"Speech"

Exciting! Delightful! What wonders had she come across? Trinkets! Bits! Bobs! Strange bits of metal and fascinating things! All strewn about in this fantastic field. Ignita had once spent some time studying an ancient ruin and creating a copper battery back in her homeland, but this! This was something else!

Ignita had come across the Veterans Plateau for the first time. She marveled at the ancient battlefield, oblivious to the bloodshed and ghosts. The mid-morning Autumn sun rose on her second birthday and delighted her with enough light and warmth to discover a land practically made for her. She could spend her life here if she wanted to! She could spend 4 lifetimes here and barely make a dent in categorizing and finding uses for all these pieces of detritus!

The little golden girl had set her goggles over her eyes as she darted between helmets, old guns, shards of bullets, and other bits of garbage. She carefully gathered several shards of hard helmets and placed them in a pile. Then carefully she picked through a large pile of scrap and bones, half buried in grass and dirt finding small bullet casings, and sorted them by size. She found a large barrel of an old rusted gun, long fallen away from the other components and blew through the tube to clear the mud and dirt out, looking through it to see the land on the other side.

Basilisk was days away from claiming the Armada as his own. The previous Warlord had already packed up his rooms and would shortly be making his way to the Hallows. The idea of all the responsibility that was about to come crashing down on his shoulders was frightening. Maddening and exhilarating also came to mind, but he was all too aware of the many eyes on him. He could not stumble now.

He made his way into the battlefield, looking for inspiration of some kind. Something that would make all this a little easier. When nothing jumped out at him, he continued on a little further, making his way into the Veteran’s Plateau. He stopped at a distance, and watched a small creamy wolf as she trotted through the field, watching as she began to find things and organise them. Perhaps… Perhaps that was what he was missing. An organiser. Someone to keep things from falling apart. He had no idea if she was qualified, or what the learning curve would be. It could be a struggle for her… but that was a risk he was willing to take.

The colossal giant made his way forward, entering the veterans field fully, and making his way towards her. The more distance that closed between them, the more he was able to see that he was almost three times her size. Easy prey. “Good morning, what have you got there?” He asked, keeping his voice light, and closing a little more distance between them.


"Basilisk Fatalis"

"Speech"

Her focus was so intense she was completely oblivious to the towering male making his way toward her. She darted for another pair of goggles and looked carefully at the workings of it, wondering if she could add any parts or find replacements for the lenses. Her tail was swishing rhythmically as she looked carefully at goggles of war, slightly different than her own. She lifted it to the light and suddenly startled at the male's words breaking her trance-like state, the goggles clattering over the pile of rubbish she had been rummaging through.

"oh! oh, uh... Just... just gathering!" She squeaked, looking up. The size of him didn't surprise her much actually, she had once walked through a land with similar canines and creatures, an elongated mustached canine had taken her as his child when she was a pup. This one definitely had a different vibe about him though...

"Oh no, these aren't yours, are they? I was just sorting them!" She covered a pile of her trinkets with her tail shyly. He had a pack scent to him, oh no she hadn't stumbled into a claimed territory, had she?

The small girl startled at his presence. Foolish creature, all alone out here without even her wits to keep her company. His eyes roamed over her collection of metal contraptions. They looked mostly like rubbish to his inexperienced eye. What did she see in them?

His eyes moved from scrap to girl once more as she brushed her tail over the pile. As if that could protect her meagre belongings from him. He smiled at her, and it was almost kind. “And if I said that it was?” he asked, keeping his voice light. They were just having a friendly conversation, after all.  “Stealing from a Warlord is a terrible crime.” He said with a regretful sigh. He extended two feline-like claws almost as long as her face, and clicked them together. “I have a solution!” His grin turned a little darker. “I extend my claim beyond the inanimate. I think I'll take the thief, too.” He took a step closer, extended claws clicking on loose stones in the earth. 

"Basilisk Fatalis"

"Speech"

Ignita had, up until this point at least, led a sheltered naive life. Sure she had been teased by pack mates, bullied a little for her interests and intensity and tendency to interrupt... Nothing had prepared her for this. As soon as the larger male said that the things she was sorting were indeed his, Ignita felt real fear for the first time in her life.

"Warlord?" She rhetorically asked, voice barely above a whisper. She gulped. She hadn't known! Ohhhhhhhh she fucked up. She fucked up so bad. Her little white ears went flat, "I didn't... not stealing!" She was frozen to the spot, golden eyes fixed on the large eager blues in the dark and blue face towering over her, her brain suddenly dead quiet, also for the first time in her life.

She flicked her ears forward as he mentioned a solution! Oh? Could she somehow repay him?
Wait? What? What did that mean?? Take the thief??? She slunk against her treasures, golden eyes wide in terror. Was he going to kill her?

"I-I-I! No thief! I'm going!! S-s-sssorry!" Her tail slunk between her trembling legs, her ears parallel to the ground in appeasement as she tried to skitter backward. She had already shed her puppyhood features, childish ignorance wouldn't give her any breaks now, "Please don't k-kill me! I'll-I'll leave a-a-a-nd never come back! It's all yours!" She was a terrible fighter. An orange paw slipped on the detritus and she stumbled backward with a yip.

He watched her critically. Taking neither joy nor regret from her fear. He let the realisation of his accusations sink in, noting how easily she took his words as truth. She promised to leave, and attempted to manoeuvre herself backwards. He took only a single step to negate all her little movements. She really was a tiny thing.


He wasn't going to let her go, he had made his decision. Now he just needed to spin it to get the most out of her. “I won't kill you” he said, stepping over her as she stumbled backwards and lost her balance. He leaned forward, bringing his face closer to hers. The long, thick canine that extended from his jaw brushed against her cheek. “Not if you make keeping you alive worth my while. Think you can do that?” His words slow, and almost charming. He had never intended to kill her, but she didn't need to know that

"Speech"

She couldn't help the soft whine escape her lips as the giant smoothly took one step to block her retreat. Oooo she fucked uuup... Golden eyes were glued to the massive teeth extending below his jaw.  

She held her breath, he wasn't going to kill her? A brief spark in her thoughts as to what in the world was happening started to gather resources and help her think of options but on her exhale it was interrupted as he leaned forward, over her. She shuddered as the thick tooth brushed her white and orange blazen cheek.

Her normally rapid-fire mind had ground to a halt. Worth his while worthhiswhile worthhiswhile just repeated over and over for a moment. All calculations had froze. Just agree! Just agree and I'll live!

She nodded her head emphatically. "Hmhmm! Yesyes, I can do that!" She replied. Ignita didn't know how, and her normally calculated mind needed to speed up somehow. It was used to room to breathe and time to work. She wasn't used to thinking quickly, her life had never been on the line like this before.
"What doIdo?" She asked quickly, smashing the words together unconsciously making it more efficient. She'll figure out whats she's truly signing herself up for later.

He leaned back a touch, giving her some space. Not enough room for her flee, but a small token gift. As if to say ‘see, I can reasonable when your words are agreeable’ he had her. That much was obvious, but what did he want to do with her now? He couldn't bring her home today. The Warlord hadn't left yet, and her presence would just make for awkward questions. Best not to distract Sirius from his packing.


“Hmmm, little slave. You can gather my belongings to start with.” He said, raising a paw and waving it over her body towards the scrap pile they had left behind. What he was going to do with that junk, he didn't know. Maybe Halo would find it useful. “Whats your name, slave?” He asked, sitting bacl on his hunches so she could get up and do his bidding. He was curious to see how and what he could push. How much would she hesitate? How many questions would she ask?

"Speech"

The girl's golden optics flicked between both teeth as he eased off the pressure over her. A release she welcomed readily, licking her lips and wagging her tail to pacify him.

Little...slave? She looked back at the pile of bits and bobs she had stumbled over after she had naively hidden them from him. He fully released her from her vulnerable pose. She took two shaky breaths before unsteadily getting back on her feet. Her eyes were glued to her task, her mind buzzing and reeling with her new title. She nearly forgot to answer him as she gathered an old helmet with a strap she grabbed as a makeshift basket.

"Ig-" She coughed, her mouth felt dry as her heart raced, "Ignita..." She replied pitifully grabbing a few of the larger spent gun casings and placing them in her bucket. Her mind was a bit freer to reflect on the event now. He was so much bigger than her. She quickly scanned a small fragment of a spent grenade and found a larger piece to add to the collection. He was so much faster than she was ever going to be. Her cushioned illustrious life of invention and discovery never pushed her the need to defend herself.  

She glanced at him, even though she was a meter away he still towered over her. Opposites in every way down to their inverted pelt colors and stature...
"What will I call you?" She asked, a hint of anger at her new situation creeping into her tone, by her luck, he'd want her to call him something egregious like Master or Mighty Guy. How could she be so stupid? She shifted through the clutter of shiny things and didn't find any more curious things she could use in this pile and without thinking of his permission she shifted further to another pile starting to get lost in the task.

Her wagged tail seemed to be an indication of submission, and he was surprised by the fact that it pleased him. So far, this interaction had been done largely without emotion from him. He remained seated as she grabbed a helmet and used it as a basket. Hmm, versatile thinking. Useful. She answered his question, and he let the delay of it pass by without retaliation. “Basilisk.” He said shortly, “or by my title. Warlord. it wasn't his yet, but it might as well be.

As she put away bits and bobs, she hung onto the goggles. He realised they weren't a part of the trash, but an actual part of her belongings. It hit him unexpectedly, and hit him hard. Makara had worn a set of goggles, they've practically been a part of her, until the day she went missing. He tried not to think of his siblings, there was only him and Levi left now.

He narrowed his eyes at her. “Ignita” he growled as she seemed to get lost in her task. Adding more to the pile than had been in his ‘claimed’ set. “Ignita, come here.” He demanded of her. Better to set the right expectation early. “Your goggles, give them to me.”


"Basilisk Fatalis"

"Speech" Thought

Basilisk, a mythical creature with a lethal gaze, something about a serpent and cockatrice? No, something about it being half chicken half snake, or was that the cockatrice? Warlord... He mentioned that bef- She thought as she sifted and collected, noting the weight of the trinkets and the weight of the helmet when her thoughts were sharply interrupted by his growl. Oh no, what had she done? She froze as she broke from her reverie.

He beckoned her, and demanded her to come back to him. Slowly she did, grabbing her basket and slinking toward him, unsure what was about to happen next. She stood before him, looking up at him when he demanded her goggles.

"My-?" She reflexively placed one golden paw up to her precious lenses. Her last vestige of home, of the desert littered with ancient ruins, and towering sandstone pillars, "No, these are mine." She said matter of factly. Why would she give them to him? Why would he demand them from her?

She came, but she did so slowly. Hesitantly, and without the respect he truly required. If he couldn’t have respect, he would settle for fear. She was to be the first slave he would bring to the Armada. He would ensure that the both of them got it right. He reached over, and smacked her soundly on the side of her muzzle. He was so big, and she was so little. He got it a touch wrong, and sent her sprawling. That would leave a mark.

He stalked forward, towering over her again. He placed one paw over her delicate little leg. It would be so easy to break it, all he would have to do would be to apply a little pressure. He wouldn’t even have to work at it. So small. So fragile. “Ignita. Little Slave. You seem to be suffering from some delusions, let me clear them up for you.” He leaned down, bringing his muzzle close to hers again. That way, she wouldn’t miss a single word. ” You are a slave of the Armada now. When I say jump, you jump. Anything less will have consequences.” He gestured towards her with a paw - the one not currently resting on her. In doing so, the pressure on her leg increased to compensate for his raised leg. “Give me the goggles, Ignita.” He asked again, his voice almost crooning.

"Basilisk Fatalis"

"Speech"

She blinked, and found herself on the ground a second later. Her cheek blooming in pain, her shoulder slammed into some rocky rubbish.

She froze in shock, the paw that had just clasped her goggles now slowly brushed her wet cheek, it came back with a little red on it. In the time it took her to move her paw and feel her cheek he was onto of her again. She gasped in more pain as he leaned a mighty paw on her tiny leg, threatening to break it with his weight. She had no doubt it would snap under the weight of this glowering giant, for now it was stretched at a painful angle, over extending her knee.

Little slave... You are a slave of the Armada now...

As the shock started to wear off a sob escaped her throat. Before he was done saying her name she was scrambling at her goggles to get them over her head and off. Another sob made it out of her lips and hot tears began to well up in her golden eyes.

She gave him the precious goggles in a frantic motion and then gathered her forelegs over her face to try her best to hide her crying. The scrape on her cheek was a cat scratch from one of his perilous mutated claws. Large enough on her tiny face to leave a slash that'll mark her for quite a while, if not forever. Battered and bruised she cowered beneath him trembling.

He stared at her impassively. She was not pack, not in the truest sense of the word. She was not family, nor part of the very small inner circle he called his own. He did feel as if he should feel… more, watching her cower. He didn’t crave her tears, but nor did he regret them. The absence of any true emotion instead left him feeling hollow. This was the first time he had truly flexed his will, free from the constraints of a greater power. He desired a slave to aid his creation of the pack, and it was her bad luck to be in the wrong place at the wrong time.

He took the goggles she had frantically thrust in his direction, and stood back as she consoled herself. He gave her some moments, and then stepped forward again. “Enough. Calm yourself, little slave.” He told her, standing just outside her personal space. He made a motion towards the sky and received the call of a falcon in return. A few moments later a little reindeer trotted into view, and he hooked the goggles around his antlers. “You’ll get them back, once you’ve earned them. Collect your belongings, and follow me.” he ordered. Would she be more quick to obey him now?

"Basilisk Fatalis"

"Speech"

She was grateful when he stepped off her. She curled into a ball where he left her, covered her face and sobbed as quietly as she could manage.

She was a slave of the Armada now. He was the Warlord of the Armada. He was the leader of the Armada... She would receive no help, no rescue, not from anyone inside a pack called the Armada.

He called out to the little slave to calm herself and she tried her best to shakily gather her breathing, absorb her sobs. She wiped the tears, smearing the blood over her cheek and she hissed through her teeth as she rubbed the slash. She swallowed another sob trying to push it's way out.

She watched forlornly as he called to his companions and hooked her goggles onto the reindeers antlers. Will she ever get them back? Will she ever earn them? Her life was now held in the paws of a mighty leader, and she felt so very very small.

She struggled to get up for a moment, trying to obey his command to gather her things. Her knee was a little sore from being pushed beyond it's limit, her shoulder was scraped and bruised making her movements stiff.

The Little Slave limped quickly to the basket and grabbed the strap between her teeth, her gaze locked to the ground. She would have to move quickly with her small legs, one of his steps looked as if it would be three or four of hers. Were they heading to the Armada pack lands now? She didn't dare ask out loud. She knew now that he'd probably tie her up to drag her there if she made a fuss, or even simply knock her out.

She sniffed back her runny nose and wiped away another tear as she stood before him, waiting for him to lead the way.

He needed somewhere to stash Ignita until Sirius left, and he knew just the place to do so. He led her from the Plateau, keeping his steps at what would be a brisk trott in her little stride. It was almost a leisurely stroll for him, and felt impatient at how long it would take to reach the caves attached to Waterfall Peak. As he walked, he gave some murmured instructions to Orso, and the deer immediately trotted off. “I’m going to fill you in on the rules, so listen carefully.” He warned Ignita. She had already proven she could be a fast learner, with enough motivation.

“As a slave of the Armada, you're at the very bottom of the pack. You will have to obey any orders given to you - but my orders trump all else. Is that clear?” He asked, glancing towards her to see if she did so. “Your primary role will be as an organiser. I want items catalogued in all of our supply dens, especially with winter approaching.” The pack had barely recovered from the flood. “You’ll take any abuse I deal out to you, and if I hear even a whisper of complaint about it, you’ll discover how easy you’ve had it. I have ears everywhere in the pack” He warned her softly. Not even remotely true, he wasn’t even Warlord yet.

They arrived at the caves, and Orso was there waiting for them. The reindeer had gathered some fox skins as bedding, enough food to last a few days, and Larimar. The latter was a very strange creature that had recently attached itself to Basilisk. Longer than the deer was tall, it took its features from two critters. With the body of a snake, but the feathers and wings of a bird. The Wyrm looked as if it had stepped straight out of a nightmare of the Long Night. He walked into the cave. “I have some things to deal with in the pack, this will be your home for the next few days. Larimar is here to keep you on your best behaviour. Careful, she’s poisonous.” He lied once more. There would be no easy escape for poor little Ignita.


"Basilisk Fatalis"

"Speech"

She glued herself close to his heel and quickly kept pace with his larger strides. Her knee made her limp but the movement helped her shoulder stay supple. Despite her pace, she kept it up easily, she was made for endurance and long treks over desertland, sand, and scrub alike. Her mind raced faster than her paws, processing, organizing events, defining the subject of slavery to herself, and wondering what he had in mind for her.

She pricked her ears to try and catch his instructions to his deer but he was far too tall and had turned away from her. She pricked her ears forward again to catch his warning directed at her. Obey any orders given to her, not just his. So she wasn't going to be his private plaything then. She nodded curtly to display her understanding. He detailed her primary job and as she walked beside him she tilted her head at him as if to say, "for real?" That was it? Hell, she could do that in her sleep! She'll do that for fun!

But her joy was quickly squashed as he finished his warning and told her she would be taking any abuse he doled out. She shuddered, immediately knowing he'd not hesitate to maim or bruise her... but would he be the type of master to... use... her? Should she dare ask? Would she be forced to carry someone's children?

Her mind became lost at the implications, readying herself for whatever abuse he had in mind. Not many stories she knew about slaves ended well, and not many of those who took slaves... treated them well. She remained silent the rest of the journey.


They reached the caves, her knee was flaring up from the pain and her limp was a bit more severe than it was when they started out. She observed the supplies and her temporary home. He was leaving her here? It was a test, it had to be. He probably had eyes all around here and this was where they tested their slaves to obey, killing those that tried to run away. Her imagination ran wild with it.

The Little Slave was distracted by the new creature Larimar. She was absolutely fascinated by the mythical creature.
"Venomous..." She absently responded, correcting him. Looking at the creature, she knew snakes at least and didn't think it was a venomous type, "You should probably get your money back from whoever said she was venomous, the shape of her head-" she broke off suddenly realizing her mistake. You shouldn't be correcting your captor Ignita.

He trotted further into the cave, and spread out the fox skins in a corner. Hopefully he hadn’t forgotten anything she’d need over the course of a few days. Though he was sure his companions would fetch him if something happened. He turned their attention to his newest companion. Instead of inspiring fear, Larimar seemed to draw out a curiosity in his little slave. She had an inquisitive mind, he had learned that already. Perhaps he should have guessed… Well, he would need another failsafe to ensure he didn’t lose her between now and the time he could bring her into the pack. After all that work to bring her in, and bring her to heel, he would hate to lose her.

“If you’d like, we could run a test. Let her bite you, and see what happens…” He suggested, turning a smile onto her that could not be described as kind. He was curious if she would actually take the bait. How sure was she on a creature he had never encountered before in his life, and just where would her curiosity take her?

"Basilisk Fatalis"

"Speech"

He suggested running the test on herself. If she had her goggles she would be looking over them at him incredulously. She was a scientist, a scholar she could think of several other ways to study and experiment with the efficacies of Larimer's venom without putting herself in harm's way. She was a fool sure, but she wasn't stupid.

"No, thank you." She responded frankly then flinched, wondering if she was about to get a matching scar developing under the other eye.

In a lull she looked around at her meager accouterments, grateful for the furs and the space and rations. If she was going to be here for a few days, she needed something to do, she was resourceful but didn't know that if she stepped outside for any supplies would negate the test or not.

"If my job will be keeping stock of rations and supplies, may I spend my time here gathering supplies outside like wood and charcoal to make that job... more efficient?" She avoided the word "easier". Will he tell his eyes and ears around that she was allowed to wander briefly? "I won't go far."  Maybe she could grab a few mice and songbirds to test whether Larimar had venom as well.

He chuckled softly at her frank disagreement. So, she didn’t fully trust her assessment then. Still, a backup plan. He would have to go without his falcon for a while. Thunder would keep a close eye over his Little Slave. Her flinch told him that while she wasn’t accustomed to being a slave yet, his first lesson had stuck. He had a feeling she would be a pretty agreeable slave. “You’ll find a salve among the supplies I've left you. Apply it to your eye.” He ordered her. It was part of his emergency supplies from Halo, so he trusted it would keep her from getting an infection.

She asked permission before leaving, and he believed she wouldn’t easily forget his lesson but he wanted to test that a little more. “No. If you stick one paw out of this cave, you’ll regret it. If you need to gather, you can explore this cave a little further, there are a few other tunnels, but you’ll find no other that leads to the surface.” Enough to explore to keep her busy for a day or so, perhaps. “I’ll be back in a few days. Two, at most. If you have an emergency, call, my ears will hear you.” He told her.


"Basilisk Fatalis"