[PRP] Eyes wide open [Ninati/Hylinn]

[Bronze Coffee]

Ninati had been around this pride for the better part of a year. While she's spoken to a male here or there, no one seemed interested in her enough to introduce her to the pride. Honestly she wasn't sure if she was ready. She felt ill-prepared. They were a group of very strong lions, from what she could figure out. They brought back other lions as servants, and some of them made it to the ranks where they were normal members of the pride. They'd earned their place. Others had to fight to get in; those big intimidating guards didn't make it easy. Again, they earned their place.

The goddess had went with her slightly smaller, mortal form. Her wings were gone, hidden away with no sign of them. Her hair grew shorter, and all in all, she looked different.

Unmatching eyes stared at the boarder of the pride still and she took a breath. How would she get in? How did she want to go about this? The lioness hesitated before turning away. Not today it would seem. She didn't have the nerves. So the female wandered back down the path she'd worn back to her 'den'. One could easily spot her.

mouselet

 

[mouselet]

It had been a singularly fruitless Viking for Hylinn, and the and the dark blue lion was in a bad mood upon his return. So much so that when the rest of the Reavers and the Captain headed over the border to their families and rest, he'd hung back, citing a wish for privacy. Really, he just needed to blow off some steam where he didn't have to worry about being seen. And who knew, maybe he'd find something to make it up.

The last thought was prompted by sight of an unknown lioness. A rather attractive one, if you liked patchily patterned fur. It wasn't his preference, but that didn't matter.

Hylinn bared his fangs in a parody of a smile, slinking into the grass that he might sneak up on her unseen.  

[Bronze Coffee]

Her tail flicked this way and that as she continued her way toward the place she'd made her own. It wasn't a lot, honestly, a modest sleeping area under a large tree who's leaves were mainly dead, some bones scattered here and there showing she brought her kills near here, and she could actually take care of herself. Yes, Ninati was doing just fine all on her own.

She thought back to her father, learning her mother wanted cubs with mortals... He'd left for the mountain again and she hadn't seen him since, really. It made her a bit sad. She didn't see her mother or sister either.

"Maybe I should visit," she said out loud for no reason. Being alone made you talk to yourself, she'd found out, just to hear something else. The quiet was too much sometimes. "Mom would like that. I wonder how Kris is doing, too..." There was an edge of wistfulness to her voice.  

[mouselet]

The Reaver had learned how to move quietly through the grasses, and his glee increased as he heard the lioness talking to herself. She'd never hear him coming, sure, but he couldn't resist a good entrance. Hylinn might not be a Bard, but he wanted to make a good impression for the skalds to retell later.

"Better than you!" the lion answered the rhetorical question, leaping out of the grass to pounce on the lioness. His claws were sheathed, for he had no intention of permanently damaging her, but he couldn't contain himself any longer. If he managed to pull this off, he'd finally have a Thrall of his very own!  

[Bronze Coffee]

'Better than you!' rang out clear as day. Ninati's heart rose to her throat as a short live scream did the same thing. Even if his claws were sheathed, the sheer weight and surprise of the lion knocked her down, and she started to scramble. Her front and back paws dug into the ground while she was on her side, trying to right herself to defend.

Should have been paying attention! a voice nagged her relentlessly. You're so stupid! You're going to die today because you talked to yourself!

"St-stay away!"  

[mouselet]

Hylinn laughed nastily as the lioness attempted to dislodge him. Unfortunately for her, he was a good bit heavier than she, and had managed to get himself in a near perfect position above her. Several thoughts and options rushed through his mind, but in the end he opted to be...more kindly.

"Stay away?" he echoed tauntingly. "I doubt that's what you'll be saying shortly. After all, who's going to protect you from all the other Reavers?"

Not every lion was even remotely gentle towards their Thralls. He just had to be better than the worst to keep her.  

[Bronze Coffee]

Reavers? What was he talking about. She continued to try to thrash him off, but she couldn't. He was so dense and heavy that Ninati was basically wedged between him and the ground. Her claws were out, trying to gain purchase with any of the roots near her, but they all quickly were snapped and cut. None of them were thick enough for her weight.

She stopped for a bit, panting, her ears flat back against her head as she looked toward him, trying to figure out who he was and what he wanted.

"O-off! Let me go! I don't... know what you're talking about!" Despite being near for so long, she didn't know any of the ranks of the pride.  

[mouselet]

"I know," he told her, almost cooing. This was...this was what he'd been looking for on every Viking and never known it! The blue lion was quite pleased with the progression of events today.

"I am a Reaver of the Myrsky Syntynyt. And, as of today, you are my Thrall," he informed her, still not letting her up. He wouldn't, not until she admitted that her position was hopeless and she had no choice but to give in.

"It's not a bad life," the male went on, carefully not wataching her pathetic escape attempts. "You'll do whatever I need you to, and you'll even have some free time to sit and think about how pathetic your bloodline is. Maybe, if you're lucky, some Stormborn will think you worthy to bear his children."

Hylinn didn't care how condescending he sounded. He wasn't about to give up his opportunity for a Thrall and, really, the words were just something to keep her occupied until she submitted.  

[Bronze Coffee]

He was condescending. So much so it made her a bit angry. She growled at the male and tried to bite at whatever she could as she turned her head. Ninati wanted to snap at him, n** him, teach him that he can't keep talking to her like this.

And yet...She wasn't let up. She was growing tired from her constant escape attempts.

Weak bloodline? Like hell!

"You're the weaker blooded here," she spat at him, not moving anymore. "You can't even fight a girl properly! Gotta sneak up on her.." Would it be enough for him to let her up? She'd try to bolt if so. Just spring up and run as far as she could. Then again, this was an idiotic move. Ninati was clearly weaker, and he could get angry and really hurt her.  

[mouselet]

Green eyes glittered as he saw the lioness' face suffuse with anger. So, maybe she wasn't as pathetic as she'd seemed. That certainly increased her chances within the pride, though he wasn't about to tell her that. Instead, he snorted disdainfully at her attempts to annoy him.

"If you could fight properly, we wouldn't still be in these positions," he pointed out logically enough. To emphasize his point, Hylinn allowed his claws to slide out of their sheaths and caress the lioness. There wasn't enough pressure to draw blood, but it was clear that he could do real damage if he chose.

"Now...are you going to behave like a good Thrall? Or do I need to demonstrate how I'll punish you for disobeying so soon?"  

[Bronze Coffee]

When he 'caressed' her with his claws, the lioness growled again but it was quickly followed up by swallowing thickly. She really didn't want to find out what punishment was. Something told her that his punishment would be a bit more than she could handle, pain wise. At the same time, she was a goddess. She couldn't let his mortal best her!

Her unmatching eyes squeezed shut as she tried to figure out how she wanted to do this. She could go and be a thrall while uninjured, (which she figured were servants) or she could potentially get hurt and be a thrall anyway and he'd probably continue to hurt her. Honestly this was a lose/lose situation for her and not the way she wanted to get into the pride.

"How're you going to punish someone who's not even a thrall?"

Where the hell did that come from? Great. Now she was going to get injured and dragged to the pride anyway.  

[mouselet]

The male smiled coldly as he let one pawful of claws sink into the lioness' flesh, darkening her brown fur. Such a foolish question.

"Well, I consider myself something of an artist. You see, I'll start by painting you. I only use one color of course, and it could take quite a while to pull enough out of you to change the colors of all your fur. Then, if I'm still not satisfied, we can begin removing pieces, until only what's absolutely necessary is left. After that, well, I may not need a Thrall anymore and who's going to question another scavenger-ravaged body?" the Reaver inquired lightly.

"Of course, if you were my Thrall, I wouldn't want to damage you too much, as you'd be distinctly less useful if you couldn't work. The choice, of course, is yours."  

[Bronze Coffee]

She winced at the pain sparking from where his claws entered her flesh and she let out a low hissing growl. Her bratty mouth stopped moving then, closing tightly as she listened to the promises he spoke. They were dark, Ninati knew that. She believed he'd do it too. There was something...emotionless in him. Maybe he was just that cold and controlled, but she wasn't about to press her luck anymore.

Her body finally went limp under him. Her eyes stared straight ahead. Even her tail didn't move. Just the steady rise and fall of her breathing, which she was taking very measured breaths.

It looked like he'd get his way after all. She didn't want to be injured anymore. She didn't wan anything worse than this.

Help me! Maybe if she thought it hard enough her father would hear her and come to her rescue.  

[mouselet]

Hylinn waited to be sure that the lioness wasn't playing him false before withdrawing his claws and moving off of her. That mouth could be the death of her, but it seemed she had some brains inside as well as some fire. Excellent.

"Very good, Thrall," he told the lioness. "As a reward, not only will not I not continue to paint you today, but I'll even let you use whatever name you've known before."

The blue lion was very pleased indeed, for renaming a Thrall was a privilege and no few of those in the Stormborn bore...lesser names.  

[Bronze Coffee]

"...Ninati," she said after she'd gotten to her paws again. The lioness didn't hang her head down. No. She looked directly ahead of her but avoided the lion's gaze all together. At least she kept that. If she lost her name, then what would she be?

This... was going to be a learning experience she didn't think she'd like. But she would stomach it. She could be like the other servants. She'd rise and make them bow to her. At least, in her head it was a good idea. Could this goddess who didn't know much of anything really survive in a pride like this? Ninati took a steadying breath and then waited.

"....Lead the way."