She rose early this morning, waiting until she heard the heavy steps of the warlord leave. She wanted to stay out of his way still. The less he got mad the better. Then she was out and sbeaking pass all the sleeping children and hopefully still sleeping consort. He destination was easy, the kitchens. Start the breakfast before they could all get up, that was the intent. She'd been told to see to their needs and making sure the children had food in their stomachs was important she figured. She hobbled quietly and quickly, turning into the kitchens by sight of the place alone. She was then set about the kitchen looking for everything. She wasn't sure how stocked they were but hopefully they had at least grains to make flour from and she could hopefully make sweet tarts or something. The idea was to hide healthy ingredients inside though, blueberries were her first choice. Only she was having issues finding anything. She had stocked the fires and all already. Maybe this wasn't a good idea. "Speech"

Ignita lay with her growing brood in the early morning. Bas kissed her cheek before he left for the early patrols. There she would linger with her not-so-tiny children between her paws, snuggled against her side, Selene practically squished into her hip. Her babies were growing far too fast for her sanity.

She dozed among them before she would steal herself to get up. Then the little russet slave Teegra entered and quietly hobbled toward the cooking area. Ignita absently watched the tiny girl start up the fire and acquaint herself with the stores within the den. Ignita watched her, surprised at how little she wanted to help the young thing. Surprised at how little she wanted to care for her. As if separating herself and keeping her at arm's length would help how she could handle the fate of the tiny thing. A part of her thought about how she had cheerfully greeted her as if she had not sealed the girl's fate.

Ignita sighed quietly. Gently she shifted away from her beloved brood, aching every time she left them, every time they were not within arms reach she ached for them. She silently got up and waved for the girl's attention, beckoning her to follow her out into the hall.

Once the den door was closed she led Teegra to the door directly across from it and inside.

"This is the Warlords storage. The Warlord's take of the pack's recourses is stored up here. There are some extra furs, and food here that we use since the pack storage and food prep area is across the Col." Her voice was without her usual enthusiasm as she showed the little slave where each item was. There was a meticulous sorting system and everything was very neatly organized and placed.

"I was a slave. The storage and sorting system is something I take great pride in. Please be mindful and don't hesitate to ask me if you can't find anything." She said it with such nonchalance that it could be construed that she didn't actually want Teegra to ask her for anything.

She desperately wanted to apologize to the poor girl about it all. But she knew now, that if it wasn't Teegra, it would be someone else anyway.


"Jamie"||"Iskandor"||"Selene"||"Citadel"||"Selene"||"Balrog"||"Ignita"||"Basilisk"

She was unaware she had been had. That the consort had been watching her the whole time. She was aware of the sound of sleeping children and that she should make as little noise as possible. Lest she anger the other woman. The other woman getting up had her stopping everything she was doing, like a child caught with their hand in the sweets before dinner. She pinned her ears, the becon of the other woman had her following with out question. Should she apologize for waking her? That she didn't know the kitchen well enough yet? Once the door closed she was starting to really question it. Was she leading her somewhere she could dispose of her and no one would be any wiser? Had she angered the woman now? She remembered her anger before and didn't want to be on the receiving end of that ever. Instead she lead her to a room that looked like a closet. Her eyes blinked a few times in confusion before the other woman explained and she let out a breath she didn't know she was holding. Relieved she wasn't in trouble. She nodded though and took in everything looking everywhere without moving to where the woman pointed out things. The woman was almost defeated sounding and Teegra pinned her ears. That was her fault wasn't it? She then let something out that set Teegra's eyes on her, blinking as if trying to figure out if the woman was serious. A surprise that she had been a slave here once. She took a moment to shake the shock from her face and to look at her own paws again. A nod given about the fact that she should ask if she couldn't find anything. But after a moment of silence she stood there and let something out. As an ex-slave then if she wasn't lying, Ignita would know why she said what she did. "I'm sorry.... If it helps any, you can blame me Mistress...." Her voice was small, meek, and only for the Consort's ears. She was as much a victim in this as Teegra was. The difference was , Ignita had her freedom and could say no. But if Basilisk ordered it Teegra would have no choice. It also wouldn't be the first time blame was wrongly placed on a slave's shoulders and they were beat and punished for something they didn't do or had any choice in. It would hurt she knew but she would bear the pain of losing something more, if it made anything better in the long run. If it made the consort pleased with her then so be it. "Speech"

Speech // thought

The young girl seemed startled and Ignita wasn't at all surprised. Ignita sat looking at the shelves she had spent hours... days organizing and checking and rechecking and showing others how to restock and keep tabs on it all. This one and the one down in the Col. There was wild hair growing behind her head that told her to throw everything down. To break every jar and toss every fur on the bonfire. Toss the girl in it as well.

Teegra then spoke up in a small meek voice. Ignita drew in a long deep shuddering breath and sighed out loow and slow. Her eyes were glued to the shelves.

That was precisely why Ignita couldn't blame her.

"No." She said, with finality. Then with another sigh, she started to gather a few things and urge the girl onward.

"C'mon, let's get the kids fed. Citadel will eat more than you think and Selene will think she can eat as much as she wants, she can't. Jamie has some sensitivities that can make her fatigue worse, I've noticed some foods can make her symptoms much worse some days but not others. Balrog hates these and Iska loves these." She would hold up these details as she talked about them so Teegra could get the idea.

"Sometimes Odette comes up for breakfast from her den with her dads, she's my half-daughter half-niece. She has wings." Ignita was all info, it was what she did best. Her tone was still rather flat. She placed things in a basket that was easy to carry back to the den.

When Ignita said no Teegra kept quiet. She knew who the blame would eventually be placed on. She was prepared, she just hoped that the mistress would only take a non-essential part of her body when the blame did fall upon her. Not that she had much to give still. She moved into the storage though and started helping gather ingredients, listening and nodding as each bit of information was given. She looked at everything as the ingredients were pointed out. Though she had a question and she waited for the mistress to finish. The information that she had a half daughter half niece was strange but that wasn't what threw her off. "Wings? Like a bird? Can she fly? Will I need to learn to help her groom her wings?" It was stupid of her probably but the thought of a wolf with wings was strange. Did they function like normal bird wings? Did she require extra attention? Would Teegra be expected to learn to care for the girl's wings on top of everything else? She placed the ingredients she had helped collect in the basket before picking it up and moving to head back to the kitchen. Hopefully the Mistress did not think her completely incapable. "Speech"

Speech // thought

There was a soft moment where Ignita couldn't help but curl her lip in a half smile. The inquisitive nature of Teegra was coming forward. A nature much like her own. But it was short lived as she remained stilled, knowing that to be drawn to Teegra would just make their situation more heartbreaking. She would remain at arm's length.

"No, no. Her fathers help her do that just fine. Mortis also has wings. This land has blessed this family with many good things." She mused... wings among them, crystals, saber teeth, sharp claws.

With the ingredients gathered, Teegra lifted the basket, showing some strength despite her size, they made their way back to the den. Quietly Ignita opened the door and peered inside. All five were still sound asleep like usual. The early morning hours usually went this way. Perhaps with Teera Ignita could learn to sleep in a little.

She tiptoed around them to the fire and added a coal piece to it. She began quietly showing Teegra where all the utensils and what she usually did in the mornings.

She didn't notice the half smile of the mistress as she was working. But the answer she received was something that made her nod and think more. "Is that what Master Basilisk is so large? Because the lands bless him? And why young Master Citadel has the crown?"

She hoped it wasn't intrusive. Though perhaps it was. Perhaps it was wrong to ask about the family's mutations and the extreme size of the warlord. She knew some for large but he was monstrously sized.

When they entered the kitchen, she set the basket down and she took in everything that was shown to her and began cooking the foods, starting with anything the mistress wanted for her children her paws working doughs and other breakfast foods for the children. She followed instructions when given and once the kids were all awake and eating she went about stripping beds and getting the place tidied up again.