Wolves Are Not Meant to be Caged

[Zero]

"I don't think I'm all that special." Tobias shifted a little where he sat, tilting his head down to hide his darkened cheeks as he blushed at such a compliment. Was he a particularly good friend? He never really thought about it. Maybe the wolf did make stronger connections to others than some humans might. Had he ever had as strong of a desire to protect and care for someone as just another man?

Despite his insistence on not wishing to spend his limited time with Isaura asleep, he did feel very tired and he looked around wondering where a good place would be to lay down. Considering the lack of bedding besides the blanket he supposed anywhere was as good as the next spot, so he scooted back and stretched out on the floor near Isaura with a sigh.

"We need to get you out of here soon. At least in the other place there were beds." Well, his cage had straw for bedding as you might expect for an animal. He still had no idea if he was going to be provided a regular room now that he was in his human form and more or less under control. Not that it mattered. He could rough it, but Isaura needed proper sleeping arrangements. She'd freeze to death up here alone! "What a first day..."

[TreeFolk]

Isaura picked up the blanket and curled up next to Tobias for warmth, spreading the blanket on top of them. She felt safe, safer than she ever had before, there resting against him. She could feel the rising and falling of his chest against her back, the rhythm soothing. "Tomorrow should be less eventful, but sleep now so we can worry more productively later."

She fell asleep fairly quickly after that, whether he replied to her or not. Through the night she slept more soundly than she had in a good while, despite the lack of bed or creature comforts.

That is, until they were woken in what she presumed was the next day. The same weasel man opened the door, not commenting on how he found the pair wrapped together. He motioned to Tobias, "You, wolf man, it's your feeding time. The master says he's got work for you today mending fences."

[Zero]

The only response that Tobias could really give was to sigh softly as Isaura settled against him. It didn't matter that he didn't want to sleep, the sound of her breathing lulled him easily. Not only did his arms find their way around Isaura, but his body curled around hers as much as possible as well, cocooning them together in their single blanket. No matter the lack of bed, he found himself very comfortable as he slept deeply.

A very comfortable, deep sleep that was very rudely interrupted far, far too early for him. Tobias cracked his eyes open with a low growl as he peered very grumpily towards the door. What was with these damn people and their inability to acknowledge that they were people? He had a damn name, and the word was breakfast, not feeding time.

"Go away." He whined, burrowing his face under the blankets and against Isaura. Probably not the best decision, but he was tired and comfortable where he was.

[TreeFolk]

Leverett shook his head, pulling out a small prod and squeezing it, which would instantly send some fairly intense shocks through both of their collars. Isaura, who had been made anxious by Tobias' refusal to comply, cried out in shock at the pain. Leaping up, she immediately felt herself pulled back down and dragged across the floor towards Leverett, who had somehow managed to lasso her foot with a whip.

Swiftly, he pulled her up by the back of her dress and held her still. His grip was cold. Steely. As she looked down, she realized that his hand was steel... Or some other type of metal. His whole body appeared to be made of it. Leverett eyed Tobias coolly. "As I was saying, you are to come with me."

[Zero]

Tobias had not yet experienced the shock of the collar, and so it truly startled him at just how much it shocked. He let out a strangled yelp at the same time that Isaura cried out, his body jerked, rolling away from her and curling up on himself. While the jolt was brief it left him panting and wild-eyed.

Turning his head to the sight of Isaura being help bodily by the back of her dress brought a snarl to his lips. The wolf would make him pay for that, but not now. He'd only get them both shocked again. Them both shocked. Guilt flooded through him immediately as he realized he's hurt Isaura. It was an actual physical pain that clamped down on his chest.

"I'm coming, just leave her alone." His expression turned meek and his eyes dulled to a deep brown as the wolf retreated to the back of his mind.

[TreeFolk]

Leverett released her as if he hadn't been threatening them both, and began to lead Tobias back out of the room, the tower, and into the early light of the day. He led him to a mess hall, where there were many more slaves up and about eating their morning meals. Approaching the window into the slaves' kitchen, he called out to the cook. "This one is to get extra rations, of mostly meat."

Turning to Tobias, he spoke as if speaking to a child. "Now you'll eat. Go to that guard after," He pointed, "And tell him you will work on the fencing today. You go, you work, and then the master reassesses how worthy he thinks you are of returning to your... Bitch, do you call them?" He continued, straight faced. "Master says you are to fix fences to better learn your boundaries. Know that you are helping to build the same fences which will keep you in. If you cannot handle that, then he says you cannot handle play time with the girl." Without any more explanation, Leverett turned on his heels and stalked off back towards the tower.

When he reached the tower, he came back to the room where Isaura was.

Isaura leaped up, surprised by the additional intrusion. She thought they were just going to leave her all day because they didn't know how to deal with her. The hair on the back of her neck bristled as Leverett approached, and lifted the hair off and away from her face. His hands were cold, though they no longer looked as if they were made of metal.

He eyed her, gray eyes taking her in. "Master does not like idle slaves, so he is going to let me test some theories out on you." He released her, and moved towards one of the walls, which she now noted had a door of its own that had yet to be opened. Now he opened it, and she was caught up with the energy of death emanating from the room. Leverett motioned towards her, but she remained stock still. He motioned towards her again, but this time it was accompanied by the shock in the collar.

Stumbling into the room, Leverett closed the door behind her and locked it. The inside of the room was covered wall to wall with strange contraptions made of metal, the floors, walls, and ceiling also made of metal. Catching her looking, Leverett explained. "Easier to get the blood out." He strode forward, and then patted a metal chair for her to sit in. "I have an idea that we can harness your powers if we can build up your control. I will be doing this by seeing what brings it out in you. Now, I know you must be disappointed that Master isn't doing this himself, but he is rather squeamish, and is an incredibly busy man. Don't fret, he has promised to make it when I discover something particularly intriguing."

Isaura trained her features, feigning disinterest, though she did not like the sound of that whatsoever. Leverett pulled on a pair of gloves, turned to her with cool regard. "Ready?"

[Zero]

With no other options available to him, Tobias followed the weaselly man back out of the tower. He kept his head down and eyes basically on the ground, looking up and around only enough to not run into anyone or anything. It was slightly disconcerting to suddenly have the wolf withdrawn from his mind, and this time not because of some drug they were force-feeding him. Was it a blessing or a curse? The animal's rage and impulsiveness was certainly not serving him right now, not in this situation, but without it he felt horribly...vulnerable, and frightened.

So Tobias did the only thing he really knew to do - he listened to the instructions given him, accepted his rations, and sat down to eat. That asshole calling Isaura a bitch hadn't even goaded a reaction from him. Although as he poked at his breakfast he wondered what the hell they all thought he and Isaura were doing up in that tower. Play time? Seriously? He was hungry, but all he could think about was if Isaura was getting her breakfast too. Not eating it, or taking too long, would probably only get him in trouble, so he forced himself to eat quickly. The food tasted like ash to him, and he knew it was probably because of how horrible he felt about causing Isaura to be shocked.

After clearing his plate he went to the guard pointed out to him and was taken to where he would work for the day. More instructions on how the fence was to be done, which he absorbed silently and then set to work. It wasn't difficult work, exactly. Certainly not mentally challenging. Tobias was used to building things like fences, had he been free something like this probably wasn't that far off from a job he would have volunteered to take on in exchange for food or shelter. Except this wasn't a job, and he couldn't choose if he would take it or not.

He worked doggedly anyway. More than once he found he had to blink his eyes rapidly to clear them so he could see, but he did his best to ignore that his misery had reduced him to tears. All through being caught and waking up in the cell, the auction, all of that...not a single tear. It was strange that he would cry now. What was wrong with him? Why did the wolf turn away from him? Tobias had no idea when exactly he began to feel sick, or how long he'd been working, but suddenly he was doubled over emptying his stomach on the ground until there was nothing left to wretch.