(Warning: Triggering Content involving sexual abuse ahead.)

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The night had been difficult for her for it was unbearably cold. The autumn chill had started to make itself comfortable between the forest trees, chilling the metal in their cages. Robin had huddled under her thin “blanket” in a fetal position, but it was no use since her toes had started to numb.

The cages were square in shape, about the 3 meters wide, but with ceilings which were high enough for them to stand in. The sides facing outwards were simply made of thick metal bars, allowing the girls to see out. The other two sides of each cage, facing the connecting carriages, were of pure thick steel, one that held a tiny window and the other, the bolted door. At the moment, she was the last carriage on the “train” since they had made rearrangements to keep the “unruly” newer girls at the front for better monitoring. All in all, there were 10 cages, brought about by a large mechanism. Robin thought it looked like the front part of a train, though her memories of trains were foggy and she might be wrong. It was where Bruce slept and manned the entire vehicle, the remaining wolves stayed outside and made camp to sleep.

The night was uncannily quiet. Usually, the wolves would have been pestering them by now, but it was silent and even peaceful. Robin felt like she could breathe for a while, though she chose to remain vigilant. She suspected that it had something to do with the pack they were visiting tomorrow, a very special pack apparently.

Robin silently peeked out the window to gaze at the girl in the next carriage, jumping in her bones when the young teen’s face stared back at her, pressed against the barred window. The girl, who Robin remembered used to be quite plump, had lost quite a bit of weight and her eyes were slowly sinking into her skull. Her long black hair was mussed, and her once striking blue eyes looked tired, but they stared intently at her. They had named the girl Blue for those very eyes.

Robin knew they weren’t allowed to speak to each other, but couldn’t help herself. The young girl’s skin had become as blue as her name, and Robin refused to watch her waste away without any help. Robin knew that look about her, because she knew she looked the same herself.

She glanced through the sidebars and didn’t notice anyone in the trees; they were most likely setting camp or hunting for food. That was good enough to give her at least a few minutes. This had to be quick. She turned her attention back to the girl who hadn’t moved from her position.

“Do you have a blanket?” Robin whispered, merely letting out enough sound to be carried into the wind through the few feet of distance between them. The cold chill in the air caused her breath to materialize into tiny puffs. Blue shook her head in response, though her face remained stoic and eyes wide.

“Hold out your hand, quickly,” Robin urged as she slipped the thin cloth of her shoulders and held them out to the girl through the bars which were thankfully spread apart enough to fit their arms. Out of shock, Blue froze and stared at the cloth in something close to even fear. “Hurry, please,” Robin’s plea broke the girl out of her daze who quickly grabbed at the cloth and dragged it through her bars. Once both their arms were not out in the open, Robin let out a sigh of relief, resting her head against the cool metal.

“Thank you,” Blue’s voice spoke in silent earnest, which prompted Robin to look up, and it looked as if the girl was trying to muster a smile though the feat was difficult. Robin did not mind, acknowledging her effort to try. Smiling had become difficult to even think of within these cold walls. She herself could not even bring it within herself to try to. “But won’t they notice? I’m supposed to still be under punishment. Bruce will-”

Robin softly cut her worried thoughts off by holding up her palm. “There is a gap between the metal bars in your carriage. The girl before you had dug it there slowly using rocks in order to hide food and other objects. It is yours now, for as long as you are with us.”

The relief in Blue’s eyes was evident, and she had started to tear up. “Thank you… Robin.”

“You’re welcome, Blue.”

With that, the girl retreated back into her cage and Robin laid down, her back resting against the metal wall below the tiny window. It was cold, undeniably so, but it felt better than laying in the middle. The area around her would feel so empty and, in this way, she would only have to look one direction to see where they were coming from. It was also the farthest from the door.

She was a caged bird, yes, but she was not mindless.

She shut her eyes and thought of those buildings that they had spoken of, imagining what they must look like. All she could see was blinding lights behind her lids, studded in between jutting buildings into the sky. Were those buildings? Had her mind recalled what they looked like?

She honestly could not tell, but allowed her imagination to run.

Robin had dozed off for a bit when a loud bang had roused her from her sleepy state, and she shot up to a sitting position in alarm. Her eyes were wide, and searching until they landed on the dark figure to her right, his thick arms looped through the bars in careless ease. The light green eyes of Jan glinted at her in the dark, his features slightly washed by the faint light of the moon. His brows were furrowed and his lips set in a grim line.

She felt the fear run up her spine, but she wrapped her arms around herself to still her shivering body. She had dreaded this moment, and she had hoped and wished it would be anyone but him. But her prayers had fallen short, and there he was… in all his sinister glory. She willed herself not to cry.

I am a strong little birdie, let me be one for tonight.

“My beautiful songbird,” Jan’s voice was light and teasing, a contrast to the dark look that clouded his sharp features, but there was a hiss to the tone of his voice that slithered its way into the darkest parts of her soul, the parts that had submitted itself to Jan over the years. He was mad at something, she could tell, and it was also directed at her though she didn’t know why.

But she knew she would be taught soon.

Jan was her maestro after all, and tonight like many past nights, she will sing for him whatever song he would choose.

He remained silently studying her for a few moments, the darkness in his gaze worsening with every moment that passed. It had clogged the fear in the pit of her stomach, but she continued to keep her mouth shut and let him look. She was taught to let him look.

After a while, he finally made a move, bending down to grab at the wooden box he had brought with him before heading to the door. She was counting every second as she heard the key slip into the hole and click as he turned to unlock it. With a quiet creak, the door swung open to reveal his figure shrouded in the night. All the blood had left her face as all she could see were his green eyes shining in the dark.

I am a good birdie, so very good.

He slowly crept into the cage, carelessly dumping the box onto the ground as he slammed the door shut. Robin let her eyes have a last glimpse of her chance at the outside world before it was completely closed, and she knew then and there that she had no choice but to prepare herself for what was to come, like she had so many times before.

“My songbird,” Jan called out again, though he made no move towards her as of yet. His tall form was slouched, since his head would most likely graze the ceiling. This was what happened first, he had to test her wits before he could touch. He wanted to see how badly she would try to fly.

He took a few steps closer to Robin who had dug herself into the wall behind her, wishing she would just morph through the metal and emerge on the other side. Still, she remained silent and kept the tears away. Tears would only make things worse for her…

He was merely a foot away from her when he knelt in front of her, his scent of leaves and rain assaulting her nose. She stared at his face, forcing herself to look as blank as she could, as she could now take a good look at his face. The face that fooled many men and women into thinking he was bred as more than a rogue, with details so fine and almost… hauntingly beautiful, tan skin that glowed, and dark hair kept neat and trimmed. Others will always be fooled by him, but she knew better of his dark and twisted soul behind the aristocratic face.

He was a demon…

He was her captor…

He was THE wolf…

Wolves do not eat good birdies…

He grinned at her, giving her a short glimpse of his canines almost teasingly, before he hid them again. He turned to rummage through the box and laid out the things inside on the floor.

“Looks like I was assigned for cleaning duty for you again, my songbird. I am quite surprised by how we always meet like this. What a pleasant coincidence it is,” Robin knew he was lying, and she knew that he knew as well. He had always volunteered to be the one in charge of her cleaning, but she never said anything. She learned long ago that it was better to remain silent.

She carefully observed his actions, watching as he brought out the large water pouch made of animal skin, the washbasin, the various soaps and oils, a somewhat thick towel, a comb, and the dress that she had worn so many times before in the past auctions. If she had to be honest, it was a beautiful dress that was pale pink in color. The sleeves fell off her shoulders in light waves, covering over her arms quite loosely. The skirt fell above her knees and flowed about her very well. It was beautiful, yes, but she knew that it was only for the reason to make her look presentable to the buyers. No matter how hard she tried, she will never feel beautiful in it because it was just another chain to bind her to them, no matter how beautiful.

“I’ll be honest, Robin. I’m not quite pleased with you right now,” hearing her name fall out of his lips shocked her quite a bit. He rarely calls her by her name. He only ever does so when he is-

“I’m mad, to be frank, though I am trying my best not to be,” Jan was now carrying the bathing materials with him as he set them down before her sitting form, opting to sit across from her with their knees touching. He leaned forward, green eyes piercing into her veins as she struggled to keep her wits from falling apart. With his breath fanning over her face, a wicked smile danced upon his lips. “I thought you knew the rules, my pet. I thought we taught you well, but I guess you might be that kind to offer a blanket even when you shouldn’t.”

Robin froze at that and peered up at him, and by the triumphant look in his eyes, she knew she had the guilt painted all over her face. She had been caught, she had not been careful. Now, Blue would be in trouble.

Out of panic, she fell into his lap and grabbed onto his torso with her head lowered. She was crying at that point, but she knew to beg would be the only option left. “Please, sir, it was my fault. Do not harm her!” Her voice was trembling, and she felt that feeling of pure disgust for herself rise but she swallowed it away.

She was starting to hyperventilate with worry when he did not move for a few seconds, but felt relief as he finally wrapped his arms around her body, bringing her closer to himself. She resisted the urge to gag at the horrible feeling his touch left on her, but she refused to let it show. She had to beg for Blue’s life, even if it meant laying down her own.

Jan let out an exaggerated sigh, as if he was scolding a child, and started to comb his large fingers through her matted hair. “Oh my dear songbird, you know the price you must pay, don’t you? It’s only fair you give me something worth more than your… friend.”

It was difficult to say through her clogged throat, and the voice in the back of her head pleaded for her not to, but she spoke anyway. “Anything. I will do anything… my master,” she could barely hear herself, but she knew he heard enough.

He immediately brightened at those last words, a sickeningly sweet look falling across his face. It was the look of a possessive man who had finally brought his woman to submission, the look of a hunter that had finally caught its prey.

“Then, won’t you sing me a song?” His fingers gripped her chin harshly, directing her face to gaze towards his. “You know my favorite, don’t you?”

She nodded, letting her long lashes rest against her cheeks as she closed her lids. She could not bear to feel the shame by looking into his eyes. But before she could open her mouth, he had pressed his lips against hers, ever so lightly, but the slight touch was searing enough, poisonous, and it made her feel ever so small.

What a dirty little songbird you are. He has given you much more before. Why flinch?

He pulled away after only a few seconds, and she let in a deep breath and turned her head away, though she dared not go any further back than a few inches in case it would anger him even more. She had gotten much worse, she can do it again.

Whether he noticed her turmoil or not, she could not tell, as he brushed his knuckles across her face, an almost loving look settling in his eyes. “There is more to this than a song, my Robin. You know it is only fair.”

He gently took her off his lap and started to prepare the water, pouring it into the washbasin. With every move he made as he dipped the washcloth into the basin, the realization slowly crept upon her, and she had finally gone numb. His words were the final nail in the coffin as they spelled her demise for tonight.

“I will bathe you and clothe you, Robin, and you shall sing for me without fault as I do so. Understand?” He was sitting before her now, holding the dripping washcloth and she could hear every droplet that fell on the metal surface of her floor, like a ticking clock counting down her hours.

She cannot fly, she cannot fly, she cannot…

Frustrated at her silence, his large hand shot out to brutally wrap around her hair, bringing her closer to him. She gasped as the tears freely fell, knowing her fate had been sealed no matter what. “I can always visit that other girl, Robin and you know very well that I would. So, do you understand?”

Defeated, she nodded and hung her head, not even caring if her tears were obvious to him now. “Good,” he whispered, his voice sweet again, letting go of his grip on her hair.

“Now sing for me, my beautiful songbird.”

>Give me a feather and I’ll trade you, my friend<

Her mind was now an empty chamber, and the world around her a muffled echo in the background of her senses. The water felt cool across her stomach, but his hand was an iron across her breasts.

>It’s just a single feather dear, it won’t be the end<

In her mind, she pictured the blinding lights that she longed to see, and they danced in the sky amongst the snowflakes as the blistering flame traveled further down her stomach.

>Watch and you’ll learn, I’m not what you think<

She imagined that she could enter into those towers of lights and gaze out onto the world below her to behold a magnificent view. She imagined the thrill of being up in the sky as she was pushed against the floor, the warmth now at her thighs.

>I’ll give you all you’d ever want to eat and to drink<

Maybe then, she would be able to spread her arms towards the heavens, and prepare to take flight into the sparkling beauty of the night. She could feel the wind pushing at her to finally let go, but she could not as she felt the heat become overbearingly warm, invading her very veins.

>It’s too far to run, it’s too hard to fly<

The heat was too much, too too much. Please, could I not fly off? Could I not fly? My tears can escape into the world from its confines so why can’t I?

>A feather’s small to give away<

By the end, she had dissolved into a sobbing heap. Only remnants of her remained as her senses numbed, not being able to feel his touch against her arms or the feel of his chest against her side as he brought them down to the floor to lay together. Her lips had ceased their singing, but he did not seem to mind, instead gathering her in his arms so very tightly.

She could not fight nor could she think, no rational thought could pass through her brain. It was only the thought of disgust that flooded her, but she knew it all too well. She was a disgusting songbird. Her songs were vile like her.

“Your voice is so beautiful, my songbird.”

I was a bad songbird tonight.

“You are so beautiful.”

How can I be a bird if I cannot fly?

She let him hold her tenderly, gently even as he whispered sweet nothings into his ear. Her hiccups had subsided, but the tears had not. He would not wipe them away, she knew, because her tears fueled him and gave him happiness. She will deal with it, as long as he kept being gentle with her, did not lay a heavy hand on her.

I was a pained songbird tonight.

Her hair had been brushed and her skin was clean. She smelt of lavender and sweetness…. She smelt of him.

“Shh, sleep my songbird,” he hushed into her ear, like a deadly poison that she could taste on her tongue. “You must rest for tomorrow we head to the Infierno Pack. You must look your best for them.” She had been falling into a tired haze by then, but she could hear those words still ringing in her head.

INFIERNO PACK

Before the sleep had fully taken her, a new fear had reignited at the name.

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