The Broken Past and Uncertain Future

Richard gazed through the gloom that was a cold winter’s afternoon. The forest that rolled over the white dusted hills was thick and relatively quiet, the call of a bird or the rustle through the brush of some sort of game were all that stirred. None of the dangers that were sometimes found within the forest had troubled him this particular day. It was in truth a day like any others and none of the scars the world bore from what had passed before were readily on display. He wore a coat that had survived from earlier days, but over which a cloak of white wolf pelts hooded his face and covered his body. When he sank low to the ground, it was easy enough for him to become lost in the landscape.

But he saw now what he had wandered into the forest for. It was a deer, or at least what now passed for one. A strange creature in a way. It was more of a size with a horse, its hair a mottled colour and its antlers twisted as though a thorn bush. Yet as he lay in the brush the creature saw him not. No bullet would be wasted on it. Rather the bow in his hands had an arrow carefully knocked. He waited and waited until the deer stood perfectly still and seemed to gnaw on a piece of bark at the bottom of an tree. Then with a hiss, the air flew through the air and its metal point stroke the creature upon the throat. A few staggering steps were seen before it fell to the ground with a sickening cry.

He trudged down the ridge and stooped over the body. The deer still for a moment or so before it stilled leaving a pool of blood upon the snow. Gazing at the creature he almost sighed as it occurred to him that it was going to be far more work than he cared for dragging this back into the mountains. However, his eyes were drawn downwards as he looked down towards the forest below. A solitary figure seemed to be stumbling through the forest in something of a hurry.

His dark eyes peered at the figure. A slight form, likely female and if he didn’t miss his mark fleeing from something. As most of the humans beyond were scared witless of the forest, they were almost always fleeing from something. Nor did he think of it as a groundless fear, dangers enough abounded to substantiate it entirely in his view. A sigh escaped his lips as he regarded what he now thought of as ‘the woman’ as he didn’t care for the wolves, bears or other creatures of the forest to develop any more of a taste for human flesh than they already possessed. Nor was his without a sense of curiosity.

He reached down and with a measure of exertion lifted the rather large carcass of the deer from the ground and with some strain managed to drape it across two low laying branches of a tree. Which would for the moment preserve it from any immediate scavengers until he could return. Thereafter, his large form began to lope down the ridge towards the forest below. He moved through the snow and woods with fairly practiced ease. For those whom dwelt in this environs learned swiftly or were no more.

Thus much like a ghost, he moved through the forest towards the woman. His bow remained in hand, arrow knocked of course. After all whatever the woman’s demeanour, she was scarcely the worst thing that could be met within the woods. He remained as ever ready for that. He moved closer towards her at a rather steady pace. Soon enough he was but a dozen or more paces behind her. But he remained concealed within the forest. Simply following her for a time as he sought to divine her purpose and intentions.

The larger cities laid in ruin, already clans had started to form in the wastelands that were once home to millions. Laws clearly not the same as they would be in the small villages formed far outside the old cites and towns. These people did not hunt the wildlife that had starting to become more plentiful in the fast growing forest that no longer had humans to destroy them. Instead they raided what ever they could and when food became rare...they killed and ate there own. More then likely the slaves that had long become worthless and could no longer work nor bare children.

Oh funny most of these slaves where the military that once tried to help them. That once tired to bring in food and needed supplies to the people that needed it the most. Of course it seemed that most that had survived were quick to be brained washed that it was indeed the governments and there military that we to blame for what had happened. The raiders and clans quickly making short work of any military personal that came with in the cities to help or try to regain control of the fast dieing population of humans.

Of one of these kinda slaves was a young girl, wounded in a crash that left her unable to work for some time. But because the spring and summer months proved more food for the city clans, her life was spared. Time given to her so she could heal with the make shift cages that housed the slaves. Time given to watch her brother's in arms worked to the point they could work no longer and killed for there meat. Time given to her...because she would be able to still bare children when she was healed and her scar closed.

Days seemed to pass like weeks, Months like years and soon the air had started to grow cold, and raids had provided less and less food for the growing number of clans. Time she had tried to buy not only to heal but to gain back her strength. And worse....the people feared the changes that some of the survivors showed because of "The Fall". Some could hear better, see better, some healed faster, or age slower. All showed one sign though...one eye turned gold. Just as her's was starting to do. Onica no longer had time left as the changes took hold of her and her strength to work never fully returned to her.

Sure she had healed to the point of breeding...but not to the point of work. With the clan's food growing lower and other female and male slaves proving to be better for work it came time for her to join her fall brothers. Better yet it came time to put her plan into work. This would be the only time she had to run.
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Her mind was foggy, it seemed like she had been running for weeks. Not even recalling how she got out of the clan's grasp, how she got out of the city. All she knew was that she was in the forest that had over grown the country side. Tripping and stumbling in the snow, grabbing onto trees to keep her up and running. She did not fear the animals that lived her. Not knowing of the people that lived in the villages away from the clan's cities and towns.

She feared that the people that wanted her dead where after her. Sure her strength had never fully returned...but fear drove her on. Running in tell she hit a river....running to fast for her to cross. It was there she fell to her knees, her breathing so heavy and heart racing that she thought she would pass out.

Richard followed the woman as she ran. Her trail was easy to follow and hardly concealed. Casually he loped after her, his long strides ate up the distance easily enough. He seemed to watch the forest carefully as he pursued the woman. After all it was possible he was not the only one whose attention she had drawn. He moved through the snowy wilds after the woman. The distance she traveled seemed evidence enough that she fled something. It could not be him for she had yet to see him. He smiled faintly as he trudged after the woman thinking this much like stalking a wounded animal, it fled so quickly you knew soon its breath would fail.

Soon he saw the woman collapsed beside the river. He lingered behind a tree as his eyes appraised her. Young, tired, scared and cold were what he noticed rather immediately. She was pretty at that as he looked upon her. But the fear was what struck him, she fled like the fiends themselves dogged her footsteps. He grinned slightly as he reflected that it was he rather than any creature from the depths of hell that followed. But he rather imagined if she fled like that she was a slave from one of the towns to the east of the forest.

The towns beyond the forest were in Richard’s mind - stupid. He’d ventured into one or two of them to trade but had no real desire to go back. They were full of petty thugs, slaves and people struggling to eke out an existence. Yet they all lived like parasites, seeking to feast off of the corpse of the world before it had been broken, or upon other towns and settlements or each other. They kept no animals, tilled no fields, nor hunted the animals of the wild. He doubt they even knew how. They were all doomed.

The hunter moved through the tress slowly and quietly until eventually he emerged from the snow and brush perhaps ten feet from where the woman lay panting. He stepped out of the brush and he didn’t point an arrow at the woman for she didn’t strike him as particularly dangerous or liable to be able to run very far. Casually he inquired “Do you have any idea where you are or where you are going?” His tone was rather bemused as it was a mostly rhetorical question as it seemed readily apparent to him that she did not.

He through back the cowl of the wolfskin cloak. He was dark haired man, with eyes of the same hue. He looked to be about twenty five years of age. He was tall perhaps six three or so in height, broad and strong in his build as well. An imposing figure to say the least. Although he looked at her and displayed no real hostility. Although he grinned to her and noted “I’m not a cannibal or anything like that.” He made a face as he noted “I don’t know why they claim that those he live in the hills are. Its those out beyond the forest eating each other. We actually catch and raise our food.”

He peered at the girl for a moment as he noted “You can stop me here if I’m wrong but I presume that by running through the forest you’re hoping to lose those pursuing you either in the wilderness or because they are afraid of the creatures and people they might find within it. Given that you don’t seem to have any particular destination in mind that I can see, or much in the way of supplies - I rather think you’re a runaway slave hmm?” He glanced down at her and observed “Now I suppose I shall get to the point, you can come with me and serve me. I promise I shall keep you fed and I will not eat you. Which is like as not a lot more than you can expect from those you’ll find if you wander out of the forest at some point. Or I’ll leave you here and best of luck to you. Although I rather think you’ll starve or wind up dead in one way or another in or out of the forest.”

He offered her a bemused smile again as he noted “Your choice. I really haven’t much use for a reluctant slave.” He seemed to tarry for a moment as though to allow the woman a chance to make up her mind. Although already his head turned away from her and back towards the way he came. He did need to get his kill and head back up towards the mountains.

More or less tried to jump up when she heard the man's voice, only to fall back down. Her legs to tired to stand, facing him now...her back to the river. Covering her right eye as soon as she saw the bow and arrow, even if his clothes gave him away as not being from the city. She had heard rumors that small villages where being made way outside the city limits...but she had never really put much thought into them.

As far as where she was running to, she did not know nor did she care. Onica just wanted to get away from the city. As far away as she could. Her clothes nothing more then rags, what was left of the uniform she had be taken in so long ago. Listening to what the man had to say, taking in every note. Not daring to speak in tell he was done...watching him as he started to walk away.

She did not want to be a slave any more, but it seemed she had been marked for life. Now she had a choice or it seemed he was giving her a choice. Go with him and be his slave or stay out here and die. Ether way she was fucked it seemed.

"Wait," She called out, her voice low as if she had not spoke in ages, "Please wait. I know your no cannibal....no more of one then the people with in the cities are. I heard rumors about the villages out here...I didn't think they where true. Please wait!" Her words almost as she where begging.

"I'm not scared of whats in the forest or the people in it....I just. I just..." She was still out of breath it seemed or maybe the cold was getting to her. "They where going to kill me, just like the do to any other slave that can no longer work or breed. Just like some animal for there meat. Please don't leave me out here. I know that your kind farm, that you don't need to eat human flesh to keep alive." Sure she might be reluctant but she was not willing to die. Not just yet. "Take me with you please."

Her body shook, a mix of fear and being out in the cold to long. Her eyes watery....what had happen to the brave military that once guarded this land with there equipment and guns. The city had seemed to bring the worse out in everyone, eating away not only at their flesh when they where no longer good to work but also at there soul it seemed. Hand slipping down to help hold herself up...showing that not both of her eyes where hazel. One was slowly going gold. "I haven't done anything wrong please help me."

Well he admitted to himself he wasn’t presenting her with much of a choice but it was still a choice. That was more than most people would have given her. By the look of her clothing alone, a night out here in this cold would kill her. The hunter smiled faintly as he gazed at her. Poor thing really, she was likely half starved as well as freezing to death. He could hear the begging tone in her voice as he turned to go. That had been a slightly cruel ploy on his part, but as he said he had no need of a reluctant slave. Thus as she requested he wait. He paused to listen to her, although when he regarded her his features were schooled in a neutral manner.

As she said she knew he was no cannibal and that she hadn’t believed that people actually lived within the hills and mountains. He grinned slightly at that as he inquired “Why wouldn’t we? We’re away from your troubles.” He shook his head slightly “If you are not afraid of what you can meet in the forest - you should be.” He smiled to her as he noted “you are fortunate I’m the only thing that seems to have been following you. There is much worse within these trees than I if you don’t know what to be on the look out for.”

“They were going to kill you?” He peered at her curiously as he noted “And why was that? You’ve run far enough that I should think that you could still work. You can still work and breed can you not girl?” He seemed slightly concerned about that point. After all a lot of good she would do him if she was a sterile cripple. Although the argument against her being a cripple was apparent to his eyes. Curiously he asked “If you could why were they going to eat you? Were they starving to the point where they were eating their slaves?”

He heard her asking him to take her with him. He responded “If you come with me. You belong to me.” Help unfortunately carried a price tag. He noted the gold colour in her eyes. If it meant anything to him, he didn’t seem to display it. Rather he placed no real significant upon it. He simply reached down towards her and extended his hand to pull her upwards. The hunter remarked “Come along then. We have a ways to go.”

He gazed at her body and its tattered rags and having a coat on he took off the white cloak he wear leaving him wearing a similar coloured coat. He handed the cloak to her as he noted “I can’t have you freezing to death before we get there now can I?” He smiled as he noted “I should be thought the worst slave owner ever if I let one die but hours after I acquired it.” There was a rather teasing tone to his voice as though he thought the whole matter of owning a slave a bit of a lark.

He seemed to expect she would complain of being tired. Thus he observed “And if you think its far for you, I’m the one who has to carry the deer back.” He grinned as he noted “And I almost regretted killing the thing the moment I saw it hit the ground. Its going to be very heavy.” As though to encourage the girl he noted “But that means you get to eat meat when we get to my home.” He began to walk slowly back the way he came and asked “Do you know how to cook food? What did you do as a slave?”

Onica could not really recall the last time she had eaten, nor the last time she was warm. "What I could have meet in this place can not be worse then whats in the cities. I would rather be killed and eaten by a wolf then skinned alive and eaten by the crazies in that place. But you are right, I am lucky you where the only one to find me."

"As for why they where going to kill me," She stopped, her body shaking a little because of the cold, "Because, they don't think tat a slave can be used for more then manual labor. They don't need them for anything more then that, unless your a female then you can be used for breeding...but work comes first. Because I was still...." She stopped for a moment. Her right hand running along a scar that started on the top of her right wrist. From the looks of it was not just a little scar ether...something that had happened to her a while back. Something that she was still recovering from strength wise. Plus with out food, rest and good medical treatment one might understand why it was taking so long for her to get back to full strength. Why she might be put on the chopping block for starving crazies.

"Plus the raids where not bring in as much food as they are use to. Food is running low and they don't want help from people that can help them. They'll kill anyone that's not part of there clan or anyone that is showing change. Any slave that can not do what they need. I can work I swear, as for breeding..." The pause alone would suggest her past master's had never tried. "I'm sure I could in time."

It was clear by the look in her eyes that she understood that if she went with him, she was his. Almost feeling as if the world was lifted off her shoulders as he did not seem care about how her eye was changing. Something that she was going to be killed far back in the city. Taking his hand with her right, her good hand. Standing to her feet, even if her legs where still tired and wanted to give way once again. But she willed herself to stand, to follow. She knew her life would depend on it. Taking the fur that was offered to her, wrapping the cloak around her body. No longer feeling much of the winter's cold. Her body starting to feel warmer then she had sense the summer months. Taking in the smile this man gave her, a offering one of her own even if it was weak and tired looking.

Indeed she was tired but she would not complain. If had did it back in the city she would be beat and most likely killed. Or at less that's what she saw happen to the other slaves. Same thing if they said they where hungry. Going weeks some times, the idea of food pleasing to her cold ears. Following close to him, trying her best to match is speed. "I can cook..." As for what she did as a slave. "Hard labor I guess. I worked on and built helicopters before everthing happened." Good to know she was educated.

Richard looked at the girl for a moment as he seemed baffled that she couldn’t think of anything worse than the cities. “There are worse things than wolves. Much worse things.” But he felt no particular need to elaborate beyond that. After all there was no sense going into detail about some of the things that lurked hereabout. The girl seemed to have enough to worry herself. He nodded though “Indeed, lucky you. The cold and hunger would have likely got you if something else didn’t.”

Richard seemed to find the notion that slaves were only good for manual labour or breeding slightly curious. After all why should the slaves not have some more specialized skills? The hunter however, didn’t know how these strange towns worked with their clans and despots. “Strange, did they not think that you worked hard enough or were good for breeding then?” He trudged through the snow as he spoke with her. “Ah so they thought you were an outsider and were hungry…”

The hunter shook his head as he muttered “Hard to believe that this was all civilized country at one time. Now people are eating each other…what the hell happened to people?” He seemed slightly disgusted with the state of humanity. He heard her remark that she was sure she could breed in time. He grinned slightly and rather curiously remarked “Never tried then have you?” He seemed amused at that “And here I thought that was all they did with their female slaves aside from eating them when they ran out of food.”

“Oh good, I have a helicopter that I’ve been meaning to have fixed.” He grinned slightly as he noted “I keep it out back with my tank and my fighter jet.” He laughed as he noted “That can’t be any more useless than what I did before all of this. I was a banker. Now we don’t even have money let alone borrow it.” He idly noted “But I always was a good hunter, and to think at the time that seemed a frivolous hobby while numbers were what was the real hard work.”

He lead her through the forest, occasionally getting ahead of her before slowing so as to not leave her behind. He seemed entirely familiar with the forest and headed back the way he had come while following her. Rather teasingly he inquired “So why did they never breed you? Did you not bat your eyes prettily enough for them?”

Seemed to be fighting to keep going, not saying much as she walked. Trying to keep all her energy for what seemed like the long hike ahead, not wanting to waste it on chit chat. She would much more willing to answer what he needed to know once they got someplace warm. Someplace safer then the woods around them. Wondering about the deer he had killed before he had found her....wondering if he really did come from a village outside the city limits.

And if he had not lied to her, what would this village look like. What would his home look like. All questions she wanted to ask but at the time the her wanting to know just drove her more. Giving her that little bit more she needed to keep up. As tired, cold and hungry as she was. Wondering if this was really worth still being a slave to someone. At less she would not killed like cattle for there meat.

Only his last question getting an answer, "No, they thought I would died if I got pregnant. I was not in the best of shape when they found me and the clan leader thought I was to lovely a face just to kill. He wanted to get at less one child out of me before he killed me but with the winter months he changed his mind it seemed."

((Sorry so short just got home from work))

Richard simply nodded as he observed “I see. Evidently they got rather impatient though or you wouldn’t be here.” Impatient, ran out of food, some combination of the two. It was sickening really. But the hunter continued to trudge through the snow and up along the forest towards where he had originally spied her. A span of minutes passed naturally enough until he’d led her up the ridge. He did find himself somewhat slowed by the slave girl after all, the girl struggled to continue moving.

But he had not forgotten about the deer slain earlier. Indeed he found the tree where he’d left it and thereafter pulled it downwards to the ground. A hatchet was pulled from his belt and a pair of saplings were cut down rather swiftly. Leather cord first bound those two wooden poles together, and then further cord lashed the deer to this makeshift travois. Thereafter, he shouldered the frame and began to move through the forest once more.

Naturally the burden of dragging the deer along slowed him., but he remained steady in his movements. The distance didn’t seem to tire him, as it was familiar. Although for the benefit of the slave he simply stated “We’ve a ways to go. We have to go over the hills and into the mountains.” He raised his hand to point off to the distance. “Our town is there.” He didn’t really think of it as a village for that always had a rather demeaning sound to it. From what he could see they had as a good a claim on being a bastion of civilization as anywhere within miles.

Although pointing towards ‘there’ was a rather non-descript way of identifying their destination. But he felt no need to elaborate given that telling the girl they had something of a hike ahead of them seemed unlikely to encourage her. He grinned slightly as he noted “Warm fires, food and drink once we get there though.” He simply said “About as good as it gets in this stretch of territory.”

Onica watched with out a sound as the deer was pulled down and as he made it ready to pull back to his town. Holding the fur close to her body, almost crying when he told her that it would be a far walk. In all truth she did not think she would make it. Her walking slow even with him dragging the dear. Going up the hills, her fingers digging at the ground to try and clime up them and keep up. The snow cold on her hands as she did so. All she could think about was a warm fire and maybe a place to sleep. Her hunger long forgotten now.

Her words lost in her deep breathing, as hours seemed to pass even if they where just minutes. Her feet dragging. No one could tell she was once military. Her mind wondering about the people that lived in this town so far away from everything. Would they kinda welcome her, even if she was this man's new slave. Or would they be somewhat cruel to her because of her rank in this world.

((Sorry watching the football game >.<))