"I don't want to do this anymore," merwhumpee says, breath shaking, eyes bloodshot.
poacher!Whumper's strong hands hold merwhumpee's waist, "Yer not even walking. Just keep the legs steady."
"I can't feel them," merwhumpee says, panic fighting down pain every second, "and when I do they--ow--they hurt."
"Aye. They will fer a good while, I'spect." Whumper's eyes rove down the naked body they support, "But if'n yee don't take to walking, the villagefolk will gut you faster than my good eye can blink. You don't want that now, do ya?"
Merwhumpee struggles in place, their wrists tug at the knotted rope Whumper wound tight around their wrists.
"Then why won't you let me balance?" they ask. They twist their torso uselessly, "Don't I need my arms to help walk?"
"Oh aye. And fer runnin' too. But yee'll be up and out the door the moment ya can," Whumper grins. A flash of gold colors one chipped tooth, "Forgive me fer takin precautions."
"I won't run, I can't go anywhere," merwhumpee mutters, staring down at the feet that shouldn't be theirs.
"Yee can't run, wee fry."
"Exactly, so why--?" White sears through merwhumpee's vision.
Pain jolts through fear and shreds the little balance merwhumpee has left. A flash of color blooms over their legs, threading the pair as one in a waves of shimmering scales and four-finned tail.
Merwhumpee's knees buck and they sink. Whumper catches the mer body against their own. Shaken, merwhumpee breathes heavily into Whumper's roughened jacket, teetering between fainting and screaming. The pain made them yank against their bonds hard enough to draw purple merblood.
And still Whumper's heavy hands won't let them go.
"I hate this..."
"Yer growing up. Ever'body hates it," Whumper says, checking the ropes around merwhumpee's wrists, "...we'll try again."
