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Anise woke with a start.

An unfamiliar, prickly heat pressed down uncomfortably on her skin. She clutched her fingers as her gaze drowsily spanned, feeling only warmth and shifting coarseness between them. Crusted eyes blinked slowly, disorientation and confusion muddling her mind as shimmering gold and pale blue loomed. Something bright moved and a crawling sensation sent shivers up her spine.

She gazed downwards, settling on an amber scorpion. It rested lazily on her tail, its weight pressing down into the fluffy fur. They both froze at the same instant, unmoving for what seemed like ages. Then the scorpion tired of their game and clenched its claws before shuffling forward. She reflexively whipped her tail, flinging it away. With another shiver at the sensation's lingering memory she leapt to her feet and scooted away from the indignant scorpion.

Fully awake now, Anise turned to examine her surroundings, spinning in a slow circle as her heart began to pound faster. Sand. Dunes and waves and seas of golden sand that sparkled in the relentless sunlight. Rising from it at distant intervals were fallen pillars and crumbling structures hued a dirty bone-white. Far to the east crags and flat plateaus smudged the clear blue of the sky.

"Where...am I?" she breathed, falling slowly to her knees.

No one answered.

Releasing a deep sigh, she closed her eyes and thought back. Faint shapes slipped away like the sand between her fingers, memories on the verge of revealing and blurry faces that seemed deeply familiar. But try as she might she could not reach any of them. With each attempt they were swept away, almost as if an unseen hand was keeping them just out of her grasp.

The almost-remembering quickly left her with itchy frustration. Angrily, she clutched at one of the images; a place, a time, it didn't really matter, and held it firmly in her mind. The mysterious evasiveness persisted, sweeping aside the image, blurring it, bringing distracting thoughts forward, such as how hungry she was. But she stubbornly focused and eventually the image became clearer.

Before recognition drew near a wave of pure dread flashed ice-cold across her skin, emanating from one of the obscured memories. Her eyes flew open as she recoiled. It took her a moment longer to realize that her heart was thundering and she was gulping air. Her arms were wrapped tightly around herself, nails digging deep enough to draw beads of vermillion blood. A slow shiver ran through her body as she hastily let the memories fade, deciding then to not try that again.

Ever.

Another sigh escaped her lips. Now she was not only lost, but also had no idea how she became lost in the first place. Or a lot of other things. High on that list was why. Disturbing enough that her memories were so eerily distorted-she knew that couldn't be normal. Or, she admitted grudgingly, unintentional.

With nothing else to occupy her, survival instincts began to boldly step forward seeking attention. It was hot, and only getting hotter. She had no water, which was bad, because she was pretty sure this was a desert. And she was hungry. Really hungry. She wondered when it was that she last ate or had something to drink, which might also help her decide how urgent her current situation was, but even those memories were locked away.

Sitting there in the growing heat and on the verge of tears, she almost didn't notice the swish-swishing of sand being brushed aside. Startled, she turned towards the sound and was surprised to find two blocky lizard-like...creatures, making their way towards her. Their color and texture were almost exactly the same as sand, which was probably why she hadn't see them approaching. Sharp angles and ridges cut through the dunes as if they were water; the lower half of their bodies were submerged and undulating like a snake, tails sweeping side to side. Riding on top of the leading one, to her utter amazement, was a lupine humanoid.

She-Anise realized now that even heat-blurred the figure was distinctly female-was wearing a patterned robe colored the same as the beast she rode on. Dumbfounded, she stood and waited while they approached and came to a slow stop. The female tugged down the hood of her robe and glanced curiously at her before panning her gaze across the quiet emptiness of the desert.

"What are you?" the stranger asked softly, catching her completely off guard.

As she stood there stupidly, Anise realized that she could ask the same exact question. The female's youthful body was slender but toned and covered in a beautiful coat of fur hued a somewhat darker shade of cream. A bushy tail like her own waved lazily behind the stranger, matching her fur and the pointed ears that rested on her head. Hazel eyes were framed by dark brunette hair that fell wildly down to her shoulders. A short muzzle protruded from her face, tipped with a dark canine nose and colored an even lighter shade than the rest of her. Anise saw that the lighter hues ran down her throat and splashed wide, likely continuing down across her front.

"Um..my people call ourselves aefth," she finally said. More because it felt correct than because she actually knew.

The lupine female clicked her tongue at the animal beneath her. It rose out of the sand on two heavily muscled and stony legs, shook sand off itself, and then hunched down. With practiced ease she slide off and whispered to the beast, stroking its head. It made a pleased purring sound and lumbered off-leading the other which carried various bundles-to do who knew what. The female turned away from them and moved closer until her nose was barely an inch away from Anise's.

Unblinking eyes regarded her. "You appear..human, yet also iriima." A hand rose to caress her pale cheek, then continued upwards to stroke Anise's pointed ears. "Eyes of deep gold and sable hair that flows free like silk. Beautiful, if unusual."

Neither of those sounded terribly familiar, but she expected the stranger was one of them. Rather than asking she mumbled a quick thanks, feeling more than a little uncomfortable with her proximity and the simple honesty in her compliment.

"What words do you wear?"

Anise blinked. "Huh?"

"Name."

Oh. "Anislcia," she replied slowly. "But you can call me Anise."

"I am Lynn of Clan Hazewind." The beautiful female frowned and crossed an arm across her chest. "You do not wear a clan's claim, nor do I see their marks on you. Are you of the humans?"

"I don't even know what or who humans are."

Lynn sighed. "And I can not tell from where you hail by your accent, for you have none." There was a brief pause where she seemed lost in thought. "Tell me, then. How did you come to be alone in the harsh depths of the Anjari?"

There was slight suspicion in her question, Anise heard. She flattened her ears as she thought of how to respond, because though the simple truth was that she didn't know she was aware of Lynn's unasked question: Without mounts, food, water, or any other supplies, how had she even survived getting lost in the first place?

Eventually she gave up, defeated, and flicked her tail in frustration. "I don't know. I woke up here, strange as it sounds, and I don't even know where here is. I don't think I've seen anyone like you ever before, or these humans, but I can't be sure because I can't remember a bloody thing."

A bit of pity came to Lynn's eyes. "Perhaps..a head wound?"

"I don't think so," she replied, shrugging and sitting back down on the sand. "My head's not aching or bruised. I can think just fine and I remember a lot of other things like my name and what I am."

Silence, then, "That is..odd."

"I know," she said tiredly. "But it's the truth, as impossible as it sounds."

Lynn did not respond and simply turned to gaze across the desert. She didn't doubt that the female would leave her behind-it's what she would do if a helpless stranger appeared out of nowhere with an awfully spotty tale. That would likely mean her death, because even if someone else did chance upon her in the middle of these wastes it was unlikely that the exchange would go any better than this one.

A form knelt beside her. Anise turned and saw Lynn's soft face regarding her without much emotion.

"I will not leave you to die if it is not your choice," she said quietly. "But if you come with me, you will be seppau."

"Sapepuu?"

"Seppau," Lynn corrected. "I will lay claim to you and take responsibility for your actions and well being, thus you will be mine."

"I'm not going to be your slave!" she replied, disgusted.

Lynn simply shrugged. "Always does a choice exist, and here it is no different. You may choose me or you may choose the Anjari, but choose quickly for I wish to cover more ground before highsun."

The lupine female walked off and whistled to her strange creatures who came eagerly to her petting palm. Anise watched them, frustration and anger and desperation swirling together inside her. Her stomach twisted painfully from both hunger and anxiety. This was insane. Despite what Lynn had said, it really wasn't much of a choice. Die or become enslaved. She didn't even know anything about Lynn's people. Her servitude could last seasons or eternity. Or for all she knew they ate their slaves during some kind of barbaric ceremony. That was just wild imagination and fear working in tandem, she hoped, but she couldn't be sure that it wouldn't be the case. Ultimately though, what did it matter? If nothing else, it was die now or die later.

"You have decided?" Lynn asked as she returned.

"Yes," she huffed angrily. "And I think you know what I chose."

She smiled softly. "Then pledge to me your body and mind, and I will accept."

Lynn patiently walked her through an odd and drawn out ritual, telling her that while it was not optimal it would have to do. Afterward she pulled lengths of thick rope from one of the saddlebags resting on the back of her strange creature and began to tightly tie Anise's arms behind her back. After she was done she bound another length above the low leather boots she was apparently wearing, hobbling her so that she could walk comfortably but not run very well. Finally, another longer length was tied loosely around her neck and wrapped around a small, hooked nob on the saddle of Lynn's mount.

"Is this..necessary?" Anise asked tiredly, offering no resistance.

"A precaution," Lynn replied with a shrug. "I believe your words, but you are still foreign and unproven to me and I am not one who takes risks that need not be taken. I am sorry."

With that she lifted herself onto her creature's lowered back and clicked her tongue at it. Anise watched as the reptile began moving forward before stretching its long neck downwards and sliding slowly into the sand. When half of its body was submerged it resumed the same pattern of movement it had been using when she first saw it. The other reptile quickly followed after the first. She watched them for a moment before realizing it would be a good idea to follow them before the rope around her neck became a noose.

Thankfully Lynn had them travel much more slowly than when they approached, probably to accommodate her being on foot. They moved quietly, but that was mostly because Lynn ignored her attempts at conversation. So instead she took to staring off in the distance, wondering what all the white ruins were, what they had been before, and what might have caused their degradation into architectural bones.

At midday, when the sun was directly above, they stopped. Heat literally radiated from the sand, sapping strength and making any further traveling a waste of energy. Anise was glad for the break; she was drenched in sweat and swore she was going to die of thirst. Lynn set up a small tent with practiced ease and brought her to sit in the shade, but didn't remove her bindings. She did however put a waterskin to her lips and allowed her a deep drink, then fed her bits of hard biscuits while eating some herself.

When the sun began to sink a little Lynn packed up the tent and they resumed their journey. The sands were quiet for the rest of the day, the heat slowly dying until a chill began to sweep the residual warmth from the sand. A bright moon and an unfamiliar sea of sparkling stars rose high above them before they finally stopped again.

This time Lynn made a far more extensive camp, though without the tent, removing the heaviest packs off her reptiles and then stabbing a strange crimson and amber stone into the sand. With a whisper it sprung to life, bursting into a sizable circle of dancing flames that staved off the cold. She set long, odd looking wooden posts into the sand-the same she seemed to use for her tent-and tied the reptiles to them. Satisfied, she set a metal object that looked like a pot beside the fire and sat beside it with crossed legs.

Anise-still excessively restrained-watched from the other side of the fire as Lynn pulled a long leather sheath onto her lap and drew the blade within, revealing a well oiled sword that curved wickedly in the moonlight. Curious, she watched as Lynn began to clean and sharpen it with obvious familiarity.

"Are you a warrior of some kind?" she asked after a moment.

Lynn looked up at her, one eyebrow raised. "No. I am a wayfarer. Did you not know that?"

"Of course not.."

"In the Anjari," Lynn said, frowning. "Only wayfarers, the banished, and fools travel alone." She paused a moment, seemingly realizing that told her absolutely nothing. "Wayfarers at times offer their blades and knowledge for hire, though mostly we explore the deep desert and its many ruins, seeking our fortune."

"Mmn," she replied, eying one of the large reptiles as it drew near. It nuzzled her with the side of its snout, thankfully sparing her the sharp ridges along the front. "What are these?"

Lynn whistled. The reptile glanced at her, then moved back towards its companion. Lynn scooped what looked like purple rice into a large wooden bowl and moved over to sit beside her.

"I do not know what humans call them, but we name them arlanu. They are lords of the desert-intelligent, sturdy, and reliable. They are also creatures of stone and flesh, requiring very little water and eating only rocks."

Anise blinked slowly, impressed. "But where do you find rocks for them to eat in a desert?"

A laugh escaped Lynn's muzzle, and she glanced around her with a sweeping glance. "Sand."

"Oh." She felt stupid, ears flat against her skull in embarrassment.

"You remind me of a shou, a desert rodent," Lynn said with amusement, scooping some of the rice into her mouth before pressing a spoonful to Anise's lips. "They are the most common creature in the Anjari, breeding even more quickly than insects, but they are also the most idiotic of creatures, having not even basic survival instinct or common sense. Many a joke there is telling of shou who skitter unawares and unafraid into a cooking pot or snake's den."

Anise didn't give her a reply, choosing instead to indignantly chew the rice-like meal, finding it sweet and nutty and completely delicious. Another soft laugh rose from Lynn as she caught the look on her face. With a smile she gave her another spoonful before eating some herself. They ate in pleasant silence until there was none left and drank water from the skins until both were sated.

After the meal Lynn finished cleaning her sword and then did various other chores, most of which Anise surprisingly didn't really understand. Eventually Lynn nodded in weary satisfaction and returned to her side, then began tugging off Anise's boots. Puzzled, she only watched at first, but when Lynn's fingers rose to tug at the waistband of her plain slacks, she recoiled back in shock.

"W-what are you doing?" she demanded.

Lynn's deep eyes regarded her again with amusement. "Wayfarers normally travel alone and rarely stay in the cities long, so it has been a while since I last pressed bodies with someone. I thought-"

Her eyes widened as she realized what Lynn meant. "No! I don't want to," she cried in alarm, fervently shaking her head. "B-besides, we're both females, so-"

"I was not asking, little shou. " Lynn's voice was patient and controlled. "And I am not a female." She stood up on her knees and lifted the hem of her flowing robes. Between her legs was both a sheath and fleshy lips. "My kin are of the greater whole that is the iriima, but our people are what the others call vu'lan. We are born whole and do not divide our strengths among two genders. We are both the brawn and endurance of the other iriima bloodline's males and the resilience and swiftness of their females. My people do not become soft things when they are with child, nor are we only hard edges and muscle."

Having never seen someone like her-Anise decided to stick with her first impression to spare her poor head-she simply stared while Lynn finished sliding off her slacks and undergarments, leaving her utterly naked from the waist down. A warm hand on her inner thigh snapped her thoughts back into focus and she quickly squeezed her legs shut.

"Please Lynn.."

Lynn smiled down at her, tail swishing side to side. "It can be enjoyable for us both, if you would only let it." She shrugged. "And if not, for the moment I will allow you to simply lie there and relax."

Carefully she crawled forward on all fours until her body was above Anise's, lifting her bound arms so that they were lightly pressed against the sand. Then Lynn leaned down and bit gently on her ear, sending a pleasant shiver along Anise's spine. A warm, rough tongue followed, brushing on the sensitive inside while one of Lynn's hands caressed the curve of her thigh. She tried her hardest to not react just to be difficult, but the truth was that Lynn's attention felt..good. Somehow she knew exactly where to touch and lick, places on her body even Anise didn't know could feel so pleasant.

The moist tongue continued to tease her ears, occasionally retreating while Lynn leaned in for a nibble. One hand rose to her chest and fondled her small breasts through the fabric of her tunic. Her tail began to sweep nervously, but Lynn caught it gently with her own, curving around it and slowly rubbing them together. It was a nice, comfortable sensation that she quickly found herself enjoying. Lynn leaned back with a smile, watching her carefully.

"Beautiful and exotic," she whispered, leaning down again to brush her long tongue along Anise's neck.

Anise said nothing, breathless, but yelped as two unseen fingers slid shallowly into her slit. She watched, cheeks flushed with embarrassment, as Lynn brought them before their eyes, seeming satisfied with the stickiness on her fingers. The hand reached down again, but Anise did not feel its touch. It took her a moment before she realized with another burning of her cheeks that Lynn was stroking herself, gentle pleasure etched onto her features. Moments more passed and then she lowered her body, straddling Anise lightly, their noses almost touching. Something hot and pointed prodded her pussy.

Anise felt Lynn's weight settle down on top of her, felt the pointed length of flesh forcing her pussy open. The cock was fairly large, enough to draw a squeal of surprise from her, but Lynn did not stop until all of the twitching meat settled warmly inside. Lynn lowered her head beside Anise's, cheek touching cheek, and let out a hot breath. Then she began thrust, not gently, but roughly and with need. Her hands rose and crawled through Anise's long dark hair, tugging and clutching tangles as she pounded her thighs down on Anise's.

A moan escaped her lips as the spearing cock made her noisly wetter and spread a tingling warmth throughout her body. The scents and sounds of mating left her dizzy and intoxicated, and though she'd never admit to enjoying it the raw need and hunger she sensed in Lynn excited her. They didn't kiss, or fondle, or anything else she had expected Lynn would want. They simply rutted like animals, Lynn sweating and grunting as Anise lay there, only able to accept. Their tails twined together until it hurt, and Anise felt Lynn's body grow warm. Lynn tugged painfully enough on her hair that tears touched the corners of her eyes, then she thrust down heavy and deep. Anise arched her back in pain and pleasure as something fleshy, round, and quickly growing forced itself inside her sticky slit. Unconsciously she contracted her muscles, clamping down on it and creating a fierce sensation of pressure that felt sinfully wonderful.

A sharp noise erupted from Lynn's head beside her and an unexpectedly thick, gooey hotness exploded inside her pussy. She felt the searing streams shooting in spurts, sensing the approach of each in detail whenever Lynn's cock twitched. The spurts continued unabated for what seemed an eternity, filling her clenching pussy relentlessly.

Then it finally ended in a rush of exhaustion and Lynn's body relaxed on top of her, pressing down heavily. Their gulping breaths filled the silent night, tails still entwined and sweeping in unison.

"I am..sorry," Lynn said breathlessly. "I might have understated when I said it had been a while since last..and you were so beautiful and felt so wonderful..I..lost control."

Breathing heavily beneath her, Anise stubbornly said nothing, pointedly staring up beyond her at the twinkling sea of stars and the pale moon.

"Do not make such a face." Lynn smiled and stretched out on top of her. "This you will eventually become accustomed to, perhaps even enjoy, and I promise to spend more time pleasing you next time."

"So I'm going to be your plaything?"

"No, shou," Lynn replied patiently. "To most, even the humans, the pressing of bodies would be nothing more than minor duty for a seppau were it asked. We of the Anjari believe lust, love, and creation to be utterly separate. This was nothing more than a moment of shared pleasure, no different than if we had played a game of words or prushak. I, and no proper master, would ever demand of a seppau their heart or child if they did not desire it so."

Her ears flicked slowly, defiantly. "I still don't like the idea of being anyone's slave."

Lynn leaned down to nuzzle her, flicking her tongue pleasantly along her jaw. "Oh, little shou. 'Slave' is too harsh a word, I think, as we are all taught that we will always be claimed one way or another."

"I don't-" A soft finger touched her lips, silencing her.

"A child is claimed by its parents and their clan, given no other choice but to trust and depend on them, exchanging love for love. Like a seppau, most are blessed with servitude to those of moderate worth and kindness, others gifted with the exceptional, and still others find misfortune with the cruel. These children grow and leave their parent-masters to sell their bodies and minds for coin and experience, seeking the uncertainty of new challenges and the masters that offer them. Even those masters have masters, rising all the way to where the clan lords and the ruling suffra of each city rests. These powerful rulers have masters in the form of their combined peers, and even were it otherwise, the Anjari is yet the greatest master of all.

"We know this truth and it is the first thing I would have you learn." Lynn's voice was steady, motherly, as she stroked Anise. "You know nothing of the Anjari or its people, nor do you have clan or coin. Even so, I am willing to teach such a pitiful seppau as yourself all that I know in exchange for only your service and obedience."

With that she rose, tugging gently on her knot. It resisted for a moment, then slipped out with an exhilarating release of pressure that left Anise tingling. Still-warm thickness oozed uncomfortably between her thighs as she rolled onto her side. Lynn readjusted her robes and went quietly to her thin sleeping mat.

Anise watched her until the rise and fall of her chest slowed and deepened, then glanced upwards at the stars again. She thought over Lynn's words, pondered what she might have done to end up lost in the middle of a strange desert, mulled over what her previous life might have been like and how her new one would shape itself now that she was a wayfarer's servant.

Worries and uncertainty loudly crowded her mind, but fatigue hushed them all to silence and gently led her into a dreamless slumber.