I'll live inside of my own head When the time is right again I'll let the sun creep in The night had passed slowly, and with little sleep, but it had been enough for her to have energy for the coming hunt. She rose and stretched, yawning softly before stepping u to the mat that covered her door and poking her head out. It was still dark, but she knew that dawn would break soon, and Sirius would be expecting her. She stepped out of her room, sitting just outside of the entrance to wait. She doubted it would be long before he would come to collect her, and she was eager to prove that she could be of use to him. He said he would protect her, but if she spent her days hiding away in the den and being nothing but a drain on his resources, well, she was smart enough to know where that would get her. Hunting was an enjoyable task for her, it helped her clear her mind, and even if she wasn’t trying to earn her keep, she was looking forward to the days events. "Speech" || Thoughts

Knowing the plan for the day, Sirius woke well before the sun, and made his rounds across the terratory. He made his way back to the spot he had found little Acciona and searched for signs that anyone had tracked her scent this far. When that came up empty, he continued his border patrol, seeking signs of anything out of the ordinary. He returned to his starting point, satisfied that nothing was amiss. He stopped by the well, and took a drink, long tongue lapping gently at the container he had filled, before he pushed it to the side and made his way back to the den.

He found the hunter waiting for him outside her room. He gave her a cursory look over when he arrived. She looked a little rough around the edges, but that was to be expected. "Excellent" he said, at seeing her up and ready to take on the day. "Good morning Little Acciona - or is there a nickname you prefer?" He asked politely as he adjusted one of his arm bracers. He was already turning around, making his way to the den exit and expecting her to follow. He took then out into the fresh, crisp scents beyond. The sound of the gently flowing water increasing the moment he pushed past the flap. He lead them to the border of the Weeping Woods before he looked back at her. "Take lead" he ordered. He wanted to see what she could do

I'll live inside of my own head When the time is right again I'll let the sun creep in It was not long before Sirius entered the den to fetch her for their hunt, but those few minutes had given her a chance to chase off any lingering traces of sleep. She was bright and alert, at least enough to take on the day and the planned tasks. The girl had been through a lot, and had worn herself down quite a bit, and it would take time for her to recover from the damage that had been done, both physical and mental. He greeted her and asked if she had any nicknames that she preferred, to which she shook her head. She’d had many nicknames her old home, but none of them had been preferable to her own name. He turned and left the den, and she quietly followed, once more taking in the sights around her new home. Neither of them spoke as they walked, and the silence was far more comfortable for her than having to struggle for words. As they neared the edge of a willow grove, he looked back at her and and commanded her to take the lead. Leading was not something she was used to or comfortable with, but she had no choice. She had to do what she was told. Stepping forward, she began to search for a trail. "Speech" || Thoughts

She had no nickname that she wished to share, and he wondered briefly at the past she had left behind. She had been treated badly, something that had not phased him before he had met Zee. his wife had forced him to face a humanity in him he would have rather left buried, and showed itself not in strange ways. Like the possessive growl he buried before it could surface. Acciona was now his little slave, and she would be safe and well within his pack.

The silence of their walk through the pack was a comfortable one, the Titan at ease with the quiet between them. He paid careful attention to her, listening to the sounds of her foot-falls, the quiet exhale of her breath. She did not start to look for scents until he directed her to, at which point she stepped up and did as he commanded without a second thought. She was accustomed to being ordered about, that was clear.

He sat patiently, giving off no air of annoyance or impatience, as he gave her the space she needed to do her job.

I'll live inside of my own head When the time is right again I'll let the sun creep in She moved carefully, listening to every sound around her, cautious of every step she took to make sure she didn’t make a sound. Being so small didn’t lend itself well to taking down large prey, but it did make it much easier to sneak up on her prey without being noticed, and with Sirius’ help brute strength wasn’t something she would have to worry about. A gentle breeze reached her, carrying with it the scent of a deer. Her tongue flicked across her lips and she set off, making sure to stay downwind of her intended target. She kept to the shadows as she moved, stopping far enough from the deer that the two of them would hopefully not be noticed. It was young, but still large enough to be worth the energy of the hunt. She glanced at Sirius, instinctively wanting to check with him before making a move, but he had told her to take the lead. She took a deep, but quiet breath before she began to move, creeping in as close as she could until she was noticed. The deer took off, but she was ready for it and she took off after it. Claws dig into the earth with each stride, propelling her forward as fast as she could go. Hooves flew past her face but she dodged quickly enough to avoid being struck. She lunged forward, catching the leg in her mouth, and while she wasn’t able to latch on enough to pull the thing to the ground, she felt flesh tear between her teeth. "Speech" || Thoughts

Sirius rose as she started off once more, walking cautiously and quietly. He moved behind her, stepping where she stepped, allowing her the full range of the world beyond them, without his interference. He was also a few strides back from her, since he did not walk with the same silence she did. His paw-steps were carefully placed, meticulous and trained, but his size did not lend the same air of silence as it did to Acciona.

They crept like this closer to the deer, until she stopped, and he filled in some of the gap between them. She glanced back at him, and he gave nothing away. It was enough, it seemed, for she crept forward once more, closer and closer to the deer. When it began to run, she burst free of her cover, chasing it. She was a quick little thing, and kept pace with the fleeing prey, and was able to score a hit against its leg. Sirius at that point was on the other side of the deer, racing hard across the ground. When he heard her strike, he would do so also. Careful not to show the beast too far to her side and trample her as he lunged, and grabbed a different hoof. With his help, the deer lost traction, and floundered hard to the earth between them. Sirius kept his grip on the hoof as the creature flailed desperately, holding it down to give the smaller hunter the chance to take the kill shot.

I'll live inside of my own head When the time is right again I'll let the sun creep in Times like this, in the middle of the hunt, were one of the few times she felt like she had any kind of control or confidence. The wind rushing past her face and drowning out all of her uncertainties, the thrill and the adrenaline leaving no room for doubt or hesitation. As soon as Sirius pulled the deer down, she leapt forward, grasping the creatures throat in her jaws. Her teeth sunk in and she shook her head to further tear at the flesh, her grip remaining firm until the flailing limbs fell limp and the panicked cries went silent. She let go, stepping back from the kill before turning to look at Sirius. Already she had come down from the high, and any traces of confidence were gone, leaving behind a ghost of a woman, someone who lived her life as a shadow at the paws of a king. If fate had taken a different course, maybe she would have been wild and carefree as she had been when she was a child, perhaps the joy and freeness she felt during the hunt would have been a normal occurrence for her. For now though, she stood with her head low, waiting for the next order to be given. "Speech" || Thoughts

His hunting companion was quick to move, and seemed instinctively to know exactly where he needed her. Perhaps that was her years of servitate, it led to a profound understanding of the moods of her masters. As she killed it, Sirius moved his body partly over the fallen deer, putting himself in the way of its flailing limbs to offer her a sense of security. He caught a good kick to his shoulder and grunted, before it fell still with death.

He looked up to the small hunter with a grin on his face, only to see her expression fall from exuberant, to quiet. He frowned at her, not liking the feeling that stirred in his gut. It was a feeling of possessiveness, and rage at her previous king. Acciona was his and that false king had damaged her. One day, Sirius would kill him for that.

He took a step back, off the kill, giving some space between the two of them. “Very good” he said approvingly. “I see hunting is in your blood” he surveyed the deer, happy with their winnings. “Lets drag this back home”