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 protection247ＰＥＮＡＮＡM28p6aOPaD

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 protection247ＰＥＮＡＮＡr6kMM43PJ1

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 protection247ＰＥＮＡＮＡTNDlm1tTLN

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 protection247ＰＥＮＡＮＡdxQmXWwLMH

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 protection247ＰＥＮＡＮＡodOJ0AO4qx

Gean groaned and lay down on the stump. “It’s not my fault you suck at hunting.”copyright protection247ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5klIGHJ9Bv

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 protection247ＰＥＮＡＮＡWP2Mb0JIMv

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 protection247ＰＥＮＡＮＡpbJdUJOINf

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 protection247ＰＥＮＡＮＡgSABBgjlqV

 “Taria! Can we go?”copyright protection247ＰＥＮＡＮＡRmKU9WUTFG

I threw the makeshift arrow onto the ground. “Yeah, let’s go.”copyright protection247ＰＥＮＡＮＡo5S8jMR7vF

“Yes!” Gean jumped up off the log and ran ahead.copyright protection247ＰＥＮＡＮＡnMyYoafHwF

“Hey, wait for me.”copyright protection247ＰＥＮＡＮＡDn2nhbkb40

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 protection247ＰＥＮＡＮＡSt5KCoxtw3

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 protection247ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9UQISeS7Vo

As I reached the bottom of the hill Gean was complaining.copyright protection247ＰＥＮＡＮＡMyMPW30hf5

“...she tried to make me hunt rabbits Ma. I don’t like rabbits.”copyright protection247ＰＥＮＡＮＡh8zmTbLrFh

Ma laughed. “You have never even touched a rabbit.”copyright protection247ＰＥＮＡＮＡuObkx3ypbu

“Yeah, but just look at them.”copyright protection247ＰＥＮＡＮＡOY3AN0DOhT

I rolled my eyes. He was so weird.copyright protection247ＰＥＮＡＮＡUz1tVVFGml

“Did you have fun?” Ma asked me.copyright protection247ＰＥＮＡＮＡYRa9bHdK6o

“I would have. If someone didn’t scare all the animals off.”copyright protection247ＰＥＮＡＮＡfUnjvaj9ZA

Gean glared at me. “Sorry, that I don’t enjoy hunting animals.”copyright protection247ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2T94n5Z2Ml

“Okay, you two. Let’s go home.”copyright protection247ＰＥＮＡＮＡnKcxToe79l

Gean ran off ahead and Ma wrapped her arm around my shoulders. I leant my head against her shoulder as we walked.copyright protection247ＰＥＮＡＮＡvpgSIL31U2

“Why must I be responsible for him?” I said.copyright protection247ＰＥＮＡＮＡCXVM2jR1mE

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 protection247ＰＥＮＡＮＡnKoAiiYxp8

“And surrounded by books.”copyright protection247ＰＥＮＡＮＡSVx9NgURhP

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 protection247ＰＥＮＡＮＡTUNPGP9yRv

“I know.”copyright protection247ＰＥＮＡＮＡcefAOySN5i

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 protection247ＰＥＮＡＮＡWYdu70K2S2

“Hello sweetheart,” said Pa.copyright protection247ＰＥＮＡＮＡSLWGBDvKbn

“Hi,” I said.copyright protection247ＰＥＮＡＮＡgnBwYq4Re9

“Have fun, did we?” he asked.copyright protection247ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9a7mFfnphf

I frowned. “Yeah. It was great.”copyright protection247ＰＥＮＡＮＡsa1pQD2loe

Pa laughed.copyright protection247ＰＥＮＡＮＡJECkaALfsZ

“Who’s hungry?”copyright protection247ＰＥＮＡＮＡoBawXPLlf3

Pa and I nodded.copyright protection247ＰＥＮＡＮＡAIdC73fapE

“Okay, I’ll get cooking.”copyright protection247ＰＥＮＡＮＡp8i2ttDeI5

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 protection247ＰＥＮＡＮＡe7GpDEfpZv

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 protection247ＰＥＮＡＮＡsAdGdlJtw9

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 protection247ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7WhpYKTBZC

Ma hummed a song as she ran the old brush through the thin strains.copyright protection247ＰＥＮＡＮＡGeJnDn1SN1

“What song is that?” I said.copyright protection247ＰＥＮＡＮＡogCCWPXGiu

Ma stopped humming. “Just an old lullaby that my ma sung to me.”copyright protection247ＰＥＮＡＮＡPpq6PpRJ0Q

“Did you ever sing it to us?”copyright protection247ＰＥＮＡＮＡlH454Is6Af

She sighed. “No. You didn’t like my singing, made you cry in fact.”copyright protection247ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7ZwKBsAz8S

I laughed.copyright protection247ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3Xiu48TVSU

“And Gean was a good sleeper so he didn’t really need singing to sleep.”copyright protection247ＰＥＮＡＮＡMdBQiGyLM9

“It’s beautiful.”copyright protection247ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1U9xEK0ej8

Ma nodded. “Yes, it is.”copyright protection247ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7m6qRbyK7q

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 protection247ＰＥＮＡＮＡFTEgKXWjJJ

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 protection247ＰＥＮＡＮＡtKDCiimiwG

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 protection247ＰＥＮＡＮＡrE3y4UJDFQ

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 protection247ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4kKIBuFxNp

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 protection247ＰＥＮＡＮＡgh9UTscgLI

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 protection247ＰＥＮＡＮＡXdn0LrVv4A

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 protection247ＰＥＮＡＮＡm8V6RwBx3p

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 protection247ＰＥＮＡＮＡWkG6eAzqRk

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 protection247ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9OxwOjYJO2

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 protection247ＰＥＮＡＮＡkbbfi2LTAP

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 protection247ＰＥＮＡＮＡjwa0CoAcPr

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 protection247ＰＥＮＡＮＡwZf4v4ntOc

I sat their speechless. It can talk! The animal can talk.copyright protection247ＰＥＮＡＮＡw8oHnGK9Ak

“You can talk.”copyright protection247ＰＥＮＡＮＡZTR9TuxuGn

The animal growled.copyright protection247ＰＥＮＡＮＡWcmbhSgEl4

“You can understand me?”copyright protection247ＰＥＮＡＮＡRRcfzAVkKw

I nodded. “Yes.”copyright protection247ＰＥＮＡＮＡEJpwSj0qNG

“That means you are...”copyright protection247ＰＥＮＡＮＡOKTaVa2cPo

“That I’m what?”copyright protection247ＰＥＮＡＮＡgGgtVP4R9O

“It doesn’t matter. Can you get me out?”copyright protection247ＰＥＮＡＮＡnOyNkq6lRU

“If you explain why you can talk.”copyright protection247ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1FFVPA5SNU

“After. Hurry, before the poachers finally show up.”copyright protection247ＰＥＮＡＮＡg3BwwwmAow

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 protection247ＰＥＮＡＮＡpMkXzFoG0f

“Come on, let’s go. Quickly.”copyright protection247ＰＥＮＡＮＡB2VgXLR3DE

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 protection247ＰＥＮＡＮＡYTIzqe6MPu

“Wait for me,” I said.copyright protection247ＰＥＮＡＮＡifhDcQiAxj

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 protection247ＰＥＮＡＮＡQ8mLpkwgna

“Follow me.”copyright protection247ＰＥＮＡＮＡVm4DVuS2hI

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 protection247ＰＥＮＡＮＡxzXOc9FvKc

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 protection247ＰＥＮＡＮＡPBlbnKwT1T

The panther stood not far from me, looking around. “Does this belong to your family?” it said.copyright protection247ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4Wg8AbCseT

I nodded. “Yes.”copyright protection247ＰＥＮＡＮＡaLt7zGhec2

“It will do for the night.”copyright protection247ＰＥＮＡＮＡr1EMd1xJVz

“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 protection247ＰＥＮＡＮＡDZvT865Kzj

The panther furrowed its face. “What a polite family you have.”copyright protection247ＰＥＮＡＮＡEJ58RFO9U0

“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 protection247ＰＥＮＡＮＡcl2Q8fSFZN

“They wouldn’t understand me anyway,” said the panther.copyright protection247ＰＥＮＡＮＡeCNKwVRCGq

“What do you mean?” I said.copyright protection247ＰＥＮＡＮＡVl90t1GibA

“I mean what I said. They wouldn’t be able to understand me.”copyright protection247ＰＥＮＡＮＡjnVle3B6JB

“But I can.”copyright protection247ＰＥＮＡＮＡUYdIIKDzmj

“Yes, you can.”copyright protection247ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0iF9j8bZqm

“But they can’t.”copyright protection247ＰＥＮＡＮＡzJKv5ZyG6i

“Yes.”copyright protection247ＰＥＮＡＮＡh0gvIZgmzC

“How is that possible? How can I understand but they can’t.”copyright protection247ＰＥＮＡＮＡGzVlJetUdU

“It’s complicated.”copyright protection247ＰＥＮＡＮＡhND2iJ1Rp7

Very complicated apparently. But I needed to know. “Well make it uncomplicated.”copyright protection247ＰＥＮＡＮＡaH8qdRqtdZ

“Even if I explain it you won’t believe me.”copyright protection247ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6Uz1figJdt

“Try me.”copyright protection247ＰＥＮＡＮＡDvhhxA0zrq

“Fine.” The panther turned and paced for a moment. Was it that hard to explain it to me. “I am your familiar.”copyright protection247ＰＥＮＡＮＡGB8P2lGsOU

“My what?”copyright protection247ＰＥＮＡＮＡsVO1W4kcNx

“Familiar. I am your protector or sorts. Your guide.”copyright protection247ＰＥＮＡＮＡGr2YJAyJ90

I laughed. “My protector. I’m the one who just saved you.”copyright protection247ＰＥＮＡＮＡaQBiGEEn7s

“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 protection247ＰＥＮＡＮＡhzo6BkbVxZ

“Okay. Does everyone have a familiar?”copyright protection247ＰＥＮＡＮＡteqwc96KTg

“No.”copyright protection247ＰＥＮＡＮＡK37mmN00a7

“What is so special about me?”copyright protection247ＰＥＮＡＮＡtsHRyicKeJ

“I don’t know. There are many different reasons for someone to have a bond with a familiar.”copyright protection247ＰＥＮＡＮＡJHX9eajkUc

“And they are?”copyright protection247ＰＥＮＡＮＡBFgI1Cv2DF

“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 protection247ＰＥＮＡＮＡa68RXH99ro

“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 protection247ＰＥＮＡＮＡTa5Rkk1DFW

“These days we are rare, thanks to the queen.”copyright protection247ＰＥＮＡＮＡPgB6YDIuFl

“What has the queen done?”copyright protection247ＰＥＮＡＮＡaPsiHqZQAr

“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 protection247ＰＥＮＡＮＡftBllWFmzk

“Seems to me she hasn’t succeeded.”copyright protection247ＰＥＮＡＮＡjpAUvzxe4d

“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 protection247ＰＥＮＡＮＡAf32xKtxB3

“Why does she hate familiars so much?”copyright protection247ＰＥＮＡＮＡYQwAbSwRe6

“When I find out, I will let you know.”copyright protection247ＰＥＮＡＮＡbyvMs1m0gr

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 protection247ＰＥＮＡＮＡeRGhUe2nLD

“Is it alright if I sleep here tonight?” the panther said.copyright protection247ＰＥＮＡＮＡqKtXkFPRw4

I nodded. “Yes, just don’t get caught by my Pa.”copyright protection247ＰＥＮＡＮＡXICtv5vR6L

“Don’t worry; it is hard to catch me.”copyright protection247ＰＥＮＡＮＡikDYCxcEUY

“The poachers didn’t have any problems.”copyright protection247ＰＥＮＡＮＡhlJLi4q8VX

“Well, they are poachers not farmers.”copyright protection247ＰＥＮＡＮＡcTGPnbUS20

“I’m Taria, by the way.”copyright protection247ＰＥＮＡＮＡElkhkWOxBJ

“Goodnight, Taria.”copyright protection247ＰＥＮＡＮＡvS4eDmj4ue

“Goodnight.”copyright protection247ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2H8IwvUrnW

I locked the barn door behind me. I would need to make sure I bet my Pa to the barn the next morning.251Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRFcWUQjdVO
copyright protection247ＰＥＮＡＮＡr2iMjCJ89k