Blackfoot Forest Kill a little time, you can sleep when you are dead

@Illecebra

He had found it. The perfect spot to hold her. The entrance was narrow, his fur almost touching the sides as he had dragged her in. Roughly dropping her leg, he nudged her, making sure she was still out before sneaking away out of the entrance. His pale eyes scanned the landscape, getting his bearings on where he had hidden that herb. Nostrils flaring, he started off in a trot, limp clearly noticeable, pain increasing with every step. Soon he slowed, knowing it was here somewhere. A pained grin sat on his face, tail swaying. Shoving the rock uncovered by snow aside, he greedily licked at the herb. He felt the seeds on his tongue and swallowed, hoping it would work sooner rather than later.
Carefully, he moved it back and nodded, satisfied at the hiding place. Turning around, his feet scraped the ground, making snow fly into the air, landing on the rock. He growled at the pain, his lips curling back for a moment before he slowly started towards the cave. His walk was almost a hobble, yet he ignored it, walking as normally as he could, knowing it was considered weakness if anyone saw. Yet he came across no one as he slid back into the hidden place. Sitting down, his eyes rested on his prize, waiting for it to awake.

She had awoken way before he dragged her into the den playing pretend by keeping her body limp and breathing shallow. The weakness in her body and weak breath wasn't hard to do since it wasn't entirely faked. She had no idea how much blood she'd lost before he knocked her out but it must have been a lot because she was so tired. As he dragged her inside of some sort of den she kept her eyes closed as he nudged her, struggling not to shiver with disgust at his touch.


As he walked away she noticed the abnormalities in his step signalling a limp and felt pride. She had injured him enough to cause him pain. Good. When he settled back next to her she gave a low growl, eyes slowly cracking open to look at him. "Why drag me away? Why not kill me? Leaving my shredded body would cause more of a shock." her voice came out hoarse and raspy and she smacked her lips, realizing how dry her tongue was.

The first thing he heard was a soft growl. Swiveling his ears forward, he waited. He didn’t have to wait very long. As she opened her eyes, a smooth smile came to his lips. So she hadn't lost too much blood. Good. He needed her in a weakened state, yet not comatose. Perfect. Her voice was rough, as if she had tried to swallow rocks. At her question, his chest rumbled with an amused chuckle. Who said I wanted to shock them? No, no, Illecebra, I don't want shock and awe.
He crooned the words out, an odd glint in his eyes. Flicking his ears, he rose and casually walked over to the gathered water and took a long drink of liquid. He sat beside the pool of icy water and smiled. No, shock and awe is low on my list. What I'm thinking is so much better. Water dripped from his muzzle and sounded loudly in the cave as he stayed silent, his head tilted as his pale eyes raked over her body.

She wasn't expecting the chuckle that left his maw and for a moment she shuddered, a chill of recognition going down her back. In her natal pack she'd been raised to believe men were lower and lesser, used as slaves and breeding tools. She'd never quite agreed but she'd put up with and went along with it for her mother. One day she'd found a prisoner and he was so evil, so blatantly bad but his charms and seduction sent thrills to the lower parts of her body. Lonzo reminded her of that prisoner in every way except he was more evil and brutal than manipulative and anything he did would never break her now because she had a mate who owned her body and soul.


Bristling at his crooned words she watched him stand and walk away before weakly rolling to her belly and lifting her head. The action made her dizzy but she held it, eyeing the water greedily her tongue snaking out to lick her dry lips. She once again met his gaze defiantly as he looked her over and curled her lips "Commit it to memory Snake. My body. Because you'll never have it. You can scar it and hurt it but you will never own it." she rasped out coldly, tossing Mawk's nickname for him back at him with venom.

Flicking his ear, his blackened tongue swirled around his muzzle, licking up the cool water that was hanging in droplets. A spark of delight burned within him at her movements. She was thirsty. Good. She could stay that way. For now. Her words only made him chuckle in his throat. Now wasn't the time for anger. These were touch and go. Not his first time. Shaking himself, he could feel the pain fading, and a half smile grew on his face. Lazily, he stretched, laying down a few feet from her. Dipping his tail in the water, he flicked droplets towards her. He spoke as if it were a casual conversation amongst friends, not answering her spat out words.
His tone was calm and almost light, yet there was an undertone of darkness to it. A coldness. The one that owns it...What was his name again? Oh, yes. Mawk. I wonder what he's doing this very moment. Has he came back to rest? He works so hard. He's wearing himself out. Concern rested in his eyes as he shook his head. When does he rest, I wonder. How long does he spend at the den with you? I'm thinking he hasn't even noticed you missing. He breaks his back for a woman he doesn't come home to. I'm surprised he was there when the weakling came crawling to him about Sunshine. Getting up, he moved as if to leave, his tail splashing water onto her as he moved past.

Flinching as the water droplets hit her face and rolled down toward her mouth,she resisted the urge to lick them up. Not only would those few droplets only make her more thirsty, but licking them away would make her thirst and therefore weakness obvious. 

When he spoke she wished she couldn't hear him, his voice speaking things that she knew false. She knew they were things to stir doubt and insecurity in her heart and she refused to let them work. Yet when Lonzo asked how much time they spent together alone she felt the sting. They'd only spent one night together alone, when Cyron and Rowana had been home and Burr was still safe at Morningside. It had been a wonderful night full of laughter and promises but it also felt so long ago and so far away. Part of that was her fault, she'd hidden away from Mawk when Burr died and taken a fox pup as her surrogate baby. She'd hurt him too yet all he did was work and work to make sure she was safe and happy. 

"He is home yes. He is home and doing what he always does, making sure things are safe. By that means, I know he realizes I am gone and I am sure that he is planning out a way to come as soon as possible and take me home." She spoke just as casually though there was a firmness in her tone. As he stood up to walk past her she tensed and then just as his hind end was past her she summoned her remaining energy and bit down onto his hind leg, latching on and keeping him there. Defiance and Rage. That was all she had left here right now and shed be damned if she didn't use it.

Her words only made his grin wider, seeing her tense at his question. He had hit a nerve, and that fact alone made her speech futile at hitting home with him. His limp was almost invisible as he passed her.
Yet pain shot through him, radiating through his body, his black lips turned up and immediately a pained snarl burst from his lips as he snapped his head around. Sinking his incisors into her already injured scruff, he shook her violently, snarls and growls rumbling from his lips. Insolent woman.
As he yanked his leg from her mouth, he felt her teeth slice his leg, and his rage increased. Dragging her into the water, he shoved her head into the water, ignoring her struggle as she tried to get away. Lifting her head for a brief few seconds, he shoved her head again into the icy water, holing her there until her body stilled. His eyes watched the water, holding her nose above the water. Seeing the water ripple, he was satisfied she was still alive. Only moving her enough to keep her nose out of the water, he dropped her scruff and sat in front of the entrance, smiling as if nothing had happened.

She expected the retaliation she got, but in the few seconds before her beating began she was extremely satisfied by the taste of his blood. Then he grabbed her and shook her, already damaged scruff tearing more and bleeding as fire like pain shot through her. She yelped loudly before she went under water and choked on a bit of water, sucking in air as she was let up. Her limbs thrashed wildly and paws sought hold of the ground helplessly trying to push herself out of his grip.



Slowly she weakened and fell still in his grip. The world became blurred and fuzzy and her thoughts slowed down. She wanted to go home where she could be with Mawk and her remaining two children. All she wanted was to be a good wife and a good mother, to have some gosh damned peace and quiet for once. Those were her last thoughts before she passed completely out.