El Dorado

Nina turned her head to the left, admiring the impressive building of the lighthouse that guarded the narrow headland separating the harbor from the sea. Then her attention shifted back to the shrinking city that she had watched from the stern of the Nao since they had departed. The city stretched out over parts of the hills, church towers rising from the flood of houses, with an old, now mostly obsolete wall separating it from the green and brown landscape. The city nestled up against the sea that had made it rich and the harbor district made up almost half of it. Boathouses, warehouses, taverns, the admiralty's buildings and more. The young canine woman sighed. She had never seen the city that had been her home for her entire young life like this. And until a few months ago, she had thought it would stay like this.

But then, shortly after her sixteenth birthday, her parents had called her into the dining room one evening. From the first moment on, she had been certain that it was something important and the young golden retriever had been right. Being a member of a noble family comes with certain responsibilities, her father had started to explain. She had always known that. She was born and raised to one day get married, to be the loyal and dutiful wife the Bible had praised. In a way she had always been looking forward to this moment. In her dreams she had seen a knight in shining armor. A gentle, elegant man, one who was polite and modest with whom she could start a family. But little did she know that the price of her dreams was leaving for the New World. Her parents had explained to her that the newly founded colonies were rich and flourishing lands, but of course, at first only sailors and soldiers headed there. Now that the first cities were forming, they needed females as well. She was destined to get married to the governor of Santisima Trinidad, a harbor that would one day be the flourishing heart of a new overseas empire. 

Being the good, obedient daughter she was, Nina had agreed. There were ships going to the New World on a regular basis by now, so only a couple of weeks later her belongings were loaded onto the Nao and they set sail for Santisima Trinidad.

As they left the harbor, like a farewell, the bells rang through the streets and over the waters to call the believers to church. Nina's hand wandered to the golden cross she wore around her neck almost without thinking about it. She pulled the cross out from underneath her collar and turned it between her fingers; it was warm, having rested between her breasts. Her heavy dress only showed a slight hint of them; she had seen women older than her at court presenting their cleavage in their expensive, elaborate dresses, but she had been taught that this was something a true lady wouldn't do, that it seduced men to do evil and lured virtuous girls like her down a dark path. Though she never really gave those sermons much weight despite her pious upbringing. It didn't make her a bad person, that she was attractive, right? After all, it was how the Lord made her, a slender, petite figure with noticeable curves and a modest-sized chest, all covered in lustrous golden-colored fur typical of her species, and topped off by a pretty face with sky blue eyes and curly blonde hair that complemented her fur color nicely. Still, she always felt more comfortable wearing heavy dresses like her favorite blue one she was wearing right now, that concealed her entire body except for her head, hands and tail. At least showing her long hair wasn't considered sinful anymore, though she usually wore it up in a large and elaborate bun like she had now. And the dress she had taken along for her voyage was meant to please her future husband. She just hoped that he would appreciate that - and that he world treat a young, innocent girl like her with respect and patience.

"Don't worry young dama, we all feel this way when leaving home."
Nina looked to her side in surprise, only to see the face of an elderly feline. He had thin grey fur and a deep notch in one of his ears. His rough clothes, stitched together and repaired numerous times, revealed that he was a simple, low ranking sailor. Most likely he wasn't as old as he looked, but a hard life at sea had taken its toll. Still, his voice was calm and gentle.
"What do you mean?"
He looked back just like she had. "Each time we set sail, every man on a boat thinks about what he's leaving behind, what possible life he trades for the sea and if he'll ever return." Coming back from his deep thoughts, he smiled. "But in your case, I can assure you it's worth it. Your new home will be just as beautiful as your old one."
"Really? You've been to Santisima Trinidad?" Nina asked, suddenly very interested in learning as much as possible.
"Of course," the old sailor confirmed. "A few times, actually. It's a new, growing trade post, not such an ancient and crowded city." He gestured towards the slowly vanishing port. "It's rich and spacious and exciting."
"And the governor?"
He smiled gently. "I'm sorry dama, a simple sailor like me wouldn't know such an important person."
"Of course, I'm sorry." Nina blushed. Of course he hadn't met the governor, her curiosity had ashamed him.
"Don't worry dama, I can understand that you want to know more. Though if you have any questions regarding the sea, then I'm your man. My name is Piedro."
"Nina, nice to meet you." She felt a welcome warmth, grateful to have met a friend already.

But there weren't just friends on board. When she went to the small deckhouse at the rear from the ship later that day, she passed by a small group of sailors, looking at her cold and almost hostile. She felt uncomfortable, so she moved faster, but still, she heard one mumbling something about how a woman on a ship would bring bad luck.

Almost two weeks had passed since they had set sail. For Nina, the sight of the ocean held no expectations of adventure anymore. It was just a depressing, endless desert of water. The captain had told her that they were making good progress, that they were traveling faster than usual did and that by now, and more than half of their route lay behind them. But was that true? Everything looked the same. She had expected them to travel by some islands, coastlines, anything that would give her something different to look at and enable to her to estimate how fast they were moving. But like always, she had no choice but to trust the words of the officers with their seemingly magical devices. They checked the sun and the stars; they checked their compass, that little black needle that turned inside its little round case; she just had to trust them and their expertise to take her to her destination, no matter how frustrating it was to do so.

The daily routine on the ship was hard, even brutal. She hadn't expected it to be like that, but with dozens of men caged together in the small wooden frame of a ship, working, eating, and sleeping in what little space they had, it was inevitable. Always waiting for the commands of their officers and when one didn't obey, they were punished hard. And even though the officers tried to keep her separate from the crewmen, she still overheard more than one conversation about what happened after they got their pay and left the ship for a few hours or days of shore leave. Their talks were rather explicit and Nina's cheeks burned more than once when she heard talks about cheap whores and what they did with them. Of course Nina had tried to get out of hearing range whenever such conversations were held, but it wasn't always possible. Just another thing that made this voyage more and more maddening with each passing day.

Now she was sitting with the captain and his officers in the tiny wardroom. The food had gone from bad to terrible, even though she knew it was still better than what the sailors got. Still, Nina only ate as much as she was given. She wasn't feeling too good, partly because of the constant rolling of the ship, fighting its way through a slightly more angry sea by now.
"Dama, this is nothing, you are lucky that we didn't encounter any real storm so far." One of the officers said and another one nodded.
"Yes, sometimes the waves are so high and toss the ship around so much that the highest yards touch the water."
"I see." Nina nodded. "I think I just need some fresh air." With that, she got up and left the room. Actually, the fresh air and the unhindered sight onto the sea and the grey sky did help her, even though she had difficulty walking straight. 

"Sure I would fuck her, she has great tits!" She suddenly heard a voice through the open door of the rear superstructure of the ship. Again, Nina blushed. Weren't they ever tired of that topic?
"I bet she's still a virgin!" Came another voice, then laughing.
"Of course she is." The first man replied, then said with a high pitched voice, "I'll save myself for the governor!" Again, laughter. Nina flinched. Was it really her they were talking about? Then there was another, deep, almost threatening voice.
"I tell you, she's bad luck. A woman on a ship is always bad luck. Did you hear that we had to empty another barrel of water? Rotten and befoul. I tell you, the captain should throw her over board."
"Dama, can I help you?" Shocked, Nina flew around, just to look into Piedro's face.
"I - I..." He followed her gaze to see the dim light coming out of the sailors' quarters, then he patted her arm. "Don't worry, miss. They are young men, too long at sea, too easily frightened. I'll escort you back to your quarters."

Much to Nina's relief, they didn't encounter any real storms during their voyage, but instead, an allied ship, a heavy galleon that carried their flags. The captains met for a brief talk and afterwards the ships parted again, leaving the captain of the Nao visibly worried.

"Captain Ibanes?" Nina finally dared to address him after dinner. The captain was an older terrier of average height, and he carried a commanding air that always made Nina reluctant to approach him during her time on the ship, but seeing him of all people concerned was enough to make her want to talk to him.
"Yes, young dama?" He turned to her with questioning eyes.
"Is something wrong?"
"No, why do you think so?"
"I...I was wondering, did the galleon bring bad news? Some of the sailors said we changed course and I saw the sun setting at a different location on the horizon." She stopped, looking down at her intertwined fingers. Was a mere passenger, no matter how highborn, allowed to ask such questions? But she needed to know. After all, if something wasn't going according to plan, she was in the same danger that all of the crew were in.
Ibanes nodded slowly. "Well observed, dama. Yes, we got news that there's an enemy raider fleet on our route, so we'll sail towards the coast further to the north and then move along it southwards. The enemy doesn't have maps of that region, it's far too dangerous sailing there without them. So, we'll be safe. Please dama, don't tell the sailors about it, it would just cause unrest."
"I won't, I promise. Thank you for telling me." Nina said.

Three days later, they spotted land and soon, Nina and Piedro stood at the railing, watching the islands moving by.
"El Dorado." The elder man stated. Nina turned to him.
"El Dorado?" She asked. 
"Yes, you see those islands?" He pointed at the small patches of rock distributed along the horizon. "Beyond that is the mainland. An old sailor in a tavern told me they had seen such. A storm had forced them off course and they had to navigate through this area of the ocean. When they ran out of water, they landed at the shore. A few men of the group got lost and they assumed they died somewhere in the dense forest, but two days later, they returned, healthy, rested and pockets full of gold. They had wandered inland and found a city that was entirely constructed of gold. The inhabitants, a few savage avians, fled from their weapons and left their riches and supplies behind. I'm not entirely sure if that story is true, but afterwards, I heard others talking about El Dorado too, so it can't be entirely myth."
"El Dorado." Nina said, her fantasy drifting towards a golden city as she observed the green mainland that slowly came into view.
"Piedro! Come under deck, it's your turn carrying water!" A harsh voice commanded.
"Talk to you later, young dama." He said and turned with a sigh.
For a few days now, water had been pouring into the ship. The sailors said it was due to the shipworm that turned the Nao into a cheese and the saltwater had ruined some of their provisions already.

Two more weeks passed. Captain Ibanes did his best to navigate the small ship between the islands and shallows, constantly on the lookout for enemy vessels. They had avoided the unexplored, dangerous jungle but by now, food and water were running short and some of the sailors had gotten ill. Scurvy, Piedro had explained to Nina. A disease that sometimes spread during long voyages. No one knew where it came from and the only known cure was to set foot back onto land. If that wasn't possible, death was inevitable. Finally, when even their captain fell ill and couldn't leave his bed anymore, the ship was commanded by a young officer, barely able to navigate and even less able to keep morale up, especially since their arrival was now long overdue and water was constantly swashing through the lower decks.

It was a dark and rainy night, when someone knocked at the door in Nina's cabin. Putting her dress on in a hurry, she rubbed her eyes. The knocking became harder and louder, easily distinguishable from the pouring rain. As she opened the door, half a dozen of sailors stood there. One of them holding a pistol in his hands, his eyes sparkling with hostility. "Come!" He ordered.
"What? What is it?"
"Grab her!" The sailor ordered as she still hesitated and two large men grabbed her by her arms and pulled her onto the deck, the heavy rain beating down on them all the while.
"Please, what? What is going on?" She stumbled.
"I always knew women on ships are bad luck. We're all going to die because of you!"
"No, please! Where...where is the captain?" Nina struggled and kicked at her captors, but it was no use, they were too strong.
"We're taking matters into our own hands! Let's see if the sea creatures have more mercy with you." The leader of the group said as they dragged her to the railing.
"Nooo!" Nina shouted.
"Stop it!" She heard the voice of Piedro and looked up. The old man was standing there with a musket aimed at their leader.
"Ha! I wondered if you would show up. Did she already let you fuck her or is that what you're doing this crap for?"
"Don't talk about her like that." Piedro growled. For a moment, there was uncertainty what to do among the sailors, then a shot was fired, then another one. Chaos broke out on deck and someone pushed Nina, making her stumble. For a moment, she regained balance, then, taking a step aside to avoid the body of a sailor who had just been hit by a bullet, she stumbled over her dress, fell backwards and over the railing.

Crying out, she fell like a stone and slammed against the water with a loud splash. The water closed again over her head as she sank, struggling and thrashing, trying to get up again. She never learned how to swim; she had wanted to, but her mother had told her that it wasn't a necessary skill for girls and that if she did, men could see her nude at some lake. So she just tried her best, closed her mouth and struggled to propel herself upwards, frantically kicking her feet as best she could with the massive dress surrounding her. After a few moments, she felt herself being lifted up again, slowly at first, then more quickly until she resurfaced, the mass of cloth around her and the air trapped between all those layers having helped with that. She was only a few arms' lengths away from the ship, but with her limited swimming skills and the dress hindering her, it took her a good amount of effort to reach it. She could still hear shouting and screaming on board. A part of her suddenly hoped that Piedro would fall overboard as well to help her, but of course the rational part of her hoped that he was well. There was more gunfire and shouting, though it was impossible to make out who was winning, but right now it didn't matter anyway. When she reached the wooden side of the ship, she realized that there was nothing to hold onto, just smooth planks that passed her by. She tried to shout for help again, but it was useless, they couldn't hear her so far down and with waves crashing all around her. Then there was another shot and a body broke through the railing of the ship, breaking a good portion of it off as he slammed down into the water right next to Nina, quickly sinking and never to be seen again. But the wood of the railing was there. Struggling, Nina swam to it, feeling something pulling at her. She grabbed the biggest piece of wood, holding onto it as the ship passed her by fully. She had other things to worry about though. The dress that had supported and carried her so far was starting to soak up with water and got heavier and heavier, pulling at the young woman now constantly, trying to drag her beneath the waves and making it increasingly difficult to hold onto the wood. One more time she shouted for help, but the light of the tail lamp was already growing smaller and smaller. She had to help herself and that meant getting rid of the clothing that was now trying to drown her.

With all her remaining energy, she pulled her upper body onto the railing so that she would at least temporarily get her hands free, as she started to open the buttons and ties of her dress, pulling at the laces with her trembling fingers until she finally managed to get outer layer of her heavy dress off, kicking it away from her, then followed by the kirtle underneath it. She tried to breathe in, but her bodice still strangled her. She was no longer being pulled down, but she felt that she needed to move more freely, and after all, she preferred to be exposed and alive than be adequately dressed drowned. Gasping, she frantically unlaced her bodice and finally let that piece of clothing fall from her body, trying not to think about the fact that all that was left on her was a simple white linen chemise, hardly appropriate attire for a lady to be outdoors in. Only now, she sank mostly back into the water, using the wood to keep her afloat, while she looked for a rescue.

That ship was gone by now and it was unlikely that they would come back. Another ship, well, they only met one during their entire voyage and if by accident another one would come by and fish her out of the water, she expected it to be one of the enemy raiders the captain mentioned. No, she needed to save herself, and that meant getting out of the ocean as soon as possible. In the dim moonlight, she was barely able to make out the coastline through the thick rain, uneven against the horizon due to the thick jungle starting right behind the shore. She felt as if the coast was already closer than before. Was the stream pushing her towards it? Maybe she should try to land somewhere else? To follow roughly the route of her ship? After all, who knew what dangers awaited her in that jungle? Predators, savage cannibals, wild tribesmen, she knew all about the dangers of the uncivilized wilderness. Then again, she remembered Piedro's story of the two sailors who had gone lost and were supposedly treated like kings in that city of gold. Maybe that meant she could find shelter with the natives? It seemed almost too good to be true, but what choice did she have? It was either that or remain in the ocean until she drowned or was picked up by a potentially hostile ship. Whatever would happen, she wouldn't be able to stay afloat for long, therefore the nearest coast was her only option. Grasping onto the floating railing, she faced the shore and kicked her feet as hard as she could. She was slender, petite and not used to physical activity, so she quickly became exhausted, but she pressed on, determined not to die in the middle of the ocean.

Panting and coughing, Nina reached the shore some time later. For her, it felt like an eternity, even though it was still nighttime. The water, cold even in this tropical environment, the effort of holding onto the wood and struggling to get it closer and closer to the coast and the fear had all worn her out. With her last remaining energy, she pulled herself out of the water as soon as she could stand. She was dripping wet, her fur-covered body thoroughly waterlogged and feeling more exposed then covered by the soaked fabric of her underdress clinging to her form, her long hair sopping wet and falling all around her head. She stumbled as she stepped out of the water and towards higher ground, where she collapsed underneath the first palm tree she could find and immediately fell into a deep, dreamless sleep.

She suddenly sat up, gasping. What had happened? It took Nina a moment to regain her memory. The sailors, the fighting on the ship, her fall and struggle not to drown. Looking down at herself, she realized that her remaining piece of clothing was dry now. The sun was already rising. She must have slept a few hours, but she felt anything but relaxed. Her muscles ached from sleeping on the bare ground and she felt hunger and thirst nagging. Rubbing her eyes, she looked around. She was not far from the shore, but there was no ship to be seen. A part of her had hoped that there would be a boat from the Nao, searching for her to bring her back on board, but no, nothing. Would they have even known to search for her at all until it was too late to go back? Everyone who had been present when she fell had wanted her gone and wouldn't have told anyone except...her thoughts suddenly turned to Piedro, the kindly old feline who risked his life to save her to no avail. Had he survived the fight with his shipmates? She hoped so, but it dawned on her that if he had, he surely would have informed the commanding officer what had happened and a rescue effort would have been mounted before long. Granted, there was no way to know for certain, but the memory of seeing the Nao disappearing into the rainy mist with no sign of a rescue party made that hope seem slim. Without thinking, she reached into her dress's collar and pulled out her cross necklace-at least she still had that-and said a silent prayer for Piedro's safety.

She couldn't dwell on his fate too much, however, as she had far more pressing concerns at hand. Like the fact that she was stranded on a foreign shore, surrounded by wilderness, with only a simple linen underdress and a rosary on her, and absolutely no one in the world knowing where she was. Never in her worst nightmares would she have imagined she would find herself in this situation, yet here she was, alone and defenseless in the untamed wilderness of the New World. She didn't even have the luxury of footwear, having not had the time to put on her shoes back on the ship before she was dragged out of the cabin, though thankfully her padded canine feet would provide at least some protection against the rough ground.

Towards the other direction, there was nothing but the jungle. It seemed not that thick, though looks could be deceiving. Even though she had no map, she knew she was a very long distance away from Santisima Trinidad, and while there were numerous imperial outposts and towns scattered across the continent, she had enough knowledge to know that her original destination was the closest to where she was currently stranded. True, there were also native towns that could potentially offer help, but there was no telling how much distance lay between her and them. Still, she couldn't stay put forever. She had to find something to eat and more importantly water, so she would have to leave this shore. Besides, enemy ships might spot her and decide that it was time to catch a helpless girl. No, she couldn't risk that. She was certain that she wouldn't make it to Santisima Trinidad on her own, but maybe she could find a native village, even El Dorado itself? If the natives helped her, she might be able to make her way back to civilization later. It was well worth trying!

Standing up, clenching her teeth in a gesture of defiance, she bridged the little distance towards the jungle. Time to search for that town. 

It was approaching noon and Nina had to accept the fact that she had no idea how to look for signs of people who most likely didn't want to be found. At first, she had thought she would stumble over some kind of road, or at least path through the vegetation which would lead her to the city of gold, but of course, there was nothing. Then she had started looking for carved stones, a signpost, anything that would indicate she was in the right direction, but again, there was nothing. At least she had the good fortune of finding a small spring, fresh water pouring out of a formation of rocks. Good enough for her, but she didn't dare to eat any of the fruits she had found on her way, fearing they could be poisonous. 

Following what little information she had, she tried her best to move southwest, if she could trust the position of the sun, that is. And from time to time, the sun was totally blocked out by the canopies of huge trees anyway. The sound of wild animals in the distance was unnerving. She didn't even know if there were dangerous predators, she was pretty sure she had seen a snake or two moving throughout the trees in the corner of her eyes, but even that she didn't know for sure.

Finally, she followed some path that looked as if it was only used by animals. To her right were fissured rocks, not very high, but impossible to climb without a rope. To her left, the ground dropped away and down there she saw thick undergrowth. At least she couldn't get lost using the only path through the forest here.

Suddenly, she stumbled, tripping over some root. She tried to recover balance as she made two, three steps forward, then she felt the soil under her feet giving way and the next moment she rolled down the hillslope. She tried to grab onto some branches or young plants, but was only able to slow down her fall until she reached the bottom of the slope. Gasping and groaning she got back up on her feet, wiping the dirt off of her chemise, which had once been white but by now had taken on various brown and green tints. 

Even worse, as she looked up, she was pretty sure that there was no way to climb back up, so she would have to fight her way through the thick undergrowth here. She thought she saw easier terrain behind it, so Nina decided to give it a try.

Stupid idea. Nina scolded herself as she tried to break off another branch. She had tried to push, pull, crawl under and climb over the branches, shoved them aside and broke them off, but without any tools, without even anything to properly protect her body, it was an almost futile attempt. She only very slowly made progress when suddenly, a branch snapped back into place, making a swishing noise, its leaves slapping over Nina's arm, just as its thorns caught on her remaining clothing. There was an unpleasant sound of ripping cloth and with a shriek, the girl moved around, jumped and realized then, that by doing this, she had made it worse. The thorns had dug into the fabric and were still holding. She took the seam of her chemise and tried carefully to unwind it, but as she tried, she only got stuck more as other branches moved back and also scratched against her fur and the fabric. Nina was close to crying. She was stuck, stuck in some stupid thorns. 

Carefully, she removed one thorn, then another, moving her arm back and again, got stuck on others that now ripped away the seam of her clothing on her shoulder. Seconds passed and Nina cried out in anger and desperation, finally tugging violently and then stumbling back a few steps. She sighed in relief, grateful to be free, but a moment later realized something wasn't right, feeling a cool draft around her fur. She looked down and gasped, seeing that she was fully nude, the only thing on her body now being her gold cross necklace still hanging between her breasts. She turned around and saw the tattered remains of her chemise hanging in the plants' grip. 

"Oh no!" She thought, running back, tugging at the garment and now being able to get at least most of it free. She had to cover herself! What if anyone would see her? She turned the piece of fabric in her hands. The thorns had shredded the cloth into strips of various sizes, making the dress impossible to wear anymore. She felt her heart sink. Being stranded alone in the jungle was bad enough, and now this? Panic began set in, but she forced it down. She had to remain focused if she didn't want this place to be her grave.

Maybe she could at least salvage some of it to preserve her modesty? As shredded and unwearable as it was, a few larger sections were big enough to wrap around her slender form. Sighing, she took hold of the largest piece and tore it off, then wrapped the fabric around her hips and under her tail, trying her best to make it look like it was intended to be worn like this. Shifting the cloth around, she tied both ends into a knot. It wasn't much, just a simple loincloth-like garb that would barely cover her crotch and backside while leaving her legs fully exposed, but she had to wear something. She briefly considered leaving herself as is, but she just couldn't leave her chest bare. Picking up the shredded clothing again, she gathered a few of the largest remaining strips and tore them away, bunched them together into one long length of cloth, and wrapped it around her chest. She brought the ends around to her front and tied them together as tightly as her comfort would allow, making sure to pull her cross necklace out from under it afterwards. Thankfully her breasts were small enough to be easily concealed by this makeshift covering, but it still felt awkward. Everything about this attire felt awkward and unnatural, just some flimsy strips of cloth covering her most private areas while leaving everything else bare. Ironically she was now dressed more like the natives that inhabited places like this, and if-when she found a village to help her she'd no doubt fit in a lot more that she would have in her old dress.

As she progressed through the jungle, she was reminded of her state of undress again and again. The air was warm and humid, still she felt a breeze of fresh air against her fur every now and then. The moist soil under her feet and the sensation of branches brushing against her was actually pretty nice. Taking a deep breath, she picked up her pace and broke off into a steady jog, something that would have been very difficult in her old attire. Normally she'd find being dressed this way in broad daylight to be humiliating and unbearable, but there was no one around to see her, and as time went on not only did she get more used to it, it actually felt surprisingly comfortable and liberating. She'd been taught her whole life that to expose herself in such a manner was sinful, but she was no longer in her homeland, she was in a jungle on the other side of the world, where her old heavy dress would have been sweltering hot in the humid air, and would have prevented her from moving at a fast pace. But now...she reached a high rock face with large mossy stones jutting out of its side. Without thinking, she began to climb it, stepping from rock to rock and pulling herself up as best she could with her slender arms. It was difficult work, but she never felt so alive and free, and felt a sense of accomplishment when she reached the top, having successfully scaled it rather than taking the long way around.

The young canine pressed on forward, feeling a bit winded but otherwise in the best shape of her life, having used muscles she never thought she had before. Her time in the cramped confines of the Nao felt like a distant memory now, a bad dream compared to what she was currently experiencing. Still, she knew it would only be a matter of time before she became weak from hunger, so she set aside her feelings of freedom and focused on the task at hand, moving through the jungle at a steady pace. Sooner or later she had to come across a town, a village, a farm, anything, not daring to think about what would happen if she didn't.

Before long, she heard the sound of rushing water and scrambled to investigate. Sure enough, beyond a thicket of trees a long, wide river lay across her path, the water visibly moving at a rapid pace downstream. Nina felt her spirits pick up, as a large source of water was the most likely place to find a settlement. She took heart in the fact that she might be getting close to salvation, but there remained the question of what to do now. Should she follow it downstream or upstream? There was no telling where it led or how long it went on, but she noticed that the jungle looked less thick on the opposite side than it did behind her, and reasoned that if anything lay nearby the river, it was probably on the other side.

Of course, that raised the issue of actually crossing the river. There was a time when she would have been terrified of going into a large body of water, but last night's experience in the ocean combined with the adrenaline rush from her newfound freedom now made this just another task for her to overcome. Though she couldn't gauge the depth very well, it was obviously nowhere near as deep as the ocean, and while she still wasn't an experienced swimmer and the river appeared to be flowing rather fast, she was confident she could stay afloat and kick herself across after her forced lesson of surviving the turbulent ocean. It was funny, one would think last night's near-death experience would make her terrified of any body of water, but it just made her more eager to take on this new obstacle. She smiled, kissed her crucifix necklace, and stepped down into the river.

The rushing water around her ankles felt rather refreshing, a feeling that increased as she waded forward into the depths and more of her body became submerged. She could feel the current tugging her downstream, but was certain that she could handle it. The cool water flowing across her barely-clothed form felt very nice and relaxing, a far cry from her prior swimming experience, and she closed her eyes and savored it for a moment before moving forward. Wading deeper until the water was up to her neck, she pushed herself off the bottom surface with her feet, kicking and propelling herself upwards and forwards with her legs and arms, towards the shore and in the opposite direction of the current. Her movements were clumsy and crude, but they were adequate to keep her afloat and she found it to be tiring but satisfying work.

As she moved further out however, the current seemed to be stronger the deeper she went, and she had to struggle more and more just to prevent herself from moving downstream too fast. She quickly became tired out, and realized that she misjudged the strength of the current. Panic began to set in as she realized she could no longer fight it, having to struggle just to keep her head above water. Coughing and sputtering, she was swiftly swept downstream, unable to move to the river's opposite end now that she was using all her strength just to stay afloat. The surrounding jungle ran past her vision as she picked up speed, feeling the rushing water all around her body, no longer a pleasant sensation as she frantically kicked and fought as hard as she could. During her struggle, she felt her makeshift clothing come lose and fall away from her, but she had no time to think about the fact that she was naked once again. Not when she was in the same life-threatening situation as she was in the ocean, only this time there was no debris to cling to and all she could count on was her own waning endurance to stay afloat.

After a few moments passed, a loud rushing sound filled her ears and kept getting louder and louder. She turned her head downstream, and her felt another wave of panic as she saw that the river ended in a waterfall, rushing over the edge a short distance away. She desperately kicked and paddled in the opposite direction, but it was no use as the current sped her towards the end, and she screamed as she fell over the edge.

Nina continued screaming as she fell an indeterminate distance down the falls and crashed feet-first into the water below; thankfully the height wasn't enough to prove injurious when she fell at that angle and the water was deep enough to fully break her fall as she found herself completely submerged. The girl opened her eyes and looked up to see the sunlight breaking through the turbulent surface above. She felt the water caressing her body and it dawned on her that she was actually swimming underwater nude, remembering that her coverings were lost in the current above. She actually found it to be a pleasant sensation, waving her arms and legs around a bit, the feeling of being completely submerged making her briefly forget about her earlier panic. Never in a million years would she have thought she'd be doing this-and really, hadn't that been the case for the entire day?

But she was tired out from her earlier struggle and was running out of air, so she kicked upwards and broke the surface a moment later, gasping for breath as the waterfall above rained down on her. Panting, she paddled to the shoreline and pulled herself up and out of the water onto the nearby rocks with all her remaining strength, then flopped down onto the hard surface, exhausted. It was stupid to try crossing the river, she had simply been overconfident from the thrill of her newfound sense of freedom, and now she was once again without any clothes. She resolved to not try anything like that again as she stared up at the sky through the canopy above, and reached for her necklace...and felt nothing. She looked down at her chest and groaned, seeing that her rosary, the symbol of her faith, had clearly come off at some point during the struggle not to drown. It was possible it had fallen with her and sunk to the bottom of the waterfall, but as much as she enjoyed the sensation of swimming there was no way she was going to go back down and search for it, not after almost drowning again. She had never been a particularly strong believer, but its loss still stung, for now she truly had nothing left with her. It was tempting to just lie there and forget about things for a while, but she had to keep moving no matter how tired she got. No matter what, she would not die naked in the jungle.

Picking herself up, she shook herself out a few times to help dry her waterlogged fur and wrung the soaked mass of her long hair out. She knew she was a mess, but refused to concern herself with appearing presentable, or even the fact that she was nude. If she no longer had clothes anymore, then she would just go like God created her. There was no one to see her anyway! Though of course that would change once she accomplished her goal of finding a village, but there was nothing that could be done about it. Survival was her first and only concern. She set off in the direction of the sun, away from the other side of the river she had started out at, shivering and feeling more tired and hungry than before but determined not to give up. At least the sun shining through the trees overhead offered some warmth and before long she felt her fur and hair slowly dry out.

She picked up her pace, and like when she first lost her clothes she was constantly reminded of her bare state, only this time things were worse. The occasional breeze blew across her damp fur, sending a chill through her even in the warm tropical air. She shivered and hugged her arms close to her, trying not to think about the fact that she really was trekking through the jungle in the nude. Her breasts, now free from clothing, jiggled a little with every step, and it was a feeling she needed to get used to. She pushed on through the undergrowth, branches and shrubs repeatedly brushing and scraping against her. A few more steps ahead and she tripped over something, a rock, a root, she didn't really care what it was as she fell forward onto the ground in a pile of leaves and twigs. Groaning, the canine gritted her teeth and picked herself off the ground with considerable effort, trying her best not to let frustration get to her as her once pristine golden fur was now riddled with dirt and debris.

The feeling of exhilaration from before was gone now, and all she could think about was the fact that she was tired, hungry, dirty, and more vulnerable than she'd ever been in her life. She wasn't quite feeling miserable just yet, but if this went on for much longer she certainly would be. It occurred to her that if she didn't find anything within the next few hours the sun would set, and she'd have no choice but to make camp somewhere and get some sleep...if she knew anything about making camp, that is. The only alternative would be to keep wandering through the darkness of the night until she collapsed from exhaustion, a terrifying prospect. As would any predators happening upon her sleeping form. No, she still had to keep moving, no longer registering the passage of time or even her own steadily weakening state. She didn't come all this way just to fall victim to the untamed wilderness.

At least the jungle was much less dense beyond the river, even below the waterfall, and Nina made some more progress, at least until she heard some movement behind one of the trees she passed by. So far, she thankfully hadn't found any signs of large predators, but still, she didn't want to take the risk. Stopping in her tracks, she looked left and right, yes, there were other options to proceed and the return onto this path, she just had to take a few steps back quietly.

She hardly dared to breathe as she took her first step back, then a second. But before she had gotten far, two figures jumped onto the path from behind the tree. She was partly relieved that it wasn't a wild animal, but also partly shocked at the sight of two tall, muscular warriors. They were of a bird tribe and a colorful one, with their feathers drawing patterns of green, yellow, red and blue. Their beaks were short and curved and they were only wearing heavy loincloths, revealing their strong bodies, and an assortment of exotic-looking jewelry and armbands. Aside from that, their clothing consisted only of a leather bag each one was carrying on his side. Both were armed with spears that they pointed at her, shouting in a language she didn't knew. Her tiredness forgotten, Nina yelped in surprise at their fearsome sight, reflexively lifting her arms over her head to show that she was no threat. She realized that she was naked and presenting herself like this as she did though, but was too frozen to do little else besides stare in shock.

Suddenly, one of the warriors stopped in his motions. His beak opened and he hastily turned his spear aside. Then he turned to the second one, explaining something to him upon which they both lowered their spears and continued to speak, now in a much less aggressive voice. Nina couldn't understand a single word of what they said, their sudden change in demeanor confusing her. She had occasionally encountered avians before, mostly affluent birds of prey from the eastern empires who sometimes made business deals with her family, but she had never seen ones like these before. She had, however, heard about species with beautiful colorful feather patterns that inhabited the New World, but she never imagined she would actually find herself face to face with them when she had set out for Santisima Trinidad. The way they were acting, speaking in tones that almost sounded deferent, made them seem even more foreign to her. The fact that they spoke to her in their native language rather than in Spanish made her realize that they were probably an isolated tribe who hadn't been contacted by her home country's missionaries after the conquest of the New World, maybe even from the hidden city of El Dorado itself? Her earlier hopes had been reignited, though she still remained cautious in their presence, remembering the last time she fell victim to overconfidence.

After a moment, it became clear that they weren't hostile towards her anymore. This was odd. Did they want something else from her? After all, she was a beautiful girl naked and alone in the middle of the jungle...no, if they were going to attack her they would have done so already. Still, she quickly moved her hands down, covering her chest and crotch as best as she could. She blushed, feeling a deep sense of embarrassment now that she knew she was out of danger. This wasn't appropriate at all, even those half-naked warriors were wearing at least some clothing while she was standing completely nude in front of them. Even worse, she knew that they had seen everything when she had raised her hands in fear. Still, they looked at her amicably and almost expectant now. Nina made up her mind. If she wanted to survive, maybe even find the city of gold, this was her only chance. Though after everything she'd gone through, right now simple survival was more on her mind than gold.

The young canine moved her tail between her legs and up and over her crotch, knowing that it would cover her better than her hand did. Keeping her other arm over her chest, she made a snatching movement into the air with her free hand, then guided her hand to her mouth and opened it. Having not eaten anything since yesterday and severely weakened from the long trek, she was in desperate need of food, and since these natives seemed friendly she felt comfortable in asking them for some. For a moment, the warriors just stared, then one seemed to realize what she meant. He reached into his bag and took out some fruit, then he drove his spear onto the ground and carefully-as if he was worried he would scare Nina away-he stepped closer and handed her the fruit. She smiled and nodded, deciding to show a sign of trust and ate the fruit. It was juicy and delicious. She rubbed her belly and the warrior, now a little bit more determined, handed her another one. 

Finally, as her hunger was at least temporary sated, she needed to know more. She pointed at the warriors, then at herself, then made a moving gesture with her fingers. Finally they understood, one of them pointing towards some place in the distance, waved her over and took the lead as they set off, with the other one following behind her. Were they really going to El Dorado? No, most likely to some remote village, but at least she wouldn't starve and wouldn't be alone. Nina sighed, aware that walking in front of one of them made her backside that was only partly covered by her tail visible to him, and she needed both hands from time to time to push aside branches and vines. In between, she still tried to cover her chest, but felt it was a pretty futile attempt. She hardly dared to think how it would be once they arrived in their village, all those eyes on her naked form. But what other choice did she have? She was tired, disheveled, and wouldn't last much longer alone, the thrill of her sense of freedom ground down to nothing by the harsh exertions of the day. Now she just wanted nothing more than a place to eat and rest, and her gratitude towards these natives' apparent hospitality overshadowed any embarrassment over her state of undress. She only hoped that her good fortune continued and there were no more unpleasant surprises in store.

The first thing she saw of the warriors' home were two dark grey stone pillars. They were covered over and over with strange signs, a writing of some kind? It looked like an arrangement of rectangular pictures, delicate, complicated, and impossible to read. They had partly sunken into the muddy ground and overgrown by moss and climbing plants, ancient and not in use anymore. Then, the path they had been following turned into a paved road of some kind. It also looked ancient and it didn't start all of a sudden, but seemed to rise from the soil of the forest like the wilderness had reclaimed the parts further away from their settlement. The warriors ahead and behind her both moved to her sides, flanking her, and then, through an arch that was formed by the trees of the jungle, she saw it. A long street flanked by massive stone houses, a huge, pyramid like structure at the end of the road, all bathed in pure gold. Her jaw dropped. It was true after all. This was El Dorado, the city of gold.

As they left the jungle, she could see more details. Many of the outlying houses were old, the stones partly shattered, some replaced by clay bricks. They had flat roofs, and in and around them were many men and women, all of whom were the same kinds of avians with colorful feathers like her escorts. And they were all working, cooking, weaving, crafting. Trees stood by many of the buildings and here and there, she saw small fields between and beyond them. What she also noticed was that the city wasn't made of gold. It had just been an illusion, a trick the setting sun played as it shone onto the yellow stones. How big the city was, Nina couldn't tell. There was for sure not just this one street, and there were more than one large pyramid-shaped buildings that were visible above the townscape, in fact she counted at least half a dozen, all of various shapes and sizes. But all had the same basic design, a number of platforms, built like terraces, connected by steep stairs and an elaborate rectangular building on top. As the warrior led her into the city, Nina got a close look at two women of the tribe. They were colorful avians of course, one holding her little child in her arms while chatting with the other. And they both just wore loincloths. Apparently, neither of them were ashamed to show their exposed breasts in public. Nina was surprised at the sight, momentarily forgetting that she was even more naked than them, and quickly realized that every tribeswoman she saw, regardless of age, didn't wear any chest coverings, wearing only a variety of loincloths and jewelry just like the males. Weren't they worried what that might do to tempt their men? Yet the warriors flanking her paid them no heed, in fact it seemed like none of the male inhabitants of the city regarded any females with lust despite the latter being just as barechested as the former. It was shocking and alien, and she didn't know what to think. She must make a strange sight to them with both her arms wrapped tightly around her chest, yet she just couldn't bring herself to uncover her own breasts. The two women looked over to her in a mixture of confusion and curiosity, then, almost at the same time, their eyes widened, they turned to each other again and started chatting excitedly. As Nina passed them by, aware that her tail was still just barely concealing her behind much to her chagrin, they turned and followed her towards the big pyramid. 

Now, Nina saw gold. It wasn't the material the houses had been built from or the streets paved with, but she saw it on the inhabitants of the city. One wore golden bracelets, the next a delicate pectoral, yet another wound thin leaves of gold into his feathers. By now, a small crowd was walking behind her, mumbling and chattering, making Nina more than a little nervous. Whenever she looked back at them over her shoulder, they stopped, some took a step back, looking at her in a mixture of expectancy and worry. They weren't afraid, that much she was pretty sure, but what excited them about her so much? Finally, the warriors stopped in front of the massive pyramid. They stepped to either side of Nina, bowing slightly and gesturing her to move closer to the building. The young woman looked up. It was impressive. The whole building was at least as high as the masts of the biggest ship she had ever seen. The stairs leading up were wide enough to allow twenty men to walk up at the same time, at least until they reached the top platform. The massive stairway ended in a small open square with an ornate structure in the middle, and Nina could see a few doorways leading into the interior of the building. A curtain was pulled from one of those doorways and out stepped another avian. 

She was tall and slender, her feathers mostly red with yellow patches at her hands and legs. Gold shimmered on her forehead, around her neck and abdomen, arms and legs. She wore a white loincloth and a wide cape made from black feathers that moved behind her like wings, adding to the colorful feathers on her body. Like the other members of the tribe, males and females, she kept her chest bare and her ample breasts moved with every step she took towards them, her gaze transfixed onto Nina. Who was she?

Finally, she stood in front of the young woman, standing almost a head taller than the petite canine, looking down at her. She shared a few words with the two warriors, words Nina couldn't understand. Then she reached out and stroked her shoulders, pulling slightly at her golden fur. Golden fur...it must have shimmered in the sunlight just like the rocks this city was built of, did that mean...?

Finally, the woman nodded, took a step back, extended her arms and spoke in solemn voice, bowing low. The crowd that gathered around Nina answered and bowed as well. She didn't knew what to make of this, but she shivered. Finally, the woman in front of her extended her hand to Nina. After a moment's hesitation, she took it, allowing the woman to lead her towards the pyramid and up the stairs, leaving the warriors and the crowd behind.

The sun was now fully setting as she entered the much cooler insides of the pyramid-was it a temple? There was a short corridor the two followed, then the corridor opened into a large hall, warm mists greeted her and it took her a moment to realize she was standing in a bath. There was a huge pool, stone benches around it, some covered with furs and soft blankets, tables with clay bowls filled with flavorsome oils, herbs and colorful cosmetics. And sitting around the bath were girls, five of them, all avians of course, and they wore no jewelry or ornamentation, just simple white loincloths tied around their waists. Unlike the people she had seen outside, their plumages weren't as colorful, rather, they all had the same greyish-brown feathers. Were they members of another tribe, maybe? Nina had difficulty estimating the ages of these foreign beings, but from their youthful features she guessed that none of them were older than her, maybe even a bit younger.

The gold-decorated woman gestured towards the bath, but Nina was reluctant. This was all so strange, so alien to her. From the look of these people, their language, their habits, their clothing, down to even their architecture, everything was so new to her and she was afraid she would lose herself in this place; these people didn't even speak her language, how could they help her find her way back even if they wanted to? But then again, she had already been lost the moment she fell overboard, hadn't she? The ability to direct her own steps in the jungle was just an illusion of being in control; in reality she had been alone, lost and defenseless before she found this place, unlikely to even survive much less see her home again. And really, if everything had gone according to plan and she married the governor of Santisima Trinidad, she still would have been living on the other side of the world, and her duties as the lady of the house meant she wouldn't have seen her old home and family that much, if at all, anyway. So if she ended up settling down here, learning their customs, their language, their way of life, never to go back to her old life again, was it really all that different? Despite their strange culture, these people had been just as kind and friendly towards her as she had hoped her original destination would have been, therefore she had to trust them and show gratitude to their goodwill. Finally, she nodded. A bath sounded appealing anyway. Two of the girls got up, untied their loincloths and let them fall to the ground, leaving them just as naked as her. Nina was puzzled by this sudden gesture, but then they walked up to her and one of them took her by the hand and, leading the way, guided her into the bath. The others watched, twittering at the sight of the newcomer. The retriever was painfully aware of her nudity, her tail and arm still concealing her chest and crotch, but again, what could she do about it?

Nina sighed happily as she stepped into the water. It was pretty warm, but not too hot, gently washing around her legs as she waded deeper in, a sharp contrast to the nightmarish swim in the river. The floor of the bath sloped downward so that stepping forward brought her deeper, and soon the water reached up to her abdomen, covering her lower body like a warm blanket. Almost on reflex she uncovered her chest and removed her tail from between her legs, and only now she realized how tired she felt-tired and dirty. Almost jumping forward, she stepped further into the bath until the water reached up to her neck. She had barely noticed it, but she was dirty. Though the salt from the sea had been washed off by the river earlier, leaves, dirt, small twigs, seedcases and who knew what else stuck to her fur from her subsequent trek through the foliage, making at filthy and matted. She really needed a bath! Sighing happily, she closed her eyes, took a deep breath and submerged her head beneath the surface, feeling the warm water caress her entire being. She surfaced and started rubbing her aching shoulders, then opened her eyes and saw that the remaining three girls had also discarded their loincloths and were walking towards the bath, carrying an assortment of bowls and grooming implements. She quickly realized that she wouldn't have to wash herself. One of the girls behind her began rubbing and massaging her shoulders and upper back for a bit, then the other pulled her up by the arm and led her to the shallower end of the bath so that she stood waist-deep, and the two of them started freeing her fur from the remains of the jungle, their efforts quickly joined by a third girl already in the bath. Another girl slipped into the water, this one carrying a bowl with some liquid. Quickly coming over, she held it over Nina's head. "W-What are you going to do?" The canine asked, then some drops of the liquid fell onto her hair and the girl started massaging it in, while a fifth avian approached, this one with a comb, and started to work through her long blonde hair carefully.

All the while, the girls kept on chatting and giggling, a language Nina couldn't understand of course, but she felt their excitement and exuberance. They were some kind of servants for sure, in fact their simple dress and being members of a visibly different tribe indicated that they might even be slaves, but if so they seemed to not be bothered by it. And why would they be happy to serve a foreigner like her? What made her so special?

The air was heavy from steam and the fragrance of their oils and herbs and within no time, the girls had cleared her fur from all the detritus of the jungle. Then they started scrubbing her entire body down with small washcloths. It felt awkward and more than a little embarrassing being bathed by complete strangers that way, but in the end her fur was completely clean of any dirt and after a quick rinse in the water she felt like a new canine.

Then one girl took her hand again, leading her towards an even more shallow part of the water that was only knee-deep, as the other four grabbed varying flasks and bowls from the edge of the bath and went to work further on her body, carefully scrubbing her fur and working in what seemed to be soaps and oils. "H-Hey!" Nina yelped in surprise at the sudden feeling of being touched all over, then quickly relaxed. They seemed to enjoy touching her fur, a sensation they most likely had never felt before-just like Nina had never before felt ten hands on her body at the same time. The only similar experience she could remember was her mother helping her bathe in her younger years, but this time was different. She didn't know these girls at all and still felt nervous and embarrassed, yet they did their task skillfully and Nina had to admit being treated like this felt good. Some more oil dripped onto the wet fur of her shoulders and her chest, one of the girls massaging it into her fur, slowly getting lower, to the approach of her breasts.

"N-no, not there please." Nina protested and tried struggling a bit, but it was no use, both her arms were firmly held in place as the two girls rubbed them, while the girl in front of her just looked in her eyes and gave her a reassuring smile with her beaked face. One girl standing behind Nina did the same with her back, massaging her aching muscles as she went down to her waist, another worked on her legs, while the two at her sides were now busy with her flanks, rubbing and massaging the skin underneath her fur, making her senses tingle with an unknown feeling.

"I...no really, you-" Nina's sentence was cut short as the girl's hands moved to her breasts, closing around them determined, gently massaging the oil into her fur with circular motions. The sensation was unlike anything Nina had ever experienced and she gasped from the sudden jolts of pleasure her brain tried to process. At the same time, she felt other feathered hands wandering over her flanks, her back, her thighs, her butt, stroking, massaging and touching her. This was wrong she told herself, no one should touch her like this but her future husband, and certainly no girl should do this. She could feel herself losing control rapidly as her body reacted to the gentle and skilled massages all over her bare form. She shouldn't want this to feel good! It was frightening, and yet, it felt so relaxing, so nice. Would these girls do anything bad to her at all? Surely not, they were just bathing and massaging her. They seemed just so playful and nice and-another gasp escaped her as she felt her nipples stimulated by fingers rubbing oil over them. Determined hands stoked and massaged her butt cheeks, adding to the stimulation. For a moment, she gathered her strength and tried to move forward a little, avoiding those inappropriate touches, but two girls held her arms, holding her in place as they continued to massage her entire form. Then suddenly, the girl at her front moved down and started working on her belly. How odd it felt. More hands gently rubbed all along her thighs, slender fingers working into her flesh and getting dangerously close to her nether regions. She flinched, but forced herself to relax. Surely they wouldn't touch her down there. Though her mind told her this was totally inappropriate, her body felt it was a wonderful sensation. They seemed to enjoy their work a bit too much, but then again they were just young girls who probably were eager to touch and explore a being that was as exotic to them as they were to her. There was no reason to deny it to them, especially not when they were basically acting like her personal servants catering to her every need. Aside from that, her body was shivering in anticipation from the thorough, almost intimate massage, and though Nina was totally new to such sensations, after all she went through in the past two days, she was willing to relax and let herself enjoy it.

She let herself go partly limp, two girls still holding her up by the arms while they tended to her, supporting her as the heavenly, almost intimate massage continued all over her form, and she closed her eyes in pure bliss. She no longer cared whether or not this was inappropriate, all she knew was that this was a wondrous feeling and she didn't want it to stop. The one in front of her was slowly working down all over her belly, fingers stroking in and around her navel and making her shiver in delight. Then Nina felt her traveling further down and realized her hands were right above her pubic area, and she opened her eyes and gasped. "H-H-Hey..." she stammered, seeing that the girl was now kneeling in front of her, her hands alarmingly close to her most intimate area. While she had come to enjoy the full-body massage, she knew that was the one place she shouldn't be touched. Or should she-her thoughts were abruptly cut off as the kneeling bird girl began stroking her pubic mound, gently massaging her outer labia with oiled fingers and making her gasp in shock at the sudden jolt of pleasure. "Please..." She protested halfheartedly, not knowing what to think about it, other than how good it felt. She struggled a bit in reflex and tried to move forward, but the two girls at her sides still grasped her arms firmly and held her in place.

She felt gently pushed against the girl behind her who continued rubbing and stroking all over her back area, alternating between her back, butt and the rears of her thighs. Soft feathered hands were against her flanks, the two girls at her sides stroking their way upwards and their gentle, yet determined hands slid over her breasts and began massaging them in circular motions just as the girl in front had done before, while the one kneeling at her side tenderly worked up and down both of her thighs and calves. And through it all, the one kneeling before her gingerly rubbed all over her nethers with one hand, looking up at her and smiling with her beaked face.

The sensation was wonderful, even better than the massage moments before, and Nina broke the silence moaning out. It was more intense than anything she had ever experienced. A part of her still felt like it was wrong, but it was rapidly fading under the wonderful sensations she was experiencing. Over the past day she had nonstop done things she never would have imagined a short time ago, so what was one more? A soft voice whispered something into her ear; she still couldn't understand the language, but she understood its meaning, that she was meant to relax, to give in and enjoy it and it felt so easy to do just that. Delicate fingers traced over her engorged lips in between massaging her mound and soon, a thumb brushed over her clit. Spikes of pleasure hit Nina, her muscles tensing for a moment before her legs turned into butter. She was glad that two of the girls were holding her, for she wasn't sure if she would have been able to remain upright without their help. If she would just push that finger into her body! Nina thought for a moment, but that didn't happen. The girl kept on stroking and teasing the most intimate part of her body, but not going further. The rest of the girls continued massaging all over the rest of her, contributing to her rapidly growing pleasure. How could it feel so good? Nina wondered for a moment, scared at her own reaction, but by now, she was beyond resisting, she just let them do it, let them massage her, touch her, pleasure her entire being. The thumb drew small circles over her clit, adding a little pressure, then moved gently like a feather again, while eager hands roamed freely over her body that felt aflame. Soon, very soon she felt as if she was burning from the inside, something was rising, her body preparing itself, tensing, her breathing accelerating. And then, finally it hit her. She threw back her head, howled in lust and clenched her thighs together as her first climax washed over her, making her mind blank out for a moment as she came hard. 

Her peak only lasted for a moment in which the slave girls held her tight, supporting her. Then, they helped her back towards the edge of the bath, sitting her down on one of the hard stone benches.
"That...that was..." Nina panted hard, her chest rising and falling. She tried to fan herself with her hand, her cheeks burning and her muscles shivering as she sat at the bath's edge, her legs dangling limply in the water. What just happened? It started out as simply being cleaned and bathed, then massaged, then...pleasured? By them? There was no way that was a spontaneous decision, not with all of them working in tandem, each one focusing on a different part of her body to drive her to climax. Had they been ordered to give her that treatment? And why? No one had ever told her that something like that could feel so good-or that a girl could make another girl feel like that. Her upbringing made her want to think that what just took place was sinful, that they shouldn't have done that to her, that she shouldn't have let them do that, but now...she didn't know what to think. Just one more item on a long list of things that she never would've dreamed of a mere day ago. Except it wasn't just that, it felt good, she enjoyed it, and wasn't ashamed to admit it. 

She looked down at herself, and saw that her golden fur was now completely clean and lustrous from the oil that had been rubbed into it, and she could feel it. She felt refreshed and alive, both from that and from the massage and pleasure she just experienced, making her look and feel like a completely different person from how she began the day. It was happening, she realized, this place was already drawing her in and changing her, even faster than she had anticipated. She didn't know what would become of her if she remained here, and a part of her was scared about it, but she didn't want it to stop, she wanted to see more of what this wondrous place had to offer...and what it would do to her.
While she was sitting still and recovering, her mind busy processing what had just happened as two of the girls sat by her sides and helped her stay sitting up, the other three left the bath and soon returned, one carrying a large towel, the second a length of salmon-colored cloth with a single red stripe at each end, and the third a wooden box.

The two girls remaining with her helped her up and more or less shoved her into the towel where she was gently rubbed dry. They had gone back to chatting and giggling, seemingly not making anything of the-for Nina at least-intense experience they had just given her. They groomed her now spotless but still messy pelt with small combs, and touched up her hair, making her look immaculate. The girl holding the cloth brought it up to Nina's waist and wrapped it between her legs and around her hips, then skillfully tied it together, forming the same kind of loincloth they had been wearing before. Nina was dismayed to realize that this was the only clothing she was being given. Sure, it was well crafted, smooth and surprisingly soft, but it was still nothing more than a narrow loincloth that covered her crotch and behind, leaving her chest bare-just like all the other women she had seen in town. Of course, she should have expected this. It was their culture, they most likely didn't even know that anything else was possible. She knew that she shouldn't feel embarrassed about being seen topless, it was considered unremarkable here, but her sense of modesty had been ingrained in her from childhood and it wouldn't just go away overnight...or would it? After all, she had just experienced sexual pleasure before marriage, from other girls at that, something that she would have considered unthinkable a mere day ago, and yet she had enjoyed it without shame. Having to walk around topless should by all rights be nothing in comparison...

Sighing, she stood still as the girl made some quick adjustments to her loincloth, then the girl holding the box opened it, and the sight made Nina's jaw drop. The box was filled with jewelry, heavy-looking and solid gold, the most expensive looking ornamentation she had ever seen in her life. This place really was El Dorado, the city of gold. Another girl examined her ears, and seemed to delight at finding the piercings on them. She then put on heavy golden earrings that formed smooth squares on her, replacing the much smaller silver earrings she was used to wear, having no time to put them on during her last time on the ship. A golden necklace, formed from a series of heavy rounded medals, replaced her lost rosary that already seemed like a distant memory. Simple but thick golden bracelets were placed around her wrists and a thinner one around her left ankle. Adding to her golden fur she would look like...could it really be? It seemed impossible, but the way the warriors and everyone in town regarded her, the affluent-looking woman who guided her here, into this temple, this place of worship, and the royal treatment she had been receiving, it all added up to one conclusion. She had heard about how her people, the conquerors of this land, had initially been regarded as gods by some of the natives. And the way she had appeared to the warriors, the inhabitants of the lost city of gold, completely out of nowhere and colored the way she was...yes, they must have saw her as a golden goddess, or at least some kind of divine figure that they considered worthy of lionizing. She had a hard time believing it, the very thought made her head spin, but she couldn't deny what was right in front of her.

Once the girls were done grooming and outfitting her, it didn't take long until the elder female, a priestess Nina was by now sure, appeared again. The slave girls bowed low and retreated back into the corners of the room where they put their loincloths back on, while the woman looked at Nina with a hint of satisfaction, then she nodded. As she noticed the reluctance on the girl's face, she gestured to her stomach, then to her beak, showing a chewing motion. Nina understood. Now she was going to be fed, something she was intensely grateful for. The fruit the warriors had given her had sated her hunger for a bit, but did little for the fact that she hadn't eaten anything else since yesterday and combined with her arduous journey meant that she was starving now. The relaxing bath, massage and pleasure helped distract her from it for a bit, but she couldn't ignore her weakened state any longer.

The meal she had was odd, but very satisfying. She was led into a smaller room with a table and a single chair, more like a backless stool. Bowls full of fruits, vegetables, grain, and bread were waiting for her, along with a cup of water and a pot to refill it. She would have enjoyed some meat as well, but perhaps these people didn't eat any, so she appreciated what they offered her. All the time while she ate eagerly, the priestess watching her what made her somewhat uncomfortable, always having the feeling that she might do something wrong in her eyes, but the avian didn't say a word. She didn't let it bother her too much though, grateful as she was to finally have a real meal after far too long. Finally, once sated, the priestess once again took Nina's hand and led her up some stairs towards the top of the pyramid. Nina realized that she no longer had the urge to cover her chest with her free arm, further confirming her suspicions about this place's effect on her...

Nina was shocked as they arrived at the top of the pyramid. She saw the clear sky; by now the sun had almost finished setting, with only a brief shimmer of red light still visible in the west. A small wall surrounded the platform so that the common people of the town wouldn't see anything but the licking flames of the fires that burned in golden bowls. Decorative pillars showed gods and goddesses, their forms seemingly moving in the flickering lights, and between those pillars, there were more avians-at least a dozen of them. Male and female, all dressed similarly to the priestess. Were they religious figures as well? Some of them wore heavy jewelry, while others had their feathers painted to make them look even more colorful, and some both. They stood in a circle surrounding the stairs she had just come up and something else. An altar! Nina realized in shock. Involuntarily, she pulled back, but the priestess held her firmly in her grip. She had heard stories about how the great empires of the New World performed gruesome sacrifices to their gods before they were conquered. Was all their kindness just to prepare her for a ceremony where she would be killed? Nina fought her rising panic and forced herself to look closely at the altar, made of the same stone the whole city was constructed of, and she realized the top was covered in thick blankets with ornate designs. Why would anyone do that if someone was to be slaughtered here? Also, the visible parts of the stone didn't show any signs of dried or even fresh blood. She sighed in relief. Still, she hesitated as the priestess lead her closer to the stone. Even if she wasn't about to die, the uncertainty over what was to come still made her nervous.

One of the avians, a tall elder man, raised his arms, bowed towards Nina, and then started speaking in their native language. He spoke slowly and solemnly, turning to his audience to his left, then that to his right. Two figures, younger men on either side, stepped up to flank him. They were tall, over a head taller than her, muscular, one having mostly blue feathers, one red. They too wore exotic jewelry, large skirt-like loincloths, and each a feathered crown-or were those their own feathers just arranged by bands of gold and jade? 

As the priestess lead Nina towards the altar, the elder man continued his prayer and the other priests and priestesses fell in-all but the two young men who eyed Nina closely. She didn't dare to fight or struggle, even as the priestess gently pushed her in front of the altar, then left her side, leaving her standing alone. She found that she couldn't move, her heart was beating fast, she was close to panicking, but a voice inside of her told her that all would be good if she continued to cooperate. She raised her head just in time to see the red avian stepping forward onto the open place between the elder man-the high priest, perhaps, or was he the city's ruler?-and the altar, turning and whirling around as if he was dancing, replying to sung questions, his gestures clearly indicated that he was praising himself, his strength, his youth, and Nina wished she could understand him. Then, it was time for the blue one to do the same. Like the other one he too replied to the questions, raising his fists, hinting an attack, then again turning, posing and pushing out his muscular chest. Nina found herself staring at their exposed bodies covered in soft feathers, and she couldn't decide which one of them was more attractive. If it wasn't for their different colored feathers, she would have thought they were completely identical. Were they brothers, twins maybe? Both were equally athletic, bold and strong looking with broad shoulders and chests, muscular arms and legs, and large hands. Like with the slave girls before, she had trouble estimating their ages, but from their youthful facial features she guessed that if they were older than her, it wasn't by much. They were strong, handsome, athletic and graceful, making for a beautiful sight under the dim lights of the nearby fires. Nina couldn't take her eyes off them, finding everything about them to be mesmerizing. Why was she admiring their bodies while she was in a potentially dangerous situation?

The elder pointed at red, then blue, who bowed again, then they both approached Nina, their steps being determined, fast but not hurried. The two of them stared at her with intense green eyes, smiling gently down at her, and she found herself up back at them, frozen in wonder under their warm gaze. She didn't even know these boys, why were they having this effect on her? There was a smile playing around each of their unmoving beaks and their gazes were transfixed upon the young woman's body, and they walked right up to her sides in front of the altar, red standing at her left and blue at her right.

Red said a few words, quietly, as if he wanted to calm her, then suddenly, drums started to echo through the platform and both males immediately went down onto their knees, their large hands gently grabbing Nina's arms and stroking them softly, like the girls had done before. What was happening? She shivered at their touch; their big feathery hands were soft and warm, but also determined, allowing no resistance. They were right beside her now, their strong figures so close she could almost feel their body heat, sending all kinds of new feelings coursing through her body. Still holding her arms, their other hands then moved to her hair, softly stroking the long golden locks and sending even more shivers through her. Then to her surprise, blue reached down and began untying her loincloth. "H-Hey..." She said softly as the length of cloth felt to the floor at her feet, leaving her nude save for her jewelry. Once again she found herself without clothes in front of many people, but this time there was no embarrassment, no urge to cover herself, not with these two gorgeous young men at her sides mesmerizing her. Immediately afterwards Nina found both their hands methodically stroking all over her body, over her thighs, belly, back and backside, both sets of fingers tracing through her soft golden fur and gently coursing through the flesh underneath. The retriever gasped at the sensation, it was much like the girls' earlier massage, though not quite; while their hands were small enough to apply full pressure to stimulate her body, the hands of these nameless boys were very large in comparison to her petite frame, and as such they were clearly taking care to be gentle enough not to hurt her or even cause discomfort, instead stroking each body part delicately. Their other hands were still holding firmly onto her arms, but she was beyond resisting at this point. She closed her eyes and melted in their grip, unable to think much besides how good their feathered fingers felt tracing over the entirety of her nude form. Then before long, they both quickly travelled up her frontside and reached up to her chest and, without warning, each began massaging one of her breasts with their thick fingers in a circular motion. Again, just like the girls had done. She was unable to think much more than that before feelings of intense pleasure overtook her, though. She moaned at their touch, her knees weak with them holding her upright with their other hands, supporting her.

Nina didn't know how much time had passed when they suddenly stopped. She opened her eyes, wondering why they stopped and realized that she didn't want them to stop. But before she could do anything in response they gently closed their hands around her waist and effortlessly lifted up her light young body, making her gasp in surprise. They sat her down at the edge of the altar, then slowly pulled her backward, making her lay down on the soft surface of the blankets, her heart racing as she saw their handsome faces smiling down at her, and she was unable do anything except stare back up at them.

Red knelt down in front of her and gently pushed her thighs apart slowly. This couldn't be happening, Nina told herself, but at the same time, she felt something touching her, a thick, wet tongue, flickering over her inner thigh, sending an unknown, unexpected sensation through her body. She gasped, then felt him licking up even further, parting her legs a little more. Though the nature of his beak prevented him from kissing her in a traditional manner like a fellow mammal, the skilled movements of his tongue more than made up for it. Her heart was beating violently and heat rushed through her. Why was he doing this? Why was this happening? Why did it feel so good? The thoughts rushed through her and she tried to struggle for a moment, realizing that the priestess who had led her here was now at the opposite end of the altar above her, hands on her shoulders gently pressing down, holding her in place. She remembered her experience with the slave girls in the bath, how they had massaged her, touched her and drove her to climax, and now the same thing seemed to be happening with these boys. Was that meant to prepare her for this, the real ceremony, where she wouldn't be sacrificed, but rather-No, it couldn't be, but the evidence was staring at her right in the face. This had to be some kind of sexual ritual, maybe primitive cultures did these sorts of things, and now, since they thought of her as some kind of divine golden figure...

Her thoughts were cut off when suddenly, she saw stars as his avian tongue touched her most sensitive spot, that little bud right above her opening, sending a wonderful, strong sensation all through her body. It was like the slave girl touching and massaging her sex, but even better, for this time the young man's tongue fully parted her inner lips and went all over her clit. Unlike the girls' erotic massage, this was straight up lovemaking, exploring the entirety of her sex rather than just stimulating the exterior. She hadn't known that she could have such feelings. Back home they had always told her that she wasn't allowed to touch herself, that only her husband would do it and that as a good wife and believer, she would accept this, it would be her duty as his wife. But-she gasped again as the tip of his tongue teased her-if it felt like this, she no longer cared that she wasn't his wife, that she didn't even know him, all she wanted was for him to continue servicing her like this. That's exactly what he was doing, servicing her, kneeling before her like she really was a goddess and he was her humble servant who lived to please her. And he did, his large hands tenderly stroking her thighs all the while, adding to the intense sensation.

This treatment didn't take long, but for Nina, time seemed to stand still. She felt her body responding even more strongly than the girls' stimulation of her. Her skin was tingling, warmth spread through her and she was wet, down there between her legs, inside her delicate folds, where no one had ever-no, she didn't even dare to think about it. The young man suddenly stood up, looking down at Nina with desire in his eyes. God, he was big...She estimated that if standing, her face would only reach up to his chest and he was so strong and muscular and as her gaze wandered deeper, she caught a good look of what he showed without hesitation as he pulled his own loincloth down. A tremor ran through Nina as she saw how big he was. She had never seen an erect penis before and a part of her wanted to run away, while another, growing part of her wanted to reach over and touch it and feel it herself.

But she didn't have time to act on that desire, as suddenly blue was there at the altar's opposite end near the high priestess's position, and Nina looked up at him with an almost pleading expression. He slipped his hands under her body, what was he up to? She noticed red looking at his brother, suddenly grinning. Nina felt the priestess letting go of her shoulders and blue gently helping her sit up. Then suddenly, he stepped up onto the altar and kneeled down behind her, his strong body brushing against her back, making her gasp as she felt something warm and hard pushing against her lower back, and at once she realized that he too was now nude. Hands wandered over her flanks, holding her and suddenly pulling her up, making the girl squeal in surprise. Blue picked her up so easily, as if she was a toy, a doll in his hand and he held her expertly, not hurting her as red stepped closer again, taking hold of her hips. She found the sensation of being held in his strong arms thrilling, though she still struggled slightly on reflex, but ceased a moment later as she was lifted even higher up, looking down, she saw red burying his face into her exposed sex as his hands took hold of her behind, holding and squeezing it as his fleshy tongue darted out and again brushed over her clit, making her whimper in that unknown, wonderful feeling. She panted hard, her chest rising and falling as she wriggled around in blue's grip. Red's tongue drew little circles over her bud, flickered over it, making her moan out. She was losing control and everyone was watching. But why did that matter less and less? Being handled like this should be wrong, but it felt right, so very right. Red's hands let go of her behind and wandered up her thighs while he kept on teasing and pleasuring her. Sliding over her flanks, her stomach, and finally her chest, his large hands easily engulfing her small breasts and gently rubbing and massaging them, strategically stimulating the sensitive flesh and teasing her nipples, adding to her pleasure. Without thinking, she wrapped her slender legs around his neck, making her position more comfortable as his thick tongue moved even deeper, lapping between her wet labia, his saliva mixing with her love nectar. Then he returned to her clitoris, moving slow, then fast, then slow again, from one side to another, then drawing little circles around it as he squeezed her now hard nipples between his fingers.

She moaned and groaned, it was the most intense experience she had ever felt and soon, she felt her body tensing as something familiar happened with her. Heat rushed through her and she shivered. It was happening again. Her earlier experience in the bath had prepared her for this, but receiving pleasure from this handsome, strong male was still intimidating. But then again, it felt so good, so right, she wanted this to happen, wanted to feel what it was like when he continued. And much to her relief, red was far from denying her that wish, from sating her newfound desire. Another moment later, another lick, and she reached her second climax today, screaming out in lust, shaking and bucking against him as she came.

Moments that felt like an eternity later she came back to her senses, feeling blue lowering her down onto the altar again. This time, he lay her down closer to the edge of the stone. Her feet were dangling above the ground with her thighs resting on the altar's edge as he walked around her, red stepping aside as he got into position. Just as she thought before, she saw that he had removed own his loincloth as well, likely at the same time red did. Her head fell back onto the soft blankets of the altar as his hands demanded her to part her legs, and she was in no state of mind to resist him. Not long and she felt something brushing against her sensitive clit again, but it wasn't a tongue this time. She closed her eyes, concentrating on the feeling of that thick organ stroking against her wet petals. She knew what would happen now, that she was about to lose her virginity, something she had been taught was so wrong, yet it felt so right. There was nothing she could do about it anyway, but would she have fought if she could? Most likely not, they had already pleasured her and she loved it, so why not go all the way? Why wouldn't she want to experience all they had to offer?

A moan escaped her as the tip was inserted, parting her lips and forcing its way into her more slowly and gently than she had expected. She was panting violently. What was happening here? This all felt so unreal, yet at the same time, her nerves were more active and alert than ever before, it was as if her body wanted to suck in every bit of stimulation she received. The male was...taking her, seemingly against her will, but if that was the case, why was she anticipating it so much? Why did it feel so good as he pressed slowly into her tight cavity? And why did she feel the urge to push back against him to feel him even better?

She remained still on the altar, raising her head with some effort and watching him pushing in slowly and carefully, pausing a couple of times to give her time to adjust to that feeling of fullness that she never experienced before. Finally, as she felt she couldn't take anymore, that he was too big for her, he stopped, resting there, letting her relax, giving her body time to adjust to him and get used to the sensation. She just lay there, trying to understand what was happening and taking in the pleasure her body granted her as she was mating with a male for the first time in her life.

Finally, he slowly pulled out, making her whimper in delight as his hard shaft brushed against her tender inner flesh, stimulating her in ways she would have never thought possible. Then, as she felt he would leave her any moment, he again pushed forward, as gentle and tender as before and greeted with another moan of pleasure from the girl. Each time he repeated that motion felt like heaven and very soon, she moaned openly as they fell into a rhythm with the beating of the drums, him pushing in and sliding out, powerful, bold and yet careful, making sure that he wouldn't hurt her in the process even if that meant she couldn't take all of him-though she wanted to. Nina realized that she really wanted him, wanted his warm presence within her more than anything, wanted him all the way in her and wanted him to...to make her feel like she had felt before. Panting and groaning her hands roamed over the altar, grabbing the blanket underneath her for support, it just felt too good. 

Long moments passed until she felt a new surge of heat rushing through her, her brain was bombarded with pleasure and she felt the same feeling as before rising in her. Groaning and panting, she got ready for the moment. Her toes curled up and the very next moment she came, twitching and shivering, remaining quiet as he pushed into her a few more times, then remained still, throwing back his head, his shaft twitching inside of her. 

Nina's eyes widened as she felt something else, as she felt him climax and his seed gushing into her, her body answering with another violent shudder in delight as weaker aftershocks of her peak rushed through her.

With some regret she sighed as he pulled out of her, turning around, earning the praise of the audience. A part of her hoped that he would go on like this with her, but then, it was red who stepped up. He was just as handsome as his brother, and just as exposed. Strong, elegant and aroused-aroused by her, the sight of his sizable cock making her wriggle around on the altar. Had they given her some poison? Some aphrodisiac? No, Nina realized that it was a new part of her, it was her own will to go through this, to explore this new experience and draw pleasure out of it. Before he could urge her to, Nina spread her legs wider for him and he nodded at her appreciatively. 

He pushed into her somewhat less patiently than his brother, but by now, it was exactly what the Nina needed. She moaned out as he slipped into her, shaking her slender frame, but stopping, like his brother, before he would hurt her. His hands roamed over her body, stroking over her belly and then her breasts, fondling the small orbs delicately with his fingers as he began rolling his hips, out and back in, out and in, each time met by a sound of approval from the young girl. She closed her eyes, turning her head to the side and panted with an open mouth as he ravished her so wonderfully. In her aroused state, she knew she wouldn't need long to reach another peak and she couldn't wait for it. His more urgent assault on her senses was intensified by those eager seeking hands that stroked all over her upper body, his warm touch feeling heavenly as he gingerly took her nipples in between his fingers. Then something came over Nina, and she surprised herself by taking the initiative, suddenly sitting up and wrapping her arms around his thick waist as tightly as she could, hugging herself close to him. During her first time with blue, she still had to get used to all the new sensations and could do nothing besides lay there and let him serve her, but now, she knew exactly what she wanted, and she wasn't going to let her old hangups get in the way of taking it.

Her upper body was pressing tightly against his torso, and she shivered in delight at the sensation of his soft feathers and muscular body crushed against her. He responded by wrapping his strong arms around her small frame, his warmth enveloping her as his member continued to fill her insides. She wanted this, wanted to experience him fully, and without further ado she looked up at him and kissed his beak as best she could. It was an awkward sensation at first, attempting to kiss the hard, curved surface, so unlike a mammal muzzle, but she wanted to do it more than anything and he answered her kiss by opening his mouth and intertwining his long tongue with hers. She moaned into his open beak as their tongues danced together, their bodies pressing firmly against each other and his member still thrusting inside her. She answered his movements by gyrating her pelvis back against his hips as best she could while sitting in place, and then wrapped her legs tightly around him, kissing him passionately and embracing him with both sets of limbs as he embraced and kissed her back, their bare bodies grinding against each other and her breasts massaging themselves against his chest. Now she was experiencing him fully, and she was beyond rational thought as blissful pleasure coursed through her entire being. And not long after, she felt him speeding up, groaning as he approached his climax. This time, Nina was fully aware of his peak as he slammed deep into her, gasping and then unloading his seed into her, jet after jet filling her, triggering her next orgasm as he did. She twitched and convulsed, a groan was all that was heard as she came again.

Nina felt disappointed as red let up his embrace and slowly pulled out of her. She didn't want this to end, but the rational part of her mind knew it would eventually, and she only hoped that this wouldn't be the last she experienced of him. Of both of them. Her fur and hair were disheveled and her nether regions were thoroughly soaked with juices from her and both of them; she knew she looked like a mess, but she never felt better in all her life. Leaving her panting and quivering on the altar, red stepped back and received the same praise from the audience, then both of them knelt down in front of the male who Nina had now assumed was the tribe's chief. She had gathered enough of her strength again to look up as he rose, nodding at one, then to the other. 
"Iuitl." The elder male said and the red stepped forward, taken a piece of clothing, a kind of scarf maybe.
"Tototl." Now it was the blue stepping up to the man, taking a similar scarf from his hands. Iuitl and Tototl, were those the boys' names? Obviously they were. As one, the two turned around and walked over to Nina, still sitting at the edge of the altar.
"What...I...I..." Maybe she should try to establish communication. She looked at one, then the other: "Iuitl, Tototl, I'm Nina." She pointed at herself. Apparently, they understood. Iuitl pointed at her: "Nina." 
"Yes, that's my name. What do you plan to do with me?" She watched as blue wrapped the scarf around his waist, then fixated it with a knot. The piece of cloth was still long enough so that he reached out with it and tied the free end to Nina's waist.
"Oh, alright." She said, nodding but confused. Meanwhile, Tototl did the same, tying his scarf to his waist and hers. This was clearly some kind of ritual, but what ritual? The elder male stepped forward, looking at the young men, then Nina, the scarf tying them together, he nodded satisfied, then the priests and priestesses around them knelt down and bent over. They showed their respect, respect to a goddess and their-their rulers? She could see the similarities between the elder and the two boys, were they his sons? If he was their king, their ruler and high priest in one, and if these two were his sons then that would make them the princes of this city. She looked down at the bindings, and she guessed she was being married to them. Both of them. She had been taught all her life that marriage was a holy union between one man and one woman, but like just about everything else she'd seen with these people, they clearly thought differently. Maybe it wasn't practiced regularly here, but they apparently thought nothing of marrying off both of their royal sons to one girl. A girl they thought was some kind of goddess, granted, but the very thought made her head spin. Was this really happening? Was she really about to do this, marry both of them? She thought about it for a moment. They were both equally handsome and good to her, and she realized that she wouldn't be able to decide between them if she had to choose. And they seemed to be perfectly happy with sharing her instead of competing for her attention. So why not both? Now she had not only one handsome husband, a proverbial knight in shining armor that she had always dreamed of, but two. How could something so wonderful possibly be wrong? ...God, this place was changing her even faster than she had guessed.

Then the ruler, high priest, whatever he was, undid the knots and helped Nina back to her feet. Her legs were still shaking as she stood in front of the altar. The priestess walked up to her with a bowl of water and a rag, quickly cleaned her nethers and inner thighs from the remnants of their lovemaking, then returned Nina's loincloth to her, picking it up off the ground and tying it around her waist once again. The priestess smiled at the girl, then looked to Iuitl and Tototl who had also put their loincloths back on, and then stepped aside as the two young men took Nina's hands and led her to the edge of the platform, where the wall was open, leading to the steep stairs outside.

As the three walked down, the ruler and the priests following, the people down there on a square in front of the pyramid celebrated, they danced, sung, threw their feathered arms up into the air and played their music.

It was a celebration for her and for her new husbands, a ritual had been performed connecting the next generation of rulers with their golden goddess, Nina realized. She was trembling, barely able to form coherent thoughts as she was lead through the streets towards an impressive palace. Not as impressive as the pyramid, but suitable enough for royalty. She really was married to them, the very thought making her knees weak. She thought back to her old plans, how she was meant to be the wife of the governor back in Santisima Trinidad. Would he have been able to make her feel this good? It was possible, but even if he met her expectations it still wouldn't be as fulfilling of an existence as here. There she would be a nice addition to his household, at some point the mother of his children, but here she was a worshipped goddess-and as a woman who was loved in the most intense way possible by everyone.

Nina entered the palace with them and travelled down the halls, and she wasn't really surprised that they took her right into their bedroom. On their way there, a couple of servants bowed low, sharing surprised but enthusiastic looks as the new lady of the house, their goddess even, entered. 

The bedroom itself was spacious, with huge windows now closed by heavy curtains. The walls showed paintings of hunting scenes and the floor was covered with elaborate designs. What caught Nina's attention the most was of course the huge bed in the middle of the room, big enough for at least-yes, for three.
"Impressive, you have a nice home here." Nina said, giving her voice a friendly, happy undertone. Iuitl and Tototl didn't understand of course, but by now she could read their expressions a little better, and they both seemed to understand her compliment, as both of them lead her to the bed. Not resisting, the young woman climbed onto it. It still felt odd being half naked, but at least, here in the bedroom during her wedding night, it felt more natural than out there. 

As she remained crouching on the bed for a moment, she reached for her loincloth and removed it with a few clumsy motions, eager to get her wedding night underway, already wanting more of what she experienced during the ritual. She removed her necklace, earrings and bracelets and set them down on an ornate stand next to the bed, then stretched out on the sheets, presenting herself to her new husbands while smiling warmly at them. Watching her with smiles of their own on their beaks, the two of them got undressed as well, removing their loincloths, jewelry and headdresses. Nina couldn't prevent a rush of heat hitting her, they were really handsome looking young men and she felt the urge to touch and feel their muscles that worked visibly underneath their soft feathers as they too crawled onto the bed.

Gently, Nina felt herself being pushed onto the bed and into the soft blankets as their hands started to roam over her sensitive body from both sides. She rolled around, coming to lay on her back as they touched her, shivers and thrilling sensations spreading from the sensation that was still so new to her, yet felt so good. Iuitl was at her right and Tototl lay on her left side, stroking her long golden hair, running their hands over her neck, her shoulders, tracing along her muzzle and flanks, fingers gently stroking her warm fur, all the time looking at her and enjoying every single reaction from her. She really felt like a goddess. A happy, spoiled goddess of lust. For a brief moment the idea felt wrong to her. There wasn't a goddess, there was only one God and believing anything else was considered the worst sin imaginable. At least that was what she had been told in the Old World. But now, she was pretty sure that the rules of her old life don't apply here. After all, she knew she wasn't really a goddess like they believed, she was no distant, divine being that punished mortals for their transgressions. But in their minds, she was their goddess, to be loved and worshipped and pleasured-and to bring them pleasure, yes, that's what she wanted to do.

A sigh escaped her as Iuitl moved his hand lower, following the gentle curve of her breast, slightly brushing over her pink nipple with his finger, sending those new wonderful sensations through her. Soon, Tototl did the same, then leaned forward and began licking her other nipple, his thick tongue travelling all over her breast. She gasped, stroking his head as he did that. They kept on touching, caressing and licking her until she started squirming around on the bed. It felt so good, so nice. For now, they stayed away from her crotch, a kind of delicious torture as they teased her further. Then, Iuitl took her hand, guiding it to her side until she felt something, something firm and warm. She knew what it was and without even thinking, she closed her hand around his erection, gently stroking up and down, loving to give him as much pleasure as he had given to her. Tototl felt a little left out, rubbing against her and immediately, she reached out for him as well, feeling so wanted as she caressed both of them now, one in each hand.

Tototl whispered something into her ears, she still couldn't understand him, but it sounded almost pleading. A woman was to be the subject of attention for her man, devoted, accepting, passive. That was what she had learned, but now she knew that wasn't what she wanted, she wanted to find out if she could do what Iuitl had done to her previously. It had felt so wonderful, would she be able to return the favor? He was clearly far more experienced than her, both of them were. From their confidence and skill at the altar, it was obvious they weren't virgins unlike she had been before today. Where had they learned such skill? The slave girls at the temple bath, perhaps? Had they trained them just as they trained her for this? No matter, she refused to be intimidated by her own inexperience. She was no longer a virgin and proud of it, she was determined to learn more about the arts of lovemaking with her new husbands.

Quickly, she turned around, those hands still touching and stroking her back and behind, making her sigh and groan in desire, her sex already wet from need again. She then crawled onto all four and the boys seemed to get the idea. Tototl was kneeling, presenting his impressive manhood to her as she licked her lips. For a moment she felt tempted to lay back down so he could take her again just as he did at the altar, but right now, she wanted something else. She wanted to take control. During the first part of the ritual earlier when Tototl took her virginity she had been laid back and passive, not knowing how to act, but there would be none of that now. She had gotten a taste of being proactive during Iuitl's first time with her, the intense thrill it brought her, enjoying his body just as much as he had enjoyed hers, and she wanted more of that feeling. Looking into his eyes, she took his balls in her hand, gently massaging them and relishing the feeling of the soft, feather-covered sac in her hand and the underlying organs. She took delight in hearing his pleasured gasp, then lowered her head and extended her tongue. For a moment, she hesitated, then her tongue got into touch with his firm flesh. He groaned immediately from the attention and his taste filled her nostrils and mind. A moment passed and she let her tongue lick up his shaft slowly and delightfully, again and again, making him moan from the sensation. She realized how different her mouth, her tongue was from their kind. If a female of their tribe had ever done this with him before, it certainly would have felt very different. But she loved that she could show him this and make him feel just as good as they had made her feel previously. Again she licked, slowly down now, all the way to his base, before moving up again, coating him in a layer of saliva. He was shaking visibly, struggling to remain still as she kept on caressing his jewels, her tongue now dancing all over his tip.

Then, she felt Iuitl's hands again, against her flanks, her back, her neck, stroking, caressing, exploring. It felt so nice being touched like this while she gave pleasure the same moment. Opening her mouth, she let the tip of her husband's shaft slide pass her lips, as the other caressed the curve of her behind. She moved back as she felt Tototl instinctively pushing forward. Then, she lowered her head again, letting more of him slide in this time, her long tongue curling around him. His hands stroked her golden hair, while at the same time, Iuitl stroked her behind. Then, he rubbed against her, not with his hand, but with his rock hard erection. It made Nina moan, the sound being muffled by the organ in her mouth, but she bent her back and pushed her backside out for him in need, as she moved her head back and forward again, sucking and licking that lovely cock in her mouth. It was so good sucking him, dictating the speed and intensity, knowing that she returned the favor they had granted her earlier. Then, Iuitl got into position and without wasting time, pushed into her, penetrating easily due to her natural lubricant, filling her just as nicely as before, but from a different angle now, touching previously unknown spots inside her. 

Nina fell into a frenzy, her head moving back and forth, up and down, sucking and working one of her husbands, her hand massaging his balls with greater intensity which caused Tototl to growl in pleasure even more while Iuitl started moving his hips against her, pushing deep into her welcoming body with every stroke.

She was with two men at the same time! More so, she was right in the middle of them, being used like a-no, she definitely wasn't some whore, she was their beloved wife and goddess and she had wanted this at least as much as they did. They both made her feel so good and she wanted to embrace her new life now more than anything else. Already, she felt Tototl shivering and tasted his arousal as Iuitl rocked her body with his fast, powerful strokes. She lost all inhibitions, sucking and pushing back, her body inflamed as desire took her over. Then, she felt another peak building, rapidly the lust eroded its restraint and even before her lovers came to their peaks, she was wracked by pleasure, shaking and bucking between them, her movements turning into uncoordinated spasms. It was enough to make both males come as well. First, Tototl climaxed, his nectar gushing into her mouth and throat, forcing her to suck and swallow, while still some of it dropped down her muzzle, then moments later was Iuitl who climaxed, their juices mixing as he pumped into her and his seed once again filled her insides.

Some time later, the three lay stretched out on the bed again. Nina was in the middle between her mates, laying on her back feeling their warmth against her body, their hands resting on her chest and abdomen and around her shoulders, as she looked up towards the ceiling, barely visible in the darkness of the night. She felt that both brothers weren't sleeping yet, but laying there, resting, most likely too excited to fall asleep just yet. Just like herself. Even her exhaustion from the day was nothing compared to the exhilaration she felt at this moment. How could she even think about sleeping after so many things had happened-so many things that turned out so wonderfully in the end? The harsh journey across the ocean, the trek through the jungle, even the feeling of wearing her heavy and constricting old dress, everything before seemed just like a dream that she had finally woken up from. It had happened, she realized, this place really had changed her more quickly and completely than she expected. She thought back to her old life, how much of a different person she'd been just a few days ago. Even life in her homeland already seemed like a distant memory. She felt a twinge of regret and sadness as she considered her family, things finally slowing down enough to properly think back to them. Though she accepted that she might never see them again when she set out for the New World, they would most certainly be told she was dead once word got out that she had fallen overboard and been lost. But there was nothing she could do about that, right now she had no way of conveying to these people where she was from, and even if she did once she learned their language, this hidden city would almost certainly not want to contact any outsiders. She should be grateful to just be alive, never mind live in comfort and be happily married, treated like a literal goddess by her new people and husbands. Sighing, she put those thoughts aside and focused on the here and now. She was warm, satisfied and at peace, and she had a feeling she would take to this life very well. In a way, the old her was dead, and she had been reborn as something new, something different, something her family would be shocked about and maybe even appalled at, as much as it saddened her to think. They would mourn her and move on and she would do the same.

Still she should sleep, she was pretty sure she would need all the energy she could muster once the boys had rested enough, determined to experience them again first thing tomorrow. She smiled and closed her eyes, basking in the warmth of her husbands' silken feathers, and slowly drifted off to a blissful slumber in their arms.

The End