Normally going to her mistress' den was a wonderful thing that the little slave looked forward to daily. She got to groom and pamper the Empress - one of her favorite past times - and Deathbelle never treated her badly like the other Kleins so often did. In her mistress' presence Zee always felt less a slave and more a loyal, devoted friend. It warmed her heart to see Deathbelle's belly swell with children, and Zee was looking forward to making friends with the little ones as well some day. "Mistress," She sang as she came up upon the royal wolf's patio. "I've come bearing gifts." This was the day - though the Empress' pillows were not quite finished, Zee had been in secret working on a rug woven with vines and grass. It was not as soft as a pelt may be, but she took care in making sure the gift would be sturdy enough to act at least as a placemat outside her den. Somewhere for her to wipe her feet without dirtying the more plush, luxuries furnishings within. It was carefully rolled and held by a strand of vine she fashioned to carry it with, as it was much too bulky while rolled to fit within her small jaws. She rounded the corner with a smile, prepared to enter the den and nearly colliding in her hurry with the Empress' bodyguard. Sirius. Immediately her smile dropped, a scowl beginning to touch her lips. "Hello." She greeted curtly, before attempting to brush past the brute. He was massive and unyielding, and upon being unable to fit herself and her rolled mat between him and the dirt wall she backed up to stare firmly into his chest as if she could look through it to address her empress. "Mistress, if you could have your guard move so I might approach? He's blocking my path." "Speech" "Thinking" "You."

His head was turned backwards to listen to something Deathbele was telling him, when he heard the greeting of the small wolf. He ignored her for a moment, before turning back to see that she was carrying a heavy bundle in her jaws that kept her from slipping past his larger frame. She just about colliuded with him, and his fury turned white hot so suddenly he tasted blood in his mouth. Eyes cold and hard, they burned into Zee, remembering the way she had screamed at him at the lake, the way she had belittled him and made him feel like a fool. The only fool here was her. She spoke to Deathbelle instead of him as she asked the Empress to instruct him to move. With his anger at the forefront, he spoke before he could consider the implications of his words. It was unusual for him to do so in front of Deathbelle, when her opinion meant the world to him, but something about Zee was always able to set him off. It was so much worse now after there fight, and he had to bite back the urge to reach a paw forward and give her a sharp cuff to the side of the head like one might to an unruly pup. “Your Imperial Majesty, might you tell your slave not to try and smack me with her damn log” he growled as her ‘present’ had come rather close to his face before she had ground to a halt. Instead of moving, he was forcing himself not to growl, caught up in the moment as he gave her the full brunt of his cold stare. “And tell her I’ll be examining that for threats before it gets anywhere past me.” "Speech"

Deathbelle rolled back on to a few rabbit pelts laid over the shorter, less soft, pelts of the antelope native to this region. They often stopped by the lake to drink, and now that the pack had moved in the area was much more dangerous for the creatures. Their loss, Ashen’s gain. She smiled softly and blinked open magenta gaze as Zee’s voice reached her mismatched ears. Sirius lingered in the doorway as she leaned her head over to see her little handmaiden. ”Sirius is that Zee?” She asked, unsure why the titan would block the passage of her favorite.

She didn’t miss the tension between them or the immaturity of their voices. Brows furrowed as she rolled to her feet and made her way to the entrance. ”Sirius get out of my way.” She said, more harshly than she might have were they not being ridiculous. If he didn’t get out of her way (would he not get out of her way?) She shimmied around him to face the both of them, light brows furrowed and her hackles raised to show her annoyance.

”You’ve disturbed me for a petty squabble.” Belle’s eyes lingered mostly on her guard, but also shifted to Zee. ”You’ll settle this right now. Or you’ll pretend, Zee will give me her gift, and all of the tension will be gone. It’s bad for the pups.” She told them as alabaster tail flicked in annoyance at her heavily marked hips.

Zee returned a growl to the titan as he dared to assume that the package she held for the Empress would harm her in any way. She began to speak back out against him with the proper amount of sass, before her mistress pushed her way past the giant and out into the daylight. Her Empress chastised them both, and Zee's ears fell flat against her head at displeasing her. "This is his fault." She responded softly, turning to glare daggers at him. "He should know better then to assume that I'm going to cause you harm, and to think you can't defend yourself against a stupid little slave means he doesn't think highly of you at all." Her dainty head lifted and she sniffed dismissively at Sirius before turning back to the Empress to place the rolled up mat before her on the ground. "Why can't you just send him away while I am with you? He scares me and threatens me." "Speech" "Thinking" "You."

He bared his teeth in a silent growl at the slave, and likely would have said more, is Bee hadn’t suddenly spoken up. He flushed, an unusual event for the titan, and stood rigardly to attention, easily, and instantly giving her enough room to walk past as she stalked past to survey them both. His face was a mixture of anger and embarrassment, as he realised what he had said in front of the Empress. It was all that stupid slaves fault, if she didn’t try and sass and snap at everything to so much as twitched in her way, then they wouldn’t even be in this mess in the first place! It was her personality that had driven him to find someone else to take the blows. “Anything could cause her harm, and it’s my vigilance that keeps her safe!” he snapped. What a foolish thing for her to suggest, that he couldn’t protect the wolf he loves. “I wouldn’t have to frighten you if you weren't such an impertinent fool” he growled, showing the first hint of teeth. shit he didn’t again, his mouth was getting the best of him. Why did she just make him so damn mad he didn’t think anyone else in the world had gotten under her skin like Zee. he flattened himself to the floor beneath him, bowing his head to Deathbelle. “My deepest apologies, Deathbelle, I will never bring tension before you again.” he promised, the fact that his breathing was still a little rough likely ruined his speech. "Speech"

Their voices quieted, but the tension did not leave them like she commanded. Both of them back talked, and both of them continued to dig at the other. Belle found herself reaching the end of her rope with the both of them rather quickly. She growled deeply, an act she hadn’t yet needed to enact with Zee, and one she hadn’t pulled on seer in a very long time. She pulled back her lips to reveal her own teeth as Sirius growled and threatened Zee. He was quick to lower himself and apologize after that one.

”Both of you, leave my sight. Zee, make sure the floor in my den is scrubbed, the furs cleaned and fluffed, before I return.” With all that work Zee would be tired pretty quickly, they would be able to reconvene in a few hours. Sirius.. ”Sirius I’m going on a walk, I expect to not see you.” She glared at both of them clearly disappointed at not being obeyed.

-time skip after this?

Sirius just didn't stop, he called her a fool and her growl got louder still. His anger seemed to dwindle quite quickly though as he realized their company, and she stood watching as he threw himself before Deahbelle. If she did the same, she'd look like she was only copying him. She remained standing and hoped the empress took no offense to it. "Yes, Mistress." Was her response, eyes moving off Sirius to survey Deathbelle's den. It'd be hard work but could prove a physical outlet for her anger. If only she could break something - though she'd never dare damage one of her mistress' possessions. As Belle began to walk away, she let a whispered "Look what you did." cross over to the guard, eyes narrowing at him for a moment before turning to stalk into the den. - Time Skip - It felt like hours that Zee had been scrubbing the floor. Each hard movement of her paws she pictured Sirius below her, batting angrily against him with all her might. Her fur was dusty and matted from the different nooks and crannies she'd squeezed into to clean. Typically she'd be livid at letting herself get so dirty, but today she was driven only by her overwhelming hate for the Empress' guard and her desire to show herself to Deathbelle as so much better then the brute. Her pillows were beautifully fluffed, and Zee even snuck in some herbs that Luce gave her to calm her stomach when it became agitated. The air in the den smelt clean and fresh, and Zee scrubbed backwards as she exited the den so not one pawprint would be left upon it's surface. Finally, she unrolled her crafted mat and placed it carefully before the entrance so that it might catch any dirt of paws that crossed the threshold. Finished her work, she sat herself proudly upon the porch and awaited her mistress. "Speech" "Thinking" "You."

He visibly flinched at the anger of his Mistress, and hung his head low. He knew he had greatly disappointed her, something he never wished to do. He felt his anger at Zee seething, and knew he was blaming her for this misstep. If Deathbelle didn’t forgive him, he might just have to keep clear of Zee for a while in case he really did bite her.

“Yes, Your Imperial Majesty” he whispered as Deathbelle glared at them, and departed from the den. “ME?” he growled, baring his teeth in full at her, and snapping the air near her face as she walked past. He was lucky he didn’t pounce her right then and there, and teach her exactly how she was supposed to behave. Beyond furious, the titan snarled some more, and departed from the den in the opposite direction Deathbelle had gone. He was really struggling to keep his anger in check.

Having unleashed his anger on the cheetah, he was glad to be back in Ashen territory in time to meet Deathbelle back at her den. He lunged the coat that he had carefully taken from the flesh of the beast and left it in his den. As for the small subs, he cleaned them, stuffed them with some of the feathers he and Zee had been collecting, plumping them up into soft little cushioned beds, before taking them all to her den, and sitting patiently outside with his gifts to the Empress. Zee was also on the porch, but of her he utterly ignored.

She returned to find the both of them quiet and at attention when her dainty paws returned her to the palace’s patio. Bright magenta gaze took them both in, everyone seemed to have calmed from earlier. She felt the corners of her lips pull back. If they could only remain perfect like this. There were more items sitting outside her den now and she perked a brow at both of them. ”Are you behaving now?” She asked softly, coming to sit before them, her tail curling around her dainty paws. She peered at both of them carefully before continuing. ”Good. Now what did you bring me earlier, Zee?” She asked curiously opening up the floor for her handmaiden. She wondered if the small stuffed furs were from Zee or Sirius. They looked… fresh.

Sirius returned first, and she let out a quiet growl as he put himself on the other side of the entrance from her. Her gaze dropped to the small bundles he brought with him, narrowing. Trying to one up me? That dick. Deathbelle came back too, and Zee was quick to throw herself into a deep bow at her feet. "Yes, Mistress. I'm prepared to behave as long as he does." It was the least amount of sass Zee could muster at the moment, and she rose to her feet to step towards the den's entrance. "I brought you this mat. I wove it with my own paws, it's taken me many many days but I finally think it's perfect enough for your royal feet to stand upon." She gestured to it with her muzzle, looking upon her creation fondly. Hopefully the Empress would see her gift for how painstakingly difficult it was, and dismiss the fool's gifts along with him. She sniffed the air in exaggeration. "Hmm, your den smelled so much better when I finished with it. Curious where this dead-animal smell might have come from." "Speech" "Thinking" "You."

Deathbelle appeared before them, and he was determined to be on his best behaviour. It helped that he had spilled blood recently, and gotten a chance to use some of his anger. Tangling one on one with the creature had given him a chance to let out his rage in a safe environment. Of course, a stranger had also helped him, but that was of no matter.

He lowered his head in an obediant bow before his Imperial Majesty, and well a tick in his cheek went off at Zees words, he was certain his deep bow hid it entirely from her.

Zee went on to praise her own gift, and how much time and effort she had put into it. He eyed his own gift, the small bundles of furred mats for the children to sleep on. They would need to air for a few days to clear out the smell, but he had spent time cleaning them and he could at least show deathbelle the idea behind them. They didnt need to be cuddle-ready at this very moment, the pups where still a while away.

The titan opted to remain silent, holding his pose until he was directed otherwise. The Empress hadnt directed anything but hr first sentance towards him, and her attention was on zee. He dutifully remained as he was until she turned her gaze towards him. Of zees words, he ignored entirely. She had caused him enough grief today. Perhaps giving her silence would annoy her even more.

Both of her servants bowed deeply upon her return, at least they were fully aware of their misbehavior. Both seemed eager to return to her graces as Zee was much better behaved, and Sirius was silent while he was yet to present what his paws had been up to while everyone had been out. Belle had Sirius remain in his bow as Zee showed off her wares. The Empress couldn’t and wouldn’t hide her obvious enthusiasm for the gift. Not only would Zee have an easier time of keeping it clean, she’d only have to get rid of shed fur instead of excess dirt as well.

”Shush, Zee.” She said as her purple gaze fell to the mat provided. ”Don’t sully my pleasure in your gift with the petty squabble.” She muttered as she took a dainty paw and drug it along the paw made gift. Belle smiled and nodded. ”Your gift is brilliant, Zee. Thank you.” Her voice was soft and full of gratitude as she turned to Sirius.

”You may rise, Vessel.” She told him as she herself rose to her full height, head above her shoulders and nose held high. ”What have you brought for me?” She eyed the furs curiously, they were fresh and she knew he must have harvested them while she’d sent him away. She had wanted some pillows and knew they were being worked on, but what was this?

Zee's backhanded comment towards Sirius' gift did not draw the reaction she had hoped, though while her Empress spoke to her she kept a polite and respectable expression upon her face. "Thank you for the compliment, Mistress. Your smile makes all the hard work worth while." She dipped her head in appreciation, watching as Deathbelle moved to address Sirius. With her Empress' head turned, Zee shot the guard a glare of contempt, huffing slightly. 'Nice.' She mouthed behind Deathbelle's back, sarcastic. Obviously he'd rushed in his gathering of this gift in an attempt to one up her own.   "Speech" "Thinking" "You."