AN: I don't own any of the X-Men Characters. I do own Kelpie, however, Gerri, Aunt Erika, Kelpie's foster family, the story-line, and all animal characters she converses with, including the gang members :P. Vixen belongs to one Melody S. (an ex-friend of mine), Aquifer belongs to Rob G. (soon-to-be famous fantasy writer!), Sensherak (aka Alan) belongs to an ex-online-bf whom no longer speaks to me, Jonny LeBeau belongs to an ex-online-aquiantence. Phew! If I've missed anyone, let me know :P

There are some Gaelic words in here that I've aquired through reading and such. Diolain mean bastard; Mionnaich is just a curse word, with no real specific meaning. If any of you have read my bio, you'll know that I'm not fluent at Gaelic at all, I only know a few words and phrases. If any of you happen to know Gaelic, and I make a mistake, please, let me know, it's the only way I'm gonna learn!

CHAPTER 1

9 YEARS LATER…

Skating around on her board idly, Kelpie searched for a potential victim. She smiled with mischief. She'd picked a good neighborhood. Everyone was relaxed and unsuspecting.

A motorcycle interrupted the peaceful scene and roared past her, stopping at a bar down and across the street.

Except her, thought Kelpie, She's alert as a fox. The woman on the bike was dressed in a red tank top covered by an open black leather jacket. She wore light blue jeans and black leather boots that came to her shin. The woman looked around as she got off the bike and locked eyes with her.

Kelpie looked quickly away so as not to draw attention. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw the woman disappear into the bar. Forgetting the woman, Kelpie went back to work. The sun would set in a few minutes. She'd strike when it was dark.

Boarding up and down the street, she let the people get used to her being there, but never letting them see her face which hid under the hood of a silver sweatshirt, despite the heat of the evening.

The only thing that hinted to her being female was her faded dark-blue jeans. She'd worn them since she'd stolen them from a house in New York that had happened to be unlocked. That had been over two years ago, so now they were tight and clung to every movement. A whistled catcall from behind her hinted that one of the male species had noticed this. Kelpie rolled her eyes and gave him the finger.

There was more laughter behind her and a trickle of suspense began at the base of her spine. There was more than one…five, at least.

"Hmm…," said the one who had whistled. "Wonder if that was an offer?" More laughter.

Kelpie gritted her teeth--something she did often now-a-days--and ignored them. Maybe they'd go away. They'd better. She had work to do and she'd be damned if she was going to let those bumbling blockheads ruin it.

Without warning, her skateboard was pulled out from under her and she fell to the pavement. The guys laughed hysterically, as did some passerby.

In a rage, she shot to her feet and lunged at the laughing teenager who held her board. "Diolain!" She threw a punch and he went flying to the ground, swearing.

Thunder cracked in the evening sky and lightning struck at the ground as if trying to reach it. The wind picked up and Kelpie wished she would've worn her hair back, for her hood whipped off and her blonde, green and blue hair blew into her vision. Most thought she dyed it, but she never touched the stuff, it was poison to her…literally. Her hair was naturally blonde with green strips on the left and blue strips on the right. It had been thus since the day after her parents had died.

Suddenly she was grabbed from behind by two of her attackers and the guy she had punched came to stand before her. He was obviously the leader---she knew the guy that ran their gang--and he was evidently very pissed.

She struggled, trying to break free, but the men who held her had vice-like grips and refused to budge.

The leader's had came back and slammed into her face so hard that, if not for those who held her, she would've been knocked to the ground. The people in the street suddenly made themselves scarce, not wanting to get involved.

Kelpie groaned as a fist came in contact with her stomach over and over again. Finally, after several minutes of hitting her, she was let go of and she slumped to her knees, arms around her stomach.

"Assholes," she spat, "Mionnaich." The wind was blowing fiercely now. Thunder rolled and lightning lit up the now night sky, but no rain fell. If she would just reach out and grasp the power, she could kills these diolains within seconds.

A boot came in contact with her face and she fell backwards, groaning, trying to keep conscious. She felt someone take hold of her ankles and start to drag her toward the nearest alley.

Oh nay ye doona. She kicked out at the person and he let go of her. A foot connected with her ribs and she cried out, grabbing her side. She saw another fot come at her, but she rolled at the last minute and he missed. Getting to her feet as quick as she could, she slid her knives out of her sweatshirt sleeves and twirled them, smiling mischievously. "Who's first?'

The leader motioned to the largest of the group, and the grinning man charged forward. At the last moment, she spun out of the way and knocked the guy over the head with the handle of her dagger. It didn't knock him out, for he had a thick head, but it did disorganize him for a few seconds and made him trip.

She brought her knee up as he went down, ramming her it into his nose. That knocked him out.

She turned just in time to find another charging her. She used his momentum to make him shove the dagger into his own chest. She yanked the knife out and hesitated one moment, staring at the dead man at her feet. That was the first time she had ever killed someone intentionally. The hesitation gave the leader time to charge and tackle her to the ground.

Taking her wrists, she pounded her hands against the pavement until she let go of the daggers. Then his fists slammed repeatedly into her face. Finally, when she thought she could take no more damage, he stopped. But he wasn't finished. While she tried to keep hold of her conscious once more, he grabbed one of her daggers and jabbed it into her thigh until he felt it scrape the bone.

She screamed in agony and, as he got off her, grasped her leg. Another foot slammed into her side, then another and another. They just kept kicking her until they rolled her into the alley, barely conscious.

Suddenly, a shout sounded and the kicking ceased. There was shuffling more shouts, and several more thuds. Then it was quiet except for the sound of retreating feet. Unable to prevent it, Kelpie was picked up and placed over something warm. Then she heard the sound of a motorcycle engine in her ear and she lost consciousness.