The Pet Is Chosen

i woke with some started movements in the morning having sometime in the night curled up right next to Draven and was using resting my head upon his shoulder. i felt his hand softly stroke my hand and he shushed me to quiet me.

"No need to be startled kitty. When you started whimpering in your sleep I brought you closer to me. I got you to rest your head on my shoulder and you quieted back down. Now isn't it about time that you give me your name so that I can stop calling you kitty?"

"Oh gosh how rude of me, Draven. my given name is brie but my Father always called me lala. He used to say i was a bit of a dreamer and my thoughts were often out in lala land."

"Did your family follow the Old Ways?"

"No, they didn't. Why do you ask?"

"I asked because of your name. It's the name of the Celt's fire deity."

"my Mother was from Ireland. i don't know if any one in her family was a practioner or not. She died when i was just a baby. my Father didn't mention much about my Mother's family other than to tell me that she had been a Cat Person as well."

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to drag up old memories. I was just curious."

"No harm has been done Draven by your questions."

Draven began to notice how warm my fur felt next to his skin. He felt my forehead and it felt very warm to the touch. He was aware that we are a bit warmer to begin with but this was not normal. He got a look of concern about his face. i wiggled a bit when he did. He pounded on the wall of the wagon and waited for the driver to respond.

"What do you need? I'm trying to drive here."

"Hey JJ how close are we to a water source?"

"We have another few hours before we come to our next crossing but we should be coming up near a town in a few minutes. Why? What do you need?"

"We have us a kitty that is burning up back here. Let's get to that town and see if we can't borrow a tub to get her body temperature down a bit and maybe even find a doctor who will look at her."

"What ever you say boss as I am sure the boys wouldn't mind stopping to tend to their horses and perhaps a short rest."

i didn't argue with Draven as i was not feeling so well. JJ found the local pub and sent one of the other men off in search of the town's doctor. Draven bundled the blanket around me and went inside to arrange for a room. He then carried me inside and up to the room without the other patrons seeing that i was a Cat Person. As soon as we were inside the room, Draven stripped the clothes off me and stretched me out on my stomach to look at the wounds on my back. The deepest stripe looked red and angry.

The doctor was a bit startled to see that his patient was a Cat Person but he agreed to treat me. A small bit of leather had wedged itself in my skin and was starting to cause infection. The debris was removed and the wound thoroughly cleaned out. A salve was applied and instruction of how to keep it dressed until it healed was left. As for the fever, i was going to need bathed in cool water until the fever broke.

The doctor spoke to the pub owner and a tub was brought up to the room. The pub owner told Draven that if the kitty destroyed any thing he was going to be paying for it. Draven assured the man that i was tame and wouldn't be hurting anyone or anything in my condition. The pub owner saw the marks on my back and just shook his head. Draven shook his head when the pub owner commented that he should take better care of his pet.

Draven had JJ tell the men then were staying there the night. When JJ came back to inform Draven that the word had been passed on Draven told him that tomorrow he was to take the wagon and most of the supplies but to leave two horses behind. He and the kitty would be staying put until the fever broke. Ulrich would be on the look out for the wagon. JJ suggested taking the wagon apart and making it more of a supply rig instead of separating. Draven thought that wouldn't be a bad idea but they were still parting ways in the morning.

JJ knocked on the door that next morning. Draven shifted brie's position and walked with the man to separate some supplies out for them when she was well enough to travel again. JJ asked on last time to be sure this was what he wanted to do. Draven was sure. He felt like he needed to take care of her since she was in this mess because of him. JJ knew better than to try and argue with Draven. His mind was all ready made up.

brie was fit full in her fevered sleep. she walloped Draven a few times while she slept. He figured he deserved it for what she had been through over the last several days. He bathed her and applied the salve as he was shown how. The pub owner brought up food twice a day. Draven gave the man some extra coin to keep the fact that a kitty was here quiet. The pub owner said he didn't want and trouble and she didn't exist.

Ulrich and his men had passed through town on the second day. No one checked the rooms above the pub for either of them. In fact Ulrich found himself none to welcome in town. It wasn't in his lands so all he could do was mutter about it. Ulrich asked a few questions when he was in town but was told that the people he was looking for had passed through and had mentioned something about heading towards Ulster.

On the morning of the fourth day the fever broke much to Draven's relief. The doctor breathed a sigh of relief that his medicine had helped the kitty. brie was weakened from the long fever and wasn't in any shape to travel for a few more days. Draven found some clothing for brie that would allow her travel on horseback comfortably. He wanted to be on the road as soon as she was able.

They stayed a few more days. Draven wanted a green light from the doctor before venturing off the beaten path. brie shushed Draven every time he tried to bring up the night of the whipping. she didn't want him feeling guilty about that night. He was only following the orders of the Lord. she knew she ran the risk of some sort of punishment for failing to remain still. she didn't want to be touched by that man and knew that every moment she was still meant she was in danger.

Draven had things all ready to go the morning after the doctor gave brie a clean bill of health. brie knew that it was only a matter of time before Draven needed to get back to his life and that meant taking her some place safe. she began to wonder what the next leg of her journey with him would bring to her life. she pulled on the clothes for travel that last morning and went down to thank the people who had been so kind to her.

The pub owner pulled her aside for a brief moment and made sure that she wished to travel with Draven. she told the man that she knew of no one else she trusted to travel with and she could not return to her family because of Lord Ulrich. The pub owner nodded in understanding and pressed a small pouch into her hand. Told her that if worse came to worse she could find safe passage with what it contained. she wanted to protest but the pub owner would have it no other way.

They were on the road by the time the town was awake and thriving. Everything that they would need was on their horses and they moved along at a steady pace. They followed the main road for about an hour before Draven took them off the main path and lead them along a less used path. His only explanation was to avoid and of Ulrich's men that he might have left behind to look for them. That made sense to her.

By nightfall they were deep in the forest and found a small clearing to set up camp near a small creek. They made short work of the making camp and Draven soon had a fire going. brie gathered a few things to go bathe and told Draven where she was going. He asked her not to be long. she didn't hear him some moment later when he came down to the creek to check on her.

"brie, dinner is ready. brie?"

"Oh gosh...sorry Draven, i am sorry i must have gotten lost in thought."

"you know you are very beautiful in the moonlight."

i blushed at his words and then realized that the water from my hair was dripping in droplets down my fur. i moved to cover myself with my hands and he simply chuckled at me. i heard the rustle of cloth and looked back up to see that he had shed his clothes. He walked out into the water and was mere inches from me.

"brie, you don't need to get all shy on me now. i have seen your beauty more than once my dear. Now be a good kitty and hand me the soap and cloth. I want to get cleaned up as well."

Instead of handing him the soap, i took the cloth and lathered it with soap and began to wash him along his back. i ran the cloth carefully over the fresh scars upon his back. He stood still as if he was afraid i would bolt if he moved. i placed a small kiss upon his back as i rinsed away the suds. He reached for my hand and turned around to face me. He leaned down and kissed me softly upon my lips. His kiss was soft and questioning as if he was unsure of where he wanted the kiss to lead.

i wrapped my arms around his waist and pulled him closer to me. i returned his kiss. After a few moments, he removed the soap and cloth from my hands and told me to go and dress before he changed his mind. i was suddenly blushing again and headed out of the water to gather my things. i carried it in my arms to dry before the fire. i figured he wished to be alone right then and perhaps the sight of me drying myself would not be a good thing.

As i was hanging up my towel to dry Draven had returned to camp fully dressed. We sat and ate dinner without much talking. i think neither one of us knew what to say at that moment. i curled into the blankets as he checked on the horses on last time for the night and was quickly asleep. i didn't feel his tender kiss upon my forehead as he bedded down next to me.

Sometime in the night i awoke screaming and frightened. Draven wrapped his arms around me and pulled me close. He ran his hand over my hair and said a few soothing words to try and calm me. i calmed and returned to sleep in his arms. That morning, i awoke still snuggled close to him. i was a bit startled and my movements awoke him.

"Calm yourself kitty cat. you were having one of your nightmares again and you calmed when i held you."

"Draven, i think we need to talk."

"There is nothing we need to talk about. We can't afford to burn any daylight so hop to it while i get see to breakfast."

i gave him a frown and he swatted playfully at my rump as he dislodged himself from me. i watched him a few moments before i began to fold the blankets for travel. i wanted to talk about the kiss. i wanted to talk about the feelings he had awakened with that kiss. i wanted to talk about the nightmare that i had. i think more than any thing i wanted the talk to delay my being separated from him.

Draven pressed along the journey. i wasn't quite sure where we were headed. It was getting hard to see when i finally convinced him to allow us to stop and rest for the night. i was so tired that i fell asleep shortly after spreading out my blankets to sleep. i stirred only when i felt him lay down beside me and i moved to rest my head upon his shoulder. He held me close and the nightmare stayed away that night.

i was up before he was that morning. i saw that we had camped right next to a creek and i wanted to bathe some of the grime of our travel off. Draven appeared to still be asleep and i figured that i could be back before he even awoke. i quickly shed my clothes and waded out into the creek. i had just dunked my head beneath the water to rinse my hair when i felt a hand pull me none to carefully back up.

"Do not ever venture off to bathe or what ever else without making sure I know where you are going again. Someone could have over taken you or harmed you while I slept."

"i am sorry Draven. It won't happen again. i promise you that. i didn't think i would be gone long."

"Do you know what happens to maidens who wander off without someone to watch over them? Do you? They would have ravaged you and left you spoiled goods."

Instead of giving him an answer i simply shrug my shoulders as if to say i didn't know. That seemed to make him a bit angrier at me and he dragged me up out of the creek. He sat down upon a tree stump and pulled me across his lap face down. i tried to squirm away from him and he looped his hand around my hair and gave me several firm, hard smacks across my bottom. i hissed at him and he gave me several more.

"Keep it up kitty and i will make it very uncomfortable for you to sit in the saddle and ride today. Is that what you want?"

i was silent and not sure what to say. i was a bit startled by him spanking me. my body seemed to be enjoying it but my mind knew i would need to be able to ride. Before i could open my mouth to answer him a few more swats found their way to my rump. My bottom was feeling a bit warm and i squirmed around a bit as i felt a bit of moisture between my legs.

"Answer my question kitty!"

"Please no more spanking. i would like to be able to ride today."

He pulled me roughly up right and kissed me. Then just as quickly as the kiss began he pushed me away from him. With a growl, he told me to finish my bath and he turned to walk back to camp. i was confused and didn't know why he was being so gruff with me all of the sudden. This just added to my confusion about the thoughts that were in my head.

i quickly bathed, toweled dried and dressed. i didn't want to dally too long and have him even more upset with me. Camp was packed and read to go. i could tell that he was in a fowl mood and quickly packed the items i had taken with me down to the creek. He handed me a biscuit with cheese and told me to mount up as day light was burning. i didn't argue with him. i certainly didn't want any more spankings that morning.

We rode in silence that day and rode until darkness made it impossible to travel further that night. i didn't understand why we were riding so hard when we were off the main roads and staying clear of any towns. He placed his blankets on the other side of the fire that night. i took it to mean that he was still angry with me from this morning. He finally broke the silence the next morning.

"brie, I need for you to listen to me carefully. I need for you to consider the choices I am about to give you very carefully. Once you make the decision and we set upon that road there is no turning back. This has to be your choice. I can't make it for you. This affects your life more so then it does mine. Do you understand that?"

"yes, i do understand. May i please say something first?"

"you may."

"It was not you that sealed my fate Draven. It was only a matter of time before Lord Ulrich revoked my safe passage and tried to make me his slave. i knew that when i first had heard that zara was missing. i do realize that you were doing a job you were instructed to do. You have never pressed any advantage upon me. i owe you my life and debt of gratitude for seeing to my well being after Lord Ulrich ordered me punished. i do not hold you blame for that either. i did not want to be His in any way shape or form. For freeing me from that and him, i thank you. With that said, i am now ready to hear what choices you set before me."

"I do not see myself in the light you just painted brie. I have done nothing but take from you and I am about to ask even more of you. I, however, wish for you to have the final say on your fate. I owe you that much at least. I see that we have 3 choices. I can take you home to your people – the Cat People. I can take you to the handler near Lord Elrik's lands. The last choice has several conditions attached to it. Do you wish to hear it kitty?"

"Please tell me what all of my options are."

"The last option is that I take you with me to Lord Elrik's court. I can approach him to make the necessary documents that would make you safe but as my property. I felt how you responded to my spanking the other morning. You belong at a man's feet and a collar about that neck of yours. I will not force it upon you though kitty. It has to be what you want as well. I am not offering for your hand as I do not want a bride. I would expect you to serve me in all ways."

"How much time do I have to make up my mind?"

"I can give you until we make camp tomorrow night. We will be within a few days journey of Lord Elrik's lands by then and not far from the handler I have spoken of."

"You will have your decision by then. May i ask one more question?"

"you may."

"What do you mean by serve you in all ways?"

"It means I would no longer stop at a mere kiss. It means a maiden you would be no more. Your body would belong to me completely and I would use you as I see fit. I know you are naïve to what I speak of. I think we both know that your body all ready knows what you want. Why else would you bathe me and respond to my touch or my kiss?"

i blushed upon hearing his words but knew that he was right in a way. my body was all ready responding to him and knew what it wanted. my mind, however, was still stopping me from crossing over that line. my heart all ready yearned to travel where he was wanting to take me. Still i would consider the options before i spoke it aloud.