Black Iron and Cold Nights / Jadd & Zero

[JaddWard]

Alexios slowly lowered himself into a squatting position, then sort of half stepping forward, half moving to sit on one his legs- bracing his balance with the other as she fell back, snagging her hip and armpit as she tumbled and slowly lowering her to the ground then just as quickly as he'd reached out, he pulled his hands away. "Careful now, I can bind a cut- but I'm no good with salves for bruises. And to answer your question- I'm a werewolf. My name is Alexios, may I have your name?" he turned his head back to face the purple haired woman and added, "And yours, and hers if you know it." He nodded towards the unconscious woman with the animal features before turning back to miss ashen hair.

He reached out and took her arm again- as gentle has his hybrid form had been with them- his touch in human form seemed downright delicate- a fact that was either a testament to his fine muscle control or a great deception to the near superhuman feats of strength that his human form could accomplish. Or both. "Why am I doing this? You're bleeding- it wouldn't be right for me to just ignore it and let you bleed."

He was well aware that wasn't what she was asking. And while he'd explain if she asked more directly, that would, perhaps be a better conversation to have back at the Caldera, let him make sure his new mates were safely in the center of his territory, then answer any questions they had.

He carefully opened her hand with one of his, holding onto her wrist with the other, taking a close look at the cut. "You're lucky, it's quite shallow. Fairly long, but it should heal quickly without needing stitches. Now to find something to wrap it with." Alexios tilted his head back and sniffed at the air, turning his head in all directions before giving a mild shake, nothing like when he was trying to clear the voice of his wolf out of his head.

"Hmm, there's no Sagefoil Fern nearby.. let's see.." His eyes flirted down to her slaves rags, no, too dirty and bare. Maybe animal girl had something she could spare? Again no. Turning his head back to the slaver's desert flower, he spied a sash of cloth that hung from her shoulders, across her chest- then looping back around to reconnect. It was fine- and clean. Again, hinting to the fact that she'd been brought up as a slave- the sash was a fashion statement that he recognized from another of his mates. Alexios hoped that wasn't the only thing covering her breasts as he pointed to it. "May I have that, please?"

Not that he would mind if one of his mates were bare before him, but he didn't want to force them to undress- to him that felt too far when they barely knew him.

[Zero]

Why did it have to keep touching her? Amalia flinch as she was caught from falling so that she came to the ground gently. She didn't think such a simple little drop would have bruised her. It probably just wanted another excuse to put its filthy hands on her. Hadn't it gotten to touch her enough carrying her like a sack? Of course not, she knew that this thing likely planned to touch them all as much and as often as it pleased! She had heard the typical horror stories about werewolves, they were violent, vicious monsters that killed people, and apparently stole people too. It tried to introduce itself, like it was just a normal person, like she should just give her name and say how nice it was to meet it!

"My name is Zimayi, Master. The disobedient, ungrateful harpy is called Amalia, and I think the fainted one gave her name as Enth, but I cannot say if that is true." The dark-haired beauty was more than eager to supply her new master with the information he desired. Zimayi knew that well-behaved, attentive slaves were treated with greater favor than rebellious ones and she was certainly eager to curry favor. Unlike Amalia, Zimayi had felt relief in knowing their new beast-like master was human underneath the animalistic parts.

"Shut up you desert whore. Tell it your name if you want, but leave me out of it!" Amalia was glaring furiously at the all too willing slave. She would never understand how Zimayi could not only be resigned to slavery, but be so utterly complicit in her own oppression! Everything about this situation was infuriating and the pure helplessness she felt was unbearable. It took her wrist and looked at her cut, she managed not to try to pull away – it would be pointless. Somehow her voice didn't rise in hysterics, but remained a low hiss as she continued speaking. "You know damn well that wasn't what I meant. Why are you taking us? Where are you taking us? And to your home or somewhere safe are not answers. Those are vague bullshit replies to try to placate us, and I won't stand for it. You might be able to tear us apart whenever you want, but I am not going to cower and just accept all of this. I have a right to know what is happening to me and why!"

Amalia had no idea if this Alexios would agree with her on that, and she knew that Zimayi would scoff at the very idea of any of them having any rights at all, but she felt like the least they were owed were some answers.

"You need to learn to show respect to our Master! He is being far too kind to you; the least you could do is show some gratitude." Zimayi sneered at Amalia, not hesitating to pull the sash from her body as she stepped forward and handed it to Alexios. It was a beautiful sash, gifted to her by her first Master before he had sold her to the caravan to find a new owner. She hated that something of hers was being put towards the benefit of the unruly girl that refused to know her place, but then again, it wasn't really hers, was it? Everything from her body to the clothes on her back belonged to her Master. She was eager to please him and he had requested it so nicely! If Zimayi had not a single other stitch of clothing she would have still handed it over, but there was a wrap around her chest made of a sheer material so that her breasts were not left bare.

[JaddWard]

Zimayi... Amalia.. and Enth.. Alexios tossed the names around in his head, finding he enjoyed the way they sounded. The barest beginnings of a fond smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. Which then faltered as Amalia all but yelled at him. He didn't immediately answer, instead, he smoothed out the silken sash in his hand. It wouldn't make a great bandage, be so much better if it were cotton, but it would have to do. "Thank you very much Zimayi."

Alexios placed the sash over the cut, pulling down, twisting, then looping back over the cut. With one hand, he closed her fingers over the sash before looping over her closed hand. Then again and again. "It's difficult to explain." He started, not looking away from where he was wrapping her hand. "In simple words, When I caught the scents of you three- something just clicked into place. You three are special to me, important to me. Other werewolves would call it 'scenting a mate'. But it's more complicated than that. I know you don't trust me right now, but you have my word that I want only to keep you three safe and happy. And.." He glanced up to try and meet Amalia's eyes, maybe eye contact would impress upon her his earnestness, "I will never seek to turn any of you into werewolves, even if you insist. It has its benefits- but it's a curse."

He finished binding Amalia's hand, it was tight, but not painfully so, all around an expertly bandaged palm wound- even if it restricted the use of that hand. Standing, he took a half step back and shifted to his hybrid form- growing in mass and height. The shift back to his hybrid state was significantly faster than the inverse had been for some unknowable reason- still just as painful. Before he'd even had time to settle in the form- he picked Amalia back up and tucked her under his arm again, squatting down to pick up the still sleeping for of Enth and drape her gently over his shoulder. Still squatting, he turned his head back to look towards Zimayi, "Please climb onto my back and hang on- I'm going to get us to our destination faster. Which- to answer your question Amalia -is a valley that was once a mountain deep in the mountains- we're still several miles away. I have been making a pack there, made up of others I have scented over the years. Though I am the only werewolf."

Though he was back in his hybrid form- his voice once again harsh and gruff, he was no longer talking in that clipped speech that he had been. Seemingly- spending some time as a human had cleared the last of the bestial rage he'd tapped in to in order to annihilate the slavers.

[Zero]

Zimayi positively beamed at Alexios when he thanked her for the sash. Since she considered him her master she certainly didn't expect thanks for giving him what was already his. For her any expression of gratitude from him seemed like very high praise. It filled her with satisfaction to know she had pleased her new master in some way. She looked forward to continuing serving him to the very best of her ability.

Amalia was very clearly not at all interested in sucking up or getting on the werewolf's good side as he kneeled in front of her, naked, tending to her injury. She refused to look at him as he began winding the cloth around her hand. It had been her that demanded answers, but as he tried to explain that they were special and his mates Amalia wasn't sure if ignorance might have been better. Her entire body was stiff as she struggled with herself. She was fighting fear and exhaustion. Everything in her wanted to try to get away again, but she knew it was useless right now and if she did want to ever be free she needed to conserve her energy.

His declarations of only wanting to keep them safe and happy were wholly ignored. She jerked her head to look at him when he said he would never turn any of them into werewolves. That possibility hadn't even occurred to her; such a dark thought had not even crossed her mind, until Alexios put it into her head and caused icy fear to grip her again. When he let her hand go and transformed back into the giant monstrous form Amalia cowered back and away from him. A moment later she was one again hauled under one of those powerful arms and this time she didn't fight or struggle. All she could do was hang limply and try not to panic again. It was not easy, and she found herself shaking lightly with nearly silent tears. Crying at all was embarrassing, but she did try to make it as subtle as possible. She hated giving this monster the satisfaction of making her cry at all.

"Master has other slaves then?" Zimayi asked as she obediently moved to climb onto their master's back, her arms moving to gently wrap around his shoulders while her legs clung to his torso. She was probably comically small next to him.

[JaddWard]

As silent as she tried to be, a werewolf's hearing is quite good, and what he heard broke his heart. There was nothing for it now, he could try an appease her later, for now he needed to get them all to the safety of the valley. Once more, he checked and shifted Enth, Amalia, making sure he had secure grips on them and rolling his shoulders to make sure that Zimayi had a good grip on him. Then he set off, going at a much faster pace than they'd set previously, but nowhere near running full tilt for this form. He'd have to keep this pace up for nearly two hours before they'd be at the lip of the caldera.

"Slaves? No, none of you are slaves. You're all my mates, and you all have free reign over the valley. Nothing is required of you there, though many help me with upkeep around the valley for something to do, and I am infinitely grateful for their help when they do. It's a large valley, you can have plenty of space to yourself if you want it."

As he explained, they broke through the forest that bordered the mountains and the road- there were still plenty of trees around, growing in the rocky crags of the mountain, but they were clearly moving into new territory, trees were not nearly growing as close together as he half ran down a path that he'd run many times before.

[Zero]

Amalia didn't have any fight left in her at that moment. There was only enough strength to attempt to keep her crying as quiet as possible. It would undoubtedly delight the desert bitch to hear and see her cry. That hateful woman seemed to relish her own subjugation and wanted others to also suffer such a fate, whether they liked it or not. She couldn't understand how Zimayi could be so happy to be a slave, but it wouldn't be as bad if the woman didn't love the idea of Amalia also being bound in chains – figurative or literal.

"I...see." Zimayi really didn't see. She frowned where she clung to Alexios's back, trying to wrap her head around what her master was saying. It didn't make any sense to her. They were slaves, he had killed the people that had owned them, and so he was their new master. That was just how things worked. She had known no other life than that and did not know how to be anything other than a slave. It was confusing and a little distressing for her new master to repeatedly say she wasn't his slave. "Forgive me, Master I am trying to understand. You call us mates, is that...like a concubine?"

"I am not anyone's concubine! Or slave. Or property." Amalia had resigned herself to hang limply through the rest of the journey, but that word concubine had horrified her from her stupor enough to venomously protest the idea. Her stomach turned at the very thought of being some sexual play thing for this monster!

"Silence, you foolish girl. You are what our Master says you are! If he says we are his mates, then that is what we are!" Zimayi glared down at Amalia as best she could in their positions.

[JaddWard]

For what Alexi knew of life in the southern nations- which was admittedly not very much at all, he understood that Concubines were essentially sex slaves, women and occasionally men that were selected from slavery because of their physical traits. By genetic lottery, they were afforded softer lives than other slaves, at least until a master wanted to sate their carnal urges, mood of the concubine be damned. The idea made his fur bristle.

"Not necessarily. But I suppose that's about as close to a comparison I can give you, Zimayi. You won't be required to work in the Valley, and if you need something, simply ask and I will do what I can to provide it. And yes, while I am sexual with many of my mates, it's consensual.  Always. If that's something you're interested in, we can talk after you've settled in. It is never, ever required and I will never try to force that on any of my mates. Concubine has implications of requirements that I am very not okay with."

They crested the first of many rolling hills that the path into the mountains would take them over on the way to home. Through a break in the trees, he could spy one of the mountains that he'd come to recognize as a border to the seat of his territory, the nearest neighbor to his caldera. If he focused, he thought he could just barely make out a waning pillar of smoke from that night's bonfire.

"When we get there, I'll be taking you three to the home of my first mate, Evangeline. She's better at explaining things than I am, there will also be food, as much as you want. Fresh clothes if you want it- though it will be second hand. Another of my mates, Morgan, is a talented seamstress. I'm sure she wouldn't have issue making clothes for you if you want them."

[Zero]

That was as good as a confirmation in Zimayi's mind. She was rather pleased to hear it, because her first master had raised her to become a concubine for a wealthy Trade Prince. When he had sold her carelessly to the caravan she had been filled with indignation. They had taken her far from Essyrn, where the people were foreign with foreign practices and ideas; she had lost hope of gaining the coveted position of a favored concubine, which had basically been her only ambition in this life. It was just all the rest of the things that he said that Zimayi struggled to wrap her mind around. She simply didn't understand – at least not all of it.

"Thank you for answering our questions. I think I understand a little better, Master, and I hope that I will be able to please you." A concubine existed to service and please their master – to do so was their very purpose and it was a great honor to do so. The idea of a concubine not being expected to work was a little easier to grasp. After all, a slave meant for pleasure would not be well-suited to much labor and it wouldn't do to roughen their silky skin with hard work. She could also rationalize his insistence that they tell him if they desired something. If they were good slaves, concubines, or mates, whatever word he wished to use, then it made sense that he might be a little doting. It was not so unusual for favored slaves to be spoiled.

"Stop thanking our kidnapper on my behalf! I'm not a concubine, or a mate, or whatever the hell else you think. There's been some kind of misunderstanding if you think that. Let me go!" Amalia started struggling again feebly. Tears were still wetting her cheeks and the brief period of hanging limply hadn't given her much rest, but she couldn't help it with all this talk of concubines and mates and hearing that he was sexual with many of his mates. It didn't matter to her that he claimed it was all consensual. Why would she believe him? "I don't want to go to your first mate's house. I don't want your food or your clothes. I want to be let go!"

"Amalia stop being so rude and ungrateful to our Master!" Zimayi clicked her tongue at the white-haired girl in exasperation. "You are lucky that he freed you from that cage and removed your collar. If we had gotten to where those slavers were taking us the man who bought you would not tolerate your sharp tongue. He might have even cut it from your hateful mouth."

[JaddWard]

"Both of you stop." A hard edge crept into his already rough voice, slowing his pace to a fast walk before he started panting. Carrying one mate up the mountain to the Caldera could be a bit of a workout, but three? That was a challenge. He was determined not to let it show, however. Prove he was a strong and capable mate. So he used the budding conflict as an excuse to slow down. "Zimayi, you will keep a civil tongue towards all of my mates. You've been bitter towards Amalia at every opportunity tonight and I will tolerate it no further. If she does something that I feel needs addressing, I will do so. The same goes for you Amalia, I will not tolerate infighting. If you can't be civil with each other- then avoid each other once you're in the valley. There's plenty of space for everyone there."

He was cresting the next hill as he gave Amalia a light squeeze. "And what exactly will you do if I let you go? Run? To where? You're days of walking from the nearest hovel. Amalia, you're half starved. Your clothes are little more than rags, and you reek of adrenal stress. If I had to guess, you haven't slept so much as an hour at a time in days. If I let you go, you'd die of exposure long before you got anywhere close to help- and you have far too much fire in you to die in such a wasteful way, a loss akin to a patch of wildflowers being trampled by soldiers. Ugly, painful, and makes the world just that much colder.. You need a warm meal and a good long rest. And until those needs are met, I don't give a damn what you want."

As he traveled down the next hill, he picked up the pace again, home was getting closer. If Red was out prowling, she could probably pick of their scent before too long. Part of him hoped that she would show up, He would greatly appreciate the help transporting his newest mates, but another part of him knew that having to most sexual of all his mates show up would probably make things more complicated.

[SanctifiedSavage]

She heard them long before she saw them.

Red liked to patrol around the perimeter of the territory when Alexios opted to leave. She felt it was her responsibility as the only wolf in the valley, to take care of the pack in the way that she could. Especially since she believed a lot of the others were rather defenseless when he wasn't there. If she picked up a game trail while she was at it, then maybe she could convince him to go hunting with her once he got back doing... whatever it was he was doing.

That hope died rather quickly when she heard he wasn't alone. Bringing more back to the valley. That he wasn't alone wasn't the bit that bothered her, as Red picked her way toward the source of noise. It just meant he'd need to take them to Evangeline to get settled and likely would want to spend some time with them too. Understandable. New packmates needed attention too.

Red picked up the tail end of what sounded like a scolding as she stepped out of the shadows of a cluster of brush. She'd not been hiding, mind, that was just her direction of approach. Red didn't see a reason to hide from Alexios and she wasn't shy even in the face of new pack members.

His fascination with non-wolves would forever be lost to her, but Red didn't mind enough to challenge him on it. Alexios was alpha of this valley and, when she'd become his, she'd assumed a submissive role. To him.

She was surprised to see there were three. That was... Well. He was outdoing himself. She'd fully intended on remaining a wolf, and just escorting him along, but that seemed impractical if he was chatting away at two new members and carrying a third. The she-wolf huffed a little before she fluidly shifted to her homid form. Red had opted for the simple cloth covering she'd always worn in this form, that melded with her, so she wasn't expressly naked as she stood on two legs. There was subtle patterning on her tanned skin, mirroring the patterns that had been on her fur, but otherwise the only thing similar was her hair color and stark purple eyes.

"I hope no one is in trouble," she remarked, expressly to Alexios while she looked the others over. "Can I help...?"

[Zero]

"Yes, Master." Zimayi was quick to duck her head meekly, voice sounding properly contrite, although she still shot a glare in Amalia's direction. She would have to suffer the stupid woman's nonsense in silence, it seemed. It didn't make her happy, but she would do as her master told her. If Alexios didn't want them bickering, then she would simply have to ignore the white-haired witch.

"I didn't start it!" Amalia protested with a harsh snarl as she kicked her legs and tried once again to squirm her way out of the giant beast's grip. She didn't care if it was completely futile, it was doing something, because she couldn't stand the idea of doing nothing. It wasn't in her to go without some kind of fight. Her future was being ripped out from under her and she couldn't just let it happen without protest. The monster kept talking, and it only served to infuriate her further. What should it matter to it if she would not survive on her own if he let her go? There was no reason for it to care what happened to any of them! Amalia would rather take her chances braving the elements than be forced to be a captive. "I don't care!"

And in that moment, she really didn't. What was her life worth? It honestly had very little meaning for Amalia at that point in her life. Her own father had sold her for alcohol money. She had no family, no home, and no reason for caring about surviving until tomorrow – nothing except the idea that her life was her own. Her life was literally all she had, but even that was being ripped from beyond all control.

Amalia was temporarily shocked into sudden stillness and silence when a large wolf appeared almost out of nowhere. There were more of these monsters? She shrank back, eyes wide and frightened as the she-wolf approached and shifted into a woman with very red hair and nothing really resembling proper clothing. It didn't surprise her when she offered to help the one currently holding them. Of course she would come to help him. Amalia wondered how many of these beasts were roaming around.

[JaddWard]

For someone who didn't care whether they lived or died, this Amalia sure did put up a struggle. He looked down at the woman with something of a pitying look, though his hybrid form probably didn't convey this at all. He wanted to ask her for her story, and probably would have at this time had it been just the two of them- he'd eventually learn the story of all three of his new, wonderful mates.

Red showing up was a bit of a blessing, Alexios wondered just how much she'd heard. "Good morning Red, bit early to be prowling for game isn't it? Meet the newest mates; Enth, Amalia, and Zimayi." he nodded to each in turn, "They'd been held by slavers. One less troupe of slavers in the world now."

He shifted his hold on Enth, gently holding her out to Red, "If you could carry this one, I would be grateful, the night's events were a bit much for her, and she retreated into sleep. Zimayi, are you secure on my back or would you prefer to be carried? We aren't much further from home now."

[SanctifiedSavage]

Red looked over the new batch of pack mates before she stepped forward to take ahold of the offered, sleeping form. Slight and easy to hold, especially since she wasn't moving. Red didn't understand bothering with those that would protest. Her purple gaze lingered on the one that seemed to be an issue, but she didn't say anything.

Alexios would do as he would. It wasn't her place. "To Evangeline's cabin, I assume?" she remarked absently, turning from him and heading in that direction. The girl was draped over Red's shoulder, much like a sac of potatoes. It was easier to carry her this way.

[Zero]

"I can keep holding on, unless you prefer to carry me." Zimayi would never complain of getting tired while clinging to her master's back. If he wanted her to ride on his back then she would, and if he'd rather carry her she wouldn't question that either. "I just want to see your home, Master."

Amalia was much less pleased with hearing they were getting close to the beast's lair. Undoubtedly escape was impossible either way, but trying to escape from his home just seemed a harder, more daunting task than if she could manage to escape before they got that far. "Just let me go. You don't really want me. I'm not any use to you!"