She shivered as the night wore on, then the fog rolled in with the sunrise. Regardless, it was bloody November in the Forbidden Forest with nothing but her sweater to keep her warm. Not that it would do much anyways, she scowled as it was still damp and cut by fucking Katsushi.
Torture was something Akane considered to be below her, especially after she felt it for two hours straight. Yet, once I get my hands on him he'll wish he stayed with the whore in Japan.
Akane found it ridiculous as she was still trapped in the Devil's Trap, that he had felt the need to bind her with rope. Really, as if she could escape? Bloody bastard took her wand too, so that even if she did find a way to get out of this trap she wouldn't be able to find her way out or signal for help.
Knowing that this forest was dangerous and forbidden for a reason, she waited for the moment for something to come and eat her. With the amount of blood on the ground she knew that it would be fairly soon, after she read that wolves are most likely to move during the night into early morning.
Hearing the wolf howls brought a chill to her bones. Even more so when they got closer. Akane panicked, fearing that she'd die in a painful way Akane tried for the last time to scramble. Hoping that something, anything would work.
In her attempts to struggle out of the rope she couldn't help but wonder how in blazes would she get the hell out of the magical portion of this? The only way was to cast the counter spell which only she knew because she read those scrolls. If someone just happened to stumble upon her then she'd be lucky if they'd be able to recite the incantation.
Something whizzed next to her, glancing at the arrow Akane's eyes frantically looked for the source. Then another came by narrowly missing her but hitting the ropes, then another. Akane couldn't help but wonder if this was a threat or a savior.
Blond was the first thing that she saw. A very bright, sunbleached, almost Draco Malfoy blond-blond. Then this person's build, to which she saw that her unknown ally was no person but a centaur. Even scarier, Akane felt her blood freeze just like everything else in her body. Centaurs didn't like humans, not even the slightest bit. Will they use me as the next sacrifice?
One more well aimed arrow, and her feet were no longer bound by the ropes but what about the magic? She watched as the centaur's brilliant blue eyes examined the circle she was centered in. He spoke something, unsure of what it was she braced herself for the worst. The circle glowed even brighter than before and even with her eyes closed it hurt.
"Are you alright?" Akane looked up to see how tall this centaur was, and with her arse aching on the ground she was awed.
"Yes… Thank you," she hesitated unsure if he had mood swings similar to an Italian she knew.
"What happened to you?" He got right to the point, observing as she wobbled her way up.
"I was…" She choked slightly on her words. "Kidnapped and tortured." It wasn't the torture that had hurt. Or the trickery of what he did. But it was because of their face that Akane was emotionally torn. She knew Katsushi was cruel and horrible, but never sadistic enough to actually do something like this. Not to her.
"Are you from Hogwarts?" The centaur watched her and her emotions as they were clear as day on her face.
"Yes." She sniffled only able to use one arm to try to hold herself, seeing as the other was uselessly bloody at the moment. "Can you tell me how to get back, please?"
"I can take you, but it is already daylight. My kind doesn't take it kindly to humans, night would be safer to travel." He then offered the battered and bruised girl a smile. "I am Firenze."
"I'm Akane," she smiled unsure. "I would shake your hand but I…" she gestured to her limp arm.
"It's nothing to worry about… Do you know who did this to you?"
"I wish I hadn't," Akane looked at him with bleary eyes. "If we won't move now, where should I stay and wait?"
"Will you be alright?" Firenze looked at her wounds. "If I'm correct there are a few herbs that would prevent infections but they are not in this general vicinity. Do you think you'll be able to make the trip?"
"I think so." She nodded ready to walk however far she needed to in order to get away from this place she was in.
"Here," he knelt down. "Get on."
"Are you sure?"
"I'm offering."
"Thank you," Akane replied honestly. She heard the saying that you don't bite the hand that feeds you, yet as she got on she couldn't help but wonder why he was helping her.
"I carry my own ideals," he replied. "Many of my kind don't think that humans are worthy. But I don't think like them."
"Why is that?" Akane blurted out. "Sorry, I don't mean to ask so many questions."
"It's fine, but I will answer that another time. Now, we must get those herbs and you to safety."
"Thank you, Firenze."
"You're welcome, now don't fall off." Firenze flashed her a smile that Lavender would probably squeal about.
The duo eventually made it to the opening that was deemed safe enough by Firenze. He showed her the specific herbs and plants that would aid in her healing and claimed to be back a little after sundown. He made it a point for her to not leave the general area otherwise there might be imminent danger lurking.
Akane watched his retreating figure and waved back to him reassuring she'd be fine, or that's what she hoped. As she picked a few of the herbs and extracted the liquid that had been inside, she rubbed it lightly against the open cuts. Making a sound because of how badly it stung so incredibly much. Biting her lip to stifle the sounds Akane continued to disinfect the wounds.
"Limbs are better than no limbs at all," Akane chanted to herself as she looked at the largest laceration on her arm. "Kami. Kami. Kami." she had a few more of the herbs left and hoped that it would be good enough. She really wasn't feeling another trip outside of her makeshift shelter.
Boredom and the stinging sensation took over, then perhaps hunger but what would she knew about this forest? If anything, she'd probably pick the wrong berry and kill herself. As she continued to count the leafs in the tree, Akane couldn't help but wonder what she'd do with Katsushi once she got back.
Knowing that it'd only be just and right for him to go to Azkaban or at least get banished from any sort of wizarding community. Somehow in her head, she still held her reservations. Akane was so stuck on the fact that perhaps, just perhaps he'd go back to how he used to be. Although it was so entirely obscure now, especially after she was practically left in the Forbidden Forest left to either die by something here or die when he came back for another round of her torture.
Blaise. His name popped into her mind. I wonder what he's doing right about now. She couldn't imagine Cedric or Cormac not freaking out at her sudden disappearance. Blaise? Perhaps he would, internally. Not publically, he just wasn't like that.
I wonder if he'd figure it out, she questioned. It wasn't that Ced or Cor weren't smart, they just didn't think on this level of cunning or conniving yet, while Blaise had already demonstrated that and even admitted to it not too long ago.
As she waited for the bloody sun to set, she thought about the impending war. The war the would most likely tear this wizarding society apart. Knowing her friends, they would undoubtedly fight against this Dark Lord. They were very much a do or die sort of bunch and perhaps she was like them too, in that sense.
Slytherin was probably the wrong house for her. It simply had to be the wrong house for her. Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff, hell even Gryffindor suited her better. But she was placed in Slytherin, the single house that everyone agrees that she's not fit for.
Although she would probably fight alongside her friends, Akane knew her chances of survival would be slim. But every soldier counted, even in their death. After all, it only takes one wand to change everything.
Too wrapped up in her thoughts, Akane didn't notice that Firenze was standing next to her. Waiting to see if she would wake up from her own day thoughts, he decided that it took too long.
"Hello," he coughed slightly. "Are you alright?"
"I'm fine, thank you Firenze." She smiled at her unexpected savior. "How about you?"
"Things are as to be expected, my colony isn't too happy about the scent of humans being near them but anything with humans displeases them."
"It sounds like my housemates, anything that isn't Slytherin makes them more or less upset." She scoffed at a few specific people. "If anything I'm not even a Slytherin at heart, I shouldn't even be worried."
"But you are." Firenze pointed out while lowering to his knees.
"I am," she frowned as she hopped on.
Firenze continued to walk cautiously through the forest, silently while letting her get a good view of the whole place. Not too many kilometers later, Akane gasped.
"Unicorns!"
"Yes," Firenze chuckled slightly. "They say that they're the purest of creatures, but I think that they're just regular creatures. Their appearance is something that most people associate with 'light' so I suppose that's how they derived it from pure."
"They're very beautiful." Akane looked at the creatures as they galloped from place to place, glowing.
"You like them that much?"
"I don't see them every other day, Firenze."
"I suppose." He paused for a moment taking in his surroundings. "We should reach the school's edge by the end of the night."
"Sounds," she yawned. "Good."
"You may sleep, it must've been an exhausting time for you." Firenze offered.
"I can't thank you enough," Akane leaned against his back ready to close her eyes. "I'll make it up to you… Somehow."
