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After the raid, the lions found themselves back at the Stormborn borders. Ciro had stayed closer to Ruka, to make sure no one else decided to get handsy with her, but he could tell she was angry with him. Hell, he was angry with himself about how this ended. He was not one to take thralls, yet, he could not just willingly give over the girl to anyone in the pride.
...This also meant he'd have to spruce up his den a little. Make room for her? Something told him she would not be so willing to sleep on the pelts right next to him.
"Good job Ciro. Enjoy your catch. The Captain had said to him before parting ways, leaving the dark lion and white lioness to themselves. He thought about talking to her now, but they were still pretty out in the open. He did not want others to eavesdrop on their conversation or, whatever would be said. He figured the privacy of his own den was the best option.
"Let's go." he said somberly, "home is just over the ridge there." The sun was out, shining on the normally wet lands. Already Ciro was thinking about his next outing. He needed to just...get away.
...This also meant he'd have to spruce up his den a little. Make room for her? Something told him she would not be so willing to sleep on the pelts right next to him.
"Good job Ciro. Enjoy your catch. The Captain had said to him before parting ways, leaving the dark lion and white lioness to themselves. He thought about talking to her now, but they were still pretty out in the open. He did not want others to eavesdrop on their conversation or, whatever would be said. He figured the privacy of his own den was the best option.
"Let's go." he said somberly, "home is just over the ridge there." The sun was out, shining on the normally wet lands. Already Ciro was thinking about his next outing. He needed to just...get away.
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Ruka had been eerily quiet for the rest of the excursion, though perhaps that wasn't so surprising considering Ciro's betrayal. She hadn't spoken a word to him, let alone anyone else in Ciro's ragtag bunch. The pale lioness withstood the snickering comments and appraisal of her, because at least they hadn't laid a paw on her yet. Ruka wasn't sure the truce between the male lions would last long once Ciro left her side. So, she stuck close. Her presence however wasn't pleasant. The anger she felt radiated off of her, giving the air around her a tense feeling.
It was clear she was going to explode at some point. Ruka was not the type of lioness to curl up and accept her fate.
Finally the insufferable captain of Ciro's band had left them, but they were already too deep into the pridelands for Ruka to attempt an escape. So, she walked along, trailing just a little bit behind Ciro as he led the way. Her eyes still refused to meet his, and she kept her head bowed to avoid taking in much of her surroundings. She wasn't ready to deal with all that yet. The true problem she was focusing on was the lion in front of her.
How, after this, did he think it was okay to even speak to her? He had just revealed himself to be the lowlife she hadn't imagined he could have been. "Your home," she corrected him with a soft sigh.
It was clear she was going to explode at some point. Ruka was not the type of lioness to curl up and accept her fate.
Finally the insufferable captain of Ciro's band had left them, but they were already too deep into the pridelands for Ruka to attempt an escape. So, she walked along, trailing just a little bit behind Ciro as he led the way. Her eyes still refused to meet his, and she kept her head bowed to avoid taking in much of her surroundings. She wasn't ready to deal with all that yet. The true problem she was focusing on was the lion in front of her.
How, after this, did he think it was okay to even speak to her? He had just revealed himself to be the lowlife she hadn't imagined he could have been. "Your home," she corrected him with a soft sigh.
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"Right. My home," he corrected himself, approaching the small opening of the den. It wasn't much, but it suited the male lion. Pelts were strewn in a pile near the back, small boulders and rocks stacked to the side to make a shelf of sorts (where Gwen was silently perched, watching with beady eyes the entrance of the two lions).
"You know I would not have brought you here if I didn't have a choice." The lion finally stated, chancing a glance at the white lioness. "I don't particular like brining thralls back to the pride, let alone keeping one...personally." A personal thrall would definitely interrupt his plans of bringing ladies home when he could. "And I did not want to just hand you over to my Captain. I'll figure out a way to get you out of this." He rambled, saying the thoughts that had been obviously running in his head since the capture.
"Can you just...take the time to put yourself in my spot for a moment. What would you have done?" His ears flickered before finally resting on his head in the pinned back selection. Damnit all. His golden eyes flickered to the avian shifting in her makeshift nest, shaking her head as she listened.
"You know I would not have brought you here if I didn't have a choice." The lion finally stated, chancing a glance at the white lioness. "I don't particular like brining thralls back to the pride, let alone keeping one...personally." A personal thrall would definitely interrupt his plans of bringing ladies home when he could. "And I did not want to just hand you over to my Captain. I'll figure out a way to get you out of this." He rambled, saying the thoughts that had been obviously running in his head since the capture.
"Can you just...take the time to put yourself in my spot for a moment. What would you have done?" His ears flickered before finally resting on his head in the pinned back selection. Damnit all. His golden eyes flickered to the avian shifting in her makeshift nest, shaking her head as she listened.
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"You had a choice," Ruka reminded him, her voice tense, words spoken in short breaths. "Just because a choice doesn't appeal to you doesn't mean you can ignore its existence." The lioness cast her gaze over the den with clear disdain for the cramped space. This was no home for her, and she imagined this was where she would be forced to stay regardless of what she desired. "If you didn't want me in this position, than you should have made a different choice." Ruka didn't pretend to know all of his reasons for going through with capturing her. She had a few colorful ideas, but even then no reason was good enough for stripping her of her freedom.
She had told him she did not want to join this pride, and so he decided to force her into it instead. Whatever reason he had, it was never going to be good enough to satisfy her. "I would have let you go," she answered honestly. "Even if I had wanted to take you, even if I had all the pressure forced upon me to take you. I still would have let you go. Figures that an Outlander would have more honor than anyone else." Ruka snorted, turning her gaze away from Ciro to instead focus on the bird perched in the den.
She supposed she wasn't the only one who had been stripped of their freedom. "I would never compromise my values, my sense of self, for anyone else. I guess I was wrong to assume you were stronger than this." There was anger in the undercurrent of her words, but it never bubbled over. She spoke clearly and with dignity, qualities she knew Ciro did not posess now.
She had told him she did not want to join this pride, and so he decided to force her into it instead. Whatever reason he had, it was never going to be good enough to satisfy her. "I would have let you go," she answered honestly. "Even if I had wanted to take you, even if I had all the pressure forced upon me to take you. I still would have let you go. Figures that an Outlander would have more honor than anyone else." Ruka snorted, turning her gaze away from Ciro to instead focus on the bird perched in the den.
She supposed she wasn't the only one who had been stripped of their freedom. "I would never compromise my values, my sense of self, for anyone else. I guess I was wrong to assume you were stronger than this." There was anger in the undercurrent of her words, but it never bubbled over. She spoke clearly and with dignity, qualities she knew Ciro did not posess now.
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"So, you'd rather see yourself in the paws of one of the other lions of the group, instead of my company." The dark lion all but sneered. "Makes no sense to me. Must be a female mentality." He rolled his eyes, stalking off to his bed of pelts. He was going to offer some of them to her, but now, now he didn't want to. She could go find her own set of pelts to lay on.
As she continued to speak, his ears flattened against his skull. "You do not know my way of life to make that decision so easily. That is what you would have done if you grew up in your homelands, these Outlands..." Wait, wasn't that what that dark lioness had mentioned briefly in their meeting? That was right, she knew Ruka somehow. Maybe they had grown up together there.
"What do you know of a dark raggedy looking lioness with even darker stripes adorned in gold?" Ciro asked, unsure if Ruka would give him an answer or not. "She seemed to know you." Yet, he never got her name. Pity, it would have come in use for trying to speak with Ruka.
"She tried to join, you know." the lion said quietly, ears no longer against his head. Maybe speaking about someone that Ruka knew would brighten her mood a bit?
As she continued to speak, his ears flattened against his skull. "You do not know my way of life to make that decision so easily. That is what you would have done if you grew up in your homelands, these Outlands..." Wait, wasn't that what that dark lioness had mentioned briefly in their meeting? That was right, she knew Ruka somehow. Maybe they had grown up together there.
"What do you know of a dark raggedy looking lioness with even darker stripes adorned in gold?" Ciro asked, unsure if Ruka would give him an answer or not. "She seemed to know you." Yet, he never got her name. Pity, it would have come in use for trying to speak with Ruka.
"She tried to join, you know." the lion said quietly, ears no longer against his head. Maybe speaking about someone that Ruka knew would brighten her mood a bit?
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"No, but in that time, in that situation, you had so many more options present than the one you decided to take. I could have been free, you just didn't want me to be." The words were spoken coldly, and she glanced back to the entrance of the den, fighting every urge in her body to walk right back out its entrance. She wouldn't give Ciro the pleasure of her presence, but she didn't want to throw herself out in this strange new pride. It was clearly full of folks far more unsavory than the ones she had associated with.
So, she settled for huddling by herself in the opposite corner of the den, her back pressed against the cold wall. She would much rather be alone than share his company. "You claimed to not have not wanted to do this. So I know enough," she replied bitterly.
Her head lifted when Ciro tried to describe a lioness to her. The description fit perfectly for a lioness she had once called her friend. Dark eyes scanned over Ciro, looking for a mark Calypso would have undoubtedly left if Ciro tried to push himself onto her. Nothing. Her eyes narrowed at the thought, wondering if he had really met Calypso, or if she was jumping to conclusions.
"Calypso. We were childhood friends. I guess the Outlands was plagued by those would could see visions, because Calypso's mothers was the most adept seer I ever encountered. Not that she used it for any good, but at times it was remarkable what she could see." For a moment, her heart hurt remembering those times. For the first time, she wanted to cry, but she bit back those tears, refusing to shed them in front of her captor. "She's always been a bit of a c**t, but also loyal. I hope she's well."
So, she settled for huddling by herself in the opposite corner of the den, her back pressed against the cold wall. She would much rather be alone than share his company. "You claimed to not have not wanted to do this. So I know enough," she replied bitterly.
Her head lifted when Ciro tried to describe a lioness to her. The description fit perfectly for a lioness she had once called her friend. Dark eyes scanned over Ciro, looking for a mark Calypso would have undoubtedly left if Ciro tried to push himself onto her. Nothing. Her eyes narrowed at the thought, wondering if he had really met Calypso, or if she was jumping to conclusions.
"Calypso. We were childhood friends. I guess the Outlands was plagued by those would could see visions, because Calypso's mothers was the most adept seer I ever encountered. Not that she used it for any good, but at times it was remarkable what she could see." For a moment, her heart hurt remembering those times. For the first time, she wanted to cry, but she bit back those tears, refusing to shed them in front of her captor. "She's always been a bit of a c**t, but also loyal. I hope she's well."
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"You want to leave. Then just do it! You don't see me stopping you." Ciro growled. Maybe he had made a mistake in having Ruka come with him home. He should have just left her with all the other thralls, and whoever wanted her could have her. As much as she was a pretty lioness, he did not know how much more he could tolerate her. If she decided to stay in the den, he'd just go off for the evening, and probably enjoy the presence of a female for the evening to relieve his stress.
He shrugged at her name. "She never offered her name. Sounds like her though. Met her twice, denied her entrance into the lands. I'm sure she will try again - I just hope I am not the one to answer her call." He hated duels. Ciro was normally out of the pride on raids, so he never really participated in the challenges.
"She seemed well when I saw her though. The life of a rogue seemed to rough her up a bit. But that is supposedly what happens." The dark lion shrugged, pawing at a pelt before heading back to the entrance of the den.
He shrugged at her name. "She never offered her name. Sounds like her though. Met her twice, denied her entrance into the lands. I'm sure she will try again - I just hope I am not the one to answer her call." He hated duels. Ciro was normally out of the pride on raids, so he never really participated in the challenges.
"She seemed well when I saw her though. The life of a rogue seemed to rough her up a bit. But that is supposedly what happens." The dark lion shrugged, pawing at a pelt before heading back to the entrance of the den.
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Ruka narrowed her eyes at him, and then sighed heavily. If she threw herself back into the pride, she was sure someone would try to lay their paws on her. The best bet she had for safety was remaining with Ciro, loathe as she was to admit it. He was the only thing that kept a boundary up between her and the rest of the scoundrels in his pride. She had seen the way Ciro's band had looked at her - she knew what they were all thinking of her. If she left, she'd be at the mercy of them, and that was not something she was willing to risk.
She didn't answer him, and instead remained where she sat, leaving that as her reply. The pale lioness listened to him quietly as he spoke of Calypso. If they were imagining the same lioness, Calypso would be back. She wasn't the type to quit, and was perhaps the picture perfect Outlander in attitude and ability. "She's always looked a little rough. Cared less about grooming and more about getting into trouble. When we were cubs, she tried to run away once. Her mother was always terribly possessive of her, and it only got worse when her other daughters began to disperse."
The memory brought a fond smile to her features. She'd rather focus on the past than the present, and even moreso than her dim future now that she was stuck as Ciro's personal thrall. She trusted him not to touch her, but that was about it. "I am glad it seems like she managed to slip away this time. I hope she makes it in here, so she doesn't become like me."
She didn't answer him, and instead remained where she sat, leaving that as her reply. The pale lioness listened to him quietly as he spoke of Calypso. If they were imagining the same lioness, Calypso would be back. She wasn't the type to quit, and was perhaps the picture perfect Outlander in attitude and ability. "She's always looked a little rough. Cared less about grooming and more about getting into trouble. When we were cubs, she tried to run away once. Her mother was always terribly possessive of her, and it only got worse when her other daughters began to disperse."
The memory brought a fond smile to her features. She'd rather focus on the past than the present, and even moreso than her dim future now that she was stuck as Ciro's personal thrall. She trusted him not to touch her, but that was about it. "I am glad it seems like she managed to slip away this time. I hope she makes it in here, so she doesn't become like me."
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When Ruka did not opt to leave when he gave her the option, he shook his head. He never really would understand the female gender. They seemed to be so...so indecsive with what they really wanted. Shrugging, Ciro paused when he made it to the entrance of the den, stopping when she spoke of Calypso.
"She puts up quite a fight, I will give her that. She needs more training though if she wants to join our ranks as an actual member." Not as a thrall, Ciro added silently. He did not think the dark lion could ever be taken as a thrall. Only meeting her twice she had enough spite that she'd probably castrate a male or have them lose a body part the second they neared her.
"Gwen, watch the den." Ciro called to the falcon, who's glance focused from the newcomer back to Ciro. "Nobody comes in. Got it?" He never mentioned anything about anyone going out. Ruka could do as she pleased. She probably could tell Ciro would not go looking for her, but it also meant not getting her out of any trouble she may get in.
She wanted to be free, Ciro wasn't stopping her. He just wasn't helping her either.
"I'll be back late." He said, mainly to the avian, but maybe it'd ease Ruka's mind to know she'd have the den to herself (and the bird) for a little bit of time anyway.
"She puts up quite a fight, I will give her that. She needs more training though if she wants to join our ranks as an actual member." Not as a thrall, Ciro added silently. He did not think the dark lion could ever be taken as a thrall. Only meeting her twice she had enough spite that she'd probably castrate a male or have them lose a body part the second they neared her.
"Gwen, watch the den." Ciro called to the falcon, who's glance focused from the newcomer back to Ciro. "Nobody comes in. Got it?" He never mentioned anything about anyone going out. Ruka could do as she pleased. She probably could tell Ciro would not go looking for her, but it also meant not getting her out of any trouble she may get in.
She wanted to be free, Ciro wasn't stopping her. He just wasn't helping her either.
"I'll be back late." He said, mainly to the avian, but maybe it'd ease Ruka's mind to know she'd have the den to herself (and the bird) for a little bit of time anyway.
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"If she does make it in... don't let her know you captured me." Ruka warned gently. She would be glad to see Ciro hurt, but Calypso would likely go a step further than that. Right now she loathed the other lion, and yet... she still didn't want to see him dead. Whether he lived or not, she was still stuck within the confines of the pride. Someone else could claim her, and she had no idea what they would be like. With Ciro she knew how things would be, and there was some comfort in that.
"Fine," Ruka answered solemnly. It was obvious that Ciro was giving her some freedom, even if it was nothing compared to actual freedom. Truthfully, Ruka did not want to step a paw outside of the den. She didn't trust the pride, didn't trust that just saying Ciro owned her was enough to keep everyone else from getting involved with her. For her own security, she would force herself to remain within the den.
It would be easier with him gone.
Ruka watched the lion leave, and with a sad little smile looked up to the falcon that had been addressed as 'Gwen'. "Well, I guess it's just you and me. I hope you at least have the option to fly free out of here," she spoke sadly. With a sigh she curled up into herself, trying to find solace in rest.
"Fine," Ruka answered solemnly. It was obvious that Ciro was giving her some freedom, even if it was nothing compared to actual freedom. Truthfully, Ruka did not want to step a paw outside of the den. She didn't trust the pride, didn't trust that just saying Ciro owned her was enough to keep everyone else from getting involved with her. For her own security, she would force herself to remain within the den.
It would be easier with him gone.
Ruka watched the lion leave, and with a sad little smile looked up to the falcon that had been addressed as 'Gwen'. "Well, I guess it's just you and me. I hope you at least have the option to fly free out of here," she spoke sadly. With a sigh she curled up into herself, trying to find solace in rest.