Opportunity knocks

After plotting all day and night you're quite ready to lie down and sleep. Doe, Renee and Yvonne are awake and waiting for your return, while Helena and Sandra are snoozing peacefully in each other's arms. You smirk, sure from the tangle of limbs that Sandra has been 'double checking' Helena's pussy licking talents.

Seeing how tired you are Doe welcomes you into bed and starts massaging your shoulders while Renee fluffs your pillow. Yvonne sits on the edge of the bed, but you know you'll wake with her muscular form cuddling against your body. With her babies on the way she's become very protective of their father. As Doe works the knots from your spine you drift off and dream.

An insistent chime wakes you. Sitting up you realize that it's sometime around noon. You blink dust from your eyes and gather your senses. Perhaps the princess has returned much sooner than expected. Quickly you dress yourself and use some minor magic to improve your appearance. Doe doesn't say anything, but the way she leans back and smiles you know that as soon as your business is done with she'll be ready to pounce you.

You scry outside the entryway and see only a blur. Strange, you renewed those runes not more than a month ago - perhaps a near miss by that early spring thunderstorm did something? One final check of your own features in the mirror, then you deactivate the traps and open the front door. Outside is a small man you don't recognize. He's wearing a deep grey cloak - from a distance it might look worn or ratty, but up close it's plain that the cloak is quite new, made of fine wool and covered in a fine embroidery of darker grey threads. The effect is much like cobwebs.

"Good day to you master John, first caster of the first kingdom," he says, bowing.

It's an old and formal way of addressing you. For a moment you suspect him to be a mage, but it's unlikely that you would have missed a mage on your doorstep. Magic calls out to its own. Intrigued, you invite him inside and lead him to one of the nearby sitting rooms.

"Pardon me for this disturbance, but I have heard many interesting tales. I know at least a few to be true and you are certainly at the heart of them. My name is Leshak and I am the most senior of the local order of guile."

Quite a lofty name for a bunch of thieves and brigands. And though the locals are quite well organized you know their leader is named Prevan. Magically disguised, you've had reason to meet him on several occasions, most recently to exchange silver and gems for a selection of fine young women.

As if sensing your thoughts Leshak smiles and says, "No, I'm not the leader of the thieve's guild. The order of guile is more... exclusive. We deal with a more artistic level of thievery. We are its spirit." With that he pulls out a small token, a piece of jet carved into the shape of a cat's paw.

Now you know who he is. It takes a very special kind of thief to break into the homes of mages, but the black order, the dusk captains, they do just that and more besides. You've met a few people who claimed to be from this many-named, many-headed organization, but most were charlatans. The confidence of the man in front of you puts them to shame. You try to concentrate on him and feel your magic slide off. It's like watching farmers competing to grab a greased pig.

Leshak nods slightly and says, "There's another, much older name for us. It should tell you why I chose to come here in person. Centuries ago we were the order of Bast."

You can't help but smile. Long ago the clergy crushed the order of Bast, a heresy that worshiped a feline goddess from the south. Obviously their inquisitors weren't as thorough as the church believed. You feel he's telling the truth, and if he is then the last thing Leshak would want is to stop your plans.

"I would be most grateful if you could introduce me to the children of my goddess," says Leshak. "There are many old murals and scrolls. There are clay tablets describing their presence in the distant past, their coming in the future. I didn't dare to dream that I would live in the time of their arrival."

There's fervor in his eyes. You lead him through the corridors and into the main hall. Most of your catgirls are sprawled out and basking in the sun. Lashak lets out a gasp and falls to his knees. "So many," he says, **** up.

A few of the catgirls come over to see your visitor. Apart from you he's the first other human being any of them have met. A short, black furred catgirl named Iryne looks back and forth and says, "Who's this? He looks a lot like you, but different too. Is he from a different country, like you were telling us about?"

You introduce Leshak, who takes her hand like it's made of glass. Iryne laughs and her tail bats back and forth excitedly. She's one of the rarer catgirls who seems to prefer clothes and you think Leshak is trying to concentrate on her to keep from blowing his own mind.

So it's not helpful to him when Nelayne, a towering 6'0" tall catgirl without a stitch to cover her perky C-cups steps up next to Iryne. When Leshak tries to shake her hand she pulls him in closer and gives him a hug. A little sigh escapes from him when his head is pressed between her grey furred breasts. Nelayne gives him a smile and says, "Hi Leshak. Are you going to be staying a while? Are you from the city? Cause we've got lots of questions."

He looks to you, his previous composure in tatters. You do your best to keep from laughing and say loudly enough for all the catgirls to hear, "Yes, I think Leshak will be able to stay a while." More quietly you tell him, "I've been trying to teach them about the world, but there are never enough hours in the day."

Soon Leshak is surrounded by catgirls eager to hear any tales from the outside world. Sandra has insinuated herself near the center, ready to help interpret anything Leshak tells them. You wait only long enough to be sure that he's going to be alright, then sneak off with Doe, Renee and Yvonne for some well deserved relaxation. You aren't sure what Leshak has in mind, but if you can use him to aid your dreams of a country of catfolk then you certainly will. And it never hurts to have a goddess on your side, even if the church calls her heretical.