Revenge is Such a Tasty Dish...

(The sequel to 'She Seems To Want Seconds')

by Anima

Chapter One, You Can Never Go Home Again...

Kristin watched her breath cloud out before her in the chill air, smiling at the sight. It was so wonderful to be outside again! Being a polar bear had some distinct advantages. Through the screen of tress on either side of the trail, it would appear to the average fur that a giant white mountain had decided to uproot itself and go for a stroll... Ten feet tall and built like any respectable bear, Kristin was practically a force of nature. Her awesome muscles were masked however, buried under layer upon layer of soft fat. Though being quite *that* large hadn't been the she-bear's idea, Kristin had found she enjoyed feeling so soft...certainly her two friends enjoyed having such a cuddly companion! Large blue eyes twinkled in the clear air, keeping track of all that happened around her. The huge bear shuffled forward through the woods, leaving giant tracks in the inch of snow on the ground. Following in those paw-prints were two smaller creatures. One, Angelo, was enjoying the weather as well. His lithe otter-like body became something of a blur to the others as he explored anything and everything that caught his eye. Short, smooth brown fur composed his pelt, structured in layers as to be virtually waterproof. His eyes, roaming and curious, were the shade of gooseberries. An active face and constantly twitching/swiveling ears made the otter-morph hard to forget. Taking the rear-guard was Polly, a sleek ermine the hue of the snow she padded upon. While the other two furs were healthy looking and well-fed, (The bear overly so,) Polly looked half-starved. Her ribs stood out beneath her smooth, dense pelt, her cheeks were hollow, and even her tail seemed unnaturally slender. Her kind was of the weasel-inclination, lending her the cup-shaped ears and nearly dead-black eyes common to the family. She was beautiful, yes, but now leanly muscular and a tad unbalanced by the past few month's rough treatment...

"Polly, where'd Angelo get to?" Kristin asked, turning her head from side to side. Polly glanced about nervously, then forced a giggle to her chilled lips when she spotted him. Or rather, his rear. Angelo had crawled into a hollow log, and was trying to extract himself with sorry results. His thick tail jerked as panic began to set in! Kristin shook her head, grinning, and stepped off the trail to help. Grateful for a rest, Polly settled down beneath the spreading boughs of a young pine.

"How much further do you think the village is Kris?" She queried tentatively, hoping with all her soul it wasn't far. The obese bear grunted, and fell on her rear with a solid thud as Angelo popped free of the log. Chirrrring gratefully, the diminutive lutrai curled up in Kristin's lap and cuddled. Kris smiled tenderly, stroking her friend's back. It felt so wonderful, giving the lutrai some comfort. He'd been very badly treated, and every kindness she could do for Angelo warmed her large heart. After a moment, she remembered Polly had asked a question.

"Oh...probably only twenty more minutes or so of walking. I recognize these woods, don't you? This is the sugaring grove..." Polly followed Kristin's gaze, and was shocked to find this spot was indeed familiar. Aside from the one pine, the surrounding trees were all sugar maples.

"That's great! But what if...the village..." Polly couldn't finish, and suddenly buried her head between her paws. Kristin's face fell as she realized what the mustelid was thinking of. Holding Angelo to her soft belly with one arm, she crawled over to Polly.

"No dear, don't think about that. They may have rebuilt by now... We know the raiders didn't kill everyone, a lot of people escaped into the woods." Polly raised her head just in time to meet the massive, but gentle claws of Kristin's paw. They scratched behind her soft rounded ears, eliciting a weak rumble of pleasure from the ermine's throat. Kristin continued. "Let's rest for a little while here, then we can continue. Are you two hungry?" Angelo perked immediately at the mention of hunger, and nodded quickly. Polly joined the lutrai in the bear's lap. Each took one of Kristin's big, pink nipples and suckled eagerly. 'Mama' let her eyes slide shut, and mmmmed in quiet delight as she nursed her friends. Warm cream, extremely rich, coursed down Angelo and Polly's throats, satisfactorily filling their tummies in no time. For lack of any supplies, the two smaller furs had been practically living off Kristin's delicious milk. Kristin had more to give, but reluctantly saved it for later. Disengaging from their respective nipples, the two others relaxed against Kris' round belly. Not all of that dome of flesh was fat; Kristin was a few months pregnant with her first cub. Although the father was not to the liking of the trio, (An understatement,) they'd all agreed to love the child without bias. Polly smiled softly as she felt a tiny kick against her chest. Kristin smiled too.

"He's looking forward to seeing the village too, I think." She murmured, and took a moment to stroke her belly and friends. A gentle breeze was blowing, ruffling the fur of the gathered friends.

'To think,' Polly thought, 'We used to play in these woods as cubs.' The scene hadn't really altered that much since those days, but Polly, lately the most sensitive of the three, felt a hint of the sinister had settled over the place.

Already the sun was nearing the horizon...it would turn colder soon. Kristin knew she'd be fine; with all the blubber she was carrying around, sleeping on an *ice pack* wouldn't be too hard. But the others...especially Polly...

"We'd better get moving again. Come on, the sooner we get to the village, the sooner we'll have a place to stay." Reluctant to leave the warmth and security of the she-bear's lap, Polly and Angelo were slow to slide back to the frozen ground and begin walking. The path through the trees was clear and straight, rising slightly uphill. The thin layer of snow muffled the footfalls of the travelers, making birdsong the only sound in the forest. Polly, trotting along on four legs, was the last to see the village. Kristin saw it first, being the tallest. A road littered with snow-blanketed debris lay ahead, snaking through a pair of splintered and scorched gate posts. Beyond...lay what the three had hoped against hope they wouldn't see. Not a single structure stood in the once-prosperous village. Snow covered whatever was left of the thirty or so cottages...three of which the trio had once called home. Walking slowly through the ravaged village, the friends shed silent tears. Even the wells had been destroyed, blocked with gigantic boulders and probably filled with garbage underneath that. Some of the raiders had been very strong indeed... They walked without saying a word, reaching the other trampled gate within minutes. Kristin sat heavily on the side of the road, wordlessly embracing the others when they climbed back into her lap.

"This can't be... They couldn't have killed them all! But, th, they destroyed everything... Probably even the rite cottage in the woods..." Angelo whispered, his cheeks frosted with frozen tears. Kristin shushed him, nuzzling with her big muzzle. Polly blinked slowly, stunned. Fearing she'd go into shock, Kristin tried to comfort the ermine, though she wasn't feeling any better about this...

"Polly, don't look so down. I doubt many of them were killed at all! We were taken prisoner to be playthings, why shouldn't they have been? And I bet they never found the rite cottage. We can go see if it's still there..." Kristin's words slowly filtered through to Polly's brain. She nodded numbly, then leaped out of Kristin's lap and bounded off full-tilt. Grunting with surprise, the bear tucked Angelo comfortably under her arm and followed with her lumbering gait.

'This cannot go unpunished! I must find the bandits...every single one of them, and kill them. Every gallon of their blood will be worth a drop of my relatives'!' Polly screamed in her mind, eyes blurred with cool tears. The path to the rite cottage was familiar even after all this time, and she soon found herself standing in front of it. It wasn't a complex structure, just four brick walls and a timber roof. One window looked out into the woods, but was now heavily shuttered. Polly crunched up to the door and scratched at it...hoping against hope that someone would be inside. No one answered. The ermine collapsed on the front stoop, shivering miserably. Kristin found her like that, and helped her into the cottage. Angelo scurried out to bring in firewood while Kristin tucked Polly into the big, soft bed against the wall.

"Rest my dear, we can all rest here, safely. We'll spend our grief before making any plans..." Polly shook her head weakly, pushing the covers down with her chin. Kristin stubbornly pulled them back up.

"W, we have to hurt them back! Those raiders! They can't..." Kristin sighed as Polly fell asleep, the rest of her words unsaid. It could wait until morning. Everything could.

Chapter 2, A Plan Of Action

Morning dawned bright and sunny, cheering everyone somewhat. A fire crackling on the hearth all night had made the cottage wonderfully cozy, and when Kristin had nursed the others, the cramped cottage may as well have been heaven. Polly fought off her languor though, determined to let her friends know what she had planned.

"Kristin, Angelo, listen to me. I've decided to take the fight to these horrible people! I'm going to hunt them down...no longer how long it takes! And, as my friends and partners in our loss, I ask you to help me." Kristin was shocked to see the fire in Polly's eyes, a malevolent gleam totally out-of-place in her normally calm and collected, even timid friend. Angelo got into it though. Chittering loudly, he bounced to his paws and danced around the cottage to look for weapons.

"Yes! You're right! Let's get them all! We'll avenge our dead kin and-" A huge paw suddenly barred the lutrai's way.

"We can't go off half-cocked. Do you think that we three can really take out all those bandits? There had to have been more than a hundred of them, all trained soldiers. We have no combat experience to speak of, and no equipment! Look, we don't even know if all our kin are dead." Kristin's words dampened Angelo's aggression. Somewhat. But Polly remained adamant.

"From what we've seen of these people, I don't believe I'm overreacting when I assume the worst of them." She growled, her starved-looking body bristling. Kristin winced, and held up her paws in entreaty.

"Don't be like that Polly! I'm only trying to be sensible. Look, why don't we head to Brookhaven and see if they know anything about the bandits? Maybe we'll find someone we can, um, interrogate." Polly considered this, sinking slowly back to the floor. After a moment, she nodded.

"We'll do that. Can we leave tomorrow?" Kristin nodded, smiling at her thin friend.

"Of course. But it'll make travel easier if you have some flesh on those bones of yours. Come get your lunch..." The bear slid a thick paw beneath one of her awesome breasts, hefting it. A little squeeze brought a shining bead of warm milk to light, coaxing Polly up into Kristin's lap. All thoughts of revenge and violence took a backseat as new feelings of love and warmth suffused the ermine. Those emotions intensified when Angelo joined her at Kristin's right nipple, his acrobat-like body resting against hers. Polly mentally vowed she would protect these two friends...probably the only family left to her.

Chapter Three, Inquiry

Brookhaven was a half-day's quick walk from the decimated village, and through Polly's urging, the trio completed the journey in good order. It was a rude shock to the three, seeing the normal bustling life of a village. These were the first people they'd seen since escaping Tanner's evil clutches, and every laugh or happy shout seemed designed to painfully remind them of what their village now lacked. Kristin located a small one-room dwelling to rent, paying with money she'd appropriated from Tanner's coffers. It was blood money, true, but it was going towards vengeance. Inside the little cottage, Polly called a war counsel.

"I'm going to check the tavern. Surely someone there will know about the brigands! Kristin, why don't you take Angelo and begin asking around about someone who suddenly came into some money in the past year. Who knows, maybe a good portion of those raiders are from this town! But let me know where you're going to be; if you turn up missing, I'll know where to start looking." Kristin grinned at her friend, and flexed an arm as thick as a good-sized tree trunk.

"I don't think I'll have any problems, but you're the high commander." Polly chuckled, and gently nosed the bear and lutrai.

"Don't think of me as some crazed fanatic, okay? I'm just trying to set things right. Now get moving! We'll meet back here just after dark."

It wasn't difficult to find the tavern, situated in the exact center of town as it was. Polly noted the place had no fancy name, just the word 'Tavern' tacked up above the front porch. She pushed open the swinging oak door with her nose, and slunk inside. Inside, the crowd was just starting to gather. Two fox-morphs drank and chatted at the bar, a tall anthro-elk threw darts while his beaver friend looked on, and a small pack of wolves talked loudly off in a corner. The bartender was some species of field mouse, standing on a high chair to see over his own bar. Polly wondered for a moment how he served anyone or kept order, until he saw the black bear lurking in the shadows behind him. Polly smiled as she sidled up to the two foxes. Good thing Kristin wasn't along...she'd have scared this bear half to death!

"So Franc hasn't a clue?" One of the todds was saying, grinning at his companion. After taking a long draught, the other guffawed, nodding.

"The dumb coyote couldn't find his own tail with a map and compass. He won't miss it until we give it to his bride for a wedding gift." Polly bounced her front paws off the ground and onto the bar, and quietly ordered an ale. The first fox giggled, shaking his head.

"What was it anyway? Ed just told me it was a piece of jewelry."

"Mmm, it's a brooch, silver, studded with little half-globes of amethyst. It was on a chain once, we think, 'cuz it has a ring for it. Pretty little thing, but he has so many pieces he won't miss it." Polly stiffened, almost choking on her ale. Jewelry? And that much of it?! In this tiny town? Too odd. And hadn't Mrs. Snowshoe owned a brooch like that? Polly slid her front off the barstool, and drifted closer to the vulpines.

"Anyways, I'm just sorry we'll have to wait a week to see his face. He may not keep good track of his stuff, but he HATES it anytime he loses something." The bartender spoke up then, squeaking loudly to be heard over the general din of the bar.

"Where does Franc live again? I got an invitation to the wedding, but the silly doof didn't bother to include his address." The second fox grinned, and leaned toward the mouse.

"Where else would he live? He and those two cronies of his bought the Henny Mansion on the east side of town. I'm sure it was fun while it lasted, but Franc kicked his pals out when he found his intended. Not that they're out in the cold now, of course! I heard they moved to-" A chorus of laughs burst out from the wolf pack, preventing Polly from hearing those last all-important words. She growled, irritated, but paid for her watered-down drink and left. It didn't take long to find the mansion, big as it was. Polly prowled around the residence, noting the iron gates tipped with spear-points and the massive lock on the front door. Franc didn't want visitors, it seemed. The sun was sinking fast, so Polly trotted back through the slushy roads to their cottage. Kristin and Angelo arrived minutes later, looking smug.

After a round of cocoa Angelo had bought from a street-vendor, Polly shared her news. Kristin smiled broadly, and stroked Polly's back.

"Great job! We did okay too, though. Angelo thought the public well would be a good place to hear gossip, so we headed there. Sure enough, all sorts of crones and malcontents filtered through to dump their nasty talk. There's a badger, a friend of Franc's, who just moved into a house on Orchard street. We checked the place out, and found it pretty well guarded by a couple of malamutes armed with clubs. In fact, one of the old biddies that lived next to this guy said she could hear screams at night...figured he was beating his servants. Sound like someone we know?" Angelo shuddered, turned, and buried himself under the soft swell of Kristin's gut. She stroked the poor lutrai's tail, murmuring promises of protection. Polly rolled onto her back, staring angrily at the rafters.

"Okay then, we'll take the Orchard house first. You and I can handle the guards Kris, and when we get our paws on this guy, we'll learn what we can before offing him. Any idea how to do that dear?" She turned to look at the bear. Kristin shrugged, then grimaced as her belly growled out an ominous rumble. Her grimace turned into a sly smile...

"Maybe...maybe..."

Chapter Four, Suit Actions to Words

Angelo posed as a servant shoveling the road clear across the street from the bandit's house. Kristin and Polly were both hidden in the snow-frosted bushes hedging that same house. The morning passed quickly, and soon Angelo was whispering fiercely to his friends.

"Kris! Polly! Someone just came out! He's talking with the two guards...and giving them something. They're leaving. He went back inside. Should we get 'im?" Polly consulted with Kristin. The bear licked her chops, and nodded eagerly. As soon as the canine hired muscle was out of sight, the party hurried across the street. Kristin smashed her heavy fist through the thick door, and unlocked it from the other side. Their target stood frozen in the middle of the den, staring at them in disbelief. Kristin stomped over and plucked him off the floor like a doll.

"We have a score to settle with you and your buddies! Where are they living? And where are the slaves you keep?" The badger, a stocky fellow about five feet tall and all muscle, was quivering in fear.

"F, Franc was the leader! He's living in the mansion on the east side! And Mel moved in with his sister a road north from here, the red brick place! Please, let me go!" Kristin shook the miserable bandit, and snarled in his face. Polly was hanging back, though it was clear from the look on her face that she wished to be doing the interrogating.

"Where are the slaves!" She repeated, fixing her victim's eyes with her own.

"I, I don't have any! I used to...but...I sold them to Franc. They're probably dead by now..." This sent Kristin over the edge. She sat heavily down on the floor, suspending the nameless criminal over her muzzle. He screamed when she parted her jaws and stuffed his wickedly-clawed feet into her mouth. They sank quickly into the soft, moist tunnel of the bear's throat, and the rest of his body was quick to follow. Kristin clawed the male's clothing from his body as he sank deeper, not wanting to deal with the stuff. Polly stood watch, looking out onto the street, while Angelo went on a tour of the house for clues. Kristin's throat muscles shifted and writhed visibly beneath her fur as they tugged insistently on the badger. He continued to scream until Kristin clamped her huge paw over his muzzle and shoved him further down inside her. The she-bear's jaws creaked but didn't dislocate, amazingly accepting the muscled mass of the bandit. Seconds later, Kristin was closing her mouth after her snack. She swallowed massively, the unbelievable bulk of the badger distending her neck and then her chest...before plopping down into her gut. Kristin belched, licking her chops. Polly strolled up, and half-climbed up Kristin's belly so she could feel the badger sliding the rest of the way into Kristin's abdomen. The two ladies grinned at each other as they felt his struggles together. But as before, having something alive in her stomach aroused Kristin like nothing else could...and when Angelo padded back into the room, she nearly threw herself on him! Ang squeaked, then laughed a little as Kristin enfolded him in her big strong arms and began to kiss him. His laughter turned to a gasp of surprise as the bear sat down, spread her legs wide, and shoved Angelo down between her thighs. The lutrai looked up at his friend, and saw unleashed lust and craving in her eyes...

"K, Kris!? What--" He started, before Kristin pressed him closer to her crotch. Angelo turned his gaze between Kris' thighs...and felt a little moan escape him. The bear's sex was big...much too big to be pleased by the smaller fur's equipment. Glistening pink labia were spread invitingly to him, the scent of sex tantalizing his nostrils. Polly wasn't immune to the smell, and padded over to a corner before she embarrassed herself. The ermine watched, lonely, as Kristin demanded in a growling voice to be pleasured. Angelo looked at the pussy, then his own arm...and hmmmed. In a flash of brown-furred motion, Angelo slipped his paw into Kristin's vagina. The bear spread her legs wider, closed her eyes, and smiled with deep satisfaction. It'd been awhile... Her smile became a open-jawed groan as Angelo followed up and plunged his arm into the warm, slick clutches of the bear's canal. Soon, the lutrai was lying on his side, his arm immersed to the shoulder. Under his soft fingertips, Ang felt Kris' cervix. He tickled it lightly, then recoiled with a gasp! It might not be a good idea to do that, given the precious cargo the bear's womb carried... Kristin seemed to like it just as well when Angelo began thrusting his arm in and out of her soggy tunnel. Polly sighed softly as she watched Kristin succumb to orgasm and bathe Angelo in her fluids. Would she ever have someone who'd want to please her like Angelo did Kristin? She wasn't given much time to ponder the question, as the decision was made to clear out immediately. Angelo tried supporting Kristin as they stumbled back to their cottage. Polly chuckled as she realized how much like a trio of drunks they looked. The roads were far from deserted, but no one took much note of the ermine, lutrai, and obese bear.

"Okay, that went well, but there are still two to go. I think we should get that coyote next... I hope those 'slaves' the badger sold him are still okay..." Polly murmured, as the three sat in council again. Kristin nodded, absently scritching her soft belly.

"If they aren't...I promise to chew." Angelo oooohed, looking at Kristin with awe. The bear didn't notice. Polly rose from her rug-bed and padded around the room restlessly. What had happened to her kin? Were they still alive? Were they, in fact, those being held in that ill-gotten mansion? Polly's blood began to boil when she imagined her sisters and parents being subjected to the same tortures Tanner had inflicted on her...

"Let's go tonight." She said suddenly, startling herself as well as Angelo and Kristin. Angelo nodded and leapt to her side, ready to go. Kristin frowned.

"That's not a good idea Polly, we're all tired! We need--" Polly shook her head, cutting off her friend's words with an impatient gesture.

"No, striking now will give Franc less time to prepare. Surely by now he's heard what happened to his friend. No more talk, we must go now!" Kristin blanched at the fierce look in Polly's eyes, and wordlessly followed the other two. It was about 10:30, and all the respectable folk were in their homes. Polly had them split up to attract less attention, and once alone, the ermine was even more acutely aware of the drunks and homeless around her. Shivering, she ignored the living refuse and trotted on into the night. The mansion loomed before her before long, and she met Angelo at the garden gate. Kristin found them a moment later. As one, they turned to gaze up at the house...

Chapter 5, Have Fun Storming the Castle!

Kristin boosted her friends over the gate, then scratched her head.

"How am I gonna get in there? You can't unlock the gate from the inside without the key!" Polly shushed her friend, then turned to Angelo. The lutrai grinned, and slung a small knapsack off his shoulders and onto the grass. He took out a length of rope with a metal anchor attached to one end.

"Alright Ang, do exactly what I say..." Angelo glanced quickly at Polly, and nodded nervously. "Swing the rope around your head, then let it fly...just so it hits the wall next to that balcony rail." Kristin tapped her foot on the ground, glaring at her friends. What good would THAT do? Angelo needed three tries, but eventually hit the wall where Polly told him to. The hook bounced off, and neatly wedged between two iron bars of the rail.

"Great job! Now, climb up there to the rail, unhook the grapple, and loop it around the rail." Polly waited while the limber lutrai shimmied up the rope, and did as asked. Polly tied the rope off at the fence, then easily tight-rope walked up to the rail. The other end of the rope drooped down, unused. "Okay Kristin, cut the knot off there at the fence, and hold on tight!" The bear did so, puzzled and frowning. Then, Polly with Angelo on her back, jumped back off the balcony! Their combined weight managed to heave Kristin over the fence. Barely. They balanced out halfway above the ground, grinning at each other.

"Now that was some neat planning dear." Kristin whispered, then dropped quietly to the lawn. The other two quickly did the same, not wanting a lightning descent! As a group, they snuck to the back of the house. Polly located a picture window looking in on the dining hall, and motioned the others to lie low for a second. The ermine raised a paw, and clenched it a bit so her clawtips rested on the glass. Slowly, she rotated the paw, letting her claws dig into the rough glass... A nearly inaudible *screeeeeech* interrupted the cricket's chorus for a moment, before an ellipse of glass fell out into Polly's paw. Angelo sprang forward, reached in through the hole, and worked the catch on the window. Kristin pulled the window out, (It opened horizontally on hinges,) and slid in with her friends hot on her tail.

Inside, few lights were burning. A lone flute's melancholy music drifted to the three from somewhere in the huge house, making the setting seem like a melodramatic play. Wary of guards like the two at the last house, Polly led the way with all the stealth she possessed. Kristin crept along with her back to the wall to keep her weight off the middle of the floorboards, while Angelo simply scurried. The dining hall emptied into a hallway, which ran straight to the front door. A massive wooden staircase ascended from there to the second floor. The music was louder at the foot of the stairs. Polly motioned to her friends, then counted silently to three. On three they pelted up the stairs, legs pumping, fear and adrenaline coursing through their veins! Abruptly, the flute music faltered and stopped. By the time Kristin joined the others at the top of the stairs, someone on the other side of a bedroom door was turning the doorknob from the inside... With a yell, Kristin knocked the door open, flinging the person behind it into the wall. Polly sprang in, Angelo somersaulting in after. Sure enough, it was a coyote, a fat mangy coyote armed with a fire poker. Stunned as he was, Kristin had no trouble relieving him of the poker and pinning his arms behind his back. He was wearing a loose robe, that fell off as Kristin grappled with him. Ashamed and terrified, Franc tried desperately to understand what was going on. Angelo chittered agitatedly, eyes flashing.

"Alright scumbag, where're those slaves you got from your friend? If they're not in perfect health, you're as good as dead!" Polly growled, padding close enough to the restrained Franc to flash her huge claws in his face. Franc blanched, eyes going wider than ever with fright.

"What?! Slaves? I don't have any--" Kristin brought her solid knee up into his back with painful force. Franc nearly vomited up his kidneys. "Okay! *KAFF, Cough* Please! They're in the cellar, and they're still alive..." When he hesitated to say more, it was obvious those slaves had been mistreated. Kristin spoke up in her dangerous voice.

"Hold his arms and legs for me, would you two? I'm gonna have my dinner..." Franc promptly passed out, crumpling against the big bear's soft stomach. Kristin's cohorts sat back and watched. Kristin lifted the coyote and closed her drooling maw over his head. Her tree-trunk arms hauled him snugly against her breasts as she swallowed, dragging the fiend in up to his shoulders. Kristin leaned down and forward, forcing her jaws wider and over the shoulders. Franc twitched feebly as he succumbed to his fate, letting the slick heat engulf him in pulses. Kristin got to her feet in a crouch, then began lowering herself to the ground belly first. Angelo watched in awe as in a single motion, Franc's torso, hips, and thighs all sank into the bear's throat. The spectators could clearly see the outline of the bandit's body through the flesh and fur of Kristin's neck, as well as the frantic quivering of the gullet's muscles as they urged the huge mass deeper. Kristin's belly spread out on the floor as she settled, looking like a furry beached whale! Franc's calves vanished in a jerk, then his ankles, and finally his feet. Angelo giggled when he saw Kristin's lips twitch, jiggled by Franc's toes as he wriggled them from the inside. Kristin swallowed one last time, *very* audibly, sending her meal slithering the rest of the way into her all-encompassing tummy. Kristin rolled over, then sat up, her soft belly billowing a little with the motion. Stroking her meal, soothing it in a way, Kristin's paws played over the bulge of Franc within her.

Polly nodded, satisfied, then took Angelo to go see the slaves. She made for the door, then yelped in surprise as the door burst inward for the second time that night. An anthro-wolf, all black fur, claws and teeth, prowled snarling into the room.

"Well, I can't say I'm sorry to see the bastard gone, but he *WAS* feeding me! Now you'll do the job!" Wolfie howled, diving for Polly. The ermine leaped to one side, mortally frightened of this ravaging beast. It was clear from his eyes he wasn't sane, and his moves proved him to be the superior fighter. Kristin got heavily to her paws and took a fighter's stance...just in time to catch a marauding series of slashing blows from the wolf bodyguard. She fell back, bellowing in pain and rage, as crimson stripes blossomed on her fur... Angelo screamed with her, cowering in a corner and clutching his tail. As Polly saw her friends suffering, something snapped inside her. She whipped her limbs into place, then launched herself for the wolf's back. Wolfie howled again, this time in horrible pain, as Polly's needle-sharp fangs sank deep into his neck. She must've hit something vital, for the next thing she knew, Polly was lying atop the dead body of the wolf. Shaking, she took stock of her situation again. Kristin was lying on her back in a puddle of blood, breathing shallowly. It was probably all her cuddly flab that prevented the wolf's claws from injuring something vital... Angelo was curled into a ball, obviously in shock. Polly sprinted from the room to the cellar, hoping one of the prisoners would know where the medical supplies were kept.

A torch was burning in a bracket just beyond the cellar door, and Polly seized it in her jaws. A long staircase of cold stone led down into the bowels of the mansion, a dark dripping chamber that smelled of mildew, fear...and blood. Polly reached the bottom of the stairs, passed through another door, and moved her head from side to side to illuminate the entire room. She felt like retching. There were five people in the room though they were hardly recognizable as such any longer. One had all of his fur singed off, and was now a mottled crimson-black mass of scar tissue. Another was missing an arm and a leg, the remaining stumps capped with manacle-rings. A female chained to a table was singing softly to herself, and in the flickering torch light, Polly saw that she'd chewed through one of her legs to get out of the chains. She'd been driven mad by whatever tortures Franc and his men had subjected them to. Tanner had been kind in comparison to these monsters! But perhaps he just hadn't had enough time to get nasty. Though it was very difficult to tell the species, Polly guessed these pitiful creatures had once been lutrai...perhaps they were Angelo's family, but it would take a lot of care before they'd even be recognizable. Since this *was* a torture chamber, Polly found a stash of medicine and bandages, plus a surgical kit in a cupboard off in a corner. Taking the bags in her jaws, the ermine fled the scene of pain and suffering to try and save her friend's life before it flowed out with her blood.

Chapter Six,

Regrouping

"Well, that's two down love." Polly sighed, collapsing in a panting heap next to Angelo. The lutrai had recovered enough to help care for the poor creatures in the basement, as well as assist his mustelid friend heal Kristin. Polly worried more for Kristin's cub than the mother, who seemed to be coping well. The huge bear was resting now, doped up with herbal pain-killers and swathed in bandages. Franc's slaves were sleeping too, in beds for the first time in ages, their wounds dressed and their bodies clean. Goddess only knew how long it would be before true recovery took place... No one had entered the mansion after the wolf, and Polly had decided staying here was the best thing to do at the moment. Angelo nodded, leaning over to snuggle against her. Surprised, Polly turned her head and gave the smaller fur a curious look.

"Getting friendly, aren't we dear?" She murmured, smiling to take any sting out of her words. Angelo looked into her eyes, something in his own expression sending Polly's brain reeling. It was...adoration... She'd never seen anyone look at her like that! New, unfamiliar feelings began swirling around in the ermine's head and belly. Angelo dropped his gaze and spoke up in his high voice, while nearly suffocating himself in his attempts to cuddle as close as possible to Polly.

"Polly...I need you... Someone needs to tell me what to do, and you're so beautiful and strong! And I really like you, you're just the kind of person I want to take care of me! Please, please let me be your slave..." He was too afraid to look back up, terrified to see rejection. Polly just shook her head in amazement, chuckled softly, and embraced her friend with all four paws. Angelo sighed, burying his face in the white fur and nuzzling tenderly.

"I never thought about owning you love...but the prospect appeals to me somehow. I'd be glad to be your mistress." She grinned as she felt Angelo shiver against her when the word 'mistress' reached his ears. "But," she continued, "We can't be together for awhile. I have to go get that last bandit, while you take care of the folks here." Ang started to protest, but Polly cut him off, "I will however require your services before I go." Polly pulled away from her new 'pet,' and rolled to her paws. She swiveled, bringing her rear to point at Angelo. The lutrai watched, almost drooling, as his mistress raised her soft tail with teasing slowness. Now revealed for him to see was Polly's gorgeous vulva... Deep crimson labia slowly swelled with arousal as he watched, like a maiden blushing when she felt eyes upon her. A thin trickle of musky fluid oozed from her depths, matting the white fur beneath.

"Please me Angelo...do whatever you like to please me..." Polly growled, every nerve in her body vibrating with lust. She was in heat, and had been fighting it ever since it set in. Now, deliciously, she could let the feelings stir and whip her blood into a passionate frenzy! Moaning loudly, Angelo went to his knees and leaned towards the quivering fleshy blossom. He drank in the feminine scent, intoxicating himself thoroughly. Gently, oh-so gently, he reached and brushed Polly's nether lips with a soft paw. Polly growled, eyes squeezed tightly shut. Her flow of lubrication increased, as did her heady smell. Using every ounce of restraint he had, Angelo slipped his nimble fingers past the clinging labia, and into the steamy canal beyond. First two fingers, three, four, then abruptly his entire paw sank inside. Polly leaned back into the intrusion, panting heavily. Angelo watched, fascinated, as his hand disappeared. Little muscular twinges and ripples caressed his wrist, then forearm as he slipped those inside as well. His lover was a raging inferno inside, hot beyond belief! At last, he could stand it no longer, and withdrew his nectar-saturated limb. Polly almost whimpered, feeling so empty all of a sudden, but reminded herself she was in charge this time.

"Mount me Angelo." She moaned, turning her head to look at him. He nodded weakly, got to his feet, and buried himself with a lewd squelch in Polly's cunnie. A deep, throaty *hurrrr, hurrrr, HURRRRRR* built up within Polly as she felt that smoothly-fleshed member flashing in and out of her pussy. The wet sounds and smells of sex filled the room. Angelo began thrusting more roughly, rubbing his soft groin against the top of his lover's vulva to tease her clit. This sent her over the edge. Angelo felt the warm tunnel grip down on his cock, squeezing the flesh-sheathed bone so hard he worried it would be crushed! That was too much for him, and he too found orgasm. A thick stream of creamy semen burst from his rod, thickly coating Polly's hot insides. Panting, both rested for a moment, then began again...

When at last both seemed sated, Polly allowed Angelo to disengage. He pulled out, letting loose a small flood of sticky, musky fluids. Her vagina gaped, and felt very sensitive and a little sore... But it was nothing compared to what Tanner had subjected her to. It was indescribably wonderful to have a lover more concerned about her than himself... Meekly, Angelo curled up against Polly and dozed while she planned. The last bandit would be the best prepared; surely he would've heard about the demise of his friends and taken precautions. This next battle wouldn't be a spur of the moment thing like the other two. This one would take careful calculation and strategy... But before she got too ambitious, sleep came for Polly as well.

Still undisturbed the next morning, the mansion stirred well after dawn as all who were able roused and did chores. When all the dressings had been changed, meals had been distributed, and tears had been wiped away, Polly ran out to survey the lair of her enemy. This house was a hovel compared to the mansion, making Polly suspect this particular bandit had spent most of his spoils on a habit of some kind. Polly watched the home all day, and saw no signs of life. After noon, she slunk up to one of the grimy windows and peered inside. The place was deserted, and the state of things within suggested a hasty packing had been made. Cursing colorfully and with stinging eyes, Polly bounded back to the base camp. He'd gotten away! She had to follow...

Kristin watched quietly as Angelo packed what Polly brought to him. Supplies, ropes, knives the ermine could strap onto her paws, and a number of other things she thought she might need. At last, when Polly settled the pack on her sleek back, the bear spoke up.

"I wish you'd wait until I could go..." She complained, face set in a 'I'll go along but I don't have to like it' expression. Polly shook her head from side to side, impatient.

"I, we can't wait for you! This dirtbag will get away unless I take him NOW!" Angelo piped up.

"I think she's right Kris." Kristin looked from one friend to the other, obviously put out.

"Hmph. Well then, I'll just eat something... Maybe this wolf." Polly shook her head, and awkwardly nuzzled her friends goodbye.

"I'll be back with news of our enemy's death. Take care of Kristin, Ang." With that, she flew down the stairs, out the front door, and raced up the street out of the village. Polly would NOT be denied her revenge...

Chapter Seven,

Now What?

Angelo sighed, watching the white blur of the racing ermine vanish behind a building. He turned away from the window, and back to Kristin, only to see their would-be lupine assassin hanging limply from the bear's jaws. He eeeped! and scurried over to the invalids on the pretense of checking up on them. The five seemed better actually, trying to sit up and figure out what was happening around them. Quickly, Angelo got them settled and tucked in again. Were they his family? It was still impossible to tell. Best for now to simply assume they were and care for them as best he could... He tried to distract them as well by telling a story about Tanzi, the great fisher. Seeing Kristin stretching herself over a corpse wasn't something these poor furs needed to see... As the little lutrai went about caring for his patients, he found his mind wandering back again and again to Polly...

Polly's mind however was far from comforting thoughts of Angelo. Loping full-tilt through the woods, the only thing on her mind was catching her prey... For prey was what this bandit had become. She would not rest until he had been paid in like for his crimes! The cold ground was hard on her paws, and the air bit at her nose and eyes as she ran. But speed was needed; her quarry had a good head start... So she ran for as long as she could manage, halting an hour and a half later to rest. Nestled in a bed of frosted pine needles out of sight of the road, Polly suddenly realized something. What if her enemy had already reached a spot they could make a stand in? What if he had set a trap, an ambush, for his pursuers? When she struggled to her paws bare minutes later, Polly resolved to run through the woods and stay off the road. This actually became an advantage with time, as she found loops of road she could bypass by simply avoiding the road. Overhead, the sun sailed its course, its rays failing to penetrate the forest enough to lend the tired creature any warmth. Noon went by, and as she ran, Polly vaguely tracked the sun's progress. Hour after hour passed, but she refused to rest again. Somehow, Polly found the strength to keep running long after her body should've given out. Then, around 3:00 or so, she heard voices. Slowing her lope to a stealthy crawl, Polly snuck closer to the road. Through the trunks of the pines, she spotted a figure with his back turned towards her.

"--perimeter's still fine Cross, though I don't see why you're so jumpy. Nothing's getting through us!" Polly narrowed her eyes. Nothing, hmm? The speaker was a short, stocky rat, armed to his long yellow teeth with daggers and throwing knives. A similar creature snored indolently a few feet to his partner's right. But the fur with his back to her was the one Polly was concerned with. Tall, bearing himself regally, was an elk. His branching antlers shook with his anger, rattling against the branches just behind him.

"You fools! One of you is asleep, and you're half-blind! I won't feel safe until you're both wide awake and listening for those...those murderers! Remember, if I die, you don't get paid! So SHAPE UP!" Unimpressed by his employer's words, Rat #1 picked his teeth with a long jeweled dagger.

"Relax m'lord. Shouting's not going to help anyone but our enemy..." The elk gasped softly, realizing his error, and whipped his head from side to side in search of foes.

"Gods...you and your good-for-nothing partner keep watch here. I'm going back to the lodge." Polly nearly squealed with glee! Her prey would be *alone* and probably asleep, unprotected, while his mercenary guardians napped! Thing's couldn't be more perfect...

Cross sighed, tears welling at the corners of his eyes. WHY did things have to end up like this? His friends were dead, he was running for his life, and those he was paying to protect him were totally useless! He locked the cabin door behind him, strode across the floor and flung himself into a bunk.

"What did I ever do to deserve this?" He mused aloud.

"You killed my family, you scum sucking misborn!" Cross froze, every muscle locking up on him, as a sleek white shape slunk out from behind a chest of drawers and a cot. Hatred burned in her eyes, but her bitter smile conveyed the message, 'I'm gonna enjoy this...' Cross went berserk, leapt off the cot, and charged his assassin.

It'd been easy to beat Cross to his lodge and hide inside before he arrived. She reveled in the look of pure panic on his face when she revealed herself! The charge, meant to be a shock, did not surprise her. By now, Polly knew what cornered beasts would do. She easily side-stepped the mad elk, then leaped onto his back. The two crashed to the wood floor with a solid THUD, the breath driven from Cross' lungs.

"Now you're in your rightful role: prey..." She growled, seizing his neck in her jaws. Just as she was about to sever his spine, a stray thought flitted through her mind... Why kill him like this? Why not do what Kristin did, and eat them? She *could* do with some fattening up... Polly drew back her head, and gauged the size of her prey... Really, she couldn't possibly hope to get him down whole, much less alive...but...Kristin shouldn't have been able to either. A quiet voice seemed to whisper in the back of her mind, "Do it...stretch yourself over him, make him serve a purpose in this world: to feed you..." Mind made up, Polly arranged herself full-length along Cross, and embraced him firmly with all four paws. Then, she rolled over, the elk held firmly to her belly. She grunted with the weight of him; this was no runt! But before she could change her mind, Polly seized his antlers at the root, and with a twist of her jaws, snapped them off. Cross howled in pain, though in truth it couldn't have hurt that much... His howl doubled in volume when Polly repeated the 'teticure.' Spitting out antler-fragments, the ermine swabbed Cross' head with her thick saliva, then attempted to take his head inside her. Teeth scraped across the elk's forehead as Polly stretched her jaws over him, and with some twisting, she managed to jam Cross' skull into her mouth. She lunged her head forward again and again, working her mouth down his neck. She could feel him entering her throat now, and his screams in such close proximity were deafening! His shoulders were next... Worried she couldn't manage this largest part of the murderer, she redoubled her efforts. Her paws shoved the body up, while she twisted those shoulders diagonally... Finally, with a creak like wet wood being bent, her jaw dislocated and easily encompassed the elk. Now, she used a combination of gulping and shoving with her paws to get him down. As his head slid fully into the warm embrace of her throat, his screams abruptly quieted, muffled by flesh and fur. Polly's lips slid down Cross' chest inch by inch, feeling the strong muscles beneath the short brown pelt. His belly was softer, evidence of the elk's recent soft-living. As less and less of the elk was available to grip, Polly raised her hindquarters to help shove Cross' hooves. Curling into a 'u' shape shoved her prey a little deeper inside her, but made her muscles and spine complain too. With a shock, Polly suddenly found the elk's hips nestled up against her lips. Deep inside her, she could feel his head slip through a sphincter and into her belly... Eagerly, she lunged forward again, bolting down his hips and part of the thighs. His cock was erect, and rubbed against the tissues of her gullet. After a moment of consideration, Polly remembered that suffocation sometimes did that to males... Shrugging it off, she resumed her feast. With most of the elk inside her, the dragging and tugging motions of her rippling throat had more flesh to work with, and the legs followed more quickly than the rest. A sudden salty explosion of cream in her throat made Polly shudder in disgust. The elk had spooged inside her... Gulp, gulp, gulp...Cross was inside her up to his ankles. He had begun to curl up inside her stomach, having no choice with the limited space in there. She could feel him beating at his fleshy prison, still screaming! In fact, she could even watch as his blows distended her abdomen from within. Giggling helplessly, she swallowed one last time, and fully engulfed the elk. Moaning gutturally, Polly felt Cross' legs join the rest of him in her slimy stomach.

"Now I know why Kristin does this..." She moaned, stroking the gigantic bulge the elk made inside her body. "I'm so horny I could...mmm, screw a coat rack!" She pounced the nearest such example of that item, and tried to maneuver it to a convenient position... Cross rolled around inside her, and muffled cries indicated he was still very much alive and conscious. Though her guts rumbled, sloshed and gurgled, they must not have started anything serious just yet... Polly growled in frustration, the coat rack was not cooperating! Her head whipped up as the cabin door fell inward with a crash. Cross' two rat bodyguards stood there, staring in disbelief!

"Y, you...ATE HIM?!" One of them screamed, jaw slack. The other yawned and tried valiantly to look horrified.

"Hope you took his money belt off first. If not...well, we'll have to do a little surgery." Polly belched loudly. Had she swallowed that belt too? No, Cross had taken it off. It was sitting on the cot.

"Nope, no need for that. The money's on the cot." Polly waddled out of the way, leaving the moist coat rack behind. The sleepy one went to get the money, while the first one stared at the swollen ermine.

"I think she's in heat, Duran! What do you say we have a little fun?" Duran, the napper, shrugged and put on the belt.

"Do what you want, I'm taking a nap." With that, he was out cold. Rat #1 drew a short sword, and leaped towards Polly with a wicked leer on his greasy face. Polly stumbled out of the way, panting with lust and battle-fury.

"Be good, and we might jus letcha go bitch. C'mere!" Polly bared her teeth and hisssed in response. Snarling, the rat charged her. Instead of trying her earlier dodge, Polly met his charge with one of her own, but dived to the floor at the last minute. She bowled the merc over, sending several weapons clattering across the floor in the process. Turning as fast as she could manage, Polly grabbed the rat's feet and stuffed them into her mouth. He screamed in rage, snatching up a fallen dagger and trying for an eye-stab. Polly knocked the knife away, curled her paw into a fist, and dealt rat #1 a powerful blow! He slumped, senseless, to the floor. Rat #2 slept on. Polly groaned around the rat's feet, and swallowed quickly. The greasy fur actually helped the rat go down easier, though it tasted absolutely vile. Polly kept her tongue pinned to the floor of her mouth to avoid tasting the beast as much as possible. Bit by bit, she felt the rat slide past her lips and down her throat. Polly watched, nearly cumming at the sight, as her stomach almost doubled in size again. When the first rat was safely contained in her steamy gut, Polly took the third head first. Incredibly, he slept on while Polly stuffed him into her mouth! Unable to restrain her desire any longer, Polly contorted her body again and brought her ragingly swollen sex up to brush the rat's tough feet. With a quick, desperate thrust, she forced the rat into her pussy. Like the dragon eating itself in a way, Polly swallowed the rat, fighting the rippling pulses of her vagina as it tried to claim the rat as its own. When her orgasm fired, her cunnie shot the rat down her throat like a bullet from her gun, sending him slithering down her contorted gullet. He too quickly became a lump in her distended tummy. Hugging an abdomen easily twice her normal size, Polly heaved a sigh... This would be so perfect...if only there was something to mount her! Slowly, Polly drifted off into exhausted and frustrated sleep.

"Polly, you've done very well. Just like Kristin, you've made use of the gifts I've given you, and removed dangerous monsters from my land." Polly blinked. She was dreaming. Before her stood a glowing figure, female, cloaked in robes of flowing blue. A silver halo floated above her hooded head, gleaming too brightly to look at. The ermine shivered and crouched down close to the ground; this must be The Lady... Polly had never put much stock in religion, but...given this...perhaps she should mend her ways.

"It was I who gave you, and your friend Kristin the ability to swallow your enemies to defeat them. It's the only fitting punishment for those wicked creatures. Three are now gone, testament to your abilities. But, there are many left, and I wish you three to be my tools. Do you accept this quest?" The Lady turned eyes like concentrated moonlight on her. Dumbly, Polly nodded. The Lady smiled.

"Good. Sleep off your meal here; I've told your friends to join you after those poor lutrai victims can fend for themselves. I will watch over you." Polly nodded, and watched The Lady fade into the night. Then the night advanced forward, claiming her for its own. Polly's last thoughts were,

'Gee, I wonder how many more bandits are left...?' Between Kristin and her, there *might* just be enough to satisfy them...

THE END

(Hi readers!

I like this tale quite a bit, and hope you did as well. As always, any feedback can be sent to Yaounde3@hotmail.com or page #mail me on FurryMUCK as Anima or on Tapestries as Animakitty. Take care of yourselves!

Love,

Anima)