Beneath the midday sun, Sephiran walked across the ice bridge that formed between The Polar Sound and Ardens Glacies, following the scent of his possession. It was rare for her to visit the island, given her primary den was located in The Polar Sound. So, what was she doing so far away from him? Perhaps it was the new ease of access between their domains- she ice bridge only formed in the winter season, so she didn't have to brave the frigid waters. Or, she was hiding something from him. Now that he thought about it, he hadn’t checked on her since their last mating. And he wanted to confirm the fruits of his domination over her.

Entering the island, traveling up to the forest, and traversing down the gutted valley, Sephiran returns to the heart of the dormant volcano. The bubbling of the warmth beneath the lake’s surface symphonies in the background, cutting through the silence of the pit. Now, where is she. Padding along the ashy shore, he follows her scent to the opposite side of the lake, where a cave system led into the subterrane. She’s sitting near the edge of the water, items fumbling between her paws- the scent of herbs mixing with the sulfur. Approaching her, Sephiran’s hackles start to rise, his eyes trailing over her frame. Her back is towards him, and if she doesn’t turn to face him, he lifts a paw and harshly spins her around. He wants to see her belly.

"Sephiran Saxe"

The warmth of the sun, high overhead, was a tender contrast to the chill of winter that otherwise gripped the land. With her back to the lake and its sulfurous aroma, Aurelia was oblivious to Sephiran's approach. Her paws were busy amid a small assortment of herbs, her attention consumed by her concoctions. The blue-green markings on her face and body seemed to shimmer in the light of the winter sunshine.

Without warning, a sudden force spun her around. The herbs scattered from her paws as she met Sephiran's gaze, her eyes bright with surprise. A low growl rumbled from deep within her chest, but the sound died away as Sephiran's dark gaze traveled over her form. His eyes, cold and indifferent, lingered briefly on her belly where the first signs of her pregnancy were beginning to show. She noticed the flicker of recognition in his eyes, though it didn't warm them any. Aurelia's heart pounded as she waited for his response, her cyan gaze never leaving his own.

"Well," she snapped, defiance gleaming in her vibrant eyes. "Have you had your fill yet? I am not some broodmare for you to inspect." Despite her boldness, a tremor of anxiety threaded its way into her voice. She was vulnerable and she knew it, but Aurelia would sooner die than admit it to him.

"Sephiran & Aurelia"

Whirling Aurelia around, Sephiran manipulates her until she is facing him, digging his claws into her shoulders to keep her anchored in place. Herbs scattered on the ground beside them, though, they are ignored by the larger male- his attention is set firmly on Aurelia’s abdomen, his interest resolute as he starts to examine her. Even with her taunts, Sephiran continues his invasion, one of his paws leaving her shoulder to press on her belly. His movements are methodical, lack warmth, and are rough. His toes flex as he digs his dull claws into her sensitive skin, noting the newfound fullness. There was a new tinge intertwined with her scent, a visceral protectiveness flickering in her eyes. The innate urge to protect the life festering in her womb. A low grumble escapes Sephiran, one that confirms his satisfaction. Aurelia was undeniably pregnant.

Shoving her back, he watches as she falls against the earth. His eyes shift to the herbs on the ground, nostrils quivering as he inhales their scents. Some he recognized, others, he didn’t. His lips pull into a firm line, his gaze sharpening as he grows suspicious. “What are these?” He growls, accusatory and volatile. If she were making concoctions to terminate the pregnancy…


"Sephiran Saxe"

Aurelia tensed as Sephiran's paw pressed against her belly. The discomfort was secondary to the blatant intrusion of her personal space, fueling her anger despite the fear that kept her immobile. His low rumble of satisfaction only stoked the fires further. Stiffening under his touch, she lashed her tail behind her, a wordless protest against his actions.

She couldn’t help the rising of her hackles as she was abruptly pushed back, her body colliding with the cold, hard ground. She snarled in response to the impact, her eyes flashing dangerously at Sephiran. His attention had moved away from her and onto the scattered herbs. The suspicion in his eyes was too evident for Aurelia to ignore.

"It’s just ginger root and mint," she spat, scrambling back to her paws. "They help with nausea, among other things." She insisted, carefully sidestepping the implication behind his question. Aurelia didn't miss the accusatory undertone in his voice, nor the look of mistrust etched deep in his eyes. She knew what he was insinuating; even as her belly swelled with life, her loyalty was called into question.

"Sephiran & Aurelia"

Ginger root and mint; herbs that were used to enhance the flavors of meats and vegetables, but Sephiran was unaware of any medicinal use. Aurelia claimed they helped with nausea, and Sephiran quickly collected the scattered herbs with a paw, bringing it closer to his snout to smell it. She wasn’t lying- the herbs were ginger and mint. But did it truly help with nausea like she said? He wasn’t so sure. “Hmpf.” He grumbles through a growl, glaring at Aurelia as she pulls herself up. He allowed her to, but continued to loom possessively over her smaller body.

His gaze shifted to her abdomen, his head cocking slightly, muzzle tipped upward in a show of superiority.“How many?” He questions, wanting a guesstimate number of pups festering in her womb.

How many successors would she give him?

"Speech"

Code by Shelby

Aurelia's jaw clenched as she met Sephiran's domineering gaze. Her chin tilted up defiantly, a small act of rebellion against the man who had long since held her in his tight grasp. "I don't know," she retorted, her voice sharp and laced with a bitter edge. “How could I possibly know that, Sephiran?” How could she possibly know what he was accusing her of? How could she possibly appease his doubts and insecurities? She was tired of fighting his battles and defending herself against false accusations. It was exhausting, this constant interrogation and scrutiny from him. Every word, every action, it all suggested that she was hiding something from him; that she was concealing secrets that were not hers to keep. But Aurelia had nothing to hide. She bore his children, after all; they were as much a mystery to her as they were to him.

"Sephiran & Aurelia"

Either Aurelia was truly incompetent, or she was uneducated- either way, Sephiran wasn’t happy with her answer. Another growl bellowed from him, lips pulling back tighter to flash his fangs at her. “You cannot feel them inside you?” He questions, recalling his interactions with the pregnant mothers in Saffron. They could feel movement in their bellies, and near the end of their pregnancies, you could see it from the outside too. And if a pregnant bitch was producing pups for a higher-ranked member, it was an expectation that she guesstimates the litter size before she gave birth. Aurelia should have been far enough in ger pregnancy to feel movement by now.

"Speech"

Code by Shelby

Now it was Aurelia's turn to growl, a low, dangerous sound that echoed the challenge in her radiant cyan eyes. "Of course I can feel them." she snapped back, her tail bristling with irritation. The thought of his accusatory words sank in, her body stiffening in response to this fresh blow to her already bruised ego. “It's not like counting stones.” She spat the last word out as though it was a curse, her voice filled with venom. The icy air around her seemed to prickle and crackle with her growing anger.

"But what would you know about it? Have you ever carried pups? Have you ever felt them squirming and kicking inside you? They move, Sephiran.” Her words were harsh, almost biting in the frigid air of north. "But they do not announce their numbers. They don't give me any numerical accounting of their existence." She finished, her body tense and ready for whatever retaliation he might throw her way.

"Sephiran & Aurelia"

Always so defiant. Aurelia dared to growl at Sephiran, challenging him with a defiant glare and a gleam of resentment in her cyan eyes. There was no warmth in her gaze- only icy hatred that Sephiran could feel radiating off of her. But it did not sway him- in fact, her hatred fueled his desire to dominate her, the need to oppress and control festering inside of him like maggots in rotting flesh.

She could feel them, but couldn’t depict how many pups were growing in her womb. A tsk slipped from Sephiran’s maw, lips twitching before contorting into a sneer as she continued with her defiance. “Of course not.” He growled, losing his temper and shoving his weight into her. He wanted to shove her back down, so he could stand over her and suffocate her with his dominance. “I am no bitch; your purpose is to grow my spawn, and provide an ample number of pups I can mold into monstrosities. Surely, you can guistimate the number of pups in your womb.” He snarls, spitting saliva in her face. "Or are you truly useless?" He's starting to spiral, a massive paw raising to grip into her shoulder, keeping her pinned down. “You will feed them, and keep them healthy- prepartum, and postpartum. That is your purpose.” She was not to influence them with her beliefs- her only purpose was to sacrifice in the name of his empire. "Or is that too large of a task for a worthless Sidi?" Spiraling, spiraling, spiraling. Sephiran is a victim to his volatile nature.

"Sephiran Saxe"