The rabbit sat in the middle of her small vegetable garden. She hadn’t slept all night and the sun was coming up. Her Master was dozing on the couch; he hardly ever slept but even this wasn’t something he was used to. She had left the door open, so not to worry him and allowed the cool breeze to blow into the house and swirl with the stale air inside. It was refreshing outside, and for some reason, she felt collected and calm sitting amongst her vines and vegetables.

She glanced thankfully at the tight leather bound journal she held in her paws and nodded to herself as she finally decided to put her thoughts on paper. It was a way for her and Gwidian to connect; Master to kajira. She let it all out on paper and he read over it, learning about her with each word. He was right; sometimes things are just easy to say on paper and she had proven to be one of those that did a better job explaining herself when she let it all out through a quill.

She opened the cover, looking over the previous words and turned the page to a blank sheet. It reminded her of herself…and her former friend. A new start. A blank page. With the first dot of black ink, Helima wrote.

Submission is a funny thing. The moments before you fall to your knees and raise your wrists to your Master you are Free. You can discuss the rules and regulations of enslavement. You can say why you are submitting; love, fear. You can ask them to promise you the world. But when you raise your wrists to him, all of that is gone. When a kajira submits, she understands that she is nothing but her Master’s property. It doesn’t matter what he said before; it doesn’t matter what he promised you. When you become his, he doesn’t have to hold to anything that he said before for he is the Master and you are the slave. A true kajira understands this; she does the will of her Master always…eve if that means to leave him and be sold to another. A kajira doesn’t have time to feel sorry for herself, to weep because her Master does not love her or want her. As a slave, she is not entitled to those selfish feelings.

In a way I believe a Free woman giving up her freedom to be in the collar of her Master is more intense than a bred girl. Bred slaves are born and trained to be perfect. A Free Woman may not do everything perfectly, but when she submits, she does so from the bottom of her heart. She is scared, alone, terrified of what she has done…because, after all, a true submission can never be undone. It takes a strong woman to swallow her pride everyday to crawl to her knees, to trust someone else with her life and well being every moment.

I have held a collar before for two people that I cared very much about; a sweet girl that adorned furs because I told her too. A soft spoken rabbit that tried to help me from walking this path of slavery by taking freedom of her own, even though she didn’t want it. My Master wore my collar for a short time to prove to me that he would; as a way of showing me that it did, indeed, need to be the other way around.

I have been captured and trained as a kajira, fallen in love, and been freed to live the life of a free woman without bones and furs. I have had my freedom jerked from me, been whipped by the man I loved, had my heart broken, been rescued, and been confused and lost. I tried to whip the love of out the one I cared deeply for. I have eaten the heart of sleens and sat trembling in cages.

When I originally came to Gwidian, it was because I was scared. I had been drug from my home kicking and screaming, broken hearted and angry, and humiliated in the middle of the city by strangers. I was taken, raped against my will, shocked, whipped, and pushed to the brink of loosing all sanity.

I have had a rough ride. But, I am stronger for it. It has made me who I am.

I can’t get those words out of my head…the simple statement from my best friend

”I am Ameidath now. You killed Ada..” It felt like an arrow through the heart.

“So that I can be passed around like a used shoe? A boot for someone's amusement? I am better than that and so are you. I would never want that for you and if him not loving you turned you into a man hating she-sleen, I would understand because I would not want my sister to live in a collar without love.”

She never submitted. Slavery cannot have terms on it like this. The words that she spoke to me by the camp fire were never real, and I have come to accept that.

As much as that hurts, what hurts more is that both of those women could honestly look me in the face and tell me that I didn’t ‘understand’…that I could have ‘no idea how she felt’ when I stood before them a branded slave from a man I left the tribe for…a man that I loved and that whipped me until I cried, looked me in the eyes and told me he didn’t love me before slapping a common girls collar around my neck with the intentions of selling me off to some random Master. They never took me seriously; I and everything I have been through has been diminished to ‘you could never understand’. Strahl had been following me around before I even submitted, untrusting before I did anything. And now, this.

She'd asked him if she could kennel like she had heard other girls ask their Masters a thousand times before. He did not have slave beds in his room or mats for his other girls. From what she knew, it was not typical for slaves to sleep in the bed with their masters, unless they were in use. That left her looking for the 'kennels'.

 

While she wandered looking for kennels, her mind raced. She tried to remember what kenu told her about a good master. A good master knows his girl better than she knows herself. He will know every inch of her body, every fascet of her. A good master takes care of his girl, knowing her wants and needs. She hoped he was a good master, she knew he loved her but was that enough to make a good master?  

Her heart was heavy as she wandered in what she felt was circles. Her first night as a slave and she was wandering, alone, to go to a 'kennel'. He could not be every where at once, she told herself. I guess taking the third girl to the kennel for the first time is not something I should have expected, she thought. Nor, should I have expected to have been in his arms. She was his property, things would be at his pace and his leisure, not hers. 

 

She was frustrated that she was roaming the city streets alone. She did not have slave papers, anyone could claim her, anyone could do anything to her. She felt disheartened, slightly sickened at that thought. Desperation was wearing on her and at just the moment when she was going to ask someone where the kennels were. She spied the other girl, she exhaled in relief.

Finally finding another girl that looked as sleepy as she felt, she followed her quietly. Luckily, it seemed that the girl was going to the City Kennels as well.

She reached them and sighed deeply, looking around. They were as expected; rows of cages. Most without a fur, or pillow. She wandered down them to see if she could find one that had either and with a heavy sigh, she found that she could not. She opened a cage and stared at it for a long time.

Her eyes filled with hot, stinging tears and every fiber in her being cried out for her to run. Her muscles tensed as she stood there with the door to that cage open. Tentatively, her paw reached up and touched the collar. She had made this choice because she loved him. She had given up her sisters, her furs, her bow, the open sky.......for this: an empty cage that did not even look big enough to fit her. Her face twisted up at the size of the cage; she would be in tightly curled ball. That was for certain.

She swallowed harshly at the lump in her throat, uncertain if she could do this. What am I thinking?, she thought. She now, truly, was just another pretty face on a chain. Another slut on her knees. She pawed at her face, trying to wipe the the tears from her muzzle. She had promised to try. Her body trembled as she finally moved and tried to squeeze her large frame into the small cage. 

She coiled around herself tightly; it was alright she told herself. She was cold after all. She had willingly given over her furs, and wolf hide cloak. She had been shivering and was trying not to notice the chill.

The saber curled up and buried her head in her fur, trying not to cry, trying to accept her choice. She closed the cage door on herself. A wave of panic rolled over her; she was confined in a kennel too small for her, the sides all around her. No sky, no stars, the only smell...the city. She began to sob, her heart pounding in her ears, the lump in her throat. She could not breathe. A knot in her stomach, twisting like a dagger. She gasped through her sobbing for air, trying desperately to calm herself down.

"Quiet down!", a harsh whisper came from the kennel across from hers. "No one wants to hear your crying!" Ada looked up to see the scowl of another kajira across from her looking irritated and sleepy. She didn't even have friends here.

 She laid her head against the wall of the cage, tears falling down her cheeks until finally exhaustion claimed her.

 

A dim fire flamed in the open plains before the western Taluna camp and Adaira trudged onward holding her traveling pack. The small camp could be only one of two things; Taluna…or men hunting them. Both would be good to know. 

The shadows cast on the ground ahead of her and she smiled, seeing the small black rabbit staring into the fire, ears flattened and deep in though. The saber snapped on a twig and the bunny leapt up, naked and fierce grabbing the whip from its spot on the ground. She peered into the darkness and her face relaxed into a smile, stumbling towards her on wobbly legs. She collapsed into her arms and hugged her tight, like a man lost at sea to a floating log. “You’re free!!”, Kenu whispered into the woman’s side.

Adaira collected her sister and dropped to her knees and hugging her back just as tight. Tears rolled down her cheeks and she tucked her muzzle into the woman’s neck.“I am sorry, sister, that I did not come for you sooner. I am so happy you are not there any more."

Kenu flattened her ears against her curls. “I love you. We are safe” She pulled back and looked up into her blue eyes. “How did you get away?”

Adaira sucked in a deep breath, as if allowing her mind to function once again, rethinking the previous day in her mind. "Row attacked Wraith while he was trying break me.” She chuckled softly. “He kept getting ‘disturbed’. Row pounded on the door yelling that he knew that Wraith had freed you and stabbed himself. Iluna told the warriors about his actions, I guess the new soldiers told Row. The two men fought and Rowyin’s brother was there….I think his name is Balin or something like that….”She stops for a moment, her eyes shifting off in the distance as if searching for movement, the light from the fire reflecting eerily in the sabers eyes.

Kenu watched her scanning the horizon and nodded quietly, bringing her friend to the fire and sitting her down. The bunny was still in the buff with her little Taluna bands around her arms and legs, and she wrapped two large furs around the two of them, cuddling close to the saber and looking up at her with questioning eyes for the remainder of the story.

Seeing nothing, the saber continued. “Then they fought and Wraith was killed. I was taken to the city and tossed into a cage there. A few hidden sisters came to get me, with assistance, though it was not difficult for them. Row did not want to keep me and when I was freed I ran back to camp. One them gave me some salve and I rubbed it on, then waited until it started to get dark. Then I ran here.” She stated plainly, taking in another deep breath stretching her aching muscles. “I tried not to think while I ran, I just ran.”

Tears welled in the big cats eyes again and she sighed looking at the rabbit. “The only reason I knew….”, she stammered,”I knew about what was happening to you because of Neero. She disguised herself so we would know what was happening to you." The saber inched closer to the fire, without thinking, trying to warm the chills from her fur. She pulled the furs tighter around her body and snuggled close to the black rabbit.

Kenu sighed, resting her head against the sabers as her jade green eyes watched the flames lick the sky. Her gaze went distant as she watched, the memories flooding back into her. She whispered quietly, “It would have gotten worse if I would have stayed....I was loosing my mind for a bit there.” She bit her lip, her private places still burning from the torture. “I even got hit a few times with the slave goad.” Her voice was far away and she shook her head seeming to come back to the fire.

The sabers eyes narrowed in response, rage burning within their depths. "I am sorry sister that they hurt you in that manner. Was it same one, the one with the slave goad, that did…the ‘other’?” Her voice became hesitant, soft at the end. “I promise you; I will make him pay... I know what he did.” She makes a point not to mention the actual word ‘rape’ aloud. “….and I will crush him beneath my paws. He will grovel and beg for mercy."

Kenu sighed and shook her head, as if ripping the memory of the cheering townspeople, the hovering form of Rowyin as the stranger took her bound to the whipping post. “Gwidian is here,” she blurted out. “He went to hunt and bring back dinner. He should be back soon... “ Just saying his name seemed to make the rabbit feel better. She shifted her body, tense and shaking, to the saber taking note of her cold fur and smiled up at her. “We'll be okay....I convinced the Slaver that Gwidian was an Initiate Assassin and that any who crossed us would be smited by the Priest Kings themselves.” She rabbit chucked, the sound like faint bells on the air.

“We will be safe here.”, the saber repeated. "Gwidian is out there!" Adaira laughed softly, considering her friend’s words. “So you told them that Gwidian was some initiate assassin guy? That explains why they wanted ‘five sisters names. “

Kenu grinned at the woman’s quick wit. “I don't know his name...the slaver was the one who goaded me, but the one who...” Her voice trails off a bit as she looked back to the flames. “He was a grey wolf..or fox. I don't know his name. He was dressed like Rowyin. I think he may have been part of his crew.” She thought for a moment before continuing. “I can't blame the slaver for what he did; he was just doing his job. The one who hurt me the most was Rowyin.” She shuttered, her muzzle taking on a deep scowl. “He could have stopped them at any moment. By the time it was all done, it was obvious that I am nothing to him.” She shook her head, looking up to the cat. “He didn't even touch me...no words of comfort. No....nothing.” She shifted her gaze up to the stars. “They'll keep coming… again....and again...and again. Wraith will never stop coming for you....”

Ada looked up to the stars with her, her eyes growing very dark as she listend to the description of the man. Her expression then slowly begins to change, compassion creeping up on her face "Yes, Kenu, you are correct but I have to return; I have unfinished business. Yes, they will be relentless but I have never thought that what would wait us would be pleasant. I have tried to make the most of what time I had…to enjoy it….to enjoy the freedom of it." She shook her head ruefully. “Row wants you sister. He will hunt you and come for you as well. His greed for you made him kill another man."

Kenu shivered a bit, looking back to the cat. “That's crazy....” A long silence hangs in the air and she cocks her head slightly looking at the woman. “Would you have submitted to Wraith?”

Adaira’s muzzle contorted into a deep frown. “Perhaps….if it continued. It’s hard to tell what one will do in those circumstances. He was reaching me more than I wished for him to. I will need to be much more cautious to avoid him in the future." She rubbed Kenu’s arms to help warm and comfort her, wiggling her toes to test out her newly healed foot.

With a heavy sigh, the rabbit said flatly,”I'm going to release Gwidian from his collar and submit to him.” She continued, not giving the saber a chance to speak. ”I can't do that again, and its only a matter of time before I get captured and it happens all over. I am making Gwidian and myself unsafe by allowing this ruse to continue, and I know that my life will be forfeit if I fall into Rowyin's hands. He turnned out to be a vicious pirate, after all. Gwidian will protect me and take care of me, and I do believe that I won’t have to be someone else to be truly his.” She continued, “I asked you about Wraith because if you were going to submit to him...I thought we might go together. I don't want to be alone....not again.”

Adaira looked like she had just been punched in the stomach and after a moment of shock she then furrowed her brow as if in deep thought. As if deciding something, the saber shrugged softly. "I don’t know what to say; it shocks me but I understand the logic of it. Gwidian would protect you and never let that happen to you again." She sighs before continuing. "You know I care for him more than I want to admit, but I am terribly frightened of the collar." Tears welled in the woman’s eyes. "I know, I know…it is a stupid thing to fear a metal band, but it is what killed ‘her’….to give in to Wraith willingly would be like saying it is alright for that to happen. How could he value me if I dropped at his knees?” She shook her head. “Gwidian already earned you. He has been patient and waiting.” She winked at the rabbit with a chuckle. “A strange quality in a male. And yes, he will allow you to make wine and I do not want to be without you either…. but I do not think Wraith will allow me to be on my own, at least not for long."

Kenu grinned. “But I wouldn't be on my own ‘making wine’ in the city. He could come back to the city with me and be my Master. And you could be Wraith's girl...and we'll all live in the city together...” She looked at her with hopeful eyes. “What if you had bracelets instead of a collar? Would that be better?”, she grinned, still finding a way to lighten the mood with something sarcastic to say. She kicked at the rocks. “I know that it’s not the metal...its the meaning.”, she scowled. “You change your mind more than anyone I've ever met.”

Adaira laughed quietly and finished the sweet sound with a frown. "I do change my mind a lot. I am a giant cat after all and many of my choices are based on my mood. I have never wavered in some things, such as my loyalty to you or trying to protect the other sisters.” She scowled again and looked ashamed. “I love him, I have told you as much. I was going to go to him and kneel at his feet. He tugs on my heart. I just don't want him to devalue me. I want him to understand that I am worth keeping because of all the trouble he went through to get me.”

“So...you think if you go to him that you are telling in you aren't worth it? That you just 'gave' in? He's the most persistent man I've ever met. Well, other than Rowyin…”

The cat nodded slowly. "Yes, I do not want him to think that I am not worth the effort. I want to be worth his affection."

Kenu shook her head sadly. “That is the stupidest thing I've ever heard you say...when did you decide you weren't worth it?”

Adira scowled at her words. “I am worth it, I just want him to realize that too. He has, or had, two other girls. I want him to see that I am worth it.” She paused for a moment before continuing. “I know he cares for me. He was worried the others would take me and even when Row had him down, he was worried for me. But is that enough? Is that enough to ensure I am treated well and not cast aside after he has his prize?"

Kenu smiles. “Ah!”, she nods slowly. “I understand now. That is why I will not submit to Rowyin. I have, at this point, become a toy...a 'thing he can't have'. He would mount me on the wall like a trophy for all to see and he'd adore me…until he found his next girl....his next 'hard to catch toy'. His hungry crew would wait for me until he was bored....and then it would be a repeat of yesterday.” She shuddered. “I'll take a collar to a good Master any day than going through that again...” She looked back to the fire and nodded, deciding something. “I hope Wraith gives you what you are looking for, before one of those men takes you for their own.”

“I just want to ensure that he does not cast me aside, that I am enough effort to keep and treasure….so he realizes my worth and is less likely to tire of me.” The saber nods to herself. "I believe he would be a good master. I just want to ensure it.” She lowers her eyes to the ground. “I am a coward.”

Kenu smiles and shakes her head. “Good men don't toss their girls to the side. They worry about them, think about them, cherish them. But no one can really control the emotions and thoughts of another. As his girl...no, as his anything...you can't force him to love you. If he tires of you, then all you can do is hope that he will care enough to sell you to a good Master...one that might find you more pleasing, or a more peaceful life.” She wraps her arms around her knees again and sighs. “You are making things more dangerous for yourself; you know that right?”

Adaira sighs deeply. “I suppose you are correct. I did not think of it that way." She then smiles deviously, thinking to herself. "Do you think Gwidian would be willing to help? I could at least make it a bit less dangerous for myself. He could take me as his prisoner to Wraith, as a thank you for letting you go. Then I go from the hands of one strong male to another."

Kenu grinned. “I'm sure he would. But will you go quietly, or with a fight?”

Adaira shrugged. "I would let Gwidian take me without effort. Though, Wraith would still have to go through the effort of breaking me. I would still be a challenge to him" She laughed. "I already know I can not beat Gwidian."

 The rabbit perked, confused. “Why?”

 The saber arched a brow back. “Why what?”

 “Why make him 'break you' again? Ada, you know you are already his...”

“I don't want to make it easy for him. Stubbornness, I guess.

The black bunny laughed. “How many times has he captured you?”

Adaira grinned. "Several. He has won, I know that, but does he realize what he has won?”

 Kenu chuckled, looking back into the fire. “That poor man. If you make him do it too many more times, he'll give up. Then what will you do?”

The tall and noble saber is silenced by the rabbit’s words and the bunny wait and watched her with honest, terrified, and sincere eyes. It was a rare thing…to see the exact moment that a Taluna truly opens herself to the thought of people a kajira to a man.

The silence, the heaviness of the moment hung in the air as a hardness the saber wore like a beautiful cloak seemed to melt away. The rabbit watched as her shoulders curl inward a bit and the saber’s lower lip trembled. "I would be devastated by the loss."

Kenu offered her a soothing smile, nodding in understanding. “You won't just go to him? Gwidian could bring you up on a chain and you could submit to him...”

She licked her lips and her tail twitched nervously. "Do you think he would believe me? Do you think he would value me if I did so?"

Then rabbit sighed, looking back into the fire as she thought. “If you were honest, maybe. If you told him that you loved him and that you were scared of the collar...that you didn't know how to be a slave, but that you'd be willing to try for him. That you were giving up everything to come to him and give him your leash. That you loved him and you were scared that someone else might hold the end that would not cherish her like he would..." She smiled a little, wishing silently that she had done that….how things might be different.

Adaira fumbled with a pouch on her belt as she thought, retrieving a jar of salve, and  detached her bottoms at the sides. With a decent scoop, she globbed the cream on her bottom and re adjusted, laying on her stomach to let the cream dry, bending one leg at the knee and propping herself up on her elbows. She scooped a little bit more of the salve onto her finger, bending backwards to grab her foot.

Kenu’s eyes widened. “Feet? Ouch.”

Adaira gnawed on her lip nervously. "I would tell him those things. You do not think I would be weak for telling him those things?". She smirked at the rabbit. "No he whipped my bottom. I hurt my feet running through a briar patch.”

Kenu shook her head. “I do not think slaves are weak...I think they are the strongest women in the word. Even stronger than Sandie.” She said the name with the type of mysticism that one would say 'Santa Claus'. “..and you, Ada, you could never be weak...” The rabbir gently took the jar of salve from the saber's hands and scooped some out, smearing it on the wounds on her feet. "You have a thorn in there still...want me to get it?"

She grimaced slightly "Yes please, otherwise. I"ll be limping to him" The saber thought for a moment. “I remember that discussion we had. I do think is does take remarkable strength to kneel at a man’s feet, put him first, and trust in him to do the right thing."

She scooted closer to the saber’s foot, putting it in her bare lap "Yes, I think so too. It’s scary to think that you may chose wrong..." She plucks the thorn from the wound in her foot and quickly applied salve to the area. "But, I don't think you are choosing wrong...I think the hardest part for you will be explaining why you are doing what you're doing to the other Taluna."

Ada smiled softly "You are good at that." She wiggled her paw and then swallowed harshly. "Our sisters will not understand until the day it happens to them. I did not understand with you….until they squirm into your heart and make you long for them. It does not matter what I say to them"

The rabbit shakes her head. “No, it doesn't. That is why I don't think I will not say anything to them. I will just go, and do it, and be done with it.”

Ii understand. I will explain it to them if they come for me. I will not go with them if they come." She coils herself around the bunny. "I am happy that I will be with you too. I would miss you terribly."

Kenu sighed. “I don’t think I could do it without you…”

Adiara grinned and chuckled softly. "I guess the city will gain a physician…."

She found herself in his bed, this time it was different, she didn't necessarily want to be in his bed. She sighed deeply, then realized she was being loud and closed her mouth quickly. She was on her side, his arm around her, she was tucked close to him and she cursed herself. She liked him, she liked being close to him. She liked the smell of him, the feel of his fur against hers. She just didn't like the metal collar around her neck. She reached up to claw at it, then cringed. She'd clawed at it so much throughout the night her neck was sore. 

 

She mulled over the events of the day in her mind, trying to work them out in her head. 

Kenu and I had spent most of the day together, talking, trying to figure out the current situation. It was nice being with her sister again, she'd missed her so much. Her eyes began to water and and she bit her lip to keep from crying. She'd better hold to those memories, it would be an occassional thing for her to see them anymore. Even if she did run into them, it was so awkward and humilating, her on that collar.

 

The day rolled in her mind. They'd met up with the other Taluna and things were going pretty good. It was aisha, lluna, kenu and myself. Not bad for us, none of us were wandering around alone. Then like a sudden storm, they came for us. Row and his larl and his men. The first time they came, we were victorious. Lluna went to go guard a side and so did Aisha. Flower showed up, it was fabulous there were five of us now. Fiver were better odds than four. It was relieving to see Flower. We were worried Row would have captured her. Kenu and I danced in celebration, then we started to wonder where our sisters were.

 

It had been a while and we hadn't heard anything from them. We both became concerned and went to go look for them. We looked for lluna first and we couldn't find her, this made us a bit more frantic. We then went to look for aisha and while we were searcing for her, row and his men, others from the town attacked us. Kenu ran and that's all i could see. Good girl, i was proud of her. That left me severely outnumbered and two of my attackers were known. Sek and the white wolf. Men, they're all the same. Kick you when you are down. I was outraged and I fought. I fought hard, as well as I could and yet, i still fell. 

 

I awoke to what i figured i would awake to, i was tied up and being hauled to my feet. I was worrried, did they have her? Was she safe? I strained my head around to see...was my sister safe? I heard my heart pound in my ears, it was deafening. My heart sank as the white wolf was leading me back into the city, on our way we saw them. They had her, he was going to hurt her. Anger boiled through me.

I struggled, i fought again. I was bound, i tugged against the leash that held me, i kicked at them. The strain of it wore on me and I finally began to weep. I was desperate, i had to help her. I begged and pleaded with the white wolf and sek. I begged for my sisters life.
I told them of how Row tricked her and took her. I told them that he was hurting her yesterday when I got her. I told them that she is considered a run away slave and that he will hamstring her and kill her for running away. I begged the white wolf and sek, i begged them to go get her and free her to save her. I pleaded. I bargained with the only thing i had.  I swore then to the white wolf that i would submit to him and that i would do it willingly if he did this. He agreed, he locked me in a cage and went with others to retrieve her.

 

I found out via the kicking and yelling i heard that aisha too was in a cage somewhere in the city. I couldn't help but chuckle, someone had to eventually let her out of that cage and I was almost certain, that someone would get kicked in the face and trampled on. While in the cage, i received a visitor. It was gwidian. I did not waste time, I told him of kenu's dire situation. He remained calm, eeriliy so. He unlocked my cage and untied me. He told me to run and which direction to do to be safe. I did so. I knew he was going for kenu.

 

While running my mind reeled, I knew i'd made a promise and I wasn't sure if i'd hold fast to it or not. Could I squirm my way out of it? He'd gone to get her. Would he be successful? Would he die? I closed my eyes. What if he was not successful, what if she was.... she mentally had to stop, she couldn't think of what happened if they failed. She told herself, she'd keep it. If kenu was back.

 

The time seemed to pass so slowly, the minutes were crawling by like days. Finally, as I was preparing to go wade into the thick of things. I heard something. I ran out. It was her. I hugged her so tightly, I am surprised I didn't hurt her. There was Gwidian right behind her, i wasn't surprised by that at all.

We laughed, we cried. I had this dreadful feeling in the pit of my gut. I had to tell her, I had to go. I'd made the mental choice of my head as to what would take me back. i knew that he would just come for me if I didn't return. He was probably already growling and fuming that I wasn't in that cage.

 

 I wanted my sister safe, she was safe with Gwidian. I told her, she pleaded with me. I tried to explain it, to make her understand. She did in a way and did not in a way. Kenu, Lluna and Gwidian walked me close to the city. I said goodbye to my sisters and handed them my furs and weapons. We exchanged words, they gave me hope. They were right, I might be on my knees for him but I was not broken. I was not truly his. I was still taluna.

 

I walked to the city with my head held high, I was a taluna and they could put me in chains, and throw a collar around my neck and I was still taluna. Gwidian walked with me, to ensure my safety. I approached the white wolf and he wondered how I escaped. I did not reveal how I was freeded. Let him wonder, let him realize how hard it was going to be to keep a taluna for a pet.

 

I did what i said i would. I knelt at his feet my arms above my head. I repeated what he'd asked of me. It was a promise that i was his, completely mind, body and soul. I said I'd submit willingly. Here i was, i was doing it. I never said I would mean it. Of course it was implied but I was a taluna. Did he expect me to give in so easily? He'd have a better chance of saddling the shark out in the bay and using it for a mount.

 

He slid that collar around her neck and locked it. She had to focus and concentrate to not lose control of herself, panic was washing over her in waves.

 

He led her into the city, the smell of it made her nostrils burn. She blinked and followed him, she tried to do what she could to mimic what she had seen of slaves but truly did not know what she was doing. It was overwhelming to her, she wanted to run, She wanted her whip, she seethed inwardly, she could make him not want her. 

 

She noticed after a moment and her heart slowed and she could think about what was around her and what was going on. She noticed she was cold. She tried not to shiver, she didn't want to seem weak, the other girls did not shiver. She occassionally would shiver. What did she expect, she was used to wearing layers of furs, with beads and bones, necklaces, headfurs, and feathers, and even mud. All that probably helped keep her warm.

 

She was attached to him via a chain leash, she was naked. It was humilating, they spoke her in such a demeaning manner. It made her want to rip them to shreds, all of them. She had ran free, she had hunted her own food, she had eaten the heart of sleens. She whom wore their bones. She had taken men. Fury boiled in her, slowly making its way to her surface.

 

It grew late, she was tired, she was not about to suggest going anywhere with him. She'd wait him out. She had patience, she could work plans, she could find the right time, make her move.

 

Then someone shouted about a taluna. My entire body tensed, my mind reeled. What do I do? She was at risk being in the city, which one of my brave crazy sisters was it? I saw a flash of blue, I tried to manuever so i could see her. I should not let her get caught too. Aisha was already in a cage somewhere. I yelled to her for her to run. I yelled to her what happened so she would yield and flee.  She wouldn't yield she fought them alone. She was fiercesome, she was taluna. I felt myself once again.  I was taluna. I WAS TALUNA. During the chaos of it, he'd unchained me to fight her. I was loose. I jumped up to stand, my paws moving as quickly as they could. I didn't think,  I moved. I ran, I ran for the gate. It took a moment, which seemed like an eternity but I got it open and I ran.

I got there and started tugging at the collar about my neck. It wouldn't come off, I couldn't get it off. I started to panic and cry, then i remembered the strength and courage of my sister and I started to dress myself. The collar can be picked later I told myself. I threw on my furs and bones, once again feeling comfortable. I was taluna.  I wore my dagger, whip and bow. I put on my headress of furs and started back out to help my sister.