Tarkina Chapter 1

It was a warm day in Kintia, and the birds were singing, the scent of the wild grass reached us. Well, me and Leanna anyway. My elven friend, Durien, could not smell as good as us Enilefs, but granted he can hear better than us. We were on the western side of town, in the park. Me, Leanna and Durien were sitting on a wooden bench near the edge of the park.

Durien was tall, lean and proud. He had green eyes like many elves and light brown hair identical to mine, and wore a green tunic decorated with golden leaves. Almost all elves were richer than everyone else around here, and respected everyone as equals. Durien's family had lived in Kintia for 3 generations, and they were not about to run back to Verilicko anytime soon.

I am Vak, and I am a sandy-coloured-with-spots Enilef. At the time, I was wearing a light-blue sleeveless shirt (with my white sleeved shirt tied around my waist) and torn brown trousers. I also wore strips of cloth around my feet, as Enilef's feet are more cat-like so we can't wear human shoes.  

Leanna was a white-striped Enilef with deep blue eyes, her hair was a cool black, and she wore a tattered sleeveless brown shirt and light-brown coarse trousers. I have been friends with her since I was in Onyx Maze, as her family was part of our caravan. Unfortunatly, because we were so close, we were teased (for example "Awww, kitty love!") and because of this, we never thought about being..together. She was always alert and wary, and now she was trying to convince me that the monthly slave traders were kidnapping people.

"<They're taking people off the streets!>" Leanna hissed, her white-striped tail whipping around like an angry serpent. "<If you're caught alone after dark they'll get you!>"  I sighed.

"<Leanna, calm down! It's just a myth, like the sea monster story!>" She huffed and sat back down.

"Guys, I can't speak Enilef, mind explaining?" said Durien, irritated.

"Leanna thinks that slave masters steal people" I said. My accent was thick, I did not know much Human then.

"It is true!" complained Leanna.

"Sorry Leanna, I have to agree with Vak. I doesn't make sense, why take that big a risk?"

Leanna growled and sulked.

"<Awww, come on Leanna, you've been right about lots of other things! Remember the potion experiment?>"

...

"It will not work...." teased Leanna "It will go boom, and you'll have no eye-fur!"

"Sssh! Just one more ingrediant, then I can add the water" said Durien, leaning over his pet project, dropping in pieces of herbs into a bottle of blue slime.

"It done yet?" I asked, eyes widening.

"We need the water now!" He grabbed a flask of water and gently poured until it was three quarter full, then started to mix.

Leanna stepped back and shielded her eyes. I, however got closer. The potion glowed blue, and green bubbles floated around the top.

It started to fizz, then BOOM!!

I fell over and grabbed my face, it was burning! I grabbed the flask of water and threw it on my face.

Durien and Leanna looked at me. I blinked and shook my head to get the water out.

"Hey, stop that! I'm getting wet!" cried Durien, flinching.

"<There is nothing wrong with my fur, right?>" I pleaded to Leanna. She burst out laughing. She led me to the river.

"<NOOO!! MY FUR!>" It was in patches, my face, and shoulders were the worst.



...

Leanna giggled and playfully hit me.

We spent three hours chatting and wandering the park, until Leanna ran off to help her father at the docks. Durien left to study, and I wandered the marketplace.

I checked my money: 1 silver coin and 10 copper. That was the usual amount I earned by working at the inn. It is not much, I know the humans get more, but I don't complain. It's enough for my parents to buy food and the odd trinket or book.

Someone pushed me to the ground. I landed on my fours, and did a half-turn hop. I jumped to my feet, and saw 3 humans standing there, looking stupid.

"What was that for?" I hissed "I did not do wrong"

"Hahaha! You hear that Ken? "I did not do wrong" " one of them mocked.

"Oh, but you did do wrong! You stole my money!" "Ken" said, loud enough so the bystanders could hear.

"What!?" I exclaimed, eyes blazing.

"But I'll tell you what Enilef, you can pay only half. 10 Gold coins will be enough!" he laughed

"I did not steal money! You lie! I should-" He kicked me, but disguised it as his friend put his cloak in the way of the bystanders' view.

I leaped at him, scratching and clawing at his face, until the other one, with brute strength, lifted me and immobilized me as the third punched me. I did the only thing I could do, I chomped my sharp teeth down on his bare arm, and my mouth filled with salty blood. He yelled and threw me on the floor, banging my head. I stood up, and spat the blood out of my mouth, staining my fur.

Before I could do anything, the third one tackled me on the ground as "Ken" shouted "Guards! Help!"

Two steel-clad soldiers approached. I hissed as I tried push the human off me, but it was no use. One soldier stopped next to me, but the other tended to "Ken"'s sliced eye. I laughed internally. The soldier lifted the human off me, and grabbed my shirt and put me on my feet.

"Why have you attacked these three?" he demanded, solid voice silencing others.

"They push me, and make me give them money they say I steal" I said quietly, tail between my legs, and ears drooping.

"That's a lie!" yelled "Ken" "He attacked me and stole my money-bag! It's in his pocket, the one with green lace on it!"

I leered at him, but the soldier put a hand on my shoulder, making me flinch.

"Let me see your pockets" he commanded. You don't disobey that voice.

I turned out my pockets: pieces of parchment that Durien told me to read, he was teaching me how to read and write(Human anyway, he doesn't know how to read Enilef), my money-bag, and a bag with green lace.

"What!?" I hissed

"Quiet!" I stepped down.

The soldier opened the bag - it was empty.

"He hid the money somewhere!" Ken shouted

"Did he now?" the soldier said with a strange tone.

"Yes! There was 15 gold coins in there!"

The soldier took my money-bag and peered inside. After a brief look, he poured the contents into Ken's bag

"You can not do that!" I hissed "That is all I get a day! You cannot take it!"

"Well you should of thought of that before stealing his hard-earned money! There's a reason humans get more than you - It's because we work harder! Give him 10 gold coins tomorrow, and if you don't......there'll be trouble" He said before signalling his comrade and marching off.

"Give us the money, or we'll do something worse...hahaha!" threatened Ken.

I snarled at them and stormed off to the Park. I trudged through the small forest until I reached the lake, and fell to my knees, head over the water and tears of anger dripped into the serene mirror. There was no way I could get 10 gold coins by tomorrow. I threw a rock into the lake, breaking the calm surface and growling in anger. I sighed and collapsed onto my back. I laid there for a long time, watching the world grow dark. I sat up. At least I couldn't feel the chilling night wind.

Stupid humans! Why must they interfere with everything, even the guards! I guess they still see us as the enemy, and we should all be slaves. Only the humans, dwarves, drows and renegade elves would capture, sell and use slaves, even though the peace treaty was signed, they still use slaves, but the "beast" leaders would never speak up because the "Civilised" people would crush them.

I rested my head against a tree and let cool tears run down my face. I smelled something. I heard something. I went on all fours and scanned the forest. Something put its hands overmy mouth and pinned my limbs, forcing me to the ground. They rolled me over - humans! I stuggled, and luckily my arms were free. I scratched the closest human and crawled away, but then -

"Don't worry, this'll calm him down" One of them said.

Fwang!

"AAH!!" I yelled as something small pierced my back, but I still to tried crawl....try...try...tired...I couldn't....

I went limp. The last thing I heard was: "Good job boys, that's 5 this week!"

Slavers was the last thought I could think until the Void took me.