Children of Night and Snow

11. A Life For A Blanket

It took everything in my to jump up to my spot. Only then, under the intense stare of my companion I realized she had never seen my wolf form. And I couldn't shift back to explain.

"Why did you have to escape?!" She practically growled at me. Not that I could answer, but her words took me aback. What did she mean by that? I lied down, watching her as she was unfolding a brand new blanket and I felt jealous, wondering where she stole it. I should have asked her for her source of clothes when I had the chance. Now I was stuck in my wolf form and I had to figure it all out on my own.

"Would you shut up?!" she snapped at me, waking me up in the middle of the night. I must have been whimpering in my sleep, my leg being in so much pain I was shocked I even fell asleep to begin with. But I sure as hell wasn't going to now. I lied there, stiff as a board and in utter silence and agony for hours. Pain took over my entire being. I couldn't see, hear, smell or even think. I wasn't even hungry or tired anymore, I was just in pain, too scared to even look at the wound that was the source of it. I just clung to my backpack, to the precious memories that were inside. My only possessions, my only reminders of who Noyla Brook once was.

I lied there for what felt like an eternity, when in fact it could have been maybe two or three days. I was now running an intense fever, likely from the infection that took over the wound thanks to my little adventure in the sewers. I was too weak to even move and I knew I was as good as dead. My companion came and went, each time she returned, she seemed more and more annoyed I was still alive, but she kept me here anyway. I had no illusions that it was for anything else but the fact that while I was still alive, the unspoken code of life down here wouldn't allow anyone to claim her spot. But it was still clear that I was now overstaying my welcome.

I always knew she didn't care. Or at least I kept telling myself that. Yet it still stung to know it to be true. I was just a means to an end, a way to live for another day longer. That's what the life down here was like. No matter what I did to occupy my time, that was the truth. And my days were numbered. I was never going to see the sun again. I will die here, alone and unwanted. I won't even have a grave or anyone to mourn me. Here, in this strange cold land, I didn't even have a name.

Suddenly I heard gasps from the corners around us. I looked up to see my own companion backed into a corner, her eyes full of fear. It was strange to see her like this. I've never witnessed her to be afraid of anything before. But here she was, clinging to a wall like it could somehow hide her, protect her.

It took all my strength to lift my head and turn around. What I found was a pair of piercing blue eyes staring back at me. He wasn't a wolf this time, but a tall, well built man dressed in black leather and fur. His auburn hair was slicked back at the top, while sides of his head were shaved to show two sets of rune tattoos. There was a scar running down from the left side of his nose, across his lips, down to his chin. He looked just as menacing in his human form as he did in the wolf one, but I wasn't afraid anymore. There was nothing he could do to me other than speed up the agonizing process of my death. I kept staring at him, hoping that he'd see my plea in my eyes. I was done suffering. I was done fighting. I wanted to die while I still remembered the girl I once was. The happiness I once had.

"How much?" He asked casually, his voice a low growl. He reached over to grab my leg and I howled in pain as he did so, but that didn't make him stop. He was examining the wound, his expression unreadable.

"I asked how much?!" he repeated himself louder, looking now directly at my companion who if she could, she'd probably become one with the wall behind her. "And don't try to scam me, I know how much you asked of the Inn owner for her when she was still healthy," he growled. I lied there, confused and exhausted as I tried to process what he just said.

"Twenty," my companion finally replied before looking at me. "Oh, don't give me those puppy eyes, your little adventures were gonna expose us sooner or later. You aren't exactly stealthy. And besides, I need to stock up for winter," she snapped at me. She sold me out. That's where that blanket came from. That's why she was annoyed when I came back. If I could cry in this form, I would. I told her where I got the meat the first time I brought it. It was the only time I shared any information with her since her warning to me on the first day. My only mistake and I will die for it.

"Here," the man replied, throwing a bunch of coins at her. She lunged at them greedily, quickly stuffing them into her pockets as if someone would steal them had she waited. I felt hurt and disgusted. I lived with this woman for weeks yet there was not an ounce of pity from her as the man she just sold me to like a piece of meat began to lift me over his shoulder with surprising gentleness. I only had enough wits on me to hold onto my backpack with my teeth, something that seemed to surprise him and annoy her. She was likely hoping to keep it but didn't dare fight him for it. And he didn't seem to mind I was taking this thing to my grave with me. Wherever that was going to be.

He walked in silence, and I mean absolute silence. For a man so big and tall, with me over his shoulder, he made absolutely no sound. I did my best to follow the suit as I didn't want to make my situation even worse. Though what could have possibly been worse than this? I wondered what they would do to me. If my death would be painless. I wished I could fight. Or run. But there was nothing I could do to get out of this.

It surprised me when we made our way towards that door. The metal door I have been walking past my entire stay here. My safety point. My sign I was only about a half an hour walk away from my place. I used to think they were not in use, sealed shut ages ago. They certainly looked like it. But the man pulled a key out of his pocket and opened them with ease. A wave of heat I haven't felt in forever washed over me as we stepped inside, the door clicking shut behind us.

"Did you find her? Did you find the thief?" I heard a female voice approach us. When I looked up, I saw the girl from the street all those weeks ago. The one I locked my eyes with before she turned away without exposing me.

"Oh Gods, what happened?!" the girl exclaimed at what I assumed was my wound.

"Sewer rats happened," the man replied as he once again put me down with gentleness as if not to hurt me more.

"We have to get her cleaned up," the girl said, now fully examining my leg. "Like right now." She commanded as she looked at me, still holding my backpack in my jaw. She tried to take it, but I wouldn't let her. They could do whatever they wanted to me, but I wasn't going to give them the last piece of myself. Not while I was still alive.

"She won't cooperate while conscious," I heard another voice say. There was a sigh in response, but I didn't bother to look who was talking. It didn't matter. My backpack was all I could focus on. I was still growling at the girl for thinking she could take it away. And then I felt a needle bury itself in my neck and before I could react, darkness took over me.