Broken Antler Fen there's no place like home

She watched as the familiarity fell from his eyes and he roamed her figure with a searching gaze. The shadow child stood with her frame on display, allowing him to take in the pieces that he wanted. She wasn't much; in the cold, even her ribs pressed against her sides. Lucy was thin, limber in appearance, and smaller than most. She was easily hidden and easily forgotten, but she preferred it this way. It was all that she had ever known.

Life seemed as though it had not been kind to this fellow Skwol, but Lucy knew that pain and was very aware of the harsh realities that faced her. Still, he seemed kind enough, and the sound of her name against his tongue was unfamiliar, but not altogether hostile. She reveled in it for only a moment before the large male made mention of the rope that dangled around her neck.

Instinctively, the shadow shrunk and flattened her ears to her skull. Her eyes were glued to his face, trying to read it for signs of aggression or the hint of tricks. She could not see this on Skwol's features. With a soft breath, the inky girl felt tears prick at the backs of her eyes. She fought the stinging in her throat and shook her head slightly.

“You can? You can take this off of me?” she said breathlessly. As hungry as she might have been, she had never felt more excitement than to know that this man could remove the taint from her body. He could wipe away the remnants of a life that had all but ruined her. For this, she would be eternally grateful.