Chapter 11:

Birds of Prey

The hot sands beneath a young girl's body cooled as the moon crept above. The clear night left only the moon and starlight to shine upon the girl's body. Blood slowly drained from her body and stained the yellow sands beneath. Her baggy pants and tank top were torn and shredded from the various fights and shootouts. She breathed heavily as she pushed herself slowly off of the ground. 'Damn, Kazi get up.' She thought to herself. Kazi stumbled as she walked to seemingly nowhere. 'Nothing. Nothing but desert.' A sharp pain suddenly stabbed her side. Kazi gripped it and slumped to the ground. As she took a look at her side a rib had been broken and pierced through the skin. Kazi grit her teeth as she ripped part of her army pants, up to the knee, off and tied it tightly around her whole stomach and sides.

Kazi walked for what seemed like forever, trying to ignore the pain that shuddered through her body. She walked for three days before finally ending up in a small town. It was nighttime and all was wet from the constant rain. Kazi leaned on a building wall and walked along it for support. She was getting weak and an infection was growing in and around her broken rib and her wounds. A woman suddenly noticed her walking through the rain and saw her suddenly slump to the ground. The woman ran over to her and helped her inside of her house. Kazi shivered from the cold. Inside the house was a small living room that was lit with warmth. The woman set Kazi down on the old couch and gasped when she raised her head, looking straight at the woman.

"Thank you...." Kazi stammered, still shivering from the rain. The woman nodded and ran to get some things. A few seconds later, she ran back with a medical kit and a bucket of hot water and a rag.

"You're that girl that was beaten in Japan, right?" the thirty-year-old woman asked as she tended to Kazi's wounds. Kazi grit her teeth and nodded. The woman noticed Kazi's broken rib. "Do you want me to pop it back or would you rather do it your self?" Kazi sighed,

"You wouldn't want to touch it." She said noticing the disgusted look on the woman's face from the infection. Kazi grinded her teeth as she popped it back in place with a sickening sound. The woman used a special tool from the kit and actually dug all of the infection out. She bandaged Kazi up and placed a blanket around her shoulders.

"So, what's your name?" The woman asked fixing hot tea in the far corner.

"Kaziya… Of Baek Doo San's Dojo," Kazi answered quietly. The woman gasped slightly.

"Well, that explains a little, but arises more questions than before!" She chuckled.

"Thank you, Miss....." Kazi said,

"Kalana. " The woman said.

"Ms. Kalana, may I ask something?"

"Sure, but call me Kalana."

"Um, Kalana, where am I?" Kazi asked as Kalana walked over to her and handed her a cup of tea.

"Myonggan-up."

"North Korea?!" Kazi looked shocked.

"Yes. But could you explain some things to me?" Kazi nodded. "How did you get here if you were in Japan?"

"I-I-I don't know."

"Huh?"

"I walked. That's all I remember." Kazi answered, starring into the tea.

"Huh. That's strange. Well, I guess Baek's daughter student would have survived a Japanese beating." Kazi looked at the woman, "Everyone knows of Baek and his twins, as everyone calls them. They all say that the two siblings are exactly alike and they have even started to call the whole family 'The Birds of Prey'. " The woman chuckled again. Kazi smirked at the name. 'So Baek's joke was no joke at all... He really meant it and now it's spreading.' Kazi thought as she remembered him saying something about it one night at dinner........

Flash back: Thirteen years ago…………………..

"When I get strong enough, I'm gonna have a nickname that's as cool as Masters!" A six-year-old Hwoarang said, fiddling with the food on his plate.

"Me too!" A young three-year-old Kazi piped.

"You two are strong enough." They turned to see Baek standing there.

"I want one as cool as 'Flaming Falcon' " Hwoarang said.

"How about..." Baek thought for a moment then answered, " 'The Blood Talon'?" Hwoarang's eyes widened and he jumped and yelled for joy, and finally hugged Baek.

"What about me?" Kazi said half pouting. Baek stroked the girl's flaming red hair.

"You two will have to live up to these names." he said smiling, "And how about, 'Hell Hawk'?" Kazi grinned.

"Thank you!" She said graciously doing the same that Hwoarang did.

"And now we're all going to be hunted as Birds of Prey." They all laughed.

End Flash back…………………

"Hello?" The woman suddenly snapped Kazi out of her daze. "Your tea's getting cold."

"Thank you Kalana." Kazi said looking up at the woman. The woman nodded,

"You can stay as long as you need, Kaziya Doo San."

"Call me Kazi, I don't deserve his name." Kazi hung her head. The woman nodded,

"Good night, Kazi." The woman walked out of the room. Kazi curled up in a ball and held back the crystal cold tears that tried as hard as possible to flow. She wanted to be held once again,

"Hold me please...." she whispered pleadingly into the cold darkness. Once more it wrapped its arms around her. The same embrace she had known for years. How she suddenly longed for a warm touch that she knew would never come........