Shekar's Girl

Warning: while this chapter is 'completed' it is a much earlier version that does not have the same treatment as the first few chapters. Along with Chapter five, it was the first story I ever worked on with a definite erotic intent and the--although not the first one that I finished. Eventually I intend to rewrite this chapter, expanding it and probably changing the plot considerably. Currently there are gaps in the narration, although I suspect that they will not be too troublesome for anyone who really wishes to read them. .

Janice opened her eyes to white. She felt groggy, and realize she was drugged, but she couldn�t focus her attention. She remembered waking up before, perhaps several times, thou she did not know where she was. She remembered hearing voices: �Do you want to give her caps?�

Then Albernar�s. �I don�t think we want to spend the money on her, Lenar.�

When she came to, she thought it had only been a dream, because she could feel her hands and legs;[1] but when she tried to move them her hope faded. She wanted to cry but no tears came. Instead she lay back in bed and fell asleep again.

A young girl in a white, canvas uniform woke her from a dreamless sleep. �Hello, I�m Settia.� She said, when Janice looked up at her. She was pretty, but not quite pretty enough to be a palace girl. Her hair was light reddish, brown, hanging down to her shoulders in loose, tangled waves. A black belt was wrapped snugly around her small waist and held the folds of her uniform together. �This will hurt a little.� She said, unsnapping a small leather pouch on her belt and pulling out a clear blue stone.

�This will help your wounds heal.� Settia put the stone on Janice�s leg just above the stump. It tingled. Janice closed her eyes as Settia moved the stone down over the stump, and the tingle began to intensify into a terrible pain. Settia didn�t spend long at any spot. She rubbed the stone over all four stumps in turn. Then she started over with the first stumps. �It hurts?� Janice said, trying unsuccessfully not to squirm.

�I�m almost done.� Settia said, rubbing over the last stump. �There now!� she said, putting the blue stone back into her leather pouch. �Just a few more times like this, and you�ll be ready for the red stone: it doesn�t hurt as much.�

�Sorry, but its part of the standard process; and it really is worth the magical healing. You�ll see. It�s very powerful.�

Settia took the blue stone back out of its pouch and held it up in front of Janice who shrank away. �If you would like I�ll show you.� Janice said nothing, and Settia smiled encouraging. �I won�t leave it on very long this time. Just long enough for you to see.�

Settia nodded. �The mages say it comes from the cave without a mouth.� She took Janice�s arm gently and held it up in front of them so they could both see; and then placed the stone to Janice�s severed wrist. The flesh bubbled beneath the stone like burning plastic then lay flat again as the stone passed. �That�s healing taking place.� She said, replacing the stone in her pouch, and releasing Janice�s arm.

�It forces the healing process in your body to speed up. And you feel it as pain.� She smiled. �It shouldn�t be quite as bad the next time, the less you are damaged the less it has to heal, and the less pain. That�s why I can hold it; but you should see me when I�ve got a scratch.� She pushed Janice back against her pillow. �Now you just lay back and rest. I�ll come around latter to see you again, ok.�

Settia came back and massaged Janice�s stumps with the blue stone, four more times that same day. As she had promised the pain was slightly less each time; and the skin was a little less red. Janice watched fascinated, by the blistering healing it caused. Settia worked longer each time she came, and she talked a lot while she did her work. It raised Janice�s spirit a little, though she didn�t say much.

For the next few days Settia came regularly to massage Janice�s stumps. Occasionally she would be more playful and when she was done she would massage the rest of Janice�s body with equal care; paying careful attention to her face, and torso. Here the stone felt wonderful, and left her refreshed. Only during these sessions with Settia did Janice�s depression lift. Each day blurred into the next. At times she wished that she would never be released to face the outside world; while at other times she longed for some pills that would simply end her life. She would have no place to go. Certainly no place she wanted to go.

Although she tried never to think about it, somewhere in the back of her mind she realized that when she was released she would die. The thought might have been comforting, if it was promised as a swift present rather than a slow torture.

Eventually her stumps healed over enough for her to walk around without the pain that had plagued her earlier therapy sessions. Then Settia stopped coming to visit her and an older, gray haired woman came instead, with the red stone. As Settia had promised it was less painful, but watching it work depressed Janice. It killed the skin where it touched leaving calluses and over several sessions the skin grew thick and ugly over her stumps.

Settia visited her when she could, but it was not often; and Janice fell into a deepening depression which lifted only at Settia�s visits.

Janice was quiet for a moment. �I can still feel my legs.� She said at last. �I try to move them because it feels just like there still there.�

Settia came in one morning with a particularly vague smile. �You�re going to be released tomorrow.� She said. Janice nodded, and Settia put the blue stone to her leg. She avoided the scar tissue completely. She moved to the next leg, and the arms finishing her routine massage. Then she began to work the stone slowly down over the arms covering every inch. Tracing over Janice�s breast, around her shoulders, and back under her arms until Janice was shivering uncontrollable. It tickled, but felt so good. As the stone moved over her neck she could feel the tension drain away from her like a hot liquid. It touched her cheeks, over her mouth like the best kiss, then to her eyes, gently soothing; and to her temples where it cleansed her mind. She sank into a dreamy state as she always did when the stone touched her head. It stayed with her as she felt the stone on her breast, and then her stomach, lingering again until she was laughing gently, and shivering uncontrollable. She felt it pass between her legs and run slowly down the length of her thighs. A finger played at the fur between her legs and slipped inside, to feel the ample moisture. Then the stone slipped inside too. It tingled and rippled through her body in seemingly endless waves; and she moaned through the pleasure without shame.

When the stone was removed, Janice remained in her pleasant state for sometime. The massage must be her parting gift, she thought, opening her eyes and looking around for Settia. She was nearby cleaning the stone in a clear solution, and rubbing it dry with a coarse brown cloth.

�Thank you!� Janice slurred the words. �Thank you, for being my friend.�

Settia came over and took her hand, just holding it for a moment before she spoke. �I have to go now, I won�t see you again.� She paused for a long time. Janice could see tears forming in Settia�s eyes; and felt her own rolling down her cheek. �When you get out, look behind the bushes by the statue of the Pegasus. I�ll leave something for you.�

Janice was released with absolutely nothing, late the following evening. In the bushes by the statue she found a small sack of dried food that had a small loop in the top for carrying, and was tied loosely. That night she slept in the courtyard. She was chased away early the following morning by the grounds tender, and to avoid anyone seeing her with the food she headed towards the forest, and hid the sack in a fallen log.

Then she went out into the grassland area, and lay in the grass. It itched more than she remembered, and as she sat there thinking her depression turned to anger. She wanted to hit something; to break something. But there was nothing she could break, so the tears began to flow again and she began to run. She ran until she fell from exhaustion. Her scarred stumps had become bruised and scrapped; the hard sticker weeds poking deep into the dead flesh. A few even drew blood.

She walked around slowly recuperating, leaning against a tree or a rock and sobbing. Then she began running again, and ran until she was exhausted. She spent the next two hours repeating this cycle, until she had cried herself out and was too tired for more, then she sat down in the middle of the grassy meadow.

Now that her anger had dissipated she realized that she could actually run quite a bit faster than before. Her arms had been cut at the wrists, giving her the extra length from her elbows down. The whole mechanics of running had changed: rather than using her arms for mere stability, she used them now as the main source of propulsion. Thus she could sprint for short distances almost as fast as she used to run with her legs, and she could sustain a run for longer distances at a jogging pace, than with her limbs bound. That pleased her, despite herself. And with those thoughts she fell asleep.

It was growing dark when she woke; her muscles were sore and shivering from a damp cool air that had settled. Her head throbbed. Blood suckers buzzed around her body, and she rolled to get them off. They were as thick and fat as she had ever seen them. And she ran into the forest and along a trail until she had gained a little warmth; then fell back to sleep.

The next day she thought of letting herself starve to death, but ate a small portion of the dried meat instead then began looking for food in the forest. She ate several berries from the tops of bushes. Most of the berries had already been eaten but she could usually get a few by balancing on her legs and bending down the top branches with her arms. Sometimes she would find sticker bushes with a lot of berries and she would try to eat a few, but having only her mouth to use she ended up getting scratched up a lot. At mid day she sat down and rested, chewing on some grass. She wondered how long she could live on this sort of diet once Settia�s dried meat ran out, and whether or not she would start eating frogs and insects and other little yucky things. At last she decided she would just have to wait to find out. She was a long way from eating them yet.

She was getting up to look some more when she remembered the little farm house on Outland road, and headed for it hoping she would find the children there who had feed her before. When she reached the house she saw caps on the lawn, but no children. For about an hour she waited, until she saw two of the children coming up from the fields. Then she ran towards them, and reached them before the caps realized she wasn�t one of them.

The children recognized her, and shoed the other strays away before they could hurt her.

�You poor girl!� The boy said. He knelt down, lifting her arm and rubbing his hand gently over the stump, examining it.

The girl came from behind and brushed the hair out of Janice�s eyes. �Why did they do it?� She asked, near tears. Janice looked up into the girls sad eyes and felt a great bond.

�Of course she is,� The girl interjected, �come on, we�ll get something for you.�

�You take her to the barn,� the boy said. �I�ll go see if I can sneak something to eat, with out mom seeing.�

The girl nodded and led Janice towards the barn. After a short while the boy came back out with a bucket. �I couldn�t get anything.� he said, �mom�s cooking dinner. She told me to come out and do the milking.�

The boy climbed up into the loft and threw some hay down into some troughs in the milking stalls. When he climbed down he grabbed his bucket and gave Janice a pat on the head. �Come on, you can watch me as I milk.� he opened the gate to the milk stalls, and Janice walked in before him. When he came in he went to the door and gave a loud bellowing call then pulled up a stool and sat down to wait. �Have you ever milked a cow before?� he asked.

�Never?� She shook her head. �Well, I�ll show you how, but don�t get to close in case she kicks. Usually she�s pretty gentle but she doesn�t like strangers. Don�t worry, if she acts up I�ll put hobbles on her.�

Janice heard cow bells, and looked to the door as a large cow came inside and walked up to the stalls. The boy clasp the stanchions around the cows neck then set his stool beside her and sat down to milk. Janice came as close as she dared, and watched. She had never seen a cow being milked, and she found the rhythmic sound of the milk being squeezed into the bucket, pleasant. �Open up!� the boy said noticing her curiosity, and he sprayed her in the face before she could protest. She opened her mouth while the boy tried to get the warm stream of milk inside it. He wasn�t a very good aim and got more of it on her face than in her mouth. It wasn�t nearly as good as kurduvon, but it was wet and coated her throat.

When the boy had almost finished, the girl came back out. She had a few scraps of dried meat and some fruit, and feed Janice out of her hand. Then she told the boy it was time to go in to eat. He was almost done milking and told her he�d be in a moment. Before the girl went in she told Janice to hide in the barn and they would bring her more food after dinner.

She waited in the barn, not daring to come out for fear of being spotted by caps. Finally the children came back out with a box full of scraps. She ate it gratefully while they watched. When she was done the girl hugged her. �You�d better go.� She said. �If you go out the back, across the cow field you won�t be likely to be seen by caps.�

�There�s a creek.� the boy said, �Where you can crawl under the fence. Then just follow the fence to the right and that will take you back to the road.

�Thank you.� Janice said. They lead her out to the field, and pointed out the stream, and she went towards it. The children waved and called out their goodbyes.

Janice was surprised at how large the cow field was, and she felt rather nervous walking in it, but she found the stream without problems and crawled under the fence and headed back towards the city.

She made her way towards Fountain Park. It was quiet, and she followed Vine street south towards the Academy Recreation Grounds. There were some scraps of food on the ground, but there were other strays there, and she was afraid to get to close to any of them, despite her stomach growling. Slipping away she walked to the courts were she saw boys playing ball. She remembered sitting near the court watching as Lenar played. She came closer and suddenly saw him. She couldn�t believe it. Her face flushed with fear as he looked up and noticed her, but she couldn�t move. Her heart beat painfully as their eyes meet. She feared he might walk over to her and finally she ran.

She wanted to go back to the forest, but she found herself waiting. The city she thought might actually be safer for her now. She walked down to the fountain at Circle Lawns, hoping that it would help warm her but it didn�t. It was not very quiet there, and she lay down and fell asleep stretched out on the warm rock, in the heat of the sun.

She woke, her head swimming as an arm wrapped around her waist, lifting her into the air. �Caught one sleeping!� A man she could not see called to a group of Palace guards who were picking up wounded Caps. �She doesn�t have any caps, do we still want her?�

She was thrown onto the back of a wagon; on top of other moaning and bleeding strays. A few more were thrown in after her and then the wagon started moving. She watched horrified as they came to the Torture Palace. The wagon stopped, and the guards began unloading the strays; placing them over little wracks with a wheel on the bottom and a handle that they used to cart them off down the hall. She was dropped on her stomach over the horizontal bar of one and taken down the bumpy length of the dim palace hall to a little dark room. Here, she was thrown onto a bed of straw and left.

By the quietness of the room she guessed that she was alone. Her own heavy breathing may have covered another�s sounds but she didn�t think so. She got up and walked around. The room was very small and the floor was covered with straw. At last she lay down on her stomach to wait.After what seemed like hours the door opened. The light from the hall seemed blinding, and she closed her eyes. Before she could open them a hand was slipping a thick metal wire under her waist forcefully. A large figure was silhouetted in the doorway. Suddenly she was lifted off the ground by the wire which had been slipped under her. The wire bit painfully under her ribs as she swung back and forth on it. She was carried to the door and handed to the silhouette in the doorway, who hefted her weight easily. Waiting in the hall were three men who also carried strays hanging from a wire loop.

They started down the hall and Janice�s head became flushed and heavy as she swung precariously on the wire, unable to stop it from digging under her ribs. Finally they entered a room and she was set beside the other strays face down on a metal table. The metal was cold against her body. The man carrying her took a strap from the table wrapped it tightly over her back. A similar strap was put securely around the others.

�Berlok wants there heads shaven, and all their body hairs plucked out.� The big man said. She heard another voice murmur, but couldn�t make out the words. Then the big man said: �I think he wants four to play with tomorrow. Send them down to be pierced when you�re finished here.�

The other voice moved closer, and she knew someone was examining her. She heard a loud slapping sound, and one of the Caps screamed. Then she was being taken to a table in the center of the room, where she could hear clipping sounds as the girl�s hair was cut. �Such a pity.� She though she heard the guard say as he worked. When he started to pluck her body hairs the Cap screamed again; and the guard laughed mumbling soft, yet taunting words into her ear. Then there was silence for a long time, mixed with soft scrapping noises. When he was done a helper put her over one of the carry bars and she was taken away.

The next cap didn�t scream when he slapped her ass, so he pinched her and she cursed at him. She was quiet as he clipped her hair, but Janice could hear the girl struggling against the guards. �Hold her down, damn it.� One of them shouted. Then there was a punching sound and she moaned. �Quite moving, bitch!� The boy warned, and apparently it worked, for she was plucked and shaven without further trouble. The third Cap went smoothly. She moaned a lot, but she didn�t give him any problems.

When it was finally Janice�s turn, she was shivering. The guard slapped her hard as he unstrapped her, and she yelped, surprised at the sting despite her self. He carried her by the waist to a metal table, with a few small smears of blood on it and set her down on her stomach. The slimy, warmth of the table chilled her. She felt the guard�s hands on her hair; and heard the clipping sound as it was sheared off. When the guard had finished her head he turned her over. She was looking up into a black, leather masked face. Then his hands were between her legs, and with a pair of tweezers he pulled out her pubic hairs. Then the hairs under her arms were removed. Next he spread a cool white lather over the rest of her body and shaved her with a razor.

When he was done, the assistant guard flopped her over a carry bar and she was wheeled away clattering down several halls, and into another room. �This is the last of this bunch.� The guard wheeling her said, as he picked her up from the bar. She closed her eyes as he dropped her onto her back on the table.

Looking up she was staring straight into the eyes of the older, dark haired boy. �Hey girl,� He rubbed her stomach playfully. Suddenly he recognized her and smirked. �Well, well. You lost your legs.� he said. �What happened did Leni-boy get tired of you?�

His hands moving with frightening familiarity over her hips and between her legs. �I didn�t know you were into pain.� He laughed at his little joke.

Suddenly he slapped her hard across the face, and she nearly lost consciousness. �You don�t talk to me, ever.� He snarled. �I�ll have your tongue cut out and force you to eat it. Do you understand me?�

She shrank away from him wining, and nodded. He softened; soothing her cheek and wiping a trickle of blood from the corner of her mouth. �Good girl.� He said. Then he leaned forward, in a conspirator type way: �Would you like to stay with me?� He asked, still stroking her cheek tenderly. �Would you like to live at my house?�

�You can�t do that Shekar.� The boy�s helper said. �She�s supposed to go to be pierced.�

�No one ask for her specifically.� Shekar snapped. �If we replace her with another stray no one will be any the wiser. No one will find out about it, will they?�

Dek thought for a moment then nodded. �But we have to send her on, they�ve requested that four be prepared for the Gate Keeper.�

The assistant put her on the carry bar and wheeled her to another room. A elderly man sat sleeping on a stool with his back against the wall. �Wake up Slad.� Dek said.

The man scratched his head and nodded as Dek left. He took a tool that resembled a leather punch from a hook on the wall and dipped it into a large can of pinkish liquid. �Bring her over hear.� he said patting a metal table. The helper laid her on the table. The old man rolled her over. �Tie her down right, this time.� He said, waiting until the boy had immobilized her with straps. With the punch the old man put a hole in each of her nipples. She screamed, and struggled but the boy�s ropes held her tight. When he was done the old man took a small folded rag from a pile and dabbed it in the same can he had dipped the punch tool. It stung as he wiped the blood from her nipples. Then he took from a pile two small metal nipple posts and slipped them thru the holes.

The boy wheeled her down the hall to another room where she was placed in a warm, shallow bath by two palace maids which she didn�t recognize. And she was disinfected and perfumed. When she was done with her bath she was picked up, and wheeled her back to a cell. The guard picked her up and threw her beside the other three girls. She curled up in a corner and huddled without saying a word.

That night Shekar, the dark haired boy, came to the cell with another girl who he tossed onto the hay. He clasp his collar on Janice and walked her to his house while it was dark: it was in Quarters a few blocks east of Lenar�s house, on a street called Sea Side, because it was the last street before the water breaks. It had a little bigger yard with a dirty, wooden fence surrounding it. He took the leash off. �Wait in the yard.� he said going inside the house. A moment later he returned with a few hard, stale biscuits, and she ate them eagerly.

Immediately he pushed her onto her back and slapped her stomach. �Look at me when you answer!� He said sternly. She winced, nodded; and he brushed his hand across her belly. �Well, you can stay in the yard here as long as you don�t invite over any friends.� He laughed, then pointed toward a small crawl under the side of the house with a tarp cover flap. �You can sleep there, and that�s where you�ll find your food.� He turned and went into the house.

The crawl under the house was barely high enough for her to walk under it, and it was dusty; but it was out of the weather. She noticed that the flap had ties on them such that they could be tied together and anchored to keep her inside if he should choose. She was not too worried about that. She walked back toward the end of the crawl space until she felt cobwebs in her face. It was to dark to see, but she heard little scampering things. Her skin crawled with the thought of them.

In the morning a thin, blonde haired girl brought a dirty bowl of water from the house and set it inside the crawlway. She tossed a few biscuits beside it. �Come here.� she said, grabbing a hand full of Janice�s hair and pulling her closer. Around Janice�s neck she put a collar, and around her waist a leather belt.

Before Shekar left for work he brought out a large collection of brightly colored V-shaped breast jewelry. �Pick one for me, Shlauna.� he said, holding the box up as the blonde haired girl chose a red pair that had Shekar�s name on them. He snapped them onto the studs in Janice�s nipples. Then he pushed a phallus gag tightly into her mouth; and shoved her under the house tying the flap down so she couldn�t get out. �She�ll have to wait until her hair grows a little before I�ll let her out.� he laughed humorlessly with Shlauna as he left.

The day was a little to warm and with the flap closed, muggy; but mostly Janice was bored. The crawl went under most of the house, but she didn�t wander around very much. It was musty and full of cobwebs; and pitted with holes that she feared housed nasty little animals.

When at last Shekar came home he had a small box in his arms. He took it inside, and gave it to Shlauna. An hour later, after he had eaten, he led Janice inside and had her sit on the floor with her back against the couch. Shlauna sat on the couch behind her, catching Janice�s arms and tucking them under her legs; a knee on either side of Janice�s neck. Shekar painted the inside of Janice�s legs with a clear, creamy gel that lay open on the floor. When he had finished, he said, �Don�t move!� and left the room.

�I have a present for you.� he said when he came back with the box. �Are you ready?� Janice gulped and nodded. He smiled and reached into the box and pulled out a snake holding it up to her face. �Meet Bombi.� He said moving the snake closer. It bumped her nose with its own, flicking its tongue teasingly into her nostrils. It flicked its tongue against her lips then pushed its head gently against them. She clamped her mouth shut and the snake slithered forward, bumping its head against her cheek; and wrapping its body around her neck like a chocker. It inched its head down across her chest, tasting her nipples. Then slipping between her breasts it slide down to the fragrant gel between her legs.

�It wont hurt you, unless you scare it.� Shekar said, as the snakes tongue flicked at the gel, and it pushed its head into it. �I trained it personally for use at the Pleasure Palace.� He said, smiling proudly. �Do you know how hard it is to train a snake to do that.�

Its head had sunk between Janice�s legs, and was pushing deeper. Janice gasped. It was nearly half way inside her. There was a pain like if it were pushing thru the layers of her muscle, then something gave way and there was only a strange grating feeling deep within her. She could feel it moving. The end of it slipped inside her and disappeared. Shekar laughed as she looked down at herself, stricken with fear. It was still moving deep inside her, as if rolling into a ball. Then she felt it moving back out. It popped its head out and flicked its tongue without moving further.

�I think he likes you.� Shekar said, rubbing his hand over the stubble on Janice�s head.

For three weeks Janice was keep inside or trapped under the house while Shekar was at work. Shlauna was allowed to let Janice in the house but usually she didn�t. Sometimes she would let Janice sit on the kitchen floor while she did her daily work, but she didn�t seem to pay much attention to her; and she would never speak to her master�s pet. The first time Janice tried to talk to Shlauna: the girl beat her severely.

Janice was terribly bored, especially when she had to stay under the house, but she was alive and she was glad for that. She knew she would have died if Shekar hadn�t claimed her. He had told her the terrible things Berloc liked to do with the girls he was sent, and they made her sick. Eventually her hair was a short but acceptable length, and Shekar decided to leave the gate open behind him as he left. He made sure that she had on a gag, and as much leather as he could reasonably get on her. �Be careful.� he said. �It�s not as safe for you as it used to be.�

The world seemed to be bursting with color and beauty. Janice was as happy as the first time Lenar had let her go completely free in the yard. She ran out to the forest. The stream was so clear that she took a drink of it despite remembering its mineral taste. It was not as strong as she recalled. She spent most of the day in the forest. She found a honey bees nest, and walked right up close to a deer. It didn�t seem to be frightened of her, and she was careful not to make any sudden movements as she watched it graze.

As the days past she found that Shekar seemed to care little weather she came or went. There were always four, or five biscuits thrown into the crawl way each morning and every other day he gave her a sausage link, or some other scrap of meat. The gate was always left open, and she could come or go when she pleased, day or night.

He took her for a walk three days after allowing her to go out. He put a leash on her collar, and led her down to the playing fields. Lenar was there with some other boys, and she wished Shekar would take her somewhere else. She didn�t dare pull against him, though, for fear that he would beat her. Shekar sat with her by the sidelines and watched the game until Lenar noticed them. As soon as he did they left.

Shekar allowed Janice in the house, but made her sleep under it, except on the very coldest nights. He paid little attention to her, and she could do as she pleased as long as she didn�t get into trouble.

One day Shekar brought her one of his little gifts from the palace. �This is Sansom.� he introduced her to a large dog that licked her face. She tried to turn her head; but Shekar ordered Shlauna to hold her for the dog, who investigated her whole body with his tongue. When the dog was done he sat down beside her. Shekar painted Janice with the fragrant jell, then he let her go. The dog follow Janice around, after that, trying to lick her ass. It was nearly impossible to get away from the dog, as he was tireless in his pursuit and if she tried to find refuge in a corner it would lick at her face. When at last she let down her guard the dog mounted her. He was a bad match but she could feel the animal�s small prick pressing into her flesh. She tried to get away, but the dog held her with his legs, scratching her badly. Shekar and Shlauna just laughed and watched. And when the dog was finished he feed it and patted its head.

For the next several days Shlauna keep Janice busy at the house, and the dog followed her around occasionally trying to mount her. It was never successful again, and did not bother her quite as much as time wore on.

Occasionally Shekar would have Janice take him in her mouth, but usually he would force her ass. Afterwards he pet her fur for a few moments.

When she could she went to the forest, or the meadows. The tree leaves had almost all change colors and most were starting to fall. Much of the time she spent looking for food to supplement the meager diet that Shekar provided her. There wasn�t much she knew to eat, for she knew nothing about edible or poisonous plants. She found some bright orange fruit pods, that looked like a horny toad�s back, growing on some parasitic bush vines. She found that they were soft, and inside were moist, bright red little clusters that she could eat. They had a slimy, bland taste. The shell was fibrous, and chewy, with a little more bitter flavor. She only ate a little of each unknown thing at first, for fear that they might be poisonous. Then if she didn�t become ill she would eat a little more the next day. The only thing that didn�t agree with her was a pastel blue mushroom, that had a sweet spongy taste. It made her nauseous for several days after eating it, but it didn�t keep her at the house.

She went back to the pool occasionally. Once on a very warm day she saw the strays swimming in the pool again, but there were not as many as she had seen that day after the blonde girl had saved her life.

In the city the strays treated her much as they had before. Once they surround her and used their heads to butt her back and forth. They made a game of it, they would let her run then race her down. So many of them were about her that she couldn�t get away. She saw boys playing on the courts and raced towards them hoping one of them would come over and chase the others away. Lenar was there. He seemed surprised to see her, and for a moment fought with a decision. Then he pardoned himself from the game, and came over to chase the strays away. When they were gone he walked over to her. A faint smile crossed his lips.

He watched her for a moment and she thought perhaps he would pet her but he seemed to catch himself, taking a deep shaky breath, and she thought she saw tears forming. He slapped her rear, hard. �Get out of here, bitch.�

One day Shekar took her for a walk down to the courts. He greeted a group of young boys in shorts and they gathered around him cheering.

�That�s her.� Shekar said. He kneeled beside her, and took off her belt. From his pocket he produced a tube of grease which he squirted into his hand and rubbed her down. The others boys were greasing themselves down. Shekar showed her a strange, curved piece of metal. One end was fixed with strands of thread about a foot long. At the center there were two sharp points nearly a half inch long each. �You want to know what this is?� Shekar asked her. She nodded uncertainly. �Good, this is what I call a horse tail.� He reached between her legs gently with his free hand and pinched her cunt lips between his fingers. �The points are pushed right thru here. And you see this?� he pointed to the other end of the tail piece, and turned it so Janice could see that the very tip was bulbous but that just before the points it flattened and had a hole in it. �This is so you can wear it constantly and still piss.� Janice swallowed hard. �Were going to pin it on you if you let us catch you,� he said with a smile, testing the points for sharpness by shoving the needle into her leg and she jumped out of his arms.

The boys took turns trying to pin the tail on her. They could catch up with her easy enough, but they couldn�t keep her legs open, hold onto her, and pierce her all at the same time. The rest laughed and pushed her back into the circle, while the one who�s turn it was wrestled with her as she tried to squirm away.

After about an hour she was exhausted, and the grease had become less slippery as it became dirty. One of the boys got her in a scissors lock around the waist. He put his elbows between her legs so he could hold them apart and use his hands to push the needle thru her skin. The others roared in applaud. She was too tired to struggle, so she braced herself against the pain.

�Now your a cute little jack ass!� Shekar teased pulling on the tail with great pleasure. He didn�t take the tail out after the other boys had gone. It was difficult to walk home with the needle there. Unless she had her knees at least shoulder width apart the needles stuck into her thighs, and even then the movement of her legs forced the bulb in front to rub over her fur, and the tail part to swish back and forth.

When they were at home he put disinfectant on her. He was unusually gracious that night. He let her sit at his feet and eat the same food as the maids had prepared for him. He even let her sleep in the house on the couch.

She did not sleep well that night. Finally falling asleep on her stomach with her legs spread, but she keep turning over and jabbing the needles into herself as she sleep. The next day her legs were streaked with blood. Shekar washed her off, and found some rounded caps for the points. These stopped her from jabbing herself, but they were still very painful as they rubbed against her sores; and pressed deeply into her legs if she let them come close together.

That day he took her with him to work. Permanent holes were punched into her cunt lips and then they were sown up and disinfected so they would heal. Shortly after that she was forced to parade before several other men while Shekar talked to them in a language Janice thought was the Old Zanadian language. He gestured proudly to Janice, as he apparently explained his new devise.

The following day the strays noticed her. One grabbed her tail and began pulling on it with her teeth. A group of boy�s spent their break between classes watching as the caps teased her. She finally managed to get away from them much latter when the boy�s had gone back to their classes and an older girl chased them away. She smiled sadly at Janice, �Go away now, before they come back.�

She followed Hillock road, heading out towards the hills where she had seen the Caps den.

>>>>>Sorry for the troublesome gap! These sections need a transition, or rewriting.

She avoided that area, but she climbed up into the rolling hills to the south. It was pretty: the trees had nearly lost all their leaves. A few evergreens stood out here and there. She romped thru the leaves, kicking them up into the air with her arms. Then she came to a small meadow, sunk down slightly between two hills; and there were in the center of it a thick carpet of leaves. She smiled, and ran to them jumping into the center.

She fell thru them; landing flat on her back at the bottom of a pit. It took her a few moments to get her wind back, then to realize that she had fallen into a trap. She tested to see if anything was hurt. She took a deep breath and her chest and back hurt, but it did not seem serious. At the top of the hole, there were broken twigs jutting out, and hanging loosely from the pits edges, but they were too far above her head. She judged it to be ten feet at least and just lay in the mud to wait.

The night was cold and clammy. She thought about being back in the Undercaves; about laying in a soft, warm, perfumed room with other friendly strays; of eating plenty of delicious food, and having something to keep her busy all day. At last she fell asleep, but she woke many times during the night.

Early the next morning, she heard voices; then saw female faces looking down at her. �Great! We caught a stray.� One said sarcastically.

They lowered a loop of rope for her to lie over, and they pulled her up. Janice was surprised to see what they wore. One was wearing a black leather jacket. It was open and Janice could see a number of small chain necklaces that hung between the valleys of her breast. She had bright red hair that was frizzed and surrounded her head like a lion�s mane. The others dressed just as oddly, in bits of leather or ripped shirts and jeans.

�Well, Zeta,� Another girl, with puke green hair teased. �Your trap worked pretty well.�

Zeta frowned as she kneeled down and examined her. �She�s not exactly what I was hoping for; but she�ll be fine for the pen, and a little amusement I should think.�

�Don�t get excited,� Zeta said, clipping Janice under the chin with her hand. �It�s bad for your complexion.�

They tied Janice to a wooden pole, looping the rope several times around her torso and tying it off. Then they picked her up and started carrying her. They came to a pond and dunked her in it several times to wash her off. Then they continued on until they came to their camp.

A few outland females gathered around, pinching and poking at Janice. They all wore bizarre clothes, and jewelry. Some wore furs, or bits of leather, while most had heavy, but worn or torn clothes. All but one or two were barefoot, or had leather wrappings tied around there feet. Many hung old jewelry from pierced ears, or breast. �Well now.� Zeta said, setting her down and untying her. �How should we amuse ourselves with her?�

Janice tried to run but Zeta held her on her back, and took the jewelry from her breasts. �Should we give her to our pets?� There was a cheer from the others. �Our pets would like her I�ll bet.� Zeta nodded.

Zeta turned to face it, keeping one foot on Janice�s chest. �Who said that?� She snarled, looking over the group.

�I did.� A small girl with short black hair said. The others moved away from her leaving her standing alone. She stepped forward. �She saved my life once.�

Zeta looked down at Janice suspiciously. �This mutt saved your life. And how did she manage that.�

The girl cleared her throat. �Before I escaped I was... a servant in the pleasure palace... I struck one of the guards and as a punishment they poured cold water over me. It was a cold night and I was hysterical.�

Janice couldn�t believe her ears. She thought Hena had been killed. The guards had shown the palace girls a mangled body which they had claimed was hers.

�I would have frozen to death.� Hena continued. �The others wouldn�t let me sleep in the hay. I was soaking wet, yet I was to cold to remove my clothes. I�m sure I would have frozen to death if she hadn�t...helped me. She calmed me down, and talked me into getting out of my wet things. With her clothes she dried me off. We held each other thru the night to share our warmth, and nearly froze, but we lived. The guards, when they learned what she had done beat her, while most of the other girls laughed.�

�It doesn�t matter.� Zeta said. �The code doesn�t stand for strays.�

The two women stared at one another for a time. Then Zeta grinned. �Alright.� she removed her foot from Janice�s chest. �If you feel that way, Hena, then take care of her.� Zeta turned and walked away, and the crowd of women dispersed with her.

Janice rolled over, as Hena came nearer. �Is that really you?� Janice ask. The girl nodded.

Tears were in her eyes. �I thought you were dead! The guards showed us a body they said was yours.�

�Were all even now!� Henna said. �By our laws I wont be able to get you out of trouble if your caught a second time.�

�Come on, don�t be so glum. I�ll even escort you where ever you want to go. Lead the way.�

Janice started walking back to Eapar, and when they had walk for a time she ask. �What is the pen?�

�Oh.� Henna didn�t answer for a while. �There�s no real pen, exactly. We just feed some of the caps and in exchange... well, there�s a plant that we cultivate that makes your breast produce milk. Then we have something a little special to drink.�

�It�s a fair exchange. We let them crowd around a fire, and give them food from the pen over the winter.� She flushed and looked away.

�We help them and they help us.� Hena said defensively. �Without caps...� she didn�t complete the sentence.

�I�ll make it, Hena.� Janice said. �I�ve got a boy who looks after me.�

�Not so well.� Hena glanced at Janice�s uncapped stumps as if to say: he didn�t even give you caps. �You�re looking thinner than I remember, and they didn�t feed us that well in the palace.�Janice couldn�t think of anything to say, and they went a little further in silence. Pretty soon they had come to the pool, and Janice sat down, longing to be with the strays under the water. �I think I�ll sit here awhile.� she said. �I really don�t have anywhere I want to go right away.�

�No, I suppose not.� They sat and stared at the pool for several moments. Today was the second day. Tomorrow would be the third day, when Tasha would surface and wait for her. If she had any luck at all she knew she would be there waiting for her.

That night it was bitter cold. She had never gotten warm after falling into the outlander�s pit, and a strong wind made it seem even colder. At last she decided to return to Shekar�s place. The gate was open and she laid down in the crawl space. She had been away so long, she wasn�t sure how Shekar would react if he found her but she planed to leave early in the morning before he awoke so she could be waiting when Tasha surfaced in the pool.

There were several hard and half eaten biscuits laying on the ground, and she began to nibble on one. Eventually she fell asleep. In the morning she found the flaps had been tied down while she slept, and she panicked. She tried to bust thru it but it was to strong. All she could do was to lie down and wait.

Shekar untied the flap and sat by her, patting her stomach. Janice wanted to burst by him and run to the pool, but she forced herself to wait. If her luck held he wouldn�t give her absence a second thought, but such an action he would certainly feel obligated to punish.�So, you finally returned.� He said �I thought perhaps you�d died.� Suddenly he noticed that her nipple jewelry was missing. �What happened to my jewelry?� he asked.

She was afraid to speak, but he seemed to be waiting. �Outlanders took them.� she said.

He smiled and pulled the flaps back down on the crawlspace. �I have to go to work.� he said. �We�ll finish this when I get home.�

He ignored her and called Shlauna and when she appeared in the doorway he said, �Take her inside and keep an eye on her.� He turned to leave then added as an after thought. �Better put a leash on her just to be sure.�

Shlauna put a gag on Janice when she would not shut up. Thru the day Shlauna keep Janice close to her, often placing a foot against her or on her leg as if to make sure she didn�t move. Shlauna never said anything to her, and her thoughts turned reluctantly to the strays in the Undercaves.

When Shekar came home he seemed in a good mood. He ordered Shlauna to serve his food and gave her instructions quietly before sitting down to eat. He called Janice over to sit on the floor by the table, and he feed her scraps of meat and poured her a bubbly drink from a green bottle. She had lost her first chance to join the strays, and had turned her hopes towards appeasing Shekar. He was so casual and friendly that Janice thought he had forgotten his anger of the morning.

Shekar walked to the couch. �I�ve thought about your loosing my jewelry.� he said, sitting down. A small table beside the couch held his collection. �And I�ve decided that sometimes things can�t be helped.� He reached for another pair. �So I�ll give you these.� They were a set of black half-circles. Janice smiled as he snapped them onto her posts; and locked them in place with small metal pins.

Janice followed him towards his bedroom. At the doorway he stopped and Shlauna handed him two lengths of chain that had little clasps on either end. Janice instinctively shrunk back when she saw them, but Shlauna slide behind her, forcing one knee between her legs and wrapping her arms around her hips incase she tried to break away.

Shekar smiled. �What I don�t like, and what I�m punishing you for is lying to me.� he clipped the chains onto the half-rings in Janice�s breast.

�Shut up!� Shekar shouted yanking at the chains. He handed the chains to Shlauna and she stood up with a chain in each hand. Pulling on the chains she forced Janice to stand up on her leg stumps, keeping the chains taunt against her nipples. Janice leaned awkwardly against Shlauna�s legs.

Shekar went to his room and came back in a moment with a small bag. From it he took a spatula and a small jar full of an orangish gel. He smeared this between Janice�s legs and over her breasts and stomach; then put the jar away.

Shlauna clipped the chains onto a pair of rings in the top of the door frame and shoved a gag into Janice�s mouth, pulling her arms behind her back until her elbows almost touched and tying them together with a leather strap. Nothing happened for a while and Janice started to wonder what Shlauna would do. Suddenly she struck Janice with a switch, on the back of the legs just below the protective reach of her arms. She struck Janice harder and her whole body tensed as she screamed against her gag, tears springing to her eyes. Shekar took the switch and struck her from the front. Janice screamed and thrashed about, putting pressure on her breasts until they began to bleed. Tears were streaming from her eyes, streaking her dirty face. Shekar whipped her for several minutes, and although he didn�t put much effort into it, he made her bright red from her breasts to her knees. When he was done he put disinfectant on her skin and pushed her outside for the night.

The front gate was open, and Janice ran out of the yard and headed for the forest. She didn�t stop until she came to a meadow, then she stopped and lay down in exhaustion.

When she awoke she was covered with big red ants. Her shoulder muscles ached as she shook her head trying to get them off her face, and out of her ears. They were thick over her body, a million little legs poking at her ticklish body, and crawling into places they shouldn�t go. Her muscles complaining, she rolled in the grass, but the ant only moved faster and made her flesh sting with fierce bites. She couldn�t believe how much it hurt, nor could she think of anything to do but run.

At last she came to the stream and jumped at a full run headlong into it. It wasn�t very deep, but she spread out her legs and rolled sloshing in the muddy bottom until every ant had come off or been covered. Her skin had bumps all over it, like a million bee stings. The cool mud was soothing and she lay in it for quite a while. Finally she walked to a place where the stream was wider, and she wadded into the water to wash off the mud and any remaining ants. She was a very good floater, and although the water was getting cooler the night was much warmer than the one before. It was an hour before she got out. When she did, she went back to the forest and fell asleep under the cover of the trees, but not before she had checked the ground thoroughly for insects. She was exhausted but didn�t sleep well, and woke itching fiercely. She could feel more crawly things on her, and dived back into the water. After swimming and then floating for several minutes she finally fell asleep floating on her back. When she woke her body was badly chilled. She curled up on the grassy bank and fell asleep.

By sunrise her hunger was fierce, and she felt feverish. Her skin was white and wrinkled in places; and there were several ant and various insects crawling on her. She washed off quickly. The water seemed much colder than it had last night. Then she headed for the little farm house with the children.

She was feverish and very weak by the time she reached the farm house. She didn�t see the children but she didn�t see any caps either, and she was beginning to feel faint, so she went up to the back steps and lay down to wait.

The boy was the first to see her lying on the steps. He approached her cautiously as if he thought that she might be diseased or dead, and poked her with a stick. When she stirred he saw her face and recognized her.

He ran into the house and found his sister by the stove cooking. �Janin,� he called, �Come here quick.�

�What is it, Peli?� she said, laying the soup spoon on the table and following her brother quickly outside.

�Don�t be silly.� Janin said, but she didn�t touch Janice. Instead she stood up. �We need to find something warm to wrap her in.�

�Leave it there, we�ll have to take her to the barn anyway before mom and Kerli get back. You find an extra blanket and I�ll get a little food for her to eat when she wakes up.�

When they had gathered what they were looking for they meet outside again. Peli wrapped the blanket around Janice and he carried her out to the barn. She was too heavy to carry up the ladder so they put her in the tool shed where they could lock the door to keep away any caps that might come around.

The blanket kept Janice warm and she sleep most of the day. Janin and Peli checked in on her several times, and when in the afternoon they found her awake they feed her, and let her out to take a shit. She felt stronger but still a little feverish. The inside of Janice�s legs was dirty and covered with insects, many of them dead. Most of the insect had been bothering her between her legs and on her stomach and breasts a little; and Janice realized that it must be the gel Shekar had put on her that attracted them. Janin washed her off carefully using soap, and then sprayed her with insect repellent. That helped keep the insects off. When Janin had left Janice quickly fell asleep and sleep soundly well into the next day.

When she woke she felt much better. She ate some of the food the children keep leaving for her and then waited for one of them to show up.

When the door opened an older gray haired woman looked into the shed. She wasn�t happy to see Janice. She grabbed her by the hair and pulled her out into the yard. Janin and an older girl came out of the house and Peli, who was coming from the garden, joined them. �Who is this?� The woman asked.

�But she�s special.� Janin pleaded. �Please, I�ll take care of her. She won�t be any trouble!�

�She can stay like any other, but I won�t have her locked up in my tool shed. Look at her she�s dirty. Who knows what diseases she might have? And soon you�ll start forgetting about her, and she�ll be shitting on the floor. And you�ve been letting her eat our food. You know better than that.

�She wouldn�t be the first.� The woman said, �Besides, she looks alright now. We�re not responsible for all the strays in the world.� She put her arm on the girls shoulder and guided her away, �Come on we�ve got work to do in the garden.�

The children reluctantly followed and Janice walked slowly back towards the road. Suddenly Janice noticed that the lawn was full of caps, and they quickly surrounded her. �You�re gonna be food, bitch!� One of them snarled.

�Get away from her,� It was the old woman; she was running out towards them with a stick in her hand. �I won�t have you killing her on my property.�

The caps scattered. And Janice took the opportunity to run. She looked back and they were following her, but with the weight of their caps they couldn�t keep up with her and shortly they had stopped chasing her. She left the road and didn�t stop running until she had reached the forest. Then she lay near exhaustion in the grass, her heart beating wildly. She was feeling feverish again.

She woke in the morning to a gentle touch and looked up into Tasha�s lovely blue eyes. �Tasha! Am I ever glad to see you!� She wrapped her arms around the girl�s neck, �I didn�t think I�d ever see you again.�

Tasha held her silently for a long time then broke free of her grasp. �Those are some pretty nasty bites.� She said, rubbing over the bumps on Janice�s breasts.

>>>>>Sorry for the troublesome gap! These sections need a transition, or rewriting.

By noon it was unusually hot and dusty for the time of year, and she decided to go swimming down by the pool where she had seen the strays. Beyond the pool the stream narrowed, and by walking around to the far side of the pool she found a shallow that gradually lead out into the pool instead of the steep banks of the rest of the edges. She waded out into the pool, experimenting in the cool water until finally she was swimming: floating lazily in the water on her back as the sun warmed her stomach. Then she would roll over for the sun to warm her back.

Janice looked around and saw the blonde girl who had saved her life months ago. She had appeared from nowhere, and swam with out making a sound.

�I am Tasha,� Janice smiled. �Will you follow me.� Janice nodded and Tasha grasp her by the wrist. �We�ll go under water. Are you ready� She saw the look of uncertainty. �Trust me,� She said. Janice nodded, took a breath of air, and let the girl guide her under the water. They swam for a long time and Janice began to fear that she would not be able to hold her breath long enough; but then they surfaced in a small, dark air pocket. The blonde girl lead her along in the dark, thru what seemed to be a maze of channels. Finally they saw a light ahead and they swam towards it.

They came out into a large cavern. The light illuminating the cavern was sunlight that shown down thru a hole in the earth. The cavern seemed to be a home for strays; there were several lounging around on the lush green growths. Several seemed busy further away from the waters edge, but she could not see what they were doing. The water lead up a sandy beach landing and Tasha walked up onto it. Janice followed her, marveling at the beauty of the under ground oasis. She noticed with equal interest that the blonde girls hair, although wet, seemed to flow with life, like dry hair in a slight breeze. And it draped evenly around her, not clinging to her skin, but forming a covering halfway down to her knees.

The two were met as they came forward by a growing crowd of strays, who greeted them cheerfully. Tasha untied her gag. �What is your name, dear.� she asked.

Tasha shoot the girl a hot glance then examined Janice and removed the leather and needle pin from between her legs. When she was finished she asked. �Would you like a tour, Janice?�

�Malaise,� Tasha addressed one of the strays. �Would you like to show Janice around?�

�I�d be glad to!� A slightly plump middle aged stray said coming forward. �Come on, I�ll show you the gardens.�

The gardens were away from the beach area, but in the same cavern. The earth here was black. How this type of dirt had come to be down here Janice could not imagine, but here it was supporting row after row of thriving crops. The workers were using a variety of tools designed to fit over the tips of there arms. And when they weren�t being used they were set face up on the ground so the next user could simply press her arm into the circular handle until it fit snug. She recognized a few of the plants, but most were not familiar to her. The girl called Malaise explained that Tasha had created the garden, and that she decided what plants to grow. Mostly the garden supported plants that thrived in low levels of sunlight because the sun did not shine directly on the plants for the major part of the day due to the smallness of the overhead opening. She pointed out a number of rocks in the structure of the hole that reflected, and scattered the light. It was this fact that lit the cavern so well. She was also shown how the water was irrigated thru the rows.

Next Janice was lead down a tunnel, covered by a moldy substance that had the same effect as a carpet. She was surprised at the vast network of well light underground passages and rooms. There were luxurious sleeping rooms, scented and padded on the floor by a spongy black substance that was soft enough to lie on quite comfortably. Malaise told her that it was a sea sponge that they cultivated in one of the marine chambers. It was delightful to see the brilliant construction of the rooms and their furnishings, all designed to accommodate the form of the strays, and their lack of hands or legs.

The light here came from either torches or a strange luminous rock which Janice found gave off warmth. �That�s moon shard.� Malaise explained simply.

�I don�t know. Tasha finds it for us. It last for about five days and then we let it sit in the sun for a couple of days and it becomes light again.�

�Everything that is good it seemed is created, cultivated or found by Tasha.� Janice said. �Who is she?�

Malaise thought for a moment; then she said. �Some say she was birthed by one of us, and raised by animals. Others say she was an inlander free woman, who ran away from her lover when she thought he was going to turn on her. Still others think she is the spawn of a god, who disowned her. No one knows for sure. She has been caring for us as long as I can remember.�

�How can that be she looks as young as I do.� Malaiae shrugged. �She saved my life, some time ago.� Janice said. �Out of nowhere she just appeared and pulled me from the water. She must be a God.�

Everyone seemed active and happy. Maliase introduced her to everyone they meet, and they greeted her and would explain what they were doing, and let her try the tools and taste and smell the mixtures. The marine chambers were rooms with water beds that were seeded with oysters, and crabs and fish. It was from these sources that the strays main food supply obviously came. It was, however, amazing the varied types of food that were available to them. Room after room was devoted to its own type of creatures. There were snails, and clams, and lobsters, and others she could not identify. And each room had a host of odd tools specially designed to be used by handless people. There were loops to put their arms thru, and special shapes brilliantly designed with curves and ridges necessary to form to the body or hook around a waist, and balance so as to facilitate their use.

There were other rooms: with mushrooms, and molds, and worms, etc. Not all were food, thou most could be used for that as well as a second, or even third use, like the mold used as a carpet in the halls. There was a high degree of concern towards comfort, and recreation as well. Several rooms it appeared were full of games, and courts. There were soft balls, that held air and were made from the skins of animals, and others that were hard and made by pouring the sap of a plant into a mold and cooking it. There were puzzles, and board games. There were an abundance of arm tools that allowed them to move pieces, or catch the balls.

There were hot pools, to bath in. One was so hot it was used to cook the cookable fish, and when they came to this one, they ate.

Many rooms devoted to creatures and plants that could be used to produce pleasant smells and colors. A whole area was devoted to creating new things. A large fire, with bellows pumped by two strays was used to heat metal strips. Stray with special tools worked together to manipulate the forge. �The more difficult things Tasha makes, but she has tried to make everything as accessible to us as possible.�

Janice was shown still more brilliant devises used for blowing glass and carving wood. She even saw a few music boxes like Lenar had owned. And she was introduced to the proud composer of several pieces. She was allowed to listen to a few tunes. One room was a library, and several strays were studying. They had paper and ink, and shelves where scrolls were kept.

The tour lasted the duration of the day, and Janice wished it would never end. When they were done Maliase lead her to a room and she fell asleep.

The next day Janice was taken to a work area where a greenish moss-like plant grew in a salty warm solution. She was shown how to treat the water, and ruffle the tops of the plants, and how to pick some for use. She noticed that the girls she worked with continually talked to the plants in a soft cooing voice as they worked. �The plants grow best when you talk to them.� They explained. And they taught her how to speak to the moss in just the right way for its own unique vibrations. �Each plant,� they said �has its own set of sounds to which it responds best.�

Then she was shown how to treat the pickings in a solution bath, to separate the oils from the solids. The oils had a sweet smell that made her hungry. And they showed her each step, and every way that the moss was used.

By the end of the day she was exhausted and she slept soundly in a padded sleep room with several others.

The next day Janice worked again with the girls who tended the greenish moss, and they taught her more; asking questions and testing her to see if she could perform certain tasks by herself.

That evening Tasha came to her and led her to a very large and dark room. There were several small eating tools designed for handless use. And here they talked and ate. Janice was clumsy and had to concentrate to use the tools properly.

The conversation always lead back to Janice. She told them of her life before she had come to the floating isles: �I was born in the city of Garhil. My mother�s name was Matrilla. She was a slave owned by a merchant named Gaznik. I never really knew but I suspect that he was my father. I was treated as one of his women, but... We traveled from city to city, returning to Garhil for the migrations.� She looked around and saw the question in the other�s eyes. �Garhil surrounds the center. It is the custom that all girls of Taskishan must be taken there when they come of age. There they are trained until they are ready. Then in the middle of the cold months all the unmarried males, who have come of age, leave their homes with what they have saved and what their parents can give them and they travel to the Center. When it was my turn, I was frightened. They lined us all up in these chairs, and then they opened the gates and the men came down the isles to offer us their money. I was selected by a small boy, and accepted his offer... But he sold me to a mage named Salihg, who in turn sold me to the Dream palace where I lived for two years. Then I was given to a guards son...Lenar...we were happy, I guess.�

�You�re welcome to stay with us, from now on.� Tasha said tenderly and Janice looked up at her gratefully. �You�d be expected to do your share of work. But no one hear will own you or tell you what to do.� Tasha put her arm around Janice and stroked her hair.

The food was being cleared away, by a number of women, and when they had finished, Tasha stood up. �We celebrate your arrival.� She said to Janice, and she motioned for a large bowl of steaming broth to be brought forward. The women, who had cleared away the table, began to dip cups into the broth and pass them around. When everyone in the room had a filled cup, Tasha continued her speech to the whole crowd. �Drink with me, if you will, to a new companion to Underhill.� All raised their glasses and drank deeply. The brew was thick and sweet, like nectar. And when Janice had finished her cup another was placed in her hand. She finished that one as quickly and another was placed in her hand. �Not so fast?� Tasha cautioned, �You�ll be asleep before the fun begins.� And she leaned over and kissed Janice on the lips gently.

Tasha�s kiss was more urgent now, her tongue pushing forcefully past Janice�s teeth. The weight of Tasha�s body pushed her onto her back. Weakly she tried to protest, but the brew was making her giddy, and Tasha�s sweet mouth felt good on her lips. Someone�s mouth touched her stomach, the tongue tracing over her belly button, and down to her fur. Another tongue licked her breast, and lips sucked the nipple into a mouth. The teeth nibbling lightly. Then the brew was being poured in her mouth and over her body. One after another; tongue after tongue assaulted her. Licking and sucking until her whole body was clean, but covered with saliva, and quivering at the slightest touch. And all the while Tasha was kissing her lips and face. Then the brew was being poured in her mouth and over her body again.

When Janice awoke she was laying in her room, washed and perfumed. She felt rested and energetic. She had no idea how long they had continued the night before. It seemed like it had lasted forever.

Janice looked up. �I�m not sure I want to stay here.�Tasha came closer. �Because of last night?�

Janice shrugged and looked away. �I just need to think for awhile. I�ve enjoyed my stay here very much, I just...�

�I understand,� Tasha said, �I�m a little familiar with the type of training you received at the pleasure palace. I don�t doubt that it was similar at this Center place you speak of. Our way is not always something that is easy to accept.�

�You are of course free to go.� She started to leave then turned back. �We are what we are.� She said. �We accept you, but if you are to be one of us, you must be one of us.�

�An invitation. Last night we accepted you. Whether or not you leave is up to you.� She was silent for a moment. �Be sure you want to leave before you do.�

�It is more dangerous for you now. The cap may know our smell, and they do not like us.�

Janice nodded. �I understand, but I need to leave to think about it. I can�t decide here, and I need to get back to...my boy.�

�Very well, follow me.� She led Janice to the garden and the beach. They swam out into the water and Tasha guided her back thru the maze. �Dive here and swim straight.�

�I�ll surface on the lake every third morning, four times. If you want to come back, call to me.� Tasha ran her fingers thru Janice�s hair. �Will you come back?�

�I think you�re one off us,� she said, �but I won�t hold you.� Janice smiled. �But be careful and remember what I said.�

A light drizzle was falling when Janice surfaced on the outside. She swam for a moment watching small circles form on the surface of the water, and not wanting to get out. The air was quite cool.

She was tired of Shekar, and his games; and the caverns had seemed so pleasant. She thought for a moment of diving back under and returning but she couldn�t. She couldn�t afford not to return to Shekar either. Without cover from the cold and wet, she was unlikely to live thru winter. It never became freezing, but there were months when it was cold enough that prolonged exposure could kill her. Even the small cubby beneath Shekar�s home had become uncomfortable a few nights, and she had sleep inside on the colder nights. Already the berries were gone, and she had not learned to eat enough other things. Maybe she had just been foolish to leave the UnderCaves. She had forgotten how hostile the world outside was.

She wasn�t anxious to go anywhere, in the rain. But she thought it best to head to the house. It had been a while since she had been there. Where else could she go?

The gate was locked, when she got there and the house seemed empty. Finally she decided to follow Hillock Road, heading out towards the hills where she had seen the Caps den.

Footnotes:

[1] A) Instead of being cut right at the joints her wrists retain some of the hand, about to the first knuckle of the thumb or there about. This aids in climbing, digging, and even running for speed. But weakness of wrists can also cause problems. More injury prone, thus less able to sustain constant pressures of running or even walking, for long periods. B) Instead of being cut right at the joints her knees retain some of the lower leg, probably about three or four inches. This gives her four-point stance a more square; less giraffe-like look. It also enables her to balance on her legs, so to speak, by basically kneeling. In effect, giving her feet of a sort. This foot also improves her ability to run faster.