[Author's note: This continues the story of how Aaron Goodman learned to become a cowboy in the mountains of western Canada. Now up at the back country base camp, he's only just beginning to find out how much he has to learn... ]
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Aaron learned a lot from Buz over the next couple of days. Buz watched him carefully as they rode, giving him many pointers. Aaron knew that he had not really been in control during the wild gallops of his first day; he'd basically just held on and let the horse follow Buz. After his sessions with Buz, he realized he needed to achieve a dramatic improvement in riding skill.
"That'll come" Buz told him. "You're doing okay. You've just never been pushed before to ride hard."
By the end of the second morning, Buz had taught him how to turn fast, how to head off cows, and other key skills. He also made Aaron ride fast through thick underbrush and forest.
"You'll often have to do that when heading off cows trying to break away. The key thing is to let the horse do the work. They're better trained than you are and have faster reactions."
Buz taught him the basics of what was expected in caring for their horses and gear. He also told him a lot about how the cowboys worked with cattle. For Aaron, it was still theoretical knowlege, but he learned many details which would prove useful in forthcoming days.
They did climb a nearby peak on the afternoon of the second day. They sat on the top, admiring the view and talking. Aaron was feeling a lot more relaxed about the job now. The pain in his butt had almost disappeared. Though his memory of the first day's beatings was still vivid, there was nothing to indicate more were on the horizon.
Maybe that was because the demands were so light. In a way, what he and Buz were doing right now --swimming, hiking, and an easy round of instruction-- matched his naive preconceptions of what working on a dude ranch would be like. But it was also because the atmosphere at the camp seemed a lot more relaxed than he had feared. The boot camp he had expected had turned into a holiday resort.
He looked around again at the spectacular view. "Boy, this sure is magnificent" he grinned, lazing back against a rock. "You guys really have a great life. You hardly do any work."
Buz laughed. "It's not all just playing around, Aaron. Don't get a false impression. Darrell's not as soft a touch as you may think."
"He seems very laid back."
"Yeah, well, that's now. He's giving you a break. He gets serious very fast when things go wrong, believe me. So don't cross him."
"Oh, I won't. But he seems to be a nice guy."
"He is" Buz nodded. "He's also a very fair boss. But he can be tough and demanding."
"I suppose" Aaron shrugged, nodding idly. "But nobody seems to be doing much right now. Does this happen often?
"Off and on. The work is sporadic. Let's see. Besides Bill, two other guys are out on patrol. Peter and Rod. You haven't met them yet. Things will get pretty active if they discover cattle have wandered off. That happens a lot. And don't forget the tourists. Part of the work we do is keeping the back country camps in shape for when guests use them later on. Plus of course we serve as guides on their rides."
"So the pace picks up a lot in the summer months?"
"Oh sure. That's one reason the ranch hires students like you for the summer. We need extra manpower to handle the guests."
"I'm surprised there aren't more here now."
"Oh, they'll trickle in over the next few weeks. Most get hired for work at the ranch house with an occassional trail ride assignment thrown in. You're special because of being here for a whole year. You need to be trained so you're able to do real work, which means you can eventually be a guide too. Without cattle-handling skills, it would make no sense to keep you through the winter."
"Don't you need extra cowboys to handle the guests?"
"Yeah, but mostly the ranch hires local guys with experience. They'd never hire a guy like you without pressure from the owners."
"I guess it's no surprise that guys like Bill resent that."
"Yeah, especially when you rub it in."
Aaron smiled ruefully. "I guess I did, didn't I?"
"Oh, yeah. You did that, alright."
Aaron looked across at the mountains. "Do many trail rides go into the mountains?"
"For sure" Buz nodded. He looked at Aaron and grinned. "You want to go on them, don't you?"
"I sure do" Aaron grinned. "I can't wait to get up there. It looks really spectacular."
"Well, all you've got to do is learn fast and show you're useful. Plus learn to be respectful to guests."
"Be the dumb respectful cowboy?" Aaron laughed.
"You got it. No smart-ass back talk."
"That must be hard for you too" Aaron grinned.
"Not really" Buz shrugged. "You just learn to be careful." He looked at the sun and then at his watch. "Let's go back."
On the way back, they talked about being beaten. "Do you still get it on your ass a lot?" Aaron asked.
Buz shook his head. "Not now. When I got it for creaming the truck, that was the first time in five months."
"I worry about Bill. I think he likes doing it to me."
"Well, sure" Buz laughed scornfully. "You make it fun for him."
"How do you mean?"
"You scream and twist and turn like a little kid. That's guaranteed to turn him on. Do that enough and he'll _f_u_c_k_ you as well as beat your ass."
"Like he almost did the other day?"
"Yeah. You were asking for it there, kid. _s_h_i_t_, you were twisting your ass like a mare in heat."
Aaron grimaced. "I sure didn't mean to."
"Well, you'd better be aware of what you're doing. That kind of thing will turn the other guys on too, if you do that in front of them." He looked at Aaron and grinned. "Maybe you want to be _f_u_c_k_ed."
"I don't."
"You're sure? Even college kids get horny."
"I'm sure" Aaron said curtly.
"Well, make like a _s_e_x_y teenage _f_u_c_k_hole, and you'll get your ass _f_u_c_k_ed for sure."
"What's _s_e_x_y about being beaten?"
"When you writhe over a table or log, flashing your naked ass? Come on, Aaron, you can't be that innocent. Haven't you ever got a hard-on seeing that?"
"No, I haven't. But then I haven't seen a guy getting it, either."
Buz laughed. "_f_u_c_k_, you really are an innocent."
"I guess I am" Aaron shrugged. He looked at Buz in puzzlement. "But how can I avoid reacting like? _s_h_i_t_, what do you do when you get it on your ass?"
"Take it like a man" he shrugged. "Or try to, anyway. You should be able to do that too."
Aaron looked at him in surprise. "How do you mean? What do you do?"
"Grit my teeth and take it silently, at least as long as I can. I sure don't bawl like a crybaby teenager."
"Is that what I looked like?"
Buz shrugged. "Yeah." He looked at Aaron and smiled. "You'd never had it on your ass before, had you?"
Aaron shook his head. "No. Never."
"Well, you're excused for bawling like a kid the first time. What you got was pretty severe."
"It was unbelievable!"
"I wouldn't go that far" Buz shrugged. "But it was certainly severe for a first time."
"It could have been worse?"
Buz looked at Aaron scornfully. "Sure. Easily. Haempel stopped in the middle, didn't he?"
"Wow! I guess he did."
"He wanted it to keep it easy the first time." He looked at Aaron in amusement. "What if it had been Bill doing that? Do you think Bill would have stopped then if the two of you were alone?"
Aaron looked at him for a moment. He shook his head.
"Anyway, to come back to my point, you really need to think about the message it sends when you act the way you did, kid. If you want guys to _f_u_c_k_ you, fine. But if you don't, well... " He shrugged again. "It's up to you, kid. It's your choice."
Wow! Aaron thought to himself. He'd never considered how he'd appear to others. He hadn't had time when it had happened on the first day. He'd been too terrified to concentrate on anything but what he was getting. He realized Buz could be right.
"You really think I make guys want to _f_u_c_k_ my ass?"
Buz shrugged. "You can't be that naive, kid. Of course you do. _s_h_i_t_, you've got an attractive body. You still look like a teenager and you have a _s_e_x_y ass. If you flash that ass around like you want to be _f_u_c_k_ed... Well, do I really need to spell it out?"
Wow! Aaron thought again. His prick started swelling up as he thought about it. _f_u_c_k_! That's the last thing I need! he thought. Do I really turn them on with my ass? _f_u_c_k_! He could feel his hormones churning. I wonder what it's like!
Both Aaron and Buz subsided into silence as they walked down.
Bill rode into the camp that evening. The cattle he had to check on had wandered into areas where they didn't belong. It had taken an extra day to discover where they'd gone.
The following morning, Darrell organized the men into two crews to deal with the problem.
"You and Buz go with Allan and Bill" Darrell told Aaron. "You guys will round up the cattle. Buz can continue to help you learn what you have to do."
"He'd _f_u_c_k_ing well better learn fast" Bill said scornfully. "I need guys I can trust to do what's needed, not some kid that has still to learn how to ride."
"The kid's not that bad a rider" Buz grinned.
"You'll have Allan and Buz" Darrell shrugged. "The kid won't learn unless he's challenged."
"Well, he'll sure get challenged this time" Bill laughed grimly. "Those cattle will be spread over ten sections by now."
"You may need to build some fences at key points" Darrell suggested. "I'll get Jack and his crew to bring material out. They can do that while you guys get the cattle back."
"For sure" Bill nodded. "I think I know how they went and where to put fences."
"Good. Tell Jack where to go."
"Okay" Bill nodded. He went off to look for Jack.
"You think Aaron can handle this?" Darrell said to Buz.
"I think so" Buz shrugged. "There's only one way of finding out."
"Yeah" Darrell nodded. "That's what I figure." He turned to Aaron and grinned. "Don't worry about screwing up, kid. All that can happen is that you get your ass burnt."
"Yeah, I know" Aaron smiled grimly. "Bill will just love doing that."
"Well, that's his job" Darrell shrugged. "It's how you learn."
"You're sure I have to go with him?" Aaron asked.
"Of course I'm sure" Darrell said, showing his annoyance. "What kind of question is that?"
"I don't know" Aaron shrugged. "I'd rather go with someone else, if that's possible."
"Well, it's not" Darrel said curtly. "Are you complaining, kid?"
Aaron shook his head. "No Sir." He'd heard that question before.
"Then why ask? What's your problem?"
Aaron shrugged. "I guess I just don't like him."
"Well, that's your problem. You're going to work for him, not make love to him."
Just then, Bill returned. "Okay, it's all arranged" he announced. "Jack will handle the fencing."
"Keep the kid on a short rein" Darrel told Bill. He looked at Aaron in annoyance. "You do whatever Bill tells you, kid. No complaints, no questions. Okay?"
Aaron nodded. "Yes Sir."
"He giving you problems?" Bill smiled.
Darrell shrugged. "He thinks he can question orders."
"No, I don't, Sir!" Aaron said quickly. "I'm sorry if I gave that impression, Sir. I didn't mean to, Sir."
"Of course you meant to!" Darrell looked at Bill grimly. "Don't lie to me, boy. Mr Haempel warned me about you. He said you're a _f_u_c_k_ing liar under pressure."
Aaron looked at him in astonishment. "That's not true, Sir!"
"No? Isn't that what you just did? Didn't you just ask me to assign you to someone else? Or did you not mean that when you asked me?"
"Yes Sir, I did. But... " Aaron thought for a moment. "You're right, Sir" he admitted. "I apologize, I did mean it. I did question your order."
"That's got to be knocked out of him, Bill, and knocked out fast. Don't hold back if he does that with you."
"Oh, I won't" Bill smiled. He looked at Aaron in amusement. "He still can't resist being a smart ass?"
"Yeah" Darrell nodded. "You could say that." He smiled. "I guess you can handle that."
"I guess I can" Bill grinned. He looked at Aaron. "He knows what he can expect from me. Right, kid?"
Aaron nodded, looking at Bill bitterly. He knew only too well.
Darrell glared at Aaron. "Is that how you answer questions, boy?"
Aaron looked at him in surprise. "Sir?"
"Bill asked you a question."
Aaron shrugged. "I thought the answer was obvious."
"That's not good enough. When you're asked a question, you answer it. He asked if you know what to expect from him."
"Oh yeah, I know" Aaron said caustically. "He's a _s_h_i_t_ and a _f_u_c_k_ing sadist. He gets off on beating college kids, so he'll take advantage of any excuse he can find to beat my ass. Is that what you want to know?"
Darrell looked at him coldly. "I don't like your attitude, boy."
Aaron shugged again. "I'm sorry, Sir. But it's true."
"I won't have that kind of talk, boy. That's not how you answer a question. Nor how you describe a superior. Understand?"
Aaron looked at him disdainfully. "Yes Sir."
"I don't think you do. Go over to that fence, take off your clothes, and hold onto the fence."
"I beg your pardon?" Aaron said in shock.
"You heard me, boy. Do what I told you."
"But... "
Aaron looked at Darrell's grim expression, went to the fence, and unzipped his jeans. He let them drop to his ankles and bent down to hold onto the fence.
"I said take off your clothes. I didn't say just drop your jeans."
"Sorry, Sir."
Aaron took off his T-shirt and bent down to take off his boots and socks. He stepped out of his jeans, totally naked now, and looked back at Darrell.
"Like this, Sir?"
"You're _f_u_c_k_ing provocative, boy. Are you trying to make me punish you for disobedience too?"
"No Sir. I was just asking what you want me to do, Sir."
"I told you what to do. I said strip and get down on the fence."
"Yes Sir." Aaron bent down and held onto a fence rail.
"Nice ass" Allan grinned. He'd come back with Bill.
"Kind of marked up though" someone else laughed. "He must be a slow learner."
Darrell glared at Buz. "You were supposed to train him, Buz. I shouldn't have to waste time dealing with this kind of _s_h_i_t_."
"I'm sorry, Sir."
"Sorry isn't good enough. Strip and get down beside him."
"Yes Sir" Buz nodded, quickly obeying. He looked at Aaron bitterly as he grabbed the fence. "Thanks, Aaron. That was real smart."
"You got a strap in your saddle bag, Bill?"
Bill shook his head. "No, I don't."
"I'll get one and give it to you. You'll need it with this kid in your crew."
He went to his workspace. By now everybody else had gathered around to watch.
"They're almost a matched pair" someone grinned.
"Buz is smarter" someone else laughed.
"I don't know" the first one laughed. "If he were, he wouldn't be getting this."
"You're right" Buz commented sourly. He looked at Aaron scornfully. "You leave your brains behind somewhere?"
Aaron shrugged in embarrassment. "I'm sorry, Buz."
Buz looked at him resentfully. "Being sorry helps a lot."
Darrell came back with a strap. "Use this on them, Bill. Give them ten each for Aaron's disrespect, another ten for Aaron's questioning my order, and a third ten for his delay in obeying just now."
"Buz too?"
"Sure. He took on responsibility for training Aaron. He obviously needs an incentive to do a better job. Right, Buz?"
"Apparently so, Sir" Buz said grimly.
"Well, you'll have it. From now on, Buz gets whatever Aaron gets."
"That's not fair!" Aaron objected.
"Oh, you're complaining again? That's another ten for both of you. Or are you going to tell me you didn't mean it?"
Aaron looked at him nervously. "I don't know what you mean, Sir."
"The _f_u_c_k_ you don't. Which reminds me. You get another ten for lying to me earlier. You'll get that with a switch, boy."
"No!" Aaron said in shock.
"What do you mean, 'no'? You're really piling it on, boy. Didn't you teach him a thing, Buz?"
"It sure doesn't look like it, Sir."
"But Sir!" Aaron intervened. "You can't... "
"Shut the _f_u_c_k_ up!" Buz yelled angrily. "You may like getting this, Aaron, but I sure don't!"
Aaron pursed his lips. "I'm sorry, Buz. I was trying to help."
"You're no _f_u_c_k_ing help. Just shut up! Okay?" He looked at Aaron in disgust. "Complaining about it will just bring us both more."
"Give Aaron the first twenty" Darrel said to Bill. "Stand out of the way, Buz."
Buz stood up and moved away. Bill took the strap out to Buz's left.
"What do you bet the kid can take?" Buck grinned. "He's obviously had it before."
"Oh, he'll bawl on the first blow" Bill laughed. "He's a crybaby, just most of the other college kids we get."
"He may be stronger than you think" Buz smiled. "Right, Aaron?"
Aaron recognized the reminder. "Hopefully" he nodded curtly.
"You want to bet?" Bill grinned. "Ten bucks says he'll bawl."
"You're on" Buz nodded.
Aaron tensed as he saw Bill reach back, gripping the fence rail hard as he saw Bill swing.
..SLAP!!
Aaron jerked forward as the strap slashed across the middle of his buttocks. The pain was even more searing than he'd remembered. But he forced himself to keep from crying out. His muscles tensed as he fought for control, gripping the fence even harder.
"Push your ass out and keep it there" Bill demanded.
Aaron complied, gritting his teeth and tensing in anticipation.
"You owe me ten bucks" Buz grinned.
"That was a fluke" Bill shrugged. "Twenty says he'll bawl for sure in the next five."
Buz laughed. "You're on again." He looked at the others. "That was an easy win. Anybody else want to bet with me?"
Hal laughed. "Sure, I'll bet with you. I'll put another twenty on the kid, Bill. Anybody who's got the guts to ride down that hill like he did the other day can stand a few blows on his ass."
Wow! Aaron thought to himself. He'd never imagined that he'd earned that kind of respect. He pushed his ass up resolutely, determined to make it through the next five blows.
"Okay" Bill nodded. "But that's it for bets from me, guys."
"Oh, you're not so sure about him now?" Buck grinned. "Tell you what. I'll bet you can't make him bawl in the next ten."
"I'll take you up on that" Bill grinned. "I'll win that for sure."
"No more bets" Darrell intervened. He grinned. "Bill has it in for the kid enough already."
Aaron was shivering in fear now, tensing once again as Bill reached back. He closed his eyes in terror as he saw Bill begin to swing.
..SLAP!!
He jerked forward again as the strap slashed into him. Bill had really swung hard that time, harder than anything Aaron had ever felt. The impact on his virgin ass felt like being torched with a red-hot poker.
Aaron rocked on his toes, tensing his entire body to keep from screaming. It took every bit of self-control Aaron could muster. He tensed again as he saw Bill reach back.
..SLAP!!
"AOOOOWHHH!!" Aaron couldn't help crying out at the shock of that blow's impact. The pain was even more intense.
"I'm getting there" Bill grinned.
"I don't think so" Hal grinned. "I think you're giving me an easy twenty bucks, Bill."
"No way!"
Aaron bit his lips as Bill reached back, reaching up on his toes as he tensed his body. He closed his eyes and gripped the fence hard, holding his breath in anticipation.
..SLAP!!
Aaron really had to fight to control himself as that blow landed. Bill had slashed down across the underside of his buttocks, hitting as hard as he could right where his buttocks met the backs of his thighs. The pain was bitterly intense. He gripped the rail and bit his tongue, somehow managing to force himself under control.
"Only two more!" Hal grinned. "You've lost for sure, Bill."
"No _f_u_c_k_ing way!" Bill was angry now.
Bill stepped further away, reached back, and swung hard, lunging forward as he swung.
..SLAP!!
"AAOOOOWWHHH!" Aaron yelled. The strap had smashed into the underside of Aaron's buttocks with as much force as Bill could make. Aaron struggled to control himself, gripping the fence rail hard as Bill reached back without a pause.
..SLAP!!
"AIEEEOOOOWWWHHHH!!!" Aaron shrieked and jerked forward in agony, biting his tongue to keep from crying out again. God! he moaned to himself. That one was unbelievably bad.
Bill had slashed the strap into the top of the backs of his thighs. The shock of the impact had been so intense and so electric as it shot through his nerves that Aaron thought in his imagination he'd been electrocuted. He rocked back and forth on his toes, fighting to keep under control.
"Fantastic!" Buz grinned. "You owe me thirty now, Bill."
"He shrieked" Bill shrugged. "I won the bet."
"No _f_u_c_k_ing way!" Hal laughed. "You owe me twenty. He didn't come close to bawling."
"Don't try to weasel out, Bill" Phil grinned. "You lost. I just wish I had bet."
Hal laughed again. "You want to bet again, Bill? I bet you anything you won't get what you want from him."
Darrell laughed. "I said no more bets, guys."
"Oh, come on" Hal grinned. "Bill's got plenty of cash."
Darrell shook his head. "He's already lost his monthly draw. I think he's going to lose his next bet, too. The kid's got guts."
Aaron was still fighting to control his reaction to the pain. But he felt a sudden surge of pride when he heard Darrell say that. He'd done it, he realized. He'd actually won admiration from his peers. Now if only he could make it through the next five so that Buck would win his bet...
Bill shook his head and smiled grimly. "No way."
The next five blows were even harder and more intense than the first six. Bill tried as hard as he could to make Aaron break down. Aaron did cry out on all but one of the blows, but managed to hold on and limit himself to short yells and moans of pain.
"Out of sight!" Buck grinned. "The kid's a lot more of a man than you think, Bill. Pay me now and give up!"
"_f_u_c_k_!" Bill said in frustration. "It must be the strap. It's no _f_u_c_k_ing good, Darrell."
"Oh, come on" Darrell laughed. "You just misjudged the kid. Either that or you're not hitting hard."
"I'll make him bawl" Bill said grimly. "You'll see."
He moved closer to the fence, reached back, and smashed the strap diagonally across Aaron's buttocks. Aaron cried out as the strap slashed down onto the outside of his right thigh.
"Spread those legs apart" Bill ordered.
Aaron did as he was told. Bill aimed the next blow to slash down across the underside of his right buttock, down into the inside of that thigh. Aaron couldn't help it. He screamed.
"I should have done this earlier" Bill said grimly.
He slashed the strap down on the same spot. Aaron screamed again, jumping up in reaction to the acute stab of pain. The pain was stabbing out from all over his ass now. Aaron only just barely managed to stay in control.
"He'll scream every time now" Bill smiled. "Just watch."
"He still won't bawl" Buz said confidently. "Not in the six you've got left. I'll bet all I just won from you on that."
"So will I" Hal nodded. "The kid's got balls."
"Me too" Buck grinned. "You want to risk another seventy, Bill?"
Bill looked at Aaron bitterly. "Not even odds. I'll bet fifty cents against each dollar."
"That you'll make him bawl?"
"No, that he'll scream every time."
Hal smiled. "The kid's too strong for you, Bill."
"No _f_u_c_k_ing way. You want to bet or not?"
"We'll bet" Buz grinned. Hal and Buck nodded. "We're all in."
"Okay, Darrell?" Buck laughed. "You can't deny us this."
Darrell couldn't help laughing. "Okay, Buck. But that's definitely the last bet."
Aaron closed his eyes and tensed as Bill reached back. He knew the next six blows would be bad, almost certainly worse than what he'd already received. Somehow, he had to keep from crying out, so that Bill would lose. He gripped the rail and pushed back, closing his eyes as he bit his lips. He hated Bill's guts. He really wanted him to lose.
He moaned and cried out when the first blow slashed into him. He couldn't help it. The blow was just too painful. But he mentally punished himself for giving in and yelling. He was determined not to do that again.
He tensed and held on as Bill reached back, willing himself not to react. The next blow smashed into him even more painfully. But he succeeded in controlling himself, tensing every muscle as he fought to do so. He took the blow without a sound.
Buz shot his fist up. "You lose!" he laughed. "_f_u_c_k_ing _s_h_i_t_, Bill! You owe us more than a hundred bucks!"
"_f_u_c_k_!" Bill said angrily. "_f_u_c_k_ all of you!"
He slashed the strap down on Aaron viciously, smashing four quick angry blows into his buttocks and thighs. Aaron screamed the first time but succeeded in controlling himself on the second and third blows. Bill's last blow smashed down into the inside of his thigh again. Aaron screamed a long time when that one landed.
"Okay" Darrell nodded. "That's twenty, Bill. You're done now. Let me have the strap."
Bill handed Darrell the strap.
"Get up, Aaron" Darrell ordered. "Turn around and look at me."
Aaron did as Darrell demanded, barely controlling himself as he looked at Darrell and the others. The pain stabbing out from where Bill had hit him was like a fire in its intensity. For a moment, he could hardly stand.
"Thanks, kid" Hal grinned. "When we get to town, I'll buy you a beer. You were great!"
"Me too" Buck laughed. "But we gotta buy him more than one, Hal. He won us each thirty bucks." He looked at Aaron and grinned. "You're something else, kid!"
Aaron smiled weakly, still fighting for control.
Hal laughed. "You sure misjudged him, Bill."
"I guess I did" Bill said grimly. "He set me up!"
"You've got more coming to you" Darrell said to Aaron. "You know why you got that first punishment on your ass?"
"Yes Sir" Aaron nodded. He took a breath. "I questioned your order, Sir, instead of obeying it. And I was rude."
"Rude and insulting."
"Yes Sir."
"What do you do when Bill or I or anyone else tells you to do something?"
"I answer 'yes sir' and do it, Sir."
"Right. You don't complain or argue, boy. You just do it."
"Yes Sir."
"How do you refer to a superior?"
"Respectfully, Sir."
"Why didn't you do that earlier? Didn't Buz instruct you on that?"
"Yes Sir, he did. So did Mr Haempel. I don't know why I let myself do that, Sir. I screwed up, Sir."
"You certainly did. And now I'm going to punish you for lying to me earlier. Take him over to that clump of trees, Hal, and get him to cut himself a switch."
"Yes Sir. Put on your boots, kid."
Aaron pulled on his socks and boots and went with Hal.
"You know what to look for, kid? You ever get this on your ass before?"
"I guess so" Aaron said apprehensively. "I got some on the way up from Bill."
"Okay, then, you should have a pretty good idea what to get. Look for a nice green sapling about half an inch thick. You want it to be that thick over a length of about three feet."
"Like this one?"
"Yeah, that'll do just fine." He handed Aaron a knife. "Cut it near its base and strip all its branches off."
Aaron did that.
"Let me take a look."
He took it from Aaron. "Hand me the knife."
He looked it over and trimmed off a stub. "This'll do." The trimmed sapling was about seven feet long. "How long do you want to make it? And where should you cut it?"
Aaron shrugged. "Show me what you'd do."
"Okay, let's look at the alternatives. You may need to do this again, so you might as well learn about this."
He shrugged again. "Sure."
"You're looking for a length of a little more than three feet. If you cut this in half, you'd get two switches. The thinner one would go from under half an inch at its base to about a quarter of an inch at its thin end. That'd really be whippy. Wrap around your ass, too. The end would really sting. Probably cut your skin, too."
Aaron grimaced. "So the other end would be better?"
"Different. It wouldn't be likely to break. And it wouldn't whip around the curves as much. But its mass would make it hurt a lot. It would bruise a lot more deeply."
"Doesn't sound like much of a choice" Aaron shrugged. "You choose."
"Okay. Let's make it a compromise." He cut some off at each end. "Let's take this back."
When they got back, Darrell took the switch.
"Okay, take those boots off and get back in position on the fence."
Aaron did as he was told. When he was in position, Darrell reached back and whipped the switch through the air.
...swisssssshhh!!
"NOOOOHH!!" Aaron shrieked, jumping up in fear.
"Hey!" Darrell laughed. "Wait until it hits you, kid. I was just testing it."
Aaron got back in position.
"It'll cost you an extra five if we have to tie you down, kid. Understand?"
"Yes Sir."
...swisssssshhh!!
Aaron jerked at the sound but held on.
"Any time you flinch, that stroke doesn't count. Understand?"
"Yes Sir" Aaron sobbed, really terrified now.
...swisssssshhh!!
Aaron gripped the fence rail hard, tensing his entire body.
"You only get this for really serious offences, Aaron. Lying is one of them."
"I'm sorry, Sir. I didn't mean to. Honest!"
Darrell smiled. "Are you trying to persuade me to give you more, Aaron?"
"Sir?" Aaron said in surprise.
"You apologized. That's fine, you should. Then you said you didn't mean it. That's obviously another lie."
Aaron looked at him in fear and astonishment. "But... "
"I'm only going to give you a light punishment this time, Aaron. I was going to make it ten. However, in view of your second lie, I'll make it fifteen."
"No!" Aaron wailed. "Oh please, Sir! Please don't give me that much!"
"Shut up and take it, boy!"
"Yes Sir" Aaron sobbed, closing his eyes in fear.
...swisssssshhh!!
"OOOOHH!!" Aaron yelled, jerking his body forward in terror.
"God!" Darrell laughed. "If you react like that without being hit, what are you going to do when you really get it on your ass?"
"I'm sorry, Sir" Aaron sobbed, feeling like a fool.
"You're getting fifteen of this now, Aaron. Like I said, that's a light punishment. Next time you lie, it'll be twenty. The punishment will go up each time you lie. Understand?"
"Yes Sir." Aaron was trembling in fear.
"You give it to him, Jack."
Jack took the switch out to Aaron's left. "You heard the rules, kid. If you let go of the fence, we'll tie you down, start over, and give you an extra five. Every time you flinch, that blow doesn't count. Got it?"
"Yes Sir."
Aaron sobbed in anticipation as Jack reached back, gripping the fence rail hard. Jack swung.
...swisssssshhh!!
"NOOOOOHHH!!" Aaron howled.
...whip!!
"AAAIIEEEEEEOOOOWWHHH!!!" he shrieked, jerking forward. "OOOWWWHHH!!"
"You flinched, boy. That one doesn't count."
...swisssssshhh!!
"NOOOOOHHH!! PLEASE!!"
...whip!!
"AAOOOOWWWHHHH!!" He'd tensed his body in anticipation. He managed to hold himself in place, but the pain was dazzling. He gripped the fence desperately as Jack reached back again.
The next few blows were blinding in their impact. Aaron hung on desperately, somehow managing to keep himself in position. But the pain was horrendous. Each blow cut into his buttocks with incredible force, leaving a line of white-hot pain. By the time he'd received another half dozen blows, pain was stabbing out from all over his ass.
Darrell got Jack to pause. "Tell me shy you're getting this, Aaron."
Aaron was still moaning in pain. "You said I lied to you, Sir."
"What do you mean, 'I said you lied'? You lied, boy. Are you trying to pretend you didn't?"
"No Sir!" Aaron sobbed.
"Lying isn't just blatant falsehood, boy. It's evasion and pretense, too. It's the kind of thing you get from a coward when you confront him with something. Is that what you are, Aaron?"
"No Sir!" Aaron sobbed in shame. "I'm not a coward, Sir."
"You acted like one. Around here, you admit your mistakes. You tell me or whoever's supervising you whenever you screw up, even if that means you get punished for it. Understand?"
"Yes Sir."
"Any time you try to evade punishment, you'll just get yourself a whole lot more. And if you lie to evade punishment, you'll get your ass switched so hard, you won't be able to ride comfortably for days. Do I make myself clear?"
"Yes Sir" Aaron nodded.
"Okay, you've got another eight coming. Fire away, Jack."
Aaron tensed and closed his eyes as Jack reached back.
The next eight blows were every bit as bad as the first set. Aaron shrieked and sobbed as Jack laid them down, slashing the switch across his buttocks in neat parallel lines. By the time Jack finally stopped, Aaron was howling frantically from the pain.
Darrell let Aaron stay where he was while his cries diminished.
"Okay, you've bawled enough. Stand up and look at me, Aaron."
Aaron did so, still sobbing from the pain.
"You remember what you'll get next time you lie to anyone?"
"Yes Sir" Aaron nodded. "Twenty of those."
"That's a minimum, boy. You may get more than that."
"Yes Sir. It won't happen again, Sir."
"Good. I'm going to punish Buz now. Why am I doing that?"
Aaron looked at him grimly. "I don't know, Sir. He doesn't deserve anything."
"I'm punishing him because he was responsible for training you. He failed to do so."
"That's my fault, Sir."
"Yes, but it's his fault too. You and he are a team. It's his responsibility to teach you how to perform. It's your responsibility to learn. If either of you screw up, the team screws up. When that happens, you both get punished."
"That still doesn't seem fair, Sir."
He shrugged. "It's what will happen from now on, boy. Is that clear?"
"Yes Sir. Very clear."
"Good. Get down on the fence, Buz."
"Sir?" Aaron asked.
"What is it?" Darrell asked in irritation.
"May I ask a favor? That you let me take his punishment this time?"
Darrell looked at him in a mixture of amusement and respect. "Why?"
"Because I was the one that screwed up, Sir. He told me to watch my mouth and I didn't. I disobeyed his orders as well as his training, Sir. I should be punished, not him."
"The request is admirable, Aaron. The answer is 'no'."
"But, Sir... "
"That's final, Aaron."
"Yes Sir. May I make that request again next time, Sir?"
"For the second twenty, you mean?"
"Yes Sir."
Darrell looked at him for a moment before answering. "If you still want to do that after you get the next twenty, Aaron, you can make the request then."
"Thank you, Sir."
He turned to Buz. "Do you agree this punishment is appropriate, Buz?"
"Yes Sir" Buz nodded. "I _f_u_c_k_ed up, Sir. I should have made sure the kid knew better."
"That's right, you should have. Do you agree, Aaron?"
"No Sir, I don't. He didn't _f_u_c_k_ up. It's my fault, not his."
"One of these days, Aaron, you'll be responsible for someone else's training, just like Buz is for yours. Wouldn't you feel responsible for not training him properly if the guy screws up like you did today? Wouldn't you agree that you should have made sure that didn't happen?"
Aaron took a moment before nodding. "I see your point, Sir." He looked at Buz. "But I still let him down, Sir."
"Yes, you did. You let your teammate down." He turned to Buck. "You give it to him, Buck."
Buck took the strap and went out to Buz's left. He reached forward to tap Buz's ass. "Push that ass out, Buz."
Buz did so. Buck reached back and swung.
Buz got through most of the twenty blows without screaming. He moaned and jerked in response to many of the blows, finally breaking out into shouts of agony during the last few blows.
"Okay, that's twenty" Darrell finally announced. "Your turn again, Aaron."
Aaron took Buz's place.
"This is going to hurt worse than last time" Darrell told him. "Why are you getting it?"
"I was slow to obey and complained a second time, Sir."
"Right" Darrell nodded. "Why should I punish you for that? Is that really that important?"
"I guess it is, Sir" Aaron shrugged.
"Is that all you can say? I thought you were smarter than that, Aaron."
Aaron considered for a moment. "I guess immediate execution of orders is more important than I realized."
Darrell nodded. "Yes, it is. And it's not just the immediacy of execution that matters. It's also knowing that they will be carried out, that we can count on you."
He looked at Aaron. "You'll understand that better after you have more experience, Aaron. It's like military discipline; it exists for a purpose. So does our demand for respect; that's the flip side of discipline. Discipline means we can rely on you."
He turned and looked at Allan. "You want to give it to him, Allan? He's going to be working for you out there too, so he might as well know what to expect from you."
"Sure" Allan grinned.
Allan was about the same height as Bill but stockier. When Aaron saw him flex the strap, his first thought was that his shoulders and arms looked like Jock's. He gritted his teeth and grabbed the rail.
Aaron gasped when Allan's first blow smashed into him. It slashed across the center of Aaron's buttocks, smashing into them with incredible strength. Allan smashed a second blow into him almost immediately. And a third. And a fourth.
By Allan's fifth blow, Aaron had lost control. Allan's blows were so fast and so hard that Aaron simply couldn't take them. On top of that, Aaron's buttocks were so tender, so bruised, that anything would have been unbearable. The blows kept smashing into the welts the switch had left on his buttocks, crushing them with particularly acute pain.
By Allan's seventh blow, Aaron moans had become yells. By his twelfth blow, Aaron had broken down and had begun to sob. The pain just kept getting worse and worse. Aaron was howling long before Allan stopped.
When Allan finally stopped, it took several minutes for Aaron to get himself under control. Darrell let him continue to hold himself on the rail until he recovered.
"Okay, you'd better stand up now" Darrell finally said.
Aaron stood up, still sobbing softly from the pain.
"Have you learned a lesson from all that?"
"Yes Sir" Aaron nodded.
"What did you learn?"
"Everything, Sir. To obey promptly. To be respecful. To do what I'm told. To tell the truth without evasion. To not be a smart-ass."
"Have you really learnt all that?"
Aaron smiled wanly. "I hope so, Sir."
"Okay, Buz. Your turn."
Buz moved forward to take Aaron's place. Aaron pulled himself together and shook his head.
"Sir?" he asked Darrell. "You said I could make that request again."
"You still want to take his place?" Darrell asked gently.
"Yes Sir, I do."
"Okay, then, you can do it. Get up, Buz."
Buz got up, looking at Aaron with a half-smile. "Thanks, Aaron."
"Sure" Aaron shrugged. "You're not the one that deserves it, Buz."
"Still, thanks. You didn't have to do this."
"Sure I did." He smiled ruefully. "I gotta have some self-respect."
Darrell was looking at them in amusement. "Get down on the fence again, Aaron. You do it this time, Hal."
Aaron forced himself down again, gripping the fence rail hard as Hal took the strap out to his left.
"Make it just ten blows, Hal. But make them hard."
"Yes Sir" Hal nodded.
Hal hit Aaron hard, but not as hard as Allan. Aaron made it through most of the ten blows without screaming. But he couldn't help sobbing and crying out in pain.
"Get up, kid" Darrell finally ordered. "It's over."
Aaron stood up and turned to face Darrell. Tears were running down his face. He couldn't help it.
"You took a lot, Aaron. I hope you also learned a lot."
"I think so, Sir" Aaron sighed.
"I hope so. You're obviously a good kid and have lots of potential. But you'd better not be stupid like this again, Aaron. We've wasted a lot of time on this. If we ever have to do this again, you can count on getting double what you got today. Is that clear?"
"Yes Sir" Aaron nodded. "Perfectly clear, Sir. I apologize for the waste of time, Sir. It won't happen again, Sir, I promise."
"Good. You're going to have to work with Bill. You'd better apologize to him too."
Aaron turned to Bill. "I apologize, Bill" he said grimly. "I was rude and deserved that punishment. I'm sorry."
Bill looked at him and nodded. "Apology accepted." He looked at Darrell. "All done?"
Darrell nodded. "Yeah. You guys better go." He checked his watch. "_f_u_c_k_, it's after ten. We really wasted time on the kid."
"He'll pay for that in the saddle" Bill smiled. "We've got a lot of riding to do."
He turned to Aaron and Buz. "Get your gear and let's go. Allan's already got his."
Aaron didn't have much to get. He'd become used to riding in nothing but jeans and a T-shirt, with nothing under his jeans. He pulled on his clothes and tossed what he needed in a saddle bag. Then he saddled his horse, threw on the saddle bag, and tied his sleeping bag behind the saddle.
Bill looked at his crew. "All set?"
Everybody nodded.
"Check his saddle, Buz."
Buz checked that Aaron had cinched it tight enough. "He did it okay."
"Okay, let's go." They mounted and started off.
It took them almost five hours to get to where most of the cattle had scattered. It was a pretty painful ride for Aaron. Just as on the first day, the tenderness of his ass made it difficult to sit on the saddle. By the time they'd ridden that far, Aaron was sorely pressed to keep from sobbing.
The ride didn't end there. The cattle had scattered in different directions. They had to ride for a long time to find the wanderers. Rounding them up took many hours.
By the time they'd done got them together, it was almost dusk. They had to camp where they were, so they found a flat area and pitched a tent. All four cowboys flopped into their sleeping bags and dropped into sleep immediately.
The next morning, they got up at dawn, got a fire going, and ate. Aaron was still exhausted. He felt stiff from riding so long the day before. Two cups of coffee later, they were on their horses.
They spent most of that day rounding up the remaining stragglers. Bill finally called a halt in mid-afternoon.
"I think we've pretty much got all the ones that came in this direction. I want to check out one more valley to be sure. Let's camp here for the night and herd these back tomorrow."
"Sounds great" Allan grinned.
"You and Aaron can stay here and get things set up while Buz and I go look in the next valley. Make sure the cattle don't wander."
Aaron was grateful for the respite. After attending to the horses and getting the tent up, he and Allan hiked up a nearby hill and flopped on the grassy slope.
"God! This has been hard work!" Aaron sighed. "I never figured riding could be so tiring."
"Well, it is if you're not used to it" Allan shrugged. "Especially if your ass is already sore. How is it now?"
"Oh, a lot better today. I hardly noticed it when we were riding."
"Yeah? Let me take a look."
Aaron shook his head. "You don't need to do that."
"Oh, it's no problem." He reached over and grabbed Aaron's belt. "I'll do it for you."
"Hey! What are you doing?"
Aaron grabbed Allan's hands but Allan overpowered him, undoing Aaron's belt and unzipping his jeans.
"Come on! _f_u_c_k_ off!"
Allan pushed the jeans down, exposing Aaron's prick. "Turn over and lift your ass up so I can pull these down."
"No _f_u_c_k_ing way! Let me go!"
"Hey, don't go ballistic!" Allan laughed, pushing Aaron up over his thigh. "I just want to see your ass." He pushed the jeans off with one hand, holding Allan down with the other.
"You can still see the marks from the cane" Allan grinned, tracing them out with a finger while his other hand held Aaron down. "They still sting?"
"Yeah, a little" Aaron nodded. "Let me go, okay?"
Allan's hand moved down between Aaron's legs. "You have a really nice ass, kid." He felt Aaron's prick. "Hey, you're getting turned on."
Aaron blushed. "I'm sorry. I can't help it."
"Hey, it's kind of neat!" He fondled Aaron's balls and then moved his hand to feel the insides of Allan's thighs. "You have a really neat body, kid." He moved his hand back onto Aaron's prick. "Wow! You're hard!" He started jerking Aaron off. "You like this, don't you?"
Aaron shook his head. "You'd better stop this."
"Yeah, we'd better. I see them coming back."
Allan took his hand away, rolled Aaron off, and got up. Bill and Buz were galloping back towards the camp. Aaron hastily pulled up his jeans and stood up, zipping them up as Bill and Buz came closer.
"What the hell were you guys doing?" Bill laughed.
"Oh, just playing around" Allan grinned.
Aaron figured he'd better explain. "He was checking out my ass, looking at it to see if it's okay."
"Yeah?" Bill grinned. "I bet it's really good. You do a thorough check, Allan?"
Allan shook his head. "Just superficial. Aaron and I need to spend more time together."
"Maybe we all should" Bill smiled, looking at Aaron in amusement. "You look kind of flustered, kid. You get turned on, or something?"
Aaron shook his head in embarrassment. "Oh, no. Nothing like that."
Allan laughed. "He's a little shy about it."
"Yeah, I can see that" Bill grinned. "Take my horse, kid. You and Buz get them settled and get a fire going."
Aaron took Bill's horse after he dismounted and followed Buz down the hill. Bill stayed with Allan.
"What was that about?" Buz asked. "Were you making out with him?"
"Oh, it was nothing important" Aaron shrugged.
After dinner, the four cowboys lounged around.
"The kid is really horny" Allan announced as they drank coffee. "We should do something about that for him."
"Is that right?" Bill grinned. "What do you like getting, kid?"
"Oh, nothing really" Aaron shrugged in embarrassment.
"That's sure not what it looked like this afternoon" Allan laughed. "He got a hard-on just showing me his ass."
"Yeah?" Bill smiled. "You gay, kid? You like getting it up your ass?"
"No way" Aaron said quickly. "I'm not into that kind of stuff."
Allan laughed. "That's sure not what your prick was telling me this afternoon."
"I'm sorry. That was embarrassing."
"Hey, it's perfectly normal, kid. You're horny. What healthy teenage male isn't? Isn't that right, Buz?"
Buz shrugged. "I'm not a teenager any more. Nor is Aaron."
"You're both close. You guys have been together for several days. Have you _f_u_c_k_ed each other yet?"
"_f_u_c_k_ off, Allan." He looked at Aaron and got up. "I don't want to continue this. Let's go do something."
"Good idea."
They walked away.
"You'd better stick around me" Aaron stated. "I'm not sure I can handle him by myself."
"Don't worry. I'll be around."
The following morning, they herded the cattle back to where they belonged.
The ride back was slow. Cattle kept straying and had to be rounded up. By the time they got back to where the other crew were building fences, it was already almost noon.
"We're almost out of material" Jack told Bill. "Do we need much more fencing here?"
Bill looked at what they'd done. "Yeah" he nodded. "Particularly across that gap." He pointed to a gap between the trees. "You'll need to run a fence into the underbrush on both sides."
"We'll need more wire. I'll send Hal back for some."
Bill shook his head. "Buz can do that for you. Hal can help you guys fell trees for more posts."
"What will you be doing?"
"There's a smaller bunch out to the northeast. The three of us will go get them while you guys wait for Buz."
"I should stay with Aaron" Buz said to Bill.
"_f_u_c_k_ that" Bill shrugged. "I just told you what you're doing. You're bringing out more fencing wire."
"Darrell told me to stay with Aaron" Buz insisted.
Bill looked at Buz angrily. "Are you trying to be disobedient? You want me to beat your ass again? Or what?"
Buz shook his head. "No Sir. But Darrell said the two of us should stay together. Should I take the kid with me?"
"No! What for? I want him with me. And I want these guys getting posts set up, as well as making sure the cattle stay."
Buz shrugged. "I just thought... "
"You don't need to think. Just do what you're told."
"Yes Sir."
"So why aren't you moving?"
"Sorry, Sir." Buz got the pack horses roped together and set out with them in trail.
"What the _f_u_c_k_ is wrong with you kids?" Bill said in exasperation as they remounted. "Your bad attitude is like a cancer, Aaron. You're even infecting Buz."
"I'm sorry, Sir" Aaron shrugged.
"Yeah, I bet you are" Bill scowled. He turned to Allan. "He's not sorry at all. He just says it that to avoid punishment."
Aaron looked at him bitterly.
"Look at him! He's just one constant provocation."
Allan smiled. "You should do something about it."
Bill looked around to see whether others could hear. "I will" he smiled. "But not here."
"We'll be back tomorrow" he called out to Jack.
"Okay!" Jack yelled. "Good hunting!"
The three of them rode for a couple of hours to where Bill had seen the missing cattle before. There was no sign of them.
"They've probably gone that way" Bill guessed, pointing to a pass.
They rode over the pass without finding the cattle. And then over a second pass.
"_f_u_c_k_ing _s_h_i_t_!" Bill said in exasperation. "They've got to be around here somewhere."
"Maybe you just imagined seeing them" Aaron smiled scornfully. "Or maybe you just like riding around out here."
"And maybe you're getting it on your ass. I'm tired of your smart-ass remarks, kid."
"I was just observing what I see" Aaron shrugged. "You can't criticize me for doing that."
"_f_u_c_k_ you, kid." He turned to Allan. "Let's camp here. The cattle can wait. I think it's time we taught our young friend here a much-needed lesson in respect."
"Good idea" Allan grinned. "Maybe we can persuade him to give us his ass, too. Seeing the way he got turned on yesterday makes me think that won't be hard."
"No way!" Aaron said curtly. "I'm not letting you get me in that position again."
"You liked it, kid. You'll like it again."
"No _f_u_c_k_ing way!"
"He shouldn't be hard to persuade" Bill smiled, looking at Aaron scornfully. "The kid's probably a _f_u_c_k_ing gay, like most of the college kids we get."
"I am not!" Aaron retorted angrily.
"He sure has an attractive ass" Allan laughed. "Think he rents it out back east?"
"With these kids, anything's possible" Bill shrugged. "He's here for the money, he told Haempel. You could be right."
"That's _f_u_c_k_ing insulting!" Aaron said hotly.
"I bet he does" Allan grinned. "I bet he's taken a lot of pricks up that ass."
Aaron looked at him in disgust. "You're out of your _f_u_c_k_ing mind."
Bill looked at him in amusement. "His asshole will tell us that, Allan. How loose is it, kid?"
"_f_u_c_k_ you!"
"Hey!" Bill laughed. "Show some respect! I asked you a question."
"Go jerk off on your own."
"He needs a lesson" Allan laughed. "Just the kind of kid I like."
"I don't need anything. Especially from you."
"Oh, you definitely do. You're going to be good, kid. I could see that when I beat your ass two mornings ago. I can't wait to do that again before I _f_u_c_k_ you. I love _f_u_c_k_ing a really hot bright-red ass."
"You've got a prick for a brain" Aaron sneered. "Don't you think of anything but _s_e_x_?"
"Sure I do" Allan grinned. "I think of beating that ass."
Bill laughed. "There's not much else but _s_e_x_ to think about out here, kid."
"Well, don't think of it with me. I'm not into that. No way!"
"We'll soon see" Bill smiled. "Get down, kid. We're stopping here. For you, it's show time."
Aaron looked around quickly. Bill and Allan were on their horses, ten feet on either side of Aaron.
Bill smiled again. "Don't even think of it."
"Of what?" Aaron asked nervously.
"Running away."
.
[to be continued ...]