Bonded

Chapter 5: Hide it

I took off my jacket, shirt, and jeans. I stood there in my undergarments, my expression gave nothing away as to what the leaders were about to see in regards to my marks. Slowly I turned, pausing every once in a while to give them a good view of my marks.

In the link I said 'Megami Runa, Megami Runa, I humbly implore you.'

Honoring my mentor, I pulled from his teachings to help me through the judgement of the pack leaders. Icarus and Wren's expressions stayed the same however through the link they were screaming about something bad that was going to happen.

Dread filled my stomach as I faced the pack leaders once more. The warrior pack leaders cold eye fell upon my frame, compared to him I was very petite. Staring on ahead I let the leaders judge my markings.

On my front was a storm changing to a solem dark day. In the storm was my mentor, his image not clearly represented, and the other person was me. I was training in the image while my mentor swung his sword at me. The solem dark day was me crouching in front of his grave, the images still not clearly represented (which I appreciated now since the pack leaders never cared for privacy). Surrounding the two marks was cherry blossom petals and lavender flowers.

The flowers led to my other markings, on my right arm was covered in simplistic moon symbols (phases of the moon). On my left arm was a pianos keyboard surrounded by cherry blossom petals and lavender flowers. The flowers trailed down my arms to my fingertips to reveal identical daggers on my middle fingers.

On my left leg was my mentors sword (the image started from my hip bone down to my ankle), naturally I'd inherited the sword after he passed so it didn't surprise me that the sword was in my marks. On my right leg was three glowing orbs surrounding my mentors amulet, necklace, and pet. My mentor's pet was a black cat named Kuro, a rare three tailed breed.

On my back was the same mark Icarus and Wren had surrounded in a Japanese cherry tree. Around the mark was water a symbolizing life and purity. Written around my neck was my mentor's words leaving a trail of lavender up my left cheek to stop above my eyebrow.

The warrior leader's eyes were less than pleasant but I didn't quiver under his scrutinizing gaze. "She's also with me." The leaders voice rang out like a sharp double edged knife.

The rest of the pack leaders gasped and started to converse with each other. This continued for thirty minutes or so before the warriors leader was fed up. "SILENCE!!!!" His voice was loud and demanding. The tone immediately shut the other pack leaders up.

Turning his cold eyes upon me he said "To make sure that you aren't in a kin I'll whip you." Looking around he continued "If you are in a kin your members will react since they can feel you pain, if no one reacts then you may join my pack."

Silently I nodded accepting my punishment humbly, one must always yield to those who see you as an enemy to properly assess the threat. My mentor's words hummed within my mind. Getting on my knees I turned my back to the leaders preparing for the whips.

'Hide your pain. Don't let him get what he wants. I'll be damned if this breaks us.' I said finally through our link.

Before the others could respond a broken crack sounded into the silent stadium. No one made any noise. Wren cried into our link 'FUCK!!!' Her face showed no emotion but I could hear her raw plead, the curse wasn't one of anger but one of unhidden, pure, terrified pain. Nothing left my lips as he whipped my back again.

Icarus's voice screamed into our link 'Holy moly guacamole!' he gasped out the words. They were strangled between clenched teeth. Wren sobbed into the link. Silently I took the pain, while Wren and Icarus schooled their faces expertly.

Our connection clawed to the surface wanting to protect me from pain, no doubt my eyes were glowing. Faithfully I knew the others hid they glowing of their eyes, the action was probably hard since our animals were fighting to the surface. I'd experienced much more pain than this, I'd been tortured before I met my mentor. Shockingly his cat had found me tied in a damp, musty, dark room. My mentor had asked me if I'd given them any information or if I'd pleased them with screaming. Being unable to speak I'd shook my head no.

For some reason my mentor took great pride in this and had freed me from my captors. The memory had unknowingly been shared with the others; I wasn't upset about the fact though because memories would be shared randomly between us throughout our life. After twenty more whips the leader felt satisfied that I hadn't cracked and neither had anyone who would have been related to my kin.

"Welcome to the Fierce Wolves." The leader had said as he offered his hand.

Brushing his hand away I glared deeply at him, the hatred in my eyes stunned him. I grabbed my clothes quickly putting them on as I walked to stand my Wren and Icarus. We shared the same scars; past and present, and no doubt would more be added to our collection because of this.

The packs took off toward their land as we got lead to the warriors pack lands. Icarus and Wren grabbed my hands and gripped them tightly.

Stupid rules.