Remnants of the Earth

AEDOLIS => Haviah => The Midhaven => Topic started by: Cheesigator on December 16, 2017, 12:39:27 am

Title: Absolute Territory [Lion!]
Post by: Cheesigator on December 16, 2017, 12:39:27 am
The Midhaven was a place that was often eerily quiet in certain places, away from the small clusters of people and their settlements. The din that echoed down from the heavenly cities above and the scuttering of small creatures in the dark bouncing and echoing off of forgotten, disheveled streets and the buildings within was nothing short of spooky.

Not that Morrigan minded in the slightest.

Her wet, dark blue nose was currently buried in the dirt as she snuffled around on all fours, tiny blue paws carrying her through the rubble with surety and confidence as she bounded over fallen structures and poked her head into old dumpsters and the occasional shell of an automobile long since rotten and started the slow decent of being eaten by the rotting earth.

She was on the hunt for something good, and sometimes when she got too focused on a task, she tended to get tunnel vision and forget about some of the golden rules taught to her by her family, like keeping her eyes, ears, and nose pricked for her surroundings. Always be aware of your surroundings, they would tell her, over and over again constantly beating it into her head. She was totally aware of them!

Even right now as she passed a scent line that crossed into the territory of other wolves! Totally aware of it and not at all chasing a rat that went scurrying past because woof she was kinda hungry!

She didn't even notice the scent line as she bounded right over it, darting around nooks and crannies, under and over haphazardly stacked garbage piles, yipping playfully with that doggy grin of hers as she chased after the rodent with excitement bursting in every movement... Until it finally ducked into a hole in a building that even she couldn't squeeze through. She let out a whine, pinning her tall ears back as she stuffed her muzzle into it and pawed and digged, old floorboards creaking dangerously underneath even her weight as she shifted and tried to get into it, until finally she put a paw down on the wrong board and the old material cracked and gave under her weight.

She let out a surprised yelp as she fell down with the debris and landed in a bin full of old fabric, a cloud of dust and dirt and the weightless corpses of dead bugs leaping into the air in clouds around her from the sudden movement that stirred gods knew how many years of rest. She sneezed and shook her head, squinting as the dust and dirt settled and realized after a moment of looking around that she could barely see in the low light, and a quiet whimper warbled through her throat as she struggled to pull her way out of the crusty old cloths--cleaning rags, at least at one point they had been--to look over the edge of her bin and see that the ground around her was littered with all manner of nasty things. It smelled rank, like droppings and decaying corpses, and a shiver ran down her spine as she noticed the kind of sheen the ground had to it, almost like sludge that had been solidified and undisturbed. It seemed this place had flooded, with what was... Questionable.

She looked up, realizing that even if she was human right now she wouldn't be able to reach up and pull herself out. And who knew how far she would sink, or what kind of acidic crap she would be burning herself with, if she tried to walk on the questionable filth.

Oh hell, she'd gotten herself into a real pickle, this time.
Title: Re: Absolute Territory [Lion!]
Post by: Lion on December 16, 2017, 02:27:59 am
He'd caught the scent from less than a mile away, and to know it was so close was enough to raise the hackles on the back of his neck. The scent was unusual and piqued his curiosity. Even in the midst of the film and filth down here in the Midhaven, Darlin' Coire had enough sense about him to determine the differences between separate odors and detecting something foreign.

He wasn't even on 'guard duty' to so speak. But the last few runs through the western edge of their territory had been little more than a junkfest. Nothing to salvage, nothing to claim, and nothing to flip around for a quick profit. To say the least, some of the others weren't exactly happy with him. It was easier now to just bite the bullet and suffer the fate. Keep an eye out, pounce on anyone trying to cross over into their territory and rip them to shreds, the directive was simple.

The job couldn't have been more boring were it not for the interesting scent of someone or something near. He tilted his head and reached up to scratch at the beard on his face, the itchy hairs wrinkling as he focused even more on the scent, honing it in and scampering off after it. Well, if his job was to pounce, well, now he had a scamper to catch.

Whiffs of it drew him off toward a dilapidated building that was hollowed out and stunk of mildew and mold. Darlin' crouched low, jeans flexing and expanding the rips at the knees, and his sneakers having more than enough grip to keep his balance on the uneven rubble. He jumped a few feet forward, legs strong enough to propel him forward, stopping just where the scent seemed to be strongest.

Venturing through, he paused, focusing and feeling his pupils dilate.  A female? Here? More importantly...a wolf female.  Crossing over into unwelcoming territory.  Darlin' frowned and shuffled forward until he was at the precipice of where floorboards had been broken and he heard the helpless whines of a dog thing at the bottom of the hole.

And quite obviously stuck. A small smirk at the corner of his mouth and he crouched again, his sleeveless shirt blending in with the dark background of the rest of the building. But thankfully he smelled a lot better.

"You need any help down there?" Clearly she did, but perhaps it'd be better just to leave her? No, no that would never do. The flesheaters would come along and make this little critter mincemeat. "That's a pretty rough fall."

The obvious comment was idle, and he slipped onto his belly to lazily cross his arms at the ledge of it, unable to help a modicum of amusement that curled on his lips.  "You clearly are not from around here."

and he landed just at the precipice of a massive hole in the ground.
Title: Re: Absolute Territory [Lion!]
Post by: Cheesigator on December 16, 2017, 02:56:50 am
Morrigan wasn't exactly sure how long she had been wallowing down there, trying to think of ways to escape her predicament. Searching for stairs would be next to impossible in the low lighting but it was quickly seeming like her only choice, provided the ground didn't melt her skin off or some other weird stuff if she touched it. But what other options were there?

Her ears perked up suddenly when she heard the sound of someone else creaking on the floorboards up overhead, and she quickly barked, the tone higher in pitch due to her small size (no bigger than the average coyote), trying to get whoever's attention she could. Maybe they would help if they saw she was just a poor helpless... Blue... Coyote!

She blinked then, eyes widening a bit as a human face appeared over the edge of the hole with a distinctly wolf scent. Another wolf!! Those were so hard to come by out here!!

He mentioned she had quite the fall there and she started prancing on her paws with excitement, yipping and doing little half jumps as she looked up at him hopefully, tail wagging a moment before it suddenly held still as she cutely tilted her head at him before she flopped over to show him her belly.

See? I'm cute! You should help me and play with me!! Was her exact thought process here, although she had to admit--from what she could see he was also very cute himself. Bonus points!!

Her family would be so disappointed in her right noe, relying on a stranger to get her out of her own mess. And yet she thought of it as being clever and quick on her thinking feet! Taking advantage of what she had available to her and all that!!

That being said, she hoped she was too cute for him to resist, and that maybe the fact that she was a female might work in her favor. At least, that's what her Teinari culture had taught her anyways. She could make babies, that made her valuable. As much as she didn't exavtly like admitting it.
Title: Re: Absolute Territory [Lion!]
Post by: Lion on December 17, 2017, 08:29:37 pm
Now matter how you sliced it, this was one hell of a pickle. Darlin' in no way envied that small wolf in the dirty hovel. Absolutely without a doubt that sludge was something awful and toxic. No doubt ripe enough to make the fur on her body melt right off. That was a distinctly unpleasant thought that made Darlin's stomach do a very unpleasant flip. Nope, no.  Even if she was just some stray wandering into her territory, maybe he could just pull her out, give her a bone and let her go on her merry way.

Like a chew bone. Not the other bone. She clearly was too naiive to not believe someone wouldn't take advantage of her like that. Down here, there wasn't anyone that wouldn't take advantage of her like that. Not the pack, not the flesheaters, not even the Pilots that liked to shake up the dwellers of this deep dark. As if their lives weren't already miserable enough.

He held his breath and glanced at her surroundings. There wasn't much in the way that she could climb on or she probably would have done it already. And...  "What?"

He had to blink twice to dab away at the incredulity clouding his vision. "You want me to rub your belly huh?  Ok then. Just be careful.  And kinda step away from the sludge. I'm coming down," he narrated just as he stood up and leapt down into the hole, careful not to stick a shoe into that sludge. Nope he'd have to burn it after that alone. That was not something duct tape could fix and the pack was running low enough as it is.

Darlin' didn't waste any time asking permission and gracefully grabbed her up by the scruff like a pup and tucked an arm underneath her belly, and one underneath her chest and right forearm, and crouched low.  With a grunt he jumped out of the hole, scraping his knee and subsequently tearing his jeans on the edge of the wood.  He yelped and dropped the blue coyote dog on the unbroken ground, and scuffled around into a sitting position to better inspect his leg.

Splinters prickled up from his leg and he carefully picked them out, brow furrowed and breath hitching as he did so.  "Hmm," he whimpered just a bit and flicked them to the side. It was a small wound that would heal, and he'd have to sew his pants, but it was better than leaving that poor pathetic hound in that hole just like that.

"You ok, pal?" he murmured, half taken aback and crouching on his good knee, reaching a hand out for her to sniff.
Title: Re: Absolute Territory [Lion!]
Post by: Cheesigator on December 18, 2017, 12:13:34 am
Yes! Yes! Good, he got it, and he was going to help her. Hell yeah she wanted belly rubs, and he'd need to get her out in order to give them to her!

She had to admit, she was surprised; even with her optimism she'd been skeptical he would actually help, and yet as she rolled onto all four paws he prepared and jumped down to join her, another cloud of dust and dirt blossoming into the air like a billowing cloud.

Before she even had time to react, a pair of strong arms had scooped her up and she was held up as he jumped out, much farther than she could jump herself. For a moment her heart leapt into her mouth as they were airborne, and she wasn't sure if they'd make it. He scrabbled for purchase and she immediately struggled to get out of his grip, claws scraping across the old wood as she pulled herself free so he had both arms with which to haul himself up with.

She immediately turned and scampered back to him with whines of concern escaping her as she scented blood in the air and saw he'd scraped his knee. That had been her fault, and her tall ears pinned back against her head, tail drooping as she stepped over and as soon as those splinters were out she was licking his wound, laving her tongue over the iron taste of blood before she set her head in his lap and whined at him as if she were saying sorry and asking for his forgiveness--which she totally was.

And yet she didn't stay that way for long, suddenly picking her head up and dancing back as her tail wagged a little and she gave him a gentle and encouraging yip. Now that they were both out of that mess, that meant that maybe they could play!! He seemed nice enough! She pranced a little on her paws, eager as she lowered her front end to the ground and wiggled her haunches with excitement and yipped at him again, darting forward to nip at his shirt before dancing back out of reach.
Title: Re: Absolute Territory [Lion!]
Post by: Lion on December 18, 2017, 11:55:50 pm
It was just a small scrape, nothing that Darlin' couldn't handle. Just a few dabs, maybe a bandage and it would heal. Not that bandages were in any great supply or anything, and his jeans probably would need to be sewed up. Yup, he sure as shit had a lot of those.  Ah, well, they were already ripped, it wasn't anything new. Darlin' favored his leg for a brief second longer before the shewolfcoyotething took it upon herself to...clean him..

He hitched his breath and his hand immediately slapped over his mouth to stifle that gasp and he stared at her with wide eyes. What was she doing?  She wasn't pack! Did she just plop on her head a little too hard when she took that digger or did she just not understand she was in unwelcome territory. Maybe she was just thankful for him getting her the hell out of there. And she was just returning the gesture.

Darlin' relaxed visibly and settled down where she laid her head down in his lap.  A gentle grin spread across his face, the dirt exposing the creases in his face as he smiled, which he had very little reason to do so in recent years. He grinned wider, feeling a small jolt roil through his belly and he reached down to pet her head gently. He always liked that, the head pets, and rarely got them. It felt good, and she was kind of adorable.

Ugh, when was the last time he smelled a female...  Darlin's cheeks flared up with embarrassment and when she bounded away, he sighed gently. Yup, it'd been too long.  Maybe it was better if she just scampered off before anyone else found her.

But...no. Nope, she wasn't in any mood to go away. Darlin' watched her for a brief second and carefully took his shirt off, shoes and pants following. Yeah, it was probably a good idea not to ripe those. He had to admit he was curious. The energy she displayed was infectious and when was the real last time he'd gotten to...  scamper.

Darlin' shifted and the feeling of his body changing into a maroon wolf. His bones extended and his entire body grew with it, muscles growing taught and lithe as he shifted.  It still hurt, and would always bring even a small measure of discomfort, but how often did he have an opportunity to do just this.  He barked and bounded forward to nip at her ear because they were so fucking huge, he just couldn't resist.

Already his tail was wagging and his ears were pressed back, and he emitted a happy little whine.
Title: Re: Absolute Territory [Lion!]
Post by: Cheesigator on December 19, 2017, 12:14:00 am
Morrigan had been aware that this male wasn't exactly a member of her pack, and that she was probably either in his territory, his pack's, or somewhere unclaimed that he was also exploring. She hadn't really cared either way; her concern was still valid and she still wanted to make sure he was okay. No regrets.

No, she was the happiest pup ever right now, for the moment he'd started to strip she yipped again and bounced around on her dainty little paws and ran herself in a circle a few times maybe because OOH! OOH! 8D

FRIEND!

He shifted and she wasted no time meeting him half way as she bounded up to him, ears perked at his pretty coloring and his... Bigness. She was still looking up at him, he was much bigger in comparison to her tiny stature. Not that she minded. He nipped at her ear and she whuffed at him before she immediately flopped onto the ground, rolling over to show him her belly in submission with that happy dog grin on her face from before, and then she rolled again and was back on her paws.

She wasted no time in curiously sniffing at him, burying her nose in his fur and picking up the scents of other dogs. He wasn't a stray, like she was. Well, technically she had a pack, she just chose not to stay with them at this time. She didn't exactly want to go back any time soon--not because they were horrible or anything, but because the world had so much to offer and she wanted to see it all! And this male was one of those things offered. And she was so glad she met him!

She spotted that wagging tail and chased it, catching it in her mouth and lightly holding it in her maw, careful not to hurt him as she gave him a playful growl before she let it go and darted a few feet away from him, turning on a dime and lowering herself to the ground, barking at him. They could wrestle! Wrestling was fun! It was so rare she got to play, let alone with another pup, she was going to enjoy every moment of it while she could! Especially when he was so unusually nice.
Title: Re: Absolute Territory [Lion!]
Post by: Lion on December 19, 2017, 01:50:41 am
Darlin' was nice. Half the time that was the problem. Half the time, he was too busy skirting the line between savagery and wanting nothing more than to not make waves. Waves were bad, ripples made other ripples and traveled to the very extent of the pond. He didn't want that. He just wanted stability in the pack. It always seemed however that everything else had a different idea of what stability meant.

Stability, for now, could take a backseat to the more interesting interloper that had encroached on unwelcoming territory. It'd be fine, Darlin' reason quietly in his mind mind. It'd be fine because they would play really quick and scamper around and have fun and she'd calm down and wander off back to wherever she came from. No pack every came wandering in this direction anyway. Except the roving ones, but he wasn't scared of them.

Usually they were little more than 4 or 5 in number. They weren't organized, and the smell of his own usually warded them off. Usually.

The second she rolled over exposing her belly, Darlin' was over her, smelling and pawing at that soft underfur. Mainly because he didn't ask her if he could rub it, and he'd never seen another wolf so willing to expose it without having done something wrong. It was a sign of submission, and yet...    His tail just couldn't stop fucking wagging.

What the hell was this? 

And for a brief sad moment he realized that he'd forgotten his tail could wag. That when it wagged, he was ...happy.  Darlin' sniffed her and stuck his nose into her fur, smelling everything in the Midhaven and where she'd been, where she'd stuck her face in, and that there were others like her, but perhaps she'd been gone from them too long?

Maybe she had no one.  Maybe...!!!

Darlin' jerked his backside away from her the second she held his tail just a tad too long and the contact was unusual and made him bristle slightly, growling down at her until she barked at him, lowering her body into play posture once again.  He relaxed and made soft chuffs back to her as if to say, "Okay, I'm game."  Because if his tail was any evidence of it, he definitely was.

He darted forward and nipped at her other ear that he'd neglected and quickly turned his head to nip again at her shoulder, at the same time pushing his body into hers in order to get her to knock over, shoving with increasing force until he had her turned and pinned.
Title: Re: Absolute Territory [Lion!]
Post by: Cheesigator on December 19, 2017, 05:36:30 am
The thought that this wolf had a pack had indeed crossed her mind, albeit briefly; it wasn't often she encountered other wolves in the wastes, if ever at all. Pack mentality and politeness was the last thing on her mind, and he didn't seem too concerned about it, maybe they were lenient with strays as long as they weren't challengers and just went about their way. They probably got quite a few stragglers wandering through their territory the concept didn't surprise her.

She yelped as he nipped at her other ear, all in good fun of course, she wasn't actually hurt and she let it show as she danced excitedly around him, teasing him by nipping and licking at him before she pranced out of reach, her energy levels admirable for how gloomy the environment they lived in.

And yet when he pushed her over she didn't concede defeat, pinned under him she nipped at the ruffle of fur by his neck before she strained upwards to lick at his chin before she was squirming to try and wriggle her way out from underneath him.

And yet it seemed Darlin' hadn't been the only one to pick up on her strange scent and follow it. Had she been paying attention like her parents had always told her, she'd have probably heard the distant sounds of growling or the strike of paws against the littered ground as they approached the two playing dogs.

But she was too busy play-growling, nipping and licking at the other wolf's ankles and paws, tail wagging up a storm as she wondered in the back of his mind what his name was and if they could be friends. Did this make them friends now? She sure hoped it did!
Title: Re: Absolute Territory [Lion!]
Post by: Lion on December 19, 2017, 07:04:50 pm
The nips at his scruff and the lick on his chin made Darlin' shiver and the muscles along his back clenched and a chill ran through him. She was so friendly, so different. Exciting and he couldn't help himself as she managed to wriggle out from underneath him, although he could have easily dropped all his bodyweight on her and keep her pinned now.

The temptation to do just that was so very strong, but he also enjoyed scampering around with her so much he was sure the sheer joy vibrating through his tail was going to make it fall off. Oh that would be bad if that happened. Yeah, tails weren't supposed to do that. Darlin' nipped and barked softly and yipped back at her. Content to bury his face into her neck fur and just take in her strange and interesting scents.

Boy she'd been all over. He wondered if she could shift back, and if they could talk. But already he was getting so much by smelling her alone that he almost didn't hear the sounds of other paws stepping over rubble, or the odd whiff of another wolf in the air. A familiar scent. Jaspar.

Darlin' gave a vague whimper and paused in their playing, in fact he'd gently wrapped his head over her neck and pulled her close, somewhat protectively.

The purple wolf was already twice Darlin's size. Not Ignatius, but the Alpha's right hand. Of course he would follow Darlin' of course he would track that loose scent, and when he emerged from around the side of the building, Darlin' did the only thing he could think of and immediately nipped at Morrigan's scruffed, biting hard and growling, pressing all his weight against her.

He fought to pin her and hold her down despite the play they'd initiated earlier and he kept his eyes staring down at hers as if to say, "Please don't struggle stay still. I'm not trying to hurt you. But that wolf...will."  And he secured his jaws around her throat, applying enough pressure to keep her still.
Title: Re: Absolute Territory [Lion!]
Post by: Cheesigator on December 19, 2017, 11:44:25 pm
The play was a much welcome stress relief; because surprise surprise, even Morrigan got stressed out sometimes. Scavenging and fending for oneself out in the Wastes was damn hard, even for a dog like her who could hunt and eat raw rats for food. It was still taxing, mentally exhausting. There were times where the days would stretch on and on, almost endlessly, with no contact with other sentient creatures. Sometimes without even food.

But the freedom of it was worth it, to her.

She didn't want to stay in Teinar where she would just be expected to use those reproductive organs of hers to make more babies for the goddamn population, there was so much more out there in the world and she just knew it.

She danced around Darlin' with a wagging tail and that grin never ending, her teeth flashing bright even in the dim lighting of the Midhaven as she playfully yipped and nipped, until he stuffed his face in her fur and she let out a huff, standing still for a moment to return the favor and bury her nose by his chest and shoulder. Where she smelled of many places, people and things, he smelled mostly unified. He stayed in one place, with his pack, who she scented on him now as her ears flicked back to lay against her head.

She didn't hear the sounds of the approaching wolf until after her new friend had, and the movement of being pulled closer to him caught her off guard.

She let out a slight confused whine, which then quickly turned into a high-pitched yelp as suddenly jaws were around her throat and she was pushed down to the ground. She knew better than to fight back with teeth so close to her jugular, and let him do as he will. Had she been tricked? Was this a ruse? Of course it was, of course it would be too good to be true--

And yet she heard the snarling of the other wolf and looked up in between her own soft, pleading whining and realized that she might have bigger fish to try to fry here in a second. Suddenly she was regretting coming here as a pup, if she had her clothes she'd have at least had her weapons on her. Not that it would do her much good if this guy was pinning her down with a shiv pressed to her throat then, either.

The other wolf snarled and growled, looking from Darlin' to Morrigan and back again, as if to ask him what the fuck this mess was. And yet he stepped forward, taking a few quick whiffs as his ears swiveled forward with the realization that this wasn't just any mutt Darlin' had come across today--this was a female.

That would please the Alpha greatly.

Morrigan whimpered again as he whuffed at Darlin', baring his teeth at her before he turned tail as if he expected her 'friend' to follow him. Wide eyes looked up at said friend with alarm and confusion plain as day in their bright blue depths, but she wouldn't fight him if he made her go along with. She picked and chose her battles carefully, and right now would not be the time or place to try and struggle.
Title: Re: Absolute Territory [Lion!]
Post by: Lion on December 20, 2017, 01:31:38 am
I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm so so so sorry, he kept thinking to himself over and over again. He couldn't help himself. No, he couldn't help himself and the dread of what Jaspar would do upon finding them made him hold onto the smaller pup even more firmly. At least then the death would be quick and they wouldn't have to worry about her anymore. She was a stray, but she was female. And a dead female was useless to them.

Darlin's eyes flicked to Jaspar, watching the purple wolf as he assessed the situation and by the time he decided it was better to drag her along, Darlin' almost wanted to clamp his jaws down around her throat right in that instant. It'd be fast and quick. Sure as shit a hell of a lot better than anything Jaspar or Ignatius would do to her. Darlin' looked down to her again and gave a slow blink before his jaws loosened.

Releasing her neck he nudged her up, onto her paws and he pushed her up to follow between him and Jaspar. All the way back to the stronghold, where the scents around them grew stronger and they left behind the rubble. And as an afterthought Darlin's clothes. He could always go back. There were spares somewhere. He'd rumble someone else for some proper attire.

He pranced along beside her, paws darting over dirt and rocks and when the scent got the strongest, run down pub was at the center, it's dilapidated face tilted off to the side, and Jaspar leading the way inside. The purple wolf skirted around the edge and lead them around a hollowed out side wall with a staircase that led downward toward a stone staircase that led them below, to a small subsection of tunnels that opened up to a large cavern.

The side they walked along was only a minor outcropping and it slopped down toward a set of large barrels where fire burned and a few others roughhoused by the fire, snarling and another wolf taking his opponent and pile driving him into the ground.

"Enough!" Jaspar cried out as he shifted back and the moment he was within range the other wolves settle down and eyed him from the corner of his vision. "Darlin'. Drag that mutt forward. Iggy's gonna like her."  He sniffed and grinned down at the smaller pup, pulling a robe over his body to clothe his nakedness.

Darlin' shifted back and stood over the smaller pup. He reached down and nodded his head to her. "Hey. You're a shifter. Change back. Now. Make it easy on yourself." His fingers wrapped around her scruff and gently gave her a squeeze. It was apologetic and he stared her in the eyes. Comply, please.
Title: Re: Absolute Territory [Lion!]
Post by: Cheesigator on December 20, 2017, 01:52:18 am
Quickly Morrigan's cutesy carefree demeanor began to wane as she felt the tension being tested in the other wolf's jaw, feeling those teeth come dangerously close to breaking skin, enough so to make her growl.

Look it was all fun and games until someone seriously got hurt, and given Morrigan's upbringing it sure as shit wasn't gonna be her.

Those few moments where the other wolf had sniffed her were intense as she became perfectly aware of the fact that this red wolf was thinking about how easily he could snap her neck. If she changed at the last second she might be able to twist out of his grip, not without some blood shed but it was worth a shot--

Just as she'd been preparing to shift she was released and nudged to her feet. She refused to budge for a moment, growling with her ears pinned back against her head and her hackles raising, before she finally complied and followed after the purple wolf. Whatever she'd gotten herself into was quite questionable for certain, but it was looking more and more like it wasn't going to be an easy one to weasel her way out of.

And yet... Something told her to hold off on running. Not just yet.

So she followed them, the scents getting stronger as they undoubtedly neared their base of operations. She followed the wolf down, keenly aware of her 'friend"s' presence right behind her.

The sound of wolves fighting echoed off the cold walls and floor, and Mori was unsurprised to see that the big wolf turned into an even bigger man. Her friend shifted behind her and stood over her buck naked, not that it wasn't a sight she hadn't already seen.

He scruffed her and she growled again, glancing up at him with hurt and confusion in her eyes, and seeing the look in his her gut twisted. She couldn't tell what position he had in the pack yet but he clearly wasn't Alpha, and he clearly wasn't important enough to make big decisions.

She took in a breath, realizing her clothes were left back somewhere in the wastes, and that this pack was of almost all males. There was one female scent, slightly stale as if she wasn't here at the moment. And that was it.

Every pair of eyes had turned to peer curiously at her, more than one gleaming with that predatory stare.

She whined one last time before she shifted back; her transformations were always lickety split quick, a point of pride she'd always had, though right now she wished it hadn't been the case.

She knelt there on the cement floor, her long straight blue hair falling to cover her breasts as her long blue tail curled around her frontside to also obscure her from view, not that it did much. She noticed every ear perk, every peak of interest.

These wolves hadn't seen a female in quite some time, and instinctively she leaned into her friend's warmth, wishing she hadn't come here earlier.

She moved as directed, standing slender and tall with curves in all the right places, her best feature being her wide hips and shapely ass, though it wasn't as if she didn't have the pretty face to go with. It was odd, looking at her friend at almost eye level for a brief moment over her shoulder before the purple wolf grabbed her roughly by the arm and yanked her forward to shove her onto her knees in the venter of the wolf circle, and she knew better than to look up into the eyes of the Alpha that awaited her there.
Title: Re: Absolute Territory [Lion!]
Post by: Lion on December 29, 2017, 10:36:51 pm
If he'd conveyed any weakness, that he was sorry he'd dragged her here, Jaspar would have ripped him to shreds. Darlin' wasn't afraid of him, but nor did he want to have claws tearing out his throat either. Nor did he want to give the others an excuse to tear apart this poor thing he'd dragged here to the center of the den they'd all called home. The others here, some of them stragglers, some of them that had been with Ignatius for years, all 15 of them. Some came and went, but those that proved themselves stayed, found their place in the pack.

Darlin' had been one of those.  The years before that he wanted to, but couldn't forget.

The second she was exposed, Darlin' felt his chest lurch and his pulse quicken. He watched her evenly, eyes widening, flicking over her blue hair, covering he breasts, her tail tenderly draping over her front. She was fucking beautiful, and he felt heat immediately flush his cheeks and his heart was rattling in his chest. His eyes met hers, and he felt his chest lurch again, and he took a step closer to her.

The need to stay close was oddly powerful, instinctual even. And he would have taken her away to be cleaned up, washed down and clothed, if given the chance. But that was immediately robbed of him.

He heard Jaspar make a soft deep throated rumbling growl beside him. Shortly before he grabbed her away from Darlin's presence and threw her in the center of the other males. Ignatius came out of his hovel at a balcony that overlooked that underground den, over the small ring of barrel fires, and when the newcomer was thrown into the center, he launched himself over the ledge, landing gracefully on his feet and standing tall in front of her.

Ignatius was tall and broad shoulders, barrel-chested and brutal, scars lining his face and body, his brow low and angry as he walked over to her and grabbed her up by the chin, forcing her to look up at him. He easily dwarfed Darlin' by a full head and a half, breaching seven feet, and he gripped her small face in his hand. He sniffed her, leaning his head down and tilting it when he was close enough inspect her fully.  Her shapely hips would do, wide enough to bear pups.

"You'll do. But you smell of the outside." He gave another unsatisfied sniff. "You'll have to be scrubbed until you're red.  Who found you?"

Jaspar sneered and was about to step forward when Darlin' - heart still rattling - quickly moved in front of the larger wolf, panting lightly. "I did!" he interrupted.

"I found her in a hole and pulled her out. And I dragged her back here."

"You're a liar - "

Darlin' wasted no time at lunging for Jaspar's throat and although his exposed state left him more vulnerable. He held his hand firmly around the base of the other wolf's neck, knocking him down and pinning him to the ground, muscles tense and holding him firm.  Darlin' bared his teeth and snarled.

Ignatius let Morrigan go and scowled down at the pair. "That's enough! Darlin' fine. You take the girl down to the cistern and get her cleaned up... Jaspar. We'll have words."

Darlin' slowly removed himself from Jaspar and walked back to Morrigan. Clothes?  He could scrounge some up on the way. He was still scraped and scuffed and dirty himself. "C'mon," was all he said, as he took Morrigan by the arm and led her away from the circle of wolves, some of them smelling Morrigan as Darlin' walked her by.

The second they were parted from the main group, Darlin' frowned and looked over to her. "I'm sorry. I'm really really sorry. I shouldn'ta brought you here," he grumbled and shook his head vigorously, puling her along with him and keeping her close, taking her down a separate path where an underground embankment of water flowed through the southern end of the den.
Title: Re: Absolute Territory [Lion!]
Post by: Cheesigator on December 30, 2017, 12:18:23 am
Pack Alphas, in the limited experience she had with them, tended to be big guys for good reasons. They had to establish dominance, fight off the rest of the pack and defend their territory and all that. Had to fill his mate with pups and all that. But gods damned this guy?

He was a brute.

She felt the ground shake when he landed and she let out the tiniest eep of fear when strong, calloused fingers grasped her chin and yanked her head up; she rose a little on her knees so he didn't just lift her off the ground by her head. He smelled none too nice, her ears flicking back as she fought the urge to recoil as he sniffed at her, and said that she would do.

Do?

Do for what?

She opened her eyes wide when he asked her a question and as she parted her lips to try and stammer out some kind of response, knowing full well this guy could break her like a stick if he wanted, she was interrupted by her friend from earlier.

Like everyone else her eyes turned to him as he spoke up, and her tail twitched just slightly as a few sparks of hope shined in those bright blue eyes because maybe he'd thought of something, maybe he had a way to get her out of this. But he didn't--instead she got a great front-seat show of him pinning that purple wolf down when he tried to speak up, those taut muscles under his skin performing well and showing that they weren't just there for looks. She felt her heart skip a beat, ears perked and swiveled forward as her focus went entirely to him. He was the last bit of normalcy, if it could be called that, that she had here, of course she'd cling to that.

She was dropped and she shook herself a little, shoulders hunching to try and make herself as small as possible as the Alpha barked his orders, immediately taking Darlin? Darlin's words over the purple guy's, something in Mori's brain clicking as she wondered if perhaps Darlin' was the Beta.

Either way, he came over to her and helped her up, and the moment he was touching her she scooted just a tad bit closer. He was warm, he felt safe, or at least as safe he could given the situation. She had no idea who he was or if she could trust him, but there was something in the way that he looked at her as he led them away and apologized that made her want to believe him.

"S'alright," She said with a soft smile, glancing over him in full now that they were alone and... Jeepers.

He was huge, too. More comfortably so though, like she didn't feel like he could snap her in two like it was nothing.

"Didn't seem like ya had a choice much." She said with a slight shrug, feeling better and better the further away from that pack they got.

He brought them to an underground stream and she blinked, realizing now the entire weight of what was about to happen, her cheeks turning to a lovely shade of pink as she realized she was going to have to bathe in front of him. As nice as it would be to feel clean again she wasn't... Entirely sure that would end well for either of them. He was a hunk, and the way he looked at her made it hard to suppress a shiver down her spine.

She stared for a moment at those pecs of his, before she tentatively reached out to touch one. Yep. Definitely real. She quickly attempted to pull her hand away, as if afraid he might bark at her or scold her.

"Um, what's this that I'm supposed to do for? Do what?" She asked, the nervousness clearly ringing in the tension in her voice as they stepped into the water, the cold of it chilling her and making her fur stand on end.

Was this really necessary? Why did she have to bathe? It was almost like they were preparing her for something, and the longer she dwelled on it the more the horror dawned on her. The female's scent had been stale, the pack was full of males, they lived in the Midhaven...

Oh gods.

She was about to become a sacrifice, wasn't she?
Title: Re: Absolute Territory [Lion!]
Post by: Lion on January 03, 2018, 02:22:21 am
Bathe her they said. Make sure she was clean so that Ignatius would claim her, make her his and by scent alone no other would would be able to make claim to her. The very thought sent a nasty chill into the pit of Darlin' stomach, and made him sick. He frowned, the lines of his face creasing and making little white lines in the dirt and grime already on his face. His brow furrowed and although they were near the water now, he was only recently stirred from thought, his head pointed downward toward her chest.

Darlin' blinked..  oh hello. That was a pair of tits.  Right, because his job was to get her cleaned up. To make her fresh for claiming, take the scents that she already had - the places she'd been and the people she'd interacted with - and make them null. That was hard to do, he'd have to rub her raw enough to make it so and Darlin' blinked, staring down at her chest with a flare of guilt springing up. 

And then she touched him. That roused him again from his ruminations, blinking himself back to reality. "You can touch me," he found himself saying, sputtering it out too quickly before he realized what the implication meant. Of course a touch was a touch, a curious inspection by the hands. If it was unwarranted, she could refuse.  Darlin' stepped into the water with her, approximately six inches away from her and he flicked eyes back up to her features.

"I clean you," he said softly, his beard and mustache moving with his grin. "You don't have to do anything. Just kinda stand there. Oh..."  Darlin' reached down to flick off a piece of dirt that lingered on her hip, his hands plopping there and he didn't remove them, eyes drifting back to her features. The boldness of pinning Jaspar had yet to leave him.  Did he want to pin her?

The thu-thumping in his chest told him that he did, very much so. But so did every other male in the pack. And that thought made the thu-thumping flow into something ugly. They couldn't have her. No, not even Jaspar could have her.  A vague relief. And abruptly robbed of him at the realization that neither could he.

His fingers dipped lower, his palm pressing against her hip as he hugged it and he gently pushed her further into the water until it was waist deep.  It was cool, and flowing around them, with small bioluminescent plants growing along the wall, igniting the slick stone around them. "Do you not want me to touch you? I can stop. Just say something. But uh, the soap is over there, I'll have to do it. That's the way it's always done."

Darlin's eyes flicked over to the small bucket he'd neglected to drag off to the side where a scrub brush and a bar of precious soap lingered. He was reluctant to leave her side, and instead his hand slipped around to the small of her back, his body leaning in closer until he felt the tips of her breasts brushing against his chest.
Title: Re: Absolute Territory [Lion!]
Post by: Cheesigator on January 08, 2018, 01:04:00 am
Darlin, apparently his name was, didn't seem to mind her touching his pecs in admiration and shock at their... Realness. Told her she was allowed to touch him, and for some reason that made her cheeks flush just a little bit more as she pursed her lips and looked away shyly.

He didn't exactly answer her question, though she'd done a poor job at phrasing it--exactly what they were doing this for. But she had a feeling she already knew the answer, and it chilled her to the very bone; which was a bit of a shocking sensation when coupled with the warmth that spread over her body in a wave of tingles when he pressed his palm to her hip and pushed her further into the water.

She obeyed, ears lowering as he explained with a smile that she didn't have to do anything--essentially let him do all the work, and while in any other context some might have almost called that romantic, this situation was a little bit different. He was under pack orders, and he had to obey his Alpha. They were alone right now, weren't they? Could she escape? No, she couldn't trudge through this water quickly enough without him easily catching her.

And yet he stood so close to her.

She could feel the warmth from his body, and as he stepped closer still, one hand pressing to the small of her back she felt her breath hitch slightly, ears swiveling a bit as she looked up at him in a mixture of curiosity, vulnerability and the slightest bit of fear--not of him, but of what was going to happen.

"O-Okay, uh, Darlin'--is that your name? Darlin'?" She asked quietly as she moved to press closer to him still, their bodies flush against each other now as the cold water running around her pale bare skin made her shiver, just a tad, wanting to soak up all the warmth he was giving.

She glanced down at him again, her eyes following the natural curves of his muscles from his chest down his torso to his hips, and she hesitated for a moment before her fingertips reached out and she settled her hands on his hips with a warm, feather-light touch before she slid around his sides to wrap her arms around him and hug him, closing her eyes and resting her face against his chest as she took a moment to breathe in his scent and hope that it would help calm her nerves.

"I'm sorry, I got you in trouble... I'm scared."

Her voice was quiet, he could probably barely hear it over the sound of the running water, and she squeezed him just a little bit, nuzzling against him and wishing it really was just the two of them.
Title: Re: Absolute Territory [Lion!]
Post by: Lion on January 09, 2018, 08:00:40 pm
Darlin' couldn't lie. He couldn't ignore the tingles he'd felt along his skin, and the hackles that raised on the back of his neck at the way her skin felt underneath his fingertips. Way softer than she looked, way smoother than he ever would have expected. He couldn't say he'd touched many females, not like this. Definitely not Ignatius' female - not in many many moons. The last one he'd touched was Cecil...but he...couldn't save him.

Darlin's heart was pounding in his chest and he continuously found himself lost in thought at the proximity with which they were moving toward each other until Morrigan was flush against him, and his entire face flushed red.  Gods, OH GODS! His heart throbbed in his ears and they felt like they were practically on fire. His hands slid down her sides and gripped at her hips.

"Yeah, that's my name," he nodded. "Domnall, really, but uhh. Everyone calls me Darlin'. It's easy to remember."  He cringed internally. Domnall was the name of a wolf pup in tunnels and caves looking for his mother. Separated from his siblings, running from the animal that his father was. He wasn't old enough to forget that, try as he might.

A soft whimper escaped him and he wasn't even conscious of himself until he felt hands sliding over his sides from his hips. And then around his back and he shivered again, his eyes opening and she was hugging him. A strange wolf such as he, and already her arms were around him. Darlin's heart was throbbing right where she was resting her head, and he let out a steady breath shifting his head to rest it down against her shoulder, nuzzling her cheek to his cheek, the roughness of his beard scratching the soft skin there.

"It'll be okay," he found himself assuring her. "I won't let them hurt you. And once you're the Alphas, ain't none else can hurtcha either. Pack rules."  He hated what he just said and he tensed at how sick they made him feel.  This was his family now, and yet the thought of what awful things could happen to her from any of these stray males made his arms slip around her shoulders and hug her tightly to him.

Oddly natural, and the response was so easy, he lifted her up just a little out of the water, pressing his face into her neck.  "I'll protect you. I promise."
Title: Re: Absolute Territory [Lion!]
Post by: Cheesigator on January 22, 2018, 11:54:44 pm
Domnall, Darlin... She kind of had to admit, she did like Darlin better. It certainly sounded more friendly, and it was oddly fitting of him. Perhaps she thought that because he'd lent her a helping hand, perhaps she thought that because he was big and strong, and arguably handsome underneath the dirt and grime, but the point still stood that she was stuck here right now until she found a better way out.

And she really hoped she could avoid violence if at all possible; she liked Darlin. He was sweet. This was his family, as creepy and cruel as they seemed to be at first glance.

She nodded in confirmation that she'd heard him, understood his name. "Darlin is nice." She murmured, squeezing him just a bit tighter.

At first when he said it would be okay she started to ease up; the idea of being protected, especially by him made her ears flick as her heart started to race--but then it picked up speed for a completely different reason.

The Alpha's? Once she was the Alpha's??

She froze up, tensing as the horror hit her in full force as her fears were confirmed; it was one thing to speculate what was going on, it was another to know that she was undoubtedly correct. She was being offered as a sacrifice of sorts, and she was going to become that... Thing's slave. She wouldn't use the word mate. She refused.

She refused the concept of slave even now.

As he picked her up slightly, holding her tight, she started to squirm, the fear and panic starting to grip her, sinking its cold teeth deep into the marrow of her bones as she struggled to try and get away. Somewhere in the back of her mind she knew resisting like this was absolutely pointless and futile, she wasn't going to get anywhere and he wasn't going to just let her go. But she still couldn't help it as her tall ears flicked downwards and she looked up at him, eyes wide with terror as she silently begged and pleaded that he just... Let her go. Let her run off into the night and he'd never see or hear from her again and she'd never cause any more trouble or look back. Even though she would want to.

"I'm not the Alpha's, I'm not anybody's!" She whimpered, thinking back to the way the ground shook when that brute landed on it, the sheer force of willpower and the aura of a dictator that floated in the air around him like smog. She trembled at the memory of it, thinking of that guy trying to do anything with her made her want to retch.

He promised that he would protect her and yet he still had full intentions of handing her over to that monster, an Alpha that he had no proper withstanding in the pack to protect her from. It felt like a lie even though she knew he probably meant it as sincerely as he could--or at least, she wanted to believe that he did.

She opened her mouth to protest further when her ears picked up the sound of rocks tumbling on the ground, and despite her previous efforts to get away, she immediately went back to pressing herself against Darlin and peeking out from behind him, looking past him to see if she could see what sent the rocks moving, but saw nothing. Her heart was in her throat. She needed to think of an escape plan but she didn't have a whole lot of time and she didn't want to ruin Darlin or hurt him because of it.
Title: Re: Absolute Territory [Lion!]
Post by: Lion on April 14, 2018, 12:30:00 pm
Darlin' was an oddly fitting name. And it was easy to hear that name and expect a cute little scamp of a thing instead of a medium sized werewolf of stocky and scruffy build. Darlin was as friendly as he had to be. The pack understood his place and he understood it along with it. There was no confusion,  and any scuffles were quickly settled.  He was still Beta, after all.

When the smaller wolf started to wriggle, he let her go, loosened his grip, knowing keeping her chained to him would do nothing to stave off the stress he knew was building. She wasn't his...she was the Alpha's even if that knowledge made his heart pick up speed in his chest. Darlin' huffed, feeling his face grow heated and he dropped his eyes, closing them briefly.

"I didn't lie.  I...."  He didn't have any justification. He promised to protect her. He would hold true to his word as best he could. And his heart only rattled further in his chest, heart pounding heavily in his ears.

And soon she was pressing herself further against him. And his eyes widened, lips pursing and pressing tightly together.

"What makes you think you're good enough to take the morsel to Jaspar?  You're dismissed Darlin'. Boss wants you elsewhere," the voice behind him called out. Darlin turned around, keeping Morrigan behind him and feeling his hackles raise, a small growl erupting from the back of his throat.

"Go away Daiv. Jaspar commanded her cleaned. Ain't no assistance needed."

"Maybe you didn't hear me," he hissed, standing tall at the precipice of the pool, broadshouldered and towering over Darlin' by a head.  "Go away. Ain't no party of three here.  Go on now, before you get hurt."  He didn't wait for Darlin to obey and instead threw himself from the edge of the pool and tackled Darlin' from the edge of the water.  "I wanna taste of that morsel. She ain't Jaspar's yet."

Darlin's reeled backwards, splashing water everywhere as he turned and tumbled with Daiv, claws out and growling at him, sinking teeth in to where he could as they barreled in the water still.  He tried to avoid Morri, or stand between them, but Daiv managed to lunge an arm out and snatched a massive clawed hand around her throat. One that Darlin threw his fangs around and bit down hard on the forearm.
Title: Re: Absolute Territory [Lion!]
Post by: Cheesigator on April 14, 2018, 05:19:09 pm
No weapons. No clothes. No nothing.

All that Morrigan had was her own two fists, and sweet Darlin' standing between her and this other nasty wolf who'd decided to come out of nowhere, likely of his own decision rather than the Alpha's, to try his hand at being a piece of shit today.

A soft growl bubbled up in her throat at his words; she immediately doubted every syllable, and as the hairs raised on the back of her neck, she noticed Darlin's muscles tensing in a similar reaction. This guy wanted a fight, and it looked like he was about to get it.

A chill went up her spine as he lunged at Darlin' in the water; instinctively she took a step back to get out of the way, yelping as the two of them collided, precious droplets flying in the air and making her flinch. In that moment, Daiv's hand swiped out and caught her by the neck. In the flurry of panic she followed the motion to lessen impact, moving forward and out of the way as she shifted to a true werewolf; the texture of her fur made his hand slip, and she was allowed her escape.

Though running was the last thing she did.

A twist of white hot anger burned through her core and she retaliated against his attack by stepping around Darlin' to punch Daiv in the face before she threw the entirety of her weight into him with a snarling roar to get him off of Darlin'. Her sharp canines found their way into his shoulder and sank in, the salty iron taste of blood hitting her hard as the other wolf snarled back and punched her in the stomach.

With a shake of her head she twisted away, ripping out chunks of flesh and backing off a few steps, lips pulled back in a snarl with bright red staining her teal and brown muzzle as she bared her teeth threateningly, tail lashing behind her as her fur stood right up on end.

She was not his. She was not the Alpha's. She didn't belong to anybody, and she sure as hell wasn't afraid of a fight if it meant proving her damn point. Could she last against the whole pack? No, but thinking of the future was something she was incapable of right now.

This motherfucker decided he could just waltz in here and try his hand at stickin' his dick in her like he thought it'd be a waltz in the fucking park, and decided to pick a fight with poor Darlin' while he was at it. That, that made her blood fucking boil. There was a valid reason why she was still alive here in the Wastes after years spent traveling alone. It was what she'd been trained for since she was small, and fighting was something she knew well enough. She preferred long range, but hand to hand could have its merits, and she wasted no time in charging the wolf to slam into him again, snagging her claws on his hands as she held onto them tightly, pushing his arms to the sides from where he'd raised them to his chest in defense, and lunged for his throat with her teeth.
Title: Re: Absolute Territory [Lion!]
Post by: Lion on May 09, 2018, 12:34:54 pm
Daiv was battle scarred and the holes in his hide and flesh would heal with time. They always did just like the one over his left eye where it'd been clawed out by another wolf. Daiv was lean and long limbed, not quite the stocky firm build Darlin' had. And despite Morrigan's fervent bites, claw strikes, and the sheer force by which she wouldn't be tamed, he was wily and when she lunged for his throat, he shifted fully, his strength coming full force.

Daiv reversed the grip she had on his hands and moving with the force she played against him, instead turning his body so that when she lunged forward she was slammed back and to the side against the edge of the pool with enough force to crack the stone. And for all her ferocity, for all she was trained for, it only made the hair on the back of his neck stand on end even more as he snagged her by the neck and started to squeeze down in a death grip.

Darlin' mean while was still dizzy from being chucked aside and recovered to the image of Daiv's back to him. He didn't waste any more time, shifting fully and throwing himself onto the larger werewolf, sinking his teeth into the spot between his shoulder and neck and tearing out a thick chunk of flesh. He dug in again and again and Daiv screamed at the feel, forgetting Morrigan momentarily as Darlin' continued to rip out his throat.

Those horrific sounds, the kind his brother made when he tried to stop his father flashed into the back of Darlin's mind, the cries of a life leaving a body. But to protect someone that did nothing to warrant aggression, that instinct burned hotter in the smaller maroon furred wolf.  He didn't hear the commotion of Daiv's screams or Jaspar and 5 others wading into the pool to pull Darlin' off Daiv's limp corpse or a shock collar placed around Morrigan's neck.

He only vaguely saw them both dragged out of the water and the adrenaline gradually left him. "ENOUGH!" the bellow behind him made stone quake. The cavern trembled and Darlin' felt the reverberation deep into his skeleton.  His eyes twitched, cutting over to Morrigan in the collar and amped up current sent through her to subdue her aggression.

"Stop!" he griped out, choking back a whimper when Jaspar's fist came flying into his face.

"Cage the both of them. And pull Daiv from the water.  What a fucking mess."  Jaspar didn't ask what happened. Although it seemed pretty clear to him, and both Darlin' and Morrigan were transported to thick silver plated steel cages, just big enough for a grown man to sit upright in.  They weren't placed together, just side by side.  And with a whimper Darlin' watched her carefully, already feeling the dread that she might never wake up.
Title: Re: Absolute Territory [Lion!]
Post by: Cheesigator on May 21, 2018, 06:28:54 pm
Mori was usually pretty good about bargaining and finagling her way out of fights when it came to it. Not that she was afraid of them, or bad at them, but it was smart to be frugal about one's energy and save it when possible, and getting into it with someone wasted a lot. She'd almost forgotten the burn of another wolf's claws, the tang of iron in her mouth and the ringing in her head, the stars in her vision, when she was thrown back against the cavern wall.

It felt like somewhere off in the distance she heard the crack of rock, but more loud than that was the snapping of bones. It cut off her shriek and when she slid down to the ground to lay there in the water she couldn't move to lift her head out of it. The cold water rushed over her nose, mouth and eyes as she started to sink, and she was in such a cloudy daze she couldn't register what was happening--where she was, that she was sinking under the water and would probably drown if she didn't drag herself out of it. She didn't register that it wasn't that she wasn't trying to move her limbs--it was that she couldn't.

Something warm and painful rushed over her throat and she was lifted from the cold wet, gasping for air with water clogging her nostrils and that warm wet iron bubbling up her throat and backing up into her mouth. Everything was rushing by so fast in her head, and then red spots clouded her vision, made her eyes squeeze shut. Her hearing went in and out from the thundering of water to the growls and snarls of wolves, and back down into the cold wet.

Submerged again once released, the world went quiet and when she opened her eyes all she saw was a dark blur and splotches of red clouding the water. She couldn't smell if it was her blood, or Darlin's, or the other wolf's. The world was quickly growing fuzzy again, and when she was lifted from the water she was completely limp as she felt something brush against her fur and then it all went dark.



When Morrigan was tossed into the cage beside Darlin's, the other wolf was completely still where she lay. A soggy lump, wet fur sticking together in clumps, it was hard to judge the true nature of the damage. Spots of blue and golden fur were darkened burgundy with blood, sticky around her neck and oozing, dripping into the puddles of water that were starting to gather under her on the floor of the cage. Her breaths were shallow, so much so they were barely noticeable unless if you stared long enough, but her heartbeat was still strong.

It was a few hours before she came to again, slowly opening her eyes until they were barely half-lidded, her skull aching and throbbing in pain, vision blurry. An ear twitched and the movement sent jolts of pain coursing through her, though the wave ended abruptly around her mid back. After a few moments of lying there, whimpering hardly loudly enough to be heard, she attempted moving again, this time twitching a clawed finger. Index, then middle, then ring, then pinky and thumb. Her hand twitched, and with slow ginger movements she reached out from where her arms had been haphazardly tucked under her chest and belly. Her muscles were stiff, aching and sore, and slowly she stretched her arms forward until her fingertips brushed against the bars of the cage. It hurt, hot to the touch.

She tried to draw one of her legs under herself to sit up as she pushed herself up on her arms, and noticed at that point that she felt no pain from the waist down at all.

She glanced back and saw that her hind legs hadn't moved at all. Even an inch. She tried to flex her toes, and nothing happened. Tried to make her tail twitch, nothing.

"F-Fuck," She whimpered, the words sounding strange with her muzzle as she tried to roll herself over based entirely on upper body strength.

Flopping onto her back she stared at the ceiling of the cage and realized as panic started to swell up inside her, threatening to engulf her at any moment, that her back was currently very, very broken. Her breaths came in short pants as the anxiety and horror set in, despite her desperately trying to fight it.

Sure, she'd broken arms, legs, even her tail once. That happened. That was normal. Those healed relatively quick, but her back? Never.

Would it heal?

Maybe.

But if it did, who knew how long it would take--and if it didn't? What if it didn't at all? She was going to die. She was going to be forced into slavery to be this Alpha's mate whether she liked it or not, confined and chained and forced to bear children till the day she died and suddenly even the shock collar around her neck couldn't reel her terrified whines in, couldn't stop her from clawing weekly at the bars despite how it burned her pads and singed her claws. She needed to get out. This couldn't stop her. She needed to get out. Out. Right now. Out.

Get out. Get out get out get out get out get out get out--
Title: Re: Absolute Territory [Lion!]
Post by: Lion on May 21, 2018, 07:01:39 pm
The thought that she’d never move, that she was a broken mess and it was all his fault brought nothing short of cold dread in the pit of his stomach. Darlin’ frowned and felt a soft whine erupt from his throat as he observed her from his cage. Already his heart was throbbing. Here she was dying, and somewhere in a dark pit, Daiv was being thrown, a carcass left to rot. If by some miracle she was still alive - even after all that - he promised she would be safe and he would fight tooth and nail to making sure that happened.

“C’mon,” he whispered, the whining slithering out of his throat again, his face leaning almost leaning against the bars, but not quite touching the silver. His arm shifted between them, trying to reach out toward her. The distance between them was just so that if she managed to reach out, their hands might touch. That was, if she would just fucking move. “You can do it. Wake up.”  The whispers were little more than soft tendrils he wanted to sliver over to her, to brush against the tufts of fur that had been matted with blood.

A small leaning too much to the left caused his arm to singe against the silver. With a yelp he retreated and stayed curled up at the center of the cage, panting heavily and the sensation of the cage suddenly becoming too small for him increased the agitation and desire to rage against it. For all his wounds, the scrapes and cuts and scuffs and bruises that were starting to take hold on him, he had little energy to break. Another day of rest and maybe that steel wouldn’t stand a chance, but that sting of silver kept him at bay.

And made his desperation all that much more unbearable.

Until she started to move.

He gasped and pressed forward against the bars.

“Morrigan,” he whispered, coughing as he cleared his throat, trying to find his voice to reach her. “Morrigan!”  His time his tone was harsher.  “Morrigan, can you hear me?”  Seeing her struggle as she was, he touched at the bars again, withstanding the pain to try and reach an arm out to her again.

“Morrigan don’t struggle.  The bars won’t give. I can’t even break them. I promise I’ll get you out of there. I’ll make good on that promise,” he murmured enough for her to hear. Her posture and the clear cut way her legs didn’t move made it evident being thrown around had did more damage than he would have thought. She was in no condition to be mated with. No condition to even be handled by anyone.

He moved back from the at the approach of another packmate, one that smacked the bars with a whip.  “No touching the goods, Darlin’. You’re lucky you weren’t ordered to be ravaged then and there. Not even in the fun way,” he cackled. “The fuck is wrong with you. You sick in the head or something? Tch! Nevermind, I don’t wanna know nor do I care. You carrying on this way over a fucking shewolf, and that cunt is going to get you in trouble.”

“Look at her you fool, she’s hurt! She can’t fucking move! Because your boys can’t keep their fucking hands to themselves,” Darlin’ growled from where he sat at the center of the cage. “There’s something wrong with her back. And if you think Ignatius is going to want her like that, you’ve got another thing coming. I won’t just be punished, but so will the rest of the pack for letting her get broken. Can’t even do one simple job, Angus.”

Angus knelt down in front of her cage and cracked his whip in order to get her to stop clawing at the bars.  “Settle down!”

“She won’t listen to you,” Darlin’ hissed again. “She’s much too scared! Fuck you’re so stupid! Shoulda died with the rest of your littermates, Angus, fucking moron.”

“And just what do you think you’re going to do?”

Darlin’ didn’t actually have an answer, not even as he shifted closer to the bars and reached out once again to try and take her hand. “Morrigan, do you trust me?”
Title: Re: Absolute Territory [Lion!]
Post by: Cheesigator on May 21, 2018, 08:42:06 pm
In the midst of her panic, she didn't hear him at first. Didn't recognize his scent immediately, even though he was familiar he was still a stranger--thus it took him the second or third try of saying her name before she suddenly stopped, wheezing and panting as her heart hammered its way up into her throat, blood rushing and throbbing in her veins as she looked over with wide eyes and saw a human face staring back at her.

A soft whine escaped her as the trembles wracked the upper half of her body; it took her a moment before her ears perked and swiveled forward as in all her fear she remembered his face, his body, his scent. She wiggled closer to the bars, knowing if she shifted right now she'd be in far worse pain then than she was now, and far more vulnerable. As it was, her claws were drawn and scraping at the floor of her cage as she got as close as she could to him, realizing he was all she had right now, and if he was caged up... What did that mean?

The sound of the approaching wolves made her jolt violently with fear as her head whipped toward them with her lips drawn back in a wild snarl, the fear bringing out the true coyote in her as she showed them the whites of her eyes and teeth with a sharp bark of warning. The fur on the back of her neck stood up, and while she vaguely registered the sound of Darlin's voice telling the main antagonist that he was an idiot, the sound of the whip against the bars of her cage had her jump again, knocking her prison back a few inches as she shook in fear and anger.

She wasn't going to let this be the end of her, she absolutely fucking refused. She'd find her way out of here, she had to. She always did! She'd gotten out of things like this before, so what if this was the worst!? There'd always be a time after this one that was even less better off--

Her ears swiveled toward Darlin' and she stilled for a moment, the snarl softening with a whine as she reacted as quickly as she could, shoving her furry arm through the bars of the cage to rest her padded hand in his, holding it tight despite the burning of the bars against her chest and shoulder as she shoved herself against them.

She trusted him more than anyone else here right now, and he was all she had. She couldn't afford not to, and even though she was too wound up to fully vocalize, the signal of her hand in his should have said more than enough.

She just hoped he had a plan, because she was on empty.
Title: Re: Absolute Territory [Lion!]
Post by: Lion on May 21, 2018, 09:08:28 pm
The second Angus saw her pawed hand slip into Darlin's, he growled and cracked his whip at the pair of them, the small shockwave of it ripping against his wrist and slashing his skin open along his forearm. Darlin’ retracted his hand and stared Angus dead in the eye. “If you want her to get better, than she needs to be kept away from the others. Ignatius won’t like the condition she’s in. Let me take care of her. She’ll be right as rain. I ain’t going anywhere,” he muttered and nursed his forearm.

The gash was a small one, but the throbbing was secondary to the racing of his heart beat, in getting some kind of care for Morrigan’s wounded back. Angus huffed and stood, stalking away toward a wall where there were a set of shock collars and he snatched one in hand and threw it into the cage, the collar flying deftly between the bars. “Put it on. You try anything and you’re fried,” he hissed.

Angus waited until the collar was secured around Darlin’s neck, and once that was in place the cage door opened. Darlin’ crawled out and the door was opened to Morrigan’s.  He reached inside and gently plucked her out, holding her bridal style while he kept her close to him, cradling her to his chest.  “To the med ward, the two of you. Run and you’re toast,” he warned again.

Darlin’ said nothing, only obeyed like a good beta did and just kept Morrigan firmly planted against him, keeping her gaze averted as they moved to a wider area. A locked cell door with the same silver bars that Angus closed behind them and locked firmly.  “Look at her back and see what needs fixing. Otherwise I’ll just tell Ignatius that you broke her,” he cackled and stalked off.

Darlin’ took the collar off his neck and hers as well, tossing them to the side, forgetting his own wounds as he gently set her down on the small cot in the corner of the dimly lit cell. “Morrigan,” he whined and knelt down beside her. “Morri, your legs are fucked.” As if that wasn’t obvious enough.  “Stupid, stupid. Me. I’m stupid. I’m sorry. This is all my fucking fault.”  He wasn’t the petulant sort but when someone couldn’t walk after getting into a scuffle you started, it was a little hard not to feel guilty. Darlin’ rolled her gently onto her side and examined her back, where the line that normally was there, was not as it should be.

“You’re going to be ok. I’ll get you out of here. I said I would. I don’t make promises lightly,” he hissed, trying to see what he could even do.  Support it?  Have her lay against him?  Wouldn’t that just make it worse if she was already twisted like a pretzel?

He felt tears pricking at the corner of his eyelids, and one slide down his cheek, making clean the dirt that lightly battered his face, and he leaned over Morrigan’s face, rubbing his cheek against hers. “I’ll get you out.”
Title: Re: Absolute Territory [Lion!]
Post by: Cheesigator on May 21, 2018, 09:36:17 pm
The crack of the whip made her bark, and the sent of fresh flesh hitting her nose made her bark and snarl again as she snapped her teeth in the direction of Angus; the bastard, he'd get what was coming for him. She'd make damn sure of that. The fire that flared up inside of her, the anger that boiled in her gut at him for hurting Darlin', there was no mistaking. She'd remember him. She made sure of it.

She whined softly as she watched Darlin' put on the collar, silently willing him not to for fear that the other wolf would blatantly lie and shock him to death regardless. But when he was let out of his cage, a bit of relief let her muscles relax just a tad, until her cage was unlocked too and then Darlin's warm, strong arms were wrapping around her and pulling her close.

Instantly she clung to him as best as she could, her legs and tail as limp as a ragdoll while he carried her, swaying with the motion of his walk. She refused to look at Angus, instead keeping her head against Darlin's chest, trying to focus on the sound of his rapidly beating heart, taking refuge in knowing that hers wasn't the only one.

Once they were locked into the cell she finally felt as though she could breathe again. While they were still trapped, at least they were trapped together, and the moment the collars came off she was immediately grateful. Even as she was set gingerly down on the cot, a soft warble trembled in her throat before she was rolled onto her side so he could look at the damage.

"You're not stupid, Darlin', no--" She whimpered, her voice hoarse as he leaned over her and her heart throbbed, warmth spreading over her and feeling... Oddly reassuring as she soaked up the heat he gave off, and closed her eyes and nuzzled back against his cheek with her own as she tenderly reached up, muscles still screaming in protest, to run her padded fingers through his dirty hair.

"You saved my life." She whispered, thinking back to what little she could remember.

She didn't like being different from him; didn't like that she was furry when he wasn't. The brief thought of earlier occurred to her again, that shifting right now would be more painful, potentially do more harm than good--but she couldn't speak easily like this, and she wanted to be close to him. To feel the connection of not being alone, of having someone just like her in the exact same predicament.

Rolling herself onto her stomach she shuddered as she forced herself to change; in some cases it helped speed up the process of healing, and in others it didn't, but it wasn't without the cost of a lot of energy. As the fur disappeared she was left a violently trembling mess, her skin coated in sweat and dirt and smears of blood, her neck pockmarked with bite marks and tears, crusted in dried blood yet still healing over all the same. She was panting and wheezing, the muscles finishing in their spasms as her bones settled back into place, but her spine still wasn't quite right, and she still couldn't feel anything in her legs or the tail that stayed along with her ears.

"Give... Give it a few days," She gasped, her ears nearly flat against her head, her hair in a mess about her face. She was even paler than she'd been when he'd first seen her, shivering and suffering a cold sweat. "My family heals... Fast... Broken bones take a... A few days." She shifted more onto her side and back, reaching over to cup his face as she gave him a weak smile and brushed any stray hairs from his forehead or range of vision.

"You did good, Darlin', it'll be okay." She smoothed her thumbs over his cheekbones, drawing him closer in the hope he could maybe somehow fit onto the cot with her and snuggle her, not even just for his warmth, but for the comfort it'd bring. Because she was still terrified, even though she was trying to reassure him. They both were.

With a soft whimper of pain she leaned forward enough to rest their foreheads together, caressing him in the hopes that she might be able to soothe him enough to get him to stop beating himself up over this.

"Thank you."
Title: Re: Absolute Territory [Lion!]
Post by: Lion on May 21, 2018, 10:18:23 pm
Watching her change back and seeing the marks left upon her only made his stomach drop further as to the horror set in. Darlin’ had made a promise and within the last day or so, however long it’d been, she’d already gotten captured, hurt, and broken almost beyond repair. He didn’t know if he could fix her back, but he’d rather he was touching her than anyone else. And the thought of anyone else laying a hand on her drove him crazy.

He sat on his knees in front of her, eyes red and sore from the tears that drifted down his face. She said he saved her life, but he could only feel the dread of putting her further into danger than he ever meant to. If only he hadn’t found her at all, none of this would have happened. Maybe she would have just drowned in toxic sludge. Even that would be a better fate than this.

But she shifted back anyway and he leaned back on his haunches, taking in the exact amount of damage and what healed and what would take a while. The gash on his arm already was starting to scab over, but it would take another day to fully close over. She was different though, made of sturdier stuff than he initially thought. It was good, a vaguely relieving notion, and even knowing that she was healing just enough by changing back despite the effort involved, made him breathe out a sigh of relief.

Darlin’ shuffled over to the bed and crawled in beside her, shifting so that she could half lay on his chest from where she was already positioned on her belly. His arm immediately hooked around her, settling in the crook of her neck and wrapping around her side and partly on the middle of her spine.  He could feel the twisted bones underneath his hands, and in fairness they already felt better than when he set her down.

He was damp with a thin sheen of sweat. And his heart kept racing. “Thank you for bringing you into this fucking pit of despair?” he tried to laugh, turning his head and nuzzling her gently with his cheek against her cheek. He brought his head back enough to look into her eyes, pressing his forehead gently against hers. She felt so small against him, and the sheer tenacity that existed in such a compact form might have gotten his heart racing for other reasons were she not completely torn to shreds.

“I’m sorry,” he muttered again and kicked himself mentally for saying it. “You’ll be ok?”  The sheer doubt in his voice was something he wanted to kick himself for. “I never meant for any of this to happen.” And gently brushed his lips against her cheek. The beard and goatee scratching against her cheek.
Title: Re: Absolute Territory [Lion!]
Post by: Cheesigator on May 21, 2018, 10:33:55 pm
For the first time since she woke up, her heart beat less with fear of the future and instead beat with joy, warmth spreading throughout her as Darlin' crawled onto the cot with her and snuggled right up to her, letting her lay on him and wrapping his arms around her.

In a brief moment of gratitude and concern for him, she softly kissed the freshest wound on his forearm, before finding some of the other scratches and bruises to press more gentle kisses to his torn skin, the thought in mind that kissing it might somehow make it better.

She nuzzled him back, feeling more and more safe in his arms with every passing moment. He was completely unlike anybody else she'd ever met in the wastes; sure, he was a stranger, and she should always take precautions, but she had always considered herself a fairly decent judge of character. And the worry, the guilt shining in his eyes with those tears, that said to her far more than words ever could about the kind of person Darlin' truly was. He was a good person. And those were a rare find out here.

"Thank you for rescuing me from that pit, and saving me from that other wolf. I'm sorry I've caused so much trouble for you." She whispered quietly, looking into his eyes, her own blues shining with worry and guilt. Perhaps neither of them felt as though they'd made the best decisions, but this was the hand they'd been dealt and now they could only make the best of what they had been given.

"It's okay, I know, Darlin'. I know. I think I'll be okay, one way or another." She nuzzled him again, resting a hand on his chest, continuing the soft, slow strokes and caresses to try and instill that sense of reassurance and calm. She snuggled just a little bit closer to him, closing her eyes and breathing in his scent, feeling oddly warm and satisfied--as much as she could, given the situation.

The panic was slowly ebbing away and being replaced instead by more exhaustion, and the longer she lay there, listening to Darlin's heartbeat, feeling the warmth radiating off of him and soaking it up so her trembles turned to minor shivers instead, she felt her eyelids growing heavy until she closed them entirely. The movement of her hand petting him slowed and eventually stopped as she fell asleep curled up on him, oddly enough feeling the safest that she had in a long, long time.
Title: Re: Absolute Territory [Lion!]
Post by: Lion on May 22, 2018, 10:31:54 pm
He closed his eyes, the odd tingles of her kissing along his face sent gooseflesh along his arms and neck and back. Everywhere where cool air touched him, where the tingle of her kisses lingered, he shivered and the comfort they brought was so foreign to him, he didn't know what to say. The only kind of affection like that he'd ever received was from his mother. And she was dead. Gone somewhere.

That void had been filled with pain, and the lack of it let him know when he'd done right. Yet, to know that he'd been able to bring her even a modicum of reassurance left him emotionally stumped. He believed her. She would be better she said.

That gentle note in her voice, the way she touched him. Darlin' found himself easing into that comfort, laying down onto the cot, as thin as it was and letting her lay fully on him. His arms swooped around her, holding her close and stroking her hair, brushing fingers through it, kissing along her temples.  One way or another.

She'd be okay. And for once Darlin was able to close his eyes and go to sleep. No fits, no nightmares, no restless tossing and turning.


When the day passed and morning came, not that any of that permeated that thick livid darkness that was the Midhaven. Darlin' didn't hear the cell door opening, didn't quite notice someone yanking him out by his neck and dragging him outside until his face was already getting bruised and bloodied. The cell door was locked and he was strewn across the floor as Jaspar continued to kick his face in.

"I guess that's what your sodden plan was all along? Keep the prize to yourself?" he growled, and the three others behind him walked around in order to grab Darlin up by his shoulders. His shoulder clearly protested  against the movement where his arm had been kicked in, and he howled in pain when they grasped him harshly.

"What are you talking about! She's fucking hurt," he managed to spit out, the blood dripping down his nose and mouth and coating his goatee from there. "You're an idiot!"

"Fucking shit, Darlin' you can't do one thing right! And now she's fucking broken," he hissed and threw down a set of clothes for him. "Get dressed. We'll see to it she gets what she needs."

"No," he hissed. "I ain't leaving her."

"That was an order beta. Fucking do it or we'll smash your spine too."  Darlin could hardly move, and the ache in his shoulder meant he could only keep it close as he trembled his hands around a set of jeans and a t-shirt he loosely draped over his frame.  He could barely stand, spitting down a droplet of blood from the corner of his mouth.

Even so, they dragged him off and Jaspar stood in front of the cell, glowering down at Morrigan. The little morsel all this trouble was for. They should just kill her and be done with it in his book. Why waste time and make her a mate. Nothing about her was remotely special and now she was broken.

"You like Darlin'?' he asked levelly, cutting to the chase, eyeing the shock collars in the corner that had been removed. "Or do you just like giving stupid males like him a lot of trouble?"
Title: Re: Absolute Territory [Lion!]
Post by: Cheesigator on May 22, 2018, 11:04:43 pm
She wished the two of them didn't have to wake up. She wished she could have stayed there, laying against Darlin' with his heartbeat thump thump thumping so steady and strong beneath her ears. Wished she could have soaked up that warmth for eternity, peaceful and undisturbed.

The moment the cell door crashed open she awoke; saw the figures in the door and started yelling and screeching profanities of all kinds as if it would keep the hostile wolves away; she fought and clawed as they tore Darlin' away and she was shoved back, scrabbling desperately for something to defend herself, to save Darlin', to do fuckin something while her legs didn't work.

"STOP IT, FUCK OFF LEAVE HIM ALONE--" She screamed, throwing whatever tiny bits of rubble or rock she could get her hands on whenever she got a clear shot, but she was fucking useless without her legs. Without her weapons. Without anything.

She winced as they hoisted him up and he screamed, eyes wide in fear and anger as he was dragged away from her and she was left alone with Jaspar, sitting naked on the floor with her tail coiled  protectively around herself, held in her arms.

Defiantly she lifted her chin, staring him right back in the eyes, ears up. She wasn't afraid of him, wasn't going to back down or submit to him. Hell hath no fury than a woman's scorn, her dad had told her once, and if looks could kill then Jaspar would have been bleeding out, a twitching, ravaged mess on the floor by now.

"I'll kill you, too." She snarled, remembering his face next to Angus's.

She'd fucking rip them all to pieces, she swore it. Darlin's bloodied face burned in her mind and made it difficult to keep her breaths steady; her heart was racing with adrenaline and fury, and it was barely held back like a drawn bowstring.

"I am ten times the wolf you shits will ever be. Give me a week and this'll be nothing--but I can't exactly function without help until then. Help that ain't gonna break me further. And so far it looks like the only one'a'you lot that can do that just got his face beaten in."
Title: Re: Absolute Territory [Lion!]
Post by: Lion on May 23, 2018, 05:37:13 pm
She’d been pretty fervent in defending Darlin’ as he was beaten and dragged off. And honestly that wasn’t even the worst thing they could do to him in front of her. It was interesting to say the least. He was a strange wolf to her and already she seemed more than passionate in trying to bargain for his safety, for his life. He was still a part of the pack, despite tearing into Daiv’s throat. It wasn’t that much of a loss on the pack’s part.

Daiv was strong but stupid, a liability, and would have ruined the Alpha’s prize. Jaspar would have torn his throat out too. That said, Darlin’ had to be punished for his insolence. Taking Daiv’s life wasn’t his call, and the fact that the prize had gotten hurt definitely was too. The punishment would be quick, but he wouldn’t be killed. He had to know his place, that was all.

“I look forward to it, honey,” Jaspar growled back to her, baring his teeth in an animalistic grin. He’d keep her on that promise and just when she was least expecting it, he’d crush her skull in his bare hands. The only reason Darlin’ had been spared a similar fate was because he was pack and tended to stay within the lines. But if Jaspar had his way, he’d be scrapped and made cannibal fodder.

“So you think Darlin’s helping you? And ain’t setting you up for failure. Alpha just wants to have a chat with him. See what’s going on. In the meantime you just lay there and lick your wounds, you little shit. As it is we all have to do things we don’t want to do,” he grumbled and shook his head, standing and spitting in her direction through the bars, stalking off.

Meanwhile Darlin’ knelt in front of Igantius and wiped his mouth off from the blood that dribbled there, keeping his arm close and pushing himself to stand, legs a little shaky after he’d been bent over and held down. He hadn’t made a peep, much to Ignatius’ dismay, but he didn’t break his gaze from his Alpha either.

“I know what she’s been dragged here for,” Darlin’ said levelly, holding the pain in his lower back with winding tension in his face. “But she ain’t gonna get better if you don’t let me look after her. She ain’t trusting of anyone else. All the other wolves wanna piece of her. First female they scent and they wanna pounce.”

“And you don’t?” Ignatius growled back at him, fixing his trousers. 

“I can fucking control myself! I ain’t a mindless bloodhound. I’ll keep her from getting agitated. I ain’t goin’ no where. I know my place, Ignatius. This is my pack. You won’t have to correct me again.”

“Good. Because if there’s anymore trouble and I won’t be so fucking lenient next time.”

“There ain’t gonna be a next time,” Darlin’ replied. “Just keep the others off her, and she’ll be righter than daylight.” He shivered and fixed his shirt back over his form, letting part it hook around his neck and cradle his sore arm like a makeshift sling. Being punished wasn’t the worst thing in the world, being cast out could be. Where else would he go? This was the only pack he knew.

“Done. You break your word and you’re dead meat. Get the fuck out of here.”

Darlin’ staggered out of the main hall and back out to where Morrigan was held, Angus following him with the key to her cell in his possession. Every step made his lower back ache even more, and he avoided meeting the eyes of others. He’d shamed himself, been corrected, and that was that. There wasn’t any need to carry on about it. He just wanted to hurry, to make sure Jaspar hadn’t hurt Morrigan, and pushed everything else out of mind.

When he was back in front of her cell, Angus opened it for him again, letting him inside and sealing them both within. She couldn’t move, not unless Darlin’ carried her. For now, he could barely carry himself.

Angus glared at the pair before leaving, and leaving Darlin’ to kneel in front of the cot, leaning forward on his good arm, cradling his chin in his elbow. “Hey, he didn’t hurt you, did he?” he asked, noticing Jaspar was nowhere to be seen.
Title: Re: Absolute Territory [Lion!]
Post by: Cheesigator on May 30, 2018, 05:57:54 am
Morrigan didn't speak a word more to Jaspar, having said what she already wanted to say. She very much understood that actions spoke louder than words, and she guaranteed herself her actions here soon would ring louder than a fucking bell one day.

Once she was left alone in her cell again she situated herself on the cot, struggling as it was with the dead weight of her legs--if she hadn't had any core upper body strength it'd have been impossible.

But as she lie there, staring up at the decrepid ceiling where pieces of the concrete or rock or whatever it was were crumbling and falling down over time, she thought of her older sister. Wondered if she'd ever gotten into predicaments like this, or if this was just Morrigan's fuck up.

If it had been Hound, she probably wouldn't be here in the first place. Curiosity wasn't her thing like it was Mori's, and she'd never have let herself end up in a situation where she had to rely on someone else's help to escape. That made Morrigan's gut twist, and she wasn't sure what it meant.

She liked Darlin', he seemed like a sweet soul and this pack wasn't right for him, wasn't right for anybody. If this was how they treated all their pack members, then... She shuddered, biting down on her lower lio and worrying it between her teeth.

What did that mean for her? What did that mean for Darlin'?

Was she wrong to worry and care about him, a stranger who had been so nice to her, fun? She felt as though she owed him, and at the same time knew she didn't. It'd been his choice to help her; Hound would have taken that and run for the hills eons ago. But was that the right thing to do, or was that the right thing to do for her, not Mori?

Suddenly the sound of the cell door opening snapped her out of those convoluted thoughts and her ears shot up as she sat up better to see Darlin' back--her first instinct was to yip and wag her tail, but she was incapable of that. So instead she just let her face light up--at least until she saw the blood, saw him limping.

The door was closed behind him and she instantly set to trying to sit up better to clean his face, wiping the blood away, brushing his hair back from his face with worry.

"No--no! I'm fine--what did they do to you?!" Her tone was an odd mix of afraid, worried, and angry.

She felt a bit protective of him, and they'd gone and done this to him; it made her blood burn again.

She sat up and scooted to the side of the cot a little, trying to make room for him and help him up onto it, wrapping an arm around his midsection and hugging him gently before she helped him out of his shirt.

"Here, let me see your arm."
Title: Re: Absolute Territory [Lion!]
Post by: Lion on May 15, 2020, 10:00:58 pm
Darlin tried to block out stuff he didn’t want to remember. It was just easier that way. When you got stuck in your head, it became a bad habit to stir and stew on it until it took over every good thought you were capable of. Darlin was tired of stewing. Keeping on overlooking the bad wolves of the pack.

They got far enough away now that he could finally breathe, or so he thought. Clover was huddled in a firm sling around his torso. The bunny was making noises of displeasure but for now had settled for letting Darlin do the moving and the walking. He gave the bunny bits of carrot he had stashed away to eat.

They found the surface at last. A hovel that had been abandoned for years was usually one of Darlin’s access points up to the lower levels from the Midhaven into Haviah. There were several scattered all around, but these ones were less obvious that straight up holes in the ground. It was easier than becoming target practice for any security watching those points.
Darlin crawled out of the hole and held his hand out for Morrigan to climb up out with him. So far the coast was clear.

“Easy does it, pup,” he murmured and when they were both on solid ground, he opened the door of the abandoned building they were in, and onto the streets of Haviah.

“We’ll find some place safe to crash, then we’ll be able to relax,” he murmured to her.
Title: Re: Absolute Territory [Lion!]
Post by: Cheesigator on May 15, 2020, 10:02:14 pm
Aedolis was one place her parents had despised with such hatred that for many years Morrigan had been afraid of even hearing about it, worrying that should she slip up and say something at home she'd be scolded; she still remembered so clearly how upset her family had been when Hound left for Aedolis, left to go make a name for herself in the world of mercs up there. In their eyes, nobody could really live in Aedolis. It was just a glorified prison fun house, and for a long time Mori believed it--still kind of did.
It had been Darlin's idea to go there, and she was still hesitant, for a number of reasons. She still felt guilty about what happened; because of her, Darlin had nowhere to go. His pack was hunting him now, and it was all her fault. If she had just done what Hound would've, and run after he first helped her, none of this would've happened. Her heart ached. Even if his pack had been so horrible, they were still pack--like family. She couldn't imagine how hard this might be for Darlin, and even knowing that she still couldn't speak up about it past the apologizing she'd already done.
Because she felt like no matter how many times she said sorry, it would never, ever be enough.
She almost didn't hear him when he offered his hand, blinking out of her thoughts after a moment, and gingerly taking it to help herself up the cold, damp rocks. She still wasn't in perfect shape, finding it hard to move her legs and tail as her nerves regenerated and healed again. But she could at least move at all and that's what mattered, what allowed them to escape. Even if her muscles and bones were screaming at her in pain with how far they had traveled, she didn't dare utter a word of it to Darlin--he already had enough to worry about. And they didn't have the time for it anyways.
Every now and then she caught glimpses of the fluff tucked away in the sling around his torso, and it gave her the tiniest spark of warmth, knowing he was such a caring wolf. Such a gentle wolf. She'd never have thought someone like this existed, and yet she'd gone and brought all of these horrible things upon him.
But she didn't like the silence, didn't like the tension as they made their escape. "Do… Do you come here often?" She asked innocently, her breath tight in her chest as she held back her pain and forced herself to keep moving. Maybe conversation would be enough to help distract her a little while longer from it.
But as they stepped through an abandoned building she realized she heard noises and sounds, and once the door opened she saw a busy street full of people and shops, and her eyes widened as she stood there taking it all in. It really wasn't so different from Teinar, and yet her curiosity was already making her wonder what made it different after all, and what it would hold for the two of them, if anything at all.
Title: Re: Absolute Territory [Lion!]
Post by: Lion on May 15, 2020, 10:03:35 pm
The truth was he did come here often. Not for pleasure at least. There were few pleasures he’d allowed himself to enjoy. Darlin had done everything he could for the pack. They’d been his family up until now. His real family was nowhere to be found. And he hadn’t thought of them in years.

As the door was pulled ajar, he nodded affirmatively and gestured her to follow him. In the lower levels of Haviah, you had to look out for yourself. People would sooner cut you as look at you, and he held her hand and felt the tension she was enduring through her whole body.

“I used to make trade here,” he mentioned. “The pack made stuff to sell, or found some scrap, put it to good use, and I brought back food, different stuff to get high with, or credits. It was always good to have a little bit of all three lying around. I’m a runner.  Well was a runner.”

He straightened his back and kept onward, as if he belonged here, although both of them were dirty and could use a bath and change of clothes. “Have you ever been here before?” He could tell she was hurting by the way she moved, so he kept the pace steady but slow.
Title: Re: Absolute Territory [Lion!]
Post by: Cheesigator on May 15, 2020, 10:04:39 pm
Her ear flicked, her tail holding still as she stepped through the doorway with him out onto the busy street. The two of them looked like, and were, vagabonds, but they weren't the worst looking people here. It was an even mixture of all types, though she noticed quite a few more clean cut folks here than in Teinar. In Teinar everyone had to scrounge and scrabble together the best of what they could, but here she saw quite a few more people wearing clean, decent clothes--and there were many that had nice, full cheeks, rather than the shallow, sunken in hollows that adorned so many of the faces back home.

"Ah, uh, r-right…" Was.

That was her fault. She gave his hand a slight squeeze, situating her crossbow so it was hidden on her back by her half-cloak. She had a feeling people here wouldn't like seeing open carry.
"No, I haven't… My sis told me about it, when she came back to visit, once." She looked up, and upon doing so realized just how incredibly massive Aedolis actually was.

The buildings and the lights never ended, reaching up high into the sky, a quite literal caste system displayed so openly and proudly before hee, she felt less than an ant in comparison. How could Hound stand a place like this? It felt almost claustrophobic; she wondered how the buildings didn't fall.

This would probably be the closest she would get to Hound now for quite some time.

She glanced over at Darlin, realizing quickly that they still stood out a bit in the crowds, and she bit her lip. She knew there was talk of traders here, ones that were willing to work with people like them, from Teinar and the Wastes, who didn't have the chips of Aedolian citizens. But even so, she imagined it wouldn't be easy to get by around here without one, how did Darlin think they were any more likely to make it here than down below?

"I have money, from Teinar, if you know anyone here who takes it. We can probably get some food, and at least a place to stay for the night." They would probably have to smuggle in the rabbit, though.

As they started walking, her ears found themselves flicking this way and that as she listened to all the strange conversations, the accents and the slurs. She'd heard that most Aedolian citizens were often drunk, high, or both, and from all the smells she was realizing it was an accurate stereotype. This was a country that controlled its people through pleasure, making them content enough to sedate any real chance of uprising. It felt strange and it made her hair stand on end.
 
"I'm sorry, Darlin." She mumbled, even though she kept her head held high to keep from looking like a meek pickpocket target. "This is all my fault."
Title: Re: Absolute Territory [Lion!]
Post by: Lion on May 15, 2020, 10:05:49 pm
“It’s ok,” he murmured. “I’m not worried about it. I’m more than willing to welcome a life without my pack. I’m not terribly missed either.” He was sure of it and squeezed her hand back, trying to offer a smile of reassurance.

Darlin kept focus, wanting only to get to a safe place where they could refresh, eat, and blend in with the rest of the crowd. “I don’t know if there’s much use in Teinar money. Only credits are good here, or trading in other ways.” He kept walking off to the side where a group of people were talking and when they saw the pair approach, they walked away, keeping their conversation private.

“I have some credits we can probably use.” But it probably wasn’t going to be enough. “Up here, on ‘ground level’, the people use credits. Bartering goods isn’t something that’s useful unless you can sell something. What is it that you have that’s possibly sellable? People here like shiny bits, and drugs. Do you have any drugs?”

Darlin didn’t have any. The last batch he ran up here was out a week before he’d met Morrigan, and this whole alpha shenanigan business had kept him pretty occupied. The chip cards he had were stolen and would only amount to probably one day of occupancy.

He waited instead when they had a private moment, keeping his nerves in check. He looked around, in case anyone was following them from out of the hovel they climbed from. It didn’t seem like it. They ducked off the main stretch of sidewalk and into an alley that was littered with trash and an overflowing dumpster.

“How much business have you done with Teinar?” he asked, curious.
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