RP:A new face is never to frail for authority

Town in the Trees

The well trodden path continues to snake its way through this snug forested town nestled amongst the trees. All around, sounds of life spring forth and you wonder at the skill and devotions of the original builders. Southward lies a narrow dirt path, where light traces of blood can be detected upon the dirt. To the north you notice what appears to be an archway formed from the intertwining of aged saplings and overgrown bushes.

Gorkall moved quietly beneath the shining sky that covered Kelay in a strange type of peace. The Ogre had come to Kelay in search of his slave 'Lisi' whom was supposed to be staying at the Kelay Tavern on the previous night. Yet to his disappointment she was no where to be found. As he headed back toward the barbaric city of Gamorg he happened to come across a small gathering of people. He kept his distance for a few minutes as his eyes tried to adjust to the night. Squinting his dull-gray gaze shifted across the gathering and he noticed two of the three faces here. Iktomi; His love. Lisi; His slave. A set of mixed emotions rushed over the behemoth green skin as he grinded his teeth from behind the demonic-maw that held firm on his jaw. He was excited to see the likes of Iktomi, and furious at Lisi for not being where he ordered her. Gripping his goblin-skulled staff tightly in his right hand he took a deep breath and exhaled a thick fog into the air before approaching Lisi. As he reached the feline his voice rang out in a calm low trying to have some lineancy for the female. "Why weren't you in the tavern as I ordered? Why do I not have a notice of your whereabouts? Do you wish to return to the prisons?" As he waited for her to answer he turned to offer Iktomi a light smile and beckoned for her to accompany him with Lisi. Before he turned his attention back to the Female Leopard he caught sight of a lone Half-Elf sitting a bit off from the rest of them. The being looked poor and in a dazed state of mind. He must've been new to Kelay, or perhaps Hollow in whole. He raised his left hand and extended a thick digit to the poor one looking to Lisi and questioning her once more. "Who's this? Please tell me this isn't one of your... men."

Airis was confused at the statement the ogre made, having not thought about how this gathering must look for an outsider. "I am Airis, a newcomer to Hollow" Not knowing what else to say he looks to Lisi hoping she can explain this situation better.

Lisi had been helping the elf get around Kelay, having nothing better to do. The tavern didn't usually pick up until night fall, which was settling in very quickly. She stretched out her arms, getting ready to turn and make way for the building where she may find a few free drinks. She started to walk when she saw something coming towards them in the distance. The footsteps were familiar in her ears, and she immdiately knew who it was. As he got closer, the feline could tell that he was mad, very mad. When he started to yell, her small ears fell back and she sneered at him. "Look, you expect me to stay in the same place for a whole day? What if I want to go out and get some air, huh?" She crossed her arms and stood her ground against the ogre. When he asked about the elf she nodded over to him. "New. I was showing him around." She growled into her next words. "And I've done nothing with him."

Iktomi was out hunting as usual and all was quiet till Gorkall spoke. Iktomi jumped and her fur stood on end, and a spear was quickly aimed at Gorkall. The beastly lion blinked and lowered her spear in surprise, "Gorkall, I could have hurt you." She smiled and stepped over to his side, looking to the others and not really knowing who they are, untill Gorkall speaks to Lisi of course. Airis is a stranger to the lioness so he isn't offered a look or a word. Iktomi falls silent as she waits for the other feline to answer her King, smirking happily in the darkness. "My King, you going to allow her to talk back to you like that?" is all Iktomi asks, her heart pounding against her chest, happy to be in the place she is.

Gorkall didn't acknowledge Iktomi's final words as he placed his staff into his left hand and extended his massive right one to Lisi. Wrapping it around her neck he squeezed tightly and picked her up off the ground cutting off the females air supply. He gripped her throat tighter and tighter until he could feel her blood trying to pump through on the palm of his hand. The skin on his visage peeled back into a sneer revealing spiked teeth splattered with blood and hint of human remains. He spoke in a tone of anger from behind gritted teeth. "Is this how you repay me for kindness? The generosity I showed you? You will remember you are my property House Cat. You are not free amongst the others. You. Are. Mine." Gorkall then raised his hand and slammed the feline into the dirt sending a cloud of dust spiraling around the quad. He snorted and spit down onto her stomach. "You will stay in my hut tonight. I don't trust you out here in these streets anymore. You've lost the trust I so easily let you gain worm." The Ogre then turned back to Airis and offered a make shift smile. The Ogre moving over to the half-blood and extending his hand in an offering to pull him to his feet from which he would then offer a firm handshake. "You do not carry the full blood of an elf, else you would find your flesh being picked from my teeth." Gorkall joked. "You look young newcomer, how old are you exactly? And where do you reside in these lands?"

Airis looks on the rumble and thinks about what he has been asked. "Sixteen human years have passed since my birth, and at this time I don't live anywhere. Thats what Lisi was doing, showing me around. She doesn't deserve punishment, I wouldn't leave her alone till she helped me." He steps back half expecting to get hit, and then decides that it would be a good idea to hold his ground.

Lisi started to back up as she saw the ogre's hand reaching out to her, but she wasn't quick enough to escape his grasp. As his green fingers wrapped around her neck, her nails found their way into the skin of his arms. She gritted her teeth, sucking for the air that her lungs were desperately working to get. She held her eyes shut, trying to pull away from Gorkall's grip, but as she was off the ground she had nothing to pull back with. Her heart pumped faster and faster, wondering why no oxygen was reaching it. She felt her face get hot, and the grip on the ogre's arms loosen. She was losing all of the strength she had by the grip of her master. His words were going in and out, as Lisi was slowly slipping into unconciousness. As she was slammed to the ground, she felt the last bit of air that was left in her lungs escape. But she found relief when his grasp around her neck was released and she quickly started to breathe in the night air. She rolled over onto her stomach, coughing, a few spits of blood coming up with it. She said in a raspy voice, "Yes....master." Lisi started to lift herself up, and looked over to the elf. "No...don't. It's my fault." As she was finally on her feet, she turned and looked at the ogre. "You finally reminded me of the beast you are."

Iktomi watches the scene unfold and carries herself a little more poudly. Another house cat, she thought to herself. Great, now she has to deal with another, in the hut of her mate. Iktomi did not like this and she turned to Gorkall with a frown on her face. "Gorkall, you know I don't get along with house cats. I would rather eat them then have them living with me." She was voicing how uncomfortable she was with all this and turned to Lisi, baring her blood stained teeth she just recently aquired from wounding a small bear. Hearing the half elf speak, she smiles, "Well, seems like we have a kid on our hands Gorkall. He is still trainable." Hearing Lisi's words, she growls at the her and bares her sharp teeth, "Gorkall may be a beast, but you only cause him to be that way. respect him and do as your told and your Master won't be like that." Iktomi reached out and rested a hand on Gorkall's side, letthing him know that she is there for him.

Gorkall tilted his head to the young half blood and shook his head slowly. "I will not hurt a child." He turned to face Iktomi. "Nor will I brainwash him. He is of youth. Let him decide his own fate for now." The horned Ogre giving the youngling another once over before looking back to Lisi and chuckling lightly. "A man who makes a beast out of himself. Gets rid of the pain of being a man." Gorkall chuckles beneath his breath as he leans down and scoops Lisi into his arms. Holding the limp body as she tried to regain her air he nodded to Iktomi. "I'm going to take her to Gamorg. She will need some treatment. As little as she deserves it she is worth nothing to me dead. Stay with the boy and make sure he knows his way around before you return." A coy smile is given to her as he winks to his mate. He then turns back to Airis and nods once more to the youngling. "Things aren't what they seem around her, my friend. Keep your eyes peeled, and your ears perked. For now; You are welcome to Gamorg any time you need assistance." The Ogre then turning on his heel he began to head to the west ready for the long travel home.

Airis was again confused at the ogre's words. He though to himself What could the ogre mean by his last statement, but decides not to stop the ogre and ask, so he then turns to the lion and ask, "So now your my guide?" Airis then takes looks at himself to make sure he didnt have any of lisi's blood on him.

Lisi didn't fight the ogre as he picked her up, not because she didn't want to, but because he had left her no energy to. She glared at him, breathingly heavily still. She lifted her hand to wipe at the sweat that beaded her forehead. The rest of the sweat on her body was growing cold due to the outside air, but it felt nice against her skin. She looked up at elf as Gorkall spoke to him, and pondered his words. Things aren't how they seem around her? Her lifeless tail started to flick as curiousity started to flow to it again. She speckled chest started to slow down, finally filled with the air that it so desparately needed.

Iktomi growled in protest to Gorkall and even offered a snarl. "Fine, he will know his way around and when i am done with him, I am hunting. I may not return to the city tonight, knowing a house cat is there." She snarls and turns to the kid, "Alright kid, here is a little note, you can ask me questions, but don't be annoying or a problem. I assume you know how to fight and fend off any danger you run into?" The lioness was making sure the kid could fight and protect himself so she didn't have to. It wasn't her job to watch kids anymore. She lost her own set of cubs and she doesn't want to have to take care of kids, unless her and Gorkall end up pregnant. "Also, kid, do not refer to me as a feline, a cat or an elf. I am a lion, and you can refer to me as a beast or as Iktomi." Her voice was not gentle at all, but she was annoyed and would remain thus, until she had a talk with Gorkall.