A warm summer breeze blew through the Eastern Valley. The sun was slipping behind the tall White Mountains where it would sleep until the morrow. The golden trees turned brown and the green grass turned black. The moon’s light not bright enough to show the glow of the world beneath it.8964 copyright protection689ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9wVvnukEeP 維尼

It was the same every time of the year. We didn’t experience the seasons like in the city. Pa said it was because the White Mountains surrounded us. They blocked us from the cold and bitter winters, and the wet and dying autumns. Spring did appear occasionally when the wild flowers that filled the valley would bloom anew. However, the Eastern Valley was common know for its hot days and humid evenings. Our land wasn’t good for farming on for we didn’t get enough rain, but it was healthy enough to raise herds of sheep and cattle. During the middle of the year when the cows were fat and the sheep were overgrown will wool, the farms of the Eastern Valley would send their herds to the capital where the cattle were slaughtered and the sheep were shorn. The time of year was upon us and it had been busy.8964 copyright protection689ＰＥＮＡＮＡH6chKWQ1pG 維尼

For the first time in weeks I finally had been given a day to have fun. Being the eldest of my parent’s children, I had to be the responsible one. My younger brother, Gean, had to go where I went since Ma and Pa couldn’t watch over him while they worked. Gean was seven and didn’t like to do much other than read books. He liked to stay inside and hide under the blankets. When he emerged from his room to eat his pale skin almost reflected off the rest of our families golden brown skin. So when Ma told me to keep him entertained for the day, I grabbed him by the sleeve of his shirt and dragged him out into the wood that ran along the edge of our family’s fields. I spent the day trying to get him to play games or teach him to hunt but he wasn’t interested.8964 copyright protection689ＰＥＮＡＮＡQ1uH1Sd9rW 維尼

The rustling of the wind through the trees made me spin on the spot. I thought it was a rabbit, but no luck. My brother had no doubt scared them away and now I wouldn’t return home with anything. I left out a huff and turned to glare at my brother. Gean sat on the stump of an old tree, a bored look on his face. He looked up to see me looking at me. “Can we go now?” he said.8964 copyright protection689ＰＥＮＡＮＡb9SabLZT5a 維尼

I rolled my eyes. Why did I have to bring him? All he did was annoy me. “If you hadn’t scared all the animals away we could have left hours ago.”8964 copyright protection689ＰＥＮＡＮＡPzmmplj7Oq 維尼

Gean groaned and lay down on the stump. “It’s not my fault you suck at hunting.”8964 copyright protection689ＰＥＮＡＮＡiAS4ItJ9j3 維尼

I really wanted to punch him, but there was no way Ma would allow me to get away with it. Gean would no doubt run to Ma or Pa crying, saying that I beat him up for no reason. Even though Pa knew my brother was a lying little brat, he would side with Ma.8964 copyright protection689ＰＥＮＡＮＡtlgmSSpjRz 維尼

No matter how hard I tried to relate to Gean it didn’t work. He liked to think himself as the adopted son. He would tell me often how since he was adopted that Ma and Pa chose him as their child. They wanted him where as with me I was what they got given and they couldn’t change that. Ma had assured Gean many times that he was her son but he refused to give up on the charade.8964 copyright protection689ＰＥＮＡＮＡcZYL8uQfEw 維尼

What Gean didn’t know was that I was the child who had been adopted. Ma had told me after I continued to ask her why my hair was red and the rest of them had brown hair. Some with my eyes. They were grey while they all had brown eyes. Ma told me that she had found me on their doorstep one morning and that she knew nothing else.8964 copyright protection689ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1h0y6KwYJD 維尼

 “Taria! Can we go?”8964 copyright protection689ＰＥＮＡＮＡhVSrppXAB8 維尼

I threw the makeshift arrow onto the ground. “Yeah, let’s go.”8964 copyright protection689ＰＥＮＡＮＡvoMd2DBtyX 維尼

“Yes!” Gean jumped up off the log and ran ahead.8964 copyright protection689ＰＥＮＡＮＡv4WUaLdaRo 維尼

“Hey, wait for me.”8964 copyright protection689ＰＥＮＡＮＡzB5WNm2Ohq 維尼

The forest that surrounded my family’s farm wasn’t thick but it was on a steep hill. I had fallen over plenty of times and rolled down the hill and so had Gean, but that didn’t stop him from running down it. I didn’t bother running after him. If he fell, he fell. He could deal with the consequences.8964 copyright protection689ＰＥＮＡＮＡBlgUojH2ll 維尼

Stepping out of treeline I spotted Ma standing near the bottom. Every time I went into the woods she would be waiting for me. I had asked her many times why she waited and every time she would just shrug her shoulders. She never gave me an answer. I always thought it was because she was worried that one day I wouldn’t come home. But that would never happen. I would always go back to my family.8964 copyright protection689ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0n3tDkUwmg 維尼

As I reached the bottom of the hill Gean was complaining.8964 copyright protection689ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3O0PHPAnow 維尼

“...she tried to make me hunt rabbits Ma. I don’t like rabbits.”8964 copyright protection689ＰＥＮＡＮＡyyd2ODU9Ko 維尼

Ma laughed. “You have never even touched a rabbit.”8964 copyright protection689ＰＥＮＡＮＡPgiZhrM2Vz 維尼

“Yeah, but just look at them.”8964 copyright protection689ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8By9hwDPyk 維尼

I rolled my eyes. He was so weird.8964 copyright protection689ＰＥＮＡＮＡHUdCl3HIqU 維尼

“Did you have fun?” Ma asked me.8964 copyright protection689ＰＥＮＡＮＡUqxDJ7wYVr 維尼

“I would have. If someone didn’t scare all the animals off.”8964 copyright protection689ＰＥＮＡＮＡDZF3JRBIbQ 維尼

Gean glared at me. “Sorry, that I don’t enjoy hunting animals.”8964 copyright protection689ＰＥＮＡＮＡfd74E56YVE 維尼

“Okay, you two. Let’s go home.”8964 copyright protection689ＰＥＮＡＮＡcmR5FPsxKx 維尼

Gean ran off ahead and Ma wrapped her arm around my shoulders. I leant my head against her shoulder as we walked.8964 copyright protection689ＰＥＮＡＮＡ50rXXxBJrR 維尼

“Why must I be responsible for him?” I said.8964 copyright protection689ＰＥＮＡＮＡljiHjaBGvQ 維尼

Ma sighed. “Because you are my mature and responsible daughter and I know that you will take care of him. If he stays inside for the rest of his life he will die old and alone.”8964 copyright protection689ＰＥＮＡＮＡLXr0pHCLL9 維尼

“And surrounded by books.”8964 copyright protection689ＰＥＮＡＮＡeJg2PV6pyj 維尼

Mum nodded and laughed. “Yes, and surrounded by books.” She squeezed my arm. “He’s your brother. He is meant to drive you crazy.”8964 copyright protection689ＰＥＮＡＮＡq1Vh2sk9gL 維尼

“I know.”8964 copyright protection689ＰＥＮＡＮＡjBb5RvaBzV 維尼

Pa was sitting at the table cleaning one of his rifles as Ma and I walked inside. Gean had already made his way upstairs and into his room. There was no doubt that his face was buried into a book.8964 copyright protection689ＰＥＮＡＮＡVdtoVHsnNt 維尼

“Hello sweetheart,” said Pa.8964 copyright protection689ＰＥＮＡＮＡZtRRoZRfJr 維尼

“Hi,” I said.8964 copyright protection689ＰＥＮＡＮＡsI8xf6LerE 維尼

“Have fun, did we?” he asked.8964 copyright protection689ＰＥＮＡＮＡEikBTljxrr 維尼

I frowned. “Yeah. It was great.”8964 copyright protection689ＰＥＮＡＮＡMvW29jhmFh 維尼

Pa laughed.8964 copyright protection689ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4RANbpRfkJ 維尼

“Who’s hungry?”8964 copyright protection689ＰＥＮＡＮＡpJKWh5NA02 維尼

Pa and I nodded.8964 copyright protection689ＰＥＮＡＮＡetTj32tbqP 維尼

“Okay, I’ll get cooking.”8964 copyright protection689ＰＥＮＡＮＡnElsRe5c4d 維尼

My parents were so different in was a wonder that they got along so well. Pa was certainly hard working but he was stubborn and quiet. He often would stay silent in arguments or conversation to avoid an argument that would happen when he stated his opinion. Ma, however, was bold and loud. She could be stern but only when she had to be. She also loved to tell everyone how it was. Ma knew everything, or it seemed like she did.8964 copyright protection689ＰＥＮＡＮＡXs3XrKwMeM 維尼

As we sat around the dinner table, Ma mentioned our chores for the next day. The trucks would arrive in three days to collect our cattle and some still needed to be brought in from the south paddock. There was also smaller things like collecting the eggs from the chickens and feeding them; cleaning out the barn and the stables. It was the same thing every day but it never got boring.8964 copyright protection689ＰＥＮＡＮＡMUXtBjJek1 維尼

After a bath I sat on my bed as Ma brushed my hair. Ever since I was a child she loved to comb my long hair and no matter how much it annoyed me she never let me cut it. It was too precious to her. I never understood why. Even as I got older, like now – I’m almost an adult – and she still brushes my hair every night.8964 copyright protection689ＰＥＮＡＮＡZrKMT0UAoo 維尼

Ma hummed a song as she ran the old brush through the thin strains.8964 copyright protection689ＰＥＮＡＮＡFzLpUm6Ps3 維尼

“What song is that?” I said.8964 copyright protection689ＰＥＮＡＮＡHtcn75azxx 維尼

Ma stopped humming. “Just an old lullaby that my ma sung to me.”8964 copyright protection689ＰＥＮＡＮＡWrxw5yj58Z 維尼

“Did you ever sing it to us?”8964 copyright protection689ＰＥＮＡＮＡwfnwNiijIA 維尼

She sighed. “No. You didn’t like my singing, made you cry in fact.”8964 copyright protection689ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1xpufJOIID 維尼

I laughed.8964 copyright protection689ＰＥＮＡＮＡqbGdntxgh6 維尼

“And Gean was a good sleeper so he didn’t really need singing to sleep.”8964 copyright protection689ＰＥＮＡＮＡGSgBnSdsGi 維尼

“It’s beautiful.”8964 copyright protection689ＰＥＮＡＮＡWLZQBcmL9e 維尼

Ma nodded. “Yes, it is.”8964 copyright protection689ＰＥＮＡＮＡuTnC3NHVe2 維尼

Ma finished my hair and left the room. Wishing me a good night. I pulled back the sheets and slipped into them. The sheets scratched at my bare legs, they needed to be washed, and my pillow held no comfort, it needed to be restuffed. Everything in our family home was old. Even as a farmer times were hard. The sheriff had been sent around to collect more taxes. Pa had barely had enough to give him from our savings. The family farm hadn’t fallen into ruin, at least, not yet. If the capital continued to raise our taxes then soon we would have nothing left.8964 copyright protection689ＰＥＮＡＮＡU7Nk1RBke9 維尼

I tried to find comfort in the fact that we were okay. We all were. Gean had his books. Ma was still humming. And Pa was Pa, nothing had changed. But I couldn’t seem to drift off.8964 copyright protection689ＰＥＮＡＮＡfKbQAoZLs7 維尼

By the time my eyes began to drop I heard a screech. It wasn’t a bird screech it was more of a scream, but it didn’t sound human. Sounded like an echo. I laid there listening and for a moment nothing. But then it came again. A little bit louder. I stood from my bed and walked over to the window.8964 copyright protection689ＰＥＮＡＮＡy5zIc9wJHj 維尼

My window looked up on the North Hill, where the edge of the White Wood began. Through the dark of the trees I saw the flashing of a red light. Poachers! There had been rumours of poachers hunting in the surrounding woods; I didn’t think they would get this close though.8964 copyright protection689ＰＥＮＡＮＡj8oAN01bbJ 維尼

Poachers lived in the woods. Many of them were men and woman who had lost everything, been kicked out by their families or they had been orphans who had run away.  They hunted animals in the cruellest of ways. Using cages and metal nets. At least when I caught a rabbit I gave it a quick death. No, poachers liked to make their animals suffer.8964 copyright protection689ＰＥＮＡＮＡWD5h2r4FNH 維尼

The flashing red light was a poacher’s cage that had been activated. Pa had told me that when a cage is trigger it flashes red so that the poachers can see it in the dark and it makes a horrible noise almost like an alarm. It scares off everything else and lets the poachers know.8964 copyright protection689ＰＥＮＡＮＡM0g6133aNj 維尼

I turned and grabbed my breeches from the floor. I needed to save that animal. I quickly dressed and grabbed a knife from the kitchen and my bow and quill that sat near the front door.8964 copyright protection689ＰＥＮＡＮＡXxENdNphNp 維尼

Running up the North Hill was hard. My legs burned and I almost slipped a couple of times. I got into the treeline and listened. I could see the flashing red light but I didn’t want the poachers to spot me.8964 copyright protection689ＰＥＮＡＮＡGGZRCh2Nix 維尼

Poachers had the nasty of habit of killing anyone else tried to take their hunt. Men and woman’s bodies had been found brutally beaten and torn. I had never seen a dead body before but the way Pa had described it made me want to be sick.8964 copyright protection689ＰＥＮＡＮＡEJ1uD7iOq9 維尼

The woods were silent from the occasionally shriek of the cage, and the closer I got, the quieter the noise became. It was strange. Pa had never mentioned anything like this.8964 copyright protection689ＰＥＮＡＮＡOn3gfWLUxL 維尼

I found the cage buried hidden under a fallen over tree. One tree had fallen and hit another and at the base of the second tree was a hole, a hole big enough for a cage. I walked over to the cage and dropped to me knees. What had they caught?8964 copyright protection689ＰＥＮＡＮＡrbwfcjK9cO 維尼

I tried to peer into the cage but the lack of lighting didn’t help. I pulled the knife from my pocket and moved it to the opening of the gate. Hopefully it would break. As I slipped the knife through the hole the animal inside hit the front of the cage and scared me. It growled and spoke. “What are you doing?”8964 copyright protection689ＰＥＮＡＮＡEdsnPhwIHo 維尼

I sat their speechless. It can talk! The animal can talk.8964 copyright protection689ＰＥＮＡＮＡMZwV7Od35P 維尼

“You can talk.”8964 copyright protection689ＰＥＮＡＮＡaPgldJPvnt 維尼

The animal growled.8964 copyright protection689ＰＥＮＡＮＡEMIqnmO3zS 維尼

“You can understand me?”8964 copyright protection689ＰＥＮＡＮＡhn2yR6KdEf 維尼

I nodded. “Yes.”8964 copyright protection689ＰＥＮＡＮＡY1qmxwrr3F 維尼

“That means you are...”8964 copyright protection689ＰＥＮＡＮＡpyWXem9lp8 維尼

“That I’m what?”8964 copyright protection689ＰＥＮＡＮＡRFozjOEAPB 維尼

“It doesn’t matter. Can you get me out?”8964 copyright protection689ＰＥＮＡＮＡjwgvcWnTer 維尼

“If you explain why you can talk.”8964 copyright protection689ＰＥＮＡＮＡb8OjMaa21L 維尼

“After. Hurry, before the poachers finally show up.”8964 copyright protection689ＰＥＮＡＮＡzzD5kKsgYS 維尼

I gripped the knife and pushed. I begged the lock to break. The animal growled impatiently and hit its paws on the door. The door swung open and the shriek of the cage grew louder. I covered my ears and gasped. The animals jumped from the cage.8964 copyright protection689ＰＥＮＡＮＡSqJcPoo43n 維尼

“Come on, let’s go. Quickly.”8964 copyright protection689ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7X9b5YEI5e 維尼

I grabbed the knife and chased after the animal. We moved out of the tree line and I saw that the animal was a large black cat. A panther. It was long and moving quickly.8964 copyright protection689ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4DSSH2qh9s 維尼

“Wait for me,” I said.8964 copyright protection689ＰＥＮＡＮＡBfo89dLpUS 維尼

The panther stopped at the bottom of the hill and waited as I slipped down. Standing at the base the panther said, “We need to hide.”8964 copyright protection689ＰＥＮＡＮＡPqgAZgX6SJ 維尼

“Follow me.”8964 copyright protection689ＰＥＮＡＮＡrp3Y6iWUhW 維尼

I headed towards the barn. The panther was right behind me. I jumped over the fence that ran along the edge of our property and waited as the panther slipped under. We ran through the long field towards the large brown barn. I gripped the large handle and pulled at it. The door creaked and slid open. The panther slipped inside. I followed and pushed the door shut.8964 copyright protection689ＰＥＮＡＮＡxLBijBqdbm 維尼

The barn was cloaked in darkness and it was cold. The moonlight did little to show anything. I dropped onto the hay covered ground; I was out of breath and ready to fall asleep, but I needed answers.8964 copyright protection689ＰＥＮＡＮＡE2iUJfslqr 維尼

The panther stood not far from me, looking around. “Does this belong to your family?” it said.8964 copyright protection689ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9cIU40Mq9P 維尼

I nodded. “Yes.”8964 copyright protection689ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4tyUy7LIZX 維尼

“It will do for the night.”8964 copyright protection689ＰＥＮＡＮＡA8TgIgkaT0 維尼

“You will need to leave by morning, before my father gets up. If he finds you in here, he won’t hesitate to shoot you.”8964 copyright protection689ＰＥＮＡＮＡZKzMHUI9Vm 維尼

The panther furrowed its face. “What a polite family you have.”8964 copyright protection689ＰＥＮＡＮＡ38KYcUZLP2 維尼

“Well, we aren’t really used to talking animals.” I was amazed that it was even happening. If anyone heard about this I would be called a witch. No one in this town liked the idea of magic. Anyone who was suspected of anything was reported to the sheriff and his guard. I had seen many people in my life dragged through the town square. I didn’t want it to happen to me.8964 copyright protection689ＰＥＮＡＮＡqRfKMsCMJu 維尼

“They wouldn’t understand me anyway,” said the panther.8964 copyright protection689ＰＥＮＡＮＡIYGomBFuDa 維尼

“What do you mean?” I said.8964 copyright protection689ＰＥＮＡＮＡTdIS5e6geA 維尼

“I mean what I said. They wouldn’t be able to understand me.”8964 copyright protection689ＰＥＮＡＮＡFO4cja77Ln 維尼

“But I can.”8964 copyright protection689ＰＥＮＡＮＡDjZOzRq9Ue 維尼

“Yes, you can.”8964 copyright protection689ＰＥＮＡＮＡkHGc5o99I7 維尼

“But they can’t.”8964 copyright protection689ＰＥＮＡＮＡXgFMP8FLhA 維尼

“Yes.”8964 copyright protection689ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7sWJrTsEfI 維尼

“How is that possible? How can I understand but they can’t.”8964 copyright protection689ＰＥＮＡＮＡxf0pf2ixYV 維尼

“It’s complicated.”8964 copyright protection689ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6PdZys1bk2 維尼

Very complicated apparently. But I needed to know. “Well make it uncomplicated.”8964 copyright protection689ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2cn2pcMOtw 維尼

“Even if I explain it you won’t believe me.”8964 copyright protection689ＰＥＮＡＮＡb4JGsURjRd 維尼

“Try me.”8964 copyright protection689ＰＥＮＡＮＡVnaTehaEwy 維尼

“Fine.” The panther turned and paced for a moment. Was it that hard to explain it to me. “I am your familiar.”8964 copyright protection689ＰＥＮＡＮＡd4ZdjTMV46 維尼

“My what?”8964 copyright protection689ＰＥＮＡＮＡQok0mW4AQG 維尼

“Familiar. I am your protector or sorts. Your guide.”8964 copyright protection689ＰＥＮＡＮＡM1AvCmgOxW 維尼

I laughed. “My protector. I’m the one who just saved you.”8964 copyright protection689ＰＥＮＡＮＡyMW9QU8166 維尼

“Yes, for which I am thankful. As your familiar I am meant to protect you and guide you through your life. You are also meant to look after me. Keep me safe. It’s a two way relationship.”8964 copyright protection689ＰＥＮＡＮＡB3vF9lh0Ly 維尼

“Okay. Does everyone have a familiar?”8964 copyright protection689ＰＥＮＡＮＡLNR1sFdCWo 維尼

“No.”8964 copyright protection689ＰＥＮＡＮＡxL43ObMpUU 維尼

“What is so special about me?”8964 copyright protection689ＰＥＮＡＮＡClhSCDqaow 維尼

“I don’t know. There are many different reasons for someone to have a bond with a familiar.”8964 copyright protection689ＰＥＮＡＮＡzODYAEhlVG 維尼

“And they are?”8964 copyright protection689ＰＥＮＡＮＡFZPfrqTtfO 維尼

“Well, the most common is generally someone who has magic of some sort, witches and warlocks; or it can be because of your family, if your family is a part of a special bloodline then you can end up with a familiar.”8964 copyright protection689ＰＥＮＡＮＡdFsWOIoXkH 維尼

“Well as far as I know no one in my family is magical and no one else has a familiar. I have never even heard of your kind.”8964 copyright protection689ＰＥＮＡＮＡqLDXbyMXSN 維尼

“These days we are rare, thanks to the queen.”8964 copyright protection689ＰＥＮＡＮＡnUC6j2HlIV 維尼

“What has the queen done?”8964 copyright protection689ＰＥＮＡＮＡvJvY8vnZDm 維尼

“Besides bringing this kingdom to itself downfall, she has murdered many of innocence’s and their familiars. She has hunted us down for over thirty years hoping that she would wipe us all out.”8964 copyright protection689ＰＥＮＡＮＡKwKbyr9rYp 維尼

“Seems to me she hasn’t succeeded.”8964 copyright protection689ＰＥＮＡＮＡDXHaiZimiX 維尼

“Well, she is close. If the queen had never started her hunt then you would know what a familiar is. You would seem them everywhere but now familiars and their humans are forced to hide and live in fear. If they queen were to find any of us we would all be slaughtered.”8964 copyright protection689ＰＥＮＡＮＡDKLPClvzWW 維尼

“Why does she hate familiars so much?”8964 copyright protection689ＰＥＮＡＮＡcYHTG70VCk 維尼

“When I find out, I will let you know.”8964 copyright protection689ＰＥＮＡＮＡodEmAjSLJn 維尼

I had a feeling that the panther wasn’t telling me everything. It seemed to know a lot. But it was late and I knew that if I had to get up with the sun then I would need to get some sleep.8964 copyright protection689ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5IUqt2mCK4 維尼

“Is it alright if I sleep here tonight?” the panther said.8964 copyright protection689ＰＥＮＡＮＡfcE1bEvMV3 維尼

I nodded. “Yes, just don’t get caught by my Pa.”8964 copyright protection689ＰＥＮＡＮＡCt7SbjdRGu 維尼

“Don’t worry; it is hard to catch me.”8964 copyright protection689ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0r4M0N2awC 維尼

“The poachers didn’t have any problems.”8964 copyright protection689ＰＥＮＡＮＡMk18XafDK2 維尼

“Well, they are poachers not farmers.”8964 copyright protection689ＰＥＮＡＮＡQEnl6XiEJJ 維尼

“I’m Taria, by the way.”8964 copyright protection689ＰＥＮＡＮＡtnb6Gq2Ke6 維尼

“Goodnight, Taria.”8964 copyright protection689ＰＥＮＡＮＡlqpSVvUDXw 維尼

“Goodnight.”8964 copyright protection689ＰＥＮＡＮＡDzhy3cWND8 維尼

I locked the barn door behind me. I would need to make sure I bet my Pa to the barn the next morning.693Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfTCrG0F0sc
8964 copyright protection689ＰＥＮＡＮＡAvHAZc74tr 維尼