Serine opened her eyes, it was dark and damp, the air smelled of sweat and salt. She could hear the sounds of crying and whimpering in the air around her. She could also hear laughing and talking from behind a door at the end of a hall made of cages filled with heavy breathing and teary eyes.

The floor beneath her swayed, I'm in a moving vehicle, I'm also in a cage, I-I've been recaptured by slavers. She realized, her thoughts went to Derek, he was bleeding out in an alley last she saw him. His chance of survival in that situation was basically zero. She leaned back against the metal bars behind her, Damnit, This is the worst. . . Can I get out of this? As the thought crossed her mind the joking and laughing died down as the door opened and a man stepped out. He was dressed similar to a merchant but he had a crossbow on his hip and a bundle of rope on the other. He set off at a casual stroll down the path between the cages, he poured food into the little dishes in each cage as he passed. When he got to Serine's cage he crouched down and eyed her with a smile.

"Hey there, finally awake are we, you slept a while after Shawn knocked your head in. You be good for us otherwise we'll do you like your friend. Likely food for the rats by now." The man threatened her with a smile before passing her by, "No food for the runaway." he said with a laugh as he moved on.

He finished before heading back through the door, the talking and joking continued.

"Hey, you're awake." A voice called out, "I heard they had to fight someone to get their hands on you."

"His name was Derek, he was helping me across the border." Serine explained to the rabbit boy to her left, one of his eyes was gray, likely blind.

"Man, I'm sorry. Maybe he survived?" The boy tried to reassure her, an unsteady smile and a cautious head tilt.

"I. . . Don't think so, it looked like they stabbed him in a vital spot." Serine replied, she wrapped her arms around her knees. Damn, what would a detective do right now? Gotta find a way out!

"Ah well, there's not really a silver lining is there?" The rabbit boy sounded dejected and fell silent. Serine looked at him, her eyes held a bit of confidence and sadness but not fear.

"Do you know where we are headed?" Serine asked, the boy looked up, and nodded.

"Otalos, the city of trade." He smiled a bit, "You're pretty, you'll likely be bought by someone rich. Just cross your fingers they're nice."

"Yeah, haha." She sighed. "I don't want to go back, not now. It would be like spitting on his determination."

"Yeah, you were close though, In border town. You just got unlucky." The boy replied, he sighed, "I would have taken that chance too. Have you ever been to Otalos?"

"Yeah, I was sold there originally, so I know what it's like." Serine explained, the boy opened his mouth to respond when suddenly the carriage shook and began to pick up speed.

"What's that about?" He asked suddenly, voices passed around questions, soon answers flooded in from the slaves near the windows.

"We're being chased by bandits it seems." a voice to the other side of Serine spoke up.

"Someone recognizes them, they're notoriously ruthless." Another voice spoke up.

"This is gonna get bad if they catch us." A third slave spoke, and several others voiced their agreement.

"This is no good." The bunny boy exclaimed in annoyance and fear. The door to the front of the carriage burst open, one of the slavers walked down the hall, he carried a crossbow and a quiver.

"This could be our chance though!" Serine whispered urgently to her new friend. He didn't look convinced though.

"Damn bandits," The man grumbled as he flung open the back door, he aimed and fired his crossbow, he dodged a few arrows that returned to him. "You want more of our cargo ey! Come fucking get it, we're tired of you lot!" The carriage swerved and sped up, the man continued to fire out the back, it was stupid but she rooted for him. If we get captured by bandits it'll be far worse. She noticed something though, the man had a key ring jingling on his belt. I know I was just rooting for you, but I hope you get shot.

The man opened his mouth to yell more curse words at the bandits when he stopped. It was as if her thoughts were heard as an arrow pierced the man's forehead.

His crossbow plopped to the ground with a thunk, and he fell backwards, smashing into the wall of cages. The ring of keys on his waist burst and the keys scattered around the floor, the wall of cages toppled and a few were flung out the back of the carriage. Screams, pained shouts, and whimpers rang out.

A key clanked against Serine's cage, she snatched it, frowning for a moment as she reached out to try and unlock her cage. But she couldn't quite reach, pain crawled up her arm as she forced it to bend and stretch. She could hear the slavers barking orders, suddenly the key slipped from her hand and her heart dropped.

"Hey, I got you!" A familiar voice spoke up as a key was pushed into her lock and twisted. The bunny boy from early opened her cage before moving to the next one. She scrambled out and stepped up to the back of the carriage. As she moved towards the crossbow she couldn't help her curiosity and gazed out the back.

An arrow shot past her, she ducked it barely before moving past the fallen cages and reached for the crossbow. An arrow stabbed into her shoulder causing her to stumble and wince in pain, realizing how stupid it was to be standing where she'd been. She snatched the crossbow and pulled herself back from the doorway, watching as the body in front of her slid out the back and smashed its face open on the ground. There was a deep throbbing in her shoulder however the adrenaline allowed her to ignore it. Serine turned around to see the bunny boy who had turned to the cages near the door. Serine grabbed a key from the ground and approached the first cage. They worked steadily getting closer and closer to the door.

When they got to the last cage she took cover by the door and began trying to close it. Serine opened her eyes wide as a horse raced towards the side of the carriage. She was forced to brace herself as it slammed into the side of the carriage, but it didn't matter as the cage the boy was trying to unlock lurched forward and sent him, her, and the cage tumbling out the back. The door exploded off its hinges, and the ground came at them fast.

Serine grabbed the boy and tried to protect him as they both fell, she landed on the cage first and an explosion of pain greeted her as it smashed into the ground and the metal bent and broke. She tumbled off the broken metal and landed in the dirt.

A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.

"Grab that one, It was a pretty specimen!" a voice called out and one of the horses turned around and headed for them. Serine got to her feet and grabbed the rabbit boy, lifting him to his feet she dragged him along. He was conscious, but dazed, so he stumbled after her.

"The boss wants her, don't let her escape." Another voice called out and two more horses branched off from the others and headed into the forest. Serine leaped down the hillside and hid in the undergrowth.

"Where'd she go?" A man called out as a horse trotted passed her, She pulled back, trying to hide. Her shoulder ached, the arrow brushed on the undergrowth around her as she moved, trying to slip away. The boy was now conscious enough to follow her on his own.

"There she is!" Serine bolted, running as fast as she could, they were on her tail, she swerved around trees and ducked under fallen logs. An occasional arrow barely missing, she began stringing the crossbow as she ran.

She curved around a tree and yanked the arrow from her shoulder with an uncontrollable pained sound ripping from her lips. She placed the bloody arrow on the crossbow and pointed it at about head height. Unconsciously, she held her breath as they rounded the corner.

Fwip

The arrow launched forward just as a head came into view, and Serine spun around and ran once more. You won't get me damnit! She exclaimed in her head as she bolted into the bushes.

"Holy fuck, that scared the shit out of me, James. . . Oh fuck. YOU BITCH!" A howl of anger erupted behind her as she ran, she could hear the bushes smashing and breaking behind her as he barreled towards her.

They were finally seeming to create distance and the boy was doing great keeping up with her, when he abruptly stumbled as an arrow pierced his leg. He hit the ground hard and skidded, Serine stumbled as she stopped and grabbed him by the arm. She yanked him to his feet just as a second group of pursuers caught up. Three people with weapons, two in front of her and one in back. Serine looked around before bolting to the left, they lunged at her as she tumbled down a hill, facing a ravine.

She felt the boy's arm wrench from her hand as she fell, looking back she saw him struggling in the arms of the bandits.

"She's fast, pin her down." Suddenly an arrow stabbed into the log above her as she slid underneath it. More arrows stabbed into the trees and ground around her as she ran. Damnit, I have no idea where I am or what I'm running to!? She felt her senses giving off warnings, ducking, sliding, swerving, she avoided arrows barely.

Suddenly pain pierced her leg, she tumbled, falling down a short cliff. She let out a shout of pain as she tumbled, she landed in a large thorny bush with big green and blue leaves.

She lay still, pain swamped her, please don't find me. She prayed silently.

"Damnit, you knocked her off that damn cliff." An angry voice spoke up.

"She ain't gonna be getting up from that, she'll be a sitting duck, we just gotta find her." The man whose partner she'd killed replied with an annoyed tone

"Boss ain't gonna be happy with you damaging his stuff." The first voice warned with a sigh.

"Whatever, we got her right, the alternative was losing her." Serine cursed the gods as she heard them slide down the cliff, they began searching around, she tried to crawl but realized she'd broken her leg and the other was trapped beneath something.

"Damn this is annoying."

She heard the sound of a familiar voice scream out in pain, and grimaced. "Hear that, we have no need for this boy, but maybe we could make a deal. You see, the boss gets real mad if we don't bring him the girls he asked for. So how about it, his life for yours, I'll let the boy go if you give yourself up right now."

Serine weighed the options with a deep frown on her face. I shouldn't, they won't keep their word there's no way right?

"Don't worry about m-me, you gotta. . . Get to Bl-Blushai for . . . h-him." The boy spoke while struggling and coughing.

She sighed before, her decision made, she opened her mouth, "I-I'm right here." Her heart fell into the pit of her stomach as she predicted the hell awaiting her.

"Woah!" The thug above her stepped back, "She was right below, that scared the shit out of me." He lifted a large rock from her leg and lifted her up. "Look at you, falling down that ravine got you all fucked up." Serine winced in pain, she felt her consciousness waver, the pain was horrible. They dragged her and the boy from the forest, they actually kept their word and let the boy go.

They then turned around and carried her deeper into the forest, met up with a healer and got her treated then she passed out. She sensed that she was moving, that her hands were bound. She could sense time passing. I'm dead, it's over, the only hope is to be saved by the slavers or adventurers.

~

Serine opened her eyes, the horses had come to a stop in a forested area. The light had dimmed as the sun set, she was lifted from the back of one of the horses, her hands were tied with an older itchy rope. The man slung her over his shoulder, it was dusk, red light shone through the small gaps in the trees and undergrowth. She was nervous, and scared, her body lightly shook as the dread sunk in. She took a small amount of solace in the fact that her sacrifice had saved the boy. But that feeling didn't last long as she was carried closer to what she believed would be a slow, horrid, painful death.

"Boss will be pleased." The man carrying her said, as he walked through the forest, there was a light from a campfire that stretched lengthy shadows across the forest floor. The shadows danced and wriggled like they were alive, Serine watched the scenery pass from the back of the man, he passed the fire and headed deeper into the forest. A group of men sat around the fire, chatting, laughing, and passing around bottles of whisky. Though she noticed that a few of the figures were young females who were tied up and being harassed by the men.

If I'm lucky the knights or possibly the merchant guild will wipe these guys out. I just hope I'm still sane and alive when that happens. Enjoy yourselves while you can bastards. She thought as the sounds from the campfire faded and she was carried into a cave, it was fortified with wooden stakes pointed out at the entrance. The man pushed open a makeshift door to reveal a cavernous interior lit by candle light.

He passed a group of men playing cards and continued deeper into the cave. It didn't take him long to reach an area towards the back where a wooden doorway had been created from scraps. He knocked on the door before speaking.

"Boss, I brought you a present, the pretty one who escaped." There was a respectful tone layered with fear in his voice.

"Good, put her with the others." The boss was dismissive, and the man nodded, carrying Serine further back into the cavern. Serine got a look at the boss, a man covered in muscle and old scars. He was sharpening a massive battle ax, his armor was light, but well made and tough looking. He had brown hair with the sides shaved, the top was swept back into a ponytail. His eyes were steele gray, and just as cold and hard, one was lighter. A scar carved a path through his brow, eye, nose, and lips.

Serine was carried into a back room that wasn't well lit, it was damp and smelled like a mix of filth, trying to identify the smells that made it up wasn't something she wanted to do. Her sensitive nose wrinkled as she was brought further in, she heard low uneven breathing and low whimpering sounds. Noises that silently screamed danger, death, and suffering. She shivered as she was pulled from the man's shoulder and allowed to finally see what was in front of her. She felt her throat constrict, her heart leaped against her chest trying to escape. Her mind couldn't even properly comprehend what was before her, her stomach ached, she had a full body reaction to it. . . She almost fainted.

"Don't be so dramatic, it's not that bad." The man sneered as he carried her towards the back, a corpse of a woman was chained to the wall. The man grabbed her by the shoulder and ripped her from the wall, her wrists snapped and she slumped to the side. Serine tasted vomit in her throat and her mind was trying to float away, it was light, and filled with fog.

"Oh, look, a spot just opened up for you." The man said sarcastically, "It was nice knowing ya puppy." He tossed her against the wall, suddenly she lurched, trying to escape. Logically she knew that it would be impossible, but her instincts drove her, she had an immense sense of dread telling her that if she didn't escape now. . . She was slammed back against the wall, the man's hand on her throat.

"Stop struggling, there's no escape now." he brought the cuffs towards her wrists, they had old flesh and blood dried against them. She struggled to no avail as they were locked against her wrist.

"Now girlie, everything from here is out of my hands, It was nice knowing you." He frowned, "Seriously though, such a pretty girl. You'll be dead in a week." His last words chilled her to her core, causing the strength to drain from her as he stood up and left.