[FIN] Living as a Captive (Brutus & Kolli)

[Darkmoon Dancer]

This is a PRP between Brutus (owned by Darkmoon Dancer) and Kolli (owned by CheshireKttty)
[ Link to DD's Teepee ] | [ Link to Chesh's Teepee ]

 

[Darkmoon Dancer]

Brutus was out setting traps, harmless ones (no need to maim the captives), but traps none-the-less. Grauen had sent him out while she continued to study... well, something. It was none of his concern in any case. She was in her cave, out of everyone's view, and that was enough for him to know not to stray close.

Nets strewn across his back, he was working his way through the surrounding area and finding new strategic places to plant the traps. He could never use the same place twice in a row if it had been a successful catch the last time. Prey gets wise eventually, one mustn't underestimate one's playthings. Not that they were his to play with, even if he had wanted to. Grauen had a... hunger... for fear. Brutus was her loyal subject, though, and so this was just one of the errands he ran for her. He was bigger, stronger, than she was, so in a one-on-one fight, there was no debate who would win, but he wasn't like that. It just didn't make sense. He had agreed to be hers, and that was exactly what he was going to be.

Humming along in his low voice as he searched the underbrush for the next ideal placement, Brutus worked slowly but with a steady mind. No need to rush such things, so long as they got done, and done right. Stubby tail wiggled back and forth and his collar clinked every so often as he carried on with his task.  

[CheshireKttty]

Had he taken a wrong turn back there? Kolli certainly didn't think this was the way he needed to be going. How on earth was he supposed to find this 'Arden' or his mother out here in the middle of... Well, he honestly didn't know where he had ended up. It wasn't like the stallion had a habit of getting lost. Actually, he usually had a fairly decent sense of direction. However, wherever he was now, it wasn't exactly where he wanted or needed to be. The stallion let out a loud and heavy sigh. Perhaps he just ought to turn back now? Or maybe there was someone around here he could ask for directions? He was about to look for someone when he stopped himself. He was a man, he didn't need to ask for directions! He could figure this out for himself.

Feeling more confident in himself, the stallion stepped forward. He simply needed to figure out where he was and then he could go from there. Perhaps he hadn't gone the wrong direction at all. In any case, how could he know if he did or not if he didn't even know this land? That certainly made sense. Taking another step forward, Kolli found himself... well, trapped. What the? The stallion struggled for a few moments trying to free himself of the net that he appeared to be caught up in, yet no matter how much he tried, he could not break free. The stallion could only hope someone might come along and free him shortly.  

[Darkmoon Dancer]

Working away, Brutus only had two more traps to set up when he heard something behind him. A quick whoosh and then some loud rustling caught his attention, making his ears flick back first but quickly having him turn back around to see just what it was. First impression had him guessing that someone had gotten caught in one of the traps he had just finished setting.

The last two nets strewn across his back comfortably, not dragging along or anything, Brutus picked his way carefully, making sure not to snag on any reaching branches but also paying attention up ahead so that he could approach quietly and calmly.

It wasn't the last trap he had set, but the one before that, and it had indeed snared a passer-by. A pale stallion, struggling and straining to get out of the sturdy net. Deciding to find out more, Brutus stepped forward and exposed himself to the stranger. "Did it hurt you at all?" He was referring to the net that had caught the stallion, but he spoke in a hollow if interested tone. He wasn't worried about injuring, but it was unnecessary, so he wanted to know if he had set the trap safely. Wouldn't want a captive to break something and bleed-out before Grauen even got to say 'hello'.
 

[CheshireKttty]

Kolli struggled a few more moments before a stranger approached him. The stallion peered up at him rather awkwardly from his crunched position within the net. "No it didn't hurt me but it was damn well annoying." The stallion was irritated, it wasn't every day he walked into a net, but it was certainly uncomfortable and irritating. It also put a bit of a kink into his plans. How was he supposed to find anyone when he was tied up in this thing? He was about to speak again when he noticed the nets strung across the stallion's back. So this was the guy setting these traps huh? Well then, he was just going to have to have a word with him about it.

"Now why on earth do you have to make these traps so big? You ought to at least put up some warnings for soquili you know. Unless that's what you're trying to capture? Not too sure what you would do with someone like me, and I don't particularly intend to find out. Now, if you could just let me out of this thing and I'll go on with my business. Just made a wrong turn and I am terribly sorry if I ended up in your territory or something. Just trying to find someone. I'll be on my way out of here shortly if you'd be kind enough to let me go." He said in a friendly tone. Kolli knew when he needed to work up the charm, and this was one of those situations.  

[Darkmoon Dancer]

Brutus stood there patiently and quietly as the other stallion stirred in the net and gave his opinion to the net-setting. Much like a confused pup, he tilted his head slightly to the side as he was told-off ever so nicely. But as far as those words convincing him to let this stallion go... ha.

"No." He said softly but firmly. It was not a command, but a statement. He simply couldn't let the stallion down from the trap. It was exactly what they had been put up for. Was it really so strange that he was putting up soq-sized traps?

Turning the subject to something else that had been mentioned, Brutus asked, "Who are you looking for?" And then began to circle the captured stallion, not in a hungry manner but more in an observational one. It was always interesting to see how others reacted to such restraint. Generally anger and ire. But it was not his choice. These traps were set by him, but they were not his. He was only doing what he had been told to do.
 

[CheshireKttty]

Kolli studied the larger stallion and listened to every word intently. As he talked, Kolli could feel the smile on his face slowly slip away, turning into a sort of frown. Now why wouldn't he let him down? He had been very reasonable after all. There had to be much better pray out there than himself didn't there? Perhaps he could try to reason with the stallion? Maybe if he answered a few questions for him the fellow would let him go? Everyone had their soft spot after all, he only needed to find it.

"Well," He started off rather slowly, adjusting himself to a more comfortable position in the net. "You see I'm looking for my mother. Although I don't know what she looks like but I did find out her name. It's Zarita. You wouldn't know of anyone by that name would you?" The stallion tilted his head rather curiously to the side, hoping for some sort of answer. "I suppose that you probably wouldn't, not unless you had managed to catch her up in one of these traps. Perhaps you know of a stallion named Arden? Apparently he knows my mother, and he might have some sort of clue as to where she is."  

[Darkmoon Dancer]

He watched the stallion's reactions, staying calm himself. Only a few moments of hesitation before the other began to reply. He was taking a slow and logical approach to the matter. Wise.

He was looking for family. Family that he had never met before. There was a moment of falter in Brutus' blank expression, nearly indiscernible, but he fixed it almost as instantly as it had appeared. He too didn't know his parents, didn't even know if they were still alive or long-dead. He had a brother... and he hoped his sister was still alive and well... somewhere. Soon, he would get out of here and find her.

As for the name... "Not familiar, sorry." He didn't really pay attention to those in the extended area, as they didn't matter to him. It was those that wandered too close that got examined and captured for straying too near. "We have not caught a Zarita or Arden, no." He wasn't being much help, but he was a little distracted by the concept of someone else being lost to their parents also. Did this happen more often than he thought? Were there many thought-to-be orphans?
 

[CheshireKttty]

Kolli's frown deepened at the stallion's words. So he had never met his mother or this Arden. Well, he supposed that made two of them then. Although he hadn't actually expected the stallion to know either of them, it was still quite a bit of a let down for him. Even a hint would have certainly helped him on his journey. Oh well, he supposed the world was a vast place and he couldn't expect everyone to know each other. I mean, he himself had never even met his mother so how could he have expected anyone else to? For all he knew she could even be dead. Then where would he be? Kolli supposed he wouldn't necessarily be any worse off than he was now, after all, he didn't even know why he was seeking her out in the first place. Oh well, no sense dwelling on such thoughts. What was would come to be at one point or another.

"So I don't suppose that there is any way you would let me out of this net?" He asked the stallion politely. "It really does hinder my plans to find my unwanted mother." He continued on calmly. "I figure it would be a disappointment to never meet her before I die. Figure out if she truly is a monster, or if she had any real reason for giving me up. But I suppose I really shouldn't burden you with me troubles. I'm guessing you probably have your own share of them yourself don't you?" He asked the stallion in an understanding tone.  

[Darkmoon Dancer]

His feet shifted underneath him somewhat uncomfortably as he continued to listen to the other stallion. He could understand what this stallion was feeling, or at least thought he could relate. He wasn't about to cave in and break down into a crying mush of emotions, but somehow his usually rock-hard resolution had flaws in it. Like a stone newly forming cracks under pressure, Brutus was bending to the calm demeanor of this pink stallion.

Usually his captives would flail, kick and scream, and overall cause a giant ruckus of commotion, anger, fear and pity. Those he was all prepared for, having dealt with each countless times before, but this... this calm approach was something new. Oh, every so often the ancient ones are this calm, but they just lay there and accept their fate. Those are the ones not worth keeping, as they have built up an immunity to fear. Those aren't players in the game that Grauen manipulates, they're long gone and ready for death. Those, he usually lets out to live out their last days free of the poking and prodding of Grauen's need for fear. But this... He was not prepared for.

"I... can't. You are not mine to release." But even as he say sit, his gaze drops and his brow furrows in something like anger at himself. Why didn't he just say no blatantly? He showed weakness to this prey, and in doing so got angry at himself. There was no way Grauen would let him let this stallion go. Well... Not if she knew he had already been caught up in a net....

Shaking his head as much to convince himself as the other, Brutus may have slipped up the refusal enough to let the other stallion see he was on the right path to getting himself freed.
 

[CheshireKttty]

Was that hesitation that he could hear in the other stallion's voice? He supposed that it very well could be. Perhaps he was on the right track after all? It seemed, that in being rational and keeping a cool head, he had managed to confuse the stallion. Perhaps he wasn't used to such reasonable captives? Kolli nodded to himself, yes, that was quite likely. He assumed that most weak minded fools would likely thrash about the net, entangling themselves more. Others might beg and plead and cry until they had worn themselves out. Yet this, well, perhaps Kolli was a first for the stallion?

Examining the other stallion ever so carefully, Kolli started talking once more. "Of course of course." He began slowly, leaving a long pause as he thought to himself. There must be some way to convince this stallion to let him go. Everyone had their weaknesses. What was this stallion's particular weakness? Reasoning, that seemed to be one. Maybe if he just kept on a little more. Perhaps he could confuse the stallion or persuade him into letting him go. "You say your master would never let me go correct? Well, what if your master never knew that you had caught me? I certainly won't tell if you won't." He grinned and winked at the stallion as he continued on talking ever so cheerfully. This stallion appeared to fear his master, take away the fear, and perhaps Kolli would find himself free of this net soon after all.  

[Darkmoon Dancer]

"NO!" The reaction was instantaneous and vicious. He lunged forward, muzzle almost touching the net, but as the moment passed he released the held breath. His chest deflated a little as his anger simmered down. More calmly he shook his head and replied in what was almost a... caring growl. "Not my master."

Something of a smile crept up to the edges of his lips... but he quickly wiped it away and lifted his head suddenly. Urgency, or something quite like it, in his eyes, Brutus looked dead into the pink stallion's orbs and considered a moment. A split second later, it was as if he had found whatever he had been looking for in the stranger's eyes and he began to speak quickly.

"She'll tan my hide until it's black if she ever finds out, but what she doesn't know can't hurt her, right?" A furtive glance around the area before he swiftly continued, "I let you down, and you run. You run like you've never run before. I will chase you for a while, but your light hooves will have you outrunning me in no time. If ever confronted with recounting this story... you managed to tear this net yourself." A significant tearing noise brought about by the bite and hard yank of the draft essentially freed the captive. One last warning snaked out with a deep grating whisper, "If I catch you again you won't be this lucky.Go!" Nodding away from himself, Brutus lifted his head and proceeded to walk a circle on the spot. He would do two more before he began to pursue. More than enough of a headstart, considering death was on the itinerary moments ago.
 

[CheshireKttty]

Kolli was immediately taken aback by the Stallion's harsh response. For a moment, his heart felt as if it would leap out of his throat and he imagined himself a goner. His plan had been flawless! Or so he had thought. What could have gone so terribly wrong? His thoughts raced wildly as he felt the Stallion's hot breath on his skin. What could he say? What could he do to get himself out of this net? As intriguing as this 'Master' sounded, Kolli did not wish to meet them. About to try a new tactic, Kolli was relieved to see the Stallion's expression change and his head lift back up. Had he had a change of heart?

He listened very carefully as the stallion spoke to him. It was quite obvious that if he made a mistake, he would very likely end up in a situation that he did not wish to picture. It seemed, that he was being let go as he had hoped. Although he had wished it wasn't under quite so strict of circumstances. He certainly would have loved to have examined the area a bit more closely, but he wasn't about to turn away a chance at freedom simply to satisfy his curiosity.

In what felt like mere seconds, the stallion found himself upon the ground, his net having been ripped. So this was it, this was what it would look like happened. Kolli had managed to tear free from the net, and this strange stallion would have pursued him, only to have his captive escape his clutches. Somehow, Kolli had a feeling this Master would never even find this net, but if they so happened to, the stallion would have a cover story and Kolli would have been spared. Without hesitating more than a split second, the stallion scrambled to his hooves, dug his heels in and set off as fast as he could.