This isn't my first go at writing, but it is my first try at getting serious with it. Hopefully you enjoy reading it as much as I do writing it!
Chapter 1 - Awake and in Ache
With a pained groan Alexander Kies sat up in his new bed, a crude cot. In front of him was a line of iron bars and a matching door that led to a dimly lit high-ceilinged hallway with smooth stone walls. To his left he could see a cot just like his, but with a massive mound on it, one that barely fit on the rough mattress.
His face showed worry for a moment but it hardened into a determined expression as he turned away from the bars and thought. 'I need to get out and make it home, back to Ebonhawke.' He stood to stretch his aching body before walking up to the bars and pressing his face against them. Looking down the hallway to his left he saw more cells like his lining the walls, with torches placed periodically, ending with a set of stairs leading deeper down into wherever he was. To his right, the hallway carried on for a few steps before turning into a brightly-lit bend. Alexander could hear what sounded like distant shouting from above while the smell of acrid smoke and wet fur wafted in from the same direction and scorched his senses.
He walked back to his cot with some vigor, sat down and assumed a thinking position, quietly mumbling. "This is at best a labor camp…" He looked up and around, scanning the floor of the cell for anything interesting and only finding a few discarded bones in the far corner, getting a short frown from of him.
He patted himself down with the hope of finding something helpful. But he only found a some new bruises and cuts wrapped messily under the loose-fitting prisoner's clothing that covered his stocky frame. One hand reached up to rough up his unkempt, black hair as he looked up again to see that the mound across from him had moved.
It was sitting perfectly still but it was facing him now. Its shoulders were at least twice as broad as his and gave way to a massive frame topped by a sloped neck, one that lead forward and attached to the back of the head. A pair of large, sabre-like teeth were the first signs that this lump wasn't just a hallucination. A set of sharp, orange-yellow eyes confirmed his suspicions, and it looked like they were sizing him up before relaxing, as if they'd just identified him as a non-threat.
Alexander's focus died immediately. He had a good idea of what he was sitting across from, but he didn't want to think that it was one of them. He shook his head clear and stared for a moment at the enormous silhouette with a mix of dread and confusion.
The shadow spoke first, a feminine voice, lower pitched and somewhat raspy "What's wrong?". Alexander tensed up at the sound of the voice. Leaning forward and looking into the center of the cell's floor with a new mix of surprise and disbelief. He held his gaze there for a moment before looking up into the large eyes with a set stare. "I'm in one of your kind's crude prisons."
"So you're the newcomer." She leaned forward and smirked, shifting her head into the light and showing off her toothy maw. The sight sent Alexander's skin crawling "I was surprised when you were dumped in here, they don't tend to dress our meals for us." The smirk turned into a knowing smile, one much too threatening to be anything but unsettling.
Alexander frowned and his stare turned into a glare "From what I've seen your people hardly kill their meals…Savages."
Her smile was replaced with a snarl as she stood up, five dagger-sized claws slipping out of each of her nearly chest-sized paws, eyes narrowing, and her true bulk showing as she stepped into and consumed the center of the cell.
She was even bigger than Alexander could've imagined, easily the largest of her kind that he's ever seen, over twice his height and at least five times his size. The ceiling would have had to make room for her head if it wasn't for her race's natural hunch. What wasn't hidden by her prisoner's rags was covered with fur. A darkened tawny color giving way to an auburn shade as it spread out from her center, interrupted by dark stripes similar to a tiger's.
She was a Charr, a large, beastly feline-like race typically sporting four horns and four ears to match. Known for their discipline, ferocity, and explosive tempers. They've been waging war against humans for generations and the hate between the two was deeply-rooted, especially in Alexander's home of Ebonhawke.
Alexander felt himself shrink back instinctively as every muscle in his body flared into action. But his pride wouldn't allow him to be intimidated so easily. He stood and moved to meet her in the middle of the room, having to look up into her looming face as she craned her neck downwards to maintain eye contact.
Now he could clearly see her horns, the upper pair sloping back with her skull before jutting upwards, while her lower and shorter set sprouted from near the rear of her jaw and curved inward towards her mouth while her long-furred tail swayed slowly behind her. He could stand the appearance but he shirked away and grimaced as her stench hit him. She stank of menace and death.
"You're brave, but I can smell your fear."
Alexander waved at the air in front of his nose. "I'm surprised you can smell anything at all. Your stink could kill."
Before he could regret the insult Alexander was grabbed by the collar of his shirt and slammed into the wall behind him. He tried to speak but the pressure on his chest wouldn't allow it. All he could do was look forward with surprise and grab at his cell mate's forearm. Her earlier snarl now a full growl as she looked at him like she was preparing to bite his face off.
"Caeda! Release him!" Shouted a rough voice belonging to another Charr, this one male. The pressure released with those words and Alexander peeled himself from the wall, gasping for breath. "He's your new partner, you agreed to it and you'll stick to it!"
Caeda, took a step back, closing her mouth and glaring at Alexander as he brushed some of her fur from himself. She turned to the guard and grumbled. "I did not agree... I was ordered."
"And you'll obey that order… Or should I notify The Warden?" It was spoken like a threat.
Her claws sheathed themselves at the mention of The Warden. She shook her head and stepped back to her cot, heavily setting herself onto it and staring at Alexander again as the guard continued down the hall.
Alexander stood and staggered to his prison bed to sit down, dazed. He returned Caeda's piercing stare for what seemed like hours, too worried to lie down and rest. He could feel himself dozing off after quite some time, but her gaze never faltered, only digging into him as time passed. He eventually had to give in and lie down to rest, his first night plagued by thoughts of home and family interrupted by the sudden doubt that Caeda introduced.
Alexander woke to the sound of marching as many guards moved to line the wall of the main hall. Half of them carried mining equipment and all of them were armed, their swords and other killing tools sheathed. A smaller guard came from the right, carrying a set of large keys in paw, he began unlocking cells. Theirs was first, Caeda stood and walked to the door with a heavy gait, stepping through as it swung open, she took a pick from a guard and turned left. Alexander scrambled up to follow her out, grabbing a Charr-sized pick and standing tall, but only barely managing to come to eye level with some of the smaller guards. He gave up the stance and hefted the pick over his shoulder.
Other prisoners came out of their cells and fetched the remaining mining equipment, all of them Charr of varying sizes and expressions. With a shout from the lead guard, the twin lines started moving forward. Headed towards the darkened stairs at the end of the hall. The occasional Charr grabbed a torch from its place along the wall as they moved.
The walk down was uncomfortable, the stairs turned into a rough ramp part of the way down and the air grew thick with heat, Alexander could only imagine how much worse the temperature felt for the Charr surrounding him.
The descending march ended in a wide room with small mine shafts leading out from it in all directions. The line of guards dispersed and filed out along the walls as the prisoners spread to fill the center of the room, Alexander and Caeda somehow finding themselves in the front, shoulder to hip. The same guard that had reprimanded Caeda earlier strode to the front of the room and started in on the forced duo. "You two will be furthering the Northern line." He said, leaning back to speak to Caeda, then leaning forward to speak to Alexander. "I expect to see you keep up, mouse." Neither dignified him with a verbal response, Alexander's scowl only deepening.
The head guard stepped aside and Alexander pushed himself into the narrow shaft first with a mix of anxiety and purpose. Eliciting a chuckle from some of the guards as Caeda followed with a sly grin, blocking the view from behind.
The tunnel was lit periodically, just like the hall above. Alexander strode forward quickly, hoping to put some distance between himself and his partner. Caeda moved through the mine shaft slowly, having to duck under the tunnel's low-hanging supports. She let loose a relieved sigh as her partner blazed ahead of her, 'Maybe he'll trip and injure himself.' She grinned with the thought, 'Then The Warden wouldn't have a reason to keep him around.'
Alexander came to a stop, the shaft widened and ended abruptly, a spare pick was set off to one side. "This must be it." He stepped to meet the right wall and started swinging away with an odd lumberjack-like style. He hefted the large pick with some difficulty, but made respectable progress before Caeda caught up to him.
She thumped up and stopped just behind to stretch from one wall to the other in the cramped tunnel, groaning as a joint or two cracked.
The rumbling groan startled Alexander, getting him to glance back and raise both eyebrows. 'I'm expected to keep up with that?' He thought, his focus gone once again.
Caeda took her place to Alexander's left and started in on her side of the tunnel, starting slow as she gauged how much room there was to swing. But she soon resembled a living machine, hammering rock out of the way with each practiced swing. Alexander turned back to his task and redoubled his efforts, shaving the rock away at a steady pace.
She passed him in mere minutes with no problem, even making a show of relaxing once she had a steady lead on him, teasingly flicking her tail from side to side in tune with his swings. Alexander forced himself to speed up, catching her unaware and matching her progress for a moment before she rushed ahead of him again, this time maintaining her pace.
After a few hours of picking away, the tunnel had extended a good stone's throw on Alexander's end, Caeda's end was almost twice as long, extending further than the torches mounted along the walls would light.
A whistle blew and Alexander paused, he took it to mean they were to return to the previous room. He knew he was right when Caeda tromped her way ahead of him before the tunnel narrowed back to single-file width.
Alexander was winded, but the sting to his pride hurt more than the ache in his muscles, 'Outdone by a beast!'
They were escorted out of the tunnel with the other prisoners, back to the main cell hall, and up into the light. It led to a large mining pit with scattered guard towers linked by walls. A thick gate could be seen at the far end, well guarded by two heavily armed Charr, blunderbuss-like rifles held at the ready.
The new group with Alexander and Caeda were sorted into pairs again, but they were being chained together at the ankle before being sent into the mining yard.
Alexander could already see the displeasure on Caeda's face as they were linked together, his left leg and her right. "Is this really necessary?" She asked, "Making me drag the runt around?"
"I have to agree, I'd work best without a brute chained to me." A hint of concern crossing his face as he realized the implications of being chained to a much larger, much more violent partner.
The guard simply shook his head. "No can do, Warden's orders."
They frowned in unison and continued into the pit, Caeda practically running right for a tight cluster of rocks scattered with ore, dragging Alexander along.
He stumbled and nearly fell, but managed to keep up with her. He started picking away at some nearby rocks as Caeda turned to see if she'd tripped him up, simply sighing at his persistence before starting on smashing a neighboring bunch of stone.
Alexander simply went about occupying himself physically to keep from looking like a slacker while his mind worked its way through the situation. 'Very heavily guarded above… Can't tunnel out below, too much to dig through...' He looked up at his partner as she demolished a boulder-sized hunk of stone, revealing the patch of ore it was hiding, his face twisted into a knowing frown as he stared on. 'No other option, unless we…' He forced himself under her arm as she raised it again and swung his own pick into the center of the ore, fracturing it perfectly before quickly digging it out with smaller strikes.
She froze and looked down, confused and angered. "Hmph!" She stepped far to her side, sending Alexander off of his feet and onto his side, growling out, "Get a bag and fill it!"
A guard standing above tossed one down to him with a cruel laugh.
Alexander wheezed as he hit the ground, but snatched the bag out of the air and began stuffing loose ore into it. He nearly filled it before trying to stand again, but only made it onto one leg.
Caeda stepped far forward and Alexander found himself on his rear, he stayed there for a moment, letting Caeda move a bit further before quickly standing and yanking his chained leg back in perfect time with Caeda's back-swing, sending her tumbling.
She immediately stood again and shot a murderous glare at Alexander, who didn't expect her to recover so quickly.
He looked on with real concern. "I didn't think that would work." His voice steady, but his tiny grin giving away the lie.
Caeda started moving towards him, looking ready to pounce. But a gruff "Don't!" from above stopped her. Her mouth hung open gravely, but she returned to the previous task.
Alexander jumped slightly at the sound of the voice. Recovering his composure, he moved to the side and busied himself with mining once again, stuffing the ore bag full and setting it aside.
The two worked without directly interfering with each other for a good while as most of the other miners did, only the occasional tug or bump. But just as it looked like the day would continue without incident, Caeda made a show of grabbing the chain and pulling it closer bit by bit, reeling Alexander in on the other end.
He kept his footing, but came uncomfortably close to falling into her as she stopped.
He put on a deep frown and turned to reach up and tap her on the shoulder, his patience was at its end.
She turned, leering, and received a fist to the side of her mouth, sending her reeling more from shock than force. The chain dropping to the ground. Alexander simply stared up with an angered frown and tossed his pick aside, making himself ready to brawl.
A couple of guards patrolling along the wall above started moving to intervene, but they were stopped with a grunt and a gesture from one particularly decorated Charr standing just inside the gate.
Caeda looked back to Alexander, her expression turning from shock to rage as she grabbed at him with deadly intent, claws bared. He slipped away and threw a punch at her side, it was a solid hit, but it bounced off regardless, sending a wave of pain up Alexander's arm. He immediately regretted his decision yet again, starting a fistfight with a Charr, and a massive one at that.
She wheeled around on him and batted at his side, landing a glancing blow as Alexander stepped away from the swing. But before he could retaliate, she yanked her chained leg back and leaned forward, sending Alexander onto his back.
Alexander caught himself, dazed but not stunned. He looked up to see Caeda falling towards him, clearly trying to pin him under her. He had a clear idea of what would happen if he didn't avoid her and rolled hard to his right, just barely skidding out of the way as she slammed down where he had just been with a growl.
She didn't expect the quick roll and landed heavily, dazing herself this time.
Alexander took advantage of the moment to climb onto her back and stretch his arms around her thick neck in an attempt to choke her. He managed to get into position with relative ease, but he couldn't put enough force around her neck.
She stood and looked for where Alexander should've been, only noticing he had gotten onto her back when he tightened his grip around her throat, feeling like a rough collar. She flung her head back, trying to catch him with her upper set of horns, but only managing to tap him with them. She then turned away from the sloped wall of the pit and backed up towards it, intent on smashing Alexander between her and the wall.
He saw what she was trying and panicked. Dropping down would have him stuck under her, trampled, pinned, and minced. Flinging himself to the side would save him for the moment, but he would be easily snatched up and shredded from there. He tried the desperate effort of scrambling over the top. Using her horns as hand-holds he successfully sent himself over her head as she rammed into the wall. All while Alexander barely balanced himself above her head.
He changed his grip to the lower set of horns, and launched himself down to dangle in front of her, pulling with all his might and weight in an attempt to topple her.
She leaned forward precariously with the effort, but slowly pulled herself back into a stable stance as Alexander continued to pull with no effect. She lifted her face to look him in the eyes, a sickening smile spread across her muzzle as he hung from her head.
Alexander's heart sank and his eyes went wide, he let go and looked away from the deathly smile, but found himself hoisted up by the back of his shirt collar. He could hear shouting from a few of the guards as he looked again to see Caeda's free arm pull back, preparing to end him.
Scattered puffs sounded from nearby.
He desperately swung both arms in front of him in an attempt to knock the strike aside, managing to catch the swing on his left arm with a tearing noise as the sleeve came away, a sizable chunk of flesh following it. He howled as he felt his arm give way, barely noticing a slight sting in the side of his neck before going limp and watching his vision fade to black.
Caeda felt many of those same stings as she pulled her arm back again to finish the whelp. Her smile drooped before she slumped against the wall at her back and dropped Alexander, blacking out just the same.