The rough stone that lay across the water and down aways from the dens, had seemed like a logical choice at the time. He hadn’t even gotten a chance to pull his buffalo coat from the den, so it was a bare and cold place to sleep. It didn’t bother him terrible, he had spent time in worse places. The main issue was his mind, and how much he had on it. With the attack on Zee, and his admission to Deathbelle, that left a man suddenly surrounded by people he loved, alone. A strange turn of events, and well previously he would have enjoyed some quiet and peace, he instead found he was missing them both. He had really made a mess of things, hadn’t he? He stretched out further on his newly claimed stone, and debated what he needed to be doing for the day. His place in Ashen felt a little shaky at the moment, and he was uncertain if the higher ranks would still be available to him. Of course, at the end of the day it was only serving Deathbelle that mattered to him in his duties. "Speech"

Zee's small form was slumped in shame and sadness as she trod away from her beloved empress' den. She considered the possibility earlier in the morning that Belle might perhaps send her away for fear of aggravating her still-fresh wounds, but she never once even thought that her mistress might be so furious at her. Zee knew that Sirius intended on revealing how close they'd gotten, but he never mentioned a 'when.' She was headed towards her new den - the den she had shared with Sirius for not more then a couple days before the Klein healer butted her way in and closed the proverbial door on her friend on the way out. Zee had no way of knowing when he would be allowed back, if ever, but the way Luce spoke she could assume they'd be seeing quite a lot of each other. Did she even want to go home, after being dismissed from Belle's side? If Sirius was there she'd be more inclined to accept her early retirement, but the last thing the slave wanted to do was come home to her empress' judgemental Klein sister. On the wind Sirius' sent came to her, and Zee found herself immediately gravitating in his direction. There was much she had to say to him, but more then that she wanted someone to yell at so that she could make herself feel better. Hopefully during this talk Sirius wouldn't be so self-loathing, it made it a lot harder for her to use him as an outlet for his anger when he hated himself more then she did. She approached the boulder he lay upon, and let her gaze wander to move upon the shallow water surrounding it. The thought of grooming her coat once more was almost as unappealing as the idea of coming home to Luce, and she was not excited to cross the distance between Sirius and herself. Instead, she'd ask him to come to her. Unwilling to shout, the small slave cleared her throat so that he might turn his head. She gave him a pointed stare, tilted her head to the ground at her feet, then looked back to him. Finally, she lifted one paw to stamp upon the ground lightly. Assuming he got the message - even though it was woven with her usual sass - and would comply, Zee moved to pad a few steps away to give him room upon dry land to approach. "Speech"

He hadn’t expected the appearance of Zee. after all, for all he knew, she was staying in doors and resting at the doctors orders. Instead, she had found her way to his stone, and stood just across the water as she cleared her throat, announcing her presence to him. He got up, and moved to the edge of his sleeping spot, so he could better see her. He had a critical eye for her wounds, but as far as he could see, the Doctor had been treating her well, and there was little he needed to add to her care. Of course, it would be better for all if she had not been injured in the first place. As he watched her, she gave him a pointed stare, looked to the ground, and stamped a paw. He gave her a quizzical expression, before realising that of course she likely didn’t want to shout and aggravate her wound. She moved a few steps from the edge, and he took a couple steps back in order to give himself a headstart. He ran the length of the boulder, pushed off, and cleared the water in a bound, landing heavily in the soft earth on the other side. He had ensured he was far enough away not to splatter her, but his own coat had come out a little worse for wear. He ignored that without a care, and made his way over to the smaller wolf. He could just about feel the sass steaming off her, and wondered what she was about to complain about now. “Zee?” he said, keeping his tone polite and soft. "Speech"

He had the audacity to be so aloof and calm with her in that moment. Zee could think of nothing except how betrayed she felt by his silence towards her on the matter. Her brows knit and she looked up at his face with a stern expression. How to put it? "How dare you." She accused him, lifting a dainty paw to stab at his chest firmly. The small slave growled, but the sound was halfhearted. It was not easy to feel the anger she wanted to express, especially when weighted under the overwhelming sadness that lingered still from leaving her empress' den. "It would have been nice to have a warning before showing up at Belle's den and being sent away because I stole her man." Her gaze softened and she sniffed quietly, trying to keep herself from falling into a shriveling mess at his feet. "Speech"

He paused, taken aback but her sudden and accusatory words. He blinked, and tried to work through what might have pissed her off so much.. Other than the obvious contestants. hurting her, telling Belle about them, and being locked out of the den - the last not actually being his fault. Then she spoke again, and he realised with a soft groan, that he had never gotten the chance to tell her. That had been the same night he had fallen heavily asleep, and Zee had crept in to lie beside him. One thing after another… and of course he had missed his chance to explain the conversation between himself and Belle. His ears flattened to his skull, but his lips bared ever so subtly in agitation, keeping the expression from being submissive. He took her stabbed paw in stride, feeling nothing from it. “Oh,” he said softly, now that he understood why she was so angry with him. “I’m sorry, Zee. it was the same night that.. It was..” he gestured helplessly to her neck before shoving himself through his reservations and spelling it out. “I came home to sleep off the worry after my talk with her, and then attacked you. And no they were not related. My sleep was too deep after sleepless nights.” he made a soft, exasperated noise. “I’ve told her from the start that her and I would never be.” he shook his head and lapsed into silence, frustrated and helpless from the onslaught of situations he had been shown of late. "Speech"

Zee gave an exasperated sigh, looking up at him with sad pleading eyes. "She sent me away, Sirius. She's so angry at me. I feel like I've done something wrong, and I damn well know that I didn't." Zee slumped onto the ground. She wanted to say more, wanted to blame him, but she settled for a pointed look towards him instead to punctuate her words. It was true, it wasn't Zee's fault. It was Sirius' for not telling her sooner that he was off-limits. Obviously. She pushed her nose against the ground with a huff. "What did you say to her to infuriate her so much? Why is she mad at me and not you?"  Her complaints must have sounded childish and selfish to him, but Zee could not imagine being sent from her side. "Did you think of the consequences of her words? What happens if she sends me away forever? What if she sends me to serve another Klein? You won't be able to protect me then." "Speech"

He could tell how much it hurt her to be sent from Deathbelle, he could relate. It had been hard leaving her after telling her his feelings. Zee slumped to the ground, an unexpected motion from the woman who cared so much about her appearance. Seer crouched down in front of her without invading her space, keeping his eyes cautiously on her, uncertain what she would do next. She asked him what he had told Deathbelle, and he winched, uncertain if it would be wise to repeat his words. He looked to her for a moment, huddled sadly against the ground, nose pushing against the earth, and decided she deserved to know. “I told her that I love you, and wish to protect you. That I want always to be Deathbelle’s friend, as we have been since childhood. That if she ordered it, I would not take you as my own, but I would still protect you.” he admitted. Would she be angry that he had not fought more for her, that he would bow down if the Empress ordered it? Or would she expect as much from the loyal warrior. He took a soft breath, and considered his words carefully, what was on his mind in response that was near mutiny. “I would respect her heart and not take you as my own if she ordered it, but if she compreminded your safety, and sent you to one who would hurt you, I would fight for the freedoms of both of us, whether you wanted it or not.” there was that protective streak, that unreasonable part of him, and there was steel in his eyes as he looked down at her, dearing her to protest. "Speech"

Zee's ears pulled back against her skull as she spoke, and she couldn't hide the sadness that came over her at his words. It didn't surprise her really - Sirius was loyal to a fault and it was one of the reason she loved him - but a small part of her hoped that he'd choose her over Deathbelle. It felt weird to know that she came first in every part of his life, and that it was only with her permission that he could ever love her back. Should it ever come to it where they were allowed to be together, would Belle still always come first? Zee knew she was just a slave and nobody important in Ashen, but the woman in her wanted to be treated just as well as the empress was. He mentioned fighting for their freedoms, and Zee scoffed, utterly unphased by the steel in his eyes. "Right."  She responded, her tone dripping with sarcasm. "First of all, Sirius, you don't need to fight for your own freedom. You are not a slave." She let that sink in, matching his hard gaze with her own. "Second of all, it's easy to say and a lot harder to do. What if in this hypothetical scenario, Deathbelle does not declare a champion? Our empress is a warrior herself and it would be intelligent to force you to stand up against her in battle. Hannibal, Archon, any one of her brothers you'd have little qualms in harming.. but don't try and tell me that you'd fight her for me." Zee figured she had him beat, there. "Speech"

He could sense the sadness in her, and it only heightened the protectiveness he was feeling over her. He still felt that desire to drag her away and stand over her, protect her. It was the desire that led him to drag her into his den in the first place. There was more caution in him, now that he had hurt her, and hurt Death, but the feeling hadnt diminished.

Her words dropped with disbelief as she spoke up, and his ear flicked at her 'right' hr fight back another growl, and the temptation to fight for his words. He buried it, especially since he wasnt exactly sure how he could fight for them. Other then to use words back. They felt diminished, for her lack of belief, and he wishes he could back them up with steel. "I would still have to fight for my right to leave this pack, if Deathbelle does not wish to let me go." He pointed out to her gently, and he could not see her choosing to do so. He could not see the situation according, in his head it was for Zee, but she was right that it all dimmed when he looked at is as against Death. How strange his world seemed to be growing. How many parts of him would be at war before this was over?
"I will allow none to hurt you, and I can not promise what I might do in my anger." He said, and was content to leave it at that. She had seen him in a blind rage, and he hinted now that any harming her would unleash him.

Zee had been around Sirius long enough now - she watched the defensive anger begin to bubble within him and sighed, unwilling to press the issue further. Tentatively, she stepped forward and reached her head up high to offer him a nuzzle against his cheek if he would allow it. "Oh Sirius, we'll cross that bridge when we come to it." She promised, eyes sliding shut softly. Zee knew she'd never allow him to do such a thing - if it came to it she'd fight for her freedom herself, hopefully before her titan would hear the news. At best case scenario she'd win and be gone before he'd awaken from sleep, at worst case... well, she didn't want to think of it. She cleared her throat and stepped back from him to offer him a halfhearted smile, heart still heavy with the anticipation and worry. "This could be our final day." She told him softly, trying to keep her voice positive so it might not falter. "My schedule is conveniently clear - what would you like to do, my friend?" "Speech"

He was a solid, unmoving force as he looked at her, willing her to see the truth in her eyes. If it came down to Death’s happiness and Zee’s safety, he would pick the latter. He just hoped Death did not endanger her in her anger. He did not... think she would, and he allowed himself to hope that the long standing friendship between himself and Deathbelle would shield at least Zee in this. Zee stopped arguing, but he wasn’t certain that he had convinced her. He let the argument lie however, knowing his own conviction even as he hoped it never came to that. She sounded so somber as she told him it could be their final day together - now that Deathbelle knew where they stood. He found himself falling oddly quiet at that. It could well be his large chance to show her affection, before Deathbelle commanded him otherwise. He would still see Zee, still protect her, but there was the chance that they could never be hanging over them. The titan sighed and gave her a soft nudge, before looking about the pack, and shrugging helplessly. His idea of entertainment was a brisk spar, but he didn’t think that was appropriate with her wounded neck. He was about to admit defeat, when a terrible idea surfaced in his thoughts. He almost groaned, but shook it off. this was perfect. Zee could do light activities watching and coaxing him, well also enjoying a chance to see him flounder and likely flail. That was sure to improve her mood after Deathbelle had sent her running. He turned and looked into Zee's eyes for a moment, and gave a resigned, mental sigh. Anything for her he knew, even if he wasn't going to say so out loud. "How about a swimming lesson?" "Speech"