Black Morass opiate vapour

@Kovictus @Ione

Irene moved through the dense, shadowed expanse of the Black Morass with practiced ease, the air thick with the scent of damp earth and decaying leaves. The towering trees loomed above her like silent sentinels, their branches so thick that little light filtered through, casting everything beneath in shades of deep gray and green. The ground squelched beneath her paws, a constant reminder of the treacherous landscape she had ventured into.

Her emerald eyes flickered across the swampy expanse, always alert for signs of life—or danger. The trees whispered in the wind, their branches creaking under the weight of age, and the air was thick with the smell of wet moss and hidden secrets. 

Irene stepped carefully, her paws testing the ground before each step to avoid the worst of the sucking mud that would quickly trap the unwary. Mud on her coat was unbecoming. 

A faint rustle of leaves to her left, then a low, almost imperceptible growl. Irene’s tail stiffened, her body going still.

welcome :D

Kóvictus emerged like a beast torn from the heart of the morass itself, his massive form a blur of dark fur and rippling muscle as he closed the distance in an instant. The ground beneath his paws squelched and gave way, but his stride was unbroken, unstoppable. He collided with her in a burst of raw power, his chest slamming into hers and sending her sprawling into the wet earth beneath them.

Mud splattered in every direction as his weight crashed down on top of her, pinning her beneath his massive frame. His claws dug into the damp ground on either side of her, anchoring him, while his snarl tore through the dense, heavy air like thunder. Saliva dripped from his bared teeth, his lips curled back in a feral display of dominance. His golden eyes blazed as he loomed over her, his breath huffing in sharp, animalistic bursts.

"Who are you?" he growled, his voice deep and gravelly, more demand than question, as his jaws hovered inches from her face.

Pinned beneath the towering brute, Irene's emerald eyes blazed with fury rather than fear. The cold, wet mud clung to her coat, seeping into her fur, and her nostrils flared as she inhaled the stench of the swamp mixed with his scent. She struggled briefly, not to free herself but to shift her position enough to glare up at him, her lip curling in frustration. 

Who am I? she spat, her voice sharp with indignation. I'm the wolf you just threw into this filthy mess, that's who! She gave a growl of her own, her tail flicking angrily against the damp ground. Do you make a habit of assaulting strangers in the middle of a swamp, or is this some kind of special occasion?

Her claws flexed in the mud beneath her, and she tilted her head, defiance clear in her gaze despite the compromising position. You’ve got about three seconds to get off me before I decide to make this situation a lot more unpleasant for both of us.

Kóvictus snarled, low and guttural, the sound vibrating through his chest as he pressed harder into her. The faint struggle beneath him only fueled the heat coursing through his veins, his golden eyes burning with a fierce, predatory light as they locked onto her. His voice was a sharp growl, each word cutting through the damp, heavy air like a blade. His muzzle dipped closer, his breath hot against her face, his teeth bared just enough to remind her of the power he held. "You do not command me, woman."

His jaws snapped inches from her muzzle, the sound sharp and deafening, punctuated by a deep rumble in his chest. The stench of mud and musk filled the air as his nostrils flared, drinking in her scent, his snarl curling darker, wilder. "You stand in my swamp. You breathe my air. You’re alive because I allow it."

He shifted his weight, pressing harder, the mud beneath her sucking and squelching as he forced her deeper into it. His teeth grazed the edge of her throat, deliberate and rough, leaving no question about his control. "I will ask one more time. Who are you?" he barked again, the words like a whip crack. "What use do you have to me? Or should I leave you here for the muck to take, for the flies to eat?"

Irene's defiance flickered, her blazing glare dimming beneath the oppressive weight of the man and the raw force of his presence. Her body tensed, her chest rising and falling in shallow breaths, as the sharp snap of his teeth and the threatening graze at her throat sent an unfamiliar shiver through her. She was no stranger to confrontation, but this—this was different. This was primal, absolute. 

Her ears flattened, a reluctant submission creeping into her posture, though her pride burned hot and bitter. She swallowed hard, mud squelching beneath her as she stilled beneath him, her voice quieter now, but still laced with grit. 

Irene, she ground out, her teeth clenched. I'm a tracker. I was following a scent trail.

Her emerald eyes flicked up to meet his burning gold, holding his gaze despite the weight of her submission. She refused to let fear rule her, even if her limbs trembled faintly beneath the strain of his dominance. I didn’t know this was your swamp, she admitted, her tone begrudging. But now I do.

She exhaled sharply, the sound almost a growl, as her pride forced one final barb past her lips. If you're done interrogating me, maybe you can let me up? Or does your swamp thrive on keeping strangers buried in its muck?

He growled. It was a guttural vibration that reverberated through his barrel of a chest. The weight he boasted came down harder, dark nails digging through the wet ground on either side of her head. He leaned closer, his breath hot and heavy against her face; humid and muggy. He is rough as he speaks, and not shy with his aggression.

"You should’ve known better."

Fool.

He had no use for fools.

He would be doing her a favor by snuffing her life out now.

But he didn't.

He scoffs, laughing, and thick legs exude power as he unlatches himself from atop her. He takes a step back, only singular, unwilling to yet let her leave him. He would be back upon her in moments if she tried anything. "You didn’t know," the snap of his teeth was mocking, "Well, now you do."

Irene’s breath hitched as the weight lifted, but the tension didn’t leave her body. She remained in the mud, her limbs unwilling to move just yet, as if his presence still pinned her down. Her chest rose and fell quickly, her breath catching in a mixture of indignation, frustration, and something she didn’t want to name.  

Her emerald gaze flicked to his towering frame, watching him with cautious curiosity, anger mingling with the faint spark of intrigue that she hated to admit. Never had anyone dared to treat her like this, to command her so completely. Her pride screamed at her to snap back, to spit fire in his face, but something deeper—something primal—kept her in check.  

You’ve made your point, she muttered, her voice quieter now, lacking its usual edge. She swallowed, her tongue darting out to lick the mud from her lips as she slowly pushed herself to sit upright, her movements deliberate, non-threatening.  

Her ears twitched as she glanced up at him, her pride burning red-hot in her cheeks, but her gaze didn't waver. I’ve never been... put in my place like that before, she admitted, grudgingly, her words slow and deliberate. I won’t forget it.

Her jaw clenched, and she looked away briefly, her voice lowering. But I’m still not here to cause trouble. Just tell me where to go, and I’ll leave your swamp. No need for... this again.

Yet, even as she said it, there was a faint flicker in her gaze as she looked back at him, one she couldn’t quite suppress. Resentment, sure—but underneath it, a spark of begrudging respect, and perhaps, something more unsettling. Something like fascination.

you think you can just walk away?

kóvictus snarls, a sound that vibrates through the thick air of the swamp. his golden eyes narrow, locking onto hers, bearing down on her with glare and teeth even as she sits upright. he steps closer, the mud squelching beneath his massive paws, his towering frame casting a shadow over her.

i don’t care what you came here for. you stepped into my land, my domain, and now you think you can leave? his lips curl into a feral sneer, saliva dripping from his bared teeth as he leans in closer, his breath hot against her face. no, woman. it doesn’t work like that. not here. not with me.

his claws dig into the mud as he tilts his head. she amuses him, stokes the fire of his dominance as he lets out a sharp huff, his gaze never leaving hers. he lifts his head upon a long neck, squaring thick shoulders.

linguam tuam compone, mulier, nisi vis eam cum sanguine hauriri. he knows she cannot understand him, and it is all the more satisfying to see the confusion flicker upon face.

you will go nowhere. you will stay, squalor among my empire. and should you try to leave, you will meet my teeth once again.

Irene stiffened as his words sliced through the air like a blade, his guttural growl reverberating deep within her chest. She hated the way his dominance rippled through her, hated how her instincts screamed at her to bow, to submit.

Her emerald eyes flashed as she stared up at him, jaw tightening as she struggled to maintain what little composure she had left. She didn’t know what he had snarled in that foreign tongue, but the way it rolled off his tongue—sharp, threatening—sent an unfamiliar chill down her spine.  

You’re quite the tyrant, she muttered, her voice low and strained, trying to mask the tremor of unease and—curse it—intrigue. Slowly, she lifted her chin, defiance flickering in her gaze even as her body remained firmly in place.

Her breath hitched as he leaned closer, his overwhelming presence suffocating. Her claws flexed in the mud beneath her, but she didn’t dare move, didn’t dare provoke him further. Stay here? Among... this? She gestured weakly to the swamp around them with a flick of her ears, her lip curling faintly. Why would I ever agree to that?

And yet, even as she spoke, something within her hesitated. The raw power he exuded, the sheer command he had over the mire and over her—there was a part of her, buried deep beneath the layers of pride and stubbornness, that found it... intoxicating. But how could she deny the opportunity since she truly had no place to go.

Her gaze flicked away briefly, her ears lowering slightly in a gesture of reluctant acknowledgment. Fine, she gritted out, her voice softer now, though no less bitter. I’ll stay. She shot him a sidelong glance, defiance still simmering in her eyes. But don’t think for a second that you own me.

kóvictus snarls. eyes of scorn burn upon her as she dares to lift her chin, as she dares to speak to him with such defiance. his lip curls, baring sharp teeth, a sneer of disdain cutting across his face.

foolish girl. you are not ripe enough that i would own you. he spits. he crowds her now with an unrelenting frame, towering above her, neck extended and teeth clenched in a vibrating growl. he leans in further.

you’ll learn soon enough. pride means nothing here. the reverend mother does not take kindly to it. prove you have it, and you will find yourself without a throat. and not by my teeth, but hers.

he leaves vague who exactly this reverend mother is. she will find out soon enough. and if she is not fitting to his wife's tastes, she may not survive very long at all.

with that, he turns slightly, his massive frame cutting through the fog as he moves forward. eyes burning upon her with the expectance that she will follow.

exit kovictus. welcome to imperium!