I See You

Ink

We all stay quiet, acting as normally as normal is around here as our not so trusted ally enters.

Perusal, he gives us our food, no talking. He only gives me a steady stare as he hands me mine. I nod back, not obviously, but enough to confirm I know to subtlety look for a message.

I won't say we have the worst conditions here in our captivity, but we definitely don't want to stay. So definite that we're risking escape, using help of one of our captors.

While he leaves, my friends all resume their chattering, acting casual.

I set my tray down sliding a small scrap of paper out from under the corner.

Just go with it: lights out, doors unlock, turn right, run - destroy this

How exactly does he expect me to get rid of this? They occasionally search us (thankfully they have females in their ranks), and there's no way to send it away-

Wait, he expects me to eat it, doesn't he!?

Fuck my life! We're caught for sure!

Get a hold of yourself, a tired voice tells me.

MISSY!!! I mind yell happy before demanding, Where have you been?

I've been looking for Azalea and Kaitlyn, she interrupts me fast, Something's going on and Azalea is trying her best to reach Kaitlyn. Azalea's fighting and I'm trying to help her, but you keep dragging me back here every time I make any progress. Buck up and eat it, our mate needs us. I'm trying my best, but I don't know how to work my situation to my advantage yet.

I'm blown away that it's actually her. I'm so empty and incomplete without my spirit.

I missed you too, my soul, she admits, whispering. I can't tell you much because I have to get back right now, but you need to find Remedy. Remedy... important....

Remedy? What remedy? Is there a remedy they need? I receive no answer. Missy?

When it's apparent I'm not receiving an answer I want to breakdown, but I've got shit to do.

Armed with the knowledge that Missy not being with me is important, that I have a real chance at escaping in a few hours, and that I have to find some remedy (whatever that is), I subtlety ball the small paper up.

When I get a small nudge, I tune in, and find Star looking at me from Jay's side, and her brother sitting next to me laughing, pretending he didn't nudge me because his sister most likely told him so.

Her eyes ask me if I'm alright, and I nod in confirmation. Turning to the group, I drop the small balled up paper into the mashed potatoes and mix it in, as if I'm playing with my food.

I took a gamble last week by barely touching my food under the disguise of not feeling too well, and as I suspected, these guys know nothing of Tigers.

We don't get colds or human- like sicknesses like most shifters, we only get sick with Ravensvein, which is depression and suicide-like, and turns a tiger rouge.

Tigers are not meant to be rouge. We survive in Streaks, and thrive in Streaks. Rouge tigers don't and go insane. They lose their humanity.

Ravensvein is either the hardest or easiest sickness ever. Its normally contracted by death of a loved one, normally a mate or child. Not all tigers who lose their mate or child will get it, but with Ravensvein, there is no 'type most likely'. You get it or don't.

Luckily I didn't...

Then again, I got a second chance with my mate, which means I have a second chance to get Ravensvein should anything happen...

Don't think like that! I yell at myself.

Anyway, I found that our captors know nothing of tigers. We love food. We don't turn down food. We don't leave a speck behind.

Joining into the monotonous talk, I inwardly grimace while I raise the mash potatoes and note to my mouth.

I chew and swallow quickly, hoping I don't get ink poisoning from this.

I know eating it doesn't sound appetizing, and I'll be the first to tell anyone that it isn't, especially when the writer seems to have a pressure problem, making the paper so inky that it isn't ever completely dry and mixing with liquid it runs.

No more potatoes for me. I may never again be able to taste them the same again! Blech.

(I clean the rest of my plate though. Waste not, want not... who am I kidding? I always want food! It's a species thing, sue me.)

The rest of the afternoon is so tedious, and plays out the same as it has for the last six weeks and four days. It make me but antsy and board knowing we'll (hopefully) not be here tomorrow.

"Well, let's get ready for bed guys," I say, hinting our out was near, because of my wording.

Once the lights ago out, I quietly command them all to the door.

Grabbing the handle I pray to the Goddess that my small bit of trust wasn't misplaced, before pulling.

I'd have fallen had my friends not been almost against my back.

"Let's go!" I hiss, motioning then to exit and go right. We take off, but slow when we reach some emergency exit doors.

They all turn to me for direction, and for the first time I truly realize the responsibility I'll have when I'm Bast. The responsibility I have to them now.

"Let's go!" I repeat, and we all charge out, skidding to a stop at the sight before us.

It's darkening because it's dusk, but the remaining light makes this a sight to behold. Wolves are attacking our captors, who are in both the shift and human forms.

Occupied by the sight, I don't notice the hand that wraps around my waist while a second covers my mouth, yanking my backwards.

I bite down, immediately.

My person grumbles in my ear, "Stop that! I thought you wanted to get out of there!"

I stop, hoping I'm doing the right thing, and feel the person stop moving, throwing me in the back of a truck.

"Stay quiet," They grumble, and I order my team to stop growling and to stand down. After a moment the voice sounds surprised, "Thanks."

"Just blow this popsicle stand, please," I request.

He laughs, "Just waiting for- ah, here he is!" Another person is tossed in and the voice guy- who is massive as a shadow- climbs in after and slams the doors closed.

"Ahow. Ow..." whines a voice.

"Aidan!" Hisses Star. "What the fuck!"

"Star," I snap, misunderstanding her ire, "He would have been screwed had we left him there! He help-"

"Goddess, Mystic! He's basically sitting in my lap!"

There's a surprised squeak and a scuffling sound, as Aidan finds his own area. My eyes finally adjust but I can barely make out everyone because- yay- with Missy's absence, my heightened senses aren't heightened.

Laughing deeply, our possible savior bangs on the wall and the truck takes off into the unknown, leaving the small war of growls and hissing behind.