[Training] Of cats and birds in raging heat [Mao]

[Sorian]

22nd day of Summer, 510 AV


At first she was merely acting passionately and a bit strangely, and so he didn't mind much. But a mere day after they had made love so gently in the beach, the kelvic jaguar became a roaring typhoon which the mighty Akalak had to see through.

Mao's frequent bouts of savage heat both delighted and confounded Navis. She had been extremely assertive and bossy the past few days, so much that when in heat she would practically act with little regard for his feelings or his physical safety. It was kelvic nature to be animalistic when in heat, Kavala said, and she also admitted to drugging Mao to induce it.

And so, he practically had to beg Sorian--much to his aghast fury--to give him the key to her collar, since he was bound by a new revelation (conscience) not to take it for himself, and she needed to be free lest her mind be burned in her tremulous need to shift. Apparently his lighter half appreciated the sentiment, even though he would never admit it himself, and not only gave him the key, but also all the time in the world he needed to satisfy Mao. The moment he unleashed the black panther from her bounds, she immediately tore into him, in a desperate, almost maddened attempt to force him to have a baby with her.

It has not been all terrible; the first mating, as well as all the ones which came after, had been rough, tedious, and utterly pleasurable for him in a savage, bestial way, particularly because she required--demanded--the deed be done in her jaguar form. He has had to use his enormous strength to hold her down and keep her from snapping off some part of him in her raging lust, something he had never done before, and the pleasure in being dominant in sex was exhilarating. Biting and scratching inevitably became a hundred times more frequent, a hundred times more painful, and the doubled number of deep scars and enormous bite marks on his robust shoulders, his solid chest, his thick arms and even his fleshy thighs was testament to how far he was willing to go to give her what she wanted. He was just thankful that despite it all, Mao had not lashed out at the one part of him she had been demanding for.

He wanted to rage at Kavala for what she had done to Mao, but he could barely even keep his bond mate from herself. Paternal instincts were starting to become keen for him, for he knew that the time would come when she would just wake him up and tell him he'd be a father soon. Somehow he dreaded the day; responsibility has never been his strong suit. He has always been selfish, arrogant and cruel to others. Or at least that was what he tried to hold on to, because the idea of becoming a father, a husband, mellowed him and turned his paranoia into a protective instinct. He at least didn't see it as trouble, as he would normally have. An offspring by Mao had rarely crossed his mind when they were both feral, completely free and uncontrollably savage, but it was one that he welcomed with a terrified kind of glee.

One day, he woke up and just decided that the heat had to be channeled out some other way. Certainly Mao had her means--she once killed to satisfy the urge--and he was determined to get it out and finally return her back to her normal, less lethal ways. It was early sunrise when he snapped out of his slumber; the night had seen more of the same violent coupling, and he practically had to carry her back to Sanctuary from the grasslands, bleeding all the way. He got up, walked to the mirror and inspected his naked body all around. The scratches didn't look too bad, but he was not looking very good. He was afraid that he was losing some of his strength because he was losing blood everyday in modest amounts. Kavala was going to have to take a look at him one of these days and patch him up.

He then gently touched Mao's sleeping face and brushed away some of her hair, revealing a face that was not scratched in the least, despite their constant jockeying and wrestling. He skin was slightly bruised, something that annoyed him very much, but there was nothing else tarnishing her beautiful fair color. "Mao kitten, wake up. We're going hunting. You gotta let some of that rage loose on... Something else for a change." He groaned. "Let's go kill something. Maybe a glassbeak or two."

[Mao]

Mao understood there was something particularly odd about her own behavior deep in the back of her mind. She knew it, but she had no choice but to succumb to it. The burning, raging sensation boiling her blood, clouding her mind and forcing her words into growls and hisses. Yet despite it all, despite the fact that after they were through with the violent mating she did not apologize. There were no gentle words and sweet nothings whispered into his ear, no cuddles or kisses or anything that could imply affection.

Indeed, the heat had reverted her to the underlying animal she was. Once the deed had been done (repeatedly of course for added emphasis), she would immediately fall asleep. And her dreams, the dreams of a beast, were filled with the images of running at full strength across the fields of grass, or climbing tall canopies in the land of Falyndar. Often there were events that described her downing prey, and reveling in the fact that she was stronger and more competent a hunter than the creatures she stalked. Then the sun would arise, she would wake up, and the day would repeat itself.

In the long run, she had no inclination Kavala had been a part of the reason she was in the state she was in. All she knew was what she wanted and how she was going to go about getting it. Of course it was made far easier with the fact she had a bond mate now to share her passions with, but when he touched her skin and spoke aloud, she immediately shot up in alarm, as if for a fraction of a chime, she had been caught with her guard down and in a vulnerable state. If it were not for the fact that she was restricted by the collar around her neck, she might have snapped off Navis’ hand in irritation. Instead, she hissed at the light filtering through the window, rubbing at them almost groggily in an attempt to regain her vision.

As she glanced up at Navis, the sudden heat that still brewed deep in her stomach swelled and expanded. It would soon overcome her once again, but for the moment his words drew her attention away from her desires. “Kill something?” The prospect of hunting again made her excited, but would it drive away her lust? “I thought you would like all the attention I’m giving you.” Her voice sounded haughty, almost laced with indignation. The raging hormones skewed her perspective on such matters, but still, she could see herself quite content mauling a creature or two.

She looked him over, taking note of the wounds riddling his body. “You whine too much. I thought you loved it when I scratched you. Do you want me to stop?”

[Sorian]

Aggressiveness. Ferocity. Lust. Fury. All these things seemed to hiss back at the Akalak with the reply that was send back, but Navis didn't budge an inch. In truth he was sympathetic to what she was going through, and he complained little to none. Deep inside, however, there was a lingering fear that he might be losing her to the power of her animal instincts. He was ready to follow her as woman or beast, or die trying. But he definitely preferred the soft skin of the woman to the sharp claws of the beast.

"Don't get me wrong, kitten, I love being the center of your attention." He momentarily looked down on his entire body, as if he was purposely exposing every last point in his body that he had made available for her furious outbreaks of lust. The heat was returning, he could feel it in his gut, and soon she'd demand and swear and eventually paw, scratch and bite her way to getting what she wants. "I just, you know... Need a little exercise, that's all. You can use some of that too."

He smiled wanly, gently at his salacious, brutal bondmate, as if quietly telling her it was okay for her to be so rash and impulsive. To speak of complaining was almost unthinkable for him, he would rather have his head ripped off than let her skin be scratched at the slightest by something other than his passion. His love was simply that fierce, and it made his will all the more harder to break.

He leaned his face closer to hers, a teasing grin on his lips, despite the dangers that Mao held up her sleeves. If she was danger personified, he wouldn't give a damn anyway. The kelvic jaguar was at least in her woman state, her skin clean and seductive aside from the tight collar around her neck, and it was more than enough for him to act like he was in control. He pinned her arms down with his massive hands and towered over her, barely resisting the urge to help himself to her body in a personal imposition of dominance. He missed making love to her in human form, that much was sure, but it was a muted kind of affection because he also appreciated her even in feline form. The heavy Akalak laid his entire body down on top of hers, then treated himself to a few minutes of angry kissing and licking before he abruptly broke the passion play and put his trousers on.

He knew what he wanted, and he knew what she wanted. This time, however, he was going to impose what he felt she needed.

"Get up and get dressed, love. If you want more of that later, you most definitely will have it. But for now, its time to kill."

A pause deafened the air as he casually took her own plaid garments on the nearby chair, then waited for her to take them. "Think of all the blood that you can feast on today, including mine. A perfect breakfast, don't you think?"

Not that she needed to grant him anything for her to get access to him anyway. And she knew that well. This was, however, the very first (implied) request he has asked from Mao.

[Mao]

Mao was unaware between the bouts of heat that she was slowly yet surely reverting back to the inner jaguar. But perhaps despite it all, after the effects wore off, her human nature would sprout and blossom, and the child destined to grow in her belly would ultimately calm her in the end. The thoughts, at that moment, did not cross her mind, because she found herself to be scoffing at her mate. “Exercise… As if every night you are not exercising.” Her meaning should not have been lost to him, but she had no desire to elaborate.

When he leaned closer, she quirked a brow in curiosity, and when she was abruptly pinned down, a growl nearly escaped her. Perhaps not in anger, but the pleasure of having him looming over her caused her heart to beat wildly against her chest. She understood that he missed her human form, and she considered, for the time being, or perhaps later, that she would allow him the pleasure of making love to her in such a state. But when he released her and began to dress himself, Mao couldn’t help but sit up and pout in disappointment.

“If you want me to go hunt, I obviously cannot do it while dressed, Navis.” Came her aggravated reply. She stood up, stretching her arms above her head then casually walking past the Akalak and towards the door. “Get this collar off… I’d rather be clothed in fur.” Mao turned to face him, tugging on the leather strapped around her neck for emphasis. “And if there are any humans in sight, do not think I will not give chase. Remember our promise.”

The seed of hatred still burned vehemently in the back of her mind. It would not die so easily, as was apparent by the cold stare that met Navis’ gaze.

[Sorian]

The cold, merciless stare returned to her eyes almost immediately, as if his antics had only been a brief respite for both of them. It sent a chill down his spine, as if there was absolutely nothing he could do to stop her from the rampage she was about to unleash upon the sea of grass' denizens. Of course there was a lot he could do, but they never involved forcing her.

There was a time when ruthlessness ruled his soul, and there was nothing in him, nothing else to him, but killing and torture. He could have never predicted that he'd be at least a bit concerned about something else other than himself; love for Mao had made him change so much. The thought of her killing humans reminded him both of their ancient blood promise and the looming threat of Kavala being ready to forsake both of them should she ever catch wind of any such activities happening on her watch. Her civic duty and her personal experiences had made her a tad ruthless when it came to preservation of peace; she was no doubt serious and ready to sound the alarm, even if it meant abandoning her friend Sorian. The former was a promise he did not want to rescind, and the latter was a fact that he did not wish to dare. An army of Cerulean warriors, some of which would be Sorian's former peers or superiors in age and experience, would be impossible for him to defeat.

Navis could only hope that there wouldn't be anyone 'innocent' prowling around the grasslands at the moment. It was high noon, lunch time for its various predators. Should there be humans around, he would have no choice but to give into Mao's whims; anything and anyone foolish enough to be around would most likely serve as meals, either for the glassbeak or for them.

He threw her dress over his head, letting it land softly and neatly on the bed behind him. She was right, she would never hunt in human form, not unless he'd allow her to hunt something very weak, like... Humans. He took the key from within a safebox under the floor boards, letting the thick, bended mahogany smash back into place upon releasing it. Carefully he pulled aside Mao's hair and got to work on the collar, all the while sighing and wincing, preparing himself for the inevitable whirlwind which was about to explode from his bondmate.

He planted a hard kiss to the smooth of her neck before twisting the lock open.

[Mao]

When Mao felt the collar loosen around her neck, her hair nearly stood on end. How she craved this every night, to be released from the confines of the leather. Each passing day she was getting more and more used to the fact that others found her exceptionally dangerous while in Sanctuary, but it still annoyed her far more than it should. The collar landed on the ground, and when Mao heard the characteristic thump, she turned, pulled Navis down for a passionate kiss then threw open the doors that spelled freedom.

The sheer joy she felt welling up inside her willed her legs forward into a sprint, until she shifted mid-run and became the shadow against the swaying sea of grass. The breeze tickled her whiskers; chilling but otherwise comforting under the relentless heat of the sun. When she was far enough away from the Sanctuary and had run for a good majority of time, she slowed to a halt then whipped her head around to direct a vicious roar toward Navis, one that he would most definitely understand.

What are you waiting for? Come! I long for bloodshed, teach me how you fell these great beasts that roam the land.

Of what she spoke was the pack of glassbeaks that huddled by each other; intimidating, formidable and as vicious as she was. The last time she had devised to attack such creatures was when she had first met Navis, and even then she had chosen to assault an old, sickly and weak one. And even then she was not left unharmed.

Mao knew the Akalak had once ripped apart these creatures, and she wanted to see him do so. She enjoyed watching him kill, because his actions and his brutality often reminded her that she was not alone in what she did. Thus she slunk closer to the idle pack of glassbeaks, watching, and waiting. This was her tactic, to wait for an opening, to leap and to deploy a gruesome bite that would shatter bones. But could she do it in the face of a creature far more powerful than she?

Navis... She hissed. Her eyes darted from one direction to another. There at least were no humans to distract her in the vicinity, but the horses in the horizon might say otherwise.

[Sorian]

There she was again, lying on top of him, staring him face to face, the familiar green irises of the powerful cat fully released now. The familiarity which the sleek black form gave him made sure that he never lost the image of the womanly form that he so loved, despite the fact that she was now far more dangerous, and far more vicious.

He didn't move an inch, holding his breath in as she licked his face. A kiss? He had definitely expected a powerful bite or even a nip at his skin, or for her sharp claws to start digging into his skin in her own personal way of pleasuring him. But there was nothing, for as soon as she had tasted him she fled into the open plains, the winds being cut asunder with her swift passage.

Navis got up to his feet and sat up, staring at the great expanse of grass and openness before his eyes. Mao's form had disappeared beneath the greens, and he drifted off into thought without any sort of momentum to chase her. He wondered about the chances of fatherhood, of husbandhood, of life before Mao, of life... After Mao, if there would be one. He was so happy that he could not avoid being paranoid; when it ends, where would he end up in? It was terrifying to say the least. He could not live without Mao. Sorian could, but could he?

Her summons rang out in the distance, the blood curdling roar of the jaguar was demanding that he showcase what it was about him that remained fierce and unhindered by weak thoughts. Smirking to himself, he got off the floor and thundered down the thick, grassy plains, tearing away at the swaying blades as he approached closer. He was far quicker than most creatures in the sea of grass; however Mao was one of the few that could outrun him in her better days.

Unfortunately for them, the glassbeak was one of those few too.

The razor sharp claws on their feet and the thick, glassy beaks were definitely going to be a problem, but it was their incredible speed that makes them deadly creatures. The deadliest in the sea of grass, by far. When alert and keen, even Navis would stand little chance against them, especially in packs. Thankfully they were not very intelligent creatures, or at least, not on par with him and Mao. Their instincts were self-preservatory first, purely savage second, which made them easier to take down than, say, a balicani.

He spied on a couple of them eating a torn-up horse in a clearing between several rocks, a place reminiscent of their first hideaway nearby. Navis crouched low, then pulled the jaguar closer, letting her know his intentions in controlled, bated breaths. "Remember love, glassbeaks are easily surprised. They run away when they are chanced upon by a threat. They pack together to hunt easier, but not to defend easier. Watch me."

With a few seconds of pause, the Akalak unloaded his power into his waiting limbs, then pounced on one of the unsuspecting creatures, which was busily gorging down on a heap of flesh from the slain animal. He landed with a sickening thud on the back of one of them, and sure enough, the other one ran away as Navis entangled his victim into his vice grip, feeling the thick feathers and fur in its neck with a choke that would have killed a human on impact.

Fangs bared, Navis proceeded to grasp the mighty beak of the creature. The adult glassbeak, towering at around 8 feet tall, was completely stunned, but it only lasted for a few moments. Soon enough it began to jockey and prance, trying to throw its assailant off its back. But the hold was not to be broken so easily.

"Kitten! Watch me tear this thing apart! This is for you!" He roared at Mao, extreme experience and pride evident on his voice. Summoning a massive injection of strength, he kicked his leg down on its spine, breaking its back with a sickening crunch. When it stopped moving, he clandestinely tore into its head with ferocious smashes, stopping only when its skull was completely caved in.

As an extra precaution he pulled out the brains from its exposed cranium, then threw it up into the air as a bloody celebration of victory. He felt released, elated to have killed something so dangerous so brutally again. As entrails, sweat and a rain of blood fell from the heavens, he allowed himself to be bathed, the outlines of his muscles feeding off of the drops and painting his blue with crimson fire, and looked at Mao triumphantly.

It was short lived, and the happiness soon devolved into another determined look as he pointed out to the horizon, where a faint outline of a tremendous, speeding form was blazing in hurdles towards them. Glassbeaks may momentarily be stunned by surprise and run off, but they always come back. Always. Now its ready to take them on, and he bid Mao to hide as he leaped off the bloodied carcass and hid behind the rock on the opposite side of her. "Its your turn now my love! On my signal, leap from hiding and tear its throat apart!"

[Mao]

It didn’t take long for Mao to realize Navis had arrived at her location almost effortlessly. Her mind was racked by the multitude of senses that were characteristically enhanced while in this form. She was the hunter, stalking her prey in a sea of flora that held creatures far more sinister and dangerous than even herself. The mind of the beast overwhelmed that of the woman, which meant Navis’ words were met with silence.

Focused, she would be completely focused on this and nothing more.

She watched in content as her mate tore and maimed at the glassbeak he had caught in his grasp. It was a glorious display of power, at least to her, and she purred in response. Had the glassbeak that had fled not returned, she would have snagged a small morsel or two, but Navis was urging her, if not vocally, to be ready and aware of the incoming predator. She crouched low, eyes locked on the beast hell-bent on trampling them. Muscles coiled for the spring, she waited for Navis’ signal. A fraction of a chime later, and she had leaped through the air and hooked her claws under the skin of the glassbeak.

It was as if she clung to a raging stallion, with the bucks and the wild kicks aimed at knocking the panther of its back. Mao had missed the breaking point to which she could have clamped down on the neck and snapped in it half, instead she bit down on the back portion she held on to. The blood oozed around her fangs, and the glassbeak wailed and shrieked in agony, it’s movement far more vicious and wild under the burden of assaults it had to endure.

Mao was slipping however. Her claws were scraping along the flesh of the back and forcing her legs to dangle and smack against the tougher far more dangerous ones of the beast she clung to. Several chimes later and the black jaguar found herself pierced in the leg from the claw of the creature and flung off, landing in a large patch of grass and stones nearby. A jagged wound ran along her thigh, and she hissed and growled at the pain that shot through her limbs. But there would be no rest for her. The glassbeak had circled back around once it had noticed the panther was finally off its back, and it’s piercing eyes met Mao’s in a lock.

She whipped her head around, unsure of where Navis was but her decision was already set in stone.

Do NOT help me. I will do this on my own. I can do this… Just tell me what to do.

[Sorian]

The bite had been performed too badly, and delivered in a spot that was too strong and compact. What's more, the glassbeak's raw strength was enough to render Mao's hold on its body useless and moot. Navis saw every action like a slide show and held his breath with anticipation from behind the rock, his eyes widening with particular horror and fury when the glassbeak managed to slice her leg open.

His heart trembled with savage rage, and his body danced along with the heat, making his muscles quake and heave from inside him. It was a short-lived trance, for the moment that Mao hissed at him to back off and let her fight alone, he gritted his teeth and suppressed his passion furiously, growling every instruction he had for her in combat. If it had been anything else besides her own condemnation of his help, he would have torn it limb for limb.

"Never attack a glassbeak from the front, because their instincts allow them to kick swiftly and react quickly to everything within their sight. Always aim for the neck, only the neck!" He peered over her and stared the glassbeak hard into the eyes as he continued speaking. "Switch sideways to confuse it, then jump from the sides, bite at the jugular vein!"

Besides the advices, all he could do was let his heart beat in a manner that told her that he will interfere if her wounds become any worse.

[Mao]

Mao could feel the rage burning, swelling inside her mate. He wanted to murder the glassbeak almost as much as she did. Mao’s instincts forced her to be self-preserving, to survive at all costs, and this beast was turning straight back to her, charging at full speed as if to knock her down and pin her there to suffer. When Navis spoke about dealing with the creature in her current position, she mentally nodded.

Pale eyes were fixed on the pounding legs, the claws that had ripped her own flesh, then at the beak that would inevitably tear her apart if she so much as slipped up. Fear would not do her any good, only determination, confidence and sheer wit. Even so much as a small step forced the pain up her leg and she growled in anguish. Was this even possible? No, such thoughts should not come now, because she only had mere chimes before the glassbeak was upon her again.

She began to pound her paws forward, faster, at least, as fast as her maimed leg could will itself to, until she was a mere few yards away. The glassbeak was heading full force for a collision, but just before they touched, Mao swerved sideways, twisted her paw in the soil and swerved her entire body around to leap forwards on her good leg. The beast had been caught unawares, and that single moment had given her an advantage until fangs sinking into the soft skin of the neck deemed her victorious. She clamped down, pulling the animal with her, and began the vicious cycle of shaking, pulling, jerking and tearing at the bones, the fibers of the muscles and the flesh.

In the creatures dying struggle, however, Mao was kicked in her ribs, the massive claws slicing open her skin deep enough to expose a rib. If it were not for her descent into a blood frenzy she would have shrieked in pain. Instead she breathed heavily, laboriously, then when she was sure the glassbeak was dead, she collapsed on the bloody patch of grass.