Toni finished putting her hair up into a loose bun to finish off her outfit, using the green thigh band from her leshy outfit as a cuff to keep it in position. She frowned slightly as she examined herself in the beautiful yellow dress as she slowly ran her hands down the front.

  "What's wrong Toni?" Mims asked her, pulling the tail of the dress out to help straighten it. "You look beautiful, honestly even my lord might want to bed you like this." He said, peeking out from behind her in the tall mirror she was examining herself in.

  "I know, I just... Normally I'd have a couple hair pins and stuff to help form it, and to show off my heritage." Toni answered with a soft smile. "I guess I just felt so close to feeling at home, and realizing I'm missing that part? The pins and cuffs and other accessories passed down for generations..." Toni touched her hair and sighed softly.

  Mims reached around her from behind, giving her a warm hug as he purred into her back. Toni smiled and reached to pat his head at her shoulder. He smiled at her and purred louder as she ruffled his ears.

  "Well, maybe we can go shopping tomorrow and find something new, something to pass down to your kids." Mims said as he let her go stepping around her and tracing the eborate designs across the gorgeous golden dress straight from her dreams. "After all, dressed like this it's only a matter of time before Mate-" Mims leaned in and purred the st words quietly into her ear. "-puts a baby in this body."

  Toni felt shivers run down her spine as she immediately reddened. She pushed Mims away and frowned at him with as much disapproval as she could. Though she could feel her stomach flipping at the thought.

  "We're not having kids anytime soon. Neither of us is really ready for that." She protested.

  Mims ughed loudly. "But you like the ideeeeaaaaaaaaa, and honestly I don't bme you, divines the way he fills me!" Mims said rubbing his back. "I'm almost gd I'll be rid of you soon, I don't think I can keep up, which is new for me!"

  Toni fake pouted. "Awww, we're gonna lose our little chew toy?" Toni said, sliding up and grabbing Mims' chin.

  The kith-canna, not catboy she was sad to find out, blushed as his ears began twitching. He opened his mouth to speak when they heard the door open in the living room. Toni had to stop herself from squealing and bolting out the door. Elegant, slow, she wanted to shock him.

  "Well it's about time you got back, I was worried I'd have to go with Mims as my da- WHAT THE FUCK?!" Toni stopped at the entrance to her retively functional bedroom.

  In the door, with his brand new tunic torn on the sleeve revealing the bony underarm, stood looking sheepishly at her. That wasn't what had made her shout though. That would be the tiger printed kith-canna clinging to his neck grinning like the cat that got the milk.

  "Hey Toni so a funny thin-" He began to expin

  "We have a ga to go to and you bring home tail?! I mean... She's cute but-"

  "Toni I was attacked." Temate cut in and pointed to his shoulder, then pointed over his shoulder with his other thumb. "This bitch-"

  '"Nnnnnnn, yessssssssssss I am your bitch!" The girl purred as she rubbed her face into Temate's neck.

  "-*STOP THAT!*" Temate ordered and Toni felt herself freeze as she began to speak.

  "Mmmmm, make me~!" The girl said biting her teeth at Temate.

  "God this isn't how this is supposed to work!" Temate said pnting his hand into his palm.

  Toni felt the power of Temate's voice fade off her. "Ahem so..."

  Temate poked one eye out from his hand and sighed. Very briefly he expined his encounter in the alley only moments ago while Mims stitched up his tunic. It was hard to focus on the story though, because Karje, the tiger girls name, was constantly purring and gripping to his neck.

  "And then something about how I put her in my [Dominion], or herself, or something caused her to do... This. From enemy to..." Temate gestured at Karje.

  "And you haven't removed her because?" Toni asked.

  In answer, Temate grabbed her and yanked with all his might. The girl clung for dear life, hissing and growling and digging cws into his chest. Temate hissed in pain and released her.

  "One of her [Power]s. [Predator's Grasp]. Since she was trying to kill me, I'm marked as prey, and now she can just... cling like this. And she's immune to my voice." Temate said dejectedly.

  "Hmmmm..." Toni thought over the problem for a second as she examined the girl.

  Long puffy orange hair hung down a slim, athletic build covered by dark leathers and furs. Dark bck stripes decorated the orange and white fluff on the undersides of the hair. Her yellow eyes were sharp and predatory as was her face on the whole. Very different to Mims who's face was round and pet like.

  "Karje?" Toni half sang the name.

  "What." Karje said, narrowing her eyes at Toni.

  "You do know Daddy already has mates." Toni said thoughtfully.

  "So. I'm better. Stronger!" Karje hissed, leaning over Toni's shoulder.

  "Oh are you?" Toni tapped her chin thoughtfully, obviously looking Karje up and down. "I don't think so, if you wanna be his bitch you're gonna have to prove that."

  At that Karje leapt down from Temate's shoulders and grabbed for something from her back, then hissed as she looked at her empty hand. She turned to Temate and held out her hand.

  "Mate, my sword!" She hissed commandingly.

  Temate crossed his arms. "No. That's my sword now, and if you want it back you'll earn it." He said, leaning back into his chair, clearly soothed.

  Karje snarled but turned to look at Toni. "So who am I killing first?" She snarled.

  Toni stood slowly and smoothed out her dress then crossed her arms, hiding her drawing of her sig from the small hip holster. Sewn in courtesy of one excellent Mims handiwork, aka quickly rushing back and leveraging the Are name to get it done for free from Reciri.

  "Toni? Do you know what you're doing?" Temate said, sitting forward now, hand going to the hilt of a rge bde she hadn't noticed before Karje leapt off him.

  Toni nodded at him. She loved sharing Temate, it was erotic, exciting, alluring. But something about this girl really rubbed her the wrong way, though not in a bad way. She just felt like she had to put someone in her pce which was... a new feeling for her honestly. She shifted her hips, popping them out as she crooked one hand in a come-at-me gesture.

  "Me." Toni challenged.

  Immediately Karje snarled and pounced, cws outstretched.

  "[Killer's C]-"

  *BANG*

  Karje colpsed to the ground, ears covered and shrieking in pain.

  *BANG*

  The second bullet didn't go into the ceiling, but into the floor next to Karje's head. Toni slowly walked forward, feeling powerful in a way she hadn't in many, many long years. She slowly, carefully crouched next to the tiger kith-canna and pced the barrel of her gun at Karje's chin. Slowly she lifted the girls eyes to look at her.

  "I am the head bitch. You got that?" Toni said with soft, dripping threat.

  Karje whimpered and nodded.

  "You fight me on this again, and the third time I pull this trigger, you'll have a third hole in your head, and that pea-sized lump of flesh you call a brain will be paste. Got it?" Toni practically oozed.

  Karje nodded again, faster.

  "Say it. Who do you belong to?" Toni snapped.

  At that, Karje's ears twitched and she hissed. "Karje belongs to no-one, Karje is a free kith-canna!" Karje snapped back, clearly still terrified.

  "Oh are you now?" Toni said gring back down at her.

  "Uuuuh, Toni..." Mims muttered.

  "What." Toni snapped looking up toward Mims.

  "S-sorry it's just... It's not uncommon for Canna, especially kith, to be taken from their home and sold as-" Mims looked down at the trembling girl. "-exotic pets." Mims whispered, ears drooping.

  All of Toni's strength, confidence and vitriol immediately defted. She looked back toward Karje who was trembling, ready to be shot and killed to defy Toni in this matter. Suddenly, a wholly different thing took over Toni as she softened heavily.

  "Ooooooh, you poor thing, come here!" Toni reached down and dragged Karje into a hug.

  "AH! WHAT IS THIS!" Karje shrieked. "LET GO! I SUBMIT! I SUBMIT! YOU'RE FIRST MATE! HELP!" Karje screamed comically.

  "Shhhhh, it's okay sweetheart, you're safe now, shhhhh." Toni said holding the girl firmly to her chest.

  She ran one hand up to Karje's ears and began scratching that spot she knew Mims liked. Immediately Karje's struggling stopped as she began to purr softly and twitch.

  "O-oh, ohhhhhhhh that feels good." Karje hummed.

  "That's right, I got you, you're just a good, hurt little girl aren't you?" Toni whispered. "You just want people to know you're strong, don't you? Is that why you like Daddy huh? Cause he's strong?" Toni asked.

  "Mhmmmmmmm... Strong mates are good, I've met many strong people but something about him just... feels right." Karje replied quietly as she purred.

  "That makes sense." Toni looked up at Mate's eyes. "Mate is so strong, and powerful and wonderful, and he's such a fine Master and Daddy. But there's one important rule for being Daddy's mate okay?" Toni pulled the tiger girl away from her chest and ran a finger under her chin.

  Karje frowned back as her ears twitched. "W-what? What is it?" She whined.

  "You gotta be a good girl okay? You gotta do what Daddy tells you, he shouldn't have to force you all the time, save that for when he pins you down and ravishes you okay?" Toni said softly.

  Karje's ears shot straight up and she turned to look at Temate, then back to Toni. Slowly she nodded and smiled awkwardly.

  "Good girl, that's what you wanna be right? You just wanna be a good girl who's loved and cherished don't you?" Toni said with a hum. Karje nodded and Toni smiled at her. "Good girl, now why don't you apologize to Daddy for not listening earlier?"

  Slowly Karje stood up, carefully patted her furs and leather down as if straightening it. Then she turned, marched up to Temate, and bowed sharply.

  "I am sorry for my disrespect Sir!" She shouted, remaining bent over as her ears twitched in tense concern.

  Slowly Temate reached his hand out and tousled her hair. "That's alright, I understand why you did it, there's a good girl."

  Immediately her ears perked up and she unched herself back at Mate clinging to him. It took another fifteen minutes before they finally got her settled down and convinced her she had to remain here for the night. The final convincing statement came from Temate himself.

  "If we're being targeted, we need someone strong to guard the pce, can you do that?"

  "Sir yes sir!" Karje straightened immediately and saluted.

  "Good, now here, I'll be using your sword, I like it. But you can use my old one until we get you a new one." Temate held forward his machete.

  Karje took the bde with trembling hands, as if being handed some great treasure. She slowly pulled the bde from it's sheath and stared at it with awe. Toni admired the bde too, mostly because of how well cared for it was. She'd never really paid much attention when Temate did his nightly gear checks. Sure she'd noticed him going over his gear and caring for it but she didn't realize how good a job he'd done.

  To be fair, before she judge herself too harshly, she was usually stripping and cleaning her own gun. Or talking with Ren... Or Pip... Where were they anyway? They were only supposed to take a week or so, they should be here soon right?

  "You ready little T?" Temate asked, snapping Toni out of her thoughts.

  "Oh, yes, yes let's go! We got a party to attend! Take care of the pce Karje!" Toni shouted as she took Temate's arm and the two sauntered out of the building.

  Karje saluted as the two left, colpsing in exhaustion nearly the moment the door closed. She looked around the warm, cushy apartment that made her usual Network dwellings feel like a prison cell. Then she shook her head and stood up.

  First steps, check the points of entrance and egress. She needed an escape in case an opponent too deadly to face appeared. Not that she'd flee her duty, but her life was more important then any contract, fuck the Networks honor. If her new... What? Master's? Owner did feel right but it had a lot of weight with it she didn't wanna think about.

  Especially how quickly she'd fallen for him. That big, hunk of powerful man. Karje's body quivered just thinking about it. She knew a [Power] had been involved, but at the same time she'd already been overwhelmed by him. The [Power] had just been the snap that broke her will completely. Plus, it was a pleasant [Power]. Even now she could feel his presence in the back of her mind, she knew how far he was, and that he was safe.

  So she shook her head and focused on the task at hand. Points of egress? Two windows in the main room. Main entrance. One window led to a fire drop in case of emergency. That'd be the best emergency egress as well. Second window was small and in the kitchenette, god that kitchenette felt like a full sized kitchen.

  How rich were these people? Had she just willingly become a pet to a noble's son after fighting to free herself from that bel for the st 5 years? No, she shook her head again and focused once more. Small window in the kitchenette. Bad escape for most, but without her rge bde she could use it in a pinch.

  Three side rooms. First room closest to egress was... a bedroom. Comfy, nice rather functional. This had been the room the motherly woman had come out of. She liked her, Toni they'd called her, she had that den mother attitude. The 'I will kill you if you fuck with my cubs' mixed with 'oh my god let me vish love on you' really had been a deadly combo to Karje's already fragile mind.

  One rge bed, barely rge enough to fit two people, set in the center of the room. Functional gray and white sheets and comforter. Functional dresser with... Nothing in it but a leafy green dress and some rather tight streets. So they packed light, or maybe they'd saved up for this pce and didn't have much?

  That would make Karje feel better, that meant they're not nobles but someone of bor who worked their way up. Hard working, which would expin their physique and attitude really. Nobles would have been an easier kill too.

  Karje shook her head once more and looked around. A few other functional pieces of furniture, a chair and table by the one point of egress in the room. A rather rge window, another good escape should she need it. One more check of the room revealed it was sparsely lived in, fresh, they hadn't been here long. Lends more credence to the saving up for it idea.

  Second side room was much the same, almost an exact copy of the first room. The third side room was a washing room. A rge open bath hooked to the power fed water system, drawing water from the river, purifying it, and heating it up. A good system, external washing stools and baskets all there. No point of egress annoyingly, so she'd have to be careful of this room.

  Last steps. Karje moved to the main entrance and lowered herself to all fours. She snarled as she began tracing the entire external perimeter of the room. Slowly, methodically, pressing herself against each stretch of wall, each corner and window sill. After nearly fifteen minutes she returned to the entrance and hissed.

  [Hunting Ground] activated marking the space. Now anything moved in here she wanted to kill, and she would know about it. And what did she want to kill? Anything that wasn't her new... Owner, for now. Until she thought of a better fitting title. Or his mate, or that pretty kith who was with them.

  The one who had looked at her and seen her whole past in an instant. And who she looked at, and saw his. Kindred souls, one who rebelled, and one who reveled. She'd never understand housecats.

  Force2reckon