Beauty of the snow - Yshwi's story

Frost Peak. Far from the warm, verdant jungle teeming with life, the mountain towered into the cold, upper reaches of the skies, inhospitable and forbidding. The hot, gentle breeze which whispered through the leaves of the forest gave way, up in the mountain, to an icy gale, sweeping the frozen, rocky ground with a permanent roar, whipping round the snow which fell, uninterrupted, from the cold blue sky. Close to the summit, no plants grew. Nothing could withstand the freezing wind, so strong it might snap all life clean off the hard rock, and send it tumbling through frigid, empty air. Further down, sparse life clung precariously to the thin, permanently frosted soil. About half-way up the barren mountain, this was Yshwi's home.

The dryad's roots sank deep into the rock, drawing precious nourishment which enabled her to survive. She had drifted here as a seedling borne by the unforgiving wind, many years ago, and had planted her tender roots firmly, with the strength inherent even in the youngest of snow dryads. As a child, a sapling, she had braved the sub-zero temperatures, the howling gale battering her small body, the scarcity of food, and she had grown, year after year. Her fuel was patience, determination, and the knowledge that she was made to live here. This was her habitat. This was where she belonged.

She had grown, slowly, into a young woman, a fine young tree whose white trunk blended without effort into the blinding, snow-filled air. Above her tree trunk was a human-like torso, head and arms. Her skin was, quite literally, white, while her hair was a pale blue. Her foliage was green -a colour rarely seen at this altitude-, with tinges of blue. She was an attractive woman, slender yet shapely, her delicate appearance masking the inner strength which had enabled her to survive. Her eyes were a pale blue, their colour reminiscent of ice - and yet those eyes were warm, reflecting the depths of quiet thoughts, private feelings.

Hers was a solitary life, to some extent. She was not quite alone. Like all dryads, she shared a spiritual link with others of her own kind. Scattered over the mountain, her fellow snow drayds lived out of her sight, but not beyond her mind. She was aware of them, and their presence wove her into a silent, peaceful sense of community. Around her, inanimate snow-covered trees were her constant companions, silent too, her fellows from the plant world.

It was a life in which luxuries were almost unheard of. She lived off the necessities. The snow kept her hydrated, the water nourishing her. Her efficient roots fed her nutrients from the ground. Her leaves turned to the sun, feeding her through photosynthesis. They were not her only food. A motionless predator, white as her surroundings, she caught and ate the rare animals which ventured this high up the mountain. Giant snowcats, their body storing the fat that kept them warm, were a rare but substantial meal, which filled her stomach during her slow, marvellously efficient digestion. And when the large mammals were too scarce, her powerful lungs sucked swooping birds of prey right out of the air, inhaling them, swallowing them down to her grateful tummy.

Those fulfilled the needs of her body. The food for her mind came from a soothing awareness of other dryads' existence, but also -and most of all- from her own, constant thoughts.

Rooted to the ground, gazing out over an unchanging landscape, with nobody to talk to, Yshwi had little to do but think. From her tender childhood years, she had been a contemplative girl, curious about the world which stretched far beyond her sight. She could only imagine what lay far beyond the swirling snow, and where the slope of the mountain led, both up and down. She had no knowledge of the jungle. She had never seen lakes, rivers or seas, nor could she conceive of their existence. But she had her imagination, which fuelled her mind and helped her pass the time.

The gentle white snow dryad had an appreciation for natural beauty. To her pale, blue eyes, the world she inhabited was not dull. She delighted in watching the various patterns and colours of the sky. Facing south-east, she woke early to see the sun rise, casting its cold glow over the icy ground, which reflected its light in shimmering patterns. She watched the sun travel across the sky, and watched the pale, blueish-grey heavens brighten ever so slightly in the freezing cold afternoon. As darkness fell, she turned westward, as best she could, and watched the cold ball of sunlight vanish into the horizon with a spectacular show of colours. At night, she gazed at the stars, twinkling softly at her far above, their incomprehensible light appealing to her like a whisper, a hint of mysterious beauty. All the while, she thought, her mind peaceful yet active.

For Yshwi had the mind and soul of a poet. She had never heard of writing, but she knew about language, from the thoughts of older dryads. Through their spiritual connection, they had educated her at a distance while she was a little girl, without ever seeing her. She had absorbed their knowledge with unquenchable eagerness, building her own thoughts on the firm ground of their shared wisdom. She had thought, over and over, about words, matching them to the reality she observed through her blue eyes, and to the great unknown beyond. She had imagined, over the years, thousands of incredibly long poems, committing only the best to memory, while the others faded with the passing of years.

At times, she whispered her poems to no-one in particular, in the icy cold breeze.

Yet this life of habits, of unchanging serenity, was not without occasional surprises. One such surprise was approaching her now, as the sun rose through a freezing cold morning, ascending towards noon. Yshwi had sensed him coming towards her, his scent borne to her by the frigid wind. As soon as she became aware of him, she had become excited. His scent was barely perceptible, but it grew stronger as he came closer, and her mouth began to water with joyful anticipation. Human. Definitely human. She smiled, her ice-coloured eyes suddenly warm, glowing ever so softly with quiet happiness.

A human… Though she had little sense of time, it had been seventeen and a half years since she had eaten her latest humans. Those had been a party of four -three women and a man-, a feast which she still recalled with gentle delight. She had kept them squirming in her stomach for ages, until finally she had had to digest. They were nothing but a memory - though sometimes she still dreamt of their taste, lingering ghost-like in her mind.

The human coming towards her now was alone. Just one; not four. But even one single human was precious, a wonderful gift of nature, to be treasured, savoured and cherished. She felt so happy that her eyes moistened with tears of joy. Her lovely eyes peered into the howling blizzard, searching for a solitary, fragile form lost in the fierce snow. She shivered with excitement, and forced herself to remain calm, patient. He was coming. Whatever direction he moved in, he would be within reach of her lungs. She would have him. He would be hers. She squirmed, and stifled a little giggle of pure joy. Patience.

First, she needed to prepare his approach. That was easy enough. She bent down, her hands rummaging in the icy snow which had piled up against the base of the trunk, covering much of her external roots. Her fingers brushed against frozen fabric, and she tugged it free, piece by piece. Her hands revealed thick, empty clothing, discarded boots, backpacks and a rolled-up tent. The remnants of that earlier meal, so long ago. Carefully, she spread them out, leaving the bright colours of the clothes quite visible against the pure whiteness all around. She straightened up, smiling softly to herself. It was something she had been hoping to do for years. Now, he would come right to her.

Concealing herself with the illusory magic known to most dryads, she waited, excited.

The wait lasted several long minutes, before the shadowy outline of a lone figure detached itself against the blizzard. Clad in thick, dark clothes, the human was walking through thick snow with the wind to his back, almost straight towards her. Once more, the breeze carried his scent, and she repressed a little trill of anticipation. She felt she could almost taste him already, her mouth moistening in readiness. He struggled forward through the constant snowstorm, and Yshwi's pale eyes remained fixed upon him, as though drawing him in with quiet encouragement. Her tummy let out a faint rumble, as her appetite built up. Through the roar of the freezing wind, the human did not hear the ominous sound.

She held her breath, perfectly still and perfectly quiet, as he drew nearer. Through the haze of fast-swirling snow, she could see him a little better now, although his head was concealed by a thick, heavy hood, thick scarf, and goggles of some sort, all protection against the frigid temperature and icy wind. Humans, she knew, needed warmth. Which was why they so rarely ventured within her grasp.

Poor little thing, she thought, with a moment's sympathy. If she did not eat him, he would probably die of cold. And that would be good food wasted.

Humans were unlike other food, in some ways. Although they were obviously not people -to Ishwi's mind, only dryads were people-, they shared the ability to speak, which she found quite fascinating.

Ah. He had noticed the clothes and equipment. He slowed, hesitating for a moment, then hastened his pace, hurrying with difficulty towards her. He did not see her - or rather, he saw her only as a tree. His eyes were on the bright, thick jackets, the backpacks and the folded tents. She watched him approach, and felt the excitement build up inside her. He was almost within her grasp! His scent tickled her tastebuds, and she almost whimpered with anticipation. He was going to be so enjoyable.

He staggered up to her, tired, curious and hopeful, his movements sluggish in the snow. She held quiet for as long as she possibly could, but eventually a gentle, girlish giggle escaped her, drifting melodiously into the howling wind. The human stopped, uncertain, perhaps wondering whether he had imagined the etheral sound. Unable to resist temptation any longer, she swiped down with her hand and grabbed him, lifting him up.

“Got you!” she laughed, filled with almost childish delight. Her heart swelled with joy, as her fingers wrapped round his small body. The human was hers. With a shiver of excitement, she swallowed some of the saliva building up in her mouth.

The small creature yelped, and struggled instinctively, pushing against her hand while staring at it, frightened and baffled. She allowed the illusion to fade, revealing herself, and, even through his goggles, she could see his eyes widen.

“Oh my god…” he breathed, shaking. “What are you?”

“I'm a dryad, silly,” she told him, thrilled by her catch. Her voice was naturally gentle, beautifully soft, and, by itself, it had an immediate effect. The human stopped struggling, relaxing just a little, and looked at her warily.

“I had no idea people like you existed,” he said, marvelling at her.

“We're quite rare.” She smiled. “Of course, you're even rarer.”

The human laughed, still somewhat shakily. “Oh, actually we're quite common. There are lots of human beings where I come from.”

“Really?” Yshwi's interest was piqued. She had sometimes wondered about the origins of these delicious creatures. “Not many of you come up here. Where do you come from?”

“A long way away.” He gave a little smile. “I was up here for a topological survey.” He glanced down towards the ground. “Uhm, could you put me down now?”

“No.” She smiled sweetly, giggled, and added playfully: “You're mine, and I'm not letting you go.”

The human gave a rather nervous laugh. “Well, you'll have to let me go eventually.” He wiped his goggles, took them off, and gazed into her face. She looked back at him, curious. He had rather dark brown eyes… He smiled, a hesitating smile. “Do you know, you're really very beautiful.”

She blushed, her white cheeks reddening prettily, and lowered her gaze for a moment in pleasured embarassment.

“Thank you…” she whispered, and looked back at him. “Do you really mean that?”

“Yes I do. I think you're absolutely lovely. I didn't know tree women existed, but you're… graceful, and gentle, and very beautiful.”

Her cheeks reddened further, and she laughed, warm with happiness.

“Thank you,” she said again, with feeling. “You're sweet.”

He smiled, looking more at ease now. “So, beautiful and mysterious tree lady… Have you got a name?”

She giggled. “Yes, of course. I'm Yshwi.”

“Yshwi. That's pretty.” He smiled again. “Very pleased to meet you, Yshwi. I'm Sed.”

“Sed…” she repeated, softly, allowing the sound to play across her tongue, almost as though tasting it.

“That's right.” He nodded. “And now that we know each other's name, might I ask why you picked me up?” He glanced down again, nodding towards the clothes and backpacks. “Are those yours?”

“They were left there,” she said, with a pleasant smile.

“Just… left there?” She could see him becoming suspicious, wary once more. “Who would leave behind gear that they need to survive?”

She lifted him up closer to her face, and whispered, softly, barely audible above the wind: “They didn't need it any more…”

She watched his face, his eyes, the flicker of uncertainty and confusion gradually turning into fear, as he tried to interpret her words.

“What did you do to them?” he asked, fearful. She responded with a lovely smile.

“The same as I'm going to do to you, you wonderful little human. I ate them.”

He struggled then, frantically, fighting and kicking and pushing to break free of her snowy white hand, and she tightened her grip gently. It took him only a short while to realise it was futile. His dreadful fear burst into anger.

“Let me go!” he screamed. “You… You can't just… I'm a human being!”

“Yes, I know what you are.” She giggled, enraptured in a sense of joy that was intense yet gentle. “It's been soooo long. You don't know how happy I am to have you.” She blinked at the moisture of emotion in her pale eyes. “Oh, little human… This is going to be so special.”

He stared at her in fright.

“You can't…” he whispered, almost numbed with shock.

“Of course I can,” she said, still very gently. With her spare hand, she began to pull off his thick boots. He squirmed, resisting, but to no avail. “Please, try to relax.”

“How I can relax, you bitch, when you're going to eat me?” he screamed, trembling.

“Shhhh…” she soothed, as best she could, as she let his boots fall down into the snow. Delicately, she tugged at his thick trousers, which slid loose and fell away in turn, exposing his bare legs. She did not bother with his socks or pants. They would not be difficult to digest, and she merely wanted to have most of his skin bare, for the flavour. Adjusting her grip on him, she pulled off his gloves, then began to take off his jacket. He shivered, hard, kicking his little legs in empty air.

“I'll freeze!” he shouted, frightened.

“You won't freeze,” she told him. “I promise.”

She removed his clothes, glently, her soft fingers pressing over his small body. She cupped her hands round him, sheltering him from the icy bite of the wind, and brought him closer to her face. He shivered with cold in the warm cusp of her hands, and stared up in speechless terror at her gentle, whitish blue eyes.

“You won't freeze,” she repeated, and shivered in turn, with pure, wonderful excitement. She brought him close to her lips, and pursed them almost as though she were going to kiss him. Very gently, she blew on him, her warm breath enveloping him in a soft, tingling embrace. He trembled, still staring up at her in fearful fascination.

“D-d-d-don't,” he stammered, his teeth chattering with cold as well as fear. She smiled, comfortingly, her most beautiful smile, and blew on him again, her soft breath warming his rapidly freezing body. He would not last long out here. Her breath could keep him alive a few moments, but that was all. She looked at him fondly, a tinge of regret seeping into her gentle excitement. She could not keep him in her hands like this. She had to eat him.

“You'll be warm in my tummy,” she promised him, a gentle whisper. He tried to speak, but he was numb, shivering. Trembling a little with joy, Yshwi closed her eyes, brought her cupped hands up to her lips, and opened her mouth. Daintily, she extended her tongue, and gave her meal a long, slow lick. Her breath warmed him once more, while, for the first time in over seventeen years, the flavour of a human imprinted itself on her eager tastebuds. She gasped, and released a little moan of pleasure. The taste was so much better than she remembered! It was exquisite!

Overwhelmed by this first taste, she licked him again, and then again, soaking his flavour onto her tongue, absorbing the taste of food she had been deprived of for so very long. She moaned once more, shivering with happiness, and, with her eyes still closed, began to suck the human into her mouth.

He struggled, feebly, as she inhaled him. Her lips clamped gently round his legs, which kicked out for a moment in futile protest, until she sucked him in completely.

It was an explosion of flavour on her tongue, so delicious, so intense that she gasped with delight, her eyes shining with pleasure. As her lips parted, she heard his final words, a stammer.

“So b-b-beautiful…”

A sigh of happiness passed her lips, which she closed once more, sealing him in. “Thank you,” she whispered, blissfully, and began to move him about inside her mouth. Her tongue shifted him, exploring his taste, licking all over, sloshing him around. Saliva spurted inside her mouth, coating her food in sticky wetness. He wriggled, still resisting, and she gave a little giggle at the tickle on her tongue. He tried to grab one of her teeth, but she dislodged him easily with a flick of her tongue. Playing with her food. His flavour filled her senses, delicious beyond anything she had hoped for.

She was so happy, she could almost have cried.

She kept him in her mouth for a long while, enjoying him to the fullest, as she watched the sun move slowly across the grey-blue sky. Long after she had soaked all the taste out of him, she kept him simply for the pleasure of feeling him in her mouth. She knew she had to swallow, eventually, but she wanted to make this moment last as long as she possibly could.

After all, it might be many years before she ate a human again. Perhaps he would even be her last. He was precious, and she treasured him for hours, parting her lips now and then to breathe and give him oxygen, so that he would not suffocate in her mouth. After a while, he had stopped struggling, exhausted, and had fallen asleep on her tongue. She let him rest there, feeling the movement of his breathing. She gazed through the swirling, blinding snow and felt peaceful. Content.

She swallowed him, eventually, with a tingle of regret, which soon faded as she relished the feel of him going down her throat. He struggled again, summoning up what was left of his strength, fighting against the pulsating muscles of her oesophagus. He descended inexorably, a lump passing down inside her, until she felt him tumble into her stomach, and she gasped once more, a small, feminine moan of simple bliss.

He wriggled, squirming in her stomach, his every motion helping her feel full, and utterly content. She closed her eyes, swaying gently, singing softly to herself, as her wonderful meal struggled in her belly. She patted her tummy, and rubbed it, waves of warm pleasure rushing gently through her body.

Digestion, she knew, would be slow. She felt Sed moving for a very long time, a comfortable weight in her stomach, and from time to time she swallowed air to help him breathe. As the afternoon faded into evening, she glanced down at his clothes, scattered on the snow between her roots. She left them where they had fallen, and gazed, instead, at the patterns in the snowstorm - the beautiful, swirling snow. The first words of a new poem tumbled idly through her mind.

That night, as her tummy gurgled softly, she looked up at the stars, and marvelled quietly at their beauty. Her stomach was filled with food, and her mind was filled with wonder. The stars twinkled at her, gently, as though they existed only for her. Tears of happiness trickled ever so gently down her cheeks.

She closed her eyes, with a hand on her tummy and a smile on her lips. Her active mind drifted into her first dreams of the night. She slept.

Felaryan feast - Milly's story

It was a warm and sunny day. It usually was, in this part of the forest. The branches of tall trees swayed gently in the pleasant breeze. A short distance away, Milly could hear the sound of running water, as the Jewel River meandered away from a distant, towering waterfall. The giantess smiled, enjoying the sunshine on her face, and breathed in the fresh air. The giantess was in a particularly cheerful mood this morning. Life felt good.

She plucked a plump, juicy fruit from a large tree, and bit into it with casual pleasure. Her long, brown, bare legs, only their tops covered by a light, loose skirt, carried her on an idle stroll through the jungle. This was her land, safe territory - her hunting grounds. She walked, with no specific purpose, eating her fruit, relaxing in her pleasant surroundings.

An unusual hum reached her ears, growing steadily louder, and she slowed, curious. She was not afraid -there was little out here that could hurt her-, but merely intrigued. She looked around quickly, then headed for the source of the noise.

It was a rumble of a kind that she did not recognise, rising and falling unsteadily in pitch, and sometimes cutting out altogether. Finishing her fruit, she wondered whether it might provide with some sort of lunch.

The caged nekos she had eaten for breakfast had moved on beyond her stomach by now, and she was getting a little hungry again.

* * *

“We're not supposed to break down out here!” Dana said, somewhat tensely, as she revved up the engine once more, and it produced a loud, ineffective rumble. She hit the dashboard in frustration, and looked at her only travelling companion. “Remember what they said? This place can be dangerous.”

“Calm down,” Prem advised her, looking remarkably calm himself. “I'm sure it's nothing.”

She scowled at him, irritated by his lack of worry. “Perhaps you'd better go and take a look.”

“Just what I was thinking.” He picked up the rifle slotted beside his seat, opened the door to the driver's cockpit, and clambered down onto the forest ground.

The two humans had been driving a rather bulky, oddly shaped hovercraft, sleek enough to slide between the trees, fitted with quiet engines to cross the reportedly dangerous Felaryan territory as discreetly as could be. The craft consisted in a front cockpit, seating two personnel, attached to a long storage platform above the engines and landing gear. Atop the platform were two gigantic, barrel-shaped containers, stamped with their origin and destination. Prem cast them a brief glance, then looked around at the unfamiliar jungle for possible threats, before heading for the engine inspection panel.

He was a rather tall man in his late thirties, and, like Dana, might have been described as `Oriental' if he had been from Earth. His hair was short and very dark, his face lean and thinly bearded, his eyes a chestnut brown. Dana was much shorter, with a petite yet shapely frame, and shared the colour of his eyes. She wore her dark hair much longer, however, neatly tied in a long pony tail. She was friendly most of the time, and was great company when she was in a good mood, but she tended to stress far too easily, in Prem's opinion.

He propped his rifle against the motionless craft, and opened the control panel.

Let's see…

He had barely begun inspecting it when he felt a presence behind him, and a large shadow blocked out some of his sunlight. He turned - and stared.

* * *

In the driving seat, Dana drummed her fingers nervously against the dashboard. She would not be comfortable until they were back on their way again. This untamed jungle felt ominous, wild and alien. It was as though anything could happen here, and she felt distinctly ill at ease. She was being paid extra for this trip -some form of hazard bonus-, but she was beginning to wonder whether it was really worth it.

The sound of voices, just outside, interrupted her thoughts. A woman's voice was addressing Prem in a cheery manner, and the latter's reply sounded unmistakably tense. Dana stiffened, instantly worried. She had not expected anybody here to talk to them. She considered going outside to see what was going on, but then thought better of it. On the other hand, she could not leave Prem out there on his own, if something was wrong. What to do?

She gasped, suddenly, as she heard Prem scream. It was a yell of terror, which fell silent a moment later, while Dana set petrified in the cockpit. She could have sworn she heard a gulp, followed by a pretty, feminine giggle.

Right, that's it. Trembling with fear, she started the engines. They roared, spluttered, and wound themselves down with a mechanical whine. Dana panicked. Shivering hard, she tried again , to no avail.

“What are you doing in there?” a voice asked pleasantly.

She screamed, startled, and turned to stare into a woman's attractive light brown face. But it was a gigantic face, monstrously big. She shivered, wide-eyed, as the giantess gave her a friendly smile.

“Don't you speak?” the giantess asked, with a little laugh, and opened the cockpit door with her giant-sized fingers. Dana squeaked with fright, and scrambled to reach the other door. The gigantic woman's fingers closed round her legs, pulled her out struggling and screaming. She lifted her up high above the ground.

“No, let me go! Let me go!!”

“If I let you go now, you'll land on your head and hurt yourself,” the giantess pointed out with a playful giggle. “I'm Milly, by the way. What's your name?” Deftly, she turned the human over so that she was no longer dangling head downwards. Dana groaned, dizzy and nauseous, shaking her head.

“I don't care what you're called!” she shouted. “Put me down!” A thought struck her. “Where's Prem?” she demanded.

Milly smiled. “In my tummy,” she replied, with disconcerting honesty. She licked her lips. “I hope you're as tasty as he was! Shall I eat you now, or would you like to talk a bit first?”

Dana screamed, wriggling wildly in the woman's grip. Milly sighed. It was a shame humans tended to scream like this.

“Oh, stop making such a noise,” she said, a little annoyed. “I just want to talk to you.” She paused. “And then eat you, of course, but I'd like to talk to you first.” When the woman simply continued to scream and struggle, Milly shrugged, and lifted her up to her mouth. That produced a reaction. The human yelped, frantic, and began to babble. Milly paused, giving her time to find coherent words.

“Wait, please, I'll trade for my life!” the woman gasped, almost choking the words out. The giantess cocked her head, curious.

“Actually, I'm only interested in having lunch right now.” She paused. “Unless you've got books?” she asked brightly. That particular hope faded as the woman shook her head.

“N-no, I haven't b-g- g-got books, but I g- food!” she spluttered out.

“Food?” Milly repeated, interested. “You mean, tastier food than you?”

“Oh, I… I taste terrible! Yuck, I… I never take a shower, no body hygiene!”

Milly smiled. The little human looked clean and neatly dressed. “I don't believe you.” She brought her up to her mouth, stuck out the tip of her tongue, and licked her face as the woman yelled in terror. “Mmmm…” She giggled. “You taste clean. Yummy, yummy.” She winked, teasingly. The human -her face wet with a sheen of Milly's saliva- looked as though she were about to cry.

“Oh, shhh…” Milly soothed her, gently. “What's this food you want to give me, then?”

It took Dana several seconds to compose herself and reply. When she did, she pointed at the containers on the grounded craft. “Th-th…”

“In there?”

The woman nodded. Intrigued, Milly stepped up to the closest container, and opened it. It was gigantic, for a human, but a reasonable size for the giantess. As the lid came off, a sweet, unfamiliar smell rose to her nostrils, and she looked curiously at the semi-liquid substance packed inside.

“What is it?” she asked, fascinated. She had never seen, or smelt, anything like it.

“It's chocolate!” Dana explained quickly. “Lots and lots of chocolate! We're taking it to… never mind. Anyway, it's food! Very sweet, really nice! You can eat it!”

“Really?” Milly's face brightened with an eager smile. “For me?”

“Yes! Yes!” the human blurted out frantically. “You can have it all! But please, just… let me go! And… and let Prem go, too!”

“I can't.” Gently, Milly patted her tummy. “I think he's quite settled in there.” She giggled, and looked at a stricken Dana. “It smells nice, anyway… But I found it, so it's mine.” She gave a teasing smile. “Why shouldn't I just eat you as well?”

Dana gulped, tense. She had obviously anticipated that. She seemed quite intelligent.

“I'll bring you some more,” she said. “Let me go, and I'll come back with more.”

Milly laughed. “That's an old trick, little human,” she said kindly. “It doesn't work.”

Dana's face turned pale. “No, but… Really! I really mean it! I swear by… by… by everything! I'll bring you some more chocolate, as much as you want! I don't lie! I'm very honest! Ask anyone!”

Milly looked at her, then looked around pointedly, glanced down at her own tummy, and looked at Dana once more.

“It's only you and me here, tasty,” she pointed out in a gentle tone. “And I'm sorry. I'd like to believe you, but I have no way of knowing you'd come back. As my mum used to say, better one human in your tummy than… a town across the sea, I think it was.”

Dana trembled. “But I'm a very nice person,” she whispered. “Doesn't that count?”

“Not really.” Milly smiled gently. “Anyway… Let's see what this chocyluc is like, shall we?”

“Chocolate,” Dana corrected her in a small voice, as Milly dipped a finger into the container. She withdrew it dripping with chocolate, and put it in her mouth, sucking it clean with a dainty slurp. Her eyes widened with pleasant surprise. “Mm…” She swallowed, licked her sticky finger, then licked her lips. “This is really good!” she exclaimed.

“I'm so glad you like it,” Dana said dryly, sounding anything but. “You'd never had chocolate before?”

“Chocolate. Right. I must remember the name.” She smiled. “Let's see what it's like with other food.”

“What? W- Don't!” Dana squealed, as the giantess dipped her casually, head first, into the thick, sludgy chocolate, stirred her around inside it, and pulled her out covered in gooey, sticky sweetness. Dana spluttered, coughing and struggling, as Milly opened her mouth and put her inside. Her lips closed round the woman's waist, then she sucked in her kicking legs, and began to savour her.

The chocolate-coated human tasted fantastic. Milly moaned softly with pleasure as she absorbed the woman's taste, sloshing her around inside her mouth, enjoying the mixture of chocolate and human - before she finally swallowed it all down with a loud gulp, and breathed out a deep sigh of satisfaction.

Her eyes bright, the sweet taste lingering in her mouth, she had just become an instant chocaholic.

“Oh… yummy!” she breathed, with an expression of dreamy contentment. She barely paid notice to the wriggling bulge travelling down her oesophagus. Her mind was all on chocolate. She licked every trace of it off her lips, then sighed again happily, and looked around.

More. She needed more food to go with the chocolate. Her gaze fell upon a fruit tree, and she eagerly walked over to pluck a dragonapple. She hurried back to the container, dipped the apple into the chocolate, and ate it with relish. It was delicious! A whole new world of culinary possibility was opening up before her.

She giggled, and proceeded to devour two more apples before seeking something else to experiment on. A large stamroot was next to be dipped into the chocolate, and she found the combination to be a little odd, but not unpalatable. She ate a chocolate-coated elori plant next, and licked the sticky chocolate off her fingers with almost childish pleasure. Inside her stomach, the two humans wriggled, possibly in protest, and she grinned, pleased with herself. There was something else she wanted to try. She just needed to find…

* * *

Leifli, a young, pretty green-haired neko who had been out hunting neeras, seemed rather upset at being dipped into a container of gooey, sweet-scented substance before being eaten by the giantess. But Milly enjoyed every moment of her, and released a feminine burp of satisfaction as the squirming catgirl joined the chocolate, humans, fruit and various plants in her stomach.

Neko and chocolate. She had just discovered another good combination.

She licked her lips a final time, patted her tummy, and looked at the two containers, one still full, the other almost so. The sheer amount of chocolaty goodness promised many a tasty meal. Already, she was thinking about what to do with it all.

An idea formed in her mind, and she smiled.

* * *

Over the following days, the tomthumbs who lived beneath Milly's hut watched her incessant activity with a buzz of interest. The giantess had retrieved several large cages from storage, dusted them off, and had begun filling them with food. Every day, she went hunting, and returned with handfuls of humans and nekos, which she locked away but did not eat. She brought them water, fed them, tended to them, but left them in their cages. Day by day, their numbers increased, until finally the tomthumbs saw Milly drag her table out into the small clearing in front of her hut, and diligently place the cages on top of it, or around it. She had not provided a word of explanation, answering the tomthumbs' questions with a mysterious, excited smile. Now, as she picked up one of the two large containers she had brought back from the jungle, and set it down next to the cages, a tomthumb girl with short blond hair blurted out at last:

“Milly, what are you doing?”

The giantess grinned. She set the second container in place, and, ignoring the fearful shouts of dozens of trapped humans and nekos, went to sit on the grass among a small crowd of puzzled tomthumbs.

“I've been preparing something,” she said proudly, by way of explanation.

“Yes, we can see that,” Tina replied, looking over at the table. Some of the tinies were whispering amongst themselves, speculating. “But…”

“You'll see,” Milly smiled. “Very soon. The first- Ah!” she exclaimed, pleased, and got to her feet. Someone was approaching, between the trees. The giantess ran her hand through her dark hair, making herself presentable, and moved over to greet her first guest.

“Masumi!” she said with a smile, as a tall, pretty naga with long purple hair and a cyan and yellow tail slithered into view. “I have to say, I didn't think you'd be the first to arrive.”

“Is that a dig on my sleepiness?” the naga grinned. Milly grinned back, and embraced her.

“Not at all. Come; while we're waiting for everyone else, I'll introduce you to my tomthumb friends.”

Masumi eyed the cages full of prey with obvious interest, then smiled and followed her hostess to the assembled tinies. Minutes later, a lovely young naga of about Milly's size, with a flower in her blond hair and warm, mismatched eyes -one green, one blue- slithered up to them.

“I hope I'm not too early?”

“Fiona.” Milly gave her a warm smile. “You're right on time. I wasn't sure you'd come.”

“Oh, I'm not sure I'll be eating anything. Not humans or nekos, anyway.” The sweet-natured naga glanced at the cages in turn, and smiled. “I just came to… be with friends.”

“And I'm glad you're here. Excuse me, I think I can hear someone else.” Milly left Fiona to chat with Masumi and the tomthumbs, and walked a short distance towards the approaching figure. “Hey, Jora!” she called brightly, waving.

Over a short amount of time, the area around Milly's hut began to fill with people. Most of the tomthumbs soon retreated below ground to avoid being stepped on… or slithered on. Vivian arrived with her arm draped round Malika, while Ajab, Namesta, Jissy and Nix all came on their own. Crisis came with Katrika, and Léa seated on her shoulder, while Subeta, Temi and several other fairies flitted about them, their wings shimmering daintily in the sunlight. Menyssan materialised in a playful puff of sulfur, and Milly grinned at her as she handed out drinks of dragonapple juice.

“Thanks for coming!”

“You came to my party,” the succubus reminded her with a cheerful smile. “So I come to yours. Plus, I heard there's food.” She eyed the cowering prey in the cages. “I've brought a bit to eat myself.” She held up a cage packed with humans.

“Put it with the others,” Milly told her, as she handed a drink to Namesta. “Everyone's brought food; we've almost got more than we know what to do with!”

“Oh, I know exactly what to do with it,” Malika said, and licked her lips.

Milly laughed. “I'm sure we'll manage, yes. Well, I think we're all here…”

“So what's the big surprise?” Crisis asked, eagerly.

Milly beamed, proudly. “It's a new food I've found. You'll love it!” She opened the first container, and several of her guests approached curiously as the sweet scent of chocolate drifted into the air.

“What's that?” Jissy asked, puzzled.

“It's chocolate,” Jora said, surprised, while Nix nodded quietly. “Where did you find chocolate?”

“A nice human said I could have it.” Milly giggled. “All right, enough talk!” she added with a laugh. “Everyone, help yourselves to food! There's humans, nekos, mainly… I've got some fruit, too. Oh, and there are a few slug girls for you, Katrika,” she added with a smile as she opened one of the cages. She withdrew a struggling catboy, and dipped him in the chocolate, while her guests watched on with some interest. There were murmurs, and a few laughs, as she ate the yowling, chocolate-covered neko, and licked the chocolate off her lips. “Enjoy!” she said, beaming at them. She stepped back as they began to open cages and help themselves to food.

* * *

“Have you ever seen a speechless harpy?” Namesta was asking Crisis with a giggle, while her tail rubbed against hers in a flirtatious tickle. “I'm telling you…” Crisis swallowed the food in her mouth with a gulp, and smiled as she listened. There was chocolate on her mouth. She seemed to be enjoying herself, like everyone else, Milly thought as she weaved her way between her guests, topping up their drinks. The occupants of the cages had dwindled in numbers, while most of the predators were starting to show a bulge in their tummy.

“Hey, Milly,” Crisis called out as she passed, touching her arm to catch her attention. “Great party! The chocly…stuff is… mmm!”

“Isn't it?” Milly agreed, smiling. She glanced round. “By the way, didn't Anna want to come?”

“No. She grumbled something about `stomachs on tails stuffing themselves'. I don't think she likes to watch us eat humans.” Saying that, she plucked a pretty redhead girl from one of the cages, and dipped her in the chocolate.

“Ah well, never mind,” Milly said, and moved on to offer a drink to Malika.

“Thish ish fhun!” the brown-haired naga said through a full mouth, before swallowing the struggling nekos she was eating. “Where ever did you get all this food?”

“I spent a lot of time hunting.” Milly smiled.

“It's quite a feast,” Malika said, appreciatively. “Oh, by the way… I hope you don't mind, I've tucked a few humans away for later.”

Milly blinked, confused. “Tucked them away? Where have you- Oh,” she realised, blushing, as the lascivious naga gave a wicked grin. “Never mind. Don't tell me.”

“Ooh, honey,” Vivian breathed in a lustful whisper, slithering up to them. “How about you `tuck away' a few humans in me?” She slipped an arm round Malika, and licked her neck slowly, leaving a trace of chocolate on her soft, mocha skin. She winked at Milly. “Then we can share them later.”

Malika giggled, picking up a pair of humans, and Milly tried not to blush again.

“I'll leave you to it, then. I'm glad you're having fun.”

She turned round, just in time for Ajab to push a struggling, female human into her mouth. She almost gagged, then swallowed quickly, and glared at him.

“Are you trying to choke me? Aren't you supposed to be a healer?”

“Just keeping you properly fed. You go around being a good hostess, but you need to enjoy the food yourself.”

“I am enjoying it, thank you.” She paused, her annoyance fading. “I'm glad you came.” Ajab was, if not quite a recluse, at least not the most socially outgoing of nagas. He shrugged, without comment, and she went on: “I saw you chatting up Jissy earlier.”

He gave a faint smile. “She was chatting me up. Or trying to.”

“But you like her, don't you?”

The hint of a smile floated on his lips, but he said nothing. Milly laughed.

“You'd make a lovely couple,” she teased.

“Don't go imagining things.” He glanced off to one side. “By the way, you might want to check on what those two are doing with the slug girls and the chocolate. It looks rather… creative.”

Milly turned to follow his gaze, groaned, and hurried over to see. Around her, her friends and neighbours were eating, drinking, talking, laughing, and generally having a good time. The party went on well into the evening, until most of the food had been consumed, and the guests began to wander back off, alone or in small groups . They helped her carry the table back indoors, before departing with smiles and full stomachs. Eventually, she found herself alone once more. She sighed, pleased but tired. It had been the first ever feast she had organised, and she had enjoyed a very pleasant day.

She released the few remaining humans, nekos and slug girls, allowing them to scatter off into the forest, and put the cages away. With a yawn, she undressed for the night, and lay on her bed, folding her hands over her full tummy. Her belly felt strained with the amount of food she had eaten, and she had to admit that even the delicious chocolate had felt a bit sickly in such quantities. Her stomach rumbled, and gurgled loudly, churning the humans, nekos and chocolate which filled it. She yawned once more, stretching in her bed, and closed her eyes, snuggling into her blankets. Her stomach gurgled again, working hard to digest.

She was asleep within minutes, and dreamed of chocolate nekos prancing through a sunlit field…

* * *

Several days later, as she sat up in bed on a warm but rainy morning, she glanced down at her naked self, and frowned a little.

“Good morning.”

She looked over to the hole which connected her hut to the underground network of chambers inhabited by her tomthumb friends, and found Tina greeting her with a smile.

“ 'morning,” she replied, sleepily, and stifled a yawn. Then looked down at herself once more. “Uhm, Tina…”

“Yes?” The tiny young woman approached across the wooden floor.

“Have I put on a bit of weight?”

The tomthumb observed her, untroubled by the giantess' nakedness. After a moment, she shrugged.

“You're a teensy bit more pudgy round the waistline. Teensy teensy bit. But relax. You're still slender and beautiful.” She smiled, teasing. “Have you been eating too much?”

“No-o,” Milly said carefully. “I don't think so.” She pinched the skin of her tummy and hips, trying not to look worried. “But I wonder…” She trailed off.

“Yes?” Tina asked, when her friend left her sentence unfinished. Milly gave her a look of mild embarassment.

“Do you think chocolate may be fattening?”

THE END