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Leo woke from his shallow sleep to the feeling of the mattress bouncing. The morning sun was shining in through the window and Imara was getting up. Once up and about, she unlocked the shackles binding him to the posts at foot of the bed. As soon as his legs were free, Leo sat up and stretched then, before Imara had cause to remind him, went down on his knees, his hands behind his back, and bowed his head respectfully.

"Good morning, Leo," Imara said. She stood before him, still naked, and gave his chin a stroke. Leo's heart swelled with joy at this familiar greeting. "You'll serve as my personal assistant today. First, I must freshen up."

"Shall I draw you a bath, Mistress?" Leo asked.

"A bath?" Imara repeated in a tone of mock surprise. "Were you not paying attention yesterday? We're to conserve water. Come with me."

Leo followed Imara to the bathroom, where she filled a bowl with water from the tap. It was still early in the morning, so the water was merely lukewarm. The luxury was astonishing in its convenience but strangely prosaic, not really worthy of someone who in the unconventional hierarchy of the pride was likely the equivalent of a crown prince in rank. Someone at that level should have had retinue of lionesses (or lions, in this case) tending to their every need, including the preparation of hot water.

Imara handed him a washcloth. "You may clean me," she instructed. Now this was more like it.

Leo took the cloth, wetted it in the bowl, then hesitated where to start. He began wiping her back, starting at the nape of her neck and working his way down, imagining it was his tongue he was using. Imara truly was beautiful, her toned muscles rippling beneath her smooth fur in response to his ministrations. Occasionally re-wetting the washcloth, Leo meticulously cleaned every inch of Imara's back, her firm buttocks, and legs. Moving to her front, he tried not to stare at her breasts but relished the opportunity to touch them, even if there was a washcloth in between. He perhaps spent a little too long on that area than was strictly necessary. Kneeling, he traced the fuzzy line where her tawny fur changed into the lighter belly fur, down to between her legs.

"An acceptable job," Imara said as Leo finished. "Now clean yourself."

Leo began swabbing himself while she observed. The chastity cage proved tricky, even by ladling water over it he couldn't quite manage to get it as clean as he'd liked. Imara pointed to a high stool, below a set of manacles and leather straps affixed to the wall. "Sit there," she order.

Leo went over to the stool and did as told, raising his hands above his head in anticipation of the next command. Imara clicked the manacles shut around his wrists. She next grabbed hold of his left ankle and lifted it up to the leather strap hanging from the wall. She repeated this on his right leg so that they were both lifted and spread, leaving his nether regions entirely exposed. He had to fight the instinct to cover himself up with his tail. In the past few days he'd been restrained in all sorts of positions but this one felt especially vulnerable, not to mention strenuous. Imara turned around and left the room, only to return shortly holding a small key. She inserted it into the tiny keyhole in the base of Leo's chastity cage and clicked it open. He gasped as it slid off his sheath. This was the first time Imara had personally removed his cage. He stiffened immediately.

"Do not get the wrong idea," Imara said. "Asim is occupied with more important duties today, so I will see to your cleanliness myself."

She poured water over his nethers, then used the washcloth to swab around his sheath, testicles and anus. Despite the humiliation of being treated like a little cub, his body enjoyed the attention. He could feel his cock starting to leak and the sensation of the warm wet cloth rubbing up his shaft made his legs spasm.

"You do not have permission to climax, do you understand?" Imara said in a warning tone.

Leo nodded, a pained grimace on his muzzle. Imara made another stroke up his sensitive cock, giving the head a bit of polish. Leo reflexively pulled his hips back but there was no escape. Hot breath from her nostrils tickled his cock, making it throb and twitch.

"It's hard, I know," Imara purred. "But be patient for a while longer and I'll arrange a reward for you."

The sight of Imara's naked fur, her breasts hanging as she stooped over him, and the rough caresses fueled the fire in his loins. His body was reacting on its own and he was only along for the ride. Leo squeezed his eyes shut but pressure in his member kept building like a kettle on the the verge of boiling over.

"I can't hold it!" Leo gasped.

Imara let go. The maddening pressure was still there but not quite enough to burst through. With the stimulation gone, it slowly began to fade away, leaving behind only a reinvigorated need and frustration.

"I'll just rinse off this chastity cage and you're all done," Imara said.

Leo came close to begging but he knew it'd just be punishment he'd be begging for. While she was cleaning the cage, his erection had time to subside. The stressful position of his legs made it hard to maintain even if he wanted to.

The click of the retaining clip locking the cage back in place sent a shiver of despair through Leo's body and it showed on his face.

"You've been very good," Imara said, giving his inner thigh a pat. "I deny you the pleasure of an orgasm not because I'm punishing you, but because it is part of your training--and because I enjoy teasing you. That is, after all, your purpose here: my enjoyment. When it's time, it'll be ever sweeter for the wait."

Leo could only nod meekly.

Imara undid the restraints. "But now it's the time for work. Wait for me in my study."

Leo walked across to the other room and, not knowing what else to do, kneeled in front of her desk to wait. Imara soon reappeared, now wearing her casual leather skirt and top. She took a seat behind her desk and pulled up a sheet of paper. "At ease," she said, hardly glancing in Leo's direction. "You may stand or go sit on the bench by the wall. I'll call you when I need you."

Leo looked around and decided sitting would be the more comfortable option. As he sat, he tried leaning in what he was pretty sure was a mildly provocative pose, feeling sexy and desirable like quite literally never before. Meanwhile, Imara concentrated on her papers, occasionally getting up to fetch a book from the shelf next to her. Again, an odd thing to see: someone so high ranking engaging in mundane clerical work. Even Leo had been above this sort of thing.

As though reading his thoughts, Imara said, "you may ask."

"Ah, excuse me, Mistress. What is it that you're doing?"

"It is my job to administrate the affairs of the pride in accordance with the Queen's will," Imara explained. "It's not all cracking the whip, it's also paperwork. For example, I have here the chronicles of Agar, Tamu and Zeru, whom I will be seeing soon. Mahiri and I are in charge of maintaining discipline and every male in our pride has a scheduled visit with one of us at least once a month."

"Oh, I see. What... do you do with them?"

"Just a simple checkup to see that they are doing well and still remember their place. Once your training is complete, it will be part of your routine as well, so pay attention today."

"Yes, Mistress," Leo said.

Imara continued making notes for a couple minutes, then went to the bookshelf again and returned with a thick, visibly heavy tome. She studied it for a good while, then wrote something down in one of the record books. "Do you recognize this is?" she asked offhandedly, without even looking up from her work.

"It looks like the genealogy of the pride, Mistress," Leo said. There was a series of books very similar to that one at his old pride, though it was strange that the volume was stored here rather than a dedicated sanctum in the King's chambers. It was, after all, a book that could make Kings, or maybe Queens, and settle bloody disputes about rank.

"Correct," Imara said. "The records go back hundreds of years, long before the revolution of our first Queen. Though we no longer care about lines of succession, it remains an important tool."

"How so?" Leo asked.

"To avoid inbreeding. I'm sure you've met enough princes from neighboring kingdoms to understand why."

A memory of being a part of a diplomatic entourage to the court of King Caeso bubbled up. Leo had been but a cub back then, but he remembered the feast that night. The King's eldest son, cutting his food with a knife because his teeth were so snaggled he couldn't even bite off a piece of steak. Thought the memory was vivid, he had never paid much thought as to why so many high ranking princes had that particular look about them, but it suddenly made a lot of sense. As did the practice of marrying off princes to other prides: it wasn't just to get rid of potential threats to the throne or to forge diplomatic relations, but also to stir the blood.

Imara continued her explanation, "it is our practice to hide the parentage of our cubs. A male must regard every cub of a particular generation as potentially his own and thus his loyalty will be with the pride as a whole, rather than just his own line."

"I understand," Leo said. "I was taught that in ancient times before castle walls, when a king was overthrown, the usurper would kill all his cubs to make room for his own."

"You know your history." There was a tone of mild surprise in Imara's voice. "Very good. Then the usage of this book should be clear to you?"

"I think so. When a lioness wishes to have a cub, you select a mate for her who is not closely related."

"Just so. As new blood, I'm sure you can appreciate how much better our way is compared to the ways of the kingdoms."

"Yes, Mistress," Leo said happily, already looking forward to the prospect of being selected to perform this 'duty.'

"Excellent. Now, onto the first order of business for the day. My charges should be arriving any minute now. They know I appreciate timeliness. Go let them in and put them in the waiting area. You should know what I mean."

"As you wish, Mistress," Leo said and walked away from the study to wait by the door.

It didn't take long until someone knocked. A lion at least a head taller than Leo stood behind the door. He was thick maned, broad shouldered, and well muscled. He wore an elaborately patterned knee length loincloth and a vest that merely directed the eye towards his muscular chest and abdomen. He looked like a real, proper lion... and familiar. Leo stared at him open-mouthed, then remembered: he was the one playing the part of the escapee in Mahiri's test!

"Ah, um, come in," Leo said, stepping back.

The lion entered, looked around then stood with his back to the wall and raised his hands above his head. Leo blanked out, unsure what to do next. For the other male, this was clearly nothing new. Leo noticed the manacles hanging from the wall by hands, then remembered how he had been shackled there once while waiting for Imara to have time for him. He put them around the lion's wrist and clicked them shut. How odd to be one doing the binding. "S--Sorry for jumping on you back then," Leo said.

"Don't be. You did good. I was impressed."

"T-Thanks," Leo mumbled. His ears pricked up at the sound of more knocking. "Oh, I better get that."

The next lion to enter was smaller and looked to be about the same age as Leo, maybe even a little younger. He was built similarly too, not the sort who spent all his time lifting weights and running laps around the castle. He wore baggy pants held up by a rope belt and a vest that would have been a better fit for the first lion. He looked incongruously overdressed compared to every other male Leo had seen so far. His eyes were wide and ears pivoting around like a spooked gazelle as he cautiously stepped in. He took his place on the wall and without saying a word and allowed Leo to shackle him as well.

Minutes passed and Leo was beginning to feel rather awkward standing in front of the two bound males. The fact that they were dressed made him uncomfortably conscious of his nudity.

Finally, a knock on the door. The third lion was slightly taller, dark maned with a lean but muscular build. He looked Leo up and down, and pointedly focused on his collar. "What's this?" he said, disdain oozing in his voice. "Imara has a trainee let me in?"

"Um, yes," Leo said. "Please come in and she will see you."

He rolled his eyes and sighed loudly then stepped past Leo, looking as if he was about to head straight to Imara's study.

"Wait here please!" Leo called after him.

He made a show of slumping his shoulders and moving slowly to his place in the line. Leo looked at him, up at the shackles, and nodded but he didn't take the hint to raise his arms. Leo licked his dry lips as he pondered what to do. This was clearly insubordination and if he reported it to Imara, the other lion would surely be punished. But so would he, probably, for failing to perform this one job he had been given. He took hold of the other male's wrist and lifted it up to the shackle. He did not resist but instead kept his arm limp as a dead antelope's leg. The same with the other hand. Irritated to no end but relieved that the job was done, Leo went to Imara to let her know everyone was ready.

"Good," was her reply. She handed him a small key. "Bring in the first one, then stand by the doorway, be silent, and observe."

Leo nodded and went to fetch the big lion.

He walked in confidently and knelt down in front of Imara's desk. He took off his vest and placed it neatly on the floor next to him, followed by his loincloth, and lastly put his hands behind his back, assuming the proper submissive pose.

"Mistress Imara," he said, bowing his head.

Imara circled the desk to stand in front of him. "Welcome, Agar. You may kiss my paws."

Agar bent over and gave a both of Imara's paw an eager peck with his tongue.

"I have heard nothing but positive things about you," Imara said. "Even Mahiri put in a good word."

"I am glad, Mistress," Agar said, a smile on his muzzle.

Imara walked around him, inspecting him. She gave his cheek a stroke as she passed. "Your service to the pride has been exemplary, so I shall reward you with more work. One our pride-sisters wishes to have a cub of her own and I have chosen you to be its sire."

"Thank you, Mistress!"

"Report to Asim's office for preparations. That is all for now, you may go."

Agar nodded and quickly dressed himself.

"Leo," Imara said, "escort him out and bring in the next one."

Next in line was the young lion. He knelt down in front of Imara's desk and began undoing the buttons of his shirt. Imara watched him with a cocked eyebrow as he struggled with his belt and tried to kick off his pants while still kneeling.

"Hello Tamu. How have you been adjusting to life here?" she asked once Tamu had assumed the position.

"Very well, Mistress," he said, a note of hesitancy in his voice.

"Is that so? I've hardly seen you about, nor have I heard anything about you, good or bad. It's as if you've spent the past month hiding in the male quarters."

"I... I may have not been out as much as I should, Mistress."

Imara sighed contemplatively. "I can't help but to wonder if I left you graduate too soon."

Tamu bowed his head. "I will do better, Mistress."

"Stand up," Imara ordered, narrowing her eyes. Tamu did so, letting his hands fall to his sides. Imara circled behind him and grabbed him by his upper arms. "You startled," she said. She reached down with her right hand to feel his balls, only for him to flinch back. "Are you still unused to a lioness' touch, or is it just me you're wary of?"

Tamu did not answer.

Imara sighed and went back behind her desk. "All the same. While you obey orders well enough, clearly you are still in need of training. I will assign you some work that will help you get used to being seen and touched."

"O--Of course, Mistress," Tamu said, his eyes firmly pointed at his paws.

Imara jotted something down in Tamu's book. "You'll be volunteering at Dalia's sexual education class. She needs a male assistant for anatomy demonstrations."

"As you wish, Mistress," Tamu said, the insides of his ears flushing red.

"I will accept no excuse if you don't show up. Is this understood?" Imara said in a stern tone that left no uncertainty about the threat of punishment.

Tamu nodded slowly.

"One more thing. Leo here is my new trainee. It would be counterproductive for him to stay in the dungeon any longer, so I am moving him into the male quarters. He will be your and Kito's new roommate. I want you to help him adjust to his new home."

"I will, Mistress!"

"Then we will see in a month if you've made any progress or whether remedial action is needed." Imara waved her hand. "You may go now."

Tamu hastily pulled up his pants, tying his belt into a quick knot. He grabbed his vest and made a swift exit before he had even finished buttoning it up.

Leo went and brought in Imara's last appointment. The dark maned lion strutted over to her desk and simply stood there.

"Zeru! Have you forgotten your manners?" Imara snapped.

Zeru knelt down and stripped off his cloths, tossing them aside in a rumpled pile.

Imara stood in front of him, towering over him menacingly with her arms folded. "I have received some concerning reports about your behavior. Failure to show proper deference, as you just so kindly demonstrated. Backtalk. Refusing to follow orders. What do you have to say for yourself?"

"I have no idea about any of that," Zeru said innocently. A tiniest of sly smirks flickered at the corners of his mouth.

"You realize I cannot let this go unpunished?"

Zeru bowed. "It is Mistress' prerogative to punish me whenever she wants, even if I haven't done anything."

"Leo," Imara called. "What do you suppose is an appropriate response to this sort of insolence?"

"Ah," Leo said, a sinking feeling in his stomach as if he was a daydreaming student singled out by an instructor to answer a question he hadn't heard. "Uh. Caning of the buttocks?"

"A good guess, but wrong." She picked up a small wooden box from her desk. "Both of you, follow me."

At the living room, Imara pointed to the wall with the X shaped cross. "Zeru, on the cross."

Zeru seemed a little too happy to comply. He nearly skipped there and spread is arms and legs with no complaint or hesitation.

"Restrain him," Imara instructed Leo.

Leo walked over to him and started with his wrists, buckling the attached the leather straps tight. He thought he could detect a hint of sourness in Zeru's expression, perhaps because it wasn't Imara who was tying him up. Having restrained his arms, he crouched down to restrain his ankles.

"Thighs and waist too," Imara instructed.

Leo reached around his left thigh to connect the strap there. The musky scent of Zeru's arousal filled his nose. He quickly did the other leg, then buckled the attached belt around his waist and stepped back. The sight of him utterly helpless and exposed with his arms and legs spread was rather unexpectedly alluring. Guilty excitement tickled Leo's chest. He was eager to see and feel the vicarious thrill of whatever torture Imara had prepared for the rebellious male.

Imara crouched down in front of Zeru to take off his chastity cage. Zeru closed his eyes and bit his lip as she did so. As she slid the cage off, his erection followed, slick with precum.

Standing up, she asked, "Now then. What punishment do you suppose you deserve?"

"Whatever you think is appropriate, Mistress," Zeru said, a barely concealed grin on his muzzle.

"Whatever? You're not going to like what I have in mind."

"Of course not, Mistress. I am being punished."

"See how his demeanor has changed?" Imara said to Leo, all the while looking at Zeru. "All that minor insubordination was mere theater. Zeru here wants to be punished, because it's attention from the object of his desire. He's trying to manipulate me, force my hand. If this behavior is not nipped in the bud, it can grow into a big problem. So how do you punish someone who wants to be punished, hmm?"

"I don't know, Mistress," Leo said.

"It's quite simple. You withhold the attention he was after."

Imara opened the box and from it withdrew a new chastity cage. Unlike the normal golden ones, this was made of blackened steel. Zeru's eyes grew wide when he saw it.

"No! Please, Mistress, not that!"

"Didn't you say whatever I think is appropriate?" Imara said. Glancing in Leo's direction, she continued, "this is a regular chastity cage, not a special one with spikes or such. What makes it different is that only I have the key to it."

"Please, Mistress," Zeru pleaded. "Can't I have the cane or the flogger instead?"

"Hold your tongue if you ever want to be free of this," Imara snapped.

Zeru fell quiet. His protestations appeared to have been genuine, for his cock had retreated back into hiding. Imara handed the cage to Leo. "Put this on him. Knowing how to put on a chastity cage is a skill you must learn, and he deserves no more of my touch."

Leo knelt down in front of him once more and fitted the tube part over his sheath. When putting in the retaining part, he intentionally on accident pinched the skin of Zeru's scrotum with it. This elicited a flinch and an irritated scoff, to Leo's small satisfaction.

Imara appeared satisfied with his work. To Zeru, she said, "I will see you again in a month and only then will I consider taking this off. You better be on your best behavior, for if one complaint reaches my ears, you will spend the remainder of the month in the dungeon. Is this clear?"

Zeru nodded meekly.

"Say it!"

"I'll be good, Mistress."

"Very well. Leo, let him down. I'm finished with him."

Leo undid the straps. Zeru, his earlier bravado fully gone, began skulking towards Imara's study where he had left his clothes.

"Wait!" Imara yelled. "Leave your clothes. You will earn them back once you've learned your lesson. As of now, you are not to wear anything below the waist."

"Yes, Mistress," Zeru said sullenly and changed directions to leave the apartment.

Imara watched him go and said to Leo, "I hope you took this opportunity to learn from his mistake. Even minor disobedience cannot be tolerated, for otherwise it would fester and rot the very fabric of our pride."

"I did, Mistress," Leo said.

"Good. Next, I must go check on the cattle to verify that the Queen's orders have been followed. You will accompany me."

Leo perked up. He had been wondering if he'd ever get to go beyond the castle walls again. He followed her downstairs and out to the ward, then into the main gatehouse. Before heading out, Imara directed Leo to a cloakroom where she picked out a loin cloth for him to wear. It was decorated the pride's colors and of format cut.

"You will wear this while we're outside," she said, handing him the garment. It was exciting to be wearing actual clothes again, even if temporarily, and even if the design was different from what he was used to. The flap on the front reached down to his knees but was so narrow it only barely concealed anything. Still, it was almost as if he was a real pride member now.

After Leo had clad himself, Imara handed him a fan made of peacock tail feathers mounted on a pole. "You will make yourself useful by shading me as we walk."

"Yes, Mistress," Leo said. He mentally noted the pole was made of solid wood and would pack quite the wallop if swung. She clearly had great trust in him, unless of course this was another secret test of character and the pole had a hidden seam that would break if swung hard, immediately revealing his treachery.

For herself, Imara took a coiled whip which she hung about her waist. At Leo's wary look, she said, "It's mostly ceremonial. Very rarely have I had occasion to crack it."

A guard at the front gate opened the way for them. Imara and Leo walked out to the sun scorched savannah. Leo lifted up the fan to shade Imara's head as he walked beside her. A path of hardened earth lead towards a distant oasis, visible as a hazy, wavering green island floating on a mirage sea beneath a blue cloudless sky.

There was no sight of antelope herds, guards, or even peasant tents near the castle. Again, Leo couldn't help but to wonder if he was being tested. A makeshift weapon in hand, it would be so easy to make a run for it. Of course, he had no intention of doing so, and not just because there was nowhere to run to. While he could try for his old pride, the reception he could expect if he arrived collared and cock caged was unthinkable. Or was it? He could spin a heroic tale of being taken prisoner, resisting hideous tortures, and finally fighting his way out. A story like that might actually improve his standing in the pride. Ambitious little brothers would think twice about stabbing him in the back if they thought he had actual combat experience. Older princes might even include him in their circles. Just for a moment, Leo entertained the idea. But no, that was a life he had left behind for a reason. Even if all that came true, it wasn't him. To run away now would be to throw away a chance to live true to himself.

No, he much preferred the other option, that Imara trusted him as she trusted any other pride member, that she would be personally insulted if he were to run away now. The thought made the walk to the oasis beneath the searing sun bearable.

By the time they arrived, Leo was panting from the heat and Imara too looked weary. The heart of the oasis was the watering hole--presently mostly just hole--fed by a trickle of fresh water emerging from the mouth of a narrow, brick lined underground tunnel. A huge herd of antelope, possibly every head in the whole territory, milled around the oasis, ripping up the scant remaining grass. The stench of so many bovines in such close quarters made Leo's nose block up. It was incredible how such delicious animals could smell so bad.

Beneath the canopies of a large acacia trees, cheetah peasants had set up camp. Imara approached a gang loafing around in the shade and shouted, "You there! We have walked a long way. Bring us water to drink!"

This provoked an immediate reaction. The group scattered like a flock of small birds pounced upon by a wildcat. Imara continued onward, taking a seat on a fallen log the peasants had been using for a bench. Leo remained standing by her, shading her with the fan. Not a moment later, a pair of cheetahs emerged from a tent, both with a bowl of water in their hands. A male and a female by the look of their clothing: while both were wore a simple garment resembling a short skirt, one also had a length of fabric wrapped around her chest and shoulders--though as typical for a cheetah, there was not much there to conceal.

They offered the bowls, then went down on their knees. What a relief to see some things remained the same. No matter if the pride was ruled by lions or lionesses, at least all could agree that cheetahs were a rung below. Imara took her time to lap up the water while the peasants dutifully waited, then placed the bowl down beside her. Leo also took the opportunity to relieve his parched throat. "What is the situation with the watering hole?" she asked. "Will our cattle survive the dry season?"

The cheetahs exchanged a glance. The male spoke up. "The natural oases have mostly dried up but the level of water here is now holding. The threat of thirst has passed, howbeit the threat of hunger still remains. It may be wise thin the herd and cure the meat for reserve."

"I see. By how much?"

He looked back at the antelopes uneasily. The female said, "by up to two thirds."

"The situation is so dire?"

"Lamentably so," the first cheetah replied. "Unless the rains come early to revitalize the grazing grounds, we might lose everything. Our neighbors in the east and the west have already lost parts of their herds."

Imara sighed and rubbed her forehead. "What troubling news. Is there no way of avoiding a cull?"

"None that we know of, my liege."

"Very well then. By the authority invested in me by Queen Madini, I order you to carry it out. Preserve the meat and keep for yourselves what you need. The rest deliver to us."

The cheetahs bowed. "As the Queen wills," they said.

Imara stood and turned back towards the castle. She waved for Leo to follow. Once the oasis was behind them, knowing he was speaking out of turn, Leo cautiously asked, "Mistress, is the pride in danger?"

"The pride is always in danger," Imara replied. "But this is nothing we haven't overcome in the past. And by the sound of it, we still have a leg up on our neighbors. Tell me. In your old home, did you have a way of lifting water into the aqueducts if the well ran low?"

"We had a water screw turned by a treadwheel prisoners could be made to walk in."

"As I suspected. Ours was dismantled after we acquired a motorized pump. A far more efficient machine for keeping the land irrigated. We're lucky to have a Queen wise enough to recognize the benefits of new technology."

Indeed, Leo thought. His father would never have parted with what had to be a considerable amount of gold for something as dull as a water pump you couldn't even torture your enemies with.

"Still," Imara continued, "It might have been wiser yet not toss out the old. The pump consumes all the power begat by the sun catchers, and a day or two in the wheel was an efficient way to teach basic humility to the likes of Zeru. Perhaps I should petition for it to be rebuilt."

When the castle gates came to view, Leo thought he had a pretty good idea of what a day in the wheel would feel like. The gate opened for them as they approached, exhaling a breath of divinely cool air to welcome them home. Before entering the castle proper, Imara had Leo leave the loincloth behind. Just a couple of hours wearing it had undone nearly all the progress he had made in getting accustomed to nudity. Leo had to constantly fight the urge to cover himself with his hands or face away from the eyes of lionesses passing by.

He followed Imara to place he hadn't visited before: a dining hall filled with the delicious smell of grilled meat. "We've arrived just in time for lunch," Imara said as they entered. "For your progress, you deserve a good meal for a change."

"Thank you, Mistress," Leo said. His stomach gurgled in affirmation. Inside, he counted no less than two dozen lionesses already mid-lunch around long tables. Adjoining the hall was a kitchen, separated by a counter onto which the cooks brought prepared portions. To his surprise, they were all lionesses as well. Just like back home, but likely for a different reason. Perhaps there weren't enough males to do the job, or maybe they weren't trusted around sharp objects? There weren't any other male diners present either. Following Imara's lead, he took a plank of antelope steak and a bowl of water from the counter. She found a spot at the end of a vacant table but Leo wasn't quite sure where to go.

"You may kneel there," Imara said, pointing at the end of the table.

"At the table?" Leo confirmed.

"Yes, at the table. I'm not going to make you eat off the floor like a pet fox, but neither will you sit with me like an equal."

Leo put his food down and went on his knees. It wasn't the most comfortable way to eat at a table, but at least he wasn't on all fours. He waited until Imara had taken the first bite before digging in. The meat, seared on the outside but raw on the inside, tasted so divine it brought tears to his eyes and made him forget all about the hard floor. After days of eating kibble, he had almost forgotten what real food was like. He gobbled up his steak as though it might be taken away at any moment. Not an entirely unreasonable fear, based on what he'd just heard outside. Lionesses stole glances at him while he ate--or so he thought, anyway--but no-one spoke up to object to his presence.

Leo waited patiently for Imara to finish her lunch, which she did very leisurely. After she had eaten the last morsel and licked her fingers clean, she motion for Leo to stand.

"I still have duties to attend to today, but I think it's time I show you to your new home," she said.

Leo nodded eagerly and followed her out. The male quarters was a two story building on the other side of the ward by the east wall. They walked through the wide open front doors into a vestibule brightly decorated with wall paintings and statues. Hardly the dungeon Leo had expected. The statues, timeworn and bleached, depicted lionesses in traditional attire (meaning, very little of it.) The paintings were of a more recent vintage. The biggest one, visible immediately as one stepped in, was a scene from court: a lion genuflecting before the Queen who was smiling down on him. Other paintings were stylized vignettes of daily life in the pride. Carved in the walls among the paintings were dozens of little niches with little some kind of knick-knacks in them. As Leo passed closer, he realized they were plaster castings of erect penises. He wasn't quite sure how to feel about them.

A stairway took them upstairs, which was more along the lines of what he had expected. They walked through a bleak corridor lined by sturdy wooden doors until they came upon one left slightly ajar. Imara pushed it open. The room was barely twice the size of his old cell with a pair of beds taking up most of the space. Tamu and one other lion were present. Both scrambled onto their knees at the sight of their Mistress.

"Good afternoon, Kito, Tamu!" Imara said. "I've brought your new roommate. This is Leo, a promising candidate for our pride. Get to know each other. I'll be back to check on you all later tonight."

"Yes, Mistress!" the two answered in unison.

Imara nodded and left, leaving Leo standing at the doorway. The new lion stood and came at Leo. He took a step back but was caught in a rib cracking hug. Leo's eyes went wide in panic, but the other male just nuzzled both his cheeks and said, "Welcome, brother! I'm Kito. I don't remember you from the outside. Are you from another pride?"

"Remember me?" Leo asked, still bewildered by the excessively familiar greeting. "I'm from King Septimus' pride."

Kito's face lit up with curiosity. "Really? You were a prince? What was like? How did you get here?"

"Uh," Leo managed, unsure what exactly to say. Things were happening too fast for him to process. "That's a long story."

"Of course," Kito said, giving Leo a pat on the shoulder. "For later. Make yourself comfortable first."

Leo looked at the room and wondered where exactly he could get comfortable. "There are only two beds," he noted.

"Doesn't matter, they hardly get any use anyway," Kito said and laughed. "Not when you can spend your nights in a lioness's bed instead!" He elbowed Tamu in the side. "Except this scaredy-cat who's afraid of them."

"I'm not," Tamu muttered.

"Whatever you say," Kito said with a grin. "Leo, you must be ready to graduate soon, right?"

"I don't know. It's up to Imara."

"Of course. But since you're here, I'd say you're not far off."

"I hope so," Leo said and waited for his thoughts to catch up. "By the way, what did you mean by not remembering me from the outside?"

"I meant outside the walls, where young males live. Tamu and I were both born here. That's why I guessed you must be from somewhere else. Is it different where you're from?"

"At my old pride, we all stay in the castle our whole lives. Are you saying males born here must live outside?"

"That's right. Once a male cub grows the first strands of his mane, he is sent outside to the pride lands. After he comes of age, he can try to rejoin the pride or go seek his fortune out in the world."

Leo's jaw dropped. Kicking out little cubs? Even by the standards of the average kingdom that would have been considered heartless. "Isn't that incredibly cruel?" Leo asked, hoping he had misunderstood. "Sending young cubs to live on their own without even a roof over their heads?"

"No, no! I mean, it was a bit scary to leave home, but it was also something I was looking forward to. It's a rite of passage. We aren't alone, we live with our older brothers and the peasants."

"That's maybe not so bad," Leo conceded. "But what about the ones who don't want to rejoin?"

"I'm sure they'll find another pride eventually."

"I doubt it."

"How come?" Kito asked. The puzzled frown on his face looked genuine.

Leo tilted his head in astonishment. Did he seriously not know how lion society worked? "Because kings generally don't want too many males in their pride," he explained. "They already go through a lot of trouble getting rid of the excess without inciting rebellion. Like half of all trading between kingdoms is just the exchange of princes and the associated dowries. A rogue can't just knock on a gate and ask to be let in."

"I did not know that. What happens if you try?"

Leo shrugged. "I don't recall anyone ever trying, but my guess is you get laughed at and have spears thrown at you."

"What?" Kito exclaimed, looking genuinely horrified. "That's barbaric!"

"It is what it is," Leo said in half-hearted agreement.

"That just makes me even gladder to be here. Did you know that in prehistoric times, all prides were led by the lionesses? Males had only two jobs: having sex and keeping rivals out. It was a pretty cushy life and we're basically living the modern version of it."

"I've heard something like that," Leo said, although the way he'd heard it was that without the protection of walls, fighting off coalitions of rogues had been a never-ending war and the average king's reign measured in years rather than decades.

"Hey, do you want to have a look around?" Kito asked. "Even thought you're not wearing the pride's colors yet, you can go as you wish in the male quarters."

"Sure," Leo said. He followed Kito out.

In the hallway, Kito made a sweeping gesture at the rows of doors all around. "The second floor is all apartments. It's usually pretty quiet here, since most lions don't spend a lot of time in their rooms."

"Except for Tamu?" Leo asked.

"Yeah. He's... bashful, I guess is the word? Even back outside, he tended to keep to himself."

Leo pondered that as they walked on. It was odd that he would choose to come here if he wasn't enthusiastic about serving the lionesses. Perhaps to someone born here, it was simply the safe, familiar choice.

Downstair, they passed by a room that at a first glance looked like another torture chamber. "Here you can lift weights and train your body. I recommend it, the lionesses like it when you've got some muscle on you," Kito said and gave Leo's bicep a squeeze. An adjoining room contained a bath, very much like the one at Imara's apartment. "We get hot water straight from a pipe!" Kito said proudly. "Did you have that where you're from?"

Leo shook his head. "We had to make a fire to get warm water. I heard the heated pipe system is a hyena invention."

"It is. We have better relations with the Cities than the Kingdoms do. Maybe it's because their Houses are led by Matriarchs, so we have share common ground." They entered a dining hall next. "This is where we eat. There's a kitchen and stairs leading down to the underground where the larder is."

"Excellent!" Leo said. "I won't miss the kibble they fed me in the dungeon. I've never cooked before, though."

"Then you better learn," Kito laughed and gave Leo a jovial slap on the back. "That's about all there is to see. Oh, except of course our wall of dicks." He waved for Leo to follow him to the entrance hall where he proudly showed off the little sculptures.

"I wondered about these," Leo said. "Do you make them?"

"No, we do scrimshaw dicks. These are castings taken from every male who joins the pride."

"Oh. Why?" Leo asked. This pride had some odd customs but this one was by far the oddest.

"Tradition. Way back in the first Queen's time, someone started making these as a hobby and the Queen liked the idea of putting them here to humiliate the males. You know, to delionize them, symbolically reduce them to just their genitals, or something like that. It probably worked better back in the day because I think they're pretty fun. They set the mood nicely."

Leo's neck fur stood on end. The wall was having the desired effect on him. Perhaps it was because he was from another pride and hadn't fully internalized his new place yet. However, at the same time, the idea of having to submit to have a casting made of his private parts and put on display was somehow incredibly alluring and he felt he'd have no trouble maintaining an erection through the process.

"Not much to do here, but you'll probably be spending most of your time with Imara anyway for now."

"Speaking of Imara," Leo said as they began making their way back to the room. "What was she like when you were her trainee?"

Kito scratched his chin like he was deep in thought. "I suppose I would say she is strict but fair. She taught me the rules and ethos of the pride, how to submit, and how to please a lioness."

So there were still some lessons to look forward to, Leo thought. "Did she ever punish you?"

"Loads of times! Loads... I had it coming, though. She never punishes without reason."

"On my first day here, I unknowingly embarrassed her in front Mahiri and she caned me until I bled."

Kito chuckled. "Yeah, that would do it. In case you haven't noticed, she and Mahiri have a bit of a rivalry going on. My worst one was when I was still new and misinterpreted a cue and tried to mount her while she was bending over. She hung me upside down by my legs and flogged my cock and balls until I threw up in my mouth!"

Leo's eyes went wide and his testicles tried to retract in sympathy. "Are you sure that was fair?"

"She set me straight," Kito said. "It was either that or expulsion. She's never had to discipline me that harshly since."

"That's... good. I hope all my big mistakes are behind me."

"You've made it this far so they probably are. On the other hand, she now holds you to a higher standard, so be careful."

"How reassuring."

Back at their room, they found Tamu still lying on his bed. Leo sat down on the other one, leaning his back against the wall while Kito sat cross legged on the opposite end. "Hey Tamu," he called out. "We were just sharing stories about Imara. What was the worst punishment she ever gave you?"

"Oh," Tamu mumbled, sitting up. "I'm not sure. This one time, I dropped a bowl of water and she bent me over her knee and spanked me."

Kito stared at him with a blank expression. "What?"

"Yeah. It hurt pretty bad. My butt was all tingly when I tried to sit."

Kito blinked and cracked up, bellowing in laughter. "This fucking nerd! He's so square, even Imara can't find reason to punish him properly!"

Leo too couldn't help but laugh. Tamu scowled and lied back down, turning his back to the two.

"Oh, come on, don't be like that," Kito said. "I think it's actually pretty cool. Not many pride-brothers can say that the worst they got from Imara was a spanking!"

Tamu shrugged but didn't turn around.

"Maybe you should skip that sex education class Imara assigned you, just for the experience," Leo joked.

Tamu paused his sulking for a second to shoot him an angry look.

"Wait what?" Kito exclaimed. "You get to be Dalia's practice dummy? Unbelievable! I've been on the waiting list for over a year!"

"Sorry," Leo said. "I overheard it today at Imara's place. That was confidential, I suppose?"

"It's okay," Tamu mumbled.

"Did you hear any other juicy gossip?" Kito asked.

"I did! Agar gets to sire a cub."

Kito shushed him. "That is confidential. Seriously, don't go talking out loud about that stuff."

"Oh, yes. Right, I get it."

"Anything else interesting?"

"Um. Zeru has been misbehaving and Imara is making him stay in chastity for a month."

Kito's face lit up with glee and he slapped his knee. "Hah! I called it! He's not actually mutinous or anything, he just gets off on mouthing off and being punished. Imara can't stand that sort of thing. She likes her males submissive and obedient."

"So I gathered," Leo said. "How did he even manage to graduate?"

"I think Mahiri was the one to induct him. Where Imara sees misbehavior as something to be corrected by punishment, Mahiri sees an opportunity to punish. Zeru is only too happy to provide her with excuses, so she find him delightful."

"Huh. I hadn't thought of it that way. Does this mean I can get in Mahiri's good graces by misbehaving?"

"Yes, but you gotta do it just the right way, and the reward for it is being punished by her. If that's not your thing, I wouldn't recommend trying."

"Right. Good point."

"So, what else? Oh, how about you tell us about your old pride?"

Leo considered what to say. At first he thought there was nothing to tell, nothing he wanted to tell anyway, but as he thought back, some deep inhibition began to break and soon the words came bubbling out. He told him about life in the Kingdom, the poisonous atmosphere of perpetual competition and betrayal, how he had first learned of a pride ruled by a Queen, and how the idea had captivated him until it was all he could think about, even though it was something he could never admit to anyone else. Kito nodded as he listened intently, appearing genuinely curious. Tamu too turned to around to listen.

Towards the end of his story, the creaking sound of the door opening interrupted Leo. Kito and Tamu quickly went to their knees on the floor. For a few long seconds, Leo was utterly confused. Just as Imara was turning her attention towards him, he gathered his wits and joined the two on the floor.

A small, satisfied smile played on her lips as she looked at the three. "Have you settled in, Leo?" she asked.

"I have, Mistress."

"So quickly? Have you truly, or are you just saying what you think I want to hear?"

"I..." Leo stammered. Speaking of mistakes...

Imara made a tsk sound and shook her head, though still wearing a smile. "I'm not a crown prince who throws a tantrum when he hears bad news. You must always tell me the truth, except when I'm fishing for a compliment."

"Of course, Mistress."

"Stand up, Leo, and get on the bed."

Leo stood. His head swam, and not just because he had jumped up too fast. Imara had promised a reward, hadn't she? He glanced at Kito and Tamu, who were keeping their gaze deferentially fixed to the floor. He went over to the bed and lied down on his back.

Imara laid a bag on the bed next to him. From it, she produced a set of leather cuffs. "Since you're accustomed to sleeping in bondage, I'll help you feel more at home this first night in an unfamiliar place. Put your hands by your sides."

Leo did as instructed, lying flat on the bed, his eyes pointed up at the ceiling. Imara wrapped the first cuff around his left wrist. It was wide with soft padding on the inside so as not to chafe. With a small padlock and short length of chain she attached the cuff to an eyelet on the side of the bed frame (because of course there was one.) As she leaned over him to secure his right hand, Leo enjoyed the sight and sensation of her breasts and bare midriff pressing against him. Done with his arms, she moved down to his feet. She spread his legs and cuffed both ankles, chaining them to the frame as well.

"As for your promised reward," Imara said as she stood over Leo, admiring her handiwork. "Since you've been so good, I will remove your chastity cage for the night."

Leo tensed, his heart beating like it was going to climb up his throat. Imara leaned over him to unlock the cage. His cock peeked out at the first sign of freedom, yearning for touch, becoming so hard it was almost painful.

A sly smile played on Imara's lips. "Kito, I leave him in your care," she said and turned around to leave, then, as if as an afterthought, commanded, "Tamu, with me."

Tamu glanced at Leo and Kito, eyes wide and ears flat in surprise and concern, but he scampered after her.

The door slammed shut. A click of a key turning emanated from the lock. The cool air on his bare throbbing member was like an itch Leo couldn't reach to scratch, no matter how he contorted himself. He didn't even care he wasn't alone in the room, right now all that fit in mind was the burning need to cum after days of being teased and denied.

"Need a hand there?" Kito asked. Leo stopped immediately. He could hear the grin in his voice and discovered he still had capacity for embarrassment.

"Is this another test?" Leo asked.

"It's a bonding exercise. She did this to me too. You can say no."

Leo paused to consider. "O--Okay..."

"Okay what?"

"You can... help me."

Kito smiled and climbed onto the bed, settling on his knees between Leo's spread legs. He leaned down, put his hands on his chest and slowly stroked down to his lower belly and hips. The caress sent sparks down Leo's back that made him catch his breath. To be touched in such a sensual way by another lion raised strange and confusing emotions in him. Leo was glad for the restraints, for otherwise he might have tried to flee such overwhelming feelings.

"Did you ever have sex with other males in your old pride?" Kito asked as he massaged Leo's hips and thighs.

"N--no. It wasn't really... It was considered shameful. At least for the one in the, uh, female position."

"Hmm," Kito said and lowered his head to Leo's crotch. The breath from his nostrils tickled his fur. "If you're the one who's tied up but I'm the one with your cock in my mouth, what position are you in?"

"Ah... I--" Leo began but before he could say anything further, Kito had his tongue wrapped around his shaft. That intimate contact alone almost sent Leo over the edge. His body jerked in response, he instinctively tried to thrust in Kitos's mouth. Kito's hands roamed over Leo's hips and thighs, pushing him down. He brought one hand down to cup his balls, while the other went to massage his sheath. He used the smooth underside of his tongue to lick the head of Leo's penis, sending shivers through his body. That wonderful pressure began building in his cock, and this time there would be no holding back. Leo squeezed his fists and strained hard against his restraints. Kito's suckling, the feel of the chains holding him down, the pent up lust, it was all too much. His mind blanked out. In his last lucid moment he managed to groan out, '"I'm cumming!"

Kito did not stop but redoubled his licking and fondling. Leo roared. His hips bucked and back arched as he shot his load into Kito's eager mouth. It felt like the longest orgasm he had ever had, like all the ones he had missed rolled into one, coming out spurt after spurt like there was no end to it. Kito drank up every last drop.

Leo sank to the bed exhausted. His body felt light, like it was made of cotton. Kito did not torment him with overstimulation, but put the raspy side of his tongue to use grooming his fur. It felt wonderful. He slowly worked his way towards his collar, licking up every inch of his belly and chest. Leo enjoyed every minute of his attentions, as well as the feeling of his weight on top of him. Once he reached his throat, Leo reflexively turned his head up and let out a purring exhale. Kito's brushlike licks across his throat and chin somehow felt even more intimate than having his mouth wrapped around his cock.

Kito settled down to lie on his side next to Leo, his legs wrapped around his.

"That was... amazing," Leo said. "I'm sorry I can't do the same for you."

"I'm sure you'll get a chance," Kito said while softly stroking Leo's chest. For the first time since he had learned to appreciate bondage, Leo wished he wasn't tied down so he could better cuddle with Kito. He settled with nuzzling him and enjoying his pettings until the sun had gone down and it was time to sleep. What an exiting day it had been and who knew what tomorrow would bring, like a whole new chapter in his life was about to begin.