Fish Popsicles

[acarapi]

Summer heat seemed to roll off the hills, wrapping all it touched in its warm embrace. Humid and sticky, it was far from being a pleasant sort of heat. The fact that Tiayr seemed lacking in foliage made the weather downright unbearable, in fact. Trees were rare in these rolling hills, and the humidity was enough to agitate even the breeds best suited for warm climates.

Acarapi was panting as he picked his way down a gradual slope. He could care less about where the others had gone. Right now all he wanted was a means to cool off. Since company would be of no help in that department, he'd decided his band mates were useless and had wandered off on his own. A little self-exploration wouldn't kill anyone. It was lucky the gratification seeking bastard knew how to talk his way out of trouble, because he rarely did anything with someone else's permission.

It wasn't like the band needed him right now anyway. Last he knew they were still scouting the lands and forming some sort of plan. 'Too much talk, not enough action. Mmm, action... I could go for a little action right now. Wonder if this place is hidin' any pretty ladies.' His thoughts were reflected in his face, lips curving into a perverse smirk as he lazily eyed his surroundings. He'd never been one to just sit around and wait. Carpe Diem. Seize the day. If he wanted something, all he had to do was take it. The Red wolf was known for being quite the opportunist, and he always got what he wanted.

As the hills flattened out and opened into a small valley, the brute was all but lost to his imagination. Thinking up a fantasy was easy for him. All he had to do was remember a face and the experience flooded back like water over a broken dam. He was absorbed by a world of forgotten touches and lingering caresses, and he'd been with enough females in his lifetime to leave little up to the actual imagination. What a pity there was no one around to help him relive the fire burning within him that his mind kept nurturing.

Well, the fire was nurtured until a cold blast of water dared to extinguish it in one fell swoop. Acarapi had been so wrapped up in his sexual daydream that he'd failed to watch where he was going. The chilly water of Ia'gha Lake danced around him, thoroughly soaking his pelt and chilling him to the bone. The swim would have been quite pleasant if he'd actually been expecting it. Instead a string of curses was rushing from his mouth as he darted back to shore and fiercely shook out his short pelt.

"Damn friggin' water!" he spat out, glaring viciously at the shaded liquid. He'd been about to reach the best part of his little daydream when the unwelcome swim had ruined everything. Now instead of being pleasantly aroused Carp was wet, horny, and thoroughly pissed off. It was bad enough crossing his path on a good day. Now whoever was unfortunate enough to deal with him would be met with his temper, and the Red male was far from being sweet when angered.

[rhyanne]

Rhyanne, her head hurting from being treated like she was a useless piece of shit, wandered off after Acarapi, hoping that he would be a little less of a burden on her. Yes, she stuck with the band because they provided a sense of security, but the crafty little femme was a lot smarter than they ever bothered to give her credit. She was not just another wolf, but a temptress, a seducer, and above all, her own person. In fact, the main reason she was still with the gypsies was because she feared what would happen if she tried to leave. This new land provided an interesting challenge, though. What if she could find herself a pretty little brute to toy with, or maybe even one that she could learn to love? The possibilities were endless.

Finally, Rhy spotted Carp taking a little carefree swim that seemed to leave him more frustrated and heated than he had been before entering the water. However, the femme did not attempt to join him. She knew just how he could be in his moods, and Rhyanne was not willing to face the temper and frustration of the red wolf. In fact, she was content to just sit and watch from a distance, quickly becoming amused by Acarapi and his quirky outburst.

It had been ages since Rhyanne had been able to have a talk with another wolf of the band without either being sized up or treated like garbage. Deep down, she knew that this was probably just another one of those situations, but who knew? Maybe after she left here, she would head into the pack lands to see if there was anyone interesting. Dreidoj would probably be angry, but what could he say if she managed to sink her claws into one of the pack wolves, especially if it wound up helping them in the long run? It would be a win-win situation. And maybe, just maybe, she could find a place to hide. Escape this horrible life, and just live like a normal wolf. A normal wolf that wasn't a sex toy or a grunt worker or anything of those genres. She was sick of it all, but hell would open up and swallow the one who dared to speak her mind...

((OOC: It could've been better, meh.))

[acarapi]

Shaking the water free seemed to prove futile. No matter how hard he tried there was just too much shade to properly dry him off. Acarapi would just have to make do with being a soggy brute for the time being. That would have been fine and dandy had he still been alone. Then he would have been able to dry off in peace without worrying about anyone seeing his unfortunate little accident. He had a facade to uphold, and anyone bearing witness to his persona when at less than perfection was simply unacceptable!

Which is why the moment he felt eyes upon him a fierce snarl radiated from his chest. "The fuck is out there!?" he spat, whirling around so fast he was lucky he didn't cause himself whiplash. It took him a moment to let logic override anger, but when he was finally able to think straight enough he found a bemused looking Rhyanne watching him from a cozy little spot on the bank. The site of the pretty femme would have been a welcome one had she not been taking pleasure in his own misfortune.

'Bitch.' The thought bounced in his mind as he stalked towards her, pinning her with hungry, silver eyes. A sneer curved up his muzzle, twisting his face into something sinister. Carp wasn't in the mood to play games. This worthless little female had just watched him make a fool of himself. Now she had to pay.

His words were like sweet poison as he stepped a little too close, invading her personal space. "See something you like, sweetheart?" His eyes roved over her body once, intentionally lingering in places they shouldn't before locking upon hers with a burning intensity. Right now his goal was to unnerve her. If she was uncooperative, maybe he'd smack her around a bit. Even if she behaved herself there was a chance he'd mess with her anyway. She was the perfect little toy to take out his frustrations on. Later he would find out why she was stalking him. Why she was here just seemed so unimportant currently.

[rhyanne]

Acarapi's harsh voice cut through Rhyanne's ears, and they immediately fell flat against her head. It was a stupid idea coming here. I'm such a fool; am I really a glutton for punishment?! she thought wildly, her urge to flee nearly taking over. But she knew what would happen if she ran. Acarapi would tell Dreidoj what she had been doing, which of course she should not have been doing, and she would be smacked around for it. Femmes are to be seen not heard... But only seen where they're supposed to be seen, she thought, sneering a little at the idea. It was her biggest pet peeve, the way she was treated. She deserved so much more than she had, yet Rhyanne was too unsure of herself to realize it.

Rhyanne watched as Carp approached her, and she dipped her head respectfully to the brute. Even though the thought of respecting him sickened her, it was the least she could do for her "superior." After all, she had been the one lurking around where she was not supposed to be. She sat silently, as she normally did, but the retorts rushing through her head were less than kind. No one would ever suspect that the sweet-voiced, silent female that did what she was told would have such a rebellious inside.

You sick-minded bastard. Why the hell do you have to mess with me? Any other wolf would confront me... Hell, I would expect it... But no, you're going to make my life f***ing miserable, she thought, dampening the fire in her eyes. It was one of her greatest skills - hiding her internal dialogue. No one could see any change in her body language that would let on to her fiery temper. In fact, if she had felt open enough to unleash her rage on the brute, there would have been some serious problems.

[acarapi]

Carp took in the way she hung her head, sitting there silently and waiting for whatever punishment he chose to deal out. A frown creased his maw. This isn't what he wanted. A sweet, innocent, willing little girl was not the challenge he wanted to vent his anger with. There was no fun in it if all she was going to do was roll over. With no one around but himself as witness, he had been hoping to see a little fire in her. Things were always much more fun when the lady wasn't willing.

"That's all you've got to say?" he cooed, coming up along side her and standing so close their pelts were touching. His nose found her ear, tongue darting out to roughly lick at the appendage before he continued in a harsh whisper. "Absolutely nothing?" Letting the smirk crawl back over his face, his jaws parted slightly. Then, he quickly snapped them shut, closing them tightly over Rhyanne's ear in a sharp nip.

Like a snake he slithered away from her, turning to sit before her with his head held high. Grey eyes flashed dangerously as he continued to sneer, watching for any reaction. "You don't really want to sit here, do you, doll? Letting me do whatever my little heart desires? Touching you? Caressing you? Teasing you?" The wicked thoughts that danced through his mind caused a strong want to dance in his eyes. He would get what he wanted from Rhyanne if it killed her.

"Come on, baby," he continued to coo. "You can't want to be the perfect little bitch all the time. Show me a bit of fire. Spunk." Internally he added, 'Make me want you all the more.' Rising to his feet again, his tail wagged merrily as he pressed his cold nose against the female's, locking her eyes upon his own. "No one's watching. Let's have ourselves a little fun. I won't tell if you won't." And his bait was laid. He wasn't sure how the little tramp would react to his offer, but no self-respecting female would want to just sit there in silence. He wanted her to break, to snap. And the best way to do that would be to tell her exactly what he thought she wanted to hear.

[rhyanne]

Rhyanne was aghast. Why was it that she always seemed to place herself in the most inconvenient of places? Here was Acarapi, old enough to be her father. This whole situation was incredibly uncomfortable, and she could not see how to escape it. His words were so polar-opposite of her emotions that she could not fathom how he misconstrued her behavior as being perfect. She did not think that of herself - she was nearly as far from perfect as possible. Granted, she thought of herself above Dreidoj, Acarapi, Mirela... Actually, the majority of the gypsies. But that was simply because she resented most of the things they did. She had not joined willingly, she had been "rescued," therefore, she was sworn to the group.

When Acarapi's nose touched against hers, she jumped in surprise. Her jerk took her back a good half of a foot, and she immediately broke eye contact with the brute. It seemed as if she were screwed if she ran off, but she would be screwed if she stayed as well. Rhyanne was in a tough situation; would she be able to bring herself to stop this? His words were like daggers to her. How do you tell a sex-crazed male that you are sick of being treated like a toy, like property? Enough had to be enough.

Although she wanted to speak, it would not be worth the waste of her breath. Instead, she glared at him - an icy, steel gaze that she had seen her mother use towards a wolf before, who she presumed to be her father. The intensity of her glare was magnified by the dull growl rumbling in her throat. No words were to be spoken, yet she felt that it said everything she needed to say.

[acarapi]

His mouth parted in amusement, tongue snaking out to lick his lips as the female jumped back in shock. It was about the only part of her reaction he enjoyed. That was probably because it was the only part of her reaction that was actually a reaction. Rhyanne had always been good at masking her emotions. Of all the gypsies she was the hardest to read and there was the chance that his words had done more to offend than to entice.

Still, the fact that all she seemed to manage in response was to jerk away with a growl was quite off-putting. Acarapi was craving a fight and she wasn't giving him what he wanted. Well, honestly he was craving more than just a fight but a fight always made that particular craving all the more fun. If all she was going to do was stand there and snarl then he'd never get his fun.

"Are you a mute, girl?" he spat out, once again stalking forward. His piercing eyes were trained on her face, studying her every twitch. Why wouldn't she talk? He wanted to hear her voice. Ideally he wanted to hear her scream. To yell, shout, or even curse him out. His aggression desired hers and yet all she was giving him was a cold glare. A cold glare that stopped his approach right in its tracks.

Jerking his head up, Acarapi's eyes narrowed into slits. There was something strikingly familiar in the expression she wore on her face. Surely she wasn't... Carp shook his head, clearing the thought. Rhyanne was much to young to be from that far back in his past. Besides, he prided himself on being able to remember faces. While there was something familiar in this child's eyes, she wasn't the same bitch from almost three years ago. Which actually caused another thought to flash in his mind.

Again the brute got in Rhyanne's face, staring her down hard. The look in his eyes this time was different, however. It lacked the violent lust from before. Instead there was a hint of wonder as ghostly grey met vibrant emerald. She couldn't be, could she? His voice was demanding as he barked out a new question, this one leaving no room for argument. It wasn't part of his game. If anything, it determined whether or not he'd be able to continue with his game. "The name of your mother. What is it?"

[rhyanne]

"Are you a mute, girl?"

The femme flinched back a little bit. Mute, no. But my words would get me in more trouble than I am willing to handle, she thought inwardly. There was no point incriminating herself with her words. Rhyanne only seemed to attract trouble, which was easily displayed in this situation. However, Rhy could not help but hesitate when Acarapi asked her a very straight-forward question. She stared at him briefly, confusion flooding into her eyes. Why would that matter to him? There was so little relevance to that statement in this conversation. Perhaps it was another ploy to get her to speak.

But Rhyanne could not help but gaze at the brute, perplexed. He had backed off some; his posture was not nearly as aggressive, but more curious. She balked. "Fyora," she breathed, her voice cutting through the air the way it always did. The good thing about rarely speaking was that her words carried a heavy impact, so long as she was not ridiculed for them. She had always thought her mother's name was unique, almost angelic. It was exactly the connotation that everyone seemed to associate with her behavior. She liked to think of herself as her mother's daughter, but she had heard so little about the femme that she could not truly assess her relationship there. Everything was so unfair in this little world. Her situation, her position in the gypsies, and her inability to make decisions for herself. The last one probably irked her the most of all.

While she looked inquisitively at Acarapi, Rhyanne could not place a paw on what was so ironic about this conversation. Why does my mother interest him in the least? It's not like that will change things for me, she thought, desperately trying to piece things together. Everything was so confusing! It's so random, so insufficient...

But as she looked at Carp, something seemed eerily familiar. Rhy never really paused to look at the brute, because she knew of his horrible reputation. She knew how many femmes he had run across in his days - she did not want to become another one on that list as she had with Dreidoj. So she had mostly avoided contact with him in all the time they had spent in the band together. Of all the wolves, Rhyanne had sectioned herself off the most, keeping as impartial and distant from the others as possible so that, if the opportunity came to flee, she would have no second thoughts. Sure, she played her part and loved it. But there was always that part of her that yearned for a different life, a second chance.

The question that Rhyanne wanted to ask so much slipped through her blackened lips. "Why?"

[acarapi]

Now that she was finally talking, Acarapi wasn't the least bit interested. Her one word question was little more than a hum in the background as he continued to stare her down, scrutinizing every inch of her. The name of her mother repeatedly bounced around in his head. That one word had captivated him, transporting his mind back several years as he silently began to fit the pieces together.

"Fyora," he whispered quietly, backing up to get a better look at Rhyanne. He was studying her features, searching for any hint of a trait that could have possibly belonged to himself. Fyora had been a female he had never forgotten. The resentment she had for him had been evident in one quiet glare, that same glare her child had trapped him with mere moments ago. She'd been a good lay, too. That particular memory brought a proud, crude smirk to his muzzle as the Red wolf took a seat in the grass. Apparently their little encounter had produced a rather beautiful daughter. Carp wondered how he'd missed the connection before.

Closing his eyes for a moment, he muttered more to himself than to his companion. "And thus my options are down to two. We really do need more ladies around here." If Rhyanne really was his daughter, like he suspected she was, that meant that she was now off limits. He may have been willing to sleep with most any wolf that was remotely female, but even Carp had his standards. Incest was not a turn on and he had no intention of being directly responsible for any trauma in the lives of his children. Sure, being an absent father to most of them probably took its toll on their mental states. He'd grown up without a father and had turned out just fine though (in his book at least). That sort of damage was reparable. Raping his daughter and possibly leaving her with child was not.

After a few more moments of silence between them, he gathered his thoughts enough to finally give an answer. "I knew your mother's body quite intimately." It probably wasn't what the girl wanted to hear and was on the more cryptic side of things, but if she was his daughter then she would get the message. Surely she'd inherited the more cunning part of his brain; she did successfully function within the gypsy society after all. And he wasn't quite ready to admit out loud what his brain was currently thinking. He wasn't quite ready to say with fact that Rhyanne was indeed his daughter.

[rhyanne]

Rhyanne watched Acarapi anxiously, her body rigid with tension. As soon as the brute's mouth opened, she knew she was not going to like whatever he had to say. But nothing could have prepared her for what the fortune teller was going to admit. He admitted to knowing her mother. And not just to knowing her, but to being.... intimate with her. She shuddered briefly, unable to fully process what was being said. Surely there has to be another option. There is no way he is my father... If mom would spend time with this asshole then obviously there has to be another wolf that could be my father, she thought desperately. She eyeballed him nervously, wondering if this was just another one of his tricks to get her to let her guard down.

Desperate times called for desperate measures.

"There is no way," she whispered, "If my mom would be.... intimate... with you then there has to be someone else. There must be. You're... you're..." She broke. "You have made my life f***ing hell! If you're really my father, then you're a f***ing hypocrite, a liar, a worthless piece of..." Her screams trailed off, her body slumping against the ground.

Rhyanne growled, not at Acarapi, but at herself. Why did karma have to throw such a crazy wrench into her life? Did she not get punished enough every day? And if the brute had really just been messing with her, she had just dug herself into a world of trouble. There were more words strung together in the most honest display of her personality than ever before in her life. She had given Acarapi a view into what she truly thought, how her mind honestly worked. It had taken this long to build up such a facade, and now, if Acarapi was just playing another one of his tricks, she had managed to ruin all of that. All because her temper got ahold of her.

She had to try to fix this. Maybe she could get Acarapi to be quiet. Maybe if she just did what he wanted, he would keep his mouth shut and they could go on like before, her being the quiet wallflower and him being the filthy whore of the band. She would distance herself, keep to herself as much as possible in hopes that the brute would not take this and use it against her. Why am I so stupid? How did I let his tricks affect me like that?! I'm not dumb, I should have known better... He was just messing with me, and he finally got what he wanted, she thought, falling back submissively to the brute in defeat. She had to try fixing the situation before it got worse.

"I'm... sorry..." she whimpered an apology, wincing back and bracing herself for the horror that she knew was going to follow...

[acarapi]

Acarapi couldn't suppress his laugh. Of course she'd show her true colors after he'd dropped his game. So there was a little spitfire hiding within her. That was always good to know. And given the situation it was probably best that he was the one to keep this information safe and secure. He wasn't about to let his daughter go down in flames. This new found relationship, if confirmed, could be very beneficial in the long run. Carp took care of his own.

"Please, my dear. It is I who should apologize." He had waited till she'd settled down a bit to finally speak. He had backed off significantly, his change in behavior marked. Currently he was sitting perfectly prim and proper, posture that of a poised statue as he let his eyes meet her. There was still a small degree of amusement in his expression, but his overall demeanor was relatively serious. For him, this was no joking matter. If his blood ran within Rhyanne's veins, the least he could do was show her a little compassion.

"You're mother was..." he paused, searching for the right words to explain the female he'd made hate him. Fyora actually reminded him of his mother, a bit. The only difference between them was that Fyora had been smart enough to let go. His mother still carried a torch for his unknown father. Finally he finished with, "Something else. I can be quite lovable, you know. We were young, and stupid. Though I must say she's always been one of my favorite mistakes. Apparently a damn pretty mistake too. You've inherited her glare."

The brute was surprisingly wistful. Fyora may have regretted their brief affair, but he never had. Then again, Acarapi never regretted anything. Even his worst experiences were somewhat pleasing. He was chuckling again as he added on an afterthought. "You've got her opinion of me too. I'm afraid she doesn't think much of me now. A pity really. She would have been fun to keep around. She was a much better bitch than most of the idiots we choose to associate with." Rhyanne should have been counting herself very lucky at that moment. This was a side of the fortune teller most wolves never got to see.

[rhyanne]

Rhyanne stared up at Acarapi, her expression a mixture between confusion and anger. He had not struck her in any way, but doing so struck her in a different manner altogether. It seemed to reiterate the fact that he was indeed, telling the truth. She was aghast. Of all the wolves in the world, Acarapi? There had to have been something wrong with her mother to have any involvement with the scrap of meat and bones in front of her. She could not grasp the concept that, no matter how much she fought it, Acarapi was her father.

But alas, he was not making this any easier for her. Rhyanne was furious with every word he said. Could he not think of a less harsh way to talk about her mother? Sure, it was some of the kindest words she had heard from his mouth, but it was still driving the femme crazy. The last thing she needed right now was a more complicated life, yet he had managed to throw even more chaos into her already throbbing head. She refused to look him in the eye, scared that she would find confirmation in his face. Sure, she knew it was true, deep down. But that did not help shake the fact that she wanted to go back to being just Rhyanne, the fatherless femme. It would be better to not have a father than to have her's.

Rhyanne was defiant as ever with her voice; he had gone this long without hearing the voice of his daughter, so perhaps he would not be offended by her complete disregard of the newfound relationship. She did not care that he was trying to make things better for her. If anything, she would have preferred being beaten and raped. It would have been less painful in the end. Anything would have been.

Her flight urge was very strong right now; would Acarapi return to the band and tell them what she was? That the ever so quiet, sweetheart Rhyanne was really his daughter, the daughter of a manipulative whore that would not have even realized it unless she had kept to herself? She had made it this long around him; eventually, the truth would have come out. It was the worse punishment for spying that she could have ever thought. It would take a while for her to recoup from this; it would happen eventually, but right now she had to fight the urge to run away, to abandon the gypsies altogether and try to avoid the consequences of her actions...

[acarapi]

Acarapi's fur bristled. Here he was actually being honest for once in his life and the little bitch couldn't muster up a single response. No confirmation or denial that what he was admitting to could possibly be true. His eyes narrowed into slits. Did she not realize what the staggering implications of this new found relationship were?

"Don't just sit there, girl. Speak!" he barked out. Behind him his tail twitched in agitation. The urge to get up and strike her was almost as overwhelming as the fire burning in his over-exercised groin. But just because the thought of her being his daughter wasn't enough to calm his hormones did not mean he had zero self-control. For him, family was meant to be kept on a pedestal. It could be used and manipulated from time to time, but it was still a precious treasure meant to be admired rather than touched.

When finally he could sit no more, Carp rose to his feet and began to pace. His eyes were still transfixed upon Rhyanne, every muscle in his body tense. Why wouldn't she get it through her thick skull that she held their immediate future in her paws? If she confirmed what he'd just voiced, the Red wolf would be taking another dip in that ice cold lake. Nothing was absolute until she gave him any indication that what he'd said was true.

When still she would do nothing but stew in her own mind, the brute sighed. Again he paced towards her, staring her down until she looked up into his eyes. When he was sure he had her attention he asked the one question that had been bothering him the most since he'd learned her mothers name. "Well?" he whispered quietly, enticingly. "Are you untouchable or not?" Maybe now she'd realize why he so desperately wanted to know.

[rhyanne]

She hated him, with every ounce of her body. She could not stand to sit here and look at him for another moment. But yet she was still here, looking Acarapi directly in the eye as if she were intent to find any wavering in his demeanor. She could see none. Rhyanne was terrified.

Of all the wolves, why would she happen to run across her own father in such a casual setting. Or better yet, why would he be still here asking her if she was untouchable? Did Acarapi really want to know if she was his daughter solely to avoid incest? Was he that desperate to get laid that the probability that he was actually her daughter was not enough of an uncomfortable situation to quell those desires? She was sickened. And to make matters worse, his harsh voice cut across her ears. She was sick of listening to him talk, and to top it all off, he kept insisting she speak to him. Finally, she dropped her facade and spoke openly with the brute.

"I wish you would stop urging me to speak so much. Has it ever crossed your mind that why I do not normally talk is to avoid situations like this? Others see the quiet, sweet little Rhyanne and think that I am stupid, foolish, and useless. Yet I would rather have that attitude about me than have them know how I really am," she reprimanded him with a glare. "And as for if I am untouchable, if I am not, then I would not know. But for now, it is looking like you are the most likely candidate, daddy." She sneered the last word, her true colors blindingly vivid. She was not the cute little femme that everyone seemed to see. In fact, other than her mother's appearance, she had a lot more of Acarapi's demeanor than anything else. She had developed a rash streak from her time around the gypsies, and her father was the first one to get a taste of her snide attitude.

To be honest, Rhyanne was not sure what to do. Was this new discovery going to be too much for her to handle? If so, she could flee, maybe find a way off this continent to start over again. Her only fear was that somehow, someday the gypsies would find her. They always seemed to, and she could not fathom the consequences of abandoning them, especially with her lowly position within the group. Those chances always seemed much too difficult to take.

[acarapi]

He wasn't one to be taken off-guard. In fact, there were few times Acarapi was ever taken fully by surprise. This was one of those times.

Rhyanne's personality seemed to do a complete one-eighty as finally she dropped her act. The temper within in her was violent, rushing at him like a slap in the face. For a moment he stared at her, jaw going slack as he took in the new female he'd forced to the surface. Then, slowly but surely, the Red Wolf's smirk returned. He knew there had been such a spirit buried within in. She was his daughter, after all.

His voice was amused as he answered her. "You don't know the power you hold. Of the band, you're the hardest to read. Dreidoj's a greedy bastard and Mirela has nothing but resentment. Yana's a know it all and Larkspur smolders in his own mistrust. But you, my dear. You play the fool all too well. I never know what to expect with you. I want to know your true colors."

He watched her for a few moments longer before turning and striding towards the chilly waters. He waded into the shallows, hissing as the cold liquid stung the skin of his paws and legs. Acarapi did not stop until he was half-way submerged, his hormones cooling as he stared into the icy depths. His footing was still firm as he watched plump, succulent fish swimming in the deeper waters. Then he turned to look back at Rhyanne, motioning her over with a jerk of his head.

"I told you before, this conversation is confidential. If anyone asks, I ordered you to come fishing with me." He paused, turning his attention back to the fish. "If I thought you were stupid, I wouldn't insist you speak. I've lived a comfortable life because I tell others what they want to hear, not what they should hear. If you ever decide you want to speak, your secrets will be safe with me." Honesty was rare for the lusty Red brute, but the more he poked at the mixed bred female the more he was sure they were of the same blood. Whether she wanted his help or not, he planned to take care of his daughter, even if all he could do was feign reasons for her to not get in trouble.