Freezing Wings

Chapter 3

We both just sat there for some time, complete silence on our end of the hall. I was digesting everything he had just told me, particularly about my new dietary needs. 'Rocks? Really? Why is the world so cruel...?'

Lucas studied me for a while, gauging my reaction. After figuring that I was out of questions, he turned and faced his back to me, letting me have a bit of time to myself.

After a few more minutes of griping about my fate I sighed, resigned to my doom. There wasn't really any way around it, especially if it was a major part of our diet. It had to be mandatory for us to stay healthy if even our captors were making sure we got some. I would just have to accept it.

I was about to lay down and go to sleep when my body began to cry for food, hunger pangs stabbing at my stomach. I looked around, scouring my cage for any sort of food. There was only a half-full plastic bowl of water in the corner, a weird smell emanating from it. I sniffed, trying to identify whatever it was.

It smelled like drugs and plant life, a mixture between a forest and a pharmacy, and made me get a tiny headache. The water was obviously drugged, so I just curled up and closed my eyes to ignore it.

It didn't matter how thirsty I was, I wasn't going to drug myself. I didn't really think that I could swallow it anyway, especially after the conversation I had just had.

There was a period of silence as Lucas turned back and watched me, hearing my scales rustle. I could feel his eyes drilling into my back before he curled up as well and dozed, the rhythmic sound of his breathing breaking the quiet.

As I listened to the silence, my mind wandered, and I began to think of my situation. Was I ever going to leave here? See the sun? Eat regular food? Get out of this cage?

I must have just dozed off at some point because when I woke up, there was a different bowl in front of me, and Lucas was no longer in his cage. My ears went back and I subconsciously flexed my claws, 'They must have taken him out to study him..'

I stood up and walked over to the metal bowl, sniffing. There were a few chunks of chopped beef and chicken, along with something that smelled a lot like a rabbit. I sniffed, this time it didn't smell like drugs, and after a few minutes of checking I determined that there wasn't anything extra added to it.

[This next part is not made for people who don't like slightly bloody scenes or eating meat, so just skip the next five paragraphs (including that one little line) if that's you]

The thought of eating raw meat wasn't exactly appealing to my human stomach and when I placed it in my mouth, I was expecting a taste similar to what an undercooked hamburger tasted like. I was expecting for my tongue to reject it and spit it out, or at least for it to not taste good.

I was wrong.

When I bit down and tasted it, it was like a dormant beast was awakened in my gut and suddenly, I was starving. My stomach roared out its need for food and I salivated, savoring the taste of uncooked animal flesh. It was slightly chewy and a bit stringy, blood still coating the outside.

I quickly scarfed down that one small piece and quickly began to tear into the rest of the meat. There was enough meat in that one bowl to constitute at least two cows, about four rabbits, and a few chickens - an enormous amount. When I was finally done stuffing myself there was nothing left.

However, when I finally looked up and saw myself in the mirror, I locked up. My snout and fangs were completely covered in bright red blood, making me look as if I was feasting on a kill. My claws were just as bloody from holding the bowl in place.

I looked like an animal.

After a few moments of silence, I finally unfroze and stiffly shifted over to the corner, ignoring my reflection.

My appetite had disappeared and the food in my stomach suddenly didn't taste as good, seeming to become boulders in my gut. The taste disappeared and all I could perceive was the scent of copper and the sticky fluid painting my face and hands.

I grimaced as I fell into a restless sleep, blood still staining my claws.