The guard walked her into a small prison. The first room she was in, at the entrance of the jailhouse, must have been the guard’s keep. It was a tidy, small room that led to another door, the prison chambers she assumed. In the corner of the guard’s room was a large wooden chest. The heavy lock atop it was left ajar. 573Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNrpwRE4SNc
Walking into the prison chambers, she was first sucker punched by the smell of wet musk emanating from the muddy hay. In the jail cell she was shoved into, a boy sat in the corner, looking up at the ceiling with his brows in heavy knots, wearing all dark clothing. His hair was short and ragged as if he had been running his fingers through it nervously. Cornering his right eye was an 'L' shaped tattoo. It was a simple drawing, but it swooped and spiked on his skin like dancing flames. 573Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDcBe71aGfe
He narrowed his eyes at the girl before sizing her up, the guard locking the door behind her. 573Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxmYugEGnfI
She turned away from the boy. His glare seemed to be telling a story of how important he was—or should be. 573Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0OlxmIJ6du
Looking back at the guard and griping on to the steel bars, she called back for his attention, asking why she had to be put in a jail cell that was already being used if there were two that were vacant. 573Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0ix6Nfs9Fo
"We're just trying to be efficient, so don't fret. By morning you'll have the place to yourself. You'll be out in a couple of days, anyway." The guard replied nonchalantly, speaking above her rather than at her. 573Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEhqPK9lYjA
"A couple of days? For being accused of stealing? Hey, come back! Could I at least have some water??" 573Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpFbLMvBWqE
The man ignored her, walking out of the prison room and leaving the girl with the stern-looking boy. 573Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhydPfZiNzH
She groaned before turning back around. The boy smirked, probably thinking how pathetic she was, especially since she was animan. Who knew what other sickening thoughts hid in his smile as he stared at her? Would he take advantage of me, the poor animan wondered as she walked to the corner directly across the boy and plopped herself down on a pile of hay, hugging her knees and shivering in the freezing cell. 573Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3tddc2hoRh
They stayed a moment like that, in silence. She tried her hardest to pretend the stern looking boy wasn't even there. But he stood up, his metal boots clanking noisily against the floor as he made his way towards her. 573Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOXRcjApT9F
She shot him a death glare and he paused in his tracks. Answering with a foolish smile, as if she were a disobedient puppy, he pulled out something from behind him. 573Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡADxoLmviN0
"Here ya go. Snuck it in." He threw her a wink, handing her a black canteen. He shook as to make it swish loudly, proving there was actual liquid inside. 573Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMEomVEerGh
She looked at it cautiously. "Snuck it in how...?" 573Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDkLOa91yCV
"That doesn't matter," he shrugged before smiling at her again. 573Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSnQArAEcPK
She gave the bottle another wary look before taking it and unscrewing the cap. Smelling the contents and shaking it a bit, she noted that it was almost full of water. She turned back the boy before deciding whether she should drink or not. He had taken his seat back in his corner across from her. "Why are you giving me this?" 573Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlKBKjS0FOa
"I'm not givin’ it to ya, we're sharin’!" he corrected, biting on his fingernails. 573Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2ZfIKyoIfz
That raised even more curious concern. "Sharing..? You'd share...with me?" 573Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9IMcnsopv3
"Yeh, of course. Why wouldn't I? We're in the same bloody cell, we might as well help each other out, ya know?" 573Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsnjB0NAk7X
"But I... I'm Animan." 573Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmcCo6CIGBK
"Yeh, so? I'm Scorupion, glad to have made your acquaintance, Animan girl." 573Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqmHdUvZCYH
The girl gawked in terror of his blasé beaming. Scorupi to Animans might as well mean death! There was no questioning their law, once an Animan was spotted by a Scorupi soldier, they were dead!573Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEi3UBlX5uS
Frantically, she screwed the lid back onto the canteen before throwing it at the boy. He caught it swiftly, as if he had seen it coming a mile away. "You...you're a Scorupi warrior!" she pointed accusingly at him, her heart racing and sweat budding on her forehead. He was trained to kill animans like her! He probably knew a billion different ways to do it with his bare hands, right here and right now! 573Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡouyI1sQbK1
He stood, rolling his eyes. "Of course I am, how else would I wind up in a prison cell. Lord Virgion decreed that his country be neutral, and any soldier that wasn’t neutral spotted in his country would be hung within a day of capture." He rubbed at his neck, as if he could already feel the noose choking his airway. "But of course me good ole captain wouldn't tell me that as he sent me into those bloody virgin woods! He just wanted me out of his hair, that backstabbin’ mongrel!" 573Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKoRGay5f29
She shook her head, not caring to know any more than the relieving fact that he was going to be hung soon. "So...so you aren't going to kill me?" she asked to make sure. 573Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIC7N1QUi2x
He answered with a disgusted look. "Of course not! I'm trying to help ya, so here!" He stood to hand her the canteen again. "Drink up. I'm a dead man anyway." 573Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcrPAujQEBo
She took the canteen shyly before thanking him and taking a sip, quenching her week long thirst and sighing in blissful relief as the cold water ran down her throat.
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