Chapter 4 Mitch was curled up in his bed, curtains drawn tight even though there was no sun out. The rain pounded down on his wagon’s roof lulling him into a deeper sleep. There was a faint smile in his lips, his nails digging into the bed slightly. In his dreams, he was hunting down a group of men with torches and pitchforks. They were looking for him, searching to kill him, but they were looking in the wrong direction. Mitch was flying almost silently behind them, his senses quivering with the smells of fear radiating off them. He could feel the saliva building up in his mouth watching them. As the night grew darker, the men slowed to a walk, unsure of where they were going. Mitch landed on a branch above them as they came to stop to discuss what to do. The words had no effect on him since it sounded like a foreign language. They started walking again with a heavy-set man leading them. Mitch fell almost silently behind them and when a man turned to look, he was decapitated with a quick, strong blow to the head. Mitch leaned down eagerly drinking the blood and ripping off pieces of meat around the neck. His ears picked up no alarm rising through the ranks because of the man’s disappearance so he continued to pick off the men one by one. Soon there was only the heavy man left. The animal inside of Mitch was satisfied so he decided to play with the man. He leapt up back into the trees waiting for the man to notice he was all alone. It didn’t take long; he had stopped and was looking around wildly holding the torch close to him. Mitch could sense the fear rolling off him and his muscles began to tense up. The man was walking backwards when he tripped over a log landing hard on his back. Mitch took advantage of the situation and landed in the log baring his fangs at the dazed man. The man stared up at Mitch, his eyes wide and spoke up in a shaky voice, “Begone demon!” Mitch struck fast leaving a huge cut against the man’s cheek. The man started to sob when Mitch woke up. He looked around uncertain where he was before fully waking up. He yawned spreading his wings touching both sides of his wagon. He stood up yawning, his eyes still closed. He pulled on a pair of pants fumbling with the belt buckle. He stepped out of the wagon shivering in the rain. Looking around he saw only a few people outside and they looked ready to head inside at any minute. He walked over to Sarge’s wagon to see if he had left a note of plans for the day. After looking around and not seeing anything out of the ordinary, he returned to his wagon. He collapsed on his bed already drifting back to sleep when there was a knock at the door. Growling he called out for them to come in. Milly peeked her head in and said, “The unicorn is restless. What does it mean?” He glared at her, “How the hell should I know? If that thing stumbles you people think that the world is ending! Get out of my wagon and let me sleep.” Milly looked at him shocked before moving back and closed the door. Mitch closed his eyes and quickly fell back asleep. Milly walked around camp, her head swaying a little as her forked tongue flickered in and out tasting the air. She made her way to the unicorn’s pen and stroked its muzzle trying to calm it down. She brushed its main until it fell asleep. Loon was inside of her wagon, attempting to sing the same moment Milly stepped into Mitch’s wagon. “Oh these! Wings you cannot see! Will become a part of your dreams!” She screamed the last word of each sentence causing the birds that lived in her wagon to fly against the windows, batting hard against them. Loon looked at them and crooned, “Oh, my sweet pretty birds. You want some fresh air?” She waved her arms around wildly and a breeze swept in through the wagon. The birds settled on the windowsill looking out at the world miserably. “Yeah. Now isn’t that better my little jewels?” She twirled around singing her sound again loudly. She stopped in front of the mirror plopping down in the chair and began to brush her hair. The camp was still for most of the day. They stayed tucked inside their own wagons; very few went out braving the rain to get some food but scurried home quickly. A strange sleep had seemed to settle on everyone except Kai, who spent the day learning where everything was in Tela’s wagon. Eventually Kai gathered enough courage and kneeled close to Auther. He growled softly, his fur standing up on edge. She reached out slowly and he growled louder. Her hand whipped out and grabbed his ear and he became instantly silent. “Now you stupid hound,” she said softly, “don’t you ever growl at me again or I will make you deaf. Understand?” Auther whimpered and nodded his head. She let go and he walked to Tela’s bedroom lying on the floor. His red eyes followed Kai’s movements, anger causing the tips of his fur to smoke. He laid his head on his paws watching. Noon came and went with no noticeable activity in the camp. Sarge woke slowly thinking about Kai. He dressed quickly and headed to Tela’s wagon. Sarge knocked on the door impatiently. Kai opened the door, “Who is it?” “Sarge,” he replied gruffly. She smiled moving aside quickly. “Come in sir, please.” He smiled and brushed a piece of hair off her cheek. “Thank you.” He strode into the kitchen. She tilted her head following her head following him by the sound of his footsteps after closing the door. She took a seat hoping she was facing in the right direction. He smiled openly searching her face. “So Tela said that you passed the test, congratulations.” “It wasn’t anything,” she said blushing. “I have a question,” she said quietly. “Well ask then.” “Do you really have fangs?” Sarge laughed quietly. “Yes.” he grabbed her hand gently and led her fingers to his fangs. A shiver passed through her body, her thumb sliding along the length of the tooth. Then she accidentally pricked her finger on the tip of it drawing blood. Sarge’s tongue darted out licking the wound clean. Kai smiled and moved her hand back giggling. Sarge looked at her worried, “I’m sorry I didn’t mean to, I hope you’re not hurt.” Kai shook her head, “No I barely felt it. How often do you drink?” Sarge looked at her thinking about whether he should lie or not. “It depends,” he said slowly. “On what?” Kai asked. “Well on the person I feed off of and how much I take.” Kai nodded then rose feeling around for the edge of the cabinet. Sarge took her hand and placed it on the cabinet’s handle. She smiled and opened the cabinet, her fingers fumbling around for a cup. She found the one she was feeling for and handed it to Sarge who placed it on the table. She sat back down and drew a knife from her dress pocket. Sarge jumped to his feet, ready to fight but Kai shook her head and drew the blade across her wrists drawing blood. She quickly grabbed the cup and put her wrist on the edge of it. Sarge watched in shock as the blood slowly filled the cup up halfway before Kai pulled her wrist back and wrapped a loose piece of her sleeve round it tight. “Go on, it’s for you,” she said motioning with her good hand towards it. He grabbed the cup and began to drink it slowly, savoring the taste. He licked hip lips placing the cup down. “Thank you,” Sarge said looking at her. Kai blushed and looked down whispering, “You’re very welcome.” Sarge got up and left closing the door softly behind him. Kai smiled wide standing up. She grabbed the cup and rinsed it out before putting it back in the cabinet. She rinsed her arm off with the same water in the bucket and laid out on the spare cot that Tela dragged out for her. Giggling to herself Kai closed her eyelids over her sightless eyes and slept. Loon saw Sarge leaving his wagon and ran over to her dresser to put on some skimpy clothes for him. She waited a few minutes, waiting for him to knock on her door but still nothing. Annoyed, she went to her window again but didn’t see anything. She touched the marks on her neck, sitting on the bench beside her window. She began to drowse when movement caught her attention. Loon sat up straight on the bench, her eyes narrowing. She watched Tela’s wagon licking his lips. She ran to the door, banging it open. “Sarge what the hell!” Sarge snapped his head in her direction, “What are you--” She was cut off by Sarge clamping his hand over her mouth. “We’ll talk about this in private,” he hissed in her ear. Kash poked his head out from his wagon. “Everything ok?” he called. Sarge waved him away not bothering to turn around. Kash moved back into his wagon. Sarge glared at Loon who was glaring back. She moved back, walking into the wagon. Sarge followed her, “What were you doing in there?” Loon demanded. “I was checking into our new member. What do you think happened? Tela and Kash were in the other room like her parents!” “Why were you licking your lips?” Loon asked avoiding his question. Sarge threw his hands up in the air. “We aren’t dating. Why do you care?” Loon looked at him stunned, tearing up. He looked at her then left slamming the door behind him. She started wailing at the top of her lungs, crumbing to the floor. Sarge knocked on Mitch’s door impatiently. Mitch opened the door yawning, “What?” “We’re going hunting.” Sarge said stopping Mitch in mid-yawn. “No lie?” “No lie.” Mitch went back into his wagon yanking on a sweatshirt. Sarge went around to a few other wagons spreading the message. Soon a crowd had gathered round in the middle of the circle, anxious to start. Sarge surveyed the crowed approvingly before setting the limits that would keep them away from the town.
Posted on: Mon, 19 Aug 2013 01:50:56 +0000