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Komir groaned as the excessive weight of a grown male tiger's skeleton and musculature weighed down the poor middle of his canine spine, all four of his small wolf paws already shaking from being forced to carry up such a burden. The fact that he had been unable to move a single inch in the last hour or so of his humiliating punishment didn't make matters any more favorable to the delicate wolf, as his limbs were gradually growing numb underneath the posterior of the striped feline, who even happened to be wearing plated metal armor to add a few extra pounds of weight to the immense load on the feral canine's back. He wasn't necessarily in any pain but was undoubtedly starting to feel the unhealthy strain of carrying a beast close to thrice his size within the muscles of his lupine figure.

"Silence, you dog!" The bigger feline growled and tapped the cold stone floor beneath his canine mount's paws with the heel of his spear, gently rocking his striped rump from side to side in order to increase the discomfort of his detainee. The comfortably seated predator also gave the sturdy leather leash tied onto a harness made out of similar material on Komir's torso a harsh tug, further sending the smaller wolf off-balance between his big feline paws.

Komir whimpered in displeasure at having the fluffy mass of a tiger shifting about the position of his delicate spine whilst he resiliently tried remaining on all fours and not allow his feline rider to fall as he knew that would result in him getting disciplined even further. With his legs already starting to protest the arranged punishment of being made to serve as a living seat for one of the guards of the royal palace, Komir did somehow manage to stabilize his dark-furred figure after a few moments of struggling on his shaky paws, having to draw air into his lungs through grit teeth after exhausting yet another huge chunk of his remaining strength for the maneuver. As the mass of the male tiger guard went back into whittling away at the wolf's endurance at its normal, sneakily increasing pace, Komir hung down his head and swore in his mind never to try and steal food in a foreign kingdom ever again.

It had been only two days since Komir had been caught attempting to steal fish from the upper city market: a spot frequented by nobility and those who belonged to the upper castes of the feline-ruled society. Looking back on it now, the entire attempt had been a fool's errand to begin with, as - even as small of a wolf as he was - being a canine, and a black wolf at that, Komir did stand out immaculately amongst the regulars of the royal market, who were all mostly slender felines with either golden, tan or orange fur. It was no wonder the two tiger guards had pounced on him immediately after he had tried sneakily snatching the juicy Lyrendal tuna from the side of the stall. They had probably had their eyes on him ever since he entered the area.

And as he was a citizen of essentially a rival kingdom to that of the tiger-led monarchy, he wasn't given the smallest bit of courtesy or goodwill when it came to sentencing his punishment. The scar-faced guard captain who Komir was dragged before had basically given the canine thief two options to settle his misdeed, both of which far exceeded the usual punishment given for attempted theft within any governed state. Whereas normally a thief would be beaten, banished, or at worst lose a paw or an ear, Komir was given the option of either going to the infamously brutal catacomb prison underneath the city for almost two months or serving his sentence doubled, but as a servant to the crown, mostly as a servant of convenience for the guards within the royal palace.

Thinking that the latter option would only entail some light manual labor and still give him better rations to live on than the prison would Komir had foolishly agreed to serve within the palace. Little had the wolf realized, what he would actually be doing to atone for his petty crime. It had certainly been something a bit heavier than what he expected.

Komir was basically made to serve as the guards' mount, or more accurately, as a bench, a seat for them to sit on during their guard duty around the palace. It was as uncomfortable as it was humiliating. All of the palace guards - all of whom were big, bulky feral tigers - absolutely dwarfed Komir in size and none of them weighed less than double what the wolf did. Never mind it would already have been a decently grueling task to carry one of his own kin on his dark canine back for a solid ten to sixteen hours, doing it for a grown tiger was pure abuse. Komir still didn't quite know how he had managed to get through his first day of the humiliating, cruel task placed on his spine, shoulders, and legs, and was seriously starting to doubt if he could even make it through this one, seeing how it wasn't even afternoon yet and his paws were already starting to ache.

Currently, the wolf and his feline rider were guarding the decently remote entrance to the servants' quarters in the more secluded areas of the otherwise very stunning and grandiose palace. The big, dreary hallway with a few narrow windows had been completely empty and devoid of life ever since the two had settled into their position in the early hours of the morning as the servants would only return to their beds in the evening and the actual nobility of the royal residence had no real business in wandering through the area due to its obscure location within the castle. At least Komir's humiliation wasn't being witnessed by as many animals as he had initially thought, although it was a silk-thread-thin silver lining in the cumbersome ordeal faced by the small wolf.

Starting to silently dwell on his own desperation, Komir kept his eyes on the floor, trying in his head to figure out how on earth he would make it through four whole months of having his spine deformed by the weight of an armored tiger. The shrimpy wolf ended up so deep in thought that he ultimately failed to notice the gentle tapping of big, stripy paws nearing him and the guard from behind a corner, only realizing that they were being approached when a strikingly orange silhouette appeared in the far corner of his view.

Swiftly lifting up his head, Komir momentarily forgot all the strain and pressure tormenting his limbs as he cast his canine eyes upon the most handsome and elegant creature he had ever seen.

It was another male tiger, but one could with a single glance tell that this feral feline was of noble background, if not from the overall dignified and stately manner that he carried himself as his big, fluffy paws tread the floor beneath them, then definitely from how lush and luxurious his dominantly burnt-orange fur appeared even from a good twenty feet away. It was almost hypnotizing to look at how the big feline shoulders gently danced up and down as the aristocratic male walked with the absolute perfect posture, holding his large predator head - decorated with a minimalistic, yet very expensive-looking golden headband - up high as if he owned the entire palace.

The headband wasn't the only thing golden on the - feline's figure either, as the shining example of tiger supremacy also donned plenty of golden jewelry on his person, having two robust bracelets decorating his equally robust front paws, two smaller bands of the expensive metal wrapped around his stripy tail, and four large bangles adorning his already so luxurious feline neck. He even had a small golden ring pierced on the left nostril of his dark tiger nose as was the fashion amongst the upper ranks of nobility at the time.

The male tiger was absolutely gorgeous, only a true fool would have ever even begun to suggest that he wasn't. The aura of nobility and desire for deserved admiration exuded from the big feline's body in a way that almost made him feel naturally radiant, especially as he passed through the few lone columns of light illuminating the otherwise bleak stone hallway.

Komir's gaze met with the dignified feline's for a brief second, the faintly smiling tiger muzzle and eyes reflecting emotions of curiosity, patience, and something playful the wolf wasn't quite able to put his paw on as he watched the stunning top cat approach him and his rider. His heart skipped a beat.

The sad whine of a male wolf abruptly echoed in the hallway as the feral tiger sitting on top of Komir hastily whacked his canine mount's front paws with his spear, forcing the black lupine to bend his legs and lean forward as his spine and hind legs were subjected to even more strain.

"Bow down you filthy thief!" The guard hissed and palpably fixed his posture, adding even further to the weight Komir felt on his lower back, causing the wolf's hind paws to start shaking again. "Your royal highness, prince Themba! May I inquire as to why I have received such an honor to meet the prince himself in such a remote corner of the castle? And please forgive me, but where are your bodyguards?"

Komir swallowed and glanced at the cheerfully smiling, big feline from the corner of his eye, only now realizing that he was in the presence of actual royalty. Suddenly the second tiger's elegance and panache made perfect sense.

The bowing wolf subsequently felt a chill dancing along the unhealthy curve of his spine as the royal tiger glanced down and their eyes met yet again before Komir was able to avert his gaze from the feline.

"Oh, I just figured I'd take the scenic route to my chambers for a change." The feline prince's voice was gentle, civilized, and incredibly pleasant to listen to with the refined lilt audible in each of the carefully considered words leaving his royal muzzle.

"This side of the castle is also at a much more pleasant temperature at this time of day, and as much as I love bathing, I would prefer to avoid taking one before the sun is even halfway to its zenith." The prince continued with a light chuckle, taking a few steps closer to inspect the guard and mainly the small canine mount beneath the other tiger's striped rump.

"Stand up mutt!" The guard hissed and yanked at the leash attached to Komir's harness, prompting the panting wolf to exhaust even more strength in pushing himself off the floor with all the tiger's weight on him. But somehow, yet again, he managed to do it without his paws giving in.

The prince took his sweet time inspecting Komir with his golden, velvety feline eyes, during which the wolf didn't even dare to breathe despite how much his aching muscles were begging for oxygen. After a decent period of silence within the hallway, the royal cat continued speaking as nonchalantly as ever: "As for my bodyguards... I sent them away. The palace is already the most secure place in the kingdom, what threats are there for me to worry about in my own home?"

"Of course, sire! Forgive me for my insolence!"

There was another pause in the conversation, during which Komir could feel the prince's eyes scanning his body for the second time.

"Hmmm... Seems I was right to choose this path to my chambers. A guard like you is certainly something I have yet to lay my royal eyes on before today." The prince purred, cocking his head from side to side so that the bangles on his neck jingled gently as he stared at the mounted tiger with burning intrigue. "Would you mind telling me who this resilient little puppy you're sitting on is?"

"He's a filthy criminal, caught trying to steal fish from the royal market, your highness. Captain Zhaikahan sent him to the custody of the palace guards to work off his sentence as a servant."

"I see you have put him to some good use! Wouldn't mind such a comfortable-looking seat myself..." The royal feline purred, once again trailing his gaze along the outline of Komir's body.

"Such a lowly being is hardly worthy of being a seat to the prince."

"Now now... From my point of view, he's performing quite admirably. Holding up a grown tiger with such a small physique. I had no idea wolves were this resilient..."

"Having some grit may be his only redeeming quality... Then again, he's going to need it. He'll be carrying a lot more guards from now on."

"I see..." The striped royal purred, observing the minute twitching of Komir's legs as the wolf attempted to remain still. "...Actually, would you mind relinquishing that wolf to act as my escort?"

Komir twitched his ears in surprise but held his eyes strictly forward.

"You mentioned that he should be spending a decent while at the palace, no? As such, wouldn't it be good to show him around in case he needs to run an errand? Perhaps I could even take him as my personal servant for a while to get him used to palace life."

The guard tiger clearly hesitated in his response, most likely wanting to protest a criminal getting into such a close position with the prince, but eventually growled in agreement.

"Your highness is far too benevolent for a low-life like him..."

The feral canine had to try his best not to moan out in relief as the heavy feline sluggishly got off from on top of his abused spine, providing divine respite to his lupine limbs which accepted it with gratitude. The feeling of having to support nothing but one's own body weight was pure bliss.

"I just happen to value resilience in small, more delicate animals such as him." The prince hummed cheerfully, flicking his tail back and forth as the other tiger offered him the leash to Komir's harness.

"Oh, I'm sure we can lose that. I doubt he'll be able to run anytime soon. Poor wolf must have his limbs all numb from standing here the entire morning."

Komir became awash with feelings of gratitude towards the charismatic feline in an instant and thanked his lucky stars that the prince had happened to walk past him. The armored tiger begrudgingly removed the restricting leather harness from Komir's upper body and the wolf instinctively wagged his tail just a little bit, feeling genuinely relieved and happy to no longer be used as a living seat.

"Excellent..." The noble predator smiled, revealing some of his teeth to be gilded as if he wasn't satisfied with the amount of gold already on him. "Now I'll just get on him and we'll be on our way."

Komir's tail stopped mid-wag, his eyes widened, his stomach sunk and his spine began aching pre-emptively as he slowly turned his muzzle towards the prince and watched in horror at the royal feline's body, which appeared perhaps even slightly bigger than the guard's. The wolf's maw was left half open as some part of Komir's psyche wanted to vehemently protest being sat on by another hefty feline, nevertheless having to walk to what might have been to the other side of the vast palace with all that weight on his back. But before the wolf could talk, he did come to the cruel realization that he really didn't have the option to refuse. This was the prince after all. Getting his newfound hope and elation crushed in such a swift and abrupt fashion made the dark canine hang his ears and tail in defeat.

"You heard his highness!" The guard hissed and aggressively tapped Komir's flank with the heel of his spear, nudging the wolf in front of the more elegant of the two felines who cast a curious smile at his new canine mount and servant-to-be.

Not knowing how to respond, Komir slowly turned around, swallowed, and attempted to steel his muscles for what was about to happen next. A cold shiver tickled his canine flanks as the wide shadow of prince Themba slowly glid on top of him, the majestic cat assuming his position on top of the wolf with expected grace.

Komir groaned and grit his teeth, forced to bend his hind legs slightly as the all too familiar weight of an adult tiger returned to his lower back upon the prince lowering his feline haunches on top of the smaller feral. The wolf could feel his spine bending as the striped buttocks of the royal male slipped further down toward the middle of his back, exerting considerable pressure on his lungs which made it even harder for him to draw his breath, even as the tiger was yet to release his sturdy forepaws from the floor below. Taking short, rapid breaths, the black-furred wolf pushed up with his upper body despite the protests from his forelegs and shoulders, managing to remain standing as the bigger male lifted up his torso, settling the full mass of his feline figure on top of the smaller animal, sitting almost perfectly upright with the expected royal posture.

The prince was just as heavy as Komir had feared.

Having properly mounted his new wolf servant, the gold-adorned feline gently leaned from side to side, seeking the best possible position for his royal posterior, grinding his backside against Komir quite a bit. As much as there was to admire about the strong feline muscles pressing down on his lower back, Komir was not able to appreciate the subtleties of feline anatomy, being forced to adjust his balance according to how the striped mass wobbled about on his back. With each minute correction and shift of balance, Komir's strength dwindled even further.

"This is surprisingly comfortable... Even more so than I remembered." Themba purred, placing one of his forepaws on top of Komir's shoulders. "I could definitely get used to this."

Komir's feelings about the matter were exactly the opposite.

"Yes, I suppose this will do! Onwards wolf! I shall guide you to where we need to go!" The mighty feline growled excitedly, tapping at Komir's left shoulder with one of his mighty hind paws.

"You better not drop the prince or I'll have you rotting in jail before the sun goes down!" The guard growled as Komir began taking his first steps with the fluffy, royal cargo sitting comfortably on top of his aching back.

"Oh, I'm sure he will do splendidly! Don't you worry!"

Komir whimpered quietly, moving his already sore canine musculature with all the care and consideration he could muster, trying his best to ignore the heavy, warm mass of fur and gold jewelry rocking about on top of his spine as he waddled forward along the empty stone corridor with the pace of a wounded warthog. Fatigue was quick to attack his limbs even before he was able to turn the first corner of his journey through the palace - the entire length of which was still completely unknown to the wolf - and sweat began forming on the surface of his paw pads right at the very start of his burdensome task. It was going to be a long walk.

The meager-bodied wolf had no idea how many steps he ended up taking along his small tour of the royal palace, getting consumed by the dull monotony of his physically taxing assignment right from the get-go. He wasn't able to exactly absorb the surrounding palace scenery no matter how magnificent and grandiose it might have been, mostly hanging down his head and panting, only observing his surroundings enough as not to bump into anything or anyone, having to otherwise fully focus on keeping himself balanced. It was the best and pretty much the only way for the canine to get through his task of feral feline carrying, the eventual consequences of which were already throbbing in his paws, shins, and thighs, which along with his spine were starting to feel the royal weight placed on top of them more and more with each step.

The prince on the other paw seemed to enjoy himself all the way, comfortably propped up on top of his dark steed, maintaining his characteristic, noble posture quite effortlessly despite the gentle rocking of his seat, sitting as tall as a big feline like him could, with Komir's back being the unsung victim of the tiger's concentrated weight. Having initially given Komir the impression of being quite talkative, the striped cat didn't as much as speak a single word to the wolf during the majority of their slow stroll around the royal dwelling, although on occasions, Komir did twitch his wolf ears to a low purr of feline satisfaction rumbling up from deep inside his stately rider's fluffy chest. But as pleasant of a sound as it was to one's ears, the wolf only came to associate it with the gradually increasing agony within his muscles and the dwindling of his willpower.

The two animals of different size, species, and social standing traversed the various, winding corridors of the palace for a good fifteen minutes or so, moving at a lackadaisical pace as speed was a luxury the oppressed wolf could not afford if he wanted to remain on all fours at all with something so heavy as a male tiger on top of his uncomfortably curving canine back. But the prince didn't appear to be in a hurry at all, curiously turning his dignified muzzle from side to side with the unfortunate side-effect of his weight doing the exact same thing, as he patiently waited for the small detour to progress without feeling the need to coax his mount to move any faster than he already was.

On their way, Komir and the striped monarch came across quite a few representatives of other feline nobility of the kingdom, but luckily the prince didn't stop for any chitchat, only offering his bewildered constituents a passing greeting, and calmly dismissed any attempts at further conversation with a lazy wave of his paw, which everyone interpreted as him not wanting to be disturbed right now. Even with how incredibly eye-catching and attractive prince Themba was, Komir could still feel the gazes of the panthers, lions, and cheetahs mostly focusing on him, either in amusement, disgust, sympathy, or genuine confusion. Not that any of them mattered to him, as he had to focus too much on his walking to pay any real attention to any of the animals he passed with the prince on his back.

Some ten more minutes or so of anatomical anguish and lactic acid build-up later, Komir and his feline master eventually turned a corner to a narrow, but incredibly well-lit and grandiose hallway which immediately stood out from the other two dozen bleak and mostly unadorned corridors of the palace - so much so that even the wolf found the strength to raise his head a bit to get a proper look. The floor of the strikingly long stone aisle was covered by a grand red carpet with golden embroidery and the tall walls were decorated by dozens upon dozens of orange gonfalons bearing the insignia of the kingdom - resembling the head of a tiger as per the current occupants of the throne - each of the bombastic banners appearing almost resplendent with how beautifully they were lit up by the plentiful sunlight flooding the arch-roofed space. In addition, the entire hall, from one end to another, was lined with six feet tall granite statues resembling sitting tigers, each placed about three feet apart as they too basked beautifully in the early noon sunlight that was getting filtered through the large windows.

It was a breathtaking sight to see at the very least, although Komir already had plenty enough trouble with his breathing as things were.

"Ah~! We're almost there! My room is at the end of this hall!" The prince's voice echoed pleasantly in the walls of the stunningly bombastic passageway as he corrected his position on Komir's back, much to the canine's discomfort.

Only as he slowly walked past the first pair of imposing statues did Komir notice the rather peculiar feature in each of the granite tigers; a detail that made the wolf shake his head and blink in confusion.

All of the lifeless stone felines were sitting on top of another animal. And even though the statues were made to be rather minimalistic, there was no mistaking the smaller, hunched-up creature beneath the tigers' paws as anything other than a canine, one almost eerily close to Komir's own body in size, even though the species itself wasn't blatantly clear. Each of the dozens of granite dogs hung their head in submission, sitting solemnly beneath their feline masters, carrying the very same burden as Komir was.

Suddenly looking at what were effectively dozens of statues of himself left Komir decently shaken for a few seconds, up to the point where he almost fumbled with his steps and had to abruptly lower his torso in order to maintain balance, paying the price for such a maneuver with his aching limbs. His shoulders and lower back experienced a few minor spasms from exhaustion, but the wolf did not falter just yet, pushing himself upright with grit teeth and continuing on as usual.

What on earth was going on? Did the stripy ruler of Zha'enel have some sort of history with having wolves as his seats and if so, was such a penchant commonplace amongst other royal felines? Komir was momentarily able to take his mind off his twinging musculature and strained skeleton as he thought about just what exactly he had gotten himself into by having the prince take him in as his personal servant.

"Do you want to know why you caught my eye?" The prince abruptly asked in a calm but slightly mysterious tone as if having read Komir's mind as the odd pair of ferals passed yet another set of statues.

"I suppose you would... Seeing all these statues must bring you great confusion..." The elegant cat continued before Komir could answer, sliding himself into a more comfortable spot on the wolf's back before starting to speak.

"What would you say if told you, that growing up, I had a canine friend just like you? A wolf. We were both mere cubs back then... If I recall correctly he was the son of an ambassador... Kail was his name if my memories do not fail me." The prince reminisced out loud, glancing at the colorful banners he passed on his mount, maintaining his elegance to perfection.

"Anyhow, since he was the only male my age within the palace - and since I was not allowed to go out and play with the cubs from the city - the two of us becoming friends was a... natural development." The big tiger continued, waving his left paw around as if he was addressing a bigger audience. "And as cubs without any governmental responsibilities yet, we spent most of our time playing around in the palace garden - it's a lovely place I would love to show it to you later on. Tag, hide, and seek, I'm sure you know from your cub years as well... But my absolute favorite was always riding."

An unexpected shiver tickled Komir's fur as the prince's pleasing voice suddenly took on a more sinister, perhaps even oddly sensual tone.

"It was, as you can probably guess, quite similar to what the two of us are doing now. We would take turns - he would get on my back and I would get on his - riding each other all around the palace, and as we got a bit older, we were even able to venture outside into the city, with me naturally being the one riding since I was the prince after all. Ahh~ Those were such simple, joyous times..." The striped beast sighed wistfully as Komir waddled onwards with his tail hanging low.

"Then... As the years went on we both started to grow..." The prince soon continued. "Believe it or not, as a cub I used to be even smaller than you, not that different in size when it came to other felines or even canines such as Kail... However, as I began to get older, that changed rather quickly and I physically out-grew my dear wolf friend, whereas he only grew up to proportions similar to yours, my body kept on gaining size and mass way past that, seeing as you southern wolves are a bit limited when it comes to your bodies, unlike us tigers."

Although he was of common descent, at that moment as his paws trembled underneath the weight of the feline monarch, Komir was easily able to sympathize with this unknown canine diplomat, who had evidently had to go through a similar treatment with the comely predator.

"After that our riding sessions became... A bit difficult for Kail... Of course, he was happy to still ride on my back, but whenever it was his turn to carry me, he would start complaining that I was too heavy for him - which was probably the truth in his defense - and struggle greatly in holding me up as he walked about. However, as the son of a diplomat, he also knew that a deal was a deal, and since I carried him, he was to carry me."

The prince seemed to truly relish his own words as he slipped them out of his muzzle, purring quietly for a few seconds afterward as he reminisced some more of his younger years.

"Eventually I did become too heavy for him and he ended up collapsing underneath me during one of our last 'playdates' together... He was unharmed but utterly spent, I had to carry him into his own room after that..."

The feral feline held a short, contemplative pause before continuing with a more serious tone.

"It wasn't long after that the war broke out between the tigers and the wolves... I'm sure you know of that too, it has only been some odd decade since it ended. I was separated from Kail, as he and his family were courteously banished as soon as the hostilities started, lucky to keep their tails and their necks with how drastically the climate shifted against all sorts of canines within the kingdom at the time."

Komir was starting to get a bit dizzy from his exhaustion but valiantly kept putting one paw in front of another in disregard if how much and how loudly his legs protested, simultaneously trying to follow the prince's story even if he wasn't expected to contribute to the conversation.

"I personally despised the war. Nonsensical bloodshed and an absolute waste of valuable feline and canine life, even if us tigers did emerge victorious in the end... However, as I often got to witness the wolf officers and common soldiers being either interrogated for intel or paraded through the city for morale-rousing purposes, I ended up developing a rather unhealthy fascination towards dominating and overpowering others. The war helped me discover that side of myself, well, perhaps not 'discover' as I'm sure I have always been inclined this way, only that my proclivity wasn't ever nurtured quite to the extent that it was during that time." The heavy feline chuckled cheerfully despite the content of his words being rather oppressive and sinister.

"In short, I came to realize just how wonderful it was to dominate a weaker animal... Especially you canines. I guess we can blame the wolf-friend of my youth for that... The feeling of it was... Addicting when I first allowed myself to fully indulge in it."

Under normal circumstances, Komir might have gotten weirded out by the colossal cat's words, but being as tired as he was, he accepted the prince's perversion quite easily. It had been obvious for a while that the noble tiger had a thing for riding smaller animals.

"I know you must think I am quite peculiar for my penchant, but I assure you this sort of thing is fairly common amongst nobility in all species. In fact, I often encourage most of my fellow nobles who are visiting the palace to take advantage of the opportunity and enjoy themselves with one of our many canine servants from the war. You would be surprised how much some end up liking it once they try it out!" The prince explained, his controlled facade showing some cracks as he spoke with audible excitement.

And he couldn't have chosen a better moment to share this fact with Komir, as just then, the feline-canine pair happened upon a lone doorway in a larger gap between the beast statues, where the struggling wolf was able to see whom he assumed was a noble guest, taking advantage of the aforementioned amenities.

The big room was mostly dark, the only light coming in through the open doorway, but even so, it was not at all difficult to spot the big and attractive, chocolate-colored stallion sitting in the very middle of the enclosed space, his hooves adorned with golden horseshoes, his raven-black mane tied into multiple bombastic plaits which descended down his equine neck like three shadowy snakes, the golden mane-decorations twinkling eerily in the darkness. The feral stallion - who was easily even bigger than prince Themba - snorted excitedly as he slowly dragged his brown rump from side to side on the floor, muttering something to himself that Komir's drooping ears weren't quite able to pick up.

But even with how handsome and rugged the four-hooved male was, Komir could only really focus his eyes on one thing, which was the tip of a canine nose peeking out from behind the robust equine's tail.

"Oh, am I too heavy for you? Perhaps I should use you as my rump cushion instead...Your face is certainly comfortable..."

Those were the words Komir did hear from the stallion. He was quite sure he also heard a weak whimper of submission from the poor wolf who was currently trapped underneath the hundreds of pounds of equine muscle.

As Komir and Themba passed the door, the noble equine happened to glance over his shoulder and noticed his feline host enjoying himself to similar canine pampering. The deep, amber eyes of the horse got locked onto Komir's own as the bigger feral drew a lascivious smirk onto his equine muzzle, watching the black wolf's struggles from the darkness of his room with indulgence. The prince didn't as much as acknowledge his guest's presence or even glance inside the room, although Komir was certain the feline knew exactly what was happening in the shadows mere fifteen feet to his right.

Komir kept staring into the room and the bizarre sight within as long as he could, before eventually passing the doorway completely. But even as he did, he could still remember the tip of the wolf's muzzle peeking out from underneath the pair of noble haunches and the suggestive smirk he had received from the robust equine.

"Ah~ Here we are! Only a few more steps!"

The drained wolf swung his head back toward the direction he was walking in, witnessing another, bigger doorway some fifty feet away, one that was covered with a beautifully painted, red curtain to stop any curious passers-by from seeing into the prince's luxurious abode. Being able to see the end destination of his small trip around the palace lit a small spark of hope within Komir who was able to summon the last few ounces of strength left within his physique to tread the red carpet with wobbling legs for the last few dozen feet. Soon it would be over. Soon he would be able to get some rest. Or at least that was the delusion the wolf was happy believing as he made his way to the curtain.

Panting like a parched bloodhound, Komir swiftly nudged the view-obstructing veil of crimson silk out of the way with his muzzle, the prince doing the same with one of his forepaws, as the two eventually slipped into the space beyond.

Despite being awfully vast, the prince's room was fairly minimalistic in its furnishing. The large room, the tall roof of which was held up by eight robust and beautifully carved pillars only had a desk, a lectern, two cupboards, and a large purple and gold pillow acting as his majesty's bedding at the very back of the open space. But even as they were few, one could immediately tell each piece of furniture was of the highest quality: everything wooden made out of mahogany with golden embeddings, the cupboards from polished ivory and dark teak.

A warm desert breeze blew in from the wide, spacious balcony, weaving itself between the pillars, making a few of the orange banners on them flutter as it passed by, getting sucked up through the circular, lattice-covered skylight in the roof, the light from which drew jagged patterns on the floor of the room. From what Komir could see, there even appeared to be a small pool out on the balcony, the glimmering water of which appeared incredibly enticing for the wolf who had been sweating as the prince's mount for a good half an hour.

"Splendid carrying! Seems I was right to pick you as my new toy!" Themba purred, slowly settling his paws back on the floor and smoothly swinging down his torso before nonchalantly walking off from on top of the smaller male.

Komir whimpered in delight as his spine straightened itself and the circulation returned to his limbs upon the tiger getting off, and he took multiple deep breaths in order to fill his lungs to their full capacity for the first time in what felt like forever. His paws were numb, his back was sore and his shoulders stiff from all the carrying, but he did feel a small sensation of accomplishment in having succeeded in his task, no matter how grueling and pointless it had ultimately been.

"Room sweet room!"

Komir raised his gaze from the floor just in time to catch the royal tiger performing the distinctive feline stretch in all its seductive elegance. The prince pushed his forepaws long in front of him on the polished stone tiles of his room, purring as he unleashed his intimidating claws from amongst the soft fluff of his feline feet and arched his striped back to even more of a curve than what Komir's own spine had been bent to under the big cat's mass. The gold-decorated tiger tail playfully flicked upwards from the floor, bringing the observing wolf's attention to the other feral's sizable backside as it curled over the prince's back, almost touching the tiger's ears with how long it reached. Komir's rapidly thumping heart ended up skipping a beat as he now also caught a glimpse of the fat, round testes of the majestic tom, dangling down from the white fur coating the feline beast's underside, being put on quite the delicious display by the compromising, suggestive position the prince held himself in for multiple long seconds.

"Haahh~ What a tiresome journey that was..." The prince yawned as he lethargically stood back up, craning his fluffy neck from side to side as if riding Komir had been an exhausting feat for him. And as the feline yawned, Komir got more than a better look at the intimidating tiger dentures of a male tiger.

"I would really fancy a bath right about now..." The majestic tiger continued, turning around and immediately attaching his eyes to the long canine tongue dangling out from Komir's mouth. "Hmmm~ Might as well put that into good use..."

Komir curiously twitched his dark ears as he observed the dignified feral feline graciously settling himself down onto the floor of his room, lying down on his side, forming a wide, stripy semi-circle with his royal body. It wasn't until the bigger male rest his head against his paws, opened up his hind legs, and cast an expectant stare at Komir that the wolf realized what the prince was proposing.

"D-do you want me...? W-with my tongue?"

"If you would be ever so kind. Canine tongues are the most wonderful, and they say that the saliva of your kin is good for one's fur! One doesn't simply maintain a coat this luscious without actively caring for it every day." Themba growled, flicking his tail back and forth in a way that almost seemed to beckon the wolf to approach. "Feel free to get started wherever, just make sure to clean me all over."

Komir hesitated, for a brief while wondering if it was fully appropriate for him to go and give the prince a full-body grooming as the feline himself desired. Grooming another animal was usually an indication of a high level of intimacy between the two, certainly not something a royal and a servant got up to on a regular basis. But again, the small canine couldn't really afford to disobey the tiger - as he was the prince - and after a short while of standing still, carefully walked his way behind the regal beast and began cleaning his neck to the best of his ability.

"Mhhhh~ Yes! Wonderful!" The prince purred as Komir got to work, passing his modestly-sized wolf tongue along the generous fluff decorating the feline's neck and shoulders.

Social implications aside, grooming Themba's fur turned out to be surprisingly enjoyable, and not just in the context of Komir's previous task in regard to the prince's body. The black, white, and orange feline fur was clean, silky, soft, and all-around pleasant to feel up with one's tongue and Komir didn't doubt the tiger's words about the daily maintenance of his luxurious feline coat in the slightest. It was the kind of fur one almost wanted to lick, comb and groom for hours and hours and hours. A coat most definitely befitting of a prince.

In no time at all, was Komir already moving on to lick the back of the becoming feline's head and ears, providing the prince with a loving and meticulous bath, mostly just because he was happy not to be carrying said feline anymore.

"Mhh~ Returning to our conversation from earlier..." Themba muttered to himself, leaning his head a little to the left so that Komir could reach the right side of his fluffy neck even better. "There is no thrill quite as exquisite as using one's physique to dominate another, especially with as little effort as sitting or lying on top of them and simply allowing the gravity of your body do them in... Mmhh~ Yes... But with you being so delicate and of common birth I do not expect you to fully understand as such pleasures are certainly reserved for the bigger, more important creatures like us tigers."

Komir listened in silence, moving downward along the resting feline's spine, licking the many gorgeous stripes decorating the other male's furry back as the prince continued to explain.

"It has truly been ages since I last had a good, resilient toy like you who wouldn't immediately break and give in under my weight... I like it when my toys show perseverance... Even as their struggles will ultimately be in vain... It feels infinitely better to dominate a male like that, someone who thinks they have a chance... Mrhh~ I find it utterly delectable." The prince purred as Komir moved on to lap his wolf tongue against his lower back. "I assume you have no problem with that? Being my toy... I supposed you wouldn't. Your other option seems to be imprisonment after all, and I happen to also know how brutal the catacombs can be. As my toy, I can promise you will be well-fed and have a nice soft pillow to sleep on... Although it would be within reason for you to expect me to use you as my pillow whenever I so desire, which is a lot more often than you might think."

The wolf carefully carrying out the royal grooming didn't have any response to give to the majestic feline; not many animals in his position would.

The prince's soothing, baritone purr reverberated within the tall pillars of the room as Komir kept silently preening his new master, moving further and further down on the relaxed tiger's back, even working his way up and down the full length of the lush, tail of the prince before he was once again struck with hesitation, having to walk around in front of the relaxed feline.

Embarrassment lit up the wolf's face as he eyed up the bigger feral's rump, thighs, and the conspicuous feline sheath resting in between those thighs, all of which the prince presented at him without a sliver of shame. Was he supposed to lick the prince there too? Cleaning one's genitals was a perfectly normal thing for felines and canines alike to do, but doing it for someone else was uncommon, to say the least.

"Don't you go getting shy on me..." Themba quietly growled, cracking open his eyes to offer the apprehensive canine the same, expectant stare as before. "Chances are you'll be around my rump a lot from now on, so it would be beneficial for you to get used to whatever I have in that part of my body."

Komir swallowed nervously before lowering his head to start cleaning up the feral tiger's right hind paw, meekly licking his way up the big feline's leg whilst stealing glances at the prince's goods. Upon reaching the fluffy inner thigh of the royal feline, it became almost impossible for the wolf to take his eyes off the impressive pair of tiger testes which were almost as good at capturing one's attention as the entire tiger himself. It was hard not to stare at such an open display of tiger virility, even more so as Komir could smell the enticing mixture of perfume and male musk wafting off of the delectable breeding orbs which contained the successors of the throne. Maybe the prince wanted him to stare. He did strike Komir as someone who loved to be admired by others. And there certainly was a lot to admire about him.

The jittery wolf couldn't stop his heart from racing as his tongue passed ever closer to the feline heir-makers and the hefty sheath they were attached to, the prince's purr of satisfaction growing slightly louder as he approached the pride of the adult tiger.

"The sensation of making another animal your seat is so unequivocally arousing..."

Komir froze in the very spot he was standing in, his canine taster just having made contact with Themba's balls. He counted the heartbeats in his head, standing perfectly still, afraid to move even one millimeter. He could both smell and taste the prince's malehood perfectly, which made it almost impossible for him to remain petrified as much as he would have wanted to do so.

"...Why stop now...? Come on... Keep going..."

Even with how delicate and quiet the tiger's whisper was, it had the impact of an ear-splitting roar on Komir's physique. The soft words from the prince were packed with so much predator-instinct and carnal desire they made the small wolf shudder down to the tip of his tail.

He carefully moved his tongue.

"Mrhhhh~ You have no idea how much satisfaction it brings me to trample, ride, smother, squash, and flatten smaller males like you..." The prince purred without even trying to hide the lust present in his voice as Komir carefully passed his wolf tongue over the striped feline's nethers. "For a meager little pup such as you... To be underneath a graceful, ample tiger like me... Don't you think it is only natural?"

Komir could feel the prince's sheath throb underneath his tongue as the graceful feline continued to talk about his passion.

"It is in the blood of every male to want to assert oneself... To make sure that they're on top and that others know their place below his paws... To establish superiority and dominance over rivaling species... That is what every male craves deep down."

Komir was able to sniff out the prince's arousal way before the physical manifestation of it appeared in his view in the form of a curious, pink cone poking out from the fluffy confines of the royal sheath he was tongue bathing. It was unclear to the wolf whether it was his tongue or the prince's own fantasies that were more responsible for the budding feline erection, but that didn't make it any easier for him to ignore its throbbing, virile presence in his view as he rushed to finish cleaning the tiger genitals before the lust would completely take over the prince. The last thing the wolf wanted in his paws was a big, aroused, and unpredictable cat who had a taste for smothering canines.

"...to lower myself on top of a wolf and feel how they struggle in a vain attempt to summon more strength, fighting back against the inevitable tooth and nail before finally succumbing to their destiny of being dominated by those bigger than them... It is the perfect reminder of how impressive one's body really is... Once you fully indulge yourself in it, it becomes impossible to resist the natural impulses such a feeling spawns within you... The satisfaction is almost immeasurable."

Themba continued to passionately ramble on about just how much he enjoyed flattening canines with his weight even as Komir was eventually able to move on from the royal gonads, licking his way through the left hind leg of the fantasy-absorbed feline, proceeding to groom the creamy fur of the royal cat's abdomen, slowly working his way up towards the prince's neck. From the corner of his eye, the dark canine could see the feline member growing in size, protruding more and more out of its fuzzy hiding place as the prince kept on with his self-important monologue, the many characteristic barbs of a feline penis appearing into Komir's view before he was done cleaning Themba's mighty forepaws.

"Mhh~ Thank you..." Themba purred when Komir eventually gave the bigger feline's white chin the finishing touches with his taster, concluding the hasty grooming of the prince. "Not only is your body durable, your tongue is also quite skilled. How fortunate was it of me to happen upon such a fine, useful toy..."

Komir backed away a few shaky steps as the freshly-groomed tiger stood up and stretched himself once again, this time with the full length of his feline cock visible to the wolf. With how hefty the tumescent tiger member was, there was really no question about the stripy feral's breeding prowess.

"Naughty puppy..."

The wolf, who was completely captivated by the impressive royal breeder before his eyes, twitched with his whole body as he realized that the haughty feline was watching him over his shoulder. The mysterious feline eyes had something playful, yet primal woven into their golden hue as the prince's mouth got drawn into a mischievous grin.

"Lie down! I wish to inspect you..." Themba abruptly said in a tone unexpectedly demanding for him, as his desires clearly caused him to lose some of his elegance to impatience.

"E-eh?" Komir twitched his ears and blinked his eyes as the prince was now suddenly approaching him.

"Lie down!" Themba repeated, this time in an almost threatening growl. "Your prince desires to inspect his servant!"

Trembling before the august feline's authority, Komir hastily plopped himself down onto the floor, lying down on his belly in the same way most canines did. Just as he had gotten his breathing to calm down a bit, the sudden spike of adrenaline he got from witnessing the more assertive side of the big cat caused his breath to quicken yet again in anticipation of what the prince was up to.

"I figured since you'll be serving me rather intimately from now on, I should assess the capabilities of your body to a further extent to make sure I'll get as much fun out of you as I can for as long as I can..."

Komir swallowed. He wasn't particularly fond of what the feline prince said, and how he said it.

"Just stay still... This should only take a moment..." Themba purred and licked his lips.

A dry cough escaped Komir's mouth as the great big forepaws of the weighty tiger were soon placed on top of his upper back, the mass of the prince's upper body squeezing out all the air from the small wolf's lungs within just two measly seconds. Komir groaned with his chin resting against the floor, attempting to desperately get some more oxygen into his body even despite the immense compression applied to his ribs and lungs by the feline noble. Tried as he might, he was not able to breathe much aside from the fast, panicked panting activated by the severe fight-or-flight reaction that was engaged by the uncomfortable situation.

"C-can't... B-breathe..." Komir whimpered, but unto deaf ears, as the prince was already lost in analyzing the canine anatomy of his servant.

"Hmmm... The shoulder area is rather stiff, most likely due to muscle stress: a good sign seeing how you carried me earlier... The upper spine is nice and stationary between the firm shoulder blades... The ribs..." The prince continued speaking his analysis out loud, moving his paws a bit lower on Komir's back. "The ribs seem quite flexible which is good, as we can surely expect them to bend at least a little once they are properly trampled..."

Komir voiced a panicked bark as the prince flat-out walked over his ribcage, almost causing the wolf to faint as the air was once again squeezed out of his lungs to the last cubic inch.

"Hmm... Passable I suppose..." Themba huffed as Komir inhaled fiercely in order to keep himself lucid and not pass out. "Now how about the lower body..."

This time the wolf knew to brace himself for the tiger's paws, not that his tensing up the already sore muscles of his lower back helped him much as the staggering weight of the large feline's upper body was brought back over his body by Themba pressing his paws against Komir's dark fur with palpable effort.

"The spine here has some bend and give to it after carrying some weight... I expected it to remain a little more firm, but I suppose that is just my fault for placing too heavy of expectations on such a delicate skeleton as yours. We will have to be a bit careful with it going forward as it is admittedly somewhat weak but should get the job done regardless."

Komir could almost hear his own pelvis creaking as the future king pressed down on his loins from above and voiced a defeated whimper as a primal beg of mercy from the bigger male. It was ignored.

"Still... I must say the lower back is incredibly comfortable as a seat..." Themba continued, abruptly planting his striped buttocks down on Komir's back and wiggling his rump from side to side whilst the small wolf clawed the floor with his forepaws in panic. In those few seconds of physical torment, Komir truly expected to hear a crack or a snap in somewhere on his lower half but appeared to ultimately have some luck on his side as the prince did not sit on his back for long.

"The thighs and shins of the hind feet are also rather disappointing, though I must give them due credit for carrying me here..." Themba continued his analysis without batting an eye, curiously groping Komir's legs one by one. "The forelegs... Are much of the same."

Komir was once again panting like he had carried the prince for another thirty minutes when the curious feline was done with inspecting his small servant's body. The familiar thumping sensation from stress had also returned to the muscles of his canine torso that had only been recovering from their initial introduction to prince-carrying for a few measly minutes before being subjected to a second round of the same thing, albeit in a slightly different way. Komir was tired. Much more than he had been after his first day of acting as the tiger guard's mount.

"My overall assessment..." The prince muttered, sitting down for a moment and scratching his creamy chin. "The musculature seems rather weak as of now, but luckily the skeleton supporting it is excellent... While rather weak and small, you should make a decent servant for me without a doubt."

There was something malicious in the smile the sadistic tiger offered to Komir.

"Although... I suppose there is still one task I haven't truly tested you for as a royal servant..."

Komir's heart skipped a beat as the prince stood back up. Before the wolf could move even a single sore muscle in his aching body, the tiger was already next to him.

The exhausted canine had no strength or willpower to resist the prince in any way, and he allowed the bigger feral to roll him over onto his back with his big, strong paws with very little effort. Komir's dark chest rose and fell in a rapid rhythm as he subsequently watched the graceful feline walk his substantial, stripy figure over his own and slowly turn around so that the imposing feline genitals Komir had attempted to avoid having his eyes drawn towards were suddenly only ten inches or so away from his muzzle. The wolf's eyes shot wide open as he got his closest look at the full-sized feral prince boner. The scent of male arousal he had caught a whiff of earlier was so much stronger and more pervasive now as the barbed mating tool of the majestic cat was fully out and erect.

This tiger was ready to mate.

Komir wasn't able to admire the impressive kittycock and the perfectly symmetrical tiger testes above his face for too long as the prince abruptly dropped his hips on top of the bewildered canine's face, dunking his stripy rump straight down and firmly planting it on Komir's head. The world around the wolf went dark, the view of his surroundings now blocked by the firm pair of formidable feline glutes and the fluffy, male-scented caramel fur decorating them. The sensation of having his face sat on washed over the wolf in waves as he first only registered the oppressive darkness, then the enormous weight placed on his muzzle, then the shiver-inducing scent of a male tiger, and then the stuffiness of the air and the warmth that reigned underneath the prince's behind. Each new sensation registered caused his body to shiver involuntarily, be it from shock, confusion, or some strange, primitive submissive reaction.

"Grrhhh~ This is most exquisite!" The prince growled, the muffled notes of his lusty voice just barely reaching Komir's ears buried beneath the muscle and fat of the heavy feline. "I knew your face would make the perfect seat for my posterior... I knew it as soon as I came across you in the hallway near the servants' quarters..." The handsome feral purred, greedily grinding his rump against Komir's muzzle, playfully pawing at the wolf's slender chest. "I have been wanting to do this ever since... And now I finally can..."

It was hot and stuffy beneath the prince's tail. Komir was already struggling to breathe even though his lungs weren't under as much pressure as they had been the two previous times he had been sat on. Everything around his muzzle smelled of a male tiger, the fragrant perfume and aroused musk of the feline predator leaving very little room for actual oxygen to be breathed in, and Komir was getting dizzy only after some twenty seconds of huffing the pungent air beneath the royal posterior. The slow rocking motion the prince made with his hips buried the wolf's nose deeper and deeper into the freshly-groomed fur of the feline ruler, making his dire breathing predicament worse by the second.

"Mhhh~ What a marvelous seat you are... It is almost as if your head was made to be sat on by big, heavy tiger rumps, squashed and dragged back and forth on the floor just like this... It is even better than what I fantasized about when I was riding you to my room earlier... Almost good enough to make me spill my passions prematurely..." Themba purred, swiping his rear end from side to side, mopping the polished tiles of the floor with the back of Komir's head as he submerged deeper and deeper into his perverted desires. "Don't forget to breathe while you're under there... I wouldn't want you passing out now that we're finally enjoying ourselves."

There was nothing for Komir to do except whimper helplessly beneath the heavy mass of the feline noble as the pressure he was subjected to began taking its toll on both his body and mentality. The sharp decline in his oxygen intake, combined with his restricted mobility, once again activated the fight-or-flight reaction within the wolf, although now it was already considerably weaker than the time before. Inhaling the stuffy prince-scented air one sharp breath at a time, Komir tried pushing the feline derriere off from on top of his head, ultimately failing to make the heavier animal budge a single inch from his seat. He attempted pushing the stripy tiger bottom both directly up, and to either side of his face but to no avail. Themba's rear was completely immovable to his already weakened physique. In the end, Komir just wound up desperately pawing at the bigger feral's soft thighs as he had exhausted all other means of trying to free himself from the prison of the royal posterior.

"Yes, that's it... Just let it happen... Accept where you belong..." Themba purred, his husky voice dripping with satisfaction, his entire body trembling in pleasure. "Give in... You are nothing more than a seat for my striped behind... Relax and indulge yourself in what my body has to offer..."

Feeling weaker and smaller with each passing heartbeat, Komir subconsciously obeyed the suave feline and allowed his body to go completely limp and take on the full, uninhibited weight of the exalted feral sitting on his face. Even though his comfort between the hard tiles of the floor and the weight prince's butt didn't exactly improve with the maneuver, the wolf felt strange solace in giving in to the stronger creature and having his rational canine instincts slowly floating away. He had already struggled for so long it felt good to give up.

"What an obedient pet you are! Grrhh~ Such obedience deserves a reward... I shall give it to you in just a moment..."

Komir did not even hear the entirety of what the prince said and only felt the increased intensity of the feline hip-grinding against his face, getting his muzzle pushed in whatever direction the noble cat desired. He was so drained, so defeated he didn't even notice the royal kitten churns, which he had previously had the chance to eye up, pulsating on his chest, reverberating the dull, carnal beat of a male about to consummate a breeding act. Had he been more lucid, he could have perhaps guessed that the contents of the hefty litter factories would be his eventual reward. Although he didn't have to wait that long to eventually receive it.

"YESSSSS~!" The prince hissed, jumping up onto his feet as the light from Komir's surroundings momentarily blinded the black wolf.

Komir was able to regain his vision just in time to see the tiger prince's engorged genitals performing what was expected from them. The delectable balls of the big feline contracted upwards into Themba's crotch as the proud prince stretched his paws and arched his back, angling his spined member in just the right way for it to spew his liquid offspring onto the dazed wolf's muzzle, which the prince did with a lusty growl. The royal litter splashed down on Komir's face in a copious shower of tiger ejaculate, unleashed from the pointy tip of the striped feline's imposing malehood in healthy spurts, each of which landed on the matted fur of the dark wolf snout and the rest of Komir's head.

The royal cat cock jumped and throbbed as it happily spilled its owner's noble seed down over the smaller male in a fine display of feline mating prowess, as the entirety of the voluminous ejaculation would have been more than ample to sire at least three dozen kittens. Komir didn't blink once during the feral feline's orgasm and only stared at the erupting tip of Themba's tiger sex past the bridge of his furry snout as its dark surface got slowly painted white by the bigger animal. The exotic scent of another male's seed flooded his nostrils in an instant and roused some wilder urges within the wolf who just received the fattest facial the palace had ever seen. Or at least it shouldn't have been too frivolous to assume so with how much kittyjuice ended up on Komir's muzzle.

...

Komir lived the subsequent minute in a complete daze, a blur scented with tiger cum, only coming back to reality once he felt something warm and wet brushing against the side of his muzzle. The wolf had to blink his eyes several times before he was able to focus his gaze on the familiar patterns of a male tiger's face, a face that was only a few inches away from his own. The black canine flinched as the prince gently licked the very tip of his nose, scooping up a hefty bead of his own seed from it before casting a calm smile onto the baffled wolf.

"Welcome back..." Themba purred, having gone back to his normal, dignified self again. "I take it you enjoyed yourself as much as I did? Not that it matters, really."

The wolf couldn't really bring himself to answer the feline being both too tired and confused to put his feelings into words.

"Spectacular work! I'll be expecting service of similar quality from you in the future!" The feline prince smiled, lazily turning around and heading towards the balcony of his room. "You might as well take this moment to rest a bit. The day is far from over and I still have plenty of things to do around the castle, for which I'll naturally be needing your services."

Komir shuddered and his legs began aching pre-emptively as he imagined himself walking the palace halls with the prince on his back.

"I suggest you use this brief rest I'm bestowing upon you to clean yourself up... I have some formal business I need to attend to in the throne room in a while and I need you to look presentable on our way over there... Once we arrive, I would very much like to test your compatibility with my current throne. And as such, I would rather not get this fur of mine - which you just arduously groomed for me - dirty with any bodily secretions. A male of my prestige has to keep up appearances as I'm sure you know."

The exhausted wolf stared at the elegant tiger as the other male lazily walked away from him, his steps as smooth and elegant as when the two had first met in the dreary corridor on the eastern side of the palace. As he laid down on his back and observed the slowly receding silhouette of the majestic tiger and his imposing rump, which had only minutes prior been flattening his face against the floor, Komir wondered, just what kind of a situation he had gotten himself into.

Perhaps it would have been best for him to stay in the custody of the guards after all.