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Puppeteer Ch. 01

By: Nirkal



--Hello! This is the first time I publish a story. Hope you enjoy! Thanks to my beta Cassiopeia Quinn!--


I was running down this street with the proverbial mob swinging torches and hayforks ready to lynch me the moment they get me in their hands. Probably to tear me apart or to put me on the stake and turn me into a big tasty steak. I love steaks but rather from meat other than mine.

The "mob" consisted of the three mages of this village with the name... I didn't know and actually didn't care. It was somewhere in the far east, away from any city. Far enough to not get in trouble, I thought, but apparently I have the uncanny ability to raise a ruckus and get people to wield their swords or cast their spells against me. In this case that fact was an unfortunate thing because two of the three mages were specialized in anti-magic. Or "Magica Contraria" as the scholars call it. Really, magic made to counter magic. Who would think of shit like that and who would learn it?! Obviously, two of these maniacs lived in this village and that was why I was running - and I didn't even try to grind their faces into the dust, because they can easily dispel my magic.

I am a Puppeteer. This is a specialized form of control magic. To say it with the words of a scholar's book I once read: "Puppeteers are born with a certain aspects of "Magica Contollaria", mainly the dark and perverted ones. With demonic powers they can take control of a creature's or human's movement, make them abide by their wicked will." Well, I don't feel possessed by any demon and from all the other attributes I'd say "perverted" is okay with me... though nothing of the rest.

A fireball passed my head too close for my liking. I turned and faced the three men that were standing about 40 meters away from me. There was a skinny, young anti-magician, a wide gray robe hanging down his slim shoulders and thick string made of heavy cotton entwining around his narrow waist, holding the rough fabric together. Stuporously short cut hair and bare feet made it obvious that he couldn't be a mage for long. Actually, if he didn't have a complex tattoo carved into his forehead, the lines still black and not bleached by the sun, one would have thought of him as an apprentice.

The man to his side was the exact opposite. Fat and of small stature, he only reached to the young man's shoulders. His decorated, grey robe was made of a shiny material, perhaps satin, and clutches his enormous stomach. He wore a grey cap made of the same material and he was already short of breath.

A middle aged bear of a man completed the trio. His flaming red vest and the crimson cape indicated that he was a combat mage, specialized in fire. Just fucking great. Right now said fire mage was casting a fireball and sent the burning orb flying towards me. I jumped sideways to dodge it. After getting off of the ground, I focused on the attacking mage and did it. I suddenly felt a strange connection with his body and like a Puppeteer with puppets I could see strings going from my hand to his limbs, shining silvery-red. I made him turn to face his companions and initiated the gestures for another fireball. It was harder to make him say the right words because vocal chords are not so easily manipulated but luckily the formula was short and simple. However halfway through the spell I felt the magic cords rip. He stopped his actions and turned angrily towards me. 'Fuck those anti-mages!' And because there were two, it wouldn't even help to overpower one of them because the other would neutralize my spell in moments.

I spun around and started running again into the woods. That would keep that combat mage from having a direct fire line at me. Passing the first trees I tried to think a way out of this. I evaded bushes and swiftly ducked under low hanging branches subconsciously. It's not the first time I run away and I did so in many different environments. The farther I ran the better my chances because that old, bulky mage will have problems keeping up with my speed and if they leave him behind, it's my turn!

The underwood got thicker and slowed me down a little, drawing my attention to my running. I stopped for a minute and listened for my chasers, but I couldn't hear them. Instead a faint sound of water rushing down a waterfall was audible. Hopefully I could get rid of them there. Suddenly I heard silent calls for me to stop. 'Shit, they still follow me!' I climbed over an uprooted oak and reached a small clearing. I saw the waterfall and silently cursed – there was no way to get over this torrential river, and at the bottom of the waterfall were sharp, pointed rocks; so jumping down really wasn't an option.

I looked over my shoulder but was not able to see my pursuers yet. There was a tree growing at the edge of the plateau, its roots hugging the rocky stone wall. 'Okay, perhaps that's a possibility.' I started to climb down the wall with the help of the roots. After perhaps 4 meters down, I saw the mages at the brink - 10 meters right from my position. Shit! The combat mage started another spell while the younger anti mage began climbing after me. I could barely dodge the fireball, feeling its heat when it passed me and hit the water with an angry hiss. That was my chance. I focused on the young anti mage and made the connection. I could see the older mage casting the counter spell but he wasn't on time. With a small twitch of my fingers the young man pushed himself off the wall and let go of the roots he was clutching to. My cords ripped again but it was too late, he was already falling. I saw his panicked face for a moment before I got hit by a fire lance. 'Damn!' I lost grip on the ledge I clung to and with the force of the impact I got catapulted to my left.

A second later I hit the water surface. Luck seemed to be on my side because I hit no cliff and the water extinguished my burning clothes. The swooshing river toyed with me as I tried to swim to the nearest bank, reaching it after a few moments. Coughing up water, I looked around to get my orientation back. Both remaining mages reached the ground the moment I spotted them, the old anti mage running towards his younger companion, screaming words I couldn't understand because of the noise the waterfall. The combat mage searched the shore and detected me, his face grim as he drew a sword while running towards me, green and blue flames flaring to life on the blade. I saw the remaining anti mage kneeling by the other one.

'Idiots!', I thought to myself, waiting for the moment when my attacker passed a rock which blocked him from the view of the other mage and focused. It was difficult to get him under my control, a combination of him being obviously strong willed, me having to have used my magic too many times today, getting hit by a fire lance and crashing into ice cold water. I had a heavy and pounding headache when finally I won control over him and he stopped jerkily in his motions. I made him throw his sword to me and then face the rock he was passing. My fingers twitch while he cast a fireball against his will. The ball of magic liquid fire hit the hard surface and splattered back on the combat mage, the flames greedily consuming his vest, flashing over his pants and cape. His beard caught fire and stood in flames, burning his face. I cast another fireball to play it safe and then let the control slip.

A high pitched scream of agony erupted from the burning man and he spun around and stumbled towards the water but it's already too late, the blazes licking at his bones, scorching them to ashes. The air is filled with the sickening mixture burnt flesh and hair. Magic fire sure is scary, and I was damn lucky to only get hit by a fire lance.

I got up, swaying lightly from the headache and exhaustion, and took up the discarded sword. I turned to the remaining mage who looked at me with a pained and raged expression. I had no power left to take control over him but he was old and plump so the sword should do. I slowly approach him and then he suddenly spoke.

"Lay aside that sword and surrender so that you can be adjudged for your crimes against the village. Admit all the offenses; robbery, brutal bestiality and the murder of two village members!"

I blinked stupidly for a second. 'Bestiality?' I worked this morning for a young farmer who wanted his bull to do more work because he suspected it wasn't working with his full abilities. So I took control over the animal and made him do all the work the young man wanted. Well, obviously the bull was already giving its best before so after three hours the animal died due to overexertion. And that idiot blamed me for it, something along the lines of my demonic powers sucking out all life energy of the bull. I snorted at the memory. I was merely doing what I was told, and what do I know of bulls and their limits? He was the farmer for crying out loud. Of course he didn't want to pay me. Yeah so I overtook him, made him give me my money, and yeah... a kiss. He was cute and had pliable lips, so sue me. Well okay, that was what they wanted to do, but I most likely wouldn't let that happen.

"I don't think so. There was no robbery and sure as hell no bestiality. Though I don't know what this farmer had done to his bull after I left. And these two other mages, I'd plead self-defense. But I won't come back with you 'cause the judgment is already made - I'm a Puppeteer, right?"

"You are nothing more than the spawn of demon and should have been killed the moment your first cry left your lungs, in the name of Shenana!"

'Whoa, serious hating here.' This wasn't going how I wanted it to. "See, you're old and not in the best condition, and I have a sword... so why won't you go back to the village and leave me alone?"

The expression on his face gets remorseless and his gaze becomes full of hatred. "Never, demonic bastard! Die in the name of the Light!" And with his right index finger he shot at me. A glistening flash left it, the metal of the sword attracting the lightning and with a curse I throw the blade away. The flash hit it midair and bolts of electricity immediately surrounded it, a metallic smell hanging heavy in the air. The old man started to cast another spell and I quickly took a step to him, pulling a dagger out from under my vest and stabbed him in his throat. He stumbled back, gurgling sounds emitting his mouth as red, bloody foam drips down his chin. I slit his throat completely to end this as quickly as possible, and then sighed. Definitely not a good day. But I lived so it was okay – more or less.

I grabbed the sword and searched the corpses for anything useful. Some coins and the old anti-mage's shoes were the only things that were of use to me. I then left the scene and tried to get as far as possible from the site. It was about an hour before exhaustion got to me, and I climbed up a tree, made myself as comfortable as possible on a branch, and then used my cloak as a pillow. Hopefully, my sleep will be dreamless.

Puppeteer Ch. 02



Hello again! 

Thanks to all readers and voters.

Thank you, El, reviews make my world go round, and I'm glad you like the story so far.

Many, many, many thanks to Cassiopeia for her input and her beta-work! But now on with the story!

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Meeting Sorr'an

Distant noises disturbed my sleep. It only took a moment to recognize my surroundings before I heard the sound of people running through the forest, the rustling of feet on dried twigs and leaves coming nearer my position. I caught sight of a single person moving almost silently through the shrubbery, their movements fluid and graceful.

It was early dawn and few sunrays filtered through the treetops, painting the scene in shades of gray. I cast a little spell an old friend had taught me some time ago. It improves my eyes' sensitivity to light, so that I'm able to perceive shapes better in the twilight. Before I could catch another glimpse at the person running, five other guys were crashing through the underbrush. They moved clumsily compared to the fugitive, and were partially armored and carry weapons.

I strained my eyes and saw they were all tattooed but even with my little magic trick the light wasn't bright enough to see anything clear. They reached a glade and one took a crossbow from his back and aimed. Before the refugee could reach the protective trees again, a crossbow bolts pierced through their left shoulder, making them stumble and fall to the ground. Four warriors secured the area while one approached their victim. Seemed they had at least some sort of military training.

The wounded one turned around and scrambled back. Something was swishing over the leafy ground. It took me a moments until I processed what I saw -- a tail! I blinked, but before I could dwell on that thought the attacker raised his sword and swung the blade down. A scream filled the air. The swordsman leaned down, picked up the bloody part of the tail he cut off and laughed somewhat gruesomely, while the cat-being hunched backwards.

I went into a state of trance and connected with the crossbow marksman. It was difficult to aim right from my position but when I thought I pointed the sharp bolt in the right direction I let him pull the trigger. Just in time, because the one standing over the cat-human was preparing another blow when the arrow hit his back, the arrowhead peeking out of his chest. Hurriedly I tried to reload the crossbow, hoping they were confused enough to let me have one more shot. It seemed the Gods were with me for a moment but just before I could finish the preparation I heard the dreaded scream.

"Magic!" 

'Crap, they're good. Well, you may know that someone is working its magic here but it won't help you.' That's what I thought till the one who shouted reached into a pouch hanging from his belt and threw a handful of sand into the air. The grainy mass floated over the clearing, slowly sinking to the ground. When it reached the string of flaring magic that connected me with the marksman, it clung to it and started to shimmer. Suddenly my power got drained from my body and I felt a numbing pain crawling up my arms. I cut the cords and gasped involuntary at the sharp ache, hoping they didn't spot me. But it was too late; I could see the guy who threw the sand giving a hand sign to two fellows and then pointed in my direction.

'Holy Father Neralos and his shitty brood, what am I doing, getting myself into this kind of situation? Well, no time to dwell on this now, I have to get out of here.' I saw that the cat-being had taken its chance and had risen to their feet, sprinting into the forest, immediately followed by the other two who were not after me. This reminded me to get my ass in gear. I turned and ran along the broad branch that was angled towards the ground but stoped about one and a half meter above it.

I won't be able to take over one of these guys now that they were coated with anti magic sand. So, good old hand-to-hand combat it is. When the wood got too thin to walk on I jumped and grabbed a low hanging spray to swing to the ground, the old, crusty and rough bark cutting into my palm, making me almost lose my grip.

I landed and rolled off in a nimble motion and stopped behind a trunk, panting slightly and waiting for an enemy that I could hear nearing my position. When the rustling was close, I got two daggers out of their sheaths. When the guy passed me I stabbed one dirk through the flesh of his cheek and drew the other one over his face, leaving a bloody track. He screeched and turned, let go of his broad sword, one hand clutching to his face while my dagger slid over the lower half of his chain hood which protected his neck. Damn, no way to cut his throat. His free, gauntlet-clothed hand connected painfully with my chest, the blow sending me backwards, stumbling.

I grunted and coughed but got back into a fighting stance while my opponent picked up his sword and attacked me. He struck his sword in wide curves and I ducked under the first two assaults and then saw an opening. I dived under the next swing but instead of backing away I stepped towards him. Unexpectedly his left hand struck at me, hitting me on my hip. I tripped, but managed to kick his legs out from under him and got in a kneeling position. He fell towards me and I raised my right hand, thrusting my long-bladed dagger into his face, through his right eye. He cried out and I added extra pressure to get as deep as possible. With a scrunching sound I crushed his eye socket and after one last seizure, he laid still, half on me, his torso hanging over my right shoulder. He was heavy because of his armor and tall stature. I had to free myself soon because there was another man out there.

I started to roll him off when I spotted the other, smaller and less armored man. Actually, he was without any visible armor and his narrow face, small frame and pale skin told me he was a Randalor. Randalor is a human steppe nation, whose people hate armor, because they think it confines their soul. But that doesn't make them any less dangerous, because they are agile and fast. He was practically flying towards me, a short sword in his right hand and the left one dug into a pouch. I doubled my efforts to get the corpse off of me and finally I succeeded, but by now my enemy was within reach and threw sand from his pouch at me. I tried to roll away, but hit a tree trunk with my back.

Some anti magic dust was covering my right hand and arm and a numbing tingle started to slowly creep through my body. I tried to throw a dirk at my enemy with my left arm but missed. The small bandit stepped closer with a few easy strides, a wide smirk spreading over his face as he swiftly hit me on my temple with the butt of his short blade. My vision got blurry and my opponent's following words sounded like they went through cotton wool.

"Now I'll kill you bastard, slowly, painfully; just like your kind deserves." He lifted his arm to strike a blow and I weakly raised my arms to provide a little protection.

Suddenly a roaring creature dashed down a low hanging branch and knocked the black dressed man over with the power of the impact. I stared in awe as the wild beast started to literally tear the slim Randalor apart, who had dropped his sword and tried to kick the attacker off him, but to no avail. Sharp claws and fangs were scratching at flesh, ripping it open, leaving the raw meat exposed to the air, blood flowing onto the forest ground. A vicious slice over the throat ended the screaming and after some last twitches the man laid still. A low growl emitted the creature on top of the still bleeding corpse when he pulled his teeth from the forehead of the man, blood dripping down his chin and claws.

It looked at me completely still, eyes narrowing. A motion caught my attention and I saw a tail at the backside of the beast -- and the last third was missing, some droplets of blood dribbling out from time to time. Realization dawned upon me. The cat-being from earlier! This wild thing was the refugee that got shot and started that whole mess. A quick look to his left shoulder proved it. I could see the crossbow bolt still sticking in it, the sharp end jutting out of it. I could only assume it was still bleeding because its body was covered in blood and most of it belonged to the bandit he was crouched over.

It crawled towards me and I didn't know if it wanted to kill me, too, but my body was almost completely paralyzed by now so I couldn't do a thing about it. It reached towards me and looked into my eyes. Its own were deep blue with sprinkles of a rich green, as if little emeralds were embedded into them. I'd call them beautiful if it wasn't for the animalistic, wild and brute gaze. But it made them most captivating and I could only stare back. The spell was broken when it started to sniff me and its spiky blond hair, which was adorned with black tips, tickled me. I lifted an eyebrow at the... well... unexpected behavior, though I wouldn't call it unpleasant. Abruptly it stood up with legs apart and looked down at me with a weird expression written over its face. The cat-human then reached into its pants and my eyes went wide as it pulled out his dick and... started pissing on me.

"Hey you little fucker, what the hell..." was all I could mumble before he shook his cock and put it away. What was he trying to do?! Using me as a latrine? Humiliate me? 'Just wait, you asshole, when I can move again I'll show you! You'll drink my piss!'

I fumed inwardly when the paralysis started suddenly to wear off and after 20 seconds a quickly fading numbness was all that was left. 'Now I'll show that little idiot.' I got up and the not-so-housebroken cat took a step back when a thought struck me. Normally it took hours, sometimes days for magic dust to lose its power -- if it wasn't washed off. Well, obviously it also works with pissing it off. At least now I knew his gender. I muttered a "Thank you." when he grabbed my arm and dragged me impatiently behind him. Moments later I heard shouting and cracking wood. Seemed he hadn't killed his pursuers. I started to run and he did the same. 'Let's just go as far as possible and as fast as possible away from here.'

Five hours later around noon we stopped by a small stream, to rest a little, drink some water and to wash body fluids off of us. I was glad to do so because he might not be human but his urine stank just like human's. Ewww... I remembered stories about a race of people that looked like a mixture of cats and humans, living in the far south-east, while I watched the catboy standing with his back to me as he discarded his worn out and damaged clothes.

Not shy about his body that was for sure. And he definitely had no reason to be it. Shorter than me, perhaps one meter and sixty-five centimeter, the top of his head reaching my mouth. Cooper bronzed skin from his neck to his feet, flawless as far as I could see, except for the arrow wound. Not broad shoulders nor skinny, an elegant curve of his back, his spine visible but framed by slender muscles. His tailbone melted into his tail, the blue-black fur slightly straightened up, due to tension and alertness, I guessed. My eyes shifted lower to narrow hips and I beheld sight of what must be the greatest ass of the whole world. No, "ass" is a too impure word for that masterpiece. It looked supple yet taut and firm, clearly begging me to touch it. I quickly looked further down to avoid any rash actions but his strong thighs and calves were doing nothing to cool me down. I was drooling by now and had to swallow quickly to not make a complete idiot out of myself. Perhaps I should not ogle my life-saver that shamelessly. Than again, I saved his life first, so I thought it was okay.

I grinned a little and gave him a once over again when he suddenly sprinted into the water and took a splash into a deeper spot. When the catboy resurfaced he yelped and... squeaked. I lifted an eyebrow somewhat confused. He frantically scrubbed the dirt, sweat and blood off his body and then ran back to the bank, grabbing his clothes. He quickly washes them clean, holding them in front of his body while he passed me, shaking his head and body to get rid of the water. The whole incident couldn't have taken longer then 30 seconds. I suddenly had to laugh -- it seemed that he really had cat genes in him, not liking water. He glared at me, baring his fangs. I grinned back, finding it oddly adorable.

While he retreated to the edge of the forest and plopped down on a patch of grass I undressed and got into the small river, taking my time to get clean. The water was not really warm but it was summer and the sun shone brightly so I could enjoy the bath. I checked my body for injuries and found two large bruises, one on my hip, one on my chest, and some scratches on my hand. When I touched my left temple I twitched and winced. That little Randolian bastard! I remembered what happened to him and I glanced at my companion who was taking a sunbath, air-drying in the midday sun. Okay, he might be adorable but I should definitely try to stay on his good side. Yep, that was the best thing to do. I finished washing myself and then cleaned my clothes.

When I stepped out of the water and made my way to the catboy I saw he was already dressed in his pants. I admired his flat stomach for some moments, raising my gaze with a little smirk that froze when I saw why he hadn't put on his shirt. The crossbow bolt still stuck in his shoulder and there were two cuts on his other shoulder and a small one on his jaw line. Shit, we had to tend to them and remove the bolt fast, before he got gangrene. I cautiously kneeled besides him and lifted my hands, palms facing towards him, and then reached into the inner pocket of my vest. My hand vanished and I felt around a big space. When my forearm vanished halfway, I got a suspicious glance from the catboy. I smiled a little and tried to explain it to him.

"That made a good friend of mine for me. He's a studied magician and well, actually he told me how it worked. Lots of time-space shifting and nutshells outside the normal three dimensional stream, blablablubb... He's great at things like that, though he tends to talk too much about it, instead of just getting it done. So no worry, it's just a little magic. These things are great. It's not like you can deposit a sword or horse or house in it, but some helpful little things." I tried a reassuring smile, hoping that magic wouldn't freak him out when he replied.

"Assurg?"

I stopped in my motions and blinked. "Pardon?"

He furrowed his brows, looking interrogatively at me. "Assurge tes sadar?"

Great, it was obvious he didn't speak my language and I didn't even recognize his. I resumed the search in my pocket and found the bottle I was looking for. I pulled it out with some strips of cloth and showed it to him. "See, disinfectant. It will hurt a little, but we need to apply it so your wounds won't get infected." He still wore a confused look on his face, so I just uncorked the bottle and applied some of its content on a rag and gently started working on one cut on his right shoulder. A sudden hiss was my only warning and I barely evaded the claw that swung at my arm. A low growl was emitting his throat and he skidded away some centimeters. "Well cutie, I know it hurts but take it like a man, will you?" The growl intensified some. Okay, he wouldn't.

I put the ointment away -- for the time being. I then pointed to myself. "My name's Niven." The boy stops growling and tilted his head, looking puzzled. I put my hand on my chest and repeated. "Niven." After two more tries he got it and pointed to me. "Niven?" I smiled and repeated it for him. "Niven!" A small smile graced his lips and I took a moment to actually study his face.

It had some feline traits to it, slightly round eyes with slit pupils, high cheek bones and a small, lightly pointed nose. Soft, hairless cheeks and smooth lips, a fang visible, gently worrying his lower lip. His eyebrows were slim, lightly bushy and curving upwards. And then I saw them. His hair was a little flat against his head because it was still damp from his... short dip into the river. Triangular, soft furred ears on top of his head were pointing into the sky. Pitch black at the base and blue black at the top, adorned with fine, long hair at the tip and inside. They just invited me to touch them and I subconsciously raised my right arm. And then I realized it. I was behaving like a love-stricken teenager! Sure, he looked cute, captivating, delectable, sexy... No! Not again! I groaned mentally. Okay, he was good looking but that didn't mean anything. 'So, help him, get out of the trouble and then go your own way.'

After that was decided, I used my already half-raised hand to point at him. After a smile and an inquiring look from me he says: "Sorr'an."

I blinked at the rough, somewhat guttural sound. "Soran?" I tried it myself.

He shook his head and repeated it. "So-rr-an." The "r" he made was a strange mixture of low rattle a in his throat and a vibrating roll of his tongue.

I tried again but have to stop because I almost started to cough. He looked strangely at me and I tried again. "Sorran."

He smiled and repeated it again. "Sorr'an!"

I took a breath. "Sorr'an."

"Xandarr'ah!" he exclaimed happily, nodded and pointed with his index finger to me. "Niven!" And then the digit was directed to his chest. "Sorr'an!"

His smile was contagious and I had to return it and then took the disinfectant into my hand. In an instant the cheerful expression vanished from his face, the growl was back and he bared his teeth at me. Ooookay... "Look Sorr'an...," the name was still causing me trouble, "we need to sanitize your wounds..." No change in reaction. Well, this needed a new tactic. I took the soaked piece of cloth and rubbed it over a scratch on the back of my hand. It stung, but I did it again, showing it to Sorr'an. He squinted his eyes and leaned forward, sniffing my hand and snapped back, scrunching his nose. "I know, but Sorr'an, we have to do it." Again I wiped the cloth over my scratch. The skin started to get irritated, the sting getting painful. 'Why am I doing this? He wants to die of gangrene or tetanus -- fine, what do I care?'

He then lay down on the grass and presented me his shoulder. Well, seemed my demonstration helped a little. Good for him, I would have stopped the next moment. Right? Right! I took a new strip of cloth and saturated it with the opaque liquid. I gently dabbed the first cut. He hissed and twitched once but then he kept still. I disinfected both gashes on his shoulder and with a new tissue I tended to the small cut on his jaw. Well, that was the easy part. "Sorr'an?" I tried to get his attention and then pointed to the bolt in his other shoulder, making a pulling motion. He sighed and nodded. I carefully put his shirt under his back and pushed his shoulder down. He yelped and pulled a grimace, then swatted at my hand, turned and searched the ground. Sorr'an grabbed a stick and put it between his teeth while he lay down again, looking at me. I nodded and held his shoulder down, grabbing the bolt under its head and jerked it out.

There was a cracking sound as Sorr'an bit through the piece of wood and sliced his lower lip, though it didn't look too bad. I inspected the damaged area but couldn't find any splinters of timber that stuck into the flesh and I couldn't smell anything foul only a little trickle of blood was coming from the puncture. Sorr'an coughed and spat out pieces of wood and I reached for the ointment but the catboy caught my hand and shook his head vigorously. "Sorr'an..." I tried to soothe him but his claws penetrated my skin. 'Okay, okay, I get your point, cutie.'

I set the bottle down and wanted to wrap his shirt around the wound when he took my hand and peered into my eyes. 'Well, now you've got me confused, catboy.' He lifted my hand to his mouth and I stared in awe and shock, when the boy started to lick my fingers. That was... definitely not what I expected. Sorr'an intensified his gaze and pointedly licked along a long scratch in the palm of my hand. "Sorr'an..." was my confused comment and he rolled his eyes at me, made a licking motion with his long tongue and pointed at me.




Puppeteer Ch. 02



He said: "Niven!" and pokes his index finger into my chest, then glided his tongue along that mark in my palm and then indicated to his wound, saying: "Meo! Sorr'an!"

My eyes went as wide as saucers when my mind processed what he wanted. I lifted an eyebrow and hastily retreated my hand from his. "Whoa, hold on kitty. I don't have anything against licking. No, not at all! But first we're not exactly a couple and second I don't lick anyone's bloody wounds not even those of delicious catboys like you." I babbled along when Sorr'an sighed and started to lavish my hand with his saliva, his velvety tongue made me fall silent. After some moments he drew it back and then spat into the hollow of my palm and pushed it into the direction of his gash. 'Well, I can do this, kitten.' I gently rubbed the spittle on the edge of the injury and let some of the liquid drip into the opening. Sorr'an nodded and when I was done I wrapped his shirt around his shoulder, careful to not apply too much pressure. "Okay, that's good, Sorr'an?" The more I said his name the easier it slipped off my tongue and it has a nice sound to it. He looked up and blinked, so I just smiled and he returned it. "Okay, I think we should get going. The farther away from any possible pursuers, the better!" I got to my feet and helped Sorr'an up and we were on our way.

Around dusk we stopped for the night. Actually I would have walked another two or three hours but Sorr'an's condition worsened. His eyes were dull and his graceful movements went sluggish. He plopped down at the base of a tree, his breath heavy. It worried me more than it should have, but first things first. I crouched beside him and removed the improvised bandage. The puncture didn't look bad, no purulence and no inflammation. But his skin was burning, he was much hotter than he was when I attended his injuries, and he was sitting in the sun then.

"Hey Sorr'an, you think you can climb up this tree? You know, don't want wild animals nibbling at you during the night." I smirked. "Actually I'd like to do some nibbling myself..." I looked at his trembling form. "But I think you're not in the right condition, hmm little guy?" He looked at me with drowsy eyes and then rested his head against the trunk and his eyelids fluttered shut. I sighed and then draped my cape over his body. It seemed like I would have to take both watches.

'Oh boy, so much for parting as fast as possible from this catboy...'

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Okay, that's it for now. Please rate and if you feel like telling me something about the story, just press the "Review" link below this lines. Thank you in advance! 



Puppeteer Ch. 03



Many thanks to my raters, reviewers and my beta Cassiopeia!

On a little side note, because I was asked this. Sorr'an is 1,65m which is 5 feet and 6 inches. Just for your information.

This chapter isn't packed with lots of action but I like it nonetheless. But enough babbling, enjoy!

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Towards the Mountains

Two days went by. Two days since I've met Sorr'an. Two days of fleeing without knowing if we were actually being followed. This was nerve-wracking because if you're on a "real" escape you put your whole being into getting away from your pursuers. Adrenaline is overriding your exhaustion, your mind is set on the one thing; get out of there. You don't question every effort you take because you know; when they get you, you're in deep shit. But when you don't know if you're being followed then there is this nagging voice in the back of your head. It whispers, that perhaps no one comes after you, that the endeavor to hide your tracks is unnecessary, that you're being paranoid. It can be easily pushed away, but it preys on your mind and then you find yourself thinking, for example, that the river is too cold to walk in for so many hours.

But there was something too heavy to ignore. And heavy was the keyword here. Sorr'an's condition worsened during these two days. After the first night I had problems waking him up; it took me a few minutes of shaking to get him back to reality. His fever stayed and perhaps even went up, his eyes were clouded and he randomly talked in his foreign tongue -- well at least I thought it was random. His strength was fading, too. Yesterday he could walk on his own feet, his movements not exactly fluid and graceful but at least steady. But today his condition spiraled further downwards. I had to lightly slap his face to get him open his eyes in the morning, but he was able to stand on his feet. Well, till noon when he tripped and fell into the water of a river we were crossing. Some of his reflexes kicked in because he stood faster then the splashes could hit the surface, and yelped. Afterwards he needed my assistance; a helping hand here and there to keep from stumbling. And now he was leaning against my side. Heavily.

He might not be that tall and wasn't overly heavy for his statue and height, but with time the constant extra weight got wearisome. My right shoulder already hurt and my neck was strained by his arm around it. I tried to talk to him, murmuring encouraging words but he showed no reaction. I was glad I decided the first night to go to the cave. I looked up at the horizon and could see mountains. Calculating the distance I estimated that it would take us another day to reach our destination. A short glance at my catboy let me doubt that we would make it on four feet. Well, two feet and two paws, though his feet look pretty normal to me. I sighed soundlessly and dragged us forward for another two hours, till exhaustion got to me and I stopped at a small clearing.

I didn't think I would find a better place to rest because there was a small rivulet nearby and enough loose wood to make a small fire. I didn't make one the last two nights because I feared we could be found but this night I needed one -- the voice in my head had won. I wanted a source of warmth for the evening, the early summer still made the nights chilly especially in the forest. I also wanted a decent meal, not berries and mushrooms. I fucking hate mushrooms, their taste and texture make my stomach heave. But it's either them or an empty stomach, so yeah. Perhaps I can catch some fish today and have a warm meal. Or a rabbit. My mouth watered with the thought of sizzling flesh, its odor and flavor.

I lowered Sorr'an to the ground and leaned him against a tree. He instantly hugged his knees, trying to keep his slightly trembling form warm. He was already wearing my vest and cape - both a little big on him -, but he obviously still felt cold. Absentmindedly I petted his hair and then got up, choosing the easier alternative and going to the creek to fish. I was lucky because there was a pond a few meters down the stream and lots of trout lazily swimming in it.

I fixed a big one with my eyes and connected. I made it swim to me and jump on the bank and then I ended its life with a quick hit between his head and body with a stick I found on the ground. I smiled, remembering the days when I was a child and spent days, even weeks in the forest, fishing and hunting.

Trout number two committed suicide against its will.

The fun had lasted until another group of boys found me and accused me of cheating. 'Hey, everybody with their given gifts, right?' Well, afterwards my fortune in hunting vanished because they followed me around noisily and threw stones at every pond and scrub that possibly had an animal in it, driving them away. Okay, they didn't necessarily just aim at bushes and water; I was a popular target, too. Kids can be so cruel.

Trout number three hopped to my feet. I watched it and then took his life fast.

Another smile appeared on my face as I remembered what happened after I returned to the outskirts of the city I lived in. The leader of this little gang was bitten quite viciously by his favorite dog. Another boy got scratched in his face by a cat and a third one was kissed the dust when the boar of their pig breeding tackled him -- I think he broke a rib. All incidents were of course accidents and it was just pure coincidence that I was there to watch every of them.

Trout number four decided to keep company with the other three.

Yeah, kids can be cruel -- and I was a kid with body and soul.

Four trout should be enough. Two for this evening; if I get Sorr'an to eat something; and two for breakfast. Hopefully, if things go as planned, we won't need to worry about dinner tomorrow. I refilled my water bottle in the clear rivulet and did so with Sorr'an's that I brought with me and dampened some strips of cloth.

I returned to the glade and laid one cloth on the boy's forehead and wrapped the others around his thighs. He hissed and tried to wriggle away from the coolness but I held him still. "Stop it Sorr'an. We need to lower your fever or at least try to keep it steady." His eyelids fluttered when I spoke his name and his fidgeting stopped, though he was still trembling. I collected firewood and built a campfire. After I piled up wood I let a drop of magic fire drip on the stack, the liquid blaze sibilantly eating its way through the limber.

I got up, returned to the stream and disemboweled the trout, throwing the guts into the stream so they won't lure carnivores to us. After scaling the fishes I made my way back to our camp and sat in front of the fire, spearing the flesh on sticks but stopped after a moment. 'Cats eat their fish raw, right? How would a cat-human like it?' I took one filet and kneeled besides Sorr'an, holding it his nose. I could see him taking a sniff but then he tilted his head away. 'Okay, seems to be more human than cat.' 

Roasting the fish I watched the catboy. His skin showed a pale color to it, a stark contrast to the bronzed tone it had when I saw him first. His eyes were closed, exhaustion written on his sweat stamped face, his trembling body curled into a fetal position and his tail motionless besides him. He looked like a person on the threshold of death.

I sighed and while the trout fried I gathered dry moss and built a bed near the fire. I sat down beside Sorr'an, feeling his hot forehead and then held up a water bottle against his lips. "Sorr'an, drink!", I urged him. He opened his eyes and then lips and I carefully poured some of the liquid into his mouth. "Come on, Sorr'an, lay down on the moss!" I point my index finger to the self made bed but the boy stared at me with an unfocused gaze and his eyelids fluttered shut after a moment. 'Okay, then the other way...' I rose to my feet and picked him up bridal style. His eyes shot open, his look fixed on me and he relaxed a little. I laid him down on the moss bed near the fire and he immediately turned towards the source of heat. Moments later his trembling died down. 'Good!'

I returned watching the fish fry, examining the herbs on the clearing. I only knew two or three and they aren't edible so I reached into my vest that clung to Sorr'an's lithe body and put forth a pouch with a spice mixture. He didn't even realize all the rummaging through his -- well, my -- clothes. I applied the herbal mixture on the trout sparingly. It's one of my most valued treasures; salt, different herbs and even some pepper making it very special and precious.

When I thought the flesh well done, I took a bite. 'Delicious!' I devoured half a trout then took another half from the fire, turned to Sorr'an, offering it. "Sorr'an. Food! Fish! Yum, yum!" I made munching noises and gently pressed a piece of fish against his lips. "Hey kitten, it's made with my special mixture. You've never tasted something like this. Some bites, please?" He watched me through half lidded eyes and opened his mouth just a bit; enough for me. I slid the morsel in and he chewed. "Good, kitten boy! Some more, you need to get something in your stomach." I fed him three other small pieces before he started to cough and turns his head away from me. 'Well, not enough, but at least a little bit.' I opened the cap of my water bottle and moisten his lips. "You know, under any other circumstances I would have taken offense. I mean, most small cats I know eat a freaking whole fish and you stop after four bites..."

"Muerr'ide...", was the tired answer. I blinked but then smiled and let him have his peace.

At nightfall I sat against a tree close to the fire, across Sorr'an. I watched him and our surroundings, the first stars appearing. This was going to be the third night in a row without any sleep and my mind started wandering. While I watched the horizon it suddenly started to illuminate with weird pastel colors. And if I wasn't concentrating I could see things at the edge of my visual field move; trees shifting, bushes wandering around. I closed my eyes, pinching the bridge of my nose. 'Get a hold on yourself. Just one more night!' I concentrated on something other then trees and the fire, which would just have blinded me, and my eyes fell on Sorr'an. I sighed. 'Well, not the worst view, right?'

My catboy seemed to be asleep. His chest rose and fell steadily and while his face was covered with sheen of sweat he seemed calmer and at peace; the flickering, warm light from the campfire made his skin look less pale. A small smile tugged at the corner of my lips but I didn't care. My eye lids started to droop and I was fighting the upcoming sleep, but the peaceful surrounding and Sorr'an made me lose it fast. 'There's no danger around...'

The voice won again -- the second time today.

I awoke with a start when something brushed my side. My instincts kicked in and I surveyed the area. The fire was burnt down to a small glow, casting eerie shadows over the clearing. The noises of the surroundings were normal, so I relaxed a little, when suddenly something hot pressed into my side. I looked down and saw Sorr'an cuddling into me, his head rubbing gently against my chest.

"Sorr'an?" I asked softly.

There was no real answer, just a small noise that sounded very much like a "Meep."

"Okay, for tonight -- but only because the fire burnt down and you would be cold otherwise." I told myself. The kitten was already back to sleep if he ever even woke up. I slipped my arm over his back and the additional warmth and soft snoring made me drift to sleep almost immediately.

I woke up the next morning, a warm weight on top of me. It was an unfamiliar feeling and I opened my eyes, looking down and seeing Sorr'an sprawled over my chest.

"My, my, aren't we a cuddly catboy?!" I grinned a little. "I could be your owner you know. Pet you every day, everywhere." My grin turned into a smirk. Morning horniness, I guess. My finger traced over his clothed shoulder to his cheek and every trace of prurience vanished when I felt the heat radiating from his flesh. He was practically burning.

"Get up little one! We have to get going!" I gently shook him. No reaction. I rocked him harder and slapped his face. A small groan was all I got. I rolled him off me, got to my feet and went to the creek. When I passed the campfire, I took a trout and ate it on my way. I needed the energy because I had the feeling that Sorr'an wouldn't walk much this day. I damped the clothes and refilled the water bottles again.

Back at the camp I dropped the wet clothes unceremoniously on his face. He just jiggled his head and pawed at the offending stripes.

"No, you won't go back to sleep. Wake up, Sorr'an! Sorr'an!" I emptied one bottle over his head. This got me a lot more reaction when he suddenly sat up. Just to be sure I poured the content of the second bottle over him, too. He lifted his head and I got an angry stare and bared fangs.

"Good morning to you, too, sunshine!" I smiled back at the cutie. For some moments his eyes were clear and even if they showed some anger it was better than this unfocused, clouded gaze they had the last two days.

I went to the fire and got a piece of fish, offering it to Sorr'an. He took it and chewed on it pretty half-heartedly. 

"Hey, I don't get to feed you again? And you could show more enthusiasm when you eat something cooked by me!" I huffed a little.

After finishing the sparse meal I motioned him to stand up. We had to get going and the longer Sorr'an was able to move on his own the better.

We managed quite a fast pace until the late morning. Then Sorr'an's condition worsened again and an hour later I had to support him again. Soon after noon his legs gave up and I dragged him for a minute before I realized that he wouldn't get up back. I set him down on the ground and thought for a moment. 'What will I do with you kitten?'

A look to the mountains told me that we had at least another two hours before us but I didn't think that even with a longer break he would be able to make it that long. I sighed. 

"Well I only see one possibility. Sorr'an?" I called him. He weakly tilted his head up to me and watched me with an exhausted expression.

"Hang on, kay?" I squatted in front of him between his legs and laid his arms around my shoulder and then got slowly up. He caught up with what I planned and brought his legs around my waist.

"You're quite heavy, little catboy. And you owe me big time!" I started to walk towards our destination. "The next time I have your lovely thighs around my waist I opt for less clothing and more reaction on your side."

It took me six instead of two hours and I had to make a lot of breaks. I'm not used to carrying a catboy piggyback. Or kittyback in this case. When we reached our target, my shoulders, back and neck were burning and hurting.

I entered a small cave that didn't look very special. Droplets were falling down from the ceiling and it was considerably cooler than outside. I went to a wall that had some old, weathered runes engraved on it. I touched it with the tip of my thumb, middle finger and ring finger and began to enchant.

"Nach meinem Willen sollst dich regen,  den Stein aus meinem Pfad bewegen!"

The barrier of stone moved as if by a ghost's hand and opened up a path into a dimly lit, medium tall room. I walked into it and laid Sorr'an to the ground.

"Sorr'an!" I called him. He barely lifted his head. "Okay kitten. Don't freak out now, I won't do anything bad to you. Okay? Sorr'an?" No visible reaction. 'Okay, let's hope he doesn't flip out with what is coming.'

I watched him while I stripped down till I stood butt-naked in front of him.

"You know, I don't strip for everybody. You could at least cheer me on. Even catcalls would be appreciated." He didn't catch on my little wordplay. 'Well, I guess my wits are lost on this kitten.' I sighed. 'Hope things will go as smooth.'

"Sorr'an? We're going to play 'show me yours I show you mine'. And to add to the excitement I'll undress you. Well, actually because you don't seem into the state to do so and you don't understand me. Oh, and because I love to undress cute and sexy boys." 

I kneeled in front of him and stripped him off my vest. My mantle and his shirt followed. His wound looked good to me. The edges were slightly red but it started to heal already. I wondered why it didn't open up with all the movement we've done in the past days. His other scratches and slashes seemed fine, too. No scars, I'd say, but I'm no healer. He was mumbling something and let his head fall. I hope he didn't fall into a delirium.

"Okay, now on to the first prize." I made him stand and lean to the wall and went on my knees in front of him, hooking my fingers under the hem of his thin trousers. I moved them downwards and suddenly felt dirty. Well, dirtier then usual. Uncomfortably dirty which is a completely new feeling to me.

"What's your magic little kitten, what's your magic?" I murmur more to myself then to him. I focused my gaze on his stomach and slid the fabric down his legs and slipped them out under his feet. His tummy moved a little with his breathing, captivating me. I swallowed and got up to my feet, avoiding the urge to look down.

"You're the first that actually makes me feel some modesty. Are you an enchanter?" I looked into his eyes -- well I tried to but he had them closed. I dressed into my vest but stayed naked otherwise.

"Okay, you have to touch me now. Sorr'an?!" I shook him, he opened his eyes and I pushed him to another wall. I stood beside him and laid his left arm around my midsection. "Sorr'an. Hold on." There is no reaction at first but then my catboy tightened his grip on me and rested his head on my shoulder.

"Good. Now to the difficult part..." I breathed deeply then thrust my arms into small openings in the rocky wall.

"Mein Ziel ist andernorts,  wünscht' ich wär' flix dort. So wenn Du mich denn transportierst,  geb ich von der Macht, nach der du gierst."

A deep rumbling voice answers me. "Dein Ziel?"

"Arrandar."

"So sei es!"

Sharp stone needles pierced my finger tips and I drew in a sharp breath. More and more needles penetrated my hand and forearm. I gritted my teeth and moaned in pain. Then it stopped.

"Die Kräfte, die sich in dir hegen,  sollen dich ganz schnell bewegen."

Again the deep voice. Suddenly the needles started to suck my blood and not only the red liquid. They tugged on my power, drew on the essence of my life and magic. I groaned in pain that came with the process and then energy is dragged out of my system. It was as if hot, sharp splinters were running through my veins, exploding in my arms and piercing my skin and flesh.

The world became blurred and as I felt my power drain away, my legs gave up under me and my consciousness slipped away...

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Okay, that's it for this chapter. If you liked it, please rate. If you feel like commenting, asking something or praising me, review ;-) 



Puppeteer Ch. 04



Many thanks to my beta, Cassiopeia! Without her this would be hardly readable!

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Arriving at Arrandar

I woke up with a groan. I raised a hand to my pain-throbbing head and opened my eyes. My vision was still blurry and I blinked to get my surroundings to stop spinning and shifting. A sharp rock that stabbed in my thigh made me painfully aware that I was naked and laid on the ground. I lifted my head and saw Sorr'an using me as a pillow. Again! Though this time he was bare and he actually felt great on me. A wave of pain and qualm distracted my thoughts.

"Urgh... You know kitty, if it wasn't for you being delirious and me feeling like I boozed for three days while working in a quarry non-stop, I would say that I rather like waking up with you sprawled over me." I carefully rolled him off of me and sat up, pressing my palms against my forehead and temples.

A heftier wave of nausea washed over me and I stumbled to my feet and out of the cave. The next tree was mine and I supported myself on its trunk while I heaved up. 'Good bye trout, hope you had a nice trip in my stomach.' was my last thought before I lost the content of my stomach to the forest soil. My eyes got watery and a stray tear rolled down my cheek as the color of the puke took a red staining, indicating that my stomach was empty but didn't calm down. Finally the retching died down and I rested my forehead against the bark, trying to settle down.

After a moment I wiped my mouth with the back of my hand and stood up straight. I felt a little better, weaker but the queasiness almost gone. I spat to the ground, an insistent acidic and tart taste in my mouth, my throat sore and aching.

'Fucking fine. Way to spend the day. Carry a catboy through the middle of nowhere, transport with him by draining your power and puke your last five meals and then some.' I groaned. 'Though on the other hand you undressed him, had him on top of you twice, once at least on his own will, so it's not that bad, right?' "Shut up!" I said to the voice in my head that provided me with the second thought -- and the matching mental pictures.

I shakily returned to the cave where I found my kitten curled in a fetal position in a corner. I stood over him, looking down. I wouldn't be able to carry him all the way to Arrandar and he was naked. I thought having a bare cathuman plastered to my back would get me stares even in the anonymity of a city as big as Arrandar.

"Sorr'an?" No reaction. I nudged him with my foot. "Sorr'an!" Another nudge. No reaction. I sighed, kneeled down and felt his forehead. I pulled my hand away quickly. I was sure you could fry an egg on his skin this moment. "Shit!" I cursed silently to myself. I picked him up and staggered out of the cave to a tall and protruding tree.

"I don't know if you can hear me and I know you don't understand me, but yeah. Don't freak, Sorr'an!" I got no answer and shrugged, then concentrated. I tried to make a connection but there was a resistance I wasn't expecting. Sure, I was tired but he was unconscious and sick so there shouldn't be any mental barrier. It took me several tries but then my hands had silvery strings attached to his body. I directed him to the tree and made him climb up several meters and lay down on a broad branch. 'I hope you're safe there.'

I reached into the space-time pocket of my vest and pulled out a trouser. Well, loincloth would have been a better term. I put it on and looked up to the catboy who rested on the tree. "I'll be back. Don't die on me now, after all the hassle I went through for you!" With these words I took off to Arrandar.

I arrived at the gates to the big city. I was dressed in a long, simple cloak I stole off a clothesline from some outskirt house I came across. A middle aged woman with a kid in her arms clamored at me till I pierced her with my gaze, which made her stop her ranting instantly.

I was tired and my legs were heavy when I passed the guards. It was late afternoon, the sun already touching the horizon, hot, dusty air made breathing difficult. No one paid attention to me; the hood of the cloak hiding my face I was just another anonymous traveler visiting the city to spend the night. I walked through the busy streets, people crowding around me.

When I reached my destination I stood in front of a big manor. There were fewer people in this street -- well alley would be a better term. The massive iron gates guarded the estate from unwanted visitors. I rattled a rope and heard low ringing from the mansion. A moment later the door opened, a somewhat surreal looking man came to the gates and scrutinized me. I pulled back my hood and he addressed me.

"Master Niven. It's nice to see you. You want to see the Lord?"

"Yes Gerald. Would you be so kind?"

"Of course. Please follow me, Master Niven."

He opened the gates, invited me in and closed them after me. He led me through the house into the second level to the library. He pushed the door open, stepped in and raised his voice.

"Lord Korondar. Master Niven is here."

A middle aged man with silver-white hair and a well trimmed beard looked up in surprise, removed his reading glasses and squinted his eyes.

"Niven?" He stood up, crossed the room and placed his hands on my shoulders. "Niven, it's you!" He embraced me and I returned the hug. When he withdrew he lifted an eyebrow. "You look like shit."

"Thank you, it's nice to see you, too. And you're as charming as ever, Arias."

He laughed and then spoke to his servant. "You may leave now, Gerald."

I shook my head. "No, please stay. I have a favor to ask, Arias."

He snorted and grinned a little. "Should have guessed so. You never just visit to see me and have some wine, hmm?"

I smiled tiredly. "I'd like to tease back, but I have someone who needs your help -- fast, that is."

He furrowed his brows and then looked around me. "Who?"

I sighed. "He's at the Versetzer."

He blinked and his gaze darkened. "You used that thing? Together with someone? You didn't pay for him, too, did you?"

I massaged my temples. "Please Arias, not now. Help him or my effort would be going down the drain!"

"Okay, but we'll have a serious talk about this, my boy!" He nodded and motioned at Gerald. "Have two horses ready now!" Arias looked at me. "Or do we need more transportation?"

I shook my head. Gerald rushed out of the room and Arias sighed. "You're unpredictable Niven! You never do what people tell you!"

I had to laugh a little. "Things would get boring otherwise, right?"

He snorted then steered me through the mansion. "Gerald should have the horses ready. Come on, let's bring him here."

I nodded and followed him although I knew my way around his house perfectly. We arrived at a stable addition to his house which was quite impressive. Arias was quite the horse aficionado in contrast to me. I never was fond of those hay gluttons. I have two healthy legs and I don't need a sore ass at the end of a day just for getting a little further. Then you have to feed them! I mean, look at that huge dentition! Hell no, I rely on my own strength to get to where I want to.

But now I was glad that we were going to ride back to my catboy. Exhaustion got to me, more so now that some part of the tension fell off after arriving at Arias'.

Arriving at the mews Gerald held two bridles in his hands. One was attached to a brown, old mare that I've ridden often in the past. She was a calm and good girl, a little slow but that worked in my favor. The other bridle connected to the stallion from hell. Black, big and wild! His eyes glowed dark red and you could see a fire aura billowing around him. He focused on me and I swear he grinned devilishly at me. I rode him once because Arias kept prodding me and I still can feel my tailbone ache from the resulting downfall.

"You still keep this horse from the netherworld?" The stallion snorted at my words.

"Arjunoor is the best I've ever had." Arias grinned at me and I could have sworn that this devil's horse chuckled!

"The best you've ever had? I didn't know you swing that way!" This got me an angry neigh and a lifted eyebrow.

"Well, if I'd go for cocks I'd go for Arjunoor. I'm sure he's better developed in this department then you are." This time the equine demon whinnied approvingly, rubbed his muzzles against Arias' shoulder and again grinned at me.

"Whatsoever. You two seem a little bit too friendly with each other." I mounted my good old mare and Arias did the same then grabbed the reins, Arjunoor neighed ferally and stood on his hind limbs and then thundered through the open mansion gate and Rosalinde, my mare, trotted after him.

At the end of sunset; the sky in dark indigo shades, deep carmine where the sun had vanished behind the horizon; we reached the tree where I left my kitten. I dismounted and climbed up the tree to where Sorr'an laid. He was still unconscious, so I lifted him on my back and descended from a tree.

"Oh, I see you already get to know each other quite well, hmm?" I just glared at Arias because I was tired and I knew that he knew that it's extremely draining to transport unanimated objects with the Versetzer. He grinned and then handed me a blanket from his saddlebag. I wrapped it around the naked form of my catboy and Arias extended his arms. "Give... well is it a boy or a girl?"

"A boy."

"Well, then give him to me." When I hesitated for a second he added: "Arjunoor is much stronger then Rosalinde and I ride much better then you, so it won't be a problem to keep him steady." With a lot of effort I lifted Sorr'an towards Arias who took him but struggled a lot to get him on Arjunoor's back. "Holy, he's heavier then he looks! I thought he was a boy."

"I think he's full-grown."

Arias lifted an eyebrow. "Full-grown?" He suddenly blinked and felt under the blanket. "Do you know that your "boy" has a tail?"

"Well, actually he has two. But yeah, he also has cat ears." I nodded.

"He's a Katze?"

"What do I know, he has a cat tail, cat ears but I think the rest is quite human. Can we please return and treat him or we can wait and I'm sure in some hours you can perform an autopsy on him to see what else is cattish!" I mounted Rosalinde and spurred her, hearing a chuckle from behind me.

With Arias' popularity it was no problem to get through the city gates even after sunset and soon Sorr'an laid on a bed, the upper part of his body naked, the bandage on his shoulder removed. Arias stood beside him, bent down and examined the bolt-hole, Gerald behind him. "When did this happen?"

"Three days ago. Bounty hunters shot him."

"Weird..." Arias shut his eyes and dipped his index finger quite deep into the wound, a small groan emitting the mouth of my kitten. "Really weird. That's Scharfgras, an essence of a poisonous plant."

"Why would bounty hunters use such a slowly working poison?"

"That's what's weird. Scharfgras normally takes effect a lot faster. After one minute you start to lose your equilibrium sense, you get feverish and after two minutes it feels like your body is on fire. You lose consciousness after 4 minutes at the latest. In most cases the poisoned person dies within ten minutes because the body temperature keeps rising and rising. Oh, and if you get the poison directly into your circulation, like our lad here, all these time spans halve."

"But he was able to fight and even to run with the bolt in his shoulder for hours! And he lost consciousness this noon!"

"I know and that's what so weird. He must be resistant and heavily so. He's a lot tougher then he looks."

"You should have seen him fight!"

Arias took a deep breath. "Okay, let's remove the poison from his body. Gerald, get ready!" The servant nodded. Arias laid four fingers at the edge of the wound and only stuck his middle finger into the gash. He began to murmur words I couldn't understand and his head fell to his chest. Suddenly Sorr'an quivered and Arias' breath quickened. A blue-black, viscous fluid crawled up his finger and diffused into his palm.

This went on for a few minutes, then the stream abated and Arias' eyes fluttered open and he turned around to where Gerald was waiting, an earthen bucket in his hands. Arias bent over it, opened his mouth and the same liquid poured out of his nose and mouth. When it all left his body, my friend spit out and then placed his right hand over the wound in Sorr'an's shoulder and reached for Gerald's neck. The servant gasped and went limp, only maintained on his feet with the help of Arias' hand.

Arias seemed to vibrate with energy and Sorr'an's bolt-wound started to heal in front of my eyes. It closed and after a moment the spot was completely unmarred. My friend then moved his hand to the two gashes on his other shoulder and to the deep scratch on his jaw line. The same happened here, no scars or any signs that my catboy was heavily wounded some moments ago.

My friend let go of Sorr'an and Gerald and the servant woke up from his trance like state. His face looked more haggardly and his shoulders hung low, his eyelids drooped. "You may go and rest for the night, Gerald."

"Very well, Lord Korondar. Good night Master Niven."

"Good night Gerald. Thank you." Gerald smiled weakly at me and then silently left the room.

"What, I don't get a thank you?" Arias asked me.

"Thank you Arias."

My friend blinked and frowned. "What no teasing or telling me that it was the least I could do?"

"New tactic. This way you never know when the blow comes." I grinned a little. "But you said he's a Katze. You know that race?"

"Only a little. I read about them once. Regarding to my memory this guy is quite tall for them. The book didn't provide much information about them anyway. Where did you meet him?"

"Anarkon forest, near some small village. He was hunted by some bounty hunters and I happened to help him." I hit my forehead when I suddenly remembered something. I walked to the bed and turned Sorr'an on his stomach and pulled back the blanket.

"Okay, so much to modesty."

"Never knew what it was good for. And it's not like you are the one to talk here. Whenever a pair of big tits walks by your eyes practically jump out of their sockets and hop into the décolleté."

Arias smirked. "Like you wouldn't watch. Oh, and I don't want anything from this catboy here, so you don't have to touch his butt so possessively."

I blushed lightly and slowly retreated the hand that somehow had come to rest on one of his butt cheeks. "Yeah, you just go back to your horse."

Arias lifted an eyebrow. "I don't go for horses. This lad here just has a little too much southwards and way too few in the chest region, that's all. Oh and why did you pull back the blanket? Just to show me his ass or better: to ogle it yourself?"

I sighed and snapped my eyes back to his face. I grabbed the limp tail of Sorr'an and showed it to Arias. "They chopped of a part of his tail. I forgot earlier, should I wake Gerald?"

Arias examined the stump and shook his head. "I can't heal this wound. Look at this tail, is has muscles and blood vessels, it's like a limb. I am not able to re-grow a limb if I don't know how it works and even then it is complicated. You don't happen to have the cut-off piece with you?"

"Oh no, I'm sorry, between getting attacked and covered with anti-magic dust and fleeing with a wounded catboy for three days I forgot to look for it. And I also didn't ask the gentleman's name who hacked off the tail."

"That's more like you. Sarcasm is what I'm used from your mouth. And anti-magic dust? Tell me the whole story!"

So I told Arias the events of the last three days. I ended my story with :"So, now you know. Hey, stop petting his tail!"

"Mhhh, it's fluffy and feels great, don't you think?"

"How would I know, I don't molest people in their sleep!"

"I doubt that statement and if it's true, you should try it sometimes!" Arias grinned at me, leaned forward and put a hand on my shoulder. "You have a crush on him!"

My eyes went wide as saucers and I gaped at him. "Come again?!"

His grin transformed into joyful smirk. "You have a crush on him as huge as Hannaror's treasure room. You're nuts about him and nuts is a keyword here!"

My face blanked. "It happened. Finally you've snapped. It was just a question of time, I always knew it."

"Don't deny it, or why's your hand on his ass again?"

I looked down and swore silently to my traitorous limb. "Well, you have to admit he's having a great butt, so perhaps I just want sex with him?"

"Well, if you just wanted to screw him, you could have done so earlier; you didn't have to drag him through the country for three days. And he wouldn't even fight you!"

"That's right, but I like the praise I get afterwards and he was in no condition to do so."

"So, what did he do or say to make you fall so hard."

"Stop saying this or you'll fall hard - down the stairs. And well, he pissed on me!"

"I always knew you were having some weird kinks, but I didn't know you go for water games. But that can't be all, right?!"

"Well, he said 'Mrgsrbl' or so, fought for me, got ill and lost consciousness, that's all. So I hardly could have fallen for him!"

Arias smiled brightly. "I see, now I know why he got under this thick skin of yours so easily."

"He got nowhere!"

"Then why did you help him in the first place?"

"Erm... Well, it was five against one?"

My friend snorted. "As if you'd care for shit like this. Why did you help him afterwards, even gave him piggy ride?"

"He saved my life when he killed that Randalor?"

"You saved his in the first place, so you were even. Hell, you even paid for him in the Versetzer!" His teasing face faltered and he approached my personal space, looking stern. "You shouldn't use these things, they can kill you."

"I used them before and it was all okay. You showed me how to use them, remember?!"

"For emergencies. These things are so old and they were built while the magic was stronger in people. If you don't pay attention, they suck out all your power and then you won't be able to regenerate!"

"Hell, it was an emergency!"

"No, it was not! You don't know this Katze; you don't even know his name!"

"Sorr'an."

"Pardon?" 

"Sorr'an. That's his name."

"Soran?"

"No, Sorr'an. It's not that easily to pronounce. You have to roll the "R" with your tongue and in your throat."

He tried it several times and got a decent result; well what I'd call decent, I don't know with Sorr'an. "Okay, so he speaks our language?"

"No, that's the only thing we could converse about."

"Okay, but Niven, listen! Never ever use the Versetzer together with him. Or get someone else to pay for him. These things can get greedy. Promise me!" I looked at him and just lifted an eyebrow. "Damn, you don't get it!" He sighed and stepped back a little. "Anyway, but what do you plan to do regarding the language barrier?"

"I don't know. You don't have an elixir?"

"No, Magica Communicatia isn't my area of expertise. You know who to ask." He grinned at me meanly.

I groaned. "Oh no, not her. I don't want to ask her anything!"

"Well, you can also kick the catboy out. He's healed and I think tomorrow he will wake up and then after a decent meal you can boot him out. Though I don't know why you saved him then in the first place..."

"What do you mean?"

"Oh start using this thing on your neck called a head! He'll be lost; he can't communicate and doesn't know where he is. I even doubt he ever was in a big city before. And he's obviously not human. Why do you think these bounty hunters were chasing him?"

"I don't know. Perhaps he committed a crime?"

"Don't judge others by your own standard! I've heard they are coveted pleasure slaves once you break their will. Don't ask from where I know this. Or the other possibility is that they were after his tail. The book I have my little information about the Katzes from has one entry about their tail being a very powerful aphrodisiac. I don't know if this is true; I never had problems in this department;" he winked at me, "but on my travels to the south and east people would pay a fortune for just a piece of it!"




Puppeteer Ch. 04



I gulped and then sighed. "Okay, then I'll talk to her, damn Neralos!"

Arias grinned. "You so have the hots for him!"

I glared. "I'm too tired for this. I really am. I'm hitting the mattress and you can think what you want, I'm not in love with anybody. Good night and don't you dare molest him further!"

Arias' grin grew wider. "Won't do..."

I squinted my eyes at him and then laid down on the second bed in his small surgery after pulling my vest over my head. "I think it's safer if I'm sleeping here."

"Oh my, jealousy already rears its ugly head?"

"Go away!"

"Well okay, then I leave you two love birds alone. Remember, he's exhausted so go easy on him!"

"Stop talking or I'll kill you!"

"Okay, good night then. Don't do anything I won't do!" The tone of this last sentence made it clear that there weren't many things he won't do but at least he left the room and I could lie down, sleep coming fast and I could sleep peacefully for the first time in a long time.

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Okay, if you like it, rate please. And if you feel like it, review. You know you want to. You can feel it, the itching in your fingers that demand to click this link. Review... It nags at your mind and you'll feel better when you've reviewed. Review... *stop making adjuratory motions with his hands and coughs* 



Puppeteer Ch. 05



Hello everybody! Yep, a new chapter! Few of our lovely catboy, but that will change and this chapter describes why. Curious? Then read on! Many thanks to my beta Cassiopeia, who's good at betaing and at kicking me into writing! If you like, please leave a review and rate!

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Eels, Painter and Necklaces

This night I got a deep and satisfying sleep. I woke up with sunup, stray sunbeams filtering in through the window. I could still feel the exertions of the last days, my muscles sore and protesting when I stretched carefully but I felt way better. There was something amiss though; I just couldn't place my finger on what it was. 'You miss that hot and sexy catboy on top of you!' I growled: "Shut up!" to my inner voice that seemed to be inspired by this idiot Arias and his insistent and daft blabbering about me having a crush on Sorr'an.

Said catboy was mumbling something in his sleep and I got up and stood beside his bed watching him. He looked much better, his skin back to a healthy and warm-looking bronzed color, the rings under his eyes fainter. His cheeks were still a little haggard but he hadn't eaten properly for two days. My hand reached out to touch his jowl and I ran my index finger along his jaw line. His skin felt soft to my touch, the searing fever of the last days replaced by pleasant warmth.

I stopped my caress abruptly. 'What am I doing here? Hell, is Arias right?' I watched Sorr'an, the peaceful expression on his face, high cheekbones, elegant eyebrows and lush, kissable lips. The sunbeams made his face glow lightly. 'Okay, I can easily admit he looks cute, adorable and utterly sexy. I also know that the rest of his body is not one bit inferior to his face. So yeah, perhaps I have a crush. But it's plain physical.' I sighed silently, drew back my hand, grabbed my clothing and left for the bathroom.

I was surprised when a tub with hot, steaming water greeted me. 'Heavens!' I thought when I dropped my clothes and sat into the bathe, my muscles starting to loosen. I moaned with contentment and leaned my head against the head rest, slid deeper into the heated fluid and closed my eyes. For some moments my head was filled with blissful void but then my thoughts went back to Sorr'an. 'Okay, I have cleared that I do have a small crush on the kitten but every healthy and red-blooded man would lust after that body!' I chuckled. 'Well, not every man, but nonetheless. But Arias is right I can't just leave him alone now. It would put all my efforts to nothing and it would be a shame to waste this great body to some slavers or trophy hunters. So, I have to get him into security perhaps back to his folk? Maybe there are more cuties like him?' A wide grin appeared on my face. 'Without any possibility to communicate this is going to be difficult, but when we can talk to each other I can ask for a decent thank you.' The grin turned into a smirk and some colorful mental images intensified my flush, which came from the hot water. 'But that means I have to face her. Worse; I have to ask her a favor!' I groaned and all the arousal that built up during the last minutes vanished in an instant. 'Well, it's no use, I have to do it. You better be very grateful, my little catboy!'

I scrubbed my body with a rough washcloth and a piece of white soap till my skin started to ache slightly and then got out of the washtub, started to towel myself dry while I left to the corridor and walked towards a room that belonged to me some time ago. The closets in there still contained some of my vesture. I entered the room, dropped the towel to the floor and rummaged through the wardrobe. I flung over some simple undergarments, black leather pantaloons and a blue colored shirt. Soft leather shoes made me ready to face the day. My stomach grumbled and reminded me that I should indeed get something into it before leaving the house.

I went downstairs into the kitchen where Gerald sat with a tubby young woman, both eating their breakfast and chatting idly. When I entered the room Gerald stood up and asked me: "You want to take your breakfast in the dinning room, Master Niven?"

"Sit down and finish your meal, Gerald. I'll help myself, thank you."

"As you wish, Master Niven."

I helped myself to a plate of sweet porridge, some short, thick sausages, bacon and sunny upside eggs, all sizzling in a pan. I sat down at the same table Gerald and the maid were sitting.

"So Master Niven, how long will you be staying?"

"Not long, a day or two, so you don't have to worry about feeding me or my guest too much."

"I didn't mean it that way Master Niven."

"I know Gerald, just a joke. Elaise, how are you doing?"

"Fine Master Niven, it's good to see you again." She blushed a little at that and got even a little redder when I gave her a smile. I then dug in, cleaning my plate in record time. I hadn't had a decent meal for days. At least not one that stayed in my stomach. Elaise put down a cup of water and one of milk in front of me and I thanked her with a smiling nod.

After I finished my meal I left the kitchen and went to the library. I knew Arias liked to take his morning tea there, if he was already up. Entering the large room a kaleidoscope of colors greeted me. The morning sun shone through differently tinged windows, the crystals in them breaking the light to different angles. When I was younger this spectacle of colors would awe and fascinate me for hours. Even now I was still intrigued.

"Arias?" I asked.

"Hmmm..." came the quiet reply. I followed the sound and found him behind a bookcase, his gaze on a page where colored patterns flowed over the paper. It looked like the words crawled over the page and transformed, forming new pictures and words and deliquescing every new moment.

"Magic?" I asked.

"Not sure. Discovered it a few years ago, but I don't recognize most the words or drawings. And they are different each time I watch them." He smiled and looked relaxed. "But it calms me and I like to watch it before a busy day." He looked up and a small grin formed on his face. "Ready to tackle the day? Do you still want to...?"

I sighed. "Yeah, I'll do it. You were right, he will be helpless and without any way to communicate, I won't be able to help him. I just wished there was another way."

Arias grinned and stood up, reached for my shirt and loosened the strings that tied it together. "I think that may help. Chin up, it's not that bad."

This cheered me up a little and I curtly nodded. "I leave now. Hope to be back soon."

The older man smirked. "Take your time, Niven, don't rush anything."

I groaned and shook my head. "Ever the pervert. I wonder why you won't go instead of me." 

Not waiting for an answer I turned on my heels and left the house. The streets buzzed with life, traders and knife grinders offering their business, children chasing dogs or each other through the crowd, beggars cadging for coins to ease their misery and carriages trundling through the streets. The sky was cloudless; the mid-morning air warm. I took a deep breath smelling the city, though it was cushy here in the upper city, more minted by the odor of food, perfume, spices and herb then in the shanty town where its stink of animals, feces and mud could be breathtaking. I walked along the streets without any hurry. I took the time to look around at what changed in the time I was away and inspected displayed goods of different salesmen.

Finally my feet took me to a mansion around the same size to that of Arias. I sighed and pulled the bell rope. A young, good looking man opened the door. "I want to talk to Lady Belathia!" I instructed him. He looked at me with a weird look and then nodded, motioned me to follow him. We entered the house, crossed some rooms and floors before he stopped in front of a big door, knocking against it. After a moment he opened it and stepped in, announcing me.

"Mistress, there's someone who wants to see you!"

A rough, female voice answered him. "Good Norran. Lead them in and then mind your own business again."

Norran signaled me to enter the room and closed the door behind me. I lifted an eyebrow. "Mistress? That's an interesting title, Belathia."

A woman appeared behind a shelf. She had curly black hair in a wild mane to her shoulders, elegantly swung eyebrows, thin nose and lips, ice blue colored eyes and a pale complexion. She was quite tall for a woman, the top of her head reaching my forehead. Belathia had a womanly figure; her revealing dress accentuating her soft curves and providing a generous view on her ample décolleté. All in all she was a beauty you only come across every 100 years and I knew of many men that fell for her and never recovered from that.

"Well, at least my personnel know how to address me, boy."

"Boy, hmm? At least I know that one normally asks people for their names before one lets them in their mistress' house!"

"His manners may leave a lot to be desired but he has other... qualities."

"Qualities? I'm sure you make good use of them." I smirk at her.

"What are you here for? If you need something to resuscitate your love life, I'm sure Arias has something... uplifting for you!"

I lifted an eyebrow. "Oh, I have no problems with lifting anything up. Actually I wanted to ask a favor."

She approached me, swinging her hips suggestively. "Oh, and what could that be, that little Niven wants?" She gently lifted a hand to my jaw and cupped it, then drew her finger from my ear over the jaw line and throat to my exposed chest. Her words were a husky whisper. "Is this an offer, boy?"

I involuntarily shivered. 'Damn Arias, you and your stupid ideas!' I took a step back, lacing the cords of my shirt together. "I need a... device that allows me to understand foreign languages. Oh, I also want the other to understand me."

Belathia lifted an elegant eyebrow. "You need this for what?"

I sighed because I knew she would want to hear an explanation. I decided to stick with the truth; it is almost impossible to lie to her. "I met a Katze. I rescued them, they helped me out and got poisoned in the process, I dragged them here and Arias healed them, but now we can't communicate with them."

Something in the sorceress' eyes twinkled and she pushed me on a sofa, my eyes now level with her cleavage. I gulped with uneasiness, when she leaned down a little, her breath ghosting over the skin of my ear. "Let me guess, Niven. It's a sweet Katze-boy. I heard they make good pleasure slaves and the things you can make out of their tails are legendary."

I squinted my eyes and slipped away from her, stood up, growling at her. "What do you want?"

She smirked. "So I was right? Well, you know the price. Last time you didn't want to pay it, but it hasn't changed."

I paled visibly while she turned away and went to a crate, rummaging in it and then lifted a glass out of it. In a clear fluid swam a worm that was about 4 inches long. One end had a wide ringlike opening that was adorned with lots of sharp, pointy teeth. It swam against the glass and pressed its mouth against it. "Never, and you know that Belathia!"

She grinned at me. "You want something from me, I want something from you!"

I took a step back. "It's unnatural!"

A lifted eyebrow was the response. "Come on, I just want your semen."

I spluttered. "What about the good old traditional way? You know, I'm sure you wouldn't regret it." I tried a seductive smile, but I was sure I failed.

Belathia shook the glass and the eel sucked at the inner wall of the pot, closing the teeth-littered mouth menacingly. "But this would be much faster and less dirty."

I took another step back. "I won't ever put that thing on my dick, never ever! If there isn't another way to get what I want from you, I'll get it otherwise."

The sorceress laughed. "I don't think you'll find another person anywhere near that could offer you what you want. Well, perhaps Naduriel, but I doubt he'd ever look at you, least help you."

I gazed a last time at the glass she was holding and then turned. "I'll figure something out, but I won't do that."

I made my way to the door when she called me back. "Perhaps there is something else that you could do for me with your special abilities." I looked over my shoulder and saw a contemplating look on her face, the pot -- fortunately -- back in the crate. "Your timing is perfect, too. I need you this early afternoon."

I watched her warily. "What for?"

Belathia motioned me to sit down and took a place on a chair herself. I followed her invitation but kept my distance. "Naduriel", she spat the name, "and I are competing over the seat of the First Magicae Communicatia of the West. He is one step ahead of me because of certain unpropitious circumstances. He's holding a public speech that could win him the race for the title but it could also destroy his hopes for it." She looked at me intently with her last words.

I could guess where this was leading to and I didn't like it. "As much as I'd like to be of help and as much as I hate this prancing rooster there's one problem. He knows my face and my eyes..."

The sorceress halted my demurs with an impatient beck of her hand. "Norran will take care about that. You'll be attending his showing and affect him to write some nonsense and perhaps even talk some."

I stared at her for a moment and then cocked an eyebrow. "My lady, I thank you for your faith in my abilities, but Naduriel isn't dumb. He'll have protection magic and charms and even if he doesn't, he's a high mage after all and I doubt I can win control over him, least of all without him realizing it."

She stood up, going to the door. "Keep your irony to yourself, I know of your limited skills. Your friend Arias handed me once a nice tincture that will lower his resistance against your magic and before you ask how I will instill it in him, know that I have ways and means. Now follow me."

We went to the top story and then entered a studio. Three walls consisted only of windows, allowing the sun to shine brightly into the room. There were even two windows in the ceiling that allowed sunbeams to enter the studio. Every window had shutters and heavy draperies on it. A chest on front of one window and two chairs were the only furnishing present. Belathia pointed to a stool. "Sit down and wait here, boy!"

I rolled my eyes but obliged. After a few minutes the door opened and Norran, the boy that opened the gates to the mansion, entered the room. He stepped to the chest and took a color palette out of it, then sat down in front of me. Pulling out a long knife he sliced his palm to let a small flow of blood drip on the palette. After a minute he drew a brush from the inner pocket of his vest and brushed it over the slash which started to close immediately. When he started to mix it with the crusted colors realization dawned upon me. "You're a Painter?!"

He nods curtly. "Yes, and now keep still."

"That was what Belathia meant when she was talking about your qualities." I nodded thoughtfully then smirked at him. "Or do you have other qualities that are of value for her?"

He looked me directly in my eyes, his facial expression neutral. "I don't sleep with the mistress nor do I wish so. Now stop moving and talking or your face will look like melted cheese in the sun."

I let him work, the soft bristles tingling on my skin. Painters are specialized and highly skilled illusionists. They excel in changing the outward appearance of objects and creatures by drawing the new look simply on the surface, fur or skin and their magic makes it look likes it real. They are limited in their ability of deceiving height or girth and they cannot create illusions out of nothing. But when they finished their work it doesn't need any energy and concentration to maintain it and the possibility to detect the illusion as such is almost zero even for the best anti-magicians.

I twitched when he started to work on my eyes. "Don't budge one bit, eyes are always the most difficult part." It felt weird when someone was poking with a brush over your eyeballs but it was bearable. When he deemed his work done he got up and fetched me a hand mirror from the chest. I carefully took the precious object from his hands and looked at my face. I gaped in awe. My black hair framed a face I never saw before. Narrow eyes of a pale blue, bushy eyebrow, low cheekbones, a broad nose, a small and thin mouth looked at me from the shiny surface.

"Norran, that's fantastic! You are a master of your craft. Though a little more attractive would have been nice."

"The mistress asked for something inconspicuous and I did just that. A face like a hundred others from the streets. Not too filthy; perhaps a trader's son who wants to catch some intelligent phrases to impress the ladies."

I nodded. "Task completed." I looked him up and down. "You're good, really good. I don't know why you're working for Belathia, especially when you don't want to..." I suddenly grinned. "Hey, what do you say to a date after this is over?"

His facial expression never faltered when he watched me shortly then left the room, telling me. "I don't think so. The mistress awaits you in the foyer."

Then he was gone. 'Suit yourself.' I wandered down to the foyer to meet the sorceress.

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I sat in the auditorium of the Magica Communicatia faculty and hundreds of adepts, magicians and curious people, who thought they could get a glimpse of real magic, were filling the hall. I saw the members of the high council sitting on the balconies at the side of the auditorium. Being here an hour before the presentation began I got a seat close to the podium where I had a good view on Naduriel who was tall, slim, grey hair, grim facial features and wore a richly adorned robe. The high mage talked about long distance and time communication, scribbling formulas and theorems on the blackboard. I doubt more then ten persons in this room understood them. If it wasn't for my mission I would have fallen asleep as many people around me did.

I kept glancing at one balcony, where Belathia sat, and waited for her sign. Before I left her manor she drummed "Don't do anything stupid or rash!" into me. All I had to do was take control of Naduriel, just for a fraction of a second. I was instructed to make him write certain small symbols; altogether four times. These small additions to his formulas wouldn't make any difference to a normal audience but magicians who actually were able to follow Naduriel's explanations and theories would see the flaws. This was Belathia's intention so that she could take apart Naduriel in the closed discussion afterwards.

There was the first sign. I focused on the back of the mage and concentrated. There was a big black wall that shielded me from taking control. Mental fingers slid along the massive barrier and panic started to rise in me. Sweat formed on my forehead. There seemed no way through it when I suddenly found a small crack. I slipped between it and made the connection. As soon as I had the control I added with a flick of my wrist a small but complex looking sign before I let the strings slip.

I glanced at Belathia who nodded in approval. 'Good!' The next three times were easier, now that I knew what to look for. All the time a huge, sleeping power surrounded me whenever I made a connection and I was glad it never stirred or -- Narro's mercy -- woke up.

When the public part was over I left the auditorium as fast as possible without attracting interest. I went to a pub between downtown and trader's district that offered discreet booths, ordered a beer and waited. After a short time a black clothed figure sat down at my table. Without any comment he strewed powder into my beer and then pricked his index finger dripping two droplets of blood into my brew.




Puppeteer Ch. 05



"Hey, I wanted to drink that, you know!" I hissed at the cloaked person.

Handing me a rag he responded: "Wash your face with this, then hide your face in your hood and follow me outside." Without any further comment the guy stood up and left the pub. 'Hell, someone should remove that stick from your ass!'

I scrubbed my face thoroughly with the cloth after dunking it into the spoilt beer, then put on my hood and left the pub. In a back alley I saw Norran again, his hood drawn into his face, two horses at his side. 'No, not horses.' I silently cursed but took the reigns he offered me nonetheless. After a short ride we were back at Belathia's mansion, handed the horses back to the hostler and went inside.

"I thank you for your help, Norran." I got a short nod and then the boy vanished to somewhere in the house. 'Weirdo!' I took place in the salon and waited. Time stretched and I happily accepted a carafe of ice cold, light red wine from the servants. Minutes seemed to last for hours when finally Belathia swept in the room. Her cheeks were reddened and a content smile played around her lips. She poured herself a goblet of wine and took a deep gulp, watching me over the rim of her cup.

"So, I take it everything went to your utter satisfaction?" I asked her a little nervously.

She smiled and sat her goblet down. "Yes. It seems you can be of avail. I think Naduriel will question his intellect for weeks and I will be the next First Magicae Communicatia. You did well, Niven!"

"So, about my request..."

"I didn't forget. I always keep my words." She reached into her décolleté and brought two pendants. They were small and unobtrusive. I stepped closer and opened my palm and Belathia dropped them in my hand. They both had a simple symbol inscribed on them, a long stroke vertical, another short one from the top of the long stroke diagonally and a third one parallel to the second just a little lower. The material was light and looked like a mixture of silver and gold.

"These are translation pendants. They have to touch bare skin and then they allow the carrier to understand many different languages; Katze being one of them. You won't be able to talk other languages because of them, though. That's why you need two to communicate with someone else when you don't understand each other. "These necklaces are a set; even though the wearer can understand different languages it may be difficult to get the real meaning of the words. Vernacular, irony, metaphors and feelings will be lost in the translation. That's different if the speaker wears a pendant because these things will be carried to the necklace so the carrier can understand them. "But pay attention, if the other doesn't know the word or feeling, it won't get translated. If your Katze boy never saw a horse or had heard of one then he won't get what you're talking about. "The necklaces will take some time to synchronize with their carrier and receiver so communication may not be flawless at the beginning, but you will realize that soon enough. "One last warning: On rare occasions the synchronization can go too far. That means that you can feel what the other is feeling, even hear what they are thinking and sometimes their feeling will override yours. It never happens when I used them and I never knew someone who experienced it. If this happens remove the necklace for a long period of time and the effect should vanish -- giving up the privacy and control of your thoughts and feelings has driven many people crazy. Just look at all the victims of the control-mages."

I nodded and was taken aback with the complex instructions. Slipping the necklaces in my pocket I looked at the sorceress. "Thank you Belathia, that's a great help."

She nodded and then waved me away. "I know. Now leave, boy, I want to celebrate."

I grinned at her, spun around and strode to the exit when I heard her say. "Oh and Niven, take care." I froze in my steps and looked over my shoulder but she sat with her back to me and stared out of her window. 'Must have been my imagination.'

When I entered Arias' manor I'm greeted by the host himself. "You got what you were looking for?"

I nodded. "How's Sorr'an?"

Arias smiled crookedly at me. "Confused. He hisses and growls at everyone that enters the room and when someone tries to touch him, he backs away and claws at them."

I raised an eyebrow. "Well, I'll try my luck." I went to the room Sorr'an and I slept in last night and knocked at the door. There was no response. I carefully opened the door and entered the room. I saw Sorr'an sitting with the blanket draped over his lap on the bed farthest away from the entrance, looking warily at me. 'Well, no hiss, good sign, right?!' I approached him cautiously till he bared his fangs. I stopped and fetched the necklaces from my pocket, showing them to him. Then I slowly slipped one over my head and stuffed it under my shirt. The catboy watched me interestedly and I threw the remaining necklace on his lap, signing him to follow my example. He did and when the small pendant dangles from his neck and touches his bare chest, I asked him. "Can you understand me?"

He looked at me with a baffled expression, so I tried another question. "Are you alright? Do you need something?"

He tilted his head, smiled at me, opened his mouth and said: "Food?"



Puppeteer Ch. 06



New chapter, yay! A lot of Sorr'an this time - that's good, isn't it? Thanks to Cassiopeia for betaing!

>>

First words

"Food, hmm? Well, I guess you must be hungry. Follow me; I think Gerald or Elise can fix you something to eat." I indicated Sorr'an to follow me but stopped in my tracks when my catboy got up. He was still stark naked. I should get him some clothes; not that I minded the sight but because of these narrow-minded and conservative social rules.

"Wait a moment." I went to my room and took a shirt and trousers from the closet; clothes I wore years ago when I was a little smaller. To complete the outfit I grabbed a pair of socks and returned to Sorr'an.

"Here you go!" I tossed him the clothing and he put on the shirt and trousers but perplexedly watched the socks. 'Well, it's working without them. We just don't want Elise to faint when you walk around naked, hmm?'

"Fine, leave the socks. Let's get you something to eat! Follow me!" I turned and went off to the kitchen with Sorr'an in tow. He warily watched his surroundings; his ears almost flat against his head, only the pointy tips peeking out of his hair and the fur of his tail all bristled. You could feel the cautiousness radiating from him.

We reached the kitchen where Gerald sat at a table, drinking wine and reading a book. He looked up when we entered the room. I heard a hiss from behind me and Gerald stood up, backing away a little. Turning around I saw my catboy crouching in a lurking position, baring his fangs at the servant with his talons protracted. Blinking in confusion I asked: "Okay, what's going on here?" I received no answer from Sorr'an and looked back at Gerald. "Gerald?"

The servant took another step back. "I don't know Master Niven. He reacted like this at noontide when I looked after him. He also clawed and growled incomprehensible sounds at me."

I furrowed my eyebrows. Sorr'an hadn't shown any signs of arbitrary hostility before. My gaze was fixed on my catboy, who was slowly approaching Gerald predatorily. "Sorr'an?" He took another step forward. "Sorr'an!" No reaction. "SORR'AN!" The addressed cathuman flicked his gaze shortly at me but didn't stop his advance. "Stop this, catboy!" I reached for his shoulder to hold him back. "He helped to heal you!"

Sorr'an halted in his tracks and cocked his head toward me. "What? Heal?"

I nodded. "Yeah, he and his master healed you after I brought you here. He's no danger to you." Smilingly I added: "If anything he'll make you food. So stop threatening him, he's a friend."

He looked intensely at me and after a few moments his stance relaxed slightly. "Ptransa helped me?"

I looked confused. "Ptransa?"

Sorr'an pointed at Gerald who watched the catboy suspiciously. "Ptransa is."

'Okay, that must be one of the words that aren't translatable.' I nudged Sorr'an gently towards the table. "Ptransa's name is Gerald. Sit down; Gerald will make you something to eat."

The catboy took a seat, still on alert. Gerald cleared his throat. "What would... he... like to eat? I fear we're out of stock of mice."

A smile stole on my face. "I think fish or meat would do. Oh wait a moment." I regarded Sorr'an. "Gerald would like to know what you want to eat. Tell him what you like."

"Meat or fish fine." Sorr'an said to Gerald. The servant lifted an eyebrow and shrugged his shoulders. 'Right, he can't understand Sorr'an because he doesn't wear a translation-necklace.'

"Meat or fish will be fine, Gerald."

"Fried or will it be enough to throw him a chunk of raw meat or a wriggly fish?"

I tried to keep my face impassive. "Fried will be okay, I think."

"Well, Master Niven. I will have to go to the market because we're out of fresh meat or fish. Would he like something to drink meanwhile?"

'Right, Sorr'an definitely needs something to drink!' Before I could reply, Sorr'an said: "Water, milk!"

"He wants water or milk."

Sorr'an looked in bewilderment at me. "Why you repeat me?"

Gerald cautiously put down a small bowl of milk in front of Sorr'an. "If he spills some milk while lapping it up I'll wipe it away when I'm back. I'm off to the market, it shouldn't take long." With this he took his leave.

I had to grin because of Gerald's words while my catboy hissed a little when Gerald almost invaded his personal space. "He can't understand you, that is why I repeat it to him."

"But you understand. Why?"

"Because of this necklace I gave you. When we both wear it, it makes it possible to understand each other."

"But I understand Ptransa."

'Ptransa? Oh, yes, Gerald.' "The necklace allows you to understand many languages but it doesn't give you the ability to speak all these languages. Because the two of us wear a pendant we can understand each other."

Sorr'an nodded thoughtfully. "Yes. But Ptransa weird. Feel bizarre."

"Really? Well, Arias is a Dhuran mage and..."

Sorr'an interrupted me. "Arias? Old man?"

I chuckled. "Yeah, old man. Old man is a Dhuran mage and they are specialized in alchemy and healing. A particular way of healing. They take energy of a third person, channel and enhance it with their magic and body and then use the refined energy to heal another person. Gerald is the current medium of Arias -- the old man -- and gives his energy to Arias, so he can do most of his magic. It affects Gerald in many ways, most apparently in his outward appearance. He looks like a surreal mixture of an old and a young man -- well, at least to me. It's like parts of him look a different age and sometimes they even seem to change."

Sorr'an looked into space ruminatively. He took a tentative lick of milk and then started to sip at it. He put the bowl back down on the table. "So, Ptransa give energy to heal me?"

"Yes, Arias took life energy from Gerald to heal you here." I touched his shoulder. "And your other wounds, too."

Sorr'an seemed deep in thought. Minutes later Gerald returned with a small package in his hands. "There was no fresh fish anymore at the market but I got some steaks. I took the liberty to bring a steak for you, too, Master Niven."

"Thank you Gerald, I actually am hungry." The servant went to the hearth, put a pan on it and started to fry the meat, strewing spices on it. A delicious scent drifted through the kitchen.

Sorr'an startled us when he raised his voice. "Gerald?" The addressed one looked up from his cooking. "I don't know your task. Don't know you help me. You feel weird, smell unnatural. I sorry I attack you. Hiss at you. Will not do again. I sorry." With these words he scratched the back of his head embarrassedly.

Gerald tilted his head and then Sorr'an and he looked at me expectantly. With a smile I translated. "Sorr'an is sorry that he attacked and threatened you. He didn't know that you're the medium of Arias and that you gave your energy to heal him. You apparently smell and feel weird to him because of your task and that is why he reacted the way he did. He is sorry."

Gerald lifted an eyebrow. "Okay. No hard feelings. I know I can scare people for just what I am and look like. You're forgiven, cat."

Sorr'an smiled widely. "Thanks. Name Sorr'an!"

Again I translated. "He says thank you and that his name is Sorr'an."

"You're welcome Soran." Gerald flipped the steaks in the pan.

"Sorr'an!" My catboy pronounced every syllable.

"Uh?" Gerald looked at me enquiringly.

"You have to roll the 'r' a little more, even use your throat and make a small break before the 'an'."

"So-rr-an?" Gerald tried again.

Sorr'an beamed and nodded. "Sorr'an!"

I saw a hint of a smile on Gerald's face and it amazed me. The medium rarely ever smiled! Gerald prepared two plates, a thick slice of bread and a steak together with some pickled salad. He put them down in front of us together with cutlery and returned with milk. This time Sorr'an got a normal cup.

Sorr'an sniffed at the steak, then took it in his hands and took a hearty bite. Gerald and I looked at each other; I chuckled and he rolled his eyes but the corner of his lips twitched. I started to dig in, too.

"I will retreat for the night, Master Niven, if you don't need me anymore."

"Good night Gerald, thank you for all your help."

Gerald nodded. "Master Niven, So-rr-an." With this he left the kitchen.

We finished our meals; Sorr'an munching appreciatively, taking a sip from his milk from time to time -- apparently he knew how to handle a cup. When a small burp from the catboy signaled the end of our meal, I got up and put the plates into the sink. Stifling a yawn I realized that I was quite exhausted. The job for Belathia took its toll on my body.

"I go to bed, Sorr'an. I think you should go, too. The poison was removed and you were healed but your body needs its time to recover from the injuries and magic."

Sorr'an nodded. "Bed. Sleep. Niven go, show me?"

'Show you? Oh hell, how I want to show you some things.' My wanton thoughts were interrupted when Sorr'an got up and looked expectantly at me. I took the lead and guided us through the floors to the small examination room we slept in last night. There was only one bed in my room and I wasn't sure Sorr'an would appreciate sharing one. Hell, I was sure he wouldn't enjoy me trying to molest him all night and remembering his claws I definitely was sure I wouldn't enjoy his reactions to my advances, so I decided for the room with two beds.

When we arrived at the room he went to his bed and without any signs of modesty undressed and slipped under the covers. I followed suit, but took the empty bed after dousing the lights. Shortly before fell completely asleep my catboy roused me. "Niven?"

"Um... yeah..."

"How I come here?"

I shifted on my side, presenting my back to Sorr'an. "I tell you tomorrow, kitten, I'm really tired."

The reply was a hissed "No kitten!"

"Okay catboy, but I still am tired."

Something quite heavy pounced on me and a furious Sorr'an snarled in my ear. "No cat, no boy. Name Sorr'an! Man is!"

I froze. Partly because of a claw that was pushed against my neck, partly because of a naked catboy pressed against my back. I gulped. "I'm sorry Sorr'an."

Luckily the claw retreated; sadly the body did so, too, but the weight remained on my bed. I rolled on my back and saw that Sorr'an sat cross-legged on the side of the mattress. After this incident I was wide awake and decided to answer some of his questions. With a snap of my fingers a few candles inflamed. The guttering light cast a warm glance on Sorr'an's body and face. His mien showed only small traces of irritation; it mostly held a mixture of confusion and forlornness.

I sighed. "Okay, what do you want to know?"

Sorr'an looked down at me. "Here! What this place? How I come here?"

"Oh my, that's going to be a long story. Well this here is the mansion of Arias in Arrandar, which is the capital of Tamspod, the western province of Meygran." I looked into a blank face. "You didn't understand one word, hmm?"

Sorr'an shook his head. I explained: "Okay, there are different realms on this continent. One of them is Meygran; it's a huge and powerful one and is divided into five provinces. Tamspod is the western province and this city here, Arrandar, is its capital."

Sorr'an nodded. "Like plains where many tribes roam around and groups of the clans with their own hunting grounds."

I blinked amazedly. "Yeah, kinda." Then it hit me. "You talk better!"

The catboy grinned at me. "No, you better!"

'Okay, so much for better talking.'

"But how do I come here?"

I told Sorr'an the story of our escape without skipping the part when he crawled on top of me during the night. It didn't faze him one bit; he looked curiously and thoughtfully the whole time. I spared the part where I undressed him, though. While relating the story to him my eyes wandered over his upper body, the flickering candlelight illuminated it beguilingly. 'Damn, if all this is over these images will give me a lot of inspiration.'

"Well, and then Arias healed you with the help of Gerald. That's the whole story."

Sorr'an was silent for a few moments. "I thank them. Old man and Gerald. And I thank you, you save my life."

"You're welcome, my catboy." Sorr'an narrowed his eyes and growled menacingly in the back of his throat. I quickly added. "Hey, it's meant as an endearment!"

Sorr'an furrowed his brows. "Oh really, my humanboy?"

I blinked and then laughed. "Okay, I get it, cheeky one. But you know I don't mind much if you call me humanboy." I lifted an eyebrow and added with a grin. "Especially if you call me 'my humanboy', kitten!"

Sorr'an didn't look overly amused. "Toddler!" was his short and snappish reply.

I smiled. "Okay, I don't like the sound of this, so no more 'kitten', I promise it."

"Yes. Sorr'an is good name, strong name." I nodded smilingly and before I could reply he added. "Where are my clothes?"

I blinked owlishly. "Your clothes?"

"Yes, Sorr'an's clothes. I had when we run away from men."

Gulping I took a deep breath. Why I was embarrassed I didn't know. "Well, the Versetzer is a great mystery to everybody and few know how to make it work, but it takes a whole lot more energy to transport an inanimate object then a living being. Seeing as I already had to transport two persons and my magic vest and was already quite exhausted from the flight I had to strip you and me down. So your clothes lay somewhere far southeast from here. Hopefully they aren't important to you?"

Sorr'an waved the question aside. "You undressed me?"

"Um yeah, you weren't in the state to do so yourself."

"Did you like it?"

This question hit me like a sledgehammer. "What?!"

"Did you like take off my clothes?"

I open-mouthed gaped like a fish at the catboy. Of all questions I would not have expected this one. "Erm, I..."

Sorr'an leaned forward. "I am not dumb. I see how you look me." He grinned. "Eyes almost fall out." From the corner of my eyes I could see his tail swishing to and fro.

I shut my mouth with a click. "I... maybe..." When did I turn into a stammering idiot?

"So you liked make me naked?"

I blushed a little but pulled myself together. "Well, I was exhausted, but I did enjoy it. But you weren't that innocent either, snuggling against me at night."

Sorr'an brought his face a little closer to mine. "I wounded and you felt like protection and help. I remember I like it." There was a twinkle in his eyes. "What do you like?"

'Is this catboy playing with me? Well, this then let us play!' I looked him into his eyes. "Well, you do have really beautiful eyes." I raised my hand and ran my knuckles gently over his cheekbone and jaw line. "Your face is cute and sexy. And..." I fondled his cat ears which twitched between my fingers. "On top of your head are the most amazing ears I've ever seen. They are just exceeded by..." I ran the finger down the back of his head and neck along his spine to the base of his tail, circled it and dipped the tip of my index finger into the crack of his butt but then stroked his furry appendage. "This marvelous tail."

The light wasn't bright enough but I could swear Sorr'an's cheeks were a little flushed. Suddenly he sat upright and pulled back my covers. My eyes bulged at this unexpected action because all the touching did have some effect on me. His eyes roamed over my body for a few seconds then he rolled me onto my side.

"Erm, Sorr'an?" I rolled back on my back frowning and my catboy looked at me.

"You real human?"

"Yes, I'm a real human. Why?"

"I looked to make sure." He leaned closer again. "Your eyes look..."

My facial expression froze and I abruptly pushed the catboy away, pulling the covers over my body and snapped my fingers hard to douse the lights. "I'm tired, go to sleep." I turned away from the confused boy.

"Niven? I... Sorry?"

"Good night, Sorr'an." I replied with a cold voice.

After a few moments I could feel and hear the catboy leave my bed and enter his own.

Sleep didn't come easy.

>>

Thank you to all my readers for... well reading, of course!

LadyMoan: Thank you for leaving a comment, it's highly appreciated! Hope you like this chapter!

I like rates and I love reviews, so if you like the story, please do so!



Puppeteer Ch. 07



Hello dear readers! A new chapter, again many thanks to Cassiopeia for betaing! Enjoy!

-----------------------------------

Eyes and Shopping

"Demoneyes!" I ran through a street, people pressed their bodies against the house walls and staircases to get as far away from me as possible.

"Your eyes are the gates to a murderer's soul." A tall, dark haired man cried out, approaching my way boldly to spit in my direction.

I stumbled and fell, scraping up my knees, elbows and wrists and got up, scurried along the alleys and roads.

Reaching a green shimmering house I opened the door and scampered through the rooms. A woman stood in the living room and I throw myself into her arms, pressing my face into her bosom.

She sifted her fingers through my strands and I felt at peace. Suddenly she fisted my hair and bended my head back violently so that I was forced to look into her distorted and hateful face. She hissed: "Your eyes! They remember me." She started to scream. "Of everything! They are your sin, your deformation." Her grip got more brutally. "These orbs are windows to hell, black pits of peccability. You shall hurt, Niven!" My neck strained and tears rolled down my cheeks while hatred burnt in her eyes. "You must live, Niven. You must live to ache, to feel the pain. Hurt, worthless creature. Live, fight to survive. Receive the torture and punishment you deserve for what you are, demonic spawn!"

I startled from my sleep, cold sweat covering my body, my breath ragged. It took me a moment to focus my gaze and realize where I was. 'Damn, not again.' I saw the first rays of sunshine filter through the windows and tried to calm my breath. 'You can't lose you cool just because of some random catboy.'

I got up and left the room. Entering the bathroom I filled a basin with cold water and looked into a mirror. An exhausted face looked back at me, tired lines around my mouth and dark bags under my eyes -- these eyes that were the cause for all the hatred and enmity. Dark, planar orbs, no pupil, no white. 'Demoneyes!' Like black holes they lay in my sockets, showing everyone who knows about Puppeteers what I am. 'Windows to hell, demonic spawn!' I dipped my head into the ice-cold water and stayed under the surface till my lungs burned and my face felt like a thousand needles were piercing it.

I straightened myself, droplets of water splashing against my bare chest and stomach, and went to open the window, breathing in the fresh and cool morning air. Standing there I massaged my temples, calming down and pushing aside the images and thoughts from former times. 'It's the past, it's not important anymore!'

After dressing I went down to the kitchen where a yawning Elise fired the hearth and looked surprised. "You're already up Master Niven?"

"Yes Elise, I went to bed early. But don't let me disturb you, I'll sit down and drink some water-thinned wine." Grabbing a jug with the red liquid I sat down on a bench in the corner of the room, helped me to a mug of wine and leaned my head against the wall. I was tired, nightmares made my sleep restless. I sighed and tried to empty my mind from everything, sipping from time to time at my cup.

Gerald approached me and asked me in a low voice: "Do you want something special for breakfast Master Niven?"

I shook my head. "A light meal is fine with me. Some bacon would be nice, though."

With fast and trained movements Gerald prepared breakfast; gruel, bacon, roasted bread and a plate of fruits. He placed a bowl of the slimy soup in front of me together with a slice of the fried bread but I pushed it away gently, reached for some bacon and washed it down with the thin wine and nibbled listlessly at an apple, staring at the table.

A half scream, half squeal yanked me out of my reverie and I looked up. Sorr'an stood in the entrance clad in only low-hung trousers. Poor Elise didn't know whether to back away or pounce on Sorr'an so she decided for openly ogling his torso. She squealed: "Cuuuuute!" and then added: "Cat ears?"

Sorr'an didn't seem to notice her, sniffed the air and then stalked to the table. When he passed Elise a bright blush crept on her cheeks and she quickly averted her gaze. Sorr'an stopped in front of the plate with bacon and tested the air again. His hand reached for a strip of the fried meat and stopped midair, looking at me. "Can I eat?"

"Yeah, help yourself." I got up, poured me another mug, took another apple and then turned to leave the room. When I walked past him I detected why Elise was blushing so madly. His tail pushed the waistband of his trousers down and revealed the upper third of his wonderful buttocks. I grinned a little and left the kitchen, walking to the library.

Not caring to knock I entered the bibliotheca. I ignored the play of colors and searched for Arias and found him slumbering on an opened encyclopedia. I took a seat across from and drummed my fingers on the table surface. After a few moments Arias groaned, lifted his head and blinked.

Running a hand over his face and hair, he asked: "What time is it?"

"Sunup." was my short reply, sipping at my cup.

He yawned and fixed me with his gaze. "Awake that early and already drinking wine? Nightmares?"

I simply nodded. Arias got up, stretched his back and walked to a window, looking out of it. "Did you have them often the last time?"

I sighed. "No... First one in a long time..."

"What happened?"

I scratched my chin and thought about the last night. I blushed a little but then frowned. "He asked about my eyes."

Arias turned and focused his view on me. "And? That's a valid question. Your eyes are a little different."

I rose to my feet, hit a flat palm on the desk and snarled: "I fucking know that! All my damned life I was reduced to my eyes and what they stand for!"

Arias' eyes got hard. "Stop screaming at me. I know your life."

"But you don't have to fucking live with them, with these demoneyes!" I pointed at my eyes.

"Would you calm down? He simply asked. It means he doesn't know and perhaps he doesn't care?"

"I don't need him to know. Don't need him to hate me!"

"You don't know if he would hate you."

I laughed bitterly. "Don't hate me? Don't make me list all the people that hated me after they got to know what I am! Like..."

A knock on the door interrupted me. Gerald opened it and entered into the room. "Good morning Lord Korondar. Master So-rr-an is here, looking for Master Niven." Said catboy stepped reluctantly into the library and the servant retreated, closing the door after him.

The catboy looked tensely around and Arias smiled at him, motioning to the chairs. "Let's sit down."

Sorr'an went to a chair, took a seat and mumbled: "Good morning."

Arias knit his eyebrows, then searched the inside pocket of his coat, brought a little flask forward and uncorked it, drinking its content. "Okay, now I should understand you little guy."

Sorr'an snorted and looked a little disgruntled -- I guess because of the 'little guy' comment. I frowned. "You have a potion to understand him but sent me to Belathia?!"

Arias grinned and seated himself on his chair. "Relax. This brew only helps for about half an hour, so your visit at Belathia's had its purpose." I muttered something intelligible under my breath and plopped down at the last free seat at the table.

"Okay... Sorr'an?" The catboy nodded and I blinked at Arias' perfect pronunciation. "Niven will help you to get home." Sorr'an blinked and fixed me with a questioning gaze. I averted my view and nodded. The kitten beamed and I rolled my eyes. What was I getting myself into here?

Arias got up and rummaged in a map-stand, returned with a huge scroll and spread it on the table. It showed a detailed map of the continent. "Okay Sorr'an, where are you from?"

The catboy looked puzzled at the map and felt over the parchment. Then he shrugged. "Don't know. What's this?"

The Dhuran mage sighed. "I thought so. Niven, where did you meet Sorr'an?"

I searched for the Versetzer that I used to bring us here, estimated our position and circled a region. "Around here."

Arias tapped his chin thoughtfully. "I don't know exactly where Katze tribes are found... Sorr'an, how long were you on your way till you met Niven?"

"Two moons" was the reply.

"Oh, that doesn't make things easier." said Arias. He thought for a moment. "I know of a city about six weeks to the south from there that... knows of Katze. I think you should go there and find out where the next Katze tribe is."

I nodded and got up. "We need clothing and other things for a six week travel."

Arias got up and said: "Thirteen weeks if the weather is stable. No discussion Niven, I won't let you use the Versetzer again. Not with two persons to transport." He stopped any comment by holding up a hand. "No discussion! It's too dangerous! And I will pay for your travel, give you everything you need and in return you deliver two messages to two of my partners -- there will be a good payment for you, Niven!"

"What, you think I travel thirteen weeks into the middle of nowhere and then what?"

My mentor grinned. "You have better things to do?"

I rolled my eyes. "Okay, okay. No Versetzer. But why don't you send these messages via magic?"

Arias lifted a brow. "I have my reasons. Let's say I don't want to ask Belathia..."

I walked to the door. "Okay. We have to shop. Come on Sorr'an."

The catboy stood up and turned, but didn't follow me to the door. "Niven. I sorry for talking about your eyes. But why were you so... weird?"

I stopped in my motions and glared coldly at him. "Stop talking about my eyes!"

Suddenly Sorr'an's fur bristled, his ears laid flat against his head and he approached me with two fast, elegant strides. Poking a finger in my chest he snarled: "I didn't do anything. Why you so angry at Sorr'an?"

I was taken aback and blinked at the enraged catboy. He was right, he didn't do anything, he didn't know. But I didn't want to explain it to him, because... Because I hoped for... I didn't know what I hoped for. I sighed. "Yeah, you're right. You did nothing, but I don't want to talk about my eyes, okay?"

Sorr'an calmed down a little and his finger, that was quite sharp with a protracted claw, retreated. He still fumed but accepted my request with a nod. I opened the door for him and signaled him to step out of the room and was following him when Arias called me back with a big grin on his face: "He's kinda like you. You seem to be well-suited."

I scowled at him. "Stop going down this road, Arias. I don't need something like this."

The mage sighed. "Don't keep punishing yourself like this. Stop it all!"

I turned, suddenly feeling the tiredness crawling back in my bones. "Please, leave me alone Arias. I have to go shopping for a long travel."

Surprisingly it was fun and relaxing to go shopping with Sorr'an. The catboy was walking around with big eyes, pointing at different things and asking about stuff that I took for ordinary and boring but he seemed to find them overwhelmingly interesting. He was especially fond of all brightly colored clothing. It took me a whole twenty minutes to explain it to him that pink and blue dresses are for women and that a yellow, red and green gleeman suite with a purple cape definitely is not a functional travel wear.

This moment I looked at a display of daggers in an armorer's shop. Sorr'an was bored -- weapons obviously didn't catch his interest. I took one richly ornamented poniard in my hand and examined it.

"Mylord has exquisite taste. This one is made of the finest and hardest metal of the north, sharpened with stones of Morroar." I rolled my eyes -- of course this piece is treated with the whetstone of the god of smith's handcraft.

"How much?"

"Two gold coins."

"Holy, I can buy the whole shop with only one gold coin!"

"This is a real masterpiece! And Morroar's blessing is woven in the metal."

He was right; the dagger really looked like a masterwork. Sorr'an stepped at my side and took the dagger from my hands. "Feels weird" were his whispered words. That was one of the first things I told him, that he shouldn't talk too loud so that people wouldn't wonder about his language and we wouldn't draw unwanted attention. The catboy protracted a claw and scratched over the metal of the grind.

Wonderful, so much for avoiding attention. I cringed with the sound and hissed at him. "What are you doing?!"

He scratched once more and this time he peeled a splinter of metal from the surface. I blinked and after a few more scrapes the dagger shimmered and transformed into a simple wooden knife; the kind kids play with. An illusion!

The armorer went pale and looked at Sorr'an and me, screaming: "Witchers! You cursed my weapon, my beautiful and precious poniard!"

I grabbed his shirt collar and shook him several time to silence him. "I don't know about cursing, but if you don't want me to call the city watch and tell them that you sell fake weapons in the name of Morroar I highly advice you to keep your mouth shut and forget the both of us this moment."

With a click the man shut his mouth. Selling forgery in the name of a god normally meant punishment from the watch and then handover to the temple of the deceived god which meant torture and in most cases a painful death.

We left the shop and the owner closed it the moment we were through the door -- I had the feeling he was going to pick out his assortment. I looked at Sorr'an -- he was clad in a grey cloak, a white shirt and black pants peeking out from it. He looked like a small, ordinary young man. A hood over his head hid his ears and I had pushed his tail in one trouser leg to keep it from swishing under the cloak. The catboy complained about it being uncomfortable but better a minor discomfort than raising a ruckus with parading a cathuman through the city. I was dressed equally to him so that we appeared like merchants.

"Okay Sorr'an, no more claws please."

Said catboy grumbled back. "You have weird way of saying thank you!"

I smiled. "You're right. Thank you. But please, no claws anymore! By the way, how did you know?"

Sorr'an shrugged. "It just felt weird, like it was not real."

This was exceptional, because I wasn't able to see any signs of this illusion; even the texture and weight of the weapon felt right. There was no time to ponder on this, though, because my catboy sniffed the air and then walked straightly towards a booth that roasted fresh fish over a fire.

I chuckled. That was another thing Sorr'an was very interested in -- food. Fruits and vegetables weren't his thing and sweets only caught his sight if they were colored -- but if it was meat or fish he was drawn to it like the moth to the light.

To his disappointment I didn't buy any food earlier but it was around noon and I was getting hungry myself so I bought four fish on wooden spits. Sitting down on a crate I gave the catboy two spits who placed one on his knees and dug in, munching happily. 

When I finished my meal halfway, a young man stepped in front of me. "Hey Puppeteer!"

I looked up and froze. "Hello Kip."

"Long time no see, Niven." He fixed his gaze on Sorr'an. "I see you found a new boytoy, hmm?"

I glared coldly at the man who I knew was my age but looked younger with his boyish appearance and received the same glare in return. "Shut up Kip. What do you want? I doubt you want to chat about the good old times."

"Good times with you?" Kip sneered and spat out. "Anyway, give me a gold coin."

I blinked and then snorted. "A gold coin? Are you nuts? What do you want with a whole gold coin?"

Kip just shrugged. "What do you care? It's been long since last time. Just give it to me."

"I don't know. I haven't talked to Arias, but I'm sure he would have paid you if you did a job for him."

"Nah, no job. I just need some money and I'm sure you need my talents again soon enough."

"Don't overdo it, Kip!"

The boy snorted. "Did I ever disappointed you with a job?" He looked around to see if we were observed or raising attention. "Come on, Lord Korondar hasn't paid me while you where away."

I furrowed my brows and searched for hints of a lie but you could never tell with Kip. He obviously mistook my gaze because he took a step back and grounded out: "No, I won't hand over my ass or let you suck me off! Never ever Puppeteer!"

I sighed and searched for a gold coin in my pocket. Kip grabbed it, grinned at me and then looked at Sorr'an. They scrutinized each other with an unfriendly mien and Kip addressed him: "Be careful around this guy. He stuffs his dick into everything he finds. Even men, so watch your ass."

Sorr'an furrowed his brows but didn't reply, so Kip just turned and vanished behind the next corner. He looked at me. "Who was that guy?"

"Kip? He's a nobody."

Sorr'an was... pouting? Yeah, he pouted at me. "But he seemed to know you. And he wanted something and you gave it to him."

I ran my fingers through my hair and laid my remaining spit on Sorr'an's lap. I wasn't hungry anymore. "Do you know the saying: 'Curiosity killed the cat'?" My catboy looked confused. "Okay, I'll tell you. Don't know why, but yeah... Kip's a thief, perhaps the best in whole Arrandar. We met shortly after I arrived here. He saw how I stole some food from a booth and when I was discovered how I... distracted the vendor. He helped afterwards and taught me some tricks; how to survive in this huge city. We became friends, best friends even, as much as it is possible between thieves."

I closed my eyes, wallowed in memories for a moment. "It was a fun and exciting time. He just accepted me and liked me. Then, one day, he saw me kissing another boy and how we... well... we made out. He freaked. We often shared a bed or slept together in the straw in winter, sharing our body heat. He then thought I was trying to get into his pants and that I was in love with him, wanting to... 'stuff my dick up his ass' as he put it."

"Were you?" asked Sorr'an.

"What?"

"In love with him?"

Smiling a little I replied: "Yeah, kinda. I think I had a small crush on him. But I wasn't acting on it; I knew how he thought about love with other men from his talking and we were in a brothel often enough to know his preference. But he thought I was going to molest him and he didn't want to deal with some cocksucker."

"But you gave him something."

"Yeah, I met Arias shortly afterwards and yeah... Let's say Kip's talents were of use to me and Arias. So I pay him for his work and even though he doesn't want to be friends with a faggot my money is good enough for him." I relapsed in silence and sat there rapt in thoughts. I jumped a little when a hand touched my shoulder.

Sorr'an looked at me and smiled, showing his empty spits to me. "I finished."

I nodded and we returned to Arias' mansion. Shortly before we reached the manor I asked the catboy: "Hey, can you ride a horse?" He looked puzzled at me and I pointed to a rider on his horse who passed us. "Do you know how to ride these animals?" Sorr'an shook his head and I breathed in relief. "Good."

We reached our destination and Gerald greeted us. "Master Niven, Master So-rr-an," he still pronounced every syllable separately, "may I take these packages from you?"

I gave him the bags that contained Sorr'an's clothes and the supplies I bought. "Gerald, I need your help with something. When we were at the tailor's and when Sorr'an tried on some pants he complaint that there was some pressure and discomfort around his tail." Gerald lifted an eyebrow. "His long one." The servant's brow wandered higher. "I mean the furry one attached to his lower back. Anyway, I couldn't ask the tailor for help and I think Sorr'an is going crazy when I always push his tail in his trouser leg. So could you cut holes at the right places?"




Puppeteer Ch. 07



Gerald nodded. "Of course. Is Master So-rr-an wearing underwear?"

I grinned while remembering how I tried to explain to Sorr'an what boxer shorts are good for. In the end I didn't know myself why I wore them but my catboy put them on -- I think only to humor me. "Yeah, he wears underwear."

"Good." Gerald seemed thoughtful for a moment. "Do they also have to... be adjusted?"

"No, I don't think so. And if it becomes necessary I will see to it myself."

Gerald tilted his head in agreement and turned. "Master So-rr-an would you please follow me?"

I called after them: "Sorr'an, be a good boy, hmm? No attacking or hissing at Gerald, right?"

The catboy rolled his eyes and snorted, but nodded nonetheless.

I went into the library where Arias sat reading a book and nursing a goblet of red wine. He looked up at me when I entered the room and invited me to sit next to him. I poured myself a goblet and sat down. "We have everything we need, we can start tomorrow or the day after."

"You don't need to hurry. Sorr'an was heavily injured and poisoned and you need to replenish your energy."

"Well, Sorr'an is mercurial and I am good, too. Sorr'an doesn't know how to ride so we have to walk and that's going to take us a lot more time."

Arias lifted a brow and chuckled. "Too bad he doesn't know, hmm? But the thirteen weeks are on foot -- I know you long enough Niven."

"Still, I want to hit the road as soon as possible."

The Dhuran mage looked at me with a scrutinizing view and then nodded. "Good, I'll prepare some elixirs for you two this night." I nodded my thanks and got up, when he raised his voice again. "When I look at you two..."

I stopped dead in my motions and before he could say another word muttered: "Don't say it Arias. Please, just be silent." When nothing else came I passed the door and closed it. I could hear a deep sigh through the wood...

-------------------------------------

Next chapter: They start their journey... And meet a travel companion who's very interested in Sorr'an... Feedback is always highly appreciated! 



Puppeteer Ch. 08



The Journey begins

I went straight to bed, to my own room this time. Sorr'an knew his way around enough to find the examination room we slept in the last night and he sure was a big boy so he could sleep alone. I needed to hold my distance, to keep my thoughts and feelings in check. Tomorrow we would leave and a good night's sleep was what I needed now. Who knows when I would have a good, soft bed the next time?

My dreams were strange, one incoherent scene after another. Sometimes I was half asleep with these strange impressions still on my mind, making them seem more real. There was my mother; in flames, approaching me to hug me. Dreams of Arias paying Kip to poison my beer, Belathia holding up that semen-sucking worm that was bigger and the teeth even sharper. I dreamt of Sorr'an smiling at me and then slowly stabbing my eyes with two beautiful daggers that turned into wooden knives, splinters boring into my skin and orbs. A strong, black-skinned hand reached for my face, so big my head easily fit into it, closing around it...

I sat up, blinking into the first sunrays. The dreams faded, only fragments tickling the edge of my mind. I felt well-rested although I remembered that the night was full of uneasy dreams. Anyway, time to rise and get ready for the day, the start of our journey.

I got up and washed my body and face thoroughly with the cold water, then dressed in simple, functional travel clothing, shouldered my backpack and left for the library to meet Arias. I reached the bibliotheca and there was a notice attached to the door that read 'Cellar lab' so I went downstairs into the basement and pounded against a thick steel door. It opened with a creaking sound and a warm wind that held strange odors blew into my face. Seconds later I could hear a screeching sound followed by something that sounded like an explosion, just without the rattling noise that normally accompanied it. I cautiously went into the room. I knew Arias would meet me because no one was allowed to wander around the cellar lab on their own. There were areas I never saw and I only once gave into my curiosity and tried to explore them on my own. The result was that I got beaten by Arias -- and it was the only time he ever raised his hand against me -- after getting healed by him and Gerald from several severe injuries. Gerald was also offered the possibility to beat me but declined. Instead I was the personal stable boy of Arjunoor for a year -- I had wished he had given me a beating.

I set aside my backpack and I waited for about five minutes before Arias arrived, bags under his eyes showing he had worked the whole night.

"Good morning, Niven. It's good you're awake!"

"Good morning to you, too. It would have been good if you had gotten some sleep."

Arias waved the comment aside. "I have everything ready for you and Gerald should be done with the preparation for your food." He opened up a big package and gave me its contents piece by piece, explaining what they were. Glittering powder, a great distraction in fight if your enemy doesn't reckon with it. A disinfecting herb, medium effectiveness but without the narcotic side effects stronger medicine has. Pain killer, styptics and other dried herbs that went into the pouches at my belt and a few, especially valuable ones, into my vest. Then Arias surprised me by presenting a small rack with twelve phials in it. "Okay, now listen. I know, you know, what is what, but again. This purple liquid is an antidote to most poisons. After opening the phial, apply or drink it within five minutes or it will become a very strong poison that kills you within thirty heartbeats. The pale yellow ones are to oppress the symptoms of illnesses so that your body can heal and fight it. You remember how to apply it, right? Drink it pure to fight illnesses without fever, mix your blood in it if the illness comes with a fever. You can also use it to keep your body warm, but only for half a day. And don't waste it for its other effect!" He stared at me warningly and I rolled my eyes but nodded. "Good. The last, the deep green ones are concentrated healing potions. One should suffice to heal several deep cuts, close huge wounds or let bones and sinew grow together again. Never apply it directly in its pure concentration or the shock of the forced healing could kill you. Use blood as a thinner or saliva, but blood is much better. You got it?"

"Yes Arias. Thank you that will be helpful." I bowed my head in thanks when he laid a waxed binder and a small box that was pitch-black on the table. I looked up and he smiled at me.

"That's a map of Suenarie, with all the discoveries I made when I was young, completed with your discoveries. It has different layers for different information." He pushed the binder into my hand and I opened it and unfolded a map that was extremely detailed. Streets, forests, lakes, towns and cities were marked and when I touched a symbol at the upper right corner the view changed and I could see the heights of the landscape. Touching another icon and I gasped as blue, silver and golden lines shimmered on the surface, even some black and violet ones among them.

"Magic concentration lines?" I asked in amazement.

"Yeah. And here," he pointed to a small pen-shaped metal piece that was plugged in a loop at the bottom, "you can make your own additions. Either into the existing maps or," pushing another emblem and the marking on the maps vanished except for orientation points like mountains, rivers and huge cities, "on a completely new one. When you come back I will take over your additions."

"That's great! Thanks a lot!"

"Here, you know what this is, right?" Arias slid the small, black box over to me. I opened it and smiled.

"A magic compass!"

Arias nodded. "Here, this needle points to north. This one points to Arrandar and this one is a magic detector. Drib a drop of your blood on it so that it won't point at you. And these two are for you and Sorr'an. Again a droplet of your blood on one and one of Sorr'an on the other." Arias gave me a needle and I pricked the fingertip of my thumb, dribbling my blood on the magic needle and then on one of the black ones, that took a deep purple after a moment. "Good and now this." Arias held up three items, a big bottle with a clear fluid in it, a medium sized one with blue gel and another phial with a red liquid.

My eyes budged, I blushed and stammered: "The hell?! I... You..." Taking a calming breath I gritted out: "I have no use for these, Arias. Thank you, but no."

Arias grinned. "Oh come on!"

"No! What for? I don't have much space left in my vest pocket, so no!"

But the Dhuran mage just kept grinning. "Oh yes. It doesn't hurt to take it with you and I'm sure you will be grateful to me." The grin disappeared from his face and he presented another phial to me. This one was much smaller, containing a black liquid, golden threads dancing in it. I stopped breathing for a moment, eyes going wide and when I mouthed 'Is it real?' Arias nodded and added sternly: "Yeah. Take care of it! It's more worth than everything else together. Protect it with your life and only use it when it's absolutely necessary. Be careful though, it can have... Unwanted and hefty secondary effects. If you spill it or break the phial I will come and kill you. I mean it!"

I took the small phial with shaky hands and hid it in the safest place in the time-space pocket of my vest. After a pointed look from Arias I grudgingly also put the remaining three bottles into it. Then I furrowed my eyebrows. "I appreciate all this excellent help, but it's so much... Do you think I will need all of this?"

Arias sighed. "I hope not, but..."

I frowned at my mentor. "You had a vision?"

The Dhuran mage rubbed his palm over his face and looked old and tired for a moment, an expression I only saw once and it ended in big trouble for everyone. "No vision, no precognition. More a foreshadowing. Everything was blurred but I had a feeling of unshirkable doom the whole time. Niven," his eyes bored into mine, "they are after Sorr'an. And after you. Be careful!"

When he looked away I shook my head to get my thoughts in order. "They?" I asked.

"I don't know. I didn't see faces, didn't hear voices or names. Some were human, some were not. But they all meant great threat!"

I blinked then smirked. "Yeah, but you misunderstood that. I will be the great threat for them. I came out of every shit that stood in my way, so don't worry about me and the kitten. I take care of him and come back. Prepare a statue of me, a beautiful girl in one arm and a handsome guy in my other, one foot on the head of a demon whose tongue hangs out of his mouth. Oh and make the girl and boy naked, I would like that!"

Arias snorted but then grinned. "Perhaps I make a statue of you and Sorr'an, have you kneel in front of him and propose to him."

I made a face but then hugged my mentor. "I will come back. Take care of your old bones and don't worry!"

Hugging me back Arias replied: "Yeah, just be cautious Niven." Increasing the pressure a little he added: "And take your chances!"

I rolled my eyes when I retreated but said nothing, shouldered my backpack and waved my goodbye at Arias then left for the kitchen.

In the kitchen Gerald and Elise had prepared a solid meal, fried meat and bacon, scrambled eggs with onions in them, bread, butter and fruits. Sorr'an sat on a chair in the corner where the table stood and munched on a strip of bacon. I nodded my good morning to all three and took a place, digging in. "It's delicious, Gerald, Elise!" I said between bites but otherwise the meal was spent in silence and not a very comfortable one.

When I was done, I stood up and looked at Sorr'an. "Have you packed your backpack?" The catboy nodded and before he could say anything I added. "I need a droplet of blood for this magic compass. This way the needle will always point in your direction and if we are divided I can find you. This one," I pointed at the deep violet digit, "shows my position."

Sorr'an nodded, took a small knife and held his thumb over the remaining black needle. The moment he cut his finger Elise dropped a heavy iron pan, the clattering sound startling the catboy and me and he smeared his blood all over the compass.

"I'm sorry, I hope I didn't ruin anything..." Elise stammered out.

"Nah, it's okay." I calmed her and washed the compass in a nearby bowl of water. When all blood was washed away I could see the black needle turned blue at the base that turned into a crimson red towards the tip. "It worked, so everything is fine." I regarded Gerald. "Have you prepared something for the first days of our journey?"

Gerald nodded. "Of course Master Niven." He offered both Sorr'an and me a bundle. "Smoked sausages, beef jerky, salt meat, dried fruits and zwieback. And for the next few days I also added salted fish and for today fresh fish," he looked at Sorr'an, "and fresh fruits." He looked at me. Then the servant laid a small package on each of the bundles. "Flints, white iron pyrite and waterproof packed spunk. I even got each of you a pack of matches." When I started to protest Gerald held up his hand. "I know Master Niven, you insist that you don't need them but they may come in handy. And here are your waterskins." He handed me a big one that could be attached to the backpack and a smaller one for the belt. He gave Sorr'an a smaller one, too, and then, while handing him the taller one, added: "In this one is milk. Elise cooked it so it should be stable for a few days." A big grin appeared on the catboy's face and he took the tube and hugged first the medium who looked a little surprised then Elise who blushed a little. Gerald showed me three small pouches. "Here, this is Elise's spice mix, mine and this is the concentrated salt mix that you can use to corn meat underway." He tied the three bags together with a leather cord and offered me them. I took them with a handshake and thank you, smiling at Elise whose blush intensified some. I saw some motion out of the corner of my eyes but when I turned my head I could only see the impassive face of Gerald and Sorr'an sniggered softly away.

I shook my head and said my goodbye then left to the last place I needed to visit before we could leave. Sorr'an silently followed me, the backpack we bought yesterday for him on his shoulders. When I reached my room I pressed my hands against a panel, concentrated for a moment and then the tile slid soundlessly back. In the small alcove hung weapons at the wall and I glided my hand over them. I then took a two-edged poniard and slid it in a scabbard of my right bootleg, an overlong stiletto with a dark green marbled blade into my left sheathe and a jet-black katzbalger in the right sheathe at my belt. A scabbard for six throwing knives was attached to me right rear and one for four to my left rear. At the end I hid a dirk and a hunting knife behind my vest. I secured all weapons with leather strap so that they couldn't clatter against each other. I then looked at Sorr'an who had watched me getting armed. "Hey Sorr'an, do you know how to fight with weapons?"

Sorr'an nodded. "I know. But I only use these." With this he protracted his talons; his fingernails getting longer, stronger, thicker and pointier; the edges seemingly very sharp. I thought for a moment -- there were two weapons in the alcove I never had used but I kept them because of their beauty and mysterious power they held which I wasn't able to decipher so far. I took them out of their holder, showing them to Sorr'an. They were two katars with a leather harness but instead of a blade that pointed straight forward it stuck out in a right angle and then were crooked backwards till they paralleled to the forearms like a bent back claw. Sorr'an breathed in sharply and then took a tentative step towards me. "N'rrors! Where did you get these?"

"I can't remember." I lied nonchalantly. Sorr'an didn't seem to notice because he lifted his arms like he was in trance. "Do you know what they are?"

"Yes. They are N'rrors. The claws of a Katze king. These weapons were used when all Katze tribes had a leader, hundreds of big wheels of the moon ago." Centimeters before his fingers touched the blade he looked in my eyes. "Can I touch them?"

I shrugged and turned them over and he buckled them on. They fitted well. "Do you know how to use them?"

Sorr'an shook his head and stepped back, swung his arms testing around. Unfastening them he presented them back to me hesitantly. "Here..."

"Take them. I tried them but they don't really suit my fighting style."

"Really?" Sorr'an looked at me disbelieving.

"Sure. I rather have a good armed comrade at my side."

"Wow, thank you!" The catboy took a step towards and opened his arms as if he wanted to hug me but then faltered and let them drop. "Erm... Thank you."

"You're welcome. But keep them in your backpack for the time being." I turned and reached for a jewel box that stood at the bottom of the alcove. Opening it I took out four small pouches and let one slip into the bootleg of my left boot, pressed against a hidden mechanism with the tip of one dagger and hid another bag in the case that jumped out of the boot heel. The third went into an inside pocket of my vest and I threw the fourth to Sorr'an who was still inspecting the... N'rrors. Damn, this language is damn hard to pronounce. He caught it. "Good reflexes. This pouch contains money, enough to get you down to Driamor, the city we think your tribe isn't far away from. If we ever get separated you can use it to purchase things. Watch me use the money and I will teach you what to do with it but whatever you do, never lose the pouch. Keep it hidden till I think you're good enough to use it on your own. And don't let some cut-purse steal the money, so wear it close to your body. Understood?" Sorr'an nodded.

"Okay, I see you have hidden your tail, that's good. You should also always wear the hood attached to your shirt on your head while we're underway, because we don't want you recognized as a Katze." Sorr'an put on his hood that his cat ears quite well. "Good, then let's get going. If we hurry we might reach an inn to stay the night."

We reached the inn at dusk, a small house at a crossing. Farmers from the surrounding areas met here to drink and for travelers it was the last roadhouse before Arrandar -- or the first one behind the city. We entered the dining area, the air heavy with the mixture of tobacco and grass that the farmers smoked and the smell of alcohol, sweat and food.

"Okay Sorr'an, take a place while I get us some food and a pitcher of beer." The catboy nodded, slid his backpack from his shoulder and took a seat at a small table in a corner. I went to the counter and greeted the barkeeper. "Good evening. What's for dinner tonight?"

The barman, a thin man with small eyes that darted nervously around and straggly, greasy dark hair, pointed over his shoulder. "We slaughtered a lamb. So lamb roast with mashed potatoes."

"Good, two servings and a pitcher of beer and two mugs. Do you serve?"

The barkeeper snorted. "No. Wait a minute." He went to the grill and cut two portions of lamb roast then added what looked like yellow mucus to the plates and set it down in front of me. He took a pitcher, dipped it into a big barrel and filled it with beer. Two wooden beakers completed my order. "Four copper coins."

"I want a room with two beds."

"Okay, we have one free. Seven copper coins then." He placed a key on the counter.

I counted the money on the table, taking the money not from one of my pouches but from my trouser pockets where I kept a small amount of coins. I took the key, plates and mugs, turned and saw Sorr'an watching me. Good, that was his first lecture on money. I put the plates and beakers down on the table and took a seat. Before I could say a thing a man stepped to our table. He was tall, slim and had wavy white hair but was young. An aquiline nose dominated his face and contrasted his noble facial feature. He wore a long, blue robe, no ornaments or embroideries decorating it.

"Good evening gentlemen. I saw you walking down the street. You're leaving the city, right?" He didn't let me answer. "I think it would be much safer to travel at a party of three, don't you think. The chance that some highwayman will try anything is much smaller. I would like to accompany you -- I will be of help, no question about it!"

I scrutinized him for a moment. No tattoos but he didn't show much skin so perhaps he was an adept or young mage. I thought for a moment before replying. "No thank you Sir, we prefer it to travel alone. But thank you for your offer."

It seemed he wanted to say something but kept quiet, tipped his forehead with his index finger and left. We dug in, I with cutlery and Sorr'an with his fingers. 'Okay, we have to work on that but for now it's okay.' The catboy didn't touch the mashed potatoes but only ate the roast. I couldn't blame him because from close range the slime looked even more disgusting though it thankfully was tasteless. The roast on the other hand was quite delicious. We ate in silence, washed down the food with the beer, then got up and went to our room through a narrow floor.

As soon as we entered the room Sorr'an shrugged the backpack from his shoulder and arched his back. "It's heavy!" he complained.

"You don't wear backpacks in your tribe?"

"We do, but not the hunters and warriors. They only hinder us!"

"Well, we have a long journey ahead of us and I won't carry your stuff!"

Sorr'an only nodded and plopped down on the bed. I put my own rucksack down, got rid of my vest, leather trousers and boots and sat down on my bunk. After some moments Sorr'an asked: "What happens when we get attacked? The seconds it takes to put down the bag..."




Puppeteer Ch. 08



Before he could continue I walked to my backpack and took out two buckles. I kneeled down in front of Sorr'an's knapsack and waved him beside me. "Watch me." I unwound the straps and then threaded each of them through a buckle. "Okay, put it on." The Katze sighed but did as I told him. "Okay, now push at the buckles like that." I showed him the motions and Sorr'an imitated them and the rucksack fell to the ground, the straps loose around his feet. "The straps and buckles will hold the backpack but release them if you lift them the right way."

The catboy blinked then grinned at me. "Great! Show me again how to thread them!" I did and it only took two attempts till he figured it out. He tried it twice more and then was satisfied with the results.

Sitting on the edge of his bed he rolled his shoulders and groaned. I massaged my temples for a moment and then decided to help him out. It wouldn't help us if he would be all stiff the next morning. I sat behind him and gently laid my hands on his shoulders. When he turned his head and looked puzzled at me said to him: "Okay, just a short massage to loosen up your muscles so that you're not sore tomorrow. You get used to wearing a backpack soon but till then..." I started to knead his shoulder, my thumbs easing tensed muscles. Soon I was captivated with the warmth that seeped through his shirt, the feeling of the soft and strong flesh under it. Sorr'an leaned back and started to purr. I unconsciously doubled my efforts and then Sorr'an rested his head against my shoulder, his smell invading my nostrils. I blinked and retreated up my hands. 'No, not again.' I cleared my throat. "I think I loosened up enough... I mean, I loosened you up enough. Time for bed, we should get moving in the early morning hours!" With this I went to my bed, not caring to undress further. I just hoped to fall asleep soon.

I woke up an hour before dawn and got up. I wanted to get start as early as possible because it was a four days march to the next city and there were no towns or inns on the road from now. So the earlier we get going the faster we would arrive at Dal Beron. I lighted a candle and while dressing softly called out Sorr'an's name. The catboy lifted his head and looked a little sleepily at me. "Come on, get dressed and we will get moving."

Mumbling something unintelligible Sorr'an pushed back the duvet and sat up. He was naked! I looked away instantly before I realized that I behaved completely stupidly. Sorr'an was a very good looking young man who didn't seem to have problems when someone saw his body, so why not enjoy the view? I looked back and saw how he pulled up his underwear and covered his butt. Damn, now I missed the best part. I enjoyed watching Sorr'an getting dressed -- graceful motions, almost no sounds. He always moved like that I realized. When he was done he looked over his shoulder and asked: "You ready?"

I shook my head and pulled on my boots and vest and then we took our backpacks and left the room. The kitchen was already quite busy, the landlady and two younger maidens preparing the breakfast. We got sliced roast -- leftovers from the previous evening -- cheese, bread and water as a cold breakfast for two coins, refilled our waterskins and then we left the inn and walked down the road.

It was an hour before dusk when we looked for a place to set up a camp for the night, the right time before it went too dark to do so. We had walked the whole day in silence; I tried to sort out my thoughts and dreams, Arias' warning in the back of my mind. I had caught Sorr'an once or twice as he had looked at me but I guessed he was just trying to figure out his travel companion.

We found a small clearing that was a little offside the road and had a small dinner with bread, fruits and fish which Sorr'an generously shared with me. I didn't want to set up a fire because of robberies that happened the last weeks between Arrandar and Dal Beron. It was a little after dusk, we had finished our meal a few minutes ago, when I heard a rustling followed by the sound of breaking branches. A quick glance to Sorr'an showed me that he had heard it, too. I held up my hand and signaled to a tree and the catboy hid behind it. I took a tree close to his and we waited for a moment and then we heard a curse. A moment later there was a flickering light and then it brightened, indicating that someone set up a fire. I looked around the tree and saw the silhouette of a person standing against the fire, their back to me. They looked into the flames and that was their mistake because that made them blind towards everything that was in the darkness around them.

After a small hand sign Sorr'an slid behind a bush that was a few meters to the person's left and I silently approached the figure; my right hand at my short sword, my left at my throwing knives. When I was five meters away the person spun around, calling into the darkness. 

"Who's there?"

I drew my katzbalger and took a quick step to the right and two towards them, ready to attack when I recognized them. It was the guy from last night who wanted to travel with us. I lowered my weapon and took another step forward. "You shouldn't start a fire and stare into it, you know? There are bandits around."

A relieved smile appeared on the man's face. "Oh, it's you. What a coincidence. Where's your companion?"

I lifted a brow. "Turn around. But I would do so cautiously."

The man turned and froze. Sorr'an stood about half a meter away from him, slightly crouching in an attacking stance. The guy hissed. "Call him back!"

"What, you think I'm his master or what? But okay. Sorr'an, it's okay. I don't think he's a threat." Sorr'an scrutinized the guy and then relaxed slightly, rounding the man till he stood at my side. "You should extinguish the fire or else you are an easy target for robbers."

Smiling the guy brought out a simple stone that had a rune imprinted on it and threw it beside the fire. A second later I couldn't see the fire anymore and after the man took two steps he was also out of sight but the crackling sound from fire could still be heard. I took Sorr'an's hand and pulled him with me behind the guy and suddenly the fire was back in sight, blinding me momentarily.

"So you are a mage. I thought so. A Lichtbeuger, nice. But you know the fire is still audible and can be smelt.

The guy waved my objection aside. "The light would have betrayed me but robbers normally don't listen carefully and as long as we don't cook meat and keep the fire alive without smoke I don't think they can smell us."

I thought about his arguments. He was arrogant but most likely right. "Well okay, but if you don't want to use the fire for cooking, what do you need it for then?"

"It's cold without one, don't you think? I also like it's cozy atmosphere." I blinked. Cold? It was late summer and still warm enough to sleep under the sky without a blanket! "But why don't we sit down? I invite you to my fire, so we can talk. I like company and perhaps we can travel tomorrow together? If there are robbers it would be much safer. My name is Welf. Welf el'Aman nat'Murna. But Welf will be sufficient."

I looked at Sorr'an who shrugged. "Well, thank you for the offer. We will take it. My name is Niven and this is Sorr'an. We will fetch our backpacks and then join you." Welf nodded and we turned and went to our first campsite.

"How did he make the fire disappear?" Sorr'an wanted to know.

"He used a Lichtbeuger, a stone that contains a spell that deflects the light so that you can't see what's happening in a circle where the Lichtbeuger works." Sorr'an nodded and kept his face straight. "It's magic." I added.

"Yeah, I understood that. You think it will work?"

"Well, it tricked you, right?"

Sorr'an snorted and picked up his backpack then returned to the campfire and I followed him with my rucksack in hands. Welf had set up a tripod, a water-filled kettle dangled from it over the fire. He looked up when we sat down. "Ah, you're back. Excuse me for a moment, I have to attend to personal needs." With this he stood up and vanished into the dark.

I looked at Sorr'an. "What do you think about him?" I asked quietly.

"I don't know. He's a little weird, smells weird. But he tries to hide it."

"Well, he's a magician. Be careful around him, okay?"

Some moments later Welf returned and took three cups out of his knapsack. He filled them with hot, steaming water and then gave one to each of us. He opened a pouch that dangled at the rope that was slung around his waist, took some red-looking leafs out of it and added them to the water in our mugs. "These are southern cherry leafs, they have a mild aroma and help to relax." he explained. I looked warily at the cup in my hands but when Welf added the same leafs from the same pouch to his own water and took a sip I tasted it, too. It was a little bitter with hints of cherry and actually tasted quite well.

"It's good. May I ask where you learned and what kind of magician you are?"

"I was taught by a mage that lived alone in a desert far south from here. He taught me the art of seeing in a magic way, to observe my surrounding with magic eyes."

"Which university took your test and initiated you?"

Welf blushed a little and scratched his cheek, avoiding my gaze. "I didn't get initiated yet. That's why I'm traveling over the continent, from university to university."

"Who tested you at Arrandar?"

"Lady Nad'Norna."

"Belathia? But she's the First Magicae Communicatia of the West. Why would she test an unknown scholar from another special field?"

"Lord Warko wasn't available and he took his whole staff with him on an expedition. The First Magicae looked at all scholars and then decided to test me." Well, Lord Warko was famous that he almost never was at the university but taking one expedition after another. That Belathia chose this boy to test him was no wonder -- he was quite attractive and that small blush on his cheek gave him an innocent note that made him even more appealing.

"She... tested you, hmm? I wonder why you haven't passed; young, healthy men are her favorite... test-objects."

Welf blushed more and coughed. "I couldn't help her with what she wanted because I'm not interested in that way."

I grinned and nodded. "I see and she let you fail. Sounds like her."

Looking at Sorr'an Welf commented: "He's not very talkative, is he?"

"No, he likes to keep to himself."

Welf nodded and we talked for a little longer and then decided to go to sleep, so I rested my head on my backpack and fell asleep. I knew if Welf would try anything I would wake up and Sorr'an didn't seem to have a deep sleep, too. Besides Welf was an adept of magic seeing and that didn't pose a big threat.

The next day we traveled in a group of three. Welf was nice company. A little chatty but it was endurable. His Lichtbeuger was a good thing so we could set up a fire at night. While I sparked the campfire that evening Sorr'an let his backpack slide down to the ground and groaned, rolling his shoulders. 

Welf looked at him. "Well Sorr'an, are you stiff? These backpacks can be a pain in the ass, right?" The catboy nodded. "I can give massages. If you want, I would relax your muscles a little. Sit down."

Sorr'an did as he was told and Welf kneeled behind him, starting to run his hands over the little guy's back. I squinted my eyes when the scholar slipped his hands under Sorr'an's shirt and kneaded the shoulders. The catboy started to purr in a low voice and then leaned back, pressing into the touches.

"I'll go and get some firewood; perhaps you two can make yourselves useful and boil some water." I snapped at them and then left the clearing. I fumed -- massages could be done later, it was time to set up the camp! I hit my fist against a tree when the images of Sorr'an leaning purring back into other hands flashed through my minds. Anyway, firewood.

When I returned to the camp Welf flashed me a smirk but I ignored it, took my meal and then laid down immediately -- if they want to exchange massages I wasn't needed.

The next day's travel was uncomfortable. Welf was talkative as ever but I didn't want to listen, didn't want to hear that bugging voice.

When we struck a camp this evening Welf offered Sorr'an another massage and I left to get firewood. 'One has to take care of the chores!' When I was back they had started a fire with the few branches that were scattered over the clearance and a steamy cup waited on my place. Sorr'an looked sleepy, his eyes drooping. 'Pfft, massages wear you out...'

I took a seat and drank the hot, flavored water. "Go to sleep Sorr'an, if you're tired. We need to get up early tomorrow and perhaps we can reach Dal Beron by nightfall."

Sorr'an didn't react. "Hey, did you hear me? Sorr'an?"

It was Welf who answered. "I think he's a little indisposed." He walked around me and presented me his bare forearm, holding it in front of my face while kneeling behind me. I could see a black-inked tattoo; a circle made out of words I couldn't decipher, snakes winded around them, a heptagram in the ring, double-lined and in its center a claw that looked like it reached out of it. Before I could react he drew back his arm and then closed my eyelids with his fingers. I tried to open them again but I couldn't. I panicked and tried to stand up but my body disobeyed my order.

Welf's voice sounded. "Don't try to move, you won't be able to do so. And now that your eyes are closed you won't be able to use your powers, demoneyes!" I mentally cringed with the words. "You were too careless, Puppeteer. Did you think I didn't recognize what you are? Oh, perhaps you thought that I, a small scholar of magic seeing who learned in a secluded desert, wouldn't know of your kind. But maybe you know the tattoo that is inked on my forearm?"

His voice took a proud and arrogant tinge. "The Black University of Udwayon. We have the best demonologists in whole Suenarie. So of course I know about cursed demons in human forms like you."

I could feel his breath against my ear when he leaned forward. "But your companion, the reason you're so jealous, is even more interesting. A Katze. Did you think I wouldn't notice? When we meet at the clearing that evening? His claws were prolonged. And his name, such a nice Katze name." Welf chuckled. "His name. You revealed his true name to me. How delicious. All I had to do was to beshrew the leafs of the demon cherry with a Morkran'ol curse and direct it to him."

Welf's voice now sounded farther away. "I don't think a low being like you knows anything about this curse, this poison. Morkran'ols are demons that fulfils your desire; the desire of lust and flesh. But they make you addicted; you cannot find pleasure and satisfaction anymore in what humans can offer. You crave for their service till they devour you and make you their slave.

Their curse is not that harsh but heat will fill your veins. First you fall asleep, like that Katze here did, but when you wake up, you seek, no, you need release again and again. You will fall for the one that gives it to you first, become their slave and obey their wishes even if they destroy you."

Welf was silent for a moment and then his breath fell in my face when he spoke again. "I will give this Katze his first release after letting him suffer for as long as possible. Did you know that the longer the release is denied the worse the pain and heat become? But if it is given then, the devotion of the slave to his master is even bigger!

I don't like man despite all my flirting -- oh how funny you acted -- so the Katze won't enjoy the release but that's not important. I have thought about what I will do with him once he's my slave. I could sell him to an immensely rich merchant. The transfer of my control over the Katze to a new owner is exhausting but for enough money it's doable.

Or I will whore him out -- do you know that only the richest merchants, magicians and politicians can afford a Katze slave? They are rare these days. I heard that Katzes make great pleasure slaves once they are tamed. So when I whore him out I will do society a favor, don't you think. Spreading joy and fun among so many people...

And when he's broken and decrepit I will give him to people who pay to torture him beyond repair, to death if they want. Did you know there are people who love it to agonize and torment someone till they die a long, painful death? I once saw it -- it's not a nice view, but they pay very much money and I think they will pay even more for a Katze.

Then I can sell his tail, slice per slice. His tail alone is worth a fortune! I think I will keep some slices for me. I've heard the effect is incredible.

What do you think demoneyes? Does it sound like a good plan to you?"

The demonologist took my chin roughly in his hands and nodded my head harshly. "Thought so. It's only a pity that I met you two together. I can't cast a curse for two people at once and you have to admit a Katze is worth more money -- who would pay to have sex with you? Perhaps some magicians would want you because of your eyes, but not nearly as much as I will earn with the Katze.

Still, a Puppeteer to my every beck and call, it was tempting. But don't fear, your death won't be without profit for me. I will take your treasures, your eyes. Maybe I can learn something from them? Or my master will be thankful to get such nice study objects."

I could feel a sharp blade pressed against my eyelids. After a moment it wandered down to my throat. "I'm not a cruel man, Puppeteer. I will kill you before I cut out these gates to hell. You should be grateful."

The pressure against my skin rose, nicked it and Welf hissed: "Now die, demoneyes!"

>>

That's it for now. I hope you enjoyed the chapter - I did enjoy writing it!

I guess not everyone knows what the weapons Niven wears looks like, so here are some links with description, picture and stuff:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Katzbalger

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Poniard

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stilletto

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dirk



Puppeteer Ch. 09



Hello and welcome to chapter 9! Let's see if Niven survives and Sorr'an can escape slavery... Hope you enjoy! Special thanks to my great beta Cassiopeia.

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Demon, Heat and Fire

The knife was pressed against my skin and I felt a sharp pain before the pressure vanished. I heard a surprised yelp, a warm liquid splashed on my face, flowed down my skin and dripped into my slightly open mouth. A metallic-sweet taste invaded my taste buds -- blood! I heard a thump as if a something dropped to the ground, a gurgling sound reaching my ears. Two hands grabbed my shoulders and I was gently shaken.

"Niven? Niven, are you okay?" Sorr'an's voice sounded close to my face. I tried to reply but I was still paralyzed. "Niven!" The shaking became more insistent, then it stopped and I could hear the catboy sniffing me. He gently lifted me up and lowered me to the ground, resting my back against the trunk I have been sitting on. Footsteps departed and I sat there; darkness around me and the crackle of the fire the only thing I could hear.

I don't know how long I sat there but it felt like an eternity before feeling crawled back in my limbs, a tingle in my muscle that started to sting and burn. I slowly opened my eyes, my surroundings a bleary darkness interspersed with bright spots. Blinking I tried to clear my vision and squinted my eyes when I looked into the fire. A few moments later contours sharpened and I looked around. I rested my gaze on a body whose limbs stuck out of it in unnatural angles. There was a puddle of blood under its neck and I shakily stood up, taking a tentative step towards the corpse. It was Welf, his throat a bloody mass like it was pierced from the neck and ripped open by fangs.

I kicked his side and stomach for good measurement, the sickening sound of breaking bones giving me a weird satisfaction. "Taking my eyes, taking my life, hmm?" I stomped on his chest, ribs scrunching under the sole of my boots. "Whoring him out, breaking his will?" A sudden rage filled my mind and I attacked the corpse. "Making him your slave? Cutting off his tail? Torture him to death?!" I stopped violating Welf's body, taking a few deep breaths to calm myself down.

I looked around. No Sorr'an in sight. I started searching and it didn't take me long because I could hear his stifled groans. When I stepped onto a clearance I saw the catboy's hunched silhouette leaning against a tree. He panted heavily and his right hand moved frantically up and down somewhere around his groin. He suddenly stiffened and let out a gasp, resting his forehead against the trunk before he threw back his head and growling out a frustrated. His left hand clawed into the bark of the trunk he stood at and then his right hand sped up again. 

'Damn, the curse. He needs release and it seems his own hand isn't doing the trick.'

I called out softly. "Sorr'an?"

Stopping his motions Sorr'an looked in my direction, turning his body away from me. "Go away!" he growled out.

"Sorr'an, I don't know how to help you but..."

"Go away! JUST GO AWAY!" he screamed.

I blinked and then returned to the campfire. I stopped when I entered the site -- something was off. The fire burnt higher, green and violet flames licked at the wood without consuming it. Suddenly a creature stepped out of it -- black skin and diffused outlines -- and leaned over Welf before straightening up.

"Come out Puppeteer. I can see and smell you."

I cautiously stepped on the clearing. "What are you?"

Turning towards me the creature's body flared up and suddenly a beautiful woman stood before me with porcelain skin, heart-shaped face with full lips, dark hazel eyes, framed by straight, ebony hair. A slender neck melted into narrow shoulders, a hand glided over firm, small breasts, a flat stomach towards her crotch where she rubbed gently, pushing her index finger into her. A small moan escaped her lips before she replied with a honey-sweet voice: "I can be your wildest dream." Tilting her head she smirked. "Perhaps you want me more like this?" Again its form flared up and there stood a young man, strong shoulders, medium long, wavy dark hair, high cheekbones and a sultry smile on his lips. A quick check confirmed that he was naked, too. "You seem to have many fantasies, and I can make them all come true." The voice was velvety but definitely manly and with a cock of his hips he strolled towards me. "Now I know it, perhaps we start with someone like that." Another flare up and Sorr'an stood in front of me. Well, something that looked like Sorr'an. It took another step to me but then suddenly hissed, looking behind me, twisting its face in a way that deformed it into a demonic grimace. I looked over my shoulder and saw the real Sorr'an, his talons prolonged, stalking towards us. The demon retreated a few meters and spat: "Keep him away from me!"

I reached out for Sorr'an and stopped him in his tracks. He stiffened but stood still. "What are you?"

"I'm a Morkran'ol."

'Oh, the demon Welf talked about.' I furrowed my brows. "What do you want here?"

Pointing at the corpse the Morkran'ol replied: "I'm here to claim what's mine. Hold back this... thing," it nodded at Sorr'an, "and I will leave immediately."

"This thing?"

"Yes... I can't see him clearly, he's... Colorless. Unshaped." It sniffed. "There's just a faint scent of my smell, but it's oppressed, mangled and perverted."

I blinked. 'Perverted? And that from a demon whose power is perversity.' Then I remembered Welf's words. When you wake up, you seek, no, you need release again and again. You will fall for the one that gives it to you first, become their slave and obey their wishes even if they destroy you. I took a step forward. "Is he infected with your curse?" I demanded to know.

"I don't know."

"Tell me or we will destroy you!"

"I don't know!" the demon answered, its voice holding an edge of panic.

"Will he become a slave to the one that gives him release?"

"I can't say. He may. I really don't know." Its face took a pleading mien. "Don't destroy me. I you do, there will be others coming after you, so please don't."

I scrutinized it. 'Demons rarely tell the truth but this one actually seems scared though you never can tell with a demon, especially if it's a seducer.' I pondered our options. "Okay, fuck off. Never come close to us again!" I threatened.

Nodding the Morkran'ol scampered to Welf's corpse, shouldered it and then stepped into the fire which blazed up and enveloped them, then they vanished and the fire returned to a normal color at normal height. I looked at Sorr'an who relaxed slightly but then shuddered and turned to leave again.

"Don't Sorr'an."

"I need to... I can't stay..."

"I know what you need to, but please... Don't go away, I don't mind." He looked doubting at me. "I mean... You can't help it and I don't want you wander around in the darkness while you are... distracted. It still is dangerous out here. Bandits and wild animals, you know?"

Sorr'an looked at me for a few moments and walked to the border of the glade. He peeked over his shoulder and I thought I saw him blush a little before he turned and reached into his pants. I sat down with my back to him, trying to ignore the pants and moans. Mental images of Sorr'an jerking off flashed through my mind completely unwanted. I willed them away, concentrating on the fire when I heard a knocking sound turned around, seeing Sorr'an pounding a fist against a trunk. Welf's voice resounded in my head. Becomes their slave... Sorr'an muttered something unintelligible. Obeys every wish... The catboy growled. The longer the release is denied the worse the pain and heat becomes. Sorr'an let out a desperate mewl. I clenched my fists then got up, fumbling in my vest pocket and got out one of the bottles I didn't want to take from Arias. Stepping behind Sorr'an who stiffened when he recognized my presence I gently said: "I hope the curse is only giving you the heat. But there's no use in letting you die because of it, so..."

I uncapped the bottle, smeared the cool liquid on my right hand and gently reached around for Sorr'an's dick. It was scorching hot -- damn, how long was he rubbing it? I applied the cold lube over his rock-hard penis and Sorr'an relaxed a little, leaning back against me. I explained: "This lubricant has a cooling and slightly healing effect in case... smaller wounds appear... I think it will help your abused dick." I massaged the lube into the overheated skin and his dickhead and Sorr'an's head lolled back, resting against my shoulder. I soon supported his weight; my left hand came down to reach into his pants and massaged his balls. The velvety feeling against my fingertips surprised me -- fur covered his sac instead of hair and it felt so soft, so nice against my fingers. Sorr'an started to growl and buck up into my hand and I decided to give him what he obviously needed. With a good hold on his cock I let my thumb rub over the underside of his dickhead, increasing the pressure and the catboy pushed his face in the nook of my neck. His whole body stiffened, his tail wrapping around our waists and then he jerked in my hold while semen shot out of his dick, splattering against the tree and covering my hand. I gently massaged his balls and dick till it started to grow soft, Sorr'an relaxed in my hold and I kissed his temple, carefully stuffing his overused appendage back into his pants.

I supported the catboy while we returned to the fire. "Sit down." I said and Sorr'an complied. I felt unease rise in my chest. "Stand up!" I ordered. He blinked but followed my orders. "Sit down!" Sorr'an sat down, confusion written on his face. I panicked. "Stand up!" I commanded.

The catboy snorted and rolled his shoulders. "I'm a little too tired for such games, you know."

I sighed in relief. "Good. I thought... Not important." I sat beside him and asked: "Is it better now?"

Sorr'an nodded and suddenly hugged me tightly. "Yeah, thank you." He blushed. "I'm sorry you had to do this."

I patted his back and waved his comment aside. "No problem, it wasn't a burden..." I went quiet and after a long moment of awkward silence I cleared my throat. "You should go to bed, it was an exhausting day." I cursed silently -- could I be anymore ambiguous? "I will keep watch, so you can rest peacefully."

"Watch? But we didn't have a watch the last days. The Lichtbeuger still works, right?"

I nodded. "Yeah, just in case another demon will come back." It was a lie but I needed to calm down -- giving release to Sorr'an gave me quite a problem. Sorr'an watched me for a moment and then went to sleep. Soon he snored quietly and I let my mind wander. The Morkran'ol shifted into a woman and a man and that was no surprise. But transforming into Sorr'an finally... And I kissed the catboy when he came -- and if felt natural to do so. I rubbed a hand over my face, feeling something crusty. Lowering it I watched my palm and saw dark-red crumbs -- Welf's blood. I poured some water in my hands and washed the remaining stains away, the cold liquid cooling me down. I decided I pondered enough this night and went to sleep, too.

I woke up the next morning, a slightly familiar weight on top of me. I opened my eyes and blinked groggily till I could see bright green eyes staring into mine. "Good morning, Niven." Sorr'an said huskily. I remained still, captivated by these eyes, so warm and sensual. The Katze lowered his head till his forehead rested against mine. He spoke softly against my lips: "Can I ask for your help again?"

"My help?" I asked confusedly. Sorr'an thrust his groin into my hips. "Oh... Still the curse I guess?" The catboy remained silent and I reached for my vest, pulling out the bottle from yesterday. Lubing my fingers I asked him to lift his hips and he did as told. Reaching in his trousers I fisted his already leaking dick and started to spread the lubricant over the velvety flesh. Sorr'an pushed into my hand, a low purr rumbling in his chest. His lips were only an inch apart from mine and his thigh rubbed against my morning hardness teasingly. I shivered and felt my control slip away. I stopped and loosened my hold on the Katze's dick. Sorr'an growled disappointedly. "Hush... Turn around, I don't want you to soil our clothes when you come." The Katze complied and wriggled a little till he found a comfortable position. I resumed my ministration of his penis and he moaned in response. Automatically my free hand caressed his stomach before slipping in his trouser, fondling his testis. Oh, how great they felt in my palm, the fluffy fur-covered sac so soft against my skin. I stifled a moan; his thigh wasn't pressing against my groin anymore but therefore his wonderful butt rubbed against it and a cat ear tickled my nose. I doubled my efforts to bring him to fruition. 'I just can't lose my control -- I can't!' Sorr'an's scent invaded my nostrils and I threw back my head, increasing the pressure on his dick as much as I deemed enjoyable. The Katze mewled softly then pushed up and moaned, his cock pulsing strongly in my hand. His essence spurted out and I even got some on my chin, then Sorr'an melted into a purring mass, snuggling against me. "A shooter..." I murmured.

Sorr'an tilted his head lightly. "Shooter?" he asked in a low purr.

"Yeah... It just means that you shoot your semen quite far..."

Sorr'an blinked. "Is this good?"

"It means nothing." I replied. He didn't have to know that I kinda deemed it sexy. I wiped my hand against the leaves on the ground. "Come on, get up. If we hurry we can get to the next city today."

Sorr'an gently laid his hand on mine that was still holding his spent dick and urged it to put it back in his pants. I did so and retreated both hands when the Katze turned, smiled at me and nuzzled my neck. "I can help you out with that, too." He purred and gently rubbed his palm against my highly aroused hardness.

I closed my eyes and gritted my teeth. "No, we need to get moving or we won't make it today. I want a bed tonight."

I opened my eyes and saw a bright smirk on Sorr'an's lips. "I see; a bed. Well, then let's get going so we have a bed tonight." He rolled from me and started to pack his things. I blinked and got up, too, trying to will down my arousal. 'That will be one hell of a journey today.'

--------------Later this evening-----------------

I sighed in relief when the city gates came in sight. I had tried to walk in front of Sorr'an the whole day so that I didn't have to look at him but he had insisted to walk beside me and my gaze had drifted to the Katze again and again. When I lifted my hand to scratch my nose or chin I had the musky scent of his dick, balls or semen in my nostrils. It unnerved me how my body reacted to it and walking long with a raging hard-on just wasn't comfortable. I would have to do something about it or this journey would become a long torture and I had a plan.

It was an hour after dawn and the gates were already closed so I pounded against the metal door that was embedded into the gates. After a moment a spyhole opened and a watchman's face appeared.

"What do you want so late in the night?"

"We're sorry but we were surprised by the nightfall. Can we please come in?"

"No!" barked the man in a harsh tone of voice. "After sunset only people with an official passport from the city elders are allowed to pass."

I rummaged in my vest pocket. "Perhaps this is equally sufficient?" I handed the watch guard a copy of Arias' signet that carried his magical signature. Surely the guard wouldn't be able to see it but Arias was a very well-known man in Meygran and in Tamspod he was popular and his official seal a sign that the person wearing it is trustworthy.

The watchman took the round, flat stone and examined it, looked at me before returning it nodding. He opened the small door and waved us inside. "The next time be here before nightfall, understood?"

"Yes, we're sorry." I quickly walked down the road. I knew my way around in Dal Beron because I was in this city quite often. There was an inn, the Steel Keg, I stayed regularly at when taking a break for a night on my journeys and I led us there. It was a big, two-storied house that stood alone in the middle of the Soaker's Square; a name the Steel Keg helped to shape. Entering the bustling taproom I could smell the typical odor of An Old Man's Feet -- a special kind of tobacco they served here with home-brewed beer called Cat Piss. Despite their names both tasted quite good and I spent many evenings and hours enjoying both in not very healthy amounts but tonight I needed something else. I stepped up to the counter, greeting the barkeeper. "Hello Raffy. How are you doing these days?"

A middle-aged, tall man with black hair, which showed hints of a silvery grey, and a soft face with light blue eyes turned and grinned friendly. "Niven, long time no see." He rounded the bar and embraced me in a big hug. "Things are fine -- even in the worst times people drink and smoke, perhaps even more than in good times." He pulled back a little, his big hands resting on my shoulders. "You look good. Too bad Marna ain't here today." I winced a little and Raffy laughed. "Don't fear, I think she would have emptied a pitcher of beer over your head but then hugged you. As she always does when you return after a long time of absence, though this time the part where you two went upstairs would have been canceled. She's married now and in good hope."

I blinked surprised. "Really?" I smiled. "Well, I'm happy for her."

Raffy nodded. "I know. Now, who's your companion here?" He looked at Sorr'an.

"He's... a friend." I answered.

"A friend, right..." The barkeeper lifted a brow but didn't say anything further. I was glad that he was a good friend and knew when to be discreet -- a quality good barmen always have. 

Looking around confirmed my worry that we drew quite some attraction with Raffy greeting me soundly and Sorr'an hooded in his coat. "Hear Raffy, can you give us a room with two beds and bring him a good serving of meat with a mug of beer?" I looked at the Katze. "You don't smoke, do you?" The catboy shook his head.

"You don't want anything?" Raffy asked.

"No, I just put down my things; I have something to take care of."

Fumbling under his apron Raffy conjured up a key and gave it to me. I motioned to Sorr'an to go upstairs and followed him. When we entered the room the catboy and I set our backpacks down. "Okay listen, you will get a meal soon and some beer to wash it down. I'm leaving but I won't be away very long."

"Where are you going?"

"Nothing important, just something I have to take care of. Enjoy the beer and tell Raffy if you want more. Perhaps we take a day off after all what happened last night with Welf." Sorr'an looked at me a little lost when I turned to leave and I was tempted to ruffle his hair but left the inn.

I went south and just before the working class neighborhood degenerated I arrived at my destination. Red lanterns swung above a sign, illuminating it. It read 'Lady Mireille and her ladies' and hung above the entrance to a brothel I knew was clean, discreet and had moderate prices. The whores were of adequate beauty and skill and that was more than enough for me tonight. I entered the building, the scent of flower perfume lingering in the air. I paid the bawd her share to enter the room where I could choose from the women who were momentarily available. Just one look around and I chose a small woman with red-dyed strands in her black hair. I followed her to her room and when the door closed I placed a silver coin on the nightstand.

The whore made a surprised face before grinning. "Well, that's enough for a whole night sweetie. Or do you have special preferences?" She furrowed her brows. "I don't do everything, you know..."




Puppeteer Ch. 09



I interrupted her. "My preference tonight is that you get undressed, lie down on the bed and keep quiet."

The grin was back on her face. "Oh, are you so hot for me?"

I stopped undressing and reached for the silver coin. "You know, I can look for another girl, perhaps one that knows how to shut up and do as I tell her."

"No, no, no... Fine, I'll be quiet if that's it what turns you on." The woman disrobed and laid down on her back in her bed.

"You have some lube? I won't waste time with foreplay."

She smiled at me what she obviously deemed seductively, spread her legs invitingly and ran a finger over her vulva. "Don't you want to do it, hunk?"

"No. Hurry or I will start even with you unprepared."

The look on her face darkened but she dipped her fingers in a bowl that stood on her nightstand and applied some grease on her private parts. I lubed my fingers and stroked my dick to full hardness then settled between her legs. Lining up I pushed forward not really caring if she was comfortable or not. When I was fully sheathed I placed my hands besides her head and braced my weight on them.

"No kissing." The whore said.

I nodded. "Don't fear..." I started to pound into her, closing my eyes and concentrated only on the friction around my cock, trying to ignore her intense perfume and small gasps and moans. I rushed to orgasm, the peak hitting me fast but felt somewhat shallow when I emptied myself into her and she scratched my back. Taking a moment to regain my breath I pulled out of her, grabbing a sheet to clean myself then sat on the edge of the bed. The arousal that I carried with me for the whole day and night was quenched, replaced by a cold ball in my stomach.

I got up and started to dress. "I'm done. You can go back and look out for other wooers."

"You paid me enough for a long night, handsome. You can nap and I will bring you some wine and fruit and when you replenished we can go for another bout. The whole night if you want. People say I have a talented mouth." I heard rustles of the sheets. "I will try hard to suck the last drop of semen out of you, I promise. I normally don't have an attractive customer as you are, hot stuff."

Her voice echoed in my head and caused pain I couldn't explain. I wanted to scream at her to shut up but instead took my vest and left the room and the brothel, making my way back to the Steel Keg. The coldness spread through my bowels while I walked along the empty streets and entered the taproom not really hearing the shouts of laughter and bickering that sounded from the other guests. I went to the counter and got me mug of Cat Piss, smiling crookedly at Raffy when he looked at me. Entering our room I disrobed from my vest and sat on my bed. Sorr'an had looked at me when I came into the chamber a plate with leftovers from the roast at his feet and a beaker beside it. I took a long gulp of beer and closed my eyes, relishing in the emptiness that was on my mind, embracing the bleakness that came with it.

I was startled when I heard a sniffing sound close to me and opened my eyes to see Sorr'an snuffling a few inches away from my loin. "Excuse me, what do you think you're doing?"

Sorr'an made a face. "There's a strong icky scent lingering on you and it comes from your groin. It's mixed with the smell of..." He inhaled again then looked up with a taken aback mien. "Sex. It smells like sex."

I rubbed my palm over my face. No need to deny it. "Yeah, I was at a brothel and tried to take some comfort in its services." Sorr'an looked confused. "I paid a woman to sleep with her. It's her perfume you smell. And the sex you smell is because... Well, because I had sex with her."

The Katze's facial expression went blank and held something I couldn't quite identify. He looked down. "So you like women better?" He said with a voice that held a tinge of... sadness?

"No, I don't care much about gender. Actually I like men a little better but it's easier to find a whore than a rent boy who is willing to serve men." I shrugged. "I just needed someone to get the arousal off of me, you know."

Sorr'an looked up. "But why did you go to a strange woman and gave her some of this money that you say is so precious?"

"I don't think my hand would have sufficed." I grinned despite my mood. "And I'm not flexible enough to give myself a blowjob."

The catboy looked in my eyes for a long moment. "But perhaps my hands would have been enough? Or my mouth?"

I stared at him in astonishment before clearing my throat. "You would have done that?"

Shrugging Sorr'an answered: "I offered you this morning." He smiled. "To help you out."

"Well, I didn't want you to think you had to repay me. You had no choice, I had to help you or else things would have gotten worse."

Now Sorr'an coughed slightly and blushed a little. "Actually... This morning it wasn't the curse I think. Perhaps a little bit but mostly..." He bit his lower lip with a fang and peeked in my face. "Horniness?"

I blinked and then had to laugh, a relieved expression flashed over the catboy's face. "Oh, if that's the case perhaps I ask you the next time I have this problem again."

The Katze grinned and nodded and his mien went a little more serious. "I like you Niven. I can't say why because you are so tight-lipped and confusing -- one moment it seems you like me, too, the next you push me away. But you cared for me when I was poisoned, you bought me clothing and food and help me find my clan and... You wrapped an arm around my waist last night, when I laid close to you and tugged at me till I cuddled into your side."

"I didn't!" I protested.

Sorr'an lifted a brow. "Oh yes, you did. Why don't you relax a little and let things go their way?" He lifted my shirt and started to lap at my navel and trailed further down, scrunching his nose.

My eyes went wide as saucers. "What do you think you're doing, Sorr'an?"

He smiled up to me. "You stink of this woman and I can't sleep with this stench in our room. I don't mind the sex smell, though." The Katze resumed his lapping only stopping when he reached my waist. Pushing my shirt further up he discovered the spot where the whore had scraped me. Lavishing the scratch with his tongue he murmured: "This will make it heal faster. I want to be the causer next time...", while he caressed my hipbone with gentle fingers.

Warmth spread in my groin and inside me. I scrambled to my feet and took some steps away from the catboy who looked puzzled at me. "I need... to think. Sorr'an it's not your fault, but yeah..." He sighed and got up, sat down on his bed eyeing me as I wandered through the room. I couldn't think with him in the same place. "I will take a walk." I said as I went to the door.

"Will you go to another woman?"

I looked over my shoulder and tried a smile. "No, I won't go to another woman. Or man. I just need some time." He nodded and I left the Steel Keg, roaming through the streets till I sat down in small dirty joint ordering a beer and a shot. I sat in deep thoughts, sipping at the beer that tasted like stale dishwater. Thought about Sorr'an and what he had said, that he liked me, to let things go their way. I liked him, too. A lot and I didn't know a thing about him, aside that he liked fish, meat and especially bacon, bright colors and cuddling in the night. I smiled lightly. That he had a body that met my tastes perfectly would make it so much easier to... fall for him. Fall for him... Like I fell for Leonhard. I gritted my teeth and downed the shot then stood up, feelings fighting inside me. Leo...

I walked through deserted streets welcoming the chilly wind that blew through the alleys. I was startled in my reverie when a boy ran in my direction screaming. "Fire, there's a fire!"

I grabbed his shoulder when he passed me, twirling him around. "Where's a fire, boy?"

"At the Steel Keg. The inn is burning!" the boy yelled then jerked himself free and ran down the street, shouting 'Fire, fire.'

My heart stopped and I raced to the Steel Keg at top speed. When I reached the Soaker's Square a huge crowd stood around the burning inn. Flames burst out of the windows, the roof was on fire and smoke wafted out of the door. Everybody was staring and screaming but no-one was helping or getting water. Why was no-one helping? I jostled a guy, shouting in his face. "Why is no-one trying to extinguish the fire?"

The man looked coolly at me. "Can't you see it's too late? Bad luck for Raffy, he has lost his inn. Oh and of course for the people that were sleeping on the second story. The fire spread staggering fast, nobody could escape this hell. Let's just hope they died while sleeping, numbed with the smoke so that they didn't burn while being wide awake."

My head snapped back like I was hit. 'Burnt alive? No-one escaped? That can not be!' I held my head in my hands, shivering. "How can you know that when nobody even tried to help?" I yelled in rage. The man regarded me with a look of pity and then turned. They were all just watching; gawkers that lusted for some attraction. Fury whirled in my mind, anger about these indolent rubbernecks. Red dots and threads wavered before my vision and suddenly I could see all their connection points, where I just had to spin a magic thread in their systems to control them, all of them. I raised my hands and concentrated. It was like my insides were turned outside, a burning pain in my chest and limbs and it felt like all my energy was drained. Then silver lines connected me with every single person on the Square. I focused on making them move and my brain felt like an anthill was invading it but finally they moved and I got a better grasp on my magic. Forming a bucket chain I started to make them try to get the fire under control, willing them to move faster.

Bucket over bucket was poured in the fire when suddenly I felt something rip and one of my magic strings became black, shaking me and pulling at my core, my life energy. I snapped it off, closing the chain where a dead body fell to the ground like a puppet whose strings were cut. Another cord went black and then another one but I didn't care, the fire had to be put out.

I heard the trampling of boots and shouts but ignored them when suddenly a bright pain exploded in my head, making my vision swim but I didn't let the strings go. Another blow to the back of my head blinded me and I fell forward, the world going black as I hit the cobblestones.

TBC...

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Puppeteer Ch. 10



Hello again!

Next chapter - I hope you like it. Thanks to my two anonymous reviewers, you're great. Thanks to the people who vote, too! :-)

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Jailers and Pain

I opened my eyes, not knowing where I was. Darkness was all around me and then pain crashed over me, waves of agony flooding my system. I let out a strangled cry, my throat dry, and my chest aching with every breath I took. Slowly I realized that I didn't lie on the floor but hung from a wall, handcuffs digging into aching wrists, my arms and shoulders stiff and sore. I was thirsty, my tongue dry like sandpaper and my lips chapped. I could taste dried blood when I licked them. I tried to remember what happened when memories flashed up. The fire! Sorr'an was in the Steel Keg. This man... Can't you see it's too late? Flames flickered out of the roof. The fire spread staggering fast, nobody could escape this hell. I had tried to do something, to extinguish the flames but he was right. I killed people – I didn't remember how many but I remembered the black strings that pulled at my core.

Sorr'an was dead. Something in me broke; something I didn't know I had still in me. Well, not important anymore because I was sure that I would rot in this dark brig. Something rattled at the door and a moment later it opened and an ugly, huge guy ducked under the door frame, holding a sooty torch in one hand and a bowl in his other. He pushed the fire in my face, almost burning my skin and my head snapped back, hitting the hard wall behind me. White dots danced in my sight because of the bright flame and the pain that exploded in my skull.

"Ah, so you're awake, Puppeteer. Good, you need to eat to stay alive." He stuck the torch into a holder at the wall and took a wooden, moldy looking spoon from his belt, pushed it into the bowl and then deep into my mouth. My gag reflex kicked in and I coughed the slimy mash out, gobbets of it hitting the jailer's face. "You filthy bastard, spitting at me!" He hit me hard in the face and my vision blurred. When my head met the wall again I was sure that my skull split open. After a few moments the spoon was again pushed into my mouth, this time not as deep as before. I swallowed and a foul taste remained in my mouth but was replaced with an acid one when that bastard threshed his fist into stomach, making me vomit violently. "If you don't like what we serve then you get the special treatment." When my gagging calmed a little another spoonful of disgusting slime was loaded in my mouth and I gulped it down. Suddenly white stars of agony exploded in my head. That bastard had hit me in my scrotum – hard! The pain crawled up my spine, blossomed over my whole body and again I was fed another mouthful delivered with another blow to my groin. I screamed in misery, tears rolling involuntarily from my eyes. My torturer remarked in a hateful tone: "Seems I find the right spot that hurts you enough to be fun for me but keeps the food down. We don't want you to starve before the judge passed their sentence to you." When he was done feeding me he opened a waterskin and emptied its contents over my face while I tried to swallow as much from the lukewarm but godly tasting liquid as I could. The jailer punched my jaw for good measurement and then left me in complete darkness once again.

From then the days blurred; I was alternately in a semi-consciousness state that was filled with weird dreams, moments of agony when I was fed by different jailers and rare moments of blissful unconsciousness. The dreams were about fires eating up a whole city, burning peoples running out from the fire towards me, Sorr'an, Arias, my mother, Kip, Gerald – I tried to run away from them before they could set me on fire, too. Sometimes I didn't know if I was dreaming or not, fever making my skin burn as if on fire one moment and then made me shiver the next.

There were other jailers aside from the first, whom I called Mauler and who had taken a likening in turning my balls in egg-sized, rock-hard stones that ached constantly and had me cry in throes at the slightest contact – not that any of his touches were kind. The others didn't hit me as often and as hard and mostly in my ribs and kidneys – not much of an improvement. One of them was even worse, though. He never hit me, but felt me up in a tender way, caressing the inside my thighs, my over sensitive groin and my stomach, murmuring endearments with it. He also showed me phallus shaped carvings of splintery wood, whispering in my ear that he would prepare me for long nights of joy with him after the judge had set my sentence. His falsetto, touches and filthy words left me shivering in disgust and fear.

The humiliation of not being able to move and therefore defecate and urinate on myself, the permanent darkness that robbed me of my sense for time and date, an ongoing, mysterious drain of energy from my body, the pain and ache and constant thirst slowly but steadily planted seeds of madness in my subconscious that started to root. I saw shimmering threads flow through the air, heard sweet voices and smelt fresh, earthy air like the scent after a shower of rain in a forest. I knew they would not hurry to put me on trial because this way they could easily torture me.

One day, after Mauler had paid me a visit a few hours ago, the oubliette door opened and two watchmen entered the room, placing a chair a few meters in front of me and a woman entered the room, sitting down with the guards at her side with their swords drawn and gazes fixed on me.

"Puppeteer," the woman sneered, "my name is Fisania Warlando, successor of Mornagol Warlando." An aristocrat – and my judge I guessed. She was kinda tall for a woman, had light blonde hair tightly pulled back in a bun, wore a high-necked, dark green dress and had plain face with a sharp nose and stern looking eyes. "I am your judge. You're accused of four time murder and of practicing forbidden and demonic magic within the city walls. What do you plead?"

I tried to answer, but my throat was dry and swollen so I just coughed violently. The situation seemed suddenly very funny to me, in a rotten hole they called prison with one judge but no jury, and I wasn't even able to defend myself – not that it would have mattered anyway. Welcome to my life. A throaty chuckled left my mouth and suddenly Fisania jumped from her chair and approached me, poking her index finger in my chest but before she could say something she wrinkled her nose and took a step back, gaping for air. "You smell abominable!"

My chuckle turned into a maniacal laugh and I croaked out a few words between fits of laughter. "Sorry Milady, if I would have known... you were visiting me today... in my chamber... I would have taken a bath... in rose water."

She surprised me by slapping me hard in the face with the back of her hand. 'How unladylike!' "Don't you dare to make fun of me, filthy spawn! While you exercised your hideous magic you killed an elderly man who was my cousin's servant. A boy of eleven years fell victim to exhaustion as did a young, expecting maiden. So what do you plead?"

I suddenly grew cold inside with her words; the laughter dying immediately. I remembered now how many black strings there were – three, and one having an additional, small, slightly differently feeling in it. Four livings taken, one of them even unborn, for nothing at all. "Guilty." I said insensately.

She squinted her eyes. "Good. In the name of the Noble Council of Dal Beron, I, Fisania Warlando, administer a death sentence to you, Puppeteer." She turned on her heels and marched to the door before looking back, her cool demeanor falling off of her and a grimace of hatred appearing on her face. "And because you're just demonic scum that kills for fun it'll be death by hanging – naked. I've heard it's a very filthy and demeaning death, especially for men. The moment you struggle vainly for your life you'll soil yourself with feces and your semen, demoneyes. I'll enjoy watching your end, knowing the world will be a better one without you, demonic spawn!"

With this she left the room, her guardians following her and once again I was left in utter darkness, my mind feeling numb.

I was woken from another surreal dream, when I heard a clinking sound. I blinked and I could see some light filtering in the cell. 'Great, another hallucination.' Closing my eyes I sighed, trying to will away the shadows which tried to overtake my mind when I heard a soft rustling and a quiet whistle. I looked up and saw a small, cloaked figure standing a few meters away from me, a soft glowing stone in their hand. When they approached me I could see their head snap back.

"You stink like a latrine pit that was used for weeks, Puppeteer!" a familiar voice announced in a slightly disgusted tone.

I blinked. Was this another illusion? No, this couldn't be, oh please, could it be? "Kip? Is this you?"

"Yeah, it's me." Stepping closer he scrutinized me. "You do not only reek like shit, you also look like it."

Hope bloomed in my chest. "It's really you! Kip!" I tried to move fruitlessly.

"I swear, if you try to kiss me or anything else ugly I let you rot here!"

I swallowed, my throat dry as it was for years it seems, a smile stealing on my face. "It's so good to see you, Kip." I said his name again as if to make sure that he wasn't a hallucination and would vanish the next blink.

"Okay Niven, now stop struggling, I'll free you from your restraints and then we leave this God forlorn pit." While searching his inside pockets he mumbled: "And if we pass a river or lake I'll throw you in there. They'll smell us three kilometers against the wind!" He got out a small pouch, reached into it and strewed a powder on my handcuffs and shackles. The grains lit up and then black flakes fell to the ground. Kip whistled. "Well, they play it safe. There's Erodeum in these ties – a waste for your sad magic abilities, if you ask me. But okay, then I have to do it the traditional way. Much more fun that way; never was too fond of this magic stuff."

He brought forward a lockpick and started to work on my bonds. Erodeum is a material anti-magic dust is made of by mixing very small amounts of this metal with normal sand. It has two impressive properties: First, it can dissolve magic. In huge amounts and high concentration it can even menace the tremendous ancient magic that's still intact in a few places. Second, it's extremely rare. There are legends that there once was a sword and a full plate armor made of pure Erodeum, but I do not believe they are true. I didn't know Dal Beron had a dungeon cell with ties that had Erodeum mixed in but it explained the constant drain of energy from my system.

Kip had opened one handcuff meanwhile and was working on the other. When it opened with a click nothing kept me upright anymore and I started to fall forward face first towards the hard floor. Kip caught me, his arms around my shoulders. "Don't get your hopes high, Puppeteer," he pressed out while lowering me gently to the ground, turning to the shackles that kept me connected with the stonework.

With my arms not above my body anymore, blood started to rush through them and feeling crept back in them, starting with a faint tingle that grew more intense and painful with every heartbeat. I couldn't suppress a groan and Kip looked at me and sighed. "Arias said that you would most probably be in bad shape and gave me this for you." He rummaged in his cloak pockets and brought up a flask with a pale green liquid in it.

The thief uncorked it and held it to my lips but I turned my head away. "Mix blood in it." I croaked out.

Kip blinked but then unsheathed a dagger. "Where do you want the cut? Though the way you look it doesn't matter much I guess."

I coughed and shook my head. "Yours."

The larcener froze. "You're kidding me, right?" I shook my head. "That's some perfidious trick to make your will-less slave so that you can have your wicked and perverted way with me, right?!" Again I shook my head but had to smile a little. As much as his attitude was obnoxious it was something familiar and calming in this scene of personal distress and torture. Kip mumbled: "Yeah, I guess you have now this catboy to stuff your dick in." A sudden coldness spread in my innards when Kip mentioned Sorr'an and my gaze got unfocused. Something cold prodded against my lips and the purloiner whispered: "Drink it, Niven. I want to get out of here and Arias only pays when I bring you with me, alive!"

I nodded and drank the now brownish-grayish liquid that tasted lightly sweet and metallic. Seconds later warmth sprawled in my body and with every heartbeat I regained strength and the pain dulled a little. When both shackles were broken open I replenished enough power to stand up on my own with a hand at the wall. Kip looked at me with a calculating look. "I guess you're not in condition to climb up a rope?" I just stared at him and coughed. "I see. Well, I'm not going to drag your sorry up with a climbing rope, so we have to make our way through the catacombs." He stepped in a circle of soft moonlight and pulled at the rope that hung from the ceiling in a complicated sequence of tugs and the cord fell to the floor where Kip rolled it up and draped it over his back. He went to the exit and made quick work with the lock there, opened the door and slipped out for a few seconds before returning, signaling me to follow him.

I entered a badly lit hallway, a fact that would benefit our flight. A human shaped heap of clothing lay in a corner, blood leaking out from under it. I just hoped it was the Mauler or the guy that wanted to use his splintery wood on me. I shivered for a moment and then followed Kip, the pilferer leading the way mostly downstairs which confused me first but then he mouthed 'tower' to me. I wasn't held captive in a dungeon but a prisoner tower, not that it mattered much. We pressed in the dark corners and staircases when flickering shadows and faint noises passed us and luckily Kip didn't have to cut another throat. This way the chance that my escape would be discovered lowered and with some luck I would be somewhere far, far away before they realized I wasn't in my cell, waiting for my hanging.

After what seemed like an eternity of cautious skulking and lurking Kip stood in front of a wall at the end of a half-dark corridor, feeling around the brickwork. Suddenly he braced himself against a certain spot and slowly a hidden door swung open. He grinned and just shrugged when I lifted an eyebrow. I followed him outside and took several deep breaths, the fresh air of freedom filling my lungs. My breath caught when I heard a soft babbling of water and looked around.

There was a moat a few steps away and a ramp led into the water at this position. I stumbled towards it and carefully, as not to make splashing sounds, kneeled into the water. I ladled up water in my hands and drank greedily from it, the murky sludge tasting like the finest wine from Lesmo Layti. When I wanted to drink a fourth handful, Kip stopped me. "Don't! You will only get stomach cramps and vomit it out. Take it easy, I have two waterskins at our horses." I nodded though I slightly cringed at the though of having to ride a horse. But anything to get out of this damn town, this town of death and torture...

I tagged along Kip once again and after a short run through the shadows he ducked behind some bushes and I followed him. There was a soft whinnying when the thief patted the nostrils of two horses I've never seen before. They both were black as were their saddles and bridles and the hooves were wrapped with thick, dark clothes. Both horses shied away from me when I neared. Kip calmed them with soothing words I couldn't understand and then, a little louder, he addressed me. "They don't like the stench that sticks to you. I don't like it either." The animals seemed to settle down a little with Kip's effort and the cutthroat added quieter, but still hearable: "I wouldn't want him to ride me neither, Inridian. But it's just for this night." I rolled my eyes when he handed me the reigns and we both mounted a horse. The fabric muffled the hoofbeats while we trotted to the city gates through small, deserted and dark alleys. When we reached the East-Gate, the smallest of the five gates that led into Dal Beron, Kip dismounted and vanished in the small sentry post and a few moments later he returned with a guard who opened the small door in the huge metal leaves of the gate. I dismounted, too, and Kip and I guided our horses outside and then took off in canter while the door closed behind us.

The ride took its toll on me and when the potion from Arias wore off exhaustion and pain dawned upon me, making it harder and harder to stay on horseback with my limited riding abilities. I hoped we would stop at the inn Sorr'an and I had rested for a night but Kip kept the fast pace. When the city walls of Arrandar came in sight the horses were panting harshly and I clung barely to consciousness. Only the pain, that blossomed in my groin and washed over my body with every step the horse made, kept me awake. Again we approached a smaller gate and this time Kip rapped against the door in a rhythm that was well-known to me and slipped a porch through the spyhole that opened to the knock and the whole door opened. When I dismounted my legs gave away and I tumbled to the ground. Kip helped me up and I leaned against the wall while he led the horses through the door in the gates.

He looked at me. "Get yourself together, Puppeteer. We're already there." I nodded and tried to step forward but would have fallen down again if Kip hadn't caught me. "Okay, I should have known that you would try everything to get on a horse with me. But I sit behind you, perv!" He helped me mount his horse and then sat behind me, while I clutched to the saddle horn, Kip's arms around my torso holding the reigns and stabilizing me.

While we rode carefully through abandoned and empty streets towards Arias' house, I murmured: "Thank you, Kip. I'm really grateful for this."

He sneered back: "Well, I'm grateful for all the gold Arias will pay me for getting your half rotten carcass back to him. The Gods know what he sees in you."

After a moment of silence I thought I heard a 'You're welcome, Niven' but that could have been my imagination. When we arrived at Arias' mansion I almost plummeted to the ground barely held by Kip till Gerald had a grip on me and helped me from the horse. Both men supported me when we entered the house. I saw Arias' worried face and Elise's shocked expression when everything went black before my eyes.

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Puppeteer Ch. 11



I kept drifting from a semi-wake state into complete darkness and back again. Sometimes I heard voices that sounded like they were coming from far away, sinking in my cotton-wrapped mind. It was a little like the time in the prison tower but there was less pain and it continuously faded. From time to time some cold liquid was poured in my mouth and I swallowed on reflex. Then I fell into a long deep slumber.

I slowly woke up and groaned and could hear a surprised, feminine yelp. "Master Niven, are you awake?" It was Elise's voice. I opened my eyes but closed them immediately. Too bright! I shifted a little and groaned again. "I will get Lord Korondar!" Elise said and I could hear the sound of a door opening and closing.

I fell into a light nap when I thought I could hear someone move. I carefully opened my eyes and tried to blink my vision clear. There was a face hovering over me, the contours blurred but with each blink getting sharper. I gasped when I realized who it was. Sorr'an! "Sorr..." I coughed, the name too difficult for me at the moment. A bright smile appeared on the catboy's face. 'But he's dead...' I thought and then it clicked. 'A hallucination!' But a real good one I had to admit. I studied the smiling visage, the green eyes shining and the lips lush and inviting. And this face burned to ashes, I realized. 'Because I ran away!' a cold voice sounded in my mind. I shut my eyes and opened them again, but the Sorr'an-illusion was still there. Well, I could at least kiss him good bye. I shakily lifted my hand behind the back of his head and pulled him down; a surprised expression flitted over his face. Then his lips met mine and they felt great. Boyishly chapped but still soft, fitting against mine like they were made for this. After a short moment of holding still I moved my lips gently over the Katze's taking in the feel and then darted out my tongue to flick over them a little teasing before releasing my hold on his head.

"Wow... Didn't know... hallucinations... can feel so good..." I rasped out.

Fake-Sorr'an blinked. "Halluci..." Then an impish smile appeared on his face and while leaning down again he whispered: "Yeah, a hallucination. Kiss me again before I vanish."

I did that. Entangling my hand in his soft hair I held him close while our lips rubbed over each other. I started to teasing lick his lower lip when my tongue met his and it sent jolts of pleasure down my spine. His tongue was wet and silky, I absentminded recognized, not dry and sandpaper-like as I would have guessed. The tip of his wet muscle teased mine before vanishing in his mouth, luring me after it and my own tongue was about to follow when I suddenly heard a cough.

"Keep it calm, you two!" It was Arias' voice. "I just healed some heavy injuries from you Niven, so at least replenish before you exhaust yourself!" He added with a chuckle.

I could imagine his grinning face and was proved right when he entered my field of vision. I was taken aback. "You can see Sorr'an, too?"

"Sure, he's not that tall, but not easy to overlook." Sorr'an growled a little with Arias words, but the Dhuran mage seemed unfazed by it. "You seem to think so also basing your actions -- or should I say interactions? I'm sorry, I didn't want to interrupt..." The smirk hearable.

I couldn't follow the happenings. "You're not a hallucination?" I asked Sorr'an.

He pinched my arm -- it hurt! "No, I'm all real." he answered.

"Oh... OH!" My eyes grew wide. "I'm sorry... For the kissing I mean."

"Oh? I'm not." He simply stated and while I blinked at him Arias broke out in loud laughter.

"You're not...?" I mumbled, dumbfounded.

"Okay Sorr'an, would you go to the kitchen and ask Gerald for a light meal and some juice for our patient? He should be able to eat and we need to feed him up soon. I will let you do the spoon-feeding, promise."

Sorr'an grinned and nodded and then vanished out of the room. "How... Why... What..." I stammered.

"Short version from me, he will tell you the longer one himself. He stood seven days after you started your journey in front of my door, looking all ragged and dirty. When he told me about the fire and that people in uniforms took you away after knocking you down I put two and two together. I hired Kip to free you and gladly he was able to do so. That's it." He moved closer and looked at me intently. "They look for you intensely and the word came that you were sentenced to death. What did you do?" I averted my gaze and Arias shook his head, poured me a goblet of water and held it to my lips, letting me drink. "Anyway, you have to flee soon. I can hide you here and I think they won't search with higher magic for you but it still is dangerous here. The rumors say you angered a noble."

"Lady Warlando."

"Fisania Warlando?" Arias groaned and I nodded. "You should choose your enemies better, Niven. Well, at least they don't have mages in their bloodline. But what did you do that she..." My mentor stopped talking when the door opened and Sorr'an came in with a tablet that had a steaming bowl of stew and bread rolls that were sliced and dunked in milk. The Katze man put it down and took the cup in his hand and started spoon-feeding me!

I glared at him. "I can eat by myself."

He grinned. "What a pity." Both men helped me into a sitting position and I started eating.

"We can talk about this later, if you want." Arias offered.

I ate half of the bowl in silence then shook my head. "No, it's fine." I put the bowl away -- remembering the happenings didn't help my hunger. I looked down. "I killed her cousin's servant. And a boy and an expecting maid." The silence was tangible and after some moments I gazed up into shocked faces. "I took a late walk, leaving Sorr'an behind at the Steel Keg. It was a confusing day and night and yeah... I had some booze and when I returned the inn stood in flames. People were just gawking and gaping, no-one tried to extinguish the fire or rescue the persons in the inn. 'Too late!' was their excuse. I knew Sorr'an was still in there and then I just did it." I looked into Arias' face. "I could suddenly see it. From all those peoples -- hundreds of connection points. It was scary but alluring and fascinating at the same time. I could build up a connection so easily but it was difficult to control them separately, so difficult..." Again I averted my gaze. "There was a power close by but I couldn't touch it though I felt its presence. And then people died but I couldn't stop. The power, Sorr'an in the flames, the control..." I pushed the bowl away and slipped back under the covers, shivering. "I'm cold..."

Arias sighed and murmured: "Too early... And he's not here..." A little louder he said: "Okay, you rest today and tomorrow, but then you have to go." Looking at Sorr'an he added: "He will need help." I wanted to protest but was silenced with a finger on my lips. "Even though he won't admit it. It will get dangerous, even more than before but I can't accompany him, so would you..."

"Sure!" Sorr'an replied... eagerly? It seemed so. Then I could feel his stare on me. "But only if he promises to not waste money on women anymore."

Arias looked amused and puzzled at the same time I huffed. "You know, I am here and conscious. You can talk to me -- you don't have to talk about me!"

"Okay, I will leave you love birds alone now. But Niven, your body needs rest and you had heavy injuries in your nether regions so keep it above the waist line." With this he left the room.

I looked the catboy who stood beside my bed. "Sorr'an... How have you survived?"

"Well, after you left," Was there a hint of reproval in his voice? "I laid down and thought a little. Then I could smell fire. First it was a faint scent but it wasn't the kind you use to make food or to keep warm. So I took your vest and climbed out of the window over the rooftop to the stable and climbed down on the street. Then the house already was on fire and I tried to find you on the huge square when suddenly lots of people close to the burning house started to move weirdly." Sorr'an lifted an eye brow. "Was this you?" I nodded. "Weird power... But yeah, they moved strangely and their arms and legs jerked. Then I could see people in uniform approaching a guy that wagged his arms and they knocked him down and the other humans just fell to the ground, groaning and moaning. I got closer to get a better look and it was you. I ran away..." The Katze man looked away. "They were too many..." He seemed... ashamed!

"Hey Sorr'an." The catboy looked at me. "You couldn't have achieved anything with fighting. But I'm here thanks to you, so you did the right thing!"

He nodded and sighed. "I got out of town, climbed over the wall that surrounded the city because everyone was in uproar. I tried to remember the way back and it was easy till I found the city. I got lost here, couldn't remember how to get to old man Arias' house. I met this boy you had a crush on."

"Kip?" I asked baffled.

"Yes, that is his name. I told him what happened and he helped me to old man Arias' house. He was then sent to save you. I wanted to go with him but he didn't want me to and old man Arias didn't want me to neither."

I smiled. "Kip works best alone most of the time."

Sorr'an huffed. "But I could have helped a lot. I am good!" I smiled and nodded at him. "Hey, what fruit are you?"

"What? I am human, not some kind of fruit." I replied puzzled.

"I know, but Kip said: 'In what kind of trouble is the fruit this time?' when old man Arias asked him if he could help. And later, before he left the town to get you, he meant that 'the fruity idiot isn't worth the trouble'. So I wondered what kind of fruit you are."

I gaped at him for a moment, but then laughed which I regretted because it did hurt a little. "Don't mind him, he talks queer... I mean quirky sometimes."

Sorr'an didn't look convinced but then shrugged it off. "Well, I wouldn't mind if you're a fruit. I'd like to lick and nibble at you..." He smiled and gently rubbed his knuckles over my cheek and I shied away from the touch. He furrowed his eyes brows. "What? Are you afraid of me? I helped saving you!"

"I know..."

"You did this magic for me! Tried to save me from the flames!"

"I know..."

"You kissed me when you woke up!"

I felt the blush creeping on my face. "I know..." I mumbled.

"So what?! You don't have any interest in me?!" The Katze almost shouted, obviously really pissed.

"It's not that... I don't know..." I felt helpless, confused about myself.

Sorr'an took a long breath, calming a little down. "You don't seem to be a hesitant man, Niven." He bent forward a little, his face closer to mine, a small smile playing on his lips. "I talked with Arias about you." The hint of a smile developed in a wide one.

I squinted my eyes suspiciously. "What did he tell you?"

"That's a secret." He winked at me. "But Niven... You look at me with this hint of longing and hunger in your eyes, you ogle my ass, you rescued me when I was hunted, you helped with this... problem... when we met this Welf guy, you wanted to get me out of the flames and you kissed me when you thought I were an illusion. But when I stand before you, approach you and try to get close to you, you scuttle off like a little rabbit." I wanted to protest -- I am no bunny! -- but he silenced me with a short peck. "I told you, relax and let things go their way."

I was stunned for a moment but then I smiled. "Are you always that straightforward and blunt?"

To my surprise (and joy, I admit) the catboy blushed and his ears twitched nervously. "Normally... I don't know..."

"I like it." I winked to him. "So okay... I will try to relax and see what's happening." The bright smile I got in response quenched the uneasy feeling that started to grow in my stomach. "So, what's going to happen?" Sorr'an laughed and then leaned down, kissing me long but almost innocently. When we parted I regretted it a little and murmured: "Tease!" The Katze man chuckled but got up nonetheless and I felt tired all of sudden. "I'm sleepy..." I whispered.

"Okay." Sorr'an nodded, took the tray and left the room.

Well, that was a quick and a little loveless. I closed my eyes and started to drift into sleep when the door opened and I saw the catboy enter the room again, a cup of milk in his hand, emptying it that moment. He placed the empty beaker on a table, licked his milk-moustache off and then unceremonially undressed till his gorgeous naked body was on full view and slipped under my sheets, reminding me very effectively that I was naked under them, too! "What... What are you doing?"

Jiggling till he lay half on top of me Sorr'an arranged a pillow so that he could place his head beside mine, his face almost pressing in the nook of my neck. "You said you were cold. I don't like cold. I'll help you to get warm, because I am hot."

'Oh yes, kitten, you are!' I thought. Well, what could I do? I rested my arm on his upper back and strangely his warmth seemed to reach something deep inside me. Sleep came fast this time.