It had taken some time for Morrigan to adjust to being the warren leader. Frankly, she knew nothing about running a mine or leading people for that matter. Nora helped her though.

The beautiful blonde had told her how she ran the mine in her stead during her “episode” and showed her the ropes while she made her presence known throughout the mine.

Once her looming authority was reestablished, productivity had increased to an even higher level than before.

Having found the flaws within how Tyrus ran the mine, Morrigan had made several decrees that boosted morale of the prisoners especially when the prisoners now received their rations every day as well as banning whipping. Morrigan truly loathed the sound whips made.

She wanted to ban the barbaric past time of the fighting pit however, many inmates enjoyed it enough, on top of Nora’s adorable begging convinced her to keep it open. In truth, the fighting pit was a steady stream of energy for her and was a necessary evil once she began practicing with her powers again.

All in all, the inmates were grateful to Morrigan after killing Tyrus and improving their lives in ways that she could.

She also learned that the Skinks were ingenious builders after Xol ordered them to rebuild as much as they could from the furniture she had destroyed within her new dwelling, despite her protesting, fashioning her a new lording chair as well as small functional furniture such as a stool or end table from the scraps. The Skinks had been more than thrilled to be able to build rather than mine, so eventually, she let them start crafting things for the inmates too.

She deeply missed her hovel in the abandoned tunnel except she could not bring herself to walk down the tunnel. Eventually she had asked Nora to gather her belongings and bring them to her new room.

Xol was her constant shadow as well. Where ever she went, he was close by like the silent guardian he was determined to be. She was happy with the chance to learn more about the Saurian. He even began teaching her snippets of the Saurian language. The first take away of those lessons were the proper names of the race.

It turned out Saurian was a Federation given name, the racial name actually being Marmuro’k.

Xol further explained that each sub-species had their own names; the Skinks were really called S’randin, the Lizards like himself were Kêzi’kân, and the third species she had yet to see that the Federation labeled “Gators” were called Timse’h.

“What are the others’ names?” Morrigan asked as she looked left to Xol who stood like a statue, watching diligently as the prisoners pushed filled carts of Viridian towards the elevator for loading.

Xol cast a quick glance at her before pointing at the other Kêzi’kân that stood sentry at the top of the slope to her overview. “Hî’tet-Tau,” he rumbled without taking his eyes off the procession before pointing at the S’randin that were off on the other side of the warren tinkering with stone and bone.

“Yekku-Krî’ket. Qiote-Arak'tarul,” he stated.

She found it interesting that the Kêzi’kân clicked the hinge of their jaw to pronounce a “k” sound as well as unable to pronounce a “P” sound.

It made it hard for Xol to speak Terran given his little knowledge of the language to begin with, but the Terran language was filled with the letter “p”.

“So, Hî’tet is part of your clan?” She inquired.

Xol nodded knowing the girl was looking up at him.

She learned there were 13 clans of the Marmuro’k, Tau being one of them, though she had no hope to memorize them all yet.

“Is that why he follows your directions so…quickly, while the others are a bit more timid?” she asked curiously while trying to make sure he understood the question.

Xol hummed, “Xol-Tau ssstrong, honorable warrior,” he replied.

Like he had been teaching her the Kêzi’kân/Marmuro’k language, she had slowly been working with Xol to improve his pronunciation of Terran words, though progress had been slow in that regard.

Morrigan smiled, “Right, the Marmuro’k value and respect strength,” she chirped proudly, making sure to force a “CK” sound on any “k’s”. It was an amusing nuance she and Xol worked around seeing as humans did not have locking jaws that could be used to articulate the noise. Xol found it as an acceptable substitute.

The low rumbling hum that came from her guardian told her that her prior knowledge was correct.

“I don’t think I’ll ever get tired of seeing you like this!” Nora called out as she sauntered up to the overview.

Morrigan was beyond thankful to Nora for holding her up and keeping her grounded. She honestly had no clue what she would have done without her. “What's that pray tell?”

Nora’s bright smile flashed in Morrigan’s eyes as she walked up and sprawled out over Morrigan’s lap, hooking her arms around her neck. “This whole regal royalty look you got going on,” she teased.

Xol let out a low hiss announcing his displeasure of Nora being near Morrigan.

Nora bent her head back to look at Xol upside down with a cocksure smirk, “relax ya big brute, it’s just me.”

Xol clicked his teeth together in a sort of scoff, though he did nothing to truly interrupt the two women.

Morrigan snorted though she smiled softly, “oh, I’m far from royalty…”

Nora straightened upwards and planted a soft kiss on her cheek. “you’re definitely a queen to me,” she whispered sweetly, causing Morrigan to blush. Nora snorted, “and to everyone else here for that matter, not that I give a shit what anyone else thinks… except maybe the big guy here seeing as he probably wants to rip me in half every time he sees me,” she tacked on sarcastically.

Morrigan giggled and turned her head to Xol, “Xol, you wouldn't rip Nora in half would you?” she asked playfully.

Xol shifted on his feet uncomfortably, “onlly if you desirre it, Mirina Sor.” It was his way of cleverly omitting his feelings about Nora despite the fact that Nora openly irritated him on purpose.

“Awe, you’re such a sweet heart Xol!” Nora quipped which drew a fanged sneer from him.

“But really though, the Queen Mori thing? Total turn on,” Nora flirted which caused Morrigan to go bright red as she couldn’t keep herself from laughing.

She definitely knows what’s up, Apollyon jabbed as her deity took pleasure in teasing her as well.

“Warren leader! Leader!” a prisoner ran into view running towards the overview from below.

A step forward from Xol caused the prisoners to skid to a halt panting. “Warren leader, one of the task masters… they started whipping Brad!” the prisoner announced out of breath.

Morrigan’s whole demeanor shifted as her jaw clenched tightly and her hands strained the wooden chair arms the S’randin built for her.

“Precious, why don’t you let me handle this?” Nora asked as she stood up.

“No,” Morrigan snapped, her anger rising steadily, “I will handle this insolence.”

Oohhh yeahhhh, Momma is going to punish the naughty child, Apollyon mused, obviously basking in the rage roiling in her core.

She stormed down the slope and briskly passed the guards who flinched at the anger that radiated from her.

“Hî’tet, make sure the elevator gets loaded!” she called up as she stormed towards the prisoner, Xol hefting his hammer over his shoulder as he towered from behind.

“Show me,” she demanded, and the prisoner directed her to the tunnel she needed to go down without question, albeit timidly.

Nora trailed behind with Yekku, the blue and gold patterned S’randin who had originally defended Nora some time ago.

Yekku and Nora were both curious by nature and easily excitable which made them an amusing pair to be around even though only the Marmuro’k could understand the S’randin.

The sound of a whip crack resonated down the tunnel as angry shouting could be heard. The inmates that Morrigan passed parted like the sea, giving her as wide of a path as possible until the crowd parted on the offending task master and victim.

“I don’t care if the other tunnels made their calls! The lot of you back to work! We only have half a bin so no one is leaving!” the task master roared as he whipped a meager older man curled up on the ground.

Morrigan seethed rage at the sight of this. When the task master brought the whip back over his shoulder, Morrigan snatched the length of leather and tugged hard enough to rip the weapon from his hand.

The man spun on his heels angrily only to freeze in place, the color draining from his face once he saw who had been standing behind him just five feet away.

“What-did-I-say, about using fucking whips in this mine!” she growled, each word bled her seething anger as a crackle of crimson energy jumped across her body.

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Tear his fucking hands off girl! Apollyon cackled in hysterical bliss.

In lieu of answering her, the task master turned to run as fast as he could however, Xol lunged forward, closing the gap before the man could take a single step.

Xol lifted the man by the neck and presented him to her, “Mirina Sor qîrsí hûn yek qiriskin, Mônkee,” Xol rumbled with his teeth bared.

The grip Xol held around the man’s neck prevented him from speaking, not that it mattered to Morrigan.

“No, but an example will be made,” she responded to Apollyon before focusing on Xol.

“Remove his shirt and hold him Xol,” she ordered.

Xol followed her direction without question, understanding her intent as he set his hammer aside and tore the shirt from the man before presenting his back to her while holding the man’s arms out to the side.

Despite how much she loathed whips, it would serve its intended purpose as it coiled at her feet.

The crowd of prisoners caught on and backed away as the man struggled helplessly against Xol’s strength. Frankly, Morrigan was likely the only one in the mine who could contend against the Kêzi’kân’s strength and that was only by logical deduction made by Apollyon.

The whip tore away a deep layer of flesh as Morrigan’s rage enhanced each strike of the whip. One could even suggest that if she had struck any harder, she would have sundered the man straight to the bone.

The man screamed and wailed in pure agony as Morrigan aggressively assaulted him, only growing more and more angry with each strike.

Nora leaned over to Yekku as she watched with wide eyes, “I don’t know about you, but I am so freaking turned on right now,” she said with giddiness.

Yekku slowly turned his head to look at the strange blonde woman and flicked his tongue slowly, his own eyes were wide as saucers, whether it was from the punishment Morrigan doled out, or the bizarre statement made by Nora. He turned his head slowly back to the spectacle and went about watching as if she had never said anything as she rocked back and forth on her heels chewing her lower lip.

By the time Morrigan had deemed the lesson learned, the task master’s back was shredded to ribbons, almost literally. She wrapped the whip in her hand tightly and used her crimson claws to tear the leather weapon into pieces.

Xol lifted his prisoner up by the wrists with a single large hand and faced the man towards her. She watched the man sob uncontrollably and muttering incoherently.

She came within a foot of the man, not daring to be any closer, “Shut up!” she snapped, “if you so much as raise a hand at another one of ours, I will pull you apart piece by fucking piece,” she growled out, “you have three work cycles to heal, then you will be put on digging until I deem you worthy to taking up the title of task master, do I make myself clear?”

The man didn’t respond in his agonizing sobs until Xol tightened his grip on the man’s wrists, threatening to shatter them.

Everyone was silent as Morrigan dropped the bits of the whip on the ground, except for Nora who sounded like she was doing her best to stifle uncontrolled giggles as she fidgeted dramatically. Her eyes alight with excitement.

The victim, Brad, gasped as he lifted his head up from the ground, his arms unfolding from behind his neck as his scraped knees balanced painfully on the stone floor, to see what was happening now that noise had stopped.

Morrigan jerked around sharply, her crimson claws flashing on display when she realized someone was closer to her than she instinctively desired, only to find Brad cowering in fear again a mere foot behind her.

“I’m sorry! I’m sorry…” Brad stammered out as he tried to scoot away from her quickly.

Morrigan’s anger quickly dissolved at the sight of the man, “No, I’m the one who should be apologizing,” she said softly.

The older man looked up in fear to see her features soften with a sort of protective compassion a leader would have over their people.

“Stand up Brad, you don’t need to worry, it’s become a nasty reaction for most people who come close to me or touch me…” she explained, feeling bad for scaring the poor man.

She was not lying though. There was an incident shortly after Nora got her to take walks amongst the populace where a male prisoner grabbed her arm to gain her attention. She ended up severing the man's forearm off in panicked reflex. Since that incident, the inmates gave her a minimum of three to four feet of space to be sure she wouldn't accidentally retaliate.

“I-I just want to say thank you for coming to my defense Mirina Sor,” Brad stammered out quickly before he started groveling at her feet.

Morrigan groaned and rolled her eyes as Brad’s behavior spurred a ritualistic bowing throughout the group.

She did not like being referred to as “Mirina Sor” nor did she appreciate the type of attention Xol had spurred into the community. She even demanded that he call her by her name, but that was so far the only order he stubbornly ignored, sticking with using the title he had given her.

Don’t hate Mori, this is what fear and respect gets you; unwavering loyalty, Apollyon hissed with pride.

Morrigan scowled, “everyone to your feet, and please, call me Morrigan…” she commanded gently. After a moment, people began to rise to their feet.

She sighed, “good... take whatever Viridian you have and cart it to the elevator then get something to eat.”

Even with a whole community loyal to her that followed her orders without question, being a leader was still tiring and hard on the brain.

Morrigan walked back to the central warren with her private company following closely, Nora hanging off her arm.

Hehe, I swear this girl is like a cat in heat, Apollyon cracked.

Normally Morrigan would have blushed at the thought however, seeing as Nora continuously rubbed her arm against her body and kept burying her nose into the nape of her neck, Apollyon’s observation was rather accurate. More so, it kind of felt right to Morrigan.

She couldn't explain why but Nora made her feel at home, as if they truly belonged in each other’s arms, yet at the same time, the guilt of her distant relationship with Taylor made Morrigan’s feelings difficult to decipher or flourish. She was always in a constant flux of confliction.

They returned to the central warren to find most of the prisoners having retrieved their food and watching a loud altercation near the elevator.

Morrigan groaned at the prospect of another issue to sort out.

They all witnessed Hî’tet blocking the path of an irate guard who was shouting a whole world of racial and degrading things, including threats to Hî’tet’s life.

“Hî’tet! What the hell is going on now?” Morrigan called out as they got closer. Both the Kêzi’kân and the guard looked in their direction before the guard stormed past Hî’tet, disregarding the warnings from the guards who normally watch over the elevator.

Xol-Tau let out a loud threatening hiss as he moved between the guard and Morrigan, brandishing his hammer while Hî’tet flanked and the two S’randin closed in to surround the guard.

The level of menacing alien threat seemed to cause the guard to reassess her current situation.

Nora and Morrigan stepped into view as everyone scrutinized the intruder that invaded their home.

The guard woman looked to the pair and sighed impatiently, “listen, my orders are to escort the new warren leader to the surface. The Warden wants a word with them.”

Morrigan cocked her head to the side, “why does the Warden want to speak to me?”

There was a flash of recognition in the guard’s eyes as she made a move to slip underneath the head of Xol’s hammer and make a grab for Morrigan.

However, Nora shoved her behind and coalesced her ice daggers as she met the guard in the middle.

The guard was a fast one as she drew her side arm and pressed it against Nora’s temple as the ice mage pressed one icy blade against the woman's throat and the other just underneath the ribcage in a stand off.

“Move aside inmate, I'm running late,” the guard barked only to be blindsided by a massive spectral claw snatched her off the ground and held her in the air on display as it wrapped around her tightly.

Everyone turned to see Morrigan mimicking what the spectral manifestation did with a very dark look on her face.

“That was a mistake to threaten someone I care about,” she enunciated with cold, hallow anger.

Morrigan tightened her grip slowly until the guard’s armor crumpled and blood poured freely to the ground as bones began to shatter under crushing pressure.

Now that, my little goddess, was a righteous kill, Apollyon said full of pride and sadism.

As the body slumped to the ground, Morrigan looked at Nora to make sure she was okay. The look on Nora's face was something she did not expect.

Instead of surprise, anger or any other emotion she could express, Morrigan saw a level of happiness on Nora’s face that looked she was seconds away from bursting into tears.

Dropping the daggers, Nora threw her arms around her and pulled her into a tight embrace as she sniffled.

Morrigan started to worry as she gently placed her hands on her back, trying to keep focus as the blood from the guard rushed through her system.

“What’s wrong?” she asked softly.

Nora laughed as she pulled back, keeping Morrigan close to her and kissed her passionately.

All of Morrigan’s senses fell away between the blood high and the passion Nora exuded as she returned the same level of feeling, despite all her reservations and confused feelings, she pulled Nora tightly into her.

The Marmuro’k all looked around the warren awkwardly until one of the prisoners coughed loud enough to break the spell over the two women.

When Nora pulled away, Morrigan’s face held a confused expression as the fog in her mind started to fade.

Damn girl, could you imagine some blood play while you crack her clam like an otter? Hahahahaha.

“Nothing’s wrong precious, that was just the sweetest thing anyone has ever done for me,” Nora interjected with a bright smile.

Morrigan’s face turned bright red as she processed both voices. “Dick,” she told Apollyon as she gave Nora a sweet shy smile. Apollyon just giggled to itself in self amusement.

Both women noticed that the guards didn’t move or make a sound after witnessing one of their own brutally murdered in front of them. It seemed the guards who stood guard over Mine 4 understood the potential dangers when Morrigan was involved.

Morrigan let out a deep sigh as she watched the guards awkwardly pretend nothing happened and let go of Nora.

“So,” she said crisply to garner their attention, “which one of you ladies or gentlemen want to escort me to the Warden. It seems I owe him a visit.”

Everyone surrounding her looked at her as if she grew a second head.

All ten of the guards shuffled their feet nervously before one of the men stepped forward. “I will,” he stated firmly though subtle fear hid in his voice.

Xol stepped in front of her to try and block her path with a shake of his head.

“What?” she asked him incredulously with raised eyebrows.

Xol placed his massive hand on her shoulder and said, “you sstay.”

Murmurs broke out throughout the gathered inmates. She could hear their surprise that she didn’t freak out. In truth, she was just as surprised herself.

Morrigan, you have PTSD. Apollyon informed her dryly.

“Really?” she blurted incredulously with furrowed eyebrows and a frown, though she was ignoring Xol for the moment.

That’s my guess, so far you haven’t had any anxiety whenever your pretty blonde touches you, or the lizard now… Given what happened, I believe your anxiety is transfixed on male humans… Apollyon explained cautiously.

Morrigan shook her head sharply with a deep frown, packing away what Apollyon told her for later and returning her attention back to Xol.

“Listen Xol, if I don’t go then the Warden may send more guards next time, hell, given the fact I killed the guard he sent he may send a damned army,”

Xol growled at that, “let come! We fight!” he snapped viciously, unwilling to let her go.

Morrigan shook her head, “no, we won’t fight unless we need to. I appreciate you wanting to protect me but I’ve met the Warden before I came to this mine Xol, I’ll be okay I promise,” she said as if trying to argue with a four-year-old.

Xol only hissed and pointed to his chest, “Xol go with!” he demanded.

Morrigan let out an annoyed sigh before Nora stepped up behind Morrigan and placed her hand gently on Morrigan’s shoulders and leaned in.

“Come on big guy, give it a rest,” she said which earned an angry hiss.

Nora let out a terribly mimicked hiss with her tongue between her teeth, “yeah, yeah hiss at me all you want but seriously, if you're so honorable and respect Mori as much as you say you do, then you should believe her when she says she’ll be fine.”

That got Xol’s gears to come to a grinding halt as he looked over the tiny women, taking a glance at the mangled body behind them.

He knelt before Morrigan in a deflated manner, “Mirina Sor…” was all he said in sullen respect.

Morrigan brushed her temple against the side of Nora’s head as tender thanks for her backing her up before she brushed her hands over Xol’s crest.

“You’re a wonderful guardian Xol, and you can continue guarding me when I come back. I shouldn’t be gone long but this is something I have to handle alone.”

He nodded before standing and quietly stepped aside so she could approach the guard, savoring Nora’s touch as she stepped out of reach.

The guard stayed as far away from Morrigan as physically possible as they stepped onto the elevator. Morrigan can hear Nora giggle at that as the elevator’s motor churned on and began to raise the lift into the abyssal darkness of the elevator shaft.