It's never the same

He crouched to her level, a massive male nearly three times her size, and looked her in her teary golden eyes. He reminded her of the gifts he gave her, of how he wasn't the emotional hugging type.

Something in the sliver of fear and hope stuck in her throat dared to break. He was fighting for her here, right before her eyes, fighting against the whispers of her past by reminding her of the care he had already shown her, the care she even called him out on just a few moments ago even.

The glistening tears fell more easily now, the dam about to break.

He was fierce in his care and protection for those he loved and somehow, Ignita got to be included in the space between his great and ferocious paws. She remembered how it felt to be wrapped in his arms after her panic attack yesterday. Was it really just yesterday? It already felt like weeks ago...

She was still scared he didn't mean it, but it was smaller now. Would she dare? Could she dare? Would he pull away if she tried to step into those great arms he used to protect, to fight, to build a fortress for Hazel and Spider... For her?

Slowly, gingerly, she ducked under his chin and climbed into the space between his legs, burying her pale and golden face into the night of his fur. Softly she wept and slowly she relaxed into him. Letting the pain of her kidnapped childhood, her ridicule at the paws of her first jailer, and even the pain Basilisk had caused her when he took her captive weave and flow away from them and pool onto the cave floor.

She eventually shuddered, her nerves wrecked and released. Exhausted but suddenly feeling lightheaded and filled with air. Her small head laid on one of his arms, "Thank you... Bas." She whispered, her voice hoarse. She was still a slave, she would be a slave, but she was His slave. She didn't think she'd mind if she was his slave forever, as long as she was his.