The rain poured down from the stormy grey clouds, covering the sunset and bringing the island to darkness acute to the night, the palm trees swaying violently from the rather violent winds.
But the messenger of our colony's leader didn't seem fazed, keeping an iron grip on my arm as he took me away from my home, the small lights of the candles that were visible from the windows slowly fading into the background.
I strained at the messengers grip on my arm. I knew why he was taking me away, the feeling rooting itself deeply within my chest. But the messages jerked his paw forward, nearly causing me to fall over.
"You should stop resisting, little fox," the messenger growled, his grip on my wrist tightening, drawing a small whine from my maw. "I will most definitely punish you myself if you continue to act like a child!"
I clenched my maw shut, silencing myself. Even with how frightened I was already, I knew that I should calm myself before the man took out his rage on me, something I was sure he'd do judging from the annoyance already evident from his face.
But nonetheless, I could begin to see the faint lights of Valtroxes home, a place that wasn't quite what would be considered a castle, but was quite similar, dwarfing the small home me and most of the others of the colony lived in with a stone exterior with large windows and a rooftop of wood instead of the leaves derived from palm trees that most of the homes on the colony were forced to use. It wasn't as extravagant as most rulers would likely choose to build, but it was impressive.
The man reached in his pocket, grabbing a small silver key as we approached the door, his paw still clamped tightly to my arm in case of any last-ditch efforts I might make to escape whilst he unlocked the door.
My eyes roamed the spacious area of the foyer, with small torches embedded into the walls, the cyan tint of the fires indicating that they were powered by magic, something very few of the water foxes were born with.
But the messenger moved me along, along the broad hallways of Valtrox's home before pushing a pair of double doors; wooden with golden patterns painted onto the surface.
My eyes immediately locked onto Valtrox, the ruler of our colony, sitting casually on the chair, practically a throne in the center of the grand room before us, Someone I had rarely been able to see, save for some of the more important holidays we celebrated.
He had a dark blue coat of fur with jagged black stripes and a tall, broad frame; a man who looked just as one would expect a ruler to appear as.
"Ah, you must be Orion." He said, his stormy blue eyes without any of the kindness he usually bore when presenting himself to the rest of the colony. "I realize it must have been troubling to have been brought here on such short notice, but..." he hesitated for a moment, his eyes looking away from Orion for a moment. "You understand that every year, we must select one of our own to sacrifice to the monsters who live in the sea, correct?"
I felt the dread building within my body intensify, mg breathing quickening, tears building behind my eyes. I had often had trouble containing my anxiety, and this time was no different.
"P-please sir, you don't have to do this!" I cried out. I realized how unprofessional it must be to be screaming at Valtrox like I was, begging really. But I couldn't stop myself. "I can work more if you'd like, I can go up the cliff twice instead of my u-usual...." I tried to speak, but the words seemed lost in my throat as I began to cry, the tears flowing freely from my eyes, my body slumping to the ground, the messenger who's still held me down staring at me with a look of pure distaste.
Valtrox sighed, his feature shifting into a more apologetic expression.
"I'm so sorry Orion. But as much as I absolutely despise having to do this each year, you must understand that it's vital to our survival as Water Foxes. And with your... inability, this is something, as unfortunate as it must be... is something we must do."
"Please," I whimpered, my body trembling beyond my control, tears still rolling down my dampened cheeks, snot dripping from my nose.
Valtrox let out a deep sigh, standing from up from his throne.
"You know I'm only doing what is necessary Orion." He murmured, turning to face the messenger. "Please take him to one of our spare rooms, I don't want to risk losing him before sacrifice." Valtrox said briskly, turning away.
"Of course, sir." The messenger said.
He began to lift me to my feet, his expression stoic as he tried to bring me away.
I screamed, jerking my body forward in desperation. I couldn't let them take me away, lock me up before giving me to those awful monsters which lurked below the sea.
"Enough of this." The man growled, shoving me against the wall, his paws twisting my arms behind my back, the fox trying trying to restrain me, though his grip faltered, just for a moment, but giving enough room for me to twist my head around, opening my maw and clamping my jaws around his unprotected wrist.
The fox snarled as I bit down on his wrist, the metallic taste of blood quickly filling my mouth.
"You fucking brat!" He barked as he tore my face from his wrist, his paw wrapping around my neck tightly enough for my grip to be lost, ramming me into the stone floor, a pained whimper escaping me as he pressed his knees into my back, roughly cutting off my breaking.
I could hear Valtrox let out a frustrated sigh, his footsteps drawing near as he approached me.
"Change of plans, Farron. I require you to bring this one to somewhere a bit more... secure." He said firmly. "We can't risk having him escape when the sacrifice is so soon."
I thrashed my limbs, clawing desperately at the foxes fur, though his expression remained stoic.
"Of course sir." He said, making a point to pin his knees harder against my back before bringing himself to his feet, showing no effort to be gentle as he yanked me upwards, my ribs throbbing as he forced me to my own two feet, his hand gripping a tuft of fur around my collar as he dragged me back into the halls.
*🦈*
"You can't do this to me!!!" I screamed, throwing myself in the opposite direction. Though nothing I said even seemed to cause the faintest twitch in the foxes expression as we ventured deeper, taking me down a flight of wooden steps, underground.
"Enough of this pathetic whining," he snapped. "It's not going to do you any good. We've long decided that you were to be the one to be sacrificed. And who knows, you might even enjoy your new home, if the monsters decide to treat you well enough."
He was saying that just to get me to shut up, that part was certain. Everyone in our colony knew that what the monsters wanted to do with us was anything but pleasant, though we were never sure exactly what was done with the previous sacrifices, for we never were able to hear from them after they were taken away. But I was convinced that being sacrificed meant death, that not too long after I would be taken away by the monster that the beast would consume me whole just as it had probably done long ago.
Before long, the fox stopped in front of a door, plain and wood, with the lock conveniently placed on the outside of the door.
He unlocked it, looking at me expectantly.
I looked at him, my voice practically a plead.
"Please, you don't have to do this. I-I haven't done anything wrong." I whimpered, struggling to keep my voice remaining steady.
His expression softened. Just by a bit, but enough for me to take notice.
"I know you're still young, and this all must seem very confusing for you especially. But you must understand that we don't have a choice in this matter other than to choose one of our own to give to the beasts. It must be done, and that is that." He huffed out.
I couldn't find it within myself to respond as he held me tightly, pushing me into the room, though I found that cell was a much more appropriate word for it, with its windows barred and not much more than a small bed and a nightstand.
I turned around, seeing the foxes emerald eyes, only a glimpse of his vulpine face before he shut the door firmly behind himself, the lock clicking closely after, leaving the fate that I had dreaded more than anything certain.