I stretched my arms forward. The space outside the tent was pitch black. The floor under my feet was as dark as the walls.
There were no bushes to hide in, no hole to hide my waste, and I was afraid to soil the place. Master would smell it, and he would not like it.
I walked back toward the light of the tent, choosing the less offensive option.
"Master," I called out to him. He wouldn't like me talking to him either, but I had no better choice. "May I...may I...go out? I don't want to...soil your space further, with...my filth."
The world around me warped and my neck appeared in his hand again. I was back inside the tent, but this time, by his throne.
He held me up. I stood on my toes, trying to ease the pressure on my neck.
"Hold it in." He shoved me away, making me fall on my hands and knees. "You will use your tongue to clean the floor if you dare bring any more filth into my space."
I backed away slowly, until I was outside of his tent again. I didn't stop moving away from him until I hit a hard surface, a wall maybe. I then sat down with my knees up to my chest, hugging them. I put my forehead on my knees.
I would have never thought of escaping before. The fear was too great, the unknown was too vast, and the consequences were too severe. The idea never crossed my mind, but now, it was the only thing on it.
My toes rubbed against the floor as I thought of my options and the lessons I learned from the owners.
Michael always annoyed Madam and the owners, but he was always able to get away with it. A key to his success was that he knew how much he could push them, and how much pity and worry he could garner from them.
He would appear miserable when they scolded him, and they would end up taking care of him instead.
My toes paused.
Would it work with Master? If I...played miserable...would he show me a hint of sympathy?
Absolutely not.
He would show worry for himself, his reputation, at most. He wouldn't care about me.
What about his reputation?
I opened my eyes.
One thing I learned from Skaris was that if you can't beat them, scare them. He was the weakest of the owners, yet he still managed to make himself seem dangerous.
My toes wiggled again.
The idea of scaring Master was scary itself. I didn't have to beat him, just make him scared of me. But how?
My tail perked up. The smell, the smell of a female in heat. That was what Master hated about me the most. I could use that against him. Anything to get out of here.
I held onto the memory of them. They made me happy, and happiness could produce heat.
My heat came easier than I thought. Imagining being in their arms, their warmth enveloping me.
I waved my tail to spread it in the air, using my palms to push the smell further away from me and toward the tent. It took a few minutes for me to hear some noises.
"YOU DARE?" His voice boomed, the sound so loud it hurt my ears. I cowered back into myself, pushing myself further into the corner, my heartbeat picking up.
The sound of steps getting closer.
I covered my ears with my hand.
'Madam, madam, madam...'
I repeated her name in my mind, trying to stay in heat as long as possible. Master would try to beat it out of me, and I had to endure it.
His hands grabbed me by the throat again, and my body was thrown across the space. I hit the wall and slid to the ground, the air knocked out of me.
My eyes shut tight, my arms raised to shield my head. His feet connected with my body, over and over. I rolled like a ball again. Pain was everywhere, but the heat was also there, fighting back.
"Stop_producing_the disgusting smell…" he lifted me up, only to throw me back down. His claws dug into my thigh, drawing blood. "...if you don't want to be skinned alive and have your filthy hide turned into a rug."
His threat didn't stop me. If he did that, he would end up wasting his energy on healing me.
I refused to die a long painful death. I would rather have a short one, one that could be an escape. The owners would be sad, but they would get over it. A new female would take my place, and I would just be a memory to them (in case they were not a dream).
I hoped they would remember me as a good sheep, the one who tried to entertain them.
"I would rather die," he snarled. Then his restraint shattered. The first blow caught me across the cheek, sending my head snapping to the side, "then breed with the likes of you."
His breathing was ragged now, harsh gasps of air that mingled with my own pained whimpers. Claws teared at my skin, fist connected with my face.
I began to count the hits on my body. The higher the count, the closer I was to freedom.
Goodbye, my light.
It was nice to have met you.
I was grateful for your warmth.
Whether they were a dream I conjured or not, they were the most beautiful dreams I ever had.
Fifty one, fifty two, fifty three, fifty four…
The surroundings shook. Fresh forest air filled my burning lungs. Soft light touched my eyelids, and a gentle wind blew on my bruised cheeks.
My limb body swished with the movement like a fallen leaf. I forced my eyes open and looked up at the sky. Stars, there were stars. So bright, so beautiful that they pierced through my pain.
The stars...I missed them…
They were gone before I could fully appreciate them. My body was thrown into the water, the cold shocking. The impact sent waves of agony through my already battered body.
My limbs instinctively moved to keep me afloat, but Master's claws dug into my back and forced me under.
The water burned my eyes. I failed to count the hits, failed to keep my heat, and now, my attempt to frighten him into discarding me, was failing too.
Just as I thought, I was a failure at everything. Even a failure at life. I shouldn't have tried to be brave. It always led to pain.
The next moment, I was lifted up again, and my chest rose as I coughed out the water. I breathed in air, greedily, only for it to be replaced with water again.
Master kept pushing me in, and pulling me out, washing away the scent of my heat, or my life. I never knew what his goal was.
"Ma..dam...ma..d..." I tried to call out to her. It was the last thing I wanted to say before my end. "Ma..."
He paused, and I was able to draw in another breath.
"Ma...am...Ma...dam..."
"Who? Who are you calling for?"
"Ma...ma...d..." I tried again.
"Can't even spell master. Useless, utterly useless female."
"Y-you...a-are not...my...my..." I coughed, water still in my lungs. I didn't have much strength left to talk, "Ma...d...m."
Again, he pushed me under, and this time, I didn't struggle. I let the water fill my lungs, take me away.
My body felt light. I was floating, flying...flying to the stars. It felt like I would reach them if I just stretched my arm out.
I kept reaching and reaching, but something pulled me back. A force dragged me down, and my arm fell by my side.
The stars disappeared, the darkness surrounded me, and I was back in the blackness.
╔═══ Author's note ════╗
I noticed some GTs and powerstones from new readers, so here, a chapter, as a welcome. 🙏😆
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