Chapter 3: Reborn as a... not human
The steady rumble of wagon wheels slowly flushed the murk from my mind, and I struggled to my knees, clutching my head. The residual confusion of the teleportation, if that had been what it was, finally faded, and I opened my eyes. My head felt unusually heavy, and it was dark, but my eyes pierced the shadows with ease.
Steel bars the width of my finger were spaced evenly around me, set within rough planks forming a floor and ceiling. The cage was hardly spacious, my fingers brushing the bars before I had half extended my arms, and the ceiling barely high enough to accompany a low crouch. A ragged canvas tarp secured the cage, concealing whatever lay beyond the wood and steel.
I remained motionless for some time, internally reeling with shock. Of the many circumstances I had imagined, this was far from it, the unexpected bondage sending a thrill of fear through me. My heart raced, each heartbeat ringing in my ears like the call of a trumpet.
Breathe, just breathe. I froze as something constricted about my throat, drawing tight as I leaned back to take a breath. With a gasp, I reached up and pulled at the rigid leather collar bound about my neck, finding a thin chain tethering me to one of the bars.
I clawed at the collar, eyes wide with horror. The rugged leather scraped painfully against the sore, worn flesh of my neck as I tugged, and I began to grow lightheaded, my breath coming in short, erratic gasps.
I squeezed my eyes shut and forced myself to take long, shaky breaths. "Calm down, just breathe," I whispered. The youthfulness of my voice caught me by surprise, sounding soft and gentle, but broken with fear.
A sudden jolt in the wagon threw me against the nearby bars, and I gasped as the cold steel pressed into my flesh, grinding sharply against my bones. When the wagon righted itself again, I was tossed to the ground with a small cry.
As I picked myself up, I gingerly felt at my side, wincing as I felt the hard ridge of my ribs. My skin was stretched tight over the bones, with hardly any muscle or fat between them. From the terrible gnawing pain in my stomach, it was clear this form hadn't eaten in far too long.
The chilly impact took the edge off my panic, and I managed to regain my reason. An increased curiosity followed, and I began investigating my body. The faster I figured out who I was, the better.