The Beast Within Us

Chapter 7: ↭ Yara & ⑄ Chala

↭ As if the situation could get any worse, after saving the battered Hewan girl she had hurled her anger at Yara. In truth, it was expected. Yara could visibly take note of the toll it took on the woman's body and could only imagine what that did for her mental soundness. The tigress spat her anger and fury at Yara and turned her backside to her, a gesture that was as disrespectful as well as primal. Yara did not allow herself to flinch in the face of her ward and let the fear that bubbles inside of her to remain a stone expressionless mask across her features. She knew the beast in Chala would smell the fear, it was a sense that humans could not possess, but she would not give her the satisfaction of seeing her true vulnerability.

The Hewan mentioned Yara's lack of use of the destructive word that forced her to change and Yara allowed the silence around them to settle briefly before making any movement to speak herself.

"There is no game, young Hewan. I can see the toll the transition is taking on your health. Why would I willingly sacrifice your life essence to see what you can or cannot do? What does that prove to me? What does that prove to anyone?" Yara allowed herself to take a few small steps within range of the chain, and she knelt in the frosted grass before the woman.

"Your life is not a game to me. No matter who thinks it is. I will not lie and say that if I was truly out of other options I wouldn't attempt to use your power, but I will never attempt to use your power for anything else. I am a noblewoman of my word and I am here for the same reason you are. I may be the master, but I did not, would never, ask for a Hewan slave- or any slave. Allegiance should be earned and not bought or stolen. We have both found ourselves in a situation we cannot escape. You would do well to remember that."

Yara righted her form and stood before Chala gracefully. Her coal gaze probed her still form and she truly looked at the slave before her. She was filthy and battered in light of recent events but her form was impeccable beneath the soot and blood that marred her beautiful mixture of skin and coat. Her tail was long and elegant; Yara resisted the urge to reach out and stroke the soft fur of the Hewan, to experience the feeling of her fur. The creature interested Yara, perhaps even more than she frightened her. ↭

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⑄ Chala's tail twitched in the grass as she listened to what the Wardeness had to say, despite her desire to do anything but. She was still angry, but she allowed the emotion to simmer beneath her features until she had need of its fire again if at all. Subconsciously, Chala leaned back as Yara drew closer to her, almost blatantly ignoring the distance she'd created and kneeling in the grass so that they were at equal eye level. It was uncomfortable and unnerving.

Even still, the storm eyed huntress saw how tense Yara was in her presence, and while she couldn't currently place whether it was caution, fear, or both, it was pleasing. At the very least, she'd established some intimidation. 'What is there to prove eh? Ask your king. Ask your soldiers.' She didn't let the thought go further than the tip of her tongue. The temptation was there however.

"Good to know. Being used as a tool is a step up from being used as a toy." It could be said that Chala was being fairly petty in that moment, but one was allowed a bit of pettiness in her situation. "Let's say I believe you and the blather that's just left your lips." Her eyes narrowed in suspicion and her pupils contracted to slits.

"What do you want from me?"

In the silence awaiting her answer, Chala realized that somehow, Yara smelled familiar. It niggled at the back of her mind and pulled at her memories, but as much as the huntress tried, she couldn't place exactly why she felt that way. It was annoying and irritating. As far as she knew, she'd never had the misfortune of meeting the Warden before yesterday.

Despite the distracting thoughts, Chala felt her skin prickle as though she were being watched. She found Yara staring at her intently with a contemplating gaze and felt as though she were being examined. Her tail wrapped around her crossed legs in the grass almost self-consciously. ⑄