Her sight was still quite blurry but she could see his form pause in the doorway when she asked the question. She couldn't read his face through the blur and wasn't quite sure how he was reacting but this... was not what she expected. She half expected to be told to mind herself or slapped for insolence. Instead, he crouched on the soft bed next to her, much like a father would while comforting a child...

What he told her made sense in a way. She didn't understand power dynamics very well, aerodynamics, sure, thermodynamics, hydrodynamics, system dynamics, and even a little stellar dynamics, but social dynamics? Nada.

She understood there were leaders and followers and it made things efficient.

"I really appreciate you being frank with me. It helps me understand." She replied after a moment of mulling it over.

"It's easier for me to do things if I know why. It's really hard for me to do it if I don't understand the reason for it or if it's inefficient. I had a really hard time with the goats. I didn't understand why you told me to get them." She looked up at him, her eyes still having a hard time focusing but she could at least make out the blue on his face. She remembered Spider saying that Basilisk was under a lot of pressure.

"I'll try not to ask you why in front of others, but if I need to understand to do what you are asking of me, can I ask the reason? If it's not an emergency... of course." If she understood her role better, she could fulfill it. If she understood the command, she would do it.

"I... I like my job. I like doing things..." She added quietly. It seemed they would butt heads whenever she didn't understand something.

"Ignita"

Basilisk may enter her threads without warning.

Something inside him panicked at the trust in her voice. His voice was a little hurried, as through trying to shove conviction into his tone. “This… we aren't friends, Ignita. I'm trusting you, because you're someone outside the sphere of family and politics here. Because I've dragged you into my circle, whether you like it or not. I don't do friends.” He told her. This… this was blurring the lines between slave and master. He hadn't intended to let her get close. 

He got back to his paws, shaking out his coat. “I'm giving you a respite while you recover from this, but you belong to me. You can ask, Little Slave, but I can't promise I'll answer.” He was physically, mentally, verbally, putting back those walls she had started to tear down. He didn't want to let her in, he wanted to use her and survive his ascension into leadership. That was the point of bringing her into the Armada. He wasn't his grandfather, he wasn't here to adopt every stray that looked at him with puppy dog eyes. In fact, realising he was susceptible to them panicked him a little.

She felt him recoil before she heard it. A defeated sigh left her lips when he left his seat. She gently laid her head back down. Trying not to weep again. He didn't understand her.

"I understand, Master Basilisk." She didn't really. The Little Slave had been hoping he would reveal more to her about whatever great plans he had for her. If she knew, maybe she'd be more cautious and have an idea of what she could work towards! But no... what he really needed was someone not to argue with him or have their own opinions. To use as he saw fit. Maybe even to create more little slaves to do his bidding. Wait no, no slave kids.
She buried her face into the furs, she'd like to be done with the procreating hormones now. She didn't think she'd be a good mother anyway, never mind even being one. Ew. If it was Spider though... Ew no, too young. Also, still not allowed. Where were those herbs, she needed to busy her mind with something, anything else.

She would struggle to sleep if he left her at this point. Eager to heal, eventually succumbing to a light slumber.

"Ignita"

Basilisk may enter her threads without warning.

His teeth clicked together in a growl when he saw the desolate expression on her face. She looked wounded, body and soul as she lay there. Was this what his grandfather felt? When he brought home strays every other day? 


“Curse it, Ignitia, stop looking at me like that” he growled at her, turning as if not seeing it would lessen its impact. Perhaps he'd do better with the next slave. He'd just have to ensure they didn't attempt to climb shelving and wind up in his makeshift infirmary. He stalked forward, closing the small distance he had built between them. “I'm trying to maintain professionalism here. to build this pack and its structure right. But I already feel like I'm making a mess of it.” He sighed, and eased himself back down on the corner of her bed. “Tell me why no one has tried to find you” he ordered her.

She perked her ears at him as he growled at her, what did he mean? She wasn't looking at him? Oh is this one of those things where they think she's giving them a "face" when she isn't?

He came back to sit next to her, he seemed to be struggling to make up his mind about her, admitting he felt like he was making a mess of his own job.

Tell him why no one has tried to find her... Hmmm...

"I can probably answer that if you answer one of mine!" She tried to sound sly but it sounded more like a kid attempting a joke as the tip of her tail swayed and she looked too hopeful.

"What's your big plan to make me important?" She might as well try and go for the big one.


"Ignita"

Basilisk may enter her threads without warning.

His expression was incredulous. He reached over and gently cuffed her ear. Not enough to do her injuries any harm, just to get the message across. Even on the edge of the bed, he could reach across her little body just fine to hit his target. “You don't stop pushing, do you?” He asked her. He gave his head a small shake and then finally considered her question.


“I can accept a trade, but not that one. You haven't earned it yet, ask another.” He decided. She had a quick mind after all, it was one the first things he had observed about her. He was curious to see what she would think. “And answer my question first” he ordered, just in case she had forgotton who was running this show.

She flinched as he gently cuffed her ear, the message was heard, but whether she'd keep it in mind was another thing entirely.

The tone of his voice made her tilt her head at him. Her? Stop pushing what? Oh, another one of the social things she was accidentally doing she wasn't supposed to do. Was the question too obvious?

"Okay okay, it was worth a shot." She shrugged, then winced, wishing she hadn't shrugged.

"I guess no one's tried to find me because..." Honestly, she hadn't given it much thought, "Actually I don't really know, maybe. Maybe I do know..." Her voice got quiet as she thought about it for the first time. With a sigh she started again.

"They probably found me too annoying and might even be glad to be rid of me. I was... kind of the Alpha's favorite pet in a way. She told me I was her daughter, the child she never had, all kinds of things like that. But she didn't really pay much attention to me. I ran around as a kid learning everything I could. But she... I don't know. Everyone teased me about one thing or another. I kept to myself a lot... They might not even know I'm missing..." Or care...

The perfect little slave, wrapped up in a perfect little sandy gold bow. No one was looking for her.

She looked up at him, a little tear had escaped its confines down her cheek.
"So why-" She sniffed, ignoring it, "Why did your father leave?"

"Ignita"

Basilisk may enter her threads without warning.

He grew quiet as she began to answer, he didn’t exactly expect it to be an easy one. The Fatalis family was… well, their Grandfather was the lynchpin, but even without him, they fought for each other. If Kite hadn’t fought him, and she had been in trouble, he would have come for her. If he was in trouble, Hazel would come for him. Spider, Sirius, someone. For Ignita, there was no one.

“Hmmm…” he mused as she described herself as the Alpha’s pet. She didn’t speak of her family. Perhaps she didn’t have any? Why else would the alpha call her a daughter? “Alpha’s pet… Warlords pet… has a nice ring to it, doesn't it?” he teased. From one Alpha’s arms to another. Poor thing.

Ah, and there was the water works. He raised a paw to brush it away - those damn blurred lines and all - when her next words still his paw. He snatched it back before it could touch her cheek. He glowered. She was into heavy hitters with her words, wasn’t she? “That’s a damn good question. I wish I knew the answer. He claimed… he claimed he left for our own good. Then he claimed he stayed away because he could never accept that my grandfather - his father, had found another woman after my dad’s mum died. I think it’s bullshit - the doing it for us part. If he cared that much, why did he take my sister away? What happened to my other sisters? He kept the kids he wanted. The ones he thought would carry his legacy, I guess, and got rid of the others. Except then we became obsolete. Maybe he’s out there making more little fuckers to control--” he reigned himself in, with great effort. Breathing quickly. He turned away from Ignita. Fuck. He’d never spoken ill of his father to anyone but Hazel, and even then, barely. Barely.

"Speech"

She chuckled wryly at his humor.
"I guess I'm suited for it, then." She half shrugged her right shoulder, the pain not quite as bad. What else she was good for?

He reached his paw out for her, she was a little confused because she hasn't asked her question yet, why would he cuff her now? But after she did he pulled it back so fast she pulled her ears down and tucked her head to brace herself for a harsher cuff this time. It didn't come.

He instead answered her question. When he turned away, his breathing quick, she didn't know why she did it but she softly placed her tiny golden paw over his massive black one. Saying nothing else. Mostly because she didn't know what to say, also because... They had both been discarded it seemed. It's not easy to feel that alone.

Right, story time was over. If there was one thing Basilisk didn’t like, it was revealing weakness. The only thing worse was revelling in it. He shook off her paw and got to his feet. “Rest up, Little Slave.” he told her, closing the book on the closeness that had emerged between them.

“We’ve much to do to get this pack into shape.” and he intended to utilise her the best he could to accomplish that. He grimaced at the thought of the clean up he would have to do in the storeroom. Which he’d been putting off to have their little chat.


"Speech"

She took her little paw back and tucked it around her precious possum. She wasn't offended, she was a grateful he only shook it off and not gave her something else for her insolence.

She nodded her head "Yes, Master Basilisk." She replied, putting her head down to claim her much needed rest. Was she being cheeky? Perhaps, since he insisted on her title, she'll insist on his. Toe a line she was only half aware was there, she also just felt more comfortable calling him that instead of just his name.

She still didn't understand what she could be doing that was putting the pack in shape. She made some suggestions for the food stores sure, she'll have to find another way to get that hole chiseled out, maybe one the companions could help. But anything else? Oblivious. She was exhausted. Her rest would be fitful for a few days.