@Alizabeth, and @Alabaster too if he wants!

Time had marched on and still there had been no trace of his wife. Her absence had thrown a grenade into their family, scattering the parts of it across the land. Though Ransom had attempted his best, his obsession over the loss of Alizabeth had consumed him, taking the ghoul to the darkest edges of the world and his own sanity.

Dysnomia had helped in the search but he could not expect the lioness to stand by his side day and night as he combed through the land, barely eating or sleeping, growing more irritable and angry by the moment. Their children were scattered and to his own horror, the obsidian giant had had to place Lyle into the hands of an enemy just to see him survive. When he'd found Alabaster, the pair were both worn, Ransom from his own torment and the warden gravely ill.

And now this. The behemoth was sporting a severely lamed limb (details TBD) from a fight with a lion he did not know, who'd turned out not to be holding Alizabeth captive.

He moved slowly through the boneyard, a growl marking every step as he limped, dragging the useless forelimb along with him. Dried blood and the gaping wounds of battle marred his ebony form. Cerulean gaze scanned the scattered remains on the dust laden earth, searching for a suitable bone he could strap to his arm. The male might know little about healing, but he knew that it would be less than useless if he did not allow the bone to set straight at the very least.

I got this feeling, yeah, you know

Where I'm losing all control

code by corvus

They had been wandering the map together for a few days. The dark ghoul and pale warden. And between the two of them it was rather slow going. Which, although annoying, honestly worked out in their respective favors. Alabaster was most definitely still lacking his former stamina and with @Ransom’s broken bone they were taking frequent breaks. Most of which Alabaster would have to talk Ransom into taking. Despite his broken paw he was determined to keep moving. But Bast was determined to not let the brute go permanently lame.

Now that they were out in the badlands, things felt even slower. And far more miserable. The sun scorched down on Alabaster’s thick winter-made coat. And he couldn’t imagine how his much darker companion felt.

They stopped in the boneyard and Alabaster immediately sought shaded shelter. Which was very little. He dug up the ground a bit for a cooler spot before flopping down and stretching out. Blue eye’s watched Ransom quizzically before realizing what he was doing. Good idea. Bast half yawned. If you find a good sturdy bone, bring it over and I’ll help you set a splint. IT was a task that would be much easier with help.

Art by Kim | Table by Minxy

God she was fucking hungry. Alizabeth couldn't remember the last time she was this hungry. After running into Nero, she'd gone to look for some food and apparently the lack of exercise in the past few months had caused her muscles to atrophy temporarily. Hunting was a bitch.

An antelope had fled to the Boneyard, and Alizabeth had reluctantly followed, though quickly lost steam. It felt like she had been following it forever, and by the time she realized she had landed herself in this barren place, she felt her mouth dry up almost immediately.

"Ugh..." She grumbled vocally, her nose wrinkling with annoyance. It was then the faint sound of voices catch her attention. Brows raise, ears dancing atop her head as she frantically searches for the source. Finally, magenta eyes catch sight of a pair of bodies.

At first, the heat causes her vision to blur, but then she realizes who it is. Her heart sinks and she feels tears sting her eyes. Her boys. She can't help the emotion that runs down her cheeks as she picks up her pace and swiftly closes the distance between them.

She doesn't quite run, though, no - she approaches slowly, as if she hadn't been missing for months. In the most casual way manner, her head whirling with happiness, sadness and rage. "Hey sweets, fuckin' miss me?" Alizabeth calls out, that trademark smirk curving her tattered lips.

The warden as usual, offers his assistance even as he has barely taken steps away from death's door himself. The helpful little prick. Ransom snorted, nodding at Alabaster whilst simultaneously pleased with himself. It felt good for things to resemble old times, back when he was free to despise the only responsible person in his life.

The behemoth limped on, searching on for a suitable bone. The pain that radiated up his forearm grew more intense as exhaustion extended its grip of his aching body. But as ever, Ransom continued on, grim and accepting of his fate.

There was a flurry of movement that caught suddenly in the corner of his vision. But this was nothing new to the obsidian male, who'd often stalked to the edges of Amarllyis, chasing a fantasy of white. Yet this time it was accompanied by the sound of footfall and his ears turned, drawn toward the noise that moved ever closer.

They were being set upon.

With an irritated scowl, the giant raised his skull, rotating it to regard the interloper that would receive a harsh response from a wearied, heartbroken lion.

Alizabeth.

His heart lept into his mouth and the ghoul stared, open mouthed and wide eyed at the vision in white. She spoke, but the words were lost behind the rush of his own heartbeat as it pulsed and roared in his ears. Ransom stepped toward her, leaning too much upon his injured leg but ignoring the immense searing pain as he moved quickly, limping toward his wife.

He doesn't wait, doesn't pause as his lips press firmly to her neck, his broad chest heaving up against the petite white flesh of his goddess. She is slighter than before and seemed more breakable somehow. Perhaps it was his own imagining, desperately trying to find reasoning for her absence. He wants to know where she has been and why but those details were secondary when his happiness and desire surge to the fore of his mind. "Alizabeth." He murmured in unending love.

@Alabaster @Alizabeth

I got this feeling, yeah, you know

Where I'm losing all control

code by corvus

Alabaster rolled his eyes at the sound of @Ransom's snorting but as the dark male turned his back, a slight smile touched the Warden's lips. Some things were just never going to change. But that was alright he supposed. Far less stress in the predictable. At least the two hadn't killed each other yet with how much time they had just spent together.

The pale beast had closed his eyes, enjoying the way it felt to just lay there and do nothing. It was a vastly different kind of do nothing compared to when he had been confined to his cave. There was no anxiety of dying alone. If Alabaster dropped right now at least Ransom would be there to dispose of him rather than their children. The intrusive thought making his shoulders shake as he silently laughed at that image. What would Ransom's face look like in that moment? To turn around and just..

Eyes snapped open as a voice rang across the boneyard. All Alabaster could do was stare. Even as the black goliath hobbled to their missing wife and flung himself upon her, Bast was slower to react.

He rose steadily and slipped closer, eyes never leaving @Alizabeth's face. Unlike the last time he was not angry with her. The woman looked far worse now than she did then. None of their children were missing this go around so whatever had kept her away must have been something that neither of her men could aid her with.

He pressed into his wife from behind seeing as the other side of her was currently occupied. A large paw looping up to wrap her thinned middle as his head lowered to gift kiss after kiss to the length of her spine. Aliza. He finally breathed. Both statement and question. His mind unmade on whether she was truly here or if he had indeed actually just dropped dead.

The first thing she noticed was the injury to @Ransom's leg. Fury boiled in her veins suddenly, her brows furrowing and ears sweeping back. Desperately she tries not to let this anger ruin this reunion, seeing him close the distance - limping. It was hard to watch such a powerful, strong man be in such a weakened state. Who the fuck had done this to him?

The kiss to her neck sends a shiver down her spine, the affection something she hadn't had in months - it felt almost foreign, but oh so welcome. The small woman leans into the kiss, closing her eyes and inhaling his scent deeply.

After a moment, those vibrant eyes open, thick lashes fluttering open in a deceptively feminine manner. It was then she noticed @Alabaster, standing - staring. He was quiet in his approach, those blue eyes searching for reason. She wanted to give them that, but agreeing with Amara kept her from giving the full details.

Alizabeth was many things, but a two-faced bitch wasn't one. He moves to hold her as Ransom presses against her - effectively securing her between them both. One kissing her neck, the other pressing delicate licks to her spine. Her name, whispered like a prayer from both created a thrill of elation in her chest and she felt her eyes stinging with emotion.

"Fuck, boys...gunna make me cry." She muttered, her voice breaking softly, which the war-torn woman quickly covered up with a shaky laugh.

@Alabaster finds a way into the embrace and for the first time would not earn a jealous growl from the heathen beast. It did not matter then the grudges of old, not when all has come right and he feels the juddering of his heart which had seemed only then to begin to beat once again. They are brothers in arms, fathers of the same children and lovers of the same woman and at last, Ransom has come to accept it.

@Alizabeth's voice is a song, a rhythm his ears venture forward to capture whole heartedly and he finds that he cannot, does not want to disconnect from her touch.

Even lamed, the ghoul would not be denied, knowing that explanations would come later. Though now that she was returned to him, it seemed to hardly mattered why. He covets her neck, sinking his kisses deeper, even nudging into Alabaster as he seeks to descend the moment into something far more carnal.

-Potential fade?-

Her words only served to deepen his purr, his teasing nibbles having moved from her back up to her nape and then to her ear. Ransom shifted and both males seemed to dance around the small lioness in order to change positions. The Warden seemed to not at all mind that the larger male took their wife first. He was happy to press his lips to hers, smiling whenever she happened to release ecstasy induced moans.

Blue eyes move up to ensure that Ransom has indeed had his fill before Alabaster pulls away from their wife's embrace. His body even pressed into and slowly ran along the length of Ransom's own as he sought to replace him.

/fade

Each touch sends a shiver up her spine. So long had she been bereft of their attentions, their love - their touch. It was like a dream, too good to be true. And yet, it was. They were here, surrounding her in their affection and kisses. Their passion and need radiated off of them like a blanket and Alizabeth reveled in it. Leaning into @Ransom first, she coos softly, her heart thrumming, letting herself melt in the sheer size of his massive form for a moment before @Alabaster joined them. Toes curl, tingling as she lets out a vibrating, purring growl. Her Warden lover seems to not mind sharing with the great beast on the opposite side of her, each of them taking turns and it did more than thrill her - it completed her. Soon she is lost in the waves of their love, eager to drown in it.

/exit via fade