The Arena (Complete)

Chapter 7

Mara was growling before he saw the danger. She was hunched over in her human form. There was noise coming down the hall.

A new beast was being dragged down. Tarik couldn't get a glimpse, they put the snarling beast next to his cage. Whatever it was it sounded big.

It slammed against his wall, causing dust to fall. He stood and tried to peak around the bars but he couldnt see.

He managed to see the swish of Nikolas' tail as he moved to the back of his cell. Even Mara had retreated. What did that mean?

What did they see?

He jumped and retreated back when fire flooded the hall. The men screamed and slammed his cage door. Tarik stood wide eyed and slack jawed the furthest from the wall he shared with the new beast.

Whatever it was he knew he didn't want to face it in the arena.

The last thing he wanted to be was ash.

Mara wouldn't come back out and Nikolas remained silent. This night was the lonliest Tarik had been since coming here.

A few days passed and the fire creature finally settled down enough that the cells were no longer an inferno. He wiped at his sweat, wishing they had windows. At least someone came and changed their hay when they were in the arena.

It was the little things.

"Hey." Tarik tapped on his wall. "You speak?"

"We do." The voice was a rumble and sounded like more than one.

"What are you?"

"We are Chimera."

Tarik frowned. He had heard of that creature. Three heads or something.

"Neat."

Mara moved to her bars at the sound of their voices. She had her eyes trained on the new beast, the Chimera. But she did something she had never done before. She reached her arm through the bars, towards Tarik.

He raised his eyebrows and slipped his own arm out. They had just enough reach that his large hand encompassed hers.

She startled but didn't pull away. Mara eyed her encompassed hand, marveling at it. And then she started to cry.

"Shh. Shh." He tried to soothe. Oh how he wished he could pull her in his arms. She sniffed and reached her other arm through the bar. He took that one as well.

Tarik held them both, rubbing his thumbs over the backs of her hands. She was so soft. Her crying lessened but a tear would fall occasionally. Tarik didnt want to think about the last time she had human contact that wasn't evil.

His arms were starting to ache but as long as she held out her hands he would hold them.

It became their nightly routine. They would lay facing each other and he would hold her hand. To fill the silence he would talk about his home.

The grand cities and pyramids. How at the start of every new season they would celebrate the passing of time. His favorite was summer. Such beautiful colors of yellow and red would line the streets. The people would dress as the sun and dance around.

Then there was the food. Oh, the food. The sweetest fruits and dishes with all sorts of beans and vegetables. Sticks of meat and meat wrapped in herb bread.

He could practically smell it.

"I would love to take you there."

Tarik knew he said the wrong thing when she pulled her hand away. She was sadly smiling. She was so far from the vicious creature he had first witnessed. This moment was the most human she had ever been.

"Mara." His voice was quiet, urgent, but she had turned away.