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Changing Tides

DinoDroid

DinoDroid

Star
Joined
Sep 13, 2011
The slave markets, a place full of lust, terror, defeat, rage, and hope. Their a place where a simple division of people exist, those with rights, and those without. Usually only attracting the more unsavory characteristics, sometimes a diamond enters, usually in the form of some rich noble with a crude desire to rule over others like a king. However, this time a tall figure wearing two katanas at his hips, several cloaks that although together covered him up well looked merely like rags, but still were unable to hide the hardened wiry physique of a warrior accustomed to bothe speed and strength. The only really visible part of his face however was a single crimson scar over one eye. To the casual ovservor he might appear like a simple beggar with unusual weapons, get closer however and the lethality of this warrior was unmistakable. Finally to the local slavers who had good eyes, they could tell he was somone not to cross and someone with money.

As the warrior looked around he searched the slaves looking for one with that special something, some tried to hide, others tried to present themselves to him, and a very few still had a drive for freedom. It was these that piqued his interest, afterall a slave with a real will was always more interesting than one that feared you, or was more of a whore. Not to mention you get their loyalty, and that loyalty will be stronger than any other.
 
Brenna screamed against the cloth gag in her mouth, just like the few others who still had a will to fight. The girl was chained to a pole like the other slave girls on display, her arms raised above her head and her ankles chained together with shackles and a short chain between them. Red hair and green eyes characterized the feisty little girl, white ears on her head and a long, white tail streaming out behind her. She wore a simple grey dress, whih hugged her body a little too much. Her bare feet scrambled for purchase on the ground. She scrambled away from the pole, only to get pulled back. The little neko screamed that she didn't belong here, that she was an heiress. When she had gone out riding, Slavers had come after her, hired by her greedy brother. She couldn't believe he would sell her for her inheritance.

She saw a man coming down the row, looking at the girls. He was only paying attention to the feisty ones. She whimpered and shied away, still screaming and shaking her head.
 
When the warrior came to Brenna he paused, his interest piqued. Looking at her his gaze a penetrating stare, he saw something interesting in her. Noticing his interest the slave broker of this section came over and tried to sell her out right. The warrior held a hand up to signal him to hold.

He went over and examined her; first he snapped his fingers in her ears to see their reaction, then he stroked the outer edges, pinching them and looking at them through the light, next he moved one hand under her chin to hold her head and moved his other to part her lips to see her teeth. After examining them he moved quickly to her breasts, touching, stroking, and squeezing them and her nipples. Next he moved to her legs feeling them, analyzing them. After all that he ended by grabing her pussy, stroking it with his adept fingers, occasionally entering her. All the while doing this he was methodical, not harming her, but also not sparing her discomfort or embarassment. For all anyone might care she was just a piece of meat.

Finally done, he pulled away and looked at her, he knew right away that she was a fine slave, in body if not in mind. She wasn't overly skinny, nor fat either, she was the epitome of physical beauty, but he could tell there was a fire in her, and that is what interested him most. He surmised that she was originally somone of high birth, but most likely had been sold into slavery to either get to her wealth, or too cover their own losses. In a way he pittied her, and let it show in his eyes some compassion to her, but after but a moment he hardened his look. He needed to show her that he could be kind and understanding, but also that he could care less as well from the outset.

Backing away some more he motioned the slaver to come closer and began talking about her price. His asking price being 20 gold pieces. After a moment of haggling he brought it down to 10 gold pieces, and handed him the money. Then went over to Brenna and in a dark threatening voice spoke to her for the first time. "You're life is now over, what you were, and ever could have been is no more, you are a slave now, and you are my slave. You are property, obey me, and this can be easy and maybe even enjoyable for you, resist, and disobey and this will be difficult and painful." Then he proceded to untie her.
 
Brenna whimpered and squirmed when the warrior paused at her. She shied away and shook her head, not willing to be his slave. She looked at him and the slave trader with wide eyes when the stout man came over to try to sell her off right away. She shook her head and screamed into her gag, squirming. She could see her potential master studying her in consideration. Then he moved forward.

When he snapped his fingers in her ears, she yelped and flattened her ears on her head, trying to pull away. Her ears tensed and flickered as he began to inspect them, pulling them up and looking at them, little capillaries showing through the thin skin and soft fur covering the little ears. Then he pried open her lips, looking at her teeth. She turned her head back and forth in protest and whined, shaking her head. She felt like an animal for sale. He felt her breasts, then rubbed her pussy, causing the small girl to yelp and pull away. He seemed satisfied with his inspection.

He haggled her price, and before long, she was sold. Her chains were unhooked from the pole so she stood with her hands in front of her, still chained, and unable to run because of the chain on her ankles. She whined and shook her head. She had seen the compassion, and she didn't want to be his slave, even if he would show her sympathy. She squirmed and backed up, away from him, making distressed noises.
 
As she tried to back away he lashed out and grabed her by the throat and pulled her towards him, "I gave you no such order to back away." he growled. Then he drew her close to him lifting her up off the ground with his strength, then slowly he removed the gag and let her drop to the floor.

"You will find that I don't suffer fools, and I have no problem marring you to have to make a point. The more you strugle the more pain you will find yourself in, after all there are worst things than death that I can and WILL grant you. Now come!" As he said this he took a key from the slaver and unbound the chanins on her feet. He got up and then proceeded to the exit where two horses, one pack and one riding were waiting.
 
Brenna squeaked when he grabbed her and pulled her close. She squirmed in panic as he easily lifted her small frame up off the ground. She kicked and struggled, and when he dropped her, she fell down and looked up at him with wide eyes. She was terrified that he would hurt her, and she didn't want that. She staggered clumsily back to her feet. She watched fearfully as he unchained her, and then nervously followed after him. She whimpered, looking at the horses. Would he let her ride one, or make her walk? She bit her lip and squirmed desperately, looking at him with wide emerald eyes. Her eyes darted about, looking for a way to escape. She knew many middle class people who would help her if they recognized her. Her family was famous for red hair and fiery personalities. Her muscles were tense, and she was ready to run.
 
Looking at her tense form the warrior laughed a tone of pure amusement "Hahahahaha" turning to her "Tell me, where will you run, you are probably far from home, and should you, just how far do you expect to get before I catch up to you on horseback? If you're going to run shouldn't you at least wait till you actually have a chance? Save your strength for now, who knows you may need it later." He said in a simple tone, showing no anger or amusement after his little out burst.

Moving to the horses he checked their straps, and the supplies that were on the pack horse. Then moving to the riding horse he motioned for her to come closer "there's no point in having you walk, it would take too much time besides I have a feeling that I may need to keep an eye on you." was all he said as he climbed up onto its back and reached back to pick her up under her arms and place her on the saddle in front of him. Reaching around to grab the reins he then proceeded to get the small group going.

As they rode on in silence Draykon kept carefull watch on Brenna to make sure she didn't try anything, not like she could, should she try to push him off and take the horses she would find herself quickly bucked off. This breed of horse cost him quite a bit, but they were well known to be impossible to steal, carefully trained to respond to only one rider they would buck off anyone else who tried to take them. The pack horse on the other hand was simply trained to go where the riding horse went.

As they proceeded along the rode at a slow walk Draykon grew tired of the silence and said in an attempt to be some level of courteous "So tell me, what is your name? Mine is Draykon."
 
Brenna jumped when he spoke. She turned and looked at him, frowning. She didn't even know where she was. It was more luscious and warm here than her home near the mountains. She couldn't even see any mountains here. The girl frowned and looked down at her feet, not saying anything. She was hoping someone might at least recognize her name, but even that was probably too much to ask.

When he hoisted her up onto the horse, she huffed, sitting side saddle since she was wearing a dress. She hung onto the saddlehorn, desperate not to fall off. She didn't like his arms around her, but she didn't protest. The little neko just frowned and put her ears back in distaste. He would find out just how hard she fought soon enough.

When he spoke again, she turned her head to look at him. She ignored his question for a moment before she sighed and decided it was best to try to be cooperative for the moment. "Brenna," she said. She wanted to push him off, but she had figured out what kind of horse he had. Her family had had the same kind. She frowned as he introduced himself. "Why did you buy me?"
 
He stared at her glad she was cooperating the said calmly "You were interesting, and lets just say that I've been around a few times and that can sometimes be quite surprising to find especially in a slave market. Which brings me to why I was there in the first place, to find something interesting one must look in places that you wouldn't normally look. Sort of like looking in the last place you expect to find something lost first." Suddenly Draykon heard something coming and he stopped the horse abruptly.

His face turning hard he waited on the road. After a few minutes a group of 11 soldiers appeared wearing some coat of arms he hadn't seen before. The lead, obviously the captian of the group dismounted and drew a massive broad sword. He stared at Brenna for a moment and spoke in a gruff voice to Draykon "I believe you have something that doesn't belong to you sir. Let the girl go and no harm will come to you."

Draykon stared at the man for a moment and then dismounted turning to Brenn before going to meet the man he said in a light tone "stay here, this will take but a few minutes." Going to meet the man he said still in a light tone "I don't think I have anything that belongs to you, and the girl most certainly belongs to me, now I sudjest that you go on your way and leave." Draying the two katanas at his side Draykon stood lossely, waiting as the other soldiers wearing heavy plate mail dismounted and encircled him. When they surrounded him Draykon started swaying from side to side, the rags of the cloaks swaying with him. The soldiers moved closer, drew their swords, and attacked all at once. Draykon's reaction was instantanious, he immediately started spinning, adding to the movement of the swaying cloaks, soldiers swords got wrapped cought up and drawn into the mass of cloaks, coming out the other side dead. Other soldiers simply missed cutting into nothing but cloaks, and finding katanas lunging out stabbing them in the spaces in their helmets, or cutting along their necks severing their jugular. All the while his occasional appearance showing him smiling, much enjoying himself, and reveling in the fight. In but a few moments 10 soldiers layed dead, in a circle similar to how they started with Draykon in the center, and not a cut on him. The captain moved then useing the massive weight of his weapon to cleave Draykon in two, he side stepped, and cut the captains throat.

Returning back to Brenna he re-mounted the horse and went back to riding very much in high spirits, and acting as though nothing had happened but a simple pleasant experience. "So, Brenna, tell about where you lived before becoming my slave, tell me about your life, was it nice?"
 
Brenna felt the horse come to a halt while he was explaining why he had bought her, why he'd even been at the market. She wore a perplexed expression on her face, and she smiled hopefully when she saw her family's coat of arms. Of course her brother would try to pass her off as kidnapped, say it wasn't his fault, even though she had seen him on top of a hill on his horse, watching as she was kidnapped. She looked at the soldiers, tensing a little when Draykon didn't seem bothered by the presence of eleven soldiers.

She thought about escaping, but if the soldiers killed her master, she wanted to be in the same place. She whimpered and waited, and when Draykon came out victorious, she looked dismayed and defeated, looking down at her lap and just waiting for him to get back on and move along. She heard him ask about her life, and she frowned. "I am of the Reynolds family. My brother wanted my inheritance, so he hired the slave traders to kidnap me." She looked down at her lap as the horse began walking again. "What will you make me do for you?" she asked. She turned her head to look back at him. She knew this was going to be a life of fighting until she escaped or gave up, which she didn't plan on doing.
 
He stared at her "that's the question isn't it. What to do with you, if you're part of some noble family then what can you do, what can you offer me. I doubt that you know much about cooking and cleaning, although I could teach you how to fight, forgive me for being hesitant in puting a blade in your hand and teaching you how to use it." This last part he gave her a wry smile when saying.

"No, I supose though that just leaves pleasures of the flesh." This when speaking he gently cupped one of her breasts. "Unless that is you can provide a service that is worthwhile to me." After saying that he spurred his horse to move faster.

It wasn't untill dusk that he stopped the horses. He quickly dismounts and picks up Brenna, "you will need to provide help when we camp, I have a simple rule, one of many you will eventually learn, you work and you eat. You don't work and you should be able to fill in the blanks." Then turning to the pack horse he starts going through the supplies "Can you set up a tent, if not start gathering fire wood; oh and by the way We are fairly off the beaten track, the slave shops move every night to prevent being found by those who would take their products, those soldiers only found us by chance. Go off into the woods too far, and I won't be able to get to you in time should you run afoul of some hungry beast. Don't return with fire wood and you won't eat, I have provisions that I can eat without a fire, but only enough for one person, so don't bring wood and you won't eat." He needed to get her to work the more she realized that there was no escape the more likely she would be willing to serve him, and the more gratefull she would be for whatever kindness he doled out.
 
Brenna smiled quietly. Smart man. As soon as she learned to use the weapon, she would probably at least injure him as soon as they were near civilization. She batted his hand away when he suggested the physical pleasures every man desired, shaking her hand. "If you touch me, you'll learn how hard I bite."

When they stopped and he lifted her small body down, she looked up at him and frowned, her ears turning as she listened to the sounds of the nature around her. She sighed and frowned, knowing he was serious. If she wanted any chance at freedom, she knew she should eat to keep up her strength. When he told her what to do, she sighed and nodded. She headed off and began picking up downed branches that she could carry, breaking ones that were too big, and bringing an armful back to camp. She was really trying to build up his trust, get him to think that she would be compliant, and give herself time to think of a plan.
 
Draykon knew that she was being complient with him simply out of necessity, and should she get the chance she would try to escape. He set up the camp while he was gone, but placed the cot ouside of the tent. When she returned he set up a fire going slow, and emphasizing how to build a fire, first by setting up a tee-pee, then by pacing dried up dead grass and small twigs in the center. Using a flint stone he struck it with a small knife he had on his person and got the fire going, it was roaring within minutes. Then he proceeded to make them dinner, deciding on a stew he got up and retrieved and assembled a simple hunting bow.

Before he left he turned to Brenna "Don't go anywhere, and make sure the fire is kept going, we'll need the coals for when I get back." Then he left, he was gone for maybe an hour, and returned with a small deer. It was another half hour before he had striped it completely of flesh, and edible organs. What remains were left he broke into small parts and kept them by the fire, occasionally putting a part into the fire to burn to ashes. Then he took some water, seasoning, fresh vegetables, and the deer meat into a pot to cook over the fire.

Draykon was silent through the whole endeavor, he liked quiet nights while being able to hear the forest around them. Suddenly a low growl pierced the night, looking off to his side he saw the reflection of two yellow orbs, it was a dire wolf he could tell. He wasn't worried, he kept his eyes from it, and his head low. Slowly he moved his hand to one of the last bits of deer meat, and casually threw it in front of the wolf. It stood there in the dark for a few minutes growling untill it lunged and took the bit of meat. Draykon waited a few minutes and then threw another piece of meat near the wolf, only a little closer this time. He proceeded to perform this ritual untill finally the wolf stopped gorwling and came willingly but carefully to Draykon. When the wolf got close Draykon took one of the last pieces of deer meat and held it in his hand. All the while Draykon never looked at the wolf directly, and kept his head down. Eventually the wolf ate the meat from his hand and layed down next to him. After a few minutes he started to rub the wolfs chin, and only then did he permit himself to raise his head. He kept his movements carefull and slow from there on, but for the most part the danger was past, he kept a carefull eye on the stew, stirring it, and finally tasting it. After a while of it cooking he finally deemed it perfect and set up three bowls, one for him, one for Brenna, and one for the wolf whose bowl was mostly broth and meat. Handing Brenna her bowl and a spoon he took his own and leaned back to relax. For him this was the life, outdoors, the wildlife around him, and staring at the stars.

After a while he turned to Brenna and spoke "You have two choices my dear, you can either sleep in the tent and be cold, or sleep with me under the cot and be warm. There is only one cot, and should you choose the tent you'll sleep on the cold hard ground, but sleep in the cot and you'll be warm, safe, and relatively comfortable, I promise not to try anything or do anything to you in the night. That much I can promise for you tonight." With that he got up and proceed to the cot and stepped in, the wolf promptly got up as well and shot away back into the darkness.
 
Brenna watched him as he made a fire. She frowned and let him do what he wanted, sitting on a rock with her knees pulled to the chest as she stayed close. She was cold, and she couldn't believe she was stuck in the woods with this man. She sighed quietly and leaned her head on her chin. When he left to go get deer, she doodled in the dirt, occasionally throwing twigs back into the fire. She stared into the flames, wondering if he would return soon. She missed her family, but his company was better than being all alone. She silently prayed he'd come back soon.

When he did come back, she watched in half-disgust, half-hunger as he stripped the deer of its meat. While he cooked it, her stomach growled persistently. She sighed and rubbed her gnawing stomach in wait. The slave traders hadn't given her much to eat.

When the wolf appeared, she stared at it with wide eyes, whimpering and watching it nervously. It crept slowly closer to her master. He seemed like he didn't want to scare it. She wondered why he bothered to let it come closer.

When he suggested going to bed and gave her options, she bit her lip. "I'll sleep on the cot," she said. She always felt safer with human companionship, and she'd rather be warm and cooperative. She crawled into the cot beside him and pressed herself to the warmth, shivering.
 
When she got down on the cot with him he carefully and slowly wrapped his arm around her and drew her close "Don't be affended, or worried I just thought you might be a little warmer like this." he said truly only thinking about her comfort for the moment. "We have a long ride tomorrow and we should reach my home by the end of the day, so get some rest, the she wolf won't bother us anymore tonight." With that Draykon fell asleep tomorrow he would be home, and the real training for Brenna will commence.

The next morning Draykon got up, early woke Brenna, and started packing up the camp, he fed and watered the horses, put dust over the coals to the fire and when everything was done he picked Brenna up, and put her on the horse. Quickly followed by him and they were off, they spent some time in quiet when suddenly an arrow appeared in Draykons shoulder. He reacted quickly grabbing Brenna he leapt off the horse, letting her land on top of him when they hit the ground. Carefully but forcefully he moved her off of him, stood up and drew his swords. This time when an arrow came at him he overlapped his swords and the arrow bounced off. From the other end of the road the slaver he had bought Brenna from appeared with two men flanking him and a third a little farther back with a crossbow. "I want t'e girl, back, she's muk more valuables to me as a ransome than a slave, t'ere be quite a few barrons with a ting against her family who would love to ave er as t'ere slave." Draykon stood there disgust plain on his face "She's mine, and as such I will protect what is mine." Moving like a snake Draykon struck it wasn't like with the soldiers whom he had played with when he killed them, this was simple killing. The two flanking men were dead and the archer a danger in his head in but a few seconds, the slaver he took his time, he cut the mans fingers, feet, ears and nose off before finally decapitating him.

Going over to Brenna a worried look in his eyes "Are you all right, are you injured anywhere?"
 
Brenna grumbled unhappily when he woke her up the next morning. She slowly got up and helped him pack up camp. She didn't do much, mostly just taking her time folding the cot. When he lifted her up onto the horse, she settled into the saddle wearily.

She didn't even notice the arrows suddenly flying until Draykon had pulled her down onto the ground. She landed roughly on him, a bit dazed. She looked up, and, seeing the slave trader who had sold her, she yelped and hid behind the horse, letting Draykon take care of business. She trembled and whimpered, waiting for the fight to end, before it was all over. She waited until Draykon came over before she came out of hiding.

She nodded. "I-I think so." She wondered what would have happened if she had been taken as ransom. She bit her lip. "Are you alright?" she asked, looking around. She wasn't sure why she was concerned about Draykon. She hated him. She supposed he was her ticket to a town, so she had to stick with him for at least a little while longer.
 
"I am fine thank you, the arrow never made it past the leather armor I wear under the cloaks." He said while ripping the bolt from his shoulder. Going to the pack horse he rifled through the supplies untill he procured a map, laying it flat it showed land marks, places of interest, but no towns in fact the only man made structure on the map was a tower.

"Ahh, here we are, how would you like a hot bath, there's a hot springs near here, and I could personally use one to loosen my muscles." Not waiting for an answer Draykon picked Brenna up and they proceeded to the hot springs. When they got there it was a large pool with a small waterfall and rising mists. Jumping off the horse Draykon lifted Brenna up and off as well. "Now, I am not going in there alone, and pardon me but you smell as well, I can either take your clothes off for you, or you can do it yourself, one way or the other we are going to have a relaxing bath."
 
Brenna looked over his shoulder at the map, frowning. She was nowhere near any cities. She looked downcast and distraught. She didn't want to be stuck in the wilderness with him! She ran a hand through her messy red hair and bit her lip. She wished she could go home. She would give her brother a good beating for selling her off.

She yelped when he picked her up and set her back in the saddle. She huffed indignantly and growled at him before they were off. She held onto the saddlehorn tightly as they rode, watching where they were going.

When they arrived at the hot springs, she stood on the ground when he let her down. She growled and shook her head. "I'm not getting in there with you," she said. "I'm fine." She sat down on a rock at the edge of the water, huffing and looking down at the chains still around her small wrists. "If you touch me, you risk losing fingers," she warned.
 
He cocked an eyebrow at her before first removing the chains on her wrists. Then in a single quick movement he grabed the base of her dress, yanked upward removing it from her body. Next he swung her over his shoulder and threw her into the water. Quickly removing his own clothes he dived in and swam up behind her, pulling his arms under hers and interlocking his hands behind her head she couldn't swing to scratch him nor could she turn her head and bite him. In the water any kicks she attempted would be weak and inafective. "I gave you the chance to do this under your own power, and not only did you refuse, but you threatened me, so we do this the hard way. Originally I was going to allow you some level of privacy, but now not so much, and you only have yourself to blame. You think that because of your family you get special treatment? Well news flash for you, you're a slave now, you do what I tell you, you work, and you listen. That's the world you live in now, I have worked for everything I have, and because of that the titles I have claimed are not just words like your own, but hold real power. In these lands I hold influence because of what I've done, not unlike you because of what others have done in my name. I may not be of noble blood, but I am more noble than you will ever be, and I refuse to let some spoiled little girl who was given everything on a gold plate think she is more than she is. A blade will cut your flesh as easily as it does mine, all creatures are created equally, there is no one who is better than another because of wealth." Sighing, he finished, his temper spent he began to losen his grip, but he did not let her go.

"I had hoped we might get to know eachother better on this trip, but I can see that I will need to be harder on you." he said sadly. Taking her back over to the edge of the pool he quickly pressed her front onto the ground, reaching over her he grabed the cuffs he had removed, and placed them back on her, then picking her up he exposed her nakedness to the world not caring one bit for her embarassment. He went to the pack horse and found a stake, bringing her to the pool again he threw her into the water, when she came up he grabed her chains and dug the stake between the links into the dirt. Forcing her to hold her arms outstretched, and from there he left once more, grabed a brush, and returned to bathe her forcefully. He first started with her ears, forcing them down he then splashed water over her head, letting her ears raise and using his pointer finger and thumb he scrubed the inside of her ears. Following that he brushed her back, rinsed and washed her chest, and scrubed in between her legs. When he was done he finally undid her chains, and backed off prepairing for any kind of assault she might try.
 
When he came over to her and quickly ripped her dress off over her head, she screamed and kicked, thumping on his back as he lifted her up onto his shoulder. She screeched and thrashed, gasping when he tossed her in the air. She swam back to the surface, shaking water out of her ears and sputtering. She wailed when he swam up behind her and trapped her. She hissed and kept trying to turn her head and bite, kicking feebly and whimpering. She felt him chain her wrists, then pin the chains on the shore. She growled and hissed when he began to clean her. She struggled the entire time as he cleaned her ears, scrubbed her body. She kept trying to free herself and hit him, but the chains held her tightly while he cleaned her.

When he freed her, she hissed and scrambled out of the water, shaking her ears off and crossing her arms, grabbing her dress and holding it to her body. She shivered, glaring at him and growling. She hated the water, and she didn't want to be in there naked with him.
 
He watched her as she hissed, glared, and tried to hide herself, he just stood there. Till finally he laid back in the water and floated there, he wasn't worried that she'd run away, few people knew about the springs, and nearly nobody ever came out this way, and the only place within a hundred miles of here was his own abode. "There's a towel in the packs, get it if you need it." he said, completely unconcerned.

As he floated there a question came to him "why do you stay?" Getting up from floating he stared at her "You claim to hate me, and I'm sure you do, especially now, but why do you stay. When those soldiers came to save you, you could have hidden, whether they won or lost, you would have been in an excellent position to escape either way. Then when the slavers came you hid under the horse, instead of running away, whether I won or lost, either way you could have gotten away. Then when we set up camp there was a chance for you to escape, sure it was a possibility that an animal might have gotten you, but you would surely have stayed a slave by being with me. In all of those circumstances you could have escaped in a direction that I wouldn't have know about. Now would not be a good idea, simply because I would know where you went. However, why do you stay, you claim to want freedom, and yet you even slept in my cot with me. In every chance you have had to separate yourself from me, or to show your independence from me you chose to remain next or with me. Sure there are the rare occurances for your outburst, like now when I gave you the choice to either undress your self, or have me undress you. Other than that you have been fairly obediant, if you want something bad enough why not go for it?" Truly complext he got up out of the pool and put his own clothes on. Then he went to the horses and beckoned for her to come.
 
Brenna grabbed the towel he pointed out and quickly began to dry herself, then get dressed. She kept drying her ears and red hair, trying to get all the water out of her ears. She growled, watching as he relaxed in the water. The Neko was heavily distressed that he had so willingly pulled off her dress and forcibly bathed her. She glared at him as he relaxed, her tail fur bristling.

She looked over at him in surprise when he began to question her. She frowned and glared at him, waiting for him to finish nailing questions down. She growled at him and shook her head. "All of those were for my own safety. With the soldiers, I was going to stay put so if you lost, they'd be able to find me. When you won, I was so shocked that I didn't run. When the Slavers came, I was too afraid to run because I knew there was nowhere to run to. And at camp, I didn't wish to get eaten by wild animals, and your cot was warmer, more comfortable, and safer." She brushed everything off as necessity.

When he beckoned her over, she crossed her arms and growled, but trudged over anyways. "Because I have my own reasons." She wanted to make sure the time was right, that she would be successful in an escape.
 
As they went of their way he did notice how distressed she was about being bathed. This surprised him, most nekos he met enjoyed hot springs, this was meant to be a treat for her, some level of comfort and an attempt to make her a little happier about her situation. As her new master he needed to be firm and couldn't recind an order or offer. Still he will need to find better things, her personality was more like a cat than anything. Cats he knew, animals he knew, people he didn't, killing people he could handle, talking and working with them he couldn't. It wasn't in any of his training, so if she was more like a cat then cat's he knew liked fish, some meats, pleasure centers were base of tail, cheeks, crook of ears, soft strokes along the spine, under the chin, and some enjoyed having their stomachs gently rubed. Many of the pleasure centers on a neko would probably be more intimate. The food however he knew would be more enjoyable, it had been a while since they ate, and there was a stream nearby that he knew about.

Taking a short detour they found themselves at the river, he got off the horse lifted her up and off the saddle, and got a rod and bait from the pack horse. Going to the river he set the line ancored the rod and got a fire going. When the rod began to bend he quickly took the pole and set the hook and reeled in a nice large bass. He repeated this process several times until he had several fish of nice size ready to be cooked. He promptly speared the fish and had them over the fire cooking. Within ten minutes they were ready to be eaten, he got a few nice flat stones and served Brenna up and then himself. Maybe now she might start to enjoy herself. He kept quiet, through the entire endeavor perfectly happy in leaving her to her thoughts. Waiting for her to start any conversation, after all if she started a conversation it would mean she had settled down a bit.
 
Brenna's tail twitched irritably the entire ride. She was bristling unhappily. Her red hair had dried and her ears were mostly free of water, but she was still crotchety. She hadn't wanted to be with him in the first place. She hadn't wanted to go into the water because that meant she had to be naked with him, and when he'd pulled off her clothes and tossed her in, that had just made her upset and angry.

When they stopped at the stream, she looked at him suspiciously, frowning as he lifted her down off the horse. She sat on one of the rocks and watched him carefully, making sure he didn't come to throw her in or poison her food. When he brought her the cooked fish, she relaxed a little, her emerald eyes watching him for a moment before she began to eat. Little fangs showed, like a cat's canines. She ate the fish slowly, not saying anything as they ate staring at each other.

When she finished, she tossed the bones and the inedible organs to the side, licking her lips. "Are we camping here?" It was a casual question.
 
Draykon looked up into the sky and judged that they still had a few hours of daylight left "No, we must keep going, but luckily this river goes in the general direction we need to go. So we'll keep moving along here for a while. I had hoped to get to my home by the end of the day, but looks like with an early start tomorrow we'll get there by early noon."

That night they had smoked fish again, this time he tried seasoning them, and ended up making them a little bit spicy. The night was warmer and so he didn't even bother setting up the tent, and pulled the cot out. He undressed fully removing the leather armor and cloaks felt good, it left him only wearing underclothes but the cloaks and leather armor built up too much heat and he needed it. When he got to the cot he laid out and watched the stars occasionally tracing their patterns and silently naming the constellations. Every now and again he would repeat a myth he heard about a particular star or constellation. For the most part though he was silent, enjoying nature, and the world. Listening to the animals and insects of the night form their chorus and sing. Out in the woods he was at piece, it was the only time he ever felt so, and he cherished these moments.

Suddenly his mood turned dark as he thought about why these moments were precious, and tried to push them away, but they always came back to him no matter what. After a few minutes brooding he was finally able to push them out and listen to the night, and began to slowly fall asleep.
 
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