Gnoll Slave Camp

Perhaps that hadm't been the best way to tell her, but after so long his felt as if any sense of charisma he may or may not have had was dried up. Even so, he wasn't lacking empathy. Putting an arm around her he sighed softly, giving a small squeeze. "Who knows, maybe we'll get saved." he offered lamely, though it was obvious he himself didn't find that very likely. Them getting to his feet, he reached out for her. "Come on," he offered. "We'll meet back up tomorrow, alright? I'll still be here." he told her softly.

It was strange. He was so sure of his fate, so certain that this is where he'd die and he thought that he'd made some modicum of peace with that. But...was that really all there was? Was he going to become like all these other people? Or maybe he'd die still him one day.

Without wasting a moment, Ash certainly did notice the gnoll approaching his time here making him very cautious of this very fact. Facing the gnoll he turned her to face it as well, reaching out and putting a hand on her head as he led her to bow. "Don't make a scene," he hissed, "They'll just prioritize you. Keep your head down." he knew he was pathetic. There was no way he could stand against a gnoll, no way he could survive this hell for a year just to get disemboweled and bleed out here in the dirt accomplishing nothing.

"I can't stay with you" he whispered quickly, hopefully before the gnoll could get close enough. "We'll work together tomorrow, just...survive." It was hardly a satisfactory answer he knew, but he knew what he was. He wasn't some hero, he wasn't one of the knights he'd seen ride in the courtyard as a child. He was just frightened. Even so, something settled in his gut, burning deep inside as if he'd swallowed a ball of hot lead. 

The men's tent wasn't far from the same scenario, though fortunately Ash could read the signs and the people enough to know when to avoid a confrontation, and when to step up. Most of these men wore a mask of false bravado in order to intimidate the others, but one someone defied them they'd buckle. He wasn't certain if he were the only one to last this long, others began to blend together into an amorphous sea of faces. They came and they went in what seemed like days, their lives amounting to nothing in his passing inspection.

Even so, that girl...the thought of her tugged at the back of his mind like an incessant child at his pant leg. Pointing at her, reminding him that he once wasn't so different. Her innocence and hope would be ground to nothing, and she would be just like him. Existing, but nothing more. The idea gnawed at him, frustrated him to his core. It was as if seeing her just reminded of him of what he'd lost. What he'd become and yet it wasn't an anger that was directed at her but himself. Had he really fallen so far? Looking around at the people who huddled together, speaking in low voices lest the gnolls hear them. Could he really say these people meant nothing? Could he really remaine so blase about the torture and death he was forced to witnessed?

But what could he do? The gnolls had the strength, they had the weapons, they had the numbers. Squeezing his eyes shut he shook the thoughts out of his head, curling up near the perimeter, sleeping with one eye open and a million thoughts swirling chaotically in his mind.

The next morning the gnolls swung open the gates, herding the humans out as they avoided the whips and jeers. Mocking laughter rang out in the cold air above the crowds and for a moment, the young man couldn't help but think of Yuletide. People in the city were celebrating in crowds not unlike this one with laughter in the air. The crack of a whip snapped him out of his as the leather raked across his body, forcing him to fall to one knee, hissing in pain.

"Daydreamin' already? Get movin'!" a gnoll taunted, another lash of the whip getting Ash to his feet and darting away towards their workplace. Passing the center area where they ate their meals, Ash kept his gaze glued to the ground before he heard the whinny of a horse. The beast kicked and fought against the gnolls that tried to secure it and yet it yanked viciously at the ropes, biting and rearing. It seemed even the gnolls were surprised by its stubborness. With a kick of its hind legs that likely made an unfortunate gnoll unlikely to continue its family tree something skidded across the ground to Ash's feet, partially covered in loose dirt.

Glancing around quickly the other gnolls seemed to be focused on the animal's attempts at escape or laughing at their companions obviously painful injury. No one noticed his stoop quickly, picking up the object and inspecting it for a moment. A horseshoe, tarnished with age and use. Quickly he tucked it into his waistband, looking back at the scene, though grimaced when the furious gnoll slit the unfortunate creature's throat. Scowling he followed the flow of people until he was at the build site, looking around for Madailein.

When @slave had reached the building they had been working on, he felt a small spark of relief. She had made it another day. The first day was when the least clever and the most noticeable often perished. Either by more clever, or less noticeable slaves, or in a gnoll's stomach or tent. He approached her swiftly, closing the distance in an effort to eliminate the time she'd be standing alone around here. Stopping once he reached her he looked her over, frowning as he spotted her legs.

"Are you alright?" he asked. Of course the question was relative, no doubt she was in pain, but she didn't seem seriously wounded or ravaged. Tilting slightly to get a better look at the welts he scowled in anger. "Let's get to work," he urged, hoping to take his mind off of it. Unhooking the bag of nails and handing her the hammer, he headed to the wood, glancing around.

This girl was attractive. She was young, even though she looked low-born. Why had the gnolls put her on carpentry duty? She seemed like the type they prioritized in their tents. Taking note of the people around he drew to an eventual conclusion as they worked, only offering her snippets of advice in the process. The tents had seemed...quieter. Perhaps they were just low on people? He had been so focused on survival, little details like that had begun to escape him. She had been among the first load of slaves in some time. Perhaps they simply couldn't afford to keep her to themselves and not have her build this encampment for whatever unknown reason they seemed to be working for.

"How many people were with you. On the cart I mean?" the question was curt, and one of the first not about work. Perhaps she could make a conversationalist out of him yet. 

Listening as she spoke he nodded in understanding. It had hardly been his priority when he was picked up to count the other people in the cart, and it was no surprise she hadn't either. Even so, her approximation had been helpful enough. He was almost certain the gnolls weren't getting as many slaves lately. It could simply be the winter, or perhaps Isra had set up some form of patrols. Either way, it meant Madailein would be safe from the tents...for now, anyways. Fitting one of the wooden crossbars he gazed at her for a moment. She was attractive, much moreso than the other woman he'd seen here as of late. No doubt the gnolls had noticed it themselves. What hapened when the next shipment came in? When they had enough to work this job?

He recognized what she said about the woman's foot, only nodding. He knew what she was talking about. Should he tell her its only a matter of time before she's dragged away? Perhaps she'd already realized it for herself.

"I can't protect you." he said, after a few minutes of silence between them. "You know that, right? You shouldn't count on me. I could be dead tomorrow, and the only way you'd know is that I won't show up. You need to know how to survive here before they notice you, or they get more people."

At first, Ash did everything in his power to ignore her strangely hypnotic gaze. The eyes that made him think about things he had forced from his mind. When she spoke up, a single utterance as she moved closer to him he shied away slightly, his gaze snapping to hers in response. There it was. That flutter in his heart, reminding him of the world outside. Of innocence and beauty, of a place that didn't smell like shit and fear. Then, tearing his gaze away he slammed that box of memories shut once more, staving off the warmth they provided. No, he couldn't dare to hope.

The sun had begun to dip in the sky, and the lack of hammering had drawn unwanted attention. Ash seized up when he heard the sound of a snarl around one of the semi-constructed buildings. A gnoll- Reaching out he grasped her shoulder, quickly forcing her to switch positions, taking the hammer roughly from her hand as he motioned for her to hold the beam they were moving. It would no doubt be hard on her, but not as hard as the punishment for not working.

As the beast turned the corner, casting around viciously, it would find the source if its fury. Approaching behind them, Ash pretended not to notice, although his body was as tense as a coiled spring. No, it had to think it was him. His blue eyes flew wide open as a handful of his shirt was grabbed from behind as the adrenaline coursed through him, yanked off his feet the massive beast tossed him like a doll and he hit the ground hard on his back.

"Well, well, yer chattin' 'stead o' workin'? Got a remedy for that-" unfurling the whip at his side, Ash struggled for a moment to flip over. The bite of the lash hurt less on the back he knew. Unfortunately, so did his tormentor. The gnoll lunged forward before he could complete his action, stomping down on his stomach with enough force to knock the breath out of his body. Ash likely would have buckled, without the massive paw preventing him from doing so, however he caught sight of the monstrous creature raise its whip.

Lifting if arms quickly his forearms blocked his face just in time as the leather tore open the flesh and he gritted his teeth against the pain as blow after blow sliced open his arms, tearing through his sparse clothing to his shoulder in chest as his nerves were on fire with pain.

Ash gritted his teeth in pain as the whip tore at his flesh and he felt himself weakening. He already knew this was how it was going to end. Beaten to death by a gnoll and bleeding out in the dirt. He;d known it would happen since the day that he'd come here and yet...he'd lasted so long. A year of this, longer than anyone else. His consciousness wavered as if the shroud had already been placed over his face.

"Sleep now" it whispered, "It's time to sleep now." Then, something changed. He heard another voice. Pleading with his attacker it stopped the whip only momentarily as the gnoll halted to look at the girl, yanking its whip out of her reach and glaring down at her.

"Well well, now I can hardly blame ya for stoppin'!" it declared, its hand snapping out in an attempt to grab Madailein around her slender throat.

Grinning wickedly the gnoll inspected Madailein with a cruel eye and, with a lurch, took his foot off of Ash heading instead for the simple structure they'd been creating together. On the ground Ash stirred, opening his eyes just barely as he watched the two of them. The gnoll, reaching the building pressed her to one of the walls.

"Pretty girl like you doesn't get taken to the tents huh? Well, I s'pose no one would mind if I sampled ya for meself!" he taunted, snapping his teeth within inches of her face. Her captor seemed to be enjoying taunting her but there was no doubt it wouldn't stay merely taunting for long. Gnolls were notoriously impatient creatures.

On the ground Ash heard the gnoll's sleazy remarks, blinking his eyes, one entirely red and swollen. His clothes were in tatters and hung loosely from his thin but lean frame. Turning over with great effort that caused his nerves to cry out in unison he struggled to rise to his feet.

What are you doing? he demanded of himself internally. No, the smart thing to do was to let the gnoll do what it wanted until it left. Then they could both survive! If he did something now, they would both die. Of that he was certain and yet it was as if his body told him otherwise.