Chapter 23: The Jailers' Problem

"Have Roy share a cage with Namba." Zuddle requested.

"Really? She's kind of a wild one." Tannello questioned.

"Think of it as a test run. I merely want to see what happens." Zuddle answered, folding his arms behind his back.

Tannello sighed. "You're the head warden."

This underground prison is messing with my head. Since I have no frame of reference how much time passes, I could only rely on more subtler patterns. When you don't have a circadian rhythm to gauge what day it is, it becomes that much harder to know what date today is. I don't even know if it's a Monday or a Tuesday! ... Actually, I don't think it was ever established on what names of the days the people of this world use. Not to mention what kind of calendar they would use too. I doubt they celebrate holidays like Presidents Day. Or Thanksgiving.

Anyway, I'm getting ahead of myself.

Our current sleeping arrangement was rudely interrupted by the banging of the large cage that I was in. "Alright Roy. Up an at em'. We're putting you in your cage now."

"... Wuh?" I lazily woke up, only realizing now that the harem that surrounded me during my sleep were also waking up. Despite Neety and Teeny's protestations, I rose up from Scankre's lap and Mex's legs. I looked up to see a new warden I didn't recognize. He seemed to be carrying some kind of tightly wrapped parcel in his hand. "Uh... Is it morning?"

"It's time for you to get into a new cage. Come here. Now." The warden firmly demanded.

I sighed. I got up and began walking towards the new warden, leaving Neety, Teeny, Scankre, Mex, Zens, Na'shei, and Yanara behind, whom were all waking up now. "Uh... I don't zhink I caught your name yet, sir?"

"Tannello. But to you, it's sir. This way." Warden Tannello said, opening the cage for me and letting me out. As I followed him, I was brought to a different empty cage. As he opened it, I entered without resistance. I was still feeling rather tired, so I wasn't up to any kind of sassing at the moment. Once he closed the cage's door, he went to a different cage that was the same size as my own. He led a female yinglet from that small cage and placed her in the one I now resided in.

I blinked as my mind was slowly beginning to wake up fully. "Uh... So what is happening?"

"Quiet. Have these. Be sure to share." Tannello said as he placed the parcel between me and the female yinglet I was now alone with. Once Warden Tannello closed the cage's door and locked it, he went on his merry way to the only door into this room and left, closing the door behind him.

What a strange guy. I decided to find a spot and sat there idly, while looking at the female I was with. Her fur color was predominantly white, save for some stripes of black on her sides, and her back was dominantly black. Her hair and tailpoof were all black, and was cut short. She seemed about the same height as me, but she also seemed a bit smaller too. She stared at me intently with her blue and yellow heterochromia eyes. A rare trait to have, but I think it might be less rare among yinglets I would assume. Her teeth and shelltooth, on the other hand, are of a blackish-gray coloration.

I blinked a few times before waving a greeting. "Hello? Uh... I'm trying to remember your name. Was it... Uh...Nally or Nelly?"

"Namba." She answered. "You are Roy. Yes?"

I nodded. "Zhat's right. So... Namba. Do you uh... Know anyzhing about zhat Tannello guy?"

"Mm-mm." Namba answered. "He's a meanie. I do as he says and I get fed. I don't do as he says and I don't get fed. Um..."

"Right." I paused awkwardly. Tannello, what was the meaning of this? I was fine being in the big cage up until you put me in with this girl.

Namba inched closer to me. "You are... You are friends wizh Scankre and her group, yes?"

... Alright, I guess that will have to be our ice breaker for this conversation. "I believe so. Are you friends wizh zhem?"

Namba shook her head. "Scankre is scary. Mex is too loud sometimes, and Yanara is loud too. I... I have trouble talking sometimes."

Is Namba a shy yinglet? I guess this place affected her a lot more than I. Or could there be a different underlying problem she had? I gestured to her reassuringly. "You are okay. Take zhe time you need to say what you want. I wouldn't dare laugh or make you feel bad or anyzhing."

Namba smiled weakly, but she kept inching closer. "Uh... Um... Okay. Can I uh... Can I talk to you?"

I chuckled. "... We kind of are." I paused and sighed. "... Listen, Namba. I don't want to make you feel uncomfortable, so please know zhat if you are willing to be my friend, I won't hesitate to accept your friendship. I haven't really gotten any sleep, so please excuse me if I seem tired."

"Oh." Namba said with a nod before cocking her head. "But... But you were in Scankre's lap, yeh? Zhat must have been very nice, yeh?"

"Not really. I'm actually used to sleeping in a bed of my own. I razher prefer laying my head on a nice pillow, and sleeping under soft blankets." I stated with a sigh. Great. I was beginning to miss my old bed now. Sure, my old bed was just a pile of blankets and a rolled up blanket being used as a pillow, but it was MY BED dammit.

"Oh." Namba began patting her chest, inching closer. "I got chestpuffs if you wanna lay your head on me. I'm soft."

I blinked at Namba. Is she serious? We just met! I politely showed my palm towards her. "... Zhat's okay. I'm fine right here."

"ROY! BE CAREFUL AROUND HER!" Yanara called out to me.

"Bwuh?" I turned to look at Yanara, whom had time to fully wake up.

"NAMBA IS A BITER! DON'T LET HER FOOL YOU!" Yanara cried out.

"ROY IS WIZH NAMBA?" "OH ZHAT IS NOT GOOD AT ALL!" "ROY ZHE BOY IS WIZH ZHE TROUBLEMAKER!" "WUH?!" "EEEEE!"

I turned around to look at Namba to notice that she was in a lunging position. I quickly got up and leapt away, but she followed after me. Alas, since we were in a small cage, there really isn't a place where I could reasonably escape from. The chase was as short as a few seconds, as Namba cornered me. "Roy. Roy. Roy, you smell nice. Can I... Can I touch you? Preen? Kiss? Can I?"

"Namba, you are being too friendly. Can you give me some space? I'm feeling very uncomfortable right now." I pleaded as gently as I could. It seems like she was too focused on me, yet she wasn't listening to what I have to say.

"Ah, but I haven't shared a cage wizh a boy before. It's been a long time since I saw a boy. I want... I zhink I want you."

"What? Uh... Want me for what? You're too close! TOO CLOSE!" I decided to push her away with my leg.

That was the moment she reached down and chomped me. Screaming ensued as I thrashed against her. It happened too quickly. What happened after that bite was a blur, but I think I might have used my other leg to uppercut Namba in the chin. The scuffle lasted a few seconds, which resulted in the yinglet women in the entire prison to screech their lung out. When it was over, I found myself in a different corner. Namba was in the corner opposite of mine.

As my adrenaline was dying down, I decided to check my person for more wounds. There was the dots of painful red on my right ankle, the prickles of forceful claws that dug into my chest and arms but there was only a little reddening and blood, and there was my left foot-hand that seemed to have a small, yet sharp, tooth sticking in its skin. Yikes. I carefully plucked it out a held the wound closed as tight as I could. I looked up to see Namba gently patting at her face, feeling the missing tooth she recently lost. There was also a somewhat deep gash on her flank, which was ruining her pristine white and black side stripes. I guess that happened during our fracas?

She turned to look at me, which prompted me to look away and look down. I don't really know what to say, or understand what happened. What should I even say? What will happen after this?

"ROY! ARE YOU OKAY?!" Yanara called out.

"YEAH! I'M FINE! A BIT BEAT UP AND HURT, BUT I'M JUST STAYING IN MY CORNER. WHY DID NAMBA GET CRAZY?" I shouted back.

"YEAH, SHE GETS CRAZY SOMETIMES! SHE HURT YOU? YOU HURT HER?" Yanara asked.

"FIRST, I WANT TO SAY I'M SORRY! SHE MADE ME PANIC AND... WELL... WE'RE BOZH BLEEDING, BUT WE'RE JUST KEEPING DISTANCE FROM EACH OZHER FOR NOW!"

"HABZIG'S TITS, REALLY?!" "WHAT WAS TANNELLO ZHINKING?!" "DUMB HUMAN!" "HE SHOULD HAVE CAGED ROY IN WIZH ME!" "YOU'RE NOT HELPING!"

The only door into the prison was opened suddenly, and Warden Tannello rushed toward the small cage that Namba and I were locked in. After hastily opening the cage, he pulled me and the parcel out and carried me back to the big cage I was once in and placed me back inside. Dumbly, I blinked. "Wuh... HEY!" I ran to the cage's door and pounded at it. "TANNELLO! COME BACK HERE! WHY ZHE FEK DID YOU STICK ME IN WIZH NAMBA?! TANNELLO!? I DEMAND AN ANSWER!" Unfortunately, my answer came in the response of a mute warden. Once he took me out of the cage Namba was in and delivered me back to the bigger cage that I was originally in, he then went to the only door in the chamber and closed the door behind himself.

In muted shock, I took a few steps away from the cage's door before landing on my butt with a sit. I was absolutely dumbfounded.

"Oh poor dearie." Zens said as she calmly walked up to my side. "Ladies. Get a bowl of water for Roy, and pass a bowl to Namba zhe bars. Roy. Sit still while we clean you."

"GAH!" I could feel my ankle and foot-hand getting stung by what felt like wet tongues flicking over my fresh wounds. I must have startled my healers as they backed away suddenly from my startled yell. "WHAT'S GOING ON?!"

Scankre pinned me to the side of the cage. "We are healing you, Roy. We need to lick your wounds or zhey will continue to bleed. We don't want our pillows and drapes getting sticky." She turned to look at Namba with a stern stare. "My group will clean Roy. Any group who wants to clean Namba may do so."

Against my instinctual response to flee, I stayed as still as I could. Mex, though often the flirtatious one in Scankre's group, quickly became supportive as she began softly hugging me and stroking my back comfortingly, though she had to move so my chest could be inspected. She continued hugging me after Zens deemed that it wasn't a significant injury. Afterwards, it was mostly Scankre, Mex, Teeny, Neety, Zens, Na'shei, and Yanara that cuddled me in a large group-hug of sorts. Namba, on the other hand, was secluded to her own corner once she cleaned her wounds on her own.

I decided to break the silence. "Um... Will Namba be alright? I didn't mean to hurt her. Even if she did assaulted me."

"Oh, don't mind her at all, Roy. She bites everyone. Even zhe humans if zhey are not careful sometimes. Zhat's why zhey wear zheir funny armors, and it's why she gets her own small cage for when she gets bad." Yanara said softly.

I guess prison messes peoples' heads in more varying ways than I expected. "Gweh... I zhink I should catch up on my sleep."

Scankre nodded before turning to Yanara. "Yanara. Can you watch over Roy?"

Yanara nodded. "Yes yes. I will make sure he gets his rest."

Tannello sighed as he washed his hands of yinglet blood. "Satisfied?" He asked Zuddle.

"Not really. I suppose she must have been 'too wild' for our resident male." Zuddle said with a sigh.

"What should be do now?" Tannello asked.

With a long pause, Zuddle sighed his answer. "I'll let you pick. I'm holding out on the hope Roy will accomplish his task before I decide on using my trump card."

"Very well. Maybe Uma might get the results we want?" Tannello suggested with a smirk.

"If she can't get Roy to do what we need, then we'll resort to Mex. If both of them fail, then we use my trump card." Zuddle said sternly.

I was barely able to get a short rest in as Tannello came back into the closed chamber we were in. At least he came back with clean hands. He knocked on the big cage I was in, and called to me with the same dull tone. "Roy. Come with me."

I sighed as I got up. At least Yanara was polite enough to lend a pillow to me to catch up on my sleep, but it seems I couldn't catch a break. " is it zhis time?"

"I'm transferring you to a cage. Don't make me ask again." Tannello pressured.

Mex tilted her head in confusion. "Huh. I wonder why Roy is so popular all of a sudden?"

Scankre hummed boredly. "Probably trying to get him to hump someone, I bet."

Teeny and Neety giggled. "Oh oh? Is he gonna get paired wizh someone nice?" "Can it be us?"

Scankre suddenly hissed at Teeny and Neety, making them shut up instantly.

Mex sighed. "Oh, but what if I wanted first dibs?"

Scankre kissed at Mex next, making her shut up too.

Zens took her turn to sigh. "Poor poor Roy. He's gonna get eaten up by zhe end of zhe week if zhis continues."

Yanara and Na'shei looked at each other. They seemed to share the same opinion, but didn't seem to voice it.

Tannello banged on the cage again. "ROY."

I grumbled as I walked to the cage's door. "Fine! Fine! I'm coming! Sheesh."

Yet again was I transferred to one of the smaller cages. This time around, it had an occupant already occupying its insides. This female yinglet had a dark chocolate brown fur all over her body, but I notices that her front and belly was of a brighter color. Her hair was dark, save for small strands of pale beige that poke out in random directions. Her eyes were a brilliant yellow, while one eye's iris was a different color, which was green. Unlike many yinglets, her legs were covered in the same dark chocolate fur. An uncommon mutation. Her shelltooth also seems to be somewhat large, yet was segmented into two teeth rather than being a single tooth. Another uncommon mutation. She was also eyelashes and eyebrow whiskers that were quite long, and seemed to naturally curl up and inwards. Perhaps another mutation? She also seemed to be a little shorter than me, as I noticed that she was a head shorter than myself, but also a little heftier too. She also wore clothing wraps across her chest, her hips, and her tail tip. The cloth seemed to fan out a bit, making it seem like it was supposed to poof out like how a normal tailpoof would. She waved slowly at me in a simple greeting, but she was wary. She must have saw the tussle between me and Namba.

"Have these. Share them with her." Tannello said, placing a cloth-covered parcel between me and this female, just like before. After that, Tannello closed the cage and left the prison room once more, closing the door behind him just as before.

And here I am again, in the same cage with a different yinglet. Worse, there were no pillows in which I could sleep on. Not to mention that I haven't gotten a read on this new yinglet yet, and I didn't know if she was just as crazy as Naba. "... So uh... I zhink you already know my name. What is yours?"

"Uma." She replied with a gentle smile. She didn't seem eager to inch closer to me just yet. I think that's a good sign.

I nodded back, but paused. "You're not gonna attack me like Namba did, will you?"

Uma quickly shook her head. "No no no, I won't. Namba was always a little crazy. She hasn't had any boys to play wizh in a while, so she's... eh... anxious. And frustrated."

I nodded. "Zhat's good. So uh... Yeah. Do you know how long you've been in here?"

Uma waved her hand a little bit as she thought about her answer. "Eh... I wanna say many days? Maybe two or zhree weeks? I'm not good at keeping track of time."

"Sadly, we have zhat in common." I frowned and sighed depressingly, as I lie down on the cold cage floor with my head sideways. My chin would have laid flat on the floor, but my shelltooth prevented that.

I could hear Uma inch closer, which prompted me to shoot my head up and look at her. Uma was already making her way towards me, but she was holding out her hands defensively. "Is okay. Can I check your wounds?"

"Why?" I asked defensively. I didn't really feel like doing a repeat with Namba.

Uma sighed. "Listen. Please. We is stuck in here and we don't know what zhe wardens want. So let's be nice, yeh? Can I check your wounds please?"

I paused for several seconds. "... Fine. But if you do somezhing I don't like, I' pushing you away. ... Um. Hang on." I turned away to shout to the other imprisoned yinglets. "HEY! I'M STUCK IN ZHIS CAGE WIZH UMA! IS SHE CRAZY IN ZHE HEAD TOO, OR DO I HAVE NOZHING TO WORRY ABOUT?"

"UMA LIKES TO CUDDLE, ROY! YOU'RE OKAY!" "YEAH!" "Aw, Uma? She's so sweet zhough." "Can I be next?"

Scankre began to shout next. "UMA IS A SNITCH! SHE WILL TELL ON YOU TO A WARDEN IF SHE SEES YOU DO BAD STUFF!"

Uma growled at the offending tattler. "YOU SKANK, SKANCRE! I ONLY DID ZHAT ZHAT ONE TIME!"

"OH YEH, I REMEMBER! SHE DID ZHAT ZHING!" "SHE TOLD ZHE WARDEN WE WERE GONNA USE ZHE RAT BONES TO PICK ZHE LOCKS!" "ZHAT BITCH!" "SHE DID IT LOTS OF TIMES TOO!" "SHE EVEN SAID SHE LIKED ZHE WARDEN TOO!" "TATTLE-TALE!" "TATTLE-TALE!" "WARDEN'S PET!"

... Right. Judging from everyone's reactions, I probably shouldn't tell Uma that I'm part of a secret enclave that was tasked to find and free the abducted yinglet females. At the same time, I also noticed that Uma was beginning to cry. I decided to reach out to Uma and pat her shoulder gently. "Hey hey, easy. Zhey're just jealous zhat we're sharing zhe same cage."

Uma paused for a few seconds before a mischievous grin suddenly appeared on her face. "Oh, you're right." She then went to the bars of the cage. "I GET TO BE FRIENDS WIZH ROY AND NOT YOU HUSSIES, HA HA HA!"

"WHAT?" "AH! YOU BITCH!" "REH!" "I WANNA TAKE YOUR FOOD NOW! IT IS MINE!" NO FAIR!"

Uma then turned to face me with a gentler smile. "So uh... Can I look at your wounds please?"

I blinked, but sighed and laid on my side. "Fine. But I will still push you away if you do somezhing I'm uncomfortable wizh."

Uma smiled as she sat next to my laying form and began checking my arms, my ankle, and my chest. "Hmm. Sloppy work. You need a little more attention. Let me help."

Compared to the attention I got from my little gang I joined with, Uma's method of addressing my wounds were certainly softer and gentler. It was certainly more pleasant compared to the blunt and abrasive attitude Scankre had, the constant flirting of Mex, and less forceful than Neety and Teeny. Uma was perhaps more doting compared to Zens, Na'shei, and Yanara.

"Hmm. You've been cleaned by zhe bazh fro yesterday, buy you seem to have some mats of hair in some places. Let me preen zhose out for you~."

Uma began to sift through my fur using her shelltooth and her littler teeth to comb through my fur. I guess my fur didn't settle right and was matting. ... But wouldn't that be more prevalent if I happened to be a long-haired yinglet? I mean... I think Uma might be trying to comfort me due to my unfortunate tussle with Namba, but she doesn't really need to go to these lengths.

"Hmm. You seem very tense. I zhink you need to loosen up a little. Let me work out zhat stress and make you feel good. You want it rough or soft~?"

Okay, I think that's about my limit. I gently pushed Uma away. "I zhink zhat's enough. Any more and I'll end up getting smozhered."

"Smozhered?" Uma tilted her head. "Zhat's when your mouzh and nose stops breazhing when zhey get blocked, right?" She then folded her ears back and looked sad. "Oh, no no no I wouldn't smozher you."

"You kind of were. Or was about to, at zhe rate you were going." I said sternly.

If Uma's ears could flatten more than they are, they did as she looked away in a crestfallen expression. "... Sorry. It's been so long since I've seen a boy yinglet. And I zhought maybe... We... I mean you and I... Maybe could..."

I patted Uma on the shoulder. I need to think fast on what to do here. Uma was obviously delirious, but was also frazzled when she found out what happened when the yelling and scrapping started. It might be best to explain things simply. " Uh... Let me stop you right zhere. I don't want to force you on me, and I don't want to force myself onto you eizher. You're nice, but I don't zhink it's conductive to... well... give in to our cardinal desires here and now. Also, having sex inside of a prison system is a turnoff for me anyway. Like... what would your matriarch even say?"

Uma flopped to my side with a saddened sigh. "Gyoh, she would chew my ears out and scold me for zhe whole day, I bet. It's been so long since I saw a handsome boy like you and... You're right. My matriarch would be so so ashamed of me." She sobbed.

"It's fine, it's fine. You just wasn't zhinking clearly." I reassured. I guess she got the message. I'm glad she did. I was getting a little uncomfortable considering how this was about to turn into. My neck felt warm, my heart was beating, and I couldn't tell if I was sweating or drooling profusely. Still, I feel that I needed to comfort her, either out of sympathy or out of my newfound yinglet instincts. "... Is zhere uh... Anyzhing you want me to do? Besides what could have been a taboo, zhat is."

A smile lighted Uma's face. She then sat upright and showed her back to me. "Could you zhen preen me please?"

Uh.

... Okay, how do I do zhis? ... GEH. I meant this. I mean... She was preening me before, but I wasn't exactly paying attention to her cute mouth or anything. ... I MEAN NORMAL MOUTH. I shook my head. "Ah... Pardon me, but I don't zhink I ever preened a female before."

"Hee hee, is okay. Is only normal. I preened you, so you can preen me next. It's fair, yeh?" Uma smiled happily.

Okay. I slapped my face a bit before I approached and began preening.

GUH.

LOOSE HAIRS AND FUR FOLLICLES ARE FILLING MY MOUTH. I WANT TO STOP BUT THIS IS MAKING ME FEEL REALLY HOT FOR SOME REASON. I NEARLY STOPPED WHEN SHE UNDRESSED HER CHEST WRAP AND PULLED MY HANDS FORWARD SO THAT MY ARMS WOULD HUG HER, BUT I KEPT GOING. I CAN FEEL HER TAIL WRAPPING AROUND MY LEG AS I WORKED, AND I THINK I WAS LOSING TRACK OF TIME. SHOULD I HAVE STARTED ON HER NECK FIRST AND WORK MY WAY DOWN? SHOULD I STOP AT THE BASE OF HER TAIL? SHOULD I KEEP GOING TILL I REACH HER TAIL TIP? I MEAN SHE DID PREEN MY TAIL TOO SO... COME ON ROY! FOCUS! FOCUS! FOCUS! WAIT. WHAT ARE MY HANDS HOLDING? NO! DON'T THINK ABOUT THAT! FOCUS!

Tannello had finished washing his hands, while Zuddle tutted and hummed to himself, obviously thinking about what to do next with the newest inmate. After a prolonged and calculate pause, Zuddle decided to announce his thoughts. "The results are better, but I think we can do better."

Tannello quirked an eyebrow. "Really? I thought Uma was the best choice so far?"

"I mean she is, certainly. Clearly more submissive compared to Namba. Like night and day, those two." Zuddle stated.

"Namba is assertive but can be deceptive, and gets right to the point on what she wants. Uma, however, is eager for pleasantries and helping the other females, but is otherwise a pushover when it comes to rationing food and engaging in activities. Moreover, she is quick to learn that she and her kind would receive better treatment if she was compliant to our demands and orders. She would even go so far as to tattle on her own kind if it meant she would receive better treatment." Tannello reported.

"Myes... So how long must we wait for Roy." Zuddle said. Despite being phrased like a question, it wasn't asked like one.

"Yinglets typically have fairly short refractory periods, so we don't have to wait for long. Also, I'm pretty sure Uma is loud, so we'd definitely know if something happens." Tannello stated.

"Mm. So is Roy busy?" Zuddle asked.

Tannello arched both of his eyebrows at Zuddle. "... Can't you do it?"

Zuddle scoffed and shook his head. "Oh they're just scavs, Tann. Grow up." Zuddle went to a part of a wall and carefully removed a stone that had a wooden plug glued to one side. There was a thin layer of black cloth that was revealed, while beyond it was the prison the yinglets were being kept in. After some studious time spend analyzing the scene before him, he carefully plugged the secret spying hole and paused.

"So?" Tannello asked.

Zuddle sighed. "He's just preening her."

"That's good, right? It just means they're just getting in the mood." Tannello stated.

"No, it's just..." Zuddle paused mid sentence trying to convey his thoughts. "I'd thought they'd get in the mood sooner."

"They are in prison, mind you." Tannello sighed.

"I know it is, but I would still like to have it be called an underground apartment complex in front of them. Ah, but..." Zuddle paused as he thoughtfully looked up and mused. "If we spend too much time letting Roy have access to just one female, there would certainly be unrest with the rest of the inmates. Er... I mean 'tenants'. Perhaps we should change Roy's roommate to someone new?"

"Mex?" Tannello intoned.

"Mex. We will carefully watch Uma and Namba in the meantime. Have three nest boxes prepared once you returned."

"Yes sir." Tannello nodded before he proceeded to reenter the underground prison and shift the inmates around again.

Okay.

Everything is normal.

I am fine.

Calm down.

Geh.

Uma seems to be content with sitting on my lap and letting me stroke her back. Fortunately, nothing further developed after we finished preening each other. Uma wasn't one to engage in conversation. Especially when someone is running their fingers through her fur and hair. At least she wasn't attacking me like Namba was. Uma was more content with being fawned over or being pampered more than anything. She certainly has more restraint, and was quick to realize that what we could have done would have been against the wishes of her enclave, wherever it might be. She would certainly be up for a cuddle, but... yeah, no, that would mean my body would get close to hers, and we might get overexcited.

Tannello entered the prison room again. He went up to my cage and knocked on the door. "Come out, Uma."

Uma stared at Tannello before staring at me. "... Can I stay here for a bit more time?"

"UMA." Tannello warned.

Uma sighed as she got up from my legs, GENTLY DRAGGED HER TAIL PLAYFULLY ACROSS MY FACE, and made her way out. Thanks for reminding me I still have a bit of your hair in my mouth.

I think I must have blanked for... maybe forty seconds before Tannello got a new inmate and placed her in with me. Once Tannello closed the cage's door, he handed the new roommate with a parcel. "Have fun." He said before turning around and leaving the prison room.

It was only then I noticed that my newest roommate happened to be Mex.

Mex smiled at me as she tossed a parcel up and down her hand. "Hey zhere, handsome~."

Instantly, I hear Scankre shouting. "MEX! IF YOU HURT ZHAT BOY ZHEN I WILL BITE YOU!"

Mex sighed before turning to face the shouting Scankri. "YOU'RE RUINING ZHE MOOD!" She then turned back to face me with the same smile as before. "Don't mind her. She's just jealous of what we're about to have." She then looked at me up and down, a mischievous grin of sharp teeth baring at me.

I sighed as I slumped to the cage's floor and bonked my head on it. "Tannello, you fekker. Why zhe fek are you switching zhe inmates around with me?" I whined in frustration.

"Oh, don't mind him none. He just wants to make sure you have a good time. Want some?" Mex replied.

I looked up to see the parcel in Mex's hand. A spike of anger shot through me, making me snatch the parcel out of her hand and throw it out of the cage. "I'm having a bad time right now, so knock it off! Next time Tannello comes in here, I want to ask what he's trying to do here."

Mex's expression blanked before surprise filled it. She looked toward the parcel that was now sitting in the center of the floor, out of reach of her or anyone else. She then slowly turned to me with an expression that teetered between anger and bewilderment. "What have you done?"

"... I... What?" I asked.

Mex was on me in an instant, her hands grasping my neck forcefully. "WHAT HAVE YOU DONE?! DON'T YOU KNOW ZHOSE ZHINGS ARE HARD TO GET?! IT'S GOING TO TAKE A LONG TIME FOR ZHE WARDENS AND ZUDDLE TO GET ANOZHER OF ZHOSE TASTY FOODS! AND YOU ZHREW IT AWAY?! ARE YOU STUPI- Oh hey, someone left a couple more of zhose here." Mex instantly pushed me to the side to grab at the parcels that were on the floor of the cage we were in and began to open it.

I blinked a few times, slowly adjusting to the sudden outburst. Were those parcels important? I sat up straight to turn and look at Mex, who was engorging herself on whatever was inside the parcel. It was then that I noticed that smell. It was heady, but was sweet like an underripe fruit. Mex was smacking her lips very greedily as she chewed and slavered over whatever was in that parcel. Some time has passed before Mex turned to me with an enthusiastic and calm smile. "Um..."

Mex giggled softly before she walked up to me and draped her arms over my neck, letting her chest press into my throat and forcing my snout up to touch her chin. "UM."

Mex giggled. "Ooooh Roy~. I forgive you zhis time."

"Uh... Zhank you." I managed to say. There was a long and uncomfortable pause as Mex pressed herself closely. I could feel her fingers playfully sift through the fur on my back, her breath pushing her breasts upon my throat, and her eyes gazing longingly into mine. The smell of what she was eating was clinging to her breazh. ... breath. I meant breath.

Mex giggled again. "Have I ever told you zhat you are so so cute~? Easy on zhe eyes too~. Such pretty yellow fur~! Like some flower~. Or fruit~. Hmhmhm I wonder what you might taste like~?"

I weakly smiled. "Heh. Maybe like a lemon? Banana maybe? Or a pineapp-MNG?!"

Mex hooked her shelltooth over mine as I felt her tongue slip into my mouth. Worse, there was a tangy taste that seemed so overly intoxicating. I should push her away. I should say no. I should set up boundaries. However, that never happened. The kiss continued as I tasted this flavor that was beyond description, and beyond my willpower to pull away from. How long was this going to last? How long will this play out? How long till I get a gasp of air and finally get a chance to breathe air?

Mex broke away from the kiss, letting me inhale some life-giving air finally. It was then I noticed that my vision had doubled. Oh Mex! I didn't know you had a twin sister! She smiled as she reached down to grab another parcel and opened it up right in front of my face. "Here. Would you like zhis?" She asked, picking out one of the slugs and dangled it over my mouth that was still dumbly agape.

It was then that I understood what happened. There was several slugs that were neatly packaged into the cloth parcels. I probably didn't smell it before because the cloth was scented with something that neutralized the slug smells. But with each slug that was plopped into my mouth, my mind gave away to newer sensations. A floating feeling that gives way to a feel-good sharpness that tickled across my skin and under my fur, much like how one might get goosebumps listening to good music. Whatever this feeling I feel right now, it might be only a fraction of what the yinglets might refer to as a clam high.

"Zhere~. All gone~." She said, tossing away the emptied parcel out of the cage. She then gently laid herself down, dragging me with her into a laying position. "Hm~. If I still had my tailpoof, I would let you bury your face in it. Ah, but my chestpuffs are fine, yeh?" She asked as she hugged and squished my face.

Chestpuffs? What are those? Wait. Oh. Oh okay. These are chestpuffs. Neat. Unfortunately, this little piece of bliss had to go away when a terrible thought reached my mind. Unfortunately, my mind was sweetened with the mollusc flesh of slugs, which prevented me fro filtering what I had to say. "Tannello wants me to make love wizh you."

Mex giggled before she paused. "... Eh... Really? Tannello? Why would he?"

"Yeah. Why?" I asked incredulously. I removed my face from Mex's chest to look at the door leading out of the prison chamber. "He gives us zhese slugs, and keeps rotating me in wizh different inmates. And he gives us zhese parcels filled wizh slugs, expecting us to eat zhem."

Mex blinked. "Hm... Maybe Lord Zuddle finally wants to reward us ladies wizh a good time? To zhink zhat he would reward us wizh a male! Oh, if zhat's zhe case, zhen I humbly accept zhis gift~!"

I stopped her before she leaned towards me for another kiss. "Uh... Sorry. You might feel like you want zhis, but... zhis feels wrong to me."

Mex tilted her head. "How is zhis wrong? I've been stuck down here for so long zhat I forgot what zhe touch of a male is like! But now I have a male right before me!Zhis is destiny, yes?"

"Zhink about it. Tannello wants us to... Ya know..." I made quotations with my fingers. "...'intermingle'. Why now? And what about zhe eggs you'd be laying afterwards? Will zhey be taking care of zhem? Do zhey even know how to take care of zhem?"

Mex's face contorted into a puzzled expression, mixed between horrified realization, perplexed puzzlement, and arousal. However, it seems like my logic had gotten through to her. "... Oh. Oh zhat is..." She deflated right then and there. "... No. I don't want to raise younglets in a prison. Zhat job is for zhe nursies." She then looked down at me with her baleful eyes. "Oh! Oh but if we can't have sexy fun times, what else can we do?"

I paused. I then looked left and right. Um. Should I even contemplate this? I mean I am. I still am. But like... There's always a time and a place. At the same time, Mex's arms and legs are preventing me from making an escape. That and my mind is too addled to make a coherent decision. I guess the best thing I can do is... Compromise? ... Yeah, let's compromise. "... I mean... Uh... we can still... kiss and cuddle? I mean... If you want?"

Mex blinked a few times before another giggle escaped her. "Oh, you do like meee~. Hnng yes, we can cuddle and kiss more. I have you all to myself, and Scankri won't butt in and be a meanie." She said with a gentle peck to my face cheeks before giving me a long tongue kiss again. Once we broke away, I found myself breathless and hugged by her cleavage again. "Eee hee hee~ So cute~."

Just what is Tannello and his boss, Zuddle, up to?

A/N: Oh wow, that's 6.5+ k words this chapter. Did I go overboard? :Vc