It was only the small male's luck that Apollyon disbanded. He was free, free from the suffering of memories that had stagnated his mind. Though the smile that plastered his face turned to a grimace when he wanted to space the other him for causing so much trouble. Tally was happy to, the rate plastered on his crown happily as they two made it towards the volcano. Nia was happy, happy that he had lived and learned to be more aware of his surroundings as much as he tried. The mentally unsound boy, half the time didn't even know what he was doing after all.
He hoped skipped and jumped across the terrain. Feeling everything around him in his own little silent world. Happily as he stopped and raised himself, looking around as he needed to do in order to survive his disability. He was relatively normal today which gave Tally little to worry about as the small boy sat down on his haunches and felt the wind through his fur.

Kau had been watching him.

Watching the white boy as he hopped around, seeming so... carefree. Like a pup, lost in a world of fantasy. Yet... there was something about that nature that had Kau wonder about him. So many memories, though he tried to chase them away, stirred in his mind. Of Eponine... Of his mother... Of his family... of the Kedieo Clan... and of Avion. So many unwelcome memories. It made his blood boil with hate, madness, sickness, and a touch of sadness too. Kau was broken. There was little doubt of that. There was no fixing what was done... one couldn't bring the dead back. However... he had little chance of righting the wrongs he had done... so there was no hope in his mind. No room for redemption. All he could do was continue to fall.

...and so Kau would descend from his upwind location on the mountain...

From the moment he saw the white male he would watch him. He became... interested. He desired to take that happiness and make it his own. Whether through sex, or getting a taste of fear... of submission... of blood... who knew? Although... this boy was a bit young to use as a sexual toy. While Kau might have not been all there he was hardly one for pleasing a younger crowd. Maybe next season, or the season after... but... this child was not yet "ripe" for picking.

But did that mean Kau wouldn't mess with him? Of course not! This was Kau Kedieo, duh. Of course he was going to have his fun. Kau put a smile on his face, approaching from behind. "My... such a cheerful nature you hold. What might all the joy be about, hmm?" His single orb would focus on the back of the boy's head. Just turn around. Let's play a game.
"Speech"

Nia of course, couldn't hear Kau. Damaged ears left the yearling deaf as ever. Yet he adapted quickly because of it, since he used to be able to hear. The years of abuse had caused to create a weird creature. He would have been a monster if he had been Kau's size, but alas he was not. He was small and fragile. Tally heard however, turning her body around causing Nia to follow and suddenly his hair went poof when he noticed a huge giant being there. His mind raced in the blur of white, but the other markings made it a little better. Nia practically just looked in awe of him. Of course he was happy, he had temporarily escaped the grasps of captors. The crusted blood over his beautiful white pelt was an obvious sign. The signs of the ex slaves wounds not yet healed.
"It's not more cheer than it is relief until he moves onto the next thing in his life." Tally said on the top of his head. Nia's ears moved backwards as he frowned a little, the voices were playing music in his head. Or rather humming tunes that would be similar to something you'd hear from a lover. Howls, and he hated it. He was only a year, but his past recalled something disastrous. He might as well been just as damaged as Kau had been. Just the damage to his brain made something of a blank slate with a ton of personalities. Yet at the moment, it was just him and the other Nia. The voices stayed out of it all in their little corners.

Hmm? What was this? Had the boy not heard him? The wolf would not respond to him, however something upon his head turned to him and answered. A rat she was. A bit... peculiar. Reminded him a bit of the tiny little creature the cream fae had with her. Though a rat was certainly larger than the little fluffball with eyes and appendages he saw. Huh. So she spoke for the white male huh? Kau would listen to the words she spoke, single light purple orb going over the body of the younger male again.

Dried blood was upon his coat... and the word relief stuck in Kau's mind. Was it... that this boy was once a slave? Hm... it would explain some things. Kau would ponder it for but a moment before stepping a bit closer, looking down at Nia with a look that was almost gentle. "Poor lad. Looks to still be a mess. Really should plan on cleaning his coat. Red doesn't suit him at all." Though the words sounded kind, there was certainly an ulterior motive here. "He seems to... have a hard time hearing. Was he in an accident? Do you know?" His words were for Tally at the moment, wondering if the boy could hear at all.
"Speech"

The rat would scowl at the beast, great more of them, as if they hadn't just escaped the jaws of darker wolves anyway. Perhaps this one would be kinder to Nia, but his coloring and size might cause a few problems if Nia turned around right now which was something she couldn't control for the poor white boy. The rat settled her paws on his head as he flicked them to the feeling before peeking over his shoulder. His two different colored orbs widening a bit at the sight of Kau.
His tail puffed up, but his mind went through the voices quickly trying to see if they would help. Immediately he wanted to curl up into a ball even with all his wounds. Nia's eyes narrowed a little, and turned pale, suddenly his heart rate becoming calm. His body turning to fully face the giant compared to himself. The ivory male tilting his head to the side to the calico. "Have you come to take me away again?" he asked in a quiet voice curious.
Tally stood up on his head, watching Kau. "Uhhh, he's deaf when he was a little younger a volcano took his home and hearing. His name is Nia and I'm Tally." she said in a nervous voice. Well whatever Nia got pulled into, it wouldn't surprise her. She was just a small rat, there wasn't much she could do for the deaf yearling.

Hmm... Kau would focus his single remaining orb upon the boy. He looked afraid, his tail puffing up. Fear... it was a delicious emotion. But Kau did not wish to hurt him. No... he had another plan forming. He would put on a gentle smile, giving a nod to the rat, before he spoke up, hoping the deaf boy would be able to properly hear him now. Perhaps if he played his cards right he could walk away with a new pawn... a potential part of his new pack and a potential plaything.

"No dear. I am not going to take you anywhere you don't want to go." He would give the boy a gentle smile, lowering his body to the ground so that he was a little more on level with the other. No... he mustn't scare Nia, or alarm Tally to his ways. He would tilt his head to the side, making himself frown some. "Others have tried to hurt you terribly, haven't you? Such cruel wolves exist in this world. I know that pain..." Kau would lift his head some, going to the next thing in his play, a soft smile. "I can help you, if you want. I'll be a friend, and a protector. My... my dearest friend passed on a while ago. Our journey here, to freedom, well... it took too much out of him. It's terrible being alone..." He would look down. Stretching the truth a bit... but it worked. He would lift his head again.

"Ah yes... where are my manners? I am Kau Kedieo."
"Speech"

Nia's eyes suddenly frantically looked him up and down. Seemingly looking right past Kau. Reading his lips, his ears would shiver and the whispers inside his head grew louder. "Lies, LIES, LIES!" he exclaimed with a smile on his face. Tilting his head to the side. "You wanna gobble Nia up, but that's okay. Nia will follow, just don't lie to Nia anymore." he jumped up running into Kau and pressing into his leg. A newfound master for him to show affection for. Perhaps a bit strange, but the mentally unstable boy was happy in those moments even if he knew Kau was a liar and a cheater. "Just don't hurt Nia...okay evil wolfy?" he stood away a bit looking at him with a tilted head.
Tally covered her eyes with her paws, great. But at least they would have some shelter. Nia was smart in his own way, a lie detector one minute, a raging ball of fur the next. The small deaf boy certainly at his survival devices cut out for him, but he still was vulnerable to the outside world. Maybe Kau could fix that one way or another, even if he ended up destroying all the Nia that there was.

Kau would blink as the boy would begin to raise his voice, calling him out on his lies. He would blink, seeing the smile still on his face. The boy was a bit mentally unsound it seemed, however, at the same time... It seemed to be beneficial to him. The young man would allow a smirk to flick over his face. Despite knowing... The boy was willing to submit and show affection. That... Struck at Kau in a unique way. Had he been a cat he might have even purred with satisfaction, letting his muzzle lower and brush across the boy?s shoulder.

?You?re much smarter than you let on, aren?t you, Nia?? His voice was a coo, not mocking at all. ?Some of that was indeed a lie, and other parts stretches of the truth. Yet... You?re able to read it, hmm?? His single remaining eye was was gleaming with delight.

?So... I will do something that I?ve only done for one other, my former mate... A promise and an offer, should you keep up your willingness to follow me. A willing companion and follower is so much more pleasant than one that is forced to obey.? Those words were not a lie at all. While he had little issue in pushing his dominance if needed he wanted someone he didn?t have that necessary to do. Someone to hold... To protect. Kau would stay close, breathing in Nia?s scent.

?If you stay with me, be loyal... I will protect you. I will shred those who try to hurt you. But you must listen to me... You must be willing to follow where I go. I will not force you to listen, because if you decide to leave it will be on you. But at that point I will no longer protect you. I will ignore your existence completely.? His gaze hardened some. ?I lost my mate... And I am tired of being alone. But if the one who follows isn?t willingly obedient... The bond is pointless.? The last bit of words were more to himself, though if Nia heard as well there was no great consequence.
"Speech"

Nia this time would pay close attention to the movements of Kau's lips. It processed to all of his personalities. His tail dropped however, lowering his eyes. Protection, one thing that escaped him. His heart hurt, his body hurt from all the pain that had surrounded him. Tally looked sadly as Nia for a moment, she wondered how he felt towards Ace the only friend he had come in contact in these lands though the other Nia probably didn't care too much. Nia looked at Kau. "Promise" he whispered. "Promise no hurting, too much pain for Nia anyway." he said struggling to place the words on his deaf ears.
"Is it okay if I go see a friend sometimes though, she is nice." Nia perked his ears regardless if they didn't work. This time he yelled a little louder but he didn't know that. As Tally sat back on his head. "Nia's been abused his whole life, he's giving his heart out to you which is rare even if he isn't all there." The rat told Kau.

Kau would listen, watching the other male. Maybe it was that part of Kau that still had not been completely corrupted breaking through, wanting to take Nia and protect him. To make a family for himself. Damned as he was, the beast still felt the need to be around others. To not be alone. Loneliness was a great demon, ready to devour souls at a glance. Kau feared being alone... and yet grew used to it. It was what lead him to strike out now, breaking more each day he didn't have someone with him. His own sort of stability. Ironic, really, since perhaps this young man could offer him better stability of the mind, just as he could give to Nia in return.

The promise was made, and the boy would speak up, asking if it was okay to go see a friend. Kau relaxed completely, giving a small nod. "Yes... though I will want you to return to me you are not a caged bird. You are free to fly, so long as you remember to come back." The boy had yelled a bit louder with his request, but given his condition Kau overlooked it. He'd smile for the white male, single orb raising to look at the rat.

"I understand. I may be a monster... but when I give my word that I will protect someone and care for them I keep it. Anyone who dares hurt him from here on out will feel that pain ten-fold by the time I am done." It was a promise. He'd give a gentle nudge to Nia, speaking up again. "Come. I want to find a place for us to meet each other, even if we wander around by ourselves." Though his words held authority in them there was a touch of gentleness too. He'd turn, his mind turning to the cream female and her brother as thoughts began to stir. He'd wait for Nia to go with him, and then should the boy choose to go see his friend he could do so whenever he liked.
"Speech"