‘Hey, he’s eating something.’
Jack glanced round; one of his guards was behind his left shoulder and staring at him. The man hurried round the cage for a closer look at what he was trying to hide.
‘How’d you get that?’ the guard demanded but got no reply.
‘What’s he got?’ one of the other guards asked, having quickly come over too.
‘Looks like a crust of something,’ the first responded. They glanced at each other uneasily. Their prisoner was a big powerfully muscled man known to have the form and character of the formidable leopard. The wizards had kidnapped his family and imprisoned him; he had every reason to be furious. Animus magic enhanced his natural speed and strength too. They’d been given strict instructions to weaken him before they arrived at their final destination. Starving an animus was the quickest and easiest way of stripping their strength. Those with magic tended to have fast metabolisms. They required large regular meals to sustain them and their magic. They failed quickly when deprived. They also revived quickly.
‘How much has he had?’
‘Don’t know. Can’t have been much or we’d have noticed him stuffing his face.’
‘Drop that,’ the guard ordered.
‘No.’
‘Don’t make us come and get it.’
‘Come in and try,’ Jack invited and deliberately stuffed as much as he could in his mouth. Knowing he might be discovered before he’d finished such a large pie he’d eaten the meat first, leaving the pastry and then dry crust till last. He was elated. He’d actually managed to eat down to the last half of the crust before being discovered. He watched the guards quickly conferring, their concern obvious and rightly so. Already the rain felt less chilly on his skin and warmth was spreading out to his numb extremities. He continued eating more quickly, now the need for secrecy was gone, and watched the guards split up, watching him warily. They rushed the small cage on three sides grabbing him. It was difficult to ward off an attack and still hang on to the crumbling pastry. But he held a large chunk in his fist. The guards were trying to force his hand away from his chest to the bars where they could get his food off him, but he resisted.
‘Don’t change. You need to fool them you haven’t had enough to be strong,’ she reminded him. How had she known what he was thinking? Or was it obvious an animus would change, under attack, if he could. Jack leant over and grabbed the crust with his teeth. His hand now free, he was able to punch one of the guards who’d been hanging on to him, through the bars. Unfortunately, with the other two still restraining him he couldn’t punch as forcefully as he’d have liked. The man let go and fell back with a yelp though, clutching his jaw. Jack watched in satisfaction as he spat out a tooth. A guard behind him suddenly reached in and grabbed the crust, snapping off what wasn’t held inside his teeth. With that small victory the guards let go of him and retreated.
Jack glared at them but smugly knew the piece they’d taken off him was a mere fraction of what he’d managed to eat. He actually felt stuffed. He ruefully knew his stomach had already shrunk in capacity. He lifted his face up to catch and drink the rain. Then he rubbed his sticky hands clean and then his face, considering his hygiene for the first time since his capture. He quickly sat still again aware of being stared at by the passing people but also his guards. He knew they would be trying to assess to what extent the food might have revived him. He hoped he hadn’t given too much away. Discreetly he stretched his limbs feeling better than he had in days. Whilst fully aware this might only be a temporary reprieve, he knew he could now change if he had to. He sat quietly, conserving his strength, only moving to rub his arms or legs to warm them. He’d been doing this constantly for the last few days and whilst he now didn’t really need to, it was better for the guards to assume he was not remotely revived.
Most people would quickly get chilled sitting still for hours. He had been forced to endure it naked, outside and in the pouring rain, day after day. The nights were worst. He was magically locked in and whilst on a few occasions, when it had been raining hard, they’d drawn his wagon into a shed; it had been for his guard’s benefit not his. They had only done it so they could watch him more easily while they took shelter. Yesterday he’d had some respite, with a dry day that even turned sunny in the afternoon. Whilst his body welcomed a chance to thaw in the sun, equally, not being given anything to drink, he had suffered dreadful thirst and become badly dehydrated.
He glanced round, trying to be casual, but neither one of the couple were in sight. He hoped they hadn’t abandoned him, although he wouldn’t blame them if they had. They’d helped counter this torturous deprivation and exposure to the elements being inflicted on him. He knew he could now endure a while longer. He had a reason to live and would not go without a fight.
A few hours later and when the light was fading from the sky, they passed out of the town gates. Not far from the town walls they drew up in front of some large guarded gates. Jack’s heart sank; another barracks and doubtless a secure compound awaited them. It was clear their party was expected because they were waved inside, albeit reluctantly, with little delay. Jack stared out the back of his cage hoping for a glimpse of the couple before the gates closed behind him. He was disappointed and sat back miserably. Whilst an escape attempt out in the busy street in broad daylight was foolhardy enough, now he was trapped inside a walled compound where the security was tighter and soldiers patrolled.
He watched his guards set up an awning to protect all their supplies. They had his wagon drawn up alongside but not on the leeward side so he would not benefit from a windbreak. Nor did they draw the wagon under the awning, despite the fact it was meant for that use. No, they vindictively left him exposed to the elements. At least the rain had ceased for the moment. He watched them with narrowed eyes. Again, no food came his way, or shelter, or clothes. Instead, they taunted him by lighting a cosy fire, setting out cushioned sleeping pallets and sitting comfortably inside the awning. His anger turned icy when they began tucking in to a hot evening meal brought by the garrison cook. He’d heard the cook query why no food was required for their prisoner. The cook had frowned, clearly unhappy to witness how badly he was being treated, but the men brusquely waved him off.
Jack waited until the kindly man left and his guards were all sitting close by and eating. He knelt against the bars and urinated high into the brisk chilly breeze, liberally scent marking, as was a leopard’s way. He gleefully watched the guards leap up, swearing, covered in his urine. Their food too was well sprinkled making them swear afresh and throw it down uneaten. The men angrily glared at him before two of them were sent to take the plates away, all still cursing.
‘Nice, very nicely done,’ she whispered drolly in his head. ‘Freddie’s laughing so hard he had to get down.’
‘Where are you?’ Jack asked, hope leaping inside him.
‘You’ve already seen me,’ she responded, aware he’d spotted but discounted the small tabby cat. She was perched amongst the leaves of a tree actually inside the compound walls.
‘You are the little cat? But you are wizard. How is that possible?’
‘I am many things. What is your name?’
‘Jack. Your man is Freddie? And you?’
‘Yes. I’m Natalya,’ she responded. ‘What form do you take, Jack?’
‘Why?’
‘It is difficult to decide how best to get you out without knowing your form.’
‘Get me out? You think you can?’
‘It may be possible but you will have to do exactly as I say. Your cage was locked by a wizard. I can sense there’s a spell on the lock itself. The wizard who put you there will feel it if the lock is tampered with or the door is opened without him. Are you willing to work with me? Trust me? I know you have reservations about me. Truthfully you have nothing to fear from me, unless you threaten us, of course.’
Across the yard he could see the little tabby cat baring its teeth.
‘Jack, don’t let my curre
nt form fool you into believing that’s all I am. I’m sure you’d rather not meet my tiger.’
‘I am a leopard,’ Jack responded uneasily; few women chose tigers, yet he believed her. He was desperate for help, and however strange this was, he could feel strength of will and determination emanating from her. ‘I will follow your lead,’ he added. Her man had not in any way appeared weak. The few times he’d witnessed them together he’d gained the impression they were a team rather than wizard mistress and animus slave. Theirs must be a strange relationship. An animus man was highly unlikely to be able to best a wizard, who could also be animus, especially such a powerful predatory animus. That dual nature indicated true power and exceptional natural ability, something deserving of utmost respect.
‘Sit tight Jack. We’ll return after dark.’
Jack watched the little cat walk swiftly along the branch but stealthily enough that the branch barely even swayed with her weight. She leaped on to the wall and straight off over the other side, disappearing from his sight. That easily she had overcome the barrack’s first line of defence. He felt a strange mix of nervous anxiety and hope. A moment later his other guards reappeared and he suspected her exit had been timed to avoid these additional sets of eyes. The ones who had remained under the awning would not have been able to see her tree. He sat quietly, his attention on his very disgruntled guards; the pair had come back empty handed.
‘You’re kidding; nothing?’
‘No. He said they’d dished everything up to the barracks and they’d taken the lot. We are welcome to go down and see what leftovers there might be, but he doesn’t expect there to be much. He told me it wasn’t his problem if we didn’t eat what he gave us.’
‘Don’t you like empty bellies?’ Jack asked as they turned to glare at him and he couldn’t hide his smile.
One of the men swore at him prompting his colleague to hastily grab to hold him back. On Jack’s first night of captivity a guard had got too close to his cage, taunting and jabbing at the motionless leopard with a stick. Jack had watched and waited his chance. He retaliated with the speed of a coiled snake. He’d grabbed the man, in powerful claw tipped paws, dragging him against his bars. In moments his leopard’s teeth had torn out the man’s jugular and he’d dropped him. Since then none of them had dared approach his leopard. Only now he was weaker and in human form did they even consider it. He knew that act was the main reason they were treating him so harshly, but he was not remotely sorry for killing that bullying man.
He watched the guards turn away and retreat back to their now pungent shelter, ignoring him. That suited Jack just fine. He kept a wary eye on them just in case one decided to use his inattention to retaliate. Otherwise, he only moved enough to keep warm and attentively observed everything around him. With the hope of an imminent escape in mind, he noted the comings and goings of the men at work at this garrison. He needed to know what their patterns and routes were to be able to evade them later. Fortunately, their campsite was in the training compound. Little fronted this area and thus few people were around. During daylight he knew it would be a different story, but for now it was barren and dark.
Hours passed and he woke from a light doze. The garrison would be asleep now and lights in the windows were few and far between. Something had woken him and he looked around carefully. A scent, very close, grabbed his attention and he whipped round trying to locate it. Then he looked up and met gleaming pale blue eyes. The little tabby cat sat on top of his cage barely an arm’s length away.
‘Natalya?’
‘Hello Jack,’ she responded as he had, in a soft whisper.
He reached up through the bars and grabbed the small cat pulling her through and into his cage. She didn’t hiss or growl at him but watched him closely. He breathed in her warm clean scent and recognised it from the woman he’d seen. Satisfied with confirming her identity he was about to put her down when he noticed her stomach was rather round.
‘Are you pregnant?’
‘Yes.’
‘What are you doing taking risks like this when you’re pregnant?’ He was aghast and horrified.
‘I’ve already had this conversation with my man and I must tell you he’s none too pleased with you holding me,’ she added truthfully.
Jack glanced round, hearing something growling. The sound, although not loud, was raw and savage. He hastily put her down and the growling eased its intensity, but didn’t truly stop emanating. Natalya stared into the deep shadow of a nearby rooftop; a shape shifted slightly there, drawing his eye. There was a large wolf up there and it was staring at him balefully. Jack noticed the wolf’s gaze kept flicking to the cat and he suspected she was talking to him because his growl ceased and then he settled into stillness again. There was no denying the warning in the wolf’s intent watchfulness though and that protectiveness was something Jack fully understood.
‘Jack, you saw how easily I was able to pass through your bars?’ she said, briskly turning to business. ‘I will help you do the same.’
‘I am far too large, man or leopard,’ he objected.
‘Normally yes, that’s why you’re in this style cage. I can help change that, but only if you work with me.’
‘Tell me what to do,’ he urged as she ducked behind him yet again as the patrolling guard glanced his way. ‘We have five minutes before they come by again.’
‘I know. Feel that strange sensation? I’ve just put a shield over you. Now it’s safe to change.’
Jack gratefully changed into his leopard, covering his wet and chilled naked skin with warm fur. He took a moment to shake out his cold stiff limbs and settle his fur. It had been so long since he felt strong enough to give his cat his body and it was eager for action. He wanted out of this cage, whatever it took and looked into her small face expectantly. His leopard towered over the tabby cat but she showed no fear and calmly watched him.
‘Good. Take this image and visualise yourself smaller,’ she told him projecting the image of a leopard juvenile. She felt him struggling with the unusual concept that he could alter his leopard. ‘Just try it. I can aid your strength if you need me to.’
He shook his head, uncomfortable with taking a pregnant woman’s strength. He closed his eyes seeking calm and she sent him the image again. He grasped it and tried. He opened his eyes feeling odd and realised he was much closer to her size. He’d succeeded in shrinking! He was amazed.
‘Well done,’ she said warmly. ‘Can you be any smaller? I’m not sure you can squeeze through as you are.’
‘This isn’t going to be a permanent alteration to my form is it?’ he asked anxiously, the thought only now occurring.
‘No. You know your true form. You can revert anytime you wish.’
Reassured, he closed his eyes in determination. He’d already succeeded in altering his leopard; he could probably continue to do so. Concentrating hard, on the image she provided, he felt his body twitch and alter. He opened his eyes and found he now met her gaze squarely. He glanced at what he could see of his altered body in shock. They heard the guard returning, this had taken all of the five minutes between his circuits.
‘Lay on your belly with your head down,’ she urged him and moved to sit behind him in the same posture. From his vantage point way across the compound all the guard would really be able to see in the darkness was that the cage was not empty, that a long lean shape stretched across it like a man sleeping. Jack’s own guards, knowing they were in a secure compound with night watchmen, were taking the opportunity for an unbroken night’s sleep in the tent. Jack was very tempted to sneak in and rip out their throats but knew he wouldn’t be able to silence all four men instantaneously; someone would get a shout out and he would probably be trapped. He contented himself with imagining what that zealous wizard might do to them in punishment for having allowed him to escape.
‘Let’s go,’ Natalya suggested as soon as the guard disappeared from sight. She slipped through the bars onto the wagon wheel and jumped to
the ground. The cat sized leopard followed and they raced across the open space of the paved compound to the tree. Both cats were excellent climbers although Jack wasn’t used to being so small and comparatively weak. He now knew why knowing his form had been so important to her. He was exceedingly glad to be a cat, able to leap and climb. They made it up the trunk, trotted along the branch and leaped the large gap to the rooftop. There Jack came face to face with the big wolf. The wolf stared at him searchingly but said nothing. Now was not the time for conversations. Instead the wolf licked the tabby cat’s face affectionately then turned and led the pair over the rooftops.
‘For the time being stay small Jack,’ Natalya advised. Their small forms might struggle to keep up with Freddie’s wolf but it was necessary.
Freddie kept to deep shadow and gestured them down onto their bellies at times to avoid notice by other guards. They crept on when he felt it was safe to do so and leapt from rooftop to rooftop.
‘Wait,’ Natalya whispered. ‘I feel the presence of a wizard.’
‘Can he feel you?’ Freddie asked anxiously.
‘Hopefully he’s asleep, but I have put a shield up. Hold on; let me put it around both of you. We don’t need him sensing your presences. There, let’s get out of here quickly. He can’t have been scanning or we’d have heard an alarm. Once they know you’re gone Jack, they’ll be looking in earnest. Stay close to me.’
Freddie once again led the way, Natalya by his side and Jack just behind. All three predators were naturally well camouflaged, nimble and had excellent night sight. Running on all fours was quiet and also kept their bodies low to the roof.
‘Why couldn’t we have just crossed the wall by the gate?’ Jack whispered knowing the tree they’d first climbed could have taken them onto the wall and they could have been down outside already.
‘The guards keep close watch on the area around the gates and have it well lit,’ Natalya told him mentally. ‘They also have dogs patrolling the external perimeter. Once they come in the dogs will lead them to that tree. Everyone will assume you’ve crossed just there and hidden in the town. They will be searching for your tracks from there. This might be a longer way round but dogs won’t be able to climb up here and track us on the rooftops. It won’t be so easy for them to discover what direction we took or that you had help escaping. I quite like the idea of having you simply vanishing into thin air.’
Forging Alliances: Wizards of White Haven Page 2
