The Nameless Ones ● Chapter ~ 2

View Chapter One here —- > https://boomerwrites.wordpress.com/2019/07/17/the-nameless-ones/

Hooded figures strolled down the gilded path. They walked aimlessly and without worry on both sides of the pathway, a sharp weapon in hand. They were a barricade to the Feigms between them, whom proudly and dominantly had a tail trailing behind them. Reijha felt an emptiness inside, as his dark amber eyes watched. He felt naked to the world now, as he tried to feel for his own tail. He tried to look away, he could no longer fathom it. It was a like a backhanded slap across the face.

He averted his mind back to memories of being a young cub, nursing at his mothers teet’s; his other four siblings close by, nursing as well. There eyes were now open. His mother would lay on her side, caressing her young, while they fed. Her soft, honey coated voice would be soothing, yet the tale itself was traumatizing to think it real. Her tale’s were always grim, and detailed. Sometimes, Reijha just thought she was a natural born storyteller. He never would of imagined the things he heard to be real. Now though, there he was. No buildings, no smiles, no place to call home. Isolation. Even if the lands about looked vast and stretched on for what seemed like forever, it felt amiss. Nothing but trees, tall slabs of stone with what looked like pointed roofs and empty looking lands. The night’s left eye was nearing its way now across the purple and green canvas that lied above him. The right eye as per usual smaller, further out of sight. Still, they watched as the night eyes would do whenever the darkness fell.

“We are the fortunate ones. We live in a world of stability, and protection. The bad guys, their all out there. They are not to ever set foot beyond the walls though. That means we are very safe, while under our Lordships orders,” his mother would say as young and enthusiastic eyes would open wide in awe.

Her voice would then become more hushed.

“The ones out there, the Nameless Ones. They would kill you without a moment of hesitation. They are out there, because they bleed evil. They do not deserve a life of safety nor, do they deserve a life of abundance. Expert killers, The Nameless Ones can cut you open from limb to limb. They will eat your flesh until your nothing but bone. Many of them can’t even be trusted by the other, leaving the outside a never-ending deathtrap. Selfish, chaotic, the whole lot of them.”

Breaking his trance of memories past, Reijha heard a commotion from up ahead. His eyes followed the sounds of screams, and chaos. One of The Nameless Ones, in the flesh. It tried to slice at the ankles of one of the trained guards. A female Feigm stood at his left, she screamed another blood curdling wale as her protector grabbed the Nameless One. He took a slice to its cheek. He then made a hard kick to its skull, making it tumble on the dead grass beneath it. The guard then grabbed it by the mane, with the utmost level of force he slammed it against the hard pathway beneath him. Reijha could almost feel the headache as if it were happening to him. With one quick motion the guard placed his arms tightly around its neck. All it took was one quick snap, the neck was broken. It’s now lifeless body took a quick thump to the ground. Dark blood pooled around its head, making its mane appear a glossy rouge.

Reijha turned away, just after the guard’s threatening eyes looked straight his way, then to the small stub where Reijha’s tail used to be. Their eyes met for a slight moment, then Reijha turned his heel and made his way, far from the scene of public mutilation. He would rather not rouse any form of suspicion, especially if it led to a broken neck. Reijha walked off, without another glance back behind himself. Highly unsure of his next move he looked for a place to hide, and possibly hunt. He didn’t have much time to eat before Shecks guards grabbed him. Soon enough he would grow to be quite famished, and there wasn’t a shop, nor an eatery around. Once again he let his mind wander back to what his dear Mother would say.

“They don’t have shops, so one must learn how to find their own source of food and nourishment. It’s either that or learn how to make a trade with another Nameless One. The latter isn’t always the best plan. As I have told you before, they are rather untrustworthy. One would have to grow wits, as well as strength, that was never needed before. Hunt or be hunted, that was the way of the Nameless ones. If you wanted to eat, you would have to learn a whole new life. You would have to learn survival. There is no shelter either, so when the cold season of the Blackfrosts came, you would also have to find a source of heat and, or shelter on your own. This would also be hoping no one else finds your shelter, your fire, or any of those means. If it was found, you would once again have to fend them off or kill them. They would most likely kill you, for their own survival instead. This my young ones is why we are so fortunate. We have shelter, a source of food. We have a warm bed to lie, and we don’t have to live in fear. Just as long as we stay behind our walls, and under the protection of our soldiers. Fear will never find us then.”

Reijha then wondered if his Mother ever thought for a slight moment, that one of her young would be sent to the Outside. He was brought up with respect and morals. He was never a bad Feigm, or one that deserved this life. Reijha felt betrayed, abandoned, and lost. He didn’t even know why he was here. He only knew he was set-up, framed, but why? Everyone seemed to like Reijha, he didn’t have any enemies that he was aware of. He should of spoke up, announced his innocence. Would Sheck believe him though, something in Reijha’s gut told him no. Sheck ruled his city with an iron-clawed fist. He didn’t like to take risks for his people either, so if he felt his city was at a threat he would banish that threat. He kept them safe. He used to keep Reijha safe.

The clouds above started to roll like mad. The sky started to bellow and flash. Reijha, now a derelict had to find some shelter from the storm that started to paint the sky above. The clouds puffed out and covered the atmosphere like an onyx blanket, as brilliant flashes erupted through the darkened skies. He didn’t have much time now.

Reijha ran towards a large tree in the distance, as hard rain peltered down. The droplets felt cold, even colder as his fur got wetter. His mane grew heavy falling in his eyes, shielding his vision. The sky boomed once more. As the lightning crashed he saw a silhouette of the tree, surrounded by a flurry of raindrops. His legs moved with great haste, his clawfeet digging into the ground for balance against the wet dirt. As he reached the tree, he wondered if death would have been easier.

Reijha shivered under a thick branch, some of the foliage worked as a canopy. He could still feel the rain that made it’s way through the leaves, but it would have to do. Reijha sat down into the muddy earth below, his back against the tree. His stomach grumbled back to him. He had no idea how he would survive. If in fact, he could survive.

Reijha always had food, starvation being the furthest thing from his mind. Sheck hired hunters to gather food from The Outside. Many Lords would do the same, and some would also trade their exports between the gilded paths. Lord Sheck often made trades with Lord Fike, Lord Peder, Lordess Hajklyn and sometimes Lord Tyrehr. A Feigm in Sheck’s Hold would only need to go to a shop if he or she were hungry. Most holds were like that except, Reijha often heard rumours of the Northeastern Territories. Ten years ago a great fire burned two thirds of the land. He felt it sad, more so considering the beauty of the Feigms from there. They looked more, he couldn’t quite say… exotic. Their fur unlike the Southerners was covered in spots. Nothing but a rare beauty now. Just thinking about a lovely spotted Feigm made Reijha warm in the slightest.

That laugh came back to him, Kirjha. Kirjha, her brother Koyhvu, and their parents were one of the small handful that have been saved. He remembered staring into those soft brown eyes, as she complained about her male problems. He wanted so bad to nuzzle her, to lick her nose. Reijha could never work up the courage.

He felt another chill. Reijha huddled his body into his knees. No food, no home. He always had a warm fire at his feet, while he sat in his favourite chair, reading a book. He always had a home to come to, and a bed to sleep on. His Mother was definitely right there. They were the fortunate ones. Any Feigm that lived behind the walls; they were unquestionably, the fortunate ones