Chapter 15

“You two are going to continue on with them?” Kal asked while they walked beside Soonu and Chaldi’s wagon. In the distance, they could see the village where they planned on parting ways.

As far as size, it didn’t look much bigger than Telsin. A few wooden structures stood above the rest in the village center, but where the buildings in his hometown were all made from wood, this little hamlet mostly had clay huts topped with straw thatch. The architecture reminded him a little of Fazal but with softer edges. The clay used for the walls appeared to turn bright white as it weathered under the scorching heat of the savannah’s dry season. At least that’s what Kal guessed from the partially constructed homes dotting the settlement’s outskirts.

A fair-sized lake spread out just beyond the village and was the main reason for the town’s existence. For the past day, the ground had been sloping steadily downward, and in the distance they could make out a similar gradual rise on the other side. The area acted like a gigantic collection basin. Kal didn’t realize until he saw it, but this was the first real body of water he had seen since he crossed the mountains

Coovie and Rhim both nodded.

“Melir appreciates our sharp ears and eyes,” said Rhim.

“And Soonu and Chaldi appreciate our other gifts,” said Coovie. She wiggled her butt as her face took on a dopey expression, “and I certainly appreciate Soonu’s gifts as well.”

Last night Kal and Kashka slept alone for the first time since meeting the gazelle women. Their only interruption came from Rhim asking for some of Cyrene’s lube. The merchant’s guard wasn’t quite ready to sink his cock into the gazelle’s pussy. Lucky for him, Rhim enjoyed taking a man in her bottom almost as much as her sex. Although Prentas made monster girls so they barely required any extra lubricant back there, Rhim was sold on the merits of a little added slickness the first time Kal slipped inside her ass. Instead of the slime, Kal gave her the little jar of salve that he used before reaching Prentas’s tower. The tiny pot now hung from a string tied to her shoulder strap next to the water bottles Chaldi made.

Neither gazelle was terribly impressed with the belts and instead opted to hang them across their torsos. After a few practice runs where they darted ahead of the wagon at full speed, they complained everything bounced around too much. Chaldi attached another belt, effectively turning the first into a shoulder strap, to hold everything in place. The girls seemed pleased with the result.

The leatherworker invited Coovie to share her and Soonu’s bed last night, and today it looked like everything went well. Kal worried there might be some hard feelings or hidden jealousy, but that appeared not to be the case.

Because of his size, Soonu had never experienced a woman’s bottom. According to Coovie, they were planning on changing that in the days to come. Chaldi had some bad experiences with men in her younger days, turning her off to taking a man in her bottom ever again. The leatherworker explained to the gazelle that this was something her husband wanted to experience for a very long time, but she just couldn’t give him. She also mentioned that the couple of prostitutes they hired backed out once they saw him fully hard. On the other hand, the gazelle was looking forward to getting her rear stretched by the merchant. So much so that the gazelle said she slept with one of Chaldi’s polished stone toys in her bottom once they were finished.

Kal had zero interest in seeing another guy’s dick just for the sake of seeing it, but after listening to Chaldi, and now Coovie, talk about how big he was, the mage was finding it hard not to be just a little curious.

“Are you staying with them to the edge of the jungle then?” Kal asked.

Rhim looked up at Melir, “I thought you were going up and around?”

Melir nodded, “We are. The jungle is too dangerous to go through, even with a fully armed guard. Too many monster girls and too many bandits.”

“Bandits, you said?”

Kashka looked up at the mage. Something in his voice sounded off.

Melir didn’t notice as he continued scanning grasslands. “There are some ancient ruins off the main road through the Boordus Jungle. A group of bandits took it over a few years ago. After that, they made a pact with a tribe of ape-women to act as lookouts.”

“I can hardly blame them there,” said Rhim, grinning up at the man.

The mercenary blushed slightly, “There’s a big difference between you and them. From what I’ve heard they are surprisingly strong, and their need for a man makes normal monster girls look like virginal prudes. When in their ‘attractive’ phase, they are truly insatiable. A single ape-woman can fuck three men into their graves, then look around for more. I’ve heard that the bandits have attacked and kidnapped groups of men to use as sacrifices to these women. However, that hasn’t happened in a long time.”

“How do you know about all this?” asked Kashka.

“Mostly rumors among the other mercenaries. The people of Lassedo,” Melir pointed with his whip-stick at the town ahead, “should be able to tell you more.”

“What are you two going to do while they are in town?” Kal asked the gazelles.

“Unless they object. We’re bringing them with us,” said Soonu.

Melir’s head whipped around to stare at the merchant as Chaldi cried, “What!” from the back of the wagon.

“If they are going to help Melir protect the wagon, then I see no reason to run them off. It’s the least we can do for their help.”

Chaldi poked her head out the small door between the men, “Don’t expect to be selling a lot while we’re there.”

“What are you talking about, wife? By the time we reach Lassedo, the faster merchants have already flooded the market. We hardly make any sales there as is.”

“Fine,” Chaldi grumbled, “but you could have warned me earlier.” She pointed at Kashka. “The girls are going to at least have clothes like hers, or they won’t let us in at all,” she said before disappearing back into the wagon.

Rhim and Coovie looked at Kashka’s simple top and shorts. “We have to wear clothing?” Rhim asked.

Kashka nodded. “It’s usually required if you want to wander freely around a human town.” The cat-girl leaned into the gazelle and whispered. “Plus, some men really enjoy watching you take them off.”

“I’ll attest to that,” said Kal. “But sometimes we like to strip it off like we’re unwrapping a gift.” The mage held out his hands and wiggled his fingers as though about to grope an imaginary set of breasts.

Kashka nudged Rhim and smoothly pulled up one side of her top to expose a nipple. “Watch this,” she whispered.

The gazelle looked on as Kal finished his lecherous pantomime and glanced around to see the other’s reactions. The mage’s eyes immediately locked onto the cat-girl’s exposed breast and stayed there for a moment before giving Kashka a questioning look. Above them in the wagon, Rhim saw Melir was also staring at the feline-woman’s charms. Kashka tugged her top back into place and grinned at the gazelle.

“But ... they can see mine anytime they want,” she said, looking down and cupping her breasts as if offering them for the men’s inspection.

“Exactly, seeing you naked is just a normal thing. But for me?” Kashka slowly peeled up her top while looking at Kal. The mage hopped forward and spun around, walking backwards so he could get a better view. Rhim caught movement on the edge of her vision as Melir nudged Soonu. A moment later, the merchant was also staring at Kashka’s breasts as she slowly pulled the material up, teased her nipples until they hardened, then covered herself again. Even after the men couldn’t see Kashka’s breasts anymore, they continued to stare at the bumps in the cloth left by the fabric.

“Coovie? Rhim? I need one of you so I can take some measurements!” Chaldi called.

Rhim glanced at Kashka’s breasts, then up at Melir before yelling “Coming!” and darting to the wagon’s rear where the leatherworker waited.

Coovie had also been watching the men’s reactions. Looking at Kashka, the gazelle shrugged. “You convinced me,” she said and stopped and let the back of the wagon come to her.

Kal again fell into step next to the cat-girl as the merchant and mercenary returned to their tasks. Kashka looked up at the mage, “When they mentioned bandits earlier, you acted strangely. Do you know something about these men?”

“Not a thing,” said Kal, his tone cold. “But...” he turned to look at her, and Kashka saw a hatred in his eyes far beyond when they fought the sandworms, “if there is a thieve’s den in that jungle, we’re going hunting.”

Lassedo turned out more lucrative than the merchant and his wife expected. The clothed gazelle-women with small bottles hanging from their belts attracted curious townsfolk, which Chaldi and Soonu quickly converted into sales. Most of the villagers accepted the monster girls were assisting Melir in detecting danger out on the road. Far fewer believed that the little bottles were to teach other monster girls how to attract a mate without resorting to kidnapping. That the gazelle-women gave no indication they were interested in any of the town menfolk did impress a few. Only two people didn’t seem to understand the gazelle weren’t enemies and had to be run off by Melir’s whip-stick.

Most who managed to notice Kashka took a single look at her collar and promptly ignored her.

The more observant noted the daggers on her hips and kept out of her and Kal’s way.

The people who noticed Kashka usually did so from Kal interacting with her. One man, however, addressed her directly.

“Those are some nice daggers, young ... lady,” said the shopkeeper. He appeared unsure what to call her. “Perhaps I could interest you in some better ones.” A large awning graced the front of his shop, and he sat behind a couple of thin tables with selected wares displayed on top. A small, treadle-powered grinding wheel stood to one side of his outdoor area while another table nearby held an assortment of blades and handles waiting to be assembled. Most of the man’s offerings were meant for a kitchen, not a fight, but the few daggers and short swords he displayed were well crafted.

Kashka glanced up at Kal, but he just smiled back and held out an arm, “Your call, Mistress, I merely hold the purse. Just remember to use your resources.”

The cat-girl looked up at him, confused by the last phrase.

“Mistress?” the shopkeeper asked, looking between the mage and cat. He quickly shook his head, dismissing the question. “It doesn’t matter. I have a pair of fine daggers you may be interested in.”

“As you noted, I already have a pair. Thank you,” she replied with a slight bow before turning to walk away.

“But are yours magic?”

Kashka stopped mid-stride. Another glance up at Kal revealed he had found something keenly interesting about his fingernails. Grumbling at the mage’s lack of help, she asked, “How are they magic? I keep my weapons immaculate, and a simple sharpness enchantment won’t help me much.”

“Sadly, I cannot say, other than they contain strong magic. I only recently purchased them and have not had a wizard identify their enchantments yet.”

“Oh,” said Kashka. Disappointed, she turned to leave again. “I’m sorry, but I’m not—Oof!” She barely took a step before running into Kal.

“Are we leaving so soon, Mistress?” he asked as though he hadn’t just made her look like a fool.

The cat opened her mouth to snap at him, but something in the mage’s expression stopped her. She turned back to the shopkeeper. “How much are you asking?”

“Three hundred gold.”

“You can’t even tell me what kind of magic they are, and you want that much?”

“I’ve been buying and selling blades for my entire life. I know when I see something special.”

Kashka glanced up at Kal and saw curiosity in his eyes. Despite the air of distrust, she had learned watching Kal and others haggle over prices. The cat found herself intrigued by this man’s confidence in his merchandise. “Alright, I’ll take a look.”

The shopkeeper turned and yelled into the building behind him, “Boy! Get out here!”

“Yes, father!” answered a young man’s voice. A few seconds later, the shopkeep’s son appeared in the doorway wearing shorts, a leather blacksmith’s apron, and a coating of metal dust on his face. In his hand, he held a half-dozen rough ground blades he added to the table next to his father’s grindstone.

“Watch the front for a few minutes. I need to get something out of the safe,” said the shopkeeper before entering the building.

The son looked Kal over, paying particular attention to the lack of weapons hanging from his belt. “What do you need in the safe for?” he yelled inside.

“For the cat!” his father shouted back.

The shopkeeper’s son turned back and noticed Kashka for the first time. “My apologies muh—ma’am. I didn’t see you there.” His eyes dropped to the daggers on her belt before mumbling, “That’s why he needs in the safe.” The young man stopped and stared at Kashka with a slight look of fear as both the cat-girl’s ears swiveled toward him. Suddenly uncomfortable, he sat down at the grinding wheel and pumped the treadle to put a final edge on the blades he just brought out.

A few minutes later, Kal and Kashka heard a loud thump from inside the shop. The merchant exited the building holding up a belt with two ornate deep blue sheaths. The intricate inlays covering the sheaths were made of a metal that faintly glowed in the awning’s shade, while the daggers inside were solid black except for an emerald embedded in the pommel.

Kashka ran a finger over the sheath’s metal, “Not much use for staying out of sight.”

“Try them on. You may be surprised.”

Wondering why she was entertaining the man, Kashka sighed, removed her belt, and handed it to Kal.

“Look,” said Kal as she cinched down the belt with the magical daggers.

Lifting the sheath revealed the glowing metal had turned dull, dark gray.

“I believe these were made for someone who required stealth in their occupation,” said the man. “The daggers are completely silent when drawn, and, if you noticed, they didn’t make noise when bumping against each other as I brought them out.”

“Still not worth three hundred gold,” said Kashka. Letting the sheath drop, she knocked on its side. Silence.

“There’s more to them than just being quiet. Sadly, with what I spent on buying them, I haven’t made back enough to afford the wizard I spoke of.”

The cat-girl looked up at Kal and smirked. He told her to use her resources. Unbuckling the belt, she handed it and the daggers on it to the mage. “Could you take a look at these and let me know what you think they’re worth?”

“I’d be happy to,” said Kal. Setting them on the table, he slid one of the sheaths from the belt and set the rest aside. The mage flipped his cloak’s hood up and hunched over the table as he began his inspection. A short time later, he asked Ria for parchment and quill before jotting down some notes. The letters were standard Common, but Kashka couldn’t make heads or tails of the words. Apparently, neither could the shopkeeper.

The man behind the counter dipped his head down to look under Kal’s cowl but stopped when his chin came to rest on the tip of one of Kashka’s daggers. He was clearly unhappy with being threatened but stood up straight again and nodded in understanding: No peeking.

Long minutes passed where the grinding of new blades and the scratching of the quill were the only sounds from the shopkeeper’s stall.

Kal finally laid the dagger down and pushed his hood back, but only to hunch over the parchment and continue scribbling notes. He continued for a few more minutes until Kashka cleared her throat.

“Uh ... Kal?”

The mage’s head shot up, and his gaze flicked between her and the shopkeeper. “Sorry. I got a little lost in my thoughts there.”

“How much do you think it’s worth, Kal?”

“The daggers?” he said with a sigh, “If he knew what the other enchantments were, then it might be worth the three hundred. I’d only go two hundred.”

“But what if those enchantments are useful? Like—”

“Like the making you completely silent or see in the dark, or leap really high?” Kashka asked. “I can do all those things already. It may be worth three hundred to a human, but if Kal says two hundred, then I’m inclined to agree. Two is my offer.”

“I tried them on my range after buying them. I never missed a target.”

Kal shook his head this time, “She already doesn’t miss unless you dodge or deflect her blades. Believe me, I know.”

The shopkeeper shot him a look filled with skepticism. When he turned back to Kashka, she was holding out her hands with palms up. He stared at her solid black palms in confusion for a moment before their significance sunk in. “You’re one of those little savannah cats that seldom miss a hunt.” The man shook his head, “I need to make some money off these, or the wife will have my ass. I’ll go two-fifty.”

“Two twenty-five is my last offer,” said Kashka. The cat-girl suddenly stopped and looked up at Kal with worry written across her face. “Wait, Kal. I can’t do this. Put this ‘Mistress’ game aside for a second. That’s a lot of money, and it’s your money, not mine.”

“If I didn’t feel this might be a good purchase, I would have told you a price he would have rejected outright, and we’d be on our way,” he said with a smirk. “You told me the other day to trust my women to keep me from making a misstep. That goes both ways. If you were about to do something foolish, then I would have spoken up already. Two hundred twenty-five gold feels like a fair price from what I could make out.”

“And what could you make out?” the shopkeeper asked, looking hopefully at the mage.

“Nothing I will share with you until the blades are hers. To sweeten the deal, I’ll also look at any other magic items you have. Mind you, what I do may not be as effective as your wizard friend’s identification spell.”

The man grumbled for a moment, then looked at Kashka again. “Alright, two twenty-five for the pair,” he said, hesitantly extending a hand.

She could tell the man was trying hard to not jerk away as they shook hands and appreciated the effort. The cat was less appreciative of the shopkeeper immediately rubbing his hand on his pants afterward as though trying to wipe away her taint.

The frown on Kal’s face showed he noticed as well. Shaking his head, he summoned Ria and paid the man before sending him to get any other magical items he needed to be identified.

“Other than sharpness and a strengthened blade, there isn’t much of use to her on those daggers. There are some enchantments I’m unfamiliar with and might require some study to figure out. Those are also the strongest enchantments, so I’m curious what they might be.” said Kal as he handed the man a parchment with the runes found on, and in, the last short sword he looked over. This time, the mage described the runes in simple terms, not the magic language he used for Kashka’s new daggers.

“So I got taken,” said the shopkeeper with a sigh as he rested his elbows on the table where he conducted business. His son had disappeared inside once he finished sharpening the blades.

“Perhaps, but mostly because of your buyer,” said Kal looking over at the cat-girl. “I know a human thief who would have likely paid three hundred gold for those. But her abilities reduced the daggers’ value. She moves in near-complete silence already. How much quieter can magic sheaths make her?”

After purchasing the daggers, Kashka switched them out on her belt, leaving the old ones sitting on the shopkeeper’s table next to Kal. Stepping a few paces away, she began to familiarize herself with the new blades by tossing them into the air and catching them repeatedly. After a few seconds, she asked Kal to toss one of her old daggers at her. The mage gently lobbed the weapon in her direction and watched as she snatched it out of the air before starting to juggle all three blades.

A cat-girl masterfully juggling razor-sharp daggers drew attention in the crowded marketplace. Some people were wary that a monster girl was casually tossing weapons around, but most assumed she was a street performer. Ria helped this image by carrying over the last of the feline’s old weapons then darting in and out of the loops made by the flying daggers. Then, after a brief consultation with Kashka, the sprite flitted over to the shopkeep and asked if they could borrow the blanks his son had sharpened. Ria flew back and forth with the unfinished knives until the cat had ten blades spinning through the air over her head.

Kal had seen many juggling acts. Every so often, one stopped at the Inn in Telsin when he was younger, and he chanced upon a few in his travels since. Only a few involved daggers, and those were often dulled ‘just in case.’ This made Kashka’s display unique in his experience. However, as impressive as it was, the onlooker’s awe quickly faded. Then one of the kitchen blades went spinning at an odd angle, the sunlight flickering across its polished edge until Kashka caught it by the back of the blade and gracefully sent it back into the rotation. A few seconds later, another, then another, then another of the knives went whirling upward at wildly different angles and required unusual positioning of her hands to catch.

As a finale, Ria floated just below where the blade’s paths crossed above Kashka’s head as the cat sent all ten of the knives and daggers twisting through the air at crazy angles and spins. The flickering of sunlight off the twirling metal looked almost like a shower of sparks over her. She maintained the show for a few seconds before returning to routine catches and throws.

After a few awkward moments, she called out behind her, “Kal, I’ve never juggled more than four knives before. I can’t catch them all, and I don’t know how to stop.”

The shopkeeper pulled back the cloth on one side of his table and patted the wood, “Put mine right here,” he offered.

Kashka glanced back and nodded before sending all six of the kitchen knives sailing backwards over her head.

The man had expected her to back up to the table and lay them down one by one. He yelled and jerked his hand away as the points of all six blades sunk into the wood in a tidy row. Their edges were even on the same side.

The cat-girl whipped her old daggers high into the air. In a flash, she darted over to the table while dropping her new blades into the sheaths on her belt. Grabbing the old weapons’ sheaths off the shopkeep’s table, she dashed back, skidding to her knees beneath the falling blades. With only the slightest adjustments, both non-magical daggers dropped smoothly into the slots on top of their scabbards.

Kashka slowly got to her feet, wincing as she realized she scraped some skin off her knees, and bowed like she’d seen many minstrels do at the end of their acts. The crowd clapped and cheered for a moment before quickly dispersing. Ria turned the few coins tossed her direction into specks of light before they touched the ground and stored them. Kashka turned around. Her face fell when she saw Kal still hunched over one of the shopkeeper’s blades. Massaging the sore muscles of her forearms, she stepped over next to him.

The mage turned his head slightly so she could barely see his glowing blue eyes. “How the hell did I ever manage to beat you?” he asked. “Every juggler I’ve ever seen would be missing one or both hands trying that stunt.”

A smile crept onto her face as she realized he had been watching. “In fairness, if I tried keeping that up any longer, I might have lost a few fingers. Catching the daggers by the blade then pinching hard enough to throw them again was getting painful. As far as beating me? I think you mentioned something about running me all over Fazal and wearing me out before we finally fought.”

“Yeah, there was that,” he chuckled before shifting his attention back to the weapon in his hands. A few seconds later, Kal reached over and took her hand in his. Within moments, the stinging in her knees and soreness in her arms and fingers vanished.

“Thanks,” she said quietly.

He nodded beneath the hood in reply, then looked up at the shopkeeper with eyes that were their normal brown color again. “We heard the road through the Boordus Jungle is closed because of some bandits. Do you know anything about them?”

“The Reavers? Honestly, we haven’t heard much from them lately, but too many people died on that road for anyone to see if they’re still around.

“A couple of years ago, Calfera, the seaport on the other side of the Boordus, sent soldiers to wipe them out. I heard only the captain’s horse returned to the city with the captain’s head mounted on its saddle. The trek around the north side of the jungle is hurting Calfera’s trade. More and more merchants are continuing on to the port at Keruvis, the city on the southern edge of the Ice Lands, than turning back to Calfera.”

“That must be hard on your trade.”

“Not on us. This crossroads is where all the merchants from Fazal go north or south, but I understand the port is struggling, and several ships have found new routes. There are rumors the city is planning a larger offensive to open the road again, but that’s just what I’ve heard in passing.”

“Is there anything else you can tell me about the bandits in the jungle?” Kal asked.

“Only that they had something going on with a troupe of ape-women. Some said the monster girls were allies, while others said they were slaves. I don’t know which to believe. Not that it matters much, I’m happy with my shop here in Lassedo.

“If you want information on the Reavers, talk to the Guard Captain, Ibu. He should be able to tell you more than I.”

Kal and Kashka met Ibu in his office next to the village stocks. Unlike Telsin, the stocks and pillory were tucked within a three-sided building to protect those serving out their punishments from the sun. Although it wasn’t nearly as hot as the Sulerin Desert, the savannah was warm enough that a full day of such exposure could kill a man.

The Guard Captain stood slightly taller than Kal and had the darker skin common to those who dwelled in and on the savannah. Like the other guards the mage had seen, Ibu wore loose, flowing clothing instead of armor. Most metal armors weren’t viable in Lassedo’s heat, and the padding beneath leather armors made them nearly as bad. He noticed a few guards on the town’s outskirts wearing what looked like armor made of woven reeds which seemed odd to him but made sense in the savannah’s oppressive heat. On Ibu’s hip hung a curved saber while a straight-bladed dagger graced the other side. The fluid motion as he stood from his desk reminded Kal of Galen and conveyed this man was likely well versed with both weapons as well as the bronze-tipped spears in a rack on his office’s back wall.

“Greetings, traveler. My name is Ibu,” said the Guard Captain in a deep voice as he stepped around the desk, “I regret to tell you I’m stepping out for midday meal. Unless you have an emergency, you’ll need to return in an hour or so.”

Kal exchanged a look with Kashka before saying, “I’m just needing some information, and we haven’t eaten yet. Perhaps I could buy your meal in exchange?”

The Guard Captain smiled, “That sounds like a fair trade if information is all you seek. However, I usually eat lunch with my wife. Is what you seek sensitive?”

“I need whatever you can tell me about the men threatening the road through Boordus.”

“Easy enough. I’ll meet you over at the inn.”

Kal waved Ibu and his wife over when he saw them step through the inn’s door. They carefully picked their way through the busy dining room to the square table where the cat and mage sat. When they arrived, the couple revealed a third guest with them. Ibu lifted his baby daughter out of the basket-like carrier on his wife’s back and placed her in her mother’s arms after she sat down across from Kashka

Kal noted the rapt look on the cat-girl’s face as she stared at the child.

“Do you mind if we switch places?” he asked Ibu and his wife, indicating himself and Kashka.

Ibu looked at his wife. “Jaya?”

“Can you make sure she doesn’t bite or scratch me?” the woman asked Kal after noting the collar around the cat’s neck.

“She’s free, so no, I can’t,” Kal replied. “However, judging by the look on her face, I feel sorry for anyone who threatens you or your little girl.”

“Kal,” the cat-girl pouted, looking back at him, “you’re making me sound awful.”

“I can see already that you’d turn into a furry ball of rage if something tried to hurt that little girl. Am I lying?”

“Well ... no.” She held up an arm, “But I wouldn’t be furry.”

Ibu chuckled and Jaya tried to hide the smile tugging at her lips as she finally nodded. After a quick shuffling of seats, Kal and Ibu sat beside each other as Kashka tried to contain her excitement at being so close to a baby. A few nearby patrons shot looks of annoyance at the cat-girl as a loud purr began emanating from her. The other diners had returned to their meals by the time the waitress came over with a large plate of food for the center of the table containing a variety of different sauces, vegetable mixes, and marinated, roasted meat. A second girl followed with plates of rolled-up flatbread and sweet drinks made of fermented sugary beans and milk.