~ Please Don’t Go

The crowd cheered and yelled. The noise was almost unbearable. Silvia covered her ears as tears streamed down her face. She huddled in her cage at the back trying to stay as far as she could from the light. The roar grew and she could pick up the dying screams of a gladiator.

Please. Please don't die. Don't…

Master turned from the metal gate and walked over to her cage. His cruel eyes landed on her as his mouth twisted into a smile that made her go cold.

"Please no…" she whispered as she covered her head.

His face turned into rage and he opened her cage and grabbed her chain. The shackle around her neck was yanked forcing her out onto the blood-stained ground as her master grew angrier. He stomped on her head and pulled out his whip and cracked it. The sound filled her and she started to shake.

"Pets don't talk." His voice was cold and haunting. He stepped off her and kneeled down and grabbed her face. "Pets stay quiet. Quiet and obedient."

Silvia shook as he let her go and took off her shackle. "Shift." She looked at the floor as she shifted. The pain made her squeak and a slap hit her as she laid at her master's feet.

The crowd started to quiet and Silvia started to shake more as she was kicked to her feet and forced to go stand at the metal gate waiting for it to lift. For the chilling clicks and metal scrapping. To go into the light of the destruction.

The clicks started and the gate slowly rose, her master pushing her out and her body heading out into the arena as she was trained.

Please no. I don't want this. Please… NO…

Silvia sat up and hugged herself shivering in a cold sweat. All she could see was the arena. The blood. The pain. Tears fell down onto a blanket as she forced her crying to be silent. No sound. No sounds.

Tears kept coming as she looked at the blanket. A pretty pattern covered it. Small animals were in little squares and spirals flowed in between them. She had never seen such a beautiful blanket.

Her fear melted away as she took in her surroundings. Confusion filled her as she lifted the blanket and slid her legs over the edge of a very soft bed. She was in a large room with a table, chairs and a fireplace. Chests lined one wall and they were covered with blankets. There were counters with a large water basin on the other wall and a stove for cooking. Near the counters was a door and next to the door a lot of firewood stacked up on the wall.

This place looked like her childhood home. Her memory was foggy but the feeling of what was once was her home filled her. Home before the raid. The door opened and she saw two people walking in.

Mother? Father?

"Silvia? OH Silvia you're awake!"

Ember rushed over to her, his face full of happiness as he kneeled down and put his hands on her knees looking up at her. "How are you feeling? Okay? Bad? Soar?"

She nodded her head and gave a small thumbs-up as she turned her head heat filling her face. Ember didn't have a shirt on and was covered in sweat. A new feeling filled her as he leaned back onto his heels.

"Good." He sighed out as he closed his eyes and lifted his hand to his chest and extended it out with his exhale. "I have never been so worried." He opened his eyes and the soft blue made her look back.

"Put on a shirt and Miss Silvia come over here and get some food. You must be starved." Silvia looked past Ember and at an old man that stood by the table, his eyes so kind and inviting. She nodded and stood up.

A wave of pure dizziness hit her and she stumbled forward. Ember caught her and helped steady her. "Hey take it slow. You got quite the head injury."

She used one arm grabbing Ember to steady herself as she felt her head. A bandage covered her head and she also felt missing hair. "Sorry." Ember's face looked concerned. "Baker had to shave away half your hair to properly clean and care for that wound."

She panicked as she felt her head. Although her hair was only shoulder length she treasured it. It took her months to grow it back after her master cut it off. Sadness filled her as she looked at Ember. He looked apologetic as he helped her over to the table. Once she sat down he headed over to a chest and opened it.

"Miss Silvia it's nice to finally see you awake and I want to formally introduce myself. I am Old man Baker." Old man Baker smiled as he poured her a bowl of soup from a pot that had been simmering. The smells filled her and she stared at the mouth-watering goodness that was placed in front of her.

Grrrr.

She covered her head and tucked her face. Embarrassment and some fear filled her. "You are hungry. Better eat it slow though. It's hot." The old man sat down across from her and Ember sat next to her with his own bowl. He folded his hands and mumbled some words before picking up soup and digging in.

Silvia untangled her arms and placed them down picking up her spoon. She took a little bit of the broth and sipped it.

Immediately she put her spoon down and covered her mouth.

HOT!

But the taste filled her mouth and she quickly picked up her spoon for another bite. "Silvia, blow on it first," Ember said with a huge smile on his face as he ate.

She copied what he did and blew on on it.

It froze.

She frowned and put the spoon back in the soup.

"I wanted to wait until after lunch but I need to know. Silvia, how did you get away from Mr.Black." She looked up into eyes full of knowledge and saw he already knew the answer to his question. A little bit of sad understanding was also in the deep pool of knowledge in his eyes.

"Mr. Black is the dire bear we ran into a few days ago," Ember said. He was looking down and regret covered his face. "You've been asleep for two days."

A Little shocked by the news She nodded and looked back at the old man. "Well. Please inform me."

Suddenly she started to shake. He wanted her to talk.

"Oh sorry. Baker, Silvia can't talk."

"What do you mean? Is she dumb?" Silvia looked down ashamed at her state.

"No, she's not dumb. She just can't talk."

"That makes no sense. Silvia can't speak? Everyone can, why can't she?"

"Not sure, but she can't talk." Ember defended her and she felt relief and silently thanked him for helping her.

"Fine she can't talk," Baker said frustrated. "Silvia, since you can't talk would you show us?" He said, his voice dropping a tone.

"How could she show us?" Ember inquired. Silvia knew what Baker wanted. He wanted her to show Ember what she was. She stood up slowly and took a few steps away from the table to Ember dismay. She turned back and put her hand up to her chest and looked away from Ember as she let the shift start.

"Wait! Silvia! You're a… You're…"

"An Ice werewolf. Like us but connected to the cold elements." Baker said as she pulled her shirt off her wolf body. Silvia had figured Ember was a werewolf too but wasn't sure how to approach him about it and compared to the fire resistance he was Opposite of her. He was a Fire werewolf.

"Whoa." Ember was looking at her differently now and his expression and eyes told her the same thing. He was amazed, but also confused.

She was about to shift back when. "Wait." Baker stood up and walked over behind her and pulled some door looking things out and around into a half-circle. "Do that in here would you?"

She walked over into the covered area and nodded her thanks to Baker. He walked away and Silvia could hear him opening a chest as she shifted back. Clothes appended at the top of the door like things and she grabbed them and put them on with excitement. Clean clothes were given to her. When she had the blouse on she pulled it up and smelled it. It smelled like Honey.

She heard the old man say something and then the door opened and closed. She came around the corner and saw that it was just Ember in the room. Wondering what Baker was doing but also more concerned about her hunger she sat down and started to eat her soup again. Ember had put his elbows on the table resting his head on his hand and was in deep thought.

She took a bite and it didn't burn. Excited she stuffed a couple more soup full of food into her mouth. She was able to finish the bowl way quicker than she probably should have. As she lifted it up to her mouth to drink the broth she noticed Ember was watching her.

"Silvia, I'm sorry." She put the bowl down and looked at him confused.

"I put us in danger. I thought we could travel through the mountains quickly. Get to the other side before winter and start new lives but I was an idiot."

She put her hand on his arm and shook her head. He wasn't an idiot. He was brave and knew how to survive. If anyone was the idiot it was her.

He lifted his head and put his hand over hers. "Once you're healed up I'm going to take you back to Nira and… and I think we should part ways."

Anguish filled Silvia as she heard those words. Complete fear of losing another person that had grown so close to her. Losing another Friend. She shook her head no and reached out and hugged him silently holding back tears. Too late, she was crying.

"You… are…my... friend…" she sobbed. The fear came back and the pain in her head skyrocketed as she hugged him.

No sound. No sounds.

Miserable fear filled her and she started to shake. He was coming for her.

No sound. No sounds.

Her body felt so vulnerable, so open. He would kick her. Master would kick her. Beat her. Make her pay. She spoke. She made a sound.

No sound. No sounds!

He would pull her away from Ember. Take Ember away. Take her friend away. Take That one away. No, not again… not again. That one was so good to her. Abigail was so good. Master no!

Everything started to spiral and then she was looking at Ember. He was shaking her lightly. "Hey! Hey, no need to talk. No master will come for you. I am here." He patted her head as he hugged her. "So you don't want to part ways?" She shook her head, pulled away from the hug, and with her hands showed them going together to the human kingdom as best she could.

"But we're both wolves. It won't be safe." She shrugged and grabbed his hand looking at him desperately.

"So… it's still the same plan?" She nodded and smiled.

"Alright. Together then." He nodded with a sly smile as he stood up, collected all the dishes, and put them into the basin.

Right then was when Baker decided to come back in. Silvia smelled something sweet and noticed something in Baker's hands. He looked between the two and said. "What did I miss?"

Author's note: Hello, I'm going to go on pause until I can get past my writer's block and get a bunch of chapters done. I'm also going through some COVID hard time and trying to finish the finals for my classes. Thanks for the support. See you on January 1. :)