Wolves Are Not Meant to be Caged

[Zero]

Despite his concerns, Tobias fell almost immediately asleep. His sleep wasn't exactly peaceful, there weren't any pleasant dreams. There certainly wasn't anything nice to dream about in a place like this. Even so, exhaustion made him sleep deeply, so when Isaura rose and confronted the men that had meant them harm, he did not wake in the slightest.

It wasn't until the sounds of the cell doors opening and closing echoed through the halls and prisons that Tobias began to stir. Feeling a gentle hand shaking him, and Isaura's soft voice roused him further as his eyes opened groggily. The deep brown was rimmed with a bright, burning gold as he looked around in confusion before settling his eyes on the small woman beside him. Everything about him, from the way his shoulders slumped to the bloodshot look to his wild eyes spoke of tiredness. What he wouldn't give to be allowed to go back to sleep.

Instead he forced himself to sit up, joints audibly popping as he stretched stiffly. "They sure like to do things early." He grumbled softly as he pulled himself to his feet with the help of the wall. Once standing he still leaned on the cold stone for support. A closer cell door was opened, signalling their inevitable march out of this place to a fate even more grim and bleak.  "Are you scared?"

[TreeFolk]

Isaura looked up into his golden-rimmed eyes, noting how exhausted he seemed. She wasn't feeling too whippy, either, after confronting the two men. Blinking up at him, she replied, voice quiet. "I don't know what will happen. So I am not afraid." Reaching out, she grabbed his large hand, small fingers curling over his palm.

The moment was brief, as the door to the cell was thrust open. Two guards stood at the door, one being the man she had seen kill the man named Karim. The other guard peered in the cell, glaring. "Y'see any females in here, Jareth?"

She saw Jareth's eyes scanning the cell as he spoke, pointing out all of the other women in the cell. They were motioned out of the cell, one at a time. She stood, stock still, hand gripping Tobias' tightly. Jareth stood, still scanning the cell, passing over her several times. "I swear we put that small thing in here. Y'know, the one I'm sure the older men'll want for their bed."

Before they could pull her away themselves, Isaura imitated the hug they had shared earlier, pressing her face into his chest. She found the motion comforting. Pulling away from him, she removed his coat and dropped it at his feet for him, stepping out into the light cast from the doorway of the cell.

Jareth's eyes landed on her, and he grabbed her by her upper arm and shoved her at the nameless guard. "You got the women, I'll get the men."

Casting a last look over her shoulder at Tobias, Isaura let herself be forced into the throngs of a group of tall women. She was easily the smallest in the group, and despite her complexion standing out, she was far too short to be given any extra attention.

They were herded to an area with a small pool of murky water, forced to strip their clothes and enter the waters to clean themselves. Isaura scrubbed her filthy skin and hair, the dirt coming out of her hair making its honey color stand out even more. Once moderately clean, undergarments were shoved at them.

She tried desperately to focus on the task at hand, to remain present, but she felt nauseous with the level of suffering around her. Women were crying, or stony-faced, eyes already dead in their faces from the tortures already inflicted upon them. Babes had been ripped from their arms and killed in cold blood. Husbands, grown children, and brothers had been killed. Some she knew were guilty... Those were the women with the frightening looks on their faces.

They were herded into an open courtyard area, already full with men and women looking to purchase slaves. On their side of the courtyard stood two wooden corrals, one already full of men, the other already full of women. In front of the corral stood a stage, with stairs leading up on their side. There was a man already up on the block, and she could the auctioneer shouting out prices being offered up by the crowd. One buyer even came up on the stage to examine the "goods". The men stood in loin cloths, displaying the state of their bodies. Many who had come from the same ship she'd been on were emaciated. Her own body was thin and weak, as well.

They were shoved like sardines into the corral, Isaura's heart in her throat as she weaved her way among the tall bodies of women. She had a hope that she'd be able to see Tobias again... She didn't know how much good it would do for her to be able to see him sold, but she felt a compulsion to see his fate played out. Reaching the shared fence between the men's and women's corrals, she gripped the top of the wood plank, searching desperately for any sign of the large man.

[Zero]

When those little fingers curled against his rough palm Tobias instinctively squeezed her hand gently, offering what support and reassurance he could. As the cell door opened and the women began to be herded out he tried to put himself between her and the guards. There was nothing that he could really do to protect or shelter her from this moment, of course. Once all the other women were gone, Isaura hugged him, and he couldn't help but gently hug her back. He'd noticed that the guards had seemed to have a hard time finding her, but didn't know what to make of it.

All too soon, she was gone. His eyes burned a more intense gold as he watched her until she vanished entirely from view. It wasn't long after that before the men followed, with him leaving the cell last of all. For the first morning since arriving, they didn't try to cram their nasty potion down his throat. They shuffled along to be stripped and washed, although the water was dirty and didn't leave Tobias feeling very clean.

This wasn't the first time he'd seen these types of auctions, although the last time he was actually being sold at one wasn't something he could even remember. Nobody would know that the monster from years ago could possibly be the man that stumbled along in line now. The wolf would have fought against all of this, but the man was simply too tired to fight and the wolf was too drugged to respond in more than the weakest of displays.

The air outside was cold, leaving most of the men shivering, covered only in loincloths. He did not care about the cold, his wolf generated so much heat that he rarely ever really felt the cold. As soon as they were moved into the corrals he headed for the fence dividing the men and women. Isaura was easy to pick out. Even small, her honey color stood out. It did not take long at all for him to push his way over to her.

"Are you alright?" He asked just barely speaking over the noise surrounding them. There was no knowing just how soon one of them would be dragged to the block. Or which of them would go first, for that matter. His gut clinched at the idea of watching Isaura be sold to some filthy, old, rich pervert. Tobias was growling softly, eyes slowly losing their brown as the golden amber of the wolf began taking over.

[TreeFolk]

While she was accustomed to wearing few garments in Essyrn, the undergarments given to them to wear were certainly not warm enough. All she wore was banded cloth across her chest, and they'd been given swaths of cloth to fashion into loin cloths. But even though the fence separated them, she could feel heat rolling off of Tobias. As his eyes began to golden, the heat coming off of him increased.

Reaching through the fence, she wrapped her fingers around his wrist. "I am fine. Clean. This will be fine. We will be fine." They were clearing out the strongest men and women first, but Isaura and Tobias moved further back in the pens. She did not want to leave his side, and it seemed a shadow was cloaking them for some time. Be it caused by her own latent powers, or by luck, she did not know.

But the luck weakened as her own pen began to empty out faster. There was a higher demand for women on this particular auction day, it seemed. A call from the gate, "Oy, you there, blondie!"

Isaura looked calmly to the guard calling out to her, looking up into Tobias' eyes, noting how enraged he seemed to be getting. Again, she repeated, "This will be fine. We will be fine." Not knowing if she would ever see him again, she pressed her palm to his chest. "I will not forget you, Tobias." The guard had her by the shoulder, but she did not fight him. Turning her back on Tobias, she walked in front of the guard towards the stage.

She paused at the base step, looking up at the stage, how it loomed above her. Straightening her shoulders, she ascended the stairs, making her way to the center of the stage. Fighting the urge to shiver as the chill winds whipped through her, ruffling her hair, she lifted her chin and stared calmly into the crowd.

The announcer proceeded to introduce her to the crowd. "Saved from Essyrn, this delicate desert rose is just waiting to be deflowered! Look at what unusual hair she has! And once she is given proper food, this doll-like beauty will fill out nicely. A nice addition to any man's shelf!" She was forced to turn fully around once to show herself off, her face expressionless and placid. "Now's your time to come inspect her for yourself, before we start the bidding. Quickly now."

Old, fat men approached the stage, smelling of too much wine and stale cheese. She was complacent for them, letting them lift her arms, making her stand with her legs apart so they could test her flexibility, forcing their grubby fingers into her mouth the check her teeth. She felt more like a piece of meat than a human, and while she suspected the men were testing her for her sexual potential,  they didn't do anything too sexual. Not now. Not in front of crowds. She thought she heard a disturbance from the slave pens.

But she was less interested in the men prodding her, and more interested in the man who stood to the side, waiting patiently. As the men retreated back to the crowds, the man stepped forward. She could not read his death, which frightened her... All she had to judge him was his looks. He was on the short side, for a man, and middle aged, his black hair streaked with gray. There was a long scar running the length of his cheek and into his lip.

The way he touched her was different. He did not paw her, but took her chin in his hands and appraised her dove gray eyes. She stared straight back at him, unflinching, desperately trying to dig into the man and see his fate. Nothing. Blank. A different blank slate than Tobias. It was cold. Calculating. He spoke, voice aloof but interest piqued, too quiet for any but them to hear one another. "You are not human?"

"Not truly."

"Not truly, sir." He corrected. "What are you, then?" When she stared at him, blank faced, he continued. "No, not human at all. Or you would be begging me to keep you from the clasps of your other would-be masters." His smile was snake-like. "We'll continue this conversation later. What matters, is that you are not human. And I have an invested interest."

Before the auctioneer could begin trying to sell her, the man motioned to him. "I will take this one." Their buyer placed a small, heavy looking, pouch of coins into the auctioneers hand.

The auctioneer smiled, nodding. "Thank you, Master Cimen."

[Zero]

If Tobias didn't feel so weak the puny fence wouldn't have been a barrier at all. He could have easily broken through the wood, splintered it with a single blow, but he was weak, and so he could only keep near Isaura and try to let her presence soothe him. His wolf was very slowly waking up, but not enough to amount to anything at first. Something bothered him tremendously, and with all the commotion it wasn't clear if it was just the turmoil of waiting to be sold or something else. More than once Tobias scented Isaura, using her smell to calm himself.

Until her time ran out. Her cool hand on his chest caused his eyes to burn brighter as his hands moved to grip the fence tightly. "This isn't over, Isaura." Tobias's voice growled out softly, unable to take his eyes off her as she was escorted to the stage. It was impossible to keep hold of his temper as he watched and listened to the auctioneer speak of her being deflowered and added to some sick bastard's "shelf".

That was nothing in comparison to what went through him as all those men were allowed up on stage to poke and prod her as they saw fit. Thank everything that was holy that Isaura was enduring so placidly, had she cried out or recoiled he might have completely lost his mind as the wolf grew stronger and stronger in his mind. The animal had been suppressed too long, it was bursting to be freed. It held no allegiance to the girl on the stage, but the rage and fear of his human mind only urged the beast on.

Suddenly the feeling of wrongness that had been bothering him hit him like the hammer striking the anvil. One of the men up there smelled so wrong, so cold, and he was staring at Isaura in the most disturbing of ways. The men around him cried out and backed away in terror as the first sound of crunching bone sounded. Tobias growled savagely as his body contorted painfully, the bones breaking and muscles tearing as they changed size, shape and position. Brown and grey fur sprouted along his skin as his face elongated to a symphony of stomach turning cracking and grinding.

Slavers had started shouting and some of the men started screaming in earnest as he gained a footing on all four paws. Just as money exchanged hands there was a hellish roar before the sound of exploding wood echoed across the square. Tobias couldn't control the wolf, couldn't stop it as it barreled through the corral and into the square, sending the bidders scurrying to get out of his way as they shrieked in horror at the giant wolf that was suddenly in their midst.

Before the animal could take two steps to charge towards the stage a guard had hurled a spear into his side. Tobias let out a thunderous shriek of pain as his legs faltered and a second spear to his flank spun him around and sent him sprawling on the ground with a might crash. Wooden hafts broke while iron remained embedded deep in flesh.

The guards closed in around him, they hefted weapons and chains to subdue and recapture him, or failing in that to kill him. Tobias turned his head to look up at the stage, golden eyes focused on Isaura and the man that had bought her as he struggled to regain his feet, still attempting pitifully to reach them.

[TreeFolk]

The sound of screams brought her attention about, pulling from her owner's grasp as she watched Tobias transforming, the crowds of slaves in his pen stumbling and clawing their way away from him. Her heart dropped into the pit of her stomach, and she nearly cried out when they began to throw their spears at him.

The scream was swallowed before it reached the surface, a cool hand gripping her by the shoulder. He leaned forward and spoke into her ear, lips touching her skin, "I think you are upset by this, am I right, little shadow?" Isaura fought against his grip, wanting to go to Tobias, but the man's grip tightened on her upper arm. A sinister smirk spread across his features, as he watched the wolf turn to face the stage again. "Oh, and something tells me he is equally as vested in your safety." He squeezed her upper arms tighter, cooing, "Oh how delightful! A werewolf and a... Well, whatever you are... Becoming friends!"

Turning to the aucioneer, he nodded in the direction of the snarling, contained wolf. "Would I be right in presuming that I could get that one at a discount?"

The auctioneer paled, "If you can get him the hell out of here, he's yours, for free!"

Stroking up and down her arm, while keeping a grip on her other, Master Cimen tutted, before releasing his grasp. "Now. Go fetch me my dog." He didn't particularly believe her capable of calming the wolf, but it might grant him the opportunity to discover exactly what she was. And not knowing what she was, he assumed that she was an ordinary non-human type, one whose life could be spent. She appeared to be able to control her emotions, so he did not worry that she would kill the werewolf, the creature he truly wanted. There weren't many to be found being sold on a slavers block... Usually they had to be acquired through other means.

No, if anything, he might get to watch the werewolf tear the non-human girl to shreds. Wouldn't that be thrilling! Really, it was a win-win situation for him. If she successfully calmed him, he would leave market with two new entertaining pets to play with. If she didn't, he'd end up with the stronger of the two. He assumed it would be the wolf. And he knew how to subdue werewolves. He'd spent so much reading about them, dreaming about having one of his own, that he didn't really need the girl to be involved at all. He could have easily done it himself. But doing things himself, when there were far more entertaining options, wasn't fun.

When the man finally released her, Isaura stumbled forward, leaping down off of the stage and rushing towards Tobias. When she neared him she slowed to a slow walk, but did not hesitate in continuing towards him. Face blank of emotions, she slowly approached him, and when she was within striking distance, she knelt and spoke softly. "Tobias. Please calm.You are to come with me..." She didn't know if she should feel as happy about that as she did, but she felt so grateful that she didn't have to lose the new friend she was making. She inched closer to him, slowly, extending her hand until it buried in his fur.

[Zero]

Tobias couldn't remember the last time he was in so much pain, but at the same time, he knew that his rage was dampening a good portion of it. The slavers had surrounded the still struggling beast, driving heavy hooks into him that were attached to thick chains as they labored to contain him. Despite the exhaustion that he knew would creep up on him, for now he surged on a rush of adrenaline, actually dragging and knocking over some of the men - there were at least a dozen pulling at the chains, trying to keep him still.

Any progress towards the stage was slow and faltering, hot blood splashed on the slightly frosted ground with every moment, drawing forth steam in the cold morning air. Golden eyes never left the pair on the stage, snarls and growls that would have put the hounds of hell to shame rolled through his chest. His fangs were bared and saliva dripped off them, his jaws easily wide and strong enough to snap the man on the stage's head off in a single bite, if he could only reach him.

Isaura was suddenly leaping off the stage and rushing towards him. Claws dug into the ground and with a mighty heave he jerked those holding him forward a good foot as he tried to reach her. Tobias wanted to hold the animal back, but he couldn't. He wished he could have stopped all of this, but the wolf refused to be contained after being poisoned and controlled mercilessly. She slowed and approached him cautiously, the wolf had not stopped his vicious growling, and those deadly fangs were still bared. All that fury was directed at Salvaggi, if it wasn't the slavers would already be dead.

His ears flickered at the soft sound of Isaura's voice, at first nothing else happened, but slowly the enraged sounds quieted and his lips dropped back over his fangs as his ears laid flat feeling her small hand in his fur. He was in so much pain, and a low whine was given as he strained forward enough to gently bump his massive head against her before he laid down trembling. He whined again, desperate for the pain to stop, but he could not heal as long as the spears and hooks were still inside his tissues. Tobias couldn't even shift back until the foreign objects were removed.

[TreeFolk]

She was angry. At least that was the emotion she assumed it was, the slow, burning, violent thing resting in her belly. It had taken her seeing the hooks, the spears, the blood up close. It had taken the sound of pain emitting from his throat. But it was here, and there was nothing she could do for it. If she had been given more time, perhaps she could have summoned her magic somehow, to punish the slavers for hurting him so.

When some of the slavers tried to come at them, she stood and glared, standing between them and Tobias. She was about to open her mouth to voice a threat, but their new owner intervened first. She saw him emerge between the men, clearing his throat calmly. "Now, men, these two are now my property. One of which you have greatly damaged. Seeing, though, as you did the damage before you knew he was my most cherished new pet, I will not press charges. But should you continue this nonsense, I shall have to let your boss know of your disobedience." The men eyed Tobias wearily, but he seemed to be calmed for the moment. Master Cimen turned towards Isaura. "What a good girl you were, little shadow. Now, you might wish to remove those weapons and hooks from him, or he'll be stuck in that form for a while." He waved his hand at his own men-at-arms, a series of humans and non-humans. "I'd have my own men do it, of course, if it weren't for fear that they might be bitten."

Isaura glared at the man, and felt a bit of blackness seeping into her eyes. But she quickly blinked it away when he gave her permission to tend to Tobias. With practiced skill, from years working in animal husbandry, she worked on deftly removing the hooks and spears. The way her new master watched her chilled her to the bone. If she had been cold before, it was nothing compared to this. She thought it best to keep him from knowing exactly what she was. She suspected he was a man who was sorely in need of her skills, and would use them to the suffering of many others. She spoke softly to Tobias, her voice calm and level.

[Zero]

Because of Tobias's seeming emotional attachment to Isaura, the wolf remained calm and non-threatening towards her, but such gentleness was not extended to anyone else there. The moment the slavers started towards them his lips curled back in a warning snarl. Had he the strength to lunge at them they would have been killed. Only a fool would approach an injured wolf. Every hair on his body was raised, and golden eyes moved to their new master with an unspeakable desire to maim. His scent was wrong and the wolf did not like it one bit.

Salvaggi was right to worry for his men. Had anyone else touched him, let alone tried to pull metal from his body, they would have swiftly faced the wicked-looking teeth of the beast. As it was, a deep, thunderous growl began emitting from him, briefly raising a pitch each time Isaura pulled something from his body. The wolf didn't take his eyes off of Salvaggi, always directing those growls at his new master. Not that the wolf understood the idea of having a master. Wolves were not pets that one could simply tame.

Isaura would notice that when the metals were removed there would be quick splatter of blood, but then the bleeding stopped almost immediately. The holes punched into his pelt by the spears and hooks closed rapidly as his body repaired the damage immediately. Healing drained him, though, and with his body already weak from hunger and pain, the wolf's growling stopped by the time she had removed the last offending piece from him.

He turned his head and licked her hand gratefully, for the pain was fading rapidly, but so was his consciousness. Thankfully he was already laid down or the wolf would have collapsed, instead he lowered his head to the ground as his eyes closed. That left them with a very limp, and extraordinarily heavy, wolf.

[TreeFolk]

He could rapidly heal. That was good. She had been concerned about his ability to recover from his wounds... She paused in her thoughts. She had been concerned for his death! This was an entirely new revelation, a new experience in recognizing mortality. Never before had she worried if somebody would die, because she always knew if they would and when. The uncertainty left a heavy, nasty taste in her mouth. Perhaps this was why all men seemed to fear death. She felt a little more humanity creep into her heart.

She knew her master was watching her closely, seeming to become happier each time Tobias growled in pain. When the last hook was removed, she heard Tobias release a loud groan, before his tensed muscles completely relaxed, going limp. When she moved towards his head, wanting to cradle it in her lap, she was stopped by Master Salvaggi. From behind he gripped her shoulders again, and this time she noted that his fingernails were... sharp... for a human.

"You are quite good at this, little shadow. Dealing with beasts." He brushed her hair away from her face with the back of his hand, letting his nails brush her cheek. She remained stoic. Master Salvaggi looked around, the crowds still eyeing them warily. "Oh, seems like we are still the spectacles of the market!" He seemed gleeful, happy to be making a scene.

He turned towards his men at arms, and motioned towards the unconscious frame of the wolf. And he was a rather large specimen, indeed! "Fetch a cart, a large one of course, and load him into it." He rubbed his chin between his thumb and forefinger, twisting the tip of his beard. "Set him up in a kennel, for now, with the other beasts. Make sure there is enough food, water, and good bedding so that he is warm. One of you shall keep an eye on him, and when he shifts back, let him know that I am taking good care of his lady friend." He squeezed her shoulders, smiling at her. "And that if he feels like being civil, he may join her and be allowed to live beyond the cages."

Master Salvaggi moved forward and stroked a greedy hand through the fur of the wolf, tongue darting in and out of his mouth to lick his lips, eyes bright. "Also, that if he chooses to continue to misbehave, that neither he nor his lady friend will be able to live very long. Let him know that I'll bring her down myself, and let him watch her be fed to, oh, I don't know, the Aiatar or something... The serpent with the antlers... Or a basilisk..." He seemed pleased by the possibilities.

He turned back to Isaura as his men rushed to comply with his orders, dragging the massive form of Tobias into a cart. Master Salvaggi paused when the cart was next to him, pulled out a needle, and nonchalantly injected into Tobias. He patted Isaura's arm, as if comfortingly, "Oh, just to keep him nice and safe until he makes it to the kennels. And don't worry, he can't get out of those, no matter what. The bars are enchanted, and made of silver... I've had one specially made for a werewolf since I was just a wee lad. Oh how long I've wanted a werewolf!" He moved her through the crowds, continuing to talk at her amicably. "Don't worry, pet, I'm sure I'll grow to appreciate you as well."

Isaura continued to watch him out of the corner of her eye, waiting for some more violent act towards her. Nothing came. When they had reached the outskirts of the city, they came to a large keep and grounds, surrounded by heavy, tall, stone walls. She was led through the gates, her eyes darting towards where they were carting Tobias off to. There was a large ramp that appeared to lead underground. Master Salvaggi saw where she was looking. "Oh, I keep my more vicious of pets underground. The darkness seems to calm them... Sometimes I even have one of my pets with their beautiful singing voices go down to sing them lullabies. I think they appreciate it."

Though she hadn't spoken before, she spoke up now. "Why is it you want me?"

He slapped her, casually and hard, across the face. "Why is it you want me, sir?" He reprimanded her. "That is the second time you've misspoken... I thought you bright, but perhaps not." He ushered her up a large set of stairs and into the house. "Because I think you will entertain m'lady, that is, until we've worked together to admit to what you are. And you may do a bit of animal handling as well."

An older woman, with elf-like ears, rushed forward. Master Salvaggi smiled at her. "Take my new pet and clean her up. See her properly attired, fed, and rested, and then bring her to me. I'd like to train her before I gift her."

The woman bowed low, "Yes, master." Before taking Isaura by the elbow, and leading her down a tight corridor. She was brought into a small room, with two or three other women.

When she opened to speak, the woman shook her head. "New pets must not speak before they have been trained to do it right." And so Isaura was quiet, allowing herself to be bathed, scented with a floral scented oil, and then dressed in a soft gray dress. The women worked to hem it, making sure it fit her properly. They spoke to one another, but refused to speak to her, pretending she was not there.

When they were finished with her, they led her to a small, confining room, with just enough room for a small bed, a chamber pot, and a small bedside table. Another woman came forward and placed a simple, but full, meal on the table, before retreating. The older slave woman ushered her in. "You will eat, and you will sleep. Your body is now our master's, and so you must take good care of it."

And that was it. They closed the door, locked it, and left her to herself. When she was certain they were no longer near, she ate the meal and curled up on the bed. It was not overly comfortable, but it was better than the hard stone of the cell, or the slates of the crate on the ship. While it took her some time to fall asleep, she did eventually fall asleep, and fall asleep hard.

When they woke her, the women plaited her hair and cleaned her up, allowing her time to use the chamber pot and eat again. This time they led her to a larger room, full of books, where Master Salvaggi sat in a comfortable looking arm chair. The way he smiled at her made her skin crawl, as he motioned her towards him. "You clean up nicely... Why, I think you might be the prettiest creature in my care!"

"Where is my companion..." She watched as his features began to turn stormy, before she corrected herself between gritted teeth, "Where is my companion, sir?" She had not used that word in quite some time... Not since she had been a servant to the Arud family. And this man was no Arud. Even though she had essentially been a slave for the Aruds, they had at least treated her with some measure of respect. Then again, they knew what she was capable of. The Aruds had also never made her skin crawl like this snake of man was.

Master Salvaggi pointed for her to sit on a cushion on the floor beside his chair, and he waited until she complied before answering her. "I believe he has woken and been cared for, which is why I have fetched you. He will be here shortly if he has agreed to my terms. If not, we shall have a good enough time and spend the day training you!"

[Zero]

Whatever was in the needle was likely an unnecessary precaution. Tobias was out cold, remaining limp and unresponsive as the guards struggled to load him into the back of the large cart. Indeed, he filled out the bed of the cart quite nicely. While his wounds had closed rapidly, his body was slowly recovering from the trauma. Healing took a great deal of energy, as did each transformation. Suffering for over a week without proper, protein-rich meals had left him weak and drained, making his recovery all the more difficult.

The guards should have been thankful for that. While he was undoubtedly heavy and burdensome to move from the cart to the kennel, at least he was not a snarling, snapping fiend during the move. By the time Tobias woke up, he had no idea how much time had passed, but he was surprised by his surroundings. He was sprawled on his side in a pile of clean bedding. The wolf lifted its head groggily, golden eyes taking in the cage with more than a little confusion.

Getting up was a chore, and he staggered unsteadily on his four massive paws. Before he could think of anything, his immediate needs had to be addressed. The large trough of cool water was a welcome find, and it took him only minutes to lap up over half of the continents in an effort to quench his thirst. Next was the hefty pile of raw, fresh meat laid out for him. Anyone watching the display would understand where the expression 'woofing it down' had come from. Tobias practically inhaled the offering, and then proceeded to lick any and all traces of blood or flavor from the platter. He'd have easily cut through additional rations if they had been made available.

Finally the wolf could step back and focus on evaluating the situation. He was alive, but still weak. Someone had caged him. They had also provided food, water, and shelter. Hardly making up for caging him, but at least he was no longer completely ravenous. That helped make it easier for Tobias to rationalize with his wolf. He could not see, hear, or smell Isaura, and immediately he let out a low whine. Where had she been taken? Was she hurt? Afraid?

The wolf would have charged the kennel bars in an attempt to tear them down, but he could sense the silver and the magic around them. Mindless assault would not help him. A faint movement alerted him that there was someone there, and his golden eyes peered through the dark, having excellent night vision, he could see the guard watching and waiting. Why did he wait? Probably waiting on him to turn back into his human form.

A soft huff was given at that idea, the wolf did not want to let go. Instead he began pacing restlessly back and forth in front of the bars, whining softly, almost continuously as he did so. This went on for nearly half an hour before he retreated to one of the back corners and sat down on his haunches. He could hear and smell the other creatures around him. Lifting his head he howled mournfully, the sound haunting and beautiful and near deafening as it echoed through the confines of the underground kennel. The sound sent some of the other beasts into a frenzy, obviously terrified, while others seemed eager to find the source and attack. Some ignored it completely.

It was a long, slow, single howl, and when it was over he laid down, curling up in his corner and falling back asleep. When Tobias woke up again, it was to agonizing pain as his muscled twisted and contorted as his body rearranged itself and shrank, leaving him shivering naked on the floor. For a few minutes he could only lay there in a daze, it always felt so cold and dead when the wolf let go. His senses dulled and the warmth withdrew. Not to the levels of a regular human, but enough to make the world seem less detailed in comparison.

After a few minutes of groaning he managed to drag himself back to the water and scoop some up with his hands, drinking greedily as best he could. This had been a disastrous day. He tried to think about what to really do now, he'd lost control, but at least he hadn't gotten himself killed for it. Someone had brought him here, hadn't Isaura said that he would be going with her? Worry spiked through him, where was she? Surely they hadn't put her in a dark cage like this?

His guard came forward and started to clear some things up. Isaura was being kept somewhere else, the way that news was delivered had him growling lowly in his throat. If that wrong-smelling bastard had hurt her or touched her inappropriately he was going to rip out his sleazy throat. It was the warning that really settled a cold knot in his stomach. Tobias did not doubt that the man he had encountered in the market would make good on such a threat. The idea of watching anyone be ripped apart by one of the things down here turned his stomach, even knowing that he had done the same at one time.

Fear for Isaura's safety, because he really didn't care about his own, silenced any growls or protests. Even the wolf laid down in his mind and agreed to submit to his human self. For now. He had no idea how long the wolf would tolerate a life of captivity. It only agreed in the first place because of his emotional desire to keep the small woman safe, a thing the wolf didn't wholly understand, but was rationalizing to the best of its ability.

Things moved swiftly once he promised to behave, especially when he was told that if he agreed to be a good dog he would be taken to see his little friend. It was strange to be taken somewhere and bathed by others and clothed by others. As if he couldn't have washed and dressed himself. They brushed his hair, collecting it at the nape of his neck in a short pony-tail, and they even shaved the over a week's growth of hair off his face.

Finally they led him to a decent-sized room full of books, and there in a comfortable looking armchair sat Salvaggi. The master wasn't what immediately held the attention of his deep brown eyes. No, those rove over Isaura, full of concern as he seemed to take stock of her, searching for signs of injury or distress.

"Isaura, I'm so sorry." Before he'd even thought about it Tobias had started to move towards her, but he jerked himself to a stop, hands flailing helplessly for a moment. His eyes cut to Salvaggi sharply, a small amount of gold leeching into the brown as he eyed the cold man warily. He wanted to go hug her, scent her, make sure she was okay, but he wasn't sure if such action would get him in trouble.

[TreeFolk]

"Tobias..." Isaura moved to stand, but was stopped by the master's hand settling on the top of her head. The air around her dropped drastically, her anger with the situation cold, calculating, deep.

Master Salvaggi shivered delightedly, rocking in his seat. "Ohhh, how interesting!" Despite wanting to get a closer appraisal of the human form of the wolf, he was equally as intrigued by the obvious shift in temperature. "My, my, little shadow!" He held his palm out, warning the wolf from reacting, before turning her face to look up at him. The way she schooled her features was so delightful! But he was even more excited by the flickers of emotion she showed when the werewolf was around. That would be the key to uncovering whatever she was.

The Master motioned for Tobias to sit on the floor in front of him, still apart from Isaura. She wanted to reach out a touch him, make sure he was alright, but the way that the man's fingers stroked through her hair made her suspect that such a move would not be approved. So she tried to use her eyes to appraise him, see how he was faring.

Master Salvaggi began to tighten his grip in her hair, but his voice remained light. Cheery. "Now, now, who told you to look at him?" Isaura's shoulders tensed as she turned her face away, looking into the room and away from both of them. He didn't seem pleased by this, but he allowed it. "Better." His hand untangled from her hair and he clasped his hands on his knees, smiling at Tobias. "Glad you have decided to join us."

Master Salvaggi snapped his fingers, and standing behind Tobias appeared a formerly invisible man. The man swiftly placed a collar around Tobias' neck, before disappearing and retreating. "I do apologize, but you wouldn't be a proper pet if I let you go about without a collar. What would happen if I lost you?" He brushed Isaura's hair away from her neck, taking out a much smaller, more delicate looking collar. Lovingly, he placed it around her throat, before turning back to face Tobias. If the werewolf tried anything, he could simply shock him into submission. "Apologies, but these are necessary for your training. Once you've learned the rules, you hopefully won't need them."

"Would you like a demonstration?" He smiled kindly down at Isaura, and although there was no outward sign of him doing anything, she was soon crying out.

Her hands flew to her throat, her eyes wide with shock as she tried to tear it away, the metal sending a shock through her body like a thousand needles. It was brief, but got the lesson across.

"Now that we have that matter settled, we can be more civil, surely." Master Salvaggi inspected his fingernail beds. "I have use of both of you. What my use for you is, might change with the day. The rules are simple. You obey me, do my bidding. When you speak to me, you will address me as Sir or Master, though I don't much like speaking with my pets unless I actively choose to."

He stood, leaving them, and strode calmly over to a table, returning with a tray of meats, cheese, and bread. "You must understand, that your bodies are my property. And I like my property to be properly taken care of. You will find me to be a thoughtful master, as long as my rules are obeyed. You will also find me to be strict, but not unfair. If you do not care for your bodies, you will have to be punished."

He looked between them. "I do not like a noisy house, so you will not be overly talkative. For as long as it takes you to learn the rules, you will be watched. Your meals, your sleep schedule, your clothing, bathing, and needs will be decided for you. Other than that, you may wander the grounds, unless I have need of you. You will make yourself useful." He watched as Isaura's eyes glanced at the window. "And you should know that those collars of yours won't allow you past the gates of my estate, unless I choose to allow you to go on a mission of my bidding. You may try... Eventually, most of my pets do, because they don't believe me. But I fear you will not like what happens when you try."

Master Salvaggi turned to address Tobias now. "You will be allowed to let your wolf out on a regular basis, if needed. I want you strong. There are woods beyond my estate that you will have access to, once I can ensure that you will behave yourself. If you try to not return, there will be ramifications. If your lady friend here proves herself to be interesting, then I will not kill her as punishment. But she will be given to some of my less gentle pets to play with. And you will be caught, of course, and suffer your own punishments."

His cold smile brightened, and he clapped his hands together. "Very well! I'm sure the two of you have so much to catch up on. I will leave you to it. Remember, idle hands are a sin!"

Isaura remained sitting, stiffly, as he left the room. She still did not feel safe to reach for Tobias... What if that invisible man was still around? But she did allow herself to pull in a long, shaky breath. She'd been holding in her breath ever since she had entered the room, too nervous to fully take in air. "Tobias... Are you well?"

[Zero]

A low growl started emitting from the werewolf's chest when the master laid his hand on Isaura's head, stopping her from coming to him. Tobias had to clench his fists as his eyes began burning gold again. His nose practically twitched as he took in the scents around him. The master still smelled wrong, and now so did Isaura, but in a different way. Her scent was muddled by some horrible floral nonsense that was practically an offense to the senses.

The growl deepened as their master forced Isaura's face to look at him. The held up hand was insulting. Did he really think such a tiny gesture could stop a wolf? No, his human side wasn't going to his luck. For now he had no idea what this strange, wrong man was capable of and he couldn't risk Isaura getting hurt because he acted rashly.

It took unimaginable effort for him to quiet his wolf as he moved forward to sit on his knees in front of Salvaggi as he was directed. He wanted to look at Isaura, but the wolf would not stop staring at Salvaggi, gaze intense and dangerous. A soft growl, almost inaudible vibrated through his chest when the bastard tightened his hold on her hair and chastised her for looking at him. What did he expect her to do? Especially after that scene in the market. He hadn't even been able to reassure her, and there had been a lot of blood.

His fingers dug into his knees, keeping them from either lashing out their master or reaching for his friend. Both actions would have gotten them in trouble. Tobias bristled slightly as Salvaggi snapped, but he remained motionless as the man appeared behind him and snapped the collar into place. He really wasn't surprised. Even if the eyes could not see the nose was harder to deceive. Especially a wolf nose, but that left the wrongness about the master's scent that much more alarming to him.

Tobias could only grit his teeth, refusing to speak at all. No doubt if he opened his mouth he would end up saying something to earn a hearty punishment, but it wasn't his pain he feared. His body actually jerked when Isaura cried out, and very nearly he moved forward, but he growled and sat back. He couldn't help her that way. Not yet.

This was not happening. How could this fool be so calm when Tobias was so close and he had already seen what he was capable of? Did he really think a little shock would stop him before he could rip out his throat? Then again, maybe there was more to it than he knew. Not that he had ever been a particularly smart man, but he wasn't stupid either. He did not think Salvaggi was an idiot either.

Bowing his head and closing his eyes, Tobias listened to him continue on. Explaining rules just as cheery as you please. As if he weren't telling two people with lives that had been uprooted and torn apart that they no longer had any say in what happened to them. There was so much more to being a slave that he didn't like about this. The hair on the back of his neck stood up at the threat to allow his "less gentle" pets to play with Isaura if he tried to escape.

Finally, the man left. They were not alone, of course. They'd been warned that they would be watched until they learned the rules. Tobias actually shuddered before looking up at Isaura, the gold starting to fade from his eyes as they slowly turned back to brown. "I'm...so sorry. I couldn't stop it. At the market, I just couldn't..."

Tobias put his face in his hands and took a shuddering breath. The wolf had been out of control, how easily he could have hurt or killed someone. God, he had wanted to hurt and kill people. It wasn't exactly new for the wolf to be violent and willing to be violent, but he still hated it every time. Even now he could feel the desire to rip apart their captors. Maybe they deserved it, but that still frightened him.

"Are you alright? Has anyone...hurt you?" He forced himself to get a grip. Breaking down would do neither of them any good. "Do you even know what he wants with us?" He'd said they would have different purposes, but that really wasn't what he needed to know. There had to be a reason. Who the hell in their right mind wanted a werewolf strong?

[TreeFolk]

That was right. He had not been alert and aware as long as she had been, had probably not been able to understand much beyond the rage of the wolf. Looking around herself, she leaned forward and gripped his hand in hers, pulling it away from his face. "If you had not, this man would not have seen you for what you are. He would have not had reason to buy you, and we would not have ended up together."

She shifted forward so that their knees were touching, seeking the comfort of contact. "But I am unsure how he knew to look at me." She wanted to warn Tobias, let him know that the master could not know what she really was. While she knew her life depended on how 'interesting' the man found her, she also knew that the lives of many more depended on him not knowing that she was a fylgia. Now that he fylgia powers were beginning to return, slowly, she would be at risk of divulging truths which could lead to the fall of many.

And most terrifying, was the thought that she would somehow become be attached to the man and generations of his family, like she had been with the Arud family. Forced to do his bidding, as well as the bidding of every firstborn son of the family until they died out. As a slave, she at least had the option to deny him certain elements of her power, through his ignorance. But if he found a way to tie her soul to his family, she would have no choice but to do his bidding.

And now that she was becoming aware of her own mortal emotions and morals, she was afraid of becoming detached again from those emotions. Of doing terrible things without so much as a blink. Had she done terrible things for the Aruds? She could not remember... What would happen if she was fully aware of how horrible the things she was doing, but still was forced to do them anyways? Was awareness or ignorance better? Either option made her feel sick.

"I am fine... He seems to want us in our best conditions. Although I believe he has a simple fascination with magical creatures like us, I also think he uses that fascination in collecting creatures to his benefit." She looked around the room, knowing others were listening. "I think he puts each creature in a position to be most effectively used. So the invisible man for collecting secrets and sneaking up on others. An ifrit for lighting the fireplaces. A water nymph for procuring water."

Her mind raced. If somebody was listening, watching them, but thought they didn't know they were there, she could trick them. She had already allowed the master to feel how she could make temperatures shift... Looking straight into Tobias' eyes, face grave, she tried to convey to him the importance of this lie as truth among these people. "And as I am merely the daughter of Svanhit, the swan maiden, my use will most likely only extend to caring for animals. I have a gift for it. In the summer time, when it is warmer, I assume that I will be used to cool rooms for the master." She had seen the swan maidens before, and her looks could be easily passable as one. They were beautiful creatures, really, but if she was only half of one, it would make sense that she did not have the capability of swan transformation or the ethereal beauty.

If any of the situations the Master had described earlier came about, she knew she would likely be killed. As a simple swan maiden, she didn't hold much potential. But it was better than the alternatives. Better than being discovered as a Fylgia, used for the dark deeds of man. "As a werewolf... I assume he will use your strength and ferocity to his benefit."

[Zero]

This was all still so very stressful. The more upset Tobias became, the more agitated the wolf would become. His fingers curled around her tiny hands, anchoring himself emotionally with the support of the physical contact. From the very beginning he had found her soothing. Sure, she was a little odd, but he was a werewolf, so he didn't exactly have room to talk. He nodded his head softly, lowering his other hand and raising his head to look at her as she scooted closer.

Together had to be better than apart. Right now Isaura was his only friend in the world, at least that was how it felt. He just wished that he knew how to protect her. No matter what their master did to him, the man and the wolf agreed on one thing - nothing would take the girl away from them. Isaura had been a strange puzzle and concept to the wolf at first, but the animal had settled on regarding her as a pack mate, given the human's attachment to her. Pack was family, and so she had to be protected.

"He has no idea what is best for our conditions." Tobias growled softly. The man seemed to know a bit about werewolves, if the silver bars of his kennel had been any indication, but he had no idea how much the man knew - or didn't know. You couldn't simply tame and keep a werewolf like a pet dog. Training his wolf was impossible. Training the man would only go so far. The market could attest to that.

Brown-gold eyes stared softly into hers as she spoke the lie, nodding his head softly in acknowledgement. It was bad enough that the man knew what he was. If he didn't know what Isaura really was, then there was no reason to alert him and every reason not to. It was for her own good that their master remain ignorant. Although when she pointed out his possible use to the master he shuddered and lowered his head again.

"I don't want to be used to hurt people. Not again. He has no idea what this is going to do to me. He can't possibly know. I'll be dead within months." It was true. The wolf wouldn't be able to handle this for very long. Salvaggi couldn't simply feed and water and cage a wolf and expect it to thrive. His mental and emotional health were damn near as important as his physical health. If Tobias became too upset he would lose control of the wolf and it would be the market all over again - or worse.

Both hands reached for her to hold hands in both of his. "They can't separate us. My wolf will become too agitated if I'm left alone. It is stressful to be lonely. I need my pack, and right now that's you." He knew that they were being listened to, that was part of the point, but unlike Isaura's lie about her true nature, Tobias was being perfectly honest. Wolves were social creatures. Wild and free he could ease that loneliness with friendly strangers, but in such a hostile, stressful environment, she was the only anchor he had to cling to.

[TreeFolk]

Staying together would not be a problem. She had seen the way the Master had tried to rile her up with Tobias, and how he had used her as a pawn against him.

Should she distance herself from him so Master Salvaggi couldn't use her against him? But if she distanced herself, she knew he would suffer from lack of socialization. It was a tough choice, one she was not prepared to make. Selfishly, she wanted to stay near to him. But if she could do a convincing enough job, perhaps Tobias wouldn't feel the need to stay? Perhaps he could make his escape and be free? Then again, she didn't know the true extent of the collar's effects on him. Truth be told, she didn't know the extent of the collar's effects on her, either.

Words were forming in her throat, but she swallowed them when the doors to the room opened and in walked a guard. "The Master says you have had enough time to yourselves. You will make yourselves useful. The Master says the female is needed in the smaller menagerie, to tend to the creatures there." The guard leveled a heavy look at Tobias. "And you are to assist in building the new wing of the smaller menagerie."

Isaura stood slowly, releasing his hands. She needed to behave herself, bide her time. Tobias seemed to be depending on how skillfully she could keep her emotions in check. She didn't want to give them any reason to lock him up again, and didn't want them to give her any reason to show her true nature. Face wiped clean of any of the emotions she had been expressing for Toby, she folded her hands in front of herself and followed the guard. It felt oddly familiar, following orders.

They were led outside towards, what seemed to her at least, to be a rather large building. If this was a small menagerie, what was the large one like? They were led through the doors and into a building full of exotic, magical looking creatures. All seemed well-tended enough, though at their essence something was wrong with them. They did not converse with one another, and became instantly silent as they entered. At the west end of the enclosure there was netting covering the building of the new wing, with several large creatures on the other side working on building. She could see an ogress leading a troll with a large stone strapped to his back, and smaller creatures. They all looked exhausted, gray in skin.

The guard posted at the door of the menagerie, and she and Tobias made their way towards the new wing. He, because it would be where he was to work, and she, because she could see the small, struggling bodies of magical birds stuck in the netting. When they reached the netting, she noticed that it was made of spiders web... And there was a giant spider, the size of her own body, crouching at the edge of the net, ready to retrieve the struggling bodies of the birds. "Quick... Tobias, lift me up!"

[Zero]

They were in a very vulnerable position overall. Tobias had already seen a tiny glimpse of Salvaggi using them against each other. He didn't like that one bit, but on the other hand, he wasn't sure he was strong enough to simply let Isaura go, either. The wolf bristled at the thought. You didn't simply turn away from pack.

There was so much he really wished they had time to discuss, but they didn't have time, and even if they did, there were too many people listening. A guard came and informed them their time "alone" was up. Tobias was reluctant to let Isaura slide her hands out of his, but without any real choice he let them slip through his fingers and stood up. She followed behind the guard, and he followed directly behind her. Brown-gold eyes kept down, not looking too closely at anything. There was a lot on his mind and he didn't feel like trying to memorize their prison just then.

As soon as they stepped into the menagerie the exotic creatures went silent. Tobias sighed softly, knowing that some of them were likely made very uneasy by his mere presence. A predator was now walking among them, he supposed he could not blame them. Of course there was also the fact that while well-tended, they were just as much prisoners as Isaura and himself.

The guard stayed by the door, leaving them to wander into the building towards the new wing. At least he was only doing some construction. For the moment he wasn't being made to be violent, and that was at least something. Tobias also noticed the birds stuck in the web, but he knew much sooner that it wasn't mere netting. At first he paid no attention to it at all - the spider had to eat too.

It wasn't until Isaura asked him to lift her that he wrapped his arms around her waist and easily hoisted her up to the level of the little birds. He didn't like the idea of her getting closer to the spider, but he'd rather help her than see her try to do it alone. "Hurry, don't let that thing bite you."

[TreeFolk]

One of the guards stirred, yelling out at them. "Oy, leave it!"

Isaura already had her hands gently cradled around the body of one of the birds, her hands sticking to the web as she looked over her shoulder at the guard. Unphased by the guard yelling, she replied calmly to him, leaving her hands in the web. "These birds are poisonous to this type of spider."

She let one bird go, eyeing the spider as it advanced towards her across the web. The guard approached. "That's the idea. The spiders done its work, so the Master is done with it. Get down, slave. And you, you big bulky shit, stop helping. "

Ignoring him, she worked to remove the webbing from the next bird, the spider moving closer as the guard advanced on them.

[Zero]

Tobias turned his head sharply when the guard yelled and started towards them. Well, there went any plans to behave for the time being.

Golden eyes narrowed at the approaching guard and a deep, warning growl started emitting from him. Isaura, the way she was being held up, would actually be able to feel the vibrations of the sound in his chest. Big bulky shit? Not that he really usually cared what people said, but he didn't like the threatening tone or way the guard was coming towards them.

His growl intensified. "Watch yourself, human. Your master may have put a collar on me, but are you willing to bet your life that your master's little shock collar can stop me before I have removed your head from your shoulders?"

[TreeFolk]

As both of their attentions were distracted, Isaura was surprised when she felt a stabbing pain on her left hand, which was still clutching a bird. "Oh." Looking at her hand, she saw the puncture marks of the spider's bite, and the spider rearing up its forelegs in warning of another attack.

Pulling her hand and the bird away from the webbing, she wondered why she suddenly felt so... dizzy. Her forearm was beginning to feet numb, and she had to work her fingers open with her other hand to release the bird. Clutching her hand to her chest, she bit her lip, unsure if they had noticed, but starting to feel like her skin was on fire. Holding in the moan of pain she wanted to emit, she kept her face trained seriously. The sensations were peculiar, and she curiously wondered if she would die. The spider wasn't all that venomous, well, for its body size at least. Had it been much smaller she would have not been thinking about death being an option.

Tobias seemed to still be distracted with the guard, growling at him. "Tobias..." She spoke calmly, although she got the strange feeling that she was about to swoon, still held upright with his hands on her waist. "I think I need... Some anti-venom or..."

The guard swore, "Shit, are you serious? Did the dumb wench get herself bit? Master Salvaggi won't be pleased if she dies so quickly..." He looked out, cupping his hands around his mouth to call out to his companions. "Do we got anti-venom for this spider? Come over, help me with this!"