I push hard on the door, and it budges just enough for me to squeeze through. The room looks the same as yesterday, big and plain. The back wall lined with a large desk and all the elders sitting behind it.
I walk in, my foot falls echoing in my ears, and my tail finds its way to my hands again as I rub it subconsciously.
All of them are looking down at me. Their faces seem stoic and prepared. The high elder stands and strides around the desk. He glides to the center of the room with an agility I didn't expect. As he approaches, I note the large cage over his sheath and suddenly feel a lot less bad about what's coming.
He places a big paw on my little shoulder and begins, "We have discussed your request-"
I gulp as he takes a pause, seemingly for dramatic effect.
"It would seem that granting your request would alter your ability to contribute to our pride."
I almost feel like I'm starting to panic. Is he saying no? My eyes instinctively close as he continues.
"We have therefore decided that-"
I hold my breath.
"You are to be placed in permanent chastity. And assigned a caretaker to fulfill your request."
My stomach fills with confusion and butterflies. I finally take in a breath and open my eyes. The elders are all smiling wryly at me. I hear a chuckle from behind me and look around. My brother is standing in the corner of the room with my father who is currently chiding and quieting him. My brother looks amused and confused by the elders' decision, but my father makes eye contact with me and continues to look on without a reaction. The high elder picks me up by the scruff of my neck and sets me on his shoulders. I hang on to his head for balance as he walks me back behind the desk. He plants me on the desk. The dark wood feels cold against my rear.
Another lion emerges from a side door with a big camera. He sets it up in seconds without a word, adjusts a few settings while looking down the scope, and then gives a big thumbs up from behind the apparatus.
The high elder puts his paws under my armpits and picks me up rather unceremoniously. He says, "I present- the Young Prince Mewler."
I jump as my father and brother roar excitedly in the background. The camera flashes. Another thumbs up, and the cameraman repacks his things and finds his way out.
I'm placed back on the cold desk, feeling strangely smaller than ever despite having just come of age. This all feels so much less exciting than I imagined it being. My father walks up and scruffs my hair.
"It's good to see you son. Don't get too cocky just because you've come of age before your older brother."
I nod my head, distracted by my wondering whether he knows what I've requested. My brother sticks his tongue out at me from my father's blind spot. I blush, now wondering if he knows.
"We're all proud of you. Now, go and be happy and productive in whichever way you've chosen." And with that they turn and leave.
I hear my name behind me and turn. Many of the elders have gathered behind the desk. They usher me over, and we file out of the room through the back door into the bowels of the building.
It looks like a small hospital with white plastered walls and several instruments along the walls for weighing and measuring. The high elder walks me over to a tall white lion who looks like she might be a nurse. He introduces her as Merry and has me follow her. Merry and I split off from the elders, and she leads me back further into a small room. It's got a plain wooden door, a small bed that looks just big enough for me, a wall covered by a mirror, and a wall covered in cabinets. It's a tiny bit chilly in the room, but not too bad.
Merry has me sit on the bed. She goes to a very tall cabinet at the end of the wall and opens it. She says, "let's get you all prepped and measured, then the doctors can get you done as quickly as possible. We'll probably have you out of here in the afternoon."
"Thanks," I whisper. She wheels an IV setup out of the cabinet and over to me. I let out a pained squeak at the pin prick of the needle into my arm. She runs her hand through my hair soothingly and lays me down on my back.
"Half way done! Great job so far!" She reassures as she pulls out a set of calipers. She pats my tummy softly and moves my legs apart, letting my little sheath and balls lay between them. She uses the calipers to measure a bunch of places down there. I'm starting to feel blushy, so I don't pay much attention to what she is doing and just try to relax. I stare at the ceiling for a few minutes while she touches and measures different parts of my bits and jots down notes.
"Okay," she finally breaks the silence, "I'm going to put you under now. The doctor will be here very shortly, and we'll get you done and dusted."
She attaches a bag to my IV and continues, "Just relax and try to fall asleep."
I reach out a hand toward her, feeling a little scared and small. She puts her paw up to mine and lets me grab on to a few of her fingers for comfort. I close my eyes and feel myself start to doze. I take a deep breath and very quickly find myself to sleep.
I don't know how long it is after, but I begin lulling out of sleep. My eyes feel heavy and the pillow under my head feels so comfortable that, for a moment, I don't want to get up. A sudden chill runs down my spine and I remember where I am. I pull myself up and work the crumbles out of my eyes, blinking heavily. I'm alone in the same room as before.
Something feels slightly off. I can't pinpoint it until I recognize the new sensation, almost a tugging in my sheath. I look down and inspect myself, still naked like always. I notice two little metallic spheres on either side of the opening at the end of my sheath. I sit in the bed and lurch my head forward to look closer. There is some sort of metal ring inside my sheath, held by two piercings that end in those spheroids. I tug at it lightly for a moment and feel my penis trying and failing to grow at all out of my sheath. It presses against the ring, only expanding just enough to not be uncomfortable. The ring certainly doesn't budge at all. This keeps me chaste, I guess. I haven't done anything with my penis up until this point anyway. I shrug for a second, not knowing what I might be missing out on, and stand up. I turn to the mirror and look over myself. My tannish yellow fur still looks clean and neat after Hum brushed me this morning. My lack of mane is still obvious, though I was hoping for maybe a few sprouts of beard or mustache with coming of age. Well, maybe I wasn't, actually. I certainly look and feel cute and little right now, all small in this big room. I wouldn't mind looking littler than I am for a while longer. I turn my body and look over myself. I haven't really grown much in a few years. Still rather tiny, definitely smaller than average, but Hum finds me adorable. I can't help but share his thoughts as I look over my cute rump and thighs. My sheath stirs and feels tight, but that is quickly quelled. I get lost for a second just examining parts of myself willy nilly.
Suddenly, the door behind me swings open. I jump and blush, having been caught being naughtier than normal. I see in the mirror an adult lion man. Dark black fur with a short, black mane. Tall and lean with an athletic frame, a bit like Humble but much older. His face looks very stern and sly, and he's wearing almost librarian glasses. The only clothing on him is the large metal dome over his sheath.
"Hello... Mewler, correct?" He says, pausing before my name. I feel suddenly so much smaller. His intimidating presence worries me for a moment.
"Y-yes, young prince Mewler. That's me." I squeak, identifying myself as I normally do.
He smiles ever so slightly, not enough to end my fear though. I feel my tail whip up against my hand and grab it. Who is this man?
He strides into the room, letting the door close behind him. I take a step back and my thigh presses against the bed letting me go no further. In one motion, he moves to the sink amongst the cabinets, turns it on, and starts washing his hands.
"My name is Jolly," he says nonchalantly, either not noticing my concern or not minding it. He continues, "I have been assigned to be your caretaker."
My fear instantly gives way to embarrassment as I realize that this man, Jolly as he said, knows exactly why we're here, and now I do too. I feel myself turn red as he shakes off his hands and grabs a towel off the rack. He turns and strides past me, sitting on the edge of the bed just a few feet away from me. He sets the towel over his lap and looks me in the eyes for the first time. His eyes are a piercing black and make me feel even more self conscious. He pats his thigh expectantly and orders, "Come here and sit, and let me explain some things."