Delvin woke up cold and shivering on the thin layer of straw. Two bare feet were the only parts of his body that were not chilled from the damp cell, tucked as they were up against the coarse and oily fur of the beast that slept there. A Wild Kith, something he had only heard of in stories yet now shared a cell with, was slouched against the wall and breathing evenly. The young man wasn't sure if his cellmate was awake or not, but he was afraid to move his limbs, unwilling to lose the minimal, albeit welcome, warmth.

Sleep had come faster than expected despite the cold, a result of the exhaustion from the last few days events. His body was sore from being restrained, his feet hurt from the constant movement from one location to another, and the dark void he was in served it's purpose – it was difficult to imagine a way that the situation could improve. Nothing had changed within the interior of the cell when he awoke: it was still cold, damp, and miserable, but Delvin had survived the night, or some vague passage of time, and he was moderately certain he wouldn't become food for his cellmate. Not yet, at least.

The Karhun stirred, letting out a low rumble, and Delvin turned to look at the shadowy mass next to him in the corner. Lips broke in a yawn that progressed slowly, maw opening wider and wider with teeth prominently on display. Jebediah turned to the young man and looked him over once as if to see if he was still alive. Once confirmed, he stretched silently, the rattle of the metal-on-metal gently clanking in the silent room. His head fell back against the wall.

“Did you sleep?”, it rumbled.

Despite the Jebediah's previously voiced opinion on silence, there was something there, perhaps a notion of relief at being around another living being. Delvin turned his body to face the beast, sat up, and crossed his legs. Fingers rubbed absentmindedly at the tender skin around his ankles, grateful that the shackles there had been removed. He almost leaned against the wall but thought better of it; warmth was precious and he didn't need any more of his own leeching into the surrounding walls.

“I think so. Thank you for letting me use your....” What would be the appropriate word? “...bed.”

The beast nodded in affirmation but offered no other response. With a grunt he stood, stiff and slow to rise, then shuffled to the opposite corner until his chains were stretched to their full length. Delvin was about to speak up and question the beasts motives until he heard a rush of fluid disappearing down into a culvert set into the stone. Realization slowly crept up on him.

Del grimaced. “You could have told me to move away from that corner last night.”

The Karhun grunted. “I did.”

“Not fast enough!” He shot back. “I could have stepped into your latrine!”

“I did not put you there in the first place. You should have used your nose.”

Delvin practically growled in frustration as Jebediah turned and made his way back to the straw. The beast ignored it, shooing the young man over to make space. Delvin obliged and moved over as far as he dared, stubbornly keeping his body on the slightly soiled bedding material without touching the stone. With the area cleared, the Karhun sat down heavily, leaving very little space between the two, and closed his eyes.

Despite the young man's annoyance, the warmth was welcome and the Kith made no further move to create more space. It did seem as though Jebediah was at least somewhat affected by the cold, even if his body didn't shiver or react with gooseflesh like a human. The two forms barely fit on the straw as it was, so neither drew extra attention to it. Del was even tempted to move closer to steal the warmth of fur, but he couldn't bring himself to act on it. The mind is an interesting playground: even though he had, just yesterday, been introduced to a creature he was certain was a direct result of exaggerated stories and tall tales, the cold, the darkness, and the thought of never seeing daylight again took precedence. The chained and emaciated beast , no matter how unique, was secondary to all the other concerns.

Their proximity brought a new sense to light as well, and Del realized there was quite a pungent odor coming from his cellmate, something only seclusion in an underground room might nurture. It was acrid: the result of a body that was not cared for and, Del tried to place it... infection? He still could not see well enough to get a good look at the beast, but a gnawing concern began to grow in his stomach. Concern for a creature he hardly knew or trusted, no less. He sat still, lifting his chin but not turning toward the beast so as not to draw more attention. He focused on the smell, searching for it again, blocking out his discomfort, and suddenly his nostrils burned. It was the scent of scabrous skin, purulent blisters, and long-standing wounds. The smell was mixed with the sting of metal and he realized it was the stain of festering wounds along the Kith's neck, hiding under the metal stock.

Jebediah's head suddenly turned in the young man's direction and he snorted in agitation. Delvin's senses dulled quickly as he lost focus, dissipating the rising urge to vomit.

“Your neck...”

The Karhun snorted again. “Is fine. Nothing to be done.”

The two sat in shadows for what felt like an eternity to Del. He could only stay still for so long before his body was want to fidget and move, receiving only a grunt of dissatisfaction from the cellmate who sat still as the stone surrounding him. While Jebediah may have been interred here for some time, the young man had not and he simply couldn't bring himself to do nothing. There were too many hours in the day to sit in silence.

And yet the silence remained. Delvin did his best, he truly did, but after hours of nothingness, his own shivering body betrayed the need to stand and relieve himself. After shuffling over to the corner and doing his best to spot the open space of the latrine in the pitch black, he returned to his seat, settling in maybe a little closer than before. His feet were immediately relieved to be back on straw, and while Jebediah leaned back against the wall, the young man let himself lean sideways into his cell mate.

There was a grumbling sigh. “I do not wish to be a bed, cub.”

Del spoke quickly, but quietly, his irritation diluted by weariness. “Tough shit, Karhun. If I lean against the wall I'm going to turn into an icicle. You're the alternative.” Jebediah turned his head and eyed the young man while Delvin spoke into the darkness. “What do you do in here anyway? You can't possibly sleep the whole day.”

The response was not immediate, but after a moment of pause the beast's austere voice cut the silence.

“When I was first put here, I did little else, expecting release. I was not led to believe this would be permanent, in fact, I walked in of my own accord. When release did not come, I spent my time toning my body and my mind with meditation and exercise...” He lifted the stocks on his wrists and pulled gingerly at the tight metal collar, “...limited as it may have been.” Absentmindedly, Jebediah licked his lips and there was a sadness in his voice.

“My time here has been extensive. I realized quickly that I could not retain my strength with the meager meals I am provided. This was likely intentional, so I have done what is in my power to steel my resolve and save my strength. I was escorted by a large grouping of armed guard originally, now they send two, three at most, to deliver meals. My body grew weak from disuse, and so I meditate, mostly. I may die in this place, but I will not allow my mind to be trapped like my body.”

Del let out a low breath. Was that his own fate? To wither away the same manner as the Wild Kith beside him?

“Have you tried to escape?”

It seemed like a stupid question. The door to the cell was massive and if the Karhun was telling the truth, he was never given the opportunity. The foreigner's form was intimidating as it was, even if it was currently emaciated and patchy, and Del couldn't quite imagine what it would have looked like in his prime. The young man's mind conjured up the sight of an armored mass of fur and muscle, with teeth that could shred flesh and limbs that could crush bone... just like in the stories he'd heard.

“The guards were careful when I was first... imprisoned. The door is reinforced.. with what I do not know, but I was unable to breach it with brute strength, and they are confident enough in it's stability that they no longer keep a guard posted within the corridor from what I can tell. They allowed my body to waste before the guard was lowered. If I could get out of this cell, I might be able to reach the outer alleyway access, but I would not make it past a full team of armored men.” A fiery anger burned in his eyes, but Delvin could not see it, identifying the emotion from the rage behind his words instead. “I would take many of them with me, though. If I were to succeed, I would need to find a way out of the city, but I do not know where we are in relation to the outer walls.”

The young man paused for a moment.

“Wait, so you know how to get out of this building?”

Jebediah nodded. “I was led in from an alleyway to avoid attention, as we Kith are not welcome in the city and my presence in particular was... clandestine. My body may have weakened, but my memory is still intact.”

Del pursed his lips in thought. If they could get outside, he knew how to reach the outer walls, and his cell-mate had an internal map to the exit of this prison, The only thing standing between them and the open city were the guards assigned to their watch and anyone stationed within the building. He thought back to the previous day. The guards that he'd been transferred to prior to arrival in this place were not equipped with much, likely due to the fact that he had bindings on each limb, and the only weapon he could recall was the knife used to strip him of his clothing. Whether this was standard or an exception he had no way of knowing, but it was promising at least.

“Jebediah, when do they bring meals?”

The furred form turned it's head to look at the young man in the darkness. “Once daily, I believe, if they feel so inclined. I'm not so sure of the passage of hours anymore.” He sighed. “It seems your arrival was deemed more important than a meal, however.”

The thought of the guards withholding food made his stomach churn with a reminder of the hunger he was already feeling.

“So they come once daily. How many are there? Is there a scheduled change of the guard? Is there... anyone else here? We passed only a handful of doors on my way down and I couldn't tell if they were occupied.”

There was a glint in the Karhun's eyes again, as if powered by an eerie internal source of light, but this time Delvin caught it briefly. It was predatory and probably should have scared him, incited a flight or fight response, or at least made him take pause. For some unknown reason, it encouraged him.

“Slow down, cub.”

“Not a cub, nor a child, Karhun”

“Debatable. Your body betrays your youth for a human, likely more-so compared to Kith. To answer your question, there are normally two, sometimes three. I cannot speak to any changes in the guard, I do not see their faces or leave these walls. And I believe this to be a special block beneath some building that serves another purpose, not necessarily an official prison. If there are others down this corridor, they are either silent or deceased.” He paused for a moment. “I have never smelled dead bodies at least.”

“Not yet.” Delvin murmured.

He felt a blast of air across his temple as the Wild Kith chuffed in exasperation.

“Do you have a means to escape, human?”

Del thought about it for a minute. “Well, you said they never gave you the opportunity because the door was never opened. If we can get the door open and out into the corridor, we can try. The guards said I would be down here for good, and you...” He motioned to the thin furry body. “You are already living that sentence. What difference does it make if I'm left to rot, hung from the gallows, or run through with a sword?”

“The difference is the pain you suffer while dying.”

“That's not helpful.” Delvin said mimicking the same exasperated sigh. “If we can get into the corridor... you know how to get to an exit, hopefully by avoiding the main entrance. If we can get outside, I can get us to the outer walls and get you out of the city.”

Jebediah lifted large paws from his lap to display the metal and shook his neck, eliciting a rattle of chains. His next words were acidic and sharp. “You forget the leashes they have affixed.”

Del stood and moved over to the scant light coming through the door, fortunate that he was not chained to the wall of the cell. He lifted his arms to the light and examined the metal bindings as much as he could. The lock itself was not the simplest, but not overly intricate either, at least on the exterior. He turned to Jebediah.

“Come over here.”

There was a snort in reply.

Del frowned. “Please?”

With a grunt, the Karhun stood, pulling his leash of chains with him as he shuffled over to the light. Del had to look up to see the metal around his neck, and he remarked again at their differences even with the withering body of the beast before him. In the light, he could see clearly the scars where the weight of the material, chains heavy enough that the Wild Kith could not break them with pure strength, had rubbed raw and blistered the discolored flesh underneath. There was an uneven area with no fur, ripped out or worn away with time. He moved his attention away from the diseased skin, even as it made the anger in him rise. The lock was similar to the one he had already examined.

“You said you had attempted to break down the door, right?”

Jebediah nodded with an impatient expression.

“Did the wood splinter or fracture at all?”

There was a quiet hum while the Karhun thought about it. “Very little. But there may be some pieces on the ground or splintered within the door itself.”

Del moved toward the door and knelt down, running his fingers over the slimy stone floor. Nothing. Next, he examined the interior aspect of the door, even though his eyes couldn't see well enough to make out any imperfections. He slid his hands over the wood, searching blindly. There.

The door was still intact, but centered underneath the open barred window was an area that was rough and barely splintered. He attempted to grip the wood with his fingers and pry loose the material. Nothing.

“Jebediah, would you try? I need two small pieces. About this big.” He held up two fingers for measurement then realized that his hands were held up in darkness. He raised them to the light, but a large paw suddenly settled over his own own, dwarfing it.

“I see well enough”, was all he replied.

The Karhun moved closer to the door and placed a paw along the defect, raking in with claws and pulling. A barely perceptible crunch could be heard, then a second. He turned around and offered several small splintered pieces of wood.

“What is your plan?”

Del held up the splinters to the light. He discarded any that were too short or two flimsy for what he needed. They weren't perfect but it would have to work.

“Kneel down for me.”

Jebediah offered a quizzical look, but obliged, stiffly kneeling on the cold stone. He was still almost the same height as the young man.

“If I kneel, you cannot use the light,” he said.

“The light won't help. I need to be able to feel it, but it will be difficult with my hands bound. Hold still.”

With the beast kneeling before him, Del reached forward, resting his own stocks on the patchy fur-covered shoulders to reach the lock holding the metal stocks together. His patchy exposed skin was cracked and the slight amount of pressure placed while Del searched for the lock released discharge from one of the wounds. From this angle, the smell was readily apparent even without attempting to focus on it.

“These wounds on your neck are infected, Jebediah.” He took a deep breath. “I'm sorry if this hurts, but I may need to push on it if this is gonna work.”

Jebediah nodded. “I will stay still.”

Delvin muttered under his breath. “Still no guarantee this is gonna work though.”

Bear-like ears swiveled in his direction but the young man ignored them, inserting the first piece and testing for resistance and fit. His brow furrowed in focus. Screwing this up or breaking the makeshift lock-pick inside the contraption and it was over, he wouldn't be able to retrieve it. If the pins were too strong for the wood, it wouldn't even matter, and the attempt was hampered even more by his own shackles and the fact that his wrists were oddly spaced. It wouldn't make it impossible but it wasn't ideal...

A slight change in resistance. Del held the material in his hand gently and shifted grip, placing the second piece in for torque. Jebediah did exactly as he claimed and was perfectly still, barely even breathing while the young man worked. Change in resistance, shift in torque, continue. Del kept his eyes focused until he felt one of the pieces weakening and he stopped immediately. If the wood broke, it was over and Jebediah would have the heavy metal around his neck until he wasted to nothing.

He had to be close, the locks weren't the worst thing he'd ever dealt with but his utensils were certainly subpar. He had to try.

“Please gods, please.”

He pushed, forcing pressure into the keyhole and the wood snapped.

His eyes widened and the young man was ready to loose a slew of expletives but at the same time, there was a click and the stocks around the Karhun's neck loosened just barely. Del's disposition changed immediately. He jumped and wooped, almost slipping as he landed back on the slick stone. He reached up and grasped at the metal, pulling it open as much as his bound hands would allow.

Jebediah reached up to his own neck with shackled paws, touching it gingerly and pulling the metal band open the rest of the way before dropping it to the ground with disgust. He turned to Delvin who's attention had shifted focus. Del had knelt down, hovering over the lock before removing the wood pieces. Only a small sliver slid out and he examined it.

“Even if we can get more wood, I can't open my own shackles.”

Jebediah had traded places with the young man, now standing while the other knelt. He was even taller now that he could stand to a greater height. The change in posture lent an air of intimidation that was not present before. Del felt paws under his arms and was lifted to his feet, facing the Kith.

“You have given me a gift. I will not forget it.”

Del looked to his own hands again, worried about the prospect of getting out without being able to use them fully.

“You have done more in one day than I have in... many. Perhaps the spirits are watching over you, cub. Let's hope your resourcefulness does not end there.”

With that, he pulled the young man into a hug. Del was shocked at first, but it was lost once he felt the warmth provided by the fur he was held against. He couldn't pull away with his arms trapped in the stocks, so instead he waited for the beast to release him. It did not happen immediately, and he was thankful.

Eventually, Jebediah set him down and stepped back up to the door, working with claws and a renewed vigor to pull away splinters of wood. He returned with a handful for a second time and they both sat on the straw facing each other as the young man repeated his work on the bindings around the Karhun's wrists.

Jebediah sat silently while the young man worked. Del had to stop twice and carefully remove two pieces of wood that were threatening to break within the lock. The Karhun's patience never faltered, and Del could feel the breath on the back of his neck as the beast loomed over him. He felt no apprehension at this point, though. He didn't know why his cellmate was here in the first place, and his mind ranged from rumor to legend about the Wild Kith, but for now they were in the same situation. He would keep his wits about him, trust him as much as he needed to, and find a way to get back to his brothers if they could get out of here.

Jebediah broke the silence. “You are much quieter when you have something to keep you busy. You have only been here a day and yet you work as if you have the determination of months.”

Del kept his eyes focused on the flimsy wooden lockpick. “I don't want to screw this up. I won't last months down here. Probably already gonna get sick from this place. Do me a favor and don't eat me if I can get your hands free, I'm probably already diseased anyway.”

There was a sniff from above his frame. “As of now, you may be hungry, but you are healthy, although...” Jebediah paused for a moment looking at the young man below him. “...cold.”

Del paused, then frowned. He could barely see the cuffs he was working on, let alone his own body in the darkness.

“I don't have fur to cover my body like you, bear-thing, so joke all you want.” He spat. “I'm sure your own flesh will react to the cold much the same once all your fur falls out. Do you want me to get your hands free or not?”

There was a rumbling chuckle. It was something Del hadn't expected to hear from the beast, and was encouraging, cutting briefly through the misery of the hole they found themselves in.

On Del's third attempt, the lock clicked faintly and the chains fell to the floor, clanking softly on the straw between them. He let out a breath of relief and earned another, yet more cursory, embrace for his efforts. Gods, he was so cold.

When Jebediah released him, he looked down at the young man with a fiery intensity.

“Tonight, Del, we are leaving.”