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Chapter VII - The Safaviyya

In the middle of the main room of their temporary home, Joseph was sitting on a carpet with Chiba. The lioness was scanning library documents with a stern face. All around them, borrowed scrolls and books were scattered like dust. It was everything or nothing for Joseph as he read anything of importance. They had subsisted the best that they could for the past week and a half, but it made the human hunger for the high position he sought even more. Nearly every hour in their day was spent studying or learning about Al Lishbunah. They even frequented parts of the city together to try and get a grasp of the vast urban landscape. However, its immensity was similar to all of the scrolls and documents around them. It was as if they had entered an urban desert, vast in its own ways.

"How many religious groups are in the city?" Chiba asked him.

"A lot. More than one dozen."

"Zoroastrians, Druze, Sufis..."

"Who are the Sufis?"

"A mystical sect." He began. "Um, they sing and read poetry..."

"Close enough." Chiba huffed. "What about the Tuaregs?" She quickly asked in turn.

"They are a nomadic group in the desert... south and southwest from this city. Uh." He paused and looked up to think.

"They're African wild dogs." Chiba added.

"Yeah."

"What is the age of consent for the Kakuyids?" The odd, miscellaneous question nearly caught the human off guard, but no one would take it easy on him.

"Fifteen?"

"What about this city and most other tribes?"

"Sixteen..." He hesitated when Chiba eyed him expectantly. "Oh, the people in the Aram Soba quarter do not have an age of consent."

"Very good." Her tail thumped on the carpet with approval. The lioness scanned over another document. "What was the last war that the Emir fought in?"

"A conflict between local Harsusi factions... several years ago?"

"It was six years ago." She added. "Do you know what it was about?"

"I... I have no idea." The human shrugged at the flurry of questions. Chiba huffed and looked at him with a stern expression.

"This is why I don't like the idea of you being associated with the Emir. Like sand dunes, power changes hands too frequently in the desert. Loyalty is like the wind, it can change at any moment."

"But we are in the city."

"Do you know how the city functions?" She challenged. "Who has power, how they use it, or the lands of the coast?"

"The Emir has power. You just said that he was in a war, therefore he must have an army."

"There's no record of the size of the Emir's army, if he even has one." Chiba pointed out.

"He must have an army, but he doesn't need everyone to know the size."

"This is dangerous and impossible for you." Chiba sighed. "We don't even understand the city well."

"Let me look." Joseph grabbed the scroll from her hand, and quickly searched for an answer. The lioness watched him with lazy eyes.

"I am surprised that you can even read." Chiba scratched her neck. "How did you learn to read?"

"As a teenager I looked at slips of paper left behind from nomads or salt caravans that had writing on them. When I stayed with my uncle, I brought them to him to read. Then I taught myself the rest."

"That's very crafty." She acknowledged.

"How did you learn to read?" He wondered. They were both from poor backgrounds in a very illiterate southern desert region.

"Being selected as a bride to the eldest prince granted me a lot of perks." She explained without much interest. "And I had to do something with my spare time." Their gazes returned to the floor of documents. The human felt tired but rummaged through the pile of information.

"Where are the documents that talked about traders and taxes?" He dug through several papers.

"Why do you want those?" Chiba wiggled her nose.

"Well... Ah ha!" His eyes lit up as he found the parchment he desired. "They were more interesting, and strange to understand." The lioness merely blinked as the human scanned over the words. "I mean, there was one year this city raised taxes and then the following years they steadily received less money. Isn't that strange to you?"

"There are a lot of strange things to me Joseph." She hummed. "Why does that interest you?"

"It isn't what I expected. If you want more money, you tax more, but it didn't work that way. Besides, everyone is interested in money."

"Money is a dangerous profession." Chiba told him.

"That's true..." He remembered being jailed in Fez, which began their journeys to the north. Joseph rubbed his neck as if the sun was burning his skin again. "Let's finish for the day." He recommended.

"Good. I'm tired." The lioness immediately stretched and took an armload of paper with her to another room. Joseph was quick to follow suit.

'I'm sore!' He stood up and stretched. Muscles pulled and ached in response. His legs were very tight from sitting most of the day; as were his back, shoulders, and neck. 'But this should all be worth it.' The human silently hoped to himself. Looking around, he almost thought it was nighttime already. "Hey, Chiba. It's cloudy outside." He noticed that the main room was dim without the ever present sunlight.

"Yes, it's been cloudy all day." Her voice replied from another room. Joseph walked to the front door and stepped outside. Despite being in the heart of the city, the rich neighborhood street was calm and quiet. The few people strolling along the street were in no hurry to be anywhere. It was odd to the human from Fez where no one strolled around outside for fun. Staying inside and away from the heat was a top priority during the day, but things were different in the city.

'Look at that.' Just over a rooftop across the street he could see a spire from a nearby madrasah. But up above was a grey overcast. 'I can't see the sky.' His eyes blinked hearing something. Looking around, the sound was unmistakable as it grew into a soft hiss.

"Rain..." He whispered and listened to the odd pattering noise. He looked over his shoulder to call Chiba, but he had a feeling she wouldn't be as excited as him. Looking back, anyone on the street quickly found shelter. Joseph always remembered rain as a happy event where everyone tried to enjoy the moment. The weather that granted rain was an infrequent occurrence in Fez, and nonexistent in the desert. Yet in the city, it was more of a nuisance or something indifferent. 'Do people sing songs of rain here?' He wondered. The slight coolness of the changing air made his skin tingle in excitement. Joseph wanted to listen to the pattering longer, but the shower passed after a short period of time. The ground was damp, and the air tasted and smelled of water.

'It's almost dark!' He realized and returned inside. Slipping off his footwear, Joseph closed the door and prepared to retire for the night. Entering the bedroom he found that Chiba was already laying on her back with a sheet covering herself. She had an affinity towards sleeping in the nude, but usually had something to stave off a chill. Even though there was a bed to share, the lioness never complained about sleeping on the floor. 'I don't have to worry about her claws scratching me awake.' The human thought to himself and slipped off his outer robe. Joseph crept into the bed and laid down. A weary yawn broke past his lips.

'I am tired...' He felt the toll of the past week on his body. Work was something physical to his experiences, but a taste of mental work was equally tiring in a strange way.

'Is Chiba right?' He turned and glanced at the vague feline shape sleeping on the floor close by. The dust cloud of doubt made him uncomfortable. 'Am I wasting my time?' He stared up at the dark ceiling and wondered. There was a lot of risk with an unknown reward. He had nearly died in the desert outside of Kefir, but dying was easy. Living was difficult. Joseph didn't want to live an ordinary subsistent life like he had in Kefir, or even in La Selva. The human wanted the best. That's why he came to the coast at the cost of his own life. He rolled onto his side and put his mind at rest.

The late morning sun was bright as it casted away any lingering clouds from the previous evening and night. It was going to be a hot day, but the persistent doubt that plagued Joseph before were nowhere in his thoughts. The human was tidying himself up the best he could to look presentable. His hands repeatedly smoothed his face and clothes.

"Do I look... decent?" He asked. Chiba blinked without a word, but her tongue likely held back a smart remark.

"Nervous?" She guessed.

"A little." He lied. 'More like a lot...' He worried that it would ruin any small chance that he had.

"What are you going to do if the Emir will not see you?"

"I don't know... But I'll have to try anyway." He stated. Her rope like tail swayed behind her.

"Good luck."

"Thanks." He forced himself to smile before leaving. Joseph's eyes squinted before adjusting to the full sunlight. But he didn't have much time to waste and hurried out of the neighborhood and onto one of the main streets. The morning was busy like any other time of day. Young and old alike were fetching water from wells. Small jars and jugs were carried by hand whereas larger ones were carried atop heads instead. Up above in two story buildings people were pulling in old clotheslines and setting out new ones. The flapping of cloth and fabric seemed distant like a breeze of wind. Loud arguing between a human on a camel and an ocelot on horseback drew the attention of a few guards. Pausing at a small market, early produce sellers were unloading goods from carts with the aid of various middlemen laborers. Seagulls patiently waited from nearby perches for an opportunity to snatch up a quick meal unnoticed. As soon as he continued walking, the sound of a clay pot shattering in the ground pierced his ears.

"Aww." A depressed groan could be heard behind Joseph.

"Hey! Watch it! You're paying for that grain." Another voice barked.

"Ugh." Joseph exhaled and asked faster. 'I hope that isn't a bad sign.' The human wanted all signs to point to his success for this important day. A fortified tower and the tops of walls soon came into view. Through another narrow street of inhabitants starting their mornings, he emerged in a quieter and more open space. The street between the palace walls and houses was wide. Away from the important markets and daily crowds of people, the Emir's palace had a secluded feeling despite being inside the large city. Rich houses of stone and stucco coated exteriors were within sight instead of slums and worn adobe houses. The wall suddenly ended revealing a new, more scenic defense. A channel of water barely three meters wide divided the front of the palace yard and the street. The clear water lazily flowed down to the only known entrance to the palace across the walls and water. A grove of palm trees lined the grassy space between the channel of water and the inner high walls. A bridge connected the high walls inside the water channel to the lower ones outside. The fortification was as beautiful as it was impregnable. But straight ahead was a larger archway with only a narrow entrance. The entrance was a large archway, and under its shade were two stationed guards, an ocelot and a cheetah. They were not armed with spears, but with swords instead. It was the only path leading to the palace.

'I guess this is it.' Joseph walked forward. Both guard's eyes followed his steps.

"Halt. What business do you have here, human?" The ocelot spoke firmly.

"I wish to see the Emir, please." Joseph calmly spoke. The felines looked at each other before the cheetah gave a nod.

"Follow me." The ocelot guard stated and led Joseph through the open gate. A pathway of aligned brick led directly to a corner of the palace complex. It was the size of many buildings put together and fairly tall. A large dome rested in the center, symbolically guarded by four minarets.

'It is huge...' Joseph couldn't help but stare as he followed the guard. Passing into an entryway, the human found himself in a wide room where several other guards, mostly feline, resided. Everything about the meager side entrance to the Emir's palace was rich and lavish. The walls were thick and pure white, likely cleaned regularly. The floors were cleanly swept and smoother than any stone he had touched before. A large vase resting on a marble column had intricate designs painted over its surface resembling a lush flowering vine. The echoing of a twanging instrument was clearly audible from somewhere in the connecting hallways. He could glimpse through an entryway that another room's floor was made entirely of colored tile.

'How much money would someone need to build all of this?' The human tried not to openly gawk. He could feel everyone's eyes were on him. 'If I do anything wrong then I will quickly be thrown out.'

"What is it?" A panther among the other four guards spoke up.

"He wishes to see the Emir." The ocelot guard spoke up. The other guard looked at each other questioningly.

'Are they not going to let me through?' Joseph started to worry.

"Hello stranger..." An oddly soothing voice called out. He was greeted by a tigress at one of the entrances. Her entire main coat of fur was a pure white with black stripes unlike her average orange furred counterpart. She was a very buxom feline wearing only a beautiful green silk loincloth for clothing that dusted over the floor. Her belly and thighs had a little more thickness than the average person, indicating that she was well fed and taken care of. However, she wore no matching silk on her upper body. In fact, the heavyset feline was completely topless. Judging from her small grin, she was completely comfortable about it. "What are you doing here?"

"I wish to speak with the Emir." Joseph found his wits quick enough to explain his presence before the guards could. She looked the human over with a keen eye while her striped tail lazily swayed behind her ankles.

"Hmm... Come with me then." The white tigress turned and beckoned him to follow. The guards yielded and let the human pass through. She led him into an adjacent room where a small lounging couch meant for one was. Several potted plants with wide leaves and tropical palms gave a lush atmosphere. A tall window allowed a modest amount of sunlight into the room. It was a very rich place to lounge or take a nap.

"Have a seat." Her silky voice encouraged him. Joseph looked around but a gentle nudge urged him forward. He laid down only to feel fur touching him. The tigress joined him, and ended up laying halfway on top of him. A leg was curled over him as well as both large breasts laying modestly over his chest. The warmth from her body was alluring and cozy like her bare fur, but she made no qualms about their intimate position. Joseph wondered if it was all an elaborate trap of some sort, but he held his nerves.

"Comfortable?" She softly asked. Joseph could faintly feel the heat from her breath.

"Your fur is divine." The human swallowed his nervousness. 'Where do I put my hands?' He wondered. One was sandwiched somewhere beneath her and the other clung to the couch like it was a high cliff.

"Modest." She chuckled warmly and settled down comfortably. "Now why do you wish to see my husband? He is a very busy person being the city's emir."

'She is the Emir's wife!' It took the human a moment to register the fact. "I want to be part of his Safaviyya." Joseph managed to speak.

"Hmm. So you want to help advise him? I see..." She hummed aloud in thought. "Where are you from?"

"The land of Fez." He answered.

"Mmhm." She offhandedly purred. "That is a very far away place and a poor land. Some traders manage to cross the distance."

"I hope that the Emir can find my experiences useful." Joseph insisted.

"Hmm... Let me make you an offer." She purred after a moment's thought.

"An offer?"

"Mhmm." The graceful feline nodded and traced a finger over his clothes. "How about this. You agree to answer a question of my choice. If you don't, then I will give you one gold coin to never come here again. If you agree then you must answer correctly or I will be sure that you never find a gold coin again." Her claws unsheathed and rasped as they trailed over his robe. Joseph thought for a moment. A single gold coin was worth a lot, and two people could find more modest jobs with that timeframe. The human didn't doubt for a second that if he agreed to the question and answered incorrectly, then he may find himself being sold on the same market that Chiba was, or even worse.

'I'm in a bad position...' He looked at the lovely half naked feline cuddled dangerously close to him.

"Well?" Her lovely smile inquired.

"I will answer your question." Joseph stated, hoping to never regret those words. Her brow raised slightly.

"You are brave." The tigress mused, but wasted little time. "Alright. Answer this. Suppose a man is in great debt and his debtor comes for the money he is owed. The man has no money, so the debtor makes a deal with him. 'I'll put two different colored stones in a hat, one grey, one white. If your daughter draws the white stone then your debt is forgiven. If she draws the grey stone, then I take your daughter as a slave.' The man reluctantly agrees and calls his daughter out. The ground is covered with many little stones so the debtor kneels down and picks two. The daughter sees the debtor pick up two grey stones and put them into the hat without her father knowing, but she must draw... What should the daughter do?" The white tigress keenly eyed Joseph. He took a moment to digest the complex problem.

'Okay... Think this through.' The human told himself. 'A father is indebted, and his daughter's freedom is at stake.' His mind mulled over everything putting the father in a bad position. The immediate answer was deceptively easily.

'Calling the bluff will be a bad decision. They clearly can't refuse without the broker demanding the indebted money instead... And the father doesn't know he is being cheated anyway.' It was as frustrating as a real life situation. 'And her...' His eyes could only see two pretty breasts laying on him. As if figuring out the problem was hard enough, he had few ways of averting his gaze from the buxom beauty partially reclined over him. Sweat formed along his brow.

'I might as well be the man in her story!' He clenched his teeth. The tigress studied his facial expression but otherwise waited patiently with a grin. Her striped tail curled and lightly danced beside her paws. She was definitely enjoying the moment.

"Well?" The tigress crooned above him, and drew a claw over his flesh. His time was running thin to make a decision, the right decision. Heart pounding in his chest, the human closed his eyes to think.

"The... Uh..." Joseph struggled to gather his thoughts as she pried him for an answer.

"Do you have an answer, or not?" Her playful demeanor remained the same, but he could feel her patience running thin.

"The father..." His eyes shot open widely at an epiphany. "No! The father can't do anything." He quickly spoke. The tigress's brow arched questioningly. "The daughter should choose a stone like you suggested, even though both are grey. But when she picks one, she must quickly drop it on the ground. Then she can simply make the debtor reveal the last stone in his hand and claim that the other color was the one that she dropped. Then he can't refute her, and if he goes back on his own offer then his own credibility will suffer. So the father's debt will be relieved and his daughter will remain free." His fast words explained the solution. Her eyes blankly stared at him for a moment. Joseph was sure that she could feel and hear his heart beating.

"You are a clever one." Her feline smile returned in full force. "Fine. I'll let you meet my husband, but don't think that you impressing me will make him take notice." She lifted herself enough for Joseph to move. The human managed to slip out from underneath the buxom tigress and staggered to his feet. One half of his body had started to sweat.

'Oh my...' He took a shaky breath and regained his bearings.

"He's through that entryway." She pointed towards one with a pointed arch.

"Thank you." Joseph started walking towards it. The human stopped in his track and turned back to the tigress. Her arm was hanging over the end of the lounging couch while her feline eyes intently watched him. For a split second neither said anything.

"Wait." The light echo of his voice made her ears turn towards him. "What is your name?" Joseph asked.

"Bashira."

"Bashira... I'll remember it." Joseph didn't think he could forget everything that had just happened. The tigress purred as the human walked away. 'All of that just to see one person.' He blinked and cautiously made his way through the archway. 'But it is the Emir of all people.' Joseph paused and found himself in a grand meeting hall. Ceilings of impressive height loomed above in the shape of a dome. There was more than enough sunlight to see, but the room was cozy as if the weather had become cloudy outside. Plenty of lavish decorations were visible, like very long drapes hanging from the ceiling, but in the center of it all was a leopard humbly sitting on a straw mat.

'The Emir...' Joseph realized who it was. The Emir was sitting on a finely made carpet, naked except for the white silken scarf partially covering his lap. His spotted coat was like a living mosaic or a brilliantly designed carpet that had come to life. The feline head looked up from a long scroll on the floor at his side.

"Who are you, and what can I do for you?" He kindly motioned for the human to take a seat.

"Um. Hello." He cleared his throat. "I am Joseph from the land of Fez, and I came to speak with you."

"What is it that you wish to discuss with me?" The leopard asked.

"I want to be on your council, the Safaviyya."

"Hmm..." The feline paused for a moment to think. "You are from Fez... Bulus is the only person advising me from the southern tribal regions. His input is very important to my decision making."

"I am from the southern region of Fez that borders Sham." Joseph restated.

"Ah. Yes, the salt trade passes directly through Fez. I hear that a few daring merchants make the journey back and forth for their livelihoods as well, not to mention several desert dwelling tribesmen like the Tuaregs... It has been a long time since I had a human as part of my council too." He thought aloud. The human nervously held himself together while awaiting any sort of confirmation.

"This is interesting!" He smiled. "You can wait in the adjacent room if you like." The Emir pointed to a less elegant entryway. "I will send someone for you soon."

"Thank you." He nodded. The leopard motioned and a section of wall appeared to come to life as a female sand cat servant Joseph had missed before immediately went to the Emir's side. She was dressed lightly in silk and wore nice jewelry around her wrists and ankles.

"Please take my guest to a room." He softly ordered. She nodded and motioned for the human to follow. The sand cat stopped by a wall where there was a curtain and parted it, revealing a private room for him.

"Wow..." The spectacular display of wealth made him feel out of place. 'Even this side room is nice.' Joseph looked around the small space as he entered. The curtain closed behind him. The room was peacefully quiet. A tall window behind him allowed light from an unknown hallway but was guarded by a moveable privacy screen. It was a small space with a lounging bed like Bashira had laid on. Plush cushions rested neatly on both ends. The floor was clean and potted plants decorated every corner. 'This is so soft.' Joseph couldn't help but marvel at the cushion he chose to sit on. As soon as he sat down, someone else entered the room. Looking up, he was greeted by a lithe male jackal dressed is finely made garments of cotton. The short sleeved robe had a simple tunic underneath tied closed with a sash. A green anklet caught the human's eye.

"Sir, do you need anything to eat or drink, or something else?" The jackal politely asked.

"Oh. Uh water will be fine." Joseph said.

"Yes, sir." The canine disappeared through the curtained entryway. It only took a few moments before he returned with a small tray of smooth, dark wood. A large cup made of pewter was empty beside a small pitcher. He was also treated with grapes and figs. The jackal set everything down and poured the cup half full before stepping back.

"Thank you."

"Do you need anything else sir?"

"No. Uh, you can wait outside." He stared at the tray. The jackal disappeared through the silk curtain once again. Reaching out, Joseph touched the cup only to pull his hand back. "Cold!" He quietly gasped at the sensation. The cup was frigid, a sensation he had never get before. Grasping the cup more carefully, the human brought it to his lips. The stinging cold water sent chills throughout his body as he drank it.

'How did it get so cold?' He wondered and set the cup back. The human and waited for each agonizingly slow minute to pass. Soon he could hear murmuring voices within the hall. 'What's going on out there?' Joseph wondered and did his best to stay calm. The curtain moved once again, and he found the lithe canine standing before him.

"The Emir wishes for you to join his meeting." The jackal told him calmly. Joseph quickly rose to his feet. The silk curtain was held open for him. In the middle of the hall there were several splendidly dressed people seated on fine silken cushions of rich colors, or walking towards them. Crimson, indigo, blue, and green among others.

'There's six... This is his council.' He realized. A formidable light furred lion, a slim built domestic feline, a jackal, an Ethiopian wolf, and a sand cat were already present. However, one of the cushions was empty. Guards stood at attention with their back against the walls. Some were armed, but others were not. Either way, their presence wasn't amiss. A few people were entering from different entryways, and gathered towards the seats in the grand hall's center. Most were obviously servants based on their clothes. They were all quick footed to setting everything just right. Food, water, and anything else was handed exceptionally well with efficiency. Most had scattered away within several moments as a final figure appeared from one of the adjoining hallways.

'Bulus?!' Joseph was surprised to see the Kakuyid lion himself enter last to join the others. The hefty lion approached the rest of the Safaviyya. He was wearing a pair of leather gauntlets on both wrists, a flowing red cape, and a loincloth wrapped around his waist similar to the palace servants. It was just enough to cover himself with a sense of modesty. But the lack of clothing didn't mean he could not add lavish jewels. Silver decorated his gauntlets, and gems lined a leather belt around his waist.

'Take it easy Joseph, you've gotten this far.' He relaxed his tense body. 'What would Chiba think of me being this nervous?' The human concentrated as the Kakuyid lion sat down. The jackal servant stood expectantly by the human's side.

"Please join us Joseph." The Emir spoke as a seventh seat was placed for the human. Eyes glanced over at the human frozen in place. He finally nodded and approached the powerful group.

"Ah, I did not know that you would be joining us Joseph." Bulus spoke warmly with a faint grin.

"Do you two know each other?" The leopard at the head of the group inquired.

"Well-"

"He helped me take care of a problem I had when returning to the city." Bulus was quick to cut him off, and explain without much detail.

"Alright, let's begin." The Emir stated. "Nehru, do you have anything new to report or discuss?" His attention turned to the light cream furred lion that was roughly the same in stature compared to Bulus.

'Is he one of Bulus's friends?' Joseph silently wondered if the very light furred lion was a Kakuyid as well.

"My Emir, Al Mu'tasim," he began and gestured to the slim feline beside him, "Yusuf and I have been checking on farmers and herders west of the city in the more fertile areas. This season should have great yields. The orchards west of this city along the coast have been doing well with the recent rains."

"No droughts are always a blessing." The Emir nodded.

"There haven't been any serious conflicts about land between farmers and nomads this year." Yusuf added. "Good weather makes good neighbors. We can only hope the weather remains good for some time." He mentioned.

"Anything else?"

"That is all." Nehru nodded.

"And you?" The Emir looked at the Ethiopian wolf next.

"My Emir." The canine began with a subtle bow. "First, the Banu are thankful for your charitable donation of nine fine horses."

"I am glad they are pleased with them."

"To add to what Nehru and Yusuf said, the recent rains have benefited this city."

"How are the water levels?"

"They are fair. Every well has plenty of water. I don't believe we will need to empty any cisterns this year. Let them stay full." The Ethiopian wolf replied. Joseph silently listened as the canine continued. There was so much information that he had no clue about, and they were merely updating the Emir about various things!

'I will only have one shot at this.' He realized. 'The Emir will wait for me to answer in turn about something... Then I will have to state something well and explain myself without anyone else rejecting it. Does this mean that I will have to compete with Bulus?' Joseph nervously swallowed at the idea. The burly lion was more than competitive from what Chiba had told him. He was ruthless!

"In Farfaro the ring leader of bandit group was captured. He is guilty for leading attacks on nomads, travelers, and herdsmen alike." The Ethiopian wolf continued.

"That area will finally experience peace." The Emir nodded.

"Rural areas always have war sometime or another." The short sand cat cut a glaring eye at Bulus.

"Umari, what do you have to discuss?" Attention turned to the sand cat.

"Well... Let me think." His feline ears fell back for a moment. "Customs reported that we received about the same goods being imported as last year, around this time. We have many goods flowing in and out of our harbor."

"Your son does a fantastic job keeping up with everything." The Emir noted.

"Thank you. He works very hard, but I am very curious about something... Several diplomats from countries across the sea have not returned their ambassadors yet. That males me uneasy." The sand cat said.

"Perhaps there has been a storm or war that we do not know of." The leopard calmly hoped for the best.

"I hope so..."

"What about you Bulus?" The Emir asked in turn.

"Well," the lion began in his deep voice, "The route from Sham to the coast remains clear and protected. My warriors keep watch over the endless dunes of several oasis towns and villages from bandits. We have arranged a deal with nomads who shepherd flocks of sheep. We are hoping to build on a relationship by trading for their wool."

"The best wool comes from the hills of Campania. I know two merchants from there and the material is so soft that wool from our pastures feels coarse in comparison." Nehru spoke up.

"We understand that." Bulus acknowledged. "But not everyone can buy the most expensive items."

"Those merchants from abroad do not make anything like someone who labors." The jackal folded his arms. "They simply sell for money. It's a greedy profession, especially if they are selling the money itself through lending."

"Tarabulus and Nofaliya on the northwestern coast had their taxes on imports raised for a reason. Keep them at sea." Bulus agreed. "And we will keep our money."

"Although the governors from both of those cities are reporting less revenue from taxes, much less." Umari pointed out. "It seems like we lose money when that happens."

"That's ridiculous." Bulus huffed.

"What do you think should be done Joseph?" The Emir turned to face the human. Joseph felt all eyes settle on him as the conversation pivoted. He took a moment to put together a few thoughts.

"Hm. Announce that you will lower taxes." His answer took many by surprise.

"Lower taxes?" The jackal's eyes narrowed.

"Yes."

"That doesn't make sense. We are losing money in those cities, why collect less?"

"You just explained that Tarabulus and Nofaliya were raising taxes on goods being imported, so that will drive more merchants into other cities like Al Lishbunah. The same effect would happen if you lower taxes here. The latter would be better since it will bring more merchants here. If I had to pay more to bring something in a boat just to sell, then I would rather smuggle it through a dock. For example, if cheap pottery is brought from afar, then potters in the city can focus on making elaborate designs or have their own cheaper versions made. People can chose what they want to buy as they compete to sell."

"You're hoping to benefit everyone by collecting less taxes from them?" Nehru the lighter furred lion rubbed his chin in thought.

"It won't happen immediately, but the sooner the news gets out then the sooner more will arrive to trade and sell their wares."

"So what if people get a few more clay pots? Pottery will not make the city richer." Bulus mentioned.

"What will this do to our own people crafting and in the workshops?" The jackal spoke up. "Letting more merchants come to sell will drive them to poverty, and then we will have unrest. You need to protect the people here, not let foreign merchants get rich off us!" He declared. Joseph felt that it was a make or break moment.

"Allowing merchants to sell here will not make anyone poorer. And It's not just cheaper pottery, but everything." The human explained. "When I first arrived here, I saw a pasture with lambs and sheep grazing, yet I heard someone say that the best wool comes from across the sea in Campania. Then why would anyone try selling wool here?"

"It's cheaper." The jackal pointed out the obvious fact.

"It's hardly worth buying." Nehru mumbled to the canine's annoyance while the Emir listened to the discussion intently.

"Lower taxes and then merchants will sell Campanian wool cheaper. More will be able to afford and buy it, benefitting the merchant and the people here. The Emir will benefit if more merchants come to sell where they aren't taxed so much, because he will receive taxes from more people." He elaborated. "Foreign merchants will have to stay someplace, drink fresh water, eat local food, and trade of course. And at the very least they will have to use the city's harbor. That will make many more people wealthy. It is a good thing if people wish to come here like me. Why keep them away? It is no different than refusing money from someone." Joseph concluded. The jackal didn't seem satisfied but chose not to retort.

"This is all silly." Bulus spoke up. "Letting merchants make more money in the hopes that more will come and invade the city? This will not do any good for anybody."

"Bulus, your interests always reside in the desert and not the city." Nehru mentioned. The Kakuyid lion exchanged a glare with the other lion.

"Bulus, I believe your time has been long extended on my council for one term." The Emir pointed out.

"What?!" The burly lion rose from his seat. The other members of the Safaviyya looked on in surprise. He paused as several guards were poised to make any necessary moves. "So what now then? You're leaving yourself with a vacancy!"

"Do not worry, I have a replacement in mind." The leopard spoke without shifting his gaze. Bulus looked visibly angry as Joseph's heart skipped a beat. The lion turned and quickly exited the meeting hall without looking back. Joseph couldn't believe it even after the big feline had disappeared from sight. Everyone else turned their heads back to the Emir who had kept completely calm during the whole ordeal.

"I think that finishes everything up. You are all dismissed." He waved a hand. Joseph silently exhaled as the other five gradually stood up. Some briefly exchanged words with the Emir before leaving.

"Good riddance." Joseph heard the sand cat murmur. Two of the council lingered by an exit, discussing something in private.

"That was an eventful meeting, now wasn't it?" The leopard turned his attention back to Joseph. "I am impressed with your reasoning."

"Thank you. It was eventful." They both stood up. In an instant two servants, a male and female sand cat, were at the Emir's side and taking off his heavier elaborate outer robes. "I thought Bulus would lunge at us... I didn't know you were going to remove him from your council."

"Bulus only wanted to give me advice and information that he wanted me to hear. In recent years he has been riling up young warriors to topple desert towns and install their own to rule. Then Bulus kindly steps forward and promises to keep the peace after he has maintained control."

"Then why did you bother having that lion on your council in the first place?"

"Bulus has an insatiable ambition that is dangerous, but on the council I could hold that in check and keep watch over his actions... Now I want you to come back here around noon tomorrow to follow up on some things."

"With something nice to wear?" Joseph still felt far inferior in comparison to everyone because of what he wore. His robes were clean, but dingy in several places.

"It doesn't matter." The leopard kindly grinned. "I will wait for you tomorrow." He turned around and began padding away.

"Wait." Joseph realized something.

"What is it?" The Emir paused and turned.

"Someone else and I might be in danger because I am replacing Bulus on your council. Would it be possible for the two of us to live in a new home?"

"Hmm... It is short notice, but I think I can arrange something." The feline nodded firmly to his relief.

* * *

Chiba blew a soft sigh past her lips. Her eyes were closed as she laid on the home's only bed. The Kakuyid lioness had her clothing unraveled, merely hanging on her arms, leaving her entire front naked like an artistic portrait. It was the only way she could relax in her current situation.

'I hope Joseph is doing alright.' She thought to herself, wondering what they could possibly do in the city to make a living. He had been gone for hours already. Her eyes scrunched shut as worry gripped her with an unceasing hand. Swift knocking on the door alerted Chiba's ears. She sat up and blinked, narrowing her eyes. 'Who could that be?' Her thoughts could only imagine the worst. A company of lions was the last thing she wanted to see. She sat up and tied her robes as the loud banging continued. With a silent prayer, the lioness approached the door only to hesitate.

"Chiba?" A voice made her ears dial forward. "Chiba! Hello?" The male voice sounded very familiar. Chiba released a pent up breath and answered the door. The door swung open and bright sunlight briefly stung her golden eyes.

"Joseph!" Her eyes widened seeing the human accompanied by two armed cheetahs, both equipped with sabers, a light padding of armor, and wielding spears. They appeared identical, like a mirrored mirage. Immediately behind Joseph was a small coyote dressed in simple but pure white linen robes. A blue sash around his waist and head indicated that the coyote was someone important; not to mention the jewelry.

"Chiba!" The human smiled with all of his teeth. "Do you have everything we own?" He quickly asked.

"We only own our clothes!" She reminded him.

"I walked into that one... Come on, we are leaving." He grabbed her hand and led the surprised lioness outside.

"Ok." The small male coyote smiled. "If you both would, please follow me." He turned and led them across the street with both guards at their sides.

"Who are they?" Chiba whispered to him. "And what is this about?"

"Sorry! So much is happening that I don't know what to say!" Joseph happily spoke. "The Emir wants me to be on his council." He explained. Her gaze turned blank before contorting into confusion.

"What?" Her ears dialed around.

"Yes! Or at least he is giving me a chance." Joseph told her. The lioness usually had a quick remark under her tongue, but she remained silent. They followed the small coyote and armed guards across several streets and through the late afternoon throngs of people. They soon reached a more upscale neighborhood that was quieter. The cobblestone street was less uneven and worn than the other main roads.

"This is the house." The coyote approached a building with a dark wooden door. A simple green palm grew in a section of dirt right beside the front door.

"It looks very nice." Joseph whispered to Chiba. The lioness nodded.

"Let's see here..." The small canine retrieved a large iron key and unlocked the latch on the door. "This is yours now." He handed it over to Joseph.

'This key is heavy!' He held onto the thick piece of metal. The door opened up and the coyote ushered the humans and lioness inside. The soldiers remained outside while they entered. Chiba and Joseph were not disappointed in the slightest. The first space was a small room of large sandy colored tiles and a shallow dug in basin to wash ones hands and feet. A little window was open to the street, but it could not see deeper into the house for some privacy. A few steps going around the first corner revealed a wide expanse.

"This place is just as nice as Bulus's home." Chiba remarked as they wandered around the beautiful space. There were nice windows along the side of the house, and the main room was spacious. There were privacy screens readily positioned if they wanted avoid the lingering eyes of any passersby. A wooden table was against one of the walls with two chairs. A little further away there was a deep basin in the middle of the floor.

"A bath!" Joseph remarked. Made of tile and bordered by more tiles, it was a small bath much like the one in Bulus's home but somewhat larger.

"Yes, and it's connected to a waterline so it will fill and drain itself as you wish." The coyote commented. Around the corner, a spacious kitchen joined the main room without any divides. The upper half of its walls were decorated with ceramic tiles, and there was a pit to safely cook food in. Looking up, the entire ceiling was painted in a light cream color. Two small windows at the back had a view of a tiny gravel crossway between three other adjacent houses.

"I take it you like this place?" The coyote smiled at their combined speechlessness.

"Yes! Of course." Joseph nodded. "The house is great."

"If you need anything from me, I live across the street and down to the corner." He offered.

"Thank you." Joseph didn't know what else to say as the canine left.

'I own this house...' It was a weird feeling. He wasn't renting or paying to stay in someone else's home. It was a house to call his own. The human could hardly believe it. "Is this the bedroom?" He peered inside the last room. He found a nice bed raised up from the floor with soft sheets and pillows. Bare shelves were on the opposing wall for clothes. A side window was closer towards the ceiling, probably to let sunlight in during sunrise. The human stepped towards the bed. His hands were quick to feel over it.

"It's a nice bed." Joseph liked how soft everything felt. Without a second thought he laid down and spread his arms out. "Ahh..." He sighed and looked up. The ceiling was painted in a light blue, like the sky. Through the corner of his eye, he noticed someone standing nearby. Chiba was watching him from the room's entryway. Joseph immediately sat up as she walked towards him.

"I can't believe you did it." Chiba sat down beside him.

"Neither can I." Joseph remarked and looked at the walls. "Wow. It's all so wonderful." She nodded in agreement as they took in their new living situation. "The Emir wants me to go back tomorrow too."

"What for?"

"He didn't say."

"You better go."

"I know. I will." He reassured the lioness. Her tail tapped on the bed lightly as awkward silence passed between them. He glanced at her hands resting on the bedside. "Since there's only one bed..."

"Give me a blanket and a mat or something so I can sleep on the floor." Chiba quickly told him.

"But you don't need to sleep on the floor. It isn't Bulus's house."

"I know this isn't his house."

"We can take turns if you'd like." He offered but the lioness wasn't having any of it. 'Hard headed.' Joseph kept to himself. She wouldn't have a hard time using her claws on him, but he was surprised how restrained she had been around him the past few days. "Thanks for helping me prep for all of that."

"I'm the one who left you for dead in the desert." She reminded him.

"You don't need to remind me about that." He mumbled. "But without you I wouldn't have been able to handle Bulus's presence, and I doubt I could've joined the Emir's council. You taught me a lot about him and the Kakuyids." He added. Chiba merely nodded. "You won't believe who I replaced to get on the council either."

"Who?"

"Bulus."

"What?" She blinked in disbelief.

"Yes! The Emir knows what kind of person he is, and I don't think Bulus will be back on the council anytime soon." He added gleefully.

"That's good news to my ears." Chiba grinned from ear to ear. "If you are on the council in his place, why did you have new arrangements done?"

"He is intimidating, and when the Emir told me about his ambitions I thought it would be a good idea to move to a safer house... without anyone knowing of course."

"That's pretty smart of you Joseph." The lioness acknowledged.

"Thanks, but my head is tired from thinking." The human blew a sigh of relief.

"Lay back and relax."

"You don't need to tell me twice." He smiled and laid back. Chiba looked over her shoulder at the sprawled out human. Joseph looked over at the lioness just as she stood up. He could've sworn that there was a little grin on her face.

"Joseph, sir." The guard declared and stood at attention. The human stood firm and nodded. It was a far less stressful greeting than when he came by the other day. He was led by two guards down a lengthy hall. Standing by a window was the Emir himself, dressed simply but no less decadently. Looking over his shoulder there was a pleased grin on his face.

"I'm glad that you could make it, Joseph." He approached the human. The guards promptly stopped before returning to their posts.

"Thanks again for inviting me back, and allowing me to be in your council."

"It's my pleasure, and in my best interest. You are polite, but don't have an ambitious eye like Bulus." He spoke while they walked down the hall. "He has a habit of dominating others and causing trouble, only to try and propose himself as the one to settle it in his own terms."

"He does look dangerous." Joseph admitted, making the leopard laugh.

"Like I told you during the meeting yesterday, keeping him close allows me to have a careful watch over his actions. Even though he will be back in the deserts of Sham soon, I can finally relax without his presence in this city."

"I hope I can be of more help than him." Joseph plainly spoke.

"I can really use your talented judgement." He led Joseph to a wide opening and into an enclosed garden. The human found himself staring with impressed eyes.

'This is his garden?' The plants themselves were enough to dazzle. Tall tropical trees were bordered by flowering plants and bushes or vines that bore fruit. The entire ground was green, full of grass that resembled an expensive carpet. The only places not green were the two little pools of fresh water fed by an underground cistern. The whole area resembled a little paradise safely enclosed with walls. Two of the Safaviyya were lounging in the nude among the garden plants, the slim sand cat Yusuf and the lighter coated, older lion Nehru.

'What's going on?' He eyed the nude felines suspiciously.

"Ah, you remember them from yesterday's meeting?" The Emir gestured. "Nehru and Yusuf." The two looked up and kindly waved. Joseph nodded mutely in response. "I always enjoy the freedom of being naked like the few tribes in the Sham region do." The leopard set his robe aside and stretched with feline flexibility. "But that's impossible in this large city with the exception of my home and garden." He held his hand out. "You don't have to if you aren't comfortable, but these walls prevent any unwanted eyes from seeing us."

"Right... But I'd like to stay dressed." Joseph's gaze looked around the lush landscape as if under a spell, but the Emir took it all in good humor.

"Come sit with me." He beckoned and walked towards a fountain pouring water into one of the little pools. The leopard sat down with a relaxed pose as if he wasn't naked at all. Joseph stepped onto the grass and felt the skinny blades scrunch beneath him.

'This feels very weird.' The human was not accustomed to the turf. He walked over to the Emir, trying not to look around too much and keep the leopard waiting. Joseph sat down beside the feline at the water's edge, but averted his eyes from the naked leopard's sleek pelt. The silence felt odd, especially since the royal feline was responsible for his new position. 'The ruler of this entire city is lounging in the nude, and I am right beside him!' Joseph found the realization hard to imagine, but it was very much real.

"Something is on your mind, isn't it?" He spoke with a witty grin.

"I am a little confused." Joseph nervously admitted. "Not the garden, but uh..."

"The nudity?" He correctly guessed.

"Yes."

"I see nudity as a beautiful thing Joseph." The leopard spoke. "Nomads living in the desert have free movement and see nakedness as nothing special, maybe even trivial as the choice of where to go next. The only rules out there are survival. In the city the rule of survival is replaced with the artificial societal rules where things are rigid. I experience nudity as almost a freeing thing that I'm more than happy to enjoy with other likeminded people." He took a deep breath and sighed with complete relaxation. "After a long meeting with the Safviyya, envoys, diplomats, powerful families, and military advisors I am very eager to come here and relax."

"I can see why." Joseph mumbled.

"And I love lush plants as I'm sure you could easily guess." He gestured to the private garden. "Although I wish I could have several levels built like terraces, and tall trees planted so I can explore them." He thought wishfully. "But then I may never want to leave the garden, especially if I get lost inside." The Emir smiled.

"This is a beautiful garden... I haven't seen anything like it before." Joseph admitted.

"This place of ours is beautiful, not just my private garden but the entire city of Al Lishbunah. I have worked very hard to clean up parts of the city. I ordered narrow streets to be cleaned; sewers to be repaired; and building two new cisterns to provide water to every house." He listed the achievements like household chores.

"You've done a lot."

"I feel that there is so much more to do!" He exclaimed happily, ready for the challenge. "You're someone who can help me very much."

"I am wondering how I can help." Joseph mentioned. 'I am from Fez and have no experience with what he needs.' He thought to himself.

"You aren't from this city or associated with anyone here." The Emir pointed out. "You will have a different perspective on issues... I'm sure that you feel everything is at your fingertips now." He mused and changed subjects. "Do you believe in ghosts or spirits Joseph?"

"No..."

"What if one appeared in front of you?"

"Then... I would have to believe." He assumed. The leopard chuckled at his hesitant answer.

"Look at all of these naked males here." A female voice proclaimed. "It's like I'm in a brothel." The Emir's wife entered the secluded garden. The buxom tigress was wearing a pair of bracelets, and only her green silk breech cloth for clothing. She sashayed over to her husband.

"But brothels don't have gardens or talks about governing, philosophy, or diplomacy." The Emir replied. "No sex either." He quietly chuckled to Joseph.

"Does she always dress like that?"

"Only around here." The leopard murmured.

"I heard that." The tigress sat down beside her husband. The feline pair shared a quick kiss.

"Back from the market early I see. Did you buy anything?"

"No." She dipped her paws into the cool shallow pool and sighed. "I talked with my friends Aurelia and Hassa for most of the morning. They shopped the morning away though. Expensive vases and tiles catch their eyes it seems."

"They have fine tastes."

"As they always will." He mused. "I heard that my wife gave you some sort of test just to be seen by me. I hope that she didn't make you uncomfortable."

"There wasn't anything that she could have done to make me comfortable." The leopard and tigress laughed at that.

"It's great that she allowed you to meet me, because I am very interested in what you said during the meeting." The leopard spoke up. "What you spoke about lowering taxes was... odd. Many in my council believe that the opposite is true. A few years ago I heeded the advice of one group and raised the taxes like they suggested. It worked for one year. I received more revenue, but the next year less so. The year after that I was receiving less than before I initiated the tax. I'm wondering why that is."

"No one wants to pay taxes." His wife answered.

"True... but money just doesn't disappear like that, or does it?" The leopard's gaze turned to Joseph. "I'd like for you to scan the city and see what merchant families and others would think of the proposition that you suggested to me the other day. I'd also like to hear what other things they would like changed. Bulus is far too intimidating and ambitious to give me accurate answers. His purpose is only to serve himself and the Kakuyids, even at the expense of others."

"I would be happy to that." Joseph readily nodded. After all, it was his new job to serve the Emir! The leopard looked over his other shoulder and waved. Joseph saw two figures enter the garden with trays in hand. One was a slim male golden jackal dressed in fine silks, and the other was a petite grey and white furred domestic cat. The male went to Nehru and Yusuf, and the female came towards them. As she neared, Joseph could clearly see that she was naked like everyone else, but wore a modest necklace. Her body was very sleekly built like any feline, but unlike Bashira she was very slim and petite with a mostly flat chest.

'She is very beautiful.' The human couldn't help but admit. When the servant knelt down amongst the three, Joseph could see that her fur was neatly groomed almost down to each individual hair.

"Food and water." She quietly offered.

"Thank you miss." Bashira said.

"Thank you." The Emir kindly smiled and plucked off some food. "Care for anything Joseph? If you want wine then we can have some." He offered.

"Oh uh. This is fine, thank you." The human picked something off the tray instead. The domestic grey and white feline sat down with them while they ate and drank what they pleased.

"You may go inside if you like, Rebecca." The Emir spoke to the feline when they finished eating.

"Thank you sir." She dipped her head before walking across the grass and back inside.

"Even your servants are naked?" Joseph asked. The Emir chuckled.

"Out here they can, but I let them decide." He explained. "Now my wife," his arm gently nudged her, "she hasn't found a shirt or robe that she wants to wear inside for the past year."

"That's not true!" She chuckled.

"You are picky when it comes to clothing."

"If you say so." She slyly grinned. "Or maybe I prefer not to wear much like you out here." Their playful words were humorous to Joseph, as well as humbling. They were the richest, most powerful individuals he had met before and likely would ever meet. Rather than bathe themselves in constant luxury, they enjoyed simpler pleasures and aesthetics. The Emir's gaze shifted as he noticed a guard standing by the doorway.

"What is it?"

"I forgot that I have a meeting with a messenger from a Tuareg tribe." He seemed half surprised. "Sorry that I have to leave so suddenly Joseph." The leopard apologized and rose to his paws.

"What do you want me to do?" Joseph rose to his feet.

"Nehru!" The leopard turned his head and called out to the lion. "I need you to help Joseph with his first duties. I would also like for you to teach him when possible." The older male lion rose from his spot in the rich grass.

"I would happily do so, my Emir!" He called out.

"Thank you for coming here Joseph." The leopard bade the human farewell to retrieve his clothes. "We will meet again soon."

"Thank you." The human deeply nodded his thanks.

"Nehru is a good person, and he has my husband's complete trust." Bashira softly smiled at the human before following her husband back inside. The nude older lion strolled over to Joseph. The light golden feline was very strong like Bulus in stature, clearly well built like a Kakuyid in every sense, but his appearance was softer and gentler.

"You must be Joseph." The feline outstretched a welcoming hand.

"Yes. And you are Nehru." He shook the burly hand.

"It's nice to meet you in a more private setting than a meeting.

"Thanks. Are you a Kakuyid?" Joseph couldn't help but ask.

"I am a lion, but I am not a Kakuyid." He grinned. "My mother was a lioness, but my father was a noble seafaring rat from Cyprus."

"Oh. So that's where your lighter fur came from." Joseph realized.

"Yes." The lion humbly nodded. "Now from what I gather, you are from a region close to where Bulus is from."

"I am from Fez. It's a semi arid region divided from Sham by a dangerous desert."

"Well I am glad you ended up in this large city... So what does the Emir need you to do?"

"He requested me to ask merchant families and others about changing taxes."

"Merchant families... You may want to visit a brothel to start out. The heads of a few tend to visit them to relax, so you will find them in a happier mood there." His suggestion surprised the human. "You look startled." The lion softly chuckled.

"It's a lot to take in." Joseph admitted. "Being a part of the Safaviyya, I mean."

"The Emir has good trust and faith in you." The naked lion placed a warm hand on his shoulder and smiled. "I'll help catch you up to anything you may need to know!" His soft voice proclaimed.

Chapter VIII - Business and Markets

Joseph stood silently as he watched a quiet jackal leave leave a certain building. He wiped his forehead and thought for a moment. The afternoon sunlight was hot, but not the same scorching heat that it easily became in the desert. The city streets were busy, but cooler in the shade. People were standing around street corners gossiping or haggling over anything. The rolling of a cart was never far from earshot. Nehru had been kind enough to give Joseph a tour to where the brothel was, but had to leave and attend to other matters.

'I guess this is it.' Joseph thought to himself before approaching. An anxious feeling was firmly lodged in his gut. The building appeared halfway sunken into the ground, making it easily recognizable compared to adjacent buildings. It was an almost ghoulish appeal while knowing what was happening within its doors. He entered through a wide door and into another world. The brothel was anything but similar to the Emir's palace. Heavy scents hung in the air like humid weather. The windows were high from the ground for privacy, but it also dimmed the area for an intimate effect. Smoke from hookahs collected in the air like a thin veil from several people smoking in one corner. But that was the most innocence to be seen. Lewdness was the standard bearing inside the partially underground lair amid the finest decorations of cushions, comfortable chairs, silk curtains, wooden privacy screens, and finely made rugs. Rich males and even a few females receiving sexual pleasures were partially visible behind silk curtains. The naked servants and workers were "dressed" with thin translucent scarves to accentuate their body's natural builds, and plenty of jewelry, or simply nothing at all. A pair of jackals and a sand cat brushed by him, entering the calm fray.

"Where to start..." Joseph scanned the charged crowd. His untrained eye couldn't pick out a merchant from a sailor. He approached the most innocent people he could find, two naked harem females leisurely talking to each other as if they were not nude in everyone's company. "Ahem. Excuse me ladies." Joseph interrupted the fennec and sand cat.

"Hello sir. How may we help you." The fennec faced him. Her white and cream sandy furred body was decorated with a dozen necklaces, anklets, and bracelets. They clacked or tinged as they moved. Breasts with thick nipples rolled slightly off center, and her wide hips were adorned with a "necklace" that held a red gem below her navel. Joseph kept his gaze steady.

"We have a gentleman here, Raina." The feline smiled at Joseph's unmoving eyes.

"How may we help you sir?" The fennec vixen repeated her question. She stepped to the human's side and looked him over with a keen eye. Her lurid gaze felt like a physical hand all over his body.

"Could you two point and tell me who are merchants? I need to talk with a few."

"I'd be more than happy to." Raina nodded. The fennec vixen stepped forward and pressed her naked body to Joseph's side. Her muzzle leaned close. "To your left," the human felt her hot breath on his skin, "is Nero Cioffi. He is the head of the Cioffi family and frequents this place whenever he pleases." Their sights settled on a tall pure black furred panther. His gaze seemed lazy but entertained by a female close by. His tunic and outer robe were plain, but matched with a deep blue sash. Two valuable rings were also on a hand.

'He is wealthy.' Joseph easily noted.

"He is here from business in Alalia." She explained.

"Or so he says." Her feline friend added.

"Nero is a trader then?" Joseph thought of Giuseppe, the Acciaioli merchant.

"Not just any trader." Raina told him. "He is part of a rich merchant family of traders, the Cioffi Family. They aren't from this city, but the lands across the sea. There is a saying where they are from known as 'puro Italo'."

"Puro Italo?" The odd phrase didn't register with him.

"They praise their pure blooded background." She informed him. "Now," her tone changed once again, "If you want a private room with us, I can arrange that too." She added in a sultry whisper. "Two for the price of me..."

"Uh... No thanks miss." He eased away from the naked fennec.

"Mm. So innocent, sweet, and handsome." Raina watched him intently. Joseph slipped by two other fennec ladies rubbing up against a tall barrel chested tiger before making his way towards the Cioffi merchant.

'What do I say to him?' He thought. 'Do I simply ask him or talk about other things first?' Although, playing in the human's favor was the fact that everyone appeared to be in high spirits like Nehru had predicted. 'I just don't want to be in this smoky place for too long.' He waved a hand in front of his face before sitting beside the Cioffi feline.

"Hello." Joseph tried striking up a good conversation with the panther. "You're one of the few still dressed." He half grinned.

"Not for too long." He purred. "I wish to talk with the lovely woman over there." He discreetly pointed a claw at a youthful human woman with dark hair. A long purple silk scarf wrapped under her breasts and along her elegant legs where a matching thong barely hid her sex. "I believe her skin is the softest and most supple of anyone I have seen before." His voice purred approvingly.

"There are many beautiful ladies here."

"Yes, but I love human women." He hummed and tapped a finger. "Their skin is soft, they have silky hair, and they have a patch of curly fur between their legs. I could run my fingers through it all day."

'Okay...' Joseph looked around wondering what he should say. "Um, Nero. Would you mind talking about taxes?"

"You wish to talk about business here?" He looked at Joseph with a serious eye.

"Just for a moment. I'd like your opinion on something."

"Sure. That's fine." His tail flicked.

"What would you think of the Emir lowering taxes within this city?"

"Lower taxes? I never hear about that no matter what port I find myself at." He spoke with clear interest. "That would make my life easier."

"Wouldn't you as head of a prominent merchant family support that?"

"The Cioffi family would support such a decision." Nero confirmed.

"Alright. Thank you." Joseph managed to gradually slip away from the daydreaming panther. 'That wasn't too hard, but I don't know how long I can last in this smoke.' Joseph coughed and waved his hand in front of his face. 'Just one more person. Then I want to go somewhere else.' He scanned the crowded brothel. There are plenty of seductive figures all around with plainly dressed people. The soft moans and distant cries of passion were never entirely out of earshot behind modest privacy screens or silken drapes. He spotted the burly tiger with a hand around a mostly naked male jackal servant's waist. A thin freely hanging green loincloth was all that stood between everyone and the obvious. But what Joseph noticed was the fine clothing and jewelry on his person. There were also more lewd details. A partially open robe revealed the feline's half erect member while his attention was directed at the young silk wearing male beside him.

"Hello." Joseph sat down at an adjacent chair.

"Hey. Who are you?"

"My name is Joseph."

"I am Mauro Ghisolfi." The tiger let go of the nearly naked male jackal's waist and warmly introduced himself. "Head of the Ghisolfi family." He had the decency to hide his genitals despite the erotic atmosphere.

"That must be a merchant family." Joseph commented.

"Of course." He chuckled. "You look a lot like one of the merchants who buys from me." He half mumbled to himself. "The human I know is average stature like yourself and carries himself calmly. Are you related to someone by the name of Hiero?" The tiger inquired.

"Oh no. I am not related to anyone in this city." Joseph couldn't help but snicker. "I am not from around here, and I have no siblings."

"Ah. Are you a slave, a merchant, or a diplomat?" He presumed.

"Neither of those."

"Then you are a real person." Mauro chuckled with a pleased grin. "Now tell me who you would fancy, if you could have absolute authority for an hour." He mused. Joseph glanced around nervously, not sure how to deflect that question away from himself. "That beautiful lady seems to have an eye for you." Mauro nodded towards someone. Joseph looked in his direction only to see Raina, the tempting fennec vixen staring demurely right at him.

'Ah! That fennec!' He looked away and returned his attention to the prominent tiger merchant.

"Well... I didn't come here to let my eyes and hands linger." Joseph explained. "I wanted to ask someone like you about taxes."

"Taxes?" The tiger cocked his head in surprise. "Now you are dampening my mood."

"It's only one question."

"Ah, fine. You can ask me." He relented. "What can make you think about taxes in a place this this?" The tiger mused.

"I wanted to know if the Emir lowered taxes, would that decision benefit merchants such as yourself."

"Lower taxes? Of course that would help everybody!" He laughed. "Keeping more of my money will always help me. Is this something that's going to happen?"

"I hope so, but it's something I have been wondering about." Joseph said. "I don't want to waste too much of your time though." He stood up. The tiger looked around.

"Where did that woman go?" Mauro had lost sight of the female human.

'Seems like two merchant families would approve...' Joseph happily left the Ghisolfi tiger. He slipped around scantily clad ladies and rich patrons. He looked around and headed to the exit. 'I just need to avoid that lady-'

"Going already?" Someone touched his hand. Turned back he found himself face to face with the naked fennec he had met earlier.

"Hey..."

"You can stay with me for a while if you like." She grinned while batting her pretty eyes.

"Oh. I uh." She grabbed onto this hands and drew them close to her body. He could feel the backs of both hands touching the underside of her breasts.

"There's a nice little spot for us. No open curtains so it will just be us two. I don't charge much."

"Sorry miss," he sheepishly grinned and drew back, "but I have to leave. I am very thankful for all of your help, but I am busy today." Her large ears fell back in dismay.

"Well, come back even if you just want to talk." She offered.

"Thank you." He smiled with relief. "I'll come by if I need to see more merchants." Her ears perked back up as he turned to leave.

"I will be waiting." His ear barely caught what she said. Quickly leaving the door, Joseph coughed and took a deep gulp of air.

'Ugh! All that smoke!' He blew his nose a few times and relished the fresher air despite its heat. 'Why would Nehru suggest a brothel?' Joseph wondered. Although he had to admit, people he needed to meet were there.

"I was with this sand cat, and I had a really good time."

"This other female... She felt so nice..." Several young males close by were talking happily of their recent experiences within the lecherous building. Joseph walked away from the brothel.

"Where should I look next?" He wondered. Meandering down the street and navigating under awnings, the human soon ended up at the end of a busy market. The street was crowded and busy as ever. People were eager to buy and sell. Shouting wasn't uncommon and room was scarce as some carried woven bags, baskets, and carts full of goods. Pigeons skittered across the street and flew within the confines of the rafters and colorful awnings above. A line of kids raced past him, chasing each other into the confusion. Three people were standing by a corner house laughing and chatting over something. A female serval leaning out of a window was part of the conversation despite being inside.

'Guess I will look through here.' Joseph slowly walked into the shaded, narrow street. "Ah!" He jumped out of the way as someone threw dirt out of a pan onto the middle of the street. 'I hope that is just dirt.' He kept walking with faster strides. Carts piled with baskets of food, bowls full of spices, and racks of cotton cloth were only the first things to see. All of the voices mashed together seemed to echo from the close houses.

"Paprika and curry, freshly ground."

"The best eggs in this quarter of the city." Those having less success were eager to exchange pleasantries about what they offered. Joseph noticed a mother sand cat trying to look after her infant kitten while managing her section of goods along the street. The human let his eyes watch for a second too long.

"Sorry." He bumped into a tall panther who was carrying a dead chicken over his shoulder. 'Everyone looks busy... I wouldn't know who to ask anything.' Joseph lingered at the end of the market where a small donkey was being loaded with cloth.

"I don't see why he wants to meet you close to the dock." An old aardwolf approached a younger aardwolf loading the donkey. Joseph continued along the corner where the streets were more open.

'The funduq should be a good place to search.' He remembered. It was a place for merchants to stay with their goods, and it was near the gate where he had entered the city from the desert. Joseph meandered towards the large building when he caught sight of it. Several camels outside were unpacked and being watched by a lone domestic cat. Modestly dressed in plain robes, he likely wasn't the owner of the small herd.

'Hopefully someone I can talk to is here.' The human approached the entrance. "Hey, are you the owner of all these camels?" Joseph asked the feline. The cat turned towards him questioningly.

"No, but the owner is inside." He pointed.

"Thank you." He walked through the tall entryway and into the shaded lower level. Taking a left, he wondered who he would find. A row of empty stalls didn't lift the human's spirits. One of them contained a scruffy canine and mouse dressed in rags, but there were no merchants to be found.

"Hmm." He paused by one of the corners and spotted one of the storage spaces. Three individuals including a female feline were handling a large amount of goods.

"Please be careful with that!" The feline across the walkway yelled. A thumping sound echoed throughout the funduq which led to more grumbling. After a brief argument Joseph watched two simply dressed males, a brown furred rat and a red wolf, leave the corridor. "Hired hands never take care of anything properly..." The feline lady mumbled as she straightened and tidied up whatever was stored in the barrels.

"Hey. Do you need any help with those?" Joseph approached the frustrated cat.

"I'm afraid that I've had all the 'help' that I can handle." She huffed and stood up. A short tail was visibly hidden beneath her robes, and tufts of fur grew from the tips of her ears. As she turned around, Joseph wasn't met by a desert dwelling feline. Her feline muzzle appeared brusque with long cheek fur, and her fur coat appeared thick and fluffy like the tufts on her ears. Even her hands seemed bulkier with all of the light brown covering them. She was a lynx.

"Well what do you want from me?" She caught his blank stare and walked right past him.

"Please wait." Joseph caught up to her at the funduq's entryway. "I just wanted to talk. You're a merchant, right?"

"Yes." She stopped and turned to face the human.

"A Puro Italo merchant?"

"Of course." She slyly grinned. "I am from the city of Livorno. It's across the great sea to the north, but its seaside location and deep harbor make it a natural place for my fellow countrymen to go exploring."

"Can you tell me more about Livorno too? What kind of place is it?"

"It is a beautiful small city across the sea to the north. Warm but not hot. The area is flat against the sea, but there are hills and woods directly behind it. Behind them are rolling green fields where small farms, vineyards, and pastures rest around a stream. At night you can hear crickets and the countryside's quietness."

"Livorno sounds like a beautiful place." Her description reminded him of how he had imagined Al-Lishbunah and the coast for years.

"It is a beautiful place that I miss, but my family and I prefer staying here."

"Why is that?"

"The factions that fight each other make the city dangerous from time to time. It is complicated to explain if you are not from the area. We visit extended family occasionally, but only when we receive a message that the city is safe."

"Are other cities and towns struggling with infighting like Livorno?"

"Sometimes." She shrugged. "It almost depends on the day."

"What brought you to Al Lishbunah? You're a merchant. Do you usually sell wares?"

"Oh no. I hardly sell any commodity." She waved a hand as if embarrassed by his comment. "I am part of a family that lends money usually to business owners or wealthy people."

"How long have you been in the business of money?"

"Oh, I don't know..." She looked afar for a moment. "Since I was an adolescent I believe. You see, both of my parents were money lenders for most of their lives. My dad handled most things, but my mother helped wherever she could. They had me married to a wealthy wolf from Livorno who was also in the same business." She spoke plainly. "I don't care for him much, so I prefer to be away."

"Oh... So you continued the family business?" The feline nodded.

"Yes. I lend currencies of my homeland; the Zecchini, Ongari, and even Florins but I prefer to lend those to wealthier people who can pay me back. Your bronze and silver Dinars of this city are funny to handle and exchange." Joseph didn't know the currencies that the lynx spoke of but he knew that she did.

"What if the city changed its taxes, and lowered them? Would it help you and your family in money lending?"

"Lower them?" She gave him a peculiar look. "I haven't heard of many cities doing that."

"What if it brought more people to Al Lishbunah? Merchants like yourself."

"Allow more merchants in?" She looked flustered at the suggestion. "Won't that be bad for me? I have a tough time selling when someone else is trying to do the same."

"Yes, but if the city doesn't tax you as much then you can keep more of what you earn. Naturally others will want to come and sell their wares here and that could make more opportunities for you."

"I still don't see how that could possibly help me." She scoffed at the idea. "I usually lend money, so it's no trouble to me."

'Well, I guess I can't convince everyone I talk to.' The human came to realize that not everyone would support a single decision. There was a brief loud noise down the street as several voices called out. A group on camelback were lumbering into the city from one of its open gates. Colorful canines were mounted atop the steady beasts.

'Canines.' Joseph had never seen them before. Large ears were atop their colorful patches of black, white, and orange fur. The African wild dogs were dressed, rather underdressed in fine dark robes, but had the decency to cover themselves inside the city. Many were armed withy long spears and were adorned with necklaces, bracelets, and anklets of beads. Their clothing was pretty and colorful like their fur coats.

"Who are they?"

"Tuaregs." She guessed. "They probably finished a long journey across the desert to reach the city." They were one of the scattered groups who normally inhabited the desert. Although comparable poorer than merchants in material wealth, a few possessed different kinds of wealth in the form of trade routes to the south; herding; and having influence in desert towns. "I think they are camel drivers." She wrinkled her at the thought.

"Thank you again for speaking with me." Joseph deeply nodded to the female feline.

"My pleasure." She kindly smiled and returned to her work. Joseph approached the tribal group down the street and towards the gate. Some had already dismounted and led their desert steads into a stable where there was water and shade. A few were already sitting in the shade with the tops of their robes pulled off their heads. A mother was carrying her asleep child into a house to peacefully nap from their long journey. Joseph looked around, wondering who he should speak to. The sound of water being stirred in a trough quietly echoed from the stable. Another pair of canines were stripped down to their waists and washing clothes stained with dust and sand from a lengthy journey in the clean water. Out of the entire group, one or two always had an eye on the curious human.

"Hello." Joseph talked to the closest of the African wild dogs. The male was his height and wore a few colorful beaded necklaces, not at all like his plain robes. His ears were big like a fennec's, but much wider and more circular.

"Who are you?" The middle aged wiry male asked.

"My name is Joseph, and I wanted to ask if you are a band of nomads trading goods like merchants."

"We participate in herding and the salt trade." He explained. "But not right now."

"Do you encounter merchants from this city or the coast?" Joseph thought about Giuseppe, Leila, and the others.

"We sometimes cross paths with merchants not originally from here." He admitted. "There are very few merchant families from across the sea that dare to make the journeys we do. Nearly all stay inside this city or others on the coast... You are asking many questions." The wild dog pointed out.

"Sorry, um. I need to ask you something about taxes, if that's alright."

"Taxes?" The canine eyed the human suspiciously.

"Yes. If the Emir were to lower taxes on selling and buying, how would Tuaregs like yourself react to that?" Joseph asked.

"We wouldn't mind that." The colorfully furred canine's mood changed as he shrugged. "Paying a smaller tax is easier than trying to evade a large tax." The African wild dog half joked with a flash of white teeth.

"Thank you. That's all I came where to ask."

"What? I thought you were a tax collector." The Tuareg laughed. "Asking all of those questions!"

"No! No. I'm not here to steal your money!" They both laughed. "But thanks for talking with me."

"Sure. Come by again if you wish." The African wild dog extended a hand.

"I will." Joseph shook hands. The human departed from the band of canines and once again wandered through the various streets of the city.

'Maybe I should talk to more than the wealthy established merchants.' Joseph thought to himself. 'Although, everyone else seems wealthier than me.' He noted the houses along the new street were still close together, but not made from plain adobe or roughly constructed. The awnings above were bright and colorful, and clothes lines were strung out on flat topped roofs rather than strung between windows.

'These look like shops.' He realized. 'Maybe I could talk to a family or two before heading home.' Although, due to the evening hours it appeared that few were open. Aside from a cart pulled by a donkey there was little traffic in the area. He took a deep breath and noticed something.

'Mm...' Joseph paused by a brick house. The fragrant smells of food being cooked were drifting outside. The human's stomach noisily growled.

"We are not selling bread at this time." A cheetah he had not noticed beside the building spoke to him. His clothes were not particularly elaborate, but they were nice.

"Oh uh, hello. My name is Joseph... Is this your home?" Joseph asked.

"Yes." The feline dusted his hands. "I am Telib, a baker."

"Your home smells wonderful." The human managed to say before his stomach growled loudly once again. Telib's ear flickered before he laughed.

"I hear that you hunger for a good meal." The cheetah grinned and opened the door.

"Yeah, I haven't eaten since morning I think." He admitted and rubbed the back of his neck nervously.

"Since morning? Dinner will be ready soon. Come eat with us, stranger. We can share stories and talk." He offered and ushered the human inside with a hand.

"Thank you!" Joseph could hardly believe the sudden hospitality. The home was warm and pleasantly scented from the brick oven baking dough infused with rosemary. A slim female grey vixen was rolling the soft dough and cutting pieces with skilled hands. She was dressed in a modest robe dusted noticeably with flour. Two others close by were working as well. While a son was grinding salt into a fine powder, a daughter was helping pull fresh loaves from a large oven. They both wore more modest clothes: loose shirts and pants with few ornaments. Each had their fair share of stains on their clothes.

"Your entire family is baking." Joseph was surprised at the scene.

"Yes, our family has been bakers for generations." The cheetah smiled proudly, revealing a missing tooth.

"Hello. Do we have a guest for the evening?" The vixen wife asked.

"Yes. This is Joseph. He will be eating with us."

"I'll let Khoja know that we have someone dining with us." His vixen wife wiped her hands on her apron before disappearing into another room. She returned only moments later. "Let's go upstairs and wait for her." The mother vixen offered. Everyone left their work aside and washed their hands in a basin before being led up a flight of stairs. Ascending the stairs, Joseph noted how everything was clean and well kept. On the second floor he was guided to a room where a large carpet was already spread out. Soft mats were already placed around it.

"Please have a seat." Telib motioned.

"Thank you." The human happily accepted and they all sat down.

"This is my wife, Razia." He motioned to the grey vixen. She kindly nodded. "These are our two eldest children; Nizar." He pointed to the young male fox. "And Nisza." The adolescent female grey vixen kindly waved. "And our youngest is an infant." The father happily smiled with a curt nod.

"Where is he? I hope he isn't working as hard as you four." Joseph didn't see anyone else present in the room.

"Haha! No. He will be under the care of a wet nurse until he can eat solid foods."

"Why is that?"

"I was never any good at nursing, so we agreed to have the wet nurses care for him until he can eat solid food." The vixen explained.

"Oh, I see. Is that common for mothers having difficulties feeding their infants?"

"Yes." The grey vixen nodded. "Many wealthier families are able to hire one wet nurse or more, and allow her to live with them. That is expensive to do."

"I'm starving." Nizar mumbled to himself and smelled the air. "Where is Khoja?"

"You're always hungry." His sister eyed him.

"Don't fret. She must be done cooking by now." Their mother explained. Just then a somewhat pudgy, older female raccoon appeared from an entryway carrying a large platter of food. She was dressed in a simple robe. The sleeves were short, but baggy around her elbows. Her black furred feet were bare and the claws on her toes were well worn from a life of walking and housework. Without a word she set the large spread of food in the middle of the family and Joseph.

"Thank you Khoja." Telib smiled at the food being brought out for them.

"You are welcome sir." She softly spoke without making eye contact. Joseph looked around questioningly.

"That is Khoja. She works and cooks for us." The cheetah explained as the raccoon left the room.

"I don't understand. Why isn't she eating with us?"

"She eats where she sleeps downstairs." Telib explained.

"Oh..." He slowly nodded. 'She is a slave.' Joseph realized. "All of the food here looks delicious!" The human focused his attention to the spread of food before them.

"Mm! Khoja is a splendid cook." Telib's wife exclaimed and everyone dug in. Joseph enjoyed the succulent meats, hearty herbal soup, fresh milk, cold water, and sweet fruits that were available. It was a feast and a special treat to the human who very recently subsisted off meager portions of rice and bread. With full bellies, they leaned back in their seats and with pleasant feelings. Khoja their raccoon slave briefly appeared again to take the platter away.

"The food was delicious." Joseph grinned happily. "Khoja is a wonderful cook."

"Everything was delicious." Telib spoke to everyone's agreement. "So what brought you to our bakery Joseph?" He asked the human. "I have never seen you before."

"Honestly, it was my nose." He grinned and everyone else laughed. "But I wanted to discuss taxes with someone who ran one of the shops in this area. I already talked to a few merchant families, and I wanted to hear what others like you thought about it."

"Huh? That's what you came here to talk about?" Telib was surprised but equally curious. "I think it is obvious that most would be happy to keep more of the money they earn, especially merchants. I know I would be. The merchant families you see in this city now are mostly from across the sea. When I was young you would rarely see or hear of them, but now those merchants have become numerous."

"Has that been good or bad to you?" Joseph asked.

"Hmm. I guess both." The cheetah shrugged. "Let me explain. In his youth, the Emir married a beautiful tigress from the same place. Then he allowed everyone to trade within Al Lishbunah. It didn't take long for many merchants to arrive, and now you see them everywhere. They are far wealthier and more successful than nomads crossing into the deserts and everyone else except for the Emir. Some see this with a jealous eye, but others like to buy what they sell."

"Oh, so people may not like seeing more come to this city even if taxes are lowered."

"That's a possibility." He acknowledged.

"What do you do for work?" Telib's wife asked. "You're not a tax collector, are you?" The grey vixen eyed him.

"No! I do not collect taxes." Joseph was quick to reply.

"Then you must work for the Emir himself." Telib was quick to guess. "I don't know of anyone else who would ask such things."

"Well," Joseph hesitated, "I was told to ask people what they thought about lowering taxes, and that is all." He didn't want to lie or say more than he needed to.

"Ah, if you get a chance, then please tell the Emir to lower taxes." Telib stated.

"I'll tell him what I find." Joseph explained.

"Since we are finished eating... Do you want to tell stories and stay for the night?" The cheetah offered. "If you are not from around here, then you might like the ghost trapped in the mirror, the maiden's talking parrot, or the wandering dhole..."

"I appreciate the offer, but no thanks." Joseph declined. "I need to get home before dark." He remembered that Chiba was home by herself.

"Then do not let us keep you here as a prisoner." He joked and stood up.

"Thank you for inviting me for the evening, the hospitality, and the food." Telib and Raiza gave him a hearty hug in return. Their children nodded in return.

"Take it as a token of our gratitude for your company." Telib nodded with a smile. "Enjoy the scent of rosemary as you leave." He added with a laugh. Joseph descended the stairs in good spirits. 'Telib and his family are very nice, and the food was great.' He thought everything over but remembered something. Reaching the bottom step he approached a different entryway. Joseph lingered at the entrance to another room. Peeking through, he spotted a water filled basin on the floor. Looking up he found the raccoon slave Khoja seated on the floor of a modest room where she apparently slept. Brooms, clothes, and even a shelf for a pair of books were the first items to catch the human's attention. The raccoon was weaving a section of rope with skilled hands. A small bit was between her teeth. She was naked save for a white loincloth of sorts tied around her waist. Grey furred breasts sagging with age rested against her front, almost reaching her tummy while she worked. Her dark furred legs were stretched out to dry her visibly wet black soles. She glanced up at Joseph and frowned at his prolonged stare.

"Oh, uh sorry ma'am. Thank you for preparing all of our food." The human ducked away and finally left the raccoon to retire for the night in peace. He savored the wonderful smells of fresh bread, flour, and rosemary in the large kitchen before quietly leaving.

'It's getting late!' He realized the sun was falling low towards the horizon despite buildings concealing its exact location in the sky. It wouldn't be much longer before darkness fell upon the city, and Joseph didn't want to run into an unruly gang on his way home. Passing through the narrow streets, others had he same idea as him. Kids were returning home and guards were changing their posts. Clotheslines were drawn inside and last trips to the well were being made. Even a carpet seller was rolling up a fine work of tapestry to stow away for the night. Reaching a corner, the human blindly collided with a figure at the corner of two narrow streets. Landing flat on his rear, Joseph regained his bearings.

'Am I being mugged?' He feared but only found one little figure on the ground across him. Instead of a burly robber or thief, it was a female mouse shorter than him. She was dressed in scanty rags compared to him. One of her breasts was completely visible from her tattered shirt suddenly falling loose. Her fur was messy and dirty, nearly turning her white fur a light shade of brown in some places. Even the skin on her areolae was visibly smudged with dried mud.

"S-Sorry sir!" She quickly oriented herself before scurrying along. Joseph didn't have time to wonder who she was, much less help out, so he dusted his clothes and resumed his walk home. The narrow streets were not crowded, and he quickly reached his house.

'Just in time.' He entered through the front door. Chiba was laying on a few cushions in the middle of the main room. The lingering rays of evening sunlight illuminated her exposed fur like glistening gold. The scene gave the impressive that she was harmlessly lazy, but he knew the opposite was very true. Despite having her legs stretched out, her ears were at full attention. She already knew that he had returned home before he found her on the floor.

"I see you are making yourself comfortable." He spoke up. The feline hummed in agreement. Joseph approached her and noticed the clothing she wore was new. "Is that a new shirt?" The garment she wore was more of her style. It was thin and white in color. Loose sleeves reached her wrists and the hem to her thighs, but it was easily thin enough to be translucent. It was easy to see through in the sunlight.

"Yes. I bought it this morning." The lioness sat up as he approached. An arm rested over her knee as a sturdy tail lazily tapped the floor.

"You bought it?" Joseph didn't like the sound of that.

"Yes. I had to use your money though."

"You found where I put my money?" His shoulders slumped forward.

"You're not very good at hiding things, but I didn't take all of it."

"Thanks..." He grumbled to her amusement. "You didn't wear that other robe I bought you yesterday, and it was nice."

"That one is for outside the house. I wanted something more comfortable for inside." She softly spoke.

'So you prance around half naked around here?' Joseph thought to himself, although he personally didn't mind if she did. "Did you eat?"

"I already did... I have some dried figs if you're hungry." Her tail flicked towards the adjoining main room. "I didn't know when you were coming back, so I didn't cook anything extra."

"It's fine. I already ate." He sat down across from Chiba.

"So, how did everything go?" She asked.

"The day went well, but it was very busy... I ended up going to a brothel after all." He admitted.

"You did? What for?"

"It's not that I went there for fun, but I was advised to go there first to seek out prominent merchant families."

"You were advised?" The feline's suspicions hardly lifted. "I'm sure everyone was there for a 'meeting' like you were."

"No!" He shook his head. "Well, most of them were half naked, but I did find a few people to talk to. Then I met a merchant at the funduq, and then I met a Tuareg, lastly I met a family of bakers. Most of them support the idea of lowering taxes like I hoped. What I learned is that the local people who are from the city and have their own small businesses, trades, or act as middlemen. The merchants from afar mostly handle goods from where they are from, but the adventurous try going inland. That's where many tribal groups and small town take up desert trade so everything connects here in the city. Despite all of this going on at once it somehow works so well, it's as if each is guided by an invisible hand."

"Weird." Chiba mumbled, but Joseph ignored the comment.

"Do you have any plans for the city?" He asked.

"Plans?" Her short ears perked up.

"Are you going to venture out on your own? Bulus isn't around to stop you anymore." The lioness was silent for a moment as her gaze lingered afar.

"I'm not sure what I could do." She answered. "I don't know anyone inside this city, and I do not know any skill or trade. You can work with pottery or any smithing apprenticeship."

"Don't be so hard on yourself. You taught me a lot about the desert."

"I'm a Kakuyid outcast, and I doubt lions are popular here. I'm just as fresh and new in this city as you are."

"I'm not keeping you here against your will. We both reached this city, so what are you going to do?" He asked. A long silence drew out between them as the lioness thought. Her sturdy tail even remained motionless.

"I might stay here. You need all the help you can get." She lightly huffed before looking at him. "You won't have others to cook for you every day. I can do that while you are gone and keep this new place clean."

"So you're not leaving?" He guessed. The lioness shook her head. "You can stay with me as long as you need." Her short ears perked up at what Joseph had said. He hoped he wouldn't regret making that offer. The human found it odd that the lioness he had depended on to escape the jail in Kefir was now depending on his good will.

"Thanks." She quietly said.

"Just don't bankrupt me by spending all of the money I earn."

"What?" Chiba looked at him questioningly. "One set of clothes won't bankrupt you now."

"I know. I know." He grinned. "But take it easy with my money if you need to buy something." Chiba leaned back onto two hands and thought for a moment before a sly grin formed along her lips

"I'll remember that." She plainly spoke.

Chapter IX - Sahabah

"You have a very nice home Nehru." Joseph remarked. The second floor home was accessible only by a narrow flight of stone steps, but it was a very nice dwelling. The entire building was made of nice sandstone and brick. The windows were bordered with privacy screens to block the direct sunlight. Noise was minimal despite being adjacent to a busy marketplace. What impressed Joseph the most was all of the random items collected in the small space. The main room wasn't large, but there was a fine carpet covering most of the floor along with a pair of straw mats. In one corner a tall vase full of peacock feathers was beside a large spear with a sharply crafted point. In another there was a little table with a chair. A shelf above held a few books and a pair of scrolls. Another wall had a large map unfurled like wallpaper. Joseph couldn't believe that Nehru had so many things.

"Thank you." The lion contently rumbled. "It's like my own personal hideaway when I have time to myself."

"Although I have a feeling that you wouldn't mind sleeping on a rooftop if the weather was fair."

"Haha! You're right, I wouldn't mind at all." He laughed.

"Where did you end up with this stuff anyway?"

"I come across different traders, shopkeepers, merchants from time to time and something always catches my eyes." He spoke with a hint of embarrassment. Joseph eyed an old stone bust of a human male head worn somewhat from the elements.

"Where did you get this?"

"Oh, that? I have a bad feeling it came from looters in the desert ruins since no one would sell me a lion bust." He approached the stone artifact. "But there's something I like about it. There's history behind it that no one knows about. What people lived in the desert centuries ago, and why don't we know more about them?" Nehru openly pondered. Joseph shrugged without a comment. He had never seen any ruins before. A constant cooing sound within another room piqued the human's curiosity.

"What's in here?" Joseph walked through the entryway. The second room was much like the first, full of random items ranging from arrows and fine vases to colorful blankets and various cloths. Close to a large open window was a large wooden cage with several small white feathered creatures. "Are those birds?"

"Yes. They're my doves." Nehru walked to the wooden cage.

"Are you letting them out?" Joseph was surprised to watch the lion unfasten something before opening the little door. One by one the white feathered birds flew out of the cage and through the window in a hurry, but the last bird hopped and fluttered to the window's precarious perch. The bird's head bobbed and moved about as Nehru gently picked it up.

"Doves are beautiful birds, and it is a privilege to own a few of them." He explained while coddling the bird close to his chest. "But watching them fly is risky." The lion held his hands out and the bird flew away through the window. "Other birds may intercept them, and I have even heard that some people try to capture them to sell as their own." Nehru watched them outside for a brief moment.

"Aren't you afraid that they won't come back?"

"Yes but a bird must fly free." He stated. "But if I am gone they will be safe inside."

"So they come back on their own?" Joseph found it hard to believe.

"Of course. They are trained." The lion smiled happily. "When your term as member of the Safaviyya passes, you should travel with me to Ribat. It's a beautiful coastal town only a few days travel west. It isn't very crowded, there is a small forest, several orchards, and the locals are known to race their dhows and vessels in the water. It is a nice place to relax for a week or two. There are two nice bathhouses and several young ladies..." His voice lingered with temptation.

"It seems very early to talk about traveling to another town." Joseph admitted bashfully. "I just became part of the Emir's council, and I am learning my duties quickly."

"Please consider it. You'll need a break when your six months are complete." Nehru insisted.

'I wonder what Chiba would do by herself in the city.' He briefly wondered to himself. 'Or would she come with me?'

"Nehru!" A voice at the home's entrance called out. Looking over, a sleek back furred domestic cat entered the back room. He didn't wear a shirt, but had a loincloth that tied around his waist and between his legs leaving large red bordered sections to drape in front and behind him.

"Ah, hello Marin." The lion greeted the visitor.

"I have a message from Yusuf." He spoke calmly.

"What is his message?" Nehru stepped forward.

"He is ready to meet you at the Mahim'mu bathhouse."

"Perfect!" He purred. "You can go ahead and tell him that I will be there shortly." The black furred feline was quick to follow orders.

"I didn't know you had a servant." Joseph mentioned as they left the lion's house.

"Yes, Marin has been my servant for the past four years and he has been very helpful. He will bathe me at the bathhouse, massage my body afterwards, and burn incense before I sleep. He runs errands, takes care of my birds, and does a lot of useful work for me. He is also a very good cook."

"Wow. Chiba is a decent cook." Joseph added.

"She is the lioness who lives with you?" Nehru looked at the human.

"Yes. I've told you a little bit about her."

"A wild female from what you've told me." He grinned.

"You could say that." The human shrugged only causing the lion to laugh. Emerging from the narrow stairway, the pair found themselves at the edge of a busy market square. The shady spaces under awnings were far more crowded than the slivers of pavement exposed to the sun. At the closest street corner an old aardwolf couple were reading a book while a little one of the same species was curiously exploring the side of an adjacent building.

"They're Luts." Nehru glanced the aardwolves for a moment.

"Luts?"

"The Lut people are aardwolves. They used to be pastoral but most live scattered about the coast and inland scrub towns. Several in this city weave and mend carpets." He explained as they watched the market from afar.

"The streets are busy during the afternoon." Joseph observed all the people meandering around. Few were dressed in robes and most were on foot or paw. Horses were packed into stables, but camels were still present.

"As many as half of the people you see here can be slaves or servants." The lion mentioned.

"Half? Are you sure?" Joseph could hardly believe the figure. The light colored lion nodded.

"More than half of the households in this city have servants, slaves, or rent them for labor in some form. Many people you see here aren't buying for just themselves, but for whoever owns them."

"In Fez it is rare to own someone else because most people are poor... It always scared me to think that the same could happen to me if I fell on bad luck. I never liked it."

"Yes, it is a sad fact that slavery exists, but it does." Nehru nodded. "So who did you talk to the other day? Which merchants did you find?"

"Hm. Mauro Ghisolfi, Nero Cioffi, a money lender from Livorno too."

"I hope you are not overlooking local traders and families."

"No, I visited a small family of bakers for dinner. They were exceptionally kind to me. I also talked to a group of Tuareg tribesmen."

"That's good, but you did say someone of the Cioffi family, correct?"

"Yes. I met with the head of their family, he was a panther I believe."

"His family was ousted from the city for more than a year not too long ago." The lion mentioned. "I don't recall the name Nero, but maybe it was a close relative."

"What led to them being banned from this city?"

"I'm not sure of the details, but they were caught bribing many officials. I know that a little bribery occurs in most places, but this was so egregious that the Emir had to handle the situation himself. If you find yourself being bribed then that should be the moment you realize not everyone in this city is like you or me." The lion explained. "There are many different types of people, and Al Lishbunah has them all."

"You're right about that. I appreciate all of the help and guidance you have given me, Nehru." He thanked the burly lion.

"I am more than happy to. Take care Joseph." Nehru smiled and patted the human's back.

"Thanks. You too." He parted ways with the gentle lion. 'What should I do now?' Joseph lingered at the outskirts of the market and looked around. The afternoon sun was hot, keeping everyone from crowding outside at once. Flies were buzzing about food left unattended, but thankfully there was no fish or meat hanging in plain view. Walking over he looked at various fruits for sale. Ripe melons with their green stripes carefully hid the sweet red beneath their skin. The usual loudness of the market was absent due to the hot midday malaise. Even the most aggressive sellers and shopkeepers were sitting back under the shade, waving fans in front of their faces. Their turbans were discarded and they only wore lighter clothing. Sticking to the awning provided shade, Joseph wandered along the narrow street where it connected to another. This time Joseph found a wider open space with people gathered around. One finely dressed figure was standing in the shade, but the smaller plainly dressed figure was under the hot sun. Decidedly female, her white fur appeared bright from the sunlight.

'That is the mouse I ran into before...' He recognized the poor white furred lady. Her gaze was focused on the ground while the wealthier sand cat standing at her side waited impatiently. His feather tufted turban was a sign of wealth even more so than his fine clothes. The mouse however, was dressed in a decent enough robe to not be seen as destitute. But that was far better than the rags Joseph had seen her wearing before.

'What is she doing with him?' He wondered. There was a small group close by in an all too familiar scene. Several people well dressed in long robes and turbans were looking over a pair of nude females. One was a short and petite fennec and the other was a taller fair skinned human woman with long auburn hair. Their bodies were touched and prodded by the onlooking few as the auctioneer cackled on about their qualities. A few other dressed and nude people were standing by, ready to be auctioned next.

"That's a slave auction site." He realized and looked back at the mouse. 'She is going to be sold.' The thought scared him.

"Six silver pieces." A jackal settled on buying the nude human woman.

"Four silver." A female red wolf bought the petite fennec.

"Bring the next two." The auctioneer waved as an African wild dog mother was stripped and brought forward with a tiny son clinging to her side.

"Hello, excuse me!" Joseph walked over towards the sand cat. The impatient feline looked up at the human. "Are you here to sell her?" He gestured to the mouse lady. She didn't look at him as he spoke to the feline.

"Ah, yes I am selling her." He nodded. "I'll be lucky to get a whole silver piece if they ask me too much." The feline sulked more about the money he would get rather than the mouse's fate.

"I'll buy her." Joseph readily answered. The sand cat's eyes widened with surprise.

"You will? What is your offer?"

"I'll buy her for the whole silver piece, unless you think you can get a better deal with them." He pointed at the groups seeking to buy. The feline's ears fell flat at the prospect.

"Eh... Fine. It's a deal!" He accepted and Joseph paid the sand cat. "Thank you." He gratefully shook his hand before departing. Joseph paused and realized that his impulsiveness had gotten ahead of him.

'Aww! Did I really just buy her?' The human kept his doubts to himself. Looking over, the mouse lady fearfully kept her gaze low, avoiding any unnecessary eye contact. "Okay..." Joseph collected his thoughts. 'I guess I can take her home and figure out what to do.' He decided. "You can follow me please." He tapped her arm. The mouse quietly nodded and followed him. They navigated through the streets to the new neighborhood where Joseph lived.

'How is Chiba going react to her?' He looked over his shoulder at the mouse sticking close to his back. The human wasn't even sure how he should react to what he had just done, even as he approached the door to his house. He brought her inside. "Ok... What to do..." He closed the door and turned around only to find the white furred mouse standing obediently still.

"What do you need me to do master?" She quietly asked with a bowed head.

"Huh? You called me master?" Joseph recoiled at the idea.

"Master, I-"

"Don't call me that." Joseph shuddered at the thought. "Please don't. My name is Joseph and I am not your master."

"B-but you-"

"I'm setting you free." He firmly decided.

"Wha-?" Her jaw slackened.

"You're free, and no longer a slave." Joseph firmly told her. The mouse's eyes gaped at him and started to water. She slid down the wall to her knees. "Hey uh-" He was cut off as the mouse erupted into tears. The loud high pitched bawling echoed throughout the house.

"What the-" Chiba appeared from the corner to the main room and found Joseph standing over a mouse sobbing at his feet.

"Chiba!" Joseph exclaimed but was at a loss for words.

"What's going on?" The lioness demanded to know. The fierce look in her golden eyes made the hair on Joseph's neck stand up. She started walking towards him.

"I uh-wait! Hold on!" He waved his hands between them innocently.

"Tell me what this is about." Chiba stopped only at arm's length from him.

"I bought her from someone so she wouldn't be sold in the market!" He quickly explained while the mouse sobbed at his feet. "I'm not keeping her as property."

"Well, what are you going to do with her?"

"I-I don't know..." He felt stupid for bringing the mouse home on such a quick whim.

"You better figure out something." Chiba warned him with a low growl. His attention turned back down to the mouse on the floor.

'Hmm... What should I do?' The human thought. He crouched down and consoled the crying lady. "It's alright. You're safe." Joseph softly spoke. The little mouse wiped her eyes and nodded. "What is your name?"

"Sahabah, master." The mouse managed to say.

"You do not need to call me that. My name is Joseph." He kindly greeted her. Joseph touched her smaller hand only to feel a mix of sensation. Looking down, the pink skin was flaky and spotted black in many places. "Your hands!" He gasped. "Your ears and feet too!" He hardly noticed the bandages concealing her ankles and normally exposed skin. Joseph touched the rough, patchy skin. He plucked off a dry section of dead skin only for her hands to curl up.

"Please stop." She whined. "That hurts." Joseph was quick to retract his hands. He looked up at Chiba for some guidance.

"It's sun damage." The lioness quickly guessed. "Her fur is white, so the sun will burn and damage her skin easily.

"Darn..." He looked back at the mouse's hands. "Can you help me clean her?" He asked. The lioness nodded and they both helped Sahabah to her feet. They led the mouse to the small bathing pool. "It's okay. You can sit down." Joseph coaxed her to take a seat in the lip of the underground bath. Chiba was quick to wet a cloth and have a dry rag ready.

"Ok." She started to undo the mouse's robe, but a pair of hands held on tight. "We need to clean you up." Chiba insisted.

"Will he be with us?" She was reluctant to disrobe in front of the Joseph. The lioness and human looked at each other.

"Don't worry, he doesn't care. Joseph sees me naked all the time." Chiba lightly mused.

"Well..." The mouse still hesitated.

"Would it help if I-" Joseph was quick to chime in, but a hand suddenly closed over his mouth. He blinked at the sensation of the heavy pads on his face.

"Give us ladies some space." Chiba grinned before retracting her hand.

"Ok..." Joseph rose to his feet and walked away. 'You can be gentle next time.' He thought to himself.

"I know I don't look like it, but I understand what you've been through." He heard her tell the mouse. Joseph watched them from afar at the end of the main room. Chiba didn't care whether anyone else was clothed or nude, but it took coaxing for the mouse to disrobe even with Joseph watching from a distance. The lioness certainly wasn't shy about disrobing in front of complete strangers. 'Who knows what Sahabah has been through.' He thought to himself. Abuse wasn't unheard of to those who were owned, after all, they were merely property to everyone else. The mouse's clothes were neatly set aside before Chiba removed the bandages around her feet and ankles. The lioness looked over the afflicted pink skin keenly. From what Joseph could see the mouse wasn't starving. She was petite but had a decent weight which meant she ate enough to not go hungry. Her entire fur coat was a pure white, likely cleaned thoroughly to be sold. It was much better than the disheveled state she had when he ran into her.

The dripping sound of water was soon heard as Chiba delicately washed Sahabah's hands and paws using a wet rag. Very little was spoken between the two ladies from what he could tell.

'I have never seen Chiba so caring before.' Joseph had never seen a kinder side to the normally brusque and stoic lioness. Images of her anger from earlier came to mind. He felt a sense of guilt for suddenly buying the slave mouse without any idea what he could do to help her.

'There must be something that I can do just to help out for now.' He looked around and wondered. Joseph hated standing around without being able to do anything. An idea came to mind and he took a few minutes to prepare something. He approached them with a small tray of food and a pitcher of water in hand. The female mouse reached for her clothes to help cover herself while Chiba was still drying off her feet.

"Are you hungry or thirsty?" The human placed the tray before Sahabah, and sat down with them.

"Yes, thank you!" The nervous mouse reached out only to hesitate.

"Please eat." Joseph encouraged her. Only with his verbal permission did she finally eat, and it didn't take her long to devour the food. "How's her skin?" The human noticed that it looked better after being washed.

"Better." Chiba mentioned. "But it still needs time to heal."

"That's good." Joseph watched her eat with a relieved expression. There were a lot of questions he wanted to ask the white furred mouse.

"Sahabah, why did your former master sell you?"

"I... I had a miscarriage..." She kept her voice steady, but she carefully gripped her tummy. "He believed that it would give his wife bad luck and make her infertile."

"A miscarriage... Are you married?"

"No." A strained frown told more than her brief answer, but it was obvious that having a child out of marriage was never acceptable. And dealing with the pain of losing one's child before birth by herself must have taken a toll on the mouse. Chiba placed a consoling hand on her shoulder.

"Do you have a family to go to?"

"No..." She shook her head. "I don't know if I have any family."

"What do you plan on doing then?"

"I-I don't know." She meekly shrugged. "I've been a slave my entire life. I thought you were purchasing me." The mouse explained. Chiba shot Joseph a look. "Am I working for you?"

"No. Well, uh..." He struggled to think of an answer. "Don't worry. We will figure out something." Chiba's tail tapped on the floor.

"Joseph may not look smart." The lioness began.

"Hey-"

"But he is very kind." Chiba finished. "He won't harm you or leave you to fend for yourself." Sahabah looked at the human with hopeful eyes.

"You can stay with us until we find something that will work out well for you." Joseph added.

"Thank you." She tearfully spoke.

'Mm.' Joseph rolled onto his side. The longing urge to fall back asleep was strong, but his hand brushed against something soft and furry. Eyes blinking awake, an odd wall of white was in front of him. 'Huh?' Focusing his sight, there was a strange figure standing mere inches from his face.

"Aaahhh!" The human yelled and nearly jumped out of bed.

"What's wrong?" Chiba sat up.

"It's just Sahabah..." He exhaled. "You scared me." Joseph looked up at the mouse in the dim early morning light. "It's very early. Why are you standing by the bed?"

"W-waiting to serve you, master."

"We've been over this before Sahabah... I'm not your master. You don't have to serve me."

"I know. I could barely sleep," she quietly spoke, "because I was afraid yesterday was a dream." She started wiping her eyes.

"Oh..." Joseph felt saddened and wondered how many nights she worried about her well being. Around the mouse, he could see Chiba staring at him. She motioned with a quick hand for Joseph to comfort the mouse. "Everything's ok. It wasn't a dream." The human stood up. Unsure of what to do Joseph hugged the rodent lady. She immediately leaned onto him and two claw bearing hands dug into his sides. The warmth of softness of her fur coat was evident on his skin, and felt wonderfully cozy. The plushness of her belly fur and breasts made him realize something. He blinked and found that the white furred mouse wasn't wearing anything at all. His eyes widened slightly as he looked at Chiba still seated in the makeshift bed on the floor.

"It's ok." He continued rubbing the mouse's back until she stood up on her own.

"Sorry." She wiped her eyes and groomed her cheek fur only to break into a sudden, prolonged yawn.

"Here. Please lay down and sleep." Joseph motioned to his bed. Without a word or complaint, the white furred mouse crawled into bed and laid down where he had slept. The lioness stood up and approached the crowded bedside.

"You're both naked. Where are your clothes?" Joseph asked.

"Hers are in the bed with mine." Chiba answered and folded her arms.

"Do you want your clothes?" He looked at Sahabah. The mouse shook her head slowly.

"No, I'm tired." Her eyes were struggling to stay half open.

'How long has she been awake?' Joseph wondered. "It's ok. You can go back to sleep." He rubbed her arm. Sahabah laid her head down while Joseph retrieved her clothes and laid them out on the bedside. He then left the bedroom, with Chiba right behind him.

"Do you have any ideas what she could do, or where she can go?" Chiba asked.

"No." he shook his head. "I know that she can't work in the desert or outside very long, but since she's been a slave her entire life she can't just go anywhere without being taken advantage of. She's a hard worker, but her skill set is limited mostly to housework. There might be some stigma attached to her if people find out she had a miscarriage."

"It isn't easy." Chiba acknowledged.

"She seems so fragile..."

"You're so dense when you need to comfort her." Chiba frowned.

"What do you mean?"

"When she starts to cry or feel sad you should immediately go over and console her." Chiba snapped her fingers to good effect.

"I don't know! She was still naked-"

"She's probably been through more than you or I can understand." Joseph conceded with a nod, but wondered how their experiences could compare. Being jailed, left for dead in the sands, or forced into a marriage all seemed like bad options.

"Can you teach her while she stays here? Until we can figure out something."

"What will I teach her?"

"I don't know. Anything that she may not know like cooking, reading, or how to defend herself." Chiba seemed to chuckled at the last suggestion.

"I'll see what I can do." She said before walking to the kitchen. "I'll cook something to eat."

"Thank you." Joseph went over to a window facing the street. Looking outside, it was quiet without a soul on the move. Their neighborhood was calm and away from the throng of cramped houses and streets; but not even those areas would be active and loud by now. 'It is morning now.' He noticed the brighter sunshine beginning to fill the entire house. The human staved off a yawn from the early morning shock he received. The delightful smell of something being cooked reached his nose. It wasn't much longer before Chiba padded over to him.

"It's ready." She told him.

"What did you make?" Joseph hurried over and sat down.

"Raisins, bread, dried meat, and couscous with some butter." She placed the dish before him.

'It isn't burnt.' He silently prayed thanks. Chiba was dedicated to keeping the house in good shape, but her skills at cooking were fairly raw and unrefined.

"Should I wake Sahabah?" She asked.

"Let her sleep as much as she wants to." Joseph waved a hand. The lioness seemed to agree and sat down across from him. They started eating quietly together. It felt nice to have some quiet time just between themselves. Joseph glanced up and watched Chiba eat. The lioness wasn't shy about her teeth and she had an affinity of licking her fingers clean.

"So... How is her skin?"

"You saw it yesterday, before we went to sleep."

"Do you think she will need ointment or something?"

"I think so." The lioness nodded only to look over Joseph's shoulder. The human looked back as saw that Sahabah was unabashedly standing before them naked. Without all of the excitement from earlier or yesterday, he was able to look her over. The mouse was petite in stature and build, but she had a small tummy. She was covered only in soft, well groomed white fur except on her outer extremities where skin was a bright pink, or supposed to be pink. The black spots and flaked skin were still visibly trying to heal. Her claws on her hands and paws were a clean clear color though.

'Her breasts are larger than Chiba's.' Joseph noticed that the small mouse had a small chest with pink spouts poking free of her fur, but her breasts were still larger than the nearly flat chested lioness's.

"Come eat with us, Sahabah." He motioned. She quietly padded over and joined them. The mouse wasn't shy about reaching out and grabbing a bite to eat for herself. "Now I am living with two naked females." Joseph remarked that they were still naked. Chiba's ears flickered indifferently as his joke fell flat. "Did you sleep in well?" Joseph asked instead.

"Mhm." She nodded. "I have never slept in a bed before." Her pink tail flicked up happily at the fact.

"That's good-" A fast knocking at the door alerted everyone.

"Joseph? Hello!" A partially muffled voice called from outside.

"Oh! Sorry." The human leapt to his feet and retrieved some decent clothes.

"Who is at the door?" Chiba called out.

"Someone working for the Emir." He answered before returning to Chiba and Sahabah. "I almost forgot about it... Okay, Chiba will look after you while I am gone." The human told Sahabah. "Don't worry, you can trust her." The knocking at the door started again in full force.

"Just go. We will be dressed after we eat." The lioness told him.

"I will be back home by the evening!" He hurried to the door called back. "Please buy her some ointment. You know where I keep my money at!"

***

The noises of wood clacking against wood and loaded sacks of grain slamming wooden planks created a rushed rhythm of frustration. There was plenty of yelling between sailors of different ships, but the salty language was no different than the waters beneath their ships. Only the sea gulls and clamoring sounds of wood were able to compete with the uproar. The gentle sound of the sea lapping beneath the rocking ships was all but forgotten. Joseph shielded his eyes from the glittering open water. He was overseeing a busy section of the dock where vessels had the space to unload the goods they sought to trade. The afternoon heat from the sun was bearing down on everyone not fortunate enough to be under the shade. It came as no surprise that the heat made angry remarks flare up. But Joseph watched the often chaotic scene from the perch of a second story balcony in the shade. It was his job as a member of the Emir's Safaviyya to understand all of the goods entering the city, among anything else relating to commerce. The city's main customs port was vital to trade across the sea, and nearly constantly busy. And after his term as a member of the Safaviyya was completed, overseeing customs might become a prospective job in the not so distant future.

Although, his thoughts were not focused on the docks below, but Sahabah. The quiet mouse was at home with Chiba. The lioness was watching over her while he had official duties to attend to, but he still hadn't managed to find a situation where she could live on her own without being taken advantage of.

'Ugh. I'm tired.' He yawned. Earlier in the morning Joseph woke up only to find Sahabah standing at his bedside quietly, merely inches from him. "She scared me to death..." He wiped his eyes and focused once again. Yet, the human couldn't blame her since her entire life was spent waking up ready to serve someone else. 'What do I do?' He couldn't figure out an answer.

"Joseph, sir." A sailor's voice called out.

"Yes?" He turned to the short sand cat. It was Tashir, the son of Umari the sand cat who was also in the Safaviyya, captain of the customs group. He addressed the human.

"The last vessel from Sur has been searched and everything is unloaded." He reported. Wearing clean garments; not too baggy trousers, a tunic styled shirt, and a simple robe, the sand cat was dressed well. The feline was also very tidy and precise with his line of work at the docks and shipyard. Although the city's customs houses were worked tirelessly with all of the goods entering Al Lishbunah. Tashir was only supposed to keep watch over one, and stay with the city's own galleys and ships.

"What goods did the last few ships have on them?" Joseph asked.

"The two vessels from Sur had one hundred and thirty jars of wine, ten cords of cedar wood, and twelve bolts of silk. The Corsican galley carried wool and stone. The Cypriot vessel was directed to another dock where they could reside since they were here on a diplomatic mission. No fishing vessels tried to dock here so far. And a galley from Napoli unloaded salt, rice, and wheat weighing around six hundred pounds; but we did find two stowaways among the cargo." Tashir reported everything to a tee.

"You're very good at remembering everything that happens at these docks." Joseph was impressed.

"After so many days of doing this, you will get used to it." He humbly smiled.

"I don't exactly look forward to something like this, but it is better than working for an old pottery maker and smith." Joseph admitted. The sand cat took it all in good humor.

"Are you going inside or will you wait to watch another shipment arrive?" Tashir inquired.

"I have seen plenty of the docks for one day, and I have been thinking about other things."

"Oh? Like what?"

"I don't know where to start..." The human looked back out to sea briefly. "Can you or someone else escort me to the Emir's palace?" Joseph requested.

"Of course." He quickly nodded and led the way down a flight of narrow stairs. The palace was a short walk from the shore. Passing by a few alleyways and streets, they were already at their destination in little time. Joseph was led by a guard inside to the expansive hallways. Joseph spotted an all too familiar female with a full figure. A white furred tigress was standing by a window, looking outside.

"I see the Emir's wife. I'll go to her instead. Thank you."

"Yes sir!" The guard nodded before leaving. Joseph quickly approached the tigress. She was wearing an elegant dress of green silk that flowed from under her arms down to her ankles. A lovely white cotton sash with a yellow golden edge was loosely tied around her sensual hips.

"Joseph, it's good to see you again." The white tigress smiled. "Would you like to have a seat?" She gestured to several places they could sit down together.

"Uh. No thank you." Joseph clearly remembered their first meeting.

"We can walk then." She grinned and lazily led him along the corridor. Her striped tail bobbed slowly from side to side with each step. "What brings you by today?"

"I wanted to talk with your husband about something. Do you know if he is here?"

"I'm not sure, but we can go check." She waved a hand for him to follow her down the long hall. Joseph looked over at the buxom tigress walking beside him.

"Is it appropriate for me to say that this is the first time I have not seen you half naked?" Joseph asked. The tigress laughed.

"No, not at all." She found his choice of words funny. "You already know my husband's stance towards nudity around here, so long as it isn't lustful."

"With you and a few of the others lounging around like that, doesn't he get... aroused?"

"At his age, sometimes." The tigress shrugged. "But that's usually because of me, and I can handle it." Her attitude towards it was as relaxed as her husband's, but being a full figured tigress she carried her weight smartly. She led him down a hall, and through a few turns before reaching a dead end. An elaborate door was unguarded and quiet.

"I'm afraid he isn't here at the moment." Bashira discovered that a guard wasn't present at the inner chamber's entryway. "Sorry that you had to come all the way over here for nothing."

"I want to talk to you then." Joseph surprised her.

"Oh? What's on your mind?" She gave him a curious look.

"It's a complicated story..." He walked with her back down the hall. "I had a brief argument with Chiba about a mouse slave that I had bought."

"You bought a slave?" The tigress was surprised. "You don't seem like that kind of person."

"Let me start from the beginning." Joseph tried to clear up everything. "I saw her standing miserable so I went over and asked about her. She was an unmarried slave and had a miscarriage recently. Her owner thought of it as a bad omen, so she was quickly sold. I ran into her one evening and recognized her, so I ended up buying her..."

"That's terrible. I hope she is alright."

"She's doing well, but still amazed that she is free." He couldn't help but grin.

"A lot of mice are slaves or poor free people, but I don't expect someone like you to have slaves, Joseph."

"I felt sorry for her!" He exclaimed. "I ran into her one night and she was dressed in rags. Her skin is badly damaged from the sun too. I wanted to help her, but I had no idea what I was doing. I wish I wasn't so quick to rush into doing something."

"You are a kind and caring person." Bashira reassured the guilt minded human. "My husband and I have the same views as you do. We don't buy people as many other do."

"Don't you own many people?" Joseph presumed. "What about the feline and jackal who carried food into the garden?"

"No. Not a single one." Bashira firmly stated. "Everyone here is a servant, either working off a debt or being paid."

"I had no idea." He admitted as they rounded a corner and approached the main entrance. "Chiba was angry that I purchased the mouse so rashly, but I think she wants me to help the best that I can."

"I understand that viewpoint." The tigress nodded. "So is this Chiba person your wife?" She guessed.

"What? No! Of course not." He half laughed at the remark.

"Who is she?"

"A traveling companion? Um..." That wasn't the truest statement considering how well that went. "Well... She is legally my slave. I had to purchase her from Bulus, but we briefly knew each other from Fez. It's not a short story to tell."

"So you saved two people from becoming property?" She guessed.

"Well, I saved Chiba from becoming property, but that makes us even in a sense." Joseph wondered how to explain his wild travels from Fez to the north.

"You have a complex story to tell." The tigress chuckled warmly.

"That's the best way to say it!" He nodded. "But I don't know what to do with her now." The human sighed with his palms facing up. "I don't want her to be stuck at my house as a servant, but I don't know how to help her. Way should I do?" He asked Bashira. The buxom tigress paused by a window and looked out. Her tail lazily swayed as she thought.

"Hmm... she's been a slave her entire life, correct?"

"That's right."

"The mouse can't begin her new life alone. She will need someone to help her. Does she have any experience with a skill?"

"I don't think so." He admitted. "All I know is that she would buy things at the market, and clean her master's house." Without any skills, the mouse would have a tough time finding a decent living. Joseph knew that he was lucky to have Begum house him at La Selva. Bashira turned around and faced the human with an idea in mind.

"I think her best chance is to live with the wet nurses in this part of the city. They're the ones I would go to if I was in her position."

"The who?" Joseph questioned.

"You know what a wet nurse does, right?" The white tigress tilted her head and placed a hand on her hip.

"Well, yeah. But how are they going to help her?" He didn't understand.

"Since she had a miscarriage recently, there is a chance that she will be able to nurse. If not, then I believe she would do very well in a place where she cares for infants. If the wet nurses take her in then she will be looked after very well. They'll also teach her how to be a midwife."

"It's worth a try. I never would have thought of that..." Joseph liked the idea. "But how did you know about them? Were you once a wet nurse?" He glanced at the feline's busty chest.

"What?!" Her eyes widened. "No!" She exclaimed before laughing. "Although I guess I could've been one if I wanted." Bashira sat up straight with her chest puffed out.

'You'd put everyone else out of work.' Joseph kept that thought to himself. "So she will be fine going in any day?"

"All you need to do is bring her there, and the ladies should take care of the rest." She nodded with reassurance.

"Thank you Bashira!" He hugged the tigress to her surprise. "Oh, I forgot that you're royalty." The human stepped back. Bashira rolled her eyes.

"After what I did to you? I'll let this slide." She walked back with him to the palace's entrance wearing a pleasant smile.

Joseph took ahold of a nimble pink skinned hand with claws as he walked down a street. The low sun only promised another hour or two of daylight. Caravans, merchants, and farmers were retiring for the night as well as many of the guards who were stationed along important intervals. At nightfall thieves were known to roam poor neighborhoods, but the human didn't want to take any chances. The human bumped past a few people meandering down the narrow street.

"Why is it always crowded when I need to be somewhere?" Joseph muttered under his breath as they reach a wider street. Sahabah stayed close to his back and never let go of him. Scanning the open area, a particular structure stood out among the moving groups of people. There were no windows on the first floor facing the busy street. It was definitely more secluded than any average building within the city.

'That's the right place.' He recognized the red brick faced three story building. They quickly hurried across, avoiding a boisterous caravan of camels and traders. A female feline in a simple robe and dark blue shawl was standing outside of the building.

"Hello! Miss?" Joseph approached the domestic tabby cat. The head turned and was was met by a pair of sharp feline eyes surrounded by a mix of grey and brown fur with black markings. "Do you work here?" He nodded towards the building she stood beside.

"Yes, I do." She replied with a calm, low voice.

"Is it possible for you to take someone in?" He asked. "She needs a decent livelihood and people who can teach her and care for her." The feline looked at the mouse in question.

"We pay as well as we can." She told them. "And we are always in need of wet nurses and caretakers."

"I know that she works very hard. She is a former slave-" Joseph began, but the lady cut him off with the wave of a hand.

"We do not care of someone's former status. Has she nursed recently, or anytime before?"

"She had a miscarriage not long ago." He was quick to speak. The feline paused and gave a slow nod in thought.

"I think we can take her in and care for her." She answered.

"Thank you." Joseph felt the burden on his shoulders lift. "Please take good care of her."

"We will." She offered a curt nod and grin.

"Okay." He looked at Sahabah and placed a hand on her shoulder. "I hope everything works out well for you." The mouse nodded.

"Let's go." The feline took ahold of Sahabah's hand.

"Thank you, Joseph." She meekly spoke before following the feline to a back door. Joseph watched as the mouse looked over her shoulder one last time before disappearing inside. He sighed peacefully as the door closed. The human felt completely elated after the past few days.

"It's really strange..." He thought aloud. "I don't know anything about her, other than two or three facts, yet I feel proud that I helped her." Joseph started walking back to his house. "Chiba or the mouse?" He wondered, thinking of both ladies. The city traffic was calmer as he returned home. Not even children were out causing trouble at the moment. Opening the door, the inside was quiet and calm.

"I am back." He quietly called out as he closed the door behind him.

"How did it go?" Chiba's voice called out from the main room. Walking over, Joseph found the lioness seated on a cushion but looking over at him.

"Alright." Joseph sighed. "She's under their care now."

"Good." The lioness firmly stated. "I wouldn't want her to go through anymore of that humiliation and back breaking labor either. You did the right thing by buying her."

"Thanks."

"But next time you do something like that, think it through." She warned him. "You're naive."

"If you keep telling me that, will I learn it eventually?" The human joked. Chiba half grinned.

"Maybe." She placed a hand on his shoulder before standing up. The warmth of her palm lingered for only a second. "I am going to bed." The lion's sturdy tail brushed against his face as she walked to the bedroom.

"Thank you for all of your help, Chiba." Joseph called out. The lioness lingered in the doorway before silently disappearing into the bedroom. 'She's as open as ever.' The human smiled to himself and stared across the room.