Anna of Ishtar
Anna of Ishtar
A dark magenta and fuchsia furred vixen with fandango hair and eyes in black leather armor that reveals more than it conceals with a rose colored cloak strolls through an autumn forest with a scimitar at her side and a round shield painted with the eight pointed star of the goddess Ishtar in her left hand. Black leather glove-gauntlets cover her hands and forearms with reinforced boots on her shins even if her rack is on display for all to see. Her stride has a swagger in it that belies her confidence as an Amazon priestess of the goddess Ishtar who is right now spoiling for a fight.
In a clearing with a cabin and a lake the general size of area as New Jersey, with waterfalls originating from a series of low mountains is a bridge to the island in the lake and then onto a mountain path. She needs to pass through the region to get to her temple and she has already been in one fight with a pack of goblins, she has a stack of ears in her rucksack as proof, but they were hardly a challenge. Unfortunately for her, a challenging spar is just over the bridge.
Bathing in the waterfall is a naked bear with black fur, red hair and gray eyes but he is a grizzly rather than a proper black bear. On the beach is a leather kilt and cloak, both in black with a large round shield featuring the tree of life and a war ax, wooden bracers and grieves. From the choice of armor and weapons, there is a quiver of javelins as well; Anna assumes the bear is a druid, which should be perfect for her to beat up.
"Hey!" Anna yells to the bear. "Big butt!"
"Little vixen better not be talking to me," The bear thunders back. "Unless she's spoiling for a fight."
"And if I am?" She teases. "What is your name, druid?"
"My name is Herman," the bear replies as he wades through the water to get to the island and then growls at the vixen. "And who might you be?"
"I am Anna of Ishtar," Anna proudly and stands defiantly before Herman, even if she is a little intimidated now that his full eight inch over seven foot frame is almost towering over her six inches over five feet in height and he is definitely stronger than her by the looks of him. "And yes, I am spoiling for a god brawl."
"What terms?" Herman asks with a smirk.
"Fight till one of us is unconscious, and then winner does what they please to the loser," Anna says with a smile.
"Anything?" Herman asks with a sly grin. "I think I may like this, lay down your sword and shield and we can get started."
Anna takes scimitar out of its shield and lays it down on top of her shield before lashing out at Herman with a vicious kick that bounces off of his thigh as he throws a punch at her that knocks her down with the sheer power behind it. She tries to counter with a leg sweep from position but he barely acknowledges the hit. Then she does something really stupid: she charges the bear with the idea that she is going to run him over.
Herman braces for her charge and when she runs into him he wraps his arms around her waist and gives her a hug. He maintains the hold as she pounds his chest with his fist. It's at this time that Herman gives her a head butt and puts her lights out.
Gently, Herman lays Anna down and looks under the skirt that completes the torso armor of her body and finds nothing underneath. Her breasts are already exposed so the first thing he does is lick and suckle at her tits which elicits a moan from the unconscious Anna. He then fondles her groin as he attends to her rack with an occasional touch to his own genitals to get him hard enough to take full advantage of the situation.
Once Herman has fully inserted his cock into Anna's pussy the warrior-priestess begins to awaken and realize what is happening. Of course given the fact that he has a nice big ax and could have very well have killed her before she came to, getting fucked is something of a blessing. But still she is wondering why he didn't just kill her and move on.
"I'm actually a ranger with druidic tendencies," Herman admits. "I don't kill unless I have a reason to. Hunting is one thing, outright murder is another. Besides, it's been awhile since I last had sex, especially when a lovely vixen like yourself offers herself so willingly."
"You're a warrior, like me? I though most rangers were archers?" Anna asks.
"A lot of rangers are archers," Herman admits. "But I was born into a family of travelling Mercenaries. I learned the value of a good shield and a powerful weapon. More to make sure I can protect others. My first few jobs after my trials of manhood were over were as a caravan guard. Not to mention a scout."
"So, for you surviving the encounter became most important," Anna asks, "It's getting late, we might as well make camp. Would you mind having sex again after we eat?"
"Not at all," Herman says with a smirk. "I suggest we use the cabin though, Crystal Lake has a bit of a reputation lately. We can also disable the bridge for the night."
"Uh, Herman, are there supposed to be giant catfish around here?" Anna asks a little worriedly. "And if so do they usually look that weird?"
"That's no catfish!" Herman thunders as he lunges for his javelins. "That's an abhorrynth!"
Herman reaches his javelins in time to hurl a few at the monster beaching itself on the island that looks like a tadpole the size of a rowboat with a quartet of tentacles and a trio of lobed eyes in the front of its face. Anna is repulsed by the creature even as Herman is incensed. Anna picks up her shield, sheathes her scimitar and takes a spear out of one of her rucksacks as Herman takes up his ax and shield.
The abhorrynth waves its tentacle as if casting a spell as fish people start to emerge from the water. Herman ignores the four fish folk and goes right for the abhorrynth with only his shield to protect him as he brings the blade of his ax to bear on the main monster. Anna uses her spear to try to keep the club wielding fish folk at bay and is moderately successful as she skewers one enough to make it stagger back while the other three keep advancing.
Only one of the fish men tries to hit Anna with his club as the other two got straight to defend their master. Or at least that's what Anna assumes as the fish folk seem to be under the abhorrynth's command. One of fish misses Herman entirely while the other has his club bounce off of Herman's shield which is exactly what the one attacking Anna did.
Anna spears the one enemy that hit her shield with its club as the first one is advancing to strike her as well. Herman gets another solid hit on the abhorrynth which tries to retaliate but Herman maneuvers its minions so they get hit instead of himself. Even the abhorrynth itself is surprised when Herman's next hit nearly splits its skull its so amazing as he manages to hit just the right spot to do some major damage.
In fact Herman's last hit was so good the abhorrynth is now more focused with getting back into the pool than continuing the fight which gives Herman an opening that he takes but pays for it by having his shins dinged by the clubs. Unfortunately for the abhorrynth, Herman is still very much in the fight as he splashes in the water to take another swipe at it. The two that were attacking Anna now break off to join their brothers attacking the bear which gives her an opportunity for a good solid hit that she takes and runs her spear through the heart of the one fish man which causes him to collapse, dead before he hits the ground.
She stabs the other one but the hit isn't as spectacular although it does slow it down as it really feels injured by the vixen. Just then Herman gets a crippling strike that rips the side of the beast he is battling right open. It starts to sink as Herman turns to his pursuers and gives one of them a face full of shield followed by a slash to the belly before blocking the hit from his partner.
Anna gets a third poke on the survivor of the two that were initially attacking her and it still won't go down, but with its master gone it turns to her with full furry. Herman slits the throat of the one that causes it fall down dead before giving its partner a twirling shield bash that sends it reeling. It gets the idea that it might not be able to win this fight and starts to flee when Herman's ax cleaves its spine in twain while Anna plunges her spear into the heart of her opponent.
"Now what are you up to?" Anna whines.
"Oh, nothing much," Herman lies, "I'm just going to make sure the meat doesn't go to waste."
"You're not serious!?!" Anna yells indignantly and then the realization hits her, "Oh, wait they were fish people, are they edible?"
"Yup, so's this thing, amazingly," Herman says as he drags the abhorrynth in from where it sank. "It actually does taste like catfish."
"Catfish is good eating," Anna agrees. "I know a few ways to cook them actually."
"Well, then how about you do most of the cooking while I make sure we won't be surprised by bandits from the mainland?" Herman asks.
Anna is not about to argue with him and goes to work making a nice meal for the two of them. She attends to the little garden in the back of the shed before she uses some of the herbs to cook the food properly. After securing the bridges Herman prepares the dead for future lodgers by various means.
Once the banquet is prepared , Anna herself is amazed at what she could cook up, something drops into the fireplace and raises a cloud of dust. A soot covered disc of flesh featuring twin eye stalks above and a small forest of tentacles below. The vixen is ready to freak out but the bear takes a look at the approaching thing and waves to it.
"Are you out of your mind?" Anna asks of Herman in a harsh whisper.
"Relax, it's just a fryzzbeeng," Herman says back. "They're a rarity among aberrations in that they usually have helpful advice." Then he turns to the fryzzbeeng and greets it. "Good evening, fryzzbeeng, how are you tonight?"
"Well I am, ranger," the fryzzbeeng says in a wheezy voice. "Congratulations on killing the abhorrynth, it was a scout slaver for a colony deeper in."
"Any risk of them trying to establish a beach head?" Herman asks in a somewhat worried tone.
"Probing they still are," the fryzzbeeng replies. "Monster Hunter are you?"
"You could say that," Herman accedes. "I work for the Druid Council."
"Why am I not surprised?" Anna sighs.
"Contact with Council my people desire," the fryzzbeeng states, "Listen to our warnings they are willing to be."
"Yeah, they would," Herman states. "I have something for you and your people actually from the council." He digs into his bag and pulls out a crystal skull of rose quartz. "This is Maya; she will help you connect with the council,"
"Honored am I," the fryzzbeeng states, "bring this back to my people I shall."
The fryzzbeeng creates a hole in floor and drops down into it, carrying the skull with it. Herman writes a note in the secret script of the druid before summoning a carrier kite. The small bird of prey comes in and samples the seafood on the table before accepting Herman's message and flying away.
"What was that all about?" Anna asks.
"The council has been honestly trying to get in touch with the fryzzbeengs for years now," Herman explains. "As I said before, they are among the only known type of abomination that actively strives to warn others of those things that lie in wait in the deeper dark beyond what we know."
"So while most rangers allied with the Druid Council kill aberrations on the spot, you don't kill those things because they are helpful to your overall goals?" Anna asks with a confused tone. "Doesn't that seem a little anomalous to you?"
"Yes and no," Herman admits honestly. "As far as we see it: fryzzbeengs are the exception that proves the rule."
The pair enjoys their meal in relative silence as they are both too hungry to do much more than stuff their faces. Neither one has much in the way of table manners beyond the fact that both are well versed in the utilization of utensils. After dinner they clean up quickly as desert is each other.
There is no bed chamber to speak of but a common room with several layers of furs and pillows of varying degree of softness to lay on or against as the case may be. The Druid Council lays claim to these lands and thus maintains the cabin as a way station and not a hostel. The watch towers probably have some more akin to a proper bed although in that case its more like a futon frame that one can put bedrolls on than any proper bed.
Anna removes her armor, which ultimately reveals nothing Herman hasn't seen before but it makes her more comfortable none the less. Herman actually has more to take off than Anna does and he strips in full view of the vixen as he is not exactly shy but he isn't an exhibitionist either. When all is removed, Herman's body is fairly plain, very Gothic in his color scheme of black, red and gray but no extraneous markings or tattoos although he does have barbell piercings on his nipples, a volcano ladder on his scrotum and a Prince Albert piercings on his cock, all part of the ritual of manhood for his family that he had to endure as a way of proving he had the endurance to survive whatever life was going to throw at him.
Herman lays on his back and lets Anna touch and feel whatever parts of him she wants to examine as she crawls on top of him to examine his body. Her knowledge of adulthood rituals is extensive enough to note what all the piercings might mean as well as be impressed as to how extensive it is. Her own order forbids piercings and tattoos except in certain cases where it is something to be earned and she has not earned the privilege of getting pierces as of yet.
Anna licks at Herman's scrotum; suckling on his testicles as part of her effort of drawing out his phallus to suck on while Herman licks at her slit before suckling on her clit in reciprocation of the pleasure that he is receiving. Embarrassment soon washes over Anna as she begins to realize the ranger is actually more experienced than she is even though he is not of a profession that learns the techniques of lovemaking. Her only saving grace is that the techniques she knows and uses to get him up and off are more sure and he is partially guessing what she might like as he has had sex with other females before.
Herman begins to moan as he enjoys the administrations of Anna's lips upon his member as he gets harder in her mouth. Anna smirks to herself even as she stifles a moan as she is enjoying what Herman is doing with his mouth as well as her fuchsia furred natural gloves, she is a fox caresses his scrotum as she takes his member fully into her mouth. Fuchsia furred feet from the natural socks of a fox slip under the black furred legs of the bear as Anna switches from sucking on Herman's fat phallus to riding it as she arches her back in pleasure.
The bear draws her little fox chest closer to his own muzzle as he bucks his hips to help make her ride even more memorable. The vixen can guess what her partner wants and is not about to deny him at this point and is even anticipating it as her pussy starts to drool all over the invader lodged within her. She moans as he suckles her tits, holding his head to her breasts as he ramrods her rear.
Outside however trouble stirs in the gloom as an undead human, a race long since past on this world yet still their corpses remain in certain isolated places, dressed in rusting chainmail armor complete with a steel skull mask and skullcap helmet crawls onto the island with a bastard sword in his hand. He has arisen many times since his death to murder those who make love before they are properly married as a moral judgment on a world that has long since moved on and left the faith he followed in the gutter of history. But whether or not the lovers believe in his faith does not matter, they are violating its laws and must be punished.
It tries to enter the cabin to do its duty but finds the door locked as well as the door itself reinforced with enchanted iron. Sonjay Von Sheer is undaunted and sheathes its blade and goes looking for the ax used to chop wood but does not find it as Herman put it away properly. Again it draws its sword as the sounds of the hybrids rutting reaches its undead ears and drives it insane with righteous anger.
Von Sheer is determined to cut its way into the cabin to slay its occupants in their godless hedonism but it is also expecting them to cower in fear of its righteousness. The pounding on the door the sword makes incenses Herman that he climaxes early and that pisses Anna off. Neither one deigns to get fully redressed and instead grab their weapons and shields to deal with the interloper.
Anna undoes the lock so Herman can kick open the door, a move that catches the undead killer unawares and sends it back a bit as the man and woman it was going to slaughter advance with righteous fury in their eyes. Sonjay rushes forth wordlessly with its blade held high only to be cut by a scimitar and a war ax simultaneously around the middle. Herman bashes the head of the revenant with his shield which further addles the thing and sends it spinning.
Sonjay swings at the female first but her shield thwarts his murderous intentions. Then Herman decapitates it which causes the body to fall temporarily as Anna rolls it back into the lake. Anna gets a nice blazing hearth going and blesses it with a prayer to Ishtar as Herman tosses in the head of their interloper. Ishtar herself collects the spirit of the former man turn monstrosity and takes it to her celestial abode to play with it until she gets bored.
Herman leads Anna back to the furs where they bed down for the night and drift off to dreamland with Anna's hand on Herman's spent dick. In the morning, Anna awakens before Herman but discovers that he has wood to her dark delight. She decides to return the favor he did for that got them into this mess in the first place and mounts him so as to stuff herself with his sausage.
By riding his pole without clearing it with the owner first, Anna has the potential of getting herself into trouble again as Herman is coaxed into full wakefulness by the activity. The bear is irkfully amused and just rolls over on the priestess so he can take over as he pins her to the furs and licks her breasts as he reams her cunt with his cock. The vixen smirks and just lets it happen as she silently invokes the rite of the sacred prostitute gladly doing what is needed so they both have a good morning.
Anna did have tentative plans on having a semen breakfast shake but she enjoys having his load shot into her womb just as much as she almost wishes she could lactate with all the attention he is paying to her rack. Reheated leftovers are what they have to eat and it is fare they chow down with delight. After breakfast they go their separate ways with the Amazon priestess making her way to her temple and the ranger to travel to a Stonehenge as the druids are preparing to celebrate Samhain and need warriors like him to help with security.
The temple of Ishtar is situated in a cliff city set in the face of one of the mountains from whom the waterfall originates. Anna is practically glowing when she arrives as the good feeling of the morning's romp with the bear has not yet worn off. In fact he is in her thoughts as she checks in with the brothel hospital the temple runs as part of the natural services of their faith.
"You look like you had a nice and fulfilling rutting, Anna," Mother Superior Olga, a usually dour wolverine, beams at the vixen novice as s she is practically brimming with energy as she is examined.
"Oh that is putting it mildly, Mother Superior," Anna says with a grin. :"I kind of bit off more than I could choose at first but I'm not sure what I would change if anything of my recent experience."
"Sounds like you had quite an adventure," Judy, a mouse nurse says, "There's enough semen in your womb to prove that much. What species did you encounter?"
"I killed a bunch of goblins," Anna relates as she takes out the ears to prove it, "But they weren't much of a challenge so I challenged a bear."
"Why do I get the impression your ambition got the better of you?" Olga asks.
"It did, I got clobbered but all Herman did was fuck me after I lost to him," Anna explains with a guilty grin. "Then we had to deal with an abhorrynth and some fish folk."
"You helped the ranger fight an aberration?" Judy asks.
"Yeah, it was nasty too, I used my spear against the fish folk and he took down the abhorrynth," Anna relates her tale, "Then we had dinner of the monsters we just killed, then something weird visited us. Herman called it a fryzzbeeng, gave a rose quartz crystal skull and then it left. After which we cleaned up and some fun before going to sleep."
"I take it Herman works for the Druid Council?" Mother Superior growls.
"Yes, Mother Superior," Anna answers, "He had an Yggdrasil shield. We had an undead pest to deal with that caused him climax too soon but we dealt with it and went back to business."
"How long has it been since you got off of him?" Olga asks.
"Hours ago actually," Anna admits.
"And you still have afterglow?" Judy asks to which Anna just nods. "Ishtar is pleased with you at least."
"This is intolerable," Olga grumps. "The Council has gone too far. And you should have known better, Anna."
"If it helps, I thought he was a druid when I saw his armor and weapons on the shore as he was bathing." Anna offers.
"Not really," Olga growls, "Anna, you're hostess duties until I work out what to do with you properly."
"What did I do?" Anna asks as Olga storms off.
"Fraternizing with the enemy apparently," Joy says as an answer as she shrugs her shoulders. "Mother Superior is none too fond of the Council."
"And know her, I'd be in for a heap of trouble if she learned I was enjoying myself once everything was said and done." Anna states with a sigh.
"Well," Judy propositions, "All things considered, would you fuck him again?"
"Absolutely!" Anna replies. "The bear was gentle and more attentive than many clients I have entertained. In fact I might even go so far as to consider being his wife."
"Our goddess is one of passion," Judy lectures, "She guides us to fulfill our lusts without hesitation. She also can be fickle, but she definitely enjoys when her servants pursue what they enjoy and whom."
"He was going to Stonehenge when we parted ways," Anna says. "Isn't that a major meeting space for the Druid Council?"
"It is and the festival of Samhain is close at hand," Judy answers and shudders at the feast of the dark harvest.
"How far reaching is that?" Anna asks as she gets ready to go down to the festhall that the temple also manages as a means of making money. "I am not looking forward to this. Dealing with drunk and rude gentlemen is no treat."
"Maybe you'd prefer having Herman fondle you a little more," Judy teases.
"Don't knock it," Anna teases back. "The bear may have big hands but he knows how to use them."
Anna stands in front of a podium in an outfit that exposes her assets to any and all potential customers to the inn. She has to reiterate that she is not "on the menu" as many lewd customers want to put it as the atmosphere turns even bawdier as the day goes long. The only real saving grace is when a white furred and black haired young goat druidess comes in and sits herself to just have an ale and watch the girls.
"Mind if I join you?" Anna asks when she gets a break to the lady goat druidess.
"Not at all, I'm Selma," The goat says as she nods to the vixen. "It's Anna isn't it?"
"Yes, I'm not sure if I told you when you came in," Anna says in a guarded tone.
"You didn't but you looked like the vixen Herman talked about," Selma replies.
"How is he?" Anna asks. "I enjoyed sleeping with him last night."
"He's well," Selma answers, "He almost had trouble keeping his attention. The Archdruid was amused when he found out the cause was you."
"I'm happy to have left that much of an impression on him," Anna says with a giggle, "A good impression I hope."
"More or less," Selma giggles back. "But I wonder, I know some of the girls that work here also do prostitution. Is there a way to tell?"
"Any priestess wearing the morning star pendant of Ishtar is a potential sacred prostitute if she is willing and the Mother Superior isn't in a foul mood." Anna admits. "What did you have in mind?"
"We have the Samhain festival coming up and I was wondering..." Selma begins.
"If some of the girls might want to work the event?" Anna asks teasingly.
"Yes, that's more or less what I'm asking," Selma confirms. "We are trying to make this a more communal celebration. Plus I know more than a few of my fellow druidesses and witches would like some pointers on better sex and even tantric magic."
"Mother Superior Olga would be the one to talk to about tantric magic, but I wouldn't suggest it," Anna warns, "She got cross with me about not slitting Herman's throat while he slept apparently. I take it Herman will be there?"
"Definitely, he's one of our more senior rangers," Selma returns. "He'll be working the security of the even but if he has a pleasant distraction..."
"I'll try to be there," Anna half promises, "Even if I have to sneak out in disguise."
"We are making it a costume event," Selma says, "It's a tradition of ours."
"I'm liking this party already," Anna says excitedly. "I'll spread the ward among those that enjoy their role as sacred prostitutes among the sisterhood. Anything I can get you personally before I go back on duty?"
"I can think of a few things," Selma says as she reaches out to touch Anna's breasts. "I like sleeping with Herman from time to time myself, Maybe we can prepare notes?"
"Sounds like a plan," Anna coos before calling out, "Yo, Bertha!"
"For such a little fox you got a big muzzle, you know that?" A lady bison calls over with mock indignation. "What do you want in any case?"
"I got a bit of a client I need to confer with in private," Anna coos at full volume.
"Would you be willing to take trade in apple cider flavored healing potions?" Selma offers. "Or at least a copy of the recipe on how to make them?"
"Make sure the recipe gets shared, Anna," Bertha growls.
"We've been able to make cherry, grape, orange and mint flavored potions,' Anna explains, "But nothing with apple flavor of any kind. Plus Bertha loves Apple Cider, especially well made and fresh."
"And potent?" Selma teases and Bertha gives her an astonished look. "The Council likes making hard cider and wassail among other potent beverages. We've making extra for the Samhain festival."
"Mother Superior would want to kill any of that attended." Bertha says dejectedly.
"It's a costume party, as I understand it.," Anna announces to which Selma just nods.
"We can discuss details later," Bertha whispers, "Right now get going before old battle britches decides to see what the hubbub is about."
Anna giggles to herself as she guides Selma to an isolated bedroom.
"We love and support our Mother Superior," Anna feels the need to explain, "Even when we are following our hearts and not her directions."
Selma just nods and undresses, revealing she was not wearing a stitch under that robe of hers which only amuses Anna more. The recipe card is easy enough to share as are a couple of samples. Anna calls in a the rabbit scribe of the sisterhood, Lorelei the Librarian and tasks her with making multiple copies of the recipe available and to especially put one in Bertha's message box as she does a lot of the potion making of the temple here as Selma asks for a recipe card of the mint recipe which Lorelei freely gives as they are on the same wavelength that knowledge shared is knowledge increased.
Anna licks and suckles at Selma's tits as the other rubs her groin. The confirmation that Herman has a partial obsession with boobs is confirmed by an off comment Selma makes when Anna attends her rack. Although Selma admits that she has never sucked on Herman's dick.
The vixen takes a silvery blob of slime off the window sill and pets it to make it elicit a purring sound. The goat looks askance of the vixens as goo with this level of sentience is usually bad. When Anna holds it up to her groin the ooze creature attaches and lodges itself in her pussy and anus.
"We call this thing a phalluxy, it's a mutation of the standard silver pudding," Anna explains. "It feeds off of female ejaculation and less savory bodily functions. A skunk alchemist cultivates them in her laboratory for us in exchange for various recipes we find."
"It's relatively harmless then?" Selma asks as it forms itself into a hard dildo. "I take it you use this on each other as well?"
"Yes, and some open minded males as well," Anna coos seductively. "Care to taste?"
"Alright, although get enough hard cider into Herman and he might be intrigued by the idea of a female fucking him for a change." Selma says as she suckles the hard protrusion a little. "That 's intriguing it's a little fruity but it tastes like some of our harder liquors without the buzz of drunkenness."
"And I though Bertha could be obsessed with booze," Anna teases.
"More like the goddess and the god have tasked us with finding ways of making sure as little gets wasted as possible form a kill by one of our carnivorous members to a given harvest. In this we believe we honor the animals and plants who sacrificed so much to provide us our daily sustenance."
"I got the impression that some of your order hated us and what we do." Anna prompts as she slides the phalluxy into Selma's pussy.
"That depends on who you talk to honestly," Selma answers through a moans. "Not all animals come together only to procreate. And we get false heats for some reason. Oh! That does feel good."
"Just like everything else that we find," Anna says with a smirk as she can feel the phalluxy wiggle within her indicating it's a happy little slime. "Oh, yes! You're enjoying yourself aren't you Egon?" Selma gives he a smirk. "I treat it like a pet and named it Egon. In some of my meditations, it helps me masturbate."
"Taranos and the Morrigan!" Selma shouts, "I'm cumming!"
"We can both feed my little pet monster!" Anna calls out as they climax together before giving each other a passionate kiss. "That was nice, you think Herman would like a two girl night?"
"I have yet to know any male who prefers females to a fellow male who would turn that offer down." Selma giggles.
"By the way, do rangers marry?" Anna asks.
"They're not supposed to," Selma says. "None of us are. I can't marry, nor could any witch or ranger. It is part of our oaths to serve nature and our fellow chimeras as best we can. That includes sexually consoling them if necessary. But any children must be cared for by both parents."
"If say Herman were to get me pregnant?" Anna asks in all seriousness.
"He would be honor bound by his oaths to what he could to help the raise the child." Selma states. "If he fathers a son, unless the child want to do something else, he would take his son on as an apprentice when old enough." The she nuzzles Anna's rack. "Any daughters would be expected to train to follow in their mother's footsteps. That is our tradition."
"Good to know, because if I were to do what my heart tells me, my Mother Superior would go ballistic" Anna states and then gets a wild look on her face. "Shit, I think I hear her now."
"Wear a disguise and come to the festival," Selma suggests. "We can talk a little more openly there."
Selma then turns in a raven and flies away well before Olga comes storming into the room to yell at Anna and Selma. But when Olga finds only Anna she confines the subordinate to quarters for a week. The whole week finds Anna falling in a deep coma like sleep that worries Olga but in actuality Anna is having a nice long talk with Ishtar herself where the goddess instructs her of her will.
"You have done well, Anna," Ishtar in the form of a fiery maned traditional gray wolf says to the novice. "By happenstance you found a male to be passionate with. Would you take my counsel or Olga's as a guide for your life?"
"Olga is my superior but you are above her, my Goddess," Anna answers honestly.
"Good girl," Ishtar says. "I am pleased with you and what you are doing. As long as you give pleasure and passion in my name for the good of all you are living my teachings."
"Thank you, my goddess." Anna says as she wakes up from her slumber.
Olga is not pleased by what she supposes just happen as she is apparently falling out of favor with Ishtar with her controlling ways. Unfortunately she also knows that if any Sister of Passion were to believe that she was talking to her Goddess directly any order the deity would utter supersedes her own authority. The next week Ola announces she is going on Sabbatical to renew her vows and reflect on her actions, but she does not leave anyone in charge but instead warns that the temple better still be here when she returns.
Sisters of Passion blindly loyal to Olga do not take over but keep a close watch and threatens to report their fellow sisters to the Mother Superior on her return if they don't "behave" although Anna and a few others make plans to attend the Druid Samhain festival and make it a true community event. Of the cabal of Olga's followers will be left behind to mind the store as they are vehemently against anything the Druid Council does as the Mother Superior would be. So whether or not they said so they volunteered themselves in any case as the delights of the carnival that is being planned to honor the dead and celebrate the past is in full swing.