Trials Chapter 16: Playtime

                The morning was cold; colder than it should have been. As Ramsey woke he felt the numbness in his arms and legs and a familiar emptiness in his chest. As his eyes adjusted he took in his surroundings. He was in a small room with one window and a small cot. He rose from the bed his limbs were stiff and protested with every step. He creaked over to the window and saw a courtyard down below.

                “Where the hell am I?” he thought. He tried to piece together the events of the previous night. The memories flashed in his mind: a feast, a bath, a fire. The pictures were clear but he couldn’t quite form the memory. He looked down at the courtyard. It was filled with people busy preparing for the next round. Somehow he had completely forgotten that. The one thing he could remember was that terrifying first round against the stone giant, apparently that was only the beginning.

                Soon the feeling had returned to his legs and he felt confident enough to leave the room. The hall was foreign to him but he could recognize that he was still in the temple. The tell tale markings on the ceiling confirmed it. He continued down the hall marveling at how large it was; Amazonian architecture definitely had scale if nothing else. Suddenly he heard a splash in the corner and the sound of something dropping.

                “Who’s there?” he barked trying to his best to seem commanding. He instinctively reached for a blade that wasn’t there. “Show yourself.”

                Suddenly he was grabbed from behind and thrown towards a wall. He managed to maneuver enough to brace himself only bruising his shoulder. He rose clutching his stomach pain shooting through his abdomen. Suddenly he remembered an injury he acquired being thrown by Kiri in a similar fashion.

                “Wow that was slightly impressive for a human!” echoed a light playful voice through the hallway.

                “What do you want?” Ramsey muttered. Suddenly he was struck from behind and pushed forward. He fell onto the ground face first. He picked himself up his face red more from embarrassment than injury.

                Then a figure jumped down from above. She landed in front of him without making a sound. She was a few heads taller than Ramsey with long legs and a tail. She slowly crept toward him bearing claws and growling slightly through a toothy grin.

                “Run.” She growled.

                Ramsey took a step back slightly confused. He recognized the woman before him. She was the servant from last night. A lynx: terrifying half felines known as masterful predators that ate anything they could catch including human. He wasn’t sure what to do next.

                “It’s been awhile since I’ve had a decent hunt.” She said. “It would be foolish to turn down a chance when it is so freely given.” She brandished her clawed hands a reared back preparing to lunge. He only had a moment to react. Ramsey closed his eyes and ran forward in reckless abandon. He heard a sliding sound and what sounded like frantic scratching. He turned to see the lynx skid across the floor from over shooting her jump. She faced him smile still on her face. For a moment their eyes met and both knew the chase was on.

                Ramsey bolted down the hallway as fast as his legs could carry. He jumped over a discarded bucket and slid into a side corridor. The lynx was hot on his heels running on all fours covering huge distances with every stride. Ramsey heard the footfalls but he didn’t dare look back he knew as soon as he did she would be on him. He turned down another hallway and heard the iconic screeching of her claws against the marble floor she overshot the mark. It dawned on him that her speed cost her mobility. It was a small advantage but it was the only one he had.

                Dixie walked through the temple court yard. She looked at her amazon sisters, each busy with a different task. She couldn’t believe what she had said last night. Dora never told her she planned on entering the games. She would die in the arena alone what choice did she have?

                “I didn’t know you were so desperate?” she thought to herself. She gripped her arm. She was tingling. Already she could feel the urge, the itch that she had suppressed for years, the call that all amazons had to find glory in battle, and the beast she once was.

                “Dixie.” She heard. “Dixie are you alright.” She recognized the voice and looked to find her sister Kiri approaching her.

                “Fine.” She spoke settling herself. “It’s nice to see you under calmer circumstances.” She embraced Kiri in a tight hug lifting her off the ground. “You don’t know how long I’ve waited to do this.”

                “It’s good to see you too.” Kiri replied as she was released from the embrace. “I’d never tell Dora but I did miss you both.”

                “Then why do you insist on putting us through this?” Dixie motioned towards everything around them.

                “It’s the only way to find the truth.” She replied. “ The only way she’ll take me serio-“

                “COMING THROUGH!” yelled Ramsey. The soldier slid between the amazons legs headed towards the bathing area a lynx girl hot on his tail

                “Should we help him?” Dixie asked.

                “Why?” replied Kiri. “He’s just playing with a harmless kitten.

                Ramsey continued his dash through the courtyard barely skirting the lynx’s grasp, every time she got close he was forced to turn sharply to avoid her.  He ducked under some lumber an amazon was carrying and headed towards the trees. After a few moments the foliage became denser and he felt like he was back in the forest. He stopped leaning against a trunk to catch his breath. He looked around. For the moment he seemed to have lost her.

                “What the hell is wrong with the woman around here?” he thought internally. He continued slowly through the brush trying to retrace his footsteps. He soon found himself lost. The trees grew darker and the forest grew quieter. A dense steam drifted into the area further disorienting him. He wandered around acutely aware of his surroundings. Every stray chirp and snapped branch kept him on edge. He knew she was watching him.

                He looked to a nearby tree singling out a long thick branch. With a few tenacious pulls he managed to snap the persistent limb. He gave it a few nervous swings. It wasn’t the greatest weapon but it would at least keep the cat at a distance. Then as if on cue the lynx emerged from the treetops above. Ramsey braced himself certain their cat and mouse game would continue. She rushed right past him the unmistakable look of fear plastered on her face.

                “What the hell?” he questioned. It was clear something spooked her but what could possible frighten such a deadly apex predator? He could hear leaves shuffling from above and suddenly he was more frightened then he ever was of the lynx. He turned to run in the direction she had fled not bothering to look back at whatever landed behind him.

                Ramsey ran. He ran faster than he ever had before in his life. The sounds coming from behind him were his motivation to keep moving forward. Soon he recognized a form in the distance it was the lynx bounding through the forest on all fours. He doubled his efforts in an attempt to catch up but this came at the cost of his footing and he soon found himself face first on the ground. He tried to lift himself up off the ground but something sharp had stuck into his back pining him to the ground. He heard the hiss and could smell the foulness of its breath. He twisted his head to see a very reptilian head glaring at him with a mouth full of sharp hooked fangs.

                Ramsey felt a pain he wasn’t quite accustom to as the reptile dug into his back easily shredding his top and racking against the flesh underneath. He felt a tug and realized the beast was wrenching the meat from his back causing him to scream in agony. It was a scream he never thought possible emerging from deep inside his gut. It seemed to give him power enough to lift himself to his knees. This motion seemed to further provoke the reptile as it began to gnaw and wrench with increased ferocity scratching at his side with thick claws. Suddenly a long wiry tail smacked him across the face distracting him enough to lose his balance once more and falling over on his back. It lunged at his head causing him to raise his arms in defense. The hooked fangs dug into his hand streams of his own blood dripping down and onto his face. He looked into its eyes and could see the murderous intent. He continued to resist fighting desperately to prolong the inevitable. He closed his eyes trying to push away the pain. He felt a familiar burning in his chest and clung to it. He could feel his temperature rising and his blood literally boiling. He opened his eyes to see it evaporating on his skin and the reptile hissing in pain as its teeth melted. It reared back and in an instant a blur rushed over him tackling the beast to the ground. Ramsey stood up to see the lynx wrestling the lizard to the ground its windpipe caught in her teeth. Over the next few moments he witnessed the lynx straggle the life out of the beast and tear out its throat.

                “We need to move.” She said panicked. “That was just a scout more are coming.” She then grabbed his hand and sped off into the mist.

                “What the hell are those things?” Ramsey said as he tried to keep up with the feline’s elevated pace.

                “Razor backs.” She stated

                “And the amazons have no problem with these things roaming around so close to their homes.”

                “Are you kidding?” she laughed. “Most have killed one before they’ve turned thirteen. It’s like a coming of age.”

                They came to a sudden stop and Ramsey was jerked backward by the lynx. He was about to question the sudden stop when he looked down to see a considerable drop off the bottom of which was completely obscured by the mist. To make things worse the distinctive hiss of the razor backs could be heard as they slowly emerged from the forest encroaching on the pair. One emerged at the head of the pack at least twice the size of the others.

                “I don’t suppose you can fight them off?” Ramsey gambled.

                “I’m more of a catch them by surprise type.” She grinned nervously.

                “So we’re gonna die then.”

                “Not necessarily.” The lynx grabbed Ramsey’s arm and both jumped over the cliff and into the mist.

                Lillian soaked in the warm water. It had been some time since she’d been able to relax like this. She loved moments like this when she could decompress from all of life’s complications and just live in peace. Her mind drifted. She worried for her student. His life was never an easy one. She remembered finding him as a child on the streets a wretched little street urchin fleeing his slave master. These games would be so much worse. If she’d only known his potential if she’d only recognized that spark that drew her to him she would’ve let him die on those streets: it would have been a kindness. She dunked her head into the water trying to wipe away the thoughts; she went to a dark place when she was alone.

                “It’s not that bad.” She thought. “Kiri is just inexperienced.” Both of them were in desperate need of proper education and she would be the one to give it to them.

                She continued her swim when two forms dived into the water from above. She immediately recognized them; one the slave girl Ellie the other her student Ramsey.

                “What an idiot.” She thought to herself.

                Ramsey broke through the water’s surface taking in a lungful of precious air. He was soon followed by the lynx who swam up to him face beaming.

                “I didn’t think we’d live through that!” She said excitedly. “Shall we continue where we left off?” her face turning back to that predatory smile.

                “YOU’RE NOT SERIOUS?” Ramsey shouted. “WE NEARLY DIED!”

                “I’ll give you a head start.” She chimed. “See how far you can get before I reach one-hundred.”

                Ramsey stared at her for a time as she counted just trying to register what was going on. Here they were at the bottom of a cliff after just barely escaping being eaten alive and she still insisted on continuing their chase. By the time she reached thirty he settled that she was in fact serious and began swimming towards the water’s edge. Unfortunately his back injuries decided to make them-selves present and he was making poor time. He’d only just made it to the edge when he heard her reach ninety- two and by one-hundred she had sped through the water promptly closing the gap. Before he could react she had him pinned to the ground in a fashion that somehow reminded him of those days spent training with Kiri.

                “Doesn’t seem like you made it very far this time does it?” She spoke mischievously. “Don’t worry I’m not going to kill you.” She unsheathed her claws and gently tapped his nose with her index finger.

                “I wouldn’t be very fun if I broke my new friend already.” Ramsey looked at her puzzled he hardly considered them friends.

                “I’ll just make a tally mark on your chest so that we both know what the score is.” She moved her claw towards his stomach. “Ellie one.” She pressed a claw into his abdomen. “And.” Suddenly she was yanked off him and suspended in the air by a powerful arm. It was his teacher soaked and naked and considerably more young and attractive than he ever remembered her being. Her expression on the other hand was one he remembered all too clearly.

                “Ramsey Lench.” She said displeased. “How do you ever plan on surviving these games if you can’t handle one little kitten?”