In Dire Straits - Come a Little Closer [Lotus]

  He can't wait for slaving season. Garrison was stuck guarding the fodder over the last Great Party, and he can feel all the energy he didn't expend building up inside him. It's about time he get to let loose, to fight for the fuck of it, kill for the thrill, be an animal again.

  Bulky muscles flex as he gnaws the femur of something sacrificed for festivities held not too long ago. He tends to rest on the crests of rocky crags, high ground if you will-- like he needs it, at his size. He could snap the bone between his teeth, but then what would he do?

  There's a kid, chasing something across the sand. She's cute, got those nice gold tones, and a grace unheard of for her age. Garrison snaps the leg, pushes shards out with his tongue, and swallows the rest. He's just found his entertainment for the day.

  Garrison's excess weight thumps against the ground, and he licks his nose as he trots after her. He's never met the Shihan, personally, but the kid has her pattern; she's gotta be somewhere in that family. Didn't Zeik have kids on her, first thing since he got home? Whatever. He's about to find out, because he's about on top of her. He's nowhere near quiet, but if she somehow missed the earthquake coming up behind her, she's about to be hanging by the scruff unexpectedly, and if so, then she's got three hundred pounds and a whole lot of teeth to say hi to.

Lotus trotted after the little blue butterfly as it fluttered along the dry, cracked ground. A single wing was tattered and yet it still tried valiantly to lift itself airborne and fly away. The little girl thought that it was an admirable quality, to still keep going even when it was clearly struggling. It was strange how such a small, seemigly insignificant creature could have such impact. The butterfly didn't know how inspiring it was, it was just in pain and trying to survive. 

Maybe people were a lot like butterflies, Lotus thought as she hummed a soft little song to herself, blood red eyes bright with curiousity as she watched it flutter and dip. Even still, as focus as she was on the little butterfly struggling in front of her Lotus almost missed the heavy thuds of pawsets advancing on her from behind. She turned just in time to see a large set of sharp, off white teeth come within inches of her face, strips of saliva dangling like banners between his jaws before he clamped them shut. If she hadn't crouched low to the ground and tucked her head the large grey beast would have snatched her up by her scruff. 

Still crouching low to the ground Lotus looked up at Garrison with eyes stretched wide in surprise. "Uhm. H-hello." Lotus said haltingly, robotically trying to be polite despite her racing pulse. She was still struggling to process her reaction, slowly coming out of her crouch as she blinked repeatedly. Curious, innocent ruby red eyes looked up at the towering figure and she blinked once, slowly. 

"I'm Lotus. Who are you?"

The Slaver smiles to the daughter of the Valley, lowering himself to her height, stomach brushing the ground. "Lotus. Who do you belong to?" Tongue swipes ribbons of saliva back into his mouth; how impolite. "Garrison. I catch and control slaves."

His sinister voice is deep, eyes drifting over her small form as he considers her words. Tovelo has taught him not to judge a wolf by their height, and she is but a child. The Auction looms in his mind, and his House creaks with the wind that passes through empty corridors. "Which Rosa do you follow, Lotus? Do you know yet?" Perhaps he can lead her to the power of Yellow, while she is still impressionable.

He lowers himself to the ground so that they are about the same height now and she smile faintly at the kind gesture. "Lotus. Who do you belong to?"  Her head tilts at his question, did he not know? "My siblings and I belong to Mistress Gigantea and the White Seour." Perhaps there should have been more pride in that statement but it just sounded as if Lotus were commenting on the weather. It was sunny, there were a few clouds in the sky, and she belonged to the White Rose. "Who are you?" 

"Garrison. I catch and control slaves."

Heathens? The idea intrigues her and she hums softly, wanting to know more but unsure what to ask. His menacing voice is not lost on her but she decides that she has no reason to fear him. Mistress Gigantea would have his head if he harmed her. "Which Rosa do you follow, Lotus? Do you know yet?" Lotus looks down at her paws and shuffles them uncomfortable before her. 

She didn't know which Rosa she followed yet, not really. She knew she was probably supposed to say White without a moment's hesitation but something held her back. She loved the White Rosa but there was something about the Yellow Rose that called to her. Lotus was still undecided. "I, uhm, I'm not sure yet." A small shrug from her narrow little shoulders, "Probably the White Rosa though."

  Chipped teeth show in a smile when she isn't quite certain what to say. She doesn't know. She can still be made to follow whoever owns her. The Fringe dire lets his notable weight rest on his belly, forepaws lined up neatly in front of him. He could just reach out and pin her waifish frame beneath one, so easy... "Your parents don't tell you which Rosa to follow, you know. Not even if your parents are Rosa." He can tell her. "You'll know how you align. Pursue whichever rank interests you, and the Rose you call out for in times of hardship... That one is yours."

  Uncanny for the brute to be so nurturing. He wants her trust. He wants to strangle her in it: beat her down until she can be broken no further. His time with the slaves has taught him the strongest wolves are those that cannot be broken any further. Anytime-Anywhere exists for a reason. They should always be ready for battle. They should always be getting stronger.

  Centre of mass shifts to those forward paws, and he snaps at her leg. Spindly little twig, he could rip it from the socket. If it lands, he tugs, pulls her a little closer, like he has some secret to share. Maybe he does. Maybe everyone is evil. Hopefully his canines leave shallow indents in what little muscle has moulded to her bones, a quickly fading reminder of all that can injure in the world. Her reaction is his real aim. Does she embrace the swift pain, or does she shy away? Soldier or slave? Pale eyes narrow, the wolf settles once more. "What rank would you like?" Where should he begin?

"Your parents don't tell you which Rosa to follow, you know. Not even if your parents are Rosa." Lotus tilts her head, eyes twinkling in confusion as she considers this. The wishes of the Rosa were absolute though, weren't they? If Mistress Gigantea wanted her to be a white follower then a white follower she would be. Doing anything else just simply wasn't in the cards for her... was it? "You'll know how you align. Pursue whichever rank interests you, and the Rose you call out for in times of hardship... That one is yours." Lotus hummed softly this time and dropped her gaze to her paws, using one dark toe to trace spirals and figures in the sand as she thought about what he was saying. 

"What rank would you like?" 

She rolled her narrow shoulders in a small shrug, not appearing particularly interested in their conversation like her mind was a million miles away. And it was. "Hawk.. or maybe Jitte one day.. or a Jin would be fun.. I dunno." The little said at last, "I don't want to pick a rank when I'm still a puppy and end up regretting my decision later and wasting my time. I just want to learn as much as I can." Quite a lengthy speech for the normally quiet and reserved golden child. "Now it's my turn to ask something," Her little voice was like silk and lace covered iron as she asked, "What can you tell me about the other Rosa?" Mistress Gigantea and Thetis hadn't bothered teaching her about the other two Rosa's and why should they? They had better things to do.

  He comes to his belly, at the child's eye level, rugged snout too close to the dainty thing. Beauty and the beast. "Chinensis is for the weak. I've never met a follower of Red I couldn't take." He's met very few of other alignments he couldn't overpower, but neglects to mention that. "They keep the rest of us from killing each other."

  A massive paw reaches out and falls over her back, keeping her caged in close. "You see Lotus, Foetida is loyalty, while Gigantea has none. Followers of White have their uses, but don't be so foolish as to trust one."

  He watches her closely, watches the seed of doubt sink into her malleable skin, and only then, buries it. "When is your auction, Lotus? My house could use someone like you."