Chapter 4 With one hand I pull out a silver rapier, the needle-like blade balancing perfectly in my small hand, and with the other a silver, polished sword that I grip tightly. Ange pulls out a knife typically designed for hunting but it was so pretty that we only used it to spar or practice fighting. Ange’s grandmother is upstairs hiding and fully prepared to scream if things get too messy. A cop stares dead into my eyes and pulls out a sword, not as well kept as mine but 100% sharper than my own. The other cops follow suit and I determine that the one with the sharp stick (the sword was made of some black medal) is the leader. So as someone with many years of practice and knowledge of fighting would do, I ran straight towards the leader prepared to be stabby stabby with my needle stick. I soon start to realize that the one whom I am fighting is likely not the leader of the battalion for nothing, as she parries my blows and reaches out to hit skillfully, however I was never made a full cop for a reason as well, so I do what anyone who trains but isn’t a cop would do, I skillfully knock the blade out of the leaders hand, fun fact, I chose not to join. I am gloating in my triumph when I hear a scream, a shudder runs through my body as I gingerly turn around. In my eyes I see Ange pinned to the wall with a sliver knife pressed to her neck. She winces and looks to me for help. “Let the thief come with us and both of you will be spared,” I immediately know she doesn’t mean me when she says both of you, after all I’m the thief. “No,” Ange says, “You can’t go, I won’t let you.” “I have too, I have been the cause of so many deaths, I won’t let them add you to the list. I can’t live without you,” I say my voice is shaky and tears are threatening to spill over. “You fool,” Ange says, “Penelope, Penelope’s mom, and my mom, they all died for you, too save you. Are you just going to let Penelope’s sacrifice mean nothing, because then, then you killed her, then she died for no reason. Don’t let it happen, please don’t forget Penelope by throwing yourself away.” she says and a small, sweet smile rests on her lips and I can tell that if this continues any longer she might cry. But more than that, she has found a way into my heart of hearts. I know there’s nothing I can do to prevent it, prevent when I hug her in goodbye, prevent when I take the gorgeous knife from her, and prevent it when she says, “Run like the wind my friend and always remember I’ll be there for you,” then I turn and run, never looking back, not even when the scream of a female pierces the air and I finally let the tears flow. Chapter 5 Sleeping in the forest would never provide a good sleep, but the nightmares that haunt me only make it more unbearable. I see a bloodied sword, in my hands as I lean over a girl my age, who is unmoving and limp. I see Ange face in shock at the sight of an older woman, her mother, in a crumpled position. These are the dreams that litter my mind as I sleep. Chapter 6 I wake up to someone poking me in the shoulder, and like someone with complete sanity would do I bolt up and put my rapier to the girls throat. Don’t blame me, I was being hunted. I was only taking precautions to make sure I did not end up dead like Ange. The person lets out a startled squeak and falls backward in an attempt to back away. I grab their hand and catch them. “Why would you poke a stranger?” I ask “Especially one that is clearly armed.” “Umm well there are cops coming, and well, I-I don’t really know how to say this but-well-umm-you-you kinda have wings and a tail and ears, and you’re armed so that obviously means you were fighting. And those cops looked like they were coming for you when I ran past” She says quietly as if someone might have been listening to us in secret, then she looks away and glances at the trees nervously as if she said something forbidden. I am too shocked to even care though because aside from her stunning blue hair she has a tail and ears.