Changing Rain

Jail Cells

The prison was a mass of noise when Eric went down there to do something ' useful ', as Hilda had termed it. All the cells were filled with individual the Changelings, almost all of them had shifted forms, even if it was just a partial change. The calls of the multiple, different creatures was deafening. Three men from the village stood guard at various posts, each looking strained and upset in the wavering lantern light.

Eric went to the one down at the end, intending to relive him of duty, he looked like he had been there the longest.

Taking the watch, he turned his attention on the Changelings closest to him as he leaned against the wall. The old Changeling in his odd stall, the sandy haired boy just next to him. There was also a flame haired youth, and another with black hair and black eyes. The one with the flaming hair was calling out frantically, what sounded to be a name.

Pulling his attention away from the boy, Eric looked back to the sandy haired one, still grudgingly admiring him from the battle, yet still hating him all the same. He was walking in circles around his cell, most likely looking for some sort of weakness.

" You won't find it. " The boys head snapped up when Eric spoke.

" What?!"

" A way out, you won't find one. " Eric replied, careful to keep the smugness out of his voice.

" Shows what you know." He spat.

" No, he's right lad, I've been here for, what? Ten or eleven years? I've tried everything. There's no way out. The old Changeling poked his head over the top of the solid part of his cell, and looked at the boy through the bars.

The old Changeling threw a questioning glance at Eric, as if looking for confirmation. The boy jumped when he spoke, apparently he had not noticed him.

" Who are you?" The boy asked with narrowed and suspicious blue eyes."

" Name be Telrin, lad. Your's?"

" Greck. " Telrin stuck his hand through the bars into Greck's cell, where he shook it still looking at Telrin.

" Are you Telrin White hair, the lost captain?"

Telrin blinked at him, the only thing that betrayed his surprise. "The name fits, but how do you know about me?"

" Everyone knows about you, and the lost recruits. You've become something if a ghost story. "

A strange grimace covered his features for an instant, then was gone. "So be it."

An odd thing to say, Eric thought. They continued to talk pleasantly, as if they did this kind of thing all the time. Their calm reasonable tones soon had an effect on the other Changelings, who first began to quiet, then change into their human form.

In the new found quiet, a door slammed open, and Eric's father stood in the doorway, filling it like a storm cloud, blocking all light. He glared around at the cells lining the walk way before stamping to the one closest to the door. He reached in, and grabbed the boy by his shirt front, and dragged him back to the door while he was kicking and yelling the whole way.

" Martel!!" Greck called out wildly as the door slammed. "Being him back you son of a whore!!" He screamed as he through himself against the bars.

A few long moments later, the screaming began. It would rise and fall in pitch, waver and almost stop before it would begin anew.

Eric grit his teeth, and hoped the Changelings would start their ruckus again to drown out the sound. But they were silent and wide eyed as they listened to their brother in arms suffering. They just stared off into space with empty eyes. Hours later, the screaming stopped abruptly. After a long moment, a mournful howl rose and hung in the air. Telrin in his dog form, singing Martel the Changelings last tribute.