Moricorm was once again outside the pride, this time near the lands her pathetic half sister had left her unworthy spawn in. Ri snorted at the thought as she looked to the swamplands that started not far off. Haramu should have kept them as slaves. Then again...Haramu should have been a slave herself. The dark lioness yawned and stretched before continuing. This was a perfect night for everything...dark, with only a crescent moon in the sky.
Though their family often wandered about... somehow, Chruseon noticed that his mother always seemed to drift back toward one particular area. The ground there was just a bit mushier underpaw and there were interesting places to explore like little hidden pools of water, and huge mud-holes. Of course, H'ray'ii -tried- to keep her cubs from playing in those too often, but it was inevitable that one of the young ones would find some mud -somewhere-. In fact, they'd found one earlier that day and had, of course, gotten totally covered in the stuff. After cleaning them up (mostly by finding a pool of clearer water and forcibly dunking them), H'ray'ii had sternly told them not to wander off anymore. Then she'd curled up and gone to sleep. Chruseon woke later that night though ... and decided that he wanted to get something to drink. He considered carefully. Really ... the nearest little stream wasn't -that- far. And he was thirsty, and mommy was tired. Surely that wouldn't be considered wandering off, right? He'd come straight back....
The Nuemare's wanderings were derailed by a new scent. Well now...a group nearby. Curious, she stalked through the unsteady terrain, the only thing showing she was there the flash of red from her markings and eyes and the occasional chime of a bell. And she froze when a pale figure showed in the night. Well now...what did she have here? Young...away from the group she scented...Perfect. She put on her most convincing look of motherly concern and trotted forward. "So my nose did not deceive me...What's a little one like you doing alone this time of night?"
Chruseon had just been leaning over to get a drink when the sudden voice startled him. Looking up quickly, he spotted a splotch of red coming toward him out of the dark. Then he blinked, and he could see the rest of the lioness's body. But she sounded nice. "I was just getting a drink," he answered with a quick little grin. "I'm Chruseon ... who're you?"
Ri let her expression melt into a motherly smile. "Ah...so your family is nearby?" Perfect. The little boy didn't suspect a thing. He was good coloring for a slave, no mistaking him for a demon, and no chance of one arising in him. He could certainly grow into something strong enough to use, but unlikely to defeat her. And could get used to traveling. She needed a Na'artu to travel with her. Ithil wasn't always with her since she ran messages back to the pride..."I'm Moricorm. It's a pleasure to meet you, little Chru!"
Chruseon nodded at that. "Mmhm, just over that way. Mommy was really tired earlier so I didn't wake her up. I was really quiet." He seemed to be proud of this fact, small chest puffing out a bit.
Perfect. Ohsoperfect. She nodded. "That's quite a feat, little Chru!" Ri leaned down, as if to tell him a secret. "Would you like to learn how to sneak about even better? I'm a master of it." She'd trained herself in it, prided herself on it.
His eyes widened a little at that, and he glanced back toward where the rest of his family was. Should he...? Really, he should go back but... "Well, okay," he said finally. "But I should go back soon, in case mommy wakes up."
Ri nodded. "Of course little one." She smiled and turned. "There's a perfect spot to practice over here." She ducked into the long grass of an area nearby. And she settled in, waiting for him. He had no idea the trap he would walk into. Little boy would be hers.
Chruseon grinned and nodded at the older female. Following after her without another thought, he nosed his way through that grass and then looked up at her. "What now?"
Ri chuckled, the smile on her face going from 'motherly' to dark. "Now, you're mine." With reflexes from seasons of training and fights she'd stopped counting, she lashed out to subdue him. Claws in, of course...didn't want to damage her new property. "It's cubs like you that deserve the fate ahead of you...stupid enough to trust a dark stranger like me."
At that, Chruseon's golden eyes widened and he started to squeal before his face was shoved into the dirt, muffling the sound. Squirming under her paw, he tried to twist his head and bite. "Let ... me go!! Moooom!! Help!"
If he managed to bite her, Ri didn't notice. A little nick from a cub like him was nothing compared to what her own sibs had dished out to her. "Mommy won't help you." She grinned. "By the time she's awake enough...we'll be gone." She picked up a rock with her teeth and moved her paw to reveal his head. And then dropped the rock on it. It wasn't too large, since she was only after knocking him out for easy transportation.
Chruseon didn't even see that rock coming ... all he knew was that there was a bright spot of pain, and then the world went quite suddenly dark. He'd been caught...
The demoness chuckled and picked him up. Now...she needed to make tracks, in case his mother WAS a quick one. As she began running, making sure to hit every watery spot and mud puddle she could, Ithil came to fly at her side.
"A new slave-sib, mistress?" At Ri's nod, Ithil dropped back. "If his mother comes," Why else would her mistress be running? "I will misguide her!" And then the little bird would join up with Moricorm again. She'd need to make sure her new slave-sib learned things proper once he woke. The mistress needed to have the best!
