Note: This story was dynamically reformatted for online reading convenience.
 
 RedTails - Awakenings Rescued?  By - Scarletdown

   "Perhaps this is the day when I can get out of here", Shaasta thought to
herself, as she arose from her cushion and struck a series of well
rehearsed poses, showing off her tender naked assets for the passersby
outside in an attempt to draw prospective buyers into the shop.  This was
the girl's fourth week at the Southern Rose Pet shop, and though many had
checked her out, rather thoroughly, no one cared to shell out the rather
high price the owner had set for her.  She was unique among the pets for
sale here.  All the others were various Furlings and several Humans; but
she was the only Elf in Master Varo's inventory, and traditionally, Elves
tended to command a much higher value than any other species.  She had
already been marked down three times since her arrival; from ten platinum
pieces, to eight, and now to seven, and Master Varo had moved her from the
middle of the show room to the display window facing the main street, her
final place in the shop before being sent to auction.  If only she had
heeded her brother's warnings and not embarked on that foolish adventure up
the Northwest Coast, an area notorious for slavers.  Now here she was,
sitting in a pet shop, enslaved for the second time in her life; and doing
what she could to avoid the auction block.

   She spied a small, black-robed figure striding down the walk, a wizard
she guessed, and intensified her little show.  According to Hansen, the
Furling Squirrel who had been captured with her during their recent
adventure together, wizards and other magick using types are the best
owners a pet could have.  She was already aware of this of course, having
been owned by a sorceress the first time she had been captured back when
she was only 11 years of age.  Mistress Triniti was strict, but she had
treated Shaasta quite well, and the girl had often hoped during her month
here, that Triniti would show up and purchase her.  As the wizard neared
the shop, Shaasta did a half turn, and gave him a heart-melting gaze over
her shoulder while running one hand through her fiery red shoulder-length
mane, and the other hand along her thigh and soft, plush bottom.

   The wizard stopped and faced the window, watching the Elf girl present
herself.  When Shaasta turned to face him, her eyes lit up and she gave a
soft gasp as she met his violet gaze.  Her rescue was imminent at last.  He
smiled knowingly at her and entered the shop.  Master Varo greeted him as
the wizard pulled back his cowl, revealing his Elvish features framed by a
mane of silvery hair.

   "Welcome to the Southern Rose, sir", the kindly Furling wolf said, "I am
Varo, the proprietor here, and this is my lovely assistant and personal
pet, Lilieblume." He gestured to the lovely little smiling Halfling lass,
standing by his side, clad in only a collar and a work harness.

   Lilieblume giggled mischievously and asked, "Are ye here as a customer
or do ye wish to join our inventory?"

   "Lilie, behave yourself", Varo growled, giving his pet a firm smack on
her pretty little bottom with the paddle he always carried with him, We
don't want to scare the fellow away now, do we?

   The girl giggled again and rubbed her butt where the paddle had struck
it, "Sorry, Master", she apologized, "but can ye blame me for trying to get
another Elf in the showroom?  Ye do know good and well just how valuable
Elves are.  Perhaps as a matching pair, they would sell together.  And this
one here is a real cootie, Mister..."

   "Willowpaw", the wizard offered, taking her hand in his and planting a
soft kiss upon her dainty fingers, while failing to suppress a blush at the
impetuous girl's flattery, "Frelic Willowpaw of Pine Vale.  And I am most
certainly here as a potential customer, not as a product."

   "Well, 'tis a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Master Willowpaw",
Lilie beamed, giving him a polite shallow bow, "Still, ye would make a very
cute pet, and would look so sweet with our other Elf over there." She
gestured towards the window, where Shaasta was listening intently and
trying hard to hide both her excitement and her amusement.

   "Ah, yes", Frelic said, "She is what drew me into this shop in the first
place.  I may be interested in purchasing that lovely little vixen from
you."

   Varo nodded and motioned for Shaasta to come stand before them,
"Shaasta, dear", he said, "Please join us so that our guest can look you
over properly."

   Shaasta stepped down out of her window display space and padded on bare
feet over to where Varo, Frelic, and Lilie stood, putting a little extra
hip swish into her stride and smiling seductively the entire time.  She
then practically threw herself at Frelic, wrapping her arms around him and
holding him tight.  Master Willowpaw reflexively returned the embrace, his
gentle hands patting and kneading her gorgeous round bottom, so soft and
tender.  He was also quite thankful that his robes concealed the arousal
caused by the feel of the Elf girl's lithe body pressed against his and the
feel of her south end in his hands.

   "Well, Master Willowpaw", Varo chuckled, "It seems she is a bit smitten
with you."

   Frelic stepped back a bit, holding her at arm's length, his hands
lightly gripping her hips and his gaze locked onto her own, "It does
indeed," he agreed, "Shaasta, hmm?  Such a lovely name for such a lovely
pet.  I believe it means Tender Hawk."

   Shaasta giggled softly and fluttered her eyelashes at Frelic, then gave
a surprised gasp as Master Varo's paddle struck her lovely bottom. 
"Shaasta, behave yourself and mind your place here," he warned her.

   "I am sorry, Masters Varo and Willowpaw," Shaasta apologized, looking
quite embarrassed over her little affectionate outburst, "Please forgive
any embarrassment my behavior may have caused."

   "It is quite alright, sweet tail," Frelic assured her, "No harm nor
humiliation was done.  And please, you may call me Frelic."

   "Aye, Master Frelic", she acknowledged.  She then assumed the first
position for inspection, as she had done many times over the past weeks;
feet apart, hands clasped behind her back, and head down.

   "Now sir", Master Varo began, going into his saleswolf mode, "feel free
to check her out every which way while I and my assistant describe her
assets."

   "Very well, little tender hawk," Frelic said, running his fingers gently
along the edges of her gracefully pointed ears, which protruded through her
fiery mane, "let us have a look at you and see if you will be suitable to
become a wizard's pet." Shaasta shuddered at the feel of Frelic's touch on
her sensitive Elven ears, while Varo told of her temperament and how they
have taken care of her.

   "First, as you can see," he began, "Shaasta looks quite healthy and in
top physical condition.  A fine specimen of Elven grace and beauty."

   Frelic nodded agreement, his hands tenderly squeezing the girl's
shoulders and upper arms, then moving to her soft breasts, feeling their
heft; which caused her nipples to harden with arousal, "Aye, a fine
specimen indeed; most sexy and alluring."

   "She was already in fine shape when we purchased her from one of our
suppliers," he explained, referring of course to the slavers who brought
her to him four weeks ago, "Not surprising really, considering she and her
Furling companion, who is on display in the main show room were
adventurers. A life like that requires considerable dedication to physical
training."

   "That goes without saying," Frelic said, "Believe me, I know how
physically punishing the conditioning for an adventurer's life is." His
hands had now moved down to her midriff, then her thighs, her hips, and
reaching around to her bottom; patting, prodding, and gently squeezing all
over, "Very trim," he complimented her, "just the right amount of outer
softness with firm muscle beneath.  She has taken very good care of herself
indeed, and at least feels like she would be wonderful to cuddle with on a
chilly night."

   Shaasta beamed happily at Frelic as he voiced his approval, then
shuddered and gasped softly as he tickled the tips of her ears before
running his hands through her silky red hair, while the wolf continued,
"And as with all pets we offer for sale here, we have kept her on a very
rigorous physical training schedule to ensure that she remains healthy and
properly toned.  We make sure that all pets we sell have the strength,
agility, and endurance to meet the needs of even the most demanding
owners."

   "I am in charge of the physical conditioning program here," Lilie
boasted, sounding quite proud of her work, "I can guarantee that all pets
sold at the Southern Rose will provide many years of service and pleasure."

   "Lilieblume takes tremendous pride in her work," Varo said, smiling down
at the Halfling and giving her bottom an affectionate pat with his paw.

   Frelic caressed Shaasta's inner thighs and the outer edges of her smooth
and naturally bare feminine sex, which elicited a soft moan and another
pleasurable shudder from the girl, "I imagine that must be a most trying
task," he said, "considering the diverse range of species that you must
work with."

   "Oh, I am quite proud of my pet's talents," Varo affirmed, giving Lilie
another pat and squeeze on the rump, "Despite her small size, this little
one has proven herself with even the most powerful and difficult
creatures."

   "Yeppers," Lilie nodded, "I've even trained Dragons here a couple times.
Those can be so hard to tame and keep in line.  Such stubborn brats they
can be."

   "That goes without saying," Frelic agreed, as he moved around behind
Shaasta to examine her wonderful bare bottom, prodding and squeezing the
tender, well toned southern orbs, and giving her a couple light swats to
see how well they jiggled.  "I happen to have a Dragon as my apprentice. 
And she is a certified brat.  I can't even tell you the number of times
that I have had to apply the paddle under Thissle's tail."

   "Oh yes," Lilie giggled, "Dragons are really a pleasure to spank, once
you get them properly conditioned to submissiveness.  In fact, if you ever
feel that Thissle could use some additional obedience training, you can
always bring her here."

   Frelic gave the Elf girl's rear one more swat, then smiled at the Wolf
and Halfling, "Well, so far, Shaasta is looking to be more than suitable
for my needs.  You have done a remarkable job keeping her healthy and
trim."

   Varo nodded, then gestured towards the show room proper, largely
concealed behind a low wall, "Now that you have completed the initial
inspection, would you care to conduct a more in-depth examination of
Shaasta?"

   "Yes," Frelic replied, "I most certainly would.  I want to make absolute
certain she is one hundred and ten percent suitable for my purposes."

   "Then follow me please," Master Varo instructed, leading them deeper
into the shop.

   Shaasta blushed deeply as they were taken past the partitions and into
the show room, knowing all too well what was in store for her within the
coming minutes, a task she had performed countless times over the past
month.  The trio padded down a wide aisle, which bisected a massive
chamber. Large cushions, knee high to an average adult Human, were arranged
at regular intervals across the show room floor.  Beside each of these
cushions arose a five foot high iron pole equipped with a long chain which
was attached to a metal ring at the top.  On the cool stone floor, heavy
iron rings in sets of four formed a square around the display cushions, and
overhead, above each position, a pair of long heavy chains, their ends
tipped with a sturdy hook, dangled; suspended from the high ceiling on
pulleys.

   A diverse array of prime examples of many of Niath's sentient fauna;
large and small; male and female, adorned these soft pads.  And what an
impressive menagerie it was: Humans, Halflings, Furlings and Orniths in a
wide selection of species to choose from, and Saurids.  Most seemed calm
and content, properly confined to their individual personal spaces by the
tethering chains fastened to a plain silver ankle bracer.  Some were seated
primly upright and alert on their cushioned perches, and trying their best
to look seductive or demure for the customer who now walked among them, in
hopes of being purchased, while others lay curled up in blissful slumber. A
number of the pets in the show room, however; were on display in a
considerably more vulnerable position.  They lay bent over their pads,
their wrists and ankles secured in leather shackles which were clasped to
the iron rings in the floor; while the chains above them hung taught, but
not too uncomfortably, clasped to their collars and, where applicable, to
an iron shackle which held their tails up high to provide full access to
their plush fur, down, or bescaled hind quarters.

   The sight of so many enticing creatures gathered in this single room,
all awaiting the chance to serve and please just the right owner, caused
the stiffness hidden beneath Frelic's robes to intensify.  Oh how he wished
he had the time to take a day and do nothing but sample this sweet buffet
of submissive honeys.  But time was short and he still had much wizardly
business to attend.  Still, that did not prevent him from pausing to check
out a lovely and voluptuous Furling lass on one of the displays at the edge
of the aisle.  She was vulpine, and one of the most enchanting vixens he
had ever encountered.  She was also one of those shackled and bent over the
cushion, with her tail raised high to provide a delicious view of her aft
end.  He reached out and placed a hand on her pleasantly wide rump, then
traced a finger gently through her soft fur, which was mostly an orangeish
red, but with a wide patch of white in the center, which ran from the base
of her thick bushy tail and down to her inner thighs, like a trail pointing
to the precious treasure hidden in the valley formed by the luscious hills
that thrust invitingly upwards before him.

   "You certainly have the finest inventory I've ever seen in a pet shop,
Master Varo," he complimented the Wolf, succumbing to the temptation to
give the vixen's upthrust butt a firm open handed smack, which caused her
to thrust it up even higher.

   "I do take in only the best," Varo explained, "We hold great pride in
being a first class establishment, with products that are only top of the
line."

   His hand again resting on the vixen's rump, fingers poised over the
crevasse of her southern hills, Frelic glanced over to Varo, "May I?"

   "Be my guest, sir" the proprietor invited.

   The Elf's fingers disappeared into the vixen's depths, gently probing
her hot nether realms.  His fingers lightly glided over the slit of her
sex, as he had done minutes before with Shaasta.  She was damp and slick
down there immediately from his touch.  "Easily aroused," Frelic remarked,
then using her juices as a natural lubricant, he slipped one finger, and
then a second up into the tight star of her rear passage, and tight it was
indeed.  She clenched hard around his probing fingers, which the Elf
wriggled around inside of her while he again addressed Master Varo.

   "So then, what is this girl's story?  Slavers again?"

   Varo chuckled and shook his head, "Oh, not at all.  This is Mistie.  She
is our newest arrival, just arrived last night, in fact.  Only about half
of our inventory was purchased from professional tail hunters.  Some are
sent to us by order of the high court as sentence for various crimes; while
others come to us of their own volition and willingly sell themselves to
our shop.  Mistie is of that third group.  She came to us just yesterday,
and offered herself to us so that she could pay off a little debt she had
racked up recently." He paused for a moment in his explanation of their
acquisitions system, and removed a syringe and needle from one of his
pouches.  While Frelic continued to probe and play with Mistie's southern
hole, the Wolf expertly stabbed the needle into the soft flesh of her rump,
and injected her with a light blue viscous serum.

   "Vitamin solution," Lilieblume explained.  "All pets get these shots
daily.  Sure, it hurts plenty much; but since we can't always provide the
perfect diet for each individual, they need these supplements to help
provide any nutrients that they may be missing.  And 'sides, pretty bottoms
are meant to be sore; it helps keep the pets aware of their intimate zones,
mindful of their purpose, and whatnot."

   Shaasta sympathetically rubbed her own bottom and winced as the thick
concoction slowly transferred from the syringe into Mistie's left bottom
cheek She was starting to feel a little impatient with this delay, and
wanted to get her upcoming ordeal over and done with fast, so she could
finally leave this place.  But she dared not express her annoyance, lest
she feel the bite of Master Varo's paddle on her rear a few dozen times. 
So she kept silent and waited, feigning eternal patience.

   Frelic withdrew his fingers from Mistie's depths and touched them to his
sensitive Elven nose, taking in the light scent of musk mingled with the
heady fragrance of lilacs, "She is amazingly clean," he noted, "Gehennite,
I presume?"

   "Yes," Varo confirmed, withdrawing the needle from the vixen's butt and
stowing it and the now empty syringe in another pouch, "We give all our
pets a weekly cleansing using pure Gehennite.  Granted, it is an
indescribably painful experience for the pet, but it is also the perfect
cleansing agent."

   "I am familiar with it," Frelic nodded, agreeing with Varo's opinion of
the otherworldly substance, "cleanses the subject by obliterating all
non-living tissue it comes in contact with, but never inflicts any damage
upon live flesh."

   "A wondrously diabolical concoction," the Wolf chuckled, "Also makes for
a great disciplining tool when a paddling is not enough." He punctuated his
comment by landing a hard smack with his paddle squarely across Mistie's
butt, causing her to yelp and struggle momentarily in her bonds.

   "So, you say she sold herself to you?" Frelic asked, returning them to
their previous discussion.  He walked around to the other side of the
cushion Mistie was bent over, and crouched down to have a face to face look
at her.  She gazed adoringly at Frelic, her emerald green eyes sparkling
with hope and desire, and protruding through her veil of silky hair,
strawberry blonde with highlights of green that matched her eyes, her white
tipped vulpine ears twitched in nervous anticipation.  "Why would a lovely
creature such as this willingly sell herself into a life of submission when
she could just as easily bewitch any fellow she may set her sights on?"

   "Well, as I was saying," Varo said, "She had a debt that she wished to
pay off.  She had also recently become unemployed; and the debt and her
unemployment happened to be closely related events.  Mistie, go ahead and
explain to Master Willowpaw why you are here with us now."

   "Aye, Master Varo," she replied, her voice soft and sweet, and bearing a
hint of a Tameran accent, "Up until four days ago, I served as a maid,
cook's assistant, and waitress at one of the inns here, The Hightail, to be
exact."

   "I'm familiar with that place," Frelic said, "That is where I am
staying."

   "Well," she continued, "I inadvertently caused a major brawl there that
night.  I was being rather flirty with one of the guests, a little too
flirty, I suppose.  He wanted me to pay a visit to his suite later that
night, but I had to politely decline due to another commitment.  That other
commitment was sitting at the next table over, and when the first guy kept
trying to get me to 'play' with him, he came over and pulled me off his
lap, then warned him to leave me be.  They then got into a rather heated
argument which escalated rapidly, and culminated in one shoving the other
hard onto a table where a party of drunken mercenary sailors were dining.
Naturally, the situation grew out of control at that point."

   "Isn't that the way these incidents always seem to go?" Frelic chuckled,
"Mercs tend to be a rather rowdy lot, always waiting for any excuse to have
a brawl."

   "Yes," Mistie sighed, "I really should have turned them away when they
first arrived.  But with these lean times, my employer needed all the
business he could get.  When the excitement finally died down, and the
worst of the brawlers were hauled off by the town guard, the entire dining
area of the Hightail was a wreck, seventy gold pieces worth of damage when
all was sorted out."

   "Ouch," Frelic commented, "that must have really put a dent in your
employer's profits for the week.  I hope he was able to recover from that
setback."

   The vixen nodded, "Oh, he was able to recover.  But he had to make some
cutbacks.  Not wanting to cause those first two guys any more problems,
since they were both really decent folk despite what had happened, and they
had enough worries already, what with being in jail for the brawl, I
claimed ultimate responsibility for that night's happenings.  And in a way,
it really was my fault.  Had I not been flirting so hard, well, you
know..."

   "Yes, I know," Frelic said, giving her a comforting scritch behind her
ears, "And that was very brave and noble of you to take the heat for the
mishap."

   "And take the heat I did.  My employer took me over his lap on the
minstrel stage right there in front of the customers who remained to help
clean up.  He paddled me good, and then informed me that he could no longer
afford to keep me on as one of his employees.  He allowed me to sleep there
one more night, and after breakfast the next morning, I had to leave and
seek work elsewhere, in hopes of eventually paying off the seventy gold
pieces worth of damage I had caused."

   "And can I assume that your asking price when you offered yourself to
Master Varo here was seventy gold pieces?" Frelic guessed.

   "Yes," she nodded, "Over the next couple days, I had hit up every inn
and tavern in town, but no one was able to take on another waitress or
maid. Everyone was strapped and stretched to their limits, and barely
making enough to stay afloat.  Plus, at ten silver pieces a day, a domestic
girl's wages, it would take forever to earn enough to pay back a debt that
large."

   "And that is when you decided to submit yourself."

   "For the most part, yes.  But first, I considered other options. 
Turning to an adventurer's life briefly crossed my mind; but I quickly
dismissed that idea, since I possess none of the skills for such an
endeavor.  I would probably get eaten alive by the first monster I
encountered." She paused in her story and gasped as Master Varo slipped an
applicator rod coated with a warm salve up her butt, and swabbed the
jelly-like substance all over the "wall" of her rear passage.

   "Carry on with your story, Mistie," he instructed her, "We do have a
busy schedule today, you know; and now is a good time for me to continue
your processing while you tell Master Willowpaw your tale."

   "Aye, Master Varo," she replied, feeling herself get a little aroused as
the Wolf worked her ass with the rod, "So, next I considered trying my luck
as a street tail.  After all, a seventeen year old vixen should be quite
popular with all sorts of adventurous clients, and should be able to make a
buttload of money with her butt and other assets.  However, the more I
thought about it, the colder my feet got, and I ultimately decided that I
was not yet ready for that type of life and the dangers that accompany it.
And it was at that moment, when I still had thoughts of trying to make
money somehow with my tail, that I thought of this shop.  And the more I
thought about it, the more I imagined myself serving a kind and protective
master or mistress, someone who might even spirit me away from this town;
the more sensible this idea became.  So I paid a visit to Master Varo and
Lilieblume here last night, explained my plight to them; and here I am
now."

   "And is this what you expected when you sold yourself to these fine
folk?" Frelic asked, "Shackled down on a cushion, tail tied high, and your
bottom poked, prodded, spanked, and stuffed?"

   "Yes," Mistie affirmed, unashamed pride in her tone, "I indeed expected
to be treated this way.  And you know what?  I like this.  I realized that
I am born to serve and please, and I take pleasure in all aspects of my
life here; including the spankings, shots, and even the cleansings; because
I know that all of these things are important to my ultimate goal of having
an owner who I can service and who will take care of me." She gave Frelic a
smile that hinted of smugness and self assurance, then gasped and came
close to orgasming right there on her cushion when Varo removed the
applicator rod from her butt with one quick and smooth motion.

   Varo smiled and gave the vixen a loving smack on her rear with his paw,
then put the rod away for cleaning later, "Amazing girl, she is, eh?"

   "Very amazing," Frelic agreed, "I may very well have to take her home to
Pinevale with me.  How much are you asking for her?"

   "Two platinum pieces.  But she isn't quite ready to be put up for sale
just yet," the Wolf advised him, "We still have a little more work to do
with her."

   Shaasta finally let her impatience show, and seemed irritated and a
little worried that Frelic may have forgotten all about her, thanks to the
vixen who seemed to have practically stolen his soul with her charms.  "Can
we get back to what we were doing, Master Varo?  In case everyone has
forgotten, Master Willowpaw here was going to give me a more in-depth
inspection before deciding whether or not to purchase me.  Her little
outburst was answered with two extra hard smacks on her bottom from Varo's
paddle, which were not really unexpected, but still elicited a yelp from
the Elf lass due to the intensity of the impacts.

   "But of course, dear," Varo said, "I haven't forgotten you.  Now, let's
go."

   As he led the trio on their way to the other end of the show room,
Mistie called out, "Shaasta, I am truly sorry for hijacking your time like
that.  Forgive me, please?"

   Shaasta, rubbing her slightly sore behind, looked back over her shoulder
at the vixen and smiled, "No worries, dear.  There's nothing to forgive."

   At the far end of the show room was a long, low, padded bench.  At
either end of the bench, was a table, upon which sat various paddles,
switches, straps, and other disciplining tools, as well as an assortment of
flasks and bowls with potions and salves.  "This area," Lilieblume
explained," is much better suited than the outer lobby for the more
intimate inspections our clients like to perform before making a final
purchasing decision." The Halfling was interrupted by a sharp gasp from
behind them.  All three turned and looked at the Furling Squirrel who was
in turn, staring back in surprise at them, as if he had just seen a ghost.

   Shackled in the same position as Mistie, the gray-furred, bushytailed
rodent chittered excitedly, "Shaasta?  is that by chance...?"

   "Yes," she said, not letting him finish his question, "This is by chance
a very potential buyer." She gave him a look that told him to keep quiet
lest he spoil their chance to get out of here.

   Master Varo, visibly annoyed by this interruption asserted his authority
with the obligatory paddle strike on the little Furling's dainty, furry
bottom, "Hansen," he sighed, when are you going to learn to mind your place
while business is being conducted?"

   "Oh, I'm so sorry, Master Varo," the boy whimpered, his rear stinging
from the well deserved swat, "I just got so excited when I saw Shaasta. 
I've missed her so much since she was moved out of here and put on display
in the window."

   Lilieblume giggled and shook her head, "Silly Squirrel," she chided him,
"she was only moved out there just this morning; too soon for you to be
pining away for her."

   Frelic took an interest in this Furling boy, and moved to have a closer
look at him.  He gave him a quick once over, administering the expected
pats and squeezes on this rear; which like Mistie's was also two toned,
with a similar patch of white, running from half way up his rump down to
the middle of his inner thighs.  It was an attractive feature common to
Furlings, Orniths, Dragons, and Saurids; and one that many referred to as
the "treasure trail".  The Elf lightly prodded at the fur covered shaft and
sheath which were clearly visible between his shackled and spread legs, "He
looks like a feisty one," he mused out loud, "and he acts like he knows
Shaasta here pretty well."

   "He does," Varo replied, "This is Hansen.  He was brought to us at the
same time Shaasta was.  Apparently, they adventured together, and were of
course, captured and sold together."

   "They really seem to be quite fond of each other," Lilieblume added.

   "Bestest of friends we are," Hansen affirmed, "I would really really
miss Shaasta if she were to be taken away from me."

   Frelic did not miss the hint, of course, "Well, it would be a shame to
separate two dear friends from each other now.  Let's see what we can do
about this."

   Master Varo unlocked the Squirrel's bonds and lifted him up, holding him
under his arm so his butt was facing forward, "Do you wish to inspect him
as well, Master Willowpaw?"

   "But of course, sir," Frelic replied.

   "Shaasta, bend yourself over the bench and spread those lovely legs,"
Varo ordered.  Shaasta knelt down, then positioned herself over the padded
seat, her legs apart, and her rear properly thrust upwards to provide the
best view and easiest access to her sweet assets.  Varo placed the Furling
boy next to her, laying him face down, his legs, not quite long enough to
reach the floor, hanging over the edge of the bench, and his bushy tail
held high.

   Frelic knelt between and behind the two pets, hands resting on their
rumps, "We'll start with a little warm up." Shaasta's hand clasped Hansen's
paw, and the two pets closed their eyes, their bottoms quivering ever so
slightly in anticipation of what was to come.

   The Elf's hands began slapping a steady drum beat on the two upthrust
bottoms, alternating between Shaasta on the odd strokes and Hansen on the
evens, the swats just hard enough to cause a light sting, which they both
took quite well.  The crisp smacks of smooth, bare flesh and the duller
smacks of fur-covered flesh being struck in a slow but firm cadence echoed
throughout the show room.  The all too familiar sounds of spanking caused
many of the other pets to turn and watch with amusement, sympathy, or
desire, the percussion concert the Wizard was performing on Elf and
Squirrel.  Several members of the captive audience were squirming in their
seats, and the scent of arousal could be smelled in the air.

   Master Varo, of course, sensed the growing lust in many of his pets, and
he just smirked and half whispered to the Halfling beside him, "I hope you
are in good form today, love.  It looks like we are both going to be real
busy soon attending to our inventory's burning needs."

   Lilieblume put her hand in his and smiled up at her master, "Can do,
Master Varo," she replied, starting to feel rather tingly and moist herself
as Frelic continued spanking Shaasta and Hansen.  "You know good and well
that I am always up to that particular task."

   The Wolf chuckled and gave his pet an affectionate bottom squeeze, "I
don't doubt you for a second, sweet tail, not for one single second."

   Frelic stopped after two dozen swats, and gave both bottoms a firm,
thick pinch.  Despite the lightness of the spanking, Shaasta's rear was
already showing a light pink glow, as was Hansen's, though the blush on the
Furling's bottom just barely showed through the soft, white treasure trail
fur.  "Properly springy and resilient," he noted, "suitable for a wide
array of disciplinary activities."

   "As it should be," Varo replied, "We expect our pets to take a
considerable amount of abuse on their bottoms; such as paddlings, canings,
and whippings; with a diverse variety of tools, in addition to other
non-spanking punishments."

   "Such as?"

   "Oh, such as shockings, pin cushionings, and searings for example,"
Lilieblume chimed in.  The Halfling stepped forward and landed a couple
more open handed swats on Shaasta's rear, "Therefore, we put heavy emphasis
on preparing our pets physically and mentally to withstand having a
tremendous amount of attention focused on their butts."

   "Let's continue the inspection," Varo advised.  He gestured to one of
the tables, where there was a selection of spanking tools laid out, "Select
one or two of those, and apply some more intensive attention on their
bottoms."

   Frelic selected a polished wooden paddle, the spanking tool he was most
partial to, and gave it a test swing through the air.  It was a plain and
sensible model, about thirteen inches in length, three and a half inches
across, and a quarter inch thick.  It was light enough to effectively wield
single handed for proper over the lap paddlings, but had a handle long
enough to allow for a double handed grip for those times when a little
extra emphasis is needed to drive home those more difficult lessons.

   Standing to Shaasta's left side, he gave her lovely butt the obligatory
"ranging" taps, then without warning and with no time for the girl to even
tense in frightened anticipation, he raised the paddle up and back, then
brought it back down in a graceful and cruel arc until it came to rest
again on her bare bottom, coming to an abrupt halt with a loud smack that
reverberated throughout the show room, and caused Shaasta to yelp out in
surprise.

   Frelic then began paddling the Elf girl in earnest.  The air was filled
with the sounds of hard wood against bare flesh, leaving no part of
Shaasta's butt untouched.  With smooth, graceful motions, he paddled her,
expertly dispensing punishment upon her bottom, each swat as hard as its
predecessor.

   Shaasta at first tried her best to hold back.  By shear force of will,
she refused to allow the assault on her rear break her proud Elven bearing.
But after the paddle impacted on her ass for the tenth time, striking right
across the middle of both cheeks, the mental wall crumbled, tears that were
held back now flowed down her smooth, round face; her will failed.  The
sound of the paddle was now accompanied by a melody of moans and cries from
the Elf girl as her sweet posterior burned with the fires of discipline, a
fire with no flame.  She writhed beautifully under the fierce punishment,
her back arching, and legs flailing as each stroke of the paddle added to
the crimson glow in her rump.

   After the twentieth stroke, Varo and Lilieblume had to hold the girl
down, as her struggles intensified.  Shaasta cried and pleaded for Frelic
to stop; her tears now flowed steadily down her cheeks and splashed onto
the stone floor.  She pleaded and begged, but no mercy was forthcoming; the
spanking continued as before, a smooth and steady beat with no reprieve. 
After the thirtieth swat, the session was ended, and the only sounds were
Shaasta's sobs and whimpers coming from the pets behind them, many of whom
were now extremely aroused and ravenously craving relief from the desire
burning deep within.

   Lilieblume dried the tears from Shaasta's face and comforted her, "You
are a remarkable Elf," she said, commending her, and stealing a tender
kiss, their lips touching ever so softly.

   Frelic surveyed his work, admiring the way Shaasta's bottom quivered
tantalizingly from the lingering pain the paddle inflicted, again thankful
that his robes concealed his arousal.  He reached down and ran his palm
over her blushing ass, then knelt behind the girl and touched his lips to
her hot, tender nether flesh; eliciting a moan from the girl, and causing a
glow to form on her tear stained face.

   Rising to his feet, the wizard turned his attention to the Furling
Squirrel, who was patiently and anxiously awaiting his turn for the paddle.
The Halfling girl gave Shaasta's hand an affectionate squeeze, then stood
in front of Hansen, and lent her assistance by holding his bushy tail up
out of the way.  Frelic wasted no time, and immediately began the assault
on Hansen's furry bottom in exactly the same way he spanked Shaasta, the
paddle first landing on the Squirrel's left nether cheek followed by an
identical blow to the right cheek, and one across the middle; repeating the
pattern on the lower quarters of his rear and again on the upper regions,
so that not a single square inch was left untouched.

   Unlike Shaasta, Hansen showed much greater endurance.  He held firm
until the twenty-fifth swat seared his dainty rump, then the tears started
to flow.  His sobs were soft and reserved.  Knowing that there was none to
be had, he did not beg for mercy.  His writhings and flailings were not as
violent as those of the Elf girl who still wept quietly beside him.  He
closed his own misty eyes tight and and steeled himself against the intense
pain burning through his ass, taking it with a strength and will belied by
his diminutive appearance.

   Another five strokes of the paddle, and the spanking was finished. 
Hansen gave a loud sigh and let his body relax as Lilieblume rewarded and
comforted him with a tender kiss as she had done with Shaasta, and Frelic
placed his hand on the Squirrel's sore rump, which now showed a deep red
paddle blush through the white fur.

   Master Varo was most impressed with the Elf's prowess, "You wield that
paddle like a true expert," he complimented him.  "I found myself rubbing
my own posterior out of sympathy as you were giving their bottoms that
glowing workout."

   "Thank you," Frelic replied, "I am indeed quite intimately familiar with
the paddle and other instruments of spanking," he confirmed, then knelt
down and planted a kiss on the Furling's well punished behind like he did
to Shaasta, causing Hansen to giggle with a hint of embarrassment.  "I am
intimately familiar with these tools on both the giving and receiving
ends," he added.

   Lilieblume nodded solemnly, "Yes, what with you being trained in the
magickal arts and the tremendous discipline such a path requires, I would
imagine you must have had your bottom reddened many times during your
apprenticeship."

   "I did," Frelic admitted, "Mistress Aeraal was, and still is, quite fond
of the paddle, and many of my lessons during my training took place over
either her lap, or over the lap of Lynx, my Beastlands guide and teacher."

   The Halfling smiled mischievously, "Well, you know, my offer still
stands.  You are more than welcome to sell yourself to the Southern Rose. I
would love to try my hand at taming a powerful and cute wizard such as
yourself."

   Frelic blushed and smiled back at her, "Thank-you, but I still must
decline the offer.  I have too much work to accomplish to become anyone's
pet."

   Lilieblume pouted, "Aw, 'tis a pity.  It would have been fun.  Perhaps
you can at least come back some time before you return home, and we can do
a little remedial training then, if you have the time, and Master Varo
approves?"

   Frelic felt flattered by the Halfling's intimate interest in him, and
his blush deepened, "I will consider your offer," he replied.  He then
glanced down and a smirk crossed his face as he noticed that between
Hansen's legs, the Furling's maleness was fully emerged from its furry
sheath.  "Typical Furling," he muttered, "Seems someone enjoyed the feel of
the paddle across his bottom." He reached down and gently took the erect
shaft in his hand, stroking its underside lightly with one finger, causing
the Squirrel lad to gasp and flex his legs and rump.

   "That is one of Hansen's great features," Varo informed him, "The little
guy is a notorious pain slut.  But as you noted, that is typical of
Furlings and Orniths.  They can be such a challenge to properly
discipline."

   "It's not just Furlings," Frelic said, "Thissle, my Dragon apprentice
tends to get worked up when paddled as well.  So when I need to truly
discipline her, I simply spank her even harder, well beyond her pleasure
threshhold." He gave Hansen a few more strokes, which caused the Squirrel
to moan and playfully squirm, but refrained from bringing him to orgasm,
then he took a glance at Shaasta and smirked again as he spied a glistening
dampness between her thighs.

   "You too, eh?" he sighed, patting her well spanked bottom, causing her
to wince.  Frelic slipped a finger between her legs, running it along her
slit, which caused her already upturned behind to rise a little more.  She
was blushing furiously as her little secret was revealed.  The many
training sessions with paddle, switch, and strap under Varo and Liliblume's
guidance had raised her limits to where what would normally be a punishment
spanking for most people was now an intense pleasure spanking for her.

   "Well," Frelic mused, rubbing the feminine moisture between his fingers,
"No need to worry, I do indeed know how to use the paddle and other tools
for both punishment and reward when appropriate."

   Lilieblume herself failed to stifle a wistful sigh.  She wanted so much
to play with this Elf.  His voice, soft yet commanding, and those violet
eyes, sparkling with a mix of compassion, power, and mischief made her
swoon.  She wanted to both be taken by him as well as take him herself; and
she seriously hoped and prayed that he would come back to take her up on
her offer.

   Frelic stepped over to one of the end tables and dipped the first two
fingers of both hands into a bowl of cool lubricating salve, then kneeling
between and behind the two pets, "One final item to inspect," he announced,
getting back to the business at hand, "Shaasta, Hansen, please spread your
legs a little more."

   They complied and, as Mistie had done earlier, submissively presented to
him, a delightful view of their southern stars.  Frelic squirmed a bit and
felt his temperature rise slightly at the tantalizing sight, tempting him
to shed his wizardly robe, lift his tunic, and take the two sensuous
creatures before him right here and now.  But instead of succumbing to the
great yearning pulsing beneath his robe and tunic, he pressed forward with
his original course.  Both Shaasta and Hansen gave a soft gasp and low moan
of pure bliss simultaneously as they each received a pair of long Elven
fingers deep inside their south passages.

   Frelic was only moderately surprised at Hansen's reaction, "Well well,"
he chuckled softly, "It seems our boy here likes being taken as a girl,
hmmm?" He wiggled his fingers around inside of the two pets, causing them
to gasp again and squirm, their tight holes clenching around the Elven
probes.

   "Yes, Master Willowpaw, he admitted, his tail whipping back and forth as
he thrust his bottom up higher, trying to get the wizard's fingers even
deeper inside of him.  "But I wasn't always this way.  Shaasta there turned
me on to...this...activity.  It happened during one of our adventures
several months ago."

   "Oh she did, did she?" Frelic fingered them harder, causing them to
squirm even more.  Hansen's cock was pulsing in time with the thrusts
inside of him, and he whined as he fought to keep from spilling his seed
all over the floor.  Seeing how he was near bursting, Lilieblume slid a
bucket beneath the Furling, just in case.

   "Yes," Shaasta hissed between gasps, "Many times when we coupled during
our travels, I insisted he take me up the ass.  He saw how much I enjoyed
it, just as much as I enjoy the more traditional way..."

   "And..." Hansen continued, "and, I decided then that there was no reason
only girls could enjoy being on the receiving end of a boinking, so I put
myself across her lap, had her spank me a few times, then I offered her my
other virginity.  Oh, her fingers buried deep beneath my tail were like
magick.  'Twas like nothing I had ever known before that moment." Unable to
hold back any longer, he gave another moan, much louder this time, and his
lust juices flowed from his hard, throbbing shaft and into the bucket
below.

   Frelic continued to work the Furling's tight, hot butt as he reached his
climax, and up inside Shaasta, he curled his fingers, causing a loud whine
from her as she was stretched out just a little more, "Why you little
brat," he scolded the girl, "Thanks to you, this fine young Furling has
gone from being just a pain slut, to being a complete tail slut."

   "But Master Willowpaw," Hansen pleaded, coming down off his orgasmic
high, "Do not be angry with her.  All she did was bring to the surface
feelings and desires I had suppressed for years.  'Twas an awakening for
which I truly am grateful."

   "Aw, lighten up," Lilieblume suggested, "It's not like there is anything
evil about a boy letting his bottom be used to give pleasure or receiving
pleasure from the use of his bottom.  I'm sure your own tail got used
occasionally during your apprenticeship.  Did it not?"

   Frelic gave a resigned sigh and nodded, "Yes, that did happen.  There
were several complicated spells and rituals which involved coupling.  And
it mattered not whether the partner taking the role of the girl was indeed
a girl or a boy."

   "And did you enjoy playing the part of the girl?" the Halfling pressed
him.  A reddening in the Elf's cheeks provided the answer.  "So you see? 
It is perfectly natural for a boy to take one of the same pleasures which
girls enjoy."

   Still blushing at being baited into talking about some of his early
intimate adventures, Frelic changed the subject.  "So, Master Varo, what
was that stuff you swabbed around the inside of Mistie's ass when she was
telling her story?"

   The wolf, looking rather amused at the previous thread of discussion,
reached into one of his pouches and pulled out a vial, holding it close for
Frelic to see.  "Ah yes.  This is known as Pixie Salve.  It is used to keep
a pet's sex and ass virgin tight."

   "Pixie Salve," Frelic took note, "I thought these two seemed unusually
tight."

   "Yes," Varo explained, "all of our pets receive a treatment of this
every three days.  And it has another useful effect in addition to keeping
them tight.  Go ahead and make fists inside of them," he instructed.

   "Fist them?" Frelic hesitated, "Are you sure that is safe?  After all,
they are both pretty small, and I wouldn't want to inadvertently injure
them."

   "Trust me," the Wolf insisted, "They will be alright."

   "Okay, here goes." Frelic worked the rest of his fingers up into Shaasta
and Hansen, then he carefully curled them into fists, which he then slid
even deeper into their hot, tight depths, up to his wrists, so it looked
like he was wearing a pair of living gloves.  They both moaned yet again,
much louder this time, as they were stretched and stuffed.  The Furling had
a second orgasm and added more of his seed to what was already pooled in
the bucket beneath him.

   Frelic was greatly impressed, "Absolutely amazing," he said, pumping his
fists rhythmically inside their nether depths, "So in addition to keeping
them tight," he concluded, "the Pixie Salve also grants them extra
durability and pliability."

   "Exactly," Varo replied, "With this stuff, any of our pets here can
safely take even the most gifted master, or the largest of training shafts
without having to worry about accidentally finding themselves sent
prematurely to the Nether Realms."

   "Do you sell the salve here, or would I need to visit an alchemist to
acquire a few bottles?"

   "Oh, we sell it here," Varo assured him, "along with a number of other
salves and potions which the more active and devious pet owners may find
essential."

   Frelic extracted his hands from the pets' bottoms, and like with Mistie,
put them to his nose, "Lilacs again," he noted, "So they have had the
Gehennite treatment as well."

   "As per our standard procedures," Lilieblume said, "They had their first
cleansings three weeks ago, and will be due for their next treatment in
about a week from today."

   "Well, we will very likely be leaving town before then," Frelic said.

   "That is okay," Varo replied, "If you wish, you can bring them in before
you leave and I can give them the Gehennite treatment.  It only takes about
fifteen minutes, and the cleansing is good for a full week.  Oh, and can I
assume that you are indeed going to purchase both of them?"

   "I believe they will be able to serve my needs," Frelic announced, as he
helped Shaasta and Hansen to their feet.  How much for each of them?"

   "For Hansen," Varo said, "thirty five gold pieces."

   "Good," Frelic nodded, hefting the money pouch that hung from his belt,
"And Shaasta?"

   "Well, originally, I had her priced at ten platinums, but she has since
been discounted to seven, due to so many potential customers finding funds
for such luxuries scarce these days."

   Frelic looked the girl over thoughtfully, then as a sly and mischievous
smile crossed his face, countered with, "I'll give you five for her."

   Instantly indignant, Shaasta gave him a look that could have turned a
glacier to steam, while Master Varo protested the counter offer, "But, sir,
five platinums is what I originally paid for her.  And if you take into
account the time and resources spent in training her, seven is the absolute
lowest I could go and do more than just break even."

   Frelic glanced over at Shaasta again.  She was still glaring at him,
arms folded across her breasts.  He then laughed and turned back to the
Wolf, "Ah, I was just kidding with my offer.  In fact, strange as it may
sound, I wish to go ahead and pay your original asking price for her.  She
is more than worth ten plats." He felt a tap on his shoulder, and when he
turned around, found a now very happy fire-maned Elf girl hanging from his
neck and planting a string of sweet kisses on his cheeks and lips.  As
before, he wrapped his arms around Shaasta, pressing his hands against her
bare bottom to support her.  She was of course still quite sore and tender
from her paddling, and she winced as Frelic's hands firmly gripped her
rear. But she didn't care.  She and her Squirrel friend were finally
rescued, and that was worth having a sore ass.

   "Shaasta, stand down for a moment," Varo growled, his gaze dropping down
to the paddle he carried, "We are not yet finished here."

   Not quite ready to take yet another spanking, Shaasta detached herself
from Frelic, and stood submissively to his right, while Hansen took a
position to the wizard's left.  "Sorry, Master Varo," she apologized, "I
sorta lost myself there.  I'm just so happy that we are both being sold
together."

   Frelic wrapped one arm around Shaasta's waist, and the other around
Hansen's shoulder and pulled them close to him, as they finalized the sale.
"So, ten platinums and thirty five gold then, for the two of them, plus
whatever other accessories and supplies I may decide they need."

   "Oh, very good, sir," the Wolf smiled, "And thank you very much, sir. 
It is truly a pleasant surprise that you would offer to pay her original
price even though I was willing to sell for less."

   "Well, I do like to reward quality work," Frelic replied, "And what I
have seen here is nothing but quality, top of the line, as you stated
earlier.

   Varo stammered a bit, actually at a loss for words for once, "Oh,
well...Uhm...You embarrass me with your kind words, Master Willowpaw.  But
again, I thank you.  Now, would you like to properly initiate your
soon-to-be pets?  Normally, we charge a small fee of fifteen percent of the
sale price, but since you are buying them anyway, we can waive that
detail."

   Frelic looked confused, Hansen looked hopeful, and Shaasta was blushing
considerably, "Initiate them?" Frelic asked, "I'm afraid I don't quite
follow,"

   "In other words," Lilieblume explained, "Would you like to boink the
babes before we wrap up the sale?"

   "Oh," Frelic replied, himself now blushing, "Uhm, no.  I can wait until
we get back to the Hightail Inn, where I can explore their abilities in
more depth in the comfort of my own suite."

   "Are you certain?" Varo asked, "If a comfortable setting is the issue,
we do have privacy chambers here, where new owners can get properly
acquainted with their pets."

   "I am sure of this," Frelic affirmed, "I do prefer to wait." He gave
both pets an affectionate pat on their sore behinds, "So then, what are we
waiting for?  Let's finish this show."

   Varo nodded and motioned for them to follow, "This way please." He led
them back through the show room and past the partitions, bringing them back
to the lobby.  Lilieblume got busy filling out some parchmentwork while
Frelic counted out the gold and platinum coins from his money pouch, and
placed them in Varo's paw.  The Halfling laid out the parchments on the
sales counter and handed a quill to Frelic.

   "What is this?" Frelic asked, looking over the forms.

   "Oh, these are just the bills of sale and the transfers of ownership
certificates for Shaasta and Hansen," Varo explained, all you need to do is
sign on the lines that say 'Signature, sigil, or seal of purchaser', then
we can take them below for final processing.

   "That would be just a few final shots and then searing your mark on
them," Lilieblume clarified.

   Frelic nodded and then signed his name on the forms while Varo
congratulated him on his purchases, "You have made some excellent
selections, Master Willowpaw.  These two should provide you a lifetime of
faithful service and pleasure.  And Shaasta, Hansen?  It has been a
pleasure to have you two as part of my shop.  You took your training and
discipline remarkably well, and I can truly say that Lilieblume and myself
will dearly miss your presence here." He reached up and wiped a genuine
stray tear from his muzzle then gave both of them a loving embrace
punctuated with a tender pat on their bottoms.  "You two behave for your
new owner; or at least behave most of the time."

   "Thank-you, Master Varo," Shaasta said, "You took very good care of us
and treated us well.  You can be sure that we will stop by here whenever we
are in town with Master."

   Hansen gave a shy smile, "It was really a fun four weeks, Master Varo. I
truly enjoyed myself here, and had I known what it was like beforehand, I
probably would have sold myself to a pet shop a few years ago."

   "Master Varo," Frelic said, "I also want to thank you most sincerely for
looking after my sister and her companion.  When news came to me back in
Pinevale that Shaasta and Hansen had fallen to slavers, I feared the
worst."

   Varo looked like he had just been struck by a stun bolt, "Y-your sister?
Shaasta is your sister?"

   "Indeed she is," Frelic replied.

   "Yeah, I can see the resemblance now," Lilieblume said, "You two are
twins, aren't you?"

   "That we are," Shaasta confirmed, "That we are."

   "I must say," Varo chuckled, "this goes down in history as the most
unconventional rescue mission ever known.  Thank-you very much for not
breaking into my shop late at night and trashing the place."

   "Well, had Shaasta and Hansen been imprisoned in a slaver camp or
something similar, I would not have given a second thought to engaging in
severe violence in order to retrieve them," Frelic explained, "However,
when I saw how your store was managed, and how well you treated the pets, I
instantly ruled out that option.  After all, you are running a legitimate
and legal business, so it would have been wrong to steal from you or
inflict damage on your property."

   "That is most honorable of you, Master Willowpaw," Varo said, "You are
one interesting and enigmatic personality indeed."

   "Frelic, can we go now?" Shaasta prodded her brother, "I would really
like to go get cleaned up and then finally put some clothes on for the
first time in weeks."

   "Not yet," Frelic declared, "We still have to do your final processing."

   "Final processing, my ass," Shassta growled, "Do you really think I'm
going to let you brand me?" She glared at her brother, standing defiantly
with her fists on her hips.

   Frelic answered her challenge by hijacking Master Varo's paddle and
landing three hard swats on his sister's bottom, "Damn straight I am, sis.
I just shelled out ten platinum pieces for you; that's a full thousand
gold, you know.  Did you really think I was just going to let you go off to
just get yourself back into trouble again?"

   Shaasta rubbed her butt and continued to glare, "But I thought this was
a rescue!" she argued.

   "You have been rescued," Frelic assured her, "And I am going to make
certain you stay rescued this time.  That is why I bought you, and that is
why I am keeping you." he held up the sale and ownership certificates, then
folded them up and secured them in his belt satchel.

   "Ooh!" Lilieblume gasped, fascinated by this little exchange, "Master
Willowpaw is now the proud owner of a pet sister.  'Tis such a naughty idea
indeed, makes me all hot and tingly inside just thinking about it."

   Shaasta turned to Varo for support, "Master Varo, please help me here,"
she pleaded, "Please tell Frelic that he can't do this to me."

   "I'm afraid he is right," the Wolf replied, "The sales are legitimate
and perfectly legal.  There are no laws stating that one can not own a 'pet
sister' as Lilieblume so cutely put it."

   "I am serious about this, Shaasta," Frelic said, his voice soft and
solemn, "This is for the best.  This is the second time that you have been
abducted and enslaved.  The first time, it took three years for me to find
you.  This time did not take nearly so long.  However, the next time; and
chances are great that there would indeed be a next time, you may not be so
fortunate, and it could even end up costing you your life.  Plus, I know
that you would have done the same for me had the situation been reversed,
correct?"

   "Well," Shaasta thought for a moment, then smiled at the thought, "yes,
now that you mention it, I would have done the same, and ended up with a
pet brother."

   Frelic smiled and took his sister in his arms, "I will take good care of
you, Shaasta," he vowed, "I swear that I will never allow you to be stolen
away again."

   "Uhm, Master Frelic," Hansen said, tugging at the Elf's robes.

   "Yes, Hansen?" Frelic replied, releasing Shaasta from his embrace.  The
Furling looked worried and nervous.

   "What about me?" he asked, "Am I to be released, or will you be keeping
me as your pet as well?"

   Frelic laughed and patted the pouch that held the documents, "There is
plenty of room at WraithHold for one more, silly.  Of course i am keeping
you as one of my pets."

   Hansen sighed and smiled, "Oh thank-you very much, Master.  I was truly
afraid that you would want to set me free." He leaped up, draped his arms
around his new master's neck, and nuzzled him cheek to cheek.

   Frelic placed his hands on the Squirrel's furry bottom to support him
and gazed into his sparkling eyes, "You sure have changed since your last
adventure," Frelic said, smiling warmly at his other new pet, "I remember a
time not too long ago when you would not have even considered allowing
another guy to do even something like this," he planted a deep,
affectionate kiss on the Furling boy's muzzle.

   Hansen shrugged and returned the smile, "Let's just say that I have
gained considerable enlightenment from this adventure.  I am indeed a
changed Squirrel now.  I'll tell you more about all of that later.  But it
looks like Master Varo is waiting for us."

   Frelic set the Squirrel back down and turned to the Wolf, who was
waiting patiently for them to finish.  He handed Frelic a pair of leather
leashes, which the Elf attached to his pets' collars, then with Varo and
Lilieblume leading the way, they disappeared through the door behind the
counter, leading to the processing lab where they would truly finalize the
purchase.

   RedTails - Awakenings Rescued?  : Epilogue By - Scarletdown

   "Master, is this truly necessary?" Shaasta protested, as she and Hansen
were guided down the stone steps to the processing lab beneath the Southern
Rose pet shop.

   Frelic gave a light tug on the leashes clasped to the Elf and Squirrel's
collars to hurry them along, "Yes, my dear brats.  This is indeed truly
necessary.  Now that I am one thousand and thirty-five gold pieces poorer,
I am determined to protect my investment."

   "But you need not worry," she countered, "I give my solemn promise that
I will not run away.  And you know good and well that I am always true to
my word."

   "That is not what I am worried over, sis," Frelic told her, "I know that
neither of you would run away from me.  We are doing this to protect you
from the possibility of being stolen by slavers ever again.  The only way
to ensure that is for the two of you to wear my mark on your bottoms."

   "But how can you know that a brand will deter a slaver?" she asked,
"What would stop one from removing the mark, as you yourself did for me
after my escape from Mistress Triniti?"

   "Honor would stop them," Varo, the Furling Wolf who owned the Southern
Rose said, "Odd as it may sound, Slavers do possess a sense of honor. 
Should one who is taken have a mark of ownership, the captor will not
remove the brand and will, in fact, take the captive under protection to
eventually be returned to his or her rightful owner."

   "This is done out of respect for the owner," Lilieblume added, "out of
respect for the time and expense invested in training and conditioning the
pet or slave to serve submissively and faithfully."

   They reached the bottom of the stairs, and passed through a set of
double doors into a softly lit chamber that was decorated in a traditional
dungeon motif.  Hansen was grinning with amusement as his bright eyes
scanned the room, while Shaasta gazed nervously at the collection of
torture and taming devices set up down here.

   "Ooh!" the Furling exclaimed, his eyes filled with awe at the scene
before them, "This is really neat.  Do you actually get to use all of these
things, Master Varo?"

   The Wolf chuckled and shook his head, "No, little one.  Much of what you
see here is merely for show, to add the proper touch of atmosphere to the
lab, at least the toys that were designed to cause permanent injury or
worse."

   "Just atmosphere," Shaasta echoed Varo's assurance, now noticeably more
at ease, though still nervous about what was to occur down here.  She
rubbed her bottom in anticipation of the searing it was soon going to
receive so soon after the paddling her brother had given her as part of her
inspection.  She had more questions, but those would have to wait, a few
minutes at least, as they were ready to begin their final processing.

   Master Varo stood between a pair of cushioned examining tables, which
were fitted with leather shackles at the corners, iron rings fitted with
sturdy chains at the front end; and like with the display pads out in the
show room, a pair of heavy chains hung suspended from the ceiling above the
tables; one with an iron hook on the end and the other featuring another
shackle, "Bring your pets forward, Master Willowpaw," he instructed.

   Frelic led Shaasta and Hansen over to stand before the Wolf, and
released the clasps attaching the leashes to their leather collars; then
gave them each an affectionate and reassuring pat on their behinds before
Varo and Lilieblume, the Wolf's Halfling pet helped them get comfortable on
the examination tables.

   With the two new pets lying face down, Varo and Lilie secured their
wrists and ankles in the leather shackles at the corners of the table so
that their legs were spread wide, and Hansen's bushy tail was bound in the
overhead shackle and pulled up out of the way, so that once again, their
most intimate treasures were visible for all to see.  Finally, the Halfling
slipped thick pillows underneath them to help thrust their bottoms up a
little more, while Varo clasped the other overhead chains and the ones at
the front end of the tables to the rings in the pets' collars, so that they
were completely immobilized.

   Varo padded over to a storage cabinet and extracted a number of
syringes, needles, vials, flasks, cannisters, and a pair of small round
wooden paddles; all of which he arranged neatly on a cart and wheeled over
between the two tables.  He and Lilieblume each took a syringe and mithril
needle, and broke the seals on a couple vials of a thick blue liquid, which
was drawn into the syringes.

   "Vitamin solution," the Halfling reminded Frelic, answering the question
he really wasn't going to ask.

   The wizard nodded politely and smiled, "Yes, I remember, the same
formula your Master gave Mistie earlier."

   Without another word, Wolf and Halfling slid their thick needles into
the left cheeks of the two newly purchased pets' upturned and upthrust
bottoms, pressing the mithril shafts in until they were buried to the hilt
in the soft, tender flesh.  The initial puncture hurt, of course, but that
was mild compared to the burn of the viscous serum as the plungers on the
syringes forced the nourishing solution into their bodies.  After an
agonizingly long half a minute, the syringes were empty.  The needles were
extracted from their butts, and then Varo and Lilieblume took the round
paddles and landed a couple firm smacks on the area where the shots were
administered.

   "This helps to work the formula into their systems properly," the Wolf
explained to Frelic, as he and the Halfling massaged the blade of the
paddle over their patients' behinds.

   Shaasta sighed.  It seemed as if her bottom was fated to forever be a
major focus of attention, "Master Varo," she said, "Does everything always
have to be focused on my butt, especially if it involves inflicting pain?"

   Varo responded with another swat from the paddle and chuckled, "To put
it plainly, my dear love pet," he said, "Yes and yes."

   Hansen, who, naturally was aroused by the painful injection and the
subsequent paddle smack, couldn't help but giggle at his girlfriend's
embarrassed frustration, "Shaasta, dear," he chittered, "That is what a
lovely bottom such as yours was made for.  Didn't you realize that by now?"

   Almost as if on queue, Lilieblume gave him another pair of swats with
her paddle, "The same goes with your lovely bottom as well, silly little
Squirrel," she reminded him, giving his nether cheeks a hard pinch.

   He blushed and smiled, though the Halfling could not see his face from
where she stood, "Thank-you, Lilie.  Now, what is next in our processing?
Is it time for our brandings yet?"

   "Not quite, yet, little one," Varo answered, massaging Shaasta's rear
with the paddle for a few more seconds, then giving her another swat, for
no other reason than he could, "We have a couple more fluids to put into
you first."

   "Yeah," Lilieblume added, "But don't worry.  We will be searing your ass
soon enough."

   Continuing with the task at hand, Varo and Lilie set aside the spent
syringes and needles to be sterilized and recycled and selected a fresh
set, along with vials of a clear liquid.  As they filled the new syringes,
Varo explained, "This next shot is a dose of what is known as Tempspay."
For the second time, Shaasta's and Hansen's aft ends were pierced, this
time in the right cheek, and the serum was injected into their bodies. 
This one though was not as thick as the vitamin mix.

   "This is one of the most important shots a pet should receive on a
regular schedule," Lilieblume instructed Frelic.  "As the name implies,
Tempspay prevents accidental breeding.  It works on both males and females,
and one dose provides protection for a full thirty days."

   "I don't know whether or not you plan on making full use of Shaasta's
assets and talents, considering the special circumstances between the two
of you," Varo said.  He removed the needle and as with the previous
injection, gave Shaasta's rear a couple swats and massage with the paddle
to work the serum in, "But even if you don't use her as a boink bunny, I
still recommend giving her monthly Tempspay shots anyway."

   "Just in case you have guests that wish to use her," the Halfling
explained.  "Personally, I see no reason why you wouldn't want to make use
of such a lovely little creature yourself.  After all, she is now first and
foremost your pet, and is expected to submit herself to your desires at any
time."

   Frelic found himself blushing tremendously at the suggestion.  He had
been planning on making his sister a personal aide, and had not considered
the possibilities of using her as a pleasure pet.  It wasn't as if the two
had never been intimate with each other before, but that was back when they
were still tender tails, first becoming sexually aware and experimenting
together as they explored those strange new feelings.  He stood beside her
and let his gaze and his hands wander over her nymphly body, traveling from
her neck, down her back, over the rise of her sweet soft rear, and along
her thighs.  Here she lay naked before him, now a full grown Elven woman,
plush and sexy, being prepared for a lifetime of service and submission to
her new master.  She belonged one hundred percent to him.  Frelic was now
her legal owner.  He felt a stirring again beneath his robes and tunic as
he noted just how perfectly beautiful Shaasta was, and though the thought
still embarrassed him, he could not deny that the desire for her indeed
burned deep within him.

   "I will consider that possibility," Frelic said, "We will see."

   "Trust me, Master Frelic," Hansen advised, "Shaasta is absolutely
fantastic.  You may become addicted to her even.  I know I am." Once more,
the Elf girl's face turned a soft red, and a sweet dampness formed between
her thighs as those around her discussed the use of her tail.

   "At any rate," Varo continued, "you do not have to worry about Shaasta
getting accidentally knocked up now, nor worry about your other pet
accidentally knocking up some unsuspecting lass.  Just remember to give
them the Tempspay shots every thirty days." The second set of injectors
were set aside, and Varo then motioned Frelic over to the cart.

   "Finally," he announced, "we have one more task before we brand them. 
He picked up a pair of pint flasks containing a jade green liquid.  One
flask was handed to Lilieblume, and the other was presented to Frelic. 
"There is no reason why I should have all the fun with Shaasta," the Wolf
apologized, "After all, she is your pet, so you should have the option of
working on her if you wish."

   Frelic nodded and looked over the flask, "So then, what type of potion
is this?" He removed the stopper and took a whiff of the contents, his nose
filling with the scent of roses and ozone.

   "That is a Potion of Dragon Metabolism," Varo said, "It augments the
Gehennite that is used for their weekly cleansings by increasing their
metabolism's efficiency to that similar to a Dragon's."

   "Ah, I see.  Close to one hundred percent of what they take in gets
converted to energy." Frelic put the stopper back on the flask, and thought
a moment.  "Whoever came up with this formula must be quite the genius.  I
would think that in addition to maintaining cleanliness, a pet that has
this stuff in her would probably be able to last a long long time; if you
take my meaning."

   Varo chuckled and nodded, "Yes, that is quite correct.  A pet can play
for hours on end with a Potion of Dragon Metabolism in her body.  And if
you don't want your pet staying up and awake for days, we do have a serum
that can counter that particular effect without degrading the others."

   "I should hope so," Frelic replied, "I can imagine how hard one would
crash the instant the potion wears off; probably sleep for days.  Now, how
is this potion administered?  Is Shaasta supposed to drink it?"

   "That's one way," Varo nodded, "It can also be administered rectally as
well.  Truth to tell, it doesn't matter how we get the potion into her."

   Frelic laughed, and smacked his sister on the rump, "That sounds just
fine by me.  We will do it the fun way." He glanced over at Hansen, who was
laying there patiently waiting, with Lilieblume standing beside him, her
own flask in hand.

   "The same goes for him," Frelic declared, "Give it to the Furling the
way pets and slaves are meant to take it.  Pour it up his ass."

   Hansen grinned excitedly, "I wouldn't expect it any other way, Master!"

   The stoppers were removed from the flasks and replaced with long,
round-tipped applicator tubes.  Frelic stood behind Shaasta and Lilieblume
assumed her position behind Hansen.

   "Go ahead and give them the full pint," Varo instructed, "That is a five
day dosage.  I'll see to it that you are supplied with the serum to help
them sleep."

   Lilieblume positioned the tip of the applicator at the entrance to
Hansen's aft passage, swirling it around the tight rim first to help relax
him and make him more receptive.  Frelic followed the Halfling's example
and did the same to his sister.  Then on the Wolf's mark, the typical count
of three, the shafts were gently inserted fully up inside the pets' butts,
causing the now familiar gasp and moan in stereo from them.

   In tandem, they tilted the flasks up, and let gravity do its work,
feeding the jade potions through the small hole in the end of the tubes
into the pets' aft chambers.  Frelic smiled as he watched Shaasta squirm in
her bonds, flexing and moaning as the liquid filled and stretched her
inside.  He placed one hand on her bottom, and again gently caressed the
soft, round flesh, which would soon be seared with his mark.

   "Such a lovely tail," he said, "so smooth and flawless.  'Tis a pity it
must me marred with a brand."

   "Aye," Varo agreed, "It would indeed seem like a crime against nature to
mark such a perfect bottom.  But considering the alternative, such is the
lesser of the two evils."

   Frelic nodded agreement, "Yes, it is for the best." The flasks were now
three quarters full.  He gave his a little shake, trying to speed up the
transfer, which elicited another round of pleasured whimpering and flexing
from his sister.  From the next table over, he could hear a steady rhythm
of whines and gasps.  Glancing over, he noted that Hansen was thoroughly
enjoying the tail feeding.

   The Furling's ass was thrust up higher than before; his furry cheeks
clenched and relaxed steadily, hungrily taking in the potion like a
suckling kitten.  The Halfling behind him was smiling, enjoying
administering the potion as much as he was enjoying receiving it.  Her hand
caressed the right cheek of his bottom, then wandered down to playfully
stroke the hard shaft that was again protruding from the Squirrel's furry
sheath.

   "Oh, Hansen," she giggled, giving his erect member a squeeze, "You are
one fabulous little pet, so easy to please.  I bet you are going to keep
your master busy busy busy."

   "Master, Varo," Frelic said, "On our way down here, something Shaasta
said started me thinking.  Despite that sense of honor you mentioned, she
still had a valid point.  What would stop a determined and unscrupulous
slaver from having a captured pet's brand removed, instead of respecting
the mark?  After all, a brand is not too difficult to remove.  Even a
magick wielder of modest abilities, such as I was when I removed the brand
Mistress Triniti had placed on Shaasta."

   "Answer me a few questions," Varo replied, "First, was Mistress
Triniti's mark always visible?"

   "Of course it was.  It was a typical brand that had then been tattooed
over in silver ink.  'Twas clearly visible as the noon sun."

   Varo nodded and continued, "Therein lies the problem.  A mark like that
is indeed a simple matter to lift, even by, as you put it, a person of even
the most modest abilities.  But now, here is my next question.  The first
time Shaasta was taken, what was the first thing her captor did to her?"

   "When my sister and I were taken prisoner aboard the Bloodlust," Frelic
recalled, "We, and several other prisoners were stripped naked, and then
Captain Hayes, Ship's Sorceress Mistress Triniti, and Ship's Disciplinarian
Lieutenant Tarna paddled our butts."

   "And, tell me, Hansen," the Wolf pressed onward, "When Corporal Wheaton
and his band of slavers took you and Shaasta, what was the first thing he
did to you?"

   The Furling remembered clearly as if that incident had occurred mere
hours ago, "He stripped us naked and paddled our butts, right in front of
his troops."

   "And finally," Varo finished, "Do you know why you were paddled first
thing?"

   Shaasta shrugged, "Could it be because everyone seems to be obsessed
with our bottoms and they enjoy spanking us?" she guessed.

   Frelic laughed and patted his sister, "I'm sure that could be one of the
reasons.  I know Lieutenant Tarna seemed to be obsessed with my rear back
on the Bloodlust.  That bird was always finding the slimmest of reasons to
summon me for a tail roasting.  However, I suspect that Master Varo may
have another theory."

   "Oh, it's not a mere theory," Varo corrected him, "Trust me on this
detail.  Enjoyment of spanking you was only a secondary reason you were
initially paddled." He padded over behind Lilieblume, "When they roasted
your behinds, both your first owners and Corporal Wheaton were looking for
a hidden brand."

   Frelic looked confused, "I don't quite follow you, Master Varo," he
admitted, "We were totally naked, and a brand is a rather prominent
feature, not something that could be easily concealed." The flask was
finally emptied, its contents now fully inside of Shaasta.  He set the
empty flask down on the table between her legs, leaving it docked in her
aft port to keep the potion from spilling out while it slowly absorbed into
her body.

   "Allow me to demonstrate," the Wolf offered.  "Bring me one of those
paddles and come join me over here.

   Frelic fetched one of the small paddles off the cart and presented it to
Varo, just as the Halfling was finishing up her little task.

   She released her grip on Hansen's cock and lowered the empty flask to
the table, keeping the Furling plugged as Frelic had done to his sister. 
"It will take a few minutes for you to fully absorb that much potion," she
explained, "After that, we can finally get you properly marked."

   The Furling nodded and moaned his acknowledgment.  With a full pint of
the warm liquid stretching his tight little ass, he felt as if he had just
become a surrogate mother to an unborn duck.  He sighed contentedly, "This
will be a regular treatment, Master Frelic?"

   Frelic smirked and chuckled, giving the remarkable little slut a swat,
which he was finding to be rather addictive, "Oh, most definitely, my
little sweet tail.  We want to keep your little treasure hole ready for use
at a moment's notice."

   "Oh, wonderful, Master!  Absolutely wonderful!"

   "However, I think it will probably be best to do only a quarter flask
each session, considering your small size."

   "If I may please proceed with this demonstration," Varo interjected,
"come around to the other end of the table so that your pets can witness
this." Frelic followed the Wolf and Halfling.  Lilieblume was positioned so
that both Shaasta and Hansen had a clear view of her bare bottom.  Then
without fanfare, Varo delivered a dozen solid swats to her jiggly rear, all
twelve landing on her right cheek.  The typical crimson blush appeared, and
with it, the image of an ornate, silver rose.

   Frelic touched his fingers over the mark, tracing out its graceful
shape, raised in bas relief from the otherwise smooth flesh.  "Lovely
design," he remarked, "so artistically rendered.  I assume that such an
intricate pattern was not made using a typical branding wire?"

   "That is my personal mark," the Wolf proudly announced, taking his turn
to run his fingers over his creation, "I made the design myself.  And you
are again correct, sir.  This was not created with a branding wire.  What
you are seeing is the results of a Wand of The Masters." He padded over to
a cabinet and came back holding a polished wooden rod, which he held out to
Frelic.

   "Wand of the Masters," Frelic repeated.  He turned the wand in his hands
to examine it.  It was shorter than most typical wands, about ten inches in
length, and bore no intricate designs or inscriptions on its plain willow
surface.  The business end of the wand held a tiny ruby; held in a silver,
three fingered prong setting.

   "What you hold in your hands there, Master Willowpaw," Varo said, "is
the finest and most secure form of branding ever devised.  First and
foremost, as you witnessed on Lilieblume's bottom, the mark remains
invisible until a suitable amount of heat is applied to the marked area,
such as the heat generated by a paddling.  And unlike a traditional brand
and tattoo, the mark will show clearly even through fur or down."

   "Sweet," Frelic replied, "finally a way to brand a pet without marring
an otherwise perfect rump." He touched a finger to the tip of the ruby; it
was as sharp as a needle.  "I have another pet back home, Delilah, a
Furling Otter, who has a traditional brand.  I may very well have to go
ahead and get myself one of these and redo her mark.  I'm sure she would be
thrilled too, as she is a notorious pain slut like Hansen."

   "I highly recommend that myself," Varo agreed, "that is, if you can get
your paws on one of those wands.  They can be rather pricey."

   "I'm certain Delilah can learn to make one of these herself.  She has
become quite an accomplished crafter since she joined my household.  She's
a pretty decent alchemist as well now too, so she may be able to eventually
mix most, if not all, of the various potions and salves that my pets will
need."

   "Well, if your Otter ever needs some instruction in that sort of thing,
you can bring her here," Lilieblume offered, "Before I became Master Varo's
pet, I was a rather renowned alchemist around Coralport, just a few days
travel north of here.  I would be more than happy to teach her."

   "I will keep that in mind," Frelic replied.

   "Now," Varo interrupted, "a brand created with a Wand of the Masters is
also resistant to removal.  Once placed, it may only be lifted by the pet's
legal owner, or a high level Order of the Mink acolyte with the legal
owner's blessing."

   "And that is absolute proof against even the most determined slaver
removing the mark," Frelic concluded, "very ingenious indeed."

   "And what's more," Varo added, "the mark also has an enchantment which
protects the bearer from the elements, a highly desirable feature, as most
pets and slaves generally stay skyclad save for their collars, footwear,
and equipment belts or harnesses such as what my Halfling wears."

   "Okay," Frelic said, "How does this wand work?"

   "First," Lilieblume replied, I need to see a sample of the design you
wish to use as your brand, which I will then draw in ink on your pets'
bottoms."

   Frelic unfastened his belt and handed it over to the Halfling, "The
design for the mark is the same as the design on the buckle."

   She held up the belt and studied the intricate raised engraving, then
she fetched a quill and a bottle of black kraken ink from the storage
cabinet, and went to work.  She first copied the design onto a blank page
in a small leatherbound book, which she then showed to the Elf for his
approval, "We keep a record of all brands applied here," she explained, "It
is a registry of personal marks for identification purposes."

   Next, she set the book, open, on Shaasta's back, and pulled the cart
close so she could keep the ink bottle on it for easy access.  The quill
was dipped in the ink, and after another quick glance at the design
recorded in the book, Lilieblume set about duplicating it on the girl's
bottom.  Frelic stood behind her and watched over her shoulder.  The
Halfling was a skilled artist, he noted.  Her strokes with the quill were
quick, smooth, and flawless.  Two minutes later, the right cheek of his
sister's butt bore a perfect copy of the design in the brand registry book,
a three inch wide four-toed feline paw print with a willow tree inlaid in
the large primary pad.

   While she was busy repeating the process on Hansen's furry bottom,
painting the Willowpaw design over the white fur of his treasure tail,
Master Varo tightened Shaasta's bonds a little more, to make sure that she
was completely immobilized for the branding.  He then ordered her to open
her mouth, into which he placed a leather bit.  "She is ready for you,
Master Willowpaw," he announced.

   For better agility, Frelic removed his outer robe and set it on an
unoccupied table.  Clad in only a pair of knee high leather boots and a
short, black tunic; which was cinched at the waist with a narrow leather
belt, he gripped the branding wand and stood behind Shaasta.  "How does
this work?" he asked.

   Lilieblume, now finished painting the design on the Furling's rear, came
over and stood beside the wizard, admiring his cute, bare thighs, which she
felt were every bit as sexy as his twin's.  The impetuous girl even went so
far as to slip a hand up underneath Frelic's tunic and steal a feel of his
own soft behind, commenting, "I really do hope you come back to play before
you leave town."

   Frelic shuddered at the unexpected touch of her gentle hand on his
posterior, and blushed, "As I said previously, I will consider your offer,
time permitting.  Now again I ask, how does this work?"

   "Simply follow the lines," Lilie instructed, as she continued to fondle
the Elf's rump; he didn't protest, so under the skirt of his tunic is where
her hand remained.  "Don't worry about messing up.  It is virtually
impossible to do this wrong; the wand will only brand where it touches the
Kraken ink.  Now, focus your thoughts and picture in your mind the symbol
before you glistening in silver on the canvas of your sister's ass."

   Frelic nodded solemnly and leaned forward, placing one hand on Shaasta's
left cheek, and holding the wand poised mere inches above the other.  He
didn't truly mind the Halfling fondling him.  In fact, the steady squeezing
and kneading she was doing beneath his tunic was identical to the technique
Mistress Aeraal used to help him focus his thoughts and concentrate when
practicing his lessons back during his apprenticeship.

   He touched the wand's ruby tip to the lowermost point on the paw print
design.  Immediately upon contact with the ink, the little gem glowed with
a soft crimson light, and a sound that was like a mix of a burning hiss and
an electrical crackle was heard.  He then began tracing the wand around the
primary pad of the design.  The wand hissed and crackled a little louder,
created tendrils of energy that danced over Shaasta's aft flesh in its
wake.

   "Slow strokes," the Halfling coached him, "Don't rush; don't hurry."

   Up until the moment that ruby-tipped wand touched her bottom, Shaasta
had known only one agony more intense than what she now felt, the Gehennite
cleansings Master Varo administered up her ass once each week.  As her
brother drew the little gem around the lines the Halfling had painted on
her, the Elf's plush rear burned with a searing heat and white-hot kisses
of energy that felt like the Shocking Touch, a little spell which Mistress
Triniti occasionally liked to employ during her previous captivity as
punishment in addition to the expected spankings when she misbehaved.  A
scream arose within her, but she knew it would not come forth, as the bar
of soft leather she held in her mouth bore a muting enchantment.  Her
nether cheeks clenched hard around the tube that was still up inside her,
still connected to the empty flask which lay forgotten on the table between
her legs.  The process seemed interminable, as Frelic followed Lilie's
instructions for slow strokes.  Unable to do more than flex in her bonds,
which Varo had expertly secured, her jaws clamped down hard on the leather
bit in her mouth, the only way she could bite back and channel the pain
being drawn into her Elven flesh.

   Frelic completed the wand's path around the primary pad of the paw
print, and immediately repeated the process for the four smaller rings
splayed in an arc across the top of the design.  Everywhere the ruby
touched, the black ink was replaced by lines of sparking silver.  And just
as Lilieblume had promised, the few times Frelic's hand slipped, and the
the magickal stylus wandered outside the lines, the bare flesh was left
unmarred.  Finishing with the paw print, he lifted the wand off of his
sister's clenching, quivering behind, and surveyed his handiwork thus far.
Satisfied that the branding was progressing properly, he then touched the
wand again to her ass, and began tracing out the more intricate design of
the little willow tree inside the large ring of the paw print, sending a
fresh wave of electric fire through her tender flesh.

   After what seemed to Shaasta like a pair of eternities, the operation
ended as abruptly as it had begun.  Its path over her bottom complete, the
wand's fire was spent; all that remained were a few lingering tendrils of
energy, which danced for a few seconds more on her rump, then seemingly
disappeared into her flesh.  Her cheeks relaxed once more, and she let the
leather bit in her mouth drop to the floor, then simply lay there on the
table, gasping and sobbing softly.  She Master Varo finally remove the
potion flask from between her thighs, and felt her brother's fingers trace
the path the Wand of the Masters had blazed on her butt, and sighed as his
soft voice comforted her.

   "You are an amazing girl, sis," he said.  His other hand caressed the
crevasse between her hind quarters, teasingly sliding from her tail bone
down to her tight little back entrance and her smooth, moist sex.  His
touch down there elicited a sweet moan, as an inner burning filled her.  "I
am most impressed at how well you weathered your branding with not even a
whimper or a muffled scream."

   "That was by design," Varo informed him, "You may explain it, Shaasta."

   "Yes," Shaasta agreed, "I would have screamed had it been at all
possible.  However, that was not just a bit that Master Varo put in my
mouth."

   "Let me guess," Frelic interrupted, "The bit has an enchantment to keep
the subject silent."

   "Yes, that is exactly what it is, a silencing bit," Shaasta replied,
"Master Varo insists on using them during all brandings and cleansings, as
the screams that those activities can create may agitate the pets in the
show room upstairs."

   "Well, at any rate," Frelic said, "it is finished.  I just wish you
could see how lovely the design looks on your ass."

   "She will get a chance to see it when we go back upstairs," Lilieblume
informed him.  "The brand will initially be visible for at least thirty
minutes, though her butt will remain sore for a few hours."

   Taking into account Hansen's tolerances, the Halfling placed a bucket on
the floor at the back end of the table the Furling lay on, just in case his
upcoming branding caused him to orgasm.  Master Varo checked the Squirrel's
bonds, and removed the empty flask from between his legs, causing him to
sigh contentedly as the tube up inside him was pulled out of his rectum. 
Lilieblume placed a silencing bit in Hansen's mouth as Frelic took up a
position to the Furling's right, waiting for the go ahead.

   The Wolf gave a nod of his head, signaling Frelic to start when ready.
The Elf placed his free hand on the furry bottom's left cheek, refocused
his concentration, and touched the ruby-tipped wand to the paw print
painted on the soft white fur.  Again, with slow and smooth strokes, he
traced the searing ruby over the design, the black ink being replaced by
lines of crackling silver.

   Just like Shaasta, the Furling's ass clenched and flexed tight, and his
jaws clamped down hard on the leather bit as the electric fire traced its
way over his rump.  But unlike Shaasta, it was not a scream that was muted,
but a heavy moan of agonized pleasure instead as his bottom burned and his
cock emerged fully erect from its furry sheath.  While Frelic worked the
willow tree design, Hansen could hold back no longer, and for the second
time that day, his hot seed spilled into the bucket below him.

   Frelic could not help but smirk and chuckle softly as his little pain
slut pet orgasmed again, "I swear, Hansen," he said, "I think someone is
really in need of a good long boinking.  We must see what can be done about
that real soon."

   Hansen smiled around the bit in his mouth.  He wasn't quite certain if
that meant him burying his cock in Shaasta, or him getting his ass filled
with his Master's cock.  It didn't really matter though; both thoughts
excited him and reinvigorated his erection.

   His pet's renewed state of arousal did not escape Frelic's notice as he
completed the branding.  he laughed again, "Well, I see my little slut boy
likes that idea." He planted a firm, open-handed slap on Hansen's freshly
seared butt, causing the Furling to add more of his lust juices to the
bucket below.  "As I said, we will see what we can do about that."

   Frelic placed the Wand of the Masters on the cart between the two
tables, and again looked over his handiwork, "Now, I assume that completes
the final processing?" he asked, as he put his robe and belt back on.

   "One last little detail remains," Varo announced.  He removed a red,
long-stemmed, thornless rose from a vase on another table, ans slid it up
Shaasta's butt until the large bloom sat flush against her cheeks.  "It is
a tradition here at the Southern Rose for all pets we sell," he explained,
as he released the Elf girl's bonds and helped her to her feet.

   Following her Master's lead, Lilieblume also selected a rose from the
vase and planted it under Hansen's tail before releasing him.  "Think of it
as our trademark, or our seal of quality," she said.

   Frelic just smiled and nodded, "Flowers planted in flowers.  Now, you
two will wear those until it is time to sleep tonight."

   His pets nodded submissively, "Aye, Master."

   Frelic attached the leashes to Shaasta and Hansen's collars, and they
were led back up the stairs to the lobby.

   "Now before you leave, is there anything else you wish to purchase?"
Lilieblume asked, "any accessories, or pet toys, or potions, for example?"

   Frelic thought a moment, "Well, for most of the items we will eventually
need, I am going to wait until it's about time for us to ship out."

   "I'll assemble some basic pet maintenance kits for you over the next few
days then," Varo offered.

   "I could make use of some Pixie Salve, injectors, and that serum you
mentioned to help them sleep despite the Potions of Dragon Metabolism we
gave them," Frelic decided.

   "Very good," the Wolf agreed, "Anything else?"

   Frelic looked over a display case, filled with a variety of spanking
tools, then gestured to one in particular, "Yes, how about that paddle
right there.  I find that one strangely appealing in its simplicity." The
paddle in question was just a small, plain, round, hardwood model.  The
handle was short, designed for single-handed spontaneous spankings.

   Varo opened the display case and retrieved the paddle, while Lilieblume
gathered up the other items Frelic requested.  Once everything was arranged
on the sales counter, Varo tallied up the total.

   "How much do I owe you?" Frelic asked, hefting his money pouch.

   "That will be three gold pieces, fourteen silvers, and four coppers,"
the Wolf replied.

   Frelic counted out the coins, stacked them on the counter, then secured
the injectors, serums, and salve in his various pouches, and hung his new
paddle on his belt.

   "Thank-you again for everything," he said.  "This really has been quite
the enlightening experience in many ways."

   "Be sure to think about my offer before you leave town, cutie,"
Lilieblume reminded him, motioning for him to bend down so she could press
her lips against his in a tender and deep kiss.

   "And don't forget to bring your pets in for their next cleansing before
you head out either," Varo added.

   "No worries, Master Varo," Frelic assured him, "We will be here.  Oh,
and I will be back tomorrow for Mistie.  Can you definitely have her ready
for inspection and sale by then?"

   "She will be ready and waiting for you by midday at the latest," Varo
promised.  "Now, I hate to rush you out the door, kids, but my pet and I
have a tremendous amount of work to do."

   Frelic nodded, and took up his pets' leashes, "I'll see you tomorrow,"
he said, as he led Shaasta and Hansen out the door and into the warm
afternoon.  "Come along, my pets," he said, "Let's head back to the
Hightail Inn and have a spot of lunch.  I'm starving, and I would assume
you are too.

   When the three were gone, Varo locked the door and put a sign in the
window that said, 'Closed for the day for inventory maintenance.'

   "Come on, Lilieblume," Varo said, landing a guiding swat on her bare
bottom with the paddle he always carried, "There is much to be done today.
I hope that you have a reserve of endurance."

   "You know me, Master," the Halfling giggled, as she preceded the Wolf
into the show room, where dozens of pets waited patiently.