Force us against the enemy
And we will become animals.
A kill is demanded of the adversary
And we shall fulfill out our duties.
But we rage a war of our own
So fear our power because
We will fight.
...
The day after their reunion, the fifth day, Ariain and Ebony sat in their filthy, dark and gloomy imprisonment. Ebony's return brought forth a light of lost joy and hope to Ariain in the depressing darkness of Aries' cruelty that not even the torches' flames could compare to. However, the joy only lasted so longno matter how glorious the return of the black 'wolf was, the pair were still slaves to Aries' animalistic desires.
Just what were those desires? What purpose could he have to enslave creatures and pit them against each other? It was no secret that werewolves, among other mythical creatures, were wanted dead. That was a desire all humanity shared since the Return. Just what is it that drove him this far, though? What drove Aries to gather the strength against the fearsome beasts of legend and put a stop to their carnage on the withering world?
What strength it isan awe inspiring power that could bring forth the lost courage in the hearts around. The humans' hearts of today could seem to care less about courage and fighting back, a grave misfortune. They lost all that power, that courage to defend themselves and fight, and the will to see it through. In this world they try to claim some weak and meaningless role amongst their pitiful race just to try and make themselves feel better, either with worldly possessions, enslaving the creatures that threatened their existence, or great wealth to dominate over the other poor souls. Aries doesn't seem to care about man's desires, and yet had accomplished them, but merely his own. What is his desire?
"So, where were you? I mean, what's... down there?" Ariain questioned almost hesitantly, sitting in a corner.
Ebony spared a glance over to the other werewolf but then continued to dully gaze at the floor as if lost in some kind of dream, she herself positioned in the other corner. "It appeared to be some sort of laboratory." She answered.
"A laboratory?" The blonde-and-black were' echoed with surprise. "What was it like? Did Aries do anything to you there?"
"... It was..." Ebony's voice weakly broke the silence after a while, her mind drifting back to her new memories of the peculiar, dark room. "... I can't describe it..."
Ariain got a bad feeling. Though Ebony spoke of nothing wrong the fact that she couldn't say anything was worth more concern. There was unsettling silence as Ariain wanted to say something, but knew not what to say.
"Aries didn't do anything." Ebony went on to the next question, to avoid an extended awkward silence.
"That's good," Ariain replied, pleased. Then, Aries words replayed in her mind:
'I was only interested in the black werewolf.' Her eyes unknowingly narrowed at the thought, there was something going on. Aries was planning and plotting something, but what? Ebony and she were just pawns in his game, but what was the conclusion?
"Aries gave you the antidote I see." Once more the black 'wolf broke the silence and snapped Ariain out of her thoughts.
Ariain was a bit stunned by the random statement, but that was not the cause of her hesitation. She knew the truth, but should she inform Ebony of it. ".... Ye-yeah..." Her voice seemed to drown and weaken in the lie she agreed to. More silence followed but was soon broken, "Sooo..." she dragged it out a bit uncertain but a smile was pulling tightly at the corner of her lips, "Did something happen down there?"
"What do you mean?" Ebony looked as if oblivious to the meaning of the question.
"Well, I heard a scream"
"That was nothing... everything was fine." Ebony quickly replied in an attempt to satisfy her friend's inquisition. The werewolf's eyes automatically closed with the frustrating memory despite of her attempts to try and remain unreadable.
"Really?" A sly grin creased the 'wolf's face, "So then that kiss was fine too?"
The black 'wolf's eyes went about as large as they could possibly get and her entire body seem to spontaneously move strangely with alarm as though she was about to leap with surprise. Ebony had no idea Ariain was aware of that little incident. "WH-What?!" Her voice was high and almost set to yell with the overwhelming embarrassment.
Just then, as luck would have it, the door down the hall opened and the two caretakers spilled out of it. Aidan, happy as always; and Damien, irritated as always, who was unaware he was being spoken of. It was but a quick moment to get to the cage but to those inside it felt like an unbearable eternity what with their recent mentioning and high embarrassment lingering thick in the air, while each step like a stomp on Ebony's heart and conscience.
Ariain was grinning and laughing and all Ebony could do was sit and stare at the floor with a massive blush on her face, ears pulled back shamefully. As cool as Ebony was she still had feelings, and more importantly was still a girl.
The caretakers noticed the strange situation when they reached the cell; their eyes each set on their own responsibility but would occasionally glance to the other's, both equally puzzled.
"Are you both all right?" Aidan was the first to speak.
"Did something happen?" Damien's voice followed questioning Ebony mostly, his voice lacked concern however.
"Don't talk to me!" She snapped and hid her face in her paws, her ears seemed to pull further back at the sound of his voice and how it brought back that unhappy memory.
"... What?" Her caretaker's voice rang with perplexity.
"It's your entire fault!"
"Huh? What are you talking about?!" He yelled back at her, and just when he thought they had gotten over their quarrel.
"Just leave me alone!" Ebony growled.
Aidan was lost in a sea of confusion and Ariain just found it all hilarious, her laughter never seeming to cease. She laughed so hard her ribs began to hurt and tears form in her eyes. "Don't mind her. She's just embarrassed, isn't that right, Ebony?"
Ebony replied with a louder growl.
"What is she embarrassed about?" Aidan asked despite not having the right to know a woman's secrets.
It didn't take long for the boys to figure it out though, or at least Damien, his bangs fell over his eyes with shame but the pink on his cheeks wasn't to be hidden so easily. There was nothing but silence as Aidan tried to figure it out. Ariain had to give Aidan a helpful look to his fellow caretaker. Aidan looked to Damien blankly. "That's right, you kissed her." And suddenly his face was covered with a smile.
"I thought I told you to stop saying that!" Damien barked with furry.
"You sure have weird taste in men Ebony."
Ebony remained quiet, stifling her growls the best she could. Her eyes fiercely shut tight and her arms crossed on top of her knees, shielding her face, as she asked in an attempt to drop the uncomfortable conversation, "What are you doing here anyway?"
"Oh yeah," Aidan looked back into the cell. "You guys have a match and we're here to take to it."
"Another match?" Ariain said cutting off her laughter, her tone strong and tinted with anger and annoyance.
"You guys work for Aries now, unless he says otherwise, or you get killed, you fight almost every day." Damien informed.
"Let's go then." Ebony rose and opened her eyes, revealing a tedious look to them. She didn't seem to have any feelings about the battle that was to take place, well aside from secret relief to finally escape the humiliation. That this may be her last battle, or even last day never really crossed her mind. She was only doing what she had to, what she was told.
Ariain found her friend's attitude strange in a way, not unexpected but just a bit different. "Yeah," she replied and went forth to the bars where Damien and Aidan awaited on the other side with the recently obtained chains.
The door was unlocked and they both proceeded to attaching the leashes on. Ariain watched as Ebony had Damien attach the leash to the collar, she showed no emotion or anything. She seemed so serious, as she should before a battle, but for some reason it almost seemed as though Ebony just wasn't going to be herself in this battle. Normally she'd show some kind of annoyance for having to deal with something inferior or for having to waste her time on something so pointless, but she didn't. Like she was being controlled and had no say in the matter, though it was true they didn't, it seemed to strangely affect the black 'wolf more than herself. Ariain was concerned, but she had a plan.
When the job was done Damien headed off with Ebony close behind, their embarrassment was kept deep inside and they each managed to go on without fighting.
Aidan had to get Ariain out of her thoughts, "Are you okay?" he asked.
"Yeah," and with that said they followed after.
The same route was taken and all the while Ariain kept thinking about Ebony. Definitely more happened in the laboratory that she didn't tell. Why would she keep it from her if something did happen, though?
However, Ariain did have something to look forward to.
It seemed like they arrived to the coliseum's battle ground in a flash and just as quickly as they came on the leashes were taken off. Damien departed to a higher level to watch the battle and Aidan left shortly after. Aries had started his speech; Ebony tuned it out the same as Ariain.
"Did Aries tell you anything?" Ariain referred to fighting with her hands on her hips.
"He just said, 'Don't die, you're both too important.'" Ebony quoted.
"Both?" The incomplete blonde were' was surprised to be included.
"...Yes..." The pitch black 'wolf didn't understand.
"Interesting..." A plain to see devious smile was made from her friend's lips, making it appear she had something up her sleeve.
Their words ended just in time, the doors across from them began to open almost tauntingly to Ebony and the entire crowd. Ariain didn't even seem to take notice; her gaze was significantly dull and uninterested but seemed to be located on a specific thing for a brief amount of time. Too caught up in the suspense Ebony failed to notice her partner's reaction.
The doors opened and the opponent stepped out, another disappointment on behalf of the fighters, an Yppotryll: A fanciful type of camel or dromedary. It has a boar's face and tusks, and the legs and hooves of an ox.
No complaint was made by either werewolf, but only one seemed to be paying attention.
The camel-type creature looked around lazily, no clear expression on its face. From its pathetic display of ferocity it'd seem like a sheep was just willingly given to a wolf to eat. From such peculiar shows of opponents from Aries they didn't know what he had on his mind.
Above, Aidan looked on with his usual concern but he had no doubt in his mind that they would win. Damien you could say had the same confidence in them, he knew Ebony wouldn't loose to something like that. Or otherwise his hidden embarrassment would be unparallel.
The battle was ordered to start and Ebony glanced to Ariain before she made her move, the black and blonde 'wolf did nothing but yawn. Her inactiveness was a bit odd, but Ebony didn't say anything.
Someone in the distance, the "camel's" caretaker perhaps, did something that Ebony couldn't quite make sense of, but all of a sudden the Yppotryll appeared to be wild and angry and stampeded forth at the 'wolves.
Ebony dodged its attack but didn't see Ariain move. Ebony had other things to worry about; it'd appear as though the "camel" was attracted to her movement like a bull to red. The creature was rather easy to out run but Ebony remained facing it as she ran as to never have it leave her sight.
Out of the corner of her eye the black were' saw that Ariain was okay, but still stood there and did nothing. Ebony had to shift her gaze elsewhere though, the Yppotryll's tusk got dangerously close during her viewing. Ebony made another glance away, to the wall behind her, it was getting awfully close, but that was her plan.
Just a little bit more... Ebony thought.
Then just in time Ebony ran to the side like a speeding bullet and the "camel" was left to collide into the wall, it fell to the ground without movement. The 'wolf smiled just slightly, glad with the thought that the battle was already over. However, defeat didn't come that easily, slowly the animal attempted to lift itself. Ebony was surprised it could move with such a hard hit to the head and stood there momentarily with disbelief. Though the time was short, it was just enough for the Yppotryll to lift its hind legs, in a rather surprisingly quick manner that harshly made contact with the 'wolf's ribs and sent her flying back to near the center of the arena.
Damien was surprised along with Aidan, and though he had never seen the werewolf in battle he thought it difficult for Ebony to fall for such a thing.
Aries witnessed the hit as well, and was honestly a bit disappointed himself and seemed to be thinking about something that made him almost angry.
Ariain at last looked over to her companion with a bit of shock, but she still did not move.
She should be completely healed... How could she make such a mistake? The black-and-blonde were' was concerned and yet her feet would not take her anywhere.
Unsteadily Ebony rose, she didn't bother to investigate the area of impact; she didn't have to worry about such a minor thing. Her gaze now strengthened with intensity and fierceness. And even Ebony herself questioned why such a slip-up was made, but now wasn't the time for thinking, now was the time for fighting. She'd finish this soon before another error could be made.
The Yppotryll was facing Ebony, looking almost as determined to finish this fight just about as much as she wanted to. Ebony ran forward and the "camel" followed suit, its head lowered so that its boar-like tusks would be ready to pierce the 'wolf. It all came down to a matter of speed.
One hand met a tusk in a strong grip and in a blur the other formed the traditional "dagger", sweeping into the pitiful animal's chest as easily as it sliced the air. The "dagger" in the heart won the fight.
...
This is a Yppotryll. And there's not much else to say except, please read the stories or Bound by Blood is leaving.
