Raw

Chapter Eleven - The Time Approaches

The next while passed quickly and uneventfully. I slipped into a routine similar to what I used to do, except with stolen moments spent with Mhor. There was no one I wanted to spend more time with, no one I trusted like I did him. And by the way he looked at me, with a soft tenderness in his eyes, I believed he felt the same way.

One morning, Mother awoke me. "Zora, your heat is due soon."

I sat up, alarmed. "Already?"

"It's been a moon. You should start any time now." She handed me a soft cotton dress. "Your father will go out to find Mhor, and I'll send the young males on a hunt and order them to move in with the retired females. You should go to the waterhole to wash."

Father had chased out the crocodile the day after I was attacked, so the waterhole was safe again. But as I approached the water, I did check, like always. It was better to be safe than sorry.

A whiff of something came on the light breeze. Something that didn't smell right. "Mhor?" I called out.

"Not Mhor," a deep voice came from behind me. "But someone much better."

I swung around just as one of the twins leapt on me. He pinned me down, covering my mouth so I couldn't scream. Once he'd secured me, the other twin appeared to help him tie and gag me. Struggle as I may, I couldn't break free of them. They pulled the gag and ropes tight, making them cut into me. My eyes watered from the pain.

"Let's get her out of here fast," the second twin said.

Together, they yanked me to my feet and dragged me away. I didn't stop struggling for one moment, especially when I realized they were taking me south; to their territory. They wanted to mate with me, but there was no way I'd let them.

Finally, after one of the times I kicked free, one of the twins grabbed me by the mouth, squeezing until I tasted the bitter tang of blood. "Don't make me knock you out."

I kept struggling.

"You asked for it."

Everything went black.

When I awoke, my forehead throbbed. The sun hung over me as my head lulled. But somehow, I was upright. Ropes dug at my wrists as they hung stretched out. My back pressed against a thick tree. Forcing my eyes open, the first thing I saw was golden grass swaying in the breeze. Lifting my head, I scanned, finding a small clearing with bushes lining the edge. None of it looked familiar. My stomach tightened. The twins must have succeeded. I had to be on their land.

But no one else was around.

Sniffing the air, I picked up the faint smell of musk, a sign of territorial marking. The twins had to be securing the area before coming back for me.

Pulling at my wrists, I assessed my dilemma. Both arms were tied to branches, keeping me in place. I still had my clothes on, thankfully, but they'd removed my dagger from the hilt. I had to find a weakness in my bonds.

I tugged at each hand one at a time. The ropes held firm, even tightening with each pull. The branches were sturdy. They obviously carefully chose this tree.

With only one chance left, I lifted my head and called, "Mhor! Father!"

Crashing in the bushes rushed toward me.

"Mhor!" I cried more desperately. "Father!"

One of the twins burst through, running right at me.

"Mhor!"

He covered my mouth, smothering my cries. "Hush!" He pulled out a cloth, forcing it into my mouth. "That's better."

He tied it off and stepped back. I chewed at the gag, groaning in a desperate attempt to do something to escape.