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The Supple Virgin

Chapter 67

Etienne didn't know what to do, and for several seconds, neither did the foxes. Two dozen foxes, frozen in the act of lovemaking, bending lovers over, backsides high, penises crammed in tight asses and vaginas, breasts swinging down as females perched on their knees, breasts jutting high as females rode their lovers' laps, thick penises standing hungry against the air. All were naked in the moonlight. All were staring and breathless and blushing, mouths and erections dripping semen.

Etienne glanced around as he got to his feet, and though it was night, he could see that they were definitely in the forests outside Thalsin, for he recognized the large ruins standing jagged behind the shrine. The ruins had been scribbled across Dr. Bell's map in one of the journals Judith carried and were called Arasus on Isatheia by the foxes: the Place of Peace.

The forest, meanwhile, was called Statney Grove -- and was improperly named, Etienne always thought, because it was actually a vast, almost endless forest, wedged between Thalsin and Howlburry Duchy, a little duchy on the other side of the capital.

Etienne had been to the forest a few times before. Donica had been quite fond of the Hunt, and as he was forced to keep up appearances, Etienne was often dragged along with her on hunting parties. Donica would invite Hellene and her family to Wychowl or else drag along Corene and a few council members and nobles, and they would spend the long afternoon in the forest, chasing foxes and gunning them down, sipping wine by the lake, relaxing in the sun, gossiping and swimming.

King Bastian would participate as well and had been particularly good with a rifle. They would usually kill and skin the foxes as soon as they captured them, but sometimes on the rare occasion, Donica would demand more heads for the trophy room and would have the victims beheaded right there in the forest. And King Bastian -- despite his disgust -- never stopped her.

Etienne pushed the memories away as he helped Judith to her feet. He suddenly hated that he was in StatneyForest. Because it brought back too many terrible memories. He had participated in the Hunt as well. He skinned his first fox when he was nine. His father made him do it, and he knew Bastian was trying to harden him, trying to make Etienne see the foxes as mindless creatures so that he would have the mindset early on that he should not sympathize with them. It was not because King Bastian didn't sympathize with the foxes. It was because King Bastian was afraid his son would, and would thus end up yet another victim of poison or a riding "accident" because the court did not share his sympathies.

"Are you alright?" Judith whispered, and Etienne knew she had seen the strained look on his face.

The prince nodded absently, as behind him, he could hear the others getting to their feet. The ching of a blade being drawn resounded in the silence, and Etienne flattened his ears when he saw several of the foxes stiffen. Many of them had gotten to their feet and were simply staring -- or else scrambling to pull down deerskin dresses or pull up deerskin skirts. A male with a spear glared at them, while another male put an uncertain paw on his dagger, his entire body still.

Etienne glanced back to see who had drawn their sword. It was Reed. The tan pit bull stood stiff and alert, his sword held ready as his small eyes darted from face to face. He was counting the foxes, trying to see how many he could kill before they killed him. "Your majesty," Reed whispered. "Get behind me."

"Reed," Connell growled impatiently. "Put your blade away, you fool."

"Are you crazy, old dog?" Reed snapped at Connell. "They aren't taking me alive!"

"I'm with Reed," Crawley said, and Etienne moaned when the mastiff pulled his blade as well.

More of the foxes drew daggers in response, male and female alike. One female slowly nocked an arrow to her bow, her face grim. Etienne's eyes passed over them and his heart sank to see some of them were very young. Teenagers. Small females. And there was a child frozen in the act of beating a drum. A child.

"You're a pair of idiots," Kesuk hissed at Reed and Crawley. "You think the four of us can take on more than two dozen --?"

"It is your duty to protect your prince!" Reed snapped over him.

"It is also your duty," Etienne said tensely, "to obey your prince. Put your weapons away."

Reed made an incredulous noise. "Your majesty --!"

"I said--!" Etienne started angrily.

Reed and Crawley swallowed bitterly, and Etienne heard them sheath their weapons.

"Well?" Reed rasped at Judith. "What do you suppose we do, girl? Sing the heathens a lullaby?"

"Don't call them heathens," Judith said calmly. "Some of them can understand you."

Reed rolled his eyes.

"Treat them like this is their home and you are a guest," Judith went on, "and perhaps they won't string up your carcass for the birds."

"Or perhaps they will," Crawley scoffed, and Reed nodded darkly.

"That's enough," Etienne said. He looked at Judith. "What do we do?"

Judith wasn't looking at him but at the foxes, some of which were already retreating into the ruins behind the shrine. "Leave this to me," she said.

Everyone watched as Judith stepped forward. The foxes tensed and Etienne heard them whispering. A few more ran into the ruins, their fluffy tails whisking behind them. The little boy with the drum set his beaded instrument aside and was crawling away when he noticed Judith moving. He stopped and regarded her curiously.

Judith said some words in the language of the foxes that made them all murmur and stare. Then she slowly brought her paws to her face . . . and lifted her long mane back from her eyes. The foxes gasped in amazement as they looked at her, and Etienne saw a few of them fall to their knees. Judith kept her mane lifted for a few more beats, then let it drop to cover her eyes again. Etienne wished he could see what the foxes had seen, for now they were bowing, sheathing weapons, staring in awe.

Judith waved her paw at Etienne and spoke again in the fox tongue. The foxes looked at Etienne and gasped, and he was baffled when they bowed to him as well.

The little cub who'd been banging the drum crept forward through the sea of bowing foxes. He stopped some feet from Judith, his ears pricked forward as he stared at her. He was white like the rest of his clan, but a red blotch covered his left eye, and his long white mane hung loose around his curious face. His eyes were such a light gray, they were almost white, and he wore a little deerskin skirt and wolfskin wrap around his shoulders, with a small dagger hanging around his bare chest. He looked at Etienne a moment, then looked at Judith again and slowly smiled. He spoke some words to her in his language, a high-pitched squeaky question.

Judith laughed.

"What did he say?" Etienne wondered.

"He asked if you came to take them home," Judith said a little sadly. She smiled again. "Then he asked if your dick was as big as your bulge suggested. I think he has witnessed far too many ritualistic orgies."

Connell laughed behind Judith. "No shit."

A vixen pulled herself up from a bow and snatched the little boy apologetically onto her hip. The child clung to her and stared with his large eyes at Etienne, as she said what sounded like an apology to Judith, though she kept glancing in awe at Etienne as well. Judith said something back that sounded akin to, "It's okay." Then she asked the vixen a question. The vixen hesitated and glanced at Etienne again before responding. She spoke quickly and nervously.

"What's the matter?" Etienne asked Judith. After living with Taiga and Asres for so long, he had learned a few fox words and understood enough to know that the vixen was somewhere between eager and afraid.

"We interrupted a . . . sacrifice . . . of sorts," Judith explained.

"Of course we did," Reed said darkly and shook his head, the burned side of his face twisting. "Savages."

Judith ignored him and explained to Etienne, "The foxes were in the middle of offering one of their most supple virgins to the protector of the clan. The virgin was to watch others in the act of lovemaking before being taken himself." Judith nodded at the altar on the dais, and Etienne noticed for the first time that a young male fox was sitting on it, completely naked, his penis incredibly hard. He covered his erection with both paws, and his cheeks were blushing from the strain.

Etienne shook his head. What was it with the fox gods and purity? The gods suddenly seemed like a bunch of greedy lechers, constantly demanding flesh in exchange for protection.

"We ruined the ritual when we burst in here," Judith said, glancing apologetically at the vixen. "The protectors of the clan . . . they'll be angry."

"Protectors? They?" Etienne repeated. "Doesn't Kutre protect them?"

"Of course," Judith said. "But the ritual was not for Kutre."

Etienne frowned. "Then who was it for?"

Judith didn't have a chance to answer. The foxes kneeling and bowing screamed softly and pointed at the sky when two silhouettes passed over the moon, one after the other. But they did not retreat. Instead they pulled back, leaving a clear landing space as the dark figures swooped down from the sky, circling slowly.

"What in the holy hell," growled Crawley, "is fallin' out of the sky? I knew we should've brought rifles from the manor, but damned _Shackley_said there wasn't time --!"

"Would you shut up, Crawley?" Kesuk demanded. "How wise is it to speak of shooting their gods even as they land to face us?"

"Oh god," Etienne heard Reed whisper when the figures swept lower. His voice was tiny and broken.

"I say we flee back in the portal," said Connell. "Who's with me? Your majesty?"

"No," said Judith. Her eyes were fixed on the figures descending from the sky. The foxes were bowing with their faces on the ground, and Judith sank slowly to her knees. "Get down," she said. "It'll be okay."

"This is insane!" Reed hissed. "You're going to get the prince killed --!"

"Do as she bloody says!" Etienne growled. He dropped to his knees and heard the others follow suit.

A second later, and the winged figures landed, one after the other, lightly on their feet. Etienne looked at them and gulped. They were the vixens from the statues, the lovely vixens with the wings and the curly manes. They stood tall and beautiful in the center of bowing bodies, their fur completely white, their blank eyes blazing like diamonds. Their wings opened and closed slowly, and the gentle beat of them made every mane flutter in a ripple. They wore long white translucent gowns, through which Etienne could see their jutting pink nipples. Their gowns rippled with the beat of their wings as well. The entire forest seemed to ripple with the beat of their wings.

The foxes were still bowing with their faces on the ground and didn't move a muscle in the presence of those they worshipped. The vixen who'd spoken to Judith before was bowing and holding her son down by the neck, forcing him to bow with her. All of them were stiff and afraid in the presence of such powerful beings.

Etienne looked at the beautiful winged vixens and thought Azrian had never radiated such power. They seemed older than her, stronger. It was in their serious gazes, in their proud stances. They were demigoddesses, loved and feared.

"The children of Kutre," Judith whispered.

The vixens looked at Judith, and their voices echoed in Etienne's mind, speaking in unison: You are the one with eyes of Light.

Etienne heard Crawley grunt in amazement and heard Reed gasp, and he knew the others could hear the demigoddesses as well. Everyone could hear them, then.

Judith inclined her head. "Yes, Most High Ones."

You carry Ti'uu's blessing, they said. Why do you linger here?

"We seek passage through your lands," Judith said to the ground. "Forgive us. We did not mean to interrupt, nor to insert ourselves in your affairs."

But you have interrupted, said the demigoddesses, and they sounded a little angry. And you did not answer our question: why do you linger here?

"It is Ti'uu's desire," said Judith patiently, "that this dog -- the child of Hildrith'el -- should reach the great dog fortress Wychowl. I am obeying my lord and god."

Ah, said the vixens, the great game of the gods. It is a shame you are caught up in that . . . nonsense.

"I only wish to serve," said Judith humbly to the ground.

Then if you require passage, said the vixens angrily, you will serve us.

Judith waited, keeping her eyes down.

You have sullied our ritual with your fumbling, they went on and waved their paws in disgusted unison at the embarrassed young male still sitting on the altar. The sacrifice lost the rhythm of our call and ejaculated before we could come for him. He has soiled himself even as he remains hard and unsatisfied. And we will not make do with him.

The virgin on the altar flattened his ears and blushed harder.

"What do you wish of us, Most High Ones?" Judith asked her knees.

Give us your virgin,_the vixens said. _We will make the Setgimi tremble with his cries of ecstasy and wring from him the deepest pleasures. And when we are satisfied, you may leave with him.

"As you desire, Most High Ones," Judith said.

Etienne smiled to himself, wondering which one of the males in his escort was a virgin.

The vixens' identical eyes alighted on the kneeling group of males, all kneeling stiff behind Etienne and Judith, their heads bowed in trepidation. The demigoddesses strutted over with swinging hips and riding breasts, their pink nipples jutting through the sheer fabric of their gowns, their tails swaying behind them. Etienne breathed their heavenly scent as they glided past him and he melted. They stopped before Reed, who blushed furiously across the entire unburned side of his face when Crawley sniggered at him.

Come, they said to Reed, and know endless delight.

Reed slowly lifted his face and seemed unable to move. The vixens grabbed him by the arms -- and snatched him screaming into the sky. Etienne watched with his mouth open as they disappeared with him in a flash across the moon.

"Poor boy," Connell said heavily after a pause. "Those two dick-hungry females are gonna suck him dry."

The foxes slowly got to their feet, and they murmured and carried on in their language as they slowly began to trickle back into the ruin. A few foxes helped the virgin down from the altar, and he went with them with his head bowed. Etienne saw them patting his back, no doubt assuring him that he hadn't failed and it wasn't his fault.

The remaining males of the escort got to their feet, and Etienne helped Judith up.

"Um," Etienne said uncertainly. "They aren't going to eat Reed, are they?"

Judith laughed. "Not in the way you are thinking."

Etienne thought of his first time with Azrian and decided he was damn jealous of Reed. He had often compared sex with her to sex with other females, and there was just nothing like it. He pushed thoughts of Azrian away as he reminded himself: she was with someone else now. Or she was going to be.

"Who knew?" snorted Crawley, highly amused. "The boy was a virgin. I knew he seemed a little uptight. He was always on your back cuz he wanted you, Judy girl. Was checkin' out your tail swing," he said, with a nod at Judith's backside, "all the bloody time. Not that I blame him. Heh, heh, he --"

"Are you done?" Connell growled. "So I can knock your fucking teeth in?"

Crawley scowled but fell silent.

The vixen from before approached with the little cub clinging to her paw. She spoke to Judith, all the while glancing at Etienne. As she was speaking, the cub stared at Etienne with his mouth open. Etienne smiled at the boy, and he slowly smiled back.

"Oh," Judith said uncertainly when the vixen had finished speaking. She started to answer in the fox's tongue and hesitated. She seemed anxious.

"What'd she say?" Etienne asked.

"She says we are welcome to rest beside the fire while we wait for our friend to . . ." Judith trailed off.

"Bust a nut?' suggested Crawley quietly.

"For god's sake," complained Kesuk.

"That doesn't seem bad enough to warrant an oh from you," Etienne said to Judith.

Judith hesitated again. Etienne wished he could see her eyes. It was maddening that she walked around with her mane over her face. But after whatever had happened earlier with the foxes, he now understood that there was probably a good reason that she did.

"Just tell me," Etienne said patiently.

"The goddess Kutre wishes to speak to you," Judith said unhappily. "In some cave or other. Down beneath the ruin."

". . . oh." Etienne stared blankly, trying to decide if it was good or bad. Given the misery in Judith's voice, he was going to assume it was bad.

"Great," complained Crawley. "More magic and nutty fox crap."

"I don't have a choice, do I?" Etienne said heavily.

Judith shook head. "No. And you have to go alone."

Etienne sighed and looked at the vixen with the cub. "Alright," he said to her. "Lead the way, my lady."

The vixen turned as if she understood and walked off with the cub. Etienne and the others followed.

"So, Judith, about your . . ." Etienne said as they entered the ruin, but he trailed off as he glanced around. The ruin was like the shattered bones of an elephant, and yet somehow majestic, soaring away to the moon. The skeletal fragments of a dome reached overhead, open to the stars, and moonlight poured upon the scattered stones, among which foxes sat around fires, talking and laughing, cooking, drinking, bouncing cubs on knees, staring at Etienne and his group as they passed.

"You are wondering about my eyes," Judith predicted.

"Yeah," said Etienne, coming back to earth. "They fell to their knees back there. What'd you do? Hypnotize them?"

"Or maybe she actually flashed her tits," Crawley said.

"You're asking for it, Crawley," Connell warned in a low voice. "And I'm about to give it to you."

"Just because you've got an ol' stiffy for the girl --" Crawley began laughingly.

"Crawley," Etienne said wearily, "let's play a game where you don't talk for an hour, shall we? I don't want to return to find Connell wearing your teeth around his throat."

"If you return, your majesty," Crawley said emphatically. "You shouldn't go down there. No telling what these foxes could be up to. Maybe they'll kill you in some weird ritual to their gods --"

"These are disciples of compassion," Judith said over him. "They would do no such thing."

They came to a stop at the top of a stair, which descended down into darkness. Two foxes were standing guard there, one female and one male. The male was holding a torch and passed it to Etienne. He and the female guard stepped aside.

Etienne swallowed hard as he peered down the stairs. "But she's the goddess of compassion, right?" he said weakly to Judith. "So I should be okay."

"The duality of her nature also suggests that she can be cruel. And indifferent," Judith said dispassionately.

Etienne laughed tonelessly. "You aren't, uh, instilling me with confidence here, Judith."

"You walk in Ti'uu's light," Judith said reassuringly.

"That's better," Etienne sighed. He gripped the torch tightly, took a deep breath, and descended the stair.