A Luna for Alpha Kieran-Chapter 118: Play along

Autumn stared at the feast laid out before her.

Thick cuts of meat still dripping reddish juices, roasted roots blackened at the edges, and a suspiciously gelatinous stew that bubbled in its stone bowl.

The charred leg from earlier sat prominently in the center, now picked clean to the bone.

She poked at a slab of greasy meat with her fingernail. It jiggled.

"Nope!!"

Thorgar had left her alone only minutes ago

He had patted her head with a hand the size of her face, told her to rest up, eat well, and..."We will talk soon, my sweet bear. So much to catch up on. We have got time to make up for, after all. Heaps of it."

Autumn still had zero idea what that meant.

Make up for what time?

They acted like they knew her.And that... terrified her...not because two hulking warriors were stationed outside her door...she was used to brutality. It should have been the norm. But they were being... soft. Almost as if trying to tell her that... she belonged there... wherever ’there’ was.Because in all her time living as a rogue, she had never heard of pack called Skarthheirm... not even a mention.

The room she was in had no proper door, just a stretched hide hanging from a wooden rod.Through the thin hide curtain separating her chamber from the hall, she could hear the guards breathing. Loudly. Like bored hounds,sitting there,waiting for a command.

The room itself was... unsettlingly cozy.The walls were carved with childish scribbles, except the paint was rust colored and flaked when she touched it.

"Play along. Just play along."

She saw a few women shuffle past once in a while, but none of them dared meet her eyes.So no chance of any conversation.

She waited until the guards’ breathing evened out...snoring, maybe? And then she crept to the window.

It wasn’t technically barred.Just... very high up.

Autumn peered over the ledge. The drop was at least twenty feet, ending in a pile of what she hoped were discarded furs and not, say, a mass grave.

Better than staying here!! Nope! This might be her only chance of escape. She needed to know where exactly she was in the least... and she could definitely not do that sitting there...and eating meat.

She swung her legs over, fingers gripping the rough stone...and jumped...slipped actually.

Thud!!!

The furs were just furs. Thankfully! Autumn lay still for a moment, waiting for shouts, for alarms... arrows maybe...

But no... silence... that’s all there was.

She scrambled up, brushing dirt from her borrowed tunic (too big, smelled like wet dog), and bolted for the nearest alley.

The place was a labyrinth. It was like a fortress carved out of jagged rocks.She took the pathways winding ahead. She ducked under low hanging ropes strung with teeth, sidestepped puddles that looked suspicious.

It was like she had stepped into a completely different world... even the air had a different taste.

Autumn lifted her dress and made a run for it. Straight ahead... absolutely no idea where she was going but then...

Oh no!!

A group of warriors rounded the corner. They were laughing too loud, clapping hands... probably joking and chit chatting but... they saw Autumn...

Autumn froze.

They froze.

One red bearded giant with an ax strapped to his back blinked at her.A couple of times. Then his face split into a big fat grin.

"Oi! Look who is out playing!"

Autumn’s mouth went dry.

"Hide and seek, eh?" the one with a skull hanging like a pendant said with a bigger grin than the red head. "You are just like your Da. Spry little critter."

Autumn blinked. "My... what?"

The others cheered, clapping like she had performed a trick.

"Fast little thing, ain’t she? We just left her back at the fort! "

"Just like when Thorgar snuck out to raid the Gray Pines at twelve winters!"

"Spitting image, I tell ya!"

"Wait, no, I am sorry, I think you are mistaking me..." Autumn tried but well... they were too full of themselves. Weren’t even listening to her.

"You are a riot!" one of them interrupted patting Autumn so hard on the back she almost stumbled forward. "Can’t wait till the games next moon! She will win for sure!"

" Oi, gentle! " The red head interrupted. "She’s delicate! Get your hands off her!" Then turning towards Autumn he added ,"Aye, we knew you would be fun!"

The others nodded solemnly. Another one patted her head,and scuffled her hair... gently this time.

"Good sport, little one! But you will learn our ways soon. Always be careful around the borders. You see, this place is made to keep things ’in’." He gestured,implying they were inside a square."Not even a field mouse can slip out!If you are not careful,you could get hurt!"

Autumn’s stomach dropped.

The red head chuckled, nudging the warrior beside him. "Remember that skinny bitch from last winter?What a screamer. Threw herself off the east wall rather than get collared."

Laughter followed. And it seemed just... normal!!! Like they were talking about someone who broke a plate or pissed on the wrong firewood last summer.

"Some bitches from the the New world think they are clever when they arrive," the third added, cracking his knuckles. "Think they will swim the channels or climb the outer ridge." He leaned in, clearly enjoying the tale. "One got halfway through the south tunnel. Made it past the ash lines. Know what we found? Just a trail of skin and one eyeball frozen to the wall."

The others laughed harder at that.

" The New world people are such fools!! "

Autumn swallowed real fast! What kind of hell was she trapped in? Funny thing was, they were actually treating her well. Like nobody had ever done before... hilarious!!

The red head slung a meaty arm around her shoulders. "Come on, pup! We will take you back.These roads aren’t safe before you know them well..."

"No!" The word burst out before she could stop it.

The warriors paused.

Autumn swallowed trying to force a smile. "I mean... it’s boring in there."

A beat. Then they yelled in a chorus!!

"HAH!"

"That’s our girl!Just out of a wicked curse but itching for trouble already,yeah...just like a true Skarthheimer !" The red head looked impressed.

The others nodded and clapped."Should we show her the armory?"

"Nah, the pit! Bet she would love the pit!"

"You hooligans," scoffed a younger one, rolling his eyes. "She’s clearly got a warrior’s spirit. Take her to the docks! Fresh stock came in...auction’s on!"

The red head snapped his fingers. "Perfect.You will love the market, pup. All the best meats, prettiest trinkets..."He winked. "Maybe even pick out a new toy to play with!"

Autumn’s smile faltered.

Meats?

Trinkets?

Toys?

Who knew what those really meant!! She wasn’t going to ask! She was going to play along till she figured out how to get out... without getting her eyeballs out of course.

This chapter is updated by freew(e)bnovel.(c)om