[Sanctuary] Sister Light Sister Dark (Akela/Sanc Staff)

[Sorian]

The big Akalak's eyebrows perked up with a semblance of surprise that Kavala had come out then and there despite his having expected it somewhat. Still he simply glowered at the Konti, his neck craning down to stare her in the eyes. "I need no personal introduction woman." he replied through clenched, grit teeth from his lips in a breath of annoyance. "You named me yourself, now shouldn't you be the one gracious enough to speak it freely? Tch. Where'd that cheekiness of yours go?" He rolled his eyes again and leaned casually against the wall, which strained dangerously due to the damage it had sustained. When some dust fell on his head, he reacted in a calm but menacing manner, looking up at the spot which had spurted out the debris with disdain. He still felt a little bit embarrassed over the last night that they were together. the emotions which had prompted him to stab himself cling dearly to him since then like some unwanted cloak, and it made his blood boil in denial. It was all so foolish and stupid for him, and it all manifested on his very bad mood. He pointed at it with his thumb, the other hand safely tucked into his waist. "Stupid walls can't even hold together?" he spit out with angst, as if it was the wall that had done him wrong. His back finally lifted from it, more dust and damaged bits of brick coming off piecemeal. Taking one last look at it, he lumbered inside with some manner of gracefulness about him, his form blocking the light of the entrance as he stood there. Whether Akela was dressed or not he did not care, but his eyes drew a curious look towards the former slaves' breast. The suppleness of it did not concern him much, only the mark which he had overheard about lingered in his eye. It looked strange to him, but it did not matter either. Yet again an eyebrow cocked at the sight of her, a smirk breaking his rather angry mood. "Since this woman insisted on it, I might as well introduce myself. Navis is the name." These words were condensed and filled with irritation. He did not understand that she would be a dangerous opponent, though his peripheral vision did take note of the fine blade slouched near the bath. The sound of running water from the bath did little to calm his senses, as he knew it did little to calm the two sisters'. The wall again let loose some bricks, which fell on the rock-hewn floors of the cozy room, and a bit of the afternoon sunlight sneaked through the cracks that were exposed. The atmosphere was a bit tense, yet the Akalak did not mind it. He somewhat relished it.

[Akela]

Akela tilted her head, amused at her sister initial justification. "A very impatient patient to be sure," she joked. Being with her sister had brought back some of her old traits almost instantly, even some that she herself had forgotten. She had always been the one with the caustic remarks and the playful snark, whereas Kavala got tired quite easily from verbal spars. The two sisters completed each other in many ways, and Akela had felt a little betrayed when Kavala had decided to leave for Mura despite knowing Akela would not, could not follow. It wasn't so much that she was calm, but intrigued. Intrigued at finding a man in her sister's house first and foremost, and one she allowed in her territory while indulging in such behavior. There was a violence to him, and she could feel the desire even through the wall; a violence that could break out at any time, and strike anyone in range. Still, she tolerated him. Akela guessed it wouldn't have taken long to dispose of him, had Kavala wanted it. With the entirety of Riverfall wanting her to have their babies, one word from her sister would trigger a witch hunt. Akela knew Kavala was a good judge of character, as she listened more than she talked, and she saw all the little things that Akela usually didn't bother taking in. She did not look afraid when she opened the door - more like she was putting up some token indignation that didn't seem very convincing to Akela. He was certainly very big, though she was expecting it from the way he'd hit the wall with such strength. And while Akela stood unclothed and unconcerned with modesty, water still dripping off her, he wasn't really giving her that kind of look. A part of Akela was slightly disappointed, but she concluded he must belong to such a different animal species that attraction would be unlikely. "And I am Akela, Kavala's older sister," she said in response, stepping over the edge of the tub with one leg and then the other. So this was Navis, also known as Sorian. Navisorian. Or Sorianavis. Akela hadn't decided yet. "I should inform you, since I am going to be spending some time here, that 'woman' is no longer an appropriate way to address my sister... there are two of us here now, so that's your chance to expand your vocabulary." Akela was wearing a predatory grin now, as if teasing the dark Akalak to get a kick out of him. Kavala could probably remember her in their childhood, poking at wasps' nests with a stick or throwing rocks at snakes. "You don't seem to be after Kavala's womb like the others. That's a good thing about you. The way you act like you're here against your will even though you were eavesdropping is almost endearing. But." And she picked up the sheathed katana, careful not to get the weapon too wet. Katanas rusted far too easily, and Akela hadn't treated hers with the oils for quite some time now. "You know something about me that you shouldn't. I'd like to hear an Akalak's oath to keep your mouth shut about it." She gave him a happy, radiant smile. Navis had awakened a great deal of passion in her, both her own and the mark's. "I wouldn't want to test the old saying, 'two can keep a secret if one's dead'."

[Sorian]

Navis' narrowed, half-shut eyes widened with even more surprise at this woman's incredible sense of patience; he could sense that she was trying to intimidate him, both with her calm demeanor -which rung a deadly note- and her fine katana blade. All he could do for awhile was bawl and glare condescendingly at the naked Konti in his indignation. Wasn't he supposed to be playing the part of the intimidator here? It frustrated him to no end. He looked back at Kavala, who he was sure would be upset as hell by then, his index finger pointed at her more collected sister. "Is she serious?" he asked her, his face contorted as if faced with a horrible thought. To think that this Konti, deadly as her demeanor may denote her to be, wouldn't have the sense of privacy not to say that to anyone, even in front of a monster like him. It was exasperating. He huffed in a large breath of air to try to collect and soothe his senses, rubbing his temples fiercely. "Ugh. I can't BELIEVE this!" he spit out, his teeth clenched with frustration. "I have to listen to THIS? THIS?! BAH! Foolishness!" The AKalak stopped his rubbing and placed his hands on his hips, huffing and puffing another big wave into his lungs. He also ceased his tirades for a moment, savoring some semblance of peace of mind before he turned back to Akela, who was still holding the glinting sword in her hand. The next words from him came out in vehement, defeated snorts. "Fine! Speak your piece, but make it quick!"

[Kavala]

Kavala folded her arms and looked intrigued. A grin flashed across her face. It was a fleeting glimpse at the past woman she once was, even as her sister made her demands. "Yes, she's serious. Yes, she's armed. And yes, she knows how to use that sword." Kavala said, a faint lightheartedness to her voice that Sorian perhaps hadn't seen before. This was getting interesting fast. The slimmer gentler sister moved forward, intrigued as the Akalak moved fluidly through his personalities for the first time since she'd met both of them. Standing side by side, the two women really did look almost identical. One was older, perhaps by two years, and decidedly stronger. Akela moved with the grace of a dancer, her expression slightly fierce and serious. Even naked, Akela's muscles were subtly visible. They were not overly large - like the Akalaks were - but instead they gave her body a well-sculpted look. Her skin tucked in close to her stomach, gently floating over her ribs where there was absolutely no spare flesh. Sorian could tell that Akela had been starved recently, which was backed by the fact her eyes were slightly darkened around her lashes, as if she lacked sleep or good nutrition. But even for her thinness, Akela had an allure. White hair tumbled about her shoulders, wet, and gently caressing her own frame. Her body looked like it was made for pleasure - from the slight fullness of her breasts to the gentle curve of her hips . And the konti knew exactly how to use her body for such things as well as and for killing. By contrast, Kavala was plainer. Her hair was braided severely which pulled it from her face and revealed her features. She was in good shape, but it looked recent, as if she was used to a far softer life. Her cheeks lacked the hollows Akela's had, and there were no dark circles under her eyes. There was also no otherworldly allure to the healers form. In a crowd or beside another konti - she looked somewhat more plain and unpretentious. They were both the same height, though, and it was obvious that the two girls were related. "And, I'd suggest you stop staring at her breast like that. Since you blatantly overheard us speaking and know what that mark is, you can at least have the decency to not make it worse by staring at her like that. I don't want you giving her ideas beyond using her sword on you." The healer commented, watching the Akalak curiously. It was bad enough that Akela had suggested what would happen if her sister touched her again. Kavala had no idea what a man's eyes on her sister's unclothed form would do to Akela. "And I believe she said her piece, Sorian... Navis. She asked you to promise to keep the fact that she's marked by Nakali to yourself. If you won't, life here is going to get very uncomfortable for all three of us." Kavala said, folding her arms and leaning her hip against the wall, studying the Akalak. He was getting better at moving between his two personas, and she had to watch him much more carefully to decide who was looking out of his eyes at any one given time. "I believe that means both of you need to promise, not just one of you." The Konti explained, speaking slowly as if she was talking to a simpleton. Her voice was soft, not haughtily, as if she was pointing out the obvious gently and not arrogantly at all. Her eyes were concerned, both for her sister and for the two souls housed in the enormous blue body before her.

[Sorian]

His unwelcome perusing and observations were starting to get the better of him, and it snapped him out of a brief trance as he was looking at the marked breast, shrugging off his drawn-out weaknesses. While he was still enchanted by the mark, some voice seemingly calling out to him in the coldness of his mind, his face grew confused, even terrified for a moment. Was this what they called a gnosis mark? It was otherworldly and inexplicably strange to him. Hearing Kavala talk so roughly was almost a delight for the darker one of two personas; she was often so kind and gentle with Sorian, even in her anger, it was almost unbearable. While Sorian loved to please Kavala by helping around, Navis veers towards the far end of the other direction in his wanting to irritate and provoke her into an open war or words. Perhaps there was something during that first night that he had caught about her, and it intrigued him very much. Still Kavala’s reluctance to use force did not appeal to him, and the fact that she couldn’t hurt him even if she wanted to made the teasing and poking all the more juicy for him. But this woman Akela, he could see, was far more prone to violence. Something about seeing the tip of the iceberg that her character excited him, and it made his blood dance with aggression and joy. Nothing in a hundred years worth of the world had been capable of piercing through his layer of curiosity, much less invoke some joy into him. Seeing her hold that sword in her naked state made him drunk with lust—both for violence and other things. He grunted at Kavala’s trying to inhibit him from exploring the mark any further, which he begrudgingly did without asking anything else about it. He was definitely at a disadvantage, if only due to the combined strength of Kavala and, apparently, Akela’s abilities to annoy him and get him out of his usual rhythm. His steely, smirked-up glare reached back to look at the younger of the two sisters, pausing a moment before huffing and puffing gruffly at her, making sure the air from his nostrils reached her hair, just to let her know that his focus was on both of them. “Bah, I should have known. Stupid words can’t even register properly!” he blurted out, turning his attention back and forth between the two. Finally he rested it on Akela, eyeing her from tip to toe. It gave his heart a huge bump looking at her, but he shrugged it off to point a finger beratingly at Akela, as if scolding her. “And you, get dressed, will you? If you want that promise, fine. But the idiot inside me is far better at giving them out, so just try to solicit something from him later as well. Heh.” Nikali the slave goddess certainly had done her work on Akela, but not having known her previously did much to lessen what angst he could have gotten from her skinned-down body. What was it about this Akela that simmered so many things within his mind and chest? They pounded at him like hammers, and chiseled away at his previously impervious heart like a jackhammer. He turned his back and started for the exit, grumbling “Stupid!” in small breaths all the way out, his face’s embarrassment at the sensation thankfully hidden by his blue color. He was careful not to brush against Kavala, who was leaning at the door, eking his way out by twisting himself through. He stopped a few meters away from the door in front of the wide courtyard pen, looking up at the sky with his hands on his hips. He bit his lip in frustration at what he was feeling, tapping the sides of his head as if wanting to push out some sand from his ear. He knows that they would have noticed his odd behaviour, and maybe even interpreted them correctly. Still he wished they didn't. and shut his eyes tightly in denial.

[Akela]

Akela watched the exchange with amused eyes. She had missed the conversations in her captivity. A slave to a Zith, she had pretty much turned into a Zith herself. The master had liked her feral, and she'd been happy to oblige. The best thing about Nikali's mark was that it had erased the very notion of guilt from Akela's mind. She was who she was, meaning everything and nothing. In between the bouts of brutal servitude, though, she turned Konti again and got herself thinking about the old times. When Navis made his remark and told her to get dressed, Akela had to stifle an innocent laughter. Really, he was almost hilarious, and unwittingly so. All that nostril flaring and biceps flexing and back arching threatened to send her into giggling fits even against her will. "I guess I can get dressed. Now you know what a girl looks like." She shook her head, still laughing, and grabbed a towel to dry herself. He was off in a big hurry. "Kavala, sister, that man is priceless. If the other side of him is half as entertaining there's no chance of you ever getting bored in here." Akela put her katana back on the floor and glared at her clothes in distaste. No way she was going to put those back on until she washed them. She'd much rather stay naked, which she had absolutely no problem with. The confrontation with Navis had left her in a good mood, and Kavala could say how Nikali's mark was a blessing in its own way. Life could smash Akela into a pulp and she'd get herself together and smile because life was good and full of pleasurable things. She knew this would be especially difficult for Kavala to accept in her state of melancholy and near-apathy. "So, were you horrified by the idea that I might do your 'patient' right in front of you?" she asked, half-seriously. "The truth is, I can't exactly predict how I'm going to act around people. It depends on a lot of things. Not every desire is equally strong, defined or important enough for me to take notice, much less want to fulfill it. Most importantly..." She seemed to hesitate a little, as if gauging Kavala's possible reactions. Truthfully, though, she felt like teasing her sister horribly. For one, she wasn't telling her the whole truth about Navis/Sorian. Akela was certain she wasn't letting him 'regroup' here without a deeper reason. "I know this from past experience. If you'd let me be your slave, I wouldn't get as distracted by the needs of others," she dropped the bomb, "well, maybe 'slave' is a bit strong as a word, and I'd do my best to keep my hands off of you, but you get the idea. I'd rather not ask the blue gentleman till he learns some proper body language." She winked at Kavala, visibly excited. Nikali's mark was not unlike smoking weed when it kicked in.

[Kavala]

Kavala's lips curved into a slight smile at Akela's remark designed to be a dig at Sorian. The konti was also quick to note Akela made no real move to cover herself up, instead taking her time to towel off. Kav wasn't shy, in fact she never had been so being a healer. Her sister had changed, certainly. It was like looking at a half-starved version of herself in the mirror. Kavala wondered what Sorian thought of them, being almost identical and yet so different. Except there was something alluring about Akela, something that made Kavala want to touch her... it was nothing she'd ever felt before. Kav could only imagine how it effected Sorian or Navis. "I know. He's quickly becoming a good friend though. He reminds me of a horse that hasn't grown up with a herd and has no idea how to move within one. His socialization skills are all... out of sync. You know... I even invited him to my bed and he stabbed himself rather than join me?" The younger konti grinned a slightly self deprecating expression. "Can you imagine? He'd rather STAB himself than... take me up on my offer." She'd always been frank to her sister, there was no use being otherwise since Akela had the ability to ferret out all her younger sister's deepest secrets anyhow. But she didn't seem to upset about the fact, more amused at both herself and Sorian. "I'm not sure if it was Navis or Sorian doing the stabbing. I think it was Navis who's darker, though I'm never sure. There's two of him inside there. Sorian is gentler. I think all of the Akalak are somehow doubled up." The Konti said, looking thoughtfully at Sorian's retreating form. "And don't worry, if you feel the need to ... well... I mean if you... " Her expression changed, and she blushed deeply. "I don't care what you do Akela. No, I mean I do, and Sorian is certainly game... but I... No I mean... " She gave up for a moment, took a breath, and glanced at the pale blue skinned man loitering outside staring at the sky. She finally settled for... "I wouldn't mind. He has a beautiful personality and I think he needs to understand that women don't necessarily equate to pain. Navis killed his wife on their wedding night before he could bed her. He ... thought to spare Sorian watching the human age and die. They are both... confused and uncertain about each other. That's why I offered. Not because I well... I thought it would be nice under a more normal circumstance besides rape. But more too because I thought it would help him. Do what you need to do, Akela, because of your mark - I understand. Rak'keli has given me little to no choice about whom I heal and when. It's a compulsion, so I understand it. But if you want to ... well you're not going to shock me. I've seen plenty of it, right in front of me. That doesn't make it easier to talk about." Kavala said softly, her face still flushed bright red. Were they really having this conversation? It got stranger still. She listened to Akela explain about her urges, then half jokingly dropped the last bomb. Kavala blinked, then abruptly sat down. "I think I need to sit down...." Then she glanced around, realizing she'd already sat down on the edge of the tub. "You mean, if your marked like you are and not 'attached' your prone to .... well... recognizing and feeling the need to ... fulfill other's desires? Isn't that... pretty horrible?" Kavala asked. She knew about the Gods and how odd they could be. They didn't play by mortal rules, and some of their interwoven rules were bordering on terribly strange. "And if you attached yourself to someone, that goes away in favor of just pleasing the person you are attached too? Doesn't that drive you to be connected to someone always? I mean, we're sisters... SISTERS... Akela, wouldn't that just make you want to.... I mean... I'm messed up in the head. Wouldn't Sorian or someone like that be a better choice? You could teach him manners. All I'd drive you to do is to have the urge to ... I mean you know what you'd have the urge to do." Hurt her. The words went unspoken. There was a heavy pain addiction on Kavala's soul, one that drove her to work until her back ached and her mind was numb, devoid of memories. It was a certain kind of horror to even contemplate putting her sister in that situation, but also a sort of horror to leave Akela to the mercy of everyone else around Sanctuary or whomever came through the gates. Would her sister spontaneously... with a stranger.... no... "Akela, Riverfall is a small place. Word is going to get out, and probably soon, regardless of how careful you are. Even now, I can see something about you... that makes me want to touch you - something that I never felt before. Sorian will feel it. So will Awston our stablehand... hell half of Riverfall will drop by sniffing around. They've already started too now knowing my body is under contract." She paused, looking afraid. "I'll do it, Akela, if you need the shelter. But it won't be easy for either of us. I still think Sorian or Navis would be a better choice. I can promise to look away if you two get carried away." She said softly, certain of needing to protect her sister, but not knowing if this was the right way. "He wouldn't hurt you." I'm certain of that. "But if its something you want, you'd better tell me everything you know so I know what to avoid and how to redefine my needs... because I'm not sure how easy it is going to be to need regular chores done over pleasure." The konti said.

[Akela]

The revelations about Sorian's past made a lot of sense to Akela, though she was surprised by her blunt admission that she had offered herself to him and had been turned down in a most... unusual manner. Still, she felt she had some explaining to do to her sister. She could see that Kavala also had a compulsion to heal, to mend others any way she could, however that came with its own downsides, namely, you couldn't really make others at ease if you weren't at ease yourself. Akela couldn't help but smile at her sister's difficulties to come to grips with her request. It was, in part, exactly the reaction she wanted to elicit. Kavala needed to be shaken up somewhat, and the Konti was entirely aware of that. She was allowing herself to fall into a self-destructive spiral of sorts, one that Akela viewed as a unhealthy version of her own. Every time Akela shook her sister up, it was a little jolt of life getting into her, which Kavala needed so badly before she consumed herself in her work, healing and self-deprecation. There was the security of familiar routine. And then there was Akela. She grinned slowly as Kavala articulated her reply, filled with her proverbial intelligence and common sense. Kavala had always been the one grounding her plans in solid thinking. We do this, then this and that and this and that, in that order, and it will take us X time and it will cost us Y money. Kavala was the dependable one, probably because her older sister had never wanted to fill that role. Akela, while admiring that about Kavala and even being a little jealous of her ability, just couldn't reason that way. Consequences were faced as they occurred. Trouble was fun in moderation. "Don't you faint on me or I'll have to call for a healer," she laughed, sitting on the edge of the tub near her sister, but not touching her, "I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable, or maybe I did, who knows? It's not always easy to tell my will from the mark's. I wasn't even thinking you'd consider being my... sistress, to be honest. Maybe I was just teasing you. Maybe." "So, let's have it your way, Kavala. Let me explain how this gnosis works. Right now you want me to tell you about how this works, which makes me want to be chatty and never shut up." She was speaking fast now, faster than usual, as if wanting to fulfill her sister's desire as quickly and efficiently as possible. "As I said, I can be anything my 'master' wants me to be... beware, though, lies are not going to work. If you tell me to do something but deep down you want something else, chances are I'll ignore what your mouth says in favor of your heart." "As for how far I can go," Akela said nonchalantly, "it's as far as I have to... as far as I physically can. I can be sweet radiant dark cruel mysterious open shy sincere feral and whatever you'd like me to be. Once I have a master I feel no guilt for serving, though I can still think. What the master likes, I like. Hobbies, activities, and yes, tastes too." Said the one who'd been enslaved to the Zith. "I can switch masters - I did kill my old one - though it's a bit uncomfortable at first. I can push back an urge too, it just feels like... an immense waste, that's the only way to describe it. Like spilling your only waterskin on the desert sand." "I can do that, though," she smiled, leaning closer to send a hot whisper in her sister's ear, "you know it's true. I have been pushing back the urge to cut you up nice and slow, the way you like it... just fast and deep enough for your healing to keep up..." She jerked back and stood on the bathroom floor all of a sudden. "Uh, sorry, Kavala," Akela apologized, "I guess this is a hands-on demonstration of how my mark works. It was different with Sorian, though. I felt no strong physical attraction to him, which means he's not really ready for that kind of thing, not yet at least. If anything, I think you are the one he wants on a deeper level. Which reminds me, you basically told me you wanted to take him to your bed to 'heal' him, right? Well, that sounds like pity to me, and probably did to him as well. His problems are deeper than that. You can't patch up a soul in one night." Akela shrugged, still making no move towards any form of clothing. "This may look like a curse to you, Kavala, but to me it's a deep, beautiful gift. I can look at people for what they are, without judging them on some skewed moral system. I can see their needs... acknowledge them, respect them, and fulfill them. Sex is only one way to express a need... yes, even the Zith are more layered than that. Navis needs my laughing at him and calling him names just like you need someone disrupting your predictable quiet routine." "I have enough sense left in me to take some measures, though. Getting a master is one. I don't want to cause too much ruckus in here... especially with us looking almost identical, can you imagine how confusing it could get? I don't want to get pregnant either, and the Akalak here want exactly that. It wasn't a problem with the Zith since they can't interbreed, but it is now. I will admit, serving you would go a long way towards helping me keep things in check. It's your choice. If anything, I can keep Vanator busy with my sword and buy some time while you run away." She smiled at Kavala, the earlier high-on-weed grin replaced by a much more familiar sisterly smile.

[Kavala]

Akela always had a knack for throwing Kavala out of her comfort zones. Her sister used to out ride her, out dance her, and thrive in any sort of conflicted situation. This was really no different. While Kavala's brief introduction into adulthood had in quiet ways seriously traumatized her, Akelas had somehow honed her sister into a sharp tool - one that her sister seemed to thrive being. Akela had always been strong - quick to laugh and quick to act - making her decisions rapidly and with an uncanny accuracy. Kavala had to brood over life's choices, thinking quietly, making lists, weighing options. It was ironic, in a way, for Akela claimed she was giftless while Kavala got more than her share of sight when it came to animals. They were about as different as night and day - and yet so alike in many ways. They both cared deeply, even if they showed it in different ways. They both were highly intelligent, though Akela was always laughing off her quick mind even if she didn't realize her sharp tongue indicated intelligence. Kavala was incredibly shy, and tended to loose her sense of self rather quickly while Akela always knew who she was. Vanator often said Akela was comfortable wandering around in her own skin, while Kavala often felt a like a stranger in hers. A smile played across her normally stoic lips. This mark, this gift from Nikali, seemed to suit Akela well. The list of all the things she could be backed that up. Akela did not stagnate - hated being still and quiet - and loved the diversity in life with a passion that was rarely matched elsewhere. Kavala liked things quiet, stoic, unchanging. It was why Vanator's wife, Tamar, had hit her so hard. Tamar had been her friend and she'd held her brother close and sobbed with him. Akela had pulled her aside and applied icewater liberally in the form of a sword-edged comment. "She'll just be one of the many, Kavala. Humans do not live long even under good conditions. You won't even have Vanator as long as you'd like. All we can do is enjoy them while they are here. But don't cry for them. Tamar had the best of lives. She had our Vanator." It wasn't as if Akela was cold. She was far from that. Her inner fires burned with a passion that Kavala had rarely seen. But her strength lied in her ability to adapt and apply reason to life. The konti took a breath, tipped back her head, and thanked Rak'Keki a moment for sending her sister. With Akela here, things would be okay. Her sister had blown into town like a half-starved whirlwind. She'd shake things up, clean up the garbage, and blow out just as interestingly. And as usual, just as she was thanking Rak'keli, Akela was tapping into more of her mark's darker side. Kavala shivered as she heard the glint of dark pleasure in Akela's voice and the soft admission. A cold sweat broke out on the younger sisters spine. "He'll hear you...." Kavala said, her voice infused with shame. Akela put space between them and Kav took a deep breath, her skin having flushed and then paled considerably. Sorian, though, was an easier topic. "I know. It was completely wrong. You can't heal people like that. I know it. And I'm more than a little ashamed about it. It won't happen again though. It was horribly unfair of me. It's just sometimes my mark is a little like yours. If I feel like something might help someone heal, I feel strongly that I need to do so. It makes me want to heal someone, and if I ignore their pain it tends to bother me a great deal. It doesn't matter who it is either. It could be a Zith that just murdered our entire family, and I'd want to sooth the wounds. Rak'keli doesn't give her gifts easily." Kavala said, biting her lower lip softly and then turning her head and sighing. Iridescent scales flashed down her neck and across her hand as she turned to watch Sorian lingering outside. He looked like he was giving the two of them some privacy. "No, I understand. It's fine. I'll be your ... 'Sistress' if you'd like. Just promise me no knives and that if you want to switch to serving someone else, you just do so and not kill me. I like my head where it is. But.... I get to approve of the new one. If I don't like him or her, you can't change." A thin smile cracked her features. It was almost wicked. She was trying... trying to make the best of it. "I like the fact that we look so similar. Maybe the Akalak here will get the impression I can wield a sword if necessary and give me some time to decide when and where I'm paying my debt. And I don't care, seriously, what you do Akela, so long as your happy. Just don't... do anything to... embarrass me publicly. And for gods sake, don't traumatize Vanator. He's been through enough." Kavala grinned, then outright laughed at the thought. "Though... that might not be a bad idea... Can you imagine? It's bad enough he keeps telling us there's no curse. How could he deny it with you showing back up like this?" Kav chuckled, reached out to hug her sister, then thought better of it. "And as for Sorian... well... I'm not really what he or anyone needs. Animals are my forte not people. He'll figure out his life and grow stronger. He doesn't need me to do that. I'm going to fit in nicely here. None of the Akalak want relationships. They just want children. It couldn't work out better. I think I can be happy here... happier than I was on the grass. It's nice to be respected, not tolerated." The Konti smiled, glanced once more at Sorian, and then back at her sister.

[Akela]

"Deal," Akela gave a big grin in response to Kavala's conditions. "No knives and no switching to another master without your approval. Not that I'm planning on getting one in the near future. Not sure if you noticed, sis, but this world is painfully short on people you can actually trust. Besides, it's just more fun this way." Akela blinked, as if remembering something. "Clothes. I used to know what they were for. How forgetful of me." She stretched out a leg and her foot picked up the garments she had been wearing in the wilderness. "But these kind of defeat the point of taking a bath to begin with, no?" She left the question unspoken, but in Akela's mind, a master was responsible for the slave's basic necessities. That or she could walk around the house naked. As long as Kavala was happy, so was she. "In truth, there is just one warning I should probably give you right now," she murmured, foreseeing a potential problem in the future. "I may start acting quite... protective around you. That means, if you ever feel threatened, I may be compelled to remove the source of the threat for you. Most of the time that will be a good thing, I suppose, but given the terms of the deal with the Akalak here..." She thought it over for a second or two. While in slave mode, the master's well-being was everything to her. She'd had to remove herself from that influence before she'd been able to kill her old master - something that had happened upon seeing her sword. Kavala's deal, however, might come at an emotional cost. Sure, she may be able to rationalize it, but how would she feel when putsch came to shove and it was time to honor the pact? "You say the idea is growing on you, but please, Kav... make sure it's something you want before you go ahead and pick one. Because if it's not, if you should feel really threatened or hurt or scared, then I'd have a hard time holding back... and no good things can come from that, right?" The thought of fleeing Riverfall pursued by the entire village occurred to her. The slave and the sistress had some joint responsibilities to each other here. The dynamics were more complex than they might appear. Kavala's life was about to get more complicated. "So, if we're clear on that, tell me about the work here. What kind of help do you need above all? I know you talked about helping with the horses, but I'm talking a different level now. Any skill that I can possibly acquire, I'll be delighted to learn it for your sake. I will catch rats for you. I will go glassbeak hunting for you. I will juggle eggs with a glass of water on my forehead for you." She laughed softly. "Just tell me what you want me to do, and I'll do it." And perhaps now Kavala would start noticing that it was hard being a good master. Maybe harder than being a good slave. OOCSorry for the delay, the muse was on strike.