I stared through the chilled glass, heart hammering in my chest as I was sure that I had heard him wrong. My face was full of the obvious shock.
Was Mike... helping me? I narrowed my eyes with confusion, breathing out slowly as I stared at the human's expressionless face. I didn't have time to think about it properly.
Sam spoke from just beside me, "What?"
My eyes snapped back round to face him again. Micah.
I was focused firmly on the motionless figure of my small friend as Sam held him tight between gigantic fingers. Frozen with fear, the boy didn't dare to turn his head and look back at me. It seemed that he couldn't tear his eyes away from the terrifying face of his captor. If I was scared when Sam picked me up in that horrible hand, then Micah must have been completely sick with terror. I tried to ignore the dread churning in my chest as I looked at the two of them.
Sam had turned to the blonde human now, his eyebrows raised in a sort of amused surprise. He smirked, looking at the flat expression on his friend's face.
Mike didn't react aside from a quiet, "That's enough. There's no need to hurt him."
"Don't tell me you feel bad..." Sam began with a smirk, each word full of taunting sarcasm.
Mike cut him off with a sharp groan, "Be quiet. I'm not asking you for her sake."
Her. He meant me, of course, but I wished he wouldn't say the word with such exaggeration.
Sam just chuckled with a sound that made my knees feel weak. Well, there goes my fantasy of Mike helping me.
The human turned to look down at me, the icy blue eyes snubbing my tiny spark of hope out instantly. His face was on the verge of making me stumble backwards as Mike smiled at my bewildered expression. But it wasn't a kind smile. It wasn't what a smile should be. It was cold and paralytic, full of a terrifying malice that made me want to quiver and press myself against the walls of the prison. But I held back the trembles, knowing that the boy was still right beside me. I couldn't be scared; not with Micah's life hanging in the balance.
He tutted through the smirk, "You heard her. She won't tell you anything if you hurt... what's his name? Micah."
Slowly, I wrapped my arms around my waist and glared at him. At least he got the point.
Sam only laughed in response, "You're kidding, right? You can't be seriously taking orders from her."
"I'm not taking- ugh, you're so annoying. Would you just do it?" Mike's voice boomed in a bored-sounding tone, popping my ears. Had my focus not been completely directed on the little Youngling, I would have covered my ears.
The giant gave an almighty sigh as he lowered the hand over the table, then dropped the boy from his grip begrudgingly.
I let out a cry as he fell backwards through the air, "Micah!"
Micah fell onto the surface below with a harsh blow to his little limbs and immediately scrambled up to the side of the jar, still panting and clutching his chest protectively.
The huge human relaxed back into his seat. I realised that he looked almost annoyed that he had been forced to put his new prisoner down. The dull irritation seemed to be directed at me, and he showed this with a frown that made me gulp.
Sam sighed lowly and the look faded from his face, "I can't believe that you're being bossed around by..." he now smirked again, looking me up and down, "A tiny girl."
Mike gave him an irritated smile and crossed his arms, "Shut up, Sam. I'm trying to get something done. Unlike you. You just want to upset her."
Sam responded with a shrug. A shrug wasn't denying the accusation.
Listening to the two of them talk between themselves reminded me of the rowdy, boyish scouts from back home. The teasing, the joking, it was so familiar, yet I couldn't seem to understand how the two monsters holding me captive could joke around with each other like friends. It didn't feel right. They were like nightmares, not like people. Now, Sam turned his attention back to me.
His cold eyes peered in at me through the glass, "I'm sure you'll behave now, won't you?"
I clenched my fists and tried to maintain eye-contact with him, but my eyes wandered downwards to Micah before I could say anything,
I looked at the trembling boy, then to the giant Mike, then back to Sam. He was still glancing at the boy every few moments— not at all cautious of my threat. The second I told him anything, he would just pluck Micah straight off the table again. Wings tense on my back, my stomach felt uneasy.
"Open the jar." I demanded with all the confidence I had left.
Sam actually laughed, "What?"
But I wasn't joking. I found the nerve to step closer to the front wall of the jar and ball my hands up into tights fists. My eyes hardened on his.
"Give him to me," I said calmly, "Let me be with Micah. So I know that you won't just grab him when I'm finished talking."
Sam narrowed his eyes. I almost lost my cool, he was still a human after all, an enormous, terrifying creature, but I managed to stay headstrong.
"I don't think you're in a position to make demands. Look at yourself," he replied, "And you've got a very breakable little boy to look after."
I inhaled sharply before I forced words out, "And you don't have a choice if you want me to tell you anything."
Mike sniggered at my retort with surprise. He eyed Sam with amusement, awaiting his friend's reaction. "What do you say to that, Sam?" Was all he said, not hiding the grin, "She has a point."
The giant looked at me, then to Micah, then back again. After a moment, he shook his head, sighing with disbelief. He let out a curt laugh shortly after, "You're lucky that I find your stupidity cute and not irritating."
He unscrewed the lid of jar just above me, letting the fresh air finally wash down through the opening and onto my hot skin. I didn't look away until I was sure that he wasn't going to snatch me from the prison, but Sam's hand made no move for me just yet. Then, his huge fingers lowered around Micah. The boy gave a tight protest as they closed around him, dragging him off the table without effort. For a second, I thought Sam was going to pull the tiny boy towards him, but he followed on with our deal and dangled Micah above the opening the jar. I stared up, chest taught with the suspense. With a chuckle, Sam finally released his hold on the boy.
He rolled his eyes, "Here."
I grabbed Micah up into my arms as he was dropped inside, "Micah!"
I wrapped my arms around the little one's body and pulling him close, nuzzled his face into my warm chest. He hugged me back in trembling gasps, clutching fistfuls of my clothes. Micah broke into a flood of tears not a second after Sam dropped him into my arms.
"Hey, hey..." I whispered through a wince. My fingers brushed through his hair as I held the boy close. I barely even knew this boy. But could feel the shaking with every breath that he took. Hear the whimpers and sniffing like roars in my ears...
Sinking my body all around him, my voice melted into a forced softness, "It's okay now, it's okay. I've got you..."
It took all the strength in my body not to glare at both of the humans.
How could they? Of all the people that Sam could have caught... I had been trained to look after myself, yet even I felt their steps shake my bones and liquify my nerves. How must a young boy like him be feeling? And that dammed human wanted to terrify him like this! Sam got some sort of cruel amusement from scaring him. I bit back a snarl, a certain swear tingling on my tongue.
"Now, that's enough." Mike narrowed his eyes. His voice shook the glass, making both me and Micah shudder inside our prison. I pulled his quivering body closer, taking extra care to keep his face buried in my jacket. He didn't need to see the malevolence in their faces— I knew that even the sound of Mike's voice was putting him on edge. Following his comment, the human leaned closer to us with a cold look protruding from his face.
"Are you going to answer the questions now?" He murmured.
I didn't quite nod. Whatever trembling head movement I managed seemed to satisfy Mike, because he leant back into his chair after that question.
"Thank you." He miraculously stated. Mike honestly seemed to be reasonable... for a human. But the other one...
Sam's eyes fell upon me for the hundredth time. I stared back at him, determined not to show my fear. Easier said than done. He still looked at me with the same amazed, yet excited gleam that he had when he first caught me. It would be a lie to say that he didn't scare me anymore— he still made my nerves collapse with each look he gave me. How could he not? He was enormous, deafening and worst of all: human... but things had changed. I had Micah now.
I furrowed my brow, wrapping my arms around him protectively. I couldn't be the scared one anymore, not with him so desperately clinging to me.
"You know, I'm not surprised," Sam remarked, leaning over us. I threw my wings forwards and buried Micah under them, shielding him with a fierce snarl. If this guy tries anything-
Sam raised an eyebrow, "I knew she had some fight in her, scared as she seems. So it makes sense that she wouldn't settle for anything but being with the boy, not if we expect her to tell us anything."
The giant seemed to make a note of my freckled cheeks burning up with a tremendous glaring, chuckling to himself when he saw the look.
"You completely hate me, don't you?" He cooed, "I can see it on your little face."
I didn't reply, but narrowed my eyes at his smug expression. What do you think?
Sam sniggered, "Well, I suppose that's to be expected. Anyhow," he continued, "You've got your little Micah now. Not me or Mike are going to touch him."
I quickly gave Mike a glance to which he replied with an uneasy frown. Both him and I knew that Sam had no intentions on keeping that promise.
"So." Sam's huge figure moved towards the jar again, casting a shadow over the top of us. His voice was low and dangerous like the growl of a fox when he next spoke, chilling me and making goosebumps pop up on both my arms.
"If you want it to stay that way, now would be a good time to start talking."
I stood motionless. Both of them were watching me expectantly, waiting for me to say something. Micah shifted under me, raising his head and peeking through a gap in my wings so he could look at my face. Softly, he shook his head. No.
My eyes hovered on his pleading face for a second before turning my attention back to the humans. Sam was glaring, waiting and watching me intently. I shut my eyes and exhaled sharply. I didn't have a choice.
"What do you want to know?" I snarled through gritted teeth.
I felt Micah's body tense beneath me.
"Good girl," Sam cooed, "Alright, let's see... I'll ask you for the last time, and you better answer properly," he narrowed his eyes, "Who is this Aspen boy?"
I groaned. Audibly. Was he ever going to get tired of that stupid question?!
"Aspen is like me." I repeated bitterly, "He's... a Winged."
Mike raised an eyebrow at the mention of the strange word and sat up a little, "A Winged?"
My heart pounded in my chest as I noticed his very obvious interest. "Not... all of us have wings. I said before. Some are like Micah and don't have any, and some are like me." I'm really betraying my entire tribe...
"The ones that do have wings are called Winged." I finished, "Aspen is one of them."
The two humans exchanged an amazed look before turning back to me. I felt my heartbeat quicken at the looks that they gave one another. That wasn't a good sign.
"So this... boy?" Sam leant close to the front of the jar and smirked, "You were calling for him when I found you. Why's that, Azure?"
I flinched, "Well, I- like I said, he's my... my friend."
Sam smiled a little. "Mm?" He prodded further.
My voice became small. I couldn't lie, not about that. I didn't even know what I was lying about— he was my friend. But maybe he was more than that too. All I could think about was his stupid pride, his inability to shut his mouth, those dammed winks and and the faces that he made... and how he had always, always been with me.
"I panicked," I admitted in a tiny voice, "I was... scared. He's normally with me and I... if he... if he had been there, he wouldn't have let you take me. That why... that's why I was calling him before." I finished quietly. But he wasn't here now. I didn't have the slightest clue of where my friend was. Probably still in the Hollow, far away from me. Aspen, my eyes felt heavy with water. I clamped my mouth shut and tried to gulp the tears away. He wouldn't have let you take me. Was he looking for me now? Worrying? Was he so busy with his scouts that he had hardly thought of me at all?
Sam's laugh rung out in my ears, a taunting echo.
"That's adorable." He tapped a nail against the glass, making Micah jump and thrust himself into my arms. I glared at the huge person, hugging Micah close as I stumbled backwards.
"Do you miss him?" He continued, his face so smug, so knowing. It was like a direct punch to my gut. Do I miss Az? Furious, miserable tears blurred my eyes at that question.
"Aww, don't worry," he soothed, "Your friend can't be far from here, can he?"
I froze, heart completely stopping. Sam watched the colour fade from my face, already giving me a suggestive look.
"You know what I'm going to ask..." he smirked.
Now, Micah was pulling at my red jacket fiercely. Hiding my straining expression, I clipped his back sharply, telling him to stop. He wasn't helping my nerves.
"No." I replied cooly, "What do you mean?"
Sam shook his head at my act, sniggering.
Beside him, Mike stirred from his relaxed position, resting his face on his hand. "Don't act stupid, you're clearly not." His cool eyes bore into me, now calm and shadowy as always. I could tell by his tone that he was beginning to get irritated with me. His mouth lifted at the corners, "You mentioned it before."
I gulped, feeling as if my lungs had no air in them.
Mike's voice became louder, "The Hollow."
A harsh tug on my clothes following immediately after Mike's statement forced me to look down with annoyance. Micah's eyes were wide as he shook his head over and over again.
I glared at him, "Stop it."
He replied by giving me a fierce glare of his own. "Don't tell them," he mouthed desperately. I just winced.
Both of us jumped when Mike's thunderous voice came out of nowhere, "Hey."
His enormous hand shot forwards across the table and grabbed the jar at breakneck speed. I was thrown backwards as he yanked it towards him, dragging the bottom across the table harshly. Frantically, I scrambled to the back wall, pushing Micah down and under my wings as the two of us trembled. The giant person was now poised above us, his fingers still wrapped tight around the outside of the prison. I craned my neck to look up at his glare.
"Stop talking to each other," he murmured. A strand of his blonde hair fell in front of his face as his head lowered to look at us.
His voice was loud and low, "You got what you want, you have the kid. So answer the question. What's the Hollow?"
I stared up at him with suppressed terror, my wings visibly shaking as I hid the small boy away. The towering human looked as if he was moments from getting genuinely angry.
"It's my... home." I whispered.
Micah's head popped up between my wings, "Azure, no!" He cried out, his eyes wide.
Mike's cutting voice instantly silenced him, "Quiet." To that, Micah went completely still, frozen with terror. The human's eyes fell back on me.
"Your home?" He repeated questioningly.
A tremendous dread swelled in my chest as my hands jittered. I nodded cautiously, pursing my lips tight. Mike drummed his fingers on the table and sat back into his chair.
An eerily calm look was on his face, "Come on, you can elaborate on that."
I gulped, a chill running up my spine. His figure was blocking the light from the lamp that lit the tent, casting an enormous shadow over me. Not only was I directly below the giant, but his eyes were glaring into me. Each second I stared in a terrified silence was a second that only made his look deepen.
"You can tell Mike," Sam said from beside us, his voice low, "Or I think I'll see if little Micah there knows what we're talking about."
I winced, wrapping my arms tightly around Micah. He was still trembling under my wings and that comment made him tear up again. What choice did I have other than to tell them?
"It's a... tree." Each word was painful. My voice faltered, "An oak tree. Th-the biggest in the forest, near the lake."
I'm a traitor. A cowardly traitor. "It's for my tribe, it's... where we live. It's..."
Sam's voice rang out, cutting me off, "It's where the rest of you are."
I looked up hopefully, wondering if the giants would be content with that information, but Mike wasn't done.
"Your tribe?" He raised an eyebrow, "As in, there are others?"
I put on a brave face, but a bolt of paralysing weakness had shot through my heart.
His eyes bore into me. I tried to hide my horror at his discovery, but it was no use. My facade was beginning to crumble...
Mike smiled with a hint of satisfaction, realising that he had figured something out by the look on my face.
I practically fainted. How could he be so clever? How could I be so stupid?
Sam frowned at his friend, "You're making that face."
"What face?" Mike demanded.
"That face," he replied with a glimmer of a smile, "Makes me want to punch you. Looking all smug."
Micah and I flinched into each other when Mike laughed. The boy pressed his little ears to my arm to block out the sound. Nothing should be so loud, so horrendously menacing.
"Shut up Sam." Was all Mike smiled.
It made me feel strangely sick to see our captors acting like normal people. Like friends. It made me feel like they did have emotions, they weren't just heartless beasts. And yet they were fine with making a little kid sob in terror. Fine with keeping me in here...
"Anyway. Think about it," Mike turned to face him. He completely ignored Sam's Joking question now, instead saying, "She said that the Hollow was her tribe. As in, there are others. Doesn't it sound like that?"
Sam blinked, pondering the thought for a moment. I watched his face anxiously, waiting for his reaction. To my dismay, he nodded slowly. "I suppose." Then his gaze was back on me and I became paralysed.
"Well?" He demanded, "Are there more of these 'tribes'?"
I bit my lip, dreading what I knew would come next if I didn't answer.
"No!"
All of a sudden, Micah had stumbled out of the underneath of my wings. The boy leapt to his feet and stood firmly in front of me, a fierce pout on his face.
"There's- there's only one tribe! The Hollow is the only tribe!" He exclaimed, squeezing his hands into fists. What in the blazes did he think he was doing?!
I hissed at him with a strain in my cry, "Micah!" I reached forwards to pull him back, but he threw hand from his wrist sharply. When his angry face turned to look at me, his purple eyes seemed brighter than before.
Sam snarled down at him, "I wasn't asking you."
Micah didn't falter, "I don't care. My- my mother is the leader of the Hollow, so if anyone- if anyone knows about this stuff, then it's... me. "
I almost shook my head in pure disbelief. What was he doing?!
For one, he obviously was lying through his teeth! Micah was the Youngling of the Burrow, not the Hollow! Not to mention telling the humans that he was essentially royalty was a completely terrible idea. That was when a thought suddenly hit me like a tree. Micah is a Youngling...
That's it! Of course he had jumped to protect his people! Had I been alone with the humans, I would be doing the same! He's the Youngling of his tribe, so it was almost a given that he would try to protect them. Oh, Micah, I stared at his back, looking at the brave little boy with amazement.
Sam's narrowing eyes caught my attention, "Is that true?" He smiled thinly at my fear.
Involuntarily, I took a step back from him. My wings jerked.
"It's okay," Micah's whispering voice suddenly echoed in my ears, "Stay- stay behind me."
"Micah..." I began weakly, but I couldn't finish my sentence. Realisation had hit me.
Micah was stood firmly in front of me, hiding the trembling hands behind his back. With a firm pout, he was looking up at the two interested faces, staring danger straight in the eyes. He was doing all this whilst standing in front of me.
A pained smile almost took over my face. He was trying to protect me, wasn't he?
I took his shoulder and whispered, "Stick to letting let me look after you, okay?"
The boy's shoulders tensed as I muttered the words. I could see just a glimpse of his face, sad and afraid.
I didn't have a second to hear his sentence before Mike's voice was booming through the tent with an earth-shattering volume.
"Okay, that's enough," he sighed. My eyes widened as his hand was swept towards us.
I cried out, leaping forwards and grabbing the boy into my arms. Seconds later, the back of Mike's hand made impact against the glass.
I screamed as the jar flew across the table, spinning in midair and smacking all over my body. Moments later, the rim smacked against the back of my head, stunning me to the point where Micah somehow slipped away from my grasp. Then, I was spinning uncontrollably through the air, the world whizzing around me in a whoosh of colours and lights. Cold air whipped against my face and further knotted my already ruined hair, letting me know that I had been sent flying out of the jar. The movement came to an abrupt halt only when I collided with the table. My arms skidded across the smooth surface with a screech, my skin feeling hot and burnt when I finally came to a sharp stop.
I almost threw up. I was so close to it. My head was still spinning and throbbing even after I sat up. Did Mike smack the jar? I groaned weakly, blinking in the blaring light. It was if I had whiplash, concussion and friction-burn all at once. All from one smack of his hand.
Gulping, I heaved myself up into a sitting position and tried to regain my composure. That and consciousness that was on the verge of slipping away from me. Don't be sick.
From what I could see, I was on the other side of the table now. Mike had indeed whacked the jar, sending me and Micah flying across the room with it. Micah.
My eyes fluttered as I came to the realisation that the boy had slipped from my arms in all the spinning. Frantically, I looked around the table. Oh no- no, where is he? My eyes found the jar lying on its side, the bottom now scuffed up. Through the clear glass, Micah was still nowhere to be seen. I began to fret, my heart racing in my chest. Before I had a chance to look anymore, an enormous slamming sound jolted me up off the table.
I turned in frenzied panic to my right, a giant hand inches away from my body.
Oh gods. Mike's palm was facedown where he had slammed it next to me. Raising my head to face him made the nausea return. He was standing up now, leant over the table, directly over where my tiny figure was. Just as I looked up, his other hand came down next to me with a splitting bang.
I barely bit back a cry of pure fear when the impact vibrated through me. Any closer and he would have crushed me. Killed me— easily.
He towered over me with a glare, casting a dull shadow. Oh gods- he's so big.
"What the hell?!" I heard Sam's voice, "Why did you do that? You could have killed them!"
Mike scowled down, making me tremble, "She's annoying me."
I jumped when his left hand suddenly whipped from its dormant position. Mike's finger was thrust onto my chest, jabbing me and shoving me flat onto my back with painful force.
"It isn't hard to answer a question." He said simply.
I tried to scramble to my feet, but the second I managed to get up, his hand came towards me again. He gave me another sharp prod, this time in my stomach, "Don't try it."
Sam tutted beside him, "Careful with her."
Mike replied with a short snigger, "Sorry, I didn't realise that you care about her, Sam."
"Shut up," he half-laughed, "I just don't want you breaking my new toy."
My chest tightened at his words. Toy? I shook my head at the title, horrified. And it was then that a third voice sounded from behind me.
"Azure!" Micah's voice exclaimed.
I turned over my shoulder to find the child sprinting towards me desperately, tears in his eyes and his teeth gritted at my look of terror.
"Get away from her!" He cried out a furious yell, already reaching for me, "Leave her alone!"
Another shadow flew over my head as Sam's gigantic hand zipped towards the boy.
No- I gasped and scrambled for footing, but Mike made sure it wasn't possible.
I shook my head, "Micah! No- Run!"
But he didn't care, he was too desperate to get to me.
Sam's giant hand appeared in front of him, blocking Micah from advancing to me. He shrunk back with fear, but only for a moment, then he was glaring again. When the boy tried to leap over the great hand, his foot was instantly snatched up between two gigantic fingers.
"Come here," he laughed, plucking the boy from the table by his ankle. Micah's confidence was lost as he was dangled upside down, pulled higher and higher away from me. I could do nothing but stare up, wide eyed with horror.
The brown-haired beast swung him about like it was a game, "You leave her to me, okay?" He gave me a glance, obviously enjoying my scowl.
I pushed myself up again, "Get off of him!"
A terrible, stinging lit up my head as Mike tugged my hair back in his crushing grip.
Sam looked on, still holding the poor child the wrong way up. Tears sprung up in the corners of my eyes, not just from the pain but from the pure desperation of the situation. I wanted to reach out for Micah or to cry out his name, but I was barely choking back a yell of pain of my own. Sam tutted at me, a sorrowful look on his giant face.
"Why do you have to be difficult?" He smiled softly, leaning closer to my struggling figure. He placed a fingertip delicately under my chin and lifted my face so that I would look at him. "Just answer Mike's question."
Micah still thrashed in his grip, "Don't tell them!" He groaned, craning his neck to see me.
Sam looked amused by his cries, jolting him about again.
"Alright!" I managed in a whine, grabbing my hair. Mike's grip was lost when I spoke, allowing me tumble backwards onto the table.
"No!" Micah shrieked, "No! Please don't! Azure-"
I looked up with terror as Sam pushed his finger over the boy's mouth. Instantly he was silenced. Then, he turned to me. "So?" He gave me a curious look, "The other tribes?"
At that moment, I hated every single drop of blood in my miserable body. I was no Winged, nor was I a protector of the tribes. I didn't have courage, I wasn't strong- I most certainly wasn't clever. I had been captured like the fool I was, and now, the entire Hollow might have to pay the price of my mistake.
Nausea was brimming as I shut my eyes.
"The other tribes..." I managed, barely getting the words out. "There are... a lot. Many tribes, all over the forest," my voice was low, but I knew they could hear me, "But my tribe lost contact with most of them many years ago."
Now I raised my head again, cringing away from Sam's eyes.
"I couldn't find half of them even if I wanted to!" I cried, clenching my fists close to my chest.
He smiled, "But, you could find some."
My blood ran cold. His eyebrows raised, looking at me knowingly.
"That's right, isn't it?" He shifted his grip on the struggling Micah, at last turning him the right way up. "You could at least find your tribe, surely."
My heart was pounding. "I-I..."
I could feel the warmth of Mike's hand behind me, reminding me that one wrong move was going to get me prodded again. Trying to calm my nerves, I exhaled, "I-I don't know..."
Sam peered at me suspiciously.
I shook my head quickly, "N-no, honestly! Your campsite is in the middle of nowhere!" I lied, "And the trails would all be faded by now!"
Sam sat looking at me for a moment. Slowly, he released his grip on Micah, allowing the boy to tremble gently in the palm of his hand. The little child was glaring at me, his cheeks red and flushed and his eyes cold with tears. The hostility shot a hole through my chest as the little one looked at me with so much hate. He's right... I'm horrible.
"Well..." Sam said after a few moments of consideration.
He gave me the same old grin, "You said that it was a tree, didn't you? The Hollow..."
My wings jittered on my back in his gaze. Then, all of a sudden, his hand was reaching towards me.
"I think you can try to find it, right?"