Feral: Love, Hate and Fine Lines....Negan and Pet

The Grove

Pet had hit the water with a bone rattling slam, nearly knocking her unconscious. It had taken more than a moment for her to realize that she was completely submerged in the cold river. She came to the top, sputtering and coughing and her right leg in terrible pain, possibly broken. The swirling rapids took her immediately and she looked up to see Negan, high above, his hands on his head, seemingly hopeless. She called to him but she couldn't hear whether he was answering and the next thing she knew, she was tangled in ropes and was being pulled to shore by a group of strangers, her injured leg screaming with each deliberate tug. By the time she was brought to shore, she was sobbing. It wasn't just because of her physical pain but because she had torn herself away from Negan once again and had fallen into foreign hands.
"Didn't expect to catch a woman today." A man said. "Not a live one anyway."
His comment was met with laughter as the group looked down at her wet and shivering body.
"Get up, girl." A heavy, bearded man growled.
He reached down and grabbed her arm and tried to yank her to her feet making Pet yelp at the sharp pain in her leg.
"I think my leg is broken!" She snapped.
One of the other men knelt down and inspected it quickly. He straightened it out roughly and she hissed through her teeth. A large bruise was already forming and there was some swelling.
"It's not broken." He told her.
"How do you know? Are you a fucking doctor?" She snarled at him.
"Yes." He answered. "It's just very badly bruised. I'll carry her back."
"Fuck you! I'm not going anywhere!" She yelled and began swinging at him.
"She's got a mouth on her. Lex ain't gonna like that at all." Another chimed in.
Pet's eyes widened at the familiar name. Negan had saved her from two of the beasts that had resided in Lex's group. She was a leader that believed in selling people for supplies. At least that was what Negan believed and had warned her about.
"Well, she'll learn quick then. Tie her up." The doctor said.
Pet struggled as three men swarmed her, overwhelming her with strong hands and rough jostling until she was flat on her stomach, her face pushed into the dirt as they tied her hands and feet. The doctor hoisted her up and over his shoulder, ignoring her bucking and the filthy insults she hurled at him. He only gave her a few words of caution.
"If you act like this in front of Lex, she'll cut your god damned tongue out of that dirty mouth of yours. The women of the Grove don't speak like that...ever. So I suggest you be respectful. Don't say I didn't warn you."
She stayed quiet after that even after they started discussing parts of her body as if she wasn't there. Her silence enabled her to listen and learn just a little of what their intentions were. No one was allowed to touch her, not until she was inspected, bought and paid for by an interested party. Women were property and nothing more. According to them, that was going to be her destiny. If they thought that was going to actually happen, they had another thing coming, she thought as they went deeper into the woods.
Upon their arrival, the guards of the Grove opened the up the formidable gates, revealing a bustling community unlike Pet had ever seen. It looked tribal at first, with standing structures, similar to what could have been Native American wigwams, an open marketplace along with an impressive stable. But what caught her eye as soon as she was placed on feet, was the treehouses that were built high up in the forest canopy. They were connected by intricate wooden and rope walkways. It reminded her of a child's playground from long ago except there were armed guards on patrol on the little bridges, keeping a birds eye view of everything that was happening within the compound as well as outside the walls.
"Take her to the infirmary. Chain her. I'll let Lex know we have another acquisition." The doctor said.
Pet felt a rifle jammed in her back, pushing her towards the back of the community. It was slow going as she limped her way there, her leg screaming at her.  The people eyed her cautiously as they went about their business, tending open fires, cooking and washing clothes in a steaming cauldron. She was relieved when she was shown a bed in one of the huts and ordered to lay down, an iron cuff slapped on her good ankle, anchoring her to the metal frame. It was only a few minutes before a young woman entered carrying a small duffle bag. She was wearing a white scarf around her head and a white smock that hung on her like a tent. Her blue eyes were big on her fine , sharp features. They betrayed her. The nurse girl was broken and Pet could see it. She sat on the edge of the bed and rummaged through the pouch, producing an ace bandage, a bottle of water and a few white pills. The girl began wrapping Pet's wounded thigh tightly. When she was done, she offered the water and medication but Pet pushed them away.
"I'm not taking anything until I get to talk to who's in charge. You can't keep me here." She snapped.
The girl just stared at her silently, shoving the items at her again. This time Pet knocked the pills from her hands and started calling out for help. It set the young woman into a panic but she didn't make a peep, her eyes reflecting the fear she was feeling. She clasped her hands together in a begging gesture and brought her fingers to her lips,  imploring her to be quiet. It only spurred Pet to get louder until the doctor bounded into the room, pistol in hand.
Pet watched as the silent girl dropped to her knees and covered her face in her hands. She still said nothing but small whimpers were coming from her now as the man grabbed her roughly by the arm and jerked her to her feet.
"Go!" He ordered.
In an instant the girl was out of the room. He walked deliberately towards Pet and grabbed her by the jaw, squeezing so hard, she thought it would crack.
"Notice anything about her?" He growled. "She's got no fucking tongue. She's one of the rejects and she belongs to me. Are you trying to end up like her? Because yelling like that is exactly how you end up being like her."
Pet snapped her mouth shut. Apparently, he hadn't been exaggerating when he warned her.
"My name is Zane and if you want to survive here, you'll need to listen to me. Right now, there is nothing keeping you alive. The only thing you're considered at the moment is another mouth to feed. If you don't act worthy for her, she'll kill you." He informed her, picking up the scattered medication.
"By her, you mean Lex?" She asked. "And if you think I'm taking those pills, you're bat shit."
Zane stared at her.
"Didn't you hear a word I said? You keep talking that way and the wrong person hears you, you're dead. Death for people like you comes swiftly and without warning."
"People like me?" She whispered.
The question came out more like a hiss but it was quiet at least.
"Yes. A woman without an owner. You're nobody's charge at the moment and that is a very precarious thing to be. The only woman of any importance here is Lex and they protect her like a queen bee in a hive."
His voice was low and hushed. Taking one of the tablets from his palm, he popped one in his mouth. He swallowed it with a gulp of water to prove their safety.
"It's ibuprofen and if she knew I was giving it to you, she'd pull all my charges from me and she'd probably kill them too. Maybe even me. Now take them for your leg. You're going to be presented soon and you need to appear completely healthy." He ordered.
He extended the medication to her again and this time she took it. She didn't know why this man was helping her, warning her of her upcoming trials. And the fact that he owned five of the community's rejects intrigued her. His voice was harsh when he addressed the mute girl but he didn't strike her or berate her. He seemed kind, a far cry from how he had described his society.
"I'm going to try and put your inspection off until those pills kick in. When you see her, keep your eyes lowered until she tells you otherwise. There's going to be things she's going to ask you to do, things that you're not going to like. But you will do them or the consequences will be dire."He told her. "You will have to forgive me if I need to guide you."
Pet studied him. He was looking at her intently, his light chocolate eyes stern and unwavering as he ran his hand nervously against his closely shaved head. It was clear that he was unsure about helping her and the last thing she wanted was to a lose an ally, as reluctant as this one appeared to be. Also, it was apparent that things could go horribly wrong for him if all didn't go smoothly.
"I'll listen. I promise." She said honestly. "I'll do anything to get out of here. If doing this will..."
Zane's eyes flashed at the comment. He lowered his voice to a hushed growl.
"You say that now. That all depends on who you're sold too....or given to. There is no other way out."
Before she could respond, he was out the door, flipping the entry curtain closed. Pet looked around her. No locked doors? No dank cells? Her ankle cuff was loose too. Hell, Negan cuffed her tighter than that on a bunch of occasions. She had a feeling that nobody would dare try to escape from here and she was able to stifle her impulsivity although it completely went against her nature.
It wasn't but a half an hour before Zane returned. He was all business as he released the chain from the bed. Giving her the once over he scowled.
"Lex does like to see future charges in the raw but you look really raw. There's nothing I can do about that right now, so I have strict instructions for you." He said, tugging roughly at her tangled hair.
Pet winced at the gruff attempt to smooth her wild mane.
"Number one. Don't make faces like that. Don't make any faces. You need to be humble." Zane instructed, unwrapping her bandaged leg. "Keep your eyes down no matter what. Even if she inspects your face."
He looked at Pet's leg and grimaced at how quickly the colors of her deep bruise were changing.
"It's going to hurt to walk. That's a bone bruise. Try not to show that it bothers you. Lex loves tough stock. Lastly, don't speak unless you are asked to. Answer quickly and watch your mouth. Let's go."
Zane pulled her outside, positioning her hands so they were laced behind her neck. He told her to leave them there until further notice. He pushed her through the compound where she finally got a chance to look at her surroundings. The Grove was not a big place but the walls protecting it were high, just like all the others she'd been to. It was compact by Alexandria's standards. Even the Haven was slightly larger but then again, this place had two stories. Ground level and then treetops with intriguing little forts built around the ancient trunks with sturdy ladders rigged so that could be raised and lowered. This is was where Zane was ushering her, right towards the tallest of them all.
"This is her palace as she calls it." He told her quietly.
Pet looked up, the sun streaming through the canopy. It had to have been sixty feet in the air and hugging a massive oak. The tree itself was a fortress and it protected the queen bee securely. And the armed guards standing watch under the thatched porch helped too.
"She climbs all the way up there?" She asked.
"No. The hierarchy gets raised and lowered."
The cranking sound of a pulley reached her from above and a platform was being lowered to bring them up. Zane guided her on and told her to sit in case she got dizzy, which she did as she watched the ground slip away.
"You are hierarchy?" She questioned.
"Yes. Now keep your mouth closed and remember what I told you." Was the last thing he said before they reached the porch.
Two large men stood as sentinels outside the gauzy, mosquito netted entrance. They held powerful guns across the doorway but parted them as Zane moved into the bungalow, his hand clamped over hers that were laced behind her head, just as he told her to do.
"Zane, my dear." A feminine voice called. "I'm over here in the meditation area."
Pet thought it was ridiculous that this woman called this her palace. It was just wide square with four walls and a thatched roof and a tree trunk growing in the middle. What it lacked in structure was made up for by the plushness she surrounded herself with. An enormous array of pillows were strewn casually against the walls and covering a generous portion of the floor, placed strategically to offer a wide walking space. The air smelled of lilacs and honeysuckles, the scent wafting from carefully placed candles.
Lex was reclining on her lounging pillows, propped up on one elbow and a glass of red wine in her hand. Pet tried to keep her eyes averted but she couldn't help but steal sneaky glances at the Grove's queen. It couldn't be helped. She was on the floor in direct sight.
The first thing she noticed was how tall and lean the woman was, her long torso and legs stretched out lazily, like a cat lounging in the sun. She wore soft, gauzy light blue pants, the material so sheer that her panties were on full display as well as her shapely legs.
Lex placed her wine on low standing table and stood, straightening her out cropped top. Her stomach was like a washboard, strong and sculpted. Pet wanted to see her face but didn't dare look, the image of the tongueless nurse flashing in her mind.
"It's been a while since we've gotten a new acquisition." She announced. "Where on earth did you find her?"
"We pulled her from the river. She had nothing on her." Zane reported.
Lex moved directly in front of her. Pet kept her eyes down and noticed she was barefoot with painted toenails, a thing she hadn't seen in years. She was surprised when a tinge of jealousy hit her. She suddenly felt dirty standing next to this perfectly coiffed and clean smelling woman.
"Well she has something we can use, I'm hoping." Lex cooed, placing two fingers under Pet's chin and lifting.
Pet slammed her eyes shut, remembering all of Zane's instructions. Don't look at her until permission was granted.
"Have you been coaching her, Zane? She seems awfully compliant." Lex pointed it out. "It's okay dear, you can raise your eyes. I want to inspect you."
Slowly, Pet opened them and came face to face with the queen of the Grove. When their eyes met, a dark sparkle lit in Lex's onyx irises.
My God, she has doll's eyes, Pet thought.
They were black and lifeless, as if she had no soul and yet they were beautiful in their gleaming starkness. She wore a headdress, with shining crystals that adorned the netting. It clung to her head and draped down her long raven hair. A small puckering smile formed on her painted lips. To Pet, she resembled a genie.
"Pretty enough, I suppose." She stated flatly, stroking Pet's cheek. "Soft skin. Young enough but probably won't fetch much for breeding."
This made Pet's blood begin to boil. She might not be a very young woman but the words were insulting to say the very least. Breeding? It was such a raw description.
"Disrobe her." Lex ordered suddenly, a wicked little smirk appearing on her face.
She watched as her new acquisition bristled and flushed crimson at the command. This was the real test and it was one of her most favorite things. It was a good indicator of how easy or hard it would be to break a new female. It was how training plans were set. No one had ever went unbroken, not in her stables. That was why her acquisitions were so valuable.
Pet felt Zane's hands squeeze the back of hers twice. It was a reminder. And as his fingers moved to the hem of her T-shirt, memories of the many lectures and lessons Negan had taught her came back in a flash. It had always been about control, not of others but of inner self. He had taught her with brilliant smiles even as he brought his belt down or taunted her with wickedly erotic games. All of it came down to the elements of control and she had learned them over and over. Staying alive. That was the reward for knowing them all.
She took a deep breath and raised her arms, aiding Zane in her humiliation. Her mind stayed with Negan. The memory of him was the only thing that was holding her still and she said a silent prayer to him to rescue her from all of this. When the top slid over her face, Lex was staring at her with a look of curiosity and mild surprise.
"Well that was easy." She chirped. "Frankly, I am a little shocked. This is generally when they start to cry or they receive their first taste of what could happen. I must say, you've disappointed Brett."
She motioned to a mountainous man that was blocking the opened doorway.
"He really likes to show my pretty ponies the ropes." She informed her.
Pet choked on the sarcastic words that were stuck in her throat but she swallowed them bitterly. And when Zane popped her bra, she held even steadier, stifling the urge to lash out with her fists. Instead, she laced her fingers behind her neck once again and bit her lip till she tasted blood. She watched as Lex scowled.
"Tits are nice. They look firm." She critiqued, squeezing one gently in her palm. "She's all scarred up though. That will mean a certain slash in pricing."
It was everything Pet could muster to stop the urge to recoil at the queen's invasive touch. No woman had ever fondled her so intimately and no one had done it so coldly either. A burning hatred ignited in her then, and as Zane grabbed the sides of her cargo pants, she went wild.
Words did not pour from her but rather ferocious, primal roars that came from deep inside. If she was going to be violated, it wouldn't be without a fight. In an instant, Brett the bodyguard came in hot, tackling her from the back and slamming her face first into the strewn about pillows. She heard Lex laughing which only spurred the desperate struggling. Flipping her onto her back had been difficult but the beastly man managed to do it, forcing her to look up in Zane's panicked face. Another man swooped in, straddling her thrashing torso. He grabbed her jaw and squeezed, producing a pair of forceps from his back pocket and held them to her puffed out lips. Brett followed up with a nasty hunting knife, clearly hoping to see a flash of her tongue so he could slice it clean off.
"Hold on, gentlemen." Lex purred. "What do we have here?"
Lex came down on one knee and pushed Pet's chin up, an amused expression etched on her face. Her onyx shark eyes honed in on Negan's mark. They narrowed wickedly.
"She can't answer my questions with no tongue." She said coldly. "What is this?"
The man that was sitting on her released her aching jaw and the blade was retracted, a disgruntled huff came from Brett. Pet said the first thing that came to her mind.
"That's the mark of my King."
The words came out in frantic little puffs as Lex rose to a stand and put her hand on her hip. She cocked an eyebrow, a half smile on her tinted lips.
"Your King?" She mocked. "So you are a Queen?"
Pet swallowed hard. Figuring her next deceptive line was easy. Not even Negan had been able to take that kind of cunning out of her.
"No. I was a concubine. He had no Queen."
Lex contemplated her. This wilding was very intriguing. She had never seen that brand before. She hadn't even heard of anything like it. Then again, she knew nothing of the groups that came to make purchases. What happened beyond her walls was none of her business.
"A concubine?" Lex gasped dramatically. "And how did you end up almost drowning?"
Pet was about to reply but with a nod of the queens head, Zane recommenced tugging at her pants. The man above her pinned her wrists to control her writhing but she kicked her legs frantically until Lex screamed.
"Be still!" She roared, eyes bulging beneath mascaraed lashes. "For a king's slut, you're very rebellious. Just because I'm interested in who you are , doesn't mean you're not going to be fully inspected. I can stop my questions and your ability to answer them if you'd prefer. Either way, it's going to happen."
Holding her breath, Pet stilled as the rest of her clothing was ripped away. As soon as it was done, her legs were spread apart crudely. Whatever Lex was judging about her exposed sex was soon negated by the sight of Negan's other reminder, the "N" that he had seared into her thigh at her agreement.
"My, my, my..." She exclaimed. "Someone either needed a reminder or your king must have really wanted to stake his claim."
It was both, Pet thought angrily. She wanted to say it but held her tongue. Literally.
The sound of shouting from below drifted up to them, the tone urgent and dire. Lex sighed loudly, annoyed someone was trying to disturb her ritual. She motioned for Zane to find out what all the commotion was about.
"What is your name?" Lex continued.
"I'm Pet." She answered, proudly.
Lex's grin was huge at the revelation of such an appropriate name. That was not this girl's given name for sure but she wore it anyway, a dedication to her king.  It was admirable. Yet, whoever he was, he was obviously too lenient. She did like the notion of branding the charges, however. That way everyone would know the mark of her stable. It was an idea worth considering.
"Your boy went over the wall again." Zane announced. "That's what's going on."
Pet could tell that Lex was trying to hide her concern but there was a flash of anxiousness in her eyes before they went back to black ice. She kept her composure as her gaze flicked over Pet.
"Take her to the stable. Drape her in black and chain her well, Zane. I know your proclivity towards rejects." She ordered and turned to her guards.
"Go find my fucking son." She hissed.