Lyf, Nine, Kunal, Jude all belong to me.
Lyf groaned, moving a paw to her head as she slowly began to wake, her head throbbing in protest as she moved. Blinking and attempting to allow her eyes to adjust to the darkness that surrounded her, she found that there was too little light to actually see anything. Shuffling into a sitting position, she furrowed her brow and tried to remember. Where was she? Such an odd sensation, to wake and not know where you are. "Lyf...?" A soft, quivering whisper cut through the darkness, a voice that drew Lyf's attention to a corner at her right. "Nine?" Lyf's voice cracked, causing her to clear her throat, her paw rubbing the back of her aching head. Before she knew it, a sobbing mass had curled up against her side and tucked into her, violent quivering running through Nine's entire body. Forgetting her own pain, Lyf wrapped her arm around Nine and hugged her tightly to herself. "Where are we?" Nine's quivering whisper cut softly through the darkness. Before she answered, Lyf squinted and glanced around her, it was simply too dark to make out anything, though she could see what looked to be windows and the silhouette of trees outside of them there was no moon to be seen in the night sky, the clouds covering it completely. Lyf focused her attention on her other senses, then. She could feel a soft, chilly, breeze, she could hear the rustle of leaves and branches as well as smell the coming rain. But mixed in with the smell of nature was two scents, one which she did not know...and another that caused her heart to drop.
Lyf's body suddenly tensed, the sound of motion causing her head to snap towards what looked to be a broken doorway, the lower half of a door propped in its way. Though rising in front of the broken door was a dark shadow, the silhouette of something...someone...who was quite large. Lyf felt Nine tense at her side, the young females paws clutched at Nine's tanktop tightly. Lyf moved her body, positioning herself in front of Nine, though not letting Nine go. In reality, she was petrified, what could she do in this situation? She wasn't a good fighter, she usually got her butt kicked if she tried. But if it came to it, maybe she could give Nine time to run? Run where? Lyf's mind questioned her, they were trapped and they were both probably going to die. "What do you want?" Lyf growled, attempting to sound as fierce as she possibly could.
There was no reply, the shadow didn't move, it simply sat there in the doorway, the occasional light catching the figures eyes and leaving a terrifying glint cutting through the darkness. Eyes that were locked on Lyf and Nine. Lyf began to feel cold, but not due to the breeze or the coming rain. This was the chilly cold of fear, one that crept up her spine and began to wiggle its fingers all along her body, leaving her attempting to still the trembling that was beginning to grow through her. As always, fear tended to redirect itself to anger, Lyf knowing no other way to deal with situations other than default to anger when she was scared or hurt. Gently tugging Nine up and prying her body free from Nine's grasp, Lyf turned her attention full on the shadow figure. "I asked you a question!" Snarling, Lyf stepped forward, her ear twitching as she caught a whine emit from Nine, a whine that added fuel to her angry fire. The quivering fear began to turn to quivers of rage as she stompped towards the dark figure, her paws rising. There was no reply, and this angered her.
With a spurt of anger, she threw herself towards the dark figure, her paws making contact with their body. "Nine, Run!" Lyf hissed her words just before attempting to sink her teeth into the flesh of their captor. Before Lyf knew what had happened, her body was ripped from the shadow figure and with an ease that simply could not be, she was slammed several times into the wall and then ground. The wind was knocked clear from her lungs and her eyes stung with tears that fell unhindered across her muzzle. Still no words from the figure, though their body was now atop her own, pressing her deep into the musty wooden floor. She couldn't fill her sore lungs with the oxygen that had been knocked from them due to their weight. Dank, stinking breath suddenly fell over the back of her neck, causing her eyes to widen and bile to rise in her throat. It smelled like rotting meat, a wretched scent which turned her stomach. "Now now..." Came a familiar voice, shedding literal light into the cabin with the strike of a match. Jude stood near one of the windows, his arm wrapped around the neck of Nine. Nine was petrified, her arms up and clutching at Jude's arm, her face stained with tears and body barely able to stand from the shaking that wracked her. "No need to be so rough with our guests, brother. " Jude spoke, smiling his wicked smile towards the one on Lyf's back, his gaze soon turning to Lyf.
There was a moment where Lyf's vision began to fade, the lack of oxygen taking its toll on her body but she could see Jude light a lamp off to his left. Fury and fear had her foaming at the mouth as she gasped, paws thrashing forward and claws digging into the old wood floor, leaving streaks along the planks. She couldn't stand the sight of Nine in such a situation, how dare this wicked man put his paws on Lyf's beloved Nine. "Tsk tsk tsk. You're going to hurt yourself...or someone else." His grin only grew, his paw dropping the burnt out match and reaching behind him. From behind Jude was drawn a rather lengthy dagger, curved and terribly sharp looking. Lyf heard Nine whine as the dagger was moved closer to her face, which titled away from the blade, her eyes widened and watched the blade in fear. Lyf's body shuddered then began to go limp, not wanting to do anything that'd harm her friend, she fell still, which in turn caused the heavy weight of the one atop her to withdraw a little. She was still held firmly in place, the males knee pressed firmly into her back and one paw held her head against the floor.
"Allow me to introduce you. Lyf, that is my brother Kunal. Kunal, this is our niece, Lyf. " Chuckling at the look of confusion and surprise on Lyf's face, Jude pressed the tip of the dagger into Nine's cheek and gently ran it down the side of her face. No cut was made, but the threat was still there. "I had thought we were kin for some time now, and had tried to confirm my suspicions a little more stealthily. This was not working, however, so I decided to take a more..." Jude waved his paw around them. "Direct approach. "
Lyf had been gulping down air while Jude spoke, allowing her muscles to cease their cramping and aching before she began slowly moving them. "This..is how you...treat family?" Lyf gasped, wincing as she spoke. " I...Feel sorry for...your brother..." Lyf growled, turning her gaze to look back towards the one who held her. A massive male, almost twice her size and even much larger than Jude. He was almost pure muscle, something otherworldly and feral looking. He wasn't like any of the other viscets she had ever seen in her life. He was terrifying.
Chuckling, Jude shrugged. "Family is just a word, we are related by blood, dear, but there is no feeling towards you what-so-ever. Just because we share blood ties means nothing to me." Licking his lips, Jude turned his gaze away from Lyf and back towards Nine. "There is, however, something that I need from you. I withdrew the blood while you were sleeping, so our relation has been confirmed, and I believe it must be your mother that is our half sister. Though she is well past the age, you see. Magic generally manifests itself in youth, or typically. You've not yet come of age where it is safe to say that magic does not exist within you. Your Grandfather is an immensely powerful creature. He surely passed something down to you, as he did to your uncles, here." Motioning to himself and to Kunal, Jude returned his focus on Nine, tracing the tip of the blade down her muzzle to her nose, now.
" I need you to unlock your potential, Lyf. I had hoped to trigger events that would break whatever confines your magics, should you have any. Thus far my attempts have been unsuccessful, and again, I decided to take a more direct approach. Perhaps if you knew what was at stake you may feel more...obligated...to assist me?" His focus returned to Lyf, now, as she watch the blade closely. Ever so slowly, he used the blade to trace under Nine's chin and down to her throat, where he turned the blade and pressed it horizontally into Nine's neck. "Stop!" Lyf barked, her body tensing as a soft sobbing emitted from Nine and she clutched Jude's arm more tightly. "Ah ah ah, dear! I wouldn't do that if I were you." Jude hissed into Nine's ear. "One wrong move and a terrible accident may occur...oops! Look at that!" Jude intentionally flicked his paw, the sharp blade cutting through Nine's flesh and fur and leaving a trickle of red spilling slowly down her neck and chest.
"Stop! Stop!" Fury clutched Lyf tightly, though now it was mixed with panic and fear, frustration and horror. "Please!" She began. "I'll do whatever you want! I'll do whatever you want!!" Tears spilled over Lyf's eyes, her body pressed tighter into the wooden floor by Kunal who sat atop her. "Ahh, you will? Why, thank you! I greatly appreciate it!" Jude teased her, his chuckle leaving her body wracked with tremors. He was dangerous, in a way that no being should ever be. How could he smile while harming someone like that? It was unnatural. "It's summer and school is out for you two, correct?" Though it was a question, he simply kept going. "This gives us a fantastic amount of time!" Grinning, Jude drew the dagger away from Nine and placed it back behind him. With a twist of his body, he flung Nine forward, Kunal rising off of Lyf at the same time. Nine tumbled atop Lyf and the two quickly picked themselves up and huddled together, their bodies pressed tightly to one another, arms wrapping around each other. "Hah, how adorable you two are. Love makes things so much easier, doesn't it?" Chuckling to himself, Jude nodded.
"Know what is at stake here, Lyf. I will kill your friend, should you make one mistake. Try and run and I'll kill her." Leaning against the wall, his smile remained. "And I will do it slowly...while you watch." Lyf tightened her grip on Nine, hugging her tight against her body. "If you want her to survive this situation, you will do exactly as I tell you. Do you understand?" Lyf nodded to Jude's question, her eyes narrowed and pure hate directed towards him. Hate that seemed only to leave the male more delighted than he was before. "Good, good. Tomorrow, you will return home and retrieve supplies for both yourself and for your friend. She, of course, will be staying here to keep Kunal company. Bring whatever you may need for the next few weeks. Return here before sun down, should you not be here by sundown...well..." Nothing more was said, but the look Jude gave Lyf suggested at what might happen. "Remember this, Lyf..." Jude's expression became more serious and Lyf found this more frightening than his smile. "Should you fail to unlock any powers you might have you will no longer be of use to us. Your friend? She is only useful to us because of you. We do not need her..." Motioning to Kunal, Jude nodded. "And my brother has an insatiable appetite and it's been a while since he's last eaten. I'm sure she'd make a delightful little meal for him, should either of you decide to become uncooperative. "
Leaning back once more, Jude moved his paw towards the lamp he had lit earlier. "Unlock your powers and all is well. Fail to do so and...well...Your friend here will not be having a good day, I promise that." Twisting the knob on the lamp, the light suddenly flickered out, leaving darkness surrounding them. "This is our forest, dears, Should you think it wise to run, you will die. There is no where you go that we can't find you. I advise simply resting for the night, in the morning I will direct you back towards the exit. Return home, retrieve what you need and be back here before the sun sets. It is easy. Do this and you will survive...the day."
Chuckling, Jude stepped aside them and opened the broken door, stepping into the night. "Enjoy your stay. " Jude closed the half-door and Lyf could hear him walking away, though Kunal was not forgotten. As Lyf's eyes adjusted to the darkness she found his silhouette perched once more in front of the door. Even as the rain finally began and the wind blew it through the broken door he did not move. Finding somewhere for the two of them to sit that was the least wet and drippy from the leaky roof. Lyf sat Nine down first and place herself between her and Kunal. Nine was exhausted, her body still wracked by sobs and one paw clutched at her throat. "Let me see..." Lyf said gently. Taking Nine's paw she squinted through the darkness, unable to see much of anything. Sighing, she used her fingers to try and see if it was still bleeding. Thankfully it was not, all she could feel was dry, crusted blood. "I'm sorry..." Lyf finally said, her voice quivering and sorrow spilling into her words. If Nine had never met her, this wouldn't have happened. Nine didn't say anything, but she curled tightly into Lyf and nuzzled under her chin. Lyf understood, as much as she wished it wasn't so. The two loved each other, neither would have made it this far in life without the other. This thought alone brought tears to Lyf's eyes. Nine had been so good to her, had accepted her when no one else in the world had. Nine kept Lyf alive, gave her a reason to live. Friends like that simply didn't come around often, if at all. Some people longed for what Lyf and Nine had, and Lyf was so lucky as to have Nine as her best friend.
Stifling a sob, Lyf buried her face into the top of Nine's head, hugging the smaller girl tighter to herself. "Get some sleep, Nine...I promise you...I will do everything I can to protect you." Turning a glare on Kunal, Lyf watched him closely, though she still spoke to Nine. " Everything will be okay, I promise. I won't let anything happen to you...I swear it." Whether Nine was actually comforted by these words or she was simply exhausted, Lyf noticed her breathing had slowed and a soft snoring was coming from Nine. Moving her body to make Nine more comfortable, Lyf closed her eyes. She wouldn't be able to sleep, her mind was too full and she was far too scared. She did not know what was going to happen, but she did know that she had to be careful. Jude had been following her for the last year. She had always thought of him as creepy, but now she knew him as dangerous. A creature which, if she made the wrong move, would kill both Nine and her with a smile on his face. Shuddering, Lyf opened her eyes and stared out the opposite window of Kunal. Tomorrow was the start of something that Lyf did not know how it would go. The start of one of many days of fear and anxiety. She did not know what kind of things Jude and Kunal would do to try and bring out the magics in her. As far as she was told she had no ties to magic at all. None of her family ever had. Lyf gave a quiet prayer in hopes that that was untrue.
Sighing, Lyf finally found herself beginning to slip into sleep. It was almost dawn and she could hear the birds singing their morning song, but any sleep was better than no sleep. She had to be ready, she needed to be ready. Things were about to get very serious for both herself and for Nine. She only hoped that she could protect Nine like she said she would... (2,864 words)