Chimera and Reila had taken another hunting trip and she was wondering if he had taken so many with others of his pack. All of the women seemed to generally stay inside the pack, and then some of the others ran patrols or did hunts on their own. Though Reila also wasn't much in tune with what was going on inside the pack. She was either outside of the pack preforming duties or inside of her bungalow. Her life confined in chains was reminiscent no doubt.

Reila moved them out to the oaks where she could scent the elk nearby before going to start their work to make the catch easier. Her eyes moved gently over to Chimera with a smile. Their time by the fire not forgotten but unimportant to her now. She just hoped she hadn't embarrassed herself too badly. Her paws started to dig out a pit, a rather large one to house most of an elk and break a leg in the process. She didn't want to use the wooden stakes like they used for the pigs,  the meat would be better cut if it wasn't impaled.

This time was no different than any time they had been out together, but Reila had intentionally moved herself closer to Chimera as they worked, casually bumping into him from time to time but not paying any mind to it like she didn't even know it was happening or like it was an accident.

"Reila"

Hunting trips with Reila were becoming the norm and the pair traveled together at least once a week. Chimera had promised to be the one hunting with her in case she lost herself, but it was more than that. He thoroughly enjoyed spending time with her. She reminded him of Viper at times, though they were nothing alike. Perhaps it was simply the act of hunting with the woman that reminded him. Either way, he liked it. He liked her. It was... unsettling. Shouldn't he be satisfied with his current lovers? His queens? Why then did he think about tasting Reila? Of holding her in his arms and claiming her for his? The thoughts were troublesome enough that he felt the need to talk to Aliana about it. Perhaps he would do so after their hunt.

Today Reila had chosen to dig a pit. This was easy for the big man as his paws were wide and he was well muscled. The woman laid out the length and width of the pit and the pair began to dig. Periodically they would bump into one another as they worked and Chimera began to periodically reach out to feel for the fae with his tail so that they didn't slam into one another and could focus on their work. Paws moved, pulling up great chunks of earth. If she wanted one elk or two, the hole that they were digging would surely catch them.

"Chimera Klein"

Reila kept working alongside Chimera, the feeling of his tail brushing against her in a silent return was doing something to her she couldn't explain, and without being in close proximity to him he couldn't know the breaths she was holding in each time they were close.

When they had the pit dug out, Reila came up beside Chimera, brushing close enough to him that their fur could nearly mingle but not making body to body contact. Her side glance was probably more suggestive than she intended, but it seemed with every encounter with Chimera it was harder hold back the new feelings she was having. Maybe she only wanted to be with Chimera opposed to anyone else in the entire pack for a reason. Maybe it was genuine, or maybe she was unknowingly seeking that sort of slave-master relationship. She was acting on the emotions she was experiencing towards Chimera, but she wasn't acknowledging them that far.

"Mind giving me a lift?" She teased to get pushed up out of the pit. Once they were out she'd pull a net they had brought along to throw on top of the pit before covering it with dirt and debris to make it hidden. The way she walked was asking for his attention, even if she continued to act like everything was normal.

"Reila"

Together they dug, making short work of the pit. They'd done this before, after all. Chimera continued to touch the woman with his tail while they worked, keeping her location known. Once they were finished, she jokingly asked him to help her out of the pit, but he took her seriously. Chimera stooped, slid his blocky skull between her hind legs, then hoisted the woman so that she was seated on his shoulders. It would be terribly easy for her to get out of the hole now, but... he wouldn't be able to join her just yet. Not until his arousal dealt with itself.

Once he was able, Chimera jumped up onto the edge of the pit as well, then helped Reila spread out the netting and the leaves to go on top. The duo moved leisurely through the oaks, collecting detritus to add to the net so that it would blend in with the rest of the terrain. He was very, very aware of the gentle sway of the fae's hips. She was treading in dangerous territory and he had a feeling that she knew it.

"Chimera Klein"

Really how long could she keep up the facade? Well, as long as he never said anything. Reila up on the surface didn't really know what she wanted from Chimera, at this point just his attention or his admiration. Something along those lines. But dangerous territory was nothing new to her... or at least what could happen there. Maybe if they hadn't spent so much time together it would be different. Or if she had made better decisions to get to know more of the pack and not be so focused on experimenting making herself at risk. What she was silently asking for in the way she moved, in the way she looked at him, it could have wound her all the way back to day zero. She wouldn't consider the consequences, in fact to her the consequences were okay. She'd deal with anyway she felt after she had what her body and mind were telling her. Of course, only if Chimera was a willing participate to giving her the attention she desired.

Outside of the pit her and Chimera split ways to gather materials to camouflage the pit under the net. The best kind of trap really, as long as you knew how to hide it. They still worked as a team to cover it up, putting the final touches on it before it seemed well enough to work on their prey. Still with that maybe knowingly tempting gaze, she approached Chimera only to walk past him before pausing, "Are you ready then?" Her past life really gave her the tools to work it.

"Reila"

It was the mans intent to deny Reila for as long as he could. He wanted to have her writhing beneath him, but he held back. Lust was one thing and he wasn't able to tell yet if this was simply lust or something more. Until then, he wouldn't act upon his urges. Chimera definitely had that self control. Every moment that they spent together tested his resolve, however. Especially when she so blatantly sauntered past, forcing him to look at her sweet little bobbed tail and shapely backside. Her question was met with a low growl, but nothing more.

As this was Reila's hunt, Chimera followed her. He was simply here for support. An extra set of teeth and definitely the muscle that would drag the dead elk out of the pit. Chimera came up beside the woman, his tail lashing back and forth. It just so happened to swipe over her rump a few times. Oops. If she was going to be a tease, then so was he.

"Chimera Klein"

Chimera agreed to come along without stating so, and the two made their way together following the scents of the elk. They ventured out into the open forests of the large trees and scouted out their prey. They were nearby, and when spotted Reila had decided to try for two of them given the size of the pit they dug together. As they looked through the brush, Reila jolted slightly to the feel of Chimera's tail against her rump the first time, but didn't act like it was a problem. Instead hinting a sly grin without turning towards him and allowing him the second tap from his tail.

With a dip of her head, she prowled around the large antlered creatures before making sure Chimera was ready and then initiating the chase. As long as they could keep up, they wouldn't have much of a problem.

"Reila"

Chimera sent Reila off with one final playful swat of his tail against her hip and waited patiently while she got into position. He watched the foliage on the opposite side, waiting until he caught a flash of blue eyes. Only then did he rise and prepare to rush their quarry.

As always, this was Reila's hunt. He was taking direction from her and was purely a supportive role. When she charged, he did as well. The elk bellowed in alarm and instantly began to flee. The wolves were at their heels, snapping and snarling. One of the larger ungulates tried to cut away, but Chimera acted quickly, biting its haunch and sending it back into the group with the rest. They didn't need four of them, but he definitely wanted the largest ones so that their hunt was worthwhile.

"Chimera Klein"

They jumped out of the brush and went for the chase, Chimera keen on keeping his in line Reila did too. She may have seemed small and dainty, but she must have proved if only to Chimera she was much more than that. Her claim of winning tournaments to the death was probably not far from shown evidence of what she was capable of. Her slave life was more prominent and could even be written off as cause for her nightmares and other emotional struggles. But she could show true strength and adaptability in their hunts and the way she managed her leg in it's healing.

They drove the elk towards the pit, and as they drew closer Reila had taken the note of which of her elk was bigger and pushed forward to switch them out since not all the elk would fit, letting her side of the center free as she continued to drive the larger elk towards the pit.

"Reila"

Together they ran and Chimera noted as Reila chose her target, cutting the other two away. Perhaps they would be worth hunting next time, but today they weren't large enough to bother with. The remaining elk that they were left with would be a decent haul to take back to Fenmyre. Something different for their stores.

As they neared the pit, the elk on Chimera's side tried to make a break for it. Leaping forward, Chimera's powerful jaws wrapped around one spindle-like leg and, with a twist of his head, he practically threw the elk into the pit. The beast went crashing through the net covering and head first down into the pit where it's neck snapped along with its antlers. Chimera almost slid into the pit as well, but threw himself to the side, skidding across the grassy terrain on his hip. He'd pay for that one later.

"Chimera Klein"

Chimera's elk started to go a little off course but it seemed he managed to keep it in line. Reila dropped her attention from his own chase and focused on hers as they drew closer to the trap.

Chimera's elk fell through first, and Reila's in only a second or so afterwards. She saw Chimera slide across the surface of the dirt but didn't jump to his aide as she had urged before when he was cut. She gave him a quick glance to make sure he wasn't writhing in pain before she went to take care of the elk in the pit.

The elk she was chasing was still alive, but it's front legs were broken and it bellowed out a deafening noise from the pain and terror of it's demise. Reila took it's life at the throat taking a deep breath as she grasped it and it stopped struggling. She was able to manage herself during the kill, or at least most of the time now. She went to check Chimera's elk which had broken it's neck on the fall down so... she didn't have to deal with that one. She called out quietly from her place in the pit, "Are you ready to take them?"

"Reila"

With a grimace, Chimera got to his paws. He gave his big body a shake and then moved towards the pit just as Reila was calling out to him. Looking over the side, he noted that both elk were indeed dead and that she had dispatched one herself. It seemed as though she was making progress as she hadn't lost herself after taking its life.

While digging the pit, he'd worked to angle one wall a bit so that it would be easier to drag their prey out. Chimera's teeth sank through the flesh of one hind leg and he pulled backwards, his paws sliding a bit though he made progress. With one elk out of the hole, he moved on to the other, pulling it out to deposit it on the grass as well. After that, the man tossed himself onto the grass on his side, content to take a breather before they gutted the elk and tossed them onto the cart.

"Chimera Klein"

Reila helped Chimera by pushing the elk up to the divot in the side of the pit and getting herself between the elk and the ground to push them upwards towards him. Once they were both out she too pulled herself up the incline of the pit seeing that Chimera had laid down for a quick break. She started pushing some of the dirt back into the pit, obviously with their supplies taken back out.

It wasn't too long before she ventured to the front of him, laying down before him at just a little bit of an angle. She went to place her paws over his, fully intentional but also without much thought with how often they had been out together and been close to each other. With a warm grin and going to meet his gaze she spoke, "Needed a break?" She had his slip on her mind, but he seemed to push on anytime he was hurt in the field so she wouldn't directly mention it. Certainly a strong man, she could see. It wasn't the first time she noticed him in that way.

"Reila"

Reila came to lay before him and Chimera offered her a lopsided grin as her paws rested over his. She was surprisingly touchy feely, so he didn't pull away. If this was part of her progress in forgetting that she was a slave, so be it. Besides, he couldn't say that he didn't enjoy her touches. In fact, he looked forward to them. From the playful way that they brushed past one another to the gentle touches that she gave when he was sore or wounded, Chimera enjoyed them all. He enjoyed her.

The woman's words met his ears and the brute chuckled, his tail thumping once in the grass. "Just a small one," he assured her. "Elk aren't exactly light." He'd already forgotten about banging his hip on the ground, but he would surely feel it in the morning. The man's gaze shifted, looking at their paws as they touched. "Do you want to stay out overnight or make the trek back now?" He was giving her options, curious of which she would choose. A night out could be dangerous for both of them and he didn't deny that. He acknowledged it fully. Every moment that he spent with the former slave woman was drawing him closer and closer into her trap. A snare set just for him.

"Speech"

Reila hummed a little, amused by his response, "No they aren't. You seem to manage just fine." Even with his hips going out of line and sliding awkwardly across the soil. Yeah, that was a compliment, maybe she was trying a little too hard. She wouldn't notice that though. She after all didn't know normal interactions with a man, only what had been asked of her in her prior life. She knew better praise than what she offered this time.

Reila actually bit her lip slightly as he asked if she wanted to camp out overnight or head back to Fenmyre. It was a bit of a walk and one they would probably run over into the night but not too far. It would have been manageable but, yes, she wanted to stay overnight here with Chimera. Even at the risk of lost sleep for herself. They at least kept some supplies on the cart if the need ever arose. "I don't mind staying here overnight." She acted like she wouldn't have any further thoughts or intentions, really her only intentions were being in Chimera's arms. But he could probably see right through her playing around just as she had been attempting to catch his attention through the way she walked and looked at him during their work. "You could use a good rest. I could too." She joked lightly, as if she could make him feel better for taking a fall.

"I can go collect some wood to keep the fire going for the night. We can probably use some of the old hollow trees for shelter." She suggested before moving to the cart they traveled around with and grabbed one of the old tarps they typically used to cover up their hunts and made use of it to drag her collected wood on.

"Reila"

The fae's compliment was met with a chuckle and the man gave a stretch, digging his claws into the earth for a moment as he did so. When asked if she wanted to stay or go, Reila decided that she'd rather stay and suggested that they stay in some of the hollow oaks. Chimera nodded and rolled to his paws, ready to get to work.

Moving away from the woman, Chimera proceeded to remove the innards from the elk, making them significantly lighter. He then pulled them onto the cart like usual. As Reila took one of the huge skins and began looking for firewood, Chimera slid into the yoke and began pulling the corpses through the wood, searching for a place where two hallow trees were near to one another. With as may massive trees as there were in this place, it didn't take much time at all. He placed the cart beside the trees and covered the carcasses with a skin, then went about the place collecting rocks to make a fire pit. When Reila returned with the wood, he would be ready to start a fire. In the meantime, he placed one of the other furs in her temporary den and one in his. On top of hers, he placed the blanket that he'd purchased for her at the market. It was patched of leopard fur interspersed on a bison skin. It was a luxurious piece and was very soft. Hopefully she'd like it.

"Speech"

Reila was easily able to break off nice and usable pieces of wood off the old trees as well as some sticks and tinder. The land was a magnificent space, but not one she hadn't seen before. Luckily there were few harsh memories of the actual travels she had in the slave line, so walking through the oaks or the falls or the canyon, none of it struck her the wrong way or made her feel bad. If anything she was grateful.

She returned to where Chimera had set up camp, waiting for her to return with the supply of wood. She placed it nearby the fire pit for him to start on before she noticed the striking pelt laid over the more usual furs. She was rather dense when it came to the thought that the pelt was for her and only went to stand beside it to take a glance at it, "Oh, this is nice. Is it yours?" She had seen leopards before, and in fact their pelts too. She had laid with numerous masters that had them set in their dens or quarters on the ship and it was almost like a sense of royalty or wealth, or at least in her mind. It was no different in thought of Chimera. He was royal, he was wealthy. Maybe he just wanted to make use of the pelt for once instead of having it for show in his own den. Or maybe he was trying to show off a little to her too.

"Reila"

Stacking the wood in the center of the stone pit that he'd formed, Chimera rifled through the sack that he'd brought until he found flint and steel. Using some of the smaller pieces as kindling, the man soon had a fire going. It crackled merrily as Chimera stacked the wood beside it. They'd be able to easily keep it burning through the night and, in the place he'd positioned it, they would both be able to feel its warmth from their makeshift dens.

Reila's voice from behind him brought the brutes head curling around. Was what his? He noted that she was looking at the fur and he wrinkled his nose before giving a huff and going back to stacking the wood. "No, it's yours. I thought you needed something that belonged to you alone, so I picked it up when Aliana and I went to the market." It wasn't a big deal, he thought. Perhaps she would think differently.

"Speech"

Chimera almost absently announced that the pelt was hers, a gift from him. And she was immediately taken back, almost questioning if she heard him right. "Oh, uh..." Her whole body stopped for a moment while her gaze was stuck down on the pelt. No one had ever given her a gift before, never anything nice Everything she had been given was for her survival. Everything in her room in Fenmyre was maybe considered hers, but mostly the packs as everything was there upon arrival for it's resident. This gesture was entirely different than what she was given when she washed up on the shores of Fenmyre.

"I..." She struggled for words, having a lump in her throat and she could feel the little bit of tears welling in her eyes. It was again, a feeling she had never experienced before. And again, with Chimera. "Thank you." She exclaimed rather calmly, putting her paws on the fur before laying down carefully over it. The look on her face could have said it all though, she didn't have to jump up and down with joy to show how really appreciative she was of it. She nearly so happy she could cry, but just a glaze over her eyes as she got comfortable, "I really love it, thank you."

"Reila"

Chimera was working around the fire, setting up a haunch of elk over the flames, so he didn't see the expression on the woman's face. Her words of thanks were met with a rumble and a, "You're welcome." He didn't think anything of the gesture. He'd given things to many of his wolves, so why was this any different?

The man glanced back only once to see Reila curled up on the leopard skin blanket. He flipped the leg in the crook of two branches to warm through the meat on the other side. As he waited for the meat to cook, night had fallen, as it does. The oaks were tall and imposing, casting strange shadows mixed with the light of the fire. After a few more minutes over the fire, Chimera gingerly pulled the meat away and placed it on a slab of stone. "Dinner, if you're hungry," he told the woman, then tore off a strip of meat for himself. Laying on his belly, Chimera held the meat between his paws and proceeded to eat.

"Speech"