Hunger

Part I - Chapter 12 - Bound

Iya floated lazily in the river pool—she was back in her woods.  The bluebirch trees sighed above her as if in greeting.  Iya closed her eyes against the bright sunlight and enjoyed the sense of rightness.  Safe, the forest whispered.  Home.

The light faded and it became difficult to breathe.  Iya felt herself sink beneath the surface, weighed down by stones—soft stones, yet heavy nonetheless.  Thunder rumbled constantly as the stones shifted on her chest.  A rough stone scraped against her face as Iya struggled to resurface.  The thunder intensified and she opened her eyes.

Tvetja licked her cheek, and continued to knead her chest.  Iya pushed at the cub but Tvetja only nipped at her playfully and rubbed her head against Iya’s chin.  Iya stroked the cub’s head and then snapped her fingers and pointed away.  Tvetja mewled but obeyed and as the cub jumped to the ground, Iya could breathe freely again. 

Thirsty.  So thirsty.

Iya looked around and saw that she was in a strange pavilion.  She tried to sit up and the world swirled around her so violently she retched and flopped back onto the pile of pillows, wincing at the agony in her ribs and left wrist.  She held up her right hand and for a moment Iya thought her skin had turned brown, but her eyes focused and she realized that she was covered in dried blood.

Silence’s blood.

Iya tried to rise again, but she was too weak.  She looked at Tvetja cleaning a paw nearby.  Iya snapped her fingers and pointed at the entrance and Tvetja padded outside.  Iya heard men shouting in surprise and the cub growling. A flash of light made her close her eyes as someone entered the pavilion.  A moment later a familiar face hovered into sight, although it was not the face she expected.

“Hullo there, pernicious little hellcat,” Jakim whispered softly, a wicked gleam in his eye as he stroked her hair.  “Are you thirsty?”  Iya nodded the smallest of nods and Jakim’s face disappeared.  A moment later he wet her lips with a finger dipped in strong liquor.  The liquor burned like fire, but Iya licked it greedily off her lips.  Her throat was raw, but the liquor helped to revive her and after a moment, Jakim was able to help her sit up.  He helped her hold the cup to her mouth and she drank deeply, nearly choking as the liquor blazed in her chest.

“Slowly,” he said, and wiped the corner of her mouth with his thumb where she had spilled.  He popped his thumb in his mouth as he rolled his eyes exaggerated ecstasy.  “Hate to waste a good vintage,” he said, “especially one that has touched your lips!”

Iya swatted at him weakly with a glower.  Jakim smiled lewdly and held the cup up to her mouth again. 

He gently brushed the hair out of her eyes, and pressed the cup into her good hand as he rose to fetch a cloth and basin of water from across the pavilion.  When he turned back to her, Jakim’s eyes wandered across her chest and down her body and she realized how much her tattered clothing revealed.  He was obviously enjoying her state of undress.  Iya snapped and pointed at his leg and Jakim sloshed water as he dodged Tvetja’s nip. 

“Naughty, the little hellcat is!  But her point is well made,” he said and flashed her a smile full of unspoken promises.  He wet the cloth and gently dabbed at her face.  Iya was surprised the cloth came away so red. 

“Other than your wrist, where are you hurt?  There was so much blood when this one brought you in here.  This one could not find any further injury before that one chased him out,” Jakim said, nodding at Tvetja.  Iya shrugged and winced.  She pointed at her ribs.  Jakim nodded and gently palpated her frame.

“Not broken, but you received—quite the beating.”  Iya brought the cup to her mouth again and finished it.  She set it in her lap, touched her chest and furrowed her brow.  “He lives,” Jakim said darkly.  “He fared much better than you.”  Almost tenderly, he wiped the blood from her face.  Iya was amazed that such a coarse man could be so compassionate with his touch.  The water in the basin quickly turned red, and Jakim emptied it outside, and refilled it.