In Search of a Pony, a Devils Paw Story

Chapter Three

A sound of a true horse catching up with her woke Aletha from her thoughts, from the sounds it was a horse and carriage so she found a wide enough place and pulled off the road. Truthfully she needed a rest so she signaled Penny by dropping to her knees, waiting for her now trusted employer to tend to her needs. Quickly the other carriage pulled up, passing them only to pull over and stop a few lengths away. Worried about another attack the pony hound could do nothing to defend herself, she was tired, needed a long rest and was imprisoned within her traces.

Helpless the she-wolf watched as the mouse stepped between her and the other carriage, her left hand near her revolver. Behind them would be Linda, the vixen carrying a Gewehr 88 she had purchased somewhere in Habana. Between the two Aletha felt well protected however this time protection wasn’t needed.

Two people stepped out of the carriage, a tall stately male afghan and what turned out to be his wife, a white furred hound that later turned out to be a white shepherd from Austria. As they approached the male walked just a touch behind his wife giving the resting she-wolf a bit of humor. It was obvious who wore the pants in that family.

“Is possible to touch?” the female hound asked Penny, her eyes on the resting she-wolf.

“I will ask her” Penny replied, stepping back to kneel beside her employee. “What do you think, should I let her touch you?” she whispered. In answer Aletha nodded her head yes, carefully getting to her feet as Penny did. She shook herself, feeling the oiled leather harness fall back into place. Mint and Auburn had together made her harness and carefully fit it to be comfortable, but it had to settle in the right place after all.

“She says yes” Penny answered the oddly accented woman. “But no liberties.”

“Ah. Not to play. This I understand” the white furred hound agreed. “She wears no slave collar I see, not that such is allowed on Granada. Not since two years ago.” She stepped forwards, her husband remaining calmly waiting where she had left him. Gently the hound followed the harness with her long fingers, feeling each metal fitting before finally stepping back from Aletha. “May see bit please?” she asked.

In answer Aletha opened her mouth fully, exposing the leather covered wooden bit for their companions view.

“Is not the metal. Why” she asked Penny after Aletha had again closed her mouth.

Penny gave the woman an appraising look, having come to the same conclusion that Aletha had about this couple. “She would have had to remove at least four molars or the corners of her mouth would have torn” the mouse explained. “Unlike your horse our mouths are different so the bit was modified. This also lets her communicate in a fashion should she need to.”

“Ah, but is helpless yes?”

“To a point” Penny agreed. “Her name is Aletha, she is a very strong willed woman, very Alpha. She explained to me that this allows her to escape the stress of being Alpha, to relax as it were by giving control of what she is over to her driver, but only to people that she trusts. Truthfully I don’t need the reigns, I could go to sleep and we would end up at our destination completely safe though she would be angry at me for not keeping control over her.”

“Is small vacation then” the hound decided. “From rule everyone. Can relax, escape stress. She is really not slave true?”

“No she is not a slave” the mouse agreed. “May I ask why you are so interested in her?” Penny asked.

“Let us walk. Please” the German hound asked. “To back of cart please.”

Penny glanced behind them, seeing Linda already in position with her rifle in her arms. If this woman or her husband wanted to try something they would soon be cooling in their very shallow graves, Aletha was safe. Still she whispered to Aletha that Linda was watching which relaxed the she-wolf a great deal. Upon reaching the cover of the Hanson’s rear the hound sighed, relaxing a bit. “Husband, he plays field. Is gambler. I have take control after marriage. Love him yes, very much but if let run free he bankrupt us.” She smiled sadly. “My name Stefanie Beckenbauer. Husband is Volker, he very good man but weak some ways. We own several factories and small sugar cane farm.”

She paused, glancing around a moment before continuing. “I want for me. I tired run run run day night. Go this factory, decide that pattern, keep eye on husband.” She let her shoulders droop a bit. “Wish husband stronger. He take care everything. Then we have pups, family but I still young. Think maybe he have me pull him around some maybe he forget little girls. You say your pony not for sale, that good. Is way I talk to both you in private?”

“I own Devils Paw” Penny answered. “We leave on the morning high tide but if you and your husband would like to take supper aboard, I think that a private chat could be arranged. But you are certain that your husband would not abuse you Stefanie? It has happened, I’ve seen it.” She took a deep breath, best let this be known now than later. “It happened to Aletha and I have experienced it myself.”

Stefanie gave the mouse a glowing smile. “Husband. He really love me greatly. Have played tie up many times he never abuse. What time is supper?”

“Seven PM.” the mouse answered.

“Then after meal we talk again. Thank you.”

She walked around the Hanson, waving to her husband who is seemed had never taken his eyes off of Aletha. Penny had a discomforting feeling about this, even the kindest man had been known to change when given too much power but that wasn’t her business. Clucking her tongue twice she was pleased that Aletha immediately kneeled, allowing her easy access to the Hanson. In a few minutes they were again heading up the road. Again Penny watched Aletha’s buttocks as they shifted side to side, her muscles exposing themselves as she working her way up a hill or through a soft spot and how her tail swung opposite of her hips as she pulled her passenger.

‘Even a woman would find it hard not to take control, this is strangely addictive’ the mouse thought. She tied the reins to their pole for easy access, calling to Aletha that she would be sketching for a while then dragged out her sketchbook and started working. One thing she would not draw though was the partially fur covered

brand on Aletha’s left hip, a brand given her by one of her previous owners. The smaller Devils Paw brand of course was hidden by the longer fur above Aletha’s pubic area, it having been burned into her mound after all the fur had been carefully shaved off thus its scaring had been minimal. Aletha would carry it to her grave with the other two brands, but it was a brand she was now proud to carry, seeing as even Penny was branded that way. A fact that had shocked the she-wolf when she discovered it quite by accident.