White Rose Withering [TakodaVega x Dies Irae]

[TakodaVega]

Cage was starting to think that going after the last of her 'first' life was becoming a bad idea. Every single time she went through with the decision to retire from the trade just as soon as she got rid of the fucking Rat she got stuck here all over again. Back to the beginning. Silver eyes flicked as she watched others stroll along the various cages. The only advantage was this time they put her in her own gilded cage.

The amurjin had just enough room to sink down into a lotus position so her knees wouldn't die a horrible death on themselves. Which was the position she was in now, not it did much good to hide any sort of dignity but Cage had learned a long time ago to not be shy about her body. Even if it was a bit exotic, then again the slave trade didn't give you much of a choice. She sat, her feet propped on either thigh as she sat straight. Her long ivory hair falling of her shoulders to at least annoy the guards and patrons and hide the majority of her breasts from view. Only the inner fullness could be seen the rest? Hidden by the strands.

That did nothing to hide her 'exotic' nature from view however. Ebony stripes ran length wise along her back, much in the form of tiger stripes that curled over onto her ribs clashing with her naturally pale ivory skin. To add to the woman's 'exotic' nature a tiger striped feline tail curled along one side of her, ending between the joint where her feet were crossed on the floor. Her silver eyes were open by slits as she watched the others around her. Feline ears occasionally perking this way and that as the amurjin remained in what seemed to be a relaxed position though she was wired for anything.

Not that she could go far for that matter either. Chains hooked from her wrists which for now hung loosely over her knees to her ankles, a small small steel hoop in between the two points. The damned hoop made things impossible for her to maneuver properly, even within the containment of the cage. A cage just wide enough that her knees brushed against the cold metal. It prevented her from reaching far, particularly if she spread her ankles, the simple movement would send the hoop up along the chains to her wrists, keeping them together. It was only when she sat, as she did now, that she had even enough chain to stretch her arms.

Some of the Masters had come by to eye her. Sizing her up for their collection, but none really tried to bother considering the sign on the front of her cage. The Auction block wouldn't bode well for the Amurjin at this rate. She had come so far, when the bounty hunters such as herself were on the other side of the cage, free to do as they please. But now White Rose was starting to accept that maybe this was her destiny from the start. Once a slave, always a slave.

[Dies Irae]

Stinging Nettle was beginning to assume White Rose had disappeared, sitting a top a clock tower looking down upon all the people going about their daily routines, he had a good day gathering information, Rose had disappeared and he wanted to find her. Looking to the ground he gave a small smile, his blue eyes scanning the crowd below him for his next informant. A sort of everything has a cost type of man, though he accepted different payment other than money, he was an information trader, info for info. Nettle scaled the clock tower down carefully, avoiding any unnecessary lights, he had a thing for being hidden, it was his way, if you were never seen, you could never be caught.

Amidst the crowds he hid, he hid well, his tall frame masked by the shadows of verandas and alleyways, eventually he came across his informant, the fellow seemed oddly jumpy for someone who deals with information like he had, Nettle was silent as always, he signed his words to the man, a informant like him would be able to read it and in return he gained a lead ion Rose's location, as quickly as they had met, they both vanished away, Nettle went off to find his next target, the one who supposedly knew where Rose was. He was going to have to be quick, the next cycle wasn't long away, he would wait until after his next transformation to find her, he needed stealth for Rose not power.

The night was falling but he eventually had to pass into the light, his well built body showing in full view of the empty street he was on, he was toned, the constant movement served as excellent excerise for his legs and his natural development of being a werewolf helped keep his upper body in good shape add in the fighting and bounty hunting and there was going to be at least some tone to his body. He was tall quite tall just a few inches from 7 feet. His hair was short barely reaching his collar, though from all the time running around today it had grown quite messy and out of place.

This was unorthodox of Nettle, he had always avoided entering Taverns to find info, but a hunter has to do what a hunter has to do. He entered slowly, his eyes closed momentarily taking in the sounds of the tavern, somethings were better heard than seen, He wasn't worried about people knowing him, No one knew who Stinging Nettle was or what he looked like besides White Rose and Foxglove. He didn't need to stay here long, he just needed to wait, to watch for his target and then leave and hide until he was alone. Underneath the black long sleeved shirt and white pants he hid his weapon of choice, the twin daggers, easy to wield and easy to use but he wouldn't get into trouble not here. His blue eyes glanced over the various people, his eyes seemed to spark with electricity when they came to rest upon the individual who he was to see. Nettle left quickly after he had spotted him, the man who leave eventually and Nettle would get what he wanted.

Nettle had indeed been correct about the man leaving, he wandered off alone and into a winding alley that led to some sort of crude hotel. Nettle was on the rooftops following, when his chance came he struck quickly, a swift kick to the back of the shin, it would incapacitate and cause pain but he would still be able to to speak. Nettle walked forward the daggers handles in his hands ready to draw them at the even the slightest sign of trouble "Where is she...?" he asked his deep voice filling the silent street. The man was not convinced this stranger was intending to kill him, but with the impressive height he had no intention of finding out, in a small motion he pointed to a building on the horizon. Nettle looked down and pulled a small cloth from his pocket, as the man ran away Nettle sat in the alley unwrapping the cloth revealing a sparkling Emerald Swan. A symbol of his former role and life. Rose was one of those symbols as well but he had a job to do. Silently he put the swan back in his pocket "I'm on my way" he said to the air, and with that he was gone again up on the rooftops moving to scout the building the man had pointed out.

[TakodaVega]

Cage was still in a meditation like state when she heard someone settle in front of her. The only telltale sign she had registered the person at all was her feline ears perking straight ahead. It was only when a cold hand gripped her chin forcing her to look at whomever had wanted to get a good look at her. A soft growl resonated in her throat as he tightened his grip. "Such a pretty thing aren't you?" Came that gravelly voice as his watery eyes looked her over.

Her inner feline wanted to attack the man touching her those silver hues glowing with anger as he kept touching her with those inspecting filthy fingers. How many slaves had this man had? Probably plenty but she refused to be one of them. If only she could move just a hair more. She'd tear his arms apart. Even her claws started to extend from the sheathes that were disguised as nails. Nails which happened to be sharpened to a certain point. She had all the desire in the world to slash the man's face in two, all the desire but none of the means to do so as his filthy hands slid along her ivory throat down chest.

As he cupped one of her breasts and then the other she finally had her means to take action, her hands acting like viper ready to strike as those claws sunk into the man's forearm, hearing a scream echoing the slave chamber. "You filthy whore!" Came the man's voice as he reached for her throat with his spare hand but her tail darted up to grip his wrist. "I believe the sign said I was not for sale," came her soft voice, deadly undertones lacing through it. "And there was another sign that says enter the bars at your own discretion." She smirked coldly. "I think you chose poorly."

She released him as a whip descended upon her back through the cage, leaving a stinging welt along her shoulders. Cage didn't even flinch at the pain, she had been hurt far worse than the whip could do to her. There was a price for everything as the guard moved to the crank on the lower end of her cage, just out of reach for her tail and started to turn the shaft. Her chains slowly but surely became tighter. Now she couldn't stand let alone move her hands away from her ankles. He turned the master, who was staring as the ruby drops slid in rivers down his arm, "I apologize sir, but the sign says that this slave is unbroken and therefore a danger until the Trainers have her."

[Dies Irae]

Nettle stood on a thick branch of a large oak tree nearby the place he had been led to, a rather dank building, it looked like it was abandoned but then that was never the case. He suspected some kind of bounty was there, perhaps Rose's rat she was looking for. The winds blew softly around him, his hair picking up and swaying in the breeze, this night was going to be interesting, once he had completed his scout of the building he would wait for his cycle to be complete before venturing inside to look. Perhaps if he could find out what was going on within those walls he could sneak in under the guise of someone who would go there. Yes that plan would work well, he just need the information about the buildings deeper purpose first.

"Rose, why would you be here" he whispered, a soft deep tone emanating from his lips as he jumped to the foot of the tree silently, crouching low and moving quickly to the edge of the building, hidden in the shadows he looked through the windows slowly looking for any sign of what went on inside. There we're people, lots of them, they seemed to carry whips and shackles with them, possibly mercenaries or perhaps squatters taking shelter. His mind crossed the thought of traders but Rose would never be caught dead in the presence of a trader. He continued scouting the building after concluding the men were either mercs, squatters or less likely the traders. His eyes scanned the roof for entry points, no vents or windows he could sneak in through, no he would have to pretend to be whatever the hell those men were.

He heard a faint sound coming from inside, his ears listened carefully, someone was yelling at another, with the language he guessed it was a woman...his eyes widened as that thought crossed his mind, his face showed the apparent shock of the realization..."Rose" he said softly knowing she was in their, knowing she was the one being yelled at. HIs anger began rising as he looked at the wall, he would get in there, yes he would get Rose and then leave, he had to do that. Nettle walked away from the building, going over the various thoughts racing through hi mind. Rose had been captured or was in an argument, two possibilities that would end badly for her and the person she was with. In the darkness Nettle's shadow faded until it was out of sight, he was going to hide away for his transformation, he would not save Rose using the power of the full moon, no he needed his accuracy and agility not brute force.

In the shadows of the night, Nettles howling began to cross across the fields, his body began to change, bones cracked and broke themselves, as they did they changed and snapped themselves back into place, his eyes changed color to a strong gold, he had often puzzled it, his eyes were blue as a human but when he changed they turned gold, like his lupine form was matured and his human still young. At the end of his change, his loudest howl rang out across the nearby places, a howl of pain as the final bones took their place. His body covered in fur, he stood taller, reaching almost 7'5' in his full stance. His eyes scanned the cave he had sheltered himself in. He left quickly, Nettle was hungry, Nettle wanted to eat something. In an instance he caught the scent of a deer nearby, his powerful limbs moving him quickly to the location. The deer never knew its fate before his fangs dug into its flesh, his claws gripping its throat and crushing its neck in his grip.

He had fed on the carcass until he was full, leaving it picked clean he continued moving around, his small control keeping him nearby the building Rose was in, but other than that his lupine form was in full control, killing animals and destroying small shacks built in the fields. He was rampaging, Nettle was in a blood lust that would last for hours, his howls ringing across the plains like lightning strikes as he did. Nettle would be normal at sunrise, but that was still hours away.

[TakodaVega]

Even though the Masters and Mistresses had all sent glances her way, Cage sensed the familiar gaze on her. She wasn't quite sure she always had known, but she just knew. Her eyes glanced around but those hypnotic blue eyes were nowhere to be seen. Maybe she was imagining things. Which could be logical since she didn't remember when she had last eaten let alone when was the last time she had slept proper. Her feline tail swished in her lap as she took a haphazard glance over her shoulder.

The whip had left a sickening red welt along her shoulder, None too surprising, she had a few scars everywhere from her days before she became a Hunter and was the Hunted. A slave like she was now. However, the amurjin had been free for years. Her mentality had finally formed properly so she was no longer a childlike submissive trapped in the mindset to obey every Dom that came in front of her. She had learned better now years later, part of which was thanks to that blue eyed shadow that looked out for her while amongst her fellow Hunters.

With her wrists tied down to her ankles she could hardly move as it was. Thankfully it was nightfall now, and even though she heard a lone wolf howl outside her sleep depraved mind didn't realize how close it really was as she leaned back enough to have the cold metal bars press into her back as a pseudo-cushion. The cool bar against her welt felt good, despite the after burn in between the spaces of bars. Closing her eyes, she winced slightly, but that was only register to the discomfort she felt.

Dawn would be here soon, and though the place was practically deserted due to the drunken behaviors of the night before, she had to be on her guard. She remembered the others mentioning about dragging her to the Trainer pens soon enough. If nothing would make her break, the would, piece by slow piece. Using her and reminding her of the station she was and how low she was to them. She shuddered at the thought. She remembered the last time she had been here she had gotten lucky and a Naga had taken pity on her soul. There was no one left to be the hero for her now.

Or was there?

[Dies Irae]

Night was long each time, it never got any easier to transform, nor did it get easier to deal with the slaughter he went through each time he was in this more primal form, The blood stained along his fur, a portrait of destruction and death painted across the fine strands that made his lupine form more grotesque than it was. Dawn was approaching, he could already feel the splitting headache that signaled his soon to pass change. As soon as that glimmer of light passed over him, he would transform back into his human self. He could rescue Rose once that slow light hit him, he began to run at it, the light moved slower than he wanted, if he had any hope of saving Rose then time was of the essence.

The second his body burst from the dark to the light everything began to change, pain built in his entire body once again, the white hot daggers of pain piercing throughout him as his bones reformed into the many bones of the human body. The fur disappeared leaving the soft blood stained flesh of the human Nettle was. He knelt on the ground for a few minutes, the pain took it's time in subsiding after the change, as the headache moved on and his limbs were no longer ripping and snapping into place he stood, the dawn was not his most favorite of times but he had a job to do, the job that was giving him a reason to keep going, to protect and hunt.

It took Nettle almost an hour to reach the building again, he had traveled several fields over in his hunt for food, luckily he had a smidgen of control or he would have been another days journey away from his target. Nettle looked at the entrance, a guard or two, he wouldn't kill them, that would raise suspicion, he would wait until he could see the predicament and how hard it would be to break Rose free, if it was difficult he would have to take an alternate route. Approaching the building he fixed his hair which had been rather out of place after his change, he looked normal again, the eyes staring out focused on one thing and one thing only at the time.

Looking at the guards at the front of the building he gave them a nod before they stopped him from entering, that was a problem "What ya doin ere?", fantastic was Nettle's only thought, the man was intoxicated, or he was just extremely lacking in the intellect department. Nettle stared at him and smirked "I am here to see your wares, preferable something expensive" he said, that was an easy way to get in, any of the things they could be would be trying to sell something, soldiers, women, items, he would get in without trouble ",ye wanna see our stuff righttt., out the back" The guard said whilst pointing at the building, Nettle looked at the direction he was pointing, he had gotten inside now all he had to do was find Rose, if she was even there.

In moments Nettle was inside the building, that was fast progress, he was relieved the guards were much less troublesome than he would have believed, now he had to find Rose, when he checked where the guard pointed he found cages of men and women alike, this place was a traders refuge, that was bad, if he didn't hurry they would send Rose away to a master or for training. He walked inside the room, checking each cage to see if any of them were Rose or if he had to search the building more thoroughly.

[TakodaVega]

Cage barely slept. How she had managed the few hours at all against anything was beyond her scope of comprehension as she sat up slowly. The audible cracks in her back coupled with the stiffness of it let her know that she had remained in the same position at least. She flexed her hands as she wrapped her tail around her feet and hands. She was so cold, which did not help how her body reacted under such temperatures. Nipples perked without being touched into hard pebbles as a shiver went through her.

What'd she give for some body heat. Sighing softly she let her mind wander, occasionally heavy foot falls and whimpers from other slaves in the nearby big pens would catch attention but seldom divert it from her temporary solitude. It was only when a scent caught her attention amongst the filth and unwashed bodies that made her body taught with tension. "Mein liebes Kätzchen..." came the male's voice as Cage slowly rose that silver gaze up the wiry frame of the man, finely dressed as her gaze continued noticing the whip on his belt, up further still he reached into the bars and brushed his thumb along her lip. "How nice to see you." He murmured those beady green eyes looking her over.

Cage was frozen in place, unable to stop the fucking Rat from touching her as his hand moved from her chin, crouching down to cup one of her breasts then the other, squeezing to test the firmness before pushing the woman back. "I see you have marked your skin, Kätzchen, how unfortunate. I am sure my brand will remove such a marking." The 'marking' in question was the Garden of Eden insignia above her hip. A dragon entwining the fox with the white rose in the middle. A symbol of the three branches of the Hunter's guild.

Her hands clenched into fists as she was forced to sit there as he examined further, fingers sliding over her slit. She refused to back down, refused to let this monster of a man win. His observations must have been satisfactory as he pulled away pondering as he looked down at his former slave. He had broken her once, taken her innocence and made her his ideal slave. But the defiance was there again. Something much harder to break without the proper tools.

"I'll be back for you, Kätzchen." He said coldly, turning to go towards the main area. A tear finally broke over Cage's cheek, blurring her vision just as another scent came to mind causing her to stop. Couldn't be. She hadn't gotten his scent since that night. The fire burned there in her mind and the shadows....and those glowing blue eyes begging her to hold on.

[Dies Irae]

The building, the further Nettle explored its depths he seemed to follow a path of worsening destruction, each cage held a more severely beaten person, he could sense some were on the brink of death but he wasn't there to save them, he wasn't going to get involved with other peoples affairs, it would be better to conceal his identity if he left them as cold as that may have seemed. Passing by the cages one by one checking each for the signs of Rose, it was quite easy to see who wasn't her, Rose was quite distinguishable amongst a crowd what with the markings and unique qualities she had about her.

The larger rooms held many cages, he had passed through three rooms like that now, he knew their would be solitary rooms, the most defiant captures were always left alone to avoid bolstering the spirit within them, how could one keep fighting if they were devoid of anything to fight for was something he had learned from an infiltration amongst another slave trading camp. The scents passing through his nostrils were anything but pleasant until one caught him by surprise, the scent pushed his mind into memories but those were already flowing through his mind before he caught it. He knew it and it was what he had been searching for, Rose's scent was passing through the corridors, he could find her quicker now as long as he went in the right direction.

As Nettle moved through the winding corridors he heard speaking,, Standing behind the door he waited, this was going to be more difficult than he had hoped now, he would have to wait for the man to leave before he proceeded inside the room, though time wasn't on his side in this endeavor. Every minute that passed by he lost time against saving her from the training camp or a master to take her. A group like this was easy to track but a single person would be much more difficult, especially the masters and mistresses. Most of those liked to keep in secrecy and like him stay in the shadows unseen by the world.

Nettle looked to the corridor ahead of him, he wouldn't be able to stay in here long without doing something to look like he was a potential buyer, turning to the cages in a room close to Rose's he looked over the slaves who all retreated to the backs of the small cages they were trapped in. Fear strung across them as he knelt in front of one, a girl no older than 23, she was frightened yes, Nettle could see it in her eyes and yet his were so calm. He had abandoned fear a long time ago, there was no need for it in his profession after all.

Nettle stood and left as he heard the man leave, in the small corridor they passed each other, his eyes and the mans connected for a brief second before he continued on making it look like he was turning into the larger slave pens. The man seemed intent on having the girl in the empty room which meant Nettle again would have to wait for him to leave before making his move. As the footsteps disappeared into silence he slowly walked into the room, eying everything about it before proceeding further in, one exit, a few guards they wouldn't be a problem. Looking at the cage holding his target he tried to judge it's strength, by the rustic look he couldn't be sure of its strength but perhaps one of these guards were the slave master and had the key. For now Nettle waited, he walked to the cage squatting down to her eye level while keeping his eyes to the ground, he was thinking of a plan, kill the guards, break the cage and escape but the devil was always in the details, no plan was ever that simple.

[TakodaVega]

"You shouldn't be here..." came that quiet voice as the Amurjin's feline tail whipped behind her, mostly in apprehension. She knew what would happen if they caught Nettle down here in the depths of the Slave Trade. It wouldn't be death, it would be something worse than death, it would be a lifetime fighting for the rest of your life just to breathe for the next day. Another chance to try and get at freedom and another day where it was all lies and betrayal. Cage had more things to worry about as she watched the man in front of her.

A man she knew had protected her from everything that could have possibly happened to her when she wasn't looking. Though tonight this had been the first time she had seen him in years, he hadn't changed much from what she could see of him. She knew it was Nettle there was no denying it, how anybody could attempt to become Nettle was even preposterous to even think about. However she couldn't even reach to touch him to make sure it wasn't lack there of sleep that was finally getting to her.

She had known her senses to be forced to that extreme before. However she was more concerned with the cold in the lower levels. The only advantage was her cage, which was small and no way for her to now properly lay down, especially how the chains now pinned her wrists to her ankles. Leaning against the bars in front of her, her feline ears tilted back as those silver hues followed to where his gaze was the floor. "Leave, while you still can."

[Dies Irae]

Nettle stared down at the floor, Rose was not herself in this cage, perhaps the long time away from anyone besides the scum of the earth. Looking up from the floor, his focused blue eyes staring into hers, slowly he reached through the bars and brushed a finger against her hand. Looking at her he made a simple sentence with his free hand 'Struggle against me'. The most important task now was to keep the guards suspicion away from him. If they knew he was a friend of hers he would be thrown out immediately and that was the last thing he and Rose wanted to happen. Looking at Rose's cage, the bars looked fragile but to the touch they felt secure. His eyes glanced to the guards standing by the back of the room, a deteriorating table, chairs threatening the crumble to dust and the despicable men sitting there.

Standing up and shaking his head, a small scratch on his hand letting out the droplets of blood. Staring down at Rose he made his motion to move, signing to her before he left her gaze 'Not without you Rose', He approached the guards quietly, they seemed less than approving of his presence there. "Which of you...gentlemen is the master of this establishment?", his question simple, his task much more complicated, his hands folded behind his back looking to the men in front of him as one of the noble folk from in town, in reality his hands grasped the handles of his daggers ready to strike the slave master and take the key. Perhaps brute force may have been easier to break the cage open but his lack of control in his primal state would have harmed Rose more than helped.

Staring back at Rose's back, the Amurjin needed space, he knew that, she was never one to like a cage, let alone being some nefarious man's plaything. "Speakn' wha'dya want with me?", his quess had been right after all, the Slave master would be with the most valuable of their captures. His grip on his weapons tightened and pulled the blades from their hiding place "I want your keys" he muttered standing up tall pulling the blades into view and quickly without a sound the master's throat bore the thin deep line of death along his neck, the fountain of his life spewing forth down his chest. His friend was next, though he ran as fast as he could Nettle managed to cut his stomach deeply, he would bleed out but when was the biggest problem.

Nettle had to go with the assumption he would reach his men, soon a fight would be on their hands he only hoped Rose was capable of at least standing, if she wasn't he would need to avoid contact with enemies at all costs. Searching the Master for Rose's cage key he moved back to her the silver glinting in the dim light. Putting it in the lock the creaking cage opened reluctantly, moving to her shackles "Can you walk...?" he said quietly, his eyes looking over her wounds and scars, evaluating the extent of her injuries, they had been cruel that was evident but as bad as they looked he couldn't tell how her damaged she was internally.

[TakodaVega]

For the once confident and calm White Rose of Eden, being who she was, ultimately, and who she started out as was a constant reminder to never take her freedom for granted. She never had but now to be subject to Nettle's gaze, someone whom she had always respected and had trusted her with her very life was something she had hoped would never come to pass. However her feline tail, with those vivid ebony stripes streaking through the ivory fur of it, seemed to remind her that this was no time to dwell on that. At Nettle's gentle touch she almost flinched away. Considering how gentle the touch had been in comparison to the Rat's sickening touch it was...

Soothing. Something she hadn't felt since he had dragged her out of that chaos infested mess what felt like eons ago but it had only been a few years. Years which had made her relearn to trust and relearn to hate all over again. She was harder to fall into that comfortable zone with anyone again, but how could she not deny that sense of comfort from someone who had been trying not to hurt her. It didn't help that those hypnotic blue eyes pulled her in and willed her to trust him, even when he told her to struggle, which considering her current position was hard to do as her hands were still chained to her ankles she tried to pull herself away from that promising touch. Her claws extended ever so slightly cutting across his skin in spots though her ears were her dead give away of her true emotion.

Not that most slavers paid attention to Cage's true emotions as her feline ears flicked backwards. Those blue eyes had held a promise to not leave her. Damnit the last person who had done that had abandoned her like a dead weight. The thought sunk in but though her silver eyes were trying to keep that remote of calm about her, the thought to cry coming to the foreground, she had that small bit of hope still and it didn't help that Nettle was fanning the flames. Why he had been looking for her wasn't something she knew, or even if that was the plan. Was there even plan?

The short conversation along with the splatter of blood which stained the walls with ruby mist as she heard the gurgling and the shaking of the body as it hit the floor. She couldn't move far with her bound shackles and chains but she could hear everything, every swish of the blades as the sung through the air. Then there was silence and shuffling, a glint out of the corner of her eye caught her attention as she saw the cage open up and Nettle remove her chains and shackles.To have the weight lifted was a sense of freedom she had not felt in a good while. Rubbing her wrists, which in some spots were still red from where the metal had brushed into her skin, an occasional spot of blood here and there from the chains as she gave him a look.

Luckily for Nettle, Cage was far from modest as she gripped the sides of the cage, slowly pulling herself up. Her body made audible pops and cracks as she finally made herself into standing position. Every where her body was screaming in protest from the single movement. Despite that she carefully released her hold on the bars. "Standing I can do," she said softly though the fact she stood naked in front of him didn't affect her as she carefully stepped out of the cage and onto the cool stone floor. Her steps were shaky but considering the fact she had been cramped in the same position for days she felt at least more of herself. She twitched her tail slightly in apprehension, "I don't think, however I can run yet. And there will only be so much time till they come."

[Dies Irae]

Nettle looked over the single exit as he waited for Rose to stand, watching her battered body rise was at least somewhat relieving but other than that she was weaker than he had first anticipated, pondering on how long she had been stuck in that rusted cage. Looking back on what she used to be capable of, the image of Rose in his mind was much different than the Rose standing before him. Shaking his head softly he turned his back to her and knelt to one knee. "If you cannot stand, I'll carry you, we must leave this place quickly". Looking at the door waiting to see if any guards came during their brief period of solitude, they would have time to rest after he got her to safety but now time wasn't on their side.

He could hear them running, before the shouting of orders and sounds of steel against the cold walls sounded throughout the building, mixed in with the sounds of violence the guards made, wails and cries from the rest of the slaves rested in his ears, He was not here for them, Rose was the priority first, now he needed to escape, without a doubt any other he saved would be caught quickly, he doubted any of them were as highly trained as himself or Rose. Pulling Rose onto his back he held her legs tight enough so she wouldn't fall, letting her wrap her arms around his neck for more stability. "Hold on, Stay Low" he said standing to his feet keeping his form low enough to break into a dash if he needed to. His ability to fight was compromised holding Rose like that but he planned to outrun any opponents if he had the choice.

Moving to the door slowly, he checked the corridor from where he entered, so far none of the guards had made their way as far in as they were, luck had befallen them somewhat as he walked the darkened halls, spirit shattering gloom he didn't notice on his hurried entry was much more evident as he slowly made his way back to the entrance, keeping Rose secure on his back blocking any of her sounds of pain to focus on the sounds of the guards, avoiding conflict in the unfamiliar territory was harder than he first thought, taking a left to avoid a group could've lead him to another or even a dead end. Making sure to press forward without slowing no matter which direction he chose, he sighed kneeling at a four way tunring point.

Their were people on the left hallway, they had lost his location, another stroke of luck but now being stuck with two choice forwards or right, avoiding the guards had cost him his memory of the path he took coming in, with each group of guards moving through each hallway he wouldn't have long to make up a decision before they were found. Looking over his shoulder at Rose he smiled reassuringly "Hold on tight, hide yourself as best you can, we may be attacked" he whispered. Standing up and holding Rose's legs tighter he lent down before beginning to run, sprinting through the intersection straight forward the guards barely catching him before hastily and sluggishly following him, Nettle took drastic measures taking whichever turn he could muster at his fastest to avoid crashing into a wall. Hearing shouts and yells of the guards following him signalling the rest he stayed silent. His ears tuning out anything he didn't need to know, leaving the sounds of the guards and Rose's voice as the only things he would listen to.

Looking towards the windows in the longer straight corridors trying to get a familiar tree or design of the building he had captured from the outside he caught a glimpse of the oak tree he had hid himself in when he first arrived at that place, making a move towards any direction that pointed towards that tree he looked back seeing several guards attempting to catch him. Their disgruntled yells rebounding off the walls echoing throughout the building, Taking a sharp right turn as he felt the sparks of a steel weapon colliding with the wall hit his face, unwavered he kept pressing forward through maze like building. Soon he saw the opening he was searching for, the large entrance guarded by what seemed to be the same two men he had tricked into letting him enter. "My apologise if this hurts you" he said runnign towards the guards, shifting to the side quickly to avoid the first swing, almost immdeiately snapping back in the opposite direction to avoid the second.

After he had avoided the guards at the entrance the were almost free, turning to the fields he had traversed to get there he saw another man, that man again, shifting his hands underneath Rose's legs to pull one of his daggers free he ran just to the left of the man, keeping Rose well out of reach to him, and yet the man did nothing, Nettle caught his gaze a second time before continuing, as he ran over the hill hiding the town beneath it he heard the voice echoing throughout the field, laced with a darkness he didn't even hear in the voices of the ones he hunted "You cannot hide from me Kätzchen, your hero will not always be there to protect you". Nettle paid the threat no attention, he was out of the building, he had Rose, he had completed his goal. Coming to slow down at the entrance to the towns inn, walking quickly through the dimly lit bar, up the stairs to his purchased room, setting Rose down on the bed softly before turning to the mirror to examine his body for any injury.

[TakodaVega]

She stared at his back, "You've said that before." She muttered as her trembling body made her way towards him. She was in desperate need of some things, food, a decent bed to sleep in and a knowledge that she was safe. Nettle had risked his life to save her, she had to trust him above all others right now. Her arms wrapped around his shoulders, the grip slightly tightened as she lightly locked her claws into his shirt to keep her in place, her body loose as she wrapped her legs and tail around him to keep her form as close to him as she could and not make it harder for him. Her feline ears perked as the noises started to grow louder, the guards had either been alerted or their fallen gutted fellow had been found. "I trust you Nettle."

As he made of his way through the halls and corridors, she kept her pain to herself, or at least tried to. There was an occasional slip of a whimper here and there but for the most part she kept her mentality about her, occasionally tugging on his shirt to make him pause only long enough to have a guard or two run by them in search for the shadow giant and his prize. Her feline tail tapped against his side lightly as she purred softly in reassurance, mostly to herself to remind herself it wasn't another one of those dreams. His constant reassurance that they'd make it through or that things may bet a little shaky didn't dissuade her from keeping focused and maintaining that surreal calm that Rose had always possessed.

Though a soft chuckle left her lips as she raised herself ever so slightly to reach his ear. "Hiding myself isn't exactly easy - unlike you the only place I blend in is the snow." She made herself at least slink a bit lower down, nuzzling into his back as he continued on his course. Her comment was true, the ivory pallor of her skin had not been diminished in time while those feline tiger stripes moved down her spine to the base of that feline tail contrasted with her pale skin. Of the few skirmishes that had been close she had noticed that Nettle had refused to let her get injured in the attacks at all even when they nicked at his skin, something she only noticed with the occasional line of rub along one of his arms. Freedom had come with a price, the last set of maneuvering had made her want to cry as her tight muscles screamed in protest.

Luckily the pain would soon fade into the nothing, as did their journey across the hills, though that odd sense of foreboding lingered over her, the female was far too tired, hungry and damned cold to notice what the voice said as the next thing she felt was a soft bed beneath her skin. Her body practically cried out in joy at such at such a luxury she had been sorely missing. Despite her exhausted state she made herself wait, those silver hues looking at his back carefully. "You're hurt." She said gently, one of her ears flicking back. She, in all her years as a hunter, had never seen him hurt till now. "How did you know I was missing?" Finally left her lips. She wanted to get up and bandage his arm properly but her body said no.

[Dies Irae]

Nettle sighed, taking a small cloth wiping the slowly drying blood from the scratches across his arms and cheek, looking down at Rose he smiled "It's nothing" he said putting the cloth in a bowl of cool water, everything had gone as he had hoped, little resistance for the most part besides that stranger who let him go by. It puzzled him on why he did so, perhaps the strange man wanted to hunt them down, no it wasn't so simple was it, Taking the bowl of water and the cloth to Rose he sat next to her "Your injuries are more severe than mine" he said wiping the blood and dirt from her back gently, staring at the latest wound from the whip he growled, how anyone could hurt her willingly like that, how he had failed to watch her when it mattered most.

Taking the cloth over her back cleaning the fresh wound and several scratches she had gotten from the escape he sighed "We can't stay here long, you should rest" he said putting the now dirtied cloth in the bowl and set it on the table, Wrapping a blanket around her he stood heading towards the door, "I'll be outside, we'll leave at dawn", he said before moving out into the hallway shutting the door behind him. Taking a seat by the door he closed his eyes thinking of where they should go, the Garden's headquarters weren't an option, not since Foxglove had betrayed them, He had no need for a domicile due to his lifestyle, Rose however even in her best times could be fragile, some of the missions the Garden gave them were easily gruesome to a normal hunter.

Staring down at the Emerald Swan resting in his palm he smiled, only during those times did he really have a place he could call home, even still he never spent much time at the headquarters, nor did anyone ever know he was there when he did go. Silently he stood and walked down the hall, to the bar of the inn, he could at least get her water and something to eat, no doubt the traders had tried starvation to break her spirit but if he knew Rose well enough she wouldn't have broken that easily. Getting fruit and a pitcher of water from the barmaid he sighed, it would be sometime before Rose would be at her full strength, he would have to move her several times a day until then, after that he planned to keep an eye on her, that strang man was plaguing his mind again.

Walking upstairs slowly he heard talks of an amurjin being taken upstairs, resting the bowl and jug on the step in front of him he listened carefully, nothing unusal, talking about her injuries, him being tall and other things, returning to the room with the food and water for Rose he kept the conversation in his head, if anything it heightened his guard, anyone could be an informant, the money was good for information, information on bounty hunters were valued highly by the hunted, kill the hunter before they kill you, majority of the game was information gathering. Setting the bowl and pitcher next to Rose he smiled watching her sleep for a moment before returning to his post outside. They would leave in the morning, the next village over would be the first stop, maybe a days journey on foot with her, he would have to keep a slower pace to avoid slowing her healing down.

[TakodaVega]

She gave him a look, those silver eyes showing more than she had been willing to admit as the tall frame finally made his way to where he had deposited her onto the bed. She hissed softly as the cold cloth dabbed along the whip mark along her back. Reaching she pulled her hair over her shoulder to give him better means to clean it. Though she didn't make another sound her body was taut with tension and pain.

However his touch was more like the aloe balm, the occasional sting was telling her she was mending. Ironic that Stinging Nettle was the one more concerned about her own care than his. She glanced at him over her shoulder. Those silver eyes looking for...something. She wasn't even sure what she was looking for as she heard him growl when he moved along the whip mark, making sure it was clean but trying to be gentle about it. "I've been hurt much worse than this Nettle, you should know this by now."

The warmth of the blanket had startled her a bit, considering it had been the first comfort she had felt in a long while. Judging by her appearance she had been in the Trade awhile. For how long it was anybody's guess. The fact Nettle had found her at all depending on how many times she had been bought, sold, returned left many things left many things unsaid.

Gently gripping the blanket close, she looked back at him. She was thinking, that was the obvious thing judging by her calculating gaze. She had a plan, a damned good one, it was she had been made the second-in-command under Clover anyway. Her lips twitched. Clover. The ordinary human of their lot, however the man had been brilliant. Last he heard he was running a successful casino somewhere far from here. Good, he deserved a healthy break from this life.

After all, he had given her one of her own with those deeds. Deeds which she had needed to find her home again. To repair and fortify a place where she had learned to cherish with everything. She had upgraded everything save for the largely untouched underground and some of the outer areas. She doubted Nettle even knew about that. "Alright, try to eat something at least?" She asked carefully.

It was odd to have company when she really hadn't had much since the dispersal of the Hunters. Oh Black Cherry and Belladonna had kept tabs on her, as well as Clover apparently though how anything got around Clover would always remain a mystery to her. Her feline ears perked slightly as she pulled the blanket off carefully to make herself more comfortable on the bed. Mind - it wasn't a bad bed, it was just the first time she had slept in one, in what felt like months. Pulling the covers over her, she curled up slightly beneath them, more feline like than most people realized.

And she soon she was plunged into the darkness of sleep. The sweet darkness didn't stay forever though as her ear twitched, the sound of the door opening lead her to open her eyes to unnoticeable slits. Nettle with food, and water for her. How thoughtful of him, she thought to herself as she calmed herself back to sleep. She still had a bit of time yet before her body would rise herself up out of its habitual pre-dawn rituals.

A light dusting of light came across the sky as those silver hues fluttered open fully for once. Sitting up carefully, her body ached but first thing was first. She poured herself some water and nibbled on the fruit, the first true food and drink she had in a couple days. the rest of the water she went cleaning herself up as much as she could.

Then the rituals started. Getting to her feet she slowly worked on stretching every muscle in her body to make her loose and limber once more. Her years in the trade had done a toll on her body, there hadn't been a bone in her body that hadn't been broken once. This was her way to keep from becoming stiff as a board. That and pole dancing, which she had discovered when she had a rather interesting mission. She noticed a chest of drawers along one wall and decided to look inside.

While Cage could handle being naked and could care less who saw her, she doubted it would be easier to get out of this town with the same mentality. Thankfully for her she was an average height for most men around here. Pulling out a pair of pants and a shirt - though the shirt was a little big for her it would work for now.

She was restless, mainly because she wanted to go home, but also because of the man on the other side of the door. A man who had been a part of her life for years and had always been there. Would he go along with her plan though? Maybe she would have to talk to him. This wasn't like the old days where they were bound to secrecy, but what the hell did she even know of Nettle? It would take them a month to get to Eden's Terrace from here. This wasn't like the more modern cities to the north with the trains. Here they were stuck either being on foot or by horse. She was still plotting while she stretched she needed to get these done or she wouldn't be nearly as flexible if something happened. She needed her fans damnit.

[Dies Irae]

It was still hours till Dawn, Nettle rested his head against the door in deep thought, the one thing on his mind was how Rose would fair without him, he would have to depart her company before his next cycle, no one would know what he really was, he didn't want to put that knowledge on Rose's already burdened mind. Opening his eyes slowly he sighed, to much to soon was the only thing he could say about the situation. The Inn was quiet, probably closed for everyone besides the guests, a few people had passed him on the stairs. None stopped to ask why he was sitting against the door though.

It was an hour or two before he rose from the floor, Rose would be safe for now, night was his time to do work. Walking downstairs once more, his footsteps quiet, a long hardened skill he made himself learn for his profession. Looking around the dimly lit bar, his eyes rested on the hard wood board next to the bar, something quick for travelling money. Nettle rarely carried any, A shadow didn't need luxuries after all. Pulling a poster from the board, "200 should suffice for the travel" he muttered pocketing the hit order and leaving the inn quickly disappearing into the night.

Walking the road slowly, keeping to the walls and alleys he tracked down the target quickly, a corrupt police officer, a reoccuring target type for bounty hunters but one many neglected to take, killing an officer of the law was hard to keep quiet, not worth the risk for most, Nettle however had many ways to keep himself uncaptured, he'd done so for most of his life, he wsn't about to let it unravel now. Staring up at the well marked lawmen's office he sighed stepping up to the window and taking the poster out confirming which was the target and which were innocents.

His mind traced it's way back to Rose, he would finish this, collect and then head back to take Rose to the next village over, though he thought on her safety, the stranger he caught eyes with. What would happen if he came back now, Rose wasn't at the strength to fight anyone with some sense yet. He wasn' sure she could handle the intoxicated guards at this point. Shifting his thoughts and clearing his head he sighed "lets get this over with" he mumbled knocking the window and moving to the side of the door drawing one of his daggers and waiting for the target to open the door.

As the door opened, Nettle's strike landed with a precision matching a cat, cutting the throat silencing him besides the last splutters of his life, leaning down and taking the badge off his chest, evidence of the kill, before the others even got to the scene he was gone, along the rooftops moving to the Inn again. pulling the poster and the bloodied badge from his pocket and placing it on the counter. The process as usual, Innkeeper gave him the money and left the evidence for the person who placed the bounty to collect.

This time, Nettle found himself sitting in a wooden chair next to the fire, the orange light dancing across his face as he eavesdropped the varying conversations, keeing an ear out for anything about himself or Rose, his hands fiddling with the two tokens of the Garden he had kept. He wouldn't sleep yet, he had to keep watch until they were at least halfway to their destination, Rose was still in danger here, His thoughts seemed to catch up with him as the light started to creep in through the windows. Looking up as some unusual characters for the inn barged in. From their tone and body language he could tell what they were after before they yelled at the innkeeper.

Standing up and moving to the stairs he looked back at the group demanding to check the rooms, climbing the stairs quickly he moved to the room, opening the door and shutting it quickly behind him as he looked up at Rose wearing the oversized shirt and pants, Time froze for a second as he stared at her before his sense came back and he grabbed what little he had brought. Putting the sack of money in his pocket. Looking at Rose he pulled the window open "Unwanted company has arrived".

Nettle looked down to the ground below, turning his head to either side seeing a small ledge running along the side of the inn to another rooftop, looking back at Rose he gave a small smirk "Hopefully your cat like qualities are still intact" he said leaning down to the bowl of fruit and taking a shining red apple biting into it "You told me to have breakfast right?" he smiled stepping out onto the ledge and holding out his hand to her. They had maybe 3 minutes until their room was breached, time was once again of the essence.

The slight light they had made it harder to see the ledge, wooden and the diminished color from the years in the sun added to the difficulty, though he managed, taking Rose's hand he pulled her out to the ledge with him, holding shifting slowly along the edge of the wall, hearing a loud crash from the rooms door being kicked in and the shouts from the group, dropping down to the lower roof he looked up at Rose "Quickly" he said taking another bite from the apple, this was his realm up in the heights, he was at home here, he wondered how Rose would do with her injuries and whether or not she had a fear of heights. A learning experience for him in a small way.

Nettle waited for Rose, baby steps as one would say, staring at the window waiting for the trackers to see them, plotting a route for them to take across the rooftops, the house they were on would take them to a larger one, then they could get to street level by jumping to a merchants cart being prepped for the day. An easy and untaxing way out for his injured companion.

Looking at the trackers as he helped her down to the roof he fell back against the roof quickly a loud bang filling the surronding area and a small whizzing sound, a few strands of his dark hair falling to the roof as he looked up "They are being supplied from the north it seems" he muttered pulling one dagger from its small sheat attached to his belt and handing it to Rose "Keep your head down, someones supplied them with Northern weaponry" he said standing quickly luckily they had only been given single shot rifles, reloading would take them at least fifteen seconds "Follow me" he said throwing the core of the apple to the street and moving quickly to climb the wall of the next building of his route. He expected one of them to get injured in this encounter, the probability was high it would be Rose, he wouldn't let that happen though, he would protect her. His word he would.

[TakodaVega]

The amurjin paused mid-stretch as she heard the commotion downstairs. Her feline ears perking as she glanced over her shoulder as the door opened. She had been ready for an attack but was much more relieved to see it was Nettle who had opened it. Though she felt his blue eyes linger on her which sent an unexpected wave of warmth through her. Not once in her life had she felt like that coming from a look from Nettle. Mentally shaking her head she relaxed her stance and sent him a small smile. "Since when is company usually welcome?"

She didn't question where the money came from as she followed him to the window. She raised an eyebrow when he made the 'catlike' reflex comment her feline tail swishing back and forth behind her as the shouting from the lower levels grew louder. "I doubt I could ever abandon them. I've had far worse than this." There was something about this version of Nettle that reminded her of old times. When Nettle had first come to Eden and had been more relaxed as, easier to joke. Apparently he never forgot a thing she had told him either. "Well yes, breakfast is important." Her paler, smaller hand grasped his with firm grip as she rested on the balls of her feet on the window sill before creeping onto the ledge below the window. With Nettle's constant grip it was much easier to keep from falling. Her feline pupils had dilated to take in what light they could however even in the darkest nights there were some disadvantages to what she could and could not see.

She glanced over her shoulder at the crashing against the door, her body melding into the side of the wall before watching Nettle drop down to the lower roof. Thankfully as a feline the height scenario didn't bother her. She slid to the edge of the ledge, gripping the edge before dropping down on the lower roof next to him. Her knees ached at the new abuse she was putting them through but she knew it was run or die. And for once in her life, running seemed like the better choice. "We have to get back to Eden, Nettle." She said once she was back onto the roof, a split second time to spare as she was soon dragged back against the tiles of the roof. All her senses were focused on him for all of a span of a heartbeat, maybe two. Warmth, safety, and protective male seeped out of him in gracious waves that she wanted to melt into at that instant.

So very un-Rose like. She was starting to fade away from her old life, the one of the Trade, to the one she had remembered for the surrogate family she had lived with for years. Her feline ears perked though when he talked, eying the places above as the sound of tangs and the need for gun powder needed to be reloaded. "The North isn't always friendly with the likes of us." She managed softly as he handed her the small dagger which she slid herself up one arm of her sleeve. Practice made perfect. Soon they were on the move again, sticking to the shadows and moonlight when they had to. Gunfire occasionally came at them, but the angles from the houses and the steepness of the rooftops didn't help them much either.

Those silver eyes peered through the night as she followed after him, though using the ivory lattice to blend in while his dark shadow stuck to the walls. Soon they were on the rooftops again as bullets peppered to her left she rolled out of the way only to almost fall from the much higher roof itself. Her claws hooked into the tiles as she carefully pulled herself up and bolted to the chimney area. The fifteen seconds between reloads had spared her life, panting softly she leaned her head against the wall as she watched him trek to and from his own patch of gunfire. His path seemed straightforward but already her body was protesting from the short bursts of adrenaline that had pumped into her system. "We need to get out of the City, Nettle. Any ideas?" And preferably one where she could go back and curl up into a ball of warmth and sleep again.

[Dies Irae]

Nettle looked to Rose for a small moment, Eden, she wanted to go back there, why of all places to hide would she want to go there, nothing was left for them at that place, but it was still hidden to the majority, perhaps it wasn't as a bad idea as he had first thought, Moving as close to Rose as the gunfire would allow him, two targets close were easier than if he kept some distance from her. His route was still intact, they would have to be careful about when they decided to make the jump to the street level, timing it while they were reloading would be the best oppurtunity.

Nettle kept his eyes on Rose, she wasn't herself yet, she still needed to recover he could imagine the kind of strain this was putting on her, but he needed her to last, if they had only been using melee weapons he could have taken them easily but if he couldn't get close to them he was at a severe disadvantage. Holding his dagger tightly he kept track of the cart the would use to get down, it hadn't moved yet, at least some luck was still on their side. He froze when Rose fell, forced to hide himself behind a chimney as shots came at him, thanking whoever was looking out for them when all their followers had to reload, catching up to Rose pushing his back against the chimney, Looking her over, thankful she was unharmed. They still had another roof to pass over before they made the jump, shots hadn't been fired since they had hidden, they were smarter than he had anticipated, looking at Rose he smiled "We jump to the merchant cart and then run for the forest" he said looking out to the attackers closing in.

Looking at Rose he smiled, "Once they've shot go, don't stop until your in the forest" he said moving forward, he would take the harder route, over the next building then to the street, as long as he didn't get shot, he'd be fine to land the jump to the ground, Looking back at Rose he climbed to the other roof, sever bullets came after him, Moving to the lower roof and jumping down to the ground he sank back into the shadow of store, Shaking off the pain his legs gave from the sudden impact. Watching for Rose for a moment before moving through the shadows to the forest, At least from there they could find there way back to the main road and head for Eden from there. Wondering what the North had to do with Rose's capture, Slavers weren't usually equipped with rifles, mainly crude swords and knives. Coming to the edge of the forest he sat down under a tree, waiting for Rose to get there, he trusted she would have the strength to make it, she had shown him more than once of what she could do when she focused.

Nettle thought about the slavers while he waited, They had Northen weapons, they seemed so persistent on capturing Rose aaing, did they know who she was? he couldn't assume that, the members of Eden weren't that easily found out, perhaps Clover maybe and a few others who were less invisible, Getting imaptient at the time it was taking, he stood and moved back to the town, The probabilty Rose had gone deeper into the forest was a less than likely thought to him, Moving into the streets he looked for the guards, none in sight, a few towns people looking like they had just had a fight, smiling a little he moved to the crashed in cart leaning down pulling the cover up "Tuck and roll when you land on a weak surface remember" he said pulling Rose up, thanking the townspeople that had protected her, at least here they seemed to care, his thought was they had lost enough women to them already.

Coming to the forest again, Nettle smiled and laid Rose down again a tree, sitting next to her, already they had to move, at least the forest would provide better cover and a much harder job in tracking them if they decided to pursue them again. Looking at Rose he smiled "Guess your not ready to be jumping off buildings yet?" he asked taking his dagger from her sleeve and putting it back in its sheath, in a place like this they could at least rest, he had gone a good distance into the trees, he could see to the road from here but they would be barely visible if they were "You can go back to sleep now" he said brushing her hair from her eyes, he thought of finding a river or lake so she could get clean, they would need to clean her wounds again in a few days in any case.

[TakodaVega]

Cage knew by now that Nettle had no idea that she had taken over the old Eden compound. Thanks to Clover, Eden was now in good hands, as it always had been. It meant safety because the only ones who did know about it, would think it was the last place to look. However her mind took to her task at hand as they ran across the rooftop, staying alive was going to be a task all on it's own, particularly with her adrenaline at almost depleted. Shifting her weight as she reclaimed her balance from her fall she looked up at the shadow that was Nettle as he looked her over. She was safe for now, but how much more could her battered body take at this rate? The little sleep she had gotten was already fading fast.

"Easy for your to say, Nettle." She muttered softly when he said about running to the forest but what choice did she have really. She nodded to the plan however as she prepared herself to jump, the scrambling of feet and the sounds of cocking guns were reaching her feline ears as she glanced over at Nettle, "Don't you dare die on me now." She said softly before waiting for him to jump as he dropped down, she had to start moving as bullets started to rain down on them however when she moved into a roll, her body refused to cooperate and she collapsed through the rubble of the cart. bullets still began to fly. Cage struggled to get free of the tangled mess and had saw a hunter pointing a gun straight at her from the roof when the townsfolk finally made an appearance.

Realizing their trap had been lost they fled before they could get arrested. She shuddered slightly as she tried to detangle herself from the rubble. She was fairly sure the Rat had been the one after her from the start. She flicked her feline tail as she heard the whispers around the cart, and the inquiries of her being alright. Slavery was banned in this town, thankfully, so the thought of slaves being chased down was unheard of. Especially with guns. However her solace with her mind was moved when Nettle's face appeared again. Her arms went around his shoulders when he pulled her out of the rubble. She hated being so damned helpless. "I tried, I swear." She said tiredly as she buried her face into his chest. For Rose herself this was borderline pathetic.

She had been a strong hunter, one who was almost unmatched, especially when it came to getting out of tight spaces. She almost died today, again, well being enslaved again was worse than death in her opinion, and both times Nettle had come back for her. He was willing risk everything for her? She didn't quite understand it, and her mind pondered what exactly that meant. A promise to her was one thing, but this was beyond the promise. He had gotten her safe he could have left her to go about her life as he had before but this time he hadn't. It puzzled her, though feeling a shift she raised her head just as she was lowered to the forest floor.

Sunlight filtered through the leaves as she glanced up before moving her gaze to Nettle as he sat beside her. "I guess not," she said softly, bringing her knees up to her chest as she wrapped her arms around her legs. Her silver eyes showed no sort of what she had been thinking until he took the dagger back from her sleeve and she turned his gaze towards him. His gentle touch to move the hair from her eyes brought a purr to he throat before she did something purely on instinct. Grabbing his hand, she pulled herself up and kissed his cheek, before cuddling up into his side. "Thank you, Nettle..." left her lips, that purr still very much there as those silver hues closed. Though her body was relaxed and her breathing reflected that of sleep, the occasional purr still came out and those feline ears moved in investigation but for now she was only listening to the stability of his heartbeat.

It would be easy for Cage, to fall in love with Nettle, if he would just drop his guard around her more often.

[Dies Irae]

Nettle smiled, at least she was safe, he'd never forgive himself if he let her get hurt, he'd done that once, never again, never would she leave her when she needed him, but then he knew the fleeting possibility of staying was imporbable, she wouldn't look at him the same if she knew what he was really, no one ever felt the same when they knew. Freezing as he felt her hand on his, his eyes widening as her lips pressed against his cheek, looking down at her cuddling into him, he let a small smile form on his lips, at least she was safe, and happy for now. Looking over her he moved a hand onto her side, gently trailing his fingers up and down, he had never been in the embrace before, but some how he just knew he should do what he was doing.

He leant back slowly, closing his eyes, he needed to rest as well, lacking sleep from last nights guarding of her, he fell into it's embrace quickly, his hands falling slightly limp against her, though they were still holding each other throughout the long sleep, they both were exhausted, the few minutes he thought of staying, being more than a shadow watching over her, though his dreams had other thoughts, replaying what he imagined her reaction would be if she saw him tranform 'Nettle, Your a Monster!', shooting up from his sleep, sweating and shaking, he felt his heart beating faster, looking down at Rose, who had now taken to using his lap as her pillow, leaning back he breathed quietly, calming himself before closing his eyes again.

The next time he woke it was dark, he judged it was only hours until dawn, looking at Rose still sleeping he smiled, lifting her in his arms without waking her, standing and beginnign to move, he needed to find a lake somewhere, Rose's wounds needed to be cleaned and he was sure he could use the bath as well, the few encounters with the slavers had left him dirtied, dust littering his clothing. Moving through the forest slowly, letting Rose get what rest she could before they needed to move at a quicker pace, his mind drifting to what she had said, Eden, would they really be able to make it there, he would take her if she wished, but the months journey, he'd hit a cycle before they would reach the safety of Eden's walls. Thinking as he walked, the threatening cycle during their journey would prove difficult to hide from her.

Finding a small spring in a clearing he laid Rose down in the grass, close to the waters edge, pulling himself out of his clothing he moved into the water slowly, the temperature was low but even still it was refreshing to clean his body fo dirt and grime. Submerging underneath the crystal clear water, running fingers through his hair, removing knots, dirt and anything else that had managed to find a home on top of his head since the last time he'd bathed, resting against a smooth rock he watched Rose, he knew when she was tired she would sleep for much longer than he or a normal person would, he only matched her longer sleeping days after a cycle drained him, but that was not as often as her exhaustion slumbers.

When the cracks of dawn began to seep through the trees he sighed moving over to where she slept and pushed her slowly, idly pushing as he lent against the back of the spring, with watchign her sleep and this he was keeping himself occupied, at least until she woke up so he could clean her wounds, he smiled softly, he had the thought pass through his head, if she didn't wake soon enough he'd strip he and just throw her into the spring himself, he knew that would do the trick waking her up, though for now he would stick to being at least polite enough to wake her slowly, though he was starting to get bored with waiting for her, the throwing her in the spring idea was starting to get a lot more appealing as time went by, listening to her breathing and the occasional purr that escaped her, gazing at her ears darting at the slight sounds of the forest in the morning, she was cute when she slept, though if he knew Rose she wouldn't like that fact.

He wondered why now she was starting to make him more relaxed, she was the only person who trusted him with their life, most others seemed to think he only helped if he would get paid for it.