In truth, it would have been easier to seek out the assistance of Sephiran or even Aurelia, as Rhazien wasn’t the most knowledgeable in the crafting of medicinal remedies. And although he loved pestering the azure beauty beyond her comfort zone, and spending time with the tyrannical sultan wasn't bad either- but he thought it’d be more interesting to seek out the elusive, casanova of their group. And so, he’d linger just outside of the moor, tipping his head to the heavens to release a summons for Caedes. Wondering if he was within earshot distance, or if he was in some faraway land doing whatever the hell he did while alone.

Why was he calling? Well, he had a minor wound on his shoulder- a perfectly missing chunk of fur and superficial flesh, marked by the jaws of a lioness he’d fought. It wasn’t infected, being relatively fresh and still weeping serious drainage and scabbed over with dried blood. Surely the boy would know how to dress it, given he'd been mentored by his mother?

"Speech"

Caedes emerged from the shadows of the moor, drawn by the call echoing through the air. His body cut seamlessly through the brush as he approached, his gaze immediately fixing on Rhazien's wounded shoulder. "Rhazien." Caedes greeted, his voice a low rumble tinged with curiosity as he assessed the injury. His eyes narrowed slightly as he examined the wound, a faint flicker of recognition crossing his features. He drew closer, the need for personal space void in this instance. "Trouble in paradise?" He remarked sarcastically, his tone betraying neither surprise nor concern. "Cat or cunt?" A jest. He could see from the set of the bite and the shape of the cut it was a feline’s teeth that had done it. With a deft hand, Caedes began to tend to the wound, his movements precise and deliberate as he removed a satchel from his neck, rummaging around within for his supplies.

As he set to work, Caedes couldn't help but wonder at Rhazien's choice to seek him out, knowing full well the alternatives available to him. Yet, he remained silent, focusing his attention solely on the task at hand, allowing the unspoken question to linger in the air between them.

"speaking"

He didn’t wait long for Caedes to arrive- sauntering forward in his nonchalant fashion, musculature rolling beneath that imperfect pelt. His eyes shifted to align with the males, nodding his head in a simple greeting, before he sat down and allowed him to assess the wound in greater detail. His sly comment brought a smile to his face- oh, Caedes was a jokester wasn’t he? "Would you be surprised if I said both?" Banter to match Caedes jest- surely the male remembered his uncle was a salacious, libidinous creature- if he had the opportunity to fuck a feline like Azoula, he’d take it just to say he could.

His eyes trailed the movements of Caede’s paw, watching with interest as he tended to the wound. He’d grabbed something from a satchel around his neck, a green bundle of herbs that was familiar to Rhazien was its use was foreign to him.  

"Speech"

Rhazien's returned joke elicited a subtle quirk of Caedes's lips, a glint of amusement dancing in his eyes. "That's quite fitting for you, Uncle. Perhaps consider a muzzle for next time." Banter. Easy and after all, Caedes was no stranger to the antics of Rhazien, well aware of his proclivities. Briefly, the scarred brute's mind drifted to Mariah, thinking of how he would have to muzzle himself if he went much longer without meeting her...

Caedes's attention flickered back into focusing on the task at hand as he tended to the wound, his movements deliberate and precise. From his satchel, he retrieved a bundle of herbs, their purpose for inflammation and infection. Carefully he began to grind them up, mixing them within a low lipped stone pot, mashing them together and setting them aside. Then he retrieved a piece of cloth from his bag, damp already, and pressed it carefully to the wound to begin cleaning it. His touch was gentle, his expression betraying none of the complex thoughts swirling within his mind.

"speaking"

Again with a jest, Caedes had Rhazien chuckling at his comments. Mulling over his words, thinking of how that might turn out. He decides to say one last remark, before changing the subject. “Oh, but that would mask the sounds you know.” Crude and salacious in the presence of other men, it was quite obvious Rhazien saw women as sexual objects meant to please him.

Watching as Caedes ground up the herbs, Rhazien was silent, curious about the process of making the salve. But that curiosity quickly shifted subjects, as he sought to know more about his detached nephew. “Got plans for a Sidi? Or a lover?” A blunt question to ask no doubt, but not surprising coming from Rhazien’s mouth. It wasn’t unheard of for Saxe males to take mates over Sidi- and he wondered, what kind of man Caedes saw inside himself. Dominator or possessor?  "Sephiran's claimed a Sidi. Kaino, Yarrabelle, and Auriga as well." He added.

"Speech"

The sounds. His mind flooded with memory. Caedes bristled, his eyes flashing with possessive, all-consuming lust for just a moment. He suppressed it, motions pausing until he quirked a brow and returned to his work. Caedes continued to grind the herbs in silence, his focus unwavering as he concentrated on the task at hand. Rhazien's next inquiry, however, drew his attention away for much longer, his gaze flickering towards his uncle with mild interest.

"Mm. Sidi or lover…" Caedes mused at the blunt question, his tone neutral yet tinged with a hint of amusement at Rhazien's straightforwardness. It was characteristic of his uncle to dive into such topics without reservation. Pervert that he was. As he cleaned the wound, he wiped away the dried blood and puss.

"Interesting choice of conversation," Caedes remarked dryly, his expression betraying little emotion as he considered the question. He set the cloth down, reaching for a clump of moss that would be his applicator of his salve. “I'm not fucking a sidi." He paused briefly, his thoughts drifting to the dynamics of Saxe society and the expectations placed upon males like himself. "Sephiran, Kaino, Yarrabelle, and Auriga have made their choices," He acknowledged with a nod, his tone neutral. "But as for myself, I prefer a challenge. An equal. If not in body, then in mind. I have no interest in toys." It wasn’t the most foreign concept ever. Some Saxe’s took other Saxe’s as mates for the exact same purpose. Caedes' didn't fancy taking to bed a weak, brainless woman. It was not his cup of tea. With that, he applied the salve, running the moss slathered in the herbal concoction into the wound at Rhazien's shoulder. He packed it in, eyeing it to ensure it did not need further dressing before he nodded to the older man.

"speaking"

The feel of the cloth against his wound stung, but Rhazien kept his composure- watching Caedes with an analytic gaze, wondering if his question would crack that stoic facade. It must have stirred something inside of the boy- his pelt started to bristle, those emerald eyes overcome with a possessive gleam. Oh? Nearly leaning forward in his seat, he wanted the boy to profess something- but he didn’t.

Instead, he explained his thoughts on the matter while moving on to the next step in his task, having picked up a chunk of moss covered in the salve he’d created. "Then it appears we aren’t so different after all.” He’d say, smiling at Caedes who was packing his wound with the salve. It may have come as a surprise to Caedes, given how perverse Rhazien was- but like his nephew, he enjoyed the thrill of a chase over the dominion of an unwilling soul. Still, that didn’t mean he wouldn’t fuck a whore or two- but he never thought to keep them around after.

Nodding to him, Caedes singled he was done with his work. Rhazien looked down at his shoulder, inspecting it before raising his leg and rolling around the socket. It felt much better than before, though the bite of pain was still there. “You’ve certainly learned her skills.” He says, a final comment that also serves as a compliment. If Caedes had nothing else to say, he'd dismiss the brute and return to the moor.

-end?-

"Speech"