The Paddled Princess 
Chapter I:	Street Sentence

	Powerful muscles rippling beneath soft black leather pants and 
matching sleeveless top, a Furling Tiger, born and bred to hunt, 
stalked with grim determination through the busy streets of Lovenmusk. 
  Warden Arlin paused as he neared the city's Techno-Leisure district 
and sniffed at the night air.  His orange and black striped tail 
twitched with annoyance, and a disdainful snarl crossed his feline 
muzzle as he took in the nearly overpowering mix of aromas that 
permeated this part of town; a mix of beers, ales, and hard liquors 
from seedy bars and raucous clubs; cheap foods from the many sleazy 
diners and little hole-in-the-wall vendors; and most importantly, the 
people.  The walks flanking the wide streets were an endlessly flowing 
river of flesh, fur, scales, and feathers.  Nearly every species 
imaginable on Lockke, and many from off-world, was represented here, 
and their scents mingled together as one.
	This part of town never slept.  Business of all types was conducted 
at all hours.  Street musicians and dancers performed for passersby, 
in hopes of receiving coins and scrip for their efforts.  Grey 
merchants peddled their wares, ranging from gaudy jewelry, to high 
tech gadgets of questionable origin, sensory chips, assorted chemical 
substances, and even other people; pleasure pets, trained, ready, and 
willing to satisfy any desire a well-paying master or mistress may 
have.  For those who did not care or were unable to afford the costs 
of actually owning a pet, but still wanted to satisfy primal urges; 
prostitutes, male and female of many diverse species were readily 
available for hire on the street corners and in high priced brothels. 
  Indeed, most anything one might desire could be found in this 
section of town.
	Arlin was not overly fond of this area.  However, his excellency, 
Regent Tormanin, allowed this place to operate freely, provided the 
shady activities were confined to this sector only and some semblance 
of order and safety for the citizens could be maintained.  Tormanin 
explained early on that the people needed a place where they could let 
their inner animal nature freely come forth without having to 
constantly look over their shoulders for the law coming down on their 
tails.  However, the people understood that there was also a rigidly 
defined boundary as to what was acceptable behavior here, and crossing 
that line would result in severe punishments, some of them instantaneous.

	As the Tiger neared the intersection that marked the boundary of the 
Techno-Leisure district, he was approached by a Furling Rabbit.  She 
had large, liquid blue eyes, and a thick mane of sunny blonde hair 
which dropped in wavy curls down to just below her shoulders.  Her fur 
was two toned; a golden brown, with a blue-white treasure trail that 
started at the lower half of her fluffy cheeks and muzzle; covered her 
neck, chest, and firm stomach, and continued down between her muscular 
thighs.  She was wearing nothing but a tiny thong, a black half shirt 
that dropped to just below her breasts, thigh-length black fishnet 
tights, and black sandals with low heels.  She looked most 
tantalizing.  Her eyes were half closed and her ears seductively laid 
back as she put a gentle paw on Arlin's shoulder.
	Arlin cocked his head to one side and gave the Rabbit a look through 
quinted eyes, "Erm, may I help you, miss?" he politely asked.
	She giggled and shook her head, "Well, actually," her voice was soft 
and wispy, "I was going to ask you the same thing.  Perhaps we can 
help each other?"  She ran her fingers along his jawline and under his 
chin, then did a half turn and gazed at him over her shoulder with a 
look that Arlin knew all too well.  She patted her wide, plush, gold 
and blue rump and twitched her tail invitingly.
	"My rates are most reasonable, and I'm willing to submit to nearly 
anything that you might wish to do with me, within reason of course."
	Arlin nodded thoughtfully and gave the girl a cool gaze that caused 
her to instantly realize that she had just made a major error here. 
He flashed her his i.d. and introduced himelf, "Miss, you are 
attempting to buy the services of an officer of the Regency Court, and 
outside the boundaries of where prostitution and other grey activities 
are tolerated."  He gestured to the other side of the street.  "That 
is a class C offense, and I must now declare you under arrest.  Please 
present your identification."
	The Rabbit's expression promptly changed from one of sultry 
seductiveness to wide-eyed fear as she reached into her shoulder bag 
and extracted her i.d. card.  As she surrendered her card to Arlin, 
she made a feeble attempt to talk her way out of her predicament.
	"Please, sir, please.  I didn't know.  I'm new in town and was just 
hoping to earn a little extra spending money since me and my employer 
have had a streak of less than stellar contract jobs, and..."
	Arlin looked over her i.d. and shushed her with a touch of his finger 
on her muzzle, "Miss Karma, of Arborvale; co-decker aboard the 
Shadowglider Silver Banshee, registered to one Firefly Eppner of 
Arborvale," he took a gentle grip on her shoulder and guided her over 
to a bench beside a hover train stop.
	"We have regulations to uphold here that maintain a very fine balance 
between order and anarchy in this part of town," he explained.  "Grey 
activities are to be confined to the Techno-Leisure sector, which 
begins across the street there.  That helps to keep the peace for the 
rest of Lovenmusk, and we have zero tolerance for those carrying on 
such activities outside the prescribed boundaries."
	Karma again pleaded for lenience, "But Warden, Arlin, I truly did not 
know.  If you could just give me a warning, I'll hurry over to the 
other side of the street and never venture over here to conduct my 
business again.  I give you my solemn word.  Please?  I don't want to 
get locked up in the dungeons."

	The Tiger sniffed at the scent sample on the back of Karma's i.d., 
then gestured towards the long wooden seat, "Please face the bench and 
bend over, feet apart and paws on the back rest."  Karma obediently 
complied, knowing better than to disobey a Street Hunter.  She assumed 
a very tantalizing vulnerable position, with her back arched and her 
fluffy teardrop-shaped tail held straight up.  Arlin then knelt behind 
the frightened spread-eagle Bunny, pulled aside the narrow strip of 
leather holding her thong in place, pressed his muzzle between the 
soft mounds of her delicious-looking bottom, and took a deep whiff of 
her scent.  Satisfied that everything on her i.d. was in order, he 
stood up again, and continued his explanation of how this town operated.
	"So then, Miss Karma," he began, then placed a paw firmly on the 
middle of her back to keep her in place when she started to get up, 
"No, keep your position, girl.  Remember, you are still under arrest. 
  Now, as I said before, we have a zero tolerance policy for grey 
activities outside the prescribed boundaries, and you are guilty of 
violating that regulation."
	"But I didn't know," Karma repeated.
	Arlin gave her a firm smack on her upturned rump with his open paw, 
"Shush, please and listen.  We can not allow ignorance as an excuse to 
let violators get off free and clear.  If we started making 
exceptions, then others will start pushing beyond the limits we set 
here since they saw someone else go unpunished.  That would cause or 
fragile balance we have going to ultimately break down."
	Karma sighed and sniffled, "Then...then what's going to happen to me, 
Warden?" she asked, "Am I going to be locked away in the dungeons now?"
	"That is one possible outcome," he growled, "or you can accept a 
street sentence instead.  Look at me."  Karma turned her head and 
blinked nervously as Arlin removed a narrow rod from his belt and gave 
it a squeeze.  The rod extended into a full-length riding crop, which 
hummed softly with energy.
	The Rabbit swallowed hard and her tail dropped down over the crevasse 
of her ass like a protective flap, "A Lightning Crop?  So you are 
going to give me an electrified spanking?"
	Arlin nodded his head, his expression most serious and grave, "Yes, 
Karma of Arborvale.  Ten strokes at medium charge across your bottom 
is the standard street sentence for a class C offense like you are 
guilty of."
	The Rabbit gave a frightened whimper, her whole body trembling 
nervously, "That seems a little harsh for something so minor and 
harmless."
	"That's our law.  We don't fuck around, and the people who work and 
play in this part of town understand and accept this arrangement. 
However, you could decline the street sentence and choose to spend a 
night and a day in the Regency Court's dungeons.  But I would not 
recommend such a choice."
	"Why not?" Karma asked.
	"Because during your confinement," the Tiger explained, "you would 
still be subjected to physical punishments, and you would also be 
assessed a rather heavy fine as well."
	"In other words, I can have it quick and painful, or drawn out and 
painful."  Karma gave a resigned sigh, bowed her head, and raised her 
tail again, "Okay, fine.  Let's go with the quick and painful choice. 
  My ass is for your pleasure, Warden Arlin."
	The Tiger gave her a sympathetic smile and patted her trembling 
flank, "Indeed it is, Karma of Arborvale.  Indeed it is."  He rubbed 
the crop over her bottom.  The energy coursing through the rod caused 
the girl's aft fur to stand on end and a nervous shudder to course 
through her body.  She inhaled deeply as Arlin swung the rod up high 
over her wide behind.  "Ten at medium charge," he repeated, then 
brought the rod down in a graceful arc towards its vulnerably exposed 
target.

	The riding crop connected dead center across Karma's butt, landing 
with a dull smack that was followed by the buzzing snap of electricity 
being transferred into the Rabbit's nether flesh.  The impact caused 
her to suddenly exhale, and the shock made her gasp, while her back 
arched and her legs spasmed helplessly.
	Arlin raised the crop again and gave a warning gaze to the crowd that 
was gathering to watch this Bunny whore get her beautiful ass 
punished.  The spectators backed off a few paces, and then the Tiger 
swung the crop down again.  This time, it struck only the left side of 
Karma's butt, with another buzz-snap as it again discharged its 
electrical payload into her wide, plush rear.