Chapter 1

Dog Work in Corus is messy.

I should know this better than anyone.

My name is Kaylee.

I never knew my father, or even my mother. That's why people started calling me Corus. Kaylee Corus. There wasn't a mot on these streets that knew them better than me-hence the name.

I was five when the first person tried to kill me, it was a tall cove, with black eyes. I know because I remember them in my dreams, I see those eyes almost every night.

But I was saved.

I bet the great Rebekah Cooper doesn't even remember me. The small scared mot that had screeched.

But I remember her.

I remember her very well.

She had eyes like silver pools of moonlight- and brown hair that had been in a braid.

She hobbled the man trying to kill me, then twirled her baton and tied his wrists with leather cord.

"Mot." Rebekah said to me. I looked into her eyes with such wonder-I had been taught that Dogs were bad. But she had just saved my life for no reason.

"Are you alright?" I nodded and whipped the blood from my face. "Where are your Ma and Da?" A sinking feeling fell into my stomach.

"Beka! Puppy! Where'd you go off to!?" Goodwin called.

"Puppy!" Tunstall called.

Then, I bolted.

"'ank ye Guardswoman Beka Cooper." I called after me, then turned a corner. She didn't catch me. No one ever catches me.

It was a long time past, since that happened to me. Now I have applied for Dog training. Nothing more for me to do.

It was either be chased by the Dogs, or become a Dog.

I am a sturdy mot. Despite my starving childhood I have a wide, thick build, and large feet. I have broad shoulders, and I am short. About 5' 5''. But in that 5' 5'' I am as strong as an ox. I also can run like a horse. I have bright red hair, with yellow eyes, with a half-moon shaped birthmark behind my ears.

I stood in the Training yard near the Guard house, watching Guardswoman Ahuda walk toward us recruits in the field.

"Assemble in the main hall you stupid kids!" she called, I was the first to walk for the door.

I guess I am a brave mot. I just don't care what others think of me.

We all sat down at the benches.

I leaned onto the back cold stone wall, my hair was loose and fell in front of my face. I hadn't made any friends yet in puppy training. I didn't want them.

It was then I heard a boy in front of me talking about Beka Cooper. And I know I shouldn't be so touchy 'bout her, but I am.

"-You mean that stupid Provost's puppy. He sent her to Corus so she would be safer on them streets then these the stupid Mot." I shouldn't have said anything, at that point I controlled my anger.

"Think the Provost will still has feeling for that idiot Dog. She isn't that good, it's just the Provost that keeps her alive."

I think it was then, no, not quiet then.

"She is a bitch" He said. I can't stand the B word. Let alone talking about someone who had saved my life.

That was when I lost it.

That right there.

I jumped to my feet, yanking the kid to his feet and punching him in the face.

He punched at me with flailing arms.

I don't remember what really happened next.

I just remember hearing Ahuda's voice.

"Break it up! This is no way to act like Dogs!" I was yanked from the boy. And thrown to the floor, a crippling hit to my stomach, I was on the floor gasping.

"Mot!" Ahuda screamed, her face red with anger. "You started this fight! What is this about?!" I looked up at Ahuda, my yellow eyes ashamed.

"I," I was catching my breath.

"For no reason stupid mot!" the boy cried, struggling from the Dogs that hold him to kick me in the stomach. I lurched back and the pain, but fought past it and stood.

I swung my fist at him and punched him again in the face. He fell down, giving the Dogs time to grab him again, also a time for the Dogs to grab me. I struggled, but let them over power me.

"She is a Crazy!" the boy screamed. "She ought to be locked up with 'em cage Dogs!"

"Silence boy!" Ahuda boomed. I flinched at her harshness. "I asked the young mot what this was about, not you." Ahuda's cold stare rested on me. I blinked my eyes, spitting the blood from my mouth and looking at the floor.

"He was insulting Guardswoman Cooper sir. Calling her all types of unseemly names." I said, my eyes finally leaving the floor. What met my eyes were not those of the cold hard Ahuda. But some kind of strange soft person inside her.

"What is you names?" Ahuda asked, masking the look in her eyes.

"Collin Hunt Guardswoman," the boy said.

"Kaylee Guardswoman." I said after him, my eyes drifting to his.

"Kaylee what?" Ahuda asked. I formed another seething anger just looking at the filth.

"Kaylee Corus Guardswoman." I said.

"What kind of name is that you urchin?" Collin spat. I lunged at him, kept back by the Dogs.

"Kaylee Corus. Pray I don't have to explain this to you again. No fights with the other puppies. No matter what they say."

"But Guardswoman-" I tried.

"And you Collin, if I hear you talkin' bad about any dog here I will have your hid for it." Collin's face went ashen and he nodded.

The dogs let us go, and I sat back down, this time in the middle of the crowd. A seat in every direction was empty. A ring of empty seats. I might be in the crowd. But I was still alone.

It was then all the dogs came in, each a two set of dogs.

Each partners getting a puppy.

A puppy like me.

Well, no puppy was like me.

Slowly each name was called to partner.

Then my name was called.

I stood. Not even hearing my partner's names. And walked to the front.

It was two guardsmen that came up to me.

We walked out into the training field together. It was our night watch, with the sun setting on the city.

So I studied them in the fading light.

One, was tall, with black hair that fell around his shoulders in waves, he had black eyes to go with his hair, and a tanned skin, not local.

The other was also tall, but not quite as tall as the first, with tight red curls that clung to his head. He was thin, less muscly then the first. With blue eyes and a freckled face.

"So we get a mot." The curly haired dog complained.

"Hey come on Meric, get off it." Said the taller one to his guard companion. I stared at them not letting my hands leave my sides.

"Please pay him no mind love," the taller one said, sticking out his had in greeting. "My name here is Marcus, this is Meric, sorry, didn't catch your name-?"

"Kaylee." I replied smoothing the hem of my tunic, the white puppy trim I was proud of. It meant I got wear it.

Marcus's grip was hard, a strong grip. Meric on the other hand brushed my hand off like he would stale candy.

"Come on Meric, this is the girl that started that fight before we were chosen."

"Was that you?" Meric said, his face brightening up.

"Yes sir." I said, meeting his blue eyes.

"Really? Why?" I felt embarrassment redden my ears.

"Well, I." I stammered, we were off walking to our patrol for the night walk now. My hands were numb with excitement. Then I swallowed, putting my chin high. "He insulted my Guardswoman Beka Cooper." I said quickly, the catch in my throat gone now.

A laugh erupted from both of their mouths. I felt my embarrassment heated more.

"Good job mot!" Marcus laughed between breaths. "Told you she would be perfect for us Meric." Meric shrugged his shoulders and we walked through the street, his eyes darting for foists and pickpockets. I was starting to get how they worked, their ways as ground into them as any Dog.

I just hoped I could fit in as their puppy. For their sake, I hope they could handle my hot temper.