The Ninja and the Neko |:|Mali|Haru|:|

[Haruchai]

Mythic Japan, a land shrouded in mystery and legend. Home to not only humans, but nekos, anthros, kitsune, ogres, oni, yokai and a myriad other beings. Ruled over, at least in name, by Emperor Yamato, the shogun and their daimyo feud over land and borders, and no other hatred runs as deep as that between the shogun, Lord Edo and his rival shogun, Lord Zanko.

The savagery of Lord Zank was known all throughout Japan, and the border that the two shoguns always battled over was drawn between the areas of Dewa and Mutsu, the largest areas of land in all of Japan. Each shogun sought to increase his power of course, though their methods varied greatly. One of the most trusted warriors of Lord Edo was his ninja, simply known as Kenaida. This young man is a ninja of considerable skill and power, and he carries out the will of his Lord to the very best of his ability. Thus far Lord Zanko has yet to find a warrior that he can sway to his side that is a match for Kenaida, but Zank does still keep looking.

----------​

In northern Mutsu, the city of Hiraizumi is where both Lord Edo and Kenaida make their home, though the shogun lives in a palace only accessible by a narrow stone bridge, or by flight. This makes the castle almost impenetrable.

It was after his latest mission, and on his way home, that Kenaida, going simply by the name Ken, heard a pitiful mewling. The keen senses of the ninja soon located the meek sounds and he saw there, in the gutter, a small black and white kitten. The animal was obviously malnourished and weak, barely able to lift its head, and covered in mud and dirt. Taking pity on the tiny and vulnerable creature, Ken would coax it from where it hid and scoop it into his strong and sure hands. It could not weigh more than just a few pounds, and the warrior, who followed the rules of bushido, found reason to follow that and show respect and compassion. That so many passed by the poor animal, and in the streets of their Lord's own city, filled the ninja with shame.

Soon he arrived home, and the bachelor sat the small cat on his bed and then running a warm shallow bath, bringing the little cat to it and beginning to wash it. Only there did he discover that it was a tiny female, yet that did not sway him, and once the kitten was clean and dry he would set it down to then walk to the kitchen. Observing whether it would follow, or even had the strength to, the young Ken would cut up some food, throwing some into hot oil to fry for himself and placing a bowl down on the floor to see if the cat would eat.

---------------

 

[Malicious Lullaby]

She hadn’t meant to. It was a simple misunderstanding but for Lord Zanko, it was apparently the last straw. He kicked her out and that left the young neko a bit despondent and unsure of what to do or where to go.

Kala didn’t know how long it had been. She had no luck that someone would find her or pick her up when she was just in her human form, ears and tail exposed. So she used the last bit of strength she had in her to shift into her full kitten form but that seemed worse. But what was worse than being ignored, even in the city of the reputable and noble Lord Edo, was that she couldn’t turn back into her human form. She was stuck in her kitten form and it was due to her exhaustion and lack of energy and strength.

That day, it was dark and gloomy and she rummaged around an alley for little scraps of food. She was covered in mud, her icy hazel eyes the only form of color coming from the grime. It was pitiful. It was pathetic. Lord Zanko wouldn’t take her back. She tried that, only for him to kick her out and actually beat her a little bit to further emphasize her disobedience, as he called it.

Sitting back, she let out a sad wail of pain, which really only came out as a quiet mewl. Then a miracle happened and a man found her. She quickly turned away and hid behind a trash structure but he didn’t go away. He seemed intent on helping her. Hesitantly, she walked forward, sniffing his hand, letting him pick her up. She shook in his arms and fought the ability to stay awake, but she didn’t relax. She was more tense in his arms the entire time than she was in the streets. What if this was false hope?

At his home, she ducked herself low as she walked forward. But he picked her up again and took her for a bath. She fought him a little bit but the warmth of the water relaxed her and she didn’t fight him. He cleaned her, washed her and even left food out for her. It took her some time to eat, let alone approach the bowl. She sniffed the food. It made her little stomach growl so loudly. So she ate. In a matter of short minutes the bowl was empty and even licked clean. But Kala ran away and hid under the table in his living area. He found her, took her home, bathed her and fed her. But she was still a little tense. She didn’t want to give into hope, especially if it was false hope. All she had to do was mess up once and he would kick her out too, surely he would!

 

[Haruchai]

Ken let her eat in peace, watching her tiny form, so pitiful and skinny. She was really a cute little kitty, and afew more meals would do her well and get some meat on her bones. She ran away though, and hid from him, though she was not hard to find. He knelt where she could see and spoke softly to her.

"My name is Ken. You are welcome to stay here as long as you like, and I have a warm spot on my bed you re welcome to use." he told her. It was not usual, but sometimes it was rumored that a yokai or even a deity would take a corporeal form and test mortals. Not that Ken would ever mistreat a kitten like this, but he was unsure if she understood him or not. Better to let her know she had a soft warm bed.

"I am going to go and bathe, and then it will be time to sleep. You're welcome to follow me to my room." he said to the little kitten, and then stood, padding to his washroom to draw a bath the water warm but not hot, and he would bathe and then dry, slipping into a fundoshi that he always slept in. He then went to find the kitty, wanting to make sure it was safe. When he found it, he would speak again.

"I am going to bed Little One. You can follow me if you like, but please do not leave my house. There is danger out there for one such as you. I will feed you again in the morning." he said, and would then go to bed, wondering if the little kitten would follow.

 

[Malicious Lullaby]

All of a sudden she flinched when she saw his face under the table. She backed up a little bit and relaxed a little. His words were so kind and gentle. He seemed genuine in wanting to help her. Perhaps this was not false hope. But knowing her bad streak of luck, the moment she believed that, the universe wanted to prove her wrong. Though she did believe he was being genuine. Still though, even after he offered her that, it took her a few moments to gather the courage.

Only once he left, her icy gaze following him as he went away to see where he went to, did she wait a few more moments before slowly coming out from under the table. Kala padded softly toward his room and poked her curious head in before retreating back as she saw a flash of his toned naked form walk by. She hid behind the door, not like a kitten but like a human in the guise of a kitten.

That was where she stayed for the duration of his bath. He found her again though and she looked up at him. He was barely clothed and she quickly looked away, her little paw covering over her eyes as if in bashful shame. But it wasn’t really shame. It was out of respect since he did not give her permission to look upon his very fine, chiseled and toned form.

As he spoke, she looked back in his direction but her gaze landed at his feet where she decided to keep it. Feet were safe. Feet were not disrespectful.

She waited another moment or two before padding into his room. He did invite her after all. His bed was not high and she was able to just walk onto it easily. She settled beside him, more like in the vacant spot he did not occupy and curled up into a little ball after walking around in circles a couple of times. Settled, she closed her eyes and let out a sigh of relief through her nose. Kala made sure she did not keep too close to him. But the comfort and warmth of his bed was a lot better than the dank, rainy and cold ground of the outside alleyways she had been frequenting.

 

[Haruchai]

Ken was aware of her little movements. As a ninja and a warrior-borne, he had been extensively trained to notice such things. She was exceedingly cute, and as she padded onto his small mattress on the floor, he smiled. She seemed to relax at least a little, and Ken turned over to face her, letting her cuddle against his chest if she so desired, and he promptly fell asleep.

The morning arrived and it was not long before Ken was at work in the kitchen. He kept no servants or staff of any sort, though he could, and instead he preferred to remain a bachelor in all ways. With a smile he got up and moved out to his small garden to meditate and go through his morning ritual. Only once that was done would he go to break his fast. Preparing some steamed rice, miso soup and some grilled fish, once more Ken set aside some fish for the tiny kitten. Surely she would never eat too large of a portion, and once he was done he carried the prepared meal to his bedroom. It was his house and he could eat as he so pleased, so protocol was ignored.

Sitting her food close to the side of the mattress, he sat cross-legged on the floor and began to eat, watching her curiously.

 

[Malicious Lullaby]

Sometime during the night, she must have moved closer to him whenever she felt the need to shift her sleeping position. And come morning, Kala found herself nuzzled into his chest, finding his body heat the most comforting than just the bed alone.

That morning, she woke up when he got up from the bed. She sat up fully alert, as if the movement frightened her more than anything. Eyes rid of the tiredness, she watched him with so much tension, her heart was pounding. It didn’t even occur to her that he was just getting up. And Kala was by his side wherever he went. Not because she was attached to him per se but rather because she wanted to make sure he wasn’t preparing to throw her out.

Even as he did his meditation, she sat right beside him. As he cooked his and her meals, she was right beside his feet in the kitchen. And when it became clear to her that he wasn’t throwing her out but just making them both food, she was eager for the food. Even going onto her back feet a couple of times to try and sneak a peak. She hated that she couldn’t shift back to her human form. Being stuck as a kitten was a bit of a damper. But he seemed to like her as a kitten. It might freak him out if she did shift when she did get her strength back.

Following him to the bedroom, this time without hesitation or reservation, she sat down on her hind legs beside his bed and immediately dug into the fish he laid out for her. It was delicious but she found she was hungrier than she had been last night. Last night she was more terrified and exhausted than hungry. Now that she had a full night’s rest after a long time and actually ate real food rather than scraps, she had a bigger appetite. Even in kitten form, her appetite was that of a human’s. She didn’t take on all the traits. She could even talk in her kitten form but that required more strength than being able to simply shift.

Moving onto the bed, she sniffed the bowl he had, bringing her nose over the rim of it. She couldn’t help it. She was still hungry. And his bowl was the nearest bit of food. Sitting back on her hind legs, she looked up at him with the most innocent of expression. She even added an adorable sounding pleading mewl, letting her gaze drop back down to his bowl of food.

 

[Haruchai]

Ken could see that she was warming to him, or seemed to be by the way she was around his feet. She was a tiny thing and he could easily pick her up in one hand. She was obviously hungry as well and ate all he'd given her. She even nosed into his bowl! Ken smiled though, and took one last bite before she managed to give that pleading mew and he smiled at her.

"Alright, Little One, I will share with you." he said, and set down his bowl. He still had a little soup left, but he let her have the rest of his rice and fish. "I suppose I should name you, shouldn't I?" he mused, and he thought for a moment. "I'll call you Miko until I think of something better." he said, and smiled. He was still in just his fundoshi but he would get dressed once she got done eating.

"What would you like to do today Miko?" he asked, reaching out to pet her if she let him.

 

[Malicious Lullaby]

Kala rushed to his bowl he set down for her with delight, finishing the rest of the rice and fish and cleaning her palate with the little bit of soup left. She licked her lips and around her mouth and then sat down on her back legs, looking up at him, her tail flourishing slowly. She was already feeling so much better but not quite there yet. Whether it was because of the strength problem or she was just afraid to show her human form to him, Kala didn’t know.

He named her Miko. It wasn’t a terrible name. Even Kala wasn’t a terrible name. Her real name was Mitsu. But she was told to abandon that name once she was sold into Lord Zanko’s harem, given the name of Kala because of her hair. She had gotten used to it though but she missed going by her actual name. Still, Miko was close.

This time, she didn’t flinch when he reached to pet her. She even purred and turned into his touch, moving closer toward him. So much so, she actually settled in his lap, resting her head on his chest. That’s what she wanted to do today. She wanted to just sleep. With him.

 

[Haruchai]

Ken smiled as the little kitten did seem to start trusting a little, at least allowing him to pet her and cuddle while she was on a full tummy. Holding her he cradled her to his chest and rubbed the top of her head. "Maybe we can go out and look at the garden today. I bet you'd like the koi pond." he teased, and petted the little cat.

The ninja knew that she needed food and rest and a lot of both. He was more than willing to give her those things, and figured that she would make a cute and very loving little pet. That actually made him happy, and he had always had an affinity with felines. It was in his blood, and he'd not often had to unleash that predator part of himself, but when he did it was very much akin to feline traits.

Letting her sleep for a bit, Ken sat there for about an hour before he stood and walked outside with her still in his arms, and began to stroll through his personal garden. He found gardening therapeutic, and the zen garden was a wonderful way to relax. Ken just walked, nearly nude, and held onto his new friend.

 

[Malicious Lullaby]

She didn’t even really hear the last bit he said. She heard something about a koi pond and wanted to snort at that. Just because she was in kitten form didn’t mean she was going to lunge at the koi. They were sacred. And beautiful. And she preferred her fish cooked. Of course, she didn’t say any of that. No, Kala was fast asleep in his arms, finding a lot of comfort in them. He was more comfortable than his bed which was saying something. But then again, she had always slept in someone’s arms for as long as she could remember. If she pleased Lord Zanko, she was allowed to sleep in his arms. If she didn’t, she was returned back to the room she shared with the rest of his harem and they all cuddled together. In this cruel world, one like her could not be picky on where comfort was sought and found.

Feeling him move, Kala came awake, her eyes shooting open first before every bit in her little kitten body tensed. But she remained in his arms and looked about, seeing she was outside with him, the fresh air so kind and welcome. The air seemed different here than in the hustle and bustle of the city.

Kala jumped out of his arms and she stretched her body, waking up more before she began to prance about the garden, sniffing, exploring and basically familiarizing herself with the entire place. Perhaps she’d stay like this. Always. At least she would be safe and taken care of. She didn't know much else. She was born, taken, sold, raised in the world of pleasure and sold once again to Lord Zanko where she had been most of her life. Here with this man, Ken was his name, she could be free.

 

[Haruchai]

Ken was more than happy to let the little kitten down and he smiled as she stretched and then began to explore. Just beyond the zen garden was a rather large koi pond, and the fish there were beautiful and well kept. Ken might normally have felt a little strange traipsing about in his bare essentials, but he didn't mind and he was sure the kitten didn't care one way or another.

"We have all the free time in the world Little Miko, until Lord Edo has to send me back out. Sometimes there's things out there that his regular troops can't handle, and that's when he calls me." Ken said, obviously proud of that fact. "So what did you do little kitty, before I found you? Who would throw out such a cute little kitten? They must be cruel indeed. I wish I could say that every subject under Lord Edo's rule was kind and just, but every Lord has those that do not follow his ideals. Lucky I found you though, and I'll take care of you." he told her, smiling as she walked about, sniffing and playing.

One of the koi came to the surface, obviously curious about her, and poked it's snout from the water, squirting her almost playfully with water from the pond. Ken laughed. "Ichigo must like you! That's Ichigo, Taka, Byun, Hariki..." he told her, pointing out each koi as he named them. Then he pointed out a gold koi, larger than the others. "That is our grandfather koi here, very old. His name is Jenatsu. We just call him Jen. He knows his name and comes when called." Ken pointed out.

 

[Malicious Lullaby]

Coming up to the koi pond, Kala sniffed around the surface of the water, dipping her tongue in. She immediately drew back when a koi came up to the surface, making her back up a few steps. She looked up at Ken as he began to speak. She really wished she could muster up the strength to talk so he could understand. So she could explain where she came from, who she had once belonged to. But she couldn’t. If she didn’t have the strength to shift back into her Neko form, she certainly didn’t have the strength to talk to him.

Moving to him, she hopped over his feet, nuzzling her furry body against his legs. Going back to the pond, just because he was there which meant the koi wouldn’t scare her, she reached up on her hind legs, placing her paws on the edge and peered down. She sniffed the koi and then licked one in the face. Just because she could. She looked up at Ken and if she could smile as kitten, that’s what she did right now.

Kala always wanted to see a koi pond. Now she could. And it was beautiful.
All she could hope is that she could turn into her Neko form before he was called by Lord Edo. That is...if she was ready to show him that form. Staying as a kitten forever seemed really tempting.

 

[Haruchai]

Ken had always been in tune with animals, but felines especially, and as the little kitten played, he could almost see her smile. She was really quite adorable, and so well behaved. He wondered why anyone would throw her out. The interaction between her and the koi made him laugh, and Ken spoke to her again. "You seem very smart Miko, and I am going to go to the zen garden and meditate. You can stay here or explore as you see fit." he told her, and headed back the way they had come.

Ken moved from rock to rock, preferring not to disturb the gravel and sand and the lovely patterns that took so long to make, and soon he found his meditation rock, fairly tall and flat so he could sit on it, and he began his meditation. A ninja had to stay focused, mind and body, and as the premier ninja of his age, Ken was at the top of the heap... but there was always somebody looking to push him off. So far he had retained his superlative level of skill and was unmatched in sheer speed and skill. Many were stronger, at least physically, and various techniques fared well against one another. So far Ken had proven undefeated, though he knew that Zanko was always looking for the warrior that would bring him down. Ken had to keep his skills honed, and a ninja needed someone to pass his knowledge on to, just as his Master had to him.

Over an hour passed and Ken stood upon the rock, moving through his forms gracefully and with alacrity as he came close to the edge of unleashing his true power. He could feel the beast within, almost clawing to get out, but Ken kept it fettered and chained within, for this was not the time nor place, and the more he rode the edge, but did not release the being inside him, the stronger it became. Overusing the powers he had dulled them, but coming close to unleashing them meant that they were there when he needed them.

Exhaling and controlling his breath, Kenaida soon exited the garden the way he had come, using the rocks, and he looked around for the little kitten. He hoped she wasn't lost.

 

[Malicious Lullaby]

Kala looked back as he went off to the zen garden to meditate. She didn’t follow him. She decided to enjoy being outside. This garden and pond were so beautiful. Hopping onto the ledge of the koi pond, she walked along. From time to time, the koi would squirt her lightly but she didn’t mind. And then she found a butterfly along the edge and she started to chase it. She couldn’t help it. Sure, she was more Neko in mind even in her kitten form but her attention span was like a cat when she was in this form. She had that same attention span even in her Neko form, just not as strong. In her kitten form, well she was more like a kitten than anything else.

Slipping, Kala ended up falling into the koi pond. She couldn’t swim as a kitten but she could as Neko. Though she really didn’t like water all too much. Struggling and fighting, survival kicked in. Adrenaline pumped into her, giving her a new strength and she ended up shifting back into her Neko form. Her black tail grew longer, the fur on her body seemed to disappear away as her limbs took on a more human appearance and her feline face morphed into a more human face, short black hair sprouting out of her head into a small mess of a style with black ears popping up on the corners of her head. The pond wasn’t deep and she ended up just sitting there on her hands and knees, looking around. She was soaking wet.

Glancing up and back, Kala saw Ken and she managed a small sheepish smile. “Hi.” Icy hazel eyes stared back at him, a most innocent doe-eyed expression. She felt so tired all over again.

 

[Haruchai]

Ken wasn't there for the entire transformation, but as the koi pond came into view he could see a small woman sitting in the water at the shallow end. She had dark hair, but sported cat-like ears and a black tail. The most striking thing to him though, were her eyes. Large and innocent, cute as they took in the world... that, and her utterly nude form. She seemed well developed, and her soft breasts pressed together as she sat there. She spoke though and Ken jumped a little. A neko! She must not have had the strength to change back.

"Uhm, hello! Are you ok? Here, let me help you." Ken said, and would cross to the shallow side, trying not to stare at her human form too long, despite how utterly cute and fetching she was. "C'mon. I won't hurt you." he told her, and even turned his head as he held out a hand to her.

 

[Malicious Lullaby]

She was completely nude and her hair was not long enough to obscure her modesty. But she didn’t seem to even flinch at the idea of him seeing her naked. She was used to men seeing her naked. Her body was just a vessel. It was never her own. It never belonged to her.

“I am now. I fell in the water when I was chasing a butterfly.” She quipped. Sitting up, Kala brought her arms around herself to cover her breasts and she turned toward him. Keeping one arm around herself, she reached her hand out to his hesitantly, taking it finally when she was sure he would not pounce on her just because he found a naked young woman in his koi pond.

Stepping out after taking his hand, she stepped down and stood before him, almost a full foot shorter than him. She covered herself and looked up at him, blinking her eyes. “I’m Kala.”

 

[Haruchai]

It was hard not to stare. She was really quite adorable, but obviously fully grown and no prepubescent girl. Ken tried to keep his eyes averted. "Kala? Uhm, it's nice to meet you. Here, follow me back inside. I am sure I can find something for you to wear for the time being. Then we can go shopping and get you some clothes." he told her, and realized he was still holding her hand.

He let it go and said, "So someone threw you out, not only as a kitten, but knowing you are a neko? How cruel. I'm sorry that happened to you, but what I told you before still stands. You're welcome to stay here if you have nowhere else to go. My house is your house." he told her, and would lead her back toward the house and into his room. There he would go through his kimonos and find one that was a bit small and he no longer used. It would still be large on her, but at least it would cover her nudity. His dark eyes roamed over her briefly, and he felt the tel-tale throbbing in his loins. Best to get her covered.

"I can leave you be while you get dressed." he said.

 

[Malicious Lullaby]

Kala was about eighteen or nineteen. One of those, she was entirely sure since she did not know the exact date of her birth. But she was told that she was eighteen or nineteen. She was just...well preserved. Even though she had been part of Lord Zanko’s harem, he took care of his concubines very well because if he was not pleased by their appearance, that was enough to earn one of the girls a boot.

“I don’t mind being naked.” She said softly. She walked with him back to his home. “I was thrown out like this by Lord Zanko. I changed into a kitten so that maybe someone might care. But no one didn’t. Until you came along.” She said softly. Walking inside of his home, she looked at the kimono and smiled a little. Looking to him, Kala went to him and took his hand. “Can you stay? I-I need your help.” Which was half true. But she didn’t want him to go. He liked her like this also, not just as a kitten. She owed him so much.

 

[Haruchai]

Ken looked back at her sharply as she mentioned just who she had belonged to before. "Lord Zanko? No wonder he threw you out. He's a fucking monster!" he growled, and had to tamp down his anger. "You'll not be treated like that her Kala. I promise. I'll make sure you are well cared for." he told her.

She said she didn't mind being nude, and that led him to believe that she had probably been used as a pleasure slave. Such things were common across the land, even here in Lord Edo's domain, but most were not treated so cruelly. One wanted their concubines to be pretty, and so she must have given offense in some way. No matter. She was here now.

Surprised that she caught his hand as he turned to go, Ken nodded. "Alright then, I can stay. What do you need help with?" he asked. His free hand had strayed to her hip, touching her softly. It was a natural reaction as she stood so close, and it was hard to tell if he even realized he was doing it. His thumb stroked softly over her skin as he looked down at her, his attention devoted to her as he waited for what she had to say. He was, unlike so many others, paying attention and had a true interest in what she might say to him.

 

[Malicious Lullaby]

She flinched at his sudden anger. Probably from the mention of Lord Zanko, but nonetheless, his sudden anger scared her. He calmed down quickly though and she reluctantly relaxed, nodding her head slowly. “Thank you.” She said softly. He probbaly knew then what she was accustomed to if she had been Lord Zanko’s once upon a time. Not that she minded. It was all she knew after all.

“I need help with the sash and obi.” She said softly. “I’ve never put on a kimono by myself. I’ve always had help.” She never learned to fully do it. Not when Lord Zanko had many slaves to attend to his concubines to make sure they were exactly as he wanted, right down to the very miniscule detail.

Turning toward him fully, without shame of her body, she blinked her eyes and bit her lower lip. “I want to thank you. I do not know how.” She said softly. “You tell me how I can thank you properly for everything you’ve done. Had you not found me, I could have died.”

 

[Haruchai]

Ken had seen the fear in her eyes and yet he would apologize. "I am not angry at you Kala. That such a beautiful neko as you would be treated so poorly by Zanko just makes me hate him all the more." he admitted. Then as she explained what she needed help with, and then further asked how she could thank him, Ken was not so out of tune with things that he knew he could press for sex with the little neko should he so desire.

Part of him did, but he brought a hand up to her cheek to caress her skin.

"Sweet Little One, I would not seek to take advantage of you in that way. I did not save you to be repaid, or to put you in my debt. I helped you because it was the right thing to do. If you want to give yourself to me, realize that I will become your new Master, but I will not treat you as your old one did. I will only take you if that is what you desire. Your body will not be taken unless you so desire it, and yet you must understand that if you give yourself to me, that you will be mine. I do not take lovers, though I have been with women before. It is forbidden for me to marry. The decision to give yourself to me is yours and yours alone. Not mine. I will be perfectly happy if you simply want to live here, learn to cook and clean and be happy. I will even teach you archery, or ninjutsu, so you can defend yourself." Ken spoke to her, his thumb rubbing her cheek just below her beautiful eye.

 

[Malicious Lullaby]

"There were prettier ones. He has his favorites. I was almost one of them and then I made a mistake. But his favorites are far prettier than me." She said softly and she actually looked and felt sad about it. And she was. Even though Lord Zanko had treated her and all the girls badly, all she knew was how to be a pleasure slave. And she failed at that too. She didn't really know what she had that made her special or what value there was in her aside from being Neko. That was simply material. She wanted to be more than material.

Blinking her big eyes, Kala tilted her head and she frowned. "Y-You don't want me?" She asked. "What did I do wrong again?" She sat down on his bed and pulled her knees up to her chest. "I don't know how else to thank you." She didn't understand his kinder and noble intentions. She didn't understand why he wanted it to be her choice. She didn't understand any of it. She just knew cruelty, forceful natures and pleasure. This was foreign to her. For as long as she could remember, things were rough, brutal, cruel and all about what qualities she had to please a man. Anything else was lost on her. It wasn't that it was so foreign just that she did not understand anything outside of what she knew. It was the extent of her knowledge.

"I don't know anything else. I'm...a pleasure slave. There's nothing else valuable or useful of me."

 

[Haruchai]

Ken shook his head. "I do not believe that for an instant, that there are others prettier than you. It simply is not true." he told her, and then she looked up at him with those big eyes and pulled away, unknowing of why he had made the decision hers. Ken smiled and moved to her. "I do want you Kala. I want you so very badly." he said, and caught her under her chin to lift her face and then he kissed her lips. It was a brazen kiss, soft but full of desire, and as he pulled back from the kiss he kept his eyes on her and removed the fundoshi, revealing himself to her.

"I desire you, Little One, my little neko Kala. The way a man desires a woman. Come and lie with me." he said, and moved to lie beside her, pulling her into his arms. His hands were gentle, but sought out her softest places, caressing and stroking her skin as he pulled her into him, his hard chiseled body pressed to hers and he allowed her to explore if she so desired.

 

[Malicious Lullaby]

She looked up at him as he lifted her chin and blinked her eyes. Now she was really confused...
Stunned that he kissed her, her eyes remained wide, before blinking closed slowly. Kala allowed that one moment of pleasure to kiss him back and savor the gentle feeling. As he pulled back, her hands reached out for him, like she didn't want him to go away but then he revealed himself to her and her eyes widened. Lord Zanko wished he was packing this much heat!

Moving to lie beside him, kimono forgotten, Kala rested her head on his shoulder and draped her arm over his toned chest, absently tracing her finger along one of the scars there. "You named me Miko when you found me as a kitten. My real name is Mitsu. But I was given the name Kala for my black hair after I was sold into the pleasure market. But I never forgot my real name. I just don't feel like I have the right to be called that. Mitsu was not a pleasure slave. Kala is." She felt she had to earn the right to be called by her actual name again.

"If you desire me...I don't understand all the things you were saying before." She said softly. "If you don't take lovers...I would be your slave? I don't want to be a slave anymore..."

 

[Haruchai]

"You will earn your name, Mitsu. Kala is your slave name, and you are no slave here. You will be the first lover I will take. Simply seeking my pleasure with a woman does not make her my lover, would you not agree? But I welcome you into my bed Mitsu, though we can always call you Miko until you feel you have earned your name." Ken told her. He kissed her mouth, softly, and his hands stroked along her back.

"Will you take me as yours if I take you as mine? I will forsake all others." he told her, and nuzzled along her neck, kissing the soft skin there as his hands moved to cup her soft bottom, her black tail stroked with his fingers.

His voice was soft in her ear, breath warm on her neck, "Be mine, Little One. I will not have you be a slave, but I will be your Master and take you into my house and my bed." he said to her. "I will take care of you in all ways."