Arkuss Neflari gives a small sigh as he heads back outside, the evening air a bit cool on his still slightly damp fur, though it would probably finish drying quickly now. He spares just a glance to the departing elf, no doubt headed back to inform her Mistress which was probably a good thing right now. Something inside him had the sense he would need help with this situation eventually. The growing realization of just how bad that encounter could have been was wearing at his confidence but even greater than that was his becoming aware of Athena's own difficulties and the fact he had not been aware of the depth now being revealed bit by bit. Feeling a bit unbalanced he finds a spot near a tree on the way to the slave quarters and pauses there to try and get his thoughts in order before speaking with the Amazon again. This would not be an easy night for either of them no doubt. Arkuss Neflari leans against the tree, closing his eyes for a moment as he realizes there's just too much to sort out at that moment and instead seeking enough inner peace to keep himself together at the least. He remains like that for several long moments, ignoring the sounds of others around him though he could sense several looks of concern from slaves passing by. He was uncertain how long had passed when he opens his eyes again, exhaling deeply and glancing around, giving a nod and an even reply to a couple slaves who inquired as to his wellbeing. Eventually continuing on his way as before, though at a more sedate pace, thoughts and emotions still filled his mind and heart but he could manage them for the moment. Arkuss Neflari found himself calming a bit more as he walks, soon coming towards the entry to the slave quarters and pausing as he sees the ocelot there speaking with Athena, settling himself off to the side a bit, not hiding but remaining out of obvious vision. A bit out of earshot as well he watches the two interact once he gets the feel of no immediate danger, a blink as shi draws him close, Masami responding equally as fearless. He sees the ocelot's brief lick to hir cheek, smiling some at the gesture, the feline really would be a good addition to their group should they be able to win him free from the croc. He remains in place and simply observes for the moment, the interaction seeming to improve the Amazon's mood a little. Arkuss Neflari eyes widen a bit as hir gaze takes on intensity and the ocelot's growing difficulty in keeping it. He himself was not unaware certainly how strong and sharp those beautiful eyes could become at times and it spoke well that Masami was still holding his place. He quietly shifts closer, just enough to pick out words but not drawing the attention of either yet. What little he could make out was rather intriguing, a slight twitch coming to his tail as shi grabs the feline's ass but he remains in place, curious to see how this would play out. A little insight into both of them, perhaps, could be gained. Arkuss Neflari felt himself wanting to squirm just a bit as hir hand and fingers shift there before releasing the straining ocelot. He manages to work out the nature of that moment, smiling more as shi dismisses the other feline, noticing that bit of extra spine in the normally demurred slave. He would certainly be interesting to have around and it gave considerable promise that such a brief moment could work up his confidence, however small. Once Masami was well out of sight he finally approaches the bench, tail swaying in slow, wide arcs that smile remaining though it had shifted a bit towards a smirk. "Feeling a little daring tonight, my Amazon?" Arkuss Neflari takes in those intense eyes, finding himself mrring softly as he feels the strong, lively gaze. That was a good sign, though he knew well enough such concerns as shi left with would not resolve that quickly. "He has a lot of potential. And a very nice rump." He winks at hir. "I will be fine, whatever he may prove to be in the end. And it will be well worth the effort." He steps a bit closer, watching the heavy form before him, unable to resist a bit of admiration even then. "If their assistance is needed, we can get it when the time comes. What we face right now is a matter of the two of us and I think it best we try first before bringing others into it." He leans his head against hir touch, responding with the same gesture as he looks up to hir. "You are not perfect, Athena. But you have a good heart and you care about me. As far as I am concerned, that makes you more than deserving." He shifts closer, fur pressing softly against hir form though he does not make the overly affectionate cuddle he often does. "I would fight to my last if it could keep you with me and pray you never find reason to let me go." Arkuss Neflari mrrs as he feels hir lick, ears splaying a little and wiggling under the scratches given to them. "Do not confuse a pure heart and a good one. Few save for children are truly pure, myself included." He touches forehead with hir, eyes meeting so closely with hirs in that moment, his own blue orbs showing understanding and appreciation for hir words rather than speaking in response. He watches hir glance about, hesitating a moment on how to begin. "Many possible things...I wish to know you better and I would think you feel the same about myself. I would like to return to our room though where we can remain undisturbed." Arkuss Neflari follows with hir to their quarters, nodding as he settles onto hir bed, looking up to the Amazon as shi speaks. He takes in hir words silently, finding himself with only a little surprise at what shi says and realizing he had in a way guessed at such possibilities already, knowing the kind of darkness that lay buried. "I am biased and see something different but I will not argue the point right now." The lion rests his paws on top of his thighs, pondering a moment. "I can tell you what happened within my knowledge but if Hourne did anything beyond, I do not know..." He looks up to hir. "You are right, I will follow and I know there will be things I do not wish to see. That will not stop me, though and I will learn to be strong and face it." Arkuss Neflari shakes his head gently. "I know the difference in strength and hardness and that is a mistake I will always strive to avoid." He meets hir gaze as shi kneels in front of him, feeling that strong hand against his paw, taking in hir proposal fully then considering it for a long moment more. "It is a wise idea and one I have considered before. There will be a balance. Fighter or not, my place as your Chain Slave is by your side whatever form that role may take. While I will train my own skills I will continue to spend part of my time on the sands when you train and when you fight, serving whatever needs are required." He smiles a little. "At the end of the day I will serve your needs then as well. And then the nights may belong to us both." Arkuss Neflari listens to hir response and utters a small sigh, nodding his head. "I can understand your intent in that." He looks down, puzzling over it a little before he lifts his head again. "If you believe it will give that much an advantage then we can do that but I will not blindly commit to such an indefinite period. We will try the arrangement until the ranking tournament is complete and then we will consider how much longer to continue it if it does work." He glances at hir hand as it leaves his shoulder, blushing a little at the next statement. "I think our evenings will be very intense..." Arkuss <"I think that is a certainty." Shi pats his cheek softly. “I will not have you do this any longer than I feel you must. If there was another fighter I could trust, perhaps I would not have to be so drastic. But that cannot be helped." Rocking back on hir heels, the Amazon stood up. “We are in the room now, if you want to take advantage of my openness, it would be advisable. You may not get this chance again for a very long time." Walking to the window shi looked out into the faintly illuminated sands. “Even at this hour, there is training. One of the few things about this House I have grown to enjoy."> Neflari nods and mrrs softly as shi pats his cheek, even such small gestures livened him up still. "That will be fine. I think some time we will find a fighter or two that could be trusted as such." He watches hir stand and move to the window, ears swiveling a bit as he picks up sounds of evening training. "It certainly is busier here. I think I'm adjusting well to it now." He stretches himself some, his wings following suit for a moment before he settles back to his original sitting position. "Very well. If you have anything you wish to know of me in return, you may ask and if I can answer it I will." He exhales and looks up to hir again. "Magus Hourne...he mentioned rescuing you from hyenas, I believe it was...and that you were not in very good shape when he did. What happened, Athena?" Arkuss Neflari knew this would touch a sensitive memory for the Amazon and keeps calm, watching hir go over that period of hir life. It was oddly generalized and he had to wonder about the gaps in hir memory between hir fall and apparent rescue. He mulls over this, sorting out all the pieces he had floating in his mind now. "I suppose I really should thank Hourne for finding you. I actually did when we spoke though we were not exactly seeing eye-to-eye at the time." He snorts a bit, something a bit odd sounding for him. "I wonder, if he found it necessary back then to block your memories of that one period...or if you buried them yourself. I have certainly known both types myself." He shakes his head, looking a bit disturbed for a short moment before recovering. "What of your time with Magus Hourne?" Arkuss Neflari brings himself to meet that gaze, feeling no doubt similar to Masami earlier, but he had fallen under this and worse before, the pretty feline holding up rather well as shi speaks. He had asked and so shi gave him hir answers and story, the lion trying to take it all in. "I see..." He watches finally as shi walks back to the window, giving a big revelation then. "Hourne asked if you had experienced Mother's Call yet when I was confronting him. Seemed to figure out several things very quickly." He shakes his head. "So you have had children already. I cannot imagine the pain of having them taken away like that..." Arkuss <"No, no you can't. Whatever the hyena's might have done to me was only physical and mental. What they did, what they did was so very much worse." Shi looked at him, those violets storming now, face a heavy red tone that crept down over the top of hir chest. “They did not have the stomach nor ability to kill me, so they sold me and left Magus Hourne for dead." Closing hir eyes shi fought hirself as the next lines came forth. “We were going to leave without children, travel to his homeland in the North. We were going to marry and raise our children." The eyes open again and glared at him, something starting to break down in hir eyes and presence. “Whatever is done to me here, in any House pales to what has already been done."> Neflari listens to the Amazon as shi struggles more and more to reveal hir dark story, that gaze almost painful to meet now yet he kept himself firm, not shying away. He sighs gently. "So that's how you ended up as a slave..." He still could barely remember his earliest time as a slave nor much of his captors yet shi had gone through such pain before even that. He found himself regretting a little of his approach to the magus knowing now this bit of history though he could not think of much other way the encounter could have gone. There were still many pieces left loose but a number of things made much more sense now. He had not realized shi carried such a weight. "I suppose it would make for a pale comparison." Arkuss Neflari watches as shi begins to break down in a way he had only seen once or twice before simply nodding as shi tells him that. He feels hir hug against him strongly, wings spreading a little as he slides his arms around hir as well, holding hir securely and letting hir get this out. He lets his wings relax a bit again, soft feathers draping against hir arms. "Thank you for trusting me with this. I will try not to let it burden me...but I will always be here to support and listen." He smiles a little and cuddles the Amazon still in his arms. Arkuss