Livin' Lovin' She's Just A Woman (Lucette)

[Syllke Skyglow]

Fall 75, 511 A.V. A definite bite of late Fall chill was in the morning air. The sun had been over the horizon a good hour or so, but Syna’s warmth was having a hard time penetrating through the longer shadows of the dying year. To Syllke, it felt refreshing, Morwen’s mark keeping him feeling comfortable in all but the cruelest cold weather. He was actually glad for the chill, welcoming the winter in this warmer, and therefore sometimes uncomfortably hot, settlement. As he left the Lyceum and headed the short distance to the market, he thought it perhaps optimistic that Jarod would be up and already open for business. But a new scholar arrived from Lhavit had dropped a precious satchel overboard on his journey to Denval, and was now completely out of ink. He insisted that Syllke go first thing to look for replacement vials – a special type with a deep blue color. Syllke was fairly certain he had seen the very type in Jarod’s shop. He was less certain the man would have finished his breakfast and be ready for customers at this hour. It was as Syllke had expected, and when he reached the Market square he saw the shutters still bolted tight against Jarod’s windows. The Vantha contemplated returning to the Lyceum and asking the scholar, yet again, to be patient. Quickly vetoing that course of action, Syllke cast about for another, idly watching the few people who were in the first throws of straggling into the square and setting up stalls. There were others, who, like him, were waiting about for this vendor or that one to appear, impatient to get what they needed to get on with their day. Syllke’s eyes wandered, taking in what was, by now, a mundane and uninspiring scene. But suddenly, they became riveted on a most unusual sight. Across the way, some fifty paces or so away, coming out a side street, was a bright and exotic looking cat. Not a house cat, or an alley cat, but a big cat – a fierce looking, predatory type cat. Its coat glowed as the first rays of sunlight to reach down between the roofs turned it to a tawny golden sheen. Black spots dotted the animal from face to tail, as it stalked regally through the market, heading towards The Road. But most captivating was the dark mask that traced from eyes to muzzle in perfectly symmetrical, elegant, lyre-shaped curves. Syllke had never seen a cat so big, and he had definitely never seen one half as beautiful as this one. His unwanted errand completely forgotten, he hurried across the square, then slowed, setting a pace to match that of the magnificent beast as it continued on, away from the square, and out towards the fledgling Road to be. As with anything new, Syllke’s imagination had been completely captured by the creature, and he wanted to watch it for as long as possible.

[Lucette]

Lucette moved with joyful purpose, padding close to the outer walls of buildings as she passed. At times the Kelvic slowed to investigate a number of smells amid the dirt and stones. Stopping once, the Cheetah lifted her head, and her nostril’s flared to inhale the crisp morning air of Denval. But this was no normal outing of exploration for Lucette, so she continued onwards. The destination always forefront in her mind caused the Kelvic to jog along contentedly. Her tail held aloft, streamed behind, as if another being. She was sleek and lean still, but her sides were slightly fuller; possibly a result of the delicious temple fare that was fed her each day. Intently her eyes locked on the terrain before her. And though she would turn once or twice from center to investigate, always she returned to the path ahead, searching for that unmistakable thing she needed. The Cheetah only glanced briefly at the townsfolk she passed. Some had visited the Temple before, others had not. But the large feline on the streets drew attention, even as she was recognized as one of the Temple’s newer slaves. But Justus, in his wisdom let her go and allowed her passage without restraint into the small world of Denval. And Lucette for her part was content with her place, for as a Temple slave she had experienced more freedoms, then she ever had as Roland’s charge. Soon she was out of town, and upon the Road. In sheer joy, Lucette burst into speed for a few lengths to stretch her legs, then slowed. She did this time and again, never for long. Each time the wind stung her eyes, and soared through her fur. This was freedom. This was life… But she had to focus… the morning sun shown brightly… what she needed was close.

[Syllke Skyglow]

Denval being a small town, it was no time at all before the cheetah had cleared the city walls, with the Vantha on her heels. Once out on the road which lead to the huge slag heaps that enclosed Denval, the big cat spurted into a fast sprint, leaving Syllke somewhat in the dust, and breathless. He had never seen anything move so fast! Her body was one streamlined engine of grace and power. She would have lost him easily, of course, but she quickly slowed back to her stalking prowl. This allowed Syllke to at least keep her in view, as she walked on, he trailing behind. Twice more she sprinted off, but as her course seemed to lay with that of the road, Syllke trudged on and each time brought her back into view. By this time he was maddeningly curious about the beautiful creature, wondering if she was leading him this merry dance on purpose, or if this was simply this animal’s way. Intrigued as to where her destination lay, his scholar waiting for his ink completely forgotten, Syllke trotted on, and coming over a slight rise, was surprised to see that he was actually closing in on her. He slowed, not wishing to scare her into running completely away.

[Lucette]

The big cat trotted along the Road, underfoot dirt and pebbles, and small sized rocks crunched beneath her paws. Thin blades of grass struggled to grow through the hard ground, and she walked upon these as well. But Lucette paid them no mind; instead her keen eyes were alert for something else. Rock walls stretched out on each side of the Cheetah, and her head rose to look up their height and to scan along their length. Birds flew and were plenty, but this morning no avian could hold her attention long. She searched, but did not find what she looked for, so Lucette continued on. Again though, the Kelvic stopped, to study the terrain with an upraised head. Always she looked upwards. It would be here, Lucette knew - somewhere close. The thing she instinctually needed was upon this road. She walked again. Patient… as she always was. Shafts of light fell from the sky, to dot the side walls. The Cheetah’s eyes narrowed as she followed the stream of light upwards into the sky. Tiny particles of dust danced within them. Lucette slowed, more intent now, as if she stalked the ultimate prey. And there! Just above her and the Road, the rocks sparkled with the most glorious morning sunshine. It lay on a ledge, just a small climb from where she stood. Turning towards the side, she sprang lightly up onto one jutting rock then the next, before hopping to another. Small pebbles dislodged, and rolled down to where she had previously stood. Nose pointed towards the sun, Lucette inhaled its warmth. Her front legs stretched out before her, lengthening her spine as her rump rose in the air, in the most fulfilling of stretches. Plopping down, legs beneath her she basked in the sun’s rays. It warmed her face and a portion of her back. The golden tan of her fur glimmered in the dance of morning light. Content at last with the precious find, Lucette’s eyes closed to slits, and a low rumble of pleasure heated her further, as she stared off into the distance.

[Syllke Skyglow]

Syllke was elated. The big cat had climbed up a bit, into the jagged rocks that formed the channel through which the infant road was wending its first steps. Cautiously, almost as silently as the cat herself, he approached her. She appeared to be napping, which was all to the good. But Syllke was familiar enough to know that wild animals rarely placed themselves in such an exposed position without having a whole lot of natural warning bells and whistles that would sound in time for them to make a safe getaway. Still, he was able to get close enough that he found his own perch on a rock and drew a pad of paper from his satchel, along with a pencil. Swiftly he went to work, sketching the graceful, powerful lines of back and legs, and capturing that entrancing mask that now hid eyes that remained closed. OOCSorry for the delay. RL kinda swept me away. My apologies

[Lucette]

Eyes closed, one soft ear flicked back at a small sound among the rocks. The Cheetah though, could not be bothered to turn her head and investigate the noise and risk losing the warming sunlight upon her face. Only her muzzle lifted to smell the air once, then twice. Lucette’s tail twitched at the tip, annoyed. A tiny insect flitted around her, to ultimately land upon her paw, and she lazily licked at it with a large, rough tongue. Contentment filled the Kelvic in the simple act, and she laid her head upon her large front paws to rest. It looked as if the Cheetah slept, so still was she, though in reality she only rested. Even in leisure, the feline’s instincts were strong, and it was impossible for Lucette to ignore the pull of them. But something was near… and she pried one eye open to discover what it was that had disturbed her. It was a man, a man not so very far away… Steadily she held him in her one-eyed gaze. He appeared to be writing, which seemed odd to the Kelvic, but she was grateful his hands did not hold a bow. The thought of leaving the rocky perch crossed her mind, but greedily she decided to stay. The spot of sun was too valuable to leave and she was comfortable and… the man made no move to climb closer. For that fact alone, she judged him harmless. And for Lucette solitude was still a new found pleasure and while she hated to release it so soon, it was not in her nature or in her training to question the actions of others. So the girl accepted the man’s presence calmly and lazily and once more closed her eyes.

[Syllke Skyglow]

Syllke continued his sketching, and the cat very obligingly remained where it was, though occasionally it lifted its head, licked its paw, sniffed the air. He knew it knew he was there, close by. But apparently, it did not find his presence threatening. So in contented silence, they both pursued their own objectives. The cat’s were a bit obtuse, but Syllke, having spent countless hours observing all sorts of animals, guessed that it just wanted to enjoy the bright winter sunshine. Finally, he felt he had what he wanted, and he shoved the tablet and pencil back in his satchel. Drawing his knees to his chest, he wrapped his arms about them, and simply watched the cat, which at one point returned his stare with one of its own. It then proceeded to close its eyes again, as if to say I’m totally not bothered by you, mate, which Syllke found slightly amusing. Just to be silly, he spoke up. “What? You don’t take me for some mighty hunter – here to carry you back to my house as a trophy?” He chuckled, fully expecting his voice to be enough to rouse the creature into leaving. In a way, he hoped he would see it running again, for that had been beauty personified, truly.

[Lucette]

Lucette dozed upon the rock. Even in rest, the primitive portion of her mind remained alert to the human so near. While he was motionless the Kelvic could lounge in relaxation without worry for as long as he remained so. A rustling noise emanated from his direction, indicating he had moved, but it was not a loud enough sound to frighten her into standing or even into lifting her head. Lucette felt secure in returning to her nap, and leisurely stretched one large paw outward, to extend sharp claws wide in a small stretch. . After the quiet of the silent rocks and the treasured sun upon her fur, the man’s voice startled the Cheetah from her leisure. Abruptly her head lifted to focus upon him in a disinterested stare. But even as she willed him to climb down and away, it went against Lucette’s deep seated training not to answer when spoken to. Instantly and almost angrily, sparkling specks of dust sliced through the glimmering light shafts as Lucette transformed into an annoyed woman sitting upon the rocks. Quickly she moved against the rock wall to lean herself into its warmth, trying to capture what heat remained for her suddenly much colder flesh. Already it was the cooler temperatures of fall, and though she still retained a little of her Cheetah warmth, the Kelvic knew it would not last long. Tucking her knees, Lucette wrapped her long arms around them. The few extra pounds that had filled out portions of her body were already noticeable to her. A new tiredness clung to her and she wished to nap more. But in this moment, the Kelvic refused to think upon the changes that stirred within her. Annoyance was a strange feeling for the Cheetah, yet it was there. The shifting hormones put the slave girl in a strangely foul mood. And the Lucette that responded was not her usual submissive self. If her tail had been there, it would be twitching still. Eyes half closed as before, one shapely brow cocked towards him, “You do not carry a bow like other hunters I have met… and I do not think that you would be able to carry me such a great distance.”

[Syllke Skyglow]

Her transformation was a surprise, only in that he had not realized that she was kelvic. But Syllke was more than happy to lay eyes upon her human form, one as graceful and sinuous as the big cat had been, though she quickly moved to wrap herself up in her arms. She did seem a bit put out by his interruption of her laziness, but answered his question all the same. It made him laugh. “True. Generally, I only seek to capture with my pencil. But I think I could maybe just manage getting you home.” He eyed her appraisingly, not as a trophy nor even in a sexual way but trying to get the measure of her new form, in contrast to her former self. “I know it’s a bit chilly out here, but would you stay still like that, for just a few minutes?” he asked, already retrieving his sketchpad and pencil. “I’ll be quick, I promise. And then perhaps you’d let me walk you back to town, if that’s where you are headed?” His hand was moving across the paper, as his eyes darted back and forth to the girl and then to his drawing. “What is your name? Soola?” He chuckled. In Vani, soola was a diminutive – it meant something like kittie. But he was sure this exotic looking cheetah would not know this – unless she happened to have been to Avanthal.

[Lucette]

Despite the Kelvic’s initial surliness, the man appeared gentlemanly and his words were kind, even as he offered to escort her back to town. Lucette nodded lazily, pleased at being treated so amicably. Besides it was a bother to move, so she sat as the man requested, one thin wrist dangling over her knee. She was a study in curves, from her generous breasts down to her well-rounded buttocks, her naked skin only partially covered by bent legs. Deliberately and with a smile, Lucette closed her eyes to the man and lifted her chin almost haughtily to catch what little sun still shone from behind a graying cloud. Let him look, then perhaps he might visit her at the Temple later. “And… would it be by trickery that got me to your home then?” Lucette asked the man, with her eyes still closed, teasing in her silky tone. For a moment, she opened her eyes to slits, to study him. He looked at her in the oddest manner, unlike the way others gazed upon her, with their lusts and embarrassments, and fears. What did it mean? The Kelvic wondered what he scratched with the pencil on the paper… and her eyes narrowed to see, but the angle was difficult and it was of no use – she could not see anything. So she looked away, as if she did not care. “My name is Lucette,” the slave offered, “I am not called… Soola.” The sun moved behind a cloud, and Lucette felt a dark shiver travel along her spine. She answered quickly, but the old name was stuck upon her tongue. Soola. The man chuckled; its sound was far away and distant. Almost Lucette knew that chuckle and knew that laugh. She struggled to find her breath, even as she sat so exquisitely. At the remembering of that old life, that life gone, her face went white. And Lucette could not unknown it. Soola… the girl that was also Lucette. Soola skirted the rooms and the kitchens of old Denval, fetched and served for Mistress Moira. Always she served, silent and overlooked. But there was one man… one man who noticed her, who spoke to her in silky tones and promises of love, words beyond orders and chores and directives. The man had said, “Trust me…” and had touched her virgin flesh intimately, as the naïve handmaid trusted foolishly and melted in his embrace. Soola - She knew no better… With wide eyes, Lucette looked at this man before her. Recognition and the heavy hurt of betrayal lay along her features, and rested in her questioning gaze. Was that really him? Was that really her? He looked at her, then to the paper again and again. And Lucette who normally felt no inhibitions at the showing of flesh, felt strangely shy with embarrassment and shame as he looked at her, so exposed and unclothed. Pulling her legs closer the Kelvic was unable to cover her nakedness. Deliberately, with the tone of a jilted lover, she accused, “You were not beyond trickery then…” she took a breath and continued, but this time with the edge of the predator, “Innis…” It was his name, from the older times, long past. But the hurt he had caused her, felt as fresh as that day, “I thought that… I thought you… I…” Instead of finishing the stammered sentence, a low growl left her lips that she should be made to remember that which she wished not to.