Grey Eagle - Chapter 2

Chapter Two

Arion woke slowly, shivering, weak. His lower back burned with a fury. He was face down, his hands behind his back now. They had added a chain around his neck as well, and he discovered it was connected to his wrists by a third. His hands were pressing against the pain in his back, but when he tried to move he found comfort impossible. Raising his hands above the pain was to twist his own arms; drawing them below the pain choked him. He tried to sit, and discovered his ankles too had been chained. The pain radiated in waves with every movement. He moaned and gave it up.

Tomlik came. "I brought you some water." When Arion made no response, he set the water down and lifted him to a sitting position, leaning him against the tree. Arion cried out softly in the process, his back seizing in a spasm. Tomlik grunted understanding, but didn't stop. "The effects of the dart shall not last long." He put the water to Arion's lips. He drank slowly, but eagerly. He laid his head against the tree and closed his eyes, shutting Tomlik out.

He gave him another drink. "You shall feel better soon."

"Turpa," hissed Arion, and Tomlik left. It was easier sitting, and he did begin to feel better. At least physically. He considered himself dead at best, and he was deeply worried about Liam and whoever was with him. Even with what they knew, they wouldn't be expecting a cooperative ambush. He was also concerned for the Arlemagen herself. So thoroughly alerted, the Venatorista would be marshaling all its strength against her. Things couldn't have gotten any less discreet if he'd tried.

Evening was approaching when Arion saw Tomlik coming toward his tree, leading a venator with striking black fur. They ranged in color from a standard black and copper brindle to a pale dun, but this one was a glossy jet black.

Arion closed his eyes, his breath sticking in his throat. He had begun to hope that Liam might get there first after all. His breath came loose in a long, ragged sigh. He took a deep breath then, deliberate, collecting himself as they reached him. He looked up, purposely ignoring Tomlik. He found himself angrier with him than with the venator; at least the venator he understood.

"Have you no respect?" demanded the venator with exaggerated indignation. "How dare you, not to stand in my presence?"

Arion was startled, and he actually laughed when he saw the look on Tomlik's face, realizing the effect had been aimed at him. Too much. It was all just too much. "Turpa," he said, smiling.

"Tch, tch, tch," it clicked its tongue disapprovingly, human fashion. "Look at you, all trussed up like that. Have you been giving these poor people a hard time?"

"I'm afraid I broke a couple of your friends, Jejuno."

It nodded its head at the insult, then shook it, its ears folding back in its version of a frown. "A Cedrychad attacking humans?" it asked gravely. "How could you?"

"They sure look human, don't they?"

"Oh, they are human, Cedrychad. They are human."

"Impossible."

"No."

"No? Then why haven't you eaten them? Don't they taste good?" he asked nastily.

It smiled then with a satisfaction that made Arion's skin crawl. "We have an understanding. We get what we want, and they are allowed to survive."

Arion gave a short, unhappy laugh. "Yeah. You wouldn't have gotten me any other way."

"True, perhaps. But we have you now." When Arion didn't answer it turned back to Tomlik. "Have him brought to the carrier," it directed, its authority unquestionable.

The chain on his ankles was too short for walking, but instead of removing it, they brought over a strange looking beast. A sturdy creature, it had smooth, yellowish fur and a long neck. They laid him across its back and led it away. Insulted and helpless, he quickly became more concerned with the immediate threat of sliding off onto his face.

The carrier was in a large clearing not far from the camp. A different venator stood at the hatchway, waiting. The men pulled him from the beast and carried him bodily into the carrier. The black venator was inside, watching and smiling as the men began removing the chains. Arion stood still, cowed, looking at it with defeated eyes, but it wasn't buying it. It nodded, smiling still, daring him to try.

As the last chain slid off, Arion grabbed the nearest man, throwing him into the venator, then sprang for the hatch. A short burst of pandemonium, and it ended. The black venator had him, twisting both his arm and his neck. "I'm not ready to kill you yet," it said softly in his ear, "but I have no intention of letting you escape." The other venator shooed the men out like children, closed the hatch, and disappeared into the front. Arion was released.

He stood still, rubbing his neck and glaring. They began moving, picking up speed, and the venator turned away. Arion leaped for the hatch again, flipping the safety-

...His eyes cleared, but he looked around, dazed... The venator was resetting the safety. "You really are a stubborn one, aren't you?" it asked, smiling. Always smiling.

"And you're a quick turpish pyon, aren't you?" he answered sourly.

It chuckled. "I have never had anyone try to jump out once we started moving. That's a good way to get killed."

"It was worth a shot. I didn't figure I had much to lose."

"Come. Sit in a seat until we are out." Arion hesitated, resisting the command, then came. No point in making things harder than necessary. At least he was being allowed a seat.

When they cleared atmosphere, he stood up again and began looking about the compartment. The venator watched him without concern. Risking death was one thing, committing suicide was quite another and they both knew it.

It was small for a carrier, with only eight seats, but the straps made clear their purpose. Alone, he was not a sufficient threat, but a full cargo of humans would be.

He stopped at the portal and gazed back at Lenis. They were definitely leaving the moon behind. His original mission still in mind, he wondered if they were headed for a mothership, or for the planet, Kinoshi.

"Not quite how you expected to leave, eh?" Its tone was not sympathetic, merely conversational. Arion didn't answer. "What is your name?" it asked, its voice more commanding now.

"Arion Dorios."

"I am Raach."

"Rock the big shot."

"So you recognize the suffix, eh?" it asked, ignoring his intentional mispronunciation of the soft guttural.

"No, just the jacket," he answered, feigning ignorance. In truth, he knew that any name or title with that ending indicated a badge of high honor, carrying both power and respect. Its jacket bore the curlicue pattern of a Kirnaach, placing it within the highest of the three Rikshastikan categories, an automatic candidate for questioning if it was captured.

His Venatese was limited, but he understood a fair amount of what he heard - enough to be valuable on scouting missions. Knowledge of the patterns was common, but knowledge of the language could be an asset if he didn't give it away, as he so carelessly almost had. "How can you have a suffix on one syllable?" he asked, emphasizing his ignorance.

"-aach," it said, but it seemed to have lost interest. "A father who has received title can bestow it on his son, and then only once."

"Oh, so you're not only a big shot, you're Daddy's favorite."

It laughed softly. "That too," it agreed, then paused. "Did they feed you?"

"No."

"Not surprising. Food is hard to come by there. It is much better where we are going."

Arion turned to look at him, contemptuous. Where they were going, Arion would be the food.

Raach laughed. "I simply mean that I am willing to feed you, if you are willing to eat."

He relaxed and sighed. "Yeah. Okay."

It pressed the com switch. "Ky. Dosha meer." Meer, Arion knew, meant food. The other words he didn't know. Shortly, a human boy appeared, carrying a tray of food. He looked to be about twelve standard cycles, with fine, black, shoulder length hair and dark eyes. He looked at Arion silently as he set the tray down and turned to leave.

"Ky." The boy stopped in his tracks and turned. "Ta." He came and stood before Raach. Arion watched with gritted teeth, furious and impotent. "This is Ky," said Raach, showing off his possession. "You will not have seen his kind before, but I find him very pleasing." Arion said nothing. "Ky. Sa kyon." Ky came and stood before Arion. "Go ahead Cedrychad. Talk to him."

Allowed to survive. Arion lowered his eyes, appalled. Human or otherwise, he was only a child. "God bless," he said softly. The effect was electric. Ky sprang backwards like a startled cat, cowering at Raach's side. Arion stared, mystified.

Raach laughed again. "Forgive him, Cedrychad. Talking humans hold unpleasant associations for him." He paused then, watching for his reaction.

He stared, the information sinking in. Ky was not merely silent, not merely alienated by language, not merely mute. He was dumb. Like a dog, he followed orders, but through rote learning, not true speech. He was a pet. Arion felt sick.

"But you forget your food," said Raach, clearly enjoying himself. "You haven't lost your appetite, have you?" Very near to losing control, Arion glared at the floor, fists clenched at his sides.

"Aaaa..." a frightened whimper from Ky.

Arion looked at him, then at Raach. "Get him out of here," he whispered, his voice seething with hatred.

"Yes," Raach agreed soberly, "but not for your sake." He turned to Ky, petting his hair. "Ky... Tch, tch. Tch, tch, Ky. Sa." He spoke gently, clicking his tongue softly with his mouth nearly closed. Ky relaxed somewhat, then hurried out the door. "You look rather angry, Cedrychad. Are you angry, Cedrychad?" he taunted darkly, emphasizing the title. "Do you want to attack me maybe, eh? Go ahead. You are not shackled. There is nothing to stop you. Is the mighty Cedrychad afraid of his sworn enemy?"

Arion looked at him, and a slight smile crept onto his face. Moments before every fiber of his being had screamed to attack, but now, now that all fell away like drapery from a statue. In its place was a coldness, akin to the numb he had felt before, but deeper.

In his heart he knew three things. He would kill this vampat if ever he got the chance. He would probably die before that chance could come. And last, he would do what he could to survive in the meantime, and attacking Raach unarmed was suicide.

He said simply, "I'm not stupid." He walked over to the tray of food, sat down, and began to eat.

Raach's smile disappeared, then reappeared with somewhat less satisfaction. "Very good. But it will not save you." Arion shrugged and ate a cracker, avoiding the meats.

Raach watched, studying him. "You will belong to me," he stated.

Arion looked up. "Like Ky?" he asked, disdainful.

Raach paused, his eyes intense. "We have a new drug. I do not think that you will like it much, but afterwards... I will eat your soul."

The coldness within deepened. "You'll eat my body, but you'll never have me. You can't reach my soul."

"You will see," said Raach darkly, all pretense gone. "You will see." He stood suddenly, picked up the tray and left.

Arion leaned back and closed his eyes... Avigdor, I need You. From within and beyond the cold, he sought solace in his soul, hiding within the arms of the Comforter. He felt himself wrapped, as in a cocoon, a calm settling over him to smooth down the edges Raach had pried up.