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.copyright protection526ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1qKskQhGtm

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.copyright protection526ＰＥＮＡＮＡBXxnKIg0hW

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.copyright protection526ＰＥＮＡＮＡXeNc82Rg7u

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.copyright protection526ＰＥＮＡＮＡmcoyLuBjbF

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.”copyright protection526ＰＥＮＡＮＡdYYRUvYNCU

Gean groaned and lay down on the stump. “It’s not my fault you suck at hunting.”copyright protection526ＰＥＮＡＮＡn3xOwLIvKU

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.copyright protection526ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6lBcozld6O

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.copyright protection526ＰＥＮＡＮＡvvblAZWBo0

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.copyright protection526ＰＥＮＡＮＡM0PDOdJjET

 “Taria! Can we go?”copyright protection526ＰＥＮＡＮＡawabZEkqrg

I threw the makeshift arrow onto the ground. “Yeah, let’s go.”copyright protection526ＰＥＮＡＮＡtDeJKJ2OID

“Yes!” Gean jumped up off the log and ran ahead.copyright protection526ＰＥＮＡＮＡm09TsZB2Yn

“Hey, wait for me.”copyright protection526ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6MMYNSq2US

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.copyright protection526ＰＥＮＡＮＡE7qDNis9YX

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.copyright protection526ＰＥＮＡＮＡr4O0zLqiVV

As I reached the bottom of the hill Gean was complaining.copyright protection526ＰＥＮＡＮＡip2HCpL866

“...she tried to make me hunt rabbits Ma. I don’t like rabbits.”copyright protection526ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9Yr5UmekAM

Ma laughed. “You have never even touched a rabbit.”copyright protection526ＰＥＮＡＮＡhlif5bXNGf

“Yeah, but just look at them.”copyright protection526ＰＥＮＡＮＡrInXM3KIcH

I rolled my eyes. He was so weird.copyright protection526ＰＥＮＡＮＡFJ3FgbCwdT

“Did you have fun?” Ma asked me.copyright protection526ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9MXsKajcJD

“I would have. If someone didn’t scare all the animals off.”copyright protection526ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4b1VzOU0W3

Gean glared at me. “Sorry, that I don’t enjoy hunting animals.”copyright protection526ＰＥＮＡＮＡTi3DrOQfgb

“Okay, you two. Let’s go home.”copyright protection526ＰＥＮＡＮＡQPZO3rl15X

Gean ran off ahead and Ma wrapped her arm around my shoulders. I leant my head against her shoulder as we walked.copyright protection526ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2AlcQVfyT2

“Why must I be responsible for him?” I said.copyright protection526ＰＥＮＡＮＡtHHGZJrY5y

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.”copyright protection526ＰＥＮＡＮＡ45PD2gqRD6

“And surrounded by books.”copyright protection526ＰＥＮＡＮＡdXqbUJw1vL

Mum nodded and laughed. “Yes, and surrounded by books.” She squeezed my arm. “He’s your brother. He is meant to drive you crazy.”copyright protection526ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5oyHE21bOi

“I know.”copyright protection526ＰＥＮＡＮＡaPmQXtyCuf

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.copyright protection526ＰＥＮＡＮＡcQxB3t8QDg

“Hello sweetheart,” said Pa.copyright protection526ＰＥＮＡＮＡI2hNjqPYYS

“Hi,” I said.copyright protection526ＰＥＮＡＮＡI52H7gIagM

“Have fun, did we?” he asked.copyright protection526ＰＥＮＡＮＡQW03tCgtjQ

I frowned. “Yeah. It was great.”copyright protection526ＰＥＮＡＮＡo8of2uRhik

Pa laughed.copyright protection526ＰＥＮＡＮＡEikeWBudaU

“Who’s hungry?”copyright protection526ＰＥＮＡＮＡsbjUgAt4BK

Pa and I nodded.copyright protection526ＰＥＮＡＮＡdpWGGdVWlX

“Okay, I’ll get cooking.”copyright protection526ＰＥＮＡＮＡEYx4yAoq3h

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.copyright protection526ＰＥＮＡＮＡdc4LlDHVhZ

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.copyright protection526ＰＥＮＡＮＡPxABEbGwf2

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.copyright protection526ＰＥＮＡＮＡBq9jOz7Eg5

Ma hummed a song as she ran the old brush through the thin strains.copyright protection526ＰＥＮＡＮＡnpuuJdoibh

“What song is that?” I said.copyright protection526ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8d1LUZqyHd

Ma stopped humming. “Just an old lullaby that my ma sung to me.”copyright protection526ＰＥＮＡＮＡBJwVrSb7rJ

“Did you ever sing it to us?”copyright protection526ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2xDg43ADtB

She sighed. “No. You didn’t like my singing, made you cry in fact.”copyright protection526ＰＥＮＡＮＡCijsjB9161

I laughed.copyright protection526ＰＥＮＡＮＡWTY7fvnPAV

“And Gean was a good sleeper so he didn’t really need singing to sleep.”copyright protection526ＰＥＮＡＮＡdGwgpAwHY9

“It’s beautiful.”copyright protection526ＰＥＮＡＮＡNKCFS0C7OU

Ma nodded. “Yes, it is.”copyright protection526ＰＥＮＡＮＡbNo1q2uYtP

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.copyright protection526ＰＥＮＡＮＡXxJb4uMh7C

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.copyright protection526ＰＥＮＡＮＡZiq6aotaQz

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.copyright protection526ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5mItR7zOi6

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.copyright protection526ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2T12xiuiqL

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.copyright protection526ＰＥＮＡＮＡL2Uyg0tO9P

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.copyright protection526ＰＥＮＡＮＡCSiSNyIllw

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.copyright protection526ＰＥＮＡＮＡOrhHAHshNn

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.copyright protection526ＰＥＮＡＮＡTtF0wCeBNM

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.copyright protection526ＰＥＮＡＮＡcEqW9LJ8qO

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.copyright protection526ＰＥＮＡＮＡMTQd60hISu

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?copyright protection526ＰＥＮＡＮＡYxwXmgKZ8T

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?”copyright protection526ＰＥＮＡＮＡQSy2ARzDVf

I sat their speechless. It can talk! The animal can talk.copyright protection526ＰＥＮＡＮＡFkzpWCvfiM

“You can talk.”copyright protection526ＰＥＮＡＮＡl5kEXpY97X

The animal growled.copyright protection526ＰＥＮＡＮＡDH9Z5kjHrQ

“You can understand me?”copyright protection526ＰＥＮＡＮＡ78Wh6qKHpy

I nodded. “Yes.”copyright protection526ＰＥＮＡＮＡjbhmiHYH4W

“That means you are...”copyright protection526ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7MD8YmjFlR

“That I’m what?”copyright protection526ＰＥＮＡＮＡYFE8kVtCBs

“It doesn’t matter. Can you get me out?”copyright protection526ＰＥＮＡＮＡqtM72yN4Tg

“If you explain why you can talk.”copyright protection526ＰＥＮＡＮＡvUlVVy74y3

“After. Hurry, before the poachers finally show up.”copyright protection526ＰＥＮＡＮＡWdGBtQ01Wl

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.copyright protection526ＰＥＮＡＮＡM7P6XpVGcw

“Come on, let’s go. Quickly.”copyright protection526ＰＥＮＡＮＡjPVbe2vqjn

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.copyright protection526ＰＥＮＡＮＡoF7CqEfT3c

“Wait for me,” I said.copyright protection526ＰＥＮＡＮＡCcYVPGZMiq

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.”copyright protection526ＰＥＮＡＮＡNFVyvhihYi

“Follow me.”copyright protection526ＰＥＮＡＮＡzznkS7W8x9

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.copyright protection526ＰＥＮＡＮＡV6uumY2jzN

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.copyright protection526ＰＥＮＡＮＡf9xkz3x9mB

The panther stood not far from me, looking around. “Does this belong to your family?” it said.copyright protection526ＰＥＮＡＮＡpFFrmQHAcV

I nodded. “Yes.”copyright protection526ＰＥＮＡＮＡYnijPQGQ9g

“It will do for the night.”copyright protection526ＰＥＮＡＮＡEmKbaFCpIQ

“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.”copyright protection526ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3VyZVegov2

The panther furrowed its face. “What a polite family you have.”copyright protection526ＰＥＮＡＮＡn6vnTRoD5W

“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.copyright protection526ＰＥＮＡＮＡaOCjyssE6s

“They wouldn’t understand me anyway,” said the panther.copyright protection526ＰＥＮＡＮＡpIn82PzjiZ

“What do you mean?” I said.copyright protection526ＰＥＮＡＮＡE7JPjlEAUP

“I mean what I said. They wouldn’t be able to understand me.”copyright protection526ＰＥＮＡＮＡVY0BWxnTDJ

“But I can.”copyright protection526ＰＥＮＡＮＡxTMmKFQzub

“Yes, you can.”copyright protection526ＰＥＮＡＮＡgjqXUUIUOA

“But they can’t.”copyright protection526ＰＥＮＡＮＡz0nylJm4jt

“Yes.”copyright protection526ＰＥＮＡＮＡztkCms5nF7

“How is that possible? How can I understand but they can’t.”copyright protection526ＰＥＮＡＮＡGNByiz7w7N

“It’s complicated.”copyright protection526ＰＥＮＡＮＡEdvFzqIFcK

Very complicated apparently. But I needed to know. “Well make it uncomplicated.”copyright protection526ＰＥＮＡＮＡkgjQJu5iRH

“Even if I explain it you won’t believe me.”copyright protection526ＰＥＮＡＮＡKGlzPSQvhK

“Try me.”copyright protection526ＰＥＮＡＮＡPxxmlPZqTT

“Fine.” The panther turned and paced for a moment. Was it that hard to explain it to me. “I am your familiar.”copyright protection526ＰＥＮＡＮＡcFYFREgcmJ

“My what?”copyright protection526ＰＥＮＡＮＡJ7XpmUqVQh

“Familiar. I am your protector or sorts. Your guide.”copyright protection526ＰＥＮＡＮＡTqIJDMFkPR

I laughed. “My protector. I’m the one who just saved you.”copyright protection526ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7ZUG7PW9R3

“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.”copyright protection526ＰＥＮＡＮＡfc9xBPUuCB

“Okay. Does everyone have a familiar?”copyright protection526ＰＥＮＡＮＡDWfK8egWJZ

“No.”copyright protection526ＰＥＮＡＮＡpJbEr9qul0

“What is so special about me?”copyright protection526ＰＥＮＡＮＡAWNPr7loKs

“I don’t know. There are many different reasons for someone to have a bond with a familiar.”copyright protection526ＰＥＮＡＮＡC5UKL5N8Ie

“And they are?”copyright protection526ＰＥＮＡＮＡNRaIi4vsL0

“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.”copyright protection526ＰＥＮＡＮＡlZgXqPAsRv

“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.”copyright protection526ＰＥＮＡＮＡLkpppfZYZ1

“These days we are rare, thanks to the queen.”copyright protection526ＰＥＮＡＮＡB4Ehi11Pq7

“What has the queen done?”copyright protection526ＰＥＮＡＮＡPjq3aasdfI

“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.”copyright protection526ＰＥＮＡＮＡvpRV27lE11

“Seems to me she hasn’t succeeded.”copyright protection526ＰＥＮＡＮＡW0Fnxs5FnB

“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.”copyright protection526ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2mVWahtTVO

“Why does she hate familiars so much?”copyright protection526ＰＥＮＡＮＡafq4QFpYb6

“When I find out, I will let you know.”copyright protection526ＰＥＮＡＮＡCLxyXGpMNo

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.copyright protection526ＰＥＮＡＮＡRMlHnp4lL1

“Is it alright if I sleep here tonight?” the panther said.copyright protection526ＰＥＮＡＮＡSwY04dqoHa

I nodded. “Yes, just don’t get caught by my Pa.”copyright protection526ＰＥＮＡＮＡafDN14KQzY

“Don’t worry; it is hard to catch me.”copyright protection526ＰＥＮＡＮＡP9lVyOhfch

“The poachers didn’t have any problems.”copyright protection526ＰＥＮＡＮＡJjKlSmYi5V

“Well, they are poachers not farmers.”copyright protection526ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2t4f2Hkqf2

“I’m Taria, by the way.”copyright protection526ＰＥＮＡＮＡtRf24GWwQ3

“Goodnight, Taria.”copyright protection526ＰＥＮＡＮＡg9FtpTZk8w

“Goodnight.”copyright protection526ＰＥＮＡＮＡp3mZVB74aE

I locked the barn door behind me. I would need to make sure I bet my Pa to the barn the next morning.530Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3UbQ4JIiqv
copyright protection526ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1NjMEeqSvm