ooc; set before joining pirates and after capture

Eden felt as if she was some sort of dog to be led around with a chain. Whatever the result of the claim, she had submitted in the end. Her legs had given out and she fell. Even if she had managed to circle Ignis, he was just too quick and too aware of the power in himself. To avoid harm, she went along with his whim. She assumed it was a whim, rather hoped if he got bored of her he'd let her go. She fell silent long ago, trudging along and tried to keep up with his wider steps. If he was aware of her struggle, he didn't seem to slow down.

There was some gentle throbbing on her neck where his teeth had been. A few shallow cuts, nothing serious. She daren't ask him to stop so she could forage for herbs. Only when a, ah, rather embarrassing thing happened... Her stomach grumbled rather loudly. Eden turned pink, looking up and at Ignis before her eyes shot to the ground again. As if the sound would tick him off. She tried to ignore the growing growls in her belly, the sign of hunger, and continue on the best she could. He, after all, owned her. He made that perfectly clear to her. She'd have to eat when he wanted her to eat.

image by neelkamal deka (unsplash)

He had succeeded in his claim for her. Bested her in a fight that she clearly wouldn't have won regardless. Not with the way she had handled it, anyway. Though it hadn't really been him that had stolen her freedom...but the insatiable hunger and desire of his demons had won out, and he simply obliged their every whim. He would take her with him to Sparrow's pack. They weren't too far now, and he had the intention of joining up with Sparrow's crew. Eden of course would have no choice but to go with him. As they walked, the timid girl followed along behind him, though when he heard the telltale sounds of her rumbling stomach, one ear cocked back to listen. Still, he walked another minute or two before finally stopping, crimson gaze fixed ahead and he didn't even so much as look at her as he did so. He wasn't ashamed or anything for what he'd done. But he still didn't want to see the fear in her eyes from his actions. The last time he had forced into something they didn't want, was when he fought his cousin Tsunami into staying when he took over Incendium. When he decided to speak, he briefly turned his head to the side to catch her in his peripheral. "We'll stop here and get some food." He stated simply. "Speech"

She nodded glumly, slowing her pace behind him. It did not feel right to speak at the moment. Perhaps she wanted to freeze him out, but it wasn't in her not to be kind and cheerful. This was an adjustment. Fear rattled her more than most. Her safety was her own priority right now, nobody else's. She wanted to ask what his plans were for her but resisted. She was scared of the answer. Instead, she asked a question that she didn't doubt was the right one. "Do... you want me to help?"

Her eyes roamed the Prairie, refusing to look at her captor at the moment. Why was she being so... petty? Ignis could say no. He could toss her aside easily, physically and emotionally. But if he wanted her to stay put during his hunt... Well, perhaps she should not arise suspicion in him. The chance to flee would come eventually. She would need to be patient, weather this storm. Eden hung her head, shamefully. "I do not know how to hunt very well..." she admitted softly to him.

"Speech"

AS HER OWNER...
ignis praetor is allowed in any thread, even ones marked private
baelfire, diablo, rivin and aresenn are also allowed due to being her children

Her quiet response to him wasn't very enthusiastic. But then again, could he blame her? Whatever life she had before she met him, well...he had just stolen that and thrown her into a new life. Whatever that entailed now. He didn't have any solid plans other than getting to Sparrow's pack and joining up with the wayward pirate, but surely that would bring a whole other way of life, wouldn't it? "Do... you want me to help?" He glanced at her for a moment before he turned his attention ahead again. Winter was nearing its end, which meant that more animals would be coming out soon enough, right? Surely he'd be able to find something for them. Or at least for the green-marked girl. He had gone a while without eating before, so he wasn't too hung up on finding himself something. She definitely seemed like she needed it, however. "I do not know how to hunt very well..." He turned to look at her again, a bit of a questioning look in his eyes, but then again, there were plenty out there who didn't know how to do things. But also...hunting should come naturally, shouldn't it? But then there could be the argument that if you weren't really taught how to do something, then it could be more difficult to figure it out. Regardless of her reasoning, he quietly sighed. "Your help won't be required. My companions and I can handle a quick hunt. Do you know how to at least make a fire? It's going to get dark soon," He dropped the temporary pack of supplies he had. In it were some flint and a random assortment of other bits and bobs, like twine, wire, and some strips of leather, among a pawful of other things. It wasn't much, but he mostly traveled light and collected whatever he thought he might need for his hunting ventures or if he got injured. He was by no means a healer, but he never forgot the things his sister had taught him when they were younger. "Speech"

He seemed to question her skills in hunting, quietly that is. Before he could ask, he admitted instead she didn't need to help. Perhaps he was worried she'd try to slip away while distracted, but that didn't seem to be the case. He deposited the pack of supplies instead. Eden approached cautiously, sniffing through them when she bent her head. The demon is afraid of the dark her mind uttered to her or he wants to keep you in his sights.

She chose the latter. He didn't seem the type to be scared of the dark. "I know how..." Eden murmured softly, pawing the supplies to her bosom. It occurred to her not for the first time that Ignis had taken her on a spur of the moment. Did he regret his decision? He seemed to revert back to a different being now, the same 'kind' one she had conversed with before the claim. He didn't treat her as a captive now.

It was baffling to her. Maybe he was scared of the dark in this personality? "I'll wait here." If she could gain his trust, slipping away wouldn't be so hard in the near future.

"Speech"

AS HER OWNER...
ignis praetor is allowed in any thread, even ones marked private
baelfire, diablo, rivin and aresenn are also allowed due to being her children

Good. She at least knew how to make a fire, so that was something he didn't have to worry about doing himself, at least. He watched her pick up the supplies, nodding his head as if to say good. If she couldn't hunt, she could be useful in other ways, at least. Even if the task was as simple as building a fire. There was plenty of material around them to use as fuel, so she should have no trouble doing that while he went out to hunt. "I'll wait here." He nodded again as he started to walk away. "We'll be back soon," He said gruffly before motioning for his companions to follow him. While she did that, he would go find a trail to track. He'd been gone no more than a few minutes maybe before he found a fresh pronghorn trail. The ground and grasses around the area looked broken and beaten. As if the creature was stumbling around like a drunken fool. He cautiously sniffed the trail, noting there was a heavy hint of blood and illness. Lifting his head again, he sent his black cockatoo off to scout around and see where the trail led. Maybe if they were lucky, this hunt would be pretty easy... It was only a matter of minutes before the cockatoo came back. "Bloke's not far from here, eh? Looks worse for wear, kickin' 'round on the ground. I reckon ye can just walk right up to 'im and take 'em!" Ears perked up at the information and without hesitation, the crimson male was off to follow the trail. If the pronghorn was that bad off, it was likely that something else had gotten to it way before him. And whatever it had been, was likely tracking it, too. He hurried to find it, but by the time he got to the fallen prey, there was already a handful of coyotes on it. Cursing under his breath, Ignis snarled a warning growl at them, but the smaller canines decided they weren't going to give up the food without a fight. The pronghorn was still alive, but barely. But it wouldn't be for long when Ignis got a hold of it. After he chased these guys off, of course. The coyotes approached him, teeth bared, but surely they wouldn't be a match for the crimson dire wolf. One of them lunged towards him, earning it a knock to the head by one of Ignis' larger paws, followed by a snapping of teeth. While he worked on that one, however, another had managed to get past his companions and got its teeth on the side of his neck. He snarled, whipping his head around to headbutt it away, but not without a minor wound. He could hear a fight between two others and his companions, but he was too preoccupied with the ones that were coming at him. The first one he had taken down, had decided to get back up and run. That one was unlikely to survive long as it hobbled off, bloodied and broken. The other one that had attacked him was coming back for more, and Ignis turned his attention to it as he lunged, teeth closing on its scruff before throwing it as far as he could. It landed with a heavy thud, the wind knocked out of it, and he watched to make sure it didn't get back up. As soon as he was about to turn around, two others came at him. One from the side, and one from behind. The one that came up behind grabbed hold of his already scarred leg, dragging the limb out from under the crimson male. Ignis faltered for a moment as he tried to recover his balance, but he wasn't fast enough. The other coyote got the jump on him, tearing away with tooth and claw at his right shoulder while the other continued to pull on his hind leg. Shit! Where was that godforsaken demon when he actually needed him!? In a last-ditch effort, Ignis kicked as hard as he could with his free leg, catching the coyote straight in the nose and causing it to release him as it backed off with a yelp and a now bloodied nose. The other one that was on him received a well-earned hard bite to its neck, which Ignis decided this one was definitely going to die! He shook it violently until he heard the neck snap, and as soon as it went limp, he dropped it and turned to face the one he had kicked. Realizing it was now a losing battle, the remaining two coyotes took off into the brush, leaving a bruised and bloodied Ignis and his battle-worn companions. Panting from the effort, Ignis turned to the fallen pronghorn and reached down to break its neck in frustration. That fight should have gone a lot smoother, but of course, the stupid demon had decided it wasn't going to help him this time around. So why the hell had it shown up with Eden...? She wasn't even a threat! Honestly, he never knew when exactly the shift would happen but...for once, he was pissed it hadn't happened this time. Kicking aside the fallen coyote, Ignis dragged the pronghorn away with him, though his return would be slower going since he was limping from that stupid coyote that had managed to grab him. What should've been a quick trip turned into at least an hour if not longer. His companions were also a little worse for wear, but nothing they couldn't handle. He supposed things could've been worse... Upon approaching where he had left Eden, he was surprised, honestly, that she was still there. And with a fire started, at that. With a heavy and slow jerk of his head, he half-tossed, half dropped the pronghorn on the ground. "I'm back..." "Speech"

He came back. Part of her wished he wouldn't, but then again what would she do if he did leave? Right now, they have tethered souls due to his actions. She would be there, a sore reminder of that until she was released. On her own accord, or by his guilt. But long ago, she took an oath to never leave a wound untreated. That predated her own sore feelings about the situation. "You're hurt!" she chirped almost immediately, her eyes fearful and wild. The prey abandoned at the moment, she rose from the budding fire and approached him.

Eden raised a paw to try and reach where he was injured, but the size difference was too much. "S-Sit down! I'll, uh, I'll do something!" She turned back to the pack of supplies, hoping to find some herbs or bandages there. Even a poultice would be welcomed, even if she had to prepare it herself. She managed to find some scraps, but she could use more. Herbs and bark used to treat wounds... She began to mix a poultice of marigold and tree bark for Ignis' wounds. Even if he shoo'ed her away from him, she'd persist. She'd be a damn thorn in his side.

"Speech"
1/3 - first patient tended to

AS HER OWNER...
ignis praetor is allowed in any thread, even ones marked private
baelfire, diablo, rivin and aresenn are also allowed due to being her children

"You're hurt!" Her exclamation upon seeing his current state was met with silence, though his ears folded back as she abandoned what she was doing and approached him. She would try to raise a paw up to inspect his wounds, but the size difference between them was great. "S-Sit down! I'll, uh, I'll do something!" He stared hard at her with defiance, but after a couple of heartbeats, he gave in. He dropped heavily on his rump, his injured right ankle extended just a bit so he wasn't sitting on it or putting weight on it. The limb was already scarred from an old wound...but one of the coyotes had managed to grab the very same spot and irritated the old wound once again. He sighed a bit as he watched Eden rummage through his supplies, craning his neck just a bit to see what she was doing. He didn't have much in there, but he did have an assortment of basic things. He didn't have anything he thought was incredibly useful in terms of medicinal use, but thanks to Actaea, he at least had a couple of things that could be used for a quick and temporary fix, if anything. "If you need anything else...my companions can get it for you." He stated simply. Reluctantly. He didn't want the help. But something told him that if he argued about it...she was likely to push him until he gave in. Or until she got hurt...though consciously, he knew he was unlikely to do that. And considering his...change...hadn't happened while fighting the coyotes, he had no idea if they'd end up in the same situation as a few days ago... ooc// injury on right side of neck, right hind ankle, & right shoulder "Speech"

She knew he didn't want the help, but she wasn't about to let him bleed everywhere and die on her watch. Funny, how things changed. She hated him for taking her freedom away. She was deathly scared of his 'switch' - Eden had come to terms with the fact that within him battled more than one soul. But she was too kind to let someone die, even if she both loathed and feared them. "N-No... No. I think I got it" she said more to his familiars than himself, shaking her head "please stand watch. Make sure no predators come, thank you..."

She turned back to the meager supplies with a biting sigh. Using her saliva to wet the marigold as she crushed it in her little jaws, she then added the bark to the poultice slowly churning in her mouth. It was gross, the taste, but... It would work to seal the injuries. She spits it out and placed it on the cloth she had found in the bag. "Hold still, please..." Eden requested quietly before trying to apply the poultice. It would stick to his skin and fur, the herbs and bark a natural disinfectant and also useful to stop bleeding. She bent down to apply to his ankle first.

If he was able to get past the fact she had chewed the poultice and spit it out, he would find relief. The burning stopped almost immediately.

"Speech"
2/3 - first patient tended to

AS HER OWNER...
ignis praetor is allowed in any thread, even ones marked private
baelfire, diablo, rivin and aresenn are also allowed due to being her children

She refused the help of his companions. Which was all well and good, he supposed. Though he wondered why she bothered helping him in the first place considering what he'd done. Wouldn't she have preferred that he bleed out and drop dead? Not that he would have with these wounds since they weren't fatal, but still. When she requested they keep watch, he nodded to them to listen, sending them on their way to scout and ensure all was safe after that. It was unlikely those coyotes would come back...but they looked desperately hungry. And desperation could often make an animal do things they otherwise normally wouldn't. He watched as she made a poultice, and remembered the times he had to make that way back when his sister taught him. He hated the taste of herbs, but had, at one point, wanted to make his mother and sister proud since they had both been healers. But as it was, his life took him down a significantly different path...one that he had tried to avoid most of his life. He tried to walk Acere's path, but...clearly, that didn't turn out as well as he'd hoped. "Hold still, please..." He grunted in acknowledgment. He was too tired and sore to really want to move, anyway. He wasn't put off by the fact she had chewed the stuff up, either. After all, saliva couldn't be any worse than blood, could it? When the poultice touched him, his ankle twitched out of reflex and a low growl slipped past his jaws, though it was also more out of reaction at the stinging than anything. Within moments, however, the feeling subsided and he relaxed a bit. He watched her from the corner of his eye as she worked, but kept his gaze fixed ahead for the most part. Did he want to talk to her? Yes. But considering how things went between them so fast...he wondered if she'd even consider entertaining him with anything other than fear... "Speech"

"Hmm..." She had to stand on her toes to reach his neck, but she did it anyway. Lifting herself, she scooped a piece of the poultice up in her paw before smearing it when close. She tried to lather the herb-bark mix, especially on his neck, considering that is where he moved the most muscle-wise. Eden placed some of the poultices on his shoulder too for good measure. "okay, it's done."

She lowered herself back, acutely aware she had more or less used the massive brute as a stepping stool. He hadn't really protested, even if she had flinched at his growl. But she persisted through that fear and continued to apply. "..." Would she have the nerves to scold him about moving around? No, she didn't. Eden hadn't the touch of a healer - not completely. Some could be quite confident about it; she was not. It would be silly to even say it, considering they were both vagabonds.

And he had to hunt for two. No, more than two considering his companions. She jerked away from him, glancing at the prey. Embarrassment flooded through her. Ignis seemed to think she couldn't hunt. "I-I can!" she squeaked, blurting defiance out randomly "h-hunt. I'm not... used to big prey." Oh boy. Whether she was trying to distract the awkwardness or she really was stumbling...

"Speech"
3/3 - first patient tended to

AS HER OWNER...
ignis praetor is allowed in any thread, even ones marked private
baelfire, diablo, rivin and aresenn are also allowed due to being her children

"Talk" Walk Did he mind that she was practically climbing all over him to reach where she needed to? He supposed not. It sort of reminded him when his own kids climbed on him when they were really young...as well as his companions as they did now from time to time. Or at least that blasted cockatoo. He did tense a bit, however, whenever she put the poultice on fresh wounds, but he quickly got over the stinging sensation. When she declared she was done, he let loose a sigh, allowing his muscles to relax as he slowly - and carefully - lowered himself onto his belly. His hunger had grown since his tussle with the coyotes, but his appetite was not all there. "Thank you," He murmured to her. He was sure that she was confused by his mannerisms now versus the other day. But he wasn't quite ready to explain to her yet what had overcome him. Would she even believe that? It sounded so stupid and unbelievable, and yet... the majority of his bloodline was afflicted with the ancestral curse. He didn't know if any of his kids were affected by it, but he wouldn't doubt it if they did crop up with the same issues. He knew his half-brother, Cloud, suffered from the same demons...and it left him wondering who had been lucky enough to not have to suffer with it. As his eyes began to flutter closed for a moment, they suddenly abandoned their attempt at rest when Eden spoke. "I-I can!" He turned to look at her. She could...what? h-hunt. I'm not... used to big prey." He blinked at her for a moment, a small smile touching his features. "I imagine it's a bit difficult for someone as small as you are. It's fine, I can hunt for us for the time being. Your skills are best suited as a healer, I imagine. Especially if you were so willing to patch up your...captor..." Why did it sound so...wrong when he said it out loud?

Tears began to tickle the corners of her eyes. She blinked rapidly, jerking her head away as if that would not allow Ignis to see she was going to cry. Captor, yes. She was his captive. He owned her. She couldn't do anything about that, not now. Maybe not ever. Had she resigned herself to this fate? No. She would try sometime, but not so fresh. The woman felt the need to scream and cry and throw a fit - but that's just it. She was a woman, not a little girl.

"Yes" she said instead, realizing Ignis was attempting to make conversation "y...you did capture me" Eden admitted, wondering if he'd flinch at her admission. Or her accusing tone "I'm stupid" It wasn't entirely her fault but she felt like it was sometimes "maybe I should have let you s-suffer" And yet "but I'm not mean. I don't like to see anyone suffer." And therefore, she was not in the same category as some wolves.

"I'm so stupid..." Eden murmured, mostly to herself. What sort of idiot helps the one who captured her? Messed up, she supposed. She was messed up too. She'd just keep being taken advantage of. Tears streamed down her cheeks, and she wasn't even sure why she was crying. But it didn't stop.

"Speech"

AS HER OWNER...
ignis praetor is allowed in any thread, even ones marked private
baelfire, diablo, rivin and aresenn are also allowed due to being her children

"Talk" Walk Alarm. That was the first thing that crossed his features when he noticed her eyes growing wet with tears. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck! She agreed that he had indeed, captured her. Calling herself stupid. That she should've let him suffer, but that also...she wasn't mean. And honestly, he believed the latter part. It was evident in the way she had carried herself when he attacked her. In the way he had threatened her. She didn't seem like she wanted to fight at all, and her reactions had been simply that. Reactions to the way he had been threatening her. In a way, she reminded him of a prey animal...a deer, maybe...innocent. A brief image of his mother crossed his mind. Was this how the dynamic between Zuriel and Elias had been? Was he truly behaving as his father did all those years ago? No. He hadn't raped or hurt anyone like that...That was the one thing he would fight against. If he ever found himself going that route...he was sure he'd rather kill himself before he let that happen. "You're not stupid. You're just..." What? She was just...what!? He had no idea what to say anymore these days, much less in a situation like this. What would Acere have said!? He grew frustrated as he tried to think about something his more compassionate uncle would have said but was coming up blank. "Figuring things out...I guess...and you have a kind heart..." He finally murmured. That probably wasn't at all helpful, but it was all he had. She didn't look all that much younger than he was, but hey, maybe he was right. Or wrong. He didn't know.

Tears rolled down her cheeks in waves. She had finally accepted the aftermath of the shock. She finally put emotion into her situation. The horror of realization dawned on her much too late. Eden had, indeed, been shocked by Ignis' behavior previously. He had presented himself as kind and spoken to her nicely. But then a switch went off, and he was not right. What sort of life would she have now? Perhaps it was selfish to think of herself, but she could not help it. She felt like curling into a ball, rolling over, and pleading.

Don't hurt me!

She pushed that away. "What am I figuring out?" Her fate? She threw it back in his face, but there was no malice in her tone. She was confused and scared, shivering on the spot. The blood hadn't bothered her, nor did his appearance after returning from the hunt... But this? This was something else. "are you figuring it - this - out?" Eden tried to demand from him his motives but ultimately recalled... "I know. I know, Ignis." She was not dumb.

"I know there's something in you. S-Something I'll probably hate. Something I'll always be scared of" she admitted she knew of his demon "and you don't have to tell me anything. It isn't... That's private. It's private for you. I know you're fighting it, right now maybe. So while I hate this, this w-whole thing, I don't blame you. Not entirely. I'm stupid. Stupid, stupid, stupid! I should hate you. But I don't!" She didn't even feel pity for him, because nobody liked to be pitied.

"Speech"

AS HER OWNER...
ignis praetor is allowed in any thread, even ones marked private
baelfire, diablo, rivin and aresenn are also allowed due to being her children

"What am I figuring out?" She questioned, tears still spilling down her face. This made him uncomfortable. This whole situation confused him and made him feel uneasy. Why the hell did Blödhgarm make him take this woman? He bit back a growl of frustration as she went on, asking him if he was still figuring out this shit too. Then she said that she knew. His gaze snapped to her, fur prickling with unease and something akin to defensive anger. He forced himself to remain composed as much as possible. That is...until she started to claim that she knew what was going on with him and had a feeling that he was fighting it. That she felt stupid with this. That she didn't hate him even though she should. He turned on her then, a growl ripping through his throat as a bit of a wild look came to his eye. "You don't know a damn thing that you're talking about! Don't sit there and try to figure me out, because you won't!" He snapped before getting up and taking a few steps away from her. He favored his injured hind limb a bit, but that was mostly forgotten about as he tried to keep from lashing out. "It's as I said. You're still figuring life out, clearly. You may not be a pup, but you're sure as hell acting like one with all that damn crying and shit." Would she think that him acting like this wasn't really him? The thought amused him. The pair didn't know each other at all. They were still strangers to one another, but it irritated him when others assumed they knew him. "Speak"

Eden flinched when he began to growl. Her posture is rigid again, shooting up defensively. She assumed she was gaining some sort of ground with him. That she was trying to go out of her way to not hate him, when she really should. "F-Fine..." it was all she could hope to say to him. She was not the type to argue, and he clearly was defensive about the whole thing. Her eyes shot down to the space between them. Wasn't that good enough? Did he want her to hate him? Would that be easier on him, if he played the big bad guy?

Maybe he is.

She tried to believe the good in others. She really tried, but it was hard not to hate him at this moment. Eden lowered her eyes again, this time staring at her paws. This time, she did not speak up. This time, she played the part of being a victim. If he so clearly wanted to have a force claim over her, she would let him. I am such a pushover she thought wearily, hating herself too as much as Ignis I should fight back. I should... I should call for help. But there was nobody around. Her window of opportunity to escape... Gone.

What did I get myself into?

/fade end

"Speech"

AS HER OWNER...
ignis praetor is allowed in any thread, even ones marked private
baelfire, diablo, rivin and aresenn are also allowed due to being her children