The Day It All Began...Again (Whitebrand and Carni-vore)

[Whitebrand]

“Lupus, not Lupine,” Brand said. “The rabbit folk. I’ll swipe a few wolf-hurts another time.

“Nellie, meet Lissara.” Brand said as he arrived at the camp. “Also a member of an endangered species. We’re going to try to fix that too if we can. Later. Right now Lord Brandon White’s vacation is winding down.”

[Carni-vore]

"...O-oh..." Nellie responded. "...I-I see them all over, b-but they generally stay underground...." Nellie explained.

"...A Pleasure to meet you." Lissara greeted, shaking Nellie's hand as they arrived at the camp before looking over to Brand. "...So we're finally going to see this home of yours?...Sure you don't wanna travel to the northern mountains first? Or maybe the vast monster invested deserts of the south?...I'm sure there's some corner of the continent you could drag us too first." Lissara teased, though honestly she'd be happy to see this new 'home' they'd be taken too.

[Whitebrand]

“Oh I suppose I could just transport us all to my home in less than a day, but that would be rude. We’re in territory owned by other dragons. I’d get challenged left right and sideways on my way out. I might even come close to losing some of those challenges. We’ll go overland in my guise until we leave the border. Then I’ll get you home.”

He raised an eyebrow at Lissara. More spunk than before. Good. She’s getting better and feeling more comfortable around me.

“Maybe I’ll be able to pick up some more of your people along the way,” Brand added.

[Carni-vore]

"What ever you wish to do master." Lissara responded as she went back to packing up the camp so they could get moving.

Nellie just followed behind Brand, still nervous but knowing she didn't have any choice in the matter but to come along with them.

[Whitebrand]

Brand added his own pack to Nellie’s and began the short trek where he’d left the carriage.

“And of course I could make the trip seem shorter by storing the two of you away until I got home,” Brand added. “But that would probably frighten thou so...” he shrugged.

[Carni-vore]

Nellie trembled, not fully understanding what he meant by stored them away.

"...I believe she already is Master Brand..." Lissara pointed out as they loaded the carriage.

[Whitebrand]

“I was referring to both of you,” Brand said as he put Nellie’s things away in the carriage. He looked over her books again as he secured them. “The process can be quite frightening. So...on the road again.”

Brand rejoined the bearers he has hired as they made their way back into and through the cities again...checking the slavery auctions along the way in search of other candidates. He also kept a careful eye on his charges...just in case one might decide to bolt or in case some prat decided to try to take them fir themselves.

[Carni-vore]

Lissara and Nellie mostly kept to the carriage on the trip, Lissara taking some effort to keep Nellie Wrapped up when she did have to leave. It'd be best that they didn't draw much attention with such a rare find.

It looked like the markets weren't very full of much. There wasn't much of note up for sale as they made their way through the town.

[Whitebrand]

Brand sighed. Oh well...he had an elf, his squirrel girl, and a bunny girl. He’d almost doubled his harem. He could be happy with that.

He completed his trip fairly quickly, taking only a coupe of days to reach the border of the dragon’s empire. Once that was done he dismissed the bearers he’d hired. A few simple spells sent his luggage back to his cave, leaving him with just Larissa and Nellie to deal with.

“Well,” He said. “It should take about a day or so to get back home...if I fly at my normal speed. Unfortunately that would blow the two of you right off my back. So...what to do...”

He resumed his draconian form at full size, curling around the two possessively. He still couldn’t be sure if he was entirely clear of the whims of the dragon lords.

“Well, I suppose there’s no help for it. Nellie, I’m sure you’ve experienced this with your guardian before. Karissa, this will probably be a new experience for you...”

[Carni-vore]

Nellie squeaked in fear as Brand took his full form, hiding behind Lissara as Brand contemplated what to do. Lissa was a little more stoic at their master's transformation, but still intimidated by his presence.

"...And what experience would that be master?" Lissara questioned as Nellie trembled behind her.

[Whitebrand]

“I will have to put you in storage,” Brand said. “By devouring you. You will not be harmed. You’ll close your eyes and when you open them we will be home and I’ll be giving you the tour of the place.”

He paused, gauging their reaction.

“Or I could carry you on my back and fly at half speed,” he added. “You’ll get cold and uncomfortable after awhile, but it’s doable.”

[Carni-vore]

Nellie looked quite nervous at that declaration of his intent to devour them, letting out a yelp as she remained trembling under his imposing presence.

Lissara mulled over Brand's plans. "...I have more experience than you'd think." Lissara responded, moving her hair back as she motioned to her cursed mark. "...*Sigh*...It's up to you master Brand." She responded as she closed her eyes and stood still rather stoic waiting for his choice.

[Whitebrand]

Brand sighed. They had been abused enough.

Her lowered himself to the ground, wings partly extended.

“Hop aboard,” the dragon said. “A bit slower, but we’ll get there.”

His conscience was frustrating him. He’d had no problem gulping down other prey. Why were these two bothering him?

“Wrap yourselves in blankets,” he advised. “I’ll take care of the rest.”

[Carni-vore]

Nellie blinked at that and even Lissara was a little shocked. "...If you insist master." Lissara responded. Both of them climbed up on his back, Nellie casting a spell to make her and Lissara resistant to the elements, a simple spell and one that would require frequent casts on the trip, but she still wrapped herself in a blanket as well as her large fluffy tail. Lissara also wrapped herself as they held on for the trip to Brand's lair.

[Whitebrand]

"Secure? Good."

Brand took to the sky, careful to keep his burdens from being in danger of slipping off. The land seemed to blur below his as the dragon kept to the steadiest air currents and avoided up and down drafts. It made the trip considerably longer, but it kept his newest acquisitions safe against the possibility of their getting dislodged. It forced him to land about halfway in order to camp for the night, but he was careful with picking out the campsite and so did not fear ambush.

The next day the valley came into view at last, and Brand arced his way up towards his beloved home. At last he glided into his home and touched down, breathing deeply in his "home air". He carried the elf and the squirrel on his back until they reached his grand treasure chamber.

"Home at last," he said with a relieved sigh.

[Carni-vore]

Lissara had been rather exhausted from the trip, but didn't allow it to show very much. It had thus far been a better experience than it had been with her captors for sure. When they landed for Camp, Neither were in much shape to help set it up or prep food, flying on the back of a dragon at such heights didn't leave much for rest.

"...Why travel so far just for slaves?..." Lissara asked as they finally approached his lair and they entered inside.

[Whitebrand]

Brand didn’t answer right away. He settled down to let the two girls off his neck and let them stretch their limbs.

“Don’t know,” Brand said. “Maybe to be better than the rest. At least a little bit. There’s a large steam bath just down that staircase over there if you want to warm up. I have a bunny girl to rehabilitate.”

[Carni-vore]

"Welcome home master Brand." one of Elise's Simulacrums spoke as they entered after Brand's arrival.

"...Alright." Lissara responded as Brand directed them to the baths. "...C'mon Nellie, we could use some relaxation." Lissara eased the nervous squirrel girl, leading her off to the baths.

Inside of Brand's inner caverns still rested Aria, the mermaid and Bebe the wild bunny girl.

[Whitebrand]

“Hello, Elise,” Brand said as he lay down on his bed of mattresses and prepared the spells to begin the extraction process on his prey. “Miss me at all while I was away?”

As he did he also began to reshape the layout of one of his tunnels...one that key to an underground lake that was the source of water for his bath. The lake was connected to the river in the valley beliw...and seemed to him to be a good potential home for a mermaid. Once she’d been properly conditioned to not leave him if course. He also set up Bebe’s rooms with remote spells. He’d prepare her a meal and wake her up later.

Right now his wings and shoulders were tired. He wanted to rest for now and soak in his bath for a couple of hours.

[Carni-vore]

"Lady Elise rather enjoyed the alone time to be honest, her research has come along nicely in your absence though she was lacking assistants around the lab as she tasked most of us to tend to the others needs here while they waited for you." The simulacrum explained. "She has managed to adjust her biology to be immune to most poisons, magical or natural and has even perfected her simulacrum process, we now no longer expire after 8 hours but this process to make such a copy takes far more work to create even one. There are currently only three of us made with this ability." The Simulacrum went on as Brand was at work prepping places for his new girls with his magic.