It was dark when I opened my eyes. It did not seem that long. Then it rumbled again. I got up. Another rumble, thunder. I had to get my jacket, which was still hanging outside, to dry. I grabbed my shirt. Thankfully, it was now less tight around my chest. At least that relief was real. It rumbled again, louder.

An angry-looking dark cloud was already halfway from the ridge to the castle hill. People poured through the gate, exhausted from the quick climb from the town, and still walking as fast as they could. There was no breeze, the humid air stood still. Only the menacing cloud rolled closer with breathtaking speed. I crossed the human torrent to grab my dry jacket, which smelled of sun and summer and crossed back. Just as I reached my door, the first gust brought already rain and pea-sized hailstones. I quickly shut the door and pitied the poor souls who were still on the road. The lack of Kiara and now the hail pattering on the door had woken Freya. Before she could say anything, there was lightning and immediately thunder. There couldn't be a better reason to snuggle up. Since I still had plenty of slightly dry pies, we could have dinner in my room.

Another flash and thunder shook the walls of my room. Now I hugged Freya tightly and even pulled the blanket over our heads.

* * *

It was still raining in the morning. I went out into the light drizzle to drain the chamber pot. A thoroughly grey sky left no hope of a quick change.

So back to cuddling and a long lazy morning.

When Freya was half awake, we had a slow breakfast. I ate a cabbage head, as all the sweet buns had left me slightly constipated. Freya had no such reservations. And the wet weather had softened the buns.

After breakfast (it was probably midday by now) she went to the healer's room, worried that there might still be victims of yesterday's hail to attend to.

What to do with the third day of the New Year? Perhaps I should write a New Year's card to Count Larel? He would surely be pleased, I would kill some time, and I wanted to show off my nascent writing skills. And improve them. Even if I was not sure when a New Year's card would reach him without a postal service. But first I had to write something. So I climbed the spiral staircase to Tarik. The two days' break from writing training, and thus two days without a Kiara brushing, had been enough for the spiders to weave huge amounts of cobwebs. I sighed as I combed the worst of them from head, ears and tail with my claws.

As soon as I knocked, the nuncipal's emissary opened the door, a familiar sight. "Happy New Year, Emissary of the Nuncipal." Apparently, my pronunciation was less offensive this time, the emissary just nodded, "Happy New Year," and then squeezed past me down the stairs.

It was strange, despite his proximity, he did not smell very masculine. Quite unlike the smell coming from the mage's room. Had it been always this strong?

It even intensified as I entered. "Good morning!"

His face brightened immediately. "Good morning, thank you for chasing away the emissary. I wish you could chase away the clouds as well."

I used that as an excuse to stick my head out of the window. The musky smell was still strong and excited me. I took some breath of outside air. Mind over matter.

"I wanting New Year, er, paper to Count Ladel. Uh, just needing writing learning before."

"I see. Let me get another old rune."

This one was quite faded. Still, the faded, intricate lines were attractive. "What doing, doed, uh, this one."

"This rune? Nothing, really."

"What?" It worked pretty well to confuse me, at least.

"The rune only holds the mana that I charged with the ink, or my own, or both." I nodded. "That requires sharp lines that curve in on themselves. I can infuse the ink with my mana. It cannot bleed, er, escape from sharp lines, so it flows along the lines." I nodded. "Then you see the tapering? Er, the lines get narrower. This is where mana can escape. Different magic requires different mana releases. Transport magic, massive and fast, freezing very slow." I nodded, though I wasn't sure if I had grasped it all. He pointed to a thick line. "Here, very slow tapering. This was a slow-release rune used for freezing. The line curved several times into this one." He pointed at a thinner line. "Using runes is very helpful for performing magic. Mana sustains magic. But the runes are only tools. No mage, no magic to sustain."

"So, uh, clever." Not the word I wanted.

"And I can recharge them a few times. But these lines have become too blurred, they can no longer hold mana."

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His next question caught me off guard. "Dear Countess, why are you wagging your tail like that today?"

I looked behind me. The tail was almost vertical and wagging like a stick, even touching the ceiling. I tucked it under me. "Nothing special," I panted. Damn, I thought I had me under control. But wished rather for for Tarik to take me, his smell had me badly aroused.

Needless to say, the lesson went badly. When he touched me to correct the angle of my quill for certain letters, my skin prickled. I deliberately moved my ear tufts through his hair when he was near. No chance of concentrating on the paper for more than a moment. I was too horny. I soon gave up and apologised before racing down the stairs, fighting the stupid instinct to rub my bottom all over the place.

I only stopped in the courtyard in the drizzle, which washed away any lingering smell and cooled me down. What was happening, did the animal parts of me break through?

I stood there for a while until the drizzle seeped through my fur. Then I hesitantly walked towards the stable, not sure how the strong smells there would affect me.

At first it was just the usual stench of horses. Larina was not in her stall. The stallion in the stall two down looked at me with interest. Or was it the other way around? Damn it. So I retreated to my room, wondered if I could lick myself and if that would bring relief, and otherwise watched dirty daydreams to the soundtrack of drops on my windowsill until I drifted into an early sleep.

* * *

As usual, I awoke early in the morning. A light breeze blew the morning mist off the wet fields. Only a few innocent-looking clouds dotted the dawning sky. The rain and the breeze had removed the lingering stench of Krenburg Castle. Instead, it smelled of wet stones, even earth and trees, with the breeze coming from the ridge.

I did a few morning stretches and waited for the sun to rise. I felt like a cow these days. Even though Freya had drained them last night, my chest was tight again. And still 'close to ovulation'. Damn, I felt like rubbing my bottom on every surface and it took all my willpower not to walk with my tail up. I fought the animal in me. Even the heavy petting with Freya in the evening had not brought much relief. I could hardly wait to get over this 'ovulation'.

Larina came out of the stable and joined me. She had gained a little weight, and her ribs were less prominent. But this morning I smelled her male member more than anything else. "Good morning, Larina."

"Good morning, Countess. A little morning sparring?"

Maybe that was a good idea. After I nodded, Larina got the crops.

It turned out that I could not even spar properly in my current state.

"You're distracted. What is on your mind?"

"Arr!" I shouted. "This!" I pointed to my bottom. "Only thinking sex. Even smelling your, er, penis."

"Interesting word for it in Earth," she commented dryly. That was not the point of my outburst. She went on. "Sometimes I feel a bit like a mare in heat. Yes, I am part animal. But I am me. And you are strong."

"So frustrating." I had to speak in Earth.

"Not sure what you mean, but yes, maybe you need some relief. I mean, if you really wanted, we could."

"No, thank you."

"Thank you too. Because I like you as a friend. And I feel too much as a woman to enjoy it. But I would have tried for my friend."

"Hug me."

Hugging someone on my level felt so different. And it relieved my tension a little. In my condition, every bit counted. Even if it hurt my breasts.

So, no training today.

* * *

Freya was awake when I returned. The rain and damp air had made the buns very soft, almost mushy, even without dipping them in the cold tea. At my request, Freya got some fresh milk with hers. It felt good, but she was not in the mood and I wanted anyway more. Somehow, she smelled even wrong to me. Freya!

Then she left for the healers. She had truly found her calling, away from abusive princes, helpless centaurs and battlefield wounds. I was happy for her. After yesterday, another writing lesson would be useless. Sitting in a small room next to my creator and thinking about how he had worked in me, well, today I would not be able to draw a single straight line.

But sitting in my room and thinking dirty but fruitless thoughts was no fun. Something outside. The fresh air was nice and the smell of the trees called me.

The choice was not mine, for it knocked at the door. "Good morning, Countess."

Count Radel was standing there with a large steaming kettle in one hand and a basket in the other.

"Good morning."

The kettle had a strong, spicy smell that even masked his male scent. Well, a little at least. Great, even if he was unaware of it.

"Have you had breakfast yet? The buns are getting very hard, maybe you want to soften them up with some tea I made?"

I had, but I didn't mind tea. I had planned to eat cabbage later. But whatever, I wanted to go outdoors.

"Yes. Let's sitting at sun."

So we sat behind the stable, where the sun had already dried the dew from the stones. I deliberately sat upwind of Count Radel while he took a small tray from his basket and placed two small earthenware bowls, a breadbasket with five buns and the kettle on it. A very nice, civilised breakfast, especially with my nose in the tea.

I had my back to the wall next to him, bent forward so that my lower body was spread wide on the ground, lower belly in the sun. The tray was between us. But not very far apart. Kiara, pull yourself together! So I straightened up a bit and ate another bun after it had spent some time in the spicy tea. It was a nice change, the softer texture and the spicy-bitter tea with the sweet-salty tarrek chutney went well together. Apart from the olfactory masking merit.

Larina's hooves announced her even before she came through the door. "Oh."

"No problem. Wanting bun. But having tarrek." I broke mine in half to show the dark filling.

"No, thank you. Don't want to upset my stomach. Grains?" She lifted the bag in her other hand.

"No, not now."

"The clerics and the healer will examine me today. And maybe the mage will be allowed to complete me."

"Oh, great." I started to stand up but Larina stopped me.

"Well, good day to the count and countess. I have to go." And she galloped off to the third courtyard. But her scent remained.

Moving would be good. I would wear myself out in the trees. I turned to the count, "Can we going to woods?"

"Now?"

I nodded. Into the forest, into the embracing scent of the trees.