Kylia Lonavo walked back to camp with her head down. Once again, the new Coeurlclaw recruit was coming back from hunting empty handed. Her fellow recruits jogged past her, most carrying rabbits or other small animals, while a few carried a deer between them.

The blonde-haired Miqo'te never had any luck hunting. Animals scattered at the noise she couldn't help but make when moving through the brush. On the race occurrence that Kylia hadn't scared away every possible prey in half a mile, her shots were nowhere near her target. In fact, the Miqo'te's quiver was half empty, as she was unable to locate the arrows she had sent sailing into the thick forest.

Kylia was bringing up the rear of the group when it reached the Coeurlclaw camp. To her fright, Mistress Tavorn was waiting for them. The older, dark-haired Miqo'te was in charge of the recruits, and every one of them both yearned for her approval and feared her temper. Tavorn was informally inspecting them as they passed, nodding at a few excellent shot placements on the assorted animals being carried.

It was too much to hope for that Kylia would passed unnoticed, but she tried anyway. Drifting behind the group carrying the deer, Kylia attempted to make herself small enough to slink past the stern taskmistress.

"LONAVO!" Tavorn boomed, making the blonde Miqo'te jump.

All of the recruits stopped, turning their heads to look straight at Kylia. Some of them grinned, some sighed and some giggled. A few might feel bad for Kylia, but all of them were glad that the klutzy Miqo'te was there to draw the ire of their teachers away from their own minor failings.

"You little sack of squirrel shit! How many times is this now? I swear, a blind, lame, half dead hyur could poach better than you! Well? What do you have to say for yourself?" Tavorn demanded, looming over Kylia.

"My bow...I couldn't..." Kylia responded in a voice that was half whisper and half mumble.

"Your bow? Give me that." Tavorn sneered, reaching over Kylia's shoulder to snatch her bow.

The taller Miqo'te made a show of examining it for defects, then without a word, drew one of the distinctive purple fletched arrows from her own quiver, nocked the bow, and fired an arcing shot far off into the trees.

"What are you waiting for? GO GET IT!" Tavorn bellowed, taking out her short sword and giving Kylia a hard whack on her ass with the flat of the blade.

Kylia raced off after the arrow, the laughter of her fellow recruits ringing in her ears and tears trailing from her eyes. Her ass was stinging from the blow, but it was the feeling of utter humiliation that pressed on her thoughts the most.

Kylia found the arrow after an hour of traipsing through the woods, but as with all the ill luck that seemed to follow her around, it was buried in a tree trunk high off the ground. The blonde Miqo'te was deathly afraid of heights, but it turned out she was even more afraid of Tavorn roasting her over a campfire if she came back without the arrow.

The sun was setting just as she made it back to camp. Without delay, Kylia found Mistress Tavorn and presented her with the arrow. Luck was finally with her then, because Tavorn was drinking with some of her friends from the gang and was in a good mood.

"Found it, did you? I suppose you're not entirely brain-dead. There's a pile of tubers waiting for you at the camp stores. Peel every one of them, then make sure my bedroll is warm for me." Tavorn said laughing, then reached out to pinch Kylia in the exact same spot on her ass that she had smacked earlier.

"Yes, Taskmistress." Kylia said nodding, her cheeks blushing.

Since the Coeurlclaw gang admitted only females, it was considered normal for an existing member to choose a new recruit to "teach". The relationships were usually sexual, and recruits were not given the option of declining. Kylia's cursed luck ensured that she was chosen by the strictest and most sadistic member of the gang, Mistress Tavorn.

The blonde Miqo'te passed by the campfires of her celebrating fellows, who were happily feasting on the game they had caught. New recruits could only eat what they caught on hunting days, and Kylia's stomach had been empty all day. The smell made her ache with hunger, but Kylia pressed on. She had potatoes to peel and she wouldn't be able to even the skins.

Kylia was naked and waited anxiously inside the bedroll she shared with Tavorn. She had learned how to keep the older Miqo'te happy by now, but Kylia knew that Tavorn's temper could be set off by anything. It would not be surprising if the Taskmistress punished Kylia for keeping her awake with the sound of the smaller Miqo'te's stomach rumbling.

It was with a (very) small amount of relief that Tavorn showed up to the tent chewing a small strip of deer. That could only mean she was in the mood to tease Kylia, not punish her. And Kylia knew exactly how to act in order to satisfy the older Miqo'te.

It took no acting ability for Kylia to stare at the meat intently, even licking her lips. She was simply that hungry. Tavorn sauntered over, dangling the meat above her head and smirking at her.

Kylia knew from experience that Tavorn didn't have a particular outcome in mind. She could as easily give it to Kylia as toss it outside in the dirt. It all depended on how much Kylia groveled and begged. The smaller Miqo'te would have to give a good performance regardless, as an unsatisfied Tavorn would find a reason to tan her hide.

"Mistress, I'm so hungry. I know I don't deserve it, but please, take pity on me. I'll do anything for it, anything!" Kylia begged, slipping out of the bedroll and crawling closer on her knees to Tavorn.

"Anything, you say? I can think of one thing." Tavorn purred, lifting her leather skirt with one hand.

Kylia quickly scooted forward and began to lap at the older Miqo'te's pussy. The sooner she could get Tavorn off, the better. Kylia wasn't uninterested in women that way, but Tavorn the Taskmistress was definitely not the lover she would have chosen, and by the time she had found out how the Coeurlclaw gang worked, it was too late to back out. If she tried to desert the gang now, Coeurlclaw hunters would track her down and drag her back to face Tavorn's fury. Besides, the only thing waiting for her back home would be the Gridanian dungeons.

Tavorn, for her part, was relishing the feel of the smaller Miqo'te's tongue. Dominating her pet was immensely satisfying. The poor young Miqo'te thought she was biding her time until she wouldn't have to serve Tavorn, but the Taskmistress had no intention of letting that happen. The hopeless recruit couldn't track an Adamantoise, stalk a deaf antelope, or fight her way out of a bedroll that was cinched too tightly. But she had a nice body and was very willing to please Tavorn, provided she had the right incentive.

The recruits were set to become full members tomorrow. They weren't aware of this, but all the existing members were preparing for the ceremony. It would be the night all of them would be rewarded for their effort and sacrifice for the gang.

Or almost all of them. Little Kylia here was completely lacking in the skills needed to become a full member. Tavorn had no trouble convincing the other leaders of that. The problem was what to do about her. Kylia knew too much about the gang to ever be simply let go. If she was allowed to stay as a recruit, it would not be the message the leaders wanted to send to each of them about the need to excel. She would have to be made an example of. A dire warning of what would happen if you didn't work hard for everyone else in the gang. Tavorn had one of the most satisfying orgasms she ever experienced then, knowing that little Kylia would be serving her for a very long time indeed.

Almost as an afterthought, Tavorn dropped the scrap of meat on the ground. She had eaten all the decent parts off of it, leaving only gristle and leathery hide. Nevertheless, she watched as her pet proceeded to devour it quickly.

Life was good for Tavorn, and tomorrow it would get even better.