[21:31] Ash the Grey stood outside the dueling circle, sword in hand. It was a short sword, not a katana like the one his opponent had strapped to his back. Fine. Ash was a 'sub'. That much was true. But that didn't mean he was worthless in combat. This guy had doubtless challenged him thinking he was an easy win. No big deal. Nothing to beating little Ash. That's what everyone thought. Remick was probably no different. A million doms thought as much of him. He'd had to prove more than one of them wrong in one way or another. He tested his sword with a few pokes. It worked as well as it always had. Shame the duel was only to first blood. More of a shame for the other guy though. One little poke, and Ash'd fuck off five cities over.

He looked over at his opponent. The larger wolf looked... difficult to read. Maybe it was just the distance. He couldn't see his face that well. In any case, Ash knew how shit was. Doms were chemical slavers, and he was the one who got away. The one who would always get away. He stepped into the circle. He was ready to go at it.
[22:12] Cyrus Remick (Pretend my last post never happened... Sorry, long day at work, lol)

Was surprised by the fact he'd caught a submissive picking his pocket, and downright shocked when he was challenged to a proper duel rather than being handed over to the guards. His day would be going from bad to worse, no doubt. It seemed years of ripping off his superiors without getting caught allowed a bubble of confidence to form, more than likely skewing his perception on reality as there was no way a common thief was about to best a wolf like Cyrus in combat. It was only to first blood, but all it took was a glance towards Cyrus for one to guess many wouldn't last more than a single strike. Ash no doubt valued his speed, and Cyrus valued his brute strength. The man was close to seven feet tall, and a sword which would drag many down looked like a metal toothpick in the canine's large paws. The Katana was typically a two-pawed weapon, but the hilt simply wasn't large enough for a wolf of Cyrus' size to weird it in that manner... Some described his combat as 'sloppy' or 'oaf like'... he actually had a great mind for combat, but his strength alone meant he often looked like he was wailing around a club versus a sword.

"You're on the wrong path..." Cyrus said, looking unfazed by the other's weapon now pointed in his direction. "You sound like you've gone against society your entire life." he said, no doubt taking note of the other's antagonistic lines. "And where are you now?... On the street, swiping loose coin... You're closer to a rat than a wolf." he said in a calm tone, finally withdrawing the blade from his back and stepping forward, beginning to close the gap as though this'd be over relatively quickly. "I will remind you of your place..." he finished, his calm steps turning into a light job before an all out sprint, directly in the face of his opponent. A rapier was great for distance and quick jabs, but didn't offer much to deflect a direct strike... With any luck, Cyrus would shatter the weapon with a single downward swing as he leaped into the air, bringing down his blade with an almost scary amount of force.
[22:21] Ash the Grey waited just a minute, to force you to commit to your charge, then dodged to the left. "You're right. You will." He poked forward for a counter-attack, then, if that didn't work, jumped back. This guy's stroke had raw power, but to Ash's eyes, no technique. It was like watching an orc swing a club. "Not that I need a reminder." He leapt back again, to put some distance between him and his opponent. "Careful. You're going to wear yourself out with big swings like that, big guy." He lunged forward, feigning to the left, ready to roll out of the way when a swipe hit him from there. Meanwhile, he'd poke his opponent right between the legs. He executed the maneuver, and jabbed his sword upward.
[22:40] Cyrus Remick Didn't expect his first strike to land. After all, he did want the boy to serve him, and he couldn't exactly do that if he was split right down the middle. It was nothing more than a mind-game, meant to boost the already cocky submissive's confidence so he'd begin making his own moves. The guy was damn good for living on the street, he had to admit, but dueling was just as much reading your opponent as it was swinging your sword. Considering Cyrus rubbed shoulders with the elites in society, he was well versed in bullshit at this point. He could lie to a priest without so much as a single twitch... And that was the stranger's downfall, from what Cyrus could gather. He may have been a thieving rat, but Cyrus was conditioned by snakes... That confidence, much like that blade between his legs, would soon be shattered.

"You should know your weapons weakness!" he exclaimed, lifting up one of his feet before bringing it right back down with all of his weight, driving it downward before the familiar sound of a blade exploding graced pierced both their ears. Metal shards flung in all directions before raining down on the cobblestone around them. What was once a rather respectable weapon was reduced to nothing more than a pile of fragments with the odd splinter shimmering on the pavement... Cyrus didn't know where the other received his training, but it was clearly a bit more formal as there was no doubt Cyrus had 'won' with a rather underhanded tactic... But there was still the matter of needing blood to make his victor official. Without a word, Cyrus swung his blade before stopping just inches from the other's face, looking down upon him with a stern look. "Surprised a lowlife thief didn't see such a maneuver coming... Shame..." the wolf uttered, tilting the blade slightly upwards, barely grazing the fir on the other's cheek. "Press your cheek to it... Don't make me draw it out for you... It wouldn't be wise..." he said, not caring in the slightest that his opponent more than likely didn't agree with Cyrus' cheap maneuver.
[22:51] Ash the Grey went wide-eyed. He didn't spend a neuron thinking about the under-handedness of the tactic. He would have respected that, if it hadn't come from someone who wanted to enslave him. No, he was more focused on being horrified that the guy was apparently about to get his wish. There was a sword against his cheek. His own blade was gone. His balde. Which he'd had for four long years. Which he'd worked do hard to get. Gone. He had other blades, though. Twenty, if one didn't count his teeth. He needed to summon a crocodile tear, so he thought about his mother. That worked well. "You're right," he said. The other wolf didn't seem any more off guard. Fuck. Fuck. This might not work. He had to try, though. He owed it to himself. He gulped. "You're right. You've beaten me. I've lost. I submit." As he was speaking, and, hopefully, the other wolf was focused on his face, as one normally was when someone else was speaking, his right hand sprung upward to claw some blood out of his enemy's arm and make him the winner.
[22:53] Cyrus Remick: (You sneaky dog =P)
[23:03] Cyrus Remick Had practically fallen for the strangers ruse... Not that it was particularly crafty, but for the simple fact that Cyrus' eyes were already locked on that face. The face he'd become quite familiar with after a few nights. The face that he'd look down upon while shoving his member in and out of that throat... The man's lustful thoughts were broken at the very last second, clutching to the boy's wrist with a powerful paw... If Cyrus had to guess, the other set of claws was already on its way, which is exactly why he dug his nails into the other's wrist, feeling the red liquid rush over his fingertips before seeing spots of red fall to the stones beneath... He'd won, and the boy was his...

"Perhaps you don't fight with as much honor as I thought..." he said, giving the other something of a compliment as he'd almost lost to his last effort before sheathing the blade on his back once more. "I told ya' you shouldn't have made me draw it..." he said, eyeing up the dog's bloody wrist before removing a bandanna which was tied around his neck. "Here..." he said, reaching out slowly to tend to the other's paw before sensing a bit of resistance from the now slave. "You're hurt... Quit being stupid..." he said, his yellow eyes practically piercing through the other. "Give me your paw..." he ordered, waiting for the other to comply. Cyrus could obviously force him easily enough, but something told him that wouldn't exactly help his case in the bedroom when the time came...
[23:10] Ash the Grey felt the other male's claws dig into his skin. He yelped, and then growled at his enemy. Now his master. To ignore the results of a duel was an unthinkable breach of honor, and wildly illegal on top of that. No one in the country would deny that he now belonged to this dom. He clutched his wrist, instinct compelling him to squeeze his wound. The other male had let go. The other male had no grip of any kind on him. Ash had to hold back his smirk, because it would key the dom in to what he planned to do. He turned tail and fucked off away from the other male, hoping to escape into the nearby woods and enter a battle of stealth. One he would doubtless win. He could definitely handle being an escaped slave. He knew that from experience. He tucked his tail between his legs so there was nothing to grab onto, and ran as fast as his little legs would carry him. His heart pounded, pushing blood out of his wound as he ran, but he wasn't worried. It wasn't bad enough to kill him, unless it festered.
[23:28] Cyrus Remick Stood in place for a moment, hardly believing what he was witnessing before a low growl vibrated through his core. His patience was officially gone and for just a brief moment, was annoyed that he hadn't simply turned the mutt over to the guards. A missing paw would've surely taught him a lesson. The little thing was quick for sure and if Cyrus didn't catch him before he reached the tree line, he'd more than likely be out of reach forever. Luckily for Cyrus, he knew his weaknesses, unlike his opponent. Ash was beginning to get a bit of distance on him, but fortunately for Cyrus, a healthy bit of rage fueled his throw... The man's run soon slowed to a jog as the Bolas sailed through the air. Cyrus often knew just moments after releasing the chain if he was on target, and in this case, he most certainly was. Like a bag of potatoes, his prey soon tumbled towards the ground at full speed, his ankles completely bound by the steel balls and chain wrapped snugly around his feet... Now it was over.

"You're beginning to be a real pain in my ass..." he huffed, reaching down and tying the other's wrists behind his back, leaving the chain around his ankles before flipping him on his back, allowing him to look at his face which had now been muddied. "Was up for letting you walk home, but now you get to be carried." he said, sounding annoyed before wrapping a powerful paw around the other's neck. "Bite me or spit on me and things will get worse for you... Understand?" he asked while baring his teeth, clenching his grip a bit so the other could barely draw a breath. "You're mine and I'd be perfectly in my right to kill you, right here, right now." he said, his grip continuing to cut off air from the other's lungs. "You realize that?... You don't gotta' be happy right now. I don't expect you to... But you are done fucking around now... Got it?" he asked, clearly waiting for the other to get desperate before finally releasing the paw from his neck, finally allowing him to breathe before picking him up, throwing him over a shoulder as if he were weightless before finally heading in the direction of home
[2019/07/02]Ash the Grey fell over as the bolas tangled up his legs. He hit his nose on the ground, and it started to bleed. The smell of blood from his own nose was overwhelming. He reached down to undo the bolas' bind on him, but his hands were bound before could do it. He hared his teeth back at his assailant. He thought of doing it. He thought of hacking the biggest wad of spit he could summon right on Cyrus, just because he didn't want him to, and because to him, that threat was a tempting offer. It'd mean he was free. That was almost worth anything. But this wasn't the time to make that stand. He'd not run out of other options yet. So for now, he stayed his spit and suppressed his growl. He said nothing as he was carried away. He did study his surroundings. He was near the house where he'd be held captive for a time, so he kept an eye on his surroundings.
[2019/07/02]Cyrus Remick Was relieved he didn't get any guff from the other as they made their way back to the house. He felt the binds on the guy's wrists were a bit overkill, but with his actions, who could really blame Cyrus? He was actually lucky he didn't get a gag shoved in his maw. He probably should have, but he didn't want to deny the wolf conversation in case he decided to speak up on the way home... Blood gushed from the other's nose with every bob of the larger canine's shoulder. What started as a simple bandage on the wrist looked far more gruesome now as Cyrus' shoulder was completely covered in red by the time he was unlocking his front door.

"You were stupid to run... You could've come with nothing more than a scratch on the cheek... Now your wrist has punctures and your face is a mess..." he said with a sigh, locking the door behind both of them before setting the boy down in the entryway. Cyrus wasn't rich, but he certainly wasn't bad off. He was a King's guard and got paid rather handsomely compared to the common folk. He didn't have servants running around, waiting on his every whim, but he did have a modern, open style home with a large fire place on the center back wall.

https://i.imgur.com/HqWav2p.jpg

"You're gonna' need to be cleaned up... come." he said, leading the other to the bathroom before glancing over his shoulder. "Strip..." he said, saying it as though the request were simple once he got the water running, beginning to fill the large half-barrel tub.

(For the sake of convenience, we live in a time where we have running water)
[2019/07/02]Ash the Grey said nothing during the walk. He was busy fuming and thinking. He evaluated every element of the home he saw, thinking about one thing and one thing only: is there an escape route there? He didn't see anything obvious. He was relieved that he and his captor were the only ones at the house, though. That made leaving at some point in the future far simpler. He cooperated with being untied. He was hardly unhappy about that. Once he was alone with his new owner in the bathroom, the request to strip made him clench his teeth. "Promise me you won't do the same," he said. The tub was big enough for both of them, but that didn't prove much on its own. There was one single part of Cyrus he was most afraid of right now. One tool he didn't want to see used against him. Seeing as he had just made a request, he thought it behooved him to be obedient, so he did remove his shirt, then his pants. He was lithe, with a small package.
[2019/07/02]Cyrus Remick: (Completely naked in that post then?)
[2019/07/02]Ash the Grey: (Yes)
[2019/07/02]Cyrus Remick Glanced back with a rather unimpressed look before moving his eyes to his bloodied shoulder thanks to his newly acquired property... Under normal circumstances, he just may have agreed to take a bath after, but considering how the younger wolf had refused to cooperate thus far, Cyrus simply threw his paw in the air before letting out an annoyed huff.

"You kidding me?... My shoulder's soaked in blood, thanks to you and you alone... Not to mention even if I did take a bath after you, I'd have to chain you to the wall so you wouldn't escape... Forget it. You'll live, even if that means sitting in my lap for a while." he finished, testing the temperature of the water with his paw before standing in front of the other, quickly shedding his armor, undershirt, and pants.... Honestly, Cyrus wasn't sure where Ash fell in the spectrum of sub or dom... It was true, his stature was much shorter than Cyrus, but it wasn't like all Doms reached seven foot. However, the wolf's smaller sheath and a set of balls were more or less confirmation of his class, and possibly the reason why he didn't care for the idea of sharing such a tight space with Cyrus... His senses would take over, and he'd only be able to resist the man for so long once his musk was added to the equation...
[2019/07/02]Ash the Grey shed another tear as Cyrus stripped. This one was real. "Please, don't," he muttered, perhaps too quietly to be heard. His heard pounded. He thought about trying to bolt again, but the odds of success there were limited. Besides, it was a bit easier than that to keep from smelling anything. He pinched his nose, and then got straight into the bathtub. He only needed to worry about the musk while his master was above water. Once he sat down in the bath, Ash wouldn't be able to smell it through the water. Ash didn't know exactly what musk smelled like, at least to someone affected by it. He hadn't gotten a strong whiff of it since he was a kid, back when it didn't do what it would do now.

Ash breathed through his mouth as he waited for his master to disrobe and join him in the tub. He looked around for soap, so he could start getting this bath over with.
[2019/07/02]Cyrus Remick Gave the other a false sense of security, looking as though he'd make no attempt to do anything fishy before bolting to the other's side, grabbing his wrists and placing them at his sides. The larger wolf may have been outside the tub, but he could hold the other's back to his abdomen all the same, not allowing him to sit or move much while he patiently waited for him to take a breath.

"Stop it... You've hurt yourself unnecessarily twice, and you haven't even told me your name... You need to loosen up, and this will help with that..." Cyrus assured, not caring for the idea of dealing with someone that hated his guts. There were days where all Cyrus wanted to do was collapse on the couch and relax. He couldn't really do that knowing there was a stranger in his home that'd murder him the moment the option was given. "Relax... deep breath..." he said, waiting for those lungs to lose the inevitable battle of holding their breath.
[2019/07/02]Ash the Grey struggled to free his hands, splashing water out onto the floor. Not long after starting to struggle, though, something hit one of his wrist wounds in just the right way, and he helped, and held still. He glared up at Cyrus. "Fuck you," he muttered. "I'd... I'd rather die." He hacked, and spit on the other wolf's chest, hoping he would make good on his earlier threat. However, when his musk would effect Ash so soon, there wasn't much reason to do that. He lasted two minutes or so before gasping with his mouth. He tried to just breathe through his mouth, not his nose, but that didn't keep the scent away from him. It... he couldn't deny that it smelled nice. He closed his eyes, and took a deep breath, as his master had ordered. "I hate you," he whispered. He kept taking deep breaths. Drinking the musk in. Now that he had smelled the musk, he wanted to smell it a bit more. He was a bit calmer. He couldn't deny that that was pleasant. He shed another tear.
[2019/07/02]Cyrus Remick: (I think if we're going for Ash genuinely liking Cyrus, it'd make a huge statement if Cyrus didn't rape him in the very first instance... but if you want smut, we can do that. Your call!)
[2019/07/02]Ash the Grey: (I agree. I'm totally fine with you not raping him.)
[2019/07/02]Cyrus Remick Spun the smaller canine around, looking at those wet eyes with a rather serious expression... Of course Cyrus wanted him. That was why he made the offer of a duel in the first place... but he wasn't exactly a man that got off to suffering. It'd only feel good if he knew the other wanted it... Something that could very well happen, but only if Cyrus played his cards right... Without warning, Cyrus reached down with a paw, cupping everything that made the stranger male before making a statement. "I don't need you to take in my musk just to have my way with you... I could've done that the moment the door shut behind us... I would've allowed you to bathe by yourself this time around if you weren't such a little shit." he said before slowly pulling his paw away from the wolf's most private place. "See?... I'm not here for that... I just don't want someone stabbing me in my sleep..." he said, even going so far as pushing the other's shoulders, making him stumble backward before catching himself on the rim of the tub. "You're fuckin' homeless. You're picking pockets on the street. It'd only be a matter of time before you got in serious trouble or lost your life to the wrong guard... You now have a home. You can be comfortable... and in exchange, I'm asking you to not be insufferable and go in with an open mind... Can you at least try something or are you so dense you'd rather to your shitty path?..." he asked, calling out how sad Ash's life was and how it could turn around if he just gave it a shot.
[2019/07/02]Cyrus Remick: You'd rather Stick to your shitty path ***
[2019/07/02]Ash the Grey looked at his master. "Well thanks for not raping me, then." His tone reflected sincerity, despite the snarky choice of words. "I don't have to try being a slave, though. You're not the first. I know for sure I don't care for it." He took another deep breath. His instincts were still telling him to obey, and to drink in that musk. "By the way, I've had plenty of perfectly good living arrangements. I just happen to be between rooms at the moment." With that, he grabbed the soap, and started to use it on himself. He was careful not to move his left wrist much, because doing so hurt. As he washed, he thought. Was his old life better than this could possibly be? Of course it was. The alternative, that a slave's life was good, was unthinkable, right? He knew so from first-hand experience.
[2019/07/02]Cyrus Remick Said nothing as he stepped in the tub, at least thankful the other seemed to be coming around as far as conversation went. Some of that could no doubt be attributed to the alpha's musk, but Cyrus would take whatever victory he could at the moment. Cyrus simply shook his head as he began to sit while the other continued to stand directly in front of him. It was definitely nice, feeling the hot water soak away the troubles of the day.

"You didn't care for your old master... That doesn't mean you hated everything about it." Cyrus clarified, forcing him to see the difference. "You're not built by nature to be tough. You know that, right?..." he asked, letting his eyes wander to the other's small package, just a foot or so in front of his face. "You're meant to be cute and appealing to an alpha... You've obviously gone out of your way to conceal your submissive side... Your more tone than most subs, and you certainly have the shitty attitude of a dom..." Cyrus said, letting his eyes go back up to the other. "But that doesn't actually change anything. Just masks it.." he said, taking a good hard look at the other's bloody nose before reaching for a rag. "Tell me your name... And come sit with me... Let me wash your face..." he offered, tilting his head hoping this stranger would come around.
[2019/07/02]Ash the Grey listened to his master as he washed himself. He was quite sure he had hated everything about his years as a slave. Well, not everything. Not his mother, but that wasn't the sort of thing Cyrus had in mind. Still, he listened, with something like an open mind, to everything Cyrus said. "My name is Ash," he said, when his master was finished. He crossed the tub, and sat on his master's lap. "With all due respect, you're wrong. I hated being a slave more than I hate the gods for crafting me to be one. Of course I know what I am... but I'm not going to let that define me. I'm going to make my own destiny, and what I have in mind for it has no place for a master." He allowed his master to wash his face.