Innocent Creatures

Chapter 11 (P.O.V: Skye)

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Chills are sent up my spine as Zeek claws at our cage.

We need to leave...Cough, cough, splutter, splutter.

He does it so frantically that I fear his claws will break off for good. I sit in the small cage with him like we have done many times before, staring at the ceiling, and praying that we do not have to go on stage again today. I count the days. They still go slowly. I glance at the tally I started the day we were captured, and count 34 little, white scratches.
Cough, cough, splutter, splutter.

We need to leave, or I think we will go mad with the loneliness.

Suddenly, our rusty gate doors open."Get in there!" I hear Sebastian yell, as five people are thrown in, heavily collapsing on top of each other. My head whips around and I limp over cautiously to tend to them.

"Zeek, come over hear post haste!" I say, helping the youngest girl to stand up, and he looks around and comes over to help. "Poor you..." Zeek says, with the slight lisp he has always had, and brushes his dark brown hair away from his face, as he helps a groaning man to sit up.

"Fia? Fia!" The young man with black hair says, dragging himself over to the young, fancily dressed lady, who is not moving. He strokes her auburn hair, and the little girl I helped stumbles over to them both, her bottom lip starting to wobble."Little fish... " The man whispers, slightly shaking her, a look of worry on his face.

"Fia?" A male with ginger hair whispers, crawling slowly over to the girl. The lady - Fia? - shivers, starts to cough and wheezes, whilst lunging with a hug at the ginger man, who clutches her tightly."Fia... " He smiles, closing his eyes."River... " She coughs, happily so.

"Who are you?" A blonde boy with pixie ears says, pointing to me, hunched, and squinting with tears falling down his face "Are you another of Sebastian's guards? Because if you are..."

"No... we are not one on them..." I say "I am Skye, and this is Zeek. We can..."

"Please just leave us be, Skye" he says turning back to his friends, holding his hand to his face sobbing. The auburn haired boy lets go of the lady and gives her to the black haired boy, who holds her on his lap, shuffling over to the handsome pixie. He clutches him into an embrace, and they sob together. I stand there for a moment, then turn away to Zeek, feeling uncomfortable with watching these strangers. My sibling sits in the corner, which has golden brown, old, straw on the floor, and motions me over.

"They look extremely sad... " He says, holding his knees. For 14, like me, he has quite a tall stature, and when he brings his legs to his chest, they touch his chin. I force my body into my wolf form, which is painful to do without the full moon, and curl up into a small ball next to Zeek. Suddenly, echoing footsteps can be heard pacing through the hallway, Aand I whip my head up too see.

Derik stands there, making me feel queasy with his dawning presence, and says"State you's names" whilst pointing to the other people..

"But... but mummy Shelia would want me to be home for lunch" says the little girl, hoping that he will let her leave.

."Shut your drovelin' mouth! State your name!" .

."Ariana" she shakily whispers, before bursting into tears and running into the comfort of the black haired man.

."What about you's?" he says, glaring at all of them.

."Red... " says the black haired boy.

."REAL names, sunshine!"

."That is my real name though"

."If you say so, rapscallion. You?" he asks the young lady, who mutters:

"Felicity... but every one I have ever conversed with, and that know me, call me Fia" with large tears falling from her eyes..

"Felicity it is 'hen! What's your name mist'a flame-boy?" Derik walks round to the side of the cage where the embracing boys where, which only took three steps, and points to the freckled man.

"River" he says, making the guard raise his eyebrows and squint his eyes..

."How's about you?"

."Clive sir" says the blonde man, with a frown.

"Okay 'den... Ariana, Red..." he snorts when he says Red's name "Felicity, River and Clive. Welcome to The Ressen Travelin' Circus!"