Maggot had traveled northeast, attempting to return to lands she was more familiar with. The sands of the dunes were far too hot, and the young wolf had barely survived. The girl was weak, the usual anxious look in her eyes dulled. The faint scent of water had dragged the last bit of energy out of the young wolf and she was quickly sprinting towards the source.

Some time had passed, and the she-wolf found the river in sight, but the scent of other canines had deterred her. Noticing the scent faded downriver, she hastily moved south. The last thing the young woman wanted was to meet more canines.

Eventually, the scent of other wolves had faded some, though it was still prominent in the area. Her damaged hearing had paved the way for the young wolf to hone her scent of smell. Maggot made her way to the edge of the river, carefully scanning the opposite shore where the smell of others remained. She noted the land was quite beautiful, with large trees and gently waving grass.

Maggot eagerly lapped up the cool water, the stiffness in her muscles becoming more apparent. The young woman moved to lounge in the water, the cool waves lapping gently at her sides. She considered resting here, and the thought of rest seemed to exhaust her more. Maggot knew this was not the best place to rest, with others of her kind so close, but the ache of her muscles was too much to bear.

She languidly stood to move off the shore and plop down in a thicker patch of grass. She stared pointedly at the opposite shoreline, assuring herself that she was safe. Her eyelids slowly moved to close, and the birds lulled her into a light sleep.

The large man was preparing to make his way to the armada's. Now which one to go to he was unsure, Iolaire with Sirius or to this Deathbelle? Who would be more likely to provide him with support for his band, who would be more willing to take on Seven? Borias had many things to think about having given Seven a few more hunting tests in the north now he was back on his way to the south. Seven was nearby but he didn't like the thought of interfereing with Borias' alone time. The male however granted himself to see a female not far down the orchard. She was on a riverside looking a bit beat up and lightly sleeping. It was high near noon it seemed, how odd for a wolf to feel comfortable enough to sleep here. Unless she was tired enough he'd seen that happen with a few others sometimes. Young from the scent Borias curiously and quietly approached.

"Seems like you've had a rough time of it ma'm." he smiled and spoke softly. Sitting a few feet away as to not seem too threatening. He really wasn't into charging on young females unexpectedly. As far as he was concerned she was still a child much like Ray was. Someone to be given direction what kind of direction that was would highly depend on her behavior and what he thought of her. Of course Borias aim was not to harm, but he was far more comfortable with his words with a loner than any other pack wolf.

Maggot was quick to awaken, her limbs quickly moving beneath her chest to force her to a standing position. Her head was lowered, iris-colored eyes peering behind the newcomer and darting once more along the opposite shore. A soft breath of relief left her maw as she realized she was not surrounded. It wouldn't be the first time a cat nap had caused her strife.

Her eyes moved to stare pointedly at the stranger's chest as he spoke, resisting the urge to curl her tail under her frame. She knew eye-contact could be taken as a sign of aggression, and she was doing her very best to avoid a violent outcome. It took her a moment to formulate a response, brows furrowing in concentration.

"Nothing that anyone else couldn't have handled," she replied softly. Maggot knew she was not a strong woman, she was hardly a woman even. Though the thought upset her that she was so helpless, she did little more than furrow her brow. The girl did not sit yet, as she knew that could be yet another painful mistake.

Maggot was glad the male had been kind enough to sit so far away, but she would not trust his kind persona so easily. Her rest had done little more than allow her thoughts to feel less jumbled. The girl's thoughts drifted back towards strategizing her way through the conversation, wondering how to best approach a conversation with a stranger. Maggot wished for nothing more than to turn and flee, but the constant shake of her limbs suggested that it would more than likely lead to more pain for the young woman.

The winter's chill was a strong taint across the land still. But, after his recent voyage North, it seemed a much milder cold in these Southern lands near his home. There was still evidence of grass beneath the light drifts of snow, and the river ran freely, unblocked by ice, if still unpleasantly cold to the touch. He was returning to the Armada, and passing through the familiar territory of the Orchard, when he heard the sounds of voice. A male, easier to hear. A female, a soft, unsteady whisper. He wandered into view, and found the abused woman. Ears, gone from her body, posture limp and afraid. She could not even meet the eyes of the wolf she spoke to. The Warlord cleared his throat, taking in the situation, eyes drifting from the timid female, to the tawny male. “Ma’am, is this wolf bothering you?” undecided still if he intended to interfere, the Titan warrior let the question drift between them. "Speech"

Borias was about to answer her taking into account her posture. Was she an escaped slave? Normally wolves with mental stability didn't act like this. He felt bad for her even as a slavemaster these days as he got older he hadn't been too inclined to harm others. His slaves were well taken care of, bred to perfection and willingly served their masters. However, he wasn't sure what to say to her without provoking anxiety within the female. She was young and to have such injuries at her age made him upset. It was then that a large male approached and his scent matched that of the pack Iolaire belonged to... it was a male from the pack he intended to try to sell Seven to. What a surprise.

He didn't find a need to defend himself, he would let the lady answer as she saw fit. "My name's Borias, sorry that I was concerned a wolf of your age with those wounds and scars can be a bit alarming." he looked to Sirius wondering if he agreed. He was a large male and something about it... made him catious and happy at the same time. He smiled to the stranger keeping his sitting position and his soft voice. Borias had grown more charismatic with age he had realized.

The young wolf turned her head, her eyes briefly meeting the new male's before she hastily moved them away. She figured there was no use running, or even attempting to run, at this point. So the girl slowly moved to lay on her stomach, her eyes cautiously peering at the two. She figured she looked the most calm this way, and it allowed her body some of the rest it desperately craved.

Maggot was a bit confused at his admission, had it not been made visually clear that she was inferior? Her brow furrowed in thought, and her eyes moved to peer at the black wolf's large paws. He seemed genuinely concerned, which inclined her to relax slightly, her hackles lowering marginally.

"The scars just mean I am the least..." she paused, her eyes clamping shut to avoid expressing her sudden anger," behaved."


To say Maggot agreed with her family's teachings was a lie. She knew that there was balance in life and death and that the weak die. The girl did not resent them, she was not capable of such a feeling. Her eyes moved to peer up at the black wolf, her mind reminding her she had not acknowledged his concerns.

"He merely startled me from sleep," she replied softly. She inwardly pondered if the brown wolf had hidden motives. It was hard for her to read emotions on such unfamiliar faces. Her head moved to peer up at the brown wolf, her eyes roving analytically over his figure before her head whipped to give the same treatment to the other male. After her inspection was finished, her head returned to its resting place on her paws.

He felt the eyes of this abused, wasted-away creature upon his feet as he finished approaching. He was close to Borias, placing himself there in case he did need to intervene. It would seem however that it was not needed. The male wolf explaining his concern, and the lost soul redeeming him with her words. Her words elicited a soft growl from the back of his throat. Behaved she said. Behaved! This was not how you treated a slave. A slave served you, and in turn you served them by keeping them safe. It was a mutual, beneficial arrangement. A slave was given all opportunities to rise, if they had fortitude to do so. They were not beaten down and ripped apart. That was a gross abuse of power. He stepped closer to the injured creature, crouching so his mountainous height was not so absolute, glancing over at Borias as he did so. Was his own thoughts mirrored in this wolf? Did he agree that what had been done to her was terribly, terribly wrong? He moved to place a paw under her chin, in an attempt to lift her gaze to his, to study her face, and her numerous scars and wounds. If she reacted badly, he would drop the gesture immediately. “What is your name?” "Speech"

Behaved. The words made him shudder. The sudden notion that a master had even attempted this.... Borias was angered. She would never be able to hunt easily, her ears put her at a disadvantage. She was now broken down and fragile! It appeared that this man agree'd he would strongly approach the female. Borias' eyes widened he had given her the space but somehow the energy this man gave off he was in awe of. His eyes blinked.... if he wanted to have someone buy a slave from him it would be him. Yet, he didn't want to trigger this girl by making it known he was a master. No she no longer was meant to be a slave to be treated as such she deserved freedom.

"Those scars mean someone has wronged you Ma'm, nobody deserves to be treated like that." he answered with sad tones standing up as he stood behind Sirius gladly letting the large male take the lead. His ears pinned back for a moment in sorrow his thoughts moved to Katir. He would be heartbroken to see his lead slave like this. He fed and provided for all of them no matter the hard work it was! He waited to see if she would provide her name to the stranger in front of him.

Maggot's jaw tensed at the approach of the large male, her muscles pulling tight to her body in lew of the fight she was expecting to give. When his paw reached for her chin, her eyes whipped towards his, a wild look gracing them for a moment. Her pupils the size of a droplet, and the beginnings of a snarl on her lip. Upon hearing his gentle question, the look faded and the stiffness in her body was now only out of shocked confusion.

A bittersweet hint of a smile graced her muzzle as she spoke," Maggot."  She knew it was a sorry excuse for a name, and she knew their righteousness would be offended by it. It amused her.

"It is not a matter of what I deserved, it is a matter of what I got, regardless. I only look to avoid more scars, not focus on the healed ones," She quipped, the pity between the two threatening to suffocate her. She was not used to this type of touch, and therefore, had no idea how to react to it. The girl simply sat, her eyes flicking between the two males, trying to figure out what to look at.

It wasn't that she was uncomfortable with their closeness, she had been touched by wolves she knew wanted to hurt her. So the simple touch from a wolf who hadn't shown any signs of violence was a bit confusing to her already rattled mind. Maggot wondered how old the two were, they looked much older than her. She suddenly became a bit embarrassed by her state. Even when she had been treated cruelly, one always kept their appearance top notch.

However, the girl still hated their pity. She had survived all these scars without a single drop of it, and she did not feel comfortable drowning in pity after escaping the suffocation of cruelty.

There was still spirit in her, judging by the start of the growl on her tongue. Almost, almost beaten from her. Much of her was wasted by the abuse she had suffered, but he saw in that moment the chance that she might one day grow above it. He wondered for a moment what to do from here. He was starting to feel that familiar protectiveness rising up in his heart, and he knew that to turn and leave her now would be difficult. This wolf would not suffer another moment of abuse. He would see to it. “I see there's still some spirit left to you, good” the Warlord said, perhaps a little more callous then he had intended. The abrupt shift in his emotion catching him unawares. He would not show how badly he wished to take her away, would not show that weakness. “I have a place in my pack for an apprentice healer, if you wish to learn the art.” he stated, “But it would require someone willing to work hard, and learn” "Speech"

Borias felt like he was being ignored now but he was too distracted by Sirius to care. Not to mention he didn't even know what the man's name was. It was as if he was glowing with that stature and those fangs. The brown striped male shifted in his standing position. Waiting for Sirius to finish before he wanted to speak. So now he definitely wanted to take Seven to him. "I would suggest you take the chance." he said now trying not to feel pity more over her youngness made her more likely to recover from all of this.

"A pack would help you grow..." he didn't know how she would take a stranger telling her what to do but it was only his opinion. He had his own ambitions and things to do. Borias would look to Sirius and then to Maggot. At least he didn't name his slaves as so. They had numbers until sold off and receiving names IF a master saw it fit. Seven was nearby watching probably and Borias was unsure how the male was going to feel about it.

Maggot took a long moment to think, her eyes pinching shut in an effort to quiet all her worries. She had felt the concern radiating from both of them, though it had now been subdued. She debated back and forth, the pros of going along with this male seeing a bit higher than the cons.

She knew she was physically weak, and there was no doubt she had plenty of issues that needed to be dealt with. This would be the first decision that she felt would truly impact her life. A thought crossed her mind briefly, her eyes peering over at the brown wolf for a moment.

"I will not call you master, so first I would like to know your name," she stated brazenly, before realizing her request sounded more like a demand." Please. If you'll allow it," she tacked on quickly, a tinge of fear bubbling into her voice. Her statement was directed at the black wolf, who had so brazenly announced her spirit or whatever that meant.

Her eyes returned to the wolf she now knew as Borias, and she offered a meek smile in thanks to his suggestion. She did not understand the passion these two had towards her past treatment. If she focused on it as much as they seemed to, she knew it would consume her.

Realizing she had never really answered the black wolf's question, she formulated a response rather quickly. "I don't think I would survive much longer, being as... frail as I am, so I'll accept your proposition," She mumbled out quickly, large eyes once again focusing on anything but his.

He nodded his head to Borias, surprised by the unexpected support he was finding in that corner. He looked at the man, really looked at him. So far, the injured wolf had taken up most of his attention, but he committed the man's face to memory. He would remember that this wolf had stood in dismay at this wolf's treatment. If he ever found himself near the Armada territory, the Warlord was likely to offer him a bite to eat. He hid a smile at the slave-girls' words, though he disapproved of her name, and wondered if he might talk her into picking one of her own choosing, come the future. “I am Sirius Fatalis, Warlord of the Ashen Armada” he would give his full title at her request. She accepted his offer, and he nodded his head, pressing a paw gently against one of her own/ “Then welcome to the Ashen Armada” he said softly. Knowing, deep in his heart, that if he ever met her previous masters, he would tear them asunder. "Speech"

Maggot nodded slowly, a genuine soft smile gracing her lips. She was thankful she met these two, who had made their concern clear. The girl scooted away so that she could rise to her feet and not bump into Sirius.

"That's a long name," she replied slowly. Her eyes flicked to meet Borias' and she held eye contact for a few seconds before she flicked her gaze down. She hoped this conveyed both her respect as well as her gratefulness towards the male. She assumed they would be parting ways, and decided to leave it up to Sirius to lead their departure.

Her gaze flicked to the south, her soft eyes roving over the lands. She wondered if they had louder birds, so she could hear their songs more easily. The thought excited her.

Borias was under the understanding that this interaction was over for him. Though he would be back because Sirius was exactly the wolf that he wanted to see and strike a deal with. Handsome at that too. Not that it mattered much to him Borias had his own inner workings at the moment. However, he was glad that Maggot would have a home to call her own. She seemed to have gone through so much and at such a young age. She was practically a pup! What sort of parent let this happen to their child unless they were now dead. Which in that case was sad in itself.

He smiled though and looked to Sirius glad that he and man had come to an understanding. "I best be on my way then, there are people waiting for me. I hope to see you again Sirius... Maggot." he dipped his head. He disliked the named on his tongue but he hoped one day she would find her voice and either wear the name with pride or pick one that suited her better. Besides Seven was probably waiting for him. The man turned and if his exit was not stopped he would make his way to the edge of the Orchard.

-Exit-