Terra Prima

Just One Day Later

Issi sat dazed for several seconds after Set left, just touching her parted lips in astonishment. Slowly, the D'Avignon got to her feet, gripping the flower in one had just as the brown-eyed girl ducked into the tent, under the flap to the outdoors. Now, Issi realized that the kurar of her kidnapper was at least three times more elaborate than any of the other tents outside-a sure sign of his rank. The majority of the tigerhorses bore the mark on their wither that was at the small of his back-a flower with beautiful, curving petals and a depressed center. The patterns on the petals were intricate and indescribable, nor would Issi lessen their beauty by trying to describe them.

The brown-eyed girl touched her shoulder, startling Issi back to reality. Her eyes widened briefly before focusing on the half-naked girl. The girl took Issi's hand in her fingers and knelt down, eyes seeking Issi's blue ones. Like the old crone, the girl had been momentarily startled by the pure atchi-ga blue of the new prize's eyes, the paleness of her skin and the soft figure of her body. They were not traits she had ever seen in any tribe but the Ice Tribes to the far, far south.

That must have been where this girl came from, the girl though. Rider Set must have raided her from another group who had raided another, all the way back until her homeland. Whoever she is, Rider must prefer her, to keep her in his tent all night. It was a show of ownership, daring any other men-whether in his camp or of the many nearby laytrun to try to claim her as a mate or slave. Rider Set was not known to be possessive of his slaves-he had many, almost as many as he had torauma.

He never pursued stolen slaves, he just let them go and when he saw their new owners, he would act as though nothing happened. Although, it was more like Rider Set just gave slaves away to men who wanted to mate them, since he'd never refused a mating request unless it was something ridiculous, such as a man with several official mates or more than three unofficial ones.

Issi panicked at the glint in the girl's eyes, and tried to pull her hand back. The girl clasped tighter, pulling Issi down to the still-carpeted ground with her. Cautiously, Issi knelt knee-to-knee with the girl, her calves under her thighs and her toes pointed inwards to make a comfortable-but-numbing seat for her rear end. The girl lifted the hand not strangling Issi's and touched her own shoulder.

"Kafura," she said, then reached out and touched Issi's shoulder. "Veshk?" Issi nodded.

"Issi," she said, understanding instantly, even if Set had touched her mouth and not her shoulder. "Issabella. Issi."

"Issabella?"

"Issi."

"Issi," Kafura repeated, looking pleased with herself. She touched her own shoulder again, "Kafura," then placed a hand on Issi's. Her fingers tightened, so she now held Issi's hand and shoulder in vice-grips. "Issi," she said, releasing the dark-haired girl's shoulder and pressing a hide into her lap. "Nurtyua patryx n mubalgro, Issi. Jkaa, ulbesta." Issi blinked at Kafura in confusion, so the girl sighed and pulled Issi's shirt over her head.

Issabella let out a squeal, crossing her forearms over her near-naked breasts. She tried to pin her hips to the ground, but Kafura easily lifted them and jerked her pants off. Issi was left only in her underwear. She watched Kafura warily as the girl first studied her bra with unashamed interest, then the other girl simply pulled it over Issi's head, resulting in her breasts being uncomfortably squished for a few seconds as Kafura tried to pull upwards too hard without pulling out.

Issi's arms only ended up clamping harder over her chest, and she huddled into herself, putting all her weight on her butt. Kafura pressed the animal skin on Issi's thighs down hard. "Patryx!" Kafura ordered, sounding extremely irritated. Issi just stared, eyes narrowed, uncertain of what to do. Impatiently, Kafura dragged her to her feet and stripped the rest of the clothing off of Issi's body. The girl shrieked.