Panther Tales Ch. 07

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Love, horror, death, freedom...and a new friend.
5.3k words
4.7
9.6k
4

Part 7 of the 8 part series

Updated 09/22/2022
Created 07/02/2014
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Sorry it took so long to finish this chapter! Between 60 hour weeks at work and the holidays, it's been hard to find any time to work on it. As always, comments and ideas are appreciated!

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The next couple days were a blur of activity as the clan prepared to move to a new camp. "We can't stay in the same spot too long," Shan explained. "Too easy to be found."

It seemed to Snow that she had passed some kind of test by sharing Ally's furs. As she helped clean, repair, and pack what the clan would be taking with them, there were more smiles, more winks, and more friendliness in general from the other Panthers. There was, however, also a warning.

Shan pulled her aside the next afternoon. "Don't start thinking you're going to be part of some couple," she said gently. "We can't allow that. It always leads to jealousy and problems. If you want to play with Ally, or any of the other girls, that's fine. Just remember--Panthers don't get to fall in love."

It made sense to Snow, and it wasn't a hardship. She liked Ally, the first member of the group to show her any kindness, but it wasn't like she daydreamed of a lifetime together.

Her daydreams were confined to Earth luxuries like indoor plumbing and DVD players. Anyhow, Ally seemed to be uninterested in a repeat. She was friendly and affectionate, but didn't offer to bring Snow to her furs again, and the Earth girl wasn't brave or brazen enough to initiate anything. It felt like Ally was just giving her time and not pressuring her, and that was more than fine with Snow.

It would be a three day journey to the new camp. They would travel in three groups. Shan, her hulking, scowling bodyguard (Snow had yet to see the muscular Panther say a word to anyone or change expression, and had no idea what her name was), and Denera would go first to scout the trail.

A second group of five would follow with a cart that carried most of their equipment and possessions--two girls to pull the cart and three to keep watch.

Snow would follow a couple hours later with Darkness and Ally. They were going to take a detour to one of the villages at the edge of the forest. The Panthers had had some dealings with the village in the past, and there was a blacksmith there they hoped would be able and willing to cut off her hated steel collar.

The rear guard would be a single girl-- Markeela, a quiet, intense girl with a permanent frown who was so uncomfortable in groups she spent most of her time hunting and patrolling alone anyway.

The night before they planned to leave, Snow was just dozing off when someone joined her. It was Rendill, one of the Panthers that had brought her to the camp originally. In the

time since Snow had become a member of the clan, they had become friendly. Rendill was smart and funny and went out of her way to include Snow in conversations, and explain some of the things the Earth girl didn't understand.

Snow expressed her surprise to see the girl in her furs, but Rendill's giggles were contagious. "Do you have any idea how much of a hassle you've been?" she said laughing softly.

"It used to be we just hooked the cart to Blainey's big ass and let her pull it. Now that she's gone, it's gonna take two of us and I'M one of the ones stuck with the job!"

Snow's eyes went wide, and she started to apologize, but Rendill just smiled and kissed her sweetly. "I know you didn't make more work for me on purpose...but I still think you owe me," she said with a grin, and gently pushed Snow's head under the furs.

It was Snow's first time attempting to give another girl oral pleasure, and she felt both awkward and nervous, but judging from the Panther's moans, and the amount of juice on her face when she was finished, she acquitted herself well.

The two girls cuddled together afterwards, kissing and nuzzling until they fell asleep. The last thing Snow heard was the other girl whispering "Okay, now we're even.

The small vanguard had left by the time Snow and the other Panthers awoke at dawn and began piling the last few things into the small cart. The camp seemed eerily silent when that group left, leaving only Ally, Darkness and Snow still to go. They spent their waiting time going over plans and routes, making sure the Earth girl knew what was expected of her--basically it amounted to 'do what we tell you and stay out of the way if there's trouble.'

They kept her in the middle as they walked, pointing out anything of interest or importance. A few times, there were subtle signs along the trail--branches or stones arranged in a certain way to indicate 'all clear.' Ally especially took the time to tell Snow the names and uses of various trees and plants they saw.

Mostly it was just a long day of walking, but they made good progress. "We're right where we're supposed to be," Darkness announced as they slipped away from the small trail to make camp for the night. "We'll be to the village before lunch time, and maybe catch up with the wagon before the reach the next camp. We'll see how long we spend at the blacksmith's."

Too tired to do anything else, they gnawed on dry biscuits and jerky before the Panthers wrapped up in furs and slept. Snow was given the first watch, and she sat under the stars and Gor's three moons, fighting to stay awake and alert until she heard Darkness groan and struggle to her feet.

Yawning, the tall Panther gave Snow a friendly smack on the shoulder. "Get some sleep," she said simply, and Snow didn't have to be asked twice. She curled up in her fur blanket and slept like a rock.

The trio was up and moving at first light, still travelling east-southeast, and reached the edge of the forest mid-morning. They skirted the edge for only ten minutes or so before Darkness, in the lead, spotted the buildings of the village they were seeking.

"Excellent navigation. Well done," Ally praised her, and the tall Panther gave her a rare smile.

They carefully hid most of their belongings. Ally and Darkness kept their bows and quivers, and Snow used her sling to secure a large fighting dagger to her right thigh. As soon

as they emerged from the tree line, they could hear high-pitched squeals of excitement and alarm. The quarter mile or so of space between the village and the forest was uncultivated grass, about knee-high on the Gorean women. A few young girls had been playing in the open field, and now they went racing and hollering towards the village.

Snow looked to her companions, but Ally just shrugged and patted her on the shoulder. "We're not trying for stealth anyway," she said. "The village is less likely to be alarmed if we walk in the open."

The blacksmith's was on the east edge of the village, a low, wide building closed on three sides. It reminded Snow of a garage. As they walked, a few village women, mostly old ladies or nursing mothers, came out to watch. To Snow they seemed wary but not hostile. The Panthers always raised an arm in greeting as they passed.

They had a few children following them, kids aged 5 or 6, when they got to the blacksmiths. Ally and Snow entered, and Darkness stayed outside, smiling at the youngsters who chattered excitedly.

"Tal Grigor," Ally called, and the blacksmith raised his head up from his workbench. He had long, light brown hair and a full shaggy beard.

"The Panthers!" he cried as he rose. "Tal Ally! We have not been graced by your presence for many months!"

Snow's eyes widened as the blacksmith approached. He was, even by Gorean standards, a massive man, nearly seven feet tall and thickly muscled. He wore breeches and a leather apron over a bare chest, and his arms seemed as thick as her torso. His grin widened as he looked down at the Earth girl.

"I see you've brought a Panther cub with you," he said, and laughed at his own joke. Snow tensed for a moment and clenched her fists, but Ally just smiled.

"This is our newest sister, Snow. Snow, meet Grigor the blacksmith."

"Tal Huntress," the Gorean said.

"Tal, my Lord Blacksmith," Snow replied, and now it was Grigor's eyes that widened.

"A barbarian girl?" he asked, and both Ally and Snow nodded.

Grigor shook his head. "What is this world coming to?" he muttered, but his eyes glittered with amusement.

"Don't be fooled Grigor," Ally said. "This little barbarian took Hailey's place."

Grigor cocked his head and stroked his chin, looking at Snow appraisingly. She tried to keep her expression neutral. Yes, he had kind of insulted her, but he also struck her as the kind of man who didn't take anything very seriously. After a long minute, the blacksmith grinned.

"Well then. It seems the little cub has some claws. Be welcome here, Snow the Panther."

"I thank you."

He took a step back and lifted his huge hands. "So what can a humble blacksmith do for you today?"

Ally looked to Snow, who took turned her chin and tapped the collar still encircling her throat.

"I've come to ask you to remove this damned thing."

Grigor threw his head back and laughed. "A barbarian and a runaway? Amazing!"

This time Snow couldn't help herself. A soft growl rose from her throat, and her eyes darkened with anger. The blacksmith just laughed again.

"I don't mean to offend, little cub. But you do realize how much trouble a man can get into helping a runaway slave."

"Is the risk worth a gold tarn?"

The blacksmith raised an eyebrow. "How did a runaway barbarian get a gold coin?"

"The man who had it didn't need it any more," she answered with a smirk.

Grigor chuckled. "The little cub DOES have some claws!"

Snow reached into the tiny pocket sewn inside her tunic and pulled out the gold piece. She showed it to the blacksmith, then handed it to Ally, who took her bow off her shoulder. "Come here little Huntress. Let me see what needs to be done."

Snow took a couple cautious steps as Ally pulled an arrow from her quiver. The blacksmith let out a soft snort of laughter.

"Do you trust me so little?"

Ally shrugged. "You know what they call a Panther who trusts a male."

"Ha! Fair enough!"

He put a thick finger on Snow's chin and turned her head back and forth, then touched the collar, trying to push a fingertip underneath it. The man's fingers may have been as thick as Snow's ankles, but his touch was surprisingly delicate.

"Ok, we can do this fairly easily."

He went to his tools and selected a small hammer, a kind of short spike, and what looked like bolt cutters.

"First, I need to bend it enough to get the cutter under it. Put your head here please," he said, tapping his fingers on a low table.

Snow frowned, but bent over and put her cheek on the table. The blacksmith adjusted her so just her forhead rested on the wood.

"This won't hurt, but it's very important that you don't move. Can you do that for me?"

Snow assured him she would stay still, and he put the spike against the steel ring on the side of her neck at a 45 degree angle. The hammer tapped several times. She felt the collar tighten a bit on the back of her neck as he bent it.

"There!" he announced.

He picked up the cutters. "Tell me if you're choking," he told Snow, and worked the blades into the gap. It wasn't very comfortable, but she could breathe. She clung to the edges of the table as he closed the handles of the cutter, his massive muscles straining to chop through steel. There was a 'clunk', and he made a small, satisfied noise. He turned to Ally.

"I'll need you for this part, Huntress."

Ally nodded, and called for Darkness, who was still outside. A few of the villagers had approached, and after a few tense moments, when they were sure the Panthers were on friendly terms, they had begun sharing news and gossip.

"Keep an eye on him," Ally said quietly, and set down her bow. She walked to Snow and the blacksmith.

Grigor touched a spot on the other side of the collar from where he had cut through. "Dig your fingers under there and hold on tight."

Ally wiggled her slim fingers between the steel and Snow's neck. Now she almost was being choked, but she kept silent. She was too close to having the hated collar removed to complain.

The blacksmith used the hammer and spike again, carefully tapping it into the gap in the steel and wiggling it to widen the space. Then he pressed the small spike against the collar

just above the cut, and smacked it a couple times, bending the steel towards Snow's neck. Finally, he took hold of both ends, and with a snarl of effort pulled and pulled and pulled.

"That's good," he said to Ally. "You can let go. We're almost there."

He smacked the ends of the collar again and again, curling them back, widening the gap. A couple times he pulled with his hands. Finally, there was enough space to slip the collar from Snow's neck. She straightened and ran her hands over her bare skin, a pleased smile on her face.

"You have my thanks, Grigor," she said with a little bow. Ally set the gold coin on the table.

"And you have my thanks, Huntress," Grigor said, eyeing the gold happily.

They exchanged well wishes, and the Panthers left the village. None of them noticed the adolescent boy who had dashed through the fields south of the village, and was now trotting along the east bound trail, a young man with a serious purpose.

It had only been a slim band of steel, an insignificant thing, but with the hated collar removed Snow was happier than she had ever been on Gor. The collar may have only weighed a few ounces, but the symbolic weight had been massive. Now, with the brand burned off her thigh and the collar cut off, all evidence of her time in the training kennels was gone.

Ally noticed her good mood and laughed. "You're practically skipping!"

Snow grinned and impulsively gave the Panther a kiss on the mouth. Darkness, a few steps behind, smiled indulgently. Snow spun and danced back and kissed the other Panther on the cheek.

"Thank you both for helping me get that done. It means more to me than I can tell you."

They stayed close together on little-used side trails and made good time. Before night fell, they were within sight of the main trail.

"We'll stop here for the night," Darkness announced. "We might catch up with the others tomorrow."

Meanwhile, unbeknownst to the trio, a few miles to the southeast a young lad was on his hands and knees, gasping with exhaustion, soaked with sweat, giving a report to the commander of a small garrison.

"The Panthers are on the move."

With speed, discipline, and military precision the soldiers sprang into action. Scouts dashed ahead to reconnoiter. Armor was donned, weapons were gathered, packs were shouldered. A squad of twenty experienced fighting woodsmen marched deep into the night. When they found their quarry, they were efficient and brutal. No quarter was given, no prisoners were taken.

The warriors moved west, easily locating their second target. By dawn, they were on their way back to their barracks, smiling and clapping each other on the back.

Ally was just starting to think about calling for the first rest of the morning when Snow suddenly stopped in her tracks, holding up her right fist. The barbarian girl's eyes were wide and she turned her head from side to side, listening and sniffing the air.

"Something's wrong," she murmured.

Ally moved next to her. "What is it?" she asked quietly.

"I don't know. It doesn't feel right. My spider sense is tingling."

Both Gorean girls stared at her, and she laughed soft and nervous. "Sorry. Earth saying. But can't you feel it?"

For almost the first time on the trip, she drew her war club. Darkness and Ally moved off the trail and Snow walked on the very edge. They stalked forward, silent and cautious.

Ten tense minutes passed before Darkness made a soft sound of dismay. She made a noise to alert and stop the other Panthers, her nostrils flaring. She closed her eyes and swallowed hard. She recognized the scent in the air, the stench of after-battle.

"Quick!" she hissed, slipping out of the trees to dash forward, Ally and Snow on her heels. Her short sword was in her hand as she turned around a bend in the trail, disappearing behind a massive, ancient tree. The other two girls caught up moments later, almost running into her. All stared in horror at the scene before them.

The group with the cart had been slaughtered, their bodies thrown in a careless pile. Scavenger birds and hungry urts were feasting on the corpses.

Ally was the first to step forward, swinging her bow, chasing the carrion eaters away. Darkness shook off her paralysis and looked around wildly, scanning the area for their sister's attackers. Snow felt sick, her legs shaking.

Ally re-joined them, her eyes bright with tears. "Dark, what happened here?"

Darkness stalked around the scene of the carnage, her expression grim. Snow sat down before she fell, trying not to look at the five bodies. Fat, silent tears rolled down Ally's cheeks.

"They were ambushed," Darkness reported momentarily. "Fifteen, maybe twenty men. They were waiting for them."

She pointed to a spot at the edge of the trail. There was blood on the leaves of the trees adjoining the worn path.

"They killed whoever was scouting and brought her body here."

Her voice shook with emotion. "Whoever did this, they were good. Our Sisters didn't have a prayer."

Snow looked up at the other two, alarmed. "What about the lead group?"

They looked at each other, the same fear rising in each heart. Without a word, they were up and moving, hurrying down the path.

"The men came this way," Darkness announced as they ran. "Less than a day ago."

It was an hour later that they found what was left of the vanguard. Ally fell to her knees, panting and sobbing. Darkness let out a cry of such anguish that the very trees of the forest seemed to weep.

This time, Snow was the one to go to the bodies. Her jaws clenched and her whole body shook.

'The only people on Gor that ever showed me even a tiny bit of kindness,' she thought. 'Murdered like criminals because they wanted to be free'

Something inside of her broke as she looked down at the corpses sprawled on the forest floor. She had thought she knew what it was to be angry before, but it was nothing compared to the slow, overpowering rage that began to grow inside her.

She looked back. Darkness and Ally were clinging to each other, overwhelmed with grief. Snow joined her sisters, and for a long time they held each other, crying and howling in the quiet of the Gorean forest.

That evening, sitting close in a tiny clearing hidden deep within the trees, they quietly tried to figure out what had happened. Snow wondered if Markeela, the only other member of the Clan that hadn't been killed with the two groups, could have betrayed them somehow.

A ghost of a smile appeared on Darkness' face at the thought. "Markeela wouldn't. There's nothing in it for her. She despises the Free and has no use for gold."

"Then it had to have been the villagers. They were the only other people who knew we were travelling now."

"Now," Ally repeated in a beaten voice, wiping her wet eyes with the back of her hand. "What now?"

Darkness looked away, her own eyes red and puffy from weeping. Ally looked to Snow. The Earth girl's electric-blue eyes blazed with fury in the dark.

She gripped her sisters hand tightly, and growled a single word.

"Vengeance."

They chose to stay where they were and wait for the last member of the Clan. "We can't find Markeela, but she can find us." Darkness explained. "She's the best tracker and scout I've ever seen."

The trio was safe in the little clearing. It was away from any trails, there was no sign that any predator had been near in a long time, and they had enough food and water for the moment. They gathered fruit and nuts to supplement the jerky they carried, and found a small spring--little more than a trickle, but sufficient for three.

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