Grunting, Zephyr rubbed his aching nose and stared incredulously at Diane and Abbilion.

“Sweet merciful mother – ” Zephyr swore softly. “That old hag back? It would explain a lot – ”

Diane and Abbilion exchanged a quick glance, and then Diane leaned forwards, ignoring the stink from Zephyr.

“What do you hear?” Diane whispered, eyes widening.

“What do I hear? Many things – including things I should not hear. There has been a lot of whispering going around, through…shall I say…other…channels, that there was some new mover and shaker around. Entire gangs have completely been enfolded into the growing throng, but nothing concrete was said. What is said – is that this new leader is building its strength fast. Now I got a name to put together the puzzle – and it’s a name I thought long since forgotten….”

“We all did – ” Abbilion muttered softly. “That – thing – here and now…with the technology and arsenal she could get her black paws on – ”

“Aye lad – ” Zephyr growled softly. “That is only half the problem – legend has it amongst the Tai’far – Yuira was striving to become a Goddess…and well you told me – of what happened to Savrin. It was only the fact that he was not a pureblood Furmental – that stopped her first plans.”

“Oh no – ” Diane gasped. “Mother Coral’mi – ”

“Who in the hells is Mother Coral’mi?” Zephyr snarled.

Diane burst into tears, as Abbilion hugged her comfortingly, then began the tale of Celestine’s magickal college, and of the Water Furmental Coral’mi…

*

Coral’mi shrieked and thrashed in the bonds that bound her, as she coughed and spluttered, drawing breath into her burning lungs as water ran off her body. Strapped to a long cross-tied plank, she lay flat on her back, and struggled feebly, the fresh water sluicing from her upper body, as she was suspended above a large vat.

“I will not…submit….” Coral’mi gurgled, feeling her body burning with pain. “You will not get my powers – ”

Yuira looked on, as she waved her paw negligently and the plank was lowered again into the vat, then she watched Coral’mi’s struggles, as she began drowning again. For what seemed an eternity, Yuira watched gleefully, and then ordered the plank to be raised again.

“Fresh water hurts – doesn’t it?” Yuira smiled wickedly. “I know you can’t breathe fresh water – hence you start to drown – don’t you? How does it feel water horse? Do your lungs burn like a white-hot fire in your chest? Does your very blood boil?”

“Go…to hell….” Coral’mi rasped, as she choked and shuddered. “I will die – before I…let you take me.”

Yuira shrugged nonchalantly. “You could only wish – no – you will not die water horse – but you will beg for me to end your pain. I can do such things – as to freeze the very blood in your veins with the exquisite terror I could invoke in you.”

Blinking, Coral’mi suddenly barked a magickal command, and glared at Yuira, fully expecting the Weasel to collapse, as the water contained within her was sucked from her body…

Yuira only yawned in boredom.

“Ooooh – that tickled – ” Yuira smirked, as she stepped over to where the gasping Coral’mi lay helpless. “My dear, sweet, water horse – do you truly believe – your feeble magicks would work on me? I am older and so much more – experienced than
you can possibly imagine. Your magicks – compared to the dark energies at my command – are nothing. You are nothing – now – I ask you again, surrender to me – and I will make the suffering stop…refuse….”

Coral’mi screamed and thrashed violently, as Yuira laid her paw on the water horses belly and smiled cruelly. Pain unlike anything Coral’mi had ever experienced in her life, tore through her flesh, burning nerves with an unholy magickal power. It was if a sun had been dropped into her belly – and ignited. Helplessly, Coral’mi buckled and writhed, the ropes around her ankles and wrists ripping through fur and rubbing away the soft flesh beneath, making the pain all the more unendurable.

“Mmmm – feed your hate young foal – let it consume you – give in to those images in your mind….” Yuira gurgled, as she caressed a paw along Coral’mi’s wet cheek, feeling the images and anger that burned within.

Just as Coral’mi thought her very heart would burst – the pain stopped and she lay shaking on the plank, every nerve firing and sending its impulses of pure agony surging through her fevered mind.

“Never – ” Coral’mi rasped. “I will…never give in….”

“You can not? Or you will not?” Yuira smiled, and then kissed the water horse’s nose softly. “It matters not little one – each moment you draw breath – your resolve weakens. It is only a matter of time before you break, and then I will achieve that which the legends have long spoken of – I will become a Goddess.”

Coral’mi shuddered, then twisted her head and spat into Yuira’s muzzle. Yuira blinked and pulled back a half step then wiped the spittle from her muzzle, slowly, licking it off her paws.

“Mmmm…truly – have I seen…better manners.” Yuira commented dryly.

“You want to fight? Then let me go – and I will happily take you down – ” Coral’mi growled.

“You?” Yuira squealed in laughter, as she stagged back, clutching her stomach, the hot tears running down her cheeks. “You? Fight me?? Oh – you poor, mistaken young foal – I want a worthy challenge, you would not be even worth the energy for
me to dismiss you.”

Turning away, Yuira chuckled and gave the order to the guards, to dunk the water horse underwater – and to keep her there….

*

Savrin’s mind roiled with the images, thoughts and conflicting feelings that tore him apart. Part of him wanted to believe his fallen brother – but another part of him told him that everything that Zephyr was telling him the truth – the entire Wildtra tribe – wiped from existence at the whim of Yuira…. Sobbing, Savrin fell to his knees, and his fingers dug at the earth, as he felt the grief wash over him. “Oh – Quivas…my friend….”

*

Back in the derelict apartment, Zephyr sat stunned, as Abbilion finished the tale.

“Sweet mother – ” Zephyr rasped. “If Yuira breaks that water horse – ”

“She won’t – Mother Coral’mi is strong – stronger than you think.” Diane wept softly.

“My little kitty – ” Zephyr sniffled, as he wiped a tear from his eyes. “Do not hold out faith for your friend – believe me – I know. I know the power that beats in Yuira’s veins. If your friend is as strong as you claim – then she will be able to hang on – for a while. Once Yuira grows bored with playing – she won’t hold back, and I fear that our worst fears will come true – Yuira will suck your friend dry of her very soul…and absorb her powers. Your only hope – lies in killing the Furmental – it is the only way to stop Yuira now….”

“No – I…we can’t kill Mother Coral’mi!” Wept Diane. “Please – there must be another way!”

“My friends – truly – I wish there was. Coral’mi is a pureblood Furmental – and its not if Yuira breaks her – but when. Tai’far legend has it – that if a pureblood is claimed by evil – everything as we know it – will perish. Yuira will become a Goddess – and with the powers of the Furmental added to her own dark magicks, Yuira will become more powerful…than anyone can stop. None of us have that power – ” Zephyr sighed, as he shook his head sadly.

“Yet you are a – ” Abbilion growled.

“Yes – I am a pureblood firewolf Furmental – ” Zephyr spoke quietly. “If Yuira breaks Coral’mi – or worse – one of my own – sources – reveals me to her…Yuira will move heaven, earth and hell – to get her claws into me. Promise me my friends – that you will kill me – before Yuira gets to me….”

“Zephyr!” Came a sharp, strident bark from the doorway. “I…give you my word – that you will die by my paw – brother – before Yuira can even think about it. I…I owe you and apology – for what I said to you…I was wrong.”

Heads snapped about and looked at Savrin, who stood in the doorway, his face streaked with tears, his body hunched and withered looking, as they realised how much it drained him, to let go of the years of hate he had kept within him. Slowly, Zephyr rose from his broken couch and took a few steps forwards, then looked at the emotionally crushed younger hybrid – and there was a tense moment – before Savrin ran to his older brother and they embraced, both bursting into tears.

*

“She will not break my queen – ” Growled Kar’eesh, as he paced the floor of Yuira’s personal bedchambers.

Yuira raised an eyebrow slowly, as she trimmed her claws with a knife. “So certain are you? What do you know of breaking a Furmental?”

“Damn it all to the hells – give her to me – let me break her – let me take her as my own, and crush her maidenhood in my grasp!” Kar’eesh raged.

As quick as he was – he never had time to move, as Yuira bounded from her reclined position, then her backhand swing smashed across his face, dropping him like a stone. He fell, and then glared up at her in rage.

“If you ever – ” Yuira snarled, her eyes blazing with hate. “Tell me what to do again – or even think of taking that Furmental as your own…I will have your heart for my dinner! She is unbred by neither man nor beast – do you hear me? Unbred! She is pure – in every sense of the word – and the power that purity brings her…I must have, I will have it, and I will not allow you – or anyone else in my following, to even think of breeding her….”

“My Queen – ” He rasped, clawing at his throat, feeling her magicks constricting his trachea.

With a savage kick that sent him in to convulsions, Yuira glared at him and waved her paw in a dismissing gesture.

“Get out – ” Yuira growled quietly.

“Mistress – I did not – ” He croaked.

Her body shuddering with the rage she felt flooding her, Yuira squeezed her paws tightly and fought down the instinct to kill him here and now.

“Get…out….” Yuira breathed, her voice as cold as a glacier.

As quickly as he could manage, Kar’eesh scrambled from his Queen’s chambers. Pausing, Yuira looked at herself in the mirror, then slowly smoothed down her gown and slicked down her fur, feeling the crackling energies within her body, seeking a
release. With a supreme effort, Yuira brought her emotions back under control and adjusted her gown again, then swept from the chambers.

*

Coral’mi hung from cruel steel shackles, her wrists ripped and torn, the blood slowly trickling down her forearms, and her ankles likewise bound. Completely naked, Coral’mi was exposed to the terribly cold, that seemed to be sucking the last of the warmth from her body – slowly, deliberately, and unstoppably. Every faint movement brought fresh waves of agony to her ragged wrists, and Coral’mi pleaded to the God’s of the Sea to forgive her for her pride – and grant her death.

Her prayers went completely ignored.

After the water torture – which had very nearly claimed her life, she had almost given in too Yuira’s demands – but something – some outside force, had lent her the strength to resist. It was gone now, and Coral’mi still felt the agony in her gills, of the fresh water that had flooded through them. In all her years, Coral’mi had never realised such levels of pain could be endured – and not kill someone.

That pain had indeed, as Yuira had spoken, seemed like a vision from heaven, compared to that inescapable feeling as Yuira seemingly turned her very blood to fire in her veins.

“I see you’ve had time to think – ” Yuira’s voice purred from the darkness.

Coral’mi gasped and involuntarily flinched at that cold, menacing voice, her shackles rattling.

“Mmmm – I smell your scent water horse – and above all – I smell something far more delicious…. I smell your blood.” Yuira murred, as she swept forwards, then grasped Coral’mi’s ears, pulling her head back and exposing her bluish furred throat, watching the pulsing of the rhythmic veins.

“Please – what…what do you want…from me…” Coral’mi sobbed, the unmistakable taste of her fear filling her with the chill of adrenaline.

Yuira smiled, then began nuzzling the water horse’s throat, nibbling at it almost tenderly, as her paws slipped down and rubbed over Coral’mi’s bosom, making her twitch and writhe helplessly.

“It need not be – ” Yuira whispered, as she lunged forwards, her paws pulling the water horse sharply forwards. “A cruel…painful experience…but my own pleasures – often go that way.”

Realisation slowly spread across Coral’mi’s mind and she bucked against Yuira, screaming and trashing, feeling the silky smooth touch on her mind.

“I’d rather…die – before I felt you…against my pelt.” Coral’mi retched and convulsed. “I will…not submit…and be your…partner – for your…pleasures. I will not – do you hear me…I will…not….”

Coral’mi screamed and bucked again and again, as Yuira thrust herself against the water horse and her powerful teeth bit down, and punctured Coral’mi’s jugular – the hot blood quickly flowing as Yuira groaned and shuddered in delight, feeling the power of the water horse spreading its warmth through her, with each pulse of Coral’mi’s heart.

For over an hour, Coral’mi screamed and writhed helplessly, as the Tai’far weasel continued to drain the blood from her body – then at last, Yuira stopped and reeled backwards, wiping her paw across her mouth and gasping, before she fell to the floor and convulsed, screaming and shaking in agony, as the battle raged within her, her own dark blood swarming the new, pure blood of the Furmental, twisting its hidden power and consuming it – making Yuira more powerful – than she had ever thought it would be possible.

Finally, the battle won, Yuira shuddered and gasped, her body slick with sweat, as she flopped over onto her back and rubbed her paws down her soaking body, shivering and panting.

“Oh dark father – ” Yuira groaned in delight, still feeling the incredible charge that the blood had instilled within her. “I will not kill you water horse – not yet, anyway. I have broken you…soon…your power will be mine – and I will…fulfil the legend of the Tai’far – sealing the pact with your demise….”

Sobbing heartbrokenly, Coral’mi wept unashamedly, knowing that now Yuira had tasted her blood – it gave her even more power – but still, Coral’mi thought her own fears, to try and find a way to stop Yuira – before her transformation could be complete

To Be Continued.