Chapter 40

It was easier to keep track of time with a light source, even if it was not the sunlight. Being able to see was better, but also harder. Ariel had very little to do in the cell, and the addition of the light only made it all the more clear that she was trapped. Before, in the darkness, there was a certain freedom to it. Though she knew she was locked in a cell, she could not see it most of the time. She could pretend and act as though it were just a deep cave. Now, she was stuck and she could do nothing to change it. She was at the mercy of the pack that she had been taken by, and all she could do was wait and see what it was they would do with her.

With her food and water not poisoned now, she was able to eat well, making her feel much stronger. When she began to become impatient and restless, her wolf instructed her on how to pass the time. Mostly it was exercising and stretching. Push ups, sit ups, running in place, and even some stretches and work outs in her wolf form. It was not flattering and it was still boring, but it was keeping her moving and allowed her to focus on something other than her current predicament.

The days slipped by quickly, and Ariel felt as though she was just going through the repetitions of each day because it was better than sitting with her thoughts. When she was still and she could listen to the crackle of the torch on the wall, it brought up the memories of the day she escaped. It reminded her of her place in the world, and what she had gone through to get there.

It felt like a test of patience, one that Ariel was not sure she could win. As the days passed, she was sure she was one step away from disaster. No more wolves came to question her or have her smell things. While she was glad for no longer being treated as some strange side show, she now felt as though she was just forgotten. Put in a corner and left because it was easier than actually making a decision.

She only knew the rains started when water began to drip down into the cells. It was no where near enough to flood and she wasn't worried about it. What worried her was that the heavy rains affected her food. With the cells being so far away from the town, she no longer could predict when she would get fed. This heightened her anxiety about the place and she once more began an exploration of her cell, looking for weak points she could exploit. The only one she found was some loose stone at the base of the bars that held the door. She knew she could not rip it up and expect her captors to just be okay with it, so she simply spent some time each day pushing against the bar to loosen it.

While Ariel was content for now to let the pack wolves keep her locked up so they could feel safe, she didn't intend to die there. She had come too far and lost too much to just give up. Tje pack wolves clearly wanted nothing to do with 'rogue' wolves like her, so she would remove herself from the equation. They wanted her to disappear, so she would. Just as soon as she was able to escape.

Ariel was not able to get any information out of the people who delivered her food. She was able to recognize the faces of some of them, but they never spoke to her. Instead they just took the empty tray and left a fresh one, when they actually came. She was down to one meal a day now, which was concerning her. Would they just stop feeding her altogether? She was not ready to find out.

After the door to the lower cells closed, Ariel moved to the bar and began to dig the rocks out with the spoon she was given to eat her meal. A lot more were loosened from her shaking and pushing the bar, and though it took some time, she was able to work the bar itself free. She knew it took hours, though how many she could not tell. All she knew was she had a means of escape now.

She paused to actually eat her food. Once she was free she knew her meals would have to be hunted for, and she wanted to leave with a full stomach.

She stripped off the button down shirt she'd stolen from the human she killed and carefully squeezed out of the gap created by the space from the missing bar. She crept along the tunnel to the door and listened closely. She could hear nothing on the other side. The door was large and thick, but it was old and badly cracked and split. Once she was sure there was no one on the other side, she pushed against the door.

A part of her had vlbeen sure the door would be locked, but with some effort it swung in and she slipped through the gap, pushing it closed.

This part of the prison was just as nice as she remembered. It was warmer, with a lot of light and clean. Thiugh she could see that it was well maintained and there was no way she could have broken out of any of these cells. She wondered if it was wise of them to just leave her down there, if they understood how easy it was for her to escape.

Up the next flight of stairs and to the door, she paused once more to listen. This door was just as thick as the other, but built solid and banded with heavy iron. Sje could hear, nor smell, anything through it. Still, she knew she had to take a chance. She pushed on the door, and to her surprise it opened. Outside was freedom, the darkness and crisp night air inviting as she peered around. No guards.

A shiver ran up her spine and unease crept into her chest. This was not right. She was sure there were supposed to be guards here. She had seen them when she was taken to her trial.

As she stepped out, a scent on the wind pulled at her scences and everything snapped into sharp focus. The forest was quiet, save for the gentle rustle of the trees. The air smelled of blood and poison, and a puddle glimmered in the dim light that broken down through the thick canopy of trees over head. Ariel crept forward, already able to see that the puddle was not water. The rains had ended days ago.

Blood. She could smell it more strongly, but it was not the source of the poison. She quickly cast her eyes about, squinting in the darkness to force her eyes to see more. There were shapes on the ground, and a deep darkness around the shapes that told her all she needed to know.

The hunters were here.