The carriage rocked and jostled on its journey down the old stone roads beyond the city limits. The royal couple sat within, along with their head of the guard and their mysterious guest who had shocked the court with his appearance.

Even now he sat across from Cadance in the carriage. He had a large, powerful frame. His thick arms crossed across his chest, with a noble looking muzzle, and a large pair of antlers gracing his head. Indeed, when they had been told a Caribou requested an audience with the royals of the Crystal Empire they had laughed it off as a joke. After all, no one had heard from or seen a Caribou in nearly a millennium, and most information of them was lost to history.

Their meeting in the throne room had been mostly private with the exception of their guards and a couple of the Crystal Empire Noble caste. Cadance and Shining Armor sat there in silence for more than a few minutes just staring at the large Caribou Lord who stood before them, trying to wrap their mind around the visitor before their exchange had truly started.

The Lord spoke of his people, that they were refugees, their own lands across the sea having fallen to a natural cataclysm. Cadance had felt a bit perturbed that the Caribou would not reply to her, but only when Shining Armor spoke. When his eyes fell upon her, they were cold, distant and, sent a chill of fear and something else up her spine. Was it fear? Or thrill? She couldn't be sure and she hated that unsure inner debate as it raged on.

What's more, she found something odd in his aura. The way he held himself and the sense of magic she got off of him was odd, unnatural. Most ponies wouldn't notice it but Alicorns and strong mages would definitely sense something else at work.

The Caribou identified himself as 'Dainn', the leader of the Caribou hordes. Their Lord, their King. He spoke with all the tone and confidence of a noble, his words carefully chosen and his voice betraying no weakness.

Cadence and Shining Armor looked wide-eyed as the carriage rolled into the Caribou's camp, peering from the windows as it rolled along, they eyed what they could. The tents made of animal hide, pitched high with more than enough headroom for the tallest antlers of the cervines. From their carriage the royal couple could already see several dozen of the Caribou as they went about their errands.

The first they saw stood guard around the camp's perimeter, tall and expressionless as they looked out over the terrain. With a wave from Dainn they were allowed passage, the carriage rolling deeper into the camp and letting Cadance and Shining to see it's inner workings. A blacksmith hammering armor and working intricate patterns into it gave them a stern look, pausing his work briefly to look at her before returning to his task.

Several muscular Caribou males labored with rock and stone, building and reinforcing a small fortress in the center of the camp. Stones were cut, shaped and placed with care, held fast by a flash of magic that glowed with the pale white of ice and snow that bound them into the strong fortress walls.

Dainn was quiet during their journey through the camp, and the couple was about to question him on the armory and fortress they were building in what seemed to be a temporary camp when they first caught sight of the Caribou females.

Both the royal couple stared, jaws dropped as the curvaceous women laundered clothes, prepared food, and attended to the men folk of the camp with wide, giggling, and happy smiles. They wore not but a strip of cloth around their hips, covering nothing. Its large, single side pocket was used to carry materials. The females wore a thick, red collar around their necks. They were only about two thirds the size of the males, heads coming up to just below their shoulders.
The males’ bodies were hard and muscular like they were chiseled from the very rocks they were stacking; the females were soft and curvy. Wide hips, soft thick thighs, and a heavy large chest that would give any warm blooded male a tent in his pants. Even with all this on display the male Caribou went about their business like nothing was out of the ordinary.
Cadance turned to Dainn, asking for an explanation for such differences in treatment, the women she could see were being treated like lesser beings. The males pushing them around as they deemed fitting and more than once she could see a Caribou with a lump in it's trousers grab one at random and drag them around behind or into a tent. Her words and shocked expression were cut short by Dainn merely raising a hand to silence her.

The carriage came to a stop just outside the large in progress stone structure, the door opened by one of the Cervine guards who let the royal couple out. Dainn followed them out and stood tall once the carriage began to pull away. Both Cadance and Shining Armor took note of the respect and admiration the Caribou gave their leader, the way they tensed, stood at attention, saluted and kept their eyes locked on him like a single gesture from their commander could start or end a war.

“Welcome” he started, the first words he'd spoken in quite some time. “Welcome to Hornvik. It is a small camp but we are expanding it. Our people are hearty, strong, and with hope will turn this into a home, if only temporarily,” he said. His voice echoing ever so slightly through the stone door they passed through as he led them into the rocky fortress that served as far as they could tell the camp’s town hall.

Orestes soon returned behind them, having parked the carriage before catching up. He looked around, admiring the Caribou's efficiency as they built and fortified their camp. His trained eyes could tell this placement had almost been put up overnight, 3 days old tops and already it was bustling with nearly the pace of a small town. The sight of the eagerly submissive females obeying every order or demand the Caribou males gave them did bring a smile to his lips, taking a brief moment to wish he could command the mares back at the castle in such a manner and have them obey as eagerly. Judging from the looks he and the royal couple received, he could tell something was amiss, they were holding back. He didn't know what, but he could sense a dishonesty among them that made the hairs of his mane stand on end. Without evidence however he was stuck simply waiting, and watching, till he had enough to act on.

The royal couple and their guard followed Dainn to his chambers. A large brutal throne forged of bone and furs, the throne of a hunter and warrior stood at the center of the far wall. Banners framed it lettered with symbols of the Caribou's homeland and language. Dainn took several heavy steps forward, drawing his thick and heavy warhammer from his side before setting it against the throne and turning to sit back on the ornamental chair. His hands gripped the armrests as he sat at attention eying his guests.

“Again, welcome to Hornvik. You have seen but a glimpse of our glory during our ride through the camp but fear not, you will get chance a plenty to view more of it in depth,” he assured them with a relaxed expression.

He raised his hand again, gesturing to them “I know you have questions, ask them so we may move on.”

Cadance felt the tension that kept her from speaking before fade and cleared her throat. She tried to give her expression the stern look to match her inquiry.

“What is the reason for your treatment of women the way we saw outside? They walk nude or in scraps while the men are clothed, doing slave-like chores, being dragged about by men for... carnal urges,” she said, grimacing at the thought, but the mental image sent a familiar crack echoing through her mind.

Dainn listened to Cadance, his gaze fixed on her as his expressionless face took in her complaints.
His voice betrayed no emotion as finally spoke up. “Our Culture is an old one, one that we strive to keep and hold onto even with the changes we have had to endure. The loss of our homeland is no excuse for a loss of our traditions,” he said, his eyes boring into her, making the Princess take a step back nervously.
“Our women also do not share our strengths, intellect, or abilities. They craved subservience and obedience since our oldest days. Simply put, they are inferior, but they serve their purposes with their own dignity.“

His voice echoed with such certainty that Cadance was again finding her own voice and complaints quickly drying up. Shining stepped forward, placing a comforting hand on her shoulder “You wouldn't mind if we spoke to them?” he asked confidently, his own gaze matching Dainn's.

The Caribou leader smiled and gave a nod to Shining Armor. “Of course, we have nothing to hide, and nothing is being done against their will. They are… eager participants in all that is asked of them,” he spoke and waved his hands to the open door. Eagerly giving them opportunity to explore his camp.

They took a couple steps to leave before Dainn spoke up again. “Before you go, for your wife's safety and protection, you must have her wear this,” he punctuated the sentence with a snap of his fingers. A smiling Caribou woman stepped forward, giggling happily as she held out a pillow, on it was a thick, royal blue collar with a metal ring on the front. Both royal ponies looked at it for a moment in shock before looking back at Dainn, Cadance's eyes stuck, glued to the collar in front of her.

“My followers are loyal, but it is best to err on the side of caution. This will keep my soldiers and guards from doing anything you would consider... uncouth and rude”

“For caution's sake you say?” Shining spoke up, his voice a bit of a hush as he slowly took the blue collar in his grip, turning it over in his hand to examine it and its intricacies. Cadence looked to Shining, her eyes focused on the thick collar in his loving hands. Her breath catching in her throat as she watched him raise his hands, the collar clutched between them up towards her. Part of her again telling her not to let him, that they should return to their carriage and leave this place behind as fast as possible. Instead, she found her hands reaching up, pushing her mane aside, giving her husband complete access to her neck as he slid the heavy cool collar into place and closed it softly. A shiver ran down her spine as she heard the soft “CLICK” that echoed much louder in her mind, mirroring the sound of metal on stone that penetrated her dreams.

The Princess of love found her knees shaking a bit as the weight settled around her neck, only barely managing to keep her composure, though out of the corner of her eye she swore she could see that large Caribou on his throne smiling at her.

Shining held her cheeks, looking her in the eyes curiously. “Are you alright, love?” he asked softly, his voice reassured her, giving her strength enough to smile and hold herself high.
“Yes, I'm fine,” she said with a nod, adjusting her stance back to that of a proud princess once again. “Let us go.” Cadance held her head high as she walked out of the throne room.

Orestes had remained silent through the meeting and odd event with the collar, but now as the Princess and Shining Armor walked past him to view the surrounding camp, he had to give a smile seeing that thick collar around the princess’ neck like a common slave. Her reaction to it as it snapped around her throat had caused a slight bulge beneath the codpiece of his armor. He gave a quick turn on his heels and followed after the royal couple only a few scant feet behind.

The party stepped outside into the brisk air of the northern lands, Cadance already nervous and blushing ever so slightly at the new heavy weight of the collar sitting comfortably around her neck, now in plain sight. This however seemed to attract a few turned heads, the Caribou around giving only the shortest of glances before returning to their tasks, stockpiling, building, and working. The princess of love found herself oddly disappointed about the lack of attention but couldn't for the life of her think why such disappointment would even exist in her mind from such an odd and… seemingly wrong situation.

Shining lead them through the compound, the former captain of the guard eyeing every tent, every crate, and every soldier with both suspicion and intrigue. He had been Canterlot's captain of the guard, the highest ranking soldiers in the Equestria, yet their station was mostly ceremonial. Here he witnessed Soldiers born and bred for combat at war. Muscles built to swing iron and steel, weapons meant to maim and strike.
He had to nod at it, he was impressed.

The group stopped at the Blacksmith's tent, watching the burly hefty bodied caribou go about his work. Cadance watched the Caribou's body as that strong arm lifted it's hammer, the muscles flexing and tensing before bringing it down hard on the glowing hot steel of a breastplate. The crack of hammer on steel resonated in her mind, the echoes of her dream, of metal crashing against a precious stone caused her body to shiver, her mind to weaken and her knees to shake.

They continued to watch as the Blacksmith etched the caribou's telltale runes into the armor, intricate designs they could not read before doing something to astound them.
The Blacksmith used magic.

It wasn't the same as a unicorn's spell casting, or like any pony magic they'd seen. They watched as the Caribou's antlers glowed a dull Icy blue, the ethereal energies then began to pour like water out of a pitcher as he leaned his head forward. It dropped into the etched runes of the armor, flowing through the grooves and knots and etchings. The Arcane energy filled the marks, turning them from simple script and symbols to meaning and power. What the markings would accomplish however they did not know, for even at prompting, the Blacksmith would not speak, but Cadance could feel the markings somehow, like static for her magic.

Receiving nothing but grunts in response to any prompting, the Blacksmith too ingrained and focused on his work to speak, the group decided to move on.

Shining and Orestes with Cadance between them walked from the tent, away from the sound of hammer on steel that sent shivers down the princesses spine. Their eyes peered the groups of caribou, the strong males lifting crates and barrels, lugging cargo and supplies into and out of tents. The females busied themselves with smaller tasks like cleaning, cooking, a few even were decorating. Cadance watched as they painted small details onto pottery and cloth, depictions of a snowy landscape and strange beasts in simplistic stylings arranged into please patterns and tapestries. She was distracted by the arts and crafts, and so, as they rounded the corner, she did not see as they came face to face with one of the massive beasts from the paintings.

Cadance stumbled backwards as she bumped into the creature, falling onto her pert rump and staring up at the beast. It was a sandy gray in color, a large flat head with flaring nostrils, massive mouth full of dull pointed teeth, and two curved downward pointing horns and large cloven hooves. It looked like a massive twisted bovine of some sort.
It let out a breath her way, its hot humid exhale washing over her making her cough a bit from the slight sulfuric tang to it.

Her husband and guard quickly helped her to her hooves as a caribou revealed himself on top of the beast, riding it on a large leather saddle.

“You would do best, female, to not antagonize the Warbeast,” he spoke with a thick gruff tone. All three ponies looked up at the Caribou, he was a strong specimen especially for his age. He had the wrinkles and weariness to his eyes that came with age, the graying tint to the sides of his mane made him look wise and distinguished. He wore only thick leather trousers and studded bracers on each wrist giving them an unobstructed view of his defined torso. While his body showed the firm tone of muscle giving away that his body was definitely a well oiled machine, his form also had a slight paunch to the gut, another sign of his age. Aside from his form, his body was riddled in marks from long faded bites in several shapes and sizes, to cuts, gouges, punctures and lashings all topped off with the large scar across his face that crossed over a completely removed and shut eye, and a good chunk of his right antler missing.

“I am Hrathr, Master of Beasts for our lord Dainn.” he said proudly, sliding from his saddle to the ground. He stood head and shoulders above them like most caribou, but the air about him made him appear larger than others. He gave off an aura much like the beast he rode.

“Orestes...” their guard spoke with a bow. “Captain of the Crystal Empire's guard,” he then gestured to the others with him. “This is Prince Shining Armor, and Princess Cadance, guests of your Lord Dainn.”

The Caribou looked the trio over, his eyes falling on the blue collar Cadance wore and smirking softly.

“Aye, word has reached my ears. Have a look around my stables if you wish, but do not get too close, our native life can be dangerous to those who know not their nature.” He spoke with a grin and stepped aside, waving a hand for them to look around beyond his gates and tents.

Shining frowned as they passed him, not liking the way the caribou's one eye traced up and down his wife's form. The group treaded softly through the decently sized pasture, taking great notice of the massive warbeasts as they fed and seemed to act in their pens mostly like cattle, waiting lazily for instruction or use when not being ridden or used as pack animals.

Orestes found himself rather enamored with the large ground beasts, powerful and muscled if rather inelegant, they served their purpose of making an army look powerful on their backs. Though he felt no army bound to the ground was any match for his troops of the air and sky, Windchill's on the other hand he could see losing to them. Her and her whole troop were worthless as soldiers.

Shining armor examined some crude instruments the caribou used to guide and train their beasts while Cadance wandered a bit to the opening of the stone stable. The structure was too small for the large warbeasts to fit through, so she wondered what other creatures must inhabit it. The pink princess peaked inside, watching the rooms within as they were lit by simple lanterns. There were small stalls littered with fleshy pods, small oddly shaped creatures writhing about in iron cages, and strange plants hanging from shelves. She watched from cover as from around the corner a young female caribou walked, the same dull blissful smile on her face as she tended to the plants, watering and dropping mulch into the pots, the plants writing softly as they were given their sustenance. Cadance didn't have much to go off of, but the young caribou cow must be in her late teens comparatively to the others she'd met. Her coat was just a bit smoother, horn nubs just a bit smaller, and she was maybe half a head smaller than the other mature cows she'd met. Aside from this her curves and figure were on par with the others, something she shook from her mind for noticing.

As she watched the young Caribou tend to the plants and creatures within, she spied one of the pods the young cow had her back to. It's top opened slowly, splitting like it had three fleshy jaws with a soft wet noise not unlike stepping in mud with a wet boot. Even in the light of the lanterns, she could make out the soft slime dripping from the mouth of the pod, giving a slight odor to the air that made her own mind hazy, and seemed to momentarily stun the young caribou who froze in her duties to stare confused at the wall ahead of her. During this stunned state Cadance watched as several thick tendrils slid from the pod, Fleshy and gnarled like an old branch made of rubber and jello.
The princess was frozen by the heavy aroma in the air, unable to warn the young cow as it's limbs were slowly encircled by the tentacles. Unable to react in time, the fleshy appendages pulled tight, getting a firm grip on the young caribou and forcing a small yelp from her as she was pulled backward. She landed on her plush ass as she was slowly dragged back towards the pod, squirming in its grip as best she could before her limbs soon fell numb as the heavy scent got stronger the closer she got to the pods. Soon the limp cow was pinned to her side, her eyes half lidded as the tentacles holding her body began to move again, dripping and sliming their way around her body, exploring those huge soft tits and round plump ass. Cadance could only watch, frozen, as she beheld the tentacles squeezing between those fat mounds of the young cows chest, hearing her moan and whimper while her nipples became hard. Soon they were completely dripping in the warm goo of the pod. The young Cow's proximity awoke several other nearby pods, that same wet squelching as they began to open wide, their tentacles reaching out for the writhing moaning cow.

The young caribou found her ankles soon enveloped in the soft but firm grip of tentacles that spread her wide with no resistance. She could only look down, mouth hanging agape, tongue lolling out like a panting animal as one of those thick tentacles slid between her soft squishy tits and pushed past her lips and into her throat. Cadance only briefly took note that the girl lacked a gag reflex as she watched a bulge form in her throat as the tentacle worked its way in and out of the caribou's mouth, spittle and slime drooling from the stuffed corners of her mouth as the pod creatures claimed it.

The princess of love began to feel herself heat up at the sight, her nethers beginning to drip a bit, her shaky hand moving towards it on instinct to try and stifle the growing heat within as she watched several more soft but grooved and bumpy tentacles move between the cow's legs. Cadance began to pant as her fingers slid into her wet snatch, watching as the thick heads of the tentacles pressed against the cow’s own dripping slit and without hesitation forcing their way within drawing out a long loud moan from behind the tentacle in her mouth. She watched as the cow's folds were stretched wide, her pussy dripping as the tentacle pushed deeper and deeper, thrusting in and out of her cunt forcing the caribou to quiver and shake and hump back against it as another tentacle of equal size slid beneath, pressing between those two fat pillowy ass cheeks any mare would die to have claim the caribou's ass as it had claimed her other holes.

Cadance was wide eyed, staring, moaning softly to herself as she bore witness to the scene, biting one knuckle while her other hand worked her slit into a frenzy, her own nipple hard as she began to imagine herself in the cow's place, being taken by the plants, being bound and drugged helpless to stop them as they acted out their nature upon her body. It took every last strand of willpower not to crawl closer to the scene and surrender to it as she watched the caribou's body shake back and forth as the multiple pods played tug of war for her moaning willing body. The princess watched as new tentacles began to emerge as the plants soaked up the caribou's spilled juices, one with fat sucker like tips latched onto the cow's tits and nipple, pumping them and kneading them like dough until Cadance could see a familiar white substance leaking from the 'lips' of the sucker tentacles as they milked the young caribou like cattle. To Cadance there was no doubt the young girl was in a near constant state of orgasm and pleasure since the moment the pods had taken her, even as she watched other tentacles join the first ones in her holes, another pushing in alongside the one in her wet cunt, and two additional ones inside her ass as if the pods were competing for the girls body.

Cadance was only dimly aware of that sound in the back of her mind again, the familiar sound of metal on stone. The sound from her dreams which sent shivers through her mind and body had awakened something in her and Shining Armor during their rest and shower together. And now here was making her consider surrendering her body and mind to these non sentient plants of lust and instinct. She felt a pang of jealousy as she watched the young girls body swell as the plants pumped her full of something, Nectar? Seeds? Cum? She couldn't be sure, but many little voices in her head told her to find out for herself. Cadance fell to her hands and knees, ready to crawl forward and give herself to it when she felt a hand on her shoulder interrupt her thoughts.

She stopped, took a breath and looked up all at once into the worrying face of her husband.

“Are you alright, dear?” he asked her “You are flushed and fell to your knees, are you ill?”
Cadance's mouth opened and closed a few times, trying to say something but the words escaped her. Finally as she took a breath and stepped back from the stable, being careful not to let Shining see inside she smiled up at him, his love cleansing the odd feeling from her mind and quieting the sounds in the back of her mind. “I'm...a bit tired I think...today has been a rather exhausting experience... Might Lord Dainn have somewhere we can rest?” she asked her husband.

Shining smiled and gave her a peck on the cheek, before looking for a guard to ask. With his back to her, Cadance followed behind him, glad her husband had been too worried to notice her dripping slit, or her fingers that had been buried within. She brought her fingers to her face, still sticky and wet with her juices and an odd sensation came through her mind. With a blush and a small lick of her lips she brought her fingers to her lips and began to clean her fingers with her tongue. The taste new and different, but enticing. Her thoughts drifting back to the young Caribou girl in the stable she had left to those pods and her fate, surely the Caribou would rescue her soon, but a new thought in her head said otherwise, hoping beyond her worry that the girl would stay with those plants, submitting to that brain numbing pleasure for days, or forever.
This cruel thought sent a shiver down her spine and made her pussy throb with need. Something she'd need to take care of soon.

Author's Notes:

Sorry it took so long to get this chapter out, I am not the best or most productive writer. Hopefully folks are still looking forward to this one and I'll try to get the next one out sooner.