“Ey! Quiet down there, cat!” J’hasi hissed, ears flicked back when the guardsman threw a chicken bone at him for chewing on his bonds again. The Khajiit didn’t understand what was said, but cussed a long stream of Dunmeris and Jel back, to the annoyance of the Imperial. The other guard on duty sighed.
“Leave it. Damned thing can’t understand you anyway, wasted effort.”
“Drives me right up the wall with those chains goin’.”
“Get used to it. C’mon, another game of Nine-holes and you’ll forget all about it.”
“If the Captain catches us…”
“Keep your mouth shut and she won’t.” The guard huffed and went back to the table the two of them were at, picking at their evening rations and gambling. J’hasi glared at where he’d last seen the guard for a few moments more before looking at the bone on the floor of his cell. Sadly, there wasn’t meat left on it, only a little sinew that might make a small dent in his hunger, but…
He frowned, then reached out with his foot, scooting closer and closer to it until he had it in his grasp. He pulled it towards himself, then dropped it on top of his knee and leaned forward to take it into his mouth.
A sharp bite and the Khajiit cracked it open, finding the marrow inside dried up and hard, but he had some shards of bone to work with now. Instead of chewing away at the leather cuffs they’d had to put on him to get the shackles to fit, he had a makeshift lockpick now. Hopefully. The Dunmer he’d been neighbors to was long gone and likely would’ve scolded him for using something as inelegant as a chicken bone, but…if it worked, then he could be the one laughing.
J’hasi maneuvered the shard between his teeth, then arched his back to get onto his feet, pushing himself up to inch the shard closer to his fingers. He huffed when he finally got the shard between his clawtips, taking a short rest so his trembling legs would be still again. He was going to steal a whole loaf of bread when he got out, he was so hungry…
…
The Khajiit hissed at the bruises on his hips from where he’d gotten stuck trying to slip out between the bars of the window, but at least he was free now, albeit sore. He just had to…
…he’d forgotten that the prison place was surrounded by water, except the bridge. Xuth.
vvardenfellcat 