He led Ignita up the path, her side pressed into his. Her paws suddenly unsteady, as she found her footing, trusting the ground was still there was strange. As he led her up and over the point, she could feel more confident that he was leading her well. That is until he described the test.

How was this about defenses??? Walking a plank? Oh, tighten her core, testing her balance... Hmmm... She reached her paw forward and felt the thick wood. depending on how thick and dry it was would determine if it was brittle or flexible. She wanted to know how old it was, but that wasn't the point here. She'd balanced on plenty of things before.

"Did you forget how tall the scaffolds were in the storage? Or did you only see the wreckage after I fell?" She said with a tease. She hadn't climbed and walked the scaffolding blindfolded though. And she couldn't remember if she lost her balance or if the scaffolding fell apart during her accident.

She carefully pulled herself over the plank, feeling it move under her, secured though. She felt the breeze and it didn't feel like the opening wind wooshing around her over the edge of a cliff, it felt like a breeze that had rustled the trees around her. The palace in the desert of her upbringing had many small nooks and crannies, banisters, and tall ladders. It was an old human settlement that had been built on top of their homes in various ways. Tall wind-catching silos called badgers cooled the adobe houses below. The narrow passages had plenty of planks over them. She saw many of the children below the palace practice climbing on the roofs of the settlement, hopping around, and disappearing into the maze.

One delicate paw steadily found her footing on the plank. She tested it with her weight, placed her other front paw on it, and then shifted her weight side to side to test it.

She pulled herself fully over the plank and felt the shifts. Slowly she placed one paw over the other, feeling the edges of the plank as she carefully walked over it.

The center of the plank started to bow lower and she slowed her pace even more, holding her center and testing her placement. She was calm and steady as she focused. Her imagination ran wild on how high up she could be but a small part of her was telling her that it wasn't the case. He would never put her in that kind of harm's way. He just wouldn't.

The plank wobbled and she clung to it waiting for it to stop, letting her feet move with the board but keep her body level, her tail out.

"Ignita"

Basilisk may enter her threads without warning.

He watched her walk the plank above the small gap, slow and steady. Fear didn't keep her rooted, doubt didn't make her sway. She walked slowly and carefully, and when she reached the middle it began to bow. “You'll have to do this part fast, or it'll bow too much and you'll fall. Wylan is in the woods with netting to try and catch your fall, but no guarantee he'll be in the right space. Keep your knees bent, use your tail for balance. Move Ignita, to freeze is to die.” 


He warned her, the absolute bullshit leaking through with the genuine advice. If she fell she would be unlucky if she even got a bruise. But he was trying to sell the bit. She had to believe she was in danger. It had to be real.

Her ear heard him, he didn't have panic in his voice, he had urgency.

She wasn't frozen, she was waiting for the swaying to steady, his voice didn't fall away from her on the other side as if she was on the edge of a cliff, it returned to her as if bounced off a hill.

She huffed and moved her paws quickly along the plank, her claws gripping the wood that was far too still to be hanging over the edge of a cliff. She stepped off on the other side and pulled the blindfold off with a flourish.

"You're so full of shit!" She rebuked with a teasing smirk. She couldn't figure out how she knew she was safe as she was on the board but there was a part of her that knew it. At one point she may have called him a son of a sphinx but her desert -isms were slowly falling away from her memory. No one else spoke those monikers around her, she had others she could adopt and remember more easily.

She bounded quickly at him and threw the blindfold at his face. Then ducked under his chest and out behind his elbow to quickly dash down the public side of the trail, toward the market.

"Speech"

She bounced off the board, having conquered her balance in a way that satisfied him. She took the blind off off to his regret. He'd actually hoped to have a moment teasing her with it on. Perhaps even a little ravishing… he laughed when she told him he was full of shit. She threw the blindfold at him and ducked under a quarter of his body. Dashing out the other side. He turned on his heel and leaped after her.


Her escape lasted barely a few steps away from the little put before he was tackling her. Rolling her gently in a way that protect her body and left her under him. “I want the blindfold back on.” He ordered her in a voice full of growl and lust. She had passed his second test. His third would be the hardest, and getting her ready for it would be no easy task. But he didn't want to Think about that. Right now, he wanted to have his way with her. He tossed the blindfold down on her forehead.

Ignita squealed as he caught her and reached for the tufts of grass as he rolled them both together. He growled lustfully sending shivers down her to her belly. She pushed and struggled against him, trying to gleefully escape and she laughed as he placed the blindfold on tightly. She made it hard for him to put it back on this time and struggled against him but as he pinned her down she relented with a giggle.

Blindfolded again she blew air out of her mouth where she thought his face still was, her heart raced wondering what game he was intent on playing now. Her senses were on high alert as the world became black once again.

"Speech"

He held her down beneath him, locking his back knees against her side so she couldn't escape. With his front paws, he picked up the blindfold he had tossed on her - seeing that she wasn't going to be compliant with his wishes - that was okay, he could do it himself. She wiggled against him, trying to break free. The wriggling and writhing sent her rubbing against him in all the right ways, and he almost lost his patience before he was done. When he finally had the blindfold pulled tight over her eyes he was panting, and not from the exertion. 


He released his hold on her, letting her lie there in the dirt for a moment as he moved on silent paws. He stepped quietly around her, giving her a moment so she wouldn't know what to expect. Then he grabbed her hindlegs, and dragged her back where they had come, into the out of the way secluded pit he had used for her test.


He let her go there again and stepped back again. Holding his breath so she wouldn't know where he was, or what to expect. He exhaled when he reached down and kissed her belly, and pulled away again, holding his breath. He kissed her this way again, and again. Out of sight, so she wouldn't know where to expect it. He kissed between her legs, lingering a moment there before pulling away again. He gave a soft, husky laugh. “Not going to try to run away, little victim?”

Being held down felt exhilarating, she could push and he'd remain solid on top of her. She did not make the blindfold easy and once it was on she was suddenly void of his touch. Her breath caught in her throat as she strained to hear him. She could barely even hear the crunch of his paw steps. How did such a massive wolf step so lightly?

She was about to call out to him when suddenly she shrieked in surprise! Her hindlegs locked tightly as she was dragged over the ground. She was rolled into the pit, her belly up, she couldn't see. A mix of fear and anticipation holds her breath hostage as she feels the slope of the dirt walls around her. Where was he? He was panting earlier and now she can't even hear him! She gasped as she suddenly felt his lips on her belly! Then he was gone again! like a phantom! Again! She felt him and he was gone again, her breath heaving as he teased her, her excitement rising as he teased her again and again! She was dying with anticipation! Her hips aching for him to release her! Between her legs he lingered and she moaned, arching her back!

He laughed above her, and she responded with her own breathless giggle. He called her little victim now and she struggled against the dirt walls, trying to roll over but she was held fast! She pushed with her legs against it and she couldn't get up!

"Oh! You beast! You have me caged!" She called out to the void, she writhed against the walls, she couldn't flip herself over! "Oh dear, I seem to be stuck." She said coyly unable to pinpoint where he was next.

"Speech"

She did not mind playing the victim, and he had fun teasing and taunting her, pepping her in kisses, pressing his tongue into the position between her legs. Brushing a paw across her fur until the both of them were panting with desire. It was harder to keep hidden the longer it went on, he couldn't keep from making noises as the scent and sounds of her drove his need up a few notches.


He teased her once more, crouching between her legs to brush his tongue agonisingly slowly across her, before he wiggled his body up to her face and gently pulled off the eye mask. “My little love.” He whispered, looking into her eyes. The moment he had tied the eye mask over her the first time, he had known he wanted to do this. “Would you like a turn?” He asked her teasingly.

With every touch and tongue flick, she gasped and moaned. Her little noises would leave her throat and enter the air around her. She'd squirm and roach her back as he would bring her closer and closer to release and then spirit himself away. The barest of his touch made her writhe.

Eventually, she was panting and he sent her over the edge with his slow deliberate brushing of his tongue. She felt him finally wriggle his body on top of her and whispered words she wondered if he'd ask.

"Yes!" She replied emphatically! Squirming with delight! He'd have to help her out of the dugout. When she finally got to her paws, she peppered him with kisses over his nose, took the blindfold, and tied it over his eyes.

As soon as it was on she drew one claw down his neck, and over his shoulder then silently stepped back for a moment. He'd never been vulnerable like this with her. It felt undeniably intoxicating as she carefully and silently walked around him. She came closer to his side and drew a claw over his hip then pushed lightly for him to roll over.

"Roll over my sweet." She purred.

"Speech"

Her enthusiasm was almost frightful. He brushed the entire length of his body against her and kissed her muzzle with a sly smile. “Should I be worried?” He teased, but didn't fight her as she put the blindfold over his eyes. Her meek monster as he let himself be blinded. The loss of one of his primary sensors was no small thing, and added a layer to the anticipation. He was already worked up, sweaty and hard with his desire for her.


He shivered at the pull of her claw down his neck, making a soft noise at her touch. She stepped back, and he would understand what it felt like to not know where she would come from next, what she would do. What parts of his need she would answer. She brushed her claw across his hip and he playfully snapped his teeth at the air before rolling over to answer her demands. He lay there, exposed and vulnerable, half arched with desire and need as he waited for her to do something.

She giggled as he wondered aloud if he should be worried, "Only if you want to be." She winked while she replied before she placed the blindfold over his vibrant blue eyes.

The noise he made sent a thrill through her. She placed her paws along his side to help him roll over and then absconded her touch away from him.

She let her paws crunch over the shifting stones, then paused, took a few silent steps, and then crunched the stones near his ears. She whisked her presence away from him again, eyeing how ready he was for her, already standing at attention. She then brushed her tongue over the other side of his cheek and ran another claw over his shoulder at the same time, then whisked away again.

"Well? Warlord? How does it feel?" She purred for him in one place then quickly moved to the other side and kissed his tender belly. Then she would switch sides again and lick the tip of him while brushing her paw over his belly too. She would do this dance around him several times, each place somewhere new, just enough to touch and tease then pull away.

"Speech"

He shivered with each touch, panting softly with desire and need. A powerful, volatile mix considering the wolf it was brewing inside of. She continued to tease him, and he felt her tongue caress his need and groaned, reaching out a paw blindly to grab at her and falling short. With her words, he answered with a growl. “I feel like I'm debating ways to punish you, little Songbird.” The crooning words were undermined by his panting. He growled at her as she teased him again. “Ignita!” He snarled at the brush of her touch. Demand and a pleading need intermixing the words. If she didn't do something soon, he was going to take matters into his own paws.

A dangerous dance, she knew he would take only so much. It thrilled her to see him squirm and shiver at her every touch. She ducked as his paw went to swipe at her, and she went in again to administer her tongue over him. His growl reverberated down to her own need within her. Songbird eh? Well, only to him now maybe. She shiked about again to the other side.

She couldn't help her giggle now as he snarled out her name while she brushed her paw over him. Should she indulge him or drive him so mad he grabs her? She couldn't help it, he just looked so yummy! She gently raked her teeth right over the tip of him.

"Speech"

He shuddered, panting, and took matters into his own paws when he felt her teeth graze over him. Tantalising, teasing, until his heart felt fit to burst. He lunged forward, Forepaws stretching out as he grabbed her in a grizzly bear hug. He dragged her down on top of him, pressing his back legs against her as his forelegs held her down. “No escape.” He whispered in her ear as he rolled them over, landing right back in the ditch with her under him.


All with the blindfold still on. Blinded, he pressed his body down against her, finding her throat by touch so he could brush his teeth across them. “How should I punish you, little Bird?” He whispered, his teeth against her throat still. He melded their bodies together and pushed down into her with a throaty, needy groan. Already pushed too close to the edge he couldn't help the gasp, letting of her neck for a moment as he forgot himself.


He pressed his lips back against the fragile structure of her throat, nipping lightly at it as he drove into her again. His need for her was hot and immediate and finding any measure of control Was difficult. He breathed against her skin, digging his teeth in a little harder, cutting off her ear in time with a thrust before releasing his grip again, and holding himself still above her. Was her own need as desperate as his?

Oop! He lunged and her skittering was overtaken before she could fully think properly. She gasped as she was dragged down and rolled over. His whisper sent a scintillating thrill through her, even as she dared to push back and she was pressed down into the ditch. She was all gasps and shuddering noises from his raking across her throat, her need blazed back to full throttle as she was trapped under him.

She whimpered as he threatened to punish her, her eyes closed and her breath heavy and rapid. "However... you wish...My lord." She mewled beneath him, lifting her nose and offering her neck. A gasping whine escaped her as he drove himself within her.

Teeth raked over her own lips as she groaned and gasped. His teeth were over her throat as he drove into her again, her legs braced high over his hips and dug into his thighs as her air was cut and released with every thrust. Her nails dug into his chest. Her fear grew with every gasp and mixed with carnal thirst within. Her head became deliriously light as she groaned and gargled. Her eyes watered from lack of air, she licked her lips, she didn't want him to stop. She wanted to fall into the void of him. She pulled at his fur, her paws seeking his neck to scratch and tug. She was well and ripe for him, her hips pulsating and writhing.


"Ignita"

Basilisk may enter her threads without warning.

His heart thumped against his chest, and he gasped softly when he slid back down into her. He could see the light headedness in her eyes, and instead of going for her throat, he nipped her nose lightly as he gave one last thrust, and spent himself in her. He lay lightly on her chest, his weight on his paws as he took a moment to catch his breath. How did all their events end in a similar way? They loved each other too much, the touch and feel and taste of each other. Intoxicating.

He slowly pulled himself free of her, and cupped a paw under her to bring her out of the ditch, and rest her back on solid ground again. He kissed her neck, still breathing heavily, as he looked at her through half lidded eyes. “Two tests down, my love. The last will be the hardest. Are you ready to start preparing?” Yes, fuck her senseless and then ask the importance questions.

"Basilisk" || "Iggy"

Gasping for breath to fill her lungs he filled her womb again. His seed settling into her fertile grasp. Her chest heaved raggedly, a cough to clear her throat as he laid his head on her chest. It was sore, somehow she relished in the pain he gave her now. It meant and felt so much more than just pain. He was intoxicating, she loved every moment spent with him. Even if he was a bastard he was her bastard, and she was his to do as he wished. She belonged to him. She loved it.

She woukd cough again as he helped her up, but soon her breathing steadied though panting. She hummed as he kissed her neck so tenderly. Maybe that was why she had started to love the pain. He could be so tender before and after.

She half laughed and half coughed her response to his question. Licking her lips, she laid her head into his fur and sighed out, "Sure," she still throbbed, "yes, how do I prepare?" She asked, tilting her head to look at his brilliant sapphire orbs. She hoped some of their babies had his pretty eyes.

He looked at the wolf that had taken his heart as she laid her head lightly against his fur. He wrapped a paw gently around one of her shoulders, and kissed her nose gently. The third test was going to be the hardest. It had to be, but that didn’t mean he had to like it. It went against his nature, but he needed to know she could protect the pack, their children. That she would find the strength to stand on her own four paws when it came to the Armada. She could, and should, bend to him. But not when it came to protect the Armada.

“The third test is fighting back. Not just balance, and defences. You have to attack, and know how to. Know what to aim for, how to bring your enemy down.” he explained softly. What would she think of that?

"Basilisk" || "Iggy"

She closed her eyes enjoying how he embraced her, and softly kissed her. When she opened them again, the blindfold had long been discarded, she saw a warmth in his eyes as he looked at her. A quiet wondering and even a hesitation to tell her what the next test would be.

He explained to her the last test. She slumped against him, looking down at her paws made for crafting, adventuring, discovering and wandering. She sighed.

"I had a feeling." She replied sullenly. What sense would it be to have a leader in a pack literally called Armada that couldn't fight. Who would trust her to protect them? It was just like hunting wasn't it?

She realized she hadn't even hunted that much, even in the whole of her life. A pampered, albeit bullied and abused, princess, practically locked in her workshop and taken out to play the unwitting jester for the party guests, fed on the rich foods and scraps prepared by others. Then a brief stint of being on her own, teaching herself to hunt enough to survive on rats and rabbits and then once she was here... She had been fed by the avid hunters of the Armada.

She wasn't strong, though she didn't realize the work in the smithy had given her significant muscle tone and she was stronger than she knew.

She was quick and crafty. More of a rabbit than a wolf, a fox maybe, but her hunting skills were about as sub par as a pups.

"I can barely hunt, how can I possibly fight, never mind win a fight, against even someone like... Vesper?" Who had never fought anyone either, and who she had come to understand was a slave used only for her body.
Ignita was basically his own personal plaything at this point, what would be the point of her leading anyone?

"How can I possibly... Hurt anyone... On purpose?" She asked him, turning to him, pleading him to offer a different test.

"Ignita"

Basilisk may enter her threads without warning.

He could see her doubt, her dislike for this idea. She didn't think she was capable, But Basilisk knew she was underestimating herself. And that was okay, he knew her pressure points.


He leaned back, his tail swinging lazily behind him as he watched her. His expression looked casual, but in truth his appraisal was anything but. “Our children are born, And there's a tiny girl. A little runt of the litter, smaller than you are. She's young, not even a season old but you take her into the woods. It's pack territory, and safe there. You're teaching her how to harvest flowers for paint when you hear a noise. A panther has slipped past the guards. Its just you and our tiny little girl. No one else will get there in time. Do you throw her at the tiger to buy yourself time to run, or do you do something. he raised his voice into a growl. “or do you just stand there, helpless, while it kills this girl child and wish you'd paid more attention to me now?” He'd seen her fight the bear. He knew her instincts weren't to run. He remembered the cat in the walls. It happened, it could happen again.