TITLE: The Hunt

AUTHOR: Stormwolf Dawn

RATING: NC-17

PAIRING: J/B

DATE: 10/22/99

ARCHIVE: Yes

Series/Sequel Possibly

CATEGORY: AU

DISCLAIMER: Belongs to Pet Fly productions and Paramount. Not me. No infringement intended.

SUMMARY: A hunting competition in Cascade may be the only salvation for a hunted warrior.

Feedback, public and private, is welcome and appreciated.

NOTE: { } indicates flashback. * indicates thoughts

THE HUNT

By Stormwolf Dawn

Rain fell hard on the hide tent, a drumming sound that filled Jim's ears as he sat huddled in the makeshift tent. The sixteen-year old warrior shifted his weight trying to find a comfortable position. Or at least as comfortable a position as he could find with his hands tied behind his back with leather straps, and his ankles equally secured. Jim tried desperately to stop the tears that threatened to fall as his mind thought back to what had happened.

{William, sometimes known as the Bear, grabbed his son's leather jerkin, "Your a disgrace!" The Chieftain yelled. Jim had been repairing a broken strap on a bridle when his father had come stalking over. His father dragged him up by his jerkin and towed him toward his father's tent. Jim tried to struggle, but a cuff settled him down. Ever since Jim had reached manhood, when his mother's powers had come roaring to life in his blood, his father had not spoken to him, nor deigned to look at him. Until today.

"You're a freak!" His father screamed.

"What's going on." Jim asked his father desperately, knowing there was a reason his father spoke to him now.

"Ambroren came today." The chief said with a hint of satisfaction.

Jim's heart leaped into his throat. Ambroren was the wizard that lived in the old Tower that shadowed the White Horse Plains where the Clan lived.

"No, " Jim whispered.

"Yes. I sold you to him for several pounds of gold. You fetched a good price."

"NO!" Jim screamed and began to struggle. His father cuffed his head hard, and Jim's vision went black for a few seconds.

His father dragged him into the makeshift tent and trussed him up.

"Ambroren will be here tomorrow to get you." He said and with that left the tent.}

Jim shivered from cold and fear. He knew what Ambroren had planned for him. It hurt to know his father didn't care.

"Pssst, Jim." a whispered voice said.

Jim turned his head to see his friend Rafe crawling underneath the tent.

"Rafe. What the hell are you doing?" Jim whispered back.

"Getting you out of here."

Jim smiled at his friend, "Father will have you drawn and quartered."

"Do NOT call that bastard your father.." Rafe said adamantly as he cut Jim's bonds with his knife. "Come on. I have our horses waiting just beyond camp. If we're careful, the sentries will never spot us."

Jim followed Rafe as they snuck out of the encampment through the darkness. Jim's eyesight helped them to spot the sentries, and avoid them.

Waiting for them in the darkness near a pile of boulders were two horses. Jim's black war-stallion, Hammar, and Rafe's war-mare Lioness. the saddlebags were filled with supplies, and their bows and quivers hung on the saddles. Rafe's kitana was on his back, and Jim's kitana was in its sheath on Hammar's saddle.

They mounted up and turned their beast's head toward the east and kicked the animals into a trot. Neither man looked back.

Thirteen years later...

Jim sat easily on his war-stallion, keen eyes searching the surrounding hills for any signs of possible ambush. A breeze brought to Jim's sensitive nose the smell of grass, flowers, deer and other small animals. Riding parallel with him was the small merchant train he had been hired to guard. The driver of the lead wagon was the man who had hired Jim and Rafe. He was a jewel merchant, a nice enough man that sold Jim the onyx earring that Jim wore in his left ear. Glancing over at his friend who was riding on the other side of the caravan, Jim noticed that rafe's attention was also on the countryside.

Some three miles down they came to a crossroads on the well paved road that led to Eris Fal and found another small train of wagons heading toward Cascade. There were two wagons surrounded by ten uniformed guards.

"A Hunter candidate." The wagon driver, Eron, said.

"What's that?"

"Cascadian Hunter contest. The King's son is of age, and the contest is to determine who the Prince's Hunter will be.'

"I have never heard of Cascadia." Rafe said, "How does this Hunter thing work?"

"Well basically the High Prince's Hunter will be his slave. The Hunter trades his freedom for the honor and protection being a Hunter affords. Their priests of Orion bonds them somehow. The Hunter becomes the the Prince's protector, slave and lover. In return he is protected himself. He cannot be charged with a crime, cannot be sold or bartered. They live in luxury at the Palace. a lot of nobles and kings' second and third sons will try for it, since they can't inherit from their fathers."

"What's the contest like?" Rafe continued his questions.

"A candidate pays fifty gold crowns. Yeah, its a lot, but once a candidate pays, he's under the protection of the Crown. Even a runaway slave, or a murderer can be a candidate. They just can't commit any crimes while in Cascadia. Anyway, the contest last three days. The first day the candidates hunt the King's hunter and the Royal Huntsmen, sixteen men in all. If you get past the first day, then your guaranteed at least a spot as one of the Prince's Royal Huntsmen. Only those who capture a Huntsmen pass the first day, however."

"Sounds interesting."

"Yeah, I suppose. If your willing to sell yourself into slavery and have the prince shove his cock in you every night." Eron finished.

The small caravan passed and Eron snapped the reins to continue their journey.

"Its perfect." Rafe said.

"What's perfect?" Jim asked

"The Hunting contest." Rafe said as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

"You want to enter it." Jim said incredulously.

"No. I want you to enter it."

Jim threw back his head and laughed, "Oh, Rafe. That was funny. I needed a good laugh."

"I wasn't joking." v Jim looked at his friend, "You're serious."

"Jim, you know Ambreron's hunters are still after you."

"Yeah, so. We keep killing them and keep moving."

"Its been thirteen years! His obsession for you hasn't diminished. If anything, its grown worse. Those last hunters weren't even human. They almost caught you. What if he sends better contructs, or more of them. Eventually, we'll lose. And how many people will die."

"Rafe. Your asking me to trade one form of slavery for another. Ambreron wants my ass. He wants my powers, my abilities for his own use. Can you say that this prince won't be worse than Ambreron. I just can't do it."

Rafe nodded in understanding.

That night, Jim and Rafe set up their tent. They cooked and ate their meal in silence. Rafe prepared for bed, as Jim took first watch.

Suddenly, Jim's head jerked up, and he flared his nostrils catching the scent of the constructs.

Rafe jumped up out of his pallet, drawing his sword.

"What is it?" Rafe asked.

"Contructs. eight of them." Jim answered unsheathing his own sword.

"Damn." Rafe cursed and stood up as the contructs attacked the caravan. The two warriors raced into the battle.

The constructs looked like a crossing of human and hound and they knew the scent of their prey. All eight constructs converged on Jim and Rafe intent on catching Jim. The hounds had swords, but they used them only when necessary. Their orders were to take Jim alive. Jim didn't doubt that one of the constructs was carrying a mage collar. Once the collar was placed on Jim, the power of the collar would take over Jim's will, and he would be as compliant as a kitten.

Jim and Rafe fought like madmen, letting their warrior's blood take over their bodies.

PART THREE

Jim pulled his sword from the body of the construct, ignoring the scent of blood that came from the monster. He turned, not even bothering to watch his prey fall to the ground. He saw Rafe dispatch a construct by severing the beast's head from its massive shoulders. Two constructs came at Jim together, and he suddenly had his hands full. As he killed the first one, his peripheral vision caught the sight of one of the constructs aiming a crossbow in their direction. The construct he was engaged in fighting was the one with the mage collar. The beast was trying desperately to capture Jim. He had time to scream a warning before the crossbow bolt was released.

The warning was not enough, and the bolt seared through Rafe's chest. The warrior fell onto the ground, sword falling from useless fingers.

"NO!" Jim shouted, and cut the constructs arm off with his sword, then finished with a sweeping arc that took the creature across the chest deeply.

The one with the crossbow came toward them. Jim dropped to one knee and pulled a knife from his boot. A flick of the wrist and the knife was buried in the constructs throat.

Jim went over to Rafe's body. The young man's dead eyes stared up into the star filled sky. Kneeling down beside his friend, Jim reached out and closed the eyes forever.

His hearing caught the sound of the wagon drivers coming out of their wagons, and the whispered murmurs among them. Ambroren's name was on a few lips. Only Ambroren had magical constructs like the ones that had attacked.

Jim wondered idly how safe he was now with the wagons, but did not dwell on the thought. Instead, he picked up rafe's body, cradling it carefully in his arms, and took it out beyond the camp.

Jim performed the death rituals that his and Rafe's Clan had followed. He washed the body, and painted it with the correct symbols. He built a pyre, and laid the body on it. He stood and watched the bright flames as they consumed his friend's body. The man who had saved him from a fate worse than death.

He could hear some of the driver's talking about Ambroren. Not wanting to offend such a powerful wizard, speculation on how much a reward one could get. Jim was disgusted by their conversations. He and Rafe had fought off bandits for the wagon some five days before.

When the fire burned down, and the wind scattered the ashes, Jim took Rafe's horse, and mounted up on Hammar. He left the wagons behind, knowing that they already were planning to capture him when he came back to the wagons. Jim turned Hammar's head north toward Cascade.

PART FOUR

Cascade was a large port city. The harbor was full of ships that brought trade all up and down the coast. From his position on a hilltop over looking the capital, Jim could see caravans entering the city through the massive bronze gates that stood open. His eyesight easily showed him the wolves that stood out in relief on the gates, the details of the beasts made the gates a true work of art. The Palace itself had red banners with running black wolves waving from every tower. The streets were cobblestone, and only the harbor district had any dirt roads. North of Cascade the Cascadian Forest, also known as the God's Wood, covered several hundred acres all the way to the Ice Mountains. The God's Wood, because Orion the Hunter God had supposedly placed an enchantment on those woods. Human mages could not work spells in the God's Wood, and only a very foolish mage would even try.

Jim had spent the entire trip wondering if he had made the right decision. Ambroren was getting closer. The man would eventually use local law to have Jim hunted as a fugitive. The Clan would not help him, and Jim would find no shelter as long as Ambroren used gold to win people to his side. With his abilities, Jim would be a valuable commodity anywhere.

Jim thought about his mother's people. Where were they? Were there any of them left? Jim didn't know. His mother had died at his birth, and his father had never known that the woman he had captured in a raid had been a member of the Orikoi race. A shapeshifter. Not until Jim's sixteenth Naming Day when in front of the whole Clan Jim had suddenly shifted to a large black jaguar.

Shaking his head, Jim tried to bring his mind back to the present. Taking a deep breath, Jim clucked his tongue at Hammar. The big war-stallion bobbed its head, and broke into a trot. Behind him, Rafe's mare followed.

At the gates, Jim was directed to the Royal Stablemaster when he told the guard he was trying to sell the grey mare. The guard had not been stupid. He recognized a Clan war-mare when he saw one. Horsebreeders on several continents would kill to get their hands on a Clan war-horse. Jim needed the fifty gold crowns for the fee, and knew of no other way to get it.

The Royal Stablemaster didn't even bother to haggle. He gave Jim a price of three hundred gold crowns. Jim agreed readily to the price, and asked the stablemaster were he needed to go to sign up for the contest.

The stablemaster directed him to the Black Wolf Inn, a Royal Inn where accountants were set up to take the fees. Guards in black and red uniforms guarded the doors to the Inn, and the money boxes.

Jim, dressed in his dark brown leathers made from deer hide, waited in line behind a man who smelled of sweat and tobacco. Jim wrinkled his nose, and tried to tone down his sense of smell. His ears were being bombarded by the laughter of men, the clink of gold, and the pounding of heartbeats.

It took a candlemark, but Jim finally was able to pay the fee. The accountant took the bag, poured the gold on to his scales. The bald wiry accountant nodded, and handed Jim a piece of paper and a feathered pen.

"Sign here. This is your contract. If you can't write, just put a mark you'll recognize as yours," the accountant said.

Jim took the pen and signed his name in an elegant script. The accountant handed him a black leather bag. "Inside is a collar and lead. The number stitched into the items corresponds with the number on the page you signed. Bring both items each day of the contest. They will be used to identify you. Don't lose them."

Jim nodded, taking the bag. He stepped out of the line and walked out of the inn. Placing the bag in his saddlebags, Jim led Hammar in search of an inn for the week.

The Golden Stag had a room available. Not caring about cost, Jim just wanted a clean bed, a bath, and a good stable for Hammar. The Golden Stag boasted all those things, and after a quick check of the stable, Jim saw that it delivered on its boast. Jim stabled Hammar himself, because the big stallion would not allow anyone else to touch him. Jim paid for some grain and hay after seeing to Hammar's needs, then went inside the Inn. The Innkeeper had one of the serving women show Jim to his room. Four male servants brought up buckets of heated water for the large copper tub in the room. When the servants were gone, Jim stripped, and stepped into the tub. He scrubbed off layers of dirt and sweat from his body. Being clean felt good, and Jim stepped out of the tub, and dressed in a pair of clean black leather breeches, and a white silk shirt that he tucked into the breeches. Putting on his boots, Jim went downstairs to the common room, and ordered a dinner of venison, and water. The serving girl gave him a funny look when he told her he wanted his venison barely cooked. Jim had discovered the hard way that after he turned sixteen, his body could not handle cooked meat, or any kind of alcohol.

Sometime later his meal was brought to him, and Jim ate while half listening to the talk in the common room. Most of the patrons were Hunter candidates. They talked mostly of the hunt itself, and boasted of their own skills. Some mentioned talk of who might win, and what the winner received.

"I heard the kid is hung like a horse." One man said with a sneer. He was not a Hunter candidate. "He'll fuck you every night. Leave ya bleeding from your arse."

One man shook his head, "Not so. The Prince has been taught most of his life how to fuck a man properly."

"Your wenching day will be over. You'll never be able to stick your cock in any warm willing body ever again. Prince might as well geld ya." the sneering man continued.

Jim tuned out the conversation. Not for the first time, Jim wondered if he had made the right decision.

PART FIVE

The next day, Jim dressed in black leather pants, a dark blue silk shirt and black boots, walked to Market Street in Cascade. The accountant had given him a copy of the rules, as well as the details of the Hunting Competition, and the shapeshifter decided he needed some new arrows for the second day of the Hunt.

Since the air in Cascade was a bit colder than Jim was used to, he decided that he also needed some heavier leathers, and some furs. All he had been told would be found on Market Street. The Hunting competition drew alot of merchants, and Jim would be sure to find what he needed.

At a furrier, Jim bought a fur lined leather coat, which he put on over his silk shirt. Immediately he was decidedly warmer. At a armorer's stand, Jim used his enhanced vision to critically examine arrows from the man's vast assortment of such, and found thirty broadheaded arrows that met his requirements.

"A Clansman in Cascade. Now I've seen everything." The voice was deep and came from just behind him. Jim turned to see a dark skinned, dark haired centaur standing behind him. The centaur was wearing a black and red uniform made to fit his upper body with two golden knots on the shoulder to indicate his rank as a Lt. Jim's hand went instinctivley to the dagger at his belt.

The centaur held up his hands, "No trouble, Clansman. I'm not looking for any trouble."

Jim relaxed. The centaur sounded sincere. Clansmen and centaurs were enemies, at least on the Plains. In Cascade the centaur was a member of the Royal Guard.

"I think that makes two of us. I never thought to see a centaur in Cascade either."

The centaur laughed, "And I thought Clansman didn't have a sense of humor."

Jim smiled already liking the big centaur.

"Name's Henri." the centaur said holding out his hand. Jim grasped the centaur's forearm in a strong grip.

"Jim." He said. They released each other's forearms.

"Now that we are acquainted, Jim. Let's say I buy you a drink."

"Sorry. I can't drink."

"Now I have really seen everything. I though Clansman were weaned on meade."

Jim shrugged, unsure how to explain. Henri seemed to understand. He clasped his hand on the human's shoulder and said, "No matter. I know a place that serves mare's milk. Bet its been awhile since you had that."

Jim nodded. Mare's milk was a common drink of the plains. Clansman didn't raise cattle or goats. Instead, they drew mare's milk every season. At Birthing Time, the mare's were milked, and Clansmen and women enjoyed drinking milk, and meade, and sometimes the milk was even fermented. The stuff was heady. Before Jim's body had changed, he had had fermented mare's milk, and had ended up in the pasture with one of the visiting clan chief's daughter's naked and sweaty body beneath him. It had definitely been an experience.

"Sounds good to me. Lead on, Henri." Jim said.

They made the rounds of the taverns, with Henri drinking up a storm, but like all centaurs, never getting drunk. Jim drank the promised mare's milk, and ended up drinking only water, or goat's milk at the other taverns. At one point in their night, two sailors tried to start a fight with Jim and Henri. The two sailors regretted it later with sore heads, and when Henri's fellow guardsmen showed up, the sailors were hauled off to jail.

Jim told Henri that he was a Hunter candidate at the fifth tavern they visited.

"Damn. What made you decide to do that?" Henri asked.

"It seemed like a good idea at the time. Now I am not so sure."

"Mmmm. Why do I get the feeling there is a major story behind this."

"Believe me, you don't want to know. Let's just say this was the lesser of two evils and stick with it." He sighed. "well I made my own pallet, I should just lie in it."

"Shit, you'll do more than just lie in it. You do know what this entails right."

"You mean being the Prince's fuck slave? Yeah, I know."

"Hey, Jim. Its not really like what these others talk about. I know. I've been here for twenty years. King Simon is a good man. His nephew, High Prince Blair, is also a good man. They both care about their people. Prince Blair is not going to hurt you. He was taught at a young age how to have sex with men. He knows how to make it pleasurable."

"Your talking like I am going to win." Jim smiled.

Henri snorted, "Please. Your a Clansman. Every centaur knows how good hunter's Clansman are, even if we won't admit it unless we're stone drunk. Damn, I am definitely going to have to put a few crowns on you at the betting pool we have going among the guards."

"Yeah. What kind of odds am I getting?"

Henri looked at Jim's face and burst out laughing. "Shit, probably not very good. Right now everyone's favorite to win hands down is Lord Lee. He's a third son of Lord Brackett of the Eastern Province. Supposed to be a damn fine hunter from what I heard. Never had a man's dick up his ass, I bet. Heard he was real popular with the ladies."

"Then why?"

"Because with two older brothers he stands to inherit nothing. Its his only chance at being somebody besides his brother's squires, or accountants."

They finished the night at a few more taverns before the two new friends said goodnight. Henri had to work his shift the next day, and Jim was getting beat. The first day of the competition was still a few days off.

PART SIX

Banners of red with running black wolves waved from poles stuck into the ground of the God's Plain. The Plain had been part of the forest, but had been clear cutted for ceromonies, funerals and the Competition itself. Hundreds of tents dotted the field, and still there was acres of clear field left. Jim had his own small tent set up, something he had bought at the Market Fair at Henri's suggestion. The tent was a deep green, and his pallet and weapons were inside. He had no fear that someone would steal them. Hammar, untethered by the front of the tent, was an effective guard. Henri had helped him set up his tent, and then had to leave to attend his duties.

Like the other candidates, Jim stood on the plain before the royal box. He was wearing dark brown hunting leathers he had bought the day before, and the collar was fitted snugly around his neck. The leash was in his pocket.

The other candidates also wore their collars. Some would fiddle with them, tugging on them as if they were to tight. Others would every so often reach up to scratch beneath the leather. Jim ignored his entirely.

Trumpets blasted, and Jim winced quickly turning down his hearing. Drumbeats followed the procession that came into view.

On the back of a deep chested red mare, King Simon rode onto the plains. On either side of him in a position to protect were the Royal Huntsmen dressed in dark brown and green leathers. The fourteen men rode confidently, with an air of pride and strength. On the King's left, and just behind was the King's Hunter riding a dust colored gelding. The Hunter was tall, but not as tall as King Simon who towered over everyone. He had light skin, blonde hair and green eyes, and a face that looked younger than he actually was.

Jim was surprised to see the High Prince, Simon's nephew by his wife's sister, riding Rafe's grey mare. He knew he had sold the mare to the Royal Stablemaster, he just didn't think that the young prince would be riding her.

Jim finally got a look at the High Prince. The young man was perhaps twenty-one, no older. He had chestnut curls that fell to his shoulders, and expressionate blue eyes like sapphires. The prince was short, would perhaps barely come to Jim's chest, but was well built. Jim didn't have to be told that Blair and Simon were mages, he could smell the power coming off them like waves. It smelled clean, and pure, unlike the foul stench that came from Ambroren's power.

Behind Blair was the Queen and her sister, Blair's mother, both riding white mares. When the procession reached the royal box, they dismounted, and climbed the steps into the box taking their seats to view the contest. Jim saw Henri among the guards that had trailed the procession.

The horns sounded again, and the royal Huntsmen and the King's Hunter moved toward the King and Prince. One by one, each knelt before the Prince, who quickly buckled a green leather collar around their necks, and kissed each on the lips. Only the King's Hunter knelt before the King to receive his collar and kiss from the dark skinned King. The Huntsmen and the Hunter lined up in front of the box facing the crowd of candidates who in the first round would hunt them.

A gently gust brought to Jim's nostrils the scents of their prey, and Jim easily found the scent he wanted. Filtering out all other scents, Jim focused on the scent of HIS prey, the blonde King's Hunter.

The Royal Herald came forward and read the contest rules. Only those who captured one of the Huntsmen or the Hunter would progress to the next level. All those who qualified would be assured a position of at least a Huntsman for Prince Blair, which was a honor in of itself. Huntsmen were not slaves, but were instead paid like regular soldiers, only with a larger sum. They had certain rights, but were still not afforded the same protection that the Hunter would. Ambroren could still take him as a Huntsman.

The Herald continued to read. If a candidate found a Huntsmen, the Huntsmen was obligated to allow the candidate to snap their lead to the Huntsmen's collar and lead him back to the Royal box. The humiliation of it was enough to give the Huntsmen incentive to make it harder to be caught. The Hunt would end when the last Huntsmen was captured or when the city's evening bells tolled, whichever came first. After the bells tolled was when uncaught Huntsmen and the King's Hunter, whom had never been caught in the history of the Hunt, could come out of hiding.

When the Herald finished, the trumpets sounded again. The Huntsmen, and the Hunter took off into the forest. They would be given a lead of one candlemark before the candidates were sent.

Jim watched his prey bound off into the woods moving as silently as a wolf, the scent still filling his nostrils, and smiled.

PART SEVEN

The candlemark passed, and the horns sounded again. Jim sniffed the air as the other hunter's passed him, running into the woods. The scent found, Jim quickly headed in that direction in a lope. Other scents, pine, wood, animals, and humans, filled his nostrils, but he separated them, finding only that one scent he needed.

The blonde Hunter was good. He had left no physical trace of his passing that a human could find, but Jim was not following such a trail. Like a bloodhound, Jim followed the scent.

He came to a stream, and knew his quarry had passed this way. Zeroing in on the stream, Jim saw beneath the rushing water to the bottom, noticing the newly overturned pebbles that marked the Hunter's passage upstream. The scent had been lost in the water, but not the trail. He found the place were the Hunter had come out of the stream and headed deeper into the woods. The scent back in his nostrils, Jim took off in the direction the Hunter had gone.

At a place were rocks and trees blocked an old deer path worn away by wind and rain, Jim knew he had at last found his quarry. The man was hidden beneath a rock overhang hidden by pine needle bushes.

"Come on out. I know your under there." Jim called.

There was a rustling sound, the the blonde hunter crawled out from beneath the overhang.

"How? How is it possible that you tracked me. Have I gotten so sloppy?" The blonde HUnter said as he dusted off his leather pants.

Jim chuckled, "If its any consolation, you left very little trace."

"Then how?" the blonde man asked narrowing his eyes suspiciously.

Jim shrugged, "that's my secret." He came forward withdrawing the leash from his pocket.

"You are good, Clansman. Very good, if you tracked me. You may be a worthy Hunter for our young Prince." the blonde Hunter said as Jim snapped the lead to the leather collar.

Jim looked at the Hunter, "Thanks for the compliment, Hunter."

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The crowd gasped when Jim brought the Hunter form the woods. None of the other hunter candidates had returned. It had only been a few candlemarks since they had gone into the woods.

Jim walked over to the Royal Box. In front of it the Chief Accountant, and the Royal Seamstress awaited him. Jim handed the leash to the Accountant, who took the leash and walked the Hunter up the stairs and into the Royal Box. The leash was handed over to the King, while the Hunter knelt in front of his master.

During this, Jim knelt down, and the Royal Seamstress came forward with thread and needle. She sewed a complicated knot on Jim collar with gold colored thread. The gold knot indicated that Jim had earned two hundred points for the first round of the Hunt. Two hundred was the highest points that could be earned in each round. Those who came back with just one of the Huntsmen would only receive a blue knot that said they received one hundred and fifty points.

When the small ceremony was through, Jim walked back to his tent, feeling the eyes of hundred on his back.

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Blair watched the hunter candidate walk toward the tents. Unconsciously, Blair admired the man' form, the long legs, the muscled body, the tight ass, (Whoa, Blair. Wake up. Get it together.) The young prince thought to himself as he realised where his thoughts were going. He had started to imagine that body, naked beneath him, muscles glistening from a light scented oil, his cock buried in the man's ass.

Shaking himself, Blair reminded himself that the contest had only just begun. However, Blair was willing to bet on the outcome. After all, the man had brought back his Uncle's Hunter. No one had ever brought back the King's Hunter.

Blushing a bit, Blair realised he was half hard, and a little uncomfortable. Since he had reached puberty, Blair had been taught by his Uncle and his late Father all about how to please men, and there had always been a dearth of slaves for him to try his new skills upon. Of course, his mother and aunt had taught him about making love to a woman as well, with female slaves for his enjoyment. After all, as King he would need to marry and produce heirs. In fact he was already betrothed and would marry within several months to Princess Maya of Curascania. They had been betrothed since Blair had been three, and Maya had only been just born. Blair knew Maya had been taught about the relationship between the Hunters and the Kings.

Blair's mother leaned over. "Do Blair what is you opinion on the Clansman?"

"Delicious." Blair said absently, then blushed when he realised what he had said.

Naomi laughed, "Can I take that as meaning that you are cheering for the Clansman to win."

When Blair only blushed more furiously, Naomi laughed and took that as a yes.

(I am definitely going to need to bury myself in a nice young slave tonight) Blair thought, squirming a bit as his half hard cocked made itself known through Blair's tight trousers.

SECOND DAY OF COMPETITION

"Dammit," Jim cursed as he tossed down the arrows that were broken into two pieces. There was less than a candlemark before the second part of the competition, and Jim had come into his tent to discover every last arrow in his quiver had been broken into two. But that was not the worst part. Jim could smell the acrid scent of Ambroren's magic over the arrows.

The clopping of hooves on the ground announced Henri's arrival. "Something wrong?" the centaur asked.

Jim slipped out of the tent. "No, everything's fine. Shall we go?" Jim gathered the reins to Hammar's bridle and led the saddled stallion as they walked to the grounds of the competition. In Hammar's saddlebags was the list of animals he was supposed to hunt, kill, dress, and bring back before the city's bells tolled. Henri trotted beside Jim as they made their way to where the other candidates awaited. Henri left Jim at the edge of the clearing wishing him luck before returning to his duties.

This time the royal Family was already situated in the box. The horns blasted, and the hunter candidates mounted on their own horses, and raced into the woods. Jim, and a few others shook their heads, and walked into the forest.

Once Jim found a good area, away from the other Hunters, he grounded Hammar's reins and gave the stallion the order to stay, and guard. The horse would be used to carry all of Jim's prizes. Luckily he had memorised the list, because now he wouldn't be able to carry it with him.

Ambroren had forced his hand, and Jim knew of no other way to win the competition without arrows to hunt with. Stepping back from the stallion, Jim closed his eyes and called upon the power of the earth beneath his feet. Where Jim once stood a void of darkness replaced the man. Behind the blurring void, human flesh, bone and blood along with clothes melted into the earth, and was replaced and rebuilt with other flesh, blood and bone. In the space of a few heartbeats, the void spat out a large black jaguar.

Hammar only flicked an ear at his master's change, so used to this other form that he didn't even bat an eye.

The beast that was Jim began his hunt. the first on the list was relatively easy. It took him but a few second to catch a rabbit. Unfortunately, Jim had to change to human form to dress the animal before moving on.

Two candlemarks later Jim came to the last beast on the list.

Crouched on a boulder Jim looked down at the cave that housed his quarry. He wasn't sure that he could fight such a creature. The biggest predator he had ever taken down in his present form had been a lioness, and it had been a tough fight. Still he had no choice. The hunt had taken longer than it should have. And he was fast becoming tired from the constant shifting. The Big Horn sheep had put up a gallant fight, and the state of Jim's ribs proved it. He was tired, sore, and hungry, but he had one last fight.

With a challenging roar, Jim leaped from the boulder. An answering roar followed by a large bear at full charge heralded the fight.

The bear was strong, and big, with huge claws. But he was slow, near sighted, and a bit clumsy. Jim used his quickness and agility to his advantage. The bear got in a few good swipes. Four parallel gashes, deep and bleeding, marred his hindquarters, and a twin bled from his back. The bear, however, was also bleeding deeply from the neck, and Jim stayed away from the claws as the bear breathed its finals gasps.when the bear was dead, Jim shifted to his human form. His clothes were not torn, but the wounds had come back with him, and Jim limped over to the bear drawing his knife. though tired and in pain, Jim dressed his kill, then whistled. sometime later, Hammar trotted up to his master, saddle loaded down with fresh kills. The stallion completely ignored the weight, and the scent of fresh blood. He was too weak to move the bear himself, so he had Hammar lay down, so that Jim could roll the bear onto the horse's back. When it was done, Jim used ropes to secure the bear to the horse, then with a hand on the stallion's shoulder, they walked back to the competition grounds.

It took nearly another candlemark, but Jim stumbled out of the woods with Hammar loaded down. What surprised him however, was the lack of other contestants.

*Its been three candlemarks,* Jim thought. *Some of them should have been back before me. After all, they had arrows to use.*

But there wasn't. The list of animals was long, and the further down the list, the tougher it got to track and kill the animal. though the other hunters had the advantage of their arrows, Jim had been able to track by scent, and therefore had been able to find his quarry sooner.

He led Hammar over the Royal Box. He untied the animal carcasses and allowed them to fall to the ground. The King's Hunter was there, and he went through the carcasses, marking off each one on the list. With the entire list done, Jim received another gold knot sewed onto his collar. When they were done with him, Jim limped back to his tent, with Hammar following.

Inside the tent, Henri's wife, a young human female awaited him. Under her direction, Jim removed his shirt, and she doctored the cuts and scrapes on his body, and sewed up the bear claw marks on his back. Henri came inside with a bowl of food for Jim, while the shapeshifter removed his breeches so that Henri's wife, Elenia, could take care of the bear scratches on his hip.

When she was finished, Jim put on a clean pair of breeches, finished the food, then laid down on his pallet still wearing the collar.

Neither Henri nor his wife mentioned the lack of tears in Jim's clothes.

PART NINE

Third day...

Jim stood with the other fourteen Hunter candidates. Standing beside him was the dark haired Lord Lee dressed in expensive hunting leathers. The man's collar had two knots of blue sewed into the leather indicating he had one hundred and fifty points each. The man sneered at Jim.

"You won't win this one, Clansman.' Lord Brackett said.

Jim just rolled his eyes, "All I have to do is stay uncaught for three candlemarks, and even if you are never caught, I'll still win." Jim said.

"Oh, you'll be caught. The King's Hunt, himself, plans to hunt you. You won't stand a chance."

Jim didn't bother to say anything. If he remained uncaught for three candlemarks, he would receive a blue knot worth one hundred and fifty points. Jim could easily shift and remain uncaught the entire day. After all, they were hunting humans, not jaguars.

But, Jim didn't want to use his ability like that. To his mind it was too close to cheating. Maybe it was a natural ability, but to Jim's mind, raised by his father, it was still unnatural.

Jim would use his skill to stay uncaught.

The horn sounded, and the Hunter candidates raced into the forest.

Once hidden within the foliage, Jim moved into a steady lope, stepping so lightly as to leave hardly any trace of his passing. He avoided light soil, mud, leaves and twigs that would reveal his passage. He brushed through the foliage, and left no broken twigs or branches. Jim moved as if he were in jaguar form rather than in human form.

Jim made it to a stream, were he went down, then left a false trail on the other bank leading off into the forest, then retraced his step upstream.

His hearing caught the sound of a waterfall, and Jim followed upstream until he found it. During his passage he left numerous false trails, all cleverly built to be hard to find by any but an experience tracker. No one else would even see them as trails, but even a damn fine hunter would not guess them to be false.

Like an eagle, Jim saw beneath the surface of the water with his enhanced vision. The river was deeper closer to the waterfall, and Jim was swimming once he reached the hole. But jaguars were good swimmers, and Jim dove deep into the water, and came up in a pool in a hidden cave whose only entrance was the underwater passage Jim had discovered.

Scent and sight told him that the cave had yet to be disturbed, and Jim knew it to be well hidden.

Smiling to himself, Jim stretched out beside the pool, and closed his eyes. Using his senses, he created a warning net that spread outward. If anything attempted to get close to the waterfall, Jim would be alerted immediately.

Candlemarks later, Jim was awakened by the tolling of the late bells. Jim stretched and yawned like a cat, then cocked his head lightening. The tolling of the bells signalled the end of the Hunt, and Jim was free to return to the camp without any of the Hunters capturing him.

Smiling, Jim dove into the pool and came up beside the waterfall. He swam to shore, and climbed out of the water. Ignoring his wet clothes, Jim loped back to the hunting camp in triumph.

Jim walked out of the forest with everyone waiting for him at the camp.

Henri smiled at him, and Jim returned the smile.

The shapeshifter looked around and spotted Lord Brackett whose face revealed his anger and humiliation. Whispers around him said that Lord Brackett had been found within the first two candlemarks by the King's Hunter, who had wisely decided that he didn't want to return empty handed. Only four Hunters had remained uncaught after the first three candlemarks. They seemed happy, laughing and patting each other on the back.

Jim walked slowly to the royal box. This time, however, the Accountant and Seamstress were not waiting for him. There was no doubt that Jim was the winner. No need for the Seamstress to stitch the gold knot, or the Accountant to log it down. When the evening bells had tolled, the King himself had told the Accountant to go ahead and write it down that the Clansman was the winner.

The person waiting for him at the Royal box stood patiently, wearing leather breeches dyed a deep green, a light green silk shirt with billowy sleeves. His chestnut curls falling to his shoulders, blue eyes watching the Clansman, and his hands fidgeting with a gold collared leash.

Jim knelt before High Prince Blair, head bowed. The Prince reached out and snapped the leash to the back of Jim's collar. The crowd cheered.

Lightening forked through the sky, and a crash of thunder deafened the crowd. The scent of magic filled Jim's nostrils, and he groaned as he recognized the foul stench.

Through the crowd riding a large red stallion, Ambroren made his way to the Royal box.

King Simon went to his feet, "What is the meaning of this!"

"So good to see you again, King Simon." Ambroren said in his acid tone.

"What do you want, Ambroren?" Simon asked crossing his arms over his chest, hands glowing green with power.

"What is mine. The Clansman was sold to me. He is my slave. He escaped, and must be returned so that he can be properly punished."

King Simon looked at the Clansman, "Is what he says true, Clansman."

"No, Your Highness. It is true that my father sold me to him, but I escaped from my father before Ambroren could claim me. I have been free nearly fourteen years."

King Simon studied him for a long time, before returning his dark eyed gaze to Ambroren. "I believe him. He is not yours, Ambroren. He won. He belongs to Prince Blair, now."

"And so you condemn your nephew and heir to a life of sin." Ambroren shouted.

(Oh, Gods above and below, please don't let him reveal me.) Jim thought desperately.

"What! You accuse my Heir of sin, explain yourself before I destroy you." Simon growled, his hands glowing even more brighter.

"The Clansman is nothing more than a beast, an animal. He hides himself in a human form, but he is still a beast."

Simon again looked at Jim, "What does he mean, Clansman. Speak the truth."

"I am a shapeshifter. My mother was of the Orikoi race." Jim said bowing his head, knowing that this would be the last straw. The King would definitely not want his son to have sex with an animal.

"Orikoi." Blair breathed.

"By the gods, is this true." Simon asked, the elation in his voice plain.

Jim was confused. Their hearts were racing with excitement, and there was no disgust in their voice. "Yes." He said bewildered.

"Prove it." Blair ordered. "Shift for me, now."

"I must strip, first." Jim said, and at the Prince's nod, Jim removed his clothing, including the collar.

Jim did not miss the smell of arousal that came from the Prince at the sight of Jim's nude muscled body, but he ignored it and concentrated on the shifting.

In moments, Jim was replaced with the sleek black jaguar that sat on its haunches in the grass.

"It is true." Blair breathed.

Simon nodded. "It is truly a gift from Orion, himself. He has returned to us the race he created for his people. My nephew is blessed, for his Hunter is Orikoi." He announced to the stunned crowd.

They cheered knowing the honor it entailed.

"Return to your human form." Blair ordered.

Jim concentrated until he was kneeling, naked, before the prince in human form. The Prince returned the collar around his Hunter's neck. The motioned for Jim to dress.

"Tonight we celebrate. The Hunter has been chosen." Simon announced to the crowd. The King then turned to Ambroren, who from fear of both Simon's and Blair magical strength had not tried to do anything. "And you, Ambroren are hereby banned from my country. If you come here again, I will personally destroy you."

Ambroren wisely did not try to fight. Compared to Simon's or even Blair's strength, he was a child in magical terms. Instead, he glared at the shapeshifter, then turned his horse and galloped out of the city. Jim swore to himself that he would see the sorcerer dead for the murder of Rafe, somehow.

The celebrating went on for candlemarks, while the King and his entourage returned to the castle for the feast, and the Bonding. Jim walked easily beside Blair's horse, the lead still int he Prince's hand. His mind still screamed at him wondering what the hell he had done, but he tried his best to ignore it. It was done, and Jim could not undo it. Instead, he followed the Prince, one eye on Henri, who was leading Hammar in the procession, and tried not to think of what was to happen later in the evening.

PART TEN

High Prince Blair lead his new Hunter to his quarters. The shapeshifter followed placidly, the leash still held in Blair's hand. Blair opened the carved wooden doors. "These are my chambers. I will leave you here. Servants will come to bath and dress you for tonight. I will come back later to take you to the Feasting Hall."

Jim nodded. Blair removed the collar from his Hunter, then left closing the doors behind him.

Jim stood in the middle of the sitting room with its balcony windows, large plush couches and chairs. A small table with two chairs held a game of Chess, and two shelves were filled with leather bound books. Exotic plants sat in pots, and huge tapestries covered the stone walls. There were four other doors in the room.

The doors behind him opened, and servants dressed in green livery entered. They did not speak to him. Instead they directed him through one of the doors. In the room was a gilded bath tub. Servants brought in buckets of hot water, and poured the water into the tub without spilling a drop. A servant began to unbutton Jim's shirt. The shapeshifter stepped back from him with a growl. The servant only looked at him with a stern gaze.

*What am I doing. I am a slave for Orion's sake. They are servants, and have authority over me.* Bowing his head, Jim allowed the servant to undress him.

By the time Jim stood naked, the tub was filled. The servant who had undressed him motioned him to the tub, and Jim climbed in.

The shapeshifter sat stoically in the tub as the servants scrubbed him with a light scented soap. His cheeks flushed red when one of the servants washed his cock and balls with a rag, and another used a wash cloth to clean his buttocks, and around his opening.

When he was clean, the shapeshifter was then dressed by the servants in a pair of black leather breeches, and a dark green silk shirt. Soft black leather boots and wool stockings were also added.

When Jim was dressed, the door opened to admit High Prince Blair. The young man smiled at the sight of his Hunter, and Jim caught a faint scent of arousal coming from the young prince. He flushed at that.

Blair looked at his Hunter, and saw the minute flaring of the man's nostrils. He knew Orikoi's had enhanced senses in both their human and animal form. He watched as the shapeshifter blushed at Blair's frank appraisal, and thought, *He has never been with a man.* Blair was a little shocked by that revelation, but he took it in stride. *Its not like I'm going to just push my way in and start thrusting. I will make it so good for him he will not regret his decision.* With that Blair smiled, and had the shapeshifter follow him to the Feasting Hall.

In the Feasting Hall, a large round wooden table occupied most of the space. Seated at the table was his Uncle, the King, the King's Hunter, the King's wife, Blair's mother, and the rest of the Huntsmen. Also were the winners of the Hunt who would no be Blair's Huntsmen. The men were now dressed in Huntsmen clothes, dark green and black leathers. Also the Council of Lords was there, as well as some of the foreign dignitaries.

Blair went to his seat beside his Uncle's Hunter, and the shapeshifter was seated at his right. Food was brought by servants, as well as wine, meade, and brandy. The servants only brought Jim water or milk since they knew of his Orikoi intolerance for alcohol. Blair himself only had a few sips of wine. He could not afford to be drunk for the Bonding.

Conversation around the room was jovial, and speculation on the Bonding between the new Huntsmen and the old Huntsmen was thrown around.

Eventually the feasting winded down. Jim had eaten very little, trying not to add to the queasiness in his stomach, wishing that he could get drunk so that he would not have to remember the Bonding night. *Or every night thereafter for that matter.* He thought.

Finally, the King bid everyone good night, and left with his Hunter and wife. Blair stood up and Jim followed as the High Prince also left the room bidding everyone a good night.

They were met at the entrance to Blair's door by the High Priest of Orion. Blair opened the door for the man's admittance, and the three of them walked in.

The Priest was there to make sure the Bonding was done correctly. He had the sacred oils, and the sacred drinks that both Jim and Blair drank. The Priest motioned for them both to strip, and he annointed their naked bodies with the sacred oil by placing a few drops on Blair's large half hard cock, and much to the shapeshifter's embarrassment, Jim's asshole. The Priest then murmured prayers. When the Priest was done, he kissed Blair's forehead, then left the room.

Blair stood up then, and grasped Jim's wrist lightly and led him toward the bed. Jim followed obediently, but with reluctance in his step.

PART ELEVEN

High Prince Blair led his Hunter to the large four postered bed in his Chambers. He could tell the shapeshifter was nervous, and he hoped to calm that nervousness with a little foreplay.

Gently pushing the shapeshifter's chest until Jim seated himself on the edge of the bed, Blair leaned forward and kissed Jim lightly on the lips. He flicked his tongue out and licked Jim's lips as he kissed them, and the lips parted for his entrance. The kiss deepened as Blair's tongue explored its way into Jim's mouth. He followed that kiss with light kisses on the outside of Jim's mouth, moving downward from Jim's lips to his chin, then up along his jawline, to Jim's left earlobe, which he caught lightly between his teeth, and tugged just a bit, then sucked on the lobe.

During this Jim sat, stiff as a tree, wishing that the Prince would just fuck him and get it over with.

However, the kisses went down again until the prince's mouth latched on to his right nipple and began to suck and lick the nub until it hardened.

The pleasure was such that Jim groaned deep in his throat, and Blair was secretly pleased to hear the groan. With his fingers he gently rubbed the other nipple until it hardened, then pinched it lightly causing another groan from the shapeshifter. Nipping at the nipple beneath his mouth, Blair slowly moved his other hand down Jim's chest to the flaccid cock nestled in the dark wiry hair. His fingers stroked the length of the cock all the way to the head. Unlike Blair, who was cut when he was a baby because it was tradition for Royalty, the shapeshifter was uncut. Blair's fingers rubbed over the foreskin, gently peeling it back to reveal the head. He pushed lightly with his other hand until Jim was on his back, as his fingers explored the tip of Jim's cock, and his mouth laved a nipple. Blair moved his hand down to Jim's ball, and cupped them, squeezing them gently, and rolling them around in his hand.

The groaning in Jim's chest continued, and eventually the shapeshifter's cock began to harden under the sensory assault. Blair's cock was already hard and leaking, but he ignored it as he continued his oral assault on Jim's body. Kisses and licks went downward until Blair's tongue explored the slit on the tip of Jim's cock. He mouthed the head, and has he had been taught, in one smooth motion swallowed Jim's half hard cock whole. Jim gasped at the feel of Blair's wet hot mouth engulfing his cock, and the blood rushed downward to center there.

Blair swallowed a few more times, but under the sensory assault, Jim came down Blair's throat quickly with a feral cry from Jim's lips.

The shapeshifter went limp, but he was still conscious.

Blair kissed Jim's lips and the shapeshifter could taste his own cum from Blair's mouth.

The Prince then stood, and retrieved the sacred oil. With a gentle push on Jim's shoulders, he rolled the sentinel onto his stomach and placed a pillow beneath his hips. Pouring some of the oil onto Jim's back, Blair began to rub the strong powerful muscles beneath his hands in a massage. His hands moved up toward the broad shoulders, then down toward the firm mounds of Jim's buttocks. An oiled finger moved between the butt cheeks, and massaged aorund the small entrance to Jim's body, but did not try to enter.

Blair continued to massage the firm buttocks, then lightly slapped one buttock with his hand. The shapeshifter jumped at that, but found the pain and pleasure to be a elated sensory experience, and did not flinch when the hand slapped his ass again. The hands went back to massaging, and more oil was poured onto his buttocks. Jim could feel runnels of the oil spilling in between his buttocks and pooling over his hole. Another finger ran over the hole, massaging it, but this time the finger sought entrance. Blair's other hand rubbed his back, and whispered words only he could hear tried to calm him.

The finger went in a bit, but Jim's nervousness had his ass muscles clenching tight. So Blair went back to massaging and nipping at Jim's neck.

Jim tried to will himself to relax. His master was seeking entrance into his body, and he knew he must obey.

Again the finger sought entrance, and Jim's ass muscled relaxed enough that Blair's oiled finger went in all the way. He moved the finger around, stretching the tight muscles, withdrawing and adding more oil when needed. While his finger massaged Jim's asshole, Blair's tongue licked across Jim's back.

Finally, two fingers were added, well oiled. They scissored and massaged the inner muscles, loosening them, readying them for something much bigger.

Eventually three fingers were inside, and several times those fingers pushed against the sweet spot inside Jim's ass. Each time they rubbed there Jim groaned, and blood again rushed to his cock. Pleasure hit him in waves, and he thought he would drown in those waves.

The three fingers were removed and Jim's ass felt empty. Blair oiled his hardened cock generoulsy, then postioned the head against Jim's hole. With one thrust he was in until his balls rested against Jim's ass cheeks.

There was some pain, but it gradually gave way to the pleasure at being filled. Blair waited until he was sure that Jim was more comfortable, then began slow easy thrusts. Beneath him Jim groaned and his cock hardened.

With one hand, Blair reached around and found Jim's cock. With an oiled hand he pumped the cock as his thrusts grew stronger and harder.

Eventually the stimulation against his spot inside his ass, and the rubbing against his cock brought Jim to climax, and he came all over the silk sheets. The climax caused Jim's ass muscles to clench and tighten around Blair's cock, and the Prince shot his seed inside his Hunter. At that moment power engulfed them, and the bond connected, and Jim felt it in his soul, as did Blair. The experience knocked both of them out.

Blair came to with his now soft cock still buried in Jim's ass. The shapeshifter was still out. The forging of the bond had no doubt overloaded his senses. Gently, Blair pulled his cock from his shapeshifter's body, and used a washcloth to clean them both of come and bodily fluids.

When he was done, High Prince Blair climbed back into the bed, and lay snuggled on his newly bonded Hunter's back, and fell into a peaceful sleep.

=30=

Sequels?...maybe. Feedback, both public and private, is most welcome