[VIKING] An Old Friend (Phosphor x Ashta)

[SilverLutz]

Phosphor was enjoying himself in his new pride. It seemed to be in a state of minor turmoil - apparently the old leader had been ousted and others were still waiting to settle in with the new one - so he didn't feel quite so 'outsider'ish. They were rough and tough here and, although they were kinder to their slaves, it reminded him quite a bit of home.

That was part of the reason he was out on a viking today. He had found a captain that agreed to let him come along despite his greenhorn status, and for that he was thankful. He wasn't sure he could be confined to the pridal lands, not when there were slaves...er, thralls...to collect. He had a vision of a huge gathering of thralls that all answered to him. He did like that here thralls weren't just smacked around because the non-thralls felt like it: only those that misbehaved were punished. That was how he felt back in his old pride, that beating slaves because you were bored was nonsense.

This viking was just going out into the rouge lands to see if there were any prizes to collect. Recently there had been a few prides that dissolved and there were many rouges wandering about. Perhaps he could find himself a thrall on this outing and kill two birds with one swipe of his paw.

magnadearel

 

[magnadearel]

SilverLutz

Things had not been going overtly well for the former demon slave. Ashtaroth'sha felt as if the pride had simply drifted away in the night. It left him feeling more or less out of balance. There were no demons watching him. There were no demons giving him orders. There were no demons really left to serve. The pale lion had finally drifted away as well. He knew how to hunt and take care of himself for the most part. He just didn't know what to do with himself.

His half sister hadn't been there when it all happened. Ashta thought he might go look for her, but he hadn't a clue where to start. And he wasn't sure what had happened to the other demon he respected. If either had been there, the male would have gladly followed them anywhere. Now he wandered alone across the face of the world. Never staying in one spot for long.

Ashta trooped along one hot day. The sun blazing down on his white coat. He thought longingly of a water hole or stream, and a tree big enough to shade him.  

[SilverLutz]

The viking party split up a bit, keeping within ear shot of one another, but they were mostly out of sight. They could cover more ground this way and possibly find lions or other creatures to capture. Phos was excited and he spoke to Asmoday, his demon, as he walked. Anyone nearby would have heard a one-sided conversation.

"This is great! We'll get to keep whatever we find, split it with the war king of course, but otherwise it's ours," he said with a grin. "Ah...I hope we find someone to take as a slave. Sorry, thrall, you're right," he said, rolling his eyes just a bit. "It's just a matter of finding one."

He fell silent for a bit before a speck of white appeared on the horizon. He walked a bit quicker, trotting forward, and felt his spirits rise when he realized who it was. "No way," he murmured softly, grinning as he got closer. "It's Ashta! Ashta!"

He broke into a run, laughing when he got closer to the ex slave. "Gods and demons, what are the odds of meeting you here?" He circled Ashta quickly, looking for obvious injury. "No, he seems fine," he murmured softly, ducking his head now and again to make sure his paws were good. "No injuries, just a bit skinny. Well. More than usual."

He moved forward again, this time stopping in front of Ashta. "Are you on your own?"

magnadearel

 

[magnadearel]

SilverLutz

Ashta not Asta lol

At first he thought the blot of color on the horizon was simply heat haze. It wasn't until much later that he realized it wasn't. Too late for him to hide for the other had clearly already seen him. Ashta would not in his right mind expect the lion that resolved itself out of the haze and mirage. Whether or not he expected it, it was someone familiar to him. The white lion couldn't help feel a tiny surge of happiness as the other ran up to him calling his name. Automatically, Ashta dropped to his belly automatically as they got close enough.

"Master Phosphor! I had thought I'd never see you again!" The male daringly risked a glance up with a broad smile on his face to show the demon he was in fact pleased. Ashta wasn't bothered as Phos circled around him. "You have grown up so much from the cub I rescued." There was pride in his voice. The dark lion looked well, happy, and fit from his perspective. He gave a swift nod at the question keeping his eyes no higher than the demon's knees as was proper.  

[SilverLutz]

Phosphor laughed as Ashta spoke, as much joy as a demon could muster on his face. He hadn't made very many friends in his old pride, but this slave had certainly been his closest. While there were those that might have looked upon his fondness for the slave as strange, he knew that there was nothing else to call their bond but friendship. He had been saved by the lion as a young cub, and there was no way he couldn't feel anything but fondness for him for that. He was like a very strange older brother or uncle, there for him, but subservient at the same time.

"Good! Well, good for me," Phosphor said with a little chuckle, reaching out with a paw to tug Ashta's head up a bit. "Come now, there's no one else around. Well, there is, but they're not demons. So, you're here alone..." He couldn't imagine the slave liked being out on his own, with no one there for protection. He tilted his head, a wide grin crossing his face as he once again spoke to someone that wasn't there.

"That's a wonderful idea...yes, I'll do just that. Ashta," he said, addressing the slave now. "I've joined a wonderful pride, different from what we're used to but with similar social standings. I'm out with a bunch of other lions from the pride and we can bring back any spoils we find. The lions there have slaves, but they call them thralls...but they're not slaves like from our home. No one beats them for just walking around, they're free to have cubs of their own, they're kept safe and well. As long as they behave," he added with a wink. This was far more up his alley than the way the slaves had been treated back in the demon pride, knocked around just because the demon felt like it.

"Would you come back with me? Be my thrall? I'll make sure you are given the best den and you could hunt for me! It would be wonderful!"

magnadearel

Whoops! XD Fixed it!

 

[magnadearel]

SilverLutz

Aware of the tiny nuances in the other lion, Ashta knew he was pleased. A pleased demon was something to usually be wary of; not so with Phosphor. The white male didn't shiver has he might have if confronted with anyone else but him, or Mari.

He didn't try to shrink away from the dark paw that reached out for him. Phosphor had never hurt him unduly. Though he was reluctantly at the request, Ashta allowed his head to be lifted. It wasn't proper, but it was what the master wanted so he complied. His red eyes rested on the dark lion. "Whether or not there are others around, it is still proper and respectful." Ashta said softly. Just because he'd been roaming the untamed lands didn't mean he'd forgotten what he'd learned at the paws of the demons. Phosphor, in his mind, was still a demon and thus due all the respect of one.

The male was by far more comfortable in the presence of the demon. He knew exactly where he groveled with them, and this one in particular. However, when he met others there was usually quite a bit of confusion; albeit mainly on his part. Ashta flicked his ears as Phosphor resumed talking. His head tilted to the side as he listened to the pride being described. It sounded like home, except all the demons treated the slaves, thralls?, like Phosphor treated him.

As this demon was not usually given to lying to him, or leading him false he had to believe he was being told the truth. Which was interesting. The offer was very appealing even at first. Tentatively he posed a question, "are you happy here?" It sounded as if he was, and offering for Ashta to resume a place by his side that the pale lion was comfortable in. In truth, he couldn't have asked for a more perfect offer.  

[SilverLutz]

Phosphor waited as Ashta mulled over the offer. The question made him chuckle and nod, sitting down before the slave. "Very happy. I haven't been there long, but it reminds me so much of home, but with more freedom and less focus on senseless violence."

There was violence outside of the pride, but it had a purpose. The Stormborn wanted glory and prizes and thralls, and he could see why. The more you had, the more impressive you looked. Within the pride there was a strong sense of community and lots of laughter, which he found to be very exciting.

"Come back with me," he said, standing suddenly and moving forward. "As a thrall you'll still have hunting and denkeeping duties, but as long as you don't break rules, which I know you won't, you'll be treated very well. No roaming around out here, possibly getting attacked...you'll be safe within the Stormborn lands. Free to roam where you want, make friends, have cubs...anything!"

magnadearel

 

[magnadearel]

SilverLutz

It pleased the white male that his friend had found a place he was truly happy. Would he, Ashta, also be as happy? An unknown pride, but he'd been running around without a pride or anyone since the pride drifted away like dust in the wind. He would know at least one lion in this pride in Phosphor.

Ashta tilted his head at the mention of duties he would be expected to do. Those he could do easily. He would have to learn the ways of this new pride though he felt he already had a basis from the demons. If anything, this pride sounded much more relaxed than his old pride had been. The mention of cubs made the older male blink. That was something he'd never really given to thought. No one really wanted to mate with a slave, except maybe another slave, and none of them had been interested in him.

There was just one thing that made him hesitate on saying yes that moment. "Will I be your thrall?" That was important to him. He would rather stay with Phosphor than go to someone else. In him, it would give the dark male someone to talk to of his old home if he ever felt the need. Someone who would understand him without anything haven to be explained.  

[SilverLutz]

The ex-demon could see Ashta working over the possibilities in his mind. The question, however, made him laugh. "Of course you would be! I found you, that's how it works with thralls," he said with a grin. "With loot and treasure you have to share, but with thralls, it's whoever finds them. So you'd be mine," he said once again, just so Ashta would understand.

He gave a flick of his tail before turning to head back to the group. He had heard stories of thralls putting up a fight before being dragged back, but his thrall was already well-behaved and would do exactly as he said. "Now come along, Ashta, there's a whole slew of lions I'd like to introduce you to!" Oh, how surprised they'd be to see him bring the slave along, already meek and mild, calling him master demon...

"Oh...and Ashta...there are no demons in this pride, as I mentioned," he murmured softly. "So if you must call me something other than Phosphor, just master will do. But please, even master is a bit formal with them. Phosphor is what I'd like you to call me from here on out."

magnadearel

Last from me! You can wrap it up here and we can go get certed. Woop!

 

[magnadearel]

SilverLutz

The rest of his worries vanished like mist in a breeze. Ashta felt the tension leave his shoulders as he smiled. Briefly he had a half formed wish. If only Mari could find this place.. The confidence in the order produced confidence in the slave. The pale male rose to his feet, but kept his head lowered below the level of Phosphor's. If he could have crawled on his belly and kept up he would have done that instead. Since he didn't know how far they'd be traveling he didn't want to hold the demon up.

A softly murmured "yes master demon," as Ashta followed calmly in his wake. Granted he did startle a bit at the information. "Yes Master Phosphor, though it might take me awhile to get use to that." Now the lion couldn't keep a grin from playing across his lips as he glanced at the younger male. "Pardon my disagreement, but there is a demon within this pride. You."