Yess!!
Burn her!
Roast her!!
Cut her throat!
I'll have her liver!
My eyes snapped open with terror as I stumbled to my feet, greeted by the menacing sounds of harsh voices growling at each other in the distance. The night was inky black, and my blurry, weak eyes struggled to adjust after the previous night's exhausting journey. Yet, despite my impaired vision, I could make out the ominous figures looming in the darkness, their presence seeming to draw closer with every passing moment.
The pungent aroma of burning wood and something far more sinister filled the air, making my stomach churn. As I approached the bars of my prison, I saw a horrific sight that made my blood run cold. I recoiled in terror, my feet tangling beneath me as I fell to the ground in disgust. The men were indulging in one of their depraved revelries, and tonight's twisted entertainment featured one of the wolves as their helpless victim.
They were literally having wolf meat on their plates tonight!
They had savagely bisected her, her lifeless torso and limbs splayed apart like a macabre offering. The snow around the men was soaked in her blood, a ghastly crimson lake that seemed to gleam in the flickering light. Each of the men had their hands stained with her viscera, their faces twisted in cruel grins as they reveled in their unspeakable brutality.
This was a regular event for them and for us to watch. Anytime we came back from a long run, the men would leave us for two days, sometimes three, and then they would return reeking of alcohol and, for most, they would be covered in their own vomit. Most times, they would return with a bunch of prostitutes and then, for the rest of the night, they engaged us in fighting competitions, hitting us with anything they could lay their hands on.
But there was something different about this night. They had gotten insanely drunk. I saw them running around the trees with axes and knifes, and torches burning brightly. I hated fire. They had used it to torture all of us and every night they lit a bon fire or held torches close to me. I whimpered.
The men were running through the trees and bushes with torches held up in their hands, they were flinging their axes up and down in a fearful motion, slamming it down on anything and anywhere their drunken minds directed them to. I ran around the cage whimpering and wishing I could break down those bars with my teeth- if only wishes were horses.
I trembled with terror as one of the hulking men dragged a wolf by her chain, her neck stretched to the breaking point. He hoisted her up and slammed her to the ground with a sickening thud. He reached for his axe, lying nearby, and I knew I had to look away. I covered my eyes with my paws, but my curiosity got the better of me. When I opened them again, I was met with a sight that would haunt me forever. Her limbs were splayed apart, her blood gushing from her head like a fountain, her eyes frozen in a permanent stare - and they were fixed on me, as if pleading for help that never came.
The man, still standing over her lifeless body, brutally stomped on her corpse, his laughter echoing through the air like a madman's cackle. His face was disfigured by a long, deep scar that ran from his forehead to his chest, a gruesome reminder of a past confrontation. I knew the story behind that scar, and it only added to my terror. As he turned his gaze towards me, I felt a chill run down my spine. I stumbled backward, tripping over my own paws as he charged towards me with a menacing stride, his laughter growing louder and more sinister with each step.
He dragged me by the leg, the chain biting deep into my flesh as he yanked me forward. I cried out in pain, my vision blurring as I looked over his shoulder. At first, I thought I had seen multiple bonfires, but my horror grew as I realized the truth. The men were setting the weak and elderly wolves ablaze, torching them with flames that danced in the darkness. They kicked and taunted the helpless creatures, their cruel laughter echoing through the night like a twisted game. The sight made my stomach churn, the pain and fear mixing with the nausea that already filled me.
He pinned me down with his boots, his eyes gleaming with cruelty as he raised the heavy axe with his muscular hands. 'You'd make a good breakfast,' he sneered, the axe hovering above me like a deadly pendulum. I summoned all my strength and made a sudden, vigorous movement with my upper body, sending him stumbling backward. Seizing the moment, I charged at him, kicking his knees and sending him crashing into the tree. In his drunken stupor, he forgot he was still holding the axe - and it slipped from his grasp as he fell, his scream of pain echoing through the forest.
A high-pitched yip escaped my mouth as I saw the horrors before me. I wasn't going to stand there and wait for the beast to revive himself and then send me to death. I turned to walk away, but his snickering echoed through the air, taunting me. The smoke-filled air choked my lungs, and I coughed violently.
The fire spread rapidly, consuming the dry grass and turning it to ashes. I pulled against the tree, but it creaked and groaned, its strength faltering. Finally, with a loud crack, the tree gave way, and I ran.
I stumbled forward, my vision blurry, driven by fear. The others' cries echoed through the forest, pleading for help, but I couldn't stop. I had to keep moving.
My heart raced, and my legs ached, but I pushed on, driven by desperation. I ran until I was sure I'd left the danger behind.
I knew the terrifying fate that awaited me if any of them caught up with me. I wouldn't be granted the "mercy of a quick death" as they called it. Instead, I would be subjected to a series of gruesome tortures, a slow and agonizing descent into death. The thought sent a chill down my spine, fueling my desperation to escape.
So I ran. I ran through the thick bushes and towering trees, my feet pounding the earth in a desperate bid for freedom. Day turned to night, and night turned to day, but I didn't stop. I didn't dare stop for food or water, because nothing could quench my thirst for liberty. The thought of finally being free was all that drove me, all that sustained me, and I wouldn't let anything get in my way.
I collapsed against the trunk of a tree, my eyes gazing up at the moon's silver glow. Its gentle light illuminated my exhaustion, my parched throat, and my blurry vision. I felt like I was succumbing to darkness, both physically and mentally. My eyes, once bright and full of hope, now struggled to focus, as if the very light of the moon was fading from my sight.
But I was free
Free!