Chapter 7

Chapter Seven

The shuffle of bodies in the cage had me scanning my surroundings, taking in the other two women who still cowered in the far corners. They didn't seem afraid, necessarily, simply skittish like a feral cat would be. The mama cat didn't say anything to me, but did wipe her face, removing the signs of my juices off her lips and chin. How had I tasted, and did she mind doing what she had to me? Based on her casual demeanor, I gained the sense that her licking my pussy from anus to clit was not out of the ordinary. Was it her job to bathe all the kitties?

I looked out from between the bars and could see the hucows sitting in a row as the metal devices tugged at their nipples. It looked uncomfortable, but none of them even grimaced. They were talking among themselves, but they were too far away for me to hear exactly what they were saying.

"You're lucky to be a kitty," the mama cat said to me. "There are some awful types of pets you could have been chosen to be. The cows have to be milked throughout the day, the horses have to tend to the fields, and the guard dogs are the worst. The dogs have to fight and protect to the death if need be."

"What do the kitties do?" I pulled my knees up to my chest, trying to conceal my nudity the best that I could. No one else seemed to mind being naked with collars and a tail, but being completely nude in front of strangers, I couldn't help but feel vulnerable.

"The house cats are in charge of the cooking and the cleaning mostly. The barn cats are the wild ones. We're in charge of pleasing the master. We bathe his cock as I just bathed your pussy."

Her shocking words seemed so normal to her. There wasn't even a tinge of pink on her cheeks to betray any embarrassment or shame. In fact, everyone seemed to be at peace with their situation. I didn't sense panic or the need for escape in the barn. Everyone eased into their roles. The three women with whom I shared a cage stretched out and made themselves comfortable. I looked at the ponies, and they, too, seemed to settle in.

"He has us locked in a cage. Are you always locked up?" I asked, certain they were prisoners and truly wanted freedom. Maybe I could help them, although I wasn't sure I could even help myself.

Mama cat smiled warmly. "You'll see." She reached out to pat the top of my knee. "When you learn to let go and accept, things will be so much easier. You'll be safe. You'll be cherished. The owners love their pets. You'll never have to worry another day in your life. Your owner will always provide for you, shelter you, and care for you. You'll see that soon."

The two other women in the cage remained silent but did nod in agreement at the mama cat's words.

"Does he ever let you out of the cage?"

"Oh, yes, all the time. Marx is not a bad man. He's strict, but he also rewards good behavior. We're only in this cage because we are settled in for the night. We spent the day in the gardens planting seeds. It was a lovely day." She leaned back and stretched out her legs. Her large breasts and bush were on full display, but she didn't seem to mind at all.

Content.

Yes, that was what these women were, and although I had felt a sense of surrender to Erik, and did feel a strong need to please him, I could not see how I would ever enjoy sleeping in a cage. And never would I agree to have milk extracted from my body. That horrified me.

I swallowed against the lump in the back of my throat. I was in desperate need of some water. "I'm thirsty. Is there any water?"

Mama cat nodded and pointed to a small bowl. "That's our water dish over by the litter box."

I froze and felt my heart skip as her words sank into my terrified soul.

She giggled. "Don't worry. It's clean for now."

Not being able to take another minute without drinking the liquid I knew would be refreshing regardless of where it was placed, I tried to ignore the thoughts of any one of us using the litter box like a damn animal. On hands and knees, I crawled over to the water dish because I couldn't stand due to the cage's height. My black tail swayed with every move, tugging on the plug rooted in my ass. Though the pain had completely subsided, the constant stretching remained.

When I moved to pick up the dish, my prison mates gasped.

"No!" the mama cat snapped. "Put it down and drink from it like a cat. If Marx were to see you picking up the bowl, he would punish you severely."

Fighting the urge to rebel, I did as she asked and set down the bowl. The fear in all their eyes twisted my gut, enough for me to lower my face to the water in the bowl and begin lapping at it with my tongue.

"I don't know what your rules will be with your owner, but while you're here, never eat or drink like a human. And never walk unless given permission to do so. Act like a cat at all times or risk a painful reminder of what type of pet you are. Your owner's belting was nothing in comparison to the ones that Marx gives."

I wiped at the water that had dripped down my chin, nodded, and crawled back to my area of the cage, not wanting to be near the litter box if one of the women needed to use it.

We all sat in silence for what seemed like an eternity—an hour or maybe two. Had Erik forgotten about providing me dinner? The women were dozing on and off, lazily yawning and stretching. They were so relaxed, though I could only focus on being in a cage. Glancing over at the ponies, I wondered if I would prefer to be one of them rather than a caged kitty. At least they had a stable and were not confined behind bars.

The mama cat tilted her head and narrowed her eyes as she watched me hold back my tears. "Did you agree to be a pet?"

I shook my head and sniffled back the sob that threatened to escape. "I haven't agreed to anything in my life for a very long time."

"You knew you would have an owner?"

I nodded. "Yes, but a different owner than that man I'm with. My father sold me to pay off debts."

She nodded in understanding. "Many in this room have your same story."

I didn't say anything but gazed about as if these were now trauma sisters around me or something.

I couldn't help but release the tears I had been struggling to hold back. I didn't care if I seemed weak, or childish. Any bravado of strength had been spanked right out of me, and a constant reminder of that punishment was still lodged in my ass. I was naked in a cage. In a barn. Alone. These women did not understand me. I had no allies in this forsaken new existence. These figures before me were no longer women. They were pets. They had accepted their new reality.

I, on the other hand, was merely an imposter. Kitty tail, collar… but I was still a fucking woman! I didn't want this life, and had I known this was my choice when leaving with Erik on the back of his bike, I would have chosen to go with one of the other brothers instead.

The mama kitty crawled toward me with pity in her eyes. Without asking for permission, or even to test how I would react, she gathered me in her arms and pulled me into an embrace. "No need to cry. I know you're scared and confused. This is a lot to take in. I'm sure you think this whole situation is far worse than you had anticipated. Your feelings are normal." She petted my head in long even strokes. "But your inner demons will vanish eventually. You'll find peace. You just have to allow all the battles you have fought your entire life to remain in the past. You don't have to struggle here anymore. Your owner will make sure of it."

I sobbed into her bare breast and helplessly clung to her for support. I wanted to scream for help, yet there was no one to hear my pleas. This life, this existence was all I had left. And while I wailed and shook against a stranger's naked body, I wondered if Rue and Dabney were experiencing the same things. Were these feelings normal, as the mama kitty had stated? Would I learn to accept and adapt to this new way of living? Maybe, but for now, all I could do was cry.

I wasn't sure how long I remained like that, weeping for all I had left behind, and for my fear of what was to come, but I was startled when the barn doors were opened. Erik and Marx both carried trays with large bowls balanced on them.

Erik locked eyes on me, placed the tray he carried down, and rushed toward the cage. "What's wrong? Why are you crying?"

He unfastened the lock, watching me with worry written all over his face. Was he concerned for me? I didn't know why that surprised me. Erik had been nothing but concerned for me from the beginning. My warmth, my comfort, my safety, and of course, my life from this crazy man who owned this barn.

I didn't say anything, but wiped the tears from my eyes as I sat up.

Marx walked up behind him and said, "Mama kitty, I give you permission to speak. Why is Erik's pet crying? Were you mean to her?"

I shook my head. "Oh, no. They were very kind."

"She was scared of the cage," the mama kitty said.

Erik opened the door of the cage and pulled me out gently. Like a baby, he cradled me in his arms, carried me to the same bale of hay he had spanked me on and sat down. I snuggled up against his chest, enjoying his warmth and the familiar smell of his essence. The ball of panic inside my gut immediately seemed to lessen. He stroked the hair away from my face and stared at me, his brown eyes so warm. "Is that true? Did being in a cage scare you?"

"Yes," I said, oddly feeling overcome with shame that I had to admit something as minor as sitting in a cage had put me in near hysterics. If it hadn't been for the mama kitty's comfort, I would have quite possibly broken into a million pieces.

"Why? You don't strike me as being so fragile."

I shrugged and hid my face into the curve of his neck. "I felt alone. Hopeless. Scared. My future is so… unknown."

Erik stroked my head, combing his fingers through my tangled hair. "All right. No more cage. From now on, I'll keep you with me." He continued to stroke as all my anxiety melted away. "Marx, I would like for my kitty to be a house pet. I will have her stay with me in my room, and in my bed."

I pulled my head away and looked up at Erik, surprised, and then glanced at Marx, who was distributing the bowls of food to all the women. He shook his head in what appeared to be disappointment, but didn't verbally express it. Each pet ate from the dish with only their mouths, yet they had mastered it so that their actions looked delicate and almost elegant.

Marx let out a large sigh. "My rules are in place for a reason, Erik."

"I'm aware of your rules," Erik said, "and this isn't a sign of disrespect, but Maya will be staying with me."

My heart seized, and a large lump formed in my throat. Erik was standing up for… for me. Something that had never been done for me in all of my life.

Marx nodded. "Fine. For you, and only for you, I'll break my rule." Marx reached for the last dinner bowl and handed it to Erik.

Erik grabbed the bowl. "Thank you, friend. I appreciate your understanding." He brought the bowl to my face, and I prepared to try to eat from it as I had drunk from the kitty bowl earlier but was surprised when Erik picked up a piece of stew meat and brought it to my lips. "Eat." His command was firm yet soft.

I opened my mouth, and he placed the meat on my tongue. The delicious morsel almost melted in my mouth, and I nearly moaned as I chewed. Erik continued to feed me, one piece of meat after the other while I remained sitting on his lap.

"I don't ever want you to be scared," Erik said quietly to me as I swallowed. "I appreciate you trying your best to respect his ways, but I don't ever want true fear because of it."

I looked into his eyes and nodded.

"Finish eating. We need to get to bed. I want to be up early and head home."

Home. I didn't even know what that meant, but for right now, the idea of leaving and going anywhere with Erik gave me… hope.