At Tulani's insistence, Alptraum was staying as Jingle for longer and longer periods of time. This was to check on 'reversion' effects, if any. This hadn't been an issue for the Cerise Skreek form, but that was also before the female reversion had been as strong as it seems to be now, so Tulani wanted to be certain Jingle could last for several days at least.
Weird dreams aside, things have going alright for the Savanite, and she was getting much better with the bells, but today she's having some discomfort in her belly. She's long since mastered the ability to eat solid food when in alternate forms like this, but it might be a sign of reversion.
This makes Jingle groan in annoyance. She sits down and focuses inward with shadow to see if there are issues going on. She knows what the insides of a savanite should be shaped like, after all. If they don't match, well, she can probably address that.
Nothing seems out of place, other than some uterine swelling. Even touching it with the shadow seems to make it worse.
Jingle makes a face. Is she having a period? Ugh! She tries to see if she can calm that down with the shadow.
The swelling doesn't go down, but some of the discomfort does. "What's with that face?" Tulani asks as she passes by the pillow pile.
Jingle pokes out her tongue. That's followed up with a sign, "I'm ... in the period part of my cycle. Crampy. No reversions, so this is a real cycle, looks like."
"Hmmm, didn't know Savanites worked that way," Tulani admits. "Mave probably knows all about it though. We need to know how long it lasts."
"What, you don't want me bleeding during the event?" Jingle signs and smirks. "Can you fetch her? I can't exactly yell for her, and without my hearing, I don't know where she is."
"Try to relax while I go find her then," Tulani says. "This place is a labyrinth after all." Then she heads off into the dark vault.
Easier said than done. The cramps aren't bad yet, but they are noticeable! So there's all sorts of positions tried to see if any one helps. It's a true test of 'comfort level: cat'. At one point she's on her back, sort of, but bent like a 'C', with her head and arms hanging down towards the floor.
Eventually, Tulani returns with Mave in tow. Today Mave is a tan-and-brown furred bat with black hair. "My back hurts looking at you like that," the Yodhinala points out. "Can you please straighten out?"
"That is less comfortable," Jingle signs from this position. Grumbling, she does get up though and lie, well flat. Flat and boring.
Well, boring until Mave reaches down and sticks a finger into her! She actually wiggles it around a bit before withdrawing it.
Jingle barks! at that! "Hey, warning please?!" she signs in agitation. "And ask!"
Mave ignores the signs, and sniffs her finger before giving it a lick. "Ah.. no, you haven't started menstruating," she claims. "You're starting your fertile cycle, the discomfort is just a warning that you're preparing to ovulate. Savanites are on a forty-day cycle, so you'll be ovulating for about six days."
"That soon?" Tulani asks, looking thoughtful.
"And in pain the entire time?" Jingle signs as she sits up and groans soon after. "Does this mean I'll also be fertile?" She looks at Tulani next, asking in sign, "What does that mean?"
"The discomfort will stop once ovulation begins, it's just from your uterus preparing itself," Mave says. "Once that stops, your pheromone and hormone production will increase, and you'll be more attractive to Savanite men."
Jingle makes a face. "So, I'll be hot and desirable even more than I am?" she sighs. This is both good and bad!
"You'll also be a bit more sexually aggressive, but you can probably manage that," Mave says. "Nothing to worry about!"
"I'm the pinnacle of pure and chaste behavior!" Jingle claims in sign. And with a straight face, even.
"We need to move quickly then," Tulani says. "My plan will work better if she's in heat."
"Excuse me?" Jingle signs. "What do you mean by that...?"
"The more interest from Savanite males the better," Tulani explains. "Since we're trying to break an underground slave breeding program."
"So, you want to get me kidnapped, or bought outright into this ring?" Jingle signs, head tilted. "You never told me what we were infiltrating."
"Well, it's also an illegal fighting and gambling ring," Tulani says, waving a hand. "Brutal slave fighting. Not sure who is reaping all the rewards yet though, but it's the sort of thing the Yodhblakat frown on."
"So, I'll be in an actual locked slave collar then for this," Jingle signs, "Risky, since I can't speak and such, but ... the good news is I'm not reverting. So this form seems pretty stable and should last a long time. I think."
"Hopefully, since I can't bring the Light along," Tulani says. "And I worry now that if I charge you up again, you might really get pregnant."
"How possible is that?" Jingle signs to Mave. "Could a guy actually knock me up?"
"But for what it's worth, I'm close to full anyway," Jingle adds to Tulani.
"Then we should be good, I just need to pack our things," Tulani declares. "Which.. doesn't come to much, mainly overcoats."
"And lock the collar on. I assume I'm the only one with the locked once since I'm a savanite?" Jingle asks.
"Yes, my collar will have the key on it," Tulani says, "Yours also comes with a bell though, so it's probably nicer." She retrieves two coats that she had picked out earlier. They're just plain black cloth, nothing fancy, but big enough to wrap closed in front (probably Vartan ones originally).
Jingle extends her hand and takes the coat. She peers, and realizes she'll be practically swimming in it, but at least it means modest! So, on she slips the coat, then fidgets with it until it hangs reasonably and she can close it. She also folds down the collar to make sure her neck is easily accessible. "Don't get any weird ideas," she signs, too.
"Weirder than what?" Tulani asks as she gets her own coat on. The bag she picks up has all of their dancing gear. "I'll put the collar on once we get to Slaves to Art and wait for our escort."
"All right," Jingle signs and flips her collar right back up. "At least I'm not some beefy cat, so I don't have to carry stuff," she signs, grins wide. Also, faster as she heads up the stairs quick!
"I shouldn't have told her where we were going," Tulani laments as she hurries to catch up.
Helse doesn't say a word when the pair arrive, and just waves them towards the hall and back room. There's only one Savanite girl being worked on, and the waiting room is empty save for a slumbering male Fnerf that might as well be furniture.
Jingle, for her part, slinks through! In passing, she reaches out and gooses everyone being worked on as she goes! Why? Cat. Her ears wiggle, she waves, then quickly slips into the hallway! Hopefully before retaliation.
"Are you being playful or wicked?" Tulani has to ask as she gets the collars out. They look alike, both hinged and polished ironwood rings that look a bit wider than necessary. While Tulani's has a simple latch with a hanging key, Jingle's comes with a metal bell on the lock. The metal is very thin, and folded over what's probably a stone ball inside.
"Wicked, of course," Jingle signs and pokes out her tongue again. She also sheds her coat for now, since she's assuming she's to dress here after all. So, now one naked cheetah! Close to being in heat, at that.
Tulani puts the expensive-looking collar onto Jingle before donning her own matching one. Then she sheds her coat as well and starts to lay out the bells and chains they both need to put on. "Be sure to act.. expensive," Tulani requests as she starts decking out the cheetah.
Jingle's ear twitches at the subtle click as the lock sets. She reaches up and checks, and yes, it's quite locked. It'll take a key or saw to get that off (or a really good lockpicking!). "How does one ask expensive?" Jingle signs, actually curious as to the answer. "Coy?" Then she's going about picking up her part of the bell-costume to wear and carefully starts suiting herself. She's had enough practice at this point to put things on at least.
"I don't know," Tulani admits. "I'm a sailor at heart. Uh.. I guess.. snobby?" she suggests while getting her own gear on.
"Given the scent I'll likely be giving off, not sure I'll have to try too hard to get attention," Jingle signs, shrugs, and well, jingles. "Are you intending to sell me to them, or want them to take me?"
"I'm not sure how it works," Tulani says. "We'll both be up on stage dancing as entertainers.. so we just need to make a big impression on the audience, I think."
"So, going in blind. Got it. Our usual," Jingle quips with her fingers. Now suited, she tests that each ring and stay put well.
A few twirls and steps ensure that everything is in place and staying put. Tulani does the same thing. Then they hear a throat clearing from the doorway.
Jingle looks over her shoulder questioningly.
There's a tiger in the doorway. Unlike other tiger Khattas, this one seems a bit undersized. "Are you the dancing girls?" it asks, in an oddly pitched voice.
Jingle's ear twitches at the odd sound; trying to place why it seems odd. She gives a small thumbs-up and a nod to communicate a 'yes'. She's not sure he would know sign.
"Yes, that's us," Tulani says, and gets the coat back on Jingle before doing her own (since wings always make things a little more complicated). "We're Black Velvet and Jingle Bell," she adds once the coats are in place.
Jingle fiddles with her coat again. Her eyes flick and she checks the tiger for a collar quick as she gets the coat set.
The tiger isn't wearing a collar.. but does have some tattooing on the inside of one ear, visible through the fluff. A large earring helps to draw attention to it. Their clothes are nothing particularly noteworthy though, just a plain gray tunic and black trousers. "Alright, you're to follow me then. I'm Terri" The tiger gestures for them to follow, and then turns heads back down the hallway deeper into the salon.
Jingle gives Tulani a questioning eyebrow raise. She taps one ear, then gestures after the tiger. That done, she heads down the hallway, following the tiger.
"Abu-Dhabian I suspect," Tulani whispers in Sylvanian. "Eunuch, so probably a harem-guard." They go all the way back to the door that opens on the interior stairwell of the support tower. Which means they're probably going past the weird leather worker and the weird Skeek spa to other weird places.
Jingle winces at 'harem guard'. She knows what that means! For now, onward she goes. And quickly, she discovers how much she misses her Eeee hearing; it's like being half blind down here in the city when you can't hear shapes. But, onward she goes, keeping the tiger in her sight.
The guide lights a taper as they get deeper down, finally turning at a landing into another passage, which eventually leads to a narrow bridge-way spanning between this tower and another of the support towers beneath Cenesta Plaza. It's dark down here, and Jingle can just see dark drop-offs defining the edges of the bridge. At least Tulani is behind her in case she slips!
"Dangerous place," Jingle signs over her shoulder. The height doesn't bother her; even without wings. So used to them it doesn't quite register yet. She is worried how far they are going, though. Just the two of them in a dark place makes them vulnerable; even if Tulani is a pirate.
"Meant to confuse our sense of direction," Tulani whispers in Sylvanian. They make it to the next tower, and then it's climbing spiral stairs and moving between rooms, then to other bridges and eventually to a section that actually has light and sound and people in it, even though they get shuffled off into a curtained section before seeing the main room. "Wait here," Terri says, leaving them with some other Khatta dancing girls. Given their dress, they're probably imported belly-dancers from Abu-Dhabi.
Well, not having Eeee senses, Jingle is rather lost down here. She has no audible-map for the area to compare too. Onward they go! And soon, they're in a place, with other people! She nods at the request to 'wait here' and shifts her attention to the khatta. She wiggles her fingers at them in greeting.
The Khatta girls seem to ignore Jingle (since she's just a slave) and instead focus on the taller-than-them Tulani. One of them says something in Abu-Dhabian, and Tulani replies with, "I only know how to order drinks in Abu-Dhabian."
Jingle shrugs and sheds off her coat. She stretches for a bit, smooths out her pelt, and arranges her bells. She also rolls her eyes at being snubbed! She's obviously prettier, anyway.
The Abu-Dhabians have that short-furred sand-colored look, with black paws, muzzles and tail-tips and green eyes. They look lanky rather than curvy, but show sudden interest in all the bells and chains being exposed. Tulani also starts to remove her own coat, then remembers their ruse and says, "Jingle, get my coat."
Jingle, keeping to her role, bows silently, then goes behind her and helps Tulani shed the coat. She even folds it up nicely before setting it down, on top of her own to keep it clean and not touching the floor.
The dressing area even has a full length mirror, like Mave's, and combs and brushes. Some quick touch-ups are made to their hair before Terri returns. The heavy curtain blocks out sound pretty effectively, but it's clear that a performance has just concluded from the smattering of applause. "The band knows the bell dance," they say, and gives the pair an objective looking over. "Are you ready?"
Tulani does a few stretches and looks to Jingle, while saying, "We're ready."
Jingle herself nods, then gestures to Tulani in confirmation and takes a step back so she's positioned one pace behind her. She also rocks her head side to side, popping her neck and moving the collar around some.
Terri steps back and hold the curtain aside, so they can see the circular stage. The lighting is pretty bright - possibly magic, and the curtained 'booths' around the stage are dark in comparison.
"We can do this," Tulani says in Sylvanian, though maybe more to herself than to Jingle. The Sphynx isn't quite the exhibitionist, although Babel must be wearing off on her. She does manage to step out towards the stage.
That annoys Jingle a little; she was curious to see the clientele. But that's probably the point, it's all private. She keeps to her role and waits for Tulani to signal her to begin her part, as a proper slave should. She also forces herself to have a sly sort of smile on her muzzle, and even blows a kiss to the audience, though. And then she follows Tulani out onto the stage. Sensing her friend is worried, she starts off the 'dance' to help distract her from the watchers and instead focus on each other. For now, even belled, Jingle's movements are completely quiet as she glides a circle around her 'owner'.
The music is low, so as not to overwhelm the bells. It's the first time Jingle has heard it, but it keeps time to what they've practiced. They start off back to back and move with practiced ease. There's a slight rumble under their feet though, and it becomes apparent that the stage is slowly rotating. Somewhere below are Savanite men powering it all, as Jingle can smell them and their sweat very clearly.
This is at least Jingle's element; performance. So being watched doesn't worry her at all; she's actually relaxed and trying to use that to get Tulani to relax too. For all her teasing, right now she's actually being a 'professional entertainer', and using her movements to make her partner look better. As the dance slowly goes, and where the dance permits, she very clearly puts herself on display; high tail hikes, rump lifted, graceful leg spreading steps. Her nostrils also flare as she scents the savanites below them. They're making her feel a bit ... fuzzy.
Tulani does relax at least, since the audience is hidden and quiet. The moving stage wasn't expected, but it's not going fast enough to cause missteps. The bells jingle and chime, providing most of the music - the dance is just using their bodies as instruments, with a bit of stringed accompaniment from the musicians. It's pretty warm in there too, and Jingle is starting to feel a bit more than just fuzzy; she's feeling a bit wet.
Fortunately it's not causing her to lose focus; but it is making her feel an odd sort of wanting and need. And kind of an itch, though not to the point of complete distraction. On she goes, slow and precise movements, fluid and with jingles only when expected. Her acts of 'display' continue as well; and those folks might spot, well, there's a line of damp fur between her legs at this point, too. Not dripping, but noticeable if looked for.
The lights make everything a bit shiny, especially the glass bells. Eventually the dance comes to an end. The applause indicates that the practice was worth it though. There's no encore apparently, as Terri is holding the curtain back and gesturing to them.
"Well done, Mistress," Jingle signs to Tulani and flashes her a smile once their backs are to the crowd. For all the joking while practicing, Jingle actually enjoyed being up on a stage and performing. The act of mesmerizing an audience has been missed.
In the dressing room there's a carafe of water waiting, as the next two dancers get ushered onto the stage. "Well.. that was.. different," Tulani says once they're alone. She wipes her palms off on a towel before pouring some of the water.
"It was fun," Jingle signs as she grabs a towel and uses it to wipe ... elsewhere. "Could you smell the savanites below us? I sure could and well, started things. Guh, I'm feeling funky," she signs after tossing the towel.
"I didn't smell anything, so you may just be extra sensitive to that now," Tulani says, offering Jingle a glass of water. "I think we wait now."
Jingle downs the water and then licks the rim of the cup with her forked tongue. Bad for speaking, but since she doesn't speak, well, her tongue was modified for pleasure (Well, Pierce' was, she inherited). "I figured. Nothing may happen, we may be taken at weaponpoint, or someone may try to buy one of us. Who knows?" she signs quickly and closely so likely only Tulani can see.
While the other dancers are still performing, Terri returns and closes the curtain behind him. "You've been requested for a private audience," the tiger says. The tone suggests that refusing isn't really optional.
Jingle gestures to herself, to Tulani, then to the pair of them as to ask 'which one'?
"Both of you," Terri clarifies. "Please follow me," he instructs, and heads deeper into the dressing room. What looks like a standing wardrobe is actually a doorway opening onto stairs.
Jingle sort of shrugs her shoulders to Tulani, gestures for her to go first, then follows behind like a good slave.
"Here we go," Tulani signs to Jingle once Terri's back is turned, and follows along. The stairs are a bit narrow, so probably meant for slaves or servants, and winds both up and down, and they're going up. Not too far though, before the exit through another disguised door into a room that's just above the stage level. One wall is opened to it so people can watch the performances, and there are sliding panels that can provide privacy. The furniture is a mix of Abu-Dhabian and Babelite, and Terri leads them to a curtained side-chamber. When he pulls the curtain back, there's a burst of perfumed incense smoke. "Please enter," he instructs.
Jingle's nose wrinkles briefly from the scent, but in she goes without any real hesitation. A slave with her owner should be safe, in theory, so she keeps up the act. Interesting scent, though; is this really an Abu Dhabian group running everything? That could be extra-dangerous.
The floor is mostly cushions and rugs, with a white Khatta lounging on a pile of pillows, one hand holding a hookah pipe. There are also two big loincloth and collar wearing Savanites to either side. "Please, come in and be welcome," the feline purrs in with a slight accent. "I was most impressed by your performance."
Tulani actually bows slightly. "You flatter us," she claims.
Jingle bows deeply to the lounging feline. She can't help but sniff at the larger males, too, given her condition. Once she rises she remains a step behind Tulani and doesn't move to sit or do anything until bidden by her 'betters'.
"I am known as White Zolk," the lounging Khatta says, and pats the cushions next to him. "Please join me, Black Velvet," he purrs.
Jingle folds her hands behind her back and stands quiet, tail curled about one leg and a slight hip cock to appear demure and deferential to Tulani.
Tulani's wings twitch once, but then she sashays over and tries seat herself decorously. "I have never met a Solus before," White Velvet claims, and Tulani doesn't try to correct him. He also gestures to one of his Savanites and points to Jingle. The big cat approaches her and offers his hand.
Jingle also flicks her eyes to the two savanites, checking their ears for tattoos. Right before the approach, anyway. The approach causes her to blink, and she offers a shy smile and then reaches out her hand and places it in his.
The tall man leads Jingle out of the room and away from the incense, and leads her across the viewing chamber and through a small kitchen area, currently unattended, then through another short hall to the slave dormitory. The furnishings are simple, there a single lamp for light and a narrow opening high on one wall that is probably for ventilation. There are two more Savanites there, one big and scarred and the other a smaller pregnant woman. The one that was leading her here lets go of her hand and leaves her with the others before returning back to his master's side.
This causes Jingle's face to go through a range of emotions from embarrassed, to finally confused. "Hello," she signs to the other two. "I apologize, but ... should I be concerned being in here? My Mistress is out there talking to a man called White Zolk."
Jingle is also looking over hem for collars, or other marks, such as ear tattoos, or worse, brands.
Both of them have white Zolk collars. The big male also has an eyepatch of the same material. There's no sign of tattooing, so these aren't imported slaves. The small woman makes a flower sign, "Lily" and then points to the scarred one and signs, "Tomb Stone."
Lily gestures for Jingle to come sit with them.
Jingle signs 'jingle', then rings one of the bells for emphasis. Then she moves to sit with the other two. She shifts a bit, uncomfortably.
"Do you dance?" Lily asks, entranced by the bells and decorations.
Jingle nods. "Yes," she replies. "You?"
"I cook," the other woman signs. "Tomb Stone is a pit fighter," she explains. So far the big (musky smelling) man hasn't signed anything, but does lean in slightly to sniff Jingle.
"I'm sorry," she signs to Tomb Stone; probably due to him being a pit fighter. "I'm an entertainer and," she adds, ears back a bit, "Pleasure slave. I was trained and modified to be pleasing in many ways." She demonstrates by licking her lips with her very forked tongue.
The man caresses some of the bells to make them jingle. "Fragile," he signs, finally communicating. His fingers are slow though.
Jingle nods. "Very," she signs. The movement makes her suspect he has some damage to his hands, and thus can't sign well at all. She reaches over and pats one of his hands. "Do you know why I was brought here?" she asks Lily with the other hand.
"Master has business with your Mistress," Lily signs. "This is the room for slaves."
"What kind of business?" Jingle pushes a little, looking worried.
Jingle finds herself being lifted suddenly, only to be set down in Tomb Stone's lap. "You are pretty, so he may want to purchase you," Lily signs. "Or your Mistress is pretty."
Jingle's ears flick back some. Not at being picked up, that she settles back against the large male, but at Lily's suggestion. "She is pretty," Jingle confirms, "So, hopefully that. What is your Master like?"
"He has fish brought in, and it is not very fresh, so I must use lots of spices," she signs, and sticks her tongue out a bit to signal her distaste. "I do not serve him directly."
Well, that's at least .. he doesn't beat them? Jingle's head tilts, and she mimics the disgusted look of Lily. "But you at least I hope comfortable? You are with child," Jingle signs.
"I am comfortable enough," Lily signs and gestures to one of the dry straw beds. "I have not seen the sky in many years though, and this room and the kitchen are my world."
"There isn't much to see outside unless you go high," Jingle signs. "I have seen mostly the insides of airships and dance halls. And sometimes bedrooms when Mistress requires me to entertain clients." Her ears fold back a bit at that, then she shrugs.
One of those folded back ears gets nipped by Tomb Stone, and she can feel something rising up against her bottom. "This city seems like a graveyard," Lily signs. "So much buried and dark, a city of tombs with people living on top of them."
"Not wrong. This is a very old city and lots of history and death," Jingle signs. The touch on her lower back and the nip causes her to glance back, poke out her tongue, then wink playfully. "Who is the father?" she signs to Lily when she glances back.
"Tomb Stone," Lily signs back. "His children are very valuable."
Jingle's ears go back again. "Valuable? Why?" she asks.
That little bit of encouragement seems to be all the big cat needed, and soon Jingle is repositioned and impaled by something thick. "He is undefeated," Lily signs in response.
Jingle barks when she's suddenly impaled! She wasn't expecting him to be that forward! Or in front of Lily! She sits there blinking a bit after, and dealing with the urge to rock her body is really pushing. She tries to sign, but finds she can't really do that very well while being, well, filled. So, ultimately, she ends up rocking.
Tomb Stone is very gentle other than the initial penetration (good thing she was already lubricated), and lets Jingle do most of the moving so that her glass bells and chains don't get damaged. Lily doesn't seem to mind, and signs, "If he gets too rough, dig your claws into his thigh."
"Does he do this to every woman?" Jingle signs at some point when she's taking a break from hip-moving. That's short-lived, though. Instinct is pushing her hard and she's not that used to having such an 'itch' so to speak, and soon she's right back to rolling, and clenching.
The big man moves his hips a little bit, bouncing Jingle every so often to make all of her bells go off. "I assume so," Lily signs.
Jingle also wonders if this is some sort of trap. Try to force a pregnancy, then claim ownership. Which the point is to infiltrate, so she's hardly stopping him. No, really, that's the reason ... honest. So is the demonstration of incredible muscular control she learned from Mave as part of her 'training'.
"Nice," is all Tomb Stone signs where Jingle can see it, before holding onto her hips with his hands. They cover a lot. It also helps with the bouncing since he can hold her up, then rise to meet her.
Jingle, well, purrs. She works things with disturbing skill as she tries to get him to fountain and cool her itch. "Sorry," she signs to Lily apologetically. Probably because she can't exactly converse right now!
Tomb Stone either has a lot of stamina or just needs a lot of stimulation. Although he does start to bounce her a bit insistently, based on the sound of the bells.
Jingle's eyes are closed and she's purely focused on being bred. Her body is urging it pretty intensely, even if it's ultimately futile. Her muscles are working in a rolling ripple at this point, and she's sort of purr-moaning with each-roll.
There is a lot of loud purring going on. Then the Jingle gets her bell rung with some sudden hard bounces, and finally feels the big cat's fountain (and his teeth biting the scruff of her neck as well)
The biting only makes the urges worse. She pushes down, forcing him as deep as she can when he fountains. She shudders in his lap, growling and squirming as she too peaks. The can feel the rush of warmth deep inside, and it's helping ease that needing-itch, at least for now. It also makes her instinctively clench so she doesn't ... leak any.
Perhaps this isn't the best position for retention, but it helps that the big cat is still plugging things up as well. "The others should be back soon," Lily signs.
Jingle is still for now, and clenched to help keep things in; it's instinctual; she can't actually relax and lift off quite yet. The signing, though, gets her attention and she suddenly looks panicked! She breathes a few times, then tries to relax and pull herself off. At least it's not a karnor!
Tomb Stone helps lift her off, and actually sets her on her (somewhat shaky) feet.
Jingle clenches her thighs together and pants. Also looks for a towel to clean up with!
There isn't much cloth available.. but Tomb Stone offers his loin-cloth. Then several more big, sweaty Savanites wander in. Jingle knows that smell! They must have been the ones that were powering the stage before.
Jingle takes the loin cloth and cleans herself up as best she can. Right before going wide-eyed at the large males that come in. She covers her nose to try and keep the urges under control!