Tuft and Teeth

Chapter 2: Teeth

Marok was lying down unconscious on a bed of furs. His shirt gone but his upper body covered by bandages. A dark skinned/tanned figure was sitting close by crushing herbs in a mortar and pestle. The figure brought his hand over the wet rag on Maroks head and took it off. This prompted Marok to wake up. When Marok quickly made eye contact with the person sitting next to him. A large burly man with long hair on his chest and head. He wore a set of cloths around his waist. His body had symbols under his eyes, legs, arms and chest but they were almost accompanied by some scars with a large one across his chest and stomach and another on his left shoulder and upper arm. Mostly consisting of circles of different styles. His skin slightly dark orange and black hair. His had large green eyes too. Marok screamed and threw the fur blanket onto the man and crawled back. He looked around to see he was in a tiny stone hut of sort that was decorated with bones and furs. Some wood was placed around on the floor. A small table was set to the side of one that was filled with herbs, a bowl of water, knives, tools, berries too. The man took the blanket of and held out a calm hand and said, "Don't move. Your safe oaky." Marok looked protective, "Who are you? Where am I? Why am I alive?" Jual pushed the blanket assigned a got up into a kneel to try take Maroks hand, "I found you hurt. You were about to be killed by a dire wolf when I found you. You need to calm down or you might hurt yourself more." Marok looked at his should to it was bandaged really well and said, "Why did you help me? I am sick. I could get you sick." Jual held the bowl of water and looked at him with a slight smile, "You can not spread your disease so easily. Here please drink this. You have been out for too long." Marok carefully took the bowl of water and looked at it, "Is there something you want? I'm afraid to tell you I don't have anything." Jual sat back down and replied, "I do not want anything. I just wanted to help. Please be careful with your arm. I used supworn to numb it a little so don't think it's all okay." Marok took a sip of the water while he kept his eye of the man and said, "My name is Marok." Jual smiled lightly, "My name is Jual!" "How long have you been living here?" "A good 7 years. You villagers never came into these parts of the woods so I live very peacefully here." Marok noticed the scars and thought that it looked like the opposite. Jual sat up and said, "Actually while you are awake I can feed you as well. Don't move. I'll be back in a minute."Marok sat there surprised. He was cold so he grabbed the fur blankets and brought them up to him. He buried his face into the fur and thought to himself, "So soft. So warm." An imagine of Lizzy's terrified expression when screaming for him came to his memory and he thought, "I'm sorry Lizzy." Jual walked back in with another bowl and Marok asked, "I don't need more water thank you." Jual sat down again and handed him the bowl, "It's not water. Marok saw a thick reds liquid and his face contorted at the smell as he asked worried, "Is... is that blood?" "Well yeah. Sadly it's only rabbits blood but it'll do for now." Marok looked at Jual very worried, "I can't drink that. I'll get really sick. More then I am now. I need food like plants and cooked meat. Not raw blood!" Jual pushed the bowl closer, "You can also drink this so drink it before I force you too." Marok took the bowl not wanting to anger Jual. He looked at his reflection in the blood with a horrified expression and said, "Is this some cruel experiment? Is that what you really patched me up for." Jual appeared confused, "No I- your body needs this to heal faster. I would offer human blood but mine would make you ill and I don't want to hurt the villagers." Marok asked confused and horrifed, "Why would I need blood to heal?" Jual gave a concerned expression as he asked, "Wait you really don't know? I though you were being reluctant but you really don't know?" "Know what?" "Well your a vampire." Marok looked very shocked by this news and he was silent for a moment. He then smiled with frustration as he said while holding his temple, "No that can't be right. Vampires are meant to be these strong and magik entities with an undying thirst for lust and blood. I am weak, frail and immunity system is worse then the sewers. I can barely keep myself warm and any sort of running or labor makes me exhausted. I think you have it very wrong." Jual watched as Marok placed to bowl of blood away from him and said, "I can show you that you're a vampire but then you must drink the blood." Marok laughed, "Fuck no! I think I would know if I'm a vampire or not! Besides..." He vigorously rubbed his canine teeth, "I don't even have the teeth for it!" Jual leaned forward and tightly held Maroks jaw. Marok obviously tried to resist but he really couldn't at the moment. Jual squeezed the sides of the jaw to force it open saying, 'I'm sorry." and reached to feel around at to top pallet of the mouth. He had to pull the tooth the from the gums with his nail so there was a tiny bit of blood and Marok winced a bit. When he was able to pull the tooth out it fit perfectly behind the canine tooth. He brought up Maroks hand to feel for himself, " See. For some reason yours were not fully developed so they were hidden underneath your gums. I had to tear it a little so sorry." Jual let Marok go to let him figure this out as he felt the unusual object. Marok couldn't close his mouth and asked, "Uh I cangt cose I outh." Jual pushed the tooth back and it folded by his pallet. Marok held his sore cheeks very shocked about the situation and a small dribble of blood fell from the side of his mouth. Jual felt a little guilty so he got up again, "I will be outside if you need me. Drink the blood." Marok looked at the bowl and picked it up. He hesitantly started drinking the horrible liquid and almost gagged upon doing so.