Marks of Dranolia

Chapter 2

Lena gritted her teeth thinking of her situation now. One moment she thought she was blessed to escape next moment reality threw her back into despair. The night sky loomed over the forest revealing little moonlight making it harder for her to visualize her surroundings. She let out a soft sigh knowing her eyes won't immediately adjust to her dark surroundings especially not today. Guess thereś not much I can do at this state. Slowly closing her eyes she decides to fall back into deep sleep letting her body rest up for tomorrow morning.

Deep in slumber, Lena didn't notice the risen sun that has been up for hours. It was almost noon. Hearing birds chirping and feeling a weird sensation on her arms, she gradually opens her eyes spotting tiny birds hopping on her. She lets out a soft groan feeling her aching body as she tries to adjust herself into a better sitting position. The slight movement of her arms caused the metal shackles to clank against each other, startling the birds and causing them to immediately flap their tiny wings away from her. Darting her eyes around her surroundings, she notices that under the bright morning sun, the forest doesn't seem as bad, but somewhat interesting. Born in the mountains, she has never seen so much greenery in her life.

Though her body was sore all over, most her wounds have worked their way healing and have stopped bleeding. She muster up some strength and hoisted herself up standing and stretching her sore arms. The shackles that bound her feet and arms were still intact but both of them had at least a 3 foot distant chain that granted her movement with little restraints. She has been wearing these for ever a year already so the weight didn't seem to bother her anymore. Although she did think the one around her neck was a pain though. Glancing at the dress and bread that was left by the serf girl, she decided to bend down and pick them both up taking this chance to keep both. Her stomach let out an unpleasant growl. Ugh she thought to herself and quickly feasts herself on the dry piece of bread making sure to save half of it for later in case she couldn't find food. She wrapped the dress around her waist like a belt and shoved the leftover piece of bread there using the dress as a waist bag.

After finishing her portion of bread, her throat became dry and she seeked for a source of water. I guess this is where my adventure begins she scoffs leaving her spot by the tree where she spent the night. Letting nature guide her way, she quickly heard a sound of softly rushing water. A small curve formed on her lips with a hint of pride like finding a source of treasure. She rushed her feet to the nearby stream and took mouthfuls of fresh cool water. After her fill, she gently washed her arms and wounds carefully not wanting them to be open again.

After rinsing off her soiled skin, she began her search for a home, preferably a cave or burrow to keep her save from mother nature. Living here won't be too bad. After all the woods provided her freedom and safety from humans. The issue right now was that she was weaponless which meant she won't be able to hunt for her food and living off berries and fruits won't last long until winter. Her mind was filled with thoughts of the future and plans of survival. Though she was young, she was well educated as a child when she lived up in the woods, her grandfather would teach her basic survival skills by the means of throwing her up in the mountains alone. After walking some distance, about a mile away from the stream, she almost lost hope in finding a comfortable shelter. She had climbed hills and rocks already reaching some highest points of the woods but no caves were found which she finds weird because all sources of water usually eventually led to some sort of cave.

The sun almost set, frustrated, she crossed her arms and let out a disappointed sigh and resigned herself to camp outside tonight again. She gathered a few berries and some other small fruits for the night. Finally settling herself in a area with heavily dense trees, she sat down leaning on a nearby tree and started munching on her daily gatherings. Luckily today she didn't bump into any hungry beasts. She unwrapped her poorly tied dress around her waist.

Throughout the long day, some of her cuts have reopening causing slight blood leaking out. She tore off her old tattered dress and began ripping it into strips of cloth in which she used to tightly wrap around her wounds. Since the whipping cause her undergarment over her chest to rip, she had no choice but the use what's left of the tattered dress to wrap around her waist. Letting out a soft sigh, she wished she was a guy sometimes, but then again if she was a guy she may not have received so much mercy from the slave owners and might be publically killed. All the wounds were properly bandaged to prevent further bleeding and seeing that her work was done, she tried to throw on her new grey mid sleeve dress. Then reality hit her with a realization that these chains would not allow her arms to slip through the sleeves.

¨Ugh,¨ she grunts angrily forgetting the most important obstacle and realized that she tore off her old dress too hastily and was unable to put on her new dress. Leaving her with her undergarments, but she was not going to let this stop her. There was no way she would walk out public even in this barren forest looking so inappropriate. She whacked her brains and finally thought of an idea. Quickly she stood up and slipped on her dress from her feet, pulling the dress up to her chest, and throwing the sleeved over her neck and tying it into a knot. Though it was still a bit revealing, she was satisfied with her work. At least she wasn't running around in her undergarments.

The night quickly fell over the skies again with a dimmer moon. Lena stayed up til midnight allowing her eyes to adjust to the dark and making sure that everything was safe before she fell into deep sleep from her exhausted day. Though the tiredness quickly overcame her, she didn't have a good night's sleep with some flashbacks to being a slave again haunting her in her nightmares. Once awhile she will let out soft groans but never whimpering for she refused to show any weakness even in her sleep.

The next morning came quickly again and this time she woke up a bit earlier than the night before noting her fast recovery. She finished what was left of her berries and the rest of her bread before setting out for her search for a better shelter again. But before anything, she found her way back to the stream to refresh her frowsy morning. She took off her bandages and rinsed them in the stream, allowing all the dirty substance to wash away. She hung the strips of cloth on a tree allowing the spring wind and bright, afternoon sun to dry them off warmly before she reapplied the bandages. This process took around a few hours and once again her search for food began.

Wandering back into the woods, she found the same old berries and fruits but deep down she knew that this resource will not last long before it runs out. As she searched the place for more food supplies, she wandered farther from the stream in a westward direction. The sun began to set leading her to search for an outdoor campsite for the night. But before she found a place she likes, she heard a faint loud scream of humans from nearby, sending shivers to her spine. Glancing at the direction of the faint screams, she spots a trail of smoke in a distance that seemed like a campsite.

Though she was scared, her brains knew that there must be people there which mean that there was hope for supplies. Food, shelter, heck- even weapons she thought without realizing she quietly headed towards the direction of the screams. Screams can mean a few things the people were dead and their spoils were hers, but whatever killed them might also be lingering in the distance. But on the bright side, if a beast killed them, it may already have had its full and returned home.

Quietly she crept through the woods without making much clanking noise from her shackles. Though her breathing was steady, her heart palpitated with anxiety and excitement ran through her for the curiosity also took the better of her. He crept her way closer and closer by every silent step until she was about 30 feet away, she stopped her tracks looking ahead of her. The setting sun provided enough light for her to see that there was indeed a campsite that was used by at least 5 people moments ago but now it all seemed too silent. The crackling fire was the only noise hear throughout the forest. She pondered in thoughts for a few moments not really understanding how the screams before turned so silent but it seemed as if the coast was clear. No signs of life occurred to her. She took small steps towards the camp before a slight rumble was heard and she felt the ground slightly shake. Terror shook her body when she realized that the predator was not that simple as a panther or tiger.