boughs of an enormous chestnut tree. There were several youths, all contemporaries of her brothers, along with Jay, of course. They crowded around something which she guessed must be Magpie but they were blocking him from view. A couple had candle lanterns and there were also Outside torches, powerful ones that created harsh spotlights that arced about as the youths moved. There was a flickering fire too and she could smell not only the woodsmoke but also roasted chestnuts and the sweet smell of cider. They’d obviously been having some sort of a party – and Magpie must be their entertainment.
There was a great deal of raucous laughter, the horrible, primitive laughter of young men engaged in something cruel; something that involved a gang and a victim. She saw the small barrels of cider being passed around, the spouts open and liquid pouring into gaping, tipped-back mouths. She still couldn’t see Magpie, only hear his continuous whimpering and distress. Her stomach knotted with pity and anger and she stepped closer. Then she heard Jay’s deep, harsh voice full of taunting cruelty.
‘But I thought you was hungry, Magpie! I thought you was so hungry you had to steal food from the pantry and gobble it down in secret like the dirty animal you are. What’s wrong with this food then? I know you love rabbit.’
There were shouts of laughter at this.
‘Give him some more!’ called Gefrin, his voice slurred. ‘Make him eat some more, Jay.’
‘Your friend here thinks you’d like some more,’ said Jay. ‘Would you like some more rabbit, Magpie?’
There was a terrible screech.
‘Sorry, can’t understand you. Yes or no? More rabbit or not? If you don’t say no then it must be yes. Well?’
Another desperate screech.
‘Looks like he wants some more. Are you ready, Sweyn?’
The bodies parted slightly as Jay moved forward and Leveret was transfixed at the spectacle before her. Magpie was on his knees with Sweyn standing directly behind him, holding him down. Magpie’s upper body was upright and bent back slightly, his hands tied in front of him. Sweyn grasped a handful of his hair and forced his head backwards mercilessly. Leveret let out a mew of horror when she saw that Magpie’s face was covered in glistening blood. But as Jay advanced she realised it wasn’t Magpie’s blood she was looking at. It was worse than that. In his hands Jay held the bloody carcass of a skinned rabbit, pink and raw as a new-born baby, which he began to jam into Magpie’s mouth. The boy struggled, fought and squealed but the bloody flesh was shoved in his face, with Sweyn behind making sure he couldn’t move.
‘Eat!’ yelled Jay. ‘Eat it, you moronic, half-witted bastard! Eat it I said!’
He kicked Magpie hard and continued to force the dead animal into the boy’s mouth. Magpie was gagging, his body convulsing, but still the raw meat was rammed into his mouth which was then held shut, forcing him to swallow or choke.
‘STOP!’ cried Leveret, unable to watch any more. She knew she should run and get help but she couldn’t leave Magpie with them like this. ‘STOP IT NOW!’
They spun around and she heard the awful sound of Magpie vomiting again and again. The flushed, sweating faces stared at her in shock and then Sweyn broke into laughter.
‘It’s our little sister come to save her boyfriend!’
They all roared with laughter and hands grabbed her and yanked her forward. Sweyn let Magpie go and kicked him over so he toppled into a heap on the ground next to his puddle of bloody vomit, whimpering and sobbing between the retching. Sweyn advanced and grasped the front of her cloak, pulling her up onto tiptoe so their faces were close. She could smell the cider on him and the rank odour of his sweat. He looked more pig-like than ever, spittle flecking his mouth.
‘What are you doing out tonight, Hare-brain? I thought you were being a good little girl helping Mother.’
‘I am,’ she said, her voice shaking. ‘I have been helping her.’
‘So what are you doing out here in the woods?’
‘Nothing.’
He laughed and let her go, looking down at her and breathing heavily, his small eyes alive with excitement.
‘Hold on to her, Gef,’ he commanded, and turned to Jay for a whispered conference.
‘She said she were going to get her own snips,’ said one of the women at the table. ‘But that were a while back and she never showed her face again.’
‘Well, I expect she felt tired and stayed