The Witch's Apprentice, chapter 3: the Villages

Story by Narcixus on SoFurry

, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

#4 of The Witch's Knife

I'm sorry it's taken so long to get this chapter uploaded, and it doesn't even have an illustration yet. I'll be editing this later, probably. For now, please enjoy this rough, transitional chapter.


The Villages

Kitt settled into his new life as a slave and apprentice. The witch had him clean most of the castle in his first week, and he slowly started learning the names of her animal servants, although she wouldn't begin teaching him how to speak with them yet. He was having a surprisingly easy time adjusting to being a eunuch. He unconsciously still tried to touch himself in his sleep a lot and would panic when he woke up and couldn't find his penis, but the realization that it was with Clementine was oddly comforting, and he didn't really know why. Bathing and urinating were a bit more difficult now, but he managed to get through them and still maintain a positive attitude.

On his first day, just a few hours after the ritual bath, he failed to properly direct his piss stream and nearly had an emotional breakdown, but he later found a helpful book left in his room and felt much better about himself after practicing a few times. He had another bath - this time without his master's help, he thanked the gods - and had to grit his teeth against the irritating stimulation while he cleaned out the inside of his sheath, but after that, it was pretty easy to keep clean.

On Thursday - six days after his initiation - Clementine instructed him to pack for a trip. "We'll be gone at least four days," she said. "Though I usually make the journey on foot, and it may go quicker if we bring Ben to carry us." Kitt agreed and went to go and gather supplies they may need for the journey and load them into the cart.

Kitt dressed in simple leather riding pants and once again donned his favourite shirt, which Clementine had graciously offered to restore for him; it was now as brightly coloured and sturdy as the day his mother had given it to him. He smiled as he gently touched the runes stitched into the sleeves. He missed his home, but he hoped his parents would be proud of his accomplishments.

Now dressed, the vulpin made his way to the stable to get his horse prepared for the journey. He found Ben munching on a breakfast of oats in his favourite spot in the barn. Kitt appreciated that Clementine was so kind to the animals in her care, for the most part allowing them the freedom to go where they pleased, and Ben was free to choose when and where to eat.

"Hey, buddy. Ready to go on a trip?" Kitt patted the horse's neck and stroked his nose. He had recently been groomed, and someone - probably Clementine - had braided his mane and decorated it with many small ribbons and shiny beads.

Kitt let him finish his oats before putting his harness on and leading him around to the front of the castle, where Clementine stood waiting by his cart. She had a knapsack over her shoulder and carried a crate full of small bottles containing various coloured liquids. Kitt assumed these must be the potions she'd been brewing all week.

"We're going to the market in [village2] to sell these," she said. "I usually go once a month, if I have stock to sell. Luckily for you, this was a pretty good batch, so you'll get to see firsthand the perks of being a potion seller." She held up one of the bottles so he could see it. It contained a clear yellow liquid with fizzy bubbles in it.

"What potion is this, master?"

"It's a cure for pollen allergies," she replied. "And this one -" she replaced the yellow potion and swapped it out for a dark brown one, "is a fertility potion for women. These are both in high demand every spring, so I figured I should have some already prepared this year." Kitt nodded.

"Ah, I see. Very clever," he said.

"When we return from the villages, I will begin teaching you the basics of potion making. You must be quite looking forward to that," the witch added with a smirk. Her vulpin apprentice nodded, smiling, as his tail sagged involuntarily behind him.

The first day of travel was uneventful. The travellers passed through several miles of open countryside. The forest was visible from the road, but they wouldn't have to enter it just yet. They stopped and camped at sundown and ate sandwiches Kitt had prepared beforehand. Clementine cast a protection spell around them so they could sleep peacefully through the night. They woke up early in the morning, just as the sun was coming up, and continued their journey.

The road eventually ventured into the forest, and they had to pass through it to get to the village on the other side. They finally emerged from the woods around noon and passed a couple of farms to get into the village. Clementine smiled and waved to people who recognized her but called her Matilda.

Kitt's ears twitched at the sound of the wrong name, confusion in his face as he looked back and forth between the villagers and his master. She shot him a quick glance, and he knew to keep silent.

"This is my apprentice," she said introducing him. "We're on our way to the market in the next village and stopped by to drop off some medicines Mrs. Crawford ordered. She gestured to a shop several yards away on the other side of the narrow street.

"Well good luck, Matilda," said the woman. "May the gods bless you and bring you fortune for your work." And she waved as Clementine and Kitt continued on their way. The vulpin stared at his master, puzzling over her false identity. She seemed to sense his curiosity.

"We must never let the common people know we are witches," she explained quietly but firmly. "I use a different name in every town I go to and sometimes wear a disguise, just in case someone were to recognize me as a witch, so that my reputation can't spoil business for me everywhere."

"So they think you're just a common medicine woman? But why? Where I come from, witches are well respected."

"Unfortunately, it's not the same here. These people are ignorant, and they fear what they don't understand. That puts you at risk as well, being a vulpin. The beast races are not commonly known in these parts, and the villagers tend not to trust them. It's best if you keep your head down."

Kitt's ears drooped. He started to wonder if maybe he'd regret coming here. But another glance at his master and the calm, peaceful look on her face reminded him that this is what he wanted, and that the risks would all be worth it. If Clementine could cope with the trials of being a witch, then he would learn to as well.

Clementine stopped at a general goods store and sold a batch of potions to the shopkeeper, and then bought a quick meal for herself and Kitt. After eating they said goodbye to Mrs. Crawford and continued on their way.

"If we don't dawdle too much, we can make it to town by nightfall and set up camp in the plaza so we'll have first pick of the market stalls come morning."

Again they set off down the road.

The sky was cloudy now, and it started to drizzle slightly while they were on the toad, but Kitt had expected that and brought along a tarp, which he stopped and pulled over the back of the cart to keep their luggage dry. He'd also brought a smaller tarp to drape over Ben, knowing the horse hated the feeling of raindrops on his back. He climbed back into the driver's seat and opened an umbrella for his master, which she held over both of them while he drove the rest of the way.

By the time they arrived in the larger village the rain had stopped, but the ground was now wet and muddy, so instead of sleeping on the ground they cleared out a space in the back of the cart and put their sleeping bags there. As Kitt was trying to get a fire going in one of the camping pits, Clementine tapped his shoulder and pointed across the field.

"Look, Kitt. There's where we'll set up our stall in the morning." He noticed an area with multiple tents and tables. They were empty now, but Kitt figured tomorrow the area would be full of people buying and selling various products.

After eating a supper of stew that Clementine had brought along, preserved in an enchanted pot and heated over the fire Kitt had started, both master and apprentice climbed into their sleeping bags and huddled together until they fell asleep.

In The morning, Clementine woke him and had him carry her crates of potions to the market stalls. She had used a glamour spell to disguise herself as an elderly woman. Kitt wondered if he would need a disguise too, but his master seemed to think nothing of it and redirected his attention to the task of setting up shop. "It's important to pick a good spot to attract the most business," explained the witch. "If we set up shop right by the entrance, we're likely to be ignored, but too close to the back, we may not be seen. Then again, you don't want to be right in the center because it's the busiest area, and all that noise and commotion isn't good for business either. You've got to position yourself just right... Ah, here!" She set down her basket on a table and began setting up her display.

Kitt put down the crate he was carrying behind the stand and started to unload some of the bottles, arranging the potions by colour and size on the table. A few other people were also setting up their tables around them, and just as the sun had risen, a few shoppers began to trickle in. A large man with a jolly face, presumably one of the village locals, approached old-lady Clementine with a smile.

"Ms. Rosemary!" he called out. "It's good to see you! What have you got for us today?"

Clementine, now apparently 'Rosemary,' grinned and winked at him as she reached into her basket and pulled out a jar filled with some sort of dried fruit. "Oh, you know," she said in a creaky old voice, "I got the usual. Some allergy medicines and dried herbs and such, and for you... here. I grew these in my garden." She opened the jar and held it out to the man, who picked a piece out and put it in his mouth. Kitt could smell the sweet fruit and wondered if it was one of those plums he had tasted on his first day exploring the castle. The man chewed the fruit and closed his eyes to savour it, like it was the most delicious thing he'd ever tasted.

"Mmmm-mmm!" he said. "That is tasty! What kinda fruit is this, Ms. Rosemary?"

"Well, Todd, you know that's a secret," the lady answered.

"Well, how many have ya got?"

"Just this jar, and one extra," she said, producing a second, slightly smaller jar from the basket.

"I'll take 'em both."

"I thought you might. I'll wrap them up for you." She carefully wrapped each jar in some crumpled old newspapers and handed them to Todd, who put them away in his own basket. He dropped his payment into the jar on the table, thanked the lady, and left.

After he had gone, Kitt leaned close to his master and quietly asked, "How do you know if he paid the right amount if he just puts the money in the jar?" Clementine just smirked.

"That's the beauty of being a beloved medicine seller, Kitt. These people pay whatever they can or are willing for the goods and services I provide, and because they trust me to provide only the best quality, I can trust them not to short-change me. It's an unspoken mutual agreement we have."

"So it's an honor-system?"

"You could say that, yes."

"But what if someone doesn't honor the honor-system? What if they just take your po- uhh... medicines, and they didn't pay?"

"Kitt," she looked him in the eye, very seriously, "if someone needs this medicine, I feel it is my responsibility to provide it, even if I get nothing in return. They probably need it more than I do, and money isn't why I do this." Kitt nodded, thinking it over. His master was certainly a kind and generous soul. He wasn't quite sure he was ready to go that far yet.

A few more people came by and bought things in the next few hours, but by the time noon had come, the market was packed. People were buying and selling, and sometimes arguing over prices and limited stock. Kitt was taking it all in and feeling both over- and underwhelmed at once. Most of the faces in the crowd were human, although he did notice some dwarves and a couple of elves here and there. Kitt seemed to be the only vulpin, even the only beastman at all, here. Several people recognized 'Ms. Rosemary' and stopped to chat with her; most bought something, but a few didn't. Almost none of them paid him any mind at all.

Once the crate of potions had been emptied, Clementine sent him back to the cart to grab another. After restocking the potions, Clementine asked him to go buy them lunch from one of the other stalls. "I'll reimburse you," she said, then at his startled look, "I know you have money." Kitt had nearly forgotten about the cash he'd stowed away in his sack, but he was only a little surprised Clementine knew about it. She somehow seemed to see everything that happened in her castle.

"As you wish, master," he said with a slight bow, before slipping off to find a private place so no one could watch him open his sack. He felt around in the strange void for a moment and grabbed a small handful of coins: five coppers and two silver ones. "That ought to be enough," he said to himself.

He found a merchant selling small meat pies for 2 pennies each and said, "I'll have four, please."

The pie merchant stared at Kitt, looking him up and down. "We don't see many of your kind around these parts," he said while slowly wrapping up the pies in a napkin. Kitt felt self-conscious, and his ears twitched nervously as he struggled to hold eye contact.

"I'm new around," he said, not really wanting to reveal anything about himself that wasn't necessary. The man squinted slightly and continued staring. His thick mustache twitched as he pursed his lips under it.

"Well..." he said at last. "That'll be 8 coppers." The mustachioed man held out his hand for the payment before handing over the pies.

On the way back to his master, he spotted a pretty young woman who smiled at him. He smiled back shyly and hurried on his way.

After bringing the food back and eating with Clementine, he saw the woman again. She walked over to their stall to buy some allergy potions for her mother and made small talk with Clem & Kitt for a minute before leaving.

"Don't you dare even think about it, Kitt," Clementine warned after the woman was gone.

"What do you mean?"

"You are a slave, and to fraternize with a slave would severely damage that poor girl's social status. And besides that, as a vulpin, you are more likely to be perceived as predatory by these humans. Yes, I know, it's prejudice, and it's unfair, but it's how things are here."

"Maybe she doesn't care," he protested. "Of all the humans I've seen today, she was friendly to me. Besides, it's not like anything can actually *happen* between us..."

"The girl may like you, but her parents almost certainly will not, and the fact that you're a eunuch only *might* save you from her father's wrath if he catches you staring at his daughter like that. Just stay low and try not to bring attention to yourself while we're here." And with that, the conversation was over. Kitt knew not to argue or push the issue further. Still, for the next several hours, he kept thinking he saw her from the corner of his eye or watching him across the marketplace through the crowd.

By the time the market had closed, Clementine's jar was quite full, and she had also accumulated quite a few tips in the form of gifts, such as jars of jam and vegetables grown in family gardens. The witch smiled and waved as the last of her customers were leaving and started packing up her things. They had sold every one of the allergy potions and only had a few bottles left of the rest.

"Please load these crates and baskets back into the cart for me," she said. "I have a bit of last minute shopping to do before all the stalls are done closing for the day." Kitt nodded and headed toward the cart with an arm full of stuff as his master headed in the opposite way.

After spending Saturday at the market, instead of going home right away Clementine insisted on staying another night to attend church service in the morning and dropped most of her profit from the potion sales into the poor box. When questioned by Kitt, she would only say that she didn't need the money and then was silent. On the journey back she seemed impatient to get home.

When the witch and her slave finally arrived back at the castle, they were both tired from the four-day trip. Clementine took her basket and retired to her room, instructing Kitt to unload the supplies and gear from the cart. The vulpin did as he was told and led his tired horse back to the barn to rest. Ben was grateful to get out of his harness and kissed his master's cheeks and chin affectionately. Kitt smiled.

"I love you too, buddy. Here, let me get you some feed." He filled the small trough with a sweet grain mix from the store room by the barn and brushed Ben's coat while he ate. After the horse's meal and quick grooming session were complete, Kitt went to go wash up and cook dinner for his master.

After eating, they both returned to their rooms. Kitt collapsed onto his bed and quickly fell asleep.


Clementine found herself lying in bed, unable to sleep. She fingered herself under the sheets, but that wasn't enough to satisfy her craving. It had been years since she had any sort of intimate relationship, and she was longing for the gentle touch of another person.

She got out of bed and pulled her fur cloak around her naked body to walk across the large, cold room. She placed one hand on the wall opposite from her bed and whispered a command, and it opened. Stone stairs led down into a secret chamber lined with shelves full of jars and locked treasure chests, illuminated by a glass globe hanging from the ceiling. She looked around the room at all the jars and their contents, as if deciding which one she wanted. Some of the jars were simply filled with herb mixes and potions, but others, like the ones she was standing in front of now, contained body parts suspended in liquid. Each of them was a still-living organ, separated from its body by the power of the Witch's Knife, and Clementine knew exactly who each organ belonged to. No matter how many years had passed, she always remembered in detail the times she had used her power to harm. Most of those times were justified, but she felt a little bad for the few that seemed unfair. She stared at the 8-inch vulpin penis in front of her and gently picked up the jar that held it. At least he would get to enjoy this too, she told herself, justifying what she was about to do. She drained the jar and carried it back to her room with her.


For the past week, Kitt's dreams had become weirder and weirder and more sexually charged. He figured it was probably due to the frustration of not having his penis, though he still got a little bit of pleasure from rubbing the tiny nub that was left of it, as well as his sensitive sheath. He would fall asleep just stroking himself and wake up horny but not be able to finish.

Now, he dreamed he was surrounded by beautiful vulpin women, and they all wanted him. There were so many lips brushing against his cheeks and ears, so many hands groping and petting him. A cute blonde vulpin with wide hips and perky breasts stripped in front of him and then got down on all fours. Her green eyes sparkled lustily as she opened her mouth and lowered it over his cock...

Kitt jolted awake, startled by the feeling. It didn't stop. His mind was still foggy and tired, but he eventually worked out that he was no longer dreaming and that yes, he could physically feel a hand on his dick now. It felt so warm and soft. Then he felt something hot and moist on the tip, and that slowly enveloped his shaft, up to about six inches he guessed.

"M-master?" he called out. It suddenly clicked in his head that she must be using his cock as a dildo. The thought that this was unnatural briefly crossed his mind, but he quickly pushed it away and committed himself to enjoying this as much as possible while it lasted. It felt so good, and he was afraid it might end up being a one-time occurrence.

The vulpin got on his knees and grasped his pillow, thrusting his hips in rhythm with the sliding motion he felt over his cock. He pictured his master's soft breasts and tried to imagine what her face must look like now as she pleasured herself with him. He could feel her pulse, and it was driving him wild.

In Her room, Clementine watched the vulpin man through an enchanted crystal orb and smirked at his efforts. She had to admit to herself that he was cute, and she was quite enjoying his cock. Distracted as she was by sexual pleasure, she almost didn't feel guilty for taking advantage of her slave like this. She continued thrusting his cock into her and sometimes twisting or wiggling it around for additional stimulation.

Kitt's moaning was getting louder and louder. "Oh, master!" he cried as he struggled to keep up with her rhythm. "I think I'm going to... I'm- I'm about to come!" He gripped his pillow tight and humped rapidly as clear semen spurted out of his sheath. He gasped and painted, but the stimulation didn't stop. His penis remained solidly erect, and it was so sensitive he wasn't sure if he could take any more.

Clementine watched her slave come and grew more and more aroused with each of his frantic thrusts. She was so horny now, she felt she must be getting close. She pulled his cock out of her and began tickling her clit with just the tip of it. That was what she needed! Just a few more minutes of this, and surely she would be satisfied.

Kitt tried to just relax and take it, but the sudden shift directing all the stimulation directly to his extra-sensitive glans was just too much. He erupted into uncontrollable nervous laughter, every now and then yelping as he was overstimulated to the point of extreme discomfort. He wasn't even sure if what he was feeling was pleasure or pain, but he wanted it to stop. The vulpin writhed on his bed, pointlessly clutching his groin.

Finally, the witch had reached her point. Just a few more strokes. She firmly grasped the thick vulpin shaft and ground its tip into her throbbing clitoris. A wave of pleasure rushed over her, and her hips started involuntarily thrusting into it. She held on and rubbed it in a little circle, dipping the soft glans into the opening of her pussy and then bringing its fresh wetness back up to flick her nub a few more times until she could no longer bear it. The witch lay there, squeezing Kitt's penis and breathing heavily as she felt her pulse in her genitals. She looked back over at her crystal orb and saw that Kitt was breathing very hard and looked exhausted. In that moment, all she wanted was to cuddle close to him and bury her face in his fluffy chest as they drifted off to sleep together, but Clementine had to remind herself that she could not have that type of relationship with her slave, and she should know better.

The witch returned the vulpin's penis to its jar and refilled it with the cleansing liquid but left it sitting on the table beside her bed. "I'll put it back tomorrow," she promised herself as she lay back down and drifted into a deep sleep.