Feral Bonds

Chapter 38

She knew it wasn't real that time, Leah died years ago, but that didn't stop the horror at seeing her mate tied to a stake. Natania tried to run to her, but ghostly hands grabbed at her ankles and pulled her to the ground.

Leah screamed as a fire lit below her feet and Natania was forced to watch as she burned alive. Only once there was silence was she able to stand and walk. Tears streamed down her face and a voice whispered that it was her fault, that she could have saved her if she'd been stronger.

The scene changed again and again, each time it was another fear, Rigaldo, her father, her pack abandoning her, Leah suffering, dying. Each time she failed to save her, each time it was her fault. She didn't know how much time had passed when she finally woke up in a dark black cell.

"You're awake at last." A voice she didn't recognize sounded by her head and Natania flinched. "It's okay, the witch is gone for now, but she'll be back soon. She always comes back for her new prey."

Natania glanced in the direction of the voice. It was dark but she could just make out the shape of a... "What are you?" Natania coughed out, her throat dry and aching. It wasn't something she recognized.

The creature moved closer until it could touch the bars of her cell and she saw that it was some sort of huge goblin. There was a hat on its head and a small pool of blood on top. Something probed at her memory, but she couldn't grasp the thought.

"Humans call us red-caps," he said, and she could tell it was a he, because, aside from the hat, he wasn't wearing any clothes. She averted her gaze quickly.

"If they lose all the blood in their hat they die." Natania whipped around at the new voice. She knew what that one was, though she'd only heard about them in stories. The woman looked human, but her hair glowed like embers and there were feather-like ruffles along her arms. A phoenix.

"What is this place?" Natania asked. Even though she knew the answer, she didn't want to admit it. She curled her arms around her knees, grateful that she, at least, was clothed. If the witch knew her fears... she shuddered.

"The Collector's collection," the red cap supplied.

"She has many creatures here to feed from, but they'll all get a break now that you're here." The phoenix smiled sympathetically. "The witch is like a child when she has new prey. Using them until they break."

Natania shuddered. She didn't want to think about that. "How can she keep a phoenix? Aren't you supposed to die every morning?"

"Normally, yes. Do you really think a witch wouldn't find a way around that?"

Natania sighed with defeat. Of course she could.

There was a clattering on the far side of the room, all sorts of snarls, squeals and shouts rose up until Natania couldn't hear anything else. It got closer and then there was a tray of food shoved under her door and the noise died down.

"Don't eat it, if you can help it," the red cap said, as he strolled to his own and started eating. His eyes started to stream and he made choking noises, but he didn't stop devouring the food that was clearly poisoned with something.

Natania curled up as far away from the door as she could get, shifting to her wolf form to keep warm.

"Your wolf is pretty," the phoenix said. She didn't get any food and Natania figured it was something to do with whatever was keeping the phoenix from dying in the first place.

Natania just stared at her, unwilling to change forms to talk.

"I didn't want to talk in my first week either. You should get some rest."