Scarred Memories - Chapter 1

                   Outsider! The insult still rung in her head as she trained to finally enter into the autumnal equinox completion, usually reserved for the boys she had manged to talked the village elders into letting her try. She is a snow leopard in a pack of wolves’ maybe if she could prove she was as good as them she would finally fit in. It had only been eight months since she had arrived and the constant insult of being an outsider had now turned into her nickname of Raven. She hated it but if that’s what it took to get accepted she would deal with it plus it gave her yet another alias to use if need be. 

                   “Raven, time for dinner.”

                   “I’ll be in shortly mom.” As she finished her last lap around the meadow she stopped at the well to wash her paws and face off from her afternoon workout. She paused a moment in greatfulness that despite the fact she may be an outsider at least she had found a family to take her in. As she enters the house she can see “mom and dad” sitting at the table and can hear Petyon making his way down the stairs.

                   His head’s barely popped around the corner before she hears “Hey sis.”

                   “Hey Peyton, how were your books today?”

                   “Well, and your completion practice?”

                   “Well.”

                   “Oh stop the chitter chatter dinners getting cold you two lets eat.” Mom interjects knowing that if she lets the two of them start it could be several hours before the conversation had ended.

                   “Let the kids talk we should be happy someone has accepted her so fully and that she seems to trust him. You remember what she was like when she first arrived.”  Dad makes note with a grin on his face.

                   “But Alstar the food.”

                   “Alright kids before your mother has a fit lets sit down and eat.” Trying to keep the peace dad continues “Oh and Raven dear, no drinks till after dinner this time.”

                   Raven pouts as Peyton just laughs at her. But the family sits down for dinner.

                   With the fire going in the background warming more water and cider, they begin to feast upon the lamb stew. Once Raven realizes what the meal is she runs over to mom and gives her a big hug. Its Ravens favorite food despite the fact the wolves’ would rather eat rabbit she occasionally gets her lamb. This time mom had it packed with lamb, carrots, potatoes, and some beans all the yummy stuff that Raven had once enjoyed. This meal always reminded her of home, home home but it had been so long since she had been there. She thought a minute. “Mom what’s today?”

                   “It’s the 22nd the equinox is tomorrow why?”

                   “I was just wondering how close I was getting to my birthday.”

                   Fifty days just fifty Raven could barely remember how old she was turning this year thinking a little harder she realized that this year would be her eighteenth birthday. Wishing her parents were around to bring it in with her but she does not even know if they are still alive.



                   The meal finishes in a quiet peace as Raven reverts to her thoughts and the family talks about preparations for the festival tomorrow.  Once Raven finishes off another two bowls of stew she excuses herself to her room. Peyton gets up to follow her knowing that something is a bit off but Alistar stops him.

                   “She needs to think and have her space son. I don’t know what she’s thinking but I know she had confided in you let her have some space if she wants to talk she’ll come to you.”

                   Peyton’s face falls he knows this is true but he also know that she’s not apt to talk unless its really dire so he feels need to worry but taking his dads advice he returns to reading his books.



Raven enters her room to find her well worn leather spine journal that hold the only piece of her mother that she knows she has left. A long green ribbon that her mother once wore in her hair shortly before she had escaped from the collector her mother gave her the ribbon as a memento. Now as she journaled it marked the pages within the thick binding.

         Tomorrow is the equinox festival I think that maybe I have found a place to fit. I know they are not my speicies but despite the constian reminder that I am an outsider I have found a few friends and or other people who I feel comfortable talking with plus Alistar has made a good father figure and Rose a mother figure. Though they will never replace you it’s the most at home I have felt from my escape. I cannot believe that it has been nearly three years since I have left. Mother I somehow doubt you live but I hope that if you do I can find you one day. Till then I have to out run and out smart the collector and his lackeys. It was a close call in Shannonbridge whish I could have stayed there longer. But now that I am in Oak Grove and with a family taking me in non-the less I hope that I can stay awhile.  I compete with the boys tomorrow I hope that if I can win or if I do well that I can finally be accepted as one of them despite my physical differences. It is hard enough to face the emotional and physical scars on my own but adding the additional alienation it has only been harder. I should probably talk to Peyton soon I am sure that he is worried about me buried in on of his books.

Raven sets down her journal upon the windowsill she sits and starts out at the city. Her tail absent-mindedly taping the floor to a rhythm only she seems to hear.  Before heading back down stairs to see her brother Raven slowly and methodically braids her long hair the only thing left of her girly demeanor. She has been on the run for so long that she has become very much a tomboy but that is the way she prefers it. 

         The soft padding of her paws is barely heard upon the stairs as she goes to sit next to her brother. Peyton is once again sucked into his books sitting next to the fire a kettle on for presumably tea and a little lamb stew left there to hold. As if he senses her Peyton lifts his head. “Hey there sis. You okay?”

“You always seem to know when they’re not Peyton. But yeah I’m okay just thinking.”

“Bout what?”

“You are a persitant little bugger aren’t ya.”

“Just want to make sure that you’re okay sis especially with tomorrows big competition.”

“Just thinking about my escape and how I found you and your family. How this is finally starting to feel a little like home.”

“Ah.” Peyton pauses to think a few seconds. “How long has it been since you’ve had a true home?”

“Years Peyton I can’t even remember when but I was young.”

“Alright well as long as you are okay you should probably get some rest for your big day tomorrow.”

“I will Peyton.” Raven turns to walk away but turns back and says “Thank you. I know you are always there for me bro I really appreciate it.”

Peyton only grins as Raven makes her way back upstairs into her bedroom. She crosses the rooms threshold and assesses everything to make sure nothing is a skew before sitting down upon the green cotton blanket that Rose had made for her shortly after she showed up. Looking up at the sky she remembers her mother and father once more before drifting off to sleep.