[ ooc; takes place after the raid ]

She knew it had been a mistake. The whole thing was written in red warning signs and she ignored them. They could have even flashed before her eyes and she'd be ignorant or attempt to be. Eden sat on the beach for a bit, feeling that her legs could give out at any moment. She didn't bother to stand. She felt weak and sick. You stupid woman her mind reeled pregnant, with your captor's children? How's that for bad decisions? Her stomach heaved again but she resisted. Disgust with herself rolled in waves, like the beach itself.

Her head bowed, the prickle of tears in her green eyes combined with her inner turmoil. This is my fault she thought I made the decision to sleep with him, and now I'm... She couldn't even finish the thought what do I do? The healer in her decided to focus on the condition. She may be one, but now she was also a patient. Slowly, she stood. Eden stumbled once, twice, before her legs righted themselves. What did she expect? What the fuck was she supposed to do now?

The others were gone.

She had a clear thought. Run it said. Run, don't look back. Just keep going. Find a way to have these pups without him knowing. What sort of life would you even live here? The Plunder doesn't even know the story. You'd... be forced to keep pretending. Eden stumbled toward the border, trying to resist the temptation. She already failed in one aspect. What was another? Her steps lead to the invisible line. Her head bowed, sniffing at the Plunder's scent there. So faint, gone to Habari.

Nobody would notice until it was too late.

She made the decision to step over the border. Doubt lingered in her mind, and it was enough to make her pause. But before she could turn around, he was already upon her. Eden managed to let out a strangled sort of cry, half scream, and half shock.

"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

The raid had gone smoothly, but it hadn't been for anything serious, so as soon as they were done, Ignis left and headed straight back to Plunder territory. His pelt bled, though some of it was drying. His fur was sticky and darker with his own blood and that of those he had fought. Lips and teeth were stained with blood, too. His mouth hung open slightly as he moved, crimson gaze narrowed as he ignored the injuries and the bleeding. His only goal was to return to the pack lands to see her. She had been left behind with the pups and Sparrow's prisoner, and before he had left for the raid, she had asked him not to die. He hadn't known what to respond with, so he had remained quiet until they left. Not to mention the last couple of weeks of them talking. The night they...slept together. The confusion from all of that had caused him to become distracted in his first fight. But then during that? He finally decided to make his appearance. "I knew you couldn't do it without me!" The voice had screamed at him during his first fight. From there, all hell had broken loose for him and the raid had been nothing but a blur for him after that. His steps were heavy as he hurried to return. Ignoring anything in his way and simply barrelling through like a freight train that had lost its brakes. As he approached the borders, he spotted her. She was at the border, and he didn't know if she was looking to make an escape before they returned, or if she was sitting there and waiting for them to come back. Whatever the case, he was on her before she could make any sort of decision. "Hello, darling." He rumbled as he stopped a foot or two from her. The strangled sound that came from her told him what he needed to know. "Not trying to run away from me, are you?" "Ignis"||"Blödhgarm"

Art by Naiterion

She was wondering when the other one would make an appearance.

Eden shut her eyes tight, refusing to tremble or cry or throw a fit. Like a pup Ignis had said, no sympathy for her situation. If he was in her proverbial shoes, he would fight back. He wouldn't cry about it. So that's what she did. Turning on the spot, she pivoted toward him with a fierceness learned. Greens blazed with defiance and sadness at the same time. This wasn't Ignis. This was something else entirely. A demon of his mind, but also part of him.

"Where would I go?" Eden spoke, narrowing her eyes at him "I have nowhere else to go" The Plunder was her home, and she was not going to let Ignis or his demon bully her into thinking otherwise "so you didn't die" she said after a beat, wishing he had. But that was just her hormones talking. She lowered her head but kept her eyes pinned on him all the same "I don't know whether to sing or cry." She finally admitted. Perhaps part of her wished to egg him on now.

He looked like he had crawled from the grave itself.

Her ears were pinned against her skull. "Come, then, I will clean your wounds." As a healer of the Plunder, as once-lovers, or as slave and master? She didn't know. She couldn't know. He kept himself so secluded from her prodding. It was impossible to know what he thought or felt. Eden invited him closer, not knowing what else to do.

"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

He didn't know if she was being truthful, or if she was making up an excuse to cover her ass. "Where would I go?" She would ask. "I have nowhere else to go" she would state. Ignis knew very well that if someone wanted to leave, they would. They'd do everything in their power to run and get away, no matter what the cost. But here she was, accepting it to an extent. But he imagined that if he hadn't come back in time, she likely would've been long gone. He still bore the wild look in his eyes. His demeanor was far different now than it had been a few days ago. "It's not hard to flee when your captor is away." He growled, crimson gaze assessing her for a moment. "It's not hard to find safety in another pack. To find protection from your situation," Then he smirked, face leaning in close to hers, "Just remember that no matter where you go, I will find you." That was more of a promise than a threat. He pulled his head back as he resumed towering over her. "so you didn't die." He laughed, "It would take more than a raid to kill me. So if I were you, I'd start crying." He ignored her wanting to clean his wounds for the moment. He needed this. Needed to feel the pain and the blood on his coat for a little bit longer. Whether as self-punishment or a reminder that he wasn't the lost soul he was beginning to think he was, this was the only thing he could control right now. His own pain, and her. Shoving past the smaller woman, he added "You might as well accept it now. Because there's no safe haven for you anywhere on this earth." He hissed as he walked past. He wanted to go back to his den in the cavern. And he didn't care right now if she followed him or sat there to cry. Walk ---- "Speak" ---- "Hear" ---- Think

"I know."

Eden admitted this easily. Even if she was to run, he'd chase after her. Maybe not right away, but sooner or later. Why would she put a community through that? If it was her, she would protect the individual. She would make sure, no matter the cost, they were safe. But not everyone could be like that. Not everyone had the strength to protect a single person over the needs of another. People were selfish. She knew this to be true. "There is no point in running from you."

As much as she wanted to, she could not in good conscience throw her problems onto someone or someplace else. Her problems were her own. Her situation was her own. But, she thought, it wasn't truly just her anymore. Ignis shoved past her and she bowed her head. Perhaps she refused to tell him, because he was being cruel to her again. Perhaps she waited until she could abort them in private. But part of her knew if she waited and showed, it'd be harder to get away.

"But what about them?"

He was marching away from his responsibility at the moment, refusing to see her despite making a beeline to her. Eden stood defiantly now, her chin raised and her eyes on him as he retreated. "Will they be safe?" She pressed, refusing to trail after him "will our pups be safe from you?" Eden sliced through his reality like a knife "they didn't have a choice, but they're here. They're growing in me now. Will they be subjected to cruelty and fear when they're born? Will they grow up seeing their mother a doormat, a father to be scared of? I can only change myself, Ignis. I can't change you. I know that. But can't you at least try for them?" Because she knew he wouldn't try for her.

"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

"I know." He didn't know what it was about her simply accepting this fate that annoyed him so fucking much, but it did and that irritated him too! He glanced back and shook his head, a growl leaving his lips as he continued to walk. He couldn't pinpoint why his mind had been so muddled and confused and overall all over the damn place lately, but maybe he was really losing it as his dad had. The only thing he could say for certain was that he would remain steadfast against doing the same crime his father did, no matter what it took. Rape was not something he could bring himself to do. Not willingly. And if his demon ever tried to force him to it, Ignis was likely to pull the trigger on himself before he ever let that happen...same went for his own kin. If he ever were to learn that his own spawn went around raping? The bloody wolf was likely to purge them, too.

"But what about them?" What about who? The pirates? Why the fuck did he care what they thought? Naturally, he assumed that's who she was talking about. So he paid it hardly any mind until she went on. "Will they be safe?" He growled with further irritation, "I'm not in the mood for games or caring about everyone else's shit!" He barked over his shoulder.

"will our pups be safe from you?" One step. Two steps. Three. Stop. He paused, eyes narrowing as his mind absorbed what she said. It took him a couple of heartbeats, but...Did he hear her right? "they didn't have a choice, but they're here. They're growing in me now. Will they be subjected to cruelty and fear when they're born? Will they grow up seeing their mother as a doormat, a father to be scared of? I can only change myself, Ignis. I can't change you. I know that. But can't you at least try for them?"

He turned to look at her, "What the hell are you talking about?" He questioned, a bit of hesitation in his voice. Then he fully turned around and marched over to her, crimson gaze dark as he loomed over her, "What the fuck are you talking about? Have you gone crazy? Are you that accepting of your position in life that you've resorted to making shit up?" He refused to believe she was pregnant...how? They had only spent one night together! Did it really happen that fucking fast? A one-and-done deal? She was messing with him...she had to be. Pulling his chain for taking her freedom. That's what he was trying to tell himself, anyway.

"Speech"

"I'm pregnant, Ignis."

She was angry at him, for assuming she'd make that up. He turned around, marching back over to her. Demanding to know what she was talking about. Accusing her of lying to him. She had never once lied to him on purpose. Eden drew herself up to her tiny full height, staring at him. Locking daggers with him. But she knew... she hadn't misheard his hesitance. It wasn't fear or concern, but a willingness to accept what had happened.

"They are yours" she continued, feeling her legs wobble under stress and anger "I am not lying to you. I am a healer - I can tell if a woman is pregnant, let alone myself" She didn't even bother to chuckle at that. Eden lowered her head, feeling tired of all this. If he won't be kind to them, I will abort them she thinks if he doesn't want them, I will have to as well. "why do you think I'd lie to you about this? What possible boon could there be?"

She may be a mother. He would be a father. But... she was scared. If he was any other man, she would bury herself in his fur. She would sob and cry. She could even be happy about it. But now she felt all sorts of hollow. Of regret and shame.

"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

"I'm pregnant, Ignis." She locked eyes with him. Seemingly trying to stare daggers into his very soul. While it may have had more effect if she were bigger, it simply wasn't having whatever effect she hoped. He stood over her, neck arched as he stared down at her. Tail curled over his back in a display of dominance and anger. She explained they were his. As a healer, she knew when someone was pregnant, and that included herself. Questioning him. He kept his gaze on her, the pair standing there in silence for a few moments before he tore his gaze away and paced back and forth for a few more moments in silence. He tried to think up something. Anything. to explain this.

"No." He snarled. The fur on the back of his neck stood up. His wounds were largely ignored by this point as he whipped around to face her again, "For all I know, you fucked someone else and got pregnant by them! I haven't had you long!" He tried to convince himself that that was exactly what happened. "Or you fucked one of the pirates here to get back at me for capturing you and stealing away your freedom! And now you're trying to pin this on me? Why should I believe these are mine!"

"Speech"

"How dare you!"

Eden took a shaky step toward the man. She had never been so livid in her entire life. "I haven't left the territory since we came here" And as for the pirates "I haven't done anything but present myself as a healer to them!" He loomed over her, and she was scared. Not for herself but for these pups - that he seemed to reject. Her ears pinned against her skull "I am not a whore. I admit we made a mistake - both of us! If you don't want these pups..." She seethed at him, narrowing her eyes.

"These pups are yours" she repeated to Ignis "but I won't bring them into the world... unloved, rejected... You're so insecure to think that I slept with another man? When?" Eden advanced on his towering position, snarling "you never smelt another man on my coat, else you would have said something. You would have probably killed him, paraded him before me for defiling your trophy." She thought she had gotten somewhere with him... But he was reeling backward, out of her reach. Her gaze lingered with tears that refused to drop.

"Hurt me if you must, but if you hurt these unborn children... I will make them go away before you can."

"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

"How dare you!" She screamed at him, daring to take a step closer. She claimed to not have left the territory and that she had only presented herself as a healer to the ragtag pack of pirates. Said she wasn't a whore. He wanted to believe her...and internally, he did believe her. But he didn't want to! He wasn't ready to be a father again after failing his first litter of pups, and he was very afraid of failing them again. Not to mention he feared that if these ones came to life...they'd be plagued with his cursed blood. That was what he was most afraid of...

"These pups are yours," She repeated again. "but I won't bring them into the world... unloved, rejected... You're so insecure to think that I slept with another man? When?" "I am not insecure!" He snarled, just for her to snarl back at him. "you never smelt another man on my coat, else you would have said something. You would have probably killed him, paraded him before me for defiling your trophy." He scoffed! She did have a point but...he was trying really hard to find another explanation for this. He didn't want any more demons in this world...didn't want them to go through the same thing he was.

He tried to hold his gaze with her for as long as he could but ultimately looked away, ears folding back as he grit his teeth together. "Hurt me if you must, but if you hurt these unborn children... I will make them go away before you can." He huffed, "I can't hurt them without hurting you." He stated simply. Tone blunt as he narrowed his gaze. "Do what you must." He stated, crimson gaze returning to meet her smaller form again.

"Speech"

She breathed heavily, a combination of rage and hurt. Her eyes were a clear window into her soul. She could almost feel him relenting, and eventually, he admitted he couldn't hurt the pups without hurting her. Something he perhaps did not want to do. She took it as a win - whatever win she could get from him. Ignis couldn't hold her gaze for long. She huffed. "Do what I must?" she repeats, attempting to keep her tone civil and calm. It wavered a bit, but she tried to continue.

"It would be easy to run away, only for you to catch me. Eventually. With or without the pups born. It would be easy to ignore you in the pack, birth these children and never tell them you are their father" Eden tried to make him see some type of reason "this is my first litter. I am scared, Ignis. I don't want to have to do this alone" She also tried to make him see; she would not keep them from him. They had a right to know him - but did he want that? "I will, but I don't want to."

"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

He hated that she had some strange way of making him back off. At least in a sense. He was still pissed....or so he thought. He wasn't sure how to place the feelings he was feeling. Part of him wanted to feel and show some sort of...happiness? Excitement? Wouldn't that be the more normal reaction towards finding out something like this? Hell, his first litter he had found in the Northlands...but they were just as much his blood as these ones would be. Or...were, he supposed. Still, not something he wanted to admit just yet. Call it pride or stubbornness, he didn't want to give her the satisfaction of him giving in. Even if it hurt her, or him, or both. "It would be easy to run away, only for you to catch me. Eventually. With or without the pups born. It would be easy to ignore you in the pack, birth these children and never tell them you are their father" She had a point there. "Who knows. Maybe I'd give you a few days' head start if you did decide to run." Was that childish to say? Probably. Did he care? No. "this is my first litter. I am scared, Ignis. I don't want to have to do this alone" Her first? What were the odds...her first litter, and it was from him. Bad first choice... "I will, but I don't want to." He growled, but not at her. More out of frustration. "You chose the worst person on the planet to have pups with..." Slowly, his haunches met the ground, and if he still had a tail, it would be lashing like an angry cat. "I was never a good choice as a mate. And yet, here we are. I'm fucked. You're fucked. They'll be fucked..." He sighed heavily, already regretting their night together, but also...not. "Speech"

He was calming down. That was a good sign, even if he didn't accept the situation. "I didn't choose this - and neither did you" Eden pointed out, not trying to be kind in her words even if they were soft "we both made a mistake - but these children are innocent" She came closer, inches from him as she forced herself (and him) to look at him (and her) "they are part of you, and I won't pretend you are a good person. But I am not either" Compared to some, she was good. Compared to most, she had made terrible decisions that could never be taken back "I don't regret that night, Ignis."

Now that she carried his pups... Would he just want to throw her away, defiled and used? "It won't be perfect and I don't demand it to be" Eden continued on an unsteady breath "but I would hate myself if I didn't at least let you near them. They are your blood - like it or not. It wouldn't be fair, even if things haven't been fair to me lately" and "not fair for you either" She bet he had a story to tell if he ever opened up "b-but if you don't want them in your life... I... suppose I can accept that. I can't pretend to not be disappointed." She sighed, lowering her head.

Do what you must she wanted to say. She wanted to say she could abort them, get rid of them. Pawn them off on another family. Someone who wanted pups in the first place. But. "I'm not asking you to devote yourself to the situation. Just... be around them." She bit back tears this time, speaking to the floor. Be there for me! she wanted to say. She didn't. She was fooling herself.

"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

"I didn't choose this - and neither did you" He "tched" her, "But we did. You were in heat, and we both know what usually happens when a couple of wolves fuck around during that time!" He didn't know what the odds were, but he supposed it was safe to say a woman was pretty damn fertile during her heat season. But what did he know? She was only the second girl he'd been with...so that meant...wait...wasn't Recluse in heat too...? He couldn't remember. Now he was paranoid there were more of them possibly running around but, Recluse didn't look pregnant at the raid and he hadn't been close enough to get a whiff of her to be sure. He shook his head, pushing that from his mind for now. "they are part of you, and I won't pretend you are a good person. But I am not either" Why did she keep saying that!? There was literally nothing he could see that was remotely wrong with her or that would make him think she wasn't good! Maybe except for what he saw as naivete, but other than that? "You keep saying that. But yelling, screaming, crying, and having sex whether it was a bad decision or not doesn't make you a bad person. And honestly, I don't think you'd know what being a bad person feels like even if it bit you in your tiny striped ass." Again with the childish remarks, he was stressed out and trying to keep from exploding again. And yet, even with all the shit between them so far, she didn't regret that night...he wasn't sure what to make of that. She continued talking, and he sat quietly and listened. But mostly because now that he had sat down, it would hurt when he tried to stand. And he was not about to let her see him in pain. The adrenaline had worn off, and his demon had gone dormant again. It had been a sudden rush in his head at the raid all the way to a few moments ago, and he felt like his strength had been sapped away. He wasn't being docile or complacent or anything, he was exhausted. But when Eden finished, he remained quiet for a few moments as he processed what she said. He could do nothing but be forced to hold her gaze, the crimson male refusing to back down. "Keep them if you want. But I'm telling you now, it'd be a mistake. I won't force you to get rid of them when it's clear you don't want to. And however strongly I feel right now, or later should you decide to keep them, is none of your concern. It would be in your best interest to stay out of things should I decide to do what I deem necessary." He warned, but ultimately knew that a mother's love for their children would win above all. He was afraid. Afraid of the thought that any one of those pups, or all of them, might be plagued with the same cursed blood he had. And it wouldn't be their fault...he was just stuck between a rock and a hard place now. He didn't know if his first litter bore the same curse...or (god forbid it happened!) if Recluse ended up having kids from him, that any of them might have it. But this one? He believed they were his. He knew she hadn't gone and had sex with someone else. He knew that...he just didn't want to accept the fact. But here it was. Staring him in the face. "Ignis"||"Blödhgarm"

She gave a tired little laugh, raising a brow at him. "I didn't seek you out to have sex with you" she pointed out "and I didn't want to become pregnant" If he was going to be blunt, she might as well be blunt as well! "I do not have the strength to abort them, Ignis. I could, but I do not know how" She reminded him she was still a beginner healer "but I don't, you're right. I decided that when you came back. You were looking for me, or... someone else was" She frowned "I'm not an idiot. You didn't come to see me so I could patch your wounds. I don't know what this is..." she added with a slightly confused pitch.

"I thought about running, from you and from the Plunder" Eden continued quietly as he sat "I don't know who would come for me if I did. You or someone else" Ignis the... semi-good semi-bad man? The other personality? Who was not at all a good one? She knew he was scared of the pups inheriting whatever he had, even if he didn't admit it to her "but that... it does not matter" she bowed her head, sighing "if you need to do what you think is right by these pups, I will try to understand. But please do not be cruel to them needlessly. They have a right to know you."

At least, what Ignis allowed them to know.

"I won't nag you to care about me; just try to love them. But maybe I am a bad person for wanting you to at least care about me too" Bite her in the ass it may be, the words left her mouth. Hormones aside, some small part of her wanted to feel wanted "not as a trophy." Eden left that hanging in the air before she walked past him, going further into the Plunder's territory. /exit unless stopped

"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