laneys.info Beware of Yankees, drunks, and loose women.

The smell of pine, wildflowers and a hint of the pack of wolves not too far to her right awoke Kailee to another beautiful day in the forested mountains that she had called home for the past seventeen years. That's what Anush had told her anyway. He had become her mentor, adoptive father and the only one who truly understood her unique lifestyle. With her eyes still closed, she reached out with her senses and located the birds singing high in the boughs, focusing on each in turn. She could hear the heartbeats of the five timberwolves as they slept, feel the blood pump through their veins and she could smell the healing wound of the beta that he had received from a bear not three days ago.

Something on the wind didn't feel right this morning though. Concentrating on that feeling she followed it to the source. Down the gentle slope towards the cave that Anush lived in she followed the faint scent. The closer she reached to him, the more nervous she became - he wasn't there. Her vibrant green eyes unveiled as she sat up and looked through the surrounding trees towards his sanctuary. Rising, she headed down through the large green ferns and around tall columns of brownish grey bark to near the small, covered clearing to also find the scent of horses, leather and the body odor of six male humans who had been there. Her heart began to race as she realized that they had finally found him. Frantically, she ran into the cave and in the dim morning light, she spied the footprints in the soft dirt floor and followed the series of events as best as she could. Two of them had tripped his magical alarms while the other four charged in and caught Anush sleeping. Kailee walked over to his covered pallet and could tell from the embers in the hearth that the fire had been out when they ambushed him - and Anush couldn't see in the dark without a spell.

Desperation pumped through her lithe body and she turned back towards the entrance and looked out through the distant forest. She had to find them and save Anush before they took him to the town. In a flash, she sprinted out of the darkened home and blazed a trail along their path. Leaves and small branches exploded away from the blur as birds also took to flight and deer bolted in all directions. Kailee's anger was felt by all.

Soon, her nose found the small campsite for the group of mercenaries. She knew she couldn't alert the horses and stopped to catch her breath and formulate a plan of attack. Slowing her breathing, Kailee closed her eyes and concentrated as Anush had taught her. Within moments, the tall, beautiful girl vanished from sight to blend with her surroundings. She reopened her eyes and stalked her prey, quietly gliding through the underbrush until she reached the edge of the camp, not a few feet from the back of one of the hired thugs.

"Bishop Anaeas is going to be pleased with us this time," a younger soldier stated from the right edge of the circular clearing bordered on the far side by a fallen trunk. "This reward is going to finally get me that house that Janice has been hounding me about."

"And get Marcus out of debt," another grey bearded fighter added from the left as he tossed a broken twig at his sleeping neighbor.

"That would take many outlaws of the church for him to get caught up," a fourth jokingly revealed as he ripped a chunk of deer meat suspended from his dagger.

Kailee concentrated and reached out to find the body of Anush beyond her sight, hanging in a bag over the saddle of one of the horses to her left. Angry tears began to flow from glowing eyes as the edges of the deep green took on a red tinge. Gritting her teeth, she attacked. With the strength of three men, she threw the body of the man in front of her hiding spot into his friend to the right, then leaped on the others, slashing their necks with her claws until she faced the last two who stood entranced. Their fear gave her strength that she fed off of as flashes of Anush's smile and caring over the years made her vision go to blood red as she tore into the remaining mercenaries. In the midst of horses cries and groaning men, she turned on the remaining fighter who ran for his life from the death that had come to visit them. With a burst, she leaped onto his back, grabbed his head and chest, then bit into his neck with her fangs as she broke his spine with a hungry yank. Planting her feet, she dropped the limp body onto the ground as she panted from the exhilarating encounter.

She closed her eyes as she raised her head into the sky and tried to regain control over the beast inside her. Anush told her that her other half wasn't who she was and if she could control it, it could be a powerful ally in the future. This was one incident where she didn't mind that darker side taking over. As she relaxed, claws and fangs disappeared as the evil glow in her eyes faded and she returned to claim the body of her only friend and carried him back to his cave. In the silence, she buried him as a soft rain began to fall. The weather mirrored the way she felt as she balled up on the soft earth and cried.

Soon, the muzzle of the alpha male softly brushed against her cheek as the wolves offered their sympathies and eventually gathered Kailee and took her back out of the cave and up the mountain. As the clouds overhead took on deeper maroon and blue colors, she sat on the edge of the high cliff and stared out over the rolling green landscape far below.

'I will never leave you, my love,' a familiar, deep voice from far away reminded. 'All others will treat you with trepidation, but I understand who and what you are. We are the same in many ways, like I've told you in the past. I enjoy what you've become and I see amazing things in the future for you, Kailee. With my help, you will become great.'

"Who are you, you've never told me that." She always felt nervous when his voice interrupted her thoughts.

'I am Sater, your father. I've watched over you when that weak human, Anush couldn't. I used him to train you and now that his task is complete, I look forward to showing you more. You are never alone.' Kailee took solace in that thought now that her mentor was gone.

'Humans have chased and hunted you since you were born, they can't be trusted. To them you are a beast that can't be allowed to have a place in the world, but you will outlive them all. Feed off of their fear and it will make you stronger, as you saw today.'

"When will you allow me to see you?"

'Soon. I'm sending someone to free you from this prison and take you to a place where you can begin your journey. It's time to enter the next stage of your life, my daughter.'

Kailee could feel the warmth of his presence fade as the evening sun dipped below the distant mountains. A cool breeze softly brushed the tall grass around her and her long, light brown hair. She finally felt at peace.