Devour | on hold

Chapter 15 (Clueless)

PART TWO

THE WOLF-GIRL

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- Chapter Fifteen -

**LENNO'S POV**

CLUELESS

Quidel’s men’s hands are clenching my arms, but they feel as though they’re, instead, clasped around my neck, I cannot breathe. In my head I’ve run a hundred times back to Lenmana, and held her in a tight soothing embrace. I don’t have any idea what must have happened to her, and there’s no way I can know.

I don’t regret shouting at Quidel, and I am not afraid of being taken to I don’t know where. Since old times of wars between the Cannibals and the Eyotes, none of us has ever been taken to prison. None of us has ever broken rules of the Cannibals. And I don’t know what’s worse, is it to know what is about to be done to me - no matter how terrible it could be, or having no clue at all.

However, executing one person is sure better than punishing an entire tribe, and I hope that what I’ve done is solved by punishing only me. I hope they won’t let the whole tribe pay for it.

“Walk!” The guard on my left shouts as he shoves me forward, I stumble for a moment then gain my balance. I fight the urge to stick my fist to his face and just swear under my breath and keep walking.

That twinge of pride in everybody’s chest is his straight way to doom. I have to control that twinge in order to make it out of here, if that’s possible. But no matter what, I know I have to keep it there, nonetheless. And at the thought of pride, I think of her. Lenmana. She is the definition of pride and strength walking on two legs, walking on earth.

I remember the first day she took the boat with us, the Igashos, and can almost feel that overwhelming feeling of joy and excitement and fright all over again. Yes, fright. I was afraid that like every time I’ve seen her, I’d just let her go without uttering a single word. I was afraid that she doesn’t notice me. Although I’ve been, my entire life, noticed by people, praised and complimented, I always knew she never noticed me. She was never the kind of girl that’d like a guy who has so many girls roaming around him. She hasn’t known I never liked any of them. She hasn’t known I’ve never talked to any. I never let her know she was the one.

Now that I’ve done, I’m afraid I’m seeing it all wither and die.

We arrive at some hut away from town, I have never been that far into their land, and I don’t think I would have ever wished it. It’s strangely and scarily deserted here; no homes, trees, water or people, only some grass growing in random spots of the ground. There are a few other huts like this one, all typical. These are the cells in which they keep their prisoners.

I think of myself being a prisoner and I think of how much that would hurt my only parent- mother and my two young siblings. They are the only family I’ve known, and they had always been proud of the only man they counted on. Now that that man is thrown in prison, they must be very dishonored and exposed. I imagine Nuka and Aylen afraid of going out to play with other kids because they are afraid of what they would hear about their disgracing brother. I imagine my mother unable to walk with her head high like she used to do when I was a tribe’s hero. And another kind of ache digs into my chest.

They unlock the door and jostle me inside. “You stay here until someone comes tells you otherwise.” One of the three guards spits the words to me. I look at him, immobile, until he slams the door shut and I hear the wood bar locking the door from the other side.

Now that I’m all alone, I roam around the hut, holding my head like it’s going to fly away, so much thoughts are rushing through it and the headache is driving me crazy. I can’t stop thinking about my mother, siblings and Lenmana. I can’t reach them and I need to know what happened to them and I can’t just stay here and not protect them.

The last image I saw of Lenmana is flickering thousands of times in my head, blinding me. Her tears running down her cheeks, her body shaking with anger, and

And Akando’s arms around her.

His hand over her mouth and his arm around her waist, keeping her from running to me, the image burns into my eyes. And I don’t know if I want to thank him for saving her, or rip him to million pieces and throw them to the wolves. I have, my entire life, been madly jealous of Akando. The only guy I saw with the only girl I love. But when I got to know them, know there is also Hakan, I knew my mission was harder.

That day on the riverbank, the first day Lenmana has ever asked for my help, when Hakan and Akando had fought and she was worried about her best friend, was the day I had my jealousy doubled. I remember Kaya running to me when I was wandering in town with mother, for she wanted to get some food. She looked horrified, she was dripping sweat and my heart sank at her sight. Those barely existing moments before she spoke felt like an eternity. She said Lenmana was in trouble. She said she asked for my help.

She said Lenmana needed me.

And all I know is I was running . . .

I also remember mother’s gentle hand on my back, softly pushing my forward, towards Lenmana. Mother knows everything. And even though it could seem childish, I’m never ashamed to say that my mother is my best friend.

I reached the riverbank in a matter of minutes, I saw her and Akando a few miles away, “Lenmana!” I called. She surprisingly seemed surprised to see me, and it hurt me. I knew she asked for my help because she was worried about Akando, but I didn’t care, I wanted to be there for her, but when I arrived, saw the way they talked to each other, saw the way she looked at him, the way I was the outsider, were all draggers stabbing me one after another. I had to keep a serious face, an emotionless one. I had to hide my feelings. I had to conceal my love.

That was the day I knew about Hakan. That was the day I added a name to my list of hatred.

I groan. I’m pained. Some kind of pain so much harder than a physical one. I kick the walls of hut over and over and over again, they shake but never fall, and I wish for the sun to fall and burn the whole world, I’m too angry at everything and I’m imprisoned here. I can’t do anything, and I need to be on our land, with my family and with Lenmana. I need to take Akando’s hands off her.

I don’t know how much time I am to spend between these walls, I feel them pressing on me, and I can’t escape them and run for her. I wonder what she’s doing, how’s she doing, and if she’s thinking of me.

I couldn’t have a last glimpse of mother, Nuka and Aylen and I regret it, although it’s not in my hands, it was all unexpected. I never expected to be thrown in prison. And I’m worried about those whom I love.

I keep wishing my mother is strong, I keep wishing she doesn’t have to shed a single tear.

And even though I know I should never get lost in the memories, I should be focused and do my best to get out of here, I should stay awake, I should keep my brain here with me, I can never deny the fact that all my heart is back on the Eyote’s Land.

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So.. for refreshing the story, I thought of writing from Lenno's point of view - also to know what happens to him there in prison, and I hope I did fine, because it's really difficult to write from a guy's pov :/

Anyway, this part will go on like this: a chapter from Lenno's pov then a chapter from Lenmana's pov.

I need to know what you think, and I need to your votes ^_^

Nouran,,