The Mouse that Roared - 1. Outside unchained, for the first time.

Vash rolled over on his hard bed as he woke from his dream. He had been dreaming about the same men again, one tall and dark and one a bit shorter but muscular. They had been invading his dreams for weeks now, but he didn’t know who they were. Something was familiar about them but he knew he had never met them before.

He looked round at his surroundings, they had not changed in over twenty years. This had been his room since he was five years old. It was a small room with bare walls and floor. He had a bed in one corner and in another was a toilet and wash basin. The only other furniture was a bookcase that contained his books, he read to keep up with his studies and to just pass the time. The law said he must finish and pass his high school exams, he had been home-tutored and an examiner had come to test him regularly to ensure the law was being followed. Vash had passed with flying colors and the examiner had told him he would go on to do great things.

Of course the examiner had not seen this room or the rags Vash usually wore. No, when visitors had to meet Vash he was washed and dress appropriately and trotted out to be put on show. Couldn’t have even a rumor that he was being mistreated reach the ears of the high council. He could not be seen in the torn and stained lounge pants and no top, except by his alpha and guards. The visitors always complimented his alpha on his good nature. Taking in an orphan and making sure he was taught and looked after. If only they could see the truth.

His alpha had a reputation to protect and one thing the shifter packs were good at was protecting their alpha. They wouldn’t let a freak like him put their pack alpha in danger so he was kept and taught as the law demanded. He was clothed and fed just enough to not attract attention when he had to meet people. When he had passed all his exams the Alpha had decided he was too dangerous to be let go so he had been contained ‘for his own protection and the protection of the whole pack’.

Vash sat up and the chains that connected his arms and legs to the collar he wore clanked as he moved. He stood and shuffled to the toilet to relieve himself and as he finished he heard the sound of footsteps on the steps that lead to his prison. He hurried back to the bed and cowered in the corner as far from the door as he could get.

The door opened to admit a guard holding a leash, it was obviously time to greet more guests. He didn’t recognize the guard but then he wasn’t told about changes within the pack.

He had not been washed, or dressed up, so it couldn’t be anyone outside the pack he was being given to. He wondered who it was this time, who had pleased the alpha enough to be given a chance with the freak of the pack? Was it Barry? Or maybe it was Gerl? Vash shuddered, he hoped it wasn’t Hrom, he was still recovering from his last visit to that man.

“Come here!” the guard ordered, and when Vash was within reach he clipped the leash to the collar and led him out the door.

“Listen to me carefully and don’t say anything only nod,” the guard growled in Vash’s ear, Vash nodded quickly. “When we get the top of the stairs we are going to head outside. Someone is going to meet us and unlock your chains. You are to do everything we tell you to do. Do you understand?” Again Vash nodded. What else was he supposed to do? He always did as he was told and even then it sometimes wasn’t enough.

They headed up the stairs and out the front door. Vash noticed that there were no guards at the door and wondered briefly over this but before he could try and form an answer the man holding his leash let out a quiet whistle.

A large shadow appeared out of the forest surrounding the alpha’s house. Vash panicked and tried to run but fell in his haste. Suddenly he found himself looking at a pair of feet twice the size of his own.

“Whoa there, little one.” A voice said, and he found himself being hauled to his feet. “I’m Thane and I’m going to help you. Please calm down, we haven’t got much time to get out of here.” Vash looked up at the man, and up and up. The man was massive. He had to be over six foot tall and had huge shoulders and arms that bulged with muscles. He had no hair and his head seemed to glow in the moonlight. His black clothes made him blend almost seamlessly into the darkness of the night.

“He said stop now!” Vash immediately stopped moving and froze at the sound of the commanding tone coming from the guard that had brought him up. He had been taught to always obey orders or he would be punished. He could not stop the tears from flowing as he waited to see what the man would do, but all big man, Thane, did was to mutter a few words and the locks on the chains clicked and fell open. He set Vash on his feet.

“I can’t unlock the collar as it seems to be magically locked and I don’t have that sort of magic, so it will have to stay till we get where we’re going. Now, can I trust you to stay with me?” Thane seemed to come to his own conclusion because he kept a tight hold of the leash that was still on the collar, as he moved forward tugging Vash with him. “Keep up, Harry,” he called over his shoulder to the guard.

Magic? Was this man a witch? Who was the guard? Thane had called him Harry. Vash stumbled along behind the men as he tried to consider all these questions.

They headed into the forest and Thane picked up his pace, but then Vash’s foot caught on a root and he fell again. He heard Thane curse but he could not find the strength to stand back up. The walk up the stairs had been the most exercise he had had in the last few months and he had already had to suffer one of his alpha’s punishments the night before for some imagined infraction, which had just been an excuse for the older shifter to take out his anger on Vash. The alpha had used a whip on his back and legs then used Vash’s chest as an ashtray before stubbing out his cigarette on his nipples. He had left him bleeding on his bed. Most of the burns and shallower whip cuts had healed but the deeper ones still sent pain shooting through him as he tried to rise. He wonder what Thane would do to punish him if he couldn’t keep up and move like he had been asked to do.

Suddenly he found himself being picked up and Thane started running with him cradled in his arms. What was going on? Where were these men taking him? Why was he being taken out of the pack house?

Finally his mind had enough and the last thing he remembered thinking was, I’m glad I got to be outside unchained at least once, before he passed out.