Until the sun rises, your every wish will be my command, just like back home. But if I win..." She reached into her bag once more and pulled out an item Leo didn't immediately recognize. A harness of leather straps with an attached phallus made of carved and polished ivory. His ears folded back involuntarily when he realized what it was. "If I win, I'll get to be the king and you my concubine."

She put the strap-on phallus back in the bag and the hourglass on the floor beside it. "So, are you ready to play the game?"

Leo considered his options. He could say no. Chiriki might not punish him for his disobedience, but she would report it to Imara and there would definitely be consequences of some kind. At the very least, his meeting with the Queen would be postponed. Of course, there was the chance he would win. He had indeed played hunt-the-antelope quite often with his brothers. He had almost always been chosen to play the antelope and had consequently got very good at dives and rolls and hairpin turns. But that had been years ago and Chiriki had the advantage of being a real hunter. But stalking and chasing a real animal was quite different, wasn't it? Unless of course this was all an excuse and she wanted him to win... But what if he lost? If it was anything like yesterday's experience, it wouldn't be so bad, a loss in name only, really.

Leo made his decision. "I am ready, Mistress," he said.

"Excellent. Here are the rules. I'm going to give you a head start, until the count of thirty. You may hide anywhere in the underground but must not go to the surface. This is a quarter-hour sand glass. Doesn't sound like a very long time at all but, trust me, it is. Any questions?"

"No, Mistress."

"Good. Stand up and get ready. The game starts... Now!" She flipped the hourglass around. The sand started pouring. "One!" she counted. "Two!"

Leo took the cue and ran out the door. "Three!" he heard her shout. He spun around, not sure which way to go. He had no idea of the layout of the underground, only that it was huge. It wasn't just a floor below the keep but a network of tunnels that reached all the way to the castle walls and possibly even beyond.

He ran down the tunnel that led deeper to the part he hadn't visited before. A calculated risk, he knew there were no good hiding places in the areas he was familiar with. He hoped he didn't run into anyone else, or that Chiriki had explained the game beforehand to anyone who had any business here.

There was a door along the long corridor. A salty smell of cured meat suffused through it--a larder, apparently. He made a mental note of it. The strong smell would mask his scent but it might be too obvious a hiding place. A little further along was a stairwell. No-go, stairs were off-limits. A little further still was a junction where another corridor intersected with this one. A sudden inspiration stuck Leo. The tunnels likely crisscrossed, formed a grid. If he could loop back to where he came from, he could wait out the time in his own cell. That would be the last place Chiriki would think to look for him. As a cub, he had used such a strategy in a game of hide-and-seek. It had only ever worked once, but once was enough.

He turned left. There were doors on either side, a bewildering number of them. Leo ran forward, light on his feet, trying to keep as quiet as possible. He picked a random door and very carefully opened it. If he could wait here until heard Chiriki walking past, he could then continue on to the starting point behind her back. The hinges creaked. In the absolute quiet of the underground, the metal screech sounded loud enough to reverberate through the whole castle. Leo cringed and held his breath. He decided to abandon this course. Chiriki had to be on the move by now and if she had heard the noise, he wouldn't want to be trapped in the room. He pushed the door closed, deliberately loudly this time, then tiptoed forward, towards the next junction.

Slipping behind the corner, he flattened his back against the wall and steadied his breathing. Hopefully, Chiriki was following in his path. He strained his ears. Was that pawsteps he heard, or just the sound of his own heart beating like a drum? Somehow, without even meaning to, he really was taking the game seriously, like it really was a matter of life and death.

A sound of a door being violently pushed open. Leo nearly jumped out his skin. He ran down the corridor until he found the dungeon hall again. Walking along the wall on his tiptoes, he inched his way back to his cell. The door was slightly ajar. He peeked inside at the hourglass and despaired. Hardly any time had passed. Chiriki had been right, a quarter hour was a long time.

He reconsidered his plan. Surely he wasn't the only one to come up with the strategy of looping back, Chiriki would surely be wise to such tricks. He looked around. On the opposite side was another cell, apparently empty. A new idea formed in his mind. He peered inside through the little window on the door to confirm that it was, indeed, unoccupied, then pulled open the bolt. It made a terrible noise, but it couldn't be helped. He then slipped back into his own cell, to stand against the corridor side wall where he couldn't be seen through the window.

He stared at the hourglass, the thin stream of fine powder slowly making a mound on the bottom.

Perhaps a quarter of the quarter hour remained when he heard the padding of paws outside. It had been so close! Leo was shaking all over. He heard Chiriki's voice, just outside the door.

"Oh-ho! Very clever. Are you back in your own cell, where you think I wouldn't expect to look for you?" she gloated. "Or perhaps in the opposite one? No, you just left the door unlocked as a diversion. Or is there a diversion within the diversion? The unlocked door is too obvious, you couldn't possible be behind it."

Leo opened his mouth and tried to breathe slowly. He was sweating under his mane. Chiriki still had plenty of time to check both cells. He heard the hinges of the opposite door creak. His field of vision narrowed into a tunnel. He sprang from the cell, aiming to tackle Chiriki, who was standing at the opposite doorway.

Just as he was upon her, Chiriki ducked and in one smooth motion sent him flying over her. Leo rolled as he hit the ground, at least that skill was still muscle memory, but he was a lot heavier than he had been the last time he did this, and the landing wasn't as smooth as he had remembered.

Chiriki pounced on him, pinning his arms. "Do you yield?" she said, a triumphant grin on her muzzle.

Still riding his newly discovered battle frenzy, Leo struggled, managed to toss her aside and run. He was out the door, running down the hall when Chiriki pounced on his back. He went down hard, falling on his belly, the wind knocked out from him. He made a painful wheezing sound as Chiriki sat on him and twisted his arms behind back.

"Do you yield?" she demanded.

"Y--Yesh, Mhisthres," Leo managed to vocalize with what little air he had left in his lungs.

"Good game!" Chiriki announced heartily, letting go of his wrists. "You had me worried there for a moment! You're stronger than you look. Perhaps we'll do this again some time, maybe outside so there's more room to run and wrestle."

She got off of him. "When you're ready, follow me."

Leo had to lie there for a minute to catch his breath. Once he felt like he had control over his diaphragm again, he pushed himself to his feet and followed Chiriki back to his cell.

"Now," she began, licking her lips eagerly. "Like we agreed, I am your king for the night and you're my concubine. You shall address me accordingly."

"Yes, Mi-- my King."

Chiriki looked absolutely giddy. "The escapee has been returned!" she announced, putting on a thick kingly accent. "Did the guards strip you of your clothes, my dear?" She picked up the sack and pulled out bundle of light greenish blue cloth, so thin it was almost transparent. She unfolded it, revealing it to be a brassiere. She approached Leo, circled behind him and wrapped the item around his chest. She pulled its laces tight so it pushed up what little flab he had on his chest, eliciting a small oof from Leo.

She took out another piece of clothing: a narrow loincloth made of the same nearly see-through fabric. She tied its gold colored rope belt around his waist. It hung down almost to his knees but only covered the front.

Chiriki stood back to take him in. "There now, don't you look pretty." She made a waving gesture with her hand and ordered, "Sit down."

Leo racked his brain for a moment, then went down to the floor in a half sitting, half kneeling position, his legs diagonally beneath him. He curved his back, pointed his muzzle to the floor but looked at Chiriki from beneath his brows, trying to emulate the way concubines were trained to sit and look seductive in the presence of males. With these clothes on (if clothes they could be called,) he maybe could have passed for a homely, somewhat flat chested female if it weren't for his mane. He hoped Chiriki wouldn't insist on shaving it off.

"Oh, my, my!" Chiriki said. "Very good, your King is pleased."

She circled behind him, looking him up and down as she did. She crouched and leaned in so close Leo could feel her hot breath on his neck. She reached around him to grab and grope at his chest, to pinch and twist his nipples until he winced. Her right hand roamed down, slipped beneath his loincloth to fondle his testicles. As she groped him, she leaned in to softly nibble his ear. Leo shuddered and let out a short moan, letting himself sink deeper into the role, imagined Chiriki was indeed the king of the pride and he a concubine.

Chiriki took her hand from between his legs and held it up to his muzzle. A smeared drop of pre glistened on the fur. "You're so wet," she said. "Let us take this to my private chambers, away from this filthy dungeon. I trust you will not try to escape again, or next time I shall have you beheaded and your pelt made into a throw rug!"

She took hold of him by his shoulders and directed him up. Holding his wrist, Chiriki led him up to the second floor, into her apartment.

It was smaller than Imara's. The door opened to a wide room separated into a living room and a bedroom by a partition. In the corner was a separate room that was likely the bathroom. In contrast with Imara's and Mahiri's apartments, one thing stood out by its absence: there was no obvious bondage gear out on display. No manacles hanging from the ceiling or a cross on the wall. The tea table by the sofa was a regular one, entirely too flimsy to tie anyone up on.

"Welcome to my humble abode," Chiriki said and beckoned Leo to follow her past the ornately carved wood partition to the bedroom side.

The bed was as big as Imara's. Even though there was no bondage furniture on this side either, the bed's four posters and the sturdy looking trelliswork headboard would provide ample attachment points for ropes.

"Go lay on the bed while I get myself ready," Chiriki ordered. Leo did so, trying to arrange himself seductively.

He watched Chiriki strip off her clothes and take the strap-on from her bag. Looking more closely at it, it appeared to be double ended. On the wearers' side, the phallus made a hook-like curve with a forked projection at the end. Chiriki poured some lubricating oil on the thing and slowly inserted it into herself, then tightened tightened down the belt and straps. She approached Leo, the artificial penis waving menacingly.

"Come," she said, sitting on the edge of the bed, spreading her legs. She pointed in front of her. "Show your King how devoted you are."

Leo got off the bed and kneeled down between her legs, the bone phallus nearly poking him in the face.

"Suck it," Chiriki said. "And mind that tongue. If I feel a single barb, I shall have you scourged!"

He opened wide and took in the dildo, letting it rub against the roof of his mouth. He licked at it with the underside of his tongue, immediately feeling foolish. It wasn't like she was really feeling his tongue at all. But making the artificial penis bob up and down was having an effect. Chiriki moaned as he pushed down on the ivory rod, nearly taking it up to his throat. She wrapped her feet around him and squeezed.

"Yes, unf, keep doing that," she said in between little moans and pants. Leo continued moving his head back and forth, listening intently to every little moan Chiriki made as he nudged the strap-on. Hear moans became louder and she grabbed hold of his head, guided him to increase his tempo. She squeezed his sides with her legs and pulled Leo's head to her crotch making him almost gag on the dildo. She let out a protracted scream, let go of Leo's head and fell back on the bed, panting.

"D--did I please you, Mi--my King?"

"Oh, yes," Chiriki said dreamily. She patted the bed. "Come here."

Leo climbed back onto the bed and laid down next to her. She got up to her knees and said, "Get on your hands and knees, your King isn't done yet."

Leo swallowed, guessing what was expected of him next. He rolled over, lifting his rear end in the air and turned his tail to the side.

"What a well trained concubine," Chiriki said, giving his ass a little slap.

Leo waited. He felt the mattress sag as she moved behind him, between his spread legs. The tickling of chilly oil being poured under his tail. He prepared himself, tried to relax as best as he could. Chiriki grabbed him by the base of his tail and guided the dildo up against his anus. She pushed it in slowly. A grunt escaped Leo's lips as the hard bone phallus slid into him. The penetration hurt slightly but at the same time it sent a tingling jolt through his body. Chiriki pushed it in all the way, until he could feel her hips pressed against his buttocks. She slowly pulled back, then thrust back in, moaning and picking up the pace. Each thrust built up a little more pressure in Leo's groin. It was like an itch he couldn't scratch, maddening, not quite enough to send him over the edge. But it was working for Chiriki. She was crying out louder, thrusting harder. She grabbed the loose skin on the back of his neck, scrunching it up in her fist. Leo's arms went weak and he felt like he was sinking into the mattress. It was almost enough to send him to climax but the stimulation was just not enough, or not the right kind, and he remained frustratingly on the edge.

Chiriki's steady thrusting turned spasmodic and her moans changed into a low roar. She pulled back, slipping out of Leo and collapsed on her back on the bed beside him, panting. Leo wanted to beg her to allow him to cum, but didn't dare. Such begging would be uncouth and, if the role-play was true to life, only the king's pleasure mattered. He turned around to lie on his back next to her. She rested for a minute, then sat up to remove the strap-on, which she wrapped in a towel and put aside. She lied back down on her side and petted his chest, her hand moving down to between his legs, her finger probing the tip of his cage.

"Did you not come?" she asked.

"No, my King," Leo said.

"Let it not be thought that I can't even pleasure my concubines properly."

Chiriki rolled around and crawled to the edge of the bed to fetch something from the nightstand. She returned holding length of rope. "Sit up and put your hands behind your back," she ordered.

Leo did so and she wrapped the rope around his wrists. She worked efficiently, but not as expertly as Imara. The ropes felt overtly tight but also like they could be loosened with some wriggling. She finished with a knot that, even though Leo couldn't see it, felt very basic.

Chiriki sat behind him and pulled him into her embrace, his head on her breasts and wrapping his legs around his from behind. "You must be tied for my safety," she purred in his ear. "In your throes of ecstasy, you might lose control and claw me." She reached around him to unlock and remove his chastity cage and set it aside.

Leo held his breath as she wrapped her hand around his sheath. She barely had to touch him for his cock to come out of hiding. She dripped a little oil on it and slowly stroked up and down the length of the shaft. Leo shuddered and let out a tense exhale. With her other hand, she grabbed and squeezed his chest, catching his nipple in a hard pinch between thumb and forefinger. She gently bit down on the scruff of his neck, making Leo grunt out loud. His body spasmed, prompting Chiriki to tighten her hold on him and to increase the pace of her strokes.

An eruption was building up in Leo's crotch, his vision blacking out. Nothing existed for him, except for the fire in his loins and the feeling of his body pressed against Chiriki's. His whole body jerked, he thrust his hips into Chiriki's hand and roared, spurt after spurt of seed spilling all over his belly and chest. She squeezed every last drop out, while holding him in a tight embrace, her teeth nearly puncturing the scruff of his neck.

As Leo panted and recovered, she gave the back of his ear a licked and whispered, "Was that good for you?"

"Y-yes, Mi--my King," Leo said.

"Mmh, good," she purred, giving his ear a long lick. "I am a generous King, after all."

She undid the knot, which involved a lot of tugging and a couple of frustrated grunts, then ordered him to go clean up in the bathroom. It was much smaller than Imara's, containing only a toilet, a wash basin and a shower. Still, a private bathroom, even a modest one, was very luxurious in on itself. As he was wiping himself down, Leo noted this was the first time since he had been trusted alone without his chastity cage on. He cleaned the device as well and put the tube over his sheath. He stopped, staring at the retaining clip. He was expected to lock himself back up now. What if he didn't? What if he secretly jammed the lock so he could remove it again himself at any time? Could he do it without being discovered? It seemed unlikely. And if he was discovered, surely he'd be punished. But more distressingly, he'd disappoint Imara. And even if he did get away with it, did he really want to rebel?

Leo clicked the locking clip in place.

As he returned, Chiriki patted the bed beside her. He climbed on and settled down next to her. Out of newly formed habit, he put his hands above his head so Chiriki could bind him to the headboard.

Chiriki, lying on her side, smiled and raised her eyebrows. "Do you want me to tie you up again?"

"I--I assumed..."

She chuckled softly. "That's Imara's thing. She really, really enjoys seeing males in bondage. Females too, or maybe that was more to Mahiri's taste." She poked him in the middle of his chest with a finger and traced it down. "Technically, I should bind you since you're not a true pride member, but I feel like I can trust you not to throttle me in my sleep or sneak out to go prowling in the night. Can I?"

"Yes, Mistress," Leo said.

"Okay, then," Chiriki said, cuddling up closer to spoon him.

For the first since coming here, Leo slept in comfort, in a proper bed, unrestrained.