Lailah moved like a drone, her pace as quick as she could make it. Her master behind her, though she wasn't certain what he wanted of her, not since his father had thrown her out. He'd pulled her out of the trash not long ago, though what he was doing there was still curious. Her pelt was still soaked with salt water as she hadn't stopped to let it dry. Though that wasn't her biggest discomfort. Her abdomen cringed again, not unlike a hunger pain but it had been happening since their stay on the boat, the night she hated most so far. She had refused to show her tears though, that would of likely gotten her another beating. She could remember the scent of blood and the pain that passed through her. The panic she had felt. She had tried her best to hide it, but he likely still knew, even though she had thrown the evidence overboard.

She gave a pause, stumbling slightly as another pain hit her. They were the after effects of the miscarriage she knew but they didn't feel great. If she could of cried out she would have, but that ship had sailed long ago. She stayed still on trembling legs, panting through the pain until it was done. Her tail instinctively hugged close to her body and her eyes didn't look to the man she led. How she thought he would find prince Abbadon she had no idea. Her ears flattened to the sides of her head as the pain finished. She didn't want to disappoint though.

Her eyes looked about the area they had come upon. There were birds about. The trees were tall, leaves long and tropical in nature. She'd never seen trees like these yet but they definitely were something she would commit to memory. She cast a brief eye to her companion to see if he was happy yet, though was very quick to remember her place and drop those baby blues to the white sands beneath her paws, her only way of apologizing to him. Her paws started forward again, careful to not hurt herself more. The scent of salt water was heavy here and she wasn't sure either would pick up a scent of familiarity here. She was certain she would get beat by the earthen master soon for bringing him here.

"Things I Hear"

1/3 explore a new land

His fathers scraps. Ultyr's nose practically held a perpetual half snarl since he was relegated to his father's trash heap. How dare he consign the God Prince to this, marr his face in such a shameful manner? The half snarl was both his mood and his flinch of pain as the scrape over her nose and brow continued to heal.

Eyes of saffron watched the scrap of a thing pause in her pain on the beach. Had he been nothing but a whelp of his own father's slaves? Was the story of how the goddess birthed him simply a ruse? Ultyr had watched her in the dark, silent and observing, as she labored. The ocean sounds and rigging against the hull was the only backdrop to her agony. Tiny unfeatured underdeveloped vermin with a mix of his father's coat and hers were carefully given to the waves, unbeknownst to her witness in the shadows.

Now he coldly watched her writhe in the pains of her after birth. She was struggling to hide it. Moons ago he would have pressed her on and tossed her aside to stop her sniveling. But now... She was holding them up on their quest to find Abbadon. No wonder he found Aryn's favorite plaything among the trash, she had been too weak to carry his brood and he knew it.

Ultyr caught the scent of some island chicken. They came in flocks, so of course, if he found one, he could find others. The trip over water had been grueling and his stomach rumbled.

"Sit here." He commanded gruffly and without so much as offering her a questing glance to be sure she obeyed he started on his hunt. She was already well trained. She had no voice to ask for help, and she already knew what he had done to servants in the past who decided to move more than a foot in either direction from where he placed them.

He stalked forward into the underbrush, leaving her to bake in the high summer sun against the pale sand. A faint clucking could be heard just ahead.

She didn't mean to make him upset with her, she really didn't mean to hold him up. His disdain for her was a known thing in her eyes. She wasn't pretty or the best at anything. She was discarded trash. Left to die, to rot with the rest of the used things the demon king had kept and discarded.

She had tried her best and still was to not disappoint her new master. She didn't wish for pain so why would she? Her eyes wandered still, blind eye seeing nothing but still working in tandem with her good eye. "Sit here." His gruff voice left no room for debate. Not that she would of. She had lost all hope of help and rescue long ago. Her haunches lowered and she sat delicately, body thin from months of barely getting what she needed for food. Her little triangle auds perked at the sound of the island chickens. A tidbit she could file away for later. Her stomach growled at the thought of possible food, but she didn't think any would be for her. She was after all lucky to even get to lick the ground of scraps since her enslavement.

She kept her eyes on the sands as she listened to Ultyr move off. Once he was gone she lifted her eye to observe more. A deep breath was brought in as she let the relief of being left alone for the moment settle on her. She took the moment to take in even more of the land. There were some islands she could see in the distance and she loathed the idea of having to swim to them, the waves would likely be strong enough to take her out to sea if she didn't be careful. She wondered if drowning would be a gentle death. Would Ultyr let her drown? She doubt it. His father had for some reason seen her as useful once and if she had learned anything in her time as a slave, it was that if you were still breathing and useful then the masters wanted you alive. Her eye cast to the sun for a moment, squinting against its brightness. It was hot here but she didn't mind right now. With a wet pelt it kind of felt nice especially with the ocean breeze.

Another pain hit and she flinched and tucked her chin. She could deal with a lot, but the internal pain really didn't feel great. She held back tears as the pain wracked her, only for her to lower herself. She curled up into herself and waited. She wouldn't move. This was where she was told to stay and so she would. Though nothing had been said about her not taking in the land for now.

"Things I Hear"

2/3 explore a new area

Paws of chocolate slid over the earth, grateful for the first time that about having his livery stripped from him. It had clanked and clunked as he moved. No matter, he will find new armor and a new sword.

He paid no attention to the girl, he had even forgotten her name. It wasn't like he could ask it of her anyway, she wouldn't tell him.

A cheeping sound entered his ears then as he slid through the thick underbrush. His paws would whisper over the ground cover and sink into the patches of sand. A hen... with chicks. Marvelousss...

He did for one moment glance back. He saw her, dutifully staying where he placed her. Good. He turned back to his task and peered through the large leaves.

A clucking flock, a fighting cock, and several hens with chicks! He crouched down low and waited. His breath was even and controlled. A moment passed by and the flock grew complacent, another moment... another... the rooster came close, so close. Just close enough for him to... STRIKE. His jaws opened and crunched the neck of the rooster before he could even croak an alarm. Nothing stirred but a quick flutter of half-disturbed wings.

That was when he launched himself at the biggest tastiest hen of the crowd. Scattering the birds over the sands in every direction. His teeth are nearly on the bird's tailfeathers.

"Get it!" He barked at the slave, he was chasing the hen right toward her.

She laid listening to the sounds of the island, committing the sounds to memory. They would be essential if she had to come back to remember the place. The smell of the ocean as well. It was all part of what made this place this place. The sands were white as well, bleached by years of sun and sea water. Not to mention that she could see tiny crabs near the water and small shells in the sand. If she had to die she felt like this could be a good peaceful place to do it.

A sigh escaped her lips as she closed her eyes. She could definitely sleep here if Ultyr took more time. "Get it!" The sound had her eyes snapping open and her stumbling to get up in a timely manner. Her tail tucked to her belly as she looked about for what he wanted her to get. Her eye caught it, a large chicken, coming right towards her. She leaned back a little startled by it, before bursting at it, not that she felt fast.

She pushed towards it only for it to dart to the side and go squawking towards the ocean. Shit! Shit! Shit! Her heart hammered in her chest. She could just see it now, if she didn't catch that bird, Ultyr would beat her. She turned and started after it, if she had to swim to follow Ultyr's orders she would. Not that she had ever been an exceptionally strong swimmer.

"Things I Hear"

3/3 explore a new area

The worthless whelp was letting it slip past her! Ultyr drifted over the sands as the chicken became the girl's target. He angled his body in a new direction, ready to cut off the island fowl's escape. The stupid thing was heading to the ocean. Fine, drowned, and salted it will be, as for the chicken...

He launched into his new vector, easily overtaking the pitiful girl and running headlong over the chicken and straight into the surf. Holding his breath he held the bird in the water as his jaws clenched around its lifeforce and snuffed it. His chest barely showed the effort it should have taken.

He pulled its lifeless feathered body from the waves and trudged back to shore. He ignored the girl as he followed his tracks to pick up the rooster. Once he grabbed the rooster's corpse he found a nice shaded spot covered by leaves.

What was he going to do with her, it seems his father may have been right about her lack of utility and she deserved the trash heap he found her in.

"Come." He barked at her. "Strip it of feathers, and eat your fill." He growled as he tossed the rangy stringy rooster at her. No sense in wasting the plump hen on her. He needed his strength to hunt something better.

"After we eat, you'll be leading me to the mainland. To Abbadon." He remarked as he pulled the feathers from his hen. He knew she couldn't speak a damn thing, so there was no point to even use her for conversation. His lip curled at the thought of what seemed her only other point of use, and his father had taken more than a good share of it. Felt like he'd be taking his father's sloppy seconds if he truly wanted to stoop so low. Although... Her smokey grey and white coat and somewhat reminiscent patterns reminded Prince Ultyr of him. Though the blue in her eyes was a deeper shade. If she were a little paler along her back...

He sank his teeth into the hen to distract him of these stupid foolish notions.

The moment Ultyr overtook her she skidded to a stop. Her ears pinned and she tucked her tail. Shit he was going to be pissed. Her mouth was open in a small pant as she put her eyes on the sand. She ducked herself low to the ground at the sound of Ultyr hitting the waves.

As he passed her again she leaned away from him and got as low as she could. Only the pain she expected didn't come. The confusion she felt played on her face. Though his next words had her slinking up to where he wanted her. "Come. Strip it of feathers, and eat your fill." and the flopping of the rooster in her face had her stopping. Her ears pressed and more confusion. He wanted to feed her? This wasn't some ploy? A cruel trick to get her beat?

Regardless she knew better than to not do as she was told. She placed her paw on it and began pulling feathers from the chest of the bird, working to pull them all from the bird. "After we eat, you'll be leading me to the mainland. To Abbadon." her ears pressed further back at the mention of her task.

Hopefully lord Abbadon would forgive her and understand that she had little choice in leading his master to him. She glanced at the feathers, a thought in her mind. Perhaps Ultyr would let her keep some for crafting jewelry or maybe even a pillow or two... she couldn't ask though so it was useless to try.

As soon as she had a spot plucked she moved to the wing as she used her tongue to try to displace the feathers that were getting stuck in her maw. She'd have to remind herself one day she hated the taste of feathers. She had no idea how he expected her to lead him to Abbadon. She wasn't trained to track, wasn't trained to do much except follow orders. Her best gift had been taken from her the day she had been captured, and Aryn refused to let her have any books as it was "ridiculous to think a slave could learn". And she hadn't seen a map since before she'd been captured. Oh how she missed them.

"Things I Hear"

The God-Prince chewed the plump moist meat and watched the girl meticulously pluck her meal. As if she was saving the feathers for something... Hmm... His fiery eyes narrowed as he observed her. He didn't care if she collected the feathers, but he was intending to find out her use beyond bedslave. What would she use those for exactly? He remembered the pillows and soft blankets of his home in Archnemes, how they smelled of goose and duck and down.

He pulled out a chicken bone and looked at it. Was this good for anything? He might as well keep the materials from his kills if she could be some kind of crafter. His gaze lingered over her with a new appreciation. She was a slip of a thing for certain, she wouldn't be able to carry much in the way of materials. Perhaps she could fashion a basket with that mind of hers. But her mind wouldn't be much use if she was starving.

"Eat, then collect. Maybe you can weave some of the twigs and leaves on the island for a basket to carry your things." He mused, pulling another mouthful of feathers and enjoying the meat underneath.

She was so engrossed in trying to defeather the bird that she had nearly forgotten he was there. His voice felt sudden and had her jumping somewhat. "Eat, then collect. Maybe you can weave some of the twigs and leaves on the island for a basket to carry your things." Her ears pinned. He'd caught her in her own world. She should think less, after all what use was a brain to a slave. Or at least it was what she had heard plenty from Aryn.

She made to tear off a chunk of flesh after shaking the thoughts and memories from her. Things would be better with the Prince as her master right? He hadn't come to harm her, yet. Maybe he was different. That was hoping for a lot though. She worked down as much as she could of the chicken. She had already known she wouldn't be able to eat a lot of it but would he see her as being wasteful? Once she was full, thankful he had let her eat in the first place she pressed her ears and made to slide the rest towards him. Her eyes still refused to meet him. She had made the mistake once before to look Aryn in the eyes, and she wouldn't do so again with any master. She moved towards the trees close though and looked up at the green of the palm fronds. They definitely could be weaved into a bag. If only she could reach one though....

"Things I Hear"

She seemed startled out of a reverie. Lost in the action of pulling the feathers out. Without her speech she had to have an active mind. Something in there that sparked more life than just her past use. Ultyr mused to himself what kind of things his father would have even let her do. He had been a strict king, and even stricter parent. Teaching him how to fight, how to get what he wanted, how to finagle others to his cause and of course, showed Ultyr how to celebrate their victories at a young age.

He pulled a stripped bone from his teeth as his eyes never left her. He set it aside on the pile he had made between them. She seems to have eaten her fill and bowed offering the rest of the chicken to him. No, this will not do. She needs to eat more to gain her proper strength and intelligence. But she had been fed on the barest of scraps for nigh a year. She was falling back on her training.

He said nothing and left the carcass where she put it. Narrowing his eyes as she got up and decided to start on the task he suggested.

But her tiny frame wouldn’t reach. With grunt he got up. “Which ones.” He growled, making his distaste at helping her like this clear.

He brought down the materials she marked and held them aloft over her head.
“You will eat another mouthful.” He said and nodded to the carcass she left him. He wouldn’t push her to eat the whole thing, but something to stretch her stomach just a little.

“I am not my father. I am a benevolent god and I said eat your fill.” He rumbled before bringing down the materials she silently requested.

He returned to his hen, bones and feathers in disarray. Might make an interesting decoration if he was more of a savage barbarian like the judila pack. He missed the metal workers of the northern kingdoms. He would have to get his claws recasted in bronze since his father stripped him of them.

She stood there trying to think of how to get one of the leaves down.... She was short and her size was a hindrance in the task of getting things from high up. Though her brain was good at working things out for herself. It had been almost a year since she had to start doing every ounce of thinking for herself. Before Archnemes she could of asked her siblings or even her friends to help her think of things, but now she had to do it all on her own. So lost in thoughts and planning how to get down a leaf or two she hadn't heard Ultyr move, causing her to jump as his voice came from behind her. “Which ones.” His growl had her shrinking slightly and looking down.

Though she knew better than to not try to answer. She glanced up at the leaves before taking a paw and pointing to a green longer one closer to the base of the leaves. She shouldn't need more than the one. And he gathered it, except he didn't throw it at her or drop it like she figured he would of. Instead he held it over her head, and she cursed herself. She'd pissed him off, and now he had a leaf with sharper edges and was likely to beat her with it. She shrunk and curled her tail about to almost roll over when he spoke again. “You will eat another mouthful.” Her ears pinned at the words. But she was full enough wasn't she? Wasn't food wasted on her if she was allowed to eat more?

“I am not my father. I am a benevolent god and I said eat your fill.” The second command had her moving low to the ground and almost running to the carcass to do as he told her. The leaf all but forgotten as she did so. She quickly took another bite, swallowing it fast in her fear and then a second. The meat was still warm but stringy and gamey and definitely not her favorite. But still she did as he said, swallowing down enough that her stomach started to become visible in her sunken form. This time before she moved though she looked towards him silently asking for permission to be done, but not meeting his gaze. She felt like she might get sick if she ate anymore but if he ordered her to eat more she would.

"Things I Hear"

He watched her menacingly as she skittered back over the sand to her leftover meal.

His eyes never left her until he could see the food in her stomach. Good, yes. That was when he gave her the materials and took the rooster for himself to finish. She was no use to him if she didn't have enough meat on her bones to function in this land. At the temple, her emaciated form would be survivable, but out here, alone, he needed all the assistance he could get to help find Abaddon.

He plucked the feathers from this bird too, and cleaned the last dregs of the stringy meat off its bones.

The moment he gave her the supplies and released her from the order of eating the bird she moved away. Eye on the leaf as she did everything in her power to try to do as she was told. Task, make a bag for the feathers and crafting supplies. The leaf wasn't ideal but she could do it. A dainty paw pressed on the leaf as she folded it in half short ways to hold the ends together. Her head bent and she started folding the long strips of the frond together, weaving them carefully. The idea was to create a pouch that held itself closed and would hold all the supplies they were collecting inside it. It wouldn't likely hold a lot but she could life with that. She could craft a bunch of pretty jewelry and maybe Ultyr could sell it to others for information. It wasn't like they knew a lot about these lands.

She huffed as she worked, keeping concentration on doing both keeping the leaf folded and weaving it's ends together. It was a feat in itself with her size but honestly she was enjoying it.

"Things I Hear"

The God-Prince watched her work as he found himself with nothing to do. His belly full, her bully full, her little paws making quick work of the craft at her feet. Lazily and with little visible interest he watched her form her basket out of a single leaf. He tilted his head as if to stretch it in the sun but he was actually getting a better angle at her work.

A crafty little slave, his father wouldn't have taught her any of this. His father would have chained her to a wall in his room and kept her there as much as possible. Ultyr hated that custom. His father consistently relied on ruling others with fear, but Ultyr knew firsthand how to inspire others to want to please you. Ultimately it provided more faithful servants that didn't want to stab you in the back or conspire against you. It made them want to jump at the opportunity to prove themselves to him and even alert him to plots. Fear was what made his father paranoid and small. How he ultimately distrusted his only son enough to discard him.

He'll find a use for her yet. If nothing else he could at least start a new line of servants or warriors through her to start his army.

Her paws worked the leaf, doing her best to ignore her master. She weaved the fronds of the leaf together doing her best to keep if tight. This was a craft she had learned in Judila. He was right that his father had used her as nothing more than a toy, chaining her up and keeping her as far from others as possible. Though why the man feared her having any kind of knowledge or use beside a bed warmer she hadn't a clue. Perhaps he was weak and sick? She had figured out that he seemed to have other issues already but her knowledge was just that knowledge.

Once she had most of the fronds weaved and it was tight enough it wouldn't come apart she started nipping off the lose ends with her teeth. It took her a moment but once she had that done she had a pouch with a small hole in the top. the final step was to flip it inside out and she pushed what would become the inside and bottom through the hole before letting her paw up and watching it flip itself from there. Perfect.

She grabbed it before moving to the pile of feathers and starting to pick through them. The short down would be useless for jewelry, but maybe useful for feather pillows. She started placing them in the pouch as quickly as possible. He seemed ready to leave and she wasn't about to make him angry by waiting too long for her. Maybe she should stash the pouch somewhere on the island. Though then again there was no guarantee they would come back here.

"Things I Hear"