Moving Day (Savannah/Darius) - Darius and Crew

He knew it would be. He kissed her throat.

"From this point on, our time here will be for fun. Not for punishment. Not for guilt."

Her throat moved as she swallowed.

"That sounds wonderful."

He let go of her, reaching for the restraints. To let her down. And still, he wasn't done. He wasn't washing her off.

"Now, a punishment is not truly a punishment if you enjoy it, is it, my little pet?"

She shook her head as she nearly fell to the ground, her legs unable to hold her.

"No, it is not."

He moved to the corner of the cave, kicking aside a door. There was a trap door there, round like a manhole cover, but well hidden. He reached for her and, dragging her by the hair, he tossed her down the hole. It wasn't far down -- only seven feet or so.

Immediately, she was hit by the stench of death and rotting meat. There were flies down there, which added to the ants that were already crawling over her body. There was something wet that she landed on, squishy, and covered in something that was wriggling. Probably, it wasn't hard to imagine, maggots.

And down here? It was dark. Pitch dark.

"I will be back for you."

That was all he said -- before the light from above was extinguished as he kicked the trap door shut.

She screamed as she realized what was around her, what she was lying on. She tried, instantly to get to the side, to push against the wall. To have one side that wouldn't be touched by what was around and beneath her.

"Oh god. Oh god, please no. Please! I'll never do it again! I will feel no guilt!"

And on and on, until her throat was hoarse. Until she could do nothing but whimper, though she still attempted to bed.

There was no getting away from what was there. And as for how long he left her there?

Well, chances were high that he had left and spent the day in his own bed before coming back for her.

She'd completely lost track of time. She was out of tears, yet she still sobbed softly. It was in squeaky hiccups, but she cried. And she was curled up in the fetal position on her side when he returned.

He was careful about it -- she could probably tell that he had come here directly after waking. It was early in the night, though he had left her there for a good, long while. The little trap door opened and light fell across her once more. And she could easily see his arm reaching for her -- to give her a hand up and out of the pit. The smell, the insects? They didn't seem to bother him at all.

"Come here."

She scrambled weakly for his hand, jumping for it if she had to to get to it. To get out of this pit of pure hell.

"I'm so sorry."

He pulled her up easily. And instantly, his arms were around her. He knew that they were both a mess, but that's why he had a shower built inside this place. It wasn't the greatest in the world and was small -- but it would do. He cradled her against his chest.

"I expect you'll not disappoint me again."

He cradled her close and moved toward the shower. He knew she would be hurt, be in pain as well as likely disturbed. He was naked as well, stepping into the shower with her in his arms and turning on the hot spray.

She cowered from the hot water at first, then turned her face into the spray. She even reached up a hand, wanting to wash off every bit. She hadn't actually seemed to notice his state of dress.

"Never. Never ever."

He sat her on the floor -- so that she could stand on her own, but letting her use his body for leverage. His hands moved for the bottle of shampoo, so that he could wash her hair for her. He was making very sure to clean her off. Very well. Everywhere. But there wasn't anything sexual about it -- he was taking care of his pet after a punishment.

She had to use him to lean against, but she raised up to her feet, opening her mouth under the stream now that her face was clean, taking in the water. It had been so very long since she had a drink. She was also starving, but that was truly secondary. As he washed her hair, she roughly bathed the lash marks she could reach. She was hissing in pain, but that was better than healing with that....stuff inside of her wounds.

Oh, he wasn't gentle with her, either. He was scrubbing her back as well, which he knew would hurt. But yes, there was nothing at all good in that pit. And it wouldn't do for her to get ill. The fun part? As he scrubbed, he tore a bite in his wrist and brought it around in front of her.

"Drink. And heal."

She latched to his wrist, drinking deeply. But, she was not greedy. And she was sufficiently expert in what her body needed to only take as much as her body required to heal. When she was done, she licked at the wound to wipe up the over flow, not wanting any of the blood to go to waste. Then she leaned back into his chest, eyes closing. She was so very tired. You couldn't call anything she had done down in that pit sleeping.

No, he didn't imagine she had slept. He took her out of the shower, drying her off quickly. And just as quickly, he dressed her again. Before dressing himself, anyway. Once he had dressed them both, he picked her up again. He seemed to like that, seemed to like carrying her.

"Let's get you home, hmm?"

She nodded, eyes already closing. She was perfectly relaxed in his arms, trusting him completely.

"As you wish, Master."

He carried her to his car. Instead of putting her in the front seat, he had made a makeshift bed in the back for her. Complete with a pillow and blanket. He lay her down and covered her with the blanket before driving her back to the house.

She fell asleep on the way, only barely waking when he stopped the car at home. She really was so very tired, it was almost kittenish.

Once back at home, he gently picked her up and carried her into the house. And into her cage -- not the bed, he put her in the cage -- she went. There, he closed the door and covered her with another blanket -- making her comfortable. Just so she could rest and get some real sleep.

One hand curled around one of the bars of the cage, and she murmured softly in her sleep, dropping deeper into her dreams.

He wouldn't disturb her again. Let her rest -- she needed it.

After the day she'd had. She wasn't going to wake up until the next sunset.

(( want to call scene here and move on to 'the next day'?))