A thundering crack sounded overhead, waking the small wolf from her slumber. Her fur stood on end and her tail flagged with alarm, her entire frame lifting from the dirt to stare worriedly outside her den. Between the thunderclaps the soft padding of rain against the roof sounded overhead, and she stepped forward to slowly to peek her head out from the cave and into the onslaught. Another crack, and she was running. She wasn't sure where she was going exactly, only that she needed to get away. She'd been terrified of storms since she was a pup, and when a particularly bad one such as this brewed overhead Zee would always find comfort in her family's warm den. They'd tell stories and laugh and she'd do her best to ignore the terrifying sounds outside. The ravine was treacherous, her paws making their way skillfully along the drenched stone and mud on the most familiar path she knew - towards Deathbelle's den. Not once along her sprint did it occur to her that her empress might not appreciate being awoken in the late hours of the night because her handmaiden was afraid. She only craved comfort and safety, and unfortunately found herself short on individuals who could provide that in Ashen. Just as her mistress' den came into sight, another flash of light lit up the sky. She skidded to a stop and threw herself sideways to huddle shivering underneath a fern beside some boulders. Ears pinned tightly against her small skull, and she peered out from underneath the leaves at the foreboding sky - waiting anxiously for the boom she knew would follow the strike. "Speech" "Thinking" "You."

Sirius moved from the entrance of his den, and out into rain as the storm began in earnest above them. He smiled as the cool liquid ran through his pelt, over his eyes and dripped from his chin. He raised his head to it, and admired the dark clouds in the night as the powerful thunder cracked above him, and he bared his fangs in a silent, appreciative howl at its power. The lightning a short while later lit up his world, and he lowered his head as the sudden brightness expanding in the sky blinded him. He shook his head, clearing water and spots from his vision. The giant was soaked, but he often felt overly warm, and he appreciated the coolness. As his lowered vision moved across the ravine floor, he would catch movement slinking towards him, and another flash of lightning showed the figure barreling towards the rocky wall to hide beneath a fern. With a silent growl the guard crept forward, intent on catching the intruder before it could reach the den of their Empress. He would kill them, and bare the consequences, no one crept about pack territory without ill intent. He arrived as the thunder did, and the sound drowned out his startled surprise as he realised the creature hiding - nay - cowering, in the ferns was Zee. He moved himself over the slave, the favoured handmaiden of his mistress, so that his body blocked most of the rain and wind from her. He was tall enough to fit her under him easily, and he lowered his head to look beneath his belly, to look at her. “Zee, what has happened, tell me” he said, trying to fathom why she cowered here instead of sleeping in her cozy den. "Speech"

The moment she was anxiously anticipating came at last, and a loud crack pierced the sky above. At the same instant a massive, titanic structure came up to her and Zee let loose a horrified scream of terror. It was very lucky for her that the sound of her cry was engulfed by the thunder's roar, as surely without it her mistress would have been horribly and rudely awakened. Fear poured through her and her heart hammered furiously. Sad, frightened whimpers tore from her maw and she truly thought this was how she was to die. Her head ducked low and the sky darkened - something large was blocking out the stars. “Zee, what has happened, tell me” The voice was familiar, but Zee was nearly too frightened to even hear it. It took her some time for the recognition to come, and very slowly she lifted her head to the giant above her, seeing his piercing eyes looking down at her upside down. "S-s-s.." She stuttered, gasping breaths in a struggle to calm her voice. "S-Sirius?" Her ears lifted hopefully from her skull. "I'm- I'm okay." Suddenly she felt very, truly ashamed. The guard must have expected something terrible and dangerous to have led him here. Her ears dropped back flat upon her skull and she ducked her head once more in shame. "There's a storm." She whispered. "Speech" "Thinking" "You."

He wasn’t expecting her to shriek at the sight of him, and well the majority of the sound was drowned from the roaring sky, he still caught a whisper of it, and saw it in her eyes and lips. He held as still as a stone, the rain and wind lashing his coat, but he scarcely minded it. His concentration was all for the small wolf beneath him as she shivered and shook with fear and horror. He didn’t know what had happened to her, but he felt a stirring in his gut. If someone had hurt her, he would… he would… reality hit him like a ton of blocks. If someone had hurt her, it was a Klein, and he was powerless to do anything about it. Unless… unless he embraced the rank that his Empress had given him, as a warrior and not a slave… but no, even then, they would not take kindly if he stopped them from doing what they wished to slaves and he did not know how to be anything but a slave himself. He looked to Zee, fear still bright in her brilliant eyes, and felt a sort of hopelessness that frustrated him almost as much as his love for Deathbelle. “I’m here,” he said softly, gently, hoping and fearing the answer he might coax from her lips. “I’ve got you” the ruthless, fearless titan who had taken more lives than he could count whispered the words to her gently. When at last she said them, understanding took him with relief, and he almost - almost - smiled. He managed to hold them at bay, for well she had not been abused, she was still clearly scared out of her wits. “Alright... heres what we are going to do. My den is closest, you are going to match your steps to mine, and walk there” he instructed her, prepared to hold and shelter her beneath him the entire way. "Speech"

Normally, Zee would have made a mockery of the large wolf for inviting her into his den. She would have tormented him and laughed - likely she'd never let him live it down. The idea was silly, really. What would Deathbelle think to know that her sworn guard had taken her handmaiden in the middle of the night to give her comfort and safety inside his den? The den that neighbored the empress' own. The amusement was lost on her, however, and she felt nothing but overwhelming gratitude and relief at his invitation. "Yes." She said, breathless. He moved forward above her, and Zee skittered along underneath him. Thin legs moved as hurriedly as she could manage, desperate to make it to the shelter. Before them loomed a large rock - and for a heartbreaking moment Zee considered that the walk might be much longer then she'd first anticipated - and as they neared it became apparent that an entrance had been carved into it's face. From behind them another thundering crack sounded, and with a mighty yelp the she-wolf found herself barreling out from between Sirius' legs and towards the rock's opening. It was shallower then she expected to hold such a titan, and only a few strides in she found herself pressed against it's back wall. She squeezed her side against the stone wall tight - as far from the storm as she could get - and looked towards the looming giant. Lifting her head slightly higher she gave a small sniff of disdain. "Not a word to anyone." Though she tried to put a fair amount of threat into her voice, the effect was terribly overshadowed by the subtle quivers of her slender frame. Whether her shivers were from the lingering fear of the storm or from the cold chill of the stone den walls, she didn't know. "Speech" "Thinking" "You."

It was awkward going, he kept his legs wide spread so not to tangle with her own, and she wasn’t quite tall enough to walk beneath him without crouching. The rain didn’t make things easier, as much as he had enjoyed embracing the elements before, the amusement has washed off him at the sight of Zee’s panicked expression. His den came into view, the hard rock that pushed against the side of the ravine, and the entrance that was just large enough to fit his frame. Another boom of angry clouds colliding filled the night, and Zee scurried ahead of him without waiting for the measured steps of the giant. She hopped up the rock, alivated for fear of the banks every overflowing, and vanished inside the opening. He bounded forward, a more measured stride then her fearful one, and entered the den as well. The cave immediately banked left, before coming to a halt. It was a small den, and he filled the majority of it with his bulk as he entered, but at least he had designed it with the weather in mind. He picked up a furred coat, made from a furred ox. Getting such a coat had not been an easy feat, but he was grateful for it now, as he draped it over the smaller wolf, and allowed it to cover her almost entirely. Sirius himself settled between the cave entrance and his small friend, as through to protect her from the storm itself, placing his bulk between them. “Your secret is safe with me” he promised her, keeping a safe distance between them - or as much so as he could in the small den. He still had the after taste of his first fears when he has seen her face, and it left him wary of crowding her. "Speech"

Zee watched carefully as Sirius picked up the coat and stepped towards her, settling down onto the floor against the wall as it was draped over her. Almost immediately she could feel the warmth against her fur, and she curled herself tight underneath it's embrace. Her muzzle rest upon her paws and poked out from underneath it's edge, just enough so that she could see the titan's silhouette against the pouring rain. "Thank you." She murmured softly, voice lacking it's usual bite. She nuzzled deeper into it, taking comfort from the familiar smell it attained while left in Sirius' den. The stone walls did well to block out the harsh sounds of impacting rain, and the man's form protected her from the winds that blew into the small cave's mouth. It was suddenly very quiet - Zee could hear her heavy breaths begin to slow. Bright gaze wandered from his face to roam about the walls around them. "It's nice." She offered, swallowing to rid herself of her anxiety. The terror was slowly fading, replaced by shame and awkwardness. This wasn't the appearance she tried so hard to maintain. Even as a slave she never wanted to appear this weak. "A little small for you though, I think." The storm outside raged on, and Zee wanted nothing more then to forget it's existence. Ignoring the lump in her throat and tightness inside her chest, she spoke up once more. "So, what uh, do you do for fun?" The guard was frustratingly polite and quiet, she hoped it wouldn't take too much prodding to entice him to speak. She desperately needed the distraction. "Speech" "Thinking" "You."

[/b]

He smiled at the image of her head poking out from beneath the giant ox coat. It was dark in the den, and well he could see the shape of her, and the lightness of her face against the dark, shaggy coat, he felt secure in the knowledge that she could not see his expressions. Her ‘thank you’ was soft, and in truth he thought he might have preferred a touch more bite to it - it would have indicated she was recovering from her ordeal. He still couldn’t fathom why she was out in the night if storms terrified her, would she not have been better staying in the safety of her den? He lowered his head to rest against his heavy-set paws, ears raised to listen to the soft sound of rain outside, as he wondered when the next flash of lightning would strike. He was half afraid his little guest would flee the den when she heard the next boom of thunder. His ears twitched towards her when she spoke, commenting on.. His den, he could only guess. A thought that was confirmed when she mentioned the size. “I’m building it deeper” he explained, his voice left soft, falling more into its natural rhythm. He no longer spoke like she was a frightened rabbit on the verge of running - even if he wasn’t quite convinced that was the case yet. Her awkward question gave away plenty, and he sighed softly as he realised her need to speak, and be distracted. The truth was, she had provided him with a distraction once, even if she did not realise it. “For fun?” he repeated, before falling back into silence. He wasn’t certain any of the tasks he set himself to counted as fun, and then, he smiled. “I do like to wind up this small, blue slave girl” he admitted. "Speech"

She watched as his head lowered to his own paws, gaze falling past him to the outside storm which his massive upper body was previously blocking. Was rain supposed to fall so.. sideways? Zee shivered again, tearing her attention away to stare upon the bare wall beside him. He responded to her comment on his den, but Zee was focusing so hard on keeping her fear away she hardly heard him. “I do like to wind up this small, blue slave girl” That, she heard. A small smile crept onto her face, and she opened her mouth to give an appropriately witty response. Crack. The thunder boomed once more. Zee's mouth snapped shut and her head shot up to look over top the brute's spine out the entrance, eyes wide. His form was so massive that there was no way she could squeeze past him even she wanted to... though when she considered the fear-driven idea she realized that nobody in Ashen could make her feel safer. If she was with Deathbelle right now, she'd likely be either ridiculed or thrown out into the rain for daring to disturb her sleep. She whimpered quietly at the thought. As the thunder's echo faded, Zee gathered as much courage as she could to inch slowly away from the stone wall and towards the titan. "Sounds boring." She said finally, with hesitance. Would he be upset if she got too close? Maybe if she moved slow enough he wouldn't notice. "I bet this blue slave girl had a lot to say about being wound up." "Speech" "Thinking" "You."

[/b]

Shortly after his comment, a crack of thunder boomed from the sky. His companion’s head shot upwards and he could see that she was tense, on edge, alert for more of the noise that horrified her. Zee whimpered, and Si sighed very, very softly. He shouldn’t get too close. It was a bad idea, he was already getting close enough to this silly girl. The thought of protecting them from their masters.. It was foolish, and perhaps the wisest move would be to throw her from the den and let her suffer out in the night. It was only a little storm after all, and she already had a den to hide in. Zee crept closer to him as he contemplated the idea, her tone attempting to sound nonchalance as she berated him for his idea of fun. There was that sass again, and he just couldn’t help himself, he smiled. “Oh believe me, she always does.” he agreed, eyeing her creeping form. “Sit still, your going to lose your blanket” he abolished her, getting to his own feet with a yawn, stretching as much as he could in the cramped quarters. He moved closer, contemplating.. Contemplating… He ushered her back into her corner with his body, and waited until she sat down once more, before pulling the blanket back over with his teeth, and lying, this time, beside her. His head was close to hers as he rested it on his paws and looked at her. “What am I going to do with you” he sighed. She was breaking all his rules. "Speech"

She didn't get very far towards him when he caught her, telling her to sit still. Zee's gaze fell to his paws in shame, noticing as they shifted when the brute stood to his full towering height. Suddenly she felt very stupid. Of course he was moving away from her, and where else would he go? Leave it to her to actually physically push a man out of his own den out of disgust. If the heavy hide had not been holding her ears down, they would have pulled back in embarrassment. He stretched, and Zee turned her head away from him. She didn't want to watch him leave or hear his parting words. She'd cozy up to the warm blanket and try to sleep alone if that was how he left her. Suddenly, his body was against her and guiding her back further into the den. Zee moved along with him willingly, looking up at him with an expression that was mostly lost and confused. Having been pushed back against the corner, she lay down onto the ground. A pleasant hum rumbled from her throat as he fixed the blanket upon her body, and then she felt his weight settle in close. “What am I going to do with you?” It made her feel badly to hear his sigh, and she leaned down to press her nose against his foreleg. It was as much touch as she was brave enough to offer - the last time he'd talked of her touching a superior he'd just about snapped her neck. Sirius might have been like her - a slave - but at the same time he wasn't. She could feel his power no matter how hard he tried to exude submission. "Dunno."  She said simply, a fraction of her attitude returning to her soft voice. Her usual wry smile slowly returned. "I'm a slave, I guess whatever you want to do." "Speech" "Thinking" "You."

[/b][/b]

He felt more than heard her hum as he settled down around her. She was so small his entire body engulfed her, and he was afraid that if he fell asleep, he would crush her. What would Deathbelle think then, if he had accidentally suffocated her favourite slave in his sleep. He settled back down fully, to the sound of the rain and the breathing of the girl beside him. He was accustomed to sleeping with another like this, he had always kept a respectful distance between himself and Deathbelle. It seemed strangely intimate, and he wasn’t sure if he wanted to press closer, or backpedal entirely, and perhaps even slink out into the rain. Her nose touched his leg, and he almost grunted at the coldness of it. He was glad he had put a blanket around her, elsewise she was sure to catch a chill, as wet as the rain had left her. He was somewhat cold himself, but he could feel her warm breath against his leg, and felt oddly soothed by it. Somewhere along the way Zee had become his friend, a person he loved outside of Deathbelle, and he was feeling strangely protective of her, with the sound of the storm beyond them, and her against him. He knew he could shelter her from very little in Ashen, the outside world, perhaps, but in Ashen? He could only hope that her favouritism with Deathbelle protected her. He yawned, and closed his eyes with his head upon his paws, and breathed softly. “At this point, it’s enough that you are here and safe.” he said, voice sleepy and gentle. He would have to be especially macho and rough with her in the morrow to make up for this night. "Speech"

It was hard to fear the weather when pressed so snug against the den's wall and Sirius' massive form. Zee settled comfortably beneath the blanket and upon relaxing gave a heavy exhale. The man's fur ruffled outwards around her nose at the air's touch, and she nuzzled it in closer. There was such a stark contrast in this wolf at times, she couldn't help but feel like he was a bird that could fly away at any minute. Tomorrow would he return to his gruff, robotic self? Zee hoped not. She had companionship here in Deathbelle, but all the rules engulfed her in ways that made it so hard to form any intimate attachments. She truly loved her mistress and admired her for her inner strength, but somewhere in the back of Zee's mind rang out that she was merely the Empress' pet - and the fear of making a misstep still held onto her. In traditional relationships when she would fuck something up the worst she could expect was to lose her friends. Being a slave in Ashen meant that she could very possibly lose her life if she was to speak out the wrong way. Sirius would likely be the one chosen to end her, and her mistress would merely find a new handmaiden. She'd be forgotten with no legacy to follow her name. The thought scared her. Zee closed her eyes and breathed in her companions thick scent, taking comfort from it and the heat that radiated out from him. For tonight, she had a friend. All she could hope was that Sirius would not look down on himself tomorrow for choosing to be kind to her. "It's enough for me, too." She said softly, voice heavy with sleep. "Good night, Sirius."   -exit via sleeps?- "Speech" "Thinking" "You."

[/b][/b]

Zee remained settled beside him, and no longer responded to the storm raging outside the walls of his den. He had achieved.. whatever it was he had sought to by bringing her here and burying her in coat and company.

He wasn’t sure what changes this might bring to their friendship, or the hardships it might lead him to. As he had said, it was enough for the moment that she was here and safe, he could make no guarantees for the future.

“Good night, little one” The titan said softly, and listened to the sound of her breathing as it soothed and slipped into the patterns of sleep. He lay awake for a long time, unaccustomed to the presence of another so close to him, and the fear that he would roll onto the smaller wolf. He still dreamed occasionally of the attack that had almost killed him, and had thrashed in his sleep more then once as the dream overtook him.

Instead, he stayed awake the entire night, and in the very early hours of morning, long before the first rays of the sun could touch him he rose as quietly as he was able. He moved the coat so it covered her in the places they had touched, so they would not chill in his absence. With that, he left the den and made his way into a world that was no longer ravaged by storms.