FOUNDLING: LOST AND FOUND

BY CHRISTOPHER TOILKIEN

[ part 31 ]

The Granada Pit

Next Morning the White Witch who had been training them woke the two.

"There is breakfast cooking on a small fire outside" Attend to your morning needs and put these on" She ordered, handing them their newly washed white blouses and black skirts. " I have a lot of things to do and your training complete for now. Your handlers will be along soon. Do not ruin things by attempting to escape. Their hunting pack is assembled and ready. Good Luck tomorrow" She added and walked off towards the main camp.

Foundling and Melissa staggered out of her tent, squatting to pee in a nearby bush.

Back in front of the tent, they found a thick gruel, hot coffee and in a large tin, some fresh breads. The gruel tasted not bad and with the bread they were filled. The black coffee in the ubiquose tin cups they drank to help them jump-start their day. After eating they retired to the tent, Foundling kneeling and placing Melissa knee to knee.

"We do not have time for another session" Foundling smiled, brushing Melissa's hand away from her tiny breast. "If you have to fight as an animal to win, I will see if I can increase your natural defenses"

She reached out and her fingers reached inside of Melissa's mouth, touching her incisors.

"Human bodies can provide weapons," Foundling thought. "Time being the only constraint"

"You need the weapons of a Vampire" Foundling thought, and felt Melissa's incisors lengthen in her fingers. Melissa's tong probed her teeth, smiling broadly at what her tong found.

"She rarely smiles a good thing, thought Foundling, smiling back. She really looks like a Vampire"

Taking Melissa's fingers in her hands. "We have had longer fingernails before and our bodies remember"

Melissa looked down as her fingernails lengthened, thickened and shaped them selves into real flesh tearers.

"Keep your hands in loose fists to hide your new weapons" Foundling warned Melissa as she easily shredded a piece of leather boot.

A few minutes later their handlers arrived, and quickly restrained them in the usual manor. Wrists bound behind the back, elbows drawn together, ankle hobbles and noose lead. The girls were led off, and up to the main camp. There, with the other two they were loaded into a banged up Volkswagen van.

Belted into the back seats of the van, with curtained windows, the girls were driven along the worn road, but they felt it turn onto a new road.

"What is Grenada like, Melissa inquired to pass the time.

"The Visigoths founded the city in the hills of this very fertile province just after the fall of the Roman Empire. Moors invading in 711. Gradually turned the original hilltop watchtower into the renowned Alhambra fortress palace. It became the center of a Moorish city and empire ruling over much of Spain. Luthien told her. "In 1492 it was surrendered to the Christians under Ferdinand and Isabella. The old city, complete with narrow winding streets and architectural wonders. The new in the plain below."

"Why are we allowing ourselves to be bound, trained and fight like dogs in a pit?" Melissa inquired further.

The four girls looked at each other, none wishing to be first.

Luthien replied " To restore my fathers honor and my bride price" Miranda said, " It is my only chance to be bought by my true love" Foundling answered " I fight as I am a slave and programmed to obey" Melissa, looking at her lover and anchor.

"I fight to drink the blood of my enemy"

Foundling looked at Melissa, who smiled. And was shocked to see her teeth appeared normal.

Then the van drove up to a huge old brick warehouse, beeped its horn and when the sliding door rose, drove in. The van parking among dozens of cargo vehicles and passenger cars. The doors opened and the girls handlers took charge of them, undoing hobbles and leading them single file between the parked vehicles. A guarded steel door and beyond the roar of a crowd confined to an interior space.

The rear of steel stands rose ceilingward. Foundling remembered visiting a pro football game with her original master, walking underneath the end field seats. A gong sounded and the crowd went into a frenzy of stomping feet and yells in a dozen languages.

"The crowd is really enjoying itself tonight," Luthien said.

"And we are part of the entertainment they are here for" Miranda replied.

The girls were lead along the base of that part of the stands and through another guarded door. This room was filled with what may have once been horse stalls. Mesh fencing had been added between them and a mesh fence added to the front. It was now lines of temporary holding cells.

As they were lead in, two fighters were led out to the fighting arena and one walking; one being carried on a stretcher was coming back. The girls were led to four adjacent cells; unbound, ordered to strip, and left to sit or stand on the straw covered floor.

A long louver near the ceiling let the sounds of the crowd into the holding pens. Foundling heard the announcer calling out the combatant's age, weight and record of fights, but no name. Girls walked out, walked or were carried back. New ones led in and bruised ones led out. A triage, area apparently occupied the far end of the warehouse room.

The roar of the crowd increasing and decreasing with every round, Foundling surmised either because of a good fight or popularity of the combatants.

Their handlers brought in bottled water, bread and cheese, and any body waste went into a covered bedpan.

In the center of the room, a whipping post had been set up for Girls who balked at being led out, were simply hung up by the wrists and flogged until they either submitted or the damage to great to make a fair fight possible.

There was no clock, but high above the old warehouse skylights, even painted over indicated it was night.

Then it was their turn. A little girl was hanging by her wrists from the post, her handler giving her a few perfunctory swats. But she would not submit.

They were led as a group out into the larger area, right, along under the stands and then down a long tunnel underneath them. The passage ended in a long narrow cage just like a little leaguer teams in baseball. Foundling thought. They were sat on the bench with their handlers standing behind.

In front, a circular area about a hundred feet in diameter was frost fenced off two stories high until it curved inward. Only the two gated entrances to the fighting area marred the perimeter.

All around, rising in tiers hundreds of people watched, yelled, placed bets, bought food and drink. It could have been any of the myriads of spectator sports.

But it was captive little nude girls fighting.

That gong sounded and Luthien's handler led her by the hand to the cage door, it opened and she walked in.

Both opponents physicals were read out, the gong sounded again and both girls charged.

Her opponent landed a right cross, she kicking her in the hip as they passed, as knights jousting without lances or chivalry.

The crowd roared approval.

The girl staggered, but as the crowd roared, landed one right on her chest, driving her down to her knees. Another to the head, but as she ducked only glanced. She swept her opponent off her feet and as she fell, gripped her across the solar plexis with her strongest muscles.

Again hands and feet showed they were enjoying the show.

The girl squirmed, tried to stand, but Luthien, gripped her tight between her dancers legs, gradually driving the breath out of her. Her trunk collapsed and rolling her off Luthien stood, raised her hands over her head, bowed low and walked out of the ring.

Applause, swiftly dyeing off in anticipation of the next round.

Foundling was next. Her opponent was an African girl, all skin and bones, but she had an opening kick to the chest that sent Foundling sprawling.

The crowd loved it. One of the little blondes so many had lost money on was getting her but kicked.

She automatically rolled as the white witch had taught. And the diving girl landed on her face in the dust. Foundling still down, kicking her in return in the head as she landed. Both girls staggered up, the black girl's nose bleeding.

The little females grappled, each one hand gripping the others hair the other attempting to do damage by punching. Foundling landed a solid on to the gut, receiving a blow to the ear in return.

The crowd cheering as both the little girls' blood ran free.

They let go, staggering back, the African lowered her head and charged, bull like. Foundling stood, matador like to receive her and wrapping her opponents head under her arm as she passed shoved backwards with both legs driving her head into a fence support, knocking her out cold.

A final loud cheer from the crowd as Foundling just walked out of the ring.

Miranda was next. Her opponent almost a duplicate of herself.

No fancy moves, no ducking and weaving these two. Miranda simply landed more punishing blows than her opponent did.

The crowd did not respond as they had previously. It might as well have been two boys in the punch up. It was long, painful and just plain brutal, and in the end both collapsed, but Miranda managed to stand and leaning on the fence, made her way back to their entrance were she was assisted out.

A rather subdued crowd let her go.

She had a bloody nose, probably a developing black eye, numerous bruises and scratches galore.

But her handler, lover, owner, husband to be, hugged her tight, kissing her battered face.

Then it was Melissa's turn.

As she walked out, and stood just outside the gate, she turned to Foundling held up her hands. Foundling gasped, Melissa's nails had returned to their bitten to the quick norm, and the lengthened incisors gone. Melissa shrugged, and walked out to face her opponent.

The girl was approximately Melissa's size and age, but heavier by ten pounds. Her mass alone could be used to smash razor thin Melissa flat.

"She is going to loose, what can I do?" Worried Foundling.

The crowd could see a short punishing fight coming. And as it was one of the two blonde-haired girls who had caused many to loose heavily before, Cheered as the girls walked out. Waiting to see one finally getting her comeuppance.

The girls circled each other, Melissa carefully watching for the attack. Her opponent circled doing the same, as the crowd roared and booed the lack of action. But then Melissa stumbled and her opponent closed.

The heavier girl was upon her, hands going for her throat, but the Wily Melissa wriggles out from under before she can get a grip. Melissa crawled away, but the girl was fast for being overweight and grabbed Melissa's ankle. Melissa kicked backwards, and the girl let go.

Melissa rolled sideways and jumped to her feet, just in time to be pinned up against the fence by the charging girl. The impact of the heavier girl, knocking the wind out of tiny Melissa. And when the heavier girl followed up with a punch to the gut, slumped forward to her knees, head down to the floor.

The crowd road it's approval, and the chubby girl raised her hands in victory.

Foundling was devastated, how could she rescue Melissa?

"Get up! Get up! And fight for you’re right to make love to me forever right now! If you give up, you might as well lay down and die!" “Change into the Vampire!” Thought Foundling.

She was just about to yell it out when in her mind she heard two voices.

"What have you done?" From an adult female voice she had never heard before. It's power so great Foundlings head ached.

And "Yes Mistress" Barley audible through the pain, from Melissa, whom she had never been able to mentally converse before.

Melissa's head came up and her right hand brushed across her opponent's chubby stomach as her fist was drawn back to punch Melissa right in the face.

The girl screamed and both hands went to her stomach, instantly covered in blood. Melissa stood up, reached up with her right hand, and gripped the girl's hair on top of her head as she continued to scream. Bent her head to the left, gripped her right shoulder in blood drenched talons, and bit her on the neck. The girls scream went even louder and higher, but suddenly cut off. Melissa let her head go and the girl dropped motionless to the floor. She raised her right hand and dead silence reigned. Blood ran down her arm and dripped from the inhumanly long claws extending from her fingers.

Melissa looked directly at Foundling, standing only a few feet away, and smiled. Her mouth dripping blood and her blood covered incisors extending as a vampire. Her ears pointed eyes two red orbs.

Handlers from both sides flooded into the arena and one quickly raped a great bandage around the prone girl's neck. They hoisted her on a stretcher and ran out with her.

Every one avoiding the little blood-drenched girl as she calmly walked out of the ring.

Luthien and Miranda stood dumbfounded; both making the sign of the cross as Melissa entered.

Once in their little pen, shocked Foundling handed Melissa a damp towel and she calmly washed first her face and then bloodied hand.

"I will hold you to your promise of eternal love mistress" Melissa said to Foundling. We should leave now" and reaching out yanked the locked gate open. Literally tearing the gate off its hinges.

"What have you done?" Again, even more powerful than before, echoed in Foundlings brain and she collapsed unconscious, from the pain.

Foundling awoke with Melissa gently applying a cool cloth to her head. All she saw white.

"Do not worry my love. We are back in the white witches tent" Melissa tenderly told her. They quickly returned us to the pens, we dressed and unbound were driven back to the camp"

"Luthien has been returned to her fathers fold and Miranda is with her husband to be. We are currently alone here as no one apparently wants to approach me.

Foundling looked up into Melissa's smiling face; her incisors appeared normal, as did the tiny hand stroking her hair.

"What have I done to you?" Foundling said, still too week to even sit up.

"Gave me the ability to fight for the right to make love to you forever, my love" Melissa replied leaning down and kissing Foundling full on the lips.

"And a hunger for blood" She whispered, smiling broadly, but this time her face, ears and incisors were those of a vampire again.

Just then the white witch entered, face still covered.

"I think we might have a serious problem," She said holding out a bunch of silky dried white bulbous roots.

"No, garlic does not bother me, I already ate some from your medicine chest" Melissa said. And this does not work on me either, in case you were wondering" Holding out a cross on a golden chain from around her neck.

"Nor daylight as I easily walked down to the pool to fetch a pitcher of water to boil in order to wash my lovers body this morning" She continued.

“It appears you have discovered your natural talent, Foundling” The White witch informed the two. “Being able to alter matter both living and not”

“Foundling changed me?” Melissa inquired. “ I am not a real Vampire?”

“You are and, forever will be able to assume the form of Vampire, whenever you wish, apparently without the curses afflicted on the undead. Foundling rearranged the molecules of your previously human body with the powers her gift gives her”

"Mother is very angry with you Foundling and it may be wise to avoid attending on her for a while, say a century or two" The white witch told her.

"Anyway we should be getting you back to your private school in Spain now that the rat and his kidnapper minions are dead" The white witch stated.

"How do you know all that?" Foundling inquired sitting up.

The white witch reached up and removed the scarf covering her face.

"Be cause I saw them die" She replied.

"Mavis!" Screeched Foundling, jumping up and running straight for her.

Mavis scooped Foundling up and hugged her close. Shifting Foundlings weight to one hip and supporting her with one arm reached the other out and hooked her finger towards Melissa.

"Room for you too" She said and lost little Melissa knew she had found a new mom.