The moon had risen in the sky. Setting a mood of calmness inside each shifter.
Some looked out the bar windows. Some slept while some laid in a silent ambiance of snores.
Alexia sat as a night watcher. Her eye bags could be noticed. All the crying and sleepless nights made her an emotionless zombie.
Her hand still burned from the touch of the silver coated bars. The human hunters just laughed when she tried to fight.
Why were they all just sitting and not fighting. Had they given up? She thought.
Twenty-Eight shifters. All together in one cell. With each passing moment something was bound to happen next.
"So..." the women next to her whispered. It still frightened Alexia as she was pulled out of her thoughts by a voice in the silent.
Alexia stared at the woman letting her know that she acknowledged her and waited for her to continue.
The child, Valexia, had fallen into a deep slumber in her mothers lap. The woman held onto her pup with so much care and protection from the hunters.
"Seems fair to tell you my name since we know yours." Alexia looked to the child and back to the blonde woman. Come to think of it, there was a slight accent. Alexia waited.
"My names' Hildred."
The female Alexia had come to know as Hildred smiled in a gentle manner. She wanted to have a conversation it seemed to Alexia.
"How old is Val?"
"Oh Valexia, she's five. An angel is what she is."
"Yeah..." what else to say Alexia tried to think but nothing came to her.
"How did you end up here?"
"Ummm." what could Alexia say, she just couldn't tell her life story.
"No pressure. You don't have to tell me."
"No it's fine. Uh...they found me while I was on the run."
"But why did they keep you alive?"
"I don't know. Probably to toucher me."
"MMM, you know its fine if you not comfortable with me or us but remember you can trust me."
"Thanks."
"No problem. It seems like we will be here for long."
"How long are you down here for?"
"Couple of months probably."
"Poor Val. She had to face these hunters."
"We all kept her safe from their hands. She resembled innocence from us all, so we had to."
"How come you're not dead?"
She flinched.
"These idiots keep trying to get information from me that I don't know of. They think our kind is rebelling against them."
"Seems like it."
"What you mean by seems like it?"
"Well where I was staying, there was a massive explosion at a mall full of humans."
She gasped.
"What's wrong."
"Oh Um it's nothing, just hope that maybe she can be free."
"Yeah..."
Hildred was deep in thought. Her face was blank of any emotions as she stared down at Valexia.
Alexia could sense the tension in Hildreds' body as if she knew something but could not make any sense of it.
Both females did not say a word to each other for the rest of the night.
***
Morning never seemed to come faster. But now it was here and rumbles of tummies could be heard.
"Here's your food for the day mutts."
The only thing on that tray was two jugs of water and two loafs of bread. That was it.
Alexia expected each wolf to fight for the food like scavenger's but instead they formed themselves in an orderly pattern against the wall seated.
A weak gruff man took a loaf and a jug to the right while a female did the same but went to her stop on the left. It was a mean to divide in two are share.
It was how the native Indians shared when they celebrated. They passed down to the next and the next after they had their share of bread and water.
It was Alexia's turn. It felt like forever till it came to her.
The loaf was half-way eaten. There were still seven people to go. All waited hungrily for their turn.
As much as Alexia wanted to stuff her face she knew that they deserved to eat as much as she did. She broke a piece off and passed the bread to the next.
She chewed on the bread in her dried mouth. The jug of water was yet to come her way.
The bread felt weird like chunks being swallowed. It tasted old as not in daily fresh bread.
Alexia had her share of water. It made her feel cool on the inside as it flowed down her throat to fill her empty belly.
Soon both loafs and jugs of water were finished. A hunter came to collect it and left.
Everyone went back to their spot on the rough cement flooring.
"So this is life now."
"Hey turn that frown upside down. You've got me." She hugged Alexia sideways squeezing her.
"Thanks Valexia." She smiled with a front tooth missing.
"You must be dangerous if they left you chained."
"I won't say dangerous. I just protect myself to survive. Nothing wrong with that."
"We won't have to worry about that soon." She mumbles under her breath again.
What does this woman keep talking about?
"What?"
"Oh huh nothing. Just...hope."
"Yeah I don't hope anymore. It's what got me into this mess."
But all she did was smile. Did she know something?
"What are you talking about?"
Hildred opened her mouth to speak but was shut by the sound of boots.
"His back. Please look after Valexia." The fear dripped from her words.
I furrowed my eyebrows in confusion. Who's back?
"Wake up mutts." A huge guy stood behind the bars. He looked creepy for a human.
As he unlocked the cell i noticed from the corner of my eye that Valexia got behind Hildred. But hildred herself was shaking in fear. No matter what a mother will always protect her pup.
The man looked at me and smirked. Was he here for me?
"Looks like we got fresh meat."
He bent down and caressed my face before slapping me. My face took a sharp turn. The sting was strong and burnt from the silver rings on his fingers.
"But what a shame you're not my problem."
"Now." He got up from his squatting position and faced Hildred.
"Dear Hildred are you ready to talk. I think I gave you enough time to recover."
"I don't know anything." She growled out.
What doesn't she know?
"Stop mocking me mutt. You have answers and I will get them. If you would just answer me then I would spear you the beating."
It was as if they were in a staring contest. But the big guy was first to blink.
"You asked for it."
He grabbed her by the hair and picked her up to her feet but her legs gave up.
"James, Nico get in here."
Two guards came speed walking into the cell.
"Yes Mateo sir?"
"Take her to the integration room and get the shocker ready."
"Yes sir."
They dragged her out kicking and screaming, literally. They didn't care how they held her. She had enough strength to fight no more. Giving up she tuned to me. I looked into her eyes as she motioned them to Valexia. I gave her a nod as they took a turn taking her out of my vision.
"Listen here you filthy mutts. I will find your leader and kill him myself. No one plans explosions without me knowing. I will get all the answers even if I have to go through all of you. I found you in your hideout. Don't think I can't find your leader." With that he left thumping his huge boots as he left.
The room was quite but everyone was stricken with the fear of what he just said. A few gathered in the corner talking. I didn't bother because i remembered the little girl next to me.
Valexia was curled up in a ball. She was crying. Her face had turned a shade of red. My heart broke at her sight.
"Hey come here."
She looked up, rubbed her swollen eyes and saw that I had my arms in midair. She took the invite for a hug and crawled over to me.
I will protect her if I must. She doesn't deserve to be here.
I placed my chained arms over her head and around her waist as she placed her head on my chest with her legs wrapped around my waist. She held on to me as she cried even more. I caressed her back to calm her down.
Her warm tear were felt as they soaked throw my shirt. Hiccups escaped her mouth.
"Hey your mummy will be okay. She'll be back soon don't cry now."
Her sobs grew silent as she positioned herself to look at me. Her face was mixed with emotions and one was confusion. I am all to familiar with that feeling.
She hiccuped one last time before saying Something that confused me even more.
"Hildred's not my mummy."
I stiffened for a second at what Valexia had told me. I thought that was her mother by the way she cared for her. No one can mistake a mothers love. It was so real.
"She's not your mother."
"No. Mummy left to be with the goddess daddy said."
"Oh I'm sorry hun. Then who is hildred to you?"
"My daddy's friend. She looks after me when his busy. I like her a lot."
"Where's your daddy."
"I don't know. He was busy at work when these people took us. I didn't get to say goodbye. I miss daddy."
"Ohhh love it will be okay. Your daddy loves you. Shhhh."
Valexia softly cried on my chest again as she listened to the thumping in my chest. I felt guilty for asking her for answers but I had to. I had to know something about her. Her face held something familiar, I was compelled to know more and I needed more. For now I will let her sleep. When she awakens I will ask her more about this place they hid.
Her sniffs became silent as only small snores could be heard. I held her against my form.
I wonder what my baby brother would have been like.