Resisting The Fall

It was the kind of tiredness that comes not just from a lack of sleep for days, but the kind that comes from piled up emotions that went unmentioned. There was just no fighting the exhaustion any longer and Islana's green eyes closed allowing the woman a rest.

Her mind drifted, from the mountains to the home she had made with Alexis and Gonyaul and the addition of Boyce. To the house that had not been completed when they left. To the nights around the fire with her friends, to staring at the stars and music playing along the sounds of crickets, tree frogs and owls.

The quiet simple pleasure of those evenings, surrounding her as if embracing her, telling her to not give up. There was still a chance, a slim hope of seeing them again. A slimmer hope of being around that fire again even if it would be a long time from now.

Her green eyes looked around to find the fire extinguished, the night empty and quiet. The music and all the sounds of nature, gone. Everyone vanished. Not a moment to say anything more to them.

A flash of Hunter, broken, chained - a voice telling her she had done that to him.

The chains of bondage clasped fast and tightly around her wrists and ankles, the collar around her neck - the hope from just a moment ago faded into the night. In the distance, the sound of River riding off, Katihak flying overhead and the collar continuing to grow ever tighter.

Waking up with a start, gasping for breath, her hand instinctively reached for the silver bird on her neck. Taking a moment to realize where she was and take in the black haired woman lying near her. Even if Shalia wasn’t a terrible owner and had rescued her from a far worse fate, Islana was in a place she never wanted to be again - owned.

The man currently on watch turned and gave the redhead a creepy grin but then turned back to his duties.

The thought crossed her mind to take this moment to try to run but it was quickly fleeting as the reality was that she was at a significant disadvantage to surviving, even in the unlikely event that she got very far. Her own body decided to give her a reminder in the ache that came from her arm and the uncomfortableness as her back shifted.

No, there needed to be another idea. Islana thought back; escaping Vasant had taken time, a lot of planning and she had advantages clearly not afforded to her here.

Escape was not the answer. Biding her time and getting to know Shalia better was.

Closing her eyes for a moment, all that inner strength the young woman had when she was trying to save Hunter, it had to be in there somewhere. Islana felt a determination rise within her. There would be no losing herself. Not again.