The youth trotted back to his home den with a big yawn. Everyone was still out and about in lessons or exploring. He just needed a bite to eat, maybe a short nap. He had been experiencing some growing pains lately and sleep had been calling to him. It was a pain, because sleeping was such a waste of time!


He slipped inside the front door, and then froze. There was something odd about the house, but it took him a moment to put his paw on it. There was a new scent! An invader? A visitor? What? 


He followed the trail to one of the back rooms and he stuck his head inside. There was a woman in there! He bared his teeth at her. “Intruder! What are you doing here!”

She'd finally been left to settle in the slave quarters and she was busying herself the moment they had left. The room smelled of someone else, not that that bothered her, but she wanted to at least have cleaner bedding. Not that she expected to have bedding in the first place. She was using her paw to dust everything first. She was not going to live in a room polluted with dust and end up sneezing every time she entered. Last thing she wanted was more attention, and if they thought she was sick then they would take her back to the doctor that had no idea of personal space or boundaries. Her form was bent over and paw scrubbing the floor of dust when the door sounded, guess she wasn't to be afforded a knock. She stood as the large pup entered and turned expecting to see Basilisk or her Mistress but she froze the moment her eyes touched an angry child shouting at her. The hell was that on his forehead?! His shout broke her from her shock and she quickly lowered her ears and diverted her eyes. "The Master and Mistress said I could sleep here.... " She shifted bringing the mangled limb up and grabbing her shoulder with it. What was she supposed to do with a kid? Especially one so angry.... [b]"Speech"

Citadel wrinkled his nose, both at the strange words, and the strange posture of the wolf before him. He’d briefly met Yara, but couldn’t really remember her and even then she had just risen out of slavery, so he wasn’t accustomed to quite the level of submission this wolf gave. “Why do you call them that? They’re Bas and Iggy, Mum and dad, Warlord and Consort.” He said, stepping into the room the orange wolf had taken over.

“Whys your leg look all funny like that? Who are you?” He ambushed her with words and questions, coming to a stop before the funny wolf. He was a season old, and had so much growing to do, but already he was almost her height.

"Speech"

She didn't see him wrinkle his nose at her, but the words were heard as she shifted uncomfortably. He was asking why she called them that and her ears pressed. How to explain to a child that sometimes others were made to serve, sold and bought their whole lives. Treated like trash or worse. "Alright, as you say young master....." quiet and compliant. The young child hadn't a clue about her, so she left it with that. He was then in her space and she leaned back. Did no one know of personal space in this place? She guessed it likely wasn't something to be afforded to her station. She could tell he was definitely his father's son at least. He almost towered over her and she was thankful he wasn't as big yet. He fired off more questions and she sighed. "Teegra, the Warlord brought me as his new slave to serve him and his family...... As for my leg, it's called hobbling.... It makes slaves more valuable because they can't run from their masters...." She at least found it easy to give these answers. She had never had the privledge of teaching or handling kids though so she wasn't even sure she was supposed to tell him anything. She glanced at him from the corner of her eye as she diverted her face from him. "Speech"

He huffed, accustomed to others patronising him. It might not have been in her voice, but it was in her words. He just wanted to understand. Why did others seem so frustrated with him all the time? His other questions yielded better results, and she gave her name and a short collection of events. She was a slave brought to serve him? For a moment, he was dumbfounded at the possibility.

This required… a little testing. How far could she be pushed? Was there a limit to what she would do? He realised he was tapping a couple bear claws on the stone, and stilled his paw. “Pick up that blanket and… put it over your head!” He ordered her, voice bright and curious.

"Speech"

He seemed frustrated but she wasn't sure about children. She had only just learned what a heat cycle was for god sakes, how did the warlord expect her to manage children. If that even was what he meant. Her ears flattened as she thought that through. His words resounded in her head. She was to serve his family and children.... but his word was the one she had to always jump to. He also had intent to use her to make more children that would be given to his consort as she had learned her to be called. She really didn't like this, but then again, what choice did she have. Her orders had also been to not leave her room until she had found a backbone. The child was then ordering her to pick her blanket up.... and put it over her head. His tone as if he was trying to test something. Alright then. She stood and hobbled over to the blanket and took it in her mouth before tossing it up and over her form, effectively putting not just her head but entire body under the blanket. Gods she hoped this one's parents came looking for him soon and made him stop before his orders got dangerous. "Speech"

Citadel stared in open mouthed surprise as she hobbled over to the blanket. She grabbed it by her teeth, and tossed it over body. Head, and all. He let out a little howl of delight and jumped a couple times on the spot. This was awesome! This was… this was the best thing that had happened to him all week!

He trotted over to her and yanked the blanket off her head, staring at her a moment, trying to decide what to do with this new found power he had been granted. control. It was rather a slippery slope, wasn’t it? “Will you keep things from my parents if I told you to?” He asked. Still testing the waters, looking for the edges of these boundaries.

"Speech"

She could hear him hopping around and his howl of delight had her inwardly sighing as she sat in the humiliation of becoming a child's play toy basically. As he thought it was awesome she thought this was definitely a new low. But unless Basilisk told her not to or Ignita corrected her she would have to obey the giant child. She could see why Basilisk was against the other small woman having more children though. This one was massive already and didn't look that old, unless she was that off and this was a yearling? He yanked the blanket off and she swayed from the force of it. Her fur was ruffled from the movements but she didn't get the liberty of caring about that so she just didn't. He asked her a question and her ears pressed. "If I am ordered to I shall... Unless Master Basilisk orders me to speak these secrets." She didn't really want to speak to the man anyway, but so long as the child wasn't endangering himself she guessed keeping his secrets was no worse than the big one she now held onto. "Speech"

Citadel considered her for a big long while after that. Watching her with his overly serious golden eyes, his tail swaying curiously behind him. “I see.” He said at last, and then his expression broke out into a big grin. Oh yes, he was going to have so much fun with this. In fact, a part of him hoped his siblings never figured out the secret of her obedience (which was to ask!).

He darted forward, and touched a paw to her good foreleg in a snap-quick motion. “Tag, you're it!” He yelled, prancing away from her, and then dashing towards the door. “That means you have to tag me back!” He added, in case he had to be more specific with his order than simply starting a game.

"Speech"

He seemed to contemplate the answer she gave him and her ears pressed at the silence. What was going through his head? The intensity of him watching her had her eyes dropping to her paws. The silence was nice but then again something was concocting in his head. He said he understood then. She was about to get back up and go back to her cleaning when he was suddenly almost slapping her leg. A blink at his antics was given. As he was shouting that she was it. What the hell was she? How could she be it? She didn't get it. She stood there for a moment in her confusion when he told her she had to tag him back. But when she lifted her eyes to where he went he was out the door. Shit. If she was going to follow this child's order it would mean leaving the room she had been ordered to stay in until she had a backbone. She hobbled to the door and peeked her head out, looking one way then the other with her ears pressed. The warlord wasn't in sight at least. She then started hobbling after the crowned child. Her pace was about a jog seeing as if she sprinted she might run face first into Basilisk around a corner. And like hell she wanted that. "Speech"

Citadel practically danced on the spot, waiting for her to join him. She seemed nervous coming out of the den, and walked with a hobbled slowness. "Hurry up” He complained/ordered in the put out voice only an adolescent can truly achieve.

He danced on the spot a little more until she was finally out of the den, and into the Col. Then he dashed down the incline into the pack land proper. He stopped again there, looking up at her as he waited for the damaged slave to catch up to him. Maybe he needed a new plan, this game was already getting boring.

"Speech"

He ordered her to hurry up and she inwardly sighed. Impatient child. Fine she guessed. She folded her leg again as she had earlier to follow the warlord and started almost sprinting to catch up with him. This child already had long legs and was hard to keep up with. She wasn't sure she was supposed to actually tag him, he probably wanted to win easily. As long as Basilisk didn't find her out she figured this was fine though. She caught up to him as he turned to make sure she was following, and she reached with the mangled leg to try to touch his shoulder. Not aiming any harm just the featherlightest of touches. Though she was panting at having to sprint after him. "Speech"

Finally, the slave was starting to get the idea. She reached him, and he gave her an easy shot. Since she was still getting used to the game and all that. Her paw barely touched him, but it counted. He gave her a second to move away from him and then he shot forward, swiping her lightly with a paw again. Actually, he wasn’t used to being the fastest. It was a novel experience. But one he grew bored with far too quickly.

He turned back to the slave and raised a paw to indicate a halt. “Maybe tag isn’t the best game.” The youth suggested, and trotted into one of the caves, knowing she would follow. He didn’t go very far in, just to reach the first sconce, and he sat in the flickering light. “So, you got hobbled to make you more valuable?” he asked in confirmation.

"Speech"

She tagged him and she started moving though he didn't waste any time to tag her back. A breath through her nose as she turned to start chasing him again. It wasn't much fun in her opinion. How he had fun with such a game was beyond her. But he was halting her before she had a chance again. She was honestly grateful. Then he was suggesting tag wasn't the best game and she sighed her agreement. Then he was moving and she pinned her ears. Was she supposed to follow or was he finish and bored of her. She shrugged though and decided it best to follow him. This time the pace was better. And when he sat she moved into the shade to stand. His question asked and she looked at the leg. Did it look like she had enjoyed it or like it had been her choice? "Thats what my master at the time claimed..... so I can't run from any future Masters or fight back...." her tone was still quiet but nonchalant. Why the child wanted to know was beyond her. "Speech"

Citadel listened, head tilted with interest. The idea of someone not having the ability to fight back was bonkers to him. Even when he was tinier and ganglier and couldn’t walk in a straight line. He still knew he was invincible and could take on anything. He leaned forward, and touched a paw to the scar on her nose. Utterly unaware of ‘personal space’ he and his littermates were always in each others space, after all.

“And what was this one for?” He asked, a curious child who wanted to know everything. Did he realise his questions were intrusive and unwanted? Perhaps a little. An awareness at the corner of his mind that he mostly just ignored.

"Speech"

He seemed satisfied with her answer and she thought his questions might be over but then he leaned into her space and she leaned back with her head tilting down. What was with this place and wolves who just couldn't maintain personal space? Did no one teach anyone here what personal boundaries were? Her ears pinned and her eyes looked to the side from the corner of her eyes. His paw touching her had her flinching from instinct, expecting more of a harsh touch than what he gave. His question causing discomfort at having to explain everything again. But it was not like she could deny him as he was technically one of the masters. "That one is to render me nose blind... a punishment from my former mistress, for a crime she decided I had committed.... it goes with the one on my forehead...." Lessons she had learned a hard way. "Speech"

He brushed his paw over her skin, which seemed to cause her to flinch. He couldn’t fathom why, his sisters probably would have pretended to bite his toes for it. She looked away and gave her answer, which was… oddly interesting for him. “You have a lot of scars, don’t you.” He said thoughtfully.

“I suppose that's kind of what happens, isn’t it? The strong take what they want. The weak give.” That was what he was understanding from his mothers talk of leadership, rules, and who gets what when multiple people want a resource. His mother also had seemed very… unhappy with the questions, and even the answers she had given him. “How many different people have scarred you?” He asked next.

"Speech"

His comment on her scars had her sighing sadly. Of course she did. That was how others tended to treat their slaves. But did the boy know that not all strength was physical. She knew a weaker wolf would seek death, wouldn't look at a punishment saying they knew they could take the pain. But then again she couldn't fight back against any master she had had. She had been captive to their whims from an early age. His second question he seemed to answer himself. Perhaps it was rhetorical when he had asked it. She closed her eyes at the last question he asked though. There was an answer but she knew there were more than the few. Her father was the cause of it all, he was responsible for everything, his scar was the worst. His scar wasn't physical though, it had been emotional. She should give the boy the answer for the physical scars though. "Theres been three to place their marks on me physically...." Her words were true but she hid the fourth under it all. She hated the fourth most of all. The others were just masters doing what they knew to do with slaves. Scar them, teach them with pain, and train them to do as they were told. Be seen little and heard less sometimes, or even a be seen and only speak when you are told. Slaves sometimes showed a wolves wealth and power to the world and she was aware. "Speech"

As Citadel looked at Teegra and listened to her words, he came to a conclusion. It didn't really matter what happened to her. Her being was a tool that served her matters purpose. They moulded and changed her to suit their needs. So what were Citadel's needs? To be better and stronger than his siblings. He was up on his paws again, his tail giving a thoughtful wave behind him. “Come on” he said to his tool, leading her to Gale Gorge through the tunnels.


When they came out the other side, he led her towards a little orchard. Where an apple tree sat, it's delicious fruit high up thin branches that would never support his body. He was sure this was where his siblings were getting their apples from. “Pick me an apple” he ordered, pointing high up the tree.

He seemed to finally be out of questions and She wasn't sure if that was a good or bad thing. But he took some times to think and she was about to stand and tell him she really needed to get back to work in the dens, when he stood and told her to follow him. An inhale of air and she pushed herself up. She felt like she might have a head ache after this pup was done with her. She followed him down the corridors and to the gorge where he brought them to a tree. A look up at it and she could see the apples hanging from its branches. Then his order. Oh great. She looked at him for a second before conceding and moving to the tree. Her muscles bunched as she looked for the lowest point she could get to before she hopped up on it. The bark making noise under paw as she scrabbled to get in the crook of the tree. Then she hopped again, the next point a more narrow spot. She'd have to climb from here. She carefully turned around and made for the next point she could see, carefully climbing higher and higher. She wasn't scared of heights so she didn't care. The thing that caught her though was the sound of the tree creaking under her weight. It made her pause, looking in a panic at the branch she was half on and almost to the apples on. More cracks. It was a sudden moment and she was careening to the ground the branch under her breaking. A yelp of surprise as it did. Her landing was less than graceful. Her ass and side hitting causing her to let out a string of yelps at the pain. The branch under her gut. She didn't hear a snap but she definitely felt that in her leg, hips and entire side. "Speech"