Cook with Barkeep and get information.

Awkwardly, you hop out of Tenfingers's lap, hands cupping your little penis for cover. But then your tail sticks straight up as you feel a hand on your back.

Glancing over your shoulder, you see the moth woman smiling warmly at you. She gives you a maternal rub along your back, then gives your bare ass a soft pat.

You're probably going to have to get used to this moth woman's touch... She can't seem to take her hands off your naked body. You feel so exposed and vulnerable, but... At least Tenfingers's touch feels warm and gentle. You're as much of a cuddle bug as most catfolk, so it's not like you hate it... You're just still not sure if you can trust these people, even if you don't have a choice in the matter.

You pad barefoot around the bar, conscious of the eyes on your naked bum as you pass them. You duck under the counter top door and follow the orc into the kitchen.

He grins, giving you a quick pat on the head as he goes to slip an apron on. "You can read, right?"

You nod.

"Oh, right! Royalty. Here's my recipe. You can make Tenny's meal." He hands you a slip of parchment.

You glance at the text, skimming it over. The hand not holding it is still tightly cupping your penis from this orc's view. "Strawberry tart with honey?"

Barkeep lets out a deep belly laugh. "Tenny's favorite! I know, surprising, right? Girl's got a serious sweet tooth! She loves fruit most of all! This is my special recipe, at that! Don't worry, I'm the best cook in Pickton!"

"Pickton? I-Is that the town I'm in?" you ask. You follow Barkeep's pointing to where a stool is resting against a wall. Ah, you can use that to reach the counters.

"Yup! Third biggest town in Pendragon, and also the town with the biggest crime rate! We've got the biggest Red Lantern District in the kingdom, too!" Barkeep says.

"Um, is this all the Eight Hands, or are there more out in Pickton?" you ask, pulling the stool up to the counter.

"Ha ha! Good one, kitten!" Barkeep says, gathering ingredients from cupboards and ice boxes. "Eight Hands is a multi-kingdom organization! Yeah, I know it's called the Eight Hands Bandit Gang, but... That's kinda a relic from when they were just getting started up. But hey, it's good for makin' 'em seem smaller than they are. They don't got a formal leader, either. They're just thieves who work in the shadows and support each other. Honor among thieves, first and foremost. They only steal what their marks can recover from, so they mostly save the big jobs for the rich."

"And what about... Tenfingers?" you ask, standing close to the counter in the hopes of hiding your cock. Barkeep places flour, sugar, and salt in front of you, along with a whisk and bowl. You know what to do.

"Tenny? She's definitely the best of the best! Bit too bold and reckless, though, as you can tell from her curses. She's a good kid, though! Like a daughter to me," Barkeep explains. You can't see what he's doing since he's behind you, but from the noises, he's making your meal.

"But why did she... you know... steal me?" you ask. A tap on your shoulder and you see Barkeep hand you a cup of melted butter for the dough. You gingerly take it.

"I'd say ask her, but... Well, you don't know her hand sign language, and I imagine you are pretty intimdated around us as interpreters... so I'll be blunt. She just wants to pamper you."

You nearly drop the whisk. "What?" Seriously?

"Ha ha! Yeah, yeah. Thief and a prince, how unlikely. Look, Tenny is a skilled thief. But she can't talk and she's rarely ever not topless. She has us, but... she's lonely. If I had to guess, I'd say she saw you, thought you were cute and in trouble, and took you because she wanted something to feed, take care of, bathe with, hold to her chest like a teddy bear as she sleeps, and cuddle with. Yeah, she's a thief... but she's still a lonely girl, ya know? Don't worry. Just think of her like your mom, if that helps. She can't free ya, but she's not gonna treat ya like a slave or a pet."

You look down at the dough you're making. Is it really that simple? Does Tenfingers just want someone to take care of and shower her affection on?

"What kind of life has Tenfingers led... that more than anything, she just wants someone to love?" you ask, your voice quiet.

Barkeep's voice is somber. "...That's not for me to say..."