[User]
Jaxton knew that Ollie was introverted. They had not spent a lot of time together, but by the way that Ollie acted around him, it was very easy to tell. On their way to the pizza place, Jaxton did not want Ollie to feel left out. He intentionally slowed his step so that the two of them could walk side by side. The side walk was big enough for them to do that. Jaxton wanted this to be as comfortable as possible. He liked Ollie and he did not want to scare the shy boy away.

Jaxton looked down at Ollie as the boy answered his question about if he commuted. Honestly, Jaxton had to admit that he had been a little disappointed at Ollie's answer. He did not want the boy so far away---especially living with his parents. It was much easier to get to someone who had no one to run to. Jaxton shook that thought from his mind though, forcing a smile when he caught Oliver's attempt at one. "No. Actually I live in an apartment just a block off campus. It's very nice, being on my own." Jaxton did not have a roommate and so he had the whole apartment to himself.

For the rest of the walk, Jaxton made conversation about the town, just small talk. Mostly about places Ollie knew of or places he liked to go. "Since you live close, I'm sure you've been to the town before?" The conversation lasted them until they got to Cappy's. Once there, Jaxton made sure to hold the door open for Ollie. He lead the younger boy to a booth, where they could sit down. The place was quaint and not very crowded. A young waitress came up to them, asking for their drink orders. Jaxton ordered a coke, and told the woman the bill was on the same tab. "I'll get it." Jaxton said to Ollie when she walked away. "...what do you think, a medium? Do you eat meat?" Jaxton relaxed back into the booth, looking over Ollie's face.

[Assistant]
An expression of deep respect came to Ollie's features as Jaxton so casually spoke of living alone; he couldn't imagine being so self-sufficient and he smiled, clearly terribly impressed. "Oh, wow... it must be difficult living alone; don't you ever get lonely? Do you cook your own food? My mother caught me how to but I couldn't imagine living by myself..." He tiled his head to one side and smiled, albeit nervously and continued to speak softly to his companion until they reached the pizza house, at which point he looked rather surprised at the size.

"Ohh... this place is much bigger than the cafes and restaurants around my house..." He murmured, unconsciously slipping a little closer to Jaxton as they moved inside, his nerves creeping upon him once again. Thankfully the place wasn't overly busy however, and Ollie found that as they sat at their booth it was fairly secluded; he could see no other table besides their own, which suited him fine.

"This is nice..." The boy said quietly before the waitress came and he smiled sheepishly at her, looking surprised when Jaxton said he would pay for it all. "A-Are you sure...? I don't want to be a bother... oh, I'll have a coke too, please..." He added his order as an afterthought to the waitress before blinking down at the menu, chewing on his lower lip. "Oh, umm... could I just... have the salad, maybe?" Ollie really disliked the idea of being a burden on Jaxton on their very first outing; salad was the least expensive thing on the menu, so he wouldn't feel quite as guilty. It was always good to keep a healthy figure too, right?

"Are you sure you don't mind paying, though?" He couldn't help but make sure. "I... I have some money with me..."

[User]
Jaxton did not mind, in the least, paying for Ollie, on their first outing. It wasn't about money. He wanted Oliver to feel comfortable, and with the boy being so awkward, Jaxton took control of the situation. What if Oliver found out that he just didn't have enough in his pocket? To avoid any mishaps, Jaxton just thought it was best.

However, when Ollie said he would order a salad, Jaxton couldn't help but to laugh right in the boy's face. "A salad?" He shook his head, leaning forward, over the table. Easily, he plucked the menu from Ollie's fingertips, folding it up, and placed it gently back in the holder which was on the table. "We come to a pizza place and you want to get a salad? Ollie..." He said, trying not to be rude. He hadn't meant to laugh right at the boy, but usually no one ever went against taking his money. Jaxton found it rather admirable. "Don't worry about the money, it's nothing. I am the one that invited you to lunch... so, I'll pay." After this statement, Jaxton flashed to Ollie a rather charming smile.

"So," He said, restarting their conversation. "What do you think, we could split a medium pepperoni. I mean, if you even like that kind." Jaxton pointed to the twelve dollar combo on the menu---a medium one topping pizza with two drinks.

[Assistant]
Ollie truly didn't like the idea of taking his new friends' money the very first time they went out together; surely it was rude, or somehow impolite to do so? He shuffled slightly upon the chair and fiddled with his glasses, slipping them from his nose and cleaning them on his shirt for something to do to avoid the awkward conversation that he had caused. The action only lasted a few seconds however, and as he slipped them back onto his face and ruffled his light hair, the boy bit his lower lip and looked upward with a nervous smile.

"I... I suppose... it is a bit silly to get a salad in a pizza place..." He gave in the point and placed his slender hands upon the table between them as the menu was plucked from his fingers and his smile brightened slightly as the noticed the indicated combo; if they would share it wouldn't be so bad. Plus he liked pepperoni, which Jaxton seemed to also...maybe it would be okay. Ollie nodded slowly, a slight pink tint having crept to his features as he swallowed and spoke again, shifting up to lean slightly closer to the other student to show he felt a little more comfortable.

"Okay... I like pepperoni, so that's fine... could I.... maybe have a coke with it? Since you get two drinks...?" Jaxton most likely wouldn't know it, but for Ollie to even vaguely suggest getting something himself was a rather big step forward for the boy. "Thanks, Jaxton... I know. Can be awkward, so... I really do appreciate you taking me out..." Was that too much? The boy cleared his throat and lowered his head to stare at the table, shuffling in his seat slightly. "Sorry... that was.... never mind..."

[User]
Jaxton wasn't sure what it was about Ollie, but something about that boy just roused him to no end. He needed to know what it was. Perhaps Oliver was just so innocent? The way he cleaned his glasses and blushed faintly, or perhaps even the way he stuttered when he spoken. Jaxton felt his stomach tighten when Ollie looked up at him. As much as he craved that feeling, he was also angry that someone so supple had broken him. Jaxton lifted his eyes from the menu and allowed his gaze to follow the curve of Oliver's cheek.

"It's OK... I mean, I know what you're trying to say..." Jaxton said, out of the blue. As he finished his words, Ollie would find the pad of Jaxton's fingers resting gently up top the back of his hand, providing comfort and security. Jaxton was trying to be sincere.

"You... don't have to try so hard." At about that time, the waitress began to approach their table. A bit too quick, Jaxton pulled back his hand and instead placed it on the menu as to indicate their order to the younger female. "And that'll be two cokes." He said, his eyes coming back to Ollie as though to make sure that he had not changed his order.

The girl nodded, and then took off back behind the front counter in order to get their drinks. A comfortable silence fell over the table as Jaxton placed the menu behind a rack on the table that was holding the condiments... done, if only, to waste time.

[Assistant]
Much like Jaxton, Ollie felt a strange attraction to his current companion; the natural urge to remain close by and to tend to the young man's needs. He had never felt such a thing before and yet it seemed so very natural as he sat opposite and gazed across into the other's face. He couldn't help but worry about how he looked; about if he was being too awkward or too quiet. Too boring or too eager to please...

"Ah... w-well good... I know that I can... sometimes be difficult to understand; I'm not a... a people person, I suppose..." He murmured softly, lowering his gaze to the table once again before he blinked slowly, feeling the slight warmth upon his hand and he glanced upward to see Jaxton's resting atop hos own, a deep blush rising upon hos cheeks. Hos lips parted with a soft gasp of surprise, his hand shifting perhaps slightly closer before the man spoke again.

Ollie lifted hos head again to look across into Jaxton's face, a small smile upon his lips as he nodded. "R-Right... thank you..." The moment was wonderful for the boy; a connection had been made surely and yet as soon as it had begun, it was over and the hand moved away as the waitress appeared again. Was Jaxton embarrassed? Of course he was...

The silence didn't seem comfortable to him at all, and after several momenta he cleared hos throat, glancing briefly towards the door. "I... if you're embarrassed to be seen with me... then I could just... go, if you'd like?" He nodded, frowning to himself. "I don't want to make you feel awkward..."

[User]
Maybe comfortable wasn't the right word. Jaxton wasn't stupid. He saw in Ollie's eyes that he had done something to upset the boy. What it was, he couldn't exactly explain. His tongue flicked over his lips as if he were to speak next, but before he could the waitress came back with their drink orders and their pizza. He thanked her, but the food sat untouched for a moment.

Ollie's words took Jaxton back. His dark eyes widened and the boy glanced away. "I'm not embarrassed." He said quickly, cutting Ollie off. "I don't want you to go. Stupid." He looked back to Ollie, his eyes having softened. He was trying to lighten the mood. "I wouldn't have asked you to come if I just... wanted you to go. This isn't awkward. What about this is awkward, nothing."

Who was Jaxton trying to convince? He picked up a piece of the pizza and paused, glancing to Ollie, before taking a bite. He took the time to chew on the piece and swallow it before he sat down the rest of it. "Look. It's not you. It's me. I'm not embarrassed. I figured... you would be embarrassed, to be seen with me."

Jaxton knew what he was doing and his implicit meaning was much darker than what his words actually painted to be, sweet and innocent.

[Assistant]
Ollie had no idea of the darker meaning to Jaxton's words and he shook his head quickly, biting his lower lip as he gazed downward at the food. "No...! I-I'm not embarrassed to be seen with you..." He protested swiftly, shaking his head with a shadow of a smile upon rosy pink lips. "You... you're the only person who spoke to me since I came here... I'm... I'm really grateful to be here..."

He swallowed anxiously and tentatively reached for a slice of pizza, nibbling on the food for a brief moment before putting it down and shuffling a little on his seat. "I don't... go out much; that's why I'm like this... I'm sorry... b-but I'll get better..." The boy stuttered softly, looking up at the other student, fiddling nervously with his glasses. "I just need... to try harder, and I will, Jaxton... I promise..."

Again, a small smile graced his delicate features before he returned to the pizza, taking tiny bites and sipping at his drink, arching his head to expose his slender throat as he did so. After several moments of eating and drinking, Ollie paused and tucked rogue strands of hair behind an ear, blinking across at Jaxton. "Why did... I mean... why did you invite me out?" He asked suddenly, a faint pink tint rising to his cheeks that was rather clear to see. "I mean... you could invite anyone; you're popular and... and you know... you look good..." He coughed. "Why me...?"

He mentally slapped himself; what a stupid thing to say. Ollie looked away, certain he had just roundly ruined their friendly lunch.

[User]
Jaxton placed his elbows on the table as he leaned in towards the boy before him. Perhaps Jaxton was reading too much into what Ollie had to say, but through Ollie's words...'I'll get better, I will'. These words seem to underline the thought that Oliver was planning to make their friendship last a bit longer than what was expected of a casual acquaintance.

When Ollie stopped talking and went on to taking more bites of his pizza, Jaxton relaxed into his seat and decided to take a sip from his own coke's straw. Still, he found it difficult to keep his eyes off of Ollie. His stare, however, was interrupted as Ollie again began to speak. This time, in questions. The questions that Ollie posed, too, made Jaxton's mouth go dry. Following, Jaxton released a dry laugh.

"Being a bit bold, I see." Jaxton shook his head, before sitting down his coke. "Well. You know, Ollie. You're not so bad looking yourself. If that's any consolation." Jaxton shook his hand dismissively. He then leaned forward, towards Ollie. His eyes traced over Oliver's features carefully. Jaxton's fingertips reached out to gently grip Ollie's chin, turning his face so that Jaxton's bright forest eyes could meet dead with Ollie's blue hues.

"Some things... just aren't so easily answered." Jaxton winked and released Ollie. "People do crazy things sometimes. It's just easier to accept those things than... trying to analyze them to death."

[Assistant]
The boy instantly cursed himself for asking such a foolish question, shaking his head quickly and lowering his gaze to the barely-eaten pizza on his plate. Normal people didn't ask such deep questions the first time going out with a vague acquaintance and yet Ollie couldn't help himself. Something drew him towards the student opposite him, something he couldn't explain and he found himself hoping that he hadn't made Jaxton see him as some crazy idiot; he wanted to be friends... "S-Sorry, never mind... you don't have to..."

Or so he began; tried to swiftly ignore the foolish question he had posed when he suddenly felt the fingers touch his chin in a firm but somehow gentle grip, tilting his features upward to look directing into the other boy's eyes. Ollie swallowed thickly and shuffled, his pale cheeks taking on a light shade of pink at the (to him) rather intimate gesture and at the response he received. "I... I didn't mean to... be bold..." He murmured, his voice barely being heard as Jaxton continued, the overall air of interest and mystery around him growing to the boy who usually never spoke more than two words to anyone. What was it about Jaxton that made him suddenly speak? He certainly had no idea.

"I... I see..." Ollie swallowed thickly once the hand moved away, releasing his breath in a rush, having not been aware that he was holding it to begin with. A small smile found its way to rosy lips as a slender hand lifted to fiddle with black-rimmed glasses, muttering quietly. "So... you're being mysterious, hm...? He he..." He chuckled softly, lowering his gaze to the table between them. "You must be popular like that... you say interesting things that make you think... rather than spelling everything out... it's nice..." He reached for his pizza again, nibbling idly for a moment before he spoke again, fingers now twirling a strand of darkly colored hair.

"I'm happy... that you're out with me; I probably don't look it but... I am... just know that..." His cheeks flared brilliantly and he cleared his throat, seeming to shrink back in the chair upon which he sat.

[User]
Ollie. What a damn interesting creature. Jaxton could not keep his eyes off of the boy. Not only was he physically attractive, but the way that the boy spoke just captivated him. Jaxton licked his bottom lip as he watched Ollie twist his hair about his own slender finger. A sudden and uncontrollable urge to take those slender, feminine hands into his own came upon him. In order to deal with the growing sensation, tingling at his fingertips, he decided to grab another slice of pizza. Jaxton took a large bite as Ollie said that he was happy. Jaxton did not choke with surprise, but he did swallow his bite a without chewing sufficiently.

"...Well. It's a good thing to know. A considerable thing to share, but it puts at least one of us at ease, eh?" Jaxton said, bluntly. His dark, emerald eyes sized up Ollie's drink and plate. Most everything was completed. "Have you had your fill." Although it was a question, Jaxton's tone made it much less than that. Nearly immediately after making the statement, Jaxton got up from the booth. As he did, he took his wallet from his back pocket. Jaxton took to fishing out a few ones and throwing them on the table for their waitress, before pausing momentarily in expectation of Ollie to arise from the table.

It was about 7 PM as they left the small pizzeria. Jaxton held the door open for Ollie on the way out. "So. Ollie. You're not in a hurry to get home, are you." Again, it was more of a statement. "Because, if you're up to it... we could have a bit of desert at my place." Jaxton shoved his hands into his jean pockets as he walked along with Ollie. "How does a round of Cinnamon Toast shots sound?"

Jaxton knew full well that Ollie was underage. That was the point, the sick plan. Jaxton turned his face down, with a charming smile.

[Assistant]
Ollie lightly bit on his lower lip and shuffled in his seat as Jaxton replied rather bluntly to his mumbled admission of having a nice time. Just as he'd thought; it was too much to say to the other boy and he cleared his throat, fiddling nervously with his spectacles. "S-Sorry... never mind what I said; I say stupid things sometimes so... never mind..." Gods, why couldn't he just keep quiet? It seemed he either said nothing at all and so people assumed him rude, or else he said too much and made things awkward. He never seemed able to find the middle ground that came so naturally to people like Jaxton...

"Mmn..." He busied himself with sipping the final few dregs of coke from his cup, swallowing slowly so as to avoid any more awkward conversation he might raise when suddenly his companion asked whether he had finished. 'Ask' being a broad term as Jaxton had already risen from his seat when he spoke; it was more a case of his telling Ollie that they were done, and the boy didn't mind at all. "Oh, y-yes... I'm done..." He mumbled, hurriedly slipping from his seat and blinking briefly to the few dollars worth of tip tossed to the table before he moved after Jaxton to leave the pizza place. A brief glance to his watch told him it was getting late; an ideal time to head back to his dorm room, or so he assumed until Jaxton invited him to his place.

The boy's cheeks heated; blushing brilliantly. He had never been invited to anyone's home before, and the prospect was rather exciting to him; he shuffled slightly and fingered the hem of his jacket before he nodded hesitantly, a small smile on his lips. "S-Sure... I'd love to come back..." It was then that Jaxton mentioned the shots however, and Ollie blinked, frowning faintly. He wasn't old enough to drink, surely Jaxton knew that... but if he said no now, he'd probably never be invited out again and be known as some prude for the rest of his collage-life... there really was no option. "Okay..." He said, nodding firmly to steel himself for the drinking; his first experience with alcohol. "Okay, sure; I don't have... any plans so... yeah..."

He swallowed thickly and ignored the rational side of his mind; Jaxton was a good person, and it would just be the two of them, enjoying a nice little drink. Things would be perfectly fine...

[User]
While Jaxton couldn't be certain that this would be Ollie's first experience with the devil's nectar, he was positive by the boy's reaction that the chance was high. Ollie was just too sweet and innocent for it to be a possibility that he had dabbled in that type of activity before---and Jaxton was all but too willing to be the first to introduce the boy to the dangerous drink.

So, he watched as Ollie almost reluctantly agreed to come along. One yes was all that he needed. Pleased with the boy's response, Jaxton nodded as well. "Then, let's go." Taking the first step forward, Jaxton strode confidently in front of Ollie to lead him to his apartment. Jaxton lived on sixth street, which was only about two blocks away from where they were in town and one walk-across-the-road away from campus. It was an absolutely prime location. The apartment building was, however, dank with crumbling white stucco on the outside. Jaxton, still, was proud of the location and often hosted parties in his one bedroom apartment.

On the way there, Jaxton again made small talk in order to lighten the mood. He questioned dear Ollie about his major and other things like his classes and professors. Rounding the corner, Jaxton paused mid into his sentence: "Yea, she's not the best teacher but she grades pretty easy... welp. There it is." Jaxton exclaimed, as they came to the building. Upon entering, he held the door open for Ollie. Immediately as the door was opened, was a set of stairs going down and a set of stairs going up. The carpeting in the hallway was brown and outdated. "Up." He said, urging Ollie up the short flight. Immediately at the top of the steps was a door to the left and to the right. The door to the right had a 6 above the peep hole. "Home sweet home," Jaxton said, as he inserted a silver key into the door knob.

He pushed open the door to allow Ollie in first. The apartment was... different. It was a mixture of old furniture and carpet with shiny new appliances and electronics. However, the place wasn't messy. The coffee table in front of the blue patterned couch was cleared off and had a single unlit Yankee candle in the middle of it. Off to the left was the kitchen, which was no larger than 15 tiles wide and 6 tiles deep. It was quaint, but it got the job done. A small, dark hallway lead to presumably the bedroom and a bathroom. Jaxton kicked off his shoes by a placemat near the front door, and tossed his book bag on the floor by the mat. "Make yourself comfortable," Jaxton encouraged, as he turned on the overhead light.

[Assistant]
Ollie truly wasn't overly sure about his decision to go to Jaxton's house with him; of course he trusted the older boy perhaps out of a desperate hope for a friend rather than a rational feeling, but the idea of returning to someone's house the first day of meeting them seemed somehow wrong. He told himself that everything would be fine however, that it was simply his old-fashioned way of thinking. His mind was probably coming up with as many ways to make him leave as it could, but he wouldn't let himself chicken out again. Jaxton was nice to him; took him out, got him pizza... they would simply have a shot each, and then he would go to his own dorm. Or so he told himself.

He was a little quiet on the journey there and even when Jaxton spoke, he only gave quiet murmurs of replies. It was obvious he was nervous about the whole affair, but he was determined to see it through; it would be extremely rude, if nothing else, and he wanted to end his first day on a high, positive note, rather than one ruled by his anxiety. "Mm, it's my first time living away from home... do you ever get homesick living alone?" He tentatively asked a few questions of his own whilst looking around the neighborhood they passed in a vain effort to remember the way back. It was impossible, but he forced himself to relax by telling himself that he could easily get a bus back if needed, or Jaxton could tell him the way... he certainly didn't plan on spending the night; that would be too much for him, especially with alcohol...

It didn't take too long to arrive thankfully, which made Ollie feel a little better; they weren't miles away. In fact the campus was practically across the road. He sighed in relief and nodded with a small smile, a little put off by the sight of the outer wall crumbling, but he would reserve judgment. He followed Jaxton obediently up the stairs as he was prompted and tilted his head to one side with a small, thoughtful hum as the door to number six was pushed open for him, slipping inside and looking around. "Wow..." He breathed quietly. The place was so unique; a blend of things both old and new. To Ollie, who had never lived anywhere alone before the day previously, it all looked amazing.

He stepped into the living room and smiled, walking to the couch and lightly gesturing to it. "Can I...?" Assuming it was alright, he sat on the comfy surface and looked around, hands clasped on his lap as he smiled across at Jaxton. "I really like it... it's different; like you, you know?"


[User]
The elven female he would give to Gruumsh did wake at his words, but beyond a vicious and ultimately futile glare, she would not rise to the bait of his taunting. Still, Gardak was not displeased as he knew from previous sacrifices that he would have not more trouble ripping a scream from her throat than he would have ripping her tiny and wildly beating heart from her chest. Laughing loudly at the thought, the huge Orc turned from the cage and began stalking purposefully across the camp towards the tents of the Red Hand, his anger at their guards weakness and failure were not forgotten, merely banked, and with each step he stoked them anew.

As he reached the Warleader's tent, the two guards to either side of the flap moved to bar him, and Gardak's hand was just straying towards his sword when a low pig squeal of orcish terror and mortal pain echoed from within the tent. Gardak's smiled tuskily as the body of the failing guard was tossed outside and followed by the Red Hand's Warleader. "Gardak." The heavy orc greeted him, the younger orc pleased by the sudden wariness in the old warleader's eyes. It did not take much wisdom to recognize the danger and power of a true rival, which was just as well as the Red Hand was not known for their wisdom. "This scum was answer to Gruumsh for his failure today. And on a day when the One Eyed One will be watching us closely." He said, by way of mollification to the young and rightly angry Orc.

Gardak stepped close, his nose nearly touching the other warleader's as he snarled his reply. "That is well, but see that you do not distract Gruumsh again, Bardug Bigdish, or you will meet him yourself!" Gardak said, pausing to see if the other warleader would dare to rise to his challenging words on this day, and when he did not Gardak sneered openly and stalked away. When he reached the center of the camp, he saw several old females milling about on whatever tasked such women performed for the camp. "Prepare the altar!" He bellowed. "The high sun will be the time."

[Assistant]
Pyrusha knelt in the cage. Within the hard-forged bars of cold iron, there was room to do little else. The night had been cold despite the brutish, smoky fire, and her boots and clothes were wet from the stinking mud in which her cage lay. Her armor, little more than padded cloth, was soaked with the blood of battle. The wounds she bore ached, making the air too thick to breathe, her lungs greedy beasts unable to pull their precious load. Her hands and ankles were bound in manacles, her fingers clasped together. These brutes were at least wise; Pyrusha wondered how many generations of orcs had died before they knew an elf with unbound hands could weave their deaths out of magic. Perhaps it had one too many for her.

The elven woman was cold beyond tangible temperature. It was death's chill she felt. Her prayers that dawn had woven through all the gods of the people. First to Corellon she gave thanks for gracing her with life and the Art. To Angharradh, Pyrusha gave respect for granting her the honor to defend her people for as long as she had been able. She adored Hanali Celanil, grateful for having known the love of her husband, the beauty of so many springs, and the knowledge of crafting treasures of magic which would outlive her and her children's children. Though violence flew around her, Pyrusha prayed to the all-knowing Labelas Enoreth, hoping he foresaw a clean death for her. The sun rose higher; the morning grew hot. In the haze of the blue noon sky and the smoke of the orcs' fires, Pyrusha could see the outline of the waning moon.

"Sweet lady of mysteries," she prayed. "Grant me with your grace. Teach me the songs of the wind through the white trees." Her cage was opened. Heavy arms jerked her to her feet. "Make me ready for your sight. Let my eyes behold your luminous visions." Brash, stunted voices commanded her in the primitive tongue she did not understand. They carried her to a bright place. The sun beat down on her bared head. A cheer rose up. "Guide me to your arms in Arvandor. I long to dance in your gardens."

[User]
Gardak stood impatiently by the rough stone altar of The One Eyed God, the warrior shifting his weight from one foot to the other in his eagerness to present his offering to Gruumsh. In battles a plenty, both singular and leading a warband, Gardak had fought with a nearly berserk rage, no room is his heart of fear or any other weakling emotion. In truth even now there was no fear in him, no worry that his God would find his offering anything less than satisfactory. When was the last time an elf was bent back over this altar? And a lovely female specimen at that? Not in the history of his lifetime, Gardak knew, and he could feel the burning looks of jealous and hate coming from the lesser male Orcs around him.

Soon the Orcs he had hand picked to deliver the sacrifice to him arrived, the elf woman between them looking small and weak as all of her race should, he luminous eyes closed in what would soon be her final prayers. Taking the elf off of the guards, Gardak fisted a meaty hand in her clothing, pulling it tight across her back as the back of his free hand struck brutally across her cheek, drawing a line of blood and a gasp from her lips, snapping those eyes open to glare at him. "Your time has come, tree-spawn. Know that today your only purpose is to bring Gruumsh pleasure! To bring him among us!" Gardak said, bellowing the last two phrases, and shifting his free hand to the elf's throat, he simply bent her backwards over the Stone.

Holding her pitifully squirming body in place easily, Gardak stepped between her legs, grasping the ceremonial short spear in his free hand and bringing it slowly to her face. The way those shapely elven legs wrapped around his waist and tried to kick at him, coupled with the way the wickedly sharp spear split her tunic to reveal her breasts made the scene easily mistakeable for another not so uncommon act among the Orcs, but the passion in Gardak's heart burned with a different need.

Moving the spear point with unerring and inevitable precision, the Warleader flashed the point into Pyrusha's face, tearing an almond shaped orb from her head and a scream from her lips. Holding the spear high so that the eye sparkled wetly on the point, Gardak bellowed above her screams as he prepared to thrust down and cut her heart from her chest. "Accept my offering, O Gruumsh!"

[Assistant]
Pyrusha lips were moving, whispering a song of prayer that wisped into the intangible expanse. Though her face and and hands were grimy, her eyes were wide and clear as the distant sea. Her lithe body lay thin and taut under him. Pyrusha drew the last of her innumerable breaths. "Sehanine..." Her words burst like feathers from a bird pierced by an arrow. "Seldarine... cormamin taglina tiri..."

Despite all her years, the decades of battle and her mental fortitude, nothing could quell her final scream. The spear jutted forward, the jagged tip grating through her skull as it skewered her soul. Her hearts-blood ran bright in the yellow sun. She could not hear the cheers nor feel the tear of his spear as it parted her pale breasts. She lay limp as he butchered her, unwillingly granting her sweetest meat and precious soul to his god.

Among the chanting and bellowing crowd, a cloaked, bent figure moved. Though her back was crooked, her eyes did not keep to the dirt. She walked purposely toward the altar. The strongest warriors, their youthful blood fury roused, sneered at the old woman. They snorted, a few squaring their shoulders and pressing her aside as a wench should be set apart and beneath. One of them cursed her, demanding her life for her shamelessness. With a touch and a dark word, he fell to the dust. The seasoned ones stepped aside as she shook back her cowl. None had seen the Blood Witch with their own eyes but had been told stories of the withered female of the swamps who bore the curse of Luthic. The wife and servant of Gruumsh chose an ageless female to rebirth men that they could be ready for performing the duties of Gruumsh. Her powers were strange, her words were wise, and her years were countless.

"Gardak!" she croaked, her arms lifting like sticks from her dun cloak. "I am the servant of Luthic, the Clawed Mother, Mate of He-Who-Watches. You speak His name and He does not strike you. The blood you spill is bright under His watching eye." These things she pronounced over the quieted mob in a voice that trembled with might as great as age. "Gardak! I know your name. I heard your father proclaim it over the wet legs of mother when you were birthed just as I heard his name given by his father, and so with the ones before. I heard it spoken to me in dreams. I heard it in voices that shake the caves. You are called to the path of the mighty. Will you answer His battle call? Will you be made a captain in the army of Nishrek? Will you walk on the shaft of His iron spear?"

[User]
Gardak turned quickly, his eyes lit with rage at the interruption, an expression that quickly changed as he caught sight of the female who dared to speak at his moment of triumph. The withered hag's words and the tell tale pile of orcish dust at her feet demanded attention, for no, if nothing else. "Blood Witch!" Gardak bellowed in return, his voice swelling in time with his broad chest. The threat hidden in the old female words was to him as plain as the honor, but like all among the young and foolish, Gardak only allowed his pride to hear the honorable parts.

"Mighty Gruumsh knows that Gardak is a true and loyal Orc in his service! He needs not hear the words spoken a crone of his wife!" Gardak replied, barking a laugh as the word wife spilled from his sneering lips. "Speak of this path, witch! Let Gardak show again as he has time and time before that no Orc shall dare rise as high as he in the eye of the One Eyed God!"

[Assistant]
"I will not tell you," the Blood Witch slowly said. "I can no more tell you of the path than I could tell a child in the womb of its path through its mother's cunt. It knows nothing of the world. It does not understand the words to describe it. You... you, Gardak..."

Pyrusha stepped closer, leaning down to peer over the mutilated sacrifice. Her porcine nose twitched as she smiled. "You will be a true son of He-Who-Watches. He shall claim you and give you name. I serve as midwife of your glory. Refuse this offer and you will remain unborn and rot. Follow to my lair beyond. You will be made ready and delivered to His sight." Her fingers dipped into the desecrated body, and she licked the blood from her fingers.

[User] Gardak's nostril's flared at the witch's words and closeness, if not because of her touch upon the body of his sacrifice. For a few long seconds, the warrior simply stood and glared, his wide chest rising and falling with his deep breaths. "Lead on then, Witch!" He barked. "If your word be true, than I shall bathe deep in the glory of Gruumsh! Wise is the One Eyed God to recognize Gardak as his truest warrior, even if his choice of messenger is not." He went on with the sneering regard most orcs had, wrongly, for Luthic. "Let us have no delay. I would see your swamp and the bold promises you make fulfilled."

[Assistant]
Pyrusha's blood-smeared grin melted, leaving her look sober and dark. The Blood Witch jutted her chin toward the east then lifted her finger, elf blood circling her knuckle, to point in that direction. "That is the way you will follow," she said, her voice low. The crowd murmured and stirred, anxious either to see Gardak's journey begin or else be rid of the eery power of the strange, aged female. They parted as she strode through them, making way with begrudging respect or fear for the crooked elder female with the proud warrior's gaze. She did not wait for him to gather his weapons. She did not stop at his tent to allow him his possessions. The Blood Witch took him as he was, plucking him from every eye of the camp without ceremony or farewell, much like death.

It was only when the bogged trees and the black waters of the swamps sloshed against their feet did she stop. The Blood Witch grunted as she settled her weight on a rotting log, and once settled turned her strong gaze finally again to the young male. Her look was testing, appraising. "Gardak," the wrinkled witch said. "Lay your goods here. You will need nothing but your spear."

[User]
Gardak was pleased at the way the crowd parted for the witch first, and then for him. It was only fitting that if this withered husk truly spoke for the One Eyed One that the crowd of fodder he would someday lead would part in fear ans respect for her. Despite her trick during HIS ritual, if the orc's showed no respect for her, then could she really worthy to lead Gardak to his chosen destiny? Luckily the point was a moot one, and soon the witch lead him far from the camp and into the black swamps where few dared to tread. Gardak had not bothered to try and return to his tent, although the thought of testing the witch with willful disobedience did appeal, for the anticipation of what the Blood Witch spoke of was too alluring.

When she stopped, the hulking warrior did the same, nodding at her command. He had not anticipated such, but after a moments thought it made sense. It was a birth into a new life and level of power that she offered, and one that did not need the clinging trappings of the old. Other than his spear, of course, and to any true Orc that was less a trapping than an extension if his arm and spirit. Quickly and without shame or preamble, Gardak stripped himself completely free of all he had brought with him, standing tall and naked with his spear in his hand in a few short moments. "I stand ready, Witch."

[Assistant]
Pyrusha's black, watery eyes lingered on his warrior's body. Her grin lacked a few teeth, the remaining ones yellowed and jagged. "For one yet unborn, your flesh is strong." She rose, licking her thin lips. The Blood Witch came close, her breath even and slow as she inspected him all around. "Gruumsh," she muttered, "He came to me. Set the seed of you within me. You are his son, yes, his blood, his seed laid in my soil." Nodding, she breathed his scent in deeply near his bared chest. "Already I feel your potency, unborn son."

With a sigh, Pyrusha turned away and gestured toward the dark, stinking waters of the swamp. "Go," she commanded. "Bathe in my earthy water until night comes. Follow my path and my screams to my hut. You will be born to me there."

[User]
Gardak sneered at the witch's wandering eye, the young warrior more than used to the appreciative eyes of orc females despite his age. How many younglings had hidden giggling outside his tent flap, each daring the other to enter and offer their young flesh to him, but none daring?  How many widows had come to him in the night, hoping to please him in thanks for leading their men to a glorious death in the eye of Gruumsh? And while many orc females had tried, none had found Gardak's seed planted deep and powerfully within them. Gardak's passion was for blood and rage, things he knew no female could withstand should he release it upon them.

As the Blood Witch drew close to his chest, Gardak stood tall and strong before her, the muscles of his chest nearly pushing against her with his deep breath. "As you say, Witch." He rumbled low, watching her go before he turned and headed slightly deeper into the swamp. The weather was cold, too cold for many of the swamps denizens to be up and after orc flesh, but Gardak kept his vigilance anyway. He knew not what tricks the Witch might have here, and he would not fail Gruuumsh to some fool beast.

Finding a deep, black pool, Gardak bathed, and as the day was still young he took his time of it, waiting until the night fell and he could detect the Witch's screams to whatever hovel she occupied.

[Assistant]
Shrieks pierced the black skies of the swamp. Birds took to the wing. Beasts cowered in their dens. The orcs huddled in their huts, knowing the Blood Witch's magic hung in the air like sprays of blood. He-Who-Watches oversaw the night. The Cave Mother lingered, her silent service being done.

Hot breath hung under the white stars. Cold, dark water laid still. The trail was laid on the waves of the Blood Witches cries. In her cave, Pyrusha sweated. She panted. She howled. She crouched, her naked skin golden brown in the fire's light. The life waters dripped down her body. He was coming. She screamed again. He was close. She tore at the stony walls, squatting and straining. He was coming to her, a son of Gruumsh. She felt him near. Her door was open for him. His passage was bare. She opened wide for him.

[User]
Gardak grimaced as he drew nearer and nearer to the tent, the sounds emanating were loud and grating on his ears. Not that Gardak did not enjoy the sound of screams, quite the opposite. The large Orc Warleader lived for making those sounds tear from many different types of throats of both genders. In this case though, there was something... wrong about them. No, not wrong. Otherworldly, and despite all of his claims, Gardak was up to this moment a being very grounded in this world.

Reaching the tent, Gardak tore the flap aside and stepped in boldly, the vision before him causing his eyes to widen in shock. "What madness is this? Where is the Blood Witch, and who are you, woman?!" He roared, stepping firmly across the room towards the squatting woman, his hands flexing as his mind considered reaching out to shake his answers from this screaming woman.

[Assistant]
Squatting in the flickering yellow light of the fire, she steadied her breath as she beheld him. Like her, he was naked, sweating and confused as all orcs were when entering or leaving the world. The delirium of the ritual had left her mind shaken, but seeing him forced her to again focus on her duty. She loomed over him, the Cave Mother's magic making her larger, more powerful, more beautiful than when he had last seen her. In the light of the hearth fire, her divine might, her splendor was plain to see.

"I am..." she panted, "The Blood Witch. I am your mother... into this world of the spirits. You must pass through me... experience the womb of the Cave Mother... and when you have come through me... He-Who-Watches will claim you as son."

[User]
Gardak's eyes narrowed upon the Blood Witch as she squatted and screamed, seeking a trick in her words but finding none. Gardak was no genius, even among the Orcs, his skills lay more in the swinging of his spear than anything else. Still Gardak was good at reading the intentions of others, and he could find no semblance of untruth in the female's words. And he would be lying if he said he did not find her form, her new form, appealing. Gleaming golden in the fire's light, she was a tall, strong and perfect vision of an orc female, and he felt himself growing rigid with the thoughts of what was to pass for him to catch the Great One's eye.

And like all acts Gardak performed to catch the attention of his God, there would be no hesitation, no holding back from the Orc warrior. "So be it, Blood Witch! Let the Cave Mother and the One Eyed God witness!" Gardak roared in challenge, striding across the tent quickly, his powerful hands reaching for the golden female. So large and powerful was the female that Gardak knew this would be no simple rutting, but he would not call the attention of Gruumsh before bowing before another. Charging around the female, Gardak lunged at her back, eager to try and put her to all fours and take her in the full light of his God.

[Assistant]
Bellowing in furious outrage, Pyrusha pivoted around. Like a log trap laid across a road, her leg swung around to catch him unawares. Though even a female as powerful as the Blood Witch was forbidden the use of crafted weapons, a tradition of defense using the gifts of Luthic had endured secretly since Gruumsh first set his people in dim caves over the world. To any male, females were ready, easy prey. If a male, whether in unprovoked rage or stupidity, might destroy the life of a female or a child, Luthic blessed select females with the means to protect the weak.

They used their bodies. They used the tools of the hearth. They used a watchful eye. These females were not warriors, as they had no weapons, no shields, no thick armor. Such things were rightfully forbidden. Not even Gruumsh could deny the hearth-keepers their hands, their feet, their skinning knives, their copper shell-crackers. It was this secret training the Blood Witch unleashed on him now to set him beneath her, to lay him on the dusty ground of her hut, to spill him under her womb.

[User] "You dare?!" Gardak roared, taking the Blood Witch's powerful strike directly on his powerful chest, and despite his earthly strength he could not match her divine powers and found himself crashing heavily to the tent floor. Prophetess of a goddess or not, no Orc would strike Gardak without paying a price, and a heavy one at that. Still, this was not battle, or at least not in the traditional sense within which the word was common used. Therefore, Gardak took the strike with only a minor grunt, letting the fall take him to the dusty floor, and instead of trying to right himself, he reached his powerful hands out to the Witch, intent to drag her larger form after him.

[Assistant]
And follow him to the earthen floor of the hut Pyrusha did. The Blood Witch loomed over him, bending at the knees to bring her sex down upon him. She took his muscular arms in her hands, stroking them between her fists as she grunted in appreciation of his form. Her cunt was moist and wide, smothering his loins in her. Had Gardak been a lowly male who had taken his pleasure with horses or other beasts, such a large female would not feel unfamiliar due to her size.

Unlike any orcish female, she laid atop him, taking her pleasure from stroking his manhood between her ample lips. Her breasts, heavy as the biggest of waterskins, swayed and loomed above as she slid her hips against his. "You must know me..." she panted. "Know the strain of my womb... breech me and... know life."

[User]
Gardak grunted loudly as the oversized sex of what had been the Blood Witch overtook his straining cock, the Orc warrior's grip on her wide hips only increasing power at the feeling her plunging into that womb, for the moment the thought of doing this for his God and the powers he deserved was lost in the simply, Orcish need to rut. If this giant priestess wanted to be breeched, indeed if she nearly demanded it, than Gardak, most powerful of all the warriors of his tribe, would show her and any deity brave enough to watch just how wise a choice she had made.

Pulling her downward as she rolled her hips, Gardak wasted no time and limited himself not at all as he pounded upward to meet her, every muscle in his core bunch in time with her motions. Soon the tent was filled with the sound of Orc flesh on flesh, Gardak was neither shy nor quiet about showing the pleasure her cunt brought to him as a sheen of sweat began to form on his skin, only causing their grey-green bodies to come together faster and easier. "Let your womb know the deepest touch of Gardak!" He practically shouted as he buried himself inside of the priestess time and time again.

[Assistant]
The Blood Witch writhed and howled, growing mad with the hot rut. Her meaty hind clenched and wobbled over his loins, and though she cried out in a voice tinged in pain, her womb wept the slick tears of pleasure. Pyrusha grunted and panted, her mouth open and eyes rolling. The transformation of her body began to ebb: in girth and height, she began to shrink, coming closer to him. Her cunt encircled Gardak's cock with building tightness. Without acknowledging the change, she went on bucking, taking her pleasure in a way few female orcs ever could imagine. Their bodies slapped and slipped wildly, each an equally might beast.

"You... are... mighty!" she strained, a sudden clutch of her every muscle biting down on him. Like a man, she met the final rush of the rut; in feral ecstasy, the Blood Witch screamed her carnal frenzy out to echo through the black wilderness beyond.

[User]
The change in the Blood Witch's body was not lost on Gardak at all, and indeed he found himself thrusting hard and more often into the tight recesses of her cunt, his swollen and nearly angry cock taking his own pleasure from her in a way he would not have imagined at all possible earlier that day even when she chose him from the ranks of his brethren. Digging his strong fingers into her still wide hips, Gardak fucked for all he was worth, finding the rut to be every bit of work as a prolonged battle, with the rush of ecstasy coming to him so very similar to that at the end of battle.

As the Blood Witch cried out, it was as if the word mighty was a trigger, for no sooner had the word slipped from her lips than a loud grunting roar burst from Gardak's drooling mouth, and with a final thrust set to lift the shrunken Blood Witch right off the floor of her tent if not clearly off the Orc himself, Gardak exploded inside of her slick walls for the first time.

[Assistant]
In the final strain of the rut, the warrior and the Blood Witch struggled and thrust like animals in mortal grapple. Sweat and fluids sprung from their bodies, the very essences of life boiling up from their bestial union. Through her teeth, Pyrusha seethed and hissed with ebbing intensity, the crashing waves of ecstasy drawing back and leaving the waters calmer. The Blood Witch crouched back, her arms limp as she squatted over him. Her breath came in heavy sighs, each slower and shallower than the last.

Finally, she looked down on him, her gaze assessing him as if for the first time. She said nothing for a moment, allowing him the moment to reclaim his breath and focus again on her.

[User]
Gardak was not quick to recover his breath either, for despite surviving and indeed living for the rigors of battle, this form of straining against and with another was new to him. Still, the orc warrior would not have been the one invited into this Witch's tent, and into the appraisal of his God if he was to weak to properly rut a female and still have the strength and resiliency to do so again, or rise and vanquish a foe. As the heated rage of the rut fled his eyes, Gardak pulled himself roughly from the Blood Witch and stood tall before her, unashamed of his blatant nakedness hanging before her.

"I have done as you wished, and given you that which you required Witch! Now, tell me of the power of Gruumsh, and how it shall be mine!" Gardak demanded, his voice rising to a roar at the name of his God.

[Assistant]
With narrowed eyes and jutting jaw, the Blood Witch Pyrusha rose slowly to meet his gaze. The hag hissed, his insolence making her rut-heated blood seethe. "Child!" she growled. "You have only begun to come into Gruumsh's sight, let alone sit at his fire or know his power. You are yet a babe. You speak no words. You have no teeth. You are bootless and unarmed." As she spoke, her hands wove the invisible threads of Luthic, weaving a binding in which to catch his mind and bind him to humble obedience as he learned the place of the lowly he would soon lord over.

Reaching out with a steady hand, she cast her Geas upon him with her words. "Until the moon rises again, you shall be as my obedient young one. You shall tend my hearth and you shall obey my will."


[User] Morning poured beams of light through the cracks of the blinds. The shower of light poured in through the house and made Ell stir from his slumber. The man gave a slight groan as he woke up to the rather cliché chirping of birds outside of his window. It couldn't be helped---there was a mulberry bush on the side of the house near his window. The bush was a favorite feeding spot for birds. Occasionally the showy blue jay or cardinal would show up and give Ell the simple pleasure of something pretty to watch. "Ashley!" He called out for his pet, his eyes still rather groggy.

[Assistant] A door opened down the hall and the scampering of bare feet can be heard as she raced down the hall to his room. Ashley had woken a mere hour before her master and had contented herself with curling beneath the over-sized blanket she found and watching the sun rise over the window pane. With a book in her hand, she dozed on and off but at Ell's voice calling for her she had flung aside the blanket and ran towards his bedroom, bare legs taking long strides until she stood just outside his door. Taking a deep breath, she quickly adjusted the large maroon t-shirt she had worn as a nightgown, allowing the hem to fold down until the pink stripes of her panties were covered. Brushing her hair back and out of her face, she slipped into the bedroom to stand at the foot of his bed, a small smile curving her lips as he sought for her with barely opened eyes, "master? You called for me?"

[User]
Ell was laying in his bed as usual. The morning came, but his body did not want to move at all. Instead the man stretched out his limbs to their fullest. There was still a dull ache in his body, but that would go away when he got moving and his blood starting to flow once again. Ell rolled himself over to the other side of the bed. He slept in a large bed that was comfortable, but often too lonely for him. One of the benefits was that he could roll over to the other side where both the sheets and the pillow were nice and cool. Ell gave an almost happy purring sound feeling the cold pillow and sheets against his body. His back arched upward and then he laid back down to relax---wanting to soak in more of the coolness. Ell was never much of a fan for heat.

"Damn birds." He muttered as he turned his head towards the window---the chirping of the creatures outside was still going strong. "I would cook you all if you weren't do disease ridden." He muttered as if his voice could reach out to the window and the birds in a way they could understand his annoyance at them. Sadly that was not the case so he could merely just glared his dissatisfaction at being woken up. His attention turned to the door when the pitter patter of bare feet settled upon his ear. It was no doubt Ashley, the girl always woke up before him. He heard her voice, but his eyes weren't quite open yet. It took a few blinks and a rubbing against the back of his and before she came into focus.

"Ashley." He said her name softly, letting it slip past his lips. The girl always bought a smile to his face and cheered up his mood. She was a beautiful and adorable thing. Often he wondered what good deed did he accomplish for the cold universe to grant him such a gift. Ell sat himself up and crawled over to the edge of the bed---his hand raising up so a single finger touched against the leather of the collar around her neck. The collar was tight, but not uncomfortable. The inside was lined with velvet while the outside was smooth pitch black leather. His finger traced over the leather and then the metal embedded into the front of it. The name Ashley was on the front of the collar in large metal letters. The A was large and the rest of the name was written out in a fancy font. Beneath the name was the phrase: Ell's whore. His finger left the collar and touched her cheek---pulling her forward so that he could lay a kiss on her lips.

[Assistant]
With a soft, barely audible sigh, Ashley closed her eyes as her master brushed his fingers across the cool leather of the collar that adorned her neck, her chin lifting with pride to better show off the midnight color graced with the sharp silver of the nameplate. Blue-gray eyes flickered open at his touch upon her cheek and her lips curved into a warm smile mere seconds before they were claimed in a slow sweet kiss. No matter the place of contact or the swiftness of the touch, Ell always found a way to make her heart race and her body quiver with anticipation for more and this time was no different.

With trembling hands she brought them up to caress his cheek gently before winding around his neck, allowing her body to arch hesitantly towards his own with the kindling desire he so easily invoked within her. On another sigh she parted her lips beneath his welcoming him to deepen the kiss, while fingers combed soothingly through his hair, touching each strand delicately and with just as much care and affection as the next. A faint flush dusted her cheeks as she slowly pulled away from his kiss, leaving loving, lingering kisses in its wake as she pulled back to gently nuzzle his cheek, her fingertips grazing the back of his neck.

"Good morning to you too," she teased warmly, her lips constantly pressing affectionate kiss to whatever free patch of skin she can find while her fingers continued to run through his hair. Glancing over discretely to the window where the numerous birds could still be heard singing their songs as they fluttered to and fro she quickly stifled a laugh, Ell was far from a cheery morning person and she could have only imagined the sort of threats he gave to the poor, innocent creatures just outside his window.

[User]
The kiss was sweet and made him smile---Ashley always tasted so delicate and sweet to his lips. Ell loved the taste of her, it was almost as sweet to him as the sight of her blush. Ashley was such a shy and awkward girl in his mind. She was so beautiful and wonderful that Ell often was just simply puzzled at her shyness and insecurity. Both those traits were fun to exploit under the pretense of helping her build more confidence. It fell into the logic of building up a resistance same as exposing a person with peanut allergies to very trace amounts of peanuts. That was at least the pretense he sold his exploitation as, but in all reality he simply enjoyed making her embarrassed. That little kiss and small blush from her was enough to make his morning much better.

"Good morning indeed." He replied to her and let her kiss as much of his skin as she wished each of her kisses were like light touches of flames upon his body making him shiver. He often prefer her it something sexy that he picked out, but that oversized shirt and the cute little panties beneath was a good morning look for her. Ell pulled himself away from her kisses for now. He knew how much she liked his touch. Ashley was a creature of close contact---thriving on touching and being touched. He knew from the first day, but like any good master he knew that she had to earn it. Such rewards shouldn't be given so easily, less their importance be jaded.

"Ashley, so let me see a progress update." He looked down at her---letting his eyes show her exactly where he meant. Ell had forbade her from shaving her womanhood for quite some time now. He found her discomfort and embarrassment to be most delightful. There was also when she had to show off how nasty and hairy it was that her humiliation was much sweeter.

[Assistant]
A small pout formed on Ashley's lips as he pulled from her affections, a stray curl falling from the messy bun she had tossed the caramel locks into upon waking to grace her cheek. She understood it was his way of keeping her from becoming spoiled with his touch and the freedom to kiss and caress on her own, yet she still found it to be rather irritating and with a steadying breath, she gave him a small understanding smile. Her smile vanishes quickly for a small frown to take its place and the blood rushes to her cooling cheeks once more, igniting her flesh in moments.

_Naturally,_ she thought, a grimace of distaste and embarrassment flitting across her features as she hooks her thumbs in the delicate fabric of her pantie line. With reluctance, she slowly pushed her panties from her hips, barely resisting the urge to pull down the hem of her nightshirt to hide the mess. Panties pooled at her feet, Ashley closed her eyes and wordlessly counted to ten, hands clenched tightly at her sides, body trembling with her shame and her blush deep, centering at her cheeks before venturing down the slim column of her throat to disappear beneath the shirt's neckline in a light dusting over her other wise pale flesh.

Ashamed with herself and the situation, she shifted uncomfortably beneath his gaze and, with a trembling hand, brushed her hair from her down-turned eyes, silently praying his inspection would be over soon enough.

[User]
Ell merely watched her as she removed the panties from her hips down to her feet. The soft creeping of that blush across her face was quite sweet. He had forbade her from shaving for nearly a month now so she was fairly hairy down there. It only added to her embarrassment. Ell enjoyed it when his little pet was embarrassed and humiliated. For him there was nothing then sweeter than watching his toy in shame, but Ell was not the kind that put in a situation that would actually hurt her. Despite testing her limits daily, he never pushed it to the point she would be harmed.

Ell had his own way of doing things. Sometimes doing nothing had the biggest reactions. Ell knew how bad that anticipation must have been for her, especially when she was in such a state. So Ell did not take any actions. He merely laid back in bed and stared at her. His deep hazel eyes drank her in with a smile crossing on her lips. Right now he was enjoying himself so much watching her squirm... fidget... and blush. There was simply now way he would let this movement end so easily for her at all.

Ell sat in silence letting her soak in the humiliation while he basked in that delight. He did not say or do anything to her---letting the anticipation... and the anxiety work its magic on his little toy. Ell just sat there and let his eyes drink her in and enjoyed every inch of her that she saw from her caramel locks to her pale skin. The shyness of her expression... every inch of her was delicious for him...

He could just stand there and watch her like this every hour of the day, but such a thing was not possible. Ell at times found himself hard pressed to simply watch. After several minutes of letting her squirm like this he went over to her, scooting over, and laying a soft peck upon the very tip of her nose. A gentle and playful touch of his lips followed with his hands slipping around her waist. The finger splayed out the moment they touched her skin---unable to get enough of her. Ell had still not retracted his earlier order---he wanted to remain still like that while he played and tormented her. The fingers upon spreading out took hold of each of her perky cheeks to hold her rear within his grasp.

[Assistant]
Ashley struggled not to fidget beneath his excruciatingly thorough gaze, every muscle in her body contracting with the tension she felt beneath his scrutiny before releasing to tense up again. His silence, his non-action... this was always the worst part for her, the anxiety always set her on edge making her question everything about herself. _Did he enjoy what he saw? Did he like how willingly she followed his orders? Was her hair okay despite the messy style she had sleepily thrown it into early in the morning as he slept? What was he thinking?_

Questions like these drove her mad during the silence of the moment and with trembling hands she clenched them at her sides to stop herself from fixing her hair and pulling down the hem of her maroon shirt to cover herself, yet the desire to do so still remained. Although she caught the small smile his lips curved into, her mind still raced with worry, the stress weighing heavily on her shoulders causing her to struggle all the harder to remain where she stood and not seek the comfort and reassurance she knew she could find in his arms if only he let her. Biting her lip roughly, the young woman took a deep steadying breath and watched her master carefully, her heart hammering in her slim chest as he approached.

Out of instinct rather than true reaction to the force of his playful kiss, she wrinkled her nose at him, her eyes closing as the stress and anxiety of the moment was forgotten for just a little bit at the first touch of his hands upon her flesh. Taking slow, deep breathes to calm herself and the loud thundering of her heart she worried he'd be able to hear in the otherwise still silent room. Slowly, she opened her eyes as his fingers splayed across her, cupping her rear which in turn earned him a quick, surprised inhale followed by a hiss of breath between her teeth.

Ashley knew her master's expectations, he had not given her permission to move freely and, despite his wandering touch, she was compelled to remain as she was, obediently awaiting for any word or signal that would allow her to open her arms for him yet not expecting one to come for a while yet.

[User]
Ell gave her no response or anything that would of answered the many questions racing through her minds and he did it on purpose. He gave her nothing to gauge his reaction---oh how he saw the questions rolling in her mind. He knew it and there was nothing like letting her torment herself a bit. She was so insecure and shy despite being such a beautiful and wonderful girl that it baffled him. Ell was always mischievous like that---always finding a little weakness and exploiting I to the fullest of his ability. Right now watching her squirm beneath his gaze was enough to tell him that he was doing a good job.

She loved to touch and hug. She was an affectionate person. Taking away her ability to wrap her arms around him was good way to keep her disciplined. "My you have gotten quite hairy down there. Perhaps I should shave you soon." His eyes dipped down her body to her unkempt womanhood---the pupils drank in the curly locks and the bright pink hiding beneath them. "It must be very uncomfortable... I bet your panties can barely hold it in." His words were simple, but chosen to incite her. He knew she was embarrassed by her unshaved sex and he drew more attention to it---the pink shades of her cheeks are what he was aiming for.

His hands rubbed her rear end and then drew forward. The fingers now upon her thigh---going up and down. He was letting her feel him touch her without letting her do anything in returned. The fingers dipped forward between her thighs. The tips of them brushed against her sex- stroking just the outer lips of her entrance. "You look like you have something to say Ashley. Say it?"

[Assistant]
Closing her eyes, Ashley felt the need to cover herself increase with each word that fell from his lips. She knew he did it just to get a rise from her, to make the ever ready blush burn her cheeks with her shame and her body tremble with the tension this always brought to her, yet she continued to allow herself to be exploited in such away and completely humiliated time and time again. It was what she was slowly growing used to with Ell, although the embarrassment still remained she had already accepted his enjoyment of her humiliation. After all there were far worse pleasures he could partake in, at least with her shame all that would be damaged was her wounded pride.

So lost in thought as she was, she nearly completely missed his words until the mention of a clean shave carried to her. Bluish, gray eyes opened eagerly at the thought and she gently bit her lip, her body's trembles now the result of more than just her humiliation, and watched his movements through partly opened eyes, glazed slightly with a slow building need he incited by his gentle touches. Feeling his hands upon her body yet unable to returns the caresses, unable to hold him to her, it was the worst torture for her.

"Master," she spoke softly, her voice husky with the growing need that left her slick and hot to the touch and breathless from each brush of his fingers against her sensitive skin, "please let me touch you." Her request was simple yet for someone in her position, desperate to return each stroke of fingers and lips, it meant the world to her.


[User] Jaxien was out scavenging, something he did rather well. The small settlement nearby had supplied him with information about this place, they all seemed a little too timid to check it out themselves, stating that it was too risky. One had to wonder how their small village survived, but it worked in his favor. It was hard to find places that hadn't been picked clean, these days, and he would take any opportunity he could get. The rumors of dangerous wildlife in the area was hardly deterring. A pack of raiders, perhaps, but if any lived around here, the small settlement would have been overrun or simply destroyed by now.

[Assistant]
Styx couldn't take it anymore. It had been so long since he'd seen food and the scarce water he'd found was disgusting. Damn, he couldn't even remember the last time he saw another human being. Going out on his own wasn't a good idea, but he really had no choice. The other two people her traveled with died. One got eaten by some... creature and the other kills himself. He thought about doing the same several times but he wouldn't allow it.

He had to get through this he trudged through the barren desert, nearly collapsing in on himself. His stomach was growling and he felt like his head was going to explode. For a minute, he thought there was no hope for him. And then, in the distance, he saw something. It had the outline of a human; or at least he hoped it did. He could be seeing things. Whatever it was, it was his last hope.

"Hey!" He shouted as best he could, his throat and mouth almost completely dried up. He tried to run to whatever it was but only made it a few steps before he collapsed into the sand. "Help me! Please!" He shouted, coughing as sand blew into his mouth. He tried to get up, stumbling a little but he managed to get to his feet. "Please...," he mumbled, dragging his feet through the sand heavily as he tried to reach the person. He was relieved that the closer he got, the more the figure resembled a human; and a normal one at that. Not something mutated.

[User]
Jaxien jerked when he heard the voice, instinctively reaching for his weapon. He'd pulled it out and had it pointed towards the possible threat before he had time to think. Luckily for Styx, however, he wasn't the type to shoot first and ask questions later, ammo, in this barren world, was far too precious to waste on something that wasn't a direct threat. And a man half-dead collapsed in the sand was hardly a threat. Slowly, he re-holstered his weapon and moved cautiously forward. If there was anything else around here, it would have heard the shout as well, and would be heading towards the source.

A shuffling not too far off had him pulling out his weapon again, and a low growl had his suspicions confirmed. This was turning out to be quite fortuitous for him, he'd been paranoid the whole time he was here that the 'beast' the locals were so afraid of may have been stalking him, but now he could use this poor idiot as bait. He moved behind a piece of rubble for shelter, watching and waiting. A snarl indicated the animal's pounce, and a moment later a shot went off, perfectly aimed to go through the beasts head.

As the animal collapsed on the ground, he grinned widely. Bringing this thing back to the settlement would likely get him rewarded by the townsfolk, not to mention, he would probably eat for a while. Slowly he moved over, kicking the beast to make sure it was dead before looking to the man he had used as bait, though perhaps it would seem as if he'd saved his life intentionally.

[Assistant]
Styx flinched back when he saw the man pull out a gun, closing his eyes quickly. If he was going to get shot he didn't want to see it happen. But when he didn't hear a gun shot he slowly opened his eyes, looking over at the man. He was putting his gun away now, obviously seeing that he wasn't a threat. He let out a sigh of relief and put a hand up in the air, waving to the man. "Please! I need help!" He shouted again, making sure the other knew he was in trouble. He started to walk towards the stranger again, wrapping an arm around his torso as his stomach growled. He winced but continued walking. This man was his last hope. He knew that if he didn't help him, there was absolutely no chance that he'd come across anyone else. Hell, coming across one person in a day was rare, let alone two. He had to get this man to help him no matter what. He'd offer him anything he wanted; not that he had much to give. All he had was an empty gun, the clothes on his back, and his body. Little did he know that his body was the thing he'd be giving up.

Styx stopped walking when he saw the man run behind a piece of rubber and hide. He blinked, confused as to what the man was doing. He hadn't heard the growling, his malnourished body not up to speed. "Wait... what are you doing?" He asked, though it was more to himself. "I'm not a threat, I promise!" If he had known there was some beast behind him he would have run as well, but he was completely oblivious. It wasn't until he heard a snarl behind him that his eyes went wide. He whipped around, stumbling back and falling to the ground as he saw something jump out at him. He screamed and covered his face with his arms, having no way to protect himself. If he had bullets in his gun he would have at least tried to shoot it but he'd run out of ammo the last time he came in contact with a beast. When the attack from the beast never came he slowly pulled his arms down from his face, seeing it collapsed in the sand, able to see where the bullet went through its skull. He scooted away from it, his heart pounding in his chest.

When the stranger walked over and made sure it was dead he looked up at him. He quickly got to his feet, dusting the sand off of his clothes. He bowed to the man a little, feeling like he should treat him like royalty after that. This man saved his life! "Thank you so much," he said, smiling at the other a little, "you saved my life. How can I repay you?" He wouldn't feel right if he didn't give this man something in return. He almost would feel guilty if he asked for food, water, and shelter from him as well. But he knew that if he didn't, he would die out here and the man's efforts to save his life would go to waste. "I... do you life in a settlement out here? I know you just saved my life but... I haven't eaten in days and I'm out of water. The people I was traveling with died and I have nowhere to go. I know I'm asking a lot since you saved my life but... I'll do anything. Please. I don't have much to offer but I'll give you everything I have. I just need somewhere to stay. I don't want to die out here."

[User]
Jaxien continued to stare at the man, silent, for a good few minutes, allowing him to finish and then some. "Anything, huh?" He gave a low laugh, "I would go making offers like that around here, someone might just take you up on it." He was in a good mood, now, which was the main cause for not killing the whelp right then and there. When he pulled out his knife, it wasn't intended for the other. He crouched beside the beast, quickly and efficiently cutting off it's head, not bothered in the least by the blood that spilled all over his hands.

The task done, he returned his attention to the other, looking him over in silence for a good few moments. It would be obvious in his eyes that Styx wasn't dealing with someone on very good terms with morals. He had only saved him from the beast because it was most vulnerable while it was on the prowl, if he'd let it kill the other, it would have become wary of other predators in the area as it ate. "I don't do shit for free." His head cocked lightly to the side. "Doesn't look like you've got to barter with, so just how desperate are you?"

[Assistant]
Styx stared at the man, starting to feel weak again now that the adrenaline was out of his system from seeing that beast. "That's the point. I'm not just saying it. Please, I really do need your help. And I really will give you anything. Just please... I don't know how much longer I'll last out here," he said, running a hand through his long brown hair. He watched the stranger bend down to the beast and pull out a knife. His stomach clenched and flipped as he cut the head off. He might have been starving but after seeing that he wasn't sure he could eat... he quickly looked away, covering his mouth with his hand. Killing it was one thing but cutting off its head was disgusting to say the least. His hands were covered in its blood now and he wasn't sure how the man was unfazed by that.

"O-Of course not," he said, slowly lowering his hand. Styx swallowed, though his mouth was too dry to get anything. He hated how the man could tell that he didn't have anything to him. He had nothing to offer the other except for himself. "How desperate?" He wasn't sure how to express how desperate he was. He was desperate enough to give up anything. "I'll give you anything, please. I mean... all I have is an empty gun and the clothes on my back but... you can use me if you want. I could hunt for you! I'll do anything you ask. I don't care what it is. Just please don't let me die out here. Please."

[User]
"Use you, huh?" Jaxien laughed, the sound none too friendly. He might just do that, though not in the way the man was expecting. He pulled off his backpack, rifling through it for a moment before tossing over a flask. "Don't drink it too fast or you'll just throw it back up, and if you waste so much as a drop of that I won't be inclined to help you anymore." The flask contained water, of course, likely enough for a few days worth of travel when rationed.

He crouched beside the beast again, rolling it over. There was no sense letting it's meat go to waste, so he quickly went about butchering the animal, an act which, unfortunately for Styx, began with removing the guts and organs. He moved with a practiced efficiency that indicated this was how he got most of his food.

[Assistant]
Styx caught the flask gratefully, his fingers clenching tightly around it. He didn't want to drink it all but he was certainly going to have some. "Thank you so much," he said quickly, twisting the cap open, "I won't waste it. I swear." Once it was open he brought it up to his lips, taking a sip. He made sure to drink it slowly like the other said, knowing that if he threw up he'd be in worse shape than he was now. He took a small sip and licked his lips, already feeling slightly better. He was still dehydrated, of course, but at least his mouth wasn't so dry. He took another small sip, looking over to his savior. He flinched and quickly looked away again when he saw the guts of the beast spill out onto the sand. He could never do that stuff... Nate, the one who'd killed himself, had always been the one to kill the beasts for food.

"So... um..." he mumbled, able to hear the knife cutting through the beast, "how... how can I repay you? I owe you my life... what is it exactly you want from me?" Styx at least wanted to know what he was getting himself into. He took another sip of the water before he closed it, not wanting to have too much. After all, it wasn't his to drink. He wasn't about to take advantage of the other's generosity. "I'm Styx, by the way. What's your name?"

[User]
Jaxien looked up at him for a moment, pausing in his work. He could tell the man was disturbed by the sight of the animal, he couldn't help but see him as soft, someone who, by rights, shouldn't still be alive in a place like this. Much like the settlers not too far off. They'd probably get along. "I'll think of something." A lie, of course, he already knew what he intended to do with the man, but he was busy, at the moment, and hungry himself. He couldn't be bothered with a chase if the man decided to try and leg it, nor was he particularly interested in having him pass out from exhaustion half way through. He'd done many things to prone or dead bodies, but fucking them wasn't one of them.

"Jaxien. Don't worry about drinking too much, there's a water supply not too far from here, I can just fill it up again later." Another factor in him being so willing to give up even a drop of it. Being wasteful of anything in this place, however, was a personal hate of his. Perhaps why he had become a cannibal.

[Assistant]
Styx made a face when the other didn't give him a straight answer, letting out a sigh. He drummed his fingers against the flask, not sure what to do with himself. He never thought he'd actually come across someone, let alone someone willing to help him. It had been so long since he'd seen another human being that communication was a bit awkward for him. He'd get used to it again soon enough but he was on the verge of insanity just a few moments ago so he needed a little time to adjust. "Alright," he said, looking down at his boots. Styx didn't like to be considered 'soft' or 'weak' because he really wasn't. Well, in some ways he was, like with the whole dissection of things. But he could hold his own. He'd survived quite a while on his own, after all. And he had killed the few things he had come across and ate them. But it wasn't much. He'd just prefer not to see it.

"It's nice to meet you," Styx said, unscrewing the cap almost immediately when he heard there was a water supply somewhere nearby, "thank you again." He took another sip of the water, trying his hardest not to chug it. Every part of him wanted to guzzle the water since he was so thirsty but he knew he couldn't. And this Jaxien guy... he had a feeling he wouldn't be all that nice if he did end up throwing it up. He'd rather not feel his wrath.

[User]
Jaxien gave a light grunt in return, he wasn't one for pleasantries. Most of his encounters either involved drug, sex, money or murder. And while, yes, this was technically one of those, it didn't mean both parties knew that yet. Though, just because he wasn't going to let the other in on that, yet, it didn't mean he'd be polite. Fuck that. He skinned the beast, before starting to cut off meat in thick chunks. Once he'd got everything edible, he wrapped most of it up in the skin.

"Follow me." He looked around, checking the direction the beast had come from. It likely had a den, here, and it could be used as a shelter for the night. He'd head off, finding a path the beast had used quite easily and following it back. He dumped the meat in the corner, ignoring the undoubtedly human bones piled up in one corner. No wonder the settlers were afraid of this place, that was probably one of theirs. He got some rubble from outside the 'den,' covering the wrapped up meat in an attempt to disguise the scent. If there were any other animals ballsy enough to come here, the smell of blood would attract them in droves.

He also set up a pile of wood near the entrance, starting a fire on which to cook the meat he had left out of the bundle. All of this was done calmly, as if it was just another day. And, really, it was.

[Assistant]
Styx didn't bother speaking after Jaxien grunted in response to him. He figured it was useless. He wasn't sure if it was because he wasn't saying the right things or if Jaxien just wasn't a nice person. It could have been a little bit of both, but he thought he'd been doing fine. He kind of felt like it was the latter. But who was he to say that? There had to be some sliver of good in him. After all, he had saved is life. Sure, Jaxien wanted something in return, but he was entitled to that. He didn't have to be some saint and expect nothing in return. Hell, Styx wasn't even sure anyone like that even existed anymore. Not in the barren world. If he saved someone he'd expect something in return as well. Survival depend on that kind of stuff. There wasn't much left in the world and what was left was scarce.

Styx turned his head to Jaxien when he said to follow, nodding his head a little. He followed the man, though he was a little concerned with where he was going. Why would he go where the beast came from? If there was one there would be more, wouldn't there? He didn't question him, though. He was sure the other knew what he was doing better than Styx did. When they got there he noticed the bones first. He shivered a little and kicked them out of the den. He wouldn't feel comfortable sleeping next to them. He had some more water and sat down, watching as the other got a fire ready. "Do you need help?"

[User]
Jaxien looked up at the other, considering. He may as well make use of the other while he was still in the mood to be useful. "Go outside and find some stuff to build a wall up for the night, make sure you leave a hole for the smoke." Didn't need them to suffocate, after all, but it would be good to have a make-shift barricade up while he slept. It might not keep things out, but it'd slow them down enough, and make them cause enough noise for him to be awake and ready before they got to him.

He'd start the fire, stoking it until it was well aflame before starting to cook the meat. He'd keep an eye on Styx, offering a piece of advice here and there, survival tips he'd learned over the course of his life, each one of them undoubtedly contributing to him being alive at that moment.

[Assistant]
Styx was glad to hear he could at least help do something. He felt less useless that way. "Okay. I'll be right back," he said, getting up from where he'd been sitting. He took one last sip of the flask before he closed it and set it down. He left the den and went to look for things to make a barricade like rocks and pieces of metal sticking out of the ground. He'd bring a few things back and then go out for more. Once he felt like there was enough he went inside the den and started to build up the wall. It wasn't the best looking but it would do a good job of sheltering them and making a lot of noise of something tried to get in. He'd put up some of the bigger pieces of metal on the outside so it would make a lot more noise when something tried to get in.

Once he was done he turned around, glad to see food cooking. "I hope that's okay. It's not the best but it should get the job done," he said, glancing back at the wall to make sure everything was secure. "When will the food be ready? Not to rush you or anything. I just haven't eaten in so long," he quickly defended himself, not wanting to make Jaxien angry or something.

[User] By the time Styx was finished, Jaxien would be close to done as well. He looked up at the question, still in too much of a good mood to be bothered by it. "Almost done." It'd only be a few more minutes before he'd pull the meat off the fire, carving out a fair slab before handing it over to Styx. He'd sit down, grinning widely and starting to tear into his own. Obviously no concept of 'table manners.' He'd finish it off fairly quickly, moving to sit in a corner and watch the other, waiting for him to finish. Now that the 'pleasantries' were over, he was getting anxious to start... other things. His stare, while he managed to keep most of his intent out of his eyes, would undoubtedly be disturbing.

[Assistant] Styx thanked the other when he was given the meat, staring at it hungrily. He quickly started to eat his as well, not even noticing Jaxien being sloppy since he was doing the same. He tried not to eat too fast, knowing he'd throw up if he did. But he did eat as fast as his body would allow him. It felt so good to have food in his stomach. It was kind of gross that he was eating from some beast he wasn't sure of but it was better than starving. Once he was done he wiped his mouth off with the back of his arm and looked over at Jaxien. He flinched back when he saw how the man was staring at him, shivering under his gaze. "Um... thank you for the food. It was really good," he said, feeling rather awkward with the way Jaxien was staring at him.

[User] Jaxien grinned, shifting a little. "You know, I thought of how you can pay me back." He gave a low chuckle, giving him a cold, hungry smile. "It'd save me quite a lot of trouble and resources not to have to hire a whore." He moved closer, eyes almost daring him to try and get away. "We can do this the easy way, or the hard way, but in either case, don't think it's not going to happen. You owe me, after all." His eyes showed no hint of compassion or mercy, he was most definitely not a good man.

[Assistant] Styx didn't like where this was going. That grin was a little more than frightening... he felt like Jaxien's prey. "Oh... really? That's great! Haha... I was starting to feel bad not paying you back and all..." he said, swallowing when he saw that smile. This wasn't good. What did he want? His organs? His blood? What? At first he didn't register what the other said, too afraid to really process it. But after a few seconds his eyes went wide. Whore?! Shit, this was bad... what exactly had he gotten himself into? He shrunk back as Jaxien got closer, his pupils dilating. It never even crossed his mind that he could be used as a sex slave... what did he want with him, anyway! He was a guy. Didn't Jaxien know that? Sure, he had longer hair but he was obviously male... "Are... are you sure that's what you want?" He asked quickly, trying to scoot away a little. "I mean, you're a good-looking guy. I'm sure there are plenty of girls who would be interested in you. I'm nothing special. Really," he said, though he kind of knew he wasn't getting out of this. He did owe the other... he just hadn't been expecting this.

[User] Jaxien laughed, moving even closer, "Girls get pregnant." Obviously not something he wanted, nor was it something he wanted to be bothered thinking about. "I don't care if you're special or not, it's just a fuck, after all." He stopped, just within reaching distance of the other. "Now, are you going to behave, or do I have to pin you down?" There were definitely pros to behaving, being stretched, for one. But if he had to, he would just beat the other into submission and just take what he wanted, regardless of his likely virgin hole. He almost hoped the other would struggle, the fear in his eyes was delicious. "Decide quickly, I'm getting impatient."

[Assistant] Styx swallowed, suddenly very, very afraid of his savoir. This wasn't what he pictured at all... anything would have been better than this. He wanted to run but at the same time, he didn't. Partially because his conscience wouldn't let him, and partially because he knew Jaxien would catch him. And he was sure that if he had to be chased, things would be much worse. He wasn't sure what to do. Was he just supposed to spread his legs and let the other do as he pleased? He was sure that was what Jaxien had in mind but it certainly wasn't what he had in mind. He glanced around quickly, looking to the wall he'd built up. He suddenly felt like he was told to do that as a trap. Even if he did run, Jaxien would have him before he could even make a big enough hole to get out. He looked back to Jaxien, nodding his head just a little to let the other know he'd cooperate. He wouldn't like it and would probably struggle quite a bit, but he wasn't going to out-right defy him. He knew better than that.