Chapter 18: Magic Fingers

Story by Tesslyn on SoFurry

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#18 of The Mating Season 6: The Seduction of Seleste


The Seduction of Seleste

from the world of the mating season

Magic Fingers

Chapter 18

Seleste had never thought she'd find herself free of the slavers, but there she was, standing in the shallows of the ocean as Talisa bathed her. Ahote sat on the sand nearby and his magical energy seemed to be waning: the snapping branches of light that reached from him were fading, his eyes had stopped glowing, and he sat there with heaving chest, looking drained of color.

Seleste still couldn't believe it. With his magic, Ahote conjured a storm that destroyed the slaver ship, and as the vessel was being torn to wooden shreds, he escaped with the girls in a dory. Using more of his magic, he levitated the dory high above the thrashing waves as he paddled it toward land. They flew. The dory flew them away. Seleste still couldn't believe such magic could exist. Watching as Ahote's muscular body flexed to rotate the paddles, she and Talisa had sat in silent awe of him.

The storm had died in mere hours, but it was a day before they finally reached land. During that bright hot day, Seleste and Talisa had been careful to keep quiet. They could barely bring themselves to look at Ahote, and the strange silver male did likewise.

And now they had reached land. Tired and wretched, their manes in their faces, Seleste and Talisa climbed from the dory and began to bathe the dried cum from their bodies. Talisa's brows pressed together and she wiped the dried tears from Seleste's cheeks. Seleste closed her eyes as Talisa scooped more water and next washed the cum from her high breasts.

"You've never known hardship, little princess," Talisa said, shaking her head. "All of this must be so heavy on that gentle heart of yours."

Seleste closed her eyes. She knew Talisa was talking about Keme. Keme, who they would never see again. Keme, who she might have loved, could have loved, perhaps even did love. Seleste bowed her head and was glad when Talisa held her. They stood in the shallows a long time, and Seleste let the tears silently fall as Talisa held her tight and kissed her head.

"I know, simp," Talisa whispered. "I could have loved him too."

They broke apart. Still sniffling with tears, Seleste turned her back and pulled her mane over her shoulder. She closed her eyes as Talisa bathed her, as the cool seawater trickled down through her fur, over her plump buttocks, and along the curve of her tail.

"I just wish I knew what to do now," Talisa whispered as she continued her work. "My father always told me I was a born leader. I'm supposed to know what to do. For the first time in my life, I don't. I'm sorry."

Seleste shook her head. "None of this is your fault! I mean, look at me! I'm a princess! I should know how to lead too." She snorted derisively. "The only thing I know how to lead is a cookie into my mouth."

Seleste was filled with sudden self-loathing as she thought of all the years she had sat in her father's hut on her ass doing nothing but brushing her mane and eating sweets. She had been a lazy, spoilt little girl who didn't have a clue about the world she might one day have to take a role of leadership in. And she knew she couldn't blame it all on her father: she could have sat down to lessons had she wanted to. Meleste had been required to learn all her skills, but with Seleste there had always been a choice.

"And what to do with him?" Talisa wondered.

Seleste turned to face Talisa, and as she carefully cleaned the cum from the older female's full breasts, she saw Talisa's dark brown eyes flit to their corners. Seleste's heart leapt as she remembered Ahote. She'd been so wrapped up in thoughts of Keme that she'd forgotten him. She paused as she was washing Talisa to look at the male. He sat on the shore watching them with such obvious discomfort that Seleste blushed crimson when she realized: her small paw was cupping Talisa's breast and her other paw was pinching the large nipple clean of cum. Meanwhile, Talisa's paw was on her ass, as if to hold her close. Talisa stroked Seleste's mane and told her not to stop.

"But I don't want to put on a show for him!" Seleste cried indignantly.

Talisa laughed softly. "He's seen us raped how many times?"

Seleste bit her lip: Talisa had a point. But all that had happened against their will. They should be allowed some privacy now if they wanted!

"Turn around!" Seleste demanded of the male.

Ahote's lip curled. "You've got to be kidding me."

"Do it," Seleste insisted. She folded her arms under her bosom. She knew Talisa was watching her in amusement, but she didn't care: why should she have to entertain some gawking male anymore? Hadn't she been ogled enough?

Ahote rolled his eyes. "And what are you going to do? Stamp your foot at me?"

"More like at your penis," Seleste returned.

"ARGH!" Ahote climbed to his feet and turned his back. "Happy?"

"Yes!" Seleste snapped, and ignoring Talisa's laughter, she turned back to her friend and continued to wash her. She lifted Talisa's large tit in her paw and peeled the dried cum away from the nipple. Her heart fluttered when Talisa smoothed her paw over her ass cheek and squeezed. The older female leaned down close and licked lightly at Seleste's lips with the very tip of her tongue. Seleste's paws fumbled to a stop as the licking turned to a deep kiss. Talisa pulled her close by the back of the neck and kissed her, warm and hungry. Seleste gasped softly when she felt Talisa's fingers glide carefully in her sex.

"Sore there?" Talisa whispered against her lips.

Seleste nodded breathlessly. She melted against Talisa when the older female scooped more water and began to wash between her thighs. She washed all the filth and cum away, and her fingers paused every now and then to caress.

"God, I want my mouth there," Talisa whispered as her fingers pressed inside.

Hearing this, Seleste's heart skipped a beat and her long lashes fluttered.

"Seeing them put their mouths on you . . ." Talisa's face darkened. "It made me crazy. Didn't know how much I cared until I saw them touching you . . ." She shook her head angrily.

Seleste smiled. "Talisa," she said fondly and laid her head on the taller female's breasts. She hugged Talisa tight, and the soft crushing of their bodies made her clit throb. "I'm so lucky to have met you and K-Keme." She bit her lip to hold back a sob.

"Don't cry, Sel," Talisa whispered and stroked her mane. "I'm going to look after you. It's what Keme would have wanted. And I promise we'll figure something out. I take care of my friends." So saying, Talisa squeezed Seleste tight in her arms and kissed her head.

Seleste laughed softly. "How do we always wind up in the water like this?" She pulled back and they smiled at each other.

They were turning toward the shore when Talisa grabbed Seleste's thin arm. Seleste blinked at her friend. Talisa was staring down at the water. Seleste followed her gaze and her heart leapt: her blue blanket was floating along the surface of the water. It was tangled in driftwood, heavy with seaweed, discolored and torn. Seleste bent to gather it and Talisa helped her disentangle it from the driftwood.

"But . . ." Talisa said, watching as Seleste wretchedly examined the blanket, "you left it at my house when they took us. I remember!"

Clutching the blanket to her breasts, Seleste gazed earnestly out at the water. "It's Keme," she whispered. "He's come for us!" Her ears pricked forward as she searched the distant horizon, almost as if she half-expected to see a ship bearing Keme take shape in the distance. God, maybe it would!

Talisa shook her head sadly, and Seleste felt her paw close soothingly on her shoulder. "He's not comin', simp," Talisa said quietly. "We can't stand here all day --"

Seleste's lip trembled and she didn't take her eyes off the horizon. "I --" She almost wanted to protest, almost wanted to jerk her shoulder free and tell Talisa to go on, she was going to wait for Keme! But she glanced at Talisa and knew she was being foolish: even if the blanket was proof that Keme had pursued them, there was no point standing in the middle of no where expecting him to appear. Seleste's ears went down. She nodded sadly and turned to face the shore with Talisa.

"It means someone came after us," Talisa said thoughtfully, "but not necessarily Keme. Maybe a rescue party sent by the chief . . ."

Seleste's heart leapt: oh god, don't mention Honiahaka! She hoped it wasn't him, anyone but him!

"Bad news is," went on Talisa, "any rescue party would have gotten caught up in the storm too."

Seleste's heart sank. Please, _please_don't let that have happened to Keme! Finding the blanket had given her hope, and just knowing that he might be alive gave her the strength she needed to hold on! She squeezed her eyes shut and held the blanket tight, as if she was silently praying.

"Sorry," Talisa mumbled when Seleste opened her eyes, "didn't mean to worry you. Maybe the rescue party was luckier than us." She clapped a friendly paw on Seleste's shoulder, "Come on. Never thought I'd say this, but I'm tired of being wet."

Seleste managed a sad laugh.

They waded ashore together, and hearing them approach, Ahote turned to face them. He stood with his arms folded and regarded them as if they were little more than a nuisance. His irritable eyes looked exactly how Seleste felt.

"We didn't ask to wind up with you, you know," Seleste snapped before Ahote had a chance to complain.

"In that case, I should have left you to die," Ahote returned sarcastically. He turned before Seleste could glare and made his unsteady way up the sand.

Seleste's breasts heaved, and slinging the blanket over her shoulder, she followed. What she wouldn't give to slap the scowl off that pompous, sneering face of his! She stumbled as she pushed through the shallows and almost fell. Walking ahead of her, Ahote's ears pricked forward. He turned and caught her before she fell on her face. She sagged in his strong arms a moment, and as their eyes met, they found themselves staring absently. Seleste quickly fumbled to get free and insisted that she didn't need his help. Ahote snapped out, "Fine!" and turned to the shore again.

Seleste took in his muscular back and glowered. She could hear Talisa following behind and wondered why she was so angry. Talisa didn't like Ahote anymore than she did, but she was so calm and smiling in the face of all this madness!

Seleste was picking her way up the muddy shore when she almost fell again. This time, Talisa grabbed her by the paw and steadied her. They were walking side by side when the older female spoke.

"You have the hots for each other," Talisa said pointedly and grinned.

Seleste's eyes grew round. "What?" She scowled. "No!"

Talisa only laughed.

Seleste glowered and said nothing. How could Talisa say such a thing! She didn't want - she wasn't attracted to that bratty, bossy - Seleste bit her lip. Hate Ahote as she did, she could not pretend he was not attractive. Those hard, firm ass cheeks flexing under that tail when he walked. . . . Seleste squeezed her eyes shut, hating herself. For all she knew, Keme was dead, and here she was ogling some obnoxious male she'd only just met!

But Seleste had to ask herself what she had intended with Keme. She blinked as she realized she didn't know. But then, she hadn't known anything - where she was going to live, what she was going to do. For a young princess like her, marriage was always at the very top of the list. The whole point of a twelfth princess' life was to marry and thus form bonds between villages. First princesses became chieftess, sometimes even second and third ones. But the twelfth daughter? She was a brood mare up for sale. And Seleste knew that the second she made herself known to the old chief of the sun village, he would pressure her to marry his son, the new chief, Honiahaka. And what could she say? What could she do to avoid such an arrangement? Had she said no to the proposal, the chief would have asked what better plan she had and she would have been forced to admit that she had no plan at all. Without a male to speak for her, she would have then married Honiahaka and her life as chieftess of the sun village would have begun.

But Seleste didn't want that. She wanted Keme. She didn't know what she was going to do or where she was going to go, but so long as Keme was near her, she would be happy. Could she have said that to Honiahaka? Could she have made him understand? And with no male to speak for her, could she have escaped her fate?

Seleste realized that she and Talisa had been following Ahote for some time when the male spoke.

"I'm heading home. You . . ." he cleared his throat awkwardly. "You two are free to come with me. If you so choose."

Night was falling. Hearing Ahote's words, Seleste stumbled to a stop. He stood lean and muscular against the steadily darkening sky. Behind him, only a spare few trees dotted the landscape. Tall grass stretched to the horizon, pale and golden in the twilight. Small white petals drifted on the air, and Seleste realized they were falling from the trees. A petal clung to the strands of hair that fell across her eyes and she fumbled to push it away.

"Come _with _you?" Seleste repeated darkly. She had to admit that she didn't know why it was even a question: where else could they go? She noticed Talisa smirking out of the corner of her eye and glowered.

"Yes," Talisa said firmly, "we'll come with you, Ahote. And thank you. Come on, simp," she added, and without further ado, grabbed Seleste by the paw and pulled her on.

Seleste stumbled after the other two and felt foolish for wanting to protest. But she wanted to be free of Ahote. From the moment she first laid eyes on him, she had hoped he would be moved to another room or perhaps forced to spend the night with one of his tormentors. But no. She had been forced to watch for days as he was fondled, sucked, and spanked right before her eyes. Ahote always waited until the slavers were gone and then his eyes would water with tears. Seleste had never felt sorry for him - no, he was so obnoxious that she had felt as if his time with the slavers was exactly what he deserved. But at the same time, she had found all of it deliciously . . . arousing. There was even one night when one of the slavers noticed her arousal, and grinning his amusement, he brought Ahote over to her and forced him to suck cock as he was fucked - and right in front of Seleste. It seemed Ahote hated Seleste with a passion after that day. But Seleste did not care: Ahote had been rude to her from day one. It had given her the greatest satisfaction to see that arrogant prick brought down to his knees.

They came to a lone tree on a hill, and Ahote announced that it was a good place to make camp. Exhausted, Seleste didn't argue and flopped miserably on the ground. Talisa, however, raised an eyebrow.

"You really want to make camp on a hill?" Talisa said, her paws on her round hips. The wind pushed back her thick mane as she looked around and her big nipples grew hard in the cold. Sitting on the ground and staring up at her, Seleste felt her clit shiver. God, Talisa was beautiful.

"For god's sa - what now?" Ahote demanded. He had been gathering sticks to build a fire, but hearing Talisa, he stopped and glowered.

Glaring at Ahote, Seleste realized for the first time that he was someone who was used to having his way without argument. He almost reminded her of Meleste or even Honiahaka in his bad moments. Seleste scowled at Ahote and refused to believe he had ever been a chief. Perhaps he was the prince of his tribe and thus used to getting his way. Only princes knew such authority. A princess may have been pampered, but she certainly didn't get everything she wanted. Males.

"Think about this," Talisa said calmly. "You want to build a fire on a hill in the dark. You might as well light a beacon to draw every hostile wolf out there!"

"My lands know no hostilities," Ahote said carelessly and went back to gathering firewood.

Not knowing what to make of Ahote's words, Seleste and Talisa exchanged glances.

"You tread the paths of the plains wolves," Ahote said quietly. They watched as he squatted and began to tear up grass. He was clearing a space for the fire. He grunted softly and his body flexed. His cock was hanging down between his hard thighs and Seleste had to make an effort to avoid looking at it. Look at his face, not his penis. His face. His face. His face! His . . . sigh _.__ _But he was so young and strong and beautiful! She was fascinated by him much as she had been fascinated by Keme, and her curious grey eyes threw all caution to the wind. To hell with it. She stared at his cock.

"Why have I never heard of your tribe?" Talisa asked him.

Ahote smiled. "There are few who have. Look where we are. You wouldn't be here unless a wolf of the plain had brought you."

Seleste dragged her hungry eyes from Ahote's cock long enough to look where his nod had indicated. She gasped. The sea was gone. Gone! It was as if it had never been there. In its place stood more tall grass, the spare bush or tree, and yellow flowers whose stems stopped at a wolf's waist.

Seleste's mouth dropped open. "But . . ." She climbed unsteadily to her feet and just stared. The blanket fell absently from her paw. "The s-sea . . .? Just gone?"

"Yes, that's right, Seleste," teased Ahote. "Sea gone. Big field of grass in place."

Seleste scowled at him.

"Magic," Talisa said.

Ahote nodded. "At least one of you has a brain." He smirked at Seleste, who was still glowering at him. "Our lands are cloaked in it. We keep the way to our village hidden with magic because we do not wish for the petty wars and strife known to other villages. When the two of you said you wanted to come home with me, I opened the way. And, obviously, it closed behind us. Unwelcome creatures would find themselves roaming the very edges of the plains in circles until they gave up in frustration and headed away from the village. It's a necessary precaution. Especially in these times."

These times? Seleste eyed Ahote anxiously. His face had darkened. Was there war between the tribes here? Oh god. She hoped not. All she wanted was to get back to Keme - if that was at all possible. And if it wasn't possible, she just wanted to feel safe again. She kept feeling like she wanted to go home, but she didn't even know where home was anymore.

"So . . . you're a sorcerer," Talisa said slowly. "Then why didn't you use your powers to escape much sooner? How'd you even get caught?"

Ahote didn't answer. He piled his collection of sticks neatly within a circle of round stones. He reached toward the sticks and they watched as a flame ignited on the tip of his pink nail. When a small fire was roaring, the flame on his nail extinguished and he sat down. With folded legs, he warmed his paws over the fire. Watching him curiously, Seleste and Talisa did likewise.

Seleste heard her stomach growl. Everyone did. Her ears flattened in embarrassment and she looked down. "Here," she heard Ahote say, and when she looked up, he was offering her a round, purple fruit. She had never seen the like before. She stared.

Ahote laughed good-naturedly. "It's a plum," he said.

Seleste glanced at the tree behind him and realized it was growing the fruits. She hesitated but took the plum from Ahote, humbly thanking him under her breath.

"Magic," Ahote said at last, "requires energy. You know why they raped me and kept me hard all the time? To drain my energy. Without energy, I couldn't escape. And even with energy, I still needed a conductor." He passed a plum to Talisa, who took it as she blinked and said, "A what?"

"A conductor," repeated Ahote nonchalantly. He shrugged and bit into his own plum. The juice rose against his lips and fangs. He licked it away. "I bet shamans and sorcerers in your villages still use wooden wands and staffs, don't they? Wolves of the plains use iron. It's twice as effective."

"The bucket handle," Seleste said as it dawned on her. She still hadn't eaten her plum. She toyed with it idly, her grey eyes distant with thought.

Ahote nodded. "Daggers and spears serve well. Sometimes even a fork." He laughed at his own joke and stared thoughtfully at the fire.

"I take it many in your tribe use magic then," Talisa said. She bit into her plum and studied Ahote hard as she chewed.

Seleste realized for the first time that Talisa was interrogating Ahote, sizing him up, trying to decide if he could be trusted. What was more, Ahote was well aware and even seemed amused by the fact. He was smiling as he regarded Talisa, the plum flesh a small lump in the corner of his cheek.

"It takes a very powerful enchanter to use magic without a conductor," was Ahote's answer. "You needn't worry, Talisa. You're safe."

Talisa nodded gruffly and continued to eat. Seleste held back a smile: Talisa was embarrassed. But Seleste knew Ahote was right: Zaldon was the only sorcerer she had ever known to use powerful magic without a staff. Even Tahki had used a staff, and her magic had been mind binding in the least.

"If these lands are as safe as you say," Talisa said when she had finished her plum, "then there's no need to keep watch. I'm gonna take a quick nap. But I'll be up in a little bit to keep lookout regardless. Can't be too careful." So saying, Talisa began gathering grass to make a bed for herself near the fire. When she had finished, she paused to look at Seleste. "Comin, simp?"

Seleste's heart warmed: Talisa meant for them to share a bed. Well, it wouldn't have been the first time . . . But she shook her head and muttered that she wasn't tired yet. Talisa blinked her surprise and Seleste couldn't blame her: going to sleep would have been the perfect opportunity to escape having to put up with Ahote. But for some reason, Seleste didn't want to escape him. Not yet.

"Alright . . ." Talisa said hesitantly. She eyed Seleste and Ahote, then her lips curled into an amused smile. "You two play nice now. Night." Talisa curled on her bed of leaves, her back to the fire as she went to sleep.

Seleste went beet red at Talisa's last words. She wanted to shout that Ahote wasn't the reason she was staying up - she wanted Keme and only Keme! But she knew this would only make things all the more awkward, so she bit angrily into her plum and choked when she tasted the cold, rich juice for the first time. God, it was delicious! She licked the juice from her lips and bit again. The plum flesh was still warm from the caress of the sun, but the juice was so cool and sweet. She ate the plum down to its large seed, and with the seed perched in her fingers, she sucked on it. It was when she heard a moan that she looked up.

Ahote sat beside her, his face the perfect picture of anguish. His cheeks were slightly red, and glancing down at his cock, she noticed for the first time that it was getting a little stiff. She abruptly stopped sucking and the plum seed fell from her fingers. She sucked her sticky fingers guiltily as Ahote averted his gaze.

"Why did you stay up?" Ahote said irritably and poked a stick at the fire.

"Look, I know you're probably used to getting your way, but female or not, I'm going to do just as I like. That includes staying up." Seleste jerked her chin and instantly felt childish. She was surprised when Ahote didn't respond with insult or anger but only smiled at the fire.

"He must really miss you."

Seleste looked away.

"I heard you talking," went on Ahote. "This . . . Keme. He must really miss you."

"If he's alive to miss me," Seleste said miserably to her feet, then added indignantly, "You were listening!"

Ahote laughed. "Well, pardon me, your highness. You've talked about him in front of me nonstop for what now? A week?"

"Well, yes . . ."

"And the way you cry and go on about him, it sounded like love. Or perhaps a blossoming love."

Seleste cocked an eyebrow. "Blossoming? You're sensitive. How cute!" She laughed as Ahote's cheeks flamed.

"I'm trying to be nice and you're ruining it," he snapped.

"You're trying to be nice? Must be a feat for you."

"Argh!"

"And you're always roaring," went on Seleste, thoroughly enjoying herself. "You sound so frustrated. Is the wife not blowing you enough? Assuming you have a wife, that is."

Ahote heaved a breath. "Look . . ." he said slowly, "I'm sorry for the way I treated you back on the ship. I don't think you have any idea what it's like, being kept torturously hard and then having some beautiful young female paraded around in front of you. They used you to cock tease me . . . You'd be asleep, and they'd spread your legs and make me sniff your . . ." He cleared his throat.

Sitting beside him with her legs folded, Seleste had the sudden urge to squeeze her thighs shut. Listening to him had sent a red blush creeping over her breasts. She resisted the urge to cover them and instead sat very still in the hope he would not continue.

"Or they'd slip their fingers in you," he went on, his face twisted with discomfort, "and they'd make me taste you . . ."

Unable to stand it much longer, Seleste closed her thighs together and hugged her knees. Oh god, make him stop.

"I'm - I'm not saying you tasted bad!" he added, as if for fear that he had offended her.

Seeing his discomfort, Seleste leapt on the opportunity to tease him. "How did I taste then?"

Ahote stared at her as if she couldn't possibly have asked such a thing.

Seleste lifted her eyebrows. "Well?" she demanded, and seeing the squirming look on his face, it was all she could do not to laugh at him.

"Sweet, like a plum," he muttered and averted his eyes. "But the point is --!" he added impatiently. "They would use you to torture me, to keep me weak and drain my energy. I couldn't even fight them when they raped me. And because of you." He glowered at the flames. "Not that I'm saying it's your fault, how beautiful you are . . . still, I resented you for it. I'm . . . I'm sorry . . ."

Seleste's eyes softened. "I'm sorry, too," she whispered and placed her small paw on his shoulder. They looked at each other, and as if she'd only just realized what she'd done, Seleste pulled her paw away and they both stared awkwardly at the fire.

"So who's Keme?" Ahote asked to fill the silence. "Your husband or something? Are you and Talisa his wives?"

"Wha - no!" Seleste said quickly. "I - I mean . . ." she stammered herself silent and stared off at the rolling fields of grass. She must've looked happy, for Ahote said, "He sounds like quite the mate. If only you could see yourself!"

Seleste looked up: Ahote was watching her in amusement.

"Well," Seleste said uncomfortably. She twisted her fingers and smiled. "I don't know how to put it. Keme wasn't my husband. But he . . . he was my first taste of something . . . real."

"Ah, I understand now," Ahote said, as if Seleste's words had betrayed something.

Seleste blinked at him.

"You're a princess, aren't you?" Ahote went on, and she froze.

"How can you . . .?"

"Because I was a prince," said Ahote over her, "and much like a princess, who I wanted _to marry and who I was _supposed_ _to marry were never likely to be one and the same. I have seven wives," he said, the misery clouding his eyes, "all arrangements by my father. I don't love any of them. Some of them I can't even stand. In that sense . . . it's not real. They're just there to birth my pups and serve my meals. But they don't love me.

"Seven wives and seven brothers. And I'm the youngest. I have the greatest magical energy, so my father arranged that I should marry so I could produce more little nips just like me. I bet you were forced to marry and you ran away. You met Keme, and he was the first male to really love you. And that made it real. But somehow, you lost him along the way and wound up with the slavers . . . and me. You have my condolences."

Seleste laughed.

"Am I right?" Ahote said. His golden eyes rang with sympathy as he watched her. "Keme tried to stop the slavers and was hurt in the struggle. The first relationship for you that's real . . . and it's gone."

Seleste folded her legs and held herself. She bowed her head. His version of her life had been close to the real thing, especially where Keme was concerned. But then, there had been MeRorr. His love had been as real as it gets. Two lovers lost one after the other. She had to admit she was terrified. If it should happen a third time, she didn't know what she'd do. She glanced across the fire at Talisa's sleeping form and was silently grateful that she was not alone in this. At least she had Talisa. But Keme . . . Keme, come back to me .. . Suddenly wretched, Seleste wrapped her blanket around her shoulders.

"I bet you've always had someone protecting you," Ahote said.

Seleste looked at him. He was smirking at her. Ugh! Just when she was close to liking him, he was back to being an ass.

"Here . . ." Ahote held up his paws, palms flat. "Hit me."

Seleste just stared at him, her pretty gray eyes wide.

"Go on," he said. "I'm a dirty, filthy slaver and I'm gonna rape you. I'm gonna make you suck my dick, and take it in the ass, and no one can protect you from it but you - not your precious Talisa, not your precious Keme --!"

"What are you --!"

"Hit me," Ahote repeated. He jerked his chin and his golden eyes danced with mockery. "Go on. Hit me, you weak little bit --"

The word barely left his mouth before Seleste socked him a good one in the teeth. Ahote reeled on his back and tasted blood. Seleste was on top of him in seconds. She was about to punch him again when he laughingly tackled her. They rolled through the tall grass together, and when they had fallen to the bottom of the hill, Seleste found herself crushed beneath him.

Seleste's heart was still racing. Furious, she blew her mane from her eyes and glowered at Ahote. His hot, heavy body pinned her hard in the grass, and she could feel the soft brush of his cock near her belly. His lip was bleeding. He smiled at her and licked it away.

"Maybe you don't need lessons after all," he said and grinned.

It took Seleste a moment to realize he had been egging her on in an attempt to teach her to defend herself. And she, never guessing this, had really hurt him. Oh god! She reached up and cupped his face apologetically.

"I'm sorry - I thought you - I'm so stupid."

"You were supposed to hit my paws, not my face!" Ahote laughed again. "It's okay. When I get you back to my village, I'll really teach you a thing or two. Those slavers wouldn't have taken any of my wives without one hellova fight. One day soon, I'll be able to say the same about you."

"What --?"

"I mean!" Ahote added quickly and squeezed his eyes shut. "Not that you'd be my wife, that you'd be able to fight like them --! Ah gods . . ."

Seleste laughed. "It's okay. I'm just sorry I popped you in the mouth."

"No, you're not."

They laughed.

"Well, back to the fire," Ahote said. "You'd better get some sleep. It's a long walk tomorrow."

"Yes."

Ahote started to back off. Seleste moved to sit up and winced in pain. He stopped, watching her sympathetically. His eyes traced over her for the wound, and when she closed her thighs to his staring, he realized where the pain was.

"I can . . ." Ahote cleared his throat. "I don't need a conductor for minor healing magic . . . if it wouldn't bother you . . ."

Seleste colored up as she realized what he was offering. She nodded shyly and spread her thighs.

Seeing Seleste's pink pussy bared to him, Ahote's cheeks colored the tiniest bit. But he swallowed his embarrassment, and very carefully, he slipped two fingers inside of her. Seleste gasped as the healing light from his fingers filled her. Her breasts began to heave. She covered them but couldn't stop gasping as Ahote's magic continued its work. The pain slowly receded, and in its wake came the most exquisite pleasure . . . Still covering her breasts, she bit her lip and looked at Ahote. It was just as difficult for him to watch her receive this pleasure: his free paw was covering his penis as if to keep it from getting hard. His face was again the perfect picture of suffering. His chest heaved and he sank his fingers deeper.

Seleste felt her clit throbbing. The pain had long gone, but his fingers continued caressing her, and she slowly realized it was because he wanted to. He was watching her now, his eyes glazed and absent. His lips twisted in a soft smile and his thumb pressed down on her clit, massaging it even as his fingers caressed her inside. He touched her until her head fell back and she squirted. She was lying there breathless and weak when she felt his tongue bathing her clean. When she looked up again, he was licking his lips.

"Goodnight, Seleste," he said fondly.

Still hugging her breasts, Seleste sat up, her long mane a cloak around her. She pressed her thighs together and answered shyly, "Goodnight, Ahote."

Still eying her, he smiled again as he licked his fingers clean of her juices. Seleste watched breathlessly as he rose and went to the fire: after having so many wives, Ahote's fingers had apparently become quite skilled. She felt too weak to get up, but she pulled herself up the hill to the fire. Ahote was on his side sleeping when she got there, but Talisa . . . Talisa was sitting up. Eyes narrowed.