April looked down at the small item in her hand as she approached her girlfriend’s door. She’d been planning this surprise for weeks, and was still a bit unsure what the reaction would be. Was it too much? Would it be taken as a joke? She didn’t let any of her worry show on her face, just in case a certain somebody happened to be watching the front door cameras.
Sierra was sitting on the couch in her apartment after a long week of work, and was not paying any attention to her cameras or door at all. She wasn’t even really paying attention to the screen in front of her - it was just an after work ritual to settle her mind. She didn’t even notice when her apartment door opened to reveal April in the hallway, who smirked at this not-unusual scene.
She probably didn’t even hear me, thought April. That may get her into trouble some day. But not today.
As April approached Sierra from behind, she couldn’t quite see the half-vacant expression on her lover’s face, but could imagine it quite well. She slid silently up to the back of the couch, and quickly covered Sierra’s eyes with slim, long-fingered hands. Nothing needed to be said to confirm her identity.
“Oh, hi April,” said Sierra, coming to with a slight jump. “I didn’t hear you come in.”
“So I noticed, silly girl,” responded April. “Whatever shall I do with you, now that I have you in my clutches?”
“Cuddles and a movie? A quiet night in sounds nice right now.”
“Hmm, that doesn’t sound too bad, but I think I have a better idea. I brought you a gift! But I’m going to have to insist that you keep your eyes closed. If you open them, you’ll spoil the surprise.”
“Alright, April, I’ll play. It’s not going to be like last time, right? It took me weeks to get the smell out of my hair.”
“It’s not a prank this time, Sierra.” April took a cue from the comment, and grabbed a boar hair brush from a nearby end table. “You just sit there and relax, and let me take care of you.”
Sierra relaxed into her seat, hands resting in her lap, back straight, eyes closed, as if meditating. April began methodically brushing Sierra’s long, straight hair. She started with a mental count of fifty, counting downwards with each stroke, and added two every time she found a tangle. By the time she got to zero, Sierra’s hair was as smooth as freshly fallen snow and shining like afternoon sun on a lake. Sierra was softly smiling, carefree and idyllic. April decided to take it a step further and began braiding her hair. As they had done this for each other before, she knew how best to manage it. After a few minutes, she had a nice thick braid capturing all of Sierra’s hair. As a brief tease, she ran her fingernails up the back of Sierra’s now-exposed neck, and delighted in the resulting shiver.
“What’s all this, April? I’m certainly not complaining, of course.”
“Just thought you deserved a bit of attention here. Also, I like your hair, and you don’t let me play with it nearly often enough.” She grinned, “Besides, I may have ulterior motives.”
April noticed that Sierra’s breath was a bit shorter now, no doubt a reaction to the sensual hairstyling. Probably anticipating a bit of kissing and foreplay, I bet, she thought. Well, I probably shouldn’t disappoint her entirely. With that thought, she leaned in and lightly kissed Sierra’s unguarded neck. Since Sierra’s eyes were still closed, she was not expecting the touch and jumped slightly, but didn’t pull away. As April continued to softly kiss Sierra’s neck and hairline, she thought to herself, Now feels like about the right time. I hope she likes it.
With her free hand, April reached into her pocket and pulled out the gift she’d been holding earlier. She briefly inspected it, for probably the hundredth time: it was a supple black leather choker, about as wide as two of her fingers, with a heavy silver ring on the front. She’d had it made custom by a local artisan, and knew it was of high quality. No itchiness or odor to worry about here! With that final thought, she deftly wrapped it around Sierra’s throat, buckling it just tight enough so that it was comfortable but couldn’t be ignored.
“April? What are you doing?” Sierra asked a bit nervously. She had opened her eyes when she felt it, but couldn’t see what it was from her current vantage point.
“Just something I should have done a while ago, I think,” responded April. “You can stop this game at any time by taking it off.”
Sierra briefly felt the new accessory, traced her fingers over the metal ring, the edges of the leather, and the buckle in back. She seemed hesitant, but not afraid or worried. As she investigated it, April walked around the couch so they were face-to-face. When Sierra saw her approach, her hands stopped their investigation and fell distractedly back into her lap.
“What is this for? Why did you put this on me?”
By way of answer, April leaned over, took hold of the front ring, and pulled it upwards a bit, encouraging Sierra to sit up straight. April then kissed her thoroughly, while maintaining pressure on the loop. When she pulled back, she smiled at the now-befogged Sierra. “Let’s just say I think it’s something that both of us will enjoy. Now, stand up.” With that, she pulled a bit more intensely, as if guiding Sierra in the direction she wanted. Once Sierra had stood up, if a bit unsteadily, April started guiding her in random directions around the room. Walk towards me a couple steps, now stop! She silently commanded. Now walk backwards a few steps, but not too fast. Hehehe, this is fun.
Sierra’s mind was a bit more of a jumble. In abstract, the – Choker? Necklace? What do I even call this? – was not wildly different from some other jewelry that she had worn. A bit tighter, a bit heavier, yes, but not that unusual. But for some reason, the fact that April had put it on her had somehow changed it. And when she pulled on it to kiss me? Felt like there were fireworks in my brain.
April had noticed that Sierra’s facial expression was a bit more glazed than usual, indicating something going on deep in her brain. She decided to take a little advantage of this, to see how amenable Sierra was to instructions. “Come have a seat.” April led Sierra to the couch, sat down, and pulled on the collar to clarify her instruction. Sierra settled into a perch on the edge of the seat, far different than her pose when April had entered the apartment. She seemed unsure of herself still. Next step. “Here, lay down with your head in my lap.” Again, the movement was encouraged by a gentle but firm pull on the front ring. Sierra settled down onto the couch, with her head on April’s lap, and finally seemed to relax a little bit. April moved her braid out of the way, and gently stroked the sides of her face. “Doing ok, Kitten? Want to talk to me?” I haven’t ever called her ‘Kitten’ before – I like it!
Sierra was quiet for a few more moments, and then “I’m a little… confused. I don’t mind this; I actually like it, but I don’t know why. And I don’t know why I don’t know why! It feels like it should be simple, but I can’t seem to make sense of anything right now.”
April smiled widely. “Well, that’s easy! You’re thinking too much. You should just do what I tell you to do instead.” That definitely lightened the mood, as Sierra smiled for the first time. “Or, if you ask nicely, I may be able to be convinced to do what you want, instead.” If you say ‘please’ three times for a request, I’ll allow it, but not before then, she thought conspiratorially.
“I don’t even know what I want!” There was a note of desperation in Sierra’s voice, but April noted a lack of the common stress signs – she was relaxed but unsure of herself.
“Very well, Kitten. I’ll come up with tasks for you. To start with, kneel by the couch with your hands on your thighs.” Let’s see how well you can handle tasks without me touching your collar. As Sierra settled into this position, she seemed to be a little shy about the unusual pose, as if simultaneously expecting something easier and also more difficult. Is “difficult” the wrong word to use there? wondered April silently, Maybe she was expecting me to go towards more sexual activities?
April noticed that Sierra’s movements were a bit delayed, but when she focused on something, she was able to handle it. She lightly stroked Sierra’s head as the two sat there, each contemplating this change in their relationship. After a few minutes of quietly resting, April decided to take the next step. “Kitten, time to get up. You were supposed to finish the dishes today.” Of course, there was no such requirement – this was only Sierra’s apartment, after all – but this felt like a good way to push her a little bit.
Sierra started to look over towards the kitchen, and stopped herself, clearly thinking that they weren’t important to worry about tonight, but not wanting to say it out loud for some reason. April saw all of this, and decided to interject.
“I wasn’t asking, Kitten,” she said more forcefully as she applied pressure to the collar. This had a fairly immediate effect, similar to the previous times, where Sierra shuddered a bit and allowed herself to be ‘helped’ up. She then walked over to the kitchen in her dreamy gait, only to be interrupted halfway there by an imperative “Stop!” from April. Sierra half-turned back to see what was wanted.
“Before you do the dishes,” April said, “I want you to look the part first. Go to your room, take off that top and pants, put on that lacy black lingerie set that I like and whatever other accessories you think I would want to see tonight. Then come back and give me a show while doing the dishes.” Mixing mundane and sexy tasks seemed to be a good method to get Sierra into the right headspace.
As April sat and waited for Sierra to return, she tried to imagine what might be going through her lover’s head at this moment. Was she enjoying this? Should I have asked first? Or should I take it up a notch?
Her fears were quashed when Sierra appeared back in the doorway. She was dressed, not quite to kill, but to seduce. She’d left the collar on, but added some long silver chains around her neck that hung to various spots on her torso, with the longest being around her belly button. She had a nearly see-through black lace bra on, and matching high-waisted panties. She had added some thigh-high fishnet tights, and was standing atop tall black stiletto heels. She had also added several fine silver chains and black leather bracelets to each wrist, which made pleasant little noises with each movement. It also looked like she’d touched up her makeup with some darker eyeliner and a more-pronounced blush to her cheeks and lips. It took all of April’s self-control to not charge over and tackle her right in that doorway. Instead, with great internal effort, she leaned back on the couch, crossed one leg over the other, and said serenely “I suppose that’ll have to do. This time.”
The way that Sierra reacted – or more precisely, tried not to – told April that she was enjoying this just as much. As she swayed over to the kitchen, April noticed small differences in her posture. A little deeper bend in the knee than was necessary here, a half-unseen shiver there; all subtle cues that added up to some deep inner turmoil that Sierra was trying to not let her see. You’re mine, Kitten, thought April, even if you don’t want to admit it just yet. Yet at the same time, part of her knew that she’d also been captured, if in a different way.
As Sierra washed the handful of dishes in the sink, jingling and rustling and swaying entirely more than was strictly necessary, April wondered yet again how she’d gotten so lucky. I’m still half-convinced that that girl doesn’t understand half of her own appeal. As if she’d somehow heard her thoughts, Sierra ‘accidentally’ dropped a fork and slowly pivoted at her waist to pick it up. Her long legs stayed straight, and her balance on her heels was gracefully still. She was facing away from April enough to fully highlight her toned hamstrings and butt, but still left her face and torso visible. April knew it was intentional, and thought, I’ll get her for that one. “Kitten, are you deliberately making a mess? And here I thought you were better trained than that.”
Not yet, thought Sierra furtively, but didn’t show the thought in her posture or face. If you want it, you’ll have to work for it, too.
Simultaneously, April was thinking along the same lines. It is going to be fun getting you to behave properly. Lucky for me that I already know about how much of a brat you can be. April stood up, and pointed to a spot on the floor in the middle of the room. “On your knees here, Kitten.”
Sierra fluidly strutted to the spot, and gradually descended onto one knee. Due to the height of her heels, this was no small feat. Once her knee was safely on the ground, she shifted her balance there, and lowered the other knee to the ground as well. Once both were in place, she settled backwards so that she was sitting on her heels, hands hanging loosely at her sides. April noticed that the ‘spark’ was back in her eyes, meaning that she was probably thinking more than she should be. That’s my next thing to remedy, I think, she thought. While standing out of sight of her currently-compliant lover, April retrieved a couple items from her bag. She walked around Sierra again, so that they were face-to-face. “I didn’t say to sit, Kitten. I said on your knees.” With that, she pulled Sierra’s collar upwards by the ring, to emphasize the command. Sierra impulsively closed her eyes as she yielded to the command, exhaled deeply, and lifted herself onto her knees. “Now, arms behind you, crossed at the wrists, and keep them there. Imagine we’re using those cuffs that you like so much.” Sierra complied, moving her arms into place, while rolling her shoulders back and arching her back far more than was necessary for the position. Still trying to maintain control, eh? thought April. We’ll see about that.
Sierra was trembling a little bit in her pose, and thought to herself, I’m glad April hasn’t told me to play with myself or anything. I’m not sure I could stop myself if I started now.
April gave her next command, “Since this has been too easy for you so far, let’s make it a little harder. Without moving your hands or knees, I want you to touch your nose on the floor, but only your nose. Do you understand?” Sierra nodded jerkily. “Good. If you do it well, I might even give you something that you clearly want.”
Sierra pivoted at her hips and slowly leaned forward. She had to shift her hips backwards in order to maintain her center of balance. It was a somewhat tenuous position that required more core effort than she initially expected. She also noticed, very pointedly, that her erect nipples were also touching her thighs. Maybe if I move just a little bit, she won’t notice… Act natural! she told herself.
April mentally waggled a finger at her errant charge’s behavior, which was neither unnoticed nor particularly subtle. She was mildly surprised that it had taken her sexpot lover this long to try to get some more stimulation than had been available so far. Without a word, she leaned over and attached the two meter long chain link leash she was holding to the collar. A couple of short jerks with the leash let Sierra know what was happening, and her resulting distracted facial expression told April that it was having the desired effect. She pulled the leash forwards a bit, encouraging Sierra to shift her weight forward and remove her ability to stimulate her nipples. April paid close attention to Sierra’s nose while doing this, and was delighted to see that she kept it in light contact with the floor the entire time. “Good girl…” she purred, and noticed that Sierra’s eyes scrunched tightly shut upon hearing this. Good to know, good to know. She draped the leash on the ground, and said “I don’t want to see or hear this move until I pick it back up, got it, Kitten?” A probably-affirmative noise came from her prostrate girlfriend, and April decided that this wasn’t quite enough. “I’m going to need to hear you say it, Kitten. And address me properly when you do.”
There was a short pause as Sierra considered how to respond to this. “I’ll try to not move, my queen?” she trailed off with an inquisitive note. In their past discussions, it had become apparent that neither liked hearing the title “mistress” in other media, but this hadn’t been talked about in any sense of what they did like, so Sierra was guessing. I guess that’ll work for now, thought April. I’m sure we’ll talk more about this later.
“Very good, Kitten. I’ll be watching, so no more misbehaving.” She ran a finger down Sierra’s back, starting on her shoulder and tracing an imaginary line down her ribs, over her hip, across her taut butt, and down her straining hamstring. Sierra was clearly struggling mightily to hold this position, and the small touches here and there were not helping her focus. April grinned devilishly and decided to help her along this path. She crouched down behind Sierra, touching her hips with both hands, and starting placing kisses and occasional bites on her butt and bare thighs. The reaction was immediate – Sierra moaned audibly, then recovered herself and managed to hold her pose, albeit now with an open mouth and closed eyes. Her arms flexed carelessly, but she managed to keep those in place as well. Good girl, April thought, but did not say out loud. Time to up the ante.
With both hands, April captured the waistband of Sierra’s panties, and slowly slid them over her butt. Sierra inhaled sharply at this, as this new exposure in her current pose made her feel even more vulnerable. April ran one long fingernail over Sierra’s lips and smiled widely at the resulting whimper. A quick check showed her that yes, Sierra was enjoying this a lot. What a lovely girl. I do so love playing with you. She retrieved the other item she had pulled from her bag – a thin black vibrator – and guided its phallic shape into her lover. It wasn’t particularly large, but had a pleasant vibration that wouldn’t become abrasive to her victim. And if I set the level right, it’ll keep her highly distracted but not coming.
Sierra let out a startled gasp as the toy slid in easily, confirming to her that she was in fact quite wet. Part of her said that she should try to manage that arousal better, to somehow limit her vulnerability, but a part of was thoroughly enjoying the delicious precariousness of these new feelings. Besides, she trusted April, and was curious to see where this experience led. As she felt April turn the toy on, the vibrations coursed through her sensitive skin like waves of heat.
“Alright, Kitten, you are not allowed to drop that toy. Are you listening?” As April said this, she picked the leash up, and pulled Sierra back to an upright position. This was easier on her back and leg muscles, but made the command that much harder.
“I’ll try… my queen.”
“Hmm, we’ll see. Stand up, Kitten.” Sierra stood back up on her tall heels, one leg at a time, graceful as always. She stood there silently, hands at her sides, calmly waiting for her next command.
“I did tell you to keep your hands behind you, Kitten. Perhaps you need a lesson in obedience?”
Sierra closed her eyes and shivered, before managing to squeak out an answer of “No, my queen, I’ll try to remember next time.”
“And now you’re telling me ‘no’? Care to explain why you thought that was a good idea?”
Sierra did not have a good answer to this for a few seconds. “I… apologize, my queen. I will do as you ask, including whatever consequences you deem necessary.”
“That’s better, Kitten. Now, go fetch the little crop from your bedroom.”
Sierra carefully walked to her bedroom, focusing on keeping the still-vibrating toy inside her, panties at mid-thigh, arms still as if cuffed behind her back. When she got there, she briefly debated how to bring the little toy back with her. April probably won’t be happy if I’m just carrying it normally. I could hold it with both hands like a tray and present it to her while curtsying? She might like that. But she told me to keep my hands here, so that won’t work. Eventually she bent over and picked the crop up with her teeth, like some kind of enormous bit gag, and drifted back into the main room where April was waiting.
“Very good, Kitten,” April praised her decision. “But that doesn’t absolve you completely.” She took the crop from Sierra’s mouth, and walked over to one of the bar stools near the kitchen, which could rotate freely. “Now, Kitten, I will sit here, and you will walk around me until I determine that you’ve satisfied me.”
“Yes, my queen.” Sierra started walking smoothly around her newfound supervisor. April kept the leash fairly taught, which pulled her around to stay facing her pet. As it did, she watched the expressions crossing Sierra’s face, watched her focus on keeping her gait smooth so that she didn’t disrupt her inserted toy. When she started to find a rhythm, April gave her a solid swat on the butt with the crop, which made Sierra jump in surprise. She didn’t say anything, though, and continued her steady walking pace. April intermittently rained swats on Sierra’s butt, thighs, stomach, and even some on her still-covered breasts, just to mix things up.
And then it happened. Sierra’s concentration faded for just a second too long, there were several agonizing seconds of attempted recovery, and then the toy slid out entirely and hit the ground with a muted ‘thump’. It sat there, buzzing quietly, as they both stared at it.
“Oh my, Kitten, you really are a naughty girl, aren’t you?” April asked rhetorically, half-hoping that Sierra would answer. “I specifically said you weren’t allowed to let that happen. Whatever am I going to do with you.” This was clearly not a question, as her tone remained commanding.
Sierra fell to her knees, arms still behind her, and bowed her head in front of April. “I’m sorry, my queen. Please do to me whatever you wish.”
Good answer, thought April, but maybe not quite good enough. “Correct, Kitten. You may use your hands for your next actions, as I believe you will need them. First, pick up that toy, reinsert it, and set it to ‘high’ mode. Pull up your panties, so can’t disappoint me by dropping it again. Then, go to the kitchen, fetch two large ice cubes, and put them inside your bra, directly over your nipples. Readjust your bra as needed to ensure that they stay there. You are absolutely not allowed to cum until I say otherwise. Do you understand, or do you need me to repeat your instructions?”
Sierra was quivering nearly continuously at this point, and for a second, April thought she might have been crying. Sierra was extremely apprehensive about both commands she’d just been given, as she knew the mix of stimulation types would be very difficult for her to handle. She diligently focused on her desire to demonstrate her devotion, and simply said “I understand, my queen”, and followed the instructions given. Luckily for her, this vibrator was not that powerful, so even on its high setting, she could withstand it at least for a while. With some of her toys, there’d be no chance, and she knew it. The ice was… harder. On initial placement, the cold was nearly overwhelming, but the sensation soon changed to a half-freezing, half-burning feeling that spread throughout her tender breasts, and combined with the persistent vibrations from down below in a way she found very compelling. She was also reasonably sure that she’d kept her eyes open for less than half of the way to and from the kitchen. This probably doesn’t bode well for me.
What Sierra couldn’t see was immensely delightful to April. She had risen from her seat and leaned against a nearby tall counter to watch Sierra’s progress, so she had a full view of her facial expressions and movements. The utterly undisguised lust on her lover’s face filled the otherwise quiet apartment with music for her alone to hear, and she felt like dancing to it. But she also didn’t want to ruin the moment, much less actually explain why, so she composed her features and tried somewhat unsuccessfully to look imposing.
But in the end, it was too much for her to resist. “Kitten, I’ve decided to give you a challenge. If you do well, maybe I’ll think about giving you a reward. I’m going to stand here, and you’re going to make me cum, without using your hands. If you do it before your ice melts, I’ll consider returning the favor.” She released the drawstring of the skirt she was wearing, so it fell in a puddle at her feet, and watched as Sierra’s knees buckled briefly as she anticipated what this would do to her own arousal. Kitten, you are entirely too much fun.
Sierra mastered her stimulations for the moment, and shuffled her way over to April. Keeping her arms crossed behind her, she kneeled at April’s feet and slowly began removing April’s panties with her teeth. The angle of her head added some additional tension to her new collar, restricting her neck further and enhancing her own feelings during this sensuous action. Loving the visual, April allowed Sierra to move at her own pace rather than taking more direct control. As that talented tongue began its journey to her most sensitive spots, April realized with a start that this wasn’t going to take very long. This particular foreplay they’d be doing had been working very well on both of them, it seemed. Sierra’s tongue danced over her lips and folds, sending waves of sensations up and down her own body. She felt her head lolling backwards as she revelled in the feelings, and forcefully made herself stand up straight, as she didn’t want to miss any of the visual side of this experience. But her lovely pet and that delicious mouth was making it extremely hard for her to stay standing, much less alert and attentive. And before she knew it, she was coming like a fountain on her lover’s face. She struggled to stay vertical, holding on to the countertop. Sierra had responded to her spasms by even more enthusiastically burying her face in between April’s legs. So many aftershocks, April’s fragmented mind managed to compose, and she distantly felt Sierra pull away, as she knew of her lover’s post-orgasm sensitivity.
After a minute of floating in bliss, April’s mind gradually returned. She looked down to see a cherubic grin looking up at her, eyes bright. It’s like she’s completely forgotten about her own torments and teasing. Does serving my needs really fulfill her own desires so well? Instead, she spoke aloud, “That was wonderful, Kitten, you did very well. Now, let’s see if you managed to complete your challenge.” April reached down and checked her pliable lover’s bra. It was damp and cool to the touch, but there did not appear to be any of the ice remaining in it. Time to tease her just a bit. “It seems you’ve melted your ice. That’s not quite what I’ve asked for, so I guess you haven’t earned the reward I mentioned. I’ll expect you to follow instructions better next time.”
Sierra didn’t even blink. “Whatever you decide, my queen. If you feel I’ve earned a reward, then I am glad I’ve made you happy.”
Oh, you little minx, thought April. If you were anybody else, I’d have thought that line was designed to manipulate me. But you’re just so genuine that I can’t help but believe you really mean it. She briefly considered steeling her expression and continuing the game, but abandoned that train of thought immediately. “Damn it, Sierra, you are just too good to me. No more games for tonight. I need your arms around me, and your lips, and your legs, and your breath, and your song. I need you in that bed in thirty seconds, or I’m going to go crazy. Think you can help with that?”
They made it in less than ten.
The following morning, April was up earlier than Sierra. As she headed off to work for the day, she gazed wistfully at her sleeping lover, wondering for the hundredth time how she’d gotten so lucky, and where their relationship might go in the future. Things were certainly looking up, in any case.
A couple of days later, the two women met up for a meal. April had arrived at the cafe first, and claimed a table. As soon as Sierra walked through the door, her eyes snapped to her girlfriend, as they always did. It was like April just emits this light that only I can see. Makes her easy to find. She smiled a greeting, and sat down at the table. As she removed her winter coat, April’s eyes widened and she reflexively pointed at Sierra’s throat. “You’re still wearing it! I thought you’d take it off the morning after at least.”
Sierra blushed crimson, and wrung her hands for a few moments. “I don’t know how to explain it. I… like how it feels on my neck, and what having it there means to me, and what it means for us?” she finished the sentence hesitatingly, unsure of herself. “It reminds me of you. I’d… like to continue wearing it, if that’s ok with you? If you don’t want that, can you at least put it on me again sometimes? I felt like I was floating that night and all the next day.” She partially hid her face in her hands, as if embarrassed to be admitting this.
April was staring open-mouthed at her. This was not what she had expected. She became aware of her silly expression, and closed her mouth with a click, then smiled widely. “Sierra, I can think of nothing that I’d like better.” The resulting smile was rather like the sun coming up, and April thought to herself, Oh, I’ve got it bad. Oh well, can’t think of anybody I’d rather be infatuated by. “Very well then, a couple of conditions. The first time worked pretty well, but we really should be talking about these things first. Too easy to cross a line if we don’t know it’s there. Keeping things ‘in the bedroom’ is important. Also, no kitten/queen names in public, ok?”
Sierra squirmed slightly. “Can we come up with some names for when we are… playing… in public? I hadn’t really thought about it until now, but doing a… game in public sounds incredibly exciting.”
“There’s some additional considerations to take there, Sierra, but we can work through them beforehand. Now that I think about it, something like a remote-control vibe in you while we’re running errands could be… fun.” She could clearly see Sierra’s pupils dilate as she squirmed in her seat. Clearly, this idea would be enjoyable for both.
The two women sat in silence for a minute, smiling furtively at each other, each thinking about their shared prospects and planning for the future.