Thread: The Shifting Tides [CajunDave and Original Content]

Katrik lay napping on his bed of hay trying to make up for the sleep he lost that night. He often woke through the night due to his feline nature but last night he had awoken more than usual due to the baying of the pregnant mare and the growling in his stomach. He had not been fed the previous evening for some punishment that he didn't quite understand the reason, but that was often the case. Katrik was punished regularily for reasons he did not understand and had almost grown used to his stomach's constant grumbling. He felt that at least he was lucky enough not to have been beat this time. The mare had finally given birth early during the morning and quieted down but then the smell of blood filled the barn reminding him of his hunger. He would have pounced on the colt and made a meal of its tender flesh if not for the steel bars of his cage between them. He could have escaped the cage in one of his many forms but the thought of escape but life as a slave had been bred into his race for generations, he knew of no other exististance except as a slave. Katric would have longed for better for a better life if he had any idea it existed, but this had always been his life and as for as he knew, no other life existed. He felt the warmth of the morning sun on his knotted fur which signaling his day was soon to begin and was about to sit up when he heard the creak of the barn door as it opened. The Alpha Keeper entered the barn and immediately began barking orders and threats at the Keepers tending to the mare and deduced from the few words he did understand that he still had more time to sleep. He decided to keep his head down to avoid attention to himself for the Alpha Keeper seemed to always find a reason to hit him and he didn't want to start his day with a beating if he could avoid it. When the Alpha Keeper left he heard Loria, the only reason he understood the meaning of happiness, speak to him in their beast language. He immediately opened his eyes because he could think of no better way to start his day than awakening to the sound of her voice. Morning Loria, I see you are also having trouble sleeping. That baying mare kept me up most of the night. Oh yes, I can smell it well. Can't you hear my stomach growling? At least the games will be here soon and they will feed us well then. The possibility of a close kinship between a reptile and feline to most would seem unlikely, but that was exactly what happened between Loria and Katrik. Katrik may well have surrendered to maddness or despair long ago, which was common among the slave shifters, if Loria had not been part of his life. They talked awhile between each other which to the Keepers tending to the mare sounded like purrs, growls and hisses. This was the happiest that he knew he would be today spending time with her, sneaking touches of her hand when the Keepers attention was turned to the newly born colt and the mare. Their time was cut short when the Alpha Keeper returned to the barn to take them out and start their day of labor. Katrik was hoping to work in the feilds where he would have a favorable chance of finding a rodent or some other small animal to eat to sate his hunger.