Z A D A min ALBAHR
there are no bargains between lions and men,
zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzi will kill you and eat you raw.
xx
Panic gripped Zada as she was pulled out of the water; this wasnât ever supposed to happen. She was supposed to be safe here, in Greythorne, and safer still in the water. She felt like the only safe haven she had was being ripped right out of her hands, and with it any chance of a happy future. She reached out, desperately, for Trissâ hand, but she couldnât reach her. The net pulled her just out of reach. A weaker woman may have cried.
Zada first noticed that something was wrong when she didnât start to transform after being unceremoniously plucked from the water. Her fin should have turned into legs, but they didnât. She didnât know if it was because the net was soaked through with water, or if it was something the hunters had done, but that hardly mattered. She felt so⊠Helpless, in a way she hadnât felt in so many years. She knew that there was very little she could reasonably do; she was trapped, and she couldnât even properly struggle. Not that she didnât try, but she couldnât break the fibers of the net, not with her teeth, or even her increased strength. The men were talking, but she didnât hear them over her panic.
Zada heard Trissâ voice, saw her attack one of the hunters, and something else rose in her. A part of her was so glad to see Trisstana, at the thought of rescue, and yet there was the desire that Triss had stayed hidden. She should have stayed in the water, stayed safe. The last thing Zada wanted was for both of them to die. Then Trisstana was charging, and Zada fell to the ground. Hitting the ground knocked the breath out of her, and she was quickly reminded how difficult it could be to breath out of the water. Zada had never had to experience this before, and she wasnât very fond of it. She tried to struggle out of the net again, but she felt weaker by the second, and soon it would be a fight just to stay awake. She heard Trisstana and the remaining hunter talking about her, discussing the conditions of her release. Donât agree, Zada pleaded with Triss, though only in her mind, Donât agree, you know theyâll just kill us both anyway. But Trisstana agreed. âNo!â Zada cried, as loudly as firmly as she could muster, but it was no use. They werenât listening to her.
Tears filled Zadaâs eyes as she looked at Triss, âDonât- donât-â But between the hunter barking orders and Triss insisting he put Zada back in the water, Zada couldnât get the words out. Her vision was starting to fade. She was going to die anyway. Trisstana was giving herself up for nothing.
The relief wasnât instant. It took a few moments for Zada to feel, ironically, like she wasnât drowning. Once her head felt clear, she finally had the time to try to work herself out of the net. Maybe if she was fast enough, she could get to Triss in time. It was easier, now, with no one hold on to the other end of the net, and now that she wasnât floundering to catch her breath. But there was so much blood in the water, and it was making her feel a little desperate. Hungry.
She heard the splash of someone entering the water, and for a moment she felt hopeful, like Triss had gotten away, came back into the water. She quickly realised, however, that the splash was all wrong. It didnât take too long for her to find the source. That damned hunter. She flashed a smile, revealing rows of sharp teeth. She knew that, under the water, she was faster than he could ever be. He didnât stand a chance; she tore him apart without a momentâs hesitation. Fresh blood clouded the water, and fresh flesh filled her belly. But she didnât spend too long, didnât quite eat her fill; she had to check on Trisstana.
As she left the water, there was a part of her that was worried her fin wouldnât properly transform again, but the fear was unfounded. She hurried across the shore, dropping to her knees beside the nixie, âYouâre hurt.â Her tone was less concerned than it was factual, but there was very real concern written on her face, if only subtly. The way her eyes flashed across Trissâ body, taking inventory of any injuries she may have, her fingers brushing the damp hair from Trissâ eyes. âCan you walk? We can-â She heard screaming in the distance; theyâd reached the town. âWe need to go.â Their best bet was to get inside, hide away if they could. There was no guarantee that the hunters wouldnât attack people in their homes, but Zada knew they were attacking anyone out in the open. Hopefully they had a few moments, âHold on.â She dressed quickly, maybe a little sloppily, and helped Triss to her feet. She didnât want to remove the knife, not here where she couldnât bandage up the wound, at least, âWeâre going to be okay,â Zada felt like her words were a lie, but she said them anyway, âI promise.â
Panic gripped Zada as she was pulled out of the water; this wasnât ever supposed to happen. She was supposed to be safe here, in Greythorne, and safer still in the water. She felt like the only safe haven she had was being ripped right out of her hands, and with it any chance of a happy future. She reached out, desperately, for Trissâ hand, but she couldnât reach her. The net pulled her just out of reach. A weaker woman may have cried.
Zada first noticed that something was wrong when she didnât start to transform after being unceremoniously plucked from the water. Her fin should have turned into legs, but they didnât. She didnât know if it was because the net was soaked through with water, or if it was something the hunters had done, but that hardly mattered. She felt so⊠Helpless, in a way she hadnât felt in so many years. She knew that there was very little she could reasonably do; she was trapped, and she couldnât even properly struggle. Not that she didnât try, but she couldnât break the fibers of the net, not with her teeth, or even her increased strength. The men were talking, but she didnât hear them over her panic.
Zada heard Trissâ voice, saw her attack one of the hunters, and something else rose in her. A part of her was so glad to see Trisstana, at the thought of rescue, and yet there was the desire that Triss had stayed hidden. She should have stayed in the water, stayed safe. The last thing Zada wanted was for both of them to die. Then Trisstana was charging, and Zada fell to the ground. Hitting the ground knocked the breath out of her, and she was quickly reminded how difficult it could be to breath out of the water. Zada had never had to experience this before, and she wasnât very fond of it. She tried to struggle out of the net again, but she felt weaker by the second, and soon it would be a fight just to stay awake. She heard Trisstana and the remaining hunter talking about her, discussing the conditions of her release. Donât agree, Zada pleaded with Triss, though only in her mind, Donât agree, you know theyâll just kill us both anyway. But Trisstana agreed. âNo!â Zada cried, as loudly as firmly as she could muster, but it was no use. They werenât listening to her.
Tears filled Zadaâs eyes as she looked at Triss, âDonât- donât-â But between the hunter barking orders and Triss insisting he put Zada back in the water, Zada couldnât get the words out. Her vision was starting to fade. She was going to die anyway. Trisstana was giving herself up for nothing.
The relief wasnât instant. It took a few moments for Zada to feel, ironically, like she wasnât drowning. Once her head felt clear, she finally had the time to try to work herself out of the net. Maybe if she was fast enough, she could get to Triss in time. It was easier, now, with no one hold on to the other end of the net, and now that she wasnât floundering to catch her breath. But there was so much blood in the water, and it was making her feel a little desperate. Hungry.
She heard the splash of someone entering the water, and for a moment she felt hopeful, like Triss had gotten away, came back into the water. She quickly realised, however, that the splash was all wrong. It didnât take too long for her to find the source. That damned hunter. She flashed a smile, revealing rows of sharp teeth. She knew that, under the water, she was faster than he could ever be. He didnât stand a chance; she tore him apart without a momentâs hesitation. Fresh blood clouded the water, and fresh flesh filled her belly. But she didnât spend too long, didnât quite eat her fill; she had to check on Trisstana.
As she left the water, there was a part of her that was worried her fin wouldnât properly transform again, but the fear was unfounded. She hurried across the shore, dropping to her knees beside the nixie, âYouâre hurt.â Her tone was less concerned than it was factual, but there was very real concern written on her face, if only subtly. The way her eyes flashed across Trissâ body, taking inventory of any injuries she may have, her fingers brushing the damp hair from Trissâ eyes. âCan you walk? We can-â She heard screaming in the distance; theyâd reached the town. âWe need to go.â Their best bet was to get inside, hide away if they could. There was no guarantee that the hunters wouldnât attack people in their homes, but Zada knew they were attacking anyone out in the open. Hopefully they had a few moments, âHold on.â She dressed quickly, maybe a little sloppily, and helped Triss to her feet. She didnât want to remove the knife, not here where she couldnât bandage up the wound, at least, âWeâre going to be okay,â Zada felt like her words were a lie, but she said them anyway, âI promise.â