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The Grotto
Disaster has struck!
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I am Bandit. "I HATE YOU." The childish voice was just pitiful as the female pup it belonged to pouted in a corner of his subconscious. She was helpless to do anything about the other mewling pup and she knew it. Princess, as he'd taken to calling her since she refused to give her name, had been an easy enough pup-napping for Bandit. She had wandered out into the open lands and her inquisitive nature brought her to the Grotto. BAD place for pups, just saying. And here's lesson number uno. Right as she was peering her pert little nose into the darkness, asking "who's there", Bandit cackled at the sweet prize and nabbed her. She screamed and cried and begged for mercy but it fell on deaf ears. Bandit only chuckled around her fur as he headed to his little hideaway. Only, this time he wasn't alone. He'd been so surprised by her sudden appearance that he forgot to close the link down with the others. Everyone got a good show of him scooping up the little girl and carrying her away. Instantly, there was an inward battle, of course. Diesel lunged to the front, going for the throat but Bandit batted him away like he was little more than a fly, meant to pester and nothing more. Magnolia trembled in the corner, silently crying for the girl's innocence and begging for her release. Kyra glowered at him and when she thought he wasn't looking, she, too, came at him like a little hell cat, nipping at his heels and trying to distract him long enough for Diesel to get a good lick in. But none of it mattered. Bandit had been lying low while the others were taking turns with control. He was building strength, conserving energy. And now it was paying off. Usually he kept them blocked from stuff like this, keeping his hideaway secret and his victims unknown. But he found that he didn't really care anymore if they knew, cause they weren't getting control this time. Not till he was done with her. He tossed her into the den when he got there, and laughed as she tried to run past him to escape. He all but punted her back to into the darkness with his fore leg, sneering as she rolled up against the back wall with a gasp of pain. Then she hunkered against the wall and just cried. It was like music to his ears. Once he got his fill of watching her whimper and beg, he rolled a big rock against the den and wandered off to get some food. He needed to keep his strength up if he was going to keep control. He returned as quickly as possible, hiding the rest of the carcass nearby so he wouldn't have to go very far for seconds. Sniffing around the rock, he was pleased to see that no one had been by, not that he expected it. He chose this place for a reason. It was well out of the way of any paths he found that other wolves traveled. It was easily forgotten, just like his victims. He spent the next few months torturing and shaping her. She was stubborn and never gave her name so he continued to call her Princess, but soon enough she would earn a new name, Dirt. He had convinced her it would be an upgrade, cause that's exactly how she'd value herself. She flinched every time he breathed in her direction now, a welcome improvement from the futile attacks she'd tried in her fresher days. Her thin growing body was littered in scars now from his teeth and claws and she looked at the ground every time they were in the same vicinity. She called him "sir" and brought him his food, knowing that she might not get any herself that day. She licked his paws and groomed his coat. She almost never spoke now, unless it was to say "yes, sir" or "no, sir" and she never ever made eye contact, cause that was a big no-no. He enjoyed watching her develop. It was his biggest success yet. Months with no one else in control by him. the others only came out in brief interludes. Diesel actually looked forlorn the last time they spoke. He had a hopeless expression on his face when he looked at Dirt and saw her condition. Bandit couldn't help but give him a look of smug satisfaction. Magnolia only cried now and Kyra? Well, he hadn't even really seen her since the day she told him she hated him. Maybe she was gone for good. One could hope, anyway. Today was a new day and a new challenge, though. Today Dirt would come with him on an outing. Maybe they wouldn't see anyone, but then again, maybe they would. Bandit almost welcomed it. Dirt was trained well enough now to know how to behave. He had full confidence in her to be on her best behavior. She knew what would happen if she slipped up even a little. "COME ON, VAMOS, DIRT. WE HAVE PLACES TO BE." "Yes, sir." Was her meek reply as she dragged her paws after him. Now that he thought about it, she was probably weak from malnourishment. When was the last time he let her eat? It had to be two days ago, at least. Oh well, maybe he'd slip her something today, just to tide her over. He kept a close eye on her as the ventured out of the Grotto, but only just. They'd work their way up to longer distances. After all, she probably couldn't handle much walking right now, anyway. Had to build up her stamina. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Confused? See my Info Page |