Sorry this Chapter wasn't up a while back – I did have it typed up about a week ago, but I've been sick, my computer decided to get a virus while schools piling assignments on me almost every day ;( Anywhos! Thanks JDot940 for Reviewing – I love them! That was the cherry on top of my day!! Thanks all those that subscribed for Favourite Author, Story Alert and Favourite Story!!

Where are we going? I trusted Claudia's knowledge of this place – I think - ... where ever this place is...but now I was starting to get judgemental.

Amazingly enough, Claudia had scratched the surface of my temper when she'd shoved me into a house-sized bathroom, handed me clothes and blandly told me I needed a shower. Once I was out, she rushed down two doors, irreverently told me to wait there, and then came back in a flash wearing oldish threadbare dark-brown trousers and a long, baggy, heather-green sweater with decorative patches.

I approved of her clothes mentally, feeling slightly out of place, before Claudia convincingly guided me down the corridors with as much energy as a room full of puppies.

Trying to remember these hallways was a big no-no; I'd figured that out after a few minutes, after getting a minor headache. Claudia though, seemed to know where she was going, showing me around wide corridors with little or no decorations of furniture.

That was beforehand. Now though? She was looking down the different directions to take as if she was as new to this place as I was. Foolish, I think, so go somewhere you've never been before without knowing the way out again.

And I meant that physically and psychologically.

I dug my heels in when we came to another T-junction.

"We're lost." I told her with a grunt. Shaking her head was the only sign that she'd heard me, while she kept looking down both directions with a confused frown. I shook my hand out of hers and felt a wave of relief as I sat down on a fine wooden chair.

"I grew up here, I know where we are. But I have to ask you...do you know where Kalan'drios is?" Claudia's head creased in confusion before she sat down. On air.

Mother Night... I gulped and shifted uncomfortably.

I sent a probe out, and searched over the minds until I came across my brother's familiar warmth. "Yes." I said vigilantly whilst eyeing the air Claudia was sitting on. I slyly stuck the cane under it no make sure there was no hidden chair there.

Claudia grinned at the cane then sighed. "So do the males in my mother's First Circle." I blinked, slightly shocked, both from the fact that the cane was not meeting hard wood, and also over what Claudia said.

"Why does that matter?" I asked guarded. She bit her lip again, and there was laughter held in her eyes as she said in a neutral tone, "They want to meet Kalan'drios's sister."

I held back a snarl but I couldn't keep the edge out of my voice. "Do they?"

Claudia studied me cautiously, her laughter faded. Her voice changed to a polite tone as she said, "Yes. They would like to know how you manage to keep your limbs attached."

I felt myself go blank with confusion, worry, doubt and shock.

Well that's a silly think to find out. He's my brother; Kalan wouldn't hurt me, unless there was a good reason behind it all. He wouldn't rip me limb from limb and devour me like I'd seen him do to... but maybe that's why the males are worried... maybe they've never seen an Arcerian up close before, or only seen one hunting... maybe the two-leggered males feel...

No, I thought with a violent snarl.

Two-leggered males don't worry, they don't care, they destroy females in their path and they only want one thing, and that one thing I will never let them have. Human males don't love, they only lust.

I should know.

I shut out that last though, along with the memories threatening to rise with it.

I took in a deep breath, hoping it would calm me down and wash out the disgust and anger tainting my thoughts. "Kalan wouldn't do that." I stated firmly, raising my chin slightly, challenging hey silently.

"Of course he wouldn't." Claudia watched me closely as if I was a cooking experiment bound to explode.

"But the boyos are... surprised... at that fact that he was very tame when he went into the Healing room. He's usually aggressive around the other males, and some of the First Circles male children were right behind him when his top half was in the Healing room. So... they were just wondering how come when he was with you he wasn't trying to rip you apart." She knotted her fingers together and apart several times, looking up at the roof with a scowl on her face, "Basically anyway; I'm just trying to think of how someone with a cock and balls would explain it." She frowned, while I smiled at her use of language.

"Anyway, I'm trailing you around the place so we can get away from them and Ladvarian. No one knows these halls as well as I do; even my Grand-Papa and Mother couldn't compare." She grinned wickedly at me, and I wondered where she picked that up from.

I made and 'Oh' sound and looked out the window at the end of the T-section; it spilled natural light into the corridor like a disease, while the turquoise green leaves danced against the window. I felt myself being pulled towards to outdoors, drawn into its beauty.

I felt rather than saw her get up and grab my hand, tugging me forwards lightly. I hoisted myself up, never taking my eyes off the window, and hobbled towards it as Claudia encouraged me with a basic tug.

She grinned at me and pushed me at the...

Wait. Mother Night I didn't just...

Fresh, crisp air that circled the plain of grass blew in welcome at me, determining to me that it was morning, not afternoon. I breathed deeply, both in shock and greeting. Claudia stepped up behind me, a wide grinned plastered onto her face. I tried to give her a glare, but it didn't work as well as I had hoped. Especially when my eyes are so wide open.

"I just...you pushed me through a wall." I gapped in awe. Claudia's grin faded into a nervous innocent, as she twisted the hem of her jumper and avoided my eyes.

"That didn't scare you did it? I thought you might have known that spell...Although when I pushed Deekshan through a wall he didn't seem too happy either..." Claudia clicked her tongue, and I wondered who had taught her a spell like that.

I simply shrugged lightly; still puzzled over the fact you could actually go through walls here.

"Can you show me?" I asked politely, scanning the area for dangers. Well, there seems no point in scanning the area for dangers if your eye sight is limited from a corner of this castle...place... a few hundred meters from yourself to a small gardening shed behind you. Claudia perked up, eyed me as if she expected there to be a catch, and then grinned at me wickedly.

"'Course. Not now though because"-She was cut off suddenly by a low snarl. I spun on my heel, frightened by the fact that everyone was able to sneak up on me today, without me even noticing. What wrong with me?!

I was met by a mouth full of dagger-sharp teeth. My surprise dampened, and I felt a wave of exhilaration build inside myself.

*Elayn!* "Kalan!" We sung harmoniously. My little brother! I'm outside for the first time in Mother Night knows when, and Kalan's here!

I felt myself tumble backwards as I was pounced on by Kalan. I laughed, placing my feet on the either sides of his thighs and my hands on his shoulders, before pushing him roughly, causing him to be pinned down.

I stared into him bright green eyes before squealing - ignoring Claudia's sudden Healers scolding and the pain in my lower leg - as I wrapped my arms around Kalans neck and pulled him into a hug. His huge front legs wrapped around my mid section, rocking us, his loud purring soothing and delighting me as my face was pressed against his neck.

Feeling myself laugh as his snow-white fur tickled my nose, I wriggled myself out of his warm embrace, looking at Claudia. She was smiling so brightly I thought her teeth would crack, and I suddenly wondered what I must look like feeling this joyful.

Kalan rolled over onto his feet at the same time I bent down and swooped up my dull cane.

"Well," grinned Claudia, "that's not something you see every day." I chuckled and scratched the top of Kalans head as he moved to stand next to me.

I leaned against him, feeling the hollowness of my leg suddenly weight me down. Kalan sniffed Claudia as she took a step closer to me, and he nodded as if approving of her, which, I thought blandly, he was.

*You are Jaenelle's kitten.* Kalan stated to Claudia. She smiled knowingly, "Yes I am."

Kalan gave intimidating grin. *Your sire is getting his bottom nipped by Morghann's kitten.* I braided pieces of hair on Kalan's neck, not sure where this was going. Claudia gave me no clue when she went deathly pail, then bright red in an odd sort of a blush. I felt confused at her strange change of colour.

"Mother Night!" she laughed, clasping her hands around her mouth as if that would keep the laughter in. I had to admit, in my head it was an odd picture, but I still wasn't sure what was going on. "Papa's loosing sticks to Reon?" She asked with a giggle, sounding as if she was confirming something.

*Yes. Do you want to watch?* Kalan turned his head slightly, as if to acknowledge a direction, before turning back to Claudia. I finished un-braiding Kalan's long fur a top his head at the same time he said those words.

Claudia made a sound at the back of her throat and started running paranormally fast towards the corner of the castle. I stared, shocked, after her until Kalan nudged me, pushing me towards his mid-section. I caught the indication and grinned wickedly as I used Craft to make a small air-stair case, before hitching my leg over his back. I entwined my fingers into his shoulder mane and leaned forwards, holding the cane lightly between my thumbs.

Kalan stormed after Claudia's figure just as it rounded the corner, using Craft to enhance his speed... just as she must have done. I laughed into the wind, feeling it fly furiously through my hair as a sense of giddiness overtook me. Claudia was racing Kalan...!

The last time we had done this, was when we had found an oversized field fully of deer, and had raced them around the perimeter, herding them into small groups before letting them flee again.

I felt his muscles work in union with my leg muscles; listened to his claws dig into the grow like a sixth-sense as Kalan broke around the corner, never slowing down; I smelt the dew covered grass as he angled himself in such an angle during the fly around the bend that I could almost reach out with my pinkie and stroke it; I could taste the air, flavoured with tasteful flowers...

And I saw the massive area of training grounds ahead, littered with an amazing amount of people. I snarled almost at the exact same time as my brother, just as the cane slipped from beneath my thumbs. I tilted backwards, and Kalan slowed down slightly.

I spun him around in a small U-turn before he raced back towards the neglected cane. Now this, I grinned mischievously, we had only tried once. I sent a quick thought out to Kalan'drios, noting him of what I wanted to do.

Three meters from the cane, I loosened my legs slightly and completely let go of Kalan with my hands, before throwing myself around to the right. I soared around, picked up my cane and swung back around onto Kalan's back.

I gripped onto my brother's fur coat again with the empty hand, before turning him back around and slowing down his speeding pace to a reasonable jog. I fumbled with the cane, unsure where I should put it, before I looked up.

Almost everyone was staring at me; everyone except Claudia and Jaenelle, who seemed to be having an argument. Kalan stopped walking, his hackles rising, before a quiet warning snarl escaped his mouth. There were men everywhere... I shuddered slightly at the view, and a cold chill settling around myself.

Don't. A deep voice seemed to whisper to me. I rolled my jaw, trying to release tension in my body...

Many males turned from me when Kalan growled again, louder, and I suddenly remembered that Claudia had said he gets aggressive around other males...

Good, I though sweetly.

I lightly scratched behind his ear before sliding off his back gracefully, using the cane for a hedgy support. An adult woman with spiky-blonde hair and ice blue eyes approached me, grinned the most wicked smile I have ever seen. Somehow, it calmed my senses that were roaring at me to unleash the Gray and kill the foreign human males.

"Impressive display." She commented, grinning. Another female approached from behind her, her long black hair and lightly golden skin complemented her emerald green eyes, which we now pinned onto me. She tucked some hair behind her ear and pursed her lips. "So impressive, sugar, that now you've probably got a horde of male fans."

Without willing to, a hiss escaped between my teeth. Kalan's head brushed the side of mine, informing me that I had support...or back up. "I don't want a horde of men." I snarled at her.

She gave me a head to toe glance then looked at the blonde-haired pixie-woman, before turning back to me."Sugar, from where I'm standing you don't really have a choice. We don't exactly get many Arcerian riding professionals around here and with a stunt like that everyone with a cock and balls will want to know how you did it."

The blonde haired woman looked behind me, snorted, and then laughed under her breath.

I felt like someone had splashed me with a bucket of water. Do all the females around here use that sort of language? Is someone who knows a trick or two whilst riding an Arcerian really a professional?

I frowned in confusion. How did I just get pushed from the killing edge by two Gray-Jewelled, snarly and strange female adults, who I've never met before?

I froze for a moment, and sent out a light probe, lightly touching there outer inner-barrier. Yes, they were both Gray-Jewelled. How did I know that then?

Kalan pushed me with his head, forcing me to take a few steps back before he shifted his body in such a way that any approaching person wouldn't be able to see me. Nor would I be able to see them, I thought dryly, although the scent that hit me was one of a male.

"Ladies." the voice sounded sharp, but worn out like he'd been worked to the limit. It also sounded smooth, running like a lovers touch over my body at the same moment I felt a wave of light seduction hit me. "Kalan'drios." I bared my teeth angrily when the voice said my brother's name. I bristled, summoned my favourite knife, and slipped around so I was standing half-hidden next to my brothers head.

My knife laid against Kalans cheek, carcassing it, but laying hidden until I needed it. The man was taller than us women, looking very similar to the black-haired green-eyed lady. He had sleek black hair, honey golden eyes and brown skin; so he was from one of the three long-lived races, like me, and the possibly woman next to him.

He stared at me, his body moving similar to a cat as he moved his training stick to his other hand. He screamed one thing at me, and that put my teeth on edge: Seducer!

His eyes flicked to where I had the knife, as if he could see through Kalan, then back to my face. His melted honey eyes seemed to go colder.

"You must be Elayn." He purred. I shuddered, forcing of the driving temptation to rise to the killing edge.

"Maybe." I mused just as sweetly. "Why does it concern you?" The two women. Kalan nudged me with his head, softly, as if he didn't want to draw attention to himself. I ignored my brother, but vanished my knife.

The man just stared at me for a long time, and I never shifted my eyes from his. A sudden smirk drew up one of the sides of his mouth. "You're as bad as my daughter."

My eye brow raised. The ice thick tension around us broken by his sudden change of the subject. I frown at the prospect of being anything like his daughter, who ever she was.

"This is Lady Surreal," he gestured to the exotic woman with the emerald green eyes, "And this is Lady Karla." He motioned to the wicked grinning lady. "I'm Daemon Sadi." Daemon said, looking at me closely. I bowed respectfully, unsure of what was considered polite here when addressing a Warlord Price, and rocked back onto my heels. Sadi, aye?

"Nice to meet you, Ladies, Prince. I am Elayn, and I'm certain my personality doesn't resemble Claudia's all that well." I lifted my hand and scratched Kalan's ear comfortingly. Daemon started in a coughing fit and covered his mouth very badly to cover a very noticeable smile.

I poked my head slightly around Kalan, to see a group of adolescent two-legged males training with an adult Eyrien meters away. One of them flicked his head my way as if he had eyes on the back of his head and our eyes met.

His beautiful and flawless eyes, looking at me with a flicker of warmth. Emotions tumbled around in my belly as he smiled at me. I felt scared at the emotions that I thought I had berried long ago.

Damarlon stared at me, stopping his copies of the Eyrien adult's deadly movements in the process. This earned him a wack on the head from the teacher with a training stick, at exactly the same time Daemon turned his glance to him, I snarled and Kalan pulled himself in front of me.

I pulled myself back, even though I yearned to run around the four surrounding me and join in the exercises, and instead eyed Daemon wearily while he looked over at the group that I could no longer see. I guessed he was having a private conversation on a thread, even before my brother turned and started to stalk dangerously over to the training group.

"Kalan'drios." Daemon cleared his throat, looking as nervous as a two-year old caught with a forbidden cookie in his mouth. Kalan turned, and I watched Daemon from my post. Surreal pursed her lips, took one glance at my brother before grabbing Karla's arms and dragging her back to the castle-house.

"It would be in her best interests if you took Elayn back up into the Healing rooms." He informed Kalan. Kalan looked lazily at him, before storming back over to us, towering over Daemon. Daemon blinked as if something had happened too quickly for him to grasp, and Kalan sighed at the human male and nudged me towards the castle-house.

*I do not like the puppy males.* Kalan snarled to me as soon as we were out of ear shot. I tried running to keep ahead of my brothers giant head nudging, and ended up hopping a lot. I chuckled darkly at his remark, and gave up on the hopping; instead, I summoned the cane and limped towards the castle-house, even though there was probably no help with the cane.

*Neither do I. Nobody said we had to Kalan.* I sent to him on a private spear thread, the emotion of bitterness lancing at my words.

*Jaenelle said to try, and to play nice. I cannot play nice when Ladvarian says they are sniffing around for a mate.* Kalan snarled three times in that sentence. I felt rage boil inside me like a kettle on the hot fire; everything seemed to look like a potential target for me to throw my fuming hot anger at.

Looking for mates?!? And I'm supposed to be – what? – a contender for the spot?! Someone who the males will thoroughly investigate to see if I am worthy to be a mate?!?

I snarled ferociously, the sound of it emphasized when it bounced off the nearby walls.

I could feel Kalan's stance change; his ears went against his head; his tail dropped; his head lowered and he crouched slightly, as if ready to run. Or pounce.

Sniffing around for a mate... I growled at him silently. When he slowed into a snail's pace I turned around to glare at him. He snarled at me, his teeth bore dangerously while his nails flexed, digging into the soft dirt.

I tried to bury the anger – I'd drawn enough attention to myself already today – but when I tried it just boiled up a red haze.

I gritted my teeth.

*You smell.* Kalan muttered to me. My eyes widened as I stared at him, gobsmacked. I'd just had a shower... and he said...

"WHAT?!?" I shrieked. My brother grinned as if my reaction was a good thing.

*You should take a shower.* he said blandly, smiling slyly at me. I snarled irritably and shoved his shoulder as hard as I could. Kalan stumbled back a bit, smiling wickedly. That rubbed me the wrong way.

"Oh I stink?! This is coming from someone who showers –what? - once a month?!" I snarled, shoving him again.

The next thing I knew I was wrapped in fur, with teeth around me. Kalan was holding me in his mouth and taking me somewhere.

"Put me down!" I shrieked at the 800 pound cat jogging in an odd direction. Or maybe that was just me, seeing as he had me in a position where I could only see his face... and it was getting very uncomfortable.

Kalan shook his head, which didn't help me at all.

"Kalan, pleas"- I was cut off when freezing cold water enveloped me. I jumped up, gasping for air, and was met by a freezing cold wind. I looked down at Claudia's now saturated clothes, shocked.

I looked up at Kalan, who was grinned at me with a huge smile, and in my line of sight behind him a few yards back, there were a bunch of male Eyriens' laughing their heads off. It was like a punch had hit me in the stomach, winding me.

Those memories... I shuddered, and it wasn't from the cold. I stood up straight, shivering uncontrollably, as I looked Kalan in the eyes briefly, before hiding my face from him. The scars of my former life where a burden I'd have to forever carry... and no one can help it if they push the worst of those memories to the surface.

I turned and slowly walked away from my brother. Limped was more like it, actually. I don't know, or care, when that stupid cane is, even if it is extremely painful to walk.

I shoved the memories down, catching glimpses of some...

Mother stood in the kitchen, humming the sweetest of tunes as she wiped the blood dripping from the blunt knife onto a tea towel, before turning to me, the knife held high. "That should teach you not to"-

-I sat reading the book I had scavenged from Mother's last 'lover', flipping through the pages, not seeing the words, while mother's newest lover slid down the cotton sheets, closer to me. He crawled onto the bed, grabbed the strand on my singlet and pulled it down, revealing my bra. I pulled away from him, and he slapped me sharply-

-I stabbed the wooden dummy again, wishing that the cries from my Mothers bedroom were cries of pain that I was inflicting on both of them-

...I shuddered violently at my past life...

:O Elayn has a secret life... that no one knows about... it might be revelled in the next Chapter...

It's my Birthday tomorrow – I would love it if I could get Reviews as a Birthday Present :)