[Flashback] Dream A Little Dream [Ursus]

[Arabella Sintos]

Seeing the look of first realization and then terror dawning on Eck's face as he realized just how much danger he was actually in was like water to a man dying of thirst. She needed it more than anything, especially at this moment when everything she had worked so hard for that night would be taken away from her. It would be brutal when she was returned, since she was certain at this moment that she would be caught, but if she could be dragged in the snow with blood covering her paws and mouth, the blood of the rat bastard Eck, then perhaps she wouldn't be as depressed. She would find victory in his bloody death and while it would be a small one in the face of a defeat, it would be a victory she would cherish just the same.

The little coward who had been so arrogant and so sure of himself earlier and now he was screaming for someone to help him, squealing like the pig that he was, trying to dodge a blow that he knew fully well he couldn't dodge. Seeing him like that instilled a greatl deal of joy brought on by her predator instincts. She could just imagine the feel of his skin being shredded beneath her sharp claws, her large paws crushing him deeper into the snow as he bled to death. She could scent his blood racing beneath his veins, she was close enough that she could hear his frantic heart beating as she drew closer. It was as though time had slowed, her paw slicing through the hair towards the hunchback's spine, ready to tear him apart. Arabella could taste her victory, could almost taste the blood as she heard the sound of fabric ripping, flesh being touched and then...

Just as she was going to have her victory, she felt the sensation of something slipping around her neck and she tensed before it tightened. No! They could capture her if they wished but they couldn't take this away from her! And yet they did... She yowled in fury as the rope was jerked back hard and she was thrown back away from Eck, her claws just barely grazing his skin, no blood being drawn. Her victory had been stolen from her, the hunchback lived and she was caught just the same, the tight rope pulled her back through the air, her body twisting in an instinct reaction of trying to fight it. She twisted in the air and landed quite hard in the snow with a thud, the air being knocked from her lungs, leaving her world spinning. Her paws weren't bound nor were her feet but it felt as though they were, so heavy, her heart racing to the point it hurt.

Had she been in her human form, she would have cried but now, in this form, she just lay still. Ara did what she could to regain some composure but it felt as though each breath that flowed through her lungs was made of cold fire. As she lay there, arrows exploded in the snow near her, warning her that they wouldn't miss. Her nose twitched as she caught the scent of Eck once more, apparently he had recovered from his near death experience and had resumed his arrogant pose. His dagger glinted in the moonlight, dangerous intent reflecting in the bastard's eyes, he was ready to carve into her, make his mark in blood. She closed her eyes, readying herself for a great deal of pain...but it never came. Instead the hunchback was called away from Arabella, threatened even should he go through with what he wanted.

Never had Arabella been relieved that slavers were around but they had protected her from that kind of harm. She would be beaten but such things she could handle, she didn't wish to be carved into nor did she wish to see what sort of 'pleasure' Eck had in store. She breathed heavily as she lay there, the rope choking her though she was still able to breathe some, they didn't want her dead. A strange whoosh was heard and Arabella looked up in time to feel the rope that had been choking her loosen.

She didn't understand what was happening until she heard a familiar voice call out from nearby. Her heart lurched in her chest, what was Erasmus doing?! She had told him to stay put! He was going up against a group of trained slavers, didn't he realize that? Arabella got to her feet, rather slowly though, shaking the rope from her neck as she tried to spy where Erasmus was, she couldn't just run and know he'd be killed or enslaved again, she couldn't do that. She growled deepy at Eck, showing that if he came at her, she'd tear his throat out. The issue was that she couldn't protect herself and protect Erasmus as well, this was beginning to become a vicious cycle. There was no such thing as a good death as far as Arabella was convinced and she wouldn't live with his death on her conscience.

She couldn't help but smile as Eck was punched hard by the former slave, the hunchback's head snapped to the side and he landed hard onto the ground once again. It had been a good punch, if only she could have been the one to deal it. He grabbed the ax he had thrown and that's when it happened, standing between Ara and the slavers. She couldn't shout a warning, all she could do was yowl as the arrow struck him in the shoulder, blood leaking from the wound. She could almost feel his pain and she ran to his side as he sank to his knees, her name slipping from his lips. She growled as she stood in front of him, was this how it was to be bonded? Ready to give her life for another? She hadn't bonded with Erasmus as far as she was concerned, it was concern for someone who had actually been nice to her.

She wanted to yell at him for coming, for giving up his freedom and even possibly his life for her but she couldn't. She would slash at anyone who came near even though she felt as though she was going to pass out at that very moment. She nuzzled at Erasmus' shoulder, resting a large paw on his unharmed shoulder. Slowly but surely, she shifted from her white tiger form, the fur retracting back into her skin, leaving exposed cold pale skin marked with bruises and scars. The paw that had been placed so heavily on his shoulder melted away, replaced with a smaller shaking hand. "I told you to stay." She said softly as she prayed to Nysel that his wounds weren't life-threatening. "Don't die." She said softly, not caring that Eck and the slavers were around. Should any raise their bows to fire again, she would try and get in front of them, they would be punished surely if they killed her, wouldn't get their pay if anything. "Just take me, don't kill him...please. I'll come quietly."

[Ursus Umosa]

"Funny..." Erasmus breathed. "I thought for a moment..." He winced in pain. "We were really going to get away...Arabella..." He smiled bravely for Arabella.

"His wounds aren't fatal, yet." The slaver leader replied to Arabella as the slavers dismounted. If Erasmus recovered the slavers figured that they could fetch a fair price on the market for a young, strong male. For this reason they tended not to kill right away unless they it was absolutely necessary. Above all, the slaver cared about profit. They put down their weapons and approached.

She felt strong, rough hands handle her pull her away from Erasmus. He held a weak arm out to her. His sleeve fell down, revealing a black-inked tattoo on his forearm. Erasmus Property of Milosh Blackclaw. One of the slavers read off the information.

"Consult the book." The leader ordered. They always kept an up to date journal of escaped slave postings. You never know when you might just find one.

"It's here towards the front." A slaver replied. "Wanted, alive." The man whistled to himself. "Mighty big reward. Posted four years ago..." The slaver approached Erasmus and knelt close to his face. "You were gone along time, weren't you, you poor sod!"

"Attend to his wounds and take him with." The leader ordered. "And tie her up."

Arabella's hands and feet were quickly bound in rough, magically strong rope. Shaky on her feet, Arabella tumbled back to the ground and she laid there as the rest of the slavers attended to Erasmus. Her head faced the river south, the way to freedom as if life was mocking her one last time before she would be carried back to her master. They pulled out the arrows and bandaged his wounds.

"We shoulda brought along that mule instead of killing it..." The leader said to himself, kicking himself for letting his frustration get the best of him. Though Arabella was not facing him she heard Erasmus weakly moan "Jordie".

"I'd say we have some unfinished business between the two of us..." Eck the Hunchback was kneeling a foot from her face, a wide, sadistic smile stretched across his face. A warty tongue licked his lips as he hungrily looked her up and down. He sweetly leaned forward and licked her cheek.

"Leave her alone cripple. You are being paid in Mizas, not in savagery." Arabella heard the slaver leader warn Eck. For a moment the rage within the hunchback looked like it would make his head explode. A deep, ragged growl sounded in the back of his throat as he withdrew his hand. He unwillingly stood up.

"Your with is my command mathter." He hissed. Before he walked away he kicked Arabella quickly and angrily in her stomach. It bruised and hurt but nothing was broken. A moment later she felt the slavers lift her up and laid her across the back of a horse.

She had almost gotten away.

OOC- The location of where Erasmus' master is deliberately vague because if you want to do an adventure of finding Erasmus you can fit him into any location you desire.

[Arabella Sintos]

The Kelvic slave sniffled as she looked down at Erasmus, the former slave had risked and lost his own freedom and possibly his life to help her and yet it had been in vain. She could have tried to run, there might have been a chance, but she couldn't leave him to die, she just couldn't do that to him. She wanted to pull the arrow from where it had landed but she wasn't strong enough and she was afraid to, not knowing if she'd do more harm then good for the young man. She brushed a few strands of his hair from his face, seeing the pain on his face, she felt so guilty about all this. "Yeah...so did I." She had hoped that freedom had been found but apparently she had more time in slavery before she had her time. "You're going to be alright." She said softly as she looked at the slave leader, feeling relieved that his wounds weren't fatal, though the 'yet' did nothing to her lack of hope.

She knew what they were thinking as the leader dismounted, if Erasmus wasn't escaped, he'd still fetch a good price on the slave market. She wanted so badly for them to leave him alone, but anything she said would surely be ignored. She brushed a tear from her cheek, having only a few more moments before she was grabbed by strong arms. She couldn't help but fight but she was weak and exhausted, so they didn't have too much problem with her. She reached out to grab Erasmus' hand but in doing so, his tattoo was exposed and it was over for him it seemed. Her head fell forward as she was was bound, her wrists first and then her feet.

Arabella fell over since she had no sense of balance, landing in the snow. She groaned as she lay there, Ara curled up in a ball, not wanting to see Erasmus being placed back into slavery. She began to sob as she lay there, hearing that Jordie had been killed by the slavers, the bastards... She heard his groans of pain as they tended to his wounds, removing the arrows and bandaging him. Even as Arabella worried for Erasmus, she still had her own problems. She groaned as she slowly looked up to see the sadistic Eck looking down at her, her heart sinking lower in her chest as he licked his lips. He wanted her so badly it seemed, the lust and evil so deep in his eyes. She grimaced as she felt his disgusting tongue against her cheek, she so wanted to rip him to pieces but she coudln't.

She would have cursed at him to leave her alone but it wasn't needed for the leader told the hunchback to back off. She had been terrified that he would be allowed to harm her, but she was as safe from him as she could get, though she'd be going back to slavery. So she couldn't be too relieved, she could only imagine how much pain she would be going through. She could see the rage in Eck's face as he stood, angry that he had been denied once again from taking what he wanted. She cried out in pain as his foot met with her chest angrily, her breath being stolen from her. Ara coughed, trying to catch her breath. She had only a moment before she was lifted off the snowy ground and laid onto the back of one of the horses. Where was Erasmus? This was her fault....all her fault. She'd find a way to make things right for herself and Erasmus.

[Gillar]

This was a mighty fine read to be sure. Amazing details and story from both, Ursus and Arabella. I found myself feeling for the characters. Congratulations to both of you for a story well done. I am also awarding Arabella the following experience: Running 2 Detection 2