The Tarnq

Story by TooManyJs on SoFurry

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#1 of The High Chief's Ascension

Beginning of a series, I hope. Working on it passively whenever the urge gets me. I plan to only write the smutty parts, if I'm honest.


The dog pushed aside the flap of the tent before entering it, rolling his shoulders as his toned, muscled body cracked and popped loudly. His neck joined it as he crossed to his cot and sank down into it, letting out a long, hard sigh as he closed his eyes and tried to focus through end of the day's processes. He was tired, but that was normal for him and his tribe. He'd been working with other lone predators. All the other species where the males were forced out by larger and stronger males--banding together for protection in the harsh, tribal world they lived in. He laid his spear and dagger next to his cot, then removed his thin, leather armor, laying it with his weapons. He rubbed his eyes, preparing to lay down and relax, but as soon as he came close to sitting, the flap was pushed aside, revealing the hyena messenger the tribe's chieftain employed.

"The chieftain wishes to see you," he said simply. There was no option or room for other possibilities in his voice. When the chieftain called, one answered.

The dog nodded, reaching for his armor again. "No need," the hyena said. "This meeting will not be long. Move quickly. As you are," he said.

The dog pinned his ears, but he nodded, walking across the small camp in nothing but his loin cloth. He failed to notice the significant looks of the others in the camp, warriors from half a dozen tribes that were cast out from their kinfolk. A couple more wilddogs, larger and stronger than him; some lions; several hyenas; and a handful of hoofers, including massive gazelles, a giraffe, and a couple of small, tightly built zebras. The hoofers were particularly impressive, as any that weren't might be considered prey for some of the less discerning members of the rag-tag tribe of outcasts.

He walked up to the flap, pushing it aside and stepping into the wide, warm tent of the tribe's chieftain. He smelled something in the air--a foul scent, like rotting spices--and crinkled his nose, though he didn't say anything. The chieftain--a large, powerfully built lion with a handful of runes glowing on his chest and forearms--sat at a small table, nodding at the dog. He snapped his fingers and a small, short antelope stepped forward from the corner of the tent. He smiled at the antelope, then handed him a small scroll.

"Your services are no longer required," he said, chuckling as the little hoofer looked disappointed but resigned.

"May I... remain with the camp, sir?" the little antelope asked.

The chieftain nodded and smiled. "I'd think all the men would be disappointed if you left, tarnq."

Tarnq? It wasn't a name, the dog knew. But he also didn't know the meaning. Either way, the antelope seemed extremely pleased as he rushed from the tent, grinning brightly and clutching his scroll. The dog watched him go, his eyes drawn to the rune on the antelope's back, just below the nape of his neck, glowing dully.

The lion chuckled and turned to the dog. The canine felt his balls pull up against his groin and a slight spark of fear rolled off of him. The lion laughed quietly. "No need to piss yourself, dog," he said, chuckling as he stood.

The dog looked up him slowly, taking him in as he rose from his chair, calculating. The chieftain was strong, probably stronger than most of the others in the village, and he was fast, easily faster than most of the other warriors. In combat, he was unamtched, but the real reason to worry--to fear him--were those glowing, pulsing runes. They belonged to the chieftain because of his skill with the magics of the land. He was slowly, steadily mastering and learning all forms--largely through the conquest of a tribe's lands, then the theft of any magical knowledge present there.

"G-greetings, Chieftain," the dog said. "My name is Ri-"

The chieftain held up his hand. "I don't need to know your name," he said simply.

The dog felt his sack tighten slightly again as he shifted on his feet, the scent of rotten spices growing stronger, but less repulsive as he stayed near it. "Yes, Chieftain," he said.

"Do you know anything of magic?" the lion asked, his voice turning conversational.

"Very little, sir. I was one of the last two people slated to become the apprentice in my tribe. When the other was chosen, I was expelled."

"And why was he chosen over you?"

"He was the chieftain's son," the dog said, anger coating his voice as he growled lightly. "A future chieftain and a shaman. Therefore the superior choice."

The lion nodded. "They didn't make a bad decision," he said, nodding. "It was the good of the tribe."

The dog growled lightly, but he didn't respond.

"So, you know of magic then?" he asked.

"A little, sir," he said. "I assisted in minor rituals. I did a few, small workings."

"You're from one of the southern tribes, yes? The water finders?

The dog nodded.

"Good. I've already mastered their forms, so you will have a good place to start when I train you," he said.

The dog's ears perked up slowly, his tail wagging gently as he looked at the lion. "T-train me, sir?" he asked, his heart beating faster.

"Yes, dog," he said, chuckling slightly. "I'm going to train you thoroughly," he added. "Come closer," he said. "I'm going to show you a few things."

The dog stepped closer, noticing as he did that the thick scent of herbs seemed to be coming from the lion. He didn't say anything as he looked down at the scroll that the lion had been writing, looking at the symbols. As he did, he felt a tightness in his chest.

The lion smiled as he watched the dog stepping closer, reaching up and rubbing over his ears. The dog tried to pull away, but his eyes were glued to the paper. To the rune that he now saw on it. "My last tarnq was only barely talented, but I can feel it in you. Yes... You're quite potent, aren't you?" he said, chuckling.

The dog tried to move again, his muscles straining slightly as he struggled.

"I wouldn't do that," the lion said. "It'll just make you hurt and ache in the morning," he murmured. "You're not familiar with controlling runes, are you?" he asked. "They're one of the northern tribe's toys. Very clever. Extremely hard for me to study safely, but I think you'll find that they're worth the effort." He reached over and sliced his claw through the loin cloth, letting it fall to the floor as he pulled out another scroll.

"You are going to be my new tarnq. The antelope was no where near your level of power. They were fools for casting you out of your tribe, and as a reward for this, I will allow you to mount your rival as a bitch whenever we conquer them entirely. You would like that, wouldn't you?"

The dog's red, spaded tip was poking just slightly from his sheath. The lion looked down and laughed. "I knew you would," he said.

He gathered a thick, bristled brush, walking behind the dog. "Now, tarnq, you will learn your new position in the tribe. Are you familiar with tarnqs?" he asked, chuckling softly. "You can't answer, but I suppose I should explain. You're going to be a conduit for my own power and skill. You will be, effectively, a living and thinking familiar for my magic."

The dog's ears twitched barely, but they wanted to pin. A familiar? Familiars were ravens and vultures and small feral animals... There were bonded to their owners, obeying them, allowing the owner to channel spells through them... It was forbidden to make someone who could think into one.

"Yes," the lion said. "I know." He chuckled, as if he were reading the other's thoughts. "So many tribes forbid it. I wondered why, so I made one, and I found it very, very convenient. I'm not sure why there are taboos on the destruction of free will," he murmured, dipping the brush in the ink, then bringing it to the nape of the other's neck, starting to draw a mark there. "Don't worry," he added. "You'll enjoy it greatly."

He leaned close as he put the final stroke over the rune, teeth grazing the dog's neck. "You won't have a choice in the matter, after all," he said, snapping his finger as the rune suddenly burst to life. The dog shook, his body attempting to seize through his paralysis.

His body felt as though it were on fire for a moment as the lion's magic invaded his own power, grappling it and subduing it instantly, castrating his magic. It was a pathetic form, though useful, and the lion would give him plenty of practice using it... but only at the feline's will. He felt his control over that power drain away, as if his arms were ceasing to exist and new hands were sliding into sleeves and gloves made of his fur.

He gasped as he felt the lion's presence in his mind. It was... overwhelming. There with a strong and omnipresent force, burning like the sun at noon. Impossible to ignore. Hot and bright and terrifying. He felt all of his thoughts, secrets, ideas, wants... everything laid bare to the lion as his eyes began to glow. He knew, inherently, that the lion could see through his eyes now. He felt the pressure of the other's vision inside him, gazing for a moment down at the scrap of paper before something started to... leak from his eyes.

Thin, silvery lines of smoke slowly flowed from the dog's eyes down to the paper, washing over the runes and changing their color to a glowing blue. As the last wisps of smoke hit the page, he felt his body loosen, his muscles relax, and his knees collapse as he tumbled to the floor in a heap.

The lion chuckled and picked up the scroll, rolling up the dog's freewill into a nice, tight roll before laying it to the side. He smiled down at the dog, the canine looking up at him and knowing instantly that the lion could see himself through those eyes as well. After a moment, there was a tightness in his mind, and the lion seemed more... majestic. Powerful. Strong. He was like... like a statue. Like a statue that might be worshiped in a temple. Like glorious, inexorable marble.

"There little dog," he said. "How does that feel?"

The dog's muzzle opened, then closed for a moment. He didn't know the words to describe it, but they slowly coaxed their way into his vocabulary.

"It feels like I'm in the presence of a deity," he said, panting softly. The words sounded off, but felt natural. He panted slightly, the scent of rich herbs starting to make him slightly dizzy.

He swallowed and licked his lips as the lion nodded. "That's right. You may call me Master, Sir... Anything you wish, so long as it befits one of my stature."

More and more words filled his mind. 'Lord.' 'Greatness.' 'God.' 'Liege.' 'Sovereign.' There were so many to choose from, and he wanted to use them all at once. He blinked a few times, then nodded. "Yes, Lord," he said, delighting in his new vocabulary.

The lion nodded. "Your power is mine now, tarnq," he said. "Does that upset you?"

The dog shook his head, panting softly. "No, Sir, not so long as I can stay here with you."

The lion smiled. "Tarnqs are more than just magical tools though, dog," he said. "They are also their Master's most skilled servants. You will be receiving much training with me over the next few weeks. You'll learn much at my feet," he said, snicking and walking over to him.

The smell of sweet herbs was so strong. He panted softly, looking up at the lion as the feline removed his loincloth, letting it drop to the floor. The herbs grew stronger and stronger as the lion placed his paw on the dog's head, drawing his muzzle forward and pressing his nose into the feline's sack.

"Breath in Master's scent," he said.

The dog was huffing it in before the lion finished speaking. His mind reeled slightly as he was allowed to lick, service, and worship the other's sack. It was... so good. Delicious. Magnificent. A treat. He... he was getting a treat!

He panted deeply as his cock slid from his sheath, fully erect and dripping in moments. He... he wanted to feel the lion's member inside him. He knew exactly how to take it... How he wanted to feel it sliding into his asshole and spliting him open. He wanted to worship it with his... bitch hole... Ngh... He wanted to be the lion's bitch... so badly...

And of course, the lion knew it.

The big feline smiled as he moved the dog's muzzle to his sheath, chuckling as his hyena servant poked his head into the tent. "Sir? The previous tarnq's free will was restored?" he asked.

The lion chuckled, nodding as he motioned for the hyena to step inside. "Yes, servant," he said. "And this new one is... far superior. You were correct."

The hyena nodded and bowed. "The previous tarnq chose to stay with us, sir? He will serve the tribe?"

The lion laughed. "He thinks he chose that," the lion said, snickering. "I made a few changes to his previous self before I released him, after all, just like I did to you, my loyal servant."

The hyena nodded. "Yes, sir," he said. "May I use the old tarnq?"

The lion chuckled. "Of course," he said. "He is for everyone's pleasure. I've used his power up. He is no longer of any use to me. I have... this one now," he said, stroking over the ears of the rapidly bobbing dog head.

The hyena nodded in thanks as he left the tent, the lion gazing down at his new toy. He would enjoy training this one, and when he was all used up, he'd toss him to the tribe, a perfect slut...

It was good to be the chief.