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There was a faint hiss of static, then a calm, deep voice spoke with only the barest flicker of background noise: "You are currently entering Hez'Ranna airspace. Please identify yourselves, unknown plane, your location of origin, crew size, and business in Hez'Ranna, or turn back immediately."

Cherry reached up and flicked a switch on the ceiling, then hit a button on the headset she wore and said in a professional, calm tone: "This is pilot Cherry Blossom, flying flight..." A quick glance at the flight plan she'd taped up on the window. "Identity seven-seven-six-two-niner-five, private jet, class B, registered owner is Lone Wulfe. Crew is four, I repeat four, and our business is cultural relations and studies."

There was a pause... too long to be a simple check delay on their registration and flight plan. But after more than a minute passed, Zerrex and Cherry exchanged a nervous look: it was also too long for them to be requested to turn back, for whatever reason, and there were no escort jets coming out to meet them or threaten them. Plus the shuffling of papers meant they couldn't have dropped the signal... and then the voice spoke again, this time without its authoritative 'answer or die' tone and instead with what was almost quiet awe: "I... I'm sorry, Miss Blossom, but can you list the names of those onboard?"

The two reptiles blinked, then Cherry replied in the same calm voice, but this time she was frowning instead of looking up to imagine the person on the other end: "Cherry Blossom, Cynthia Narrius, Lone Wulfe, and Zerrex Narrius."

There was another shuffle, and the operator sounded almost meek as he replied in a stuttering tone: "My apologies, miss, for the inconvenience and disrespect-" What... disrespect? "There's been a change in your travel plan, registered by Lord Hellabos, and you'll be landing at his private airstrip instead of the HIRA Line, outside of Oman. Please continue on your current flight route one hundred kilometers south-southwest, and you'll be able to land just north of Uroboros. My apologies again."

"Uh... no problem, pal, you're much nicer than where we deal from. Over and out..." Cherry said slowly, then she reached up and clicked the switch to turn the headset off, before looking over at Zerrex and saying quietly: "Someone's been expecting us. And treatin' us like royalty... or at least you."

Zerrex met her eyes, then he nodded slowly and stood up, squeezing Cherry's shoulder as he walked past. His emerald irises had told her everything she needed to know, and the female smiled grimly as she turned her attention back to flying the plane, adjusting her course slightly. They got to skip landing at the Hez'Ranna International Receiving Airport Line, at least... a mouthful if there ever was one... but this might not be a pleasant alternative to flying around for an hour while the last of their gas puttered out and some lazy clerks checked their credentials until the plane crashed or they were finally permitted to land.

As the male Drakkaren walked out down the hall, he looked up at the other two and said clearly: "We've been expected. We need to divide up everything we bought, pack it all up, and at least look presentable when we get off but have our weapons in easy access. And from the way the air traffic controller just acted, I think we're going to be meeting up with at least one member of at least one of the three Royal Families."

Cindy jumped to her feet, quickly following behind her father as he continued to head towards the storage room in the back, her face tightening in a bit of a scowl as she wiped away the few tears that had fallen, and Lone winced before hurrying after the two as well, biting his lip lightly and wondering if he'd ended up getting himself involved in a little bit more than he could handle.

Inside the storage room, Zerrex had already kneeled by one of the huge duffel bags filled with weaponry, sorting through it with a few mutters under his breath at the horrible sorting job. Then he pulled out a heavy revolver with a long, black rectangular barrel, the obsidian metal plating over the gun slightly scratched-up but otherwise obviously well-cared for, and he held it up as Lone began to walk past, glancing up at him and smiling slightly. "You can handle this, right?'

Lone blushed a bit, then he gingerly took the massive magnum revolver with a faint smile, nodding quietly. "Yeah, I can, Zer. Thanks..." he said lamely, remembering the original reason this gun had been designed as he looked at the reptile... then he coughed and quickly headed over to another large bag, saying in an embarrassed voice: "All the holsters and stuff are in here, and... stuff..."

Zerrex couldn't help feeling faintly amused, then he nodded and glanced over at Cindy, who was checking the clip for a plain 15mm handgun she'd pulled out of another large pack. "Take whatever you want, but remember we'll also be carrying at least one bag of weapons and our suitcases. So whatever you do, keep your weapons close at hand, so you can grab them immediately after dropping the bags and be ready to fight." A pause, and then he added softly: "And you might want to take out Snake and Fang, too. The Hez'Ranna military have a great respect for melee combat and weaponry, and they won't... I mean..."

The reptile blushed a bit, and Cindy couldn't help the faintest of smiles as she glanced up at her father and husband with a bit of quiet amusement. "Think I'm just your whore or toy?" she asked, then laughed a bit and nodded, quietly digging through the duffel bag. "But alright. I'll make sure to suit up in full then."

The large male nodded, then turned a glance to Lone, who was rubbing the back of his head, huge revolver in a side holster just under his right armpit. Normally not the fastest of places to draw from, but of them all, only Cherry had a faster draw than Lone... and the quick hands of the lupine could give the Dragokkaren they were undoubtedly going to encounter a hell of a surprise if things turned nasty. "You should stick to just that and carrying our extra things... like I said earlier, it might be better to have them thinking you're working as our servant."

"Okay, Zer." Lone said softly, and he felt no need to argue, as he would have undoubtedly done in the past: hell, in the past, he would have thrown a tantrum and tried to throw on every weapon he could fit onto a body that had been admittedly a bit more than pudgy. But now, just the weight of the black rectangular-barreled revolver against his side was enough comfort that he didn't have any need to overload himself with weapons... and he had to admit, there was the faintest tinge of pride that Zerrex would allow him to carry a gun that Cherry otherwise would be wrestling him to the ground in order to get.

After half an hour, Cindy and Lone were again seated in the cabin, nervously playing poker, and Zerrex was pacing in the storage room and making the final preparations. All of them had suited up, and the Drakkaren had once more found himself taking on the old role of Captain of the team and checked them all over for anything loose or damaged before letting Cherry check him down, and for once there had been no sexual quips between the two, their faces cold and hard. The fact that even Cherry had taken the situation seriously had made Cindy nervous enough to break the despair and anxiety coursing through her body, as she watched them in the doorway of the sterile steel storage area, the airplane smoothly moving along on autopilot.

The reptile had made sure they were all equipped properly and evenly, as if they were an attack team instead of four people who were just trying to find a little girl and curious as to what this Lord Hellabos wanted with them. Cindy had two 15mm handguns on her: a backup in a holster secreted inside her motorcycle boot, and one with an extended magazine settled low on her other hip like a wild west gunslinger. Three elongated clips dangled from a belt around her waist by means of a small, easily-snapped chain link for quick access, and she also had a sidepack with a large box of bullets on behind these. As well, she had a small, lever-action shotgun in a shoulder holster on her back, a police-issue S&B 1200 that was designed to take down enemies at close range with a narrow cone of armor-piercing shrapnel.

Also, just above her tail, she had two melee weapons: resting in a leather sheath against her back, a short, narrow sword with a dome-shaped protector covering the handle so her hand was safe from enemy attack called Fang, and a plain chain whip hung over this from a simple clasp on the back of the sword's sheath she'd named Snake. It was little more than a polished handle of plain steel with a smoothed-out grip into which a small-link chain had been welded, but it had been the last gift she'd ever gotten from the long-deceased Tinman, and she refused to give up the weapon for any other. Besides, the tight, small links let her take down enemies and trip them out without needing to inflict lethal damage... the same reason she liked Fang. Although it definitely had the power to kill, more often she only inflicted small cuts with the blade in defense, if forced into combat with it, thanks to the slight curve in the single-edged sword.

Cherry was more intimidating: on her back was a massive, old-fashioned rifle with a wood body: polished red oak, in fact. The long barrel was made of welded iron, just as ancient as the solid, petrified wood, but atop the body and near the shaped butt of the rifle was a high-resolution scope capable that could chart distance and provided precise, computerized measurements for anything in the environment that could affect the bullet's path. The weapon was perfect for Cherry... and with it, she had never missed a shot.

As well as this, she had a blue-plated .45 handgun holstered under her left armpit, loaded with special, armor-piercing bullets. She had a few clips for this in a small pack she had strapped to her right thigh - along with a handful of rifle shells for the huge gun strapped to her back - but from the dangerous spark in her eyes, it was obvious her intention was to use the guns as little as possible, and instead the other weapons she had laced against either hip.

Two long whips rested against her sides, one of them a heavy, brown rawhide whip with a leather-wrapped wooden handle, and the other a vicious, chain whip with thick, vulgar links that had been sharpened. It also ended in a hooking, curved claw shaped like a bent teardrop, and the handle had been carefully fitted for Cherry's hand. The weapon was capable of dealing out massive amounts of damage in a short period of time: one lash of the brutal whip could rip the arm from the body of an unlucky opponent.

The only person with a more destructive weapon was their silently-appointed leader: as Zerrex sorted out the duffel bags for the umpteenth time - which had already been neatly-reorganized several times over - the reptile shifted slightly to touch the magnetic shoulder-armor that allowed him to carry Blackheart easily on his back. It was something Tinman had made specifically for him, so that he wouldn't have to lug his giant sword around in his hands while going to face Requiem for that final duel... and the reptile smiled faintly as he said softly: "Gods, he was always so damn considerate. Really just our mascot in the Goth Legion, but once we'd all left... probably the bravest of us all."

Then he straightened and idly reached up to touch the handle of the massive sword that was resting diagonally across his back, glancing up at the metal ceiling and smiling slightly as he imagined the looks on the faces of the Hez'Ranna soldiers that would undoubtedly be greeting him. The greatsword was a hell of a sight, after all... a half-foot wide, double-edged blade that was almost a full six long, connecting into an obsidian, T-shaped hilt with a ruby pommel. The reason the sword was called Blackheart, and one of the few extravagancies Zerrex had allowed himself... although the blade had never failed him in any situation. Capable of cutting through the hardest of defenses and chopping the strongest of enemies in half without much more than a single swing, the razor-sharp, heavy sword was a weapon few other people could even heft, much less use. It was polished and spotless... but only because of the mix of alloys that made up the blade, making it nigh-unbreakable.

As well as the greatsword, Zerrex had his personal guns holstered on him: a pair of purple-plated S&B .52 magnum handguns holstered at his waist, and a huge, rusted metal, ancient revolver in a holster that was strapped to his lower right leg. The reptile had allowed Lone to glance it over, and even the gun-nut wolf had been completely stumped by the ancient weapon... a revolver that had so much kick even the powerful Drakkaren was forced to pause and readjust between shots, and that seemed at odds with even the sword on his back for destructive power. And to think, he'd just... found it laying around one day in a forest, done his best to clean up the metal - frustrated when he found the rust so deeply engrained that it was like the frigging gun didn't want to be cleaned - and then tried shooting it just to see if it would work, hoping beyond hope that the gun wouldn't blow up in his hands.

Then the reptile glanced up the plane rocked slightly, wincing and putting his arms out before shaking his head quickly as he felt them begin to descend. He frowned slightly as he backed up against a wall, looking around before snagging one of the overhead pipes to steady himself as the vehicle rocked again before the flight smoothed out, and then he felt them slowing as the plane vibrated a bit before touching smoothly to the ground and rolling down a flat airstrip.

Then, after a few long moments, the sound of the plane's engine rose before lowering, turning into a dry hum that eventually faded away to nothingness, and Zerrex closed his eyes before glancing up at the doorway, smiling slightly as Cindy and Lone walked through. The reptile nodded to them, then he said softly: "The order is Lone, Cindy, Cherry, and me, right to left."

The two nodded, then they walked over to their appointed luggage, still sitting in fairly neat piles: the only difference between any of these being was that Lone would be wearing a large travel backpack filled with ammunition as well as carrying a duffel bag and suitcase. The three stood until the plane shut down entirely and Cherry joined them, silently taking up her own place and picking up the waiting luggage.

The two females and the wolf looked at Zerrex expectantly, and he glanced over them one final time before nodding and walking forwards, pulling a lever on the wall. There was a hiss of pneumatics as steam hissed up from a black band of plastic along the flat wall, and then the floor slowly lowered, descending into a wide ramp that led down out of the rear of the plane. The others began to walk down this, and Zerrex joined them, walking in perfect synchronization with the others as they moved in one easy line, almost marching with a few feet of space between each of them, heads high and eyes straight forwards. Even Lone moved with a calmness and self-assuredness he couldn't have mustered on his own: but now he felt like he was part of something greater, and the strength that radiated from the other three reptiles had affected him down to the core and gifted him with a stability he didn't know he had.

He looked around as they left the relative safety of the interior of the airplane and stepped down onto the black concrete of the private airstrip, taking his first steps into what was almost quite literally an entirely different world. The heat was sweltering, only barely tempered by a dry, cold breeze, and the sounds of nature dominated instead of the sounds of machinery. As the wolf looked around, he could see tall Dragokkaren had lined up on either side of the narrow runway they had landed on, all of them wearing black uniforms - How the fuck are they not dressed in shorts and tank tops... and who's bright idea was black? - and with a sidearm on the hip, a massive assault rifle with a huge round drum held easily in one hand, and the other fist raised in the air, almost like an old Nazi salute. And the wolf couldn't help noting one other small fact: the shortest of the Dragokkaren was around ten feet tall, and they were all built like heavyweight wrestlers on steroids.

As the four walked calmly in concert down the airstrip, maintaining the same speed and distance, Lone turned his attention to look beyond the proudly-saluting Dragokkaren to the rest of the world: at the clear skies, the rolling clouds, and the gargantuan jungle trees, overtop which rose gigantic buildings made of solid amber stone that glinted like metal in the bright sunlight. There were palm trees and strange, twisted giants that looked almost like mutant oaks, with long tapers and vines in the distance, perhaps a klick away from the airstrip they were on now, and the grass in the field surrounding the private airfield was tall and wild, with only a few metal light towers standing nearby... and they were currently walking towards the only building, a square, squat stone abode with a huge yellow stone tower, with a large, basket shaped top from which were born all manner of antennae and other technologies.

But then the wolf focused his eyes straight ahead as he caught sight of the group of figures walking towards them, to greet them, and he felt a horrible chill roll down his spine. At the same time, he sensed a tensing in the others as well, and he didn't need to look to know that Zerrex's emerald eyes were already sizing up the situation. Caught between a well-spaced double-line of perhaps a hundred well-armed and undoubtedly well-trained Dragokkaren, and with five more heading towards them...

The two giants in the front - and hell, they had to be the size of Requiem, and he had been the most muscular, most powerful-looking creature Lone had ever seen at fifteen feet and almost as wide with thick bulk - were naked from the waist up, displaying powerful barrel chests and what looked almost like tribal tattoos of blue and green over their reddish scales. Both of them also had black bracelets around their forearms, with long black rectangles of metal that sat on the outside of the arm and were kept tight by straps just before the elbow - and Lone didn't even want to guess what those were. But they were also carrying rifles that looked like mortar cannons, with huge, cylindrical bodies and what looked like a double banana clip coming from near the top, with a long shoulder stock and curving, fitted handle. When one of them shifted the gun slightly to cradle it more into his arm, the wolf noted that they also had twin barrels... and looked fully automatic as well.

They were a wide distance apart, standing to either side of the runway so as not to screen the other three: a female Drakkaren, and two male Dragokkaren - the one on the right looking ridiculously oversized even for the world of giants they had apparently walked into. He had to be almost twenty feet tall... and he was walking in a slouch, with his arms dangling to his knees, his face and limbs scarred. He had a huge spiked collar around his neck with a long golden chain dangling from it, which was wrapped around his waist several times to form a belt... and then there was enough slack left over that it dangled almost to the ground before it was wrapped around his right arm several times, and then locked into a silver-colored bracelet by a clasp. The chain swayed and shook with every movement, jingling lightly as the giant walked forwards, his feet bare and the claws on them gigantic and almost deformed. He was clad in ripped shorts and what looked like a black, fitted Kevlar vest, and the wolf thought he could see massive veins bulging under the red hide of the giant's scales.

But for whatever reason, the female on the right, the green-scaled Drakkaren, scared Lone more. She was short compared to everyone else... but still a bit taller than him, and clad in a military uniform with a tight black choker inset with a sapphire around her neck. Strangest of all, however, was the fact she had a black cloth also wrapped around her eyes... and although she was obviously blind, she moved with grace and ease, like she had the best vision of them all.

Then the four stopped and kneeled ten feet away, the last Dragokkaren in the center walking forwards with a wide smile on his face, spreading his arms before he stopped and bowed deeply as Zerrex and his party halted. He was probably twice the height of Zerrex, but his body was more lithe than the others, although he had what seemed to be the common red scales of the Hez'Ranna Drakkai. Upon his fingers were a variety of silver and gold rings, many of them inset with precious gemstones, and he had a long black cape on that hung down to his ankles, with golden, tasseled armor upon the shoulders.

Otherwise, he seemed to be dressed almost normally, in leather shoes, blue jeans, and a strangely-styled shirt that went down in an open V to the silver-clasped belt he had on, which also had rolled-up sleeves just past the elbow. It showed off his chiseled chest muscles... but even Lone didn't mistake this for vanity, and instead recognized that it was perhaps just the style of clothes worn by the peoples of Hez'Ranna. And then he slowly rose and said in a pleasant voice that was somewhat marred by the almost-greedy expression on his handsome features and the excitement in his hazel eyes: "Greetings. I am Victor Hellabos, Patriarch of the Hellabos Royal Family, and one of the three kings of Hez'Ranna. And it is my greatest honor to welcome you and yours to our little jungle nation, Lord Narrius, even if your affair here isn't a pleasant one."

"Just Zerrex will do." The Drakkaren replied with a visible twitch, and Cherry barely resisted a dry smile: the monarch in front of them had just said one of the few things that could truly set the Drakkaren off. His father, after all, had always preferred to be called Narrius... and Zerrex had never had a good relationship with his father. "And although it's a pleasure to meet with you as well and finally set foot in... my cultural homeland... I have to be so bold as to ask how you already know about the reason we're here."

"Hez'Ranna has a very tightly-controlled environment, as you know..." Hellabos replied with a bit of a smile, but also what looked like genuine embarrassment and apology in his eyes. "Yesterday, several of our military went AWOL and stole a class two antimilitary jet, and we only picked it up on the return path into our country because they forgot to turn off the tracking beacon. But perhaps we shouldn't discuss this here... I have a coach waiting to take us to one of my manses, where you're welcome to spend as long as you want. Shall we go?"

Zerrex glanced at the others, thought about challenging Hellabos to see if he'd insist politely or with force, then he decided it would be better not to take any risks at this point and gave a bit of a smile in return, saying calmly with a half-bow of his head: "It would be an honor, Lord Hellabos."

"Please, no need for formalities between us, any of us!" Hellabos responded with a faint blush, and then he clapped his hands and glanced over at the giant beside him, snapping out a quick command in a language that Lone couldn't understand.

The huge Dragokkaren bobbed his head, then he grunted and lumbered off down the runway past Zerrex and group with a wide beckoning gesture over his head. The two lines of Dragokkaren on either side of the airstrip quickly snapped their rifles up to their shoulders, let out a loud "Ha!" sound, and hammered their closed fists twice against their chests before turning as one and marching quickly after the behemoth on either side of the track.

Zerrex glanced over his shoulder, unable to repress a bit of a smile at the show of perfect order, but also noting the small, stumpy wings on the back of the huge Dragokkaren - what he thought could be a sign of genetic alteration. Then the two elite soldiers - or bodyguards, or whatever - walked past, followed by the blind female, and the Drakkaren felt... something...

As she walked past, she slid her body close, brushed against him, let out a soft pant, and it was like he could hear a thousand whispering voices in his head. Time seemed to freeze for a moment, feeling the bare scales on the back of her hand brush against his arm, feeling a million different sensations in his body and suddenly wanting just to grab her, take her, and knowing she would never resist... and then she was past, and the Drakkaren couldn't help but watch her, feeling almost stunned... and cold. Then he shook his head a bit as she "looked" over her shoulder at him and smiled, licking her muzzle, before turning back around and walking quickly towards the plane, escorted by the two bodyguards.

He turned his attention quickly back to Hellabos as the Dragokkaren laughed softly, looking at Zerrex with a smile and shaking his head a bit. "The Blind Girl's charms are amazing, aren't they? We all think she's part succubus, because of the ease she brings everyone to their knees... except from the... uh, look, that she gave you, she's developing a bit of a thing for you."

"What the fuck are you talking about?" Cherry asked bluntly, narrowing her eyes and almost glaring at the monarch, and causing him to start and look at her with obvious surprise. Then he laughed and shook his head, which just made Cherry scowl deeper.

"That's the first time in a while someone's spoken to me like that." he said with obvious entertainment. "You're quite the fierce one, aren't you? But come, come. Let us walk, and I'll tell you more on the way."

With that, he turned and began to head for the building in the distance, and the others had little choice but to follow him, Zerrex still feeling a bit muddled and confused, Cindy and Cherry both looking at him oddly, and Lone trotting a few feet behind them, trying to keep silent and a respectful distance, as if he really was just a servant. So far, none of the Dragokkaren had even given him a glance... he felt like he was a background character, and he had to admit, he was actually extremely glad for that after seeing the size of the one guard of Hellabos.

The king-in-question, meanwhile, had started talking once more: almost babbling, in fact, and speaking to them with the amiability of an old friend. "No one knows her name... we just call her the Blind Girl, and she serves as my secretary. She's blind, and cannot speak... not mute, but for whatever reason, she never talks. But as you've seen, she possesses a strange power and an ability of attraction, I suppose you call it... a natural power like your precognition, Miss Cherry."

The muscular female started at this, and this casual addition snapped Zerrex out of the thoughtful daze he had been in, his mind instantly forcing away whatever spell the Blind Girl had thrown on him and sharply focusing on the moment once more. Before anyone could speak, however, Hellabos smiled slightly and preempted the obvious questions. "I've done a lot of research on you, and your bloodline, and all those connected with you, especially after word reached me of the d... the honorable passing of Markus Narrius... Requiem was his preferred name, yes?

"Here, in Hez'Ranna, there is still a sizeable estate in the Narrius name, and many families know of you and your names. It is my great fortune that I was busy dealing with a property disagreement in my territory while the other royals left deep into the jungles for the yearly hunt... there are still a great many savage, wild animals here, many of them more dangerous than a trained soldier with a gun, and it has always been tradition that the members of the royal families go out and on a hunt for a month every year, armed only with traditional equipment and no modern weaponry. Knives and the kwaibar swords of Hez'Ranna and two-tined spears, to track down dire beasts and monsters that the so-called 'civilized world' outside these borders still won't believe in, no matter how many we bring back." He laughed a bit at this, but then blushed a bit again as he glanced over his shoulder at the others. "I apologize, though, for startling you."

"It's no problem." Zerrex said mildly, trying to keep polite and ignore the growing anxiety in his chest... not worry about what was going on here - after all, Hellabos had been polite enough to send away his bodyguards as a show of faith, although he had no doubt they were heading into a place that would have more soldiers than a military compound - but a want to just squeeze the Patriarch until he spilled all the information he knew about his family. And from the silence and way Cindy was solidly staring at the ground a few feet in front of her, he knew that she was also almost at the breaking point... and so instead of trying to keep with the rules of courtesy, the reptile gave in and finally asked, as they approached a pair of huge wooden double doors leading into the square building: "So... do... you know what's happened to my daughter?"

Hellabos glanced at him, then his expression softened with sympathy as he hesitated, pushing through the chestnut doors and into the cool interior of the building. He looked forwards, not answering for a few seconds as they walked over cold stone tile, then he stopped and smiled a bit as he sat down on a bench, waving a hand at two soldiers that were equipped the same as the ones outside had been. They nodded, then turned and left through the door they had been guarding to stand outside, leaving them alone in what was really just an open stone room with a few benches for waiting at; not at all what you'd expect for a king's private airstrip.

The Dragokkaren sat at one of these, leaning back against the wall under a painting as he let his hands rest in his lap, and the three reptiles looked to him expectantly as Lone tried to stay back and glance around at the paintings on the walls instead, of landscapes and splotches of modern art. Finally, Hellabos nodded and looked up to them with a bit of a laugh. "It's cruel to keep you in suspense about such a thing, but yes, I do.

"We were going to blow the plane out of the air... better to be rid of a few disobedient soldiers and out the cost of an easily-replaced machine then let them use it for who-knows-what purpose... but they radioed that they had a child onboard they had kidnapped, of particular importance, and gave the name Marina Narrius. So we lowered the cannons and let them fly on their way."

Zerrex nodded, closing his eyes at the news, and hearing Cindy swallow thickly beside him, dropping the bags and clasping her hands in front of her bosom, looking at the Dragokkaren with concern and the start of tears in her eyes as she whispered: "Please. What happened to them..."

Hellabos glanced up at them, then he laughed faintly and gave a bit of a smile. "We tracked the plane to an abandoned temple in the northern jungle... and we have it surrounded with soldiers. My military is negotiating with them right now... with luck, they'll have your daughter back, safe and sound, soon. We are a hard people, and we don't like making exceptions or negotiating... but we will make sure your daughter comes back unharmed. And they will not hurt her, because I've had it made clear that even scratching a scale on her face will mean a penalty beyond death for every one of them."

"Oh thank God." Cindy whispered, then she exchanged a look at her father before throwing herself onto him and wrapping his arms around him tightly, tears falling down her face as she buried her head against his chest. Zerrex dropped the bags he held to wrap his arms tightly around her, cradling her close and quietly rocking her as they stood together, and Cherry closed her eyes with a badly-hidden expression of relief. "Thank god... oh... Marina's going to be okay..."

"Thank you, Lord Hellabos." The male Drakkaren said quietly, turning his emerald eyes from Cindy to the Dragokkaren, and the Patriarch merely shook his head, laughing faintly and looking almost embarrassed once more.

"No, don't thank me. It's my fault that they managed to get away in the first place, not paying enough attention to the military sector and the discord there." He replied earnestly, then he rubbed the back of his head, shifting a bit uncomfortably as Cindy looked at him with her eyes shining. "But although I'm optimistic that we'll have her back soon and they won't harm her, it may be a while yet before the soldiers can bring her back in. I know it'll take a long time to convince the ex-military who stole her that we will honor our end of the bargain and not bring any harm to them if she is returned safely, and then the medical team will want to check her over and take their time in escorting her through the jungle, because of the dangers there. It may be up to five days long, but the moment we have her safely, I've told them to radio me and we'll at least let you hear her voice."

"Thank you..." Cindy whispered, then she went back to crying quietly against Zerrex's chest, resting against him as the male Drakkaren let himself feel the first strings of relief. It was the first time he'd ever found himself preparing for a battle only to find out it was already over... and he was amazed that all he felt was thankfulness. The cold, military part of him still knew that it was possible Marina would be lost again, or even killed or hurt or raped, but he thought Hellabos was being honest about the chances and his word.

Then the Dragokkaren coughed a bit before standing, looking down at them with a benign expression on his face and rubbing the back of his head as he said warmly: "But well, since that's all taken care of, let's take that ride back to the manse. If you truly want to thank me, then please, let's talk in the coach and you can tell me about yourselves and how you live in the 'civilized world,' and then I can set you up with a place to live and you can rest after your long journey, or whatever else suits your fancy. In this place, you are more than welcome." He paused, then smiled a bit and added: "But please... Zerrex. To you and your friends, let me just be Victor."

The 'coach' ride was fairly pleasant, composed mostly of small talk and Cindy pulling herself together as Lone and Cherry sat and looked out the windows awkwardly. Personally, Cherry had no idea why the hell the strange vehicle they were in was called a coach... to her, it felt like a fucking fairy-tale pumpkin-turned-monster truck. But she guessed that was just one of the differences in culture again...

The interior that they rode in was a huge, circular area with a table in the middle, with a short steel wall leading up to a dome of glass and twisting, weaving bamboo and iron that let them look out in all directions. There were steps leading up to the doors leading in and out of the weirdish sitting area on either side that folded out from the sides of the 'coach,' as the wheels of the vehicle - giant, wooden ones with massive spokes - lifted it at least six feet off the ground. This strange coach was pulled by what looked almost like a miniature square car at the front of the machine, with heavy tires and driven by a wolf servant. Lone couldn't help but notice with a wince that servant was clad only in a strange kilt of burlap, tied at the waist with a bit of rope, but strangely enough, he bounced to open the doors and serve Hellabos with a kind of deep admiration. The wolf had also been surprisingly strong, insisting on helping them with all their bags and helping them toss them onto the flat cart attached to the back of the coach.

They'd rolled down a long, raised dirt road with the jungle on either side of them, some of the trees so beautiful and exotic that they made Lone think of fantasy novels he'd read, and Cherry movies about radioactive monsters. They also passed a few odd farms with mostly-naked mammals tilling fields and running about chores, some of them being ordered around by Dragokkaren dressed in odd clothing - ranging from clothes like Hellabos wore to tunics - and once what could only be a slave auction going on in an open field.

Lone stared as he watched a crowd of mostly Drakkai - but with a few reptiles here and there, but all of these dressed in scant clothes or light uniforms - held up their hands and yelled in their own language at an auctioneer at a podium atop a wooden stage, smashing a hammer down and yelling back at them as he pointed at the available slaves on stage: most of them were mammals, but the wolf was startled to see a few Drakkaren as well. Hellabos caught his look, and he smiled slightly as he followed the wolf's glance, saying idly: "What is it, wolf? I recognize you and your kind rule in the civilized world, and that you've long abolished slavery... are you disgusted by our act?"

The lupine blushed deeply, then he blurted out: "No, not at all..." which just made him flush a bit deeper as Hellabos looked at him with definite surprise. Then he rubbed the back of his head and coughed, and finally said: "They all just... they don't look that unhappy. And... there are Drakkaren there, too..."

"Oh!" Hellabos laughed a bit and nodded, smiling and catching on to why the lupine had been startled. "Well, yes... but a good slave knows to smile in front of even the cruelest master... although we do have laws here governing how they are treated, and most slaves are taken care of. It's not like the slavery you hear about in your world, with the whipping and the cruelty and the rape and violence. Although there is that, yes, and although some of it is condoned in certain situations with certain slaves, what we practice is fair slavery. We buy them, and treat them as property or a pet, and we put a room over their head and feed them, even give them some limited medical care and other privileges, and in return they work for us, do jobs and serve us.

"And yes, we enslave our own kind as well... these are usually Drakkai that have fallen on hard luck and have offered themselves to become slaves, or ex-criminals, or perhaps those sold at birth by their parents." He paused, looking unsure as if to go on, then shrugged and added: "And some of these are also raised as sexual slaves. Species, body type, health, size and age, these all affect the cost of a slave... and of course, what they're meant for. But in most cases, we let the slave choose what kind of slave they wish to become... it's a fair process to a point for them."

"Sounds great to me." Cherry chipped in, glancing out the window interestedly as a female Drakkaren stepped to the front, and the muscular female licked her muzzle lightly at the sight of the well-shaped, young slave, noting that she was naked but for a black collar around her neck. "To each culture their own, but I do love this not needing to wear clothes shit."

"I am glad that shit entertains you." Hellabos replied, and Cindy couldn't resist a snort of laughter as Zerrex smiled slightly, his arm tight around his daughter as she rested her head on his shoulder with her own expression of entertainment and happiness: both of them were in a much better mood than before, and feeling positive and optimistic.

Otherwise, the conversation was mostly small talk that Hellabos seemed to eat up with shining eyes, looking at them brightly. Zerrex also enjoyed the fact he was actually in a vehicle he could stretch out in without feeling uncomfortable, as they rolled down plain dirt road: the fact that everything here was built for a species that was composed mainly of members ten feet and taller was rather strange to be experiencing, but it was nice to actually be one of the shorter members of society for once... it definitely had its perks, to say the least.

The reptile did pick up a few interesting tidbits that he decided to file away, however, like a bit of information on the giant bodyguard. He was called Brute - Hellabos is damn creative with his names, was the sarcastic thought that Cherry for once managed to stop herself from saying - and was one of the top Generals of the military. He didn't like to talk, but he was far more intelligent than he seemed or acted, and was one of the strongest and most loyal members of the Hez'Ranna Military.

Then they were rolling into the capital city, Uroboros, and Hellabos smiled with obvious pride as they rolled down streets of cobbled stone and the four newcomers to Hez'Ranna stared around in admiration at the beautiful work of the city. Huge stone buildings towered to the sky, almost all of them made of heat-resistant yellow stone that had never been changed, quite a few of them covered in beautiful flowers and green, crawling vines. There was almost no metal to be seen, all the doors made of a dark, strong-looking wood, and many of the windows had heavy shutters but no glass. Hellabos seemed to take pleasure in explaining that the weather here was almost always balmy with a gentle breeze, and it rarely rained or stormed; and even at night, the temperature never dropped too low - the stone resisted the sweltering heat during the day, but also kept in the warmth of the homes at night. Even the coldest of nights only required a few logs thrown into a fireplace or stove... and since there was almost always a breeze coming off the seas to the north, there was no need for any kind of cooling apparatus, either.

"We call it the Breath of God, here..." Hellabos said, glancing up at the sky and laughing quietly. "Not that we're a particularly religious people. But it has always been there, and it's always been just enough to take the bite off the humidity."

The other thing Zerrex noticed was that there were only a few motorized vehicles moving around, and most of these were things that Hellabos referred to as 'ground barges,' long, slender rectangular vehicles that looked like miniature buses with six wheels and no roof: instead, there was just a large, curving windshield to protect the driver. There were also no doors... apparently, people just hopped the short wall to get on and off, often while it was moving, since it rolled along the ground at a fairly lazy speed. There were a few more normal looking cars as well, but these were rare: instead, the streets were mostly crowded with Drakkai - and every now and then, a servant or two following in the wake of their master, or walking alone on some odd job with a large red tag dangling around their neck on a chain - strolling along towards whatever destination.

It was probably for the best: the streets weren't exactly designed with ease of movement in mind. Although the main one they were following was exceptionally wide, it often twisted in odd ways, as if they were following a confused river instead of a flat road. There were also a lot of alleyways and smaller roads branching out every which way, and the reptile also noted a lack of signs and directions - the city was literally a massive catacomb. He also knew that Uroboros was the largest of all the Hez'Ranna cities, as well as the capital of the nation... to the far east, west, and north were sections that were deigned almost to be cities of their own, these areas filled with even larger stone buildings, more technical installations and institutes, and protected from entry for anywhere except by travel through the maze of the main city by gargantuan stone walls that prevented trespass by any invaders.

But Zerrex did notice one other thing that he wasn't so keen to mention to Hellabos, and that made a strange sensation rise in his stomach: although quite a few of the civilians were walking around with a knife strapped to their leg, or the traditional kwaibar hung easily across their shoulder or in the traditional behind-the-back sheath, the reptile noticed there were also quite a few military positioned throughout the city as well. Some of them not so obvious... for instance, the Dragokkaren they'd passed a few minutes back now, lounging in an alley and smoking a cigarette, dressed in only a pair of tight leather pants... but with his uniform jacket tied around his waist. But a few others were almost painfully easy to pick out, like the two soldiers that were sitting at an outdoor café under a plain cloth roof supported by tall wood totems... trying to look inconspicuous while cradling their assault rifles between their legs, both idly talking but the food in front of them untouched.

Hellabos, of course, seemed more intent on keeping up the small talk than anything else, even as the coach pulled down an alleyway and then began to roll up a gentle slope towards a massive stone and wood mansion guarded by wrought-iron fencing perhaps twenty feet high and tipped with vicious spade-shaped spikes. Zerrex gave Cindy an ever-so-gentle squeeze at the hip when Hellabos asked some question, and she responded for him, quickly piping up and beginning to talk about the lifestyle she and her father and husband had while the reptile snorted and rolled his eyes, pretending to be a bit embarrassed and glancing out towards the large estate, his eyes quickly checking out the other security features.

Cherry, too, had shifted her position slightly and was checking out the area they were rolling towards, while Lone just looked back and forth lamely. He'd gotten almost as good at picking up the invisible signals that the family of Drakkaren used to communicate, but not quite... and he also didn't want to attract the attention of Hellabos, who, despite his kindness and obvious attempts to try and accept their difference in culture, seemed to be having a lot of trouble talking to the lupine as an equal.

Mounted cameras... the delicate flash of steel wiring lain carefully across the iron poles horizontal to the ground, to prevent anyone from slipping between the metal fencing... and Zerrex thought he could see a generator or control panel beside the massive gates that he guessed likely sent an electrical current through that same steel wire. And the gigantic gates - currently open - were made of solid steel, with the embedded design of two Dragokkaren facing each other, curving upwards in the middle to form an archway... but the eyes of the Dragokkaren looked like some sort of glowing red sensor. Some other strange security feature...

As they pulled down the long dirt drive leading up to the doors of the manse, Hellabos paused in his discussion with Cindy to glance around at the others, then turn and look towards his Estate with a bit of a smile. "I hope that these accommodations are alright... we don't have as many of the same luxuries as in the... civilized world, out here, I'm afraid, but we should at least be able to make you comfortable. I have to return to my palace to work on a trade dispute, but this is my highest-class manse in my private quarters."

That made Lone wonder uneasily how many homes the Dragokkaren had... and he had to admit, part of him perked up almost shamefully at the mention of a palace. But as he glanced up at the massive stone building, he thought he caught movement at one window out of the corner of his eye, and he glanced up.

A Drakkaren with dark scales was sitting at one of the windows on the ledge just outside, wearing a tight desert-stripe uniform that blended in with the yellow stone behind him. In his hands was a large sniper rifle, and he seemed to currently be observing them through the large scope attached to the weapon. Lone flushed as he saw this, then quickly glanced away, which of course immediately attracted the attention of Hellabos.

The Dragokkaren glanced up at him idly, then turned his eyes upwards towards the window as the coach rolled to a halt in front of the stone building, smiling slightly as he turned his attention back towards the wolf and the others. "My apologies. It's a security precaution, much like the soldiers I'm sure you've seen through the city..." he explained, laughing a bit and then tapping his fingers on the table and seeming to lose himself in thought for a moment; Zerrex took the few seconds to reflect on how hard and awkward it must be to explain something that was just common knowledge or tradition to everyone else in the nation. "We are a militaristic people... and perhaps a bit paranoid when it comes to outsiders. With all the pressure we get from your so-called 'civilized world' to join trade unions and the International Council, we have to be on constant alert for any... forcible tactics, which I'm sad to say has occurred many a time in the past."

Zerrex nodded at this, then he stood up with the others, as the wolf driver slid the stairs out. "I've never minded a bit of extra security. And with what I was trained for, I can understand and appreciate this." He paused, then smiled a bit as he glanced out the side, watching as the huge wooden double doors leading into the estate - both inscribed with large, featureless Dragokkaren, and probably able to open wide enough to let in a transport truck from back home - and four beautiful female Drakkaren walked out, all of them clad in elegant silk scarves around their necks, and long sleeves that went from just under the shoulder to the wrist, as well as loincloths and black sandals and stockings that covered the leg, but left the top half of their feet bare. The "uniform" of sorts was all colored white with gold trim, and Zerrex couldn't help but feel his entertainment grow as he noticed they wore nothing else but some scattered gold jewelry between them... and that the loincloths had no back as the females turned to the cart at the back, giving a nice side view of their switching, taunt buttocks, tails primly kept low.

He let himself take his attention from the Patriarch for a moment to admire the females; all large breasted, exceptionally beautiful, and with bodies that were fairly-well muscled. Definitely his type, in other words... the Drakkaren had to admit that this culture suited him much more than his own back home. He continued to watch them for a few moments even as the wolf slave opened the door for them, and didn't bother to hide his amusement as they grabbed their luggage from the back and hefted the heavy bags without any sign of strain.

Then Zerrex turned his attention back to Hellabos, who had risen politely and smiling himself now, looking pleased at the reaction of the reptile. "Most of the serfs here are Drakkaren, and the harem of girls here are Iuratus... do you know what that means?"

"It's the term used for warrior slaves..." Zerrex glanced out to the side again, someone feeling unsurprised, but not bothering to hide his interest as a few of the girls looked at him with sly expressions, one of them bowing their head and two of the others giggling as they walked quickly back up the steps and inside. "On one hand sexual slaves, completely submitting to a master, but on the other, well-trained, elite warriors who also serve as trusted protectors and bodyguards of that same person."

"Exactly." Hellabos nodded with a soft laugh, smiling again. "The girls here have been told to obey you and your friends, however, as they would obey me... and they are all well-versed in your language as well. Please, make yourselves comfortable and at home, and treat this place as your own."

Zerrex nodded back, and there was a slow grin spreading over Cherry's face that meant she would more than likely be stirring up as much trouble inside as she could. Cindy and Lone, however, only exchanged a slightly-uncomfortable look, before Hellabos politely bowed to them and Zerrex nodded in return, then led his group of friends out and down the steps, past the kneeling slave wolf. The reptile paused a moment, however, as the others headed up the steps and towards the open doors of the home, glancing over his shoulder to watch as Hellabos sat back down inside his coach and the wolf quickly went about the business of closing the door and pushing the folded up steps into place before running back to the front, noting the nervous way the Dragokkaren monarch rubbed at his face. Then Zerrex too turned and headed up the stairs and into the home... and found himself unsurprised as he was immediately greeted by two more females from the harem of the king, both just a bit shorter than him. They wrapped their arms around his waist in perfect synchronization, leaning up to kiss either cheek... and the reptile had enough time to glance back and forth before he realized with the faintest hint of amused lust that they were almost perfect twins.

"Welcome, Lord Zerrex." spoke the one on the right in a pleasant, slightly-accented voice, and the Drakkaren felt himself steered gently forwards a few steps as the wooden doors were closed behind him by two Dragokkaren soldiers. He glanced towards her with slight surprise, wondering who'd radioed ahead and mentioned what to call him, then he looked at the other female as she gently wrapped an arm around his neck and kissed his cheek again, and noted the sole difference between the two females: although they both had the common red scales that lightened over the chest, and wore the same uniform as the other girls, the one who had spoken had a right eye of bright green and the other blue... and the other female's eyes were the same, except reversed.

"The third kiss was for good luck." spoke the female who had just landed the gentle affection on his cheek, and she smiled warmly, leaning up to whisper: "And please, master, don't be shy. My name is Mist, and my sister is Shine, and Lord Hellabos has decreed we should act as your personal bodyguards while you stay here."

"That's... very kind." Zerrex said softly, glancing over the two with a cough and taking in the shape of their bodies - lithe, taunt stomachs, large breasts, and muscular arms and legs - then noting that these two females were different from the other harem girls in two respects: instead of the white scarf, they both wore black collars inset with large, pyramid-shaped diamonds around their necks, and upon their backs, they both wore cleavers that looked as if they could almost compare with Blackheart. The weapons had almost two foot-long, unadorned handles of black leather that curved into a thick teardrop at the bottom, and the blades were huge and silvery, perhaps a full foot wide and with a white edging along the thin cutting side. They were thick as well, maybe a few inches at the back, then tapering to a deadly, thin edge on one side, and the overall shape was almost rectangular, except where it finally curved at the last foot or so backwards of the perhaps six-foot blades. They were worn on an angle on both of their backs, with the black leather handles sticking up, as if the weight of the weapons were nothing... and when the Drakkaren looked up, he thought Cherry looked impressed, although Lone looked almost terrified.

Cindy, meanwhile, was looking around the hall in amazement at the architecture: the floor of red stone tile, the walls smooth and without a single imperfection to betray that they were made of interlocking stone. The ceiling was some indeterminable height above, supported by huge, round pillars of stone that were placed along the length of the hall in two long rows, these made out of white marble, and upon the walls hung long tapestries depicting the symbols of Hez'Ranna and profiles of mighty, posing Dragokkaren. The tapestries were made of red or purple cloth, but the Dragokkaren was always edged out in the same bright gold that made up the tassels along the bottom and sides of the ornate hanging. To Lone, they reminded him of the decorations he'd had in his own home at one time... except his had been much more ostentatious.

A flight of curving stairs stood at one corner of the hall, and spiraled up to a long balcony that was supported from carved but supple-looking wooden timbers from below, and the twin Drakkaren Iuratus now attempted to lead Zerrex towards this, cooing lightly in his ears and whispering words of affection in their own language... most of it was lost on him, but he got the jist of what they were saying from the tightness of their grip around his waist. He managed to plant a heel against the floor and stop his abduction by the two females, however, clearing his throat a bit as he glanced around at the other doors leading out of the hallway - and he had to note there were a few, meaning this home was likely just as much a catacombs as the streets outside - and glancing over at his friends and family. "I don't think my associates would really like to be left behind..."

"Well, we assumed they'd follow their boss." Shine supplied with a warm smile, looking up at him earnestly, and Mist laughed a bit as she looked at the others, raising a hand and beckoning to them as her twin continued to speak in a warm, appraising voice: "We've heard so much about you and your exploits, after all, and we don't mean to offend, but it's so obvious that you're the one in charge... and they look like they'd be ready to follow a good leader like you into the depths of Hell."

"But I think a lot of girls would gladly do that for you, Lord Zerrex." Mist added, and the twins shared a light laugh before tugging on him again, both of them smiling warmly and then trading an amused look as they only managed to drag him a few feet, before she asked curiously: "What is it, sir?"

The Drakkaren had to admit he was impressed by their strength... the last person who'd been able to actually shove him around had been Requiem, after all, and he could feel the muscles of these two females flexing against him... but he knew they weren't even straining, but only not forcing him to go wherever the hell they wanted to take him out of respect. Admittedly, however, he was getting kinda creeped out by the whole 'Lord' thing, though - it just wasn't his taste.

He paused before asking the question he wanted to, however, as he glanced up at the others and noting that of the three, only Cindy was starting towards him from where she'd wandered into the center of the hall, and even though she looked a bit peeved at the fact her husband and father had been railroaded by two half-naked female slaves, she was still tossing glances around at the finer points of the hall and the strange crystal lanterns that hung from the ceiling, her attention not yet totally focused on Zerrex. Lone was almost trying to hide behind Cherry - the wolf had gotten more and more paranoid about strangers with large weapons over the last few years, and especially anyone who stood up to Zerrex without fear - and the last female-in-question had her arms crossed and was grinning stupidly. Her expression was what made the reptile decide to switch his question out for a different one, deciding to make her wait for what she was undoubtedly looking forwards to as long as he could. "I just had a few questions first, before we... uh... go. Places. Like... where did you take our things?"

"A wing of the manse has been reserved for your personal use and private quarters cleared out for each of you, should you like to use them... and also a small room for your wolf slave, too, if you wish for him to stay with you." Mist informed, with a casual glance at Lone. The lupine looked torn between offended and embarrassed for a few moments, but then he simply chose to shrink back behind Cherry and twiddle with the bracelet he was wearing, biting his tongue and remembering his place and that it was safest for him not to say he wasn't a servant. This world was different than the one he'd come from, after all.

Cindy almost looked like she was going to make the correction and blow the wolf's dubious cover anyway, but she stopped and coughed when her father tossed her a look. The twins looked at her questioningly, but immediately returned their attention - and clingy hands - to Zerrex when he asked the other question he thought he already knew the answer to: "And where did you want to take me?"

"The King said you'd want to relax." Mist smiled warmly at him, reaching a hand up and lightly brushing his hair from his face before cupping one hand against his cheek, pushing herself against him and bringing up one leg to rest against his waist with a surprising lack of embarrassment. "And we thought we knew just the best place for that."

"There's quite an impressive harem of both pelt and upper species here, after all." Shine supplemented, one of her hand moving up to slide gently over the back of his skull and lock in his white locks, leaning in to nuzzle his neck just below where her sister's hand gripped as she whispered: "I've never had the pleasure of touching such strange fur on a Drakkaren like myself before..."

"It's uh. Called hair. It was passed down from my mother's side..." Zerrex said lamely, and both the females smiled at him adoringly, like he'd just told them a long story from his past. He felt them clinging closer, then he glanced up with a blink as Cindy stepped tactlessly in front of him and coughed into a closed fist.

The twins glanced up, but then they both nodded to her and slid back a bit from the Drakkaren... although both were careful to leave one hand gently touching him, as if losing contact would cost them their lives. Then they smiled as the others approached, and Mist bowed - her hand sliding up to rub Zerrex's shoulder slowly - as she said courteously to Lone: "We've been told to treat you as a personal favorite of Zerrex, and as his right hand worker. As such, you will be happy to know that you'll have the smaller harem of... other such furry creatures as yourself at your full disposal, to do with as you see fit."

"We... would advise that you... change out of your current uniform, however." Shine glanced over the wolf with what was almost disdain, but when Lone met her eyes, he realized it was actually more discomfort and perhaps even a bit of gentle concern. "Although the clothing you wear now is... common in your culture, here it is... unsuitable for a slave. You will be given other clothes that will allow you to blend in more... so long as Lord Zerrex has no problem with this?"

Zerrex felt all eyes turn to him automatically, and he winced a bit before nodding and coughing. "It's... it's fine." A pause as he met Lone's worried eyes... and the Drakkaren didn't have to ask before he gave a bit of a smile. "You can keep the watch and the bracelet on, Lone. In this society, clothing is more a mark of status and treated with greater respect than any gold or silver."

The wolf nodded meekly, looking relieved as he laid his ears back embarrassedly, then, before anyone could say anything, Mist and Shine slid their sides against Zerrex's and quickly turned him back towards the stairs, guiding him up as they praised him in their strange, clipped accents. Cindy followed after with a scowl that was almost envious, and Lone ran quickly up beside her, blushing and following close behind as Cherry loitered last, grinning cheerfully with her hands behind her head and murmuring to herself: "Fuck, but this place is great. And now I get to get laid for some relaxation time. Kickass."

The double doors at the top took them into another, smaller hall, this one laid with a plain rug and several portraits of Dragokkaren lining one wall, apparently all members of the Hellabos royal family. There was also another set of double doors across the room - these ones silver plated, with large golden handles - and a spiral staircase leading up at the other end of the hallway. Shine and Mist easily pushed the doors open, not letting their sides leave Zerrex's, and they guided him into the room before one of the twins looked over her shoulder and said warmly to the wolf: "Introduce yourself."

Lone carefully slid himself around the wall of three Drakkaren in front of him - and he couldn't ignore the fact that Cherry had grabbed his shoulders and was peering over his head expectantly like a kid trying to see into the cookie jar - and then he coughed and flushed deeply at the sight before him. Perhaps eight slaves, four of them male, four of them female, of all varying species, all dressed in what looked like rawhide tunics, and all of them wearing black collars with large silver circles. Upon the feet of each slave was a pair of black sandals with long straps that crisscrossed several times up the shin to the knee, and the tunics were kept synched tight on both male and female by black leather belts - the only real difference between the male and female clothing being that the female ones were designed to leave the shoulders bare, although a black strap went around the neck and their breasts were covered by the tough-looking hide. A few of them had the strange swords that Zerrex had identified earlier as kwaibars sheathed at their sides, but one of them had a long, double-edged dagger instead with a curving handle tucked in his belt.

They were all resting in comfortable positions on a collection of large, fluffy black pillows that covered the back of the area, and the walls were lined with doors that apparently led off to their own private rooms, although Lone imagined they couldn't be much larger than cells. There was a single large painting on the back wall, of a Dragokkaren with feathered angel wings in the top right corner descending towards a Dragokkaren with twisted, gnarled demon wings with long claws in the bottom left, who was rising to meet him: and between these two was a line of painted mammal and animal figures, all with their hands clasped, but with every second figure upside-down to form a strange pattern. The wolf stared at this for a few moments, then he finally coughed and rubbed the back of his head, saying lamely as he blushed and his ears flattened out more, resisting the urge to curl his tail between his legs: "Uh... hi everyone. I'm Lone."

"We'll let you get to know the others on your own." Mist said warmly, and her sister nodded before the two quickly steered Zerrex away and out towards the door, forcing Cindy and Cherry to leave as the females all but dragged the larger male with them. Lone stared with what was almost horror as the Drakkaren looked over his shoulder at him, the wolf feeling suddenly like a toddler at his first day of kindergarten watching his father leave... and then the Drakkaren mouthed 'good luck' to him before the twins let go of the huge reptile long enough to close the double doors with supportive smiles in towards the lupine.

The wolf stared blankly at the doors for a moment, then he jumped as a hand descended on his shoulder, turning around with a deep blush and then blinking as he looked up into the eyes of a tall, dark-furred lupine with mottled ears that had several large silver hoops through them. Lone also noticed the ruby collar... and the fact he had strange, serene eyes that were apple red. He was also quite a bit bigger than him... hell, the black-grey wolf was probably only a few inches short of Zerrex's height, and his arms were nearly as thickly-muscled. "Hello Lone. I am Kraven, an Iuratus as I am told you are. Come, let us put you in clothing more homely for this place."

Lone merely nodded meekly, automatically following Kraven and glancing at the others as they stretched and relaxed on the pillows, wondering if the life of these harem slaves was really so bad... and then he blinked a bit as the larger wolf opened one of the doors leading into a private chamber for him, finding himself surprised to step into a circular room with a large, futon-type mattress resting on the floor and furnished with black wood that glinted in the light. The smaller wolf looked up to find the source of said light, and was unsurprised to see one of the strange crystal lanterns hanging by a chain from the ceiling... a strange, almost disco-ball shaped stone that magnified some odd internal light source and made it seem as bright as day inside this windowless room.

Kraven closed the door behind them, then he walked over to the dresser that sat tight against the wall, custom built so that it curved with the shape of the room. He dug through the deep top drawer for a few moments as Lone sat down on the futon-bed, feeling it squish a bit comfortably against his butt and playing with what felt like a silk blanket that covered the black mattress. Then he finally glanced up as Kraven turned and held out a plain tunic to him, smiling. "This will do."

Lone took it with a meek thank you, then he coughed and shuffled a bit as he felt the dark wolf's eyes on him. He glanced up at him, kneading the hide clothing in his lap, before blushing deeply as Kraven asked with curiosity - and little embarrassment: "Do you work as a sexual slave? And do you do it for your master, the Lord Narrius?"

"Zerrex. He's... odd about that." Lone replied carefully, as Kraven sat down on the mattress behind him, and the wolf was unable to repress the shiver of interest he felt at the flexing of the muscular lupine's body against his tunic, and the brush of his arm against his own. With all the self-searching Lone had done, it hadn't been hard to figure out his attraction was more to males... and he'd tried a few others other than Zerrex, but... ugh, don't think like that now! Just... just answer his question! "Um... yeah. I have."

Kraven nodded, tilting his head, then he reached down and gently tilted the wolf's muzzle upwards with his hand to meet his ruby eyes, as his other hand reached down and - oh shit. Oh shit oh shit oh shit, is this a dream or... oh my fuck, this is... wow.

The muscular, dark-furred wolf gently undid his own belt, then tossed it aside as he reached up to loosen the strings that bound his tunic against his body, and Lone only stared as he removed it, revealing a rock-hard, perfect chest and chiseled abdominals, thicker, more beautiful muscles then the wolf could have dreamed of, the same rugged fur that covered the rest of his form and... a particularly large sheath with a hoop piercing through it and a pair of testicles that had to be the size of grapefruit each. And a few inches of pink flesh were already exposed of the wolf's cock, despite the fact that Kraven wasn't even aroused... and when the black wolf turned his eyes back to Lone, he looked almost genuinely surprised before smiling slightly and lightly pushing Lone down onto his back. "It would be rude to not welcome you customarily after your long journey... and we have been given orders to treat you well and help you relax."

Lone let his own tunic slip from his grip, then he nodded faintly as Kraven reached up and easily undid his shorts before pulling them down, and then his boxers beneath - the wolf, meanwhile, pulled off his own shirt, convinced this had to be some kind of fantasy... but even after he'd thrown his shirt aside and found himself on his back, his own nine inches of pink cock harder than it had been in the longest time, his knot throbbing and his breath coming slowly in and out, Kraven was still there. Down between his spread legs, the black wolf looking at him with a loving compassion and attention that Lone felt he'd never gotten before, that he lapped up with his eyes and wanted to be for more of... and then his eyes slid down to the shaft Kraven was slowly stroking to full erection, and they widened slightly as he saw the wolf's cock was almost as thick as a baseball bat and almost two feet long of hard, pink flesh, with a knot that matched the size of his huge black wolven orbs beneath... and then Kraven asked in a voice that Lone thought was actually concerned: "Am I too big?"

"No... oh God no..." Lone breathed... and then he flushed, ears laying back as he added in a whisper, unable to contain himself: "I want it all in me... you're so... kind to do this for me... even the master hasn't taken me in forever..."

"Pity... you are so cute and obviously loyal." Kraven replied softly, then he smiled as he lowered the pointed tip of his twenty-plus inch penis against Lone's tender rosebud, continuing gently: "Let me welcome you to Hez'Ranna, Lone, and to our folds here... and we'll take good care of you..."

And with that, he rocked his hips lightly forwards with a soft grunt, closing his eyes as he penetrated into the lupine's tailhole, feeling his thick penis squelching into the tight passage of the wolf's anus. Lone rocked backwards, his own pink member twitching and the wolf moaning in pleasure as he reached up automatically, and his hands found Kraven's shoulders as his head rolled back in ecstasy, legs moving to cradle the thick waist of the muscular wolf at the same time.

Kraven slowly began to push forwards, sending more of his long, hard cock pushing deep, leaning down to nuzzle into the wolf's ruff and neck, breathing in his scent as Lone groaned in pleasure again, his body trembling in bliss as he felt the long, hard rod of wolf flesh pushing into his form. He rocked his hips back with a quiet grunt, then let his head fall back entirely as Kraven nuzzled into his throat deeply, pushing his nose into the black fur as his huge knot shoved lightly up against the wolf's buttocks. The long shaft had penetrated Lone with surprising ease, and neither wolf felt anything like discomfort; it was all bliss for both.

Then the huge black-furred male drew back before pushing forwards again, beginning to pump in and out of Lone at an easy pace as Lone bucked his hips slowly in time, Kraven drawing back slightly and pushing nose-to-nose with the lupine as the smaller wolf smiled blissfully, his eyes half lidded, sharing a gentle kiss as he gazed into the ruby irises of the larger lupine above him. He felt his rock-hard cock grinding slowly against the abdominals of the wolf and his own taunt stomach, felt pre already leaking from the pink shaft as he bucked his hips lightly, and then he groaned again quietly as Kraven's hands squeezed into his hips, locking his paws together behind the big wolf's back.

Kraven began to move faster in response to Lone's trembling form and urging movements and whispers, panting quietly onto the smaller wolf's face, his huge body flexing, fur pressing to fur as he let his weight rise and fall on the wolf. Again and again, his large, girthy knot shoved up to the wolf's entrance, pushing against it insistently before pulling back almost a foot of his huge cock, then burying it back into Lone's body with a surprising ease that told the bigger wolf he'd been taken many a time before. And the movements of the lupine beneath him, the rocking and bucking of Lone and his low moans told him it was an experience the wolf always enjoyed.

It wasn't long before Lone finally clenched his eyes shut and whimpered, ears laying back and a flush rising in his cheeks as he bucked hard against Kraven's firmly-moving, but still controlled and easy thrusts, and he let out a few long, short pants before giving a feminine, high cry of pleasure, and his nine inch, throbbing pink wolf cock released a few spurts of his seed, splattering the chests of both himself and the powerful lupine above him. Lone groaned quietly and slumped back a bit, dazed with the ecstasy his orgasm left him in, however short it had been, and then he wrapped his arms tight around the black wolf's neck as Kraven shifted slightly, moving one of his legs up a bit as he moaned quietly into the wolf's ear: "Oh God... I feel like I could come over and over... you're so good..."

"Oh Lone... I won't last much longer..." Kraven replied hungrily, his breaths coming in harder pants now, feeling the wolf's trembling nine inches twitching between them as the dark-furred lupine began to pump in and out of the wolf with greater firmness. He could feel the wetness of the wolf's load squelching between their bodies, but if anything, Lone had only become more responsive after his orgasm, rocking his hips harder, and then pushing himself up, moving in tandem with Kraven as the black wolf slid his legs under him and got up on his knees, and Lone pulled himself up against his muscular chest, pressing to it as Kraven dropped his muzzle down between his ears and keeping his arms tight around his neck. He cried out in pleasure at the feeling of the wolf's cock slamming straight up into him as he dropped his weight down, and then his eyes rolled up in his head and his jaw fall agape as the huge knot finally forced its way into his passage.

The black wolf let out a surprised grunt as Lone's passage stretched and almost tore around the gigantic knot, feeling his pleasure intensify tenfold or perhaps even more, one hand grasping Lone's inner thigh firmly as the other wrapped around his waist, letting out a hungry moan between the smaller lupine's folded ears before he began to pump upwards rapidly, his thrusts short and barely teasing an inch back and forth, but the movements of his long, thick cock and huge knot inside Lone's passage causing the white-and-black wolf to cry out with ecstasy, shoving himself hard forwards against his muscular body.

Again and again and again, until finally Kraven rolled his head back and let out a low, rolling groan of pleasure, and his girthy, huge shaft stiffened up inside the smaller wolf and released a thick, long blast of seed; the first two shots filled the lupine's tight anus entirely, and the next successive shots caused long streams of seed to leak out around the rapidly-pounding cock, as Lone bounced up and down like a toy on the dark-furred wolf's member, the smaller wolf letting out long cries of ecstasy mixed with the name of his new sexual partner. Then, finally, Kraven's orgasm began to subside, and he turned around and fell back against the bed, panting hungrily and holding the small wolf tight against his muscular, flexing body, chest heaving and red eyes closed with pleasure.

Lone was in a daze of utter bliss, clinging to the dark-furred wolf like there was nothing else in the world, loving the feeling of what right now felt like the most gigantic, powerful male in all the world tied with him, of that same male's seed spilling out around that same male's god-like knot... and he closed his eyes and smiled, settling into the wolf's chest as he continued to pant quietly. Zerrex never let them do this when they did have sex... never just stayed like this... and Zer doesn't have a knot either. Or fur... and he doesn't smell so good or feel so... comfortable... "Oh... that was... wonderful..."

"Yes... I'm glad..." Kraven replied in a murmur, gently stroking Lone's face and looking down at him with a smile, his red eyes soft and disguising the icy thoughts running through his mind. The male had proven ridiculously easy to seduce... and even though Kraven could take him again - and twice more after that, and brutally... and last for more than ten minutes... - the black-furred wolf recognized there was no need.

Kraven, after all, was planning a coup d'état with a few of the other 'pelts,' as the disgusting tyrants referred to them as. And he knew that if they could capture someone from the Narrius royal family, Hellabos would do anything... anything... to stop Zerrex or his sick 'family' from being harmed. The patriarch never stopped talking about all the plans he had for him, anyway... and now the black wolf had already turned Lone, the slave of the Lord Zerrex, to his own little personal bitch. And his plan was to slowly convert Lone to his ways of thinking... after all, the way the wolf had shot three minutes in and then screamed like a girl when he'd let himself go early, after all. Then Lone could help him get in close with the other members of their freedom group, and no more would he have to suffer the indignity of bending over with a smile for Hez'Ranna soldiers, fucking the harem girls for the entertainment of other males, or working as a slave, lumbering around doing useless chores. They could finally be given their equality, or maybe even get a bit more and put the scalebags in their places once and for all...

And Kraven smiled lovingly down at what he was already beginning to think of as his new pet, then he felt another urge rise in his body before deciding to simply go with it, revolving his hips and causing Lone to shudder in bliss and look up at him stupidly, before the dark-furred wolf asked softly: "Want to have some more enjoyment in a different position?"

And the wide, happy smile that spread over Lone's face was all the answer Kraven needed.