• Bread. Talia breathed deep as the fresh scent of baked bread floated on the warm, summer breeze. Her stomach growled hungrily as the smell engulfed her. She hadn't eaten in three days. Beside her her little brother swayed, stopping at the delicious fragrance that had assailed their senses. His mussed hair and gaunt cheeks betrayed his current starvation.

    "Eh, Talia..." the boy whimpered softly. "Can we get some bread?" He held his stomach, a pained expression on his face. Talia was used to fasting for days on end - before their parents had passed, they had participated in the yearly fasting for her parents' deity - but they had been orphaned three years ago now, and her brother was only nine. Children were exempt from the fasting.

    Talia frowned. She hated having to steal food, but they had no money. When she was in the cities she attempted odd jobs for people in exchange for money, but the majority of the common folk were too poor to spare the change, or had already helped out another of the numerous orphans that the war had produced. And anyone with enough money to help more than the occasional orphan usually ignored the children all together, treating them like dirt on their leather boots. Sam's stomach growled again, and Talia sighed. It couldn't be helped.

    "Stay here," she told the boy, pressing his shoulder's gently. Sam nodded consent, and Talia slipped off. The roof of the house from where the smell of bread originated rose over the high grass of the surrounding plains. She plunged into the green grass, the solid wall broken only by weeds and scraggly bushes. Once hidden, she slowly began to slink towards the delicious aroma. Pollen clogged her sinuses fairly effectively, but the fresh smell of the bread was strong, and her stomach roiled with hunger. Allergies couldn't foil her when she was driven by such a force.

    Sweat beaded on her forehead, plastering her short-cropped blonde hair to her face. The noonday sun above seared the skin not covered by rags, and boiling her alive otherwise. Dehydration also weighed heavily on her. Judgment slogged by the weight she felt upon her mind, she had to force all her concentration on what she was doing. She had to go slow and silently. Despite her caution, it wasn't long before her head emerged on the other side of the grassy cover. A small cottage with what appeared to be a cabbage farm sat in the middle of a large plot sheared free of grass. A low, tiled roof typical of the surrounding country hung over an open window. And on the window sill sat her objective. A fat, steaming loaf of freshly baked bread lay unguarded seven paces from her position in the grass. She glanced to either side cautiously.

    Satisfied that there really was no one around to see her, Talia shot out from hiding. She flew across the short distance to the house and swiped the bread from the sill. For a brief moment she looked at the loaf, the feeling of success welling inside her. Quickly she turned to go. Then all went black.

    --

    A throbbing head was the first thing Talia felt as she awoke. Groaning, she rubbed her temple with her hand. It felt like her skull was about to split in half. What had happened? After grabbing the hunk of bread, something had... hit her? Talia forced herself to remain still, worried that someone was watching, waiting for her to awake. Suddenly she realized that where she rested was significantly softer than the ground. She risked opening an eye - the eye contact with the orange light dancing across her face caused her head to explode momentarily - and found that she was on a bed. Not a large, heavily cushioned bed like she had slept in before the war, but a bed nonetheless. She shifted, a blanket falling down her front, and stole a quick glance around the room. In the corner sat her brother, asleep on a crudely made chair. The rest of the room appeared empty.

    "Sam," Talia whispered, trying to make sure only the boy heard her. "Sam... Samuel!" Her brother stirred, but remained asleep. It was no surprise. They had been traveling sun-up to sun-down for the past three weeks. The boy would be exhausted. Frustrated that her brother would not awake, Talia plopped back down on the bed and began to go over the situation in her mind. The last thing she remembered was swiping the bread, so the obvious conclusion was that they were in the cottage. But why had the occupants given her a bed, and allowed her brother in the room unattended? In the after-math of the war, people didn't take much notice to orphans - they weren't cruel to them, but there were so many that people couldn't spare much more than a sad glance - and kindness was never shown to those that attempted thievery.

    "Oh, you're awake." The voice startled Talia, causing her to fall out of the bed. The movement made her head pound. Moaning, she pulled herself back up to the mattress. In the doorway stood a middle-aged man, still good-looking despite the streaks of white in his otherwise blond hair. He stood in the doorway, his arms crossed and a smile playing across his face. He was laughing at her!

    "Who are you?" Talia demanded. A voice in the back of her head told her that was no way to talk to someone who had given her a bed for the day, but the lump on her head still stung painfully. "Why have you...!"

    "Given you a bed, and your friend here a hot meal?" the man nodded toward Sam. "I could ask you the same question. Why are you trying to swipe an honest man's supper?"

    "I... we were hungry," Talia said, averting her eyes momentarily. Sourly she touched the lump on her head. "You didn't have to hit me!"

    The aging man crossed the room, his hand slightly outstretched. "How is it?" he asked as he approached. Talia pulled back when his hand reached out to touch it.

    "It hurts..." Talia grumbled, knocking his hand away with her own. "Don't touch me." She met his gaze and glared. Other people weren't this nice to orphans, why should he be any different. If you asked her, the man had an underlying motive. Probably thought he could turn them into slaves. At least we wouldn't starve to death. Talia pushed the voice aside.

    Stepping back, the suspiciously kind man shrugged uncomfortably. "Sorry," he apologized. It seemed almost sincere. "My name's Rain, by the way."

    "Talia," Talia mumbled before swiping the blanket from where it had fallen on the floor. Covering herself with it, she lied down on the bed and turned her back to Rain. Silence enveloped the room for a brief moment, then the floor boards creaked as Rain left.

    Talia closed her eyes against the throbbing in her head and attempted to find sleep. A sudden hand on her shoulder caused her head to swivel, and once again it exploded in pain. She clenched her fists and squinted at the boy standing over her. As soon as she saw that it was Sam she let herself relax.

    "Hey, Talia..." Sam whispered.

    Talia reached a hand up and squeezed Sam's. "Hey, Sam," she replied in the same low voice. "How're you feeling?"

    "Alright, thanks to Rain and Sarah," Sam said. "They gave me some food. How's your head?"

    Talia gave a moan and rubbed the lump with her free hand. "It feels like a blacksmith is using it as an anvil," she groaned. "I'll survive, though."

    Sam gave her hand a squeeze. "You want me to see if I can get you something to eat?" he asked her soothingly. For a nine year old, her brother was extremely kind and mature. He often became the overbearing mother figure when she got sick.

    Talia shook her head. "I think I'll just get some rest for now." Releasing her brother's hand, she let her eyes slide shut. Sleep was slow coming, but eventually the darkness enveloped her.

    --

    Talia knew it was a dream from the moment her eyes opened. She stood on an empty plain, the lush grass knee high and stretching to the horizon in all directions. The sun shone overhead in a cloudless sky. Her skin tingled from the warmth it emitted. Gingerly she touched her head, feeling for the throbbing lump that had been there in the waking world. It was gone.

    Turning a full circle Talia examined the scene. Off in the distance a lone, evergreen tree stood, it's leaves rustling in the calm breeze that ran over the plain. Under it stood a figure - a woman, Talia guessed. Slowly the woman raised a hand and waved at her. Hesitantly Talia began to make her way towards the tree.
    As she approached she saw that it was indeed a woman. She was beautiful, her blonde hair flowing behind her, rounded face painted with a smile. Her elegant white dress danced about her in the wind. She tickled something in the back of Talia's mind, but in her dream state she couldn't tell what it was.

    As Talia entered the green shadows created by the towering tree the woman's arms enveloped her, hugging her tight. Instinctively Talia cringed and attempted to back away, but found that her legs refused to work. Who was the woman? No, that was a stupid question. She was dreaming. The woman was only in her imagination.

    "Talia..." The feminine voice clicked something in Talia's mind, but once again it eluded Talia's consciousness. Backing away, the woman looked her over. "My, how you've grown," she said. "Almost as tall as I am."

    "Who... who are you?" Talia stammered. Was she someone from Talia's past? Some sort of relative. She shook her head. A dream!

    "How's your brother?" Compassion touched the woman's voice, an almost motherly love for a child. Before Talia could answer the question, the woman knelt down and picked something up from the ground. As she rose, Talia could see a small, white kitten held gently in her hands. She pet the animal warmly before handing it to Talia. Biting her lips, Talia took the kitten and held it awkwardly. She had never been overly fond of animals. The kitten's head nuzzled into Talia's palm. Slowly she pet the soft fur, running her hand over the top of the kitten's head. The kitten purred contently.

    "Sam's doing okay," Talia replied, her eyes leaving her feline burden. "We-"

    "Talia," the woman suddenly interrupted. Her smile had faded. "Be careful. Rain, he isn't who he seems to be. You have to get out. Talia, go." The woman began to fade into the shifting shadows of the leaves. Before she vanished completely, a small smile played on her lips one last time. "Talia... take care."

    Her mother! The realization slammed into Talia's mind like a truck. Nearly dropping the kitten in her hands, Talia reached out to the fading image of her lost mother. "No!" she screamed desperately. "Mom! Don't go! Please!" Her heart shot into her throat. "Wait!"

    A tear slid down her mother's beautiful face. "Take care... my daughter," she whispered, and her image disappeared all together. Despair wrenched at Talia's heart. "Mother... why?" Tears filled her eyes, blurring her vision.

    Talia's hair whipped around her face, and she suddenly noticed that the wind had picked up to a strong gust. Looking to the sky, she watched as dark clouds rolled in at unnatural speeds. Lightning chained from their underbelly, and in the midst of the subsequent roil of thunder rain began to fall. The cold droplets glued her hair to her face and soaked her clothes. She dropped to her knees and curled in on herself, sobbing uncontrollably. "Why...?" The kitten pressed itself against her breasts, shivering from the rain. "Why..."

    --

    Wakefulness rushed in so quickly that it took Talia a moment to regain her bearings. It was dark, night having settled over the real world. She shifted in her bed and sat up, rubbing laden eyes. The taste of sleep filled her mouth, and the smell of cooked cabbage and bread touched her nose. She looked at the small table beside the bed and saw the plate of food, still warm. It had been put there only recently. Talia placed a hand on her stomach as it rumbled uncontrollably. Touching the lump on her forehead, she shuffled over to the bedside and picked up the loaf of bread.

    The memory of what her mother had said suddenly came to Talia's mind. "Rain, he isn't who he seems to be." Dropping the bread back onto the plate, Talia leaped out of the bed. She had to get Sam and get them out of the house. She knew it had only been a dream, but Talia's instincts told her to follow her mother's advice.

    Talia crossed the cold floor quickly - she suddenly realized that her boots were gone and she was dressed in an old, linen nightgown - the light from the pale moon illuminating the room enough to see by. Quietly she placed a hand on Sam's shoulder and shook him awake. The young boy started, yawning widely. He stretched and rubbed his eyes tiredly.

    "Talia, what..." he asked, sleep still heavy on his voice.

    "Shh..." Talia pressed a finger to his lips. "We have to go, now."

    "But-" Sam began to protest, but Talia stopped him with a sharp "Shush!" Taking his hand, she led him to the open window. A cool night breeze played against Talia's face as she stuck her head out to check to make sure they weren't being watched. She saw no one.

    "Quickly!" Talia insisted, and nudged Sam toward the window. Despite the boy's confusion he followed Talia's order unquestioningly. Heaving himself up onto the sill, he pulled his legs up and over, dropping to the grass on the other side. Hurriedly Talia did the same, dropping to a crouch as soon as she hit the ground.

    Looking around once more, Talia grabbed Sam's hand. "We need to-"

    "Going so soon?" a voice cut in. Instinctively Talia ducked her head, and the whizzing of a wooden plank could be heard over her head. Sam's startled yelp rent the night. Talia saw a man's legs standing beside them - where had he come from? - and threw her foot out. It connected, buckling Rain's legs under him. With a yelp of pain he fell to the ground.

    Pushing her brother in the direction of the tall grass, Talia pleaded, "Go!" Sam hesitated. "Go!" she repeated, and straightened, turning toward Rain. The sound of Sam's footsteps eased the fear on her heart. Her brother would be safe. Now she could-

    "Ahh! Hey!" Sam cried, and Talia swirled anxiously. A large, rounded woman stood in the moonlight, her thick arms wrapped around Sam's neck. Beady eyes looked over his head at Talia, a grin splitting her face in two.

    Talia took a step towards the woman. "No, Sam!" Movement behind her caused her to pivot once more. Rain was straightening, flexing his legs. He held the wooden plank in his hand in an almost relaxed manner, but he seemed poised to strike, to rush in for the kill. His posture reminded her of a wolf. She shivered.

    "You've given us more trouble than I expected," the man said. His voice was cold, devoid of the kindness that it had held earlier. "But you're worth it, I think."

    "Oh, definitely," came the drawl of the woman behind her.

    Talia glared at Rain. "Worth what?" she growled. "What do you want with us?"

    "Why, to eat, of course," Rain laughed, and suddenly a long dagger was in his hands. "You wouldn't believe how long it's been since we've had a fresh, human meal, and here two small children come walking freely into our property. Well..." He lurched forward, the knife outstretched. Talia swiftly sidestepped the attack and slammed her hand into the back of Rain's neck as he passed. She had taken a few lessons in the martial arts when she was younger, and they had proved useful more than once.

    Gripping his neck, Rain wheeled angrily. His face was contorted with rage, lips curled back in a toothy snarl. Talia stepped back. The teeth were sharp, more akin to an animal's than a human's. Yellow eyes, the irises almost glowing, glared at her from under a mop of silvery hair.

    "What are you?" Talia gasped, horrified. What had she gotten Sam into?

    Rain raised his free hand, claws extending from his fingertips dangerously. "What do you care? You're dead." Rain shot forward again. This time Talia threw herself to the side, hitting the ground hard. A claw tore through her hip as she fell. A shallow gash, but it stung nonetheless.

    "s**t..." Talia cursed as she scrambled to her feet. She held the wound at her side with a hand. "Why are you doing this?"

    In response to the question Rain merely sneered, showing his teeth once more. As he prepared to attack, Talia wracked her brain. She didn't have a weapon to fight with, and she couldn't fight hand-to-hand with someone like Rain. And she couldn't run off to find a weapon with Sam in that woman's clutches.

    An idea came to her, and Talia bent double, thrusting a hand into the dirt. As Rain charged forward, she came back up and threw the dirt in his face, twirling at the last moment to avoid Rain colliding with her. Wasting no time to check her handiwork, she shot forward, charging the fat woman holding Sam. She snarled at her and raised a claw. Sam took that moment to wriggle free from her grasp, dropping to the ground and flying into the grass behind. As the woman turned to watch her prey escape, Talia leaped into the air and slammed her foot into the woman's face. She could feel the fat press under her sole as the woman toppled to the ground.

    Landing on the opposite side of the woman, Talia turned and began to run for the house. She knew she couldn't simply run for it. If people had the claws and eyes of a beast, they probably had the smell of one as well. She needed to kill them, and to do that she needed a weapon.

    Crashing into the front door, Talia continued through into the kitchen. She kept a sizable dagger under her coat at all times. She needed to find her clothes. Rushing into the hall beyond, she glanced down either side. The door to the right would be the room she had slept in. She turned and ran down the left, into the open door at the end. A quick scan of the room showed her a simple bed and wardrobe, and a couple chairs, one that held a bundle of clothes. She grabbed them up and shook, hoping beyond hope that the knife was still with them. With a clang the long steel dagger clanged to the floor, glinting in the moonlight. Talia bent and picked it up, and when she straightened she saw Rain leaning against the door frame, examining his claws.

    "You know..." Rain said nonchalantly as he stood there. "It's been awhile since I've had to fight for my food. It feels good."

    Talia raised her knife threateningly. "Why... why didn't you... eat us before?" she asked. Her breath came in ragged gasps as she tried to fill her lungs. "It would... would have been easier."

    Rain chuckled, the sound coming out as more of a growl than a human laugh. "We wanted to fatten you up. You don't have much meat on you." He stepped away from the door and started walking towards her. Dropping to all fours, he slowly began to change. Hair sprouted all along his body, and his figure shifted to match that of a large wolf's, his clothes tearing in the process. A snout grew from his face, and he pulled his lips back in a snarl. "Now that you know," he growled, "you'll have to do as you are."

    He lunged for her neck, claws first. Screaming, Talia dropped to the floor and thrust her knife in the air. Hot blood spilled across her as her blade sliced deep through the wolf's belly. Howling with pain, Rain landed awkwardly on the floor. He stumbled for a moment before his legs gave. Slowly, her mind clouded with adrenaline, Talia stood and approached the whimpering beast. He lie in the moonlight, a puddle of blood forming around him, and stared at her with his large, yellow eyes.

    "You... you'll pay... for this..." Rain coughed. He tried to get back to his feet, but failed. With one deft movement Talia sunk her dagger into Rain's head. His body went limp, and the light in his eyes faded. Sighing heavily, Talia collapsed onto the bed. He was dead.

    As she stared dumbly at the blood-streaked knife, one hand holding her throbbing hip, she suddenly remembered the woman. Jumping to her feet she ran to the window and thrust her head out. Sharp claws ripped into the side of her face, tearing at her flesh. Screaming she was pulled from the windowsill to the ground. She landed on her back, her body sprawled openly, and blinked up at the wolf standing over her. Teeth snarled in her face as the creature that had once been the fat woman placed a strong claw on her chest.

    "You killed Rain." There was no grief in her voice, only anger. "I'm going to enjoy killing you." She opened her mouth, and collapsed with a grunt.

    Stunned, Talia lie there, staring at the wolf's body. It stirred a moment, then fell silent. Was it... dead? "W... What...?" she stuttered.

    "Rain dropped his knife," came Sam's voice, and the boy appeared over her, smiling down. Talia heaved the limp body off her and slowly got to her feet. "I'm surprised I knew where the heart was. It was only a quick guess."

    Talia wrapped her arms around her brother and pulled him into a tight hug. His sandy hair brushed against her damaged cheek, but she ignored the pain. "I'm so glad you're okay," she whispered.

    "You're not," Sam pointed out, and pulled away from her. "Your face is bleeding. And so is your hip. I'll go see if there are any bandages in the house."

    "I'll come with you, and then we're going to get as far away from here as possible."