Tales Of Skatara: Danger, Love-potions, and Tigerstripes Part 6

Chapter 6: A little tied up

Fatimah watched the Slobbering Griffin burn with an expression that radiated utter calm and a total lack of anger, or worry. The statusqe green amazon stood in the street, her cloak drapped around her, the jaunty brimmed hat she favored resting on her mane of jet black hair, and pondered to herself how this situation could have exploded so quickly. It was just a potion, and yet a group of mercenaries lay dead in an alley, a bar was on fire, a group of possible assassins happened to still be on the loose in the city, and that bitch Ga'Ja was missing in action. Fatimah loved mistress Le Chance but her faith(however small) in that Kamrai was misplaced, and Fatimah just knew she'd have to clean up her mess..if only she knew where to find the stray cat.

When Ga'Ja woke up her first thought was that even for the hells this place was a dump. Parchments, trinkets, maps, jars, and various other brick-a-brack lay scattered and Ga'Ja had to wonder if the underworld was all this pathatic. Then slowly she began to fully come to her senses, and realize that oddly(and against all logic) that she was alive and in somebody else's room...along with the green potion that was sitting right at a table at the end of the bed. Ga'Ja had to give a small prayer of thanks and attempted to sit up, only to find that her hands seemed to be rooted to a spot over her head. Her cat-like eyes went wide and she realized that somebody had taken a pair of handcuffs and pulled them between the bars of the bedpost over her head before locking them around Ga'Ja's wrists. She pulled, and flexed, and bucked and arched her back, but no matter what she couldn't get the handcuffs off and to her ever growing horror found that her feet had been spread as well, and locked to the bedposts at the foot of the bed. Ga'Ja roared as she struggled seeing the prize she'd been after so close. Whoever did this was going to die.

Shakti opened the door and walked into the room carrying a large bag. "Oh thank the gods your alive!" Shakti exclaimed as she walked into the room happily "I was worried that the healing potions I had here wouldn't be good enough to stop the poisons but it looks like they worked!" She continued merrily. "I'm chained to a bed though." Ga'Ja said looking at the girl blankly, and wondering about the hand of fate that put her at the mercy of the drunken witch. "Well you did threaten me, and after what you did to those bouncers and thugs I didn't want to take a chance that you'd hurt me." Shakti said still smiling that infectious smile, and all Ga'Ja wanted to do was punch her. "Look..ummm..what's your name?" Ga'Ja tried to ask politely and Shakti put her hand on her hat. "Shakti Utana! Witch-in-training and professional palm reader,and professional serving wench." The woman said politely and Ga'Ja gave her a fake smile "Well Shakti, my name is Ga'Ja and can you do me a favor now that we know each other?" The were-cat asked softly.
"Sure." Shakti replied walking over closer to the bed. "LETMEGO!!!" Ga'Ja shrieked as she started thrashing around on the bed and Shakti almost tumbled over in a panic. "Hey! Would you calm down for Gods sake? I'll let you out so long as you promise not to kill me." Shakti said and Ga'Ja growled "If YOU DON'T LET ME GO I'LL KILL YOU!" the were-cat growled as her green eyes became small slits. Shakti weighed her options, studied the screaming cat-woman, and did what she thought was best.

A few minutes later Ga'Ja was still letting out muffled swears from the cloth rapped around her mouth, and Shakti was bandaging her left hand from the bite she suffered. "I'm not letting you out until you calm down!" She shouted as she turned her back to the captive kamrai and walked over to the table with the potion. Ga'Ja's eyes followed her and a series of "Mmghfmfhms!!" Escaped from under the gag as she watched the witch fiddle with the potion. Shakti stared blankly at the Kamrai as she held the potion. "What? Why the hell do you want this thing so bad? It's just a little green vial!" Shakti yelled as she held the glowing substance in her hand before freezing completely. Ga'Ja brought her head up and looked at the woman "Mmgfhrm?" She asked blinking as Shakti sat down on the table and studied the bottle.

"Ummm..Ga'Ja? I'm not certain but I think this is a love potion." Shakti said taking her hat off.

"Mmht.." Ga'Ja replied which translated from gag-talk meant "shit."