Found and Lost (Anton Clayworth)

[Substitute Author]

"How do you like your meat, sir?"
"Rare." 




What a waste of fresh meat. Anton eyed what remained of a stale biscuit, grimaced, and swallowed it. With a look that was one part disgust and two parts trepidation, he glanced back along the passageway down which they had come. That rabbit was probably the most tender of the slaves. A movement made him tense, but he relaxed when he realized it was just a shadow from their torches. At least now I know I wasn?t imagining things this morning.
The wildcat shivered at the memory, pushed it from his mind, and allowed his gaze to wander to the remaining slave who huddled forlornly on the floor several feet away. And at least there?s one left. He licked his lips and grinned devilishly. I?ve never much fancied the taste of vole, but I wouldn?t mind making an exception considering the circumstances.

?Don?t even think ?bout it, Clayworth,? Sableclaw growled from where she crouched removed a small distance from both Anton and Harold. The scratches on her cheek had scabbed, leaving them looking much more serious than they actually were. ?Ashira will have m? hide if I let this last slave disappear, an? I don?t plan on lettin? your eatin? habits give ?er the pleasure.? Her paw rested meaningfully on the hilt of her blade.

During the search for Dyera, Anton had quickly discovered Sableclaw enjoyed ordering him about as much as possible. Although he suspected this was because he was the only crewbeast in the group whom she felt comfortable bossing around, it didn?t make it any less annoying. Anton looked at the rat with a hint of irritation, but a smirk tugged at the corners of his mouth. ?I don?t know, Sableclaw. If Ashira gets your hide, perhaps I could have the rest of you. It would make up for my loss this morning.?

?Why you?!? Sableclaw rose and unsheathed her sword with a snarl.

?Stay your paw, Sableclaw.? Anton looked aside to see Silus standing with arms crossed, Ashira next to him. ?This cave is dangerous enough as it is, and I won?t have you helping it along.?

The rat grumbled something, but nevertheless returned her sword to its scabbard, glaring at everybeast.

She could be dangerous, Anton mused, and then corrected himself. No, she is dangerous. I can?t turn my back on her. He glanced at Silus and Ashira. Can?t turn my back on them, either.

?We?ll keep searching now,? Silus continued, adjusting his shirt. ?Ashira, you take point.?

Ashira smirked and teasingly ran a light paw across the weasel?s shoulder. ?Of course I will.? She broke the contact and began moving down the corridor.

Anton?s eyes narrowed as the search began anew. Something was different between the two slavers. He couldn?t quite place his paw on what it was, but they certainly weren?t at each other?s throats now.

It was a good hour of walking aimlessly through the passageway before an idea presented itself. They seem almost ? no, that can?t be it. Then again, they were gone long enough to? The wildcat snorted and broke away from this train of thought. At a time like this? From his position at the back of the search party, Anton ignored Sableclaw and began moving towards the front of the search party, intending to more closely observe the pair in the front, but his attention caught on the slave in the center.

Although the vole was stumbling as he trudged along, his gaze never wavered. Not seeming to notice the wildcat striding next to him, the slave was staring daggers at Ashira. If looks could kill, the ferret would have been dead several times over.

Taken aback by the intensity of the stare, Anton fell in step beside Harold, glancing curiously at him. Just as he was actually about to start questioning the vole, the group came to a halt. Ahead, the passageway forked into two. 

?Which way, Ashira?? Silus asked curtly.

Ashira sniffed around for several minutes before straightening with furrowed brow. ?Her scent goes down both passageways. She must have wandered down one and then gone down the other."

?Now what?? Sableclaw asked with a thinly-veiled sneer.

?Now, we split up,? Silus replied. ?Ashira and I will take the left path. You two take the right. Go for thirty minutes one way, then head back here.?

?What about the vole?? Anton mused.

?You take him.?

?And he better come back with you,? Ashira added with a growl. Anton thought he might have seen a meaningful glance cast in his direction, but it was tricky to tell in the torchlight.

?Yeah yeah,? Sableclaw muttered. She gave the vole a shove towards the right passageway and glanced over her shoulder. ?Let?s go, Clayworth.?

Anton nodded and followed after, taking care to stay behind the rat. As they walked, he watched the corsair with calculating eyes, a twisted grin slowly growing on his face. She may be first mate, but I doubt she?ll be missed. The Big Evil has been blamed for so many disappearances already that I?m sure it wouldn?t mind having one more to its credit. And then I could finally eat. His gaze flicked to Harold. Now what to do about the slave. I don?t think I can get away with eating both of them. And I?m hungry, but not quite that hungry. I suppose I?ll just have to figure something out.

He was distracted from his thoughts by a growl from Sableclaw. The rat had stopped and was crouched down, examining something on the floor.

Stealing up behind her, he peered over her shoulder. ?What?d you find??

Sableclaw straightened and turned around holding a shredded tunic stained with dried blood. ?It was Dyera?s,? she sneered. ?Looks like this is all that?s left of th? captain?s brat.?

?How very interesting.? Without warning, Anton lunged forward, claws extended, and wrapped his paws around the rat?s throat. ?I?m afraid that will also be all that?s left of you,? he purred, tightening his grip.

Sableclaw?s eyes bulged in surprise. She scrabbled at the paws around her throat, the bloodied tunic fluttering to the ground, but her efforts proved ineffectual against Anton?s determination. Finally her arms dropped, her eyes rolled up into her head, and Sableclaw was dead.

Dropping her carelessly to the ground, Anton grinned and looked over at Harold with a hungry expression. ?This is our little secret. Tell a soul and you?ll suffer the same fate.? Then, without further ado, he crouched next to the warm corpse and began to sate his hunger.

=======

It?s always so much better fresh. Anton was purring, a deep, throaty sound that vibrated through his entire body. Giving his claws a final licking, he smiled.

With the vole walking ahead of him, the wildcat was on his way back to meet up with Silus and Ashira. His fur was immaculately clean ? at least, as much as was possible in the dirty passageway. Hanging aimlessly from his right paw was all that remained of Dyera. He glanced down at it and his smile broadened. Perhaps now we can get out of these bloody tunnels.

There was a sound behind him and he quickly whirled around, raising his torch high. It was a long moment before he decided it was just his imagination. Turning back around, he noticed the vole giving him an odd look, but Anton simply gave him a kick and they continued on their way. After several more minutes of walking, judging they were close to where the tunnel branched, he smothered his purr and adopted a morose expression. A moment later, he rounded a corner and saw Silus and Ashira waiting. The ferret looked impatient, but the weasel leaned casually against the wall.

However, Silus looked up sharply when he realized only Harold and Anton returned. ?Where?s Sableclaw??

Anton shook his head and told the story he had concocted on the walk back. ?We found another fork in the path and split up. I hadn?t gone far when I heard her scream. I ran back, but it was the same as the rabbit; just a puddle of blood.?

Silus looked suspicious, and Anton guessed the weasel didn?t fully believe the story, but Ashira had no such qualms. ?Our passageway was a dead-end. Did you find anything??

Anton nodded and lifted up the fabric he held. ?I found it just past where I found what was left of Sableclaw. I?m certain it belonged to Captain Lowri?s daughter.?

Ashira gave Silus a smug look. ?I knew this search was pointless. Now can we head back??

Silus looked thoughtful for a moment, and then sighed. ?Very well.?

As the group of four began its trek back to the world of light, a shadow detached itself from the wall and began to follow silently.