Chapter 50: To Break a Tom
Darkstripe was confined to the camp and told explicitly not to do anything work until he was cleared by Cinderpaw, now Cinderpelt. As it turns out, Darkstripe is an antsy cat when he's got nothing to do. He'd already been caught by three separate cats trying to sneak out. They tried to confine him in the nursery only for him to be kicked out for telling roguish stories and trying to make a betting pool on kit fights. Putting him with the elders also turned out poorly when he'd started an insult contest between the elders. If the clan weren't so busy, they'd have been able to assign a cat to specifically watch him.
Sandstorm knew Darkstripe was stressed. Fireheart was his usual go too answer for stress, but Fireheart had to keep busy with the camp repairs, assigning patrols, and other deputy duties. That would seem to build on Darkstripe's existing stress because he felt he wasn't contributing. That was far from the truth with the deal with Wind Clan and the deal with River Clan contributing to a third of the freshkill pile. He didn't seem to see it as his contribution despite it being his paw work. Fortunately, or unfortunately for Darkstripe, Sandstorm had a plan to take his mind off the issue.
Sandstorm finally had her time to figure out what made Darkstripe tick. He was a captive audience since he was confined to camp. Ever since Fireheart revealed he liked the tom, Sandstorm had been looking for a chance to get the tom wrapped around her paw. Fireheart had been so easy. Appearance based complements got that tom stuttering and with just a little bit of purring and brushing up against him, she could make him do anything. It gave her a thrill how he'd almost worship her. Now she was looking for a challenge. Darkstripe would not be as easy. Compliments just bloat his ego and going to aggressive could remind him of painful memories. Sandstorm relished the idea of the challenge. How could she get that tom blushing and submissive? She had a few ideas.
Sandstorm strutted over to Darkstripe with a seductress's grace. Darkstripe saw the approach. Usually he'd avoid a cat who approached him like that, but this was Sandstorm, Fireheart's other mate. He held himself in place. His heart was beating a little faster. He tried to keep himself carefully measured. Maybe Sandstorm was just in season or felt unusually confident today.
Sandstorm carefully watched the tom and saw how she made him uncomfortable. Good. If this was the discomfort she was looking for, she was through step one of her plan.
"Darkstripe. Just the cat I wanted to see." She mewed with suggestive undertones.
"Sandstorm… How are you today? Something special happen?" Darkstripe replied hoping that he was misreading her. He trusted her, sure, but he didn't want anything serious with her. She was Fireheart's mate.
"I've been good. Better now that I've seen you."
Darkstripe wanted to run, but he couldn't will himself to move. His pelt felt hot and he couldn't meet her eyes. He could only fidget in place as she moved uncomfortably close.
"What… What are you doing?" he asked as Sandstorm began circling him closely. Her pelt was faintly brushing against his closer and closer with every pass.
"I just thought you could use some attention. You must feel so lonely watching Fireheart work all day and not have any time with him to yourself."
Darkstripe sputtered defensively, "I… I… I am not! Sure I wish he wasn't so busy, but I'm doing just fine. I don't need…"
Sandstorm passed especially close pressing herself against him before moving back into her circling. Darkstripe couldn't suppress the faintest purr he let out. His eyes flashed in embarrassment. Sandstorm had found it. Her way in. With that, she made her passes closer and pressed against him in every pass. Darkstripe couldn't speak he was overwhelmed. Sandstorm was nuzzling against him and he couldn't move. Then she pushed him over gently until her front paws were resting on his chest. He looked so cute helpless like that.
Sandstorm had been enjoying every second of her game. She'd been teasing him pretty hard until she pushed him into that pin. His face that was usually so crass was filled with that kittish embarrassment. He tried to hide his face behind his paws which only made the scene cuter. She knew she could push him over the edge right here, but that wouldn't be as fun. She wanted him think about it all day. She wanted him to talk to Fireheart about it. She wanted him to show off that cute embarrassment every time he saw her, so she decided to let him go.
Darkstripe felt her weight come off his chest. He was utterly confused. Why did she stop? Did he do something wrong? Why did he let it get that far? He began to right himself when he felt her pressed right up beside him again. Her muzzle was right next to his ear.
"I saw Cloudpaw bring in a plump rabbit. Would you be a dear and bring it over?"
Darkstripe leapt to his paws and rushed to the freshkill pile. He couldn't stop himself. Meanwhile Sandstorm quietly laughed at the tom. She had him all figured out. She saw him pull out several rabbits trying to discern which one was Cloudpaw's. In truth, Cloudpaw hadn't brought in a rabbit today. She just liked watching him squirm. Finally, Darkstripe settled on one and brought it over. He placed it in front of her seeming to be waiting for her approval. He watched her tentatively take one bite and another before she stared him down. He was in that same state of smitten paralysis she had put him in before.
"Aren't you going to share with me? I mean you put in all that effort to make getting these rabbits possible. I wouldn't want our brave dealer to go hungry."
Darkstripe was still embarrassed, but the complement snapped him out of the shuffling he'd been doing. He still felt undeserving in the very back of his mind, but the rest was preoccupied with questions and the cat who had just made him her toy. He didn't want to even think of what the other cats in camp thought of him after that display.
Fireheart found himself approached by Darkstripe before he could rest for the night. Darkstripe looked faintly uncomfortable and a little embarrassed. He could also smell Sandstorm on the tom.
"Fireheart? Your other mate is weird. She just came onto me. She was so assertive. I couldn't do anything. I tried to tell her to stop, but she just had this way about her. I usually wouldn't tell you, but there were too many witnesses. She got me good. I was completely under her control."
This was news to Fireheart. Sandstorm was never that way around him. Sure, he always did what she wanted, but she always made it seem like it was his decision. She'd butter him up with complements and then make a wish about a problem. Then he'd be compelled to solve it. It was usually things like, 'I wish I had a handsome tom to groom this tough spot', or 'with a nose as sharp as yours, I bet you could find the shrew Longtail brought in earlier". Now that he thought if it, was he in control?