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Chapter X - Pleasures

Joseph opened the door to his home with a tired sigh.

"Hot, hot, hot." The human was quick to undo the simple turban atop his head. 'It is always hot.' A little grin emerged on his face now that he was inside the cooler environment of his house. Owning a house was something he would have only dreamed about, especially the one he lived in now. He took a minute to appreciate the clean house. The floors were free of sand and dirt, rather than made from sand or dirt.

Walking past the small corner and into the main room of the wealthy house, a lioness was seated with her back facing the human. She was dressed plainly with a tunic styled shirt and a dress piece around her waist that easily reached her paws. Chiba's ears flickered hearing his footsteps approach.

"You're back." The lioness looked over her shoulder.

"Yes, I am... You made something to eat?" Joseph noticed the little platter of food before her. Humus, pita bread, and rice pilaf were neatly arranged.

"I made a little bit to eat." She gestured to the tray. "Eat if you're hungry."

"I gladly will. Thank you." He sat down across from her and politely dug in. "Mm. This is really good! Are you sure you made this?"

"Yes." She plainly answered, but with a hint of pride in her voice. "So how did everything go at the palace?"

"Alright. It was a long series of meetings. Between each meeting we discuss what was said with the Emir." Joseph began while Chiba listened. "First there was a group of captains who are in charge of the barracks within the city. They informed us about crime in different sectors of the city, and soldiers being rotated from different coastal towns out west. I remember you worrying about how large the Emir's army was."

"That is something to be concerned about."

"I didn't hear any specific numbers, but there are plenty of towns with garrisons." He reassured the feline. "We briefly talked about the possibility of having soldiers in close oasis towns and the countryside to deter bandits, but no one seemed to like the idea."

"Hmm..." Chiba didn't seemed pleased at that.

"Then a pair of Sufi mystics came to us and complained about an old building beside their mosque, because it might fall one day. It was complicated since the people who live in the old building weren't present. In the middle of the discussion they stopped to pray."

"I hope that you didn't interfere with their practices." Chiba spoke up.

"Of course I didn't." He said before eating another bite. "Lastly, diplomats from a place called Galatia arrived." He continued. "All of them were Angora cats, dressed in... I don't know how to describe their clothes, but they were made from the finest silk with these shiny jewels-"

"Okay okay." Chiba interrupted. "I understand that they are wealthy."

"Yes. Anyway, they filed into the Emir's grand meeting hall. Servants were running about in every direction to specially arrange everything. Food was not brought out, but many different drinks were served. The felines discussed at length about a trade deal for salt and gold, but I don't think anything came of it..." He summed up his day so far. "And your food was delicious. Thank you." Joseph wiped his hands.

"I'll make something else to eat if you like." She offered.

"No. This is fine." He waved a hand. "What did you do today?"

"I mostly stayed here, but I went out to buy a few things."

"A few things?" Joseph didn't like the sound of that.

"Mostly food, but I liked a shirt so I ended up buying it as well."

'At least it was just a shirt this time.' He thought to himself.

"I'll take this away to clean." Chiba gathered the tray and stood up. Joseph watched her walk into the kitchen part of the large room before standing up himself.

"I'm going out for the rest of the day." He called out.

"Where to?" Chiba called out. "If it's a market close to the sea then I want you to buy some fresh fish. I can make that for dinner."

"I'm not going that way."

"Where are you going?"

"I wanted to go to the brothel."

"You're visiting the brothel again?" Chiba turned her head. "You just went a few days ago... This will be the third time."

"Yep. I know it's been such a short time, but I want to see if there's any new merchants entering the city. It is a good place to measure any changes."

"What about the docks in the harbor?" The lioness raised her brow questioningly.

"I went there the other day, but ships come and go. Tashir hasn't reported any changes since I became part of the Emir's Safaviyya."

"Fine. Just come back before night fall."

"Don't worry. It's only the afternoon." He promised before leaving.

***

The lingering smoke and boisterous noises of the brothel filled the air. Typical scenes were playing out: private dances, seated groups smoking from hookahs, gossip of all kinds between friends and secret lovers, and of course more intimate scenes hidden away from sight. Between a pair of privacy screens, a tall grey wolf emerged from the main open area. All wore pleasant and very telling smiles. Partially obstructed by privacy screens, the second space was smaller and also where brothel workers took breaks or prepared to satisfy others. It connected to more private rooms as well. The mottled grey furred canine was walking between a nude corsac vixen with only a silken veil in hand, and a barely clothed male jackal. They led the wealthy wolf through a curtained entrance and into a more private room. Raina, the fennec looked on with envy at their situation. The naked vixen wiggled her nose.

"Hmm..." Ansu, her sand cat friend, was naked as well but grooming her fluffier fur with an elegantly carved comb. Her nicely rounded breasts were enticing to see but so was everything about her feline figure. Raina's attention turned to a human figure sitting in a chair within arm's reach. Joseph was busily looking over something. All around them were other ladies and a few males who were dressing, undressing, or waiting to go out and entertain.

"What exactly are you doing again?" Raina leaned over him so that her breasts were in his face. Joseph looked up.

"Well..." He blinked and reached up, but stopped just shy of touching the fennec.

"Ah, do not feel shy about touching me." She smiled and placed a hand on the chair, just above the human's shoulder. Joseph eyed her suspiciously but touched the soft furry breast and moved it away from almost hitting his face. Raina wiggled her nose and sat up a little more.

"If you're curious, it's about how many merchants you've seen coming and going from here since the past twenty or so days."

"Why would you need to know something like that?" She asked.

"It relates to other things I am keeping track of." Joseph thought of the Emir's newly lowered taxes. "If they have extra money then I believe they'll come here more often." Joseph explained. "Do you know how many new merchants or other people have you seen recently?"

"No." Her bushy tail swished impatiently with something else in mind. An empty room just a few steps away seemed to beckon to her. "We have this room to ourselves. Ansu can join us or watch if you like." She brought his hand to her chest.

"Sorry Raina, but I'm not getting carried away here." He patted one of her breasts before nudging the naked fennec back. She cutely frowned.

"Don't make me beg Joseph." Raina placed a hand on his leg. "I'm not the one who is supposed to beg." Her sand cat friend chuckled.

"He's resisting every charm you place on him." Ansu smiled. The fennec's tail swished again.

"Humph." She frowned.

"Now, how many new merchants have you seen here recently?"

"We always see plenty of merchants here, but not enough of you." Raina cooed.

"Have you seen any new merchants?" Joseph looked over at Ansu much to the fennec's annoyance.

"I don't know." The sand cat shrugged. "People come and go, but I don't think there have been more recently."

"Hmm... Maybe it will take longer." Joseph thought aloud. "Thanks."

"There. You have your answer. Now let's have some fun." Raina was quick to return to a more intimate subject.

"Fun?" Joseph swallowed and looked around the not so private dressing area. A different pair emerged from between the set of privacy screens. This time it was an olive skinned woman with long dark hair alongside a golden jackal. Her jewelry twinkled at the slightest hint of light. The male's clothes were already half undone. His hand was rubbing through the curly hair covering her sex. His maw was cracked ajar, lightly panting with excitement.

"Are you two going to use this room?" The female human asked. Raina glanced at Joseph before sighing.

"No. Go ahead." Her large ears fell back some. Joseph returned to a small piece of paper in his hand.

"You're always interested in merchants, goods, and money." Ansu looked at the human. "Do you work for a merchant in the underground?"

"In the underground?" He had never heard that phrase before. "What do you mean by that?"

"I guess you don't." The feline figured out. "I mean: do you work for a merchant who is selling something that you not want the authorities to know about?"

"Oh. No I'm not. Is that common around here?" He asked. The feline and fennec couldn't help themselves from chuckling at his naivety.

"Brothels are common places for merchants to do business, whether legal or illegal." The feline informed him.

"Like what kinds of things are considered illegal?"

"Velvet is a big one, because it is taxed differently than most goods."

"Oh. That makes sense."

"Do you work for the customs enforcement?" Ansu quietly asked.

"No. I definitely do not." Joseph noticed that he received a few looks from brothel workers and patrons alike within the dressing area. The soft passionate cries from the nearby private rooms made their heads briefly turn. Raina's ears fell back in dismay.

"Why do you come to the brothel if you don't want to be with me?" The fennec whined.

"What? I mean it's not like that." Joseph held up his hands.

"Yes it is! I want to spend some time with you in private." The fennec was practically begging at his side. "We can spend the evening at my house. It's a lot nicer than here."

"I don't know..." Joseph thought about Chiba at his house, expecting him back before night fall. "You're not even dressed." He pointed out. Raina seized at his hesitation.

"Oh, don't fret. It's away from all this noise and I can find my clothes." Raina retrieved her clothes on a nearby rack and began dressing herself. "We don't have to do anything." She spoke even when her head briefly disappeared behind her own clothes. "We'll be somewhere quieter and private." The fennec eagerly swished her tail as she quickly smoothed over her fur and tidied herself.

"I've never seen you with clothes on before." He remarked.

"How do you like it?" She twirled around once. "Not as tempting, I'm sure."

"No. But just as beautiful." Joseph made her muzzle curl into a strong grin.

"Don't worry. I don't keep them on for long." She took the human's hand and led him to the doorway.

"You two have fun." Ansu grinned slyly as they disappeared. Once outside, Joseph was quickly led by the fennec lady down the busy street.

"Careful! Slow down!" The human had to weave through several people and pack animals just to stay close to the brothel lady's side. The odd sights and sounds of the vast urban setting always had the human's attention. The lumbering camels with howdahs on their backs, busy shopkeepers, and the occasional palanquin being carried by several servants created plenty of noise on their own. The human always wondered who the concealed people were as well as the servants who literally carried their masters. But it wasn't just the people catching his attention.

"Hey Rania. What building is that?" Joseph looked at a wide arched entrance of a two story building where two females were seated under the shade of large awnings. One was keeping watch while the other played with a little infant sand cat.

"That is a nurse's house." She explained without batting an eye. "Females who help deliver newborns or nurse for busy and wealthy mothers reside there."

'Like the one Sahabah went to...' Joseph realized.

"I thought about becoming one, but I never liked the screaming of a mother delivering her newborn and the mess to clean up."

"That's probably a tough scene for most."

"It's not for me." Her tail swished. "I like making people happy." The corner of her mouth grinned keenly. "And I like having fun while doing it." The sound of her voice lowered suggestively. Taking another turn, they left the wider streets. Houses and other small buildings were close together. It was a cramped neighborhood like the many narrow streets within the city. Raina stopped at a particular house with plain walls.

"Is this where you live?" Joseph looked around. Several clotheslines intersected across the street from window to window, or roof to roof. The squeals of little kids weren't infrequent and the noise of busier streets was like a constant mumble. It wasn't a slum by any means, but the area was tightly packed compared to where he lived.

"Yes. Please come in." She opened the door for him.

"Thank you." He stepped inside a small three roomed house. The living room for visiting was wide and somewhat spacious. A small kitchen and bedroom were visible through open doorways. "So this is your home?" He guessed.

"Yes." She closed the door behind them. "I'm not in the best neighborhood, but it's a nice house." The fennec certainly wasn't poor from what she owned. A little table no higher than half a meter tall rested in the center of the main room. He had a feeling that her duties at the brothel paid well enough. Several cushions meant for sitting on the floor were piled beside it. Within arms reach was a lounging couch like the one Bashira laid on, but much simpler in design. A small dresser with a little mirror was beside the bedroom's entrance. Jewelry, sashes, and revealing clothes were all over the little piece of furniture. The glint of metal caught his eye.

"What are these?" He held up a little shiny chain where the end wrapped around a little red gem. There was an identical one too. The fennec picked it from his hand.

"They go here." She smiled and placed the jewelry to her breast.

"You must be a Harsusi." He guessed. The vixen nodded with a grin.

"You're pretty smart for someone from across the southern deserts."

"I have a good teacher, but I learned what I could."

"Then I'm sure you know how the tale goes." She loosened her clothes.

"Yeah... I do." He glanced over his shoulder and noticed an old privacy screen of wood was blocking the only window in the house. The fennec before him had plans in mind.

"We're alone. No one will see or bother us." She giggled and shook her upper body. The loose robe gracefully fell open, revealing her well endowed chest to him. Joseph had seen the fennec's breasts many times, but never in such an intimate setting like her house. Another shake settled the garment around her ankles, and her full body was on display for him.

"You're very direct." He shyly grinned.

"I prefer to think open and honest." She winked and leaned forward on him. Her hands adroitly went to work and disrobed him. The human hardly wanted to stop her lusty advances. Joseph's eyes were glued to her seductive body as his garments pooled onto the floor. Raina licked her lips when his privates came into view. "Not impressed yet, are we?" She crooned and cupped his genitals. The warmth of her hand helped arouse him to action.

"Ahhh. Raina." He held the fennec's shoulders. Part of Joseph wanted to leave, but the fennec was very pretty and there was a lovely charm about her seductive nature. He softly moaned as the soft fur and warm pads expertly caressed him.

"You're not going to leave me for a third time are you?" She stopped stroking him. Joseph exhaled and blinked, partially regaining his composure. Looking down, the sweet smile on the vixen's muzzle promised of much better things yet to come. His legs tensed feeling her nose breath on his erect member, pointing directly at her.

"Eh... No." Joseph decided not to leave. The fennec was quick to rise on her paws, letting her furry body sensually touch his skin.

"Good. Let's get comfy." Raina nudged him to the lounging couch. Joseph closed his drying mouth and nodded. "Lay down." She whispered. He quickly complied and the fennec hovered over him on all fours. Downy fur brushed against his length, but a warm more desirable heat kissed his glans. Joseph's hands rested on her sides, hoping to coax her down. He was more than ready for her to take a seat, but her hips remained in the air wanting to play first.

"I have waited to be with you far too long." She leaned over him and let her breasts dangle like low hanging fruit to catch his eyes. He rubbed the soft cream fur mammaries generously much to the fennec's satisfaction. She hummed and rubbed her sex over his member as he played her senses like a sitar.

"Ahh, Joseph." She heatedly sighed before sitting up again.

"Ready?" He looked up at her eagerly.

"I'll take the lead." She winked and craned her head closer again to whisper into his ear. "But don't think that you can just lay back. You need to play with me." She licked his cheek making his body shudder.

Joseph woke up staring at a ceiling he had never seen before. The late morning sunlight filled the room aglow with a soft golden touch. The entryway to the main room was merely two or here steps away from the bed. He was in a bed, but clearly not alone. His eyes glanced down at sandy colored head fur and a pair of large ears. A figure was sleeping on top of him.

"What a night." He murmured to himself. The fresh memories felt surreal like a dream, but knowing it had all happened made them even more savory. Joseph touched one of the large ears causing it to flick. The human grinned and began rubbing her sides instead. Long deep strokes from her shoulders down to her hips and rear.

"Mm..." He received a sleepy, but pleasant reply. The fennec atop him shifted and awoke with a yawn. A padded hand flexed and rubbed his skin. The leathery sensation felt divine. Raina's head turned to see him. A pair of pretty eyes blinked awake and settled on him. "You're a lot gentler than anyone at the brothel." Raina nuzzled his shoulder and cheek, bringing a smile to his face. "You treat a lady just right... It was fun."

"That's how you should be treated." He chuckled and rubbed her back with one hand while another felt over her firm rump. The fennec's luscious dusty brown fur was just as soft as her white front. "But it was a lot of fun."

"Mm. Wild fun." Raina giggled softly and propped up onto her elbows.

"I had a good time too." His hand gently fondled her breast, rubbing the firm flesh in the center. The fennec churred and arched her back into his touch as he nuzzled her shoulder.

"Stop." She blushed and sat up, but did not stop him. "We'll never get up at this rate."

"You're right." His hands trailed down her soft furry sides. Raina slowly got off him and stood up beside the bed. Joseph was just as slow to sit up. "Ugh." The human felt a tug over most of his muscles, especially closer to his waist.

"You sore too?" She looked over with a knowing grin.

"Yeah, you can definitely say that." He nodded.

"I get used to it." Raina slowly stretched one leg out at a time. "It's nothing new for me."

"Where are my clothes?" Joseph managed to find an outer robe strewn on the floor.

"They might be everywhere." The fennec chuckled and didn't mind bending over for him to pick up the outer robe. He gladly accepted the robe and joined her search that led into the main room. The muffled noises of neighbors outside reminded Joseph how tightly packed the neighborhood was while they collected his clothes. He was quick to dress in case someone accidentally intruded. "Is that everything?" Raina remained naked alongside him.

"I think so. Thank you." He smoothed out everything before happily tying his sash tightly.

"Please visit the brothel again Joseph." The naked vixen stretched her arms up and rested them behind her head. She lightly shook her chest for him. His eyes widened and a soft blush formed on his cheeks. "Out of seven days I work six... You know where else to find me." Her grin spoke of many promises yet to be fulfilled.

"I guess I can visit again." He said. The naked fennec vixen delicately wrapped her arms around him. Joseph couldn't help himself and drew her into an embrace. Her body felt so warm to touch and delightfully soft. The fennec nuzzled him.

"I'll always have time to be with you, and I'll never charge you." Raina winked and licked his cheek. Joseph felt himself blush a shade of red.

"I will remember that." The human finally extricated himself from her arms and left her home in high spirits. 'Oh, wow.' His thoughts buzzed about the previous evening and night. His walk down the streets was spent savoring every delightful and passionate moment that nearly resembled a dreamlike fantasy. Not even shouting parents, squealing children. or the shattering of a pot could shake his daydreaming. It was already high noon as he reached his house.

'We slept in late...' He thought to himself and opened the door. But when Joseph stepped back inside his home the mood suddenly changed. He felt different. All the joy and satisfaction from earlier drained away, leaving the human empty. Another nervous feeling overcame him.

'Guilt?' His brow furrowed at the realization. 'But why?'

"Ahem." A female voice caught his attention.

"Ah! Hey Chiba." A startled Joseph greeted the feline. The white robe wearing lioness was standing firmly before him. Hands were on her hips and her feline face looked very displeased.

"Where did you end up last night?" Chiba sternly asked.

"Eh. Somewhere."

"Somewhere?" Her brow arched.

"You're not my property anymore. You can do as you please." He tried stepping around her, but the lioness blocked him.

"If there's a problem, I need to know where you are. I was worried that something had happened to you." She sternly spoke. Joseph looked away guiltily.

"Uh. I ended up at this... fennec vixen's house." He fidgeted.

"A fennec vixen? Who is she?"

"One of the workers at the brothel I visit." He looked at the ground. An odd feeling of shame filled him. The lioness huffed indifferently.

"Just be careful when you think with your balls instead of your mind." She cooly answered and stepped back into the main room. Joseph breathed a sigh of relief as she let him off the hook. "Don't put your trust into someone from a brothel. They'll likely steal from you."

"Now I know if that was true, then no one would bother going to that place. Both would be without the other's services." Chiba rolled her eyes.

"You and that economic stuff." She huffed and turned away. "At least I don't have to listen to it in my sleep." She started walking back into the main room.

"I can't believe you're wearing clothes." Joseph realized. The lioness stopped and looked over her shoulder at him.

"Well, I am." She firmly stated before walking away. The human took a deep breath and stared off at the closest wall. An odd sense of relief that Chiba hadn't been angrier only confused him.

'I need to clear my head...' He shrugged.

***

The rest of the day was calm and well mannered, the opposite of last night. Joseph quietly read over a scroll and Chiba went out to the market for some fish to cook. When darkness began to settle over the city, both retired to the bedroom for the night. There was only one bed in the bedroom that Joseph slept on, but there was a mat with necessities for Chiba to comfortably sleep on. She never complained or seemed to care about their sleeping arrangements.

"Thanks again for cooking the fish." Joseph said.

"Mhm. I'm glad I didn't char most of it this time." She plainly replied. Chiba stripped off her robe and undershirt, and prepared for bed. The lioness always slept in the nude as she preferred regardless of Joseph's presence. The feline laid down and pulled a sheet over herself. Joseph mostly undressed before laying down in the bed. He stared at the dark ceiling for what seemed like an hour. Looking over, he could tell that Chiba wasn't asleep yet either.

"Chiba?" His voice was quiet.

"What?" She answered.

"I think I feel guilty about sleeping with Raina." He spoke up.

"Who?" She arched a brow at him.

"The fennec vixen from the brothel."

"Why do you feel guilty? Plenty of men do something like that, and half of them are probably married. You're not even married."

"I know, but I have you here with me."

"So?" The lioness looked at him in confusion.

"It doesn't seem right." He wasn't content with what happened.

"I can't understand you..." Chiba mumbled. After a moment's thinking, the human came up with an unusual idea.

"I want to spend the whole day with you tomorrow." He firmly said, throwing the lioness for a loop.

"Now I know that being part of the Emir's Safaviyya has gotten to your head." The lioness rolled over and went to sleep. Joseph tried doing the same but found sleep much more elusive. His eyes opened and stared at the dark ceiling above. A question nagged at his conscience. He looked over at the outline of the lioness sleeping across the room from him.

"Chiba?"

"What?" Her voice spoke through the darkness.

"Were you... Were you really worried about me?" He asked. The lioness didn't say anything at first.

"Go to sleep." She bluntly told him and rolled over.

"Goodnight."

The promise Joseph had decided to make was still very fresh in his mind after a good night's rest at home.

'Okay...' The human rubbed his eyes awake. Rolling over, he found that the lioness was still in their room. Chiba was sitting up, still nude as she typically was in the early morning hours. The gentle swell of her white furred breasts were contrasted by the brown flesh atop each. A white sheet was strewn across her lap though. A lazy yawn revealed four menacing canine teeth, and numerous others.

"Morning." She mumbled and stretched her arms into the air with feline grace.

"Good morning." Joseph slipped out of bed and dressed. "Are you ready?" He asked.

"What? Oh. You're still going to spend today with me?" She guessed.

"Sure. Get dressed and we can go." Joseph left the bedroom to give the lioness a little privacy. Waiting in the main room, he was left with one little problem. 'What does Chiba like to do?' The question puzzled the human. 'What would Chiba want to do?' He wondered next. The lioness never spoke much about her personal life, or likes and dislikes. Chiba emerged from the bedroom after a few minutes. The lioness was dressed in a pretty set of white robes and colorful underclothes that fit in well with the city style, but also her Kakuyid custom of underdressing.

"You look nice." Joseph mentioned. Her short ears splayed out at the compliment.

"So, what did you want to do?" She asked.

"What do you normally like to do when I am gone?" He turned the question back to her.

"It depends..." The lioness looked away in thought and scratched behind an ear.

"Sometimes I stay here, cook, take a bath, and relax. Other days I walk around for the morning or visit some of the markets. A few times I just stay home to nap or bathe."

"Huh. Well... When you go around the city, where do you like to go?"

"Anywhere I guess." Chiba shrugged. "I went to a blacksmith and weapon's shop the other day to look at what they had." She mentioned. The thought of Chiba being armed made Joseph worry. "They had plenty of basic weapons and armor, but nothing fancy or elaborate."

"Anywhere else?"

"I also went to a place where you can have your fur groomed."

"How did that go?"

"Eh. I'm not fond of strangers touching me." Her ear flicked a gnat buzzing around her.

"Ok... Hm... How about a bathhouse?"

"No."

"Maybe we could go to a place where someone can cook for us... Or we can take a walk through a public garden." The human tried thinking of several different things she might enjoy doing.

"Hmm..." The feline thought for a moment. Her sturdy tail rested calmly. "Let's just walk." She suggested.

"Alright. Sounds good." He agreed and they exited the house. The early morning sunlight was nothing new to either of them as they walked beneath the tall palm outside their house. The ground was still cool from the night, but the sun was quick to warm anything not shaded. The typical noise from the busier sections of the city were distant and muffled as they walked up the street. Joseph liked where they lived. In the richer neighborhoods very close to the Emir's fortified palace, the level of noise was usually low. Few people were already on the street to begin with as the human and feline pair walked. Peeking from the corner of his eye, Joseph could see Chiba's unwavering plain expression.

'I have no idea what she is thinking.' The human thought to himself. The stoic lioness was impossible to read as always, and she was never chatty about anything in particular.

"I never have a lot of time to talk or ask this, but do you like the city?" Joseph wondered.

"It's... different." The lioness gradually spoke. "I think I like it."

"And you're still comfortable living with me?"

"It's better than having no home to sleep in." She replied.

'I will take that as a compliment.' Joseph thought to himself.

"Do you mind that I am still living with you?" Chiba looked over at him.

"No, not at all." He quickly spoke. "I'm glad that you at home to keep things in order, not to mention cooking and cleaning, and thank you for looking out for me. I appreciate all of the help you've given me. I am just as new as you are in this city. Plus, socializing with several kinds of people in a single day isn't something that comes naturally to me."

"You definitely needed some help with learning about the city and tribal groups." Chiba clearly remembered how they read through documents for several days on end. "And we risked everything for you to become one of the Safaviyya."

"It worked out." Joseph grinned contently. "And you get to steal my money to buy things." He added.

"I only bought a few clothes." She frowned at the human.

"It's fine! It's fine!" He laughed and motioned innocently with his hands. "We have enough money to live off, and I like the clothes you buy."

"You do?" She arched her brow.

"Yeah. You look nice the way you dress yourself." Joseph briefly glanced over the feline. Her round ears moved at his compliment.

"Thanks." She managed to say. They stopped at a street corner that led directly to the coast. The sea's blue waters were visible from afar, lightly sparkling in the sunlight.

"Beach?" Joseph nodded his head to the side.

"Sure." The lioness agreed and they walked through the alleyway. A few seagulls were visible along the edge of the closest rooftop. They were waiting patiently for fisherman to set out and make a catch. The cobblestone street transitioned into sand as they emerged onto the sandy shore. A little wind ruffled the human's hair and clothes as they heard the soft crashing of waves.

"The breeze is nice." He grinned. Chiba nodded and seemed to enjoy the wind ruffling her clothes too. All of the boats and vessels in the gentle waters lightly bobbed to the rhythm of the sea. 'The customs port is quiet.' Joseph could see the section of docks in the harbor further away that he helped oversee. In a short while they would likely be bustling with activity. The air would be filled with arguing and shouting not even matched by the cries of seagulls and the slapping of rough waters. The human's eyes dropped to the sand as a little crab darted for its burrow in the sand. Looking over a shoulder, he spotted Chiba standing back a few steps. The lioness dressed in her white outer robe looked contemplatively at the ground. She dug a paw in the sand for a moment, creating a little hole.

"I bet this is the longest time since you've stepped on sand again." Joseph walked along the top of the shore beside the houses.

"I have come here a few times since you joined the Emir's council." She admitted and resumed walking alongside him.

"Oh. I didn't know you came here often."

"I usually watch the waves or look around and think about things." She wistfully spoke. "I think about my home a lot."

"What was it like growing up in Sham?"

"Normal to me." She shrugged. "Just a hot dry desert in a small nomadic community."

"Sounds like anywhere in the south."

"Of course a Kakuyid village isn't exactly the same, but as kids we played typical games like play fighting and wrestling. Wrestling is very popular and encouraged at a young age."

"I have a feeling you were very good at it." He noted her physique.

"Not really." She trailed a paw in the sand. "I was ok, but I never cared much for wrestling. I preferred camel riding and cooking. I love the smell of food being made."

"So that's why you offered to cook for me." Joseph realized.

"I wanted to be like my mother. She always cooked and tended to our little home with great care. I am not very good at either, but I like cooking and maintaining a house."

'Your cooking can scare me sometimes.' Joseph kept to himself. "I'm thankful that you enjoy doing both." Chiba nodded with a quiet hum. "Did you have any other close family members beside your mom? Did you have any brothers or sisters?"

"I did not have any siblings. My mother and father cared deeply about me since I was their only child. They were good people in my community. Having extramarital affairs is common among Kakuyids, but neither were unfaithful to each other."

"You had a good family."

"I did." The lioness nodded. "But one day, when I was still young, my mother disappeared when our band was moving to another encampment. A few days later she was discovered dead in the desert."

"I'm sorry." Joseph placed a hand on her arm. She didn't shrug off his compassionate hand.

"I helped my dad take care of our belongings after that. He was a camel herder in the southern part of Sham, so I was used to traveling already."

"Were you going to take over what he did later in life?"

"I never thought too much about it, but by the time I became a young adult it was already happening." She shrugged.

"You mentioned wrestling before. Don't Kakuyid lionesses fight as soldiers? You could've done that." Joseph easily saw Chiba as a warrior compared to a motherly figure taking care of a household.

"We play fight as kids and practice archery and sparring for fun. Basically it is fighting for home against bandits, not for war." She explained. "Either way I stayed with my dad. Then came the day Bulus's eldest son visited our nomadic band..." She sighed. "He spent a few days looking around for someone to marry, and unfortunately he chose me."

"There wasn't a way for you to refuse?" Joseph asked.

"Normally, if it had been anyone else, I could've refused. But he was insistent and forced my father to accept a dowry for me. I'm pretty sure they could've had my father killed if he continued to refuse, so he couldn't do anything to save me. I have no idea what became of my father after I was taken to be married. I'm sure he didn't take it well, but wasn't able to raise a hand against it. He has no more living family members." It was a visibly tough fact for the lioness to dwell upon. Without any hope of reuniting, Chiba ended up in a large city. The lioness was separated from everything and everyone she grew up with, and was utterly alone.

"What about you?" She asked in turn. "Where did you grow up, and what led you to Kefir?"

"Well, I am from Fez so I knew of the small town bordering the deserts. I grew up in a little village of mud brick houses where maybe a dozen or so travelers carrying salt or gold would pass through each year. I didn't have any siblings, and I don't remember much about my dad. I know he was a human, but they are only faint memories. He died when I was very young. My mother was a coyote though. She worked hard to raise me by herself, but I was barely an adolescent when she became very ill and died." Chiba's ears fell back briefly. "After that I was all alone at home and had no idea what to do. I was scared. I was even afraid of meeting new people because I figured out that most people weren't like my mother. If you live in Fez, then you have to be shrewd. That is when I stayed with and worked for an uncle for roughly two years. He was a blacksmith, but never wanted to teach me anything valuable. He saw me as a young person who would become his lifetime assistant, and treated me as such. I never liked working near a furnace that was hotter than the desert anyway."

"Hmm." Chiba half grinned in amusement.

"Then I went on my own." He remembered the initial tough years. "I wandered along small towns doing any work I could for pay or for food. I saved as much as I could because I wanted to reach the coast. I had always heard stories from travelers about oasis towns and the great cities along the coast. It still feels like I am living a dream, and I might wake up one morning in a tiny dusty room of an abandoned house."

"Speaking of abandoned houses." Chiba pointed a short distance ahead where stone walls and other ruins extended out towards the water.

"I got carried away talking that much." Joseph looked back and could barely see the closest docks. "We can go back to the streets from here."

"Sure." She followed him through another alleyway that transitioned from sand to cobblestone. Venturing back onto a street, they unknowingly passed close to a fish market. "Ugh. That's a strong smell." Joseph stepped aside.

"We're next to a fish market." Chiba covered her nose. Fish heads and other remains were being swept away into buckets to be disposed of by completely hooded figures. Only their eyes were visible through the dark clothes. Joseph and Chiba quickly left and crossed the street.

"Phew. Fresher air is nice." Joseph exhaled happily as they turned a corner.

"Careful." A strong arm held the human back.

"Huh?" He blinked as a camel mounted with a howdah slowly passed by. A jackal wearing fine clothes was lounging back while a young son was eagerly sitting forward. Behind the camel half a dozen plainly dressed servants were following them in step.

"I wonder how rich he is." Chiba quietly spoke.

"More than you and me." Joseph shrugged and continued along the street. They passed by an old sand cat unloading hay by a home's entrance.

"Hmm hmm! Like rose petals, your fragrance is alluring... I want to rest my head on your shoulder... and be close to you!" Above a red and white striped awning on the second story, a female caracal was happily singing while shaking a sheet outside the window. At the end of the street a group of four individuals in a close circle were talking quietly amongst themselves. They wore long robes that concealed as much as their whispering.

'The underground...' The human briefly thought about what Ansu, the brothel feline, told him about illegally exchanging certain goods within the city. Although they could've been talking about anything from an upcoming marriage, news from a distant town, or telling stories. Joseph and Chiba walked by the group without any hesitation as eyes watched them. Emerging from the street, they found themselves close to a market of foodstuffs being sold. The area was busy and noisy as usual, but the smell of freshly cooked food enticed them to have a closer look.

Sellers were dressed plainly, but those wishing to stand out more in terms of wealth wore open robes of style with tunics and simpler clothes underneath. Steam and smoke from fires and cookwares wafted towards the sky.

"Do you want something to eat?" Joseph asked. "We didn't eat this morning." The emptiness in his stomach suddenly became apparent.

"Sure. I'm hungry too." The lioness peered around the different cooks. Although with so many choices, all they had to do was decide with their noses. At first, the spiciness of a curry being brewed by a pudgy rat lady caught Joseph's attention, but another vendor had something even more tantalizing. Stepping closer through the moving crowd, flattened circular cakes were the main food he sold along with a dark colored drink. Several others had bought some and were eating them by hand.

"Yes sir, do you want anything?" A jackal kindly gestured to his dwindling array of food. A female jackal was cooking more behind him.

"What are these?" Joseph pointed at the soft food.

"They are pancakes. They're very soft and filling."

'They look good.' The human thought. Beside him, Chiba looked equally interested. "How much?"

"Three copper coins for two pancakes and jallab." He offered.

"What's jallab?" Joseph whispered to Chiba. The lioness shrugged. "Okay. Deal." He paid the serval and grabbed two nice sized pancakes along with a little tin cup of the jallab.

"Don't dip too much. It is very sweet." The jackal told them before attending to another hungry customer. They sat down on a nearby stoop under the shade of a building to eat.

"The pancake is good." Joseph took a bite of the warm fluffy food. The lioness beside him agreed with a full mouth. He peered at the mysterious contents of the tin cup. Dipping an end inside, a deep purplish color coated the golden cake. "Mm!" Joseph closed his eyes briefly as he took a bite. "It is sweet. Try it." He offered the cup to Chiba.

"You're right." Chiba blinked before dipping her pancake into the tin cup a second time. The lioness and human ate their pancakes while watching the marketplace before them. A bowyer was seated in the sand beneath a tall archway. His clothes were meager and he wore a cloth headband around his forehead. He was testing the strength of an unstrung bow out of many by his side.

"Get back here!" A corsac vixen called to a young ocelot and fox playing around the nearby jackal selling pancakes and jallab. Others were happily eating what they had bought from their respective stalls.

"Is it weird if I could spend the day just watching all of the people coming and going from this market?" Joseph asked Chiba.

"Yes, but that wouldn't surprise me." She watched alongside him.

"Not to push this again, but... uh. So you're staying with me?" He looked over at Chiba.

"You're not going to visit your brothel vixen are you?" She asked with a stern look.

"Huh? No." Joseph frowned at the thought. "We had fun, but she just wants to have fun..." The lioness gave him a peculiar look.

"I was joking." She grinned.

'It didn't feel like a joke...' He thought to himself about his guilt from the previous day. "But you're staying with me, right?"

"Yes." She calmly answered. "I'll stay with you."

"Great!" Joseph felt happy that she wanted to stay. "I'm glad that you'll stay." He said more measuredly.

"I have nowhere else to go."

"You know I would help you afford something." Joseph offered, but the lioness didn't seem to fond of that idea and looked away. Her golden eyes trailed down to the ground.

"I think sand is still in my fur. I haven't felt that in a while." She mused.

"Yeah, I don't miss that."

"You're lucky that you don't have fur for sand to stick to." Chiba reached down and tried wiping it off her legs.

"Do you need to go to the bathhouse near here? It's close to our house and I think it's well run."

"No thanks. I don't want to go to one." She declined and stood up. "I'd rather go home now."

"Sure." Joseph walked with her back to their house. It was a short walk through the increasingly busy streets back to their quieter neighborhood. Once inside Chiba began disrobing, not even waiting to step into a more private room. "You just made it back inside and you're disrobing?" He joked and quickly shut the front door for good measure.

"So? I'm inside." She didn't care and walked into the main room. Joseph had become accustomed to her tribal lifestyle to some extent, but he found it difficult to look away from the naked lioness regardless.

'I should have guessed that she would say that...' The human followed at a distance. He watched her crouch down by the bath. The rushing sound of water quietly began. "What are you doing?" Joseph asked.

"I'm drawing a bath." The lioness stood back up with her robe in an arm. "Do you want to join me?"

"Uh. A bath?" He paused.

"Yes, a bath. Yes or no?" She looked over her shoulder and asked. Joseph hesitated. What she found commonplace was personal and private to him. "Tell me so I know whether to wait for you or not." She placed a hand on her hip.

"I thought you didn't want one... we passed the bathhouse earlier."

"I don't like bathhouses. I went to one a few days ago, and they're too public and noisy." She told him. "Besides, watching other people having their bodies rubbed, and workers pulling out shed fur and trimmed claws from the corners of a pool isn't what I want to see." Her explanation seemed right by her aloof nature. "Now, are you going to take one too?" She asked again.

"Well, I guess so." Joseph decided and left for another room. He returned with a towel wrapped around his waist. Chiba was already huddled over the pool as it filled with water.

"Almost ready." She told him.

"Is bathing together a Kakuyid thing?"

"What?" The lioness gave him a peculiar look. "A lot of people bathe together. There are plenty of bathhouses in the city."

"No. I mean like this."

"There is a Kakuyid saying that it is good to bathe in small company." She mentioned before glancing down at the water.

"But we are not in the desert-"

"The water is ready." Chiba motioned for him to get in. Joseph turned away and reluctantly set his towel aside. It was a small circular bathing pool, but larger than the one in their former temporary home.

"It's a small pool." Joseph dipped in and gradually settled in the refreshingly cool water. "Is there enough room?" He stretched his legs out only to easily reach the other end.

"There is plenty of room." Chiba mumbled and stepped in beside him. The lioness partially sank down to her chest, and propped up her arms. A relaxed sigh escaped her lips as she stretched her legs out. Joseph clearly felt her legs resting over his own, but she didn't seem to care in the slightest. Her lifestyle was openly bare and free compared to others, albeit completely opposite compared to her personality. They took a moment to enjoy the cool water and relax.

"So... Did you think today went well?"

"Mmm. Yes." Chiba closed her eyes and hummed. "I enjoyed it."

"That's good." Joseph quietly nodded and decided to soak in the water for a while like Chiba. 'It is nice and cool.' He liked lounging in the water with her. After a short few minutes her eyes opened up once again as she began washing her arms. Joseph followed suit. The only noise between them was the trickling and light swirling of water.

"Get my back please." The water rippled as Chiba started to shift.

"Ok-Hey! Careful." Joseph didn't have much room for her to shift around suddenly.

"There is not a lot of room for me either." The lioness ended up between his legs, but with her back facing him. "Unless you would rather sit on the ledge."

"Eh. No thanks." Joseph didn't want to expose himself like she did. He poured water down her back and rubbed through her fur. The feline's muscular build felt stronger than she looked.

"Thank you." Chiba quietly spoke.

"You're welcome." He continued rubbing her strong back. A calm silence passed between them where only the light splashes of water and contact of skin and fur were heard. Even though she was wet, her fur felt soft and sleek.

'Huh?' His hands could feel a soft vibrating of a purr from deep within her. Joseph didn't know what to make of it, but he continued washing her. After finishing her back he ventured out and cleaned her shoulders, upper arms, and sides. The feline didn't mind in the slightest.

"There. You should be done."

"Alright. I'll get yours." She turned around.

"I can get my own back." He quickly spoke and drew his legs up. His muscles tensed at how close they were in the little bathing pool.

"Hah! Like you could." The lioness challenged with a half grin. Joseph accepted her offer quietly and turned his back to her. "I can't reach you over there." A pair of hands pulled his shoulders back some. Her knees rose out of the water by his sides

"Okay. Easy." He spoke. The lioness lightly huffed indifferently. The human felt water pour down his back before a strong pair of padded hands touched him. He blinked feeling how warm her pads were as she rubbed his skin. They were leathery and always applied the perfect amount of pressure. She was firm, yet so gentle for being a fierce lioness.

"My claws aren't sharp, are they?" She asked.

"Mmm... No." He couldn't feel anything sharp touching his skin. The human never had anyone help wash his back that he could remember, but it felt so soothing. He felt his body becoming more limber and relaxed as she bathed him. Joseph held onto her knees to sit up, but felt himself leaning back more and more. He couldn't tell if the wetness against his back was her hands anymore, or her front. Were two taut buds of flesh pressing against his shoulder blades? Did she start washing his sides and front? Was her chin resting on his head, and why did he feel so warm all over? A gentle wet slap stirred the human awake.

"Huh?! What?" He blinked and sat up straight. Water sloshed as Chiba moved around him. Her knees disappeared below the water.

"You were falling asleep on me or ready to pass out." She explained. The human stared blankly ahead as the lioness stood up. Water trickled into the bath and on his head. "Are you alright?" Her feline head peered over at the corner of his vision.

"Yeah! I'm fine." He quickly wiped over his eyes reassuringly.

"Ok... You're clean now." She climbed out of the bath.

"Was I imagining that?" He mumbled and ruffled his wet hair.

"What did you say?" Chiba asked.

"Uh. Nothing." He shook his head. "Thank you for getting my back."

"Mmhm." She handed him a towel before fetching one for herself. Joseph climbed out of the bath as it drained and dried off alongside Chiba. His skin was much easier and faster to dry than fur.

"Need any help?" He noticed that her fur stayed wet longer than his skin.

"Sure. Get my back please." Chiba turned way from him. Joseph used his towel to dry her backside, but her tail batted him away when her fur became too spiky. "I'll lay back and finish drying in the sun." Chiba told him.

"Okay." He gathered her wet towel and hung it over a privacy screen to dry out. "What about your clothes?"

"Leave them." The lioness stretched and laid out in the warm sunbeam to finish drying herself. Joseph held onto his towel and went to the bedroom, but he stopped. He looked over and watched her from the room's entrance. Chiba was stretched out as if she was asleep. Both arms were stretched above her head and one leg was tucked slightly inward. Completely relaxed, her white tummy slowly rose and fell. The sunlight made the rest of her fur appear golden. Her body was a sensual sight to see, even when her fur was damp and disheveled. He didn't feel the same way about Raina, anyone else at the brothel, Bashira, Sahabah, Begum, or any lady in Fez.

'What am I doing?' Joseph asked himself but couldn't steer his gaze from the lounging lioness.

"Are you watching me?" A voice snapped him from his prolonged stare.

"Uh..." Joseph blinked and saw her golden eyes staring right at him. He swallowed nervously without an answer before quickly retreating into their bedroom. The quiet space seemed to help common sense return to his senses. 'Why did I just do that?' He scolded himself for staring at her and then ducking away. The human wiped a hand over his face and turned back around. Hanging the towel up to dry, he searched for something to wear. As soon as he finished putting on a light robe, he could hear nearly silent steps padding towards him. Chiba was standing in the entryway, still completely naked, but holding her clothes in hand. For a brief moment neither said anything and only stared at the other. Joseph managed to blink when she took a step into the room.

"All dried off?" He mentioned as she walked past him.

"Yes." The lioness folded her clothes and put them away. "Ah, today was a nice day." She sat on the edge of the bed and smiled. Joseph couldn't help but look at her since she was so close to him. Her fur looked very soft and clean from the bath.

"I don't think I've seen you smile so much in one day." He joked. The feline eyed him before looking away.

"Thank you for doing all of this... for me."

"Sure. You're welcome." Joseph sat down beside her. "Would you like to do this again sometime?" He asked.

"What? You plan on spending more days like this with me?" Her ears rose up in surprise.

"If... If you're ok with that." He shrugged before smiling. The lioness appeared indifferent, but a faint grin formed along her muzzle.

"Sure. I'd like that." Chiba agreed.

Chapter XI - Old Friends

Inside the small abode of Nehru's second story home a gentle hand swept the dust off a desk. A lengthy paper was unfurled and revealed a map of the coast and great sea. Far north, along the top boundary, was a peninsula connecting to other lands that Joseph did not know of. The light cream furred lion studied the paper map alongside the human.

"Are all of those scrolls maps?" Joseph looked at the small stack on a small shelf along the wall.

"Most of them are." The lion nodded. "But this is the only map I have of the sea."

"Where exactly are we at?"

"This spot." His finger touched the lower part of the paper. "The Italo merchant families are from here." He circled over the peninsula in the upper part of the map.

"That looks far away."

"Travel by boat is much faster than you would expect." Nehru grinned.

"Why is that spot called the Skeleton Coast?" Joseph spotted a section of land east of Al Lishbunah that extended towards the sea.

"It is a semi arid land where pirates used to hide. The waters are shallow and sand bars can maroon different vessels."

'And I thought the desert was dangerous...' Joseph thought how miserable it would be to find oneself stranded, and surrounded by salt water.

"Anyway... Has there been a change in activity at our docks?"

"Yes. I believe that we have seen an increase is other ships." He nodded. "Tashir and I have been keeping a count of all foreign vessels entering our ports."

"Do you know where they are coming from?" He pointed at the top of the map.

"Um. I am not sure where exactly." His eyes gazed over the map.

"Do you have any names?"

"I think Porto Valento was one." He tried remembering. "Corneto or Pesaro were others I think. I would have to check with Tashir again to see if we wrote down what cities they came from."

"Marin." The lion called out to his black furred cat servant.

"Yes sir!" He stood up eagerly.

"Remind me to visit Tashir, Umari's son, tomorrow."

"I will." He nodded before going back into the other room.

"I am still worried about the lack of foreign diplomats in the city." He stared back at the map on his desk. "There was a small group from Cyprus that visited a few days ago. I knew them and they knew me, but it felt as if we weren't friends anymore. They were so distant and treated me like I wasn't from the same land that they were from. I don't know how to explain it."

"Has a long time passed since you've seen them?"

"About two years. Maybe that has something to do with it." He shrugged. "We have never needed to send out emissaries across the sea, because everyone else always came to us. Our city has many people and many goods that they desire."

"Is this a bad thing? I mean, I don't understand the diplomatic side of things like you do Nehru, but will this turn into something bad for us? We already have more merchants importing and trading."

"I'm not sure." The lion folded his arms and focused. "It could mean something is happening in their home cities. That would be very crucial, but we won't know if they don't return." He thought for a moment before turning his attention back to Joseph. The grin on his face told of an idea he had in mind.

"What?"

"There is a tale I am familiar with about a wealthy sultan." Nehru began. "The saying goes that the sultan was from a kingdom hidden across the desert faraway. He traveled a great distance to the far eastern land of Adal. In one city he spent so much gold that the metal became cheaper than copper for years."

"I don't think that is a true story." Joseph knew that the gold needed would've been a ridiculous amount. "What made you think of it right now?"

"It is true that a sultan passed through a city some time ago and spent a lot of gold, but of course I don't know how much." He admitted. "Either way, I want that to be your goal while being on the Emir's Safaviyya."

"Traveling to a kingdom that doesn't exist?" Joseph was perplexed.

"No. Bring so much gold into Al Lishbunah that it becomes cheaper than copper; or in another way, make everyone in the city that wealthy. That's something along your interest, right?"

"That's an impossible task, and I only have so much time on the Emir's Safaviyya." Joseph modestly pointed out.

"You only have a few weeks left since I went back on the council the same time you did." The lion realized. "You've learned a lot in a short amount of time, and I'm still impressed by that."

"I definitely have a few people to thank, especially you for helping me out this much."

"You're a capable person. If that wasn't the case then you would not have been chosen for this job."

"I guess you're right."

"I am right!" He boasted with a smile. "That's all I have to go over, unless you'd like to stay for the afternoon. However, I have other things to attend to this evening."

"I appreciate it, but I can't stay today." He declined. "Take care until we meet again."

"Thanks. You take care as well." They shook hands before Joseph left. Exiting the house, the human's eyes adjusted to the sunlight.

'It is always bright outside.' He squinted.

"Finally finished?" A female voice spoke as soon as he closed the door. To his side along the wall, Chiba was sitting patiently. The lioness was wearing a nice full body length robe and basic clothes underneath.

"Yes. Did you wait here the entire time?"

"I did." The lioness nodded.

"You could've come inside with me. Nehru is a nice person." Joseph explained.

"No thanks." She stood up and brushed her robes clean. "I'll leave the private things about your work alone."

"Fair enough." He walked down the stone steps with her to the street's level. They strolled along the street underneath the shade of many awnings. There were plenty of people meandering with places to go. Servants with purchased goods or foodstuffs were common, but every sight felt unique.

"You strum like this." An older human sitting tightly between two younger jackals was teaching how to play a sitar.

"Play with me!" A little female jackal hugged the leg of an older cheetah wearing lengthy robes as well as a headscarf.

"Not now..." She hummed while folding clothes and dropping them into a basket. Towards the street corner, a young adolescent sand cat was bragging about a decorative necklace around his neck to another feline his age.

'Show off.' Joseph mused to himself about the teenager.

"Don't stay out late!" A father yelled after his young son as he ran outside.

"There is always so much going on in the city." Joseph remarked. Chiba's tail swayed in agreement. "Oh. Wait." He paused by a cart full of old bricks. A few older and young workers were preparing to move it with the aid of a donkey.

"What is it?" Chiba asked.

"I should've asked, but did you want to go anywhere before we head home?"

"Hmm. I don't know." She seemed indifferent.

"I don't have to be anywhere for the rest of the day."

"We can walk around a little before heading home." The lioness shrugged. "It doesn't matter to me."

"I'm glad that you didn't want to visit a weapon shop or a blacksmith." Joseph joked. The feline gave him a look as they resumed walking. 'I shouldn't give her any ideas.' The human realized. Turning onto a more common, narrower street the foot traffic was less chaotic. A narrow building made of stone had a sign hanging atop its entrance. The paint was faded, but Joseph could make out a container and a flower.

"What kind of place is that?" He wondered. Chiba smelled the air, detecting faint medicinal aromas.

"A medicine shop?" She guessed.

"It's a good thing that neither of us are sick." The human grinned.

"Mm." The lioness hummed. "If I was sick, I would worry if you were caring for me."

"Hey. I think you can trust me with some medicine." He nodded to the shop, but the lioness remained unconvinced. A male cheetah dressed very well in nice robes exited the building.

"Thank you!" He called back to whoever was inside. "Excuse me." The feline turned to Joseph and Chiba. All three paused. The human was shocked to recognize the feline, and a rush of excitement overcame him.

"Giuseppe?!" Joseph could hardly believe who was standing before him.

"Oh my goodness... Joseph? Is that you?" The cheetah's eyes widened in complete surprise. The feline quickly met the human with open arms. "How have you been?"

"I am doing very well. Where's Leila and your retinue at?" The human didn't spot anyone else familiar in the market.

"They're resting in a funduq. It has been a long journey returning to the coast."

"So you just came back?"

"Yes. Late yesterday and it took long into the night to unload everything we had in our caravan." He explained with a smile. "What the... Who is this?" He looked over and noticed Chiba standing behind Joseph.

"I'm Chiba." She stood beside Joseph and answered. "Who are you?"

"Chiba. This is Giuseppe. He's the merchant who saved me in the Aurum Desert."

"A lioness... Don't tell me Joseph..." Giuseppe rubbed his chin. "Is she the one who left you in the desert to die?" Chiba frowned.

"Well... It's a long story."

"Then tell me!" He boastfully smiled. "I love long stories."

"Weren't you just doing something?"

"I was just finishing some business here before I had to meet someone. I'm in high spirits too. Apparently since I was last in this city, taxes have been lowered. I never expected to keep so much of what I make." The cheetah rubbed the back of his head. "I guess I'll divide the extra money between Leila and the others. I'll give mine to charity."

"That's great! I knew lowering taxes would benefit many people." Joseph boasted.

"What do you mean by that?" Giuseppe looked at the human with a quirky look.

"Joseph is part of the Emir's Safaviyya." Chiba interrupted. "He advised the Emir to lower taxes."

"You're responsible for lowering taxes?" The cheetah couldn't believe what he was hearing. "How in the world did all of that come about?"

"Like I said, it's a long story." Joseph bashfully laughed.

"I have somewhere to be, but the two of you can come along too. We'll talk as we go." He offered.

"Sure." Joseph looked back at Chiba. The lioness shrugged and followed them.

"So what happened after Leila brought you to La Selva? When the fennec reunited with my caravan, she explained that you were staying with her sister and trying to find work somewhere."

"Yes. I stayed with Begum in her house. I was very grateful for that. She cooked and allowed me to sleep in one corner, but I had to do chores for her. Begum was very nice to me, albeit stern at times."

"Yes, she is very caring beneath that coat of fur." Giuseppe chuckled. "When did you decide to leave La Selva?"

"I left after I earned enough to do so. I worked for a blacksmith. He was a grouchy leopard and made me do a lot of menial tasks, some even demeaning to me, but I didn't have many other options for work. I think I helped him reunite with his lover, a tigress named Zabunah. So he treated me a little better after that."

"Haha! That's incredible!" The cheetah laughed. "How did you manage that?"

"I'm not sure." Joseph grinned. "It sort of happened, but everyone helped me out when I resumed traveling. They gave me a camel with enough supplies to reach the distant oasis town of Ghat."

"Ah, Ghat. I have been there several times myself." Giuseppe nodded. "It's larger than La Selva."

"Although when I first arrived, I was harassed by a group of lions. Luckily their commander or superior ordered them away."

"Unfortunately it isn't just Kakuyids. Any youth, adolescent or young adult, will become over zealous, especially when armed. Bandits and rogues are always troublesome."

"Thankfully I didn't cross paths with anyone else wishing me harm. I spent the night in the house of a blind beggar and his daughter and grandson. The following morning I was quick to leave. In a matter of days I reached Ubari, my last stop before reaching Al Lishbunah."

"I'm surprised that you made it here before I did, considering all that you have been through." Giuseppe remarked. "It must've been a big change compared to the desert."

"It's still amazing." The human glanced up at the towering buildings and the vibrant urban scenes around them.

"So how did you end up with Chiba again?" He asked.

"The day I set foot inside this city, I put my camel in a funduq and happened to see a bunch of lions standing around an empty lot with a platform. Sure enough, Chiba was atop the platform being sold as a slave to the highest bidder. I bid for her without question. It nearly cost me everything I had, but I won her."

"Talk about timing..." The cheetah remarked.

"I'm sure Bulus wanted someone sadistic to buy her."

"He seems like the kind of person who would do such a thing. That lion is shrewd and ambitious."

"You know who Bulus the Kakuyid is?"

"Anyone in the desert knows who the Kakuyids are, including their leader Bulus." He affirmed with a curt nod. "He has been taking over desert towns outside of Sham for years. His reach is far and wide, ever closer to this city. Chiba, you are very lucky that you weren't able to kill Joseph in the desert." Giuseppe looked back at the lioness with a smile.

"I know." Her ears fell back as she looked away.

"She doesn't seem to like me." The cheetah murmured.

"Chiba is always like that. She made fun of me when I revealed that I had bought her!" Joseph looked back at the lioness.

"So... Are you two on good terms now?" Giuseppe wondered.

"Pretty much." The human nodded.

"We are doing fine." She agreed.

"That's good to hear, but how did you find yourself on the Emir's council?"

"Well, Chiba and I were allowed to stay in one of Bulus's houses in a nice neighborhood because I spent most of what I had for the auction."

"Why in the world would he let you stay in his home?"

"I guess the lion felt pity for me and expected me to be a rough master to Chiba." The human shrugged. "Either way I didn't plan on keeping her as a slave. She's free to me."

"I am surprised that you didn't take some revenge, Joseph. You are either very kind or very naive." The cheetah surmised. Joseph could feel the lioness nodding in agreement behind him.

"We would need each other to survive in the city. Besides, she can wrestle very well from what I have heard." Joseph spoke with a grin. Giuseppe laughed at that. "But when we looked at the sea together she told me about the Safaviyya. I made the decision to try and join it. She studied with me for more than a week and taught me what she knew about the desert tribes. Then I sought an audience with the Emir. I was lucky and managed to replace Bulus as a member of the Safaviyya. Since then we've moved into a new house to avoid Bulus, and we helped a former slave find a place to stay." Joseph concisely finished his story. "It's like living a good dream every day."

"That's impressive." The cheetah concluded. "From death in a desert to becoming a trusted advisor in the wealthiest coastal city." He could hardly believe it. "I don't know, but maybe it was fate that decided this for you."

"What about you, Giuseppe? How did things go after Leila met back with you?"

"Well, it was nothing exciting like your journey." He grinned. "But it was alright. We took a western route and bypassed La Selva. It is between the Eastern Ergs and small mountains and hills. Then we followed the route northward to the oasis town of Sabha before reaching Al-Lishbunah. Of course the journey was very slow..."

"You'll have to show me on a map."

"I would be glad to." Giuseppe kindly offered. "But I think we are almost where I need to be." The cheetah remarked as he led them down another street within sight of a gate. The king cheetah arrived at a barren patch between the street and a series of mud brick houses.

'Tuaregs?' Joseph found the scene all too familiar. Colorful coated African wild dogs were mulling about the wide home's residence. They dressed plainly, wearing little other than concealing full body robes. Hens close by were resting beneath the shade of a palm tree where one of the desert canines was resting. A pair of camels were resting in the shade of an adjacent stable. A particular colorful canine spotted the trio and approached them.

"Hey! Is that you Giuseppe?" The African wild dog called out and quickly shook hands with the king cheetah.

"It is great to see you, my friend." He embraced the Tuareg.

"Hey-You're that human who asked me about taxes!" The colorfully coated canine remarked at Joseph.

"You know Giuseppe?" Joseph looked between the two.

"Know him? This cheetah is a friend of every tribe in the desert." The canine claimed.

"I don't know about that, but I'll take the compliment." He grinned.

"What is the name of your friend, Giuseppe?"

"This is Joseph." Giuseppe proudly introduced the human like a brother. "This poor soul was wandering the Aurum Desert on the verge of death when my personal guard Zabir found him. Yet, here he is, a member of the Emir's council and wealthier than most people. He even convinced the Emir to lower taxes for everyone."

"You convinced the Emir to lower taxes?" The Tuareg's jaw fell unhinged.

"Um... Yeah." Joseph shrugged. Both padded hands fell on the human's shoulders with weight. Looking into the human's eyes, the African wild dog had an expression of pure gratitude.

"Thank you so much! I never have enough money to jingle in my robes or even my hand." A pair of hands moved the canine's arms away.

"Take it easy. You are unnerving my friend." Giuseppe grinned. "His name is Nizam, by the way."

"Sorry. I was a little carried away there." The African wild dog patted his robe and composed himself.

"Only a little?" Joseph mumbled.

"Hey. Why is there a Kakuyid with you?" The canine suspiciously eyed Chiba standing behind them.

"No, this is Chiba." Joseph introduced the intimidating lioness. "She is a friend, and not exactly part of the Kakuyids anymore."

"Oh. So have you three come for a visit?" He looked around.

"Naturally." Giuseppe nodded. "I just returned from a long journey into the desert."

"Please come in." Nizam gestured. "You are more than welcome to rest in my home." Once inside the large home was modest, but respectable. The exterior adobe was plain, but much of the interior was made of brick with wooden support beams. Despite being along the outer edge of the city, there were strong indications that it was a desert nomad's house. Blankets to ride atop camels were stacked closely. Rawhide shields from an unknown land were hanging on one wall. Incense sticks were bundled beside a large drum decorated with ostrich feathers. There were no pots, carpets, or cushions to be found.

'He has traveled to many places.' Joseph looked around the big room. In the shape of a rectangle, it was long and wide but didn't join another room like his own house. Separate doorways were visible, likely bedrooms. The human stepped forward only for an arm to stop him.

"Careful where you step." Giuseppe told him. Looking down, Joseph saw that there was a wide shallow basin just a step before him. A hand towel strung out to dry indicated that bathing of any sort was done in the open rather than privately.

"Please take a seat and make yourselves comfortable." The canine loosened the sash around his waist. They sat down by the edge of the pool.

"Do we have guests today?" A female canine emerged from one of the other rooms.

"Yes!" He called out. "This is my wife, Arina." The wild dog finished disrobing and sat down. To keep some modesty in the city for his friends, the canine covered his lap with his sash. His paws lightly splashed as they dipped into the shallow water. His wife folded his clothes before partially disrobing herself. A beautiful light blue robe was set aside revealing her very colorful patchwork of fur. Her breasts were still concealed by a white scarf-like garment crisscrossing securely around her chest and back. However, her belly was noticeably distended with a telling roundness.

"My my, you're expecting a little one?" Giuseppe grinned. The Tuareg wife brightly smiled and nodded.

"We're both very happy." She placed her hands on her colorful tummy.

"I couldn't be prouder." Nizam gazed at his wife. The pregnant canine stepped into the pool and knelt down before her husband. Her hands dipped into the water by Nizam's ankles.

"What's she doing?" Joseph whispered to Giuseppe.

"Washing below his knees. Tuaregs typically do this at oases, but a little water inside a house will do." Chiba's ear flickered at their whispering.

"I met with someone from the Toba tribe recently." Nizam began. "There had been bandits giving them trouble when they crossed from one small desert well to the next..." Joseph listened to Nizam, but watched his wife bathing his legs. An image of Chiba doing the same to him made his skin chill into bumps. The expecting mother only washed up to his knees before setting her sights on the others.

"Would you like for me to wash you as well?" The female canine kindly offered.

"No thanks."

"No thank you ma'am." Joseph and Giuseppe spoke. Chiba shook her head without hesitation. The canine lady understood and left the shallow pool of water to dry herself.

"What about you Giuseppe? What stories do you have to tell about your latest excursion into the desert?" The canine asked in turn.

"It was merely another journey through a lot of sand." He downplayed the lengthy trip. "There's wasn't much exciting that happened, except finding Joseph in the desert." The cheetah patted the human's shoulder.

"How did that come about?" He asked.

"Well, Chiba here left him to die." Giuseppe pointed at the lioness. "But we found him and sent him to La Selva with Leila."

"I've always liked Leila. She is very pretty-ow!" His wife had pinched him. Giuseppe and Joseph held back a laugh at the cute female's face. "Not beautiful like you, Arina." He reassured her.

'He saved himself from another pinch.' Joseph thought quietly.

"Anyway, so you eventually ended up in this city with the person who left you to die in the desert?"

"Yep. Joseph bought Chiba at a slave auction to save her from one of Bulus's underlings."

"Huh?" Nizam looked at them in partial disbelief. "You were always an odd one to me, Giuseppe." He remarked. "Finding people in deserts." The canine joked. "Now that we've caught up... Let's play a game!" He held out two small dice.

"What?" Joseph was surprised.

"Aren't those your 'funny' dice?" Giuseppe eyes the hand made cubes.

"These are the same old dice that we always played with!" He contended.

"If you say so..." Giuseppe couldn't argue and held up his hands.

"Don't you wish to gamble too, miss?" Nizam looked at Chiba. "Dice is a fun game."

"I do not gamble." Her ears fell back at the idea.

"Say..." Not deterred, Nizam looked at Joseph next. "Since you were able to lower taxes, would you like to wager to lower them again?" The canine skillfully held both dice between two fingers.

"Are you trying to bribe him?" Giuseppe chuckled.

"What? If course not! You know I'm joking!" The canine laughed with a happy smile across his colorful muzzle.

'I hope so.' Joseph breathed an internal sigh of relief.

"C'mon!" He gestured to each of them. "My wife can cook." He glanced over at the mostly naked African wild dog. "Let's play!" A risky hand threw the dice against the wall with exciting fervor.

"Out of my way!" A cheetah riding a horse yelled as he tried navigating through the street.

'This street is always full of busy people.' Joseph stayed close to the side of a building while the feline rode by.

"He shouldn't be riding down a narrow street." Chiba muttered as they and everyone else resumed walking. They passed the loud rattling and chipping of stone at a construction site and emerged at a wider, more central part of the city.

"Hmm..." Joseph paused and looked around the expanse beyond the moving people. The lioness folded her arms and scanned the area.

"You still haven't told me where we are going." Chiba lightly chided him.

"I wanted to visit someone that we both know, just to check up and see how things have been... Didn't you like spending the day with Giuseppe and Nizam?"

"It was alright." She indifferently wiggled her nose. "We ended up staying there until nightfall." Chiba remembered the late hours of playing dice.

"I thought it was fun... Ah. There it is." He spotted the tall three story brick building. It was close to a sturdy stone building that housed a garrison of soldiers. 'It makes sense that it's located very close to a barracks.' Joseph realized. A building full of ladies and infants would be vulnerable to thieves and robbers. They quickly navigated through the busy flow of people and pack animals. A female jackal and fennec were seated outside the brick building, on either side of its front door. One was sewing and the other was reading a lengthy scroll in her lap. The two ladies watched Joseph and Chiba approach, but didn't say anything.

"Hello." Joseph kindly greeted them before opening the wide door. "I walk by this building almost every day, but I've never been inside." He was surprised at the spacious main room inside. Chiba didn't say anything as she walked into the building behind him. The echoes of crying and louder voices of children were distinct among the rare adult voices accompanying them. Several ladies of varying species were inside the main room. A pair of caracals and a corsac vixen were folding clothes into a large basket. In one corner a sandy furred coyote was nursing an infant while a toddler was playing with her open robes. Others came and went through entryways. Most of the females they saw had well rounded breasts and fuller figures. Torsos were pudgy and legs were hearty, each telltale signs of their motherly profession.

Heads turned at the sight of the pair of visitors, but their sights settled on the human. Joseph couldn't make out their whispers as they kept to themselves. The women were comfortable being half naked or at least topless around each other, but they were quick to cover themselves in Joseph's presence.

A slim tabby feline wearing simple clothing approached them.

"I haven't seen you two before. What is your business here?" She asked.

"Hello. We are looking for a small mouse who works here." He explained. "This height with white fur." He motioned with a hand.

"Is she caring for a child of yours?"

"No, she's a friend of ours."

"She's in there." She pointed for them to go down a quieter hallway.

"Thank you." They entered a small room with an arched window where two females were sitting beside each other. One of the pair was Sahabah the white mouse, and she was contently nursing a little pup in her arms. The rodent's shirt was pooled around her lap leaving her topless. The mouse herself had noticeably changed since he last saw her. She had put on a little weight and didn't appear as frail as she once had. Her pink ears, hands, feet, and tail had been able to heal without the sun scorching them all day. None bore marks of injury, flaking skin, or dark spots. Even her small breasts had a noticeable roundness, and the skin was a darker shade of pink. Her pure white fur was neatly brushed for the most part, except for where the tiny pup was clutching her breast.

She was sitting near a pudgy female raccoon who wore a lengthy dress garment around her waist that reached her ankles, but a sleeved robe that mimicked a shirt was still on her arms and back leaving her front entirely bare. She looked motherly in every sense of the word. The raccoon was a seasoned full figure and her fur appeared silky soft. Her distended breasts rested comfortably on her front as if personally offering the gift of life to an infant. Wide naked areolae and stout nipples were impossible to miss, but the giggling jackal toddler in her arms appeared more interested in trying to grab the coon's smiling muzzle.

"It's rare to see a male all the way back here, and a human at that." The raccoon looked up, wearing a joyful smile at Joseph's presence. Unlike most of the other ladies, she wasn't bashful and didn't bother scrambling to cover herself. Sahabah looked up and her eyes lit up when she saw the human standing before her.

"Joseph?! Hello!" Her normally hushed voice erupted into surprise. She started to sit up, but Joseph waved a hand and sat down beside her.

"You don't need to get up. Your arms are full." He simply stated. They both smiled at the fact. "How have you been?" He quietly asked.

"Very well." Sahabah smiled and hummed. "What are you doing here? Do you have a newborn being cared for?"

"Haha! No!" He contained a laugh.

"Oh. I would be more than happy to help care for a child you have."

"You are the first person I would want to help me care for a child." He smiled.

"Thank you." Her eyes briefly looked down at the infant in her arms. Joseph gazed at the little grey furred fluff contently eating.

"Wow... He must be hungry." The human whispered.

"Mhm." Sahabah hummed.

"Do you like caring for and nursing infants?"

"Yes. Yes I love it very much." She nodded. "It feels nice." Her hand rubbed the little one's back tenderly. The little pup was quietly suckling at her breast, oblivious to the visitor beside him. "And people are nice to me..." She paused to dab her eyes. "That feels just as nice." Her sigh was completely heartfelt.

"I'm glad to hear that."

"She has been teaching me." The mouse nodded towards the raccoon close by who was now wrestling with the fussy canine toddler in her arms.

"Down. Down!" The toddler beside them whined.

"Alright. Down you go." The raccoon eased him to the ground. In a flash he scurried over to play with an old shawl hanging on a small wooden rack. "Tough little fella." She laughed before turning her attention to them. "Sahabah has a good talent when it comes to caring for others." The raccoon smiled with approval. "And she learns very fast." Her compliments made the mouse's pink ears fold back shyly.

"I wish I had known about this place before, but I never heard anything about it." Joseph admitted. "Ladies like yourselves are doing a lot of good by caring for others."

"Ah, well thank you sir." The raccoon smiled. "People don't take too kindly to women nursing outdoors, so we stay inside."

"Why not?" Joseph didn't understand. He could hear Chiba huff at the fact.

"That's how it has always been in this city." The raccoon close to them chuckled and tried tucking one of her bare breasts into her robe make her point clearer, but without much luck. "You never let yourself even appear half naked in any street. Clothing is a mark of status, but it is also the law to be dressed outside." The infant in Sahabah's arms began to move and make noise.

"Oh, I think she is all finished." The mouse started to move.

"Don't worry, I'll take her." The raccoon stood up and leaned over in plain view. Joseph found it amusing how the raccoon's breasts were hovering over the infant, as if she was trying to lure her away with the promise of more milk. "Aww. Come here." She carefully picked up the little coyote and cradled her to her bosom.

"Thank you." Sahabah dabbed her thick spout of rosy pink flesh dry and wrapped herself up in her cotton shirt. Her innocent eyes looked back up at Joseph. "Can I ask why you and Chiba are here, if neither of you have a child?"

"We wanted to come see how you were doing." He smiled.

"Thank you." The mouse stood up.

"Thank you for buying me." She tightly hugged him. "I would still be cleaning floors on my hands and knees, or-"

"It's okay." Joseph patted her back even though he was still seated. "You're here now, and I'm happy that you love what you're doing."

"Mmhm." She nodded and undid the embrace. Joseph stood up and looked around the small room. Chiba was leaning against a wall but well within earshot to hear them.

"So what's a regular day like for you here?"

"Well, some of us usually sleep together in a room of by ourselves, but never far from infants we have to take care of. Other than taking care of infants we take turns cooking, cleaning, laundry, running errands, contacting families, and anything else."

"Do you have to stay inside very often?"

"We have a nice courtyard to walk around, and for the little ones to play." She looked out the window behind them. Joseph peered alongside her. Walls surrounded the little paradise. Walkways of brick tangled around sections of flowering plants, vegetables, and the occasional clothesline. In the center of it all was a well. Joseph could see a topless female leopard tending to a full clothesline without worry of having to cover herself up in the public eye.

"This is a nice place for you." Joseph stepped back and looked around. At the very least it was a huge improvement from being someone else's property.

"Mhm." Sahabah agreed. The mouse noticed Chiba standing quietly by a wall. "I remember you too. You're Chiba." She smiled at the lioness. The big cat's ears perked up at the mention of her name.

"Yes, and I remember you." She nodded. Joseph was surprised to see the mouse walked up to the lioness and hug her; but it made sense.

'I almost forgot that Chiba took care of Sahabah at home more than I did.' The human reminded himself while they embraced.

"Your skin looks much better than when we first met." Chiba looked at the mouse's hands.

"Yes, it healed very well, and it doesn't hurt anymore." The mouse nodded.

"No one else gives you trouble around here?" The lioness asked.

"No." Sahabah shook her head. "The raccoon lady with us a moment ago helps me a lot. Most of the other nurses here were poor, and they treat me well too. They always talk a lot about their upbringings and gossip..."

'I'll let them talk.' Joseph thought to himself and stepped aside. He spotted the domestic feline that they had seen earlier. The lady was peeking in on them. "Hey, do you run this entire building?" He approached the domestic feline.

"Yes, I am in charge here." She answered. "Are you close friends with Sahabah?"

"Close friends I guess. I think you're the same feline I met a while back to take her in."

"I can't say that you look familiar." She studied his facial expression. "You might have talked with my sister then. We look identical."

"Oh, well I came by to see how she was doing. I wanted to make sure that she was safe and taken care of."

"The barracks and presence of soldiers nearby keeps us safe from thieves, bandits, or anyone else attempting to do us harm." She reassured him.

"I noticed that. It's a good thing you have a place like this to use."

"The Emir designated this building to me several years ago, and helped us organize into what we are today."

"Organize? So you weren't in groups like these?"

"Before, wet nurses were always hired for a home individually. Poorer families would never be able to afford one unless they had a close relative or knew someone else who could help. This building allows us to hire as many ladies as we want, and provide for more people that otherwise wouldn't be able to nurse their own children. We even send some out to homes to help as midwives or stay in a family's home for a period of time."

"I never knew that." Their sophisticated operation surprised him, and it all stemmed from helping a mother nurse her own child. "Sahabah doesn't have to go through the city by herself, does she?"

"I would not send her to any house without someone accompanying her first." She reassured Joseph. "I get to know everyone who works for me. I understand Sahabah's background and how to treat her."

"Thank you." He felt relief. "I am glad that I trusted the nurses, and you to take care of her."

"You wouldn't happen to be Joseph, would you?" The feline asked.

"Yes. I am." The human nodded.

"Ah." She smiled. "Sahabah talks about you sometimes. You did the right thing by saving her from servitude. We have accepted her with open arms, and she is an excellent wet nurse. If you ever need anything from us here, then just ask." She smiled.

"Thank you. I appreciate it." He nodded. Joseph looked over and found that Chiba had finished talking with Sahabah. "Ready to go?"

"Yep." Chiba nodded. "We chatted for a while." The lioness looked over at the mouse and placed a hand on her nimble shoulder. The mouse's smile couldn't have been brighter and more cheerful.

"Take care." He hugged her. "It was great to see you. We may visit again sometime soon."

"Oh, thank you. I hope that you two can visit me again." She happily replied.

"Visit anytime you like." The domestic feline agreed. Joseph left in high spirits with Chiba. He felt very proud that Sahabah's life had taken a turn for the better, like Chiba and himself. The urban noise and bright sunlight quickly registered with Joseph as he walked back home with Chiba.

"I'm glad we visited her." He spoke up.

"It was nice." She quietly replied.

'As stoic as ever.' The human kept to himself. "So what were you and Sahabah talking about?" Joseph asked. Her eyes looked at him questioningly.

"Lady things." Chiba's tail lightly batted his side.

"That could be anything." He playfully nudged her back. Chiba rolled her eyes at him.

Chapter XII - The Velvet Underground

The lapping of waves beneath the dock quietly splashed with a rhythm, eons old. Heavy thuds, lighter footsteps, and clacking of wood against wood mixed with the sounds of gulls and boisterous voices. The cloudy day helped work move along the otherwise busy seaport. A pair of hands were carefully loading bolts of silk back into a cart, only pausing to wipe a forehead. Joseph was thankful that he wasn't under the harsh sun all day. Counting cargo items would've been that much more difficult. Beside the human, a black and white feline guard was showing him how they routinely inspected what was brought into the city from afar.

"So is everything cleared, and good to go?" A grey wolf impatiently folded his arms. The fluffy canine was heavily built compared to average species like a coyote. His clothing was different too. There were no robes on his body, but he wore different shirts and pants than what the average person in the city wore. Unlike foreign merchants who resided in Al Lishbunah and enjoyed living in its splendor, he was simply arriving to sell and then leave.

"We are almost finished." Joseph reassured him. 'This isn't fun for us...' He thought to himself. The human's back was already starting to hurt from constantly lifting and moving.

"Hey! Stop!" A booming voice reached along the docks. Everybody from workers to sailors paused and looked over.

'What is going on?' Joseph expected to see a thief running along the docks. Instead, a fright stricken serval was standing in the open. 'He is a guard!' Joseph realized.

"Search him." A caracal guard ordered. The two jackals sprung and felt over the customs inspector's baggy clothes. In seconds something fell loose and a loud, heavy plop hit the wooden boards. One of the jackals picked up a fine pouch made of red silk and revealed a sum of money inside. In an instant the scene was over and the serval was taken away. Everyone else along the docks resumed unloading as if nothing had happened.

"Someone must've been involved with a bribe." The black and white cat muttered as he placed the bolts of cloth back inside the cart. Joseph watched as Tashir came down to the dock and talked with the caracal who ordered the search.

"Is everything fine? Can I go now?" The wolf merchant impatiently tapped his paw.

"Yeah, you should be good to go." The black and white cat told him. The wolf quickly went on his way while Joseph was all too glad to stretch his back.

"Hey, I'm going to talk with Tashir." He let the customs guard know.

"Sure." He nodded and walked to the end of the dock.

"Tashir." Joseph approached the young sand cat.

"Yes, Joseph." The feline turned to face him. "Are you enjoying your day of searching through cargo?"

"It's... It's different." He managed to say to the sand cat's amusement. "What was going on earlier?"

"The serval was caught accepting a bribe." The feline looked around at all of the ships. "So he will no longer be working for any of us. He needs to find something else to make a living."

"Oh. He isn't going to jail?" Joseph was surprised. "You let him walk free." A hint of anger lingered from when he was jailed in Fez for no reason.

"The Emir's punishment of losing a job is much nicer than being whipped or caned." He pointed out. "Things like that used to be commonplace, but he made several reforms when he succeeded his father."

"It is much nicer, but doesn't it make committing a crime lose its cost? If you are not punished, then you wouldn't any reason not to be bribed."

"Punishment is one thing, but being bribed is entirely different. "The sand cat explained. "Bribery easily impacts anyone who isn't rich. Tempting someone who lives day by day with enough money to live carefree for a few months or even a year is going to happen. And it is hard to blame the poorer person accepting the bribe. It's hard to say no, especially if you have a family and want the best for them. So it is entirely understandable. Punishment won't change this relationship. If anything, harsher treatment will result in higher bribes and a willingness to cover them up more." Tashir's explanation made sense. "Trust me, it isn't easy or fun to do, but that's how we handle it."

"It sounds very smart. I wish I had thought of it." The human admitted.

"I also heard that you only have a little bit of time left on the Emir's council. Are you going to help oversee all of this mess when you're done?"

"That's what I have been thinking about." He nodded. "But I am not entirely sure yet. There is a lot of work involved, but I don't think I will miss the lengthy meetings." Joseph laughed.

"Well it is up to you. It would be great to have you around to keep things in order. Relying on myself to track three dozen ships isn't easy, especially since we've seen more arriving thanks to you." Tashir spoke well of Joseph. "But it is your choice." The human nodded but couldn't give a definitive answer.

"I appreciate all of the help you have given me with everything here."

"Sure. I'm going to continue working on getting that list to Nehru. I will see you around." The sand cat departed for the upper story of the customs house overseeing the docks.

'I need to figure out what I will do when my turn on the Safaviyya is over.' The human thought to himself. Looking over the busy docks, people were quickly moving often followed by shouts and orders. Crates, carts, barrels, pallets and sacks of countless goods were coming into the city, and others going out. A galley was waiting for a strong sea breeze to help depart steadfastly.

'Is it even possible to bring in that much wealth?' He wondered about Nehru's goal of bringing in so much gold, effectively making everyone wealthy. It might take a lifetime just to figure out what he shouldn't do.

"It's past sun high... I should be going." He suddenly realized noon had come and gone beyond the clouds. Leaving the docks, he walked into a narrow street. The human found two figures waiting for him.

"Ah, you must be Joseph." A tall leopard stepped forward. The tall feline wore lavish red and blue clothes. A fine white turban was wrapped neatly atop his head. There was likely not a speck of sand or dirt on him.

"I am." He nodded. "Who are you?"

"A merchant who wishes to speak with you." He quietly gestured with a hand. "If you have the time."

"Ok..." He agreed. The jackal walked alongside the leopard while Joseph followed. 'Isn't he one of the Safaviyya from the first meeting?' He guessed. The jackal didn't say anything at all while they walked. Around the corner was a sunny opening. There was a great distance between them and the next street. Down a small flight of stairs leading through a brick archway was an artificial river that emerged from an underground cistern. Reeds and grasses lined the water that emptied into the sea a short distance away. A noria was situated across the water. Two huge wheels several meters in diameter turned through the calm water, lifting it into a narrow aqueduct above. Laughter below was marked by splashes as several kids splashed at each other and played.

"This way." The leopard led Joseph into a house overlooking the beautiful sight of engineering.

"Squawk! Hello!" A high pitch voice startled Joseph out of his his skin. Atop a large wooden pole was a bird looking directly at the human.

'What the...' The talking colorful bird creeped out the human.

"You have never seen a parrot before?" The feline took amusement.

"No. Does it understand me?" He peered closely at the curious bird.

"It does not." He chuckled. "But it remembers spoken words." He explained.

"Oh." Joseph looked around the rest of the house. The first floor was only one room, but it was lavish without a doubt. Fine carpets, plush cushions of silk and velvet, and beautifully crafted vases were only the first items he noticed. 'This is a wealthy household.' He stared at a battle helmet with chain mail. It was hanging on a finely carved walking stick. A set of wooden stairs led up to a second story loft, but the room was otherwise very quiet. They were the only people inside.

"This is a very beautiful place you have here... um..." Joseph didn't know the feline's name.

"You can call me Leopoldo." He warmly grinned.

"Thank you for inviting me here, Leopoldo." Joseph realized the name didn't fit the leopard at all.

"You are welcome. Now let's get down to business." He stood on the opposite side of the square wooden table. A stone bust of a roaring lion beside a stoic fennec rested on it against the wall. The jackal shut the door behind them and stood close to the leopard merchant.

"I usually bring shipments of wood into the city; fine cedar, pine, and oak when I can. But the Ghisolfi and Collona families also import wood to Al Lishbunah. I have lived in this city my entire life. I was born here, but those merchant families just arrived one day and brought their goods like a flood. It's truly terrible how they've manipulated the marketplaces to accept their foreign goods. It should be a crime how they make us poorer." He shook his head solemnly.

"I do not understand. What are you getting at?" Joseph questioned. The leopard placed his chin on his hands for a moment and looked at the human.

"Would you consider telling the Emir to raise taxes on what foreign born merchants sell? After all, they need to pay their fair share." The leopard merchant insisted. "That would... level the playing field." He spoke calmly with a little grin. At first Joseph was speechless, unable to think of what he should say. The pile of money was very real on the table before him, glinting with a metallic glow from even the subtlest light. The jackal leaned towards the leopard and whispered something into his ear. The feline slowly nodded and turned away. His hand reached into a cubicle that held several scrolls.

"This should cover any trouble for you." The tall leopard reached over for a modest sized pouch. He dropped it onto the table with a heavy thud. He prodded the bag and several gold coins slipped out, rattling onto the wooden surface of the table.

"There are gold Dinars, Zecchini, and a few silver Ongari." Judging from the pouch's size, there was plenty of money. It was more than enough to live comfortably in the city. Joseph would never have made half as much if he worked his entire life in Fez, and he could feel the temptation. But he had the faith and trust of his friends too.

"I'm not accepting this." Joseph concluded to their surprise. The jackal and leopard exchanged glances. The merchant sat forward with an unchanged face.

"Human, be sensible-"

"I'm not going back on my decision!" Joseph quickly turned and left.

"Back! Squawk!" He heard the parrot say as he returned to the street. Joseph quickly wandered away down random streets.

'What in the world...' The human rubbed his arms as if suffering from a chill. 'They were bribing me.' The realization shocked him. It felt creepy and disturbing at the same time. He understood often grim situations of meager leaders controlling the poor town of Fez, but he had hoped the city would be immune from that.

"Money is a temptation wherever you go." He concluded. 'But that is not how you make anyone wealthier.' Joseph paused and saw a lengthy sheet hanging from an upper story window, but another sight quickly caught his attention.

"What is that?' He approached a huge round object that was more than a meter tall. It was a large cauldron, perhaps once used to cook for a large group of people. However, a few cracks and a chipped section at the top rendered it useless for preparing food or even holding water. Touching the faded upturned side, Joseph walked around to the opening. 'What-?!' He was surprised to find a homeless person sleeping inside with a ragged cloth covering their face. Joseph was quick to leave the person alone. Looking all around, he found others in similar plights. A young female rat covered in rags was curled up beside a building. There was an old male caracal even closer to Joseph, dressed in equally poor clothing as the rat. There was a little bowl at his side with a copper coin inside. He didn't appear to have much else. Joseph could've easily ended up in the feline's position a number of times.

'Making everyone wealthy has to start somewhere.' He approached the poor caracal. "Here." He handed out a coin. The caracal blinked in surprise.

"Thank you, kind sir." He accepted the money with a weak hand.

"Take care." Joseph bid the beggar farewell and left. 'I must be very close to a poor part of the city.' He stopped after a short distance. Looking around, there were several people in the area, but no one was dressed lavishly. It was a poorer neighborhood. Most were walking around or moving about with work to do, but some were seated in the shade of a building or awning. They were likely a mix of laborers, basic artisans, other workers, or even homeless. Close to a coyote shopkeeper sweeping the entrance of his home, Joseph spotted two figures seated on the stoop of a building. One of them caught his eye as very familiar. She was an older raccoon lady with hints of silver on her face, and dressed in plain robes.

'Khoja?' He remembered the baker family's slave who cooked a wonderful meal. She was sitting with a slim corsac vixen wearing a tunic shirt and baggy pants. It looked like two opposites by comparison. A sturdy pudgy middle aged raccoon and a somewhat younger slim vixen. 'Is she down on her luck?' The human couldn't tell if she was begging like the others were, but there was a bowl between them. Joseph quickly approached them. The chatting pair noticed his presence and stopped talking.

"Are you Telib's slave, Khoja?" The human asked the raccoon.

"Hmm?" She looked up at him questioningly. "You're that human who visited Master Telib's house one evening." She recalled. Joseph reached into his robes.

"Here. Take it." He offered her a coin.

"I don't need charity!" The raccoon angrily slapped his hand. "I'm not a beggar."

"What?" Joseph was surprised. The slim corsac vixen seated beside her laughed with a cackling voice.

"I am a slave, but I am paid like most slaves. Don't mistake me for someone who is helpless." She told him.

"I didn't know that you were paid!" Joseph tucked the coin back into his robes. 'I had no idea that any slave was paid.' He stood dumbly before them. "What is the bowl for?" He gestured to the small item between them.

"It's just a bowl with dried and crushed leaves." The vixen pinched some between her fingers.

"Oh..." Joseph felt stupid for approaching them in the first place.

"So... Did you have any business with Khoja?" The vixen wondered why the human was still standing there.

"Well, no..." Joseph admitted. The raccoon's ear flickered. "Do you mind if I sit with you?" He asked. The ladies looked at each other.

"No." Khoja answered. Joseph took a seat on the shaded stoop beside the raccoon. "So why are you out here? Telib isn't ordering you around right now?"

"Nope." She hummed. "Every few days I get an afternoon and evening to myself. It's a lot better than washing clothes half naked in an open doorway." The raccoon stated with a matter of fact expression.

"She likes to spend them with a friend like me." The corsac vixen added. The two ladies turned their attention to a small dish and a pair of little pipes between them.

"What are you two doing?" He watched them pack a small amount of the crushed dry leaves into each pipe. They were lit by sharing a flame. His nose wrinkled at the smell of smoke.

"Relaxing." Khoja calmly blew out a stream of smoke.

"It's only tobacco leaves." The vixen noticed Joseph's physical disdain.

'Yuck!' Joseph scrunched his eyes shut and looked away. Waving a hand in front of his face helped disperse the smoke some. Staring at the ground while the pair smoked, the human could see Khoja's legs visibly uncovered. Her legs below the knees were completely covered with black fur. Her feet were bare like most city residents, however, they were not digitigrade like the corsac vixen beside her. They resembled a human's with the exception of leathery padding and being topped with black fur and claws. It felt normal that a human like him wasn't so different from a raccoon like her. Despite growing up and living around different species, including his own mother, it was obvious when someone looked different. Yet, what puzzled him was how different their statuses were. A few months ago he was far poorer than her despite being free. The raccoon noticed his lost in thought stare.

"Why are you looking at my feet?" Khoja drew a leg in closer and wiped the dust off one.

"Maybe he likes them." Her friend grinned.

"Uh. No..." Joseph tried not to frown too much at the thought. He felt flustered over nothing.

"If there's anything fascinating you, then tell me." Khoja held back a chuckle at the idea. She crossed a leg over her knee, and an anklet caught his eye.

"How old is this?" Joseph touched the wooden beads. They felt old and worn between his fingers, clearly aged. He touched her heel as he retracted his hand. The warm leathery sensation felt nice, but mystified the human. The raccoon didn't seem to care.

"I have had it since I was little." She briefly lifted her foot up for him to see. "My mother gave it to me. She was a slave like me, and it's all I have to remember her by." Khoja took a moment to smoke and reflect.

"Is it alright if I ask you what your life was like?" Joseph felt curious about the raccoon slave.

"Sure." She didn't mind and stretched her leg out again. "Where to begin..." Her voiced hummed warmly. "I was raised with my mom. We were both slaves for a wealthy fox. I never knew who my dad was, not that it mattered. If he wasn't there, then I didn't have one in my opinion." Khoja spoke frankly. "My mother taught me how to cook, clean, address certain people properly, and everything else. I was kept with my mother until I was well into adolescence. That's fairly common for mothers and their children who are slaves from what I know." She paused to smoke.

"Luckily, my next master was a very kind individual." The raccoon recalled. "But he was lustful after an evening of drinking... I never liked that about him." She frowned. "I typically did the same work no matter who owned me. I have been with Master Telib for almost twenty years. When he first bought me, his wife was pregnant with their first child. I mostly catered to her while cleaning, cooking, and running errands for them. But after the birth of their first child, I quickly became the caretaker. I always had to watch after the little one, and then the second one too..." The raccoon paused again to inhale from the pipe.

"I tried to nurse them, but I wasn't able to. Telib hired a wet nurse to stay with us, and it worked very well. The nurse was a cheetah... I can't remember her name, but she was thin and her breasts were almost flat. I never thought she would be able to feed a screaming infant's belly, but she proved me wrong. The wet nurse slept with me and was very friendly. We are good friends to this day and still meet each other." She grinned.

"That's good to hear." Joseph liked that she made a lasting connection.

"I was able to do most of my work in quiet until the children weaned themselves. After that I had my hands full watching after them like a bird, but it was relentless. Master Telib is a smart cheetah, but his kids were destructive demons." She explained. Joseph raised his brow in surprise.

"I'd have to pull their hands off something that would burn them. So stupid." She spoke seriously, but Joseph had a tough time holding back a laugh. "They would laugh and try to run outside when a storm was approaching. When I told them otherwise they usually behaved, but once in a while they had an attitude. I always had the last word." The raccoon winked an eye shut.

"That's still true today." Her friend nodded.

"One day I told Nizar not to put his foot down, or I'd cut it off."

"I think you stomp your foot." The vixen chuckled.

"Goodness." Joseph could only imagine.

"Thankfully they're mostly grown up. Now I'm just older while I clean, cook, and tend to everything."

"My life is pretty much the same." The corsac vixen beside her added. "Although I wasn't with a single family very long, and I did marry my husband."

"You make it sound like any other livelihood." Joseph remarked.

"Well, it is my life." Khoja shrugged. "Although I know of some people who are abused, harmed, and treated much worse than I was." Her words were a sobering reminder that not everyone was lucky. Joseph immediately thought of Sahabah and what she likely went through.

"You heard me say no a dozen times..." A nearby singing voice was heard.

"Do you hear that?" All three looked up, hearing singing from an upper story window.

Miss, don't spend the night with a young guy.

He is no good. Keep your clothes on tonight.

The air has a chill! I said stay inside!

Please don't go, my dear.

Don't spend the night with a young guy...

Whoever the singer was moved into another room, ending the playful tune.

"I wish a band of musicians would play a tune that matched singing. That would be nice." Joseph mentioned.

"That would sound nice, but this isn't an area where musicians play." The vixen pointed out.

"That song reminds me of how I acted as a youth." Khoja hummed and closed her eyes briefly. The grin formed along her muzzle told of pleasant memories she had to tell.

"You ran around at night with young males?" The human looked at her in disbelief.

"I was once playful and flirty." She smiled humbly.

"I find that hard to believe." Joseph blinked.

"I did too." The vixen beside her chuckled.

"How did this happen?"

"I fell in love with a human when I was young. He would meet me by a window at night, and say sweet things to me. Oh, to love and be loved." She fondly remembered. "My mother hated that. She told me that at my age, boys were only trouble, and she was right. Some nights I would run away and spend time with him, only to return home worn out. I'd sleep the entire morning, but I didn't understand the burden I placed on my mother." Khoja set aside her pipe for a moment, tracing a thumb around its shape.

"I was devastated when I heard that my master planned on selling me. I pleaded and begged with him and my mother, bawling tears and everything. I was upset." She sarcastically said. "I think our master felt sorry for me because he postponed his plans to sell me to a distant friend. But I think the news managed to reach my lover before I could tell him. I never saw him again." She sighed.

"It was probably for the better that we didn't marry and run away together. We weren't the smartest people at our age. One night I snuck away with him, but it was very dark. The moon wasn't visible at all. I kicked a pot and broke a claw." She reached down momentarily as if the bruise was still fresh. "My foot hurt too. I wobbled back home moaning like a ghost." Khoja couldn't help but laugh at herself. "I probably gave everyone nightmares." Joseph shook his head in amusement. "I miss being young though. Oh, to be an adolescent again..." She hummed and blew out a stream of smoke.

"Mhm." The vixen breathed in through her pipe. "Being old and wise isn't the same as being young and foolish."

"Sometimes the old are just as foolish." Khoja pointed out and cut her eyes to the corsac vixen, only to smile brightly again. Joseph laughed at that. "You're lucky that you aren't older females like us, Joseph." The raccoon continued. "As a lady ages, her chest hangs lower, and it gets in the way of everything."

"Unless your chest is flat like mine." The corsac vixen contently grinned.

"You're the exception." Khoja insisted.

"Well, I am not a female."

"We're glad you know that." The raccoon slyly grinned. Joseph shook his head in amusement while the corsac fox laughed. The human wanted to listen to Khoja talk for the rest of the day, but the afternoon started turning into the evening. The shadows drew longer before him. The tobacco in their pipes had smoldered into useless ash.

"I think it's time for me to go home. Thanks for talking to me." He stood up. "I enjoyed it very much."

"Sure." Both ladies smiled. "We enjoyed it too." Khoja extended a hand. He grasped the warm palm and shook. "If you don't try to give us a coin, then you're welcome to talk with us."

"I won't forget it." Joseph smiled. "Take care."

"Bye." Both of them called out.

The sunny weather was warm, but far from being unbearable. The mid morning wasn't bustling or boisterous with activity either. The shouting of kids, lumbering of pack animals, talking between windows, and people among the streets were equally prevalent but there was no throng of urban noise yet. Joseph was walking alongside Chiba down a street. They had just eaten at a market, and planned on taking it easy and relaxing for the day.

"What do you think I should do?" He asked Chiba. "Oversee ships arriving at the docks, or do something else when my term is finished?"

"I don't know. What do you want to do?"

"I'm not sure." He admitted and looked around. "What else could I do?" Someone was faintly visible on a rooftop tending to a clothesline. Down below on the ground a fennec servant was clutching a bag in hand as she delivered it to someone at the entrance of a blacksmith's shop. Inside, the heavy smacks of metal against metal rang out. The smell of someone grinding spices wasn't too far away either. Anything and everything was available for him to do for work, but the endless choices left him undecided.

"I guess I should work at the harbor since I can't think of anything else." He concluded.

"Hey! You're that human!" A voice caught their attention.

"Huh?" Joseph blinked at the familiar tiger standing before him. The feline was dressed in lavish silks and cotton robes. A few rings adorned his fingers, but the golden pendant around his neck shined the most.

"You are Joseph? Yes, you are Joseph!" He spoke with a cheerful voice.

"Who are you?"

"I am Mauro Ghisolfi, head of the Ghisolfi family." The feline introduced himself.

"Oh. I remember you." Joseph realized. Although, the tiger's demeanor was very different than what he remembered from his first trip to the brothel.

"Out of all the merchants, I appreciate that you helped lower taxes the most." He placed a hand over his chest.

"You heard about that?" Joseph didn't like that the news concerning his involvement with taxes had leaked beyond Giuseppe and Nizam.

"Yes, I heard of it a few days ago. I though of moving my family to another land closer to my distant cousins overseas like Cyprus or Sadin, but your decision changed my mind. You know... I have an order of sandalwood arriving in a day or two." He mentioned. "You know, I would give you a small share out of kindness."

"I don't think I should accept that, but thanks anyway." The human declined.

"It's merely a gift for what you've done to help me." The tiger insisted. "Back at my home merchants are always treated poorly by the law. It is always 'merchants are greedy and merely sell to steal people's money' but you don't believe that!"

"Thank you for the kind words." Joseph stated. "But I don't need any gifts."

"Maybe you'd like something else." The tiger thought aloud. "I haven't seen you at the brothel either, do you go there anymore?" His persistent questioning and mention of the brothel irked Chiba.

"He doesn't want your bribe! Back off." Chiba stepped forward with a firm voice. The tiger took a safe step back from the lioness.

"It isn't a bribe, merely an opportunity-" He was cut off when Chiba growled and readied to lunge at him. Mauro quickly scurried away.

"Thanks for that." Joseph breathed a sigh of relief.

"You're welcome. He was bothering me too." Her tail swayed back and forth. "But you should've been firm. You're too soft spoken sometimes."

"He was being very nice to me. I think he was very sincere."

"That tiger could've been trying to bribe you for something." Chiba flatly told him.

"True..." But Joseph hoped that not every wealthy merchant would consider bribery. "But someone else tried bribing me a few days ago when I was leaving the docks."

"Who? Another merchant?"

"Yeah..." He nodded with disdain.

"You didn't accept ay money, did you?" She asked.

"No." He looked up at her golden eyes. "I ran out as fast as I could and ended up in a poor neighborhood." The lioness looked at him with approval.

"That's good."

"Mhm. I ended up meeting with a raccoon named Khoja. She's a slave to a baker family and I talked with her and her vixen friend for over an hour."

"So that's why you came home late that day?"

"Yes. But she is very funny. It was hard not to laugh when she told stories about her life. Now that I'm thinking about, she's the kind of person I like. She didn't want any money from me since I mistook her for a beggar. Khoja is a good person." He explained. Chiba nodded quietly.

Turning and crossing another street, the pair arrived at a brick wall that started beside a building.

"We're here." Joseph could see the tops of several palm trees and bushes over the wall. Walking through an opening, the brick and cobblestone beneath them turned into softer grass. It wasn't luxurious like the Emir's private garden, but it was easy to tell where inspiration had originated. The entire ground was covered in grass. Grasses, bushes, and trees acted as natural barriers to encourage observers to explore the little garden. Narrow meandering paths made of brick wandered around to make use of the small space. Flowers were nearly arranged wherever possible to add extra color to the greenery. In the middle was a fountain and a circular pond. Water bubbled out with a refreshing noise. Moss covered rocks resided in the shade of a few nearby trees. The air was sweetened by the sounds of residing birds chirping and tweeting at one another.

"It's very nice here." Joseph gazed contently around. Coming from the dusty semi arid region of Fez, the human never hoped to see a garden or even imagine what one looked like. Having access to the public gardens inside the city, as well as the Emir's private garden, was a dream in itself. Chiba reached up and curiously touched a flower.

"Have you ever been here before?"

"No, I haven't." She admitted. Her golden eyes scanned the environment with curiosity.

"Did you know that towards the west along the coast the land has forests and grass like this?"

"No." Chiba brushed a hand over a trail of ivy growing on the brick. Joseph stood beside her before walking over to a stone hewn bench and sitting down. Chiba leisurely made her way over before sitting down beside him.

"It's quiet and private here." Joseph observed. 'Maybe that is why the Emir loves gardens so much?' The human wondered. "I'm happy." He concluded with a grin. Glancing over, Chiba seemed to be thinking, keeping her thoughts to herself as usual. It didn't surprise him that the lioness was acting that way.

"I like you..." A quiet voice not far away made their heads perk up. Looking over a group of tall grasses and flowers, Joseph and Chiba spotted a young caracal crooning to a lady caracal. She seemed to adore all of his advances.

"You're beautiful, like these flowers." They heard him say. The female bashfully accepted the flower and tucked her head while he embraced her.

'Khoja must have felt that way when she was their age.' Joseph thought to himself. 'Although it is still hard to imagine...' The human glanced over at the lioness beside him.

"You're not going to say that to me, are you?" Chiba looked at him.

"Uh, no. You might hit me." He admitted. The lioness held back a laugh and grinned.

"I was hoping you would." She quietly said and looked away.

"Huh?" Joseph wasn't sure, but the human thought he could see a grin along the lion's lips.