Kingdom of Power, of Courage, and of Wisdom

Majora's War - Awakening

-Western Qin-

Her eyes opened and she gasped.

Her eyes dilated in fear and pain, and the fear of more to come. She lashed out against the restraints against her, binding her down to the ground. The ropes gave to a small degree, but not enough to allow more then the smallest movement. Light blinded her and she heard nothing but her own painful, desperate screams.

Grasping out, she dug her bloody fingers in the dirt, hoping for something, anything. Physical contact hurt. Her clothes burned. Her hands found the rope and where the ropes entered the ground. She threw herself immediately into the task of pulling on them, tugging them out of the ground. The ropes would not tear, but they did come out by scant inches. The pressure holding her down lessened, and she scrambled out of the chains.

Her feet momentarily slipped on a blank mask. Dirt covered her and dried blood crusted on her. She shoved her feet into the ground, found a bit of purchase, and leaped away. Her legs gave out almost immediately and she fell onto the roots of a tree, but it was enough. She breathed in relief and closed her eyes as tears stirred. She held her arm and flinched as a spike of pain told her there was something wrong all the way at the shoulder. Her every sense screamed and all she wanted was for a moment, just a moment. A moment of peace.

As if in response to her silent prayer: nothing happened. The wind was gentle. Nothing stirred. She felt burned, but nothing more. For a moment it was like the world sat still around her.

She opened her eyes and looked down. A canopy of fallen leaves and roots lay before her. Beneath the roots of the tree was the crevice she found herself in. There was no rope fashioned by man. There was no chain and no restraints. She wasn't branded this day and the scratches on her were not from lashes of a whip. Instead there was birdsong and the rustling of leaves. There was the brushing of wind through the leaves and the swaying of thin branches. There was sudden movement of a skiddish animal leaping out from hiding away from her, not a spear being raised in ambush. There was only nature.

Snarling drew her attention and her breath escaped her. Out to the corner of her eye was movement that drew closer until it was fully in view. A large dog stepped out of the brush, its predatory eyes on her, its teeth bared. Her blood ran cold in her veins. If she ran, it would just chase her. If she didn't move, it wouldn't just ignore her, as it already clearly saw her.

Her attention snapped to a second newcomer as a voice came after the dog.

"Chi t niig olson uu, kh mini? Odoo amarkhan, t niig b al."

Out of the brush following the dog was a dark-skinned man. He wore furs and hide as clothing, and had heavy leather beneath. In his hand was a wooden spear and rattan shield and on his hip was an axe and on his back was a short bow and quiver with a few arrows.

"Dragmire? Aa, odoo ene khen be? Chi mash ikh uilj baigaa yum uu?"

She backed away slowly. The giant dog took a step forward and she froze. The man barked an order, the dog froze, and the man approached a bit more. He drove his spear down and left it behind to put a hand out slowly.

"Khervee bi t niig z vsh r khg i bol ter gomdokhg i. Sanaa b zov ... Dragmire end yuu khiij baina ve? Chi gantsaaraa yuu? Chi ingej ikh uilj baisan uu?"

The woman gulped. Seeing the man, seeing him armed, seeing the large wolf whose height reached up to the man's hip, and a general sensation that she has been in pain a very long time, left her skittish and trembling. The senseless rambling didn't help either. Was he among the men to tie her up?

She found enough voice to whisper, "I-I'm sorry, I don't understand."

The man blinked in surprise and froze. It lasted but a moment before he relaxed and chuckled. "Ah, you yarikh Qin?"