Hear my roar.

The Cold Light of Dawn

"No!" Helena spat. "No, put me down!" She demanded. Firefox kept her pinned firmly under his muscular arms.

"I think I like it better this way." Firefox mused.

"Get the hell off me!" Helena snarled.

"Calm down, I'm just tired of hearing your teeth clattering together." 

Helena was silent for a moment. "If you expect sex, it's not happening." Firefox began to laugh.

"I'm not expecting or asking for sex." He said, and she was taken aback by the sincerity in his deep voice.

"Why are you doing this?" She asked him. "Why are you so interested in me."

Firefox did not answer, instead, he said. "You should sleep now, Silver-eyes."

*****************

Firefox opened his eyes as Helena wriggled free of his arms, and hopped off the bed. Her feet, he realized, were bloodied and blistered.

"That looks painful." He noted. Helena shrugged.

"You get used to it." She said flatly. He watched as she rejoined the other prisoners, she went straight to the pregnant woman, and the other woman who was always with the children. He shook his head 'Careful, Firefox, remember what she is, a strolling player, not suitable company for you.'  He thought to himself. He scowled out at the rain, at least this time he had a horse.

Resa walked tiredly along side the children. Mina looked equally exhausted, Helena had steely determination in her silver eyes.  The oldest child timidly approached a soldier, trying to ask a question. Cold horror shot through Resa as the man raised his hand to slap the little girl. Before his hand connected, Helena smashed into him, both of them went crashing down into the wet grass.

"You stay the fuck away from her!" Helena screamed. From his cage, the jungle cat roared.  Resa wanted to help, but she didn't know how, instead she took the child's hand, and pulled her away from the struggle. Resa looked up as Firefox himself dismounted his horse.  He pulled Helena away from the soldier. Resa stepped forward, afraid he was going to hurt her.

"Calm down." Firefox was hissing at Helena. "Calm down, it's over." To his soldier, he shouted. "You, go bring up the rear." The soldier sullenly headed to the back. "Are you hurt?" He asked Helena. Resa felt her jaw drop, Firefox, giving a damn about a Strolling Player? His prisoner, no less?

"No." Helena said. "I'm fine." She turned, walking back towards Resa. 

"She's as wild as that animal of hers." One of the soldiers muttered.

"Are you okay." Helena asked the child. The little girl nodded.

"You're so brave." She whispered, hugging the older girl. Helena patted the child's back.

Resa glanced at Helena. "Do you have a family?"

"Not anymore."

"Oh, I'm sorry."

"Me too."

"What happened to your family?"

"My father and sisters drowned on the lake. He was a fishermen, teaching us his trade, I'd had to stay behind and do laundry that day. My mother... just stopped caring about me."

"That's awful."

"Yeah."