#balding gate? firmly in its grip

[terrorbirb]

I have learned an unhealthy coping mechanism: video game

[wilcze-kudly]

Finished the 'lil Kuvira's first day in Zaofu' blurb

The wooden waggon her family used had always been uncomfortable, being the rickety, unstable old thing that it was. But today, under the sweltering sun, it seemed particularly incommodious to her, especially paired with Father's angry ramblings.

- Your mother and I have have tried to get through to you, Kuvira, but you refuse to listen! - he admonished, repeating things she'd heard thousands of times before. - You have no discipline! No remorse for what you did! -

That wasn't true! Kuvira bit her lip. She had apologised, it had been an accident... It was Mother and Father who refused to listen! And Mother hadn't said sorry for grabbing Kuvira's wrist so hard it bruised, or for pulling her hair... Kuvira hadn't meant to throw that rock as hard as she did, hadn't meant to break Mother's ribs.

They approached the strangest city Kuvira had ever seen. Huge metal petals spread over the lush green valley, revealing tall, glistening towers that jutted into the annoyingly bright sky. This looked nothing like the village Kuvira came from, nothing like its clay houses and dirt roads.

Father continued berating her, motioning at the metal city with his chin. - There's a master metalbender here, who agreed to take you off our hands. - he said and Kuvira firmly stared down at her feet and the worn planks of the waggon. She wanted to scream. -Hopefully, she can knock some sense into you. And remember, this is for your own good.-

Kuvira sort of hated her parents at the moment, but that didn't mean she wanted them to leave her with a total stranger. She didn't want Mother and Father to drop her off here like they dropped off the pickens they raised and sold to the local butcher!

She didn't want to have any sense knocked into her, either! It didn't sound very pleasant. She swore to herself that she'd hate the evil metalbender who was going to take her away from the only home and life she knew.

She was chased out of the waggon, despite her clear reluctance. She clutched her small sack of belongings in her small, but already calloused by work hands. There wasn't much in it, to be honest. Two spare shirts and a pair of trousers, along with five pairs of socks and underwear. She had been allowed to take three toys with her and Father sold the rest the day before her departure.

She'd yelled and stomped her feet, of course, but it was no use. She might have been the strongest earthbender in the village, but she was still just eight, after all. Father had dragged her back home, grip painfully tight on her shoulder. He said he had sold her toys to pay for a healer to come take care of mother and then he told her to pack what was left of her things.

That's how Kuvira had been informed that her own parents were getting rid of her.

Father turned the waggon around so fast that Kuvira didn't even have the chance to say goodbye to Patchy, the old, balding ostrich horse that had served her family long before she had been born. Bitterly, she remarked to herself that Patchy was probably more of a family member to her parents than she ever was. At least Patchy did what he was told.

Kuvira stood in front of the weird city, looking up at it in... awe wasn't the right word, but neither was apathy. She just didn't feel like feeling anything other than the nervous gnawing at her stomach.

She didn't want to be here, she wanted to be back home! Even if Father and Mother took all her toys or made her work on the farm until her hands bled again.

She wondered if there was still time for her to bolt. Maybe she could make her own way home, or maybe she should run away altogether. Any course of action in the world seemed better than having to go with the evil, evil metalbender.

A clanging sound signaled the sealing of her fate as the odd, metal gate opened and a figure stepped out.

The metalbender did not look very evil.

In fact, she looked like one of those travelling acrobats and dancers that sometimes came to the village to perform for coin. Thin and willowy and covered in odd metal jewellery, her graceful limbs obscured by the green folds of a weird robe. With the circlet upon her head, peeking out from under wavy, jet black hair, she looked like some manner of royalty. At least she did to Kuvira, who, notedly, had never encountered any royalty.

- You must be Kuvira. It's nice to meet you. - the lady said cordially, the corners of her sharp but gentle eyes turned upwards by a soft smile that formed on her lips.

Kuvira remained obstinately silent, lifting the dirty sack to her chest, as if it could somehow protect her from her uncertain future.

The lady crouched down, so she was more or less at Kuvira's eye level. Her smile wavered a little, though it didn't leave her face completely. - My name is Suyin. But you can call me Su. - she tried again, reaching a dainty hand out for Kuvira to take.

Kuvira stayed still, furrowing her brows. The lady seemed nice, but Kuvira was here to have some sense knocked into her, if Father's words were to be believed. She didn't trust the lady, no matter how nice she seemed. After all, she was still taking Kuvira away from her home and family.

- You'll be safe here, I promise. - Su assured, as if she could read Kuvira's mind. She seemed so calm, content to stay crouched before Kuvira indefinitely, until the little girl was ready to take her hand.

Kuvira hesitantly took Su's hand, making her smile widen. Though Su's hands were much smaller than Father or Mother's, her thin, deft fingers still wrapped completely around Kuvira's tiny hand.

The woman stood slowly, making no sudden movements, as if Kuvira were a small animal that could be easily startled into turning tail. She gently led Kuvira towards the gate and into the metal city.

So maybe this was not the worst course of action in the world.

----+

Kuvira should probably have been looking around the city more, but she couldn't bring herself to spare it more than a cursory glance. Most of the buildings had a lot of metal incorporated into them, the clean streets were littered with small shops and full of people who wore robes similar to Su's.

Su had been walking rather slowly, letting Kuvira look around at her own leisure. Not like Father, who walked so fast that Kuvira had to constantly jog behind him, so her little eight year old self wouldn't be left behind.

Eventually, they reached a train station and Su beckoned her onboard. Kuvira had never been on a train before, and she couldn't help but kneel on her seat, nose pressed to the windowpane as the train pulled out of the city and made its way towards a similar, smaller metal flower.

She turned to look at Su questioningly. The woman followed her gaze, before explaining. -The city is made out of a few sectors and the monorail connects them. - she said, then she pointed to the 'sector' they were currently headed to. - That one there is where my family and I live, and so will you. -

- Family?- Kuvira asked incredulously. It hadn't occured to her that the metalbender could have a family.

Su beamed. - Oh yes, my family. My husband and our children. Your new siblings. - she added and Kuvira mulled her words over. She wasn't sure if she wanted any siblings. She opted to once again focus on what was behind the window.

Wide expanses of green, lush meadows with flowers dotted here and there and a far off river in the distance. And, of course, the form of... well, of Kuvira's new home, apparently, glinting in the sunlight.

The train reached its destination much sooner than Kuvira would've hoped it would, but she compliantly hopped off her seat. Su reached to pick up Kuvira's sack for her, but the little girl hurriedly snatched it away. It was her sack, her things! Su arched an eyebrow, but didn't say anything, simply motioning for Kuvira to follow her.

They stepped out of the train and onto a large courtyard, filled with vibrant greenery and stone or metal decorations. At the far end of the area was a huge house and apparently that's where Su and her family lived.

- I took the liberty of picking out a room for you, I hope you don't mind. - Su said as they walked to the house. Kuvira shook her head, and the metalbender continued. - It's rather close to mine and my husband's, so if you need anything, don't be afraid to knock, alright?-

- Alright. - Kuvira answered absentmindedly as they reached the door to the house.

Su smiled at her and stepped into the house, Kuvira right behind her. The metalbender stood still for a moment, cocking her head, before turning to her small companion. - My family are in the living room right now. - she announced and Kuvira frowned.

- How do you know?- she asked suspiciously.

Su smiled mysteriously. - Seismic sense. - she answered airily, leading Kuvira down the hallway. - I can use earthbending to 'see' my surroundings and tell where things are.-

Kuvira's eyes widened and her jaw dropped just a little. - You can do that?-she breathed. She'd, of course, been told that this woman was a master metalbender, but Kuvira hadn't exactly considered what such mastery entails.

Su chuckled softly. - Yes. My mother taught my sister and I when we were very young.- something sad and wistful crossed her relaxed features, lips curling ever so slightly downwards.

But Kuvira paid that no mind, too engrossed in the next question that tumbled from her lips. - Can... Can I learn to do it?-

Su ruffled the girl's hair, smile eclipsing the sunlight that wafted through the wide windows. - Of course, sweetie. As soon as you get comfortable living here. - she assured and that gave Kuvira more stability than she'd ever had. - Would you like to meet your new family now?-

Kuvira chewed her lip. She supposed she'd have to meet the rest of the house's inhabitants at some point... And Su seemed to really love her family. Kuvira didn't want to offend the woman and have the offer of learning seismic sense retracted the moment it had been given to her.

She nodded faintly and Su beamed, clasping her hands together. - Perfect!- she exclaimed, gently steering Kuvira down another corridor. - They already know you're coming, so you don't have to worry about being a surprise.-

Kuvira wanted to ask how many kids Su had, or anything else of the sort, but her attention was quickly drawn to voices, muffled and quiet, but rapidly becoming louder and more clear.

- Junior, dear, don't chew on your pencil.- a man's soft voice admonished quietly.

- Sorry, papa. - came the sheepish answer of a young boy.

- Papa, keep reading!- urged a little girl's voice. The man chuckled.

- Well, Opal, why don't you help me read it?-

- No, papa! I wanna listen to YOU read it!- the girl squealed, just as Su and Kuvira reached the door.

Su confidently swung the door open, to be met by a chorus of many little voices exclaiming: 'Mommy!!!'

- Hello, darlings! - Su gracefully slipped through the door, Kuvira hot on her heels, almost hiding behind the woman, in the folds of her robe.

- Good to see you, dearest.- the man said softly, his voice was warm and steady. - Did...-

- Yes.- Su replied his unanswered question, stepping aside a little, revealing Kuvira to the world. Immediately, several pairs of moss green eyes settled on the newcomer and suddenly, Kuvira wanted to leave very much. But Su placed a steadying hand on her shoulder. - Everyone, this Kuvira. She'll be part of our family from today. -

- It's very good to meet you, Kuvira. - the man was sitting on a couch, with a kindly, inviting smile. He closed a thin, colourful book and placed it in his lap. He leant in a little. - We've all been very excited to meet you, right kids?-

A couple awkward murmurs sounded from here and there. Kuvira shuffled her feet in discomfort. - Hello. - she finally hummed, tightly gripping her sack. Su lightly patted her back, as if commending her for finding her voice.

Someone approached Kuvira from her left and she snapped her head to look up. It was a boy, her age, with shaggy dark brown hair falling down onto his sun-kissed forhead and curious green eyes observing her from behind angular glasses. - Hi... uh, hello, Kuvira. - he smiled, extending his hand. - I'm Baatar. It's nice to meet you.-

Before Kuvira could even consider shaking his hand, another, more high-pitched voice corrected: - Your name isn't Baatar! It's Junior!- it came from a small boy, no older than three, who was cheerfully and confidently trotting up to the pair of older children.

- Shut up, Wing.- Baatar hissed through his teeth, before glancing at Kuvira and faltering. - I'm actually Baatar Jr. - he admitted sheepishly.

- And I'm Wing!- announced the little boy, flinging his arms around Kuvira's waist with a huge, toothy grin. Kuvira stiffened, but didn't exactly want to push him away in front of his parents.

- And that's Huan!- he motioned towards a gloomy looking boy, who was seated in an armchair, limbs splayed out haphazardly. At least, Kuvira thought he was a boy, his hair was somewhat long and she couldn't really tell with those long, odd robes everyone was wearing.

In lieu of a greeting, Huan offered a grumble, before turning back to whatever strange metal item he'd been nursing in his hands. Rude.

Wing tugged at the hem of Kuvira's shirt to get her attention again. - And that's Opal! And Wei! - he pointed at the two little tufts of jet black hair, crowding against their father.

The first was the only girl, hiding behind the biggest stuffed toy Kuvira had ever seen. The huge fluffy air bison almost completely obscured her small frame. There was also a boy, identical to Wing, curious mossy eyes peeking over his father's shoulder. Su's husband smiled, gently nudging the pair towards Kuvira. - Come on, you two, say hello to your new sister.-

- She's not my sister!- Opal snapped suddenly. And though Kuvira kind of agreed with her, she could tell by the look in the younger girl's eyes that it was meant as an insult. Kuvira scowled at her new 'little sister' who did much the same.

- Now, Opal, be nice. - Su gently berated, crossing the room and settling next to her daughter. - Kuvira joining our family doesn't mean we love you any less. - she reminded gently, hugging the girl.

For the first time, Kuvira wasn't next to Su and she was mortified to realise that it frightened her. She held onto her sack for dear life.

- Wei, would you like to say hello to Kuvira?- Su's husband asked gently. The boy who looked like Wing nodded slowly. He gave Kuvira a shy little wave, before shuffling behind his father again.

- Don't mind them. - Baatar Jr comforted, adjusting his glasses. - Opal's just jealous that she's not going to be the only girl anymore.-

- Not true!- shrilled Opal, mustering a surprisingly fierce glare.

- Totally true! - Wing chirped, still glued to Kuvira's side. He glanced up at her curiously. -Hey, can you earthbend? Mommy said you can earthbend!-

It took Kuvira a moment to find her voice again. - Yeah, I can earthbend.- she confirmed, though she hadn't done so since the incident with Mother.

Wing cheered incoherently. - Cool! Can I see? Can you metalbend? When did you learn? Huan can bend, but he does it boring and he never shows us anything cool! Do you do fun bending?!- he went on a tirade, disregarding an offended gasp from Huan. Kuvira's brain barely kept up with him.- I haven't started bending yet, but I will and then I'll be just like mommy and grandma Toph!-

- Me too! Me too!- announced Wei, his shyness defeated by the prospect of a sibling that did not use bending just for 'boring things'. He clambered out from behind his father, wide eyes locked onto his twin and newly adopted sister.

Baatar scoffed, crossing his arms. - Like you two aren't enough trouble without the ability to throw boulders around with your minds. - he grumbled, rocking on his heels.

Wing rounded on his brother, releasing Kuvira and hopping about the room. -You're just jealous because you can't fo ittt~ he singsang mockingly, bounding in circles around the two older kids.

Baatar smacked him up the head. - See, you know nothing about general history. - he took a deep breath and lifted his index finger. -While non earthbenders can't throw boulders via traditional means, technology bridges the gaps between us more and more. Like the catapults that the Fire Nation used during the Hundred Year War. Those launched rocks, no earthbending required. - he recited as if he were reading from a book, looking down his nose at Wing.

Wing was not impressed. - Boring! - he decided, still spinning around. - Grandma didn't use cata.... cata... - he furrowed his brows, clearly struggling with the new word. -... the things! I'm gonna be an earthbender like her and then I'm gonna be the strongest!-

Something vaguely malicious crossed Baatar's face, a menacing arch to his brow. - Oh yeah?- he lilted, leaning in. - You're gonna be the strongest?- he teased, grabbing Wing under the arms and tossing the three year old into the air before catching him. - You've got a long way to go then!-

Wing shrieked, kicking his legs and flailing his arms in futile attempts to escape his big brother's hold. Baatar Jr laughed madly through his smug grin.

Behind a discombobulated Kuvira, Huan muttered something condescending and rolled his eyes.

Wing's luck turned when Wei came to his rescue, leaping from the couch, straight onto Baatar's back with a shrill battlecry. The force of his charge sent the trio sprawling onto the soft carpet, still locked in a fierce wrestling match. For a boy outnumbered, Baatar was doing pretty well for himself, until Wei sat on his arm and bit him lightly. This immobilised the oldest kid long enough for Wing to steal his glasses.

- Hey! You jerkwad!- Baatar Jr yelped, flailing his free arm as a gleeful Wing pranced around the room in his brother's glasses. He probably couldn't see that well in them, because he almost immediately bumped into Su.

The master metalbender knelt at her son's eyelevel and removed the oversized glasses from his little nose. - Boys, please. - she admonished gently, placing the glasses back on Baatar Jr's face. - Wei, stop gnawing on your brother's elbow. Wing, what did we say about taking other people's things?-

- Sorry, mommy...- the twins said in unison, and Wei rolled off Baatar's arm and skipped up to Wing.

Baatar Jr sat up and set his glasses straight. -You two are animals. - he sniffed, standing up and dusting his trousers off.

- Junior! - Suyin turned to her oldest, hands on her hips. - No name calling. And who taught you to call people 'jerkwads? Was it your grandmother? -

Behind her back, Wei blew a raspberry at Baatar, before immediately going back to being the picture of innocence.

Seeing this, Opal giggled into her stuffed bison's fur.

Kuvira had been so enraptured by this odd performance that she hadn't noticed Su's husband approach until he placed his hand on her frail shoulder.

- Don't be put off by the chaos, Kuvira. - he ressured, smiling as he watched Su try to get Baatar and the twins to hug it out. - Our household is often hectic, but we all love each other here. And we're very glad to have you join us. -

- Oh, my babies!- Su squealed proudly as her three sons made up. She showered the trio's heads with kisses, before standing up with a pep in her step. - Now, who's up for dinner? -

A cascade of 'I am's shook the room.

Baatar Jr leant down to look at Kuvira. - What about you, Kuvira? - he asked slowly, calmly, his hand softly squeezing her shoulder. - Are you hungry? -

Kuvira was hungry. Her stomach twisted and turned. She was very hungry.

She almost nodded, but stopped herself. She'd already eaten today. Father had given her a porkbeef sandwich during the ride here. Which was a lot.

Father and Mother had always complained that Kuvira ate so much. That it was so expensive to have a third mouth to feed.

Maybe this was a test? Maybe Su and her husband were testing if she ate too much. Maybe if Kuvira showed that she wasn't expensive, maybe Su would be happy to have her.

Kuvira shook her head.

- Aww, are you tired after the ride here ?- Su cooed, absentmindedly petting Wei's head as the three year old clung to her leg.

Kuvira supposed sleeping would be less troublesome than eating.

She nodded.

- That's perfectly fine, sweetie.- Su smiled, and Kuvira was glad she answered correctly. -You can go to sleep early, alright?-

Kuvira nodded again.

- Alright, your bedroom is upstairs. - Suyin spoke with a smile. She tried to move, but Wei was still clinging to her leg. - Huan, could you show your sister the way to her room, right?-

- ok. - Huan rolled off the armchair, still holding his weird little metal... thing. With two fingers, he motioned for Kuvira to follow him.

Kuvira was glad to follow. Huan lead her up the stairs, feet clad in thick socks lightly thumping against the stone floor. He moved all light and catlike, weird, like a ghost floating a bit above the floor. That is not how earthbenders are meant to walk, Kuvira decided. The Beifongs were weird... odd. But nice.

Kuvira hoped that the Beifongs would decide she wasn't too much trouble to keep around.

But just in case, she swore to herself that she's gonna do her very best to get them to like her.

Huan stopped so abruptly that she almost ran into him. He turned to look at her. - Here's your room. - his voice was so monotone as he motioned towards a door.

The door was huge! Bigger than some of the houses from Kuvira's village..

Kuvira gripped the intricate, beautifully decorated handle. She carefully pushed the big door open. She gingerly stepped into the room.

It was also HUGE. Thrice as big as Kuvira's old room. There was a big, soft looking bed... the green quilted blanket covering a plush matress. Big, empty metal shelves with wood detailing, a similarly made desk and chair. A whole wardrobe! What would Kuvira even put in that??? A bedside table with a glowing crystal atop it.

Everything was so pretty and decorated and Big. Kuvira felt so tiny and lost.

- Mom said you can ask for books and stuff like that. - Huan said from behind her, leaning against the doorframe, shaggy jet black hair falling over his eyes. - Mom and dad sleep two doors to the left. And the twins' room is right in front of you. Good luck with that. They're loud. -

Kuvira nodded silently.

Said silence remained heavy between them until she finally said. - thanks. -

- No problem. - Huan gave her a tiny grin. He seemed like he was going to leave, but then looked like he changed his mind. - Hey, um. Here. - he held out the metal trinket he'd been playing with. - I made this. For you. -

Kuvira looked down at the nonsensical object in his hand.

Metalic, silvery tendrils coiled and intertwined in various ways, confusing and overwhelming. Twirling and branching off, connecting and coiling.

- Um. What is it? -

- It's a statue. - there was a nervous stutter in his voice and his hand shook a little. - For you.-

- That's not a statue. - Kuvira had seen statues. In the small temple on the outskirts of her village. With big scowling rock statues of deities and spirits and long dead Avatars.

That's what statues were. Not this weird little metal... thing.

- Yes it is. -

- No, it's not.

- It is!-

- Nu-uh-

- Fine. - Huan snapped, tossing the 'statue' into the tin trashcan by the door. He stormed out of the room. - Forget about it!- he slammed the door shut.

A couple seconds of silence passed. Kuvira didn't move.

Finally, she sat on her bed, trying to ignore her stomach's gurgling. She wondered if she should unpack her bag, but ruled against it. She might have to pack back up soon anyway, who knows?

She did, however, take the 'statue' out of the trashcan and placed it on one of the empty shelves.

She felt bad getting into the pristine, pretty bed in her dirty clothes and with her dust coated skin and hair. She curled up, trying to take up as much little space.

The bed was so soft. Maybe a little too soft. She was kinda sinking into the mattress to be honest. She rolled around a bit, till she was comfy.

Or, as close to comfy as she could be.

She was tired, after all.

Despite her hunger, it was relatively easy to fall asleep in this odd bed, in this odd house, in this odd city, with this odd new family.

[overandunderland]

"Legend will do."

A Seeker & The Warrior Excerpt

(Team OverUnder: Gregor, Luxa, Owen & Aiden are witnessing a bloodsport occuring in The Coliseum in a place of impossible conception. In their search for Hazard, they stumble upon one who's rescue may just be pivotal to fulfilling The Seekers Prophecy.)

It was wrong, barbaric even. Amidst the deafening roar of the crowd, Gregor absorbed the sights of the attendees with a sinking heart. They were cheering for more—more death, more blood, more carnage—even the children seemed thrilled by the barbarity that had just unfolded. As guards entered the arena to remove the mangled remains, small jeers pierced the air. The vibrations from the crowd's stomping feet reverberated through Gregor's body. He cast a sideward glance at Owen, noting his rapidly bobbing knee as they sat together. Further down, Luxa's veil might have hidden her mouth, but the deep wrinkle in her brow spoke volumes. Unable to contain his disgust, Owen blurted out, "This is f*cked."

"This is senseless," agreed Aiden,

"These people are savages. This only proves that allying with the Gnawers is a spell for disaster—"

Luxa placed a hand on Aiden's knee, her gesture a silent plea for restraint. The coliseum, a vast and daunting structure, vibrated with the energy of its spectators. An area reserved for royalty, with a luxurious, throne-like chair at its center, remained conspicuously empty, highlighting the divide between the ruling elite and the common masses. This space, surrounded by a mix of intimidating Underlanders and Gnawers, buzzed with palpable tension.

From behind the regal seating, a man adorned in a fur lpelt emerged, commanding immediate attention. He scanned the arena, his presence silencing the crowd as he approached a metal spout at the front of the balcony. His bald head was studded with small gold rings that pierced his skin from the top of His head, down to the beginnings of his spine. The way the torches lit the arena his face appeared sunken in, eyes wide, as if peering from the dark shadows that was his face.

"My family, friends! Did I not promise you entertainment? Have I not delivered an unparalleled display of ferocity?" he bellowed, his voice echoing throughout the arena. The crowd responded with thunderous cheers.

Owen jumped at the volume of the voice, looking up in amazement to find large holes at the tops of each section of the arena. "How is this possible? Thought you said the Underlanders don't have electricity," he whispered to Gregor, who could only respond with a look of shared confusion. Luxa, too, seemed perplexed, her eyes wide with concern.

"Oh yes! Yes! And to my fine furred friends, do you not feel recognized? Understood?" the announcer continued, stretching his arms wide as if to embrace the adulation, basking in the cacophony of cheers, clicks, and squeaks from the Gnawers in the crowd.

""Our ultimate contest welcomes all comers! Valiant warriors, armed with sword and claw alike, who among you possesses the bravery to step forth? Who among you can claim the title of a TRUE WARRIOR?"

As the announcer spoke, Gregor felt a chill run down his spine, his thoughts racing with both fear and a morbid curiosity about the forthcoming "final challenge." Owen's expression hardened, a mix of anger and resolve etching his features, while Luxa's gaze remained fixed on the empty throne, her mind undoubtedly weaving through political implications and strategies. Aiden, ever the warrior, clenched his fists, the thrill of the challenge sparking a fire in his eyes, despite his earlier condemnation of the spectacle.

When the gates on the opposite end of the arena began their slow, ominous ascent, a dramatic scene unfolded. From the depths of the shadows, two rats and two humans emerged, their hands firmly gripping the ends of massive metal chains. With deliberate steps, they advanced toward the center of the arena, the sound of clanking chains accompanying their march. High above, dispersed among the eager crowd, several archers took position, their bows drawn and eyes narrowed in concentration. Aiden leaned toward Luxa, his voice a low murmur, "I count a handful."

Luxa, the epitome of regal composure, gave a silent nod in response, her intense gaze never straying from the scene before her. Despite her outward calm, her mind was undoubtedly a whirlwind of thoughts and strategies. A foreboding figure, shrouded in a large cloak and shackled by heavy chains around its ankles, slowly made its way out from the gate. The cloth it was draped in billowed and scraped against the ground, eliciting a chorus of intrigued murmurs from the crowd.

The announcer, seizing the moment with dramatic flair, clapped his hands and gestured expansively toward the audience. However, Gregor's attention was drawn elsewhere—not to the spectacle at hand, but to the announcer's attire, specifically his rat pelt. It evoked a sense of distant familiarity, stirring a memory he couldn't quite pinpoint.

"Hey, Luxa," he attempted, only to be promptly shushed by Aiden, whose focus remained unwaveringly on the unfolding spectacle.

The announcer's voice filled the arena, booming with enthusiasm, "A weapon of destruction, after my own heart! Imagine, if only I could boast as many Regalian lives taken as this beast has furs beneath his belt. And yet, despite his formidable appearance, his fur offers a surprising softness," the announcer brushed his cloak, a sleazy cheshire grin forming across his face. "A note to all my mateless Gnawers out there—pay close attention! Now, who among you is ready to meet the harbinger of death?"

As the reality of the situation dawned on Gregor, a silent wave of shock rippled through the royal contingent seated beside him. Abruptly, the chains were released, and the massive cloak was swiftly removed, unveiling the figure beneath—a large, scarred, rat. Its fur, incredibly short, seemed to be regrowing, and its body bore the marks of countless battles, with claw marks and sword scars that told stories of survival. It's color, tinged grey. One scar, in particular, resonated deeply with Gregor.

Luxa clasped her hands together, her stoic facade momentarily crumbling as she visibly trembled with emotion.

"I GIVE YOU, THE PEACEMAKER, THE LEGENDARY... RIP... RED!" the announcer declared.

The crowd's reaction was instantaneous, a thunderous applause erupting as the spectators' excitement soared. Faces turned, challenges whispered among friends, daring one another to confront the legend revealed before them.

"Oh geeze, Ripred," Gregor couldn't help but express, his voice tinged with a mix of awe and concern.

Owen, leaning forward for a better view, was struck by the gravity of the moment. Familiar with Ripred through Gregor's stories—Luxa's Gnawer bond, the peacemaker, a pivotal figure in The Banes' war—he found his emotions conflicted between excitement and worry.

The sight of Ripred, bound in shackles, made a profound statement. This was not the appearance of a volunteer or a willing participant. The grim reality of his condition, especially the closed left eye that remained unresponsive to the crowd's fervor, painted a stark picture. Yet, when Ripred's gaze locked with the announcer's, he flicked his tail, a gesture that demanded louder cheers, performing despite his dire circumstances.

Gregor's mind was a whirlwind of confusion and concern as he observed Ripred's daunting presence in the arena. Why was he here? What chain of events had led to the capture of such a formidable creature? Gregor scanned the coliseum, pondering if the lack of recognition from the other rats indicated that Ripred was unaware of their presenc. The notion unsettled him deeply.

"So," Gregor ventured, breaking the tense silence among his companions, "what exactly is the plan?" Owen's lips formed a tight line, a silent signal of the gravity of their situation, as his eyes flicked towards Luxa and Aiden.

'We shall free him. Aiden and I shall—" Luxa's voice, usually calm and commanding, was tinged with an edge of desperation.

"Woah," Gregor interjected, a plan already forming in his mind. "You think we're going to just waltz in there? Aiden's got our backs, sure, but you and I—"

And risk losing The Warrior? Absolutely not. The prophecy requires you to make it to the—" Luxa's whisper was harsh, a cutting reminder of the weight on their shoulders.

"You're SERIOUSLY pulling the prophecy card right now, Owen back m-"

But it was Owen's next move that halted everything. Scaling the barrier with a fluidity that contested the madness of his plan, he perched momentarily atop the railing, casting a final, determined look back at them. "Figure it out," he said, the weight of his words leaving no room for debate. Then, with his identity shrouded by the veil over his face, he leaped, disappearing into the arena's embrace.

"Your going to get yourself killed!" Gregor called out after Owen, his voice tinged with panic. His heart pounded against his ribcage, a mix of fear and adrenaline coursing through him. Was Owen out of his mind?

"Hmph, does your Sun drive all Overlanders to madness?" Aiden spat, incredulous at the recklessness, or perhaps, bravery in front of him.

The crowd, initially absorbed by the spectacle of Ripred, now buzzed with a mixture of confusion and excitement at the sight of a new challenger entering the arena. Murmurs and gasps rippled through the spectators, their focus shifting. Some leaned forward, eager for a closer look, while others exchanged bewildered glances, wondering at the identity of this bold, veiled figure who dared to interrupt the proceedings.

Luxa, gathering her composure, whispered urgently to Gregor and Aiden, "We must act now. Owen has given us a diversion, but we must be swift." Her gaze was steel, her voice a commanding whisper that spurred them into action.

As Gregor prepared to follow Luxa's lead, he couldn't shake the gnawing fear for Owen's safety. Yet, the resolve in Luxa's eyes and the urgency of their mission propelled him forward. The plan was clear: they would use this moment of distraction to free Ripred and escape the coliseum. But as Gregor glanced once more at the imposing figure of Ripred and then at Owen's determined back, he knew nothing about this plan was going to be simple.

The hush of anticipation fell over the arena as the announcer’s voice, thick with delight, cut through the tense silence. “An intriguing turn of events, my friends! An unknown challenger dares to enter our grand arena!” His slow, deliberate applause seemed to mock the gravity of the moment, echoing off the ancient stones.

Below, Owen shifted, his head tilting casually from side to side, the leather of his armor whispering with each movement. He locked eyes with Ripred, the legendary rat whose short fur stood on end, a clear sign of readiness for the battle to come. My p

"You smell young," Ripred taunted, his voice a grating rasp that filled the arena. "Did your parents not teach you the dangers of wandering so far from home? Or are they too cowardly, leaving their pup to fend for himself in a place like this? Better turn back while you still can."

The arena around them was a testament to countless battles fought and lost, a chaotic sprawl of obstacles both natural and man-made. Broken shields and discarded weapons littered the ground, creating a treacherous landscape that spoke of violence and valor. The air was thick with the scent of iron and earth, a silent witness to the blood spilled upon its soil. Owen couldn't discern if it was the taste in the air, or the inside of his cheek.

His gaze swept across this landscape of desolation before settling back on Ripred. He shrugged, an echo of a gesture that seemed oddly out of place I'm on the Underland's gloom. Ripred's head jerked back, a flicker of recognition—or was it confusion?—crossing his fearsome visage.

"You'd be hard-pressed to find them," Owen retorted, his voice steady. "You know how it goes, right?"

Ripred snorted, the sound echoing mockingly around them. "Aww, an orphan then. Has the harshness of life finally driven you to seek an end in my arena? I find little honor in dispatching a soul already defeated by despair, serves me no time." He perched him self on his back legs, showing off his full size.

Owen chuckled, a sound that seemed too light for the heavy air of the coliseum. "Trust me, you're going to provide us with all the time we need."

[erikismybitch]

Waiting In Vain: Chapter 18

Protection

“Would you like to Meet my dad ?”

Erik never thought he would hear that question come from Marley’s mouth but it did . And he was thrown off , knowing exactly what he put her through . Why in the hell would she want to go Down this path .

“He and his wife reached out. My Therapist said I should go...Meet with him maybe unveil some hidden wounds or some shit like that”

“Its whatever you want to do” He told her.

“Then I can decide if I want to explore a relationship with him or let him go completely “

Erik , who was very protective over this girl , didn’t want her to get into this situation. Marley had a pattern of forgiving and being too nice to people who hurt her . He hated that trait , he only wanted her to be that way when it came to him. Erik was confident that he had her best interest . Her knew that if he told her not to go, she might do the opposite. And just in case her father decided to hurt her again, he’d be there to back her up. Or fuck him up.

“Yeah I wanna meet that nigga”

So there they were . In Erik’s car driving through mountains of redwood trees and narrow peaks that made it hard to maneuver through . The altitude was so high that the XM radio only spit a static sound . Just to reach her dads property . This definitely wasn’t where he lived when she was younger . Erik asked her if he was rich “or something” Judging by the private driveways hidden with gates and greenery , this new living situation was a total upgrade .

“This is it” he squinted at the tiny lit up address on the side of the steel gate . It was already open so they didn’t have to buzz the intercom that was door level .

Erik drove down the long brick passage, until he got to the circular driveway . Each brick perfectly placed in between healthy green grass . A slight waterfall in the middle , and surrounding it was a Tesla and a Mercedes . Both license plates saying his & hers. Marley grew sick to her stomach when she read them.

“This man , and his wife living an an estate in the mountains with matching license plates” she said in utter disbelief, but she mumbled . The two of them both met outside of Erik’s car and began to walk up to the huge doors. She took a breath and Erik held the small of her back.

“I swear you just say word and we can leave, I’ll get a hotel and everything” Erik could tell she was becoming upset already . He’d sacrifice though , even if the drive was roughly five hours from where they stayed .

“It’s okay . I can do this”

After Erik knocked obnoxiously hard , what Marley thought to be her Step brother opened the door . He had gotten big since the last time she saw him .

“Hi” He said , he had gaming headphones on his ears, and he walked away in true teenage fashion . Uninterested, and trying to get back to the technology. They both walked in, his sister , Marley’s stepsister was walking past . She smiled , waved and went about her business elsewhere . She was nearly a toddler the last time Marley seen her . Her birthday was the day before Marley’s . She remembered because they were always better than hers.

The lady of the house came into view . She wasn’t as dashing as she used to be. It amazed Marley that her father was clearly still smitten by this woman. Marley didn’t know if she just aged badly because she had no melanin or if it was karma for her ruining her life . Karen was her fucking name .

Marley hated Karen more than she hated her father . Her therapist told her not to blame Karen for the actions of her father . Marley would argue that if Karen never had come around , her father wouldn’t have left . To her therapists rebuttal, he explained that her father is who he is, no matter who he married . But Marley didn’t care . Karen did it for her .

Erik held her hand still. Karens eyes bright with surprise. Marley didn’t tell them that she would be bringing her boyfriend , but she wouldn’t have came alone ... they should have known that .

“Hi , how have you been ?” Karen asked her. Marley was fake , she smiled and told her that she was doing well. “You look great , you’ve grown into a very pretty girl”

Karen touched her arm and attempted to be chummy . Marley tensed . She felt so ugly growing up in that old house.

“This is Erik” Marley snapped back and introduced him. Karen looked him up and down. Seemingly pleased.

“Cutie” she said in a tone as if he was a toddler. All that was missing was a cheek pinch. Erik nodded and raised his brows when he looked at Marley.

“Hubby’s on a call, he will be out in a second”

Marley fumed At Karen’s Botox filled expression . Her hubby ?

Marley looked around at how nice the inside of the house was . The high ceilings with two crystal chandeliers that towered over the dining room table and the living room center . The table itself was something out of Game of Thrones , large and royal looking . Heavy and expensive. The hardwood floors sparkled like they had just been polished, so clean you probably could eat from it. And It smelled good in there , Karen was preparing dinner . That was something Marley forgot about Karen , she could cook. Whenever Marley was in the mood to come out of her room and eat , it was good.

“I seen pics of your mom , she look way better than her” Erik was able to whisper without anyone hearing , but even if they did . He wouldn’t care .

Marley laughed , but it was shortchanged . She didn’t even want to bring her mom up . In fear that her spirit would be upset that she would even entertain these people . She wondered what kind of haunting her mother had done to her father. She hoped he had nightmares .

Her father had walked into the room with a smile. Erik could literally see that dark cloud of fear hanging over her . She wasn’t ready for this , and he knew it . He wanted to grab her and take her out of there. Marley felt twelve again . Like a shell who couldn’t move . Erik spoke up for her, he introduced himself .

“Christopher” he spoke and shook Eriks hand firmly , he grip wasn’t as tight as Eriks . Which sent him into alert right away . Her dad was light skinned , with a bald head and beady eyes. Much taller than Erik but not a threat at all. He eyed this guy who was with his daughter . Up and down . His fashionable outfit and those stupid expensive shoes that his step son recently begged him for . He thought his hair style was comedy , the kind that dumb young punks get . Back in his day , they would never fly .

“You some kind of artist or something?” Christopher guessed .

“Engineer”

“So you got you a man with some money, huh?”he joked . Before Erik could respond , Marley had built enough confidence to speak to him . Especially before he offended Erik too much. Christopher nudged Marley in her shoulder like they were old friends .

“H-hi dad” she spoke softly . She didn’t even think he heard her, until he gave her an uneasy side hug .

“Hun, the phone!” Karen came from another room holding his cell phone, Christopher excused himself and took the call.

“Marley, how about a tour?” Karen suggested , as if that would make her feel more at “home” . “I guess” slipped from her lips as she drifted away from Erik . She felt cold now , but he grabbed her arm before she walked away . Pulling her against him, he kissed her quickly . Then she was off to trail along side Karen. Who already seemed to be chatting enough for his liking .

“Aye dude , you play FIFA?”

Marley’s step brother asked from the living room . He was sitting on the plush couch , facing the Tv that was so big , it could be a projector . Nobody else was there but the two of them. “I do”

Erik ended up playing a game with the boy, getting his ass kicked by the teenager who had nothing better to do. Every game system was at hand , he had everything . “Erik right ?” He asked , right before blocking the op team from scoring .

“Yeah , didn’t catch your name though”

“It’s Simon”

“Aight Simon, you too good at this shit... you got 2K?”

Simon nearly rejoiced at Erik’s question . Within seconds he ended the game and switched it to 2K. “Glad I can play this with someone because my dad is trash” he admitted . Erik was taken back

“Yo’ dad ?” He screwed up his face.

“Only dad I ever knew”

-

Heather took Marley on a tour of the house . The outside did no justice . It was even bigger behind the doors . She toured the guest rooms, the chefs kitchen , their family rec room, their home gym and now Karen’s daughters room .

It almost brought tears to Marley’s eyes . It was everything she would have wanted as a young girl . The walls were covered in pink sparkly wall paper . She had a small white vanity filled with jewelry and makeup . In the center of the room was a huge gold canopy bed with white tulle draped over the top . A room fit for a princess . “Oh my god” Marley mouthed to herself .

“ If it’s worth anything” Karen started to speak , her skinny hand touching Marley back made her feel awkward. “I didn’t want to to go stay with your aunt”

Marley let go of a loud breath , almost like a cough. She didn’t expect this to be a topic . “That lady... is your friend” Her words cut through Karen

“I-.” She stuttered “I really didn’t want to send you . But it was out of my hands” Karen blamed her father.

“You have no idea , at all about what happened to me there” Marley turned to her quickly , her eyes were watering. Before she knew it , a tear fell down her cheek . She was pissed that she even gave Karen the satisfaction of seeing her upset . In her eyes, she was just as guilty as her father . Marley walked away , not exactly knowing where to go . She just wanted to be away from all of them .

-

“So how was it around here, when Marley lived with y’all?” Erik decided to dig, since Simon took to him quickly. He knew he could get the kid to talk .

“We didn’t live her , we moved here after she left”

“You were young , you probably don’t remember much , huh?” Erik kept going .

“Not as young as my sister . I remember her being really quiet . We stayed out of her way, dad told us too . Then one day she was gone . I thought she was dead until my dad needed a kidney”

Erik stopped himself from tossing the game controller . He didn’t want Simon to sense anger , in fear that he would stop spilling the beans. So he pretended not to be bothered . “Oh yeah?”

“Yeah ,they have the same blood type or something , that’s why they asked her here . To ask her”

Erik spotted Marley outside in the backyard . He excused himself from the game . He walked to the French doors and opened them . As he was about to tell her the real reason her father invited her, Erik noticed her face . She had been crying . He knew she shouldn’t have come . Before he could get a word in, Marley began to speak . Telling him about thought fake apology from Karen. And how she tried to blame everything on her father , like she didn’t play a key role in her outcome.

“Erik they have a pool , look at how these kids grew up . They aren’t even his kids” her voice cracked , Erik grew angrier by the minute .

“I slept in a basement , a fucking basement . Like, why didn’t everybody hate me? I was just a kid”

Erik saw her dad inside now . He told her to hold tight and get some air , he would be back for her .

Erik went inside and made sure to shut the door. He caught Christopher in the living room, mid sentence when talking to his son. “So you abandon your daughter , steal from her and then bring her here to save you, my nigga ?”

“Excuse me ?” Christopher glared at Erik, then back at Simon.

“You tryna’ Get her kidney right , that’s why she here?” Erik was jumpy , he slammed his closed fist into his open hand . He lunged toward Chris .

Simon paused his game and rushed to his room . Christopher would deal with him later .

“This ain’t got shit to do with you”

“Nah, Marley is my business”. He pointed to her sitting beside the pool , she didn’t have a clue about what was goin on between the two of them

“You may not care , but that’s what you missed out on . She’s special , she’s smart , she’s funny, and she matters to me . And everyday I see this fucking sadness in her and I couldn’t figure out why . But now I know it’s because of you . You fucked her up , but I’m here now, and I’m changing that”

Christopher stood up , he was taller than Erik but he had knocked down bigger and younger . Erik would kill him, without thinking or feeling remorse . He looked him dead in the eye, Christopher looked to the French doors and softened . Marley had come in.

“Don’t call her no’ more” he said in this tone, that only the two of them could understand .

“What’s going on?” She came towards the duo .

“Marley lets go” Erik didn’t shout but he didn’t have to. He couldn’t hit him, or beat his ass like he wanted to . He would have to tell Marley the reason and he wanted to spare her.

She didn’t argue, Erik was her man and meant more to her than anyone in that house . She grabbed her purse off the table and took his hand . They left , leaning the door open behind them. Erik drove off as soon as they fastened their seatbelts . Marley cried , she just sat in her seat and cried on the journey home . About twenty minutes in, Erik reached over and grabbed her chin. He leaned her over and kissed her a few times to calm her down . “Chill out, try to stop crying aight ?”

Marley took a deep breath and nodded her head . Erik decided that he would never tell her about the Kidney. That was something he’d take to the grave .

[aurora-the-kunoichi]

Chance Meetings

Chapter Seven

Warnings: Smuty smut smut

You don’t know how you managed to make it home without crashing your car into the median. Your mind was nowhere on the road but back in the parking lot with Leonardo. Your grip on your steering wheel was so tight the pads of our fingers began to hurt from the pressure. He had just kissed you, Leonardo the leader in blue had just had his tongue in your mouth and you wanted more. For fuck sake you would have let him have you in that god forsaken parking lot if he had simply asked. But he was to honorable for that and maybe you were thankful because if you did to get to be intimate with Leo the dirty ground of the parking lot or the back of your car wasn’t the most ideal place.

Getting inside your apartment you set your purse on the table next to the door and retrieved your phone from the outside pocket placing it on the kitchen counter. It had been a long night, a good one but long none the less. Making your way to your bedroom you started to strip throwing the days clothes in your hamper in the corner of your room. It was time for a hot shower; you could already feel the bruises from today’s training session begin to throb.

As the hot water pelted your skin your mind drifted to Leo and that kiss he so boldly took. His hands on our face, his mouth guiding yours as your tongues moved together. You couldn’t imagine him having too many kissing partners but from the technique he used he definitely wasn’t a novice. The thought of him practicing kissing on a pillow made your cheeks redden. God you were in deep.

You thought of taking care of the flair of heat between your legs but it was late and you wanted to get a goodnight sleep. So finishing your shower you dried yourself off and hopped under your covers naked as a jaybird, just the way you liked to sleep. If you slept with anything on it would be wrapped around you twice strangling you by morning.

It didn’t take long for you to succumb to sleep falling into a dreamless slumber. Your apartment lay silent for at least two hours before a soft tap came at your bedroom window.

“What the fuck?” you moaned cracking open an eye looking for that damned raccoon that had been bother you for two weeks. You should have never given him your leftovers; he’ll never go away now. To your surprise there was no small furry raccoon sitting on our fire escape looking for scrapes but a large mutant turtle perched outside awaiting permission to enter. Sitting up in your bed you clutched the sheet to our naked body staring speechless at your unexpected blue banded guest.

“It’s open.” You managed to squeak out as his large three fingered hand pressed the large window open giving him access to your room. Without a sound he landed inside closing the door behind him and turned to you still staring at him from your bed which was starting to feel really cold right now. Leo was here and you couldn’t make any words form in your mouth like an idiot.

Leo hadn’t been able to sleep; he tossed and turned for nearly three hours after he got back to the lair from dropping you off at your car. That kiss was haunting him and the eagerness you radiated told him you wanted just what he wanted….more.

He had found himself on your fire escape a short time later watching you sleep and from what he could tell you slept in the nude. Your form moved smoothly beneath the sheet as you slept leaving nothing to the imagination. Your hair splayed featherlike across your pillow your fingers entangled in the long tresses. He found he could watch you like this forever, under the moonlight, peaceful, delicate, and beautiful. The urge to see if you felt the same way beckoned him to make himself known. Using the back of his knuckles he wrapped gently on the glass to wake you.

There he was standing in your bedroom, the moon hitting his face just right making his blue eyes sparkle like the stars themselves. You couldn’t take your eyes from him so you moved your feet over the side of your bed and stood wrapping the sheet around your naked form. No words spoken you stared at him and you noticed he didn’t have on all his gear, just his makeshift shoes and his shorts with a single pouch of kunai hanging from his hip. This made him look less intimidating and more engaging and it was then you realized he was waiting, waiting for you to make the next move. He had taken the first step and kissed you; a mutant unsure of his worth in this world took a chance and kissed you.

You could see in it his eyes, the nervousness as he took in your normal feminine human body comparing it to his bulky mutant frame. Would you want this with him? Would you reject him or would you show him the compassion he so desperately needed from you. But you knew at the beginning he was different and wanted everything he was willing to share with you. Every night since that night in the alleyway you thought of him, dreamed of him lying beside you in bed entangled in bliss. You were just unsure if he wanted the same with you. But now it was clear as his handsome face standing a few feet from you.

Without wasting another moment you moved, closing the distance between you both jumping into Leo’s arms smashing your mouth to his taking what you wanted, what you needed. With the flood gates open Leo maneuvered his hands under the sheet and grabbed your ass sliding his hands up the back of your thighs pulling your legs up and around his waist. The sudden shift of fabric against your opening made you moan into his mouth as he strode towards your bed laying you both down covering you with his body.

Slanting his mouth over yours he deepened the inpatient kiss further, his right hand running gently back up your thigh to grab your ass. Pulling his mouth from yours his lips traveled down the column of your neck leaving a molten trail of moister in his mouths wake. You could hear his heavy breathing as he tried to calm himself. But you didn’t want him calm, you wanted him ravenous, you wanted him hungry for you.

“Leo.” You mewled urging him on as he moved lower untangling the troublesome sheet from your body. Completely exposed to his greedy gaze you heard a low growl deep in his throat exciting you to no end. His three fingered hands dove for your breasts kneading the tender flesh pinching and teasing before his mouth descended lavishing each supple mound with his hot mouth.

When his teeth found the light brown peeks you arched into his mouth gasping for air as if was pulled from the room. You couldn’t help it as your dug your nails into the green bald scalp of his head holding him in place.

With a pop of his mouth he released the breast and traveled lower intent on a warmer target.  The heat of his mouth latched onto the side of your hips sucking the skin into his mouth biting down slightly as his tongue moved within the cavern of his mouth over the flesh between his teeth. You arched at the sudden nip and arched reaching down for him but with lightening speed that was his hallmark he grabbed your hands and trust your legs over his shoulders and lifted you both until he was on his knees and your back was off the bed. With a startled gasp your legs instinctively wrapped around the back of his neck finding yourself lying almost on the back of your neck with your ass in the air his head placed precariously between your thighs and your hands still enclosed in his pulled taught at his sides. He had you immobile and was completely at his mercy. The look in his eyes was dangerous like a hungry lion looking at its prey ready to pounce and you were beyond ready to be his prey.

Wetting your lips with your tongue you watched him descend slowly taking a long languid lick of your opening making you squirm in his unyielding grasp. “Fuck!” Again he took a taste savoring it this time, dipping his tongue past your folds into the delicious heat of your core. “Oh god!” you gasped feeling his tongue move deep making you shudder.

“Shell you taste even better then you smell.” Leo mumbled between your legs before diving back in to find the sensitive little jewel at the hood of your sex. His teeth nipped at it gaining a sharp cry of pleasure from deep within your lungs. You tried to move tried to arch but his body held you fast as he continued the onslaught of exquisite torture.

Again and again his mouth and tongue dipped into you, bringing you closer and closer to your peak. A thin sheen of sweat covered both your bodies and you could feel the hard pressure from his engorged shaft pressing into your back through his shorts. With a final plunge of his expert tongue your body gave way exploding with your release into his waiting mouth. You cried out his name tensing every part of your body as Leo drank every drop of your essence.

Leo relished the sounds you made and was enthralled by your taste, it was heavenly and he wanted more. You were helpless against him as you rode out your orgasm that he had given you. Taking one final taste of your core he slowly lowered you back to the bed and hovered above you watching you come down from the heights of your release. Leaning down Leo took another heated kiss giving you a taste of yourself.

Leo leaned down and pressed his lips to yours giving you a taste of your own essence. It wasn’t unpleasant, salty yet a tinge of sweet. Ending the kiss he leaned back and that’s when you could see the massive tent he was pitching in his pants. It made your mouth run dry and you tried to get up, you wanted to…… no needed to know what he tasted like. But a firm hand on your abdomen held you firmly in place and you looked up into his eyes. Pure unadulterated passion shown in the deep pool of his irises as he stared adoringly down upon your naked form drifting along every inch of you taking you in.

“Not today.” Leo whispered getting to his feet undoing the buckle of his pants.

Oh god here we go, you sat with baited breath as his pants fell to the ground in a puddle at his ankles releasing his aching erection. Your eyes widened at the sight of him in all his glory, naked as the day he came into this world and it was glorious. The ache quickly returned to your core seeing him standing there hard as iron for you. It’s looked no different than a humans but it was green and substantially larger. Quite larger, like would you be able to take him larger?

Crawling back onto the bed his gaze bore down on you taking the very breath from your body. “Are you sure?” His voice was a bit shaky still unsure if you were going to let him take you.  

“I’ve wanted this for a while.” You confessed as he settled himself between your spread thighs.

Taking your lips again in a searing kiss he held his straining erection in one hand and positioned it at your soaking core. Deepening the kiss he pushed forward entering you slowly and hissed at the snug fit as he sank deeper into your warmth.

As his length slid into your heat you moaned at the delicious stretch. You felt yourself trembling with every thick inch of him you took. There was a slight twinge of pain as he stretched you to your limit but it was glorious and you arched up into him as Leo bottomed out inside you. The pressure was torture and you found it difficult to take a full breath. You needed him to move, you needed the friction. But you could unexpectedly feel him tremble this time, his breathing was uneven and raged.

He broke the kiss and sighed, “Am I hurting you?” he asked breathlessly holding himself still.

You became aware he was scared he would hurt you with his size? Taking his head into your hands you made him look at you; leaning up you kissed his swollen lips for a brief moment and laid back down giving him a sly smile. “No, but if you don’t move I might hurt you.”

His lips turned up into a grin and he pulled back retreating from you so just his bulbous tip still was encased in your warmth. With a snap of his hips her thrust forward hilting once again making you see stars. Your fingers dug into the flesh of his biceps as he began a steady growing rhythm inside you.

You clung to him desperately as he moved within you beginning the tall tell signs of your release that started to burn deep within your core. His mouth found yours once again while his hand pulled your leg around his waist gaining a better angle hitting a spot inside you that broke the damn of your orgasm with violent force. Every nerve ending exploded, making you arch off the bed in a silent scream. Your eyes rolled into the back of your head as you began to shake at the force of your climax. You could hear Leo rumble in satisfaction on top of you thrusting his hips harder prolonging your orgasm.  

Leo clung to you as you rode out another orgasm changing the angle to enhance the ride. The feeling of your body clamp down on him nearly took him to his peak but he resisted, he wanted you writhing uncontrollably beneath him. He didn’t want this to end just yet. This mind blowing experience was everything he had imagined for his first time and he was glad he got to share it with you. The unexpected feelings he had been suppressing were rushing through him full force now unable to deny them any longer. He was the leader of his brothers, the strategist the collected one who kept his emotions in check. But when he looked down at you in his arms clinging to him in this intimate moment he couldn’t deny it any longer. He had fallen in love with you in a few short weeks and now that he had you, he was never going to let you go. He just hoped you felt the same way because if he had to let you go, it would break him.

Coming down from your second high you looked up at him and the look in his eyes emboldened you. Summoning all your strengthen you rolled yourself and Leo so you were on top straddling his wide hips. Your hand pressed down on his plastron and started to ride the turtle beneath you. His hands wrapped around your waist to help you, guiding you with each stroke. This new angle brought him to a new depth the tip of him hitting the opening of your cervix. The sensation was electric and you let your head fall back moaning into the air driving down harder onto him increasing the feeling.

“Oh god Leo! Fuck!”  

Suddenly you could feel his fingers dig into the flesh of your hips and his breath quicken. Soft deep moans began to bubble up from his throat increasing the speed and friction between you both. Leo was coming close to his end. His body began to tense and shake from his impending release and his head dug deep into the pillow.

“Fuck Y/N!” Leo groaned out your name as his peak hit him hard sending him into uncontrolled bliss. His back arched up pushing himself into you as far as your body would allow pressing the tip of his erupting shaft to the opening of your cervix filling you with thick hot ropes of his seed.  

You could feel the warmth of his release fill you which sent you yet again over the top tensing above him clamping your silken walls around his still pulsating cock milking him to the last drop. “LEO!” Collapsing on top of him breathless and sweaty you kissed him hard while giving his still hard shaft a few more pumps inside your body.

His tongue dipped back inside her mouth not wanting the connection to end his hands still holding your body to his. He rocked his softening cock up into you again giving you a few last fleeting aftershocks of your orgasm before relinquishing the kiss.

Both starving for air you both clung to each other sweaty and exhausted, feeling your hearts pound with their own erratic beat. Your hands began to travel over his scared up plastron tracing the many divots and old wounds. Your heart raced with the thought of him, the fearless leader, the warrior and now hopefully your lover. You hoped this wasn’t a onetime thing because you had fallen in love with him irrevocably in love and you had no idea how to tell him.

@lunarkittythings

Chapter Six

[crowkingwrites]

Run

Pairing: Jon Snow X Reader

Request: I absolutely adore your writing!! I was wondering if you could do a Ramsay xreader or a jonxreader imagine in which Winterfell gets attacked when you are with them and they get super protective over you? Also could you make it slightly angsty and fluffy? Thank youuuuu!!  Written for @look-at-all-them-chickens

Words; 2476 // [Ao3 Link]

“What is that supposed to mean?” Jon asked you. He didn’t exactly corner you into a wall, but it certainly felt that way. You couldn’t look into his eyes.

“I’m sorry. I just don’t believe—I don’t think we could work, Jon,” you confessed. You watched his face fall. You sighed knowing you hurt him which was exactly what you didn’t want to happen. Jon lowered the roses he gathered for you.

“Do you wish for me to leave you alone? Have I become a nuisance to you?”

“No, no, no.” Your fingers wrapped around his wrist. “You are never a bother to me.”

“Then why? Have I done something wrong? Did I offend you, my lady?” Jon asked. He tugged at your heartstrings when he called you ‘my lady’. Your family had wealth. As the eldest girl in your family and Sansa’s lady in waiting, your only job was to marry higher than your own status. Jon was a bastard with nothing to his name.

“Jon, please don’t make this harder—

“Harder? Did I confuse your actions for affections? Do you think I’m an idiot?”

“No, but—

“But what?” Jon’s tone turned cold. You flinched. Jon backed away and exhaled, realizing his temper was too intense. His bit his bottom lip for a moment and spoke again. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to scare you. I just need to understand. Why don’t you want to be with me?”

“I can’t. My family expects me to marry someone better than me.”

“Not a bastard,” Jon said the harsher words. He smiled and chuckled. “I understand now. Everything is so clear.”

“That’s not what I meant.”

“It’s what you’re implying,” Jon’s tone turned to ice again. He started to walk away from you. Your fingers reached out for him, but they didn’t quite reach. You were going to lose him if you did nothing. If you did something, you knew your heart wouldn’t be able to stop. You needed to make the decision fast. Jon kept walking away from you without looking back. Your hand still reached out to him. Jon stopped in his tracks. You lowered your hand and put it back at your side. Almost ashamed that you left it in the air for that long. Jon’s head turned to the side. His breathing was quiet, but you could still see the clouds of it expel from his mouth. You did the same.

That’s when you heard them.

Men yelling and calling out for help. Swords clanging against each other. The disturbance grew louder each second. Enemies were inside Winterfell. It was close to the middle of the night. The realization of a horrid reality hit you hard. Winterfell was under attack while everyone was sleeping.

Jon turned quickly and headed straight to you. He grabbed your wrist and took off with you. You tripped over your own skirts, but caught yourself and started running with him. Both of you ran through an empty hallway where your footsteps echoed. Jon veered to his left, taking you with him. You almost fell, but he caught you.

His arms wrapped around your waist as he backed into the armory. Jon slowly closed the door and locked it from the inside. You exhaled, feeling safe. Jon didn’t let go of you too easily. Both of you stood close to the door waiting for any kind of sound or cry. Careful silence filled the air. The only thing that grew loud was your own heartbeat quickening from the panic you felt.

“Jon—

“Shh,” he calmed you. “I know. I know.”

“What do we do?” you whispered. Jon put his hand over your mouth and listened intently. Again, you heard nothing except for Jon’s breathing. Jon turned away from you and grabbed another sword. He secured it to his right side. He looked around the darkened room and grabbed something else. As he walked towards you, your eyes caught the shine of a dagger.

He placed the dagger’s handle in your palms. It felt heavy, but you could hurt someone with it if you needed to. You hoped you didn’t.

“For your safety,” he explained. Jon held your hands and looked into your eyes. His dark brown eyes seemed black in this room. “Do not stray from me. Stay close to me. Do you understand? Say yes if you do.”

“Yes,” you quickly answered.

“If something goes wrong, or I get hurt, you run. Do you hear me? Run as far as you can.”

“But you won’t.”

“If I do, run. Promise me that you will.”

“I promise,” you said firmly, looking closer into his pools of brown. They were the color of the soil after the snow melted. The color of the tree bark after it’s darkened from the rain. They held darkness inside of them. They were tainted by death, but cured by love.

Jon grabbed your hand again. Your fingers interlocked with each other. This time, you held onto him tight. You were ready. Both of you silenced once more, listening to every sound your ears could find. You ignored your own heartbeat. You ignored the air Jon expelled into the night. The armory door creaked open. Its hinges too old for it to be quiet.

In the distance, you could hear the faint cries of men fighting each other. They were coming closer. Your nails dug into Jon’s arm. Footsteps in the hallway increased.

Jon started to run with you. It started out as a quick jog, but as soon as you picked up your skirts, your pace grew desperate. Your heart pounded into your chest. Jon stopped you from running once you reached a fork in the hallways. Your skirts flew, but then back into place. Jon’s hand slid up your arm.

“If we go right, we would reach the kennels. If we go left, we get to the library tower,” Jon presented you with the options.

“If we wake the dogs, they’ll be loud. We’ll get caught,” you told him.

“I know,” Jon looked left again. “If I can guarantee your safety, would you trust me?”

“I already trust you,” you told Jon. “I trust you with my life.” Both of you took the left route towards the library tower. Books and pages had been left on tables. A slow burning candle still burned when you saw it. You grabbed the candle and took Jon’s hand again. He felt warm, and you felt safer with him. The climb up the tower proved to be easier then you thought. Then again, any climb is easy when enemies are close behind.

The top of the tower had nearly nothing, but an open window facing the bell tower where ore guards were. You placed the burning candle there as a cry for help. Both of you watched three guards eye the candle, but do nothing. Quickly thinking, Jon took the candle and threw it towards the North Gate.

Disarray and damage had been done to it. That’s where they came from. The first guard rung the bell loud and clear, taking the hint Jon provided. The second and third guards quickly made their way down and into the battlements of the castle. Their feet flew across the ice covered ground.

You threw your arms around Jon, holding him tight.

“You’re brilliant!” You told him, burying your face into his chest. His eyes followed the guards and then turned to you. He rested his head on yours.

“I can’t stay here,” he told you quietly. “I have to help my family. I have to go back down there.”

“Then I’m coming with you.”

“You can’t be serious.”

“I am.” Your hands rested on Jon’s chest. “Sansa is my lady. Your family is important to me.” Jon’s eyes went wide. He started to shake his head.

“I can’t let you. What if you get attacked?”

You took out the dagger. “You gave me this for a reason. I know how to use it. You taught me.” Jon sighed and almost rolled his eyes. He set himself up for this. He looked back down the stairs for a moment and turned to you.

“We do this together. Do not stray from me. If something happens—

“I run. I know. I promise,” you reassured him. Your fingers found his again, and both of you climbed down the stairs. The commotion and fighting had extended further inside Winterfell. Lord Stark and his best men had to be awake by now. You looked towards Sansa’s room.

“Jon, I’m sure Robb and Theon can handle themselves. We need to get to your sisters.” When you finished your sentence, you watched Theon collapse in front of you. He had no cuts or wounds, but he groaned.

“Jon! Y/N! You’re okay! Winterfell—

“Under attack we know!” Jon finished and helped Theon up.

“They got the guards distracted at the North Gate. Robb and I held some off at the Hunter’s Gate. They’re closing in quickly!”

“What of Sansa? Arya? The boys?” you asked Theon.

“Lady Cat gathered the boys. Sansa and Arya were with Rodrik. All of them headed into the sept for safety.” Jon shot a look at you.

“You have to go there. Now.”

“Jon—

“No, you have to go there. Run. Now.” All three of you heard enemies breaking through a barrier hastily made between the kitchen and the library tower. You watched an axe make easy work against the wood. One man broke through and saw the three of you standing there. More men were behind him.

Jon shook you. “Y/N! You need to go! Run. You need to run! Please!”

The first man with an axe started to charge at the three of you. You felt the moments slow down. You watched the bald man with markings on his face leap as if he were a lion about to devour its prey. His axe was risen above his head, ready to swing at anything in front of him. Theon drew his sword, gripping it tightly. He hid the secret smile on his face to contain his excitement. Jon snapped you out of your odd moment.

At first, you didn’t realize what happened. One moment, you were frozen in place from the fear that turned your body cold. The next you felt a warmth you’ve never felt before. His lips caressed yours so softly and aggressively that everything snapped back into place. Your eyes found Jon’s dark ones again.

“Run!” he shouted at you. Your skirts flew in the air as you sprinted towards the safest place in Winterfell: the Sept. Your hands kept a tight grip on your skirts and the dagger while your hair whipped behind you. Your fear carried you across the courtyard and into the next corridor.

You still hear men fighting all around you. A small fire had broken out in the courtyard. It spread on the trees and the exposed grass around it. You thought to stop the fire for a moment until you heard Jon’s voice again.

Run.

The Sept was closer now. You could see Rodrik and his men surround the Sept. They fought the same enemies that attacked Theon and Jon near the kitchens. The same markings were around their eyes and head. They looked hungry and they relished in every swing of their weapon against Stark’s bannermen.

You stopped once more in your tracks. How you would get into the Sept if enemies surrounded it? You knew you had to think fast. You couldn’t tell if enemies were behind you. You wouldn’t dare look away from the men in front of you.

One man took down one of the enemies with a final blow to his chest. His eye caught yours. He shouted for you, but before you could sprint again, a man with an axe caught you by your hair. You winced in pain. He pulled you back and forced you to the ground. He laughed as he dragged you along the dirty snow ground. You cried out in pain.

Suddenly, the man stopped laughing and his grip on you loosened. You watched his head drop to your side. His open eyes still stared at you. You felt a hand help you up and push you towards the Sept.

“Jon!” you cried his name out.

“Don’t. Just go! Please!” He begged.

“Over here, Y/N! Please hurry! More of them are coming!” Rodrik guided you inside the Sept where the rest of the Stark family hid. More members of the house found shelter there as well. You took place beside Sansa as she embraced you tightly, silently thanking the gods you were unharmed. Both of you prayed and prayed for this horrid night to end. You watched the sun peak through the colored windows of the Sept while everyone was escorted to their rooms again. Sansa and you shielded your eyes from the dead remains left in the courtyard. You shuddered to think how many men Jon had killed himself.

After you settled Sansa in and she finally fell asleep, you closed the door to her room slowly. The door clicked shut. You looked up to find an exhausted and wild Jon looking back at you. You ran into his arms again. Jon’s arms squeezed you into him as if he wanted you close to him as much as possible.

“Jon,” you said.

“I know,” he told you. “You don’t have to say anything.” You smelled the dirt and the cold on him. You buried your face into his chest and let out an exhausted sob. It had been a long night for both of you.

“I’m sorry for what I said last night.”

“Y/N, please don’t—

“Let me finish.” You pulled yourself away from him. Tears tugged at your eyes. You found a new calm before you spoke again. “No one has ever loved me like you have, and I don’t believe no one ever will. Just as no one has ever loved you like I will. Last night, I prayed for you. I begged the gods to spare you for me. I don’t think I could live without you.”

Jon kissed your face over and over again. He let himself go and fulfilled his selfish desire for you. You kissed him back with as much muster as you could for a sleepless night. Both of you were hungry for the other’s touch.

“I fought for you. I took down every single one of them just so they couldn’t get to you.” Jon’s thumb caressed your cheek. His forehead rested against yours. Your fingers found each other. This long night was over, and silence fell between you two again. You heard everyone go about and clean messes. You heard footsteps around you. None of it mattered. You belonged to Jon, and he belonged to you. You wouldn’t run from him again.

Taglist:  @angelicshinigami @sugarwastaken @carilov09@disneyprincessbuffyannesummers @i-theredqueen @sleepylunarwolf@trashpandabarnes @loki-0fasgard

[caeconut]

The Argent Vanguard.

“Man the walls!” a not-so distant voice shrieked as the ground trembled under the continuous barrage of catapult and ballista fire. Luckily, the sleeping quarters were situated towards the back of the Argent foothold, though that did not mean one could rely on it for safety, Aithriel was in Northrend now, and no-one was safe

The barracks rocked violently as something smashed into one of the outer walls, Aithriels eyes shot open and she rolled out of her bunk with purpose. There was panic all around her, apparently she wasn’t the only one still in the barracks when the attack came. Recruits scurried to weapon and armor racks, frantically trying to outfit themselves as quickly as possible. She’d kept her equipment under her bunk, however, and before the masses had finished suiting up, she was out of the door. 

She heard that voice again, booming over the ensuing chaos, it was the field commander, she’d never heard him like this before. His voice whilst still authoritative, though filled with the same panic that had gripped the recruits in the barracks. She’d never thought he could fear anything. 

She was donned in the colours of the crusade, a once-glorious silvered armor that had definitely seen better days, though her care and maintenance of each piece could not be denied. Whilst dented and scraped, each metallic surface was polished to absolute perfection. She held herself high as she marched across the encampment, a straight back and puffed-out shoulders as she strode with purpose towards the battlements. Her heart was almost in her stomach, but this was why she was here, she stopped herself for a brief moment. This is it, Aith. They’re watching, now, looking down. Avenge them. 

As she reached the high-rising fortresslike walls of the Argent encampment, the scenery changed to something grim, grotesque. She could see through the iron gates now, the small crack in the mountainside which led to Icecrown was barely visible, but the small army of enraged dead stood to be more than an eyeful. Mindless, lumbering corpses of Humans, Dwarves and even Elves clawed at the walls and gate in a desperate, rabid attempt to reach the Crusaders who stood behind them. A couple of swordsmen, humans no more than twenty years old stood at the portcullis, hacking and slashing at the ghouls who so mindlessly stuck their arms through the gaps to reach them, piles of limbs littered the floor at their feet.

“Elf!” The Commander shouted, causing Aithriel to automatically jump to attention. She straightened herself out almost to an exaggerated level and pushed her chin out as the balding, middle-aged human addressed her. “Get up on the walls, defend our archers!” He snapped, causing her to jolt straight towards a set of stone steps etched into the side of the large wall of the encampment. In her haste, she’d forgotten to wait until the man had dismissed her, sheepishly turning her head only to find that he’d disappeared into a crowd of swordsmen positioning themselves at the portcullis which was now shaking as more and more ghouls seemed to crop up faster than they could be cut away.

As Aithriel reached the battlements, her eyes widened with the full, clear view of the absolute devastation which lay between the Argent Vanguard and the entrance to Icecrown. Meat wagons hauled makeshift flesh-boulders, commanded by dark-robed necromancers who wore the colours of the Cult of the Damned. The sight would’ve robbed her of her dinner if she wasn’t already used to the disgusting, toe-curling sight of the Scourge forces already, a shiver shot through her spine regardless. She arrived at the edge of the wall, fitting herself into a gap beside someone she actually knew, another Blood Elf. “Bala’dash, Aithriel”. The man nodded, continuously nocking his bow and releasing arrows as if he were a machine. “Fanrel…”. Aithriel trailed off, neither of them making an attempt to converse. 

The wall shook, the Scourge siege weapons were crudely built and broke down upon the field, but their corpse-engineers worked tirelessly as catapults hurled rocks lined with humanoid limbs at the Argent encampment, one flying way overhead and landing directly on someone’s tent. Aithriel didn’t spare a moment to think if anyone was inside or not. She shot Fanrel a glance, audibly gulping and exhaling through her nose before a ladder slammed against the wall, directly in front of the pair. There were three or four that’d suddenly popped up along that particular stretch of the battlements. In the few seconds she had to spare, Aithriel placed two, plated fingers against her forehead and muttered a prayer.

Then they came, the first one was a skeleton, it bore no flesh and looked almost ancient. Was it an Elf, a Human? It was impossible to tell at this point, she struck such thoughts from her mind and brought down her blade upon its bare skull as it rose to climb onto the wall, her Elven blade cleaving through the brittle bone as if it were butter. The thing crumbled and fell down the ladder into a pile of bones. Keeping the walls clear was easy enough, at first. The Scourge army, whilst massive had one distinct weakness, their soldiers were mindless, shambling corpses. She thrust and swung downwards as Fanrel fired arrow after arrow, waving his ammunition over a nearby torch each time he shot to ignite each of his precise shots into flame. Soon enough, the pile of corpses at the foot of the encampments wall had grown to an impressive height. The Scourge’s strength, however, numbers. Aithriel was already tiring. 

The flow of corpses seemed to stem, for a few moments. There was an uneasy silence and Aithriel instantly took the opportunity to boot that ladder down back to where it came. The hissing of the dead had stopped, and their position was safe. “Fanrel, we have to help the others” She exclaimed, breaking from her position and heading down towards where the other ladders lay against their defenses, blade firmly in hand. Fanrel was usually quiet, and simply gave a nod, he watched Aithriel trail off down the walkway before taking his first steps after her. With that momentary break of concentration, though, he’d sealed his fate. A screech, and then a crash. He’d only begun to turn his body back to attention as a boulder smashed into his section of the wall, completely obliterating it and burying the Sin’dorei man in a coffin of rubble and flesh. 

Horror overtook Aithriels features for a moment, she’d known Fanrel, he wasn’t a friend, nor was he a long-standing member of the Crusade. She still knew him, though. After a short sprint back to the safest section of the wall which she could still stand on, she looked down into the rubble with some modicum of hope that he’d made it out. What she saw reminded her of the sights she saw during the aftermath of Arthas’s march of Quel’thalas. The man was clearly visible below, one, large particular brick lodged into what remained of his skull.

She couldn’t let it break her, though. Her fingers clenched around the hilt of her blade and her jaw tensed until it was as hard as iron, it was her duty to aid those who could still be helped. She turned her gaze away from that horrific sight and spun on her heel, the wall continued to crumble brick by brick where that boulder had penetrated, and Crusaders gathered around the debris as best they could to form a line against the incoming, shambling dead. 

[wilcze-kudly]

Should I finish this fic about lil Kuvira's first day in Zaofu?

Found in the dephts of my notes app

The wooden waggon her family used had always been uncomfortable, being the rickety, unstable old thing that it was. But today, under the sweltering sun, it seemed particularly incommodious to her, especially paired with Father's angry ramblings.

- Your mother and I have have tried to get through to you, Kuvira, but you refuse to listen! - he admonished, repeating things she'd heard thousands of times before. - You have no discipline! No remorse for what you did! -

That wasn't true! Kuvira bit her lip. She had apologised, it had been an accident... It was Mother and Father who refused to listen! And Mother hadn't said sorry for grabbing Kuvira's wrist so hard it bruised, or for pulling her hair... Kuvira hadn't meant to throw that rock as hard as she did, hadn't meant to break Mother's ribs.

They approached the strangest city Kuvira had ever seen. Huge metal petals spread over the lush green valley, revealing tall, glistening towers that jutted into the annoyingly bright sky. This looked nothing like the village Kuvira came from, nothing like its clay houses and dirt roads.

Father continued berating her, motioning at the metal city with his chin. - There's a master metalbender here, who agreed to take you off our hands. - he said and Kuvira firmly stared down at her feet and the worn planks of the waggon. She wanted to scream. -Hopefully, she can knock some sense into you. And remember, this is for your own good.-

Kuvira sort of hated her parents at the moment, but that didn't mean she wanted them to leave her with a total stranger. She didn't want Mother and Father to drop her off here like they dropped off the pickens they raised and sold to the local butcher!

She didn't want to have any sense knocked into her, either! It didn't sound very pleasant. She swore to herself that she'd hate the evil metalbender who was going to take her away from the only home and life she knew.

She was chased out of the waggon, despite her clear reluctance. She clutched her small sack of belongings in her small, but already calloused by work hands. There wasn't much in it, to be honest. Two spare shirts and a pair of trousers, along with five pairs of socks and underwear. She had been allowed to take three toys with her and Father sold the rest the day before her departure.

She'd yelled and stomped her feet, of course, but it was no use. She might have been the strongest earthbender in the village, but she was still just eight, after all. Father had dragged her back home, grip painfully tight on her shoulder. He said he had sold her toys to pay for a healer to come take care of mother and then he told her to pack what was left of her things.

That's how Kuvira had been informed that her own parents were getting rid of her.

Father turned the waggon around so fast that Kuvira didn't even have the chance to say goodbye to Patchy, the old, balding ostrich horse that had served her family long before she had been born. Bitterly, she remarked to herself that Patchy was probably more of a family member to her parents than she ever was. At least Patchy did what he was told.

Kuvira stood in front of the weird city, looking up at it in... awe wasn't the right word, but neither was apathy. She just didn't feel like feeling anything other than the nervous gnawing at her stomach.

She didn't want to be here, she wanted to be back home! Even if Father and Mother took all her toys or made her work on the farm until her hands bled again.

She wondered if there was still time for her to bolt. Maybe she could make her own way home, or maybe she should run away altogether. Any course of action in the world seemed better than having to go with the evil, evil metalbender.

A clanging sound signaled the sealing of her fate as the odd, metal gate opened and a figure stepped out.

The metalbender did not look very evil.

In fact, she looked like one of those travelling acrobats and dancers that sometimes came to the village to perform for coin. Thin and willowy and covered in odd metal jewellery, her graceful limbs obscured by the green folds of a weird robe. With the circlet upon her head, peeking out from under wavy, jet black hair, she looked like some manner of royalty. At least she did to Kuvira, who, notedly, had never encountered any royalty.

- You must be Kuvira. It's nice to meet you. - the lady said cordially, the corners of her sharp but gentle eyes turned upwards by a soft smile that formed on her lips.

Kuvira remained obstinately silent, lifting the dirty sack to her chest, as if it could somehow protect her from her uncertain future.

The lady crouched down, so she was more or less at Kuvira's eye level. Her smile wavered a little, though it didn't leave her face completely. - My name is Suyin. But you can call me Su. - she tried again, reaching a dainty hand out for Kuvira to take.

Kuvira stayed still, furrowing her brows. The lady seemed nice, but Kuvira was here to have some sense knocked into her, if Father's words were to be believed. She didn't trust the lady, no matter how nice she seemed. After all, she was still taking Kuvira away from her home and family.

- You'll be safe here, I promise. - Su assured, as if she could read Kuvira's mind. She seemed so calm, content to stay crouched before Kuvira indefinitely, until the little girl was ready to take her hand.

Kuvira hesitantly took Su's hand, making her smile widen. Though Su's hands were much smaller than Father or Mother's, her thin, deft fingers still wrapped completely around Kuvira's tiny hand.

The woman stood slowly, making no sudden movements, as if Kuvira were a small animal that could be easily startled into turning tail. She gently led Kuvira towards the gate and into the metal city.

So maybe this was not the worst course of action in the world.

----+

Kuvira should probably have been looking around the city more, but she couldn't bring herself to spare it more than a cursory glance. Most of the buildings had a lot of metal incorporated into them, the clean streets were littered with small shops and full of people who wore robes similar to Su's.

Su had been walking rather slowly, letting Kuvira look around at her own leisure. Not like Father, who walked so fast that Kuvira had to constantly jog behind him, so her little eight year old self wouldn't be left behind.

Eventually, they reached a train station and Su beckoned her onboard. Kuvira had never been on a train before, and she couldn't help but kneel on her seat, nose pressed to the windowpane as the train pulled out of the city and made its way towards a similar, smaller metal flower.

She turned to look at Su questioningly. The woman followed her gaze, before explaining. -The city is made out of a few sectors and the monorail connects them. - she said, then she pointed to the 'sector' they were currently headed to. - That one there is where my family and I live, and so will you. -

- Family?- Kuvira asked incredulously. It hadn't occured to her that the metalbender could have a family.

Su beamed. - Oh yes, my family. My husband and our children. Your new siblings. - she added and Kuvira mulled her words over. She wasn't sure if she wanted any siblings. She opted to once again focus on what was behind the window.

Wide expanses of green, lush meadows with flowers dotted here and there and a far off river in the distance. And, of course, the form of... well, of Kuvira's new home, apparently, glinting in the sunlight.

The train reached its destination much sooner than Kuvira would've hoped it would, but she compliantly hopped off her seat. Su reached to pick up Kuvira's sack for her, but the little girl hurriedly snatched it away. It was her sack, her things! Su arched an eyebrow, but didn't say anything, simply motioning for Kuvira to follow her.

They stepped out of the train and onto a large courtyard, filled with vibrant greenery and stone or metal decorations. At the far end of the area was a huge house and apparently that's where Su and her family lived.

- I took the liberty of picking out a room for you, I hope you don't mind. - Su said as they walked to the house. Kuvira shook her head, and the metalbender continued. - It's rather close to mine and my husband's, so if you need anything, don't be afraid to knock, alright?-

- Alright. - Kuvira answered absentmindedly as they reached the door to the house.

Su smiled at her and stepped into the house, Kuvira right behind her. The metalbender stood still for a moment, cocking her head, before turning to her small companion. - My family are in the living room right now. - she announced and Kuvira frowned.

- How do you know?- she asked suspiciously.

Su smiled mysteriously. - Seismic sense. - she answered airily, leading Kuvira down the hallway. - I can use earthbending to 'see' my surroundings and tell where things are.-

Kuvira's eyes widened and her jaw dropped just a little. - You can do that?-she breathed. She'd, of course, been told that this woman was a master metalbender, but Kuvira hadn't exactly considered what such mastery entails.

Su chuckled softly. - Yes. My mother taught my sister and I when we were very young.- something sad and wistful crossed her relaxed features, lips curling ever so slightly downwards.

But Kuvira paid that no mind, too engrossed in the next question that tumbled from her lips. - Can... Can I learn to do it?-

Su ruffled the girl's hair, smile eclipsing the sunlight that wafted through the wide windows. - Of course, sweetie. As soon as you get comfortable living here. - she assured and that gave Kuvira more stability than she'd ever had. - Would you like to meet your new family now?-

Kuvira chewed her lip. She supposed she'd have to meet the rest of the house's inhabitants at some point... And Su seemed to really love her family. Kuvira didn't want to offend the woman and have the offer of learning seismic sense retracted the moment it had been given to her.

She nodded faintly and Su beamed, clasping her hands together. - Perfect!- she exclaimed, gently steering Kuvira down another corridor. - They already know you're coming, so you don't have to worry about being a surprise.-

Kuvira wanted to ask how many kids Su had, or anything else of the sort, but her attention was quickly drawn to voices, muffled and quiet, but rapidly becoming louder and more clear.

- Junior, dear, don't chew on your pencil.- a man's soft voice admonished quietly.

- Sorry, papa. - came the sheepish answer of a young boy.

- Papa, keep reading!- urged a little girl's voice. The man chuckled.

- Well, Opal, why don't you help me read it?-

- No, papa! I wanna listen to YOU read it!- the girl squealed, just as Su and Kuvira reached the door.

Su confidently swung the door open, to be met by a chorus of many little voices exclaiming: 'Mommy!!!'

- Hello, darlings! - Su gracefully slipped through the door, Kuvira hot on her heels, almost hiding behind the woman, in the folds of her robe.

- Good to see you, dearest.- the man said softly, his voice was warm and steady. - Did...-

- Yes.- Su replied his unanswered question, stepping aside a little, revealing Kuvira to the world. Immediately, several pairs of moss green eyes settled on the newcomer and suddenly, Kuvira wanted to leave very much. But Su placed a steadying hand on her shoulder. - Everyone, this Kuvira. She'll be part of our family from today. -

- It's very good to meet you, Kuvira. - the man was sitting on a couch, with a kindly, inviting smile. He closed a thin, colourful book and placed it in his lap. He leant in a little. - We've all been very excited to meet you, right kids?-

A couple awkward murmurs sounded from here and there. Kuvira shuffled her feet in discomfort. - Hello. - she finally hummed, tightly gripping her sack. Su lightly patted her back, as if commending her for finding her voice.

Someone approached Kuvira from her left and she snapped her head to look up. It was a boy, her age, with shaggy dark brown hair falling down onto his sun-kissed forhead and curious green eyes observing her from behind angular glasses. - Hi... uh, hello, Kuvira. - he smiled, extending his hand. - I'm Baatar. It's nice to meet you.-

Before Kuvira could even consider shaking his hand, another, more high-pitched voice corrected: - Your name isn't Baatar! It's Junior!- it came from a small boy, no older than three, who was cheerfully and confidently trotting up to the pair of older children.

- Shut up, Wing.- Baatar hissed through his teeth, before glancing at Kuvira and faltering. - I'm actually Baatar Jr. - he admitted sheepishly.

- And I'm Wing!- announced the little boy, flinging his arms around Kuvira's waist with a huge, toothy grin. Kuvira stiffened, but didn't exactly want to push him away in front of his parents.

- And that's Huan!- he motioned towards a gloomy looking boy, who was seated in an armchair, limbs splayed out haphazardly. At least, Kuvira thought he was a boy, his hair was somewhat long and she couldn't really tell with those long, odd robes everyone was wearing.

In lieu of a greeting, Huan offered a grumble, before turning back to whatever strange metal item he'd been nursing in his hands. Rude.

Wing tugged at the hem of Kuvira's shirt to get her attention again. - And that's Opal! And Wei! - he pointed at the two little tufts of jet black hair, crowding against their father.

The first was the only girl, hiding behind the biggest stuffed toy Kuvira had ever seen. The huge fluffy air bison almost completely obscured her small frame. There was also a boy, identical to Wing, curious mossy eyes peeking over his father's shoulder. Su's husband smiled, gently nudging the pair towards Kuvira. - Come on, you two, say hello to your new sister.-

- She's not my sister!- Opal snapped suddenly. And though Kuvira kind of agreed with her, she could tell by the look in the younger girl's eyes that it was meant as an insult. Kuvira scowled at her new 'little sister' who did much the same.

- Now, Opal, be nice. - Su gently berated, crossing the room and settling next to her daughter. - Kuvira joining our family doesn't mean we love you any less. - she reminded gently, hugging the girl.

For the first time, Kuvira wasn't next to Su and she was mortified to realise that it frightened her. She held onto her sack for dear life.

- Wei, would you like to say hello to Kuvira?- Su's husband asked gently. The boy who looked like Wing nodded slowly. He gave Kuvira a shy little wave, before shuffling behind his father again.

- Don't mind them. - Baatar Jr comforted, adjusting his glasses. - Opal's just jealous that she's not going to be the only girl anymore.-

- Not true!- shrilled Opal, mustering a surprisingly fierce glare.

- Totally true! - Wing chirped, still glued to Kuvira's side. He glanced up at her curiously. -Hey, can you earthbend? Mommy said you can earthbend!-

It took Kuvira a moment to find her voice again. - Yeah, I can earthbend.- she confirmed, though she hadn't done so since the incident with Mother.

Wing cheered incoherently. - Cool! Can I see? Can you metalbend? When did you learn? Huan can bend, but he does it boring and he never shows us anything cool! Do you do fun bending?!- he went on a tirade, disregarding an offended gasp from Huan. Kuvira's brain barely kept up with him.- I haven't started bending yet, but I will and then I'll be just like mommy and grandma Toph!-

- Me too! Me too!- announced Wei, his shyness defeated by the prospect of a sibling that did not use bending just for 'boring things'. He clambered out from behind his father, wide eyes locked onto his twin and newly adopted sister.

Baatar scoffed, crossing his arms. - Like you two aren't enough trouble without the ability to throw boulders around with your minds. - he grumbled, rocking on his heels.

Wing rounded on his brother, releasing Kuvira and hopping about the room. -You're just jealous because you can't fo ittt~ he singsang mockingly, bounding in circles around the two older kids.

Baatar smacked him up the head. - See, you know nothing about general history. - he took a deep breath and lifted his index finger. -While non earthbenders can't throw boulders via traditional means, technology bridges the gaps between us more and more. Like the catapults that the Fire Nation used during the Hundred Year War. Those launched rocks, no earthbending required. - he recited as if he were reading from a book, looking down his nose at Wing.

Wing was not impressed. - Boring! - he decided, still spinning around. - Grandma didn't use cata.... cata... - he furrowed his brows, clearly struggling with the new word. -... the things! I'm gonna be an earthbender like her and then I'm gonna be the strongest!-

Something vaguely malicious crossed Baatar's face, a menacing arch to his brow. - Oh yeah?- he lilted, leaning in. - You're gonna be the strongest?- he teased, grabbing Wing under the arms and tossing the three year old into the air before catching him. - You've got a long way to go then!-

Wing shrieked, kicking his legs and flailing his arms in futile attempts to escape his big brother's hold. Baatar Jr laughed madly through his smug grin.

Behind a discombobulated Kuvira, Huan muttered something condescending and rolled his eyes.

Wing's luck turned when Wei came to his rescue, leaping from the couch, straight onto Baatar's back with a shrill battlecry. The force of his charge sent the trio sprawling onto the soft carpet, still locked in a fierce wrestling match. For a boy outnumbered, Baatar was doing pretty well for himself, until Wei sat on his arm.