Part 28: Savages

DISCLAIMER: Nonconsensual scene(s).


Note: This item has been rewritten and edited. All text in rose is BRAND NEW MATERIAL for this chapter of the story. In addition there are many minor changes to the original text itself. Please enjoy this new, expanded version of Part 28 and be on the lookout for updates to the next parts!


THE GREAT CITY stood in the north, not far at all from the great river after which it was named, its blue standards flying in the breeze. To one approaching from afar, the city of the River Tribe was an impressive sight, with its giant fortifications, and the large number of Moru who came and went from its doors, working the land just around its perimeter. Yet the standards had not been changed or tended to in months, and their former brilliant blue had faded so that the wavy lines denoting the tribe's name had also faded in the harsh sunlight. The corners of the walls were crumbling in disrepair, and when the Moru came out to till the fields or gather roots and fruits, they were tended to by only one or two lesser Kana, who would glance about them furtively before shooing the slaves back inside. The watch atop the walls was not as impressive as it used to be, and more days than not the great double doors remained closed but for the procession of Moru, and none came to trade or do business with the River Tribe. None had come in many months.

Within the city, more of the houses than usual stood empty, their owners far away from home. The streets were more pitted and rutted than they should have been and like the wall, some of the houses themselves were cracking at the corners. Tramping through the streets, there were more slaves to be seen than soldiers, and gloomy looks were upon the faces of almost all who passed. Haggling and even carousing were done in subdued tones, and the Kana seemed to spend their days sitting in their doorways, watching the others go by and every so often casting a dark look skyward, as if to see something there. There was never anything to see, but that was no reason not to look.

The River Tribe, once one of the greatest tribes of the north, and feared for leagues around, had fallen on hard times; its raids were no longer so successful, and its men were restless and moody, and no one ever seemed to speak of it with fear or awe anymore. Long ago the name of another tribe had replaced their own upon the lips of frightened Kana, and the once-mighty River Tribe was hurting sorely because of this.

They had raided only humans, and tiny Apsiu settlements, for a long time now. Ever since their last attack on the East Tribe, to the south, had ended in miserable failure, the rest of the tribes around them laughed at the mention of the River Tribe, beaten so soundly by such an addlebrained general. Word had long ago reached them of the birth of the Great Red Tribe, but they had not set out to challenge their rival, as they would have done in the past. This action--or lack of action--had led to even more ridicule, and ever since then, none had come to trade with them, and so they had resorted to attacks upon inconsequential foes, which for some reason was even more humiliating than no attacks at all. Yet there was little the River Tribe could do to save themselves from disgrace. Their general was no longer the Kana he used to be, and every day, those walking about outside his household--as well as within--whispered to each other over when he might die. Perhaps then, some change would come. But to speak against the general in the meantime would be foolish, and so the River Tribe sat and patiently waited, as it always did.

The light was always kept dim in the general's rooms now, because of his failing eyesight. He was too old to properly lead his Kana, and all of them knew it; yet none of them dared admit it aloud. For his lead captain, while slightly past his prime, was still the most skilled fighter within the tribe, and fiercely loyal to his commander. All military matters, government matters, important matters of any sort went directly to him, and he dealt with them most efficiently in lieu of his general.

At the moment, he dealt most efficiently with the general's primary mate. While the old Kana snored softly in his bed across the room, his female, her belly bloated with child, clutched at the leg of the table Captain Sut'khut pressed her over, one of his hands clamped over her mouth to keep her from crying out too loudly as he pushed inside her. He shivered with pleasure, head tilted back and a pleased smile upon his face. Not that he expected her to fight back, much, by now; though the pup she carried within her was almost definitely the old general's--he was still capable of some small acts--the captain had been taking her for the past month or so, upon first discovering, during a drunken binge, that pregnant females were quite enjoyable after all. The first time he'd had her, she'd fought back, and quite viciously. She had learned, through force and persuasion, not to do so by now. He murmured low in his throat as he stroked her soft buttock and pumped into her from behind, testicles swinging slowly. He squeezed her belly and imagined the brat was his. It might as well have been, with the general's failing health. Someone would have to claim it, once he was gone. He briefly wished they were within his bed, rather than in the old Kana's rooms, so he could have enjoyed her without having to worry about her crying out; several nights ago he had managed to pin her down to the mattress, spreadeagled, rutting at her hard and fast despite the obstacle that was her unborn pup being between them, and the sound of her shrill cries had made his tongue loll with rapture; he'd had to take her again, properly, from behind, just to show her what a good Moru she had been. Yet it was still early in the day, and screams were not likely to be so easily overlooked at such an hour; so he had brought her to his general's quarters to await the old Kana's awakening for the day, and of course, a little bit of mating to tide him over until nightfall certainly helped to quell his boredom. He licked his lips and flicked his tail, buttocks bunching slowly beneath his kilt. She might have been a bit old for his tastes, yet her body felt good enough, especially when he had gone without the entire day. Sut'khut was in a good mood, and he smiled again as if to prove it.

The Moru's true master snored at the other side of the room as Sut'khut traced his fingers over her swollen mound, enjoying her smell mixed with his own. He leaned over her to bite at her nape, and clutched her tight, jerking his hips at her as deeply as he could go. He felt her wince with sudden pain; she gave a yelp despite his hand over her muzzle, and a sudden wetness spread all over his groin as she tightened, yet not in climax.

Sut'khut lifted his head and grumbled with annoyance, moving his hand back to seize her hip. "Stupid little whore," he muttered. "Could you find no better time to drop your pup? You honestly could not wait one more moment?"

The Moru said nothing in response, but winced again, face twisting in a grimace of pain. Her claws gouged the table and she suppressed a whimper.

Sut'khut rolled his eyes and let out a loud sigh; so much for his good mood. "Very well, very well...just hold on a moment, and I'll call the guard to take you back. I do not understand you selfish females sometimes."

He made certain to enjoy his last moment or two with her, before she would be taken back to the Moru quarters and tended to. Truthfully, the wetness of her water breaking upon him had been quite arousing; his thrusts now further lubricated, he plunged smoothly and deeply inside her, hating that he had to rush his climax so, yet enjoying the sudden release of his seed within her anyway. He sighed and shivered as she whimpered anew. He pulled himself out to smooth himself down while she sank to the floor, her hands clutching her quivering belly. Sut'khut looked down at her as he rubbed the wetness from his sheath and tied on his loincloth; she had been amusing enough, while with pup, but now he felt she would prove rather disappointing. Perhaps he would go to the Moru quarters himself and find a more suitable female to take her place. She whimpered again, and he turned and whistled to the guard standing outside the door.

In his bed, the old Kana stirred slowly awake. His voice came, thin as papyrus. "Sut...Sut'khut? Is that you...?"

Sut'khut turned back to him and stared at him for a moment before approaching the bed, bowing deeply. "Yes, Lord," he murmured, and reached out to take the old Kana's hand; the gnarled fingers weakly clasped his own. "I am here, as I am always."

The general took a shaky breath and let it out. His eyes opened only a slit, but Sut'khut could tell he could not see through them. "You are always so loyal to me, dear Sut'khut...what was this noise I heard? Is all well?"

"All is well, Lord. Your mate is quite plump, and ready to drop her pup for you."

"Ah...my little sweet...she will bear her child, now? I love her so dearly...please, make certain she is treated well, and tended to, as often as she needs it..."

"I will, dear Master," Sut'khut said, eyeing the female as she was helped from the room by the guard, barely able to walk; he licked his lips at the sight of her soaked dress. Pregnant females were delicious. He wondered now about those who had just given birth. Perhaps he had judged her prematurely? Her breasts looked nice and fat...

"You are my only true companion, Sut'khut," the old Kana murmured, drawing his attention. "You are as a son to me, you know..." He trailed off and frowned slightly, nostrils flaring. "What is this smell I am smelling...?"

"I know this, Lord; you are as a father to me, as well. Please, you must take more rest."

"Something smells like...like..." The old Kana sniffed at the air, then sighed. "Ah, I had known this scent once, and even recently, too, yet I can never seem to remember lately..."

"Of course you should know the scent, Lord, for it is your own," Sut'khut replied. "You do not remember the dream you must have had?" As he spoke he carefully wiped the remains of his and the female's fluids against the general's sheet. "You awoke most hard and magnificent. See this? Here, even here, you dampened the bed with your seed. Ah, you still do have it within you, Lord."

The old Kana sniffed again at the damp sheet when Sut'khut pressed it to his nose, and a smile came to his craggy face. "Ah...you are right, of course, dear friend. I had forgotten. It must have been a most pleasant dream indeed, to make me come...I could use my mate's company right now...where is she again...?"

"Remember, Lord. She has begun her labor; she has been taken away to bear her pup for you. With all hopes, a Kana son, worthy of his father!"

"Yes, yes!" The old general nodded blindly. "A healthy Kana son...I know this will be so, simply because you asked that it be, dear friend." He held up one thin hand and Sut'khut clasped it again, kneeling by the bed. The general turned his head to the side, meeting Sut'khut's eyes, though he saw nothing. "When I know the rest of my Kana would have turned upon me by now," he stated, "you have remained steadfast by my side. I know I may always rely upon you. You are my best Kana, Lord Sut'khut."

Sut'khut bowed his head slightly, and squeezed the general's hand. The gnarled fingers weakly clasped his own. "I am hardly worthy of half the honors you give me, Lord, yet I will bear them with pride simply because you gave them." He squeezed the old Kana's hand again between both of his own; the general's skin was cold and clammy. "If you do not mind, General, I will see to your female, that she is properly cared for--and please, as I said, you must take some more rest. I will wake you and you may see your pup, once he is born. He will bring much glory to the River Tribe!"

The old general smiled and nodded. "Yes! This sounds...just perfect..." His eyes fluttered shut and his head lolled to the side, his grip loosening on Sut'khut's hand; the captain held his breath and waited, until the old Kana began to snore again, fast asleep.

Sut'khut's ear twitched, then he snorted. He stood up, letting go of the old man's hand so it fell to the bed with a soft thud. As he turned away he felt a slight bit of indigestion from earlier in the day work its way down through his system, and emitted the result in the general's direction; waving his hand at the air to dispense with the smell, he strode for the door and out into the hallway.

"Stupid old bat," he muttered under his breath. "When will you just die? Every day you wake up, and fall asleep, and wake up yet again! Let go already! Even that fat whore of yours is more useful than you are!"

He lifted his hand and rubbed one lappet between his fingers as he walked, losing himself in his thoughts. The perfect day for him would start out waking up to discover the old general dead at last--and then things with this tribe would change. It had been the old bat's command that they not assail any of the bigger tribes following their defeat--"Not until I am hale and healthy enough to lead you, as is best for my men!"--as if the defeat had been Sut'khut's fault! He ground his teeth in displeasure. At this rate, the old coot would never die, but the tribe certainly would. It had been ages since the captain had found any females young and pretty enough in the market to bother purchasing and bringing home with him; and not having fought a good enemy in such a long time had driven him to distraction. If it had been up to him alone, he would have cheerfully smothered the old man in his sleep, or snapped his neck, even, yet such actions would hardly ensure his popularity as the new general. Despite the state of things, many of the other captains still clung to old ways, and had known the general a long time. He would simply have to be patient, and wait him out.

"When will you just die already?" he groused again as he walked. "Can't you see all the men laughing at you? Senile dog! I will never get this tribe in proper shape again so long as you keep clinging to life..."

He fell silent again but for the clacking of his sandals, and wrinkled his muzzle in disgust. The general's order hung over his head like a stone. He would not be able to salvage his honor, while the other Kana still lived. He had seen the way the rest of the men peered at him when the command had been given. He knew the old bat had not intended it that way--he had always been far too open and trusting for his own good--but the way the rest of the Kana had taken it was clear enough. Captain Sut'khut was no longer fit enough to lead the men on his own, not after such a stinging defeat, and they would never respect him again if he could not prove otherwise.

He flicked his tail, hating this bind. He ground his teeth at the memory of that battle. At first, the River Tribe had been in fine form, and had expected total victory. Even back then the East Tribe had been feared for its size and strength, and a win over them would have secured the River Tribe's dominance in the area. Yet such a win was not to be. Sut'khut had not even cared about their general, T'uris, as he had not even been the one to lead the primary defense, instead remaining closer to the city wall and yelling out orders. One of his captains, on the other hand, had been a worthy opponent. Sut'khut had even enjoyed their sparring when they met on the field, their swords clanging as their Sha danced and stumbled around one another; it had been a long time since he'd met someone who fought so well against him. And the look of rage in the big Kana's reddish eyes had been every bit worth it. They had gotten so close to one another, that he had even been able to read the name emblazoned upon the other Kana's lappets, so that he might know who his rival was. Mahakhi. To this day Sut'khut wondered if he was still alive. He would have been an entertaining diversion from such tedium as this.

The memory turned sour as soon as he recalled its ending, when their swords had parted, and the East Tribe captain had swung out at him, so abruptly that Sut'khut had not even had time to block the attack. His Sha had reared and nearly fallen just then. The enemy Kana's blow went wide, just barely missing its mark...yet it had sliced off both of Sut'khut's lappets, sending them fluttering into the breeze like two red birds. And though he'd still had his head, still, the sound of Captain Mahakhi's derisive laugh at the sight of him without his lappets had infuriated him like nothing before or since.

He clenched his fists. It would not have been so bad...if the big Kana had attacked him again. But he had turned his Sha about and ridden off, going after one of the other soldiers, and Sut'khut had been left without even a proper enemy to fight. As if he had not been worth the time! As if he had been...Moru!

Sut'khut's already foul mood just grew even fouler. He drew his sword and slashed it out at the air with a hiss. They had been forced to retreat not long after, and had returned home without so much as a single Moru or prisoner. And they had not been on any such raids since. And every day the old bat clung to life, and Sut'khut bit his tongue and waited. And could practically feel the men's already waning respect for him wane even more. As if he had truly been bested by that dog--and as if their defeat had been his fault? The tribe was to die, then, because of some cocky self-important captain and a senile, drooling old general?

Sut'khut forced himself to take a breath and let it out. He sheathed his sword and lifted his head, picking up his pace.

He will die soon. No one lives forever. His moment will come--and then my moment will come. No one will stand against me. Fe'kheru is the only one even remotely worthy enough, and he has proven he has not the interest or inclination. So I will take command, and whip this tribe back into shape. And the names of General Sut'khut and the River Tribe will be feared by all, just as they should be!

His tail twitched. First, though...he had to check on the general's mate...and now that he thought of it, securing another female, a younger one perhaps, might not be such a bad idea, to lighten up his mood. He licked his lips, already feeling a little bit placated, and picked up his pace again. Perhaps another pregnant one, or a budding little iat'ahi...? It had been so long since he'd felt a female's first blood upon him...

He lifted his eyes to see a Kana jogging quickly down the hall toward him, eyes wide and mouth open. Sut'khut's ear flicked in irritation. The other Kana's sandals clack-clack clacked against the floor as he ran, and Sut'khut stuck out his hand to grab hold of his arm, nearly tripping him in his tracks. The younger Kana gasped and panted as if he had been running for ages.

"Slow down!" Sut'khut snapped. "The general is sleeping and he hardly needs YOUR racket waking him up!"

The youth sucked in a few breaths before responding. "The--the general! I must--I must speak to him--!"

He tried to push his way forward again, but the captain stopped him, digging his claws into his arm and twisting it; the messenger winced in pain and froze. Sut'khut leaned toward him with an ugly scowl.

"Anything that goes to the general is to go through me! Understand? He is not at his best lately, and I have been entrusted with all important tribal tasks! So if you have something to say, then say it!"

The messenger looked reluctant yet saluted. "Y-yes, Lord...we...we just received a visitor at the gate. A Kana. At--at least, that was how he presented himself. He wears the lappets of a soldier, but--"

Sut'khut snorted and let him go. "Send him away! We do not need another damned mouth to feed!"

"But--he has the wings of a Moru, Lord--all slashed to bits!" The younger Kana gestured as if trying to explain. "He says that he is a slave, yet insists he is Kana, and says that he--"

Sut'khut gave him a savage glare and sliced his hand through the air impatiently. "Then bind him and stick him in the damned market for someone else to deal with! I haven't time for this sort of game, Sergeant! The ONLY time we will open our gate is to accept a party of Kana bearing gifts--WHICH I seriously doubt will happen, any time soon!--or to set foot outside OURSELVES! One piddling Apsiu is not worth this trouble! Just deal with him!"

"But, Lord--!"

Sut'khut had already turned away, starting on his way to the Moru quarters again. The sergeant stood in the hall, wringing his hands in confusion, before turning and calling after him.

"But, Lord--! He says he has useful information on the Great Red Tribe!"

Sut'khut halted so abruptly that his lappets swung forward and then back to land against his shoulders. He stayed still where he was, fists clenched at his sides.

"The Great Red Tribe?" he echoed, his voice deadly low.

The sergeant swallowed and nodded. "Yes, Lord. He says that he lately escaped from them, and that he is willing to speak with the general about them, for a--"

"Have him delivered to my quarters immediately," Sut'khut said, starting to walk again. "No one will speak with him but me."

The sergeant's brow furrowed. "But--Lord--"

The captain glared over his shoulder, baring his teeth so the younger Kana relented and saluted, dashing past him up the hall. He watched the youth run off before walking again, his stride long and purposeful. His eyes burned.

The Great Red Tribe! When they have been upon my mind the most...? It is as if this is...a sign! Dare I hope it is a good one for us...?

The fur on the back of his neck prickled with excitement. He picked up his pace so that he very nearly stormed up the hall, his eyes alight and his face set.

* * * * *

Although the matter of their odd visitor was obviously an important one, Sut'khut had one more little matter to deal with. He went to the Moru quarters to make certain the general's female was being properly tended to; from the looks of it, with the way she heaved and screamed and cried despite the best assistance of several other females, the birth was going to be a difficult one; he cared little. The brat most likely wouldn't even be Kana. Besides, with the general's imminent death he could claim all of his little Kana sons as his own, so the loss of one female wouldn't mean much. He scoured the dim room for another pregnant female and managed to find one near the back; taking her from her mate, who barely protested--before Sut'khut's fist met his face--he left the squalid room and headed back for his quarters. He eyed the pleasant way her tail flicked as she walked. Hopefully the meeting with this strange Moru would not take long, and if it did, why should he be so averse to enjoying her in front of an onlooker?

When he reached his rooms the younger Kana already stood outside; he saluted the captain as he pushed his way into his quarters.

"He...he is within, Lord. He...isn't remarkably happy."

Sut'khut snorted. "As if I care. You keep watch out here and make certain we remain undisturbed."

"Yes, Lord."

Sut'khut chucked the female under the chin and led her into his room, shutting the door behind her. He glanced toward the open area overlooking the courtyard and saw the big Moru waiting there, looking over his shoulder at him. From his appearance, he could tell he must have been Kana, at one time; yet the cape he had apparently been wearing over his wings had slipped to the side, and Sut'khut could see their pathetic tatters. His nostrils flared and he turned to the table, fetching a jar of wine. He waved the female unceremoniously toward his bed, and she went and sat down; the Moru glanced at her briefly, then back at him. When Sut'khut started pouring he snorted and stepped forward.

"You have some 'news' for me?" Sut'khut said mildly.

The big Moru bared his teeth. "YOU are not the general! I was clear in my request--I will speak to none but him!"

"I speak in the general's place, Moru, so what you have to say to him can go through me."

The Moru lifted his head and flared his ears. "Not acceptable!"

Sut'khut downed his cup of wine, noticing how the Moru's tongue just barely touched his lips, a look of longing darting across his face. He set the cup down with a clank and started to undo his pectoral. "You will tell me what is and is not acceptable, Moru? Take a look at who you are commanding before you try that again."

The Moru scowled. "I am Bakh'asu of the Kana!"

"From the looks of it, you were Bakh'asu of the Kana." Sut'khut glanced at Bakh'asu's wings as he walked by, placing his pectoral in a box. "And also from the looks of it, those wounds are long healed. Perhaps you had best acquaint yourself with this fact."

Bakh'asu snarled. "I did not come here to be insulted!"

"And I did not come here to waste my time insulting." Sut'khut's patience at last wore out and he wrinkled his muzzle, stepping toward the big Moru; Bakh'asu took a step back, ears flaring. He was broader and more muscular than Sut'khut, but Sut'khut was taller, and had his sword, to boot; he grasped its pommel to make his point. "We do not accept the company of any old brute like you," he growled. "I let you in, because you had said you had information to share with me. The general is a doddering old bat who cannot fly nor see two finger-breadths in front of his face--so whatever knowledge you have, you tell to me. Otherwise, a new living space can easily be arranged for you, in the market."

Bakh'asu ducked his head, though the ugly look on his face didn't improve. "I had information that I had thought your tribe might appreciate," he muttered. "It looks as if I were wrong. Perhaps you might suggest somewhere else I may take this information?"

Sut'khut disinterestedly reached beneath his kilt to untie his loincloth. "Please elucidate on what sort of 'information' this is you claim to have, and I may feign some interest in the matter."

"It is about the Great Red Tribe, to the south."

"I know the location of the Great Red Tribe. Formerly the East Tribe."

"I have information about the state of this tribe which may be of use to you."

"This is nothing new. You think we do not know about them?" Sut'khut stretched and scratched his neck, sitting down on his bed. He waved the female closer. "Come on, come, let me take a closer look at those teats of yours."

The scowl returned to Bakh'asu's face when Sut'khut took hold of the female, pushing down her shoulderstrap and nuzzling at her breasts before taking one in his mouth. "We've already gotten wind of what became of the East Tribe," he had to murmur around his mouthful; the female shut her eyes, as if imagining she were elsewhere. "Their doddering old bat was killed, by his own men, and they joined forces with another tribe even further south. And then changed their name. And now, supposedly everyone in the land is afraid of them." He had to keep himself from snorting, and moved his head to nuzzle at the other breast.

"I doubt you have heard this before, though," Bakh'asu stated. "I was within the household of the general himself, and saw a good deal of the settlement in my time there. Plus I have interacted with his men. I know the state of his army and the city's defenses."

"As I said, that is nothing new." Sut'khut teased the Moru's nipple in his teeth and then let go of her with a sigh, sitting back and flipping up his kilt. "Come on now, give me hakh'tua. Your mouth had better feel as sweet as it looks."

She obeyed, getting down on her knees beside him. Bakh'asu's nostrils flared as she rubbed the captain's sheath, reaching for the sleek penis that emerged and taking it in her mouth. He blinked a few times and averted his eyes.

"Is it new for you to know the location of the exits and entrances within his very household, the location of his private quarters, the number of his Moru, the morale of his army, and his private relations with his own men?" he queried, and on that Sut'khut finally opened his eyes and looked at him.

"Explain how you know this," he panted.

"It is simple," Bakh'asu said. "As you already said I was Moru. I was sold into General Mahakhi's household for a short time, and--"

Sut'khut's eyes flew open and he sat forward so abruptly that the female almost fell from the bed, having to grab onto his thighs to keep from tumbling over. "General Mahakhi?" he barked, and Bakh'asu actually flinched in surprise.

The big Moru frowned at Sut'khut's reaction. "Yes, General Mahakhi," he echoed, then narrowed his eyes. "I thought you knew already all of this information about the Great Red Tribe...?"

"I did not know that HE was the lout who slew T'uris," Sut'khut snapped; he grasped the female's head and brought her down abruptly at his lap, jamming his shaft into her mouth. "So you are saying he commands this Great Red Tribe, now? You were among his men?"

Bakh'asu nodded. "And I know all these things I told you of."

"How did this fortuitous series of events unfold, pray tell, so that you have ended up here?"

"As I said to you, I was bought by one of the general's Kana and brought into his household. I observed all around me. I listened as well. These are the things one picks up when one is observant--and Moru may hear many things a Kana may not."

Sut'khut's breath came labored; he gritted his teeth and held the female's head in his hands, guiding her motions as he rocked his hips. "And I assume...you feigned being a Kana to escape the place...like some sort of coward?"

Bakh'asu looked ready to snarl again but held it in. His fists tightened. "This was my only means of escape. I had to couple with and then kill another Kana in order to do so! These are the actions of a coward? Then I will gladly bear the title, for it is better than that which Mahakhi's men bear!"

"I also assume...you have something against General Mahakhi."

"Not him. One of his men."

"Ah...so it is a grudge you bear, after all." Sut'khut grunted and flinched, falling still for a moment; he then let go of the female, and she pulled away from him, wiping her mouth. He pushed his kilt back down and flicked a hand at her with a sour look. "You...make yourself comfortable upon the bed. I will deal with you momentarily." He turned back to Bakh'asu and stood, brushing at his kilt and scowling. "You come all this way to ask the River Tribe to settle your petty little grudge? Tell me what exactly this grudge is that you bear, and why it is that you think we should like to dirty our hands with it."

"One of Mahakhi's men is responsible for what happened to my wings," Bakh'asu said. "That is all you need to know. As for the other, let us just say that word travels fast in more than one direction, and the little tale of what happened when your tribe last faced Mahakhi has reached ears further away than my own."

Sut'khut's scowl grew darker. "You are fortunate your wings are already a hopeless mess," he growled, "else I would have gladly messed them up for you."

Bakh'asu hesitated before bowing his head, as if just remembering to try to be respectful. "I meant no offense, Lord. If anything, I'm willing to bet Lord Mahakhi was just as underhanded in his dealings with your tribe as he was with me. I had merely thought that you might like a stab at retribution against him, to lift the tarnish from your name."

Sut'khut stared at him a moment before flaring his nostrils. "And so say that I believe this little fairytale of yours," he said. "That you have come all this way, just to give us this little gift. And so what, pray tell, do you get out of all this?" When Bakh'asu hesitated he added, "Revenge is sweet, but not nearly sweet enough to assuage what you've described. I do not believe for one moment you went to all this trouble just to give us this 'stab' at the Great Red Tribe."

Bakh'asu bowed his head again. "Truthfully, Lord, there were three small things I wished to ask of you, in return for this favor."

The captain's ear twitched. "I figured as much." He stretched his wings and yawned before crossing his arms. "Very well, name your three small things. I warn you already though--do not even think of asking to become Kana again, or to join in our army. I may be generous, but I am not stupid."

"My payment is very small, Lord. I ask for only three tiny things. One is that I be allowed to accompany you when you attack Mahakhi's tribe. Two is that you and all your comrades will cease calling me Moru. I do not care if I am still Moru; I simply do not wish to bear the title itself. I shall be your slave, yet I shall not carry that name."

"I hardly wish you for a slave," Sut'khut said; when Bakh'asu's face darkened he waved his hand at him to continue. "And number three is--?"

"Number three, is I wish the deaths of two of Mahakhi's men to be left to me."

"Oh? Only two? And what are the names of these two, that I may know them?"

Bakh'asu gave a bitter smile. "They are Captain Tas'hukh, and Lieutenant Djuta. These three things are all I ask, in return for your tribe regaining your good name, and becoming the terror of the north."

Sut'khut nodded thoughtfully. His earlier bad mood had begun to dissipate, what with the pleasant hakh'tua the female had given him, and this intriguing offer. "Very well, Moru...Bakh'asu," he said, when the Moru's face darkened anew. "These three small things I will grant, and you will tell me all you know." He flared his wings and straightened his lappets. "Gods willing, the Great Red Tribe will no longer exist by the end of this week."

Bakh'asu's smile grew. He crossed his arm to his breast and bowed his head low. "I am grateful, Lord!"

The captain grunted noncommittally and tied his loincloth back on. His mind was too busy racing with fresh new thoughts to deal with nesakh'ai right now. "Do not be too grateful, until you give me this information. If you prove to be useless, you could just as easily be put on the market again."

"I assure you, Lord, my information is sound, and useful. All you must do is act upon it properly."

Sut'khut sensed the insult, but didn't bother reacting to it. He went to fetch his pectoral again and spoke as he put it back on.

"You are going to be confined to my rooms until I return. I have a few duties to attend to before nightfall. If you so much as set foot out in that courtyard, one of the guards will slice your head off, and that will of course put me in a very foul mood." He put on his best pair of earrings and looked at himself in a small mirror. "When I return, you will tell me all you know, and then depending on the usefulness of this information, you will either be placed in the general Moru quarters, or beheaded anyway." He glanced at the big Moru to see if he had made his point; Bakh'asu looked sullen, but didn't retort.

"I am to stay in here?" he asked instead, sounding disappointed.

Sut'khut's ear twitched. "There is something you find wrong in being confined to Kana quarters rather than slave quarters?"

"It is just that..." Bakh'asu's gaze drifted to the side. "It has been a long time...and a long walk here..."

Sut'khut let out an exasperated sigh. "Speak up! I haven't all day to spend diddling about with you!"

Bakh'asu's eyes now shifted toward the female still sitting upon Sut'khut's bed, her hands resting upon her belly; she looked back at him, then peered at Sut'khut. The captain frowned a little and gave the big Moru an odd look.

"What, you are saying you have need of a female?"

Bakh'asu flushed. "With respect, Lord--I have not been with one in ages! And the last one, only once! They treated me terribly in that household--you yourself realize all Kana have needs, do you not--?"

Sut'khut almost corrected him about being Kana, then paused. He looked the female up and down, then brushed at his clothing to make certain he looked presentable. He waved at her.

"You are interested?"

The Moru blinked. "She--she is pregnant!"

"So? They are quite enjoyable that way. I can't be bothered to return her just yet, so you may as well make the most of being stuck in here for now. Just be certain you do not injure that pup of hers, else her mate might grow peevish." He adjusted his necklace one more time before turning toward the door. "I have something to attend to. Consider this a little bonus for your assistance to our tribe."

Bakh'asu's smile returned. Sut'khut strode toward the door and paused to open up one of his weapons chests as the big Moru approached the waiting female, turning her over so she knelt, and lifting his kilt. The captain peered back at them while he dug about for his favorite sword, Bakh'asu mounting the female and grabbing hold of her belly with a grunt and a heavy push. The Moru's size was impressive, yet he had never been interested in males. He found he liked the whimpering mews the female let out beneath Bakh'asu's hurried thrusts, though, and even had to tell himself to ignore the faint ache he felt between his own legs at the pleasant sound. There was always plenty of time for nesakh'ai later.

He at last pulled out his favorite sword and replaced the one at his hip, opening the door and stepping out into the hall. He suddenly imagined himself wearing purple lappets--and the thought made him go immediately hard, despite his best efforts. He snorted and shut the door behind him, setting off down the hallway. Once this was all over, he would have more females to choose from than he could count, and he would have Mahakhi's head on a stick. A smile came to his mouth, and he did not even mind the muffled wailing which came from his room.

* * * * *

Sut'khut scoured the household, finally locating a guard he knew was loyal to his cause, and sending him off to notify all the captains of importance of a meeting to be held that evening. He knew, watching the other Kana run off, that he was jumping ahead of himself a little bit, as he had not even gotten his information from the dumb Moru yet...but he hardly cared. Any chance to attack the Great Red Tribe, any excuse, was enough. Surely the captains would see the wisdom in disobeying the old general's command just this once. Even if the Moru proved useless, Sut'khut was certain he could perform the task of subjugating their enemy quite admirably.

He even went over plans in his head on what he should do to prepare himself for their departure. He glanced at the empty rooms as he passed them and wished that the entire tribe were present, yet a good number of their men had gone off months ago, into the west. Captain Fe'kheru, who stood only second to Sut'khut in terms of their influence with the general, had led this expedition, in the hopes of locating a more suitable place to live, where they could stay without having to resort so often to raids upon the other tribes. As much as he respected Fe'kheru, Sut'khut still found the plan an addlebrained one--what Kana tribe could survive without raids? The mere thought of dwelling peacefully in some oasis made his skin want to crawl. As if there were any suitable oases which had not been taken over by the Free Apsiu, anyway. Sut'khut scowled at the thought. If there was anything he hated more than the enemy tribe, it was Free Apsiu.

Their numbers would hurt sorely without Fe'kheru's contingent, but he had no idea when the other Kana would ever be back, and there was little time for waiting now. Fe'kheru was popular in the tribe and it would be difficult convincing the other captains to act, both against the general and without him present, but he thought of the state of the Moru market, and of their petty attacks on the small tribes, and believed it could be done.

He passed the Moru quarters just as he thought this, and slowed his step. He fiddled with his necklace a bit before striding toward the door and letting himself in. The Moru all looked up at him as he passed--more than a few of the females either glaring or cringing back into the shadows at the sight of him--yet he ignored them. He just briefly caught sight of a little iat'ahi he'd entertained thoughts of bringing back with him, yet told himself again to wait until later, and instead approached a female who sat huddled in the furthest corner, her arms wrapped around her legs. She of all the Moru gave him the most venomous stare of all, and the one time her eyes broke contact with his he glanced back to see what she was looking at. The general's mate was being tended to by several of the older females at the other side of the room, and she was crying softly; he did not see a pup anywhere. He turned back to the Moru sitting before him and flared his nostrils.

"You are doing well, Ikhi'et?"

Her eyes narrowed and her claws dug into her knees.

Sut'khut's ear twitched in irritation and he almost felt like grabbing her arm and hauling her to her feet, yet took a breath and made himself refrain. "My men and I will soon be departing from the tribe on important business," he said, when she spoke up and interrupted him.

"Fe'kheru-Master to return--?" He grimaced at the hopeful look which lit up her eyes, and hated how her scowl returned when he shook his head. He wrinkled his muzzle.

"No, he is not back yet. Stop harping on him! I do not know when he will be back!" He forced himself to take another breath and lower his voice. "We will be departing soon, and seeing as I promised, I do not like the thought of leaving you in the Moru quarters on your own. I will entrust you to another Kana in the meantime. You may trust him. He will not lay a finger upon you while I am away."

The female lowered her head with a miserable sigh. Sut'khut stared at her for a moment before kneeling down before her. He reached out to touch her arm, but the dark look returned to her eyes and he drew his hand back. He spoke softly, making certain only she could hear.

"Ikhi'et, I do not know when or even if Fe'kheru will ever be back. It has been months now, and all you have done is sit in here and sulk. I've offered you my company many times, and so long as I am here you are more than welcome to stay within my quarters." He paused, trying to think of what to say, before blurting out, "And if he never does return--you would fall into my hands anyway. Why keep yourself secluded in this rathole? With me you will always be safe, and you would not have to be by yourself. And I do not know what Fe'kheru has told you but I could be just as good a master as he was. I would treat you right, and unlike him I would never leave you behind for months on end. I would not send you to the Moru quarters, ever. Every night you could share my bed--I know I could please you, greatly--and perhaps even I could get you with pup, which he has not been able to do." He clasped her hand now, ignoring the way her muscles tensed, and couldn't quite keep the pleading note out of his voice. "Please, Ikhi'et? I would be much better to you than he ever has been. And at least you would see me, every day."

Ikhi'et lifted her head and bared her teeth. "Is," she hissed, and Sut'khut frowned.

"Is, what?" he asked, growing confused. "What are you saying to me?"

"Is a good master," she growled, drawing back in on herself and pulling her hand away from him. "Fe'kheru-Master is a good master. Not was. Ikhi'et's fault to not have pups, not Fe'kheru-Master's. And..." She trailed off, her eyes drifting toward the whimpering shape at the far side of the room, then back to Sut'khut's face; they narrowed. "And to see what Sut'khut-Kana means by treating well."

A flame of rage flickered up in Sut'khut's breast, and his wings flared. Ikhi'et flinched back, but her eyes didn't leave his own, as if she were challenging him. He didn't doubt she was; Fe'kheru had always been far too permissive with her. He beat down his anger and rose to his feet with a scowl, jerking his hand at her so she flinched again.

"Get up! I will take you to Lord Khanef. Seeing as my own company is not good enough for you!"

She hesitated only briefly before getting to her feet, keeping her head low, but he could still see the dark angry look of her eyes. He bared his teeth as they walked toward the door. "You are lucky I promised him I would look out for you," he muttered as they went. "Because your impertinence would get you in great trouble with any OTHER Kana!"

He hoped for her to respond in some way--to hiss, or lash out at him, or even to insult him--as at least then she would have been acknowledging him somehow. Yet all she did was step past him, out of the room, and Sut'khut had to grind his teeth and keep his rage to himself, shutting the door behind him.

* * * * *

Sut'khut kept his dark thoughts to himself as they walked down the hallway, his teeth gritted so hard that his jaws hurt. He glanced at Ikhi'et as they passed his rooms, and briefly considered shoving her inside, but the thought of leaving her with the big Moru was repellent to him...and he dreaded the thought of her being hurt, even unintentionally. He scowled. At this moment he hated Fe'kheru for making him promise such a thing, even while some tinier, more hidden part of his mind knew it was not the other Kana's fault. His feelings confused him. She was just a female, but...he hated the thought of harming her. He didn't understand why, when females were so easily had and disposed of, she should preoccupy his thoughts, nor why he should care whatever happened to her. He knew he had felt the same way even before he had made Fe'kheru that promise.

He peered at her again; she didn't meet his eyes, simply kept her stare focused on the hall ahead, her tail flicking as she walked. He ached so badly to hold her in his bed, to feel himself inside her, to stroke her body and feel her stroking him in return...yet he remembered the one time he had touched her, long before he'd made Fe'kheru his promise, how he had done nothing more than stroke her lithe back, just down to the curve of her supple buttock, only for her to turn around and slash her claws across his face. He still bore a very faint scar from it--it was a wonder she hadn't taken his eye out. Sut'khut had mated with less-than-accommodating females plenty of times before and since, and those who tried attacking him had never dared try again...but for some reason...when Ikhi'et had struck him, he had been the one to retreat. Her refusal had made him feel ashamed, and that infuriated him...nobody should make him feel ashamed.

And so, it was far easier for him to keep his confused, conflicting thoughts to himself, than to even try explaining them to the female walking beside him. They turned into another hall and he slowed his step, gesturing at her to follow suit. She stopped just behind him when he knocked upon the nearest door and then inspected his claws as he waited. He considered asking Ikhi'et one more time if she would change her mind, saw the look she gave him, then reconsidered and turned back to the door.

It came open and a Kana stepped forward, tilting his head as soon as he saw him. His pale amber eyes, set in a face much too open and innocent looking to belong to a Kana, blinked and he frowned a little.

"Sut'khut?" he questioned; then he saw the female and tilted his head the other way. "Ikhi'et--?"

Sut'khut had to fight down the urge to snap at him; Khanef's obviousness grated on his nerves. "Lord Khanef," he greeted, making the other Kana fall silent. "Seeing as you have little better to do, I hoped you would not mind keeping an eye upon Ikhi'et, until either Fe'kheru or myself should return, whichever comes first."

Khanef didn't even appear to notice the thinly veiled insult, only pushing his door open wider and crossing his arms. "Return?" he echoed. "Where should you be returning from? Has some sort of expedition been called?"

Sut'khut rolled his eyes. "No, it is not an expedition. There is going to be a meeting of the top captains tonight, during which we will discuss plains to attack the Great Red Tribe. I will be leading this attack, and I promised Fe'kheru that his mate would be in good hands."

Khanef's brow furrowed. "Attack?" he exclaimed, then stepped out of his room until their muzzles almost touched. He was slightly shorter than Sut'khut and so had to look up at him, yet he met his eyes easily, without even a sign of deference; Sut'khut's nostrils flared.

"What is this, Sut'khut?" he whispered sharply. "You remember full well what the general said--?"

Sut'khut bared his teeth. "I remember full well what that old bat said! When he is hale and healthy we will be free to attack again! Do you see him getting 'hale and healthy' again any time soon? That command is utter rubbish, and tonight I will finally convince the other captains of this."

Khanef's eyes darkened. "What makes you think you speak for the tribe?"

"The mere fact that out of all the Kana, the general trusts ME the most! It will take some convincing, but I fully intend to go through with this. You may either assist me, or keep out of the way. Resisting is pointless. It is time the River Tribe became feared again."

"We hardly have the men to spare for such an assault!" Khanef argued. Ikhi'et looked from one of them to the other, eyes wide. "Fe'kheru is gone with fully a third of the tribe! And the Great Red Tribe is far bigger than it was when we faced it as the East Tribe! How can you possibly think we would stand even a tiny chance against them now? You would order all these men to their deaths?"

"If it will do away with that Mahakhi, then YES!" Sut'khut snarled; both Ikhi'et and Khanef flinched. He took a breath and let it out, trying hard to steady himself, before speaking again. "We will not be killed off! We were poorly trained back then, and did not understand their defenses--but I fully intend us to be ready this time around! Our bloodlust has been building up for ages in the absence of a proper battle. And our tribe is dying. YOU would sit and watch all these men die a slow miserable death? If time were not an issue, I would await Fe'kheru's return and have him ride alongside me. Yet he has been gone these past several months, the scouts do not report him returning, and for all I know the desert has swallowed him up. It would serve him right for seeking such a ridiculous solution to our tribe's predicament. I, on the other hand, am ready to do what a true Kana would do--face our enemy! Head on! Restore our name, and make the River Tribe the greatest in the land! This is the ONLY way our tribe may prevail!"

Khanef's look remained dubious. "And what makes you settle on this plan now, of all times?" he asked.

Sut'khut snorted. "Merely some information I have received, from a reliable source."

"Information?" Khanef frowned, then blinked. "You mean that Moru that showed up at the gate--? You are going to take his word that he knows things? He does not even know whether he is Kana or Moru--!"

"And I hardly care which he is, as it is not pertinent." Sut'khut tossed his head so his lappets swung. "He has the information I need, and even if not, then it gives me what I need to plan this attack. I am not going to sit and hope for a decrepit old man to recover his senses before raiding again! They have been blind, but I will make the other captains see. And I am betting that most of the lieutenants are upon my side already--they even more than any have witnessed this tribe's awful decline. I will tolerate this no more. I cherish the River Tribe far too greatly to let it die with a whimper!"

Khanef's ears flared. "Cherish the tribe, or will cherish the new purple lappets that will come with it?"

Sut'khut wrinkled his muzzle at him. "Make no mistake. If I am made general, then I will hardly balk at the honor!" He took a step back and waved at Ikhi'et. "So you will look after her, or not--? It is the least thing you can do, considering your obstinacy in all this!"

Khanef grasped hold of the doorframe as Sut'khut backed away. "And how much do the others know so far of this 'plan' of yours?" he demanded, leaning forward.

"Nothing, as of yet," Sut'khut replied. "But they will know enough, come evening." He turned away. "You are welcome to attend, if you wish." He glanced over his shoulder. "Though with that unfortunate sword arm of yours, I doubt I will bring you along with me."

Khanef's face grew dark. For a moment Sut'khut was certain he would pull out his sword and prove his arm still worked, yet all the other captain did was turn to Ikhi'et. "Ikhi'?" he said, in a voice which clearly indicated he was excluding Sut'khut from their talk. "You wish to come inside?"

Ikhi'et hesitated, fiddling her fingers. She peered at Sut'khut from the corner of her eye and he felt a brief surge of pleasure at her hesitation--then she quickly stepped past Khanef and into his rooms, disappearing from sight. Sut'khut gaped for just a second before feeling that familiar sensation of futile rage inside him; he dug his claws into his palms when Khanef met his eyes, and then backed into the room and shut the door practically in his face. Sut'khut considered jamming his sword through the door, and hoping Khanef was still right behind it...then for what seemed to be the hundredth time that day--and the day was not even through yet--he pushed the impulse aside, calmed himself as much as he could, and turned away. Let them have each other, if that was the way they were going to be. He hardly had any use for a lame-armed Kana and an uppity female, anyway.

He straightened his pectoral and his sword, before remembering there was still an hour or two left until the meeting. He sighed over having scheduled it for so late, then made his way back toward his room, to speak with the Moru and get his plans settled on...and perhaps to engage that plump female in a little nesakh'ai, just to settle his nerves.

With all I do for this tribe, he thought as he walked, I deserve it.

Continue:

"Lost Chapter 3: Persuasion" 


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