Shifting Shadows

Rude Awakening

*How much blood have I lost? The world began swirling around me and the corners of my vision soon darkened.  Soon enough everything went dark and i felt the cold grass embraced my flushed face...*

A loud creak.

My eyes fluttered open, looking around i was somewhere unfamiliar, the only light coming through was from the small window over the door which was barred off with what i can assume was steel bars. My ears were still ringing from the impact with the ground in the woods and my shoulder stinging from the damage from the crossbow bolt. How long was I out? Streaks of sunlight illuminated the room, looking around: the room was made of a deep brown wood, spruce perhaps. The edges of the wood were beautifully carved with depictions of serpents and berry branches, each individual scale could be seen. This room must have cost a small fortune, unless of course it was stolen then it didnt cost a broken penny. Was I dead? I shook my head, I had to pinch myself to check- my arms jerked back once they reached my chest. What the hell was goin on? Looking down i saw the chunky handcuffs that bound my arms down to the floor; i couldnt only raise my hands so far.

"Well fuck" i sighed. I wasnt dead but i almost wished i was. Looking out of the window i realised the room was moving. I was on the road getting driven away to lord knows where and for lord knows what reason. How i didnt realise this is beyond me; the clattering of hooves on the stone path could be heard and the mummbling conversation of two men soon filled the cart. I listened carefully as their words were muffled through the wooden wall of the cart,

"So Wolf, what you gonna do with this one? Didnt know you went soft on monsters" a hearty laugh eruped from the man

"Shut it Eskel, i swear ill cut your tongue out one of these days" a clearning of a throat could be heard "It felt right, they didnt try to attack so i got curious". The men went silent for a while as if to let the idea ferment in their minds

"So what youre trying to say is you wanna have a carefree chat with a lycanthrope" he paused " you want me to bake you some cookies too? Or are you getting Lambert to do that?" Laughter eruped once more from the man.

The cart bounced around on the uneven road and the conversation between the two ceased with a few unimpressed sighs and gruts from the individual 'Wolf'. Hundered of nerve ridden questions bubble around in my mind, 'where were they taking me?', 'why didnt they just end me there and then?' it was all so overwhelmingly complicated. I could feel the cart pulling up to a stop as i was bumped around in the back hitting my head against the wall. I groaned at the sudden piercing pain which was enchanced by my already existing hurt in my shoulder, I wonder why the cart stopped but this was soon cleared up as the emotionelss voice of a border guard questioned the two men. Lots of questions were being thrown around but my mind could only go to one thing: the handcuffs. I could easily break out of them if i somehow managed to transform, right? The only problem was i had no idea how to do it. That plan was thrown out the window quickly; instead i rattled the chain and handcuffs around hoping that they would go lose somewhere and i would be able to somehow slip out. It was of no use they were hammered into the hard wooden floors and there was no way of getting them out- the ringing of the chains soon filled the cart as they clinked around with each unsuccessful attempt of getting out.

A few loud thumps on the wall broke the brief silence followed by an agitated voice "You arent gonna get out of the silver cuffs, stop it" his voice sharp and cold

"Catch a break Geralt, no need to act so tough all the time, when we get to Kaer Morhen we can have a drink eh? Loosen you up" Eskel retorted in a much more joyful tone

No reply. The cart fell silent again, as it bumped around on the road. Kaer Morhen. Never heard of it before; a secret location perhaps? I shuffled around on the wooden bench trying to get comfortable for what i could only assume was going to be a long journey. The witchers words bounced around my head "silver cuffs". Even if i wanted to there was no way of me being able to transform, not with these on at least. It was futile to struggle anymore. There was no way of getting out of this. I just had to bear with it.

*5 Days later*

We must have been on the road for at least 6 days by now, my backside was sore from the uncomfortable wooden bench that served as both a bed and seat. I managed to learn some things about the two witchers from the countless conversations i overheard during the travel. Eskel, who seems to be much kinder and more relaxed about this situation, is also a witcher. With a ridiculously bad sense of humour, and a taste for inapropriate jokes. Geralt on the other hand, a miserable chap. Doesnt like to talk much, seems more of a thinker than a talker. Not very useful information and it definitely didnt help me work out why they kept me alive.

My train of thought was cut short when Eskel chirped up with glee, "Ah, Kaer Morhen, good to be back"

We had arrived...