drag my teeth across your chest
to taste your beating heart

Fishbone listened to Bane as they climbed. She was somewhat surprised to hear that the mountain was run by a sisterhood. She had not come across such a concept in her homeland, particularly not one with such a complex system of governance. She was more familiar with constant squabbles for dominance that defined a tentative pecking order. This was, perhaps, the first interesting thing she could note about this foreign land.

Perhaps it was something she could learn to with. She shot a quizzical glace in Bane’s direction.

“Interesting. Does it work?” she asked, blunt as ever.

The tight muscles of Fishbone’s legs were beginning to cramp a little as they continued up the mountain, strained somewhat by the steepness of the climb. Her gait grew slowly wobblier, although her expression remained impassive. She was so used to the uncooperative stiffness of her legs by now that the pain did not often phase her – it was an ache so constant and dull that she hardly paid attention to it, so long as she had other things to direct her attention towards.

Other things like climbing a mountain and surveying a new land.

At Bane’s question, she gave the girl another look. Her offer was interesting, and Fishbone found herself feeling grateful. She nodded her head.

“Yes,” she replied. “Show me, please.” The word was added almost like an afterthought, but uncharacteristic effort had been made nonetheless. In exchange, she offered an honest enough answer to Bane’s question.

“I left my herd in a hurry, and I won’t be returning. So I am looking for somewhere to go next, I suppose.”

Although the words were somewhat vulnerable, she delivered them plainly. She might be homeless, but she was not looking for pity.

FISHBONE
FISHBONE