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Demon never saw the foal squirral move, but as soon as his 'master' turned her back on him he knew he was in trouble. Part of him wanted to beg. Part of him wanted to jolt and fight... and part of him, although a small part, wanted to simply lay down and take the pain.

He braced himself for the onslaught, knowing that she would keep him waiting until she didn't believe he was ready.... but she didn't know Demon's trick.

Already his mind was floating off to someplace else. To a field of green, with plenty of animals for him to hunt and chase. The sun beamed down on him. He was an adult, strong and unstoppable. This was his 'happy place', no one here ever questioned his power, no one here was ever able to beat him in a fight or make him feel insignificant.

As the first of the attacks hit Demon found himself able to ignore them, the pain jolted through his delicate and half starved body but he didn't react.... couldn't.

Over and over in his head, even in his happy place, one phrase bounced around again and again and again.

"Be strong my little Demon" He could almost close his eyes and pretend that his mother actually cared.....

Demon's mind had warped. He knew it had happened, though he had no power to control it. His thoughts were mostly on survival still though part of him had actually started considering being what Lana'thel wanted. After all, she was strong, she had proved that over and over again.... would it be so bad to serve someone so strong? Of course this concept was always at war with Demon's dream.... to escape, make a name for himself, a name that even Lana'thel would fear!

He knew that for his dream to come true he couldn't roll over and 'play dead', no, he had to fight. Though being in Lana'thels care had taught him something.... there was more than one way to fight. Sometimes it was with hooves and teeth, and sometimes.... just sometimes... it was with patience and intelligences. Demon had long ago stopped his attempts of escape -well, the obvious ones- instead he was adopting a sneakier approach. Give her what she wanted, make her believe what she wants to believe.... use it against her!

After all, was that not the Kalona way? Turning advantage in to disadvantage and vise versa?

He licked his lips and moved his body. She had been feeding him more, ever since she had 'trusted' him to behave when she took him out on her little 'walks'. He wanted to shiver at the thought. To her Demon was nothing more than eye candy. His small colt body was slowly being replaced with one of a grown adult, though by no means mature.... though without proper exercise he wasn't exactly able to put on much muscle mass. Still, the food was nice.... it meant he could grow slowly stronger.

In his cell, when he knew she was far away he would work his tired bones and muscles until they aches. Squats and pushes mostly since the space allowed for little more, and the chain around his neck was a constant restriction. He stretched his wings as best he could, one and then the other, in an effort to ensure they also grew stronger.... he may need them should his plan work.

And so Demon waited.

Waited for the day that Lana'thel would be foolish enough to 'trust' him and remove the chain. If everything went to plan that would be her last minstake, and Demon's chance for escape.

Demon's body was losing more and more of his colt features. His legs were much longer than before, his head and neck felt bigger.... so much so that the chain that was ever present around his neck dug in even more, though now without the need for him to move. The scent of dried blood still lingered in his nose, along with the other disgusting smells of the cell he had called 'home' for so long. He didn't really have an idea of how long her had been here. It was hard to tell what was a single day when he was constantly trapped in the darkness, and he long ago abandoned the idea of counting his meals for they were as irregular as his 'master'.

Lana'thel had been 'testing' him lately, pairing him up against soldiers in her army. The fights had been brutal. His weak body having no chance against their tones and well fed forms. But she he fought. Using the exercise as an excuse to learn, to grow stronger..... if only she would remove the chain. Even in his fights it was present, holding him to the ground like the caged animal he was.

The last fight he had been in he had actually managed to draw blood, the delicious nector sending him into a blood frenzy that he had never expected.... much of what happened next was a blurr, all could really remember was loud voices, a war cry -his perhaps?- jangle of the chain, vision of red..... and then nothing. He had woke up back in cell with a headache and blood dripping into his eyes, so he assumed someone had struck him to knock him out?

That had been the last time he had seen Lana'thel. She had stood at the door and smiled down at him in that sickening way of his that always gave him the impression she was pleased with him.

The sound of hoof prints on the cold ground woke him from his thoughts, someone was close. Lana'thel perhaps? Or another of her lackies ready to tie him up and sending him to a battle he was not expected to win once more?

He stood up -the last sign of his pride. Waiting the inevitable arrival.

Demon stood as still as he could manage, only moving his mouth to speak the two words he knew she waited for. "Yes master." In many ways Lana'thel had become so predicatable to him.... but perhaps that was because he too had become predictable? Though his had been by design, to gain a trust that he wasn't sure would ever come.

The idea of escape was still there, ever lingering in his mind, though the reality of it seemed far more slim. Part of Demon suspected he would live and die here for the rest of his days. Trapped in the shell of what he could have been over what she would make him.

Despite what he told himself he found himself reacting to the release of his chain... he had been expecting pain, brutal and constant, but instead he recieved relief. The pain in his neck subsiding for the first time in what felt like an eternity. It was for this reason that shock poured into his features, and he was unable to stop himself from turning to see Lana'thel.

Of course he didn't speak, knowing it would be suicide. Yet he couldn't stop the sudden thundering of his heart in his chest. Was this it....? The chance he had been waiting for for so long....? Could it be....? Was he free....? He was sure that his heartbeat was loud enough to be heard echoing around the room as it flooded his own hearing, roaring at him to run, to take his chance....

But Demon wasn't foolish enough to try. Not yet. No.... he suspected that to run now would be too soon. He needed to wait, until the opportune moment, to the point where Lana'thel would least expect his actions.... still it was hard to wait. Harder still to contemplate that he may not find an opportunity this day.... that he may be forced to return here, to allow her to chain him like an animal once more.... to wait, knowing he had been free once. What if she never released him again? What if this was his only chance?

All of these thoughts made it harder and harder for him to focus. Harder and harder to think of anything else but his possible freedom.....

Demon knew she was just talking for the sake of talking, that she didn't actually expect him to answer. And so he remained silent, the only indication that he was listening was when he moved towards her. The movement wasn't quite as confident as he would have liked, the hesitation clear... he simply didn't know what to make of her actions, and his mind was confused with the idea of escape.

Still, he steadied himself, determined not to show his plan until it was to early. But with each step he took it was harder and harder not to look around, not to seek his freedom.... so much so he thought it would kill him having to stay in 'soldier' mode, straight as an arrow and as determined to gain her trust as ever.

Soon, he told himself. Soon.

The words of his mother rang in his mind once more, "Be strong my little Demon." He could do this.... he had to!

Demon wasn't fool enough to believe her lies, and even if he had of been he didn't want to have anything to do with this place. To him all it meant was blood, horror, imprisonment and eventual death. He resisted showing the shiver that threatened to run down his spin, something he had learnt to hide along with the pain.

For the most part he took Lana'thel's words for what they were... rambling, she liked to hear herself talk. Yet as she asked a direct question he knew he had to answer.

His mind raged with war. To say yes would mean he was damning himself to more of the same, dedicating himself to stay.... of course, he had nothing against lying, and around Lana'thel pretending had become his faviourite past time. Of course, he also couldn't bring himself to say yes. Even if it was a lie he felt like he was trapping himself, giving up once and for all on his intention to escape.... could he do it?

Moments ticked by, and he knew he couldn't wait much longer before he replied. She would punish him should he make her wait..... still he couldn't decide what to do. He had yet to find an escape route, had yet to see a way out other than lying to her; if he lied perhaps she would bring him out more? One day make a mistake?

Demon was growing tired with this waiting game. His small fragile body a shadow of the potential and glory it should be, but in truth he didn't care about that, all he wanted was freedom.

Left with no other choice he said the only words that would give him any chance at what he truely wanted. "Yes master."