Panther Tales

Author's note-all characters in this story are adults over the age of 18. 'Girl' is the designation used for all female slaves, no matter how old, and the Panthers use the same designation to show their contempt for the whole slaving system.

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Part One - The Trap

The Panther girl called Snow reached out a hand and touched her companion's elbow as they ran down the wide forest trail, and the two slowed to a very cautious walk. A few yards ahead, a juvenile sleen, some four feet in length, bared it's formidable teeth at the pair. For a moment, it stared and snarled, then darted into the thick trees and vanished.

Snow smiled. "A good omen," said the girl, who was known in the cities and villages south of the forest as Ur-Sleena - literally, the sleen from Earth.

"Can you still hear them?" Snow asked the other girl, and watched as she tilted her head and gazed down the path behind them. The other girl was Gorean born, and her senses were much more acute than anyone from Earth.

"They're still back there," the girl replied, nodding. "And I'm glad we didn't have to challenge a sleen-even a little one-with only one dagger between us."

"Only a little further to go," Snow answered and started back up the trail, running at an easy pace. They weren't trying to leave their pursuers behind; just lead them along. The second girl, called Palm Wine, sprinted to catch up, and soon the two were again running side by side.

Even by Gorean standards, Palm Wine was a beautiful girl. Tall and graceful, with honey blond hair framing an exquisite face and flowing down to the small of her back, she moved with an easy rythmn over the flattened grass. Her simple, loose tunic didn't hide her marvelous body. By Panther standards, she was almost unarmed-only a single dagger strapped to her left bicep. Her only other adornment was a gold cuff around her right ankle, a match for the one Snow wore-the symbol of the Hellion clan. She had joined the fierce clan after Snow and another clan member who called herself Ally had killed her former Master and set her free. She chose to keep her slave name as a reminder of the nightmare she had escaped.

Since her rescue, Palm Wine had been totally devoted to the clan, and to Snow in particular. Indeed, she was awed by the Earth girl, and strove daily to match her ferocity and courage. Still, she couldn't bring herself to alter her appearance the way Snow had. The Hellion leader had been very pretty once, and still had a lovely slim body and amazing electric-blue eyes, but she wore her platinum blond hair very short and ragged. It looked as if someone had casually hacked it off with a dagger-which was exactly what Snow did. Her once-pretty face was marred by hideous scars. From the corners of her mouth almost to her ears, it looked like someone had tried to cut her face in half, and there was a large 'X' carved just below her left eye. She had a golden collar around her neck, her own constant reminder of what could happen to a Panther girl who allowed herself to be captured, and a strip of cloth wrapped around her right leg, just above the knee. It didn't look like a weapon, but in a heartbeat she could convert it into a deadly sling.

Palm Wine pointed to an odd, twisted little tree, and Snow grinned, her facial scars turning a happy expression into something out of a child's nightmare.

"Shall we dance?" she laughed as the two jogged past the landmark, and for about 20 yards the two girls hopped and shuffled, moving back and forth and side to side, spinning, stomping their bare feet, turning the formerly easy to follow trail into a trampled mess. By the time they were finished, both girls were giggling, and even Snow could hear their pursuers.

"Be safe sister," Palm Wine said simply, and took two running steps, leaped and grabbed a low hanging branch, then swung herself like a gymnast over a fallen tree. Just ahead was a tiny cave, far too small for more than one person at a time to enter. She would hide there long enough for the enemy to pass, then pursue from behind. A bow and arrows were hidden inside the little cave as well.

Snow waited a few more moments, letting the men chasing them get so close she could hear their weapons rattling, then sprinted away. There were six in the party chasing her-mercenaries by the look of them, come north from Laura to try chain luck in the western forests. She and Palm Wine had spotted them the day before, and followed silently until they were sure the men would take this trail. An hour ago, they had moved ahead and showed themselves-just long enough for the men to see two unarmed Panthers, but not long enough for them to recognize Hellions. They hadn't wanted to scare the men off, and no one had seen any of their clan for two weeks, when they had raided a village some hundred miles to the west. The Goreans had given chase immediately, just liked the Panthers had hoped.

Five minutes later, Snow moved to the very far right edge of the trail, running as carefully as a tightrope walker, and came to the end of the path. The hill obstructing her way wasn't very tall, but it was nearly vertical, and there was no way she could get near the top before the men were upon her. She stopped and turned, untied the sling from around her leg, and bent to pick up a fist-size rock. Then she waited, taking deep breaths, her large blue eyes blazing with bloodlust.

When the group of slavers came into view, she bent over and put her hands on her knees, making it look like she was far more exhausted than she really was. The men slowed to a walk when they spotted her, brandishing clubs and tarn prods, and one held a slaver's net.

"By the Priest-Kings would you look at this?" one of them exclaimed. "It's HER!"

The mix of fear and eagerness in the voice made a corner of Snow's mouth twitch upward in amusement before she could help it, but when she looked up her mouth was twisted in a defiant sneer. With a flick of her wrist, she spun her sling and sent a rock flying towards the men, missing deliberately. As the rock bounced between them, she took a small step forward and growled the worst insult she knew.

"Your fathers suck the cocks of Earth men!" she shouted, and bent to pick up another stone. The men before her muttered angrily.The last man in the mercenary group, an officer of some sort judging by his feathered cloak and bright red hat, barked an order over the angry murmurs.

"Get the bitch!" he commanded, and the other five started forward. They were all tall, muscular, bare-chested, ugly and hairy, and Snow's situation looked hopeless. They laughed cruelly and uttered vile threats as they advanced, but after only a few steps, they cried out in surprise and dismay as the very ground beneath them seemed to open up. Hellion captives had dug the pit over a year earlier, and Snow wanted to dance with glee as the mercenaries vanished from sight. Their shouts turned to screams of agony as they tumbled into the pit. The bottom, some ten feet down, was covered with wooden stakes and spikes of all sizes, and even a few broadswords too battered or too heavy for the Panther girls to use as weapons. The officer's eyes went wide with anguish as his men died, and his sword fell unnoticed from his nerveless fingers.

The screams hadn't even stopped when Palm Wine's voice rang out. "On your face or die-NOW!" she snarled, "Or I'll put this arrow through your balls!"

The officer glanced back and saw the second Panther, her bow notched and drawn, and sank first to his knees, then stretched out on the grass, utterly defeated. Snow reached behind a small bush and found a short sword, then danced back around the pit and and pressed the sharp blade to the man's neck.

"It worked perfectly," Palm Wine said, looking into the pit at the bodies. She slipped the arrow back into her quiver and slung the bow over her shoulder. Drawing her dagger, she crouched next to the officer and cut the straps on his pack. She pulled out a pair of cuffs and Snow nodded in approval.

"Hands behind your back-BARA!" she snapped, using the slaver's command as she dug the sword into the man's neck. He wimpered and crossed his wrists behind his back, and Palm Wine snapped on the cuffs. Next, she reached into the pack and found a length of binding fiber. She wrapped it around both ankles and knotted it, tying the man's feet with about twelve inches of slack.

"On your feet prisoner, and no talking. No one here cares about anything you have to say." Snow stepped back and watched the man struggle to stand. She waved her sword under his nose.

"You march in silence. Every word you say will cost you a finger. Nod if you understand," she said evenly and the man bobbed his head up and down, his eyes bulging in terror.

Snow used the tip of the sword to turn him. Palm Wine had emptied the pack of everything but a few coins and a fancy jeweled dagger, and tied it around her waist. She picked up the officer's sword and strode down the trail. Snow poked the man with her own short sword and he followed, stumbling, his shoulders slumped in defeat.

Part Two - Trial

They walked into the evening, through dense forest on what could only be charitably called trails. The girls barely spoke, and their captive didn't dare. It was all he could do to stay upright. Walking with his hands bound behind his back and his ankles tied took all his concentration. He was forced to take short, shuffling steps, and his legs, already tired from the afternoon's chase, were soon singing in agony. Even getting little peeks of the lead Panther's lovely bare bottom as she led the trio deeper into the trees was small consolation for his exhaustion and fear.

Finally the girl pushed her head between two enormous tree trunks and held up her hand, halting the group. He couldn't help sinking gratefully to his knees, panting and soaked with sweat.

"The spring," Palm Wine said softly. "We're almost there." She vanished into the dense woods for a moment, returning with a water skin. He lifted his head and gratefully swallowed the cool water she squirted into his open mouth.

"We should have made contact by now," Snow mused, and a heartbeat later they heard a strange sound. "Twee twee, twee twee, twee twee," came the cry, and the two girls relaxed. It was the all-clear call of their clan. If there had been trouble, it would have been three 'twee' sounds in a row. Snow had invented the code so the Panthers could warn each other of danger even if one was being forced to call for her sisters under duress.

There was a rustling of leaves, and Ally appeared. She was a lovely, slim girl with shoulder length brown hair and eyes that sparkled with mischief. "Tal sisters," she greeted them, giving Snow a gentle kiss on the cheek, then wrapping her arms around Palm Wine and kissing her passionately.

"I see you brought a guest," the Panther laughed, looking at the prisoner.

Snow nodded. "He had some friends, but they had a previous engagement in the pit trap."

Ally laughed and tangled her fingers in the man's short hair. "Come on asshole," she growled, yanking him to his feet. "Just a little further."

"Who else is patrolling?" Snow asked as the Panther dragged the hapless captive along by the hair, bent over and stumbling.

"July has the northern half," Ally answered. A few more steps and the forest opened into a small clearing-one of the Hellions half dozen main camps.

"Tal sisters! Welcome back!" a very tall girl cried happily. It was Darkness, the strongest of the Hellions. Unlike most Goreans, who tend to be fair, she had jet black hair and very dark eyes, and a skin tone that reminded Snow of Italian girls on Earth. She towered over Snow and could look the prisoner straight in the eye. She called herself Darkness 'because thats what's in my heart,' and had run to the forests when her Free Companion had tried to betray her and sell her to a slaver several years earlier.

The officer looked around the camp. Another girl sat on a small stool, running a dagger across a whet stone. She had a typical, beautiful Gorean look-light brown hair, fair skin and chocolate eyes a man could drown in. Farther in, he could just barely see a small girl stirring something in a pot, and near her a shaggy bosk calmly chewed leaves off the trees at the edge of the clearing.

"Put him in the cage," Snow said as she walked away from the group. Darkness nodded and her powerfull hand gripped the man's upper arm. "Come on you," and she pulled him roughly. He staggered after her as she shoved him into a cage on the right side of the clearing. It was iron, about 10 feet by 6 feet and just high enough to stand upright in. There were a couple blankets and a wooden bucket inside.

"Who's got the key?" Darkness asked as she slammed the cage door shut. Palm Wine handed her the key to the prisoner's cuffs. "Turn around and give me your wrists," she commanded, and his hands were soon freed. As he rubbed his sore wrists, she strolled away. "You can untie your own damn feet."

Snow walked through the camp. Moving silently had become such an important habit during her time in the forests that she had to make a conscious effort to make some noise. She didn't want to startle Mouse, who was engrossed in making the best meal she could. They didn't dare risk a fire, so the small girl was stirring together a mixture of gruel, berries, dried fish and tubers. It wasn't all that tasty, but it was filling and nutritious. The girl looked up as Snow rustled through the leaves.

They exchanged greetings, and Snow asked for two bowls of the porridge mixture. As Mouse filled bowls, she leaned closer, her voice quiet.

"You know we need to test him right?" she asked.

The girls eyes were filled with sadness, but she nodded. "I know."

"It's very brave of you to do this for me, Mouse," Snow said with a tender smile. The girl looked up.

"Maybe, but I'm not doing it for you. I'll do it for all of us - and for him."

Snow took the bowls and looked at the girl with concern. "Are you ok?"

"I will be," came the soft reply. "Give me an hour to get in the right frame of mind?"

Snow nodded and returned to the cage. The prisoner was huddled in a far corner, his arms wrapped around his knees. She slid one of the bowls into the cage.

He picked it up, looking at it in the dim light of Gor's three moons, and scowled. Snow smiled ruefully.

"Yeah I know, but it's all we've got. Eat it or go hungry."

She took her own bowl a little ways as the man began to eat. Darkness was sitting close to the knife-sharpener, whispering and occasionally kissing her.

"Have you eaten?" Snow asked, and both girls nodded. "Ok, in an hour or so, Darkness if you will relieve July on her patrol, and Mercy take the south?"

The girls agreed, and Snow promised she'd send someone to replace them before morning. Mercy gave her dagger a couple more swipes, then winked and took Darkness by the hand. Together they slipped out of the camp.

Snow shook her head and ate. She was glad the two girls were lovers. Darkness was a huge help controlling the other girl's rage. Out of all the girls, Mercy was the closest thing to a true psychopath the group had. Her first instinct in any situation was to attack. Snow approved of her willingness to fight, but sometimes it was better to be smart, to plan, or even to retreat. That philosophy had enabled her to beat the odds and survive all this time.

Darkness and Mercy moved into the trees and found a small patch of open grass. Wrapping their arms around each other, they kissed hungrily, their tongues fencing and fighting as they fell to the soft ground together. Darkness lay her lover on her back and slid a strong hand up one of the girl's satiny thighs, up and under her short tunic. Mercy was bare underneath, and she squirmed and moaned into the kiss as Darkness stroked and caressed her softness before sliding a finger inside her.

"Mmm you're so wet darling," Darkness whispered as her finger pushed in deeper. Mercy panted and spread her legs wider, her slender hips twitching.

"More?" Darkness teased, and grinned at the gasping reply "oh fuck yes!"

She slid a second finger into the horny girl's pussy, savoring her lover's moans of pleasure. Mercy arched her back and rolled her hips, humping the girl's fingers, her luscious body trembling with need.

"Do it. God, fucking do it!" she groaned, and Darkness took the hint, thrusting her fingers in and out of the girl's dripping pussy. Mercy squeaked with delight, thrashing on the grass as her lover finger fucked her so hard her palm slapped her slick mound. Mercy grabbed the girl's long black hair as she arched and twisted, riding the waves of passion, growling like an animal as her climax hit. Darkness grinned and drove her fingers in again and again, wringing every bit of pleasure from the moaning girl, her hand drenched in the girl's flowing cream.

"Ohhhh I needed that," Mercy purred as she fell back on the ground, quivering as Darkness slowed her thrusts, then eased her fingers from the girl's satisfied pussy. The two kissed again, their tongues playing slowly as Mercy pushed the other girl onto her back.

"Your turn," she laughed as she wiggled down between the girl's thighs. She lifted Darkness' short camisk and began planting warm wet kisses on the girl's heated pussy mound. The black haired Panther moaned and brought her hand to her mouth, hungrily slurping Mercy's nectar off her fingers. Mercy looked up, her eyes blazing as her tongue began to flutter, licking and probing Darkness' soft folds. She slid her hands round the girl's hips to her stomach, holding her (mostly) still as her tongue plunged into the soaked pussy.

Mercy was relentless, her head bobbing, her tongue sliding across the girl's swollen clit as it pumped in and out. Her beautiful face was shiny with juices as she feasted on the sweet treat. When her lover began to buck her hips, she sucked her swollen pearl into her mouth and licked the sensitive bud wildly, driving Darkness over the peak.

"Damn you are soooo good at that," Darkness gasped, and Mercy opened her mouth wide, covering her pouting pussy and sucking out the sweet flowing honey. She ran her tongue wetly up the full length of Darkness' slit, making the tall girl's body shudder, then crawled around and lifted a knee, straddling her.

Darkness grinned as the lovely, heart shaped buttocks wiggled back towards her, and she lifted her head to slide her tongue deep into the waiting pussy as Mercy lowered her head back down between her thighs.

The soft growls and snarls of the two Panthers 69 drifted through the trees and into the camp. Snow shook her head ruefully. She had glimpsed the two together--their lovemaking looked more like fighting than tenderness, but it seemed to be what they wanted. She hoped their prisoner heard the noises too. Being aroused would give them all a better idea of exactly what they were dealing with.

She approached the officer's cage, looking at his empty bowl and holding out her hand. Carefully, he handed it through the bars.

"More?" she asked, and he shook his head, still afraid to speak. She set it aside and stared into his face, her electric blue eyes glittering in the semi-darkness.

"I'm going to ask you some questions. Don't try to lie," she warned in her soft voice, and he nodded.

"What's your name?"

The man looked down. "Kal-El," he replied, and she let out a soft snort of laughter.

"Really?" she asked, smirking. "That's the best you could come up with?"

"They didn't give me much time. It was the first thing that popped into my head."

"What's your real name?" the little Panther asked, and he hesitated.

"I know you're Earth born. Your accent and looks give you away. So what is it?"

"Michael," he answered, still looking at the ground. "Michael Graves."