Flare winched and scowled at the sound of the bowl hitting the den floor. It didn’t break, his equipment was generally rugged and sturdy. Build to last, not for looks. All the same, she ought to show his things better respect. She had been sleeping for days and seemed as weak as a newborn kitten. He’d broken things before, he didn’t remember being quite so weak.

She placed his bowl before him, and filled her own without incident. He looked at hers for a moment, and then nodded. “Eat.” He commanded her. Usually she was forced to wait until he was finished, a sign of dominance and respect. But her weakness was really starting to grate at him. If she didn’t get better soon, he’d knock her out and she could be useful decorating the borders instead. Foolish wolf.


"Speech"

He told her to eat. And she did, as quietly as she could. She could see from her furtive glance at him how thin the ice she was standing on was. She needed to be stronger stronger stronger. Or she'll be food for the crows that hung thick over the territories. She savored the rabbit with her lips and filled her stomach. Gradually her shaking stopped and her thin stomach was visibly filled just enough to show. She felt able to breathe and the pain from her limb was finally manageable. She was prepared for whatever her duties would be next. How long had she been resting? She was surprised he had been let her rest!

"I'm ever thankful for your care, Master," She bowed low, "What duties would you like me to start on today?" She asked with her gaze clinging to the ground before him.

"speech"

coded by NachoMumma

He ate from his own bowl, savouring the mix of herbs that complimented each other. A simple display of skill, perhaps. But one he enjoyed all the same. He had been forced to go without while he was forced to wait for her recovery. He had given her a few days, long enough surely. As if her thoughts were aligned with his, she spoke. He lifted his eyes to her, finding her own gaze strictly down. perfectly submissive. She had come a long way since he had found her. His corrections, which some might find harsh, had been necessary. She would survive this world and find it far easier to navigate if she simply obeyed his wishes. For he was her world now.



“Yes, and my patience will only stretch so far…” he agreed, glancing at her arm. If that was a sign of impatient action on his part, he wouldn't admit to it. It was a choice he had made in the heat of the moment, and they would both live with the inconvenience of it. “I have a… gift for you, actually. I'm sure you'll show me how appreciative you are of it.” He warned her. He clicked his claws, and moved to the den entrance, knowing she would follow. He didn't go far, just to the stopp outside his door, where his tiger upon seeing him approached. An owl riding on her back. “This is yours. It will help you scout and harvest herbs, you can name it as you see fit.” It was also loyal to him.

A furtive glance to parse his meaning as he lingered his own gaze over her foreleg told her he was already a hair's breadth away from the edge of his patience on her recovery. Her gaze fell back to the floor. As he mentioned he had a gift for her brow creased and she glanced up again, just as he clicked his claws together. She stood and followed him, confused. She held her arm aloft as she hopped hurriedly after him. Jut to the doorway where his frightening tiger companion held a small cat-faced owl on her back. He ruffled his tawny and cream feathers and gave her a welcoming hoot.

"Oh!" She said as the owl fluttered over to her arm. It was a rather tiny owl and suited her well. She blinked at him, he blinked back. She was completely taken aback. "I-- I had...no one's ever given me..." Anything so nice before. her possessions had always been few and far between. "Thank you," She whispered in awe. Letting the bird settle over her shoulder for a moment so she could stroke it with her good paw. "Cedar, should suit him I think." She murmured quietly. A glimmer of delight alighted in her garden green eyes for the first time in a long time. What did this mean? Was this to say that he was sorry in a way? Who knew?

She knew how he wanted her to show gratitude. As Cedar alighted into the air for a while, Demelza bowed low to her ever patient master. Her lips gently kissed his paw, then up to his ankle. Another up his arm.

"speech"

coded by NachoMumma

His gift was more jagged than she might yet know. It was a tool, useful in helping her source herbs for healing and cooking. A spy, to ensure even when he wasn’t there, his asset was obeying. Lastly, it impacted him less If he was forced to permanently damage the owl, instead of her when she disobeyed him. Once she was fully bonded with the creature, of course. Perhaps in time she would come to realise his gifts were cursed.

In the meanwhile, she was overcome with what he had given her. He allowed her to have it, and she accepted it with gratitude. Taking a moment to appreciate the gift, before turning her attention to him. His body shivered as the small wolf bent low, kissing his paw, his ankle, raising her head higher as her lips brushed his arm. Heat pooled into his eyes, as his body remembered what it was denied. “How much do you appreciate your gift?” He whispered to his Demelza.


"Speech"

She felt that subtle shiver in him. She was grateful. She owed him now more than she could ever pay back. A gift of such a pretty and useful companion, a roof over her head, food to eat a soft bed.

His whisper urged her on. Her lips brushed his shoulder.

“Such a gracious and generous lord.” She aimed to purr as she reached up to the space between his shoulder and chest. “I am ever so grateful-“ a soft kiss in that tender space. She reached half way up his neck, “I appreciate it ever so much.” She planted a kiss tenderly there on his neck, the jugular pulsing beneath her lips. He had already been denied her body those nights ago. She knew he wouldn’t be denied again without consequence. He made sure of that. She tried to think more of how grateful she was. How to show him that gratitude beyond kisses. Her eyes might betray her distracted mind. Appease him, please him, bed him. She reached up to his cheek, just a breadth within her short stature of reach and planted a hasty kiss there. They stood in the doorway.

“Does this please you, my master?” She asked in a husky whisper, gently grasping the fur behind his ear and down his neck.

She moved her lips over him, though he could not scent her desire. All for show? Perhaps. But he had a plan for that. He had been speaking to the pack's healer while she was unconscious and procured a single dose of one of his fun toys. He would be careful, subtle with its use. His desire for her to need him had only grown while she had laid beside him. Feverish and unwell from her injury. 


“It does.” He whispered back to his dear little slave. His play thing, more than a person in her own right. Something to possess and control. To twist her mind around and around until she no longer knew which way was up. 


He let out a breathy growl, digging his teeth into the back of her neck as he dragged her closer to him. Wrapping his paws around her, though he was gracious enough to give some care to her leg. She was so small her body fit so easily between his forelegs. He cradled her to his chest and moved them back through the door, slamming it behind him as he pulled her into their bedding. His teeth hungrily grazed her fur behind her ears, his own desire growing enough for the both of them. He pushed her on the bed beneath him, wrapping his back legs around her. Trapping her beneath him. His weak little prey-thing. His teeth grazed her throat… and then he gave a husky laugh and rose from her. He tapped her chin lightly with a claw. “Not yet, little one.” Not yet. He rose from the bed and trotted to her collection of herbs. His own need hadn't faded, but he could wait. His plans for her needed time to grow. “This tea… what's going in it?”

She gasped and shut her eyes as she was suddenly grasped at the nape of her neck she felt herself dragged even closer to him. She clung to his massive frame as she was placed between his legs and cradled there while he pushed through the door. She flinched as it was slammed closed behind them. She was grateful at least that he took care not to jostle her leg as well as he could. She was dragged into the bedding, the feeling of his teeth graze the fur behind her ears made her body shiver at the sensation. She was unsure if it was with need or fear, but her body would not respond like it had before. She was pushed into the bedding, feeling his legs around her holding her fast. She couldn't leave even if she wanted to. She was his, she knew it. A plaything for him to own and toy with. She lifted her chin and her breath caught in her throat as she felt his teeth near her trachea sending another cascade of shivers down her spine.

Then as quickly as it had started he laughed and lifted away from her. Confusion was evident on her face as if she had screamed it. Not yet? As he walked away from the bed she could see his own heat hadn't abated or quelled. What was this game then? She tilted her head quizzically as her leafwet eyes flashed between him, her herbs and the kettle.

"uhm... the white blossoms up there, boneset, the yellow blossoms, the saint John's wort, and the feathery green stalks, horsetail.., Sir." She provided, holding her healing arm close to her chest and using her other paw to point to the other herbs. She swallowed, was he going to make the tea then? Hadn't he told her she could make it herself later?

"speech"

coded by NachoMumma

Her confusion offered him some light amusement, and he glanced back at the wolf on his bedding before turning his attention to the herbs. He grabbed the ones she described, and tossed them in water. With his colossal form between them, she wouldn’t see what he added to the mix. Some herbs he had grabbed that he was told would send her into a deep sleep. That would give him time to find the vein, and she would not wake if he made a few mistakes.

Once the tea had brewed, he poured it in a cup and brought it back to her, he raised it to the air as if to salute. “Perhaps to the last time I must care for you, silly little slave.” He said, and handed the cup to her with a wink. Excitement and anticipation in his blood as he stalked back to the fireplace. He poked a stick into the embers, waiting impatiently for the tea to take effect.


"Speech"

Her brow furrowed and her gaze drifted about the space. She kept thinking of what he was trying to tell her or show her... Perhaps he was sorry for her leg... Perhaps he wanted her true yes and was working to earn it from her? Funny... Would she truly give it? She didn't know. He poured the cup and held it aloft, proclaiming to his hope that it would be the last time he would coddle her. She couldn't help but blink and subtly smile with some amusement. Was he playing a joke? The tea isn't really an instant cure all silly man. Maybe he'll learn not to break his toys if he still wanted to use them.

She shook her head as she took the cup, blowing off the steam and taking a sip. Strange, had one of her herbs turned sour? No, that's not normally the mold taste. She took another sip, now trying to parse what wasn't right with the mixture. She had watched him gather some of the ingredients... had he mistook one for another? No, she could taste the horsetail and the St. John's wort... The boneset maybe? She took another sip, it wasn't terrible it was just not what she was expecting. Maybe... when she gathered these herbs... they were growing... somewhere...
in...
a place...
that...
effected their...
... taste?
She was nodding off... Her thoughts were sluggish, she must not be done sleeping...

Her paw fell to the bed, the last two sips of the tea spilled to the floor and she slumped back, unable to keep her eyes open.

"speech"

coded by NachoMumma

The sound of the cup hitting the floor turned Flare’s attention back to her. That had happened faster than he expected. Had it been okay to mix with the other herbs? He wasn’t a healer, no way to know. Luckily, he could always get another one if he broke this one. He waited a moment to ensure she was fully out, and then made his way back to her side. He nudged the spilled tea cup out of the way and rested a paw against her neck. Feeling her heartbeat before grabbing out the small kit the Syndicate healer had given him. Lucky for him, Demezla hadn’t been in any shape to be poking around.

He returned to her once more, seating himself on the edge of the bed as he carefully spread her legs, feeling across the limb for the vain. Her body was similar to the test subject Azrael had let him work on. He’d certainly bruised the healer's little Ririka a few times while he learned. He pulled out the sharp needle he had been supplied, and shoved it into the vein. It would likely bruise as well from his inexperienced paws, but hopefully she would have enough on her mind not to notice. He injected the fluid, and pulled out the evidence. Wrapping it back up and putting it out of the way to dispose of it.

Azrael had promised him good things from this drug. If it all worked to plan, she would practically be climbing the walls to elevate the intensity of the drug-induced heat. Far worse, he had been told, than the real thing. He brushed a paw lightly across her forehead, brushing back her ears before getting back to his paws. Placing the tea cup on the table before returning himself to the fire. Now, for the excruciating part of waiting for her to wake. Waiting to see how the drug would take root in his beautiful, foolish toy.


"Speech"