Bonded

// Part 2 //

  My forehead throbbed as I forced open my eyes the next morning. I stretched my arm out as if reaching for something that wasn't there.

  Memories from the day before came over me and I dropped my head back into my hands. What if I never found my bonded? What if I was that powerless that I didn't even have one?

  If today didn't work out, if my bonded was not at Audhin today then I was most likely doomed to be exiled.

  Nerves bubbled in my stomach as I ran my hands through my hair and wiped at my tired eyes. Slowly sliding out of bed I made my way through our small house, my mother's bonded shooting past my legs and leaping towards her, instantly purring when they came back into contact.

   "Are you ready for Audhin?" My mother asked. I nodded in response, my stomach felt as though it was twisting harshly.

  After quickly eating breakfast I forced myself to get ready and pulled on some worn jeans and a slightly too small top that hugged to my lack of curves. I slid my feet into my faux leather boots and grabbed my coat before making my way out of the house.

  The walk to Audhin was tense and silence laced between us. My parents attempted to make conversation with me but I gave monosyllabic responses to their questions, completely focused on what would be to come. I pleaded with the gods that my bonded would be there and I would finally be complete despite the growing sense of dread from my stomach that he wouldn't be there.

  The large building loomed above us, cracked brick and smashed windows made up the sides of it, whilst a large door sat in the front, the bolt drawn closed. Shouts sounded from within and the sounds of animals merged with the excited calls of males and females.

  As we wandered inside I was overwhelmed by the smell of sweat and faeces that assaulted my nose. Cages lined the four long walls of the building, stacked in fours reaching high up the walls. The cages shook as the larger predators tried to free themselves from the claustrophobia of their barred cages.

  A large sand ring stood in the centre of the building. High fences encircled it and a wall of bodies prevented me from seeing the scene within. Excited calls sounded from the ring as a bond was successfully completed.

  The wall of people parted and I could see a male walk proudly through the gap with his newly bonded Mongoose trotting at his feet. Their bonding wounds were quickly healing as they borrowed each other's energy. The male walked over to those I assumed were his family and his father pulled him into a bear hug, pride shining on his face. I couldn't help the envy bubbling through my body as I drew my gaze away from the happy family and looked back to the concerned faces of my own.

  My father ushered my on, urging me to look for the faint bond trace that would lie between me and my bonded. As I made my way past the cages, my eyes flickering over the animals that should be roughly my rank, yet i didn't feel a single tingle were the body lay.

  Terror moved through my body as we made it to halfway and I had still felt nothing. Another cry came from the ring and yet another bonded pair walked out, this time a black haired female, with a jet black cat that walked by her legs.

  I continued walking when a cry of happiness came from my right and a female looked at the cage two in front of me. She ran over and her hands trembled with excitement as she looked at the small bird that sat inside. The bird looked straight back at her and it was almost as though her excitement was reflected in the birds gaze.

"Mine!" She shouted and a older female walked up behind her. "My bonded!" The girl repeated.

  I held back tears as I realised that we were three quarters of the way around and I was still left without a single trace. I refused to look back at my family, knowing the disappointment that would be present on their faces.

  We reached the end of the cages and a small cry left my lips. "No!" I cried, the tears finally falling from my eyes. "Please no!" I begged.

  My body shuddered and as a shout from the ring wove towards us, I bolted. Tears stinging my eyes as I sprinted out of the building and into the cold winter weather. Once I turned a corner, I allowed my emotions to take over.

I slid down a wall, my whole body trembling as great sobs racked my being.

Unbonded.

Weak.

Pathetic.

  The names spiralled around my brain, a reminder of the failure that I was. I could hear voices calling out to me but I blocked them out. Curling into a ball as though that would protect me from the fate that I could no longer avoid.

  I would be exiled. I would be torn away from my family. And I would remain incomplete for the rest of my life.

  I raised my head from my knees and looked around, seeing the pairs of bonded wandered happily around and the newly bonded practically jumping with the joy of being completed, both person and animal bathing in the benefits of connection.

  So I sat and wallowed in my own self pity as my family desperately called out to me. Begging me not to give up, but it was too late. I had already given up.

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