she moves in mysterious ways
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He hadn’t been very productive today. He had spent the morning and the early part of the afternoon passing between sleep and a transient state of dozing in his den—which happened to be the hollowed-out carcass of an ancient automobile in the Landfill. He had woken up, checked over his house to make sure it was still holding up (he had done a pretty good job making it worthy of sleeping in) and then started to just walk around Inferni. He had wandered the borders, not really noticing anything. He hadn’t even really noticed the sun start to go down until it was gone.


It was dark in the lands of Inferni now. The moon was bright, and the stars were as well. Their harsh light spilled out over the chilling lands, making everything seem absurdly crisp and cool. Snake knew that winter was coming, and that made him nervous. He would either have to barricade the inside of his den with some sort of bedding—perhaps he would scavenge some cloth from the landfill, or from the human ruins—or he’d have to dig a den out beneath it. Neither adventure seemed really good for him, but he’d have to do something. Otherwise he’d be freezing his ass off when the snows came.


He was passing the Caves, heading home, when he had noticed the flickering light of a fire coming from the catacombs. It wasn’t surprising—most of the Inferni coyotes lived in these caverns, and, since it had not rained, it was smart to make a fire to keep warm around. But he started to walk towards it nonetheless. Perhaps because he was curious, or cold, or just for no reason at all. But eventually he came to a fire that was burning in a dug pit. He found that there was a female coyote sitting alongside it, as well. The warm firelight danced patterns in her tan fur, and glinted off an odd ring that she had in her nose. Snake’s first thought was that it looked painful.


He stood, awkward, for a moment. He was not good at greetings—or conversation for that matter. He shifted his weight between his legs and then said in a flat tone, “Hey.”

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#2
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Ava had left maybe fifteen minutes ago and she lingered at the fire for a little while longer. Kaena must be occupied, or not worried, in order to have forgotten she was out here. Vieira would turn back shortly but she was not looking forward to the small room that would be cold for the night. She was afraid to ask to sleep out here, having already asked to visit the fire for some of the evening, and decided it would be safer to avoid further questions at one time.


Her eyes were fixed on the flames and she decided she would move and turn back, but just with her decision, another coyote came up to her. He spoke and carefully she nodded. "Hello, sir," she greeted him and looked around to see if anyone else was about. Her eyes cast toward the cave a moment and she felt it was safe to linger a little while longer.


Vieira's heart began to quicken inside her chest at his presence was felt a little more worried in a male's presence than a females. While Eris had not been the nicest of owners, she did not compare to Astaroth or Sivaro.


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#3
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She looked nervous as he greeted her—he watched the flames reflect in her golden eyes as she looked around the fire, as if expecting marauders to appear at any moment, and then back towards the cave that was nearby. As a few moment’s passed and he began to notice other scents besides the smoke of the fire, he recognized Kaena’s scent predominantly amongst the rest. This may be her den, which might mean that this coyote was an acquaintance or family-member of hers.


He did not like it that he made her nervous, or frightened. He had half a mind to simply say he needed to go back to his den, and he probably would have if not for the fire’s warmth. It tempted him far too much, and he gave her a somewhat apologetic look and took another step towards it, and then sat down. He was far enough from her that he hoped he didn’t make her any more freaked out, but close enough to the fire that he could feel its life seeping into his bones. Yes, if he went back to his den with the warmth of the fire lingering on him, sleeping would be much more comfortable.


Without really thinking, he asked, “You know Kaena?” He assumed, seeing as though it seemed they were close to her den, and he was sure that she wouldn’t let just anyone use it. That thought alarmed Snake a little—he surely wouldn’t want to make the second-in-command angry—so he decided to keep his voice down. If she was home, he would not want to attract her attention.

table credit goes to jacoby
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#4
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The male watched her and then he sat down near the fire. She was already stiff and nervous and she did not move away from him. Rejection got her into trouble sometimes and she did not want to start anything, whether through this male or Kaena. Her golden eyes were turned in his direction, looking at him from the side of her gaze, but she could not see much of his expression. Her head turned lightly and she stared at the ground, knowing it was following her etiquette if she faced him. "Yes, sir," she answered with a nod and thump of her tail on the ground. Ava had asked something similar, but she was given the informatin that Vieira already knew her.


"I belong to her," she added and looked at a particular rock nearby. "I am Vieira Lykoi," she introduced in order to get it out of the way. Surely it was coming and while her name was unimportant, it was apart of who she was and who owned her.


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#5
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Snake’s light-tipped tail twitched at being addressed as ‘sir’. It had happened before, but he had assumed that it was just manners in the greeting. Now it seemed recurring, which meant that this girl either understood the hierarchy too well, or had an inferiority complex. Or both. Snake had known weeks ago that he had been elevated from the subordinate ranks, but he doubted that someone who—her scent betraying—was new knew that. So perhaps it was just that she referred to everyone with honorifics to keep herself out of trouble, or out of habit. Both were good for self-preservation in such lands, however, so Snake eventually put aside his reactions to it.


Her next statement didn’t evoke much of a reaction out of him, though he did notice that it wasn’t something that he heard every day. The woman said that she belonged to Kaena. The first thing that came to Snake’s mind was his knife, and how he knew that it belonged to him. It was strange to think of a living being belonging to someone like a possession, but it did not affront him. Prisoners belonged to their captors, and Snake had been a prisoner for the first half of his life. Slaves might as well be more privileged than captives. Usually owners cared if a slave died; it was not the same with low prisoners.


She introduced herself as Vieira Lykoi. It was curious that her last name was attributed to Kaena, but Snake decided not to ask how it came about. “Snake,” he introduced. A moment passed before he realized that she might not understand what that meant, out of context. “My name, Snake.” He looked into the fire hurriedly, his ears flicking back. “How did you come to belong to Kaena, Vieira?”

table credit goes to jacoby
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#6
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Snake was asking similar questions she had answered before when Ava was around. The girl was so naive, it seemed like, and Vieira was so used to it. She came where it was acceptable to have slaves and was thrown into a world where it was not normal. Snake did not seem so confused about her situation, but instead asked how it came to be instead of asking more questions to figure out that she was property. "It is nice to meet you, Snake," her voice was soft and genuine and she even dared to smile a little. The coyotes here, the two she met (including Snake) were nice. Kaena seemed... Vieira wasn't sure. Like she didn't know the full effect of her power over the girl but it was there nonetheless. Vieira would wait.


"I do not know if I am allowed to give you more information other than I come from the south, Mexico, and that I am a gift to Kaena," she informed the other. Until Kaena told her otherwise, or made an announcement, she would be vague. Vieira did not know much of the relationship between Kaena and her daughter, Eris, and so giving the information away did not seem like something she should do.


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#7
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She seemed good-natured. It was strange—Snake had seen despairing wolves and coyotes before, and they had been the ones with the most power. He hadn’t seen anyone as crazed as Patriot before, and he had been the man with all of the power. The fact that Vieira could accept her position and seem at least normal with it was something that intrigued him. There was a great amount of mystery in free will, and how many thought they wanted it, but began to panic when they realized they didn’t know what to do. As he thought about it, being a slave wasn’t much different from being a subordinate regardless. You only had more rules to adhere to. But, looking at her, she seemed well-kept at least. Except for the ring in her nose, but he was sure that was something different. Perhaps it was those who had the least amount of decisions to make that were the happiest.



Snake had never really been much for authority. He dipped his head and used his manners and submission before superiors, but he only understood it as the institution it was. Snake himself was much more of a maverick—he used authority as a tool to survive better than he would alone, but that was it. It only helped that he respected Gabriel and Kaena. But if he was ever treated too poorly by them, well. He didn’t value his life much, and he had a knife with him at all times. He wouldn’t stick for it.


She described that she was from the south—a land called Mexico—and had come as a gift for Kaena. A living creature as a gift was odd, but then again, Snake often gave others dead animals as food as gifts. It was kind of the same thing… kind of. He had seen maps of North America in New Haven (which was actually Montreal, Quebec), and he remembered that Mexico was very far south. “That’s very far away,” he commented, as a statement more than anything. He glanced at her strangely. “Did you travel here alone? Or can you not tell me that.”

table credit goes to jacoby
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#8
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Her travel had been long and nonstop. She was still tired and looking forward to the rest she would get soon, even if it happened to be on a cold floor inside the cave. At least there would not be a breeze where she was and aside from that, she could deal. She spent several nights cold and hungry on the way here but she had little time for rest and food and only managed things to get by. "I am very tired," she said and gazed into the fire.


"I traveled alone, yes," she answered and looked down at her paws. She knew she would be alone for months at a time and could have easily left and gone somewhere else, especially since the recipient knew nothing about her arrival. She would have been lost and suffering the mental punishment Astaroth and Sivaro left on her and the knowledge of what Eris would do if she was ever found. It was easier said than done, she was sure.

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#9
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Snake’s oversized ears flicked back at her comment, and he shifted, as if to stand. “I apologize—if you wish to rest, I will leave immediately.” When he had first come to Inferni, he had been traveling nonstop as well. It wasn’t from somewhere as far-off as Mexico, but he had been tired nonetheless, and he couldn’t imagine how she felt at the moment. At one more word from her, he would be gone—off to his own den for a night of rest.


He paused for a moment when she said that she had traveled alone, however. He looked into the fire for a small stretch of time before glancing back over to the woman. “If you were alone, then,” he asked, his voice cautious but not apologetic, “What kept you from going wherever you wanted? You could be anywhere right now, living on your own.” What was especially fascinating about her situation was that she had apparently chosen slavery. Either she didn’t know any other way to live, or she was particularly fond of servitude. Snake had always thought that destinies and fates were malleable to whatever choices and actions you made and took. He wouldn’t for a moment believe that the stars had aligned and decreed Vieira Lykoi to be a slave all her life. She had chosen to be so.

table credit goes to jacoby
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#10
300+ (319)
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Vieira shook her head slowly. She did not mind the company and it was better than sitting in her tiny room by herself in the cold. At least she could rest, while awake, and stay warm here. However, she did feel the terrible feeling of being judged by the other. When he began to speak again about her travel and her eyes turned and she looked at his torso, trying to see his expression from her outer vision but she could not see much. She waited a long moment to answer, having considered this once before. It was a scary thought, to be on her own. She had no idea how to survive in the real world. It was why, when Sivaro had died, she went to Eris. Eris was apparently her family and asked for help. She didn't know what she wanted at the time and Eris had taken the chance to have a servant. Vieira never complained.


"I have no where to go," she murmured. She barely survived the trip here and was thankful Kaena had fed her and was letting her rest for the night before she did anything. She had no idea she would have a task in the morning to travel further but she would not complain. "I have always been... a slave," she said, her voice low. She felt lower than she usually did. She never really talked about what she was or how she felt. Her feelings were never concerned with her last three owners and Kaena seemed to be the same, if a little less cruel than Astaroth or Sivaro. She considered admitted she would be punished if she ran and went somewhere else. EKaena would never knew she was intended a slave and Eris would never knew she didn't make it. But somehow, Vieira was convinced they would. The ghost of Astaroth would tell them and they would find her.

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#11
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Anyone trying to discern Snake’s inner workings from his face were on a fool’s errand. There was probably not a more stoic creature around, and his face usually stayed in the same, bland expression throughout whatever meeting and conversation he had. It hadn’t changed when she had revealed she was a slave, and it still didn’t change when she said that she didn’t know where to go, so she went where she was told. Snake couldn’t judge her harshly on that, because he only came here because his parents had told him stories about this place. Going out and finding a place at random was a pretty crazy idea, he had to give her that much. He wasn’t sure that he’d stick so close to servitude as she did, though. But hey, if you didn’t know any better, what were you to think?


She shook her head to indicate that he didn’t have to leave, so he settled back down again. He appreciated the warmth of the fire on his fur, and shrugged his shoulders in response to her justifications. “I was a prisoner for the first part of my life, and I got away from that,” he said, though he wasn’t explaining that his half-brother had died in order for his mother and he to get out of New Haven. If Grey hadn’t made that sacrifice, they might still be there. Or dead. “I guess I can understand, though. Not being a slave must be kind of scary, right?” He was just trying to understand as well as he could. New Haven had not been a good place, but slavery wasn’t used there… or at least not in name. And when he was traveling with his parents, he hadn’t seen anything like that either. So he was curious about how it had suddenly cropped up here in Inferni.

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#12
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Vieira wondered if it was different because he was a male. If he had more of a will to get away. But Ava had gotten away from whatever was wrong with her past, but it didn't sound the same as slavery or being a prisoner. Astaroth must have put the fear into her from the start, and very well, to keep her still today long past his death. Sometimes she thought she could hear him in the back of her mind or feel the scars he left on her body ache anew. "I know nothing else..." she trailed off and looked at her paws as the wiggled into the sandy ground. Her eyes flicked toward the flame for a moment before glancing to see if Kaena was near, but she seemed to still be inside the cave.


As she turned back and looked at the ground, keeping a still gaze and stiff posture, she tried not to think about her next question. Unfortunately, it burned. Never before had she spoken to someone who escaped any sort of captivity until now. "You must be strong, sir. How did you escape?" she dared to ask, her voice was low and quiet to avoid Kaena from hearing her. She did not want to be caught speaking about escape, whether about herself or anyone else. It could be planted into her mind but she did not feel his explanation would change anything inside her when fear was so heavy on her heart.

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#13
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Surely if one had known nothing but slavery all one’s life, stepping outside of that boundary would seem nothing short of crazy. Snake had been thinking vaguely on Kaena and her character, and if she would actually keep a slave or eventually let her have some of her own freedoms. Snake didn’t know her well enough to guess, but he now saw that if she did do the latter option, she might be harming Vieira more than helping her. Far gone—that was a way that Snake could put it. Change would be something that would be mending several years of life, and that didn’t happen in days. Not even in weeks, or sometimes even months. Such trends were not as malleable as you could fix it quickly.


She seemed afraid to ask her next question, but it was certainly to take some of the luster from Snake. He wasn’t nearly as heroic as he wanted to be in that particular place. “I didn’t do much, actually. I was only a few months old. My half-brother, Grey, didn’t like how me and my mom were being treated, so he helped us escape.” Snake’s eyes grew somewhat forlorn. Grey had been the only Son that had been nice to him. Perhaps his only friend he had had, ever. “I don’t know what happened to him. He probably died.” Like always, there was no emotion in his voice, but there was definitely a change in his demeanor. Though he was ultimately emotionless, the few that did graze past him were very subtle.


He was in thought for a moment before continuing, his gruff voice quiet, “No, I only grew strong because my mother kept training me even after we escaped. She said she wanted me to be prepared for whatever came at me.” And he was. Patriot, even before their escape, said that he was one of the finest he’d trained. Foxhound was another, though, and that unwanted rivalry had been one of the grievances of Snake’s.

table credit goes to jacoby
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#14
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Vieira listened to him but it didn't mean much to her. Even if she wanted to apply it to her, she couldn't find a way. Her mind could not fathom an idea to escape regardless of how easy it was. Eris didn't seem to understand that she would not and kept her chained up outside most of the time. Sivaro locked her away inside. Astaroth had a little trust and she was not locked up anywhere unless she'd done something bad or he was just wanting to be cruel. Her eyes closed as she tried to block the shadow of a voice in her mind, trying to focus on Snake's voice instead of Astaroth.


When a silence was between them, her eyes were on the fire and she found she had no words. Most times she did not speak unless she was asked a question but with how foreign she was to everyone, she managed to find more to say than usual. However, a distant Vieira! rang her ears and she jerked, turning her head toward the cave she was staying in. She saw Kaena's form but when acknowledged, she disappeared. Vieira knew not to make her, or anyone else, wait, and so she stood and looked in Snake's direction. "It was nice to meet you," she murmured and stood still, waiting to make sure it was okay to leave, even if she should have gone right away.

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#15
Short, terrible, egh.

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It was quiet for a while, and Snake knew that he would be getting along soon regardless. His fur was past the point of feeling warm and was getting to where it was burning and uncomfortable. And when Kaena’s form appeared in the den—Snake saw this out of the corner of his eye—and shouted to his companion, he knew that this was over. Vieira bid him farewell, and he stood once Kaena had left. If she hadn’t noticed him, he didn’t want to change that. “Good night, Vieira,” he said, his rough voice as quiet as he could manage with it still audible over the crackle of the fire. With a dip of his head, he then started across the lands of Inferni towards the Landfill. When he arrived there, he climbed inside of the rusted-out and yet quite nice shell of his automobile-den and went to sleep.

table credit goes to jacoby
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#16
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Vieira was silent while she waited for Snake and it did not take long for him to answer. She simply nodded when he announced his good night and her tail wagged slightly, flipping against the inside of her thighs. She waited until his presence was gone entirely, which caused Kaena to come out again but Vieira was on her way. She gave an explanation quietly but whether or not it was accepting, she didn't know. She moved to the den with as much haste as she possibly could and slipped to her little room inside cave. No other words were spoken as she curled up on the cold cave floor and fell asleep rather quickly.

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