Pure Moonlight (closed)

[KieranSoares]

"Hell no, that's not it at all," he said quickly and rose to his feet. He smoothed his fingers back through his tan fur. "Listen, I... I know I flirt a lot with other girls, but it's nothing but playing around. I swear. I'm just having fun, not trying to steal their hearts."

 

[heartofcourage]

"It's not fun for me." Luna said as she watched him stand and pace. "And I'll tell you that there is someone else out there that is interested in me. If you can't be serious about all of this, Jan, then I have to let you go."

 

[KieranSoares]

"But I... I have to go... Home." He looked entirely lost. "I... I just don't know if I'm ready to put down roots, you know? I'm not sure I'm ready to be anything but a sailor."

He sat down again and murmured, "It's Karn... Isn't it?"

 

[heartofcourage]

"It might be. I know that he cares for me almost as much as you do." Luna said softly as she reached out and took Jan's hand in her own. "When I'm with you my heart races in such an exciting way. I do care for you greatly, but I'm afraid that we're too different to make this work. You like adventure and excitement. You want to go home to Sweden. I like my quiet little spot in the world and I don't think I could ever leave Scotland."

She was quiet for a long moment as tears started to gather in her eyes. "I don't want to hurt you, Jan. I never want to hurt anyone."

 

[KieranSoares]

"Then... I guess it's not going to work. Besides... You wouldn't want to ruin your reputation with some foreign thief at your side. Karn's better for you. At the very least, the warriors don't throw him out of every shop he walks into."

 

[heartofcourage]

"You have never ruined my reputation, Jan." Luna said softly. "You simply need to find where you belong in the world. Going back to Sweden might help, but some day you'll find that one person that completes you. We tried. It simply didn't work."

 

[KieranSoares]

"This was hardly trying, Luna," he muttered sharply. He didn't know why he suddenly sounded so angry or why he snapped, but he couldn't look at her after that. "If you decide you really want to give a relationship a try, my ship is leaving tomorrow morning." With that, he couldn't face her and he slipped out the window and away.

 

[heartofcourage]

Luna was stunned when Jan sounded so angry. He had never said a single word in anger to her in the entire time that she had known him. She had hurt him, she knew that, but they were too different to work. She watched as he climbed out of his window and disappeared, leaving here there and hurting.

Feeling raw and wounded, Luna decided to take a short walk in the woods to clear her mind. She never would have guessed that falling in love or finding a mate would have been so hard.

 

[KieranSoares]

The forest was always welcoming to Luna, even more so on such a misty and grey day that was a comfort to the people of Scotland. However, the mist shrouded her vision and limited her hearing. It wasn't until the sharp snap of metal and the excruciating pain of steel jaws clamping on her foot that there was any sign of danger at all. Then suddenly four men dressed in furs and hides were rushing into her sight through the mist.

One cried out, "Thank ya sweet Jesus, a white one!" And another laughed happily as all four pulled up their crossbows to train on her.

 

[heartofcourage]

Luna was always in her own world when she was out in the woods. It was the place that made her feel most at home and safe. Her father had taught her all of the different plants and animals that lived around them and had showed her what each could be used for. It always made her smile slightly to think back on those times.

A sharp yelp of pain issued from her lips as a searing pain started at her ankle and coursed up her leg. She stumbled and fell, looking back with a look of horror as she saw the trap securely biting into her skin. Instantly, she let out a howl, hoping that someone might hear her as men came out of the mist dressed in furs and hides, each with a crossbow trained on her.

 

[KieranSoares]

One quickly grabbed her arms and another securely tied a strip of leather around her muzzle to stop her making sound. They bound her and opened the trap and rushed her away to a half-hidden cart and threw her in the back before covering her with a tarp. She had landed on top of other bodies, and it wasn't clear which were alive or dead, but there was blood everywhere.

That was the last daylight she saw til early the next morning when she was dragged out of the back and thrown into a large cage on wheels. A man reached in and unlocked the ankle shackles, but no more. She was among five other Wolves of all different colors, all bound the same and all either very beautiful or immensely powerful-looking, except for a tiny white-furred child beside her who looked petrified. All of them quickly fled to the back of the cell when the hunters began throwing in the dead or half-dead other werefolk Luna had been in the cart with. Three still lived, while four were dead and due to be skinned.

 

[heartofcourage]

Luna had never been more terrified in her life as she was thrown into the cart among the dead bodies and the dying. There was nothing she could do to help the others except weep and hope that help would come. Her Uncle Brogan might come for her. Her Uncle Durban and Boar would tear these hunters apart if they were given the chance.

When she was finally placed in a large cage on wheels, she saw wolves that were all as terrified as she was. Bound and unable to speak, she simply looked at each with her blue eyes and expressed her sympathy and her fear. There had to be a way out of all of this.

 

[KieranSoares]

Only once the cart had left Invernessian territory were their hands and muzzles unbound, but not a one dared to speak. A hunter approached the cage when they came to a halt and opened a small grate in the side, sliding in a raw leg of deer. It wasn't unheard of for werefolk to eat raw meat, but most preferred not being equated with wild animals so they cooked.

The hunter shoved three more legs from the deer his crew had downed into the grate and the largest, black werewolf leaned down to take one while no one else would touch the food. He cracked the long bone in his teeth and ripped off chunks, handing the first to the child beside Luna. He served the women first, making sure they had what they needed before he split the rest evenly among himself and the older males. It wasn't much for any of them, but it seemed they'd all come to an understanding and had been together much longer than Luna had been around.

When the large cage door was opened and the bodies of the dead dragged out, one beautiful red she-Wolf cried out and pulled back the body of a large red wolf who must've been her son. Before more hunters could jump in with whips or worse, the great black Wolf pulled the sobbing mother and her son was taken away. She practically collapsed against her companion, and it became quickly clear they were mates by how he spoke to her and kissed her forehead. They were watching their son's body be dragged away to be skinned and sold, his flesh likely used for pet food or ground up to sell to unsuspecting poor folk who could hardly afford meat. It was probably among the most terrifying realities of the hunting of werefolk.

A cart pulled up beside their own, a large-bellied man and what seemed to be his two sons. "Hollens," the man called. "How many?"

"Evenin' James. Seven we can sell, and we'll pay ya t'skin the white one fer us t'take to Barcelona."

"Let me take a look." The large man got down from his cart with his sons and came to look at the dead werefolk. "Good quality. Tribal for sure. I'll take 'em all and skin the white free since you've always been good to me."

"Thank ya, friend," the men shook hands and exchanged money. "Tasker'll be by tomorrow with more, jus' give him th' skin. We've got a ship t'catch out o' Nairn t' Rhodes."

"Rhodes? Christ, that's awful far."

"It's worth every penny by th'time we get back. Slaves sell fer ten times th'amount o' anywhere else 'long the way. We'll be able t'buy our own ship in three trips."

"Since you're doing that, I hear Hamish has a load of about twenty for sale since he can't make the trip overseas anymore. If you don't mention Rhodes, you ought to be able to get them cheap enough to still make a profit."

"I'll bring ya back tha' French wine y'like, jus' fer that. Whole crateload," Hollens laughed and the two shook hands before loading the dead werefolk into the other cart.

"Uvore!" The little child by Luna suddenly cried out, tears running down her cheeks as a dark brown Wolf was thrown into the cart, and she reached fruitlessly for him through the bars. Hollens turned around and growled sharply for her to shut up, but she continued to cry.

 

[heartofcourage]

Luna scooped the child up in her arms, holding her tightly as she cried against her chest. She knew that the girl had just lost her father and was scared, but she refused to let any attention come to her from the cruel traders that were their captors. It seemed that they had no idea just who she was and she was determined to keep it that way.

As night drew near and the little girl in her arms slumbered peacefully, Luna looked towards the larger wolf that was the unofficial leader in the cart. The men that had captured them had made camp, drinking and talking loudly a short distance away.

"I'm a healer." Luna whispered in the softest tone she could muster. "And I'm good with tools. I can pick that lock and we can disappear before they ever even realize what has happened."

 

[KieranSoares]

"We have tried," the great black werewolf murmured, the small child having cried herself to sleep in Luna's arms. "Little Arys lost her father because of it, and I lost my son. I would rather live forever in chains than risk another life. If they are taking us to Rhodes... well, it won't be as bad as Spain or Hungary. At the very least, the Greek people are humane."

"Urubay knows it well," his mate whispered. "He's been enslaved his whole life, between Spain, Greece, Africa, and the Far East. He only just escaped a year ago with myself and our son..." she looked up at her mate sadly, knowing he'd only just tasted freedom, whereas she'd known freedom before and they'd met in Spain. She looked to Luna then. "Don't risk it, dear. If you're enough trouble, they won't care if your fur is white anymore."

 

[heartofcourage]

"My uncle is the king of Inverness. There is no where on this earth that these men can hide." Luna said softly, looking at all of the were in the cart with her. "Even if you never have freedom again, these men will soon lose their lives."

 

[KieranSoares]

"Brogan Ghis? ... You must be a Maliar then," Urubay murmured. Kreston's name was known across the tribes in Scotland thanks to his role beside Julia in military matters, and his role in connecting humans and werefolk in the region. Perhaps the only one known as well was Taqu'un thanks to being Head Elder. "Then at least the people of Scotland might have a few more restful nights."

 

[heartofcourage]

"Luna Maliar." She said softly as the man seemed to know her family very well. "Justice will happen. I just hope it happens sooner rather than later."

 

[KieranSoares]

"Until then... We must not fight. They will kill without reservation and simply fetch more or force the women in slavery to bear more children. And the less we act out, the less they'll feel inclined to hurt us." Urubay gave Luna a small smile then, "But despite our situation, we take care of each other. That's the only way we'll survive."

The days seemed to drag by, and they were always adding one or two new werefolk in a region, and usually around three dead to be sold off for skinning. Finally when they came to the docks where the waiting ship was moored, the cage was driven up the docks to the gangplank. A tall man with a whip in hand approached the cage. "Listen up, beasts," he spoke in a posh English accent. "I am Silas Carver, and you will address me as Mr. Carver. I will be handling you all until your miserable hides, alive or dead, are sold in Rhodes. Those of you who speak English had better relay this to those who can't. You are the property of Daniel Hollens and myself from here on out. You will speak only when spoken to. Those who cannot speak English better find a translator. And when on this ship, if you do not comply with orders, you will be thrown overboard with a sack over your head and limbs bound, and drowned so we can fish your hides out and sell your fur." The cage was opened and they were snatched out one by one. There were several other cages pulling up and soon about a hundred werefolk were being loaded onto the ship. There were already over two-hundred in the hold, stacked like firewood on top of each other. Luna only caught a glimpse of the horrific conditions before she was shoved into an only slightly crowded cargo room among other white werefolk. She saw a single immensely rare white weredragon standing over the other white werefolk like she was their protector, but she wore a heavy collar and was not bound.

"Osa, you know the drill," Carver told the weredragon after ushering the new white werefolk in. Once the door was locked, the were dragon came forward to wrap the newcomers in a tight embrace.

"I'm so sorry," she whispered.

 

[heartofcourage]

Luna stared at the man that introduced himself as Silas Carver. She committed his face to memory, knowing that sooner or later she would be in the middle of her family's revenge on this man and what he had done to so many were. She said nothing as she was pulled from the cart, the little girl still tucked close against her side as they were brought aboard the ship and taken to a crowded room with a white dragon standing guard. She wasn't prepared for the dragon to wrap her in her arms, telling her that she was sorry.

"THere's nothing to be sorry about." Luna murmured softly. "You have not done this to us. Those monsters have."

 

[KieranSoares]

"I can't help feeling responsible considering my job is to keep an eye on you all... You're lucky, having that white fur. You'll probably never be subjected to what those just on the other side of the wall will go through. You'll eat better, have a little room to move... and they expect you to groom your fur every day and keep it perfect, so they're hesitant to mar it..." The great weredragon sighed, bringing Luna and Arys over to sit on a crate beside her own place. "I am Osa Sungaari, from the Himalayan Mountains far to the east. Carver bought me from my father in exchange for my mother's life."

She leaned down to take a look at Luna's wounded foot, it thankfully having managed to begin healing on its own without infection. "What about you? What's your story?"

 

[heartofcourage]

"I'm Luna Maliar. My mother is human and my father is a were. My Uncle is the king of Inverness who is probably searching all of Europe for me right now." Luna said softly as Arys pressed further against her side, still in shock with all that had happened. "I'm a healer for my tribe."

 

[KieranSoares]

"Then you may get lucky. Many with human family members have their freedom bought and they're sent home." But Osa didn't seem to hold onto much hope for such luck. "I've heard of the Maliar and the Ghis, having been around Scotland so often... They say Kreston Maliar is like an Elder, and a second warrior captain to the Gol Dun. I've heard of the battles he's led and how he's a dedicated officer to the Queen of Inverness. Most people from here to France recognize the name of Ghis or Maliar. You'll find good company among northern Europeans."

Osa then looked over Arys, making sure she was unscathed. She wouldn't ask the little girl's story, knowing it would be painful.

 

[heartofcourage]

"I don't want to be the only one here who is lucky." Luna said softly as she looked around the room at the others that were in her shoes. "Everyone here has someone who misses them. I won't rest until this entire seedy business is burning to the ground."

Luna was not violent by nature, but she hated seeing so many in sorrow. She wanted to help them, but it seemed that everything in the universe was conspiring against her at the moment. It made her angry. She wanted to be home with her family. Her mother was probably terrified. Her da was probably ready to tear someone apart and Ruben probably wasn't much better. She had no idea if she would ever see them again.

 

[KieranSoares]

"When you find a way, let us know," Osa said without the slightest shred of hope in her voice. No one had hope anymore, especially the surprising many who were facing a second or even third captivity. Most southern werefolk were born in slavery or at least related to someone who had been a slave.

The ship set off and a routine was set in place. Luna only ever caught glimpses of the less fortunate werefolk when she was dragged up and out onto the central deck to be forced to jog around to keep muscles in good condition, and every few days she was drenched with sea water like it was some kind of replacement for a bath. She and her white-furred fellows were fed twice as much as the others, but it still hardly amounted to enough to keep them going. They were sometimes brought up to do menial tasks like cleaning or serving food to the crew. The stench in the hold was unbearable, a mix of death and rot and the effects of the fact that not a single one of the werefolk there, stacked in rows like merchandise, was allowed to move or see daylight. By the seventh day, the crew came down to pull out the dead and skinned them right in front of the others.

A few of the more timid white werefolk had become subject to the crew's cravings, as they were too scared to ever fight back. After a month, two were pregnant and one had been beaten to death for finally fighting back when she was told she'd be sold in Spain. Even though most of Spain was free of slavery, the remaining slave-holders were some of the worst in Europe.

It was one clear morning when the white werefolk were up on deck, and Luna saw the pregnant white Tiger slowly edging toward the railing, her eyes full of fear as well as hopelessness. Osa caught sight of her, but didn't stop her. She would jump, and drown on purpose. It was better than being sold into misery, better than giving birth to a cruel sailor's child who would probably be taken away from her and sold the moment it could walk.