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"WE STAND READY!"

The eight voices rose as one in the growing dawn light which filtered smoothly over the lip of the Great Chasm. Thin trickles of light pierced through the dusk-like dimness which filled the upper reaches of the yawning rift. The contours of the stone temple grew more pronounced and the silent audience finally sent up a cheer that seemed to be as much for the sun as it was for the eight males who stood before them.

The stone steps upon which the audience sat had been built into one side of the chasm's wall. Like an ancient amphitheatre, the semi-circular structure was designed to allow easy viewing of the limestone performance area which sat suspended in the air. The circular surface upon which the eight males stood rested below the audience, supported only by a series of thick slanted pillars which jutted from both sides of the mighty pit like branches reaching up towards the heavens.

A single voice rose to calm the crowd.

"As the sun rises we greet today!" the voice belonged to a grey-furred otter who strode proudly down the central steps of the large stone temple. A pedestal awaited him at the bottom of the stairs and as if scripted, the crowd responded.

"As it has been before; So it shall be again!"

"The time has come to take stock of who we are, and remember the darkness from which we have all come" the male continued. Though aged, the male carried himself with the grace and dignity of a youthful hero returning home after earning glory abroad. He paused as he reached the pedestal, turning to face the reverent crowd's gaze. "And She who brought us screaming from that darkness."

"Ss'thaka!" The roar of the crowd echoed in the earthen maw of the Great Chasm, filling the fading darkness with a life and sound worthy of Her name.

"The great snake that bore us from slavery upon Her back awakens at Her children's call!" the otter proclaimed, drawing a response from the crowd that made the very foundations of the temple tremble in joy. "And Her children, like all children, shall rise to see that She is satiated!"

The otter turned to face the males who stood in a loose circle below him. They were volunteers, chosen from the dozens who had come forward for the chance to honour the God they had adopted as their own. They stood as naked as the otter, decorated only by interspersed rings of colour around their thighs, chests and arms. They looked up at the otter almost adoringly as they, in turn, bathed in the love of the crowd.

"You, amongst us all, stand honoured! From amongst you shall Her champion be chosen and the others shall become one with Her body. Prepare yourselves for greatness, children of Ss'Thaka, She awaits you below!" The otter's eyes drifted from one to the next as he spoke, speaking to no one of them in particular.

"Ket!" The grey otter's voice boomed the single word. In the circle a young otter, his brown fur marred only by the cream colouring of his chest and belly and a series of dark brown painted rings on his legs and arms , stood to attention.

"Conri!" This time it was a blue otter who rose to greet the elder's call. His thick tail swept over the ground behind him as his whiskers bristled, a coy grin creasing his lips as his silver-coloured dick shone from the tip of his bare sheath. White lines danced through his dark blue fur in a pattern similar to that of Ket's.

"Nova!" A black and purple furred fox was the next to be called. His long violet headfur was swept to one side casually by his paw as he looked upwards to the elder. His cock was already hard, the purple shaft seeming to glow as he thrust his chest out. He had chosen a bright shade of yellow to decorate his fur with.

"Pyre!" Another purple-furred male-- a wolf this time-- refrained from looking up. His paw curled around his cock instead, stroking it softly as though trying to intimidate the others with his rock hard dick. The male's pointed ears swivelled amidst his black headfur, tussling it softly as he looked from one opponent to the next. The only contrast to his darkly coloured body was the green paint he had decorated it with.

"Ainoko!" A lithe hybrid with the body of a cheetah and the features of a wolf looked up almost shyly. Behind the bangs of his long silver headfur, the boy's eyes betrayed a confidence that his body language refused to acknowledge. Like the other dark-furred furs, the feminine male had chosen a bright colour; bright pink danced over his black fur, blending slightly only when it met one of his purple rosettes.

"Vox!" Larger than the rest, the mighty gryphon flared his wings. Though the mighty appendages had a series of ropes encircling them, ensuring the male couldn't change his mind and attempt to fly away, they still bore a graceful regality. His black feathers rustled as an updraft from the depths of the chasm spun through the assembled contenders. The gryphon was the only one of the males to not bear painted circles upon his body, instead he wore a series of thin knotted ropes about his forearms and ankles. Light blue, the ropes were held loosely, meant as decoration rather than to confine.

"Jamie!" Another otter smiled, waving to the crowd with an unassuming friendliness. The smallest of the assembled males, the otter seemed to be little more than a teenage child though his pelt rippled with muscles earned from a lifetime in the water. He had chosen green as his colour, adding it even to the large tail that dwarfed those of the other otters competing.

"And Faaide!" a young fox was the last to be called. Lean but eager the boy looked ready to fight. His mussed hair was flattened by a stray paw as he turned to look up towards the grey otter, black dick half-way free of his sheath after watching the other virile males make a show of themselves for the crowd. Dark blue paint traced along his athletic thighs, muscles subdued like Jamie's but just as dangerous.

The eight remained silent as they swam in the adoration of those who watched them. Their eyes, however, were only for one another as several attendants slunk from the shadowed doorways which granted access to the performance area. The attendants carried a bulging rope between them which they quickly began to splay out in the centre of the circle of competitors. The rope resembled a spider's web, eight branches shooting out from a heavy central knot and each branch tied to one another by a secondary circular rope.

Without being told what to do--they had seen it done many times before--the eight lifted the rope-end lying before each of them. Sweaty fingers curled into the knotted handles of the rope-web as eight pairs of eyes shone with anticipation, fear and determination.

"Let it begin!" the otter elder shouted, turning to face the crowd--many of whom had already risen to their feet for a better view of the action to come. Their response to the elder was drowned out by a steady rumble that ran through the stone beneath them like an earthquake. Below them the performance area was shifting, settled dust sifting through growing cracks in the rock. The eight braced themselves against the shaking but no-one allowed themselves to look away from the others. A great rift appeared in the centre of the circle, growing wider before the stone itself gave way and swung downwards to reveal nothing but the carrion darkness of the Great Chasm.

Each competitor was afforded the benefit of a foot of stone in front of them before it gave way to the emptiness of the void, and whatever lay in wait far below for those who fell. Not a single breath was relaxed as the eight began to tug playfully on the rope they held, testing the readiness of the others as the rope pulled and jerked in their hands unexpectedly. There was no great attempt to dislodge anyone right away. As the first minute passed, however, arm muscles grew more defined as each of the eight found themselves having to strain more and more to keep themselves from being pulled forward by the increasing pressure on the rope.

The stone offered little purchase for their bare feet and already a few found themselves stumbling slightly, toes curling into the dust-covered stone which stood as the only barrier between them and the darkness of Ss'Thaka's embrace. Pyre's earlier confidence remained steadfast, his black dick jostling stiffly as his feet pushed powerfully at the stone. He could see the blue otter who stood across from him begin to falter and with several powerful yanks the boy sought the otter's elimination with a steadfast determination though little success.

Vox's own impressive cock stood as a testament to the male's perceived superiority over the others. It was larger--much like the gryphon himself--and his cocky attitude was amplified by the scrambling fox he had chosen as his first victim. Faaide could feel himself being pulled forward, his size a liability he had feared would spell his end. There were no teams in this contest, however, and even as Vox gave his rope a hard pull he was surprised by the feeling of his handle being yanked to the side. Ainoko had seen the gryphon's focus on the fox and had taken the opportunity to adjust his grip to try and pull the larger male off balance; the hybrid knew he had no chance against the gryphon by himself but the other male's distraction was a chance he couldn't pass up.

Vox's wings rustled uselessly behind him as he found his centre of balance abruptly thrown off by the subtle tug. The same scene was being played out amongst the others, all of them eager to see who would fall first while trying to avoid it being them. A boy would pull on the rope to dislodge the opponent across from them only to find their own rope being pulled by someone else; there was no safety and even a moment of relaxation could spell the end of any of them.

Ainoko's plan was proof of this. Vox's talons scrabbled against the stone but even his powerful muscles couldn't help him restore his easily shattered balance. Even as he righted himself from the hybrid's pull, the fox heaped on the punishment. The gryphon's sweat-slickened fingers tightened on his handle and his legs strained, muscles clearly visible through his shimmering black plumage. It was finished though, and he knew it.

Heart racing the male could only look on in horror as a concentrated effort from both the fox and hybrid, as well as the sharp tugs that rippled out from the struggles of the others. The male's balls tensed against the base of his throbbing cock as the darkness drew closer and closer with each inch that he was pulled forward until he found himself teetering on the edge. Ket--who stood beside Faaide--saw the predicament that the gryphon was in and seeing an opportunity to eliminate the largest threat in the contest, joined in. It was too much for Vox and to the approval of the audience, the first contestant dropped out of the competition.

There was a rush of air around the gryphon's head as he found himself pulled over the edge of the platform. The sound competed with the roar of the crowd, and his own scream of horror as his feet left the platform and he plummeted into the darkness.

"GYAAAAAAAAAAH!" Arms waving helplessly in the air, the male twisted and turned as he fell; the sight of the platform growing smaller and smaller above him was the last thing the mighty male saw before darkness took him and he became Ss'thaka's.

There was no break for the remaining seven males as the first of them found their end in the depths of the chasm. The jostling continued, though Vox's rope now hung limply.

Nova grunted as his claws dug into the stone. One leg was held in front of the other, trying anything he could to give his straining leg-muscles even the slightest respite. Directly across from him was Ket and Pyre; both males had seen Vox's demise as a reminder of what would happen to them should they fail, and both saw removing the purple-furred fox as a step towards avoiding that fate. Because of this Nova found himself fighting both of them at once. Conri--the only competitor still standing beside Nova--was far too busy simply surviving to help the fox as he found his legs buckling slightly from the pressure the combined forces of the otter and wolf were placing on him.

All around the circle the constant equilibrium of pulling while maintaining balance was taking its toll. Legs were beginning to tire, and the scream of the gryphon seemed to echo in their ears still.

"No! No! No!" the repeated cry of Nova was enough to draw the eyes of a few of the others. Jamie nearly fell himself as his concentration was shattered by the desperation in the purple male's voice. Nova was teetering, his legs spread now as his toes curled to try and find purchase on the edge of the stone. Still he pulled on his rope, trying to find enough strength to pull back from the literal and figurative edge. His hips had been thrust forward by the forces pulling on his body, shoulders leaning back as the male fought futilely against the inevitable. His slightly luminescent cock bobbed against his belly, jutting almost straight up as the adrenaline pulsing through the male's veins only heightened the self-destructive enjoyment of his predicament.

Despite how he felt, the boy's eyes were wide with terror as the chasm waited to gobble him up hungrily; it didn't have to wait long. A final tandem pull from Ket and Pyre were enough to pull the doomed male right off the edge. Seeming to almost jump rather than just tumble, the fox's final cry bounced off of the walls of the chasm as he fell out of view. For the six males still standing it was a few seconds, but for Nova it felt like an eternity. He could feel his dick throbbing as he shrieked his way down into darkness.

"AIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIEE!" the cry persisted long after the fox was out of view.

Unlike Vox, however, the fox didn't release his rope immediately. Only when he'd run out of slack on it did his sweaty paws slide off of it. The jolt of the male's weight pulling on the rope in that split second was enough to send Ket to his knees. The otter's eyes dropped in surprise as he lost all of the purchase his claws had been providing him on the stone. The boy's dick bounced in the air as though it knew they were in trouble and was waving goodbye.

Conri took the momentary reprieve on his own jostling grip on the rope to doom his fellow otter. Before Ket had time to rise to his feet, the blue otter shifted his position to focus his pulling on Ket as best as he could. As vulnerable as Ket was, he was no match for the sudden intensity of the jerking rope in his paws. The boy could only yelp as he was practically pulled onto his belly and right over the lip of the stone. He didn't fall right away, dick pressing heatedly against the rock while his upper-body hung helplessly over the pit, but it was only a matter of time now.

Ket's tail thrashed frantically, the thick appendage beating against the ground to either side of him as he strained to hold onto his rope. Conri could see his prey was helpless now, however, and afforded himself a second to re-adjust his grip before pulling hard again. Pyre could see the danger his former partner was in and only grinned, yanking his handle in the direction opposite of the struggling otter and aiding Conri as best he could.

The sharp movement from the wolf was enough to yank Ket's handle from one of his paws even as Conri's re-adjusted pull finished him off. Without the support of his rope Ket's upper-body fell and the rest of him slid off of the smooth stone to join it. For the third time in a short period the sound of a deathcry filled the chasm, reverberating up and out of the crack as though trying to reach heaven even as the otter fell into darkness.

"WAAAAAAAAAAA!"

Ket was gone just like that.

Ainoko had watched the elimination of the others with no small amusement. His proud dick was oozing pre-cum, the fluid leaking down the underside of his dick and soaking into the fur of his balls. His silver hair flapped and swung in the breeze as he was hoisted in one direction, then the other, by the wild bucking of his rope. Somehow the boy maintained his balance with a seemingly practiced ease, however.

Whether it was just bad luck, or the allure of his feminine frame, the boy quickly found his rope pulling against his grip in a series of concentrated pulls; someone was definitely targeting him now. The hybrid's teeth ground as he looked from one remaining opponent to the next, looking for clues as to who might have it in for him. There were no signs, and much to the hybrid's despair he felt the tugs seemingly come from several directions at once! His lean frame was not built for strength and being ganged up on like this was not something the hybrid had wished to happen!

His ass clenched as he strained against the pull. There! The look in Conri's eyes, it was him! But wait, the foxboy across from him... or Jamie! Ainoko's heart raced as a short cry of effort escaped from his lips like a convict bursting from his cell in search of freedom. The pink loops of paint on his legs and arms began to smear slightly as sweat beaded amidst his luxuriously soft black fur. There was no denying that the increasingly powerful pulls on his handle were intentional but there was also no denying that he was finding it harder and harder to resist them.

Inch by inch the hybrid was pulled forward. Heaving backwards the male was able to reclaim a step only to be pulled forward two more. Fear and desperation kicked in and for several seconds the boy was able to halt his slow crawl forward. It didn't last and soon the feminine cheetah-wolf found himself on the brink of elimination as well.

"Will I scream?" the boy's addled mind asked itself as his aching arms sought to buy a few more seconds--then it was over. Being pulled in one direction with a sudden violence, Ainoko's right foot left the platform, hanging in space for a second before a pull in the opposite direction yanked him right off the edge. Nearly twirled by the strength behind those pulls the boy found the answer to his own question as a loud shriek erupted from his throat.

"AWWHHHHHHHHHH" the cry resounded with more than fear. Before long it faded into silence as the boy joined the others as a sacrifice for Ss'thaka.

Half of the males were gone, only four still fighting with their dicks rock hard and each anticipating the cries their opponents would make as they perished; though three more of them would fall before the ritual was concluded, there was no room in their concentration to wonder if they would be amongst them.

Pyre's attention turned from the disappearing hybrid and immediately he felt the sharp pull of an intended attempt to dislodge him. Conri and Faaide were both shaking with exertion, their bodies pushed to the limit and only the desire for victory keeping them going. Jamie, however, had been largely ignored in the match. His small size had labelled him as no threat to the others, and none of them saw eliminating the boy as a priority. Now the otter had chosen Pyre as an opponent it seemed and the wolf's disinterest in the diminutive male vanished.

Jamie could feel the returned tug on his handle and the young otter's mind roiled with a sudden regret for his decision. The wolf was not the largest of the competitors--Vox had been--but it had already been made clear that in this competition size wasn't everything. Still, his arms locked at the elbow as he found himself gaining a few steps on the larger wolf. Maybe the other male was tired, perhaps he wasn't going to put up a... the otter's hopeful train of thought derailed as he felt a harsh pull on his handle that sent him stumbling forward several steps. Jamie's eyes widened, and as he looked across to the wolf he could see the smirk on the other's face.

The end came quickly for the short male. Several tugs, all of which Jamie was helpless to combat, brought him to the edge then over it with an unceremonious finality that was punctuated by his own desperate cries as he fell.

"YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAIII" for such a small otter Jamie's deathcry drew a rousing chorus of cheers from the crowd; only three remained as the boy dropped out.

Conri, Faaide and Pyre slowed their attacks for a moment as they caught their breath. The increasingly empty circle was a stark reminder to each of that they weren't finished yet. Conri made the first move after nearly a minute of relative calm. As spaced out as they were it was easier to focus an attack and Pyre growled as he once again felt his handle trying to escape his grip.

Faaide quickly saw the way the fight was going and he joined the blue otter in trying to send Pyre to his death. Both of them were surprised by the angry shout which ripped from Pyre's muzzle.

"Little shits!" the boy practically shrieked at the two as he pulled hard on his handle. Neither of the two had expected it and Faaide yelped out as he found himself pulled forward a step. Their positions made it awkward, but the wolf's determination somehow overcame the handicap. Conri's tired arms wavered as he struggled against the wolf as Pyre's second-wind threatened to blow both Faaide and Conri away. Pyre's muscles strained and his cock felt ready to burst as he somehow took a step back, then another. Neither Conri nor Faaide could explain it, but both of them could see the result looming dimly in the depths of the chasm.

The crowd pounded out its approval of the turn-around. The sound of a thousand feet stomping against the ground propelled the wolf's newfound strength and he found himself making steady strides backwards even as his opponents were forced forward.

It was Conri who fell first, his slow trudge forward speeding up as a sense of helplessness robbed his shaking arms of their last bit of strength. Like the others the boy plummeted with a shriek that was ignored by Pyre. Only victory mattered to the wolf and only that fox stood between him and that goal. Even as Conri vanished into the depths, Faaide found himself trembling to hold on. His dick ached, pre-cum welling at the tip as his racing heart demanded he accept his fate.

With a final pull, Pyre finished off the fox with a resounding cry of effort that melted into the falling fox's deathcry.

Of the eight proud boys who had begun the ritual, only Pyre stood now. His breath came in deep gasps as Faaide's voice faded into silence far below. He had done it! The thrill of his victory was tempered only by his fatigue. The boy's arms were rubber, the rope falling from his numb fingers. The sight of blood trickling from his blistered palms registered only in the recesses of the wolf's mind, but when the elder spoke, Pyre listened.

"Champion of Ss'thaka, we salute you!"

The crowd echoed the grey otter's words and Pyre could have jumped off right there and died happy. The pride he felt at their adoration was enough to pump new life into his ailing muscles and without knowing why, the boy grabbed his aching cock and began to pump it fiercely. It was clear he was showing off; he knew it, they knew it, and the elder knew it... but none interrupted him. It didn't take long for the wolf to cum, thick rivulets of cum arching in the morning sun before dropping down into the chasm to join the boys he had put there with his own sweat and toil.

"As it has been; so it shall be again. The ritual is concluded."