"Oh, shoot! I left the meat cooking too long!" I threw the book I was just reading onto my bed and threw myself upwards as a burnt smell filled my nose, informing me that the worst of the worst has happened to my experimental meat. I gave a personal note to myself that reading 'The Lord's Wife', a love tale by Raynes, while cooking is a recipe for disaster.

Speaking of recipes... I used Craft to turn off the fire and vanish the black and crispier-than-should-be meat off the frypan and onto the chopping board. I pulled the frypan into my hands and dumped in without care into the sink full of hot soapy water and a few other things – a handy method that I'd made myself, that rids of all grime, stains and stays forever hot and soapy... it's getting rid of the stuff that's a problem...

I snatched the handle of a butcher knife and tenderly cut the corner of the meat I had been watching awareness no less than a few ten minutes ago. The inside was a brown-ish colour with a black, crispy hard edge around the outside. I pulled a disproving face at the thing that was once meat and sighed as I floated it about in the air and disposed of it. Overcooked meat was not what I was hoping to achieve for dinner.

I yawned and stretched my golden wings as I walked towards to soapy essence that held my was-ember covered utensils. I griped the fry pan and pulled it out of the sink, tilting it so the bubbles slowly crawled towards one side. Once getting bored of this usually fun activity, I shook it lightly and used Craft to clean and dry the pan.

I stacked it neatly away before standing there, staring out the window with a blanked mind. Every bored stiff day is the same since mother died – get up, train and practice with weapons, make breakfast, run around the cottage, read a book, make dinner, clean up and sleep. Today, I felt like there was something I needed and wanted to do. I yearned to go outside and actually relax today; to do something different. I felt so pumped and full of energy, as if these past years of the same boring routine had stored all my energy for this very moment...

I looked around the house, as if checking to see if there was anyone to witness me sneaking out and breaking my mother's rules. Of course, there wasn't – I live alone, and alone I shall live. A grim feeling temporarily blocked my thoughts of freedom, and I frowned at the thought, as if frowning would make it back down and slip out of my head; it worked, however weird that may be.

I beamed at the door and skipped towards it, sliding it open. Fresh, forest air filled my nose and I sighed in happily. Now, the question of the century: What to do?

The tranquil forest stood there, the tree's rustling and moving to the wind, as if they were partners. I watched with awe and felt my shoulders ache. There was a nice, warm wind today... So nice... if only I could fly and sore and dance with the wind, just like the trees were. Just like I had done, as a child.

Well, I thought stubbornly to myself, why not?

Mothers not going to just pop up from the grave or anything, is she now? She taught me about Hell, but I had a gut feeling that even if she was daemon-dead, she wouldn't care about me if I was two feet in front of her. All she cared about was keeping up her image: she told me when I was younger that she had met my father at an Erin training camp, and bedded him. It wasn't until the next day when his peers had snickered at her had she realised what she had done – she had bedded a half breed. I, honestly, saw nothing wrong with this, I mean, that technically makes me a three-quarter breed, doesn't it?

Maybe that's why she doesn't, or more likely didn't care for me. The bitch was dead and I was happy, and alone, and had sworn to 'follow in her example' by my mother as she lay on her deathbed. Little did she know I crossed my fingers behind my back and was counting the horribly sluggish minutes until she kicked the bucket and got taken off by her current boy-friend at the time; and undertaker, as sceptical as that may sound.

I took a cautious step forwards and looked around the completely level ground. I think going in the Western direction would be easiest, I thought to myself, because the sun sets in that direction and so it'd also be easy to remember how to get myself home, and to explore. Maybe I should take somethi-

Tha-Boom!

A violent quake shuddered around me, knocking me awkwardly to my bottom. Three experimental plants in clay pots jumped off their ledges and shattered just behind and next to me as I curled up into a tight ball to protect myself; wings and all. The glass door behind me cracked and smashed, sending sprays of sharp glass bursting in my direction, fortunately only slicing the left side of my arm and twice on my leg, while I tried to huddle and avoid the missiles. I didn't have time to think – the explosion happened in a millisecond, and the waves of force lasted merely seconds, maybe eight.

The first thing I noticed when the tremor stopped, was the three plants; my three most useful. The one furtherest away from me had shattered a few meters away, and laid completely ruined. It had been a flower I had made to glow in the dark, like a light. The experiment was successful and luckily I have a good memory, or else I would never remember such a thing again. The plant whose remains laid less than a meter away, were of the flower who's petals could change colour and emit a fly killing spray; handy, especially where I am. The one closest to me, an inch from my nose was a Poison Dart bush – miniature, but attractive so when touched it explodes a row of poison tipped darts in every direction. The flaws were that it penetrated my shields, and I'm Gray jewelled. However once it got use to a person it never shot at them again.

That's probably the only reason I'm not howling in pain...and dead.

I realised my hands from around my head and winced when a piece of thin glass as long as my finger fell out from my left forearm.

"Shoot!" I swore and wriggled my arm, attempting to get the shard of glass out of my skin. Stupid me, I forgot to put up a shield! I'll feel the pain tomorrow, I think, because that milk I drank this morning was filled with one of my plants crushed leaves; I called it 'Pain-me-not'. Stupid, stupid me! Luckily I drank that milk or I'd be in so much pain at the moment! I looked behind me at my wings, surprised and forever grateful they hadn't been damaged. An Erin is nothing without their wings... and their Erin War Blade, but mother had never given me on, so I'd only heard about it in stories.

Then, I looked up in front of me to see black smoke weaving its way into the sky, and a putrid burnt smell wafted up my nose like a disease. I summoned my healing kit and picked two rather large chunk of glass out of my, leg. I shuddered, grossed-out when warm blood started oozing down from my thigh and dripped over me and my shoes. After applying all wounds with a healing balm, I stared at where the explosion had happened, or so I think.

I'm scared that looking behind me will horrify me, because surely dreadful damage had happened to my house? Frankly, I don't want to know.

What I do want to know, however, (and whether this is because I hit my head to hard or I'm crazy. Maybe both.), is what caused the explosion? Craft? Someone's meddling with nature, like my experiments? A real bomb?

I stood up and limped forwards a bit, spreading my wings. Well, I did want to go flying today, didn't I?, plus I wished for something different to happen too. I guess.

Spreading my wings, I curved down and used my well-built legs to push myself up into the warm currents of air, scanning everything that moved, just in case. Badly hurt females are usually the prey when gangs of men are hungry for sex, blood and violence. In my case, I could shield myself and fly off, but one can never be too careful. Speak of which, I should put up a shield.

Ugh – I'm so dim-witted today! I've never been so stupid in my life! All that 'stick to the roster' must have gotten rid of half my brains, and maybe that half's just waking up again. Or maybe it died with my mother.

I circled the blacked area. It looked like an explosion had gone off; a giant hole that was twelve times bigger than my cottage was engraved in the forest like someone had laid a very large circular stepping stone within the trees. Soot floated down from burnt butt-naked trees and settled on the already blackened ground.

Floating slowly and cautiously to the ground, I noticed there were foot prints planted everywhere. I stuck my foot childishly inside of one and I felt worryingly shocked at the size of the feet. If that's the feet, then I'd hate to see the body... Paw prints were also scattered here and there, ranging from the size of three of my fingers to the size of my kitchen sink. All this worried me; I never even knew there were animals that big! Tigers, sure but... Wow! Twice to maybe three times as big!

The footprints looked recent, so I checked around me to make sure no man-eating animal was going to charge randomly out and eat me. Nothing. So I continued my search for clues, when I saw something odd. Felt something odd too. It was like something was pushing against my shield, though I could see and sense no one. It was a feeling on Craft, and very resent.

I looked around me, pivoting. Nothing there. Nope; nothing to the North-East. No one here. Defiantly not there... I cocked my head to the side, my wings outstretched as I listened. There were no birds singing, no earthy smell to inhale, and no deer prancing with each other... This is a dreadful sign; either that or I must defiantly be losing it.

Suddenly, something broke from a tree above me and with a thump hit the ground. I froze and stared wide-eyed at the floating tree branch. Yep. Elayn, my dear me, you've lost it; and the next thing you know you'll be talking to yourself. Oh, wait.

The tree branch snapped violently in half and with a... growl?... both parts were sent flying at a the tree it had come from. I heard something get up and saw paw prints pressed into the ground, along with the soot covered bottoms of something's miniature feet.

Then, a tiger appeared right in front of me, in the quickest blink of an eye. I blinked too, but to get rid of the surprise. It was above up to my knees, white and with black stripes. Soot really did cover its feet and it was looking fearfully up at me. But I was caught and shocked by the red jewel dangling around its neck on a gold chain.

I felt a well of fear grow inside of me; I've only ever heard stories about Kindred, horrid Landen-eating beasts that grew and grew ever powerful... But it's just a kitten! A cat, and it's ranked a jewel strength under me. I should just leave before it attacks me, though. Before it decides to-

And it sneezed.

I was shocked; it was so unexpected and adorable. And, it was just a cat, a large one at that, and even if it was a tiger, I could train it otherwise; like not to eat people – or at least not me. Besides, it's so cute. And dangerous... but I can handle it, right? I'm a jewel higher than it.

Him. It's a he, I noticed. He also has burns to the front of his muzzle, a vertical bleeding cut over his right eye, and he's probably in shock and alone. The poor dear. My stomach dropped as I felt entirely guilty.

"Hey there." I crooned to it and bent down into a squatting position, trying to keep slow, deliberate movements as not to scare him. The tiger-cub just looked at me with big, wide eyes. Maybe I should take my shield off, or at least take it to a Green shield so he doesn't feel threatened, and I still feel safe.

The fine golden chain holding my necklace slipped over the top of my shirt as I lent slightly forwards while changing my shield's strength down a few notches. He noticed, and then he seemed to relax. I stretched my hand out as slowly as I could before letting it hover over his forehead. Please don't bite me, I chanted in my head.

Plonking my hand down on his head gave me the willies; I felt like a giant relief had came over me, like finally going to the toilet after you've been busting to pee – that's the only way I can think of describing it. I'm sure I'll think of something better later.

*Ouch.* A six-year-olds voice filled my head on a red spear thread. Instinctively, I looked over my shoulder. I felt stupid after that; of course there's no one behind you! I'm sure you would have heard that person by now, I mean, how many other people do you know that are ranked over Grey? Sure, I've heard there's the Sadist, who's Black-Jewelled, and somewhere out there there's Witch, plus the High Lord... and the only Ebon-grey person in the whole three realms, but I doubt they'd be here.

Or maybe there would be here soon; any one of them could have wondered why such a huge bang must have gone off in the middle of a deserted and isolated forest, couldn't they? In that case, I'm going to be getting out of here soon; one doesn't want to get charged for something they are innocent for... unless you're mad as a hatter.

"I'm sorry." I apologised quickly in a whisper, turning back to him. Kindred can talk too. Well, in some mad way this all makes sense, I mean, I guess Kindred can do everything Blood can do, and that kind of means they're part Blood, so, he's sort of like my distant (oh so very distant) brother.

"Are you okay?" I questioned while gently stroking his forehead. Well that's a stupid question! Of course he's not okay; he's bleeding and injured! Gosh do I need to wake up. Where's a coffee when I need one?

*A little.* was the reply. He sounded upset – maybe he's just trying to be strong...

I tucked my loose fringe behind my ear and sat cross legged on the ground, before summoning my healing kit. He eyed it suspiciously. "It helps your cuts." I told him weakly. I'm not sure about some of them, I mean; I'm not a professional Healer.

He seemed to accept that and lay down in front of me, but keeping a firm shield up. Red shield, might I add, and I'm the one with a Green shield at the moment. I cleaned up most of his cuts, except his muzzle seamed too burnt for me to do much and the scratch over his right eye was going to be a permanent scar. It was the best I could do.

"There. Feeling better?" I crooned to him. He didn't answer, so I sighed and stood up. His gaze followed my movement and I crossed my arms and looked down at him. "What's your name?" I asked politely. He stared up at me, looking just as confused as I felt.

*I don't get a proper name until I have proved myself to my mother, who names me after what I am, or had done.* was the response.

I frowned, puzzled then looked up at the tree. Keeping my head up, I questioned, awed and appeased, "How'd you get up there?"

*I used air walk, and held on.* He told me, sounding suspicious. My eyebrows knitted together; Air Walk? I've never heard of such thing, but no matter.

"You shall be named Kalan'drios." I informed him, proud with myself for reading that book on name meanings. Kalan meant Fury, and Drios means Wind, or in this case, Air.

*Fury of Air.* He mused. "Kalan for short." I told him, provided he was with me long enough to even call the name, I mean, he's a tiger and I'm sure his parents will be looking for him soon.

*Will I stay with you? Like with mother's sister and her Den?*Kalan sounded enthusiastic. If I were him, I'd probably be wary... but company would be good for me, I think. He might be a handful, for example, where am I going to get the money to feed him? I'll figure something out.

"Welcome to the Basslia Family." I grinned at him.

May not be another Chapter for a while, because I have school work and all.

Please review – the more the merrier, and the happier and more enthusiastic I'll be ! : ]

~~ToySoldiers~~