Thrill of the Hunt *Obi x OC* (COMPLETE)

Broken Ribs Poke Lungs

Chapter 23: Broken Ribs Poke Lungs

 I glare at Obi from my perch on the bed as he settles on the floor against the door. I've been trapped with him for a week now, wherever we are. He confiscated the hair pin from me after my first escape attempt and I've been locked in here ever since. I found a fully functioning bathroom through the door at the far side of the room so I could care for myself properly. After thoroughly inspecting the clothing in the bag I brought with me, he decided to allow me to have them so I'm not stuck in the same outfit forever. He's been feeding me as well but hasn't allowed me alcohol and it's making me cranky. I'm restless from being trapped in here as well.

"Shouldn't you be curled up in your master's lap right now?" I mutter.

"I'm on a job right now."

"And what job is that? Holding a young woman against her will in some creepy sex dungeon?"

"Tracking down and eliminating a certain Rabbit."

"Well, I can help with that one. Here she is in all her glory. Strike her down and make it count." I chuckle harshly.

"I told you it's no fun if you won't fight back."

"So why abduct me and keep me here? It's seriously annoying." I huff and he laughs.

"That's why. I can't lose track of you this way, your members won't be in my way, you can't get yourself killed in the meantime, and at some point you'll be mad enough at me to fight back and then the game can really begin."

"It already began when you found me in the bar the first time. You're stopping the game now and it's stupid. Just kill me if you're going to do it. I'll punch you in the face if that helps."

He gets to his feet and stretches. "I'm hungry, how about you?"

I shake my head and he tells me he'll be back with food anyway. I've given up on trying to race him to the door or getting there before he locks it back. It never works.

Obi returns with two bowls, each with pieces of fruit inside. I really like fruit... He holds a bowl out to me but I decline it. A second later, he tells me that if I ate some of the fruit, he'd let me have a bottle. I narrow my eyes at him but he seems to be telling the truth. If he's lying, I will disembowel him with this wooden bowl. I hesitantly take it and dig out a grape. As I eat it, I can feel him staring at me and I sigh.

"You poisoned or drugged the fruit, didn't you?"

"No reason to, Bunny. You're so mistrusting."

"Says the man who harassed me for weeks over my locket that I said was mine that you wouldn't return." I shoot back.

"You got me there. So, why a rabbit? You could have been any animal you wanted, right?"

"Usually you can pick within certain parameters, like if the mask wasn't taken or the animal outlawed, but it was demanded that I become Rabbit when I joined. Pretty sure Hare had a motive for the decision but I never found out before he died."

"If you had a daughter, why did you join The Pack knowing they were criminals?"

"That happened after the fact." I hiss. "Don't talk about Nemi."

"Note taken."

"Why did you become a castle lackey? You were most definitely not brought up in any high status but aren't quite a common villager, leaving you to be a criminal. I'd say pirate but your movements are too fluid in the trees and you're not too comfortable with a sword."

"Curiosity." He shrugs. "Why did you give up piracy for The Pack?"

I arch a brow in his direction and he grins before telling me he heard me singing during my execution and when he took me from the bar, after I tried and failed to call myself a majestic bird, I started to sing My Jolly Sailor Bold until I fell asleep.

"I didn't. I left for her." I sigh and avoid his gaze as I run a hand through my hair. "Here, I ate two grapes and a blueberry. Can I get drunk now?"

Obi brings me a bottle as promised, but only one and he has his own. I eye the fruit beside me and try to barter more eating in exchange for alcohol. I hadn't been eating even with him bringing food so maybe he'll go for this. I'm such an alcoholic... but I have no other way to cope.

"If you eat the whole bowl, you can have three."

"Seven."

"Four."

"Seven."

"Six."

"Deal." I grin and hold my hand out for him to shake. "You're a bad negotiator, Love."

I find myself sitting across from Obi on the bed with a bunch of grapes settled in my empty bowl. I pick one off and throw it at him and he catches it in his mouth, making me giggle. He does the same to me but it hits me in the center of my forehead causing another round of laughter between us.

"What kind of name is Obi? That's a horrible alias, Love."

"It's better than Bunny."

"Rabbit." I correct before sticking out my tongue.

"Dumb bunny. So who were you before the bunny ears?" He asks as he lays back to stare up at the ceiling.

"I was Momma and before that I was Captain."

"What was it like, having a kid?"

"The conception, the pregnancy, the birth, the actual mothering, or her death?" I ask before settling beside him.

"The actual mothering."

"It was the best thing to ever happen to me. I had a purpose, someone to live for... I didn't mind not sleeping or the late night feedings or her crying. It was unconditional love as soon as I laid eyes on her. As she grew, I got to teach her just as much as she taught me." I feel myself smile as I remember holding my fingers tightly as I helped her learn to walk.

"That sounds wonderful."

"If you win the hunt you'll get to experience it someday I'm sure."