Snow started to fall halfway through the journey back to the den, in which Sephiran quickened his pace to avoid the impending snowstorm. By the time he reached the entrance, the wind had picked up into a violent flurry, casting a veil of white over the Polar Sound. The howling wind was almost deafening, but luckily the den created a barrier of sorts. Tucking them all the way in the back of the cavern, Sephiran rolled her off his shoulders and set her down on a pile of greenery. While they were at the shore, Sephiran instructed the bird to create a layer of bedding for them to use - which was exactly what it did.

Though, he hadn’t anticipated that he would be bedding down in here tonight. He wanted to go find Aresenn again. But given the sudden change in weather, his search for the former pirate would have to wait until morning. With a heavy, gruffing sigh, Sephiran gathered the poultice they created prior to heading down to the water. Turning back to her, he took a seat and smashed the salve between his paws, readying it to be applied to her clean wounds.

"Speech"

Code by Shelby

After being pulled from the frozen waters, she trembled the entire trip back to the den she had been too weak to try and escape from. It made her sick to think that she was actually relieved to return to prison. And while him dumping her off on the ground was every bit as painful as the previous time he did so, her body was still numb. She could feel very little of anything at the moment. Even still, it seemed that Sephiran wasn’t ready to leave her alone quite yet. She watched him silently as he prepared whatever treatment he had planned for her. She couldn’t help but roll her eyes at the thought. Why he was committed to treating her and inflicting more injuries simultaneously was beyond her. In that line of thought, she was reminded of her fresh injury- though she was sure it was far cleaner than any of the others she sustained at his infliction. “What is this?” She asked, lightly gesturing to the foreign marking he had engraved into her flesh at the inside of her thigh, before tucking her foreleg back against her chest. At least it was a bit easier to talk with the bit of water she had managed to get.

"Speech"

Code by Shelby

At the sound of her voice, Sephiran was a bit surprised. His ears twitched, swiveling in her direction before falling forward again. Still looking at the salve in his paws, he decided to answer her in simple terms. "A form of branding." He turned to her then, casting his amethyst and emerald gaze towards hers. In this lighting, the azure hue looked deeper than normal, contrasting drastically against the grey that painted her eyelids. “It means you’re mine.” He leaned forward, applying the salve to her neck first - packing it into the wound until there was a thick layer left behind. He repeated the process with the wounds on her scruff. Using rough movements that weren’t meant to be soothing or comforting. He was irritated with having to do this in the first place - she should be the one treating her wounds.

He didn’t feel the need to elaborate on the specificity of the marking just yet. In due time, she would understand what it meant to be a Sidi - his Sidi specifically. Though, so far he felt he painted a pretty clear picture of what her future looked like from here on out.  

"Speech"

Code by Shelby

Honestly, she wasn’t entirely certain what she was expecting him to say. However, it never occurred to her that it was something as superficial as a brand. If she had the energy to make a display of gagging, she likely would have. Where she came from, it wasn’t uncommon to carve runes into one's flesh under an incantation. But
ownership? How weak. When he played on the part of belonging to him, she really did roll her eyes then. “You really have no idea, do you.” She answered quietly. A brand couldn’t hold a flame to the soul bond he was evidently unaware of. If it were as simple as a mark of ownership, she’d cut it off her body and be done. It couldn’t be that simple. Whether he wanted the explanation or not, she was going to give him one. “This is just a vessel.” She explained, as she gestured to herself with a single paw. “Mar it however you see fit. It means nothing.”

She was sure that it was going to illicit a response of some kind, though she didn’t care. In the dim lighting, she sought out his dual-colored gaze and met it with intent. “When you found me at the fire during my sacrifice … and intentional or not, gave your own sacrifice … that meant something.” Aurelia finished, looking for any ounce of recognition in the brute’s expression. Did he even remember destroying the alter at all?

"Speech"

Code by Shelby

Warning: the content from here on out is mature

”You really have no idea, do you.” His paws suddenly stopped, muscles stiffening beneath his thick coat. ”This is just a vessel.” Ears twitched, focusing on her voice that echoed beyond the raging storm at the entrance of the cavern. What in the hell was she talking about? ”Mar it however you see fit. It means nothing.” The pressure behind his paws increased, claws digging into her pelt. The expression on his face morphed, taking on a far more sinister appearance than before. “Oh?” His voice sounded like a hiss, tongue sliding through his bared fangs. “The symbolic scarification my family created means nothing?”  A throaty, guttural growl accompanied his words now. If her intentions were to piss him off, well, she was a winner.

She went on to talk about some sacrifice, referring to whatever setup she had going on the night he found her. Oh, that meant something to her? But his beliefs were make-believe?

He suddenly stood on his feet, moving to hover above her before bringing his body closer to hers. “Meant something?” He taunted, making a mockery of her statement. With a paw, he scooped her shoulder up and shoved her onto her back, exposing her belly and the fresh marking he left. “If your ritual means something, and mine doesn’t.” Lowering himself onto her Sephiran aligned their hips, pressing his chest against her with enough force to push some air from her lungs. “Then how come I can do this?" He pressed himself against her, not yet fully indulging. But there was enough pressure to signify what was to come. "And this?" One of his paws found the side of her body, claws raking down her side until stopped at the curvature of her dislocated hip. "And, how about," He added pressure, wanting to ensue pain on the already inflamed and injured joint. "This?" He wanted her to scream before his paw snaked its way between them, caressing the thin, soft skin of her abdomen. It was all meant to demean her further.

"Speech"

Code by Shelby

As he flexed his claws into her skin, it became very apparent that she had struck some sort of nerve. Though his unexpected passion on the subject didn’t matter much to her. This was her hill, and she was all too willing to die on it. Even still, she remained silent as he prompted her to reiterate what she had already said- she didn’t. Though she answered him with a tight smirk. It wasn’t a matter of disagreement on a religious front. A brand wasn’t anything sacred. The girl refused to allow him to paint her as a hypocrite, as he had made it blatantly clear that he didn’t respect any of her beliefs either.

The growl that emanated from his chest caused her ears to flick back. He invaded her space. Taunted her, and loomed over the top of her. He shoved her to her back, though she didn’t resist. Not until he dropped himself down on top of her, and she felt his hips with her own. Aurelia coughed with the sudden weight on her rib cage. His words weren’t exactly clear to her, though the intention was. His claws raked down her side until the reached her dislocated leg. It didn’t take much effort on his part to achieve the cry that escaped with her shallow exhale. She gritted her teeth, meeting his eye contact. Her will to fight was there, but her body could simply not withstand it- and her mouth was ready and waiting to push her luck. “You were doing all of that before you cut me with a knife!” Aurelia seethed. “I wasn’t trapped in a death pact with you until you matched my sacrifice to my goddess.” She knew he wouldn’t care, but that wasn't the point. But she did. And the validation of its admission did a lot for her morale in this particular moment.

"Speech"

Code by Shelby

It didn’t take much pressure to elicit the response he wanted. Between her coughing, she emitted an outcry through a shaky breath, gritting her teeth through the pain. Still, he was surprised to see her gaze still locked with his, unrelenting in her glare that was meant to stab daggers in his skin. At the mention of his knife, he was quick to respond. “Because I couldn't wait to have a taste!” He retorted through bared teeth, clenching his jaw out of anger. And the next words that came out of her mouth, completely unearthed him.

Death pact? What in the fuck was she talking about? “What?” He stammered, unable to put the pieces together in his head. Although there was confusion on his face, he didn’t move his body away from hers - in fact, he applied more pressure, shifting the majority of his weight on top of her. “What in the hell are you talking about?” Part of him was curious, but the majority of him was enraged by her statement. How dare she think that she had a say in this arrangement? Him choosing her was a choice he made. Deciding to have her as his Sidi was something he decided. Whatever death pact she spoke of was irrelevant in comparison.  

"Speech"

Code by Shelby

It was almost amusing, the way he could just make up his rules on the fly and expect them to carry weight. Though, she didn’t challenge it. She didn’t have one single remaining brain cell capable of arguing with him at the moment. But when her words finally sunk in she could see the confusion register on his expression, she felt like in some minuscule way, she won. Though again, it was her pinned to the ground, not him. She would be grateful for the small victories, though. “I’m talking about the full moon ritual you hijacked into a soul-bonding ceremony, Sephiran!” She answered, though her breath was becoming more labored, the more force he applied in keeping her on her back. “There is no escape- not for you or for me.” She continued, voice a little more airy as she struggled for words. “There may be distance, but the only separation will be in death.” Which may be exactly what he wanted. Though, when she said she would kill herself at the first available opportunity, she certainly meant it. Perhaps he would see that now, though she wasn’t going to hold her breath. Honestly, though, it would be in her best interest if he didn’t take her seriously, so she would specifically not remind him.

"Speech"

Code by Shelby

She went on, providing more information about the ritual she had been performing the night he reunited with her. The growl rumbling inside of his chest increased in volume, ears pinning flat against his head as he continued to glare down at her. Souls bonding? It sounded ridiculous, more so than the death pact she spoke of earlier.  And at the mention of there being no escape, Sephiran was quick to agree. “Of course not- because I decided that, not some idiotic ritual”He seethed, wanting to demean her beliefs, just as she had done to him. Sephiran also didn’t see any truth in her words- he believed he alone was the deciding factor in this arrangement, as he staked a claim over her long before the night he actually assaulted her.

He had enough of her talking. Sephiran wanted action now - needed to satiate the anger, arousal, and hunger boiling inside of him. “You’re right about one thing," he didn’t hesitate to initiate the sinful act, pushing himself into her without mercy. “Death will be the only escape from me” His jaws stuck at her throat, wanting to grab it hard enough to hinder the air from reaching her lungs. Teasing her with the release of death was something he enjoyed, because he knew she wanted it.

-fade-


"Speech"

Code by Shelby

The brute agreed with her, but managed to miss the point entirely. “If all of this hinged .. on your decision alone .. I would be gone.” She answered angrily, though the true resentment she wanted to express was evaporated with the restriction of her chest cavity. Aurelia gasped for breath to continue. “By going through the motions .. of a blood sacrament .. we’re bonded in the eyes of the triple goddess .. your unintentional decision be damned-“ Any further explanation was cut off as he interjected a hateful acknowledgment. But this time it wasn’t his words that fought to demean. As he forced himself to her core she cried out with the sudden all engulfing pain- though that cry was quickly silenced as his jaws enclosed her throat. In doing so, he nearly cut off what little air supply she could secure for herself altogether. Unconscious was imminent, and she was quick to welcome it. If the absence of mind was the only thing her body could provide her during the upcoming onslaught, she would gladly accept its embrace.

-Exit via fade-

"Speech"

Code by Shelby