It's true that her first few weeks in Ardent have been taxing. There's still so much she has to figure out, so much to be calculated, so many paths she'll have to carve for herself... really, she just needs a drink. So, feeling like she's more than earned it, Leera glides silently into the dark orchard, her eyes searching for something fallen, something fermented. It isn't long before she finds her treasure: a gnarled apple tree that has long since released its fruit. The cold ground it littered in rotting green apples, and the scent of them is sharp and bright in the air. Without so much as a split second of hesitation, Leera steps toward one of them, taking it in her teeth and swallowing the soft, rotten morsels. When she's eaten her fill, more than enough to get rather tipsy, she leans back and closes her eyes. It's just a waiting game now as her stomach acid eats away at the fermenting fruit, depositing it slowly into her bloodstream like a morphine drip. speech action

The king had become displeased with the newest member of his pack. Leera had promised him a litter yet it seemed she lacked any signs of pregnancy so far, and her scent lacked any markers that she had become pregnant from their first coupling. That meant she had not held up her end of the bargain they had struck and had no reason to be placed in a rank above his other, more faithful followers. He sought her out, his eyes narrowing as he found her wallowing in the orchard, surrounded by rotten apples. “Fitting.” He thought and gave little care for whether or not she heard him. He stood over her, his eyes burning with dissatisfaction and loathing. “Enjoying yourself Sister Leera?” He asked  in a low growl, emphasizing the title she had not earned,  a snarl tugging at his muzzle as he looked into her half focused eyes. Speaking  Thinking  You

The warmth of the alcohol spreads through her body, easing her mind. There's been quite a lot plaguing her -- but perhaps the most crucial of them all is the the fact that it has been some time since her and Tyranis' mating and yet her body shows no symptoms of pregnancy. "Enjoying yourself, Sister Leera?" Pink eyes slide slowly open and they darken when they fall upon the male. "More or less," she crones in answer, moving to sit up so that she can see him more clearly. Looking at him now, it's easy to see he's displeased. Immediately, her expression hardens and she knows she must face the problem head on. "You're unhappy." It's a simple observation, said with hardly any conviction. She watches his yellowed orbs steadily, tail flicking and curling like a cobra. She's only slightly buzzed; Tyranis has appeared before any real effects take place. Even still, the release of the grip of her always-working mind has made her somewhat careless. "Well, Tyranis, I am unhappy, too. I am not with child." Regardless of the deals she's made with Tyranis, she wants the children, too. She's a mother at heart, and she's ready to be that part of herself again, no matter whose they are. speech action

“I’m unhappy for much the same reason.” He said pointedly. He knew fault wasn’t with himself, he had after all sired a litter before he had even reached full maturity. Albeit they had been small whelps that had done nothing but bring him shame but he had sired them long before any male should have been able to. “Remember that you carrying my cubs was part of our agreement.” He said with an accusatory snarl. “Are you perhaps too old to take children?” He bit the words off harshly and flung them carelessly at her, challenging her to dare to fight him or to submit and learn her place. Speaking Thinking  You

She's unbothered by his temper and instead sits back, locking her elbows, watching him through a hard stare. Ears flatten against her crown at his accusations; she isn't too old to bear children. In fact, she's had a litter every consecutive year since her second birthday, and none of the pairings had failed. "Maybe your seed's gone bad," she counters with a hiss, mind buzzing. Although, admittedly, it is slightly disconcerting that she hasn't produced a litter. This is the first time her attempts have been unsuccessful, but she won't let Tyranis put the blame on her. The woman blows a sharp sigh through her glinting teeth and rolls her neck, clearly indiscreet in her slight drunkenness. "So, we'll try again," she growls before standing and turning her body, rump facing Tyranis now. Even in her frustration, she's still eager to concieve as any femme in heat is. speech action

“Damn right we will.” He snarled and mounted her, gripping her hips tightly as he leaned forward to threateningly whisper. “Fail me again and I’ll have your ears.” And with all the ferocity and viciousness of a bear Tyranis took her for a second time. -Fade out- -Fade in- He would have been lying if he said he hadn’t enjoyed letting his rage take him just as wholly as he had taken her. He felt animalistic and powerful, and wondered if this was what it felt like to be guided by the demons of Ruina. That brought the woman into a new light for him. If the demons had brought her it was for a higher purpose, and perhaps he should not have been so bestial or cruel. He gave a low grunt as he pulled away from her, then looked over his shoulder at her with a calmer but still serious expression. Speaking Thinking  You

"Your threats mean nothing to me, Tyranis," she says with a smoky edge, but there's no way of telling if it's even reached his ears or not. He seems taken with some sort of carnal rage, rough with his movements, but Leera doesn't mind. In fact, she likes him better like this. -fade out and in- She pants, watching Tyranis. It's true that their second attempt has been more satisfying to her, but also more exhausting. Either way, the deal is sealed. Nature will take its course and she'll know soon enough if their actions bore fruit. "I'll come to you at first sign," she murmurs before standing, shaking out her silken coat, and departing silently through the darkness of the orchard. speech action