Chapter 6: Catgirl’s Claws

Thanks to b0b for beta reading this!

Thrak – The Free City of Raratha

I eyed the raucous, rickety tavern Minx led me to. It lay on the southern edge of the harbor, the stink of the sea, a mix of salt spray and sour mud, assaulted my nose. The tavern’s entrance was a ratty sheet of cloth nailed to the door frame which may have once been white, but now was a grimy gray, the tattered bottom stained brown.

“I’d tell you to be on your toes, but I feel like you’ll be the most dangerous one in there,” grinned Minx.

“No doubt.” The prospect of violence did not arouse my interest. My brother lived for violence. I hoped my size and scars would school the humans in the futility of assaulting me. The gaping gaze of the locals kept my senses keen. I did not like everyone staring at me. Despite how long I’ve been out of orc lands, I still hated the attention everywhere we went.

“Her boat arrived last night,” Minx explained as we marched to the tavern. “She should have her usual table at the back. You won’t be able to miss her. She’s memorable.”

The concept of pirates, while foreign to me, made sense. They sounded like an orc tribe, roaming the sea, preying on the weak and trading their spoils with the strong. A leader only lasted as long as he, or she in the case of Captain Thyrna, maintained the respect and fear of his warriors.

To prevent Captain Thyrna from betraying us, she would have to fear our strength.

Minx slipped into the tavern, her metallic-red hair flashing in the sunlight. I threw aside the cloth. A pall of bluish smoke billowed out as I ducked through the doorway into the dim common room. The smoke came not from hearth or cook fire, but men smoking from water pipes sitting on the center of their tables. Most were scrawny sailors in dirty, ragged linens. Women in loose shifts moved through the room, their assets patted and groped as they delivered drinks and food.

In the back, a woman caught my gaze. She was no dull-eyed doxy but a woman with copper-brown skin and wavy-black hair framing a vixen’s face. Through lush eyelashes, her dark eyes fixed on me. She inhaled from her pipe, her red lips pursed while the water bubbled, then she exhaled. A hungry smile crossed her lips as the smoke drifted before her. Her breasts rose in her low-cut, white blouse trimmed in ruffles. Three brawny, bare-chested men lounged with her, their muscles glistening with oil.

“Yep, that’s her,” Minx nodded. “Let’s say hi.”

Captain Thyrna leaned over and whispered into the ear of a red-skinned Thlinian sitting to her right. The brawny man cracked his knuckles as his eyes locked on me. He stood, his chair scraping across the wooden floor. His glistening muscles flexed as he stretched his arms.

“Get behind me,” I rumbled to Minx.

She rolled her eyes and moved behind me. “Don’t kill him. He’s one of her boy toys.”

I clenched my fist as the barmaids and patrons bled away from me. The brawny Thlinian human was tall, for his kind, the top of his head coming up to my chin. Thick muscles bulged about his body. His knuckles were scarred and gnarled from being broken repeatedly.

The man was no stranger to a fist fight.

The captain’s eyes locked on me, her lips wrapped around the end of the water pipe. My dick ached—what would her lips feel like wrapped about my dick?

“You’re far from home, orc,” the man said as he raised his fists. “Are you as strong as you look?”

I didn’t answer him. Irritation flashed across his face as I denied him a reaction. His jaw worked. He exhaled violently through his nose. His body tensed. His weight shifted on his feet as he prepared to attack.

Sloppy. He gave me too much warning.

My swarthy hand lashed out. I grabbed his punching fist in my hand. I gripped and yanked. He stumbled towards me, grunting in surprise. I drew back my head and slammed the crown of my head into his forehead hard.

His body went limp and fell on my bare feet. Everyone stared at me as I stepped over the man. Captain Thyrna exhaled, her smoke puffing out as rings. I pulled a chair from the table and sat opposite her.

“Thrak,” giggled Minx, “you have a harder head than I thought.” She pulled up a chair and then hopped on it. She knelt on it so the halfling could see over it. “Hi, Captain Thyrna.”

The pirate’s eyes flicked to Minx for a moment then back to me. “If you want a position on my crew, I can make a vacancy. I do love a large male. And so strong.”

“I have little interest in working for you.”

Her eyes narrowed. She leaned forward and licked her lips. Feline hunger crossed her smile as she stared at my bare, swarthy chest. “What a pity.”

“My companions and I need a captain who knows discretion.” I paused, studying her. She had a quality I had never seen in a human female. Primal hunger. Predatory. “Is that you?”

“It can be, orc, if the quality of your coin suffices.” She licked her lips. “Especially for a male of your ... bravado.”

“Our coin will. We will need your ship standing-by to pick up my companions and I.”

“Standing-by where?”

I glanced at Minx. She nodded her head and winked at me. Minx found her trustworthy, but how honest was the thief who had picked Chaun’s pocket only a few hours past. But she was prophesied to join us. Still, if Captain Thyrna betrayed us...

No avoiding it. “Off the Saltspray Palace.”

Thyrna arched an eyebrow. “Bold and expensive. I will require half.”

“Half?” I furrowed my eyebrows.

“Half,” hissed Minx. “A twentieth is more than enough.”

I kept my mouth closed. Minx had an eager smile on her coppery face as she haggled the price with the captain. They went back on forth, Minx not flinching from the captain’s hard eyes. Their numbers moved towards each other. They settled on a sixth.

“Bold,” Captain Thyrna smiled at the end. “I love a bold man. I hope you don’t dangle from a gibbet.”

“The rope would snap before his neck,” chortled Minx.

“I’d believe that.” The captain gave me a final, heated look before she lifted the end of the water pipe and inhaled.

Once outside, I asked Minx what we were paying her with.

“A sixth of the treasure we will liberate from the vault.” She stretched her back. “I have to go. A few people to meet.”

“We are only stealing the piece of the sword.”

She laughed as she scampered off. I sighed and headed back to the inn. Angela would not be pleased. She had trouble enough stealing only the sword piece.

Chaun

My back burned from Relaria’s claws. Her ribbed pussy convulsed about my cock as the final shudders of her powerful orgasm rippled through her. Ecstasy burned through my mind as I held her perched on the balcony’s railing of the Saltspray Palace, overlooking the Nimborgoth’s waves crashing into the cliffs below. The lamia’s ears twitched and the catgirl let out a yowling purr as her slitted, golden eyes fluttered.

Had I pleased her enough?

Like me, Relaria had trained at the Bardic College of Az. Which meant she knew of my disgrace. After the Prince of Kivnar found me abed with his wife, the woman I loved, I had fled one step ahead of the headsman ax. I had to leave Princess Adelaide to her husband. She had lied to protect herself. I had taken the appearance of her husband that night, it amused us so to cuckold him with his own form, so she escaped repercussion.

But I did not. The Prince complained to the Bardic College of Az, and the Dean stripped me from their ranks. I could not claim myself a Bard of Az and find employment in any powerful noble’s or rich merchant’s household without the college ordering my execution. So I had spent the years plying my skills in low-born taverns.

It was foolish of me to come with Angela as she infiltrated the court. I should have known the Doge of Raratha, one of the richest men in the world, would employ a Bard of Az—Relaria. She recognized me at once since I used my common human appearance—the one I was born with.

If I pleased her tonight, she wouldn’t tell. I had made her cum hard and loud. But was it enough? I fought the trembles as she shuddered on the railing. Her claws kneaded my back, torn to painful ribbons by her excitement. The blood soaked the back of my shirt and now that my pleasure faded, the pain increased.

“What a wonderful performance,” she purred, nuzzling her smooth cheeks into my flesh. She looked like a regular human woman, pale skin and lovely, but had cat-like ears, a furry tail, and retractable claws.

“I am honored you allowed me to play your body,” I said.

She laughed, a mix of cat-like yowling and human giggling. “So modest. You were great, but not amazing. You have bought yourself a reprieve. Tomorrow night, I expect better or I’ll whisper into the Doge’s ear just who you are, Chaun.”

I swallowed and nodded. Her limbs relaxed and I pulled away. I gave her a sweeping bow. “Tomorrow night, stars shall burst through your vision as you reach heights of pleasure not attained by mortals before.”

“Such boasts,” she purred as she perched confident on the railings. Lamia were comfortable with heights. My cum leaked out of her pussy, dripping to the balcony below. “You should have your wounds attended to. You have a priestess with you. Have her heal them. I want you unmarred for tomorrow night.” Her claws flexed and she gave me a wicked grin.

“As it pleases you,” I said, ignoring the throbbing pain that quickly transformed into agony. Sweat broke out on my forehead as I fought to keep it from my expression.

I pulled up and laced my hose then turned and strode into the Doge’s audience hall where the milling powers of Raratha held whispered conversations. Angela spotted me. Her eyes widened as I lounged against the back.

“I see you received Relaria’s affections,” a noblewoman laughed as she passed by, a crystal glass in hand full of red wine. “She does like to leave her mark.”

“That she does,” I nodded.

Angela pulled Sophia out of a knot of young women, the idle daughters of the wealthy, and pulled the white-robed acolyte to me. Angela’s armor jingled and a path melted for her as she crossed the audience hall.

“What happened to you?” she demanded when she reached me, her blue eyes wide with concern.

Sophia nodded her head. “Did you fall?”

“I—”

Relaria strolled past, her tail swishing. “I can’t wait for tomorrow night, Chaun,” she winked as she strutted by. Her claws appeared and retracted.

“Oh,” giggled Sophia. “I take it you performed well.”

“Not well enough,” I groaned. “She knows who I am. She’s a Bard of Az, like me. We have a serious problem.”

Minx

Thrak was impressive. I did not usually enjoy men, Spray had shown me the true delights are to be found with a hermaphrodite, but watching him headbutt Thyrna’s brute had aroused me. My pussy still itched between my thighs when I reached the tower I lived in with Spray and the other halflings of our thieving group.

I climbed the tower and popped into the top room, peeling off the loose clothing I wore to disguise the fact I was a Halfling female and not a human child. It was a useful disguise while pickpocketing. I dropped it on the ground as Spray smiled at me.

“You’re out late,” the nixie said. She lounged naked, her body gleaming in the moonlight. She always had water beading on her flesh. A nixie was never dry. She shuddered as Flit, one of her other halfling wives, sucked hard on the tip of Spray’s cock.

I shrugged and lied, “Been a weird day.”

“You weren’t working the square with the others.”

“Nope.” I strolled through the room and fell on pillows nearby.

Spray’s eyes watched me. The nixie brushed back her sea-green hair from her face with a blue hand. Pleasure burned in her dark eyes. “And what were you doing that was more important than working the crowds?”

“I slipped into the Square of Perfume and liberated a few of the noblewomen’s purses.”

Spray arched an eyebrow. “And the guards didn’t chase off a street urchin.”

“They did. Spent most of the afternoon hiding from them. But it was worth it.” This morning, I had gone to the square and purloined a few merchant wives purses. I produced a leather coinpurse and tossed it to Spray. “I think you’ll see I made more than enough.”

Spray opened the pouch and her eyes widened. “Well, well, well, Minx. Impressive.”

“That’s me,” I shrugged, my pussy itching. I shimmied off the tight, leather britches I wore and traced the landing strip of metallic-red hair down to my shaved pussy. I shuddered as I caressed myself.

“And you weren’t doing anything else?” Spray asked the question casually.

I laughed, “Like what? Scouting the Saltspray Palace. I’m not stupid, Spray. It got my sister killed. I don’t want to swing from a gibbet.”

I just want out of Raratha. I would miss Spray, but I didn’t love her cock enough to stay any longer. Adel’s plan to help Angela reforge the High King’s sword then steal it was too tempting to pass up. I would be the richest halfling female in history. I would have men and hermaphrodites waiting on me.

I wouldn’t be another halfling wife in my husband’s, or Spray’s, harem.

“Good, good,” groaned Spray, her hips shifted. “Mmm, Flit, that’s good. Suck my cock. You want my cum.”

Flit moaned, the halfling female shaking her naked hips, her golden-bright hair flashing in the lamplight. I stroked my pussy harder, loving the feel of my fingers sliding through my folds as I watched Spray’s naked breasts heave as she came, flooding Flit’s hungry mouth.

“Are you going to the square tomorrow?” Spray asked as Flit swallowed blast after blast of the nixie’s cum.

“Probably,” I said, digging my fingers deep into my pussy.

“You should take Flit or Owl with you.”

I shook my head. “They’re not good enough to do it,” I panted, loving the feel my fingers reaming my pussy. I pumped them faster and faster. Excitement burned through me as I stared into Spray’s eyes and lied to her. My cunt clenched on my nimble fingers. “And too many of us would only attract the guard’s attention. I had a hard enough time on my own.”

I hadn’t.

Spray pursed her lips. “Well, I do worry for you on your own. I wouldn’t want anything to happen to you like what happened to poor Fox.”

My fingers froze in my pussy. My horniness vanished at my sister’s name. “It won’t.” After meeting Angela and her companions, I had little doubt on our success. “I have no plans to swing from a gibbet.”

“Good.” Spray smiled at me and motioned to Owl. The slim halfling scampered to Spray, eager to please the nixie’s cock.

I pulled my fingers out of my pussy and stared up at the dark rafters crossing the ceiling. Owl gasped in the background as Spray fucked the slim halfling. I closed my eyes and ran my thoughts through tomorrow. Faoril would, hopefully, meet us in the market and let us know the plans tomorrow. Then I would sneak into the palace, hid beneath Angela’s skirt, and see the vault for myself.

I hoped we would rob the palace soon. If I kept disappearing from my duties, Spray would become suspicious. But, for now, I had her placated with talk of gold, and not the smaller hauls we gleamed from poorer market squares.

Xerathalasia

The Rarathan humans stared at me as I strolled through the market square. Minx trailed behind me, disguised as a street urchin. She moved silently, my ears barely catching the sound of her bare feet and the rustle of her clothing over the din of the bustling crowds. I ignored the humans staring at my naked body. They had such strange skin color. I was used to the pale flesh of Sophia, Angela, and Faoril, but here their skin had a bluish cast, like my skin had a greenish hue to the pale tan.

My ears twitched as every merchant cried out about the quality of their wares from kitchen knives to spices to meat pies to linen cloth. My eyes examined each stall as I moved through the bustling square. Faoril’s red robes made her stand out. She worked casually through the square. She didn’t glance at me but I felt her watching me out of the corner of her eyes. We neared each other as we strolled past stalls and carts until we reached the same one.

I paused to examine a pear on the cart, picking it up, the yellow-beige skin waxy beneath my fingers. “Faoril.”

“This afternoon we are seeing the vault. Minx, Angela and Sophia are waiting for you. Their apartments are on the south wall, third floor, ninth window from the right.”

“Okay,” Minx said. She bumped into me, squeezing my ass before she scampered off to infiltrate the palace.

“Thrak and Minx hired a pirate to ferry us out of Raratha,” I told her. “Thrak was quite impressed with the captain.”

“A strong man?”

“Woman.”

Faoril giggled. “He does like strong women.”

I glanced at Faoril and nodded in agreement. “She expects a sixth of what we steal from the vault.”

Faoril’s eyes widened. “But we’re not ... beside the sword.”

“We’ll have to grab something else for payment and claim it is a sixth.”

Faoril groaned, “That won’t make Angela happy.” She bit her lip. “We have a complication, too. A female bard recognized Chaun. She’s threatening to tell the Doge unless Chaun pleases her sexually. He’s not sure he can. He gave her his best already, and it only bought him a day.”

I frowned. “He can please women.” My pussy warmed. He was the only male I had ever slept with. In his changeling form, he was quite effeminate and beautiful, with his midnight-black skin and delicate face. And his cock...

My pussy clenched at its memory. His cock had pleased me more than my wife’s.

“I am sure he will prevail.”

“Sophia has decided to seduce Relaria. She believes she can convince the lamia not to speak.” Faoril shook her head. “I’m not so sure, but you know her.”

I nodded my head.

“And if she fails?”

Faoril hesitated. “I have ... an idea.”

“What?”

Faoril shook her head. “I need to get back. Either way, Relaria will not be a problem. I hope Sophia’s plan works. Mine is...” She sighed. “Well, have a good day, Xera. Keep Thrak out of trouble.”

“He has only been in three fights,” Xera laughed. “Drunken teamsters think they can take him. He ... educates them.”

Faoril grinned then she turned and strolled away. I frowned after her. Why wouldn’t she tell me her plan? It made her uncomfortable so it was distasteful. Did she plan on killing Relaria? Angela would never countenance such a plan. And I didn’t think Faoril was that sort of person.

I sighed and turned to return to the Maiden’s Dew Inn and update Thrak.

Knight-Errant Angela

“These are ridiculous,” I said as I stared at the wires holding the hoops around my legs. Each hoop was wider than the last as they welled from my waist, down my legs, to my ankles. “Why would anyone wear these.”

“To make their hips look impressive,” Sophia giggled. “For style.”

The naked acolyte giggled with amusement. Her small breasts jiggled and the ruby dangling from her belly piercing flashed. Sunlight streamed through the open doorway which led onto our room’s balcony. A cool wind blew through the opening, carrying the salt of the sea.

My large breasts shook as I wiggled in the hoops. “This is stupid.”

“It’s perfect to hide Minx beneath.” Sophia stood up with the green dress in hand. “Now come on, let’s get you in this.”

“Fine,” I sighed as Sophia walked to me, her naked hips swaying. The sheets of our bed were still rumpled from our morning’s lovemaking. The lingering scent of our hot pussies perfumed the air.

Sophia and I wrestled the dress on me. The skirt consisted of a series of frilly falls that hugged the hoop frame. The stiff skirt was so voluminous I would have no trouble hiding the halfling beneath it as we went on our tour of the vault. Sophia smoothed the skirt then helped me button up the blouse in the back. It was cut low with a square bodice, my large breasts jiggling with my every movement. My fiery hair spilled about my shoulders.

“Oh, you look amazing,” clapped Sophia as she walked around me. “Just ravishing, Angela.”

“I’m glad you approve,” I said darkly as I stared at my reflection in a stand mirror. I did look ... lady like. I sighed as I turned my hips, the bulky dress swinging with me. I felt like I wore a bell about my waist.

“You do look great,” a high-pitched voice announced.

I jumped and whirled, my heart racing.

Minx lounged against the wall. She had slipped in from the balcony without me even noticing, wearing her tight, leather britches and a band of brown cloth about her small, round breasts. Her bright-sapphire eyes slid up and down my body. Then she walked to me on silent feet.

“So I just hide underneath here?” she asked, lifting the front of the skirt and hoop.

“We cut out a small slit in the front,” Sophia explained. “Hidden in the folds. You should be able to see out but no one should notice it.”

Minx slithered underneath. I spread my legs apart in the dress and gasped as her body pressed against them, her hair brushing my pussy. “Yes, I can see,” Minx said, her voice muffled by the fabric. “Ooh, it’s warm and cozy in here. Angela, you have a nice smelling pussy.”

“Thanks,” I said, trying to ignore her hair brushing the lips of my cunt and exciting me.

“We should have our tour in a quarter of an hour,” Sophia said as she pulled on her acolyte robe. She avoided having to wear such a terrible dress because of it. “Faoril should be back by then. I can’t imagine your route is much faster since you had to sneak in.”

“Mine’s faster,” Minx chortled. “I watched the entire process of you dressing her.”

“Oh,” I said and then shuddered as her hands stroked my legs, shooting pleasure up to my pussy.

“Are you okay?” Sophia frowned, walking to me. “You look flushed.”

“Just ... warm,” I lied and shifted. Minx’s hair tickled my pussy lips. I wanted to let out a moan as they brushed and caressed my vulva.

Faoril burst into the room. “Did she make it?”

“A while ago, apparently,” I said, my voice strained. “She’s already beneath the skirt.”

Faoril blinked. “I came as fast as I could. How did she get here so ahead of me?”

“It’s a secret,” giggled Minx, her fingers stroking my thighs. “So, shall we go see the Doge’s vault?”

“Yes,” I breathed. “I want to get out of this dress.”

The doge was late. I squirmed the entire time as Minx’s shifting head brushed the petals of my pussy. He finally swept in with a booming laugh as he moved to me, a jolly smile on his face. He was such a nice man. I was convinced I could make him understand why we needed the sword piece. Then we wouldn’t have to steal from him.

“My lady-knight,” he gasped, “what radiant flower hid beneath your armor.” He took my hand and brought it to his lips.

I let out a moan as he kissed me. Not from his lips brushing my hand, but from Minx moving beneath me. Her head tilted up and then her tongue swiped through my pussy. The sudden rush of sensations burst from my mouth before I could control myself.

The Doge’s smile only broadened. “Yes, yes, a remarkable woman. I would love to get to know you better. Perhaps a private dinner tonight?”

“That would be perfect,” Sophia smiled, winking at me.