The big female who had originally stolen him approached. Zeru had always been on alert, his nose twitching at every second to take in any sense his hearing forbade him from having. The moment the wind shifted to foretell her approach his eyes snapped to her and he inhaled to see what she brought. At times she would come alone, moody and snarly. These were the times he would flee to the corners of the den. He was their prisoner, after all. It was not entirely a concept he could grasp at this time. All he knew was he was not one of them, but he was not necessarily apart from them, either. Cared for, but lower. On some level, he understood this. Instinctually he knew what it was. Rank. As a prize, as a toy, he knew his. Thoth would make sure he always remembered. Sekhmet too passively informed him of his place. The gifts she brought to the cream colored demon were far more treasured than the food she brought for both of them. Still, his mouth watered at the leg of mutton she had brought for them.

Emerald and grey eyes glanced at his captors, lost to the fact that she had scolded them. Without warning he leapt onto the leg and dragged it into the den. His snarls of warning far louder and more ferocious than most wolves would have sounded. Their tones ripped his cords just as they ripped the air, falling silently onto his ears. Smaller than both of them he still stood his guard over the meat. Standing his ground he dared oppose them, thinking maybe this day he would fight for his freedom, or for their respect. Either way, he took a chance. If he were to die by their paws it was not as though he had anything to loose.

Thoth was on him faster than most could have comprehended. Thin body lithe and quick, he tackled the pup all but into small den. His silent fury a counterbalance to the other’s vicious noise. Both wolves were twisting, turning, snapping their jaws and whipping their heads for purchase on the leg. Every second, Zeru’s snarls grew more fierce, only stirring Thoth into greater violence. One bite had not been aimed at the frozen leg, instead at the pup’s face. A loud yelp and Zeru scrambled away. Victorious, Thoth pulled the leg out, leaving only frozen bits that had been torn off the bones. Whimpering softly, Zeru began to chew on the pieces of meat, ignoring the small prickles of blood that started to well on his scraped face.

Glancing warningly back at the pup, Thoth moved the bone out of reach before returning to his prize. His movements surprisingly gentle after the madness that seemed to have possessed them both moments before, Thoth cleaned off the wounds he had caused the young soul. Once satisfied, he backed out of the cramped den and all but laid down on the leg, warming it with his body so it would be easier to chew. Burning eyes glanced over at Sekhmet as if this was all commonplace. He pondered vaguely what her intent would one day be with this pup. This prize she had given him. For the past seasons he had taken over training and grooming. Thoth did not know if he wanted to groom him for her, or groom him for him. He looked back at Zeru, who was watching them both while gnawing and his pitiful scraps. Thoth pondered, or would he create him to be something completely different.