Raw Winter

Chapter 19: Swirling Blood

"Winter?" A soft voice called; a scared voice. "Wlyfric?" She didn't recognize it at first as she laid on her belly, panting. She gave a low growl as she got up, her nails clicking on the floor. Her eyes went blank when a figure appeared, but it wasn't the figure of her master. This figure was soft and round and would often tug on her soft ears like a child and shriek loudly whenever he saw her. That's what she remembered of this person.

"By Pelartes, does he always keep it this dark? Not a candle in sight," the voice said, before pausing when he saw her. "Winter? Are you alright? Are your legs broken?" It was soft and scared.

Winter couldn't understand him. She was standing perfectly. She growled and then barked at him, her teeth bared after each exhalation. He appeared surprised, and more scared, but didn't seem frightened off, which confused her more. She hunched down as he approached her, slow and careful, his hands out to show he wasn't holding anything.

"I don't know what he did to you, but I'm your friend. We had a lot of fun, didn't we? You remember that, right?" His voice was so soft she simply stared at him and didn't move or bark anymore, though her teeth were still showing. She whimpered when he reached out and gripped her head between both his hands, whispering, "Yeah, you remember."

She stared up at him, and his face flushed as he looked down at her, not knowing what it was about it he liked, but flinched when he saw the gaping wound where her eye used to be and let her go, taking a step back and covering his mouth.

His head shook a few times, and he finally appeared ready to retreat. She was pleased about successfully intimidating him, but then he said, "I don't know what he thinks he's doing, but this is the last thing I wanted. I can't look at you like this. Come now, I'm going to get you out of here."

He stepped forward, and it was too fast. He wrapped his arms around her torso to stand her up but paused, and his hand stroked her chest. He would have seen the anger in her eye if he had been looking, but looking her in the eyes was the last thing on his mind.

She leaped and shoved him to the floor. He gasped, and for a moment respected when she had said she wanted to be a marine before her teeth sunk into his throat. It didn't feel as good as he had expected. Blood flooded out of his neck and down her throat and over the floor and dripped from her mouth. She bit into him again and again until there was no neck left. The blood was the warmest thing she had ever tasted, and she couldn't stop.

Fear went through her after when another layer of sanity returning, and she pushed herself back and away from him, the feeling of great comfort turning to a greater horror. She stared at the sight of Sir Nevel on his back and glassy-eyed.

She screamed, the gaping wound in her head sending sharp nerve pain through her head like burrowing roots, both hands holding where her left eye used to be with as much pressure as she could. All she could think was he was like a pig brought to slaughter, though she had never seen it before. She couldn't believe she was the one who did this to him, though his blood still streaked her face and ran down her neck and chest.

She shook her head desperately and scrambled for the stairs, but everything was blurry, and she ended up slamming her head against the side of the table where the doctor kept his tools. As she was regaining sense, she saw the tray and grabbed a scalpel, wanting anything to defend herself even after maiming a man with her teeth alone.

She expected Tirenen to appear in front of her and for his boot to slam into her face with each inch forward. Her muscles screamed with the effort, and her stomach was a pot of boiling water sloshing inside her, the kettle hard against her skin in the absence of what was once there. Then, she was at the top of the stairs, lying there and gasping.