DESPERATION - open; tanglewood capture

[EROS]

[align=center][div style="text-align: justify; width: 55%; font-family: georgia; font-size: 11pt; letter-spacing: -1px; color: black"]Trail and error, trail and error, but this trial had ended up with more error than was necessary. But he couldn't blame the other canine and he could only blame himself. He knew better and yet he still tried though he didn't know what had been the catalyst to have started such a savage fight between him and the other canine. Perhaps it was his staring or perhaps he had done something wrong in his own body language but he didn't now. It just happened and he was pretty sure he was worse off than the other canine was. A part of him was disappointed in himself for touching a Tanglewood member. He still remembered Arrow and remembered Delilah and he had told himself that he wouldn't cause any trouble for them but then this had happened and the only thing he could do was ensnare the beast and take him back with him. It was a hard thing to do with his weak form and he could only use his mental capabilities to actively win the fight between him and the stronger opponent. Mind games. It helped of course to strengthen what he knew and how he could do it but really was it worth it in the end? A part of the former slave didn't think so but it didn't matter now. What was done was done and he had no other path but to do forward. He'll take the punishment of fate later on when that decided to arrive.

For now he moved with sluggish steps across the expanse of desert, heated sun razing his back as he dragged after him his capture. His body ached and hurt, a tear of flesh on his shoulder showing pink meat underneath that held a strange tinge of grey. It bled with his strange grey blood, the substance thick and slowly inkling it's way down his leg. Teeth marks had punctured his heel, and skin had been torn open. Claw marks had delved into his side parting skin and meat there and each step caused it to move and shift. It hurt, but when didn't he hurt already. Pain was just something he had long since gotten used to considering his former rank, and his former life as a slave within the Pitt. But he could prove that he was more than that, that he could be something that the Pitt didn't have to enslave again just for grunt work. Panting lightly the male limped a bit, lashing his tail and wincing at the bite on his flank but he ignored as the fortress was coming into sight. His collar shifted against his neck and he turned to look at the canine he dragged with him.

He was a bit ashamed to have started a confrontation with him. He hadn't meant to but it just ended up that way and now he was here in the Pitt. A dangerous place filled with dangerous things. The sha didn't include himself in that mix because he only did what he had to do to survive. Frankly he didn't know if that made him dangerous or not but regardless he continued forward, bringing his captive into the fortress with him. He had the forethought to make sure that the other didn't try and attack anyone when he woke up so he chained him up to a metal pole after putting a collar around his neck that the thick chain would hold on to. They couldn't have accidents and even with his wounds he was wary of bring chaos to the place he lived. Lightly he tapped the shoulder of the canine, trying to be reasonable here. "Hey... wake up. You're in the Pitt now."

[member=1501]AXLE[/member]

[MORIBUND]

it was these moments, without their master, that moribund was allowed to roam the fortress. it's cooling shade provided shelter from the blistering, vitriolic heat.

the twin's hooves clicked against the cool stone, only pausing with instant alarm, snapping to attention at the arrival of the dweller. they did not know of valkyr-- pausing to take in the sight of the predator, canine in tow.

the slave watched, resisting the urge to curl in on themself in learned subservience; a defense mechanism. but grovelling would do them no good here. they wanted strong slaves. useful slaves. moribund could be useful.

the sheep's left head bit the inside of their cheek in awkward apprehension, only wishing that they had been graced with powers of invisibility or teleportation; if anything, to disappear from that moment.

it was not about the fact of the capture. in this callous, sheer world, they had grown familiar to the captures. the tortures-- familiarized themselves with it long before until it was normalized and expected. it did not make them falter, nor did it make them flinch. but impulses don't change, and old habits die hard. they wanted to be alone; caught up within their old world, and the sight of the predator that sent every fiber in their veins yelping at the prospect of danger certainly did not help much. but they were to be strong; they had gone through much before. they steeled themselves.

the right head's gaze snapped more to focused attention onto the two, crimson blessed gaze flickering with something fiendish and intrigued, while the left swallows for brief silence. tests words on their tongue.

"congratulations on your catch,"they will be nothing but polite. all their life, they have been under one impression. anything too much, and it was bad. curiosity overrides their stiff greeting soon after. "ah, what do you plan to do with him?"

[glow=grey,2,300]･ﾟ✦ —— tags[/glow]

[COSMIIX]

[HAMMOND]

[align=center][div style="text-align: justify; width: 60%; font-family: georgial; font-size: 11pt;"]Voices were hazy under the pretense of slumber, rugged body still apart from the staccato up and down movements of his chest. With a splitting head pain Axle was coming through to his senses, yet for some time he chose not to uncover his awakening. The Heeler remembered what happened, he wasn't foolish, someone had tested their luck and things had been going well for him (he believed at least) until the other started messing with his mind. It was a cheap tactic, yet one that the pragmatic canine could not be entirely angry at, for if he had the same blessing from the Gods then he would've abused such powers to ensure his survival too. A dark eye slowly opened, pupil stationary as he let the sights and sounds of gawking creatures envelop his senses. They reeked of a strange scent which he hadn't encountered before, and every part of him began to wonder what value snatching up a solitary canine had to these ferals. Fresh meat had value to everyone at some point, it was up to Axle to figure out what their goal was, but he was cynical that it was anything positive. A tap on his shoulder caused movement within the canine, just a grumpy shift of strong muscles, tensing up completely like a spring about to pop. Help us... don't leave us here... he heard another voice, albeit a similar one, another caress of his shoulder and it was such a grief that it released the male's anger.

A wheeze came from parted black lips, drowning in the attention and vivid memories and only being able to come up for air when the adrenaline kicked in. Ungodly snarlings sound erupted from his maw, with conviction no better than the 'ferals' he'd accused these creatures of being, with all of his energy the tricoloured dog jumped to his feet. Though movements may have seemed sloppier than normal, his face was filled with the same wrath that any captured soul would've emitted, lips curled back and honey coloured eyes whipping up a fury through slit pupils. An incoherent bark escaped Axle, saliva pooling at his jowls as he offered all those present a warning not to get any closer. The heavy feeling around his neck was so familiar that the canine didn't even need to turn around to know what was weighing him down. It was a device that put him on the defensive, ensuring he wasn't a macho man and tried to take everyone down at once, but it didn't mean he'd lie down waiting for a plan to escape.

[EROS]

[align=center][div style="text-align: justify; width: 55%; font-family: georgia; font-size: 11pt; letter-spacing: -1px; color: black"]It was an accident and he hadn't meant to cause trouble for Tanglewood. He felt like he had friends there but after this would those one sided bonds shatter. Clearing his throat he just stared at the canine, eyes shifting over the area before he tried to focus on what was going on. That was when one of the slaves came forth and congratulated him on this capture. So unintended yet he was being praised for it. Pain stabbed at the wounds he had gathered from such an encounter and he had to steady himself as he looked over toward Mori then, gaze a little bit clouded with a small amount of worry. He was just worried for possible friendships that were crushed because of what he had done. But the beast merely shook his head, having to sit down now because standing just made him more exhausted. "I-I don't know. I didn't even mean...." He couldn't say that. They'd think he was weak and laugh at him. He abhorred the idea of becoming a slave again and he struggled with his own moralities that never seemed to be consistent. And yet he had done this all the same.

The brute shifted his body, wincing a bit at his torn shoulder and the gash in his side before he looked over to Quill who had come forth first. His tail curled against his body before shaking his head a little bit. He wouldn't say anything on being congratulated but being hurt yes. "We got into a really bad scuffle. I wouldn't have...made it if I hadn't have used my powers." Not many in the Pitt knew he had any to begin with and so he merely muttered those words to Quill so that only he could hear him. After that he took a deep shuttering breath and focused on his captive as he woke up, already on the defensive with drool pooling around his lips. A growl was heard and it made the hair's along his own back prickle and stand up. He wasn't trying to be aggressive but at the same time didn't want to seem like he was a weak link so he spoke up to the chained canine. "What's your name?"

[MORIBUND]

"I-I don't know. I didn't even mean...."

one head cocked to the side in utter confusion. what did they mean? the capture had been an accident? had it not been customary to be joyful of such an endeavor? moribund's two heads did not know of valkyr's internal conflict, but they could see the disturbance flickering across their face. and oh, did they notice. such an odd thing. when they had been expecting of pride and accomplishment, the child in place, could only find troubledness.

valkyr's response unsettled them more than anything. interactions were always so complex-- left them drained and puzzled more than before. all moribund had thought they had known and learned on sociality was fragile; fit to be torn down at the slightest unexpected reaction.

axle’s revival from the abyss of consciousness was unexpected. moribund had thought the capture to be soundly subdued. but they weren't-- spotted the flickering eyes far too late, the building growl in the canine's throat until suddenly, the sheep dog was leaping upward in a clumsy frenzy.
a wild, unbidden snarl as loud as the crackle of thunder to the sheep’s ears. sent a lancing, burning spear that sank through their body, shredding down to the spine. the left side visibly shuddered, feeling the sheer unsteadiness settle into their limbs. quivering in tandem to their heart.

though the right bared their own teeth in turn. a brave mask. an uncanny and unseeming ferality in a wild, frenzied gaze. one meant to protect and defend themselves. they were always the guardian.
moribund could not ignore the innate calling biological response to a meat eater's wrath.

axle was a predator. they needed to get away. don't touch us.

they could hear their shared hearts, thudding a symphony in their heated ears. the child’s chest was aching. they were surprised their skull had not shattered yet, nor had their fragile little ribs which the heart was thundering against with each beat. adrenaline spiked. panic fluttered against their ribcage, cloying senses.
axle’s sudden movements helped none either-- it reminded them far too much of looming bodies, teeth bared into pearly, malignant grins that weren’t really grins at all. wedged into far too small corners, back against the wall. cowering and waiting for the blows. touches that hurt. waiting for pain.

mori’s left head tasted bile. they wanted to wretch.

moribund startled. the youth’s gangly limbs skittered backwards, finding the nearest warm body, seeking comfort-- even after their bitter, forced self dependency, they still sought solace in another. it was herd sentimentality, and it was pathetic.

but it worked anyways, and quill's presence aided in calming the juvenile down. after realizing their shameful act, they tore themselves abruptly from the direhound's side, too shocked to speak.

[glow=grey,2,300]･ﾟ✦ —— tags[/glow]