[gs29513]

 

Stalking up to the stump, he pried it open quickly with his claws. He'd have to fix it again, but that didn't matter. Hello my love. How's life treated you since you ran away with the abominations? His voice was sickly sweet, and he laughed at her pitiful defiance. You'll claw me and leave again? Really? You, my dear, can barely stand, let alone run away. I'd be surprised if you can ever run again. He had to give it to Itzel, she had done a good job on them, crippling them enough to make their containment easy.

Lashing out suddenly with vicious claws he raked them across her face, taking pleasure in her squeal of pain as red lines opened up all along her nose. You're going to be here for a while darling. Don't worry, I won't kill you. You're far to interesting for that. he purred, before cackling at her next question. Huckleberry? Oh, my NEW kits are trying to find out her name. A test of their interrogation skills. I've told them not to kill her, hopefully the won't get carried away. If they did, no great loss. He could always have them try again with Holly.

 

How far along are you? Scratch inquired, as the kits bit into the mice Itzel had provided. She was really quite useful, perhaps he would have to let her have a bit more freedom from now on. She didn't seem interested in leaving, although he had made it quite clear that leaving would end in her very dead. Their answers were less than satisfactory, apparently Huckleberry hadn't even said a word yet. He would have to see what they had actually done. Perhaps a few pointers were necessary before they continued.

If she hadn't said anything, it wasn't for their lack of trying. It clearly wasn't the most organized trying, scratches and gashes everywhere on Huckleberry and in the mud told of the fight that had been going on, but she seemed to be remaining stoic. Not as weak as I thought. he grunted, cuffing her lightly on the head. Returning to the den, he called the kits close to him. She;s fairly strongwilled, you need to work harder. I'll give you some ideas later. Now. Are you going to feed her, or not. She's your responsibility now, food, water, whatever. Hopefully they would get the message. No food and water would sap her strength and resolve quickly.

 

The kits were trying hard, implementing a few of the methods he had given them, although some of the execution was poor at best from Three. Still, Scratch remained quiet until they had returned to their nests, then going to visit Huckleberry to see exactly how they had done. All of her paws were misshapen and flattened, and it seemed as though One had been drawing on her flank in deep scratches, still welling blood. Most striking however was her face, where their attention seemed to have been concentrated. One of her ears was only half the size it should be, and a long line of clawmarks drew a fierce slash across her eye.

As he approached she moaned in pain, and in the dark he could see that her fur was darkened dramatically by the pool of blood she seemed to be lying in. Pulling the cobwebs carelessly off his paw he slapped them onto her most major injuries, the eye and the ear, before leaving again. He didn't want her to die before the kits had their final day of time.