Running with wolves

Chapter 17

"Wakey wakey Sky." Lifting her head, blinding away sleep, Sky saw Fang and two others blocking the entrance to her cave. "Did you really think we wouldn't find you here?" She shrugged, too tired to care. "Kill me if you're going to." Fang stepped closer letting out a menacing coo "oh we're not here to kill you, we're here to escort you to king Banan." Sky shrank back into her paws; everything had fallen apart. 

Everything hurt. Fang had roughly dragged her back to Emolia, parading her around with Banan grinning on his platform. Days and days had passed, Sky wasn't sure how many. She was chained up, her paws were chained down.her front paws were held by chains hanging from the ceiling exposing her stomach which Banan took great joy from decorating with runes leaving her belly fur matted with blood. Even her tail was clamped to the ground, what was he thinking she could do with her tail? Tickle him to death? The thought made Sky smile. As she opened her eyes she looked around the room, her new prison. It was dank and dark with the only light being a dim red light. Narrowing her eyes as they adjusted to the partial light she scrunched up her nose, the stench of blood always made it burn. So much blood both her own fresh scent to ancient wolves and even prey. This was a room of death. 

"Did you really think I wouldn't find you at the mountain you hid out on when you were a child?" Sky huffed slowly lifting her muzzle, "nothing to say dear sister?" He grinned "well that's ok, I can speak for us both. Why oh why Banan did you kill my wannabe son? Answer because I could! It's bad enough our bloodline is corrupted by you. We don't need some outsider taking my rightful place. You see I've learnt something," creeping closer he whispered softly into her ear "You were never the power behind the throne! And neither were our parents. Those wolves out there are no better than sheep. Singing the tune of their master, their master being Charlotte." Sky's ears flicked up, it can't be she thought. She caught a glimpse of her brother smiling. No! Banan was just trying to get under her skin. She knew he could see her memories swimming in her eyes, she wouldn't give him the satisfaction. Banan was still grinning as he turned to pick up a lump of metal that had been sharpened to a point, circling Sky with the metal stick in his mouth Sky heard a deep growl rumbling within him. Sky watched him dip the end of the stick into the fire that hung on the wall, only when the tip glew as orange as the flame did Banan remove it from the fire stalking towards her he let out a laugh before plunging the stick into Sky's shoulder. Sky's howl bounced off the walls. Pain coursed through her body along with the smell of burning fur and flesh. Slowly she opened one of her eyes, her breathing coming in rapid gasps, slowly she looked down at the stick. It had gone right through and out the other side, blood was dripping down her at a rapid rate making her gag as she felt it seep deep into her fur. Banan began carving strange runes into her skin with his freshly sharpened claws. She knew no one could hear her yet she continued to shriek. 

Sky hung barely conscious when Banan finally stood back to marvel at his creation. Blood stained his paws as it pooled on the floor with a soft dripping sound. It reminded Sky of the forest after it had rained, with droplets sliding down the leaves splashing on the starved ground. Sky inwardly shook her head. This was nothing like the rain, that gives life, while I'm slowly losing mine. "Don't worry I'm done for today." He whispered, cleaning the blood from his claws, Sky's eyes flickered open as she let out a hint of a snarl which was quickly replied with a slash across the cheek. Blowing out the fire Banan stormed out leaving the cells to return to their eerie red gloom. Sky let out a shaky sigh. Every hair hurt and her muscles shook uncontrollably. 

Something moved at the corner of Sky's vision. Narrowing her eyes she drew her lips back into a snarl, still the shadows shifted. Drawing closer and closer. "Still you fight? Aren't you impressive." Sky flattened her ears as the creature stepped forward into the light. "Nymph?" The she-wolf laughed, tapping Sky on the nose "Nothing gets past you does it? I apologize for your imprisonment, I wish I could release you but it's in our best interest to think he's won. Look whatever happens you mustn't die, don't let him break you and when you're released you need to head towards the cliffs. You will find allies there."

"Sky?" Opening her eyes Sky saw that Nymph had been replaced by Charlotte, who was looking at her with concern. "Where's Nymph?" Sky rasped followed by a cough. "Nymph? Sky Nymph hasn't been seen since the day she told you about Banan's scent on the border. I'm afraid we have to assume that she's dead." Sky shook her head wincing at the pain "I will never accept that that old wolf is dead. Not unless I see her body for myself." Charlotte nodded, coming up to clean Sky's wounds "You're a lot like her, whether you want to admit it or not." Sky fell into an uncomfortable doze as Charlotte groomed the blood from her fur. As Sky closed her eyes she thought about what Nymph and Banan had said, surely Charlotte was on our side? She's done nothing to hurt her. And who were these allies, how would Sky convince them to fight for something they have no part in. Finally exhaustion overtook her and she fell into a light sleep.