Although it was called human nature, it was an infection that diseased all.
It was primal in its nature and deep in its craving, scratching at the back of the mind led only by the pull from the depths of the stomach.
It was called Hunger. The very monster that longed for satisfaction at the break of common morals and common sense. It drives madness as its vehicle until it is temporarily satisfied.
But that was the problem. Its satisfaction is only and always Temporary. And once it had had a taste, it would forever desire it.
Right now, that monster had raised its head in the bowls of this ship.
Aside from the little piece of black bread, nothing was given to them. And even that was bullied out of the hands of the little creatures.
Their thirst as slaves was only made satisfied by the occasional little drops of water that leaked from the upper deck. But this water, a mixture of rain as a result of the storm above and sea water was not at all healthy.
But could they be picky? That itself would be a Sin.
Those creatures that were bigger or appeared stronger had priority over this merger resource and the others were left to stare in the dryness that they could not afford to bear.
Oh, what torture it is to be surrounded by water, its swaying of the ship a mockery of the dryness in one's throat but this was their reality and the torture they were to bear.
Gray was a hardened seasoned warrior. The moment he was able to control the flow of his bloodline, he was also able to perform secondary more complicated functions such as shutting down some of his body functions.
In this manner, he used his blood as sustenance for his little sister, dripping it down her throat while he occasionally slept to preserve as much strength as possible.
This was a good thing, but at the same time, it was the source of their problems.
At this time, Gray did not know the full extent of his bloodline. He had simply thought of preserving his sister's life.
However, his blood performed wonders for Cherry.
Unlike all the others, Cherry's skin showed no signs of suffering. Her wounds as a result of the chains that bound her feet, hands, and neck were always healed nearly as immediately as the chains opened them.
In fact, her cheeks were rosy, and aside from her sad face that revealed her pain and sorrow, she looked like the child of an aristocrat who was always properly fed and provided for.
It was not long that Gray started to notice that the other creatures were looking at him and his sister like they were seeing delicious piece of meat roasting by the fire place.
He could literally see one of them salivate at the mouth.
Gray held her even closer to his chest. His werewolf claws protruded from his fingers as he held her closer, a subtle threat to those that had her in their sight.
These were all creatures that operated by instinct. They all understood his threat and did nothing.
However, the new development meant that Gray had to stay awake in other for him to protect his sister.
Since he was giving her blood periodically, this naturally affected his state of alertness and his strength waned even faster.
Amidst this haunting darkness of the ship's hold, Gray's eyes remained wide open, but their sockets burning with exhaustion but refusing the solace of sleep.
Cherry, lay curled beside him, her innocence, remained a stark contrast to the grim reality that surrounded them. The scent of salt and damp wood mingled with the sickly sweetness of fear, hanging heavy in the air.
The ship rocked gently, a cruel lullaby attempting to coax Gray into a slumber he could ill afford.
But sleep was a luxury he couldn't afford, not while the malevolent eyes of their fellow slaves gleamed with hunger, fixed greedily on Cherry.
In this floating prison, otherworldly creatures, once proud and fearsome, now reduced to desperate captives were in need of sustenance.
The hunger gnawed at them, and their eyes, once fierce, were now desperate and hollow, as if the very essence of their being was being sucked away by the despair that surrounded them.
Gray's back pressed against the cold, damp wood of the ship's hull. His muscles, taut with tension, ached with the effort of remaining alert.
Every creak of the ship, every shuffle and murmur of the otherworldly creatures in the darkness, sent shivers down his spine. He could feel the weight of their hunger, a tangible force that pressed against his skin like a suffocating fog.
He had to hold on, he had to persevere. Yet again, a different kind of pain.
Cherry, unaware of the danger that lurked around them, snuggled closer to her brother, continuously seeking comfort in his presence.
Gray's fingers gently brushed the side of her face, his touch on her was tender and protective, a silent promise that he would shield her from the horrors that threatened to engulf them.
His eyes, bloodshot and weary, remained vigilant, scanning the shadows for any sign of movement.
The ship's hold was a cacophony of eerie sounds—whispers that seemed to emanate from the very walls, the distant groans of the ship as it battled the relentless waves, and the soft cries of the captured supernatural beings, mourning their lost freedom. Amidst this discordant symphony, Gray's ears strained for any hint of danger, his senses stretched to their limits.
He was bone-tired, his eyelids heavy as lead, and his mind fogged with exhaustion.
Just then, a figure approached. Gray immediately panicked, his claws pointing in the direction of the person.
"Calm down Werecub. I mean no harm!" It was the Leprechaun from before.
He was a small man of about 2 to 3 feet tall. Unlike the others Gray had seen in his former life, this one was not in possession of a round body. Evidently, he had been captured for a long while resulting in his malnourished look.
He had sharp, pointed facial features, including ears that sometimes stuck out from under his hat. He wore a green coat, pants, and buckled shoes. His coat dirty and worn out at different parts, was adorned with buttons.
"Ah, now, I just thought it'd be kind to give ye a bit of a heads-up, me friend. Ye see, the others—they've got their eyes fixed on yer lovely sister with her rosy cheeks, they do."
Gray frowned, "And you don't?" evidently, not trusting the Leprechaun one bit.
The Leprechaun chuckled lightly. He simply unbottoned his coat to show Gray what was in there...