Lark awoke in an unfamiliar place. The air smelled of smoke, fur, and something that made her stomach churn. Nothing like her home which always smelled like the fresh bread her mother baked.
She looked around. A stone wall stretched up to meet a cave ceiling. The ground was covered with hay, animal skins, and piles of bones. A large fire was roaring in the center of the cave and she could hear the sizzling of meat cooking.
Lark's stomach growled. It felt as though she had been sleeping for days. When she tried to sit up, pain shot through her ribs and from her leg. Lark fell back onto the fur mattress and gasped for air. She felt her side and winced. A sticky bandage covered a wound on her side and her leg was in a splint.
Heavy footsteps came down the passageway. Lark's eyes widened as she saw the towering figure that entered the main chamber. Broad shoulders and thick limbs made the creature seem as if it could crush a mountain. Its mottled skin was covered in scars and coarse, tangled hair hung across a prominent brow. Wicked eyes glowed red in the firelight, and large, clawed hands reached for the meat on the spit.
Lark trembled with fear. She was in a Thrumgore cave. She was wounded and alone in a Thrumgore cave.
How did she get here? Lark tried to remember what had happened. She had been checking the rabbit trap behind her family's house when she heard screams. She had run to the sound, only to find her home being attacked by bandits. They spotted her and she ran away. While she ran, one of them shot her with an arrow causing her to fall and hurt her leg. She must have hit her head as well because she could not remember anything after that.
The creature turned away from the fire and approached her. Lark attempted to crawl away but the pain in her leg forced her to stop. A heavy odor of dirt, sweat, and vegetation filled her nose as the Thrumgore came to a stop in front of her. It stared down at her with its red eyes, and Lark saw its lower jaw move as it watched her. Large yellow tusks curved out from its mouth, framing a set of sharp, broken teeth.
She kept her eyes on the Thrumgore, trying to read his body language. The fire backlit the creature, making it difficult to see his face. He stared at her for a moment and then moved to a crate nearby and produced a small vile. Small by his size, but when he held it out to her, Lark saw that it was the size of a wine bottle.
Glancing at the bottle, Lark could see the liquid inside. It was a dark red color and hung on the sides of the green glass like syrup.
"Medicine," growled the Thrumgore. His voice was gravelly like stones being ground together.
When she hesitated, he thrust the bottle into her hands. She looked up at him and he pointed to the bottle, then to her leg. Not seeing any choice, Lark uncorked the bottle and sniffed the contents. The smell of the liquid burned her nostrils and her eyes watered.
"Drink it. You will heal faster," he said.
She didn't want to drink it, but her wounds burned and she felt weak. As she took a sip, the bitter liquid burned her throat and she gagged as it hit her empty stomach. The taste was vile and it coated her mouth with a thick film. Lark swallowed again and again, hoping to clear her throat.
"More," the Thrumgore ordered. He came closer, surrounding her with his heavy odor that mixed with the sour taste of the liquid in her mouth.
As she drank, the Thrumgore pulled the furs away and looked at her wounds. For the first time since she woke up, Lark became aware that she was naked. A pang of embarrassment swept over her, only to be dulled by a sudden wave of fog in her head.
The Thrumgore peeled away the bandage and examined her side. Large fingers probed her wound and she winced as he turned her side to the light. Pain faded to a dull throb as the medicine began to work. Lark fell back as he slathered an odd ointment over the wound before bandaging it again. Then he turned to inspect her leg. There was no excessive care on his part as he tended to her wounds. He was clumsy and rough, but she thought he was attempting to be gentle.
"How old are you?" he asked.
It took her a moment to gather her thoughts. Was this medicine what he'd been giving her to keep her asleep? "Uh... T- twenty," she mumbled.
He grunted and sat back on his haunches. "Good age for a bride."
"Bride?" she asked, her words coming out slurred.
He left her for a moment to collect something from the fire. When he returned he was holding a small bowl filled with a steaming liquid. It smelled like broth, and the scent made her stomach growl.