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. 572Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGjUWkTW2HJ
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. 572Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpYMLscJBkG
He narrowed his eyes at the girl before sizing her up, the guard locking the door behind her. 572Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWgF4X6W3vU
She turned away from the boy. His glare seemed to be telling a story of how important he was—or should be. 572Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAR5Je0vKAF
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. 572Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡf9o8qnraXh
"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. 572Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0eCyTmx4yR
"A couple of days? For being accused of stealing? Hey, come back! Could I at least have some water??" 572Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLWTA6zJJeM
The man ignored her, walking out of the prison room and leaving the girl with the stern-looking boy. 572Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9aNYK7GJeD
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. 572Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZT9Sabq7w7
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. 572Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXZfUgW5eVo
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. 572Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzai7MiSk1v
"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. 572Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡz1dzBBUbem
She looked at it cautiously. "Snuck it in how...?" 572Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpgEIwDYMW7
"That doesn't matter," he shrugged before smiling at her again. 572Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDvGZSzJy9v
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?" 572Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡApbmUOKA6A
"I'm not givin’ it to ya, we're sharin’!" he corrected, biting on his fingernails. 572Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKSUoz3X1HZ
That raised even more curious concern. "Sharing..? You'd share...with me?" 572Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjE60dyrYcd
"Yeh, of course. Why wouldn't I? We're in the same bloody cell, we might as well help each other out, ya know?" 572Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡemjgmLsJAo
"But I... I'm Animan." 572Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnw2iAhI88O
"Yeh, so? I'm Scorupion, glad to have made your acquaintance, Animan girl." 572Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnkfqZuaLia
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!572Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsFLVmtFBYW
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! 572Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoFiz7eFhrl
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!" 572Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQyX0aAfovg
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. 572Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkKHQBcic8L
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." 572Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡygGzbFdlhl
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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