This is a short work of erotic fiction containing furry, or anthropomorphic, characters, which are animals that either demonstrate human intelligence or walk on two legs, for the purposes of these tales. It is a thriving and growing fandom in which creators are prevalent in art and writing especially.
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Maintaining the Bond
The city thrummed with life, encased in tall, stone walls that many claimed were impenetrable. The ladies of the city treated it as a private joke amongst themselves, something akin to a flashing smile, dazzling for a moment but swiftly forgotten as one moment melded into the next. It was market day and every main street heaved with carts and stalls, the bright colours boasting delicacies and everyday essentials alike, the array of foods on display far beyond compare. A citizen could never want for anything, between the bountiful supplies for purchase, safety provided and ready stream of lower classes - not truly citizens - taking care of each and every menial task they could dream up. A grey-skinned lizard, her tunic hanging loose in the building heat, hissed at a passerby, a small labourer, without the coin to spend on her delicate trinkets, fiercely guarded for those deemed worthy. For even in a city such as this one, there was a hierarchy and the pecking order always had to be adhered to.
Amongst the bustle of the city, the temple was a comparative centre of calm. It was not the only one of its kind within the city walls, yet it was the most well known and renowned for solely producing the finest, its bonds unrivalled. The temple overseer paced through the entrance, which was flanked with twin pillars, hastily allowing a tan cloak to slip from her shoulders. The mare did not mind that it had fallen: one of the slaves would collect it soon enough, replacing it with a fresh garment for when she required its use. Wearing a flowing, white dress that fell across the tops of her thighs, the equine held herself proudly, hooves bare as they clip-clopped lightly across the worn, familiar stone.
Where the floor gave way to lush matting, the mare tilted an elegant muzzle and folded on to a low recliner where a hard-backed book sat as if awaiting her pleasure. Crossing one fetlock over the other, she opened it to the last entry, trailing a hoof-tipped finger down the page until the bonds for the day were accounted for. She frowned, tugging the dress down so that it sat more comfortably beneath her bared left breast, cupping and lifting the small, round globe, tipped with a pink nipple.
Claws clicked on stone, echoing down the hall, and the mare's head turned to observe the approach of a small blue jay, his feathers preened to perfection. The avian kept his head lowered to such a degree that his darker beak brushed over the white chest feathers, drawing attention to how he was devoid of any form of clothing. Clothing was not something that the lower classes required, least of all within the bounds of the temple. Males had never laid claim to possessions. Raising a perfectly groomed eyebrow, the mare glanced between the bird and the book, taking in the blue jay's specifics exactly as they were noted in the ledger and her memory.
"At last." The mare shook her head, fingers twitching restlessly across the back of the book. "I expected you on time."
The blue jay's cheeks took on a warm tinge and he kept his eyes fixed firmly on the floor between his clawed feet. Maintaining one's place was ever important and the little avian did not dare speak in the presence of the temple overseer, although they were on familiar terms after many bonds. In the past, the mare had spoken to him, merely to pass the time, though any conversation had been decidedly one-sided. The blue jay rarely found the courage to speak in the presence of an overseer. If they had time at their disposal, the mare would talk about anything that came to mind, her voice washing over the blue jay who found comfort in its rhythmic tone. Once, but only once, the equine had imparted a name to him: Amethyst Scale.
Even though the blue jay would never be in a position to address the overseer by name, it was nice to know who handled his bonds. Understanding her impatience to proceed, the blue jay crossed his wrists behind his back, head remaining respectfully bowed.
"Down," Amethyst instructed, eyes following the direction of her words. "It would not do to delay. On your back this time."
Keen to obey - the coming duty was pleasurable for the blue jay too - the bird dropped to the rug, stretching out his arms and legs in opposite directions. His back pressed to the rug, shoulders resting on the harder, stone floor, and the bird laid perfectly still, feathers bristling. How could he not anticipate what was to come when only exotic and erotic memories danced through the blue jay's mind? Shivering, the bird glanced from side to side, tail feathers spread flat against the rug, which was soft to the touch, the sensation a rare luxury in the life of breeders or labourers. The blue jay counted it extremely lucky that the bonds were not counted among the latter job specification.
Slipping from the recliner in one fluid motion, the mare stood upright, reaching her fingertips down to her thighs in a quick stretch. Amethyst paid little to no attention to the bird except to step around his feathered form as if he had become part of the temple furniture, a being unworthy of consideration as an equal or even another with thoughts of his own. She was only careful to avoid knocking the bird with her hooves while retrieving the chosen items for this particular bonding - he would, of course, have to be restrained. It would not do to damage a breeder: ones of suitable temperament and physicality were a rare enough find as it was.
Squatting with her knees tucked to the side, Amethyst delved into a low cupboard that doubled as an implement of restraint with metal rings bolted into the sides. The surface was not padded, however, proving that the comfort of the lower classes with the fortune to be bound to the bench was not a high priority. The blue jay almost felt a pang of disappoint that the mare had ordered him to the ground and not on to the bondage bench. Many exciting bonds had been spent strapped firmly to that very bench and he closed his eyes briefly, losing himself in imaginings.
In a flash, the mare was at the blue jay's side, depositing a set of manacles on the floor with the erotic and decisive clink of metal on stone. She pushed the bird's arms back to his feathered sides so that his elbows made a sharp angle and hooked the manacles into O-rings bolted into the stone, spaced a short distance apart for easy restriction. As she worked on his wrists, Amethyst snorted gently.
"Today," the mare continued as if there had been no break in conversation, lastly fastening the manacles around the blue jay's wrists with quick, practiced movements. "Today we have a very special bond for you, little one."
Cocking his head curiously, he asked without words for the mare to continue, understanding that she may not choose to answer. Knowing the bird's quirks well enough, Amethyst smiled, tracing a paw through his feathers where they changed from blue to white.
"A grey parrot," Amethyst nodded, satisfied that her charge was secured. "One who likes to go by 'Feathers', I am told. A lovely member of the upper class - volunteered for this many moons ago. It will be nice to see what offspring are produced from such a breeding."
The mare smiled, her lips tugging up at the corners.
"The combination of colours..." Amethyst mused as if speaking to someone else over the blue jay's head. "They should be spectacular."
On the other side of the temple, one of the many doors swung open, the heavy wood grating against the floor in a manner that announced the arrival of the one so discussed. Amethyst tapped two fingers against the ground, remaining in the elegant squat for a brief moment while she took stock.
"Speaking of which..." The mare murmured, straightening and glancing towards one entranceway - where the public could enter - flanked with twin pillars. "I do believe this is the African Grey I am waiting for."
The subject of Amethyst's patience strutted confidently between the pillars, her claw taps oddly uneven. Her talons were almost entirely missing on one foot, though the parrot did not appear bothered by their absence. A set of bright red tail feathers fanned out behind the avian, who was as bare of clothing as the male at her feet, and Feathers' beak clacked in greeting, unable to quite form a smile to match the mare's. Huffing air out through her flared nostrils, Amethyst shook her head twice in quick succession.
"Are you prepared?" The chestnut mare asked Feathers, tapping one hoof upon the ground as if overcome by a sudden muscle spasm. "You are late, Feathers. Is that how you prefer to be addressed?"
The parrot laughed, her eyes closing in time with the musicality of it.
"Oh, I have come straight from home," Feathers' tail twitched. "I am bathed but it will take a few moments to prepare myself for the bonding. I hope that is not an inconvenience, Overseer, I will have my body ready shortly."
The chestnut mare stiffened, adjusting the dress while composing herself. There was always one that was late, but it could not be helped, the mare supposed with an irked tail-swish.
"It is gone noon. I have many bonds to oversee today."