She was right above them, hidden in the foliage that covered her tree. Amber eyes watched two men as they argued quietly on the ground. If only they would shut up and leave their packs she thought furiously! She had been watching them for nearly an hour, losing her patience as she waited when they stopped talking and went to sleep. Well they didn't leave but I can still get their food she thought. Her nimble toes slid down the trunk of the tree and onto the dry leaves without making a sound. Her five-foot seven-inch 16 year-old figure crept slowly toward the camp. She undid the ties on a pack and lifted out a bag of travel food. She slid back toward the tree and began to climb. Halfway up she missed a foothold and fell out of the tree landing in a messy heap on the ground. The men were awake in an instant. She had sprung up and was just about to flee when a yank on her hair forced her head up to look into one of the travelers faces a knife pressed against her throat.
"Well, well, well looky what we got here," drawled the one who held her, " a little thief"
"And a pretty one at that," said the other man," Why don't you stay with us sweetheart." She spat into his face. He wiped it on his sleeve and said," You'll pay for that one wench!" With the reflexes of a cat she ducked under the knife and kicked the man hard in the stomach. He keeled over backwards and lay still, the breath knocked out of him. His friend approached, knife still drawn. She leapt up and pushed of with her foot from a tree. Spinning halfway around to face him she kicked his blade arm at a nerve making him drop the weapon. She grinned and darted off through the tree hearing his curses as he tried to follow. Once a safe distance away she stopped to catch her breath. She had taught them a lesson. That was the last time they would mess with Laylari of the K'miri tribe Freja! Thinking of the K'miri made her heart sink. Ten years ago, when she was six, her tribe had been traveling to new territory when they were ambushed by Scanran raiders. Her mother and father had fought but she had run and hid in the forest. She watched as those men killed every person she had ever loved. She went back to the bodies to get food and weapons when one of the men spotted her. She had run for her life into the forest that was now her home. But now she wondered if she should keep that home or leave. Lately she dreamed of going to the capital of Tortall to train with the best fighters in the realm, the Shangs. She sighed, her dream was almost completely hopeless. While the Shangs did take girls of common origin they wanted young children. Would the best fighters be willing to train a 16-year-old? Well, either way, she decided, I'm going to Corus, anything's better than living in this forest all my life. She moved stealthily to her dwelling in the forest. It was a cave, small, but serviceable. She packed her meager belongings in a threadbare pack, and ran her hand for the last time over the drawings of her family on the cave wall. "Goodbye Mama, Goodbye Papa," she said softly and left the cave.
She had been traveling for half the day when she came to the road. She made a quick glance to either side and dashed across the beaten earth. She looked behind quickly to make sure she hadn't been seen. It certainly wouldn't do for the two who had caught her last night to see her again. She turned forward again and came skidding to a halt. She had almost run straight into a woman who seemed to have appeared from thin air! "Whoa, there girl, didn't mean to frighten you," said the woman. She had gray hair and looked very strong. "What's a young one like you doing out her alone?" The woman looked her over, taking in the too large clothes and the threadbare pack. "I don't have to answer that! What are you doing out here?" snapped Laylari. "Oh, touchy are we?" retorted the woman. "If you must know I prefer the woodlands to the road, and safety is of no concern to me." The woman showed Laylari her hands, encased in gloves with an embroidered cat. "They call me the wildcat in the Shang order." "You're a shang?" cried Laylari. "I want to train with the Shangs, will they take me?" she asked hopefully. "Sorry girly, you're too old, got to be young to learn the skills," said the wildcat. Suddenly the older woman dropped to the ground and tried to sweep Laylari's feet from under her. Laylari did a back-handspring, landing neatly on her feet with her hands up. "What was that for!" she yelled. The wildcat looked at her oddly. "You just might do, come on" she said, trotting off through the woods. "Where are we going?" shouted Laylari, hurrying to catch up. "Got to make the inn before rain starts!" the wildcat shouted back. "I want to be dry before we set out for Corus in the morning!"