A Tail and Chains

Chapter 3: Shula

     Shula slowly stood up and began to limp away. Maybe that girl, Lela,  was really trying to help, but Shula  couldn't take any chances. Besides this girl was just as bad as a Catcher in Shula's eyes. Anyone who could ignore the fact that innocent people were being hurt and killed every day, because they were different, was just as bad as the people doing the killing. Shula hissed under her breath. The Master had once taken her and three other slaves into town and she had seen the way people looked at her and the others. She had also noticed other Trivalian slaves, kept in the shadows were the "normal people" couldn't see them. Doing all the dirty work; the jobs that had to be done that nobody was willing to do. She shook her head angrily. The remnant of chain still attached to her ankle dragged behind her making strange metallic noises.  

      A tumbleweed rolled across the path, making Shula's tail bush to twice its size and her ears lay flat on her head. She jumped backwards, every muscle tensed and she landed in a fighting stance; with her feet spread apart, her left palm pressed firmly on the ground, and her right arm pulled back with claws extended. She bared her fangs and hissed, the fur along her spine rising. For a second Shula remained in that stance. Then she took a deep breath and relaxed. She withdrew her claws and let her right hand lightly brush the ground. Her entire arm burned from the bullet wound and her knee was oozing with fresh blood. Her eyes followed the tumbleweed as it continued to roll away and she felt her tail swish across the ground in annoyance. This was ridiculous, she was acting like a scared kit on "The Night of Ancestors": a night that set aside as a holiday to celebrate the spirits of dead loved ones which had been perverted into a night of ghost and dark magic.

      She felt her chest puff out slightly. She came from a long honorable line and she would not desecrate her families name by being careless and blinded by fear. Her great-grandfather had fought in the "Trivalian War for Freedom" and many of her Uncles and Aunts had escaped from human death camps for "troublesome savages". Shula slowly stood up and shook off the dirt. 

     Every step was torture, but she wanted to get as far away from Lela as possible. She didn't need any help; especially from some brat who didn't know what real suffering was. Shula squared her shoulders and tried to look convincing as she walked away. Unfortunately, curiousity got the better of her and she took a quick glance back at the girl. Lela was sitting where Shula had left her but she was staring at Shula as she walked away. Lela's large, amber eyes were full of compassion and uncertainty. Shula huffed and whipped her head around.  She flicked her ears in annoyance. Then she stumbled. 

     Shula hadn't meant to fall, of course no one ever does, but she hit the ground before she even knew what was happening. A yowl ripped out of her throat before she could stop it as she tried to catch herself with her right arm. Pain flared up in both her leg and arm simultaneously as she hit the gravelly dirt. At first she was to stunned to move. After a few seconds of lying there in agony she shakily pushed her self up onto her knees. The dirt was spattered with blood from all of her reopened wounds. She felt tears of pain rolling down her cheeks, mixing with dirt and grit from a day of running and hiding. She gritted her teeth and was about to attempt to stand up when she felt a hand on her shoulder. She looked back to see Lela kneeling beside her. 

     Lela looked Shula over with concern. "Are you all right? I saw you start to fall and I tried to get over as fast as I could but......" Lela's words were lost in a river of thoughts that were running through Shula's mind.

     "She's still trying to help me. This doesn't make any sense. Why? But she's a human, she can't actually care about me. This is ridiculous, just get rid of her. I can take care of myself. Come on Shula, don't be a weakling I still have to avenge my family. I can't fail; I made a vow to the goddess Feliat. But at this rate...."

     Lela was still talking. "Maybe you hit your head. Can you hear me? Maybe I should get you to a Doctor. There's a really good one in-"

     "NO!" Shula cut Lela off. A doctor would turn her in without a second thought. "No Doctors. I'm fine."

      Lela shook her head. "You are definitely NOT fine. Have you seen yourself lately? At the rate your going you'll be dead before you reach any sort of civilization." Lela blushed. "Sorry, that just sort of came out. It was harsh."

     "But true."

     Lela looked at Shula in surprise. "I'm sorry. What did you just say."

     Shula flicked her ears impatiently. "You're right."

     "Really?"

     Shula glared at Lela and nodded.

     "Well then," Lela stood up and wiped the dirt off of her legs, "we had better get moving if we want to reach Upo before nightfall." 

     "Upo? What's Upo?"

     "My home town. Its about two miles south. If we start walking now we can get there before sundown." Lela held her hand out towards Shula. "So are you coming or what?"

     Shula took Lela's hand and stood up unsteadily. Lela threw Shula's arm over her shoulder to give Shula support as they walked down the road. Shula's right arm had gone numb, but her knee still burned with every step. Shula was still tense but she realized that Lela seemed almost as worried as she was. Lela kept fidgeting with her clothes and hair. Shula allowed herself a tiny smile. Lela noticed.

     "What are you smiling about?"

     "You. What's wrong?"

     Lela looked surprise. "What? Oh... um nothing. There are just rumors that bandits frequently plunder people using this road."

     "You're safe." Shula was surprised at the words coming out of her own mouth.

     "Really? why?"

     Shula bared her fangs. "Because you're with me." Lela gasped and Shula looked around suspiciously. "What! What's wrong?"

     Lela smiled teasingly. "You said more than two words in one sentence. I'm wasn't sure if you could."       

     Shula rolled her eyes but smiled. "Whatever."