The injured are the ramp near the pit of the mine as the entrances are guarded. Borden and a few other leaders huddle in a circle near Emilia as she tends to the victims. Emilia follows the nurse’s instructions pouring water onto the wounds. The Wounded moan and suck their teeth as treatments are placed onto their wounds. Emilia nuzzles one of the beasts as a nurse pops his knee back into place.
“How many?” A beast with red fur and a white scar asks, but his voice sounds soft and gentle like a wise elderly leader.
“Sixteen dead at the river. Eleven injured. Forty-five dead here. Twenty-three injured.” Borden responds as his head falls to the floor.
“That’s almost a hundred. What happened to our defenses?”
“One of the beasts fell off a cliff. We needed strong men to pull her up.” Borden explains.
“That one?” The elder gestures his head towards Emilia.
“Yes sir.”
“Her name is Emilia.” A beast with white fur interjects, “ After she was attacked by a beast, the prince tended to her then took her to her home. I didn’t recognize the smell when we first found her, but having his scent now, I believe he was tracking us through her.”
Emilia shakes as she pours water on to a victim’s wound. She feels their eyes on her. Should she move, look back, defend herself, acknowledge that she’s been eavesdropping? Borden quickly pounces on top of Emilia breaking her frozen posture. He rolls her over roughly then pins her to the ground digging his paws into her shoulders and glaring into her eyes.
“Are you an informant?” Borden demands. Beasts gather in the mine on the ledges, in the pit, anywhere they can watch.
“N-no!” Emilia stutters.
“Liar!” Borden accuses.
“It’s possible she’s not lying. She doesn’t seem to be in tune with her predator instincts, Borden.” The elder suggests. Borden bounces off Emilia to examine her then his fellow beasts. He raises his head like a prideful lion.
“We have to protect the pack. We lost sixty-one beasts for good. Thirty-four are injured. She knew the prince before she became a beast.” Borden circles Emilia and asks: “Did you and the prince plan for you to become a beast?”
“N-no. No. No.” Emilia shakes her head as she denies. She attempts to shrink away by hiding behind others and curling up on the floor covering her head with her paws. Her father would’ve choked her by now. She quivers and trembles expecting a blow.
“Yes!” Borden nods condescendingly, “You led him here to us. You planned to slaughter us.”
“N-no.” Emilia’s teeth clatters.
“Prove it.” The elder stands and steps in between Borden and Emilia.
“But she can’t do anything right!” Borden shouts. If Emilia had any confidence in her abilities, the confidence was snatched by those words. Teddy rubs Emilia’s leg in support. The elder turns to Borden.
“Be gentle,” the elder says in a soft gentle voice.
“Fine!” Borden forces the one word through clenched teeth then turns to the Prince’s accomplice, “Kill the prince tonight. Avenge the witch who created us and those who have fallen. Do you accept the task?”
Emilia looks to the elder who gives her a gentle nod. Teddy shakes his head, but the beasts surrounding her glare holes into her fur enclosing in on her. Emilia hesitantly nods slowly. Borden slowly walks away with the beasts moving to follow him, but he stops.
“I want a severed head as proof.” He growls over his shoulder then abandons her with his followers behind him. He has officially sentenced her to death without executing her himself.
Chapter 4: Part 2 to be released January 2nd 2020. HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!